Friday 13TH APRIL 2018

53 Killed by Suspected Herdsmen, Bandits in Taraba, Zamfara, Benue Death toll in Ukum, Logo LGA attacks rises to 60 Mohammed Aminu in Gusau, George Okoh in Makurdi and Wole Ayodele in Jalingo Gruesome killing sprees suspected to have been carried

out by Fulani herdsmen and unidentified gunmen continued unabated in Taraba, Benue and Zamfara States within a space of 24 hours, leading to the deaths of 53

persons and scores injured in the three states.

This was just as the death toll from attacks on villages in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas in Benue

State early in the week rose to 60, according to local sources from the affected communities.

In Zamfara State, no fewer than 26 persons were killed in a fresh attack by armed

bandits in Kuru-Kuru and Jarkuka villages in Anka Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday.

The two villages are close to Bawar Daji village in the

same local government area where armed bandits had attacked and killed over 60 people two weeks ago.

Continued on page 8

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At 2nd THISDAY Healthcare Policy Dialogue, Leaders Task Nigeria on Universal Coverage WHO, World Bank, UNFPA, USAID/HFG, top government officials, lawmakers, private sector in attendance - Story on page 8

GHEBREYESUS

ADEWOLE

SARAKI

OKOWA

OBAIGBENA

YOUSSOUFOU

This outrage must end.

No one should have to choose between buying medicine and buying food for their family.

No one should have to choose between death and poverty. There’s no single path to universal health coverage. All countries must find their own way, in the context of their own social, political and economic circumstances. But the foundation everywhere must be a strong health system, based on primary care, with an emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion.

The Basic Health Care Provision Fund provides the platform to expand high impact and lifesaving interventions for all Nigerians. It guarantees an explicit package of services to be delivered at the facility level, through the NHIS and State Health Insurance Agencies (SHIAs), and operational budgets for facilities to improve the quality of service delivery based on a quality improvement plan with quantifiable outcome measures.

Easy access to healthcare should be a priority for Africa and Nigeria. During my tenure as First Lady of Kwara State, community health was the lynchpin of development, making sure that no citizen was more than five minutes away from quality, affordable healthcare.

Putting people first is the right and smart investment to make for our people. Universal health coverage is a social imperative, an investment which must be made for the people.

It appears too that THISDAY, working with the Ministry of Health, has brought this alive.

I believe that there is a lot to be done, but very importantly, the governors need to be carried along. It is going to be a tough process trying to convince them at this time, but we can do it together and I believe that advocacy is very important and it requires a lot of pleading. I believe that when they start, they will be able to surmount the difficulties.

At THISDAY, we are just facilitators, bringing policy makers, experts, bankers and financiers together to ensure we can move towards a very healthy nation, and of course an educated nation.

This dialogue is aimed at helping shape policy towards human capital development and ensuring that the nation cares for the citizens of the country, ensuring that every life matters.

One of the ideas that Alhaji Aliko Dangote has floated, at the last National Economic Council that we had, was to see how we can get the private sector to commit one per cent of its profit after tax, which would go to supporting the BHCPF. This is because, in every country that we have looked at, government cannot do it alone; we need private sector contributions. He is committed to doing this himself; he has been floating the idea with his peers.

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PAGE EIGHT AT 2ND THISDAY HEALTHCARE POLICY DIALOGUE, LEADERS TASK NIGERIA ON UNIVERSAL COVERAGE Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Senator Ireogbu, Damilola Oyedele, Olawale Ajimotokan and Paul Obi in Abuja A cross section of experts and leaders from the healthcare, public and private sectors, the legislature, multilateral development partners, civil society organisations and the media, yesterday converged on Abuja for the second THISDAY healthcare policy dialogue where they all urged governments at all levels in Nigeria to be more committed to the adoption of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), saying the scheme had become a priority goal worldwide.

The speakers at the dialogue also agreed that UCH was an important way to expand access to effective healthcare services, reduce financial hardship during illness, and improve health outcomes.

As a follow up to the previous high-level policy dialogue on transforming the Nigeria healthcare sector through appropriate financing held on March 6 by THISDAY with the theme, “Health Financing in Nigeria for Universal Health Coverage Policy Dialogue/ Summit,” yesterday’s event was held at Transcop Hilton Hotel, with the theme, “The Journey to Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.”

The dialogue was sponsored

by Federal Ministry of Health, World Bank, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNFPA, USAID/HFG, Private Sector Health Alliance (PSHA) and Sterling Bank.

The dialogue, which extensively discussed Nigeria’s current healthcare financing reforms towards UHC, the progress and impediments to the reform, called for political and technical support to advance the progress towards UHC. Experts at the event agreed that the overall objective of the high level forum on UHC was

critical to assessing the progress in the march towards universal coverage in Nigeria through a review of the country status on implementation and sharing of global experiences.

The dialogue was attended by eminent personalities including the Director-General, WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho; wife of the Senate President and Founder/President of the Well Being Foundation, Mrs. Toyin Saraki; Country Director, World Bank, Mr. Rachid Benmassoud; Representative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Paulin Basinga; Representative of Sterling Bank; and CEO, Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufoa, among others.

Exploring the place of health as a driver of economic growth, the experts stressed that the future of Nigeria’s success depends on its ability to transform non-renewable, and often volatile natural capital into productive wealth by investing more in the country’s human capital resources.

Giving a keynote speech at the event, the Director-General of WHO, described the lack of access to quality healthcare as an outrage, while commending THISDAY for its intervention to set the agenda on an effective and efficient healthcare service delivery system.

Ghebreyesus explained that nations must do all they can to implement and achieve universal health coverage for their citizens.

According to him, “The World Health Organisation was founded 70 years ago on the conviction that health is a human right to be enjoyed by all people, not a privilege for the few. Although much

has changed in 70 years, that conviction hasn’t.

“The term ‘universal health coverage’ didn’t exist in 1948, but if it did, it would have been in our constitution. Universal health coverage means much more than just health insurance, and it means much more than just healthcare.

“It means ensuring people can get quality health services, where and when they need them, without suffering financial hardship. Or to put it another way, no one should get sick and die just because they are poor, or because the services they need are too far away.”

Explaining further that the scheme also includes the full spectrum of services, from disease prevention and health promotion, to treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, the WHO DG revealed that today, more than half the world’s population lacks access to essential health services, and almost 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty every year because of the cost of paying for health service out of their own pockets.

He said: “This outrage must end. No one should have to choose between buying medicine and buying food for their family. No one should have to choose between death and poverty.

“There’s no single path to UHC. All countries must find their own way, in the context of their own social, political and economic circumstances.

But the foundation everywhere must be a strong health system, based on primary care, with an emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion.

“Such health systems do not only provide the best health outcomes, they’re also the best defence against outbreaks and other health emergencies. In that sense, UHC and health security are truly two sides of the same coin.”

While stating that there were many steps on the road to UHC,

he said the key was political commitment and for that reason, Nigeria’s Presidential Summit on Universal Health Coverage in 2014 was a vital step.

“The National Health Act passed the same year lays a firm foundation for making UHC a reality by guaranteeing a basic package of services. The government’s ambition to reach 100 million Nigerians with a basic package of primary healthcare services is truly admirable,” he added.

He congratulated the government for its commitment to allocating at least one per cent of consolidated revenue from the national budget to the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.

The WHO boss, however, stressed that financial investments were required to build strong health systems that deliver qualitative services, adding that they are investments, not costs. “They’re investments in a safer, fairer and more prosperous future.”

He said the question therefore was not whether countries can afford to invest in their health systems but whether they can afford not to, saying universal health coverage was not just an investment in a healthier future but a down payment on a fairer, safer and more prosperous future.

Also in a goodwill message, the representative of the Global Financing Facility Secretariat for Every Woman Every Child (GFF), Mr. Luc Laviolette, said that the GFF was started in 2014 in recognition that a different financing model would be required to achieving the health-related aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said looking back at the global performance of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to health, it set the alarm that a lot needed to be done and also, a different financing model will be required.

According to him, “There is also a lot of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for health but when you look at it, there are a lot of gaps, which at the time stood at $33 billion annually, and also financial flows from the private sources into various franchise, agencies and directly to the households. These private flows far exceed the ODA. “So it was to develop a model that focuses on all types of financing. First and foremost, increasing domestic resources, this is at the heart of what GFF is doing. We are extremely pleased to be able to support in this someway in Nigeria.”

On his part, the Health

Advisor, UK Department for International Development (DFID) and Co-Chair, HealthDevelopment Partners Group, Mr. Chris Lewis, said that Nigeria had both the second highest maternal mortality and the second highest child death rate in the world.

“We’ve struggled to improve health coverage over the past 25 years and we have a transition of the donor funding mechanism for these services transitioning out in the coming years.

“So, welcome in this boat of ship of change that is ultimately required in this country. People need access to health services,

TEJUOSHO

BENMASSOUD

The one per cent from the Consolidated Revenue Fund is more crucial to Nigeria than even the capital budget allocation for the health sector, because the capital budget may not be released in totality… There is no way we can continue doing the same things every year, introducing budget allocations, which we may not release in totality and expect to have a change in the health sector.

I am pleased that there is an encouraging coalition on the health sector in Nigeria. I think implementing the national health plan will be an embracing step towards universal healthcare coverage.

Nigeria has a vibrant private sector and it is important to harness it. The World Bank is pleased that the healthcare focuses on mother and children.

another person.

“The remains of the dead were moved on a motorbike to the 'D' Division Police Station in Makurdi,” he said.

The resident added that the attack scared many residents who promptly started vacating the community to Makurdi.

When contacted, the PPRO of the state Police Command ASP Moses Yamu, confirmed the attack on the suburb, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni led his personnel to the community to restore order.

He said: “I can confirm that two persons were killed in Agboughul community this morning by suspected herdsmen.

“The Commissioner of Police has already visited there and he has also deployed a unit of our mobile police personnel to the community to ensure the restoration of peace in the area.”

Meanwhile, death toll from the recent attack on Gbeji town and other communities in Ukum LGA and a fresh attack on Logo LGA, both in Benue State, has risen to 60, according to local sources.

The attacks on communities in both local government councils occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Speaking on the incidents, Joseph Anawa, a former aide to the immediate past

governor of the state, whose community was affected in the latest attack, said the group which attacked Igbougher Mbavuur also struck at TseWadr killing several persons.

“We suspect that the same gang which attacked Igbougher Mbavuur were responsible for the early morning attack on Tse-Wadr in the same Logo LGA where they sacked the community, killed several persons and injured so many others,” he said.

Continued on page 9

53 KILLED BY SUSPECTED HERDSMEN, BANDITS IN TARABA, ZAMFARA, BENUE THISDAY checks yesterday revealed that the Wednesday attack was initially carried out at a mining site at Kuru-kuru village.

An eyewitness, Sadi Musa, said about four people were initially killed at the mining site on Wednesday evening, which forced the miners to run for cover.

He said when residents from nearby Jarkuka came later to join the Kuru-kuru survivors in burying the dead, the gunmen laid siege and killed more raising the number of those killed to 26.

“The community of Jarkuka was not the initial target, but has been affected and lost over 10 innocent lives for their effort in mobilising their residents and giving support to the Kuru-Kuru neighbouring village,” he explained.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Mohammed Shehu said the command was aware of the attack on the two villages but declined to give the number of the casualties.

“We are already aware of the attack but I cannot give you details now until my commissioner is fully briefed."

However, the Chairman of Anka Local Government Area, Alhaji Mustapha Gado Anka told journalists yesterday that 26 persons were killed in the attack on two villages.

The bandits had attacked Bawan Daji village in Anka LGA two weeks ago, leading to the deaths of over 60 people.

This led to the deployment of the Nigerian Air Force and Army to the area, whose personnel swung into action killing several bandits but lost a captain and a sergeant in the operations.

In Taraba, herdsmen suspected to be Fulani militia on Wednesday evening killed 25 people at Jandeikyula village in Wukari Local Government Area.

The militia, numbering over 200, were said to have invaded the village at about 6 p.m. and shot sporadically killing anybody in sight and setting houses ablaze.

The attack occurred despite the presence of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris who has been in the state on a working visit since Monday.

Victor Iortim, an eyewitness who narrated the incident to newsmen, said the assailants stormed the village when people were resting after a hard day’s work on their farms and went on a shooting spree.

Iortim, who narrowly escaped death during the attack, said he was on his way from a neighboring village and very close to Jandeikyula when he sighted the gunmen and had to quickly hide in the bush.

According to him, “They were close to 200. I went to a neighbouring village and I was on my way back to Jandeikyula when I sighted them.

“I quickly hid in the bush and counted scores of them.

They were well armed with sophisticated weapons. There was no way I could call home because there was no network on my phone where I hid.”

Also narrating the incident in a phone interview, an indigene of the village, Orbee Uchiv confirmed that the attackers invaded the village at about 6 p.m, adding the death toll would have been higher but for the intervention of soldiers on routine patrol from Gbeji village where four people were killed on Tuesday by suspected herdsmen.

Urchiv, who was an aide to the former governor of Taraba State, the late Danbaba Suntai, said the attack was without any provocation, adding that it was the worst to happen to the people of the village.

An aide to the state governor Mr. Samson Tor-Musa, who also hails from the area, lamented the killings, describing them as unwarranted and without any cause.

He lamented that some people with vested interest were bent on thwarting the efforts of the governor to bring permanent peace to

the state by instigating and masterminding killings across the state.

He charged President Muhammadu Buhari to take more than a passing interest in the continuous killings across the country, particularly in Taraba, Benue and Plateau States.

Confirming the attack, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, David Missal said the details of the incident were still sketchy and promised to get back to reporters as soon as more information was available.

The attacks and killings in Taraba State have become a recurring decimal, despite the deployment of a surveillance aircraft and three additional units of the police anti-riot squad to the state by the IG on Monday.

The story was no different in neighbouring Benue State, where suspected herdsmen attacked Agboughul village, a suburb of Makurdi, the state capital, killing two persons while several others sustained injuries.

According to a resident, the herdsmen stormed the community that is located close to River Benue in the early hours of yesterday.

“They came this afternoon and started shooting. In the process, they killed a man who was in the area to dig a well on a plot of land and

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NEWS AT 2ND THISDAY HEALTHCARE POLICY DIALOGUE, LEADERS TASK NIGERIA ON UNIVERSAL COVERAGE including prevention, promotion and treatment, which make efficient services to be effective without exposing the user to financial hardship. This is the very definition of universal health coverage,” he said.

The climax of the event was the launch and renaming of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) by the health minister, who said the fund will now be known as “Huwe”.

With a new logo to complement the name change, Adewole, who presented the keynote address, noted that the first phase of the programme would soon commence in Abia, Niger and Osun States.

He added that the logo would be displayed at accredited facilities where citizens can access the basic minimum packages of health services.

According to him, Huwe is an Ebira word, meaning life and was derived after an extensive crowd sourcing campaign. He said it was easy to recall and a short syllable that depicts good health in local parlance.

He explained that the BHCPF was intended to ensure monies are disbursed, managed and accounted for in a transparent manner, ensure that funds flow from source (at the federal level) to service delivery points, creating performance incentives for providers, increasing service utilisation and health worker productivity, and monitoring service delivery, including improvements in service delivery readiness in line with accreditations standards and operating protocols.

The minister said the BHCPF will complement ongoing efforts of the states and local governments to mobilise resources for health, and is not intended to provide excuses to underfund or deprioritise funding for healthcare services.

According to him, “The Basic Health Care Provision Fund provides the platform to expand high impact and life-saving interventions to all Nigerians.

“It guarantees an explicit package of services to be delivered at the facility level through the NHIS and State Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIAs), and operational budgets to facilities to improve the quality of service delivery based on a quality improvement plan with quantifiable outcome measures.

“The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) will assess on an annual basis the improvements in quality of care based on a set of metrics.”

Adewole explained further that the BHCPF was introduced in recognition of the fact that Nigeria’s future success depends on its ability to transform non-renewable (and often volatile) natural capital into productive wealth by investing more in human capital.

He added: “Within the health sector, we now know, based on our research in the last few years of this administration, that targeted coverage expansion for high impact reproductive maternal, neonatal, and child health (RMNCH) interventions to underserved populations have an immediate impact on the health of women and children. Several programmes piloted by government and partners across the country have demonstrated this.”

The Founder/President of the Well Being Foundation, Mrs. Saraki, in her remarks, before the launch of the Huwe card, said easy access to healthcare should be a priority for Africa and Nigeria.

She echoed the position of Dr. Ghebreyesus that Universal Health Coverage was a social imperative, an investment which must be made for the people.

Saraki recalled that during her tenure as First Lady of Kwara State, community health was the lynchpin of development, making sure that no citizen was more than five minutes away from quality, affordable healthcare.

“Putting people first is the right and smart investment to make for our people,” she said.

The Delta State governor, while congratulating THISDAY for organising the dialogue, urged the federal government to take the advocacy to the state governors, saying since 2014 when the Health Act was passed into law, it looked like Nigeria fell asleep.

“But it appears too that THISDAY working with the Ministry of Health has brought this alive,” the governor stated.

“I believe that there is a lot to be done, but very importantly, the governors need to be carried along. It is going to be a tough process trying to convince them at this time, but we can do it together and I believe that advocacy is very important and it requires a lot of pleading.

“I believe that when they start, they will be able to surmount the difficulties. We have difficulties but we are moving fast and we believe that in another three years, there will be a lot of change in our state because this is a foremost programme that we have and we are very confident that we will be able to surmount the challenges and we will make it.”

The governor, who was the Chairman Senate Committee of Health when the Act was passed in the 7th National Assembly, said that the two health committees of the Senate and House of Representatives did actually push the National Health Bill, which was later signed into law.

According to him, “Seeing us talk about it today, I am truly very excited, I have been very worried that in the last three years, nothing has been done.

“In my state, by the special grace of God, we have already passed the Delta State Contributory Health Commission Law, which establishes a mandatory health insurance scheme for all citizens.

“We passed it as early as February 2016 and since January 2017, we started the processes. The governance processes are fully on board, a lot of people are enrolling and more importantly, the public service has fully keyed into it and that is a big plus for us because that has been the challenge.’’

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho conveyed the commitment of the 8th National Assembly to the implementation of the National Health Act, which recommends that one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund be deployed in the revival of the health sector.

Tejuosho said the one per cent had already been included in the 2018 budget for the sector, adding that the lawmakers would push for its full release.

He said: “The one per cent is more crucial to Nigeria than even the capital budget allocation for the health sector, because the capital budget may not be released in totality, but this one per cent, once it is in the budget, must be released just like the two per cent released to the education sector.

“There is no way we can continue doing the same things every year, introducing budget allocations, which we may not release in totality, and expect to have a change in the health sector.”

He commended Okowa for ensuring the passage of the National Health Act when he was in the National Assembly, adding: “I tell my colleagues, that we have enough theory on the ground. But we need to make sure that this becomes a reality, and the people of Nigeria see it working in the health sector.

“So we in the 8th Assembly, the health committees, are focusing on the implementation of the one per cent guaranteed by the National Health Act and its inclusion in the 2018 budget, being the last budget before the next election.”

He further disclosed that as part of efforts to ensure the development of the sector at the state level, the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage was launched in December to enhance communication among the lawmakers at the federal and state levels.

In its contribution to the dialogue, the Dangote Foundation announced that it was currently spearheading an innovation, which would see the private sector contribute one per cent of its profit after tax to the revitalisation and development of the health sector.

The CEO of the Foundation, Ms. Zouera Youssoufou, speaking as a panelist at the dialogue, said the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote had floated the idea at the last meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) and was committed to implementing it.

“One of the ideas that Alhaji Aliko Dangote floated at the last National Economic Council that we had, was to see how we can get the private sector to commit one per cent of its profit after tax, which would go to supporting the BHCPF. “This is because in every country that we have looked at, government cannot do it alone, we need private sector contributions.

“So, he is committed to doing this himself, he has been floating the idea with his peers, and the goal is to see how we can raise money from the private sector to support what we are doing on the government side.

“We completely believe in public-private partnerships, we believe that we cannot do everything by ourselves.

On every single programme, we work through the federal or state governments, where we work.”

Youssoufou said the foundation considers itself a development partner, and was already working in the primary healthcare sector, particularly in Northern Nigeria.

During the panel session, a panel of experts advocated for increased private sector financing of basic healthcare in Nigeria.

The Country Director, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,

Paulin Basinga lamented that a key missing component of the health sector in Nigeria was that 75 per cent of public health is funded by households while government at federal and state levels only account for 13 per cent.

Basinga proposed that in order to plug the funding gap, Nigeria needs private funding of between $30- $40 per capital as against the present funding at $1 per capital, which WHO at its expertise meeting on Nigeria, considered to be grossly low and inadequate to ensure that universal health coverage is achieved.

“There will be a paradigm change if one per cent of Nigeria’s Consolidated Revenue Fund is channelled into healthcare and we need continuous budgeting to attain that.

“It is important that the legislature and executive must work closely and the executive has to be perfect to make private healthcare delivery achievable.

“We will need more than $1 per capital, probably between $30 and $40 per capital to be able to deliver those services.

To get innovative healthcare you need very strong private healthcare where the execution must be perfect,” Basinga said.

The country Director, World Bank Nigeria, Rachid Benmassoud, lauded the healthcare policy dialogue, noting that it was held at a very critical time when Nigeria was facing a lot of challenges.

He also called for the involvement of the private sector, which he noted was very vibrant in Nigeria, in the drive and implementation of UCH. Benmassoud said a healthy nation will be a recipe for economic and social development.

“I am pleased that there is an encouraging coalition on the health sector in Nigeria.

I think implementing the national health plan will be an embracing step towards universal healthcare. Nigeria has a vibrant private sector and it is important to harness it.

The World Bank is pleased that healthcare focuses on mother and children,” he said.

A representative of UNFRA, Eugene Kogili, wanted Nigeria to emulate other countries that tend to invest in vulnerable people including children, mothers and adolescents.

Kogili, who stood in for Diene Kieta on the panel, said that UNFRA had observed that other countries that had made reproductive, maternal and child and adolescent care the fulcrum of their investments, were getting high returns.

He said from previous research, investments of N1 million in reproductive, maternal and the new born care would create a return on investments of N20 million, 20 times the amount invested and of more benefit than investment in infrastructure that only delivers three times the amount invested.

“Most countries tend to invest in children, mothers, and adolescents. But then we have also realised that it is not all mothers and children that are served as they are left behind because of their geographical location.

“We must ensure that healthcare targets those rural areas left behind by making them the target in the first part before any other person.

“Now we have to know that there are two ways of funding

which will come through government via taxation and insurance schemes – basic health or private insurance or community based insurance.

“For you to succeed, we have to move money from private hands to the public side. What has worked in most countries is that public money is mandatory and is applied to business. But it has to be managed by government,” Kogili said.

On his part, Isiye Ndombi of UNICEF advocated for Nigeria to step out of the shadows and take a cue from Thailand, which stepped forward since it suffered a recession in the first quarter of 2013 and has continued to improve in spite of going through eight governments.

Speaking in relation to the level of spending by donor agencies, the Mission Director, USAID, Stephen Haykin, advised Nigeria to fund opportunities that work and in the broader area of the economy, adding government should support groups that spread the risk.

“We need private foundations to come forward and make contributions in support of universal health coverage in the mold of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,” Hawkin said.

While also contributing to the conversation, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning said that in terms of the major functions of her ministry in the area of monitoring and evaluation of the health sector, the federal government had consciously taken into account the health strategies of the health ministry in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

According to her, “We also identified specific key priority actions that must be undertaken within the four years of the planned period. So in the ERGP, we seek to prioritise health and take actions in accordance with the third pillar, which is investing in our people.

“Specifically, the ERGP target is on vitalising primary healthcare systems and the roll out of universal health coverage.

It also aims to strengthen the delivery beyond PHC (primary healthcare) systems and partner with the private sector in constructing mega health centres.

“All these are geared towards achieving the broad outcomes of improving the availability, accessibility, as well as the quality of health services in our country, expanding health services to all local governments is an imperative that we have planned for.

“Also, we aim to provide and finance health services, prevent infant mortality and maternal mortality. We aspire to reach the basic goals.’’

She said the federal government had spent in areas where the outcomes quickly pulled the country out of the recession, noting that in 2015, the federal government released N16 billion, in 2016 it released 28 billion, in 2017 it released N45 billion to the healthcare sector.

She said that the trajectory was a positive one and promised that the government would implement the one per cent financing from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in conjunction with the National Assembly.

In his opening remark, the Chairman of THISDAY/ ARISE Global TV, Mr. Nduka

Obaigbena, emphasised the need to invest more in the health of Nigerians.

He said that the dialogue was to help shape policy towards human capital development and ensuring that the nation cares for the citizens of the country because every life matters.

According to him, “At THISDAY, we are just facilitators, bringing policy makers, experts, bankers and financiers together to ensure we can move towards a very healthy nation, and of course an educated nation.”

Welcoming the participants, Obaigbena said Nigeria needs the enabling laws and financing for the health sector, noting that this can be achieved with the collaborative effort of the public and private sectors.

In a communiqué after the event, the summit resolved as follow: r $PNNFOEFE 5)*4%": Federal Ministry of Health, WHO, the World Bank, UNFPA, USAID/HFG and Sterling Bank for jointly supporting the dialogue on UHC. r $PNNFOEFE UIF FGGPSUT made by the government of Nigeria so far in this regard, and called for more budgetary allocations for funding healthcare services in Nigeria towards the attainment of UHC. r $SJUJDBMMZ DPOTJEFSFE UIF progress and challenges of the ongoing reform efforts of government, especially the National Health Act passed into law in 2014, which has laid a firm foundation for making UHC a reality by guaranteeing basic health package services, while commending President Muhammadu Buhari for formally launching the UHC. r $BMMFE GPS QPMJUJDBM BOE technical support at all levels to advance progress towards UHC through the full implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) initiative as an opportunity for achieving UHC. r "HSFFE UIBU UIF #BTJD Health Care Provision Fund, now known as Huwe, will provide the platform to expand high impact and life-saving interventions to all Nigerians. r 5IF #)$1' HVBSBOUFFT an explicit package of services to be delivered at the facility level through the NHIS and State Health Insurance Agencies (SHIAs); operational budgets to facilities to improve the quality of service delivery based on a quality improvement plan with quantifiable outcome measures; the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) will assess on an annual basis the improvements in the quality of care based on a set of metrics. r $BMMFE PO HPWFSONFOU UP focus on investment on the explicit package of services defined under the Huwe programme. r $BMMFE GPS B IJHI MFWFM advocacy for the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) to mobilise enough funds for the support of healthcare delivery at the state level. r $BMMFE GPS UIF OFFE UP attach public health indicators to the budgetary requests, while expressing satisfaction on the quality of contributions from all stakeholders. Participants were optimistic that the federal government will leverage on the outcomes of the dialogue to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018Ëž T H I S D AY

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NEWS

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

Senators in Rowdy Session After Abaribe Calls Buhari Incompetent PDP, Fayose ask president to stop giving excuses for failing to stem farmers-herdsmen’s clashes Damilola Oyedele, James Emejo Ëœ Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Victor Ogunje Ă“Ă˜ ĂŽĂ™ ÕÓÞÓ It was a rowdy session in the Senate yesterday following Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s description of President Muhammadu Buhari as “incompetentâ€? in his handling of clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

Abaribe (Abia PDP) had used the word while reacting to Buhari’s comments made in London last Wednesday when

the president said the killer herdsmen were not Nigerians but militias trained by the late Muammar Gadaffi of Libya.

Abaribe, in a motion raised at plenary, queried why Buhari as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces was incapable of protecting Nigeria from foreign invasion.

He also wondered why the president, Inspector General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, and the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan Ali (rtd), have propounded different reasons for the recurring clashes.

Idris, Abaribe recalled, had blamed the clashes on the antigrazing laws passed by some of the affected states, while the minister had said they were caused by the blockage of grazing routes. “Yesterday (Wednesday) in London, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria said the killings are as a result of the people who were trained by the

late Gaddafi, and so implying that these people doing these killings in Nigeria are from outside the country. “When a commander-in-chief cannot take care of invaders invading Nigeria, why is he still a commander-in-chief? Why do we continue to indulge this president (such) that everywhere he goes, he tells everyone outside this country that he is totally incompetent? Because it is

obvious‌,� Abaribe added.

At this point, his presentation was interrupted by shouts of ‘point of order’ by several senators who raised their hands, requesting permission from the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to register their protest.

It took a few minutes for calm to be restored to the chamber.

The Majority Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, who first took the floor, expressed displeasure

at Abaribe’s choice of words, which he said disrespected the president. “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the leader of this country, and he deserves the respect and courtesy of this chamber, and those of us in it. I was once a member of the opposition and I do not recall ever calling the then president

Cont’d on Pg 52

Again, Atiku Calls for Restructuring of Nigeria Ejiofor Alike A former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has restated his calls for the restructuring of the Nigerian federation and the devolution of powers to the lower tiers of government.

He also urged the country’s leaders to follow the letter and spirit of federal character and other affirmative action policies to help manage distributive conflicts until such a time when the country has done enough to enhance production in order to reduce the scarcity that drives the conflicts over distribution.

In his presentation on Wednesday in Abuja at a Symposium on Federalism, Diversity and Nation-Building – Tackling the Challenges of Integration in Nigeria, organised by the Institute of Governance and Social Research, Atiku argued that “if we restructure our federation, make compromises, and govern better, we will have a greater chance of transforming our diversity into a national asset.�

He noted that enduring changes to the country’s structure and redistributive systems can only come about through negotiations and compromises by leaders of the diverse groups and zones, adding that with a spirit of give and take, the capacity to empathise, to walk in the other’s shoes, compromises will be easier.

He said the country’s “unitary federalism� has also been characterised by too much government involvement in economic and other activities.

According to him, the country now has federal roads, schools, and hospitals, in addition to business investments that the federal government embarked upon.

He stated that the country is a diverse, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society with three dominant groups in three geographic regions each with many minority groups.

According to him, none of the three major groups and neither of the two main religions has overall dominance in the country.

Speaking on what should be done, the former vice president stated that “So, we need to

step back, agree on what the centre must do and what can and should be devolved to the lower tiers of government “We must devolve powers and responsibilities to the federating states. Much of what is currently in the exclusive legislative list need to be moved to the concurrent List. We don’t need federal roads, federal hospitals, and federal schools.

They should be transferred to the states along with the funds expended on them. At best the federal government may establish regional centres of excellence in medicine and research in each of the geopolitical zones, which can act as models for state governments.

The federal government should hands-off the administration of local governments. States should have the power to create as many local governments as they wish or to not create any. With the devolution of power to state governments, people in each state would know who to hold responsible if their roads are not fixed and if their hospitals have no medication,� he explained.

According to him, the devolution of powers to states must extend to political parties, adding that political parties should not behave in a unitary manner and expect a robust democratic federal system for Nigeria. “Having the party headquarters in Abuja dictate to state (and even local government) branches even on purely local matters is not healthy for democracy and federalism.

Such high-handedness promotes corruption and impedes attention to minority interests and local peculiarities. We need to also follow the letter and spirit of such existing mechanisms as federal character and other affirmative action policies to help manage distributive conflicts until such a time when we do enough to enhance production in order to reduce the scarcity that drives our conflicts over distribution. Inevitably in federal systems, component units will bicker over the distribution of resources, including revenues, location of investments and other opportunities.

COURTESY VISIT TO NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

L-R: President of the International Criminal Court ( ICC ), Chile Ebue Osuji; Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Hon. Aminu Shehu Shagari, during a courtesy visit to the Speaker by the ICC president at the National Assembly in Abuja....yesterday

Buhari in UK: PDP Asks N’Assembly to Address Power Vacuum Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the National Assembly to invoke the relevant sections of the constitution to address the power vacuum caused by President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence from the country.

The party accused the president of shrouding his private visit to London as official.

It said Buhari left the country on April 9, 2018 for London without officially transmitting power to the vice president. In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said: “We therefore charge the National Assembly to immediately come to the rescue and invoke relevant sections of our constitution and laws to address this power vacuum that is capable of derailing our democracy.

PDP said it was instructive to note that Mr. President has not conducted a single business of government 72 hours after his arrival in the UK. “More astonishing is

the fact that President Buhari  did not transmit a letter to the National Assembly indicating that he was going on a week’s vacation ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM). “PDP demands that the National Assembly save the nation from an imminent constitutional crisis by immediately commencing processes to address the current power vacuum in the country, following President Buhari’s decision to embark on a private trip abroad without officially transmitting power to the vice president. “The intervention of the federal legislature has become a national imperative, as the president’s action has put the nation in clear danger. “Nigeria is at the moment bereft of statutory leadership, including the apparatus of security command, particularly as President Buhari had not indicated a date of return to the country. “The PDP and of course, Nigerians at large, are particularly worried that in the event of any national emergency, there is no sitting

commander-in-chief to take charge. “It is incontrovertible that President Buhari is on a private trip to the UK as he was not received on arrival, by the government of that country; has not had any contact with the British Prime Minister, Theresa May or any high officials of the UK government and has not conducted any official business since his arrival to the country on Monday. “Since Monday, President Buhari has been holidaying in London and has been unable to discharge the functions of his office, in total disregard to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, disdain to Nigerians and flagrant abuse of his presidential office. “By embarking on this vacation and abdicating his official functions without transmitting a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and holding on to power while on vacation, President Buhari acted in gross violation of Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). “We know that Mr. President

is billed to attend the CHOGM meeting scheduled to hold between April 16 and 20, but has been in London since Monday attending to private matters, while the ship of state is left bare of statutory leadership as nobody even knows when he is due to return to the country. “Nigerians will recall that the PDP had earlier demanded the presidency to issue a full disclosure on the nature, scope and duration of the private aspect of President Buhari’s trip, a request, they blatantly ignored, in total disdain to the sensibilities of Nigerians. “The PDP and lovers of democracy in Nigeria are particularly miffed that in the desperation to hold power, President Buhari chose to observe the provisions of the constitution in the breach, thereby endangering our dear nation. “We therefore charge the National Assembly to immediately come to the rescue and invoke relevant sections of our constitution and statutory books to address this power vacuum that is capable of derailing our democrac

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COMMENT

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

IN PRAISE OF WINNIE MANDELA

Monday Philips Ekpe pays tribute to Winnie, ex-wife of Nelson Mandela, at age 81

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illions of glowing accolades have been pouring in from all over the globe in honour of Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela who passed on the other day at the age of 81 years. Some other people have also seized this period to tell the world that the memories of the woman who bore a chunk of the burden of liberating her country, South Africa, from the shackles of apartheid were, in their hearts and minds, muddled up – at best. However, my own humble attempt here is, decidedly, a panegyric.

There is a precedent. In 1992 when the late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa announced that he was going to part ways with Mama Winnie, I wrote a two-page piece in the defunct Lagos-based Expression Magazine in reaction to that decision. For me then, Mandela’s accusation of infidelity against his former wife, though a sound legal ground for divorce, was not strong enough to justify the closure of their unique, over-exposed marriage. I actually felt that the Madiba ought to be eternally grateful to Winnie for not succumbing to the brutal repression of the White supremacist government while he was in jail; that he derived some of his own legendary moral and mental strengths that sustained him behind bars from the loyalty and tenacity of a wife who had to operate in a hostile and violent environment.

Back then, some of the allegations of criminality leveled against her were either yet to surface or be subjected to all sorts of analyses. The murder of 14-year- old Stompie Moeketsi, a teenager suspected of spying for the security forces, an accusation she denied throughout her lifetime, did become her albatross. The activities of her bodyguards, better known as Mandela Football Club, sought to becloud her reputation as a fearless, selfless and devout defender of the defenceless. Stories of her dating younger men further put her in the class of the scarlet, especially in the estimation of puritans. Some pronouncements in the media have also not helped matters. Even in death, Mama Winnie continues to be described by her detractors as controversial, unfaithful and bullish. But passing judgments on others, though compelling and gratifying sometimes, could also expose our own actions and future to unfair and acrimonious scrutiny. Some call it Karma. An imperfect being on a judgment seat over another personality, particularly in cases he or she (the self-appointed judge) is not in a position to see all the sides, is, indeed, despicable.

Two and half decades ago, I chose not to condemn the late Mother of South Africa in the face of her reported misdeeds. That was when her hope of becoming the First Lady of the nation she had sacrificed so much for was evaporating and slipping through her fingers. That posture has not changed. To satisfy my curiosity and quest for the essence of the rich, though largely sad, South African history, I visited some places of interest on one of my trips to the country in 2012. They included Robben Island, Mandela’s original house in Soweto, the museum of apartheid in

MAMA WINNIE’S PUBLIC STATURE MIGHT NEVER MEASURE UP TO THAT OF HER BEATIFIED FORMER HUSBAND BUT HER HORRIBLE EXPERIENCES AND LAUDABLE CREDENTIALS AS A FREEDOM FIGHTER CAN NEVER BE TRIVIALISED

Soweto and, gladly, Mama Winnie’s country home there. I felt fulfilled.

The museum has left a lasting impression on me, a conviction that there are many men and women, boys and girls in the Rainbow country who, like their better known compatriots, stood against the evils of segregation, discrimination and extreme cruelty. Some of them even paid the ultimate price but have remained generally uncelebrated.

The numerous efforts made to twist the quintessential Winnie Madikizela-Mandela persona have not been able to diminish her heroic status and image in the consciousness of countless people within and outside South Africa. Mama Winnie’s public stature might never measure up to that of her beatified former husband but her horrible experiences and laudable credentials as a freedom fighter can never be trivialised.

My opinion against President Mandela for ending his union with Winnie did subside when he announced her successor. Graca Machel is viewed by many as likeable, humble, elegant and humane. Her tribute last week to Winnie validates those attributes and vindicates the departed heroine more. It reads in part: “The extraordinary life you led is an example of resilient fortitude and inextinguishable passion that is a source of inspiration to us all of how to courageously confront challenges with unwavering strength and determination. Thank you for your brilliant wisdom, your fierce defiance and your stylish beauty.

Fortunately, stars shine brightest during the darkest of hours. I know you will continue to illuminate our sky, even through the storms and clouds. Your legacy will be an uplifting beacon from which we can continue to draw guidance and strength during difficult times.

“You loved our people unconditionally and sacrificed so much for our freedom. It is my prayer that as befitting tributes are paid to you both at home and abroad, all of us will internalise the values you helped to mould and birth into existence. As a nation, I hope we will stand tall and proud, and as uncompromising as you were in the defence and protection of our rights. As one of our brightest stars, continue to be the lioness that protects your children and your grandchildren. Warm their hearts so that while your transition may shake them, it does not break their spirit. Your legacy is everlasting.

Take a well-deserved rest in peace, my BIG sister.”

Posterity will, hopefully, weigh Winnie’s perceived and real minuses against her humanity. It will remind present and coming generations that the woman born simply as Nomzamo Winfreda Madikizela never laid claims to being superhuman; that destiny thrust on her awesome responsibilities that many other mortals would have dodged. Instead, in a world where exceptional heroism is not always well recognised and rewarded, she stood firmly against daunting odds to be counted among the true leaders of the human race.

Dr. Ekpe wrote from Abuja

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK Sunday Saanu peeps into a vice-chancellor’s diary

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aving been working closely with various Vice-Chancellors of University of Ibadan (UI) in the last nine years as media assistant, I have seen a great deal as an observer, and , I have also gone through a great deal as a participant-observer. I often sympathise with the occupants of this hot seat, given what they go through on a daily basis.

As I had said in the past, leading UI as its VC is as difficult and challenging as leading a multicultural country called Nigeria. This is because UI is an emporium of excellence. This university, without exaggeration, is the intellectual capital of Nigeria, parading over 400 professors.

In UI, everyone is powerful in their own right because of their levels of education and enlightenment. Figuratively, every dog in UI is a lion. It is a critical community of scholars where there is all manner of knowledge. Therefore, the leader of this community must be someone who is intellectually profound, technically accomplished, tactically sound and strategically alert. The leader of this kind of a community must be a man of an incandescent mind, who, as well, enjoys benefits of robust health.

The job requires someone who can work from dawn to dusk without complaining. Clearly, anybody can hold the helm when the sea is calm, but the job of the VC of Ibadan status is not meant for just anybody, rather, for such a person whose day surpasses 24 hours. Anyone who is close to the UI VC, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka and sees how he exerts his energies will agree that some people are more naturally gifted to undertake troubles better than the others. Specifically, Prof. Olayinka, like many of his predecessors in office, is demonstrating some kinds of attributes in leadership that are perceived to be superhuman.

He resumes work around 7. 30 in the morning and will not close, at times , until 10.30 in the night.

The following day, you meet him at his table, treating files, attending meetings, hosting visitors, paying visits to people among other serious engagements.

You wonder when he sleeps. You marvel when he has time to relax! It is against this background that I asked him to share how he spent a particular week with the public. Initially he felt reluctant, but when I mounted pressure with an assurance that the information would not be used against him by his detractors, rather, it would encourage people to pray for him, he yielded. This particular week, however, typifies how he normally spends his days and weeks. Hear Prof. Olayinka: You have been away from home for a week.

You were happy to be back to your beat. Not that you were completely absent though, apart from the physical distance. At times, you think it is better to be around than to be away because while you were away, you kept thinking of the office. Modern developments in telecommunication and IT do not help matters as you are regularly bombarded with phone calls, e-mails, text messages and WhatsApp messages wherever you are on the globe.

All the same, after your shower and dinner, you retired to your Study to catch up with some arrears of work. You went to bed about 1.30 am. Woke up some four hours later. Had to continue some office work till 9:45 am. It was time to proceed to the Senate Chamber where Results of Final Year Students for the session were to be discussed. You were extremely delighted that the university produced 142 candidates in the First Class category.

Moreover, in the unclassified degree programmes, a number of students had distinctions in various courses. These include 13 students in Bachelor of Physiotherapy, 13 in Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and 18 with Bachelor of Pharmacy.

You have never been so proud of UI students. If it is from Ibadan, it must be of outstanding quality.

Meeting turned out to be massively attended.

Through a generous deployment of humour you were able to calm frayed nerves and navigate the somewhat tense meeting to a successful end.

Meeting over by 4:15 pm.

You had to go to Agodi Government Reservation Area (GRA) Quarters to condole with the widow

and daughter of your mentor who passed on while you were out of town the previous week. A protege remembered his senior colleague and friend. It was a rare privilege to have known Professor Oluwole Akinboade (1949-2018). We wish the eminent scholar, former Dean of Veterinary Medicine, who served our university for some 42 years, the last 32 years as a full Professor, eternal rest. And the family, friends and associates he left behind the courage to bear our irreparable loss.

Went back to your office to attend to some visitors who had booked appointments with you.

Finally you left your office by 9 pm. You woke up at night only to read a message on your phone from the Director of Academic Planning to the effect that your highly regarded Bachelor of Pharmacy Programme had been granted Full Accreditation Status by the National Universities Commission (NUC), with an overall programme score of 93%. Great news indeed. The hard work of the Dean, Heads of Departments, the Emeritus Professor, Professors and all the staff and students of Pharmacy had finally paid off handsomely. End of the first working day.

Tuesday: Another Senate Meeting this time to consider the results of Non-Final Year Students.

With the benefit of an advance copy sent to you which you had taken time to peruse it pained you to the marrow that as many as 328 students would be advised to leave the university at the end of their first year of study on account of poor academic performance. This figure represents about 11% of the 2,998 students in that cohort. You felt it was a big waste sending out one out of every nine students that you matriculated a year earlier. No thanks to a faulty national admission policy which was made binding on all public universities some 18 months earlier, we have never had it so bad for quite a while. You cannot build something on nothing.

Senate set up an Ad-Hoc Committee to work out modalities for counselling students who have challenges with coping with their course of study. In an elated mood, you specifically requested the Dean of Pharmacy (with a brand new full NUC Accredita-

tion) to give the closing prayer.

By our tradition, approval of all the Sessional Exam Results signifies the official END OF SESSION. You felt a sense of relief that the protracted 2016/2017 Session had finally ended.

Senate had the previous day considered and approved the Academic Calendar for the following Session. A 23-day break was approved so that the academic staff who had been put under tremendous pressure could have some time to recuperate. Some of your Deans of Faculties had over the past few weeks intimated you about the complaints of their academic staff centred on the stress you in particular and the management, in general had put them through over the last four months. Meeting over you went back to your office. You performed some chores. Left for home at 9 pm.

Wednesday: You were in the office most of this day. A team from the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) Foundation came visiting. Led by the General Manager, Mrs. Ololade Johnson-Agiri; Project Manager, Mr. Olusegun Adewole and the Executive Assistant, Mrs. Iniomon Chidinma. A memorandum of understanding is to be developed and signed immediately. You were particularly proud that both Ololade and Olusegun are Alumni of the University of Ibadan. The objective of the BATN Foundation initiative is to assist our budding agropreneurs who may wish to go into commercial and mechanised farming. Happily, we have many of them in the Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Technology, Department of Human Nutrition, among others.

Under this partnership, more emphasis would be placed on grounding and deepening the capacity of our undergraduates in commercial agriculture and ensuring that they acquire entrepreneurial skills so that before graduation they would be capable of being employers of labour rather than job seekers, in view of the seemingly saturated job market.

Sundaysaanu@yahoo.com

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018

EDITORIAL CHIBOK GIRLS: FOURYEARS AFTER Government must do more to ensure the release of the remaining schoolgirls

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omorrow marks exactly four years that 276 girls were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State - all of them between the ages of 15 and 19. While 57 of the girls escaped from their abductors on that day, negotiations between the Muhammadu Buhari administration and the insurgents have led to the release of 104 while three were found by the Joint Civilian and Military Task Forces at different times.

The remaining 112 girls are still being held captive by the terrorists.

Without the return of the remaining girls, the promise of the constitution that the welfare of Nigerians shall be the primary purpose of government will continue to ring hollow. Therefore, giving up on rescuing the remaining girls cannot be an option for any self-respecting society, especially when education remains the only path to sustainable progress and the anchor of any serious government. And we need an atmosphere where our girls will not be afraid to go to seek knowledge.

WE JOIN IN CALLING ON On this occasion, THE AUTHORITIES TO we cannot but salute WORK TOWARDS THE the doggedness of the SAFE RETURN OF THE #BringBackOurGirls REMAINING 112 GIRLS AS (BBOG) group, WELL AS THAT OF THE comprising ordinary LONE DAPCHI SCHOOL Nigerians from all GIRL, LEAH SHARIBU, WHO walks of life, religion WAS RECENTLY HELD and ethnicity, who BACK BY THE INSURGENTS had been holding a ON ACCOUNT OF HER peaceful sit-out since CHRISTIAN FAITH the night of April 30, 2014. To the extent that all they seek is for the release of the girls from their abductors, we align ourselves with their aspiration.

It is indeed noteworthy that it was the group that helped in attracting worldwide attention to the plight of these young girls, compelling a unique humanitarian solidarity that is unprecedented in our nation’s history.

Presidents, first ladies, film stars, sports men and

Letters to the Editor

women, entertainers, schools, governments and international organisations, religious leaders as well as so many ordinary people around the globe have joined the campaign for the Chibok girls. Along with this publicity, however, critical weaknesses and lapses on the part of the federal government in the rescue effort have been exposed in a manner that has apparently aggravated the authorities, placing them on the defensive.

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T H I S DAY

EDITOR IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU DEPUTY EDITORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, JOSEPH USHIGIALE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

nitially, the BBOG group was able to engage constructively with certain agencies of government, including the National Assembly, the National Security Adviser and delegates of the then President Goodluck Jonathan. As time went on, however, the narrative changed. The executive began to question the demand to “bring back” the girls, on grounds that it sounded accusatory of the federal government.

Unfortunately, that acrimonious relationship has been inherited by the Buhari administration that came to office with the pledge to work towards the release of all the Chibok girls. Even though the administration has succeeded in bringing back 107 girls, there are still 112 of the girls in captivity.

For a group that meets daily in the open, with people joining the focused discussions with the only item on their agenda being the Chibok girls, their families, their welfare and how to enhance the rescue effort, the stigmatisation and hostility by government and their allies is most unfortunate. It is perhaps because Nigeria is coming from a long history of military rule that the authorities are finding it difficult to comprehend that in a democracy, citizens have the right and freedom of expression, to legitimately meet and associate with each other on any issue of concern, for as long as they wish.

It is certainly healthy that Nigerian citizens can demand for accountability and good governance, irrespective of religious affiliations or ethnicity.

As we therefore mark the fourth anniversary of the Chibok tragedy, we join in calling on the authorities to work towards the safe return of the remaining 112 girls as well as that of the lone Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu, who was recently held back by the insurgents on account of her Christian faith.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific 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.

OBIANO: SOLIDARITY WITH THE HUMAN FAMILY

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belechukwu Obiano, tall, elegant, vivacious, is a charmer. Her physical looks must have attracted her to the husband, a man of taste. But it is not her charming looks which have sustained, let alone deepened, their marriage over the decades. There is one thing she has in common with her husband: a deep concern for the needy. This shared attribute has made them one of the closest couples I have ever met anywhere. They are not just friends but soul mates, bonded to each other.

Her sobriquet of Osodieme, meaning the woman who walks in the footsteps of her husband for the public good, is well earned. They complement each other.

Their intense concern for those in need makes them authentic Christians in the finest tradition of the expression. In an era when some religious leaders are obsessed with outdated dogmas, it is imperative to call attention to the primacy in Christian theology of what Pope John Paul the Second popularised as solidarity with the human family.

Jesus Christ says in Matthew 25: 41-45 “On the last day, many of you will ask: ‘Did we not preach in your name? Did we not perform miracles in your name?’ I will tell them to get behind me. I was in prison, you did not visit me; I was hungry, but you did not feed me; I was thirsty, but you did not give me water; I was naked, but you did not clothe me; I was homeless, but you did not provide me shelter. Not everyone who shouts ‘Father, father’ will inherit the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my father”.

What Christ is saying here, in other words, is that faith without good work is dead because the body without spirit is dead (James 2: 26). The

Pharisees and Sadducees had faith, but no good work. Jesus called them “a brood of vipers” (12: 34) because of their wickedness and hypocrisy.

Christ asks, “If you hate your brother, how can you love whom you have never seen?” (1 John 4: 20).

Many of us feel that we practise the social teaching of the church when we sit in the comforts of our blackened SUVs and once in a while throw a few naira notes to street beggars to scramble for, or when we manage to pay the school fees of a relative or two. We need to be challenged by the example of the First Lady of Anambra State and her spouse, Governor Willie Obiano. This couple does not just give to the needy; they work for them with passion. They are at home with lepers, orphans, the physically challenged, people with mental problems—in fact, the rejected and dejected in society.

It is not surprising that in the pantheon of Mrs Obiano’s heroes are such people as Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, India, and Mary Slessor, two women who gave up all the worldly pleasures to work tirelessly for the weakest in society, to dedicate themselves to victims of social, economic and cultural injustices, and to work totally for the emancipation of people in foreign lands. The Scripture says in 15:13: “… there is no love greater than the fact that a man should lay down his life for the benefit of others”.

As the 2017 annual Zik Leadership Prize for Humanitarian Service is bestowed on Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, millions of Ndi Anambra and other Nigerians rejoice with the First Family of Anambra State on this honour. Truly, His banner over us is love (Song of Solomon 2: 4).

C. Don Adinuba, Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment, Anambra State

HOW HEALTHY ARE NIGERIANS?

I

read the piece, ‘How Healthy Are Nigerians’ written by Idowu Omisore and I was impressed because this is actually a major concern to all well- wishers of the country.

My prayer is that the right people get to see this so that in due time, measures are taken to help with this persisting problem. Human capital should be a priority, so should effective birth control policies which will curb unnecessary births, because at the end of the day these people are being brought to the world with no plan to be taken care of; and in turn causing society enormous pains. If birth control is managed, then mortality rate is reduced, health care is well contained and investment in human capital will be adequately dispensed. Another thing I want to appreciate is the reference to the salaries paid to senators; if such amount of money could be allocated to the senators then why can’t they instill knowledge in their people? This eventually boils down to how corrupt the system is and I pray that the voices of people like you are being heard and Nigeria eventually becomes a better place.

Antia Usoro, antiausoro@gmail.com

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

POLITICS Uneasy Calm in Ebonyi

The sudden resignation of the Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government, Benard Obi threatens to upend the state’s politics. Benjamin Nworie explains the controversies

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he controversies surrounding the resignation of the former Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Professor Bernard Odoh have refused to die down almost two weeks after.

On Easter Monday, while people were busy having fun, news suddenly broke out that Odoh had resigned. As the news broke out his letter of resignation was already trending on social media.

Since then, the dust has refused to settle down. Every public discourse is directly or indirectly connected to the resignation.

Different opinions are being formed on daily basis while many are still wondering over the remote and immediate cause of Odoh’s exit. Though, the state is calm and peaceful, emotions are running high.

Odoh is highly revered in Ezza land, as one of the emerging politicians that can fight for his people. His emergence in politics signalled a new hope for the clan, and that was why the governor, despite not coming from the same political party with him, appointed him SSG after he lost his bid to be sanator on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in 2015, just to appease Ezza people.

As it was a public holiday, the news of Odoh’s resignation must have come to Odoh’s employer and governor of the state, David Umahi as a surprise and through the social media too. Why the SSG chose to resign on a public holiday remains a mystery. This, perhaps explains the reaction of the governor to the development.

The manner in which the Odoh resigned his appointment made a lot of people to be curious. Many even doubted the authenticity of the resignation letter The curiosity and doubt were based on the gravity of the content of his resignation letter.

Every discerning mind doubted that Odoh could author such an ‘abrasive’ letter to his principal. Initially he could not be reached as his phone was not available. However, respite came when he replied THISDAY’s enquiry with the message “SSG resigns” through his Whatsapp.

After reviewing the circumstance surrounding the resignation, Umahi said he had invalidated it and then said he had sacked the former SSG on the ground that he tendered his purported resignation letter on a public holiday which he said was not valid. But many doubted if the governor had the power to nullify someone else’s resignation letter. The governor’s reaction also came as an afterthought because the state government had earlier accepted the resignation.

Umahi said: “In my capacity as the governor of Ebonyi state, I hereby nullify the purported letter of resignation earlier written by Prof.

Odoh because he wrote the letter on a public holiday and we all know that by law, any letter of resignation done on a public holiday does not hold water. I also here and now announce his sack as the Secretary to the State Government, SSG. “I appointed him SSG because I felt he was a responsible Ezza man. Many people faulted his appointment because he was not a PDP member but an APGA senatorial candidate in 2015 general election. Since his appointment, I have shown him love and assisted him in so many ways. I called him to my country home and told him that case of murder is a very serious one, I asked him to see me but he switched off his phone throughout the Easter period and the next thing I heard was his resignation letter flying up and down in the social media”.

Umahi further lamented that despite the

Odoh

love he showed the former SSG even though he was not a member of his political party, the PDP at the time of his appointment, the former SSG still stabbed him at the back.

Shortly after the news broke out, the state government put up an announcement that it had accepted the resignation of the former SSG and wished him well in his future endeavors, and immediately appointed a replacement.

The new SSG is the former commissioner for education and also Deputy Director General of David Umahi Divine Mandate Campaign Organization, Dr Hygenus Nwokwu.

The statement from Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Senator Emmanuel Onwe read: “His Excellency, the Governor of Ebonyi state, Engr. David Nweze Umahi has received the resignation letter from the post of Secretary to the State

Umahi said he had invalidated it and then said he had sacked the former SSG on the ground that he tendered his purported resignation letter on a public holiday which he said was not valid.

Government tendered today the 2nd of April 2018 by Professor Bernard Ifeanyichukwu Odoh. The governor thanks Odoh for his service to the state and wishes him well in his future endeavors. Following from his resignation, the Executive Governor has approved the appointment of Dr Hygenus Nwokwu as the New Secretary to the state Government with immediate effect”.

His resignation was seen as a bold move which may also embolden any other aggrieved appointee to follow suit. Odoh was rumoured to have resigned to prosecute his political ambition. He was said to have expressed frustration with the governor’s inability to fulfil his promise to complete the abandoned Eguho Unity Bridge with stakeholders and traditional rulers accusing the former SSG of not doing anything to attract government’s attention to the deplorable state of the bridge.

However, the resignation letter unsettled many, who felt that it was a betrayal of trust and a show of ingratitude for Odoh to “stab” his benefactor who dared all consequences to appoint him as the state’s scribe in 2015.

The opposition parties in the state however commended the former scribe for taking such a bold step.

Though, Odoh’s resignation was perceived y some as a development capable of denting Umahi and party the PDP’s in the next election, Umahi seems unperturbed following the gale of endorsements by all manner of people in the state. Many still believe that Umahi’s reelection would engender equity

and power balancing in the state.

A notable group in the state, Ebonyi Unity Forum through its Coordinator, Hon Francis Agwu said that only Umahi’s second term would guarantee power shift to Abakaliki bloc in 2023.

Agwu, who was the former deputy chief press secretary to the governor noted that equity demanded that since former governors in the state ruled for eight years each, the incumbent should be massively supported to complete his second term in office.

Even with the harsh condemnation, observers noted that Odoh’s action has repositioned Ezza clan in its clamour for the senatorial position.

Already, stakeholders from the clan had told the governor that the only bargain for their support was for him to support the clan to get the senatorial slot. Another group, the Ebonyi United for Good Governance also warned that any return ticket to Senator Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central) may be suicidal for the PDP in the state, as the Ezza clan would use its numerical strength to fight for the position in another platform no matter whose ox is gored.

The clan noted that without the senatorial seat, it would be annihilated in the 2023 political calculation and permutations, as the governorship position is being touted for the clan. The people said they were ready to forgo one seat in the House of Representatives, provided nobody tampers with the Ebonyi Central Senatorial District’s slot.

However, prior to his resignation, the former SSG cited many grievances against Umahi’s administration. The former state scribe said he took his decision so as to protect his relationship with the governor, stressing that he has more to preserve than occupy the position of the secretary to state government.

Odoh also faulted the governor’s administrative style saying that way the Umahi’s administration had been administered in the past two years did not offer a conducive atmosphere for all members of the state executive council members and himself to sincerely air and express their views on sensitive policy matters.

He said: “In my opinion, this is the highest level of hypocrisy and the values I live do not allow me to operate in such deceptive atmosphere where people live opposite of what/who they are. Having assured you on my inception of office and at several times that I owe you the responsibility to be truthful and honest always, I wish to inform you that all is not well in your administration sir. If you observe carefully, almost all your appointees are nearly completely disconnected from your policy direction as they lack genuine sense of purpose, dignity, clear sense of commitment to decision taken in council because of low morale.

“Once more on behalf of my family, friends and those who worked closely with me for almost three years now, I want to most sincerely again say thank you very much for the rare opportunity you offered me to serve our dear state. My appointment as the Secretary to the State Government is hereby resigned in good faith. I have handed over the status of cabinet office to the most senior staff office, Barrister Ogbonnaya Otta in line with the best practices of service”.

The former SSG further commended the wife of the state governor, Rachel and the entire Umahi’s dynasty for the opportunity and love to serve the state government.

The resignation, worsened by the bitter CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018

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POLITICS

Unfolding Battle in Delta South Choosing who will represent the Delta South Senatorial District in 2019 has the potential of turning the district into a battleground. Segun James looks at the aspirants angling for the seat

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his is the time of the year when politicians get top billing. After all, the political season is here and it is the make-or-break period for many an ambitious politician. In Delta state, these times are here.

Finally, active politicking has taken off in Delta state and elsewhere. But unlike most other states of the federation, the battlefront is not at the gubernatorial level. That has been settled within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party that has ruled the state since the coming of the fourth republic: Governor Ifeanyi Okowa will retain his position without challenge.

At the governorship level, the battle will be between him and whoever the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) tosses in for the race.

However, the battle front is at the senatorial level; with the Delta South Senatorial District which comprises of the Isoko, Ijaw and the Itsekiri ethnic nationalities as the hottest battle ground.

In the Igbo speaking Delta North, the battle is between the Ndowa people and Aniocha people of Asaba. At present, the senator representing the area, Peter Nwaoboshi is angling for a repeat performance, but he is facing a daunting opposition in Governor Okowa who believes the Ndokwa people should be given a chance.

In the Delta Central Senatorial District, which is made up entirely of the Urhobo ethnic group, the battle for the PDP ticket is between Senator Ighoyota Amori who was removed by the courts. Amori enjoys the support of the political godfather of the state, Chief James Ibori and Charles Obule, a friend and loyalist of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. With the support of these heavyweights, Omo-Agege is in for a tough job defending the senatorial seat. Moreso, Omo-Agege is of the APC who won the seat after a protracted legal battle. The reality however, is that Delta is largely a PDP state.

Now, the battleground is the Delta South where the gladiators are formidable and battle ready. The war should have been strictly that of the Itsekiri people whose turn it is to produce the next senator for the district, but for the insistence of Senator James Manager, the senator who has been representing the district since 2003 insisting on a fifth term in office. A move which is being challenged by former governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, who is insisting that the move for a fifth term is against the gentleman’s agreement between the ethnic nationalities agreed upon many years ago.

Uduaghan, like many of his Itsekiri ethnic stock argue that it is against equity, justice and fairplay to allow Manager to go for a fifth time.

In the old Bendel State, following the commencement of politics in 1978, the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) divided the state into districts, putting the Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri in one district. Knowing the implication that the move can degenerate

Manager

Uduaghan

into ethnic hostilities, the leadership of the three ethnic groups led by Pa Alfred Rewane for the Itsekiri, Chief E. K Clark for the Ijaw and Chief Francis Okpozo for the Isoko worked out a gentleman’s agreement which should allow each tribe one term as senator.

The Itsekiri took the first shot with Senator Franklin Atake. He was followed by Senator E.K Clarke, the Ijaw leader before the second republic was truncated by the military. The

Isoko had their turn in 1992 when Senator Francis Okpozo represented the district during the short-lived third republic.

In 1999, the people agreed to reshuffle the system with the Isoko taking the first shot. That was how Senator (Mrs.) Stella Omu without opposition from other ethnic groups represented the district.

She made way for James Manager who is an Ijaw to take the seat; and that was when things changed. Manager has since remained the senator who has unprecedentedly, gone to the senate for four consecutive terms.

He had used all within his powers to stifle any opposition.

But the situation recently changed when the Itsekiri made it clear that it would be wrong to go for a fifth term at the expense of the two other ethnic groups. The person who is championing this move is none other than the former governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan under whose government Manager went to the senate on two consecutive occasions.

With such formidable foes, the question is who is going to blink first? From all indication, Manager and the House of Representatives member representing the Patani federal constituency, an jaw area in

But the caveat in that is that Uduaghan is first cousin to Ibori and it was him that ensured that Uduaghan took over from him as governor. Will Ibori jettison family for friendship?

That is the question as the fight for the Delta South Senatorial District hots up.

the district, Nicholas Mutu are already having crisis at the home front. Mutu has been representing the constituency since 1999; a situation which made him along with former senate president, Senator David Mark the oldest members of the National Assembly.

The people of Patani have started agitating for a change, a problem which Mutu has been trying frantically to sort out with the people and Governor Okowa who has also insisted on having a new blood to take over over from both Mutu and Manager.

This, THISDAY gathered is the crux of the battle in the district. Okowais is said to favour Uduaghan’s ambition having served under him as both Secretary to the State Government and a senator.

This, it is believed is why Manager has called for the backing of the godfather, Chief James Ibori under whom he served as commissioner for works and who later ensured that he went to the Senate.

But the caveat in that is that Uduaghan is first cousin to Ibori and it was him that ensured that Uduaghan took over from him as governor. Will Ibori jettison family for friendship? That is the question as the fight for the Delta South Senatorial District hots up.

But in the midst of all these is the challenge posed to Uduaghan by Mr. Michael Diden aka Ejele, the member of the state’s house of assembly for Warri North constituency.

In the past, Ejele has been the machine used by both Ibori and Uduaghan to secure the vote of the people of the riverine areas of the state, the area that determines who wins the vote.

Today, Ejele is a friend of Okowa and antagonistic towards both Ibori and Uduaghan.

However, Uduaghan enjoys the confidence of the Isoko people who are against another tenure for Manager as his continued “usurpation” of the senatorial position has deprived them of their chance.

In the ethnic configuration of the senatorial district, the continued stay of Manager as the senator representing the district has been very unusual, given the fact of the recent ethnic battle that resulted in the loss of many lives and the burning of many communities in the fratricidal war between the Ijaw, the Urhobo and the Itsekiri at the turn of the century.

To the Itsekiri, there must be a return to the gentleman’s agreement, a position that some Ijaw and Isoko ethnic leaders favour but which Manager is determined to scuttle.

In 2015, despite frantic effort of the Isoko and the Itsekiri to remove Manager, it took the spirited effort of fugitive militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tom Polo who used his influence and also insisted that his cousin, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro be made the deputy governor to ensure that Manager was returned as senator.

But with Tom Polo out of the political firmament of the state and Okowa now his own man, it would be a daunting task for Manager to return. However, from all indication and barring any last minute upset, is all for Uduaghan to pick

U N E A SY C A L M I N E B O N Y I taste of his letter unsettled many, who felt that it was a betrayal of trust and a show of ingratitude.

Among those who condemned his resignation was a forum of political stakeholders from Odoh’s populous Ezza Clan, who dissociated itself from the controversial letter of resignation. The forum assembled on April 3, at the state township stadium, from where it embarked on a march along the streets of Abakaliki, the state capital chanting solidarity songs for the governor.

They were eventually received by the governor

in the government house, where members of the forum expressed resentment against the attitude of the former SSG and assured the governor of massive supports in the forthcoming general elections.

The forum also issued a communiqué which read: “the resignation of Odoh does not in any way reflect the position of the entire Ezza Ezekunna concerning the administration of our hard working governor. That the position of the SSG held by Odoh was graciously given to Ezza nation on trust by Governor Umahi and as such, Odoh at the point of his

resignation should have consulted widely before resigning knowing fully well that he was holding the position on trust for Ezza Nation”.

“We dissociate ourselves from the action of Odoh and call on all Ezza sons and daughters to remain calm as we are doing everything possible to restore the trust and confidence the governor has in Ezza nation. We once again pledge our unalloyed support to the administration of His Excellency, David Umahi and reiterate our earlier stance that no Ezza man should vie for the position of

governor in 2019”.

Many people felt that the SSG overreacted having served the administration for close to three years without any complain, even when sources noted that the governor had been kind to him and his family in many circumstances.

Others also speculated that Odoh has governorship ambition, or may have been re awakened by his senatorial ambition and perhaps not sure of that he would be able to achieve his ambition if he chose to remain in Umahi’s administration.

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍą, 2018

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

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REPO 7.17 % 8.08 %

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

5% 8.75 % 9.50%

M A R C H S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

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

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

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Quick Takes SGF to Declare Open ACI Conference

CAPACITY BUILDING

MD/CEO First Bank of Nigeria Limited and Subsidiaries, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan (front row middle); Group Executive, International Banking Group, FirstBank, Mrs. Bashirat Odunewu (front row, 2nd right); with Members of the Executive team of FirstBank’s African Subsidiaries at the FirstBank International Banking Group Retreat held in Lagos‌recently

Nigeria May Lose over 60% Port Revenue to AfCFTA, Common ECOWAS Tariff Eromosele Abiodun Nigeria may lose over 60per cent revenue currently being generated from her seaports across the country when signatories to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) ratify the pact and the common Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) tariff fully implemented.

The implementation of common ECOWAS tariff will make Nigeria lose businesses because it means that once a tariff is paid in one country, no other tariff will be paid in any other country in West Africa.

Also, prior to ratification, signatories to the AfCFTA will be looking for more colour on the pledge that the free trade area will move 90 per cent of tariff lines to zero duty.

MARITIME Analysts at FBN Quest noted that though the lines in question are yet to be identified, the measure is not based upon values or tonnages, “but on the number of lines, we understand.�

Nigeria officially put off signing the framework agreement for establishing the AfCFTA following protests by major labour unions that the deal would harm the local economy. “The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria is reserving its judgment and adamant that it does not have a protectionist agenda. As with an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union, which it declined to sign, it wants to be sure that the area serves the interest of its members.

Additionally, it fears a surge

of imports from the EU through Morocco, which has signed an EPA and applied for membership of ECOWAS. This application has not been welcomed with enthusiasm by some community members (including Nigeria). “In Kigali, the African Union (AU) also considered a protocol on the free movement of persons and an African passport, which we understand 27 members signed. The more integration on the menu, the fewer diners at the table, “said FBN Quest.

FBN Quest said “claims by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) that tariff removal will boost regional trade looks less exciting when we consider similar broadbrush estimates.�

It added: “UNCTAD is said to have estimated that the removal of the import tariffs would boost regional trade by one third

and lift Africa’s GDP by one per cent over time. This looks less exciting when we consider similar broadbrush estimates for the impact of full access to electricity and the internet right across Africa. “It is logical for trade agreements to come before currency unions. This has been the sequence of events in the European Union, the East African Community, where the single currency remains a step too far for members, and ECOWAS, where such a project even for a handful of its members has proved a still greater challenge.�

Furthermore, they said that the debate post-Kigali seems to overlook the fact that Africa already boasts a currency union with harmonised trade policy. “The Franc Zone consists of Continued on page 20

High Air Accidents: NCAA IntensiďŹ es Safety Regulations Chinedu Eze It is feared that 2018 may be a tragic year in aviation history owing to the high air accidents recorded in the first four months.

About 257 persons died on April 11, 2018 in an accident involving Algerian military plane.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said the rising air accidents across the globe, are signs of bad omen, pointing out that Nigeria has recorded series of major and minor air incidents since the beginning of the year.

Director General of NCAA,

AVIATION Captain Muhtar Usman however said since the incidents recorded by some domestic airlines, the agency has intensified surveillance and enforcement of regulations to ensure that airlines fly safely in Nigeria.

He said the agency now conducts financial audit of airlines to ensure that they do not compromise their safety standards due to paucity of funds. “We have zero tolerance for accident and that is what we shall continue to target. We are

lucky that in the last two years we have not had any accident involving commercial aircraft in Nigeria; even though since the beginning of this year we have been having incidents and accidents globally, which consumed lives but here we have been lucky that we don’t have such,� Usman said.

He said that carrying out surveillance and enforcing the regulations involve a lot of work- training and retraining of personnel, but it is very critical that the agency ensures that in every way possible accident are averted. “Enforcing safety regulations

involves a lot of hard work and that hard work will be intensified to ensure that we don’t have any mishap. The incidents that we have had, we have taken them very seriously. We have intensified our surveillance and enforcement activities to ensure a very safe aviation in Nigeria. We attack anything that caused an incident or is capable of causing an incident or accident,� the NCAA Director General told THISDAY in an exclusive interview.

He said the regulatory authority is carrying out financial audit Continued on page 20

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Bode Mustapha would declare open the forthcoming Airport Council International (ACI) to be hosted in Abuja, Nigeria.

FAAN’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, who made this known, said the agency would use the opportunity to open up the aviation sector to internal and external investors. She explained that Mustapha would declare open the conference while the Minister of State for Aviation Sen. Hadi Sirika, , Dr. Bernard Aliu, President of Council, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and Ms. Angela Gittens, DirectorGeneral li Tounsi, ACI World would also be in attendant.

Others are Mr. Ali Tounsi, Secretary General of ACI Africa, Mr. Abderahmane Berthe, Secretary General of African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Mr. Bongani Maseko, Chief Executive OďŹƒcer (CEO), Airports Company, South Africa, Mr. Romesh Bhoyroo, CEO, Mauritius Airport, Ms. Isabel Zarza, Managing Director, Africa, Dufry, Mr. Sidi Gueye, Regional Director, Africa, International Air Transport Association (IATA) and a lot of other experts in the aviation industry. She added: “We are expecting experts to come with their wealth of ideas that will help us to move our airports from just being a government entity to more viable airports and the ones that can declare proďŹ t. “The Ease of Doing business too has helped us to move forward as we showcase our potential and activitiesâ€?.

Air Namibia Names W/Africa Sales Agent

Air Namibia has announced the appointment APG Network as GSSA in Ghana and Nigeria.In accordance with the GSSA agreement entered into, APG Network would provide full sales and marketing services, as well as call center and customer care services on behalf of Air Namibia in the two countries. The appointment follows Air Namibia’s decision to launch the Windhoek-Lagos-Accra route, which would commence on June 29, 2018.This new route will provide a direct and convenient service connecting Namibia to the two West African countries. The four times weekly operation (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Windhoek) would provide smooth and convenient connections inbound and outbound to the airline’s regional ights, connecting West Africa via Windhoek to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Luanda, Harare, Lusaka, Vic Falls, Gaborone Walvis Bay and Durban. “We are happy for having established this relationship with the APG Network, as through innovation and utilizing their extensive experience in the ďŹ eld of aviation, and being a key global player in the airline distribution environment, oering outsourced services such as passenger sales and marketing, reservations, Air Namibia is positioned to make its West Africa operations a successâ€?, said Manager for GSA and Oine markets at Air Namibia, Ms Juanita Klassen.

Dana is OďŹƒcial Airline of Summit

Dana Air has been named the oďŹƒcial airline of the maiden edition of the Coalition of Wives of Presidents and Vice Presidents in Africa for Peace (COWAP) Summit for Peace and Development, scheduled to hold from 21st to 22nd of April at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

Themed: African Women Summit for Peace and Development in Africa, the coalition is a project put together by Engage, Empower, Educate Initiative, an NGO which aims to harness the enormous capacity and goodwill of both sitting and past wives of Presidents and Vice Presidents in Africa towards four thematic points which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals: Peace in Africa, Girl-child education, Ending hunger and poverty in Nigeria.

Speaking on the choice of Dana Air as oďŹƒcial airline of the Summit, Kingsley Ezenwa, the airline’s Media and Communications Manager said, we are proud to have been selected as the oďŹƒcial airline of such a huge summit coming up this month in Abuja. This is testament to the fact that Africa appreciates and understands our eorts towards strategically connecting Nigerian cities to Africa, and providing safe, reliable and aordable air transport. We welcome this rare opportunity to showcase our award-wining service to all the delegates and Africa at large.’’

“Aviation connects businesses, trade, cultures, nations and people. With airport in place, it becomes easy to achieve economic growth and Minister of State, Aviation

Senator Hadi Sirika

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BUSINESSWORLD NIGERIA MAY LOSE OVER 60% PORT REVENUE TO AFCFTA, COMMON ECOWAS TARIFF 15 African states under three separate treaties. We can disagree whether the zone has been a developmental success although we may conclude that results have been mixed since its members have generally supported AfCFTA,� the analysts added.

Buhari had last month cancelled his trip to Kigali, Rwanda, to attend an ExtraOrdinary Summit of the African Union on March 21, to sign the framework agreement for establishing the AfCFT. According to a statement by the foreign ministry spokesman, Tope Elias-Fatile, “this is to allow more time for input from Nigerian stakeholders.�

The Federal Executed Council had approved the signing of the deal, which it said would boost the country’s export, “spur growth and boost job creation as well as eliminate barriers against Nigeria’s products and provide a dispute settlement mechanism for stopping the hostile and discriminatory treatment directed against Nigerian natural and corporate business persons in other African countries.�

HIGH AIR ACCIDENTS: NCAA INTENSIFIES SAFETY REGULATIONS of airlines, noting that this is very important to ensure that the airlines do not cut corners. “We carry out financial audit of airlines. It is normally a pointer to certain things. The more we monitor the finances of airline and feel that it is not robust enough we intensify our monitoring and surveillance to make sure they are abiding by the safety regulations and implementing them fully. We carry out this audit and we take it very seriously,� he said.

Usman said that NCAA has been carrying out safety recommendations made by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and noted that in the past 10 years Nigeria has not recorded any accident caused by bad weather because of the study, investigation and implementation of the safety recommendations which took place after the Sosoliso, Bellview and ADC Airlines accidents, which causes of crash were weather related.

Group Business Editor

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Non-oil Export Sector Key to Economic Growth, Sustainability As Nigeria makes steady progress with the implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the leadership of European Union (EU) in Nigeria has re-iterated that for Nigeria to reposition its economy for sustainable growth and development, the non-oil export sector is the key to the diversification agenda of the present administration.

This was disclosed Wednesday in Abuja by the Head of EU Delegation in Nigeria, His Excellency, Amb Ketil Karlsen, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo. “ED, you have one of the most important jobs in Nigeria today given the enormous task and mandate of the Council to drive the diversification of the economy from oil using the Zero Oil Plan (ZOP), as your government looks to stabilizing the economy, its democratic governance and processes through diversification from dependence on oil as a major source of revenue� said Karlsen.

While acknowledging the strong partnership between NEPC and the EU Commission, the Ambassador, who said he was keen to learn about the progress of the Zero Oil Plan also touched on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which he said has mutual beneficial opportunities for Nigeria and the EU. He solicited the support of NEPC as a strategic partner in advancing wider understanding on the benefits of the EPA and in the same vein expressed that the Continental Free Trade

Agreement (CFTA) was also germane for increased trade among African countries and the EU, as it seeks to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments.

Responding, Awolowo disclosed that the Council is more than ever before positioned to drive the diversification agenda of the present administration using the zero oil plan. To underscore this, a National Committee on Export Promotion has been set up by the highest economic advisory body in the country, the

National Economic Council headed by the Vice President.

He also said that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Budget and National Planning has mainstreamed the ZOP into the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan with particular emphasis on boosting supply of foreign exchange from non-oil sectors by driving growth in five key areas. These, Awolowo said are: Concentration on generating US$30billion from 11 strategic products; Exploring the competences within the comparative and competitive advantages of

States through one state one product (OSOP) programme; review of trade agreements to prioritise Nigerian exports to 22 newly targeted Export destinations; Domestic sourcing of products through launch of first National Export Aggregator and Strengthening of Export Development Fund (EDF) scheme to enhance competiveness of locally produced goods.

Besides, he disclosed that the Council along with UNIDO and other relevant government Agencies is on the verge of testing the outcomes of the National

Quality Infrastructure Project (NQIP), which is aimed at improving quality, safety, integrity and marketability of Nigerian goods and services as well as removing technical barriers to trade. This testing will be a trial export of Nigerian beans following extensive work carried out by UNIDO and the Federal Government Inter-ministerial Committee on Zero Rejects, midwifed by NEPC in response to the EU’s ban on importation of Nigerian beans. It a pilot of the Conduits of Excellence programme of the National Quality Infrastructure, consistent with international best practices.

GO DIGITAL

L-R: Regional Bank Head (RBH), Ifeanyi Nwosu; RBH, Yaba-Surulere, Chetachi C. Ezenagu; RBH, Ikeja, Ken Opara; RBH, Victoria Island, Chinwe Iloghalu; RBH, Agege-Ikorodu, Lazarus I. Okolie; RBH, Festac, Paschal Nzeribe, all of Fidelity Bank Plc at the flag-off the Lagos & South West Directorate Digital Banking Campaign held at the Bank’s Head Office in Lagos ‌recently

NPA Pledges to Support Deep Seaports for Early Completion Stories by Eromosele Abiodun The Managing Director Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hadiza Bala-Usman has reiterated the determination of the Authority to supporting the completion of all deep seaports projects across the country, considering their potential to the boost future maritime activities of the nation.

According to the NPA boss, the early completion of the project would not only facilitate operational efficiency in the nation’s maritime system but

would also further strengthen the federal government’s policy of the Ease of Doing Business.

Bala-Usman stated this when the management of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) led by its Acting Director General, Chidi Izuwah visited her in Lagos.

She restated the need to fast track the nation’s navigational channels so as to accommodate bigger vessels which would generate more revenue to the country and improve trade facilitation in the sub region.

Bala-Usman further stated that plans are almost being concluded

for the business model meant for the Lilypond Terminal as part of management’s resolve for improved service delivery in the terminals.

She therefore, charged all concerned with the working document for the review of the terminal’s agreement to speed up the processes that would allow for the swift consideration and possible approval for a five-year renewal being sought by Lilypond.

Earlier in his opening remarks the ICRC DG applauded the numerous positive

changes the maritime sub sector has witnessed since the assumption of office of the MD. He commended progress made in the area of improved synergy with relevant stakeholders, providing a level playing ground for all, efficient service delivery for port users, improved port operations amongst others.

The Izuwah lauded the reforms in the port industry which dates back to 2006 and stated that the ICRC management was willing to support the drive towards ensuring the growth witnessed this far is

guarded to the latter in view of the economic benefits to the nation at large.

ICRC boss informed said that the agency, which acts as the ‘’eyes and ears’’ of the federal government, was in Lagos to have a first -hand assessment of works at Lilypond Terminal and Joseph Dam amongst other MDA projects. “We are keen to identify the various encumbrances being faced by MDA’s towards speedy job completions as well as provide suggestions through effective synergy with those concerned,� he said.

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Comms/e-Business Editor

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Senior Correspondent

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NCS FOUVows to Sustain War against Smuggling The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, has vowed to send smugglers out of business and ensure all revenue due to the federal government are fully collected.

The Controller, FOU, Mohammed Uba Garba who stated this while showing journalists around its latest seizures, warn all smugglers/intending ones and their accomplices to desist from such trade malpractices and invest their money in legitimate business. He disclosed that the FOU has devised other opera-

tional modalities that will give the smugglers a run for their money and count their losses and finally end in jail.

He said between March 19 and April 9, 2018, the FOU intercepted various contraband with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1.461 billion, adding that 10 suspects were arrested in connection to the seizures. “Similarly, the unit, through its intervention recovered N166.20 million from duty payments and demand notices on general goods from seaports, airport and border stations through

wrong classification, transfer of value, and short-change in duty payment meant for the coffer of Federal Government of Nigeria, making a cumulative sum of N1.627 billion within the weeks under review. The seized items include: Indian hemp, 64 exotic vehicles, 6003 bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 10 trailers), 963 cartons of frozen poultry products, 431 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 163 bales of used clothing, 569 pieces of used tyres, 69 bags of sugar, four containers, among others. “Amazingly, among the

seizures was the interception of 570 parcels and 98 sacks of Indian Hemp (Cannabis Sativa) weighing 1,550kg along Olorunda axis of Ogun State based on intelligence making it the highest seizure of such hard drugs in the history of FOU A. You all know what would have happened if it got to the wrong hands undetected. In the spirit of interagency relationship, the seized Indian hemp will be handed over to NDLEA for further investigation,� he said.

He added: “Also worthy of note is the evacuation of 2,671 bags of 50kg rice using 9 hired

truck from nine makeshift storage houses in Ilogbo, Abeokuta based on credible intelligence despite resistance led by the Lagos Roving Team complemented by other teams. There was mob attack against our operatives but that never deterred us from performing our statutory responsibilities. Thank God there was no casualty. We will continue to enforce the federal government’s policies banning the importation of rice and other prohibited goods through the land borders regardless of any situation.

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

AIR WATCH

Afreximbank Partners to Support Nigerian Carriers on Aircraft Acquisition Chinedu Eze Respite may soon come in the way of Nigerian carriers as African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) plans to support them in acquisition of new aircraft.

The regional bank said it would refleet Nigerian airlines in partnership with the Russian Export Centre to provide brand new aircraft for operations in Nigeria and others in Africa.

Airlines said that would be a great relief to them as they would not pay the high interest rate of 26 percent to acquire aircraft.

Speaking during the partnership, the Global Head, Client Relations, Afreximbank, Rene Awambeng, said the bank has entered into a strategic partnership with the Russian Export Centre, which is the export bank of the Russian Federation to promote aviation in Africa, so that it can meet one of its strategic goals.

“The Russians have invested significant amount in research and development in their aircraft which are very efficient in terms of fuel consumption and are ecologically very friendly.

“We have partnered with Russian Export Centre, to provide solutions so that African entrepreneurs either private sectors, national airlines, private sectors, operators of airlines can acquire these aircraft through asset structures to meet our objective of moving people from one part of the country to another,” Awambeng said.

He explained that part of the partnership is to work with Nigerian authorities to certify the Russian aircraft to be able to operate in Nigeria, adding that the bank will enter commercial negotiations with operators of other aircraft or helicopters to see how they can acquire the aircraft and the bank can finance the acquisitions of these aircraft.

On the configurations of the aircraft, Awambeng said “The aircraft are a blend of Italian, French and Russian technology and are very spacious. They are for regional routes. They can take up to 100 passengers in different configurations of business class and economy.

The aircraft are quick in take-off and landing, which means they can service short distances.”

Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Nogie Meg-

gison said airline operators in Nigeria have always asked for access to brand new aircraft, adding that with Afrexim Bank coming into the picture to finance it, this will open a new chapter for operators into acquisition of brand new aircraft.

“Our problems in Nigeria as carriers are our financial structure and access to markets.

You cannot finance an aircraft using 26 percent interest from the Nigerian banks. With Afrexim Bank coming in now to lease the aircraft, we will be required to pay just 10 to 15percent deposit of the actual value of the aircraft to operate the aircraft.

“With this, the cash flow immediately gets better and we will have disposable income to take shock. So you can afford to pay a six months lease or put a deposit of 10 percent and still have cash in your pocket,” Meggison explained.

He suggested that there should be provision of spare parts, skilled engineers to provide checks and repair the aircraft and maintenance facility for the partnership to be sustained.

Discover Nigeria Launched Ugo Aliogo As part of efforts to promote the tourism potential of Nigeria, an online platform known as Discover Nigeria has been launched.

Speaking at the launch in Lagos on Wednesday, a member of the online platform, Toju Francisco Da-Silva, said the focus of the event was to introduce discover Nigeria, and build on the knowledge and experience gained from the event, adding that there is a new event they are working on which he noted is coming in September in London.

Da-Silva explained that the focus of the group is promoting Nigeria on digitalised platform, which he stated would allow individuals tap into areas where they have interests, adding that the group’s directory on the web is the key driver for that vision.

He also noted that as part of

efforts to prepare for the event, they would be sending back communication to partners, agencies and government here in Nigeria and also in the United Kingdom, adding that though discover Nigeria is centered on tourism, there is also a focus on sustainability for the community and also for businesses.

He further stated that in the area of tourism, they are committed in partnering with organisations such as the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), the ministries and the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), adding that they have begun discussion with NTDC through the Director-General, “we have an idea on how we can generate income for government and grow the tourism potential in the country.”

According to him, “We want to reach out to those don’t have opportunities through

discover Nigeria. The focus of today’s event is to introduce the discover Nigeria, so from on what we will be doing is to build up on our events.

There is a new event we are working on which coming in September in London. So what we will be doing is building up on our event in September, we will be sending back communication to partners, agencies and government here in Nigeria and also in the United Kingdom.

“At the event, we will be expecting successful Nigeria business owners and UK business owners.

For us, if we need to get the type of investment and development we require, we need to promote the tourism potential of Nigeria. The directory provides a list of companies and individuals who have been vetted by us.

The directory will be provided by us.”

Medview Explains Suspension of International Operations Chinedu Eze Nigeria’s major carrier, Medview Airline has explained that it stopped international operations when its two aircraft were ferried out of the country for maintenance check and configuration, adding that it would resume service to international destinations as soon as the aircraft return to the country.

In a statement by the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Michael Ajigbotosho, the airline said the four aircraft in its fleet are wholly owned

by Medview Airline Plc, and not leased as being reported.

“The suspension of operations into some of our international routes has to do with our two aircraft- B767-300ER for cabin reconfiguration and B737-500 undergoing maintenance. They have nothing to do with threats or any debt burden.”

The airline explained that in airline business, it is normal to have agreements with service providers to give line of credit, which is a standard industry practice; therefore, to say that airlines owe is

normal because every day an airline operates it accumulates debts.

Ajigbotosho said contrary to reports that indicated that it acquired some of its aircraft from Thai Airways; it actually acquires the airplanes from Aercap.

He said there was a lot of misinformation about the airline indebtedness to vendors, saying that anyone who wants to know the truth should reach out to the concerned agencies including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) amongst others.

Travel Ticket Impostors

Bernard

One of the major challenges faced by travel agencies in Nigeria is how to deal with those who use the platform to defraud travellers huge amount of money.

THISDAY learnt that the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) is beset with reports of these swindlers, who frustrate unsuspecting Nigerians from travelling, after they have arranged fake tickets for them or refused to remit the money paid to them by these intending travellers to the airlines.

Recently after being re-elected as the President of NANTA, during the annual general meeting (AGM) held in Port Harcourt, Mr. Bankole Bernard said that eliminating the menace of fraudsters in the aviation industry’s subsector would be the major plank of his administration.

He said that NANTA in conjunction with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other related agencies would ensure that only those who genuinely practice travel businesses are allowed to be members of the association and has decided to identify members with biometric identity cards.

Bernard said that the association would be made to have full legislative backing this year and it would design a way to identify those who claim to belong to NANTA but do not abide by its principles and those people would not only be weeded out by the association but would be made to stop using travel agency as platform to defraud people.

Fielding questions from journalists after his election, Bernard said: “Our ID card scheme is a legacy project we intend to use to sanitise our industry and make sure we capture every single soul working within the aviation and tourism sector. We will make sure that it becomes effective this year and full compliance is achieved before the year runs out.

“There will be a lot of publicity and advocacy in that regard. The general public needs to feel the impact of what the downstream sector is doing so that government will not have a choice but to reckon with us and give us policies that will support and promote our industry,” said.

Bernard noted that the association is yet to have legislative backing, although the Nigeria Civil Aviation Act protects the activities of travel agencies, but NANTA would have stronger teeth to bite when its gets legislative backing as an association.

“As you are aware, we do not have the legislative backing that we can call our own.

We have operated under the Nigeria Civil Aviation (NCAA) Act. We all know what the government position is when it comes to protecting the private sector. That aspect of their law, they will not pay attention or improve on it. NANTA is recognised as the umbrella body for all travel agents in Nigeria in the NCAA Act, but we are not getting that kind of support from NCAA. So, this has led us to push for NANTA act so that we have the legislative backing that will support us and help us become a better institution in our industry.

“We have drafted our NANTA act and sent it to the House. It has gone through the first reading. The second reading will be coming up in May and when this happens, it will be pushed to the House Committee that will deliberate on it and further call for public hearing. By the time this is done, hopefully we are looking at last quarter of this year of first quarter of next year; we will have our NANTA act. This will give us opportunity to regulate our industry to a very large extent,” he said.

Bernard noted that a lot of people do not know what General Sales Agent (GSA) is in Nigeria because it is not done the way it is done in other countries.

“There is no airline that is domiciled in Dubai that is operating with their full name.

For instance British Airways in Dubai is not British Airways. They are operating under the GSA. Their operation is very transparent and the relevant taxes are being paid. Unfortunately in this part of the world, we don’t have so much of that. Here it is the winner takes it all. This law will help us in this regard by the time our bill is out. By the time we work on these two things, I am sure our industry will be better, the NANTA President said.

Bernard said that under his administration as NANTA President, the association has built strong relationship with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which has reinforced its goodwill and makes Nigerian travel agencies enjoy global recognition.

“We have built a very good relationship with IATAto the point that IATAis now using NANTA as an example to other associations around the world and continent. The issue of travel agencies not living up to their expectations will become things of the past. With our relationship with IATA, we see better growth for our members.

We see clarity of purpose with our members.

We see IATA working more closely with us to the point of developing more human capacity,” the re-elected NANTA President said.

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Giving Enugu Airport a Facelift Chinedu Eze reasons that federal governnent’s plan to upgrade the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, with modern facilities will attract more flights to the airports and boost the economy of the state The Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika recently embarked on facility tour of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu and the Benin Airport as government plans to upgrade the facilities at the two airports.

The minister observed during the tour that when modernised with state of the art facilities, these airports would attract multi-billion investments in the two states, as more flights would be serviced and economic activities galvanised.

Besides, more industries would be established, resulting in jobs creation.

He noted that investors consider easy air movement before locating their factories.

The Enugu airport is bedeviled by infrastructural challenges and as an international airport, there are certain facilities that must be in place for large-body aircraft to land and take off from the airport.

Also at the Benin airport, the federal government plans to extend the runway so that bigger aircraft could be landing. There is also plan by government to install airfield lighting so that flights can land and take off in the night.

Facility Challenges At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, flights cannot operate in the night because the airport does not have approach light, which ought to be installed at the two ends of the runway. The airport also does not have enough water supply, which means that it may not service large body aircraft because it does not have adequate fire cover, as certain volumes of water are needed for the fire hydrants in case of emergency.

Also the runway of the airport, although expanded in length and breadth had issues of water seepage underneath the pavement so it has been making the surface broken in some parts because the water and asphalt will not actually mix at all, but it was repaired late last year and hopefully would remain stable for some time.

During Sirika’s visit, he toured Enugu airport facilities and other areas beyond the airport where landing aids were installed. The minister also visited the area where the Voice Omnidirectional Radio Range (VOR) was installed. The VOR is what gives the aircraft the final guidance to locate the airport of its destination. He also visited the areas were approach light ought to be installed so that flights could operate to the airport in the night.

Restive Community THISDAY learnt during the visit that the planned installation of approach light at one end of the runway had been frustrated by the host community who insisted that compensation must be paid to them before the land could be ceded to FAAN. However, the Airport Manager, Mr. Orjiako Mgbemena said the contractor engaged

by FAAN to install approach light at the runway was chased away by the community. THISDAY however gathered that the former Governor of the state, Sullivan Chime might have settled the matter when he promised to compensate the people that had the initial three buildings in that area.

But once it was announced that the people that owned buildings there were to be compensated multiple houses were erected there overnight and the community demanded outrageous amount of money from the state government. “The reason the lights are not there is because the local people who said they were not compensated when the land was acquired drove the contractor away. The contractor was had been engaged to install the light. He was threatened by the host community so he abandoned the project,�

Mgbemena said.

After inspecting the facilities at the Enugu airport the minister visited the Governor of the state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and told him how important the Enugu airport is to the federal government and how it’s upgrade would galvanise economic activities if more airlines are enabled to operate to the airport.

Specifically, Sirika told the Governor that to solve the problem of water logging under the asphalt of the runway, the federal government

New Terminal Enugu

had to assemble water consultant to tackle the problem and the solution was to draw the water from the bottom of the runway and draw rainwater through diagonal channels created by the construction company, PW. “We have issues that have to do with delayed payment and the company is willing to go back to complete the job if these issues are sorted out so that the company will mobilise to the site once and for all. What is important about the airport is not the terminal but how safe and secure an airport is for your arrival and departure; however the terminals are good but they are not as critical as the others. “The contractor has not finished because we need to acquire more land, one kilometer on each side of the runway. The past administration paid off the host community but there were about three houses at that time but later the residents started building houses everywhere and demanded for more compensation,� the minister said.

He noted that before more international airlines would be designated to the airport (currently only Ethiopia Airlines that operates to the airport) there are some critical infrastructure that must be installed to enable airlines land in the night and requested that the state government must assist the federal government to realise the objective of making Enugu a full-fledged international airport.

Ugwuanyi suggested that the request be made formal and there and then directed that the host community which was indiscriminately building houses around the runway and the land designated for FAAN should be stopped.

He also ordered that two masts owned by the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) and the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) that obstruct flights on takeoff should be removed immediately.

Critical Infrastructure Sirika later told THISDAY: “We have gone round the facilities, including the runway, terminal buildings, perimeter fence and the equipment that aids the landing and takeoff of flights. You recall that the runway was grossly inadequate.

It was 2.4 kilometer runway at a time and 45

meters wide. This was not enough for majority of operations of high capacity, wide-body aircraft and not deserving of the Enugu airport. “So the federal government did quite a lot. One, it extended the runway from 2.4 kilometers to 3 kilometers; it also extended the width from 4.5 meters to six meters and we now want to install landing equipment that will permit us carry out day and night operations. Unfortunately we are having some challenges. Some of the natives of the area are being very restive and are denying us access to the land; they are resisting the expansion of the airport, which for me is unfortunate and we discuss with the state government to try and resolve the issues so that once and for all we shall finish with Enugu airport and raise the facilities there to international standard. That is regarding the runway, which is more critical.�

The minister had projected that most of the critical infrastructure needed at the airport would be completed by December this year. “The Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has promised to come in and ensure that the people leave the land for us to use it for what it was intended. So once that is done we will fence the airport and clear the perimeter road.

Regarding the terminal building, we just last week released N1.7 billion to the contractor and hopefully also within the shortest possible time we will release another N300 million for him so that they can quickly finish the international terminal. This will bring the airport to its desired standard. “The landing aids cannot be installed, as I said previously. We need to acquire more land about one kilometer on either side and there is a river at the end of runway 26. We need to dam that river because there is no water at the airport completely. So we are seeking permission from the state government to allow us dam the river and then use the water for the airport.

The Governor has agreed to that and we are going to write him to allow us leverage on that as source of water supply to the airport. The water is not only to be used by passengers and so on; even our hydrants, firefighting depends on the availability of water. May God forbid, if

anything happens that could be serious threat and challenge,� the minister said.

Enugu Airport Runway

Mgbemena also told THISDAY that the runway has technical challenges but FAAN unrelentingly has been working on it to ensure that is effective for landing and takeoff of flights. “The runway itself has had issues of water seepage underneath the pavement and that has been making the surface broken in some parts because the water and asphalt do not actually mix at all. In the last quarter of 2017 we actually did a lot of remedial repair work on the runway surface. I know that in time to come there will be major repairs but as it is now we have checked it out and it is safe. We have finished the job and cleaned the surface to remove rubber deposits, which got deposited due to frequency of landing just to increase the frictional force of the surface,� he said.

Benin Airport

The federal government also wants to upgrade the Benin airport, which even at current state still receives more flights than many bigger airports and the airport is known to be a profitable route to many domestic airlines.

According to the minister, the airport received approval for upgrade of facilities and the approval was due to the fact the Benin Airport is one of the oldest airports in Nigeria. He said that the zone needs a standard international airport to serve its growing economic interests.

He added that the airport would be fitted with necessary facilities within 12-months, as part of the plans to upgrade and provide it with facilities that meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). “Plans have been concluded to upgrade landing system with adequate radio equipment that will enable the Airport handle both day and night operations, even in adverse weather conditions.

There are plans to also extend the runway at the Benin Airport to enable it handle high volume of traffic with capacity to accommodate cargo planes.

Aviation connects businesses, trade, cultures, nations and people. With a standard airport in place, it becomes easy to achieve economic growth and development. We will work with Edo State Government to ensure that within the next 12 months, Benin Airport will become an international standard airport with all the necessary aviation equipment in place,� Sirika said.

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Improving Cargo Evacuation Eromosele Abiodun writes that the Nigerian government’s effort to ease the cost of doing business at the seaports by moving cargo via the rail network is yielding results In 2013, the then Transport Minister, Senator Idris Umar, flagged off a regime of movement of containers by rail from Apapa port to the northern part of the country. During one of the initial trips in the deal brokered between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), a haulage train transporting 20 units of containers from Lagos port to ICNL depots in Kano and Kaduna states broke down at Mopa, a town in Kogi state.

In 2017 as well, before a cargo train, which took off from Lagos to Kano reportedly got to Oshogbo, about three of its last coaches detached from the rest. Eyewitnesses alleged that the three coaches started moving backwards until they got to the interchange at the terminus in Oshogbo where the wheels got off the track and the coaches fell on their side.

That has been the story of cargo evacuation via the rail over the years, making experts to conclude that the Nigeria’s rail system is bedevilled by a technologically restrictive narrow rail gauge with questionable integrity due to prolonged years of neglect.

Many efforts at revving up rail transport to make it the pivot for the evacuation of goods from the ports to the hinterland have met with frustrating challenges. The history dates back to post-civil war Nigeria.

After the massive cargo and ship congestion of the immediate post-civil war period when up to 500 vessels were anchored, waiting to berth at Apapa port at the peak of the congestion, the military government began an ambitious port development programme.

Unfortunately, the planning was devoid of a futuristic concept. Unlike the older terminals at Apapa and Port Harcourt ports which had rail lines running the length of the quayside for direct delivery of cargoes onto coaches, there was no such thing in the design for the Tin Can Island, new Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri ports that were touted as modern facilities.

New Step A major effort to revamp the ailing railway sector in Nigeria was conceived during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan to complement existing modes of transportation in the country.

In 2013, Jonathan, promised to invest over N1.6 trillion in the country’s railway sector for a period of two years. The projection was that by 2015, about 15 different railway tracks would have been completed and delivered nationwide.

The routes in view included: the Lagos - Calabar stretch at the cost of $11.12 billion, the 1657 km Port Harcourt- Maiduguri route, the Port Harcourt - Makurdi route (463km) and the Makurdi – Kuru route (1016 km). Others included the 640 km Kuru – Maiduguri axis and the Jos- Kafanchan stretch spanning a distance of 640 km.

About N12 billion was pencilled down for the rehabilitation of some other major routes. These included the light rail tracks for Lagos – Jebba, Abuja – Kaduna, Iddo Station in Lagos, and Kaduna Station. Others are Kano, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Jos and Gombe.

NPA Intervention As customary to Nigeria, the promise to evacuate cargo from the seaport never materialised leading to the traffic gridlock in Apapa that paralysed business activity and untold human suffering along the Apapa axis.

Concerned by the Apapa situation and the need to drive ease of doing business, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) stepped in outlining plans to ensure cargo are evacuated from the port via the rail way.

Speaking during her maiden visit to the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa on familiarisation tour, Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman emphasised the need to move cargo in and out of the port by rail so as to lessen pressure on the road.

She said that because of the exigency of the times, the NPA will work with the NRC to facilitate this by ensuring that the tracks are in place and

Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi

provision made for rolling stock.

The disclosure came on the heels of several calls by stakeholders for shift from emphasis on road haulage to intermodal transport especially as access road to Lagos and other ports are highly dilapidated.

At ENL Consortium and Apapa Bulk Terminal Ltd, Bala-Usman tried to find out how they’ve been able to make use of rail to move cargo.

Executive Director Operations of ENL, Mark Walsh, explained that the use of the rails has not been very popular with port users, but since the terminal started making use of it, others have seen the need.

The NPA boss encouraged port users to adjust to more frequent use of the rail, urging them to get across to NPA concerning any challenge in this regard which will be sorted out with the NRC.

Improved Cargo Evacuation Though not as much as would be expected, available numbers revealed that about 5,948 containers load of cargoes were moved out of the Lagos seaports in the last five years. Notably, the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa is the only port in the Western Zone connected by rail.

Available, statistics showed that 5,948 containers out of 2,847,000 were received in the years under review. The data showed that in 2013, 625,000 containers were discharged at Lagos Port while, 613,000 were discharged in 2014. In 2015, 604,000 were discharged while 505,000 and 500,000 were discharged in 2016 and 2017 respectively. But, 650 containers were moved out of the port by rail in 2014, and 412 were moved in 2015. In 2016, the number dropped to 273 and moved up to 2,760 in 2017. In 2018 alone, 1,853 containers have been moved so far from January to April from the Lagos port.

Before the NPA intervened, inability to move containers by rail out of the seaport put much pressure on the roads and bridges in Lagos leading to dilapidated state of the port access roads.

Vice Chairman, dry cargo section of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Lagos State, Inuwa Abdullahi, believes the initiative for moving goods out of the ports via railway lines would ease traffic on the roads.

He said: “The NPA’s involvement to ease the cost of doing business at the seaport through cargo movement via rail network needs to be properly streamlined with the NRC for it to succeed. It was also gathered that inefficiencies on the part of the NRC has also contributed to the poor numbers of cargoes moved out from the port.’’ On his part, the National Publicity Secretary-elect

Hadiza Bala-Usman

of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Joe Sanni said rail remains the only alternative for movement of cargoes out of the seaports.

He, however, charged government to invest heavily on railway infrastructure saying that would help decongest the nation’s roads. “There is no doubt about the fact that the only way out of decongesting the ports fast and ease movement of goods out of the ports is to move cargoes through rail which can carry as much as possible and can go the distance and is the safest in view of our bad roads for now,� he said.

Sanni, a foremost clearing agent, said movement of goods by rail would also help reduce freight cost and by extension reduce price of goods.

NRC Steps Up Meanwhile, the NRC, in a bid to speed up the process, has announced plans to deploy between 15 to 20 locomotive wagons to the nation’s seaports to ease cargo evacuation processes.

In a statement signed by the General Manager, Corporate & Strategic Communications of the NPA, Abdullahi Goje, the top echelon of the NPA and the NRC has inspected terminals in the Apapa port to look at ways of reviving full rail evacuation of cargoes at the ports.

Speaking during the facility maintenance inspection of the rail lines in the ports recently, the Managing Director of the NRC, 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.

The Director of Operations of the NRC, Mr. Niyi Alli, who stood in for the MD of the corporation explained that the rail service would be optimally utilized 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 to 20 Locomotive Wagons with each evacuating 20 units of 40 footer container at a go from the Terminals to the hinterland.

The General Manager MD’s Office, Iheanacho Ebubeogu, who represented the NPA boss informed stakeholders and port users of the renewed vigour and determination of management 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, management was fully aware of the state of congestion in the ports caused by the bad roads within the port axis.

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 sub-Saharan Africa. “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,� the NPA MD stated.

Exporting Solid Minerals As part of the effort to enhance cargo evacuation, the NPA recently flagged off the first export consignment of manganese, a solid mineral resource from the Ikorodu lighter terminal.

Bala-Usman said the NPA under her management is keen to drive inter model 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 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 further deepens 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 MD NPA added that the authority would ensure the deployment of Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) with the 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.

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US Consulate, FSD Academy Train 121 Emerging Entrepreneurs Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt The United States Consulate General Lagos in collaboration with Field of Skills and Dreams VTE Academy has commenced the training of 121 budding Nigerian entrepreneurs in a two-day workshop in Port Harcourt as part of the second edition of the Conference for Emerging Entrepreneurs.

This is as the United States Consul General, Lagos, F. John Bray, said only Nigerians have solution to the nation’s socioeconomic and political challenges, advising the people to look

inwards to solve the problems and put the country on the path of development.

The up-and-coming entrepreneurs, selected from across Nigeria, learned how to transform their ideas into practical business plans, manage business risks, navigate difficult moments, seek capital, and develop partnerships to help their businesses grow.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference, Bray said severally Nigerians had asked him what he thought was the solution to Nigeria’s many woes and that he had always responded that he didn’t know because he is not a Nigerian

and that only Nigerians know and should therefore solve the country’s problems.

Bray said that one of US Mission Nigeria’s primary goals is to support Nigeria’s economic development stressing, “We do this through a variety of programmes and projects funded by the Department of State, Agriculture, and Commerce as well as USAID�.

The Port Harcourt conference is expected to in two days train about 121 budding Nigerian entrepreneurs selected from across Nigeria on how to transform their ideas into practical business plans, manage business risks,

Investment One Launches Virtual Trading Platform A leading financial services group in Nigeria, Investment One Financial Services, has launched its All Stars League initiative, in an effort to heighten interest in stock trading in Nigeria.

The All Stars League according to a statement made available by Investment One Services, is a gaming environ-

ment where individuals can interact with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in near real time. It provides a platform for amateur traders to improve their skills and to compete for prizes, on a virtual investment simulator.

During the League, each trader begins with N10,000,000 in virtual cash and has a

trading limit of N2,000,000 per day. The top 3 traders at the conclusion of the 3-month League will have their trading accounts funded with real money as a reward.

The Investment One All Stars League begins on April 16 and ends on June 30. Individuals can sign up at www.bit.ly/visgame.

navigate difficult moments, seek capital and develop partnerships to help their businesses grow.

Bray who declared the conference open noted that many economists, including a number of Nigerians maintain that entrepreneurs are the backbone of the 21st century economy adding that the economists point out that in the United States, for instance, it is estimated that 75 per cent of the 16 million businesses are owned by a single person who is almost always an entrepreneur. “There is growing evidence that entrepreneur the world over are the drivers of job growth.

Whether they are creating micro, small, or medium enterprises, entrepreneurs contribute to creating jobs and expanding economic opportunities�, the US Envoy stated.

He added; “There is growing evidence that entrepreneurs the world over are the drivers of job growth. The United States government is firmly convinced that in addition to creating jobs and expanding economic opportunities, entrepreneurship contributes to political stability and a vibrant civil society,�

Consul General Bray added.

He told participants that in the course of the programme, “we

will train you, mentor you, help you refine your ideas, provide you with access to funding and turn you into successful business owners�. Last year was the first time that the Consulate held a conference for up and coming entrepreneurs.

I am pleased to tell you that the success of last year’s participants exceeded my expectations�.

In his keynote address, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, represented by his Deputy, Mrs Ipalibo Harry Banigo described the conference as an initiative “we need at a time like this�.

NIWA Denies Receiving Senate Query over N800m SecurityVote Eromosele Abiodun The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has said that contrary to some media reports, there was no time the Senate queried it over a N800 million security vote when it appeared before the Senate last Friday to defend its 2018 budget proposal.

NIWA, in a press statement signed by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Tayo Fadile, said in its entire budget defence,

there was no single items that captured the issue of security adding that the publications over the issue were false and misleading. The statement reads in parts, “the distinguished Senators of the Marine Transport Committee in the Senate of the National Assembly were referring to the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding of Nigeria (CRFFN) and not National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) as erroneously reported.

“The truth in respect of the story can be confirmed from the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Sani Yerima and the video tape of the proceedings can also be made available by the Clerk of the committee of Marine Transport of the Senate.� “As a matter of fact, NIWA was the first agency to be attended to by the distinguished senators, while the CRFFN was the last agency that the committee invited.

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Rethinking Nigeria’s Devt with Bill Gates and Okonjo-Iweala Adele Adeniji criticises the federal government for being defensive rather than heed Bill Gates’ advice on how to better the Nigerian economy

Bill Gates

In 2050, it is estimated that Africa will have over 600 million youths. This will form the bulk of its population and many pundits are scared to death that, with the current afflictions of Africa, this incredible amount of raw energy could be a ticking bomb for the continent. And if this is seen in any way as a ticking bomb, Nigeria should be more worried as it will have the youngest crop of the continent’s youth population. The logical sequence is to question if Nigeria is prepared for this eventuality.

Recently, Bill Gates looked at Nigeria’s development plan and passed a vote of no confidence in its ability to lift the country out of poverty and ensure economic prosperity for the vast majority of Nigerians. In his address to the expanded National Economic Council, the former world’s richest man pointed out critical areas in need of improvement in Nigeria’s development plan. He said, “The Nigerian government’s economic recovery and growth plan identify investing in our people as one of three strategic objectives. But the execution priorities don’t fully reflect people’s needs, prioritising physical capital over human capital. People without roads, ports, and factories can’t flourish. And roads, ports and factories without skilled workers to build and manage them can’t sustain an economy�.

It is saddening that the government, rather than critically look at this piece of advice, coming from a renowned business mogul who has invested over $1.6 billion in the country without any party affiliation, went on the defensive, calling his analysis incorrect.

But the billionaire will not be cowed as he recently told the CNN that he still holds on to his opinion that the Nigerian government is not doing

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

enough. “As a partner in Nigeria, I am saying the current plan is inadequate.

Nigeria has all these young people and the current quality and quantity of investment in these young generations; in health and education just isn’t good enough. So, I was very direct, if they can get health and education right, they will be an engine of growth not just for themselves but for all of Africa�, he told CNN. Interestingly, it is not only Bill Gates who has expressed the pivotal role Nigeria has to play in the liberation of the continent from poverty. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala mooted a similar opinion in a recent presentation at the Duke University lecture series on ‘Rethinking Development’. The former finance minister said Nigeria being one of the

Like Bill Gates, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala had expressed the need for inclusive growth in the continent. This is something that has eluded this government and even previous administrations.

Inclusive growth is a growth that beneďŹ ts everyone, leading to a more prosperous economy and equitable society

largest economies in Africa, with a 30% GDP of the continent’s economy, has to get it right for the rest of the continent to get out of poverty as its prosperity will rub off on the other Sub-Saharan countries.

Like Bill Gates, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala had expressed the need for inclusive growth in the continent. This is something that has eluded this government and even previous administrations.

Inclusive growth is a growth that benefits everyone, leading to a more prosperous economy and equitable society.

This term was popularised in the 2000s when the World Bank found to its dismay that their economic predictions were flawed as nations experienced growth without a concomitant reduction in inequality or an improvement in the standards of living. Nigeria has experienced growth but this has hardly impacted the vast majority. Therefore, this government has to ensure that whatever economic plan it is implementing makes growth more inclusive and doesn’t leave many stuck on the margins of existence. As Dr. Okonjo-Iweala rightly said, poverty is bad for growth as no nation should be proud of growth that does not reflect on the masses. Her opinion is crucial to the repositioning of Nigeria’s development.

Another area they both agree on is the role of education in the development of any nation. Bill Gates’ address emphasised the need to prioritise education as this is the foundation of sustained prosperity. This is also a talking point in the lecture delivered by Dr. Okonjo-Iweala at the Duke University lecture series. The former finance minister was particularly concerned

about female education and the reverberating effects their education have on the household and the country at large.

She bemoaned the 90% female illiteracy in the North, stating emphatically that this is something the government should be looking at.

As it is, female illiteracy in the North is likely to stay the same for a while since the insurgents have decided to turn them into pawns in the war against the state. The Chibok girls have not been totally returned and the recent abduction and return of some of the Dapchi girls is a blow to female education in that region. In this light, the government should consider what Dr. Okonjo-Iweala did as minister of finance by fixing a plan for gender budgeting that will ensure that the female child in the North is not left behind in the name of insurgency.

In the case of Dr Okonjo-Iweala, her gender financing covered a wide range of vulnerable women.

Above all, the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan should consider driving innovation, creativity and productivity with fiscal responsibility.

The rising debt profile of the country is something every Nigerian should be worried about. Former US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson’s warning to Nigeria and other African countries about their mounting foreign debt is food for thought. The government has to ask itself if the loans are creating jobs for the teeming young men and women or it is storing up huge economic burdens for them.

-Adele Adeniji is a Public Affairs Analyst and lives in Port Harcourt.

He can be reached at adele.adeniji2020@gmail.com

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Flaws in the Meter Asset Provider Regulations In this article, Caleb Adebayo identifies some of the flaws in the Meter Asset Provider regulations announced recently by the Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola In recent times, a lot has been happening, and rapidly too, in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) in terms of regulations, guidelines, policies, and laws.

Only about nine months ago, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing announced the Eligible Customer regime, and with it came much furore from the various value chain participants. Recently, a new set of Regulations emanated from the industry, the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Regulations. Amongst other things, it seeks to close the metering gap which it estimates stands at over four million meters, attract private investment and of course, eliminate estimated billing.

I must commend the regulations, and the firm posture it adopts in mandating Distribution Licensees to ensure metering for their customers within a set time period.

It is also economically advantageous, as it, while stretching the NESI value chain, opens new vistas for investment in the industry from private sector players. The matter-of-fact tone of the Regulations has ensured that a carte blanche standard of metering is not adopted where every Meter Asset Provider (MAP) operates at his behest in terms of quality, instead it has laid down certain technological benchmarks for MAPs seeking to participate in the procurement process. In addition, the process for approval seems to be quite well thought out, commencing with the ‘No Objection’ authorization which is granted after conducting due diligence. For me, the interface of the public sector and organized private sector at the back-end of the NESI value chain, meeting at the intersection of providing value and solving a problem which has for a long time affected all players along the chain, is a welcome development, and one that must be extolled.

It is equally impressive the high level of transparency encouraged by the Regulations. The necessity for a newspaper publication of the monthly metering service charge and detailed roll out plan

Fashola

evince a system that intends to provide close monitoring not just from NERC, but from everyday consumers. Additionally, the alienation of companies for the bid rounds who have in them any participatory interests from Distribution Licensees aids the process to be as open as possible.

The clear distinction too, of the metering service charge from the energy charge and the ring-fencing of the payment of the metering service charge to a dedicated account from which payouts will be made to the MAPs is a step in the right direction.

The requirements for MAPs to acquire insurance and the mandated securitisation framework for Distribution Licensees are very laudable steps that will ensure the financial sustainability of the metering

drive. It is a value-add too, that under the Regulations, the rights and obligations of all players in the metering activity are outlined, with the end-user being assured in no mean terms that he has the right to be metered. Furthermore, the capping of unmetered customers after a defined period will serve as a motivation to accelerate the rolling out of meters.

I am worried though, about certain provisions. First, while I have no bone of contention regarding the length of time as per the 120-day deadline given to the Distribution Licensees for procurement, my worry is that the ‘Nigerian Deadline’ factor that has affected every other thing from BVN to National Identity Card Registration, possibly to the VAID scheme, will arise here again, and

defeat the essence of the provisions under the MAP Regulations. Perennial excuses like technical glitches, counterparty failure and late funding are likely to arise at the point where the deadline looms and the law is to be enforced. The requirement for several permits where a Meter Asset Provider intends to provide its services to a string of Distribution Licensees is worrying too. To my mind, it would be an overly herculean process, and except the turnaround time for the process is fluid -which is an unduly high expectation considering the bureaucracy surrounding government exercises- then investors will also be discouraged by the repetition of the same process. It would have been preferred if all that was required was perhaps a No Objection authorization for the Meter Asset Provider to deal with another Distribution Licensee, or like upstamping, in property law parlance, the Meter Asset Provider could only have to obtain an ‘upstamping’ on their permit in order to deal with a different Distribution Licensee. With all said, the Regulations have come a perfect time; a time when electricity consumers have started to ask questions, protest estimated billing and demand accountability from these privatized distribution companies. It is hoped that the Regulations will birth a more efficient distribution regime, attract investors, and aid the troubling illiquidity in the industry. It is likewise the hope of the public that the Regulations will live up to its firm and no-nonsense mandates for all the relevant actors and will continually demand the highest levels of performance, transparency and optimal delivery from the MAPs and Distribution Licensees.

Caleb Adebayo is a lawyer with Wole Olanipekun and Co., where he straddles the busy dispute resolution team and the nascent commercial team. He is keen on the intersection of Energy, Finance and Environmental Law. He can be reached at calebadebayoc@gmail. com

New Horizons Hosts 2018 Leadership,Technology Summit Emma Okonji In a bid to understand the future of learning in the digital age and integrating new innovations in leadership and change management for maximum business productivity, New Horizons in conjunction with Logical Operations, Belgium, presents the 2018 Leadership and Technology Summit with the theme: “Leading for optimal performance in the Digital Age.�

The summit on Situational Leadership, IT Governance, Risks and Compliance among others, is to expose top decision

makers, training directors, HR directors, CIOS, CTOs, to the latest technology innovations driving maximum business productivity.

Logical Operations has experience and expertise spanning three decades combined with the enthusiasm and innovation of a fresh start-up. The quality and breadth of the content they offer has established them as an industry leader.

The main focus of the event slated to hold on April 19th in Lagos, is the unveiling of the Centre for Leadership and Development with James Varnham, the Managing Director for

leading global publisher and certification company, Logical Operations. He will facilitate the topic, IT Governance, Risks, Compliance and the five most important technology innovations driving business productivity.

A global expert in digital learning integrated and development, who is a one-time Head of Interactive Learning and Digital Academy, BBC, and former CEO Ask.com Europe, Myles Runham (UK), will speak on leadership, change, management and future learning digital age.

The Group VP, International Operations and Franchise Development New Horizons International, Michael Smith (USA), will anchor the topic on “Leadership and Development: A powerful tool for growth for you and your organisation.� “New Horizons Computer Learning Centre has grown to become the largest independent IT training company worldwide since 1982, offering more courses, at more times and in more locations than any other computer and business training organisation.

Businesses and individuals

can choose from hundreds of course offerings, delivered by experts, and offered in hundreds of convenient locations around the world. For many small, medium and large organisations, New Horizons is a one stop-shop for all their IT training needs,� the ICT training institute said.

In this digital age-the quest for quality and revolutionary leadership skill across every strata of the corporate world cannot be overemphasised, thus the reason why New Horizons is introducing new paradigm in the teaching of leadership courses both for

ICT professionals and non -ICT professionals.

It has been discovered that 80 per cent of the time when projects fail in an organisation , including government agencies- it is not due to lack of technical competence but mostly as a result of poor leadership skills. Therefore we would like all business mangers and government senior officials to take the New Horizons opportunity and get empowered with the new set of skills required to thrive in business, the ICT training institute said in a statement.

NITDA, SystemSpecs Lead Discussions at BoICT Lecture 2018 Emma Okonji The board and management of CommunicationsWeek Media Limited has announced two of the keynote speakers for this year’s Beacon of ICT (BoICT) Distinguished Lecture series.

They are the DirectorGeneral, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami and MD/ CEO, SystemSpecs Ltd, Mr. John Tani Obaro.

Both are distinguished Nigerians and they will speak on the theme “Leveraging ICT Value for Building Institutions� at the event.

This year’s Beacon of ICT Distinguished Lecture/Awards Series is slated for Saturday, April 28, 2018 in Lagos.

The CEO, Communication Week Media Ltd, organisers of the BoICT Distinguished Lecture/Awards Series, Mr. Ken Nwogbo, said: “The choice of Pantami as one of

the keynote speakers was deliberate because he is an exceptional public servant conducting government business in transparent manner�

Regarded as the IT sector ’s anti-corruption Czar, Pantami has redefined public service elevating NITDA as one of the most respected agencies in Nigeria.

Prior to his appointment, he worked as an academia in various capacities and

has authored more than a dozen books on many areas ranging from Technology, Religion and Peaceful coexistence.

The NITDA boss will be joined by Obaro, a technology entrepreneur, public speaker and founder of SystemSpecs Nigeria Limited.

Obaro is passionate about promoting and advancing local software development in Nigeria and beyond.

A mentor and motivator, Obaro has given presentations and speeches advocating youth empowerment and IT entrepreneurship.

Pantami and Obaro will join the exclusive list of keynote speakers at BoICT Distinguished Lecture Series.

Past speakers include: the former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe; former Director-General of National

Broadcasting Commission (NBC),Yomi Bolarinwa; CEO at OR System France and a specialist in Counterparty Risk, Dr. Jean Luc Fort; and Chairman, Knowledge Factory International, United Kingdom, Professor Chris Nwagboso, among others.

The BoICT events had in the past, drew top politicians and government functionaries as well captains in the ICT industry and financial institutions.

WEEKLY PULLOUT

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

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THE GREATEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN

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The Greatest Books Ever Written Everybody has an opinion on the best books to read. There are hundreds of lists online of the 10 best books to read, or the 25 books everyone should read, or the 100 books you need to read before you die. But if you’re looking for a dozen great novels, look no further than the list of the Greatest Books Ever Written on the website of the “Encyclopedia Britannica.”

“Anna Karenina,” by Leo Tolstoy is the tragic story of Anna Karenina, a married noblewoman and socialite, and her affair with the affluent Count Vronsky. Called by Dostoyevsky “flawless as a work of art,” the novel explores several topics, including politics, religion, morality, gender and social class.

“To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee is about small-town lawyer, Atticus Finch, who takes on the task of defending a black man accused of raping a white woman in Depression-era south. Despite the serious topics of rape and racial inequality, Lee diffuses her storytelling with warmth and humor.

“The Great Gatsby,” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the story of the young, mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his obsession with the beautiful former debutante Daisy Buchanan. The novel explores the idealism, social upheaval, and excess of the Jazz Age. It is a cautionary tale of the American Dream.

“One Hundred Years of Solitude,” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is about seven generations of the Buendía Family in the fictional town of Macondo, and the inevitable and inescapable repetition of history. The characters in the novel are controlled by their pasts and the complexity of time.

“A Passage to India,” by E.M. Forster centers on the alleged assault of a young Englishwoman and an Indian doctor in 1920s India. It explores both the chasm between races, and between individuals struggling to make sense of their humanity.

“Invisible Man,” by Ralph Ellison tells the story of an unnamed African American man whose colour makes him invisible. It addresses the social and intellectual issues facing African-Americans early in the twentieth century, including Black Nationalism, and issues of individuality and personal identity.

“Don Quixote,” by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra follows the adventures of a nobleman who sets out with his squire to revive chivalry and bring justice to the world, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. Don

Quixote does not see the world for what it is but prefers to imagine that he is living out a knightly story.

“Beloved,” by Toni Morrison is set after the American Civil War and tells the story of Sethe born a slave and escaped to Ohio, who eighteen years later is still not free.

She is haunted by the memories of Sweet Home, the farm where she was enslaved, and where many hideous things occurred.

“Mrs. Dalloway,” by Virginia Woolf chronicles a June day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway as she prepares for a party she will host that evening. The story moves forward and backward in time, and in and out of the characters’ minds to construct both an image of Clarissa’s life and English society during the years between the world wars.

“Things Fall Apart,” by Chinua Achebe tells the tale of Africa’s encounter with Europe as it establishes a colonial presence on the continent. Told through the fictional experiences of Okonkwo, a wealthy Igbo warrior in the late 1800s, it explores one man’s futile resistance to the devaluing of his traditions

by British political and religious forces.

“Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Bronte follows the emotions and experiences of Jane Eyre, including her growth to adulthood and her love for Mr. Rochester, master of Thornfield Hall. The novel contains elements of social criticism, and explores classism, sexuality, religion, and proto-feminism.

“The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker is the story of the life of African-American women in the Southern United States in the 1930s. An eloquent portrayal of black women’s lives supported by faith, love, and trust in the face of brutality, poverty, and racism.

What you read is, of course, up to you, but have you read these books? They are all available in multiple formats at the Manhattan Public Library. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but every one of the books on this list has been recreated on film.

Literary critics, historians, avid readers, and even casual readers will all have different opinions on which novel is truly the “greatest book ever written.” Is it a novel with beautiful, captivating figurative language?

Or one with gritty realism? A novel that has had an immense social impact? Or one that has more subtly affected the world? Here is a list of 12 novels that, for various reasons, have been considered some of the greatest works of literature ever written.

Anna Karenina Any fan of stories that involve juicy subjects like adultery, gambling, marriage plots, and, well, Russian feudalism, would instantly place Anna Karenina at the peak of their “greatest novels” list. And that’s exactly the ranking that publications like Time magazine have given the novel since it was published in its entirety in 1878. Written by Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, the eight-part towering work of fiction tells the story of two major characters: a tragic, disenchanted housewife, the titular Anna, who runs off with her young lover, and a lovestruck landowner named Konstantin Levin, who struggles in faith and philosophy. Tolstoy molds together thoughtful discussions on love, pain, and family in Russian society with a sizable cast of characters regarded for their realistic humanity. The novel was especially revolutionary in its treatment of women, depicting prejudices and social hardships of the time with vivid emotion.

a slightly different configuration, within the text itself as a key symbol.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee, believed to be one of the most influential authors to have ever existed, famously published only a single novel (up until its controversial sequel was published in 2015 just before her death). Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 and became an immediate classic of literature.

The novel examines racism in the American South through the innocent wide eyes of a clever young girl named Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch. Its iconic characters, most notably the sympathetic and just lawyer and father Atticus Finch, served as role models and changed perspectives in the United States at a time when tensions regarding race were high. To Kill a Mockingbird earned the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961 and was made into an Academy Award-winning film in 1962, giving the story and its characters further life and influence over the American social sphere.

The late Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez published his most-famous work, One Hundred Years of Solitude, in 1967.

The novel tells the story of seven generations of the Buendía family and follows the establishment of their town Macondo until its destruction along with the last of the family’s descendants. In fantastical form, the novel explores the genre of magic realism by emphasising the extraordinary nature of commonplace things while mystical things are shown to be common. Márquez highlights the prevalence and power of myth and folktale in relating history and Latin American culture. The novel won many awards for Márquez, leading the way to his eventual honor of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982 for his entire body of work, of which One Hundred Years of Solitude is often lauded as his most triumphant.

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is distinguished as one of the greatest texts for introducing students to the art of reading literature critically (which means you may have read it in school). The novel is told from the perspective of a young man named Nick Carraway who has recently moved to New York City and is befriended by his eccentric nouveau riche neighbor with mysterious origins, Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby provides an insider’s look into the Jazz Age of the 1920s in United States history while at the same time critiquing the idea of the “American Dream.” Perhaps the most-famous aspect of the novel is its cover art—a piercing face projected onto a dark blue night sky and lights from a cityscape—an image that is also found, in

A Passage to India

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Jane Eyre

E.M. Forster wrote his novel A Passage to India after multiple trips to the country throughout his early life. The book was published in 1924 and follows a Muslim Indian doctor named Aziz and his relationships with an English professor, Cyril Fielding, and a visiting English schoolteacher named Adela Quested. When Adela believes that Aziz has assaulted her while on a trip to the Marabar caves near the fictional city of Chandrapore, where the story is set, tensions between the Indian community and the colonial British community rise. The possibility of friendship and connection between English and Indian people, despite their cultural differences and imperial tensions, is explored in the conflict.

The novel’s colorful descriptions of nature, the landscape of India, and the figurative power that they are given within the text solidifies it as a great work of fiction.

Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, another novel often assigned for reading in school, was initially published in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell to disguise the fact that the writer was a woman. Fortunately, a lot has changed with regard to women in literature since 1847, and Brontë now receives the credit she deserves for one of the most-groundbreaking novels about women in history. At a time when the author felt compelled to hide her true identity, Jane Eyre provided a story of individualism for women. The novel’s eponymous character rises from being orphaned and poor into a successful and independent woman. The work combines themes from both Gothic and Victorian literature, revolutionising the art of the novel by focusing on the growth in Jane’s sensibility with internalized action and writing.

Beloved Toni Morrison’s 1987 spiritual and haunting novel Beloved tells the story of an escaped slave named Sethe who has fled to Cincinnati, Ohio, in the year 1873. The novel investigates the trauma of slavery even after freedom has been gained, depicting Sethe’s guilt and emotional pain after having killed her own child, whom she named Beloved, to keep her from living life as a slave. A spectral figure appears in the lives of the characters and goes by the same name as the child, embodying the family’s anguish and hardship and making their feelings and past unavoidable. The novel was lauded for addressing the psychological effects of slavery and the importance of family and community in healing. Beloved was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988.

The Color Purple Though the epistolary novel (a novel in the form of letters written by one or more characters) was most popular before the 19th century, Alice Walker became a champion of the style with her 1982 Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning novel The Color Purple.

Set in the post-Civil War American South, the novel follows a young African American girl named Celie into adulthood in letters she writes to God and to her sister Nettie. Celie faces sexual abuse by her father and eventually her husband, chronicling her own suffering and growth as well as that of her friends and family. The novel explores themes of sexism, racism, gender, sexual orientation, and disability through its grouping of disadvantaged and damaged characters who, over time, grow to shape their own lives. The story was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film in 1985 that, despite widespread critical acclaim, was notoriously snubbed of all 11 awards it was nominated for.

Invisible Man Often confused with H.G. Wells’s science-fiction novella of nearly the same name (just subtract a “The”), Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man is a groundbreaking novel in the expression of identity for the African American male. The narrator of the novel, a man who is never named but believes he is “invisible” to others socially, tells the story of his move from the South to college and then to New York City. In each location he faces extreme adversity and discrimination, falling into and out of work, relationships, and questionable social movements in a wayward and ethereal mindset. The novel is renowned for its surreal and experimental style of writing that explores the symbolism surrounding African American identity and culture. Invisible Man won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction in 1953.

Mrs. Dalloway Possibly the most idiosyncratic novel of this list, Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway describes exactly one day in the life of a British socialite named Clarissa Dalloway. Using a combination of a third-person narration and the thoughts of various characters, the novel uses a stream-ofconsciousness style all the way through. The result of this style is a deeply personal and revealing look into the characters’ minds, with the novel relying heavily on character rather than plot to tell its story. The thoughts of the characters include constant regrets and thoughts of the past, their struggles with mental illness and post-traumatic stress from World War I, and the effect of social pressures. The novel’s unique style, subject, and time setting make it one of the most respected and regarded works of all time.

Things Fall Apart Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote, perhaps the most influential and well-known work of Spanish literature, was first published in full in 1615. The novel, which is very regularly regarded as one of the best literary works of all time, tells the story of a man who takes the name “Don Quixote de la Mancha” and sets off in a fit of obsession over romantic novels about chivalry to revive the custom and become a hero himself. The character of Don Quixote has become an idol and somewhat of an archetypal character, influencing many major works of art, music, and literature since the novel’s publication. The text has been so influential that a word, quixotic, based on the Don Quixote character, was created to describe someone who is, “foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals; especially: marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action.”

The Western canon of “great literature” often focuses on writers who come from North America or Europe and often ignores accomplished writers and amazing works of literature from other parts of the world. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, published in 1958, is one such work of African literature that had to overcome the bias of some literary circles and one that has been able to gain recognition worldwide despite it. The novel follows an Igbo man named Okonkwo, describing his family, the village in Nigeria where he lives, and the effects of British colonialism on his native country. The novel is an example of African postcolonial literature, a genre that has grown in size and recognition since the mid-1900s as African people have been able to share their often-unheard stories of imperialism from the perspective of the colonized. The novel is frequently assigned for reading in courses on world literature and African studies.

Culled from Mercury Newspaper

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Shodex Gardens Boss, Adekoya Celebrates Birthday with a Colloquium on Climate Change Mary Ekah When many of his chums would have rolled out the drums to celebrate their birthdays with fanfare and pageantry, visionary landscaper and environmentalist, Mr. Olusola Adekoya, chairman, chief executive officer, Shodex Gardens and Shodex Beautification Landmark Limited, Lagos, chose to commemorate his 56th birthday in a unique way by celebrating the environment.

He dedicated Wednesday, Thursday and Friday March 20, 21 and 22, 2018 to cleaning the streets of Lagos with his staff and family members, hosted children from various schools in Lagos to botanical education, and gathered landscapers, environmentalists, climate change experts to a full day colloquium on greenery, climate change, arts and life at his Shodex Gardens located at the ample space beside Anthony Bridge, Lagos.

The colloquium, themed ‘Greening: A Major Solution to Climate Change’, was attended by students from secondary and tertiary institutions from Lagos and Ogun states; staff of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), members of the

L-R: Prof. Adebola Kukoyi, wife of the celebrant, Mrs. Opeyemi Adekoya, celebrant, Mr. Olusola Adekoya aka Shodex, and Dr. Olajide Ladipo at the event

Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Nigeria Society for Environmental Conservation.

Keynote address was delivered by Dr. David Olajide Oladipo, a forest biologist, abori-culturist and a foremost environmentalist and a natural resources development expert; while Professor Adebola Ade Kukoyi, an environmentalist was the chairman of the occasion. Other special guests include the General Manager of LASPARK, Mrs.

Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, represented; Mr. Tokunbo Sogade, Secretary to the Lagos State Association of Landscaper; Elder Moses Adelowokan, former President, Nigerian Institute of Landscape Horticulturists, among others.

In his address, Ladipo commended the celebrant for choosing what he described as “a topical issue that is negatively and positively affecting humanity globally.

Rotary Club Creates Awareness on Service to Humanity Ake Ayodeji District Governor 9110, Dr. Wale Ogungbade, has said that the awareness campaign embarked on by the Rotary Club was aimed at encouraging Nigerians to join the organisation in order to pull strength together in service to humanity.

Ogungbade said Rotary Club has been in existence for about 113 years but many people are unaware about Rotary activities. This development made the club to annually organise a walk in Rotary week to create awareness about the organisation and impact in the society.

He told journalists at the awareness walk staged in Lagos recently that Rotary exists in more than 200 countries but the scores in Nigeria is far below average, thereby, encouraging people to join the organisation.

He further said in Rotary, “what we do is to impact lives, to render help to the society and the less-privileged. So there are lots of gaps that we as Rotarians fill. We serve humanity without expecting no returns.

There are six areas of focus, maternal and child health. All over the world, Africa has the worst maternal and child health ratio.

We are also devoted to sanitation of our environment, there are a lot of people out there who do not have access to water and drink on the street.

In recent times the need to efficiently monetise the photography industry and define its future as a major part of the current and future national revenue generation sector has become more important. To this end, the Nigerian photography industry is about to take a new turn as all roads leads to the Business of Photography Conference at Landmark Event Centre, Lagos on Tuesday, April 24.

The Business of Photography Conference is aimed at bringing photographers, photography manufacturing and servicing companies as well as photography retail businesses together under one roof to discuss, learn, exhibit, sell and buy everything photography.

The conference would feature five segments; the opening, the conversation (panel session), break out time (master classes), cocktails/networking and exhibition. During the conversation segment, attendees would have the opportunity to listen to and chat with award-winning Nigerian photographers about the future of photography in Nigeria. The master class would be in five segments and would be anchored by amazing photographers; Portrait Photography (TY Bello), Commercial Photography (YetundeAyeni- Babaeko), Fashion and Editorial (Kelechi Amadi-Obi), Landscape and Architecture (Hakeem Salaam) and Motorsport/Sports Photography (Sheyi Afolabi).

The BOP team has also put together a line up great minds like Georgette Monou, Zubby Emodi, Keli Abiel, Wani Olatunde, Emmanuel Oyeleke, Bayo Omoboriowo, Bukky Karibi-Whyte, Sheyi Afolabi, TY Bello, Ifeanyi Christopher Oputa, YetundeAyeni-Babaeko and Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Hakeem Salaam; to speak on the following topics; Evolution of Photography, Creative Business Practice, Accessing Finance in the Creative Sector, Law and Rights in an Emerging Market as well as Content Monetisation.

Smart Zones UAE Partners DAMAC Properties on #Dubailagos Workshop

The District Governor, Rotary International, District 9110, Rotarian Dr. Adewale Ogunbadejo (in pink shirt) along with other participants during the Club’s awareness walk

“Even in Lagos schools we have children sit on the floor. N5,000 can start a business but there are lots of people out there who can’t afford it. Those are the things we do but 8,000 Rotarians in a population of over 180 million is poor and that is why we are calling out on people to be part of us.”

Speaking on benefit, he said “Rotary started with four friends in Chicago to support themselves business wise and along the line they chose to serve others. So in our organisation we support each other and still contribute to the society. Our belief is that when you serve humanity, God will

reward you.”

The chairman, Committee for Rotary Week and Awareness Day, Mr. Yinka Adeogun, also noted that the event was designed to create awareness to people in Lagos State that Rotary exists, obligations and benefits of the organisation.

“Not only creating awareness but we have been rolling out different programmes during the week and we decided to end the programme with awareness to encourage people to come join Rotary and join a team that is more concerned about service to humanity,” he said.

Graphic Designers Hold Contest Ellae Branding Agency, an international award-winning agency fluent in digital marketing, PR, graphic design, website design development, marketing and advertising communications, hosted its maiden edition of the previously online Designer’s Arise Contest – www.designersarise.com. The contest which has been running online monthly for over two years, has ensured the exposure and award of over 100 graphic designers in the Nigerian space. According to the CEO, Mrs. Noella Ekezie, the purpose of the Designer’s Arise platform is to “create a community for Nigerian graphic designers, giving them an avenue to interact and learn from one another, while exposing them to local and international opportunities.”

The Live contest held in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, with 40 top notch graphic designers from around the country who had gone through a rigorous shortlisting process in attendance. The event was proudly sponsored by Wakanow.com, Redbull and GTBank. The designers were assigned a brief by Wakanow.com to execute within a two-hour timeframe. At the end of the event, three winners were selected by the judges: Mrs. Noella Ekezie, Mrs. Banke Alawaye and Mr. Fisayo Fosudo, with the first prize winner, Mr. Ifeoluwa Sopeju going

Face of Photography Set to Change in Nigeria

To encourage entrepreneurs and property investors on business setup and property investment opportunities in Dubai/UAE, Smart Zones UAE, a firm which aims to help individuals to get a proper and easy company registration in Dubai/ UAE with its team of experts provides assistance to various clients for company formation in Dubai in various ways and with different methods, is collaborating with DAMAC Properties to launch the #Dubailagos Workshop billed to take off from April 15th in Lagos.

DAMAC Properties has been at the forefront of the Middle East’s luxury real estate market since 2002, delivering luxury residential, commercial and leisure properties across the region, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon and the United Kingdom. In terms of economy, it is widely agreed that Dubai is one of the most progressive cities on the planet. To further entice offshore company registration in Dubai, several Free Zones have been established to provide investor with lower costs through unique economic regulations and benefits. These economic hubs were introduced by the government to draw new investment and stimulate the economy. Setting up a Free Zone company allows you to operate within one of the most rapidly growing economies in the world, and there are nearly limitless investment opportunities available with the local economy and markets experiencing massive growth.

With the Expo 2020 approaching and with many mega projects in the pipeline, Dubai continues to be an attractive option for real estate investors.

M-Net Movies Launches 10day Marvel Studios Pop-Up Channel

L-R: MD/CEO Ellae Branding Agency, Noella Ekezie; First prize winner Ellae Designer's Arise Contest, Mr. Ifeoluwa Sopeju; Digital Influencer and Tech Enthusiast, Mr. Fisayo Fosudo and Business Productivity Consultant and Founder, GirlsinGlasses.

home with N100,000 and a ticket to Dubai courtesy of Wakanow.com and the second prize winner, Mr. Michael Smith, going home with N75,000. The contestant who came in third, Mr. Emmanuel Oisemaye was not left out of the mix, as he was also awarded N50,000 for his spectacular designs.

According to the Ellae Branding Agency management, the recently concluded maiden Designer’s Arise Contest Live Edition

served as the forerunner of many more editions to come. In the words of the CEO, “The Designer’s Arise Contest will be a quarterly event, addressing every aspect of the design field and drawing on graphic designers from around Africa. Our aim is to project Africa to the world through design and to provide an enabling platform for creative talent to showcase their work and get discovered by the global design and tech communities.”

From Friday, April 13 to Sunday, 22 April DStv Premium customers will experience an unprecedented cinematic journey with the M-Net Movies Marvel Studios Pop-Up Channel. This super-powered channel, which will be added to the already existing six M-Net Movies channels on DStv, will be available for 10 days only on channel 109 and will feature 15 of the most pulsating films from the massively popular Marvel Studios franchise. During these 10 days, the M-Net Movies Marvel Studios Pop-Up Channel will run from 5a.m. to 11p.m. daily. Each day of the week a film from the franchise, which has overlapping storylines, will be screened in chronological order, i.e. according to how the films were released in cinema. Starting with 2008’s Iron Man, viewers can revisit the stories of their beloved heroes all the way through to Spiderman: Homecoming, which will close the channel on Sunday 22, April.

“This channel is a special treat for the legions of Marvel fans—both old and new—who have enjoyed the live-action exploits of favourite Marvel Superheroes in films that express the unique vision and creativity of their filmmakers and deliver thrilling action and visual spectacles with relatable characters,” says Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu Regional Director, M-Net West Africa.

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FERTILITY WITH DR. KEMI AILOJE

Tel : +2348033083580, Email:info@lifelinkfertility.com, Website: lifelinkfertility.com

Third Party Reproduction (TPR) Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) seem to have an answer to every problem regarding infertility, irrespective of the causes, duration of infertility and the age of the couple trying to achieve pregnancy. With current trends in the management of infertility, questions like am I too old to ever get pregnant? Can I ever have my genetic baby since my womb or ovaries have been removed? Can we ever be parents since the Doctor said my husband has no sperm? On and on the questions could go and this brings us to this very interesting topic today: Third Party Reproduction.

Third Party Reproduction also referred to as Donor Assisted Reproduction, is the term used to describe any human reproduction in which DNA or pregnancy is provided by a third party or donor, other than the two parents (intending parents), who will raise the resulting child.

Third party reproduction goes beyond the traditional mother-father model; the third party involvement is limited to the reproductive process and does not extend into raising the child.

Third Party Reproduction can be applied to: (i) egg donation (ii) sperm donation, (iii) donor embryos that have been donated by a third person (donor) to enable an infertile individual or couple (intended recipient) to become parents (iv) embryo adoption (v) mitochondrial donation: a special kind of IVF procedure in which the future baby’s Mitochondrial DNA comes from a third party.

A very useful technique used in cases where mothers have mitochondrial diseases; (vi) use of a Gestational Carrier or Host. A gestational carrier is an individual who carries a pregnancy for an infertile couple or an individual. Gestational carriers are not biologically related to the intended parents or child. (vii) a combination of one or more of the above listed.

What is a Donor Treatment?

A donor treatment is where gametes, i.e. sperm, egg, or embryos are provided or “donated” by a third party for the purpose of a third party reproduction. That is: Donor eggs with own sperm, Own eggs with donor sperm, Both egg

and sperm from donor (third party), and Embryo donation and adoption.

Egg donation: A donor provides the ova (egg) to a woman or couple in order for the egg to be fertilised and embryo resulting transferred into the recipient woman, for implantation to take place. Embryo donation is where extra embryos from a successful IVF of a couple are given to other couples or women for transfer using donor eggs and sperm, or in some cases donor eggs and donor sperm. It may thus be seen as a combination of sperm donation and egg donation, since what is donated is a combination of these. Such embryos may also be donated to a “commissioning” couple and gestated by a surrogate where, for example, the “commissioning” woman or the woman of the “commissioning” couple is infertile and is unable to bring a pregnancy to full term on grounds, or is unwilling for social, medical or other reasons, to do so.

Sperm donation: A donor provides sperm in

order to father a child for the third party female.

Embryo donation: The use of embryos which were originally created for a genetic mother’s assisted pregnancy. Once the genetic mother has completed her own treatment, she may donate unused embryos for use by a third party. It can also be a case where embryos are created using donor sperm and donor eggs.

Embryo adoption: Embryos created during a donor assisted pregnancy are adopted to be transferred in a third party recipient with the aim of achieving implantation and successful pregnancy.

Surrogacy: An embryo is transferred into the womb of a third party (traditional surrogacy) or a woman is inseminated in order to gestate a child for a third party (straight surrogacy).

It includes all situations where a surrogate carries a pregnancy for another person.

Recently, there has been tendency to separate the gestational carrier situation from the “true” surrogate restricting the term for a woman who

provides a combination of ovum donation and gestational services.

In conventional surrogacy: A surrogate agrees to be inseminated with the sperm of the male partner of the commissioning couple. The surrogate conceives and hands over the baby at the completion of the pregnancy. In this case, the eggs, which is fertilised is therefore that of the surrogate.

In gestational surrogacy: A surrogate agrees for embryos to be transferred into her uterus, for the purpose of implantation. Such embryos may have been created either by use of egg donor or the egg of the commissioning woman; the egg may have been fertilised using donor sperm or sperm from the commissioning father, also the commissioning mother may be a single woman and may be using her egg or the donor egg.

Surrogacy tourism has become an industry in itself with wealthy couples travel to different places such as India and Thailand to hire surrogate mothers to carry their children for them until the recent ban on commercial surrogacy in India.

While some surrogate mothers agree to carry another couple’s child for what they consider to be altruistic (volunteer/humanitarian) reasons, the more common motivation is the financial incentive that couples desperate to conceive a child can offer. Monetary compensation is therefore a powerful incentive in surrogacy.

If the intended parents’ circumstances change during the surrogate pregnancy or if the child is born with health problems or disabilities, the infants may be left to the surrogate or abandoned. Intended parents may find that they face unplanned financial costs and inadequate legal protections.

Third party reproduction no doubt remains a viable method of having children by intended parents and has been done successfully over the years in Assisted Reproductive Technology /Assisted Conception processes, and couples who require these services need to access them after proper counselling.

OPINION

A Better Lagos Today, Tomorrow, and for Generations to Come Bolu Ojewande It is easy to underestimate the challenges of leading a state like Lagos. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode took office in May, 2015 on an promise of ‘continuity’ – an apt message considering that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been the ruling party in Lagos since 1999.

But it was not just ‘continuity’ for its own sake, instead, ‘continuity with improvement’.

Taking what he inherited and making it progressively better for the good of all. In the governor’s words, “We want to run a government of continuity, but continuity with improvement, to make life easier for the people. In a nutshell, that is what our goal in the next four years will be.”

This is a governor that is determined to consolidate on the achievements of his predecessors, while also making his own unique mark on the city – leaving it better than what he met. And that has guided every vision, action and innovation of his, since 2015.

There has been the occasional baseless accusation that Ambode has been dismantling the legacies he inherited. Wrong. In fact, what he has been doing is acknowledging those legacies, building on them, taking into account the fact that changing times require new and better approaches.

Ambode’s goal has been to bring fresh thinking and innovative technology to bear on the solid legacies he inherited, to reposition them to meet the evolving needs and demands of Lagos and Lagosians at large.

Let’s start with security. The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) has seen significant investments, to upgrade and rebrand it,

and provide more equipment: power bikes, patrol vans, communication systems and helicopters.

Connected to security are the emergency services. A state-of-the-art LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) has been launched to deliver speedy response to emergencies and situations requiring evacuation and safety, and there are a growing number of testimonials to the speed and efficiency of this service.

In transportation, the introduction of lay-bys – the best known being the one at Oworonshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge – has eased traffic gridlocks, and resulted in increased productivity for those who work in the city. In the Lekki area, the removal of roundabouts from the Lekki-Epe Expressway has proved to be an inspired decision, smoothening the flow of traffic and making commuting times more predicable for residents and visitors.

Lagos is showing Nigeria and the world that, sometimes, the seemingly minor decisions – a lay-by here and a traffic light in place of a roundabout there are as important as bigger stuffs. Little tweaks like these are helping to maximise the potential of the legacies Ambode inherited, and Lagosians are benefiting.

And in the ‘bigger’, grander stuff as well, the government has been just as prolific.

New flyovers in the Abule Egba and Ajah have transformed the cityscape and its traffic situation. Pen Cinema, Agege, will same time this year be the latest beneficiary of an overhead bridge.

One of the most pressing problems that Lagos has had to deal with, on account of its population, is waste management. On the surface, it has felt like the existing system

had been working. But in reality, it was grossly inadequate; a system that had never quite found answers to the question: what happens to the mountains of waste after they are collected from homes, offices and industries?

Until recently, much of Lagos’ waste ended up in unregulated dumpsites like Olusosun, posing a health and environmental hazards to the city’s dwellers. Today, we can see the results of that approach: the raging fire that has in recent weeks poisoned the city.

Ambode has been very clear about what needs to be done. Olusosun will be decommissioned and redeveloped into parks and gardens for the benefit of the people of Lagos, while the designated landfill sites at Owu Elepe in Ikorodu and in Epe will be fully operationalised.

Landfill sites can be seen as the wholesale end of the waste value chain. The retail aspect, the collection from homes and offices, is also undergoing reforms for improvement, bringing in new partners, modern technology and updated processes, under the Cleaner Lagos Initiative.

Reform is never easy, never without challenges. But the new system being introduced will, building on the reforms made by previous administrations, result in a solution far more robust and sustainable than anything the city has ever witnessed.

What else does the future hold for Lagos, under Ambode? More off-grid power, to make the state self-sufficient in electricity and land reform that will include the creation of an electronic Geographical Information System (e-GIS) that will make it impossible for land-grabbers and fraudsters to operate.

It will soon be possible to take advantage of

all services rendered by the Lands Bureau online, without the need to visit any offices anywhere.

There is also a complete reform of the bus transportation system to replace the existing rickety 'danfos' with modern, comfortable and efficient buses befitting of a 21st century metropolis, in a manner similar to what previous administrations did via the bus rapid transport.

In 2016, Lagos was selected to join the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) Network. At that time, the governor said, "As a new member of 100 Resilient Cities, we can work with the best in the private, government and non-profit sectors in developing and sharing tools to plan for and respond to the challenges ahead.”

In a nutshell, that is the Ambode vision for Lagos: working with partners within and outside Nigeria for the good of Lagos.

That collaborative vision has already produced LAKE Rice from a partnership with Kebbi State, and the inaugural Lagos Kano Economic Summit, between two of Nigeria’s leading state economies and commercial nerve-centres. It has also earned votes of confidence from business leaders in Nigeria.

Just recently, a number of business moguls announced fresh contributions to the Lagos Security Trust Fund. Many other partnerships are taking shape.

The future of Lagos is bright. There will be challenging times, and reforms will, sometimes, mean that things look harder before they become easier. But ultimately, it is important to realise that Lagos is on the path of progress, and Lagosians will be the better for it. .Ojewande writes from Lagos

32 / XTRA

13.04.2018

In Keeping Tradition Alive, China Remembers Its Ancestors in New Ways Solomon Elusoji in Beijing Last week, Chinese people across the world celebrated the Qing Ming, a traditional festival that literally translates to ‘Tomb-Sweeping Day’; observers usually visit the tombs of their ancestors to offer prayers after the burning of incense, sweeping the tombs and offering all sorts of food and gifts.

This year the festival fell on April 5 and observers are expected to clean the tombs and pay respects either 10 days before or 10 days after the fixed date.

The Chinese believe that burning things, valuable things, honours the dead and transmits money and other goods to their loved ones in the afterlife.

This year, the Borneo Post, a newspaper in the third largest island in the world, reported that bungalows, banks, courtyard houses and gold bars were some of the hottest items for this year’s festival. According to local retailer Thian Siew Foong, who specialises in selling ornaments, people are willing to purchase these items for their dearly departed.

“I realise that the older, more conservative generation prefer to buy clothes, food, ghost money, josssticks and candles,” she said,

Chinese women prepare to sprinkle holy water on visitors to Liu Park in Beijing

“Young people, on the other hand, prefer ‘upmarket’ stuff like gadgets, sports or luxury cars, banks, gold bars as well as skincare products and health supplements – to name a few.”

In recent times, the festival, which has been in existence for more than 2,500 years, has seen its observers take bold steps to adapt to a fast

Mel Rouge Releases New Song ‘Madam’

changing world.

For instance, in 2017, the BBC reported that one cemetery in Nanjing, a Province in Eastern China, launched a special service for “time-starved mourners”. The idea was simple: for mourners who could not get to the grave in person, personnel at the cemetery would clean tombs

and place bouquets, while the paying clients watch the ritual via a live-stream on the Wechat app, China’s biggest social networking platform.

Meanwhile, since it was announced as a public holiday in Mainland China in 2008, the Qing Ming has also become a day where Chinese people reflect on the timelessness of their culture.

This year, the streets of Beijing, usually busy with traffic and pedestrians, was relatively empty.

While some Chinese used the holiday period to take vacations, others attended cultural programs to boost the understanding of their own culture.

At the Liuyin Park, scores of locals and foreigners attended the 8th edition of the ‘Liu’ Cultural Festival. It was spring but the morning cold was biting as attendees gathered in a courtyard-like space surrounded by willow trees and colourful costumes.

At the Liu Festival, there were several poetry, dance and music performances that held the crowd’s attention, even as some foreign journalists were dressed up in traditional Chinese attires.

Although there have been criticisms in some quarters that China is losing its traditional values and culture due to its fast paced globalization, urbanization and commercialization. But traditional markers such as the Qing Ming, which affords

NGO Donates to Modupe Cole Orphanage Home

Peter Uzoho

Ugo Aliogo

Following her debut single ‘SENPE’ featuring Burna Boy, Nigerian-British Afro-pop sensation, Mel Rouge who now joins Lima Music as their latest signee is back with another hit, ‘Madam’ (produced by Ozedikus and mixed by SUKA Sounds).

A thumping dancehall song with all the trappings of the rude girl vibe, this song has the versatile Mel Rouge taking ownership of the matronly title Madam and subverting for her own use: to carry the spunk of the independent women in Africa and the diaspora.

A delightful party song, this song is not only a recommended listen but a must cop—put it on repeat!

Safe to say the partnership between Mel Rouge and Lima Music is already up to a great start.

In line with the Easter celebration, Golden Stride Empowerment Initiative (GSEI) has donated household items to Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care and Treatment Home School in Lagos as part of efforts to support the orphanage.

Speaking at the donation ceremony in Lagos, the President of the foundation, Christiana Nshiogu, said the foundation started in 2016, but it was registered in 2017, adding that they have visited three orphanage homes so far “and we are embarking on these efforts in the spirit of the Easter celebration.”

She explained that the donation they have carried out was aimed at preaching love which she noted was the essence of the Easter celebration, stating that this is one of their drives to affect the lives of these persons in the orphanage.

Nshiogu further stated that the donation was made possible through individual contributions, stressing that they are hoping to do more when they expand to a large group, “we are small group and we tasked ourselves in order to make the donation possible. We have not started to get donation from outside.”

She added: “I think we need to go bigger than this. We are hoping that in the next quarter we will seek for support from corporate organisations to assist us to empower people. The focus of this foundation is aimed at empowering the girl-child. In empowering them, we want to consider vocational training for them. We want where if these are good in a particular vocation; we will give them the needed funds to move on. We want to look at covering some of the less privileged homes in Lagos. Government cannot do everything that is why we have these NGOs to complement the efforts of government.”

NGO Donates Food Items, Conducts Medical Test for Widows Ugo Aliogo A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) known as Debash Humanitarian Service has donated food items, and conducted medical tests for widows in Digital Bridge Institute, Oshodi Community Centre, Lagos.

Speaking at the donation ceremony at the weekend, the Chief Executive Officer, Prophetess, Bola Obanla, said the effort was aimed at giving back to society, adding that they are aimed at putting smiles on the faces of these individuals.

She lamented that in the society, the rich don’t remember the needy community, instead they focus on assisting themselves only, stressing that she embarked on this path because of her desire to give and share.

Obanla added that since the inception of the organisation two years ago, they have reached out to communities in Lagos where they have imparted the lives of many widows and less-privileged, while applauding her husband, friends and church members for the support to the organisation.

According to her, “Today, we are covering one community in Oshodi Local Government Area. We are giving out cooked meals and uncooked meals to the widows present here today, some of the items include garri, Ankara, and others to take home for Easter. This we believe will make them happy during this Easter period and we are also providing free medical tests for them. In terms of support, I have received support from my husband, friends, and church members. We

are covering Digital Bridge Institute, Oshodi Community Centre. The expectation is that we will carry out more of this effort. We have been doing this since two years ago and we have visited many communities in Lagos to support 100, and 200 widows and the less privileged. After this we want to keep doing more.”

In her remarks, one of the beneficiaries, Pastor Dayo Ogunsanya, noted that the initiative is aimed at blessing humanity, adding that in December 2017, the foundation were able to donate food items to widows and during the hurricane they were able to give out incentives and items to those affected.

She remarked that she was privileged to part of an initiative that is giving back to humanity, while describing the initiative as the heart of

God and also commended the foundation for its continued efforts at touching lives.

Ogunsanya maintained that since its inception two years ago, the foundation has remained faithful and committed in supporting the needy in the society, while lamenting that other NGOs are concerned about meeting their personal needs instead of assisting the needy, “we need to be faithful in the little things that God has called us to do. Therefore, my advice is for people to be faithful in everything.”

She added: “The vision for Debash Humanitarian Service started before me. What I know about this initiative is that it is blessing humanity. In December 2017, they were able to donate food items to widows. During the hurricane they were able to give out incentives and items to people affected by the hurricane.”

Vine Health Nigeria Launch for April 14 Peter Uzoho The organisers of the highly successful Vine Health event that was held in UK in 2017 are launching Vine Health Nigeria. Set to take place on Saturday, April 14 at Clear Essence California Spa and Resort, it promises to be the most extraordinary ever. The event hosted by Dr. Monica Alabi will feature Nollywood celebrity and fitness enthusiast, Enyinna Nwigwe along with his sister, Ihuoma Nwigwe, a certified instructor.

The dynamic duo are schedule to give a sibling fitness routine at the event. Other partners include a team of health and medical professionals, insurance, healthy nutrition companies, wellness, clinics, physiotherapy to name a few.

Enyinna Nwigwe, who has always been com-

mitted to raising awareness for the need to live a healthier life, said: “We couldn't possibly preach the message of all round wellness enough, so we must all be involved in this, sensitisation is key and the reason I am lending my voice to Vine Health's wellness campaign. Health is Wealth. I shall be joining wellness professionals and other enthusiasts in the areas of food, physiotherapy, mental health and fitness to bring attention to healthy living, especially as it concerns our hearts and mind.”

Ihuoma Nwigwe said she is excited to partner with Vine Health Lagos, noting that preventive measures as it pertains to health is very key, and this is the clear message that Vine Health is bringing to Nigeria. “The single best thing you can do to start a new journey towards feeling

and looking healthy is making a commitment with yourself,” she added.

The Vine Health event taking place in Lagos will be the second of its kind this year; this follows Vine Health UK which was held in February.

It is going to bring health into the social space and connect health facilities and corporations that support the health message directly with the public. The main message and theme is to highlight the importance of prevention of disease by improving the quality of medical services and messages to the public. Details on registration for the event can be found on iconciergehub. com/events.

Dr. Monica Simi Alabi (MBBS MRCGP DRCOG DFSRH PgCert Med Ed), who is a Primary Care Specialist and health entrepreneur

with a special interest in women’s health said: “Prevention of disease and early identification and intervention is a major strategy in tackling our disease burden. Vine Health is a leader in conveying the message of prevention with an audience-friendly approach and through various channels including radio, print, and social events. We bring tools and information needed to support healthy living directly to the consumers. Vine Health social events bring health providers, allied health and business to the public to interact directly, deliver key health, wellness and economic messages and facilitate action and change. I believe in the power of exercise, a healthy nutrition and wholesome relationships on health outcomes, productivity and wealth.”

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Staff Unions Commend Orji over Efforts to Make Abia Polytechnic Federal Institution Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia The campaign to make the Abia State Polytechnic (Abiapoly), Aba, has continued to enjoy the support of stakeholders with staff unions in the institution rising in support of Senator Theodore Orji for spearheading the federal takeover campaign.

Abia is the only state in South-east that has no federal polytechnic and college of education, a situation that is at variance with the federal policy that each state must have a federal university, polytechnic and college of education.

The Abiapoly branch of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Abiapoly chapter of the Abia State University Alumni Association paid a courtesy visit to the senator representing Abia Central to express their support and encourage him in the federal takeover campaign.

Orji

Orji told the staff union leaders that his actions were always guided by the interest of the people hence his efforts to make the federal government to takeover Abiapoly. He recalled that the struggle to make Abiapoly a federal institution started when he was governor but it did not materialise

for inexplicable reasons.

“But we have not given up on the campaign,” he said, adding that Abia was being shortchanged as the federal policy on giving each state a university, polytechnic and college of education was yet to be fully implemented in God’s Own State.

Orji noted that Abiapoly has all the structures on ground and enough room for expansion to make it easy for transition from state to federal institution as the transition would be less expensive for the federal government.

To correct the anomaly and injustice of denying Abia a federal polytechnic, the Abia Central Senator said that the bill for the conversion of Abiapoly to federal polytechnic has been presented before the Senate, adding that it has enjoyed wide support.

According to him the report of the public hearing on the bill was positive hence he assured that the bill would be passed before the end of the

present dispensation. He urged the staff unions to pray hard for the seamless passage of the bill.

“I stand for equity and do to others what I want others to me,” he said, adding that he would not relent in the campaign for the federal government to takeover Abiapoly.

Earlier in his remarks the chairman of Abiapoly ASUP, Engr. Godswill Uma said that the unions were excited by the bill presented by senator for the federal takeover of Abiapoly.

“We want to make it clear that we are for Senator T. A. Orji and we will do whatever it will take to re-elect him,” he said, adding that the former governor has done so much for the people and left his footprints on the sands of time.

Uma said that the Abiapoly staff unions were delighted with Orji for his interest to make Abiapoly a federal institution even though he is not representing Abia South where the polytechnic is located.

BON Hotels Lauded for Home-Grown Skills Strategy Peter Uzoho The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremmadu, has commended the management of BON Hotels for their commitment towards developing local skills and talents through its ‘home-grown skills development strategy, saying such move would be appreciated by the country to encourage investments in diverse sectors, particularly the hotel, tourism and hospitality industry as part of efforts to diversify the economy.

Speaking recently during the launch of the refurbished BON Hotel Abuja, Ekweremadu, said with investments coming into the economy from various sectors, Nigerians would gradually develop international and home-grown skills that would sustainably keep the economy in top shape.

While hailing the hotels for emphasising their strategy of local skills and training in the Nigerian hospitality sector, he stressed that the group

Ekweremadu

made their home-grown policy known when they entered the Nigerian hotel management arena some two years ago.

According to him, “recent reports issued by the group which indicates that the number of Nigerian managers coming through their programme shows BON Hotel’s commitment

to skills development and transfer for Nigeria and Nigerians.”

Also speaking at the event, Chairman, BON Hotels International West Africa, Mr. Otto Stehlik, said he was extremely pleased at the progress of the Hotels group, saying it recognised the need for skills development when it began operation in Nigeria.

“We put together a transformation programme, which the board identified as a priority. We are finally in a position where we have a team of elite Nigerians who have been trained, educated, skilled, and more importantly, mentored to head up and be supported by senior executive management and head office,” Stehlik said.

He said the idea formed an ideal base for future growth in Nigeria at all levels, noting that it was apparent that BON Hotels had a sincere strategy of tapping into the skills and expertise of seasoned hoteliers in raising the skills of local talents.

On his part, Executive Director of the Hotel, Mr. Bernard Cassar, said the organisation was proud that its hotels across Nigeria was peopled by mainly Nigerians and that a few expatriates staff had devoted their energy into transferring their knowledge and abilities to eager Nigerian recruits.

“We are able to boast from the rooftops that more and more of our hotels are managed at the senior level by locally trained Nigerian staff.

This strategy has been a work in progress. As far back as 2001, Nigerians were identified and fast-tracked to form a new generation of localised senior managers,” Cassar said.

Cassar added: “Of the 25 hotels which BON hotels manage across Nigeria, 80 per cent of their general managers, deputy managers, senior management, department heads and executive chefs have over the last two years been trained, skilled and promoted to senior level positions by the group.

2018 UK-Nigeria Trade and Investment Summit Promises Huge Opportunities to Investors Peace Obi To further strengthen the bilateral trade relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, the 2018 UK-Nigeria Trade and Investment Summit slated to hold in Central London on April 17 will feature top Nigerian Government delegation as distinguished guest speakers along with their counterparts from the British Government.

The one-day Summit which is being organised by the Developing Markets Associates (DMA) together with Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) will be declared open by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency Paul Arkwright and the Nigerian High Commissioner, His Excellency George Adesola Oguntade.

A delegation from Nigerian Government which includes Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, are among the invited distinguished speakers at the Summit.

According to a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer of DMA, Atam Sandhu, Nigerian

Odimegwu Onwumere (1st left) in a group picture with other recipients and two of the judges

delegation will join forces with their counterparts from the British Government which includes the Lord Mayor of London and other notable British and European resource persons in the upcoming event.

According to Sandhu, the investment summit is aimed at increasing the business ties between the two countries. Adding that the summit will provide opportunity for Nigeria to showcase

herself as the powerhouse of Africa.

He said, "Delegates to the Summit will have the opportunity to hear a political and economic overview of Nigeria before being given deeper spotlights on Trade Policy and Investment as well as plenary on Energy, Infrastructure and the Extractives.

"There will be opportunities at the Forum Plenary intervals for networking between the

high-level delegation of business people from both Nigeria and the UK. Stating that uncommon gain awaits participants and investors, the CEO said that they will have access to the the kind of funds other investors don’t have especially the UK’s Export Finance Facility."

He said, "Considering Nigeria's abundant human and material resources, this is the time for her to look inward and re-discover her trade and investment potentials and build on them.

"One way this can be achieved is by exploring the trade relations that exist between the United Kingdom and Nigeria at the upcoming UK-Nigeria Trade and Investment Summit. The general perception in Nigeria is that the Nigerian economy is the biggest in Africa yet Nigerians are reluctant at fully exploring the opportunities that offers to their maximum benefits. For instance, participants at the UK-Nigeria Trade and Investment Forum will learn of the British Government’s £750 million export finance fund budgeted by the UK Government for well established companies intending to invest in any area in Nigeria.

Winners of 2018 Pan African Re/Insurance Journalism Awards Announced Nigerian journalist, Odimegwu Onwuwere wins award A Nigerian journalist with Nigeria’s Africa Prime News, Odimegwu Onwuwere has bagged the Pan African Journalist of the Year Award for the 2018 Pan African Re/Insurance Journalism Awards sponsored by Continental Reinsurance.

A press release by Ceciliah Kimuyu, Senior Account Manager at Continental Reinsurance PLC, said there were three categories of the awards but Onwumere emerged the overall winner.

Onwumere's winning article titled, Africa emerging new frontier in the reinsurance markets investigates how foreign insurers that once rebuked Africa due to economic instability are now swarming for businesses on the continent

because the sector is becoming alluring and dynamic due to unswerving GDP growth.

Otiato Guguyu, a Business and Data Journalist with Standard Group Kenya won the Best Re/ Insurance Industry Feature Article for his story, Business of protecting wealth from drought that talks about how an insurance scheme that was introduced in the dry regions of Kenya is cushioning farmers from losses; while Adenike Popoola, Chief Correspondent of Nigerian’s The Punch newspaper emerged the winner for Best Re/Insurance Industry Analysis and Commentary for her article, Foreigners taking over Nigerian insurance industry, which discusses

how the recapitalisation trend is transforming the insurance industry and its expectations in the future.

At the same time, Gareth Stokes, a seasoned financial journalist working with Commercial Risk Africa (CRA) in South Africa won a special award in recognition of his exemplary contribution to Re/ Insurance journalism and was recommended to become a judge in future editions. Gareth emerged the Pan African Journalist of the Year in 2017 awards.

The winners were announced at a Gala dinner held during Continental Reinsurance’s CEO Summit held on April 9th 2018 in Swakopmund, Namibia.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Dr. Femi Oyetunji, Continental Reinsurance’s Group Managing Director noted, “The Pan-African Re/Insurance Journalism Awards are an extension of our continued commitment to advance excellence in the sector. I am glad this year’s entries not only improved in quality, but they also came from a wider range of countries, and with more diverse insurance topics being featured by journalists. We will be including two new categories in next year’s Awards – for broadcast and online entries, and I would like to encourage TV, radio and online journalists to participate.”

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13.04.2018

In the Quest for a Better Society Mary Ekah writes that FBN Holdings’ YouFirst initiative is imparting on the lives of people In its quest for a healthier, happier and better society for its customers, FBN Holdings, is through it community support initiative, YouFirst, imparting on the lives of people in the society. Revolving it around its brand promise of putting customers at the heart of its business, towards achieving customers’ core needs in the four major areas of education, health and welfare, economic empowerment and the environment, FBN Holdings is no doubt relenting in its efforts.

This has been driven by a series of programmes such as the educational endowment programme, youth leadership, infrastructure development, hope rising initiative, employee giving and volunteering, and the future Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability (CR & S) goals.

Although as a financial institute, FBN Holdings deals more with currency but much more than that, it has used it community support initiative as another form of currency as a means through which it exchanges for something much more than the usual hard currencies.

“It is a means of exchange for something needed. It transcends the hardware, which we can save in banks, and use in market places. Just as it is often physical, it can also be abstract – one that is deposited in the hearts of people,” said Head, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Ismail Omamegbe.

“So, what better currency can an organisation effectively utilise as a socially responsible corporate citizen? Community support is the currency of love, care and passion for the people, and these are the cardinal values upon which relationships thrive. For a group like FBN Holdings, this is the most treasured currency, which has helped it gain trust and loyalty amongst its stakeholders. As such, care and support for its teeming stakeholders have become a core sustainability ideal, which plays highly in its sustainability goals, as outlined in the Group’s last Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability report (CR&S),” he noted further.

He explained that this support is a complete giveback to society and is far beyond any scheme for profit, considering its channels and support direction.

“It is an apt expression of the Group’s commitment to developing its communities and keeping to its YouFirst promise, which is tied around a passion to constantly build broader, deeper and more enduring symbiotic relationships,” he added.

With the aim of empowering young people through education, the Educational Endowment Programme, for instance, was initiated in 1994. Till date, it has upheld the objectives of positively furthering academic excellence by providing sponsorship and grants targeted at enhancing research and many other academic functions.

Other goals of the programme include complementing the federal government’s effort in making learning in tertiary institutions more advanced, strengthening the Group’s strategic approach to corporate responsibility and sustainability through its community support work, and contributing to the building and reinforcement of the Group’s brand

Head General Services FBN Merchant Bank, Segun Adebayo, teaching students on the importance of savings at the Isale-Eko Grammar School in commemoration of World Savings Day

One of the sessions at the sustainability workshop for NGOs and corporate organisations that held at the First Bank Sustainability Centre

value proposition. The Educational Endowment Programme regularly provides annual research grants, annual public presentation of research findings, and annual awards for the best graduating student in tertiary institutions. It also runs a sustainability centre that is designed to empower members of staff of the Group, customers and other stakeholders, including NGOs, media practitioners and SMEs. As a result of the aggressive implementation of the programme, it has successfully accrued

about 38,000 hours in empowering secondary school students with skills in different aspects of life, enhancing their ability to make better choices for the future. There is no better way to give back to society than properly grooming the future generation.

Children are the future of our nation and the initiative has in no way left out this group of persons. Just as the name implies, the FutureFirst programme is a key initiative that sums up FBN Holdings’ effort in this regard. Its objective is to

provide financial literacy and career counseling programmes that help secondary school children make informed decisions and rightly model their future, through adequate knowledge in financial management, good understanding of what it entails to run a business, and the development of critical thinking, speaking and leadership skills.

So far, over 43, 000 hours of voluntary tutoring of the young lads have been invested into the initiative and a total of 15,000 secondary school students have been reached.

To add impetus to these efforts, members of staff of FBN Holdings Group actively take part in some of these initiatives through the Employee Giving and Volunteering Programme, which seeks to instill in employees the culture of giving. Since it is structured in two ways – volunteering of skill and volunteering of time – staffers from the Group are able to donate materials and cash or volunteer their time in support of some of these causes.

Other areas of intervention by FBN Holdings include construction works such as the Remi Babalola Red Cross Clinic in Ibadan, the Information and Communication Technology Park at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Faculty of Dentistry Building at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. This is in addition to renovation works on classroom blocks at the Police College, Kaduna, lecture theatres at the Obafemi Awolowo University and Federal University of Technology, Minna, and the Cafeteria at the University of Calabar.

Ozolua’s Empower 54, Promasidor Align to Fight Malnutrition in Africa Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell, Loya Milk, Top Tea and Onga, has boosted Modupe Ozolua’s “war on malnutrition in Africa” by donating cases of various products to Empower 54 Project in support of its programme aimed at eradicating malnutrition among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.

The donation, done on Friday, March 30, 2018 would in no small measure help to boost the worthy initiative of the organisation, which is at the forefront of eradicating malnutrition in the country.

Promasidor’s support to Empower 54 is in

line with its corporate social responsibility policy, which has seen it contributed to worthy causes across the country.

Expressing delight at the gesture, Princess ModupeOzolua, Founder and President of Empower 54, said the products were greatly appreciated and the donation worth emulating as malnutrition is a major concern among IDPs, refugees and underprivileged people not only in Nigeria but also across the African continent.

According to the Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole, 33 per cent of Nigerian children under five years suffer from chronic malnutri-

tion, which translates into very disturbing statistics and many innocent lives lost due to lack of sensitisation.

Ozolua commended Promasidor Nigeria Limited for supporting Empower 54 in such an immeasurable manner, assuring that the products, which contain vital nutrients would be judiciously utilised.

Empower 54 is a United States non-profit organisation providing humanitarian assistance since 2003 through health, education, empowerment, and IDP/refugee programmes to underprivileged Africans.

The organisation evacuated the severely

malnourished IDP children from Bama to Maiduguri for treatment two years ago, but realised more has to be done to save children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

Ozolua said it was that experience that prompted Empower 54 to lead the move towards creating strategic measures to eradicate the deadly epidemic.

His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, is Empower 54’s global goodwill ambassador for its campaign to eradicate malnutrition in Africa, and it’s also supported by the Australian Government, IMF and other international partners.

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‘Rivers State is Safe, Secure to Do Business’ Mary Ekah writes on how HRH Appolus Chu, The Egbere Emere Okori, Eleme, is changing the twisted narratives sold out against Rivers State

Rivers State Governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike

The growing quest for economic superiority and developmental interests has remained key factors that control the wind of information among competitors in business in every sphere of human activity. Deliberate misinformation and negative narratives are strategies employed in this struggle for economic dominance and control. This is the strategy being employed by regions in this country to keep other regions and states in those regions underdeveloped and economically static. Those who have the media, political and economic power always turn the wind of information in their favour by projecting a positive and wonderful image of their states and region while attacking and harming the image of other states and their regions just to attract investors and tourist to their states.

The Niger Delta region is one region that has suffered the brunt of this strategy, despite her huge economic potentials. Media reports and narratives about her richly blessed states, especially Rivers State, are often designed to run down these huge economic potentials and scare prospective investors and tourists.

It is in view of this situation that HRH, (Dr.) Appolus Chu, The Egbere Emere Okori, Eleme, has stood both in words and action, against all odds, to change these twisted narratives sold out against the Niger Delta region and Rivers State in particular.

Rivers State is the industrial hub of Nigeria and a home of peace, hospitality and prosperity.

Any twisted narrative against it is a deliberate attack on the economic strength of the nation. It is good to note here that in less than one year, Rivers State has played host to three major national events. First, was the Traditional Rulers Day during the Rivers at

The Egbere Emere Okori, Eleme, HRH Appolus Chu

50 Golden Jubilee Celebration, held on the 3rd of May 2017. Traditional rulers like the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Etsu Nupe, Dr. Yahaya Abubakar and so many high class traditional rulers and dignitaries in the country graced the occasion. The second significant event was the official opening of the palace of HRH, Dr. Appolus Chu on the 16th of December 2017.

It attracted great kings from different parts of the country and personalities like the former military Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon; public office holders and captains of industries. That event was also an umbrella for national unity.

And in January 2018, the state hosted the 9th General Assembly of The National Council of Traditional Rulers from 30th-31st, at the prestigious Hotel Presidential Port Harcourt, which had the Sultan of Sokoto, Ooni of Ife, Etsu Nupe and other traditional rulers across the 36 states in attendance. President Muhammadu Buhari was well represented by the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau. And the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris and other stakeholders were also in attendance.

These events were huge successes, during which, nobody was attacked. Everywhere was peaceful. They moved freely. The warm reception and hospitality of Rivers State enveloped them. These kings also saw that their subjects living in Rivers State are living their day to day lives and going about their normal businesses without any fear or perturbation, panic or intimidation from any angle. They encountered the daily traffic in the state

which shows how busy the state usually is during business hours. A lot of other events go on in Rivers State and visitors also come into Rivers State on daily bases for one good reason or the other. If Rivers State were as hostile as it had been projected, would any kingdom allow their king and elites to take the risk of visiting such place? If Rivers State were a war torn zone as it had been painted, why would the multinational companies still operate there?

“Rivers State is not a war zone as people have been made to believe. That is a lie told and sponsored by those who chose to overlook our values and industriousness for their own personal economic interests. The fact remains that you can still find in their states all these things they attack Rivers State for. We cannot rule out shortcomings or crimes in human societies. There is not any state in the country without a shortcoming.

Nowhere is hundred per cent safe. That is a fact. But when such situations become the object of focus and are emphasized or twisted in the media, it betrays the intention of the person or group of persons behind such focus, emphasis or twist. They build mountains where there are no hills just to reduce our prospect of attracting investors over them but we know their antics and strategies and we are rising above them.

The Rivers State Government and security agencies are really on top to see that the state is safe for everybody, that’s why you see people go about their daily businesses without fear or intimidation. Life goes on normal.

Multinationals, small scare and large scale industries are still running their businesses in Rivers state. Neither markets nor school

is shut down or closed out because of any crises or conflict. Their pull down syndrome has not stopped Rivers State from being the fastest growing industrial hub in Nigeria. We are a great and hospitable people. We have proven that to the nation and the world.

And this is the story we will continue to tell the world,” Chu noted.

He encouraged that Rivers State should see other states in the country as their competitors and try to stay strongly in business and even arise above these competitors by sustaining and attracting investors and tourists. To achieve this smoothly, Chu noted that a governor has to see himself as a businessman with a strong business character. “Investors are integral part of the economic growth of a state.

Hence, the governor has to do everything to sustain them and attract more of them and tourists,” he added.

The royal father warned that politicians in Rivers State should mind how they attack themselves so that they don’t fall into the gallery of the state’s competitors. “With such attacks, they give out material of blackmail, sabotage and attack to our competitors who are lurking around for anything to use against us. Also, the hazard of such attacks is that it scares our current investors, potential investors and tourists away. These investors will certainly relocate to where they feel their investments will be safe. The potential investors will look elsewhere they also feel is safe. Our competitors key into this hazard to attract these investors, potential investors and tourists with open arms and warm smile.

And that brings down our GDP. Politicians should be our brand marketers and hence should promote our state,” Chu said.

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13.04.2018

L-R; Ogun State SSG, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa;Children of the celebrant, Folasaade Ayoyinka Adebanjo; Adeola Azeez and Founder, NESH, Emeka Ugwu-Oju at the 90th birthday celebration of Chief Ayo Adebanjo at lsanya Ogbo, ljebu Ode, Ogun State...recently ABIODUN AJALA

L-R Chaplain Victory Chapel, University of Uyo and President, Association of Nigerian University Chaplains, ANUC, Rev. Dr. Iniobong Udoh, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe, Host and Chaplain, Chapel of Christ Our Light, University of Lagos, Rev. Dr Azuka Ogbolumani, Chairman, Chapel Committee, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi and Registrar, University of Lagos, Dr (Mrs.) Taiwo Ipaye at the opening ceremony of the 20th anniversary celebration of the Association of Nigerian University Chaplains in Lagos...recently

L-R: Book Presenter, Mr. Akinbola Tope, husband of the book's author, Mr. Bayo Ajayi, Publisher, Today's Woman magazine, Mrs. Adesuwa Onyenokwe, founder, EveryGirl Empowered Foundation, Mrs. Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi and Chief Presenter of the book, Mr. Anuoluwapo Eso, during the presentation of the book in Lagos... recenlty YOMI AKINYELE

R-L; Country Director, Helen Keller International (HKI), Philomena Orji; Director, Corporate and Government Affairs, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Bala Yesufu, and Corporate Communications Manager, Cadbury Nigeria, Frederick Mordi, at the project inception meeting of ‘Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle,’ an initiative of Cadbury Nigeria, in Lagos....recently

L-R: Mrs Evelyn Isima; Member Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Okoh Festus; Newly Wedded Couple, Mr & Mrs Emmanuel Chuks and Managing Director. Drisly Oil and Gas Ltd, Mr Isima Ambrose, during the couple's traditional wedding in Agbor, Delta State... recently

L-R: Member of All progressive Congress Ekiti State, Mr. Adetunji Olorunfemi; Wife of the Governorship Aspirant Ekiti State, Mrs. Jaiyeola Bamisile; Governorship Aspirant Ekiti State, Mr. Femi Bamisile; and Chieftain APC Ekiti State, Mr. Dapo Dabiri, during the aspirant collection of governorship form in Abuja..recently

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; and Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers' Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, during a courtesy call on the governor, in Ibadan...recently. Photo: Governor's Office

37/ THISLIFE

13.04.2018

‘I’m Using Music to Preach Peace’ At a period the North-east faces insecurity challenges in decades, Musa Akilah, an indigene of Borno State and a musician is more forceful in preaching peace and advocating a change in the way people perceive the region with his new initiative known as the New Borno Initiative. In this interview with Ugo Aliogo, he speaks about his career, his efforts in bringing lasting peace to the region and also commends the International Non-Governmental Organisations working to promote peace in the region Can you tell us about yourself?

My name is Musa Akilah popularly known as Morell. I’m from Borno State. I’m based in Abuja and I started making music professionally in 2009. I did my first professional performance in Rugged Man’s album, then to Naeto C’s album, before I released my first single in 2011. Music has always has been a medium for me to actually say what is on my mind. I studied Creative Arts at University of Maiduguri, Borno State. From there I proceeded into music.

What is your brand of music?

I make all kinds of music because I grew up listening to various brands of music. Most times, I make Rhythm and Blues (R and B).

In between I’m trapped in pop culture as well. I have an album which is my debut album. It was released in 2017 titled: ‘Musa Jikan Musa’. The focus is a blend of the Northern local sounds (drums and guitar) with digital sounds.

We learnt you have been doing some works with the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno State. Can you give details of your activities in this area?

Last year, I took sometimes off to be part of the change ongoing in Maiduguri with the New Borno Initiative which gave me the opportunity to visit some of these IDP camps. We are using this initiative to reach as many people as possible. I have a strong followership due to this initiative; it is not only in the North, but also on social media.

We spoke to a few people and perform at some places. The initiative began last year. It is my own foundation and through it I was able to work with UNCH. Last year, I was at a programme they organised and I met a couple of people who saw the vision in the whole idea and endorsed my initiative.

The government and the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are doing reconstruction, but my focus is on the mental reconstruction of the people of my state.

Do you believe music can be used as a vehicle for change?

Yes, music can be used as a vehicle for change. The songs I recorded in 2015 have made remarkable impacts, especially the song titled ‘Borno’. I say this judging from the number of people who have reached out to me because of the song. A school in Paris, France actually put out a project on the song and they made a video from the song. For me, music can do a lot, it actually controls the way you feel sometimes.

What are your targets for 2018?

I am really glad with where Borno State is presently, but not completely excited. I believe by 2018 or sometimes in the year, things will settle so that is my hope for the state and the country because if the state is safe, the country will be for the good of all.

Let’s look at using music to re-direct the minds of the youths of state from insurgency.

What have been your efforts in this direction?

In the song ‘Borno’ I said at first we were afraid to beg the government and the authorities responsible that we want peace, but now we have to beg with fear. That alone is a message to the youths that it does not really matter your religion, language, and ethnic group, we have to stand for the same thing which is achieving a peaceful Borno State. Years back the state was very peaceful and we lived together amongst people from different tribes Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo. We

Akilah

were not concerned about whatever difference that existed between us. A typical Borno man is a peaceful man. The new Borno will be more peaceful and better.

How much of youths have you been able to reach in your efforts of using music in addressing the insurgency?

I have been able to reach a lot of people.

I have been to the university, and hanged out with couple of young people. Also, we have visited different areas where I lived before and places where people were eager to see me. So far, we have reached a large number of people. Their responses have been amazing and they are willing to support me.

They are eager to pursue peace and change with me; they are tired of the insurgency ongoing in the state. They are calling for a better Borno.

What will be your advice to other musicians?

My advice to other musicians is that at every time they should not be afraid to say what they feel and they should not be afraid to support their people. I’m here because I’m following my heart and I feel I should be here. I have to be here in lending out my voice not just from the studio, but to be here to connect with the people. I need them to understand that we share the same values.

Is your music in English and Hausa?

My music is a blend of English and Hausa.

But in this part, they are more in tuned with the Hausa songs as it connects more to them directly.

Are you involved in youth mentoring?

Yes, I am involved in youth mentoring.

I have been be given different titles such as Gatan Arewa which means the pride of Arewa and that I pride myself to be honest because I know that I have inspired a couple of young people to make a difference.

What would you advise the government to do in the continued effort to bring peace to the region and what is important for you and your group?

For the government, I really think that they are doing well. There is some level of peace in Maiduguri; however, I just want them to keep promoting the peace efforts in the state.

In the pursuit for peace, the vital thing is education. People need to understand the fact that they should move on from whatever that has happened. I understand that people still have grudges they are keeping against each other. What we want is for our children to go back to school and continue living their lives. We are trying to see how we can bring in therapists to assist people to get over the trauma they have been through. When you come across people who experienced these trauma first hand it is really hard for them to explain.

We know that you have been working with some of these victims. Are you planning to include their story in any of your songs?

I am planning to include their stories into my songs. If you watch the Borno video, you see bits of that. Presently, we are collecting materials, talking to a lot of people and we have clips we are putting together to incorporate that into my music and the projects for the future.

Are there persons, groups or organisations that have indicated interest in what you are doing internationally?

Internationally, the new Borno page on Instagram has so many International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGO) following my activities. This is the first step for us and very soon we will discuss a lot with them. From the local scene, we have celebrities from the Northern part indicating interests. They have been showing their support massively. It is a new initiative and we are still getting more people. The

initiative is beyond Borno, like I said, we are working for a better Borno which will have positive impact on the country. This is a big project which I didn’t envisage it is going to go bigger than this, everyday I see myself moving with the tide.

In terms of funding, how are you soliciting for funds?

Presently, I am working with my own resources. I hope that as time goes on people will see the vision and also support me and key into it and support.

What are your future projects?

For now, I cannot say certainly the projects I’m working now, but it basically revolves round healthcare, education and other areas.

There is a lot we are planning on carrying out with other organisations.

Can you brief us about your national and international collaborations in music?

For me, I have done collaborations with some of the big names in the music industry such as Flavour, Rugged Man, Olamide, Ice-Prince, Vector, and others. I was in a project for Chimamanda Adichie’s Half Yellow Sun sound track. I did a song with Reminiscence known as Wazobia (2014). I had collaboration with Wale in Ice-Prince’s album Tipsy. The focus has been music before the Borno situation escalated. I am still making my music, and attaching a lot to Borno State. I am looking at giving back some percentage to the community to help.

I help the community financially. We have been able to buy a few things and given to some IDP camps. Last year, I was an ambassador for an organisation based in Abuja who sent 10 girls in Borno State to school Government College. We have gone to different places in Kano. So far we have helped about 70 girls in North to go back to school because we feel education is really important for girls and boys here.

38/PERSPECTIVE

13.04.2018

Masari

Masari: Uniting Katsina APC Jafar Abdulra'uf Politics is all about amicable management of the inherent crises of competing opinions and interests to achieve desired objectives with minimum acrimony. This definition of politics is very pertinent in the peculiar circumstances manifesting in the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially in the context of amicable management of competing interests which the party is evidently now at the mercy of. As with all issues related to human resources management the decisive factor is maturity and wise leadership. The focus here is on highlighting scenarios that lend credence to the crucial role of intelligent and mature leadership in influencing the outcome of political crises in the APC, with particular reference to Governors Aminu Masari of Katsina State and –who else?- Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State.

Anyone familiar with the history of the APC as a merger of at least three parties should not be surprised by the frequency of crises in the various organs of the party. The process of blending three distinct affiliations into one goes beyond the ceremonial signing of agreements which usually signals the fusion even if the nitty-gritty of distribution of elective and appointed positions in the government is yet to be settled. In the APC the outbreak of crisis was sporadic and widespread but the Kaduna and Katsina episodes share common causes manifested mainly after formation of governments over expressions of dissatisfaction with stake-holdings in the dispensation.

The major difference however was in the management of the unavoidable crises by the leadership of the party presided by the respective executive governors, in each case reflecting their political sagacity and capacity for management of human

relations. As of today, Katsina State APC has demonstrably shaken off the birth pangs of squabbling and closed ranks around the astute leadership of Governor Aminu Masari now warmly embraced by all, consolidating the APC’s undisputed superior “peoples power” as boldly exhibited in the recent mammoth grand reception rally for defecting chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. The opposite is what has taken place in Kaduna State where the initial disagreement has become a

As of today, Katsina State APC has demonstrably shaken off the birth pangs of squabbling and closed ranks around the astute leadership of Governor Aminu Masari now warmly embraced by all, consolidating the APC’s undisputed superior “peoples power” as boldly exhibited in the recent mammoth grand reception rally for defecting chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state

festering wound in the fabric of merged interests as uncompromising dissent pitched major stakeholders against each other, factionalising the APC into two irreconcilable cabals.

Regardless of the circumstances of the conflict of interests, the role of the state governors as principal arbiters is nonnegotiable and the prospects for a timely and lasting resolution and reconciliation depend greatly on the sagacity and selflessness of the state governor. These virtues are even more crucial when the dispute cuts across party lines, involving communities in the state but in all situations the governor must see himself and be seen to be all-embracing in his management of the crisis. Once the governor can subsume the superiority complex tied to his exalted office in the typical father-ofall posture he has virtually defused all tensions and neutralised potential opposition to his conflict resolution agenda.

This leadership strategy is so vital that its chances of success are high, just as failure to adopt it invariably spells doom to the process.

It is therefore beyond contention that the successful and amicable resolution of the Katsina APC crises owes a lot to the willingness and ability of Governor Aminu Masari to adopt this strategy and further to consolidate the gains of reconciliation by maintaining the fatherfigure in dealing with the human relations aspect of governance as well as in the distribution of the dividends of democracy, thereby giving the entire people of the state and his political constituents an enduring sense of belonging. Governor Masari made the decisive difference that effectively overcame the situation and restored harmony and common purpose where conflicts of interest once reigned supreme. He had to rein in grumbling failed

politicians, some of whom desperately sought to bear the party's gubernatorial flag and other political wound lickers.

Even in his very first cabinet as a sincerely committed team player and promoter of inclusive governance, Governor Aminu Masari knowingly appointed relations and associates of some these very people into top positions. As party leader in the state, he promoted similar inclusiveness and broad representation of stakeholders in party offices and patronage.

Masari went a step further in establishing rapport and mutual understanding between himself and a broad base of political elite and leaders by hosting regular stakeholders meetings where he tapped from the constructive contributions of participants to enrich his governance acumen and acknowledge the value of consultations. By remaining consistent in this approach to all-inclusive governance, there was a steady stream of defectors from the camp of uncompromising dissenters who could not resist the accessibility and acceptance extended by the governor to all and sundry, transparently motivated by a genuine desire to get all hands on deck in moving Katsina State forward and out of the quagmire.

It is generally accepted that after elections, the entire population of the state becomes the constituency of a governor who must have emerged flying the flag of a political party. Though this is easier to advocate than to practice, all it takes is maturity, experience, humility, sincerity of purpose and, above all, genuine commitment to serve the electorate! Governor Aminu Masari has what it takes and it shows in flying colours of the rejuvenated Katsina State APC and indeed Katsina State in fast forward mode to peace, progress and development.

Abdulra'uf wrote from Abuja

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018

39

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018

40

CITYSTRINGS

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

Residents of Lagos forced to trek long distances to get to their destinations during President Buhari’s state visit

Immobilising Lagos for Buhari Sunday Ehigiator wonders why residents of Lagos were forced to trek long distances to get to their destinations just because the president was visiting

R

esidents of Lagos State were penultimate Thursday thrown into an undeserved, bizarre situation due the gridlock caused at different locations of the city by President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state. The state government had announced on Tuesday, that movement would be restricted to certain areas during the president’s visit, promising that alternative routes would be made available.

But unfortunately, residents who spoke with THISDAY expressed their disappointment over the way security operatives handled the situation, keeping them helpless by blocking most of the routes to their work places without providing alternatives as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had earlier promised.

Heavy security presence could be seen in strategic locations all over the city, with policemen and para-military forces patrolling the streets. Roads were swept clean and painted in Nigeria’s national colours of green, white and green, with flags of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, banners, bill boards and posters of the visiting President bedecked on all the routes where Buhari’s motorcade was set to pass through.

The state government had earlier declared the day a work-free day for civil servants to allow them to welcome the President.

During the visit, Buhari was set to launch the construction of a 1.5-billion dollar deep sea port in Epe and tour the Eko Atlantic project, a new coastal city described as the “Dubai of Africa” being built from the coastline of Victoria Island, an affluent Lagos suburb.

He was also to inaugurate a bus terminal and attend a colloquium in honour of APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of the state.

Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, said the roads were closed to traffic “to ensure smooth, security-free visit of the president.” He said the temporary road closure and diversions were within Ikeja, Maryland, Agege Motor Road, Victoria Island and Ikoyi axis.

State Police Commissioner, Mr. Imohini Edgal, said adequate security arrangement had been made with the deployment of police, military and other officers to strategic points in the city. “Security engagements are in top gear, as we are working with the Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency,” he

Look at how I am sweating, look at my children; they are just too young to face this kind of suffering. We have been trekking since 6a.m. from Agege. We seriously don’t deserve this. This is not civilisation

said. An earlier planned trip to Lagos in May 2016 was aborted at the last minute, with a terse statement from the presidency saying Buhari had an ear infection. He was then represented by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

If leaving home as early as 3a.m. in the morning to arrive early at work was the price to pay for Mr. President’s visit; a lot of residents did so to beat the roadblocks mounted by security operatives, but they were unsuccessful as early as that time. A visit to Agege Motor Road, towards Oshodi Road in the early hours of the day, a large number of people were seen trekking and sweating profusely as only a few commercial vehicles operated and for those lucky enough to board them, they had to pay through their nostril even for the shortest journey, as Agege to Ikeja along which on a normal day worth N50 was charged at N500 with no apology. While to Oshodi passengers were charged N1000. Buses going to Ikeja Along from Oshodi charged N200, instead of the usual N100. The commercial drivers defended the fare increase, saying they had to drive through the streets of Ladipo to connect to PWD Bus Stop. The drivers leveraged on the fact that most of the buses that usually ply the axis have been held up by the road blocks mounted in different parts of the state.

Anger could be seen in its raw state on the faces of the people. A nursing mother of four who trades in Oshodi but was also affected by the situation lamented to THISDAY saying, “Why should we have to suffer this way because our president is visiting? Didn’t he visit other states too? But it was not like this. Why should

the visit to Lagos be different from that of other states because he is coming to inaugurate a bus terminal? Will it solve the increased transport fare? Look at how I am sweating, look at my children; they are just too young to face this kind of suffering.

We have been trekking since 6a.m. from Agege. We seriously don’t deserve this.

This is not civilisation.”

Another private worker who identified himself as Junior Odigwe said, “When I heard the announcement that some roads would be blocked, I had to leave home as early as 4a.m. for Tinubu in Island where my office is located. With the hope that I would be able to beat traffic, but on getting to Oshodi, I am left stranded, how can drivers be charging N5,000 from Oshodi to Obalende? How can I afford that? I am a private worker, I am supposed to be paid my salary today, but I am not even able to go to work to sign the necessary documents to facilitate that, and I have wife and children at home who are solely dependent on my income before they can eat.”

One of the passengers even compared Buhari’s visit to that of the former President Goodluck Jonathan. “Look at what Buhari’s visit is causing us now. During the time of President Jonathan, he visited Lagos regularly and we all went about our regular activities without any stress or road blocks. Why should Buhari’s visit be different? Why should the people die because he is visiting? If I had known that the stress would be these much I would have stayed back in my house with my family.”

“I left home around 5a.m. to enable me

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018

41

CITYSTRINGS

Traffic on the Island during the President’s visit

get to work early but unfortunately, I am still here because I couldn’t enter the buses I saw, which were too expensive,” said Cynthia Roberts, an office assistant.

The story not different on the Island, Nzei Joy wondered why roads should blocked by security agents. “While we were stranded at Obalende Under Bridge, a thief snatched someone’s phone in my presence and started running away. He was chased by area boys and he dropped the phone while running, the owner got his phone back. We were stranded because there were fewer busses, while the ones available were charging N1,000 from Obalende to Lekki, and N1,500 from Obalende to Ajah, which usually used to be N100. Later it became N500 anywhere you stop between Falomo and Jakande. Keke to CMS went from the regular N50 to N200. Eko Hotel was a no go area, my friend working there had to take bike at the rate of N1000 to get to work. Mind you, it was just 7a.m. in the morning.” While Edikan Udobia said “the traffic was too bad. A trip that should have taken maximum of 30 minutes, we spent almost four hours simply because the route to Victoria Island was blocked.”

Domestic flights were also not left out.

Their operations were disrupted nationwide due to the restriction of movement on some major routes in Lagos. A lot of the local and international passengers were stranded and unable to catch their morning flights due to the restriction which began as early as 3a.m. This development forced local carriers to delay all morning flights out of Lagos for hours, thereby causing a ripple effect on connecting flights in Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano and Enugu among other airports across the country, and likewise affected the country’s economic activities drastically.

Aside the delays, some of the airlines which flew, flew with few passengers onboard to avoid cancellation, which cost them in millions. Speaking to THISDAY, The Chief Operating Officer of one of the airlines said in anonymity that the situation may cost his airline a total sum of N20 million, having cancelled some of its eight Lagos to Abuja

Lagos traffic during President buhari’s visit

daily flights the previous day.

In his words, “It seems some people just forget that Lagos is the hub that feeds all other routes. So, practically shutting down Lagos is like disrupting all flights nationwide. If the president was to visit Lagos and blocking routes on the street was projected as one of the consequences of his visit, giving airline a prior notice of about a month or more would have been fair. That way, we could adjust ourselves and avoid this lost.

We could have done better as a state.” The access roads connecting international and local terminals were standstill due to traffic spillover and disruption at the Ikeja end of Lagos to Abeokuta Expressway.

As part of the lockdown plan of the state government, the busy Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway had been truncated at both Ile-Zik

and PWD axis, blocking traffic flow in and out of the airport area. Aviation security consultant, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), however, blamed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for not issuing adequate directives on the situation.

The economy was to a greater extent crippled, if not paralysed during the President’s visit. A stroll into Computer Village, Ikeja, one of the largest technology market in the world located in Ikeja. The ever busy and over crowded market was deserted or sparsely occupied. Only few countable heads were sighted as late as 12 noon. This was majorly because, traders in the market have been held up in some of the blocked roads around the state. Same goes to the popular Oshodi Market.

Domestic flights were also not left out. Their operations were disrupted nationwide due to the restriction of movement on some major routes in Lagos. A lot of the local and international passengers were stranded and unable to catch their morning flights due to the restriction which began as early as 3a.m

T H I S D AY Ëž , APRIL 13, 2018

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Bankers’ C’ttee Begins Disbursement of N26bn AGSMEIS Fund Ndubuisi Francis Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Bankers’ Committee has begun the disbursement of the N26 billion fund accruing from the Agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS), an initiative designed to improve access to affordable financing for medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those operating in the informal sector of the economy.

The Committee, at its 331st meeting of February 9, 2017, had initiated AGSMEIS with all deposit money banks, voluntarily agreeing to set aside and contribute five per cent of their profit after tax (PAT) annually to finance eligible projects under the Scheme.

Speaking at the commencement of the disbursements to the first set of beneficiaries of AGSMEIS fund in Abuja yesterday, the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele said: “As at today, the size of the Fund stands at about N26 billion and this is expected to exceed N60 billion by June 2018. I am therefore very delighted that we have come to this stage where we are ready to begin the disbursement of these funds

to deserving beneficiaries. “These beneficiaries are youths who have been trained on various entrepreneurship, vocational and management skills across the country by Entrepreneurship Development Institutions and Centres, such as Fate Foundation, Lagos Business School, House of Tara and Thrive Agric. Upon completion of their vocational training, the specific implements needed to practice their vocations, are procured under the scheme. “The beneficiaries’ details including their Biometric Verification Numbers (BVN) are forwarded to the deposit money banks to confirm that they are their customers before accessing the fund. It is indeed an auspicious occasion as the outcome of today’s engagement is expected, in no half measures, to significantly, reduce youth unemployment and restiveness, increase social cohesion and drive inclusive economic growth. “In Nigeria, the challenges of youth unemployment and restiveness must be confronted with strategic innovative thinking to provide sustainable solution.

No matter how daunting the challenge might seem, I believe that with unity of purpose we

can fight this scourge together.�

Emefiele noted that on his assumption of office in June 2014, his resolve and vision was to create a professional and people-centered central bank, with a focus on development financing, adding that the core of that vision was a CBN that will act as a financial catalyst by targeting predetermined sectors that can create jobs on a mass scale and significantly reduce the nation’s import bills. “The disbursement of funds under the Agribusiness/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) is in line with that vision and a further testament of that resolve.

I implore all beneficiaries here today and all youths that will key into this Scheme, to take good advantage of the opportunities made available to them and to utilise the funds judiciously, according to the terms of the loan agreements,� he said. Yesterday’s flag off saw the disbursement of materials worth N133 million to the first set of 358 beneficiaries to start businesses in their chosen fields.

Emefiele stressed that the money was not free, and admonished that the beneficiaries should be strictly monitored to ensure repayment.

FSDH Lowers Coral Funds Initial Minimum Investment to N5, 000 Ugo Aliogo, Lawal Kehinde Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Bonny Oriarehu The Managing Director, FSDH Management Limited, Olumayowa Ogunwemimo has expressed the desire of the company to lower its Coral Funds’ initial minimum from N50, 000 to N5, 000, stating that the firm was committed to allowing unit holders to invest in the mutual fund.

Ogunwemimo who disclosed this in Lagos at the funds’ Extraordinary General Meeting, expressed optimism that there are more young investors looking to start a saving culture, “therefore a N50, 000 investments maybe too high for them.�

She stressed that the investment would be beneficial to

first time investors and earners.

Ogunwemimo described the Coral Growth Fund as a flagship fund, saying it was created in 2001 and then launched as a public fund in 2005.

She further explained that the fund has been in existence for 17 years, adding that the funds are invested in equities and fixed income securities.

Therefore it allows investors to take advantage of the opportunities on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE).

According to her, “Now the Coral Growth Fund gives the same opportunity, but this time it is on fixed income securities.

With N5, 000 the only government instrument you can buy is the federal government savings bond. “The Coral Growth Fund

gives you access to a variety of fixed income securities. Clients are exposed to treasury bills, commercial papers, and others which ordinarily they will not be able to get with N5, 000. “With the amount of feedback we have received which made us to drop the minimum to N5, 000, people are looking to invest and save for the future, especially during the recession, people realised the need to save for the rainy day.�

She added: “We are hoping to see an increase in earning. We are hoping to see an increase in the number of clients who will not only be first time investors, but people who are going to invest in equities. We have different mechanisms in place that allows investing on a regular basis.�

EmeďŹ ele

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS Broad Money (M2)

21,851,454.31

-- Narrow Money (M1)

9,890,813.10

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,523,239.91

---- Demand Deposits

8,367,573.19

-- Quasi Money

11,960,641.22

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

9,732,990.89

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

12,118,463.42

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has deepened its youth empowerment and development drive by opening a Flexx Hub, specially designed automated branches to cater for the banking needs of students on campuses at the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu. In addition, the bank recently handed over the main gate of the institution which it reconstructed as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to the management of the school.

The FCMB Flexx Hub also serves as an exclusive banking arena where basic banking transactions can be carried out by the bank’s customers who hold its youth account, known as Flexx.

According to a statement, that was the fourth of such structure to be unveiled by FCMB in Nigeria.

It added that the move would

further solidify its existing relationship with the youth segment in a sustainable manner.

It noted that one of the drive of the financial institution was to simplify banking services, describing it as a testament to FCMB’s dedication, commitment and unwavering support to Nigerian youths. “FCMB believes this innovative idea of having hubs within campuses would bring banking closer to their target market and also position their bank to support their dreams and aspirations. “The FCMB Flexx Hub provides holders of the Flexx account the privilege to enjoy extra benefits, such as wifi, charging ports etc. “The Flexx proposition has been designed to meet the overall financial and other socio-economic needs of young people from the age range of 16 to 25years. This is summarised

in the description of Flexx as, “An app, a card, an account�, features which give account holders the freedom to bank on the go, using the Flexx Mobile App and also using *329#,�the statement added.

According to the statement, the opening of the FCMB Flexx Hub at LASPOTECH included series of exciting, empowering and rewarding activities for the students and other attendees.

Declaring the Flexx Hub open, the Executive Director, Business Development of FCMB, Mrs. Bukola Smith, said the development would go a long way to promote financial inclusion among students of LASPOTECH Ikorodu, surrounding academic institutions and communities.

According to her, “what the establishment of FCMB Flexx Hub has brought to the fore for our teeming young customers is to see banking as simple.�

26,821,446.81

---- Credit to Government (Net)

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?

7,834,536.74

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

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

21,997,220.59

--Other Assets Net

-14,702,983.39

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,486,804.65

--Currency in Circulation

1,868,735.07

--Banks Reserves

3,268,266.17 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

MANAGED FUNDS Month

AUGUST 2017

Inter-Bank Call Rate

FCMB Promotes Financial Inclusion, CSR

(MILLION NAIRA)

AUGUST 2017

22.63

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

13.35

Savings Deposit Rate

4.08

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.86

3 Months Deposit Rate

10.14

6 Months Deposit Rate

11.51

12 Months Deposit Rate

11.40

Prime Lending rate

17.69

Maximum Lending Rate

31.20 Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT, WED, APRIL 11, 2018 The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $68.29 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $66.95 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 ˾ , APRIL 13, 2018

43

MARKET NEWS

Oando Shares Rise 10% as Technical Suspension is Lifted, SEC Explains Prolonged Suspension Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie

Commission (SEC) explained that the prolonged suspension was because there were lawsuits initiated by parties against the planned forensic audit of the company. The SEC, in a statement, said: “Share of Oando Plc were placed on technical suspension in October 2017 upon the announcement of forensic audit which aimed to protect investors as a short

The shares of Oando Plc rose 10 per cent yesterday on the first full trading day after the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) lifted the 176 days technical suspension placed on the stock.

The appreciation in the share price, which was due to high demand by investors, came just as the Securities and Exchange

term measure. Suspensions are typically intended for a short period to ensure market stability and thereafter lifted to allow market dictates.”

“However, the suspension of the shares of Oando Plc was prolonged due to several litigations by Oando and other shareholders contesting the propriety of the forensic audit and technical suspension. All

litigations have now been withdrawn, the independent forensic audit by Deloitte is ongoing and the preliminary result is expected.”

NSE had initially lifted the suspension on Wednesday based on a request SEC but later re-imposed the suspension on same day.

Explaining the reversal, the NSE said subsequent to the lift-

PRICES FOR SECURITIES TRADED AS OF

be advised that at the start of trading tomorrow(Thursday), 12 April 2018, trading in Oando’s shares will resume without any impediment in price movement consistent with the NSE’s market structure.

And when trading resumed, the stock recorded the highest price rise of 10 per cent, from N5.99 to close at N6.60 per share.

ing of the technical suspension, on 11 April 2018, it received another communication from SEC to maintain the status quo prior to the Commission’s letter of 9 April 2018, (the technical suspension of trading in Oando’s shares.)

“In the overall interest of investors in Nigeria’s capital markets, and following consultation with the Commission please

A S AT 1 0 / 0 4 / 2 0 1 8

Price List (Equities) PRICES FOR PREMIUM BOARD SECURITIES FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N 1

BANKING

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC

827,297.61

26.35

-2.04

BANKING S/N 2 OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRIAL GOODS S/N

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FBN HOLDINGS PLC

BUILDING MATERIALS

3 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC BUILDING MATERIALS INDUSTRIAL GOODS PREMIUM BOARD TOTALS Price List (Equities) PRICES FOR MAIN BOARD SECURITIES AGRICULTURE S/N 4 5 6 CROP PRODUCTION S/N 7 FISHING/HUNTING/ TRAPPING S/N 8 LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES AGRICULTURE CONGLOMERATES S/N 9 10 11 12 13 DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES CONGLOMERATES CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE S/N 14 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION S/N 15 16 INFRASTRUCTURE/ HEAVY CONSTRUCTION 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 28 29

CROP PRODUCTION

MARKET CAP(Nm) 430,743.51

MARKET CAP(Nm) 4,345,329.39

494

43,984,447

31

43,984,447

32

TRADES

VOLUME

321

24,889,545

321

24,889,545

815

68,873,992

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

255.00

1.19

42 42 42

131,916 131,916 131,916

857

69,005,908

33 34 FOOD PRODUCTS S/N 35 36 FOOD PRODUCTS-DIVERSIFIED S/N 37 38 HOUSEHOLD DURABLES

39 PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

440.00

0.20

-

4

931,120

FISHING/HUNTING/ TRAPPING ELLAH LAKES PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm) 511.20

LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL MARKET CAP(Nm) SPECIALTIES LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 2,670.00

40 PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS CONSUMER GOODS FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N 41 42

73.00 72.00

0.41 -

17 2 23

235,772 157 1,167,049

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

4.26

-

0

0

43

0

0

44

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

45

0.89

-

22

225,683

22

225,683

45

1,392,732

46 47 48 49 50

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1,694.27

0.64

-

3

8,778

210.14 2,111.93

0.54 3.25

-

0 0

0 0

67,069.18

1.65

-2.94

108

9,250,057

48,982.04

17.00

-

32

125,724

54

143

9,384,559

55

143

9,384,559

TRADES

VOLUME

BUILDING CONSTRUCMARKET CAP(Nm) TION ARBICO PLC. 711.32 INFRASTRUCTURE/ MARKET CAP(Nm) HEAVY CONSTRUCTION JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 31,878.00 ROADS NIG PLC. 165.00 REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMARKET CAP(Nm) MENT UACN PROPERTY DEVEL7,795.19 OPMENT CO. LIMITED

AUTOMOBILES/AUTO PARTS DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC

-0.83

30

494

MARKET CAP(Nm) 69,635.43 72,000.00

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (REIT) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTTRUST

12.00

%CHANGE

VOLUME

S/N

FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC

DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. S C O A NIG. PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC.

PRICE

TRADES

PRICE 4.79

PRICE 24.15 6.60

%CHANGE -

%CHANGE -

53

56 57

0

0

0

59

TRADES

VOLUME

0

15 0

15,615 0

15

15,615

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

3.00

-0.33

10

246,849

10

246,849

TRADES

VOLUME

MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,000.00

100.00

-

0

0

11,300.89

45.20

-

0

0

%CHANGE

S/N

58

PRICE

PRICE

51 52 BANKING

60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69

26,682.70

MARKET CAP(Nm) 1,574.98

BEVERAGES--BREWERS/ MARKET CAP(Nm) DISTILLERS CHAMPION BREW. PLC. 19,417.15 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. 242.22 PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC 225,609.43 INTERNATIONAL BREW442,686.89 ERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 1,033,199.74 FOOD PRODUCTS MARKET CAP(Nm) DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS 67,250.00 PLC DANGOTE SUGAR 264,000.00 REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 97,096.78

10.00

-

0

0

0

0

25

262,464

70 71 72

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

0.33

-2.94

5

605,269

5

605,269

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2.48

-

6

137,350

0.89

-

0

0

103.00

-

42

359,164

51.50

4.78

28

117,609

129.20

0.23

53

284,087

129

898,210

TRADES

VOLUME

PRICE

%CHANGE

13.45

2.28

135

2,348,084

22.00

2.56

109

3,520,694

37.00

1.37

105

32,230,215

73 74 75 76 77 78 INSURANCE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES S/N 79 80

HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC UNION DICON SALT PLC.

19,349.68

2.44

-

1,489.00

0.40

-

0

0

1,113.75

6.25

-

0

0

598,896

56,168.09

21.20

-

30

247,545

3,676.41

13.45

-

0 402

0 38,945,434

FOOD PRODUCTSMARKET CAP(Nm) -DIVERSIFIED CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 27,233.93 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 1,097,828.91

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

14.50 1,385.00

-

43 19

182,371 9,640

62

192,011

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

HOUSEHOLD DURABLES MARKET CAP(Nm) NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE 1,680.31 PLC. VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 3,273.04 PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD MARKET CAP(Nm) PRODUCTS P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA 93,107.69 PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 305,059.79

BANKING MARKET CAP(Nm) ACCESS BANK PLC. 347,135.66 DIAMOND BANK PLC 43,541.53 ECOBANK TRANSNA322,034.62 TIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC 71,857.50 GUARANTY TRUST BANK 1,265,540.71 PLC. JAIZ BANK PLC 18,267.83 SKYE BANK PLC 9,022.20 STERLING BANK PLC. 48,367.90 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 193,653.01 UNITED BANK FOR 377,903.61 AFRICA PLC UNITY BANK PLC 10,754.19 WEMA BANK PLC. 29,702.34 INSURANCE CARRIERS, MARKET CAP(Nm) BROKERS AND SERVICES AFRICAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY 4,734.55 PLC AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 4,643.24 AXAMANSARD INSUR26,460.00 ANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALL2,380.00 MARK INSURANCE PLC CONTINENTAL REINSUR19,293.30 ANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSUR5,449.92 ANCE COMPANY PLC. EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. 4,200.00 GOLDLINK INSURANCE 2,411.47 PLC GREAT NIGERIAN INSUR1,913.74 ANCE PLC GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. 2,456.00 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY 616.36 PLC LASACO ASSURANCE 2,856.14 PLC. LAW UNION AND ROCK 3,522.99 INS. PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE 6,480.00 PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS AS2,720.00 SURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO 13,570.89 (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. 2,631.42 PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE 1,717.83 CO. PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY 1,867.25 PLC SOVEREIGN TRUST 1,668.16 INSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE 5,680.85 INSURANCE PLC. STANDARD TRUST AS4,483.72 SURANCE PLC UNIC DIVERSIFIED HOLD516.46 INGS PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSUR3,189.33 ANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE 8,000.00 COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC 7,092.85 MICRO-FINANCE BANKS MARKET CAP(Nm) FORTIS MICROFINANCE 11,799.67 BANK PLC NPF MICROFINANCE 4,619.01 BANK PLC

22.10

-

0

0

3.14

-

12 12

77,937 77,937

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

23.45

-

10

20,668

53.10

-3.45

34

208,530

PRICE 12.00 1.88

%CHANGE -2.08 -2.08

MORTGAGE CARRIERS, MARKET CAP(Nm) BROKERS AND SERVICES

44

229,198

654

40,948,059

TRADES 223 54

VOLUME 30,040,812 1,253,646

17.55

2.93

52

538,932

2.48

-2.36

125

10,945,121

43.00

-1.15

256

7,538,637

0.62 0.65 1.68 6.65

-4.62 -3.08 5.00 -

16 113 53 51

970,660 37,458,865 2,855,180 378,360

11.05

-1.34

228

18,470,476

0.92 0.77

-4.17 -4.94

43 36 1,250

7,402,638 1,710,265 119,563,592

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

0.23

-4.17

1

100,000

0.67

-4.29

49

2,956,913

2.52

-

7

134,726

0.34

-

1

6,000 278,038

1.86

-

15

0.37

-

0

0

0.30

-

9

961,097

0.53

-

0

0

0.50

-

0

0

0.40

-

1

250

0.48

-

0

0

0.39

-4.88

22

3,292,500

0.82

-

32

18,900

0.81

1.25

7

1,055,700

0.34

-

3

99,166

2.57

-0.39

11

1,092,000

0.34

-

0

0

0.45

-4.26

1

150,000

0.28

3.57

11

511,767

0.20

5.00

51

82,457,600

0.44

-

3

300

0.48

-

0

0

0.20

-

0

0

0.23

4.55

4

670,000

0.50

-

0

0

0.53

3.92

56

676,180

284

94,461,137

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2.58

-

0

0

2.02

-

1

2,800

1

2,800

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

MICRO-FINANCE BANKS S/N

23

44

T H I S D AY ˾

ͯͱ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

45

˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018

MARKET NEWS

Wema Bank Profit After Tax Falls 12% to N2.26 Billion Goddy Egene Wema Bank Plc has reported a profit after tax (PAT) of N2.26 billion for the year ended December 31, 2017, showing a decline of 12.1 per cent compared with N2.56 billion posted in the 2016.

The audited accounts released by the financial institution showed that it recorded gross earnings of N65.27 billion, indicating an increase of 20 per cent from N54.36 billion in 2016.

Interest income rose by

19 per cent from N44.46 billion to N53.07 billion, while non-interest income grew by 24.4 per cent to N12.19 billion, from N9.80 billion. Impairment charges rose from N420 million to N2.18 billion.

The bank ended the year with profit before tax (PBT) of N3.01 billion, down 7.38 per cent from N3.25 billion in 2016, while PAT fell from N2.56 billion to N2.26 billion.

Commenting on the performance, the Managing Director/CEO

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

of Wema Bank Plc Segun Oloketuyi said: “Despite the slow start to the year, 2017 recorded significant progress, highlighted by the introduction of the Investor & Exporters (I&E) window and recovery in oil prices. Our target market is the upwardly mobile youth segment, the young entrepreneurs, the young professionals and the financially excluded, where we continue to leverage incremental innovation and integral capabilities. For us, banking should be simple,

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 11Apr-2018, unless otherwise stated.

reliable and convenient.”

He said the bank approached the money market in November 2017 to raise N25 billion in two series under a commercial paper programme.

“Series 1 N10 billion – 182-day tenor and Series 2: N15 billion- 270-day tenor. Given the relative decline in interest rates and possible growth within the economy, the bank will be re-opening the second series of its N50 billion debt issuance programme. This should commence from the

second quarter of the year,” he added.

Reviewing the results, Chief Finance Officer of the bank, Tunde Mabawonku noted that performance was reflective of its continued resilience despite realities arising from increased impairment charges during the period.

“Risk management remains at the core of our operations, as we leverage on our prudent risk management practices and reported a non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 3.52

per cent (2016: 5.01 per cent) while our Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) closed at 14.32 per cent (2016; 11.07 per cent). We remain confident, that the bank’s credit rating will continue to remain affirmed at investment grade level,” Mabawonku said.

He expressed the bank’s commitment to sound risk management while leveraging its digital platforms, built capabilities in lowering the cost of service and attaining competitive advantages.

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 188.96 189.93 6.38% Nigeria International Debt Fund 244.05 245.05 5.52% 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 0.85 0.86 3.61% ACAP Income Funds 0.65 0.65 8.17% 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 14.70% 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 N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 158.32 159.43 4.37% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 14.61% 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 14.95% Paramount Equity Fund 12.44 12.64 11.67% Women's Investment Fund 103.42 106.07 2.77% 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 14.45% 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 14.61% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.13 1.15 7.33% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.10 1.13 6.37% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,205.61 1,206.84 5.03% FBN Heritage Fund 148.21 149.52 6.32% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 14.20% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $114.80 115.23 1.62% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $114.80 115.22 1.72% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 179.67 182.43 11.62% 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 1.38 1.41 5.94% Legacy Debt Fund 2.99 2.99 3.76% 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 N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 13.94% 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 14.41% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.16 2.18 2.43% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 16.35% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 119.17 119.59 3.63%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.17 1.20 2.55% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,071.52 1,071.52 3.63% 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 16.01 16.16 13.61% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 13.67% 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 1.31 1.34 10.42% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.55 11.60 4.57% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.02% 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 140.44 142.97 9.07% 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 1.55 1.55 4.30% 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 2,346.14 2,366.71 4.62% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 181.73 181.73 2.99% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.07 1.08 6.44% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 231.16 231.25 4.97% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 191.21 193.32 6.75% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 14.40% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,076.56 10,214.16 4.21% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.08 1.08 2.19% 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 1.33 1.34 -0.37% United Capital Bond Fund 1.62 1.62 3.55% United Capital Equity Fund 1.00 1.02 9.04% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.41% United Capital Eurobond Fund 105.16 105.16 2.19% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.12 1.13 3.34% 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 13.37 13.57 6.33% Zenith Ethical Fund 14.10 14.26 6.60% Zenith Income Fund 19.85 19.85 4.92% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.55%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

10.00 134.56

-11.35% 1.59%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.47 157.11 116.09

12.57 160.49 118.26

2.86% 10.01% 6.26%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.98 9.67 18.77 21.38 157.09

5.02 9.75 18.87 21.58 159.09

5.03% 1.07% 5.68% 8.67% 5.70%

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.

46

˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Isra Miraj - Inspiration Drawn from the Glorious Celestial Night Journey T Shaykh Sadullah Khan/IslamiCity

here are two nights that we commemorate in the life of the Prophet; two nights of such significance that they are distinctly mentioned by name in the holy Qur’an...

- Laylatul Qadr which commemorates an event that occurred when he was forty years of age; the Night of Power and Empowerment. It marked the commencement of the final Divine Revelation (the Qur’an) and made public the prophetic mission of the final emissary of Allah (Prophet Muhammad)….

- Laylatul Isra’ wal Mi’raj; the Night Journey and Ascension which commemorates and event that occurred when the Prophet was 52 years of age.

Period of Sorrow The Isra’ wal Mi’raj occurred at a most trying time of Prophet’s challenging life. The people of Makkah; who had called him as-Sadiq/truthful and al-Amin/trustworthy, had rejected his message; ostracized his followers and victimized his family.

He and a handful of followers endured three years of relentless persecution and boycott from the Makkans and he eventually went to Taif to preach his message. There they mocked him and stoned him till bled profusely. He turned to Allah with the words; “Oh, Allah, I appeal to you for the weakness in my strength, the limitation of my power, and the treatment of disrespect and humiliation from people. To you, the Most Merciful of all the merciful ones I turn for You are the Lord of the oppressed, and you are my Lord... “

Then at this most difficult and trying time of the holy Prophet’s illustrious life, he experiences the ‘am al-huzn (year of sorrow) in which he witnessed the passing of two significant people in his life. One was his protective uncle Abu Talib, who was his guardian and political protector and the other was Khadijah, his most beloved wife, his confidante, mother of all his children (except Ibrahim). She was the first to embrace his faith, the financier of the nascent Islamic movement and Mother of the Faithful. It was at this time that the Isra’ wal Mi’raj (Night Journey and Ascension) took place; from Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem The significance of Jerusalem and al-Aqsa is evidenced through reference to Masjid-ul-Aqsa and its precincts in the holy Qur’an [Q 21:71; Q 17:1] and numerous sayings of the Prophet (pbuh). This is the area of the world where Prophet Dawud (David), Sulayman (Solomon) and ‘Isa (Jesus) were born, grew up and carried out their missions; the place to which Prophets Ibrahim (Abraham) and Lut (Lot) migrated; where Yahya (John) preached and where Ibrahim (Abraham), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya’qub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph) and Musa (Moses) are buried. May Allah be pleased with all of them.

Al-Aqsa preceded Makkah as the first direction of prayer for the early Muslims and Jerusalem is spiritually linked with Makkah when Masjid-ul-Aqsa became the destination of the Isra’ in the Night Journey [Q 17:1] of the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have exhorted Believers ... “Do not strain to undertake journeys except to visit three

mosques, Masjid- ul-Haram (in Makkah), Masjid ul-Nabawi (in Madinah) and Masjid-ul-Aqsa (in Jerusalem)”. [Sahih Bukhari] Muslims refer to Jerusalem as Bayt-al-Maqdis/the Sacred Place, a fact we should never forget.

Mi’raj After al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, the journey went far beyond the parameters of human travel. The Prophet was accepted to the celestial regions where he witnessed remarkable signs of divine majesty about which the Qur’an says; “The eye was not diverted nor did it deviate; he indeed saw the greatest signs of his Lord.” [Q: 53:17-18] Isra’ wal Miraj was a total all-comprehensive voyage; from ‘alamul mulk wash- shahadah horizontal journey across a visible phenomenal world to ‘alam al-malakut, vertical cosmic pathways (tariqah) traversing all spiritual realms to haqiqah/Divine Reality. A journey that was terrestrial and celestial, earthly and heavenly, physical and metaphysical, corporeal and spiritual, esoteric and exoteric, microcosmic and macrocosmic, within a night yet beyond normal time and space. It was a journey from creation to Creator, from orientation to the Divine House (Ka’bah) to an audience with the Divine (ie. from Ka’bah to the Lord of the Ka’bah), from the limitedness of being to the limitlessness of the Absolute; witnessing the ayat/divine signs and symbols to (ayatin-al kubra) ultimately witnessing the One who is symbolized. It was indeed a journey that reached far beyond the parameters of human travel, beyond the Gabriel who accompanied the Prophet on the journey, reached a point beyond which he could not traverse. Prophet Muhammad ascended

unto the highest manifestation of the Divine Presence till the summation at sidrat-ul-muntaha (the lote-tree symbolizing the uttermost extremity of human proximity to the Divine).

Only Prophet Muhammad, the most beloved of Allah, the greatest of His creation, the finest specimen of the artwork of the Ultimate Artist; only he could go to this uppermost limit, the limit of being before the Absolute.

Gifts of Mi’raj In a report, documented in the Sahih of Imam Muslim, the companion Abdullah ibn Masoud states that on the Night Journey three things were granted to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); the five daily obligatory prayers, the last two verses of surah al-Baqarah (Q 2:285-286) and divine forgiveness for all those not associating partners with God.

1. Salah Among the gifts that the holy Prophet descended with from that highest sphere is salah, the gift of Prayer (anywhere in the world), which is a means of expiation for the self and purification for the soul and a mode for moral rejuvenation and spiritual elevation.: Salah is a pillar of Islam and its performance at prescribed times is an obligatory duty upon every mature, mentally sound Believer. It is a manifestation of obedience in practice and an expression and symbol of one’s faith. The holy Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said that “the best ‘ibadah (worship) is salah.”” [Mustadrak al- Hakim].

To Be Continued

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

47

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Trump: Syria Attack ‘Could Be Very Soon Or Not So Soon’ Says meetings being srt up with North Korea’s Kim US President Donald Trump cast doubt on Thursday over the timing of his threat to attack Syria in response to a reported poison gas attack. This was while Reuters reported France as saying it had proof of Syria’s guilt but needed to gather more information.

Fears of confrontation between Russia and the West have been running high on the heels of Trump’s threat on Wednesday that missiles“will be coming” after the suspected chemical weapons assault in the Syrian town of Douma on April 7, and lambasted Moscow for standing by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

“Never said when an attack on Syria would take place.

Could be very soon or not so soon at all!” the U.S. president, who has cancelled a planned

trip to stay in the US with his defence secretary, and has been canvassing support for strikes from the leaders of France and the UK, said in his latest early morning tweet on Thursday.

French President Emmanuel Macron said France has proof the Syrian government carried out the attack, which aid groups have said killed dozens of people, and will decide whether to strike back when all the necessary information has been gathered.

“We have proof that last week ... chemical weapons were used, at least with chlorine, and that they were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad,” Macron said, without offering details of any evidence.

“We will need to take decisions in due course, when we judge it most useful and

Algeria in Mourning after Its Deadliest Ever Plane Crash Algerians on Thursday mourned 257 people killed in a military plane crash the day before, the country’s worst-ever aviation catastrophe, with no indication yet of the cause, according to AFP. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced three days of national mourning after the plane slammed into a field near the Boufarik airbase 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of Algiers shortly after it took off on Wednesday.

The aircraft was mostly carrying army personnel and their family members on their way back to their barracks in the country’s far south.

Flags flew at half mast on public buildings and foreign embassies in the capital on Thursday as government departments observed a minute’s silence.

There was no announcement regarding funeral arrangements,

as many of the victims’ bodies had yet to be identified.

Several large companies took out advertising space in newspapers to offer condolences to the families of the 10 crew members and 247 passengers who died.

Mosques across the country are set to hold prayers of mourning on Friday.

The Algerian authorities have announced an investigation into the crash, but so far there has been no details of any findings.

The plane, which came down shortly after being refuelled, erupted into flames before it hit the ground, witnesses told AFP. Hundreds of ambulances and dozens of fire trucks with sirens wailing rushed to the scene of the crash, in an uninhabited area where one person was injured on the ground by debris.

Global Stocks, Dollar Rise as Risk Appetite Returns; Oil Slips Wall Street led stocks higher globally on Thursday, despite declines in Asia, as investors focused on an earnings season expected to be strong and after U.S. President Donald Trump cast doubt over the timing of his threatened strike on Syria, Reuters reported.

The risk of clashes between Western powers and Russia in Syria over an alleged chemical attack eased somewhat as Trump reworded a Wednesday threat that missiles “will be coming” while taunting Russia for supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump wrote Thursday that an attack on Syria “could be

very soon or not so soon at all.”

Investors turned their focus to corporate earnings as BlackRock (BLK.N), the world’s largest asset manager, reported quarterly profit above Wall Street estimates. Its shares were up 2.4 percent.

Analysts expect quarterly profit for all S&P 500 companies to rise 18.4 percent from a year ago, the biggest gain in seven years, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. U.S. crude CLcv1 fell 0.57 percent to $66.44 per barrel and Brent LCOcv1 was last at $71.44, down 0.86 percent on the day.

effective,” he told broadcaster TF1.

In Russia, Syria’s main military ally, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged against

“any steps which could lead to an escalation of tensions”.

In another development, Trump praised China on Thursday for its help with

North Korea and said meetings were being set up between him and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “They have really been a

great help to us at the border with North Korea,”Trump said of China. “They’ve been really terrific at helping us get to some kind of settlement.

Yulia Skripal Declines Russian Help but Embassy Doubts Statement Global chemical weapons watchdog confirms the use of nerve agent Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned in Britain last month along with her father, a former Russian spy, has said she did not wish to take up the offer of assistance from the Russian embassy in London, according to Reuters.

In a statement issued on her behalf by British police late on Wednesday, Skripal said her father, Sergei, remained seriously ill and she was still suffering from the effects of the military-grade Novichok nerve agent used against them.

The attack, blamed by Britain on Russia which has denied any involvement, has led to one of the biggest diplomatic crises between Russia and Western nations since the Cold War. “I have access to friends and family, and I have been made aware of my specific contacts at the Russian Embassy who have kindly offered me their assistance in any way they can,” Yulia Skripal said.

“At the moment I do not wish to avail myself of their services, but, if I change my mind I know how to contact them.”

The Russian embassy in London, which has repeatedly asked for consular access to Yulia Skripal and has accused the British authorities of abducting her, said it doubted very much that the statement genuinely came from Yulia.

“The text has been composed in a special way so as to support official statements made by British authorities and at the same time to exclude every possibility of Yulia’s contacts with the outer world – consuls, journalists and even relatives,” it said in a statement.

“To sum up, the document only strengthens suspicions that we are dealing with a forcible isolation of the Russian citizen.”

Yulia Skripal was discharged from a hospital in the English city of Salisbury on Monday, where, she said, she was treated “with obvious clinical expertise and with such kindness”. She

was taken to a location which has not been made public.

Skripal said she was not yet strong enough to give a media interview and she said a cousin who had spoken to Russian media did not speak for her or for her father.

Meanwhile, the lethal poison that struck down Skripal and her father have been confirmed to be a highly pure Novichok nerve agent, Reuters reported the global chemical weapons watchdog as confirming on Thursday, backing UK’s findings.

Testing by four laboratories affiliated with the global chemical weapons watchdog confirmed Britain’s findings

and showed that the toxic chemical was “of high purity”.

The OPCW did not explicitly name Novichok in its published summary, say where the poison may have come from or assign blame for the attack. But it did confirm Britain’s analysis about the substance that had been used.

“The results of analysis by OPCW-designated laboratories of environmental and biomedical samples collected by the OPCW team confirm the findings of the United Kingdom relating to the identity of the toxic chemical,” the published summary said.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss, Uyoojo E Idachaba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uyoojo E Idachaba Patrick.

All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as SOFELA OLABISI OLASUNBO, now wish to be known and addressed as OMOTOYE OLABISI OLASUNBO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS UBOH TINA UJU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OBIGWE TINA UJU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as ABIGEAL YETUNDE OMIDINA now wish to be known and addressed as /' > z dhE KW z D/ͳ AGBOLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS SALIA TAIWO ADEKUNLE ADENIKE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS TAIWO MARIAM ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. FCMB and the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ONYINYECHI BOMS now wish to be known and addressed as KEz/Ez ,/ /D ͳK KE' EKONG. All former documents remain valid. W.A.E.C, RIVERS STATE POLYTECHNIC BORI and the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AYOMIDE OPE, now wish to be known and addressed as AYOMIDE AJIKE BABS-KUFEJI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ALUMONA SANDRA, now wish to be known and addressed as ALUMONA SANDRA ONYEBUCHI. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as WENDY KENECHI NWAJAGU, now wish to be known and addressed as WENDY KENECHI ALUMONA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, IBRAHIM ARIYO AS-SAYID, ŵLJ ŶĂŵĞ ǁĂƐ ǁƌŽŶŐůLJ ǁƌŝƩĞŶ as IBRAHIM ARIYO SAHEED, henceforth my correct name is IBRAHIM ARIYO AS-SAYID. All former document remains valid,the general public should please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as SAMUEL FOLASHADE BISOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MAKINDE FOLASHADE BISOLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public and ĮŶĂŶĐŝĂů ŝŶƐƟƚƵƟŽŶƐ ƐŚŽƵůĚ take note.

Testing by OPCW laboratories, the details of which were kept confidential, also found the substance used in Salisbury to be of “a high purity”, which supports the British government’s assertion that a state was involved.

Responding to the summary, Moscow said that it had reason to think the report was part of a British operation to discredit Russia. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would not believe any conclusions about the poisoning unless Russian experts were given access to the investigation.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, SOTONYE ALFRED WILLIAMJUMBO, refer to one and the same person as SOTONYE WILLIAM-JUMBO, SOTONYE ALFRED WILLIAM-JUMBO, SOTONYE A.D. WILLIAMJUMBO, TONYE WILLIAMJUMBO and ALFRED TONYE D. WILLIAM- JUMBO. All former documents remain valid, NYSC, WAEC, UNIVERSITY OF JOS, BONNY L.G.A IDENTIFICATION and the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLAIDE MUTIAT OGUNGBOYE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLAIDE MUTIAT OLARINDE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as FEGHABO CLIFF ESAU now wish to be known and addressed as FEGHABO CLIFF AYIBATARIWORIO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note I, formerly known and addressed as ONOJA ENEMONA now wish to be known and addressed as ONOJA SYLVESTER ENEMONA. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UZOAMAKA CATHERINE UNEKE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UZOAMAKA CATHERINE OKONKWO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as Okiemute Kimberly Desi now wish to be known and addressed as Okiemute Kimberly Sagua.

All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

48

NEWSXTRA

Senate Suspends Omo-Agege, Disbands Buhari Support Group Damilola Oyedele ÓØ ÌßÔË

Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election, and accused both As a fall out of his actions since he legislative chambers of failing to publicly criticised his colleagues adhere to laid down procedure for changing the order of elections to pass the amendment. during the amendment to His accusations prompted the Electoral Act bill 2018, the Senate to mandate its Ethics Senator Ovie Omo-Agege was Committee to probe him over yesterday, slammed with a 90-day the comments. suspension from the Senate.

Omo-Agege had made a The upper legislative chamber U-turn a few days later when accused the senator of malice, and he apologised for the comments of making unfounded comments but in an interesting twist, he aimed at smearing the institution. later turned around to sue the Adopting the recommendations Senate to stop the probe. of its Committee on Ethics, Presenting the report yesterday, Privileges and Public Petitions, the committee Chairman, Senator the Senate also disbanded the Samuel Anywanwu, noted that Buhari Support Group, which is Omo-Agege’s apology on the made up of lawmakers opposed floor on February 21 was an to the amendment changing the admission of guilt. order of elections.

“The committee was surprised The 90-day suspension that he changed his mind and is however subject to him took the Senate president and the withdrawing his lawsuit against Senate to court. At the committee, the Senate, and the disbandment he responded that he would not of the group. be able to make any presentation Omo-Agege (Delta APC) had before the committee because he on February 14, 2018, claimed that had taken the matter to court. the amendment was deliberately That the matter be postponed targeted to weaken President until it is discharged by the court.”

“After his apology, he and Senator Abdullahi Adamu published an advert in the Vanguard Newspaper with the headline: ‘Parliamentary Support Group in Senate for President Muhammadu Buhari,’ suggesting that the Senate was biased,” Anyanwu said.

He added that Omo-Agege’s inconsistencies were unacceptable and infuriating, particularly as the Delta senator is an experienced lawyer and a member of the ethics committee, conversant with the modus operandi.

“He therefore must be punished to serve as a deterrent to others who might contemplate to take the Senate to court over its internal

matters,” Anyanwu said.

The committee recommended that Omo-Agege be suspended for 181 legislative days.

The Majority Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, however appealed that Omo-Agege should be urged to withdraw his suit against the Senate, and should not be suspended since he apologised.

He indicated that the senator might have gone to court, in desperation for fear that a drastic action would be taken against him.

“Let’s focus on making ourselves each other’s keeper. One word I don’t like in this report, is the word ‘punish’. We should not be punishing ourselves, we should be correcting ourselves,”

Lawan appealed.

Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara APC) also appealed for mercy for the embattled senator.

“In as much as I am against the suspension of any senator, I am equally against the formation of any other group in this chamber. The formation of the parliamentary support group is evil and it should not stand, it is counter-productive and against the president himself,” he said.

Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Ibn N’Allah, recalled that the change in election sequence section of the amendment did not emanate from the Senate but the House of Representatives.

“For anybody here to go and

have a press conference, and say the Senate has taken a decision against Mr. President, it is the most uncharitable thing to do.

It does not befit his office as a senator,” Na’Allah said.

“But happily enough, OmoAgege came here and had the courage to apologise for the statement. But it is much more than that, there are places you dare not talk about the president, and senators are from there. By implication he is putting their lives at risk,” he added.

Presiding, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said critical issues had been raised by the

Cont’d on Pg 52

Senate: EFCC, DSS Undermining National Security Confirms three NDDC nominees Damilola Oyedele ÓØ ÌßÔË The Senate yesterday accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Service (DSS) of undermining national security by engaging in the avoidable clash which occurred in November 2017.

The upper legislative chamber also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and quell the unnecessary rivalry between both agencies in order to avoid embarrassing the country locally and internationally.

The position of the Senate followed the consideration of the report of the ad-hoc committee on the investigation of “arrest episodes of November 21, 2017, among between officers of the EFCC, NIA, and DSS.” The committee was set up following a public clash between operatives of the EFCC and DSS in a botched bid by the anti-graft agency to arrest a former Director General of DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, and a former Director of the National Intelligence Agency, Mr. Ayo Oke, The Chairman of the committee, Senator Francis Alimikhena, said due to the clear acrimony between the heads of the EFCC and DSS, the meetings had to be conducted separately.

“The committee had to conduct hearings in camera and hold separate meetings with the security agencies. This lack of cooperation and cohesion is reflected at a secondary level with the EFCC and NSA belonging to one group while the NIA and DSS belong to another group, with no espirit de corps between the two groups,” he said.

He added that while politicians can disagree with one another, it is a sacrilege for security agencies to be at loggerheads.

“The negative concomitant effect is the insecurity we have in this country. The problem of herdsmen, killings, kidnappings, and terrorism can never be resolved except there is cooperation among sister security agencies,” he said.

Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna APC) in his contribution, urged the president to call his appointees to order.

“The country has suffered enough, bloodshed in every part. Security agencies must be conscious of the need to work together for the betterment of the country. Personalities that man these agencies are involved in fighting against one another, and at the end of the day, the criminals, the violence, the killings continue,” Sani said.

In another development, the Senate confirmed the appointment of three nominees into the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The new appointees are Mr. Chuka Ama Nwauwa (Imo State), Mr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa (Ondo State) and Mr. Nwogu N. Nwogu (Abia State).

This followed the recommendation of its Committee on Niger Delta.

President Buhari’s letter requesting their confirmation was read at plenary on April 11, 2017.

It was however caught up in the impasse on the confirmation of the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, who was twice rejected by the Senate, but has been kept in his office by the president.

ATTRACTING INVESTMENT TO KADUNA L-R: Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi; former Tanzanian President, Dr. Jakaya Misho Kikweye; Kaduna State

Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and others at the inauguration of the Mahindra Agric Tractors Assembly Plant in Kaduna.... recently

House to Probe $17m Payment to Abacha Loot Recovery Lawyers Says Buhari yet to seek appropriation for $1bn withdrawal for security equipment James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The House of Representatives yesterday passed a resolution requesting President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the payment of $17 million or any part thereof to some Nigerian lawyers for the recovery of the funds from the late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, from the Swiss Government pending investigation on the matter.

The House also said it was yet to receive any communication from the president requesting approval to spend the sum of $1 billion, which he recently approved for the purchase of weapons to fight insurgency in the country from the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

It further okayed the setting up of an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the engagement of some Nigerian lawyers, namely: Oladipo Okpeseyi (SAN) and Temitope Adebayo, for a fee of $16.9 million (about N6 billion), when the actual work had been concluded by Mr. Enrico Monfrini, who was paid

by the Nigerian Government for the recovery of the sum of $321 million part of the Abacha loot from Luxembourg.

It said the proposed committee should determine whether due process was followed and report back within six weeks for further legislative action.

The resolution of the House followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Mark Gbillah (APC, Benue) on the need to investigate the proposed payment of $17 million to lawyers by the Attorney General of the Federation for the recovery of ‘Abacha Loot’.

Essentially, the lawmaker said one Enrico Monfrini, a Swiss lawyer was engaged by the Nigerian Government since 1999 to work on recovering the Abacha loot for which the sum of $321 million was a part of the job and had finished the Luxembourg leg of the job since 2014 when Mohammed Bello Adoke was the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation.

He said: “Mofrini had since been paid by the federal government for his legal services for the recovery of the money which was then domiciled with the Attorney-

General of Switzerland pending the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Nigeria to avoid the issues of accountability around previous recoveries.”

Gbillah said: “All that was left was the signing of the MoU which is a government-togovernment communication for the money to be repatriated to Nigeria.

“The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had curiously engaged the services of another set of Nigerian lawyers in 2016, namely: Oladipo Okpeseyi(SAN) and Temitope Adebayo, for a fee of $16.9 million (about N6 billion), without due process.”

According to him, “Both lawyers had worked for President Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a legacy party of the All Progressives Congress (APC) when Malami was the legal adviser of CPC. “The terms of the agreement reached with Mofrini for the recovery clearly spelt out that no other lawyer would be engaged for the return of

the money to Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the House yesterday said it was yet to receive any communication from President Buhari requesting approval to spend the sum $1 billion, which he recently approved for the purchase of weapons to fight insurgency in the country.

The spokesman of the House, Hon. Abdulrasaq Namdas, told journalists at the weekly briefing that the money must be appropriated by the National Assembly before it is spent.

He said the fund would be accommodated in the 2018 budget if parliamentary approval is sought on good time before the budget is passed, else it could be captured in next year’s budget.

He said: “At the moment, there’s no communication in respect to that.”

Namdas also assured that the resolve of the House to pass the 2018 budget this month remained sacrosanct as efforts are in top gear.

He said: “We will do everything humanly possible to ensure we pass it in April. We’ve reached an advanced stage and we’ll lay it and approve it.”

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Inflation Records Sharp Decline to 13.34% in March Ndubuisi Francis ÓØ ÌßÔË The rate of inflation recorded its sharpest decline of 0.99 percentage points in 11 months, dropping from 14.33 per cent in February 2018 to 13.34 per cent in March, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said.

According to the NBS, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, stood at 13.34 per cent (year-on-year) in March 2018, but the Composite Food Index rose by 16.08 per cent (year-on-year) during the month under review, down from 17.59 per cent recorded in February.

On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 0.90 percent in March 2018, up by 0.05 percentage points from 0.85 per cent in February.

The average annual rate of change of the food sub-index for the 12-month period ending March 2018 over the previous 12-month average was 19.29 per cent, 0.23 per cent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in February (19.52 per cent).

The rise in the food index was

caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, fish, oil and fats, vegetables, fruits, coffee, tea and cocoa, meat, milk, cheese and eggs, the NBS said.

The “All Items less Farm Produce” or Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce, rose by 11.2 per cent in March 2018, down by 0.5 percentage points from 11.7 per cent in February.

On a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index also increased by 0.84 per cent in March 2018, higher by 0.09 per cent when compared with 0.75 per cent recorded in February.

The average 12-month annual rate of change of the index was 12.33 per cent for the twelvemonth period ending March 2018, said the NBS, translating to a 0.34 percentage points decrease from 12.67 per cent February.

The NBS further noted that increases were recorded in all Classification of individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) divisions that yield the headline index.

On a month-on-month basis, the headline index increased by 0.84 per cent in March 2018,

up by 0.05 per cent points from the rate recorded in February.

The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the 12-month period ending March 2018 over the average of the CPI for the previous 12-month period was 15.60 per cent, showing a 0.33 percentage point drop from 15.93 per cent in February.

The highest increases were recorded in the prices of clothing materials, garments and other articles of clothing and clothing accessories, vehicle spare parts, fuel and lubricants for personal transport equipment, actual and imputed rentals for housing, passenger transport by road, hairdressing salons and personal grooming establishments, shoes and other footwear, maintenance and repair of personal transport

equipment, and paramedical services.

According to the statistical agency, urban inflation rate eased by 13.75 per cent (year-on-year) in March 2018 from 14.76 per cent recorded in February, while the rural inflation rate also eased by 12.99 per cent in March 2018 from 13.96 per cent in February.

On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 0.86 per cent in March 2018, up by 0.04 from 0.82 per cent recorded in February, while the rural index also rose by 0.82 per cent in March 2018, up by 0.05 from 0.77 per cent in the preceding month.

The corresponding 12-month year-on-year average percentage change for the

urban index was 15.87 per cent in March 2018, less than 16.24 per cent reported in February, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in March 2018 was 15.34 per cent compared to 15.64 per cent in February.

In March, all items inflation on a year-on-year basis was highest in Bauchi (16.38%), Kebbi (16.36%) and Nasarawa (16.33 per cent), while Kwara (10.30 per cent), Kogi (10.87 per cent) and Delta (11.17 per cent) recorded the slowest rise in headline year-on-year inflation.

On a month-on-month basis, however, all items inflation was highest in Nasarawa (2.20%), Ebonyi (2.10 per cent) and Bauchi (1.87 per cent).

Yobe (0.07 per cent) recorded slowest rise while Kebbi and

Kwara recorded price deflation on a month-on-month all items basis last month.

For the month under review, food inflation on a year-on-year basis was highest in Nasarawa (20.83 per cent), Bayelsa (19.03 per cent) and Yobe (18.93 per cent), while Kogi (11.99 per cent, Bauchi (12.60 per cent) and Benue (13.07 per cent) recorded the slowest rise in food inflation.

On a month-on-month basis however, March food inflation was highest in Nasarawa (3.22 per cent), Ebonyi (2.97 per cent) and Jigawa (2.37 per cent).

Kebbi, Imo, Niger, Kwara, Lagos, Rivers and Yobe all recorded food price deflation or negative inflation in March.

House C’ttee Invites Osinbajo, Magu, HoS, over Alleged Wrongful Suspension of NEMA Staff James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Hon. Ali Isa (APC, Gombe), yesterday invited Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to appear before it and explain the circumstances that lead to the suspension of six senior officers of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The vice president is the Chairman of the Governing Council of the relief agency which is accused by the committee of breaching due process in their suspension.

Also invited to appear before the committee in relation to the issue were the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Ahmed Idris, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoS), Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita. Isa, however, while ruling on the matter, said the vice president might choose to send a representation considering his tight schedule.

Speaking at the continuation of a three-day investigative hearing on an alleged breach of public trust in NEMA, the committee chairman said the process which led to the suspension of staff were questionable and needed to be substantiated by the governing board.

The affected staff had been asked to appear before the committee yesterday and were given the opportunity to be heard in public.

They alleged their suspension was a personal vendetta by the

Director General of NEMA, Mr. Mustapha Maihaja, because they refused to do his bidding.

But the DG said their suspension was ordered by the board and that he only obeyed its directive after the EFCC indicted the staff and recommended to the board that they be suspended.

Maihaja said: “The EFCC is carrying out an investigation on NEMA. The EFCC wrote to the chairman governing council drawing his attention to the fact that it’s carrying out an investigation and had made findings and recommended those affected should be suspended.”

He said: “The governing board sat and took the decision to suspend the staff and conveyed their resolution requesting their suspension.

“I was taking instruction from the council. I’m the secretary of the council and sign extracts from the council. So based on that, I signed as the secretary.”

He said:”The report of the EFCC that led to the decision to suspend the officers was not released to the members though they were allowed to scrutinise it.

“At the meeting, members were not allowed to take the letter out but allowed to go through it because the EFCC investigation is still ongoing.

On the N5 billion North-east intervention fund, the DG said only N829 million was received for logistics and security.

He, however confirmed that food items worth the said amount was received while N829 million was used for the movement of the materials to the region.

PROJECT INSPECTION

R-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Managing Director, Planet Project, Mr. Abiodun Otunola; Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ade Akinsanya; and his counterpart for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, during the governor’s inspection of ongoing construction of the Oshodi Transport Interchange....yesterday

Court to Decide April 30 on FG’s Request to Seize Patience Jonathan’s Properties Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË The Federal High Court in Abuja will on April 30 decide whether it will grant the request of the federal government for temporary forfeiture of two properties belonging to the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Presiding judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, gave the date on Wednesday in Abuja, after counsel to parties in the matter adopted and argued their written addresses.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on October 20, 2017, approached the court for an ex parte order, seeking the temporary forfeiture of properties at plot No. 1758, Cadastral Zone, B06 Mabushi and Plot No.1350, Cadastral Zone, A00 Central Business District, Abuja, linked to the former first lady to the federal government.

In the application, the complainant/applicant is praying for “an order of interim attachment/forfeiture of the assets and property set out in the schedule attached” to the suit.

“An order stopping any disposal, conveyance, mortgage, lease, sale or alienation or otherwise of the property/asset described in the attached herein.

“An order authorising the EFCC to appoint competent person(s)/firm to manage the asset/property listed in the schedule herein, temporarily forfeited to the federal government pending the conclusion of investigation.

The EFCC also said the application was predicated on the fact that the property is subject matter of investigation, enquiry and examination.

However, few days before the ex parte application was to be heard, Chief Mike Ozekhome counsel

to Mrs. Jonathan, brought an application seeking to stop the hearing of the ex parte on grounds that the properties were subject matter of another suit filed

by EFCC before same Federal High Court in Abuja.

Ozekhome, urged the court to condemn the action of the federal government whose agent demolished part of the property while the matter was pending in court.

He prayed the court not to grant the EFCC prayer for forfeiture of the said properties because they belong to a separate entity, the Aurora Foundation.

According to Ozekhome, the foundation has not breach any law, adding that, it was illogical for the EFCC to state that the Foundation has not done any contract, to have raised funds for the construction of the structure, adding that it does not have to be involved in contracting

job to raise money.

He said though the EFCC motion was filed ex parte, the commission made Patience to be aware of it, giving rise to a situation where it’s now improper and unfair ‘to shave her hair in her absence.’

But EFCC lawyer, Benjamin Mangi, denied that the commission took part in the demolition of part of the building.

He said also that the suit was different from the one determined by Justice John Tsoho of the same court.

Besides, the lawyer further submitted that EFCC has the power to investigate without any prompting from anybody.

He emphasised that the commission’s application was filed ex parte, and prayed the court to refuse Mrs. Jonathan’s application and to grant the prayer of the commission for forfeiture of the two properties pending their investigations.

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018Ëž T H I S D AY

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Court Papers Expose Officials Who Authorised Malabu Deal Payments Court documents filed by United States banking giant, JP Morgan Chase Bank, have revealed the Nigerian officials who authorised payments of $875 million to accounts linked to a former Nigerian oil minister in the fraudulent Malabu deal, Dan Etete.

The details are contained in a fresh claim filed by the bank to counter the massive claim for damages filed by the Nigeria government in 2017.

Those named to have authorised the payments, which were made in 2011, are Yerima Ngama, at the time Minister of State for Finance and Otunla Ogunniyi, then AccountantGeneral of the Federation.

The two others named as authorised signatories at the time were Danladi Kifasi, Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance and Babayo Shehu, Director of Funds at the Office of the Accountant-General.

Last November, the Nigerian government had sued the bank for $875 million (N315 billion) in the London courts over its alleged failure to block payments made from the massive Malabu oil deal that is under a string of international corruption investigations.

In the civil claim issued in the High Court, the Nigerian government argued that JP Morgan had been “grossly negligent� when it was banker to a previous government.

The claim alleged that JP Morgan did not act “with the reasonable care and skill to be expected of a bank in compliance with the laws of England and

Wales� when it authorised enormous payments resulting from the 2011 oil deal.

There was an “abuse of the banking system,� the claim said, adding that JP Morgan “could and should� have done enough reasonable due diligence to discover the deal involved the “misappropriation� of up to $1.1 billion from state coffers.

It, therefore, demanded that the bank repay $875 million it paid out to Mr. Etete, plus interest, and to account for the rest.

The bank, in its counter claim, submitted in the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales, denied any wrongdoing.

The document, seen by Premium Times, was dated March 29 and signed by Rebecca Smith, a representative of the bank’s solicitor–Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, London.

The bank admitted that on May 4, 2011, an escrow agreement was concluded between the Federal Government of Nigerian, JP Morgan and two other parties including Shell’s SNEPCO and Agip (Eni).

The government had earlier in April 2011 agreed to allocate the controversial OPL 245 to both SNEPCO and NAE, with agreement that the two parties will transfer $1,092,040,000 to a Nigerian government’s escrow account with JP Morgan.

The bank, which became an ‘Escrow agent’ by the terms of the deal, said it was obliged to receive the money and transfer to accounts nominated by the Nigerian government but was not a party to the Malabu Resolution deal.

NAE transferred the amount to the account in two instalments on May 24, the documents revealed.

The bank claimed that by a letter from the then Minister of State for Finance, Ngama, dated August 3, 2011, the Federal Government of Nigeria informed the bank of new signatories to the Depository Terms.

Ngama’s letter, it said, stated that instructions on the depository account should be given by one “Category A� signatory and one “Category B� signatory. While Ngama himself and Kifasi were named as “Category A� signatories, Messrs Ogunniyi and Shehu were named “Category B�.

On August 17, 2011, the bank said a written instruction signed by Ngama and Ogunniyi instructed the bank to transfer the sum of $401,540,000 and a separate $400,000,00 to two accounts in the name of Malabu at First Bank and Keystone Bank, respectively.

On August 23, the bank said it completed telephone call-backs to both Ogunniyi and Ngama to confirm their written instructions,

obtained go-ahead consent from UK’s Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) before it subsequently made the transfers.

By July 3, 2011, the bank said it received another instruction from Ngama and Ogunniyi requesting the transfer of $74,200,000 to a Malabu account at Keystone Bank.

Again, the bank said it completed telephone call-backs to the duo to confirm the instruction and obtained a SOCA go-ahead authorisation before it effected the transfer of the fund.

In making both transfers, the bank said it acted pursuant to valid, irrevocable and binding instructions given by the Federal Government of Nigeria as it was required to do under the terms of the Depository Agreement.

It also denied knowledge of the Nigerian government’s claims that the Malabu Resolution Agreement was a “sham� because according to its Depository Agreement, it stated that it had no knowledge of any other agreement the Nigerian government was into as it was not a party to it.

While Ngama was a political appointee of the Nigerian government at the time, Ogunniyi, Kifasi and Shehu, were public servants. None of them is currently facing prosecution over the Malabu scandal.

Ogunniyi, however, is being prosecuted by the EFCC over a separate money laundering case involving diversion of N2 billion from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Few months after President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power in 2015, he approved the pre-retirement leave for Kifasi with effect from October 20, 2015.

Ngama, now a leader of the APC, defected to the ruling party after he lost in his bid to contest as governor in Yobe State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.

It had been earlier reported that when invited for questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC), the former minister of state for finance said he acted based on the directive of then President

Jonathan.

The then Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, who is on exile, said in a statement in 2016 that his office helped the country broker the agreement between Malabu Oil and Gas Limited and Shell Nigeria Limited to prevent Nigeria from paying a fine of $2 billion as damages for breach of contract.

The EFCC later filed charges against him and Etete.

The notorious Malabu deal, over OPL245, involved Shell, Italian oil company Eni, Â Etete, a former President Jonathan and his then oil minister, Dieziani Alison-Madueke.

In March, an Italian court adjourned the trial of Shell and Eni and its former executives to May, 2018. All of them have consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Etete, who remains unreachable, has also denied wrongdoing.

Similarly, Jonathan, who is not facing trial and under whose administration the deals were struck, has also denied wrongdoing.Â

Archbishop of Canterbury’s Facebook Post on Meeting with Buhari The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welbly, last Wednesday posted a statement on his Facebook page on his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in London, United Kingdom. In the post, Welby said he was honoured to meet the Nigerian president, adding that he discussed the complexities of the security situation in Nigeria and the government’s efforts to address it.

According to him, “It was an honour to meet President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria in London today (Wednesday).

We discussed the complex security situation in Nigeria and the government’s efforts to address it, and I offered my support in seeking a sustainable solution to the herder-farmer conflict. “I expressed deep concern about the suffering resulting from raids on Christian communities and villages as far South as Delta State. We discussed the causes of such depredations, which have led to very many deaths and threaten an escalation of violence.

I urged measures to restore confidence in the neutrality of the state, and spoke of the sufferings of the poor in such tragedies. “I also raised the urgent

situation of Leah Sharibu, the 14-year old Dapchi Christian school girl still held captive

by Boko Haram for refusing to convert to Islam, and urged the president to do everything possible to secure her release. “I briefed President Buhari about my pastoral visit to Nigeria in 2014 following the abduction of the Chibok girls, and assured him of my continued prayers for the release of those still in captivity. The president promised that the government would do all in its power to secure their release. “No country or society can flourish without excellent education-so it was good to speak with the president about how education helps to tackle poverty. I highlighted the vital role that churches in England play not just in educating a million children but in providing them with values, identity and purpose. “Please join me in standing prayerfully with those suffering from the herder-farmer conflict; the Boko Haram insurgency, and all those mourning the loss of loved ones. It’s so important that we pray for peace and progress of Nigeria and particularly, for the liberating peace of Jesus Christ to be with all those held in captivity.�

ANOTHER HONOUR

L-R: Special Guest of Honour/Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru; Group Managing Director, ARCO Group, Mr. Alfred Okoigun; and Managing Director of Shell, Mr. Osagie Okunbor at the induction of Okoigun as Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering in Lagos...yesterday

S’Court to Rule on Saraki’s Suit July 6 Alex Enumah Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Supreme Court yesterday fixed July 6 for judgment in the appeal of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, against the ruling of the Court of Appeal in his alleged false declaration of his assets trial.

Presiding judge of a five-man panel of the apex court, Justice Musa Mohammed Dattijo, fixed July 6 for final judgment after taking arguments from counsel to parties in the suit.

At yesterday’s proceedings, Saraki asked the court to dismiss the 18-count criminal charges of false assets declaration brought against him by the federal government.

He told the apex court that the charges against him were frivolous and that prima facie case was not established against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) that tried him.

In his adoption of final address at the court, the senate president insisted that the charges were brought against him in bad faith by the federal government because the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) empowered to investigate him on asset declaration matter did not do so as required by law. Â His counsel, Mr. Kamu Agabi (SAN), said rather than the CCB investigating Saraki, a purported report of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was used to prepare the charge against him. Â He argued that the code of conduct tribunal was right in dismissing the charge during a ruling in his no-case submission because the purported report of EFCC was hearsay in law.

The senior counsel urged the apex count to look into the testimony of the witnesses called by the federal government, adding that all of them confirmed

that there was no petition against him on his declared assets and hence, no investigation was conducted on the same by the CCB. However, counsel to the federal government, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to hold that Saraki has a case to answer in the charges.

He submitted that there was no law that an investigation must be conducted before charges can be preferred against any defendant.

After taking their submissions, the court announced that it would give its verdict on the matter on July 6 and adjourned proceedings.

Saraki was in 2015 arraigned at the CCT on false assets declaration charges shortly after he emerged the president of the eighth Senate.

However, after a rigorous trial, the tribunal discharged and acquitted Saraki on the

grounds that prima facie case was not established against him.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Mr. Danladi Yakubu Umar, in the ruling on a no-case submission, held that the charges were based on hearsay and that the tribunal cannot convict anybody on the hearsay charges.

However, in an appeal at the Court of Appeal filed by the federal government, the appellate court dismissed 15 out of the 18 count charges against Saraki.

The Appeal Court in its judgment delivered on December 12 last year, agreed that the dismissed 15 counts were based on hearsay and directed Saraki to defend himself only against three counts.

The decision of the Appeal Court prompted Saraki to approach the Supreme Court with prayers that the apex court dismiss the entire 18-count charges.

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Nigeria Reiterates Support for ICC Ekweremadu receives ICC president, pledges N’Assembly support Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË The federal government yesterday reiterated its support for the International Criminal Court (ICC), stressing that Nigeria, in spite of reservation of some African countries, still believes in the relevance of the court.

This came as the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, pledged the support and goodwill of the National Assembly to the ICC in its efforts to check crimes against humanity and ensure justice for the victims.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), who reiterated the position of the country yesterday in Abuja, called for caution, adding that African leaders should “not throw away the baby with the bath water.”

Malami assured the new president of the ICC, Prof.

Chile Eboe-Osuji, who was at the headquarters of the ministry as part of his working visit to Nigeria, that the country, in further demonstration of this support, persuade African states that have withdrawn their membership of the organisation to have a rethink as the ICC is committed to fighting impunity anywhere in the world.

“At this crucial time that the ICC is experiencing spate of withdrawals, the recent one being by the Philippines, the AGF pledges Nigeria’s unflinching support to Prof Osuji’s presidency,” he said.

Malami stated further that “Nigeria will continue to support and cooperate with the court; Nigeria will do all it can through the platforms of the African Union (AU) and the ECOWAS Commission to persuade African states, including the Philippines, that have withdrawn or threatening withdrawal of their memberships from the court to

have a rethink and look beyond the present shortcomings of the court to the fundamental objectives of its establishment to fight impunity in all its ramifications.”

The minister, though rejecting the escalation of the eight potential cases by the court against Nigeria, however assured ICC that Nigeria would continue to uphold the tenets of the rule of law, maintain zero tolerance to impunity and continually respect fundamental freedoms.

He promised that any Nigerian found to be in breach of international law would be brought to book, adding that erring military personnel have been court-martialed.

The AGF added that his office would continue to work with the National Assembly to ensure speedy passage of the bill for the domestication of the Rome Statute of the

International Criminal Court, which is presently awaiting action by the National Assembly.

Earlier, the visiting ICC President, Prof. Osuji, told the minister that he was in the country to appreciate Nigeria for the role it played in his emergence as president of the court.

Malami had written to the Minister of Finance to pay the sum of 303,402.00 euro.

Osuji, who also appealed to African leaders to have a change of mind on their membership of the court, said the article 27 of the Rome Statute which borders on removal of immunity of heads of states was not targeted at them as the law he said dated as far back as the first world war in 1919.

He stressed that the goal of the ICC is to build a world where peace and justice reign.

Meanwhile, Ekweremadu

while receiving Eboe-Osuji, who paid him a visit in Abuja, described the mandate of the court as “very critical to a peaceful and stable world devoid of oppression and aggression.”

He said Nigerians and Africans were proud of judge the jurist’s recent emergence as the President of the Court.

He said: “As somebody coming from Africa, I think that you are in a better position to understand the issues around the mandate you because a lot of these atrocities have been recorded in Africa in forms of senseless mass killings and related atrocities.

“For us as a civilised people, we believe that human life is very precious.

That is why the right to life is the first right in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and I think that is the same with

modern constitutions the world over.

“So anything that has to do with killings of people and any kind of oppression that gives less meaning to human life must be condemned.

“So, ICC has the full support of the National Assembly of Nigeria in your efforts and that of the global community to end genocides, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression.

You have our support in your efforts to help the victims of such atrocities find justice.”

On his part, Judge Eboe-Osuji said the purpose of his visit was to express his gratitude to Nigeria for supporting the ICC and its mandate, saying that the “idea of the rule of law must continue and there must be accountability for violations of international criminal laws.”

NNPC Restates Commitment to Support Arco Group, Others Ejiofor Alike The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, has restated the commitment of the corporation’s commitment to continue to support Arco Group Plc and other indigenous companies that have proved their mettle in the area of engineering technology and innovations.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday at the occasion of the induction of the Group Managing Director of Arco Group Plc, Mr. Alfred Okoigun as Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE), Baru lauded Okoigun, who is an ex-staff of NNPC, for creating and re-creating value to the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

Baru recalled that Okoigun resigned from the NNPC at a very young age to set up Arco Petrochemical Engineering Company in 1980 to provide engineering capability on rotating and reciprocating equipment – gas turbines, steam turbines and compressors.

According to the NNPC boss, Okoigun had all the opportunity to stay employed at the NNPC but opted to set up the company, which has transformed into Arco Group Plc, comprising of Arco Maintenance and Engineering Company Plc, Arco Worldwide Services, Arco Marine and Oilfield Services and Arco Integrity Services Limited.

Baru noted that Okoigun’s resilience had paid off when his company became the then sole Nigerian representative of Nuovo Pignone SPA, the Italian government-owned manufacturer of Steam/Gas Turbines, gas compressors and pumps.

“How else do we

honour this man who has continuously identified and supported various engineering initiatives in Nigeria for several decades? Through Arco, he has sponsored over 40 engineers, technocrats and energy correspondents for training programmes and facility visits to oil and gas equipment manufacturing firms and to exhibitions and seminars on energy matters in Nigeria, Italy, Switzerland, US, Brazil and Argentina. Also, to demonstrate his support for the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, he recently inaugurated a joint committee known as the NAE-ARCO Group Academia and Industry Linkage with the objective of identifying viable engineering innovations by Nigerians and to assist in translating them into scalable commercial activities,” Baru explained.

In her remarks, the President of The Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE), Mrs. JO Maduka described Okoigun as a strong believer in the development of engineering services in Nigeria.

According to her, Okoigun is also a philanthropist of the rate type, who continues to invest in human capital development, endowments and community-related projects.

She also added that Okoigun is a role model in the engineering profession.

In his lecture titled “Engineering Innovation and Last-Mile Development: Towards a Synergy between investors and Research,” a former Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos and the Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo in Ebonyi State, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe tasks the professionals to focus on how to translate engineering innovations to the benefits of the society.

PRODUCT UNVEILING

L-R; Country Manager, Nigeria, Visa; Emezino Afiegbe; Chief Executive Officer, Diamond Bank Plc. Uzoma Dozie; General Manager, Enterprise Business Unit, MTN, Barbara Anozia; Executive Director, Business Development, NIBSS, Niyi Ajao; and General Manager, Beat FM, Deji Awokoya, at the unveiling of Tech Fest at Diamond Bank Plc head office in Lagos.... yesterday

Pro-Buhari Protest Erupts as Sahara Reporters Publisher, Sowore Visits Emir of Kano The presidential bid of Omoloye Sowore, publisher of the popular online newspaper, Sahara Reporters, hit a snag yesterday as youths protested against him when he paid a courtesy visit on the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, at his palace in Kano.

Sowore has become a constant critic of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration since launching his presidential bid recently.

The incident occurred at around 12.noon when the youths, in their hundreds besieged the emir’s palace after being informed of Sowore’s visit to the emir with placards bearing different inscriptions.

THISDAY who visited the scene, observed that the youths disguised as the emir’s visitors, while waiting for the presidential aspirant, who was ushered in by the palace guards to meet the emir.

It was also observed that the drama began when Sowore’s four-car convoy was coming out

of the palace, the youths then stormed the white Mercedes Benz which he boarded and started rising the placards for him to see.

Some of the placards read: ‘We are not in support of Sowore’, ‘Sowore you are not welcomed to Kano’, ‘Your anti-Buhari agenda will not work’, among others.

The youths were also shouting “Bama Yi, Sai Buhari” in unison, a situation that prompted some of the youths to cover the vehicle with the placards, saying “Sowore you must read these messages.”

It was also at the climax of the scene that the driver was able to zoom off.

Speaking also, the President of Kano State Youth Council, Kabiru Lakwaya, who led the protest, said they staged the peaceful protest in order to show Sowore that he would not succeed in his presidential bid.

According to him, they had to reject Sowore due to his anti-North agenda, alleging that he was at the forefront of clamouring for

dividing Nigeria

not give him any chance.

“As youths, we don’t even Meanwhile, at the palace, know Sowore’s pedigree in the Sowore said he was at the development of this country. I palace to greet the emir because think he has just been employed he was the advocate of youth by some unscrupulous politicians development. to cause distractions to Buhari’s According to him, Nigerian good leadership style. youths are tired of being “As far as the youths in this blocked by the old politicians in country are concerned, we are governance, stressing that that was satisfied with Buhari’s leadership, the main reason he launched his that is why we intend to give him presidential aspiration. another chance to accomplish his Sowore added that as an mission,” he said aspirant in the coalition party, Lakwaya also vowed that he could turn things around they would not support any in Nigeria within the shortest other candidate but Buhari. period of time, boasting that he Another protester, Abdullahi could build Kano-Kaduna road Abubakar, a student of Bayero in months.

University Kano, also said they In his remarks, Emir Sanusi were not in support of Sowore’s cautioned politicians against bid. violence, urging them to engage He alleged that the Sahara in issue-based campaigns.

Reporters publisher was only Sanusi also called on politicians on a mission to compound the to shun all forms of violence that issue of dividing Nigeria when would engender the life of the he gets to power, stressing that masses, noting that that would not the youths in Kano, who were augur well for the development the highest in the country, would of the country.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Falana, Others Decry Reduction of ECOWAS Court Judges Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Justice Jerome Traore, President, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC), Emeka Obegolu and a cross section of civil society organisations, have decried the reduction of judges of ECOWAS Court of Justice from seven to five.

Falana and others, who spoke at a two day consultative meeting on strengthening the ECOWAS Court of Justice and Enhancing access to justice in the west African sub-region held in Abuja, said the reduction is already having adverse effect on justice delivery in the sub-region.

The meeting was organised by the Nigerian Coalition for the International Criminal Court, and TrustAfrica as part of efforts at improving service delivery of the ECOWAS Court.

In a paper titled: ‘Deploying the ECOWAS legal architecture for addressing impunity in West African sub-region’, Falana said while the court has recorded remarkable success, particularly in upholding human rights of citizens in the sub-region, “Regrettable, the decision of the ECOWAS leadership to reduce the number of judges of the court from 7 to 5 will soon lead to congestion of cases and undue delay of justice.”

Aligning with Falana’s position, the President of the

ECOWAS Court of Justice, Justice Troare, admitted that the reduction has actually slowed down the pace of the court in delivering justice in the sub-region.

“If with 7, the court is encountering some challenges, what will it do when it is reduced to 5,” he asked.

While the various speakers called on the ECOWAS leadership to revisit the decision, Troare advocated for a situation where each member states is represented at the bench, bringing the number of judges to 15.

The meeting however took a swipe at member states who are in the habit of disregarding and disobeying the judgments and orders of the court, stressing that such action threatens the very existence of the court and the union.

“Notwithstanding the commitment of the court to fight impunity by protecting human rights under the rule of law compliance with decisions of the court by some of the member states has not been encouraging,” Falana said.

He identified Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and the Gambia as some of the countries that have refused to comply with some judgments and orders of the court.

The senior lawyer however, disclosed that the absence of an appellate chamber of the court as well as alleged inconsistency in several decisions of the court

SENATE SUSPENDES OMO-AGEGE, DISBANDS BUHARI SUPPORT GROUP development, which included preserving the integrity of the Senate.

“Secondly, is where we take actions that are not sincere. I think in this chamber, if we want to talk about who has the right to say he is Chairman of a Parliamentary Support Group for Mr. President, both by action and by what we have done, I think that I have the right to lead that — more than anyone else here.

“Those of us who understand politics, understand that because of our own peculiar interest, sometimes some people decide to act like they are holier than thou or more committed — at the expense of others. This is not something that we should tolerate, and I believe that in an institution like this, we must show discipline, but at the same time, we must also show compassion,” Saraki said.

He added that the group must be disbanded and the suit against the Senate be withdrawn.

“Distinguished colleagues, there must be discipline. We must show that such groups must be suspended and the case in court must be withdrawn, in consideration for leniency.

He recommended that the 181 days suspension be reduced by half, but with an understanding that the recommendation can be revisited.

“We must send out a strong message. There are some people who are fanatics, and such

actions will expose a lot of people and allies. I hope we will not have to come to these sort of situations again at this point in this democratic process.

We can cue on this and move forward, Saraki said.

It should be recalled that the lawmakers had changed the sequencing of elections in the country for the National Assembly elections to be held first before elections into the state Houses of Assembly, and governorship polls on a separate day, while the presidential election would be conducted last, to complete the general election cycle.

Section 25 of the Principal Act was specifically amended and substituted with a new Section 25(1), which provides that the elections shall be held in the following order: (a) National Assembly elections (b) state Houses of Assembly and governorship elections (c) presidential election.

The amendment is expected to whittle down the bandwagon effects of presidential elections on other elections.

The president has however vetoed the bill on grounds that the amendment might infringe on the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise elections.

Both chambers have already begun the process to override the president’s veto.

have been adduced for the reluctance of some litigants to comply with the judgment of the court.

He therefore called on the ECOWAS Commission to

commence the process of establishing the appellate chamber which he said was approved by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers at its 56th ordinary session in Abuja.

Another factor the speakers said would strengthen the court as well as enhance access to justice in the West African region is the establishment of a legal aid to assist victims who

cannot afford the services of a lawyer or afford the trip to the ECOWAS Court located in Abuja, Nigeria.

“The court should not be for the rich alone,” Troare said

EXTRAORDINARY AGM L-R: Managing Director, FSDH Asset Management Ltd, Mrs Olumayowa Ogunwemimo; Chairman of the meeting/

Head, Collective Investment Scheme, United Capital Group, Mrs. Motadeni Balogun; Company Secretary, FSDH Asset Management Ltd, Mrs. Aidevo Odu-Thomas; and Manager, Securities and Exchange Commission,Mr Ahmed Nakwada, at the extraordinary general meeting of FSDH Coral Funds managed by FSDH Asset Management Ltd in Lagos...Wednesday

SENATORS IN ROWDY SESSION AFTER ABARIBE CALLS BUHARI INCOMPETENT names, or insulting him. This is our institution. If we do not conduct ourselves with respect, nobody will,” he said.

Lawan demanded that Abaribe should withdraw the statement and apologise to the chamber.

Saraki, backing Lawan’s position, said offensive words must not be used by senators.

“We can make our points without using words that are offensive. Please be guided accordingly,” Saraki ruled.

Abaribe apologised to his colleagues, but said he simply interpreted the words used by Buhari himself.

“I am very well guided by you, but there are words that have no alternatives. What I did was to interpret the words by the president in London. If any word I used is misunderstood by anyone, I apologise. What I am saying is simple. The heads of security in Nigeria made several explanations for the killings of our people. It shows that there is a disconnection,” he said.

However, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has said that President Buhari was becoming an embarrassment to Nigerians, urging his handlers to desist from allowing him to speak extempore.

Fayose, who was reacting to the president’s claim that Gaddafi should be blamed for the ongoing herdsmen killings across the Northcentral of Nigeria, said: “It is embarrassingly shameful that the president has taken his blame game to the international level by blaming the dead for

his cluelessness.”

According to a statement issued yesterday, by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor said it was becoming obvious that “Very soon, President Buhari will blame those who elected him for his failure.”

Fayose, who described the president’s statement as embarrassing, asked how many Libyans were killed by herdsmen in the last three years.

“Nigerians are accusing President Buhari and his government of complicity in the herdsmen killings and all that the President could do in response is to blame Gaddafi, who became history seven years ago? This is no doubt another international embarrassment from a president who knows nothing other than to blame people for his own failure.

“Methinks those handling the president should see to it the he is prevented from speaking outside Nigeria without a prepared speech.

“The other time, he went to Germany to embarrass Nigeria by referring to the chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, as ‘President Michelle of West Germany.”

Fayose said President Buhari should rather face the reality of his government’s failure to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians as well as its seeming culpability in the herdsmen killings instead of going to foreign lands to advertise his cluelessness by

blaming the dead.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Buhari to admit that he has failed woefully in his promise to end insurgency in the country, rather than resorting to excuses, particularly in the international arena.

The party said by running to Archbishop Justin Welby to declare that the insurgents and marauders pillaging our people are fighters from Gadaffi’s Libya, President Buhari confirms the position of Nigerians that he is incapable of handling the security challenges of our nation.

“We invite Nigerians to recall that in November 2017, President Buhari had informed the Nigerian community in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire that Gadaffi’s fighters were responsible for the escalation of Boko Haram insurgency.

“This time, Mr. President has revealed that the killerherdsmen ravaging our nation and killing our people are from Libya.

“If the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government knew all these while that the marauders and insurgents are invaders, then why is it engaging them in dialogue, reportedly paying ransoms and even considering the amnesty option for them.

“In the same vein, Nigerians should demand explanations from President Buhari on why his administration has been asking the victims of marauders’ attacks in various states, particularly, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Plateau, among others, to learn

to accommodate, if it knows that the attackers had links with Libya.

“Our take remains that President Buhari and his dysfunctional APC should simply admit that they have failed to safeguard the lives of our people as well as the territorial integrity of our nation.

Meanwhile, yesterday, both chambers of the National Assembly condemned the April 5, 2018, attacks on five banks in Offa, Kwara State, which led to the losses of several lives.

The Senate expressed displeasure at the ease at which the criminals executed the attacks with sophisticated weapons and made away with substantial amount of money.

Senator Rafiu Irahim (Kwara APC), in a motion, recalled that similar attacks have been recorded in other towns in the state, with the latest incident being the fourth major one in 10 years in the area.

The Senate, in its resolutions, urged the federal government to consider setting up a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kwara South senatorial district, and urged the IG to reinforce security in the area.

The House of Representatives, while condemning the attacks, also commiserated with the victims over the loss of lives and material resources.

Following a motion of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Olayonu Danladi (Kwara APC), he expressed concern how the security system could be easily overwhelmed and personnel, gruesomely killed in security facility.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2018

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2018

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Eagles Climb Five Spots, Now 47th in FIFA Ranking Duro Ikhazuagbe Super Eagles 1-0 defeat of Poland in an international friendly last month played a significant role in the rise of the three-time African champions from 52nd to 47th position in the latest FIFA rankings released yesterday. The senior Nigerian football team also earned a lift to the sixth place in the African rankings.

Eagles displaced Cameroon at sixth to trail Tunisia, Senegal, Congo DR, Morocco and Egypt who occupy the first five places in the latest FIFA rankings respectively. Tunisia’s 14th spot in April global rankings is the country’s first-ever best grade in football.

For Eagles’ 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group E opponents,

only South Africa moved up as Libya and Seychelles dropped.

South Africa rose four places to 72, while Libya and Seychelles dropped to 100th and 194th respectively.

Also, the reverse was the case for all three Super Eagles Group D opponents at summer’s World Cup in

Russia.

Argentina dropped one spot to fifth, Croatia dropped three places to 18th while Iceland dropped to 22nd.

In the overall global standing for the month of

April, World Cup holders Germany remains number one, with Brazil in second, Belgium is third with Portugal fourth and Argentina fifth. In sixth position is Switzerland, France seventh, Spain in eight,

Chile in ninth and Poland 10th.

There were also best-ever positions for the newest FIFA Member Associations, with Kosovo’s pair of friendly victories over Madagascar and Burkina Faso seeing them

leap 24 places to 152nd, while Gibraltar’s 1-0 win over Latvia saw them jump ten spots to 196th.

The next FIFA World Ranking will be released on May 17, 2018.

AFRICA’S TOP TEN (Global ranking in brackets) 1. Tunisia (14) 2. Senegal (28) 3. DR Congo (38) 4. Morocco (42) 5. Egypt (46) 6. Nigeria (47) 7. Cameroon (51) 7. Ghana (51) 9. Burkina Faso (53) 10. Cape Verde (58)

BOA Lawyers’ Football Tournament Enters Round of 16 Babalakin. B & I that emerged After Match-day 4 of the ongoing 2018 BOA Lawyers’ Football Tournament, 16 law firms representing the top four teams of the four groups qualified for the knock out stage where those to proceed to the quarter final phase are to be decided on the home and away basis.

According to officials of AstroTurf 2000, organisers of the annual football tournament named after Mr. Bankole Olumide Aluko, a founding partner in the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode (A&O), “after the home and away knockout stage, eight teams will automatically qualify and proceed to the quarter finals.

“In the event of a draw, penalties will be deployed as decider. In the shoot out, each team will be entitled to three penalties,” observed the statement from the league organisers.

Meanwhile, the Round of 16 clashes this weekend have some interestingly fixtures.

Defending champions Falana & Falana have been paired to battle Jackson Etti & Edu for the ticket to the quarter final while two former champions Olisa Agbakoba Legal will slug it out with Lagos State Ministry of Justice (LSMJ).

Also, top law firm Banwo & Ighodalo have a date with

first runner up of Group D have tough customers in Babalakin who are aiming to use the knock out stage to get back in the groove after a not too inspiring display in the group stage, finishing as second runner up in Group B. They won just one game and drew another to garner a miserly four points out of 12 from four matches.

Run away Group B winners, BA Law/Probitas may find Punuka a tough customer.

With a 100 per cent feat of 12 points out of 12 in the group stage, BA Law/Probitas is one of the favourite teams to make it to the quarter finals. In the concluding group matches last weekend, the trio of Lekan Ayinla, Lekan Dairo and Deji Sanyaolu fired a goal each in the 3-1 defeat of AELEX. That defeat effectively knocked out AELEX from making it to the Last 16.

FIXTURES rRickey Tarfa v ACAS/UUBO rBa Law/Probitas Partners v Punuka rADVOCAAT v Templars rSOOB/NICCOM v Wiseview/ Greychapel rPinheiro v ALP/SPA rOlisa Agbakoba Legal v LSMJ rFalana & Falana v Jackson Etti & Edu rBanwo & Ighodalo v Babalakin

GUNNERS FOR EUROPA SEMIS...

Danny Welbeck (centre), pulled Arsenal back to safety with his strike after Russian CSKA Moscow scored two quick goals and were looking for a third to cancel the 4-1 advantage from the first leg. Aaron Ramsey added a second to seal the Gunners passage to the semi final on 6-3 aggregate... yesterday

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2018

Perm Sec Cautions Nigerian Athletes against Defection Three more medals won in wrestling on day-eight of competition Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Olusade Adesola, has cautioned Team Nigerian athletes harbouring the idea of defecting from the Commonwealth Games in Australia to think twice before plunging themselves into perpetual regrets.

The top sports ministry official gave the advice yesterday when he visited the Games Village where all athletes for the Games are lodged.

He was making references to the sudden disappearance

of eight Cameroon athletes from the Games.

“Defection, no doubt, brings embarrassment to any government. But the truth is that most of these athletes don’t know that those countries they are running to are no El Dorado.

He advised athletes nurturing the idea about defection to learn a lesson from so many Nigerians who have been repatriated.

“There is no place like your country. That which you are running away from will confront you double times

there and you’ll live miserably and hide perpetually. Before you know it, you’ll be full of regrets”.

Speaking on the Games, he commended the staff and coaches for their excellent work which have been transferred to the athletes and is yielding results at the Games.

He praised Team Nigeria athletes for their high level of discipline and encouraged those who did win medals to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship.

Chef de Mission of the

Games, Mrs Kofo Nwokedi thanked the Perm Sec and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung for their fatherly role and love for the contingent to the Games.

Meanwhile, Team Nigeria ended D-eight of the Commonwealth Games in the 11th position despite winning one silver and two bronze (all from wrestling) on Thursday.

Following the addition of the three more medals, Team Nigeria currently has four gold, five silver and two bronze medals.

SuperSport Launches World Cup Pop-up on DStv, GOtv

South African cricket legend who is the new Technical Consultant to the Nigerian cricket, Makhaya Ntini (blue shirt), passing instructions to members of the national team during yesterday’s training session at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval in Lagos

As part of the countdown to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, SuperSport has launched a 24-hour pop-up channel dedicated to the tournament.

This follows MultiChoice’s recent announcement of the History of Football pop-up channel to be launched on DStv in association with A+E Networks International on 28 May for DStv Premium, Compact+ and Compact customers with 14 days of original, globally-focused premium documentary series, short form specials and a selection of FIFA World Cup films.

The latest World Cup dedicated pop-up channel, SuperSport 14 (SS14), will go live on all DStv packages on April 18, with an assortment

of content, including great legacy footage, highlights, documentaries, FIFA films, classic matches and interviews.

From Wednesday April 25, the pop-up channel will be available to GOtv customers on the GOtv Max and GOtv Plus packages, providing access to exclusive and rare archive footage of football’s best moments and matches on channel 36.

General Manager, Sales and Marketing for MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Martin Mabutho, said: “The FIFA World Cup pop-up channels yet again exemplify our commitment to providing the best sporting content. Our viewers will get the chance to relive classic matches, catch exclusive interviews and witness never

before seen scenarios, all whilst preparing for our unbeatable coverage of the 2018 World Cup which comes complete with exclusive commentary and analyses.”

The pop-up channels on DStv and GOtv will also feature warm-up matches.

Thereafter, all 64 World Cup matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup will be available on all DStv packages as well as on the GOtv Max and Plus packages, while GOtv Value customers can view a total of 56 World Cup games.

GOtv Lite customers are expected to also enjoy a select number of fixtures available on free-to-air channels.

Leading the challenge for Africa will be Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco.

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MISSILE Ortom to Herdsmen

“In some cases, they do not have herds. They just come with their weapons, kill and chase the people out and take over the land; that is the worrisome part of it. The trend of attacks on Benue is beyond mere grazing of livestock. If the invaders were only interested in grazing, the massive destruction of lives and properties would not have been their priority� – Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom decrying herdsmen attacks on communities in the state as an extension of terrorism by Boko Haram.

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Danjuma’s Belated Call to Action L

t. General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) stirred up a hornet’s nest recently when he called on Nigerians to rise in self-defence against killer herdsmen who have displayed an unrelenting thirst for human blood. He blamed the government and the security agencies which have shown articulable suspicion of collusion in the mindless carnage being perpetuated by herdsmen. The unwillingness of the Buhari-led government to stem the killings is well known. We have even seen excuses and some justification for the unending killings by top officials of the government.

I dare say it took Danjuma too long to speak out against the atrocities going on in the North-east and all over the country.

It should have come much sooner and it probably would have saved some lives.

However at a time when nearly everyone seems to have lost their marbles, it is reassuring that Danjuma spoke out. And I say it here with all sense of patriotism, it was the right call.

The call was very significant, not just because of who it came from in the Nigerian military/political firmament, but because of what the call represents – a weighty vote of no confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership and the military high command he presides over. It is the third vote of no confidence from the military constituency of ex-generals of which Buhari is an elite member.

First was in a letter by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, followed a few weeks later by former military President Ibrahim Babangida who did a public dressing down of the Buhari government. Both practically accused Buhari whom they backed to power in 2015 of incompetence in managing the affairs of the country. Anyone who claims otherwise must either be living in an alternate reality, or deserves to be evaluated for his sanity. Buhari has ruined our country; he has ruined our security agencies by his nepotistic and clannish appointments of unqualified persons to sensitive security positions.

There is no doubt that Danjuma’s call rattled the government and it should because it has realised that its complicity in the killing of so many innocent people is well known. Danjuma bluntly told the government to its face that the people have lost confidence and trust in it and its ability to rein in blood-thirsty killers called herdsmen. According to him, “There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state and of course, in some riverine and rural states in Nigeria. We must resist it.

We must stop it. Every one of us must rise up. “Our Armed Forces are not neutral.

They collude with the armed bandits to kill people, kill Nigerians. The Armed Forces guide their movements. They cover them.

If you are depending on the Armed Forces to stop the killings, you will all die one by one. This ethnic cleansing must stop in Taraba State and other rural states of

Danjuma

Nigeria, otherwise Somalia will be child’s play. I ask every one of you to be alert and defend your country, defend your territory and defend your state. Defend yourselves‌�

There are those (mostly regime apologists) who diminish the danger we are contending with by resurrecting Danjuma’s past misdeeds. I am reluctant to join this narrative even though I acknowledge that his past is replete with a mixture of good and evil – revulsion, bravery and success borne out of opportunism. But immersing myself in that debate at this material time is a not-so-productive way to tackle this incompetent and disastrous government, neither will it help to move Nigeria forward considering the fierce urgency of the challenges we now face.

If killings were tolerated in the past, must we tolerate such now? Or must we say Danjuma’s stark call should be dismissed offhand just because he still has some explaining to do on his military track record? I am not a fan of the ex-general, but I wholeheartedly align myself with his message. If those communities don’t defend themselves in the face of unrelenting killings buoyed by government’s inaction, nay connivance, what do you think will be their fate? Should they all just sit idly by and wait to be killed by herdsmen?

The life of every Nigerian is precious irrespective of tribe, ethnicity or religion.

This government’s inaction, its casual attitude to the killings, and its baffling rationalisation of same underscore its underlining complicity. This precisely is where the substance behind the suspicion of its complicity lies. And the continued refusal of those who must defend every action or otherwise of this government, to even acknowledge this self-evident fact remains a disturbing pathology. All these engender an atmosphere of impunity.

I dare say it would be a misguided effort and a political malpractice of historical proportions to use the impunity and

wrongs of the past to justify and defend the impunity and bloodletting of today as some heretics of truth are wont to do.

By no stretch of the imagination could Danjuma’s message be muddled by his past misdeeds. It is inexcusable that the bloodletting has gone on for this long with no one held to account.

Yet, all our do-nothing-president can say is “accommodate your fellow Nigerians�.

This was several weeks after hundreds of innocent people had been massacred in an unprovoked attack by the very same privileged and above-the-law herdsmen he wants accommodated. The irony is the inconsistency in the narrative that comes from Buhari. Just on Wednesday in London, where he is probably seeing his doctors in secret, he blamed the herdsmen’s menace on Libya’s Muammar Gadaffi whom the president said had trained the herdsmen and had escaped the Sahel with their arms.

If we are to accept this recent excuse from Buhari, what in essence he was asking Nigerians to do is to “accommodate� mostly foreign militias masquerading as herdsmen in our midst!!! But then again, what should we expect from a president, who when unscripted, is in the habit of spewing forth a load of bunkum?

The current leadership’s reluctance to take decisive action against these well-armed killer herdsmen has not only undermined the people’s trust in it, but now fuels Danjuma’s call for self-defence. It is a last resort for Nigerians after Buhari’s body language has made it clear that we should not expect much, by way of protection from his government. And of course, the first law of nature is self-preservation and it cannot be taken away by any government.

Let me remind those who now take umbrage at Danjuma’s self-defence clarion call, that Nigeria’s defence minister Mansur Dan-Ali, who somewhat doubles as the defence minister of killer herdsmen, had offered a very provocative justification for the killings straight after attending a security council meeting presided over by Buhari in the State House, Abuja recently.

He sided with the killer herdsmen against affected communities, asking, if the grazing routes are blocked, what do you expect the herdsmen to do. “You see, whenever a crisis happens at any time, there are remote and immediate causes. Look at this issue (of killings in Benue and Taraba), what is the remote cause of this farmers’ crisis?

Since the nation’s Independence, we know there used to be routes where the cattle rearers took because they are all over the nation. You go to Bayelsa, Ogun, you will see them. If those routes are blocked, what do you expect will happen? “These people are Nigerians. It is just like going to block the shoreline, does that make sense to you? These are the remote causes of the crisis. But the immediate cause is the grazing law. These people are Nigerians and we must learn to live together with each other. Communities and other people must learn how to accept foreigners within

their enclave, finish!� he said. This was said in the midst of a national outrage over the unbroken streak of killings in Benue and Taraba States. Folks, what is the meaning of Dan-Ali’s “If those routes are blocked, what do you expect will happen?�

Danjuma called on Nigerians to defend themselves from officially sanctioned killings by herdsmen as a corollary of Dan-Ali’s statement. Most of these guys were silent when Dan-Ali made that official position of the government to the killings known.

It was a surreal moment to see Nigeria’s defence minister justifying the unabated killings by herdsmen. How could he do that? Just how could he have said that?

Yet not many challenged his prognosis of the farmers-herdsmen conflicts. It is frightening how human life has been so casually devalued and how many now so carelessly accept the heinous crime of mass murder as a way of life in this clime.

There is hardly the kind of outrage one would see in time past to the daily massacre of people. The clear double standard of this government is even more pronounced when one compares the speed with which this government declared IPOB a terrorist organisation and the red carpet treatment Miyatti Allah gets.

Why many still support this government despite its failure to deliver even “mundane matters of governance� is beyond me. This government is a failure by every measure.

It has achieved nothing in three years in office. It took it that long to produce a controversial looters’ list. By the way, why is former Governor Orji Kalu’s name, the unofficial spokesman of “Buhari for president 2019�, not on the list of looters?

Is it because he defected to the APC and has been vigorously campaigning for a second term for Buhari? Only recently, the EFCC came out to tell Nigerians that the star prosecution witness in its case against the former governor has suddenly and conveniently disappeared. Yet, this same anti-graft agency wants to be taken seriously for fighting corruption. Who is gaming the system here? One day, monkey go, go market, e no go come back.

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun today regales us with “if not for Buhari, Nigeria would have ceased to exist�. But Oyegun is a man in the twilight of his life. Unfortunately, he still lacks the courage to call a spade its true name. Under Buhari, Nigeria is gradually disappearing and if this government continues, as Oyegun wants, his children’s children may have no country to inherit.

As worrying as that may seem, I am more troubled by the indifference of a great many who have refused to speak out in the face of a clear and present danger to our country. The time of choosing is fast approaching, everyone must play a role.

It is either you are with Buhari or you are with Nigeria. This is not the time to sit on the fence because in the immortal words of Martin Luther King Jr, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.�

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