THURSDAY 24TH May 2018

NBS Allays Concern over Q1 2018 GDP Performance Again naira falters on parallel market, now $366/$ Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja and Obinna Chima in Lagos The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has allayed concerns over the performance

of the Nigerian economy in the first quarter of 2018, saying though GDP growth rate dropped to 1.95 per cent, compared to 2.11 per cent in the preceding quarter, it was

a reflection of the slowdown in economic activities at the beginning of the year.

The NBS was responding to the misconception by some members of the public that

the economy had contracted in Q1 2018.

This came as the naira continued its slide against the U.S. dollar on the parallel market, falling to N366 to

the dollar, lower than N364 at which it sold on Tuesday.

According to the GDP report released on Monday by the NBS, the economy grew by 1.95 percent in Q1 2018 in

tangible terms but compared to GDP growth rate in the preceding quarter, it recorded a decline of -0.16 percentage Continued on page 6

Transparency International Praises Nigeria, EFCC's Anti-Graft War‌ Page 48 Thursday 24 May, 2018 Vol 23. No 8435. Price: N250

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Immunity is Your Saving Grace, FG Tells Nyesom Wike Dismisses alleged assassination plot against governor Rivers gov: FG has no regard for human life Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday declared that but for the immunity enjoyed by the Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, he would have been a guest of the law enforcement agents by now.

Mohammed, who made this

remark while responding to a question after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wike’s allegation that the federal government was plotting to kill him, said immunity was the reason Wike was not already answering questions over the Continued on page 6

House to Reintroduce Contentious Election Reorder Bill Shrugs off Buhari’s criticism of N’Assembly

James Emejo in Abuja The House of Representatives yesterday said that it will soon reintroduce the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill seeking to re-order the sequence of the general elections separately, after President Muhammadu Buhari declined his assent to the amendment bill presented to him earlier, citing major

constitutional flaws.

This came as a Bill for an Act to Amend the Provisions of the Electoral Act passed the second reading in the House, to improve the electoral process and other related matters.

The bill that passed the second reading was sponsored

by Hon. Aishatu Jibril Dukku, Continued on page 8

Bauchi Deputy Governor Resigns... Page 50

L-R: Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalong; and Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, held at the State House, Abuja‌ yesterday godwin omoigui

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PAGE SIX IMMUNITY IS YOUR SAVING GRACE, FG TELLS NYESOM WIKE allegation.

According to him, when he (Mohammed) had made a similar allegation in the past, he immediately became a guest of the police at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, saying Wikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case would not have been any different. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As to the question about the allegation by the governor of Rivers State that he has information that he will be assassinated by the federal government in a crowd, I think one of the beauties of being a governor is that you enjoy immunity from prosecution and arrest. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember a couple of years ago when I made similar allegations, I was invited to Force Headquarters,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Mohammed also responded to a question on why the Minister of Mines and Steel, Dr. Kayode Fayemi had not resigned from the cabinet despite his promise that he would resign this week.

Fayemi, who recently

became the governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Ekiti gubernatorial election, is required to resign from the cabinet.

Responding to the question, Mohammed said it was too early to draw a conclusion that Fayemi failed to keep his word because the week was yet to end. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think I read it just like you that he will resign this week. If he did say so, today is just Wednesday. I think we still have the rest of the week to see if he will resign. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I think really he is the best person that can speak on it,â&#x20AC;? the information minister said.

Mohammed, who also gave a briefing on behalf of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said FEC approved a contract award for the construction of the Ila-Orangun-Ilale road in Osun State meant to link Ekiti and other South-west states.

According to him, the

34-kilometre road project taken over from the Osun State Government by the federal government would cost N5.195 billion.

Also, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, said FEC was briefed on the GDP figures for the first quarter of 2018, which showed that the economy grew at 1.95 per cent.

Udoma said the report on the economy was received with excitement by the cabinet.

According to him, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report which showed a fall from the 2.1 per cent GDP growth rate in the preceding quarter, also showed that the government would meet its target growth of 3.5 per cent for 2018.

Udoma said the report also showed that there was progress in major economic indices, as the quarter witnessed a reduction in the inflation rate, growth in foreign reserves and stable

exchange rate.

He also said with more investments in infrastructure, more jobs would be created.

However, he did not confirm a comment credited to him at the weekend that President Muhammadu Buhari would not sign the recently passed 2018 budget by the National Assembly because it was increased by over N500 billion.

According to him, the 2018 Appropriation Bill as passed by the legislature was yet to be transmitted to the executive by the National Assembly, so no comment could be made on a document that was yet to be seen.

In his briefing, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said FEC ratified a protocol to eliminate the illicit trade in tobacco.

The minister said by the decision, Nigeria joined 34 other countries, which had signed the protocol, noting that it would help in controlling smuggling and consumption of the product.

He also said the protocol would assist the country in raising taxes on tobacco and minimising its negative effects on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health.

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazzau, said FEC also approved the construction of a technology building for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to accommodate a data communication command control centre.

However, in a swift riposte to the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dismissal of the alleged threat to his life, Wike said yesterday that Nigerian citizens were being killed daily in the country because the federal government â&#x20AC;&#x153;does not care about the protection of lives and propertyâ&#x20AC;?.

In a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, the governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s media aide, Wike said it was unfortunate that the federal government had decided to trivialise an issue of this sensitive nature.

Wike said because the federal government had

relegated the sanctity of human lives, that is â&#x20AC;&#x153;why they keep giving conflicting reasons for the security challenges that have led to wanton killings in different parts of the countryâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care about the issue of protection of lives and property. That is why people are killed in their numbers every day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I will not be slaughtered easily. They will not succeed in their plot,â&#x20AC;? Wike said.

The governor expressed shock that rather than indicating that the weighty intelligence report on the plot to assassinate a sitting governor would be duly investigated, the Minister of Information had struggled to trivialise the matter.

He said there are laid down constitutional processes for handling weighty issues of this nature, pointing out that it was â&#x20AC;&#x153;unfortunate that the federal government has deliberately refused to follow the constitutional pathâ&#x20AC;?.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Consumer spending/ household budgets (which is about 60-70%) of GDP are tighter at the beginning of the year (Jan-March), than at the end of the year (Oct-Dec) when festivities tend to drive up spending/ consumption. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the government budget spending kicks in as well as electioneeringrelated expenditure kicks in, an uptick in economic activities can be expected and this will translate to increased household incomes/spending.â&#x20AC;?

On the decline in non-oil sector output in Q1 2018 weighing heavily on GDP growth rate, NBS explained that in terms of contribution to GDP, it was true there was a small decline in the contribution of the non-oil sector to GDP (from 91.47% in Q1 2017 and 92.65% in Q4 2017 to 90.39% in Q1 2018) but this could just be a quarterly (seasonal) variation.

the naira. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The anxiety in the Nigerian stock market is also affecting the naira negatively.

As you may have observed, market capitalisation has been depreciating in recent times and some of those that are exiting the stock market are demanding for dollars, which also puts pressure on the forex market,â&#x20AC;? Gwadabe explained.

He reiterated his call for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take urgent steps to review the rate at which the dollar is sold to BDCs in order to reverse the trend.

However, analysts blamed the shortage of dollars in the forex market on offshore investors who have been dumping Nigerian bonds due to the fall in yields and multinationals repatriating their dividends.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), for the 11th consecutive time on Tuesday, retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 14 per cent, Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 22.5 per cent, Liquidity Ratio (LR) at 30 per cent, and the asymmetric corridor at +200-500 basis points around the MPR. The CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele explained that the committee retained the policy rates in anticipation of high liquidity injection in the second half of 2018, the upward pressure of prices driven largely by substantial expansion of fiscal policy, which would arise from the late passage of the 2018 budget, outstanding balance from the 2017 budget and pre-election spending.

The CBN, nonetheless, sustained its interventions in the forex market yesterday, pumping $210 million to meet customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requests in various segments of the market.

A breakdown of this showed that the Bank offered $100 million to authorised dealers in the wholesale segment of the market while the SMEs segment got $55 million.

According to the figures obtained from the central bank, customers needing forex for retail invisibles were also allocated $55 million.

CBN spokesman Mr. Isaac

Okorafor reiterated the Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to continue to intervene in the interbank forex market, in line with its pledge to sustain liquidity in the market and maintain stability.

Okorafor said the CBN would sustain its strategic management of forex, with a view to reducing the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s import bill and halting the depletion of foreign reserves.

The CBN also said it had observed that some banks were turning back customers that come to purchase BTA/ PTA and forex for pilgrimage.

It asked bank customers to â&#x20AC;&#x153;go straight to their banks to buy forex as the CBN has supplied enough dollars to the banks to meet needs in the invisibles segmentâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Customers are hereby enjoined to report any bank that refuses to attend to their legitimate demands within 24 hours,â&#x20AC;? Okorafor said in a statement.

It also released a designated telephone number â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 07002255226 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for customers to call and report erring banks.

NBS ALLAYS CONCERN OVER Q1 2018 GDP PERFORMANCE points from 2.11 per cent.

However, year-on-year, the Q1 2018 growth rate was 2.87 percentage points higher than the negative growth of -0.91 per cent in Q1 2017.

Nevertheless, a memo prepared by the NBS yesterday and made available to THISDAY said Q1 2018 GDP growth was expected to be lower than the preceding quarter, because of the slowdown in economic activities at the beginning of the year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is correct to suggest that Q1 witnessed slower economic expansion (growth) than Q4. However, this is not the same as saying that the economy is shrinking or contracting, or not growing. It is growing, just not as fast,â&#x20AC;?

NBS stated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Q1 2018 will be expected to be lower than Q4 2017 for three reasons: firstly, Q4 typically being the end of the year witnesses higher, faster levels of economic activities/expansion than Q1, when households would have smaller budgets due to heavy end of year expenses.

Salaries are also often delayed in the first months of the year, as businesses slowly re-adjust to a new year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Government budget implementation also hardly starts at the beginning of the year, which results in sluggish economic activities.

From trade exports/imports, severe winter seasons may also impact on international trade which affects GDP,â&#x20AC;? the statistical agency said.

The NBS further explained in the memo that there are seasonal variations from month to month, and quarter to quarter, saying it was therefore more appropriate to compare Q1 with Q1, Q2 with Q2 and so on, noting that â&#x20AC;&#x153;this takes care of the issue of seasonal variations in economic activities; Q1 2018 (1.95%) was higher than Q1 2017 (-0.91%) and Q1 2016 (-0.67%).

It stated further: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since the GDP growth rate compares the economic activities to the preceding year, it should be recalled that Q1 2017 was slightly better than Q4 2016 at the height of the recession; since Q4 2016 was

really negative, even a small positive increase will appear as significant, compared to the relatively better Q1 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a result, Q1 2018 growth rate, which compares to Q1 2017 will reflect slightly lower than Q4 2017, which compares to Q4 2016 as we have seen. This is also known as the base effect. Quarterly GDP estimates are useful but not the only measures of economic activity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They need to be considered in context along with other indicators, for example, investment flows and overall business sentiment/expectations also signal the confidence of producers in the short term.â&#x20AC;?

NBS also said that quarterly GDP estimates may be revised, as both 2.11 and 1.95 are approximately 2%, while there may be no significant difference between those two quarters.

On the possibility of the economy relapsing again into a recession if anything goes wrong in the oil sector, NBS said there was no immediate cause for concern regarding anything going wrong in the oil sector.

It said that while it was correct to suggest that the recession was induced mainly by the drastic fall in crude oil prices, which started mid-2014, there were two other important factors that exacerbated the 2016 recession. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The level of external reserves was not substantial enough to enable the CBN successfully manage the exchange rate depreciation, i.e. defend the naira, that was expected to happen once investors/started to panic and move their capital out as crude oil prices fell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Domestic oil production was curtailed due to increased militancy in the Niger Delta in late 2015/2016.

This significantly constrained government revenue flows at a critical time.â&#x20AC;?

Following the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exit from recession, NBS explained that the administration has been able to address two areas: CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s external reserves â&#x20AC;&#x201C; currently at $48 billion, â&#x20AC;&#x153;are sufficiently robust enough

to deploy in the event of an oil output or price drop, and domestic oil production has been sustained at near historical highs of 2mbpd for consecutive quarters, as peace and tranquility has been restored to the oil-producing areasâ&#x20AC;?.

In addition, the NBS said government revenues are projected to be dominated by non-oil revenue compared to previous years, thus lowering the exposure to oil price/ production fluctuations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moreover, recent forecasts do not indicate any global expectations that crude oil prices will fall in the short term, especially in view of increased regional tensions in the Middle East and the Asia Pacific. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nevertheless, crude oil price fluctuations have always been a double-edged sword for Nigeria: rising oil prices benefit government revenues but raise the cost of imported refined petroleum products and may result in products scarcity, while falling oil prices lower the cost of importation but cause a fall in government revenues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ultimately, policymakers need to continue to address the challenge of economic and revenue diversification, as well as improve domestic refining capacity in order to ensure that rising oil prices can benefit Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revenues without negatively affecting domestic fuel supply,â&#x20AC;? NBS said.

On the concern that the Q1 figures reflected a disappointing trend as consumer confidence remains low, compared to the GDP figures in Q4, 2017, NBS said the recession officially ended less than a year ago, noting that it was difficult to draw this conclusion about consumer confidence solely by comparing Q4 and Q1.

The statistical agency observed that the Q1 figures seemed to reflect that output was growing, but slowly, following the recession. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typically, Q1 is the slowest quarter of the year as economic activities tend to pick up more slowly after the end of year/new year holidays.

Naira Weakens to N366/$1 Meanwhile, the naira continued to falter against the U.S. dollar on the parallel market segment of the foreign exchange market yesterday, as it fell to N366 to the dollar, lower than N364 at which it traded on Tuesday.

On the Investors and Exporters (I&E) Window, the naira also dropped marginally to N361.40 to a dollar, lower than N361.30 from the previous day.

The last time the naira was seen at its present value on the parallel market was on September l2, 2017.

President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe attributed the development to renewed pressure on the forex market as well as galloping crude oil prices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of factors are also contributing to the pressure we are seeing in the market.

Firstly, once there is a spike in crude oil prices in the international market, there is always increased demand for dollars globally, which has a negative impact on

TOP GAINERS IKEJAHOTELS MRSOIL FIRSTALUM NIGINSURE JOHNHOLT TOP LOSERS UACN CHAMS C & I LEASING

NGN NGN 0.20 2.24 1.45 31.20 0.02 0.46 0.01 0.24 0.02 0.54 NGN NGN 1.35 14.50 0.02 0.38 0.07 1.35 UNITYBANK 0.05 0.97 UPDC 0.11 2.14 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â&#x201A;Ś1,600.00 Volume: 266.703 million shares Value: N4.674 billion Deals: 3,721 As at yesterday 23/05/18 See details on Page 41

% 9.8 4.8 4.5 4.3 3.8 % 8.5 5.0 4.9 4.9 4.8

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STARTERS

Nigerians Flay Buhari for Commending Abacha C4444 4444 E44444 President Muhammadu Buhari once again incurred the wrath of Nigerians over his statement portraying the late former Head of State, General Sani Abacha as a change agent who built roads and fixed the health sector.

Buhari, while hosting the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) at the State House, Abuja, had taken a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, his successors in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and even the National Assembly, comparing them to Abacha.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;No matter what opinion you have about Abacha, I agreed to work with him and the PTF roads we did from here to Port Harcourt, to Onitsha, to Benin. Abacha built roads and hospitals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the former heads of state between that time was bragging that he spent more than $16 billion, not naira, on power. Where is the power? Where is the power? And now we have to pay the debts.â&#x20AC;?

This was not the first time Buhari had turned a blind eye to the mismanagement of the economy and unprecedented looting by the late dictator, as he had in 2016 declared that Abacha never stole.

Owing to the alleged looting by Abacha, his cronies and family members, Nigeria, 20 years after his death, is still struggling to secure the release of hundreds of millions of dollars stashed away in foreign banks.

Coming at a time when the repatriation of almost $500 million of the Abacha loot is still being negotiated with the U.S. government, the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statement fanned the flames for Nigerians, who took to the social media to condemn the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s praise of the late military dictator.

Biola Kazeem said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You hate corruption so much. All appearances of it. All versions of it. You are the grand Ayatollah of integrity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But Abacha is always your reference point for responsible leadership. In fact, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care what anyone thinks. Why? Because he built roads and hospitals.â&#x20AC;? @Chxta said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;While his VP was

NEWS

NEWS T I P

N EFCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; A W T I

E F C C EFCC P44448

THURSDAY MAY 24,

Email davidso

Senator Iroegbu

Head of State,

General Yakubu Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Gowon (rtd) at the commissio Babalola (SAN); former President ning

of four projects Olusegun Obasanjo; Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rosa at ABUAD in Ekiti Stateâ&#x20AC;Ś recently and former tom Urges Nige Resolve Powe ria to Use Nucl r Crisis ear Energy to

in Abuja

, MAY 24, 2018

EDITORIAL

15

HEALTH CON

DITIONS IN OUR SCHOO LS to make our schools healthy

The relevant authorit ies could do more

Y

health of the girls severely to the large populatio at risk due mainly n of students, hostels, poor overcrow quality The college reportedlof water and sanitary ding of conditions. y had critical in the areas of sewage treatmen challenges especially hall. But the authorities looked t, water and the dining situation festered. the Unfortunately, other way while the students were the lives of the cut three extremely poor short due to regulator y failure and sanitary condition the Such avoidable s. largest economy deaths in a country that boasts the on the African shameful but rankling. It bears continent is not only boarding system no repeating that the ones, is nothing in schools, particularly publicly-owned to write home about, both at post-

Letters to the Editor

primary and tertiary levels. owned schools, In some cases, organisations, including those managed privatelyhave not fared by religious have pointed to the fact that any better. Indications schools occasione the rot d by poor sanitaryin the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conditions is and other health not usually bandied only a function of paucity of funds as is about: corruptio most often account n and for the tragedies regulatory failure Regrettably, . ing end with hapless students have been parents and guardians having at the receivregular heartbrea to suffer the of their children ks associated with the frequent them. A visit and wards after huge investme loss to nts in those owned a number of unity schools, by the federal including would reveal and state governm a tale abject negligenc of mind-boggling corruptioents e. n and

A

pparently due to hostels, parents the poor conditions of the forbidden from and guardians are cleverly having access students to them, while another, sometime slip from one disease or infection to s leading to students have also lost their avoidable fatalities. Many of subterfuge lives in what is best a game by have functiona school authorities that their l clinics. On many occasions schools regrettably passed , students on from preventab they were not le deaths becausehad allowed to go attention by their parents back home for better medical and guardians.

The executive in many schools s of parents-teacher associatio have long become ns (PTAs) in the ugly corruptio willing accomplic n conundru es educational institutions across m that has envelope d malaise afďŹ&#x201A;icting the country.

In our schools, major chunk the governm all the of the blame.

OfďŹ cials of the ent takes the education at federal and state ministries of alliance with authorities in levels enter into an unholy schools for proďŹ teeri expense of the students. ng at the We believe that it is time to check school system the rot and stamp out in our negligence, corruptio the inherent orgy of n and regulator for the anti-graft y failure. It is agencies and time non-governmental other relevant bodies, and organisat the lives and future of our ions to intervene and save children.

THI

S DAY EDITOR DEPUTY EDITORS IJEOMA NWOGWUGW U BOLAJI ADEBIYI, MANAGING JOSEPH USHIGIALE DEPUTY MANAGINGDIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DIRECTOR KAYODE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL KOMOLAFE BOARD OLUSEGUN EDITOR NATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ADENIYI CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY

N

E W S PA P E EDITOR-IN-C RS GROUP EXECUTIVE HIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKAL I M I T E D OBAIGBENA DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, ISRAEL IWEGBU, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, IJEOMA NWOGWUGW DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS U, EMMANUEL EFENI DEPUTY DIVISIONALPETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DIRECTOR OJOGUN SNR. ASSOCIATE VICTOR DANBOYI ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC DIRECTORS OJEH CONTROLLER S ABIMBOLA PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED TAIWO, UCHENNA ADEYEMO DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION DIBIAGWU, NDUKA CHUKS ONWUDINJO MOSERI TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surnam e@thisdayliv e.com

Letters in response to speciďŹ c readers may TO OUR READERS send such letters publications in THISDAY opinions on topical along with their should be brief local, national (150-200 words) 1000 words). and internatiocontact details to They should and straight be sent to opinion@nal issues providedopinion@thisdaylive.com. to the point.

Interested We also thisdaylive.com they are well-written and should alsowelcome comments and along with the not be longer email address than (950and phone numbers of the writer.

ARMY/POLICE

UNENDING I

igeria has experimente d with constitutiona as our preferred l democracy and still counting.system of government for ate of State Services two decades Democracy, (DSS) and the the best form on the other National Intelligence of government without doubts, remains hand.

Agency (NIA) mechanisms because it has the national securityThese conflicts are clearly for self-correctio inbuilt avoidable adviser is raised ns. Democracy on the plank are institutions to a cabinet level. if the office of all citizens are of checks and is built created by statues equal before Then indiscipline by the law. Also, balances meaning that governed by security operatives.to guide against these acts again, there institutions are the rule these operatives of gross Sadly, these bodies created and However, Nigeria of law. are has a peculiar In one of such too weak to effectively discharge that should control amongst officials history of incessant their mandates. were reported conflicts of the last mentioned internal squabbles drive the wheel and operatives of the institutions exchanges of security agencies, of constitutiona gun-fire even reportedly caught created by law there struggles for as members l democracy to unawares a suprem of th Som f h d O bl

POLITICS I4444444O44444â&#x20AC;&#x2122;4W444L444444444

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amazing how many South-west leaders that were crying over MKOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incarceration are now teammates with Buhari and Abacha family inside APC.â&#x20AC;?

Demola Olarewaju said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Praising Abacha is a mockery to all those who lost their lives under his misrule â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from Shehu Musa Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua to Alhaja Suliat Adedeji and a shame to the likes of Bola Tinubu and co who are in the same party with Buhari. It is a direct insult also to the Yoruba race.â&#x20AC;?

Joyce Odukoya wrote: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The man who claims to be an anti-corruption czar is still praising Abacha, a proven corrupt despot and thief. I would be embarrassed if I was his supporter.

Luckily Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not.â&#x20AC;?

May Ubeku added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government is still working on how to repatriate Abachaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loots (sic) yet he came out to tell Nigerians that Abacha was a good man because he built hospitals and roads. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buhari is a disgrace to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anti-corruption fight. His name should be inscribed in the hall of shame.â&#x20AC;?

Chairman, Rules and Business, Hon. Emmanuel Oker-jev wondered why some members, including Hon. Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta), Hon. Diri Douye (PDP, Bayelsa) and Hon. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (PDP, Abia) objected to its passage for second reading when the House had conducted deliberations on the Electoral Act in the past and even transmitted same to the president for his assent.

Had the president not raised objections to the bill, it would have been passed by now, Dogara and Oker-jev contended.

Dogara, nonetheless, said passing the bill through the second reading would not prevent members from clearing any imperfections in the Electoral Act. Following the guidance provided by Oker-jev, who explained that having subjected the bill to a public hearing before, it would be needless to schedule another on it, Dogara, after a voice vote which passed the bill through the second reading, referred it to the Committee of the Whole for further legislative attention.

Also, the House, in reaction to Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s criticism of the National Assembly, said yesterday that the president was entitled to his opinion.

Buhari while receiving some of his political supporters on Tuesday had accused some lawmakers of doing nothing, despite spending a decade in the legislature. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As for the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remarks, we believe the president can hold an opinion with regards to individual members of the National Assembly; in fact, a lot

of citizens in our constituencies have been doing just that. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some members of the National Assembly have been replaced by their constituencies as a result of such opinions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, we want to believe that the president was not questioning the role of the National Assembly as an institution of democracy because that may be a worrying sign that our democracy may be imperilled. But we believe that he was not referring to that,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Namdas further clarified suggestions that the legislature was unduly causing economic distortions with the perennial delays in the budgetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passage.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 2017 budget was meant to run for 12 months; I want to tell you that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve not short-changed anybody. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we had passed this budget early enough, I can tell you that even the performance of the 2017 budget was not at the level we are at the moment and therefore, people forget that the budget is a law â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an appropriation law. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even the 2018 budget that was passed by the National Assembly, we stated clearly that it should run for 12 months. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So even if we had passed the budget earlier than now, it cannot take effect until we amend that aspect of the 12 calendar months. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I can tell you that we are not doing it to create any delays. The budget cycle is for 12 months and you can make your plans and your plans can work effectively within this period.â&#x20AC;?

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the ranking works change the perceptionin order to our strategies is to improve the as being â&#x20AC;&#x153;fantastica of Nigeria countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and that is image, to encourage lly corrupt. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As an institution why EFCC investors to not left any has come , one of stone unturned a very favourable and invest in in dealing environment with Fraud (419),â&#x20AC;? Advance Fee he added.

IN ALL THE MALAIS In the Lagos E AFFLICTING dent, facilities inciOUR at SCHOOLS, THE girls-only school the GOVERNMENT been overstretc had MAJOR CHUNK TAKES THE yond capacity hed beOF THE and the BLAME education and

in #Benue attending the funeral of a number of our countrymen who were killed by suspected herdsmen in the ongoing #PastoralConflict, our president was busy making nonsense of @ProfOsinbajoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts by running his mouth in the villa at a campaign event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comment was both in very bad taste, and indicative of the fact that he does not know anything. In three years, the current NASS (National Assembly), bad as they may be, have managed to pass 200 bills. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While it is common knowledge that Buhari doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really care about the average Nigerian, and is more concerned with returning to the Villa next year, it boggles the mind that the man keeps undermining those who could have worked with him to actually give him a decent legacy.â&#x20AC;?

Stanley Nwabia said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Same Abacha that locked up MKO till death. Murdered Ken Saro-Wiwa and Kudirat Abiola.

Looted silly via PTF with Buhari as chairman?

0811181308

to present their needs to the The level of Senate so that insecurity in we can country was the these x-rayed urgent securitylook into Ejiofor Alike the Senate engaged yesterday as desires.

Saraki further the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s said the Senate generated from security chiefs and the led by the Chief nuclear energy Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state-owned has a Defence Staff, of expressed security agencies General Abayomi corporation, Rosatom,atomic energy energybright future in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s available sustainable their commitm Olonishakin, sources mix. of energy. Nuclear, ent nuclear has described in a four-hour towards ending the energy close-door solar, wind they can run without disruption He argued that security dialogue trend of killings unfortunate eco-friendly as a sustainable and Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current and hydro power complemen regardless of in Abuja. solution to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overdependence and reinforce country â&#x20AC;&#x153;especiallyacross the perennial t under whichthe climatic conditions one another thermal power on hydro and form electricity they The session, through â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to effective a green square. plants cannot Rosatom and are operating.

As part of the supply shortfall. meet from 12.30p.m. which lasted security coordination of the the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nigeria had eventually, become These, will October Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energyefforts to diversify electricity agencies. in growing for 2017 signed agreements the standard presided over to 4.30p.m. was mix, the federal demand the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senate also by government the Senate from households and forecasts energy worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future carbon-free the construction and operation for resolved President, Dr had signed find ways to Bukola mix,â&#x20AC;? the statement nuclear power and businesses. of an strengthen to agreement with Rosatom had in attendance Saraki and aspect â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plant and researcha added. that constructio He also stated annual energy for the demand of security the Directorthat a sustainable centre.

General of the n of through constitut ional Department plant and researcha nuclear power Unfortunateis on a steady rise. energy mix with the inclusion The deals means.â&#x20AC;?

State Service of centre in Nigeria. nuclear energy ly electric energy of by Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s were the latest signed Accordin (DSS), Other leading would contribute supply state nuclear agency and representat Lawal Daura presiden g to the senate African countries, generally is unable including to meet this in no small way to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it sought to expand as â&#x20AC;&#x153;We service chiefs ives of the three agreed t, in sub-Saharan economy, thus have Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Ethiopia, rapidly growing pace,â&#x20AC;? and that of Africa beyond to work together he said.

Zambia and making Inspector-General He the in addressin a planned bid also businesses local build pointed out that South Africa, are currently to of Police. competitive nuclear power Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expanding industrial Speaking at embracing challenge s g the security prospects and South plants in the end of sector, rapid attractive on the global market.

Africa. and we expect security briefing, of nuclear energy the urbanisation rate the According to of, growth of solution to their â&#x20AC;&#x153;The developme as a middleclass the senate changes and actions him, electricity president said the energy generated to nt seen and incomes be with R of nuclear shortfalls in this ar the meeti technologi from n l c ld t ih i

ear after year, Nigeria has continued record abysmal to man developm performances in huent indicators health (infant : be it in and rate) or education maternal mortality or per capita For a country with humongo income. human and us material endowme recent death Kaita College of seven students nt, the of Education of Isa , Dutsinma preventable diseases again brought , Katsina State, from parlous state to the fore the of our health rather system.

The Katsina State-based two weeks following school was recently shut for the death of pected outbreak of cholera and the students from susreportedly occurred meningitis. The due to overcrow deaths toilet facilities ding and in by the students. most of the private hostels lack of occupied Before the deaths of Education at Isa Kaita College , two students of a neighbou University Dutsinm ring Federal a had died in just as three similar circumsta students of Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nces their lives due to the outbreak College in Lagos lost last year. of gastroenteritis epidemic

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Davidson Iriekpe

sdaylive.com,

ABUAD SOAR ING

Senate Canva sses Special Funding for Security Deji Elumoye

News Editor

n.iriekpen@thi

in Abuja

in Nigeria as you are working Transparency in a difficult context,â&#x20AC;? Rubio and hope to improve,â&#x20AC;? has praised International added. he said.

He urged anti-corruption the current Transparency On his part, International efforts of the the Head federal governme to work together nt and the Transparency Internatio of with Nigeria to Economic and understand how Nigeria/Ci nal Commission Financial Crimes Advocacy vil Society Legislative (EFCC).

Centre The Auwal Rafsanjani(CISLAC), Mr. chairperson Transparency , also offered International, of the support of Transparen Delia Ferreira Ms. Internation cy Rubio, made assertion yesterday the in curbingal to help Nigeria corruption, during a courtesy visit commended and to the EFCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exploits headquarters the new EFCC in the area of assets in Rubio said the Abuja recovery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Transparency anti-corruption body would International stand by Nigeria recognises the efforts to get rid of the government of under the leadership corruption in the menace of of the order to improve present the lives of to address acting chairman people. the lapses The visit came in a few days policy, party and legislation our after the acting make corruption that Ibrahim Magu,EFCC Chairman, interested thrive and is emerged the in new chair menace called addressing the of corruption,â&#x20AC;?

Anti-Corruptionthe Heads of said. he Agencies in Commonw Responding, ealth â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are here Africa. his gratitude Magu expressed anti-corruption to stand by the Internation to Transparency fighters al for the visit and also its learn from the and support, promising is doing,â&#x20AC;? she work the EFCC to put to continue in place said.

While offering would ensure measures that her support the EFCC, Rubio, to better ranking that Nigeria gets in Transparen Africa for the who is visiting Internation cy that her choicefirst time, noted Perceptionalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future Corruption of Nigeria Indexes. first stop was as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are not disappointed the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in recognition of the by Transparen efforts in fighting corruption. ranking, we cy International â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am familiar ranking and have seen the with the Nigeria has problem and moved five I points EFCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fight am familiar with the previous rankingahead of against corruption and we as an institution are doing well L-R: Founder, Afe Babalola military University,

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Transparency Int Anti-graft Wa ernational Praises Niger r ia, EFCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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HOUSE TO REINTRODUCE CONTENTIOUS ELECTION REORDER BILL Hon. Ahmed Babba Kaita and Hon. Eucharia Azodo.

Addressing reporters at the weekly media briefing, spokesman of the House, Hon. Abdulrasaq Namdas said the election sequence bill had been separated from the original amendment bill, which was rejected by the president and will now be processed and sent back for his assent as a standalone bill.

He explained that the bill that passed second reading yesterday was not the same as the previous one that was rejected by Buhari, as the provision altering the sequence of the election had been removed from it.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are already aware that today the Electoral Act passed the second reading. This Act is not the same as the previous one because the one that consists of the order of elections has been removed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it will come differently. It will come at a later date.â&#x20AC;?

But during the debate yesterday on the bill sponsored by Dukku and others, some members had raised objections to certain clauses in the legislation, especially provisions pertaining to the use of card readers, diaspora voting, and arbitration during the conduct of an election.

While some members wanted the bill stepped down to iron out grey areas, others said that it should pass the second reading as any differences could be ironed out at the public hearing on the bill or at the committee level.

However, both the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and

Two-Minute BrieďŹ ng

NTERNAL W ARS

led to the death of five Among the woundedpersons. mobile police Commander officer in Yobe State, whose abduction is Buba Dauda, the Mobile hours triggered by the soldiers the in It was gathered face-off between the two security agencies. the wee erupted between that the clash resulted from a serving army a misundersta over a girlfri nding that captain d d h

POLITICS

T H I S D AY

â&#x20AC;˘ THURSDAY,

MAY 24, 2018

Group Politic s Editor Tobi Soniyi Email tobi.so niyi@thisday live.com 07054

P

ERSONA 786260 SMS ONLY LITY IN Idahosa: Oy TER egunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Weak Charles Idaho Leadership Res V I E W sa, ponsible for its national chairma former political adviser to Adam APC Crisis an, Chief John He spoke with Odigie-Oyegun s Oshiomhole, says APC Adibe is in lacks Emenyonu

the requisite

tatter experience to s today because manage the party.

Your party, the appears to be All Progressives Congress of the generalheading for an implosion (APC) elections. ahead I am happy that President is giving a Muhammadu strong leadership Buhari the party and those prophets and direction to the party would of doom die are disappoin who said I am aware ted today. that the president Oshiomhole has endorsed for the national the party, I chairmanship am happy the of decision. I worked party with Adams took the right his political Oshiomhole adviser as as local governme for eight years after I served nt chairman, previous administra commissio tions. His endorseme ner in help the party nt will I just returned because I know how he works. from London mother but after I buried I my happening. was following all that I believe that has been all to the party Oshiomhole will give and I want members to to urge our work life in the party. with him because this party be fire for fire With Oshiomhole thereis a new dead. I want and I can tell you that the it will to urge our him the necessary party leaders PDP is to give support at the convention.

The worry is the want to bring ethnic dimension some into the contest. persons quarters, people We hear North is trying saying Oshiomhole in some from is a Benin man.to take the job of Oyegun Edo who That is rubbish. What is your take?

If they are what do you saying that want when Oshiomho the people of Esan then and supported le stopped Chief Tom to say comments donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Oyegun? Those making Ikimi even such know the APC chairman. how Oyegun What has ethnicitybecame Idahosa do with the national chairmans got to man, Oshiomhole he is a gentleman is an Edo man hip of the APC? himself but I think Long before in a terrain he found now, I was one just like Oyegun. that is new got home he a civil who opposed of the party to him. He would release Odigie-Oyegun, leaders about servant he really does is But for man like Oyegun. the list of not know much but the tricks strange I opposed him I am a Benin the names thenreasons the party did notlooters. know of soldiers the party was You cannot in politics. because release cement give and that gave who are retired looters felt Oyegun not growing well under I felt need that change. what you don´t have, but are selling did so we What and thieves to retreat room for those have at Ekiosa market. Generals him. I would That is why to do to keep not do what he was and go I said Oshiomho a dim. What we do better supposed Nigerians shouldwho donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; le These are are seeing today are not planning. is that because he knowsand bring the party nothing to do the party together. So why are they terrorists imported herdsmen ask them together this the intricacies interested in be the first to with tribe. If it is ethnicity has he will deliver. into this country. continuing? Babangida of politics and by the looters to cause this I do not support Oyegun.

I will whether ruled for eight man not what did he and Oshiomho In 2014, Oshiomhole have any fear regarding a situation of crisis in mayhem and create years do will perform the country. guys who looted his second term for Nigerians? Obasanjo but the emergence le played a very major myself will because or not.

The PDP he is role in not after bribing people wanted a third term do not know of Oyegun but a lot allow his party a team player and he He leaders who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tthis money and the former and was of that. with #50million will create want Buhari to be destroyed is going for coasting to victory Chief Tom Ikimi was people particularly a situation back want to each. A man because his suffered under allows so why second term that constitutio from Edo State. as the unopposed already never allow the the PDP and he so he will not of insecurity in the country candidate return. How do you want PDP defeat all means. assure you Committee to But I made the State the APC. And will when one will do you explain to stop him n But that in 2019, go to Working reopen the agenda I can and by the APC will Nigerians know as long as I am concerned agreed on Tom you call them a village and kill 73 people after we all had win the election but not only herdsmen. We we will win this Benin, the sponsor terrorist better. Let them continue , that called me Ikimi and it was Oshiomho grew more herdsmen up states. across to say please move to le You sound our borders and dagger we knew carry in innocent people at the State the motion but so optimistic Working Committe stick read to create stupid to be killing AK47 to kill now you see people . The several Oyegun. Please how they attacked e level, we want across the country, impression carrying killings so and you call Charle do a Catholic Church . I killed two priests. affect the chances many have said, Oyegun, do as to give Buhari them herdsmen it for me. And it for me, we want would What of a bad your party. are they trying and trained killers They are looking I feel which changed I moved the imported intoname. These are religious to do? motion and very sad when Nigerians for reaction the PDP looters.

Ikimi in favour the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earlier support so there will this country misled. I said get war in Nigeria. of Oyegun.

Corruption be a by fail because for that corruption in one of my confused These people But they are Edo North. is fighting back. interviews the heads of going know So why did Oshiomhole is from President will to that fight if Buhari is many of them are better than millions of Nigerian Oyegun is back. I recall he not say Buhari vi it re-elected from B i will b i the h d beca whe d f

FEATURES

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A I T V C W A D

A P44420 Specialists

screening an

2018 â&#x20AC;˘ T H I

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autistic patient

special home special needs, for children with Ize Therapy Vocational Centre, and World Autism marked the organised free Day when it screening and from autism. therapy for children suffering It was the by the centre first major social engageme nt almost two located in Gwarimpa, Abuja, for individuamonths after it was conceived ls with special Ize Jatau. needs by Aishat The centre suffering from is equipped for children Down-Sy Palsy, Visual ndrome, Cerebral impairment, and Psycholog Autism, Mental ical break and th d

BUSINESS S44444444T444444 M4444444444N4444444

T44444444MD T4444G444 T M D CEO T H P M V O

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THURSDAY, MAY 24,

Acting Featur es Editor Charle s Ajunwa Email charle s.ajunwa@this daylive.com

Ize Centre Cr eates Autism Awareness

Inspired by a visually chall enge its doors and provided free d lady, the Ize Therapy and Vocationa World Autism therapy for autis l Cent Day, Olawale Ajimotokan tic children and their pare re opened reports nts to mark

are wonderfu

kind of routinel children because they they help you people- very organisedare a them. So what get organised working and with we are doing here today is

bringing professio nals or are able to assess them specialists who you, can make their and lives better,â&#x20AC;? see how we see especially in the governme She said them give Abimbola said. nt schools, attention they children with autism that a child when the centre determin deserve,â&#x20AC;? Abimbola the es the assessmecan cope academically Mr. said. nt, it will now after offeredKayode Omidire is one Individualised of the parents free counsellin Vocational structure an the World g such child.

Plan (IVP) Autism Day and therapy on for His six-year-o However, if

by Ize Centre. neurological ld son is afflicted with the centre willa child is academically limited, stress. the rather focus vocational He admitted skill it assesses the child to a skill he can to be a relevant with autism is that coping with a child cope with no mean t the â&#x20AC;&#x153;M d k

AY 24, 2018

BUSINESSW R A T E S

MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

REPO 7.83 9

A S

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

ORLD A T

23 Group Busines s Email: chika.am Editor ChikaAmanze-Nw achuku anzenwachukwu@ thisdaylive.com 08033294157, 08057161321

M A Y

1 8 ,

S & P INDEX

7.17 9.33 9.67

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

2 0 1 8 EXCHANGE RATE N305.85/1US DOLLAR AS AT LAST FRIDAY

356.66 0.04% -1.09% 3.08% 8.25%

Quick Takes Top 50 Brands

Begins 2018 As a way of encouragin Rating g strong competition, Nigerian brand brand performance and 50 Brands Nigeria healthy watchdog and rating agency, has begun and selecting Top best 50 brandsthe process of measuring Top 50 Brands , scoring for 2018 in Nigeria. and celebratio Nigeria is an annual selection, analysis, rating maintained n of top corporate brands a leadership position in theirthat have consistently up to their brand categories and Although with promises. lived Nigeriaseems diďŹ&#x20AC;erent parameters for like rating,Top 50 a Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 500 Companie Brands version of the Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fortune Making the s measurement. announcement measurementproces for this s yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Lagos, OďŹ&#x192;cer, Taiwo brand Oluboyede statedTop 50 Brands Chief annual rating Executive that one of the is essence of the of brands, whichto make brand owners appreciate the importance corporate entityhas now become the most valuable asset and a major success of their factor to their businesses.

C&F Boss Chairman, C&Fto Chair NIPR Lecture Porter Novelli, Leadership Lecture Nnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;emeka Maduegbu na, will chair Week scheduled at the 28th edition of Lagos MUSON Centre, for Thursday, May 24, 2018, Public Relations at Agip Recital The Leadership Lagos.

Hall, Lecture themed, and Inclusive â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boosting Competive Growth through activities marking Communicationâ&#x20AC;? ness is part long experienti Lagos Public Relations al platform organised Week, an annual of the of Nigerian Institute weekby communications of Public Relations, Lagos State Chapter NIPR, for public profession According to Chairman, Lagos als and stakeholders. relations, Public Relations, State Chapter, Nigerian Institute public relations Olusegun McMedal, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maduegbu of experience in and public aďŹ&#x20AC;airs profession na is a renowned directing al, with extensive and private sector communications for seeking market companies as well as Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest public international entry. We could to chair the Leadership investors not have chosen a better person Lectureâ&#x20AC;?

NCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SUPP ORT FOR RESE ARCH PROJECTS

L-R: Director, University of New Media, Nigerian Communic ations Commissio University of Technology Minna; Executive n (NCC), Haru Commissioner prototypes of Technology, Minna and Director, Alhassan; Prof.

Technical Services, research project NCC, Ubale Maska;Abiodun Musa Albinu supported by Research and Developm from Federal NCC in ent at Prof.

M. A. Olutay, Abuja...recently NCC, Mrs. Iyabo Sholanke, during from the Federal Spearhead the presentati on of Tells Govt Tourism Marketing in Nigeria, Trans Ndubuisi Francis corp MD in Abuja

The Managing ECONO MY According to of Transcorp Director/CEO He, however Hotels Plc, kind of symbiotichim, with the absence expressed Valentine Ozigbo Mr. of a potent marketing relationship has advised that governments at all regret between the governme of the tourism the relevant levels have continued to accord the the private sector in the nt and FCT, his hotel potential in the agencies of ministries and sector had tourism the scant regard, business, the the federal government at he regretted, a situation way to market gone out of and state levels spearhead the former should that was demonstra spearhead its customers and ensure marketing ted the marketing to by the abysmal are availed of marketing of while the latter drives role the pleasure the tourism of the sector of visiting some sector in Nigeria, process. the tourism by relevant ministries saying doing sites in and agencies so He noted that of leapfrogging would help in â&#x20AC;&#x153;In Transcorp, the FCT. the Minister Ozigbo who government. of the the sector into weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not only Federal Capital serving our customers, was a major revenue a discussant Terriearner. in one of the panel tory (FCT), Abuja, but sellOzigbo, who sessions was of the event for instance ing the city. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been expected to putting on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marketin national tourismspoke at a Destinatio be the chief together tourism destination g marketing ns in Nigeria: transport Our summit and officer s. job will be of the tourism What Role made easier when stated that expo in Abuja, and for the Transportation potential in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s if Tourism Sectorsâ&#x20AC;?, capital. their the government plays Doing so, he the tourism well harnessed, that role,â&#x20AC;? he said. argued, stated sector, everywhere in the world, avail him with what would potential, could with its vast governme He, therefore, the chalcalled lenges displace oil nts play the the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as role of critical propel in the sector are and governors, relevant on state highest revenue enablers and ministers him to seek and commission earner marketers of the t i soluti e i ih

HEALTH L44444O444P44444444W444C44A444444

Unilever CEO

Unilever Nigeria, for Marketing Edge Summit Ghana CEO, participation in the forthcomin Yaw Nsarkoh has conďŹ rmed Marketing Summit. g annual Marketing his Edge National thought-leadership Nsarkoh who is globally reckoned for capacity manageme credentials in the his areas of marketing nt will be guest His speech will and speaker at the annual event.

Paradigms in center on the theme of the summit, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marketing EDGE National Age of Digitalisation.â&#x20AC;?

Marketing Summit This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MARKETIN prestigious G holds Radisson Nsarkohâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disclosure Blu Hotel in Ikeja Friday, July 6, at the and conďŹ rmati GRA. high-powered on completes marketing and a line-up of be speakers and Panelists advertising profession alswho ill to be as th

4, 2018

HEALTH & LIF ESTYLE Lambo

36

Acting Featur es Editor Charle s Ajunwa Email: charle s.ajunwa@this daylive.com

: Only Politi Health Co verage cal Will Can Address Un Thirteen years iversal after

Nigeria launc of its populace hed of Health, Prof. has been enrolled undeits National Health Insur spoke on how Eyitayo Lambo who r the scheme. Martins ance Scheme, only four birthed the schem IďŹ jeh ran into per cent among other the absence of political will is fast killin e in 2005. In this exclua former Minister sundry issue s sive interview, g universal healt he h coverage in the country,

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We heard you mencement were very pivotal to the comof you make this NHIS in Nigeria.

How did The first time a reality? health insurance in Nigeria was discussed was in 1962 during the Dr. Moses Majekodunmi tenure of interested in He introduced as Health Minister. it there, so when and was the one who Insurance in a bill in parliament for put him Lagos and the they were going Health the NHIS Board happened since bill to reconstitut in 2010, then until 1984failed. Nothing e inform me.

Koshoni was when Patrick We had a lot he came to me to the Health Minister. told me he wanted of discussion up a committee Koshoni , and he me to chair him in Yoruba Health Insurance to look at the feasibility set land we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the board. I told of told him as it was desirable , and it recommen former minister go backwards. I ded that and visible.

I take up the happened afterward for four years, Again, nothing if s until Dr. Ransome mean I will chairmanship position, became Health it Kuti forgetting thatstart reporting to the would up a committeeMinister in 1992. He minister, again set when I was that did a parastatals A renowned minister, I kind of research. under economist, them. I rejected me, and NHIS was had 54 Prof. Abraham of blessed memory part it, Smith of until he said was part of let the baby They came I should not that research.

I up die while I amconceived, nursed and Again, nothingwith a template for the delivered, scheme.

I accepted the still alive. That touched of the problemshappened. Then Kuti me left. offer. and One we have in this lack of continuity For the period country is solved the board, of two years before At that time, . they disI singlehand Act six times. appointment I was almost rounding edly revised at up my the presented it We made corrections That was whenthe World Health Organisati to and then Abdulsala on.

We heard a the board which was into power. approved.

House of Represent At that point, mi Abubakar came was sponsoring (NHIS Act) the legal framework ative member came into existence a private bill Our bill was can say NHIS to amend modified in started in 1999. in 1999. So we such a way the Act. were to benefit When I came that states back, I saw end, nothing and easily buy into concerning it. At the the scheme. people making noise happened. of political manners of They will to carry There was just lack launching, which were doing all it through.

When I was I called jamboree. in Why didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t 10 years, one the regional office of the bill you WHO of the things put together through. Is providing technical I was doing for again it that it was not comprehe scale support to member was enough? to develop their nsive It couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have support scheme. health insurance and states health So, I knew that. Even the been more comprehen noise. And sive really, nothing we were just making Committee bill the present Chairman, than until former concrete happened on Health, Senator Senate putting together second term President Olusegun Obasanjoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Lanre Tejuso in 2003, I never is one the House canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be compared minister because knew I will s Lambo with the I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like be Ndudi Elumelu of Representative I became the politics. When member, was trying then. What So what is listed 13 thingsMinister of Health, I to push through the actual problem is carefully that I will like lack political simply happening is one was the with our own to do. Number scheme, why is it that we will. not growing?

There are a to address know how establishment of NHIS. The National number of problems the scheme. long I was Act was part Health Bill, now National going to be I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t one is the lack told Baba the We only saw and the major commitments during minister. I of my Health of political will some to be the Obasanjo. It He told me 13 things listed were my and commitme the mother reform agenda. That was he was during second tenure of which of all health nt federal what I neededhas approved all, but priority. that we tenure government I told him was beyond health allocation that the the council.drafted the first time legislations, 8.5 per cent. needed his approval, and took to went up to You Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget support. He there is no form know when someone by all Heads the Abuja Declaration and particularl assured me that I says tiers of governmeof responsibilities on cent, yet the of States in 2001 targeted the list, which y mentioned the number of that, the highest we have had was 15 per healthcare we nt, we tackled that. The three cent. Last year, happened and was NHIS. A number one on of are many thingswe had 4.2 per cent, 8.5 per the bill. The are talking about now basic On June 6, 2005,he helped me to overcome things area where was in so there legislate in the scheme. we launched the formal them.

Back to the wrong with us. for states was they said we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t We kicked revised. And of 2004, it had are responsibl scheme, a number off June 6th, sector by the end of gone to the 2005. one, is the Acte for the slow growth. factors yet nothing happened Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NHIS National Assembly, Number started 13 until we left we have missedof 1999. When I read are still on Another process in 2007.

4%. What is years ago, yet we our way, because it, I knew bill, but started again the scheme When I gave the issue? when it got as a private they made voluntary. There to the president, signed. In 2012, the world years ago, I my speech during the that has achievedis no country in told them if launch 13 it was withdraw it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we get our acts making it mandator and there is UHC without worked on it again continuity of together as a private n and they y. Number it took about states refuse will achieve bill. This time two, is that seven months Universal Healthideas, by 2025 we to buy into if signed in not work. Thirdly, In 2007, we before it the scheme Coverage piloted which is important it may it is not December 2014. We are was finally many people We were enrolling with federal civil (UHC). operational. in 2018, yet , is that not but it was difficult servants.

What supposed to donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know health insurance everybody at do lack of political you call that to once. Before if will? is we piloted be contributory. Even enrolled about we left office, enroll showed the one What we had is federal governm that the employer Immediately seven per cent of the populati should Nigeri we left ffi whi h T d t

I have told myself that after this interv iew I will not talk about NHIS anym spoken all ore. I have I know butthe grammar is changingnothing because we lack the li

INTERNATIONAL P S â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;B D â&#x20AC;&#x2122; N K

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email:foreigndesk Pompeo Says @thisdaylive.com â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bad Dealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with Korea Not an North Option, Hop eful about Summit US Secretary of State said on WednesdayMike Pompeo walk away.â&#x20AC;?

States is prepared the United Pompeo expressed until we see to walk away from nuclear credible hope summit will negotiations take place on the toward the complete, steps taken North Korea with June irreversible verifiable and if an upcoming 12 in Singapore as scheduled meeting between denuclearis US President Trump said on Tuesday there after Korean peninsula,â&#x20AC;? ation of the Donald Trump was a â&#x20AC;&#x153;substantial Pompeo said.

Pompeo said leader Kim Jongand North Korean off amid chanceâ&#x20AC;? it will be called Trump would wrong direction, Un heads in the prepared concerns Pyongyang is not leading the talks but declined be Reuters reported. to give up its nuclear discuss how many to â&#x20AC;&#x153;A bad deal arsenal. people, Pompeo Pompeo said is not an option,â&#x20AC;? pressure said a US-led sanctions would be on the summitor who, in his written opening team. campaign on Pompeo, who statement for Pyongyang was director would a of Affairs CommitteeHouse Foreign Korea not be eased until North the CIA before becoming secretary American people hearing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The and gives up nuclear weapons of state in April when Trump that to get this right. are counting on us intentionthe United States had no Rex Tillerson, has met twice fired with of making concessions Kim in Pyongyang not on the table, If the right deal is to Pyongyang . On his most we will respectfully recent trip he . brought back â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our posture will not change Americans who had been three held by North Korea.

US Employee Sounds, Press in China Reported Stran ure ge

A US governmen southern China t employee in â&#x20AC;&#x153;A US sensations of reported abnormal China government employee in sound The Associated and pressure, vague,recently reported subtle and they had been detected. but abnormal, Press reported Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foreign the State Departmen sensations of sound and National Health ministry and t as saying pressure,â&#x20AC;? the on Wednesday notice did said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The US not immediate Commission governmen experiences , recalling similar these among American reports seriously t is taking faxed questions ly respond to diplomats in Cuba and has about the report. informed US Secretary In an emailed who later fell ill. of this its official staff in China event.â&#x20AC;?

Pompeo, speakingof State Mike citizens in China,notice to American in Washington The departmen the departmen t said it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to the House Foreign said it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t currently t aware caused the symptoms known what China, of any similar situations in Committee, said the Affairs medical either within the indications of in the city of community Guangzhou, diplomatic where Guangzhou â&#x20AC;&#x153;arethe incident in or among consulate is located. an American didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t further identify others. It entirely consistent very similar and with the medical with the symptoms the person indications or say when of the Americans working in Havana.â&#x20AC;?

S/N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

SPORTS I44444â&#x20AC;&#x2122;4A444444S44444E44444â&#x20AC;&#x2122;C4444425P

SOURCE AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS

AMOUNT (US$) 253.31 155.00 2,100.00 160.82 151.00 300,000.00 301.63 120.00 200,000.00 1,974.00 1,860.00 1,271.69 327.59 275.65 80 00

RATE 314.00 314.00 314.00 314.00 314.00 360.50 314.00 306.00 314.00 314.00 314.00 314.00

DATE

SOURCES OF FOREIGN EXCHA NGE

14-May-18

S/N

14-May-18

72

14-May-18

73

14-May-18

74

14-May-18

75

14-May-18

76

14-May-18

77

14-May-18

78

14-May-18

79

14-May-18

80

14-May-18

83 84

SOURCE

AUTONOMOUS

AS AT 18TH

AMOUNT (US$)

AUTONOMOUS

25,500.00

IMTO

4,742.40

IMTO

2,616.56

IMTO

43.97 246,495.09

IMTO AUTONOMOUS

4,203.54 414.96 5,928.00

AUTONOMOUS

82

14-May-18 14-May 18

AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS

81

14-May-18

314.00 314.00

135.00

AUTONOMOUS

77.06

AUTONOMOUS

857 88

RATE 314.00 314.00 354.76 354.41 355.00 355.00 314.00 314.00

MAY 2018

DATE S/N

15-May-18 15-May-18 15-May-18 15-May-18 15-May-18 15-May-18

15-May-18 15-May-18

SOURCE

143

AUTONOMOUS

144 145 146 147 148 149

314.00

15-May-18

150

314.00

15-May 18

151

AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS IMTO IMTO AUTONOMOUS AU

AMOUNT (US$) 600.00 685.50 237.00 3,500.00 184,768.83 2,079.62 198,535 78

RATE 314.00 314.00 314.00 314.00

DATE 17-May-18 17-May-18 17-May-18 17-May-18

360.50

17-May-18

354.81

17-May-18

, 018

53

THURSDAYSP

444444 A C E V M A M J O DR C I H G R S E P44453

Ighaloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Arrival Sw ORTS ells Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Camp Mikel, Victor Moses, Ahm to 25 Players ed Musa, othe rs expected toda y

53 Group Sports Editor Duro Email duro.ik hazuagbe@th Ikhazuagbe isdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Duro Ikhazuagb e capital is believed Apart from Chelsea to of England been excused from the have on the provisiona wing back, with the Simba clash l Ahmed Musa Victor Moses, Although of DR Congo. to camp yesterday30-man list the English .

Premier League, The duo most players and John Ogu, THISDAY team officials told arrived Ekong, Gent wingerwere joined by companyat Eagles camp yesterday in friendly withinvited for the that in Echiejile,Ola Aina, Elderson Moses Uyo with he is being DR Congo arrived the expected to and Standard Liege Simon Bryan Idowu Joel Obi and Stephen Tyronne Ebuehi, Nwankwo, Odion come Ibom Hotel defender Golf Resort camp and game into camp before the Uche Agbo. to swell the of Amkar Perm Ogenyi Eze, Junior Lokosa, Uche Agbo and Moses Ighalo, scheduled for total number Leon Balogun Simon.

After the game Eagles yesterday of the Super afternoon Monday Tuesday of Omeruo, Onazi, Kenneth who on players to 25. . with DR at the Wilfred Ndidi, Congo in Port John Ogu, completed his Players in camp Kelechi Iheanacho Victor Moses, Amiesimaka StadiumAdokiye from Bundesliga switch Monday, Eagles Harcourt on Shehu Abdulahi in Port Brighton , Alex â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mainz 05 to Ikechukwu Ezenwa,include;: Iwobi, Chidozie are expected and Ahmed Harcourt.

Musa are expected Daniel Akpeyi, and Hove Albion Awaziem, to fly out to London Apart from the early to take on Three Lions in Ajiboye, Francis Uzoho, Dele Oghenekaro Etebo, Uyo this afternoon to arrive that birds Bryan of England in swelled the camp Williams Troost- Idowu, Joel .

Captain of Obi, Mikel another pre-World to 17 as at Tuesday evening, Agu, Leon Mikel Obi, whothe team, John Yatai Balogun, Simy at the Wembley Cup match Changchun striker Stadium on is yet Odion Ighalo June 2. to touch down in the Akwa Ibom Crotone of Italy striker and Nwankwo Simy led more players

New Arsenal Boss, to OfďŹ&#x201A;oad Iwobi Emery, Advised , Cech, Ozil

Former Chelsea star Cascarino has urged Tony Cascarino told Arsenal manager new UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Unai Emery Times.co.uk to get rid of Cascarino Alex Iwobi Nigeria forward Emery also to show the wants players at and eight other to Hector exit the club.

Bellerin, Petr door Emery yesterday Cech, replaced Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Arsene Wenger who left the Koscielny, Calum Chambers position at Granit season afterthe end of the and Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil.

22 years incharge. Cascarino Iwobi who believes the 22 year is currently with forward is old Nigerian Uyo the Super Eagles limited in skill. in preparing â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think for the 2018 he (Iwobi) FIFA World Cup will ever be a top-four featured in 39 in Russia player, which games for is what Arsenal and scored Arsenal need just right now,â&#x20AC;? three goals and provided seven assists last season.

Top Seeds Avoi Going into Quad Upsets rterďŹ nals

All the top eight eventsfour seeds in the Abiodun of the ongoing 9-4 while SNEPCo Junior Tennis seed, Omolayo the fourth Championship Bamidele whitewashed Fatima Ganiyu, to get to the avoided upsets from quarterfinals.

Oyo 9-0.

In the Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 14 No 16, Favour Moses from 1 seed, Daniel Kaduna and Adeleye from Ekiti Omolade stayed on course to defend Ondo who Aderemi from he bested Luckyhis title when Kelechi Nwakali played in finals of the CBN (left) en-route the Rivers Hileja from to Atletico Madrid 9-1 but will unleasing the Championship Junior Tennis overcome have to screamer that during the GOTV ago, kept their two months Kushimo his nemesis, Sadiq gave Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Max Cup clash Super Eagles in Uyoâ&#x20AC;Śon from rematch alive. hopes of a in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the second Tuesday night the semifinalsOgun State, goal of the 3-2 Moses . Kushimo eliminated loss Sunday Ameh Rachel from Emmanuel beat from Lagos while Aderemi 6-2 JoshuaLagos 9-4 to progress. overpowe Maxwell, Omoyemi red seed from Rivers the fourth President The No. Oguntoye 9-1. Akinmus and Michael of the Nigeria 1 seed, Toyin ere from Oyo, Football Asogba eliminated Federation Deborah second seed, are also the Pinnick , Mr. Amaju Melvin taking over from the present who course. squad, on second-stringsaw Super Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to the from the squad going the junior teams, from World Cup next where the senior players put up excellentteam triumph Pinnick month. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Players like will emerge.â&#x20AC;? confident added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are Europa League form against our am very happy because the Nwakali big mission brothers (Chidieber Atletico Madrid champions assuming statement preparatory that from the e and plan that Tuesday evening in Uyo on sustainableoffice was to buildon Kelechi) wowed we the near â&#x20AC;&#x201C; have put together a capacity is excited football cult Nomin ti that th for th Sup E cro d Ni f

Nominations Open Nigerian Spor for 2018 ts Award

Pinnick Excited by Says Nigeria

Eagles â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Perfo rmance again st Atletico the future

has a team for

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018

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COMMENT

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

UGLY SOLITUDE IN PALESTINE

Okello Oculi argues that Palestinian protests against the relocation of American embassy to Jerusalem drew attention to victims of silence elsewhere

A

s the American embassy was planted in Jerusalem, a female Palestinian university student told a SKY TV correspondent that the 60 Palestinians killed that day by Israeli soldiers had died gallantly in ending global silence over tragic conditions endured by her people since their violent expulsion in 1948 by Israeli immigrants aroused

by Zionist politicians. A Jewish people whose history of persecution peaked with Adolph Hitlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;holocaustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; during the 1938-1945 War had (with the connivance of British colonial officials), crafted a home through an exodus by frightened â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arabsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; from their own homeland.

Decades later, the 1966 meeting of the International Student Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, opened with a Ugandan student as chairman allowing Palestinian students delegation adequate time to educate delegates from Africa, Asia and South America and the Caribbean about this legacy. His view was that bitter wars of liberation to get back lands seized by European immigrants had wracked Algeria and Kenya; and was blazing from Mozambique; Zimbabwe; South Africa, Namibia and Angola. Colonial officials had thrown a thick cloud of silence over Israel- Arab wars over Palestine.

Probably for fear of losing support by France, Britain, Portugal, Spain, Germany and Netherlands as oppressors of African peoples, Israel herself refrained from exposing to African students the sordid barbarisms against Jews by Europeans. At the Nairobi conference, Israeli students chose to complain about the amount of time given to Palestinians to make their case, and not on educating African victims of blood-stained colonial educational silence about Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crimes. They conspired to depose the Ugandan chairman of the plenary session.

Nemesis hit International Student Conference when in 1967 a revelation by radical students at the Berkeley campus of the University of California listed in among organisation financed

by Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to raise fighters against the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;freedom fightersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; supported by these communist countries. Following that exposure, leaders of the organisation elected in Nairobi - headed by Ram Lekina from India â&#x20AC;&#x201C; scattered into various showers of political rain to wash off stains of this bit of Cold War drama. The opportunity was lost of the tragic history of Palestinians and Israelis turning into a collective washing off old wounds with LOVE as deodorants; and evolving new political cultures of inventing human brotherhood and sisterhood on university campuses.

Another twist in historyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sense of humour struck when Israeli and Palestinian actors locked horns in Kampala after the January 13, 1971 when Idi Amin grabbed the world stage.

It was widely said that his military takeover was managed by

TRAGIC HISTORIES OF ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS CAN BENEFIT FROM THE MARRIAGE OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICA GIRL TO A BRITISH MONARCH BY SEIZING PREACHER MICHAEL CURRYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ASSERTION THAT LOVE WASHES AWAY PREJUDICES

Britain, the United States of America and Israel. Britain was eager to stop Milton Oboteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan to send â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Indian-Pakistani Britonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; out of Uganda to stop the flow of foreign currency out of the economy. Israel and the United States were angry over Obote denying them a military base from which Israeli jet fighters could hit targets in Sudan and Egypt from the south, including bombing the vital flow of River Nile to both countries. Muammar Gaddafi soon disrupted their honeymoon with Idi Amina. Probably persuaded by offers of Libyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil money, Amin returned from his trip to Libya and announced the expulsion of Israelis from Uganda.

Palestinians saw open skies for a propaganda sunshine on Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sector of the Equator. Their commandos hijacked a plane carrying scores of Jewish passengers and forced it to land at Ugandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Entebbe airport. It was probably true that Amin talked to General Barlev, his trainer as a parachute in Israel, and ensured an Israeli rescue operation without a shot being fired as the troop carrier landed and took off. The Western media would make heroes of the Israel and pushed Palestinian anger into another zone of silence.

Donald Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision to plant the American embassy in Jerusalem as the capital of only Israel, roused mass protests and demands by Palestinians for a return to their homes. They, thereby, drew attention to fates of victims of silence in other lands. Wole Soyinka once noted that the election of a son of Africa as president of the United States in 2008 awakened AFRO-IRAQIs, long â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;invisibleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Africans who had fought and protected their separate status in Iraq.

In Argentina, Obama presidency stoked a hidden history to reveal African heroes of several wars against neighbouring states; while several museums brought out paintings of African-Argentineans at social functions. The nasty Argentinean jab that Brazil is backward because it had too much African blood in their veins, turned into panic following Cubaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s troops whipping racist South African troops in Angola, and Fidel Castro justified his historic adventure by asserting that African blood runs in veins of Cubans. From Jamaica to Peru a silence over the humanity and political ambitions and potential of peoples of African descent shook gates power. Fidel Castro told a French journalist that Cuba had changed world history by fatally wounding crimes against humanity in Namibia and South Africa. One hopes that the crash of a Cuban plane that killed 110 passengers was not cynically planned to splash death onto the marriage of an African-America girl to a British monarch.

Tragic histories of Israelis and Palestinians can benefit from that marriage by seizing Preacher Michael Curryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assertion that LOVE washes away prejudices. Together they must give world culture the words of the choirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;STICK BY MEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

THREEYEARS OFâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;EKWUEMEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has done remarkably well, writes Tayo Ogunbiyi

O

n May 29, 2015, Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, became the 14th governor of the state. Three years after, he has invested tremendous time, energy and resources toward rapid socio-economic development of the state.

From the outset, Ambodeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal was to give Lagosians a functional and safer city, where people can find success and satisfaction. His slogan: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lojewalogunâ&#x20AC;? which means: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The progress of Lagos is our priorityâ&#x20AC;?, is about development and modernisation. Thus far, he has been able to achieve this through visionary leadership, untiring commitment to excellence, technocratic competence, commitment to results and, above all, accountability.

Across the state, massive infrastructure projects are quite visible. Recently, 21 roads and three bridges connecting Lagos with Ogun State were inaugurated while Aboru Link Bridge was equally launched two years ago. In the Badagry axis, ImekeAjido Link Bridge and numerous other roads were constructed. Similarly, the Ajah and Abule-Egba Bridges, Ojodu-Berger Pedestrian Bridge with adjoining roads were completed and launched. Also, a World Class Bus Terminal at Ikeja was recently opened for use with a pledge that more of such are to be delivered in due course.

Earlier in 2016, 114 inner roads across the state were rehabilitated while a total of 181 community roads are currently being

rehabilitated. Work is also on-going on the Pen Cinema Flyover while the redevelopment of the Lagos Airport Road into a 10-lane international standard highway is on course. Equally, work is progressing on the Oshodi Transport Interchange which when completed is bound to change the face of public transportation in the state. Just a few days back, approval was also given for the construction of Fagba flyover.

The strength of every nation is measured by the buoyancy of her economy. China is, today, a major world power due to the viability of her economy. In a democracy, a strong and thriving economy is vital because extreme poverty could be a serious threat to nation-building. This explains Ambodeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unwavering dedication to strengthening the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy. Presently, in Nigeria, Lagos has effectively proved that it is possible to build an economy that is not solely reliant on oil.

A large chunk of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure renewal projects is being financed from internally generated revenue (IGR). Presently, due to the impact of ongoing reforms and growth in the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy, the state is experiencingimprovement in its average monthly IGR. In the first quarter of 2018, the state has achieved an average monthly IGR of N34billion, compared to monthly averages of N22bn, N24bn and N30bn in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively.

One vital tendency that has become a recurring symbol of the Ambode administration is the governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s penchant for fulfilling

promises. Sometimes ago, while on project inspection tour to the popular Ladipo Motor Spare Parts Market, Oshodi, as soon as the governor was sighted by the traders, chants of Ekwueme! Ekwueme! Ekwueme! filled the air. InIgbo language, Ekwueme means promise keeper. So, the ecstatic traders were merely expressing their appreciation to the governor for keeping to his promise of improving infrastructure around the market.

In the area of youth empowerment, Ambode promised to create a favourable atmosphere for the empowerment of the youth. Presently, his administration has put in place the N25b Lagos State Employment Trust Fund which youths with creative ideas and talents could now access to make possible their dreams. The governor is equally making good his promise of ensuring prompt payment of public servantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wages on the 23rd of every month.

Retired public servants are equally benefiting from Ambodeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promise of improving workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; welfare. In 2015, in order to reduce the economic and emotional burdens of the state pensioners, a sum of N11bn was released to offset pension liabilities owed retirees in 2010. Also, between May 2017 and March 2018, N9.3 billion was paid as pension to 2,466 retirees in the state. Last year alone, government paid over N9 billion as terminal entitlements of retirees. Without a doubt, this intervention has gone a long way in ameliorating the sufferings of retirees in the state.

A New York Times bestselling author,

Richard Paul Evans, once said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Broken vows are like broken mirrors. They leave those who held to them bleeding and staring at fractured images of themselves.â&#x20AC;?

Cheerfully, the Ambode administration has demonstrated that promises are sacred and, as such, they must be kept.

Thus far, Governor Ambode has been able to manage the Lagos economy through prudent and stringent management of available resources. This has qualified him as an authentic leader that can be trusted by the people. According to German writer and statesman, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;not the maker of plans and promises, but rather the one who offers faithful service in small matters is the person who is most likely to achieve what is good and lastingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

In Ken Follettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s novel, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Pillars of the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the writer explores the development of medieval architecture as captured in the building of a cathedral in the town of Kingsbridge, England. Like the medieval architects in the novel, in the last three years, Ambode has been going about the reconstruction of Lagos like a skilled builder. The result is that his administration has erected several pillars upon which the future of Lagos could now firmly rest.

As the governor focuses on the last lap of his four years mandate, Lagosians are certainly in for more dose of his distinctive â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ekwuemeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trend in the state.

Ogunbiyi is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

15

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

EDITORIAL HEALTH CONDITIONS IN OUR SCHOOLS The relevant authorities could do more to make our schools healthy

Y

ear after year, Nigeria has continued to record abysmal performances in human development indicators: be it in health (infant and maternal mortality rate) or education or per capita income.

For a country with humongous human and material endowment, the recent death of seven students of Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsinma, Katsina State, from preventable diseases again brought to the fore the rather parlous state of our health system.

The Katsina State-based school was recently shut for two weeks following the death of the students from suspected outbreak of cholera and meningitis. The deaths reportedly occurred due to overcrowding and lack of toilet facilities in most of the private hostels occupied by the students. Before the deaths at Isa Kaita College of Education, two students of a neighbouring Federal University Dutsinma had died in similar circumstances just as three students of Queen’s College in Lagos lost their lives due to the outbreak of gastroenteritis epidemic last year.

In the Lagos inciIN ALL THE MALAISE dent, facilities at the AFFLICTING OUR girls-only school had SCHOOLS, THE been overstretched beGOVERNMENT TAKES THE yond capacity and the MAJOR CHUNK OF THE education and health BLAME of the girls severely at risk due mainly to the large population of students, overcrowding of hostels, poor quality of water and sanitary conditions.

The college reportedly had critical challenges especially in the areas of sewage treatment, water and the dining hall. But the authorities looked the other way while the situation festered. Unfortunately, the lives of the three students were cut short due to regulatory failure and the extremely poor sanitary conditions.

Such avoidable deaths in a country that boasts the largest economy on the African continent is not only shameful but rankling. It bears no repeating that the boarding system in schools, particularly publicly-owned ones, is nothing to write home about, both at post-

Letters to the Editor

primary and tertiary levels. In some cases, privatelyowned schools, including those managed by religious organisations, have not fared any better. Indications have pointed to the fact that the rot in the nation’s schools occasioned by poor sanitary and other health conditions is not only a function of paucity of funds as is usually bandied about: corruption and regulatory failure most often account for the tragedies.

Regrettably, hapless students have been at the receiving end with parents and guardians having to suffer the regular heartbreaks associated with the frequent loss of their children and wards after huge investments in them. A visit to a number of unity schools, including those owned by the federal and state governments would reveal a tale of mind-boggling corruption and abject negligence.

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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

pparently due to the poor conditions of the hostels, parents and guardians are cleverly forbidden from having access to them, while students slip from one disease or infection to another, sometimes leading to avoidable fatalities. Many students have also lost their lives in what is best a game of subterfuge by school authorities that their schools have functional clinics. On many occasions, students had regrettably passed on from preventable deaths because they were not allowed to go back home for better medical attention by their parents and guardians.

The executives of parents-teacher associations (PTAs) in many schools have long become willing accomplices in the ugly corruption conundrum that has enveloped educational institutions across the country. In all the malaise afflicting our schools, the government takes the major chunk of the blame. Officials of the ministries of education at federal and state levels enter into an unholy alliance with authorities in schools for profiteering at the expense of the students.

We believe that it is time to check the rot in our school system and stamp out the inherent orgy of negligence, corruption and regulatory failure. It is time for the anti-graft agencies and other relevant bodies, and non-governmental organisations to intervene and save the lives and future of our children.

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.

ARMY/POLICE UNENDING INTERNAL WARS

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igeria has experimented with constitutional democracy as our preferred system of government for two decades and still counting. Democracy, without doubts, remains the best form of government because it has inbuilt mechanisms for self-corrections. Democracy is built on the plank of checks and balances meaning that all citizens are equal before the law. Also, institutions are created and governed by the rule of law.

However, Nigeria has a peculiar history of incessant internal squabbles amongst officials and operatives of the institutions created by law to drive the wheel of constitutional democracy. Some of these inter-agency struggles for supremacy amount to grave threats to national security interest of Nigeria as a corporate entity.

Nigeria seems to be facing challenges with enforcement of service discipline and professionalism between and amongst the members of the different segments of the armed security services.

The most fundamental challenge that threatens professionalism in the armed security services is the seemingly superiority conflicts between the different security agencies which in most cases boils down to an all-out street battles resulting in casualties and the destruction of government and private property. To make matters worse, the regime of impunity that has been institutionalised makes it impossible to bring these culprits to book.

Take for instance, since last year there have been over two dozen conflicts between the military and the police on one hand, the police and the civil defence corps, and even amongst the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) versus the combined forces of the Director-

ate of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on the other hand. These conflicts are clearly avoidable if the office of the national security adviser is raised to a cabinet level. Then again, there are institutions created by statues to guide against these acts of gross indiscipline by security operatives. Sadly, these bodies that should control these operatives are too weak to effectively discharge their mandates.

In one of such conflicts of the last mentioned security agencies, there were reported exchanges of gun-fire even as members of the public were reportedly caught unawares and were made to scamper for safety.

On a smaller scale, the military operatives and the police have been known to have engaged in several streets’ battles which in many of these instances, have led to the invasions of police facilities by the soldiers and the resultant destruction of public property.

The sad thing about this ugly scenario is that there is an absence of effective corrective mechanisms to bring the culprits to book and on the part of the hierarchies of the armed forces; there are no known effective remedial mechanisms or measures put in place to deter the occurrence of such disgraceful conducts by their operatives. But why is the court -marshal mechanisms not been put into use to sanction offenders?

Why are the orderly room trials of the police and the Police Service Commission not being used to check the excesses of these misbehaving policemen?

I took time to do just a less stressful research, and came out with dozens of times that such disgraceful inter-agency street scuffles have happened in the last 12 months.

Last year April, there was one of the ugliest cases of conflicts between the police and soldiers over a girlfriend in Damaturu, Yobe State which

led to the death of five persons.

Among the wounded mobile police officer is Buba Dauda, the Mobile Commander in Yobe State, whose abduction by the soldiers in the wee hours triggered the face-off between the two security agencies.

It was gathered that the clash resulted from a misunderstanding that erupted between a serving army captain and some mobile policemen over a girlfriend the military officer allegedly snatched from the policeman.

The situation did not go down well with the policeman, who mobilised his colleagues to beat the captain to comatose.

On hearing what happened to their colleague, some soldiers stormed the residence of the police team’s boss in the area in two patrol vans and took him to an unknown destination.

Last week, there was a report of soldiers and police men fighting somewhere in Lagos over which caused considerable panic amongst civilians.

The question to ask is why have all the relevant disciplinary measures and institutions put in place to check such acts of indiscipline chosen to watch as these armed operatives engage each other in public fisticuffs resulting in violent deaths?

The Nigeria constitution has clearly spelt out the functions of each of the segments of the security forces even as both the hierarchies of the armed forces and the police have been empowered to maintain service discipline and instil professional excellence amongst their officers and women.

Emmanuel Onwubiko, Head, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲË&#x153; ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

POLITICS

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

PERSONALITY INTERVIEW

Idahosa: Oyegun’s Weak Leadership Responsible for APC Crisis Charles Idahosa, a former political adviser to Adams Oshiomhole, says APC is in tatters today because its national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun lacks the requisite experience to manage the party.

He spoke with Adibe Emenyonu Your party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) appears to be heading for an implosion ahead of the general elections.

I am happy that President Muhammadu Buhari is giving a strong leadership and direction to the party and those prophets of doom who said the party would die are disappointed today.

I am aware that the president has endorsed Oshiomhole for the national chairmanship of the party, I am happy the party took the right decision. I worked with Adams Oshiomhole as his political adviser for eight years after I served as local government chairman, commissioner in previous administrations. His endorsement will help the party because I know how he works.

I just returned from London after I buried my mother but I was following all that has been happening. I believe that Oshiomhole will give all to the party and I want to urge our party members to work with him because this is a new life in the party. With Oshiomhole there it will be fire for fire and I can tell you that the PDP is dead. I want to urge our party leaders to give him the necessary support at the convention.

The worry is the ethnic dimension some persons want to bring into the contest. We hear in some quarters, people saying Oshiomhole from Edo North is trying to take the job of Oyegun who is a Benin man. What is your take?

That is rubbish. If they are saying that then what do you want the people of Esan to say when Oshiomhole stopped Chief Tom Ikimi and supported Oyegun? Those making such comments don’t even know how Oyegun became the APC chairman. What has ethnicity got to do with the national chairmanship of the APC? Oshiomhole is an Edo man just like Oyegun.

Long before now, I was one of the party leaders who opposed Odigie-Oyegun, but I am a Benin man like Oyegun. I opposed him because I felt the party was not growing well under him. I felt Oyegun did not do what he was supposed to do to keep the party together. So this has nothing to do with tribe. If it is ethnicity I will be the first to support Oyegun. In 2014, myself and Oshiomhole played a very major role in the emergence of Oyegun but a lot of people do not know that. Chief Tom Ikimi was already coasting to victory as the unopposed candidate from Edo State. But I made the State Working Committee to reopen the agenda after we all had agreed on Tom Ikimi and it was Oshiomhole that called me to say please move the motion at the State Working Committee level, we want Oyegun. Please Charle do it for me, we want Oyegun, do it for me. And I moved the motion which changed the state’s earlier support for Ikimi in favour of Oyegun. Oshiomhole is from Edo North. So why did he not say because Oyegun is from Benin he would not support him? Oshiomhole is a detribalized Nigerian if you know him very well, but I can understand that some persons were sponsoring some stupid write ups that do not make sense against him.

Surprisingly, when Oyegun got there as national chairman, he was not putting the party together the way I expected and because I don’t hide my feelings I started attacking him. It does not mean I don’t respect him. He has tried his best but we need a change. When I lost my mum he called me to commiserate with me. But I felt he was not doing what he is supposed to do as a national chairman of a ruling party and that is why we have too much crisis in the party today. There was a time I granted an interview I said APC was in tatters and I knew what I meant and people are seeing that today. That time some persons thought I wanted to leave the party but nothing like that but I was lamenting that we were making the same mistake that the PDP made.How can we be the ruling party and we are not in control of the National Assembly, the National Assembly is acting as the opposition leader number one to APC. That does not mean Oyegun is a bad

Idahosa

man, he is a gentleman but I think he found himself in a terrain that is new to him. He is a civil servant he really does not know much about the tricks in politics.

You cannot give what you don´t have, so we need that change. That is why I said Oshiomhole would do better and bring the party together because he knows the intricacies of politics and he will deliver. I do not have any fear regarding whether Oshiomhole will perform or not. He will because he is a team player and he will not allow his party to be destroyed because he particularly suffered under the PDP and will never allow the PDP defeat the APC. And I can assure you that in 2019, the APC will not only win the election but we will win more states.

You sound so optimistic. The several killings across the country, many have said, would affect the chances of your party.

I feel very sad when Nigerians get confused and misled. I said in one of my interviews that corruption will fight back. I recall when President Buhari visited London shortly after he was sworn in as president, he said when he

What we are seeing today are not herdsmen. These are terrorists imported into this country by the looters to cause mayhem and create a situation of crisis in the country

got home he would release the list of looters.

But for strange reasons the party did not release the names then and that gave room for those looters and thieves to retreat and go planning.

What we are seeing today are not herdsmen.

These are terrorists imported into this country by the looters to cause mayhem and create a situation of crisis in the country. The PDP guys who looted this money and the former leaders who don’t want Buhari back want to create a situation of insecurity in the country so he will not return. How do you explain when one will go to a village and kill 73 people and you call them herdsmen. We grew up in this Benin, the herdsmen we knew carry stick and dagger but now you see people carrying AK47 to kill and you call them herdsmen so as to give Buhari a bad name. These are trained killers imported into this country by the PDP looters. Corruption is fighting back.

These people know that if Buhari is re-elected, many of them will be in jail. Look at a former president writing letters to him telling him not to run. What moral justification does he have to advise Buhari. Buhari was former governor of the North East State which is six states now but he has no house in Benin or Lagos. He has no property in Dubai or London but look at other former presidents who came into power without a penny they are all billionaires today.

Babangida never wanted to leave office, he set up an interim government and planned how to kick out the interim government. The freest election in this country was conducted under him but he nullified it. He will still sit down and be advising Buhari that has integrity and respected worldwide. Nigerians are being respected today in world because of Buhari.

Atiku cannot go to America and he is one of those talking. It was Orji Uzoh Kanu that dropped money for Obasanjo when they wanted to make him president. He rigged elections in states including the AD states in the South West.

Here is a man that wanted third term even after people helped him into power without him winning his region. So this country is funny.

Look at the General who told Nigerians that he had so much money he did not know what to do with it. Today he is one of those still talking that Nigeria wants to break. Generals who retired at 39-40 years and became billionaires. I

know of soldiers who are retired but are selling cement at Ekiosa market. Generals who don’t’ have a dim. What Nigerians should ask them is that why are they interested in this man not continuing? Babangida ruled for eight years but what did he do for Nigerians? Obasanjo after his second term wanted a third term and was bribing people with #50million each. A man is going for his second term that constitution allows so why do you want to stop him by all means. But as long as I am concerned, Nigerians know better. Let them continue to sponsor terrorist across our borders to be killing innocent people to create stupid impression. I read how they attacked a Catholic Church and killed two priests. What are they trying to do?

They are looking for reaction so there will be a religious war in Nigeria. But they are going to fail because the heads of millions of Nigerians are better than the heads of few of them. So as far as I am concerned Buhari is a great man, he has transformed the country. The naira now can be used for some transactions in the UK, and we are out of recession. It was Okonjo-Iweala who said when there was oil boom she told Jonathan and others to save but they refused.

As far as I am concerned the insecurity in the country is being perpetrated by corrupt people who want to frustrate the war against corruption that Buhari has been dogged about.

There is speculation that some leaders of the APC may dump the party before the 2019 elections. Don’’t you think it may affect the fortunes of your party?

I agree with you. I have heard the same rumour too but we are waiting for them to leave but if they leave the world will not come to an end.

But sometimes some of these things are not true. Again it will be difficult for these parties to defeat APC, even Secondus, the PDP national chairman has said that PDP cannot wrestle power from APC alone. We are watching them until they make the move. For instance it is being rumoured that Tambuwal is one of those leaving.

But after he lost his SA media, I got in contact with him to express my sympathy because he is a very good friend. Of all our discussions, he did not tell me he was defecting to another party. So let’s see what happens but I don’t see any threat in 2019.

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

POLITICS

Baba-Ahmed: APC Lacks Legitimacy to Fight Corruption Apresidentialaspirant,SenatorDattiBaba-Ahmedhasexplainedwhy President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war is failing, saying a government that was elected with allegedly stolen funds cannot fight corruption. He spoke with Abiodun Ajala: Excerpts: Why do you want to be the President of Nigeria?

It’s very obvious. The situation that Nigeria is in today is not a good one. The future of Nigeria is scary, and it is only us, Nigerians that can provide our own solutions. Amongst us, there are those that God has set aside to work for others. I happen to be one of them.

We have had many heavy weights that have occupied that position but disappointed Nigerians in their delivery. Are you not scared of what you want to go into?

No I’m not scared. The powers in that exalted office are commensurate to the challenges of Nigeria. I need the power of that office to address the enormous challenges that we have. The previous occupants of that exalted office are entitled to their own opinion as regards their challenges. I have not been into that office to know how difficult it is but I am never scared by difficulties, rather I am encouraged by results that are positive.

Who should take the blame for Nigeria’s under development over the years?

I don’t want to put all our former leaders in one category. I will rather address the current situation. Do me justice by allowing me to address the current situation. Now, if you want to know why this government is finding it difficult to run Nigeria’s affairs, the reasons are not far-fetched. One, APC was an accident. Strange bird fellows felt they had to quickly form an alliance. Two, PDP committed a strategic error that was cashed on by the APC. Three, a government that claimed it was coming to fight corruption must avoid looted funds – APC has not been able to do that. Four, no responsible political organisation plays politics with insecurity. Five, you must never come to power without vision, without plans. These are among issues I can adduce as the reasons for the failure of APC. Having identified all these factors, how do you plan to correct them, if you become the president Absolutely! Take them one after the other.

If I don’t really recall the order, but I can assure you that I will never use looted funds to run my government and I will never be indebted to corrupt individuals and questionable business interests. I will not be forced to make appointments that are suspicious, which will have attendant consequences on the affairs of government. I will never play politics with insecurity. I have a clear vision and strategies for achieving the vision. Note that our movement is not by accident; we have carefully chosen ourselves. We are not picking losers who are hungry for power.

There are principles we are strictly following in our movement.

Past leaders made a lot of promises but they still failed. What are you going to do differently?

It may be contrary to public opinion. We have not tried many. We have only tried a few. Among these few, they keep saying they are fighting corruption, fighting corruption.

How are they fighting corruption? Nobody

A government that claimed it was coming to fight corruption must avoid looted funds – APC has not been able to do that

Dating-Ahmed

knows. Arresting people? But before I come to corruption, let me state how I intend to do things differently. Let us take insecurity for example. Like I told you, we will not play politics with insecurity. It is too important.

I want to keep it short and simple. We will account for every square metre in the Nigerian territory, and I beg not to say more than that.

By accounting for, it covers everything else.

Some people would play politics with it, but I won’t. I want a Nigeria where citizens will move freely, any time of the day, from any origin to any destination whatsoever. I want a Nigeria, where remuneration of all public servants irrespective of status will take them from the first day of the month to the last day of the month.

I want to redefine and rearrange Nigeria’s economic order, and take it away from the system where success is tied to who you are or who you know in government.

I want to redefine and rearrange Nigeria’s economic order, and take it away from the system where success is tied to who you are or who you know in government. Success and wealth will hence forth be adjudged based on how well one identifies and utilises opportunities; how industrious the person is. By so doing, the procurement system in Nigeria which is largely responsible for corruption will stop. Inflating government contracts will stop immediately. Technology would

be used to capture all possible revenues for the government. Again, extortion by public servants would be brought down to the barest minimum, and it will trickle down to the private sector. Then education is the zenith of service to humanity and I have been participating in the highest level. I will bring this experience to bear in my government.

Can we have a little background into your past?

Well, I have been able to develop myself and many things before I dabbled into government.

I was into consultancy, construction and real estate before I launched myself into higher education. By the special grace and power of the Almighty God, I have established one

The situation that Nigeria is in today is not a good one. The future of Nigeria is scary

of the best private universities in Nigeria, where graduates who can stand the test of time are produced. Education is the very zenith; it is the height of service you can offer to your society and I have been privileged to participate in Nigerian education at the highest level. I have also been donating cash and materials to secondary schools in my constituency.

And if you would like to know what I did while I was in the parliament, of course, I will tell you. You know what the parliament is meant for. We make laws. I was the first, and I recall the only one to fight against inflation of government contracts; that was in 2004. You can go to the National Assembly to confirm this. I also passed a resolution or rather, I sponsored the resolution which allows victims of accidents and violent crimes to be treated in our hospitals without police reports. This is among many others as I can recall.

Again, I sponsored the resolution against wrong or false medical diagnosis in addition to sponsoring a bill against environmental degradation of the Niger Delta though I am not from that region.

Now what’s your message to Nigerians My message is simple. In 2019, we must make a real change, and vote in Datti Baba-Ahmed for president. We must shun religious and ethnic politics, and vote for the right person which I represent – which I am.

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THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018 • T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

Ize Centre Creates Autism Awareness Inspired by a visually challenged lady, the Ize Therapy and Vocational Centre opened its doors and provided free therapy for autistic children and their parents to mark World Autism Day, Olawale Ajimotokan reports

Specialists screening an autistic patient

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special home for children with special needs, Ize Therapy and Vocational Centre, marked the World Autism Day when it organised free screening and therapy for children suffering

from autism.

It was the first major social engagement by the centre located in Gwarimpa, Abuja, almost two months after it was conceived for individuals with special needs by Aishat Ize Jatau.

The centre is equipped for children suffering from Down-Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Visual impairment, Autism, Mental and Psychological break down, Dyslexia and the physically challenged kids, among others.

It assembled a team of experts in different medical fields that evaluated the psychomotor skills of children with autism to determine how they can make their lives better and cope academically.

The professionals ranged from doctors, clinical psychologists, speech therapists, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, vocational therapists and vocational skills acquisition professionals.

The assessment was done to see how the children can cope without their parents. The parents were also offered free counselling and also had their blood pressure checked, to know their state of health given that it is not easy to raise autistic children.

The centre’s administrator, Mrs. Mildred Abimbola, described autism as a neurological challenge, while shedding light on the significance of the World Autism Day. “This is an occasion for children with autism, a form of neurological challenge that has to do with the brain. Autistic children

are wonderful children because they are a kind of routine people- very organised and they help you get organised working with them. So what we are doing here today is

This is an occasion for children with autism, a form of neurological challenge that has to do with the brain. Autistic children are wonderful children because they are a kind of routine peoplevery organised and they help you get organised working with them.

So what we are doing here today is bringing professionals or specialists who are able to assess them and see how we can make their lives better

bringing professionals or specialists who are able to assess them and see how we can make their lives better,” Abimbola said.

She said when the centre determines that a child can cope academically after the assessment, it will now structure an Individualised Vocational Plan (IVP) for such child.

However, if a child is academically limited, the centre will rather focus the child to a vocational skill it assesses to be a relevant skill he can cope with.

“Most time our expectation here is not just to keep them for years but is about what we are to get from the child; how balanced is the child going to be. We want after now to produce doctors; we want to produce tailors, we want to produce people that will be self-reliant. What happens to people with special need is that employment is poor, most time they are not employed because employers feel the children are of no use. We want a situation where after this screening they can stand anywhere and be self-dependent,” she said.

Abimbola decried the low attention given to individuals with autism particularly in the regular schools. She said for autistic children to be impacted with the knowledge they are supposed to acquire, they need thorough teaching, therapy and attention that can only be impacted on one and one basis.

“That is what we are giving them here.

Children with autism are also very intelligent.

When they get something, it sticks. They are very good in computers, but how can you teach them these computers to make them very good when you don’t have a thorough time with them? And that is our mission here, because in Nigeria, hardly will

you, especially in the government schools, see them give children with autism the attention they deserve,” Abimbola said.

Mr. Kayode Omidire is one of the parents offered free counselling and therapy on the World Autism Day by Ize Centre.

His six-year-old son is afflicted with the neurological stress.

He admitted that coping with a child with autism is no mean task, stressing the condition can be a burden on parents.

“After we observed something unusual when the boy was about six months old, we decided to bring him to our parents in Lagos. The elders later confirmed our worst fear when they noted the abnormality in his growth. It was after we returned to Abuja that the stress started. Initially, as a man, I tried to cope, but the effect suppressed my wife because it is not easy to take care of the boy. He is so strong you know; she will be in better position to explain it, but it has not been an easy journey. We thank God the boy is going to six years now and we have been praying that one day we will overcome this challenge,” Omidire said in a somewhat subdued tone.

He added that his son had been on therapy ever since he was found with the ailment as a toddler.

“I know what it took me, but the boy has improved with therapy. Though people will not notice that because when we see doctors, they admit that the signs may not be significant, but at least, he is improving.

We have been on the therapy for six months and have not stopped even though at a time, when I was a bit hampered financially, some people supported me to come for the therapy. So further therapy I believe

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• T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

FEATURES

Aishat Ize Jatau (centre)...bringing succour to the physically challeged

will help the boy.”

Abimbola, who specialises in managing psychiatric patients, listed the signs parents should look out for when they give birth to know the status of children. She noted that it is not all doctors that are informed about autism and can actually detect it at the early stage.

“For every child we have milestones-at two months, what is the child supposed to be doing; at three months, what is the child supposed to be doing. When you observe abnormality, may be a child is supposed to be sitting at a particular time, but he is not sitting, you need to speak out. We have a general milestone that every child supposed

When you observe abnormality, may be a child is supposed to be sitting at a particular time, but he is not sitting, you need to speak out. We have a general milestone that every child supposed to make, when you don’t see that, you speak up, because doctors sometimes guess, you meet a social worker or a counsellor that can link you with a therapist that can actually assist you

Abimbola...taking good care of autistic patients

to make, when you don’t see that, you speak up, because doctors sometimes guess, you meet a social worker or a counsellor that can link you with a therapist that can actually assist you. We also advise that most times, don’t pick a therapist on the roadside. Visit a very organised centre and make your complaint. Go through your counseling, then you have that situation taken care of. That is why it is called a special centre, where you have all those professionals to work with those children.”

A clinical psychologist, Samuel Jinadu described autistic disorder as people who have attention deficit and conduct and behavioural disorder. He said clinical

psychologists determine at what age to identify people with special needs and start picking every signs.

“If we are able to pick sounds early, we will be able to intervene faster. That is when the child can make significant progress.

Again people with special needs, sometimes, the way they develop, is different from the way other peoples’ brain develops. They have a way of saying the word that we don’t or we may not understand except we are trained. So we look at all those things, plus the implications of special needs for the sibling of that child that has special needs,” Jinadu said.

As the world marked World Autistic

Day, the National Integrity Officer, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr. Christian Emeruwa, has attributed the problem in handling autistic disorder in Nigeria to lack of capacity for early detection of the disorder.

Emeruwa, a onetime national sports manager, Special Olympics Nigeria, said that if parents are able to detect that their children are autistic in nature and ensure that they are enrolled in special schools, they would transfer early enough some self-help skills that would eventually help these children in managing themselves in the future.

He reckoned that most children with this disability are not in school because of the learning disability which comes along with it, while most of them are also not from very good background that will enable their parents to easily want to take them for further medical checks to confirm their true status and state.

“All this put together tend to portray a child with autism as a child that is incomplete and people try to deal with them with disdain and as the normal way of life. I know for sure that there is no cure for autism but there are some behavioural adaptations that can be inculcated into the child through introduction of special schools training. And you also lessen their pressure when you engage them in sports,” Emeruwa said.

Emeruwa faulted the Nigerian educational system for not doing enough to accommodate autistic people. He described the development as a huge surprise as autistic children constitute a large chunk of the society.

“How many states have special schools in their states? Are we saying those states do not have people with autism, down syndrome or what have you? We know the conventional schools are not good enough, so all we are saying is we should have special schools, where these children can also be exposed to certain level of education.

They need special care and to get it, they need specially trained teachers in specially conditioned environment that will enable them to function.”

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

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Quick Takes Top 50 Brands Begins 2018 Rating

As a way of encouraging strong brand performance and healthy competition, Nigerian brand watchdog and rating agency, Top 50 Brands Nigeria has begun the process of measuring, scoring and selecting best 50 brands for 2018 in Nigeria.

Top 50 Brands Nigeria is an annual selection, analysis, rating and celebration of top corporate brands that have consistently maintained a leadership position in their categories and lived up to their brand promises.

Although with different parameters for rating,Top 50 Brands Nigeriaseems like a Nigeria’s version of the America’s Fortune 500 Companies measurement.

Making the announcement for this year’s brand measurementprocess in Lagos, Top 50 Brands Chief Executive Officer, Taiwo Oluboyede stated that one of the essence of the annual rating is to make brand owners appreciate the importance of brands, which has now become the most valuable asset of their corporate entity and a major success factor to their businesses.

C&F Boss to Chair NIPR Lecture

NCC’S SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS

L-R: Director, New Media, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Haru Alhassan; Prof. Abiodun Musa Albinu from Federal University of Technology Minna; Executive Commissioner Technical Services, NCC, Ubale Maska; Prof. M. A. Olutay, from the Federal University of Technology, Minna and Director, Research and Development at NCC, Mrs. Iyabo Sholanke, during the presentation of prototypes of research project supported by NCC in Abuja...recently

Spearhead Tourism Marketing in Nigeria, Transcorp MD Tells Govt Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Managing Director/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo has advised the relevant ministries and agencies of government at the federal and state levels to spearhead the marketing of the tourism sector in Nigeria, saying doing so would help in leapfrogging the sector into a major revenue earner.

Ozigbo, who spoke at a national tourism transport summit and expo in Abuja, stated that if well harnessed, the tourism sector, with its vast potential, could displace oil as the nation’s highest revenue earner.

ECONOMY He, however expressed regret that governments at all levels have continued to accord the sector scant regard, a situation he regretted, was demonstrated by the abysmal marketing of the sector by relevant ministries and agencies of government.

Ozigbo who was a panel discussant in one of the sessions of the event on “Marketing Destinations in Nigeria: What Role for the Transportation and Tourism Sectors”, stated that everywhere in the world, governments play the critical role of enablers and marketers of the tourism sector while the private sector acts as the driver.

According to him, with the kind of symbiotic relationship between the government and the private sector in the tourism business, the former should spearhead the marketing role while the latter drives the process.

He noted that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, for instance was expected to be the chief marketing officer of the tourism potential in the nation’s capital.

Doing so, he argued, would avail him with what the challenges in the sector are and propel him to seek solutions with a view to resolving them and boosting revenue drive.

Ozigbo noted that with the

absence of a potent marketing of the tourism potential in the FCT, his hotel had gone out of the way to market and ensure that its customers are availed of the pleasure of visiting some tourism sites in the FCT. “In Transcorp, we’re not only serving our customers, but selling the city. We’ve been putting together tourism destinations.

Our job will be made easier when the government plays their role,” he said.

He, therefore, called on state governors, relevant ministers and commissioners in charge of tourism in the states to henceforth spearhead the campaign Continued on page 24

‘Paucity of Terrestrial Fibre Bane of Africa’s Internet Penetration’ Emma Okonji Experts at the just concluded Africa session of the International Telecoms Week conference, which held in Chicago, USA, have described terrestrial fibre constraints as the mother of all bottlenecks hindering increased internet penetration on the continent.

During his presentation on the theme: “Enabling Content on the African Continent”, Chief Executive Officer of Xalam Analytics, a research firm, Guy Zibi, analysed the African digital journey, highlighting dramatic changes that have altered the dynamics of the digital transformation of the

ICT continent.

According to him, the international capacity challenge has been solved, with most coastal countries exhibiting an oversupply of subsea cables serving the continent. However, he noted that the reach of such capacity was still limited due to limitations in the availability of terrestrial open-access fibre which remains extremely low in most markets especially Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and Tanzania among others. These limitations have translated into retail connectivity prices as a proportion of income being twice more expensive in Africa

compared to Latin America and the Caribbean and trice when compared to Asia.

Zibi highlighted the dangers of deepening the continent’s digital divide with services limited to narrow addressable markets and Africa’s inability to fully partake in the fourth industrial revolution.

He reiterated the need for more aggressive deployment of terrestrial infrastructure, especially in metropolitan and local networks to reach the end users and enhance affordability.

A panel that included high-level representation from Orange, MTN GlobalConnect, MainOne and Kwese, challenged African policy makers to proffer incen-

tives to encourage the deployment of broadband infrastructure of scale to support the rollout of much needed infrastructure to rural areas.

The Africa Panel session at ITW was sponsored by MainOne for the 7th year in a row and continues to provide a platform for players to share perspectives on the opportunities and challenges across the region with a global audience. The discussions focused on infrastructure challenges as well as regulatory and economic constraints that impede increased internet access and proliferation of broadband across the continent.

Continued on page 24

Chairman, C&F Porter Novelli, Nn’emeka Maduegbuna, will chair Leadership Lecture at the 28th edition of Lagos Public Relations Week scheduled for Thursday, May 24, 2018, at Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos.

The Leadership Lecture themed, “Boosting Competiveness and Inclusive Growth through Communication” is part of the activities marking Lagos Public Relations Week, an annual weeklong experiential platform organised by Lagos State Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, for public relations, communications professionals and stakeholders.

According to Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Olusegun McMedal, “Maduegbuna is a renowned public relations and public affairs professional, with extensive experience in directing communications for Nigeria’s largest public and private sector companies as well as international investors seeking market entry. We could not have chosen a better person to chair the Leadership Lecture”

Unilever CEO for Marketing Edge Summit

Unilever Nigeria, Ghana CEO, Yaw Nsarkoh has confirmed his participation in the forthcoming annual Marketing Edge National Marketing Summit. Nsarkoh who is globally reckoned for his thought-leadership credentials in the areas of marketing and capacity management will be guest speaker at the annual event.

His speech will center on the theme of the summit, “Marketing Paradigms in the Age of Digitalisation.” This year’s MARKETING EDGE National Marketing Summit holds Friday, July 6, at the prestigious Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja GRA. Nsarkoh’s disclosure and confirmation completes a line-up of high-powered marketing and advertising professionals who will be speakers and Panelists as they are have indicated interest to be a part of the highly anticipated summit.

Tecno Partners Genesis Deluxe

In its bid to continually provide its teeming customers and fans with experiences that will leave lasting impressions, Tecno Mobile has partnered the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas and other top brands in Nigeria to exclusively screen the highly anticipated Marvel Studio’s AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. From the red carpet hosted by Shine to the screening room, the star studded event which held at The Palms Cinema, Lekki recently, had guests, cinema goers and Marvel fans alike reeling in excitement at the cinematic moments/experiences that were created. As is a norm at red carpet events such as this, Selfies made up a large percentage of images captured at the event.

Being a camera-centric brand with strong focus on Clear Selfies and with the recent launch of its 20MP and 24MP Camon X series, Tecno was on ground to provide guests with an experience to rival that of The Avengers .

“Economies need data to catchup with the rapid technology growth that convergence is bringing and organisations must invest in Artificial Intelligence to benefit from digital transformation” Chairman/CEO, Dell Technologies, Michael Dell

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BUSINESSWORLD SPEARHEAD TOURISM MARKETING IN NIGERIA, TRANSCORP MD TELLS GOVT for tourism marketing.

The Transcorp CEO recalled the strides of a former governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke in marketing the tourism potential of that state, which eventually etched the Obudu Resort and other sites in the state on the global map.

He expressed delight with the recent passage of the tourism bill by the National Assembly, noting that it was a positive development capable of revolutionsing the sector.

‘PAUCITY OF TERRESTRIAL FIBRE BANE OF AFRICA’S INTERNET PENETRATION’ In Nigeria, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) stakeholders, had before now, seen the challenges of limited terrestrial fibre, especially in the hinterlands, where the demand for internet access is on the increase. The Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo had several times, called on the federal government of Nigeria to consider building a national backbone infrastructure that will transmit broadband capacity from the shores of the country to the hinterlands.

He had complained that there was too much concentration of broadband capacities around the shores of the country where most of the submarine cables from Europe, that were driven by Glo1, MainOne, MTN WACS, SAT 3, among others, were berthed. According to him, less than 10 per cent of the total capacities of submarine cables in the country are currently being used by Nigerians, because the majority of Nigerians live in the hinterlands where there is paucity of terrestrial fibre, occasioned by limited broadband capacities that are sparsely distributed among homes, offices and public places around the hinterlands.

Adebayo however commended the recent move

by Glo 2, to build a second multi-billion naira optic fibre submarine cable from Lagos to the Southern part of Nigeria.

NEWS

‘Nigeria Can Generate Huge Revenue from Software Export’ Stories by Emma Okonji Administrator of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), Nigeria’s foremost Information and Communications Technology (ICT) capacity building institute, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde has raised hopes that Nigeria can generate huge revenue from indigenous software exportation, through the right synergy and commitment.

According to him, Nigeria could turn the ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ syndrome into positive energy that will leapfrog the nation in the area of software development just like India.

This, he said, could be achieved when there is a conscious national will to invest in the training of Nigerian youths and creating the right environment where they can unleash their creative and innovative abilities.

Beyond the training, there must also be a consciousness to patronise their products which are basically software and apps rather than sourcing for these products abroad.

“If you look at the demographics of our young people you will find out that they ate very savvy, entrepreneurial and talented but I think there are a number of environmental factors that also limit opportunities which is why some of them, in a bid to survive, deploy these talents negatively.

“India was able to identify the need to mainstream the talents and skills of their young people positively by consciously building a structure and framework to enable them acquire these

skills and it became an export product for India and the rest of the world and that is what Nigeria has not done”, he said.

The DBI boss said Nigeria should be able to export software and allied products as an alternative foreign exchange earner in much the same way India has done over the years.

“If we are able to harness the potentials of these young people, especially in the area of ICT it will amaze you how much they will unleash. Many of the Africa economies are

waiting for Nigeria; a lot of our young people can go into sub-Saharan countries in West, East and North Africa by exporting their skills to do things but that hasn’t happened because there has not been a conscious effort to actually develop these things and tap into them.

“We had made a case sometime in 2016 at the capacity building symposium organised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that the investments in

Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) across Africa instead of being channelled wholly and exclusively to ICT infrastructure should be dedicated to ICT skills development. He said if someone is investing $10 million in ICT infrastructure, 10 per cent of the money should go for ICT skills development especially targeted at the youths now commonly called the millennials.

“They are the ones who will use the infrastructure to innovate, create and develop

the things that will make the future happen, but as long as we don’t make that investment then it means that you’ll put a piece of ICT equipment in an office and nobody is using it because the skills are not there”, he said.

According to him, there is a critical need to invest in building ICT capacity for the young people and that’s why “DBI continues to innovate programmes that target the young people so that we fulfil our mandate in that area”.

CORDROS MILESTONE FUNDS

R-L: Director, Investment Banking, Cordros Capital Limited, Femi Ademola; Managing Director/CEO, Cordros Capital Limited, Wale Agbeyangi; Chairman, Cordros Asset Management Limited, Emeka Ndu; Director, Cordros Asset Management Limited, Mbanugo Udenze and CEO, STL Trustees Limited, Funmi Ekundayo at the signing ceremony for the Cordros Milestone Funds 2023 and 2028 in Lagos…recently KOLAWOLE ALLI

SON, CPC Others Canvass Regulatory Framework for eCommerce Sector Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), among other stakeholders, are calling for the establishment of a regulatory framework for the Nigerian eCommerce sector, which is an emerging market that worth over $13 billion.

They made the call at a technology forum organised by SON in Lagos recently, which had the theme: ‘The Role of Standards and Quality Regulation in Electronic Commerce’.

The stakeholders were of the view that such regulation would enhance robust and efficient electronic commerce transaction

in the country, through enabling laws, since the eCommerce market is an emerging market.

Current statistics showed that Nigeria’s eCommerce sector is estimated at $13 billion, with over 400, 000 orders daily. It has players including Jumia, Gloo. ng, Dealdey, Kaymu, Wakanow, and Konga, which was recently acquired by Zinox Group and merged its operations with Yudala.

The stakeholders insisted that the need for a regulatory framework was borne out of the need to improve the level of customers trust and ensure quality for money spent in the sector.

Director-General, SON, Osita Anthony Aboloma, who was represented by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Dr. Paul Angya, said the promotion of awareness on standards and quality regulation in the eCommerce sector has become necessary as the drive for digitalised market places increase and the pressure on the standards community mounts.

According to him, these require that all stakeholders reckon fully with the realities of the competitive and fast-paced global economy.

Aboloma noted that with the increasing volumes of consumer complaints being

received by SON, CPC and other sister regulatory agencies on daily basis about the quality of products sold online, there was need for a robust regulatory framework in place for the sector.

He said products like mobile phones, electrical and electronic devices cannot be physically viewed and tested before purchase online, while the claims on their functionalities have been found in many cases to be inaccurate or sometimes outrightly false.

SON Director, Product Compliance Directorate, Tersoo Orngudwem, said eCommerce as an application of the internet

technology would continue accelerate growth, hence the need for proper laws that will set the standards for the regulation of eCommerce in the country, adding that there must be punishment for anti-social behavior during online transactions, in order to safeguard the sector.

Director-General, CPC, Babatunde Irukera, said the eCommerce sector needed stronger regulations to stay afloat to service customers effectively.

Irukera called for a standalone customer unit that would aid complaint resolution mechanism.

Shittu: Indo-Africa ICT Expo Will Boost Digital Transformation in Nigeria Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Jonathan Eze

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Reporters

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

The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu has stated that the collaboration between Nigeria and India, through the platform of the Indo-Africa ICT Expo, would enhance digital transformation that would boost the Nigerian economy.

The Minister who spoke during the fourth series of the two-day Indo-Africa ICT Expo 2018, which held in Lagos this week, said the platform is an opportunity for Nigeria to leverage on the Indian technology to boost economic development in Nigeria. Shittu therefore called on the private sector, particularly those whose businesses are driven by Information and Communications Technology (ICT), to take full opportunity

of the Indo-Africa ICT Expo.

According to him, “It is not enough for Nigerian businesses to be mere marketers of ICT products and services. They must rather collaborate with the right group to establish ICT platforms and factories that will promote skills training and employment opportunities in the country. Foreign ICT companies that want to do business in Nigeria must be prepared to establish ICT factories in Nigeria.”

The High Commissioner of India in Nigeria, B.N Reddy, said the focus of the Indian government is to collaborate with the Nigerian government to scale up ICT skills in Nigeria.

This, he said, would require

networking at various levels of government, industries and the academia.

“The experiences that we have developed over the years in India, we will bring to bear in the Nigerian market.

ICT is the next frontier for economic growth and development and we are bringing that development to Nigeria.

We are currently working on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian government and stakeholders to boost technology development in Nigeria. Nigeria must however have the appropriate technology to drive development and that is the kind of technology we are bringing to Nigeria.”

Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Government of India, Mr. Amit Yadav, restated the commitment of Indian government to promote ICT development in Nigeria. “Indian government is committed to develop the Nigerian ICT market. India is vast in technology development with deep broadband penetration across India. Our National Broadband Policy is focused on inclusive broadband growth for the country. About 6.5 per cent of out GDP contribution is coming from the Indian ICT sector and we can replicate all these in Nigeria,” Yadav said.

The Indian Minister of Communications, Shri Manoj Sinha, who spoke through live

broadcast, said the collaboration between India and Nigeria remained key to the Indian government in the area of ICT development. He said the choice of Lagos for the event was in recognition of the vast potential that exists in Nigeria, and also of its importance as a gateway to the West Africa and other parts of Africa.

Shittu, who invited more than 100 government and industry stakeholders from within Nigeria to attend the forum, said the Nigerian Government, in collaboration with the India Government, would forge closer relationship in order to accelerate ICT growth in the country as well as boost the two countries’ economies.

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NEWS

LifeBank Closes Seed Funding from EchoVC for Africa Supply Chain Stories by Emma Okonji

proceeds will be to extend its supply chain to include oxygen, vaccines, blood components and rare drugs as well as expand its coverage across Nigeria, particularly to Northern Nigeria, where reaching the last mile remains a very pressing issue.

Launched in 2016, LifeBank currently has over 41 authenticated blood banks on its online platform and has delivered to 167 hospitals. LifeBank’s optimised supply chain has helped save over 1,000 lives so far.

Its smart logistics system includes specially designed cold chain boxes that retain

LifeBank has closed its seed round led by EchoVC PanAfrica Fund. Also participated in the round were CcHub Growth Capital and an undisclosed healthcare angel investor. LifeBank is a last mile medical supply chain company, which leverages technology to discover, organise and deliver essential medical products to hospitals and in the process, acquires actionable data. The company is initially focused on optimising blood supplies given the size, fragmentation and severity of the need.

Targeted use of funding

temperature for up to 30 hours, color-coded temperature strips for additional quality assurance and Bluetooth-enabled locks to guarantee security.

LifeBank’s goal is to continue to breakdown the challenges of medical supply logistics with technology-driven approaches. It is working on a host of supply chain-focused solutions such as employing AI techniques to predict blood needs at the hospital level and utiising blockchain technology to store authenticated nonalterable product information.

The company also plans to use drones to serve hard-toreach rural clinics.

Infotech Risks Security Ltd Brings GRC Skills to Nigeria Infotech Risks Security Limited (IRSL), in partnership with Open Compliance and Ethics Group (OCEG), is bringing Governance, Risk management and Compliance (GRC) skills training to the doorsteps of organisations operating in Nigeria.

Bringing such skills training to Nigeria will help organisations reposition for proficiency and profitability, while reducing operational and training costs, since the skills training is usually outsourced by organisations that understand the value of GRC skill acquisition in their daily operations.

OCEG, it was gathered, is a global think tank that serves to inform and empower organisations on GRC skills and IRSL Consulting is its only partner in Nigeria.

Speaking on the advantages of GRC skills to organisations and the need to bring such

skills to Nigeria, the Managing Partner, IRSL Consulting, Mr. Salman Akorede said the benefits cut across all the three lines of defense in organisations.

According to him, the first line of defense of any organisation, which include the operations team, would benefit from GRC skills through increased value and improved financial and operating controls; accelerate reporting for more rapid-decision making and business improvement; detect exceptions in real time to respond immediately and reduce damage; replace manual preventative controls with automated detective controls, which increases efficiency and traceability; identify control issues in real time with automatic alerting and remediation.

About the benefits for the second line of defense, which include the management team,

Akorede said it would reduce compliance costs; get notification and analyse impacts when regulations change; establish a more automated, risk-based control environment with lower labour costs; heighten competitive advantage; and rely on a single point of truth for all GRC master data on risks, controls regulatory requirements, processes and information technology (IT).

The benefits of the third line of defense, which include review and assurance, Akorede said it would at this level, improve risk and control assurance in the same or less time than previous approaches; reduce internal audit costs and those associated with unaddressed control deficiencies; achieve a more robust and more effective auditing process; expand internal audit coverage with minimal incremental cost; as well as shorten audit cycles.

Facebook Partners CcHub to Launch NG_Hub in Nigeria As part of its commitment to train and empower 50,000 people and to support startups in Nigeria and Africa, Facebook on Tuesday, launched NG_Hub in Lagos, Nigeria, which will serve as its first flagship community hub space in Africa.

The launch, which is in partnership with Co-creation Hub (CcHub), will enable Facebook achieve the promise it made seven months ago, to train 50,000 Nigerians that will leverage technology to stimulate the growth of technology ecosystem in Nigeria.

The initiative, according to Facebook, would bring together developers, start-ups, and the wider tech community across Lagos and Nigeria, and provide them with the resources and facilities that will help them develop the Nigeria technology ecosystem, collaborate, learn, and exchange ideas.

With creativity and excellence existing across all of Nigeria, Facebook also announced partnerships with

seven other hubs across the country. They are: Ventures Platform in Abuja; nHub in Jos; Colab Hub in Kaduna; DI Hub in Kano; Start Innovation Hub in Uyo; Roar Hub in Enugu and Ken Saro Wiwa Hub in Port Harcourt.

They will serve as centres of excellence and will feature dedicated Facebook spaces, where many of Facebook’s training sessions will take place, and a space where creatives and developers can book to help them advance their skills.

Featuring bespoke works of art from local artists in Nigeria, the NG_Hub space, which includes workspaces, meeting rooms, a games and chill out room, an event space and a well catered café, will also be the focal point for a number of training programmes. Aimed at attracting the best talents and driving innovation in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, these are all designed to equip Nigerian SMEs, tech entrepreneurs and

the next generation of leaders to better understand and utilise the power of digital tools for economic growth.

The training programme include the Fb Start Accelerator programme, a research and mentorship-driven programme aimed at empowering start-ups and students with technical and business support and funding to optimise their product for growth; Digify Pro Nigeria - a two-month intensive boot camp where 20 aspiring digital professionals will learn what it takes to have a career in digital marketing; Boost Your Business - Made especially for micro, small and medium sized businesses owners., Boost Your Business is a one-day training that teaches digital marketing for business growth and #SheMeansBusiness , which is a one-day training workshop and networking experience for female entrepreneurs, offering a mix of business and digital marketing training for women led businesses.

CORRIGENDUM In an interview published in our Tuesday edition, we erroneously addressed the Chairman of SONA Group, Mr. Arjan Mirchandani as the managing director.

We regret the error.

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT OLODU KEONYEDI

How to Build Systems Around Your Business If you are working for the business instead of the business working for you, then you need a system.

Do you ever wonder why so many foreign owned businesses outlive their founders while most of the Nigerian businesses die once their owner is dead or leaves the business? The reason is that the foreign owned businesses build systems around their businesses, which will allow the businesses to function effectively with or without the presence of the owner.

And as for majority of the Nigerian owned businesses they are built around the owner. So if the owner is not present, the business is practically on hold or will not function properly.

We will be discussing on building systems around businesses to help the business outlive their owners.

A system is a method of solving a repeated business issue in a strategic and effortless way. It addresses a specific problem or business issue. A system is a Process or routine.

STEPS IN BUILDING SYSTEMS AROUND YOUR BUSINESS Document the process: The very first step to take in building systems around your business is to document the process in a clear step by step procedure. The document should be simple enough for anyone that handles it, should be able to replicate the process and come out with the same result.

Create a procedure; it could be your operations manual or just series of checklists.

Let’s take for example, we have heard of ladies that their mother taught how to cook a particular traditional food, which her own mother learnt from her grandmother. One thing that is commonly noticed is that the grandmother’s meal is always sweeter than the mothers while the mothers is sweeter than the lady’s meal, the reason for this can always be traced to the fact that the process of preparing the meal was never properly documented into recipe.

While for the foreign owned franchise, we have heard of some of them having recipes that are over hundred year old, and by this they have built systems around the preparation of their meals which help them deliver consistent taste and flavor.

Automate the process: This is another major step to take in building systems around your businesses, in as much as it is possible, try to create an automate process; this process should be able to apportion responsibilities to the different staffs, evaluate their input and reward them respectively. If you must be the only one to tell your employees what to do every time then your business would be very limited.

If you can implement simple systems for most essential business processes (marketing, payroll, invoice, etc) you can step away knowing that most of these systems will go according to plan. You can confidently delegate repetitive tasks to employee, freeing yourself to work on the areas of the business that generate additional cash flow.

For example, the process of client acquisition/attraction, invoicing and payment, delivery of the goods and services should all be automated.

Let go of having to do absolutely everything: For most entrepreneurs and business owners, the business is their baby and they want to have hands on everything concerning their business. Having to do everything all by yourself with limited time is a common problem that prevents business owners from growing their businesses; this problem will eventually lead the business owner to burnout.

In order for your business successful means letting go of control over every detail and making employees accountable for doing their jobs.

Build teams: I have seen too many businesses in Nigeria run typically as a one man show; the owner believes he is the only one that can deliver the best quality and as a result he would want to make sure that he is involved in every process of the business.

If in your current business you are the only person among your workforce that is known for making or providing the best services/goods and nobody else can produce similar quality then you need to build a system around your team to help you run the business, without great team in place; your business won’t grow to the level you want.

Prepare a successor: This is the major step every business owner should handle carefully and properly if they want their business to outlive them.

Create system to identify the right person to take over the business when you leave; the system should be able to establish measurable criteria for assessing potential successors, evaluate the candidate’s managerial skill and experience, create leadership development and mentoring plan. By creating a system that prepares and appoints the right successor for your business then your business can outlive you.

Systems are crucial if you want to multiply your business and get it to the next level. When developing your systems, think long term, you want these systems to become a tradition and lifestyle for your business.

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

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

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E-BUSINESS

Of CTOs and Technology Innovation Chief Technology Officers of telecos are the unseen hands that drive technology innovation and ensure that subscribers get the best of telecoms services across networks, writes Emma Okonji Chief Technical Officers (CTO) of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are the technology savvy individuals that drive innovations in the telecoms sector. Their role as CTO is so tasking that they are hardly seen in the public glare and not even around their office areas. They are seen often either on the field at telecoms sites, fixing technical challenges or in their technical rooms, thinking and designing new innovations that will drive the operations of the telecoms industry.

They are typically very busy professionals who are preoccupied with figuring out how millions of customers on their network will continue to enjoy unhindered voice clarity, superfast internet connectivity and excellent quality of service at all times.

The CTO of 9mobile, a leading innovative and customer-centric telecoms operator, Mr. Stephane Beuvelet, is like any of his colleagues, hardworking, focused and tech savvy. Nonetheless he made himself available to this writer, to speak about the company and the role he plays as CTO. He is passionate about delivering quality service to 9mobile customers, just like other CTOs. The role of CTOs Explaining his role as CTO, Beuvelet said: “In a nutshell, the job of the CTO is to ensure that the company’s technology strategy and evolution align with the business objectives, which primarily is to deliver best in class services to our esteemed customers. This involves, among other things, putting in place the right technology platforms, skilled and dedicated team, and competent leadership.

“At the heart of 9mobile’s strategy is customer satisfaction. We are a customer-centric organisation and that is why for us there’s no end to innovation; we continue to explore and adopt new technologies and we have succeeded in consistently delivering on the promise of best in class services to our subscribers. We fully plan to continue with this trend.”

Assessing advances in technology and the Nigerian telecoms industry, the CTO said technology remained a key driver for innovation, growth and even disruption across multiple industries. According to him, “Revolutionary advances in information technology, Virtualisation and Native Cloud Technologies and other fields are reshaping the global economy.

Growth trajectory in telecoms Over the years, the Nigerian technology landscape has also recorded remarkable developments with an increase in the number of data-centric infrastructure rollouts such as LTE, WIFI hot spots, High Definition Voice and dedicated internet services.

This has provided a platform for more robust communications services that have paved the way for a whole lot of new markets such as the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile payments/ payment gateways, location-based tracking/ advertising and an entire ecosystem of apps including the social media.

According to Beuvelet, “This growth in the technology landscape has been dramatic by virtually any measure, despite the prevailing challenges common to the Nigerian environment - power, security, vandalism, denial of right of way, among others. The coming years would no doubt bring about more technology advancements to the benefit of the country and subscribers.”

Bridging existing gaps About the plans by CTOs to address the gaps in infrastructural expansion in the telecoms sector, Beuvelet said: “9mobile approach focuses on modernisation, expansion, and new technologies. Through modernisation, we are presently enhancing our existing network and technologies to provide greater efficiency and deliver better user experience. Legacy nodes and old technologies are undergoing replacement and transformation.

CEO, 9mobile, Boye Olusanya “9mobile continues to build on new technology to enhance the quality of service and customer experience. We recently rolled out 4G technology and we are live in the five major cities of Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Kaduna. The 4G (LTE) technology offers greater throughput and lower latency, which brings about better data experience for 9mobile subscribers. There are plans to further expand the LTE in the covered cities and to launch LTE in more Nigerian cities.”

Even as the telco continues on its path of enhancing service quality, the technology chief pointed out the challenges it has had to surmount in achieving excellent service delivery to its teeming subscribers.

The challenges of CTOs

The telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is also feeling the heat of CTOs, based on their challenges.

But the regulator has continued to show commitment in driving the telecoms sector through the implementation of government policies that will enhance the growth of the telecoms sector

Beuvelet In the course of executing their jobs as CTOs and ensure that subscribers experience uninterrupted service delivery, CTOs are faced with various challenges, ranging from willful destruction of telecoms facilities through insurgencies, theft of telecoms facilities by social miscreants, to deliberate closure of telecoms sites by some federal and state government agencies. Such actions often lead to poor service quality delivery, which of course, pose serious challenges to technical expertise of CTOs. “We have had to deal with vandalism and theft, fibre cuts during road construction work, illegal site shutdowns by state and local government authorities, high approval cost and delays in securing Right of Way permits for laying of optic fibre, use of network jammers by private individuals, erosion of revenues through Over the Top (OTT) activities. These challenges have, however, not stopped us, rather we have used them as a leverage to be more innovative in our approach to getting things done,” Beuvelet said.

Commitment of the regulator The telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), is also feeling the heat of CTOs, based on their challenges. But the regulator has continued to show commitment in driving the telecoms sector through the implementation of government policies that will enhance the growth of the telecoms sector.

Beuvelet is one of the CTOs that have commended the regulator for its efforts to address some of the challenges through engagements and the ongoing process of introducing National Roaming, Active Network and Spectrum sharing initiatives, which he said, would enable operators like 9mobile expand its coverage in a cost-effective manner.

“We have conducted several trials with other operators to prepare for the launch of these initiatives and 9mobile customers should expect even wider and better coverage when National Roaming and Active Network sharing commences,” he assured.

He went further to add that, “studies are

also progressing on the adaptation of the 5G technology. In addition, the GU 900 technology is on our rollout roadmap for improved in-building data user experience.”

Dearth of skilled manpower Aside the challenges faced by CTOs of telecoms operating companies, the shortage of highly skilled local manpower also remains one of the major challenges that is slowing down the real potential of the telecoms industry as a major contributor to national economic growth and development. In confirmation of what 9mobile is doing to bridge this gap, Beuvelet said: “In 9mobile we strongly believe in empowering our people and this is one of our key drivers. We have contributed immensely to this growth through capacity development programmes for 9mobile employees to boost technical skills.

“At 9mobile, we believe in strengthening the foundation of the skill supply chain, which is our tertiary institutions. To this end, we have collaborated with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Plymouth University in the UK for the establishment of a taught Master’s Programme in Telecommunications Engineering. Through it, 9mobile is innovatively developing local expertise with regards to telecommunications engineering skills.

“The programme is available to all eligible persons, and since inception in 2013, the school has recorded over 20 M.Sc. and two Ph.D graduates from the programme. In addition, 9mobile welcomes students on the programme for internship during the course duration, as part of the overall skills enhancement goals for the industry, and by extension for the Nigerian economy,” Beuvelet said.

He explained that the role of CTOs in technology innovation is key to telecoms development, despite the challenges they are faced with. CTOs are, howeve, of the view that their innovative efforts should be appreciated by subscribers since they are behind every successful call that is generated or received by the subscribers, as well as every successful browsing of the internet.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

BUSINESSWORLD

CONSUMER

Agenmonmen: NIMN is Now Better Positioned The President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, Mr. Tony Agenmonmen, spoke with Raheem Akingbolu on how the institute has fared under his leadership.

Excerpts: It is well over one and a half years that you assumed office as the President of NIMN, how has it been managing the affairs of the institute?

If I were to summarise it, I would say it has been tough and challenging, but also very exciting.

Of course, I don’t need to repeat where we are coming from, I think stakeholders and friends of the institute know about that. Right from the start, the council and I tried to do a few things to reposition the institute, putting it in the direction it should be. It’s quite challenging, but we have achieved quite a lot also in the process.

time frame. I want to leave it a little bit open. I know a lot of things are happening and people are understanding us better. So I don’t want to say that if you don’t do it by next week, we are going to act, because there is a lot of discussions going on, and I’m sure those discussions are going to be very positive. In the end, you know there is also this peer pressure, the moment some of these people still sitting on the fence, now see serious members coming in on their own, they will be left with nothing than to join. We want to adopt that approach first before the big stick.

Can we have the specifics of those things you have achieved as president?

If you want me to be specific about things that had happened, I think fundamentally the number one thing that we are very proud of is that we finally got our proclamation, and which was done during my investiture by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.

Another thing we have achieved is that we have relocated to a brand new office. Yes, it still needs to be furnished, but I think the environment is far much better than where we were before. It was one of the cardinal promises that we made to our members. In terms of our membership database, we are working on that. You can see that we now have the register of our members that are financially compliant to the institute.

Earlier this year, we also had a great annual conference where we had the best of marketing professionals, the minister, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah and the Special Adviser to President on Media, Femi Adesina, among others. We focused on a theme that revolved round marketing Nigeria, which is part of our contribution in achieving the branding and overall image overhauling for our country.

I think what excites me most is that within the past one year, our members are beginning to bring the confidence back to the institute.

People who had ‘retired’ from the institute are coming back in droves and not just in terms of quantity alone, but in terms of quality of membership. So if you ask me, whether I’m happy with the journey that we have made in the past one year, I would say yes. Has it been tough and challenging? I would say yes.

Between February when you released the register of members and now, how are members taking it, especially those whose names are not there?

Between then and now, many people have joined the institute, many have regularised their membership and of course, we cannot be publishing this every day in the papers, or in the register, but if you go to our website as at today, you will have the most updated -list of members.

So if you paid yesterday, and you are now fully compliant, if you go to the website, your name will be there.

You talked so excitedly about the proclamation the institute got, where does that put the institute and the profession?

Where it puts the institute is that we are now formally bound to follow the Act which established the institute. You know the Act that set up the institute is an Act of parliament, it means now that we must keep strictly to the provisions of the Act, in terms of running the institute and ensuring that marketing practitioners all over the country, become members. So we are bound now fully by the law, as enacted by the Act. How much of the promises made, prior to your assumption of office have you achieved now?

When you are talking of developments and building a structure, it’s continuous. There are certain things that we can say this and this have been done but there are others that would always be work in progress. For instance, that we have moved into a new secretariat, it’s physical, it’s something that we can see.

You can even see that it’s work in progress in terms of furnishing it to taste. In terms of building the equity of the NIMN brand, that obviously is work in progress too.

But significantly, you can see a shift that members of the institute who had gone away from the institute are coming back because they now believe in the institute. When we were talking of getting this secretariat, one of our members, from his personal resources, because of what he sees in terms of the direction the institute istaking, gave a personal cheque of

Agenmonmen: one million naira.

We’ve had members who had also given various sums of money. Some had donated laptops and the rest of them. That shows the direction we are going. People are beginning to believe in the institute again. A few things are work in progress, a few things, obviously, have been achieved. And don’t forget, we are just mid-term any way. We’ve just done slightly over a year out of our two-year term. We still have a little while to do more things.

During one of your chats with the media, last year, you stated that the number of registered members of the institute was less than one thousand. From then till now, has that improved?

When I say active, our definition of active is actually those who have paid their dues to date, not those who attend our meetings, or those who still parade themselves as members of the institute. But in terms of those who have paid their dues up to date, I think we are moving in the direction of two thousand, and the number is growing every day.

Recently too, you threatened to wield the big stick on those practicing illegally if they failed to utilise the window of opportunity provided by the institute to ‘regularise’ their papers.

How have they responded to this?

I wouldn’t want to use the word ‘big stick’, those are confrontational words, which for us, is not really the way to go. What we will continue to repeat is that: for true marketing practitioners, it is in our collective interest that we come together and enjoy what marketing profession offers; in terms of interactions, in terms of opportunity for learning, in terms of peer reviews and the rest of it. Yes, we did say that as part of our efforts we are going to drive compliance but we are not talking of big stick. What we keep saying is that enforcement would be a last resort.

As much as possible, we want to let our members and their companies understand the reasons the institute was established in the first place, the benefits that marketing professionals stand to gain for being a part of the institute. I think that is what we have been doing, I can assure you that a number of companies have been responding very well.

We are also in consultation with NECA -the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association, discussing how we can jointly work on this.

We are also discussing with the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN). What we believe is that once people understand fully, the benefits of the institute to marketing professionals, you probably, don’t need to wield the big stick as you want to call it.

So consultation is going on, contact is going on. Within the past few weeks, I’ve had to meet those two bodies in terms of trying to get this compliance.

But when will you be tired of dangling the ‘carrot’?

Once again, it seems not defined the way you would want it defined. Compliance is something that continues. The truth is that your membership is time limited. This list of registered members that we have published now is for one year only. So that is when you have paid your subscription for the year, that gives you licence to practice for one year. If today we have all the marketing people registered, having met the requirements, at the end of twelve months, they still need to come back, pay their subscriptions and renew their licences to practise. So going back to the specifics of your question, we are not going to get tired of talking, but the truth is that talking is not going to be endless. I can’t tell you now that ‘oh, next week, next month, I’m going to wield the big stick. I think part of our responsibilities also is to understand that some people went away because of the poor rating of the institute years back. And the way we are going now, going by some things that we have done in the past few months, even without wielding any big stick, just by the sheer fact of what we’ve been doing, some people on their own have been coming back. On our part as an institute, we continue to provide value for our members, so that they themselves would see that there is value in being a part of the institute.

At the same time, of course, we would continue to discuss with them, discuss with their organisations. I’ m quiet confident that we may not get to that extent of using the big stick. But at the end of the day, we are talking of the laws of the federation of Nigeria here, if some still remain stubborn and say they do not want to comply, then we would be left with no option to say, ‘This is our law, and we are all bound to obey them. I know you want to push me to a specific

But how often do you intend to be publishing this register?

Every year, the Act mandates the Registrar to update the register every year.

One of the wishes of many is that time when members would be accorded some recognitions in the public and private sectors of the economy. What is the situation now?

The situation now is that we recognised and agreed from the onset that equity of NIMN brand was weak, and that’s what we are working on. In terms of our members in the private sector, I think sufficiently, they are proud of their membership, from associates to fellows. I can tell you quite confidently because when I go out now, I actually feel proud. People now actually come out and introduce themselves as members of NIMN. Every function I go now, when people read their profiles, they actually boldly come out to say they are fellows of the NIMN. So at that level, we are not having so much problem, but where the problem is the people who come through the Diploma route and the rest of it, that are still not in the scheme of things in the federal civil service.

That is a challenge that we are facing.

It’s not only our institute alone, there are still so many other sister institutes that are experiencing the same. To get into scheme of things, it’s not one even ministry that handles it, it’s the whole national council of establishment. We are working on that, we have a full committee, headed by the first vice president. It’s working hard to ensure that our certificates attain that level of recognition in the federal civil service.

Over the years, NIMN has been in the news for the wrong reasons, no thanks to the protracted crisis that almost crippled the institute, how far with reconciliation now and can you boast of one institute now?

To the best of my knowledge, we have one unified National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria. There would always be people who are happy or not happy in every situation, but I’m not aware there is any faction for now.

At least, for the past five years, there has been relative peace. Has everyone been happy with everything that we done? The answer is no, and the day you have everybody being happy in any situation, it means nothing is happening.

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Interswitch Partners Slum2School Africa to Boost Skills in STEM Interswitch Limited, an integrated digital payment, and commerce company has partnered Slum2School, a leading volunteer driven community development organisation in Africa to build a STEM and innovation laboratory in the Makoko area of Yaba in Lagos State.

The ‘Slum2School STEM and innovation laboratory, powered by Interswitch, seeks to build skills and talents base around STEM. According to Interswitch, the desire to build STEM laboratory in Makoko, a community of over a hundred thousand people, where access to such opportunities are unavailable, underscores the fact that talent abounds everywhere and every child irrespective of their socioeconomic class should have access to qualitative education and have opportunities to develop their talents and aspirations.

Speaking at the unveiling of the STEM and Innovation Lab in Makoko, last week, the CEO/GMD, Interswitch Group,

Mitchell Elegbe said: “We are faced with a reality that requires us to take deliberate efforts to improve STEM education in Africa, if we are to solve the challenges that we face as a society. The development and transformation of any society today is largely dependent on a relevant skilled workforce and innovation, two factors that require strong STEM knowledge and application.”

Elegbe further explained that “STEM helps students learn things like critical thinking and problem solving, so they can be the next generation of leaders and innovators. At Interswitch, we want everyone to have that opportunity.

That is why we are rolling out initiatives at different levels in the country that support and promote STEM education in Africa, from the InterswitchSPAK national science competition, to working with Slum2School to build STEM and Innovation labs across Africa, that will ignite, increase, and reward interest in STEM education.

Founder of Slum2School, Otto Orondaam, lauded Interswitch for trusting and partnering with Slum2School to deliver this standard of facility in a community that has so much to offer in terms of talents. He also commended the Lagos State Education Board for creating an enabling environment for partnerships like this to be fostered.

He said Slum2School has provided scholarships and various learning centres to over 1000 children from the Makoko community and is committed to providing access to quality education and psycho-social support for disadvantaged children in slums and remote communities Orondaam added that “Working with thousands of children from Makoko community over the past six years, we have seen some of the brightest minds you could imagine and we know that the facility will enhance learning for every child who engages with it not just from Makoko alone, but across Lagos state.”

Argentine Embassy Hosts Wine Consumers at Tasting Summit Raheem Akingbolu Wine consumers in Nigeria have been urged to pitch their tents with Argentine brands to experience the best of wine culture, the message was contained in a statement issued after a three-day wine-tasting summit held in celebration of World Malbec Day in Lagos.

The event, which aimed at introducing Argentine wines to Nigerians, was attended by the Ambassador of Argentina, Elena Mikusinski; Emiliano Stratico, who runs the oldest cellar and wine bar in Monaco; Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture in Lagos, Steve Ayorinde, wine connoisseurs and importers.

At the event, the first in a series to celebrate Argentina’s independence, Emiliano Stratico introduced its famous Malbec wine to the Nigerian market.

The wines, rich in quality, are a friendly market in respect to

the curreny used.

Ayorinde expressed his excitement that the event was held in Lagos since it is the hub of importation and consumption of wines and spirits in West Africa.

He appreciated the attention drawn to the state by the event since wine importers are based in Lagos and the market is here. He noted that due to our climate, Nigeria could not produce its own wines but the VATs and consumption taxes would be used to develop the state. The advantage of the event, he said was on two levels, economic, for job creation and Public Relations for destination branding where Lagos is portrayed in a positive light. He also said it would be a friendly market for importers if policies are respected meaning they can enjoy the incentives as promoters of luxury brands.

The malbec wines present were Finca Las Moras, Alba

en los andes Estate reserve, Andrean vineyards, Vinyescults, Trumpeter, Andrean vineyards reserve. Others were Alba en los andes finca, Antonio Mas, La Mascota and Rutini.

Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. Its plump, dark fruit flavours and smoky finish are what makes it popular.

It is originally from Cahors region in France, but could not be sustained due to the humid weather of France.

In 1853, Aime Pouget a French soil expert took the malbec vine amongst others to Mendoza region in Argentina.

The region has 3000 hours worth of sun in a year, which is good for the grapes.

This region produces 70 per cent of wine in the country having 80 per cent as malbec wines, which has 60 per cent of their entire export. 80 per cent of their export is red wine and white wine has 20 per cent.

Lucozade Excites Consumers with N200m Airtime Promo In line with its commitment to reward and appreciate loyal consumers, Suntory Beverage and Food Nigeria Limited (SBFN), makers of Lucozade, has set aside N200million worth of Instant Airtime to reward consumers in the 3rd edition of its “Lucozade Under-the-Cap Airtime National Promotion”.

Addressing the media during the launch of the promotion in Lagos, Mr. Chinedum Okereke, the Managing Director, SBFN, announced the kick-off of the 2018 Lucozade Airtime promotion.

“We are proud to announce the return of the successful Lucozade Airtime Promotion for the third time since its launch in 2016. The promotion is an avenue for us to attain nationwide reach as far as rewarding our consumers is

concerned, and the modality of the promotion gives us a great opportunity to target millions of consumers.”

At the event, Mrs Rosemary Akpo, the Marketing Director, said the Airtime promotion is very important to SBFN as it gives the company an avenue to connect with target audience on a large scale.

“The uniqueness of this promotion lies in the fact that every participant who sends in a valid code, stands a chance to win instant airtime, regardless of geographical location or mobile network”.

Specifically designed to reward new and existing consumers who purchase Lucozade Boost or Lucozade Sport Orange PET with a yellow cover, consumers are required to look under the

cover and text the code to 20966 for free.

Explaining the objective of the promotion, Mrs Chika Adibo, the Head of Lucozade Brands and Innovation, said, the Lucozade Airtime promo is our way of rewarding our esteemed consumers for their loyalty and patronage over the years, and also restate our commitment to helping people feel energised and be the best version of themselves all day.

“We also encourage new consumers to come on board via this platform”.

The Lucozade Airtime Promotion 3.0, which launched in May 2018, is open to users on all mobile networks and provides an opportunity for consumers to instantly recharge their energy and their phones.

THE ENTREPRENEUR’S BEST FRIEND DEBBIE LARRY-IZAMOJE

Lessons From The Greatest Business Man I Know I never really talk about business without saying that my first knowledge of business was from my father. And so if you know me well, you know that he will forever be the greatest businessman I know. As I prepare to tell you about these many lessons I can’t help but share a little story that just popped to my head.

I was about 10 years of age when I had suddenly picked an interest in beading, after church, all I care about was selling my beaded necklaces to as many women as possible and guess who was there cheering me on? My father! I can almost hear his voice again as he said softly “Go, show them what you have made, I will wait”. And every time I managed to make a sale after about 25 minutes under the scorching sun, he would educate me on what to spend on the Sunday buns that was usually sold just by the church gate and what percentage to save.

I look back now and realise that these were the rules of business being instilled in me at such a young age.

• Create your product, • Show your product to the world • Earn from your hard work • Spend a little of it • Save the rest.

Funny how the little things make more sense as you grow right?

IT’S BUSINESS, IT’S NOT PERSONAL I believe this is one of my greatest struggles till date as an entrepreneur. Although this is very tricky, it is your duty as a person in top management to know where to draw the line. Not all battles require your presence/response. But understand that when it is time to fight for your business and its stakeholders, you must do so enthusiastically.

It’s your job as the leader to listen to understand and not to reply. Over time and with daily interaction, stakeholders become like family but never be so caught up in building a friendship that the core of the business suffers. You’re not in business to be everyone’s best friend and you must understand that there will be times where decisions need to be taken that will probably offend your stake holders.

Get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus. My father will always state the importance of choosing which battles you fight. If you’re too busy fighting everyone on and off the bus, you lose sight of the road and miss your next turning. People must however be held accountable for the roles they play in your organization and no form of disloyalty should actually be tolerated. I always watched my father handle tough situations without letting them perturb him. I guess its because he learnt early on that its never about you! And the business must go on. Never become bitter because of a business situation, deal with it and move forward. It’s not personal!

TAKE CONTRACTS SERIOUSLY AND DOCUMENT EVERYTHING Don’t play with the law. As I write this I have such a wide smile on my face because I’m reminded of my fathers love for documentation.

From a young age I learnt to report back to my father via email, it’s no wonder why working with him is a breeze as these values were instilled in me very early on in life. After every serious verbal communication with my father, you’re definitely getting an email or probably asked to send one!

As an entrepreneur, I finally understand that

documentation saves you from a lot of trouble especially in the Nigerian business economy.

Your emails, text messages, letters, serve as a form of protection during unpredicted situations in business. It also creates a more efficient working environment.

MAKE TIME FOR THOSE THAT MATTER I still remember that my father tutored me during one of my biggest debates in primary school and even though I flunked the entire speech, the memory of him playing such a huge role lives with me till date. Will your kids have such memories of you?

Don’t get too caught up in business that you forget about what really matters. Take time out for family and friends or those that really love you. It can be very difficult sometimes, trust me I know. But time moves much faster when we aren’t watching. People die, things change quickly and guess what? People out grow you when you’re always unavailable.

The last thing you want is to look back and realize that you missed so many precious moments because you were caught up in your hustle.

NEVER FORGET YOUR BACKGROUND Oh! I could write a whole book on my father’s humility, I really don’t know how he does it and I’ve concluded that it’s a gift. But I guess it’s hard to forget that in the same country where you’ve been able to build Africa’s first sports radio, you once hawked plantain, used pit latrines and worked as a cab driver.

As your business starts to grow so does your name. At first you’ll be shocked that people know so much about you and your company but later you’ll get used to it. Whatever you do, don’t let the praises of these people get in your head, as the minute you fall, they will be there to laugh.

Humility is highly important in life, leadership and business. You must be so aware of yourself that praises and compliments do not change the essence of who you are.

HAVE INTEGRITY Let your word be your bond, if you say you’ll do something carry it through. Let those around you know they can rely on you. If your employee handbook states that you’ll pay salaries on the 27th of each month, don’t start paying it a week late. And if you get so worked up that you start mixing up details, have people that can keep you accountable, people that can remind you about your commitments. Take your time before you make drastic decisions, before you speak think!

READ Read! Read a lot, read everything and anything.

This prepares you for the changes that may occur in your industry. My father will subscribe to information from different business blogs or coaches. You must develop the culture of reading. Be a fan of email marketing and learn to tackle issues by reading case studies. You could learn from the experience of both a PhD holder and the person with no educational background.

LEARN TO REST You face so much mentally you owe it to yourself to rest. Take time off if you feel overwhelmed. You must understand that your mental health is a priority. You need to be stable to run a productive business. Rest and don’t apologize for it. Take time listen to your own voice, you matter too.

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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Giwa: Tru-DATA is Solution to Identity Theft The Executive Vice Chairman, Tripple Gee & Company Plc, a Central Bank of Nigerialicensed security printing firm, Chief Gbade Giwa, spoke to journalists on the company’s new product, Tru-DATA, that prevents identity theft and protects brands, among others. Goddy Egene presents the excerpts: How would describe the level of electronic frauds and identity theft in Nigeria?

The level of electronic fraud and identity theft in Nigeria is assuming alarming proportion in relation to the growth of digital era in our day to day life. In addition to that is the falsification of university degree certificates, birth certificates, NYSC certificates and so on.

What do you think encourages people to embark on this kind of crime?

Generally speaking, criminals often weigh their chances of success before embarking on criminal activities. To discourage criminal attacks, efforts should be made on eliminating success rate of criminal attacks on identity theft.

How can we reduce or eliminate identity theft?

There are several ways, and one way which Tripple Gee & Company Plc has piloted, is to take the important data in the documents which are often subjects of attacks to higher level by encrypting this critical data on the sensitive documents. Such that if Mr. A. steals or fraudulently attacks the document of Mr. B, which is encrypted with tru-DATA software, Mr. A will be shamed at the point he wants to take value, when the encryption is now decrypted by tru-DATA, which will clearly show the face of Mr. B. In other words, if all issuers of sensitive documents such as universities, tertiary institutions, NYSC, or even national identity cards are encrypted with tru-DATA software, it will be impossible for identity thieves to get value as the true owners of the instrument will be revealed on the spot. This will go a long way to discourage the practice, reduce and eliminate ID theft.

Tripple Gee has introduced a product in that direction, tell us about this product?

Tripple Gee & Company Plc has spent the past

Giwa

Security print industry in Nigeria is only appreciated by a few who know the importance of security and perhaps, that is why some organisations do not appreciate the fact that even their letter heads and invoices are prone to attack by fraudsters. The level of awareness can be better. We do not need to wait until there are problems when your letter heads have been forged and used to defraud your customers

12 years to develop a product in this direction.

It is called tru-DATA. What tru-DATA does is that it encrypts the true information on the instrument or those it intends to carry particularly the critical ones. What is more, the encryption can also carry the image of the true owner of the document. So that if Mr. Y steals Mr. Z’s certificate, it is only Mr. Z’s picture that will pop up when our reader app – which can be downloaded from Goggle Play Store for free- is used to scan the document.

This product is a revolutionary product and unique. It also serves to protect brands of product, for example, it can be used to encrypt the authenticity of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) by encrypting and confirming the genuineness of the product, expiry dates and other information you may wish the product to carry. This verification is possible on the spot.

You do not need any data or internet connection to get instant result. It is highly recommended for those interested in protecting their products or do product verification.

Are there no similar products already in the market. What makes this product unique?

To the best of my knowledge as at today, there are no similar products of the same capacity in the market. tru-DATA has 172 times greater capacity than HD Barcode regular 2D barcode.

It can also absorb 10 pages of A4 paper; it can take images and you can even encrypt zip files.

These qualities make this product unique as at today. Tripple Gee will continue to upgrade the product from time to time.

Generally how will you rate the security documents printing industry in Nigeria?

Security print industry in Nigeria is only appreciated by a few who know the importance of security and perhaps, that is why some organisations do not appreciate the fact that even their letter heads and invoices are prone to attack by fraudsters. The level of awareness can be better. We do not need to wait until there are problems when your letter heads have been forged and used to defraud your customers.

Tripple Gee appears to the only security-printing company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

How has experience been?

Tripple Gee & Company Plc was one of the first indigenous security printers accredited by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Tripple Gee has also been a member of International Security Printers Association for over 20 years. It is not surprising therefore, that we are the only one in this category currently listed in the NSE. Our experience over the years has been good and we are glad to say that we have complied with all the post listing requirements of the NSE. What are some of the challenges you face as an indigenous company?

Challenges are there for every organisation to pass through whether indigenous or foreign; though indigenous companies may have greater challenges. Having been in establishment for over 40 years, we can confidently say, we are here to stay.

How can the government assist to improve the performance of companies like yours?

The federal government has started well by passing the Local Content Law, which enables certain jobs in oil and gas industry to be given to indigenous companies. The problem areas are with the various government agencies which have refused to change their ways.

For example, I cannot see the reason why Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is still printing our general election papers abroad. I would like to see INEC print all election papers in Nigeria just as CBN has directed that all cheques should be printed locally. This will improve and boost our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and local capacities.

What is you general message to all your stakeholders, customers and shareholders in particular?

My message to all our stakeholders is that better days are ahead and the new initiative embarked upon by the company, which are already yielding results will propel our company to greater heights.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018

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Kwara’s Panacea to Tackling Youth Unemployment Hammed Shittu in Ilorin writes about Kwara State government’s efforts to tackle youth unemployment through the international vocational and training college at Ajase-Ipo in Irepodun local government council

T

will also target vulnerable and disadvantaged youths in the state to ensure their socio-economic circumstances do not become a barrier to their life aspirations.”

he high rate of youth unemployment in the country has continued to be worrisome and devastating. The effect of such ugly situation has hindered national development and increased social vices among the teeming youths.

However, it is on this premise that all levels of government - local, state and federal - designed a strategy and policy that would go a long way of nipping such ugly situation in the bud so as to bring new lease of life to the people of the country; thereby accelerating the socio well-being of the entire populace.

Continuity Strategy Based on this, the present administration in Kwara state under Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed upon assumption of office decided to continue the legacy project of his predecessor in office, Dr. Bukola Saraki who is now the senate president of the country.

This was done to ensure the completion of the International Vocational and Training College sited at Ajase-Ipo in Irepodun local government council of the state.

The college, which was over 70 per cent completed before the end of the tenure of former governor Saraki, was taken over by Governor Ahmed’s government, who ensured that the project saw the light of day. The main thrust of the college is to train youths on various vocational skills acquisition so as to help them get quality training at the end of the day; thereby preparing them for future attainments.

This singular opportunity would also assist the youths to stay away from social vices like cultism, prostitution, armed robbery and other vices that may be impediments to their future development. The college is a non-governmental educational institution with a vision to promote human capital development within the context of evolving national needs.

It is also established to provide an array of skills acquisition and skills upgrading training and certificate programmes for recent school leavers, the unemployed and the under-employed using the most advanced technology and delivery methods, an exceptional faculty and the stateof-the-art facilities.

The college was designed with the renowned vocational training institution, the City and Guilds international, and the trainees from the college will be able to obtain national and international certification for the immediate industrial employment or independent practice.

It is also meant to provide market-driven skilled manpower needed at all levels of economy, thus engendering a skilled workforce that is highly employable and able to contribute to a robust national economy.

The college has undergone rigorous standards to become a nationally and internationally certified testing centre, offering programmes like building construction technology, information and communication technology, heating,

IVTEC College in Kwara State ventilation and air conditioning, welding and fabrication technology, automotive technology, electrical engineering technology and hotel and tourism management.

Executive Unveiling With the full completion of the infrastructures at the college, the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was the guest of honour who performed the official unveiling of the edifice at its permanent site located at Ajase- Ipo last year.

Osinbajo, who described the IVTEC as one of the important projects any government could undertake, said the college was tailored around exact needs of the society, particularly in partnership with notable international organisations like the City & Guilds, London, Alfred State College of Technology, US, University of Wolverhampton and Praxis Atlantis, among others.

He said, “The vision of the college to give right type of skill and international certificate that will enable graduates to work in any part of the world is commendable. The partnership with international organisations will also make graduates saleable to the benefit of the country”.

The vice president, who called on other states of the federation to emulate Kwara state on the project, pledged assistance of the federal government to ensure that the college was replicated in all parts of the country.

He expressed concern over the continued importation of skilled artisans from neighbouring West African countries into the country, saying that Nigeria has numerous talented youth with aggressive mind to succeed in trade, commerce and entrepreneurship.

He said the country had, before now, lacked technical centres tailored around existing talents of Nigerian youth and needs of the country.

Governor’s Pride Earlier, the state governor, Alhaji Ahmed said, “IVTEC offers a structured approach to providing youths with market-relevant skills and a reliable pathway to economic empowerment that prevents a descent into negative and destructive behaviour often associated with unemployment.

Ahmed added, “Our establishment of IVTEC is therefore driven by the need to offer the best technical, vocational and entrepreneurship training to our young people and prepare them for entrepreneurship or gainful employment.

“IVTEC is doing this by benchmarking against global standards in vocational education but also through partnerships with globally recognised certification bodies such as City and Guilds of London.”

He noted that, “The College is also partnering institutions like Alfred State College, New York and the University of Wolverhampton both of which have proven track-records in entrepreneurship and vocational education “In line with the mission mentioned earlier, IVTEC is open to students with three basic skill levels; first, fresh school leavers seeking to acquire technical and vocational skills for setting up their businesses.

“Two, tertiary education graduates who want to diversify into other fields by accessing new skills and, three, professionals seeking continuous professional development.”

He also said “IVTEC’s recruitment of students

Rector’s Brief Moreover, with the availability of infrastructure at the college, the management of the college recently admitted the first set of 123 students in the college.

The event was also used to give students well packaged orientation programmes to intimate new students of what the college is meant to do for them.

Speaking at the matriculation ceremony at Ajase-Ipo, the rector of the college, Mr. Ade Somide said the students would be exposed to various skills of acquisition in about 35 various courses being offered by the college.

He said the tuition fees of the affected students have been subsidised by the state government in order to help them have opportunity to pursue their courses in the college.

Somide added that although the students would use only three months at the college, after that they may come back to the college to pursue further diploma courses that are available to them in order to boost their talents.

He stressed that the management of the college would also expose them to international partnership to help them garner more talents in their respective chosen careers at the college after their graduation.

While commending the initiative of Governor Ahmed for the setting up of the college, Somide noted that, the development would reduce social vices among the teeming youths in the state.

He pointed out that the college was set up to make the students entrepreneurs at the end of their graduation, adding that this would go a long way in creating employment opportunities for the teeming youths of the state.

Somide assured that the college’s management would do everything possible to provide needed academic exposures that would make them excel in their various chosen courses, so as to help them to be self-reliant rather than looking out for white collar jobs.

Positive Outcome However, some of the newly-matriculated students who spoke with our correspondent at the occasion lauded the efforts of the state government on the establishment of the college.

The students therefore pledged to be active to help them acquire skills development that would be beneficial to them and to the entire people of the state.

With the full commencement of the academic programme at the college, a new dawn has evolved in the state because the era of having unemployed youths roaming about the streets would be a thing of the past, as the youths would be engaged in vocational skills acquisition that would be able to propel them for their future attainments.

RANDOM THOTS Illegal Procurement How would it sound if a citizen learns that all the contracts approved by the Federal Executive Council in all sectors of the economy over the last three administrations (including the current one) have been exercises in illegality? The outrage is better imagined, especially on this present administration which has placed so much emphasis on the war against corruption.

According to the law in the Public Procurement Act passed in 2007, without a functioning Public Procurement Council, all approvals on procurement pro-

cesses in government circles are illegal.

The truth is that such a powerful council is yet to be inaugurated 11 years after the Act came into effect, simply because it takes away the powers of the Executive (including FEC and the President) to approve official contracts.

This was the submission of experts and stakeholders at a high-level workshop to share international anti-corruption best practices to address emerging issues held recently in Abuja, which was organised in Abuja recently by the Civil

Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) with support from the Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation.

At a forum which drew eminent personalities like the Chair Transparency International, Delia Rubio; former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili; Auwal Musa Rafsanjani of CISLAC and top officials from the EFCC, ICPC, the Police, BPP, OSIWA, Civil Society groups and the media, participants’ collective reaction to the delayed inauguration of the Procurement Council ranged from

shocked surprise to anger.

But the sad reality is that no president, no matter how committed to fighting corruption, is willing to let go of that raw power to approve contracts and dispense favours to cronies and political associates; and therein lies the root of the endemic corruption in the public sector in Nigeria. Until that Council is inaugurated, all attempts to fight corruption will remain just that...vain attempts -Abimbola Akosile

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DEVELOPMENT/ISSUESINBOX

Poverty is a curse!

How Can Nigeria Tackle Mounting Poverty?

Despite the best efforts of the present administration to lift Nigeria out of the doldrums of recession and restore development to the economy, millions of active youths are still wallowing in poverty, with a rising groundswell of anger. How can the federal government best address this poverty issue before things spiral out of control?

Abimbola Akosile

THE FEEDBACK

* There should be reintroduction of farm settlements in each federal constituency to enhance the agricultural value chain, while engaging youths in food processing. The present administration should develop a roadmap to use technology, develop innovations, promote tourism, increase civil servants’ salaries, and give loans for social welfare of Nigerian citizens.

- Mr. Michael Adedotun Oke, Founder Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation. Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

Top tip:

Revive moribund industries

Second:

Develop basic infrastructure

Third:

Boost agriculture processing

Radical tip:

Interest-free loans

Total no of respondents:

20

* Nigeria’s huge resources have been mortgaged by a corrupt five per cent of the citizens, while more than 95 per cent, including over 63 million youths are unjustly denied access to food, shelter, clothing, education, infrastructure, employment, security e.t.c by these same greedy few. Government must check and reverse the ugly trend urgently.

- Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State

Male:

17

Female:

3

Highest location:

Abuja (7)

* The solution for Nigeria is to establish food processing and industrial plants to employ at least 100 people in all the 774 local governments including the FCT. We can use the recovered looted funds to start this great idea. Another solution is to revive all the moribund companies in all the 36 states and the FCT, which will employ millions of citizens.

- Mr. Adekunle Alliu, MD/CEO, US-Africa Chambers of Commerce, Industry Mines & Agriculture Inc, USA * The government needs to fast-track infrastructural development. Let there be constant power, open the rural roads and encourage the artisans.

When there is an enabling environment, poverty will naturally give way. God bless Nigeria.

- Mr. Kingsley Oparah, Lagos * The federal government cannot address this poverty issue alone without the states coming on board. The National Bureau of Statistics should be mandated to come up with exact figure from all the states at least three times a year. Any effort to eradicate poverty without knowing the figure of unemployment persons will not have the desired effect.

- Mr. Austine Nwanya, Solid Minerals consultant, Abuja * Access to loans and ensuring an enabling environment for businesses whether small, medium or large to thrive can be helpful for the short-term. Leadership must commit to re-orientation on family planning, massive investment in youth development, financial planning education, rural and infrastructural

development.

- Ms. Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos * Nigeria can tackle the mounting poverty by embarking on sustainable economic policies that will truly impact the lives of citizens e.g. investing in education, agriculture, power, exploiting the abundant mineral resources to Nigeria’s gain, and giving out loans to encourage SMEs. From there, new models of poverty eradication would be created to solve economic challenges, thereby breaking the poverty jinx.

- Mr. Charles Aniebonam, Esq., Abuja * Poverty can be reduced firstly by granting local government autonomy because it would bring governance closer to the people at the grassroots. Governments at all levels must invest massively in education, agriculture, health and infrastructure at the grassroots levels to discourage people migrating to urban areas.

- Mr. Feyisetan Akeeb Kareem, APC Chieftain, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State * Poverty is a worldwide problem but ours is abject poverty that was caused by past governments who did not save for the rainy day by not investing in agriculture and other social services. Government should look inward not through propaganda, but by investing and reviving most of the industries that will provide jobs and also give soft loans to help the youths.

- Mr. Nduanya Egbuna, Political Scientist, Enugu * Unemployment rate and poverty are high because there are no people-oriented programmes to cushion the rates, while the leaders lodge our money into foreign accounts.

- Mrs. Ijeoma Nnorom, Lagos State * To tackle poverty, government must restructure

our education to take into account skills, apprenticeship and internship. Also, government must encourage small scale industrial development by removing bottle-neck in business registration and the levy charged business owner. Government must restructure the poverty alleviation programmes by giving direct unconditional grant to willing farmers.

- Mr. Mark Ushie, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja * To rescue Nigeria from the shackles of poverty, all available resources must be equitably distributed. More youths should be deployed to modern farms and soft loans unconditionally granted to them.

- Mr. Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State * Yes, if we are ready to humble ourselves, let the IG honour the Senate invitation, Institutions are at stake now. Ministers, some past governors, ex-Senators etc are still on pension payroll despite their present remuneration.

How can one eradicate poverty in the midst of corruption fighting back?

- Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna * Poverty is a global issue and Nigeria can tackle the scourge when the income gap is minimised by government’s provision of an enabling environment for youths and entrepreneurs to thrive. Also, the loot in the hands of greedy public officials should be recovered and deployed for safety nets.

- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State * We can best tackle the mounting poverty in Nigeria with leadership sincerity, patriotic zeal, and followership vigilance. Our leaders should put the people first in all policy decisions, and build cottage industries to engage the unemployed youths. Let government provide enabling environment for small-scale businesses to thrive and provide jobs for unemployed youths. God bless Nigeria.

- Mr. Odey Ochicha, Leadership Specialist, Abuja * There was poor management of resources when oil price was high. This government is trying to create jobs through agricultural diversification rather than youths looking for scarce jobs in cities. Government should also provide security for interested farmers.

- Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State * A good chunk of our $50 billion reserves should be applied to infrastructure development, to create poverty-alleviating jobs. Also there should be a review of the sale of the

distribution arm of PHCN to the current owners who are inefficient monopolies themselves. Full commercialisation of the power sector is the ideal for Nigeria, where the sector would be opened up for competition.

- Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State * I think government should stop paying lip service to its commitments. It’s a good thing the National Assembly has passed the 2018 budget with recurrent slightly superseding capital. The capital vote of N2.8 trillion or so should be adhered to strictly.

- Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, B.A.R., Apo, Abuja * Nigeria can tackle mounting poverty only with the cooperation of the youth who form the majority of the population. Government should also support the youths with soft loans and encourage citizens to be engaged in things that will improve their lives and poverty will vanish.

- Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna * Government should provide enabling environment such as good infrastructure, constant power supply, and sound education to enable youths to be constructively engaged. Our leaders should emulate the Asian Tigers whose economies are technology-driven, thereby making them to be useful overall.

- Mr. Paul Jideofor, Dept of Languages, FCT COE, Zuba, Abuja

Next Week: Can e-Voting Protect Citizens’ Mandate?

Although the issue of electronic voting has not been fully adopted, some analysts believe its deployment would minimise electoral rigging and fraud in the coming 2019 general election. To you, can the new e-voting system help protect the average citizen’s mandate to elect credible leaders who will help improve Nigeria’s development process?

Please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (May 24 & Monday, May 28) to abimbolayi@yahoo. com, greatbimbo@gmail.com, AND abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/or 08188361766 and/or 08114495306. Collated responses will be published on Thursday, May 31

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BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Shame of a nation at Berger, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos

ETOP UKUTT

‘Water,Sanitation,GoodHygienePracticesCrucialinFightagainstEbola,OtherDeadlyDiseases’ Abimbola Akosile WaterAid Nigeria has warned that efforts to fight Ebola and other diseases threatening the nation and Africa cannot be successfully sustained unless the world’s poorest are given the tools they need to fight the disease – clean water, decent sanitation and good hygiene.

The international charity organisation, working in 34 countries across the globe, renewed its call for improvements in access to water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, healthcare facilities and public places in the country as reports surfaced of a fresh outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a release issued by WaterAid Nigeria Communications & Media Manager, Oluseyi Abdulmalik, As many as 50 per cent of schools and 42 per cent of healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa are without access to water, the release noted.

In Nigeria, almost a third (29%) of hospitals and clinics in the country do not have access to clean water; the same percentage do not have safe toilets and one in six (16%) do not have anywhere to wash hands with soap, according to a World Health Organisation report.

This puts patients and healthcare workers at unacceptable risk of infection, including

some of the most vulnerable members of society – new mothers and their newborns.

About one in five deaths of newborn babies in the developing world are caused by infections with a strong link to dirty water, poor sanitation and unhygienic conditions; and Nigeria has one of the largest numbers of neonatal deaths worldwide.

WaterAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, said: “Good hygiene, and in particular handwashing with soap, have significant impact on the health and wellbeing of the global population. It was one of the ways in which Nigeria fought and won against the deadly Ebola virus in 2014. We cannot be lax in our attitude and neglect to consistently practice good hygiene. Ebola is back on the continent and it is frightening to think that we could all be at risk if we don’t take the necessary precautions and early enough.

“Other diseases such as monkey pox, cholera and Lassa fever are also continuing to threaten public health in the country; and these diseases can spread further and faster without sanitation and hygiene practices to block their path. An outbreak in one area can quickly become a city-wide, national or international epidemic.

“It is important that we promote consistent and long-term behaviour change throughout

the year and as a crucial part of everyday life beyond just special global campaign days or when there is the threat of disease. WaterAid is committed to supporting the Government of Nigeria, at all levels, to improve access to these basic life-saving services and integrate water, sanitation and hygiene in education and health for improved and holistic outcomes in these areas.”

Out of all water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions, hygiene promotion, and particularly handwashing with soap, has been identified as the most cost-effective disease control intervention; it certainly forms an important additional barrier to the spread of Ebola.

Nigeria is at the precipice of a sanitation and hygiene catastrophe. About 60 million people (33% of the population) are currently living without adequate access to water; over 120 million people (67%) do not have a decent toilet and about 47 million people (26%) practice open defecation, the release noted.

The reality is that countries that have been affected by Ebola have some of the worst water, sanitation and hygiene coverage in the world.

The poor WASH situations in these countries has limited infection prevention and control and exacerbated the impact and reach of the

Ebola outbreak, it added.

According to WaterAid, “The benefits of water, sanitation and hygiene are clear and well understood; improved WASH has direct impacts on health. Getting to zero, staying there and ensuring Ebola preparedness for any future outbreak requires major investment in WASH. Effective infection prevention and control (IPC) relies on safe water, basic sanitation and good hygiene.

“The Federal Government’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in the WASH sector couldn’t have come at a better time. It must serve as a wake-up call to each and every one of us to do whatever we can to remedy the situation. Everyone has a role to play. We are calling on state and local governments to follow the Federal Government’s lead and declare WASH states of emergencies at the local levels of governance”, it added.

WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to clean water and sanitation. The international organisation works in 34 countries to transform lives by improving access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation in some of the world’s poorest communities. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 25.8 million people with clean water and, since 2004, 25.1 million people with sanitation.

FCMB to Spend N1bn on Youth Devt in Abia

Kogi Speaker Empowers 350 Students with N4.5m Support

Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia

Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has earmarked N1 billion for the empowerment of youths in Abia state as part of efforts to inspire them to realise their potentials and become successful entrepreneurs.

Executive director, business development, Mrs. Bukola Smith made this known in a recent chat with journalists at Umuahia during the maiden edition of Abia Youth Mega Summit.

She said FCMB was desirous of giving Nigerian youths the needed push to excel in whatever skill and talent they possess hence the bank was always ready to partner state governments to engender

entrepreneurship among youths.

“The youths have to be empowered in order to become productive citizens,” she said, adding that FCMB remains the only bank that focuses its interest on youth empowerment.

According to the executive director, apart from the financial empowerment the bank also offers training and advisory services, mentorship to enable them become successful entrepreneurs and employers of labour.

“It’s not impossible to see the next Aliko Dangote in Abia state,” Smith predicted, noting that Abia youths were already expressing their creative energies in the commercial city of Aba where small and medium scale enterprises are

flourishing. The youth summit which drew hundreds of youths across Abia also featured exhibitions of the creativity of youths as they displayed various products they produced with their acquired skills.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in his address at the youth event with theme: ‘A productive Engagement for Impact; Igniting Youth Entrepreneurship’ reiterated his government’s desire to encourage youth development.

In order to create more employment opportunities for youths Ikpeazu said all the hurdles such as years of experience syndrome that hinder youth employment in both the public and private sectors of the economy should be removed.

The Speaker Kogi State House of Assembly, Prince Matthew Kolawole has given out a sum of N4.5 million to about 350 students as their education support. The member representing Kabba/Bunu State Constituency has also been endorsed by his constituents to contest for another term come 2019 political dispensation.

This was disclosed in a recent programme held at the St. Augustine College, Kabba, where over 350 students across the constituency including nonindigenes benefited from his N4.5million Education Support Scheme.

According to him, “it was a vow between himself and

God to consistently support the people especially in the area of education considering his love for education and the challenges he went through before he could get education.

He said he was not that lucky to be born with silver spoon; hence he resorted to menial jobs to raise money for his education while growing up, noting that his parents were not privileged to be rich but he was determined to make it in life. The Speaker enjoined the youths to take their education serious as leaders of today and no longer of tomorrow, stressing that he did not allow the challenges of growing up to weigh him down in pursuing his education.

He stressed that he graduated

from Primary School in 1978 but could not continue to secondary level due to lack of resources, noting that when his classmates in Primary School left the secondary in 1983, he was only able to complete his own in 1987. According to him, he loved education even when the means was not available, pointing out that despite his predicaments then, he emerged the overall best student in Oyi Local Government Area in 1978 session.

Kolawole said going through his résumé shows that it took him 20 solid years before he could complete his secondary education, pointing out that he gave this background for people to know why he loves education.

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BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Africa’s economic transformation will be best achieved through fast-tracking regional cooperation and the execution of hard-nosed structural reforms that focus on the development of the continent’s human capital and material resources. African Governments also need to eradicate constitutional provisions that increase the cost of governance at national and sub-national levels” - EMIR OF KANO AND FORMER GOVERNOR OF CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, MUHAMMADU SANUSI II, SPEAKING ATTHE 2018 ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP IN BUSAN, KOREA

Open Govt Partnership: Ugolor Urges NGOs to Partner FG Emmanuel Onumah

Edo, MIXTA Africa Partner to Construct 1,800 Housing Units in Benin City State focused on building sustainable healthcare system, says Obaseki

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Edo State Government, through its housing arm Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA) has sealed a deal for the construction of 1,800 housing units in Benin City, with MIXTA Africa, a private property development company to boost housing stock in the state capital, through a Joint Venture Partnership.

The deal was sealed during a meeting between the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, EDPA and MIXTA Africa’s team, at the Government House, on Tuesday, in Benin City.

Obaseki said the State has acquired 100 hectares of land in Ikpoba-Okha and Uhunmwode local government areas for the housing projects.

He stated further that there are other sites proposed within the Benin Industrial Park and the New Town. He assured that “the state government will provide the infrastructure for the project to ensure quality and affordable homes for our people.”

The governor said the ground-breaking ceremony for the housing project would be done by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in June.

“The plan is to provide accommodation for residents and indigenes at home and abroad.

The project will provide opportunities for businesses in the State and create new jobs,” he explained, adding that EDPA has been strengthened by a new law.

“This is one in a series of similar projects that will be done by the State through EDPA. The success of this project is key to housing delivery. The housing project will boost local businesses in the state as some of the materials to be used for the project, such as ceramics, steel, roofing sheets will be produced locally in the State.

We want to use the project to develop the supply chain of inputs that are locally produced in the State to grow our local businesses.”

He said the State government was in talks with civil servants on how members of the

L-R: Edo State Deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu (right); Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq.; Chief of Staff to Edo State Governor, Chief Taiwo Akerele; and Executive Chairman, EDPA, Ms Isoken Omo, signing documents to construct 2000 housing units in Benin City...recently unions can access the National Housing Fund for mortgages and benefit from the housing project.

He said the State was also working with the Federal Mortgage Bank on the possibility of providing mortgage for civil servants to enable them key into the opportunities the housing project offers.

The Managing Director, MIXTA Africa, Mr. Kola Ashiru-Balogun, said the first phase of the project would commence in June and be completed within 12 months.

Ashiru-Balogun said MIXTA Africa has a record of over 10,000 housing units developed across Africa and has decided to partner the State because of the Obaseki-led administration’s drive for developmental projects, adding that there are different payment plans being considered including a 24-month interest free payment plan.

He added that “MIXTA Africa is discussing with financial institutions to see how arrangements can be made to provide longer tenured financing payment plans. We recognise the market and we will offer affordable housing.

The governor has indicated that we use the project to create jobs.”

Present at the signing ceremony was the Executive Chairman of EDPA - Isoken Omo, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, amongst others.

Meanwhile, Governor Obaseki, has said the state government was determined to build a sustainable healthcare system that would prioritise the revamp of primary healthcare institutions for optimum service delivery.

Obaseki disclosed this when he received the management team of 4 Breath 4 Life, Canada, who were on a courtesy visit to the Government House in Benin City.

Human and environmental rights activist, Rev. David Ugolor has restated the need for the Conference of Non-Government Organisations (CONGOS) to collaborate with government in the spirit of Open Government Partnership principle of co-creation, wherein government and civil society groups work together for the common interests as equals. Ugolor, who is the Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, made the call while playing host to the newly elected executive members of the group in Benin City, Edo State recently.

The eight-member executive team, comprised of Directors of administration, treasury, welfare, finance, strategy, research & planning and the provost Marshal was led on the visit by the organisation’s president, Abiola Daisy.

Ugolor committed to work with the new executive by attending some of their meetings and providing knowledge support at such meetings. He also offered assistance with the development of their work and strategic plans.

Consequently, Ugolor made the multi-purpose ANEEJ hall available to the CONGOS for training, seminars and workshops and put the ANEEJ communications team at its disposal so as to help firm up the design of the organisation’s communications policy.

While welcoming the new leadership, Ugolor remarked that the visit was an opportunity to build bridges and deepen already existing relationship with CONGOS. “What can sustain an NGO or any Network is the ability to generate resources through human capacity. The NGO sector has gone beyond using just street protest as a method of advocacy but must now combine that with a deep quest to improve on the lives of our people with a knowledge-driven strategic action plan,” Ugolor told the team.

Earlier in her speech, CONGOS’ president Daisy said after the election of a new executive the organisation thought it expedient to pay a visit to ANEEJ, a civil society organisation with a three-decade-old history of activism for good governance, accountability and transparency in the management of oil resources and on cross-cutting issues.

According to her, they were there to officially present the new leadership to ANEEJ executive Director and identify with ANEEJ mission and vision of an Africa Without Poverty.

“Another reason why we are here is to seek help with capacity building so that it can be included in our strategic work plan for this year.

We seek assistance as well with empowering other members of our network to be duly registered with the appropriate authorities,” Daisy said.

She extended an invitation to Ugolor to attend and sit through one of their meetings as a gesture of support and solidarity for the new executive. The Conference of Non-Government Organisations is an umbrella body for all NGOs and Civil Society organizations in Edo State.

It functions under the ‘Akugbe principle’, (in Edo language it means ‘unity‘) and connotes that when civil societies form a network to work together, they are stronger in voice, words and in deed.

ANEEJ team present during the visit included Communications Manager, Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku; Programmes Officer, Sandra Eguagie; Communications Officer, Kelly Ovie Umukoro; Programmes Officer, Ovie Erhisowhode, and Media Resources officer, Ken Okocha.

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HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Lambo: Only Political Will Can Address Universal Health Coverage Thirteen years after Nigeria launched its National Health Insurance Scheme, only four per cent of its populace has been enrolled under the scheme. Martins Ifijeh ran into a former Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo who birthed the scheme in 2005. In this exclusive interview, he spoke on how the absence of political will is fast killing universal health coverage in the country, among other sundry issues We heard you were very pivotal to the commencement of NHIS in Nigeria. How did you make this a reality?

The first time health insurance was discussed in Nigeria was in 1962 during the tenure of Dr. Moses Majekodunmi as Health Minister.

He introduced a bill in parliament for Health Insurance in Lagos and the bill failed. Nothing happened since then until 1984 when Patrick Koshoni was the Health Minister. Koshoni set up a committee to look at the feasibility of Health Insurance, and it recommended that it was desirable and visible. Again, nothing happened afterwards until Dr. Ransome Kuti became Health Minister in 1992. He again set up a committee that did a kind of research.

A renowned economist, Prof. Abraham Smith of blessed memory was part of that research.

They came up with a template for the scheme.

Again, nothing happened. Then Kuti left. One of the problems we have in this country is lack of continuity.

At that time, I was almost rounding up my appointment at the World Health Organisation.

That was when Abdulsalami Abubakar came into power. At that point, the legal framework (NHIS Act) came into existence in 1999. So we can say NHIS started in 1999.

When I came back, I saw people making noise concerning the scheme. They were doing all manners of launching, which I called jamboree.

When I was in the regional office of WHO for 10 years, one of the things I was doing was providing technical support to member states to develop their health insurance and health support scheme. So, I knew we were just making noise. And really, nothing concrete happened until former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s second term in 2003, I never knew I will be minister because I don’t like politics. When I became the Minister of Health, I carefully listed 13 things that I will like to do. Number one was the establishment of NHIS. I didn’t know how long I was going to be minister. I told Baba the 13 things listed were my priority.

He told me he has approved all, but I told him what I needed was beyond approval, that I needed his support. He assured me of that, and particularly mentioned the number one on the list, which was NHIS. A number of things happened and he helped me to overcome them.

On June 6, 2005, we launched the formal sector in the scheme. We kicked off June 6th, 2005.

Nigeria’s NHIS started 13 years ago, yet we are still on 4%. What is the issue?

When I gave my speech during the launch 13 years ago, I told them if we get our acts together and there is continuity of ideas, by 2025 we will achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

In 2007, we piloted with federal civil servants.

We were enrolling but it was difficult to enroll everybody at once. Before we left office, we had enrolled about seven per cent of the population.

Immediately we left office, it started declining, and now it is between three to four per cent.

How do you feel seeing the NHIS you helped get coverage of up to 7 % is now on 4% when it should be moving towards 100%?

I have told myself that after this interview I will not talk about NHIS anymore. I have spoken all the grammar I know but nothing is changing.

It is very disturbing and depressing that our vision for NHIS is not what we are seeing now.

Ghana for example, started a cooperative based scheme in 2004, and today they have coverage of about 41 per cent. Rwanda that went through genocide, developed their own law in 1999, and today, they have 91 per cent coverage.

interested in it and was the one who put him there, so when they were going to reconstitute the NHIS Board in 2010, he came to me to inform me. We had a lot of discussion, and he told me he wanted me to chair the board. I told him in Yoruba land we don’t go backwards. I told him as former minister for four years, if I take up the chairmanship position, it would mean I will start reporting to the minister, forgetting that when I was minister, I had 54 parastatals under me, and NHIS was part of them. I rejected it, until he said I should not let the baby I conceived, nursed and delivered, die while I am still alive. That touched me and I accepted the offer.

For the period of two years before they dissolved the board, I singlehandedly revised the Act six times. We made corrections and then presented it to the board which was approved.

We heard a House of Representative member was sponsoring a private bill to amend the Act. Our bill was modified in such a way that states were to benefit and easily buy into it. At the end, nothing happened. There was just lack of political will to carry it through.

Lambo

So what is the actual problem with our own scheme, why is it not growing?

There are a number of problems and the major one is the lack of political will and commitment

I have told myself that after this interview I will not talk about NHIS anymore. I have spoken all the grammar I know but nothing is changing because we lack the political commitment. It is very depressing that our vision for NHIS is not what we are seeing now …..The lack of political will I am talking about is beyond the minister.

We are talking about the president for federal, governors for states and chairmen for local governments

to address the scheme. We only saw some commitments during the second tenure of Obasanjo. It was during that tenure that the federal government health allocation went up to 8.5 per cent. Don’t forget the Abuja Declaration by all Heads of States in 2001 targeted 15 per cent, yet the highest we have had was 8.5 per cent. Last year, we had 4.2 per cent, so there are many things wrong with us.

Back to the scheme, a number of factors are responsible for the slow growth. Number one, is the Act of 1999. When I read it, I knew we have missed our way, because they made the scheme voluntary. There is no country in the world that has achieved UHC without making it mandatory. Number two, is that if states refuse to buy into the scheme it may not work. Thirdly, which is important, is that many people don’t know health insurance is supposed to be contributory. Even the one we piloted showed that the employer, which is federal government, will contribute 10 per cent of people’s salaries and the people will contribute five per cent. So what we have now is not contributory health insurance because it is only the government that is contributing 10 per cent, which was to be reviewed after two years. But the two years coincided with when we left office.

As former Minister of Health who oversaw 54 parastatals, you went back to become board chairman of NHIS, one of the parastatals. Isn’t that a form of demotion, or were you trying to make NHIS work at all cost?

That is to show how passionate I was on the scheme. When we left office, I made sure the person I appointed as the Executive Secretary of NHIS was always getting updates from me.

Every month I would invite him to my office to know his plans and I will give him my advice because I saw it as my child. He knew I was

Why didn’t the bill you put together again scale through. Is it that it was not comprehensive enough?

It couldn’t have been more comprehensive than that. Even the bill the present Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuso is putting together can’t be compared with the one the House of Representative member, Ndudi Elumelu was trying to push through then. What is simply happening is that we lack political will.

The National Health Bill, now National Health Act was part of my reform agenda. That was to be the mother of all health legislations, which we drafted the first time and took to the council. You know when someone says there is no form of responsibilities on the three tiers of government, we tackled that. The basic healthcare we are talking about now was in the bill. The area where they said we couldn’t legislate for states was revised. And by the end of 2004, it had gone to the National Assembly, yet nothing happened until we left in 2007.

Another process started again as a private bill, but when it got to the president, it wasn’t signed. In 2012, it was withdrawn and they worked on it again as a private bill. This time it took about seven months before it was finally signed in December 2014. We are in 2018, yet it is not operational. What do you call that if not lack of political will?

What should Nigeria do to achieve UHC? There are major indicators if a country must achieve UHC. First, government must drive Total Health Expenditure (THE) towards four to five per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The THE comes from both the public and private. That of public must be at least three per cent. In Nigeria, we are around four per cent GDP in total, but government part is less than one per cent, which means we have not started. Secondly, out of pocket payment must not be less than 30 per cent of the THE, but in Nigeria, it has been between 62 per cent and 70 per cent. Thirdly, payment and health insurance scheme must constitute at least zero per cent of the THE, but in Nigeria today, it is three per cent. The fourth indicator, is that at least 80 per cent of the poorest 40 per cent must have access to quality health services. But can we even say that five per cent of Nigerians have access to quality health services.

All these things can be achieved through political commitment. Election is next year;

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INTERVIEW if we don’t get our politicians to put health on their agenda then we may still continue to clamour for political commitment until 2023 when we continue the same cycle. The only reason we are where we are is because we are not giving healthcare the needed priority. If we continue like this we won’t achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Election year is around the corner, so if we don’t put our leaders to task, it means nothing in the next four years.

What that means is that we will only have seven more years to meet the target. It took someone like Bill Gates to tell us that our priorities are misplaced. Do we need him to come and tell us if we really have political will to tackle what we have been clamouring about? In many countries, they have taken UHC overage as a political issue Specifically what is the way forward in achieving UHC for Nigeria?

Number one, is political commitment. Number two, is political commitment. Number three, is political commitment. Then we can talk of other strategies the government must put in place to achieve UHC. One key way is revitalisation of our primary healthcare centres.

The basic healthcare provisions fund, ideally, is to tackle primary healthcare. The amount earmarked this year (N57.17 billion) is nothing compared to what is really needed. A study has just been done which showed that amount won’t be enough. The two per cent we were asking for won’t have even been enough.

What the Act says is that that one per cent will be used to provide basic health package to all Nigerians. If we are able to do that and address PHC, at least there will be UHC in a way. Remember, the minimum package does not contain everything, but at least we will be able to say every Nigerian has access to that minimum.

As we have more money, we will be adding to that BHCPF so that eventually it becomes comprehensive. That is the way many countries started.

If the political leadership and commitment is there, so many things will be settled in our healthcare space. When health is in our political agenda, we will budget more for health.

If PHC sub system is working effectively and efficiently, it can address 80 per cent of the healthcare issues in Nigeria. 20 per cent will then go to secondary care, while about five or three per cent will go to tertiary. PHC is the basic; it is the one that reaches everywhere. An example of a country that has used this model is Costa Rica. They achieved UHC through strengthening of PHCs. We need to strengthen the health system as a whole. There should be good referral system from primary to tertiary. When you go to outpatient department of teaching hospitals, you will see people who have malaria, who normally should access PHCs. Offering of minimum package of service is another very important area. Government has to find a way of financing or adding to the minimum package so that everybody will be covered. Also, government at all levels has to provide money that will be used in covering vulnerable and the poor. Unfortunately, none of these is receiving serious attention.

Have you tabled these ideas with the Minister of Health?

The minister is very close to me. When am talking about political commitment, it is not the minister am talking about. I played a key role in developing health policy for this government.

The minister worked closely with me when I was minister. He represented me in two or three places when I was minister. I am getting tired, what will he do, political commitment is beyond the minister. We are talking about the president for federal, the governors for states and the chairmen for local governments.

Specifically, are you saying our president is not giving political backing to addressing health issues?

I presented a paper in Spain because I was invited to share my secret on how I was able to convince the federal government to put more money into health during my time. I told them God see my heart, I never went to Obasanjo to ask he put more money into health. Baba himself knew health must be prioritised. We were one of three sectors that contributed to the NEEDS strategy. Also, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was Minister of Finance. She is an economist.

Any economist who knows his or her onion will see health not as consumption good, but as

Lambo

an investment good. So you have the president committed to health, you have the Minister of Finance committed to health, and then we had the Minister of Health, which is me, and I am an economist also. And then there was debt relief which was mandated to be channeled to health and some other sectors. Health got the highest, 21 per cent, while education got 18 per cent. Over the period 2006 to 2012, health got an average of 27 per cent in the debt relief. In summary, I am saying this minister is helpless.

If you were in the minister’s shoe what would you do?

That is a billion dollar question. There is nothing much you can do unless the man at the top recognises the issue. For instance, in those days if I had any problem as minister, I will go straight to the president. If he knows he can’t see me immediately, he will give me time to see him. There was nothing important I took to him that he never approved.

I give you an example; for us to kick start NHIS June 6 2005, there were things Obasanjo did which surprised me. I didn’t complain to him about stumbling blocks, yet he removed people. He will always tell me, ‘Eyitayo you didn’t tell me but I know. This thing must be done.’ That was the man I was dealing with.

I don’t know what obtains now.

Outside the issues you have raised, will the tension between NHIS and HMOs allow the scheme soar successfully?

I try not to talk about the current NHIS administration, but the way I can address what you are saying is this; the initial Act we are still running today makes NHIS more of an implementer instead of a regulator.

The revision I made in the Act was supposed to make NHIS a regulator. So if NHIS has the capacity to regulate effectively, this problem from Health Management Organisations (HMO) won’t be there. What has happened is that NHIS has failed in its duty as a regulator because the Act is not too strong on that. Functions of HMOs and NHIS are not well clearly defined.

There must be a way to ensure HMOs do their jobs which is not the case now. NHIS has its problem, and HMOs probably took advantage of the weakness of NHIS. So that’s the problem, and we seem not to be getting out of this. I have decided to now look away. When I am passionate about something, and I have made several efforts, I get disappointed. Sometimes I

don’t want to hear about this anymore. If anybody comes to me now, just like Dogo came to me eight years ago to tell me my baby (NHIS) was dying, I will tell him go and bring a hoe and I will dig where it will be buried because I am tired. I have written so many papers, not only on UHC. The recent UHC paper I delivered in the last NMA conference took me almost a month to work on. Imagine you do this four times a year, it means you have probably spent four months working on papers, yet you can’t see the results.

I sat down recently and I told myself, I will no longer honour any invitation to deliver papers again. So even when NMA came in January to tell me they wanted me to be the key note speaker for their conference, I told them I am no longer interested. But one of them, a lady consultant said ‘Sir please’. I then told them I will do this for the last time and it will be my valedictory speech. All these recommendations we keep making can be sorted out, all that is needed is political will, and it is not fair because these vulnerable and poor people cannot go abroad for treatment like our leaders; so strengthen primary healthcare, finance minimum health package, among others.

Just take a look at Ghana, they have about 41 per cent coverage, yet we started about the same time. Nigeria is on three per cent. We must force this to be an issue in the political agenda next year. If anybody is campaigning, ask the person to explain the meaning of UHC. It should be the beginning, because some of them are just hearing UHC and they don’t know what it is.

Tell them all over the world what is being talked about is UHC, and that they should share their thoughts on this. It is their answer to the question that will make you know whether they have interest in it or not. After their explanation, ask what they would do about it over the next four years because we have just 12 years until the target date.

This is becoming more and more important because of what our leaders do. They are sick today, the next day they are flown out, not even with their money but with ours, and yet for the poor person to finance treatment, he will have to give out his 12-year-old daughter in marriage to finance treatment. Or he will have to sell his cocoa farm to finance treatment.

If anything changes today, will Nigeria meet UHC target of 2030?

No, we won’t meet it. We have wasted 12 years just to get to four per cent. Don’t forget we are trying to get up to 100 per cent. We moved from seven to four. Another reason I said no, is because in Nigeria there is always policy summersault. Leaders come, leaders go, and not too many of the leaders build on what their predecessors have done.

Baba, in our time made health one of the top four sectors. Then he chose his successor, Musa Yar’Adua, who reverted all the policies made by Obasanjo. This was a man not healthy enough, yet his seven point agenda did not include health initially. It was when some of us made noise that they changed the education he listed to human capital. It will be miraculous if we achieve it because a lot of damage has been done. Trying to meet that achievement should not make us look ridiculous to the outside world. We need sustainable political commitment. It is not enough for the president to be committed to it in the next four years.

Presidents, governors, and local government chairmen must be committed to it (I didn’t say ministers), I mean the very decision maker.

There are a lot of countries that made UHC a political agenda. They won election on the basis of that. In some parts of the world, UHC is a vote catcher.

As an economist, how did you become a Health Minister when the unwritten rule in Nigeria is that you must be a medical doctor to head the ministry?

During a discussion with Obasanjo before sending names to the National Assembly for approval, he told me he wanted me to be in the economy sector, but I told him I will like to work where I have a comparative advantage, and he said that is why he will either post me to Commerce and Industry, Budget and Planning or Finance. I told him I would prefer the Ministry of Health, and he said I’m neither a doctor nor a nurse. I then told him, what you need is a Minister of Health, and not a minister of medicine; someone who has knowledge of health system, not health services.

During the NMA Conference, I told them I am not a doctor or a pharmacist or so. We didn’t have a day of strike for four years when I was minister. It wasn’t magic; they knew I was very objective. I am not a nurse, they know I wasn’t siding health workers, neither am I a medical doctor. I was a health system specialist, and I was ready to listen to everybody.

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

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NEWS

CSOs Urge Buhari to Give Assent to BHCPF in 2018 Appropriation Act Kuni Tyessi, in Abuja The Health Sector Reform Coalition has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give assent to the inclusion of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in the 2018 Appropriation act of the National Assembly.

While briefing Journalists on behalf of the coalition, Mr Luke Egboh urged states to make annual budgetary allocation sustainably meet the counterpart funding requirement for accessing the federal grant through the BHCPF. He said: “We should work towards establishing state primary health care development agencies which is backed up by law” Speaking further, he charged journalists to educate Nigerians on the benefit and provisions

made for the citizens in the National Health Act. “When the citizens are fully aware of their right, they will be able to demand what is right and due for them.”

In the same vein, he urged media practitioners to ensure that the BHCPF is not taken out of the final approved budget, and should also ensure its successful application.

According to the coalition, civil society organisations will ensure that when the appropriation bill is signed, the funds will be used to improve the health system.

The ONE Campaign Country Director, Mrs Sarah Ugbabe noted that the crisis in the Nigerian health sector is made tragic by the failure to implement existing constitutionally backed law in the 2014 National Health Act. “We are calling on the president to sign the

2018 budget which contains full funding for the BHCPF.” She reaffirmed that the 2018 budget appropriation bill passed by the National Assembly was an important step towards

securing basic health care for all Nigerians. “We are calling on the president to sign the 2018 budget which contains full funding for the BHCPF. “The allocation of one

percent of the consolidated revenue for the BHCPF has brought Nigeria closer to fully implementing the 2014 National health act.”

The Chief Executive Officer,

Centre for social justice, Eze Onyekpere said the National Assembly should reassign the BHCPF to statutory transfer before sending the budget bill to the president for assent.

Pharmaceutical Firm Repositions De-Deon from Rescue to Catalyst Brand Elizabeth Iselen One of Nigeria’s indigenous pharmaceutical firm, Daily Need Industries Limited has re-launched its popular brand of blood tonic, De Deon; repositioning its focus from rescue brand to catalyst brand.

Stating this during the unveiling of De Deon’s new brand ambassador, Zainab Balogun at a media parley organised by San Frontier Limited in Lagos recently, the General Manager Olusola Adeyi stated that the 35-yearold daily need product, De Deon has over the years positioned itself as a solution to anemia, mental and physical fatigue, stress, among other health issues, adding that this has made it an acceptable solution over the years for millions of Nigerians. He said the brand, in the past years, was positioned as premium blood tonic for fast treatment of anaemic conditions, stress and fatigue, also quite ideal for pregnant women, nursing mothers and old persons. But he noted that the solution has moved beyond just a rescue brand, as it is now being positioned as a catalyst.

“At the onset, De-Deons was ranked 5th among other competing brands in Nigeria.

As of today, it is ranked number one blood tonic in Nigeria with an annual capacity of 40 million bottles. It has presence in no less than 7.5 million households across the nation.

“Our decision therefore is to reposition it from a ‘rescue brand’ to a ‘catalyst brand’, correcting the perception that the brand is only and essentially for the ‘weak and recuperating’ or the ‘elderly and exhausted’ persons.

“De-Deons propels you to your goals and aspirations with the provision of essential support for mind and body rejuvenation to all – especially the young, mobile and active groups.”

He added that, “Daily need was established to impact

positively on the society, through the manufacturing and marketing of essential daily pharmaceutical and household products, required to sustain a healthy and vibrant society.

The company propelled by the vision of the founder, which is to rank among the league of world-class pharmaceutical companies through the production of premium pharmaceutical brands and a manufacturing process that satisfy global best practices.”

Speaking on the choice of Balogun as the brand ambassador, the Group Managing Director, Daily Need, Oluwatosin Jolayemi said the brand was careful in the choice of an ambassador, owing what it stands for.

He said: “We were looking out for someone who is apt, career driven, energetic, sophisticated, inspiring, contemporaneous, ambitious, highly mobile, success driven, and sociable. Zainab Balogun’s name popped out through three different people, at different times.

By the time I gave a description of whom I wanted as an ambassador, it coincides with the same person whose name has been recommended three times, and here we are today.

Balogun is a proud ambassador of De Deon.

On her part, Balogun said: “As a young person I work very hard and my schedule is extremely intense. If am not on set somewhere, I am probably travelling somewhere. Most times I find myself extremely tired often and the tell-tell signs are, I’ll start getting a bit of cold or body aches or being really fatigued, and I’m not the type of person that self-medicate.

“I just go with it and wait till my body does something, so to find a product that I can use before my body starts to tell me there’s something wrong, and a product that can help me through that condition, sometimes I shoot films from 6a.m. until the next day.

L-R: Director, Daily Need Group, Seun Jolayemi; Executive Director, Operations, Daily Need Group, Segun Jolayemi; Brand Ambassador, De-Deon Syrup, Zainab Balogun; and Group Managing Director/CEO, Daily Need Group, Oluwatosin Jolayemi at a press conference to re-launch De-Deon Syrup in Lagos recently

Experts Urge Lupus Patients to See their Doctors Regularly Rebecca Ejifoma To raise awareness and make a difference for people affected

by Lupus in Nigeria, experts from Labalaba Foundation for Lupus Awareness and Advocacy have urged patients to make their rheumatologists their best friends and go for constant check up.

The foundation made this call in partnership with Rheumatology and Dermatology Clinics of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital on World Lupus Day 2018 in Lagos recently.

According to a Consultant Dermatologist and GenitoUrinary Physician, LUTH, Dr. Ayesha Akinkugbe, Lupus knows no boundaries. It affects anyone on any organ anywhere in the world.

She described it as a chronic, complex autoimmune disease that affects millions worldwide.

“More than 90 per cent of people with lupus are women; the majority is diagnosed between the ages of 15 to 44.”

Akinkugbe, who is also Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said women of African descent were more at risk more than the men.

She added: “In lupus, the immune system, which is designed to protect against infection, creates antibodies that attack the body’s own tissues and organs like the kidneys, brain, heart, lungs,

blood, skin, and joints.”

Some of the symptoms she warned against are; constant malaria, fever, typhoid, rashes on faces and body, weakness, anaemia, convulsion, mouth and throat sore, chest pain, headache, loss of concentration, among others.

“Global prevalence of lupus also known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) lies between 0.02 per cent and 0.15 per cent. The incidence and prevalence is two to three times more in Africans and Asians than in Caucasians.

“The epidemiology of lupus in Nigeria and Africa is largely undetermined, and the perception persists that the incidence is very low.

Recent studies as well as our own experience suggest that significant numbers of Nigerian patients were presenting with SLE. University of Ibadan reports about 100,000 cases in Nigeria a year,” she added.

In a rheumatology clinic in Lagos, the expert disclosed that lupus accounted for 5.28 per cent of all the 1,250 rheumatology cases seen over the study period of six years.

“Females constituted 95.5 per cent of the cases seen. And the age range was 17-55 years.

“A recent study found that lupus has become one of the top causes of death of females between 15 and 24 years old. This can be attributed to lack of societal awareness; therefore, the awareness effort in Nigeria must become more aggressive,” the dermatologist said.

Survey Rates Nigeria Health Care Performance Low Peter Uzoho For Nigerians to enjoy better healthcare delivery, government at all levels have been urged to ensure improved access to facilities at the primary healthcare level by the citizens.

A global leader in the health technology, Royal Philips, made the appeal recently in Lagos during the unveiling of a survey, which indicated that 36 per cent of Nigerians believe that their healthcare needs were being met by the current country’s health system.

However, the survey, noted that tracking health indicators and wide spread information about health, nutrition and fitness, were key factors that would drive effective healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Submission by over 500 Nigerians interviewed in the survey, indicated “that though 52 per cent Nigerians believe in current healthcare system, only 36 per cent is of the opinion that their healthcare needs are being met.”

The recommendation for improved access to primary health facilities is based on findings that more than half of Nigerians seek treatment for minor ailments from secondary and tertiary hospitals, which is contrary to the principles of the referrer system.

This approach is further reinforced by the fact that majority (65 per cent) of Nigerians believe improved access to health facilities would make them more effective in managing their health, thus alleviating pressure on the healthcare system.

The Chief Executive Officer of Philips Africa, Jasper Westerink, who commented on the survey, noted that there is the need for a greater focus on preventive healthcare for a sustainable health system, especially given the prevalence of lifestyle related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

According to him “the results also reinforce the need for the national government to invest a significant percentage of its healthcare budget towards medical research, preventive care, acute care and general health education.

“This also suggests that more personalised consultations, more first-time right diagnosis, and timely treatments from healthcare professionals (HCPs) will further help reduce the burden on the healthcare industry in the country.”

Westerink noted that, “With these findings as a guiding light, we are engaging with all relevant stakeholders to drive the debate and ultimately improve the quality and cost effectiveness of healthcare services for future generations.

“We believe that sustainable healthcare development requires a system-wide approach, combining technology, capacity-building including training, service and maintenance, as well as long-term financing.”

To that end, we aim to expand access to quality and affordable healthcare across the country and compliment significant efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s growing health sector.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ë&#x153; MAY 24, 2018

40

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Fidelity Unveils Initiative to Unlock N500m Funding for SMEs Obinna Chima Fidelity Bank Plc has concluded plan to organise a fair that is expected to provide an opportunity for operators of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to meet with viable financing organisations.

The bank estimated that the initiative would provide SMEs in the country an opportunity to access financing of about N500 million from viable organisations across the globe.

The chief executive, Fidelity Bank, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo disclosed this Tuesday while speaking on the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fidelity SME Forum,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; a radio programme that was monitored on Inspiration FM. According to Okonkwo, the two-day event expected to hold in September has been christened the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fidelity SME Funding Fair.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; He explained: â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the first time in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank sat back, and we were wondering how we can help SMEs have access to finance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, what we have done is to plan a two-day event which we have called the Fidelity SME Funding Fair.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;With this, we are trying to create a market place. Now, a lot of organisations that provide financing opportunities from international and local organisations which is beyond the traditional banks and development institutions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These financing organisations have the money, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to reach the SMEs, while the SMEs have the need, but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to reach these people.â&#x20AC;?

According to him, the funding organisations would be allocated booths at the event, where SMEs would have the opportunity to meet and speak with them.

However, Okonkwo pointed out that before the fair would hold, Fidelity Bank would organise a seminar where it would bring SMEs and providers of finance to speak generally. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After the seminar, we would go into a one-on-one session so that the SMEs can interact with them and of course, mediated

by Fidelity Bank. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Towards the end of the first day, we would go into a pitching session where

SMEs would be given the opportunity to pitch what they do to the fund providers and state why they think they should attract financing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, they are taking low-cost financing and it is not like commercial lending. This hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happened before, and we are hoping that we would record tremendous success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After this year â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fair, we would make it a yearly affair. But once we create the awareness, we would then have an ongoing partnership with these fund providers, so that each year people that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the opportunity to participate previously, can also take part in it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would be officially making the announcement in the next few days and people would be required to register and once we have the number of people that the venue can accommodate for this year, we close the registration. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will be an opportunity for SMEs to be tutored on how to prepare themselves to access financing. In that fair, even if you are not going to access financing, it would help you to put your books in order,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Union Bank Introduces Robotics into Banking Union Bank Plc has announced the deployment of the innovative Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology in its operations.

The bank explained that the move would set it apart from its counterparts in the industry.

The new technology was launched at an event which took place at the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head office in Lagos.

The RPA technology makes use of robots which are software tools developed to simplify business process delivery. The software robots offer improved business efficiency and data security by automating repetitive tasks across multiple business applications without altering existing infrastructure and systems.

Speaking at the event, the chief executive of Union

Bank, Mr. Emeka Emuwa expressed delight, saying the bank was the first in the industry to introduce robotics into its processes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The provision of simpler, smarter banking services to our valued customers is at the core of our business and RPA helps us achieve this objective by leveraging cutting edge technology and innovative partnerships. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I commend the hard work and dedication of our Union Bank team for the effective execution of this project,â&#x20AC;? Emuwa said.

Furthermore, the Union Bank boss said the adoption of the RPA technology was expected to enhance staff productivity, reduce process turnaround time and improve accuracy and compliance.

According to him, with

the new technology in place, employees are better able to focus on other value adding and customer related functions, significantly improving the overall quality of customer experience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the first phase of the Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RPA implementation, reconciliation of ATM transactions are now fully automated, cutting down processing time by over 60 per cent and ensuring that refunds on ATM fund dispense errors are promptly and efficiently carried out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Union Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marked technological advancement in recent times is a major element of its transformation programme and has included the redefinition of the Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business model, reengineering of its work force and rebuilding of its physical infrastructure.

Skye Bank Offers Customers â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Select Accountâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Skye Bank has introduced a priority account named theâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Skye Select Account.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; A statement from the bank quoted its Group Head, Product and Innovation Group, Mr. Ndubisi Osakwe, while describing the features and benefits of the product to have said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;With a minimum opening and operating balance of N200,000, you are entitled to a free priority pass card, with free annual membership that also includes two free airport lounge usage each year, zero monthly account maintenance fees, a MasterCard Platinum Debit card which offers luxurious discounts and privileges as well as cross border spending.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You also get a higher spend limit with your card across various electronic channels and enjoy preferential access at all Skye bank branches nationwide.â&#x20AC;?

The statement described the Skye Select as an account for the discerning priority client who requires fast, efficient, convenient and value-added services.

Mr. Sylvester Nwanyawu, an Aba-based industrialist who operates the account, expressed appreciation to the bank for introducing the product.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was travelling with some of my business associates without knowing that being a holder of the Skye Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s priority pass card would give us a

privileged advantage.â&#x20AC;?

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Imagine just hanging out at the general waiting area around the airport gate for eight hours with thousands of other travelers. The wait would have made our stop at Amsterdam uninteresting and tiring.â&#x20AC;?

Another Skye Select Account holder, Mrs. Rashidat Makanjuola, who is the principal partner, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Events by Roshie,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; recounted her experience with Skye Selectsaying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel pretty excited about the perks my Skye Bank priority pass affords me, especially in creating for me a good experience each time I travel out of the country.â&#x20AC;?

Nnamdi Okonkwo

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

MARCH 2018 Broad Money (M2)

24,303,049.86

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,912,604.10

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,668,378.21

---- Demand Deposits

9,244,225.90

-- Quasi Money

13,390,445.76

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

15,619,134.18

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

8,683,915.68

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,267,136.53

---- Credit to Government (Net)

3,823,345.45

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

5,433,209.43

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-1,609,863.98

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

22,443,791.08

--Other Assets Net

-17,583,220.85

Reserve Money (Base Money)

6,746,646.49

--Currency in Circulation

1,668,378.21

--Banks Reserves

4,357,551.58 Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă? Ě&#x2039;

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;ĂŁ Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?ĂŁ Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ě&#x2039; ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY MAY 22, 2018

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $77.19 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $76.21 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

41

T H I S D AY Ëž Ë&#x153; ͰͲË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

MARKET NEWS

NSEYear-to-date Returns Fall to 4.9% as Bears Consolidate Hold on Market Goddy Egene The year-to-date(YTD) growth of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) dropped to 4.9 per cent yesterday as the bears consolidated their hold on the stock market.

The bearish trading entered its third consecutive day this week, dragging the ASI further down by 0.25 per cent to close at 40,150.55. In similar vein, market capitalisation shed N35.8 billion

to close lower at N14.5 trillion.

The YTD return is the lowest in more than three months. The negative performance was mostly caused by profit taking in the shares of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Dangote Sugar Refinery.

Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The market closed underwater for the third consecutive day this week.

This is reflective of the bearish sentiment towards top counters

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

in the market, especially in the consumer goods and banking space.â&#x20AC;?

In all, 28 stocks depreciated, while 15 others appreciated in prices. UAC of Nigeria Plc led the price losers with 8.5 per cent to close at N14.50. The conglomerate has suffered significant sell-off following the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poor results for 2017 financial year.

The high finance cost recorded by the company depressed its profit after tax by 83 per cent for

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

the year ended December 2017.

Specifically, UACN posted a revenue of N89.178 billion, down by eight per cent from N82.572 billion.

Operating profit fell by 19 per cent to N7.031 billion, from N8.639 billion. However, net finance cost soared by 218 per cent from N1.361 billion to N4.324 billion in 2017. As a results, profit after tax fell by 83 per cent to N962 million in 2017 compared with N5.666

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

billion in 2016.

Meanwhile, Chams Plc closed as the second highest price loser with 5.0 per cent, followed by C & I Leasing Plc and Unity Bank Plc with 4.9 per cent apiece.

UAC Property Development Company Plc shed 4.8 per cent.

On the positive side, Ikeja Hotels Plc maintained the number spot, gaining 9.8 per cent to close at N2.24. The stock had similarly led the price gainers as investors continued to react

O F

positively to the lifting of the suspension placed on the stock in November 2016.

MRS Oil Nigeria Plc chalked up 4.8 per cent, while First Aluminium Nigeria Plc garnered 4.5 per cent. Niger Insurance Plc and John Holt Plc appreciated by 4.3 per cent and 3.8 per cent in that order. Trading activity level was mixed as volume traded fell 4.8 per cent to 266.7 million shares while value traded rose 14.3 per cent to N4.7 billion.

2 2 / 0 5 / 2 0 1 8 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

42

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲË&#x153; ͰͮͯͶ

43

˾ THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

MARKET NEWS

NOVA Merchant Bank Records Profit in First Year of Operations Goddy Egene NOVA Merchant Bank Limited (NMBL), a newly licensed merchant bank with a focus on wholesale banking, investment banking and asset management recorded a profit of N510.58 million in its first year of operations.

The bank has been riding on a high level of productivity and cost-effectiveness in its activities, thus laying a strong foundation for its future success. According to its results for the first

eight months of operations ended December 31, 2017, NMBL recorded gross earnings of N1.22 billion.

With a marked and strategic approach towards cost-savings and maximisation, the bank’s operating expenses stood at N743.39 million, while profit stood at N510.58 million. The bank ended the period with total assets of N17.99 billion, while the a shareholders’ funds stood at N16.51 billion.

Speaking on the results, the Chairman of NMBL, Mr. Phillips Oduoza,

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

expressed satisfaction at the performance and commended the staff.

He said: “We have assembled a team of professionals and our building state of the art technology to drive our innovative products and services in realisation of our vision’To be Africa’s preferred financial solutions provider’ and our mission to ‘create superior value in the markets we serve.”

According to Oduoza, it is expected that the size of the bank’s balance sheet

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 22May-2018, unless otherwise stated.

will provide a strong foundation to support the growth of its business and rapidly growing client base.

Speaking in the same vein, the Managing Director of NMBL, Chinedu Ikwudinma, noted that the performance was achieved by a commitment to the core values of the institution encapsulated by the acronym UPLIFT( Uniqueness, Passion, Leadership, Integrity, Fairness and Teamwork).

He said: “NOVA is positioned to bring transformative advantage

to our customers in keeping with our vision ‘To be Africa’s preferred financial solutions provider”. We are deploying the systems, services and personnel to make this happen and are excited about the future we envision for ourselves and our clients.”

While also explaining the strategic direction of the bank, Ikwudinma said that NOVA would focus on wholesale banking by offering trade services, project financing, cash management, corporate solutions, advisory services.

He added that in the area of investment banking, the bank would be looking at mergers and acquisition, advisory services, securities and trading, wealth and asset management as well as debt and equity capital management.

Analysts expect this trend of performance to continue in 2018, saying the results showed impressive work based on the strong foundation which the company laid at the beginning of its operations which commenced last year.

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 191.74 193.10 8.06% Nigeria International Debt Fund 245.78 247.17 6.53% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.84 0.85 2.36% ACAP Income Funds 0.66 0.66 9.00% 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 13.40% 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 157.26 158.37 3.67% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.07% 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 13.27% Paramount Equity Fund 12.10 12.40 9.08% Women's Investment Fund 103.58 106.23 2.93% 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 14.30% 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 13.15% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.14 1.17 8.85% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.12 1.15 7.79% 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 1,154.00 1,154.69 0.52% FBN Heritage Fund 150.73 152.04 8.12% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.47% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 113.22 113.65 0.23% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 113.05 113.48 0.17% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 180.71 183.43 12.22% 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 1.40 1.42 6.99% Legacy Debt Fund 3.04 3.04 5.24% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,195.23 3,228.23 7.02% Coral Income Fund 2,610.99 2,610.99 6.70% 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 13.57% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 102.55 103.45 2.54% 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 13.12% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.23 2.25 5.63% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.54% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 120.42 120.81 4.71%

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 1.19 1.21 3.73% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,066.56 1,066.56 5.80% 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 14.16 14.29 7.54% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 13.30% 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 1.34 1.36 12.39% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.76 11.82 6.54% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 13.53% 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 128.64 131.03 -0.07% 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 1.58 1.58 6.13% 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 2,415.76 2,436.15 7.71% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 184.85 184.85 4.76% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.09 1.10 8.42% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 234.96 235.02 6.69% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 187.08 189.05 4.42% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.15% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,343.52 10,482.55 6.96% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.09 1.09 3.04% 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 1.34 1.35 0.38% United Capital Bond Fund 1.65 1.65 5.33% United Capital Equity Fund 0.97 0.99 5.78% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.79% United Capital Eurobond Fund 105.94 105.94 2.95% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.14 1.15 4.84% 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 13.40 13.61 7.05% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.94 14.10 6.00% Zenith Income Fund 20.17 20.17 6.58% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.64%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.141 135.24 51.22

1.01% 2.10% 0.77%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.69 157.21 118.04

12.79 160.50 120.20

4.67% 10.05% 8.03%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

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

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

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.

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲË&#x153; ͰͮͯͶ

44

UTILIZATION OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE AS AT 18TH OF MAY 2018 S/N

CUSTOMERS

1

NWABUOKU PRISCILLIA UGOCHI

2

CHIMA EZE

3

OYIOGU LOVINDA CHIDINMA

4

EZEKWE SALLY CHIKERE E

5

OSUCHUKWU CHIEMEZIE ODINAKA

6

OKANLAWON ESTHER

AMOUNT (US$) PURPOSE

RATE DATE

S/N

CUSTOMERS

AMOUNT (US$) PURPOSE

RATE DATE

S/N

CUSTOMERS

AMOUNT (US$) PURPOSE

RATE DATE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

166

KINGSLEY AMOBI OGBUEHI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

331

UBA AUSTIN CHUKWUMA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

200.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

167

TINA N IGIRIOGU

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

332

JOB CHUKWUEMEKA JEFFREY

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

DR MRS CAROLINE C. UTULU

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

300.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

LT COR SUNDAY JOHN OYEGADE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

1,000.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

169

SULAIMON WAHAB ADESHINA

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

334

OLUWATOYIN GRACE ADEBAMBO

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

965.58 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

170

OFFONG CHRISTOPHER

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

335

DAVID SAMUEL OLATUNDE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

3,448.50 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

168

MURTALA GBOLAGBADE ALIMI

4,000.00 PTA

7

AKANDE SAMUEL OLUSEGUN

2,100.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

172

CLEMENT ADEDAYO APERE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

337

RAJI IBIRONKE THERESA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

8

IWUALA CHUKWUEBUKA NNAMDI

1,500.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

173

SANDABE ASHE KYARI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

338

TAIWO TUNJI AKINSOLA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

UABOI GODFREY AGBEBAKU

4,000.00 PTA

9

ALH. (SIR)SALAUDEEN BOLA LATINWO

3,448.50 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

171

174

LOTANNA UZOKA CHINWE

10

SULAIMON A ADEDOTUN

400.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

175

UME CHRISTIAN CHINEDU

11

KEHINDE AKINOLA RACHAEL

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

176

LEONARD NNAMDI JIDEONWO

359.00 14-May-18

12

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

333

360.00 17-May-18

336

339

360.00 17-May-18

IJEWERE EILEEN ANINO

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

340

LAWAL ADEPEJU JOKE ABIODUN

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

341

OLUWADAMILARE EKUNDAYO L

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

RASHEEDAT O FOLORUNSHO

4,000.00 PTA

800.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

UDOCHU OGBONNAYA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

13

ENGR FESTUS C. OJIMBA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

178

ADESHOLA MOTUNRAYO ADETUNJI

500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

343

ODIDI FLORENCE FARAHATU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

14

CHRISTOPHER OLUMUYIWA ILORI

119.43 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

179

AKEREDOLU, MARIAN OLANREWAJU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

344

MOHAMMD JAMILA

4,000.00 PTA

177

OYEMADE FUNMILAYO ADELARIN

342

360.00 17-May-18

15

PAUL KINGSLEY CHIDIEBERE

3,941.19 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

180

EBUBEDIKE IKECHUKWU CORNELIUS

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

345

IDRIS ABUBAKAR ABDULKARIM

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

16

OMEZI IKECHUKWU

1,648.92 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

181

ILECHUKWU OLUBUNDU PHILIP

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

346

SAFIYA USMAN

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

EZEH UCHE ELISHA

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 14-May-18

18

ALLAGOA MODUPE PRAISE

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 14-May-18

183

EPELLE BOMA PRECIOUS

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

348

OPEEWE BUNMI OMOLOLU

3,600.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

19

17

ANNA NUHU TIZHE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

184

ADELEKE ADENIKE DAMILOLA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

349

MARIA C OSUJI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

20

FALANO OLUTOLA AJOKE

3,448.47 PTA

359.00 14-May-18

182

185

PIUS MALACHY BASSEY

KUFORIJI BABATUNDE ADEYEMI

4,000.00 PTA

2,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

360.00 17-May-18

347

350

OLAWUYI OLAYINKA SIMISOLA

OTUNUGA OLUDARE MOSES

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

21

QUADRI MOSHOOD OLAWALE

1,000.00 BTA

359.00 14-May-18

186

SAIDU SULAIMAN

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

351

EJEBOR NNABUBUIKE VICTOR

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

22

LAWSON-WOKOMA ADOKIYE

4,579.87 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 14-May-18

187

TEMITOPE ODUTOLA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

352

SONIA O EVBUOMWAN

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

23

RAYMOND B JAM

8,491.94 ACCOMMODATION

359.00 14-May-18

ORUERIO ATEVUKE FLORENCE

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

24

TEMITOPE E OGUNKUADE

12,540.15 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 14-May-18

189

JANET OLUBANKE ABIOYE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

354

FADIPE FUNMILOLA ADEDOYIN

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

25

MARIAM A DANESI

13,900.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 14-May-18

190

IMAGBE BENJAMIN SILVA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

355

DAFIEWHARE ANDREW OCHUKO

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

26

FELICIA T UDOFIA

7,395.50 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 14-May-18

188

ILOH CELESTINE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

WOSU, ONYEBUCHI KELECHI

1,500.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 14-May-18

192

BAMTEFA EDITH OLANREWAJU

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

357

ALELE OMOSEDE SANDRA

2,700.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

2,993.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 14-May-18

193

ONUOHA, UGOCHUKWU STANFORD

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

358

NSUH SLICK

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

357.00 14-May-18

FEMI ADEPEKO

1,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

30

CBN

172,871.08 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 14-May-18

195

TIJANI AZEEZAT MONINUOLA

1,400.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

360

OPOOLA JULIANA OMOLARA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

CBN

228,328.00 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 14-May-18

196

ADETIFA FUNMILAYO ADESOLA

1,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

361

NWOSISI ALEX B CHUKWUEMEKA

2,500.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

GMT

100,000.00 PART PRINCIPAL ON CM073075

33

32

AIR PEACE LTD

500,000.00 PART REMITTANCE OF PREMIUM

PLASTIMAT LTD

35

PLASTIMAT LTD

36

EGYPT AIR KANO

37

GODREJ NIGERIA LIMITED

38

17,633.21 POLYPROPYLENE 7,420.00 POLYPROPYLENE 692,520.78 TICKET SALES FOR MARCH 2018 7,580.00 SODIUM PALMITATE

361.00 14-May-18

197

ISITEKHALE EHIMARE TONY

OMOTOSHO ANTHONY OLA

4,000.00 PTA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

356

31

34

194

360.00 17-May-18

359.00 17-May-18

FUNMILAYO E OMORAKA

4,476.21 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

5,000.00 BTA

4,000.00 PTA

27

CBN

BAMTEFA ADEDAMOLA ADEGBUYI

EKEKE GODFREY LEWECHI

28 29

191

353

360.00 17-May-18

359

362

AUDU ADAMU MADAKI

2,200.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

361.30 14-May-18

198

SALAU, SHAKIRU GBOLAHAN

2,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

363

AHMED ANTHONIA AGIM

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

361.00 14-May-18

199

OGUNFOWORA FOLASADE ABIMBOLA

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

364

OCHEOHA DAMIAN OGBONNA

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

361.00 14-May-18

200

AHMED AMINA SUSAADE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

365

NOAH UKAEGBU

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

361.00 14-May-18

201

AKOBO TONBO SEDDON

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

366

ONWUNZO VINCENT UCHENNA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

361.50 14-May-18

202

TAIYESE OLUSHOLA AKANMU

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

367

ADAGBONYIN ESTHER ESEOSA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

GODREJ NIGERIA LIMITED

7,580.00 SODIUM PALMITATE

361.50 14-May-18

OLUSEYI ESTHER TAIYESE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

39

ONYENWE VICTORIA MERABELLE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

204

OTUDEKO ISRAEL OLORUNWA

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

369

SERIFAT MOJISOLA ADEBOYE

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

40

NWINEH BARISUKA GENTLE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

205

EMENI ROSELINE OGOCHUKWU

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

370

SAKA-SHOLADEMI, CHRISTIANA KEMI

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

41

368

OLUWAKEMI MORENIKE ADEYEMI

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

IDOGUN EMETE CHRISTOPHER

1,000.00 PTA

ABU ABDULLAHI ATSUMBE

1,000.00 PTA

42

ALABI OLUWATOSIN ADEOLA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

207

AKINBOLUWAJO, OLUFUNKE BOLANLE

1,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

372

UCHE NKECHI VIRGINIA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

43

OKEOWO MIKHAIL ADEPOJU

850.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

208

ABAH QUINCY ANTHONY

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

373

AKOREDE MARYAM

3,600.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

44

359.00 15-May-18

203

206

IKOGHO EMOTOKARE OKEREMUTE

800.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

371

359.00 17-May-18

MOMOH RITA OMOSO

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

45

UCHEFUNA FELIX C

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

210

OKOYE AMARA NJIDEKA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

375

ISABELLA UGOCHI EKOH

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

46

OKEKEIGWE AMOBI MOSES

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

211

AGABRI ALERO

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

376

EBERECHUKWU JUSTINA NONYELU

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

47

GRACE SUNDAY ETUK

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

209

212

AWOLESU SAHEED

ONWERE HENRY IKECHUKWU

800.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

374

377

BUSARI SAHEED OLASUNKANMI

HRM KIKACHUKWU HENRY AFAM

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

48

OGUNBODE MORUFATU OLABISI

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

213

AMATUL-KAFEEL OLAOTI OSHODI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

378

ALH MOHAMMED SABIU UMAR,MNI

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

49

NOMZI INTEGRATED SERVICES LTD

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 15-May-18

214

UBANI THEOPHILUS ONYEKWERE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

379

AKALEME C. CHUKWUNYERE

1,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

50

OKERE ONONUJU OHAJIRIMUTA

500.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

215

ABBAH GEORGINA RUMI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

380

ONWUZURIKE CHINOYE SANTOS

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

OKERE ONONUJU OHAJIRIMUTA

3,500.00 PTA

359.00 15-May-18

ADAMU PETER EMMAUEL

4,000.00 PTA

52

AYAEBENE FRANCESS JOY

2,500.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 15-May-18

217

SA'IDU BALA AISHA

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

382

ENWE AZUBUIKE ODE

53

51

OGBONNA CHINONYEREM JOE

4,900.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 15-May-18

218

BENJAMIN CHIBUZOR ANIEKE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

383

ISICHIE SIMON ONYEKA

54

CBN

3,185.63 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 15-May-18

216

381

359.00 17-May-18

420.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18 359.00 17-May-18

DARAMOLA PAUL OLUSEGUN

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

CBN

6,934.43 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 15-May-18

220

GILBERT OLUBUNMI

1,700.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

385

IFEDAYO A IWAENI

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

CBN

186,833.74 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 15-May-18

221

ADAMU EUNICE JOKOTADE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

386

AZAGBA EVELYN AYIBANWA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

57

CBN RADIANT AGRO ALLIED VENTURES FLOURMILL

60

UGWUOKE JOHNSON CHIBUZO

4,000.00 PTA 4,000.00 PTA

55

58

384

OLADEPO M O

56

59

219

360.00 17-May-18

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

235,742.50 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 15-May-18

TUNDE OLUSHOLA FEMI A.

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

392,040.00 POLYPROPYLENE

361.75 15-May-18

223

NANI MAUREEN CHIZOBA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

388

OKWUDILI PETER OFORAH

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

362.30 15-May-18

224

LAWANI QUEEN IMALELE

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

389

ACHIKE ANTHONIA IFEYINWA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

1,300,000.00 15,000 METRIC TONS OF AUSTR.HARD WHEAT

222

OBELLE KENNETH ANENE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

387

AKINSANYA AMUSILIU

4,000.00 BTA

359.00 16-May-18

61

CHUKU EDITH CHISA

3,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

226

EKONG AFFIONG KINGSLEY

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

391

OLANREWAJU THEOPHILUS JIMOH

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

62

OKPALA OKECHUKWU BENJAMIN

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

227

IBRAHIM GAZALI AHMAD

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

392

SOWUMI JOSEPH ABIODUN

1,600.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

63

ONUOHA CHIBUZOR SUNDAY

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

225

228

FAMUYIWA TOYIN OMOTAYO

IBEKWE CHIAGOZIE DIALA

4,000.00 PTA

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

360.00 17-May-18

390

393

BALAMI MICHAEL CHARITY

1,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

OLANREWAJU YEMISI ESTHER

4,000.00 PTA

64

AJOSE TEMITOPE

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 16-May-18

229

SANUSI AKIM USMAN

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

394

JOSEPH BASSEY OKEGBE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

65

IDIODI EVELYN ALUKHOMO

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

230

ADEPOJU RACHEL ADESEUN

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

395

OKUGO UGOCHUKWU JOSEPH

250.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

359.00 17-May-18

66

ALLOR MARY AMAKA

3,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

231

ADEDOKUN ADEMOLA MOJEED

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

396

OLAROTIMI OLANREWAJU TOPE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

67

TAIWO ADEWALE ADENIYI

3,038.20 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

232

FAYOYIWA OLALEKAN SAMUEL

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

397

FAOSAT ADEOYE ADERONKE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

68

EJIOGU JUDE MORRIS

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

233

OSUAGWU KELECHI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

398

OGUNSIJI KUDIRAT

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

69

FREDRICK OSAMUYI AKENUWA

70

FADARE ABIODUN SEGUN

71

GOGO JOSEPH EMULO

72

MEME CHIJIOKE CHINOMSO

73

ONAEKO ADEDAYO

74

EZIMAKO STELLA CHINONYEREM

75

TIJANI FAUSAT ONAJOKE

1,700.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

EZE CHINEDU IFECHUKWU

2,000.00 PTA

EMESOWUM IJEOMA JOY

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

900.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

235

KING FATIMOH YETUNDE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

400

FAGBEMI GRACE OLUFUNKE

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

236

IGWE CYNTHIA UCHE

700.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

401

BENIBO BETTY IBIBO

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

2,900.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

1,500.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

234

237

SALUBI TRACY EJIRO

360.00 17-May-18

399

402

ODIEDI EMMANUEL

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

500.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

238

IDAEWOR UGONWA

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

403

OSHIFODUNRIN ABAYOMI P

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

2,410.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

239

UDO JOHN AUGUSTINE

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

404

ADEDININI KATERINE REMI

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

240

MAKOJU JOSEPH OYEYANI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

405

OJUILE FUNMILAYO OLUWAKEMI

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

76

IBEKWE ANTHONY PAUL

1,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

241

BEATRICE AKPAN

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

406

AHISU EBENEZER V

1,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

77

DURODOLA OLUSOLA VICTOR

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 16-May-18

242

OLAIFA FUNMILOLA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

407

EDOSOMWAN DAVID EGHOSA

1,650.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

78

VICTOR O ADEPOJU

4,048.91 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 16-May-18

ODUWOYE ISIAKA ADETOYE

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

79

OGBU UCHENNA

3,833.33 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 16-May-18

244

MADOJEMU RAPHAEL ALFRED

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

409

EDEBIRI UNIONMWAN

3,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

80

MUSTAPHA ALHAJI BUKAR

1,360.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 16-May-18

245

OKWU OTO JACOB

1,700.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

410

EZEIBE STEPHEN NGOZI

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

81

TLSG SERVICES VENTURES

82

ODUNTAN OMOTOLA

83

AMTRONIC INVESTMENTS LTD

84

KAM INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LIMITED

2,875.00 SCHOOL FEES 3,441.25 SCHOOL FEES 43,682.79

SMALL BLENDER JAR 1 L

100,000.00 COLD ROLLING STEEL MILL

85

AMTRONIC INVESTMENTS LTD

86

CBN

247,686.50 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

CBN

364,428.70 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

87

20,796.85 DEEP FRYER MATERIAL

359.00 16-May-18

243

246

STELLA UKEME KONGKOR

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

408

411

OGU NICHOLAS CHIKA

YEMITAN OMONIYI KAYODE

2,500.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

359.00 16-May-18

247

NDOH TOBECHUKWU THELMA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

412

RT HON SEIBARUGU WERINIPRE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

305.65 16-May-18

248

ADEYEMI OLUFUNKE AKANKE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

413

BOLARINDE OLUBUKOLA A

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

306.15 16-May-18

249

AKPAN PATIENCE ANTIGHA

1,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

414

SABA CHRISTIANA BUKOLA

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

305.65 16-May-18

250

MARTIN NWANZE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

415

AKIBA SHEMAU BOSEDE

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

357.00 16-May-18

251

ABASIEKEME V. ESSIEN

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

416

EZEALA INNOCENT CHIDIEBERE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

357.00 16-May-18

252

IRIBHOGBE FUNMILAYO IFFEGO

3,600.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

417

AWOSANYA, GBENGA TIMOTHY

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

88

AMTRONIC INVESTMENTS LTD

20,998.59 MASKING TAPE

305.65 16-May-18

253

DURUIHEOMA EZE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

418

OBI DENNIS AMAMCHUKWU

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

89

AIRPEACE LIMITED

56,388.61 PART REMITTANCE OF PREMIUM

361.50 16-May-18

254

OJUAWO OLUWOLE EMMANUEL

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

419

ANYANWU JOY CHIKODI

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

90

PURECHEM IND LTD

22,853.27 POLYPROPYLENE

361.50 16-May-18

255

PATIENCE ABIMBOLA EZEAKU

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

420

ANYANWU JOY NWANYINWA

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

CWAY FOOD & BEVERAGES

70,065.00 PRINTED FLEXIBLE MATERIAL

DUROMOLA RAHAMAN O

2,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

92

CWAY FOOD & BEVERAGES

35,495.00 PRINTED FLEXIBLE MATERIAL

361.50 16-May-18

257

BENYEOGOR AUGUSTA OBIAGELI

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

422

OKOH JULIANA UJUNWA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

93

91

JAYKAY CARPET IND LTD

43,413.00 RAW MATERIAL FOR CARPET

362.00 16-May-18

258

AUDU ADAMS ALIQALI

1,200.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

423

YEWANDE O EFUNBOTE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

94

JAYKAY CARPET IND LTD

45,846.69 RAW MATERIAL FOR CARPET

361.50 16-May-18

362.00 16-May-18

256

259

SANI ALIYU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

421

424

ABIA EDIDIONG

OBIOKALA ANGELA CHEKWUBE

1,500.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

1,500.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

95

JAYKAY CARPET IND LTD

57,468.00 RAW MATERIAL FOR CARPET

362.00 16-May-18

260

OGUNMWONYI IKPONMWOSA

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

425

NAIYEJU AKIN EMMANUEL

2,800.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

96

JAYKAY CARPET IND LTD

66,946.20 RAW MATERIAL FOR CARPET

362.00 16-May-18

261

AKORHE LINDA EJAETA

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

426

JOB OMOLARA MODUPE

2,700.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

AVON CROWNCAPS

93,073.79 TINPLATE

361.50 16-May-18

AGATHA HAJARA MBACHU

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

97

UGWU GREGORY NWEKE

4,000.00 PTA

98

NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY

9,395.00 AMORPHOUS PET CHIPS

362.00 16-May-18

263

OGBONNAYA NGOZI NWANNEDIYA

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

428

NGINI NKENJIKA

2,133.91 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 17-May-18

99

NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY

3,695.28 WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT

362.00 16-May-18

264

ESHO ROTIMI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

429

OLUGBENRO O ODETUNDE

450.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 17-May-18

100

NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY

85,299.54 WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT

101

AFRAB-CHEM LIMITED

102

FLOURMILL

235,269.00 NEW INDUSTRIAL MACHIN. FOR MANU.

FLOURMILL

764,731.00 NEW INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY

103 104

NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY

105

NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY

106

UMEH KINGSLEY ARINZE

4,508.00 PHARMACEUTICAL RAW MATERIAL

102.16 OCME CHANGEOVER PARTS 25,303.00 SET OF HANDLING PARTS FOR 350ML 5,000.00 BTA

362.00 16-May-18

262

265

FATOKI, TOYOSI IDOWU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

427

430

RAYMOND K AHUMIBE

359.00 17-May-18

10,625.37 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 17-May-18

361.50 16-May-18

266

AWONUGA YEMISI OPEOLUWA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

431

LUKMAN O IDOWU

5,861.16 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 17-May-18

362.00 16-May-18

267

ALIYU AISHATU SANI

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

432

EZEH, KENE OBIANUJUNWA

7,312.26 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 17-May-18

362.00 16-May-18

268

ONI OLUSHOLA MODUPE

3,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

433

OKOTIE GODSCHOICE

6,753.24 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 17-May-18

362.00 16-May-18

269

NDUKA ANIUKWU BENJAMIN

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

434

CBN

150,461.55 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 17-May-18

362.00 16-May-18

270

HON NGWU, STELLA PRINCESS U

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

435

CBN

226,705.57 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 17-May-18

359.00 17-May-18

271

ODESOMI OLUWATOYIN FLORENCE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

436

NIGERIAN AGIP CPFA LIMITED

6,420.00 PAYMENT FOR SUBSCRIPTION

361.00 17-May-18

107

UGEH ADEOLA YETUNDE

1,700.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

272

DAMBATTA BILKISU BALA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

437

PLASTIMAT

50,000.00 POLYPROPYLENE

361.00 17-May-18

108

NKECHI SUSAN OMEZI

1,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

273

OSANA HAUWA ABDULLAHI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

438

ROYAL SALT LIMITED

5,000.00 RAW MATERIAL

362.00 17-May-18

MORAH OBIAJULU GIDEON

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 18-May-18

EPHRAIM ASANAUSUNG ENOIFIOK

2,000.00 PTA

110

CAMPBELL CATHERINE KEHINDE

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

275

DAHIRU MAHMUD MUHAMMAD

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

440

NJOKU-OBI TREASURE NJIDEKA

2,500.00 PTA

111

109

AJAYI TAYO JOSEPH

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

276

BASHIRU OLALEKAN WASIU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

441

EZENWIGBO ALOYSIUS CHUKWUDI

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 18-May-18

112

ONYEKWERE AHAMEFULA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

277

ADESANYA OLUFEMI ADENIYI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

442

AGU UNOMA OGOCHUKWU

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

113

ASABI OLAYINKA AKINBOWALE

700.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

359.00 17-May-18

274

278

NDUKWU CHIZALU IFEYINWA

SOLANKE OLUWOLE BABAFEMI

4,000.00 PTA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

360.00 17-May-18

439

443

OKORO JOY JONAH

359.00 18-May-18

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

114

OLUGBEMI A AKINKOYE

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

279

ALAKIU AYOBAMI ESTHER

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

444

ONYIA OBIAGELI CHRISTIE

685.99 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

115

DR AKIN OBASOLA BOLA JOYCE

1,420.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

280

OLAJIDE LAWRENCE ADESOJI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

445

ABIMBOLA CHRISTIANA TITILOLA

1,115.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

116

ONYEKWENA HARRIET UZOMA

500.00 PTA

359.00 17-May-18

281

ABULBASIT ISIYAKU RABIU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

446

OKOTORE TENIADE REGINA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

117

IKPEGBU EMEKA YELLOW

2,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

DAINI OLUSESAN MAYOKUN

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

118

PICCOLO BRUNELLI

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 17-May-18

283

WAZIRI HYELSHILNI SAMUEL

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

448

ONUORAH EKWI CORDELIA

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

119

USMAN AUWALU MUSA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

284

EJIDOH PATRICIA CHIBUZOR

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

449

ONOKWAI GEORGE ONYEMEZIAM

3,999.21 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

120

282

MATTHEW, EWUBARE AKPOMIE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

447

SHEHU HAUWAU KLU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

OWEREOMA SISTUS

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

121

ONI YETUNDE OLUREMI

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

286

OSUNDAIRO OLUSEYI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

451

OBIOKOYE CHARLES OKEZIE

1,800.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

122

AUGUSTINE KPAM BAAKI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

287

OSUNDAIRO BUKOLA AWAWU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

452

GBABO DORA

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

123

UMEIHEUKWU ODIDIKA MARCEL

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

285

288

AZIBOLA PAUL OMEKWE

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

450

453

AMOS NNEKA MARIAN

ALABI OLUWASEUN OLALEKAN

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

120.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

124

IDOGUN EMETE CHRISTOPHER

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

289

VIVIAN IJEOMA IBEGBULEM

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

454

DURUAKU BENE CHIDI ANTHONY

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

125

JENYO SUEBAT TINUKE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

290

ODEH ORUONYE BELINDA

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

455

GOGO JOSEPH EMULO

2,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

OBI NKEIRU JOVITA

4,000.00 PTA

OSUJI PETER IHEANYICHUKWU

4,000.00 PTA

127

GANA LUCY NNADZWA

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

292

CHINYERE GIFT IHESIABA

3,100.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

457

OJETUNDE NINIOLA ENITAN

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

128

126

EBERE CHINAZAEKPERE LYDIA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

293

PROF. BABAJIDE ALO

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

458

OJETUNDE GBENGA SAMSON

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

129

NWAUZOR IJEOMA GOODNEWS

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

360.00 17-May-18

291

294

ANYANWU PEACE UDOKAKU

BALAMI KUMSHIDA YAKUBU

4,000.00 PTA

500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

360.00 17-May-18

456

459

ONWUAMAEGBU IJEABALUM

359.00 18-May-18

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

130

ABUBAKAR SABIU ABDULSALAM

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

295

ADAMS BUKKY KAFAYAT

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

460

UGOCHUKWU D. NWONU

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 18-May-18

131

ENGR. SHEHU D. UMARU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

296

ABIDOYE CARIM AKINTUNDE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

461

CHIKWELU FEBIAN

4,000.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

132

JIM PAULINUS UTIBEABASI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

297

ONUCHE ROSE EGWUYE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

462

NWOKE EUCHARIA IJE

4,000.00 BTA

359.00 18-May-18

133

JIM GRACE PAULINUS

360.00 17-May-18

298

360.00 17-May-18

463

EZEH OGECHUKWU LILIAN

4,000.00 PTA

MUSA ABDULLAHI MUHAMMAD

4,000.00 PTA

134

KEHINDE AKOKHIA

3,300.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

299

ACHARA CHINWE NDIDIAMAKA

1,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

464

IBIKUNLE OLUREMI IDOWU

135

OMOKHODION ONOSEMUDIANAN

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

300

ACHARA CHINWE NDIDIAMAKA

500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

465

OLUBIYI, TITILAYO BOLANLE

136

5,000.00 BTA

359.00 18-May-18

500.00 PTA

359.00 18-May-18

4,340.00 ACCOMMODATION

359.00 18-May-18

PATRICK FELIX OKOH

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

137

OBADARA PETER GLANCE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

302

BUHARI LAWAL ABDUL RASHID

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

467

JULIUS O SORUNKE

3,245.65 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

138

JOHNNY IME PHILIPS

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

303

STELLA NWAOGARAKU

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

468

A.OBI GENERAL INV. LTD

3,743.80 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

139

301

SULE SHINKAFI MANI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

466

ADEJARE R ADEDOJA

6,000.00 LIVING EXPENSIVE

359.00 18-May-18

OLOMADA LUKMAN BOLAKALE

3,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

SAMUEL LAWAL

6,762.31 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

140

HARUNA, SADIQ ABUBAKAR

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

305

AGWUIKE SYLVESTER CHUKWUEMERIE

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

470

A.OBI GENERAL INV. LTD

5,070.80 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

141

SANI ABDULLAHI MUHAMMADU

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

306

AKINJOGUNLA YOSI MARKE

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

471

NDUBUISI G OSUJI

4,558.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

142

304

FETUGA ADEDOYIN ANUOLUWAPO

500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

469

OKEKE FELIX CHUKWUMA

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

BASHIR MUSA NASIR

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

OKWONGUDOH UDEME S

8,576.24 SCHOOL FEES

143

OKEOGHENE EKERE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

308

NWAOGU CHINENYE

2,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

473

ZUWOTEI MARCUS YOUNG

1,993.00 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

144

MOHAMMED ABUBAKAR MAKKI

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

309

BAMALLI YAKUBU MUSA

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

474

MURTALA O SAKA

1,517.56 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

145

ADAMU YUSUF ABDULLAHI

146

OFODILE MARTIN UCHENNA

147

JOHN OPEYEMI OYINDAMOLA

148

JOHN FUNSHO OLUWATOSIN

307

472

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

311

BELLO BOLA

2,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

476

ROSEMARY E NDAHBROS

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

312

FALAHAN GABRIEL OLUYINKA

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

477

GIVANAS INDUSTRY NIG LTD

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

310

313

AHMED MOHAMMED SANI

ADELEKE MUSIBAU ADEGOKE

2,000.00 PTA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

360.00 17-May-18

475

478

RUFUS IKHANVBODE

BROSNA ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS

359.00 18-May-18

13,902.63 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

948.16 SCHOOL FEES

359.00 18-May-18

100,000.00 CORN STARCH

306.25 18-May-18

20,640.00 ELECTRIC STOVE

305.65 18-May-18

149

JOLAOLU WILLIAMS

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

314

UKAIWE ADEBOWALE OLUFUNKE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

479

CBN

153,080.57 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

150

BARIKUI LESSOR NWIKOBE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

315

SHNAYDER TOLULOPE OLUWAKEMI

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

480

CBN

227,948.09 IMTO TRANSFERRED TO CBN

357.00 18-May-18

151

IBEH-MOBI MAUREEN CHINONSO

1,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

316

AJADALU MONICA

415.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

481

GREYSTONES INDUSTRIES LIMITED

16,492.80 NON ELECTRICAL FAN PARTS

305.65 18-May-18

152

MOBI JOHN OKECHUKWU

1,500.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

317

EGUA DARLINGTON AIMIOSHOR

550.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

482

GREYSTONES INDUSTRIES LIMITED

17,120.00 NON ELECTRICAL FAN PARTS

357.00 18-May-18

305.65 18-May-18

153

CHIGOZIE JERRY

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

318

AKPOFURE MAUREEN

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

483

GREYSTONES INDUSTRIES LIMITED

32,918.40 NON ELECTRICAL FAN PARTS

305.65 18-May-18

154

SADIKU MICHAEL KEHINDE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

319

AJIBOLA MOJISOLA MUJIDAT

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

484

GREYSTONES INDUSTRIES LIMITED

32,996.80 NON ELECTRICAL FAN PARTS

305.65 18-May-18

KRISS-NJOKU GENEVIN NKECHI

4,000.00 PTA

OGUNDIPE ISHOLA JOSEPH

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

485

UBA NOM

156

ADEWOYE MARGARET ABOSEDE

5,000.00 BTA

360.00 17-May-18

321

GERENG SEN MARTINE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

486

UBA NOMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

157

155

OGUNDIPE ADEBIMPE SIDIKAT

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

322

UMANA EKPO NATHAN

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

158

360.00 17-May-18

320

ADEGBOLA COMFORT BOLANLE

3,900.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

159

CHUKU GRACE OYIDIA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

324

ELONU NNEKA

160

OVIASU EFOSA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

325

PRITCHARD PETER A

161

EGBOBE ONYEKA SAMUEL

162

ADEPOJU-BELLO AYINKE RONKE

163

NNAJI JULIET UCHENNA

700.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

323

326

OZONO EMMANUEL

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 18-May-18

406.11 DIVIDEND PAYMENT

360.00 18-May-18

360.00 17-May-18

800.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

EZEOBI OBIANUJU CYNTHIA

1,400.00 PTA

300.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

327

ISOKARIARI, GLORIA TELEMA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

328

ENA-ISIAVWE TEGA IMUETINYAN

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

360.00 17-May-18

164

JOY EMETAM EGBUNIKE

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

329

PROF (MRS) ANGELA OKOLO

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

165

SALAWU ADE IDOWU SADDIQ

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

330

JIDEONWO ALERO UZOAMAKA

4,000.00 PTA

360.00 17-May-18

www.ubagroup.com

1,686.11 DIVIDEND PAYMENT

Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global bank

45

THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Pompeo Says ‘Bad Deal’ with North Korea Not an Option, Hopeful about Summit US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the United States is prepared to walk away from nuclear negotiations with North Korea if an upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un heads in the wrong direction, Reuters reported.

“A bad deal is not an option,” Pompeo said in his written opening statement for a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. “The American people are counting on us to get this right. If the right deal is not on the table, we will respectfully

walk away.”

Pompeo expressed hope the summit will take place on June 12 in Singapore as scheduled after Trump said on Tuesday there was a “substantial chance” it will be called off amid concerns Pyongyang is not prepared to give up its nuclear arsenal.

Pompeo said a US-led sanctions pressure campaign on Pyongyang would not be eased until North Korea gives up nuclear weapons and that the United States had no intention of making concessions to Pyongyang.

“Our posture will not change

until we see credible steps taken toward the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,” Pompeo said.

Pompeo said Trump would be leading the talks but declined to discuss how many people, or who, would be on the summit team.

Pompeo, who was director of the CIA before becoming secretary of state in April when Trump fired Rex Tillerson, has met twice with Kim in Pyongyang. On his most recent trip he brought back three Americans who had been held by North Korea.

US Employee in China Reported Strange Sounds, Pressure A US government employee in southern China reported abnormal sensations of sound and pressure, The Associated Press reported the State Department as saying on Wednesday, recalling similar experiences among American diplomats in Cuba who later fell ill.

In an emailed notice to American citizens in China, the department said it wasn’t currently known what caused the symptoms in the city of Guangzhou, where an American consulate is located.

“A US government employee in China recently reported subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure,” the notice said. “The US government is taking these reports seriously and has informed its official staff in China of this event.”

The department said it wasn’t aware of any similar situations in China, either within the diplomatic community or among others. It didn’t further identify the person with the symptoms or say when

they had been detected.

China’s foreign ministry and National Health Commission did not immediately respond to faxed questions about the report.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking in Washington to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the medical indications of the incident in Guangzhou “are very similar and entirely consistent with the medical indications of the Americans working in Havana.”

SOURCES OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE AS AT 18TH MAY 2018 S/N

SOURCE

AMOUNT (US$)

RATE

DATE

S/N

SOURCE

AMOUNT (US$)

RATE

DATE

S/N

SOURCE

AMOUNT (US$)

RATE

1

AUTONOMOUS

253.31

314.00

14-May-18

72

AUTONOMOUS

25,500.00

314.00

15-May-18

143

AUTONOMOUS

600.00

314.00

17-May-18

2

AUTONOMOUS

155.00

314.00

14-May-18

73

AUTONOMOUS

4,742.40

314.00

15-May-18

144

AUTONOMOUS

685.50

314.00

17-May-18

DATE

3

AUTONOMOUS

2,100.00

314.00

14-May-18

74

IMTO

2,616.56

354.76

15-May-18

145

AUTONOMOUS

237.00

314.00

17-May-18

4

AUTONOMOUS

160.82

314.00

14-May-18

75

IMTO

43.97

354.41

15-May-18

146

AUTONOMOUS

3,500.00

314.00

17-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

184,768.83

360.50

17-May-18

5

AUTONOMOUS

151.00

314.00

14-May-18

76

IMTO

246,495.09

15-May-18

147

6

AUTONOMOUS

300,000.00

360.50

14-May-18

77

IMTO

4,203.54

355.00

15-May-18

148

IMTO

2,079.62

7

AUTONOMOUS

301.63

314.00

14-May-18

78

AUTONOMOUS

414.96

314.00

15-May-18

149

IMTO

198,535.78

355.00

17-May-18

8

AUTONOMOUS

120.00

306.00

14-May-18

79

AUTONOMOUS

5,928.00

314.00

15-May-18

150

AUTONOMOUS

94.46

314.00

17-May-18

9

AUTONOMOUS

200,000.00

314.00

14-May-18

80

AUTONOMOUS

135.00

314.00

15-May-18

151

AUTONOMOUS

815.71

314.00

17-May-18

10

AUTONOMOUS

1,974.00

314.00

14-May-18

81

AUTONOMOUS

77.06

314.00

15-May-18

152

AUTONOMOUS

180.00

314.00

17-May-18

11

AUTONOMOUS

1,860.00

314.00

14-May-18

82

AUTONOMOUS

857.88

314.00

15-May-18

153

AUTONOMOUS

325.00

314.00

17-May-18

12

AUTONOMOUS

1,271.69

314.00

14-May-18

83

AUTONOMOUS

81.00

314.00

15-May-18

154

AUTONOMOUS

330.63

314.00

17-May-18

13

AUTONOMOUS

327.59

314.00

14-May-18

84

AUTONOMOUS

80.00

314.00

15-May-18

155

AUTONOMOUS

330.00

314.00

17-May-18

14

AUTONOMOUS

275.65

314.00

14-May-18

85

AUTONOMOUS

350.00

314.00

15-May-18

156

AUTONOMOUS

471.39

314.00

17-May-18

15

AUTONOMOUS

80.00

314.00

14-May-18

86

AUTONOMOUS

223.86

314.00

15-May-18

157

INTERBANK

342,000.00

361.00

17-May-18

16

AUTONOMOUS

1,100.00

314.00

14-May-18

87

AUTONOMOUS

410.00

314.00

15-May-18

158

AUTONOMOUS

4,900.00

360.00

17-May-18

17

AUTONOMOUS

1,475.00

314.00

14-May-18

88

AUTONOMOUS

250.00

314.00

15-May-18

159

AUTONOMOUS

23,336.00

360.00

17-May-18

18

AUTONOMOUS

26.80

14-May-18

89

AUTONOMOUS

229,299.37

360.00

17-May-18

19

AUTONOMOUS

4,245.00

314.00

14-May-18

90

AUTONOMOUS

20

AUTONOMOUS

911.13

314.00

14-May-18

91

INTERBANK

21

AUTONOMOUS

206.59

314.00

14-May-18

92

22

AUTONOMOUS

189,479.50

360.00

14-May-18

23

AUTONOMOUS

158.79

314.00

14-May-18

24

AUTONOMOUS

58.91

314.00

25

IMTO

2,239.99

354.82

26

IMTO

77.36

27

IMTO

228,254.78

28

IMTO

5,890.92

29

AUTONOMOUS

2,480.00

30

AUTONOMOUS

31

AUTONOMOUS

32

AUTONOMOUS

33

AUTONOMOUS

34 35

355.00

354.81

17-May-18

314.00

15-May-18

160

AUTONOMOUS

30,000.00

407,643.31

314.00

15-May-18

161

AUTONOMOUS

25,000,000.00

359.75

17-May-18

1,000,000.00

361.15

15-May-18

162

AUTONOMOUS

354,600.00

360.50

17-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

31,250.00

320.00

15-May-18

163

IMTO

3,373.73

355.00

17-May-18

93

AUTONOMOUS

2,740.00

359.00

15-May-18

164

IMTO

298,900.36

355.00

17-May-18

94

AUTONOMOUS

6,081.12

423.90

15-May-18

165

AUTONOMOUS

1,000.00

314.00

18-May-18

14-May-18

95

AUTONOMOUS

8,000.00

359.00

15-May-18

166

AUTONOMOUS

65.00

314.00

18-May-18

14-May-18

96

AUTONOMOUS

154,000.00

360.00

15-May-18

167

AUTONOMOUS

1,982.00

314.00

18-May-18

354.92

14-May-18

97

AUTONOMOUS

142.27

314.00

15-May-18

168

AUTONOMOUS

6.69

314.00

18-May-18

355.00

14-May-18

98

IMTO

3,573.55

355.00

15-May-18

169

AUTONOMOUS

1,815.00

314.00

18-May-18

356.37

14-May-18

99

IMTO

111.12

355.00

15-May-18

170

AUTONOMOUS

115.00

314.00

18-May-18

314.00

14-May-18

100

IMTO

310,749.78

355.00

15-May-18

171

AUTONOMOUS

220,000.00

360.50

18-May-18

133.86

314.00

14-May-18

101

IMTO

9,134.78

15-May-18

172

AUTONOMOUS

69.92

314.00

18-May-18

99.99

314.00

14-May-18

102

AUTONOMOUS

655.04

314.00

16-May-18

173

AUTONOMOUS

500.00

314.00

18-May-18

2,100.00

314.00

14-May-18

103

AUTONOMOUS

97.03

314.00

16-May-18

174

AUTONOMOUS

75.84

314.00

18-May-18

809.95

314.00

14-May-18

104

AUTONOMOUS

341.59

314.00

16-May-18

175

AUTONOMOUS

1,752.00

314.00

18-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

669.37

314.00

14-May-18

105

AUTONOMOUS

60.00

314.00

16-May-18

176

AUTONOMOUS

850.31

314.00

18-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

495.00

314.00

14-May-18

106

AUTONOMOUS

200,000.00

314.00

16-May-18

180

AUTONOMOUS

99,410.00

359.00

18-May-18

36

AUTONOMOUS

500.00

314.00

14-May-18

107

AUTONOMOUS

10,000.00

314.00

16-May-18

181

AUTONOMOUS

2,000.00

37

AUTONOMOUS

171.21

314.00

14-May-18

108

AUTONOMOUS

92.12

314.00

16-May-18

182

AUTONOMOUS

1,700.00

314.00

18-May-18

38

AUTONOMOUS

100.40

314.00

14-May-18

109

AUTONOMOUS

200.00

314.00

16-May-18

183

AUTONOMOUS

210.00

314.00

18-May-18

39

AUTONOMOUS

452.00

314.00

14-May-18

110

AUTONOMOUS

459.23

314.00

16-May-18

184

AUTONOMOUS

210.00

314.00

18-May-18

40

AUTONOMOUS

475.00

314.00

14-May-18

111

AUTONOMOUS

2,600.00

314.00

16-May-18

185

AUTONOMOUS

175.00

314.00

18-May-18

41

AUTONOMOUS

155.00

314.00

14-May-18

112

AUTONOMOUS

186.96

314.00

16-May-18

186

AUTONOMOUS

20,103.00

314.00

42

AUTONOMOUS

2,552.96

314.00

14-May-18

113

AUTONOMOUS

2,500.00

314.00

16-May-18

187

AUTONOMOUS

300.00

314.00

18-May-18

43

AUTONOMOUS

13.90

314.00

14-May-18

114

AUTONOMOUS

378.84

314.00

16-May-18

188

AUTONOMOUS

15.00

314.00

18-May-18

44

AUTONOMOUS

8,000.00

314.00

14-May-18

115

AUTONOMOUS

618.37

314.00

16-May-18

189

IMTO

2,142.48

354.77

45

INTERBANK

100,000.00

305.95

14-May-18

116

IMTO

3,361.27

354.80

16-May-18

190

IMTO

201,964.94

355.00

18-May-18

IMTO

326,887.39

355.00

16-May-18

191

AUTONOMOUS

204.19

314.00

18-May-18

314.00

355.00

314.00

18-May-18

18-May-18

18-May-18

46

AUTONOMOUS

75.00

314.00

14-May-18

117

47

AUTONOMOUS

150,000.00

360.50

14-May-18

118

AUTONOMOUS

175.00

314.00

16-May-18

192

AUTONOMOUS

3,000.00

314.00

18-May-18

48

AUTONOMOUS

388,500.00

360.00

14-May-18

119

AUTONOMOUS

490.00

314.00

16-May-18

193

AUTONOMOUS

402.06

314.00

18-May-18

49

IMTO

3,156.83

355.00

14-May-18

120

AUTONOMOUS

128.10

314.00

16-May-18

194

AUTONOMOUS

50.00

314.00

18-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

885.01

314.00

16-May-18

195

AUTONOMOUS

780.00

314.00

18-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

126.98

314.00

16-May-18

196

AUTONOMOUS

200.00

314.00

18-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

200.00

314.00

18-May-18

50

IMTO

51

CBN

52

CBN

53

AUTONOMOUS

301,280.50

355.00

14-May-18

121

3,000,000.00

357.00

14-May-18

122

2,000,000.00

357.00

14-May-18

123

AUTONOMOUS

1,499.78

314.00

16-May-18

197

310.00

314.00

15-May-18

124

AUTONOMOUS

2,361.60

314.00

16-May-18

198

AUTONOMOUS

4,000.00

359.00

18-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

34,000.00

360.00

18-May-18

AUTONOMOUS

107,000.00

360.00

18-May-18 18-May-18

54

AUTONOMOUS

59.28

314.00

15-May-18

125

AUTONOMOUS

743.60

314.00

16-May-18

199

55

AUTONOMOUS

24,819.11

314.00

15-May-18

126

AUTONOMOUS

348.34

314.00

16-May-18

200

56

AUTONOMOUS

50,000.00

330.00

15-May-18

127

AUTONOMOUS

22,000.00

359.00

16-May-18

201

AUTONOMOUS

100.52

314.00

57

AUTONOMOUS

43.54

314.00

15-May-18

128

AUTONOMOUS

411,700.00

360.50

16-May-18

202

IMTO

3,377.87

355.00

18-May-18

58

AUTONOMOUS

840.00

314.00

15-May-18

129

IMTO

5,189.71

355.00

16-May-18

203

IMTO

300,552.92

355.00

18-May-18

59

AUTONOMOUS

200.00

314.00

15-May-18

130

IMTO

480,715.22

355.00

16-May-18

60

AUTONOMOUS

4,000.00

314.00

15-May-18

131

AUTONOMOUS

200,000.00

360.00

16-May-18

61

AUTONOMOUS

250.00

314.00

15-May-18

132

AUTONOMOUS

52.44

314.00

17-May-18

62

AUTONOMOUS

230.00

314.00

15-May-18

133

AUTONOMOUS

372.00

314.00

17-May-18

63

AUTONOMOUS

500.00

314.00

15-May-18

134

AUTONOMOUS

2,454.61

314.00

17-May-18

64

INTERBANK

1,300,000.00

362.10

15-May-18

135

AUTONOMOUS

890.52

314.00

65

AUTONOMOUS

67.34

314.00

15-May-18

136

AUTONOMOUS

185.00

314.00

17-May-18

66

AUTONOMOUS

179.38

314.00

15-May-18

137

AUTONOMOUS

46.72

314.00

17-May-18

67

AUTONOMOUS

400.45

314.00

15-May-18

138

AUTONOMOUS

931.23

314.00

17-May-18

68

AUTONOMOUS

22.00

314.00

15-May-18

139

AUTONOMOUS

115.00

314.00

17-May-18

69

AUTONOMOUS

193.22

314.00

15-May-18

140

AUTONOMOUS

116.53

314.00

70

AUTONOMOUS

468.39

314.00

15-May-18

141

AUTONOMOUS

643.00

314.00

17-May-18

71

AUTONOMOUS

474.24

314.00

15-May-18

142

AUTONOMOUS

20,000.00

360.00

17-May-18

www ubagroup com

17-May-18

17-May-18

Africa’s global bank

T H I S D AY ˾ ͰͲË&#x153; ͰͮͯͶ

46

Signed: Owelle (Sir) Gilbert Chikelu, CON, KSP

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018

47

48

THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

News Editor Davidson Iriekpen Email davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Transparency International Praises Nigeria, EFCC’s Anti-graft War Senator Iroegbu in Abuja Transparency International has praised the current anti-corruption efforts of the federal government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The chairperson of Transparency International, Ms. Delia Ferreira Rubio, made the assertion yesterday during a courtesy visit to the new EFCC headquarters in Abuja Rubio said the anti-corruption body would stand by Nigeria to get rid of the menace of corruption in order to improve the lives of people.

The visit came a few days after the acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, emerged the new chair of the Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa.

“We are here to stand by the anti-corruption fighters and also learn from the work the EFCC is doing,” she said.

While offering her support to the EFCC, Rubio, who is visiting Africa for the first time, noted that her choice of Nigeria as a first stop was in recognition of the country’s efforts in fighting corruption.

“I am familiar with the problem and I am familiar with EFCC’s fight against corruption

in Nigeria as you are working in a difficult context,” Rubio added.

On his part, the Head of Transparency International Nigeria/Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani, also offered the support of Transparency International to help Nigeria in curbing corruption, and commended the EFCC’s exploits in the area of assets recovery.

“Transparency International recognises the efforts of the government under the leadership of the present acting chairman to address the lapses in our policy, party and legislation that make corruption thrive and is interested in addressing the menace called corruption,” he said.

Responding, Magu expressed his gratitude to Transparency International for the visit and its support, promising to continue to put in place measures that would ensure that Nigeria gets better ranking in Transparency International’s future Corruption Perception Indexes.

“We are not disappointed by the Transparency International ranking, we have seen the ranking and Nigeria has moved five points ahead of the previous ranking and we as an institution are doing well

Senate Canvasses Special Funding for Security Deji Elumoye in Abuja The level of insecurity in the country was x-rayed yesterday as the Senate engaged the nation’s security chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin, in a four-hour close-door security dialogue in Abuja.

The session, which lasted from 12.30p.m. to 4.30p.m. was presided over by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and had in attendance the DirectorGeneral of the Department of State Service (DSS), Lawal Daura and representatives of the three service chiefs and that of the Inspector-General of Police.

Speaking at the end of the security briefing, the senate president said the meeting was convened due to the growing public concern about the activities of Boko Haram insurgents, kidnappings and other security challenges facing the country.

According to him, the essence of the security briefing was to fashion out how best to address the growing security challenge once and for all.

On the part of the Senate, Saraki promised that all outstanding security bills before it would be addressed with utmost dispatch “with a view to strengthening the nation’s security apparatus.”

He said the Senate observed the issue of underfunding of security agencies and agreed that there is need for special funding for them to be able to carry out their mandates.

“We have therefore given the security agencies two weeks

to present their needs to the Senate so that we can look into these urgent security desires.

Saraki further said the Senate and the security agencies expressed their commitment towards ending the unfortunate trend of killings across the country “especially through effective coordination of the security agencies.

“Senate also resolved to find ways to strengthen that aspect of security through constitutional means.”

According to the senate president, “We have agreed to work together in addressing the security challenges and we expect changes and actions to be seen in this area in a couple of weeks.”

Shedding more light on the special funding request by the security agencies, the Chairman of Senate Committee on Information, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, told journalists that since the 2018 budget had been passed by the National Assembly, such financial commitment would have to come in form of supplementary budget proposal from the executive.

According to him, we would expect that such request for special security funding would be in form of supplementary budget which we expect to receive from the executive arm in a matter of weeks.

“Let me assure you that the legislative arm would be willing to work together with the executive in surmounting these serious security challenges,” the Senate spokesman further said.

and hope to improve,” he said.

He urged Transparency International to work together with Nigeria to understand how

the ranking works in order to change the perception of Nigeria as being “fantastically corrupt.

“As an institution, one of

our strategies is to improve the country’s image, to encourage investors to come and invest in a very favourable environment

and that is why EFCC has not left any stone unturned in dealing with Advance Fee Fraud (419),” he added.

ABUAD SOARING

L-R: Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN); former President Olusegun Obasanjo; and former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) at the commissioning of four projects at ABUAD in Ekiti State… recently

Russia’s Rosatom Urges Nigeria to Use Nuclear Energy to Resolve Power Crisis Ejiofor Alike Russia’s state-owned atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, has described nuclear energy as a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to Nigeria’s perennial electricity supply shortfall.

As part of the efforts to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix, the federal government had signed an agreement with Rosatom for the construction of a nuclear power plant and research centre in Nigeria.

Other leading African countries, including Egypt, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia and South Africa, are currently embracing the prospects of nuclear energy as a solution to their energy shortfalls with Rosatom, which is a global leader in nuclear power plant services.

Rosatom’s Vice President for subSaharan Africa, Viktor Polikarpov, said in a statement that electricity

generated from nuclear energy has a bright future in Nigeria’s energy mix.

He argued that Nigeria’s current overdependence on hydro and thermal power plants cannot meet the country’s growing electricity demand and forecasts from households and businesses.

“Nigeria’s annual energy demand is on a steady rise.

Unfortunately electric energy supply generally is unable to meet this rapidly growing pace,” he said.

He also pointed out that Nigeria’s expanding industrial sector, rapid urbanisation rate of, growth of the middleclass and incomes, coupled with overall annual population growth, are major drivers of the nation’s increasing electricity demand.

“In order for Nigeria to achieve a balanced energy mix, the country should consider all

available sustainable sources of energy. Nuclear, solar, wind and hydro power complement and reinforce one another – to form a green square. These, will eventually, become the standard for the world’s future carbon-free energy mix,” the statement added.

He also stated that a sustainable energy mix with the inclusion of nuclear energy would contribute in no small way to Nigeria’s economy, thus making local businesses competitive and attractive on the global market.

According to him, electricity generated from nuclear energy is more reliable than other sources of renewable and sustainable energy.

He added that solar and wind energy are dependent upon weather conditions, while nuclear power plants are free of such constraints, adding that

they can run without disruption regardless of the climatic conditions under which they are operating.

Rosatom and Nigeria had in October 2017 signed agreements for the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant and research centre.

The deals were the latest signed

by Russia’s state nuclear agency as it sought to expand in sub-Saharan Africa beyond a planned bid to build nuclear power plants in South Africa.

“The development of nuclear technologies will allow Nigeria to strengthen its position as one of the leading countries of the African continent,” Rosatom’s vice president for overseas marketing and business development, Anton Moskvin, said in a statement.

Nigeria first signed a broad nuclear cooperation agreement with Rosatom in 2009.

PDP Petitions ICC, UN over Buhari’s Comment on Rights Violations Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again reported President Muhammadu Buhari to the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.

The party urged the two bodies to take judicial note of the boast by the president affirming and approving his violation of fundamental rights of Nigerians during his regime as military head of state.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said President

Buhari has been overheating the polity with inflammatory and anti-democratic comments, which have been promoting state involved violence, sectional bloodletting and resentment; exacerbated hatred, abuse of rights and brazen violation of our constitution and democratic order.

“Nigerians were shocked when President Buhari, with relish, boasted that “when I was in uniform, younger and rather ruthless, I got from President downward, I locked them up in Kirikiri. I said, you’re guilty except you prove yourself innocent.”

The opposition party noted that whereas the country’s constitution and all tenets of democracy and justice across the world hold all citizens innocent until proven guilty in court of competent jurisdiction, President Buhari has been promoting the otherwise and feels favourably disposed to acts that suspends our constitution and imposition of military diktat.

“This particular hate speech

by President Buhari has finally confirmed the underlining impetus behind the prevailing executive highhandedness, the

trumped-up charges against the opposition, persecution of political opponents, flagrant disobedience to court orders, brazen harassment, arrests, molestations, illegal detention and extra-judicial execution of innocent Nigerians as already catalogued by the PDP and international bodies, including the United States Department of State.

“These include the horrendous bloodletting and killings in various parts of our country, particularly in Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Borno, Zamfara, Yobe, Abia, Anambra, among other states.“

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Restructuring Takes Centre Stage as UNN Honours Soyinka, Tinubu, Lawmaker Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu A former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has identified restructuring as the only way through which Nigeria can regain its pride and attain sustainable development.

Ezeife spoke as the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) hosted Nobel laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka, and also honoured Senator Remi Tinubu and member representing Nsukka/ Igboeze South constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Patrick Asadu, for their contributions to the university and humanity.

The event was the second Chinua Achebe International Conference organised by the Institute of African Studies, UNN with the theme: ‘Wole Soyinka and the Literature

of Commitment.’

The former governor, whose speech was heavily applauded, said: “The country needs prayer now than ever before because it has completely lost its pride even in the comity of nations.

“We cannot hold our head high anymore. Our country has been brought from wherever it was to the lowest level.”

He noted that leaders in the country always jostle for space at the political terrain just because they want to satisfy their personal ambitions and that they do not care about how those who have elected them into these offices live and how they survive.

On efforts made to address the challenges facing the country, he said various moves have been made to ensure that Nigeria is restructured, particularly the

political sector as that is the only way through which the country can rise again.

“We recently organised a conference at Awka, the Anambra State capital, which was fully attended by the people of the South-south and the Middle Belt as well as other parts of the country.

“What we desire is a new Nigeria where every group will be represented equally. We also intend to go to the Middle Belt and hold a conference after which we shall go to Lagos and have a major rally where we shall announce the plans we have to tackle the many challenges facing the country,” he said.

On his part, the Nobel laureate, Prof. Soyinka, said it was a home coming for him, recalling his days with the late poet, Christopher Okigbo, in the early days of the university.

He said he considered himself a foundation member of UNN and extolled the university’s academic prowess.

“I am one of the key roots of UNN,” Soyinka said, expressing happiness that the campus still retained its natural serenity.

Speaking during an interview session, the member representing Nsukka/ Igbo- Eze South at the House of Representatives, Hon. Patrick Asadu, said they have not done enough as representatives of

the people.

According to the lawmaker, there is still widespread poverty in the land which is abnormal.

“We must ensure that there is a mechanism which would make it possible for various representatives to be assessed to know if they are performing their duties optimally,” he said.

The lawmaker also said the people must always have access to those whom they have elected to serve them as that is the only way through which true democracy can be attained.

In his keynote speech, a one-time Commissioner for Education in Delta State, Prof.

Hope Eghagha, said the conference provides a platform to interrogate both past and present experience to identify where everything has gone wrong in the country.

According to him, widespread differences in ethnicity and religion still exist among us as a nation and that is why communal clashes still persist, a development which has till now claimed a countless number of lives and property and continues to occupied the front burner of discussion in the country.

The high point of the event was the presentation of lifetime achievement awards Soyinka, senator representing Lagos Central, Tinubu, Asadu, among other deserving individuals.

FAAC Begins Talks on Review of Revenue Formula FG, states, LGs share N701bn for April Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) has begun talks with stakeholders on the review of the current revenue allocation formula between the federal, state and local governments.

Under the current sharing formula, the federal government takes the lion’s share of 52.68 per cent from the Federation Account.

States 26.72 per cent, while the balance of 20.60 per cent is given to the 774 local governments in the country, while 13 per cent is allocated to the oil- producing states based on derivation principle.

For Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the federal government gets 15 per cent, states 50 per cent, while local governments get 35 per cent.

The Chairman, FAAC Commissioners’ of Finance Forum, Mahmoud Yunusa, confirmed the commencement of discussions on the impending review at a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday after the committee’s meeting.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mahmoud Dutse, and the Accountant-General of the Federation Alhaji Ahmed Idris, among other top officials of government were part of the meeting.

Yunusa, who is also the Adamawa State Commissioner for Finance, said the states had begun to push for a review of the formula to reflect current economic realities.

His words: “The revenue sharing formula is where discussion has commenced within us to see how we can be able to have a realistic and justifiable review of revenue sharing formula.

“The real Nigerians are the ones that reside in states and local govt level and we want the state and local govt to have more revenues so that they will work for people, so that people will feel the impact and the presence of government.

“We will push for the revenue sharing formula to be reviewed and I think at the appropriate time we will make the announcement.”

Giving the figures for the April allocation, Mahmud-Dutse who also spoke at the event explained

that the federation account recorded increase in revenue collection during the month of April.

He said all revenue lines from revenue generating agencies such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) recorded increase.

He put the gross revenue generated in the month of April at N613.05bn, adding that this was N132.45bn higher than the N480.59bn received during the month of March.

He said as a result of the increase in generated revenue during the period, the committee agreed to transfer the sum of N24.5bn into the Excess Crude Account.

The fresh transfer into the ECA, according to him, brings the total balance in the account to $1.91bn.

On the amount allocated to the three tiers of government, he said the committee shared N701bn to the three tiers of government.

This is made up of statutory allocation of N613.05bn while the balance of N87.96bn was distributed under VAT. From the N613.05bn shared under statutory allocation, Dutse said the federal government got N276.53bn, states N140.26bn, local government councils N108.13bn.

He said the sum of N49.75bn was allocated to the oil producing states based on 13 per cent derivation principle while revenue generating agencies were given N38.36bn as cost of revenue collection.

For VAT of N87.96 billion, he said the federal government got N12.5 billion, states N41.7bn and local government councils N29.19bn.

On whether the revenue underpayment which led to disagreement between the committee and the NNPC had been resolved, he said reconciliation is still ongoing.

He said: “There were some disagreement in the recent past but discussion is ongoing between NNPC and all the interested parties to resolve all matters including reconciliation of different figures from different entities. This matter will be resolved in due course.”

SIGNED AND SEALED

L-R: COO, Petroleum, Dangote Refinery Project, Giuseppe Surace; President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Chairman, Offshore Infrastructures Ltd, Vishal Sachdev; and Chief General Manager, Dangote Oil Refinery Company Ltd, Deepak V.Choudhary, posing for picture after the signing of MoU between Offshore Infrastructures Limited and Dangote Oil Refinery in Lagos ...yesterday

Kaduna Senators Ask Banks Not to Grant Loans to el- Rufai Deji Elumoye in Abuja The three senators representing Kaduna State in the upper chambers of the National Assembly have sounded a note of warning to banks and financial institutions not to extend loan facilities to Kaduna State Government.

Senators Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North), Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) and Danjuma La’ah, (Kaduna South) said in a statement in Abuja yesterday that the warning became necessary following alleged move by the state Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, to obtain huge loans through the back door.

The Senate had in April 2018 turned down Kaduna State Government’s request for the approval of a $350million loan The senators advised money lenders to approach the Debt Management Office (DMO) for necessary briefing before venturing to grant loan facility to the state government.

The two-page statement entitled: “Caution to chief executives of commercial banks and other fiancé houses, local and abroad, on loan offers beyond the solvency of Kaduna State Government emphasised that the Kaduna State Government recently failed

the Legal litmus test in obtaining a World Bank facility to the tune of USD 350,000,000, through the process of the Nigerian Senate.

“Information available to us the three senators representing Kaduna State confirms the resort by the state government to other routes in obtaining loans, local and international.

“The Committee on Foreign and Local Loans/Debts of the Senate is not unaware of efforts by the state government to negotiating with some Finance Houses to procure huge foreign loans to the detriment of state government.

“Such efforts being made through private finance management companies may have to do with the failure of the state government to secure the disapproved USD 350million earlier this year through the Senate.

“The public to note, the extent of desperation the state chief executive went to town on personalising the official disapproval of the loan, which was officially reported by the Senate and backed by the DMO official reports.

“The desperation of the state government has now reached an epoch of reckless dimension as

to use private finance companies (Home and Abroad) to negotiate and procure similar facilities through other mediums alternatively circumventing the Senate.

“The Senate committee on Foreign and Local Debts and senators representing Kaduna State are also aware of the efforts of Kaduna State Government to negotiate and collect huge unreasonable sums of local currencies loans through Nigerian local banks.

“It is imperative to mention here that Kaduna State solvency in collecting such loans (in those huge amounts) and obviously, and objectively are incapable of carrying such huge debt burdens.

“The moral causes of a government few months from elections, with no clear identity of requisite public supports and sympathy to be re-elected aside.

“The recklessness with which these loans are being heaped on Kaduna State Government from many commercial banks in such huge sums calls for caution “The three senators and indeed the committee for foreign and local debt of the Senate use this medium to alert chief executives of the local commercial banks, finance houses, foreign finance

managers and finance houses, to take seriously the commercial and ethical responsibilities in doing business with the current leadership of Kaduna State Government under Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

“The banks and finance managers are in their own interest and the wider interest of the l public in the state advised to not only seek approval of Kaduna State legislature (Which has long before now turned to be a rubber stamp of the governor), but also turn to the DMO for correct indices and reports of the current debt status of the state government.

“For the Kaduna State House of Assembly, it is worthy for you to be reminded that you are in those offices to protect the interest and integrity of the people.

“Therefore, the Committee for Finance and Clerk to the state assembly to publish all the requests for local and foreign loans received from the state government, and the various approval and those under consideration of the assembly or its relevant committees.

“The three senators, want to use this medium to also thank the public in our dear state for the understanding and support for us to continue to do our duties no matter the intimidation by the state government.”

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Closure of Trans-Forcados Pipeline May Threaten 2018 Budget Crude oil price drops on concern over OPEC supply Ejiofor Alike with agency report The recent closure of the TransForcados Pipeline (TFP) following the May 7, 2018, suspected explosion on the facility at the Diebiri-Batan community in Warri, South West Local Government Area of Delta State, has raised concerns among stakeholders over the capacity of the federal government to finance the 2018 budget of N9.12 trillion, THISDAY has learnt.

There are, however, strong indications that the flow of crude

oil along the pipeline has started to ramp up again, as Salvic Petroleum Resources Limited, handling the emergency repairs is said to be working round the clock to bring the pipeline back up in a matter of days.

This is coming as crude oil prices eased yesterday, under pressure from a potential increase in output by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cool the market’s recent rally and cover any shortfalls in supply from Iran and Venezuela.

The budget, which was passed

Metuh’s Trial Continues in Absentia Judge declares his fall was stage-managed Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja has held that the trial of the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will continue in his absence.

Justice Abang in a ruling, held that Metuh’s trial can continue in his absence since he failed to show any reasonable excuse for his absence in court last Tuesday and Wednesday.

He refused an application by Metuh’s counsel, Emeka Etiaba (SAN), that the court should suspend trial until Metuh recuperate enough to appear in court to face his trial.

Metuh collapsed last Monday as he was making his way to the dock when his case was called and was rushed to the National Hospital in Abuja in the ambulance of the Federal High Court as advised by the medical doctor from the court.

The former PDP spokesman, who was absent in court last Tuesday and yesterday, was said to be on admission at the Intensive Care Unit of the National Hospital, Abuja where he is currently being treated of the spinal chord injuries he is suffering from.

But Justice Abang declared that Metuh did not collapse but decide to fall down on his own after violating a lawful directive of the court to remain where he was seated beside the dock, where he had sat for about five times during proceedings.

Abang said: “When the 1st defendant ignored the humane directive of the court to seat where he was seated outside the dock and fell down on his own, the court rose for few minutes and after it reconvened, it found out that a medical doctor from the court, Dr. Andora Ikpeazor, attended to the 1st defendant and advised that he should be taken to the hospital.

“When he fell, the people around him, who aided him to the court did not make any attempt to raise him up and he was on the floor, groaning and whispering loudly, thereby disturbing the proceedings of the court. This amounts to misconduct by the defendant,” he said.

Justice Abang said the court did not invite the doctor to attend to Metuh and had no right to give any medical opinion that Metuh should be taken to the hospital.

“A doctor cannot attend to a defendant during proceedings without the permission of the court. I agreed with the prosecution

counsel, that what is playing out as regards to Metuh’s absence in court without any explanation, amounts to disregard for the authority of the court and the judiciary,” he added.

He said Metuh has jumped bail by absenting himself from court on May 22 and 23, 2018 and that proceeding with the trial without his presence will not deny him fair hearing, adding that Metuh’s attitude constitute an act to scuttle or frustrate the trial.

The judge also summoned the General Manager of Channels Television, Abuja and one of the presenters of Sunrise Daily, Maupe Oguns Yusuf, over the broadcast of alleged prejudicial material on Tuesday, May 22, 2018.

Both the GM and Maupe are to appear before the court on Friday, 25, May 2018 to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them.

The alleged prejudicial statement is in relation with the comment of one of defence counsel on the network of the television in the trial of Metuh.

Metuh, alongside his company, Destra Investment Limited, are being prosecuted by the federal government for receiving the sum of N400m from the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, a fund meant for the purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram.

Justice Abang in the ruling, directed the prosecution counsel to personally served the General Manager of the television station and Maupe with the enrol order before 6p.m. of Wednesday 23, May, 2019, adding that where personal service was not possible, the order should be pasted on the gate of channels building.

He said the prosecution should snap the pasted order with the building, and affidavit of service be filed before the court.

The order was sequel to an oral application by the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, on Tuesday accusing the station and a member of Metuh’s legal team of making prejudicial statement in the television’s programme, Sunrise Daily.

Tahir in the oral application prayed the court for an order on the duo to make available to the court the video recording of the programme which featured the counsel, Ben Chuks Nwosu, allegedly making comments on a case pending before the court.

He subsequently adjourned till today for continuation of the trial

recently by the National Assembly, was predicated on the production of 2.3 million barrels per day of crude oil, $51 per barrel oil price benchmark and an exchange rate of N305 to the dollar.

However, there are concerns that with the TFP down, about 250,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the impacted fields are shut in, equating to a combined loss of export revenues approximating $19 million daily, as crude price averaged $76 per barrel in the last week.

Apart from the impact on the host communities, The TFP is strategically important to the Nigerian economy as the 87-kilometre trunk line stretches from the Ughelli Pump Station (UPS), transporting crude oil from about 15 fields in the Western Delta, including those of NPDC, Seplat, Neconde, Shell, Pan Ocean and others, to the Forcados export Terminal (FOT).

Investigations revealed that it has been over two weeks since the shut of the TFP and there are concerns on the likelihood of another protracted shut down period.

THISDAY gathered that apart from the short-term loss of export revenues, the producing companies operating in the

western Niger Delta have also expressed fear of a repeat of what an official of one of the companies called “the 2016 debacle, when Force Majeure was declared on the TFP lasting 15 months from February 2016 to May 2017.”

According to him, all companies that were dependent on the pipeline for crude evacuation recorded near zero production throughout the period.

“It was in May 2017 that Salvic Petroleum Resources Ltd, under a Technical Services Agreement with the operator of OML30, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, rehabilitated the Forcados Pipeline in what was reported to be ‘record time’ and sustained an uptime of over 85 per cent in the twelve months of operations until recent events,” he said.

However, the abrupt termination of the Technical Services Agreement was announced last month with a notice period ending May 17 2018.

THISDAY’s investigations have revealed that both companies have been locked in negotiations on the exit terms in the last four weeks.

A source close to Salvic told THISDAY yesterday that despite the dispute and termination, Heritage requested Salvic and its affiliate companies to bring in their technical

expertise and execution capacity to help with the emergency repair of the TFP. “When Heritage invited Salvic, the company requested for a written invitation formally requesting it to return to site since the contract had been terminated. Heritage made a formal request and Salvic returned to site,” he said.

“The main motivation for Salvic’s return to site is the consideration of the importance of Forcadosto the national economy and Niger Delta communities.

The imperative is to maintain the right atmosphere that had secured the pipeline and ensured high availability to enable crude and condensate export to the FOT for the past twelve months. Any disruption to sustained production is not good for the economy especially when oil prices are this high,” the source explained.

THISDAY gathered that Salvic is currently managing the repairs with its affiliates, using host community contractors.

According to an official of one of the companies that pump crude through the pipeline, repair work is going on both day and night with the cooperation of all parties, including Heritage and security contractors, Eraskorp.

A source in Salvic said the

company was doing everything to ensure aquick turn-around to bring the pipeline back up in a matter of days.

Reuters reported that the flows of crude oil along the pipeline have started to ramp up again after an outage of almost a week of outage.

Shell, which operates the Forcados oil terminal, said exports had not been disrupted by the closure, but agency reports quoted industry sources as saying that June-loading cargoes of Forcados crude had already been deferred to July because of the temporary shutdown.

In a related development, crude oil price eased yesterday, under pressure from a potential increase in OPEC crude output to cool the market’s recent rally and cover any shortfalls in supply from Iran and Venezuela.

Brent crude futures were last down 53 cents at $79.04 a barrel, while U.S. crude slipped 24 cents to $71.96 a barrel.

Oil prices have gained nearly 20 per cent this year, with Brent briefly rising above $80, driven primarily by coordinated supply cuts by the OPEC and partners including Russia.

RENDERING ACCOUNTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

L-R: Company Secretary, Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Akinleye Olagbende; Chairman, Femi Otedola; and Group Chief Executive Officer, Akin Akinfemiwa, during the company’s 39th Annual General Meeting in Lagos...yesterday

Bauchi Deputy Governor Resigns The Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Nuhu Gidado, has resigned.

Gidado submitted his resignation letter to Governor Mohammed Abubakar yesterday, citing his waning enthusiasm for the job as reason for leaving.

The letter, dated May 16 and obtained by Channels Television, read: “Ordinarily, I should have remained up to the end of the tenure, but with the currently dampened spirit and waning zeal as it relates to my official engagements, my continued stay will not be fair and truthful to you as my brother and leader.”

The deputy governor also said that staying on in office would

be unfair to the system and his conscience.

He reminded the governor that during their meeting on April 19, he had informed him that he was thinking about stepping aside.

The former deputy governor thanked the governor and the people of the state for the opportunity to serve as deputy governor of the state.

Gidado’s departure brings to three the number of high-ranking officials that have left the Bauchi governor’s cabinet.

In December 2017, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Shehu Ningi, resigned

from his position.

Ningi stepped down a day after Abubakar presented the 2017 budget estimates to the state’s House of Assembly.

The then commissioner said he left because the governor did not encourage members of his cabinet to offer advice on how to run the state.

Ningi explained that the environment in which he would have exercised his advisory role as member of the State Executive Council was “unaccommodating, debilitating and non-adviser friendly”.

In March, the Special Adviser

to the Governor on Investment, Samaila Sanusi, also resigned due to “unfriendly working environment.”

Sanusi said all avenues to hold talks with the state governor on official issues and development were unsuccessful.

Also around the same time, Munnir Yisin, deputy caretaker chairman of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, also tendered his resignation.

Efforts to speak with the governor’s media aide, Sabo Mohammed on the deputy governor’s resignation proved abortive as his mobile phone was switched off.

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SERAP, CNPP Ask Buhari to Probe Obasanjo, Jonathan over $16bn Power Projects Fayose mocks president, ex-president Ogheneuvede Ohwovoriole in Abuja and Victor Ogunje in AdoEkiti A civil society organisations SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to refer the allegations of mismanagement of $16 billion meant for power projects between 1999 and 2007 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation.

They said if there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, anyone suspected to be involved should face prosecution.

SERAP also urged Buhari to refer to the EFCC and ICPC not just allegations regarding the $16 billion power projects but also the alleged squandering of over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply covering the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.”

Buhari had on Tuesday accused Obasanjo of spending $16bn on power projects during his tenure as the president without corresponding power supply to Nigerians.

But responding, Obasanjo said the president’s allegation was rooted in ignorance, claiming he was already cleared of any wrongdoing concerning the power sector by the

National Assembly, and referring Buhari to his autobiography, My Watch, which he said reproduced various reports on the matter.

But SERAP in a statement by its Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, said: “We welcome the focus by President Buhari on the massive allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the power sector and urge him to expand his searchlight beyond the Obasanjo government by ensuring accountability and full recovery of the over N11 trillion squandered by the three administrations. It is only by pursuing all the allegations and taking the evidence before the court that the truth will be revealed and justice best served. This is the only way to conclusively address the systemic corruption in the power sector and an entrenched culture of impunity of perpetrators.”

The organisation said, “Addressing impunity in the power sector should be total. This would help improve the integrity of government and public confidence and trust in their government. It would also serve as a vehicle to further the public’s perception of fairness and thoroughness, and to avert any appearance of political considerations in the whole exercise.”

According to the organisation, “By immediately pursuing justice and recovery of any stolen assets in the power sector, the Buhari government would be acting in the public interest, and consistent

with the spirit and letter of the constitution, particularly Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution dealing with Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, and providing that high-level public officials have a clear obligation to “eradicate all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”

On its part, the CNPP urged President Buhari not to stop at throwing a jibe at Obasanjo for spending $16bn on power projects but must go a step further by instituting a public probe of the power spending and other expenditure during the former president’s tenure.

While reacting to comment credited to President Buhari that despite the huge expenditure, there was no corresponding power supply to Nigerians, the CNPP

Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, in a statement noted that one of the ways to give the anti-graft position of the President Buhari government a meaning is when he openly probes the Obasanjo administration.

“We expect President Buhari to institute a full scale public inquiry into the spending on power by former President Obasanjo’s administration. This will give teeth to his anti-graft war. His administration’s concentration on one particular administration, while leaving the ones before the former President Jonathan government has been the reason for our doubt of the sincerity in his war against corruption,’’ the group added.

“Although President Buhari did not mention any name, he was widely quoted as saying

that a former Nigerian leader was bragging at a time that his administration spent $16bn on power sector, yet there was nothing to show for it. Therefore, if the president knows what we don’t know, it is time to prove to Nigerians that he is really fighting corruption.’’

Calling on President Buhari to immediately begin the probe and assure all Nigerians that he is not selective on his anti-graft war, the group said the president must equally call for the probe of members of his own cabinet fingered in corruption cases to make his war on corruption total.

Meanwhile, following controversy between President Buhari and Obasanjo on poor electricity supply in Nigeria, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has described the latest

verbal exchanges over the $16 billion allegedly spent on power during the tenure of the former president as a disgrace to the nation.

Fayose who spoke in Ado Ekiti yesterday mocked the two leaders, saying that he was enjoying the public display of what he called ‘brick bat’ between them.

The governor said he has been vindicated that those who brought President Buhari would regret entrusting him with power.

He said: “I am enjoying these latest brickbats between Buhari and Obasanjo. They should keep exposing themselves for Nigerians to know what they have been hiding.

“Nigerians should remember I warned that those who brought Buhari will regret entrusting him with power.”

Crises Arising from APC Congresses Will Be Resolved Before Convention, Says Badaru Stakeholders mull new date for convention Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) convention committee and Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, yesterday promised that the seeming intractable dispute that trailed the party’s recent congresses would be addressed.

Badaru spoke with journalists shortly after the inauguration of various sub-committees that would help in organising its forthcoming elective national convention.

When asked whether he was worried about the recent parallel congresses witnessed in many states of the federation, the governor said: “I’m sure they will be resolved before the time of the convention. Most of those issues will be resolved in due time.” There were however protests by some stakeholders who alleged substitution of their names in list of sub-committees.

The complaint came just as some members of the convention committee have sought shift in convention date from June 2 to June 23.

Some of the stakeholders among whom were some staff of the APC had grumbled aloud, accusing the committee of removing several names initially published by it.

Though none of these complainants could agree to be quoted, they pointed fingers at the presidency as having ordered the substitution of names of subcommittee members.

One of the protesting APC chieftains who pleaded not to be named, told journalists that they were told that the presidency sent in about 50 names to be replaced from the original list.

Other people who were ready to fight the accreditation committee yesterday were APC staff members who said they were not carried along in the process leading to the national convention.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the inauguration of the subcommittees, the convention committee Chairman and Governor Jigawa State, Badaru, said there were suggestions from some members of his committee that the convention be held on June 23.

Badaru said: “It was suggested today (yesterday) that we should have the convention on June 23 but we will have to discuss it with the national secretariat to confirm the date.”

He also denied the media report that his committee was planning to spend about N6 billion on the forthcoming APC convention, saying: “We are raising it among the party members and they have started donating.

“I’m very sure it will be very far less than that. Tomorrow, we are getting all the budgets from all the sub-committees but I can assure you that it is far less. Knowing me and knowing what I stand for, you will know that it will be the cheapest convention ever.”

RENDERING ACCOUNTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

L-R: Company Secretary, Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Akinleye Olagbende; Chairman, Femi Otedola; and Group Chief Executive Officer, Akin Akinfemiwa, during the company’s 39th Annual General Meeting in Lagos...yesterday

Oyo-Ita: Why Minimum Wage Increase is on the Table Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Ms. Winifred Oyo-Ita, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the constitution of the Presidential Committee on Minimum Wage.

Speaking during a service wide sensitisation workshop on the 2017-2020 Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP), Oyo-Ita said the committee’s resolve will bring a lasting solution to the prayers of “poor civil servants.”

The workshop, which was organised for Directorate level Officers (GL 15-17) in the ministry and extra-ministerial departments, was held yesterday at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Oyo-Ita said the president has undertaken to bridge the salary difference between civil servants and the public service.

She described the 80,000 civil servants that make up the 1.2 million public servants in the country, as the “back-bone of

government” and most patriotic set of Nigerians, as they don’t protest or go on strike.

She said: “There is a misconception that almost the whole country has, as regards civil servants salaries viz-a-viz public servant salaries, now the public service is the entire gamut of organisations that source their funds from the federal treasury and their activities are guided by government operations.

“The public service includes military, para-military, parastatals, agencies and the core civil service.

“So when people talk about the personnel cost of government being so high, they are talking about the entire public service structure, but within the public service structure there are a few people that are just about 80,000 in number and this 80,000 are the poor civil servants in the ministries and departments.

“It is on the shoulder of this poor civil servants that the entire public service and governance lies. This 80,000 people are the people you see whose salaries are very poor.

“In the public service what an average public servant on level 16 for example earns is two and a

half times what the director in the ministry earns, and that director is meant to be supervising the parastatal or agency under his ministry.

“Now this 80,000 people are the poor civil servants that really need attention and we are looking into this under the Presidential Committee on Minimum Wage, where we would address all these matters.

“The disparity between the parastatals and the civil servants in the ministries is so wide, but anytime we talk about these things people keep thinking that it is the entire public service we are talking about.

“Mind you the civil servant never goes on strike, the civil servant is the most patriotic Nigerian, where you have others in the likes of NMA, JOHESU going on strike, the civil servant do not do that, because we are actually the backbone of government.

“So I believe as the Head of Service of the Federation, it is only fair for the stories of the silent minority to be brought out and that is what we are trying to do

through the salary and welfare review of civil servants.”

Speaking earlier, Oyo-Ita said the essence of the training is to get the participants well informed on the modalities for implementation of the three-year federal civil service strategy.

According to her, the training will also “provide a platform for the eight Project Management Teams (PMTs) to interact with participants, promote stakeholder-buy-in as well as secure the commitment of the top management staff service-wide towards successful implementation of the strategy.”

She further charged the senior officers to ensure that all middle and junior level officers are carried along in the implementation of the strategy, adding that the strategy would not be successfully implemented without the support of all workers.

The home grown 2017 – 2020 FCSSIP, is a strategy initiated by Oyo-Ita and her team of expertise to reposition the federal public service as an effective machinery of government for improved service delivery.

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THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Nigerian Soldiers Rape Starving Women in IDP Camps, Says Amnesty International Presidency, military dismiss report, say it’s devoid of credibility Senator Iroegbu, Omololu Ogunmade inAbujaandEjiofor Alike inLagos A new report by Amnesty International has revealed that thousands of women and girls who survived the brutal rule of the Boko Haram armed group have since been further abused by the Nigerian security forces who claim to be rescuing them.

The rights group said in the report released yesterday that displaced women confined to remote camps have been forced to become “girlfriends” of military in exchange for humanitarian assistance, adding that thousands have died of starvation due to lack of food in the camps.

However, the presidency and the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) have disputed the report, saying it is devoid of credibility.

The Amnesty International report, which alleged persecution of women and girls abducted

by Boko Haram, also stated that “they betrayed us” reveals how the Nigerian military and Civilian Joint Task Force have separated women from their husbands and confined them in remote “satellite camps” where they have been raped, sometimes in exchange for food.

The group said it had collected evidence that thousands of people have starved to death in the camps in Borno State, North-east Nigeria, since 2015.

“It is absolutely shocking that people who had already suffered so much under Boko Haram have been condemned to further horrendous abuse by the Nigerian military,” said Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho.

“Instead of receiving protection from the authorities, women and girls have been forced to succumb to rape in order to avoid starvation or hunger,” Ojigho said.

The report noted that in some cases, the abuse appears to be part of a pattern of persecution

of anyone perceived to have a connection to Boko Haram.

According to the report, women have reported being beaten and called “Boko Haram wives” by the security officials when they complained about their treatment.

“As Nigeria’s military recovered territory from the armed group in 2015, it ordered people living in rural villages to the satellite camps, in some cases indiscriminately killing those who remained in their homes. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled or were forced from these areas.

“The military screened everyone arriving to the satellite camps, and in some locations detained most men and boys aged between 14 and 40 as well as women who travelled unaccompanied by their husbands. The detention of so many men has left women to care for their families alone,” said the report.

Amnesty International revealed that scores of women have described how soldiers and Civilian JTF members have used force and threats to rape women in satellite camps, including by taking advantage of hunger to coerce women to become their “girlfriends”, which involved being available for sex on an ongoing basis.

The report added that five women told Amnesty International that they were raped in late 2015 and early 2016 in Bama Hospital camp as famine-like conditions prevailed.

“Ama (not her real name), 20, said: “They will give you food but in the night they will come back around 5pm or 6pm and they will tell you to come with them… One (Civilian JTF) man came and brought food to me. The next day he said I should take water from his place (and I went).

“He then closed the tent door behind me and raped me. He said I gave you these things, if you want them we have to be husband and wife”.

“Ten others in the same camp said that they were also coerced into

NNPC to Pay N2.1bn Debt Owed NPA This Week Eromosele Abiodun The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, has stated that all debts owed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) by the NNPC between 2017 and present, amounting to about N2.1 billion for services rendered to the corporation, are to be settled this week.

This is just as the NPA has stated that henceforth the NNPC would not be charged by the authority for services not offered to the corporation.

Baru stated this when the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, paid him a courtesy call in Abuja.

While assuring all concerned that the NNPC would subsequently ensure steady and prompt payment for services rendered to it by the authority, Baru said the corporation may be constrained to approach the NPA board for a soft landing on

the payment of legacy debts the corporation owes the NPA, some of which have been outstanding for more than 20 years.

Bala-Usman said her visit to the NNPC was borne out of the desire to strengthen the synergy and collaboration between both agencies.

According to her, with the planned dredging of the Escravos and Ejigbo area in Lagos, there was need for the corporation to bury its pipelines deeper to allow for effective dredging activities to enable deeper draft for bigger vessels to access Warri and Lagos in a bid to enhance the supply of petroleum products and other larger vessels coming into the country.

Baru commended NPA for securing the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the dredging of the Escravos channel, stressing that the feat would go a long way in stimulating economic activities in the area.

becoming “girlfriends” of security officials to save themselves from starvation. Most of these women had already lost children or other relatives due to lack of food, water and healthcare in the camp. The sexual exploitation continues at an alarming level as women remain desperate to access sufficient food and livelihood opportunities,” Amnesty International explained in the report.

“Sex in these highly coercive circumstances is always rape, even when physical force is not used, and Nigerian soldiers and Civilian JTF members have been getting away it. They act like they don’t risk sanction, but the perpetrators and their superiors who have allowed this to go unchallenged have committed crimes under

international law and must be held to account,” said Ojigho.

But in a swift reaction, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said the report lacked credibility because it fell short of factual claims that could have provided the lead for investigation.

The statement which faulted the altruism of the international human rights watch findings, also dismissed as untrue the agency’s submission that it contacted the Nigerian authorities on the alleged misconduct of the military and Civilian JTF, describing the AI report as a wild goose chase.

According to the statement, the report is nothing but a recycling of the agency’s earlier report in 2015 and 2016, pointing out that the

report also ignored the measures put in place by both the military and a presidential committee put in place to address the allegations raised by the agency in the previous years.

The statement also said the federal government remained committed to the promise it made during a joint press conference addressed by President Muhammadu Buhari with the United States President Donald Trump that it had made the promotion of human rights and protection of people’s freedom its watchword.

Also, the DHQ in a statement by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. John Agim, described report as a malicious trend by AI that is

becoming a frequent ritual and rather unfortunate.

Agim said in times like this, Al is expected to apply the natural law of liaison by working with security agencies as partners.

According to him, this would have been the best way to ensure that insurgency and crisis are completely wiped off rather than engaging in falsehood, maligning the military and painting her in bad light at any slight opportunity.

He said: “The Nigerian military wishes to use this medium to reiterate her commitment to the citizens of our dear nation, that it will abide by all human rights regulations as entered into by Nigeria and also go the extra mile in ensuring that the territorial integrity of our nation is well protected.”

PRESIDENTIAL RECEPTION

L-R: Head of Culture, African Union Commission, Mrs. Angela Martins; Ghanaian singer, Becca; Nigerian pop artiste, Seyi Shay; President of Ghana, Mr. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Catherine Afeku; Kenyan artiste, Victoria Kimani and Principal Personal Assistant to the President of Ghana, Saratu Atta during the courtesy visit to the president as part of the activities of the AFRIMA 2018 World Media Calendar Unveiling at the Presidential Office, Jubilee House, Ghana.....recently

My Incarceration is Divine, Says Jang Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly, Jonah Jang, has said his incarceration is divine lest any man boast of sending him to prison.

In a goodwill message to the 94th General Church Council of Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) through his former Commissioner for Information and Communication, Pastor Yiljap Abraham, the former state governor said: “For me, being in the prison is a great lesson in humility. When I was at the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission (EFCC), Abuja, I slept on the floor, but here in the prison, I have the privilege of sleeping in the same bed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo slept when in Jos Prison.”

But his successor, Simon Bako Lalong, apparently responding to him, said he was aware that he would give account of his stewardship when he vacates the office as governor, adding that everyone should be humble to accept his imperfection.

The governor also said he was also one time a visitor of the prison and had spent 40 days and also received a lot of revelations from God.

Lalong also stated this at the same occasion at COCIN headquarters.

He said: “Before I became the Governor of Plateau State, as a Speaker of the state House of Assembly then, I also slept 40 days in prison, and when I was there, I received a lot of revelations, and I was ready to face the allegations against me and was also cleared at the end of the day.

“Now as a governor, I know when I vacate the office, there will be a time for me to account for my stewardship, but when somebody refuses to humble himself to accept his imperfections, then the law takes it over.”

Lalong urged the church

leadership to pray for his administration as well as the unity of the state, saying he views the church leaders as partners in the formulation of policies of government.

Jang was ordered by the Jos High Court to be remanded at the Jos prison pending the determination of his bail application on May 24, 2018.

While in the prison, Jang paid fines for about fifty inmates and lead the prayer session in the prison during church on Sunday.

He has also helped the prison authority settle backlog of electricity bill its owing the distribution company, a situation that has made electricity available in the prison.

Finance Ministry Denies Workers’ Strike The Federal Ministry of Finance has denied news going the rounds that its staff embarked on strike yesterday.

The Ministry in a statement explained that contrary to that, a combined staff union of the ministry held its normal general congress yesterday.

Owing to that, it stated that

the Ministry had been inundated with calls by journalists insinuating that its workers were protesting.

“What took place today (Wednesday) in the Ministry was a normal staff congress, where staff gathered to discuss sundry issues, not a riot as alleged by some journalists.

“Many key Directors in the Ministry including Director, Human Resources (DHR) and Director, General Services (DGS), attended the staff congress and clarified issues raised by the staff.

“The staff of the Ministry were not on strike, the gate of the Ministry and offices in the Ministry were not locked as alleged by some of the journalists.

The monthly FAAC Meeting that

held today confirms that the Ministry was not shut down.

“The issues raised and discussed in the meeting are regular internal issues of the Ministry and should be allowed to remain that way. The congress never accused the Minister of Finance and Permanent Secretary of the issues alleged by the journalists,” the statement added.

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Ighalo’s Arrival Swells Eagles’Camp to 25 Players Mikel, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, others expected today Duro Ikhazuagbe Apart from Chelsea of England wing back, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa and John Ogu, most players invited for the friendly with DR Congo arrived the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort camp of the Super Eagles yesterday.

John Ogu, Victor Moses, Shehu Abdulahi and Ahmed Musa are expected to arrive Uyo this afternoon.

Captain of the team, John Mikel Obi, who is yet to touch down in the Akwa Ibom

capital is believed to have been excused from the clash with the Simba of DR Congo.

Although team officials told THISDAY yesterday in Uyo that he is being expected to come into camp before the game scheduled for Monday afternoon at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.

Apart from the early birds that swelled the camp to 17 as at Tuesday evening, Changchun Yatai striker Odion Ighalo and Crotone of Italy striker Simy Nwankwo led more players

on the provisional 30-man list to camp yesterday.

The duo were joined by Gent winger Moses Simon and Standard Liege defender Uche Agbo.

Leon Balogun who on Tuesday completed his switch from Bundesliga’s Mainz 05 to Brighton and Hove Albion in

the English Premier League, arrived at Eagles camp in company with Joel Obi and Bryan Idowu of Amkar Perm to swell the total number of players to 25.

Players in camp include;: Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi, Francis Uzoho, Dele Ajiboye, Williams Troost-

Ekong, Ola Aina, Elderson Echiejile, Tyronne Ebuehi, Stephen Eze, Junior Lokosa, Ogenyi Onazi, Kenneth Omeruo, Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi, Chidozie Awaziem, Oghenekaro Etebo, Bryan Idowu, Joel Obi, Mikel Agu, Leon Balogun, Simy

Nwankwo, Odion Ighalo, Uche Agbo and Moses Simon.

After the game with DR Congo in Port Harcourt on Monday, Eagles are expected to fly out to London to take on Three Lions of England in another pre-World Cup match at the Wembley Stadium on June 2.

New Arsenal Boss, Emery, Advised to Offload Iwobi, Cech, Ozil

Former Chelsea star Tony Cascarino has urged new Arsenal manager Unai Emery to get rid of Nigeria forward Alex Iwobi and eight other players at the club.

Emery yesterday replaced Arsene Wenger who left the position at the end of the season after 22 years incharge. Cascarino believes the 22 year old Nigerian forward is limited in skill.

“I don’t think he (Iwobi) will ever be a top-four player, which is what Arsenal need right now,”

Cascarino told UK’s The Times.co.uk Cascarino also wants Emery to show the exit door to Hector Bellerin, Petr Cech, Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny, Calum Chambers, Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil.

Iwobi who is currently with the Super Eagles in Uyo preparing for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia featured in 39 games for Arsenal and scored just three goals and provided seven assists last season.

Top Seeds Avoid Upsets Going into Quarterfinals All the top four seeds in the eight events of the ongoing SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship avoided upsets to get to the quarterfinals.

In the Girls’ 16, Favour Moses from Kaduna and Omolade Aderemi from Ondo who played in the finals of the CBN Junior Tennis Championship two months ago, kept their hopes of a rematch alive.

Moses beat Rachel Emmanuel from Lagos 6-2 while Aderemi overpowered Omoyemi Oguntoye 9-1.

The No. 1 seed, Toyin Asogba eliminated Deborah

Abiodun 9-4 while the fourth seed, Omolayo Bamidele, whitewashed Fatima Ganiyu from Oyo 9-0.

Boys’ 14 No 1 seed, Daniel Adeleye from Ekiti stayed on course to defend his title when he bested Lucky Hileja from Rivers 9-1 but will have to overcome his nemesis, Sadiq Kushimo from Ogun State, in the semifinals. Kushimo eliminated Sunday Ameh from Lagos 9-4 to progress.

Joshua Maxwell, the fourth seed from Rivers and Michael Akinmusere from Oyo, the second seed, are also on course.

Nominations Open for 2018 Nigerian Sports Award Nominations are now open for the 2018 edition of the prestigious Nigerian Sports Award as entries from the general public for the various categories start on May 23 and runs till October 7, 2018.

Speaking at a press conference to herald the commencement of activities for the 2018 edition, the Chairman of the award panel who is also the Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr. Kweku Tandoh, explained that 2018 edition of the award promises to be more exciting especially with the performances of Nigerian athletes in their various sports from 2017 till date and even as the country prepares for participation at the World Cup in Russia.

According to Tandoh, there are 21 categories of awards that are open for

nominations this year and the list include; Racket Sports Person of the Year tennis, (table tennis, badminton and squash, tennis) Team Sports Person of the Year, Coach of the Year, Combat Sports Personality of the Year (karate, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, wrestling and boxing), Wrestler of the Year, Discovery of the Year, Footballer of the Year (Women), Footballer of the Year (Men), Athletics Star of the Year, School Sports Award, Sports Administrator of the Year, Sports Governor of the Year and Para Sports Person of the Year.

He noted that the new categories introduced for in the 2018 edition of the award was in line with new development and exemplary performances recorded by athletes in recent competitive games.

Kelechi Nwakali (left) en-route unleasing the screamer that gave Nigeria’s Super Eagles ‘B’ the second goal of the 3-2 loss to Atletico Madrid during the GOTV Max Cup clash in Uyo…on Tuesday night

Pinnick Excited by Eagles ‘B’Performance against Atletico Says Nigeria has a team for the future President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick who saw Super Eagles’ second-string team triumph put up excellent form against Europa League champions Atletico Madrid in Uyo on Tuesday evening is excited that the country has a team for the future, “The result is not what mattered today (Tuesday); what’s important is that we have been able to show the world that we have a solid youth team that is capable of

taking over from the present squad, from the squad going to the World Cup next month.

“I am very happy because our big mission statement on assuming office was to build a sustainable football culture for Nigeria. From what we have seen today, our future at the senior national team level is secured.

“And given what we are doing at the youth level, with our U13 and U15 programmes, it means that the supply chain is strong enough to sustain even

the junior teams, from where the senior players will emerge.”

Players like the Nwakali brothers (Chidiebere and Kelechi) wowed the near – capacity crowd with delicate touches, and 2013 Under-17 World Cup –winning captain Musa Muhammed, central defensive pair of Adeleye Olamilekan and Chinedu Ajanah, former Under-20 star Alhassan Ibrahim and wing backs Ebube Duru and Ikouwem Utin showed plenty of energy and promise.

Pinnick added: “We are confident that from the preparatory plan that we have put together for the Super Eagles leading to the finals in Russia, and having taken care of off-field matters that may cause distraction, the team will do Nigeria proud in Russia.

“Looking at the team that just played Atletico Madrid, it gladdens my heart to see that after Russia, we certainly have the players that will also do us proud in 2022 and even 2026.”

‘Delta Committed to Hosting Senior African Athletics Championship’ Contract approved for additional work on Keshi Stadium in Asaba Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba In fulfillment of the pledge of the Delta State government to host the Senior African Athletics Championship, the State Executive Council on Tuesday approved the contract for additional works and variation of the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, speaking after a meeting in Asaba, disclosed that the

approval is a follow-up to that given for the completion of the second phase outstanding works in the stadium last month by the state’s EXCO. He further revealed that the EXCO officially approved the hosting of the 21st edition of the Senior African Athletics Championship, tagged ‘Asaba 2018’ which is scheduled to hold from August 1 to 5, 2018.

Ukah observed that the governor had, on rising from the EXCO meeting on

Tuesday, took all members of the executive council to inspect ongoing work in the stadium for on-the-spot assessment of the level of work carried out.

The governor, while commending the extent of work so far executed, challenged the contractor to increase the tempo of work in order to meet the June deadline for completion of all work on the stadium.

Specifically, Governor Okowa advised the contracting firm to engage more hands and

consider working outside normal hours by extending working hours to night.

According to Ukah, the meeting also approved the Implementation Design and Expenditure Plan for 2018/2019 cycle of job creation programmes - Skill Training Entrepreneur Programme (STEP) and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneur Programme (YAGEP) - as part of the state government’s drive to create wealth.

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Ë&#x153; ͰͲË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś Ëž T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS W O R L D C U P U P D AT E S â&#x20AC;Ś W O R L D C U P U P D AT E S â&#x20AC;Ś W O R L D C U P U P D AT E S â&#x20AC;Ś

Argentina Replaces Injured Romero with Guzman Argentina Head Coach, Jorge Sampaoli, has called up Tigres UANL goalkeeper, Nahuel Guzman to his squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia according to a tweet from the official handle of the Argentine FA. The 32-year-old Guzman who has won six caps for

Argentina replaces Sergio Romero who was ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury.

Romero, 31-year-old Manchester United player, has won 94 caps for the country and played in the 2014 World Cup final defeat

by Germany. Argentinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Football Association said Romero will have surgery on his injured right knee.

Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Willy Caballero and River Plateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Franco Armani are the other goalkeeper in Jorge

Sampaoliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s squad.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has arrived the Argentina pre-World Cup training camp in Buenos Aires.

The Barcelona star led the Catalan giants to a domestic

double last season scoring 34 LaLiga goals which earned him a record fifth European Golden Shoe.

Argentina face Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria in Group D of FIFA World

Cup 2018, hoping to go one step further than their loss to Germany in the 2014 final in Brazil.

Iceland on 16 June before games against Croatia and Nigeria in Group D.

Carlo Ancelotti Takes over at Napoli Former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has been appointed the new manager of Serie A side Napoli on a three-year deal.

Ancelotti, 58, replaces Maurizio Sarri, who led the Italian club to a second-placed finish behind champions Juventus with 91 points. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am really happy and honoured to manage a team with a unique city and incredible fans,â&#x20AC;? said Ancelotti.

Meanwhile, Sarri, 59, has been linked with a move to replace Antonio Conte at Premier League club Chelsea.

Earlier on Wednesday,

Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis praised Sarri for his contribution to the club.

De Laurentiis said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thank Maurizio Sarri for his dedication to Napoli that has given the city and the fans worldwide prestige and emotions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He created a model of play admired everywhere and by anyone. Bravo Maurizio.â&#x20AC;?

Ancelotti has had a highly successful management career, claiming four top-tier league titles, three Champions Leagues and three domestic cups across Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top five leagues.

Ghana FA Boss, Nyantakyi, Under Probe The head of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwesi Nyantakyi arrived back in the country yesterday from Morocco to face an investigation ordered by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Nyantakyi, who is also the first vice-president at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and a FIFA Council member, is accused of fraudulently using the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name.

As soon as he arrived back in Ghana yesterday he voluntarily went to the police in order to begin answering questions.

The GFA boss has been caught on video using the name of the president and other senior government officials to induce â&#x20AC;&#x153;potential investorsâ&#x20AC;? to part with money.

The association and Nyantakyi had not responded to the allegations by Wednesday.

Footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world governing body says that it â&#x20AC;&#x153;is closely following this matter and gathering additional

information.

Please understand we cannot comment further at this stage.â&#x20AC;?

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghanaian police has released a statement saying it will be carrying out the investigation into â&#x20AC;&#x153;alleged offences including corruption.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any person with relevant information may submit it to the police CID headquarters.â&#x20AC;?

The video was recorded by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and is due to be broadcast on June 6. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The president after consultations is fully satisfied that a prima facie basis has been established for criminal investigations to be launched into the conduct of the president of the football association,â&#x20AC;? Akufo-Addoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deputy chief of staff Samuel Abu Jinapor said.

Anas reported on alleged corrupt practices among the Ghanaian judiciary in 2015 that led to the suspension and in some cases dismissal of some judges.

Romero out of Argentine squad for Russia 2018

Unai Emery at his unveiling as new Arsenal manager... yesterday

France MidďŹ elder Refuses to be â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Spare Tyreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; France midfielder Adrien Rabiot has refused to be named on the national teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standby list for the World Cup. The 23-year-old Paris St-Germain player was not in the final 23-man squad but among the 11 reserve players.

Reports in France say Rabiot, capped six times,

had emailed coach Didier Deschamps saying he would not â&#x20AC;&#x153;be able to follow the training programmeâ&#x20AC;?.

Noel le Graet, president of the France Football Federation, said Rabiotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reaction â&#x20AC;&#x153;was very surprisingâ&#x20AC;?.

He added in a statement: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rabiot is a high-quality player and an endearing boy

who has always behaved well in national selections where he has evolved. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His disappointment does not allow him to give up and not to serve the France team. To be part of the collective of France, to be among the best French players, is a chance and a privilege in the career of a player.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;He made a bad decision.

He penalises himself and sanctions himself alone.â&#x20AC;?

Rabiot made 45 appearances in all competitions for PSG in 2017-18, winning a domestic treble.

France is in World Cup Group C alongside Australia, Peru and Denmark.

Will Smith, Nicky Jam, Others to Perform Russia 2018 OfďŹ cial Song â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Live It Upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; As part of another exciting collaboration between FIFA and Sony Music, Will Smith, Nicky Jam and Era Istrefi will perform â&#x20AC;&#x153;Live It Upâ&#x20AC;?, the Official Song of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia produced by DJ and songwriter Diplo.

Ahead of the final on July 15, the music stars will warm up the 80,000 spectators at Moscowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Luzhniki Stadium and around one billion people watching on TV just a few minutes before the two finalists come out on to the pitch.

Until then, fans will have enough time to learn the lyrics as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Live It Upâ&#x20AC;? will be released on multiple streaming platforms on Friday, May 25. The FIFA World Cup Official Music Video will be available as June 7. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an honour to be asked to perform at the 2018

FIFA World Cup. This global event brings people from all over the world together to cheer, laugh and experience magic. Collaborating with Nicky, Diplo and Era on this track represents harmony, eclectic flavours and genres coming together. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the end of the day, we just want to see the world danceâ&#x20AC;?, said world-renowned Grammy Award-winning actor, songwriter and artist Will Smith. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never made a song this international, so many stars have come together to make a strong vibeâ&#x20AC;?, Diplo added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To record the Official Song for the FIFA World Cup is a lifetime achievement. Not many artists have the privilege of being able to say theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been part of this. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so proud and happy, I can say to my grandkids â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,â&#x20AC;? commented Nicky Jam,

one of Latin musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic names and a Latin Grammy Award winner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Official Song has been an incredible and exciting experience so far. Working alongside talented artists like Diplo, Will Smith and Nicky Jam, who I all have huge admiration for, has been amazing and so much fun.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a huge football fan too, so I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait for the World Cup to begin,â&#x20AC;? noted rising pop sensation Era Istrefi.

The tradition of an Official Song dates back to the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England with a song for the first Official Mascot, â&#x20AC;&#x153;World Cup Willieâ&#x20AC;?. Since then, the Official Music Programme and the Official Mascot have become a more and more significant component of the event, providing an excellent opportunity for more than just football fans

to identify with the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest single-sport event.

Official Songs at recent FIFA World Cups have included â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;estate italianaâ&#x20AC;?

by Edoardo Bennato and Gianna Nannini in 1990, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Glorylandâ&#x20AC;? by Daryl Hall with Sounds of Blackness in 1994, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;La Copa de la Vidaâ&#x20AC;? by Ricky Martin in 1998. In 2002, the Official Song was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boomâ&#x20AC;? by Anastacia, while Vangelisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vocal official anthem featured typical Korean and Japanese sonic elements. In 2006, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Time of Our Livesâ&#x20AC;? by the Il Divo quartet was a resounding success.

Shakiraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)â&#x20AC;? was the Official Song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and, most recently, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We Are One (Ole Ola)â&#x20AC;? was the Official Song of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

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T H I S D AY Ëž THURSDAY MAY 24, 2018

Celebrating the exit of an icon Life is nothing but theatre of a sort The character which we create whilst at it determines how loud the ovation could be even when we have long left the stage.

Together with our friends Emma, Maximus, IK, Mama and the entire household of late Chief Sir V. N. Nwaohiri, we celebrate the rite of passage of a great icon and man of valour.

CHIEF SIR V. N. NWAOHIRI, KSM Ugwumba Umuezeala Aged 94 years

Programme as announced by the family will take place at Umuezeala Ogwara Autonomous Community, Ehime-Mbano L.G.A, Imo State as follows: Thursday May 24, 2018 4.00 pm - 6.00pm : Service of Songs 7.00pm - 9.00pm : Night of Tributes 9.00pm - till dawn : Wake Friday May 25, 2018 7.00am - Body leaves mortuary Christopher Okafor Maduwuba Moses Chukueme Chief Acho Nwokorie Itodo Ekatu Silas Okey Ajero Chukwudi Caius Aligwekwe Ejiofor Gregory Nnamdi Ogbonna Ugochukwu William Chukwuocha Nwadike Harrison Chima Nwafor John Williams Stanley Chimaobi Barr Emeka Onyeke (KSM) Emeka Ohaegbu

Leonard Onoja Engr. Umunna Ukanwa Chief Francis Uzoma Onwu Jackson Agbai Eva Udechukwu Chibuzor Chiemela Leo Nzeduru Chinedu Daniel Ogosi Ken Njoku Awotabe Emmanuel Ako Louis C. Ezeigwe Prof Frank Iwuagwu Chief Tony Chukwu Chris Iwu Chinedu Ekeocha

8.30am - Body arrives at St. Borromeo Church, Ehime Mbano 9.00am - Body arrives Dimeke family hall 9.30am - Church service begins at St. Michael Catholic Church 1.00pm - Interment in his country home 2.00pm - Reception at the school field Friends of the family Enyinna Iwueze Arc. Emeka Ozoude Tony Udenze Caroline Chidiebere Barr. Primus Anyanwu Chidiebere Okoroafor Chief Dr. G.C. Agu Arc.Emma Ukanwa Chidi Ihim Theo Okonkwo Chief & Lolo Tony Duru Chinedu Okonkwo Joshua Ikhioda Basil Ojukwu

Emeka Obiagwu Mike-Paul Nwosu Okoro Charles Oguguo Chief Teddy Nwokorie Chief Dan Onwu HRH, Eze Emmanuel N. Ibechi Eddie Onwu Eze Ohajunwa Uwazuruonye Uchenna Ernest Dr. Charles Ibe Reginald Ihebuzor Barr. Sunny Wama Prof James Chilaka Daniel Ogbodu

Fidelis Ene Vincent Onobun Prof. Taiye Simbine Ano Anyanwu Chidi Anyanwu Chief Harry Nwadike Ngozi Ogbonna Emeka Onyenacho Prof Ngozi Iheduru Paul Olele Chief Eze Okoro Chief Mark Ogoke Hon. Chike Orjiako Prof Godian Chibuzo Obute

Thursday, May 24, 2018

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Price: N250

MISSILE Olusegun Obasanjo to Muhammadu Buhari â&#x20AC;&#x153;We recommend that the President and his co-travellers should read â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;My Watchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for insights and perspectives on the power sector and indeed what transpired when the allegation of $16 billion on power projects was previously made. If he cannot read the three-volume book, he should detail his aides to do so and summarise the chapters in a language that he will easily understandâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Former President Obasanjo responding to President Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claim on the power sector.

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OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

2019 and the Ibadan Conversation A

t the invitation of Dr Tunji Olaopa, I was at the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) last Thursday for what turned out a most interesting conversation on elections in Nigeria as critical stakeholders interrogate my book, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Against The Run of Play: How an incumbent president was defeated in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The ISGPPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly book reading series to which I was invited is an innovative platform for community engagement on issues of governance, democracy and development and draws participants from the huge population of intellectuals within and around the city of Ibadan.

It is indeed a testimony to the reach of Olaopa, a retired federal permanent secretary, that the participants for my session were drawn from the academia, private sector and the civil society with respected Professors from the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-iwoye and University of Lagos in attendance. Some of the accomplished people who stayed throughout the session that lasted almost five hours included Professors Akin Mabogunje, Bolanle Awe, Femi Osofisan, Adigun Agbaje, Olabode Lucas, Olabisi Ugbebor, Lai Olurode, Abiola Odejide, Ayo Olukotun and A.O. Popoola.

There were also Dr B. A. Olarewaju, Dr Ademola Oyeleye, Dr Ashindorbe Kelvin, Dr Kayode Salman, Dr Irene Pogoson, Dr Wumi Akin-Onigbinde, Dr Festus Adedayo, Mrs Yemi Alabi and several others whose invaluable contributions made the event very enlightening. Ms Chienye Ogwo, the CEO of African Initiative for Governance (AIG) also came from Lagos.

In his opening remark, Olaopa commended many of the attendees whose passion and commitment have given the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ISGPP Book Readers Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; its uniqueness, and whose regular participation at their events â&#x20AC;&#x153;have continued to buoy the drive for a continuous treatment of high-quality works that have direct implications for governance and public policy in Nigeria.â&#x20AC;? This, according to Olaopa, can only help in creating public awareness on the contemporary challenges of development while exploring ways in which they can be tackled.

As one would expect in a gathering of such intellectual heavyweights, the interactions were very engaging and one thing that came out clearly from the session is the fact that defeating an incumbent president is not an easy task anywhere in the world.

I particularly made that point very clear by referencing Hal Furmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paper titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Why Incumbents Rarely Loseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; published in the nevadajournal.com, where he stated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Incumbents have a much easier time getting re-elected than challengers have at even coming close to beating themâ&#x20AC;?, and he gave reasons that validate my long-held position as I explained at the session before reading a section of the book.

I made the same point in the interview I granted reporters after the session which some people have misinterpreted to mean I was dismissive of the presidential aspirants who are currently challenging the incumbent.

Nothing can be farther from the truth. I was asked about whether the massive campaign

Dr Tunji Olaopa for Nigerians to get their PVC can help the opposition in the election and I responded in the affirmative but with a caveat. The challenge for the opposition, as I explained, â&#x20AC;&#x153;is that they have to get their acts together.

I keep saying that by the end of 2012 for instance, we already knew who was going to challenge Jonathan in 2015. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say the same thing today. And you need a cohesive opposition to defeat an incumbent.â&#x20AC;?

There is nothing new in what I said. I was not in the country during the 16th April 2011 presidential election won by the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, having completed my research paper on such elections at the Harvard Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs, I shared my perspective on why the outcome of the Nigerian election of that year could not have been different. After editing the paper to make it readable as a journalism text aside putting it within the then prevailing Nigerian context, I published it on 22nd May, 2011, exactly a week before Jonathan was sworn in.

Titled, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Divided They Run, United They Loseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, it is noteworthy that some supporters of the defeated Major General Muhammadu Buhari, quite naturally, did not take kindly to the piece because they were still laying claim to being â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;rigged outâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the time. My position was that Jonathan defeated Buhari and that it would be more productive for the opposition to accept the result and begin preparation for the future. That was not a popular opinion at the time given the postelection violence that claimed the lives of many people in the north.

In the paper, I wrote: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The lesson is that the fixation of the Nigerian opposition with votersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; turn out in the South-east and South-south may not carry much weight.

In any case, no presidential election result has ever been upturned by court anywhere in the world. While not advocating against the legal option already taken by a section of the Nigerian opposition, my contention is that it is more productive for them to begin to plan and organize for future elections.

The perennial narrative that they are rigged out by the ruling party is becoming hollow.

In a milieu where political parties are not only weak but lack financial wherewithal while there is no ideology binding members together, forging an alliance only weeks to the election is no more than an open invitation to a sure defeat.â&#x20AC;?

Less than a year after the election, common sense eventually prevailed. Buhari--whose support base in three presidential elections that ended in defeat had been restricted to only two of the three geo-political zones in the north without any appreciable showing in the entire south--got together with the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and others, to begin the process of building a serious opposition coalition against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The rest, as they say, is now history.

Last Thursday, following the reviews of the book by five eminent scholars, including Olurode, a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner as well as Prof Olukotun, Dr Festus Adedayo, Dr Pogson, Mrs Alabi and Prof Olabisi Ugbebor, who posed a question about why our politicians are not really concerned about strategies to make Nigeria work, certain conclusions were drawn. But not before Ugbebor likened the politics being played in Nigeria to a game of Ludo with practitioners to whom crosscarpeting has become a way of getting off the hook for crimes committed.

At the end, some of the conclusions were: One, the core values that should support our system are almost irreversibly totally eroded with impunity fast becoming a way of life in Nigeria today. Two, we would be playing

the ostrich if we fail to understand that the involvement in our politics by the United States, United Kingdom etc. and the choices they make during our elections are primarily to protect and perpetuate their interests and influences. Three, the autonomy of INEC must be vigorously defended and upheld because the gains derived from the 2015 election cannot be divorced from the very strong electoral bureaucracy. Four, several hurdles are still placed against the participation of our women in politics. Five, it is important to take another look at the political structure of our country in a bid to make it accountable and deliver on public good. Six, President Goodluck Jonathan deserves accolades for accepting defeat notwithstanding the reservations about some people within his party on the conduct of the election, especially in some northern states.

While I thank Dr Olaopa and the distinguished personalities who graced the book reading in Ibadan, the take-away for me is that there is an urgent need for us to be more serious about the leadership recruitment process at all levels of government in Nigeria.

It is sad that a nation so blessed with an abundance of highly educated (in all fields of human endeavor) and very competent men and women is almost always saddled with leaders who are ill-prepared for governance.

Yet, for as long as our leaders continue to emerge based on the wild cards of chance and luck without preparation while relying on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;body languageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to muddle through, good governance will also continue to elude us as a nation.

The Road to Anarchy On Tuesday, as the two priests and 17 worshippers murdered in Benue State on 24th April were being buried, the Catholic Mission in Nigeria held a nationwide peaceful protest against incessant killings and the violence that defines this season in the country. On that same day, unknown gunmen killed scores of people in a fresh attack on Egbura communities in Umaisha, the headquarters of Opanda chiefdom in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State while armed bandits that are also terrorising and killing people in Birnin Gwari axis of Kaduna State, invaded Maganda village and abducted three housewives.

Given Max Weberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definition of the state as the entity that â&#x20AC;&#x153;upholds the claim to the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force in the enforcement of its order,â&#x20AC;? it is rather ominous that such coercive power seems to have been lost to sundry criminal cartels that daily prowl our country as we gradually sink into an abyss of chaos and anarchy. What makes the situation even more worrisome is the growing number of private militia and gangsters in possession of lethal weapons who now operate freely in many corners of the country. That has also led to a situation in which many governors are establishing their own armed security outfits, including those with dubious mandates, despite the

fact that security is within the exclusive preserve of the federal government.

From Governor Rochas Okorocha who has since established the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Imo Security Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to Kogi State where Governor Yahaya Bello early this year created his own â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vigilante Service Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to Rivers State where the bill creating the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Neighbourhood Watch Corpsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was signed into law in March this year by Governor Nyesom Wike to Taraba State where the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tabital Pulaaku Njode Jam vigilante groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has been in operation for years to Kaduna State where the â&#x20AC;?Vigilante Serviceâ&#x20AC;? was established two years ago to tackle cattle rustling and associated crimes, there is hardly a state today that does not have one form of security outfit or another.

And since practically all of them bear arms, with extrajudicial execution as their modus operandi, anarchy is not too far away from Nigeria.

What the foregoing says very clearly is that the conception of the state as an entity with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force is being eroded in our country, given a preponderance of violent actors who prey upon the weakness of the official law enforcement apparatus to impose their own order. I hope President Buhari and his men will begin to address the situation before it is too late.

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