Friday 25TH MAY2018

‘Nigeria Requires Savings, Stabilisation Mechanisms’ Crude oil slips further below $80 per barrel UK court stays proceedings on N'Delta community’s suit against Shell Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Stakeholders who gathered yesterday in Lagos in a roundtable on “Savings and Stabilisation Mechanism for Nigeria,” organised by the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua

Foundation’s Oil Revenue Tracking Initiative (ORTI) have concluded that Nigeria would require a saving and stabilisation mechanism to absorb crude

oil price volatility.

This is coming as crude oil prices recorded their largest one-day drop in two weeks yesterday, with expectations building that OPEC could

wind down an output deal that has been in place since the start of 2017 due to concerns about supplies from Venezuela and Iran.

In her presentation

on “Policy options on safeguarding and smoothening fiscal adjustments in Nigeria at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation’s roundtable,” a former Minister of Education,

N'Assembly Transmits 2018 Budget to Buhari Today… Page 12

Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili said the country lost the opportunity to save in the five cycles of oil boom witnessed between 1970’s and 2014 as a result of the mismanagement of the country’s resources.

Continued on page 10

Friday 25 May, 2018 Vol 23. No 8436. Price: N250

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Govs, N’Assembly APC, PDP Members Set to Join ADP Segun James Some governors and members of the National Assembly on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), who have been edged out by the leadership of the party at the just concluded ward

congresses are set to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), THISDAY has learnt.

Also set to defect along with them are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the National Assembly who believe that

ADC can be used as an alternative party to unify defectors from the two leading political parties.

A former governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP who confided in our correspondent said negotiations between the

ADC, the leadership of the breakaway new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) and the PDP are at a final stage.

He also said that the announcement of the outcome of the negotiation is expected within the next few weeks.

The source said that the

reason why the PDP would collapse into the ADC was because of the ignominy Nigerians associated with the PDP and that the process of registering a new party might take a long time.

He also hinted that most dissatisfied members of the

ruling APC in the country were expected to be part of the new party.

“Just wait. The APC is set to implode. After that, we will unveil our plan. APC will die after its national congress, I Continued on page 8

APC, nPDP Rift Deepens, Faction Keeps Options Open Presidency, APC deny substituting names on convention list PDP ecstatic over implosion Ruling party reschedules convention for June 23 Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja There are strong indications that the last-ditch attempt to settle the rift between the defunct nPDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) arising from complaints of the former of marginalization and maltreatment of its members by the leadership of the APC is headed for the rocks as allegations bordering on the exclusion of members of the nPDP from the party’s upcoming national convention subcommittees unravel.

But members of the factions have said regardless of the development, they are ready to wait and see the end of the planned meeting called by the leadership of the ruling party to iron out the grey areas even as the group has said it would decide on its next move before the convention of the party in June.

THISDAY gathered that the gulf between the aggrieved factional members and the leadership of the ruling APC widened during the week when it was discovered Continued on page 8

WELCOME COUNTRYMAN… President Muhamadu Buhari receives the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson who paid him a courtesy visit at the State House in Abuja… yesterday state house

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PAGE EIGHT G OVS, N'AS S EM BLY A PC, PDP MEMBER S SET TO J OI N AD P assure you. We are waiting for the party to conclude its congress. There will be nobody left when we make our move.�

He also said that some sitting governors of the APC are also part of the move to join the ADC. Many members of the APC were edged out during the ward, council and state congresses of the party.

Those sidelined are already considering their options including moving to another party to enable them to actualise

their ambition of seeking elective offices.

A couple of weeks ago the group founded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Coalition for Nigerian Movement, (CNM), announced that it had adopted the African Democratic Congress, (ADC).

While announcing the decision in Abeokuta former President Olusegun Obasanjo said that since the inception of the CNM many of the existing 68 registered political parties were contacted and consulted

on the need to come together.

However, he said the leadership of the CNM after careful, detailed and wide examination, bearing in mind its orientation, policies and direction agreed to adopt ADC as a platform to work with other like-minded parties to bring about desirable changes in the Nigerian polity and governance.

He said the emergence of the ADC was the beginning of a hard work geared towards the continuity to consolidate democracy and

to make development on all its ramifications real, relevant, accessible, popular and in reaching out to all Nigerians regardless of their ethnic nationalities and religions.

He said: "a positive anger coordinated and directed to put an end to the era of impotence and for every Nigerian to join hands to seek an effective solution through the coalition, cooperation and togetherness that will take Nigeria to where God has created it to be is our concern.

Dr. Musa Abubakar, Ag. Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) receiving books on Maritime Seminar for Judges from Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council in Abuja‌ recently

"With the emergence of the ADC as a political party for the movement and its associated and in line with my clear position which I have often repeated, the first phase of my job is done and I will not be a member of the party but as I have always done since I quit partisan-politics in 2014, I will keep alive and be active on Nigerian and African issues and interests and I will be open to offering advice to any individual or organisation for the unity, development and professional of Nigeria and indeed, Africa."

He, however, warned that no former political party, movement, social or cultural, township unions and social organisations should claim sole ownership of the renewed party, ADC. "I will advise others to join this political party in order to usher in a new dawn for Nigerians but I may not be able to advise anybody to join PDP or APC no matter what window-dressing reformation they may claim.

"PDP offered an apology without disciplining those who set Nigeria on a course of ruin and some of them are still holding leadership toes in their party. Nigerians may forgive, but Nigerians should never forget; otherwise, they will be suffering from amnesia and the same ugliness may raise its head again.

"APC as a political party is still gloating and revelling in its unrepentant misgovernance of Nigeria and taking Nigerians for fools. There is neither remorse nor appreciation of what they are doing wrong.

It is all arrant arrogance and insult upon injury for Nigerians.

Whatever the leadership may personally claim, most

Nigerians know that they, Nigerians, are poorer today than when APC came in and Nigeria is more impoverished with our foreign loan jumping from $3.6 billion to over $18 billion to be paid by the present and future generations of Nigerians.

"The country is more divided than ever before because the leadership is playing the ethnic and religious game which is very unfortunate. And the country is more insecure and unsafe for everybody. It is a political party with two classes of membership", said Obasanjo.

Co-Convener of CNM, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola who also spoke in Abuja on the same day the decision to join ADC said: “The decision to move into African Democratic Congress, therefore, is an appreciation of the progressive essence of the party and its untainted existence on the terrain of our nation’s politics. “While I on behalf of the leadership and the over three million members of the CNM congratulate ADC as the vehicle for national reinvention, I urge us to let us know that the task ahead is an arduous one that needs further strengthening of the forces of change.

"What I am saying is that we should be open to new engagements and alliances being forged and crystallizing across the country.�

Oyinlola said the movement was committed to the use of the tools of democracy to recreate a Nigeria that would truly serve all, irrespective of religion, tribe or socio -economic status.

According to him, the Coalition for Nigerian Movement has ceased to exist, having formally collapsed into the political party.

people; where no individual or group can claim ownership or be allowed to appropriate the interest of the generality of members.

"Our determination is to continue to work with Nigerians to sustain a vigorous, nationalistic and all-inclusive political engagement that will fulfil their aspirations to restore healthy democratic culture at all levels and rescue the nation from the clutches of the anti-people APC administration.

"The PDP, however, charges all members and indeed all Nigerians to remain united and continue to resist the antics of the sinking APC to create confusion and distract us, particularly with fabrications in a section of the media, including laughable suggestions that some decisions have been taken regarding those willing to join our fold.

"Our response is that none of APC’s antics at fabrications, harassment of our members, cooked-up corruption allegations, arrests, arraignments and smear campaign will distract the PDP in this all-important mandate by the generality of Nigerian citizens to be their rallying platform to rescue our nation from the economic hardship and oppression that

have become the bold label of the dysfunctional APC and its Federal Government," it said.

A P C, NP D P RIFT DEEPENS, FACT ION K E EPS OPT I ON S OPE N that its members have again been schemed out from being part of the APC convention's sub-committees, a development which further infuriated the group provoking its members to begin considering other options ahead of the 2019 election.

Presidency, APC Deny Substituting Names on Convention List But both the Presidency and APC have denied excluding any interest group from the convention committees.

The National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi who replied a text message from THISDAY yesterday said: "We have not received any complaints to that effect".

A reliable source within nPDP bloc in APC, told THISDAY last night that they will definitely conclude talks with the leadership of the party before the elective convention.

Although he could not confirm the allegation that members of the nPDP were not allowed to participate in convention, the source said he cannot rule it completely.

"Anybody who knows members of our group will know that we are credible people. We are very committed to what we say and what we

are doing but I cannot speak for the other side. I cannot vouch for their sincerity of purpose.

On whether they (nPDP) are ready with the next option if the APC decides to call their bluff and end negotiations, the source said: our members are very powerful and credible people and I can assure you wherever we decide to go, definitely is going produce the next president of the country".

Weighing in on the allegations, the Presidency also denied media reports that the Presidency had substituted some members of the National Convention Sub-Committees of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying President Muhammadu Buhari would never interfere in party affairs.

In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, insisted that the president would never do anything contrary to the provision of the constitution.

"We are constrained to deny media reports alleging that the Presidency substituted or smuggled in some names of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Convention Planning Sub-Committees.

"Nothing in the allegation can be further from the truth in every material particular.

For the umpteenth time, we wish to reiterate President Muhammadu Buhari’s position that he will not interfere in party affairs or matters before the law courts.

"It ought to have been obvious by now to discerning Nigerians that it is not in the nature of this President to go against the provisions of the country’s constitution let alone his party’s constitutional provisions.

"It is, therefore, disingenuous to attribute every perceived infraction in activities of party or government appointees to the president's desk," the statement said.

PDP Ecstatic Over Implosion Meanwhile, the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are getting excited over the political gains that could come its way if the APC crisis continued unabated The party said it was happy with the support, solidarity, as well as the massive influx of Nigerians into its fold.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP said it is repositioning as the consensus political platform to rescue the nation from the obviously incompetent and repressive rule of the President

Muhammadu Buhari-led APC. He said that the efforts of its Contact and Integration Committee led by the former governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke in reaching out to like-minded persons and groups from across the six geo-political zones and 36 states of the federation, was beginning to yield dividends.

The opposition party said whereas the ruling APC has completely shut its doors against the interest of Nigerians, having been totally appropriated by selfish, undemocratic and oppressive forces, a repositioned PDP remains the only viable platform where Nigerians, across board, are now coalescing to restore order, good governance and economic prosperity in our nation, come 2019.

"The party reassures all members, including existing, returning and new members, in addition to likeminded political groups and alignments from other political parties of equal opportunity and level playing ground for all to freely engage, irrespective of class, creed, ethnicity or even previous party affiliation.

"The PDP restates that it remains the only political party that is completely owned and controlled by the Nigerian

Ruling Party Reschedules Convention for June 23 The All Progressives Congress (APC) has moved the date of its the National Convention from June 2nd to Saturday, June 23, 2018.

In a short statement issued yesterday night by party Spokesman, Bolaji Abdulahi, the party said inauguration of new Party executives will subsequently hold on Monday, June 25, 2018.

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Osun Court Sentences Man, 25, to Death by Hanging Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo A High Court, sitting in Ikirun, Osun State, has sentenced a 25-year-old man, Tajudeen Ganiyu, to death by hanging, for killing a 4-year-old boy, Tesleem Bakare.

According to the Information Officer, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Opeyemi Bello, Justice Jide Falola, recalled that the convict took the victim from his grandmother, Mrs. Raliatu Bakare, to go and buy groundnut for him.

He was said to have ran away with the boy before he was arrested by some youths who launched a search for the accused as directed by the father of the boy, Isiaka Bakare.

The convict was eventually arrested and taken to the palace of Aragbiji of Iragbiji, where he was handed over to the police. He confessed to the police to have killed the boy and led them to the bush at Iragbiji where they found the remains of the boy.

The convict was arraigned in October 2017 for conspiracy and murder, which he pleaded guilty to. The court recalled that the other three accused were discharged after investigations and exoneration by the convict.

The court noted that the convict, during

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State

his trial on February 14, 2018, pleaded guilty to the crime but claimed to be mentally challenged.

Justice Falola stated that the convict could not give a satisfactory evidence of where he has been confirmed or treated for mental problem.

He said the accused did not exhibit any sign of insanity in the box as observed by the court. He answered all questions satisfactorily in the box during the proceeding.

The court submitted that the young boy was slaughtered like a ram and thereby convicted the accused as charged.

The Legal Aid Council, who represented the convict, Mrs. Esther Napoleon, prayed the court to be merciful in sentencing the convict, noting that he is a first offender.

Justice Falola however, ruled that the convict should be hanged by the neck until he dies. He advised parents to be extra-vigilant and be careful of leaving their children to strangers.

The convict who was tied to the back with a rope was said to have disappeared sometimes in 2017 at cockcrow.

It was gathered that the handcuff on the convict broke at some point at cockcrow and was later re-arrested by the police.

Since then he has been taken to the court with his two hands tied with rope to the back.

The Principal State Counsel, Mr. Jacob Ayanyemi, commended the Justice Falola for delivering the judgement without fear.

' N I GERIA REQUIRES SAVINGS, STA BIL I SAT I ON M EC H AN I SM S' According to her, the savings in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) set up by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo were depleted by the successive administration.

Ezekwesili argued that the six years of record high oil prices after the tenure of Obasanjo could have built up foreign reserves to as much as $100 billion including an ECA level of at least $40 billion. “The summary of the inflows and outflows from the Account shows that the opening balance was $4.56 billion in 2011 and reached a peak the following year at $8.7 billion before declining to $2.3 billion in 2013. The balance as at May 2015 was $2.07 billion,�

Ezekwesili said.

Citing a comment by a former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the 2014 World Economic Forum, Ezekwesili quoted the former finance minister as saying that “the depletion of the Excess Crude Account to about $2.5 billion has made the country more vulnerable than it was in the past and put the economy of the country at great risk�

Ezekwesili argued that about $200 billion was used to rebuild entire Europe after the Second World War, while Nigeria has earned over $1 trillion from crude oil without commensurate development in human and infrastructure.

The former Vice President of World Bank disclosed that Botswana is the only country in sub-saharan Africa that has managed her mineral resources efficiently.

Also in their presentations, a member of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Monetary Policy Committee, Prof. Adeola Adenikinju and Andrew Onyeanakwe, noted that the government spending and the country’s revenue have no link.

Adenikinju, in his presentation, identified incoherence data as a major challenge in the country’s efforts to save, adding that over $1 trillion earned from oil has not reflected in the people’s welfare.

He said ECA and Sovereign Wealth Fund were supposed to provide stabilization fund.

According to him, a temporary shock is not supposed to affect the economy

if the stabilization fund is working. “But when the oil price goes down, the Federal Allocation goes down. So, the stabilization mechanism is not working,� he added.

On his part, Onyeanakwe argued that Nigeria’s $1.5 billion savings in sovereign wealth fund is a far cry from Norway’s over $1 trillion, Saudi Arabia’s over $500 billion and Algeria’s $7.6 billion.

In another development, crude oil prices recorded their largest one-day drop in two weeks yesterday, with expectations building that OPEC could wind down an output deal that has been in place since the start of 2017 due to concerns about supplies from Venezuela and Iran.

Global benchmark Brent futures were down $1.02 at $78.78 per barrel, the largest one-day fall since May 8, while United States crude futures dropped $1.08 to $70.76 a barrel.

Reuters reported that OPEC may decide in June to lift output to make up for reduced supply from Iran and Venezuela and in response to concerns from Washington about a rally in oil prices, OPEC and oil industry sources told Reuters.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said production cuts could be eased "softly" if OPEC and non-OPEC countries see the oil market balancing in June, the Interfax news agency reported.

Venezuela's output has fallen amid an economic crisis, while Iran's supply is threatened by U.S. sanctions.

These factors have helped push Brent and WTI to multi-year highs, with Brent breaking through an $80 threshold last week for the first time since November 2014.

OPEC and some non-OPEC major oil producers, which are scheduled to meet in Vienna next month, previously agreed to curb their combined output by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) to boost oil prices and clear a supply glut.

Meanwhile a British court yesterday ruled that the suit brought before it by the Bodo community of Rivers State against Shell should remain stayed until July 2019.

The Bodo community has been involved in a protracted legal battle with Shell over the clean-up of two 2008 oil spills.

Lawyers for Bodo had accused Shell of trying to kill off the legal case by seeking a court order that would have meant the community had to meet onerous conditions before it could revive its litigation, which is currently on hold.

But a London High Court judge, Mrs Justice Cockerill, ruled that the litigation should remain stayed until July 1, 2019, with no conditions attached should the Bodo community’s representatives seek to re-activate it before then. “We are delighted the court has rejected Shell’s attempt to restrict the community’s legal rights,� said the Bodo community’s lead UK lawyer, Dan Leader. “The message is clear - Shell must clean up this appalling oil spill and the Bodo community will keep on with its legal case until they are confident that it will do so,� he said.

The 2008 oil spills devastated the lands and waterways of Bodo and Shell accepted liability for the spills in 2015, agreeing to pay 55 million pounds ($83 million at the time) to Bodo villagers and to clean up their lands and creeks.

After years of delays, the clean-up is currently underway, under the auspices of the internationally recognised Bodo Mediation Initiative (BMI).

Reuters reported that Shell’s lawyers had argued at a hearing on Tuesday that the community should only be able to re-activate the legal case should Shell fail to comply with its obligation to pay for the clean-up.

But Bodo’s lawyers had countered that the community should have unfettered access to the London courts if the clean-up was not completed to a high standard.

Arguing that the pressure of litigation was a key factor in pushing Shell to implement the clean-up, they had asked the judge to keep the legal case on hold until May 2020.

Oil spills, 80 per cent of which are caused by vandalism, are common in the Niger Delta.

Oil companies have run into problems trying to clean up spills, sometimes because of obstruction and even violence by communities trying to extract bigger payouts, or to obtain clean-up contracts.

Two-Minute BrieďŹ ng NEWS House Rejects Bill Seeking to

Override Buhari on Establishment of Peace Corps TheHouseofRepresentatives yesterdayfellshortofitsavowed determinationtooverridePresident MuhammaduBuhari’svetoofthe NigerianPeaceCorps‌ Page 12

EDITORIAL Oa Robbery: Matters Arising Aside highlighting rising insecurity in the country in all its various manifestations, the recent coordinated robbery attacks on five banks in Offa, Kwara State during which no fewer than nine policemen were killed raised‌ Page 15

POLITICS Obasanjo-Buhari’s Feud: Let the e Music Play on TobiSoniyiarguesthattheongoing g warofattritionbetweenPresident MuhammaduBuhariandformer PresidentOlusegunObasanjo mayturnouttobebeneficialtothe country Page 17

WEEKENDFILE ‘I Sleep and Breathe Fashion’

EstherIyireisthefounderof Hazel-GraceStyles,afashionbrand d thatcaterstotheneedsofwomen fashionistas.Iyire,whoisaFrench graduateoftheCovenantUniversity, ty, OgunState,decidedtogointo fashionafteralongsearchforajob..

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BUSINESS Nigeria Spends N288bn on Fish

Importation Annually Followingongoingeffortbythe federalgovernmenttodiversifythe nation’seconomy,ithasemerged thatNigeriacansaveoverN288 billion($800million)beingspenton theimportationoffishesannually,if thenation’sdeepoceanresources areoptimallydeveloped‌ Page 19

NEWSXTRA Shekarau, Shagari, Ize-Iyamu,

Others Arraigned, Granted Bail ThreeFederalHighCourtsinKano, SokotoandBeninCityyesterday grantedbailtosomechieftains ofthe PDParraignedinthethree jurisdictionsofthecourtfor moneylaunderingoffences.

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INTERNATIONAL Trump Scraps Summit with North Korea, Cites ‘Open Hostility’ UnitedStatesPresidentDonald TrumponThursdayinformedNorth KoreanleaderKimJongUnthat hewascallingofftheirhistoric summitscheduledfornextmonth, citing“angerâ€?and“hostilityâ€?‌ Page 46

SPORTS Victor Moses out of DR Congo Clash, Mikel Arrives Uyo Chelsea wing-back, Victor Moses, has been ruled out of Super Eagles friendly against DR Congo in Port Harcourt on Monday.

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NEWS

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

House Rejects Bill Seeking to Override Buhari on Establishment of Peace Corps As law-abiding APC member, l’m not going to override Mr. President, says lawmaker

James Emejo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The House of Representatives yesterday fell short of its avowed determination to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment Bill) 2017, as majority of the members overwhelmingly kicked against the move to bypass the president on the matter.

The controversial legislation sponsored by Hon. Emmanuel Oker-jev (APC, Benue) was listed as a ‘veto override’ bill, expected to be passed for seconding reading. Buhari had on February 27, 2018, withdrawn his assent to the bill, which had earlier been passed by the National Assembly, citing funding constraints and security as reasons for rejecting the bill. Unconvinced by the reasons given by the president for the withdrawal of assent, the House of Representatives on March 14, indicated it had commenced the process of overriding the president on 10 bills, which were recently passed and transmitted for assent but were vetoedincluding the Peace Corps bill. But after an extensive debate on the subject matter, by members, some lawmakers, largely pro-Buhari, who didn’t want the bill to see the daylight, as well as save the president from the seeming embarrassment that could result from the move, carried the day. The latest defeat of the bill on the House floor appeared have put paid to any other available opportunity to salvage the proposed establishment whose founder, Mr. Dickson Akor, had been in the eye of the storm right from the outset. He had ruffled feathers with security agencies following damning security intelligence against him, especially regarding the setting up proposed Peace Corps. But many saw his victimisation as a political witchhunt, and took the grace of the law courts, which cleared him of the allegations- and set his mission on course, once again.

However, when the bill was mentioned again on the House floor yesterday, Oker-jev appealed to members to seize the opportunity to give legal empowerment to the corps.Â

He said the purpose of the bill, which is to among other things, develop, empower and provide gainful employment for the youths, facilitate peace, volunteerism, community service, neighbourhood watch and nation-building- was a strategy already adopted by countries across the world. “This is one good opportunity to pass this bill,� he said.

Contributing to the debate, Hon. Lovette Idisi (PDP, Delta) supported the bill on grounds that it would complement the efforts of the existing security apparatus in resolving the present security challenges across the country.  He added that the country was already under-policed which is one of the reasons why government has continued to battle insecurity. He said: “I don’t believe funding was the reason why this bill was rejected by the president.

We need to throw our weight behind the bill. We should be able to operate a security system that’s comparable worldwide.�

But, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, had briefly intervened to offer guidance and draw members’ attention to the fact that the essence of considering the bill was mainly to ponder on the reasons adduced by the president for declining assent to the bill- whether they hold water or not. If his reasons were flawed by the majority in the House, that would pave the way for a process to override the presidentand the legislation must have passed second reading.

But that was not to be. Nevertheless, Hon. Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno) said though the president’s excuse on security implication as reason for rejecting the bill was not well-elaborated, the passage will boost efforts of security agencies particularly in the North-east, which is largely under-policed.

He said Peace Corps was a veritable venue to engage the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) in the North-east, adding that “no amount of money spent to guarantee security is too much.�

But Hon. Ahmed Idris (APC, Plateau) said the issue of funding as highlighted by Buhari ought to be a concern against the

Mace Stolen from Gombe Assembly In what looked like a repeat of the April 18 incident at the Senate, the mace of the Gombe State House of Assembly was yesterday stolen during plenary.

The legislative symbol of authority was snatched during a sitting to remove the Minority Leader of the assembly, Ahmed Haruna, who represents Gombe North state constituency.

The Sergeant-at-Arms of the assembly was overpowered while the mace was forcefully taken away.

The Cable gathered that the incident threw the assembly into disarray.

When normalcy was restored, four lawmakers, all of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were suspended for four legislative days.

They were accused of being involved in the removal of the mace.

A committee was also set up to investigate the incident and report back on Monday

backdrop of the current fiscal challenge confronting the government. He also expressed worry over the recruitment process of the Peace Corps, against the backdrop of allegations of extortion by Akor, stressing that with such an individual heading the corps, not much results could be achieved. On his part, Hon. Johnson Agbonayinma (APC, Edo) said though he was not against the bill, the president could have better understanding on the aspect of security which he cited. He advised the leadership of the House to meet with the executive in order to be better informed on the perceived security implication of establishing the corps, adding that such issues cannot be “discussed in a beer parlour.�

But Dogara quickly, humorously pointed out that the matter was not being discussed in a beer parlour and wondered why Agbonayinma resorted to such expression. Nonetheless, Baballe Bashir (APC, Kano) opposed the bill, stressing that all security agencies appeared to be  under-funded and wondered why another agency should be created amid current reality.

He said instead, the police could be provided with additional funding to be able to absorb more Nigerians in the Force.

He said supporting the bill could further set a dangerous precedent whereby any outfit, including religious bodies, could seek to be registered as a security agency.

However, Hon. Abdulrasaq Namdas (APC, Adamawa) backed the bill, noting that if the primary duty of government is to guarantee security, the issue of funding should not be an issue. Similarly, Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbewfi (PDP, Nasarawa) also supported the passage of the bill for second reading. He pointed out that the past years had only brought bloodshed and loss of lives, adding that more hands were needed to beef up security as reports indicated there’ll be increased nomadic activities, which had often led to herdsmen and farmers’ clashes.

Also, contributing, Hon. Goni Bukar Lawal (APC, Yobe) said, “I support the veto override brought by Oker-jev.�

According to him, peace remained the bedrock of every development, noting that all

military men are currently engaged at various flash-points. “The only problem is composition of the bill and should be looked at,� he added. Hon. Rita Orji (PDP, Lagos) also spoke in favour of the bill. She said there was no longer free and secure movement of Nigerians to various parts of the country due to the security challenges. She further noted that various litigation against the establishment of the peace corps had been quashed by the courts of law and wondered by the House would act contrary. Orji said Buhari’s concerns over funding constraints was immaterial, suggesting instead that monies currently being paid to unproductive sectors be rechanneled to productive activities “If it’ll reduce unemployment because there are other stagnant agencies.�

However, at this point, the opposition to the passage of the bill had begun to swell as Hon. Magaji Aliyu (APC, Jigawa) vehemently kicked against the bill. “As law abiding APC member, am not going to override Mr. President. This bill shouldn’t see the light of day,� he said. He also frowned against

the allegations levelled against the Akor, who is the National Commandant of the proposed corps- that he went around collecting money from Nigerians towards their recruitment and training.

He said the House shouldn’t legalise such acts.

Hon. Chika Adamu (APC, Niger) said the Peace Corps cannot solve the local security challenges better than the locals, adding that the current structure of security agencies was already over bloated. He said: “We don’t have to veto the president on issue of funding. Lots of security agencies can’t be funded so why create another agency. If we bastardise the use of veto, we also bastardise what we came here to do. It’s time we reject this veto override.�

Hon. Jimoh Olajide (APC, Lagos) however, called for sound reasoning by members. He noted that a lot of Nigerians had already engaged by the Corps for job purposes adding that the issue of security should be taken seriously. “Need to apply wisdom; let’s have a committee led by leadership to meet with the

Cont’d on Pg.51

CAMPAIGN COUNCIL

L-R: Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole; National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; National Vice Chairman (North West), Inuwa Abdulkadir; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; who represented the Chairman of the party’s National Campaign Council and Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; and Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawali Shuaibu, during their inauguration at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja ...yesterday

N’Assembly Transmits 2018 Budget to Buhari Today Omololu Ogunmade Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË All things being equal, the National Assembly will today in Abuja transmit the 2018 budget to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

Making this disclosure while answering questions from journalists at the Presidential Villa after breaking fast with the president last night, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said one week delay in transmitting the budget after it was passed on May 17, was caused by the

necessity to harmonise both versions of the Appropriation Bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

According to him, having passed the harmonised versions of the budget on Wednesday, the bill would finally be transmitted to the president today. “I think that should have been done. We had to harmonise.

It’s just a slight difference. It had been passed yesterday (Wednesday). It was in the rules and proceedings of today (yesterday). So, I am sure by

tomorrow (today), we will transmit it to the Presidency,�

Saraki said.

The N9.1trillion budget passed by the National Assembly on May 17 consists of N3.5 trillion as recurrent (non-debt) expenditure and N2.8 trillion capital expenditure.

The budget is N500 billion higher than the N8.6 trillion proposal presented to the National Assembly by Buhari in November, 2017.

The National Assembly also increased the oil benchmark

proposed by the executive from $45 to $51 per barrel but retained oil production volume proposal at 2.3 million barrels per day and exchange rate at N305 to $1.

The budget as passed by the federal legislature also comprised N530,421,368,624 as statutory transfer; N2,203,835,365,699 for debt service; N1,954,464,993,775 as fiscal deficit which implies 1.73 per cent deficit to gross domestic product (GDP).

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 25, 2018

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COMMENT

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

THE EXAMPLE OF ERNEST BAI KOROMA Monday Philips Ekpe pays tribute to Ernest Koroma, former President of Sierra Leone

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ierra Leone is one of those countries that evoke negative thoughts, despite admirable endowments and notable or competitive achievements, because of their traumatic past experiences. Such places are often victims of prejudice and excessive media focus on the misfortunes or calamities that befall them. In that situation, even when such nations register great accomplishments, they are either under-reported or ignored altogether. It is a case of “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?�

So it was that earlier this month, in the scenic city of Freetown, national power was officially transferred from the government of Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma to that of Brigadier Julius Maada Bio (rtd.), the former having finished his second tenure as president.

For people who live in societies where functional democracy is a given, that baton change might not be so significant. In many places in Africa and other under-developed or developing nations, however, where faith in the ballot is largely shallow, that cordial transition in Sierra Leone must not be trivialised. West Africa ranks among the regions on earth that have registered the largest number of coups, thereby making any peaceful democratic shift remarkable.

Something else makes the May 12 inauguration unique. It is former President Koroma’s sportsmanship. His All People’s Congress (APC)’s candidate, Dr. Samura Kamara, only lost narrowly to his Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) rival, President Bio, at the run-off election. A desperate or over-ambitious incumbent, under the circumstance, could have used the machinery of state to thwart the will of his people. He chose, instead, to take the path that would deepen democracy and stabilise a country with a chequered history. That is one legacy that should not be taken for granted. It takes a true statesman to put public interest above his, especially at critical points.

How will posterity judge the man who inherited the leadership of a war-ravaged Sierra Leone in 2007? At the time, in addition to the prevailing despondency of the country, corruption in high places was well known. Koroma had his job cut out for him and he understood it. On the eve of his first presidential election victory, he declared to Financial Times: “I have campaigned on the platform of putting up a very robust fight against corruption. We believe that has been a key problem of the past administration.

I am going to immediately do a few things that will help in our fight against corruption. In the first place I will ensure that the ACC, the Anti-Corruption Commission, is revitalised and strengthened. “I am going to ensure that we pass a legislation that will give an amendment to the act that establishes the Anti-Corruption Commission, and specifically the authority that is given to the attorney-general to determine who should be prosecuted after the investigations have been done by the ACC‌That authority will be removed and will be restored to the ACC, so that the ACC will

THE FORMER PRESIDENT OWES THE WORLD MATERIALS THAT SHOW HOW HE SUCCESSFULLY STEERED THE SHIP OF STATE IN THOSE TRYING TIMES THAT CONTESTED VICIOUSLY FOR THE VERY SOUL OF HIS BELOVED COUNTRY

have the power to investigate and at the same time prosecute‌ This will give them independence. When that power is vested in the attorney-general, who is the minister of justice, he is a key political figure, and very close to the heart of government; normally he will be influenced. African politics, knowing what it is,he will be influenced to maybe protect certain people against the others. There will be no sacred cow.�

As expected in politics, the critics and opponents of Koroma have accused him many times of failing to deliver that self-apportioned goal. Many country watchers disagree, however. Luckily, he was honest in telling Sierra Leoneans in his handover note that he did not run a perfect government. No matter the side one identifies with, some things cannot be taken away from his administration. Sierra Leone’s profile has changed substantially compared with what it was a decade ago. Basic amenities like airport, roads, electricity, agricultural facilities, housing, hotels, educational and health institutions have gone through varying degrees of transformation.

Under Koroma, the country witnessed economic expansion, attracted chummy foreign investment and was once described by relevant global organisations as one the world’s fastest growing economies. But then the dreaded Ebola disease soon showed up, took the centre-stage between 2014 and 2016 and brought the land fondly called “Salone� by its citizens to its knees. Of the three most affected countries – Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone – the later was the worst hit economically. Human lives apart, the total impact of the monster in the sub-region amounted to $2.8 billion. Sierra Leone alone accounted for nearly two billion.

The fear of travelling to the country and receiving travellers and goods from there was palpable across the world. That meant a huge minus for export trade, drastic drop in local revenue collection, fiscal dilemma, threatened social infrastructure and a psychologically and emotionally fragile populace. (The resurgence of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo now recalls the travails and triumphs of Sierra Leone during Koroma’s period in office). Last year’s mudslides in the Freetown suburbs that claimed hundreds of lives and homes were indeed a dark icing on an already depressing situation. Yet, Sierra Leone did not only stay afloat, its challenges notwithstanding, it continued to march towards a more prosperous future, albeit painfully.

The former president owes the world materials that show how he successfully steered the ship of state in those trying times that contested viciously for the very soul of his beloved country. He appears to fit into the requirements for the prestigious Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership: â€œâ€Ś democratically elected presidents; served their constitutionally mandated term; demonstrated exceptional leadership; developed their countries; lifted people out of poverty and paved the way for sustainable and equitable prosperity‌.â€?

REMEMBERING FRED EGBE Odein Ajumogobia pays tribute to Fred Egbe, an outstanding lawyer and an entrepreneur

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distinguished commercial lawyer, Mr Fred Egbe was known and esteemed throughout the Nigerian business community and in commercial legal circles, especially. Egbe’s contribution to legal practice in Nigeria was far-reaching. Apart from establishing one of the foremost commercial law practices in Nigeria, named and styled Fred Egbe & Co, he was the consummate corporate/commercial lawyer and litigator who groomed several lawyers that went on to achieve distinction and prominence both in the legal profession and out of it. He quietly mentored and inspired countless others.

I was privileged to come under his generous and watchful influence between 13 August 1980 and 31 March 1983. During that relatively brief professional association, apart from learning to be a good lawyer, he managed to imbue in me, a sense of the place and importance of law in public policy formulation, in the newly minted democracy of our second Republic, under President Shehu Shagari.

Born in 1934, having been called to the bar in 1962, Fred Egbe scaled the peaks of success early, becoming an extremely successful lawyer at a relatively young age. In 1974 he came to national prominence as chairman of the Port Decongestion Committee set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria to solve the congestion in Apapa and Tin Can Ports, arising from what came to be known as the “cement armada�

- an unprecedented flotilla of cargo vessels in

Nigeria’s territorial waters, waiting to discharge their endless cargoes of cement!

An outstanding advocate, Fred Egbe was a true international lawyer, both by choice and in disposition. He was brilliant, urbane, dapper, humorous, charming and compassionate and it is these qualities, combined with his legal expertise that made him the formidable figure that he was in his field.

His early exposure to the world of commerce in our promising newly independent nation had equipped him with a unique understanding of private business needs and their intersection with public policy, which he applied to great effect in his successful career in private practice, as a lawyer and much later - when legal practice ceased to hold his interest, as a “fisherman�, as he self-effacingly referred to himself with his massive investment in a trawling enterprise called Scot Fishing.

A fervent defender of what he believed in and gifted, not just in his knowledge of law, but with the use of its unique language, especially when it came to the violation of his own rights, Egbe had the courage of his convictions. His exceptional legal writing skills, are recorded for posterity in the several records of landmark appeals to the Supreme Court, through his eloquent briefs and compelling advocacy in Fred Egbe v MD Yusuf & others; Fred Egbe v Adefarasin; State v Ilori and Fred Egbe v Alhaji Alhaji that I was privileged to have played a modest part and which I am certain will in time come to influence our

jurisprudence on the undue legal protection of public officers, in Nigeria.

His several detentions and the humiliation he suffered based on false criminal charges, did not deter him. These charges included one for stealing land, even when the criminal code itself describes land as something incapable of being stolen! It was especially significant that the land in question was owned by a company whose sole shareholders and directors were himself and his aged mother!!

When I gently questioned the propriety or wisdom of his continuing to take on the powerful establishment including the powerful Chief Judge of the State, in which he had established his successful practice or the Inspector- General of Police, in the courts, he quoted John F. Kennedy “that a man must do what he must regardless of personal consequences�. That was it: The courage to pursue his convictions, not necessarily minding the outcome. It was for him more about the due process of law.

There were dire consequences for doing so.

His practice was destroyed, as clients anxious not to be caught in the cross fire of a powerful government’s antagonism towards his person, took their legal problems elsewhere.

But he remained undeterred until the very end. It was for him a journey. He thus went from being the quintessential business lawyer to a determined crusader against impunity in public service, as he sought justice in his own causes and by extension in our own. As he

often said with a mischievous glint in his eyes when I occasionally called to pay my respects, “the struggle continues‌â€?

Then suddenly, he succumbed to a brutal illness that gave him little time to properly arrange his personal affairs and his vast estate, before passing on.

On 25 October 2009 in his beautiful home in Warri, as I watched the body of this great lawyer lowered into his grave at a quiet private ceremony, largely unsung, I quietly reflected on how much this man had taught me in just 30 months as a young lawyer in his firm and how much of a lasting impact he had on my career and life. I appreciated even more the nature of the personal sacrifices that he made and the lonely road he travelled, in standing up for what he believed.

A complex man, Fred Egbe’s personality had several facets: an outstanding solicitor and advocate; an astute investor; a successful entrepreneur; a brilliant, humorous and self-effacing man of courage and charisma; but above all, he was till the end a most distinguished servant of the law.

I write this tribute on the tenth anniversary of the passing of Fred Egbe as a testament of honour to a man who by his example set me on a path of professional success and fulfilment.

Ajumogobia, SAN, is a former Minister of State for Petroleum and an erstwhile Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018

EDITORIAL OFFA ROBBERY: MATTERS ARISING The police must be well provided for

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side highlighting rising insecurity in the country in all its various manifestations, the recent coordinated robbery attacks on five banks in Offa, Kwara State during which no fewer than nine policemen were killed raised serious questions about the capacity of the Nigerian Police Force. But it is comforting that two of the four gang-leaders whose images were captured by Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage have been apprehended. We hope efforts will be made to arrest the remaining two suspects.

As we stated in a recent editorial, in other climes, criminals would only attack or kill a policeman as a last resort because of the realisation that the governments of those countries would unleash all security apparatus to apprehend the culprits. Even Mafia members avoid killing policemen. In Nigeria, this is not the case. That such a calamity could befall the Nigerian Police is rather pathetic, considering the fact that this is the AN AVERAGE POLICEMAN institution that the SHOULD BE ALERT TO public looks up to for HIS ENVIRONMENT, protection. But even SHOULD BE TUTORED IN more worrisome is INTELLIGENCE GATHERING that if the decimation AND BE PROPERLY of the police force EQUIPPED WITH MODERN continues at this WEAPONS AND GADGETS rate, then the United TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION Nations’ recomEFFECTIVELY mended ratio of one police officer to 400 citizens would be jeopardised in our already grossly under-policed country.

However, while the welfare of the police remains a critical issue, we must also examine the alertness of Nigerian police officers, the kind of training they acquire, their dedication to duties and how equipped they are for what ordinarily is a difficult job made even more so by the operating environment in our country.

An average policeman should be alert to his environ-

Letters to the Editor

ment, he/she should be tutored in intelligence gathering and be properly equipped with modern weapons and gadgets to be able to function effectively. But as they get ready to recruit, emphasis should be both on training in weapons handling and in character.

In condemning the attack at plenary, members of the House of Representatives called for a total overhaul of the national security architecture. “If armed robbers can enter a town, drive in a convoy of about 10 vehicles, sack a police station and raid banks, it calls for an urgent enquiry,” said Hon. Oluyonu Tokpe. For starters, most policemen, while on duty, never seem to be battle ready. They carry bags and briefcases or run errands for people they are supposed to guard while those in banks occupy themselves attending to wealthy patrons, saluting and opening doors for them. Visiting a Nigeria police station, one is likely to encounter officers sleeping behind the counter while some treat themselves to alcoholic drinks even at work aside walking around in slippers while in uniform with their guns dangling from the sides.

I 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

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.

EROSION IN IJEBU-ODE COMMUNITY

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rosion is a major challenge facing towns and cities in all nook and crannies in Nigeria. This problem is arguably linked to rainy season with heavy downpour as engineered by poor drainage measures and other factors. It is this lack of proper drainage facility - “gutters” or channels for easy water flow or at the extreme non-availability of such facility that has made things worse.

Some households have been destroyed by erosion – some are usually boxed to a corner of the society with little or no movement when erosion problem sets in, some have lost their lives, some have lost their children, some have lost their property to mention but a few. All the aforementioned troubles of erosion are nothing short of a reality in Ijebu-Ode Area of Ogun State.

Going by history, Ijebu-Ode used to be a riverine area before sacrifices was made to turn around the fate of the town to a dry land. This in itself is justifiable considering the erosion problems or heavy water flow affecting all crannies of the town to a mighty sacred river/lagoon called “Odo Kala”. It is however more worrisome and breath-taking considering the number of lives that have been lost in that scenario – leaving some affected families desolate.

Not too long ago, a mother of three attending one

t remains unclear what sort of security intelligence training our policemen receive but the desperation for gratification most often clouds their judgment. There are reports that during a recent kidnap, a stranger approached the four policemen on duty, engaged them in a friendly conversation and then bought drinks for them. After the first round of beer, according to the report, the man bought the policemen another round and as they got tipsy and dropped their guns, bandits came in and shot all of them.

To the extent that most of the ills in the police are deeply rooted in the recruitment process and politically motivated manner of promotion where merit is often by-passed, we align ourselves with the position of the House of Representatives on the need for a total overhaul of the police as an institution. But the authorities, as we stated recently, must ensure that those who executed the brazen attack on innocent citizens in Offa are made to face the full wrath of the law.

of the branches of Christ Apostolic Church in IjebuOde lost her life to erosion while she was returning from one of her children’s school after Parent Teacher’s Association (PTA) meeting. After a while, it was also reported that erosion claimed the life of a prison officer whose leg slipped on the slab/gutter very close to his office leading to his eventual death after being spotted around the famous St. Anthony Nursery and Primary School, Ijebu-Ode. The highlighted example is just a case out of the numerous cases of erosion saga in the town which has therefore necessitated the need for urgent attention by all and sundry. From the individual end, walking in the rain, especially around a drainage system is not a worthy tour for anybody especially young students and elderly, “frail” people to be safe because the power of the erosion in the area cannot be underestimated. This is quite funny because a dried canal, gutter or drainage system in the area usually get filled up in few minutes whenever there is a heavy downpour.

On an administrative level, adequate attention must be channelled towards creating drainage system where necessary and replacing/repairing old ones to give way for erosion which can be less powerful where there is an easy channel for its movement.

Abolaji Adewale Obileye, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State

YOUTH AND SKILL ACQUISITION

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nemployment in Nigeria has been worsened by the recent decline in the country’s economy. A lot of people have been laid off, while new jobs were not created. Nigeria is one of the West African countries that is struggling with the challenges of unemployment, and these have been a big issue to the youth, especially graduates who felt that after school life will be easy. Most of the Nigerian citizens or 95% who went to school believe that going to school is the only way of having better future. To make it in life or to earn a good living is not about the certificate, but the skill acquired.

In the last three to four decades such belief that life after school becomes better is self-evidence, but now the reverse is the case due to poor leadership and high level of corruption in the country. The failure of the government to perform their constitutional duties has resulted in the high level of unemployment and youth restiveness.

There are many skills in Nigeria such

as woodwork and carpentry, welding and fabrication, tailoring and fashion design, shoe making and electronics repairing, and water treatment, etc., that the youth can go for, and after acquiring the skills, they can open a small workshop and earn a good living. In my opinion, skills acquisition will be the best solution and there is a need for youth to acquire skills.

Skill is the brick from which the foundation of our future life is built. Skills determine the quality of life. The dynamic course of life requires us to acquire skills and skill development. In childhood, we learn with pleasure, but becoming older, we lose this enthusiasm. Someone is afraid to start something new.

It is never too late to develop the right skills. Do not create artificial barriers and thereby close the further development of your life. Skilled acquisition opens new opportunities; that is why we need to learn something new, practice and become experts. Skill acquisition is a key, which opens all doors.

Ezra Musa, Dept of Mass Comm., University of Maiduguri

FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Ekiti Poll: APC Inaugurates 14 Govs, Seven Ministers for Governorship Campaign Party petitions IG, DSS over destruction of Fayemi’s billboards Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË ËØÎ Victor Ogunje ÓØ ÎÙ ÕÓÞÓ The All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated a 77-member National Campaign Council for the Ekiti State governorship election.

Among the campaign team are 14 serving governors and seven serving ministers.

However, out of the 14 governors named as members of the campaign council, only Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, attended the inauguration which was performed by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu, on behalf of the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

The party’s candidate for the election, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, was also conspicuously absent at the inauguration, as well as majority of members of the committee.

The National Organising Secretary, Osita Izunaso, said majority of the members were absent because of communication problem, pointing out that they have not been communicated about their membership of the committee.

The campaign council headed

by Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, also has some serving and former senators as members.

Former Deputy National Chairman and one of the aspirants that lost at the governorship primary, Mr. Segun Oni, is expected to lead other aspirants during the campaign.

The 77-member campaign council has Governors of Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Zamfara, Jigawa, Plateau, Edo, Kogi, Borno and Adamawa States members of the committee, one minister from each of the six geopolitical zone, as well as former Deputy National Chairman (South), Oni, among others.

While inaugurating the campaign council in Abuja, Shuaibu said the election in Ekiti State is too important to the party to begin to engage in hate speech as a campaign weapon, stressing that “even if other parties will engage in hate speech, you should concentrate on winning the election.”

He said the party would not relent in its efforts to recapture the state, adding that “to show you the importance we placed

on the Ekiti State election, I want toinform you that this election is just a little below the presidential election to us.”

Responding on behalf of the Chairman, Ondo State Governor, Akeredolu, said they would take the task assigned to them as very important, stressing that “this is not the first time the importance of this election has been emphasised. When those of us from the South-west met with the president, he stressed the importance of the election.

“Its importance is very great to us in the South-west and it is a task that must be accomplished.

We will map out strategies to win the election because we

have faced many affront and so many challenges had been thrown at us by Fayose.

“My brother, Ayo Fayose, who is there has thrown a lot of challenges at us and we must be united to confront the challenges and if we failed in this task, it means that we are not serious as a party,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti State chapter of the APC has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Ibrahim Idris and Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Lawan Daura, over the alleged destruction of the campaign billboard of its governorship candidate, Dr

Kayode Fayemi.

The party claimed that supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last Wednesday in Oye Ekiti, headquarters of Oye Local Government Area, descended on a huge campaign billboard of APC candidate located at St Augustine Secondary School and destroyed it.

The APC in a petition dated May 23, 2018, accused Fayose of being the mastermind of the attack on the bill board.

It also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those involved in the destruction of the bill board.

The party, in the petition

signed by its state Secretary, Mr. Paul Omotosho, alleged that the APC and its supporters had been under various forms of attacks by Fayose’s goons since he became governor of the state on October 16, 2014.

But in his reply, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Jackson Adebayo, described the allegation as a desperate attempt to ensure that members of the party are arrested.

Adebayo said the APC knew it has no popular candidate and bereft of ideas on how to market Fayemi in the election, and therefore branding this spurious allegation as a way of caging the PDP for the opposition to

Court Nullifies House Suspension of Jibrin Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday set aside the 180 days suspension of Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin by the House of Representatives in 2016.

Jibrin, a former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, was on

September 28, 2016, suspended by the House over his allegations of corruption against the leadership of the House.

But in a judgment yesterday, the court in nullifying the suspension held that the action of the House in suspending the lawmaker beyond the 14 days prescribed under the House rules, amounted to a violation of his constitutional guaranteed rights of freedom of expression and fair hearing.

He therefore declared the suspension as illegal, unlawful, null and void and ordered that all his salaries, allowances and entitlements within the period of his illegal suspension be paid to him in full, by the House of Representatives.

“The suspension was an interruption of his earning which will be automatically restored especially when it has been decided that the action was a nullity by virtue of granting prayers one and three of the originating summons.

“It is trite law that when an act is a nullity, it is taken that it has never happened,” the court held.

The court described Jubrin’s suspension for a period of 180 legislative days as alarming, outrageous and laced with malicious act.

Jibrin had in 2016 dragged the House to court following his suspension, which was linked to his campaign for the removal of the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and other principal officers of the House over allegation that they padded the 2016 budget with about N40bn.

Jibrin had reported the alleged corrupt act to the various law enforcement agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the police.

Displeased with Jibrin’s action, the lower chamber considered it as “a campaign of calumny against the House

and its leaders,” thereby suspended him for 180 legislative days after adopting the reports of its Ethics and Privileges Committee.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Tsoho agreed with the plaintiff that his suspension was unlawful and an attempt to gag him.

“There is no better conclusion that the plaintiff was carrying out the mandate imposed on members by Chapter 7 (7.5) of the Code of Conduct for Honourable Members adopted on November 4, 2004,” the judge ruled.

The judge queried the principal officers of the House for constituting themselves a judge in their own court by participating in the process that led to the suspension of the plaintiff.

“They ought to have disqualified themselves to ensure some degree of neutrality or delegate their powers. But they were actively involved. This failure to rescued themselves easily create an impression that they were judges in their own cause, which violates the principles of fair hearing.

“It is unrealistic for the defendants to claim that the plaintiff appeared before the Privileges and Ethics Committee of the House, so cannot claim denial of fair hearing. Justice Tsoho ruled.

The court noted that “the plaintiff drew the attention of the committee to his suit pending in court against the committee, yet, they went ahead to suspend him.

“I agree with the plaintiff that it is not competent for the defendants to decide whether a suit is incompetent or spent.

“The plaintiff was suspended when a suit was still pending in court.

This justify the allegations of bias against him. Besides, an administrative panel is inferior to a law court.

“The defendants strenuously tried to justify the suspension of the plaintiff by making references to provisions of the standing rules of the House and the report of the Ethics and Privileges Committee.

“They have also ingeniously argued that his suspension was in line with Chapter 9 (2) of the Code of Conduct for members of the House, which they claimed, allowed the House to impose sanctions on any member who breach the Code.

“The maximum period of time for suspension is 14 legislative days under Order 6 Rule 4. However, if the offence borders on Order 10 rule 5, which is suspension of a.member by the use of force, it is for a period of 30 days.

“This borders on disobedience to directive of the Speaker which is a serious offence.

“The suspension must be just, equitable and free of bias.

In the circumstances of this case, the defendants acted in breach of the constitutional rights of the plaintiff.

“Suspending him for alarming period of 180 days was outrageous and unconstitutional.

The committee was driven by malice and grossly violated his right to fair hearing which automatically vitiated the process.

“The House in its zeal to regulate the House, went beyond its Standing Orders.

Rules must not infringe on the fundamental rights of members. Even if the suspension was for one day, it should have been done in strict compliance with the rules,” the court held.

While stating that the House of Representatives should be the bastion of representative democracy, Justce Tsoho was of the opinion that democracy thrives by rule of law and not arbitrariness and impunity.

He advised the lawmakers not to desecrate themselves by openly exhibiting lack of faith to the constitution and rule of law.

The court held that by reporting alleged acts of corrupt practices to security agencies, the plaintiff was simply carrying his mandate imposed on the House by Chapter 7 of the Code of Conduct for members.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018

17

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

POLITICS

Obasanjo-Buhari’s Feud: Let the Music Play on Tobi Soniyi argues that the ongoing war of attrition between President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo may turn out to be beneficial to the country

Olusegun Obasanjo

President Muhammadu Buhari

W

hen former president Olusegun Obasanjoissued a public statement advising President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election as president, the Presidency was cautious

in its reaction.

However, it made an attempt to react to a few of the issues raised by Obasanjo but failed to address the bulk of the issues the former president pointed out in the statement.

To refresh our memory, after accusing the president of incompetence in his handling of the economy and inability to stop herdsmen from killing people, Obasanjo said: “But there are three other areas where President Buhari has come out more glaringly than most of us thought we knew about him. One is nepotic deployment bordering on clannishness and inability to bring discipline to bear on errant members of his nepotic court. This has grave consequences on performance of his government to the detriment of the nation.

It would appear that national interest was being sacrificed on the altar of nepotic interest. What does one make of a case like that of Maina: collusion, condonation, ineptitude, incompetence, dereliction of responsibility or kinship and friendship on the part of those who should have taken visible and deterrent disciplinary action? How many similar cases are buried, ignored or covered up and not yet in the glare of the media and the public?

“The second is his poor understanding of the dynamics of internal politics. This has led to wittingly or unwittingly making the nation more divided and inequality has widened and become more pronounced. It also has effect on general national security.

“The third is passing the buck. For instance, blaming the Governor of the Central Bank for devaluation of the naira by 70% or so and blaming past governments for it, is to say the least, not accepting one’s own responsibility.”

He therefore advised Buhari to take a dignified exit.

Four months latter, the president decided to personally reply Obasanjo.

Last Tuesday, while hosting the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) at the presidential villa, the president who has hardly made negative comments about Obasanjo took a swipe at the elder statesman and surprisingly hailed Sani Abacha, a former head of state.

“No matter what opinion you have about

Abacha, I agreed to work with him and the PTF road we did from here to Port Harcourt, to Onitsha, to Benin and so on,” he said, adding that “on top of other things in the institution, education, medical care and so on.”

Buhari, who served as chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), dismissed the opinions people might have against the late dictator and praised him for ensuring the construction of roads in Nigeria.

A year after Obasanjo left office, the House of Representatives said the $16billion spent on power

by Obasanjo’s government was a colossal waste.

The legislators blamed this on Obasanjo’s poor budget planning and a lack of proper oversight by relevant bodies.

Civil society orgnaisations had also called for a probe, and while speaking with his supporters, Buhari rode on this, asking the former president where the power is.

“You know the rail was killed and one of the former Heads of State between that time was bragging that he spent more than $15 billion, not Naira on power. Where is the power? Where is the power? And now we have to pay the debts and this year and last year’s budget I took to the National Assembly was the highest in capital projects, more than N1.3 trillion Naira.”

To be fair to the president, he did not mention Obasanjo’s name but no one was left in doubt as to who he was referring to.

Replying, Obasanjo said the president was ignorant.

He said, “It has come to the attention of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo that a statement credited

Like Obasanjo, Buhari too enjoys this right to freely express himself. Rather than condemn them, we should encourage them to talk more.You don’t have to like what they are saying

to President Muhammadu Buhari, apparently without correct information and based on ignorance, suggested that $16 billion was wasted on power projects by ‘a former President’.

“We believe that the President was re-echoing the unsubstantiated allegation against Chief Obasanjo by his own predecessor but one.

“While it is doubtful that a President with proper understanding of the issue would utter such, it should be pointed out that records from the National Assembly had exculpated President Obasanjo of any wrong-doing concerning the power sector and has proved the allegations as false.

“For the records, Chief Obasanjo has addressed the issues of the power sector and the allegations against him on many occasions and platforms, including in his widely publicised book, My Watch in which he exhaustively stated the facts and reproduced various reports by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which conducted a clinical investigation into the allegations against Chief Obasanjo, and the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of the Recommendations in the Report of the Committee on Power on the Investigation into how the Huge Sums Of Money was Spent on Power Generation, Transmission And Distribution between June 1999 and May 2007 without Commensurate Result.

“We recommend that the President and his co-travellers should read Chapters 41, 42, 43 and 47 of My Watch for Chief Obasanjo’s 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 understand.

“In the same statement credited to the President, it was alleged that there was some bragging by Chief Obasanjo over $16 billion spent on power.

To inform the uninformed, the so-called $16 billion power expenditure was an allegation against Chief Obasanjo’s administration and not his claim.

“The President also queried where the power generated is. The answer is simple: The power is in the seven National Integrated Power Projects and eighteen gas turbines that Chief Obasanjo’s successor who originally made the allegation of $16 billion did not clear from the ports for over a year and the civil works done on the sites.

“Chief Obasanjo challenges, and in fact encourages, anybody to set up another enquiry if in doubt and unsatisfied with the EFCC report and that of the Hon. Aminu Tambuwal-led ad-hoc

committee.”

Chief Femi Fani-Kayode who served in different capacities while Obasanjo was president has joined the fray. He said the “greatest mistake” of Obasanjo was his failure to prosecute and jail Buhari for “looting the Petroleum Trust Fund” under his supervision.

Fani-Kayode, who is under investigation for an alleged fraud of N4.9bn as the Director of Publicity of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 presidential campaign organization, made the statement on Facebook on Wednesday.

He said: “The greatest mistake that President Obasanjo made was not to prosecute and jail President Buhari for looting PTF funds.

“I saw the report and it was shocking. Billions of dollars had vanished. Obasanjo summoned him and showed him the damning report. Buhari begged like a baby. Sadly Obasanjo let him off the hook.”

Swiftly, the head of communications and strategy for President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN responded.

Keyamo, who did not mention Fani-Kayode’s name, tweeted: “The real greatest mistake that OBJ made as President was the appointment of some crackhead into his cabinet with the hope they would stop sniffing the stuff.

“Apparently, that didn’t work, hence years later they’re still on the stuff and recalling things about PMB that never happened.”

Like many Nigerians who must be enjoying the comic relief in a country where millions are struggling to eke out a living, Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose has asked Buhari and Obasanjo to continue disclosing what they know about each other.

“I am enjoying these latest brickbats between President Buhari & Ex-President 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,” he tweeted.

Obasanjo has the reputation of picking up a fight with sitting head of state or president. He is not afraid to challenge the power that be. For those who wanted him hanged for this, he is merely exercising his fundamental human rights.

Like Obasanjo, Buhari too enjoys this right to freely express himself. Rather than condemn them, we should encourage them to talk more. You don’t have to like what they are saying. That is what democracy is all about. For now, let the music play on.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018

18

POLITICS

Lalong: The Making of a Peace Ambassador No one was surprised when immediately after his inauguration, the governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong made enthronement of peace the main thrust of his administration, writes Seriki Adinoyi

I

t is a common knowledge on the Plateau that before the advent of the Governor Simon Lalong-led administration, the state had been dragged behind by protracted crises that had bedevilled previous administrations, with over fourteen years of communal, ethnic and religious crises.

The aftermath of these sustained crises in the state was not just limited to monumental loss of lives and valuable properties belonging to government and citizens, it also sent away investors and tourists who should have contributed to the development of the state. Investors feared that any investment in the state at that time was as good as a waste of time and resources.

Even with the tremendous infrastructural development embarked upon by the immediate past administration, Plateau was becoming a desert of a sort as many families and companies relocated from the state. Of course, this came with lull in commercial activities as financial organisations like banks only opened partially to customers.

At market places and in the communities, there was mutual suspicion among neighbours who were unsure of one another. The city of Jos also became divided along religious and ethnic fault-lines such that there were ‘no-go’ areas; the Christians could only live among fellow Christians and same with Muslims.

Successive administrations starting from that of Chief Joshua Chibi Dariye had set up commissions of inquiry to unravel the cause of these crises, but only little was achieved either because the people did not believe in the commissions or the reports of the commissions were never really implemented because of the sacred cows that were indicted. The consequence was that the crisis continued, and more lives and property went in for it. All these were before the election of Lalong as the governor of the state.

The dramatic turn-around in the fortunes of peace that accompanied his election and subsequently his administration still remains magical to many; truly dramatic in the sense that the crises ceased almost immediately after he was sworn-in.

This threw up several arguments in the state.

While some considered the dramatic return of peace as an indication that the crisis was actually targeted at Jang by saboteurs to rubbish his administration because of his perceived uninclusive style of leadership, others believed and argued that Lalong had watched from the side-line while preparing himself for leadership, and had identified where his predecessors missed it. They argued that it was therefore easy for him to immediately tackle it as he assumed power.

Whichever is correct, the fact remains that the credit must go to Lalong for wielding the magic wand that returned peace to the hitherto restive state.

It is also instructive to add that Plateau people were more concerned about the many benefits that have come with the peace than how Lalong performed the ‘miracle.’ Of course, the governor has won several commendations in this regard.

Though he was of the then opposition All Progressive Party (APC), which was then not readily accepted in the state, Plateau embraced Lalong as long as he was the messiah that brought them the much needed peace. The governor reciprocated the gesture by not allowing partisan sentiment to deter him from continuing the projects that were started by his predecessor.

He mobilized contractors to site to complete the secretariat flyover and the expressway connecting the flyover to Maraban Jama’a; these were projects initiated by Jang. Lalong also started and completed the Miango Low-cost, Rafiki road networks with spur at Domkat Bali road, which were all commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari during his state visit to Plateau in February.

With peace, tourists started trickling in.

Businesses reopened. All these have multiplier effects on the lives of Plateau people.

The governor’s intervention in the agricultural sector has been monumental with the launching of 400 tractors for distribution to farmers under

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong

the Tractor Ownership Scheme and Public Private Partnership (PPP) between the state government and the Plateau All Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperative Society (PAFMCS). The resuscitation of the fertilizer blending plant in Bokkos, the distribution of about 24,000 metric-tones of fertilizers to farmers at subsidized rate, and the multi-million naira Panyam Fish Farm have added value to agriculture in the state.

So, it was not a surprise that the federal government made Lalong a member of the National Food Security team. He was also deservedly crowned with an award by the Nation newspaper for his agricultural development strides since he assumed office in the past three years.

Lalong also endeared himself to the civil servants in the state with his prompt payment of salaries and pensions after clearing outstanding salaries inherited from his predecessor. The multiplier effect of this salary payment on the general economy of a largely civil servant society such as Plateau is definitely an achievement as children’s school fees are paid, trading activities are boosted, and artisans/entrepreneurs benefit along the value chain.

The recent commissioning, by the president, of Peace Roadmap drawn by the Plateau Peace Building Agency showed that the governor was committed to consolidate on the existing peace

In the education sector, the governor introduced reforms by employing and training a large number of teachers, constructed avalanche of new classrooms, and massively injected funds into the primary education sector.

The state university in Bokkos which had no accreditation for most of its courses received government attention leading to the accreditation of nearly all its courses by the National University Commission (NUC), such that graduates of those courses who could not go for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) because of lack of accreditation were immediately mobilized for the programme.

Many lecturers from the university were also given scholarships for further studies within and outside Nigeria.

In collaboration with the federal government in the area of security, Lalong attracted a unit of the Mobile Police to Shendam in the southern senatorial district of the state. He also enlisted the support of the federal government to locate a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) unit at Kerang in the central zone of the state. These have by no small mean boosted the security of the state.

The recent commissioning, by the president, of Peace Roadmap drawn by the Plateau Peace Building Agency showed that the governor was committed to consolidate on the existing peace.

The people are therefore beginning to regain confidence and commercial activities are beginning to thrive. New hotels are springing up and tourists are returning to find destinations in Plateau.

Recent Jos Trade Fair and colourful Jos Carnival held in the capital city of Jos are clear testimonies of the return of a new Plateau. That the governor could take a long walk with the people from Miango road to Polo field without the usual harassment and throwing of stones was a mark of acceptance.

Jos is fast becoming the conference destination

of choice for many organisations. In recent past, for instance, tourism operators, Chairmen of State Electoral Commissions and town planners all hosted their annual general meetings and conferences in Jos. The Nigerian Theatre Arts Festival (NUTAF) plans to convene representatives of 45 universities along with about ten thousand artistes to perform at the Plateau State University, Bokkos, in June.

While the congresses at ward, local government and state levels of the All Progressive Congress (APC) across the country were marred by violence and crises, with stakeholders dragging one another to court, the exercise in Plateau were exceptionally peaceful, with most the candidates emerging through consensus. This is a sharp departure from the past.

Abandoned industries like the Highland Bottling Company are back on track, with production gradually picking up, while progress is gradually and steadily being made to revive the moribund Jos International Breweries (JIB), Jos Main Market and other enterprises. Efforts at re-acquiring the multi million naira BARC farms are also ongoing.

For the people of Plateau, the past three years of Lalong has been worthwhile. Lalong may not have performed optimally, but a fair judgment will agree that there has been good governance on the Plateau. This is not to say that, like in many other states in the middle belt, there have not been challenges posed by farmers/herders clashes, especially in the villages.

But the commitment to restoring peace and reconciling the people irrespective of religion and ethnicity is what stands Lalong out.

As he rounds up his first tenure, many are already calling on him to seek re-election. Already, his supporters are drumming support for his re-election. They believe that he deserves it to consolidate on the modest gains of this first tenure.

19

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Group Business Editor Chika Amanze-Nwachuku Email chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157, 08057161321

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Quick Takes HMD Global Partners Techpoint

L AND D LEADER’S CONFERENCE

L-R: MD/CEO, Avon HMO (Avon Healthcare Ltd), Adesimbo Ukiri; Managing Director, Aexgen Energy Limited, Temitayo Ogunbajo and Managing Partner, Workforce Group, Foluso Aribisala, all panelists during the L and D Leader’s Conference held at The Zone Tech Park, Workforce Group, Lagos‌ recently

Nigeria Spends N288bn on Fish Importation Annually Eromosele Abiodun Following ongoing effort by the federal government to diversify the nation’s economy, it has emerged that Nigeria can save over N288 billion ($800 million) being spent on the importation of fishes annually, if the nation’s deep ocean resources are optimally developed and harnessed.

Director/Head, Fisheries Resources Department, Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Dr. Parcy Ochuko Obatola, who disclosed this, said Nigeria is naturally endowed with a lot of marine resources.

MARITIME According to him, these resources have been left untapped over the decades thereby leading to huge economic losses.

Research, she further stated that Nigeria consumes about 2million metric tons of fishes every year but can only produce less than 800,000 metric tons domestically thereby necessitating the importation of about 1.2 million metric tons.

She disclosed that over 70 per cent of the fishes domestically supplied are produced by small scale fishermen whose activities litter the coast line.

“Right now when we look at the demand and supply of fishes in Nigeria, there is still a huge deficit. The demand is almost three million metric tons per annum. The supply is about two million metric tons and there is still a deficit of over one million including those imported and those produced within this country.

We are producing about 800,000 metric tons in Nigeria. So we can see the reason we actually need to carry out activities when it comes to blue economy. “Most of the fisheries that are exploited in Nigeria are done at the inshore waters and have consequently put a

lot of pressure on the resources and negatively impacted the ecosystem via indiscriminate pollution, water contamination and other forms of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing otherwise known as IEUs. This has translated into a situation where there are lesser catches and smaller sizes of fishes�, she stressed.

She therefore, called on the government and other stakeholders to help ensure that the activities of the fishermen are regulated and managed while the deep ocean resources are Continued on page 20

Credit Cuts Threaten Airlines’ Operations Chinedu Eze Failure to effectively service their debts has prompted Nigerian banks to cut their credit facility to domestic carriers, thus denying them operational funds.

Inside sources disclosed to THISDAY that some airlines could not source funds to pay for the maintenance of their aircraft overseas and could also not ferry the ones due for major maintenance out of the country due to lack of funds.

Without bank funding, airlines cannot have operational funds for the payment of aviation fuel, aircraft maintenance and acquisition of spares.

The airlines depend on short-term loan facilities from banks for their daily operations but now that some banks have withdrawn these services for the airlines, the serviceable aircraft in operation has shrank from 46 to 32, informed source told THISDAY. Some of the debts owed to banks by airlines are presently

AVIATION under litigation while some of the airlines that owed the debts have gone under.

An industry operator told THISDAY on Tuesday that some banks have unsaid policy that they won’t lend money to airlines anymore.

The Managing Director of Medview Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the major challenge investors who are determined to invest in aviation face is the unwillingness of banks to give credit facility to airlines, noting that his company faced the same challenge until it developed good relationship with some banks that now support its business.

Recently, the Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr. Ahmed Kuru explained that banks took the decision because most of the bad debts acquired by banks come from the airlines.

Kuru also said AMCON

purchased non-performing loans of about N181 billion from various banks and over 90 per cent of this was in the aviation sector. “To place the companies in a position to recover and generate adequate cash flow, we gave additional un-lending facilities (in collaboration with CBN and BOI (Bank of Industries) of almost N40 billion on very good terms. Unfortunately, notwithstanding this support, the companies could neither pay the old nor new loans. We have therefore been compelled to appoint Receiver Managers over a lot of the companies, the biggest being Aero and Arik,� Kuru said.

But the Chairman of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Nogie Meggison, said that stifling taxes, high cost of aviation fuel, outrageous insurance premium on aircraft and high interest rate of about 26 to 28 per cent, are the factors responsible for the failure of airlines to service their debts and operate profitably.

He said that the pivotal role played by aviation as catalyst to the economy demands that government ought to make separate arrangement for airlines to access funds on long-term, single digit interest rate and to make it easy for airlines to acquire and lease aircraft.

Recently, Afrexim Bank expressed the desire to offer credit facilities to Nigerian airlines and other airlines in West and Central Africa on long term lease or acquisition of aircraft.

Meggison noted that this is the kind of arrangement that should be offered by local banks “Our problems in Nigeria as carriers are our financial structure and access to markets. You cannot finance an aircraft like this using 26 per cent from the Nigerian banks.

With Afrexim Bank coming in now, to lease the aircraft, we will be asked a 10 to 15

Aspartofeortstoencouragetechnologicalinnovationandmotivate tech startups in Nigeria, HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has thrown its weight behind the 2018 annual Techpoint Inspired conference; billed for 29th of May, 2018 at Pistis Conference Centre, Lekki/Epe Expressway, Lagos.

Themed, “The Future is now�, this year’s event which provides a unique platform for business opportunities and relationship building, is set to assemble industry leaders, founders of tech enabled businesses, startups, tech lovers, and other stakeholders, to explore tech trends that will shape the country’s future.

Head of Marketing at HMD Global West Africa, Olumide Balogun, said that Nigeria is quick to embrace evolving technology, with the Techpoint Inspired 2018 being able to gather over 5,000 tech enthusiasts a clear evidence of this fact. “Technology is an enabler that has become the bedrock of the economy and lifestyle across the world, Nigeria being no exception.

At HMD Global, we are convinced that technology can enhance the lives of billions of people around the world, which is why we are delighted to be part of a movement such as Techpoint Inspired.

Moves like this will help open new frontiers of innovations to move Nigeria into a new level of technology quest,� Balogun said.

The 2018 edition of the Techpoint Inspired conference will feature various presentations and panel sessions, on which Balogun will be speaking alongside, Gbenga Adegbiji, General Manager, MDX-I, MainOne; Amina Sambo-Magaji, National Coordinator, OIIE; Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative; and Adedeji Olowe, Co-Founder, Open Banking, on “Solving Infrastructure Challenges for Innovation in Nigeriaâ€?. The panel discussion will examine the country’s infrastructural gap, how consumers are aected by the challenges and how they can be solved.

Lufthansa Adds Economy Light Fare

Lufthansa Group has announced the introduction of Economy Light fares on routes between Europe and North America, launching in time for the summer travel season.

The fares, on routes served by Lufthansa and its Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and SWISS units, are for “price-consciousâ€? customers who don’t need ticket exibility and travel with only carry-on bags.

Passengers can add one piece of checked luggage and add a reserved seat for an extra charge. Meals and drinks will still be available free of charge.

Lufthansa is introducing the new basic fare to compete with the increasing numbers of low cost carriers such as Norwegian and Iceland’s WOW air who are expanding into trans-Atlantic routes.

Major airlines such as British Airways have already launched basic fares with partners American Airlines, Finnair and Iberia.

Lufthansa Group introduced a ‘light fare’ on European routes in 2015, and has been testing a similar fare structure for the last few months on some routes between Scandinavia and North America.

Singapore to Merge with Silkair

Singapore Airlines will merge with its SilkAir unit in 2020 after a major cabin makeover gets underway at the regional carrier.

The cabin upgrade will more closely align the regional product with the parent airline’s long-haul product. Business class will get lie-at seats, and both Business and Economy classes will get seat-back in-ight entertainment systems.

The upgrade, which will cost more than $100 million, is not due to start until 2020 because of the long lead times required by seat suppliers.

Merging SilkAir into the parent airline “will take place only after a suďŹƒcient number of aircraft have been ďŹ tted with the new cabin products,â€? the country’s ag carrier said in a statement.

As part of the merger, some routes and aircraft will be transferred between the airlines. “Singapore Airlines is one year into our threeyear Transformation Programme and today’s announcement is a signiďŹ cant development to provide more growth opportunities and prepare the Group for an even stronger future,â€? the airline’s chief executive Goh Choon Phong said.

“ I can assure you that we will deliver on the national carrier before December 2018�

Minister of State, Aviation

Senator Hadi Sirika Continued on page 20

20

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°ÍłËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

BUSINESSWORLD NIGERIA SPENDS N288BN ON FISH IMPORTATION ANNUALLY tapped to help reduce pressure on the inshore waters.

Obatola further explained that various surveys conducted by the institute had shown that some rare species of fishes and other marine resources are in the Nigerian territorial waters especially at the deep oceans revealing that practicable recommendations on how they can be exploited for the economic benefits of the nation have been forwarded to the federal government.

She stressed that Nigeria could be losing about N50 billion yearly to illegal fishing and other unregulated activities of intruders at the deep oceans. “We have carried out surveys and found out that there are resources in the deeper waters that the fishing industry can exploit so that the inshore waters would have a respite, if the pressure on them is reduced. We have other resources out there that can be exploited. As I am talking to you right now, Nigeria as a nation is not exploiting our Tuna resources but that doesn’t mean that people are not exploiting it. People come from other places to exploit them on our territorial waters.

CREDIT CUTS THREATEN AIRLINES’ OPERATIONS per cent deposit of the actual value of the aircraft. The cash flow immediately gets better and we will have disposable income to take shock. So you can afford to pay a six months lease or put a deposit of 10 per cent and still have cash in your pocket,� Meggison said.

Industry consultant and CEO of Belujane Kosult Limited, Chris Aligbe, said lending institution should be created by the federal government to offer long term credit facility to airlines and manufacturing concerns and expressed worry that when international financiers offer credit facilities to Nigerian airlines, local banks would also have to guarantee the loans , noting that in guaranteeing the loans, the local banks still give their own conditions, which are usually detrimental to the airlines.

Group Business Editor

NEWS

APM Terminals Boosts Nigeria’s Export by 15% Eromosele Abiodun A report of an impact assessment study conducted by Denmark-based consulting firm, Quantifying Business Impacts on Society (QBIS), has revealed that APM Terminals Apapa increased Nigeria’s manufactured export by up to 15 per cent corresponding to a value of about $0.5 billion (N152.5 billion) from 2006 to 2009.

The study titled: “Nigerian Trade Stimulator – How APM Terminals in Nigeria have Impacted Trade, Creating Jobs and Ensuring a Sustainable Business Environment,� was conducted

by Mette Dalgliesh Olsen and Thomas Westergaard-Kabelmann.

The study further stated that the $0.5 billion increase in manufactured exports has been associated with the creation of about 255,000 jobs and a contribution of $1.6 billion to the country’s gross domestic products (GDP).

The report indicated increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) impact in the country and increased non-oil exports, in line with the ambition of the federal government. “This impact originates from a 50 per cent improvement in Nigeria’s liner shipping connectivity in the period from 2006 to 2009 that the study finds primarily is attributable to the Apapa terminal. “Thus, Apapa’s higher terminal capacity and efficiency made it more attractive for shipping lines to call Apapa and immediately increased the number of liner shipping services calling Apapa from eight to 22, while economies of scale among others were boosted by bigger container vessels.

“In the years following APM Terminals’ takeover of Apapa, the number export countries rose from 82 to 144, while manufactured export value soared from $0.7 billion in 2006 to $4.7 billion in 2009,� the report stated.

The study also states that APM Terminals has made significant contributions to the development of local communities in Nigeria. “The health, prosperity and well-being of local communities are often considered of critical importance to terminal operators. Not only do terminal operators depend on local communities for access to resources (labour, land, infrastructure), local communities are often also

key to terminal operators’ ‘license to operate’. “In that sense, terminal operators have a shared interest in supporting and developing local communities, and like many terminal operators around the world, APM Terminals in Nigeria engages in local community initiatives governed by a local policy on charitable activities, sponsorships and donations,� the report added.

The study said with its capabilities in inland transportation, handling and storage of perishable goods, APM Terminals in Nigeria could play a potentially important role by enabling improved market access for rural farming communities in the Northern and rural parts of Nigeria while reducing food spoilage.

“To this end, APM Terminals inland services initiated a new project in 2017 aimed at providing modern cold chain transportation alternatives for rural farmers in the agricultural centers of northern Nigeria to bring fresh produce such as tomatoes intact and unspoiled to market centers in the South,� the report said.

The study further stated that the modern cold chain transportation solution being provided by APM Terminals will create new long-term business opportunities for the country, while contributing to increased market access and improved income for rural farmers as well as create significant reductions in the current post-harvest loss levels in the country.

The impact study further stated that despite its huge impact on the country’s economy, the full potential of APM Terminals’ investments in Nigeria is currently stifled indicating that additional improvements could be made to enhance the country’s competitiveness and international trade.

It said, “With Apapa currently running at 60 per cent of its capacity, APM Terminals can accommodate significantly more import and export if the demand emerges. As parts of APM Terminals’ efficient container terminal capacity is currently laying idle, it is clear that other factors than terminal handling performance are causing the improvements in Nigeria’s connectivity to slow down.�

HOSTING EX-BB NAIJA HOUSEMATES

L-R: Ex-BB Naija Housemates, Princess Linda Onyejekwe; Ifu Eneda; Bobai Balat (Bj Bally); Miss Nigeria, Mildred Ehiguese; Founder/CEO, Infusion Cakes, Ibigbeye Dorcas; another Ex-BB Naija Housemates, Debbie Rise, and Munirat Antoinette Lecky (Anto), as Infusion Cakes hosts the Ex-BB Naija Housemates in Lekki, Lagos ... recently

Dakuku: Regional Maritime Security Paramount to Nigeria’s Economic Devt Eromosele Abiodun The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has said that security in the Nigerian maritime domain was a work in progress that required the commitment of all stakeholders to ensure optimum safety of all investments in the sector.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos, Peterside stated that the agency was taking the lead on the issue of maritime safety in the entire West and Central African sub-region noting that

safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea has a direct impact on the Nigerian economy.

The NIMASA boss noted that there are a lot of factors that contribute to the cost of products coming into the country through the seas, which makes it very important to tackle insecurity in the waterways. “We must ensure the security of the Gulf of Guinea because Nigeria is not isolated from whatever happens in the region which may lead to negative economic impact, or increase in the cost of insurance or war premium insurance and

ultimately lead to high cost of goods and services which will be borne by the consumer of the goods and services,� he said.

While noting that 65 per cent of cargo heading to the region ends up in Nigeria Peterside said that securing the nation’s territorial waters was a work in progress that required the commitment of all stakeholders and neighbouring countries, noting that the management of NIMASA had recognised this fact and was implementing international regulatory instruments in collaboration with various countries in the

region to checkmate criminal activities. “No maritime crime occurs within a jurisdiction alone. Very often the trend is that maritime crime starts from one jurisdiction and ends in another.

The only way we can tackle maritime crime is all of us working together and there have been several regional initiatives in that respect to tackle maritime crime. Apart from the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy, you have the Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy, you have the Gulf of Guinea Commission dealing

with the same thing there are several sub-regional and regional initiatives to tackle maritime insecurity so I see a lot of potentials in regional collaboration and integration,� he said.

He said that on the home front the agencies of the government especially in the Transport sector had seen collaboration as the way to go and that this had occasioned the renewal of the MoU between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy as well as partnership with other sister parastals.

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

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Comms/e-Business Editor

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Senior Correspondent

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Kwara Revenue Agency Generates N7.7bn in Four Months Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The chairman of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS), Dr. Murtala Awodun has disclosed that the agency generated the sum of N7.7bn between January and April this year.

The KWIRS chairman disclosed this in Ilorin at the quarterly media parley on the state of revenue generation in the state.

According to him, “The sum of N2.2billion was generated for the month of January, N2.3billion for February, N1.8billion for March

and N1.29billion for April as against the total sum of N11 billion generated at the first quarter in the year 2017.�

He said that the development was due to the persuasion and civility being used to interact with both formal and informal sectors of the state.

Awodun further added that the gentleman approach to the revenue generation has gone a long way towards assisting the agency to garner more taxes without any hindrance among the teeming populace of the state. On the return of revenue collection meant for the

16 local government councils in the state, Awodun said that the agency decided to cede the revenue meant for councils to be collected by them so as to enable the councils in the state fulfil their rightful obligations to the people of the grassroots.

He added: “Since the state government believe that the local government councils have learnt their lessons in the management of revenue resources meant to them, the agency early this year relinquish the power to collect revenue meant for the councils to them without any hindrance. “What the agency is doing

now is advising and monitoring of their activities as way of helping them to be alive to improved revenue generation at the grassroots so as to meet the yearnings and aspirations of those that elected them into office. “And this would assist them to add values to the socio economic development and growth of the grassroots in the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people of the state at rural areas�.

The chairman also enumerated some of the agency’s community impact activities within the first

quarter to include renovation of marriage registry and distribution of books to pupils of schools in the Kwara north senatorial district.

Others are: Clearing of drainages around Tanke area, contribution of endowment funds to the forthcoming convocation of the Kwara State University, Malete and donation of vehicle to the National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW); sponsoring of symposium at KWASU, donation of borehole to Ifelodun community in Alagbado area, as well as clearing of Yoruba road market.�.

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

FAA, EASA Tighten CFM56-7B Engine Inspection Deadline The US FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have issued further updates for the inspection of CFM56-7B engine fan blades, the type that failed on a Southwest Airlines aircraft last month, causing the death of one passenger.

Airwise.com reported that the updated airworthiness directives (ADs) tighten the timeframe for inspections, with fan blades that have completed between 20,000 and 30,000 cycles now required to be inspected

by June 30. The previous

AD’s deadline was the end of August.

The deadline for fan blades with over 30,000 cycles remains the same.

A cycle comprises start up, take-off, landing and engine shut down.

EASA said in its AD t h a t s i n c e t h e p re v i o u s d i re c t i v e w a s i s s u e d , it had determined that “the initial inspection for certain fan blades must be accomplished within a re d u c e d c o m p l i a n c e time.�

The fan blade on the

Southwest Airlines B737 engine that failed last month was found to have signs of metal fatigue, the US National Transportation Safety Board said.

The blades had over 32,000 engine cycles since new and were last overhauled 10,712 cycles before the accident, NTSB said in an update on its accident investigation.

The CFM56 engine is manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines.

AIR WATCH The Challenges with Landing Aids

Mexican Regulator Suspends Operator of Crashed Flight in Cuba Aerolíneas Damojh, the Mexican airline that operated the aircraft which crashed near Havana last week has been suspended from flying while the country’s aviation regulator investigates the carrier.

Mexico’s General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics said it would carry out a “major extraordinary verification� of the charter airline after one of its aircraft, a Boeing 737, crashed just after takeoff from Havana, killing 111 people.

The 39 year old aircraft was on a domestic flight to Holguin in eastern Cuba when it came down a few kilometres south of the capital. Three passengers survived the crash but one has since died in hospital.

The two remaining survivors are reported to be in a critical condition.

Airwise.com reported that the Mexican regulator said Aerolíneas Damojh, also known as Global Air, had been subject to annual checks, with the most recent in November 2017. The airline’s aircraft had their airworthiness certificates renewed every two years, with the last granted in August and October of 2017.

The small charter airline, which was operating the service on behalf of state airline Cubana de AviaciĂłn, has been the subject of two “extraordinary verification visitsâ€?, one in 2010, the second in 2013.

The airline’s operations

were temporarily suspended in November 2010 after an incident where one of its aircraft suffered a failure of its nose landing gear.

The suspension lasted about five weeks.

The second suspension was in November 2013, after one of its captains filed a complaint against the airline. The suspension lasted just over two months until Damojh was able to meet the regulator’s verification requirements.

The current suspension will allow the regulator to collect information relevant to the Cuba accident investigation, and to verify that the airline’s current operating conditions comply with its regulations, it said.

Ghana Hosts Accra Weizo The Minister of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts for Ghana Catherine Afeku will host the Tourism day of Accra Weizo on June 23, 2018.

This is part of Ghana’s effort to reinforce its position as the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) capital of West Africa as it hosts Accra Weizo for the 4th time amongst other international events attracted to Ghana in the last one year.

Already many major tourism events have been hosted in Ghana in the last one year which includes the World Tourism Forum Africa and the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) training for West Africa.

According to the organiser of the event, Akwaaba African Travel Market, Accra Weizo is one of the events geared towards getting West Africans to cooperate amongst themselves. . “West Africa is home to 15 countries of over 380 million people but tourism and travel is not the strong suite of the economic interaction in the region. The region receives among the lowest tourism figures per capita in Africa. With a huge popula-

tion and over 40 airports, aviation is dominated by Companies from outside the Region Accra Weizo is a travel event now in its 4th edition aimed at creating a seamless travel environment in West Africa. It brings together Travel professional in West Africa Accra Weizo is the private sector event for West Africa, which offers another opportunity for Ghana to notch up its figures.

The Minister of Aviation for Ghana, Cecilia Abena Dapaah would be open the 4th Accra Weizo event on June 22 with a paper titled ‘Harnessing the Opportunities in Aviation value chain in West Africa’ The first day would be the seminar on aviation and the second day would be dedicated to ‘Travel, Tourism and the Internet’ session to grow travel business and destination.

This would take place at Ada Ekesi Hall at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel The topics to be discussed on the first session of the event which is dedicated solely to Aviation in West Africa include “Interlining in West Africa,

a possibility or a Mirage?� “ Integrating West African Airport System� “Standardizing Aviation Laws in West Africa for Regional Growth� “Why West African Airlines fail easily and the future�.

Accra Weizo is one of the events geared towards getting West Africans to cooperate amongst themselves.

Accra Weizo is a travel event in its 4th edition. It is aimed at creating a seamless travel environment in West Africa.

It brings together travel professionals in West Africa.

The first day will be the seminar on aviation and the second day will be dedicated to the ‘Travel, Tourism and the Internet’ session to grow travel business and destination. It will be taking place at Ada Ekesi Hall at LaPalm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana, on June 22 and 23.

The topics to be discussed are dedicated solely to aviation in West Africa. They include: ‘Interlining in West Africa, a Possibility or a Mirage?’ Integrating West African Airport System,’ ‘Standardizing Aviation Laws in West Africa for Regional Growth’, ‘’Why West African Airlines fail easily and the future’.

Runay Lighting

A week today, Air Peace flight landed at the international runway of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos at about 8:30 pm. It took the aircraft about 30 minutes to taxi to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) the final destination of the flight.

Before it landed, the aircraft queued (hovered) with both international and local flights that were programmed to land on the same runway, while the domestic runway, R18L was idle due to lack of airfield lighting.

So, one of the two runways of the busiest airport in the country, the Lagos airport remains non-functional from 6:00 pm to 7:00 am everyday due to the absence of runway lights since after its rehabilitation in 2007.

Airlines said that they burn so much fuel taxiing from the international runway, 18R to the domestic terminal of MMA2 and GAT. Few years ago, the Managing Director of IRS Airlines Alhaji Isiyaku Rabiu said besides the wear and tear on the equipment, domestic airlines burn about N2 billion worth of fuel annually taxiing from the international runway to the domestic, which takes an aircraft about 15 to 20 minutes.

In addition to domestic runway that has no airfield lighting in Lagos, there are17 other airports without the facility. So flights cannot operate there after 6:00 pm. For airlines to operate to these destinations, they must schedule their flights to depart from such airports at day time.

An industry stakeholder, who once headed the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) told THISDAY that one of the major limitations to the optimum utilisation of commercial aircraft in Nigeria is the lack of airfield lighting or runway lighting. These are lights that guide the aircraft to landing and taking-off on the runway. Unfortunately only five airports out of 22 airports being managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and three airports built by the state government have airfield lights that are being utilised currently. These airports include the once in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, Kebbi and Uyo. Some other airports have the equipment but they are either redundant, in a state of disrepair or are waiting to be connected.

Lack of functional airfield lighting is a major setback for Nigerian airlines because they cut off about four or five operational hours from the daily flights of an airline designated for schedule operation. Industry experts who spoke to THISDAY said they are shocked that despite the importance of this equipment for safe airline operation, government

has not been able to install it at all the airports and most of those installed in the past are in disrepair.

However, the Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika said that the priority of the Buhari administration is to provide safety critical equipment and facilities at the airside of the airports and this include landing aids such as the airfield lights, rehabilitation of the runway and others.

FAAN also said that it had started the repair and installation of the lights at some of the airport runways.

Another setback to flight operations in Nigeria is poor navigational aids including communication in the airspace. THISDAY spoke to a pilot on Tuesday, who admitted that navigational aids such as instrument landing system (ILS) has improved, but noted that the major challenge now is communication. He said that the old blind spot where a pilot may not experience communication signals is back.

Communication is very critical to flight safety and this has been a major problem in Nigeria’s airspace over the years. Although Nigerian pilots said they have become innovative in operating through the airspace with those lapses overtime, but this has remained a danger to safety of flights.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) recently said it has concluded arrangements with Jotron AS, a leading manufacturer of professional communication equipment, for the deployment of four stand-alone high-powered, Very High Frequency (VHF) long range communication radios. Each of this equipment would be installed in Lagos West and Lagos East as well as Kano West and Kano East Area Control Centres (ACCs).

Already, NAMA has conducted a successful inspection and Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of the equipment in Norway.

Although there are no timeline for the installation of this equipment, the managing director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu who led the team to Norway said the equipment would adequately solve the communications problem in Nigeria’s airspace.

Pilots acknowledge that ILS has improved but they note that to overcome the adverse weather which often lead to flight cancellations the federal government should expedite action on the installation of Category 3 ILS at least at major airports in the country besides Kaduna that already has the equipment.

This will enable flights to land at zero visibility in most of the airports and help to overcome the annual impediments to flight operations by the Harmattan haze.

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Shrinking Air Travel Market For more than a decade, Nigeria has recorded fewer aircraft operating scheduled services. There has also been a sharp decline in passenger traffic and the number of domestic airlines. Chinedu Eze examines the factors responsible for this slide in an environment with one of the fastest population growth rates in the world It was predicted that by 2018, passenger traffic in Nigeria would increase to 22 million with over 100 commercial aircraft, but instead of increasing Nigerian airlines now have fewer aircraft. Compared to the past 10 years; there are fewer number of airlines, just as passenger traffic has also decreased during the same period.

Industry stakeholder and President of Aviation Round Table (ART), Gbenga Olowo observed recently there has been continuous depletion of the fleet of Nigerian airlines. He recalled that in 2010, Nigerian airlines had 54 commercial operating aircraft but by 2013 the fleet had reduced to 39 and currently they are about 42, noting that with declining fleet size, route expansion would be limited and robust schedule very difficult and down time for maintenance would impact negatively on schedule.

He attributed the failure of airlines to improve and add more aircraft to their fleet to the harsh operating environment, high charges paid by the airlines to aviation agencies and poor managerial skills by the airlines management. “High cost of fuel, high cost of funds, exorbitant airport rent and airspace movement charges at home require government serious attention. On the other hand, poor management decisions and corporate governance by the airlines owners have resulted to high mortality rate in the industry,� Olowo said.

Poor Growth Seasoned aviator and former director of Medview Airline, Lukeman Animaseun explained to THISDAY why the aviation industry is retarding. Animaseun said that there is poor capitalisation of the airlines and they are run as one man business. According to him, many of them have huge ego to the extent that they may not allow an investor to buy airplanes for them so they could be in partnership.

He said that when an airline is established, the business needs about five years gestation before the operator could break even and if, for example, the operator started the airline with only three aircraft, he cannot continue to operate same number of aircraft within the period; there would be need to add more aircraft. “Within that five-year period the aircraft would go for major maintenance checks. If you are lucky you will spend about $1 million but if there are cracks or corrosion in the aircraft you will pay more; so average cost of C-check is about $1.2 million. The operator will even pay more in subsequent major checks like C-check 2, 3 and 4 on the same aircraft. “You also need to replace the engines of the aircraft after three cycles. Where will you get the money? You sell your tickets in naira and you pay for the aircraft maintenance, spares and other services in dollars and you know the exchange rate. The air fares charged on passengers are not enough to make airline business profitable.� Animaseun said.

Ownership Syndrome Animaseum said that for an airline to grow, the operator who started it cannot continue to be the owner. There should be time he would need to water down his takes and allow other investors to come in. He also remarked that many investors who establish airlines in Nigeria may not be interested in the intrinsic growth of the industry but just to make profits.

He noted that airlines pay excessive taxes and this is where government needs to intervene and help the airlines, adding that the fares airlines charge passengers cannot offset the huge cost of operation and still leave the airline with at least small margin profits.

Leasing One of the reasons why there is poor growth of the airline industry in Nigeria is because indigenous carriers find it difficult to lease

MMIA

aircraft. Animaseun attributed this to lack of goodwill and notoriety acquired in the past by Nigerian operators who did not keep to the terms of agreement when they lease aircraft. “Lessors are not willing to lease aircraft to Nigerian airlines because of their past experience.

For example, Medview bought four aircraft from Aircab on lease purchase. They wanted to sell the Boeing 737-800 to us but because of their awful experience with another Nigerian airline (name withheld) which used court to deny Aircab the re-possession of its aircraft when they were due to be taken back, the lessor refused to sell the aircraft to Medview. “Besides, many of the lessors do not have classics, which are the major operating aircraft type in Nigeria. They have moved to modern aircraft types. It is not easy for Nigerian airlines to migrate to newer aircraft models not just because of the cost but the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) may not have inspectors trained on the new aircraft types.

This is a huge problem.� “My advice to NCAA is that they should train their personnel on new aircraft even when Nigerian airlines have not acquired such and they should not be waiting for airlines to train their staff for them on new aircraft.

Medview would have acquired Boeing 777 three years ago but NCAA did not have trained inspectors on the aircraft type. Recently one airline acquired it and it has to train NCAA inspectors on it. You acquire aircraft and park it because the regulatory authority does not have people certified on the aircraft,� Animaseun remarked.

Aircraft Reduction Anumaseun explained that why there is less number of passengers that travel by air is because airlines have fewer aircraft which do not operate to many cities in the country. So people who want to go to those cities airlines do not operate would use other means of transport, adding that if there were more aircraft it would force down the fares and more people would travel by air. He also noted that any air fare that is less than N25, 000 for about one hour flight is not profitable for the airline Economic Factors The managing director of Aglow Aviation support Services, Tayo Ojuri, told THISDAY that economic factors contributed to the reduction of the number of people that travel by air in Nigeria.

“Realistically we have not seen significant increase or positive increase in passenger numbers in the last three to four years due to macro and micro economic reasons such as the recession, withdrawal of international airlines and most importantly aviation is the first hit and last to experience a quick rebounce. We also have issues of low disposal income by potential passenger as the passengers that normally ply the lucrative triangular routes (Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt) are mostly government officials and business driven traffic. “Furthermore, the lack of adequate infrastructure to improve the passenger facilitation process is still endemic and the airport system has not been a great attraction for connecting passengers especially within the West African sub region. As a corollary, the lack of top notch navigational equipment to facilitate all weather flight operations coupled with the systemic challenges with most of the domestic airline operators have also contributed to the lull in passenger traffic,� Ojuri said.

He proffered solutions to these challenges, which include route development, incentives to operate at secondary airports such as Benin, Kaduna, Calabar and for government to expedite the development of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services in order to reduce cost of foreign maintenance and time lapse of equipment on check Ojuri also advised that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as airport operator should focus on improving the travelling/ facilitation process to be seamless by the installation of top notch navigational systems to improve flight operations, promote synergies and alliance with foreign partners to build capacity and increase inflow of foreign capital for domestic airline management.

Also another industry stakeholders and the director research, Zenith Travels, Olu Ohunayo examined the factors responsible for the poor growth of the aviation industry and passenger traffic in Nigeria and told THISDAY that having fewer operating aircraft in the country can simply be attributed to the poor governance culture; choice of aircraft which principally are Boeing B737 aircraft that reduces rotation but increases expenses and the airport infrastructure that limits operational hours and increases turnaround time.

He said these factors are exacerbated by excessive and numerous taxes that have increased air fares and cost to the detriment of rotation that would have given rise to robust airline operation in Nigeria. Ohunayo noted that the depletion of passengers was as a result of the

recession which reduced economic activities in the country; the lull in political activities and obvious irritating security challenges that have soured all social activities that stimulate travel. “Hopefully as we restore security and the upcoming congresses and elections, we expect enplanement to resume shortly. The economy is also reviving but we should be looking at new investors and airlines rather than any drastic improvement in state of existing carriers, except one. I doubt if any other airline can access credit from any of the local banks.

Therefore, without credit facility extension to these airlines expansion will be difficult,�

Ohunayo said.

More Investment Industry observers said the solution to the poor growth of the air transport sector is that government should encourage people to invest more in the industry through incentives, including tax reduction, clement policies that would encourage and make domestic airline operation profitable. They also suggested that airlines should have more aircraft before they are given Air operator Certificate (AOC), pegging the number of aircraft to minimum of10.

Olowo said that airline operator that has five to 10 aircraft in its fleet cannot be described as a strong global player, noting that moving from two aircraft airline to five aircraft airline would be scratching the problem on the surface. “If Nigeria is serious about redressing negative balance of trade against all partners and to all routes (UK, US, France, Germany, Emirate, Ethiopia, etc.,) the rule that every airline should have up to 20 aircraft should be established. That is 20 aircraft fleet at start up, grown by 20 every five years for any scheduled AOC operator; failure which such operator can either be in charter or ad hoc business and not scheduled,� Olowo said.

He said this regulation would encourage pooling of aircraft and resources, harmonised schedule, eliminate current unhealthy price war, avail more destinations with enhanced schedule and ample down time for maintenance.

Olowo noted that accessing credit facility from local banks would be difficult but government could guarantees for offshore funding, insurance cover etc for the airlines, adding that this would be the way government could support airlines with proven capacity and integrity.

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As Pirates Ride Roughshod over Nigerian Waters Eromosele Abiodun highlights the recent attacks on ships berthing at the Lagos Ports Complex and calls on government agencies responsible for tackling the ugly menace to sit up

At the quarterly stakeholders meeting organised by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos last week, an official of one of the terminal operators raised the alarm that they have witnessed seven attacks in the last one month.

The official, who pleaded with the government to tackle the menace head-on, said the company had to employ the service of private security to guard its ships.

The situation is even worst in the Niger Delta axis. Last month, a terminal operator had complained to official of the NPA at a similar forum that his company was going out of business following increased attacks on vessels calling at his terminal.

The official gave a griping example of how one of its ships was attacked, and the captain and the crew locked themselves in the engine room.

According to him, after the attackers had left the scene, the ship drifted and collided with an oil tanker vessel, causing irreparable damage to the ship.

Also last week, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, called on stakeholders in the maritime sector to develop a strategy to deal with the challenges within the permissible scope of security agencies to improve on maritime security.

The minister made the call in a presentation tagged, “Armed Guards Aboard Merchant Vessels in Nigeria -Legal or Illegal,� at the 3th Edition of Lagos International Maritime Week in Lagos.

Malami who was represented by the Special Assistant to the President on Financial Crimes, Mr. Abiodun Aikomo said maritime security has become an important requirement for merchants’ vessels over the last decade due to the increasing threats from pirates across the world.

He stressed that the issue of maritime security in the Nigerian territorial waters should be taken seriously.

According to him, “Human beings have the responsible for self-preservation of their life and limbs and by extension, private properties and investments. As to the legality and illegality of armed guards on merchant vessels in Nigeria, the debate should no longer be focused on

whether armed guards should be employed. “Rather, how they can effectively, legally and safely be engaged with emphasis on accreditation and accountability. In this regard, the United Kingdom and Norway have provided regulations on the use of private guards on-board.�

He added: “The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has also announced its change of stance on armed guards. Even though Nigerian- flagged vessels cannot make use of armed private guards as the law stands today.

The reality is that there must be a dynamic strategy of dealing with security challenges facing merchant vessels in Nigerian waters.�

He said that it could be necessary to amend the relevant laws in long term, adding that there was need for stakeholders to develop a strategy within the scope of power of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in collaboration with other sister agencies.

IMB Report Recently, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) released a report naming Nigeria as one of the hotspots for sea piracy.

The IMB in the report said: “Of the 27 seafarers kidnapped worldwide for ransom between January and March 2017, 63 per cent were in the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria is the main kidnap hotspot with 17 crew taken in three separate incidents, up from 14 in the same period in 2016. “All three vessels – a general cargo ship, a tanker and a bulk carrier were attacked while underway 30-60 nautical miles off the Bayelsa coast. Three more ships were fired upon at up to 110 nautical miles from land, and many other attacks are believed to go unreported.�

Specifically, Director of IMB, Pottengal Mukundan, said: “The Gulf of Guinea is a major area of concern, consistently dangerous for seafarers, and signs of kidnappings increasing. IMB has worked closely with the response agencies in the region including the Nigerian Navy, which has provided valuable support, but more needs to be done to crack down on the area’s armed gangs. We urge vessels to report all incidents so that the true level of

piracy activity can be assessed.�

IMB said guns were used in 18 of the incidents and vessels were underway in 17 of the 20 reported attacks.

IMB further stated that 39 of the 49 crew members kidnapped globally occurred off Nigerian waters in seven separate incidents. Other crew kidnappings in 2017 have been reported 60 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria. “In total, 92 vessels were boarded, 13 were fired upon, there were 11 attempted attacks and five vessels were hijacked in the first nine months of 2017, “it stated.

The flagship global report noted that, while piracy rates were down compared to the same period in 2016, there is continuing concern over attacks in the Gulf of Guinea and in South East Asia.

Who’s Responsibility?

Since the report was released, a number of attacks have been recorded showing that government agencies responsible for the monitoring and foiling of attacks are clearly failing in their responsibility.

Put simply, Section 22 (P) of the NIMASA Act provides opportunity for the agency to provide maritime security. The obvious question then will be why the agency is not doing what is necessary to put an end to piracy in Nigerian waters. For those who don’t know, the NIMASA only last year awarded a surveillance contract worth billions of naira, a move that was intended to check raising cases of piracy and other vices in Nigerian waters. This has not happened and no one seems to care. Late last year, the United States of America, through its Maritime Administration, warned ships to be wary when approaching Nigerian waters. “Two incidents have been reported in the Gulf of Guinea in the past six days. The first reportedly occurred south of Port Harcourt, Nigeria at 0600 GMT on October 21, 2017. The second reportedly occurred in the vicinity of 03-35.50N 006-49.20E at 1905 GMT on October 25, 2017; both incidents have been confirmed, “it said in a report. “The nature of the first incident was piracy and kidnapping; the nature of the second incident

was piracy, �it noted.

Quoting the latest quarterly report from the IMB, the US Maritime Administration stated that “the latest quarterly report from the International Maritime Bureau notes that a total of 20 reports of attacks against all vessel types were received from Nigeria, 16 of which occurred off the coast of Brass, Bonny and Bayelsa. In general, all waters in and off Nigeria remain risky, despite intervention in some cases by the Nigerian Navy. We advise vessels to be vigilant, “it concluded.

The US advisory report to ship masters and owners further warned that ship transiting Nigerian waters to be cautious and seek further information, even as it stated that the alert subsists until November 2, 2017.

NPA Takes Action Worried about the attacks on vessels berthed at the Lagos Ports Complex (LPC), the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority announced that it has outlined strategies to counter such attacks.

The Managing Director of the NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman who disclosed this at a quarterly stakeholders meeting in Lagos, admitted that there are challenges in the operations of the ports stressing however, that they are being looked into.

Usman who was represented by the Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Mr. Sekonte Davis said by the time some of the strategies are put in place, the NPA would be able to point fingers at stakeholders perceived to be responsible for such attacks.

This is just as stakeholders accused foreign shipping companies operating in Nigeria of contravening federal government directive on holding bays for their empty containers.

They accused the foreign shipping lines of deliberately not having holding bays for their empty containers in order to defraud the nation’s economy.

Davis disclosed that more patrol boats will be purchased to enhance port waterfront patrols.

The NPA boss however advised the manageCONTINUED ON PAGE24

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°ÍłËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

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AS PIRATES RIDE ROUGHSHOD OVER NIGERIAN WATERS ment of ENL terminal, one of the operators that have been attacked seven time I the last one month, to look into their internal system adding that there could be sabotage from within.

According to him, “ENL should look within and see if there is sabotage because the mode of these attacks suggests that there is an insider that gives out information to these criminals. ENL should also increase its operational vehicle patrols as this could help to detect and forestall attacks at the berths.

Presently we are not pointing fingers, we are discussing together, we are looking at the operations, and we are suspecting that there could be sabotage inside some of these terminals.�

Usman explained that NPA has also commenced discussions with the port Police Command with a view to strengthening waterfront security at the ports.

Work in Progress Responding to quarries about the security situation in Nigerian waters ever the weekend, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside stated that security in the Nigerian Maritime domain is a work in progress that requires the commitment of all stakeholders to ensure optimum safety of all investments in the sector.

Peterside stated that the agency is taking the lead on the issue of maritime safety in the entire

West and Central African sub-region noting that safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea has a direct impact on the Nigerian economy.

The NIMASA boss noted that there are a lot of factors that contribute to the cost of products coming into the country through the seas, which makes it very important to tackle insecurity in the waterways.

According to him, “We must ensure the security of the Gulf of Guinea because Nigeria is not isolated from whatever happens in the region which may lead to negative economic impact, or increase in the cost of insurance or war premium insurance and ultimately lead to high cost of goods and services which will be borne by the consumer of the goods and services.�

While noting that 65 per cent of cargo heading to the region ends up in Nigeria, Peterside who is also the current chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA), said that securing the nation’s territorial waters is a work in progress that requires the commitment of all stakeholders and neighbouring countries, noting that the management of NIMASA has recognised this fact and is implementing international regulatory instruments in collaboration with various countries in the region to checkmate criminal activities.

In his words, “No maritime crime occurs within a jurisdiction alone. Very often the trend is that maritime crime starts from one

jurisdiction and ends in another. The only way we can tackle maritime crime is all of us working together and there have been several regional initiatives in that respect to tackle maritime crime. Apart from the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy, you have the Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy, you have the Gulf of Guinea Commission dealing with the same thing there are several sub-regional and regional initiatives to tackle maritime insecurity so I see a lot of potentials in regional collaboration and integration.�

He said that on the home front the Agencies of the government especially in the Transport sector has seen collaboration as the way to go and that this has occasioned the renewal of the MoU between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy as well as partnership with other sister parastals.

Peterside also noted that the Agency’s goal in the implementation of the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code is 100% implementation level stating that the Agency is still not resting on its laurels after achieving over 90% implementation level within a short period of being appointed the Designated Authority of the implementation of the code.

Safeguarding Vessels Meanwhile, Nigeria will spend $186m to combat piracy in a bid to safeguard its waters and vessels moving in and out of the country.

Transport minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi

revealed this in a speech at Nor-Shipping’s inaugural Africa Podium in Oslo, Norway recently. The Fund is meant to acquire three new ready-for-war ships, three aircrafts, 12 vessels and 20 amphibious vehicles to combat the menace of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

Amaechi allayed potential investors’ fears of growing security concerns in Nigeria’s seaway amid the rise in attacks by pirates.

He revealed that over the next six months, the Nigerian government would give additional training to its navy, while providing technical and further support to patrol vessels in the region. “Rest assured, in six months you will no longer be harassed in our waters,� he told delegates. Amaechi said Piracy is not the only issue currently impacting the progress of the maritime sector in Nigeria.

While admitting that eradicating this growing issue was the main priority, Amaechi was keen to point out that Nigeria was also making significant strides in its bid to improve its creaking transport infrastructure. “All you hear about is efforts to stamp out corruption, but we are working extremely hard to develop transport infrastructure,� he added.

Whether this be roads or railways, the development of ports, the dredging of inland waterways and coastal regions, he said there was huge investment and resources earmarked for projects now and in the future.

NCS FOU Rakes in N1.039bn in One Month Eromosele Abidun The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja has announced that it has intercepted various contrabands and other goods on detention with a duty paid value (DPV) N1.010 billion between April 10th to May 15 2018.

The Controller, FOU, Mohammed Uba Garba, who disclosed in a chat with journalists in Lagos said the feat was possible having deepened its anti-smuggling operations.

In the same vein, he said the unit through its interventions recovered N28.85 million from underpayments making a cumulative of N1,039,156,454.00 within the weeks under review. “The detained/seized items include: 30 Exotic vehicles including 7 Toyota Hilux (2018 models), 3 Toyota Prado Jeep (2017) 1 Range Rover, 1 Ford Edge (2015), 5,516c bags of foreign parboiled rice (9 trailers), 1,078 cartons of frozen poultry products, 216 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 173 bales of used clothing, 683 pieces of used tyres, 8 sacks of Indian Hemp weighing 134 kg among others. Also, two containers with no: MSKU130295/2 and MRKU877714/0 have been seized for false declaration with a DPV of over 25 million naira alone. A total of 14 suspects were arrested in connection to these 125 seizures. “Let me commend the Officers and Men of the Unit for living up to their statutory responsibilities in suppression of smuggling, blocking all revenue leakages and enhancing trade facilitation towards sustaining best international standards. We have remained unflinching with our mandates and no

amount of distraction will deter us from performing our statutory duties. We will continue to make this zone uncomfortable for smugglers to operate and urge every Nigerian to be patriotic and report any smuggling activities in their areas to the Service and any intelligence provided will be treated in confidence, “he said.

He added: “Let me advise these economic saboteurs as well as fraudulent importers to invest their resources towards legitimate trade and desist from engaging in smuggling activities, as the Service and indeed the Unit will not renege on our statutory functions most especially in suppressing smuggling. “For the avoidance of doubt, after Court processes and Condemnation, the Presidential Committee on IDPS chaired by the ComptrollerGeneral of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) has approved the evacuation of the following items to Borno State Government for distribution to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through the Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport (NASCT): 25,318 bags of Rice 50gk (42 Traillers), 3,366 jerrycans of 25 liters, 175 gallons of vegetable oil(5 litres), 1,564 bales and 122 sacks of second hand clothing, 196 sacks and 938 pairs of used shoes. Hence the reason you see trucks lined up by the Government warehouse wall. “I also want to use this opportunity to thank the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire management for their untiring logistics support that brought about this feat as well as you the media for your continuous reportage of our activities.�

70TH IVC CONFERENCE

L-R: Chairperson of FBN and board member Digital Jewels Ltd, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, and MD/CEO Digital Jewels Ltd, Mrs. Adedoyin Odunfa, at the 70th IVC Conference, which held at the Wheatbaker Ikoyi ‌ recently

AfrikDelta Marine Contracted to Tow Egina FPSO Vessel Eromosele Abiodun Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has contracted AfrikDelta Marine Limited (ADML), a leading Nigerian supplier of marine services and a member of Jagal Energy for the services of Egina FPSO Tow and turning.

The company in a statement said the operation included the use of five of ADML’s Nigerian flagged tug boats with Nigerian crews

to tow and support Total’s Egina FPSO now moored in the Lagos Harbour.

The Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics base (LADOL) is currently playing host to the fabrication of a $3.8 billion oil and gas logistics service facility commonly known as the Floating Production Storage and Offloading – FPSO rig, otherwise called the Egina project.

The project which has been applauded as first -ofits- kind in the sub-Saharan

Africa is being handled by the Korea-based Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) on behalf of TOTAL Oil Exploration, with LADOL serving as its local content partner.

The added that the operation was a culmination of significant planning and engineering that lasted over twelve months and entailed the special simulation training of ADML’s Nigerian crew overseas to enhance their expertise.

“Some of the vessels were already on other operations with ExxonMobil and Chevron. The Logistics Management from ExxonMobil and Chevron contributed to the success of the operation by temporarily releasing the vessels to perform the Egina FPSO towage. “This is another major milestone in the Nigerian maritime industry and a clear demonstration of progress in Nigerian Content Development, “it stated.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 25, 2018

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T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͳ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

WEEKLY PULLOUT

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

NEWS| P30

COLLAGE | P36

THISLIFE | P37

FILE

‘I SLEEP AND BREATHE FASHION’

28/COVER

25.05.2018

‘I Sleep and Breathe Fashion’ Esther Iyire is the founder of Hazel-Grace Styles, a fashion brand that caters to the needs of women fashionistas. Iyire, who is a French graduate of the Covenant University, Ogun State, decided to go into fashion after a long search for a job. In this interview with Anayo Okolie, she speaks on her enthusiasm for fashion, among other issues How was your growing up?

Growing up for me was fantastic. Contrary to popular belief that as an only girl you would be over pampered, my mother taught me to be strong and humble through life in her own way. She was tough, yet so beautiful. She would always make me snap back to reality each time I was feeling fancy. She was my fashion icon.

My father was an easy going man. And my brothers were my guardians, they believed in my fashion sense and all encouraged me in their own little ways. I guess they knew I was going to delve into fashion at some point.

What is Hazel-Grace Styles about?

Hazel-Grace Styles is a fashion brand that caters to the needs of every fashionable growing woman. We believe that despite the hustle and tussle most women have to face in life, they still deserve to remain radiant and appealing.

Hazel-Grace is known for her distinct styling methods and pattern-drafting that suits every woman, uniquely. Hazel-Grace provides outfits for every occasion both on orders and readyto-wear. She deals brilliantly with bridal wears, wedding guests’ styles, corporate functions and costumes. The brand also makes available fabrics for other designers.

Why did you choose to become selfemployed instead of getting a white-collar job?

I tried the white-collar jobs; however, they barely worked for me. More so, I barely got the ones I truly wanted, so I decided to give myself a job.

I sleep and breathe fashion; it’s always been in my sub-conscious.

While at those my white-collar jobs, I would dress up for a regular day at the office like it was my birthday. I looked out for every wardrobe malfunction on the streets or at events; I became a saviour at such situations. I was always ready for anything fashion. I chose to become an entrepreneur when I realised how much happiness my passion brought me. It was not about the money but the satisfaction.

Right now, we are convinced that our passion should now pay our bills.

However, what motivated me to go into fashion business was the long wait till the end of the month for my salary motivated me to do my own thing. It was always almost an endless wait. I wanted my time and money to come in handy. I wanted to lead my life mostly on my terms and be responsible for my decisions and mistakes. In addition, whenever I see pieces (dresses) others have made, I always imagined what I could add or remove to make them look nicer to my taste. And I was curious about the process of dress making.

What are the challenges facing fashion business in Nigeria?

The fashion business in Nigeria has definitely improved compared to what it used to be.

Overtime Nigeria has become a large textile market as she has embraced textile reflection on culture and lifestyle. The textile industry in Nigeria moves slowly and is hardly focused on because it is said to have already collapsed and little or no efforts made to revive it have proven futile. To further buttress this, there are currently no bodies or policies protecting the industry.

We also do not have enough reliable formal platforms educating interested individuals in the fashion business or perfecting their skills.

Most people have to travel out of the country to become better or improve their brands.

Finally, we constantly have to battle the power (electricity) situation in the country and there’s foreign currency inflation that determines the prices of raw materials used to produce these outfits coupled with the competition against the international market that produce at a cheaper rates.

Iyire

Iyire

Where do you see yourself and your business in the next 10 years?

I see Hazel-Grace as a physical global fashion village, with textile factories and educational platforms. We would invite the world to invest in the Nigerian textile industry through our quality and diverse means of production. We would stand as a Standard Leading Fashion Brand all over Nigeria with branches all over the world as we continue to satisfy our clients with memorable

pieces. Hazel-Grace also plans to delve into male outfits and other female accessories like shoes and bags and others. I also believe the brand would expand into other sectors like events planning and management.

What is your advice to unemployed graduates following the high level of unemployment?

My sincere advice goes to both non-graduates and graduates. Face your studies squarely while

studying and once you are out, triple your effort and take life by storm, because it’s a completely different stage. Write down your goals in life and work towards them every-day. No matter how slow it may seem, every step in the right direction counts. Don’t expect so much from people, they’re running this race too. Embrace Christ, work hard, focus and mind your business.

And most importantly, live your life to the fullest, in every sense of the word.

29/XTRA

25.05.2018

Benefits of Obaseki’s Reforms in Edo Peter Uhozo writes on the benefits of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s reforms in Edo State When he was touted as the man to take the reins of power in Edo State, many gave him little chance at the polls, and even many more argued that he would be boggled by the skirmishes of atavistic politics that characterise Nigeria’s experiment with democracy.

But since Governor Godwin Obaseki assumed office, he has taken his stride in good stead, building on the work of his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and ushering the state into an unprecedented era of economic expansion.

The methodological manner in which the governor has piloted the affairs of the state and brought a new sense of urgency to the drive for development has grown the status of the state as a model for others to follow. For instance, only a few weeks ago, a top-heavy World Bank delegation to Nigeria declared that, with the level of reforms and the deepening impact of projects in the state, Edo has become a model for development at the sub-national level in developing countries.

This didn’t come as a mean feat. In fact, it can be argued that it was a culmination of the meticulousness and world-class leadership that inspires and directs the state’s development drive.

Avoiding the shenanigans of petty politics, Obaseki has brought in the finesse and clear-headedness of a boardroom guru, articulating the state’s needs and delivering them with clear-cut timelines.

The governor’s policy stance has been to tackle rot from the base, as can be seen with the focus on basic education and primary healthcare reforms; on skills development, captured in the commitment to revive technical education and the emphasis on creating a conducive environment for business exhibited in landmark initiatives like the Public Private Partnership Office, and the Business Bureau.

Dividends of democracy In Edo State, the refrain for the governor’s growing profile as a development merchant is captured in the nickname, “Wake and See Governor.”

The sobriquet has stuck because of the governor’s style of working without making a fuss. Rather, he is more concerned with repositioning the state as an investment hub not just to boost productivity, but to assure better, fulfilling life for residents and indigenes. New roads spring up daily in urban, peri-urban and rural areas without any fanfare, residents are seen to be saying.

When taken in sum, a number of the governor’s policies are aimed at improving the quality of life, reducing poverty, empowering the people to live life to the fullest and ensuring that society is guided by the rule of law.

Though the governor is not one to make a fuss about constructing roads, he has silently turned the state into a construction site. Some of the road construction projects in the state include: reconstruction of Lucky Way in Ikpoba Hill area, Benin City; rehabilitation of Wire Road, TV Road, construction of Ogiefa Street, Ogiefa lane and Amadasun Street and reconstruction of Nevis Street off Forestry Road, emergency repair of Okonkpon Bridge, among others.

In Edo Central, some of the projects include Old Agbor Road-Ugbegun, Ekpon-Ubiaja Road, Angle 80- Illushi, Ewohimi Usehi Junction-Okaigbeu, Opoji-Ugbegun Road, Akia Roundabout-Niyelen; reconstruction of Olele Street, Eguare Irrue and reconstruction of Erewele Street, Eguare Irru, among others. Rehabilitation is also ongoing for Benin Township Roads such as Edebiri Irowa, Osuma Streets, College Road, Goodwill Street, Erediawa Street Off Ekenwan Road, Oziengbe-Emwanta Off Urubi Road, Asoro-Igbesamwan-Aruosa Street, Nekpen-Nekpen Road. There is also the construction of Irhirhi – Aruogba – Obazagbon – Obagienevbosa – Ogheghe Road with spurs to Enogie Palace, and Ogbekpen community and emergency repair of Evbuobanosa-Oza-Igbanke Road bridge and some failed section along the road, reconstruction of High Court internal roads, James Watt Roads and Idahosa street in Benin City, among others.

The state has procured two Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), as plans have been concluded to purchase gunboats and a helicopter. These complements far-reaching consensus building among security agencies and communities to ensure security is guaranteed for investors.

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (right); his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu (left); and Managing Director, A & K Construction, George Boumus (middle), during the governor’s inspection of ongoing construction work at the High Court Complex Extension and Block C Building in the Edo State Secretariat Complex, along Sapele Road in Benin City

The Edo industrial corridor Obaseki’s plan to industrialise Edo State is expansive and includes strategically linked projects which will see the state emerge as an economic hub.

“We are pursuing an aggressive industrialisation drive. Our goal is to utilise our endowments, particularly the available energy and logistical advantage so that we can become a major industrial hub,” he said, during the last Alaghodaro Investment Summit.

The state, by Obaseki’s grand industrialisation plan, is expected to be serviced by gas-powered power plants, housing refineries, seaports, industrial clusters, innovation hubs, smart neighbourhoods and a number of other investments.

What makes Edo stand out is the centrality of its location, availability of gas, onshore, and other supporting structures as well as the extensive raw material deposits.

The legacy projects The legacy projects of the Obaseki-led administration include the Benin Industrial Park, Benin River Port Project, Modular Refinery Project, 1800-unit housing project and a number of educational and health projects, all of which are being implemented with meticulous attention to details.

The Benin Industrial Park is expected to be handled by three co-developers, who have indicated interest to partner with the state government in its development.

The park would host a number of industries that will source raw materials within the state and convert them for local use and export.

According to the governor, “Three groups have registered to be co-developers and by October 2019 the first tenant will move in. When the park is ready, we will have over 1,000 companies in that park, generating an excess of $3 billion annually.”

The Benin River Port Project is being built by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Limited. Preliminary soil testing has been completed and the CHEC is ready to commence the next phase of the project. The communities in Gelegele and environs have thrown their weight behind the project. The Edo modular refinery project is also another landmark project promoted by the state government. Approvals for the project are being finalised by officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, even as preliminary work will soon commence.

The project is being handled by a Chinese consortium, which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government for the development. The consortium is made up of Peiyang Chemical Equipment Company of China (PCC); Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation (SIPS) which is a subsidiary of Sinopec, the top Chemical giant in the world and African Infrastructure Partners (AIP), a Nigerian Infrastructural company. Obaseki is keen on the local content component of the deal. “We will ensure that Edo citizens are trained in welding, refinery operation and fabrication works to enable

them participate in the construction of the refinery as well as its operation, post-commissioning.

The refinery construction will provide jobs for several unemployed Edo youths including the Libya returnees.”

Basic education “Every other sector is using technology, education must change, teachers must follow suit; teachers are nation builders. With the use of digital lesson plans, teachers can work with prepared lesson plan to ease their burden and give more time to supervise the children and manage their classrooms,” Acting Chairman of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe notes, while speaking about Edo State Government’s initiative to deploy Information Technology (ICT) tools to classrooms.

It is part of Obaseki’s bold reforms in the basic education sub-sector, known as the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EDOBEST).

EDOSTAR, a component of Edo BEST, is a Teacher Professional Development Training that is building the capacity of teachers in the use of digital technologies in classrooms as well as new classroom management techniques.

Dr. Oviawe, said the teacher training programme will equip teachers with knowledge and skills in deploying new technologies in the classroom, noting that over 2,000 teachers and Headmasters/ Headmistresses participating in the exercise will receive computer tablets and smart phones.

“Edo BEST is about imagining the education of tomorrow and starting it today. Obaseki is committed to a holistic change in our basic education sub-sector. On the first day of training, we realised that the training was oversubscribed. Over 3,000 teachers showed up. It was a herculean task to send some away because we have a set limit we can accommodate for this training. We will have more trainings as we expand Edo BEST to other schools,” she said. Recently, caches of textbooks were received by the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board, for distribution to public schools.

Earlier, mathematical sets were distributed to public schools in the state.

School census To ascertain the number of schools, population of teachers, students, available infrastructure and the location of schools across the state, a census has been carried out by the Obaseki administration. As the figures of the census are being processed, the state government has said the data gathered from the census would guide critical policy undertakings in the sector such as the construction of new schools, deployment of teachers, chairs and tables, laboratories, libraries and other resources.

Technical education After years of neglect, the governor is leading reforms in technical education by reconstructing the old Benin Technical College to serve as hub for skills acquisition.

The plan includes using the college to re-skill Edo youths for the emerging industrial sector in the state.

“The Benin Science and Technical College is a work in progress and we anticipated that it would be near completion before the end of the year. When the project is completed, it will enable victims of human trafficking and others acquire technical and vocational skills which will offer them hope,” Obaseki said recently when he was speaking with some delegates from Europe.

According to the governor, the college, on completion, will supply technical manpower to the Benin Industrial Park, the planned Benin Modular Refinery and other enterprises that require technical and vocational manpower.

The impact of the aggressive repositioning of Edo State’s education sector is more visible in the tertiary education sub-sector as the government has rolled out a new multi-campus architecture for institutions of higher learning in the state.

Training teachers The state has also revealed plans to operate the Tayo Akpata University of Education, Ekiadolor, as well as multi-campus College of Education with sites in Igueben, Abudu and Auchi.

“While the Abudu campus is to serve as Special Training Centre for teachers at the Basic Education level, the campus at Igueben will focus on training teachers for technical and secondary education,” the governor said during a visit to the campus at Abudu. He added, “After revamping this institution, it will serve as a centre for training and certification of new sets of teachers for the basic level of education. This will prepare the teachers to adopt modern teaching methods at that level of education.”

Healthcare The state government has proposed a state-wide health insurance scheme for workers and other residents that will complement efforts to revamp primary healthcare in the state.

With 20 functional primary healthcare centres, the governor has said that plans are underway to build 200 more to expand the reach and access to healthcare.

“One of our key agenda is to fix the healthcare system. We are thinking through the challenges in the health care system and determined to solve them. The health care system, worked effectively at a time, but failed later because we departed from the key building blocks.

“In Edo State, we are determined to fixing the problem by addressing the challenges with primary healthcare system. A part of the reforms is to equip the primary healthcare centres with qualified medical personnel,” he said, adding that a set of 20 primary healthcare centers are operating across the state, and in the next two years, the state government intends to roll out about 200 primary healthcare centres.

The bill for the state health insurance scheme will soon be passed at the state House of Assembly.

30/ NEWS

25.05.2018

YEDI Launches BMZ Skillz Girl Project in Lagos In line with its overall vision to build the health assets of young people, facilitate their access to health services and promote adherence to healthy behaviour, a non-profit organisation, Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI) has launched an adolescent health project for girls. Aptly tagged the BMZ SKILLZ Girl Project and sponsored by the German Government’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through StreetFootballWorld, the girls-only project targets over 2,000 girls aged 13 and 19 in disadvantaged communities in Lagos, Abuja, Akwa Ibom and Ogun states and centres on HIV/AIDS prevention, sexuality and life skills and aims at supporting young women and girls to better protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and make self-determined life decisions.

Present at the launch were YEDI’s Executive Director, Oje Ivagba, Head of Programmes, Tomisin Ojo and other staff members of the NGO; stakeholders and school teachers from beneficiary communities in Lagos; programme Peer Educators and beneficiaries of a previous SKILLZ Girl Project. Also present were Dr. Esther Somefun and Jaiyeola Anyanbolejo (UNFPA), Mrs. Peter-Popoola F.O (Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development),

Ex-Nigerian International Model

Ayodeji Ake YEDI’s SKILLZ Girl Launch; picture shows stakeholders and participants

Mr. Taiwo Akinwale (Education District 1), Mr. Joseph Adeyinka (Education District 2), Mrs. Balogun Oluremi O. (Ministry of Education, Alausa), teachers representing various schools as well as the reigning Miss Nigeria, Miss Peace Mildred Ehiguese.

Speaking during the stakeholders’ briefing and launch of the project in Lagos, the Executive Director of YEDI, Oje Ivagba, stated that the objectives of the project were to improve the sexual and reproductive knowledge of adolescent girl thereby reducing risky sexual behaviour, the incidence of HIV and unintended

pregnancies amongst girls aged of 13 to 19, as well as equip them with critical life skills training, health awareness and counselling that will enable them to make better decisions and become productive members of society. “The project will also build and develop a team of community role models who can deliver and monitor the project in their local communities, and promote physical activity and well-being through inclusive sport.” He also noted that the desired impact of the programme was to support adolescents’ positive and healthy transition into productive adults.

Accolades as NNPC’s Abdulrazaq Bags ICAN Merit Award For his exemplary leadership and promotion of transparency and accountability as the Group Executive Director/Chief Finance Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other places where he had worked, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (lCAN) has honoured Mr. Isiaka Abdulrazaq, with a Merit Award, lCAN’s highest honour.

At the ICAN 2018 Annual Dinner attended by captains of industry, policy makers and leaders of thought at the Eko Hotels and Suites Lagos, Abdulrazaq was honoured alongside the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, and Oba Babatunde Ajayi, FCA, the traditional ruler of Sagamu and Akarigbo of Remoland.

The ICAN Merit Award is conferred on members and non-members who have distinguished themselves in their careers cutting across both private and public sectors as well as members who use the profession of Accountancy to promote national development and economic growth. “One of such of our members is Mr. Abdulrazaq whose professionalism and commitment to excellence has made NNPC to be more transparent in its books. NNPC accounts and subsidiaries are now regularly published and can be accessed by members of the public,” according to ICAN President, Isma’ila Muhammadu Zakari.

Abdulrazaq was also recognised for his outstanding contribution to the development of the Accounting profession through the establishment of ‘Youth Professional Development Trust (YPDT)’ which has encouraged young Accounting Graduates in educationally less

Ex-Nigerian International Model Aisha Bello Marks Birthday in Prison

Former Nigerian international super model turned entrepreneur, Aisha Bello became a year older over the weekend and decided to celebrate it with the downtrodden of the society. The CEO and Creative Director of elegantebyaisha and Director of Star Models Africa, graced the Ikoyi prison to celebrate her special day with the inmates.

Aisha donated various items to the inmates and spend time with them as they engaged in merry-making with the delectable ex-queen of the international run-way.

On why she choose to celebrate this year's birthday in a charitable manner, Aisha explains "I thought some of us are privileged to be free from restrictions and it is only proper to remember those who are in confinement.

I wanted them to know that there can be love out out there and even though they have challenges right now, they should never give up on love and goodness. If and when they eventually get their freedom back, they should keep a positive attitude towards life."

In her heydays as a model, Aisha was busy modeling for top international fashion brands at famous shows such as The New York Fashion Week, Mercedes Fashion Week and others,Aisha Bello owns one of the fastest ready to wear brand in Nigeria,and she launched her modeling agency which according to her is aimed at presenting Nigeria and Africa models to the International market.

New York Times Bestselling Author, John Maxwell to Speak at Lagos Conference

L-R: Group Executive Director/Chief Finance Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Isiaka AbdulRazaq receiving merit award from ICAN President, Isma’ila Muhammadu Zakari, in Lagos…recently

developed states to attain professionalism. As at 2017 a total of 734 students were graduated from the various centres.

He was also honoured for coordinating the effective implementation of ‘The Single Treasury Account (TSA)’ policy of the federal government in NNPC thereby drastically reducing the number of NNPC bank accounts.

Abdulrazaq was credited for transparency, professional excellence and integrity in public life; ensuring the timely preparation and Audit of Financial Statements in NNPC. Today, NNPC’s Audited Financial Statements are up to date.

He drove several financing initiatives in the

oil and gas sector including but not limited to - $1.2bn NNPC/Exxon Satellite Oil field’s development, $680mn Bonny Gas Transport Limited Shipping Financing, negotiation of Modified Carry Arrangement (MCA) Alternative Financing to the tune of $8bn in favor of Nigeria.

He is currently championing the ‘Sustainable Join Venture Funding’ mechanism that will assure Joint Venture production growth of oil and gas and reduction in unit cost of production thereby securing higher take for New York Times Bestselling Author, John Maxwell government in the form of royalties and taxes through lower cost of production among other Ayodeji Ake numerous benefits to the nation.

New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than 26 million books in 50 languages, is expected to speak at the 2018 Influence to Inspire Conference billed to hold in Lagos from July 19 to 20.

-Ladipo (FADAN PRESIDENT), Engr. Chris The conference is expected to be graced by Oputa (CEO Studio 24), Ohimai Atafo (CEO over two thousand professionals and individuals Mai Atafo), Morin Obaweya (CEO Morin.O) from all spheres of industry across the globe. and moderated by Lucky Idike Jr. Later in the According to organisers, the conference, Influence day the prestigious Fashions Finest Africa to Inspire Leadership Empowerment Initiative is Awards will take place. The essence of to build an army of leaders across the country the awards is to celebrate those who have from different walks of life. made a mark in the fashion industry.

The principal host of the conference, Jane All through the three days we will also play Ivhurie noted that the conference will host over hosts to Exhibitors and our marketplace two thousand corporate attendees across Nigeria vendors giving the opportunity to fashion to reach their highest leadership potential to lovers to shop till they drop. adopt the ‘influence-based leadership’ lifestyle The Epic Show will continue on Sunday for professional growth. and Monday with a Fashion show featuring “I am one of those that will be learning from Student designers, New and Emerging this because there is no limit to learning. From designers and established designers out the corporate world, I have been opportune to of Africa. After the Fashion show on lead a team, to lead organisation businesses.

Monday evening, the Epic Show will be It goes beyond the word leader. What defines closed with the Fashions Finest Africa Rave our success about leader is when those we have where everyone would hit the dance floor helped or those whom we had led can actually with fashion twist and have even more testify to say they were positively impacted or fun with Ace DJ Crowd Kontroller on the they have really grown from a certain level to wheels of steel. a certain level,” she said..

Fashions Finest Africa 'Epic Show' for May 25 Mary Ekah Fashions Finest Africa (FFA), a platform established to assemble the very best fashion industry talents out of Africa so as to expose and showcase their craft, creativity and uniqueness, is set to hold its Epic Show in Nigeria. This is in a bid to further help improve the Nigerian fashion industry. The Epic Show will kick off on Friday May 25th, with a Fashion conference where those who matter in the fashion industry will take on panel sessions. The conference themed ‘Increasing Nigeria’s participation in the Global Garment Production industry’ has Her Excellency Hajia Aisha Abubakar, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment as the Guest of Honour while Mallam Ismaila Fashions Finest Africa Director, Yetty Ogunnubi Zakari (ICAN President) would be speaking at the conference. Jennifer Sutton (Development how their practices and approaches can be Director, Fashion Enter/Capital Uk) who is the executed in the Nigerian Garment/fashion Headline conference speaker will be discussing industry. Mabel Doe (Technical consultant/ the British fashion industry and how Fashion Fashion Technologist) who is an expert in her Enter now successfully produces up to 10,000 field would also be speaking at the conference. units a week in a fully compliant factory, and Our Panel session includes Mrs. Funmi Ajila

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25.05.2018

Senator Magnus Abe’s Transformational Agenda for Rivers State

Abe

Austin Asadu There is little doubt that the national, regional and global arena is in tumult with all manner of security threats and breaches, terrorism, bombings, civil war and even the spectre of Nuclear Armaggedon looming ominously as geopolitical rivals like the United States, Russia, China, North Korea, Japan etc jockey for position and advantage in numerous hotspots across the world. However, it is at times like this that resolute and committed statesmen and purposeful political leaders and corporate moguls emerge to lead their people out of the morass of despair, decay, despondency and disillusion that is currently prevailing.

For instance during the Second World War, when all hope was lost and Nazi Germany was at the verge of dominating most parts of the world, President Franklin Roosevelt (USA), Josef Stalin (Russia) and Winston Churchill (Great Britain) rose up in defiant courage to confront and ultimately defeat Adolf Hitler’s infamous Third Reich.

Likewiseduring the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when the Soviet Union and the United State of America squared off over the location of Russian nuclear missiles in Cuba, President John F. Kennedy, Defense Secretary John McNamara and, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, together with their Russian counterparts were able to resolve the crisis adroitly without resort to the military option favoured by Cold War hardliners on both sides of the crisis. Coming closer home, the Nigeria Civil War was bitterly fought with casualties running into millions of innocent lives lost or injured, however the humane and conciliatory approach adopted by leaders like Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo was instrumental to the reconciliation process and the reaffirmation of national unity, peace and stability.

In Rivers State, a lot of divisions, political,

ethnic and sectional exist as a result of the contest for control and management of state resources, be it financial or material and the atmosphere is indeed charged and tension soaked as the 2019 general elections approach.

However, the epoch making declaration by Distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe of his intention to contest for the gubernatorial position marks a watershed in Rivers State’s social, political and economic reckoning thus raising the hopes and aspirations of the people several notches higher as they fervently anticipate the berthing of a brighter, more prosperous and tremendously rewarding future for their generation and generations unborn.

As millions of expectant citizens celebrate the game changing entry of Senator Magnus Abe in the gubernatorial contest, social affairs commentators and public policy analyst think tanks are awash with coherent and positive analysis of the implications of the dynamic federal lawmaker’s declaration on the political landscape of Rivers State as strategic permutations and calculations have been inexorably altered as a result of this historic, precedentshattering decision. Indeed Senator Magnus Abe’s credentials as an astute administrator, consummate technocrat, constitutional avatar as well as a top notch legislative paragon are impeccable and unimpeachable having served in the Rivers State House of Assembly, also as Commissioner of Finance, Secretary to the Rivers State Government and presently a Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic representing the stoic and hardworking people of Rivers East Senatorial Zone. Without doubt, Senator Magnus Abe has the brevity of experience, the erudity of knowledge and technical competence combined with the sagacity, fortitude and fervor to take Rivers State out of the woods and usher in a refreshing regime of due process, probity, transparency and accountability devoid of ethnic bickering, sectional rancour and acrimony and the brazen looting of state resources and finances

by the powers that be.

As the super-achieving Secretary to the State Government from 2007 – 2011, Senator Magnus Abe thoroughly revamped and repositioned the Rivers State public service for a more proactive and responsive service delivery to the people weeding out laggards and malcontent from the system and abolishing the previous arcane system of cronyism, nepotism, sectionalism, favouritism and all other negative isms.

Promotions, postings, deployments and all other administrative procedures were carried out in strict compliance with relevant public service statues, orders and regulations while contract awards, procurements, prequalifications, tenders etc were also processed in line with the exacting diktat of the Public Procurement Act. Ministries, departments and agencies of the Rivers States Government were thoroughly restructured and revitalised thus ensuring optimal performance which was reflected in higher staff morale and productivity thus ensuring a sharp uptick in the internally generated revenue and gross income of the state’s treasury. The abolition of corruption, waste, mismanagement as well as sharp practices and kickbacks occasioned by Senator Magnus Abe’s transparency and accountability desiderata transformed Rivers State into a prosperous, viable and star performing entity, indeed the economic, industrial and corporate hub of the entire South-South region almost rivaling the famed Asian Tigers of recent lore. After he left Rivers State public service for the Senate, the state of affairs collapsed almost irredeemably, IGR sunk to an all time low, physical infrastructure in decay and disuse, insecurity worsened with kidnappings, cult killings and rampant violence and civil unrest ruling the waves. Indeed the time has come for Rivers State to redeem its image and reclaim its lost glory and there is no better candidate for this tough and herculean assignment than Senator Magnus Abe who has the vision, the

courage, the sincerity, the strength of character, the clarity of purpose and the firmness of conviction to confront the venal and capricious cabal that is holding millions of Rivers State citizens hostage. Given his detribalised, unbiased and non-partisan disposition, Senator Magnus is the right leader to unite and reconcile the warring factions of the Treasure Base of the Nation under his banner of ‘One Rivers One Destiny’ as well as ensuring fast track economic growth, political stability, industrial, infrastructural, manufacturing rejuvenation and revitalisation. The tourism potentials of the state will assume added vigour and fruitfulness in an environment of peace and tranquility while foreign investors will be wooed assiduously with generous tax breaks and property rate waivers. ICT companies like IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Apple, SAMSUNG etc will be encouraged to set up facilities, plants and factories through the establishment of a groundbreaking high-tech park to rival the legendary Silicon Valley of the United States. Agricultural and agrarian friendly policies will also feature majorly in the foresighted policy paradigm of Senator Magnus Abe thus breathing fresh life unto traditional agriculture, fish farming, animal husbandry, poultry farming as well as other agrarian and horticultural endeavours. Subsidised fertilisers, tractors, harvesters, mechanical planters etc will be regularly supplied to farmers across the state in order to further boost agricultural production.

Indeed the scope, breadth and depth of the indefatigable Senator Magnus Abe transformational agenda for his beloved state will be elaborated in subsequent articles, but it is fair and safe to declare that happy days are here again if and when the benevolent and supremely competent Senator Magnus Abe assumes the mantle of executive governor of Rivers State come 2019. To God be the Glory. .Asadu is of the Legislative Writers Forum

32 / XTRA

25.05.2018

Group Drums Support for Buhari/Osinbajo 2019 Presidency Peter Uzoho As part of the growing voices and groups calling and wooing support for President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo reelection as Nigeria President and Vice-President come 2019, a group of dynamic and committed like minds from all the states of the federation and Diaspora under the auspices of The Change We Believe (TCWB) have started their activities to reach out to Nigerians to believe and support this administration.

As the name of the group goes they believe in the Change mantra that brought in this government and have seen positive changes despite some initial setback. They are to confront the doubters and oppositions with facts about government achievements in key area of economy, petroleum/ mines reforms, agriculture, transportation, TSA, IGR. infrastructural development, security, governance, integrity, security and others.

The TCWB group has lined up different strategies to archive their mission. They intend to meet with key government officials to get facts about projects and policies that had been executed or ongoing, then communicate such to the public through various form and channels of communications down to the grass root. According to the convener of the group, Philip

TCWB members

Kachikwu “this group is not an attacking bull dog but purely an advocacy group that would communicate and disseminate information based on facts and figures in other to convince the public not to believe all the fake news about the President just to tarnish his image and his good works.”

He also said age is not a barrier as Mr. President is in good health and will make it to the end

come lots more of their activities would be seen in all the medium of communications with the unique #TheChangeWeBelieve.

Kachikwu also said that “PMB have come to lay a good foundation and build the systems that works and a lots of Nigerians needs to key into this mission to make our country great, the economy grew from 0.8 to 2.5 per cent, lots of people are benefiting from NPower, we have good foreign reserve, leakages blocked, revenue generation like never before, Ministry of Petroleum/ NNPC well structured for maximum performance, power generation had gone up, road/housing construction completed and ongoing, milestone in agriculture/ Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Transport doing great with railway, feeding of pupils in pioneer school , our foreign relation is great now as we are well respected and recognised to lead and by the time PMB leaves office the next president will have a good direction to run with. However, it might not be an easy of his tenure.

The group through their various zonal admin- task but it is doable and achievable.”

He said all that Nigerians need with this istrators and states coordinators down to the local government representative will coordinate all administration is patience, as three years cannot their activities to archive this mission of seeing undo the bad and incompetent governance of President Muhammadu Buhari re-elected come over 40 years. He said they are convinced that 2019. They will also work with the campaign by the end of the eight years of President Buhari organisation, the party APC and others groups administration Nigerians would be grateful to to see this mission accomplished. In days to him.

iCreate Skill Fest Will Unlock Vocational Skills of Young Africans Peter Uzoho The iCreate Skill Festival, an annual youth empowerment festival willunlock vocational, innovative, and entrepreneurial skills of young Nigerians and Africans for the overall economic development of the continent.

Being first of its kind, the youth empowerment festival with the goal to transform skills acquisition across Africa, holds its 2018 edition in October at the National Stadium, Abuja. Set to become Africa's largest vocational event, and organised in partnership with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the multipurpose event will comprise different sessions including skills competition, exhibition, and aconference.

According to the organisers, unlike any other vocational event, the iCreate 2018 skills competition will see the most talented technicians, artisans and innovators from over 50 universities, polytechnics and vocational training centres in the country showcase their excellent skills, compete for tremendous funding

Jaja Bright, Founder iCreate at the Youth Forum in Abu Dhabi.JPG

opportunities, as well as exclusive internship programmes.

FG Inaugurates N400m Flood, Erosion Control Project in Abia Emmanuel Ugwu, Umuahia The federal government has brought a sigh of relief to the people of Amachara in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State following the inauguration and handing over of a flood and erosion control project completed with funding from the Ecological Fund Office (EFO).

The project which was executed at a cost of over N400 million, was one of the two projects awarded by the federal government for the control of flood and erosion at a total cost of N0.7 billion.

The other project, which is nearing completion, is located at Okwe Obuohia in Ikwuano Local Government.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri said that the project was among 26 ecological intervention projects approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and awarded by the federal executive council in the first quarter of 2017.

“The conception and timely completion of this project is in line with the promise of this administration not to neglect any part of this country owing to its geographical location and or political persuasion,” he said.

The minister, who represented Mr. President at the event, further stated that the federal government “will ensure that all other intervention projects across the country are completed for the benefit of our people in furtherance to this administration’s commitment to equity, justice and fair play.”

He said that with the completion of the project the living standard of the people of the Amachara and its environs would be enhanced while the intervention project would also check the risks

Buhari

to lives and properties associated with erosion and persistent flooding.

In his remarks the member representing Ikwuano/ Umuahia federal constituency, Hon. Sam Onuigbo described the inauguration and handing over of the flood and erosion control project as “historic”, adding that it was a success story made possible with cooperation of all stakeholders.

Onuigbo, who was lauded by the minister and the EFO for his doggedness in attracting the project, said that the federal government has undertaken to execute two “massive” erosion control projects in his constituency, which is plagued by erosion.

He said that as the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on climate change, he appreciated the significance of the flood and erosion control projects in his constituency, noting that erosion menace is a major environmental problem.

“Being one of the largest exhibitions to emerge from the continent, the iCreate exhibition will

bring top manufacturers, employers, sponsors and clients, face to face with the best vocational experts, innovators and a pool of young creative minds doing phenomenal things on the continent,” Mr. Jaja Bright, Founder, iCreate, said.

“The conference will deal with the fundamental issue of infrastructure and policy.

We will host over 300 top government officials, policy makers and drivers, as well as vocational experts to discover the structures, opportunities, and policies in place to build the vocational sector of the Nigerian economy.

“We will chart direction and unravel potential opportunities available to youths and Nigerians seeking economic opportunities through vocational skills. iCreate 2018 will expose young Nigerians andevery participant to the value and promise the vocational sector holds, shedding light on the indispensable role of vocational skills in the growth and evolution of the Nigerian economy,” Bright noted.

Ize-Iyamu Moves for Youths Involvement in Governance As part of efforts to galvanise Nigerian youths towards playing active roles in governance, Rev. David Ize-Iyamu, has launched a youths specific movement, Youth Revolution Movement. While unveiling the movement in Lagos, Ize-Iyamu who said the aim was also to prepare young Nigerians for leadership, governance, and active involvement in the electoral process.

Ize-Iyamu, who is also an administrator and a nationalist explained the need for youths to actively participate in electoral processes from voter registration, through standing for election, to effective leadership as their peers across the globe are taking positions of leadership in their various countries.

He said, "From Lagos, we are launching the movement in other geopolitical groups in Nigeria. YRM seeks to transit Nigerian youths from being passive onlookers at the electoral process, to being committed active participants who become the change they seek. The movement is neither violent nor militant, but a peaceful, yet firm and structured drive towards positive self-determination, national pride, social consciousness, and actual measurable change.

"It is no secret that the youth population is the largest subgroup in our national demography, but unfortunately the larger percentage of this subgroup exhibit severe apathy towards leadership, politics or governance. I don't blame them really, as this has been a direct consequence of the lack of inspiring leadership that we

all have experienced and groaned under, in our recent history."

Contrary to the claim of some critics that youths have lost faith in the country due to bad governance, Ize-Iyamu added that youths have to be given renewed hope in our country as they must truly believe in Nigeria again, and buy into owning this process of national re-evolution.

On the difference between YRM and similar groups that emerged before previous elections, Ize-Iyamu explained that his group will not only engage presidential aspirants before the election but will also ensure they implement their electoral promises and make them accountable to the electorates.

He added, "Nigerian youths today are well informed, and aware of the leadership role that youths across the world are taking in driving social, political and economic change.

"For instance, Nollywood was created from scratch by Nigerian youths without government support. YRM is out to mobilise Nigerian youths to take Centre-stage in crafting the future of Nigeria. Our youths are no longer moved by rhetoric. Their conversations on social media, on the streets, and in organised forums, show that they crave inspired, responsible, empathetic, and credible leadership.

"The YRM intends to inform, educate, lead, and sometimes incentivise the youths, to action and participation in the political value-chain.

We will show practical and dynamic approaches to achieve solutions to national problems, and inspire the youths to take responsibility for those solutions."

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25.05.2018

Nwankwo: Defeating the Godfathers in Anambra Was My Most Fulfilling Moment Hon. Ben Nwankwo is a three-time member of House of Representatives. Nwankwo, who represents Orumba North and South Federal Constituency in Anambra State in this interview with Anayo Okolie, spoke of his growing up, his most fulfilling moments in life and how his style of politics has contributed to his success How was your growing up?

My growing was an uptight process. I grew up as a last child in a family of 10 and had a very disciplined father that brought me very close to him, inspired me and brought me up as if he saw my tomorrow as a father, inculcated in me certain attitudes and core values that have not departed from me up till now and were in tandem with the type of training I received in primary and secondary school, schools are catholic constitutions. I imbibed those doctrines that equipped me especially in terms of morality and growing up and to that extent I found myself being goal driven. As a child I didn’t know I was leading. I formed the first village youth forum at the of 12 and I felt I was too young to lead it and I gave the leadership to someone else and retained the secretaryship of the association and that took me to my secondary school, I left for secondary school from Primary 5 and I went to a very core Catholic school St. Michael’s College Nimo, a school with high record of academic excellence and discipline. If you really want to discipline your child then, you have to wait for the opportunity to come so that you register him in that school. It was very competitive and that made me from the day one to be result-oriented and goal focused, there was no time for playing around and my father then, before even the end of the term he was already aware of the day he was to come and pick you up and from there without even my knowledge, a father turned his son to his Personal Assistant and personal secretary. I grew up seeing people every day in our house, my father was involved in community leadership and was a politician as well. I was involved in every meeting because I had to take account of every meeting, my heart would beat because I had to take minutes of every meeting. So, I developed that skill right from childhood. All in all, I have to say that I am proud of my childhood, I am proud of my father and I also give God the glory for the grace He put upon me right from childhood. I had always been easily spotted out from among the crowd. I led so many of my classes and associations. I found myself in various leadership positions in my childhood and those prepared me for all I am encountering in my adulthood. Very interesting and challenging childhood you may say but what I love most was getting involved in organising people at a very young and tender age and making sure that people are happy.

I was always so much afraid of losing my friends or team members, so I always check on them. When I was in school, during evening classes I provide chewing gum and candies that would make people not to sleep in class during evening classes, I always place them on my table and that way I got very popular in every school that I passed or in every club, society or movement that I belonged to, people always want to have me at leadership position. This made me venture into politics at a very young age, to the extent that at the age of 25, I was already Personal Assistant to the first Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife. I was his only Personal Assistant, he never had two. If I wasn’t prepared for these challenges I wouldn’t have come on board as early as 25. At 25, I was already good to go and that was the beginning of my political career in the Nigerian Project. From there, I became Special Adviser to former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju and later appointed Commissioner. I was Commissioner for Special Duties handling priority matters of the government and that of the governor as well, from there to Ministry of Works and Transport, from Ministry of Works and Transport to Ministry of Finance and Budget as a commissioner as well, from there involved on to Housing and Urban Development, I was never dropped in any of the cabinet shake ups, rather I was the recurring decimal and as well the standard deviation. Of course, you know there will be many changes but I will always be retained until I resigned to contest for the seat of Orumba North and South Federal Constituency in 2003, an election that I won and it was given

a university.

Even so, I have tried to tell my people to bring out university territories among those communities with big land mass, so that we may have one or two or even three public or private universities. I know what my people need the best, a lot of our young men are endowed academically so apart from being NCE, OND and HND holders, I need a degree awarding institution in Orumba and if I don’t achieve this before bowing out from the green chambers, I will consider it a very serious weakness.

Nwankwo

to someone who never contested the election. I went to court and challenged that and by 2005, I got it back and saw myself in the House of Representatives and between that time and now, I have been in and out of the Green Chambers. I was there in the 5th Assembly, I was there in 7th Assembly and also a member of the present 8th Assembly. That is my personal resume per se.

and economically. Having to open up the social and economic spaces for my people and able to attract visible, verifiable, concrete social and economic amenities within the communities that I have represented over the years, these have given me the greatest happiness. In this case, I acknowledge the fact that they reaffirmed that I am a messenger unto my people.

What are your most fulfilling activities or moments in life?

The successes in the battles with the godfathers in Anambra State, there have been very many fulfilling moments in my life. I do not want to reopen old wounds. In three occasions, I have had come across serious battles with the godfathers who would want to dictate for my people the leadership that they should have, who would want to short-change, who would want to re-colonise my people and I had always resisted them. Three times I had a head-on collision with them and three times I won them usually through the court process. Those moments were fulfilling not withstanding the bad side, they toughened me, made me whom I am today that I can stand on my own make a proclamation of being accountable only to my people and to my God and that stands, that’s very fulfilling to me; and since then I am standing on it and have been able to fulfill what I have promised them, never to short-change them at any point in my life and God bearing me witness I have never and will never short-change them rather I will leave politics. I am in politics because of them not because of myself.

God knows also that I have always been poorer each time I am in a public position than I am in private sector because I give all I have to my people because they deserve those things. I do it because they have always trusted me with their collective interest. Who are mine after all? I came from one of the smallest communities in the constituency, I have stood in Anambra State election four times and four times I have won the general elections.

I do not know of any legislator who has stood election four times and won all. What else can be more fulfilling than this?

What role has your family played in your success as a politician?

Apart from the love of God, my family has given me the greatest love. The love I derive from my family is legendary, they have always been there even in those times when for one reason or the other I did not devote enough time to pray.

They were there to cover the gap! They have been supportive of my people-centred politics and they understand that the sacrifices that I have to make is unavoidable; that is putting my people ahead of my family, their understanding of this is quite fantastic and I consider it the highest sacrifice they have made. In very many cases, my type of politics would result into crisis but it didn’t.

I think they have come to the understanding that they don’t come first, but that the people I represent do and God knows that is how it is.

What do you consider as your greatest accomplishment in life?

My greatest accomplishment is having played people-centred politics; people being at the centre of whatever I do. Apart from the obligation I owe to my God, the next is to my people. Breaking it down to derivatives, having empowered many people including people that I don’t know; paying school fees, medical fees, giving leg up supports to people that I hadn’t come in contact with, having to uplift them socially

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

From the discussion you should be able to know my strength. My weaknesses are those arising from human error, errors of the head not errors of the heart. Also, not having enough time to reach out to the people that I was supposed to reach and I am seizing this opportunity to apologise to those people; I know that in some cases they needed me, but I did not have all the time in the world to be there for them.

My weakness also has been in nationalistic and cosmopolitan thinking, to the extent that I have not given in to pre-modial considerations, even when people are supposed to be canvassing for ethnic issues, I canvassed for nationalism so that we would all have a country to canvass for our personal issues; I consider that a weakness, because some people are very tribalistic in nature.

Finally, I look at my shortcomings in the area of having not gotten the best result that I desire in the issue of erosion, which matters most to my people; having not achieved the objective of getting a university within the Orumba community, which I consider a natural academic centre/community because of the serenity of the environment. It is not that I don’t appreciate the fact that the two local governments that I represent have a Federal Polytechnic and Federal College of Education respectively, but it has always been my desire to see to the conversion of any of the two into

With the recent drama that took place at the National Assembly, specifically, the attack on the Senate and Mace was made away with; and other atrocities all over the country, are you still hopeful that things can get better?

Well, those are indications that democracy is not thriving well and it is not being properly driven in Nigeria. We are still practising what I consider to be weak democracy, with very weak public institutions and institutions of democracy. Those are all indications that we are still in experimental stage, we have not been able to institutionalise democracy in our national DNA and it is rather unfortunate because after very many years of nationalism, we shouldn’t be talking about monkeying about with democracy here and there, people not being properly and sufficiently educated about the principles of separation of power, checks and balances, democratic norms and principles, issues that border on national interest etc. What I see is that we play too much of politics and little of nation-building, and that is getting the country weaker and weaker by the day; we need to understand that the essence of politics is for nation-building. The vehicle for nation building is democracy, not necessarily politics, but here democracy means politics, simplicite!

Democracy should be streamed into our national DNA; it should be in our blood line and practiced in such a way that every person who is serving in politics understands that no matter how powerful you are, you are subordinated to the supreme power enshrined in the sovereignty of Nigeria. Things that you hear about like invasion of the Senate by thugs, is a national tragedy as far as I am concerned, it should not be heard of in a country like Nigeria and in the 21st century. If we look at our time and knowing that in transiting economy, overtaking is allowed, then we shouldn’t be doing certain things that make mockery of us, giving the international community the impression that we are making fools of ourselves and that we are incapable of handling our matters; that we are also incapable of driving national growth and imbibing the culture of democracy. That will also affect the level of responsibilities that will be entrusted on us internationally. Nigeria for instance has been canvassing for the membership of the Security Council in the United Nations, hence this act of thugs invading and stealing the mace from the Senate brings to question the integrity of our claims as being the most qualified African country to be in the Security Council of the UN. Also, we shouldn’t lose site of the fact that few years ago a woman, about the most respected in Africa (Okonjo Iweala) contested for the Presidency of the World Bank. I can tell you without fear of being contradicted, that she lost that election (70 per cent) because she is a Nigerian. Throughout the duration of this interview you would realise that I have consistently stated that we should be mindful of the impression that we convey to the outside from the inside, and that people are watching us; most importantly and dangerously too, our children are watching us. The other day my child asked me why is it that our seats in the green chambers are fixed? Is it that they are preventing us from throwing the chairs at each other? I felt so embarrassed by that question. So, apart from the international communities and our fellow African countries, our children are watching us, so we should be very careful with what we do.

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25.05.2018

Three Crowns Creamer Brings New Experience to Families Stories by Mary Ekah The race to milk consumption in Nigeria has over the years resulted in a significant increase in the number milk brands in Nigeria. So the category is brimming with dairy products all staking a claim to offering wholesome vitamins and minerals needed for healthy living. But the drive to get more Nigerians to consume milk suffered a huge setback as the country slipped into economic recession in 2016.

The recession resulted in loss of jobs or slash in personal income, rise in inflation and this had a severe effect on the purchasing power of consumers. Many of them in a bid to survive the harsh climate, down traded from their preferred dairy brands to cheaper option or even exit the dairy category completely. This apparently opened the consumers to health risk, and exposed a huge consumption gap in the segment.

Three Crowns Milk recently stepped in to fill that gap with the launch of an extension called Three Crowns Evaporated Creamer. The brand is a bridge between the high quality offering of the premium category and the affordability that the mass-market segment offers. With just N120, low end consumers can now enjoy the delicious and taste of a top milk brand, without leaving a hole in their pockets. More so, families who could no longer afford to buy milk due to the economic situation and high cost of

Three Crown family

the regular milk products can now return to a regular dairy consumption habit.

Three Crowns Creamer was first unveiled to Nigerian consumer on March 13, 2018. And to Friesland Campina, it is a reflection of how much the company’s loyalty to the Nigerian consumer.

Speaking at the product launch in Lagos, Mr. Ben Langat, Managing Director, Frieslandcampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, reiterated the company’s commitment to continue to nourish Nigerians with quality and unrivaled nutrition.

He said Three Crowns had been at the forefront of nourishing and providing quality diary

nutrition for mothers and their families. “Three Crowns is the first milk brand to show care for mothers and acknowledge the important role they play in the family. The brand recognises that when mothers, socially believed to be our primary care takers, are themselves taken care of, this directly and positively impacts the care they give to their families.”

His sentiment was reiterated by Omolara Banjoko, Senior Brand Manager, Three Crowns, who said the new product was very smooth and tasty, adding that “once you put a little drop into your cup of tea, you get a perfect

white and a perfect taste.”

At the onset of the launch there have been few questions, with people wanting to know if there was any difference between Three Crowns Milk and Three Crowns Creamer. But such inquisition quickly vanished when consumers began to use the Creamer, and notice that it is not just more affordable at N120, but it whitens tea faster.

“My tea and coffee gets whiter with just a few drops and it also let out that rich taste that my children love. And to cap it up it is very pocket friendly,” Fatima Adeleye a Lagos-based teacher said.

According to Chuka Anyanwu, trader in Lagos, Three Crowns Creamer provides a realistic alternative for consumers that care about eating healthy but worry about the high cost of milk.

“If you manage very well, you can actually afford to nourish your family with the goodness of milk, no matter your social status. After all, it’s just N120 and anybody I’m sure can afford that,” Anyanwu said.

Some analysts have said Three Crowns Creamer could not have come at a better time because, even though the economy is technically out of recession, many families are still shackled by the double digit inflation rate. So, the post-recession consumers are more careful about what they spend their money on. “So a brand like Three Crowns Creamer is sure to win because it brings value to the table at a more affordable price, Ganiyu Olowu a Lagos based brand analyst said.

Nutritionist Commends Chivita's 'No-added Sugar' Commitment The National Publicity Secretary of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Mr. Olusola Malomo, has hailed the juice making standards of Chivita100 per cent fruit juice, the flagship brand of Chi Limited, and its commitment to 'no-added sugar' process, describing it as a healthy substitute for raw fruits.

He explained: “100 per cent fruit juice is made from the flesh of fresh fruit or from whole fruit, depending on the type used. It is not permitted to add sugar, sweeteners, preservatives, flavouring or colourings to fruit juices. Chivita 100 per cent complies with these requirements as articulated by its production and packaging process."

Malomo, who led discussion at a media session held in Lagos on Tuesday, said 100 per cent fruit juice has same nutritional value with natural fruits and could help in detoxifying the body system while aiding weight loss when taken before breakfast.

He stated that regular consumption of 100 per cent fruit juice could also address modern health challenges caused by fewer minerals/ vitamins/antioxidants, processed foods, excess sugar, excess fat/cholesterol, improper chemical combination and excess animal fat.

The nutritionist further said: “It is often difficult to say which between raw fruit and fruit juice gives more nutrient to the body.

Although eating whole fruit is considered to be the best way of attaining the full benefits of fruits, fruit juice is an easy and healthy option.

L-R Senior Brand Manager (Juice, Nectar and Still Drinks), Chi Limited, Ademola Mafikuyomi; Head, Research and Development, Chi Limited, Ernest Ighravwe; National Publicity Secretary, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Olusola Malomo; and Assistant Brand Manager (Juice, Nectar and Still Drinks), Chi Limited, Olarenwaju Dapo, at the event

Of course, if the juice contains 100 per cent fruit without preservatives and additives, it has same nutritional value with natural fruit.

“With a busy lifestyle, our eating habits have become packed with preservatives and processed foods that are not only devoid of essential nutrients but can also cause some harm to the body. 100 per cent fruit juice helps to correct the harm caused by these new eating habits; boost the immune system and keep the body in perfect health.”

Malomo stated that 100 per cent fruit juice helps in lowering inflammation, noting that its consumption has a beneficial effect on

Fidson Calls for Preventive Action against Malaria In commemoration of the global celebration of the World Malaria Day on April 25 and as part of the effort to join the global community to ‘Beat Malaria’, Fidson Healthcare Plc has called on all Nigerians to embark on nationwide preventive actions against the threat of malaria.

This call was made by the Marketing Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Friday Enaholo during the Community Health Outreach event held at Odonla Primary Healthcare Centre as part of the company’s activities to increase awareness and promote advocacy against malaria in Nigeria, to commemorate the World Malaria Day. Speaking at the event, Enaholo advised Nigerians to fight malaria by preventing infection through the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS).

He also identified improved sanitation and avoidance of stagnant bodies of water as other veritable means of controlling malaria.

Enaholo expressed concern over malaria scourge in Nigeria, citing the 2015 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey reports on statistics credited to the National Malaria Elimination Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, which estimated that about 110 million clinically diagnosed cases of malaria and nearly 300,000

Yves Rocher Store at Palms Mall, Lekki

Fidson Healthcare Plc, Marketing Manager, Mr Friday Enaholo, presenting a mosquito net to one of the participants.

malaria-related childhood deaths occur each year. The report also indicated that in Nigeria, malaria is responsible for approximately 60 per cent of outpatient visits, 30 per cent of admissions, and also believed to contribute up to 11 per cent of maternal mortality, 25 per cent of infant mortality, and 30 percent of under-5 mortality.

He further explained that as a leading pharmaceutical company, Fidson is committed to the fight against malaria in Nigeria, primarily through the several enlightenment campaigns in communities as well as the provision and distribution of high-quality antimalarial drugs at affordable prices.

cardiovascular diseases. He described 100 per cent fruit juice as an appropriate healthy diet.

“When you drink fruit juice, the supply of energy increases in no time. This is one of the prime benefits of fruit juice that we can utilise in our busy schedules. This is the reason why athletes often drink fruit juice during and after exercising. It is also the same reason pregnant women are advised to often take it.”

He noted that sugar consumption is not entirely bad as long as it is within the recommended dietary requirement, adding that sugar is needed to supply the energy needed for the functioning of the body.

According to him, “sugar is not singularly responsible for obesity and diabetes. What causes these illnesses are primarily more related to lifestyle. Fruits or fruit juice are much more than just source of fructose (natural sugar that comes with fruit). There are lots of nutrients in them that are important for health. Moreover, sugar in fructose is very healthy.

“One small glass (150ml) of 100 per cent orange juice contains 100 per cent of the daily requirements of Vitamin C. The carbohydrates in 100 per cent fruit juice, including the sugars, are naturally occurring and comes from the whole fruit from which it is squeezed.”

On his part, the Managing Director, Chi Limited, Deepanjay Roy, said Chivita, as a brand, is concerned about the misconceptions on juice consumption, which are capable of creating needless barrier to enjoying the many nutritional benefits of 100 per cent juice.

“As a leading juice brand, we at Chivita are therefore not unmindful of the responsibility to create a platform for enlightened discourse on benefits of fruit and juice drinks and how it contributes to health and well-being of our nation. To do this, we hope to support the sharing of unbiased but balanced information on sugar intake and fruit juice by experts such as scientists, nutritionists and dietician. We will also create a sustainable dialogue on the truth and science of fruit juice and the natural sugar it contains."

Evolve Poised to Enhancing Lives for Better Lagosians experienced a first of its kind week-long life changing wellness programme by a newly launched company, Evolve. It kicked off with a full day event featuring five international speakers with years of experience in the wellness and healing space.

At the launch event themed ‘Be Your Greatest Self’, the founder of Evolve, Ravina Kirpalani explained to the audience how to feel energetic every day so that life can be experienced as a joy.

Ruchi Khanna, Hypnotherapist, Vedic Astrologer, author and developer of Immersive Therapy amazed the participants with the real truth about who we are and how we could tap into our life’s purpose to achieve our greatest potential.

Also speaking, Ronak Gajjar educated the audience on how to include meditation and yoga into our day so as to bring more peace and love into our lives. He believe he could be resourceful to those who come to him for healing and personal development, the “mindbody” balance.

Hamisha Daryani Ahuja impressed the participants with the popular Law of Attraction, showing them some simple techniques to help create abundance in all aspects of our lives.

Sarah Boulos also demonstrated the brain

Evolve… participants during one of the sessions

dance, which triggers both sides of our brain boosting our energy levels and activating our senses.

The event was a week-long workshop. The participant had the chance to attend yoga sessions including blindfolded yoga and partner yoga; mediation sessions; as well as a variety of workshops covering topics such as health, stress relief, energy flow and attraction rituals.

Overall it was an enlightening experience that left the audience wanting more.

Evolve is a company with the mission of enhancing people's live by helping them evolve personally and professionally; consequently giving them the ability to uplift those around them.

The aim is to instill and amplify the values of confidence and success that should transcend throughout Nigeria.

35/LIVING

25.05.2018

FERTILITY WITH DR. KEMI AILOJE

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

WHAT MEN NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR FERTILITY (PART 2) What are the most common infertility issues faced by men?

As mentioned in our last week’s edition, male infertility usually manifests as issues with the sperm or with the process of ejaculation. These can take many form but the most common problems seen by fertility specialists in infertility treatment include: r"[PPTQFSNJB 5IJT DPOEJUJPO JT EFà OFE BT the complete absence of sperm in semen or ejaculate. But the fact that you are ejaculating seminal fluid does not mean they contain sperm to fertilise eggs and form babies. r 0MJHPTQFSNJB 5IJT DPOEJUJPO NFBOT MPX sperm count (15 million to greater than 200 million per millimeter is considered normal). r$POHFOJUBM BCTFODF PG UIF 7BT %FGFSFOT 5IF tube which transports sperm to the penis in the event of ejaculation did not develop before birth. r&KBDVMBUPSZ %VDU 0CTUSVDUJPO &%0 *T B blockage in a man’s ejaculatory ducts, which maybe caused by injury or infection. r 1PPS 4QFSN .PUJMJUZ PS .PSQIPMPHZ 1PPS sperm motility means the sperm do not swim properly towards the egg, while poor morphology means that most sperm appear with abnormal forms or shapes which does not allow for normal fertilisation to occur. r7BSJDPDFMF 4PNFUJNFT XF à OE TPNF NFO develop enlarge varicose vein in the scrotum, which can affect reproductive function in several ways. r1SFNBUVSF &KBDVMBUJPO 5IJT PDDVST XIFOB man consistently ejaculates before penetrating the vagina which can be caused by prostate health issues, mental issues etc. r&SFDUJMF %ZTGVODUJPO 5IJT PDDVST XIFO B NBO DBOOPU HFU PS LFFQ BO FSFDUJPO à SN FOPVHI GPS sexual intercourse.

Treatment of male infertility .BOZ GFSUJMJUZ DMJOJDT XJUI TQFDJBMJTUT DBO USFBU male infertility depending on the source of problem

5&4&

E .JDSPTVSHJDBM &QJEJEZNBM 4QFSN "TQJSBUJPO F .JDSPTVSHJDBM 5FTUJDVMBS 4QFSN &YUSBDUJPO G 0QFO 'JOF /FFEMF "TQJSBUJPO FUD 4QFSN PCUBJOFE UISPVHI BOZ PG UIJT QSPDFTT BCPWF JT VTVBMMZ VTFE GPS *7' *$4* *OUSB $ZUPQMBTNJD 4QFSN *OKFDUJPO QSPDFEVSF BOE mostly done by specialists in most cases urologists under ultrasound guidance. %POPS TQFSN NBZ CF B MBTU SFTPSU JO TPNF DBTFT especially in genetic causes of male factor infertility when medical and surgical interventions fail.

either medically, or may in case of blockage or varicocele have surgical repairs recommended. r 7BTFDUPNZ 3FWFSTBM 5IJT USFBUNFOU PS techniques is used where the original vasectomy was performed, a surgeon can often reconnect the tubes and normal reproductive functions restored. r &KBDVMBUPSZ %VDU 3FTFDUJPO 5IJT JT B QSPDFEVSF r7BSJDPDFMF 3FQBJS 7BSJDPDFMF JT BO FOMBSHFNFOU PG the veins within the scrotum, repairing varicocele may provide a better environment for sperm, which could help to improve sperm count, motility and morphology. r4QFSN 3FUSJFWBM *G B QBUJFOU DBOOPU QSPEVDF sperm naturally the doctor can use one of the following techniques: B 1FSDVUBOFPVT &QJEJEZNBM 4QFSN "TQJSBUJPO 1&4"

C 5FTUJDVMBS 4QFSN "TQJSBUJPO 5&4"

D .JDSPTVSHJDBM 5FTUJDVMBS 4QFSN &YUSBDUJPO

Prevention 4PNF UZQF PG NBMF JOGFSUJMJUZ BSF QSFWFOUBCMF while some are not since they may be genetic, IPXFWFS UIFSF BSF TUJMM TPNF XF DBO BWPJE reduce their effect by doing the following: r"WPJE TNPLJOH r 3FEVDF TUSFTT r&BU IFBMUIZ CBMBODFE EJFUT r"WPJE B WBTFDUPNZ r"WPJE UIJOHT UIBU FYQPTF UIF UFTUJDMFT UP prolonged heat r"WPJE FYQPTVSF UP QFTUJDJEFT IFBWZ NFUBMT and other toxins.

Psychological Effect of Male Infertility 3FTFBSDI TVHHFTUT UIBU NFO BOE XPNFO EJGGFS JO UIFJS QTZDIPMPHJDBM SFTQPOTF UP JOGFSUJMJUZ 8IJMF men and women are equally affected by the VOGVMÃ MMFE EFTJSF GPS B DIJME NFO BSF TPNFUJNFT less expressive than the women, they however undergo various battles when facing personal infertility. These battles include anxiety concerning potency, masculinity, and sexual adequacy, which TFFNT MJLF BO BTTBVMU PO UIF NBO T TFMG FTUFFN leaving them with a feeling of competition and castration. These feeling of stress, depression, guilt or anxiety in infertile men can further cause psychogenic impotence, which heightens the feeling of inadequacy that already accompanies infertility. The psychological stress of infertility

has been shown to affect sperm parameters in TJHOJÃ DBOU BOE EFNPOTUSBCMF XBZT UIBU NBZ GVSUIFS DPOUSJCVUF UP EJGÃ DVMUJFT XJUI FSFDUJMF QPUFODZ &NPUJPOBM SFBDUJPOT UP UIF JOGFSUJMJUZ may alter or even undermine previous sense of self as sexually adequate. *OGFSUJMJUZ XFJHIT PO UIF NJOET PG NBOZ NBMFT as this creates mental instability, which often results in impotency.

Psychological causes of impotency includes: r$MJOJDBM EFQSFTTJPO r.FEJDBUJPOT r 'BUJHVF r4USFTT r3FMBUJPOTIJQ JTTVF r4PDJBM JOUFSBDUJPO The above listed issues can arise as a result of the psychological effect of infertility in men.

Psychological treatment ]The most prevalent psychological management is counselling, marriage therapy and supportive QBSUOFS XJGF .FO OBUVSBMMZ CBSFMZ TFFL DPVOTFMMJOH )PXFWFS JU IBT CFFO TDJFOUJÃ cally proven that men, who seek specialist counselling, which allows them to express UIFJS TPVSDFT PG BOYJFUZ BOE MPTT PG DPOÃ EFODF in sexual adequacy often feel, cope better and are able to seek solution to infertility and BEFRVBUF TFYVBM MJGF %FBMJOH PQFOMZ XJUI POF T QBSUOFS TQPVTF IBT BMTP CFFO GPVOE to help the men cope better especially when they seek counselling as a couple.

For many couples struggling to conceive, seeking help can feel hopeful and overwhelm JOH 8IFO GBDFE XJUI NBMF JOGFSUJMJUZ EP OPU walk on a lonely path, talk to your fertility TQFDJBMJTU BCPVU JU BOE ZPV XPVME CF BNB[FE that for most type of male factor causing infertility listed, there are solutions with the pos sibility of having children and healthy sexual life.

OPINION

HOW PETER OBI TOUCHED MY HEART Emmanuel Yawe 'PSNFS HPWFSOPS PG "OBNCSB 4UBUF .S 1FUFS 0CJ IBT KVTU UPVDIFE NZ IFBSU 3FDFOUMZ IF QBJE B WJTJU UP 4U 1FUFS T $PMMFHF MPDBUFE JO UIF SBUIFS SFNPUF WJMMBHF PG (BSBLV JO /BTBSBXB 4UBUF i5IJT JT UIF Ã STU UJNF B QFSTPOBMJUZ PG IJT TUBUVT XJMM WJTJU UIJT TDIPPM u 3FWFSFOE 4BBPOEP UIF 1SJODJQBM PG UIF TDIPPM QSPVEMZ QSPDMBJNFE )F said since the school was set up, not even a local government chairman has cared to visit it.

This was not just a flying visit. The former governor spent the whole day with the students – worshiping, playing and eating the same food in the school’s dining hall together. *U SFNJOEFE NF PG UIF EBZ PVS TUBUF .JMJUBSZ (PWFSOPS JO UIF EFGVODU #FOVF 1MBUFBV 4UBUF 1PMJDF $PNNJTTJPOFS +PTFQI (PNXBML UPPL UIF "ENJOJTUSBUPS PG UIF UIFO &BTU $FOUSBM 4UBUF .S Ukpabi Asika to our secondary school. The civil XBS IBE KVTU FOEFE BOE UIF SPBE GSPN +PT UP (CPLP XIFSF PVS #SJTUPX 4FDPOEBSZ 4DIPPM XBT MPDBUFE XBT B EFBUI USBQ +PT UP (CPLP JT MFTT than 500 kilometres but in those days, it took a whole day or two days to make the journey. #VU UIFSF XBT + % (PNXBML UBMM ZPVOH IF must have been in his early thirties), handsome and humorous with his guest all the way from &OVHV JO &BTU $FOUSBM 4UBUF 8F XFSF MJUFSBMMZ JO DMPVE TFWFO XIFO IF BEEFE i* IBWF DPNF to show you one of the schools we are proud PG JO #FOVF 1MBUFBV 4UBUF u )F UPME VT BCPVU UIF NBO .S 8JMMJBN .VLDMF Bristow in whose honour the school was named; IPX IF XBT UIF à STU 1SJODJQBM PG (JOEJSJ #PZT )JHI 4DIPPM BOE IF (PNXBML XBT UIF à STU )FBE #PZ PG UIF TDIPPM 8F MFBSOU BCPVU UIF HSFBU good works Bristow had done all over northern Nigeria to educate young northern children like us. Finally, he exhorted us to aspire to be as HSFBU BT 8 . #SJTUPX

Former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi (middle), presenting a cheque of one million Naira to St. Peter's Secondary School, Garaku, Nasarawa State…recently.

6LQBCJ "TJLB BMTP TQPLF )F EJE OPU IBWF UIF DIBSN FMFHBODF BOE IVNPVS PG (PNXBML )F was a bit plump and short; his gottie beard made IJN MPPL SBUIFS GVOOZ )F NBEF B TIPSU IBSEMZ audible speech. But it was enough to us that such an important man in Nigeria followed our governor to hear the success story of our school.

0VS 1SJODJQBM .JTT (FSBMEJOF 7BOEFOCFSH BO American lady always felt proud when such people came and appreciated what she was doing in Nigeria. The whole visit which did not last up to one hour has remained indelible in my memory.

Gomwalk and Asika were old pals at Nigeria’s 1SFNJFS 6OJWFSTJUZ JO *CBEBO CFGPSF UIF QPMJUJDBM crisis that plunged Nigeria into a civil war. By some strange coincidence, Asika remained in *CBEBO BT PUIFS *CPT áFE UP UIF &BTU UP MBUFS EFDMBSF B 3FQVCMJD PG #JBGSB (PXPO JO BQQSFDJBUJPO PG his commitment to Nigeria’s unity made him

UIF "ENJOJTUSBUPS PG UIF OFXMZ DSFBUFE &BTU $FOUSBM 4UBUF 5IFJS WJTJU UP #SJTUPX JOTQJSFE NBOZ PG VT 8F too wanted to go to that university that produced the Gomwalks and Asikas of this world. Thank God, some of us lived to achieve that feat and CFDBNF QSPVE QSPEVDUT PG UIF Ã STU BOE UIF CFTU VOJWFSTJUZ JO /JHFSJB m UIF 6OJWFSTJUZ PG *CBEBO Those were the days governors took pride in FEVDBUJOH ZPVOH POFT * SFNFNCFS UIF JODSFEJCMF UIJOH UIF 4BSEBVOB PG 4PLPUP 4JS "INBEV #FMMP 1SFNJFS PG UIF /PSUIFSO 3FHJPO EJE JO UIF 'JSTU 3FQVCMJD XIFO POF +PIO 0OBJZJLBO QSPEVDFE the best secondary school result in the whole PG 8FTU "GSJDB )F ESPWF TUSBJHIU UP UIF TDIPPM DPNQPVOE PG 4U .JDIBFM T 4FDPOEBSZ 4DIPPM JO "MJBEF JO #FOVF 1SPWJODF BOE PGGFSFE UIF brilliant pupil a scholarship to study whatever course in whatever country of the world of his DIPJDF +PIO 0OBJZJLBO EFDJEFE UP CF B QSJFTU

5PEBZ IF JT B $BSEJOBM 8IBU BNB[FT NF BCPVU UIF DSPQ PG MFBEFST we have today is their lack of interest in the FEVDBUJPO PG UIF TP DBMMFE iMFBEFST PG UPNPSSPXu $PNQBSFE XJUI UIFJS QSFEFDFTTPST PG UIF T and 70’s, their attitude is most regrettable. This poor attitude is most prevalent in the northern QBSU PG UIJT DPVOUSZ "T B OPSUIFSOFS NZTFMG * GFFM NPTU BTIBNFE XIFO * TFF UIF IPSEF PG CFHHBST roaming menacingly on the streets.

The ugliest sights are those of the young CFHHBST LOPXO BT "MNBKFSJ 4PNF QFPQMF USZ to justify this inhuman and repugnant system PO UIF CBTJT PG *TMBN * IBWF TQPLFO UP NBOZ BVUIPSJUJFT JO *TMBN BOE UIFZ BMM BHSFF UIBU *TMBN EPFT OPU FODPVSBHF CFHHJOH PS UIF most irresponsible behaviour of giving birth to children and throwing them on the streets.

5IJT QSBDUJDF JT OPU *TMBNJD The Almajeri system provides the foot soldiers for the murders, rapes, kidnappings, Boko )BSBN BOE UIF IFSETNFO NBZIFN UIBU IBT turned the once peaceful and expansive space of northern Nigeria into one big slaughter house.

Northern governors must show active interest JO UIF FEVDBUJPO PG UIF ZPVOHFS HFOFSBUJPO 7JTJUT MJLF XIBU 1FUFS 0CJ EJE JO (BSBLV XJMM DFSUBJOMZ IFMQ JO NPUJWBUJOH UIF ZPVOH MBET * BN B MJWJOH example. Gomwalk and Asika inspired me to study BU UIFJS BMNB NBUFS 6NBSV 5BOLP "M .BLVSB UIF HPWFSOPS PG /BTBSBXB 4UBUF XIFSF 1FUFS 0CJ WJTJUFE MBTU XFFL IBT EPOF B HPPE KPC JO renovating primary and secondary schools in UIF TUBUF )F OFFET UP HP CFZPOE UIBU (FTUVSFT MJLF UIPTF PG 1FUFS 0CJ DFSUBJOMZ IFMQ * IBWF OFWFS NFU 1FUFS 0CJ * IPQF UP EP TP someday and shake his hands to say “Your &YDFMMFODZ ZPV UPVDIFE NZ IFBSU XJUI ZPVS WJTJU UP 4U 1FUFST 4FDPOEBSZ 4DIPPM (BSBLV u t:BXF JT B .FEJB $POTVMUBOU

36

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͳ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

37/THISLIFE

25.05.2018

A Life of Excellence Aminu Bello Masari’s early life was built on diligence, industry and honesty. Even as governor, he has stayed through to his tenets. Charles Ajunwa writes When Aminu Bello Masari received his first School Leaving Certificate in 1963, at the age of 13, he probably knew little about what the future held for him, that he had been destined to become one of the most relevant men of his time. These sorts of grand thoughts, in any way, mattered little to the young Masari. He could not read the mind of God, but he knew, deep within, that with hard work, honesty and the will of God, no height was too high to reach, nothing too big to accomplish. With this simple but powerful approach to life, he resolved to take on the vicissitudes of life.

Between 1964 and 1968, the young Masari attended Government Secondary School, Funtua, where he received an extensive training and passed out with a General Certificate of Education. The next year, Masari began his Civil Service career at the North Central State Water Board as Technical Assistant.

The job was not a plum assignment. But Masari was not in a hurry to achieve greatness.

He dug in and did his work dutifully while ensuring he continued to educate himself. After attending the necessary training programmes, in 1972, he was promoted to Assistant Works Supreteindent. His work yielded dividends.

By 1987, he had rose to the rank of Chief Procurement Officer at the then Kaduna State Water Board. The state government, noting his industry, sponsored him to attend Middlesex Polytechnic in the United Kingdom where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in 1987.

Masari’s star was beginning to shine.

That same year – 1987 – Katsina State was created and Masari was transferred to the Katsina State Water Board, where he was appointed as the state’s District Manager of its Water Board. While there, he continued to distinguish himself and, in 1991, he was promoted to the position of Assistant General Manager of Operations at Board.

Naturally, Masari’s diligence at the Water Board had not gone unnoticed and when, in 1992, political activities were reintroduced by the then Babangida Military Administration, Masari was appointed as the Honourable Commissioner of Works, Housing and Transport by then Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Saidu Barda.

In 1993, Masari threw himself into the arena of partisan politics and put himself up for election as the representative of the people of Malumfashi, Kafur and Danja Local Governments at the Constitutional Conference. He won. In 1999, again, he contested and won elections under the Peoples Democratic Party as Honourable Member representing Malumfashi/Kafur Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives. He was re-elected to the same position in 2003 and subsequently became the Rt. Honourable Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.

In recognition of the services rendered to the country, Masari has received the National Award of honour as the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2005 by the then President and Commander – in – Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Back home in Katsina State, the Late Emir of Katsina Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammadu Kabir Usman, found Masari a worthy son of the soil who contributed immensely to the development of, not only the Katsina Emirate, but the State in general and bestowed on him the prestigious title of Dallatun Katsina. On his part, the Emir of Daura, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar bestowed on Masari the title of Matawallen Hausa. From faraway Potiskum, Yobe State, came the chieftaincy tittle of Shetima Alama of Potiskum conferred on Masari by the Mai of Potiskum, Umaru Ibn Wuriwa Bauya 1.

The academic community has not been left behind in finding Masari worthy of accolades: Honorary Doctorate Degrees of Letters (Honoris Causa) have been awarded to him by the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State; University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Houdegbe University of Benin Republic.

Masari has also received the United States Congressional Commendation Award by the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus. He was also inducted into the Africa Leadership Hall of

Masari...a servant leader

Fame by the African Leadership Magazine.

On May 29, 2015, Masari was sworn-in as the Executive Governor of Katsina State under the aegis of the All Progressives Congress, a job on which he has brought with him his mark of excellence. From a state struggling to balance its books, Masari has transformed Katsina into one of the most equitable and

He could not read the mind of God, but he knew, deep within, that with hard work, honesty and the will of God, no height was too high to reach, nothing too big to accomplish.

With this simple but powerful approach to life, he resolved to take on the vicissitudes of life

prosperous states in the federation with special focus on developing road infrastructure, building a quality education and health sector, all while ensuring that the welfare of workers are duly looked after. Katsina is among the elite states in the country that do not owe its workers their salaries.

Masari’s work as governor has not gone unnoticed. The Sun Newspaper, by a decision of its Editorial Board found him as the most suitable for Courage in Leadership Award in 2016.

Earlier this year, at the Zik Prize Award, which is organised by the Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre, Masari was honoured with the 2017 Zik Leadership Prize on Good Governance. There, the Governor was described by the organisers as a “dogged fighter” and a seasoned administrator who focused on peopleoriented reforms and massive grassroots and infrastructural development projects across his state.

On May 29, Masari is set to celebrate his birthday and third year in office as governor, and it is only expected that a man of his caliber deserves more accolades. This is a man who rises at midnight and drives himself around to inspect state projects, a man whose personal

integrity continues to stand him out in the comity of state administrators, a man whose vision for his state is as clear as daylight.

“In Katsina State, we are really very glad and lucky that we have Aminu Bello Masari,” one of Masari’s senior media aides, Abdu Labaran, has said. “The truth is that if it was anybody else, we will not be able to do most of the things we are doing today. Before he left office, the former governor, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, hinted publicly that whoever gets elected will not be able to pay more than the first three months of state salaries. But, today, Katsina State is among the only four states, along with Lagos, Rivers and Kano, that pay their workers as at when due, without waiting for federal allocation. And you have to understand what the other three states generate internally per month is twice what Katsina gets from Abuja. What Apapa, a local government in Lagos State, generates in a month is more than the entire budget of Katsina State. Believe me, Katsina has never had it this good in terms of development projects across the state.”

During his inaugural speech in 2015, Masari’s promise to the people of Katsina was to reverse the “negative trend” the state had been on. So far, he has not disappointed.

38/PERSPECTIVE

25.05.2018

New Excise Duty on Alcohol and Looming Health Crisis from Ogogoro, Kai-kai Consumption Amadi Ndukwe With dwindling revenue from oil, increase in government indebtedness and ballooning budget deficit at the federal level, it has become imperative for the government to look at other options for revenue generation.

One sector of the economy which the federal government has decided to tap into for additional income is the tobacco and alcoholic beverage sub-sector, which will have new excise duty rates with effect from June 4, 2018.

The new policy initiative was announced by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, in March.

She noted that the new rates were spread over a three-year period beginning from 2018 to 2020 in order to moderate the impact on prices of the affected products.

A breakdown of the new tariff indicates that under the newly approved rates for tobacco, in addition to the 20 per cent ad-valorem rate, each stick of cigarette will attract a N1 (N20 per pack of 20 sticks) in 2018, N2 specific rate per stick (N40 per pack of 20 sticks) in 2019 and N2.90k specific rate per stick (N58 per pack of 20 sticks) in 2020.

The new rates for alcoholic beverages cut across beer and stout, wines and spirits for the three years 2018 to 2020. Under the new regime, beer and stout would attract N0.30k per centiliter (Cl) in 2018 and N0.35k per Cl each in 2019 and 2020.

Wines would attract N1.25k per Cl in 2018 and N1.50k per Cl each in 2019 and 2020, while N1.50k per Cl was approved for Spirits in 2018, N1.75k per Cl in 2019 and N2.00k per Cl in 2020.

This, to the minister, is another avenue for government to generate more revenue in order to run the country effectively.

Since the announcement by the federal government, mixed reactions have trailed the approval among operators, organised private sector and Nigerians.

Some are supporting the federal government for approving the new tariff rates, seeing it as an opportunity for consumers of these commodities to have a rethink as it would reduce their intake due to the health hazard effect.

Many stakeholders such as the organised private sector, labour organisations among others have kicked against the hike which is envisaged to impose untold hardship to the manufacturing sector in view of higher operational costs which would crumble their businesses thereby sending many employees jobless.

Stakeholders are alarmed that the planned upward review of excise duty on locally produced alcoholic beverages and tobacco, would endanger 250, 000 jobs and an investment portfolio of about N420 billion.

As ominous as these risks are, a more dangerous and life threatening possibility is the looming health crisis as a result of consumers shifting their consumption to illicit and local gins popularly called Ogororo, Kai-kai or Akpeteshi.

Recall the killer gins incidences in 2015? Over 100 persons reportedly died in various parts of the country following consumption of locally brewed Ogororo, Kai-kai or Akpeteshi.

A recent study by KPMG has shown that 78.6 per cent of consumption in the spirits market consists of low priced value products and is dominated by mass market and low-income consumers.

Other findings from the KPMG study titled ‘Excise Duty Changes for Spirits and Wine in Nigeria’ indicated that availability of spirits in small packs and bottles has also driven growth amongst the low-income consumers and this low income segment is highly price sensitive and are likely to gravitate towards cheaper illicit products following sudden income or product price rises According to Euromonitor, in 2016, economic recession drove many low income consumers to switch to illicit products Premium/ imported spirits are mostly consumed by upper-middle and high-income consumers and represent 9.8 per cent of the spirits segment and less than one per cent of the overall alcoholic beverages industry.

The study also revealed a recent downward shift of premium consumers to mid-priced products due to economic recession. In addition, consumption of premium spirits is considered a status symbol by young middle class customers, who in periods of economic decline are also likely to switch from mid-priced and premium

Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun

spirits to other spirits or relatively lower priced alcoholic drinks According to KPMG, spirits and wines are more price elastic than beer, therefore significant increases in excise duty rates may result in migration of consumption to the illicit market.

The spirits and wine price elasticity in Nigeria is indirectly extrapolated to be -2.14 and -2.09 respectively.

Analysis of data from benchmark countries shows: that average beer-spirit price elasticity margin is -0.21 while average beer-wine price elasticity margin is -0.151.

Using the average price elasticity data derived from benchmarks to extrapolate the elasticity of spirits and wine in Nigeria using a beer price elasticity of -1.942 as the baseline, KPMG noted that “A disproportionate excise change induced price hike may result in significant switching of consumption to the illicit market.”

Accordingly, a change in excise from an estimated 613 kobo per cl to NGN 2 per cl will result in a 19 per cent increase in price while a 19 per cent increase in price will result in a 41 per cent decline in volume (based on the price elasticity of -2.14) and this is predominant in the low price segment (which represents 78.65 per cent of the total volume).

There is huge potential for increased illicit which has significant health risks.

In the absence of reliable data on Nigeria, the prevalence of unrecorded alcohol consumption in comparative SSA countries like Kenya (63 per cent) and Ghana (50 per cent) suggest a high informal alcohol consumption potential in Nigeria Furthermore, in recent years, Nigeria has shown a high susceptibility to the impacts of unmitigated alcohol consumption. In 2016, there were a number of health cases reported by the Nigerian Press attributed to illegal consumption, production or bootlegging of spirits and wine products these included: · 5 reported incidences across 4 states in the country. · 81 fatalities, 3 injuries and 77 deaths were directly attributed to the consumption of illicit gin. · 4 deaths were also attributed to deadly fire accident relating to storage of illicit brewed gin.

Given the challenges of border control and the illicit market, price increase driven by higher

excise duty rates may result in loss of government revenue, increase in illicit alcohol consumption and significant health risks.

The challenges of border control presents a potential risk of increase in smuggling activities Nigeria’s border administration ranking is one of the least developed among peer countries.

Nigeria is ranked at 121, below Russia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa, Turkey etc. Excise duty rate on spirits and wine for border countries to Nigeria, ranges from 25 per cent in Chad to 45 per cent in Niger.

Price increase, arising from a number of factors including an increase in excise duty is a risk factor for higher rates of smuggling from neighbouring countries. · In Canada, high alcohol taxes has led to smuggling of alcoholic beverages from the USA. · In Zambia, a 60 per cent excise duty on alcohol made it profitable to smuggle from neighbouring countries. Revenue loss for legal spirits manufacturers amounted to US$12 million in 2014 · In Greece, a 125 per cent excise hike between 2009 and 2015 fuelled smuggling, strengthened the black economy and increased tax evasion with 50 per cent decline in sales of Legal spirits The general homogeneity of spirit/wine products across various countries including border countries surrounding Nigeria, makes Nigeria particularly vulnerable to smuggling activities.

Analysts believe that the excise duty hike on wines and spirits poses more dire consequences for the country in view of the health crisis it portends hence the need to handle it with utmost care.

Needless to say that the new Excise regime would place additional cost on most Excisable Products which products which could manifest in the following manners: Additional Cost to Consumers: Manufacturers would naturally want to push any increased Excise to the consumer as indirect tax. However, this could result in declined sales which then prompt consideration of the impact of federal government’s additional revenues on each sold product vis-à-vis the following: r -PTU SFWFOVFT BSJT JOH GSPN EFDMJOFE TB MFT and/or consumer shift to the grey market i.e. the tobacco and alcohol market which are under the radar of the FGN:

r $PSQPSBUF BOE WBMVF BEEFE UBY SFWFOVF EFDMJOF due to reduced profits and sales respectively.

Additional cost to manufacturers: In a bid to prevent consumer resistance to higher cost which may affect demand for Excisable Products, manufacturers may absorb the additional cost to maintain current sales levels. This therefore questions the effectiveness of the new Excise regime because: r $POTVNQUJPO XPVME SFNBJO UIF TBNF ceteris paribus, thereby defeating the objective of imposing Excise: r '(/ TIBSFT JO UIF CVSEFO PG BEEJUJPOBM DPTU through corporate tax deductibles resulting in reduced taxes; and r .BOVGBDUVSFST NBZ BEPQU DPTU DVUUJOH NFBTVSFT including job cuts, which worsens the current unemployment situation.

On the way forward, stakeholders and analysts believe , is for the federal government to reverse the increase in excise duties, irrespective of whether the president has signed the report that gave birth to them or not.

A review of the duties is even more compelling given that the wines and spirits’ producers were not taken into confidence in drafting the report.

They deserve an opportunity to have their say even if the government ultimately has its way.

The producers have urges a dispassionate review of the proposed tariff regime by the joint Legislature/Executive efforts with input from and consultation with the stakeholders to avert the threatened destruction of over N420 billion installed capacity/investment in the Sector and a reversal of the increase and the pegging of the new excise tariff to a maximum of 50k per centiliter which will still translate to at least 61.29 per cent increase over the previous rate, said Chief Patrick Anegbe, Chairman and Aare Fatai Odesile, Executive Secretary, DIBAN. Baring the current infrastructural and foreign exchange challenge, worsening employment situation and inadequate mechanisms for monitoring and controlling illicit trade of tobacco and alcoholic products, the platform for an increase in Excise may currently not be robust, thus the timing of the regime change may appear sub-optimal; said Chijoke Odo, Manager, Global Trade Advisory, Deloitte. t/EVLXF XSPUF GSPN "CVKB

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 25, 2018

39

40

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͳ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 25, 2018

41

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MAY25, 2018

42

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Emefiele: Nigeria Must Tackle Rising Youth Unemployment Obinna Chima Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele yesterday stressed the need to address the rising youth unemployment in the country.

The CBN Governor made this call while speaking at the FITC Thought Leadership Discussion Series held in Lagos.

Represented by the Director, Risk Management, CBN, Mrs. Folakemi Fatogbe, he said the country must tackle the challenges that population growth poses in the face of rising unemployment.

“We will be growing poverty if we don’t address unemployment among youths,” he warned. Also, while responding to an earlier call at the event, for further liberalisation of Nigeria’s forex market that was made by a Corporate Governance Consultant and Director of the Zambia Multifacility Economic

Zone, Patrick Chisanga, Emefiele explained that liberalisation of the forex market would require a gradual process.

Fatogbe, who also represented the Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, CBN, Mrs. Aisha Ahmad, pointed out that efficient on functioning banking system was crucial for the implementation of monetary policy.

“Strengthening the banking system requires joint effort from all stakeholders from the industry. We should not lose focus of our target on financial inclusion,” she added.

According to her, though the financial industry had made significant progress in promoting financial inclusion, 41.6 per cent bankable adults were still financially excluded.

To the Chairman, Federal Road Maintanence Agency (FERMA) and former, CBN Deputy Governor, Mr. Tunde

Lemo, Nigerians are looking up to banks to catalyse development in the country.

Earlier, Chisanga said the CBN should liberalise the forex market in order to encourage Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) inflows. He said it was imperative for Nigeria to allow market forces to fully determine the exchange rate as Zambia did 24 years ago, which according to him, spurred economic growth.

Chisanga claimed liberalisation of exchange rate helped address that challenge of capital flight and led to improved net inflows into his country.

“Multiple exchange rates in the economy were wiped out.

Macroeconomic stability began to set in.

“And very significantly we began to see increased and sustainable inflows of FDI which led to Zambia being rated as one of Africa’s fastest growing economies,” he asserted.

Emefiele

Prudential Zenith Life Commences Bancassurance Sales Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja In line with the Bancassurance partnership between Prudential Zenith Life Insurance and Zenith Bank Plc, the former has announced the commencement of the sales of the products in additional 58 branches of the bank. This, according to a statement from Prudential Zenith, builds on the initial launch, which it explained had enabled customers of Zenith Bank to purchase life insurance products in eight pilot branches over the past few months.

Prudential Plc, one of the oldest life insurance companies in the world, had acquired a majority stake in Zenith Life of Nigeria in July 2017 and formed an exclusive Bancassurance partnership with Zenith Bank in Nigeria and Ghana.

Prudential’s entry into Nigerian had been viewed as a demonstration of its commitment to Africa following the launch of businesses in Ghana and Kenya in 2014, Uganda in 2015 and Zambia in 2016.

“Prudential Zenith Life Insurance has placed highly

trained insurance sales executives in selected Zenith Bank branches across Lagos to advise customers on their life insurance needs.

“Customers will be able to buy life insurance products at even more branches throughout Lagos state and Abuja later in the year.

“The firm is set to redefine the Nigerian insurance sector by providing a range of affordable life insurance products that are designed to meet the protection and savings needs of Nigerian consumers,” it added.

AXA Mansard Sponsors Children Education Fair Nosa Alekhuogie In commemoration of the annual Children’s Day celebration in Nigeria, AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, a member of the AXA Group, has partnered Money Matters with Nimi Akinkugbe to host the second edition of the Annual Children’s Finance Fair.

The event, which is strictly for children under the age of 17, their parents, teachers and guardians, is scheduled to hold this Saturday, at Lagos Prep School, Glover Road, Ikoyi.

The Children Finance Fair would feature discussions on a

host of issues related to children and money matters, including the following: Teaching children about money, Children’s savings products, Identifying and developing children’s talents, Investments for Children, Funding children’s education, Educational Insurance, Life Insurance, Mutual Funds and Trust Funds.

A statement disclosed that participants would also have a meet and greet session with representatives of the AXA Mansard Plc who will give them first-hand information on some of the best children’s

banking and savings products.

There will also be an exciting Monopoly Tournament with lots of great prizes!

Speaking about the fair, the Group Head, Strategy, Planning and Marketing, AXA Mansard Group, Mr. Kola Oni noted that, the brand was delighted to associate with children to commemorate the 2018 Children’s Day. Findings show that discovered that many adults make devastating financial decisions that they could have avoided, if they had been introduced to the basic concepts of money early in life.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

MARCH

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 • Source - CBN

MANAGED FUNDS Month

MARCH

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Lemo to Speak at RIMAN Annual Conference

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

Nume Ekeghe

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

A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Tunde Lemo and the Chairman of the Federal Roads Management Agency (FERMA), is slated to deliver a keynote address at the Risk Managers Association of Nigeria 18th annual conference and training.

Lemo is expected to speak on the topic: “Navigating Socio-economic Risk in the Nigerian Economy,” at the two-day event scheduled to hold between 7th and 8th of June, in Lagos.

Other topics to be discussed at the conference include: Sovereign risk management, Education /Human capac-

ity management, Cyber and social risk management, systematic impact of operating risk management in silos and risk management in agricultural sector. In addition, issues around foreign exchange risk management, entrepreneurship and risk management, enterprise risk management in emerging economies and health risk management would be discussed.

Commenting on the event, the President RIMAN, Mr. Jude Monye said: “The Nigeria economy like any other is faced with socio economic risks that affects businesses and the lives of citizenry.

“It therefore, becomes imperative and topical for captains of industries, subject matter

experts, policy formulators and thought leaders to gather at this forum and proffer ways of navigating this uncommon terrain in our journey to a greater, better and prosperous Nigeria.”

He further urged corporates and risk managers to take the Certified Risk Manager (CRM) professional examinations.

He said: “CRM is the pioneered industry recognised professional examination in risk management is jointly run with our association in collaboration with Chartered institute of bankers (CIBN).

“It is designed to benchmark global risk management standards whilst taking content that will fully make participants well rounded professionals.”

(MILLION NAIRA) 2018

Month

• Monetary Policy Rate - 13%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT, WED, MAY 23, 2018 The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $76.43 a barrel on Wednesday, compared with $77.19 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), Zafiro (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 SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, MAY25, 2018

43

MARKET NEWS

Forte Oil Shareholders Endorse Divestment, Sale of Ghanaian Assets Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie

the shareholders at the annual general meeting in Lagos, saying the proceeds from the divestment be used to fund the downstream marketing business.

In the notification to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday, the General Counsel of Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Akin Olagbende said of the resolutions at the AGM was

Shareholders of Forte Oil Plc have given a nod to the proposal of the board of directors to restructure the business by divesting of its upstream services, power generating businesses in Nigeria and downstream business in Ghana.

The approval was given by

that: “Subject to the approval of regulatory authorities, the directors of the company be and hereby authorised to restructure the company by divesting its upstream services business(Forte Upstream Services Limited); its power generating business(Amperion Power Distribution Limited and its downstream business in Ghana(AP Oil & Gas Ghana

Limited) at such time and such terms and condition as may be determined by directors of the company.”

There were mixed reactions from shareholders over the proposal before the AGM. However, it was gathered that the directors gave further explanation to the shareholders why the decision was taken.

Forte Oil Plc had said its

PRICES FOR SECURITIES TRADED AS OF

decision to focus on divest from upstream services and power generating businesses will boost its distributable earnings for the benefit of shareholders.

According to Forte Oil Plc, following the significant changes in the oil and gas industry in recent years, it believed that only downstream operators with huge investments in both storage and distribution

infrastructures can remain competitive and operationally efficient in the long run.

It explained that although power business profitable, it has huge receivables due from the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) and a significant portion of its distributed earnings is also utilized in servicing the acquisition debt finance.

A S AT 2 4 / 0 5 / 2 0 1 8

Price List (Equities) PRICES FOR PREMIUM BOARD SECURITIES FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N 1 2 3

BANKING ACCESS BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm) 309,529.30 381,323.55 847,705.33

PRICE

%CHANGE

4 OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRIAL GOODS S/N 5 6 BUILDING MATERIALS INDUSTRIAL GOODS OIL AND GAS S/N 7 EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION OIL AND GAS PREMIUM BOARD TOTALS Price List (Equities) PRICES FOR MAIN BOARD SECURITIES AGRICULTURE S/N 8 9 10 CROP PRODUCTION S/N 11 FISHING/HUNTING/TRAPPING S/N 12 LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES AGRICULTURE CONGLOMERATES S/N 13 14 15 16 17 DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES CONGLOMERATES CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE S/N 18 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION S/N 19 20 INFRASTRUCTURE/HEAVY CONSTRUCTION S/N 21

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FBN HOLDINGS PLC

BUILDING MATERIALS DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC.

EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

MARKET CAP(Nm) 366,131.99

-1.38

122

8,423,376

-1.33

173

13,033,916

S/N 31

27.00

-3.40

S/N

23 24 REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS) CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE CONSUMER GOODS S/N 25 AUTOMOBILES/AUTO PARTS S/N 26 27 28 29

433

20,366,501

728

41,823,793

32

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

33

10.20

-4.67

301

9,979,613

34

301

9,979,613

35

1,029

51,803,406

36

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

4,157,883.81

244.00

-0.04

50

233,828

351,273.84

40.50

-

60 110 110

138,556 372,384 372,384

MARKET CAP(Nm) 432,330.22

30 BEVERAGES--BREWERS/DISTILLERS

10.70

PRICE 734.70

%CHANGE -

TRADES

VOLUME

7

2,584

7

2,584

7 1,146

2,584 52,178,374

37 38 FOOD PRODUCTS S/N 39 40 FOOD PRODUCTS--DIVERSIFIED S/N 41 42 HOUSEHOLD DURABLES S/N 43

CROP PRODUCTION FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

440.00

0.20

-

0

0

81,082.35

85.00

3.28

15

76,196

75,000.00

75.00

-

18 33

27,585 103,781

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

4.26

-

0 0

0 0

FISHING/HUNTING/ TRAPPING ELLAH LAKES PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm) 511.20

LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,550.00

DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. S C O A NIG. PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ARBICO PLC. INFRASTRUCTURE/ HEAVY CONSTRUCTION JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. ROADS NIG PLC.

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

0.85

-4.71

13

574,510

13

574,510

46

678,291

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1,561.90

0.59

-

1

100

214.03 2,111.93

0.55 3.25

1.85 -

2 1

100,801 100

56,907.19

1.40

-2.78

104

5,760,602

41,778.80

14.50

-

20 128 128

12,421 5,874,024 5,874,024

MARKET CAP(Nm) 711.32

56 57 58 59 60

0 0

61

TRADES

VOLUME

-

40 0

190,604 0

40

190,604

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

5,560.57

2.14

-

29

925,844

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (REIT) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST

MARKET CAP(Nm) 2,000.00

PRICE 100.00

11,300.89

45.20

MARKET CAP(Nm) 15,580.70

55

VOLUME

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED

BEVERAGES--BREWERS/DISTILLERS CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC.

S/N

0 0

29.00 6.60

MARKET CAP(Nm) 1,479.53

48 49 50 51 52 53 54 BANKING

TRADES

38,280.00 165.00

AUTOMOBILES/AUTO PARTS DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC

46

10.00

62 63 64 65 66 67 68

29

925,844

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

69

-

0

0

70

-

0

0

71

0

72 73

-

0 0

0

69

1,116,448 74

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

0.31

-

1 1

50 50

76

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

77

1.99

-2.93

16

734,112

242.22

0.89

-

0

0

227,799.81

104.00

-

33

114,479

445,265.65

51.80

-

4

5,325

75

78 79 80

116.10

-4.99

80

232,615

133

1,086,531

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

47,750.00

9.55

-4.98

150

6,920,700

203,400.00

16.95

-4.78

89

1,965,668

127,111.77

31.00

-4.32

65

525,007

19,746.19

2.49

-0.40

36

2,805,588

1,489.00

0.40

-

0

0

6.85

-

0

0

53,651.13

20.25

-1.22

89

1,797,614

3,676.41

13.45

-

0 429

0 14,014,577

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

24,416.63

13.00

-

27

65,350

1,268,250.00

1,600.00

-

77

60,581

104

125,931

HOUSEHOLD DURABLES NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. VITAFOAM NIG PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1,680.31

22.10

-

1

500

3,439.82

3.30

-

6 7

19,800 20,300

PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

86,754.92

21.85

-

41

133,671

290,122.77

50.50

-

36

584,873

77

718,544

751

15,965,933

FOOD PRODUCTS-DIVERSIFIED CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC.

BANKING

47

928,440.33

1,220.67

DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. JAIZ BANK PLC SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC.

%CHANGE

FOOD PRODUCTS DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC UNION DICON SALT PLC.

S/N

%CHANGE

PRICE

NIGERIAN BREW. PLC.

45

4.79

MARKET CAP(Nm)

26,682.70

44 PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS CONSUMER GOODS FINANCIAL SERVICES

PRICE

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT 22

VOLUME

11.15

BANKING S/N

TRADES

INSURANCE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES AFRICAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC AIICO INSURANCE PLC. AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC UNIC DIVERSIFIED HOLDINGS PLC. UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC VERITAS KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm) 33,350.96

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1.44

-8.28

121

29,558,323

376,165.80

20.50

2.24

59

982,585

59,688.08

2.06

-5.50

169

26,810,168

1,259,654.47

42.80

-1.61

276

9,074,937

19,151.76 10,132.62 37,139.64 186,372.82 11,338.66 29,316.59

0.65 0.73 1.29 6.40 0.97 0.76

-4.41 -3.95 -4.44 -3.80

17 46 22 16 8 27 761

2,093,300 4,931,341 496,674 124,859 97,302 613,812 74,783,301

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

4,117.00

0.20

-

1

200

4,088.82

0.59

-4.84

31

1,624,000

26,250.00

2.50

-

8

73,172

2,170.00

0.31

3.33

3

100,200

14,833.02

1.43

-4.67

11

618,468

5,155.33

0.35

-

2

200

3,220.00

0.23

-

6

31,775

2,411.47

0.53

-

0

0

1,913.74

0.50

-

0

0

2,456.00

0.40

-

0

0

539.32

0.42

-

2

2,000

2,782.90

0.38

-2.56

19

3,882,000

4,038.55

0.94

4.44

20

3,145,166

6,640.00

0.83

-4.60

6

225,110

2,720.00

0.34

-2.86

14

1,214,000

13,729.31

2.60

-

19

184,782

1,934.87

0.25

4.17

5

5,031,126

1,832.36

0.48

-

0

0

1,800.56

0.27

-

3

3,100

2,085.21

0.25

-4.00

22

53,526,264

5,422.63

0.42

-

1

30,000

4,483.72

0.48

-

0

0

516.46

0.20

-

2

1,500

8,000.00

0.50

-

0

0

4,853.33

0.35

-

7

141,500

6,959.02

0.52

-3.85

51

1,331,403

44

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͳ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

45

˾ FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018

MARKET NEWS

Honeywell Promises Improved Performance, Fetes Customers Goddy Egene Stakeholders of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc should expect better services and improved returns on their investments going by the assurance given by the managing director (MD) of the company, Mr. Lanre Jaiyeola.

Speaking at the company’s annual customers’ forum, Jaiyeola assured customers of better service and performance, saying the company had put in place processes to ensure that it met their expectations.

According to him, part of efforts to meet customers’ demand was the establishment of the new Honeywell’s pasta plant at Honeywell Food and Agro Allied Industrial Complex in Sagamu, Ogun State which consists of two spaghetti lines and two macaroni lines with annual capacity of about 140,000 metric tonnes.

He said the plant, which is the largest and most sophisticated pasta plants in sub-Saharan Africa, is able to produce pasta using both wheat and

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

local grains.

Besides the pasta plant, he said the site would accommodate over 10 additional factories all producing food products with the central theme of utilising locally available grains and tubers to provide more affordable high quality food for Nigerians and in the process creating thousands of jobs and guaranteeing food security in the country.

At the ceremony where Mrs. Opeyemi Raji, Managing Director, Opeyemi Bakery,

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 23-May-2018, unless otherwise stated.

emerged winner of Business to Commercial category, with all-expense-paid trip to Dubai, Jaiyeola said: “The complete satisfaction of our customers remains our priority and we are very cognizant of the roles that our dealers and distributors play as critical stakeholders and actors in the value chain.”

He assured customers that they would further experience improved customer service, saying “we are upgrading our technology platform to make transactions with customers

pain-free and seamless, we are expanding our fleet cover to make sure that your orders are fulfilled in good time and most importantly, we are improving product quality to ensure that customers demand more and more of Honeywell’s products rather than competing brands.”

He added that despite current challenges, that the economy would continue on the path of growth to the advantage of the company and consumers.

“We expect that the economy

will continue on the path of growth despite the challenge of delay in the passage of the 2018 fiscal budget. We anticipate an increase in government and consumer spending as is typical ahead of an election year. We also see stability in the exchange rate given the rise in the global price of crude oil and sustained peace in the oil producing regions. All of these mean that your business should be stable and growing in the year ahead,” Jaiyeola said.

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 N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 9.05% 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 19.83 20.43 8.56% ARM Discovery Fund 417.27 429.85 7.25% ARM Ethical Fund 29.07 29.95 6.40% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.48% 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 157.85 158.80 4.01% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.05% 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 12.08 12.40 8.99% Women's Investment Fund 103.56 106.21 2.91% 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 14.33% 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 8.89% 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 1,153.37 1,154.06 0.46% FBN Heritage Fund 150.49 151.80 7.95% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.43% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $113.26 $113.67 0.25% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $113.08 $113.50 0.19% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 179.68 182.39 11.62% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 1.40 1.43 7.34% Legacy Debt Fund 3.04 3.04 5.27% 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 3,187.04 3,219.75 6.74% Coral Income Fund 2,611.97 2,611.97 6.74% 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 102.65 103.57 2.65% 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 N/A N/A N/A Vantage Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) N/A N/A N/A

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 3.69% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,066.76 1,066.76 5.82% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 13.94 14.07 5.98% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 13.28% 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 N/A N/A N/A PACAM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 2,413.28 2,433.58 7.60% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 184.57 184.57 4.60% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.08 1.10 7.92% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 235.04 235.10 6.73% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 186.03 187.98 3.83% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.14% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 10,313.48 10,452.13 6.65% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.09 1.09 3.05% 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 13.60 6.90% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.91 14.06 5.77% Zenith Income Fund 20.17 20.17 6.61% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.21%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 135.24 51.22

1.01% 2.10% 0.77%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.68 156.39 117.75

12.78 159.66 119.90

4.59% 9.47% 7.76%

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

5.07 9.63 18.61 20.54 145.49

5.11 9.71 18.71 20.74 147.49

6.97% 0.64% 6.18% 4.38% 6.30%

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.

FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

46

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Trump Scraps Summit with North Korea, Cites ‘Open Hostility’ UK’s PM expresses her disappointment United States President Donald Trump on Thursday informed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that he was calling off their historic summit scheduled for next month, citing “anger” and “hostility” from the North Korean regime.

In a letter to Kim, Agence France-Presse reported that Trump announced he was

pulling out of the high-stakes meeting agreed for June 12, an unprecedented face-to-face between a US and North Korean leader aimed at ridding the reclusive state of nuclear weapons.

Trump’s announcement of his abrupt withdrawal from what would have been a first-ever meeting between

MH17 Missile Owned

by Russian Brigade, Investigators Say The missile that downed a Malaysia Airlines flight over eastern Ukraine in 2014 belonged to a Russian brigade, BBC reported international investigators as saying.

For the first time, the Dutch-led team said the missile had come from a unit based in western Russia.

All 298 people on board the Boeing 777 died when it broke apart in mid-air flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

It was hit by a missile fired from rebel-held territory in Ukraine. Russia says none of its weapons was used.

But on Thursday Wilbert Paulissen, a Dutch official from the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), told reporters: “All the vehicles in a convoy carrying the missile were part

of the Russian armed forces.”

He restated the JIT’s conclusion that the plane had been destroyed by a Russian-made Buk missile, adding that it had been supplied by the country’s 53rd anti-aircraft brigade in Kursk.

At a news conference in the Dutch city of Utrecht, the investigators also showed social media pictures which they said traced the route the missile convoy had taken to reach eastern Ukraine.

The incident occurred at the height of the conflict between government troops and pro-Russian separatists.

The plane left Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on 17 July 2014 and was due to arrive at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia on the following day.

US-led Strike on Regime Positions Kills 12 in East Syria – Monitor A US-led coalition air strike on Syrian army positions overnight killed at least 12 pro-regime fighters in an area where both sides have been battling holdout jihadists, Agence France-Presse reported a monitor as saying on Thursday.

Syrian state media reported the strike but said it only caused material damage, while the Pentagon said it had “no information to substantiate

those reports”.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a broad network of sources across Syria, said the raid had hit army positions south of Albu Kamal, a town on Syria’s border with Iraq.

“At least three vehicles were destroyed by the strike,” said O b s e rva t o ry c h i e f R a m i A b d e l Rahman.

a serving US president and a North Korean leader even after North Korea followed through on a pledge to blow up tunnels at its nuclear test site, according to Reuters.

North Korea had announced that it had “completely” dismantled its nuclear test site, in a carefully choreographed move portrayed by the isolated regime as a goodwill gesture ahead of the summit.

Reuters reported a White House official as saying a North Korean official’s condemnation of US Vice President Mike Pence as a “political dummy”, which the official called “the last straw”, led to cancelling the summit.

“Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it would be inappropriate, at this time, to have this longplanned meeting,” Trump wrote in his letter to Kim, released by the White House.

“Please let this letter serve to represent that the Singapore summit, for the good of both parties, but to the detriment of the world, will not take place.”

“The world, and North Korea in particular, has lost a great opportunity for lasting peace and great prosperity and wealth. This missed opportunity is a truly sad moment in history,” he said.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as EKANGHE JOSEPH ETIONGEBIE, now wish to be known and addressed as EKANGHE JOSEPH All former AJORONOR. documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS FOLADELE FALANA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. FOLADELE FALANA-NGADI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

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I, formerly known and addressed as MISS BINAUGE EBIYE ALAZIGHA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS BINAUGE NENGI-ILAGHA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note I, formerly known and addressed as ELIZABETH AYO EMENI, now wish to be known and addressed as ELIZABETH AYO GODSWILL. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

The US leader brandished the threat of America’s nuclear might in his letter, writing: “You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used.”

But his letter also appeared to leave the door open to a future meeting with Kim, stressing he had been “very much looking forward” to the event -- on which he had pinned great hopes, openly entertaining the notion it could earn him him a Nobel Peace Prize.

“We greatly appreciate your time, patience, and effort with respect to our recent negotiations and discussions,” he told Kim. “I felt a wonderful dialogue was building up between you and me, and ultimately, it is only that dialogue that matters,” Trump said.

“If you change your mind having to do with this most important summit, please do not hesitate to call me or write.”

However, the chances for a quick rescheduling appear remote and cancellation of the summit will renew fears of a return to conflict on the Korean peninsula.

The North Korean mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment

on Trump’s cancellation of the summit.

US key ally, the UK, expressed its disappointment at the cancellation of the planned meeting.

“We are disappointed that the meeting will no longer go ahead as planned. We need to see an agreement that can bring about the completely verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and we will continue to work with our partners to this end,” Reuters quoted a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Theresa May as telling reporters on Thursday.

US stocks dropped sharply on the news, with the benchmark S&P 500 Index falling more than half a percent in about 10 minutes. Investors turned to US Treasury debt as a safe alternative, driving the yield on the 10-year note, which moves inversely to its price, down to a 10-day low and back below the psychologically important 3 percent level. The US dollar also weakened broadly, particularly against the Japanese yen, which climbed to a two-week high against the greenback.

Earlier on Thursday, North Korea had repeated a threat to pull out of the summit with Trump next month and warned it was prepared for a nuclear showdown with

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS TIWALOPE OLADEJO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS TIWALOPE OLIVE AGBAJE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

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The general public should please take note.

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Washington if necessary.

North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons has been a source of tension on the Korean peninsula for decades, as well as antagonism with Washington, but escalated into fears of war last year after North Korea said it had tested an H-bomb and developed a missile capable of hitting the United States.

The rhetoric reached war-like heights under Trump as he mocked Kim as “little rocket man” and in address at the United Nations threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea if necessary. Kim had called Trump mentally deranged and threatened to “tame” him with fire.

Kim rarely leaves North Korea and his willingness to meet and Trump’s acceptance sparked hope but it had faded in recent days.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as ESTHER OLOFU, now wish to be known and addressed as ESTHER OYEDIRAN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

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I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. OCHUKO EMUMEJAKPOR, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OCHUKO EFAGENE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as CYNTHIA NGOZI CHUDE, now wish to be known and addressed as CYNTHIA NGOZI IKEME CHUDE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

47

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: Ă&#x;Ă?ÞËÚÒË Email ĂŽĂ?ÔÓ˛×Ă&#x;Ă?ÞËÚÒË̜ÞÒÓĂ?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

It is in the Heart Not in the Money Sadullah Khan/IslamiCity

T

he way people relate to wealth influences most aspects of their personal lives. For many people, where there is wealth there is attention.

If you became wealthy overnight... r 8IBU XJMM UIF à STU UIJOH ZPV XPVME EP r *T DIBSJUZ POF PG ZPVS QSJNBSZ GPDVTFT r )PX NVDI NPSF DIBSJUZ XJMM ZPV HJWF BOE XIBU JT ZPVS QSPPG Biblical text encourages each person to give JO QSPQPSUJPO UP UIF XBZ (PE IBT CMFTTFE them [Deuteronomy 16:17] Many believe that the more they have, the more generous they’ll become; but is that really the case. To become more generous, you have to have a spirit of HFOFSPTJUZ JO UIF à STU QMBDF It’s Not really about the Money, It’s actually about the Heart 3FBM HFOFSPTJUZ JT OPU EFQFOEBOU TP NVDI on income as it is on the capacity of the heart.

There are many who have the means to give, but OPU UIF IFBSU UP HJWF "OE UIFSF BSF NBOZ XIP UIF NPSF UIFZ IBWF UIF MFTT UIFZ HJWF )FOSZ 8BSE #FFDIFS XBSOFE iXBUDI MFTU QSPTQFSJUZ EFTUSPZ HFOFSPTJUZu Father, Unlike Son In the 1950s J.P. Getty was the richest man JO XPSME )F JT LOPXO UP IBWF EJTMJLFE UIF attention his wealth brought, but not because of his humility but because of people’s request for EPOBUJPOT IF iEFTQJTFE QBTTJWF BDDFQUBODF PG NPOFZu IBE B QBZ QIPOF JOTUBMMFE JO IJT IPVTF GPS HVFTUT EFMBZFE SBOTPN GPS IJT HSBOETPO T LJEOBQQJOH GPS NPOUIT BOE POMZ QBJE B GSBDUJPO PG UIF SBOTPN BGUFS IJT HSBOETPO T FBS XBT DVU PGG BOE TFOU UP IJN + 1 (FUUZ +S JOIFSJUFE SFMBUJWFMZ B TNBMM QBSU

of his father’s estate yet gave millions in charity TBZJOH i* BN QSJWJMFHFE UP CF UIF IFJS UP IVHF XFBMUI BOE * SFHBSE NZTFMG BT DVTUPEJBO PG UIBU NPOFZ GPS UIF CFOFĂ U PG QFPQMF XIP OFFE JU NPSF UIBO * EP u &WFO XIFO ZPV EP HJWF PG ZPVS NBUFSJBM XFBMUI EP OPU HJWF NFSFMZ GSPN UIF UPQ PG ZPVS wallet, but rather give from the bottom of your IFBSU "MTP JU JT OPU NBUFSJBM IFMQ POMZ 8IBUFWFS POF DBO EP UP FOIBODF UIF TJUVBUJPO PG PUIFST JT DPOTJEFSFE HFOFSPTJUZ 1SPQIFU .VIBNNBE QCVI TBJE “There is charity due on every part of the body every day.â€? He went on to say: “ to bring justice between people is charity, to help a person with transport and helping with baggage is charity, a good, kind word is charity, every step towards prayer is charity, removing harmful things from the way is charity and giving water to the thirsty is charity.

A person’s true wealth lies in the good they accrue for the Hereafter through good deeds in this world.

When a person dies people say ‘what has he left behind?’ while angels say ‘what has he sent forth?’ “ 5P HJWF PG ZPVS TFMG JT UIF CFTU LJOE PG HJWJOH 1SPQIFU .VIBNNBE QCVI TBJE “When you give of yourself then you truly are a Believer�.

5IF HSFBU -FCBOFTF QPFU BOE XSJUFS ,IBMJM (JCSBO FDIPFE UIF TBNF TFOUJNFOUT XIFO IF TBJE i:PV HJWF CVU MJUUMF XIFO ZPV HJWF PG ZPVS possessions. It is when you give of yourself that ZPV USVMZ HJWF u 4P JG ZPV HFOVJOFMZ EFTJSF UP CFDPNF B HFOFSPVT QFSTPO EPO U XBJU GPS ZPVS JODPNF UP DIBOHF DIBOHF UIF BUUJUVEF PG ZPVS IFBSU Stinginess "T GPS UIPTF XIP BSF TUJOHZ EVF UP GFBS UIBU HFOFSPTJUZ XJMM EFQMFUF UIFJS XFBMUI 1SPQIFU .VIBNNBE QCVI TBJE " QFSTPO TBZT “ ‘this is my wealth, my things’ but all that he really has is three; What he consumes and digests, what he wears and wears out, or what he gives in charity and it

continues to benefit; The rest you leave behind when you depart from this world.� .BSUJO -VUIFS ,JOH +S TBJE i&WFSZ QFSTPO NVTU EFDJEF XIFUIFS IF XJMM XBML JO UIF MJHIU PG DSFBUJWF BMUSVJTN PS JO UIF EBSLOFTT PG EFTUSVDUJWF TFMà TIOFTT u Note that the stingy person is far from people, GBS GSPN "MMBI GBS GSPN QBSBEJTF BOE DMPTFS UP UIF à SF PG )FMM 1SPQIFU .VIBNNBE QCVI

Positive Aspects of Giving r 5IF $PNQBOZ PG UIF HFOFSPVT JT EFMJHIUGVM The generous focus on other than themselves, BOE UIFJS HFOFSPTJUZ OPU POMZ NBLFT UIFN MJLFBCMF CVU BMTP NBLFT UIF XPSME B IBQQJFS BOE CFUUFS QMBDF r -JGF TIPVME OPU SFBMMZ CF BCPVU IPX NVDI money we accrue, but rather how many people we serve; because the greater your giving, the HSFBUFS ZPVS MJWJOH (JWJOH EPFT OPU EFWBMVF ZPVS XPSUI BOE UIF 1SPQIFU TBJE UIBU iDIBSJUZ EPFT OPU EFDSFBTF XFBMUIu 3FNFNCFS XF BSF IFSF UP FOSJDI UIF XPSME BOE JG XF FWFS GPSHFU that we impoverish ourselves. r *O IFMQJOH PUIFST XF FOIBODF PVSTFMWFT for when you light another’s path you can’t help but cast light on your own path. Realize UIBU OP POF TUBOET UBMMFS JO TVDDFTT UIBO UIF POF XIP CFOET EPXO UP IFMQ UIPTF JO OFFE 8F CFDPNF FOSJDIFE CZ FOSJDIJOH UIF MJWFT PG PUIFST 5IF 1SPQIFU TBJE UIBU B #FMJFWFS GFFMT HPPE EPJOH HPPE 4P EP OPU EP HPPE NFSFMZ UP GFFM HPPE CVU SBUIFS GFFM HPPE EPJOH HPPE *O B IVNPSPVT JODJEFOU B CFHHBS BTLFE B XPNBO GPS NPOFZ BOE TIF TBJE i* MM HJWF ZPV B EPMMBS OPU CFDBVTF ZPV EFTFSWF JU CVU CFDBVTF JU QMFBTFT NFu 4P UIF CFHHBS TBJE i5IBOLT .BBN XIZ EPO U ZPV HJWF NF BOE ZPV DPVME GFFM SFBMMZ SFBMMZ HPPE BCPVU JU u r #Z MJWJOH B MJGF UIBU JT IFMQGVM POF T MJGF CFDPNFT TJHOJà DBOU i-JGF T NPTU QFSTJTUFOU

BOE VSHFOU RVFTUJPO JT 8IBU BSF XF EPJOH GPS PUIFST u DJWJM SJHIUT MFBEFS .BSUJO -VUIFS ,JOH +S )PX XF BOTXFS UIBU RVFTUJPO JT JO B XBZ B HPPE NFBTVSF PG PVS TQJSJU PG HFOFSPTJUZ Spirit of Generosity Characteristic of a true Believer: 8IFO BTLFE BCPVU UIF DIBSBDUFSJTUJDT PG B #FMJFWFS *NBN ;BJOVM A"CJEFFO TBJE i3JHIUFPVTOFTT JO QSJWBDZ HFOFSPTJUZ FWFO XIFO OFFEZ QBUJFODF EVSJOH NJTGPSUVOFT TFOTF PG DPOUSPM XIFO BOHSZ BOE USVUIGVMOFTT FWFO XIFO GFBSGVM u Kindness: Giving requires compassion, NFSDZ BOE MPWF &BDI QFSTPO TIPVME HJWF XIBU IF IBT EFDJEFE JO IJT IFBSU UP HJWF OPU SFMVDUBOUMZ OPS VOEFS DPNQVMTJPO GPS (PE loves a cheerful giver.

Selessness: &WFOUVBMMZ XIBU XF EP GPS PVSTFMWFT BMPOF EJFT XJUI VT CVU XIBU XF EP GPS PUIFST PVUMJWFT VT 8JTF BSF UIF XPSET UIBU SFNJOE VT He who lives for himself, lives small, and dies small and will be forgotten, "OE IF XIP MJWFT GPS PUIFST MJWFT CJH BOE EJFT CJH BOE XJMM CF SFNFNCFSFE Our function in life is not merely to have BOE UP IPME CVU UP HJWF BOE UP TFSWF UP HFU BOE OPU UP GPSHFU i5IF TFSWJDF XF SFOEFS UP others is really the rent we pay for our room PO UIJT FBSUI u %S 8JMGSFE (SFOGFMM 1SPQIFU .VIBNNBE QCVI TBJE “Allah is at the assistance of a person as long as that person is of help to another.â€?

Remember the promise, people will enter 1BSBEJTF CZ UIF .FSDZ PG "MMBI UISPVHI UIF HFOFSPTJUZ PG UIFJS TQJSJUT BOE UIF TPVOEOFTT PG UIFJS IFBSUT 1SPQIFU .VIBNNBE QCVI

0 "MMBI * TFFL SFGVHF JO 5IFF GSPN BOYJFUZ HSJFG JODBQBDJUZ MB[JOFTT TUJOHJOFTT DPXBSEJDF GSPN UIF CVSEFO PG EFCU BOE GSPN UIF EPNJOBUJPO PG QFPQMF 1SBZFS PG 1SPQIFU .VIBNNBE QCVI

48

FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018Ëž T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Executive Bill on Management of Nation’s Water Resources Divides Senate Contentious clauses to be revisited Deji Elumoye Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË An Executive Bill for the establishment of a regulatory framework for the management of Nigeria’s water resources sector suffered a setback on the floor of the Senate yesterday as  some senators opposed certain provisions of the bill Chairman of the 17-man Senate Committee on Water Resources, Senator Ubali Shitu, while presenting a 176-page report of his committee on a bill for an Act to establish a regulatory framework for the water resources sector  in Nigeria; to provide for the equitable and sustainable development, management, use and conservation  of Nigeria’s surface water and groundwater resources  and for related matters, formally

moved a motion for the Senate to consider the report and was seconded by Senator Emmanuel Paulker.

He said the Senate had concluded debates on the general principle of the bill and referred it to the committee  since November 22, 2017, for further legislative action According to him, the committee held a two-day public hearing on the bill from December 5 to 6, 2017 with subsequent mark-up sessions.

Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, while lending his support to the bill, emphasised that it was an Executive Bill that should be considered and supported by the Senate Senators Ibrahim Gobir and Binta Masi Garba also corroborated the submission of Senator Lawan, saying

the bill will bring sanity into the country’s water resources management Senate President Bukola Saraki on his part, called for a clause-by-clause approval of the 152-clause committee report.

He had barely gotten to clause four when Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio,  rose to object to clauses four and five of the report, wondering why the management of Nigeria’s water resources will be vested in the federal government Clause four of the report harped about public trusteeship of water, saying as the public trustee of the country’s water resources, the federal government, acting through the minister and the institutions

created in this Act or pursuant to this Act, shall ensure that the water resources  of the country are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled in a sustainable and equitable manner for the benefit of all persons and in accordance with its constitutional mandate Clause five of the report says states may make provisions for the management, use and control of water resources occurring solely within the boundaries of the state but shall be guided by the policy and principles of the federal government in relation to integrated Water Resources Management and this Act. Akpabio said the rivers spreading across the country traverse different states and

communities, and emphasised the need for states where the rivers and groundwater are located to be actively involved in the regulatory framework.

Senator Gbenga Ashafa was quick to support Akpabio’s position and posited that the issue of water resources management is a very contentious one that should be handled with care.

He mentioned the legal tussle between Lagos State Government and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) over the management of Lagos waters and creeks, saying the case is still pending before the Court of Appeal.

Speaking in the same vein, Senator Solomon Olamilekan talked about small rivers that

abound in many states and wondered what will become of them if the bill is eventually passed.

He therefore suggested the setting up of a committee to look into the controversial clauses in the report Summing up the submissions, Senate president said there was the need for the controversial clauses four and five to be revisited.

Saraki therefore referred the report to the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Water Resources and Judiciary “with input from the legal department.�

He said the joint committee is expected to report back to the Senate on May 30.

Buhari Nominates Ex-IG Smith as PSC Chair Sends six other names for clearance by Senate Deji Elumoye Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË

H. Najatu.

Others are Dr. Nkemka President Muhammadu Buhari Jombo-Ofo, Tommy Mom and has nominated former Inspector- Braimoh Adogame Austin.

General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu The president said he Adeola Smith, as Chairman of was sending the names for the Police Service Commission confirmation by the Senate (PSC). in line with the provision of In a one- page letter to the Sections 153(1)(m) and 154(1) Senate entitled: ‘Request for of the 199 constitution of the confirmation of Appointment Federal Republic of Nigeria of Chairman and Members (as amended) of the PSC’, and read on the Buhari thanked the Senate floor of the Senate by Senate immensely “in anticipation of President, Bukola Saraki, the early consideration and yesterday, Buhari requested confirmation of the above the confirmation of Smith, appointments.� as well as six other members The senate president only of the commission including read the letter to the hearing two full time commissioners. of all senators present at The other nominees include yesterday’s plenary and Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi (rtd), might be discussed when and Lawal Bawa, full time Senate resumes sitting on members and Muhammad May 30

JAMB to Conduct Police Recruitment Test Nationwide Today Senator Iroegbu Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Nigeria Police Force has said the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will help it conduct a Computer Based Test (CBT) for all successful candidates in the last physical/ credentials screening stage in the on-going recruitment exercise that was held May 07-12, 2018.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Moshood Jimoh, in a statement yesterday, said the CBT would hold today in all designated centres across the country.  Jimoh said the candidates who were successful in the physical and credentials screening stage have been notified through text messages. He however, stated that those who did not receive the message can check for their exam centres through the JAMB, Police Recruitment and Police Service Commission (PSC) websites.

 According to him, the candidates’ exam centres are also displayed at every state police command headquarters in the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. Jimoh said the Inspector General of Police has directed the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Training and Development, to monitor the conduct of the examination in some selected centres while the Commissioners of Police in state commands will monitor the conduct of the examination in centres in their commands.

He advised the candidates “to be of good conduct and not to engage in any examination malpractice, as anyone caught will be arrested, investigated and prosecuted.

The Force PRO also directed candidates and members of the public who observe any form of improper practice to report to the police.

PEACE AMBASSADOR

Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam (left), receiving a Peace Award from the National Security Adviser, Major-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), during an event organised by the UFUK Dialogue Foundation in recognition of governor’s effort in promoting and restoring peace in the state in Abuja .....yesterdayÂ

Soyinka Calls for International Assistance to Check Herdsmen Menace

George Okoh Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă•Ă&#x;ĂœĂŽĂ“

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has urged the federal government to seek international assistance to curb the menace of killings being carried out by Fulani herdsmen nationwide.

He stated this yesterday during a courtesy call on Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, at the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi. Soyinka attended the 35th anniversary of Senator Suemo Chia’s novel, Adan Wade Kohol Ga, written in Tiv. He said: “If the government cannot cope, it should not shy away from asking for international help.�

When human lives are concerned in their thousands and so on, as it was observed everywhere all over the world, those countries where our military has served before can come to our assistance, I think there should be no business of national integrity, national pride and so on.

“People are dying, this government cannot cope, please just ask for international help and I know they’re ready and willing to come to our aid. “Just like refusal to recognise, and at the critical moment, the nature of a particular problem that has been the basis of the massacres going on in this region, especially Benue State.

There’s no any other word for it. Let’s not play around with the euphemisms. No other word but ethnic cleansing. There’s no other definition for what have been going on here. And it’s very sad to me personally to see that a country like Nigeria, with so much human talent, has failed to learn the lesson of the history of places like Rwanda.�

In his remark, Ortom stated that what is happening in the state is ethnic cleansing and Jihad.

According to him, “This is not a hidden agenda; it’s known and those people who are perpetrating it did say it.

They’re not hidden. They held

press conferences, they came out and said they were going to resist our law, and that they were going to do ethnic cleansing. It’s about Jihad, it’s about taking over the land, it’s not about herders and farmers clashes. “They said it clearly and it’s written, and we have the documents, and I’ve reported them to the security agencies.

I’m in agreement with you but as law-abiding citizens, we don’t even have cutlasses to fight back.

We cannot use any weapon to fight back; we depend on the law enforcement agencies. Even the cutlasses that we used to have were taken away by security agencies. Our Dane guns have been surrendered to the Inspector General of Police, including those that were licensed. So we are left in the hands of the security agents. Those of them who are posted to Benue State are doing their best and they have been victims of these attacks too.

Several policemen have been killed in the course of this crisis.

Soldiers and civil defence officers

are not spared. Department of State Service (DSS) is not also spared. They have been killed and slaughtered like animals.

So, like you rightly said, this is not a matter of ringworm but real cancer. “If there were any other word stronger than cancer, I would have said what is happening in Benue State is more than cancer.

And like you rightly observed, it is our responsibility to rise up to defend the unity of this country and to defend our integrity as leaders.�

The governor commended Soyinka for his solidarity and President Muhammadu Buhari for upgrading the military action in the state, and expressed hope that the invaders would be flushed out.

Ortom also disclosed that several people were attacked while returning from the funeral mass of two priest and some parishioner last Tuesday.

He said there were casualties.Â

FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

49

NEWSXTRA

Five Killed as Mumuye Youths, Fulani Clash in Taraba Jukuns reject army chief’s defence of collusion in killings

Wole Ayodele ÓØ ËÖÓØÑÙ ËØÎ Sunday Okobi ÓØ ËÑÙÝ Five persons were yesterday killed in a communal clash between the Mumuye and Fulani tribes in Yorro Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The fresh killings came as the Jukun Development Association of Nigeria (JDAN) has rejected in its entirety, the report by a panel set up by the Nigerian Army to probe allegation of collusion of Nigerian soldiers in the constant killings going on in some parts of the dtate, where Fulani herdsmen have allegedly been attacking farmers and innocent villagers.

The clash, which affected three villages namely: Malali, Dila and Yaladi-Depo, was said to have been ignited by the news of the killing of a Mumuye youth who was working on his farm

by Fulani herdsmen.

When news of the killing of the Mumuye man filtered into the town, other Mumuye youths mobilised themselves and stormed the Fulani settlements in the area to carry out reprisal attacks.

Confirming the incident in a telephone interview, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. David Akinremi, said five persons have been arrested in connection with the mayhem.

Akinremi further revealed that security operatives are on the trail of other suspects who are currently on the run just as he noted that security has been beefed up in the area to forestall further attacks and reprisals.

According to him, “We have arrested five people in connection with the incident and they are currently being interrogated at the command headquarters while we are on the trail of others that are on

the run.

“We are definitely going to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the crisis but presently, security has been beefed up in the area to prevent further breakdown of law and order.”

However, speaking in a telephone interview, the Chairman of the local government, Joseph Sonweri, said six people were killed in the clash.

Sonweri, who said the cause of the crisis was still unclear, however confirmed that security agencies are on the trail of the boy that is alleged to have caused the clash.

“I can’t tell you exactly what happened now because we are still trailing the boy that was said to have led the attack. He is on the run and his family have deserted their house.

“We spoke to him early in the morning but his line is off now so we are trailing him. Until we get him or any of his accomplice that we can know exactly what happened,” he said.

Also speaking on the incident, the traditional ruler of Yorro, Chief Ado Adamu Mazan, condemned the killings and enjoined security operatives to restore peace.

The chief, who revealed that the community has already forwarded their complaints to the Commissioner of Police for necessary action, stated that the clash was caused by a misunderstanding between herdsmen and farmers in one of the villages.

In his words: “It was just a little misunderstanding between herdsmen and farmers in one of the villages. We were told that some Fulani herders strayed into a farm belonging to a native, leading to the clash.”

The chief however disclosed that the police commissioner has

responded promptly by sending security to the area just as he called on the people of the area to tolerate one another.

Meanwhile, at a press conference in Lagos, yesterday, JDAN National President, Chief Bako Benjamin, disclosed that the report of the panel set up by the Nigerian Army to probe allegation of collusion of Nigerian soldiers in the constant killings going on in some parts of Taraba State was far short of expectations and can at best be described as a shoddy job fit for the waste bin.

He lamented that rather than give hope of justice to the families of the innocent

farmers and other villagers hacked down by the herdsmen, the army merely engaged in “empty rhetoric” of setting up of panels to cleanse themselves of wrong doings, a practice, for which he said, they are becoming notorious.

According to him, the Nigerian army yet again missed another opportunity to cleanse itself of allegations of gross abuse levelled against them not only by General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) but by a number of other human rights organisations including Amnesty International (AI).

Benjamin said: “The Nigerian army panel did a very poor and

unprofessional job and wasted the opportunity to scribble their names in gold. The report is unacceptable to Jukun people and therefore it is hereby rejected in its entirety.”

This was in response to the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai’s remarks on the 10-member committee set up to probe former Defence Minister, Danjuma’s allegation of military’s involvement in the pogrom going on in Taraba State.

Buratai had said there was no truth in the allegations, urging the people to have confidence in the soldiers posted to the area to defend them against the rampaging Fulani herdsmen.

He wondered why the principal characters (Fulani herdsmen) accused of precipitating the crisis that gave birth to Danjuma’s allegations were never mentioned in the report.

The panel, he further stated, almost completely avoided the main subject of the matter which is the attacks and killing of farmers and innocent villagers, but was addressing porous borders and past misunderstandings between brothers in a deliberate attempt to stir up tempers and portray Jukuns as historically troublesome.

ENDORSEMENT VISIT

Head of Corporate Sales, African Foundries Limited, Jean Xerri; Immediate past President, Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers, Oreoluwa Fafayomi; President, Eddy Atumonyogo; Chief Executive Officer (AFL), Rajeev Ranjan; Executive Director, AFL, Uche Iwuamadi; and Secretary of the institute, Bright Ukponu, during an endorsement/certification visit of the institute to AFL Factory at Ogijo, Ogun State.... yesterday

Court Declares Innoson Group Chairman 2019: Delta South PDP Plans Wanted for Refusing to Face Trial Mega Rally for Okowa June 9 As the 2019 electioneering activities gather momentum, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Delta senatorial district is set to orgainise a mega rally in support of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on June 9.

Addressing a meeting of the party stakeholders on Friday at Patani, the Chairman of PDP, Delta South senatorial district, Chief Emman Amgbaduba, announced that the rally would hold at the Oleh Township Stadium, Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area.

Amgbaduba noted that the sterling performances of Okowa in the last three years informed the party’s decision to organise the mega rally to drum support for the governor’s re-election in 2019.

“Our governor has performed very well and so he deserves our support for a second term because one good term deserves another.

He announced the setting up of a Steering Committee headed by former Deputy Speaker, Hon Funkekeme Solomon, while former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan heads the party’s advisory committee.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Burutu Otuaro, in an address thanked party faithful for their outstanding support for the governor noting that Delta South is indeed home of PDP. The state Chairman of the party, Olorogun Kingsley Esiso, at the ocassion urged aspirants of the party to work towards the party’s primaries as the state PDP is prepared to organise a free and fair primaries for all aspirants.

“Concentrate your energies on the primaries, I want to assure the good people of Delta South that the party under our leadership will be fair and just to everybody,” he said.

Declaring me wanted is to embarrass me and kill my business, says Chukwuma

Christopher Isiguzo ÓØ ØßÑß ËØÎ Akinwale Akintunde ÓØ ËÑÙÝ A Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has declared the Chairman of Innoson Group of Companies, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, wanted.

Justice Mojisola Dada issued the warrant yesterday, following an oral application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when the defendant for the fifth time failed to be in court for his arraignment over an alleged offence.

The judge had at the last sitting issued a Bench Warrant against the defendant for not appearing in court despite several invitations.

The EFCC is accusing Innoson of obtaining containers of motorcycles spare parts by false pretences between 2009 and July 2011 in Lagos, ‘with the intent to defraud.’

According to the commission, the goods, said to be property of GTBank Plc, were allegedly obtained from Mitsui O.S.K Lines Limited in Apapa.

The anti-graft agency claimed that Innocent Chukwuma and Charles Chukwuma, “with the intent to defraud, induced the staff of Mitsui O.S.K and Maersk Line Limited to deliver”, to them through their clearing agents, the motorcycle spareparts, moulds of spareparts and steel structures and raw materials called polyvinlchlorid, imported from China.

When the matter came up yesterday, Justice Dada declined to listen to any of the applications from the defence counsel, insisting that Innoson must appear before her in court.

Addressing the court, EFCC lead counsel, Anselem Ozioko, informed the court that they were not able to execute the court’s Bench Warrant.

Ozioko insisted that it was disrespectful for the defendant to fail to appear in court for the fifth time.

He added that the court and the law should not be disrespected by anybody, no matter how highly placed and standing in the society.

Responding, Innoson’s counsel Chief George Uwechue (SAN), said even when the court does not want to listen to the application of a defendant, it was duty bound to do so when it borders on challenging its jurisdiction to hear the matter under consideration and make a formal ruling on it.

Responding to the order by Justice Dada, Chukwuma said declaring him wanted was not only done in bad faith, but was aimed at embarrassing his personality.

The automobile manufacturer who made his feelings known in a statement issued

by the Head, Corporate Communications, Innoson Group, Cornel Osigwe, insisted that he had remained a law-abiding Nigerian citizen and was never afraid of being arraigned.

“I have been briefed by my lawyers that Justice Dada of Lagos State High Court Ikeja granted the oral plea of the counsel to the EFCC to declare me wanted because of my failure to appear before the court today. I have expressly stated before that I am not afraid of arraignment but must be arraigned through due process of the law.

“Declaring me wanted was done in bad faith and is simply to embarrass my personality, defame me and malign my character aimed at distracting me from my daily activities in ensuring that Innoson Vehicles continues to produce durable made in Nigeria vehicles,” he said.

FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

Standard Gauge: Laying of Tracks in Lagos to Begin in June, Says Amaechi Kasim Sumaina ËØÎ Kehinde Lawal In order to meet the December delivery deadline for the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge, work will begin on the Lagos corridor by June, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, said yesterday.

He also acknowledged the efforts of the Lagos State government in finding lasting solutions to the challenges inhibiting the pace of work.

Amaechi spoke after the project inspection meeting of the project at Papalanto,

in Ogun State.

He listed gas and petroleum pipeline, water and sewage removal as well as other structures as among the challenges besetting the project.

Assessing the pace of work, Amaechi concluded that work has moved speedily from Ijoko, to Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

“We have made appreciable speed between Papalanto and Ibadan and in order not to affect our deadline, we need to resume work in Lagos,” Amaechi said

He said the contractor has not only made appreciable progress in the kilometre of tracks laid, but has commenced the laying of beams of two bridges at Papalanto.

Though he could not confirm how many kilometres of tracks have been laid, Amaechi disclosed that 17 bridges are to be constructed between Papalanto and Ibadan, while two would be coming up in Lagos.

Before the meeting,

Amaechi had hinted of the Federal Government’s readiness to go ahead with the project if Lagos continues to pose a challenge.

“We agreed a long time ago that while we (Federal Government) would take care of the gas and petroleum pipelines, Lagos would take care of the replacement of the water and sewage removal.

“If Lagos refuses to come up with their solutions, we would be left with no choice

but to use our old, narrow gauge alignment, which can accommodate what we wanted to do and leave Lagos to look for another alignment when they are ready to commence their Red Line light rail project.”

But after the meeting Amaechi admitted much grounds has been covered and Lagos has come up with a workable solution.

“We have agreed that Lagos State should come back to the meeting within

the next two weeks with their solutions so that work can resume as scheduled on the Lagos corridor by June, Amaechi stated.

Speaking on the threat posed by the rainy season, Amaechi said the engineers have assured the project team that work would continue regardless of the natural elements.

He said the CCECC has assured that it would keep to terms and deliver the project

by December.

Armed Policemen Invade Kuku’s House in Ondo James Sowole ÓØ ÕßÜÏ Officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force yesterday stormed Arogbo Town in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State and invaded the home of Mr. Kingsley Kuku, the former Special Adviser to former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Kuku was also the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Committee until Jonathan was defeated in the 2015 general election.

THISDAY learnt that the police broke into the house of Kuku looking for what was not disclosed to anyone.

A source said the armed policemen announced their arrival with

sporadic shooting in the riverine community to scare the people in the neighbourhood.

“They forcefully broke into every room and everywhere in the house claiming to be in search of kidnappers.

“After combing all the rooms in the house in a commando style, they left without anything incriminating nor any kidnapper in the house,” the source said.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for Ondo State Command, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the visit of the policemen.

Joseph said the men were from the Force Headquarters and on lawful duties.

House C’ttee Threatens to Issue Arrest Warrant against on NEMA DG James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness has threatened to issue a warrant for the arrest of Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for failing to appear before the committee.

It also directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Ministry of Finance and other relevant parties to furnish the committee with all transaction details of N5. 6 billion funds released to four companies in relation to the Emergency Food Programme in the North-east.

The committee made this demand after another investigative session on the alleged breach of trust by NEMA at the National Assembly.

According to the committee, the documents are to guide the panel to uncover the mystery surrounding the release of funds and to establish whether it was given to the companies as a loan or under whatever condition.

The decision to ask for the documents arose when beneficiaries of the contract to mop up grains, which were said to have been distributed in the

North-east, and the accountant general of the federation said they were selected for the job without asking for a loan to finance it from the CBN, while the bank, on the other hand, insisted that the N5.6 billion was a loan.

The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Ali Isa, also summoned the Director General of NEMA to appear in its next sitting or face a warrant of arrest issued on him to compel him to appear.

This is the third consecutive time the DG is failing to attend the hearing despite repeated invitations from the committee.

Ali said the agency has a penchant for sending notice of its DG’s absence from the meeting either 30 minutes before the hearing commences or when the hearing has already commenced.

He added that the panel will give him one more chance to appear on the 31st of May, 2018, or face sanctions.

Also, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, has denied the involvement of his ministry in the conception, supply and distribution food grains meant for victims of insurgency in the North-east geo-political zone of the country.

EMINENT WOMEN

Second Vice President, Institute of Directors of Nigeria (IoD), Dr. Ije Jidenma (right), welcoming the Managing Director, Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Stella Okoli, to the 2018 Annual Fellows Luncheon of the IoD in Lagos....yesterday

2019 Presidency: Moghalu Joins YPP Pledges to vote N1tn for industrialisation Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË

block out the light of hope, and brooms that sweep away Former Deputy Governor of the truth and replace them with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lies, in response to the parties and presidential aspirant, Prof. of tired old tricks and tired old Kingsley Moghalu, yesterday systems and tired old men, I joined the Young Progressive and millions across Nigeria Party (YPP), with a promise will choose YPP.” to float N1trillion fund for While urging Nigerians industrial revolution in the home and abroad to join country if elected. him in YPP, the presidential Moghalu who lamented aspirant said: “We need those the monumental setback the who want to shake up House country has suffered due of Representatives, to shake up to years of bad and inept the Houses of Assembly and leadership, told his youths- shake up our local government dominated audience that YPP councils across Nigeria to join has satisfied what is expected us now, and work with us to of a political party that can give execute our plans.

Nigerians the much desired “Today calls for leaders not future. for politicians. We have been Making his official all politics in this country but declaration yesterday in Abuja, no leadership. What transforms Prof. Moghalu described is not politics but leadership YPP as “a great party with and politics is only a part of a tantalising promise and a that process. notice of evacuation to Nigeria’s “So today I have made up recycled politicians”. my mind and I have taken “So, I am here today to a stand for Nigeria and for announce that in response its future and today I wait to the parties of the past, in for you to put your action response to umbrellas that where your mouth is. It is

now, not tomorrow and not later fellow Nigerians. Join me in this difficult walk that stands ahead us as we seek to chat a new future for our country. It is possible and it can be done,” he said.

Moghalu pointed at the rapidly changing face of things in some countries in Asia and Latin American, such as Brazil, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia which were previously not compared with Nigeria, especially during her early days as an independent nation.

The presidential candidate lashed out at those he described as ethnic and religious bigots saying that if voted into office his administration will take bold steps to industrialise and drive our economy away from dependence on oil as a mono product.

He said he will pursue an innovation-based economy, adding that the reason that the country has never made

any real progress was because her economy was always managed ad hoc and by persons with little or no knowledge of how capitalism actually works.

He said all products of innovation by our young people will be reproduced on a massive scale in order to promote industrial revolution in the country.

“We will pump capital into our capitalist economy. Under my presidency we will float a massive venture capital fund of minimum N500 billion from the government and another N500 billion from the private sector. With this venture capital fund we can begin to invest in innovations and industrial growth,” he said.

The presidential aspirant described the present land use Act as a major inhibitor of economic development in the country.

Mogahlu said he has chosen YPP as a platform to realised his ambition because he wanted to inspire Nigerian to look to the future and not to the past.

FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

Shekarau, Shagari, Ize-Iyamu, Others Arraigned, Granted Bail Mohammed Aminu ÓØ ÙÕÙÞÙ, Ibrahim Shuaibu ÓØ ËØÙ ËØÎ Adibe Emenyonu ÓØ ÏØÓØ ÓÞã Three Federal High Courts in Kano, Sokoto and Benin City yesterday granted bail to some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) arraigned in the three jurisdictions of the court for money laundering offences.

Those arraigned and granted bail in Kano were former Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Ambassador Aminu Wali and the Campaign Director of President Goodluck Jonathan, Mansur Ahmad.

In Sokoto, former Deputy Governor and Minister of Water Resources, Mukhtari Shagari, Ibrahim Gidado, a former Information Commissioner;

HOUSE REJECTS BILL SEEKING TO OVERRIDE BUHARI ON ESTABLISHMENT OF PEACE CORPS executive and resolve grey areas,” he said.

Hon. Shawulu Kwewum (PDP, Taraba) also cautioned against throwing away the baby with the bathwater.

He said members’ contributions had not addressed issues raised by president, stressing that the issue of internal security was not the responsibility of the military.

He said there was no need opposing the passage of the bill if the mandate of the corps doesn’t in any way conflict with existing security agencies.

But Hon. Simon Arabo (PDP, Kaduna) urged the lower chamber to override the president’s veto adding that the act of veto was not knew in parliament.

He cited an instance whereby former President Olusegun Obasanjo had similarly withheld his assent to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on accuses of lack of funding and security but was overruled by parliament.

He said: “Peace Corps is not a terrorist organisation, we should invoke Section 58 (5) and override the veto.”

At some point in the debate, it because difficult to anticipate the fate of the bill as it looked too close to call.

N o n e t h e l e s s , Hon. Sunday Adepoju (APC, Oyo) said the fact that the Civil Defence is performing showed Peace Corps would also do a good job.

“Is there any price too much to maintain security in a country like this? There’s many benefits to be derived from bill. Let’s pass it so Nigerians will be happy for it,” he said.

But, Hon. Nicholas Ossai, a PDP stalwart from Delta, unusually, offered praises to Buhari for rejecting the bill which was according to him, “passed in error” by the House.

“I’m in favour of dropping this bill. We should support Buhari on this ground,” he said, adding that purse of the nation remained a great concern.

Bouyed by Ossai’s submission.”

Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano) said the opinion of the president should be respected as a retired army general and Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces, particularly on issues of security.

“Allow the president’s veto stand on grounds that he knows better. Please, see reason with Mr President,” he said.

Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) said overriding the president cannot solve the problem of insecurity, rather, he said the state governments

should be allowed to amend their constitution to allow for state police.

Hon. Oguma Johnson (APC, Edo) said members should not go into altercation with the president but rather step down the bill.

Hon. Istifanus Gyang (PDP, Plateau) said:”We should throw away baby with bathwater,” He said parliament must not deny the youth the opportunity of gainful employment.

“We should deny not them opportunity and yet brand them as being lazy,” he said, referring to recent statement by Buhari where he labelled Nigerian youths are being lazy.

However, Hon. Musa Sarikin Ada (APC, Sokoto) said,”We are going to compromise our owner they way we going.”

He said Peace Corps can’t provide what police has failed to provide since 1914.

He cited the instances of Akor, who was said to have collected the sum of N50,000.00 from recruits, claiming he wanted to lobby lawmakers.

At this point, Hon. Gbewfi raised a point of order, drawing attention to the fact that the president never cited any instance of corruption as reasons for withdrawing assent to the bill.

The Speaker, therefore, sustained his point of order and asked members to restrict their arguments to the subject matter as demanded by House rules.

Eventually, the mover of the bill was given an opportunity to close the debate- which could have provided him the opportunity to save the bill by stepping it down for further consideration and lobbying, perhaps it could be resurrected some day for debate.

But he said, “I’m exercising my right of reply”, adding that suggestion that Buhari, as a retired general should not be questioned over security issues, doesn’t hold water.

He said the fact that Buhari failed to expand on the security aspect of his excuse, leaves room for speculation.

He said the president’s two reason for declining assent to the bill was not sufficient.

However, Dogara, before putting the question to members, clarified that passing the bill for second reading “don’t mean anything because it still needs twothirds majority vote.”

When he eventually put the question that the bill be read for the second time, there was a resounding “Nay”.

PDP Chairman, Ibrahim Milgoma, PDP Treasurer, Nasiru Dalhatu, as well as the state PDP governorship candidate in the 2015 election, Abdallah Wali.

In Edo State, former governorship candidate of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, state party Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih; former Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen; a former member representing Esan South East and Esan North East in the House of Representatives, Tony Azegbemi,and Mr. Efe Anthony were also arraigned and granted bail.

They were all accused of receiving various sums from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, to prosecute the 2015

general election.

The offences were alleged to be contrary to sections 16(2) (b) and 18(a) of money laundering prohibition Act of 2011 (as amended).

In Kano, Justice Zainab Abubakar Kagi after listening to the arguments from the EFCC and the defence counsel, stood down the proceedings for about 40 minutes before rulings.

The judge, after the recess, granted the accused bail on six conditions, saying they should be remanded at the EFCC custody pending when they satisfactorily fulfilled the bail conditions.

The six conditions included N100 million each, two sureties, one with landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

The landed property must have a C of O and must be verified by the Ministry of Land and be deposited with the court registrar.

The second surety must be a civil servant not below the rank of a director.

Also, he the accused should submit their international passports with the registrar and two copies of recent passport sized photographs.

In Sokoto, Justice Saleh Idrissa, granted bail to Shagari, Gidado, Milgoma, Dalhatu and Wali in the sum of N25million each with two sureties in like sum.

“The sureties should be a civil servant on grade level 13 and a respected member

of the community who must be a resident of the state with a net worth of N25 million.

“The accused persons should also deposit their international passport before the court and deposit affidavit of means worth N25 million,” he stated.

According to him, he considered the bail applications by the defendants and counters from the prosecution side.

The judge said all the alleged offences were bailable, as they bordered on issues of money and financial transactions not capital offences.

The same applied in Edo where Ize-Iyamu, Orbih and others were also granted bail.

COURTESY VISIT

L-R: Vice President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Olawale Cole; Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki; President, LCCI, Mr Babatunde Ruwase; and Vice President, LCCI, Mr. Varkey Verghese, during a courtesy visit to the senate president in Abuja....yesterday

Suntrust Oil Asks Court to Restrain San Leon Energy, Six Others from Parading Selves as Shareholders Ejiofor Alike Suntrust Oil Company Nigeria Limited has asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to issue a restraining order against San Leon Energy Plc and six other respondents in respect of the ownership of the third respondent, Martwestern Energy Limited.

Apart from San Leon Energy, which is the first respondent, the six other defendants in the suit number FHC/L/CS/793/2018 are Midwestern Leon Petroleum Limited, Martwestern Energy Limited, Midwestern Oil and Gas Company Limited, Mart Resources Inc; Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

In the motion on notice dated May 22, 2018 and issued on behalf of Suntrust Oil by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Fidelis Oditah, the plaintiff is seeking among other reliefs “an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the second

respondent, Midwestern Leon, from parading itself as a shareholder of the third respondent, Martwestern Leon, or exercising any shareholder right until the hearing and final determination of these proceedings.”

Suntrust Oil also wants “an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the third respondent from paying to the third defendant and/ or the first defendant, San Leon Energy, any dividends/ distributions or transfers of money howsoever described, including without limitation, any purported repayment of capital or payment of interest in respect of any purported debt instrument to the first and/or second respondent and/or their agents, nominees and/or privies until the final hearing and final determination of these proceedings.”

In the statements of claim before the court, Suntrust Oil alleged that in order to acquire an indirect economic interest in

Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18, San Leon Energy Plc began acquiring direct and indirect interests in Martwestern Energy’s shareholding from March 2016, contrary to the November 2013 shareholders’ agreement between the plaintiff, Martwestern Energy, Midwestern Oil, and Mart Resources Inc. “To achieve its aim, San Leon Energy and Midwestern Oil and Gas formed Midwestern Leon Petroleum Limited as a special purpose vehicle to acquire and restore the entire shareholding in the Martwestern Energy outside the framework of the shareholders’ agreement,” Suntrust Oil alleged.

The plaintiff also told the court that Midwestern Oil and Mart Resources Inc. transferred all their shareholdings, four million shares each, to Martwestern Energy to Midwestern Leon Energy (Sale Shares), adding that Midwestern Leon did not execute the Deed of Accession as required by Clause 13 of the shareholders’ agreement.

Suntrust Oil further alleged that none of the sale shares was offered to it whether pursuant to Clause 11 of the shareholders agreement or otherwise, adding also that at no point did it waive its right of first refusal.

In its claim, the plaintiff is seeking 18 reliefs, including “a declaration that by virtue of Clause 11.1 of the shareholders agreement dated November 2013 between the plaintiff and the third, fourth and fifth defendants, no shareholder has the right to sell or transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of its shareholding in the third defendant unless and until the shareholder first gives the other shareholders a right of first refusal to buy such shares evidenced by a transfer notice stating the selling shareholder’s intention to sell such shares and setting forth the full terms including the price at which it intends to sell the specific shares.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY MAY 25, 2018

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Ëœ ÍşÍ˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž T H I S D AY

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Victor Moses out of DR Congo Clash, Mikel Arrives Uyo The Chelsea star to join Eagles for the Three Lions friendly at Wembley on June 2 Duro Ikhazuagbe Chelsea wing-back, Victor Moses, has been ruled out of Super Eagles friendly against DR Congo in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Moses is the only missing link in Gernot Rohr’s 30-man provisional squad at the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo following the arrival of team Captain, John Mikel Obi and John Ogu yesterday.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed yesterday on its Twitter handle that Moses would join up with the team in London for the preWorld Cup tune up clash with the Three Lions of England at the Wembley Stadium on June 2.

No reason was adduced for why the 27-year-old winger-back who won the English FA with Chelsea penultimate weekend is going to miss the clash with the Simba of DR Congo.

The team’s Camp update ahead #2018FIFAWorldCup simply announced thus: “Captain @mikel_john_obi and @ogujohnugo have arrived in camp.@VictorMoses will join the team in London.#SoarSuperEagles.�

Meanwhile, Super Eagles Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye, confirmed yesterday that sports journalists will have the opportunity to meet with the head of the coaching crew, Gernot Rohr, and the players at 1.45pm today. “Coach Gernot Rohr and the rest of the team are inviting members of the media to a parley at the Ibom Hotels and Golf Resort, Uyo at 1.45pm on Friday, May 25, 2018,� a tweet on the official handle

of the Super Eagles revealed.

Earlier yesterday, Eagles intensified their preparations with forwards like Odion Ighalo and Simeon Nwankwo the cynosure of eyes at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

anywhere Rohr heads the coaching crew. Giles last duty post was at the Raja Casablanca in Morocco.

Goalkeeper Coach, Enrico Pionetti drilled Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi, Francis Uzoho and Dele Ajiboye. One of the

quartet is to miss the final list of 23-players for the Mundial.

Ighalo, Kelechi Iheanacho, Ahmed Musa and Uche Agbo all showed exciting forms. Enyimba Goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa conceded a goal from FC Crotone top

man, Simeon Nwankwo.

Recuperating Leicester City midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi continued his regimen of training alone. He showed good form that he may be fit for the Three Lions clash in London next weekend.

No DR Congo action for Victor Moses as Eagles ďŹ le out for the last match in the country before heading out to face Three Lions of England on June 2 in another preWorld Cup tune-up game

Olokokun, Bala, Alimi, Seka Nominated for NPFL’s VAT Wonder Goal Two former VAT Wonder Goal award winners, Pascal Seka and Sikiru Alimi are among the four candidates for the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Match Day 23 nominations. While Seka last won the award in the 2016/17 season, Alimi was the winner for Match Day 16 of the current campaigns.

The other nominees are Nasarawa United’s Nojeem Olokokun who netted their only goal in the 2-1 defeat to Plateau United and Reuben Bala, one of the scorers of Plateau United’s goal in the same match played in Jos. Bala’s goal came off a rebound from Itodo’s long throw which was nodded to the edge of the box by a defender and Bala who was lurking pounced to hit a volley that flew straight to the net. The goalkeeper had no chance as his outstretched hand was not long enough to reach the hot shot.

In the same fixture, Olokokun was at the end of a tailored free kick from the right hand and he made a perfect jump to powerfully nod high up to the net with the goalkeeper badly positioned and rooted to his spot.

FC IfeanyiUbah’s Seka exhibited pace, grit and composure to leave Yobe Desert Stars defenders in his

The morning training featured the usual warm-up drills handled by Fitness Coach, Bernard Giles, who teamed up with Rohr early this year ahead of the World Cup. He is usually responsible for the fitness of players

wake and he let fly a low long range shot from over 40 meters for the opening goal of the match that ended 1-1 in Damaturu.

Alimi’s trick inside the box left Heartland FC markers that sandwiched him stranded. It was a deft side flick which lifted the ball beyond the defenders to set up a quick volley which he executed to the delight of fans and perhaps, his opponents.

Videos of the four goals have been uploaded on the NPFL website, www.npfl.ng and twitter handle, @lmcnpfl for voting which opens on Thursday, May 24 and ends at midnight of Sunday, May 27.

The VAT Wonder Goal Award is an initiative of the League Management Company (LMC) supported by the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) to deepen club and community engagement through charity support and also promote the benefits of tax payment through the FIRS tax education campaign.

The player whose goal receives the highest number of votes across both platforms wins the N150,000 prize money, 50 percent of which will be donated to a Charity to be nominated by the player.

Such Charity must be based within the state where the club is based.

Dalung Accuses FIBA of Causing Confusion in NBBF Plans security clampdown on Tijani Umar’s faction Duro Ikhazuagbe Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, has revealed plans are underway to ensure that property and sponsorship funds still with the immediate past board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) headed by Tijani Umar are retrieved to end the impression being created that factions exist in the governing of the game in the country.

Speaking at an interactive session at the NOC boardroom in Lagos yesterday, the minister insisted that as far as he was concerned there are no factions in NBBF and anybody parading himself as a board member at any other election apart from the

one that held on June 13, 2017 at the National Stadium in Abuja was a fraud. “We are going to direct security agencies in the country to take action on such persons parading themselves as NBBF board members,� stressed Dalung.

The minister blamed the games’ world ruling body, FIBA, for the confusion in NBBF. “FIBA is the one causing problem in our basketball. We have concluded everything about elections in our sports federation. I don’t know why FIBA is encouraging illegality by calling for fresh elections,� observed Dalung.

He further insisted that the reforms he introduced on

assumption of office as sports minister were aimed at ending situations where certain elements in the running of Nigeria sports were turning themselves into dictators in the federations. “We introduced reforms in the sports federations and organised a free and transparent elections.

I don’t know how a man who did not pick form to stand for an election would be talking about being elected. Interestingly, the case has gone to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and a winner emerged. I am a lawyer and knows what the rule of law stands for,� the minister stressed. “We won’t allow this illegality to continue. We would soon recover every basketball property

including whatever sponsorship the game is currently enjoying,�

Dalung concluded.

The two factions of the NBBF are led by Ahmadu Musa Kida who duly won the election supervised by the Sports Ministry on June 13 and the previous board President Tijani Umar who was returned to office at another election in Kano on June 12.

Despite FIBA’s directive for the two factions to streamline and arrive at a new constitution for the country before a fresh election is to take place, they are holding to their respective positions of ‘no deal’ which may result in the world body appointing an interim committee to run the game in Nigeria.

GOtv MAX Cup Brings Down Curtains on Torres’ Atletico Career For some time to come, Uyo’s Godswill Akpabio International Stadium will be remembered by Nigerian football fans as the place where three interwoven historical events took place-both on 22 May. It hosted the maiden edition of the GOtv MAX Cup, which saw LaLiga giants and 2018 Europa League winners, Atletico Madrid, play their first game on Nigerian soil against the Super Eagles B team and perhaps more defining, Fernando Torres’ last match for the club at which he is regarded as a legend.

The 34-year old striker, whose one-year contract lapsed at the end of the season, was the undisputed star of the Atletico Madrid squad

that arrived Nigeria.

The man fondly called “El Nino� (the kid) may be ageing, but still possesses star quality.

When his image popped up on the stadium’s screens, fans chanted his name lustily, as reflected by the palpable collective wish to see him score.

Torres was not only star to arrive with the team. There was the highly regarded goalkeeper, Jan Oblak, Argentine international, Angel Correa and Ghanaian international, Thomas Partey.

They were led by their star coach Diego Simeone.

Most of the affection and attention, however, was on Torres, particularly because he

was turning out for Atletico for the last time-a piece of history claimed by GOtv MAX Cup. Torres was omitted from the starting line-up, as his teammates began the confrontation with the Super Eagles B team.

The young team started with vigour and skill, matching their opponents. They went ahead in the 31st minute through the superb Kelechi Nwakali, who stunned Oblak with a shot from the distance.

Atletico did not waste time before restoring parity through Correa to ensure the first half ended on an even note.

Torres was introduced at the start of the second half to

rapturous applause from fans and made his presence felt immediately by stinging the hands of the Super Eagles goalie with a shot from outside the box. On 64 minutes, the striker scored with a firm header off a corner kick to give the LaLiga giants the lead.

The ovation was deafening.

The Super Eagles leveled when Usman Mohammed’s beat Oblak after mazy run.

Five minutes to the end, the Super Eagles were undone when Borja Caceres scored the winner for Atletico to claim the GOtv MAX Cup, providing a glorious end to Torres’ Atletico Madrid career and ensuring a piece of history was made in Nigeria.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018

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FRIDAYSPORTS WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN

Tashaev Exhibits Eagles’ Jersey as Russia Welcomes the World Aleksandr Mikhailovich Tashaev, who plays in the left of the midfield for FC Dynamo Moscow was handed the role of donning Nigeria’s new home jersey as the LOC of the World Cup 2018 tells the world they are ready to host the world with 19 days to kick off of the Mundial.

Tashaev is making his senior national team debut after distinguishing himself at the Under-23 for Russia.

The Russian national team, coaching and support staff donned the jerseys of every country competing at Russia 2018 – and posing for a squad photo.

Yesterday, the Sbornaya, as the Russian national team is known, turned up for training earlier than usual and upon arrival they were greeted by 32 jerseys from around the globe hanging in their locker room. They duly obliged – putting them on, exchanging jokes and taking the obligatory selfies.

Head Coach of the host country, Stanislav Cherchesov wore the Russian shirt while goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev exhibited the jersey of defending champions, Germany.

“We welcome all the teams who are coming here for the World Cup,” said goalkeeper Akinfeev, wearing the shirt of reigning world champions Germany. “I think they’ll quickly be convinced that Russia is 100% ready for their arrival. Our country has staged plenty of major sporting events and important matches already. I hope every player, coach and fan enjoys Russia and its hospitality.”

“I hope everyone likes Russia,” added defender Sergei Ignashevich, who holds the alltime record for Sbornaya caps.

“It’s summer here, the weather is wonderful and the people are friendly. I’m sure you’ll be happy.”

Supporters from all over the world will soon be able to properly appreciate the warmth of Russian people, as there is only three weeks left until the Opening Match of the 2018 World Cup between Russia and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium!

It is time for the last remaining preparations before the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, as players work to get themselves into top shape and coaches finalise their starting line-ups.

Meanwhile, the fans lucky enough to get tickets are planning their journeys and the organisers are applying the finishing touches to the tournament.

After years of hard work, the host nation is eagerly looking forward to welcoming football fans and competing teams.

Tashaev (front row 2nd right) and other Russian players and officials exhibiting the jerseys of the 32 countries for the 2018 World Cup… yesterday

Egypt to Decide on Ramadan during Russia 2018 Build-up Egypt captain and goalkeeper Essam El Hadary has said that the squad will meet to decide as whole whether to fast in accordance with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan this year falls as teams prepare for the World Cup with training camps and friendly matches.

Ramadan, a month when

before further matches against Colombia and Belgium.

They then kick-off their Group A World Cup campaign on 15 June against Uruguay followed by games with hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Team’s director Ihab Leheta pointed out that there would be no influence from the coaching staff on the players’ final decision.

“The fasting is up to the players, if they want to do it, the coach won’t blame them, let us wait and see what the players will decide,” he said.

The Pharaohs’ Argentine coach Hector Cuper is aware of how big an issue this is.

“Fasting is the most important issue now, I am afraid that it could badly affect the players at the

World Cup,” he said.

“I don’t think the travelling during the friendly matches will leave them exhausted, I’m just trying to prepare them well for the matches.”

If the players do decide to fast Cuper has made plans to employ specialists to help organise eating and sleep patterns during Ramadan.

UCL FINAL: REAL MADRID V LIVERPOOL

Salah Tackles Ronaldo with Ballon d’Or on the Line

With individual awards given greater importance, tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool may be the decider of the next Ballon d’Or winner between Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.

While it is true that the Spanish giants, Madrid, are aiming for an enviable record of three straight Champions League record, Salah’s incredible season with Liverpool could be another motive for the Egyptian’s aim to end the dominance of Messi/Ronaldo of the priceless individual awards since 2007 when former Brazilian forward,

MRS Kids Cup 2018 in Crucial Stage The annual MRS Oil Plc Under-16 Boys and Girls is in the semi final stage from today with the matches to hold at the Ojooniyun Sports Centre in Lagos.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the MRS Oil, Andrew Gbodume, explained to the media yesterday that the company just like in the past is set to treat the young lads with the best from the company to mark the annual Children’s Day next week.

The semi final matches will come up this afternoon with Pheonix FA Iganmu set to take on Golden Swam of Lagos Island while Victory Queen of Ikorodu and Yinka Babes of Isolo will play in the other semi final match at the same venue.

“When we set up this

Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset, began on 16 May and is due to end just as the World Cup begins.

“We will hold a meeting as a players in the next few days then we will tell the technical staff about our decision,” the 45-year-old El Hadary said.

The seven-time African champions play Kuwait in a friendly this weekend

platform six years ago, it was to fulfill one of our Corporate Social Responsibility and when we look back today, we have achieved greatness in that regards the yearly display of skills from these kids whom we believe will excel and become icon in football in years to come.

“The event has taken several of them off the street and we would like to call on State government to partner us in ensuring that these lads make best use of the opportunity and shy away from moral vices,” he remarked.

In his response, the President of National Youth Soccer Association Rev. Paul Freeman, commended the sponsor for providing the platform that enables the children to play in a regular competition every year.

Kaka won the awards.

After all, Ronaldo has won the prestigious prize on the back of helping Madrid to each of their recent European Cup triumphs, in 2014, 2016 and again last year.

But in a World Cup year, what happens in Russia will also play a big part -- it is impossible to imagine Messi not winning a sixth Ballon d’Or should he lead Argentina to the title, the only silverware missing from his credential.

But going into the match tomorrow, former Anfield star, Jamie Redknapp is of the view that Liverpool have the firepower to ‘blow Real Madrid away’ in Kiev.

Jurgen Klopp’s side will seek to prevent Madrid claiming a third consecutive European crown in Kiev, having turned in some stellar performances en route the final showpiece.

Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have scored 29 goals between them in this season’s UCL and Redknapp believes his old club have what it takes to overcome Zinedine Zidane’s men in style.

“If Liverpool blew Real Madrid away, it wouldn’t surprise me, it really

Salah wouldn’t,” the former England international told Omnisport.

“Because of the strikeforce they’ve got and sometimes the way that Real Madrid defend, they’re an attacking defensive side. They don’t really look at the defensive side of the game.

“It’s not just Mo Salah. I think it would be disrespectful to not talk about Mo Salah, who’s had an unbelievable season. If you look after Salah, Firmino will hurt you and it’s

Ronaldo the same with Mane.

“There’s so many different options and I think for Liverpool to not miss (Philippe) Coutinho after selling him [to Barcelona] for so much money just shows how well the manager has done.”

Robbie Fowler, another favourite on the Red half of Merseyside, is also hopeful Salah can be the man to make the difference.

“He’s been fantastic,” said

Fowler, who scored 183 goals in 369 appearances for Liverpool.

“I don’t think anyone could’ve foreseen what was going to happen, but he’s been magnificent.

“He’s got a big game, a big occasion, and he’s proven this year that he is the man for the big occasion, so he’s proven that he can do it.

“Fingers crossed he can do it in the Champions League final.”

Sports Minister Pays Surprise Visit to SNEPCo Junior Tennis Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, yesterday in Lagos paid a surprise visit to the junior players taking part in the SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship at the National Stadium in Lagos.

Dalung’s visit which came in the middle of the quarterfinal matches, saw the dumbfounded players scrambling to join the

minister in a group photo which was followed by a mini rally with one of the young players.

“You should take every opportunity to develop your skills to be the best you can be.” The minister admonished the players.

Adding, “ You need self belief, hard work, discipline, respect for your opponents, coaches and elders to succeed”

Only one upset was recorded in the quarters with Ganiyu Mubarak of Oyo State, the defending champion of the 12 and under event, losing to unseeded Olubuade Samod of Lagos 9-6.

In the Girls’ 16, results went as expected with the top four seeds - Toyin Asogba, Favour Moses, Omolade Aderemi and

Omolayo Bamidele - reaching the semifinals. Iye Onoja from Abuja and Serena Teluwo are on course for their eagerly awaited clash in the finals of the Girls’ 14.

The semifinal matches are scheduled to take place from 10 am today at the National Stadium Lagos while the grand finale will hold at the elite Ikoyi Club on Saturday starting at 12 noon.

TR

Friday, May 25, 2018

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Price: N250

MISSILE Anglican Communion to Buhari “It is unfortunate that this level of criminal impunity is happening in a sovereign nation with a constitution which declares that the security and welfare of the citizens shall be a major responsibility of the state.� – The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, condemning persistent killings across the country by Fulani militia during its 2018 synod.

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AKINOSUNTOKUN DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA

akin.osuntokun@thisdaylive.com

Audacity of Lies T

o the legion crises and catastrophein-the-making that the incumbency of President Mohammadu Buhari is bequeathing to Nigeria must now be added the alarming penchant for rank dishonesty. Under a self-inflicted pressure for a disintegrative quest for reelection, Nigeria has become captive to a steady stream of tragicomedy display of the unraveling of the Nigerian presidency as a credible and believable institution. At the latest outing where he was receiving a campaign organization led by a serving public servant, the comptroller General of the customs, no less (when is the turn of the director general of the state security services? the inspector general of police? and perhaps the central bank governor?) here was what President Buhari said “So Nigeria was earning 2.1 million times 100 times 16 years, 7 days a week. “When we came, it collapsed to $37-38 and it was oscillating between $40 and $54 sometimes. “I went to Governor of Central Bank, thank goodness I did not sack him, he is still there. I went with my cap in my hand and say oya. He said there was no savings, only debt,â€? “I agreed to work with him and the roads we did from PTF exist from here to Port Harcourt, to Onitsha, to Benin and so on‌. and one of the former Heads of State between that time was bragging that he spent more than 15 billion American dollars, not Naira, on power.

Where is the power? Where is the power? And now we have to pay the debts,�

I have compiled the below listed excerpts as direct rebuttals of his flight of fancy. And in the light of this new pathology of the audacity of lies I will urge readers to keep these responses in mind because the lies that they readily refuted are liable to be repeated ad nauseum impervious to truth and Godliness.

On the price of crude oil export ‘According to the United States Energy Information Administration, the below stated are the US landing price per barrel of crude oil imports from Nigeria-from 1999 to 2013. Not exactly, on account of the constraint of space and in order not to belabor the issue, I took the highest monthly price as the price per barrel indicator for each year. Information was not provided for 2014 and 2015.

1999(USD 27), 2000(USD29), 2001(USD29), 2002(USD31), 2003(USD36) 2004(USD52) 2005(USD67), 2006(USDUSD77), 2007(USD98), 2008(143), 2009(USD79), 2010(USD95), 2011(USD126), 2012(USD130), 2013(USD121)’.

-THISDAY On debt ‘In October 2005, Nigeria and the Paris Club announced a final agreement for debt relief worth $18 billion and an overall reduction of Nigeria’s debt stock by $30 billion. The deal was completed on April 21, 2006, when Nigeria made its final payment and its books were cleared of any Paris Club debt’- All Nigerian publications And in reference to this achievement, Femi Adesina wrote that “President Buhari believes that Chief Obasanjo’s place in global history is assured for successfully handing over POWER to a civilian government in 1979 after serving as a military Head of State, and returning to

President Muhammadu Buhari POWER in 1999 through elections to stabilize the polity, during which he most remarkably negotiated a debt relief for Nigeria�

On the claim of inheriting no savings from his predecessor ‘As many rightly predicted, President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed to bailout bankrupt Nigerian states—which have

‘I

been unable to pay the wages of public workers in the past few months—after approving a N713.7 billion ($3.5 billion) relief fund. The fund is part of a three-pronged relief package. Of the total sum, N413.7 billion ($2.1 billion)—sourced from LNG sales proceeds—is recognised as a special intervention fund, made available to pay outstanding wage commitments. The remaining N300 billion ($1.4 billion) is a soft loan to states. The soft loan will be provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria’.-All Nigerian publications (August 2015) On the alleged 15 billion dollars expended on power by Obasanjo “To inform the uninformed, the so-called $16 billion power expenditure was an allegation against Chief Obasanjo’s administration and not his claim. The President also queried where the power generated is. The answer is simple: The power is in the seven National Integrated Power Projects and 18 gas turbines that Chief Obasanjo’s successor who originally made the allegation of $16 billion did not clear from the ports for over a year and the civil works done on the sites. “Chief Obasanjo challenges, and in fact encourages, anybody to set up another enquiry if in doubt and unsatisfied with the EFCC report and that of the Hon. Aminu Tambuwal-led

ad-hoc committee�

On PTF ‘Of all the roads rehabilitated by the PTF, only 1984.5kms of roads representing 24% were carried out in the entire South; from where the bulk of the PTF revenue came since the south consumes over 70% of refined petroleum products. Out of this paltry figure, South West got 10.5% while South east and south south combined, got only 13.5% of all the roads, despite being ravaged by erosion and swamps. What this means is that all the Southern States had 4,440.43 kms or 24 per cent of road rehabilitation as against 13,870.47 kms or 76 per cent in the Northern States. The North-West States of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara had a lion share of 5020 kms or 27.42% because the Fund’s Chairman, puritan Buhari and the military dictator Sani Abacha were from there; The North-East States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe picked 23.48 per cent. This is the zone where Salihijo Ahmed, the late Chief Executive of Afri-Project Consortium APC, the sole consultants that supervised all PTF projects came from’-The submission of Afenifere to the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission (HRVIC) led by Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

Perfection of Rigging

NEC had said that it was still in possession of 7,920,129 permanent voter cards yet to be collected from its offices across the nation. A breakdown of the uncollected PVCs as at March revealed that Lagos had the highest number of 1,401,390 followed by Oyo with 647,586 and Edo which had 449,001 while Kano had 195,941. The figure also showed Bauchi State as having the least number of uncollected PVCs, 15,542, followed

by Bayelsa and Plateau which had 28,533 and 25,300 cards respectively’.

The puzzle that crystallized from this report is the dramatic disparity in the PVC collection rates between Lagos and Kano in particular, and between the North and the South in general. It is counter intuitive to believe that given almost the same voter population figures, upwards of 1.4 million PVCs remained uncollected in Lagos against a figure of 196000 for Kano.

Extrapolating from the entrenched culture of inflating population figures, there is little doubt that the voter register for both megacities are inflated and fictitious. Giving the impression that Kano voters are more than 90% compliant is to rationalize the anticipated inflation of votes for the Presidential candidate for whom Kano state is deemed a political stronghold-a recurrence from 2015.

One of the acceptable imperfections of the Nigerian status quo is the fundamentally flawed statistical data profile of the country especially the head count. The ‘look the other way’ nonchalance is a foundational conspiracy between the British colonialists and the Northern dominated national political elite. The received

wisdom is that this foundational conspiracy was expressed in the paternalistic desire of the British to bequeath the political domination of Nigeria to its favored protĂŠgĂŠ-the northern region; and consequently contrived this desired outcome through the manipulation of the Nigeria population census to favor the North over the South.

Though relatively rendered inconsequential (in the first republic) by regional autonomy, population figures were not without significant profit. And the controversy it would spawn started right from the first attempt to conduct census in post independent Nigeria‌ ‘ The first attempt, in mid-1962, was canceled after much controversy and allegations of over counting in many areas. A second attempt in 1963, which was officially accepted, also was encumbered with charges of inaccuracy and manipulation for regional and local political purposes. Indeed, the official 1963 figure of 55.6 million as total national population is inconsistent with the census of a decade earlier because it implies a virtually impossible annual growth rate of 5.8 percent’.

One of the abiding peculiarities of Nigeria is that the full knowledge of these fraudulent figures notwithstanding, it has remained the most acceptable and the standard for extrapolating the validity of subsequent enumeration of Nigerians. Such subsequent exercises have been little more than a variation and proportional upward review of the figures initially attributed to each region and states. These are the statistics upon which access and allocation of resources are predicated-so called distribution of the

national cake. It is the basis for the creation of wards, local government councils, federal constituencies and states upon which revenue allocation and distribution is predicated. To the extent that this fraud is perpetrated across the length and breadth of Nigeria it has become the norm for which nobody or section is held culpable and accountable. And in consonance with the logic of power politics, it is the biggest player who dictates the pace and magnitude of the fraud and distortion.

In the current rundown to the 2019 general elections, the latest manifestation of this dilemma was brought to light in the report of Sunday Vanguard ‘This report will show why the new move (disguised as Voting points Settlements, VPS, is not different from the failed lopsided allocation, which saw the North handed over 21,000, while the South had less than 9,000 PUs. In addition, it will show the possible crookedness embedded in the hasty move less than 10months to next year’s general elections. Finally, just as it is with the presently unchangeable lopsided 774 LGAs, on which revenue is shared, the push to discriminately share out this so called VPS comes with the potential of rendering useless and discombobulate, the provisions of Section 133 (b) which deals with the issue of spread in voting to determine wide acceptability of a President. Conversely, the tokenism of attempting to solve a few instances of far-flung PUs and ease voter participation, which is the usual position of INEC, is negligible in the face of the potential universal consequence for the South specifically, and for the future of Nigeria’s integrity in general’.

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