Wednesday 30th May 2018

Lai Mohammed: Buhari, APC Won’t Lose 2019 Presidential Poll Reels out administration’s achievements in three years Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Senator Iroegbu and Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai

Mohammed boasted yesterday that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari were very confident of winning the 2019 presidential election.

The minister, who spoke in an exclusive interview with THISDAY in Abuja to mark this year’s Democracy Day celebrations, said the party and the president will have an

easy path to victory relying on delivered campaign promises. “We will not be defeated, don’t even contemplate that, we will not be defeated, who will defeat us? Let me tell you,

I am a realist. I wish we had a real opposition, I wish we had a government that is not performing, then I would have been worried,� Mohammed stated when asked if Buhari

would accept defeat if he is voted out next year.

He stated that the 2019 general election will be free Continued on page 8

$650m Capital Injection Raises Nigeria’s Savings in SWF to $2.15bn‌ Page 6 Wednesday 30 May, 2018 Vol 23. No 8441. Price: N250

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͱͮ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018

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WEDNESDAY, ÍąÍŽËœ ͺ͸͚͜ Ëž T H I S D AY

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PAGE SIX

$650m Capital Injection Raises Nigeria’s Savings in SWF to $2.15bn CBN finalises modalities for transfer to NSIA Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Following the approval by the National Economic Council for a fresh cash injection of $650m (N198.25 billion) into the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), managers of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), Nigeria’s savings in the fund since its establishment seven years ago has risen to $2.15 billion.

The amount, however, does not include the income generated by the NSIA from investments in various asset classes across the three funds managed by the Authority.

In his Democracy Day broadcast yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari had announced that the SWF project portfolio

had been expanded with an injection of $650 million.

According to him, the move was meant to strengthen NSIA’s investment in local infrastructure, power, health, re-construction of the Abuja-Kano Road, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, East-West Road (Section V), the Mambilla Hydro-electric power project, as well as construction of the Second River Niger Bridge.

His statement followed the recent authorisation given

by NEC for the transfer of $650 million to the NSIA as seed funding for Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), which has Buhari’s endorsement.

PIDF is to be managed by the NSIA and invested specifically in critical road

and power projects across the country.

Speaking on the fresh injection, the Managing Director/CEO of the NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji said the final approval was given last week and the modalities were being worked out with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the funds to be moved into the account of the NSIA with the central bank.

Orji was also emphatic that the fresh funds will be used for infrastructure projects under PIDF, “By implication, returns on investment in infrastructure projects would take much longer,� he added.

He said the $650 million represented funds saved on behalf of the three tiers of

government, bringing the total value of the SWF to $2.15 billion.

The money is to be transferred from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Dividend Account and managed by the NSIA on behalf of the Nigerian federation.

The SWF took off with a $1 billion seed capital in 2012. Under the present administration, it has also received inflows of $500 million between 2016 and 2017.

The NEC in November 2015 approved the transfer of $250 million to the NSIA, which was released in 2016.

In May 2017, NEC also approved the injection of $250 million into the SWF sourced from the Excess

Crude Account (ECA).

With the additional $650 million, the Buhari administration has so far injected $1.15 billion into the SWF. In addition to the $2.15 billion held by the NSIA on behalf of the Nigerian federation, the Authority manages third-party assets comprising a $350 million asset for the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) Plc and a $100 million asset on behalf of the Debt Management Office (DMO).

It also continues to manage a portion of the Federal Government’s Stabilisation Account (FGN Stab.), a Naira denominated fund commenced in late 2015.

Orji said the contract for

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (2nd right); his Deputy, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro (right); former Governor, Chief James Ibori (left), and the immediate past Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, during the Praise and Worship to mark the 3rd anniversary of Okowa in Asaba‌ yesterday

the management of NBET’s asset would expire next month.

The NSIA derives its mandate from the NSIA Act, which was signed into law in May 2011. It empowers the Authority to receive, manage and invest funds in a diversified portfolio of medium and long-term assets on behalf of the federal, states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and local governments.

To give effect to the mandate, the NSIA established three main funds: the Stabilisation Fund, the Future Generations Fund and the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund. The fourth fund is the PIDF approved by Buhari.

The role of the Stabilisation Fund is to provide budget support in times of economic stress, the Future Generations Fund is an inter-generational savings fund for future generations of Nigerians, while the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund is to invest in domestic infrastructure.

The Authority’s share ownership structure is made up of the federal government - 45.83 per cent, states - 36.25 per cent, local governments - 17.76 per cent, and the FCT - 0.16 per cent.

The NSIA is a signatory to the Santiago Principles of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF), which are a set of 24 voluntary guidelines that assign best practices for the operations of SWFs, including transparency and governance.

Court Orders Buhari to Prosecute Lawmakers over Alleged Budget Padding Davidson Iriekpen A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday directed President Muhammadu Buhari to order the security and anti-corruption agencies to forward to him (Buhari) reports on their investigations into allegations of padding and stealing of some N481 billion from the 2016 budget by some principal officers of the National Assembly.

Justice Mohammed Idris further mandated the president to ensure the prosecution of the lawmakers over their alleged involvement in the theft of N481 billion from the 2016 budget.

The judge in his judgment specifically asked Buhari to “direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), or the appropriate anti-corruption agencies to without delay commence prosecution of the indicted lawmakers�.

Justice Idris arrived at the decision consequent upon a mandamus suit

instituted by a civil society organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

The court also ordered the president to “direct the publication of the report of the investigations by the security and anticorruption bodies into the alleged padding of the 2016 budget�.

Justice Idris, in the action initiated against the President of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, declared that in the exercise of his executive powers, Buhari has a duty to ensure compliance with the provisions of Article 22 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

The court further held that Buhari was “expected to use his executive powers for the public good of Nigeria�.

In his declaration, the judge granted an order directing the president to: “Urgently halt the alleged attempt by some principal officers of the National Assembly to

steal N40 billion of the N100 billion allocated by his government as ‘zonal intervention’ in the 2017 budget. “To closely monitor and scrutinise the spending of N131 billion (accrued from increased oil benchmark) allocated for additional non-constituency projects expenditure, to remove the possibility of corruption.�

Justice Idris equally held that SERAP, being a human rights non-governmental organisation, had sufficient interest in the way and manner public funds are utilised in this country.

Article 22 of the African Charter provides that “all peoples shall have the right to their economic, social and cultural development with due regard to their freedom,� and that “states shall have the duty, individually or collectively, to ensure the exercise of the right to development�.

Reacting to the judgment, Deputy Director of SERAP, Timothy Adewale said: “This judgment confirms the pervasive corruption in the budget process and the prevailing culture

of impunity of our lawmakers as well as the failure of the authorities to uphold transparency and accountability in the entire budget process and implementation. “The judgment is an important step towards reversing a culture of corruption in the budget process that has meant that many of our lawmakers see the budget more as a ‘meal ticket’ to look after themselves than a social contract to meet people’s needs and advance equity and development across the country. “This is a crucial precedent that vindicates the right to a transparent and accountable budget process and affirms the budget as government’s most important economic policy document, which is central to the realisation of all human rights including the rights to health, water and education. “SERAP will do everything within its power to secure the full and effective enforcement of this important judgment.�

SERAP last year had

filed the suit after the CSO said it received credible information from multiple sources that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had completed investigations into the allegations of padding of the 2016 budget.

SERAP said it discovered that the agencies had completed their reports and indicted some principal officers of the House of Representatives and the Senate and that the accounts of some of the principal officers containing allegedly illicit funds had been frozen, with the case files for the prosecution of those indicted ready.

The investigation by the DSS and EFCC may not be unconnected to the alarm raised by the former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin that the 2016 budget had been padded.

He had accused the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara and other lawmakers of padding the

budget, and filed a petition to the police and EFCC, asking them to investigate his colleagues.

Although nothing was heard of the case after the initial uproar, Jibrin was suspended by the House for 180 legislative days for making the allegation.

It was not until last week that a court nullified his suspension, by which time he had resumed sitting.

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WEDNESDAY, ÍąÍŽËœ ͺ͸͚͜ Ëž T H I S D AY

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STARTERS

Poll: Buhari’s Approval Rating Drops to 41% in May Obinna Chima A survey conducted by NOI Polls has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval rating, which gauges public support for the president, has been on a downward spiral, dropping from as high as 80 per cent in October 2015, to 41 per cent this month, three years after he was sworn-in as Nigeria’s president.

According to the latest survey obtained yesterday from the polling service company, respondents also scored Buhari low in top 10 sectoral indicators surveyed.

On the president’s approval rating, in June 2015, it stood at 70 per cent and climbed to as high as 80 per cent in October 2015, which remained the highest approval rating since Buhari assumed office.

It, however, dropped to 63 per cent in December 2015, before climbing again to 70 per cent in January 2016.

However, in June 2016, the month the president travelled to the United Kingdom to treat an ear infection,

Buhari

his approval rating dropped to 39 per cent, before falling further to 37 per cent in August in the same year.

According to the poll, Buhari’s approval rating remained below 55 per cent until June 2017 when it climbed to 67 per cent, possibly due to the sympathy that trailed his three months stay in London for treatment for an undisclosed illness.

Between August 2017 and May 2018, the highest approval rating the president achieved was the 51

per cent that he got in November last year.

The sectoral scorecard also showed that the performance rating of the president in the 10 top indicators over the last three years, using the cumulative average, was low in all the sectors.

For instance, he was given a performance rating of 43 per cent in security in the last three years, an area where he used to get high public support. Similarly, NOI Poll survey showed that Buhari scored 32 per cent in the fight against corruption, reflecting the drop in confidence in his anti-corruption war.

In agriculture and food security, he got 34 per cent, just as in power, the president scored 27 per cent, in healthcare, 25 per cent, and infrastructure, 21 per cent.

In the area of education, the president’s performance rating was put at 24 per cent, on the economy – 16 per cent, job creation – 15 per cent, and poverty alleviation – 12 per cent.

Two-Minute BrieďŹ ng NEWS Sit-at-Home: Obiano, IPOB Flex

Muscles Today’s sit at home order by the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) may have caused ripples in Anambra State as Obiano, has reportedly ordered civil servants‌ Page 9

EDITORIAL Dealing With the ebola Scare

The renewed spike in Ebola epidemic in Democratic Republic of Congo is a wake-up call for the federal government to be proactive against the deadly virus.

Page 15

POLITICS Real Reasons Bauchi Deputy

Governor Resigned Bauchi Deputy Governor, Nuhu Gidado recently resigned following g irreconcilable differences with his boss, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, writes Segun Awofadejii Page 18

L A I MO H AMMED: BUHAR I, APC WON’T LOSE 20 1 9 PR E SI D E N T I AL POL L and fair, pointing out that despite challenges, the APC-led administration had performed creditably to earn the votes and support of the electorate.

The minister said the Buhariled administration has enough to campaign on, adding that there was no zone in the federation that had not felt government’s impact. “We would be campaigning on the fact that we have delivered on our promises of fighting insecurity and revamping the economy and fighting corruption. And how have we done this? “The North East was the stronghold of Boko Haram, but today we have no single community that is under Boko Haram and since we came in, peace has returned, schools have been rebuilt, even the El-Kanemi Football Club now play their matches in Maiduguri, after two years of relocating to Katsina State at the height of Boko Haram insurgency,� he said.

The federal government’s spokesman who strived hard to dismiss the assertion that violence and insecurity had spiraled, despite the administration’s claim that it has degraded Boko Haram, said the security agencies were robustly tackling the conflict in the NorthCentral region.

On the economy, Mohammed churned out dizzying data, some of it exaggerated, saying though the country only recently exited the recession, the economy has continued to wax stronger.

According to him, “This last quarter our economy grew by 1.95 per cent, we have been able to double foreign reserve to $48 billion. We have been able to attract foreign direct investment.

On ease of doing business we have improved by 24 places on the World Bank index. “Our social intervention programme has affected nine million lives directly, we now feed 8.2 million people every day. We give continuous cash transfers to about one million people, 297,000 houses are available in Nigeria every month. “We have employed 200,000 unemployed graduates, our Anchor Borrowers’ Programme has increased the number of farmers from five million to 11 million. With that, we will be able to reduce the pressure of rice importation as we can now produce 44,000 metric tonnes per year.

“We have increased power to 7,000MW and that is enough to tell the electorate that this is what we have achieved. We have constructed over 6,500 kilometres of road. Today we have used all the monies we have gotten from bonds to invest in infrastructure.�

When he was prodded on the federal government’s continuous claim of having “technically defeated� Boko Haram even though Nigerians were still being attacked in the North East, the minister said it was not possible to totally defeat terrorists.

He explained that the federal government was serious and honest about efforts to ensure the release of remaining Dapchi girls, including, Leah Sharibu. “Technically defeated and degraded mean the same thing; you see, anybody who is familiar with insecurity, especially terrorism, will tell you that no country in the world has defeated terrorism in the last 20 years. Not in the U.S., not in London, Paris and Brussels have they completely defeated terrorism,� he further stated. “The Chief of Army Staff has promised to flush out the Boko Haram terrorists and he has done so. I can say that Ground Zero, which is the spiritual headquarters of Boko Haram, had been taken over completely. And actually in March 2017, the army conducted a small arms competition there. “There is no single area in Nigeria today that you can say is the headquarters of Boko Haram. You know thieves have houses, but there is no territory they occupy or possess,�

Mohammed added.

On the general state of insecurity across Nigeria, especially the killings resulting from armed herdsmenfarmers’ clashes, the minister said the violent incidents should not be politicised, or given a religious or ethnic colouration.

According to him, “I think I have said it several times that what happened in Zamfara is different from what happened in Benue. Zamfara is cattle rustling and what has government done to tackle the menace? It deployed mobile units of the police as well as troops. The killings are on the decline. “When you talk about the herdsmenfarmers’ crisis, we are talking about demographic, environmental, climatic changes and criminality all rolled

into one. But people want to pin it to ethnicity and religion. “Several initiatives have been taken by the federal government to ensure that these issues are addressed. I will just give you a few examples of what we are doing. “Take Taraba State, for instance, we have a military operation, which covers Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa and Zamfara States to tackle the menace of killer herdsmen, cattle rustlers, criminal militias, kidnappers and other bandits. “Exercise Crocodile Smile in the South-South and Operation Watse in the South West, it will take the military and police to tackle criminals and oil pipeline vandals. “You might be right that there is a general state of insecurity but there is none of it that we did not inherit, not one. Talking about Agatu, the worst Agatu killings were in 2013 during the last administration. Cattle rustling did not start today. “So how can you say the state of insecurity is increasing? I am asking and let’s be fair. Have we not degraded Boko Haram? I have told you that the territory controlled by Boko Haram terrorists before we came in is like the size of Belgium.�

Mohammed argued that 24 local government areas, whether in part or in full, were in the control of Boko Haram terrorists before Buhari took over, asking: “How can you now say the security is getting worse? Are we saying that there is no insecurity anywhere in Nigeria? No, there is insecurity but we are addressing it.�

When asked to explain the variance between the present government’s claims electricity generation stood at 2,690MW when it took over power on May 29, 2015, whereas the peak generation figure from the TCN at that time was 3,205MW, Mohammed insisted that he got his figures from the Minister of Power, Works and Housing. “I am quoting the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, and I will rather quote the minister who is the final authority. I still stand by this figure of 2,690MW and until the minister says he has made a mistake, I stand by the figure,� he said.

The minister urged Nigeria to continue to cooperate with the president, promising them more good things to come. r 4FF GVMM JOUFSWJFX UPNPSSPX

FEATURES A Mother's Fight against

Female Circumcision For protecting her daughters from the archaic and outlawed tradition of circumcision, Chiemelie Ezeobi writes on the mental torture, physical abuse, abduction and even rape a mother recently went through in Lagos Page 20

BUSINESS New Entry Opportunities Beckon kon as Bears Depress Stock Prices As the bears continue to ravage the e stock market, depressing prices off es many stocks at the nation’s equities market, investment analysts have said the low prices are presenting opportunities for investors to invest st in the market.

Page 23

EDUCATION TETFund Bill must be ModiďŹ ed

for Faith-basedVarsities’ Professor Bernard Aigbokhan explained that the country needs to go back to the values that will ensure that the right leadership qualities are inculcated in students.

Page 32

INTERNATIONAL North Korea’s Kim Yong-chol Heads to US for Talks One of North Korea’s most senior officials is travelling to NewYork, as preparations for a planned summit gather pace.

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SPORTS Buhari Meets Eagles Today to

Wish Them Well Ahead World Cup in Russia Russia 2018World Cup- bound Super Eagles contingent are scheduled to meet President Muhammadu Buhari today at the PresidentialVilla in Abuja‌ Page 54

WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

News Editor Davidson Iriekpen Email davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Sit-at-Home: Obiano, IPOB Flex Muscles Governor orders civil servants to offices or risk sack Umahi warns traders not to fail to open their shops today in Ebonyi Police enjoin indigenes to ignore IPOB’s directive David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka and Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki Today’s sit at home order by the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) may have caused ripples in Anambra State as the state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has reportedly ordered civil servants in the state to shun the exercise.

The governor in a three paragraphs statement meant for the state work force, which was obtained by THISDAY in Awka, while speaking through the Head of Service (HoS), Harry Udu, pointedly informed workers that after the democracy day celebration, work was expected to commence in full force.

The HoS in the short memo directed permanent secretaries and heads of ministries, agencies and parastatals to direct their subordinates to come to work.

The directive came as Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, warned that any trader in the state who fails to open his shop today in solidarity with the IPOB and MASSOB will be made to forfeit the shops to the state government.

The memo read: “The Governor of Anambra State has directed that work resumes on May 30 after the public holiday on May 29.

“All public servants must therefore report to their duty posts on Wednesday and the

rest of the week. Permanent Secretaries and Heads of MDAs should monitor and report compliance unfailingly. Please circulate to all your staff.”

Though the memo failed to mention the sit-at-home order

by IPOB, a source told THISDAY that the directive was meant to weaken the IPOB order.

But IPOB, the secessionist group, has further reiterated their commitment to ensuring that its order was carried.

A statement by the Deputy Leader of IPOB, Uche Mefor, titled: ‘May 30 Sit At Home is about respecting those who fought and died for your freedom’, said it has sent out canvassers to interior villages of Biafra land to sensitise the people on the need to obey the order, and have gotten favourable response that compliance would be high.

According to the statement, “The past few days have witnessed a remarkable public interest in the symbolism of the May 30 Biafra Remembrance, particularly the Sit-at-Home order. May 30 is just one day in 366 days but it represents an enduring epitaph that recalls many great feats, struggles and tribulations.

It is about the greatest collective self-defence against a genocide that lasted four years from 1966 to 1970.

“It is about remembering and honoring those who fought

valiantly against that genocide, and those who could not make their way safely to the East as they succumbed to the sheer numbers and bloodlust of their supposed northern compatriots who sought their gruesome death for nothing except for jealousy and speaking a different tongue.

“May 30 does not just remind us of the sacrifice of the soldiers, sailors and airmen of the great Biafran resistance of 1967 to 1970, but also of those who followed them in later conflicts-those who in this era, stepped out to the streets of Igweocha, Onitsha, Aba, among others to protest the resurgence of evil, those who were murdered at the night vigil in Aba, those who were mowed down at Nkpor, and those who, more recently, lost their precious young lives at various locations in Biafraland, including at AfaraUkwu, Umuahia.

“Particularly with this year’s Sit-at-Home, as we rue our fate as a people and remember those who have died in the course of freedom, we must think of those they left behind - their families and their friends. We must also remember those that are missing since 2015, those in illegal detentions and those that have stepped forward to speak out, to lead; and despite the great

dangers ahead, have stayed the course.”

Meanwhile, Governor Umahi, while speaking during the 2018 Democracy Day at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, condemned the sitat-home exercise, stressed that the methods being deployed by pro-Biafran groups in the county which he said are inimical to peace and development of the region.

He warned the members of the proscribed IPOB not to hold any protest in the state, as any activity held would be decisively dealt with.

The governor noted that though the South-east governors proscribed the activities of the secessionists does not mean that they are happy with the alleged marginalisation of the South-east in the affairs of the nation.

He said: “And so, any trader that closes shop will forfeit the shop forever. Anybody that flouts this order will be decidedly dealt with. I ask Ebonyians to go about their businesses freely and peacefully.

“Let me say that when we the South-east governors say that we don’t want the activities of IPOB does not mean that we are very happy with the marginalisation of the South-east in the affairs

of our nation.

“What we are saying is that IPOB is not doing it the right way. The right thing was what Ohanaeze did in the comity of Igbo sons and daughters. We do not need second colonisation.

We do not need distraction.

We want to strive, we want to continue. We believe in God. We with do everything to change our condition.

Umahi called on the federal government to look into the plights of the South-east geopolitical zone and address the issue of marginalisation.

The governor, who make the call during the 2018 Democracy day at Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, noted that he believed in one united Nigeria founded on equity, justice and fairness.

He, however, emphasised the need for the zone to constructively engage the federal government on the issue.

“We call on the federal government to look into the plights of the South-east people and address the issue of marginalisation. We believe in one Nigeria that is found in equity and fairness and fair play.”

However, the police in Anambra State have enjoined all the people of the state to

disregard alleged calls by any group urging them to sit at home today and go about their lawful businesses.

It denied reports that IPOB organised a rally and marched through the streets of Onitsha on peaceful demonstration to sensitise the public on the planned sit-at-home today.

In a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Haruna Mohammed, it said such reports are fictitious, saying: “The publication is not only fictitious but also mischievously orchestrated by those elements who are not happy with the prevailing peace in the state which the police and other law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to maintain.”

Mohammed, assured the public that adequate security arrangements had been put in place by combined security forces in the state to proactively nip in the bud any threat emanating from such groups.

“The command will therefore not hesitate to deal decisively with and in accordance with the law any individual or groups under any guise that will disrupt public peace in the state.

Crude Oil Price Sustains Losses on Planned OPEC’s Output Rise

Cartel to meet June 22 Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Crude oil prices sustained losses yesterday with the price of United States West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil tumbling nearly three per cent, on worries that Saudi Arabia and Russia could pump more crude oil to compensate for a potential supply shortfall, with hedge funds reducing bullish positions in crude oil.

Ahead of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ meeting in Vienna on June 22, concerns that Saudi Arabia and Russia could boost output have exerted downward pressures on oil prices, along with rising production in the United States.

The global benchmark, Brent crude oil futures fell to $74.62 per barrel, a 0.9 per cent loss, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures slumped $1.83, or 2.7 per cent, to $66.05 per barrel.

Saudi Arabia and Russia have discussed raising OPEC and non-OPEC oil production by one million barrels per day (bpd) to counter potential supply shortfalls from Venezuela and Iran.

Saudi Arabia and Russia’s discussion on the possibility of raising production, combined with news of an uptick in US crude oil production, prompted steep declines in crude oil futures last week.

Venezuela’s oil output has taken a sharp turn lower in recent years,

with the country facing an economic crisis of chronic food shortages and spiking inflation.

Crude oil production in the Latin American state has dropped to around 1.4 million barrels a day in recent months — a spectacular collapse of nearly 40 per cent since 2015.

The Brent price has fallen nearly seven per cent since hitting $80.50 on May 17, its highest since 2014.

Hedge funds and other money managers reduced their net long position in Brent and WTI by 169 million barrels over the five weeks to May 22.

According to agency reports, Brent now commands its largest premium over U.S. futures in more than three years, and this implies that US exports are rapidly becoming far more competitive globally than those from northern Europe, Russia or parts of the Middle East.

The spread between Brent and US crude oil stands at nearly $9 per barrel, its widest since March 2015.

U.S. oil production has surged by more than 20 percent in the past two years to 10.73 million bpd.

That puts the United States ahead of Saudi Arabia and within reach of top producer Russia, which pumps about 11 million bpd.

Record crude oil volumes from the United States are expected to head to Asia in the coming months, nibbling away the market share of OPEC and Russia.

MEETING WITH EX-JUDICIAL OFFICERS

President Muhammadu Buhari; former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore (right); Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, former CJN, Justice Idris Kutigi after breaking fast at the State House in Abuja......yesterday

Suspected Cattle Rustlers Kill Eight Villagers in Kaduna Suspected cattle rustlers yesterday killed eight persons at Kurega village in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, police have said.

The rustlers reportedly attacked the community which shares boundary with Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, shooting sporadically.

Residents said the incident occurred around 2p.m.

A community leader, who identified himself as ‘Sardauna’, told Premium Times on the phone

that the injured had been taken to a hospital at the nearby community, Udawa village.

He said the rustlers also stole some cows from “their fellow Fulanis in the community.

“They just came into the town this afternoon and opened fire on innocent people killing some and taking away cows,” he said.

Another member of a vigilance group in the area, who said he participated in chasing the bandits said they ran into the bush when they sighted vigilantes coming after

them. ”The people of Kurega village lost eight of their strong hunters.

We have brought out eight bodies to the town from the bush.

“The community members of the vigilantes killed is the head of vigilantes in Kurega village, then Wamzam too was killed, Falari and another hunter nicknamed Arna Basu Ganinka was also killed by the rustlers,” he said.

According to him, “Many of the rustlers escaped with gunshots wounds.”

Contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Aliyu Muktar, confirmed the incident.

He, however, said only three persons were killed while four others were injured.

“Yes, we got the information that around 2 p.m, some suspected cattle rustlers attacked Kurega village and killed three persons, injured four others,” he said.

Muktar said the command had already deployed officers to the area.

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COMMENT

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

CANONISATION OF ABACHA

Sonnie Ekwowusi argues that the recent praises heaped on Sani Abacha is darkly funny

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ast week President Buhari formally canonised Nigeria’s former military Head of State Sani Abacha as a saint.

Prior to last week, President Buhari had been constantly maintaining, contrary to general perception, that Abacha was neither a thief nor a looter. Just last week he maintained the same stance on the matter. Speaking while receiving a delegation of Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) at the Presidential Villa, Buhari reiterated that Abacha was not a thief.

He said that Abacha contributed to the infrastructural development of Nigeria, that he built roads, hospitals and other notable developmental projects in Nigeria.

Ever since Abacha died, mischief makers have been spreading lies about him. Hardly had the lies surrounding his death died down than another lies surrounding his stewardship in government started.

Some people alleged that Abacha stashed monies abroad or that he looted Nigerian treasury and hid the loot abroad. This is how the phrase “Abacha loot� came to be popularised in Nigeria. They allege that Abacha was the greatest looter in Africa. That the government of Switzerland said it had returned all of the $505 million (N59.05billion) which Abacha looted and stashed away in its banks. They also allege that the repatriated money is part of an estimated $3billion of public funds believed to have been stored by Abacha in banks in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Britain and Luxembourg.

But President Buhari has told the international community that Abacha was neither a thief nor a looter. So, why calumniate Abacha?

Why can’t these idle gossipers learn from President Buhari? What these gossipers fail to understand is that President Buhari is a very intelligent leader. There is no Nigerian leader who had worked closely with Abacha and appreciated the sainthood in him more than Buhari. So, let us applaud President Buhari for this achievement.

Abacha came to power to save Nigeria from collapse. Buhari also came to power to repair the destruction done by the previous government. Buhari constructed many roads with PTF funds at his disposal.

Abacha constructed many roads and built many hospitals with the monies people are alleging he stole. Buhari is a corruption fighter.

Both Abacha and Buhari are saints. People who think that both men represent different things are in danger of confusing superficial difference with fundamental ideology. Because Buhari is a saint he has been able to spot out the sainthood in Abacha. That was why Buhari agreed in the first place to serve under Abacha as head of the Petroleum Trust Fund, (PTF). Therefore all those railing and scoffing at Abacha and saying that “Abacha was a thief�, “Abacha looted our treasury�, should be careful otherwise they will be arrested and sent to prison. President Buhari is the anti-corruption czar. He conceptualised Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight. Therefore only Buhari is most qualified to say who and who is a thief in Nigeria. And he has, for the umpteenth time, told us that Abacha was never a thief. He has told us that Abacha constructed roads and hospitals. It is baffling that Nigerians cannot obey the voice of reason. Since Buhari has given Abacha a clean slate, all the calumniators spreading lies that Abacha

ABACHA CAME TO POWER TO SAVE NIGERIA FROM COLLAPSE. BUHARI ALSO CAME TO POWER TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE BY THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT

was a thief should be arrested and jailed. Abacha dedicated his entire life to the service of his country. He was a nocturnal workaholic. He wore dark eyeglasses even in the night, working for his fatherland. As Buhari says, Abacha constructed many roads, hospitals and other public infrastructure in Nigeria. The monies these gossipers are alleging that Abacha stole were monies he reserved for the construction of roads, hospitals and other public infrastructure in Nigeria. So, why tell lies that Abacha stole public funds when in actual fact he reserved the funds for building of roads and hospitals? Why cast slur on the name of a saint?

People are also fabricating lies that Abacha was a dictator and a violator of human rights. But Abacha was not as wicked as Idi Amin of Uganda, Mammuar Gaddafi of Libya, Francisco Macias Nguema of Central African Republic, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos of Angola, Paul Biya of Cameroun, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Yahya Jammeh of Gambia, Hastings Kamuzu Banda of Malawi, Omar Al-Bashir of Sudan who is in fact still in power despite International Criminal Court’s (ICC) warrant of arrest against him.

Whereas Al-Bashir committed rape, Abacha never committed rape.

Nguema, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, Mbasogo, Kagame, Banda and others had gigantic detention camps for detention of people; Abacha only had a small gulag called the Abacha gulag. Unlike Idi Amin, Abacha did not drink the blood of his opponents. Unlike Yahya Jammeh, Abacha never threatened to slit the throat of his opponents. Abacha even permitted the Pope to visit Nigeria. Is Abacha not our hero?

So, now that President Buhari has canonised Abacha as a saint, a National Pantheon should be built in Abuja in honour of him.

The Eagle’s Square, Abuja should be named after Abacha. Abacha’s photograph should be engraved on the N1, 000 currency note of Nigeria. Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja should be named after the great man. Since Abacha lived most of his saintly lives in Lagos, his name should be immortalised in Lagos. The Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, for instance, should be named after Abacha. And since Abacha built many hospitals, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba, Lagos should be named after him. As soon as the strike of the medical personnel and professionals is over, LUTH should be renamed as Sani Abacha Teaching Hospital, (SATH), Idi-Araba, Lagos. Imo State Governor, Statues Rochas Okorocha should erect not less than three for Abacha in Owerri metropolis. When a president of Nigeria canonises someone, he does so on behalf of the people of Nigeria. So, since President Buhari has canonised Abacha, all Nigerians have equally canonised him. We must give honour to whom honour is due. Henceforth the prefix “dictator� must never be used before Abacha’s name.

Anybody who does that will be arrested and jailed. Henceforth only the prefix “saint� should be used before the name of Abacha.

Saint Sani Abacha

SHOWING CARE FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS Those found derailing pension administration should be sanctioned, writes Adewale Kupoluyi

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here are many challenges facing us as a nation. One of the most disturbing problems is the plight of pensioners that we see almost on a daily basis. The gory pictures of suffering pensioners collapsing on queues for their meagre entitlements during verification exercises is no longer news. What has been the lot of these special people are the non-payment of their pensions, omission of names from payrolls, under-payment, delayed payment and non-payment of arrears and gratuities.

Retirement, which ordinarily should be embraced with joy, has become a source of sorrow, frustration, panic, agony and replete with fraud. Ironically, the public servant, having put in all his/her life into active service would naturally be expected to be rewarded. His/her immediate returns during service are by ways of salaries and wages while the long time rewards after active service are mainly by pensions and gratuities. More than anything else, the foremost duty of any responsible government, is to cater for the security and welfare of its citizens.

Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, despite the jaundiced argument that this provision of the constitution is not justiciable (or enforceable).

No doubt, the old pension scheme has been fraught with some problems, ranging from inadequate funding, leading to incurring of pension liabilities that had made the scheme unsustainable. The Pension Reform Act of 2004 was promulgated that established the Contributory Pension Scheme for the payment of retirement benefits of employees in both public and private sectors of the economy. The act is a major

component of the general economic reforms of the federal government, which is aimed at eliminating the challenges that confronted the implementation of past pension policies.

Objectives of the act include ensuring that every person, who had worked either in the public service of the Federation, Federal Capital Territory or the private sector, receives his/her entitlements as at when due; promoting the framework of uniform set of rules, regulations and standards for the administration and payment of retirement benefits to the public and private sectors. Unfortunately, the Defined Benefits Scheme was described as being poorlymanaged, going by an interim report of the Pension Reform Task Team in 2014, which allegedly recovered cash and assets worth over N1.6 trillion. Another demerit is that many private sector employees were not captured under the scheme, as the system is meant to provide full benefits to working people, who retired and applied for benefits at the age of 65 and older or reduced benefits for those retiring and applying for benefits between the ages of 62 and 65.

To improve the scheme, the Pension Reforms Act, 2014 Laws of the Federation, was enacted.

It was designed to make the government and workers save up to a given amount of their earnings towards an accumulated funds reserve.

Areas of contention still include the failure to harmonise existing beneficiaries under the old scheme with those in the new scheme, failure by the federal government and some state governments to remit deducted sums from their workers’ salaries to the PFAs. This trend is more prevalent in the private sector, where many companies do not seem to remit their counterpart deductions to the PFAs, as mandated by the Pension Act.

Benefits of the pension scheme include the availability of huge deposits for bank use through fixed deposits in their coffers. Another is the regular payment of pension entitlements to pensioners. The scheme is also expected to generate over N60 billion in contributions, every year. The use of accumulated funds in individual’s RSAs makes it possible to purchase annuities from insurance companies by providing the needed tonic for businesses in Nigeria.

Stock-broking firms equally stand to profit from higher transaction volumes, which the pension funds offer. Mortgage and property development firms are expected to experience greater profits, long-term opportunities for real estates and commercial property.

Despite the financial opportunities inherent in the scheme, the existing system in which basic operations are carried out manually is archaic, manipulative and encourages sharp practices. Of what is the use of the Pension Act, if its regulations can be violated with impunity? Hence, relevant authorities need to urgently address the injustice imposed on pensioners, who are being prevented from reaping where they have sown by a system that is simply not working well.

Apart from the agonising experience of pensioners, the situation offers no comfort to workers, who cannot even look forward to retirement with peace of mind. It is a notorious fact that Nigerian workers deteriorate very fast after retirement over lack of care, health issues and uncertainty in what the future holds for them. It is in the quest to safeguard their future that many public servants engage in corrupt practices while in active service.

To revamp and save the system from further decay, those found derailing pension administration should be sanctioned. Apart from the

celebrated case of pension thief, other offenders have not been known to have been punished.

This does not show the strong political will to put a stop to the impunity. It is becoming clearer by the day that business ventures are badly run by state apparatus because of bad implementation and the lackadaisical disposition to government matters that is seen as nobody’s business. Those in charge of the administration of pensions should be made to remember that retirement will be dawn on them too; sooner or later. There is, therefore, a moral burden on them to adore the elderly and senior citizens, as this is what is obtainable in civilised societies. We can do same in Nigeria, if we are truly ready and committed. Apart from paying them their normal entitlements, reserving of spaces and seats inside buses, trains and aircraft are special ways of showing affection and respect for senior citizens. Free health and social services should be extended to this class of people.

Retirees should not be left to suffer unnecessarily or die in the course of waiting for their legitimate benefits. They have families to cater for and bills to settle. Many of their children are not forthcoming by way of help because they (children) also require assistance to survive because of the biting economic situation. Paying pensioners their entitlements should not be seen as mere favour, burden or liability, as the present arrangement suggests. It is indeed their right.

They should, therefore, no longer be treated as outcasts in the land. They are certainly not.

Rather, they should be accorded high dignity, respect and total care by both the state and the people. That is what truly we owe our senior citizens.

Kupoluyi wrote from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

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EDITORIAL DEALING WITH THE EBOLA SCARE The authorities must be proactive against the deadly virus

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he renewed spike in Ebola epidemic in Democratic Republic of Congo is a wake-up call for the federal government to be proactive against the deadly virus.

That the number of fatalities keeps rising despite the efforts by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in helping the country to contain the deadly disease should serve as a warning to the Nigerian health authorities.

Ebola is a haemorrhagic fever with symptoms such as headache, muscle and throat pains, diarrhea and vomiting. It can last for two days before it starts manifesting.

The disease manifests rapidly as influenza while death results from fluid redistribution, tissue necroses and even hypertension. It takes between two and three weeks before the complete symptoms manifest. What makes Ebola disease rather dangerous is that it can spread among the people very easily and it kills at a very high rate.

The first outbreak of the disease in 2014 within the West African sub-region claimed no fewer than 11,300 lives, mostly in Guinea, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE Sierra Leone and LibeFEDERAL GOVERNMENT ria. Eight people also TO HEED THE WARNING OF died in Nigeria from THE NIGERIAN MEDICAL Ebola, which presence ASSOCIATION THAT HAS was first confirmed in URGED IT TO STRENGTHEN the country. The most ITS RESPONSE TEAM AND notable victim was Dr. INCREASE SURVEILLANCE Ameyo Adadevoh of ON THE NATION’S BORDERS the First Consultant THROUGH SCREENING OF Hospital, Lagos, who IN-BOUND PASSENGERS treated the Liberian diplomat, Mr Patrick Sawyer, who deliberately flew into the country with the virus.

Meanwhile, the response of both the federal government and the authorities in many of the states, especially Lagos, to the last outbreak, four years ago, was decisive and resolute. Isolation centres were established in Lagos and Port Harcourt for infected persons while those that came into contact with the victims, including health

Letters to the Editor

workers, were placed under strict surveillance. The approach prevented the disease from escalating and was globally acclaimed as a template in Ebola contact management.

However, we have our reservations about the preparedness of the current government in Nigeria to manage any outbreak, if it mutates beyond the DR Congo frontiers into Nigeria. This fear is genuine and reinforced by the exertion of the federal government in coping with the worst cases of Lassa fever outbreak that affected almost all states of the country, last year and through the first quarter of 2018. The Lassa fever epidemic left a large number of deaths and exposed the gap in our health care management.

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.

LET’S REVIEW OUR LEADERSHIP RECRUITMENT TEMPLATE

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lumsy leadership selection or recruitment template is at the heart of the logjam we are in as a nation.

The template operation cannot bring about the meaningful development that has eluded us for years. In more ways than one, our wrong choice of political leadership across all levels of goverance has stampeded our overall prosperity as a nation thereby making us a laughing stock before other nations. The success or otherwise of any society is largely determined by the calibre of individuals presiding over her affairs.

The truth is, given the array of cerebral minds and innovative people we parade as a country, we ought to have been competing with developed nations across the globe in terms of macro and micro economic developments. We keep making the mistake of allowing characters who are ill-prepared and lack basic leadership attributes to manage our affairs. Everything is wrong with our current leadership recruitment template. Under this arrangement, it is easier for dubious characters to emerge victorious during elections. The way forward is to alter it. In fairness to Nigerians, Nigeria is home to Africa’s brightest, hardworking and gifted people.

A typical Nigerian has what it takes to survive and overcome any challenge. This is simply why we

t is therefore important for the federal government to heed the warning of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) that has urged it to strengthen its response team and increase surveillance on the nation’s borders through screening of in-bound passengers. In the same light, the proposal by Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole, to set up an Ebola Preparatory Working Group with the mandate to review all protocols and lessons from previous experience in the event of another outbreak is a strategic move. The response team has drawn a list of trained Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case managers and also identified isolation wards to be used immediately in Abuja and Lagos.

While the necessary steps embarked upon to educate citizens about the danger of Ebola are welcome, more awareness is still needed. A probable way of addressing future cases of not just Ebola threat but other diseases is to foreground the works of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) whose current leadership has shown both competence and commitment and entrust it with more responsibility that are geared towards disease prevention. In the same token, health facilities and personnel at the nation’s various ports and entry points should be revived and strengthened.

In all, health officials and policymakers must remain vigilant, as the possibility of Ebola virus spreading to Nigeria cannot be ruled out. To be forewarned, as the old adage goes, is to be forearmed.

are often called the most resilient people on earth.

Ironically, with these sterling attributes, we are far from getting it right in terms of leadership selection.

We hardly pick the best among us to preside over our affairs. Instead, we queue behind people who are bereft of ideas and lack what it takes to bring about meaningful development that we so desire.

For obvious reasons, political leadership decides the fate of any society. This is why it is argued that political power supersedes economic power in any democratic set-up. With this in mind, it behoves us to show more interest in who we present as leaders across all levels. Political leadership is too important a matter to be ignored. The power to hire and fire our elected representatives rests with us.

In our choice of leaders, the sterling attributes of integrity, competence, capability, patriotism, honesty and transparency should guide us. Any aspiring leader who lacks the above attributes isn’t fit for leadership position yet. Also important in this regards is an aspiring leader’s antecedents. We must interrogate and probe the intentions of any aspiring leader. In doing this, our focus should be on his or her brain power, antecedents, managerial skills and mind-power of such a person. We should equally be interested in such individual’s record of service in the past.

Abdullahi Yunusa, Abuja

DEMOCRACY DAY SPEECH: YAM WITHOUT OIL

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esterday morning, I listened to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Democracy Day address on a stratosphere of expectations but was brought to the terra firma of disappointment. Totally uninspiring!

I strained my ears to hear the president mention a single project his government started and completed in three years. But he mentioned none, except for “carry-over projects”. Not even a significant achievement. Can I then say the government spent three years floundering and chasing a will-o-the-wisp?

By the way, when has granting licences for the establishment of private universities become an achievement?

Also, the president’s speech was destitute of exactitude in halting violent crimes. He said more security personnel are being recruited and trained, and that more “modern-day” arms are being procured to help in the fight against terrorism and other violent crimes. Granted that this is a customary government approach to security challenges, I had expected him to address specific cases in Benue, Taraba, Zamfara and Adamawa with spunk.

The president used the political phrase “herdsmen-farmers” clashes to refer to the killings in the central part of the country. I saw this as skirting

around the issue. What is happening in Benue, where Catholic priests and parishioners were killed, is a deliberate massacre not “herdsmen-farmers” clashes. What happened in Taraba on Friday, where a seminary was attacked, is intentioned criminality not “herdsmen-farmers” clashes.

I believe the first approach to solving a security problem is stripping it of all political pretences and trappings. The killings in Benue and other places should be properly tagged and addressed. Nigeria is at present an island of blood. Too many souls have been dispatched to the place yonder untimely.

However, I must commend the president for his decision to sign the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill. But he must understand that he is not doing the youth a favour. That bill encapsulates the rights and not privileges of young Nigerians to vie for any elective office in the country. It is long overdue.

I also get a feeling that the president is trying to pacify the youth after his “LazyNigerianyouth” gaffe.

Why wait this long to sign the bill – after youth protests and rallies? The 2019 general election is nigh and the youth are crucial to it.

In all, the speech is yam without oil for me. I ate the yam like that, and almost choked on it.

Fredrick Nwabufo, fredricknwabufo@yahoo. com

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

THE NEWSMAKER

Real Reasons Bauchi Deputy Governor Resigned Bauchi Deputy Governor, Nuhu Gidado recently resigned following irreconcilable differences with his boss, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, writes Segun Awofadeji

Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar

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n what came as the last ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ following irreconcilable political differences, Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Mr Nuhu Gidado last Wednesday resigned with immediate effect .

THISDAY POLITICS found that Gidado submitted his letter of resignation to the State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar late Wednesday night , citing “waning enthusiasm for the job” as reason for leaving.

Gidado’s resignation is seen by many political followers in the state as a major setback for the governor’s bid for a second term.

The deputy governor had previously threatened to resign from office in the past but was prevailed upon to remain. He had contested and lost the party gubernatorial primaries in 2015.

The letter containing Gidado’s resignation was submitted to the state governor on Wednesday, May 16, 2018,however, THISDAY learnt that Gidado threw in the towel because he was no longer comfortable with doing nothing.

According to several sources who are conversant with the deputy governor’s decision to throw in the towel, Gidado had lost the zeal to just show up at work only to spend the rest of the day reading newspapers; or wait to be told what to do by the governor.

The deputy governor, in his resignation letter, wrote: “Ordinarily, I should have remained up to the end of the tenure, but, with the currently dampened spirit and waning zeal as it relates to my official engagements, my continued stay will not be fair and truthful to you as my brother and leader.”

He declared that he had lost interest in the job and extended his appreciation to the people of the state for giving him the opportunity to serve.

Even though unconfirmed, our sources also disclosed that Gidado had fallen out with Abubakar over irreconcilable differences a long time ago but held on thinking things would change for better.

The shocking move taken by Gidado, has further depleted the camp and chances of

Forever Deputy Governor, Bauchi State, Nuhu Gidado

the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bauchi State considering the fact that a number of high-ranking officials have since dumped the cabinet of the governor in the past following political differences that could not be resolved.

Sometimes in 2017, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Shehu Barau Ningi, resigned from his position because according to him, “the governor did not encourage members of his cabinet to offer advice on how to run the state”.

The governor ran the affairs of the state for a very long time after sacking his cabinet.

Ningi, while briefing news men on the reason why he resigned his appointment explained that, “ the environment in which I would have exercised my advisory role as member of the State Executive Council was unaccommodating, debilitating and unfriendly”.

Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment, Samaila Sanusi, as well as the Special Assistant to the Governor on Scheduling, Ibrahim Tahir Ibrahim resigned due to what they described as, “unfriendly working environment” saying that all avenues to hold talks with the governor on official issues and development were unsuccessful.

It appears there is a plot to isolate the governor as the 2019 general election draws closer.

Amidst these resignations, the governor has been facing stiff political opposition from chieftains of his own party, the APC. Right from the beginning of his administration, the governor has been battling with opposition from members of the National Assembly

It appears there is a plot to isolate the governor as the 2019 general election draws closer

from Bauchi due to what has been described as his political style of leadership which excludes them from the leadership in the state.

This became so glaring when the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara led a faction of the APC to boycot the congresses of the party held earlier in the month and even went ahead to institute a suit against the party in a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the nullification of the exercise.

Meanwhile, the governor, said he had accepted the resignation of his deputy and wished him well in his future endeavours.

He described his tenure and service to the state as meritorious and therefore, deserving commendation.

According to a press release by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Ali. M Ali, the governor particularly commended the former deputy governor of the state for the remarkable manner of his resignation.

He expressed optimism that he would avail his vast wealth of experience to the state anytime he was called upon in the future.

“We received the resignation of our Deputy Governor, Engr. Nuhu Gidado. On behalf of the people of Bauchi state, I want to thank him for his meritorious service while in office.

“He remains vital to our administration and party. I wish him well in his future endeavours, and he can count on me for support. I am also optimistic he will avail the state his service when called upon in the future” .

Nuhu Gidado, born on the 5th of October, 1958 is one of the children of late Waziri of Jama’are in Bauchi State who died recently.

Coming from a humble and yet royal background, Gidado has had his career finely sculptured by the best of institutions, especially, the famous and prestigious Barewa College Zaria where he obtained his oridnary level certifiate and the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria where he graduated with a degree in Building Engineering.

Gidado was appointed and, proudly, holds the prestigious Traditional titles of the Sardauna of Jama’are in Bauchi State

and Olotu Aare of Laje Land in Ondo State.

Like the late Premier of the erstwhile Northern Region of Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello and particularly, his self acknowledged role model, the late renowned nationalist, Dr. Ibrahim Tahir, both of blessed memory, Gidado is an embodiment of altruism. He lives a modest and low profile life style, one that is devoid of riches and flamboyance. He sacrifices everything for the less privileged.

Gidado is considered as a silent but gallant fighter, a leader of a movement that is out to institute social justice, empowerment of his people, a beacon of hope for the hopeless, a shining light for the masses and finally, a true player in the fight for a new Nigeria.

Buoyed by his humble beginning, Gidado lives a life of service to his people. He shares what he has with his people. A humanist, Gidado has helped several needy pupils and students with sponsorship in education.

Although he started his philantrophic works informally, he has since established a non for profit organisation called the Nuhu Gidado Organisation which has formally taken on the social services he was rendering to the society.

It was this selfless service that has endeared him to the people. He is a grassroots man who enjoys the support of the poor. His people believe in him.

The people of his home state, Bauchi, having discovered his very compassionate nature and his philanthropy as well as his rarely enigmatic and yes, very magnetic personality, were quick to nickname him “Zuciyar Talakawa” in hausa, meaning, the “heart of the masses” and, surely, they call on him at all times. His home is always a behive activities and a place where all thronged to seek succour. It was not by sheer coincidence therefore, when in 2011, Nuhu Gidado heeded the calls of his followership and decided to plunge into partisan politics when he contested for the governorship of his state under the CPC. But it was not to be.

As 2019 draws closer, many expect Gidado to make his moves but for now, the former deputy governor is bidding his time.

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Ashiru: Tired of Playing Second Fiddle After helping to transform Ogun State into an industrial hub, Bimbo Ashiru, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, is no longer satisfied with being the underdog. Now he wants to be the governor, writes Femi Ogbonnikan

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t the inception on May 29, 2011, Sen Ibikunle Amosun, the executive Governor of Ogun State was primarily concerned to change the face of governance from the onceupon-a-time civil servants - driven economy to an industrial hub of the country.

Without wasting time, he raised a kitchen cabinet which comprised of technocrats and seasoned professionals, with core competence and proven track records to draw a master plan to harness the economic potentials of the state.

Notable among members of the kitchen cabinet is Chief Bimbo Ashiru, who was assigned the responsibility to head the Ministry of Commerce and Industry portfolio.

Armed with intimidating credentials, Bimbo, as he is fondly called by his friends and political associates, has brought his experience to bear by turning around the fortunes of the state for the better. He also broke the jinx, by emerging as the first ever ommissioner to change the ‘bad image’ of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as a ,dumping ground’ of non-performing cabinet members.

Under his stewardship, Ogun State attracted several companies which translated into over 1, 279.84 percent increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

The 54-year-old banker-turned-politician who has been adopted as by the Ogun East APC as its consensus candidate for the state governorship election, was born to late Pa Simeon Adeyemi Ashiru and Princess Moradeun of Fidipote royal family in Ijebu Ode. The World Bank, in its ‘Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria 2014 Report’, ranked Ogun State as one of the best five states in the country, in terms of ease of doing business as against the 36th position in it was in 2010. That was an acknowledgment of Ashiru’s forsightedness.

As a result of the business friendly environment which he helped to create working with his boss, Ibikunle Amosun, 304 new companies, representing 54.5 percent of direct investment, with a cumulative investment profile of about N691.77 billion moved to Ogun State in 2014 compared with N377 billion of the previous year.

This has turned around the fortunes of the state. When allocation from the federal government took a plunge, Ogun State was one of the few states least affected.

Ashiru facilitated the creation of a onestop-shop investment centre which is located within the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in order to assist potential investors and fast track the process of investing in Ogun State.

Documentation which often discourages investors was made simpler.

In order to reduce the state’s debt burden sand avoid incurring further debt, he championed the establishment of a due process monitoring committee that reports directly to the governor.

With his commitment to fiscal responsibility, due diligence, accountability, honesty, and efficient utilisation of resources, many believe that the legacy of Amosun will be better sustained and protected by Ashiru as governor.

He emerged the Ogun East APC consensus governorship candidate on Wednesday, November 17, 2017, following an intense and rigorous screening exercise conducted by eminent and distinguished Ijebu and Remo sons and daughters under the aegis of the “Ijebu Agenda”, chaired by Dr Gbolade Oshinowo, an erstwhile Special Assistant (SA) to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Political Matters and a one-time Acting Chief of Staff to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Other notable members include Basorun Adebisi Adesanya, Chief Olu Okuboyejo, Sen Dipo Odujinrin, Aare Olu Teslim Dawodu, Chief Bisi Rodipe, Chief Olusoga Adenusi and an a former Deputy Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Dr Tokunbo Oshin.

A product of Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Bimbo is a man of many parts and loved

Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Bimbo Ashiru

by many, both young and old.

Mr Tunji Folami, his secondary school classmate, described him as an easy going person who abhors deceit, pretence and inconsistencies.

“Bimbo, I have known when we were growing up in secondary school at Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode is an easy going person and he still maintains the disposition.

He is not quiet and mixes with people of like-minds. In a nutshell, he is very intelligent and trustworthy. He maintains cordial relationship he builds and he neither forgets nor despises his friends. It is this same traits he has carried over, while we were in secondary school till this present moment. Also, Bimbo wasn’t below the bottomline of the ladder of brilliance, rather this performance saw him to where he is today, having risen through the ranks to become director of a bank before his call to serve his home state, as Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in 2011”, said Folami, a public relations practitioner.

Also, Mrs Mopelola Baruwa, another secondary school classmate of Bimbo, spoke glowingly about him.

“He is very nice, quiet, submissive and respectful. Whatever the problem is, he is ready to help, if he is in the best position to do so. In short, he is a humanist. We have started our friendship since our secondary school days and till date, we are still in touch with each other.”

When allocation from the federal government took a plunge, Ogun State was one of the few states least affected

Also speaking, Mrs Sola Osikoya-Adesanya described him as reliable, intelligent and trustworthy.

“Bimbo is a nice person. During our secondary school days, we were very close. We would study and discuss together. One thing I notice about Bimbo is that, wherever he finds himself he would always make a remarkable difference. He is humble, caring and agile.

That is just it”, said Osikoya-Adesanya, an Ogun State government retired civil servant.

To his bossom friend, Mr Tade Adegboyega, President, Nigerian Referees Association (NRA), “Bimbo didn’t like sports but he was always in the classroom, studying. I think his inactive to sporting activities has to do with his shortness in height. But he has increased in height now. Whenever we were playing football on the pitch he was always a spectator. But in the school activities, such as the ativties of the literary and debating society, he was very much active in them and he didn’t joke with them. He also belonged to the “students’ representative council”. Despite coming from one of the illustrious families in Ijebu Ode, Bimbo was a day student, while we were in boarding. He was brilliant. Because our school was a mixed one, he was always in the midst of girls and boys, engaging us in intelligent conversations. Administratively, he was very sound and I think that was one of the things that propelled and even shot him into limelight to have found himself in the position he is currently saddled with.

I have never seen him frowning his face or formenting trouble, but he was and he is always smiling to whoever he comes across with.

May be, he has a set of teeth that are white.

He is very nice because we have been friends since 1974 when we both gained admission into Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode and also, we both passed out the school in 1979.

“Even after we passed out of the secondary we still continued with our friendship in Lagos

because his father had a home in Lagos Island while I also stayed on the Island. So, we both saw each other and the friendship still continues till date”, said Adegboyega.

While many consider him as the person to beat for the race to the Ogun State Government House, his boss has ruled out his (Ashiru’s) senatorial district and instead had vowed to handover to someone from Ogun West in a move that has the potential to alter the zoning arrangement in the state.

Based on his confidence and leadership skills which distinguished him from other aspirants, Bimbo is considered as a best bet and an aspirant to beat in the upcoming Ogun State 2019 governorship race, if given the party’s ticket.

Bimbo is also well read. He has a degree in Marketing, Purchasing and Supply and a master’sdegree in Strategic Management. With this background, he joined the employment of the then, Chartered Bank in 1989. After a successful career in the banking industry that spanned two decades where served in various capacities at the management cadre, such as Head, Private Banking Unit; Branch Manager; Head, Institution and Professional Banking; Regional Coordinator, country director, personal and business banking; director, corporate affairs and corporate social investments and until his last position as Group Head, Public Sector with Stanbic IBTC Bank.

In recognition of his selfless service to the society and having distinguished himself as a true son of Ijebuland, Bimbo was honoured with the royal title of Otunba Adeona Fusigboye of Ijebuland in December 2006 by the Awujale, the Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.

He is a member of the Metropolitan Club, Ikoyi Club 1938, Ijebu Heritage Group and Ijebu Renaissance Group.

Bimbo is married to Olukemi. They are blessed with two children.

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

A Mother's Fight against Female Circumcision For protecting her daughters from the archaic and outlawed tradition of circumcision, Chiemelie Ezeobi writes on the mental torture, physical abuse, abduction and even rape a mother recently went through in Lagos

A young girl canvassing against Female Genital Mutilation

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mother's love they say surpasses all and can best be described by how a hen guards its chicks jealously from any potential threat.

The same applies to a young mother of three, Mrs. Bello (first name withheld), who is currently embroiled in the battle of her life to protect her two daughters from the hands of an archaic tradition.

Her attempt to prevent her daughters from being subjected to the outlawed tradition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has seen her go through the worst kind of torture; from mental and physical abuse to abduction and then rape at the hands of her abductors.

With civilisation, many cultures were either modified or dropped in their entirety.

Cultures like killing of twins, prohibiting kids from eating meat and so many others were eradicated but not FGM, which still exists in some communities.

The reason for the global stand against FGM is the dangers it poses to the victims. From severe pains caused by lack of anaesthesia, to shock, excessive bleeding, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and even death.

In this 21st century where FGM has been outlawed in so many societies, the same is still being practiced in some supposed civilised states in Nigeria. It is therefore shocking that despite the fact that the National Assembly has passed a bill to criminalise FGM, the practice still holds sway, thus promoting the lack of enforcement to the front burner.

In the beginning Going down memory lane narrating what led to her entire ordeal she said, "I got married to a tribe in Auchi, Edo State that believes in female circumcision. When I got

married to my husband, my mother-in-law told me that once I give birth to a girl that she would be circumcised. I thought it was a joke.

"I even told her that practice was out of fashion but she insisted that since her husband was a cleric it must be done, adding that she did it to her own daughter. As fate would have it, I had two girls and a boy.

"For a long time, nobody brought it up until recently when my mother-in-law called me that it was time since my daughter has clocked 10. We had a big fight and she said if the circumcision isn't done, people will look down on her in the village but I didn't budge. I tried to be polite as possible.

"She then involved one of my husband's uncles, a prominent man and when I also refused, he said they never knew I was this stubborn when they married me."

Bello further said that things went downhill from there, adding that one day, the said uncle drove to her street and physically tried to take her daughter. She said, "While we were struggling for my daughter, he injured me. At that point, I reported the matter to the police station but he knew his way around because he is quite influential.

"I still reported the case but nothing came out of it and they didn't give me any protection. Yet, I still refused to allow my daughter go through that. The knives used aren't even sterilised."

She noted that when all attempts to get

When I got married to my husband, my mother-inlaw told me that once I give birth to a girl that she would be circumcised. I thought it was a joke

her to give up her kids failed, it was then the abduction and subsequent rape occurred.

The abduction, then rape For refusing to subject her 10-year-old daughter to the practice, Bello was recently abducted and raped in the gang's hideout at Ajah, before she narrowly escaped.

She said, "On May 14, 2018, after I had dropped my kids at school, I was on my way to the market when I noticed a car that kept following me. At a point, I even thought they would hit me but they just double crossed me and surrounded my car.

They were about four men.

"They opened my door, pointed a gun at me and then took me away. They blindfolded me too. We got a point and they came down from the car and took me through a bushy area. We walked for a while; about 3km. I could count that because I am a runner. Meanwhile, I kept hearing them say this is the woman. She is stubborn.

We will show her.

"They took me to their hut. It was hot and smelly. They kept me there for a day with no water or food. I kept asking for my offence but got no answer. I was afraid something will happen to me because they were all men. In the night, they removed my blindfold and I got slapped because again I asked what my offence was.

"That night, I was raped violently. I was fortunate that only one man raped me. The next morning, they gave me water and left me in the smelly hut. I was just praying to God. The next night, I didn't know who they were talking to on the phone but they were on the phone for a long time.

"They kept telling the person on the other end that my kids were not with me. At the same time, they were asking me where my kids were. At that point, I didn't know exactly who they were talking to but I could guess."

The lucky escape On how she managed to escape that night she said, "That same night, they tied me up with a rope before they went to sleep.

They didn't know the rope was not tight enough. I tried and wriggled free but they didn't wake up because they were drunk .

"I walked for a long time till I got to a hut. When I entered, I saw an old man with a hunting gun. I woke him up and told him that I was running from some bad men. He locked the door and I stayed there that night. In the morning, he brought out his scooter and drove me to Ajah express.

He then stopped a taxi for me.

"Meanwhile, I took my phone as I was running from my abductors. I then called my husband and he met me at the estate gate to pay the taxi man. After I had taken my bathe, we left for the court to start off the case because my husband had already gone to the police to complain about a missing person.

"Meanwhile, I was taken to the hospital for a checkup and then given some drugs because the rapist wasn't protected. My husband also went to the police station to report that I have been found."

A plea for help In her plea for help, Bello called on the government, civil and human right organisations, as well as the police to step into her case and expedite justice for her, and at the same time, remove the burden of fear over her.

To the government she charged them to look into the nefarious practice of female circumcision and back it up with enforcement adding that although the government keeps saying they have abolished it, it's still in practice.

She also called on human right bodies to come to her aid and save her daughters from their father's people, adding that the

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police have thus far treated her case with levity with no arrests made so far.

The seeming inaction of the police has again raised questions on their role. This is because the police should, ordinarily, be a first resort for citizens who are in danger. In this case, however, the victim said she got no protection after she reported the physical abuse and even after she was abducted.

About female genital mutilation Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) otherwise known as circumcision is an invasive and painful surgical procedure that is often performed without anesthesia on the girl-child before puberty. It is an old traditional practice still being practiced in parts of Nigeria, making it one of the 27 countries in Africa where FGM is still being celebrated.

In this circumcision, the prepuce of the girl-child is removed and their clitoris may be partially or completely removed and in some cultures, they go as far as removing the labia minora while the labia majora are sewn together, covering the urethra and vagina. At the same time, a small opening is retained for the passage of urine and menstrual fluid.

Breaking it down further, Emmanuel Ajibulu, a social commentator and a communication strategist, in one of his reports said there are different types. He said, "There is Type I (commonly referred to as clitoridectomy), Type II (commonly referred to as excision) and Type III (commonly referred to as infibulation) are the most common forms of female genital mutilation (FGM) or female genital cutting (FGC) practiced in Nigeria.

"Type IV is practiced to a much lesser extent. The form practiced varies by ethnic group and geographical location. It crosses the numerous population groups and is a part of the many cultures, traditions and customs that exist in Nigeria."

Meanwhile, the Women Centre for Peace and Development (WOPED) said Nigerians continue this practice out of adherence to a cultural dictate with erroneous and fallacious views that uncircumcised women are promiscuous, unclean, unmarriageable, physically undesirable and/or potential health risks to themselves and their children, especially during childbirth.

FGM in Nigeria In Ajibulu's report, while focusing on the prevalence of FGM in Nigeria, he however admitted that with its over 250 ethnic groups and an estimated population of 150 million, a national estimate of this practice is very difficult.

Breaking down the prevalence state by state he wrote, "Abia (no study); Adamawa (60-70 per cent, Type IV); Akwa Ibom (65-75 per cent, Type II); Anambra (40-60 per cent, Type II); Bauchi (50-60 percent, Type IV); Benue (90-100 per cent, Type II) and Borno (10-90 per cent, Types I, III and IV).

"Cross River (no study); Delta (80-90 per cent, Type II); Edo (30-40 per cent, Type II); Enugu (no study); Imo (40-50 per cent, Type II); Jigawa (60-70 per cent, Type IV); Kaduna (50-70 per cent, Type IV); Katsina (no study); Kano (no study); Kebbi (90-100 percent, Type IV); Kogi (one per cent, Type IV); Kwara (60-70 per cent, Types I and II); Lagos (20-30 per cent, Type I); Niger (no study) and Ogun (35-45 per cent, Types I and II).

"Ondo (90-98 per cent, Type II); Osun (80-90 per cent, Type I); Oyo (60-70 per cent, Type I); Plateau (30-90 per cent, Types I and IV); Rivers (60-70 per cent, Types

Nigerians continue this practice out of adherence to a cultural dictate with erroneous and fallacious views that uncircumcised women are promiscuous, unclean, unmarriageable

Some age-old equipment used in FGM

Former Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba sponsored the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Bill

I and II); Sokoto (no study); Taraba (no study); Yobe (0-1 per cent, Type IV); Fct Abuja (no study).

"While all three forms occur throughout the country, Type III, the most severe form (narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and repositioning the labia minora and/or the labia majora, with or without excision of the clitoris), has a higher incidence in the northern states.

"Type II and Type I are more predominant in the South. Of the six largest ethnic groups, the Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Ibo, Ijaw and Kanuri, only the Fulani do not practice any form. The Yoruba practice mainly Type II and Type I. The Hausa and Kanuri practice Type III. The Ibo and Ijaw, depending upon the local community, practice any one of the three forms."

Criminalising FGM, zero enforcement As far back as 2002, there were talks by the Nigerian legislature to outlaw FGM and

impose a two year jail term for offenders, although it allows for an option of a fine of 100 dollars or the imposition of both a fine and incarceration of six months.

The bill was actually unanimously passed by the House of Representatives in 2001 before it was sent to the Senate to pass the bill.

Reports said the Senate was expected to conclude its deliberations on the bill in May of 2002 and then send it to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo for his assent.

It is however unclear what happened and the bill was not passed as projected.

Finally, after much delay, the Senate recently finally put words to action and passed the bill to criminalise FGM. The bill which is called 'Violence against Persons (Prohibition)' seeks to prohibit female circumcision or genital mutilation, forceful ejection from home and harmful widowhood practices.

Sponsored by the then Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba, the bill was also

intended to eliminate violence in private and public life and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims of violence, and punishment of offenders.

The bill also prohibits forced isolation, depriving persons of their liberty, economic abuse, incest, separation from family and friends, substance attack and indecent exposure, among others.

However, despite a law clearly stating the government's position against the practice, lack of enforcement has been the bane of it. The apathy of those that should enforce this ban has been declared one of the main issues why the practice is still popular. Also, the lack of awareness of the dangers posed by FGM is another problem.

So, with the law criminalising FGM, it definitely behooves the executive to enforce the laws passed by the legislature, even as community leaders should be engaged to help raise awareness on the dangers of the age-old cultural practice.

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R-L: Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan; his counterpart in the Agriculture Ministry, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau; Special Adviser to the Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Okanlawon Sanni and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Olayiwole Onasanya, during a yearly ministerial press brieďŹ ng to mark the 3rd year in oďŹƒce of the present administration in the state, at Alausa Ikeja.....recently kola olasupo

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L-R: Chairman Akwa Ibom State Football Association, Emmanuel Iba; General Manager, SuperSport West Africa, Felix Awogu; Laliga Delegate in Nigeria, Javier Del Rio and General Manager, GOtv, Akinola Salu during the Press Conference of GOtv Max Cup held at Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State...recently

L-R; Chairman, APC Lagos State, Alhaji Tunde Balogun; General Overseer, House on The Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, his wife, Bolanle; Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Lagos Chapter, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro during the Thanksgiving Service to mark the 3rd Year Anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Sunday, May 27, 2018. abiodun ajala

L-R: Project Manager, TGI Group, Mr. Santhosh Gireesan; Managing Director, SAP West Africa, Mr. Pedro Guerreriro; and Group Head, Enterprise Resource Planning, TGI Group, Mr. Manikandan Velrajan, at an event to commemorate the presentation of Silver prize in Business Transformation to TGI from the 2018 SAP Quality awards in Lagos...recently

L-R; Permanent secretary Ogun state Ministry for Commerce and Industry, Mr Jonathan Onajobi, Head of Service, Mr Abayomi Shobande, and Commissioner for Commerce and industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru during the Ministry’s annual retreat in Abeokuta...recently

National Chairman, lndependent Demorats, Hon Edozie Madu (left) and the President of Sierre Leone, Julius Maada Bio during a visit by Madu to President Bio in Freetown...recently

L-R: Perfect City Manager, Customer Development, Unilever Nigeria, Nnenna Ikpeme; a Pupil of Ken Ade Private School, Makoko, Angelina Ibikunle; Principal, Ken Ade Private School, Makoko, Mr. BawoAyeseminikan, a Pupil of Doyisem Best Academy, Julius Awhansu and Sustainable Business Manager, Unilever Ghana and Nigeria, Ayodele Alabi at the Unilever Children’s day celebration in Makoko, Lagos...recently

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BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Chika Amanze-Nwachuku

Email chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157, 08057161321

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Quick Takes London-Africa Summit Lauds Adesina

ROYAL ENDORSEMENT

Regional Bank Head (RBH), North West1 Region, Mannir Ringim (2nd left), Honorable Commissioner for Commerce, Trade & Industries, Kano State, Alhaji Ahmed Rabiu, Deputy Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mohammed Balarabe, District Head (Hakimi), Fagge and TaďŹ dan Kano, Alhaji Mahmud Ado Bayero and Eze Ndi Igbo of Kano, Igwe Dr. Boniface Ibekwe at the unveiling of the Sabon Gari, France branch, Kano, of Fidelity Bank Plc ... recently

New Entry Opportunities Beckon as Bears Depress Stock Prices Goddy Egene As the bears continue to ravage the stock market, depressing prices of many stocks at the nation’s equities market, investment analysts have said the low prices are presenting opportunities for investors to invest in the market.

The dominance of the bears for three consecutive weeks has driven the market to new low with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) declining below the 40,000 mark. Also, the year-to-date growth of the market has contracted to below three per cent.

The bear run has been attributed by some analysts to foreign investors who are

CAPITAL MARKET reducing their holdings in emerging and frontier markets.

Although the development has left many domestic investors to be skeptical and confused over the potential near term upsides, analysts at Afrinvest said investors should rather take advantage of the current cheaper valuation presents.

THISDAY checks showed that the stocks of some companies that either recently declared improved financial results or are have put strategies in place to deliver good returns to investors are trading significantly lower than their opening prices.

In the banking sector,

instance, Fidelity Bank Plc is trading 26 per cent lower than the price at which it opened for the year.

The bank reported a growth of 93.7 per cent in profit after tax (PAT) to N18.9 billion for the year ended December 31, 2017, up from N9.7 billion recorded in 2016.

Only last Friday, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, said the bank would take advantage of growing opportunities in the nation’s economy to deliver quality services to customer and good returns to shareholders. “Clearly, our success in 2017 financial year has set a strong pedestal for sustained growth

in revenue. We are optimistic about a favourable operating environment and we look forward to delivering decent set of numbers at the end of 2018 financial year, “ Okonkwo said.

Similarly, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc is 25.6 per cent cheaper than its price at the beginning of the year, just as Zenith Bank Plc, which delivered one of the best results in 2017, is trading just 1.7 per cent above its 2018 opening price.

The price of Dangote Flour Mills Plc, as at Monday, was 29 per cent cheaper than its years opening price.

Continued on page 24

Report: At 5.1%, Health Insurance Penetration Significantly Underwhelming Obinna Chima The 2018 Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) industry report by Agusto & Co. has bemoaned the low level of health insurance coverage in the country which was estimated to be at 5.1 per cent.

The report released on Monday, pointed out that the consequence of the low level of coverage is that a larger proportion of Nigerians pay for their medical care out-of-pocket.

The World Health Organisation estimates that about 11 per cent of the world’s population spent over 10 per cent of their annual income on medical related expenses, while about 100 million people were pushed

ECONOMY into poverty after incurring huge medical expenditure in 2017, thereby, highlighting the importance of purchasing a health insurance plan.

To this end, the rating agency noted that despite the significant benefits of health insurance, which has been proven globally as the most efficient means to finance medical expenses, the industry’s performance has remained lethargic in Nigeria.

Agusto & Co believed that, a combination of weak awareness and negative sentiments towards insurance accounted for the slow growth of the industry in Nigeria.

The report also held the

view that “the cold relationship between the industry’s regulator (NHIS) and HMOs further dampened the industry’s performance, particularly with regard to the conundrum around the de-registration of 23 HMOs in April 2018.�

The firm also carried out a survey to gauge the perception of HMOs enrolee’s regarding the quality of service and the key drivers that could lead to switching HMOs. The survey further probed into the elusive issues with on-boarding members of the informal sector to the health insurance scheme.

Also, the report assessed the competitive landscape in the health insurance industry, stating: “The competitive ap-

proach of most HMOscentres on poaching clients of competitors rather than penetrating new markets.� “Consequently, low balling, which implies quoting significantly lower premiums than competitors on similar plans, has emerged as a key basis of competition in the Industry,� it added.

Therefore, it stated that such sub-par competitive landscape gives significant bargaining power to health plan buyers which are predominantly corporates.

Furthermore, the rating agency noted weak profitability in the industry, with average return on equity (ROE) Continued on page 24

The convener of London-Africa Summit, Mr. Frederick Apeji, has commended the President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, for announcing a new initiative tagged; A ‘ frica Investment Forum (AIF)’ earlier this month in Johannesburg, South Africa. Apeji made this commendation in an online media brieďŹ ng recently, with the country representatives of the summit in DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The annual LondonAfrica Summit is an international business event that seeks to promote the rapid industrialisation and modernisation of the sub-national entities across sub-Saharan Africa. The inaugural edition is slated for Londonbetween August 6 and7, 2018.

The summit convener explained that: “The much awaited transformation of the economies of sub-Saharan Africa must not be left only to the national governments; but a signiďŹ cant role must be played by the hundreds of provincial governments that make up these countries. “We must take a cue from the 50 American states, and begin to open up a wider space for Africa’s provincial governments to unleash their energy to drive continental economic growth.â€?

Heritage Bank Wins Tourism Award

Heritage Bank Plc said it was recently recognised as the Nigeria’s most innovative banking service provider, as the Institute for TourismProfessionals,organisersoftheNationalTourismTransport Summit and Expo 2018 (NTTS) named it as the best “Financial Institution, for Outstanding Support for Tourism.�

The award, according to the organisers, was in recognition of the contribution of the bank to the growth and development of the tourism industry over the years. Receiving the award on behalf of the bank at an event in Abuja, the chief executive, Heritage Bank, IďŹ e Sekibo, who was represented by the Regional Executive, Abuja & North, Heritage Bank, George Oko-Oboh, said it was a well-deserved honour for the bank, because over the years it had believed in tourism and had tried as much as possible to increase its support to the sector. He disclosed that the bank was partnering with stakeholders and plans to increase its investment in the sector in the years ahead. Sekibo said: “It is a well-deserved award for the bank because over the years the bank has believed in tourism and we always keep trying as much as possible to support the tourism sector. “Over the years we think it is something we have done with a quite a number of stakeholders and we have done that quite well. “In the coming years, we should expect more of better handshake.

We intend to do more; because looking at what they are trying to achieve here now, we have seen that they are trying to take in much into the other sectors. We think we would still be there for them. “The sector is quite lucrative, but for us, what we are doing basically is like partnership. That is what we have done with them over the years. We have done quite a few investments in the sector.�

Winners Emerge in FirstBank Promo

First Bank of Nigeria Limited in partnership withVisa International has announced the emergence of two lucky winners- Mrs. Hadizat Bello and Mr. Ado Ibrahim Idris - in the just concluded FirstBank Visa Gold card issuance and usage promo. The promo draw took place in Lagos recentlyand the winners along with their partners would be going on a ďŹ ve-day all-expense paid trip to Russia to watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The elated winners thanked the bank for the opportunity given to them toenjoy 2018 World cup matches live in Russia. First Bank’s Group Head, E-Business Group, Mr. Chuma Ezirim, in his response,commended the winners for trusting and using the FirstBank Visa Gold Card for their transactions. “FirstBank is committed to ensuring ease, convenience and security in banking transactions for all its customers and our Visa Gold Card is accepted globally and gives our customers global privileges and beneďŹ ts, discounts and rewards at choice hospitality centers worldwide, among other extensive beneďŹ ts,â€? he said.

“There are lots of benefits that can accrue to us as business people if we embrace shared services, especially around technology. The result would be beneficial to all and sundry�

CBN Deputy Governor,

Mr. Adebayo Adelabu

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NEW ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES BECKON AS BEARS DEPRESS STOCK PRICES Two oil stocks, that also posted improved financial performances, Double 11 Plc and Total Nigeria Plc, are trading 15 per cent and 7.8 per cent lower.

However, the insurance sector has many stocks trading between 20 per cent and 60 per cent lower. UNIC Diversified Holdings Plc is 60 per cent cheaper, Niger Insurance Plc, 52 per cent; Regency Alliance Insurance Plc, 48 per cent; Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc,46 per cent; Veritas Kapital Assurance Plc,32 per cent; Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, 30 per cent; LASACO Assurance Plc, 24 per cent and Guinea Insurance Plc, 20 per cent among others.

REPORT: AT 5.1%, HEALTH INSURANCE PENETRATION SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERWHELMING estimated to be about 2.7 per cent, while some HMOs have remained in loss position for three years consecutively.

Also, the report highlighted factors impactingnegatively on profitability in the industry which it listed to includes its high loss ratio that stood at 86.6 per cent in 2017, substantially above the 44.5 per cent and 34per cent loss ratio reported in the Life and Non-Life Insurance business respectively.

The survey carried out by the agency alsorevealed that though employers’ influence remained a significant factor in the decision of selecting HMOs, enrolees were increasingly prioritising other factors while selecting HMOs. “Enrolee turnover is also very high in the industry, with over 53.4 per cent of respondents indicating to have less than a two-year relationship with their current HMOs. “While 66 per cent of respondents were either decided or considering leaving their current HMOs if given the chance by their employers, highlighting an unhealthy attrition rate.

FG Unveils Initiatives to End Militancy in Niger Delta Chineme Okafor in Abuja

living in these areas would be monitored, thus fostering completion,� said Kachikwu.

According to him, the NGFCP is a market driven program that would provide an avenue for gas flares to be economically utilised.

He noted that: “The presence of these gas flares have adverse effects on the health of individuals and therefore, frustrations.

This program would allow for companies to utilise these wasted

gas towards more productive means. It would provide jobs, reduce pollution in the environment and increase the standard of living.�

Speaking further, the minister explained that: “Conflict in some instances can be attributed to the scarcity of developmental projects.

Unemployment/ underemployment are issues known to cause tensions, as people are more likely to be restless. Hence, we initiated

a modular refinery drive that has garnered strong interests. “Already, two of such modular refineries have reached advanced stage of construction.

This initiative would help in providing jobs and increase cash liquidity within the environment.� “Other actions of ours like the newly developed policies and investment drives, are also targeted towards reducing the high levels of inequalities ex-

perienced in extractive regions.

The lesser the inequality gap, the lesser the security problems.�

Kachikwu, said: “We are also deploying a community-based pipeline framework that is targeted towards fostering community relations, while ensuring the protection of our source of income. This approach of protection is underpinned by the concept that adequate security is in the best interest of everyone.�

The federal government has streamlined its plans to end militancy in the Niger Delta and develop the region to become productive and beneficial to its communities.

In the restructured plan, which the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu disclosed to participants at the just concluded 2018 edition of the Sustainability in the Extractive Industries (SITEI) Conference in Abuja, the government has opted to pursue five strategic programmes that could stabilise and develop the Niger Delta.

The five key plans, according to Kachikwu, would include deploying what he said was a Niger Delta Development Compact; pursuing regular engagements with the Niger Delta; implementing the modular refinery initiative as well as community-based pipeline protection framework.

The other two, he explained, would be executing the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Program (NGFCP) and sustainability initiative in extractive industries.

He explained the Niger Delta Development Compact was targeted towards ensuring the realisation of development projects accountably and transparently.

L-R: Assistant Chief Negotiator, Nierian Office for Trade Negotiation, Ms Demitta Gyang; Director-General/Chief Negotiator, NOTN, Ambasador Chiedu “Projects targeted towards Osakwe; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and lndustry (LCCI), Mr. Babatunde Ruwase and CEO, Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba at the improving the standard of Stakeholders’ Forum on African Continental FreeTrade Agreement in Lagos ‌ recently abiodun ajala

BRAINSTORMING ON AFCFTA

AMCON Boss Lauds CBN for Compelling Banks to Lend to Real Sector Ugo Aliogo The Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr. Ahmed Kuru, has commended the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to take necessary measures to compel commercial banks to lend to the real sector for economic growth and stability.

Kuru, stated recently in Lagos at the Institute of Directors (IoD) 2018 Fellows’ Luncheon with the theme: ‘Determinants of Growth in

Transition Economies’ that the CBN was putting a lot of measures in place to ensure that things are stabilised, pointing out that no economy can survive without lending and supporting the real sector.

He also stated that lending to the sector would help drive investment and growth, noting that the key determinants of growth in any economy are good governance and human capital. Effective leadership that is driven by governance ensures that things are done as expected, he stressed.

The AMCON boss stressed the need for policy consistency and sustainability in the economy, further adding that four years is too short to transform the economy. He therefore called on Nigerians to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in repositioning the economy, stating, “we need to be interested in leadership and governance.�

Kuru further stated that countries that have made sustained progress invested heavily in enhancing the stock

of skills of its labour force by prioritising early childhood quality education, training and provision of health care, “investing in human capital raises productivity of workers due to upgraded skills and better education, empowers them with capacity for new ideas and innovations.�

Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of Council, Institute of Directors Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed, said the institute will continue to advocate for the entrenchment of good corporate governance in

workplaces and encourage the application of best practices in the management of resources both in public and private sectors.

Mohammed also stated that they remain determined to create a forum where a fellow of the Institute or other distinguished speakers would be invited to deliver a lecture on a contemporary issue affecting the economy, with a view to stimulate discussions on viable solutions for our challenging environment and assist our policy makers.

NMRC, IFC Collaborate on Greener Building Construction Industry Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Group Business Editor

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The Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group have begun a partnership towards ensuring a greener building construction industry in Nigeria.

NMRC’s collaboration with IFC’s EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) has already culminated in workshops in Lagos and Abuja where Nigerian building developers converged to discuss the pathway for a greener Nigeria through the construction industry.

The mortgage refinance

institution and IFC, alongside the consortium of thinkstepSGS, the certification provider for EDGE in Nigeria, at the workshops brought to the fore the need for EDGE adoption and implementation.

At the Abuja workshop which was also attended by local council officials and financial institutions, the NMRC pledged to be a leader in pioneering the implementation of EDGE certification in Nigeria’s construction industry.

NMRC’s Executive Director, Policy, Partnerships and Business Development, Dr. Chii Akporji said: “NMRC is proud to partner with IFC to launch and operationalise EDGE in the Nigerian

market. “Through its value chain approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities in the Nigerian housing sector, NMRC looks to collaborating with its member-banks and other stakeholders to catalyse sustainable green buildings in Nigeria, to unlock the benefits of same to the housing industry and to the country’s GDP.�

NMRC and IFC are bound by a common aspiration to move the building construction industry to a lower carbon, more resource-efficient path.

EDGE is an innovation of IFC, which helps property developers to build and brand green in a fast,

easy and affordable way.

It is supported by free software that encourages solutions to reduce energy, water and the energy used to make building materials by at least 20 per cent, which is the standard for EDGE certification.

The programme has been generously supported by donors like Austria, Canada, Denmark, ESMAP, EU, Finland, GEF, Hungary, Japan and Switzerland.

Through the partnership, NMRC and IFC will work together to promote sustainable design practices in Nigeria, including the NMRC recommending EDGE certification to clients to increase the value of their green properties.

EDGE was created to respond to the need for a measurable solution to prove the financial case for building green and to help jumpstart the proliferation of green buildings.

It includes complementary software to empower building professionals to quickly and easily determine the most cost-effective ways to build green based on occupant behaviour, building type and the local climate.

IFC says Italian aims to transform 20 per cent of the construction market in rapidly industrialising countries with the support of industry leaders, governments and financial institutions.

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Again Saraki Pledges Passage of Remaining PIB Components Nosa Alekhuogie Senate President, Bukola Saraki has given a firm assurance that the remaining versions of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would be passed before the end of the 8th legislative session.

The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), one of the versions of the bill passed earlier is currently before President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.

Saraki had at a recent forum, promised that the process for the passage of Fiscal and Host Communities Bill would commence soon.

But giving the status of the bill over the weekend, the Senate President declared that “this 8th National Assembly has taken the bull by the horns. We have been making conscious efforts to ensure that we progress the passage of the law which has gone through various readings.

But I promise Nigerians that before the end of this Legislative Assembly, definitely the bill will be passed.�

He gave this assurance Friday night through his representative, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, at the formal presentation of the International Tourisms Borse Berlin’s Golden City-Gate Film Festival award in Germany, won by a Nigerian artist and film maker, Wilfred Ukpong, with

his film, Future World in the “Eco-Tourism� category.

Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who received the award from the organisers of the International Film Festival held in Berlin in March, 2018, on behalf of the artist, formally presented it to him. He was assisted by Senator Sabi.

After the screening of the film before the audience, Saraki observed that the message in the film is “quite clear and apt,� noting that “it is an early warning of the impending danger in the Niger Delta,� and advised that “all the stakeholders must take it seriously.�

He maintained that all Nigerians have a responsibility to what is happening in Niger Delta which has been captured by “our own artist through the Future World film, and unbiasely recognised in far away Germany.� He said: “We must congratulate the government of Buhari for the initiatives of starting the clean up of the Niger Delta, beginning with the Ogoni land.�

While presenting the trophy to Ukpong, Tuggar noted that “Future World� is a piece of work that provokes discussions around some of the most topical issues of the day: environmental pollution and climate change,

youth employment and migration, energy mix and international trade,� adding that Nigerian government is already taking a good step to finding permanent solutions to the challenges.

Receiving the award, Ukpong, a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker, said that “the 7-minute film narrative conflates around climate change, environmental pollution, and health-related issues and draws from true-life stories, and regional myths to create a captivating abstract universe pulsing with some of the most profound historical, ecological, and socio-cultural issues of our time.� He noted that it was produced to further raise the awareness on the level of degradation in the oil producing area, and calls for urgent solutions.

Among the guests at the event were Mr. Udom Inoyo, Vice Chairman, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Dr. Isaac Thompson Amos, Chairman/ CEO of Thompson & Grace Investment Limited, sponsors of the film, Regine Hess, Deputy Head of Mission in German Embassy, Abuja, Mr. Wolfgant Jo Huschert, President of German Film Producers Association, and Mr. Otobong Amos, Director in Thompson & Grace Investment Limited.

Group Wants 35% Involvement of Women in Implementation of PIGB, Others Chineme Okafor in Abuja A group, Women in Extractive Sector, has recommended that the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) when it is eventually passed into law and other complementary bills created from the omnibus Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) should include respect for 35 per cent affirmative action.

The group argued that the challenges of mining oil and other extractive resources from the Niger Delta and other parts of Nigeria, as well as the unwholesome environmental degradations that come with these mining activities affect women the most, and as such, they should be considered to partake in the implementation of the PIGB. Speaking at a press briefing after its recent meeting in Abuja, the convener of the group, Ms.

Faith Nwadishi, told journalists that at the moment, the structural hierarchy in the running of Nigeria’s extractive sector visà -vis government and private entities involved in the sector, do not favour the womenfolk.

Nwadishi explained that it was important for women in Nigeria to be part of the implementation of the PIGB and other bills when they are passed into law, adding that women should actually be amongst the boards of trustees for host communities’ development which the Petroleum Industry Host Community Bill (PIHCB) could create.

According to her, the business aspects of the oil industry reforms which the Petroleum Industry Fiscal Bill (PIFB) would address, should in consideration of the challenges of women, create a window to boost women participation in the business of

oil and gas.

She also stated that in terms of administration, the Petroleum Industry Administration Bill (PIAB) should be able to create opportunities for women to rise in the industry’s hierarchy to be able to influence policies on issues that affect them. “We are aware that the national assembly is yet to transmit the PIGB to the president for assent, we don’t want an indefinite postponement of the PIGB and ask that people should stop playing politics with the bill and reforms in the industry. In the last 17 years, we have been on this reform but 17 years is enough time to get the bill passed.

We want to say that the four bills do not have any provision for inclusion of women issues as regards the 35 per cent affirmative action,� Nwadishi explained.

Vertiv,TD Collaborate on Power Protection for African Market Emma Okonji Vertiv, formerly Emerson Network Power, has partnered Technology Distributions Ltd. (TD), a foremost Information and Communication Technology (ICT) distributors across Africa to boost power protection for the African market.

The alliance aims to act as a meeting point between ICT resellers seeking UPS reliability and protection for their customer’s sensitive Information Technology (IT) equipment.

The alliance has also been described by IT experts as a strategic move to leverage on the strength of TD’s turnkey support capabilities and understanding of their customer’s needs.

Under the partnership, TD will deliver Vertiv’s uninterruptible power systems (UPS), power distribution units (PDU), racks and accessories, coupled with an unprecedented level of specialist consultancy and after-sales support within the region.

Regional Sales Director, North West Africa, Vertiv, Wojtek Piorko, said: “Our mission is to help customers achieve a world where critical technologies always work. The alliance with TD will further strengthen our position in the Nigerian market, enabling us to focus like a laser on the needs of our customers. The choice to partner with TD was based on their strong foundation, regional footprint, financial capabilities, and passionate employees.

ELEVATING TO THE NEXT LEVEL Marie-Therese Phido

Your Integrity is All You Have One of the reasons I left my “dream� job, was because I found out that its leadership lacked integrity. When I resigned, many people were shocked and asked why I left such a well-paying job, why was I so concerned with my “so called principle and their lack of integrity�.

They just could not understand, how I could walk away from the money and the perks, but I did because I had been brought up to “think straight and talk straightâ€?. I know some of you will say I am being naĂŻve that once you get to the higher echelons of the business world, those values do not exist. I agree and since I could not beat them, nor join them, I had to leave.

By definition, integrity means soundness, sincerity, truthfulness, coherence, honesty, of good moral character. If you’re running an organisation, dealing with clients, or leading a team, having integrity means following through to do what you say you’ll do—no matter if it’s hard, costly, or unpleasant.

In view of the above and continuing with my resignation story, I got into the organisation and all that had been promised became a mirage. Suddenly, management started to give complicated explanations for things that were crystal clear before I accepted the employment.

The lack of integrity I saw displayed was a big shock, and I saw signs of it from the very first day I walked into the organisation.

Dianna Booher says that “when it comes to commitments, there are two kinds of people in the marketplace: Those who keep commitments as if their life depended on it—and those who break them as easily as crystal.�

Today’s people often twist the definition somewhat to mean “living true to myself� as in “Yes, I know I made that commitment or signed that contract, but I want something different now!�

Without integrity, your communication lacks substance. Without substance, your communication has no power. Without power, your communication has no influence. Without influence, you’re no longer a leader. Yes, you may have a title or position, but you cannot lead.

Dianna Booher, goes on to say that rationalizing a broken commitment is also common: “Nobody else shows up for those meetings anyway.� “They really

Without integrity, your communication lacks substance. Without substance, your communication has no power. Without power, your communication has no inuence.

Without inuence, you’re no longer a leader.Yes, you may have a title or position, but you cannot lead

expect you to cancel X if things change ‌.â€? “People will understand if I’m late.

There’s traffic.� “This is costing more than I thought. I had some unexpected expenses come up.�

All this “free, easy, and common� discussion is not to dismiss the fact that keeping a commitment can be costly. As the owner of a company, I’ve delivered on contracts when I actually lost money—simply because a difficult client kept expanding the scope of a project and refused to agree to a price increase.

I know colleagues who’ve gone to extremes to arrive at a client site to deliver a keynote because they’d made a scheduling mistake and refused to disappoint a client by cancelling at the last minute.

Having integrity doesn’t mean that you’ll never ask to be released from an earlier commitment if the situation changes. But if you can’t cancel the obligation with your integrity intact, then consider the long-term impact on your reputation. Understand the impact on your relationships and career.

Little kinks in the chain of credibility soon break your trustworthiness altogether and you lose the ability to influence on any level.

3 Reasons Influence Collapses When Integrity Lapses Influence is the result of having others trust you – when people trust you, you wield a lot of influence. This is the kind of influence that Nelson Mandela had.

People were willing to die for his beliefs because they trusted that what he said and agitated had integrity and good for the whole. If you lack integrity, you will lack influence.

Trust comes from communicating the truth—without deception, denial, exaggeration, waffling. Trust means what you say is what you do – from my story above, you can see that what you say and what you do is extremely important. It was so important to me that I was willing to walk away from my means of livelihood. My very first boss Dotun Sulaiman was known as a man who had a lot of integrity, everybody had faith in his words. People will ask “who said so�, and you say “Dotun�. They then wave you off, don’t worry it is done.

If Dotun says he will do it, you can go to sleep. How many of us have this level of integrity and trust from everybody in an organisation? This is where and how we should all aspire to be.

Being known as a person of your word represents power – I was speaking to my client today and reminded him that I had not been paid for two months. He said, don’t worry, you know you have nothing to worry about, as long as I have agreed to pay you it is done. His words had power because from experience, I have always been paid and paid the right amount even from a verbal agreement when he says “I agree and I will pay�. I have also had clients I refuse to owe me, because even when they say they will pay and we have a contract, they find all kinds of reasons to stiff you of your money.

I cannot over-emphasise how important it is to have integrity at any level from the most junior to the most senior person.

Your integrity is all you have it is bigger and better than riches.

Marie-Therese Phido is Sales & Market Strategist and Business Coach Email: mphido@elevato.com.ng tweeter handle @osat2012 TeL: 08090158156 (text only)

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FBN Holdings’ Reassuring Performance Goddy Egene writes that the financial results of FBN Holdings Plc for 2017 have validated the assurance the group gave its stakeholders on improved performance

“I want to assure our esteemed shareholders that FBN Holdings is actively preparing for the future and the challenges ahead with the advancement of the group’s innovative projects and continuous extraction of the opportunities that abound in our holding structure. Overall, we are better positioned to deal with the shocks to our businesses and to sustain our growth momentum. “Having completed the most challenging period of our journey which saw us recognise an outsize impairment charge and now that we can clearly see improved results beginning from 2017 financial year, shareholders have every reason to be optimistic of higher return on their investment.�

The above were the words of assurance given to the shareholders and other stakeholders of FBN Holdings Plc by the chairman, Oba Otudeko and group managing director respectively last year at the annual general meeting (AGM) in Lagos.

The assurance became necessary following the huge impairment charges recorded by the bank, which affected its bottom-line. The bank posted impairment charges of N226 billion, which was 38 per cent of the gross earnings for the 2016 financial year. Also, non-performing loan ratio deteriorated to 24.4 per cent in 2016, compared with 18.1 per cent in 2015 and far above five per cent stipulated industry requirement. Based on the above the board and management had to assure of better results going forward. And given the audited results for the year ended December 31, 2017, stakeholders have been reassured of a brighter future.

2017 Financial Results FBN Holdings posted gross earnings of N595.4 billion, up marginally by 2.3 per cent from N581.8 billion in 2016. Net interest income rose by 15.9 per cent from N405.3 billion to N331.5 billion, while non-interest income fell by 31 per cent from N165.5 billion to N113.7 billion. However, impairment charges for credit losses reduced by 33.5 per cent to N150.4 billion, from N226 billion in 2016.

The financial institution tried to curtail operating expenses, which grew by only 7.7 per cent to N238 billion, from N221 billion the previous year. Consequently, profit before tax jumped by 147.6 per cent to N56.8 billion, compared with 22.9 billion in 2016. But PAT grew faster by 178.9 per cent to N47.8 billion from N17.1

billion in 2016. Earnings per share improved from 39 kobo to 121 kobo. The directors are recommended a dividend of 25 kobo per share.

A further analysis of the results showed non-performing loan ratio improved from 24.4 per cent to 22.8 per cent, just as liquidity ratio reduced from 52.7 per cent to 51.1 per cent.

Capital adequacy ratio stood at 17.1 per cent compared with 17.8 per cent in 2016.

Customers’ deposits, which is a reflection of preference for the franchise, rose from N3.10 trillion to N3.14 trillion. Non-performing loans reduced from N584.2 billion to N520 billion, while shareholders’ funds improved from N582.6 billion to N678.2 billion in 2017.

Firm explained performance Commenting on the results, the Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings Plc, Mr. UK Eke said the initiatives they put in place were producing encouraging results ahead their projections. “It is noteworthy to highlight that this progress has not been detrimental to our commitment to cost containment, illustrated by the 7.7 per cent increase in opex which is significantly below the headline inflation rate of 15.4 per cent. This result was also made possible by the successful implementation of our digitisation initiatives, that have allowed us to serve our customers in a more efficient and effective way,� he said.

He assured the shareholders that the company would intensify efforts to recover all NPL. According to him, loan recovery has been a core focus of the leadership team of the bank, pointing out that there is a special committee set up to address it, just as an asset management units had been created for the purpose. “Even though we have not recorded a full resolution of our NPL, we have made significant progress in dealing with a number of these names and more fundamentally, ensured a strong asset quality from recent credits. As a result NPL for the period declined from 24.4 percent in 2016 to 22.8 percent in 2017,� he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of FBN Holdings Plc, Mr. Oba Otudeko had said the flagship subsidiary of the Group, First Bank Nigeria Limited, sustained its leadership position in the e-payment space, emerging as the first financial institution in Nigeria and West Africa to issue 10 million cards to customers.

He added that the bank was recognised as the first financial institution in Nigeria to achieve an electronic transaction volume of 100 million in a month.

Otudeko FBN Holdings would consolidate on the progress made in the previous year to deliver a strong and sustainable performance that enhances returns to shareholders.

Commercial Banking Contribution The commercial banking business contributed 90.1 to gross earnings of the group and 77.6 per cent to its profit compared with 36 per cent contribution to profit in 2016.

Speaking on the results the MD/CEO of FirstBank and subsidiaries, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, said: “The commercial banking group has delivered a good performance, despite the still challenging macro-economic environment, with gross earnings up 1.1 per cent, PBT was up 435 per cent and PAT up by 337 per cent.

According to him, the financial results were due to the ongoing disciplined execution of our 2017 – 2019 Strategic Corporate Transformation Plan with 2017 being the first year of execution. “The results achieved so far shows that we are on the right track and in 2018 and beyond we are focusing on accelerating the pace of execution of the plan with emphasis on strengthening our technology infrastructure to drive efficiencies; developing and promoting a full digital and transaction banking offerings; sustaining and accelerating the disciplined lending drive, with targeted recoveries, and an improved focus on managing operational risks; whilst continuing with the ongoing repositioning and strengthening of African subsidiaries to optimize returns. Our aim is to return to be the market leader in the industry with the disciplined execution of these various initiatives,� he said.

Improved Electronic Banking A look at the fees and commission (F&C) income showed that electronic banking fees contribution to the total F&C income increased to 33.6 per cent from 30.6 in the prior year.

This, according to bank, demonstrates the strong revenue generation capacity of the group through alternative channels as it remain focused on enhancing its digital offerings

and further deepening initiatives to support its revenue generation capabilities. “In the course of the year and recently, we celebrated a number of unique leadership recognitions, amongst which was First Bank being the first financial institution in the Nigerian and West Africa sub-region to issue 10 million cards to customers. In addition, the bank won the awards for the “fastest mobile penetration bank across Africa�, “highest card transacting bank� and “highest issuer of Verve cards�. Furthermore, N1 trillion transactions were processed on the #894 USSD banking channel making it the fastest growing USSD product in the industry,� it said.

To further strengthen its revenue base and following a successful pilot, FirstBank is systematically rolling out the agent-banking model this year, leveraging on its unique wide distribution. “Additionally, the bank is enhancing its trade finance and cash management capabilities to support transaction banking offerings. Similarly, another critical focus is to enhance the contribution from the subsidiaries to the group’s profit from increased performance, synergy and collaboration,� it said.

Insurance subsidiary Apart from the banking group that showed improved performance, the insurance subsidiary also sustained its positive performance. The subsidiary contributed 9.0 per cent to total noninterest revenue of the group in 2017, up from 5.1 per cent the previous year. Gross Premium Written increased by 90.8 per cent to close at N22.8 billion, up from N11.9 billion in 2016 while PBT rose by 38 per cent toN4.7 billion, from N3.4 billion in 2016.

According to the company, driven by the retail segment, the life insurance business continued to validate the retail market strategy as increasing access to the large annuity market further support the strong performance. “In partnership with Sanlam, the group is leveraging on the technical capabilities and exchange of ideas/practices to significantly enhance technical and risk management expertise.

Similarly, we are institutionalising operational efficiency across key functions. Some of the key strategic initiatives also in focus include maintaining a disciplined cost optimisation strategy, continuous transition towards a digital focused and technology driven business to achieve an end-to-end process automation and improved service delivery,� the company said.

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HASAL MFB Marks 10 Years of Operation The Shareholders and Directors of Hasal Microfinance Bank have expressed confidence in the management team of the bank.

The bank which clocks ten this year was founded in 2008 and operates from 18 business locations in the Federal Capital Territory.

As part of the activities marking the celebration of 10 years of microfinance banking activities, HASAL recently hosted a spelling bee competition among primary schools in the FCT and granted scholarships to the best pupils in the competition.

However, a statement from the bank denied report of alleged possible forensic audit of the financial institution and

denied that the shareholders and directors ever petitioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on any matter against its chief executive.

The statement quoted the board to have explained that some person with criminal records had attempted to join the bank and Hasal through its KYC and due diligence activities uncovered this. “The board expressed satisfaction and gratitude to the CBN for upholding strong professional and ethical standards in the discharge of its regulatory functions to the bank while assuring of its commitment to professionalism and strict adherence to the regulatory guidelines in the microfinance sector.

“HASAL has an asset base in excess of N6 billion and a capital base in excess of N2 billion as at last financial year with a customer base of more than 160,000 and a loan portfolio of almost N5 billion, customers are assured of unique microfinance services that earned it the “Most Innovate Microfinance Institution� by the Citibank/ Growing Business Foundation as well as EFInA Innovation Grant of $500,000 to support its branchless banking project,� it explained.

The bank stated that it has also attracted the attention of Microfinance Social Investors having been granted a Euro1.5 million on-lending facility by OIKO Credit Netherlands.

South- east Business Owners Ratify AfCFTA, Insists on Zonal Gas Masterplan Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Business stakeholders from South-east geo-political zone have appealed to the federal government to set up, operationalise dry docks and implement the eastern gas master plan .

The request was one of the several demands they presented at the Stakeholders Sensitisation and Consultations Forum held in Owerri, Imo State on Nigeria’s participation in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).

The stakeholders comprised representatives of South East Traders Associations; MicroSmall and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA); Owerri Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (OCCIMA), Piggery Association of Nigeria; Aba Traders Association, Nigerian Trade Experts Forum (NTEF), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Na-

tional Economic Summit Group (NESG).

They endorsed the AfCFTA pact seeking reduction in tariffs on 90% of trade lines for all trade among African countries as a necessary step for trade facilitation. They also contended that AfCFTA would support Nigeria’s economic policy and its leadership in the African Union, through improving competitiveness in trade in goods and services.

The Forum underlined the necessity for accelerated implementation action in the areas including, reducing the cost of money, improving access to credit, countervailing measures against transhipment, dumping and other injurious trade practices against Nigerian manufacturers and service providers and provision of predictable, cost effective power supply and parity in tariff charges in the South-east.

The zone also called for the modernisation of Nigerian logistics in the supply chains and railway transport systems.

The Traders Associations in the zone emphasised the importance of open markets

and underscored their right to import and export goods including, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals, automobile spare parts, and agricultural products. While addressing the forum, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, stated that trade Integration is critical for growth, job creation and poverty reduction, not only in the South East region, but throughout the country. He stressed that the establishment of AfCFTA is a wise course of action for Nigeria and Africa, stating it will boost intra-African trade, expand investment and promote industrialisation.

Okorocha noted that the principal economic activity for livelihood in south -east zone is trade and industry. “We are traders, industrialists, creators and innovators and cannot be separated from our trade and industry.

Through trade and industry, we have fostered the integration of this zone. We have improved livelihood conditions and have created jobs. Igbos can be found all across Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

SIFAX Haulage Boosts Operations with 20 New Trucks Eromosele Abiodun In a bid to solidify, boost its operations and consolidate its position as a leader in the country’s logistics industry, SIFAX Haulage and Logistics Limited, one of the subsidiaries of SIFAX Group, has acquired 20 brand new trucks worth over N1 billion.

Speaking at the unveiling of the trucks in Lagos, General Manager, SIFAX Haulage & Logistics Limited, Mr. Adewale Adetayo, said the company’s decision to expand its fleet was sequel to its resolve to deliver better services to its clients and become a leader in the industry.

According to him, “The acquisition of these new trucks is a clear demonstration of the unfettered commitment of the management of SIFAX

GROUP to the strategic goal of repositioning SIFAX Haulage & Logistics Limited for greater productivity. This commitment is part of the company-wide strategy of strengthening all the subsidiaries with the requisite capacity and capabilities to deliver on the corporate objective of delivering best value in all sectors we operate. “With this acquisition, our transfer and delivery processes will be sharpened.

We can now also favourably compete in the movement of deadweights. We are poised to change the haulage and logistics landscape in Nigeria with the expansion of our fleet.

Our haulage team has been well prepared and equipped with various technical trainings to usher in the operations of

these new trucks in addition to ones we have at hand.�

He added: “The trucks are European trucks with 420 horse power rating. 10 of them are ‘6 by 4’ double axles while the others 10 are triaxle flatbeds with 48 tonnage capacity. The brand new trucks will complement the 55 trucks already in use by the company; thereby bring the company’s fleet size to 75 trucks.�

Speaking earlier, Group Managing Director, SIFAX Group, Mr. John Jenkins, explained that with the unveiling of these new trucks, the company now lives up to the standard it is known for worldwide noting that the company’s business acumen is geared towards constantly meeting customer needs and adding value to all its businesses.

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018

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EDUCATION ‘TETFund Bill must be Modified for Faith-basedVarsities’ In this interview with Funmi Ogundare, the Vice-Chancellor of Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Edo State, Professor Bernard Aigbokhan explained that the country needs to go back to the values that will ensure that the right leadership qualities are inculcated in students. He expressed optimism that the federal government will modify the TETFund bill to allow faith-based universities benefit from it How would you describe the relationship between the institution and the National Universities Commission (NUC)?

It has been cordial and mutually beneficial to the university. We had our first accreditation with the NUC in December 2014 and they were quite clear and the result was very fair. Among the 10 programmes we presented then, four were given full accreditation and six were given interim.

Two years later, all the programmes that were given interim accreditation were revisited plus four others. So this time, all the 10 programmes that we presented were given full accreditation which means that as at today all our 14 academic programmes have full accreditation status with the NUC. They have been inviting us for their programmes such as retreats and workshops meant for university vice-chancellors, academic planning officers, directors as well as admission officers from time to time.

What is your Benchmark for Academic Standard (BMAS)?

We stand on the minimum standard set by the NUC; the minimum number of lecturers and qualifications you have for each programme.

So none of our staff that are assistance lecturers have qualifications below MSC. Then we go for people with PhD who would be employed as lecturer II. As a way of accessing them, no staff is employed in the university without going through an interview. We conduct interview for every appointee and we usually advertise. Once that is done and people respond, we shortlist and set up a panel consisting of the principal officers including the deans of colleges and at least one council member who must be at the interview. We also have very senior academics who retired from the University of Ibadan and who are members of our council.

What effort are you making to ensure that the right facilities that would enhance teaching and learning are put in place?

I doubt if all the universities in Nigeria can say they have all the faculties required for maintaining a desirable level of academic standard, but we as much as possible have the minimum facility required for accreditation. In terms of percentage, I will rank our facilities above 60 per cent. We intend to improve this through funding from the proprietor. At the moment, we are embarking on resource mobilisation where all the branches of the church nationwide are raising funds between now and end of September for the next phase of the development of the university such as constructing new buildings and providing more facilities. So we do that once in three to five years. In between we do get funds through the council and Board of Trustees (BoT) by making request to the church.

For instance, we were given N15 million for our resource mobilisation and ensure that we are able to provide the minimum resources required.

One of the things that the NUC normally looks at is the internally generated revenue of an institution for accreditation, what are you doing in that regard?

We have, but it is not enough. Though the institution is not a university of agriculture, but we have a MoU with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for oil palm nursery propagation.

We had this in 2013 and as a matter of fact, that was my main achievement when I became the vice-chancellor. Only two universities were selected; the other one was the University of Agriculture in Abita State. Under it, we were given 100,000 seedlings as part of the agricultural chain of Adesina. We nursed them to maturity and sold them to farmers and through this we have been having IGR. Some of the farmers were sent from the Ministry of Agriculture in Benin and some from other places. We also have a partnership with New Horizon International, an ICT training organisation. Through it, some of our students are trained. They pay specifically

Aigbokhan for that aside their tuition. The money collected from that channel is shared between us and the organisation on ratio 60 to 40. We intend to establish a water project; we have done the feasibility studies. We ought to have started by now, but the anchor staff who is the university bursar was indisposed which slowed down the pace of work, but as a matter of fact, we have been in the process of purchasing the building materials in Lagos since February this year to use. The next project is cassava plantation; we have signed a MoU with IITA Ibadan and the agriculture unit team of the university visited IITA Ibadan in April to try and implement the MoU that we signed earlier in 2017. Their team was here recently. They brought five big bags of cassava cuttings which are to be planted on the five hectare plots of land for the cassava production. With that, we plan to sell cassava and produce flour from it. Part of the MoU is the value chain process involved such as how to go from planting, harvesting to producing some by-products not just cassava flour. Along this line, we have a giant cassava processing machine given to us at a subsidised price by the presidency. The university is also a registered member of Cassava Stakeholders Association (CSA), Edo State chapter. We relate very well with the president of the association who is based in Abuja.

How often do you review your curriculum to meet industry needs?

We did that once last year. We had the various committees, who have been reviewing it periodically every two years but specifically with the industry in mind that would make our students more employable. We have been reviewing our curriculum and introduced entrepreneurship component right from when I came in 2013.

We actually said the whole curriculum should be reviewed.

With that how would you rate the quality of graduates the university has produced so far?

We have not heard much feedback from our students. Some of them have been contacting us on behalf of their employers either to introduce some equipment to us or they have something to sell to us. For instance our New Horizon partnership is paying off. Some of our students have gone into photography and they are really doing well. To a large extent, they are fairly employable.

Since you became the VC, what effort have you made to boost research and innovations, and produce graduates that are industry ready, locally relevant and globally competitive?

We have been producing students that are globally competitive and our first class graduates are usually validated by external examiners and by the time they go out, they perform. For instance, we had a student of Economics that graduated from here; he went through training in Shell during his youth service and as a result of his performance he was retained. We had another graduate of Industrial Chemistry, who was posted to the University of Uyo where they wanted to make him graduate assistance, but we wanted him here and then a pharmaceutical industry in Lagos also wanted him. So the boy was caught between three offers. I think that is an indication of being nationally competitive.

In terms of research and innovations, that is one area where I cannot really beat my chest, but the area we are focusing on is on the herbal science and we are collaborating with Pax Herbal, an international organisation located in a Catholic monastery in this state. We are collaborating with the company to produce herbal drugs but the leaves and the herbs for producing those things are what we are working on at our own end. We are growing the plant and flowers.

We intend to send some of our staff there for training so that they can do the preparations.

What challenges have you faced in steering the wheels of the institution?

Our main challenge is student enrolment. If you don’t have enough students, you can’t have enough income and if you don’t have enough income, you can’t provide more services and facilities. Some of the facilities required for research breakthrough are very capital intensive. The church is trying and ensuring that salary is paid regularly. When you have a N25 million salary bill every month, it is not an easy thing. To get the kind of equipment for science based breakthroughs, we have not been able to do that yet. We are still trying to attract the calibre of staff that would make it possible to achieve that. Two years ago, we employed someone who had worked in a research and pharmaceutical laboratory in the US for almost 25 to 30 years. We were hoping to use him to get ourselves into this market. Unfortunately half way, he took ill and we had to disengage him towards the end of last year. It was in the area of Industrial Chemistry that we were making some progress, unfortunately we didn’t really concretise that arrangement before he took ill. So we are trying to concentrate on the herbal production through our Microbiology and Biochemistry Departments to boost it.

Because of our location and issue of security, we have not been able to attract high calibre staff. That also explains why student enrolment is low. The bulk of our members are in the

south-west who can easily send their children here. Though we have not been able to make the kind of breakthrough expected but we are still working on it. We hope that by the time we start our postgraduate programmes, we will be able to attract high calibre students. qa Do you share the view that universities have failed to produce graduates that meet the needs of the industries?

We cannot put the whole blame on the universities. Many of our students are not prepared to work hard at it to make themselves really employable. Even though I am the VC, I still lecture four courses in a session; two in first semester and two in second semester. They believe that because they have come to the university, they must rely on their notes or that since their parents are paying high fees, they are supposed to pass. That happened during the tenure of the late VC but when I came on board, I did not allow that to happen. Students were pampered, you had to beg them to leave the hostels to come for lectures. So how can lecturers really impart that knowledge in them?

So it is not the university alone, the students are part of the problem. There are bad lecturers nowadays, there are equally a good number that want to impact the students. There are complains that lecturers are not teaching well, if you have a thousand students, would you be begging each one of them to come to class?

What are you doing to curb the anomaly?

We have a policy of locking the hostels in the mornings and open them after school hours so that students would be forced to stay in the library in between. You won’t believe it that some students will still lock themselves in. So part of the problem is the students and we are working on it.

The country seems to be having a problem of leadership, how do you think institutions can come in to tackle such problem?

Institutions can start by teaching Civic Education or value that will bring us back to when it was impactful because some of us really benefitted from it. The value system seems to have collapsed. Schools and institutions can start doing their bit by re-inculcating in students the correct leadership qualities. The Nigerian value system of old is what we really need to move the country from where it has been in the past 30 years. Students have to work hard to get a degree; when a student has confidence in the system, he would work towards attaining success. We can give the Buhari administration a little credit for its campaign against corruption.

Some lecturers can point to that as well that it is very bad. So when you have such system on value on ground, I believe that way, the message will sink.

What is the way forward for the sector?

The federal government does not allow us to access TETFund for now, thinking that we are profit-making institutions. Some individually owned institutions may be, but not faith-based universities. Faith-based universities have their members in mind to benefit from the university but they cannot charge with the hope of making profit. That is why our fee is usually among the lowest. We still have discount and scholarship.

Students who have first class grades are given N100,000 per year and we have been doing that for three years. We have about 20 of them on our list. All our members have N100,000 discount as well for their children in the university. That shows we are not for profit. That is one of the reasons we said the government should assist us by granting us access to TETFund. As you can see, we have not been able to erect new structures because we don’t have access to funds that other universities are having. We are hoping that the bill will be modified to allow us have access to it.

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EDUCATION

Children’s Day: Aregbesola Calls for Quality Education, Parental Guidance Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo The Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola has called on all stakeholders involved in the upbringing of children not to spare any amount, efforts and steps in security quality education for their children to ensure that they are better equipped for future challenges.

He said his administration is making huge investment to

provide and promote functional education for school children in the state, as failure to do so would spell doom for the society.

Aregbesola, who said this during the marchpast and calisthenics display ceremony organised to commemorate this year’s Children’s Day with the theme ‘Creating Safe Spaces for Our Children: Our Collective responsibility’, added that the

Take Your Education Seriously, Wike’s Wife Tells Rivers Children Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt The Wife of the Rivers State Governor, Justice Eberechi Nyesom-Wike has called on Rivers children to take their education seriously to be responsible citizens in the future.

Addressing them during the 2018 Children’s Day celebration at Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt, she said education is key to their progress in the society. “Once you get an education, everything will find its place because you will be empowered to be responsible citizens. You need to be careful and mindful of the friends you keep. This is because evil communication corrupts good manners. Not everyone has a right to come into your space.�

The governor’s wife prayed for God’s blessing on all Rivers

children as they make progress in life. “God will establish you and you will not die before your time. You will live long to fulfil all your days and everything that God has planned for you to achieve.�

To ensure that children are more responsible across the state and alive to their responsibilities, she said Rivethics Clubs will be introduced in schools, adding that children are special gifts from God and must be nurtured for the good of the society. “Children should be celebrated and on a day like this, we create awareness on the importance of children, their rights, their responsibilities, their education and their general welfare.�

Nyesom-Wike said it is because of the importance of children that the United Nations and African Union outlined principles that will aid their protection and development.

Cultism: Kwara Poly Engages 180 Security Operatives Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Piqued by activities of cultists and other security challenges at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, the management of the institution said it has engaged about 180 security operatives to check security challenges in the school and ensure that academic stability is guaranteed.

The Rector, Alhaji Moshood Elelu, who stated this in a chat with journalists during the annual Ramadan lecture organised by the institution, said the security operatives engaged include those from the military service, Police, Department of Security Service (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the local vigilante group.

He said since the management engaged such large number of security agents, the institution has not suffered insecurity as peace and tranquillity reign high on campus.

The rector explained that security threatening activities like cultism and student unrest have not been heard of on campus unlike in the past before the new security arrangement was made. Because the arrangement was well organised, the students cooperated with the agents to always ensure security on

campus.

He explained that the arrangement, apart from guaranteeing security on campus, also contributes to the academic stability the polytechnic currently enjoys.

The rector said as a result of the stable academic calendar, the institution is now one of the most sought after by admission seekers, adding that it has become a first choice because of the accreditation status of its courses, as 59 of the 60 courses have been accredited.

Elelu, who is the Chairman, Council of Rectors in Nigeria, said his administration since inception has been able to execute 47 projects cut across various departments.

In his iftar lecture, an Islamic scholar, Ustaz Ismail Akanbi explained the importance of Ramadan fasting, saying that it is one of the things that could help a Muslim to gain entrance into heaven.

He said the fasting makes a Muslim to be more pious and that when one is pious, he will likely have no difficulty being in heaven as against hell.

The cleric enjoined Muslims to be kind to their fellow human beings and worship God with their wealth, which was given to them by God.

educated and skilled fellow will survive the future challenges.

Aregbesola, who stressed that children deserve to be celebrated on a daily basis, said basic education is important to them. He said the state government is investing in basic education to create a complete individual that will be useful to the society. “Our administration has spent so much in the education sector because we know that we are investing in the future of our state, everybody involved with children must begin to take care of them more than ever before because a failure to

do this will not be good at all. “The future we are heading to is one that will require only the educated and highly skilled individual to survive in; it is a future that will be such that if you are not skilled, things may be difficult for you. “Low skills and menial jobs will be eliminated in the next 50 years, only the educated and skilled individual will be relevant and that is what we are preparing our children for.�

On the significance of the calisthenics exercise, the governor said it brings about unity and team spirit which the students and every individual

need to succeed in life, adding that the discipline which the exercise requires can be used to overcome any obstacle.

He added that modern researches have proven that physical exercises are capable of keeping away diseases from the body, saying that the calisthenics programme is a good form of exercise for the children. “The calisthenics display that our administration has introduced in the state is highly essential for young children because it will imbibe in the young ones the spirit of unity, team spirit and a

sense of discipline which every individual needs to succeed in life.�

In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women, Children and Social Affairs, Alhaja Latifat Giwa called on stakeholders involved in children’s upbringing to rise up to the task of nurturing them on the right path because they are the future.

She described the care of the children as one which should not be handled with kid glove, saying that every child deserves the best care that adults around can give at any point in time.

L-R: Mr. Bolaji Odusola, Jimmy Ladejobi, Yinka Ladejobi, Dr. Adeorewale Odulate-Williams (graduand), Moriam Remikekun, Olateju Sonoiki and Mama Sile, at the convocation ground in Syracuse, New York‌ recently

Experts Proffer Solutions to Suicide amongYouths Uchechukwu Nnaike Worried by the increasing cases of suicide among Nigerian youths, the Save Our Women and Girls (SOW&G) Foundation recently brought together experts in the health and education sector to discuss ways of curbing the menace.

The event, which was part of activities marking this year’s International Day of the Family, also featured a workshop on how stay at home mothers and other women can earn an income from home and make a successful career from their passion.

According to the founder of the foundation, Ambassador Unyime-Ivy King, one of the goals of the foundation is family strengthening and because a teenager committing suicide is traumatic for the family, it decided to focus on the issue with a view to curbing it.

According it has been established that most youths resort to suicide as a result of poor academic performance; pressure from parents who compare their children with others and sometimes making them feel inferior or worthless; pressure from the social media.

Some youths are on social media prematurely and they

get carried away by the show of affluence that in most cases is not real.�

A medical doctor and neuropsychologist, Dr. Deji Osasona highlighted four main causes of suicide among youths to include undue academic pressure by teachers or parents that are not emotionally intelligent; peer pressure, which can come in form of sexual issues, socialisation issues, class, as well as intimidation or bullying; financial pressure; and religio-cultural pressure. “There is a level of genetic contribution to this, especially if there is an issue of mental health challenge in the family.

There are also other associated background factors that can worsen or induce depression leading to suicide like substance abuse.�

He said before suicide, the victim must have been showing certain signs that were neglected or not noticed by parents, guardians, siblings, teachers or people around him/her. “So the first aid is to assess for any risk of suicide or harmful behaviour, for instance someone that is socially withdrawing from activities or people that he/ she is used to; going against instructions even at the risk of his/her life, engaging in risky

activities without caring. Someone that is always anticipating disaster happening to him/her; and feeling of hopelessness.�

Some of the ways to prevent suicide he said is by listening to the victim without judging them. This he said will make them trust and open up. “Give reassurance, not an empty or fictitious one; identify the strength of the person and create an avenue to start practising that strength and teach them to affirm their strength each day. Ensure support, which can be in form of one’s presence in their lives, informational support, as well as encouraging professional help. We should also take responsibility for our happiness so as to perpetually live in happiness in spite of the challenges.�

The Principal of Corona Secondary School, Agbara, Mrs. Chinedum Oluwadamilola, stated that teenagers want to feel loved, accepted and important and to avoid undue emphasis on academic excellence; the school came up with recognising the different things that sttudents can do. “The usual thing to recognise is academic excellence, but children have other abilities because they are human beings and we say there is an A*

in every child. If a student is good in sports, he/she wears a different school tie; those who can act get a performing act pin, as well as those that are musically inclined and for those who are very good visual artists; we do that for public speakers as well as those who are good with community service. “In all these, the students know that we don’t only recognise those who are academically sound but that what they do are also being recognised. Doing this affirms their abilities and helps them feel good about themselves and increases their self-worth.�

From the perspective of the youths, Miss Victory Yinka-Banjo, a senior secondary one student of Princeton College, Surulere said the causes of suicide include social isolation because a lot of times youths want to fit in and do what other people are doing and sometimes that doesn’t work out because everyone is unique.

She said the loss of a loved one or family crisis like divorce; bullying, which can make someone go into his/her shell; as well as pressure from various factors could also lead to suicide.

She said parents have to interact with their children, be their best friends and encourage them to take things one at a time and avoid pressure.

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34

Olashore: All Stakeholders Must Get Involved in Children’s Mental Health From all indications, the rate of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents has been on the increase in Nigeria as in other parts of the world, leading to undesirable outcomes in some cases. In this interview with Ugochukwu Aliogo, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Olashore International School, Prince Abimbola Olashore suggests that all stakeholders-parents, schools and governments must work together in preventing the incidents from snowballing into national crisis. Excerpts: Available research suggests that there has been an upsurge in the incidents of mental and emotional crisis among youths especially school age children. Why do you think this is so?

It is ironical that as children get healthier physically (due to improved medical care and nutrition, amongst others), their mental health seems to be on the decline. Rates of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents were far lower during the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, and the turbulent 1960s and early ‘70s than they are today. (Psychology Today) Several reasons have been put forward to explain this. One of such is the excessive screen time spent on electronic gadgets.

This causes disconnect from the real, immediate surroundings and more focus on the distant, virtual world on social media. Society is also said to have shifted from an intrinsic value system to a more extrinsic, materialistic one where one is judged by looks, and material acquisitions.

There is the pressure to look, act and think like popular celebrities or people from foreign cultures, leading to a deep seated feeling of lack of control over who one really is.

How bad do you think the problem is?

Current mental health statistics place 10 per cent of young people and children as having a clinically diagnosable mental health problem. Of this, about 70 per cent do not get appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.

Do you think the appropriate levels of governments in the country are prepared for this?

Current national mental health policy documents do not reflect sufficient provision for child and adolescent mental health which means that at all levels, the focus on it is lacking. One of the reasons being that there exists insufficient baseline data for convincing advocacy. There still remains the need for national epidemiological surveys on childhood mental health issues to inform decisions. Actions to promote mental health should include national mental health programmes, laws and policies, which then filter down to development of mentally healthy communities and physical environments and providing of opportunities for leisure activities at the grassroots What role do you think the private sector, especially schools should play?

Schools should be more proactive in mental health promotion and inculcate activities that improve access to mental health care, promote wellness and resilience. Child safety and anti-bullying policies should be well stated and implemented. Mental health needs can be integrated into the school curriculum.

This will increase awareness of such issues and help reduce stigma. Teachers and support staff should also be empowered to recognise and adequately address early warning signs in affected children. The pressure to excel academically is one that children face both in school and at home.

In most schools, only academic awards are recognized, putting pressure on children

Olashore who are struggling academically but gladly, that trend is changing. Children have different talents and capabilities and when properly nurtured and celebrated in these differing areas, they cope better in other areas.

What role do you think parents should play?

Parenting practices and expectations, socio-economic status and mental health all have an impact on the mental health of a child. Parents and families play a vital role in helping children understand and manage emotions, develop resilience and foster positive relationships. Strong family relationships and support from infancy have a positive effect on children’s mental health. Where this is lacking or where expectations are unrealistic and there is insensitivity to the needs of the child, the outcome is usually adverse and detrimental to the mental development of the child.

Are there models anywhere in the world that the federal government can follow in addressing this issue?

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme published guidelines for mental health interventions. This is presently being customised and implemented by several countries who have designed their own mental health management models based on the guidelines.

Over the years, people that have suffered some emotional crisis have been stigmatized and avoided by the society; why is this so and how can it be corrected?

Stigma has always been a major challenge for sufferers of mental health disorders. It affects their health seeking behaviour and in some cases, worsens whatever condition they are battling with.

Society has some general stereotyped views about mental illness, most of which are erroneous. Sufferers are viewed as

dangerous, criminal and possessed with evil spirits. Unfortunately, some health workers also hold the same views. Mental health issues are also not as talked about as physical health matters so generally, there is poor understanding of the In Nigeria, mental health services are still not readily available to the populace; little has been done to raise awareness about mental health or to address the stigma associated with it. Several NGOs and some state Governments such as Lagos and Edo, are actively engaged in improving mental health services and combating stigma and discrimination. As understanding of mental health issues increase with improved access to mental health services, stigma is expected to reduce.

Is there any reason you are organising a seminar around mental health?

As one of the leading educational organisations in Nigeria, Olashore International School has always been at the forefront of educational initiatives in Nigeria. In recent times, we have become acutely aware of how mental health issues are impacting on young people and the challenges this causes for parents and caregivers. The aim of organising the seminar, which is done in conjunction with the Lagos Business School and other partners is to raise awareness and allow parents to hear from other parents and young people who have experience of these issues and provide access to professionals in field.

What do you hope to achieve with the seminar?

This programme is aimed at reducing the stigma attached to and increasing awareness of mental health problems particularly in children and teenagers; help parents and caregivers understand and identify early signs of mental illness in their wards and improve access to professional help where needed.

The Ibru Palm Trees of Agbara-Otor ÕÚÙĂ?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ&#x; Ě‹ Ă—ĂŁ Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽËœ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă Ă?Ă˜ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă—ĂŁ Ă’Ă&#x;Ă?ĂŒĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽËŞĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽËœ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽ Ă˜Ă?Ă Ă?Ăœ Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒËÞ ÒÙÖÎ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă™ĂœĂ“Ă‘Ă“Ă˜Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă–ĂŁËŞĂ? Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă’ Ă’Ă“Ă‘Ă’ ÞÒÙĂ&#x;Ă‘Ă’ĂžĂ?Ë› Ă•Ă˜Ă™ĂĄ ÓÞ˪Ă? Ă™Ă˜Ă–ĂŁ ÞÒĂ? ÖÓʾÖĂ? Ă—Ă? ̙ËÞ ÞÒĂ? ×Ù×Ă?Ă˜ĂžĚšËœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž ˍÞÒĂ? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă’Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă‘ĂœĂ™ĂĄË Ă—Ă?Ă˜Ë› Ă’Ă? ÚËÖ× ĂžĂœĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ËŞĂ? Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ™Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă˜ Ă“Ă?Ă’Ă?Ă‹Ă– ĂŒĂœĂ&#x; Ă?ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă–ĂŁ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă?Ę° Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ“Ă‘Ă’Ăž Ă?Ă“ĂŽĂ?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă”Ă™Ăœ Ă—Ă™ĂžĂ™ĂœĂĄĂ‹ĂŁĂ? Ă™Ă? Ă‘ĂŒĂ‹ĂœĂ’Ă‹ ĂžĂ™ĂœË› Ă’Ă?Ă“Ăœ Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă? ÞÙ Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? ÞÒËÞ 􉋄Ă?Ă˜ Ă“Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă&#x;Ă™Ă&#x;Ă?Ă–ĂŁ Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ÞÙ ÞÒÓĂ? ÖÙà Ă?Ă–ĂŁ Ă Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ë› Ă‹Ă— Ă‹ ĂĄĂ“Ă?Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ’Ă™ĂŒĂ™Ă?Ëœ ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ Ă“Ă˜ Ă—Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă– Ă“Ă˜ ÖÙà Ă? åÓÞÒ ĂšĂ?Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă–Ě‹Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă’ Ă‘ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă•Ă&#x; ĂœĂ™Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă˜ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“ĂžĂ? Ă?Ă˜Ă Ă“ĂœĂ™Ă˜Ă? Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? Ă‘ĂŒĂ‹ĂœĂ’Ă‹ ĂžĂ™ĂœË› Ă™ Ă‘Ă?Ăž ÞÙ Ă‘ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă•Ă&#x; ĂœĂ™Ă‘Ă&#x;Ă˜Ëœ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă’Ă‹Ă Ă? ÞÙ ÚËĂ?Ă? ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă–Ă&#x;Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? ÚËÖ× ĂžĂœĂ?Ă? ĂšĂ–Ă‹Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă™Ă? ÕÚÙĂ?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ&#x;ËŞĂ? Ă?âÞĂ?Ă˜ĂŽĂ?ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă–ĂŁË› Ă’Ă? ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? ÚËÖ× ĂžĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ëœ ÞÒËÞ Ă‹ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă? Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— Ă‘ĂŒĂ‹ĂœĂ’Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă“Ă–Ëœ Ă“Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă“Ăž Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ă—Ă? ÞÒËÞ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă•Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? Ă Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ? ÚÙÞĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă– ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?Ù×Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă”Ă™Ă“Ă˜ ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă?ĘĽĂ™ĂœĂžĂ? ÞÙ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ăž Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ë› Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă–Ă? ÚËÖ× ĂžĂœĂ?Ă? Ă’Ă‹Ă? ĂĄĂ?Ă–Ă– Ùà Ă?Ăœ ;͎ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?ĂžĂ? ÞÒËÞ Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ ĂŒĂ? Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă— ÓÞ˛ âË×ÚÖĂ?Ă? Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ë? ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă•Ă?ĂžĂ?Ëœ ÚËÖ× Ă™Ă“Ă–Ëœ ĂŒĂ“Ă™Ě‹Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă–Ëœ Ă Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă‘Ă‹ĂœËœ Ă?Ă™ĂœĂ‹Ă‘Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂžĂĄĂ“Ă˜Ă?Ëœ ÞÙ Ă—Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă‹ Ă?Ă?ĂĄË› Ă™ ĂĄĂ’Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă Ă?Ăœ ÚËĂ?Ă? ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒĂ?Ă?Ă? ÚËÖ×Ă?Ëœ ĂŒĂ‹Ă?Ă• Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ˊà ÙÓĂ?Ă?Ă?ËŞ Ă™Ă? ÒÙÚĂ? ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ Ă?ĂœĂ™Ă˜ĂŽĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ? Ă“Ă˜Ă˜Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ Ă—Ă‹Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹ĂŁ Ă‹ ĂšĂœĂ‹ĂŁĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă™Ăœ ÞÒĂ? Ă‘ĂœĂ?Ă‹Ăž Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă–ĂŁ Ă™Ă? ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂœĂ&#x;ËŞĂ? ÞÒËÞ Ă‘Ă‹Ă Ă? ÞÒĂ?Ă— ĂŒĂ“ĂœĂžĂ’Ë›

Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ę¨ĂœĂ—Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÒËÞ ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă?Ă™ĂœĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă‹ĂŒĂ™Ă&#x;Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă˜Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂœĂ?Ă˜Ăž Ă–Ă‹ĂžĂ?Ă˜Ăž ÚÙÞĂ?Ă˜ĂžĂ“Ă‹Ă– Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă‹ Ă™Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ ̙ËĂ? Ă“Ăž Ă“Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă Ă“Ă–Ă–Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă?Ěš Ă‹ Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ÚÖĂ? Ă™Ă? ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă•Ă? ËÑÙ˛ Ă? ĂĄĂ? ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă™ĂĄĂ˜ Ă?ĂžĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžËœ Ă—ĂŁ Ă‹ĂœĂžĂŁĚ‹Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ? ÞåĂ?ĂœĂ•Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă‹ ÔËã˪Ă? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă?̋×Óâ Ă?Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă™Ă? Ă‹ Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁ Ă?ÙÚÒÓĂ?ÞÓĂ?Ă‹ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă—Ă“Ă˘Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?ÙÖĂ?Ë› Ă™Ăœ Ă—Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹ĂœĂžĂŁĚ‹Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? ÞÒÓĂ? Î̋ÔËã ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă“Ă˜ Ă’Ă“Ă? Ă?ÒÙÓĂ?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă? Ă—Ă&#x;Ă?Ă“Ă?Ë› Ă? ĂĄĂ‹Ă? Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂ–ĂŁ ĂŒĂ–Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ?ĂœĂ˜Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă– Ęś Ă?Ëœ Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–Ëœ Ă™Ă?Ă•Ëœ ÙÚ Ă‹ĂšËœ Ëää Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă“Ăš Ă“ĂšË›Ë›Ë›ĂŒĂ&#x;Ăž Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂŽ Ă—Ă™Ă?Ăž Ă”Ă&#x;Ă?ÞÓĂ?Ă? ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă?Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă“ĂĄĂ‹Ëœ Ă‹Ă Ă“ĂŽĂ™Ëœ Ă’ĂŁĂ˜Ă™Ëœ ËŞĂŒĂ‹Ă˜Ă‘Ëœ Í°Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ÓäÕÓβ ËŤ Ă’Ă™ Ă“Ă? ÞÒËÞˣˏ Ă‹Ă?Ă•Ă?ĂŽ Ă—ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜Ă?ĂĄĂ?Ăœ Ă?Ă‹Ă—Ă? Ă‹Ă? ĂĄĂ? ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ù×ÚÙĂ&#x;Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ Ùà Ă?ĂœĚ‹Ă¤Ă?Ă‹Ă–Ă™Ă&#x;Ă? ÙÖÎĂ?Ăœ Ă˜Ă?ÚÒĂ?ĂĄĚ‹Ă“Ă˜Ě‹Ă–Ă‹ĂĄ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă’Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă Ă“Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ Ă™ĂœĂŽĂ?Ăœ Ă‹Ăž ÞÒÓĂ? ĂœĂ‹ĂĄ ÞËÖĂ?Ă˜Ăž ÞÙ ÚËĂ?Ă• Ă&#x;Ăš Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ à Ë×ÙÙĂ?Ă?Ë Ă&#x;Ă˜ Ă’Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂŽËœ åÓÞÒ Ă?ĂšĂ?Ă?ĂŽË› Ăž Í´Ă‹Ă— Ă™Ă˜ ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁ ĂĄĂ™ Ă™Ă? Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?ÞËã̋Ùà Ă?ĂœËœ ĂĄĂ? åÙÕĂ? Ă&#x;Ăš ÞÙ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?ĂœĂ™ ×Óâ ĂŒĂŁ ÞÒÓĂ? Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– ÔËã˪ Ă˜Ă?ÚÒĂ?ĂĄ Ă™Ă? Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ë› Ă? Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ ÚÙĂ?Ă“ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? Ă‹Ăž ÞÒĂ? ĂŒĂ&#x;Ă?Ă’ ĂŒĂ?Ă’Ă“Ă˜ĂŽ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă?Ù×ÚÙĂ&#x;Ă˜ĂŽ Ě‹ Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă?ÙÖĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹ĂžĂ™ĂœËœ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?Ă‘Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÙ Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ?Ă˜Ă‹ĂŽĂ? ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă“Ăœ åÓÞÒ Ă’Ă“Ă? ×ÓâĂ?Ă?Ë› ĂŁ Ă’Ă&#x;Ă?ĂŒĂ‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă?ĂŽË? ËŤ Ă‹Ë Ă’Ă‹Ăž Ă?ĂžĂ&#x;ĂŒĂŒĂ™ĂœĂ˜ ĂŒĂ™ĂŁ Ă‹Ă‘Ă‹Ă“Ă˜Ë ËŹ ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă?ĂŽ Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Ă?Ă‹Ă“ĂŽËœ ËŤĂ˜Ă™ Ă’Ă? Ă“Ă? Ă?ĂœĂŁĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă’Ă?Ă–ĂšË ËŹ Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂŒĂ?Ă?ÞÓĂ?Ě‹Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;ÚÖĂ? Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă˜ĂŽĂ? ÞÒËÞ Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă‹ĂĄĂ‹ĂŁ åÓÞÒ Ă&#x;Ă? Ă?Ă™Ă&#x;Ă–ĂŽĂ˜ËŞĂž Ă?Ă™Ă˜ĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă—Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă Ă?Ă?Ëœ ÞÒĂ?ĂŁ ÑÙÞ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž Ă™Ă? ĂŒĂ?ĂŽËœ Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ?Ă“Ăœ ËÎÔÙĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ě‹ Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂœĂ™Ă™Ă— Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?Ă‘Ă‹Ă˜ ÞÙ ĂĄĂ™ĂœĂ•Ě‹Ă™Ă&#x;Ăž åÓÞÒ ÞÒÓĂ? ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;Ă˜Ă‘ Ă—Ă‹Ă˜ËŞĂ? ×ÓâĂ?Ă?Ë› Ă˜ Ă?Ă‹Ă?ĂžËœ Ă“Ă˜ Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă&#x;ĂžĂ?Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ? ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ˜Ă?ĂŽ ÞÒĂ? åÒÙÖĂ? ĂžĂ’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă“Ă˜ĂžĂ™ Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ–ĂŁ Ă—Ă™ĂœĂ˜Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ‹Ă– Ă?âĂ?ĂœĂ?Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ë› ĂŁ ÍśĂ‹Ă—Ëœ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ Ă–Ă™Ă?Ă‹Ă– ÔËã Ă’Ă‹ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?Ă?Ă˜ Ă‘Ă“Ă Ă?Ă˜ ÞåÙ Ă?Ù×ÚÖÓ×Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂŽĂ? ĂŒĂŁ ÞåÙ ĂšĂ?ÙÚÖĂ? ĂĄĂ’Ă™ ĂĄĂ?ĂœĂ? Ă‘Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ÞÙ Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă’Ă“Ă— Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă˜Ă?ĂĄ Ă?Ă&#x;ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ë› Ă?Ă‹Ăœ Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;ÞÒĂ?Ëœ ÞÒĂ? Ă•Ă?ĂŁ ÞÙ Ă?Ă&#x;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŒĂ?Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă“Ă˜ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă?Ă–Ă?Ëœ Ă‹Ă—Ă™Ă˜Ă‘Ă?Ăž ÙÞÒĂ?Ăœ Ă Ă“ĂœĂžĂ&#x;Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă’Ă“Ă? ĂœĂ‹ĂĄĚ‹ ÔËã ÞËÖĂ?Ă˜Ăž ĂŒĂœĂ‹Ă Ă?Ă–ĂŁ Ă‹Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă&#x;Ă–ĂžĂ?ĂŽ Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ĂœĂ?Ă?Ăž ÞÙ ĂŒĂ? Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂŽË› Ă™ Ă?Ă Ă?ĂœĂŁĂ™Ă˜Ă? Ă–Ă“Ă•Ă? Ă—Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂ’Ă™ Ă•Ă?Ă?ĂšĂ? ĂšĂœĂ?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂšĂœĂ™ĂŽĂŽĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă‹Ăž Ă—ĂŁ ĂŽĂ‹Ă“Ă–ĂŁ Ă™ĂŒĂ?ÞËĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă?Ëœ Ă?Ă‹ĂŁ ËŤĂ?Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ě‹Ă&#x;ĂšË ËŹ Ę°Ă?Ăœ ÞÒĂ? ĂœĂ‹Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ù×Ă?Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă˜Ë› Ă™Ă&#x;Ăœ ÔÙã ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă?Ù×Ă? Ă“Ă‘Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă–ĂŽ Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– ĂŒĂ? Ă’Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂŽË› Ă™Ă&#x; ĂĄĂ“Ă–Ă– Ă˜Ă™Ăž Ă‹Ă–Ă– Ă?âĂ?Ă?Ă– Ă“Ă˜ ÞÒĂ? Ă‹Ă?Ă‹ĂŽĂ?Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă?Ë› Ă Ă?Ă˜ ĂœĂ™ĂŁĂ‹Ă–ĂžĂŁ Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽĂ? Ă—Ă‹Ă˜Ă“Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“Ă?ĂžĂ?Ëœ Ă?Ă–Ă?Ă‹Ă˜Ă?ĂœĂ? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ ĂžĂ‹Ă“Ă–Ă™ĂœĂ?Ë› ĂœĂ™Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă“Ă™Ă˜Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ’Ă‹Ăž ĂŁĂ™Ă&#x; Ă‹ĂœĂ? ÑÙÙÎ Ă‹ĂžË Ă™Ă˜ËŞĂž ĂœĂ?Ă?ĂžËœ Ă•Ă?Ă?Ăš Ă‘Ă™Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ ĂŽĂ?Ă‹Ăœ Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă–ĂŽË› Ě‹ Omoru writes from the UK

Bauchi Releases N2.4bn UBEC Counterpart Fund Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Bauchi State government has released over N2.4 billion as its counterpart funding for the UBEC/SUBEB 2016 intervention project in the state.

The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Yahaya Yero, who disclosed this during an interactive session with successful contractors and service providers of the project, said the session was organised to show them samples of materials to be used for the project in accordance with government’s specifications.

To ensure qualitative work, he said the board has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the service providers and explained that contracts

for renovation, construction and drilling of boreholes are expected to be completed within four, three and two months respectively.

Yero warned the contractors against giving any bribe or gratification to anybody as anyone found wanting would be penalised.

Speaking on behalf of education secretaries of the 20 local government areas of the state, the Education Secretary, Bauchi Local Government Area, Malam Alhassan Salmanu appealed to the contractors and engineers to work closely with them for effective execution of the project.

Some of the contractors and service providers who spoke during the session promised to execute the project in accordance with the agreement.

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍąÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

Lack of Preparation, Quality Education, Cause of Leadership Challenge Peace Obi The perennial challenge of poor leadership in Nigeria and Africa has been attributed to lack of preparatory processes for persons that attain leadership positions at all levels of the education sector.

Professor Aize Obayan disclosed this while delivering the 15th inaugural lecture of the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State titled ‘Lengthening Cords and Strengthening Stakes: Leadership Praxis and Transcendence in Counselling

Practice’.

She stated that knowledge is a fundamental stake in leadership, “it does not only introduce a person to the practice and how to be a leader, it also determines ones effectiveness as a leader. “There is a serious lack of preparatory processes for persons who attain leadership positions at all levels of the education sector from primary to tertiary.

There is the faulty precept that years of experience in the sector automatically translates to an ability to provide leadership. “When this happens, such institutions are on the path of

TOSSE at 10: Building Strategic Partnerships for Growth Peace Obi The 10th annual Total School Support Seminar and Exhibition (TOSSE), the brainchild of Mrs. Yinka Ogunde, as well as one of her numerous interventions in the education sector will on June 7 and 8 hold in Lagos.

Briefing journalists at its Ilupeju office recently, Ogunde, the Managing Director, Edumark, said TOSSE from inception had its focus and effort channelled towards identifying the various problems facing the education sector and creatively proffering suitable solutions to them.

She said the annual event was designed to serve as a platform where educators learn through free seminars, the latest trends and best practices in modern education, to serve as a one-stop shop for educators, among other solutions it provides. “We see daily the various problems plaguing the sector.

We see the range of challenges that confront public and private schools. We also come across numerous organisations and individuals with creative

ideas that have the capacity to transform the sector; we decided to create a platform that will bring together all key stakeholders in the education community.�

According to her, the impact of TOSSE on the Nigerian education landscape over the years has continued to bring about improvement on educators’ leadership skills, as well as providing unique learning experience for parents and students.

Ogunde said TOSSE at 10 with the theme ‘Building Strategic Partnerships for Growth’ is a celebration of unflinching commitment by Edumark to add value to a sector that holds the key to the country’s development.

She said the event, which started with just about 300 participants, has become Africa’s biggest education show with over 6,000 visitors and over 100 exhibitors and that representatives from about 23 states, some neighbouring African countries, among others will be participating in the 2018 edition.

FG Appoints First Internal Provost at FCET Umunze May 25, 2018 will remain memorable for staff and students of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Umunze, Anambra State as they received the first internal Provost of the institution, Dr. Theresa Obumneme Okoli amidst fanfare.

She was appointed as the fourth substantive provost by President Muhammadu Buhari with effect from May 17, 2018.

Okoli opened a new chapter as the first staff in the college to ascend the exalted office since its establishment by Decree 4 of 1986.

Her appointment was applauded by staff and students, who described her as an amicable and intelligent scholar, who would invest her wealth of experience in the college. Members of the academic staff expressed hope that she would live up to expectations as one familiar with the terrain of the college.

Okoli, who was the former Dean, School of Agriculture and

Home Economics Education, took over from Dr. Cecilia Ibekwe, who had been on acting capacity since January 17, 2018 after the expiration of Professor Josephat Ogbuagu’s tenure.

She joined the college on March 3, 1992 as an assistant lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Education and rose through the ranks to become a principal lecturer in 2007 and later chief lecturer on October 1, 2011.

Okoli attended Girls’ Secondary School, Awgbu from 1979-1984 and emerged the best graduating student, Department of Agric Education, Anambra State College of Education in 1988. She further bagged her first degree in Agric Education from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1990 and obtained her M.Ed in 1995.

She also obtained PhD from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) in 2011.

decline. Everything rises and falls on leadership. The expectation therefore is that leadership praxis is not incidental, but intentional.�

While describing education as the most powerful weapon that can be used to change a nation, Obayan however disclosed that based on the National Educational Profile of 2014 by Education Policy and Data Centre, a total of 25 per cent of 15-24 year-olds have not completed primary education. “To further signpost some of the major issues that challenge Nigeria’s educational situation, the Education Policy and Data Centre carried out the National Educational Profile of 2014 and discovered that out of a total of 30,615,000 pupils that enrolled in primary and secondary

schools in the whole of Nigeria in 2014, about 21,558,000 (70 per cent) are enrolled in primary education. Approximately, 19 per cent of Nigerian youths have no formal education and 5 per cent of them have attained at most incomplete primary education, meaning that in total 25 per cent of 15-24 year olds have not completed primary education in Nigeria.�

The Professor of Multicultural Counselling added that her many years of practice, teaching, researching, community service and university administration have revealed that Nigeria and Africa’s major challenge is leadership. She said the leadership question is not unconnected to the general lack of quality education, misplaced valued and cultural disorientation.

“This is where my work on multicultural counselling becomes relevant and my call for transcendence in counselling practice becomes very apt.

This means there must be a committed and concerted effort in lengthening the cords and strengthening the stakes in leadership practices. “To this end, I propose that leading and inspiring influence in the education context for viability should be a cardinal goal of this nation. Educating is a liberating force and will definitely lead to the emergence of a new generation of leaders, as the Covenant University stable has proven in the last 12 years.� Obayan said one of the challenges extended family structure and belief pose on formal counselling when dealing

with a Nigerian client is the counsellor not being part of the client’s family and is seen as an outsider. “The counsellor is therefore not able to work within the therapeutic space and environment of trust, genuineness, acceptance and unconditional positive regard, which are core elements that facilitate counselling, thereby rendering counselling ineffective and irrelevant. According to her, among the cords needed to be lengthened for a better society that is hinged on good leadership include the institution of the family, parenthood, child rearing practices, youth engagements, and agents of socialisation such as the schools and vocational development centres.

Students of the NigerianTulip International Colleges (NTIC), displaying their award plaques received from 62 international competitions, including the World Mathematics Challenge, in Abuja‌ recently

NTIC Bags Cambridge Award, 61 Others Uchechukwu Nnaike To maintain its culture of excellence, the Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) recently presented gifts and awards to some exceptional students who made history by winning several laurels from global institutions and bodies.

Among the awards was The Intellectual Challenge (TIC) by the University of Cambridge, UK; an international competition for students aged 14 to 18, which inspires intellectual curiosity among youths.

For over four days, students from different parts of the world came together at the University of Cambridge to participate in series of team and individual challenges revolving around a central theme and NTIC students emerged winner.

The Deputy Managing Director of NTIC, Mr. Feuzullah Filbin commended the teachers and students for the feat, saying that the students who participated in various competitions have made themselves, their families, the NTIC families, Nigeria and Africa proud at the global scene by returning with 62 international medals. They carted a total of 11 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronze medals, and produced 12 first positions, four second positions

and eight third positions at national competition.

NTIC participated in various international competitions like, GISUTECH-International Robotic and Technology Competition, organised by Galaxy International School, Uganda to encourage young people to apply their imagination, their passion and their creativity to technology innovations that can make a difference in the world today.

The students also participated in the Universal Project Olympiad, USA (UNIPO), an international project competition among students. The competition is conducted annually by the Organising Committee of UNIPO. Students who executed projects can participate in the contest in five categories, physics, chemistry, ecology, invention and IT Other international competitions include Golden Climate International Project Olympiad, Kenya; International Math Challenge, Thailand; Malaysian International Young Inventors; Mendel Biology International Olympiad, Kyrgyztan; Universal Competition for Educational Posters, Tadjikistan; World Mathematics Team Championship; and Global Math Challenge, conducted online.

At the national level, the

students participated in competitions like Mathematics without Borders, Nigerian Round, National Mathematics and Science Olympiad, Association of Chartered Certified Accountant, World Scholars Cup, Abuja Round and IQ League, Abuja.

Oluwafemi Adedairo, who emerged the winner at the World Mathematics Team Championship, said though he was well-prepared for it, it was a pleasant surprise. He thanked his teachers and the almighty for the award.

One of the school Principals, Mr. Muazi Omeji, said the achievement did not come easily as it required a lot of preparation and motivation on the part of teachers and students. He added that the competitions have a way of motivating the students, exposing them and giving them confidence and urged others to emulate the exceptional students. Another staff member, who received an award of recognition, Mr. Haastrip Isaiah, said he was happy because the awards showed that the hard work and all their efforts during lectures, which required sometimes pushing the students hard, were not in vain. He said such push has placed the students where they are now.

Since 1998 when NTIC

was established, it has not relented in its efforts to inspire students to be selfconfident and help in building outstanding communication and leadership skills through competitions and other creative and extracurricular activities.

For 14 years now, the NTIC, in collaboration with the National Mathematical Centre, has been organising the annual National Mathematics Competition for primary five and six pupils across the country. This, to the delight of students and teachers, has turned out to be a noble national event.

The competition engenders healthy rivalry among pupils, making them to strive for excellence. This supports other initiatives that prepare the pupils for secondary education on a sound mathematical footing. The completion also serves as a springboard for international competitions.

It will be safe to state that the NTIC has contributed immensely to the Nigerian educational space in the past 19 years. The teaching and learning system is supported by social and educational activities in the academic year.

With schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Ogun, Kano, Kaduna and Yobe States, the NTIC is set to reshape the country’s education sector.

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ͹͎ Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

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CITYSTRINGS

Ă?ĂžĂ“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™ĂœË? Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ–Ă?Ă? Ă”Ă&#x;Ă˜ĂĄĂ‹ Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– Ă?Ă’Ă‹ĂœĂ–Ă?Ă?˛ËÔĂ&#x;Ă˜ĂĄĂ‹ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

Boost for Operation AWATSE Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that recent donation of 20 patrol and communication vehicles by the Lagos State Government to Operation AWATSE, was a boost to the ongoing fight against pipeline vandalism by the military

L-R: Air Vice Marshal Remigius Ekeh, Major General Enobong Udoh, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Abbah, Lagos Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Seye Oladejo and Air Vice Marshal, Olusoji Awomoju, during the inauguration of 20 patrol and communications vehicles donated by Lagos State Government at the Western Naval Command (WNC) in Apapa, Lagos‌recently

P

rior to October 2014, pipeline vandals and their ilk held sway in areas like Fatola, Arepo, Awawa, Elepete and Ibafo in Ogun State; Ishawo, Monkey Village, Ogogoro Island, Igando, Ikorodu in Lagos State.

It was such a well oiled operation that ran seamlessly with these pipeline vandals becoming a law unto themselves. At the Ishawo creeks, they even created a republic codenamed 'The General's Republic' with a flag hoisted to mark the land as theirs.

Undeniably, they ran a pipeline vandalism and oil theft syndicate that denied the nation of petroleum products worth billions of naira through their illegal activities in the creeks and mangroves.

Their modus operandi was to dig boreholes two kilometres away from the pipelines, then vandalise the pipelines to siphon the products illegally. These products then run into the already dug boreholes, from which they now scoop into kegs and drums and sell to the buyers both within Nigeria and to neighbouring countries at lower rates.

That reign of terror lasted well up to 2014 when Operation AWATSE, an operation aimed at curbing the menace of pipeline vandalism, was set up as Joint Task Force (JTF), which was tasked with the responsibility of protecting the pipelines.

The JTF comprises the Nigerian Navy (the primary body), the Nigerian Army, that Nigerian Air Force, the Department of State Services and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Codenamed Operation AWATSE, an Hausa word for 'Scatter', it was primarily set up in October 2014 by the Nigerian Navy (NN) to stop the incessant siphoning of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) from

vandalised Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) pipeline, which had become a norm in Lagos and environs.

Given the trackable success it recorded, the operation was taken over by the Defence Headquarters and its initial mandate, which was the protection of NNPC pipelines and infrastructure along 72km stretch of pipelines from Atlas Cove to Mosimi Depot, was expanded to include security of Epe and Ogun Waterside in Lagos and Ogun states respectively as well as anti-kidnapping, anti-robbery and related criminal activities.

It lived up to its name by dislodging the notorious pipeline vandals, who once held sway at Lagos and Ogun states creeks, illegally siphoning and selling stolen petroleum products, also terrorising and raping the residents.

And from all indications, Operation AWATSE, has really come to stay. This is because despite all the challenges the personnel face ranging from the unfriendly terrain to collusion by residents amongst

The enhanced security proďŹ le on our inland waterways, due to the eagle eyed approach of the Nigerian Navy has resulted in the reduction of sea piracy, hijacking of merchant vessels and kidnap of persons

others, the Lagos State Government recently boosted their efforts.

Thus, in a bid to ensure internal security on the inland waterways and creeks, the Lagos State Government, penultimate Tuesday, donated 20 patrol and communication vehicles for the ongoing fight against pipeline vandalism.

The vehicles were donated to enhance their operational capability and were inaugurated at the Western Naval Command (WNC) in Apapa, Lagos.

At the inauguration were the Flag Officer Commanding, WNC, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Abbah, who also doubles as the Force Commander for the operation; the General Officer Commanding, 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Enobong Udoh, who doubles as the Deputy Force Commander and the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Remigius Ekeh and the Commander Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT, Commodore Okon Eyo.

The governor's take Before the handing over, the Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who inaugurated the patrol vehicles at Western Naval Command (WNC) in Apapa, Lagos, said it was to enhance the effectiveness of the ongoing operation in ridding criminal elements off the waterways.

The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Seye Oladejo said, "It is heartwarming to note that the enhanced security profile on our inland waterways, due to the eagle eyed approach of the Nigerian Navy which has resulted in the reduction of sea piracy, hijacking of merchant vessels and kidnap of persons.

"The 20 units of patrol vehicles being

inaugurated today can only serve to increase the effectiveness of logistics management in the deployment of service personnel in the fulfillment of the mandate of Operation AWATSE to ensure internal security on our inland waterways and for the lives and properties of our people and investors especially as we explore the vast opportunities for investment in the maritime sector. This is to ensure adequate provision of security across the state including the hinterland and riverside communities."

He also commended the Flag Officer Commanding, WNC, Rear Admiral Slyvanus Abbah, his officers and men for professionalism and approach in synergising with the government and other security agencies.

He added, "Our administration will continue to support all security agencies operating in Lagos State to ensure that we continue to provide adequate security for the lives and property of all residents and investors in the state."

Defence Minister's appraisal of Operation AWATSE Earlier, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, in his welcome address, while appreciating the state government for its unflinching support to the Nigerian Armed Forces, gave an appraisal of Operation AWATSE. Represented by Air Vice Marshal Olusoji Awomoju, who is the Chief of Training and Operations, the CDS said the state government's support was geared towards ensuring that the nation's territorial integrity and land resources were protected.

He said: "As one of the states through which refined petroleum products are transported to other parts of Nigeria, the incessant siphoning of Petroleum Motor

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CITYSTRINGS

The eet of patrol and communications vehicles for Operation AWATSE

A cross section of senior military oďŹƒcers at the inauguration

Spirit from vandalised Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) pipelines became a norm in Lagos in the past.

"Accordingly, illegal dealings in the product thrived, with attendant negative implications on the revenue generation capacity of the nation. It was therefore with a view to curbing pipeline vandalism and illegal dealings in petroleum products, especially in Ikorodu area by vandals that the Nigerian Navy conceived and launched Operation AWATSE on October 4, 2014.

"However, the operation was taken over by the Defence Headquarters. Additionally, the initial mandate, which was the protection of NNPC pipelines and infrastructure along 72km stretch of pipelines from Atlas Cove to Mosimi Depot, was expanded to include security of Epe and Ogun waterside in Lagos and Ogun states respectively as well as anti-kidnapping, anti-robbery and related criminal activities.

"Operation AWATSE had brought sanity to its area of responsibility especially Majidun, which was a notorious transit route for criminals to other parts of riverine communities in South-west Nigeria. Currently,

troops have dominated areas such as Festac, Ijedodo, Isawo, Majidun, Arepo, Elepete and Imagbon which hitherto, harboured criminals and cultists.

"It is however, pertinent to state that this feat was largely facilitated by the continued support of the Lagos State Government

especially through the provision of Operation MESA vehicles; Opeartion AWATSE had no dedicated vehicle. It is therefore, heartwarming to state that it is through the support of the Lagos State Government, that the 20 Toyota Hilux vehicles were acquired to enable Operation AWATSE consolidate on the gains made so far."

The FOC's appeal

As one of the states through which reďŹ ned petroleum products are transported to other parts of Nigeria, the incessant siphoning of Petroleum Motor Spirit from the NNPC pipeline especially in Ikorodu area by vandals gave rise to the launching of operation AWATSE

Like the proverbial Oliver Twist, the FOC, Rear Admiral Abbah, while expressing his appreciation for the much needed vehicles, further appealed to the government through the Defence Headquarters, to also look into donating more swamp buggies, aircrafts and drones for the Navy, Army and Airforce to enhance the efficiency of operation AWATSE. Noting that while the donation of the patrol vehicles have taken care of the land component in the fight against pipeline vandalism, he said the swamp buggies and boats will take care of the non-navigable parts of the creeks and mangroves, while the aircrafts and drones will provide aerial coverage.

On the ongoing operation he said, "Operation AWATSE has come to stay and I believe what we are enjoying in Lagos today is as a result of the collaboration between security agencies in the history of Lagos State. We have been experiencing peaceful coexistent between the locals and the criminals know they cannot operate in environment."

Abbah also thanked the officers and men of Operation AWATSE for their cooperation, urging them to keep up the spirit. He said, "The civilians are your brothers and your job is to protect them. To the media and the public, if you suspect anyone not looking like a military personnel, please report to the nearest military formation around so that we can arrest the situation.

"The vehicles are kitted with communication gadgets so be rest assured you can sleep with your eyes closed and we are ever willing to serve you 24 hours."

To whom much is given, much is definitely expected and with this support from the Lagos State Government, the onus now lies on the military forces to put them to good use for which they were provided.

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Vol. 1 Issue 47 May 30, 2018

Nextier Power is a consulting firm that provides policy advisory, investment advisory, and support services to the electricity supply industry. The firm aims to use this weekly publication to educate Nigerians on the intricacies of the Nigeria electricity supply industry on the assumption that a more informed public would advocate for the right policies and programmes which, in turn, would lead to a robust market that delivers the electricity needs of Nigerians. This column will cover everything from the basics of the industry to the more intricate, sometimes, complex policies and programmes.

Waste to Energy: The Ajima Farms Experience receiving a revenue “tipping fee� for accepting the waste which would otherwise be disposed in a landfill for a cost in an ideal system. Tipping fees are usually paid by government from fees paid by citizens for waste management services.

Introduction There is a global change in trend for resolving electricity supply challenges.

Solutions are evolving from the mostly gas and hydro power supply to other solutions that constitute renewable energy such as waste, solar, and more. With Nigeria’s growing population and increasing electricity consumption, there is an urgent need to better utilize our resources efficiently by using residual waste for clean energy generation as one solution to meet our electrification challenge.

Waste to Energy generally refers to various technologies that can be utilized in converting waste into electricity, heat, steam and bio-fuels. Currently, biomass and waste account for 80% of energy consumed in Nigeria, primarily used for cooking and heating needs in rural areas mostly through crude, unsustainable practices. Different forms of wastes exist which can be used for energy generation, namely; agricultural residues, animal waste, woody biomass, municipal solid waste, industrial waste amongst others.

With a large agricultural and farming sector, it is estimated that Nigeria produces approximately 227,500 tonnes of animal waste every day, meaning it has the potential to produce roughly 6.3 million cubic meters of biogas daily, which can be converted to electricity.

Waste to Energy Process Waste to Energy (WTE) can occur through a number of processes such as: i.

Incineration – this is the process of burning Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to form carbon dioxide and heat which is used to make steam and then used to generate electricity. MSW consist of everyday items we use and trash, such as product packaging, food scraps, newspaper, bottles, clothing, appliances, etc. ii.

Gasification – is the process of converting MSW into synthesis gas or syngas through a chemical conversion process. The syngas can be used for electricity generation or turned into higher value commercial products like transportation fuels, chemicals and or fertilizers. iii.

Anaerobic digestion – is a series of biological processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. The end product is biogas which can be combusted to generate electricity and heat or processed into renewable natural gas, transportation fuel or cooking gas. iv.

Landfill gas recovery – landfill gas is a natural by-product of the decomposition of organic materials in the landfill. Rather than allow this gas escape into the atmosphere, it can be captured, converted and used just like biogas.

Ajima’s Waste-2-Watt Project Waste-2-Watt (W2W) is a renewable energy project generating 30 kilowatts of electricity and distributing through a minigrid. W2W uses the biogas technology in converting agricultural waste (Poultry, cattle and crop waste) and communal waste (Kitchen and human wastes) into biogas for electricity generation. The setup has successfully developed two projects in partnership with EcoWatts Ltd and GRH Company. Current projects are in Rije (20kw) and Kuyizhi (10kw); two communities completely off the national grid in FCT. Both systems are serving approximately 100 households.

W2W sees an enormous opportunity in solving the problem of waste disposal while providing access to energy to the offgrid rural communities and businesses.

Biogas proffers a cleaner source of energy in comparison to diesel and petroleum, and also has cheaper maintenance cost.

Production process W2W’s model involves a five-stage process which entails: i.

Aggregate: Aggregating waste from source which mainly constitutes waste from poultry farms surrounding Ajima’s site ii.

Transport: The waste is then transported the site and fed into the bio-digester

iii.

Process: Anaerobic digestion occur inside the digester and biogas is produced

iv.

Filter: The biogas gas goes through different stages of filtration and the end product is channelled to the biogas generator

v.

Generate: Electricity generated is distributed via a mini-grid to end users.

Revenue Generation The main source of Ajima farm’s revenue is from the sale of electricity to the end users. However, in most developed countries there are three main sources of revenue for waste to energy plant namely: i.

Tipping fees: this is a fee charged on the amount of waste received in the facility, in most cases, this fee

accounts for up to 60% of the revenue for a typical waste to energy plant.

This is a significant cost advantage over alternative power systems that bear cost of fuel; i.e. gas/diesel powered plants or coal fired plants. ii.

Energy sales: depending on the output of the plant, this could be sale of electricity, steam and or heat.

iii.

By Product sales: most waste to energy plants generate a by-product which can also be sold for revenue.

W2W generates bio-fertilizer as a byproduct.

Challenges of Waste to Energy Plants in Nigeria ‘There are several challenges impeding the development of waste to energy plant in the country, a few are discussed below: Lack of waste management value chain In most part of the country, waste is being thrown around without concrete measures to encourage segregation at source, or segregation after collection which makes it easier for it to be utilized for other purposes like energy generation. The lack of a waste management value chain also makes it difficult to understand the types of waste been generated, quantity and availability which is critical for a project developer in sizing a waste to energy plant.

Waste Management as a Service due to the inexistence of a proper value chain for handling waste, most people and organizations do not view waste management as a service and hence do not pay for it, also partly due to the inability of government at all levels to implement an efficient mechanism for waste management backed by regulations. In addition to having regulations on waste disposal and management, individuals and communities also have to build a waste segregation culture to have an efficient system.

Economic viability Considering the current state of waste to energy in the country the economies of such plants is not justified on a standalone basis, largely due to the lack of tipping fees. This implies waste to energy plant operators have to source, transport and pay for the feedstock “waste� as opposed to

Recommendation for Improvement and Conclusion The waste to energy sector has several challenges and opportunities, however the sector is emerging with immense growth potential owing to high volumes waste been generated per capita and high rate of population growth. If the government wants to encourage the development of waste to energy projects, they should create a supportive policy framework to facilitate this. The Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Power would need clearly defined roles under this legislation to ascertain how the tipping fees would be implemented for waste to energy companies.

Public-private partnerships are likely to be the main delivery model to scale waste to energy power plants in Nigeria. Employing the mini-grid model as deployed by Ajima Farms represents the future of increasing energy access to the estimated 85 million people currently living off the grid. This model helps to reduce the problem of energy theft and overcome the large infrastructural development needed to extend the grid which is not economical in sparsely populated areas with low demand for productive use of energy.

A tonne of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) can generate a net of 500 – 600 kwh of electricity depending on the technology used, this represent a significant opportunity to increase electricity supply from waste. Other benefits of waste to energy plants includes reduction of air pollution, prevention of underground water contamination, reduction of greenhouse gas emission and prevention of health hazards associated with indiscriminate dumping of waste. Waste to energy therefore represents a bivalent solution to the challenges of waste management and energy supply deficit in the Country, but it would only fulfill its potential with timely intervention from policy makers and private sector players.

Author Fatima Ademoh, founder and CEO of Waste-2-Watt Project Editor Chinazo Ifeanyi-Nwaoha is a power sector analyst focused on the interplay of policy-practice and regulation Next Topics Jun. 06 Developers’ Case Studies: GVE Projects Jun. 13 Developers’ Case Studies: ACOB Lighting www.nextierpower.com empower@nextierpower.com

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WEDNESDAY, ͱͮ˜ ͺ͸͹Ͷ ˾ T H I S D AY

40

Nigeria Daily Stock Market Report: Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ' W ZĞƉŽƌƚ Ͳ Kŝů ^ĞĐƚŽƌ 'ƌŽǁƚŚ WƌŽƉĞůƐ ' W ĂŵŝĚ EŽŶͲKŝů ^ĞĐƚŽƌ sƵůŶĞƌĂďŝůŝƟĞƐ͖ ϮϬϭϴ &ŽƌĞĐĂƐƚ ZĞǀŝƐĞĚ ƚŽ Ϯ͘ϭй dŚĞ EĂƟŽŶĂů ƵƌĞĂƵ ŽĨ ^ƚĂƟƐƟĐƐ ;E ^Ϳ ƉƵďůŝƐŚĞĚ ƚŚĞ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ 'ƌŽƐƐ ŽŵĞƐƟĐ WƌŽĚƵĐƚ ĚĂƚĂ ĞĂƌůŝĞƌ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐŝŶŐ ĂŶ ĞdžƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ ŝŶ ƌĞĂů ŽƵƚƉƵƚ ŽĨ ϭ͘ϵϱй zͲŽͲz͘ dŚŝƐ ĂůŝŐŶƐ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽŶƐĞŶƐƵƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĂƟŽŶƐ ŽĨ Ă ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĞĐŽŶŽŵLJ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ϰƚŚ ĐŽŶƐĞĐƵƟǀĞ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌůLJ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ƐŝŶĐĞ ƌĞĐŽǀĞƌLJ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ƌĞĐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ŝŶ YϮ͗ϮϬϭϳ͘ dŚŝƐ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐŝǀĞ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ŝŶ ŽƵƚƉƵƚ ŽĨ ϭ͘ϵϱй ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ƌĞŇĞĐƚƐ Ă ƐƚƌŽŶŐĞƌ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ŽĨ Ϯ͘ϴϳƉƉƚƐ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ ŽĨ ϮϬϭϳ ;ͲϬ͘ϵϭйͿ ďƵƚ Ă ƐůŽǁĞƌ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ǁŚĞŶ ĐŽŵƉĂƌĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞĐĞĚŝŶŐ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ ;Ϯ͘ϭϭй ŝŶ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳͿ͘ tŚŝůƐƚ ƚŚĞ Žŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ;ϭϰ͘ϳϳйͿ ǁĂƐ ŵƵĐŚ ŝŶ ůŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ ŽƵƌ ĨŽƌĞĐĂƐƚ͕ ŶŽŶͲŽŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ' W ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ;Ϭ͘ϳϲйͿ ĚŝƐĂƉƉŽŝŶƚĞĚ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ ŽƵƌ ĨŽƌĞĐĂƐƚ ŽĨ ϭ͘ϱй͘ ǀŝĚĞŶƚůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ŵĂũŽƌ ĚƌĂŐ ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ǁĂƐ ƚƌĂĐĞĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƐůŽǁĚŽǁŶ ŝŶ ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ͕ ƚŚĞ ůĂƌŐĞƐƚ ĐŽŵƉŽŶĞŶƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŶŽŶͲ Žŝů ǁŝƚŚ Ă ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ ŽĨ ϱϰ͘ϰй Ͳ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŶĂƌƌŽǁůLJ ĐĂŵĞ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ƌĞĐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ŝŶ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳ ďƵƚ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ ŶĞŐĂƟǀĞ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ Ͳ ŶŽƚǁŝƚŚƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŵŽĚĞƐƚ ĞdžƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ ŽĨ ϯ͘Ϭй ŝŶ ĂŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĞ ĂŶĚ ƐƚƌŽŶŐĞƌ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ŵŽŵĞŶƚƵŵ ŝŶ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞƐ ;ϲ͘ϵйͿ͘ Kŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ' W ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ Ă ƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚ zͲŽͲz ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ŝŶ ƌĞĂů ƚĞƌŵƐ ŽĨ ϭϰ͘ϴй ĨƌŽŵ ʹ ϭϱ͘ϲй ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƌƌĞƐƉŽŶĚŝŶŐ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ͕ ŝŶĚŝĐĂƟŶŐ Ă ϯϬ͘ϯϳƉƉƚƐ zͲŽͲz ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ Žŝů ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƌŽƐĞ ϭϰ͘ϯй ƚŽ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ Ϯ͘ϬŵďƉĚ ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ ϭ͘ϳϱŵďƉĚ ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϳ͘ ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐůLJ͕ Žŝů ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ ƚŽ ' W ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ƌŽƐĞ ƚŽ ϵ͘ϲй ĨƌŽŵ ϳ͘ϰй ĂŶĚ ϴ͘ϱй ŝŶ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳ ĂŶĚ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϳ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ŚĂŶĚ͕ ƚŚĞ ŶŽŶͲŽŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ͕ ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚ ďĞůŽǁ ŽƵƌ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĂƟŽŶ͕ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ŐƌĞǁ Ϭ͘ϴй ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ ϭ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϳй ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳ ĂŶĚ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϳ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ǁŚŝůƐƚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ ƚŽ ' W ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ ϵϬ͘ϰй ĨƌŽŵ ϵϯ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ ϵϮ͘Ϭй ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳ ĂŶĚ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϳ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ ^ƉĞĐŝĮĐĂůůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŶŽŶͲŽŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ǁĂƐ ŵĂŝŶůLJ ƉƌŽƉĞůůĞĚ ďLJ ŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĞ ĂŶĚ DĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ ϯ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ ϲ͘ϵй zͲŽͲz ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ǁŚŝůƐƚ͕ LJĞƚ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ Ϭ͘ϱй ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ŝŶ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ͕ ĚƌĂŐŐĞĚ ŽǀĞƌĂůů ŶŽŶͲŽŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ͘ &ƵƌƚŚĞƌŵŽƌĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ƉƌŝŶƚĞĚ Ăƚ ϯ͘ϰй ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ ϭ͘ϯϲй ŝŶ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳ ĂŶĚ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͕ ĞǀŝĚĞŶƚůLJ ƌĞŇĞĐƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŶƟŶƵŽƵƐ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ WƵƌĐŚĂƐŝŶŐ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ͛Ɛ /ŶĚĞdž ;WD/Ϳ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ ;ϱϲ͘ϵйͿ ĂŶĚ ŶŽŶͲŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ ;ϱϳ͘ϱйͿ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ϭϯƚŚ ĂŶĚ ϭϮƚŚ ĐŽŶƐĞĐƵƟǀĞ ŵŽŶƚŚƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŝŶ Ɖƌŝů ϮϬϭϴ͘ YƵĂƌƚĞƌůLJ ŵŽĚĞƌĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ ĂŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĂů ŽƵƚƉƵƚ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ƚŽ ϯ͘Ϭй ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ĨƌŽŵ ϯ͘ϰй ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϳ ĂŶĚ ϰ͘Ϯй ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞĐĞĚŝŶŐ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ ;Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳͿ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ƌĞŇĞĐƚĞĚ ƐĞĂƐŽŶĂů ĨĂĐƚŽƌƐ ŝŶ ĐƌŽƉ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ŚĂƌǀĞƐƚ ƉĞĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ Yϯ͗ϮϬϭϳ ďƵƚ ƐƵīĞƌĞĚ Ă ƐĞƚďĂĐŬ ŝŶ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ Ă ƌĞĚƵĐƟŽŶ ŝŶ ŽƵƚƉƵƚ ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƐƚĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉůĂŶƟŶŐ ƐĞĂƐŽŶ ŝŶ &ĞďͲϮϬϭϴ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ tŚŽůĞƐĂůĞ ĂŶĚ ZĞƚĂŝů dƌĂĚĞ ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ƐƵďͲ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƐ ƚŽ ƐƵīĞƌ ĐŽŶƐŝƐƚĞŶƚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ŝŶ ƌĞĂů ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ ƐŝŶĐĞ YϮ͗ϮϬϭϲ͕ ƐĂǀĞ ĨŽƌ Yϰ͗ϮϬϭϳ͕ ĂƐ ŽƵƚƉƵƚ ĐŽŶƚƌĂĐƚĞĚ Ϯ͘ϲй ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚ ĂŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ĚĞƚĞƌŝŽƌĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ϯ͘ϭй ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϳ͘ EĞĂƌ dĞƌŵ KƵƚůŽŽŬ WŽƐŝƟǀĞ͙ ϮϬϭϴ ƵĚŐĞƚ /ŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ /ŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ &ŝƐĐĂů ^ƉĞŶĚŝŶŐ ƚŽ WƌŽƉĞů ZĞĂů ^ĞĐƚŽƌ 'ƌŽǁƚŚ KƵƌ ĂŶĂůLJƐŝƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌĞůĞĂƐĞĚ ' W ĚĂƚĂ ƐƵŐŐĞƐƚƐ ƚŚĞ ĞĐŽŶŽŵLJ ŝƐ ƐƟůů ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ĚƌŝǀĞŶ ďLJ Žŝů͕ ƚŚŽƵŐŚ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŶŐ ůĞƐƐ ƚŚĂŶ ϭϬ͘Ϭй ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŽǀĞƌĂůů ŽƵƚƉƵƚ͘ dŚĞ ƵŶĚĞƌǁŚĞůŵŝŶŐ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ dƌĂĚĞ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ' W ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ƐƵďͲŽƉƟŵĂů DĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĂů ŽƵƚƉƵƚ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƐ ƚŽ ĐĂůů ĨŽƌ ĐŽŶĐĞƌŶ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĞĐŽŶŽŵLJ ƐƚƌƵŐŐůŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƌĞŐĂŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵŽŵĞŶƚƵŵ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞͲϮϬϭϲ ƌĞĐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ƚƌĂũĞĐƚŽƌLJ͘ /ƚ ŝƐ ŽƵƌ ǀŝĞǁ ƚŚĂƚ͕ ǀĞƌLJ ďŽůĚ ůŽŶŐ ƚĞƌŵ ƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĂů ƌĞĨŽƌŵƐ͕ ŝŶ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶ ƚŽ ŝĚĞŽůŽŐŝĐĂůůLJ ĞŶƚƌĞŶĐŚĞĚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ͕ ǁŝůů ďĞ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ ƚŽ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĂůůLJ ƐƉƵƌ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ͕ ĞŶŚĂŶĐĞ ƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĂů ǀƵůŶĞƌĂďŝůŝƟĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĂƩƌĂĐƚ ƉĂƟĞŶƚ &ŽƌĞŝŐŶ ŝƌĞĐƚ /ŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ĚƌŝǀĞ ŝŶĨƌĂƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ͕ ĐƌĞĂƚĞ ũŽď ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƵůƟŵĂƚĞůLJ ƉƌŽƉ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĚŽƵďůĞ ĚŝŐŝƚ ƚĞƌƌŝƚŽƌLJ͘

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

Ticker

Current Price

Previous Current Price Weighting Change

Price Change YTD

Price Change Index to Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

Divinden Earnings d Yield Yield

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 1,594.84

-1.45%

3.4%

59.5%

19.7%

7.2%

7.0x

0.9x

5.3%

1

Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

41.00

-2.3%

20.9%

0.6%

1.1%

32.6%

5.2%

6.7x

2.3x

6.6%

11.7% 15.0%

2

Zenith Bank PLC

26.10

-2.1%

12.8%

1.8%

0.7%

26.3%

3.6%

4.4x

1.1x

10.3%

22.9%

3

Nigerian Brew eries PLC

115.00

-0.3%

7.4%

-14.8%

-14.8%

17.4%

8.3%

28.8x

4.9x

3.6%

3.5%

1,600.00

0.0%

8.0%

2.8%

2.8%

73.3%

18.9%

37.3x

23.7x

2.7%

2.7%

245.00

0.4%

6.4%

6.5%

6.5%

22.7%

12.0%

21.2x

4.9x

4.3%

4.7%

-4.6%

5.6%

5.1%

5.2%

6.7%

0.8%

6.7x

0.5x

2.7%

15.0%

4.5%

2.4%

0.9%

12.7%

1.5%

5.3x

0.7x

6.1%

19.0%

4

Nestle Nigeria PLC

5

Dangote Cement PLC

6

FBN Holdings Plc

9.25

7

Access Bank PLC

10.70

0.0% -1.9%

8

United Bank for Africa PLC

10.40

4.3%

1.0%

-0.1%

15.9%

1.9%

4.6x

0.7x

8.2%

21.8%

9

Ecobank Transnational Inc

20.50

0.0%

3.8%

20.6%

26.0%

-14.6%

-1.3%

6.8x

0.8x

3.0%

14.7%

10

SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

734.70

0.0%

3.5%

17.3%

17.3%

22.3%

13.2%

3.8x

0.8x

2.5%

26.5%

11

Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

47.50

0.0%

3.2%

14.5%

16.1%

28.9%

3.8%

9.0x

2.6x

1.1%

11.1%

12

Unilever Nigeria PLC

49.00

0.0%

2.9%

19.5%

21.9%

19.2%

8.0%

26.2x

3.6x

1.0%

3.8%

13

Guinness Nigeria PLC

100.00

0.0%

2.4%

6.4%

6.4%

15.4%

6.1%

19.0x

2.6x

0.6%

5.3%

38.50

-4.9%

14

Lafarge Africa PLC

1.4%

-14.2%

-14.2%

-36.8%

-7.7%

2.1x

3.9%

-16.0%

15

Fidelity Bank PLC

1.81

-4.7%

0.9%

-26.4%

-29.8%

10.4%

1.4%

1.4x

0.3x

6.1%

70.3%

16

Oando PLC

6.90

-4.8%

1.5%

15.2%

15.2%

10.3%

1.5%

8.6x

0.5x

17

Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

16.55

0.3%

0.9%

-17.3%

-18.7%

45.0%

20.0%

4.9x

1.8x

15.1%

20.3%

18

Okomu Oil Palm PLC

85.00

0.0%

1.3%

25.6%

25.6%

39.7%

29.4%

8.5x

2.9x

3.5%

11.8%

19

International Brew eries PLC

51.80

0.0%

0.7%

-5.0%

-5.8%

24.6%

7.4%

54.2x

12.3x

20

Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

30.10

2.0%

0.6%

3.8%

3.8%

13.1%

3.0%

6.3x

0.7x

3.1%

15.9%

21

Transnational Corp of Nigeria

12.9%

11.7%

1.8%

1.27

-4.5%

0.5%

-13.0%

-14.2%

11.2%

2.5%

7.8x

0.8x

1.6%

-3.0%

0.5%

-13.6%

-13.6%

1.5%

0.6%

23.8x

0.6x

4.5%

-5.1%

0.4%

-13.3%

-17.2%

-5.8%

-0.7%

212.00

0.0%

0.5%

-7.8%

-7.8%

25.0%

5.3%

10.3x

2.4x

8.0%

9.8%

2.00

-9.1%

0.6%

26.6%

5.8%

0.9%

3.8x

0.2x

5.0%

26.2%

164.50

0.0%

0.4%

-15.5%

-15.5%

38.8%

15.7%

5.9x

2.0x

4.9%

16.9%

22

UAC of Nigeria PLC

14.60

23

Diamond Bank PLC

1.30

24

Total Nigeria PLC

0.1x

4.2% -56.3%

25

FCMB Group Plc

26

11 PLC

27

Forte Oil PLC

40.70

0.0%

0.4%

-6.4%

-3.1%

17.6%

1.6%

22.0x

3.4x

28

PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

21.85

0.0%

0.4%

6.1%

3.3%

10.7%

5.0%

20.7x

2.1x

2.4%

4.8%

29

Cadbury Nigeria PLC

12.50

0.0%

0.3%

-20.2%

-19.9%

2.0%

0.8%

58.4x

2.0x

1.3%

1.7%

30

Presco PLC

75.00

0.0%

0.4%

9.5%

9.5%

35.8%

24.8%

3.1x

1.0x

2.7%

32.1%

31

NASCON Allied Industries PLC

20.00

-1.2%

0.3%

8.1%

4.1%

52.3%

19.7%

9.4x

4.2x

7.5%

10.6%

32

UPDC Real Estate Investment Tr

10.00

0.0%

0.3%

0.0%

0.0%

0.8x

7.2%

33

Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

5.80

-4.9%

0.2%

-25.6%

-22.8%

5.3%

1.1%

8.3x

0.6x

34

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

27.55

0.0%

0.3%

-1.6%

-1.6%

17.3%

1.8%

7.6x

1.2x

3.6%

13.1%

35

Sterling Bank PLC

1.31

-3.0%

0.3%

21.3%

15.9%

10.7%

1.0%

3.9x

0.4x

1.5%

25.5%

36

Dangote Flour Mills Plc

8.55

-3.9%

0.2%

-29.6%

-29.6%

61.6%

15.8%

2.8x

1.2x

2.3%

36.2%

37

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Niger

20.20

0.0%

0.2%

-6.5%

-6.5%

4.4%

2.8%

31.9x

1.4x

39.1%

3.1%

38

Chemical and Allied Products P

36.80

0.0%

0.2%

8.2%

3.1%

66.2%

30.2%

17.2x

11.5x

5.6%

5.8%

39

Beta Glass PLC

87.35

0.0%

0.2%

70.2%

70.2%

18.4%

11.9%

12.3x

2.1x

1.3%

8.1%

40

Transcorp Hotels Plc

7.45

0.0%

0.1%

3.3%

3.3%

5.3%

2.9%

19.5x

1.0x

1.8%

5.1%

4.6%

12.0%

tŚŝůƐƚ ǁĞ ƌĞŵĂŝŶ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ŽŶ ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ŽƵƚůŽŽŬ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƐƚ ŽĨ ϮϬϭϴ͕ ǁĞ ŚĂǀĞ ƌĞǀŝƐĞĚ ĚŽǁŶǁĂƌĚ ŽƵƌ ĂŶŶƵĂů ' W ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ĨŽƌĞĐĂƐƚ ƚŽ Ϯ͘ϭй ĨƌŽŵ ŝŶŝƟĂů ƉƌŽũĞĐƟŽŶ ŽĨ Ϯ͘ϲй ĂƐ ǁĞ ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ƐƚĂďŝůŝƚLJ ŝŶ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ Žŝů ƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ Ͳ ĨŽƌĞĐĂƐƚ Ăƚ ĂŶ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ŽĨ Ϯ͘ϭŵďƉĚ ʹ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ŽƵƚƉƵƚ ƚŽǁĂƌĚƐ ,Ϯ͗ϮϬϭϴ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ŽŶ ƐƚƌĞĂŵ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ dŽƚĂů ŐŝŶĂ &ŝĞůĚ WƌŽũĞĐƚ Ͳ ĞƐƟŵĂƚĞĚ ƚŽ ĂĚĚ ĂŶ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ŽĨ Ϭ͘ϮŵďƉĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵĞĚŝƵŵ ƚĞƌŵ ʹ ǁŝůů ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ Žŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ĨŽƌĞĐĂƐƚ ƚŽ ĞdžƉĂŶĚ ϳ͘Ϭй ĂŶĚ ϵ͘ϴй ĨŽƌ YϮ ĂŶĚ &z ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ƌĂůůLJ ŝŶ ŐůŽďĂů Žŝů ƉƌŝĐĞƐ ;ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJ ĂǀĞƌĂŐŝŶŐ h^Ψϳϵ͘ϰϱͬď ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚĞĚ ƚŽ ƐƚĂLJ ĂďŽǀĞ h^Ψϲϱ͘ϬϬͬď ĨŽƌ ϮϬϭϴͿ͕ ƌĞƐƵůƟŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ ŐĞŽͲƉŽůŝƟĐĂů ƚĞŶƐŝŽŶƐ ďĞƚǁĞĞŶ h^ ĂŶĚ /ƌĂŶ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĨŽƌŵĞƌ ƚŚƌĞĂƚĞŶŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŝŵƉŽƐĞ ƉŽǁĞƌĨƵů ƐĂŶĐƟŽŶƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƩĞƌ͕ ŝƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚ ƚŽ ďŽůƐƚĞƌ ĮƐĐĂů ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĂůƐŽ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ŶŽŶͲŽŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ' W ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ĐĂƉĂĐŝƚLJ ŽĨ ŐŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ĨƵŶĚ ϮϬϭϴ ƵĚŐĞƚ ďĞĐŽŵĞƐ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ͘ >ŝŬĞǁŝƐĞ͕ ǁĞ ĂŶƟĐŝƉĂƚĞ ƚŚĂƚ ĂŶ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ƚŽ &y ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ͕ ĞƐƉĞĐŝĂůůLJ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ /Θ ǁŝŶĚŽǁ͕ ǁŝůů ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ Ɛƚ ƚŚĞ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌŝŶŐ ƐƵďͲƐĞĐƚŽƌ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ůĂƌŐĞƌ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌLJ ĂŶĚ ĂůƐŽ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ŶŽŶͲŽŝů ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ͖ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ĞƐƟŵĂƚĞƐ ϭ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ ϭ͘ϰй ĞdžƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ ĨŽƌ YϮ͗ϮϬϭϴ ĂŶĚ &z͗ϮϬϭϴ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘

T o p 10 G a i n e r s

T ic k er

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

EŽŶĞƚŚĞůĞƐƐ͕ ǁĞ ŶŽƚĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƉƌŽďĂďůĞ ĐĂƉŝƚĂů ŇŽǁ ƌĞǀĞƌƐĂů ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ďƵŝůĚ ƵƉ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ϮϬϭϵ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ůĞĐƟŽŶƐ ƉŽƐĞƐ Ă ŵĂũŽƌ ĚŽǁŶƐŝĚĞ ƌŝƐŬ ƚŽ ŽƵƌ ϮϬϭϴ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ĨŽƌĞĐĂƐƚ͘ &ŽƌĞŝŐŶ ŝƌĞĐƚ /ŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚ ;& /Ϳ ŇŽǁ ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ ĚŝƐƉƌŽƉŽƌƟŽŶĂƚĞ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ &ŽƌĞŝŐŶ WŽƌƞŽůŝŽ /ŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚ ;&W/Ϳ ʹ ͞ŚŽƚ ŵŽŶĞLJ͘͟ Ɛ Ăƚ Yϭ͗ϮϬϭϴ͕ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞ &W/ ŝŶŇŽǁ ƐŝŶĐĞ ƚŚĞ ůĂƵŶĐŚ ŽĨ /Θ ŝŶ Ɖƌŝů ϮϬϭϳ ƐƵŵŵĞĚ ƵƉ ƚŽ h^Ψϭϭ͘ϲďŶ ;ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ϲϱ͘ϳй ŽĨ ƚŽƚĂů ŇŽǁͿ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ & / h^Ψϭ͘ϬďŶ ;ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ϱ͘ϴй ŽĨ ƚŽƚĂů ŇŽǁͿ͘ WŽƐƐŝďůĞ ŇŝŐŚƚ ŽĨ &W/ ŝŶ ,Ϯ͗ϮϬϭϴ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚƐ ůŝŬĞůLJ ĚĞƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶͬĚĞǀĂůƵĂƟŽŶ ƚŚƌĞĂƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŚŽƌŝnjŽŶ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝŶ ƚƵƌŶ ŝƐ ĐĂƉĂďůĞ ŽĨ ŝŶŚŝďŝƟŶŐ ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ĂŶĚ ĨƵĞůŝŶŐ ŝŶŇĂƟŽŶĂƌLJ ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞƐ͘ KƚŚĞƌ ĚŽǁŶƐŝĚĞ ƌŝƐŬƐ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ ƚŚĞ ůĂƚĞ ƉĂƐƐĂŐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ϮϬϭϴ ƵĚŐĞƚ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐŽƵůĚ ĐĂƵƐĞ Ă ĚƌĂŐ ƚŽ ĐĂƉŝƚĂů ĐŽŵƉŽŶĞŶƚƐ ŽĨ ĮƐĐĂů ƐƉĞŶĚŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƵŶǁŝƫŶŐůLJ ŝŵƉĞĚĞ ŽƵƚƉƵƚ ĞdžƉĂŶƐŝŽŶ͘

FCM B

2.00

-9.1%

A C C ESS

292.1

0.0%

J A P A ULOIL

0.22

-8.3%

FB NH

245.6

-4.6%

WA P IC

0.48

-7.7%

Z EN IT H B A N K

238.3

-2.1%

D IA M ON D B N K

1.30

-5.1%

N EST LE

148.8

0.0% -2.3%

Afrinvest Securities Limited (RC 603 315) (A Dealing Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange)

T ic k er

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Vo lum e

H M A R KIN S

0.32

6.7%

A IIC O

40.8

0.0%

ET ER N A

5.53

4.9%

A C C ESS

27.4

0.0%

IKEJ A H OT EL

2.70

4.7%

FB NH

26.5

-4.6%

SOVR EN IN S

0.27

3.8%

F ID ELIT YB K

12.5

-4.7%

F LOUR M ILL

30.10

2.0%

UB A

10.2

-1.9%

J OH N H OLT

0.57

1.8%

Z EN IT H B A N K

9.1

-2.1%

NA HCO

3.95

0.5%

T R A N SC OR P

8.4

-4.5%

C H A M P ION D A N GC EM D A N GSUGA R

P ric e C hg %

2.00

0.5%

FCM B

7.7

-9.1%

245.00

0.4%

LA SA C O

6.6

-2.6%

16.55

0.3%

SOVR EN IN S

6.0

3.8%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

3.80

-5.0%

GUA R A N T Y

129.4

M RS

34.25

-5.0%

UB A

105.4

-1.9%

WA P C O

38.50

-4.9%

NB

72.4

-0.3%

UB N

5.80

-4.9%

D A N GSUGA R

41.3

0.3%

OA N D O

6.90

-4.8%

OA N D O

27.8

-4.8%

LIN KA SSUR E

0.79

-4.8%

D A N GF LOUR

26.5

-3.9%

A F R IP R UD

Investment Research

Brokerage Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Omotola Abimbola | oabimbola@afrinvest.com

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018

41

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱͮ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018

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44

T H I S D AY ˾ ͱͮ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018

45

WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

46

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

North Korea’s Kim Yong-chol Heads to US for Talks One of North Korea’s most senior officials is travelling to New York, as preparations for a planned summit gather pace.

Former intelligence chief

Gen Kim Yong-chol is the most senior North Korean official to visit the US since 2000.

US President Donald Trump

Israel Shoots Down Heavy Gaza Mortar Fire Israel warned it was closer to war in Gaza than it had been in years after Palestinian militants fired dozens of mortars at Israeli towns and Israel’s military responded with heavy airstrikes across Gaza.

In the most serious exchange of fire between the two sides since the end of the 2014 conflict, Israel’s military said waves of missiles were fired out of Gaza into southern Israel. At least three soldiers were wounded.

One shell fell into the yard of a kindergarten, spraying the front of the school with shrapnel.

Israel accused the militant group Islamic Jihad of doing most of the shelling but said Hamas, the Islamist faction which controls Gaza, also participated in the attack.

Israeli jets struck more than 30 Hamas and Islamic Jihad bases across Gaza in response, the military said. No injuries were reported in Gaza from the strikes.

The exchange of fire comes after weeks of heightened

tensions on the Gaza border, where Israeli forces have killed more than 100 Palestinians during protests. Most the dead were unarmed but some were engaged in bomb and gun attacks on Israeli troops.

Although neither Israel nor the Palestinian factions are believed to be looking for a full blown war, the shooting raised concerns about an escalation of violence that could send both sides stumbling into all out conflict.

Israel Katz, the Israeli intelligence minister, said the country was closer to war with Hamas than it had been at any point since 2014. “We are the closest to the threshold of war since Operation Protective Edge,” he said. “We don’t want it, and the other side doesn’t either, but we have our red lines.”

The shelling from Gaza into Israel was widely condemned internationally and Britain said the “indiscriminate attacks” were “completely unacceptable under any circumstances.”

confirmed the news yesterday, saying he had put “a great team together” for the talks.

The proposed meeting with Kim Jong-un was thrown into doubt after Mr Trump announced he was pulling out last week.

But both sides have

been working to get the summit - scheduled for 12 June in Singapore - back on track.

It would be the first time a North Korean leader has met a sitting US president.

The introduction of Gen Kim to negotiations is

significant, as it underlines North Korea’s desire to ensure the talks go ahead.

A former spy chief, he has been par t of recent high-profile diplomatic overtures by the North.

South Korean n ews agency Yonhap had reported

earlier yesterday that Gen Kim was due to fly to New York today, after speaking with Chinese officials in Beijing.

Confirming the news, Mr Trump said that meetings were under way about the summit “and more”.

Mozambique ‘Jihadists Behead’Villagers At least 10 people have been beheaded in northern Mozambique by suspected Islamist militants, officials say.

Children are reported to be among those targeted in the attack on Monjane village in Cabo Delgado

province, a hub for mining and petroleum exploration.

An Islamist militant group has carried out sporadic attacks in the region in the last year.

It is believed to be making millions of dollars from selling timber and rubies.

Known locally as alShabab, the group was formed in 2015 as a religious organisation and has no known links to the Somali jihadist group of the same name.

One of the victims of the weekend attack was the

leader of Monjane village, a local resident told the AFP news agency.

“They targeted the chief as he had been providing information to the police about the location of alShabab in forests,” he is quoted as saying.

Ethiopia Frees Abducted Briton Andargachew Tsege on Death Row British citizen Andargachew “Andy” Tsege, who was being held on death row in Ethiopia, has been freed.

He has been greeted by jubilant relatives and supporters at his family home in the capital, Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopian government had accused him of plotting a coup and he was sentenced to death in absentia in 2009.

Foreign Secretary Boris

Johnson said he was “pleased” with the development and praised his department’s staff for their “tireless” work on the case.

Almost four years ago, Mr Andargachew was apprehended at an airport in Yemen while in transit and turned over to the Ethiopian authorities.

He denied the charges and was pardoned on 19 May,

along with 575 other inmates, as part of the Ethiopian government’s current effort to promote reconciliation.

Mr Andargachew, a father of three, fled Ethiopia in the 1970s and sought political asylum in the UK. He was the secretarygeneral of banned Ginbot 7 (15 May) movement, named after the date of the 2005 elections that were marred by

protests over alleged fraud that led to the deaths of about 200 people.

“I did not expect this much turnout,” he told supporters at his home after his release.

“Four years in prison is not that much of a sacrifice. I’m meeting you first because I respect you; I haven’t yet my father. Now, I’d like to go and greet my father.”

47

WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

DEMOCRACY DAY...

DEMOCRACY DAY...

Saraki Tells Nigerians to Speak against Anti-democratic Policies Our Correspondents Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has charged Nigerians to be vigilant at all times by speaking against all anti-democratic policies in the country He also advised Nigerians to guide against actions that are capable of subverting the rule of law. In a message issued in Abuja yesterday to mark the 19th anniversary of Democracy Day in the country, Saraki enjoined the citizenry not to take for granted the continued democratic dispensation the country has been enjoying since 1999 but guard against actions, statements and moves which can truncate the political process.

He also canvassed strict adherence to the principles of rule of law, separation of powers, sovereignty of parliament, independence of the judiciary, and freedom of the press, adding that “our constitutional institutions must be preserved and protected.” According to him, democracy goes beyond the conduct of elections to put leaders in office.

“Democracy involves strict adherence to rule of law as against the rule of men. It is about respect for due process and following laid down procedures. It is about respect for and building of institutions.

“That is why we cannot be celebrating Democracy Day without canvassing for caution on some recent negative developments in our polity, particularly as we prepare for next year’s general elections. These include abuse of office in a manner that suggests persecution and oppression of perceived enemies, stifling of free expression, undermining of democratic institutions, and impunity on the part of certain persons who behave as though they are above the laws of the land.

“These developments should be of concern to all democrats. Other political and opinion leaders who decided to veil their sight as if they are not seeing these infractions on democracy and choose to keep quiet, should know that they equally pose danger to the survival of our country.

“History will not be fair to us if we allow our complacency to jeopardise democracy. We all must be able to speak out with strong voice on issues that constitute a danger to democracy. Eternal vigilance, they say, is the price of liberty.

“Also, it is important for us to quickly tackle all issues that can undermine our democracy, particularly insecurity and lack of good governance. We must immediately find solution to the security issues and ensure that we return the regime of peace, safety of lives and property in all parts of our country. In the same way, we must do all that is necessary to deliver good governance to our people and fight corruption at all levels. These challenges must be confronted by all political leaders devoid of party loyalty, ethnicity, religion and personal preferences. We must all set aside our personal interests and work as a collective on these aforementioned issues.”

Obaseki Lauds Edo People for Unflinching Support as Residents Celebrate The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has commended residents and indigenes of the state for the peaceful democracy celebrations, thanking them for their unflinching support for his administration and policies.

Obaseki, who noted that his government is strengthening relevant institutions for democratic consolidation, applauded the serene and reflective mood with which the day was marked.

He enjoined the people of the state to continue to play their role in deepening democracy by actively participating in the electoral process, which has improved over the years.

He said the state government would continue to work for the people, by designing and implementing people-centric policies, assuring space for equal access to justice and ensuring economic growth and development.

According to him, “This day is one of extreme significance in our history as a nation as it marks the 19th year of return of power to the people under this republic. I therefore join Nigerians in the celebration,” he noted

Let’s Nurture Our Democracy, Kwara Gov Tells Nigerians Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, has elicited the support of all Nigerians in nurturing the nation’s fragile democracy to a vibrant, strong and prosperous one.

In his Democracy Day message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, the governor said: “All advanced democracies of the world had passed through turbulent times but survived through dialogue and citizens’ commitment to democratic norms.”

As Nigeria approaches another election year, Ahmed called on politicians to abhor hate speeches and incitement of the people against constituted authorities. The governor who admitted that the state was challenged because of the fall in federally allocated revenue, explained that the ingenuity of his government in reforming the revenue generation platforms had launched the state among few viable states in the country with self sustaining capacity.

Ahmed assured Kwarans that all the ongoing developmental projects would be taken to completion levels in a bid to bridge infrastructural deficit and guarantee sustainable economic growth in the state.

It’s a New Dawn in Ogun, Says Amosun Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has felicitated with the people of the state on the celebration of Democracy Day, urging them to hope for to new dawn.

In his message to mark the day, the governor promised the commitment of his government, towards ensuring that democratic dividends are felt in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

Amosun, in the massage, signed by the state Commissioner for

L-R: Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. John Gaul Lebo; Secretary to the State Government, Tina Agbor; Governor Ben Ayade; his wife, Linda; and Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Rosemary Archibong, cutting the Democracy Day Cake in Calabar... yesterday Information and Strategy, Otunba Adedayo Adeneye, expressed optimism that the mission to rebuild the state, embarked upon by his administration, which is marking the third anniversary of its second term, will be a success story, by the time it’s tenure expires on May 29, next year.

He said his government would have commemorated this year’s anniversary, with the commissioning of some of the over 50 new projects, spread across the three geo-political zones, but because of the month of Ramadan the inaugurating has been shifted till a later date that will be announced.

Ambode: Security of Lives, Property My Biggest Achievement in Three Years Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has described the security of lives and property of residents as the biggest achievement of his administration in the last three years, saying it is gratifying to note that the state is now the safest in Africa.

Speaking at the inauguration of a Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Army in Epe, Ambode said the combined investment of his administration in the security architecture of the state and efforts of security agencies had resulted in peaceful atmosphere for residents and visitors.

The governor, who recalled the days of kidnapping, cultism and other security challenges in Ikorodu and Epe axis, said it was satisfying that the activities of criminal elements such as militants, among others had been confined to history in the state.

Recalling his early days in office, the governor said his first major task was how to address kidnapping and other nefarious activities perpetrated by militants in Ishawo axis, adding that a military base was eventually set up as well as military operation code-named “Operation Awatse.”

Okowa Promises More Projects Thousands of Deltans yesterday attended praise worship and thanksgiving at the Event Centre, Asaba to mark this year’s Democracy Day with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa expressing confidence that more people-oriented projects will be executed in the state.

Okowa, who attributed the success of his administration to the glory of God, asserted, “we believe our God that it will get better and better.

“As we give thanks to God for what He is doing for us in Delta State, I wish to appreciate every one of you, every Deltan, you have played different roles for things to get better,” he said, adding, “when you have Jesus as your Lord, nothing can go wrong.”

He continued: “We promised our people that we will create jobs, we have created a lot of it, we have continued to build on the foundations laid by former Governors James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, we will continue to execute projects that will impact on our people, our state is peaceful and we need the cooperation of everybody to sustain the peace, investors are coming and more investors will still come.”

We Are Delivering on Our Promises, Says Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that his administration over the last three years, has delivered an open, transparent and accountable government which has transformed the trajectory of governance from the failures of the past to one that cares and works for the people.

Wike said his administration is delivering on his campaign promises and improving the living standards of Rivers people through quality projects and programmes.

Addressing Rivers stakeholders in Port Harcourt yesterday during the public presentation of his administration’s scorecard as part of his third year anniversary, Wike said his administration has judiciously applied scarce resources for the benefit of Rivers people.

He said through the achievements of his administration, the state has been lifted from the valleys of despair to the heights of hope.

The governor said improvements in different sectors have changed the fortune of the state and securely placed it on the pedestal of sustained growth. He said: “Before we assumed office we made a lot of promises as the bases for seeking your mandate. We have also invested time, efforts and resources to fulfill these promises.

Akeredolu Advocates Adoption of One Language as Solution to National Unity Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, yesterday said building a united Nigeria could be possible if one of the three major languages could be adopted as a language of communication for the country.

Akeredolu stated this in Akure, the sate capital while speaking at the celebration of Year 2018 Democracy Day held at the International Event Centre, The Dome.

The celebration featured democracy lecture entitled: “Nigeria Unity: The Challenges, Prospects and The Way Forward” delivered by the former National President of Association of Nigerian Authors, Dr. Wale Okediran, with Senator Olorunimbe Mamora as the Chairman.

The governor said we have the problem to build a united nation because we do not have one language.

I’m Overwhelmed by Our Achievements, Says Ugwuanyi The people of Enugu State yesterday joined Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to celebrate the third anniversary of his administration, even as they expressed delight at the array of achievements so far recorded in the state.

Some notable political leaders at the carnival-like event include Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, former Deputy Governors, Okechukwu Itanyi and Ralph Nwoye, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo, traditional rulers, religious leaders including the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Nigeria, Rev. Chidi Okoroafor, among others.

The major highlights of the event with the theme: ‘Festival of Gratitude and Praise’ were special parade by the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, musical renditions and cultural displays.

Addressing the mammoth crowd, Ugwuanyi said he was overwhelmed by the three-year scorecard his administration recorded under harsh financial straits. He said that the promises he made during his inauguration on May 29, 2015 had looked vague and unrealisable due to the huge debt profile of the state as at the time.

48

WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Secondus: Buhari Celebrating His Last Democracy Day as President Democracy Day broadcast uninspiring, full of false claims, says PDP Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has predicted that President Muhammadu Buhari celebrated his last Democracy Day in office yesterday.

Secondus said Nigerians cannot afford him further if the country’s democracy and nation are to survive.

He made this remark in a Democracy Day prayer wish to Nigerians adding that never gain would a non-democrat be given access to power like President Buhari to put the country in such jeopardy.

According to the PDP national chairman through a statement from his media office and signed by his media aide, Ike Abonyi, Nigerians are anxiously looking forward to the opportunity to dispense with the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the President.

The PDP boss said he was sympathising with Nigerians for finding themselves in such horrible situation where a day they should be celebrating freedom and good governance, they are instead burying their innocent ones and groaning in the avoidable hardship.

He charged Nigerians to take their destiny and swear never to pass the APC root again by collecting and properly using their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) to save democracy and indeed save Nigeria.

“If democracy must survive in our country we must do away with APC and Nigerians are ready and willing to do just that because they cherish democracy as the best form of government.

“Going by their poor record of performance in the last 36 months, and the determination of Nigerians to put the country in the right footing, this is the last Democracy Day this president will mark “Their agenda now is to intimidate, harass and scare opponents to create a Police state

with the aim of turning the country into one party state but it must be resisted by Nigerians who passed similar road before and came out victorious.

“The next Democracy Day, May 29, 2019 which Nigerians and indeed all lovers of democracy are anxiously looking forward to would be the smooth transition from confusion and purposeless governance to real democracy which the PDP is returning to gift to the nation Secondus said the democracy PDP established and nurtured for 16 years has been bacterised and grossly undermined by the intolerant and drifting APC administration in the last three years.

Finally, Secondus called on the international community to show more than passing interest in the events leading to Nigeria’s general election in 2019 as the APC rigging strategy has already started through intimidation and harassment of political opponents across the country.

Meanwhile, the PDP has described the Democracy Day broadcast by President Buhari as uninspiring, hollow and failing to address issues agitating the minds of Nigerians.

The opposition party termed yesterday’s speech was the worst since Buhari took office in 2015, saying it was garnished with a list of phantom projects and executive regurgitations, inherently designed by his handlers to sway Nigerians and divert attention from the many failures of this administration.

In a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the president failed to show the littlest empathy to millions of citizens groaning under the worst form of poverty, starvation and economic hardship occasioned by his misrule.

According to the PDP, Buhari’s aloofness to the plight of Nigerians was manifest in all the lines of the speech.

Not less than 15 female students of Methodist Girls Model Secondary School in Ovim, Isuikwuato, Abia State, were alleged to have been raped by some unknown men.

The students were said to have been raped after the unknown men invaded the school at about 2a.m. last Friday.

It was also alleged that the girls were separated into virgin and non-virgins groups before they were raped and some others injured.

In a series of tweets that sent Twitter into a storm, Kayode Ogundamisi, a political commentator, tweeting from his handle revealed that the girls were raped under threat.

He said: “At least 15 students of the Methodist Girls Model Secondary School Ovim Isuikwuato, Abia State, were early Friday morning wounded when suspected rapists invaded their dormitory ordering them to strip. “#AbiaGangRape

#OvinGirlsRape Is a national disgrace. Girls should not have to live in fear in local schools.

“Gangs should not have the ability to invade local schools and subject our girls to terror. Abia State must not be allowed to cover up a crime against the vulnerable.”

Calling on the police to bring the suspects to book, he said: “ @PoliceNG must bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Virgin girls separated from non virgins in a public school, raped, injured and left with broken lives and not a statement from the state government.

“No outrage from local non governmental organisations. The gang came and left unchallenged.”

When his attention was drawn to the Twitter thread by THISDAY, the Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications, Mr. Sam Hart, replied with a terse, ‘I am on it’.

As at press time, it was yet uncertain how the state government would respond to the allegations.

speech gave no assurance on the issue violation of our constitution, assault on the National Assembly and erosion of personal freedom of citizens.

Also, PDP expressed concern that the president could not say anything on what it described as “the humonguous corruption going on under his administration, where APC leaders and cabal at the presidency have stolen over N10 trillion, mainly from a sector under his direct supervision.”

PDP also noted that the president gave no commitment towards the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

“Incredibly, Mr. President’s handlers chose to subject him to a fantasy trip, making false performance claims with phantom projects, muddling up economic statistics and ended up worsening his already diminished public perception.

“This is exactly why the PDP

had earlier advised President Buhari not to bother to address Nigerians on Democracy Day,” it said.

An infuriated PDP said Nigerians had reached a consensus that the 2018 Democracy Day celebration was the last for the Buhari presidency and the APC. “Our citizens have endured under the misrule of the APC, keeping their hopes in the 2019 elections to get back our democracy on the platform of the repositioned PDP,” it said.

TAPPING WISDOM

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (left), pointing out a project of interest to former Governor Peter Odili during a public presentation of his administration’s scorecard as part of his third year anniversary in Port Harcourt....Monday

Ex-minister, Adeyeye Joins APC, Brands Fayose a Dictatorial Leader Says Fayemi now a changed person Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Unknown Men Invade Abia School, Allegedly Gang Raped Female Students Chiemelie Ezeobi

“In fact, no line in the supposed Democracy Day address had any inclination towards justice for victims of abuse of human rights, reported executive highhandedness, illegal arrests and detentions, extra-judicial executions as well as victims of killings and daily bloodletting in Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Kaduna,Plateau, Borno, Kogi, Yobe and other parts of the country, by insurgents and marauders,” it said.

PDP further said the president’s

Former Minister of Works and governorship aspirant in Ekiti State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Adeyeye was a minister under President Goodluck Jonathan and recently held the position of the PDP National Publicity Secretary under the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee.

He defected from the defunct Action Congress (AC) to the PDP in November 2006 after losing the primary to Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who was the party’s candidate for the April 14, 2007 governorship election in Ekiti State.

He recently lost another governorship primary to Fayose’s deputy, Prof Kolapo Olusola, who polled 1,119 to defeat him after he garnered 771 in the keenly contested election.

Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Adeyeye said he took the action on the premise that he could no longer brook Fayose’s despotic tendencies in PDP, saying leaving the party would afford him the opportunity to get rid of pervasive poverty

and corruption as typified by the present government.

The former Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, a Pan Yoruba sociopolitical group, added that he took the bold action after a meeting with the leaders of Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) across the 16 local governments areas.

He said he had decided to join Fayemi to rescue Ekiti from the pangs of misrule under Fayose and nothing would stop him from actualising the dream.

“My supporters, associates, PAAM and I have finally resolved to join APC with effect from today, May 29 in the celebration of democracy day that some of us fought gallantly to achieve from the military,” Adeyeye said.

He stated further: “Expectedly patriotic leaders of the party appealed to me to reconsider my decision in the light of my previous services and loyalty to the party. But the issue was never about me as a person.

“It was about the interest of the many people who associate with me and more importantly the collective interest and future of Ekiti people. For me politics has always been an opportunity to serve and make contribution

towards the development of my community and the country.

“Therefore, where I am compelled to make a choice between loyalty to a political party and loyalty to my community, l will readily choose my community or state. Political parties come and go but the community remains. I cannot change my state or hometown but I can always change my party if I feel that it can no longer serve as a vehicle for our collective good as a people.

As a thorough bred Ekiti person with a deep love of this land and the people, it is incumbent on me to resist and stop the evil agenda of one man to put our people in perpetual enslavement. I have said no to Fayose’s continuity of dictatorship, impunity, imposition, poverty, unprecedented looting of our common patrimony and deliberate debasement of the self esteem of our people.

“For my friends, admirers, patrons and well wishers I want to reiterate that Fayose is an impossible person to deal with. A pompous martinet with a huge ego, he is deliberately divisive and deceitful.

“He does not believe in reconciliation and no effort at reconciliation will work with him.

“Therefore after deep introspection and wide consultation with various stakeholders in this state, my supporters and I have decided to leave Egypt which the Fayose administration represents and join hands with patriotic Ekiti people to board the train of the APC for the onward journey to our promised land.

“We are joining forces with eminent Ekiti sons and daughters to free our land from the vulture and predator feeding fat on our common wealth. We want to set our land free and never again shall we entrust our land unto the hands of unknown person with unverifiable pedigree to ride roughshod on our people.

“We have assurances of Fayemi, the APC candidate, that he has come to right the wrong of the past and not on a vengeance mission as being touted by Fayose and his cohorts. He is now better equipped, well focused and better prepared to move Ekiti forward.

“Let’s join hands with him in the collective mission to rescue our dear state from the greedy predator in this hour of our greatest need.

This is a call to duty for all patriotic Ekiti sons and daughters,” he concluded.

WEDNESDAY MAY 30, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

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Imo APC Crisis: Okorocha Slams Oyegun Says Udenwa, Ohakim are selfish leaders Amby Uneze Uneze in Owerri Amid the raging intra-party squabble rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday insisted that he still remains in charge of the party and has not lost its structure to the party faction known as the ‘APC Coalition Alliance’.

In the same vein, Okorocha who has only one year to hand

over the reins of governance, said his predecessors, Chief Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim, are selfish leaders who did not develop their followers, hence they did not have any successive plan.

He said his sin was: “I am being persecuted because I stoutly opposed the elongation of the tenure of Chief John Oyegun as the National Chairman of the party for another four years, and he (Oyegun) decided to take a pound of flesh from me by supporting the

It’s Baseless Comparing Us with PDP, Says Osinbajo Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Vice President Yemi Osinbajo last night in Abuja said comparing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with the former government of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was baseless.

According to him, there is no basis comparing a government of just three years with the one that spent 16 years in power.

The vice-president who made this remark at the dinner and gala night organised by the Presidency in commemoration of 2018 Democracy Day at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, said comparing a party that has spent only three years in power with the one that spent 16 years only showed that this government is doing well.

“We are not even yet three years yet, and we are being compared to some of our friends who had een there for 16 years.

It means we are doing very well,” Osinbajo said.

He argued that in just three years, the achievements of the ruling APC has outweighed those of the 16 years of PDP. Osinbajo who thanked God for

the opportunity to serve Nigeria in his capacity as vice-president, said if anyone had told him he would be vice-president five years ago, he wouldn’t have believed.

“Five years ago, if someone had told me that I would be vicepresident, l would have doubted it. But here we are,” he said.

In his welcome address, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, said Nigerians must begin to tell themselves the truth if the country must experience the desired change.

“It is high time we tell ourselves the truth for meaningful development and the real change that we all desire to happen,” he said.

The Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, at the event, presented members of Team Nigeria who participated at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia to the vice-president.

In attendance at the dinner were former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Alpha Belgore, former Chief of General Staff, Lt. General Oladipo Diya (rtd.) and ex-Chief of General Staff, Ebitu Ukiwe.

Buhari: PVC, Card Reader Magic Wand Behind MyVictory in 2015

Asks governors to speed up voter education Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja, said permanent voter cards (PVCs) and card readers which he described as technology were the mysteries behind his victory at the 2015 presidential election.

Buhari who made this remark while breaking fast with members of the judicial arm of government in the State House, said the use of both devices was fantastic and ended difficulties in winning elections.

According to him, before the introduction of card readers, he ran for presidency for three times without success and further attempts to claim victory through the court was impossible because there was no platform to prove his case before judges.

However, he said the introduction of card readers and PVCs made winning elections easier and tasked the governors to embark on voters’ education in their various states.

“I decided to put agbada and come back. I tried (contested

election) three times and then fourth time, I eventually made it. Thanks to God and thanks to technology because this permanent voter card and card readers are fantastic.

“Those who went to their polling booths in their constituencies and voted, their votes counted. Before, votes were disregarded and results written and there was nothing you could do before the justices to prove your case.

“But now, with technology, it has been made easy. That is why I keep appealing to the governors to embark on voter education, to please tell the people that their voter card is their national card so to speak.

“Let them vote for anybody they want across ethnicity and religion and impose their decisions on them. I think that is what I am calling for and I am begging the governors to please continue with voters’ education so that people will take their permanent voter cards seriously and make sure that they don’t loose it,” he said.

dissidents who met and organised kangaroo congresses, wrote results and forwarded same to Abuja for ratification.

“We are still in charge of APC in the state and we have not lost the party structures in this state.”

The governor, who spoke to journalists in Owerri as part of activities marking the 2018 democracy day celebration, boasted that his record of achievements in the past seven years has surpassed those of all his predecessors put together.

According to him while the security situation in the state has tremendously improved in the past seven years of his administration, his urban renewal programme has tremendously transformed the Owerri capital city into a modern city which now ranks third in development in the country

after Lagos and Abuja.

Additionally, he stated that his free education programme has not only alleviated poverty in the state but has also provoked the establishment of more schools just as N15 billion had been invested in the reconstruction of new post primary schools in the state.

The governor said there would be no need for new schools in the state in the next 20 years by his successors as he had already completed a total of 261 new ones while over 1,000 kilometres roads had been tarred in the 27 council areas and ICT centres established to promote computer literacy among council staff.

Continuing, the governor noted that he has provided a total of 540 bed hospitals in all the local government areas as part of measures to promote healthcare

delivery services for the people.

He gave an assurance that the president and the vice president would soon be in the state to inaugurate over 100 completed projects, saying a 3,500 capacity prison structure would be constructed in the state while the police headquarters would be moved to a conducive place in Owerri.

Okorocha said: “Udenwa and Ohakim are selfish leaders. Show me who anyone of them developed in this state that can compete with the likes of my Deputy and Chief of Staff, Kingsley Uju? Show me any of their investments in the state like the one my family has? Senator Hope Uzodinma does not even have a residential house in the state, and that is to show you that he does not believe in Imo State.”

According to him, it is insulting

to classify him alongside his predecessors, saying none of them spent N50billion for projects in the state like he has done. “No, no, no, you can’t classify me with Udenwa and Ohakim, no I am way ahead of them. I am breaking oligarchy in Imo State,” he said.

On the crisis in the state chapter of the APC, Okorocha said all would be sorted out when former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, assumes office as the National Chairman of the party saying “once Oshiomhole comes in, everything will be sorted out.

Hilary Eke’s term has finished, so he can’t even be the chairman until he is elected. There are court orders stopping the supposed congress. So their congress does not even exist; the only one that exists is the one we have put up,” the governor maintained.

HONOURED AT HOME

Oshemi Onayinmi of Igarra and traditional head of Eshimozoko Family, High Chief Josiah Sanni (middle), presenting the Omozaze Izumi II, the Abekuku of Igarra-Kingdom title to Chief Daniel Majebi Ukana (right), and his wife, Stella, in Igarra, Akoko-Edo L.G.A, Edo State.... weekend

Over 20 Burnt to Death in Ondo Auto Crash James Sowole in Akure An auto accident involving two vehicles along Epinmi/Isua Akoko in Akoko South East Local Government Area of Ondo State had left over 20 person roasted to death.

The accident, which also left many other people seriously injured, happened yesterday involving a 14-seater commercial bus heading towards Lagos had a head on collision with an unregistered vehicle heading towards Abuja.

An eyewitness explained that the accident occurred when

the driver of the unregistered Tokunbo Range Rover SUV, driven by a military officer, overtook some cars along the Epinmi road and rammed into the on coming commercial bus.

He said the two caught fire immediately after the collision while most of the passengers in the commercial vehicle were trapped in the inferno.

He said it took the intervention of the residents of the community to rescue some of the victims while some of the passengers were burnt beyond recognition.

He, however, said the drivers

of the two vehicles survived the accident but were seriously injured and rushed to a hospital.

It was gathered that men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) from Ikare Akoko Unit who were alerted about the incident and immediately rushed to the scene for rescue operation.

They reportedly evacuated the corpses to Ikare-Akoko Specialist Hospital mortuary.

Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO)

Femi Joseph, described the accident as a horrible one, saying it was due to reckless driving on the part of one of the drivers.

He said more death were recorded after the initial death toll of 20 at the scene of the incident, saying some of the victims died at the hospital due to the degrees of burns sustained during the accident.

“The number of people who lost their lives were over 20 and it was due to the recklessness of the driver because the Range Rover SUV involved collided with the commercial bus. It was so horrifying.”

Abe Congratulates President on Democracy Day A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on the third anniversary of his administration.

The senator, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by his spokesperson, Parry Saroh

Benson, also congratulated the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly and Nigerians in general as the country marks the 2018 Democracy Day celebration.

Abe, who is also the senator representing Rivers South-east senatorial district in the National Assembly, praised Buhari for his dogged fight against corruption

in the country and his insistence on transparency in governance.

He particularly praised the president for his efforts so far in ensuring that clean-up of impacted Ogoni environment is carried out in full.

The senator also praised Buhari for the commencement of the Bonny-Bodo Road project; ongoing reconstruction of the East-West

road which when completed will ameliorate the plight of the people of Rivers State.

Abe assured the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government of the continued support of the people of Rivers South-East senatorial district and Rivers State in general to the peopleoriented policies and programmes of the Buhari-led administration.

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ASUU, TETFund, CVC, NUC Reject Amendments to TETFund Act Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The clamour to amend clause 72a and 73 of the Tertiary Education

Trust Fund (TETFund) Act 2011 and expand its scope of intervention has again suffered a major setback as stakeholders vehemently rejected

Ize-Iyamu, Others Recount Prison Ordeal Say APC govt has failed Nigerians Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo State in 2015, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and the state party chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, yesterday recounted their ordeal in prison, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) has betrayed the trust of Nigerians who voted them into power by infesting them with hunger, killings and untold hardship.

Both spoke in a separate solidarity visit by members of the party in their honour.

Orbih, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a former Deputy Governor, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, a former member of the House of Representatives, Tony Azegbemi and Efe Anthony spent last Thursday night in prison custody after they could not meet the bail conditions set by Justice P. I. Adjokwu.

They were arraigned on eight count charges of laundering the sum of N700m in 2015, believed to be part of the $115m Diezani Allison-Madueke took from the treasury to fund the 2015 general election.

They were released from custody at about 10:30p.m. on Friday night.

Addressing party supporters who paid him solidarity at his residence, Orbih said people who were sentenced to long years imprisonment later came out to rule the country, vowing to continue to advance the course of the common man.

Orbih added that the one night he and other spent in Benin Prison has elevated their status to African statesmen.

According to him, “For the first time in the history of our state, documents that were not signed during the day were signed at 9:30p.m. The documents of Pastor Ize-Iyamu were declared missing.

“They did not sign his papers

because they wanted him to stay for the weekend. You can plan evil but evil will be defeated.

“When you see any government using organs of government to oppress and intimidate opposition, you will know the end of that government is near.”

On his part, he and others were detained and released from the prison custody over an alleged N700 million money Laundering case in Benin City, saying the APCled government is full of deceit and hypocrisy and has also promoted corruption across the length and breadth of the country, noting that the party failed to purge itself of its sinful act but has resulted to pointing accusing fingers at others.

According to him, “They said, we collected money for presidential election. Who does not spend money for election? So APC did not spend money for election. They said if you give anybody more than N5million you are guilty of money laundering. I want APC to swear that they did not give their LGA chairmen or their ward chairmen money above N5million.

“The hypocrisy, lies and the deceit is too much. I want to tell you that corruption is worse in Nigeria. The insecurity, Fulani herdsmen are killing people, you cannot even go to the farms again and they want us to still vote for that government,” he said.

He said it was good that the APC was given the opportunity to prove their worth to Nigerians stressing that if they were not given the chance, one would have concluded that they should have been the Saviour that the country never had.

“Let me tell you, this government has failed. But you know, it was good that they came because if they had not come we will not know that they will fail so badly. at the federal level they have failed, in every state they have failed and God is saying they must not return.

Group Bemoans Lack of Devt, Transparency in Ebonyi A group, United Ebonyi People’s Development Forum (UNEBDEV), has condemned what they called “the era of gross impunity and abysmal governance” under Governor Dave Umahi, saying it has left the state with serial underdevelopment and poverty.

UNEBDEV said in a communiqué after its meeting on May 27 that the development deficit in Ebonyi State was compounded by the lack of transparency in the management of the state’s finances.

“Ebonyi State’s budget has not been made public since the governor assumed office. Hence, finances of the state are shrouded in opacity,” the group alleged.

UNEBDEV lamented the state of education, healthcare, employment, and human capital development in Ebonyi since 2015. It said the unhealthy economic environment

created by poor governance at home was aggravating the emigration of the youth to other states, where they live and work under very dangerous conditions.

The forum stated: “Hundreds of Ebonyi people are killed daily on the streets of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, and indeed all other cities in Nigeria, as they hawk wares to eke out a living. Children as young as seven years, who should be in school studying to improve their capacity to survive in an economy that has increasingly become knowledge-based, hungrily run after cars in traffic in a bid to sell.”

It added: “Ebonyi people deserve a transparent government.

The governor is not providing this, and they say he must leave in 2019 to make way for transparency and accountability.”

any change to the law.

The stakeholders are Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Committee of Vice Chancellors (CVC), TETFund and the National Universities Commission (NUC).

Two separate bills proposing the amendments had passed first and second reading in the House of Representatives and came up for public hearing on Monday where stakeholders tersely spurned the amendments as an attempt to weaken the impact of TETFund.

The bills seek to expand TETFund interventions to private universities by about 10 per cent of all the two per cent company taxes collected; and to federal tertiary health institutions and teaching hospitals by 17.5 per cent of the taxes.

Speaking at a public hearing held in the House Committee on

Tertiary Education Services, the National President of the ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said private universities are private enterprises which should be contributing to TETFund and not drawing from it.

Ogunyemi argued that allowing private universities to benefit from TETFund would violate the essence of establishing the fund which is to get private sector to contribute to funding of education through education tax.

“How can we be deploying public funds to support private investment? They are charging fees and making profit and they are coming back to say they want to draw from public funds?” he said.

He warned that 40 out of the 74 private universities, representing about 54 per cent of private universities, were faith-based

and encouraging them to draw from TETFund will open another window of national crisis.

The ASUU president also argued on the lack of geopolitical spread of the institutions as over 70 per cent of the universities are concentrated in two or three zones of the country which will further raise eyebrows about government using public funds to support private universities in some geopolitical zones.

On the bill to fund tertiary hospitals, he said the National Assembly in the 2018 budget, actualised the one per cent consolidated revenue fund allocated to the health sector as stipulated in the National Health Act of 2014 which should give the health sector enough fund to take care of teaching hospitals that are strictly under the Federal Ministry of Health.

“Currently there over 56 federal teaching hospital, specialists/ teaching hospitals in Nigeria, once this law is amended to include the proposed institutions, the demand for inclusion will increase to the extent that satisfying the request will make the intervention of TETFund ineffective.

“We believe that state universities teaching hospitals will come up, states specialist teaching hospital will come up, teaching hospitals for veterinary medicine will come up and the thing will keep proliferating; the impact of TETFund will actually be watered down.

“Mr. Chairman, we have said over and over each time we appear at the National Assembly; I think this is about the fourth time in the last four, five years that we have come back to talk about tinkering with amendment of TETFund law,” he said.

HONOURING A SCHOLAR

L-R: Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Governance and Public Policy(ISGPP), Dr. Tunji Olaopa; his wife, Lola; Vice Chancellor, Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof. Kabir Aderemi Adeyemo; Proprietor, Lead City University, Prof. Jide Owoeye; Chair, Oba Sikiru Adetona; Professorial Chair in Governance, Prof. Ayo Olukotun, at the Roundtable discussion held in celebration of Olukotun’s 65th birthday celebration at Lead City University, Ibadan....yesterday

Atiku, Saudi German Hospital in JointVenture to Establish 100-bed Hospital, Referral Centre Stakeholders mull new date for convention In his continued quest to diversifying his businesses and creating more jobs for Nigerians, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has partnered the management of Saudi German Hospital, Dubai to establish a referral centre and also a 100-bed hospital in Abuja.

The former vice president said the joint venture hospital project also has the potential to reduce the spate of medical tourism among Nigerians and provide safe and quality healthcare for her citizens.

Atiku made the disclosure yesterday after a meeting with a delegation of the management of Saudi German Hospital, led by Dr. Rajeev Kaushal.

“My meeting with the delegation of the management of Saudi German Hospital led

by Kaushal over joint partnership with our company, West Africa Health-Care Company Limited, for the establishment of a 100-bed hospital in Abuja, was very fruitful.

The joint venture that we have embarked upon promises to break new grounds in medical services delivery in Nigeria,” the former vice

president, who is also the founder of West Africa Health-Care Company Limited, told journalists.

Atiku said apart from creating much-needed medical and support services jobs, the venture would also facilitate the transfer of skills to Nigerians.

Responding, Kaushal lamented the high fatality rate from non-communicable diseases in Nigeria, saying that figures from World Health Organisation indicates that over 72,000 cancer patients die annually in the country due to lack of access to quality diagnosis and treatment.

He stressed that the proposed 100-bed hospital will not only be equipped with world class facilities for the provision of safe and quality healthcare services but would also help curb the spate of medical tourism among Nigerians.

“The hospital we are proposing to build in collaboration with West Africa Health-Care Company Limited being promoted

by Atiku will have all the facilities needed for comprehensive treatment of most non-communicable diseases,

especially cancer.

“This initiative will help curb medical tourism among Nigerians, which is very high at the moment.

Though it is not possible to fully stop Nigerians from embarking on medical trips abroad, but we can reduce the trend with the establishment of a world class hospital, equipped with modern health facilities for diagnosis and treatment,” he added.

Kaushal urged Nigerians to maintain a healthy life style by eating balanced diet, exercising regularly, avoiding red meat and tobacco so as to prevent the possibility of having cancer.

Meanwhile, Semira Dikbas, International Patient Affairs Advisor of the referral centre located in Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said that the first step in this joint initiative between Atiku and Saudi German Hospital is in the final stages and would soon be inaugurated. The referral centre, she said, would be fully equipped to carry out cancer diagnosis and, other health examinations.

The proposed referral centre will act as a bridge between

Nigerians and the Saudi German Hospital located in Dubai wherein there will be monthly visits of specialised doctors from Dubai and also occasional health check up programmes.

Once the patient is presented at the center, an initial diagnosis will be done and those who require further medical management will be referred to the Dubai hospital. All the required logistics starting from visa/flight booking/ hotel accommodation and all other travelling concerns of the patient will be taken care of by a dedicated team from the hospital located at Dubai.

Atiku is a leading Nigerian politician and businessman with investments cutting across food and beverages, logistics, media, banking, agriculture, fast food and now medical services.

Atiku employs over 50,000 people directly and 250,000 indirectly through his businesses, and is the second largest employer of labour in Adamawa State after the state government.

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You Are Full of Lies, Garba Shehu Tells Omokri Emma Okonji The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has broken his silence over published criticisms written against him by the former Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Social Media, Reno Omokri, accusing Omokri as a man full of lies and peddling false information against his person.

According to Shehu, he had

wanted not to reply Omokri concerning the allegations against him, but thought it wise to do so in order to clear all doubts.

In his response, Shehu said: “Pastor” Reno Omokri is forcing me to do what I don’t do. I don’t react to published criticisms. I have spent my entire career in the media and as one who criticises others; you must be ready to take criticism.

“This is about exposing a liar masquerading as a pastor.

By the way, I have known

Kwara APC Faction Accuses nPDP of Trying to Destroy the Party A faction of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has alerted that members of nPDP in the party want to destroy APC in the country.

The Chairman of the faction, Hon Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, declared yesterday that the divisive tactics of nPDP members were aimed at bringing down the chances of the APC in the coming elections.

“We have come to the conclusion that fragmenting a ruling political party into fractions at this material time is injurious, self-serving and the promoters should only be seen as agents of destabilisation but fifth columnists.

“We may need to refresh ourselves that the antics of the nPDP members is to demonize our great party and make it less in value before Nigerians.

“It is part of their plot to demarket the party while they are seeking alternatives.

“The grievances advanced by these people bent on destroying the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the federal government can be likened to the proverbial woman seeking to divorce,” he said.

Bolarinwa, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), alleged that members of nPDP under the leadership of Alhaji Kawu Baraje were already hobnobbing with other political parties.

“Baraje was recently sighted in Abuja at a meeting convened at

the instance of Social Democratic Party (SDP) and such a man is championing the cause of nPDP members within APC. “The other arrow head of the nPDP seemingly on a journey to his political desert resigned from a federal board to join Africa Democratic Party (ADC) in less than five days from the date of resignation.

“How sincere is a woman whose divorce was premeditated by another man and could pack into his house within the shortest time?

“It will be safe to say that she has been having extra -marital affairs,” he said. “While the “grievances” advanced by nPDP remain frivolous, they have done worse to the legacy bloc in Kwara State,” he added.

Bolarinwa added that members of the legacy group were marginalized in the state, saying that despite this, his group remained loyal to the leadership of the party and the president.

He added that APC ended up having two congresses in Kwara because of the selfish nature of a clique that believed everyone must kowtow to a personality even when principle of fairness and equity were not respected.

“Our members were denied nomination forms, and level play field to contest – even if they will lose, they should have allowed them the chance to contest in the first place.

Gaidam Approves N3.72bn for Projects in LG Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, has approved the sum of N3,723,897,614.40 for the execution of various social development projects in the 17 local government areas of the state under the local government action plan.

According to a statement signed by the Director-General of Press Affairs to the Governor, Abdullahi Bego, the projects to be executed are that of primary education, healthcare, water supply, power supply, agriculture and others.

“Already, the local government councils have been mobilised with the funds needed to begin implementation following checks and betting by the state Bureau for Public Procurement,” Bego said.

Beneficiaries of the local government action plan include

Tarmuwa N333,611,172.75, Gujba N180,445,841.09, Bursari N333,129,176, Machina N249, 756,348.16, Nguru N67,636, 771.02, Bade N88,689,397,26 and Jakusko N312,284, 531.66.

Others are Gaidam N237,265, 489.25, Fune N323,460,096.86, Nangere N187,722,888.30, Damaturu N42,982,937.51, Karasuwa N272,875,544.94, Potiskum N130,897,436.90, Fika N112,150,141.80, Gulani N259,184,975.82, Yusufari N402,340,222.03 and Yunusari N189,464,643.05, making it a total of N3, 723, 614.40.

“The approval was granted by His Excellency the governor on the basis of the capacity of each of the local government councils,” the statement added.

and worked with exemplary pastors who are decent and from whom you learned more of the etiquette of truth telling.

Take for example Pastor Emeka Izeze and his brother, Pastor Ifeanyi, or his friend, Pastor Segun Babatope. And lately, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President and Pastor Femi Adesina. For those Reno tried to mislead, yes it is a fact that I worked in the media office of a PDP administration. Not for five years as the new-day pastor published but only for six months at which point it was announced on NTA news, to my surprise, that my letter of resignation had been accepted when I hadn’t written any,” Shehu said.

Narrating his own side of the story, Shehu said: “I learned of course that I was fired because the head of the country at

that time, who believed that every published criticism was sponsored by an insider, read the weekly magazine, The News, and didn’t like what was written about him.

“Another point the “Pastor” keeps making is that he was my colleague at that time. No, he wasn’t. His boss was. The Reno I knew was a Personal Assistant (PA) to a Principal Officer like me. He didn’t attend meetings and didn’t receive official briefings as we did but ran errands for his boss,” he explained.

He added that not being a principal officer by status, he could not have had an office opposite my own. He may, however, have perched on a stool in one of those offices but I didn’t take particular notice of which one. He was, however, very personable at that time.

Reacting to the allegations, Shehu said “Pastor’’ Reno lied by calling him an AGIP - meaning an unprincipled person ready to serve any government in power.

The period he was referring to was one in which my boss ran into bad political weather and some of us around him were scapegoated. I was locked in DSS detention many times, my houses in Kano and Abuja broken into and valuables, including cash some of which were never returned were seized. I was going to court for two years and for the most part of which I didn’t have a passport. In the course of that trial, the judge presiding called back my lawyers, Niyi Akintola, SAN and Rickey Tarfa, SAN, after an adjournment to say that “I didn’t mean that he should be kept in DSS detention. I said he should be taken to Kuje Prison,” and that’s where I was kept. Under detention

in the DSS I was stripped down to the pants and photographed head to toe. All that didn’t make one to capitulate, Shehu said.

He further explained that when the group lost to Muhammadu Buhari in the party primaries, the candidates in that race, Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, Waziri Atiku Abubakar, Rochas Okorocha and Sam Nda-Isaiah surrendered their media assets to the winner who had the grace to ask me to lead the media team. When we won, he (then President-elect Buhari) invited me to serve as one of his two spokespersons and I pledged 100 per cent loyalty to him and that’s where I am. This cannot be AGIP by any standards, he insisted.

He therefore called on Omokri to stop lying, if only to help the pastoral calling to retain its good name. Otherwise he should quit the ministry.

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT

L-R: Greenlight Operations Manager Nigeria, Uber, O’Yoma Ukueku; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; and General Manager West Africa, Uber, Lola Kassim, at the official visit of the vice president to the Uber Greenlight Hub in Abuja .....recently.

N’Delta: FG Blames Uncompleted Projects on Paucity of Funds Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, has blamed paucity of funds for the numerous uncompleted projects in the Niger Delta.

Usani noted that the paucity of funds was made difficult by the economic hardship being experienced in the country.

Usani, however, promised that all ongoing infrastructure projects in the region would be completed by the present administration.

The minister, who spoke during an inspection tour of ongoing projects in Abia, and Cross River States, said it was the desire of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to improve the standard of living in the Niger Delta region through infrastructure development.

At the inspection of the

Nkwoagu Isuochi erosion control project and the OrieNgodo- Lombard road projects at Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, the minister expressed displeasure at the slow pace of work on the erosion control project site.

He said the federal government was aware of the destructive effects of erosion on the community, hence the urgency to curb the menace by putting appropriate measures in place, within its limited resources.

Noting that quality of work on ground was not commensurate with invested resources, the minister, subsequently urged the construction company to make the best use of resources available to it as well as the best design to ensure that the project lasts and serves the community efficiently as no shoddy job would be tolerated.

According to a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Marshall Gundu,

the minister said a technical review of the project’s design would be done as the job progresses to ensure that the community does not suffer more damage from erosion.

He disclosed that funds might be sourced from the Ecological Fund for the timely completion of the project in addition to budgetary provisions.

In his remarks, Hon. Ikedi Ezekwesiri, representing Umunneochi in the Abia State House of Assembly, expressed joy at the project and requested that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) be involved as a means of adding more sources of funding for the project.

He also requested that actions should be expedited to pay contractors handling the projects in the community, on the premise that “there is money for these projects remaining in the 2017 budget as both have a lot to do with erosion and the rains are

fast coming down.”

Another project that was inspected and whose slow pace of completion was put on the lack of funds, was the 50 kilometer Obihie- AkwenteAzunmini-Ukanafun road that connects Abia and Akwa Ibom States though the ninister frowned on the use of substandard designs and materials.

The road is 38 per cent complete.

In Cross River State, Usani inspected the over three-kilometre Okoyong Liberty City Road in Odukpani Local Government where he also frowned at the slow pace of work and use of substandard designs and materials by the constructing company.

He stressed that quality of work on all the inspected projects have to be improved upon as a team of inspectors would return in “four weeks time for re-inspection.”

WEDNESDAY, ÍťÍ¸Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž T H I S D AY

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WEDNESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, with Super Eagles players and oďŹƒcials during his visit to the team ahead of their Russia 2018 World Cup trip, in Abuja‌ yesterday

Buhari Meets Eagles Today to Wish Them Well Ahead World Cup in Russia Team to depart for England friendly this afternoon by chartered flight Femi Solaja in Lagos and Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Russia 2018 World Cupbound Super Eagles contingent are scheduled to meet President Muhammadu Buhari today at the Presidential Villa in Abuja before flying out to London for Pre-World Cup clash with the Three Lions of England at Wembley Stadium on June 2.

Eagles and their handlers were earlier billed to meet the president yesterday evening but had to be shifted till today as a result of activities marking the third anniversary of the present Buhari administration.

The visit is an opportunity for the country’s leader to meet with and wish the three-time African champions well on their way to a sixth appearance at football’s biggest showpiece.

NFF chieftains said yesterday in Abuja that Wednesday’s session will take place at the Federal Executive Council chambers at 10am, just before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.

Youth and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, will present the country’s ambassadors to President Buhari, hours before they are due to fly to London aboard a chartered aircraft for

Finalists Emerge at MRS Kids Cup Finalists have emerged in this year’s MRS Kids Cup, after completion of semi final matches in both boys and girls categories over the weekend.

Right Football Academy secured a 3-2 victory over Zamalek Football Academy of Lagos Island in the first semi-final in the boys category, while River Football Academy of Yaba pipped Latoyam Football Academy by a lone goal.

In the Semi-finals of the girls category, Phonix Football Academy of Iganmu defeated Golden Swan Football Academy 3-2 to advance to the final.

Victory Queen of Ikorodu thrashed Yinka Babes of Isolo 2-0 in the second Semifinal.

The Managing Director/CEO MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, Andrew Gbodume has commended organisers of the annual MRS U-12 Football championship for their continued commitment and dedication to the development of football in the country.

Gbodume who spoke in Lagos during the week, ahead

of the final of the 2018 MRS Kids Football tournament for U-12 Boys and Girls said the competition which is being organised by National Youth Soccer Association was a platform for the discovery of budding football stars who will later be useful to themselves, their families and country. “It is meant to expose the young talents, discover them at tender age and take them off the streets. In the process, some could be awarded scholarships to further education,� Gbodume said.

He announced cash prizes of N300,000 for winners in both boys and girls categories, N250,000 for the runners up and N200,000 for third place winners.

Gbodume said that apart from cash prizes, the winners and first and second runners up have glittering gold trophies to take home for their efforts.

The final is slated for Thursday, May 31, at Campos Mini Stadium, Ajele, Lagos Island.

the clash with England. In five previous outings at the FIFA World Cup, the Eagles have reached the Round of 16 on three occasions (1994, 1998 and 2014), but exited at the group stage at the 2002 and 2010 finals.

From London, the delegation will fly into Bad Tatzmannsdorf, a city in Austria where they will spend eight days at the world-renowned Avita Resort before flying to Russia. In-between the final camping in Austria, the team will play a final pre-World Cup friendly against the Czech Republic at the Rudolf Tonn Stadium (just outside Vienna) on Wednesday next week.

Meanwhile,  Super Eagles’

Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr and Team Captain John Mikel John have eulogised the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the seminar on wealth creation and portfolio management that afforded players and officials with fresh knowledge in financial management and business opportunities on Tuesday afternoonin Abuja.

Franco-German Rohr, who has lost only one competitive match since taking charge of the Eagles 22 months ago and will lead the three-time African champions at this year’s FIFA World Cup finals, commended the NFF for the move as he noted that no condition is permanent.

“In life, things do change and sometimes, the changes are not what we planned or prepared for. I pray for all these players to have long, injury-free careers but even then, you can only play for an average of 17 years. I played for 17 years. I wish I got this kind of guidance and advice when I was still playing,� observed Rohr.

Mikel said: “Since I started playing for Nigeria, this is the first time I am witnessing this kind of seminar. I appeal to all my colleagues to take serious the lessons from this program. “We must plan for the days that our bodies will no longer be able to withstand the kind of rigours they go through now. I have learnt

a lot from here that I will personally apply to my life,� stressed the former Chelsea FC midfielder.

President of the NFF, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, opened the session at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, alongside Mr. Olufemi Obaleke, Executive Director of WAPIC Insurance Plc. Pinnick minced no words in telling players and officials that in as much as they have been making and will certainly make some money around the forthcoming FIFA World Cup, only wise financial decisions and sensible investment moves could create sustainable wealth that would spare them of any regret in the future.

Rohr Raises the Alarm over Eagles’ Fullbacks Duro Ikhazuagbe Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, admitted Monday night in Port Harcourt that he’s yet to have the type of fullbacks he desires ahead of the World Cup in Russia starting in barely two weeks from today.

Speaking shortly after Eagles were forced to a 1-1 draw at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, the Franco-German coach admitted his fullbacks struggled against DR Congo and that he will need to work on this problem.

After central defender, William Troost-Ekong had fired Eagles into lead from a loose ball in the Congolese box and Nigeria hanged on the lead till the end

of the first half, Eagles came back from break struggling to contain the visitors with the fullbacks the most troubled spots.

Tyronne Ebuehi manned the right back with Elderson Echiejile on the left. And on several occasions, the Leopards from Congo had easy penetrations, most especially from the left where Echiejile was on duty. Even when Ola Aina came in as substitute for Echiejile and Ebuehi later give way to Shehu Abdullahi , the problems persisted with either Leon Balogun or Ekong falling back for support.  Ola Aina was culpable for the penalty, which led to the DR Congo equaliser. “We have some problems with our fullbacks, but we will work on this. We have a few days to

be ready,� Rohr revealed as he fielded questions on the sideline on Monday night.

The other fullback on the squad is Russia-based Brian Idowu.

Rohr further said he will only take four fullbacks to Russia. “We have five fullbacks, we can only take four to World Cup,� he said.

Despite the problems with the fullbacks and the draw with Congo, the Eagles supremo praised his wards for the quality they displayed in their last match in the country before heading out to England this afternoon. “It was a very good match because we played against a very good Congolese team that came with good players. It wasn’t easy game for us as we had to rest some top players and use the match to

try out some of our new players.

We really didn’t want to take the risk of playing some of our key players for fear of injuries. True we didn’t win the match but it was good for everybody in the team,� stressed the gaffer.

Rohr singled out Simeon Nwankwo as displaying the quality of a centre forward that has been lacking in the team. “Until now, we didn’t have a centre forward in the real sense until we found one in him.�

He however assured Nigerian football followers that the friendly against England will be a better match as he was going to have full complement of players like Odion Ighalo, Victor Moses, John Mikel Obi, etc who did not take part in the Monday clash with Congo.

Argentina Spies on Eagles against DR Congo Super Eagles’ perceived main rivals in Group D of the World Cup in Russia, Argentina, sent spies to monitor the three-time African champions as they take on DR Congo in an international

friendly last Monday in Port Harcourt.

Argentina’s media group, TyCSports which also uploaded video clips of the match on its website described

the game as a ‘timid’ draw.

In the video clips, Eagles were given man-by-man analysis of the Nigerian squad. According to the publication, “The Nigerian team fails to lift

its head, after a defeat in March against Serbia and the recent news of the injury of Moses Simon, who for that reason will miss the World Cup,� the Argentine medium remarked.

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WEDNESDAYSPORTS WORLD CUP BUILD UP

Portugal Stumbles, France Shines in Warm-ups European champions Portugal spurned a two-goal lead against Tunisia, stumbling to a 2-2 draw, while France, one of the World Cup favourites, flexed their muscles with a comfortable 2-0 win over Ireland in warm-up friendlies late Monday night.

Portugal played without her talismanic captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, after he won the Champions League with Real Madrid on Saturday.

Tunisia however exposed defensive frailties in Fernando Santos’ side which Group B opponents Spain, Morocco and

Iran will try to exploit.

Andre Silva and Joao Mario fired Portugal ahead in Braga but Tunisia’s speed on the counterattack was a problem for the hosts.

Anice Badri and Fakhreddine Ben Youssef pulled the African side level, proving that they will be no pushovers for group G favourites Belgium and England, as well as Panama.

France put in a strong performance in Paris, with goals from Olivier Giroud and Nabil Fekir not telling the complete story of their dominance against Ireland.

Impressive surges from full

backs Benjamin Mendy and Djibril Sidibe showed Les Bleus have attacking power outside their collection of talented forwards and Didier Deschamps’ team selection highlighted their squad depth.

Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante did not start but Giroud, Fekir and Corentin Tolisso impressed in their absence.

Coach Roberto Mancini began his Italy reign with a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia and his former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli opened the scoring on his return to the national team for the first time since 2014.

Hope Dims for Mo Salah at Russia 2018 Mohamed Salah faces a fight to play in any of Egypt’s World Cup group games, according to one of Liverpool’s physiotherapists.

Club physio Ruben Pons has estimated Salah would normally need “three to four weeks” to recover from the left shoulder injury he sustained during Saturday’s Champions League final against Real Madrid.

A three-week absence would keep Salah out of action until June 19 while four weeks would see the forward sidelined until June 26, the day after Egypt’s

last group game. Salah may also then need to regain a degree of match fitness.

Egypt’s opening fixture in Group A is against Uruguay on June 15. They then face Russia on June 19 and Saudi Arabia on June 25.

“He is sad about what happened but he is totally focused on recovery and seeing when he can be ready,” Pons told Spanish daily, Marca.

“In principle it will be three to four weeks but we are going to try to reduce those deadlines, that’s the big goal.”

Salah has flown to Spain to

undergo treatment, accompanied by doctors from both Liverpool and the Egyptian national team.

The 25-year-old had to be substituted during the first half of Liverpool’s defeat in Kiev after being pulled to the ground by Sergio Ramos.

He left the field in tears but appeared more optimistic on Sunday, when he wrote on Twitter: “It was a very tough night, but I’m a fighter.

“Despite the odds, I’m confident that I’ll be in Russia to make you all proud. Your love and support will give me the strength I need.”

FRENCH OPEN

Serena Williams Wins on Return to Grand Slam American Serena Williams made a successful return to Grand Slam tennis with a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 win over Kristyna Pliskova at the French Open.

It was a tight contest between the two big servers with the 23time major winner bouncing back from 3-0 down in the tie-break to take the first set.

There were five breaks of serve in the second set, with Williams clinching the crucial fifth before serving out.

The 36-year-old will play Australia’s Ashleigh Barty in the next round.

There were 28 aces in total during the match, with 17 of

those coming in the first set.

Both the Czech world number 70 and Williams avoided errors early on and it seemed inevitable that the set would be decided on a tie-break.

Pliskova grabbed the minibreak and went into a 3-0 lead before the veteran hit back to win the next six and clinch the advantage.

The service game of both players dipped markedly in the second set, with points won on the first serve falling by an average of 27%.

However, it was Williams who made the fewer errors and claimed the most important break to take a

4-3 lead before she sealed victory in the 10th game.

“Kristyna played really, really well,” said Williams, who returned to tennis at Indian Wells in March, six months after giving birth to her first child. “I don’t know how many aces I saw during the match. I think there is a donation to charity for each ace, so both of us helped.”

It was the two-time French Open champion’s first match on clay since 2016. She added: “Two years is a long time but I’ve trained hard on this surface.

“I’m so glad to win a match here and I’m taking it one day at a time.”

Ambode Boosts Lagos Polo Club with N50m Lagos State, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, has donated N50 million to support the Lagos Polo Club.

The Governor, in a letter addressed to the President of the club, Mr. Ade Laoye described Lagos Polo Club as one of the prestigious bodies that have contributed to the socio-cultural and economic development of the state.

Ambode recalled that over the years social clubs and service-based organisations have contributed to the development of the state socially and economically and that Lagos State Government values the contributions of these clubs.

“Your organisation’s activities have in no small measure complemented government’s efforts and determination to improve the general well-being of our people

in all the critical sector of the state economy.

“It is on this premise, that I write to commend you for your invaluable support and also extend on behalf of the state government a grant of N50million and the gesture is in line with our policy to encourage social clubs whose activities have impacted positively on the lives of our people,” he stated.

FIBA Backs Kida as only Legitimate NBBF Board Despite the yet to be resolved crisis rocking basketball in the country, the game’s world governing body, FIBA, insisted yesterday that only the Amadu Musa Kida led board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) is the legitimate organ for the administration of the game in Nigeria for now.

In a letter dated May 28th, 2018 signed by FIBA Secretary General, Patrick Baumann and addressed to NBBF President, Kida, FIBA reiterated unequivocally its earlier stance recognising Kida and his board as being in charge of basketball affairs in Nigeria until such time that a new election will be held.

The letter which reads in part said, “As indicated in FIBA’s letter of 26 July, 2017, FIBA

will continue to communicate solely with Mr Kida and the Board elected on 13 June, 2017 as representatives of the NBBF and as the management recognized by the Nigeria Olympic Committee.

“Consequently, until such time as there are new elections, Mr Kida and his Board shall organise all aspects (including sporting and commercial) of Nigerian Basketball’s international representation,” the letter further stated.

The latest letter is an attempt

by FIBA to put to bed arguments in public space about who is in-charge of basketball affairs in Nigeria following the insistence of the former board not to handover NBBF property in

their possession.

The move has been described by many as the death knell on the activities of some elements parading themselves as the custodians of the Premier Basketball League in Nigeria.

Reacting to the latest letter, NBBF President Kida said the federation can now focus on managing and growing the game on the domestic level as he expects that all sponsors are now expected to do the needful following the recent pronouncement by FIBA. “The letter has gone to show that we are in charge of everything regarding basketball administration and management in Nigeria. Their position is very clear this time around.

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Wednesday May 30, 2018

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Price: N250

MISSILE APC to PDP “Alas, Nigerians are wiser now and our memories are longer. We can forgive, but we will not forget.� – National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi describing the Peoples Democratic Party’s allegation of indiscriminate arrests and intimidation of its members as diversionary and should be disregarded.

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KAYODEKOMOLAFE THE HORIZON

kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com

0805 500 1974

Politics in Decline

I

t is certainly a misnomer to describe Nigeria’s 19-year old experiment in liberal democracy as “nascent.� By now, at least signs of political development ought to be so noticeable that any politician or commentator who still talks of a “nascent democracy� could be said to be making a slip of the tongue.

The polity should be yearning for maturity. A democratic culture should at least be emergent. This should be manifest in the behaviours of actors and the resilience of institutions. Unfortunately, instead of the strength of institutions weakness is on display.

In contrast to the First and Second Republics, this dispensation has been the longest civil rule. Although it may not yet be liberal democracy in the classical sense of it, yet enthusiasts who insist that this period of unbroken civil rule is worth celebrating surely have a point.

However, there is ample reason for even the greatest optimists of liberal democracy to worry about political underdevelopment.

More attention is often given to socio-economic problems when development is discussed. Perhaps, this is so because it is easier to measure socio-economic progress. The consequence of the stunted polity on socio-economic progress should compel a rethink of political development. Just as experts point to economic growth rates, the assessment of political development is also desirable. The signs that politics is in a steep decline are becoming more glaring by the day.

Take a sample. After three years of wining a

President Muhammadu Buhari presidential election with a clear majority in the National Assembly and the control of most of the states, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is still struggling with the organisation of a national convention. It is nothing but organisational incompetence when a party lacks the capacity to hold proper meetings of its organs. Parallel state congresses were recently held and the elections were marked with bloodshed in some places. The ferocity of violence displayed in the intra-party exercise is indubitably an index of political underdevelopment. Primary elections of the

party are also conducted in a violent atmosphere. In most cases, the “political structures on ground� that politicians often boast about is a euphemism for the armies of thugs who play decisive roles in elections.

Despite the huge challenges of governance, the APC has not demonstrated any capacity to lead policy and strategic debates. It has never called a policy conference. Politicians join APC largely to secure tickets to contest elections and they quit the party when the prospects of flying the party flags recede. There is hardly any organising principle to membership. The party is not passionately defending any policy or programme because its members in public office as president, governors or legislators are not even claiming to be pursing APC programmes.

Neither is the most formidable opposition to APC, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an organic party.

The PDP was in power for 16 years at the centre and in most of the states too, but the party has never been organised around any principle beyond seizing the “party machine� for electoral victory. The PDP is yet to offer any coherent alternative on the great issues of the moment. Its members and leaders migrate to other parties as a pastime. They carry on as if they owe nobody any explanation for the change in their positions.

The smaller parties are not any better. Their methodology too is also to seek power without programme. The “third force� is yet to come up with any agenda beyond capturing power.

The foregoing is a symptom of arrested development of the political parties. There is the manifest immaturity

of the parties. And this is just one of the many signs of underdevelopment plaguing the political landscape.

At the risk of sounding extremely uncharitable, since 1999 the political parties have remained inchoate.

They lack ideological and programmatic boundaries.

They are not associated with any set of values. Their leaders profess no passion for any policy or strategic direction for the country. That is why politicians move in and out of political parties without any explanation of the principles behind their actions.

The support of party members is not won with logic of internal party debates. Members expect to be paid to attend meetings. Yet, it has not always been this way. For instance, in the Second Republic even student members of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) proudly paid membership dues. Members treasured copies of the complimentary letters signed by the party leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, more than money. Not any more!

It remains a matter of conjecture if, given this trend in politics, Nigeria would become a mature liberal democracy in the foreseeable future. For now the people are at the best manipulated participants in politics, which is controlled by politicians who are mostly cynical individuals. Politicians and their political parties are, in the main, not democratically accountable.

This is at the root of the overall underdevelopment of the country.

However, the challenge for the people is how to counter the trend with the emergence of popular democracy in which the people and not money will control the process.

Democracy Day: Lest We Forget Issa Aremu

Y

esterday was the Democracy Day, paradoxically dictated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as he took oath of office in 1999!

The day commemorates the restoration of constitutionalism after decades of military dictatorships. In principle, some southwest states of the federation legitimately opted for June 12, as Democracy Day to keep alive the memory of the most celebrated pan- Nigerian free and fair election held on June 12, 1993. The election was criminally annulled by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.

Of course globally, the devil is in the democratic details.

In Nigeria one devilish question begs for answer; what Day is appropriate to pause and reflect on the rights of men and women to freely choose who rule them in Nigeria? Whether it is May 29 or June 12, posing this question once again points to democratic calling of all Nigerians. Even the date to extol liberty and freedom is open to contestation. The point cannot be overstated; democratic blood runs through the veins of all Nigerians ever desirous of liberty and development right from the struggle against British colonialism and oppression at the turn of 19th century to date.

This is 19th year of uninterrupted democracy. The first democratic dispensation was rudely interrupted six years after by some military adventurers in 1966.

That singular anti-democratic adventure set the stage for a bloody civil war. The second democratic republic inaugurated in 1979 was even more short lived as the militicians staged another coup which ousted Shagari government in 1983. Addictive coups and counter coups of the mid-80s and 90s reveal that Nigeria has been under the heels of military Generals than elected officials.

To that extent, 19 years of uninterrupted democratic contestation worth being celebrated.

This democratic process has been serially ruptured.

What with the serial violence and serial killings across

the country! I agree with Professor Attahiru Jega, former INEC chairman, who at 2018 Democracy Day Lecture suggested that both the Federal and states authorities should urgently develop “capacity, institutions, structures and process of peace building� as a necessary condition for democratic consolidation. As significant as the last two decades have been, Nigerian democracy is still vulnerable and fragile. Democracy is not measurable by how long but how well the institutions and actors perform. With almost six presidential elections in which incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan was electorally retrenched in 2015 historic elections, Nigeria has certainly come of democratic age. Notwithstanding the imperfect elections and riotous party primaries and snatching of maces, my take is that Nigeria still remains a Democracy Destination in Africa. With as many as over 73 million voters ready to exercise their democratic right next year, hundreds of presidential, gubernatorial and assembly candidates, voters’ choice is choice not absence of choice! Certainly Nigeria is not North Korea where the choice is between Kim and Jong-un!

But lest we forget; the significance of celebrating democracy lies in the realization that before return to constitutionalism, we were all victims of the serial atrocities, repression, violations of human rights and abysmal bad governance of the military regimes of varying hues. Only the short rule the late General Murtala Muhammed regime possibly could be given a clean bill with respect to selflessness and commitment to nation building.

Recently General Yakubu Gowon claimed that corruption in government started after him in 1975.

Haba! Lest we forget Gowon military junta was overthrown on account of corruption. Indeed Murtala/ Obasanjo inquiries of Gowon regime showed that 10 out of the 12 military governors were enmeshed in wholesome mismanagement of public resources. There was a scandalous congestion in the Lagos Apapa port

“as ships poured in with cement, over-ordered for a grandiose army barracks and claimed demurrage for each day’s delay�. In 1974, under Gowon regime a scandal rocked the –“ Benue-Plateau, Gowon’s home region – where Joseph Gomwalk, Military Governor of Benue-Plateau State in 1966 -75 and Joseph Tarka, Federal Commissioner of Communications in 1966-74 were implicated. Tarka resigned, but Gowon failed to discipline Gomwalk, who was a friend.� Gowon himself “had a lavish wedding when marrying his wife Victoria in Lagos in April 1969 with horse-drawn carriages�. That was at the height of the civil war in which the country lost as many as three million souls, mostly civilians. Indeed Gowon regime was famous with the mantra: the problem was not money but how to spend it. The worst policy corruption under Gowon was when he shifted the 1972 to 1974 and then 1976. He was overthrown in 1975.

The point to remember today is that despite the current challenges facing Nigeria’s democratic process, democracy is better than the decades of military rule which actually underdeveloped Nigeria. We dare not have nostalgia for the discredited military dictatorships.

Today we take elections for granted despite their imperfections. But lest we forget on June 23, 1993: IBB military Government annulled the results of the June 12 elections in a most bizarre manner; nullified all the relevant court decisions, suspended National electoral commission (NEC) through an unsigned terse statement. The seed of theft of public funds started with unaccountable military regimes. Even 20 years after General Abacha died, Nigeria is still recovering looted funds posthumously in his name.

Lest we forget the detentions without trial and unravelled killings of varying proportions. On October 31, 1995: a Special Military Court sentenced Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists to death. On November 10, 1995: Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) confirmed the sentence amidst global outrage and proceeded

to hang Saro-Wiwa and eight others. The Common Wealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) immediately suspended Nigeria from the body. Nigeria only returned to Commonwealth May 1999 after Nigeria returned to Democracy. On June 4, 1996: Alhaja Kudirat Abiola senior wife to the president-elect Moshood Abiola and a fierce fighter for the validation of his mandate, was murdered by unknown assassins in Lagos. February 28, 1995, Brigadier Lawan Gwadabe, the longest serving governor during the Babangida regime, General Obasanjo (rtd), his former deputy, General Musa Yar’Adua, and others arrested over an alleged coup plot against the Abacha government. On December 8, 1997, General Shehu Yar Adua was proclaimed dead in prison in Abakaliki Ebonyi state. On August 18, 1994: the Abacha government responded to petroleum workers’ strike by sacking the Executive Council of NUPENG and PENGASSAN, and NLC, closed down three newspapers: the Punch, Concord group (owned by Abiola) and The Guardian.

Lest we forget that Democracy might be frustrating with its celebrated and dramatised challenges but military dictatorship was certainly worse and unacceptable.

Never again should anybody rule Nigeria and Africa without the free mandate of Africans.

Of course Nigeria’s current democracy requires quality control in terms of service delivery, development, combating corruption, insecurity and poverty eradication.

But that in it calls for deeper democracy not less. We must therefore demilitarize the polity. Militarism takes more than military rule. Militarism “ forecloses debates, discussions, bargaining and compromise. Instead, it elevates force, order, intimidation, compulsion and control� and at worse factionalism.

On the contrary, let’s nurture culture of debates, dialogue as an art of reasoning together for a prosperous democratic Nigeria.

Long live Democracy! r $PNSBEF "SFNV JT B .FNCFS PG UIF /BUJPOBM *OTUJUVUF NOJ ,VSV +PT

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