Monday 18 June 2018

13 Banks Raked in N656 Billion from Fees, Commission Income in 2017 Obinna Chima Thirteen commercial banks quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) raked in N655.669 billion from fees and commission income last year, figures compiled

by THISDAY from the full year 2017 audited results have shown.

The amount realised by the

banks represented an increase by 11 per cent, compared with the N591.987 billion they realised in 2016.

Analysts have predicted that the financial institutions would be aggressive in fees and commission income as they continue to contend

with the reduced yields on treasury bills.

The fees and commission income by the banks were derived from account maintenance fees, fees from electronic banking channels, ATM charges, letters of credit commission, remittances

fees, card-based fees, fees from brokerage commission, financial advisory fees, among others.

The results reviewed by THISDAY were those of Zenith Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc, United Bank for Africa (UBA)

Plc, FBN Holdings Plc, Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Sterling Bank, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Ecobank, Wema Bank, Union Bank and Diamond Bank.

According to findings, while Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), because

2019: Makarfi Declares for Presidency… Page 10

of its spread in the continent, recorded the highest fees and commission of N143.799 billion in 2017, up from the N124.759 billion it made the previous year, it was followed

by Zenith Bank Plc, which posted fees and commission income of N90.143 billion in the year under review, up Continued on page 12

Monday 18 June, 2018 Vol 23. No 8460. Price: N250

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32 Killed, 84 Injured in Borno Explosion Six years after, 2,000 IDPs return home to celebrate Sallah Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri A massive explosion left 32 persons dead and 84 others injured in Abbachari, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State at the weekend as the orgy of violence in the

North-east showed resilience in spite of desperate military efforts to restore peace in the region.

There were conflicting reports about the cause of the explosion. While the Continued on page 10

Darkness Looms as Power Supply Drops by 1,087MW Six power plants shut down over gas shortage Chineme Okafor in Abuja Darkness looms in the country as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) yesterday said the total volume of electricity generated and distributed nationwide had gone down by 1,087.6 megawatts (MW).

This is coming as two more of the 10 power generation companies (Gencos) built under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Limited would be included in the Continued on page 10

HEARTY CHEERS… Osinbajo, Oyegun Storm Ekiti NINETY L-R: Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi; former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; her father celebrant, Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, during the celebration of the 90th birthday anniversary of the former minister’s Tomorrow for Fayemi… Page 12 and father at Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State… yesterday

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2019: Makarfi Declares for Presidency nPDP insists on conducive atmosphere before resuming talks with presidency, APC Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna After prolonged speculations about his presidential ambition, former Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, yesterday confirmed his intention to seek the party’s nomination for the 2019 presidential election.

In an interview with journalists in Kaduna, Makarfi, a two-term former governor of Kaduna State and a two-term former senator representing Kaduna North senatorial district, said his decision to seek for the PDP presidential ticket followed wide consultations with stakeholders across the country.

He also said he was optimistic that PDP would wrestle power from the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019, noting that the party had been working for the PDP by failing to deliver on its electoral promises and govern well.

He said his consultations

with stakeholders had been positive and encouraging, hence his decision to join other party stalwarts in seeking the mandate of the party for the presidential election in 2019.

“I have been consulting since I left office as chairman. I have been consulting across the country and you know what consultation means,” he said, adding, “Consultation is not endorsement, but it enables you to feel the pulse and it will tell you whether to go forward or not to go forward and it has been quiet positive.”

According to him, as someone who had served as governor, senator, party chairman and with his background from the private sector, he is convinced that he has the capacity to lead the country if given the mandate.

He said, “We all have our qualities, but for me, I have known governance for sometimes, at the state level, some of you are aware I served Kaduna State for three years as a commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning. I came into

government from the private sector-banking sector. So I have experience in the private sector, especially the banking industry.”

Makarfi said governing a complex state like Kaduna for eight years, and managing a big party like the PDP for a year, was enough experience to manage a big and complex country like Nigeria.

He spoke on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and said its prevailing crisis had brightened the chances of the PDP in the 2019 election.

“We must thank the APC for working for us. They have refused to govern well, they have been fighting each other.

There are many things for which we can thank them,” he said.

He maintained, “There is no way the executive and the legislature can work again as one. There is no way the party can be cohesive again. There are elements in government fighting each other and there is nobody to call them to order. We should not expend our energy when somebody is working for us.

“The APC was made up of

different parties who came up together for the 2015 election. I am sure we will come together, it may be an alliance, it can be anything and when that is done, then you will see that the opposition will legitimately wrest power from the APC.” He also decried the increasing insecurity across the country, noting, however, that there had been some successes in tackling insurgency.

But he said more successes may have been recorded in the fight against insurgents if the component institutions dealing with the fight against the insurgency were working as one.

He said, “I have to give credit in the area of Boko Haram, not that it has come to an end.

But they have recorded some successes, you cannot take that away from them.”

Meanwhile, barely five days to the national convention of the APC, the party is yet to resolve its disagreement with members of the new PDP. THISDAY gathered at the weekend that although the

national leadership of the APC was willing to get back to talks with the nPDP, the aggrieved group was said to be insisting that the presidency must create the conducive atmosphere if any meaningful discussion would take place.

A reliable source within the leadership of the APC who spoke to THISDAY yesterday on the condition of anonymity said contrary to beliefs in certain quarters that the nPDP group were now estranged members of the APC, the party sees them as bonafide members and are indeed expecting to have them participate in proceeding during the convention.

The aggrieved nPDP group had among other grievances alleged of the harassment, intimidation and persecution of their leaders by the government.

They specifically referenced the travails of the Senate President Bukola Saraki in the hands of the police, his charge for concealment of asset, and the recent withdrawal of some security personnel attached to the Speaker of House of

Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara.

While speaking on efforts to restart the discussions with the nPDP members, the party chieftain said they approached the group for resumption of talks but that they were still complaining about the harassment of their members and the fact that they would be short-changed at the convention.

He, however, said the party is doing everything possible to see if it could resolve most of the disputes before the convention.

He also said that members of the nPDP, especially those that are delegates would be allowed to take part in the convention.

"There was never anytime they said that they have left APC. All they did was that as members and lawful citizens, they had grievances which they presented and then the party was ready to listen to them and to look into their grievances.

It was in the process that they suddenly said that the environment was not conducive for the talks to continue," the source said.

shedding electricity loads to electricity distribution companies (Discos) to avoid its complete collapse.

“The TCN hereby states that as a result of gas pipeline rupture as reported by NGC on June 15, 2018, as well as technical issues at the Shell gas wells on June 16, there has been a sharp drop in generation into the grid by a total of 1,087.6MW, resulting in load-shedding nationwide, necessary to maintain stability of the grid,” Mbah said in the statement.

Continuing, she explained, “Due to the NGC pipeline incident, six thermal power generating stations are currently unable to generate electricity and have, therefore, been shut down. The affected power stations include the Ihovbor, Azura, Omotosho gas, Geregu gas, Olorunsogo gas, Sapele and the Egbin power station, which has managed to generate 60MW only on each of its units, losing a total of 211MW. “Also, Afam VI power station was shut down so that Shell can resolve its gas well issues to

enable it commence gas supply to Afam VI power station. With a total loss of 1,087.6MW into the grid, the transmission system has become quite fragile and TCN is working hard to avert a collapse of the system, by engaging in load-shedding.”

Load-shedding, Mbah explained, was done to ensure that available generation remained commensurate with what is allocated to the Discos nationwide, to create a balance and avert grid instability.

sect, many internally displaced persons (IDPs) from northern part of the state went back home to celebrate this year’s Eid-elFitr. Many of them had been in IDP camps in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State after their flight.

The return of the IDPs could be traced to the successes recorded by the Nigerian troops, which is currently leading a military operation tagged: ‘Operation Last Hold’ in the area.

A statement yesterday by Army Headquarters spokesman, Brig-Gen Texas Chukwu, in Maiduguri, said the Eid prayers were observed in the Headquarters of Guzamala Local Government Area, adding that the returnee IDPs were assisted back to their communities by the troops of Operation Last Hold.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, had launched the operation with a-four month mandate to clear Boko Haram terrorists from northern Borno and its environs and ensure that the IDPs safely return to continue their farming and other livelihood engagements.

THISDAY gathered that troops of Operation Last Hold on clearance operations in some communities in northern parts of the state had cleared

farmlands and Lake Chad islands of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) for displaced persons to resume farming and fishing activities in the liberated communities.

The cleared farmlands are located in eight local government areas of Gudumbali (Guzamala), Mobbar (Abadam), Marte, Gubio, Kala/Balge, Ngala, Gubio and Monguno.

These eight councils were attacked and destroyed by Boko Haram terrorists between 2012 and 2016, with massive loss of lives and property.

Encouraging the resettlement of over 2,000 IDPs who returned from their camp in Maiduguri back to their communities last Thursday at Gudumbali, the council headquarters of Guzamala Local Government Area, Buratai said the operation was aimed at clearing all farmlands in the area of explosives and remnants of insurgents to ensure a smooth movements of IDPs from their camps to their communities, and to provide very safe environment for normal life to continue.

Buratai, who was represented

by Chief of Operations and Training, Army Headquarters, Maj-Gen David Ahmadu, said: “This operation is to move IDPs from camps to liberated communities to resume their

farming and other economic activities in eight councils and Lake Chad Islands.”

DA R K N E S S LO O M S AS P O W ER S U P P LY D R O PS BY 1, 087 MW resumed power assets’ sales expected to happen soon, to bring the total number of assets up for sale in the first phase of the privatisation of the NIPP assets to five.

TCN said in a statement by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, in Abuja that six power plants, which generate electricity with gas were shut down because gas supply to them were cut off, adding, however, that Nigeria was not in total darkness.

According to Mbah, the affected power stations were

Ihovbor, Azura, Omotosho, Geregu, Olorunsogo and Sapele.

Gas supply to all of them, she said, were affected by a rupture on the gas pipeline of the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC).

She also said technical issues experienced by Shell at its gas well had affected supply of gas to its Afam VI power plant, adding that Egbin power plant has also generated just about 60MW of electricity on account of this.

Mbah, did not disclose how much of generation volume the

country lost.

However, going by the last generation output THISDAY obtained from the Advisory Power Team in the office of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), the country last generated 3,827MW on June 14, while the NGC reported the rupture on its line on June 15, while Shell’s technical issues occurred on June 16.

Based on the drop in generation, Mbah stated that it was inevitable that the TCN managed the country’s transmission system by

Continued on page 12

3 2 K I L L E D , 8 4 I N J U R E D I N B O R N O E X PLO SI O N police command in the state suggested a terrorist action, but still investigating, some residents suspected it might have resulted from military artillery strike.

The military, however, denied causing the incident, hanging it on six suicide bombers, who it said detonated the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that sent the victims to their early graves.

According to a witness, Malam Buba Shettima, however, said two separate bomb blasts occurred in Shuwari and Abbachari, at about 8:30p.m.

“The whole of Damboa was shaken by the unfortunate incident. We all scampered for safety as the blasts were coming from different directions. There were bodies everywhere.

“We suspected that the many deaths recorded were a result of the military artillery,” he said.

Another local from the area, Mohammed Hassan, who corroborated the claim, said, “About 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night, an attack suspected to be from an artillery killed 31 innocent people in Damboa Shehuri and Abachari. The attacks came from two separate directions. My house was among some of the houses destroyed.”

The Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj-Gen Rogers Nicholas, denied the claim that

the Army was responsible for the blasts, saying the killings were caused by suicide attacks and not military artillery.

“There was nothing like an attack from the military artillery.

You can see the pictures of six female bombers who detonated their explosives and as a result, 20 persons were killed while others were injured,” he said.

Rogers urged the people of the area to disregard the claim that the victims were killed by the military and not by suicide bombers.

The District Head of Damboa, Modu-Zannah Maina, who described the incident as “shocking and disturbing,” said the attack was perpetrated by female suicide bombers.

He lamented that a lot of people that were affected were mostly children, adding that many victims were injured.

“We are here in this hospital to check our people affected

by Saturday’s bomb blasts.

So far, the victims have been responding to treatment,” he said.

The Commissioner of Police, Borno State Command, Demian Chukwu, supported the view of the military that the explosion was probably the handiwork of Boko Haram terrorists.

He said in a statement yesterday, “On Saturday, at

about 20.45hrs, an explosion occurred at Abachari area, in the outskirt of Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.

“At the sound of the explosion, personnel of the Nigeria Police and members of the Civilian JTF mobilised to the scene and discovered 20 dead bodies and 48 injured persons in a suspected terrorist attack.

“The wounded and the dead were evacuated to a hospital while the scene was sanitised by a deployment of police EOD unit.

“Investigation is ongoing to unravel the nature of the attack.”

The Chairperson of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, who also confirmed the incident, said the agency had deployed its personnel to evacuate wounded persons to the hospital for quick medical attention.

According to her, “Our team has been deployed to render life-saving support to the victims of the blast. As you can see, they have been tirelessly working with ICRC since morning to evacuate the injured from the airport to the hospital.

“We are all saddened by the unfortunate incident that occurred in Damboa.”

Meanwhile, six years after they were forced to flee their homes by the Boko Haram

He noted that with the clearance of farmlands of explosives planted by insurgents, farmers could now return to their communities, as peace had returned, saying that the operation also included the launching of house cleaning and rebuilding of destroyed houses.

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Osinbajo, Oyegun Storm Ekiti Tomorrow for Fayemi Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will tomorrow visit Ekiti State to flag off the governorship campaign of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Kayode Fayemi, for the July 14 election.

A statement by the Director of Media and Publicity of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Wole Olujobi, in Ekiti yesterday, said Osinbajo would be joined on the rostrum by the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and the Chairman of the National Campaign Committee for Ekiti Election, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, as well as members of his committee.

He, however, raising the alarm over an alleged move by the Peoples Democratic Party to instigate some segments of workers against Fayemi in a campaign of calumny, including mobilising thugs to cause violence in the state, ahead of the July 14 governorship poll, warning Governor Ayo Fayose against any act that could stoke violence in the run-up to the election.

Olujobi’s statement got support from another one issued by the Director General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, saying Osinbajo’s brief in the state, had, however, been made easier by the failure of Fayose to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people, saying victory was certain for Fayemi.

Fayemi But in a swift reaction, the Kolapo Olusola Campaign Organisation (KOCO), the outfit of the PDP governorship candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, dismissed Bamidele’s statement as a misnomer, saying it ought not to have emanated from a man who was just recuperating from injuries sustained from a friendly fire at a Fayemi campaign.

Bamidele had said Fayose had paved the way for Fayemi to win the election because many of the towns that voted for the governor in 2014 did not benefit

anything from his government.

The APC chieftain stated that the fact that Fayemi was able to spread projects across 133 towns while superintending over the state, had reduced the campaign burden and broaden his chances to have a resounding victory in the election.

He urged the people to embrace the new light, he said Fayemi represented, and key into the vision of APC to reclaim the state from those, he said, were pillaging the people’s commonwealth.

Bamidele said Fayemi exhibited quintessential administrative sagacity to distribute, evenly, projects midwifed by his administration across the towns and strata of the society, in spite of the dwindling resources at the time he was governor.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP governorship candidate, Lere Olayinka, however, replied Bamidele, saying his statement was out of sync. “How can anyone be happy using the name of Bamidele to issue press statements at this time? Someone whose late father ought to have been buried last weekend and the burial was postponed because of the injuries he sustained from gunshots fired by one of the several policemen Fayemi and the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu invaded Ekiti State with on June 1, 2018? That is callous,� he said.

DAR K N E S S LO O M S AS P O WER S U P P LY D R O PS BY 1, 087 MW She further said in the statement that the NGC was making efforts to ensure that the gas pipeline issues were resolved to restore normal gas supply to the affected power generating stations, and enable them generate more power into the grid.

TCN’s general manager also stated that Shell had resolved its gas well issue this morning and gas supply partially restored to Afam VI. “There has been no collapse of the grid as reported in the news,� she said.

She appealed for understanding and assured that TCN’s engineers were working hard to continue to maintain the stability of the grid, pending completion of repairs of the gas pipeline by NGC and restoration of full gas supply to the affected generating stations.

In a related development, two more of the 10 power generation companies (Gencos) built under the NIPP by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) Limited would be included in the resumed power assets’ sales expected to happen soon, to bring the total number of assets up for sale in the first phase to five.

THISDAY gathered from a document it sighted on the operations of the NIPPs so far in Abuja, that the board of the

NDPHC led by Vice President Osinbajo had approved that the two Gencos, 378.3 megawatts (MW) Egbema Power Station in Imo State, and the 252.2MW Gbarain Power Plant in Bayelsa State, be included in the resumed privatisation exercise.

According to the document, the two power plants would be added to the three, 630.5MW Calabar; 504MW Geregu; and 518MW Omotosho Gencos, which had already been slated for sale in the exercise.

The NDPHC had disclosed it would take a phased approach to the privatisation following its initial failure to conclude the exercise on account of sundry issues, which stalled the progress it started in 2014.

It explained at a time that the phased privatisation exercise would be done on the basis of the plant’s readiness or levels of completion. The document, however, showed that while Calabar, Geregu, and Omotosho were 100 per cent ready, Gbarain and Egbema were 90 and 67 per cent completed, respectively.

Providing a status report on the exercise, the document stated, “Negotiations commenced with only seven of the preferred bidders in June 2014 due to litigation on Alaoji, Gbarain and Omoku.

With the resolution of the litigation in 2016, negotiation commenced on Gbarain in March 2017. Market liquidity challenges, inadequate gas supply and other problems, led to the decision to phase the completion of the transactions starting with fully operational power plants. “In February 2016, the Chairman of the NDPHC Board and Vice President Osinbajo, approved phase one transaction be recommenced for Calabar, Geregu and Omotosho. Egbema and Gbarain were subsequently included.�

It added that its construction of gas pipeline and metering stations at Ihovbor; Gbarain; Calabar; Oro; Sapele; Alaoji; Geregu; and Omotosho had been 100 per cent completed, while that of Egbema was 85 per cent completed.

On transmission, it explained it had completed 112 high voltage transmission projects spanning over 1,635 kilometres (km) of 330kV double circuit lines; 720km of 132kV double circuit lines; 10 new 330kV substations; seven new 132kV substations; 6,150 megavoltage amp (MVA) of 330/132kV transformer capacity; 2,800MVA of 132/33kV transformer capacity; and expansion of 36 numbers of 330kV and 132kV substations owned

by TCN.

1 3 B A N KS R A K E D I N N 6 5 6 B I L L I O N F RO M FEES, CO MMI SSI O N I N CO ME I N 2017 from the N68.444 billion the previous year.

Also, UBA which posted fees and commission income of N82.937 billion in the review year, higher than the N73.199 billion the bank realised in 2016, just as FBN Holdings posted fees and commission income of N74.453 billion in the review year, higher than the N71.360 billion recorded the previous year; while Access Bank Plc garnered N56.674 billion as fees in 2017, higher than the N55.440 it recorded in 2016.

In the same vein, while Stanbic IBTC reported net fees and commission of N59.089 billion in 2017, up from N52.154 billion the previous year; GTBank got N42.922 billion as fees and commission income in 2017, up from the N39.403 billion it attained in 2016; and Diamond Bank also made N37.068 billion in the review year, compared with the N41.432 billion it got the previous year.

Similarly, whereas FCMB reported fees and commission income of N21.630 billion, higher than N17.683 billion in 2016; Fidelity Bank posted N18.229 billion fees and commission income in the review year, as against the N20.557 billion it recorded in 2016; Sterling Bank’s results also showed an improved fees and commission income of N12.876 billion in 2017, higher than N10.788 billion the previous year.

Also, Union Bank’s results showed fees and commission income of N10.2017 billion was recorded by the bank in 2017, as against the N10.577 billion it made in 2016; while Wema Bank posted fees and commission income of N5.642 billion in 2017, from N6.191 billion the previous year.

Fitch Ratings had stated that Nigerian banks might find it difficult to sustain their profitability this year, given the decline in

net treasury bill issuance by the federal government.

It pointed out that Nigerian banks were highly reliant on net interest income to remain profitable, saying treasury bills was an important source of the banks’ profitability in 2017.

In addition, Fitch stated that its 2018 rating outlook for the Nigerian banking sector was negative, forecasting that some tier two banks would struggle to remain profitable this year. “We expect falling treasury bill yields and lower issuance to put pressure on Nigerian banks’ profitability in 2018,� it said.

Also, Moody’s Investors Service in its latest outlook on Nigerian banks also noted that the declining yields on government securities would dampen banks’ core earnings.

Two-Minute BrieďŹ ng NEWS Southern, Middle Belt Leaders

Express Worries over 2019 Polls A group of leaders of thought from some parts of Nigeria under the umbrella of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has passed a vote of no confidence on the Chairman of the‌ Page 49

EDITORIAL ManagingThe Orphanages

The disclosure last week by the Imo State government that there were no fewer than 250 illegal orphanages, most of which serve as ‘baby factories’ is not only disturbing, it is an issue that should alert critical stakeholders in the country ‌ Page 15

BUSINESS ABCON Backs CBN-PBoC

Currency Swap Deal The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has once more applauded the $2.5 billion currency swap agree- ment between the Central Bank‌ Page 23

FEATURES A Focus on Vulnerable Girls

Coming off the back ofTHISDAY’s continuous interface with the core thematic areas that the sustainable development goals focus on, Chineme Okafor monitors 'Educating‌ Page 20

POLITICS Audacity to Jail High ProďŹ le

Politicians Returns Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Segunn James write that there are a few examples of monumental judicial pronouncements preceding the recent conviction of two former governors Page 18

CITYSTRINGS A Community's Solution

After the government's seeming abandonment of the roads in Arepo, an Ogun State community, local residents took it upon themselves to fix the problems, writes Peter Uzoho Page 38

INTERNATIONAL Aquarius Migrants Step Ashore

in Spain after Week-long Ordeal The 630 migrants whose rescue sparked a major migration row in Europe arrived in the Spanish port ofValencia on Sunday after a turbulent week that saw Italy‌ Page 48

SPORTS Rohr: Eagles’ Fate Still in their

Hands Despite the Defeat against Croatia After two silly mistakes by Oghenekaro Etebo andWilliam Troost-Ekong earned Croatia a deserved 2-0 victory against the Super Eagles at the Kaliningrad‌ Page 54

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COMMENT

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

BUHARI’S ANTI-GRAFT WAR AND RULE OF LAW

The fight against corruption can only succeed if all citizens, including those in government, are constrained by the law, argues Kolawole Olaniyan

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari was elected in 2015 after emphasising his track record of tackling corruption, and his pledge to stop public officials from looting the country’s treasury, after he rightly declared: “If we don’t kill corruption, this corruption will kill us.�

Mr. Buhari has backed his commitment by putting in place some important measures such as the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Whistle-Blowing Policy and the establishment of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, to combat the systemic theft of public resources and by extension its pernicious effects on human rights and development.

The TSA, in particular, aims to pave the way for the timely payment and capturing of all revenues going into the government treasury, without the intermediation of multiple banking arrangements.

However, real progress is yet to be made with respect to the prosecution of cases of grand corruption. High-ranking corrupt officials rarely end up in jail, as suspects continue to exploit the flaws in the justice system and the anti-corruption programme’s legal and institutional mechanisms, to the point where individuals are profiting from their crimes.

Part of the problem is the authority’s disdain for the rule of law, as illustrated by the tendency to pick and choose which court orders it complies with. This selective application of the rule of law implies an agenda to de-legitimise the judiciary, and perhaps, inadvertently, render it incapable of contributing to the anti-corruption fight.

Mr. Buhari has put the rather slow pace of his government’s fight against corruption down to the ‘lack of cooperation by the judiciary.’ As he put it: “In fighting corruption, however, the government would adhere strictly by the rule of law. Not for the first time I am appealing to the judiciary to join the fight against corruption�.

But while the judiciary may not as yet be up to speed in terms of accelerating the hearing of high-level corruption cases – consistent with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 – and adopting an activist-cum-public-interest approach to such cases, judges can do very little if the investigation and prosecution of grand corruption cases continue to be poorly handled.

Mr. Buhari cannot on the one hand blame the judiciary for ‘failing to work’ with his government in the fight against corruption, while on the other disobeying judgments by the same judiciary.

Yet, obeying court orders is the bare minimum required of Mr. Buhari by his constitutional oath of office to: “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria [1999]�, and by extension, defend the independence of the judiciary. But the attitude of the government to court orders has fallen far short of this constitutional commitment.

Court orders that are yet to be complied with include those obtained by human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, particularly the judgments by Nigerian courts ordering the establishment of education banks to assist poor students to obtain loans to pursue tertiary education; the restoration of the People’s Bank of Nigeria to give

THE RULE OF LAW CAN CHECK CORRUPTION AND ABUSES OF POWER. IF THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IS TO SUCCEED, IT IS VITAL THAT COURT ORDERS ARE RIGOROUSLY AND PREDICTABLY ENFORCED

loans without collateral to underprivileged citizens, and more recently, the release of Islamic Movement of Nigeria leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah, from unlawful detention.

Other high-profile judgments the authorities are refusing to obey include at least three judgments obtained by the anti-corruption group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). The first is the judgment by Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari ordering the government to tell Nigerians about the stolen asset it allegedly recovered, with details of the amounts recovered.

The second judgment, by Justice Mohammed Idris, ordered the government to publish details on the spending of stolen funds recovered by successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999, while the third judgment, by the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, ordered the Nigerian authorities to provide free and quality education to all Nigerian children without discrimination.

Disobedience of court orders is inconsistent and incompatible with any definition of the rule of law. It’s very difficult for any country to successfully combat corruption if its government doesn’t obey court orders. If government doesn’t obey court orders, citizens are unlikely to do so.

Disobedience of court orders implies the executive can do what it likes.

The government has also claimed that obeying judges’ decisions would require an assessment of ‘national security’ implications and potential to spark crisis. However, this position is the exact opposite of the rule of law.

The rule of law implies the supremacy of the law as opposed to arbitrariness by government, or the whims and fancies of its officials.

This means that it is the responsibility of every law-abiding government to obey decisions of lawfully constituted courts, including those the authorities may dislike.

The government can disagree with court orders, but if it has issues with any of these orders, it ought to use all available means of appealing them rather than refusing to obey them. Deliberate disobedience of judges’ decisions would, ultimately, shatter citizens’ confidence in judges’ ability to champion the rule of law. In any case, the surest way for any government to promote and improve national security is to uphold the rule of law, by among others complying with court orders.

Supporters of the government may point to Mr. Buhari’s political will to fight corruption. To his credit, Mr. Buhari has shown some level of political will to fight corruption, at least when compared with the record of his predecessor, former President Goodluck Jonathan, who once infamously said: “stealing is not corruption.�

However, political will is not enough to tackle corruption if the government routinely disobeys court orders. In fact, the fight against corruption can only succeed if all citizens, including those who serve in the government, are adequately constrained by the law.

Olaniyan is the author of Corruption and Human Rights Law in Africa and legal advisor to Amnesty International’s International Secretariat

INTRODUCING GROWTH ELEMENTS INTO NIGERIA’S PLANNING PROCESS Francis E. Ogbimi contends that Nigeria is stagnating because it has been neglecting learning

N

igeria has had many plans and budgets since independence in 1960. Nigeria had four National Development Plans in the period 1962-1985: 1962-68, 1970-74, 1975-80 and 1980-85. Nigeria also adopted the structural adjustment programme (SAP) and its rolling plans in 1986. SAP remains the main programme Nigeria is implementing today, because the principal elements, philosophy and ideological inclination in 1986 have not changed and they have been the bases of managing the Nigerian economy.

While Nigerian government officials claimed to have been implementing Reforms, NEEDS, Nine-point Agenda, Vision 20:2020 and TRANSFORMATION AGENDA, ERGP, SAP’s elements: the mandatory devaluation machinery now known as the Importer & Exporter (I & E) Window System, privatisation of public enterprises and adoption of deregulation (market economic philosophy) as the economic philosophy for managing public projects and activities and technology transfer strategy remain the principal features of the Nigerian economy.

Some Nigerians and their foreign friends, the World Bank and IMF who have been influencing Nigeria’s economic policy over the decades, like to deceive the ignorant public that it is the name of a programme that counts, rather than the elements.

They are wrong. It is the elements of a programme that determine its impact on the people. Nigeria has been achieving growth without development (GWD) for decades because Nigeria’s planning and budgeting processes lack growth elements.

Consequently, unemployment, poverty and high crime wave problems have been worsening. Also there are no physical structures to show for the trillions of naira budgets announced every year and the rapidly growing national debts. Nigeria’s planning must have growth elements, if the nation is to

make progress. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to explain why Nigeria has been wasting huge resources for decades in the name of planning and budgeting. More importantly, the article is written to explain how the missing elements can be introduced into Nigeria’s planning and budgeting process to promote true growth (growth that makes positive impact on the people) and industrialisation and transform Nigeria from an agricultural nation into an industrialised one so as to eliminate unemployment, poverty, hopelessness and high crime wave.

To plan, according the Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, is to make preparation for something that is expected to happen. We can also define planning as the act of putting together the thoughts and activities necessary for achieving desired objectives.

In planning, a nation ought to adopt a correct planning framework. A nation is also expected to adopt an appropriate planning theory. Proper planning must be devoid of false and inappropriate assumptions. Otherwise, a nation cannot achieve its desired objectives. The most popular planning framework is the rational planning framework (RPF). There are six phases in the RPF. They are: one, establish objectives; two, establish planning premises; three, determine alternative courses of action; four, evaluate alternatives premises, five, select course of action and six, formulate derivative plan. The RPF is an inappropriate framework for planning because it allows people who do not understand what the growth and development of a nation entail to set beautiful objectives and day-dream. Nigeria has always been setting day-dreaming objectives – education and housing for all in year 2000, food for all, Vision 20:2020, etc., because those planning for Nigeria do not understand the growth and development processes and no one solves a problem he or she does not understand.

What has been the development theory guiding

Nigeria’s planning? Okigbo (1989), analysed the Nigerian planning process 1900-1992 and noted that the theory that guided the Nigerian First National Plan, 1962-68, was the Harrod (1939)-Domar(1946) Model – the HDM, and the model remains Nigeria’s planning theory. This theory in its simplest form states that the growth in income achievable by a nation over a period is proportional to the rate of savings and the capital invested. In other words, the more the capital invested, the higher would be the growth of income in a society. The HDM assumes that employment is not needed in the production process or that there is only one input in the production process and that is capital (Glahe, 1977).

With the HDM as a planning theory, there is only one planning variable – capital. In a society where capital is considered as the most important factor of production, planning is synonymous with efforts aimed at making capital available for spending (Galbraith, 1967). The HDM, Rostow’s stage growth theory and some others like them constitute the set of theories sociologists called the Modernisation theories. The evolutionary, neo-evolutionary and modernisation theories are mechanistic and ahistorical perception of the human development experience (Hoogvelt, 1976). These theories claim that Western Europe in the 16th century achieved the maximum level of development for human societies, believing that Europeans achieved the modern industrialisation, uniquely. The theories then classified nations into two categories – simple (primitive) and complex (advanced). African and Latin-American nations were classified as primitive nations while Western nations were classified as advanced nations. The evolutionists and modernists proposed that primitive people and places may be made modern by transferring resources especially technology from the rich West to them. This is the origin of International Technology Transfer (ITT) in

its various forms as the main development strategy for African and Latin-American nations. Nigeria has existed for 57 years as a flag-independent nation with Western nations, the World Bank, the IMF and the very few Nigerians in these financial institutions throwing money at every problem and promoting stagnation. In truth, in terms of planning framework, planning theory and assumptions, Nigeria has not been planning at all. This explains why Nigeria has been stagnating with attendant mass unemployment and prevalent poverty.

To introduce growth elements into Nigeria’s planning and budgeting processes, Nigeria must adopt appropriate planning framework, planning theory and realistic assumptions. Ogbimi and AdjebengAsem developed the scientific planning framework (SPF). The SPF has seven phases. They are: one problem identification; two, problem analysis/ perception; three, setting achievable objectives; four, plan implementation; five, plan monitoring and appraisal; six plan review and seven plan termination. The SPF ensures that a problem is well analysed and understood before setting achievable objectives. Again, no one solves a problem he or she does not understand.

In terms of planning theory, our research shows that mere capital investment does not promote sustainable economic growth and industrialisation.

All structures depreciate in intrinsic values with time and usage, hence they are depreciating assets (DAs).

So, a nation emphasising the erection of structures may be likened to one trying to fill a profusely leaking water- tank with water. The nation emphasising the erection of structures cannot achieve sustainable growth; it cannot build-up competence rapidly; the production strength of the nation will perpetually be decreasing.

Prof Ogbimi wrote Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife

15

T H I S D AY MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018

EDITORIAL MANAGING THE ORPHANAGES Strict rules must be enforced to contain the spread of ‘baby factories’

T

he disclosure last week by the Imo State government that there were no fewer than 250 illegal orphanages, most of which serve as ‘baby factories’ is not only disturbing, it is an issue that should alert critical stakeholders in the country to a looming danger.

The Special Assistant to the Imo State governor on Non-Governmental Organisations and Allied Matters, Mr Simeon Nwulu said out of 272 homes across the state, only 15 were genuine. “The rate at which children are being marketed and sold like ordinary articles of trade is alarming,” he said. “At a peanut, the destiny of a child is destroyed and most of these adopters are not well-to-do to take care of these children.”

It is rather depressing that despite the growing outcry against human trafficking, the number of illegal orphanages has continued to be on the rise in different parts of the country. The perpetrators of this illicit act either hire some poverty- stricken girls or lure others into their ‘factories’ with the intention of getting them impregAS LONG AS THERE IS NO nated for the sole aim DILIGENT PROSECUTION of producing children for ignoble purposes.

OF CULPRITS OF THIS In April this year, no SOCIAL MENACE, fewer than 100 girls NIGERIA WILL CONTINUE and 62 boys were TO GRAPPLE WITH THIS rescued and taken to government approved PROBLEM homes for care and protection in Lagos State.

The tradition of perpetrators of this evil act is to get the girls impregnated and hold them captive until they give birth to babies and then pay them off. The size of money they get is dependent on the sex of the children. So lucrative is the business that some unmarried pregnant girls have also become victims of this misdemeanour as they are lured into these ‘factories’ with a promise of better health care only to have their babies snatched from them after birth.

Tragically, some of the children produced under these

Letters to the Editor

terrible circumstances are used for different purposes including rituals, trafficking to Europe for prostitution, child labour or sold to some couples seeking children for adoption.

T

T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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 BOLAJI ADEBIYI, 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

o show the extent of its spread, a United Nations report which put the output of global child trafficking business at US$33 billion annually named Nigeria as one of the most notorious countries where this illicit business is being perpetrated, pointing out that at least 10 babies are sold each day in Nigeria. Yet as long as there is no diligent prosecution of culprits of this social menace, Nigeria will continue to grapple with this problem.

We expect that in view of this festering sore, a special unit of police solely mandated with the task of handling human trafficking by combing the nooks and crannies of the country should have been established with strong determination to fish out operators of ‘baby factories’ and illegal orphanages.

If this is done, and culprits are diligently prosecuted and brought to justice in a swift manner, it will serve as a deterrent to others who engage in the nefarious trade.

However, we are mindful that there are operators of licensed orphanages and couples who follow laid down procedures in adopting children and they should be encouraged. But those who take advantage of the increasing number of childless parents by engaging in all manner of motherless babies’ homes in a desperate quest for quick money should be exposed and decisively dealt with. They pose a threat to the health of our society.

In the same vein, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) must step up its supervisory and monitoring efforts on these orphanages by working hand- in- hand with security agencies, social welfare departments and the civil society. The approving authorities should equally raise the standard of establishing orphanages with a view to ensuring that every prospective operator meets some minimal conditions before they are licensed.

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.

COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN CONTEMPORARY ERA

H

uman wants are so innumerable. Beginning from the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing and shelter, other secondary demands compel mankind to explore other avenues to create wealth for future use. From farmer, business man/woman, fisherman, the story is the same as everyone aspires for better life which can only be realised through meaningful investments. Muhtar Kent once said: “Without investment, there will not be growth, and without growth, there will not be employment’’. Invariably, the need to expand the frontier of meeting ever increasing compelling needs has brought about various investment innovations.

It is bad to live from hand to mouth, worse still it is dangerous for one not to plan for future. As age increases, status changes come with demand for scarce resources, hence the need to be strategically positioned for financial stability. Among various finance sources that have helped many to fulfil their dream of attaining financial solidity is cooperative society. Apart from savings which usually takes time to gather enough for specific projects, cooperative societies have fast tracked the process of building investment for many families.

In the communities of low income and medium income earner, cooperative societies have been made famous by its abilities to supplement/support members’ capacity to acquire property for domestic and commercial purposes. The advantage of pulling resources together for the good of all have made tremendous impact in the growth of members’ financial, by boosting their purchasing power of subscribing members.

According to a popular biblical saying, ‘a good man leaves

inheritance for his children’s children’. But then, how can a man whose income is barely sufficient to meet basic needs of the day leave inheritance or secure a better future for his children, not to talk of grandchildren?

Recently, a friend had lofty plan about how to cope with several financial issues ranging from ever increasing house rent, children’s school fees to other domestic burdens. He discovered that his ‘take-home’ could not really take him home. Every time there was opportunity to take loan facility from bank officials who hover around to offer succour, he was first to apply, thus placing himself under further financial strains. This continued until a friend advised him to join a cooperative society where he could save certain percentage of his monthly salary to a point where he would draw double of his savings for investment that would bring about passive income. And alas, this simple advice brought about an incredible financial transformation to his family. Among other avenues of investments, cooperative societies continue to play prominent role as investment channel for those that subscribe to them. Despite its popularity among many, few understand the way it operates while those that have taken advantage of it continue to explore enormous opportunities it offers. It has come to be associated to a commonwealth of people’s resources for the business, economic and improved welfare of its members. According to International Co-operative Alliance, “a cooperative society is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.’’

Cooperative society came to being when people who have similar

needs came to find a way to augment their meagre salary. Rochdale pioneered the first cooperative society in England in 1844, where 28 men (weavers and skilled workers in other trades) established a shop in which they sell goods. From paltry selection of butter, sugar, flour, oatmeal and few candles, within few months expanded into selection of tea, tobacco and later transformed into conglomerate of high quality products. Spanning over 200 years of existence, it has remained vibrant.

In Nigeria, cooperative societies play significant roles in the liberation of individuals and families from poverty, especially low income earners who see it as the way to economic salvation, invest and improve their welfare. Many wouldn’t have acquired enduring assets if not for the advantage of bulk purchases made available by the societies. Different savings plans provided members options products to access. Cooperatives services now range from ordinary savings which qualifies members for loan and target savings which is intended for specific projects. Many lives would have been lost to curable diseases with children out of school if not for the support of cooperative societies’ contingency facility.

In Lagos alone, the collective capital base of cooperative societies has increased to over N152billion with increasing membership base of over two million. The state government has in the last three years been developing template for cooperative societies in the state to be used as instruments of economic growth and business prosperity that is capable of investing in critical sectors of the economy.

Bolaji Odumade, Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

16

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯͶ˜ ͰͮͯͶ

T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018

17

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ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš ÙÖÓÞÓĂ?Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ë? nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

TRENDING NEWS

Audacity to Jail High ProďŹ le Politicians Returns Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Segun James write that there are a few examples of monumental judicial pronouncements preceding the recent conviction of two former governors JUSTICE ADEBUKOLA BANJOKO “In the absence of concrete evidence justifying these payments, it can safely be described as misappropriation‌. there should not be compromise in corruption. Corruption is corruption.â€?

JUSTICE ATANDA FATAI-WILLIAMS

JUSTICE GEORGE SOWEMIMO

“Shehu Shagari won two-third of the total votes cast, having polled a total votes of 16.8 million votes with 11.9 million votes ahead of Obafemi Awolowo who polled a total votes of 4.9 million.�

JUSTICE DOLAPO AKINSANYA “Declared the Interim National Government of Chief Ernest Shonekan illegal. reasoned that since Babangida had divested himself of power by signing Decree 59 of August 26th, he had no power to sign Decree 61. “

“Whatever others may say, this is my personal view. I am not speaking as a judge but as a Nigerian. Here, we have one of the ďŹ rst premiers of the autonomous region standing trial‌If you were the only one before me, I would have felt that it was enough for you to have undergone the strain of the trial. I am sorry, I cannot do so now because my hands are tied.â€?

P

ressured from many quarters, the Nigerian judiciary is going through one of its worst moments of crisis of integrity. It is no secret that lawyers, judges and staff of the judiciary have perfected an unholy triangle to, among other things, adjourn the hearing of cases and deliver justice, only to the highest bidder.

Against this background, the often touted truism that the court is the last hope of the common man falls flat on its face. However, a few outstanding examples of landmark judicial pronouncements that stopped the heartbeat of the Nigerian nation abound.

Expectedly, every case involving high profile politicians or high net worth individuals reverberate through the society with so much consequence. Owing to the personality of the individuals involved in these cases, so much interest is generated in the proceedings, largely, because politicians constitute the top echelon of the society.

Usually, the eventual judgment is enmeshed in controversies and exposed to different interpretations.

Mr. Victor Abasiakan-Ekim, a former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Abuja branch reasoned that cases involving high profile politicians generate so much interest and the eventual judgement breeds controversy for a plethora of reasons.

He submitted that, “Politicians see themselves as being above the law.

The principle of equality before the law does not apply to them. This is largely visible in reckless abuse of power as manifest in corruption and pilferage of the common wealth.

The politicians in military uniform took the practice to its zenith during the era of several military governments. The law appeared helpless.

Only a handful of these crooks in political garbs were brought before the court of law to account for their malfeasance. Even when these politicians were brought before the court for trial, the slow grinding of the machinery of justice eroded the confidence of the masses. The delay in prosecution, sometimes lack of will and/or expertise to diligently

Justice Samuel Onnoghen, CJN

prosecute the culprit occasioned a discharge and/or acquittal.�

Abasiakan-Ekim concluded that, “The vast majority of the people therefore believed that the law is an ass in the face of the gargantuan cleansing of the state coffers by some politicians or that the political class are ‘untouchable.’ Thus, any time there is a criminal trial of a high profile politician, it generates a lot of interests and debate amongst the citizenry. It is only natural to expect a stiff punishment where conviction is secured after trial. However, until recently, the convicted criminals in this category were mostly given a slap on the wrist or a pat on the back kind of sentence. This was the case where an Abuja High Court convicted a pension thief but gave a two year jail term or fine of N250, 000 which the convict paid from the dock and walked home same day.� “Naturally, the outcry was deafening and the learned trial judge was suspended for misconduct by the National Judicial Council in order to serve as a deterrent to other judicial officers while also restoring

confidence in the judicial system.

This incident led to the development and issuance of sentencing guidelines by the heads of several courts in Nigeria,� said the former NBA Abuja branch chairman.

Advancing more reasons for public interest in this class of cases, Abasiakan-Ekim said, “the trials are sometimes politically motivated to silence the opposition and voice of dissent. A classic example was the trial and conviction of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti by the then military junta for economic crime/money laundering because of his beliefs aired through his music as a social and political crusader in the 1980s. The trial and conviction or better still, the farce of a mistrial and conviction were subsequently set aside due to public outcry. The trial and conviction of late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was obviously designed to silence the voice of opposition.�

Mr. Ayinoluwa Akinyemi, a Lagos-based legal practitioner of Hightower Solicitors and Advocates agreed with his Abuja-based colleague that, “politically exposed persons and high net worth individuals are usually deemed as untouchables or beneficiaries of a system that benefits only the ‘big men’ in the society.�

According to Akinyemi, “Many Nigerians consider it a rarity having these types of people convicted in the Nigerian courts. These big men are often perceived to have figured out a perfect scheme to rig the system. They are thought to have resources to pervert justice, breach fairness, delay court proceedings, hire the best defence lawyers, access patronage from public officers, and bribe judicial officers.�

Not since a military tribunal pronounced prison terms on second republic politicians (some as much as 100 years) has there been a proper trial and conclusive case against high profile politicians as the recent sentencing of two former governors; Jolly Nyame of Taraba State and Joshua Dariye of Plateau for corrupt enrichment.

That pronouncement immediately drew attention to Justice Adebukola

Banjoko of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Her personality gained national attention also because of the way the Federal Government promptly rewarded her with a secondment to the post of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. The timing of her promotion/ reassignment is perceived in some quarters as a masked ‘thank you’ for doing the bidding of the master.

Abasiakan-Ekim dismissed this assumption by exposing the portrait of an incorruptible judge and the force of constitutional obligation. He said, “A judge is a carefully selected person of impeccable character He is fearless, courageous and impartial, doing justice to all manners of persons without ill-will or affection. He is a representative of God, imbued with enormous powers, including the powers to restrain liberty or even order the termination of life. A judge therefore must be a person whose life is above board at all times like Caesar ’s wife.

The judicial oath of office contained in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) is designed along these lines. It is pertinent to state that one arm of government that has endured all the difficulties of our evolution as a nation is the judiciary. Even in the face of military despotism, we had some fearless, honest and courageous judicial officers and we still have a sizeable number on the bench today. That is not to say that there are no bad eggs on the bench serving as judges. The National Judicial Council is doing a great job of ridding the system of men/ women of low morale and judicial content.

It is therefore a disservice to the hardworking judges on the Nigerian judicial bench to attribute their promotion or reassignment to higher responsibilities as a mark of patronage by the executive arm of government. The judiciary at the federal level is independent and to a large extent, this must include financial

THISDAY Ëž Ëž ÍŻÍśËœ ͺ͸͚͜

18

ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš ÙÖÓÞÓĂ?Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă–Ë? nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

TRENDING NEWS

Audacity to Jail High ProďŹ le Politicians Returns Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Segun James write that there are a few examples of monumental judicial pronouncements preceding the recent conviction of two former governors JUSTICE ADEBUKOLA BANJOKO “In the absence of concrete evidence justifying these payments, it can safely be described as misappropriation‌. there should not be compromise in corruption. Corruption is corruption.â€?

JUSTICE ATANDA FATAI-WILLIAMS

JUSTICE GEORGE SOWEMIMO

“Shehu Shagari won two-third of the total votes cast, having polled a total votes of 16.8 million votes with 11.9 million votes ahead of Obafemi Awolowo who polled a total votes of 4.9 million.�

JUSTICE DOLAPO AKINSANYA “Declared the Interim National Government of Chief Ernest Shonekan illegal. reasoned that since Babangida had divested himself of power by signing Decree 59 of August 26th, he had no power to sign Decree 61. “

“Whatever others may say, this is my personal view. I am not speaking as a judge but as a Nigerian. Here, we have one of the ďŹ rst premiers of the autonomous region standing trial‌If you were the only one before me, I would have felt that it was enough for you to have undergone the strain of the trial. I am sorry, I cannot do so now because my hands are tied.â€?

P

ressured from many quarters, the Nigerian judiciary is going through one of its worst moments of crisis of integrity. It is no secret that lawyers, judges and staff of the judiciary have perfected an unholy triangle to, among other things, adjourn the hearing of cases and deliver justice, only to the highest bidder.

Against this background, the often touted truism that the court is the last hope of the common man falls flat on its face. However, a few outstanding examples of landmark judicial pronouncements that stopped the heartbeat of the Nigerian nation abound.

Expectedly, every case involving high profile politicians or high net worth individuals reverberate through the society with so much consequence. Owing to the personality of the individuals involved in these cases, so much interest is generated in the proceedings, largely, because politicians constitute the top echelon of the society.

Usually, the eventual judgment is enmeshed in controversies and exposed to different interpretations.

Mr. Victor Abasiakan-Ekim, a former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Abuja branch reasoned that cases involving high profile politicians generate so much interest and the eventual judgement breeds controversy for a plethora of reasons.

He submitted that, “Politicians see themselves as being above the law.

The principle of equality before the law does not apply to them. This is largely visible in reckless abuse of power as manifest in corruption and pilferage of the common wealth.

The politicians in military uniform took the practice to its zenith during the era of several military governments. The law appeared helpless.

Only a handful of these crooks in political garbs were brought before the court of law to account for their malfeasance. Even when these politicians were brought before the court for trial, the slow grinding of the machinery of justice eroded the confidence of the masses. The delay in prosecution, sometimes lack of will and/or expertise to diligently

Justice Samuel Onnoghen, CJN

prosecute the culprit occasioned a discharge and/or acquittal.�

Abasiakan-Ekim concluded that, “The vast majority of the people therefore believed that the law is an ass in the face of the gargantuan cleansing of the state coffers by some politicians or that the political class are ‘untouchable.’ Thus, any time there is a criminal trial of a high profile politician, it generates a lot of interests and debate amongst the citizenry. It is only natural to expect a stiff punishment where conviction is secured after trial. However, until recently, the convicted criminals in this category were mostly given a slap on the wrist or a pat on the back kind of sentence. This was the case where an Abuja High Court convicted a pension thief but gave a two year jail term or fine of N250, 000 which the convict paid from the dock and walked home same day.� “Naturally, the outcry was deafening and the learned trial judge was suspended for misconduct by the National Judicial Council in order to serve as a deterrent to other judicial officers while also restoring

confidence in the judicial system.

This incident led to the development and issuance of sentencing guidelines by the heads of several courts in Nigeria,� said the former NBA Abuja branch chairman.

Advancing more reasons for public interest in this class of cases, Abasiakan-Ekim said, “the trials are sometimes politically motivated to silence the opposition and voice of dissent. A classic example was the trial and conviction of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti by the then military junta for economic crime/money laundering because of his beliefs aired through his music as a social and political crusader in the 1980s. The trial and conviction or better still, the farce of a mistrial and conviction were subsequently set aside due to public outcry. The trial and conviction of late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was obviously designed to silence the voice of opposition.�

Mr. Ayinoluwa Akinyemi, a Lagos-based legal practitioner of Hightower Solicitors and Advocates agreed with his Abuja-based colleague that, “politically exposed persons and high net worth individuals are usually deemed as untouchables or beneficiaries of a system that benefits only the ‘big men’ in the society.�

According to Akinyemi, “Many Nigerians consider it a rarity having these types of people convicted in the Nigerian courts. These big men are often perceived to have figured out a perfect scheme to rig the system. They are thought to have resources to pervert justice, breach fairness, delay court proceedings, hire the best defence lawyers, access patronage from public officers, and bribe judicial officers.�

Not since a military tribunal pronounced prison terms on second republic politicians (some as much as 100 years) has there been a proper trial and conclusive case against high profile politicians as the recent sentencing of two former governors; Jolly Nyame of Taraba State and Joshua Dariye of Plateau for corrupt enrichment.

That pronouncement immediately drew attention to Justice Adebukola

Banjoko of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Her personality gained national attention also because of the way the Federal Government promptly rewarded her with a secondment to the post of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. The timing of her promotion/ reassignment is perceived in some quarters as a masked ‘thank you’ for doing the bidding of the master.

Abasiakan-Ekim dismissed this assumption by exposing the portrait of an incorruptible judge and the force of constitutional obligation. He said, “A judge is a carefully selected person of impeccable character He is fearless, courageous and impartial, doing justice to all manners of persons without ill-will or affection. He is a representative of God, imbued with enormous powers, including the powers to restrain liberty or even order the termination of life. A judge therefore must be a person whose life is above board at all times like Caesar ’s wife.

The judicial oath of office contained in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) is designed along these lines. It is pertinent to state that one arm of government that has endured all the difficulties of our evolution as a nation is the judiciary. Even in the face of military despotism, we had some fearless, honest and courageous judicial officers and we still have a sizeable number on the bench today. That is not to say that there are no bad eggs on the bench serving as judges. The National Judicial Council is doing a great job of ridding the system of men/ women of low morale and judicial content.

It is therefore a disservice to the hardworking judges on the Nigerian judicial bench to attribute their promotion or reassignment to higher responsibilities as a mark of patronage by the executive arm of government. The judiciary at the federal level is independent and to a large extent, this must include financial

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Group Features Editor, Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com

A Focus on Vulnerable Girls Coming off the back of THISDAY’s continuous interface with the core thematic areas that the sustainable development goals focus on, Chineme Okafor monitors 'Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises', a development programme which is focused on vulnerable girls whose hard life stories are often unknown or perhaps ignored

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, the Minister of Women Aairs and Social Development, at the oďŹƒcial launch of a 2016 ag-o of a nationwide campaign to end child marriage in Abuja... Such campaigns need strong societal commitment to earn results.. ŠUNFPA/Simi Vijay

B

eyond the kidnap of young girls from Chibok in Borno State in 2014, and Dapchi in Yobe State in 2018 – two very sticking national misadventures, every other day young girls across Nigeria are abused by members of the communities they live in, and while some manage to come through the outcomes of their abuses, a good number don’t always do, and their stories subsequently buried and forgotten with time.

For now, no one or data can at least say for sure how many young Nigerian girls are subjects of regular communal abuses, but indeed there are girls who have been through this paths, and they are found everywhere in the country including her big cities and affluent states.

On the back of this, and the recently marked International Women’s Day in which the world called for a united ‘Press for Progress’ for women, THISDAY followed up and had interactions with a number of young girls mentored under the ENGINE project to overcome the kind of vulnerabilities their immediate societies put before them.

As a girl-child education programme which aims to transform the lives of Nigerian marginalised girls through education and work, ENGINE has gone into its second phase and now funded by the UK Department for International

Development (DFID) through its Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) Fund.

In its interactions with girls under the project, THISDAY explored the experiences of marginalised adolescent girls who live in mostly urban poor communities around Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and by particularly doing a content analysis of the report of a child protection mapping exercise that was conducted by the ENGINE project in its inception phase activities, it found that very little is known or said about these girls, yet pretty much of damages are done on their lives by communities that should protect them. “One girl in my community was raped because she was crippled and nobody could

One man who raped a girl in my community was told to pay the ďŹ ne of N100,000 and when he didn’t, the chief sent him to the police, but he soon came back to the community and nothing happened to him

help her� said, one of the adolescent girls who was responding to questions during a focused group discussion organised by the ENGINE II in Abuja.

The focused group discussion was part of the mapping of existing child protection structures in Abuja. It wanted to identify the existing scope and capacity, as well as the reporting mechanisms available within the capital city and the three other focal states of the ENGINE programme for protection of young girls from abuses. “One man who raped a girl in my community was made to pay the fine of N100,000 and when he didn’t, the chief sent him to the police but he soon came back to the community and nothing happened to him,� another girl contributed to the focus group discussion.

For protection, the identities of these girls were kept from being printed in the paper, however, their contributions readily mirrored the sensibility in the universal call for support against inappropriate behaviours against women as captured in the 2018 theme of the International Women Day – ‘Press for Progress’.

Nonetheless, THISDAY observed a nexus between the contributions of the two girls: the perpetrators of abuse in both situations never got apprehended and eventually ended

up going scot-free with no penalties but rather incentives to continue in the acts and perhaps put in danger the lives of other girls.

ENGINE II leads the push Based on the development and findings, ENGINE II led a significant community action on the occasion of the International Women’s Day 2018, essentially to foreground the state of girl-child and vulnerable adult protection in and around Abuja.

Working closely with its principal implementing partners in the city - principally Tabitha Cumi Foundation; the FCT Agency for Mass Education (AME), Secondary Education Board (SEB), Universal Basic Education Board (UBE), and the Social Development Secretariat, a town hall meeting was held in Dutse Bmuko, an urban poor community in Bwari which is roughly 50 minutes’ drive from Abuja city centre, to bring community attention to how lack of functioning girl-child and vulnerable adult protection structures can be a huge barrier to poor adolescent marginalised girls.

The meeting was also to emphasise that such issues could prevent these girls from transiting from one level of learning to a higher level of learning or from one level of work to a higher level of work, and it afforded especially women and girls an opportunity to participate in a significant community action that sought

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Nigeria needs to create protective mechanisms against repeated abuse of her young girls

to discuss barriers to girl-child education and transitions in life.

Further inquiries by THISDAY revealed that though the development had been helped greatly by a culture of silence of mothers in the communities, there has however been a significant shift from that hitherto strong culture of silence amongst the mothers mostly for fear of their young girls being isolated for stigma.

For a long time, this meant that these mothers scarcely spoke up to highlight the troubles of their young female wards, or even reported incidences to the authorities whenever they happened. So, almost freely their young female children were raped, sexually abused, bullied and abused in several physical and psychological dimensions by members of their communities, and words hardly went out about this. “They don’t make reports because they are shy. And they say if you are raped you won’t see who will marry you. And, their parents want to keep it quiet,� volunteered another girl who participated in the focus group discussions.

Indeed, relevant segments of the ENGINE mapping report noted that such stigmatisation deterred people from reporting rape incidences and indirectly denies community members the benefits they may have gotten from reporting child abuse cases to the relevant authorities.

In the mapping report, Mrs. Rashidat Apahade of the Gender Unit, Education Secretariat Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) who participated in the key informant interviews conducted during the ENGINE mapping exercise in the FCT was variously quoted to have provided a telling perspective of the problem as embedded in the school systems.

Apahade, reportedly said: “However, in schools we see bullying which is in form of punishments by the senior students and also teachers. Sexual abuse or rape, but this is also carried out from home on a student. Child abuse does not only

Women and girls have not been empowered to report. They are still ashamed of admitting they are being abused.

Most of the reports brought in have been coerced out of the women by social workers who report or neighbours who are not comfortable with the way things are going

AP sunday alamba

Breaking the culture of silence is sacrosanct

occur at home; it happens in schools too.� “The students just need a listening ear to be able to speak up. When we go for campaigns and sensitisations in schools we always hear a lot of complaints. Sometimes, they are so many that we cannot listen and help all. And, they wait for us again till we come back to their schools,� she added, underlining how persistent the girls could become to get an ear for their troubles. “We do school charters and place it in their schools. We train the school Guidance and Counselling (G&C) on what to do when there is an abuse, the teachers know they can’t try abusing students because they will lose their jobs,� Apahade noted.

Juxtaposing analysis with realities However, a juxtaposition of THISDAY’s content analysis of the mapping report and the reality lived by especially the poorest and marginalised adolescent girls in schools around the FCT showed that an efficient system of punishment may still be lacking in schools despite the efforts put

in place.

From its findings, the paper observed that this may largely be so because of the inherent power relations involved in most cases of abuse, that is, victims are often found to enjoy residual protection as a direct result of schools trying to protect their public reputation rather than the victims of abuse, and very often victims, especially women and girls seem to internalise these power dynamics and simply choose to keep embedding the culture of silence.

Similarly, a key informant interview in the mapping exercise granted by Katmun Gomwalk, who is the Assistant Commissioner of Police on Gender, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Area 10, Garki Abuja, underlined the choices by mostly women and girls to keep mute in the face of abuses.

Gomwalk, explained that: “Women and girls have not been empowered to report.

They are still ashamed of admitting they are being abused. Most of the reports brought in have been coerced out of the women by social

workers who report or neighbours who are not comfortable with the way things are going. We see that delayed reports are not usually helpful in getting evidences and for effective response.�

And so, while Nigeria struggles with her various security challenges and to also provide adequate cover for young girls in the North-east where terrorism has lingered for long now, an aggregation of the views of social issues analysts who spoke to THISDAY on the development however indicated that confronting the challenge of protecting the ‘other vulnerable girls’ across Nigeria would need to go beyond the realm of rhetoric.

They posited that it would demand an integrated approach that could come in the form of social partnerships built with girls, households, communities and relevant governance and service delivery systems in such ways that significant shifts in the levels of knowledge, attitude and practices for protection of children and vulnerable adults, mostly poor marginalised girls, would be accomplished as a whole.

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T H I S D AY ˞ ˜ JUNE 18, 2018

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A S

A T

REPO 3.67 % 4.25 %

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

5.33% 7.67 % 8.67%

Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08024557078, 08091152219

J U N E 1 4 , 2 0 1 8 S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE

357.5 % 0.30% -0.13%

YEAR TO DATE

3.33% 8.51%

EXCHANGE RATE N305.86/1US DOLLAR* ĚŠ

Quick Takes FITC Holds Inaugural Lecture Series

OUR SCORECARD

L-R: Non-executive Director, Wapic Insurance Plc, Adamu Atta; MD/CEO, Adeyinka Adekoya; Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; and Company Secretary, Mary Agha, at the 59th Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos‌recently

ABCON Backs CBN-PBoC Currency Swap Deal Obinna Chima The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has once more applauded the $2.5 billion currency swap agreement between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), saying the deal will promote naira’s sovereignty in Africa.

ABCON President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, was quoted in a statement at the weekend, to have said the naira would benefit hugely from the deal given the rising influence of the Chinese Yuan in the international market.

He argued that the admittance of Yuan into the basket of International Monetary Fund (IMF) currencies and the naira/yuan swap deal

ECONOMY would actualise the dream of naira sovereignty in Africa.

The naira has remained stable at both the official and parallel markets, as the CBN continues its weekly dollar interventions.

The naira which in February 2017 was exchanging at N520/$ in the parallel market now trades at N361/$, while rate at the official market remains N305.9/$.

The Yuan has equally made significant progress this year, appreciating 1.8 per cent against the dollar to become the world’s second-strongest Asian currency.

The ABCON boss also urged the CBN to consider diversifying dollar disbursement to BDCs with percentage amount of Yuan to meet

the critical needs of their numerous clients travelling to China for personal and business purposes.

Gwadabe disclosed that the currency swap deal was part of the CBN’s plan to keep the naira stable and protect the foreign reserves domiciled in dollars.

He said the deal would provide adequate local currency liquidity for Nigerian and Chinese industrialists and reduce difficulties they face in searching for the greenback.

The ABCON said his members would equally benefit from the bilateral currency deal, given that a stable and strong naira was good for the economy and operators.

He added that increased use of Yuan in trade deals would also open a new business opportunity for

BDC operators.

According to Gwadabe, ABCON will continually support CBN in achieving its exchange rate stability mandate and promoting economic growth through increased global partnerships and collaborations.

Gwadabe reiterated that the said swap deal would smoothen bilateral trade, boost investment, and protect the financial market in both countries as well as cut dollar demand by Nigerians entrepreneurs importing from China. All these, he said, would firm the value of the local currency.

He therefore advised that to achieve the full gains of the deal, Nigeria has to take steps that boost its trade balance Continued on page 24

Absence of CPN AfďŹ liates on NITDA’s Board Unconstitutional, ISPON Tells FG Emma Okonji The Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), one of the affiliate bodies of the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), is worried about the continued absence of CPN representatives on the Board of Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), months after the inauguration of its board members, describing the situation as unconstitutional and lopsided.

While NITDA is the government agency responsible for the implementation of the country’s policies on Information Technology (IT), CPN is a government agency saddled with the responsibility of registering and controlling

ICT all IT practitioners in the country.

The NITDA Act states that four CPN representatives would be on the NITDA Board, which are selected from each affiliate member of CPN, of which ISPON is one of them.

This has been the tradition since the inception of NITDA, until this year, when the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu inaugurated the NITDA Board without CPN and its affiliate members, a situation that is giving ISPON and other affiliate members of CPN, some concerns.

Worried about the continuous absence of CPN members

on NITDA Board, ISPON has called on the minister to quickly address the situation and correct the imbalance, inline with NITDA’s Act. The former President of ISPON, James Emadoye who raised the concern during the official handing over of the administration of ISPON to the incoming President, Dr. Yele Okeremi in Lagos recently, urged the minister to revisit the inauguration and ensure that CPN members are on the Board of NITDA. Okeremi who saw the situation as loss of permanent seats by the CPN, promised to engage the minister until the matter is resolved.

Narrating the circumstances that led to the absence of CPN members on NITDA’s Board, Emadoye said: “It is

the responsibility of the minister to inaugurate members of the NITDA Board and the minister had called for the list from CPN, which was sent to him before the inauguration, but along the line NITDA instead on quota basis for the selection process and that someone from the North-west must be on the board, which negates the NITDA Act that clearly states that four professionals representing each of the geopolitical group will be nominated to the NITDA Board.

Emadoye insisted it was not proper to neglect the affiliates in the inauguration of NITDA Board and called on the minister to revisit the issue and address it amicably.

Continued on page 24

In line with its mandate to protect, promote and advance the knowledge andpracticeofbankingandďŹ nanceinNigeriaandtheAfricansub-region,the Financial InstitutionsTraining Center (FITC), recently instituted a thought leadership series that will oer a platform for policy makers, industry players and analysts to discuss the growth of the banking sector in the African sub-region.

Branded ‘FITC Thought Leadership Discussion Series’, the inaugural lecturewhichheldinLagosrecently,hadnotablespeakers,industryplayers and policy makers like the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin EmeďŹ ele; Deputy Governor, CBN, Mrs. Aisha Ahmad; MD/CEO, NDIC, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim; former CBN Deputy Governor, CBN, Mr. Tunde Lemo as discussants.

Other panelists included the former President of the CIBN, Prof.

Segun AjibolaL; former CIBN Registrar and President, Bank Customer Association of Nigeria, Dr. Uju Ogubunka; Mr. Olukayode Pitan, MD/CEO, Bank of Industry; Mrs. Hamda Ambah, MD, FSDH Merchant Bank; and Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, Managing Director, Sterling Bank as discussants.

The annual non-fee paying event discussed “Strengthening the banking systemandfacilitatingsustainedeconomicgrowth:Rolesoftheregulators, operators and the banking public,â€? with valuable insights shared on how to sustain the development of the banking industry and the wider ďŹ nancial services sector and case study of the national development titled: “The Zambia Experience and Possibilities for Nigeriaâ€? by Mr. Patrick Chisanga, Director General of the Zambia Development Agency.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Lucy Surhyel Newman, MD/CEO, FITC noted that “the discussions in this series would trigger signiďŹ cant insights into how we can strengthen the ďŹ nancial system,â€? and concluded that “the outcome of this forum will help in developing easily implementable guidelines and policies to strengthen the banking system and facilitate sustained economic growth.â€?

Airtel Wins Awards

Airtel Nigeria said it got a standing ovation at the 2018 Africa Cristal Awards after receiving the biggest award at the event and three other accolades in the telecoms category for its SmartRecharge campaign.

Airtel’s SmartRecharge campaign themed: “Prayer Warrior (Amin),� won the grand prix, grand Cristal and a gold medal while Monitoring Spirit (Whatchu Doing?) bagged a Silver award, a statement revealed.

According to the Chief Commercial OďŹƒcer of Airtel Nigeria, Ahmad Mohkles, the awards reected the telecom’s passion to connect with its majorstakeholdersinanemotional,tasteful,creativeandinnovativemanner. “As a key stakeholder in the society, we keep looking for innovative and creative ways to celebrate our customers, join in their successes and victories as well as empower them to fulďŹ l their dreams and realise their full potential. “Airtel will continue to inspire narratives that will enthrone customers as kings just as we will continue to oer innovative and bespoke value oeringsthatwillmakelifesimpler,betterandmoreenjoyablefortelecoms consumers in Nigeria,â€? Mohkles said.

The Airtel SmartRecharge campaign relived love and child-mother bond through a storytelling approach.

In the advertisement, Iya Rainbow discovered that her son, Segun had sent her a Christmas hamper overowing with goodies that gladdened her heart.

Knowing that her phone had been recently recharged with Airtel SmartRecharge – albeit secretly by her son – she called him at the earliest sign of daybreak and pours her heartfelt prayers on him, never minding the ordeal this puts on Segun from dawn to dusk.

The African Cristal Festival rewards the best advertising campaigns created and broadcasted over the African continent, on any media.

STACO Insurance Harps on Self Devt

Staco Insurance Plc at the maiden edition of a conference it organised recentlyforitsfemaleemployeesurgedinsuranceprofessionals,especially women, to direct their eorts towards self-development to enhance productivity.Addressing participants at the conference, the ďŹ rst female Non-Executive Director of the company, Ms. Helen Emore, emphasised the need to encourage women to be active in the company, noting that there was room for more women in management and at the board level.

She however said for women to take up such leadership positions, there was the need for self-development.

“However, we still have cumbersome clearing procedures which should not be the case. We should be automated so that people can clear their cargoes from the port without going there�

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council,

Hassan Bello

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BUSINESSWORLD ABCON BACKS CBN-PBOC CURRENCY SWAP DEAL

with China by raising the quality of its local products to make them more attractive and acceptable to the Chinese people. “The deal will expand the BDCs capacity to handle new business transactions in Yuan. Besides, BDCs in both countries will have their transaction base expanded, including new opportunity to transact higher Aexport/ import of equipment, raw materials and finished goods,� he said.

Gwadabe praised the CBN-led Bankers’ Committee for promising incentives to Nigerian businesses that import their machinery and goods with Yuan instead of dollar, adding that such act would deepen entrepreneurs’ interest in the swap deal.

ABSENCE OF CPN AFFILIATES ON NITDA’S BOARD UNCONSTITUTIONAL, ISPON TELLS FG

The Minister of Communications had in March this year, inaugurated a team of 16 board members that will drive the affairs of NITDA, without the four representatives from CPN. Since then, stakeholders from the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, have criticised the omission of CPN nominees, while blaming it on NITDA, whom they believed did not handle the entire process of the inauguration with the utmost national interest it deserved.

Giving reasons for the omission of CPN nominees, the Director, E-Government Development and Regulation at NITDA, Dr. Vincent Olatunji told THISDAY that the omission of CPN nominees was as a result of a mix-up in the submission of names and that CPN has been further directed to rectify the list of its nominees, and resend same to the minister.

According to Olatunji, as soon as the list is rectified and sent, the CPN members would be inaugurated into NITDA Board.

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Jonathan Eze

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Cap Mkt) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Maritime)

NEWS

Firms Move to Boost Agribusiness in South-west Jonathan Eze The Orbital Solutions Global Services Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South-west Farmers Association and the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission (DAWN), as part of efforts to put an end to harvest losses and avoidable clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

Orbital Solutions Global Services Limited is a data gathering firm operating on the platform of ‘AgroXchange’ while the DAWN Commission is a dedicated technocratic institution for the sustainable development of the South-west region.

The DAWN Commission was set up by the governments of the South-west states as an institutional and programme management body to midwife their regional integration agenda.

It is the dedicated coordinating agency, fully empowered by the governments to ensure the delivery of the composite development aspirations of the region.

Other development activities of DAWN include, making land accessible for agriculture in the region; organising agro-input system, addressing issues of improving agricultural activities; organising cooperatives for associations, imbibing transformative technologies; efficient marketing support systems and providing financing opportunities for the purpose of productivity in the two-year partnership arrangement.

A statement explained that the MoU was sealed recently at the DAWN office in Oyo State, with the Director General of DAWN, Mr. Seye Oyeleye,

and the Managing Director of Orbital Solutions Global Services Limited, Mr. Adewale Adegoke, signing on behalf of their respective organisations.

Speaking on the occasion, Oyeleye, said the objective of the partnership was, “to do everything possible to make farming very profitable for farmers in the South-west.

We cannot continue to rely on when the rain will come before embarking on farming business. Things have changed as a result of climate change and so it is high time we adapt to the change.

“Farming overseas has gone beyond this level and we also need to develop new methods of farming in this country. Our farming method is becoming obsolete. This is the month of June, but the question is: Where are the rains? “This is why we have gone into partnership with Orbital Solutions Global Services Limited to implement AgroXchange to gather agricultural production data. “Lack of technology in our farming is one of the problems we have always had for ages. A tiny country like Netherlands has used technology to advance

her farming business. So, DAWN as a non-profit organisation is poised to find technological solutions to the problems of farming in the South-west through this partnership arrangement.�

Also speaking, Adegoke said his firm would use geography to map the locations of farms, gather data on how to link farmers to the market in order to get optimal profit. “Through our platform, our aggregators will connect with the farmers, real farmers will be identified and strengthened and data collection jobs created for the youths in the farming

communities,� Adegoke added.

He said with the recent donation of a drone to Orbital Solutions Global Services by the International Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), a joint international institution of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of states and the European Union (EU), remote sensing and imaging services would be made available to South-west farmers to improve crop quality, estimate yield, monitor plan health and facilitate application of inputs according to the index of plant need.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

L-R: First Runner up, Onoche Emeka Onyekwena; Winner, Kokugho Iruesiri Samsom; second runner up, Nneoma Anieto; Managing Director/ CEO, GTBank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje; and Head, Corporate Communications/ External Affairs, Oyinade Adegite, at the prize presentation to the winners of the maiden edition of the GTBank Dusty Manuscript, a corporate social responsibility of the bank in Lagos‌recently

Obaseki Urges Banks to Finance Maritime Sector for MoreOpportunities Eromosele Abiodun The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has called on financial institutions in the country to partner investors in the maritime sector to create employment opportunities for Nigerians.

He stated this in Onne, Rivers State, during the official christening of a new vessel, MV OSANYAMO, owned by STARZS Group, delivered by the Damen Ship Yard of China.

He expressed his desire to see the nation’s capacity building institutions synergise, in the bid to boost employment opportunities and consequently improve the citizens’ present economic conditions.

The governor stated that with the sad extinction of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), the country lost and had since continued to forfeit several economic and human development opportunities. “I feel really privileged that I am performing for the first time in my life, the christening, dedication and inauguration of a vessel. I have never done it before. The shipping terrain in Nigeria scary but also seriously dominated by foreign operators,� he said.

He commended the STARZS Group Chairman, Greg Ogbeifun for his dedication, commitment and resourcefulness, particularly in mobilising local funds, institutional supports and utilising same, in a very challenging

environment, in a bid to lift Nigeria’s flag as well as boost the employment opportunities for other Nigerians.

He said: “Overtime, the maritime industry, in spite of the supports it had received, such as the Cabotage Law, and the Local Content Law, has continued to be dominated like I said, by foreign companies. Apart from the brief spell when we had the NNSL which offered Nigerians sea opportunities, in the maritime industry as we know, just like most other assets, that endeavour failed, and as a country we lost that opportunity to build the human capacity and resources to go ahead to dominate.�

Obaseki said the country’s weak economic position had

seriously affected not only the nation’s balance of trade, but devastatingly also, the well-being and the future of the youths.

He therefore, enjoined the financial sector, the Local Content Board and other institutional bodies to synergise, create more opportunities and ensure a more assured future for Nigerians, particularly in the maritime sector, in the immediate future.

Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman implored the private sector to take advantage of the enabling environment created by the Muhammadu Buhari administration and invest in the nation’s Maritime sector. “This morning’s event

is another testament to the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to the improvement of the Nigerian economy, not just by diversification but by providing the enabling environment for the private sector to invest more in the country, �she said. “In addition to its contribution to the development of the Maritime industry in the country, the introduction of MV OSANYAMO has the capacity for oil exploration and production in Nigeria. Said to be the largest Damen ASD Tug range till date, the ASD Tug 5114 model vessel is purpose built to assist in tanker lifting operations alongside FPSOs in the Gulf of Guinea, �she added.

Group Urges Air Peace to Commence International Flights Chinedu Eze Women from the South-eastern part of Nigeria have called on Air Peace to quickly launch its international operations.

The group assured the management of the airline that they would mobilise their members and other air travellers to patronise the airline on all its long-haul routes.

The women pointed out that they support indigenous airlines to airlift them to various international destinations as its is also an avenue to create job for Nigerians and improve foreign exchange receipts into the country.

The women under the aegis of ‘Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in Diaspora,’ made the call during the group’s thanksgiving and

awards-giving ceremony in Enugu at the weekend.

The South-east women, who conferred Air Peace with the award of “Best Air Carrier of the Year�, said they were proud of the expansion of the airline’s route network, saying that the airline had made air travel in Nigeria seamless and reliable.

Presenting the award to

Air Peace, founder of the association, Kate Ezeofor said the group was anxiously waiting for the launch of the airline’s international routes.

The group, she pledged, would support the carrier to ensure the success of its long-haul operations.

Air Peace Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah, who received

the award on behalf of the airline, commended the group for recognising the carrier’s efforts to transform air travel in Nigeria and beyond.

He assured the group that the airline would be outstanding in its international flight services, adding that Air Peace was making a success of its vision to create jobs and transform air travel.

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EU Blacklists 119 Airlines, Certifies Indonesia Chinedu Eze The European Commission has banned 119 airlines from flying to any European Union (EU) member country for safety reasons.

However, the Commission cleared all air carriers from Indonesia from the EU Air Safety list.

This means that all airlines from Indonesia certified to operate international routes are free to

fly to Europe.

The Commission has also introduced a new system where it warned air traffic controllers of member countries to ensure unsafe aircraft are prevented from entering European airspace.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the commission in Brussels recently. “Today the European Commission updated the EU Air Safety List, the list

of airlines that do not meet international safety standards, and are therefore subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the European Union. “The EU Air Safety List seeks to ensure the highest level of air safety for European citizens, which is a top priority of the Commission’s Aviation Strategy. “Following today’s update, all airlines certified in Indonesia are cleared from

the list, following further improvements to the aviation safety situation that was ascertained in the country,� the statement said.

However, the 119 airlines that were banned from entering the EU skies included 114 airlines certified in 15 states that were affected due to a lack of safety oversight by the aviation authorities in those states and five individual airlines that were affected due to safety concerns.

The Commission also said that an additional six airlines were subject to operational restrictions and could only fly to the EU with specific aircraft types: Afrijet and Nouvelle Air Affaires SN2AG (Gabon), Air Koryo (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), Air Service Comores (the Comoros), Iran Air (Iran) and TAAG Angola Airlines (Angola).

EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said:

“The EU Air Safety List is one of our main instruments to continuously offer the highest level of air safety to Europeans. I am particularly glad that after years of work, we are today able to clear all air carriers from Indonesia. “It shows that hard work and close cooperation pay off. I am also satisfied that we now have a new warning system to prevent unsafe aircraft from entering European airspace.�

BelemaOil Inaugurates 33-man Fire Fighting Dept Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt BelemaOil Producing Limited, a Port Harcourt-based indigenous oil company has inaugurated its firefighting department with the certification of 33 trainees.

The firefighters, who were trained by TDI Global, a North American-based firefighting training firm, are to operate with three world-class firefighting vehicles for starters.

Speaking at the certification ceremony in Port Harcourt after a demonstration by the graduands, the Executive VicePresident, Human Resources, Administration and Corporate Affairs of BelemaOil, Mrs. Rosemary Asiegbu, described the feat as a milestone for the indigenous oil firm.

Asiegbu commended the Founder/President of Belemaoil, Mr. Jack-Rich Tein Jr, for the vision to bring TDI Global from North America to train the 33 green-horns into world-class firefighters, pointing out that the firefighters would not be for Belemaoil alone.

She said: “Belemaoil is the first indigenous oil company that is going ahead on to implement our Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) policy and our neighbours will benefit from the firefighters and the firefighting vehicles.

“At Belemaoil, we don’t think about ourselves, we think about others, about our community. Our firefighting department will be available to people outside Belemaoil.

Whenever there is fire, we will go there to save lives.�

The Executive Vicepresident informed the firefighters that the company would continue to help them update their skills through further training both within and outside the country to further sharpen their tactics on firefighting.

Asiegbu, who reminded the firefighters that their job was serious and multifaceted, advised them to be prepared always whether they are on duty or not, because they are considered as potential heroes.

She added: “The job we are giving the firefighters will be beyond Belemaoil. We will continue to train the firefighters, even overseas. Firefighting is a serious job. Firefighters should be prepared always whether they are on duty or not.�

Presenting the certificates, the instructor and Fire Chief Training Officer of TDI Global, Gary Eve, said he was amazed at the speed with which the trainees, most of whom had no previous firefighting skills, keyed into the training to be certified within 31 days. “I wish to thank the President of BelemaOil for taking the initiative.

STOCKTAKING

L-R:Non-executiveDirector,PropertygateDevelopmentandInvestmentPlc,MrPeterFolikwe;CompanySecretary,MrsJanetFifo;ManagingDirector/ CEO, Mr Adetokunbo Ajayi; and non -executive Director, Mr Jonathan Oluwole, at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lagos...recently

NB Reaffirms Commitment to Media Excellence Jonathan Eze Nigerian Breweries Plc has restated its commitment to excellence in the practice of journalism as the 10th edition of the Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Awards opens with a promise to honour journalists who abide by the fine ethics of the profession.

Nigerian Breweries’ Corporate Affairs Adviser, Kufre Ekanem, affirmed that the awards has greatly impacted the role of the press in the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

He added that since its incep-

tion, the award has produced nine grand prize winners in the ‘Journalist of the Year’ category, six grand prize winners in the ‘Photo Journalist of the Year’ category and four others in the ‘Report of the Year’ category.

It has also produced several runners up in the three categories, he added. “Looking back over the last nine editions, we are happy that the initiative has continued to help improve the quality of journalism in Nigeria going by the quality of entries we receive every year as attested to by our independent panel of judges and stakeholders

in the Nigerian media who have been part of the awards over the years,� he said.

Ekanem disclosed that in the milestone 10th edition, the company was again directing the attention of the Nigerian media to the area of agriculture, local sourcing and industrial development as the theme for the Nigerian Breweries award. “As a company committed to winning with Nigeria, we believe that the focus on agriculture, local sourcing and industrial development is key to making our country achieve her full potential as a self –reliant and developed country

with a diversified economic base, he added.

According to him, entries for the award opened on Wednesday, June 13, 2018, and will close on Friday, July 13, 2018.

He enjoined journalists from all media platforms with reports published in 2017, and focusing on agriculture, local sourcing and industrial development to avail themselves of the opportunity presented by the award.

A maximum of three entries is allowed per journalist and dedicated e-mail and corporate addresses were given.

Stakeholders Urged to Boost Agency NBCC Seal Deal to Boost Trade, Banking Investment Emma Okonji The Chief Executive Officer, Xpress Payment Solution, Mr. Oluwadare Peekaboo has stressed the need for operators in the financial sector to cooperate work towards fast-tracking the deployment of agency banking services across the nation.

He stated this during a presentation at this year’s Payment, Identification and E-commerce event, Digital Pay Expo 2018, themed ‘Innovative Financial Services for The Vast Unserved Segments’ in Lagos.

Speaking on the topic tagged: “Agency Banking as Driver for Financial Inclusion,� Peekaboo said the conventional banks, telecom companies, regulatory

agencies and other stakeholders need to work together to improve financial inclusion.

According to him, “In fact, the banks are not even interested in building branches again. If you talk of employment opportunities, agency banking will create more jobs even at a faster pace. “Different levels of agents will be deployed across various locations to serve consumers and address issues before or during and after any financial transaction. Agency banking is more or less an enabler for the conventional banking services. “That means, we cannot do it by ourselves. This is because the banks only help to save money. And whatever transaction that takes place on our

platform and has to go through the bank and the banks have to pay for the services that we render. We need the services of the telcos to be able to operate effectively. “A typical example is the USSD services from the telcos.

You also need them to send text messages and data across board.

One needs to look at the services the telcos are providing and see the need to connect with it. “This platform is needed just as we need data for our mobile devices today�.

Explaining the measure being put in place by banking agencies, Peekaboo said Xpress Payment Solutions and other operators would need to sensitise the public on the benefit of agency banking.

Emma Okonji The Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) has signed an agreement with the British Chambers of Commerce to become one of the 10 international affiliate chambers in the British Chambers of Commerce.

Announcing the agreement signing in Lagos recently, the President of NBCC, Mr. Akinola Olawore said the affiliate agreement would enhance trade and investment between Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK), as well as create opportunities for members of Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce to have access to companies spreads

across the 52 chambers in the UK. It will also provide direct routes to the UK market, access to one of the largest crosssectorial Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) audiences in the UK, as well as unrivalled insight into the UK’s business landscape and high profile local and national media engagement opportunities.

Having concluded on the affiliate agreement, Olawore, last week, led a delegation of Nigerian business owners and professionals on a trade mission to the United Kingdom, specifically to London and Liverpool, in line with the founding objective of the NBCC to promote trade and investment between

Nigerian and the UK. According to Olawore, the multi-sector focused mission would provide a platform for Nigerian and British businesses to engage and collaborate and is intended to encourage, promote and facilitate trade and investments between the two nations. “The five-day mission will feature a series of business-tobusiness (B2B) meetings with prospective partners from various British Chambers of Commerce, key policy influencers and Nigerians in the diaspora,� he said.

Delegates would also have the opportunity to participate at the International Business Festival in Liverpool and the London Technology Week.

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VAIDS: Lessons to Learn from Tax Amnesty In less than two weeks, the curtains will be drawn on the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme. Ndubuisi Francis reports that there are enormous benefits and useful lessons from the tax amnesty

Buhari Taxation is not an end in itself, but an instrument for advancing citizens’ well-being as part of a well-functioning state. Tax is a core part of state-building and constitutes a visible sign of the social contract between citizens and the state, enshrining the principle of revenue-for-service. Estimates of tax potential from the literature (Fenochietto 2013, IMF 2017b) suggest that a non-oil tax capacity of 16 to 18 per cent would be optimal for a country with Nigeria’s economic structure and per capita income levels. This estimate implies space for additional tax collection of 12 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) since the current tax revenue-to-GDP is about six per cent.

The Nigerian authorities have made a key development objective of raising the non-oil revenue to GDP ratio to 15 per cent by 2020.

Both the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) published in March 2017, which seeks to keep the fiscal deficit within the boundary established by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and the 2018 Budget emphasise this revenue target. Increasing non-oil tax revenue would be realised through a series of tax administration initiatives (improving tax compliance, broadening the tax net, employing appropriate technology) combined with tax policy reforms (strengthening tax legislation, introduction of tax on luxury items, and other indirect taxes to capture a greater share of the informal economy).

Therefore, the introduction of Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) tallies with the objectives.

What VAIDS represents VAIDS is a time-limited initiative that allows taxpayers to regularise their tax status relating to the six previous years’ tax assessment periods. In exchange for full declaration of previously undisclosed assets and income, taxpayers are forgiven overdue interest and penalties and receive assurance of immunity from criminal prosecution for tax offences and from tax investigations.

VAIDS covers all federal and state taxes, including companies’ income tax, personal

Adeosun

MARKET INDICATOR income tax, petroleum profits tax, capital gains tax, withholding tax, stamp duties, and tertiary education tax and technology tax (NITDA levy).

Implemented by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in collaboration with all States Internal Revenue Services (SIRS) including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the scheme commenced on July 1, 2017 running for a nine-month period until March 31, 2018.

However, when the initial nine-month duration elapsed, President Muhamadu Buhari approved a three-month extension which ends on June 30.

Immediate Gains and the Aftermath At conception, VAIDS was expected to generate up to US$1 billion (N305 billion) in tax revenue. However, few weeks to the terminal date, it has generated N30 billion.

Beyond the quantum of revenue generated, the scheme has been applauded locally and internationally. The measure of the success of any venture, particularly a scheme like VAIDS is not tied to pecuniary gains only.

Speaking on the performance of the scheme, the Executive Chairman, FIRS, Mr. Tunde Fowler confirmed that a greater impact of the scheme was the five million addition to the tax database from 14 million to 19 million.

While presenting VAIDS certificates of declaration to the chairmen of the state tax revenue authorities, Fowler said the N30 billion raked in so far came from both individual and corporate establishments.

According to him, while the FIRS was responsible for the collection of 90 per cent of the sum, the states accounted for 10 per cent of the collection.

Fowler told members of the Joint Tax Board (JTB) that the beauty of VAIDS transcended the financial gains but rather its potential of expanding the tax net.

He said: “Looking beyond the financial returns of the scheme, the impact it has

had in promoting voluntary compliance is unquantifiable. One of the outcomes of the scheme, whether directly or indirectly, is the growth of the national taxpayer database from under 14 million pre-2016 to over 19 million in 2018, and we are confident that these numbers will translate into positive growth in the country ’s tax revenue-to-GDP ratio when the official percentage for 2017 is released . “ According to him, some states had achieved significant progress in VAIDS compliance, adding that this informed the invitation of the executive chairmen of the revenue authorities of such states.

Fowler added : “VAIDS goes beyond just taking advantage of immediate gains. In recent times, the incidence of illicit financial flows, aggressive tax avoidance and outright tax evasion are on the front burner. “The international community, recognising the need to present a united front against this trend, which is a limiting factor in the quest towards exploiting the inherent potential of taxation as a viable alternative to sustainable revenue generation, especially for developing and emerging economies, has designed and is implementing a number of initiatives that will leave no hiding place for the tax evader.�

Fowler urged the state revenue chairmen to constantly engage in enlightening taxpayers about voluntary tax compliance as a way of developing a friendlier tax environment.

As part of activities lined up to ensure increased awareness on the scheme in particular and tax compliance in general, staff of the JTB secretariat in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance effective June 14, 2018 began a tax sensitisation exercise every Thursday in the states until the end of the scheme.

As the current advert aptly captures, “There’s no hiding place�, the introduction of VAIDS has tightened the noose on tax evaders.

VAIDS has opened the leeway for the income, assets and transaction data of millions of Nigerians to be obtained from a variety of sources, including land registries, banks, FIRS, Corporate Affairs Commission,

Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Airports of Authority of Nigeria and numerous payment information platforms.

Such data have been analysed to yield tax debt profile of individuals and companies after which letters were written to defaulters, warning them to comply with VAIDS before the deadline.

Owners of undeclared offshore assets are equally certain to be tracked through a variety of multi-jurisdictional agreements to which Nigeria is signatory.

Among these are Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI), which started January 1, 2018, and enables tax authorities in Nigeria to receive information, even without requesting, from tax authorities in other countries.

The federal government has also started working on modalities for the implementation of the Common Reporting Standards (CRS), which will deliver taxpayers’ information to government directly from commercial banks.

Full implementation of the CRS will enable the government receive information from accounts domiciled in countries by Nigerian tax residents.

Experts had warned that the availability of data from various sources makes it difficult for tax dodgers to evade the attention of tax authorities. They noted tax binformation had always been available, but not as integrated as they now are because of VAIDS. Cooperation among government agencies and tax authorities at federal and state levels has ensured a profusion of data on incomes and assets, which would be matched with lifestyle to yield a full picture of the tax status of an individual or corporate entity.

Others contend that tax avoidance, especially for those with incomes and assets outside Nigeria has been made more difficult. They believe that the range of international instruments, which Nigeria is part of, facilitate the sharing of information among tax authorities even without request.

Again, reference is made of the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI), one of such tools in the hands of tax authorities across jurisdictions.

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RETURNS ON UTILIZATION OF FUNDS SOLD TO CUSTOMERS FOR THE WEEK ENDED FRIDAY 15th-JUNE 2018 This publication: Mandated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

BANK: ECOBANK NIGERIA LIMITED SN CUSTOMER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

THE SLAY NETWORK LTD OKONKWO ROSE UGOCHI OKODI EKAETE OKODI SIR DR AND LADY SABASTINE NGAH AUDU MUSA IRIGO PATRICIA ONOKAHOTA ESSIEN CHARLES HENRY OSITA AND NGOZI OGUEJIOFOR BOBAI ESTHER WANDEL INTERNATIONAL NIG LTD

ITEM OF IMPORT

DIVIDEND AND CAPITAL REPATRIATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION BICYCLES IN CKD THREE WHEELERS (200CC MOTORIZED TRICYCLES - SPARK IGNITION) IN CKD - TVS 11 WANDEL INTERNATIONAL NIG LTD BRAND, ENGINE TYPE: 4 STROKE PETROL VERSION, ENGINE CAPACITY: 200CC 12 ETUK ALMA ANIEFIOK BTA PTA 13 AMEH MERCY OMOMO BTA PTA 14 CHINAKA SUNDAY ONYEMAUCHECHUKWU BTA PTA 15 ODEDEYI OMOTUNDE MODUPEOLUWA BTA PTA 16 BABALOLA FLORENCE ABIMBOLA BTA PTA 17 UDUNENWU VITALIS EBERECHUKWU BTA PTA 18 ADENEKAN AFUSAT ADUNI BTA PTA 19 MUSTAPHA SHERIFF SHEU BTA PTA 20 JOHN SAMUEL NDUESO BTA PTA 21 OKOROM IFEYINWA ELIZABETH BTA PTA 22 ASOGWA TOCHUKWU CHARLES BTA PTA 23 HASSAN EMMANUEL BTA PTA 24 OJO OLAMILEKAN SUNDAY BTA PTA 25 OLOTUAH TEMITOPE BTA PTA 26 AIRUOYUWA PRINCESS VERA BTA PTA 27 ATANDEYI BABAJIDE OMOTAYO BTA PTA 28 ETOLUE KINGSLEY KACHY BTA PTA 29 IPI POWERTECH NIGERIA LIMITED BATTERIES SHC 12-200FT C & D 85072080 30 IPI POWERTECH NIGERIA LIMITED OIL FILTER, FUEL FILTER, AIR FILTER, V-BELT 31 DAG INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LTD BAJAJ BOXER -BM100CC MOTORCYCLE IN CKD PACKED CONDITION 32 DAG INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LTD BAJAJ BOXER -BM100CC MOTORCYCLE IN CKD PACKED CONDITION 33 AJOSE-ADEOGUN AYOADE ADEBOLA BTA PTA 34 BARUWA ABIOLA RASHIDAT BTA PTA 35 ODEDINA YETUNDE IDOWU BTA PTA 36 UGWU PETER CHINEDU BTA PTA 37 AHANONU SYLVESTER IFEANYI BTA PTA 38 AGBO QUEENETH NKECHI BTA PTA 39 AJAYI OLUFUNMILOLA OLUWAFUNBI BTA PTA 40 ADEYEMI ELIZABETH OMOTAYO BTA PTA 41 ONYEGBULE CHIGOZIRIM BTA PTA 42 SULE ABAYOMI ADAMS BTA PTA 43 ONYEALUSI PRISCILLA.O BTA PTA 44 CHUKELUBA CHIKAODILI BTA PTA 45 OLUSESI LARYOR NURAIN BTA PTA 46 OLUFEMI-BABEM TEMITOPE BTA PTA 47 IFENUGA OLAYINKA BTA PTA 48 BABA HASSAN ABDULLAHI BTA PTA 49 IBITOYE BAMIDELE BTA PTA 50 OLUOSEKE ABOSEDE OLAITAN BTA PTA 51 EYO PATRICK BASSEY BTA PTA 52 ARTHUR ANIEFIOK UDO BTA PTA 53 EBONG OMOTAYO BTA PTA 54 HASSAN FRIDDAUSI FOLASHAYO BTA PTA 55 JIBRIL JUMMAI BTA PTA 56 UGAMA OGBONNAYA NKPUMA BTA PTA 57 UDO VICTOR EFFIONG BTA PTA 58 ETUK ANIEFIOK JONAH BTA PTA 59 NMESI MAUDELINE NNENNA EDUCATION 60 KAKA ADEYEMI AZEEZ EDUCATION 61 ISMAIL IBRAHIM EDUCATION 62 BASSEY DENIS OFEM EDUCATION 63 MAIKUDI SALAMATU EDUCATION 64 ANI OKECHUKWU DAVID EDUCATION 65 ELIZADE NIGERIA LIMITED JAC LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS 66 A A RANO NIGERIA LTD IMPORTATION OF 20,000MT OF AGO 67 INTEGRATED FISHERIES COMP LTD LC PAYMENT FOR SEA PRODUCT FOR ANIMAL FEED/CHARG 68 ECOBANK NIGERIA LIMITED OFFSHORE CHARGES 69 ECOBANK NIGERIA LIMITED OFFSHORE CHARGES 70 INTEGRATED FISHERIES COMP LTD LC PAYMENT FOR SEA PRODUCT FOR ANIMAL FEED/CHARG 71 PRUDENT ENERGY AND SERVICES LTD IMPORTATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS 72 PRUDENT ENERGY AND SERVICES LTD IMPORTATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS 73 BLESS PERO INTL LIMITED CELLULOSE FIBRES FOR SHOE MATERIALS ONLY 74 GREAT DIAMOND INTEGRATED SERVICES LTD CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE 75 BLESSED EMMY KING INTERNATIONAL LIMITED KNIFE SWITCH 76 MACS BUSINESS VENTURES. KNIFE SWITCH 77 MARYMENT NIGERIA LTD GASOLINE WATER PUMP 78 KEN FAITH GLOBAL CONCEPTS LIMITED SPORTS EQUIPMENT 79 JOSEJO INTERNATIONAL LIMITED FOOD PACKING FLASK 80 TWINBRIDGE NIGERIA LIMITED LAMPHOLDER 81 PRINCE O J GLOBAL SERVICES LTD UNCOATED CRAFT PAPER 82 YOUNG ONIYAN EXPRESS TAILORING MATERIAL - SEWING THREAD 83 HENCO INDUSTRIES LIMITED CRANKSHAFT FOR X2 84 DIVINE CUTLASS GLOBAL CONCEPT LTD LAPHOLDER 85 NEW SYL INT L ASSOCIATES UMBRELLA 86 ASHOK LEYLAND NIGERIA LIMITED SPARE PART FOR ASHOK LEYLAND VEHICLES 87 GMB NA ALLAH GLOBAL CO LTD SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES 88 KACHIN COMPANY WALL CLOCK 89 EBIMAK INVESTMENT AND TRADE LTD LAMPHOLDER 90 WADMOS INTERNATIONAL AND ASSOCIATES PACKAGING MACHINE 91 C DIS COMPANY NIG LTD HAND TOOLS: HAMMER 92 JOLLYRHYDE NIGERIA LIMITED KNIFE SWITCH 93 OKEKE SAMMYWAY ELECTRICAL CO LTD KNIFE SWITCH 94 WASKAS AROLU NIG ENTERPRISES GENERATORS 95 ONUCO GLOBAL RESOURCES KNIFE SWITCH 96 B.C EDU ENTERPRISE UMBRELLA 97 ULTRATRENDY NIGERIA LIMITED STEEL DOOR AND WATER CLOSET 98 CIJO ENT NIG BAG & SHOE ACCESSORIES (Rivets Hooks Make Up With Steel, Eyelets With Steel) 99 TOYA-SOY VENTURES NIG. LTD CCTV CAMERA & RECORDERS 100 ELO BIG JAMES ENTERPRISES TAILORING MATERIAL - SEWING THREAD 101 UZOMINA INVESTMENT NIGERIA LIMITED TAILORING MATERIAL - SEWING THREAD 102 PRODAVE PHARMACY LTD FIRST AID BOX - HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT 103 JOSEJO INTERNATIONAL LIMITED FOOD PACKING FLASK 104 RAPHFRANK IMPEX LIMITED CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE 105 AJULUCHUKWU INTERNATIONAL TAILORING MATERIAL(SEWING THREAD

DATE OF EXFUND CHANGE PURCHASE RATE 11-Jun-18 354.00 11-Jun-18 360.00 11-Jun-18 360.00 11-Jun-18 360.00 11-Jun-18 360.00 11-Jun-18 360.00 11-Jun-18 360.00 11-Jun-18 360.00 11-Jun-18 360.00 11-Jun-18 315.00

AMOUNT

SN CUSTOMER

200,000.00 1,931.45 1,945.00 5,555.00 8,857.88 2,997.81 2,415.00 7,714.85 1,530.00 51,237.00

106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143

11-Jun-18

315.00

133,500.00

11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 11-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18 12-Jun-18

360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 341.00 341.00 341.00 315.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00 360.00

2,693.40 3,000.00 4,000.00 1,270.00 700.28 950.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 3,000.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 1,500.00 1,000.00 4,000.00 1,900.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 273,300.00 23,045.00 203,655.00 300,000.00 3,891.80 1,300.00 3,000.00 1,000.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 1,677.50 4,000.00 3,800.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 4,000.00 2,000.00 4,000.00 1,200.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 3,999.16 4,000.00 3,999.70 4,000.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 3,700.00 3,905.43 715.00 8,254.58 2,034.83 14,894.00 6,000.00 5,416.00 135.00 11,287.75 1,099.35 92.48 86.09 846.40 12,111.77 26,243.64 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 10,600.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 18,254.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 10,000.00 20,000.00 10,000.00 20,000.00 15,634.00 11,366.00 20,000.00 9,400.00 20,000.00 20,000.00

ORIEST A.I INVESTMENT LIMITED DOVELINK RESOURCES NIGERIA LTD CEE-IBESON INTEGRATED RESOURCES FCAR TECH NIGERIA LTD TOPIC AGRO RESOURCES LIMITED NEW HOME GLOBAL RESOURCES LTD IMMAC ELECTRICAL COMPANY NIG LIMITED AUTHENTIC MOBY NIG. LTD. ENEPAT ENTERPRISES (NIGERIA) MC CHIBUIKE INVESTMENT LTD CHARLES-CHINEX VENTURES LIMITED EL KAY KAY INDUSTRIES LTD NADIS BEST ENT OKEYDON GOLD CONCEPT LTD E N OKAFOR AND SONS NIGERIA ENTERPRISES SYNERGETICS GLOBAL SYSTEMS LIMITED CJC AND SONS LIMITED OK GOD INTERNATIONAL LINK NIGERIA CHEAZY INVESTMENT LIMITED MANTRAC NIGERIA LIMITED KRISHAT PHARMA INDUSTRIES LIMITED DAG INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LTD DIRECT PLATFORM INTERNATIONAL LIMI KRISHAT PHARMA INDUSTRIES LIMITED NAIJA GLOBAL LOGISTICS LTD JUBAILI AGROTEC LIMITED REGAL CHEM NIGERIA LIMITED CROWNSTAR COMMERCIAL INVEST NIG LTD JUBAILI AGROTEC LIMITED FRANKENSTEIN INNOVATORS LIMITED REGATTA INDUSTRIES LIMITED CROWNPACK NIGERIA LIMITED WYNCA SUNSHINE AGRIC PRODUCT NIG LT REGATTA INDUSTRIES LIMITED NAIJA GLOBAL LOGISTICS LTD GLOBAL MANUFACTURING ALLIANCE AND AKI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED REGATTA INDUSTRIES LIMITED

ITEM OF IMPORT

CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE AIRCONDITION BRACKETS CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE VALVE AND FILTER CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE CERAMIC SUSPENSION INSULATOR 52-3 BONLE BRAND GENERATORS LAMPHOLDER ANIMAL FEED PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT FOR FISH AIRCONDITION BRACKETS UNCOATED KRAFT PAPER AND BOARD UMBRELLA CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE HAND TOOLS : HAMMER, BRAND: SIGNAL, MODEL : 16 VIDEO CAMERAS & RECORDERS CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE CRANKSHAFT FOR DOLLMAR MACHINE DISCHARGE LAMPS(B22 MODEL) C18 ACERT INDUST. FIRE PUMP ENGINE RATED 800 BHP (597 BKW) @ 1750 RPM PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS BAJAJ BOXER - BM100CC MOTORCYCLE IN CKD PACKED CONDITION PAYMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF HAIR CLIPPERS PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS IMPORT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AGRICULTURAL HERBICIDES IMPORT OF INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL - LDPE PLAIN PAPER/ PAPER BOARD AGRICULTURAL HERBICIDES IMPORT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT IMPORT OF INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL - METHANOL PLAIN PAPER IN REELS / SHEETS AGRICULTURAL HERBICIDE("SUNPHOSATE 360 SL"BRAND) IMPORT OF INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL - CAUSTIC SODA PEARLS(CSP) IMPORT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT Styrene Acrylic IMPORTATION OF MOTORCYCLE PARTS IMPORT OF INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL - PETOLEUM JELLY TRANSMISSION APPARATUS, SAM2 INDOOR UNIT, SAM2SEP FTLS&B, SAM2LCK144 M-P INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED 00AC, CS1100, IPV5403AQDN TRANSMISSION APPARATUS, SAM2 INDOOR UNIT, SAM2SEP FTLS&B, SAM2LCK145 M-P INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED 00AC, CS1100, IPV5403AQDN 146 FRANKENSTEIN INNOVATORS LIMITED IMPORT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT 147 IRON PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES LIMITED RAW MATERIAL FOR MANUFACTURING HOT ROLLED STEEL:BEAMS 148 WHITFIELD VENTURES LTD PROCUREMENT OF SUPERPHOSPHATES 149 FATADE ADERONKE OLADUNNI BTA PTA 150 OLUKOYA SARAK ADEBUSOLA BTA PTA 151 KASIM ABDUR-RAZAQ OLUKOLADE BTA PTA 152 ASIODU PHILIP CHIKWUEDO BTA PTA 153 UNACHUKWU UCHECHUKWU MICHAEL BTA PTA 154 UTOMWEN OLUFUNKE FUNMILAYO BTA PTA 155 OLUKOLU MOJISOLA ABOSEDE BTA PTA 156 OGUNTUYI GILBERT OLAOLUWA BTA PTA 157 OLALEYE OLADELE BTA PTA 158 ILOZUE MATTHEW CHUKWUJEKWU BTA PTA 159 OKEKE CHIBUIKE EVARISTUS BTA PTA 160 AIGBE WILLIAM FRIDAY AMAR DR BTA PTA 161 BALOGUN ABOLANLE BUSHRA BTA PTA 162 EZE-IBE NNEKA CHIDUNGA BTA PTA 163 JACOB EDET ASUQUO BTA PTA 164 IKESE ALI ABEL BTA PTA 165 IKESE ALI ABEL BTA PTA 166 KWEMBEH BERNARD AONDOSEER BTA PTA 167 UGWU JERRY IKE BTA PTA 168 TALEATU ABDULWAHEED OMOYENI BTA PTA 169 BUORO AUSTIN BARIKI BTA PTA 170 ONUORA OGBONNA SYLVESTER BTA PTA 171 EDEGHERE OLAYINKA ULUVBO BTA PTA 172 SALAMI TEMITOPE EYITAYO BTA PTA 173 IBRAHIM FOLORUNSO SAMUEL BTA PTA 174 DANBINTA MARKUS YOHANNA BTA PTA 175 DAUDA AZUMI MAGDALENE EDUCATION 176 BABATUNDE BAMIDELE ANJORIN EDUCATION 177 ETOR ROSE UFUOMA EDUCATION 178 A AND C ENGINEERING & MARINE SERVICES LTD EDUCATION 179 RAMONU LATEEF OLATUNJI EDUCATION 180 OKOTIE HARRISON AILELE EDUCATION 181 HRH OBA ADESINA MICHAEL OLUSEGUN EDUCATION 182 JUBAILI AGROTEC LIMITED AGRICULTURAL INSECTICIDE 183 JUBAILI AGROTEC LIMITED AGRICULTURAL INSECTICIDES 184 EKO SUPREME RESOURCES NIGERIA LIMI ACUTEX, ODIFEROUS SUSTANCE SPECKLES &SODIUM CARBONATE 185 DAG INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LTD "BAJAJ BOXER- BM100CC MOTORCYCLE IN CKD PACKED CONDITION" 186 A A RANO NIGERIA LTD IMPORTATION OF 20,000MT OF AGO 187 REGAL CHEM NIGERIA LIMITED Import Of Industrial Raw Material For Book Production - Free Plain Paper In Sheets 188 PRUDENT ENERGY AND SERVICES LTD IMPORTATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS 189 SARO AGROSCIENCE LIMITED AGRICULTURAL INSECTICIDE: SNIPER 190 SARO AGROSCIENCE LIMITED AGRICULTURAL INSECTICIDE: SNIPER 191 GRAND ROY NIGERIA LIMITED PURCHASE OF 820 BAGS OF DRIED PELLETS FOR ANIMAL MEAL PRODUCTION 15 UNITS OF CKD GENERATORS CONSISTING OF PERKINS ENGINE & Mecc-Alte/ 192 MIKANO INTERNATIONAL LTD STAMFORD ALTERNATOR 193 STARLINE NIGERIA LIMITED PAYMENT VIA LC FOR INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIALS. 194 INTEGRATED FISHERIES COMP LTD DRIED SEA PRODUCTS FOR ANIMAL FEED 195 GODREJ NIGERIA LIMITED SODIUM PALMITATE 196 IRON PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES LIMITED RAW MATERIAL FOR MANUFACTURING HOT ROLLED STEEL: BEAMS 197 SABASTEEL INDUSTRIAL NIG LTD RAW MATERIAL FOR MANUFACTURING HOT ROLLED STEEL 198 SIL NAK INTL NIG LTD PAYMENT FOR ANIMAL FEEDS VIA LC. 199 JUBAILI BROS NIGERIA LIMITED PERKINS ENGINES FOR GENERATOR ASEMBLY 200 VIK INDUSTRIES LTD RAW MATERIAL - PROPYLENE COPOLYMER 201 M-P INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED E SITE K12 UPS POWER PACK 202 INTEGRATED FISHERIES COMP LTD DRIED SEA PRODUCTS FOR ANIMAL FEED 203 STRONG TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED CBN INTERVENTION 204 INT TOWERS LIMITED CBN INTERVENTION 205 INT TOWERS LIMITED CBN INTERVENTION 206 GHANA HIGH COMMISSION GOVT OF GHANA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS PAYMENT 207 CAJEK INVESTMENT NIG. LTD. SEWING THREAD 208 DE GREAT HENRYSON LTD SPORTS EQUIPMENT

DATE OF EXFUND CHANGE PURCHASE RATE 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 12-Jun-18 360.00 13-Jun-18 315.00 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18 343.33 13-Jun-18

AMOUNT 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 5,400.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 2,767.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 84,169.74 132,731.97 703,655.00 55,000.00 50,010.00 9,360.40 51,788.53 29,598.37 71,383.70 444,750.00 40,000.00 100,000.00 89,131.00 140,000.00 81,760.00 25,000.00 102,000.00 300,000.00 226,200.00

343.33

109,273.48

13-Jun-18

343.33

109,273.48

13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18

343.33 52,361.60 343.33 61,032.78 343.33 4,050.00 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 3,999.13 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 3,300.00 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 2,006.25 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 2,650.00 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 3,999.13 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 3,985.75 360.00 1,000.00 360.00 1,605.00 360.00 1,337.50 360.00 3,878.75 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 2,700.00 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 4,000.00 360.00 939.40 360.00 2,500.00 360.00 850.00 360.00 13,881.78 360.00 14,999.97 360.00 1,867.04 360.00 5,398.00 360.00 1,967.50 360.00 6,072.75 360.00 15,000.00 343.33 428,200.00 343.33 428,200.00 343.33 27,266.00 343.33 96,630.00 343.33 1,300,000.00 343.33 150,300.00 343.33 1,500,000.00 343.33 28,007.03 343.33 171,992.97 343.33 89,900.00

13-Jun-18

343.33

13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18 13-Jun-18

343.33 90,000.00 343.33 149,050.00 343.33 45,000.00 343.33 12,580.00 343.33 18,880.00 343.33 124,511.47 343.33 67,036.14 343.33 27,718.26 343.33 218,546.96 343.33 145,000.00 343.33 100,000.00 343.33 1,012,273.91 343.33 1,012,273.91 360.00 16,000.00 360.00 20,000.00 360.00 20,000.00

135,870.00

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EFG Hermes Named Top Frontier Markets Brokerage Firm EFG Hermes, one of the leading financial services corporation serving institutional and individual investors in frontier emerging markets, has for the first time been ranked as the number one frontier market brokerage firm in the Extel Survey 2018, advancing from the ninth place it was last year.

A statement explained that the nod from the industry survey came just two years into EFG Hermes’ drive to expand beyond the Middle-east and North Africa into frontier emerging markets.

Prior to the ranking, statement revealed that EFG Hermes was named the top Africa Ex-South Africa Equities House at the Financial Mail Top Analyst Awards 2018, solidifying its strong presence in the African

market. “Coming on the heels of our ranking as the top Africa Ex-South Africa Equities House at the Financial Mail Top Analyst Awards 2018, this industry recognition highlights the core strength of EFG Hermes Research manifested in its ability to respond rapidly to the significantly increasing demand for new investment ideas and strategies amid the ever-changing dynamics of markets and economies,� the London-based Chief Executive Officer of EFG Hermes Frontier, Ali Khalpey said. “Our strategy is to match our growing execution capabilities with world-class research that meets the needs of our clients. “Beyond EFG Hermes’ strength as a research house

in the MENA region, this is proof that our calculated investments into frontier expansion has paid off and underscores our unmatched strength in new geographies that we have entered within the past two years,�

Khalpey added.

The commendation followed EFG Hermes Frontier’s recent entry into Bangladesh, bringing its direct presence to eleven markets across four continents.

In addition to ramping up execution capabilities to cover more than 95 per cent of markets on the MSCI Frontier Emerging Index, EFG Hermes said it had focused its frontier efforts on providing clients with world-class, on-the-ground research spanning African, Middle Eastern and Asian markets.

Okeremi Emerges ISPON President The CEO of PFS Solutions, Dr. Yele Okeremi has emerged as the new president of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON).

He was elected the fifth President of ISPON, after the fourth President of ISPON, Mr. James Emadoye completed a one-term tenure of two years.

Other members of the newly elected executives of ISPON are: the Managing Director of Datalinks, Mr. Cliff Adams Bitrus as First Vice President; Managing Director, Neptune Software, Mr. David Majomi as second Vice President; Head, Brands and Marketing, SystemSpecs, Mr. Lanre Adelanwa as General Secretary; Director, Edalaf Brothers Limited, Dr. Falade Abiodun as Assistant General Secretary and

Mr. Bimbo Abioye as Chairman, Policy and Strategy Committee.

During his inaugural speech, Okeremi thanked members of ISPON for their votes and promised to build on the legacy that the former president left behind.

He thanked Emadoye for his stewardship during his reign from 2016 to 2018 and promised to accomplish the task ahead of ISPON. Speaking on the issue of low patronage of indigenous software, Okeremi who expressed dissatisfaction, called on Nigerians to support and encourage ISPON members and software developers in Nigeria by patronising indigenous software, which he said, needed the encouragement of industry stakeholders and the

government to grow big. “The richest people in the world are software developers. About 30 per cent of the richest people in the world are in technology and chiefly in software. “The real wealth of a nation lies in the heads and minds of human beings and as Nigerians, we must continue to support and patronise indigenous software to enable the developers improve on their strengths and weaknesses. “These are the kind of things we want to reverse in our county and society. Any society that fails to develop its human capital, is doomed for failure. We will continue to engage with the government through advocacy on the need for government to develop its human capital,�

Okeremi said.

FG, May & Baker Sign Agreement to Produce Sickle Cell Drug May & Baker Nigeria Plc has signed an agreement with the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) for commercial production of an anti sickle cell drug known as NAPRISAN. The agreement was signed recently in Abuja by the Managing Director/CEO May & Baker, Mr. Nnamdi Okafor and the Acting Director General of NIPRD, Professor Olabayo Kunle, and was witnessed by the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole.

The Federal Executive Council recently ratified the Memorandum of Understanding between NIPRD and May & Baker leading

to the eventual signing of the commercialisation agreement.

Speaking on the agreement, Okafor said that the company took on the task of producing NIPRISAN to provide succour to many homes who have been weighed down by the agony of sickle cell anaemia. “We expect this product to be a commercial success and a leading product of our company as we intend to give it all the attention required,� he said.

NIPRISAN is an anti-sickling formula that was discovered

by NIPRD researchers several years back. Its commercialisation in Nigeria was expected to substantially relieve the sickle

cell disease burden which is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of people in the country yearly and has brought agony to many families.

NIPRISAN is one of the few successful formulations that has been acknowledged to treat the sickle cell anaemia.

With its commercial production May & Baker will not only have added to her large basket of successful quality medicines but would set the blaze in encouraging local research into various medicines . This is expected to encourage researchers to do more work that would throw up local medicaments for the disease burden in Africa.

FirstBank Celebrates CR&S Week First Bank of Nigeria Limited is commemorating the second edition of its Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) Week scheduled for June 19 to 23rd, 2018. The event with the theme: “Touching Lives: You First,� would offer the bank’s employees the opportunity to give their time and resources in the service of humanity. The week-long event which is being commemorated across the bank’s business communities in Nigeria, United Kingdom, Democratic

Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal is a reflection of the financial institution’s brand promise to always put stakeholder needs first. Also, a statement from the bank explained that it also reinforces its role in driving sustainable development in the communities where it operates.

The CR&S Week would witness the culmination and consolidation of the bank’s interventions in social responsibility, promoting random acts of kinds across 800

communities to reignite acts of kindness in our society.

The events are tailored towards re-orientating the society along the right values; encouraging the citizenry to intentionally create positive impact in their immediate environment.

Part of the highlight of the event showed that the bank would be promoting acts of random kindness in its over 800 business communities, explaining that the initiative was launched in 2017.

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018

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ADVERTORIAL

T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018

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Ëœ ͚΀˜ ͺ͸͚͜ Ëž T H I S D AY

:

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

Investment Research

Brokerage Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Eronmosele Aziba | eaziba@afrinvest.com

T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY JUNE 18, 2018

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CITYSTRINGS

ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™ĂœËœ Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă? äĂ?Ă™ĂŒĂ“ Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– Ă?Ă’Ă“Ă?Ă—Ă?Ă–Ă“Ă?Ë›Ă?äĂ?Ă™ĂŒĂ“ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

A Community's Solution After the government's seeming abandonment of the roads in Arepo, an Ogun State community, local residents took it upon themselves to fix the problems, writes Peter Uzoho

A portion of the road tarred by community funds

R

ecently, the people of Arepo convened a meeting. The goal was to raise money to fix the community’s terrible roads, starting with the construction of a 1.2km road. This was a decision taken after endlessly waiting for its state government to come to its aid.

Arepo is a satellite town off the LagosIbadan Expressway in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, and it is noted for its delightful settlement and magnificent structures. But, recently, the community has witnessed some mass exodus due to the terrible state of its road network.

According to some observers, the area, which is home to Journalists’ Estate and several choice estates, is the next prime location after Magodo, where a plot of land cost as much as N15 million, but the sorry state of the estate in terms of road infrastructure has affected the quality of life and value of investment in the area.

However, to change the narrative, the residents, who had embarked on a ‘Yes, we

During rainy season, we sometimes record casualties on this road especially among pregnant women and children because the road is completely not motorable.

So, everybody resorts to commercial motorcycles and we all know how vulnerable women and children are under this avoidable but pathetic situation

can fix our road’ initiative, said they are prepared to rescue their estate after repeated attempts to engage the state government failed to yield result.

Speaking at the kick-off and fundraising of the communal effort recently, president of Arepo Central Community Development Association (ACCDA), Mr. Kehinde Adeyemo, said the move was galvanised by the failure of the Ogun State Government to keep its promise.

Adeyemo, a quantity surveyor, said the community has spent N18 million cumulatively on the project, while the first phase of the main access road cost N8 million.

According to him, the main access road was awarded six years ago at the inception of Governor Amosun’s administration and ever since, residents have been engaging the government on the need to come to their aid, all to no avail.

Specifically, he said the road was awarded to First August construction firm in November 2012 under Contract 11 with a signpost

erected at the Journalist Estate Phase 1 gate and has since remained untouched and impassable for motorists and pedestrians.

He said: “The road awarded to First August November 2012 under contract 11 with a sign post erected at the Journalists Estate Phase 1 gate end has since remained untouched and impassable for the motorists and pedestrians as well. “I recall when we discovered that the road was going to cut into two due to erosion at the gate of NUJ 2, we gathered funds together and we commenced the culvert.

But before we moved to the second stage of culvert construction, the State Ministry of Works came and help us out. “Also when His Excellency Governor Ibikunle Amosun came in year 2015 to seek re-election, we made it clear that the road was our priority because of the pain we are going through on a daily basis but we are still expecting them up till today. “Each time we appeal to the state government, he used to give us assurance that

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CITYSTRINGS

L-R: President, Arepo Community Central Development Association (ACCDA), Mr. Kehinde Adeyemo; Chairman Shalom Estate, Mr. Shina Shitu; General Secretary ACCDA, Mr. Friday Erabor and the Chairman Sofolahan Estate, Mr. Sani Bello during the community's road fund raising, held at Arepo, Ogun State‌recently Sunday Adigun

the road would be fixed during his tenure.

Because of our concern for the road, we became close to almost everybody in the corridors of power in Abeokuta. Sadly enough, all we got were empty promises.

It was while we were appealing at our end here that the state government contracted and constructed Magboro road. While we are not averse to this, we however felt neglected and disappointed. However, as disappointed as we felt, we equally resolved that the pain we usually pass through every rainy season should end.

Adeyemo also noted that things usually get worse when the rains come. “During rainy season, we sometimes record casualties on this road especially among pregnant women and children because the road is completely not motorable while everybody resorts to Okada and we all know how vulnerable women and children are under this avoidable but pathetic situation,� he said. “So far, residents of Arepo have spent over N18 million cumulatively both from the general purse of ACCDA and

individual estates efforts are ameliorating their pain arising from bad roads.

So far, residents of Arepo have spent over N18 million cumulatively both from the general purse of ACCDA and the individual estate's efforts....It is particularly saddening that of all efforts that we made in ensuring that this government comes to power, this level of neglect is what we are getting

“It is particularly saddening that of all efforts that we made in ensuring that this government comes to power, this level of neglect is what we are getting from this government.�

Speaking further, Mr Adeyemo urged every resident to contribute to the initiative.

He said: “Today we are saying if all of us can come together with the money we are using to fix our cars and we pull the resources together, we can achieve a smooth hard surfaced road in Arepo. We are calling on all landlords and residents to support this course. We propose a minimum of N100,000 per household. “Our current efforts are in addition to several palliative measures we have taken on the poor state of this road. You are all aware of regular sound filling and gradings that have been done at regular intervals in the past. “We don’t expect that everyone will drop it immediately but if we have the project in mind with N10,000 monthly, we would make it in 10 months or N5,000 monthly it

can be done in less than two years. “We want to assure all ACCDA members and Arepo residents of prudent and fund management and accountability. We shall post regular updates on a notice board at the gate house and on the ACCDA WhatsApp platform. “We need every kobo we can raise through the support and participation of all to fix this access road. While we are aware of Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s plan to construct a road linking Isawo-Arepo, we want us to wake up to our own reality.�

Also, the chairman of Shalom Estate, one of the numerous estates in the community, Mr. Shina Shitu, said the project started with a lot of doubt but reality on ground has shown that residents are willing to help themselves by donating generously towards the project.

He urged the officials of the executive committee not to relent in the task ahead in order to improve the quality of life and the value of the estate, which he said is fast deteriorating.

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CITYSTRINGS

L-R: President, Arepo Community Central Development Association (ACCDA), Mr. Kehinde Adeyemo; Chairman Shalom Estate, Mr. Shina Shitu; General Secretary ACCDA, Mr. Friday Erabor and the Chairman Sofolahan Estate, Mr. Sani Bello during the community's road fund raising, held at Arepo, Ogun State‌recently Sunday Adigun

the road would be fixed during his tenure.

Because of our concern for the road, we became close to almost everybody in the corridors of power in Abeokuta. Sadly enough, all we got were empty promises.

It was while we were appealing at our end here that the state government contracted and constructed Magboro road. While we are not averse to this, we however felt neglected and disappointed. However, as disappointed as we felt, we equally resolved that the pain we usually pass through every rainy season should end.

Adeyemo also noted that things usually get worse when the rains come. “During rainy season, we sometimes record casualties on this road especially among pregnant women and children because the road is completely not motorable while everybody resorts to Okada and we all know how vulnerable women and children are under this avoidable but pathetic situation,� he said. “So far, residents of Arepo have spent over N18 million cumulatively both from the general purse of ACCDA and

individual estates efforts are ameliorating their pain arising from bad roads.

So far, residents of Arepo have spent over N18 million cumulatively both from the general purse of ACCDA and the individual estate's efforts....It is particularly saddening that of all efforts that we made in ensuring that this government comes to power, this level of neglect is what we are getting

“It is particularly saddening that of all efforts that we made in ensuring that this government comes to power, this level of neglect is what we are getting from this government.�

Speaking further, Mr Adeyemo urged every resident to contribute to the initiative.

He said: “Today we are saying if all of us can come together with the money we are using to fix our cars and we pull the resources together, we can achieve a smooth hard surfaced road in Arepo. We are calling on all landlords and residents to support this course. We propose a minimum of N100,000 per household. “Our current efforts are in addition to several palliative measures we have taken on the poor state of this road. You are all aware of regular sound filling and gradings that have been done at regular intervals in the past. “We don’t expect that everyone will drop it immediately but if we have the project in mind with N10,000 monthly, we would make it in 10 months or N5,000 monthly it

can be done in less than two years. “We want to assure all ACCDA members and Arepo residents of prudent and fund management and accountability. We shall post regular updates on a notice board at the gate house and on the ACCDA WhatsApp platform. “We need every kobo we can raise through the support and participation of all to fix this access road. While we are aware of Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s plan to construct a road linking Isawo-Arepo, we want us to wake up to our own reality.�

Also, the chairman of Shalom Estate, one of the numerous estates in the community, Mr. Shina Shitu, said the project started with a lot of doubt but reality on ground has shown that residents are willing to help themselves by donating generously towards the project.

He urged the officials of the executive committee not to relent in the task ahead in order to improve the quality of life and the value of the estate, which he said is fast deteriorating.

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INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Aquarius Migrants Step Ashore in Spain after Week-long Ordeal The 630 migrants whose rescue sparked a major migration row in Europe arrived in the Spanish port of Valencia on Sunday after a turbulent week that saw Italy and Malta turn them away, according to Agence France-Presse.

The Aquarius, which has been at the centre of the crisis, sailed into Valencia harbour about 10:30 am (0830 GMT) with 106 migrants on board to applause from police, health workers and translators waiting on the pier.

Under blue skies, migrants danced and sang, their excitement captured in footage released on Twitter

by SOS Mediterranee which operates the rescue vessel with Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

The remaining migrants ar-

rived on an Italian coastguard ship, the Datillo, and an Italian navy vessel, the Orione.

They had been transferred from the Aquarius to make the voyage safer and more comfortable.

Medical staff wearing white overalls, gloves and masks went on board the three ships to carry out initial checks before the migrants disembarked in groups of 20.

They were welcomed by a team of more than 2,000 people, including 470 translators and 1,000 Red Cross volunteers who distributed blankets, clothes and hygiene kits High waves and winds had forced the convoy to take a detour on its 1,500-kilometre (930-mile) voyage to Spain.

“It is the end of a far too long voyage,” said the head of MSF Spain, David Noguera,

adding he was happy that they migrants had finally arrived in a “safe place”.

At the port, a huge banner was hung up saying “Welcome home” in various languages including Arabic.

“Today is a historic day... there will be a before and after,” said Father Angel Garcia Rodriguez, a priest who heads the Messengers of Peace NGO which is helping migrants at the port.

Among the passengers are 450 men and 80 women -- at least seven of them pregnant -- as well as 89 adolescents and 11 children under the age of 13, figures released by the Valencian authorities show.

They come from 26 countries, mainly from Africa but also Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, MSF said.

Three People Hurt in Moscow Taxi Incident to Be Discharged from Hospital – RIA Three people injured when a taxi drove into pedestrians in central Moscow on Saturday will be released from hospital in coming days, Reuters cited the state news agency RIA as reporting.

The taxi drove into a crowd of pedestrians near the Kremlin and injured seven, including two Mexicans visiting the city for the soccer World Cup, which Russia is hosting.

Video of the incident posted on social media showed a yellow taxi pull sharply out of a

line of stationary traffic, accelerate and mount a narrow pavement packed with pedestrians, knocking over several people.

Three of the injured remain in hospital in stable condition and will soon be discharged, RIA cited Alexei Khripun, head of the Moscow city health department, as saying on Sunday.

The other people who were injured had already been discharged, Khripun said, according to RIA. Russia, increasingly isolated on the world stage,

is keen to use the tournament to project an image of stability and strength.

Authorities have vowed a safe event, and any security incidents involving fans could jeopardise Russia’s efforts.

The taxi driver, whose license was issued in the predominantly Muslim ex-Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, according to the Moscow traffic management authority, said he had worked for 20 hours th a t d a y a n d had accelerated by accident.

Suicide Bomber Targets Afghans Celebrating Truce, Killing 18 A suicide bomber struck in Afghanistan’s eastern city of Jalalabad on Sunday, killing at least 18 people in the second attack in as many days targeting Taliban fighters, security forces and civilians celebrating a holiday cease-fire, according to The Associated Press.

Najibullah Kamawal, director of the provincial health department, said another 49 people were wounded in the attack, which struck a crowd of people as they left the governor’s compound.

Saturday’s attack, which also took place in Jalalabad, killed at least 36 people and wounded 65, according to Kamawal, director

of the provincial health department.

No one has claimed the attacks, but they appear to be the work of the Islamic State group, which is not included in the cease-fire and has clashed with the Taliban in the past. The local IS affiliate has a strong presence in the province.

The bomber on Saturday targeted a gathering of Taliban fighters who were celebrating a three-day truce coinciding with the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

After the attack, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced a nine-day extension of the cease-fire.

There was no immediate word from the Taliban

on whether they would observe the extension. The three-day holiday and the cease-fire end Sunday.

The chairman of the High Peace Council, a government body charged with negotiating an end to the nearly 17-year war, called on the Taliban to accept the extended cease-fire and join the peace process.

“We hope that the extension of the cease-fire will be announced by the leadership of the Taliban,” Mohammad Karim Khalili told a press conference in the capital, Kabul. He said there had been an “exchange of views” between the government and the Taliban over the past week, without elaborating.

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ĂœĂ™Ă&#x;Ăš Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ Ejiofor Alike Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Southern, Middle Belt Leaders Express Worries over 2019 Polls Pass vote of no confidence on INEC chairman Shola Oyeyipo Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ĂŽ Emmanuel Addeh Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă˜Ă‹Ă‘Ă™Ă‹ A group of leaders of thought from some parts of Nigeria under the umbrella of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has passed a vote of no confidence on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

Also, a group of Niger Delta elders who said they were concerned about sustaining the existing peace in the region yesterday warned against halting the amnesty programme, which has seen the payment of monthly stipends to some youths in the region.

Rising from a consultative meeting held in Lagos yesterday to review preparations towards the 2019 elections, the body, in a statement signed by Yinka Odumakin, Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-west/Southsouth), Prof Chigozie Ogbu and Dr Isuwa Dogo (South-east/ Middle Belt), accused the INEC boss of betrayal of public trust in the handling of the issue of under-aged voters in Kano State.

Drawing inference from a February 16, 2018, press conference where Yakubu made commitment to Nigerians that the matter would be fully investigated, the forum expressed disgust that months after the pronouncement and prompt conclusion of the investigation by the team he set up, the INEC chairman has refused to release the report. “We demand the immediate release of INEC report on the Kano underage voters’ scandal, interrogation of the Voter Registry by a Judicial Commission with representatives of international and local elections observers to

check cases of underage voters and foreign mercenaries before the 2019 elections. This is very necessary as INEC cannot be a judge in its own cause,� the leaders said.

According to them, “The probe should also be extended to the fake INEC results centre discovered in Rivers State last year and the printing press responsible, which has since been swept under the carpet.�

The group also demanded the suspension of the INEC chairman while the investigation is on to prevent intervention with the probe.

The concerned Nigerians further demanded a restructuring of the Nigerian security apparatus, stating that “We are equally not comfortable with the impunity and gross lopsidedness of appointments into the security architecture of the country and going into election season.� “What special services have the three main Chiefs rendered to the defence system for the president to keep them in office if not that they may be used for partisan roles? How would all sections of the country have confidence in the security arrangement for elections when 16 out of 17 service chiefs are from a section of the country?

We demand that the president should reconstitute the security apparatus so as to earn the confidence of all communities in Nigeria,� the forum stated.

On the alleged registration of mercenary voters from neighboring countries, the leaders raised the alarm over an intelligence report at their disposal, which they claimed revealed that mercenary voters had been registered from neighboring countries, especially from Niger Republic under the

PDP Denies Demanding N12m from Presidential Aspirants The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said its guidelines for 2019 presidential primary election was not yet ready.

The party disclosed this in a statement issued by its National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobundu, yesterday in Abuja.

Akobundu said the clarification became necessary following a publication by a national daily titled “PDP list guidelines for presidential aspirants, demands N12m for forms. “We wish to state categorically that the party is still in the process of drawing up the guidelines for its presidential primary election. “It is therefore misleading to claim that the party has ‘listed its guidelines’ not to talk of the cost of nomination forms. “At the appropriate time the proposals will be presented to NEC of the party which will approve as it deems fit. “Only then can one say that it has the guidelines for the 2018

presidential primary election.�

Akobundu said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of Prince Uche Secondus, was committed to adhering strictly to the PDP constitution.

He noted that the constitution in Chapter 8 (50) (1) grants NEC the power to formulate the guidelines for aspirants in any of its party primaries, the presidential primary inclusive.

Akobundu appreciated the interest in the party’s electoral processes and said PDP was always ready to respond to any enquiries and to make all necessary information available.

The national organising secretary urged the general public, party members and they PDP presidential aspirants to disregard the said publication. “The authentic guidelines for PDP presidential primary election will be released as soon as they are considered by the organs of the party.�

N’Delta leaders warn against stoppage of amnesty programme

Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise, which they feared could have been one of the reasons the federal government is in a haste to construct a rail line from Kano, through Dambatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina, Jibia and terminate in Maradi, Niger Republic.

In another development, Niger Delta leaders have urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to toy with the funding of the programme so as not to return to the old days of violence on oil and gas infrastructure by some youths of the region.

In a communiquÊ issued at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, which was attended by monarchs and youth leaders

from the region, the group also expressed dissatisfaction over the poor handling of issues raised during the last meeting with the president.

The communique, which was signed by Chief Mike Loyibo and Prof. Benjamin Okaba, noted that the peace being witnessed in the region was as a result of the amnesty programme.

They contended that aside the opening of Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, which was part of the agenda during the meeting with the president in Abuja, no other point on the agenda had received serious attention from the federal government. “We also want to use this medium to remind President

Buhari to address the issues raised concerning the Niger Delta during our last meeting with him as only the Maritime University has been addressed. “President Buhari should also know that funding of the amnesty programme is the key towards ensuring the prevailing peace being witnessed in the region, hence this should be upheld. “We also want the boys in the creeks to be patient with President Buhari by continuing to give peace a chance for the overall development of the region,� the leaders said.

They also solicited support for the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo, appealing to the people of the region to rally round him

for the success of the programme.

In another development, Southwest leaders converged on Ado Ekiti recently and tasked Presiden Buhari on the restructuring of the Nigerian security architecture. At the meeting Governor Ayodele Fayose, commended Buhari for honouring Chief Moshood Abiola, and challenged him to use the same political will to stop the killings of innocent Nigerians across the country.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the Secretary General, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr Kunle Olajide, further pushed for restructuring of the country, adding that taking such step would address the major challenges facing the country.

INVESTMENT PROMOTION R-L: Chief Investment Officer, Africa Finance Corporation, Oliver Andrews; President/CEO, Africa Finance Corporation, Andrew Alli and Publisher, EMEA Finance, Christopher Moore, during the Chief Investment Officer 2017 Champion of Finance Award on AFC leader in London‌.. recently

APC Convention: Izunaso, Muoghalu, Eneukwu, Others Appear Before Okorocha Panel Crisis in Bayelsa chapter deepens Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË As the process leading to the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reaches advanced stage, some key members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) yesterday appeared before the Screening Appeal committee headed by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha.

Among the NWC members who were at the Imo State Government Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, to defend themselves against petitions filed against them, were the National Organising; Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, National Auditor, George Muoghalu, and the National Vice Chairman (Southeast), Emma Eneukwu.

Speaking to THISDAY on the telephone yesterday, Muoghalu said they have gone to meet with Screening Appeal committee to

respond to issues raised against their bid to re-contest for their positions at the Saturday’s national convention.

Although, Muoghalu did not state the details of the petition against them, THISDAY learnt that there was a general petition against all the member of party’s NWC seeking reelection at the next convention.

At the commencement of its sitting on Saturday, Okorocha had told journalists that there was a general petition “as to whether members of the NWC can be judged in their own case having supervised the congresses and now coming to present themselves for election.�

However, Muoghalu, who spoke for his colleagues, dismissed the petitions as frivolous.

Muoghalu said he would not want to comment on the petition against him until outcome of the appeal committee’s assignment

today.

But another member of NWC who did not want his name mentioned said: “The waiver that was given to us was a decision of the National Executive Committee of APC and it wasn’t given me alone.�

Meanwhile, the crisis arising from the APC congresses in Bayelsa State is yet to abate as a faction of the party led by Joseph Fafi has accused the former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, of lying against them.

Following allegation made

by Sylva that he was betrayed during his governorship election in 2015 by the state executive of the party, the faction said there was no truth in the allegations, describing Sylva as a “serial loser.�

The group which also had the backing of the former acting governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Nestor Binabo, said it viewed

with utmost disappointment the comments credited to Sylva where he described APC state exco and the people as “rats.�

In a statement signed by the spokesman of the faction, Christopher Abarowei, it said the former governor’s naivety exposed “him to recurrent and avoidable catastrophic defeats� in the 2015 governorship poll. “It is on record that these people Sylva ignominiously referred to as rats facilitated his victory in 2015 governorship primary when it became clear to the blind and audible to the deaf that he has lost consensus of the party. “We want to also point out that Sylva withdrew in his quest to be the national chairman of our party when it became clear to him that he has lost to party consensus. His naivety exposes him to recurrent and avoidable catastrophic defeats in the polls,�

It said.

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SERAP Asks Court to Compel Fashola to Account for Expenditure on Power A civil society organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has sued the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), for failing to account for the spending on the privatisation of the electricity sector and the exact amount of post-privatisation spending on generation companies (GENCOS), distribution companies (DISCOS) and Transmission Company of Nigeria to date.

The group also wants the minister to explain if the spending came from budgetary allocations or other sources.

In the suit number FHC/L/ CS/972/18 filed last week at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking “an order for leave to apply for judicial review and an order of mandamus directing or compelling Fashola to provide specific details on the privatisation of the electricity sector, the names of all the companies and individuals involved; and to publish widely including on a dedicated website any such information.

The suit followed SERAP’s Freedom of Information request dated May 7, 2018, to the minister giving him 14 days to provide “information on the status of implementation

of the 25-year national energy development plan, and whether the Code of Ethics of the privatisation process which bars staff of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and members of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) from buying shares in companies being privatised were deliberately flouted.

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its counsel, Ms. Bamisope Adeyanju, read in part: “Publishing the information requested and making it widely available to the public would serve the public interest and provide insights relevant to the public debate on the ongoing efforts to prevent and combat a culture of mismanagement of public funds, corruption and impunity of perpetrators.

“Most of the companies that won the bids had no prior experience in the power sector and little or no capacity at all to manage the sector. The privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has yielded the country total darkness.

The gains of privatisation have been lost through alleged corruption, manipulation of rules and disregard to extant laws and lack of transparency in the exercise.

“To further highlight the

seriousness of the situation, several years after the country’s power sector was privatised, millions of Nigerian households particularly the socially and economically vulnerable sectors of the population continue to complain about outrageous bills for electricity not consumed, and poor power supply from distribution firms. Millions of Nigerians continue to be exploited

through the use of patently illegal estimated billing by Discos. One wonders the essence of the privatisation if there has been no corresponding improvement in power for Nigerians.

“Enforcing the right to truth would allow Nigerians to gain access to information essential to the fight against corruption and provide a form of reparation to victims of grand corruption

in the power sector. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in its General Comment 3 has implied that privatisation process should not be detrimental to the effective realisation of all human rights, including access to regular electricity supply.

“SERAP has the right to request the information under

contention on the basis of several provisions of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011. By Section (1) of the FoI Act, SERAP is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information, including information on postprivatisation spending by the federal government and accounts of spending on the private entities such as Gencos and Discos.”

APC Convention: Nasarawa Substitutes Wambai for Idde as National Vice Chairman, North-central Emmanuel Ukumba ÓØ ËÐÓË Ahead of the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has said the state chapter of the party has substituted Alhaji Suleiman Wambai with Alhaji Zakary Idde as its consensus candidate for the North-central zone National Vice Chairman of the party.

Idde is the current national vice chairman of the APC for the North-central zone and had at the weekend told journalists at his resident at Nasarawa Eggon, the headquarters of Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of the state that he was contesting to retain his position at the national

level of the party as the zonal vice chairman for the North central zone.

Al-Makura stated the position of the state leadership of the party known at the weekend when officials of the state executive committee of the party paid him Eid al-Fitr homage at the Government House in Lafia that Wambai is the consensus candidate of the party for the zonal national vice chairmanship position.

According to him, “Leadership of the party in the state has nominated Wambai as the North-central vice chairman of the party. I therefore call on you to conduct yourselves in a manner that will project the image of the

state in a good light during the national convention of the APC.” He continued that the leadership of the APC in the North-central zone had unanimously agreed to present consensus candidates during the party national convention.

According to him, “Northcentral zone will go to the convention as one group, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). By the time we finish the convention, we can just wait to swear in President Muhammadu Buhari for a second time.”

Similarly, the governor said he would not ignore the numerous calls on him to contest for the Nasarawa south senatorial

district in the forthcoming general election.

He said: “I cannot ignore the numerous calls made to me, especially from eminent politicians from the southern senatorial zone to contest for the zone’s senatorial seat. However, I will keep the cat in the bag until the whistle is blown for the commencement of political activities in the country.”

Earlier, state Chairman of the party, Philip Shekwo, on behalf of members of the state executive committee, had called on the governor to vie for the Nasarawa South senatorial district’s seat in the National Assembly in the forthcoming general elections.

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Fayose Servicing Fayemi’s Debt with N35.34bn Yearly, PDP Alleges This is part of your campaign lies, APC replies Victor Ogunje ÓØ ÎÙ ÕÓÞÓ Ekiti State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, has said the huge debts incurred by the Dr. Kayode Fayemi administration from 2010 to 2014 has so far cost the state N35.34 billion in servicing of the debts and deductions from statutory allocations from October 2014 till date.

This, according to him, means the state is servicing the debts with an average of N1.1 billion

monthly, adding that it also means about 40 per cent of the state allocation is deducted from source monthly.

Oguntuase, who said this in a statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, said documents from the Debts Management Office (DMO) and the Federal Ministry of Finance, agencies in charge of the debts and statutory allocations, revealed that the debts were incurred under several headings.

He added that between October and December 2014,

Buhari, Tinubu Not Sponsoring Me, Says Ogunbiyi, Osun Governorship Contender Former Chairman of Mutual Benefits Group and Osun State governorship candidate, Akin Ogunbiyi, has dismissed the claim that he is working for President Muhammadu Buhari, and that the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, is sponsoring him.

Ogunbiyi, who is seeking the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the September governorship election, spoke through the Director of his Campaign Directorate, Olalere Fagbola.

He stated that the claim linking him to Buhari and Tinubu was the handiwork of opponents who are “afraid of the overwhelming support” he is enjoying in the race for the PDP ticket.

The governorship aspirant noted that the first attack on his aspiration came when he was labelled a political neophyte trying to reap where he did not sow before the insinuation was punctured by the state Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Sola Adagunodo, who confirmed that he had been deeply involved in the financing of the party and the reconciliation process of the past three years.

According to him, since the political neophyte story failed to fly, the mischief makers invented the Buhari/Tinubu sponsorship tale.

The aspirant explained that his choice of the PDP as a platform to actualise his dream was informed by his perception that it is the best party and a viable vehicle to deepen democracy in Nigeria, saying it is inconceivable for anyone to imagine that he would work against the party which success story he has been part of.

“As a firm believer and a man of strong conviction in my mission to usher in good things of life for the people, no amount of blackmail and character assassination will deter me from my resolve to put Osun State on the front burner of economic recovery,” Ogunbiyi added

the state’s allocations had N1.71 billion deducted to service the debts.

“In 2015, the sum of N7.85 billion was deducted from our allocations.

In 2016, it was N11.30 billion, in 2017, it was N12.12 billion and from January to May this year, the sum of N4.94 billion has been deducted.

“While we have paid off the commercial agriculture credit scheme, we are yet to pay off others and some will run till 2036. The implications of this are many. If we had such a huge sum, we wouldn’t be owing workers’ salaries and more welfare programmes and projects would have been executed by the Governor Ayodele Fayose administration.

“The debts are under these headings: Contractual obligations, fertilizer, foreign loans, bond, commercial agriculture credit scheme, water project, restructuring of bank loans, excess crude loan among others.

For instance, under contractual obligations are the vehicles and buses they purchased for traditional rulers and various groups that they did not pay a kobo before leaving office.

“Under commercial agriculture credit scheme is their YCAD programme that failed woefully.

They also took money for the rehabilitation of water scheme and the money they borrowed for Ero Dam rehabilitation just went down the drain.

“We all know the N25 billion they borrowed from the Capital

Market to finance some projects, but where are the projects? They never built any governor’s office.

They did not build a new Ojaba Market, they did not complete their event centre. Even the state pavilion was not fully completed,” he said.

Also, Oguntuase alleged that police in two vans arrived in the state during the week parading every nook and cranny of Oye Local Government Area to arrest the council Chairman, Hon Sunday Alonge, and the PDP chairman of the local government area, Mr. Ojo Sunday, with an order to ‘silence’ them.

This was contained in a statement by the state Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti.

But responding, the Media Director of Kayode Fayemi campaign outfit, Wole Olujobi, said: “It is ridiculous for Fayose and his aides to still be peddling inaccurate debts figures after the DMO published the debts taken by Fayose alone in the last three years totaling N56billion even though he swore and lied many times that he never borrowed a kobo.

“Again, we admit that Fayemi borrowed N25billion to be defrayed within seven years, and records are there in the DMO office that Fayemi paid back N14.5billion of the debts, leaving the balance of N10.5billion before he left office on October 16, 2014.

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Buhari Administration is Transforming Nigeria, Says Mohammed The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is steadily transforming Nigeria through innovative measures that are yielding positive results.

In a keynote address he delivered at the 2018 ‘Africa Together Conference’ at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom at the weekend, the minister listed investment in people, changing the business environment and building national infrastructure as some

of the areas in which Buhari has made a great impact.

He said by focusing on education and skills acquisition, the administration is addressing the need to create opportunities for the country’s teeming youth population. ‘’In my country, school enrolment is a challenge we face.

And one of the main culprits is malnutrition. Government has stepped in. 8.2 million are being fed daily free meals in 45,000 schools. Not only does this increase attendance and provide children with nutritious meal a

Okonjo-Iweala, Peter Obi, Others Storm Ogwashi-Uku as King Okonjo Turns 90 Omon-Julius Onabu ÓØ ÝËÌË Former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; her husband, Dr. Ikemba Iweala; Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, who represented the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, top government functionaries, several captains of industry, clergymen and traditional rulers yesterday converged on Ogwashi-Uku to celebrate the 90th birthday of the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, Agbogidi Obi Chukwuma Anishi Okonjo.

The royal father and father of the former finance minister marked his 90th birthday in grand style with a thanksgiving service at St James’ Anglican Church, Ogbe-Ofu, Ogwashi-Uku, the administrative headquarters ofAniocha South Local Government Area of the state.

The traditional ruler was accompanied to the thanksgiving service by his wife and renowned academic, Professor Kamene Okonjo, the royal family members and wellwishers, including several royal fathers across the state and beyond.

Executive members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) from the national office, University of Benin and University of Ilorin were among professional bodies that graced the occasion.

Delivering a homily during the service, with theme: ‘The Father, Priest of the Home’, Venerable Emmanuel Afamefune attributed the declining standards in our value system vis-a-vis the upsurge in criminal activities in Nigeria to failure of parenthood especially fathers.

Afamefune stressed that the society could rise from the ashes of moral decay to new heights of peace and progress if fathers, as the standard bearer of respective families, retraced their steps as role models for their children and families.

Afamefune, who stood in for the Anglican Bishop of Asaba, Rt. Rev. Justus Mogekwu, who is on official assignment in Jerusalem, said it was a happy coincidence that the Anglican Communion all over the world was celebrating Father’s Day on a day King Okonjo turned 90, advising fathers to lead by example rather than precept.

He noted that societal vices like secret cult, drug abuse, violence against women, broken homes,

insincerity in relationship and business and armed robbery have been on the increase because young people copied them from irresponsible fathers.

While congratulating the Ogwashi-Uku monarch as “a true achiever whose achievements have received world-wide acclaim,” the cleric challenged him to do all within his power to unite the Ogwashi-Uku kingdom towards sustainable peace and development starting from the royal household.

The state Governor, Okowa, urged families to emulate Okonjo by inculcating in their children the true Anioma and African values of humility, hard work and respect for others and constituted authorities, describing as remarkable ‘’the fact that a monarch at 90 could walk to the Church altar for thanksgiving to God.’’ While congratulating him and wishing him good health to continue to pilot the affairs of his people, the governor, who spoke through the information commissioner, Ukah, urged the people to rally round the royal father for the peace and development of the entire kingdom.

Executive Assistant (Special Duties) to Okowa, Dr Awele Nwabuokei, also urged the people to draw a balance between traditional practices and Christian or modern values in order to advance the course of societal development.

The former finance minister, her husband, her younger sister, Dr. Njideka Udochi, and one of the children (King Okonjo’s grandchild), Mr. Okechukwu Iweala, all spoke glowingly about the monarch and patriarch of the Okonjo family of Ogwashi-Uku, harping on his love for education, culture as well as family and community values.

According to the former minister, one of the greatest legacies of their 90-year-old father was the culture of humility, respect for human dignity and pursuit of educational excellence for both male and female children.

The highpoints of the thanksgiving were the bible verses recitation and drama depicting the value of family bond and intercessory prayers among Christian families presented by children and youths of Saint James’ Anglican Church, Ogwashi-Uku.

day, it enhances learning efficacy in class and boosts cognitive development over the long term,” Mohammed said He said the home-grown school feeding programme had yielded other results, including the employment of 80,000 cooks and a ready-made market for food crop farmers.

The minister said skill shortages in the labour pool are being addressed through several measures, including the four-pronged N-Power programme that is providing employment and vocational training for graduates and others, access to loans for medium and small business as well as conditional cash transfers to the most vulnerable members of the society.

He said the administration is also changing the business

environment for good, focusing especially on removing the red tape that makes it cumbersome for business and stifles innovation. ‘’Much of our programmes have honed-in on business reform. Nigeria has moved up 24 places on the World Bank ranking of Ease of Doing Business index – putting it among the top 10 global reformers, along with Zambia, Malawi and Djibouti.

The two areas we have prioritised are starting a business and access to credit. ‘’In Nigeria, registering a business used to take months.

Now it takes 24 to 48 hours.

Unwrapping the bureaucracy and streamlining processes has encouraged an uptick in new official enterprises. We have introduced online registration, with features such as the electronic

stamping of documents. And to ensure this brings with it the maximum benefit, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises clinics have been deployed across a variety of states to provide regulators a contact point with informal business and budding entrepreneurs to clarify any issues,’’ Mohammed said.

He noted that the challenge of access to credit is also being frontally addressed by making it possible for MSMEs to register their movable assets, such as vehicles and equipment, and use them as collateral to raise loans and finance, thus removing the need for traditional assets, such as real estate, offices and factories.

The minister told his audience that the two most critical impediments against business, decent transport connections and

a reliable power supply, are also been tackled by ensuring better roads and train networks, “so that goods and services can be moved around more cheaply and efficiently, and businesses can plan for the future, knowing they will not be hampered by energy outages. ‘’For instance, Nigeria earmarks 30 per cent of its annual national budgets for capital expenditure. That means N2.7 trillion has gone towards our infrastructure in the last two years -unprecedented in our history.

Power generation has climbed to 7000MW (from just over 2500MW) to which we hope to add another 2000MW by the end of the year. We have also laid down thousands of kilometres of road,” he said.

CAMPAIGN RALLY

L-R: Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Yemi Adaramodu; Ondo State APC Chairman, Chief Ade Adetimehin; APC governorship candidate, Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and deputy governorship candidate, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, during a campaign tour of Ilawe-Ekiti…recently

NEMA Approves New Conditions of Service for Staff Martins Ifijeh To address the demands of workers, the Governing Council of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has approved new and enhanced conditions of service for staff.

Also, the agency has secured approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for Group Life Insurance for its workers in view of the increasing emergency needs.

The management has however agreed to initiate process to commence the 2018 promotion exercise in the agency.

These highlights of the agency’s responses to the demands of workers were contained in a statement by the Head of the Press Unit of NEMA, Sani Datti against the backdrop of an industrial action which started since June 11.

Before the Sallah break, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) had intervened in the crisis.

The management said it has been implementing all the agreements reached with the workers since

September 2017.

The statement said: “In further consideration of our resolve and commitment for a better welfare to the staff, the management initiated the process of the most needed improved conditions of service for the staff.

“The report/proposal by the committee has been forwarded to NEMA Governing Council, which has sat and passed a resolution for the constitution of an establishment committee headed by the OSGF with a mandate to review the proposal and advice the council. Having sat three times, the committee is currently writing its report for onward submission and consideration by the governing council.

“The NEMA management sat with the official of the local Unit of the ASCSN in at least two occasions, and the last was an address, made at the instance of the ASCSN official of NEMA, by the management to a large number of the headquarters staff.

“In addition to this, the national body of the ASCSN has been

fully informed of the progress, most recently in a letter written on June 6, 2018.

“The commitment of government was invigorated by the OSGF, where a meeting was convened between the NEMA management and the Association’s officials of the local Unit and all addressed of the government efforts to providing better condition of service for NEMA staff.

“At the end of the meeting, a resolution was reached that the vehicular barricade should be removed and another meeting rescheduled to Tuesday, June 19, 2018.”

On renewal of Group Life Insurance for worker, the statement said the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) had given approval to NEMA to go ahead.

The management also said the promotion exercise for staff will soon commence.

It added: “After going through rigorous due process (Seeking of “No objection” from BPP, Advert, prequalification, technical and

financial tendering, Evaluation and Approval) the GLP has been approved.

“The Department of Human Resources Management has concluded preparations, briefs and other related cases, such as conversion, upgrading, confirmation, etc. To this end the DG has been intimated on the criteria and process of the exercise. Approval of cost implication of the needed accreditation of eligible officers has been given and will commence in earnest. This will follow immediately with the fixing of the examination date.

“The management is pleased to state that all outstanding overtime allowance (since 2015), which predated the appointment of the present DG, had been settled since last year. As for the payment of DTAs and other claims, which have accrued (since 2015), it is being released in batches, and considerable progress has been made on them.

“The management has responded to all request of redeployment by married women of the agency.

53

MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Convene Security Meeting with Political Leaders to Avert Violence, Sanusi Tells Ganduje Ibrahim Shuaibu ÓØ ËØÙ The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi II has called on the Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to convene a security meeting with political leaders and security agents to come up with a strategy to avert any form of violence, ahead of 2019 general elections.

Sanusi stressed the need for political leaders to address thuggery that usually breeds political violence during elections in the country. ‘’Once the political class refuses to play politics according to the rule of the game, there

is every tendency that many people could lose their lives as a result of their action or inaction,” he said.

The Emir made the call yesterday at the Kano State Government House during the traditional Hawan Nasarawa, when the Emir paid homage to Ganduje as part of activities, marking the Eid-el-Fitr.

“It is high time the politicians be cautioned against promoting hatred among one another or any anything capable of jeopardising peace as an ingredient of social co-existence,” Sanusi added.

Sanusi called on the state government to take decisive measures against drug abuse.

Catholic Bishop Warns Okorocha against Intimidation of Workers Amby Uneze ÓØ áÏÜÜÓ Ahead of the publicised tomorrow’s order by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, for civil servants in the state to troop out in their numbers to stage a solidarity march in support of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu’s governorship ambition, the prolific Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, has warned against forcing civil servants to carry out unconstitutional assignments.

Speaking after yesterday Mass at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, the cleric reminded the governor that his action to foist his son-in-law on the people of the state is a project that died with its conception, adding that such attitude to intimidate the helpless Imo civil servants to carry placards in support of his son-in-law could only end up in perceiving him as a dictator.

According to him, “It is not right to force anybody to do your will that is against the fundamental human rights and the right of freedom of association.

“Those who know Okorocha should advise him that we are not in a military regime, even though it looks as if we are still under the military dictatorship in Nigeria.

“It is only on two occasions since the second republic till date that we saw pure civilian rule, and that was during Presidents Shehu Shagari and Goodluck Jonathan’s regimes. The issue of forcing civil servants to do your will that is totally unconstitutional is an aberration and that cannot be allowed.”

The Archbishop warned civil servants to resist such intimidation and continue to do the right thing according to the laws of the land, adding that the Tuesday forceful march by civil servants in solidarity for the governor’s son-in-law should be reviewed and revisited by those concerned because it contravenes the constitution of Nigeria.”

THISDAY gathered that as a result of the order, market and other social activities in the state are to be closed on Tuesday as threats are being dished out by various government agencies to deal ruthlessly with anyone that contravenes the order.

PDP Sweeps Rivers LG Polls Wike to swear in elected officials today Ernest Chinwo ÓØ ÙÜÞ ËÜÍÙßÜÞ The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won all the chairmanship and councillorship seats in the 23 local government areas last Saturday’s Rivers State local government elections, according to results released by the state Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

Chairman of RSIEC, Justice Chukwunenye Uriri, who announced the results in Port Harcourt last night, said candidates of the PDP won both the chairmanship and councillorship seat in the election in which no few 68 political parties participated.

Uriri stated that only two political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is the main opposition political party in the state and the Independent Democrats (ID) boycotted the election.

Meanwhile, the state Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, will swear-in all the newly elected officials by 12.30p.m. today at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Port Harcourt.

A statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the governor on Electronic Media, noted that all the newly elected local government council chairmen are to be seated by 12noon.

“We have seen how drugs impacted negatively on our youths and the urgent need to take drastic measures to address the menace. We have to also prioritise the issue of health and education for us to have a decent society,” he said.

He also advised the governor to accord priority to the education sector as no society in the world can develop than the level of impacting education of its people.

“The issue of healthcare services should be the cardinal concern of the Government and how to also sustain the fight against drugs abuse,” Sanusi said.

He hailed Ganduje for the rehabilitation of the Emir’s Palace (Kofar Kudu), which

has uplifted the status of the Emirate.

Responding, Ganduje decried the conduct of some politicians, who are hell bent on attacking political opponents in order to smear their names and their reputation, which they have built over the years.

According to the governor, the present day political class are dangerously playing with words in the local media to denigrate the status of their opponent in the eyes of the general public.

“Having critically observed what is going on this time round, we decided to invite leaders of about 53 political parties in the state and mobilize them on the need to avoid politics of condemnation and

attack on personalities. I feel that once this trend is allowed to continue unchecked, people of integrity might not be willing to participate in politics, tackles of contributing their quota to national development,” he added.

Ganduje posited that what is obtained in this state is a far cry from what is obtainable in the Southern part of the country, where highly responsible personalities are seen participating in politics and retire home with their image intact after a meritorious service to their people.

In a related development, the governor has disclosed that the state government would soon partner media organisations, especially radio and television

stations to work assiduously against hate speeches during political activities.

He made the disclosure during Hawan Daushe celebration at the Africa House, Government House, Kano, when the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, paid a homage visit to the governor to facilitate with the government on Sallah celebration.

“We are putting in place an effective mechanism to check unwanting political behaviours.

That is why we have in the pipeline, a plan to include media practitioners, especially from radio and television stations to see how they can help our society through cleansing all media contents against hate speeches,” he said.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE

L-R: PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and PDP chieftain, Sergeant Awuse, during a thanksgiving service in honour of Awuse at the Saint Luke Anglican Church, Emohua, Rivers State…yesterday

Ugwuanyi Receives Endorsement of Enugu Royal Fathers All the traditional rulers of the 450 autonomous communities in the Enugu State have unanimously endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for a second term in office.

This is coming as ex-Governor of old Enugu State and former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo has declared Ugwuanyi as the best performing Governor in Nigeria.

The Enugu State royal fathers, who converged on the popular Michael Okpara square, Enugu for what they described as a “mega apolitical grand rally,” said their decision was in adherence to the stance of “all our brothers, sisters, sons and daughters in various walks of life” on the performance assessment and endorsement of the governor’s re-election in 2019.

The monarchs added that they were delighted that without a dissenting voice each individual and group, “especially the religious and members of the ecclesiastical orders, elders,

political class; professionals, academic; self-employed, pensioners, working class, traders; artisans and youths” extolled Ugwuanyi’s exceptional moral virtues and superlative performance in the discharge of his duties as governor.

They disclosed that “all groups of people in Enugu State across political divide have separately approved the performance of Ugwuanyi and have declared him their candidate for the 2019 gubernatorial election”, saying “This is why we called this mega apolitical grand rally to declare before Nigeria and the world that we stand head and shoulder with our people”.

Describing Ugwuanyi as the “most accessible, humble, unassuming, respectful and friendly” governor, the monarchs added that he has supported and enhanced their status; incorporated them into the administrative structure of governance “and empowered us to be agents of development of our respective communities”, saying “You have celebrated all joyous occasions for us and

with us”.

The royal fathers equally honoured the governor with a collective presentation of “Ofo” as “the time-honoured symbol of protection, dignity, authority, power and moral rectitude in Igboland”, declaring: “With it, no harm will ever come your way and there will never be a limit to your rising star. It shall be well with you as each Royal Father supplicates for you in his own faith and religion. Amen”.

Responding, Ugwuanyi, who expressed gratitude to the royal fathers for “this singular privilege” and the support and cooperation they have been according his administration since inception, noted that he has always treated the traditional institution with a difference and honour “as a custodian of our culture and the traditional head of our various communities”.

According to the governor, “it is certainly unique for traditional rulers of a state to come together to pray and confer a chieftaincy title on a sitting governor and also unanimously endorse him for a second tenure in office”.

The colourful was also graced by leaders in the state, such as the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu and other members of the National Assembly; and Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi and his colleagues, among others.

On his part, Nwodo also described Ugwuanyi as “a humble, indefatigable, humane and outstanding manager of men and resources, for the development of Enugu State”.

Speaking during a thanksgiving mass and endorsement rally for Ugwuanyi by his kinsmen from Orba Udulekenyi in Udenu Local Government Area, the former governor appreciated the various endorsements for the governor’s re-election in 2019 from all spheres of the society because of his performance and uncommon leadership style, describing it as a good omen for the state.

“We will not be tired of commending your performance, pray for you and eulogise your uncommon leadership style,” Nwodoh said.

Ëœ ͚΀˜ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž T H I S D AY

54

MONDAYSPORTS WORLD CUP 2018‌

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

JUNE 14 TO JULY 15

Rohr: Eagles’ Fate Still in their Hands Despite the Defeat against Croatia We aim to pick at-least four points from Iceland and Argentina

Duro Ikhazuagbe in Kaliningrad After two silly mistakes by Oghenekaro Etebo and William Troost-Ekong earned Croatia a deserved 2-0 victory against the Super Eagles at the Kaliningrad Stadium in Russia on Saturday night, Nigeria walks a tight-rope qualifying from Group D of the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia.

First, It was Etebo who deflected Juventus forward, Mario Mandzukic’s goal-mouth scramble from Real Madrid

man, Luka Modric’s corner kick beyond the reach of goalkeeper Francis Uzoho for Croatia’s opening goal. And then, William Troost-Ekong wrestled down Mandzukic for the penalty converted by Modric.

Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, aptly captured the situation Nigeria now finds herself following the one-all draw played earlier by favourites Argentina and Iceland. “With Croatia now leading the group on three points and Argentina and Iceland on one point

each, we now do not have the option but to win our next match against Iceland on Friday,� was how the Franco-German gaffer summed up the herculean task faced by Nigeria at the post-match conference after the clash here in Russia.

He admitted it was disappointing for Nigeria to have lost the game Eagles had hope to pick atleast a point from before meeting Iceland. “It is disappointing for us to lose the match. However, Croatia had a

better team than us on the night.

I must also admit that some of my players made silly mistakes.

Both the first and second goals came through corner kicks. Yes, there were some calls that were questionable but we have to accept this defeat and move on.� Rohr insisted that the hope of Nigeria qualifying from the group was not lost yet as two other teams in the group have just one point each. Our future in the competition is still in our hands. We can do it because we have the youngest team in the competition and have the energy to pursue the dream of making it out of the group stage even if it is a difficult one,� “We can still qualify if we win our next match and get at least a draw in the last game against Argentina to end on four points.�

On the blunt Eagles attack that was completely blunt on the night, the coach said insisted: “Nobody will be happy when the attackers cannot put the ball behind the net.

Alex Iwobi tried at the beginning but lacked the cutting edge. He played very well in the three weeks we were in camp before

coming here. He deserved to start the game.

Ahmed Musa came came in in the second half and brought his speed to wear down the Croatian defence line. Now, Musa has the chance to start the next game. It was the first time that we played like that (poorly) in the midfield with Wilfred Ndidi, (Oghenekaro) Etebo and Obi Mikel. Ndidi was just coming back from injury.

Because of that, there was a bit of complicity in that department.

Perhaps, they need a little bit more of time to get it right.�

Rohr also did not mince words in insisting that Eagles were naĂŻve on set pieces which Croatian Captain, Luka Modric and his men in the midfield capitalized to torment Nigerian defence. “We are going to work on that to ensure that we are not caught off guard like it happed in this our first match.

On Mikel’s poor role in the offensive midfield position, Rohr said since arriving at the job, the Tianjin Teda star has always played in that place. “Mikel’s role all through the qualifying series to the World Cup was going on very

well. The team was built around him. I know that he also played before in defensive midfield. In China I know sometimes he plays in the offensive and at times in the defensive. We he has the ball everybody is offensive and if defending everyone fall back to defend. Mikel tried his best but when playing a packed Croatian midfield that have Modric and Ivan Rakitic then you need to up your game to stay alive. They play these roles in Real Madrid and FC Barcelona respectively. So when you start to compare that with how our midfielders play in their clubs, then there is a big problem.�

He concluded by stressing that Eagles must have learnt some good lessons from the defeat. “I know that both Iceland and Argentina are very good team nut I believe my players have learnt lessons from the defeat and be able to play better against these our two next opponents.�

Croatia moved to the top of Group D of the 2018 World Cup on three points with Argentina and Iceland on one point each from the one-all draw.

Etebo Unfazed by Own Goal, Focused on Iceland Game Oghenekaro Etebo whose own goal earned Croatia the opening goal of the 2-0 defeat of the Super Eagles on Saturday night in Kaliningrad, Russia, has put the game behind him, but instead is focused on getting a decent result in Nigeria’s next World Cup 2018 Group D game against Iceland on Friday.

The former Fereinse of Spain midfielder who this summer switched to Stoke City in the English Championship, wants fans to maintain their faith in the team as any team could stutter at the beginning and recover strongly to finish up well.

He harped on the spirit of quick recovery while noting that the game of football is full of surprises. Etebo who spoke in Kaliningrad late Saturday said: “I don’t know what to say. I’m really short of words (concerning the own goal) but it is a game of football. So the best thing to do is to hold our heads up and work towards the next game. This is the way it usually goes with football. We have lost this one (against Croatia) and the best way out is to forget about the painful experience and move on strongly,� stressed the strong-willed former Warri Wolves player.

Etebo said Eagles would do a thorough review of their errors

and work hard to correcting them.

The player who was rated highly with his performance against Croatia by Eagles gaffer, Gernot Rohr, specifically touched on the team’s reaction to set pieces. “Apart from this game and some of the friendlies many of the goals we have conceded were from set pieces and now I believe we really need to take it so importantly (ability to defend set pieces very well). This is very important for us; this is important for the team and that is what we need now starting with the next game,� he added.

The new Stoke man then pleaded with Nigerians and fans of the Eagles across the world to also put aside the result of the first game, and like the team, focus on their next match which will largely underline how far they could go in the 2018 World Cup.  “Like I said earlier,  this is a game of football; we lost but it’s still bright out there. It’s just for us to keep our heads up and stay very focused for the next game and work on what we have to do to qualify. That’s the way to go.�

Team Captain John Mikel Obi; Chelsea wing back, Victor Moses, and Leon Balogun are some of the Super Eagles players who have underlined the team’s determination to qualify for the knock out stage.

Dalung Unveils Abuja World Cup Village, Challenges Eagles to Excel Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung has commissioned the Abuja World Cup viewing Centre.

The centre will enable the members of the public, to view all the 64 Russian 2018 matches fans were treated to refreshing for the next 31 days, on a mega premium lager beer all through TV screen in the heart of the nation’s capital. the night.

The three principal partners One of the main attractions of the Super Eagles Dome was the that came together to conceive exquisite Star Lager tunnel, which the Abuja World Cup viewing featured a LED screen that takes centre are: Kefas Ropshik, Football fans down memory lane Managing Director of Kefiano of historic Super Eagle moments.  Autos; Agaba Ikwue of Aden360 There was also the Super Eagles and Opukiri Jones-Ere, the Dome Studio, where some of the Managing Consultant Erupts Ex Super Eagles players joined Sports.

At the unveiling, football pundit, Steve Dede, as they shared match analysis and Dalung commended the the overview of the Super Eagles organisers for giving Nigerians, performance leading up to Russia. who cannot afford to travel to

Fans Cheer Nigeria at the Super Eagles Dome in Lagos Thousands of ecstatic football fans in Lagos came out on Saturday night to cheer on the Nigerian national football team at Super Eagles Dome, where Star Lager, the official beer of the Super Eagles showed enormous support for the National Team.

The venue showcased Hightech, multi-media technology giving a 360 degree experience, where fans rallied in support of the Super Eagles as they faced Croatia in their first match in Russia. Football supporters also experienced a beer village, where

Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, struggling for possession of the ball with Croatian, Ivan Rakitic while Alex Iwobi was waiting for a slip in the 0-2 loss by Nigeria in the group D match at Kaliningrad on Saturday night in Russia abiodun ajala

Russia for the World Cup equal opportunities to watch the game they love the most, especially the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The minister also appealed to other private organisations to emulate the initiative of the organisers by giving back to the society through their investment. “It is only in Nigeria that we have people with a lot of money, but they don’t invest.

Any resource that is not invested does not add value to the economy. “The organisers of this event put their resources together to create a scenario where people that cannot afford to travel to Russia for the World Cup would freely walk in here to watch all the matches live. By this singular gesture they have satisfied the national passion of the less

privileged Nigerians. I challenge other private organisations to emulate this gesture and try to look at the areas they can invest,� Dalung said.

The Super Eagles are one of the 32 teams that will be participating in the coveted global football fiesta across Russian cities.

Dalung, who noted that the team qualified for the World Cup without recourse to the Presidential Task Force, and huge financial vote, however, insisted that he expected the team to return with the World Cup next month. “I am a very optimistic person and that has to with my life. Through out my life journey, I don’t see anybody beating me and I don’t see any hurdles before me that can’t

be overcome. I don’t expect anything less either from the team beside winning the cup.

That is my prayer and optimism and plan for the team,� Dalung said.

He, however, lowered his expectation, advising Nigerians that while planning for the success of the Eagles, government has also projected for their failure in the World Cup campaign.

The minister asked Nigerians to also prepare their minds for disappointment so that they are not devastated when they results they expect are not forthcoming. “But my honest projection is that our team will go beyond the first round and the round of 16 that have consistently remained our benchmark, “ Dalung said.

55

T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018

MONDAYSPORTS

W O R L D C U P 2 0 1 8 … JUNE 14 TO JULY 15

Stubborn Swiss Denies Brazil Vital Win Switzerland came back from a goal down to salvage a well-earned point against Brazil in their first match of the World Cup as the five-time champions gave an underwhelming performance at the Rostov Arena.

Anticipation was at fever pitch ahead of the second match of Group E, with Brazil earmarked as one of the clear favourites to go all the way in Russia this summer. Ultimately, however, the Selecao delivered an enigmatic and frustrating performance in which few concrete chances ever materialised after Philippe Coutinho’s stunning opening goal.

A lively opening few minutes saw the Swiss have a fair share of the possession, but Brazil’s influence on the game grew rapidly as the players began to find their rhythm on the pitch.

Much of Brazil’s early attacking play came from the flanks, with Chelsea star Willian giving Ricardo Rodriguez some real problems on the wing. However, the opening goal came down to the individual brilliance of one man alone.

It was a sumptuous strike from Coutinho, who suddenly found himself in acres of space when Marcelo’s cross was headed clear by the Swiss defence and responded by curling a perfectly placed effort into the top corner, just clipping the post on the way in.

Switzerland gradually regained a grip on the game as the first half wore on but continued to let themselves down in the final third, with very little of their build-up play evolving into genuine attacking threat.

As always, much of the prematch discussion was dedicated to Neymar. Though anticipation was high for the forward’s comeback from injury, the world’s most

expensive player was subdued in the first half - largely due to the spirited performance of Valon Behrami, who brilliantly shadowed him throughout.

The second half threatened to be more of the same from both sides, until Brazil gave away a sloppy corner five minutes in

and Steven Zuber found himself completely unmarked in the sixyard box to head home. Brazil’s defenders protested that Zuber shoved Miranda in the buildup but the goal was given without VAR being consulted.

Chances in the second half were few and far between, with both

sides largely cancelling each other out in the final third. Coutinho had a chance to add to his earlier goal with twenty minutes left on the clock, but his half-volley skewed disappointingly wide.

Brazil began to turn up the heat in the final few minutes of the tie, Roberto Firmino drawing a good save from Yann Sommer with a header and Miranda sending a half-volley narrowly wide of the goal.

Though the Swiss spent the final minutes of the tie with their backs to the wall, Vladimir Petkovic’s side held firm to secure what could be a valuable point.

Brazil will almost certainly be the less happy of the two sides, with their considerable attacking talent unable to produce enough quality chances to secure the victory.

England’s Three Lions Face Tunisia Test

GROUP A

GROUP B

Brazilian striker, Neymar, attempts to beat two Switzerland players in opening group match yesterday

Hirving Lozano’s 35th-minute strike on the break proved just reward.

When German centre back Mats Hummels lost possession deep in the Mexican half, Javier Hernandez was released through the middle.

He outpaced Jerome Boateng and with a less than perfect pass found Lozano, who controlled the ball, cut inside Mesut Ozil, held off a charging Toni Kroos and slotted past Manuel Neuer.

At the other end, Guillermo Ochoa tipped a blistering Kroos free kick on to the bar minutes later, in what was to prove the Germans’ closest effort of a match in Moscow in which they had more than 60 percent possession but could not make it count.

“Our motto was play with the love of winning and not the fear

of losing,” said a delighted Osorio.

“Mexico deserved the win,” Hummels conceded, noting how he and Boateng were left exposed at the back and saying the team had failed to learn from a recent friendly defeat to Austria.

“If we go on like this, I’ll be worried,” he added. “But I expect

us to improve.”

Germany pressed in the second half but struggled to find the target.

Osorio beefed up his defences to hang on, pulling off Lozano with a quarter of an hour left and sending in 39-year-old Rafael Marquez at the back to become the third man ever to play in five World Cups.

on Saturday - and revealed the reasoning behind his decision when meeting the media in Volgograd.

“I think the players pretty much knew the team anyway from the way we work in training,” Southgate said. “I just felt it gives some clarity.

“It’s something that, in the couple of tournaments I played in, the managers did in the week leading up to the first game and I felt it did give everybody the opportunity just to really focus.”

Tunisia and England’s last encounter was in the group stages of the 1998 World Cup. England won 2-0 in Marseille thanks to goals from Alan Shearer and Paul Scholes.

The North Africans are back at a World Cup for the first time since 2006 after qualifying automatically from their section that included DR Congo, Libya and Guinea. However, Tunisia have never progressed through a group stage at a World Cup in four previous appearances.

Southgate will be lining up against Tunisian Nabil Maalou in the dugout, who was assistant to Roger Lemerre at the 2006 finals.

The 55-year-old was appointed in March 2017 following the dismissal of Henryk Kasperczak after Tunisia’s dismal showing in the Africa Cup of Nations.

England’s search for a first World Cup crown since 1966 kicks off this evening with a Group G encounter with Tunisia at Volgograd, the same venue Nigeria will play Iceland on Friday.

With expectations dampened down for this tournament England head to Russia with a youthful side, lacking experience but possessing a clear identity shaped by Southgate. England will line up with a back five with an emphasis on passing out from defence while utilising the speed of their attacking players and finishing prowess of Harry Kane.

Southgate said: “You learn lessons from the past, but this team shouldn’t be burdened with it because they’re a fresh group, most of them have very few international caps. The future is all ahead of them, so they have to be thinking about what’s possible.

“The players of the past and opportunities of the past are gone.

This team is looking at things in a different way, trying to play in a different way.

“They have a hunger, a desire, we have better technical players than we’ve had in the past coming through our academies, so there’s a real enthusiasm.”

Southgate broke from his own tradition in revealing his starting line-up to his players Team Russia Uruguay Egypt Saudi

Mexico Stuns Cup Holders Germany in Group F Opener Defending champions Germany yesterday crashed to a 1-0 defeat in their first game at the World Cup as an enterprising Mexico refused to be intimidated in a thrill-packed Group F opener.

A shaky warm-up campaign had called into question the dominant form the Germans showed in qualifying, but experience and records were on their side, having won every opening game at major tournaments since Joachim Loew took over as coach in 2006.

Juan Carlos Osorio’s side had other ideas, however, holding their own against the favourites’ fearsome but slowing midfield and finding space at the back and seeking to end 33 years without a win against Germany. After wasting a handful of first-half chances while living dangerously in their own half,

WORLD CUP 2018…

Team Iran Portugal Spain Morocco

GROUP C

Team France Denmark Aust Peru

GROUP D

Team Croatia Argentina Iceland Nigeria

GROUP E

Team Serbia Brazil S’land C’Rica

GROUP F

Team Mexico Korea Rep Sweden Germany

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DURO’S RUSSIAN NOTES…

From St Petersburg to Kaliningrad To most Nigerian journalists covering the World Cup here in Russia, the trip to Kaliningrad, the venue of Eagles’ opening group match with Croatia was not a tea party.

When FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Russia 2018 advised intending journalists and fans to ensure they were fully prepared by ensuring they applied and received transit visas of the countries they were going to pass through, some took the instructions for granted.

Those who didn’t merely watched the match on television here like those who didn’t travel out of Lagos or any other Nigerian city or town.

To those of us who made St Petersburg our base, going to Kaliningrad by road was totally ruled out as such visitors will need to pass through Latvia, Belarus and Estonia. Without a transit Shengen visa, it was mission impossible. So many who didn’t heed the LOC warning licked their wounds, watching

from the fan zones. The journey by air took us approximately a little above one hour to reach the beautiful picturesque city.

FAN ID

The Fan ID, a new innovation to the World Cup by hosts Russia, is one of the newest things to happen to the Mundial. Initially, most people who had attended past World Cups sneered at the idea of an ID for fans going to enjoy spectacular football. For others, the World Cup is an opportunity to enjoy the summer differently since the global football showpiece holds every four years. The Fan ID was introduced at the request of the Russian authorities for all fans visiting matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Unlike in the past when all that a fan needed to get into the stadium was just the match day ticket, the Russians went a little further to ensure they have the identities of every one entering all the 12 stadia for the games. With

the particulars of every fan on the ID chip, the mere swiping of the Fan ID accreditation tag on the system at the entry point gives away who that particular fan is: picture, name and from which country originated, is known. I doubt if there will be any issue with familiar hooligans who make attendance at games worrisome.

95 per cent of the 34,000 seating capacity of the arena), the traveling Nigerian cheering party was drowned in the midst of the Croatians. By the way, Croatia is barely two hours by air to Kaliningrad.

Some of the adventurous Croats even made the trip by roads in cars, buses and caravans.

CAGED NIGERIAN SUPPORTERS SKINHEADS ARE ALSO HERE Apart from the initial problem Nigerian football supporters had with their drums and trumpets seized at the Sao Paolo Airport in Brazil four years ago, I can’t remember the last time they were rendered completely ineffective in giving much needed cheering to the Super Eagles. They were denied their equipment for the world to hear those familiar Nigerian songs from the stands in Kaliningrad. THISDAY learnt the equipment were seized by Russian immigration authorities.

On Saturday with the Kaliningrad Stadium swarmed by army of Croatian supporters (almost

The Skinhead Culture started out as a protest movement against the bourgeois by English and Jamaican youths in working class communities in the early 1960 in England. Of course, it was only a matter of time before radical right-wing politics buried that mission in favour of open racism and ultimately Neo-Nazism. The Skinheads are also here. A few of the Nigerian fans who have strayed out alone have had stories to tell. Now, most of the sports journalists here for the Mundial now think safety before going ‘solo’ story-hunting.

Monday June 18, 2018

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MISSILE Oloyede to Media “In Nigeria, we pick one issue and we present it as if it had no precedence. Unless we address some of these problems, you will just scapegoat whoever is in power and commit sin unduly.”

– JAMB Registrar , Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urging journalists to always research issues before going to the press.

ALEXOTTI OUTSIDE THE BOX

alex.otti@thisdaylive.com

Great Things Come In Small Packages ‘There is no one giant step that does it. It’s a lot of little steps’. – Peter A. Cohen ‘A mighty flame followeth a tiny spark’. – Dante ot too long ago, one of the world’s richest men was in Nigeria. His name is Bill Gates. He took time to lecture us on our economy, telling us some home truths that we most probably had chosen to ignore.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the way we had managed our economy, our health care delivery system and our educational system. He lamented the lack of support for agriculture and the small and medium scale enterprises which is the matter we are discussing today. Bill Gates insists that for us to develop, we must invest in infrastructure and most importantly, human capital. He subsequently left Abuja for Lagos where he attended the wedding of his friend’s daughter, Aliko Dangote. At that wedding, I struggled to get Gates’s attention to no avail. He was too busy with the big boys and lesser mortals like us stood no chance of having ‘his time’. Before I knew it, it was time for him to leave and that was how my chance of shaking hands with Bill Gates evaporated into thin air.

My purpose for getting his attention was not just to simply shake hands with him.

I needed to confirm from him, a story a friend of mine told me a few years ago. The story goes this way. Before Bill Gates got married, he saw a beautiful girl and chased her. He was not as popular nor as rich as he is today. So, the girl gave him a little tough time. After so much persistence, the lady consented. Shortly after consummating their relationship, the lady stormed out and remarked, “now I understand why you named it Microsoft”. Since I did not speak to him, this story remains unconfirmed.

Having taken your indulgence so far, let us get more serious in the manner of this column.

All over the world, it has been established that the engine of growth of the economy is never big business, but the small ones. These small ones are popularly called Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) or SMEs. Different explanations and definitions exist for MSMEs. For purposes of this column, we shall adopt the definition popularised by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN. According to SMEDAN, an SME can be defined as an enterprise employing up to 199 people and with assets up to N250m excluding land and working capital. This definition largely agrees with the Central Bank of Nigeria definition except that in the case of the latter, another criterion , turnover of N500m is introduced.

Most current Statistics have it that MSMEs contribute about N39t to Nigeria’s GDP or about 48.7% of the GDP. They also account for no less than 7% of export earnings. The number of MSMEs in the country is put at about 37m, employing close to 60m people or 80% of the workforce. It is also estimated that they account for about 97% of the total number of business enterprises in Nigeria.

When you look at the above numbers, they are in agreement with the numbers in other countries, particularly, the developed world. For instance, in South Africa, MSMEs account for 91% of businesses in the country, 54% of GDP and 60% of employment. In the USA, MSMEs account for 98% of the total businesses in the country, contributing about 40% to GDP and providing 53% of

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President Muhammadu Buhari

employment. In Germany, they account for 99.6% of businesses, 75% of GDP and provide 62% of jobs. In China, MSMEs represent 99% of total businesses, contributing 58.5% to GDP and employing 75% of workforce. Given that we share similar numbers with other countries, particularly the developed countries, the question should then be: what is wrong with MSMEs in Nigeria? On the face of it, one can argue that to the extent that there is consistency with the numbers, there is nothing fundamentally wrong. That will, however, be missing the point. The major problem is with the measurement itself, the statistics and its misleading conclusions. Because ours remains a fragile and distorted economy where the base is quite small, measurement on the basis of percentages is bound to mask the challenges.

If, for instance, our economy doubles in size or even triples, to the extent that everything is growing in the same proportion, the numbers will not change, even though we would have a much larger economy. This is one of the areas where statistics can be misleading. Recall our column titled “How To Lie With Statistics”, Thisday, Back Page, April 11, 2016.

I am of the strong opinion that for industrialisation to happen in Nigeria, the MSME should be at the driver’s seat.

It therefore becomes very important that deliberate efforts be made to encourage the growth of this sector of the economy.

To ensure growth, it may be important to understand that beyond the employment generation capabilities which have been aptly demonstrated by the data quoted above, there is also the strong potential of igniting the growth of the economy. As the economy grows, poverty will be reduced. The diversification of the economy which is at the centre of current government policy, cannot be achieved without the active contribution of the MSME sector.

Perhaps one of the most important roles of MSMEs is driving innovation, creativity and development of indigenous technology. The discussion of promotion of local technology would amount to a farce if we do not have local entrepreneurs leading the way.

Furthermore, while not disparaging largescale projects in Nigeria, anyone who takes a close look at the economic history of the country will agree that our efforts in that area have met with many significant reverses.

Projects like the River Basins, Ajaokuta Steel,

vehicle assembly plants, and so on, are just examples of such ventures that could not take off in spite of the massive resources and efforts put into them.

So, how do we ensure that we promote MSMEs in Nigeria? We must first of all understand the problems they face and the solutions would be easy to find once we have the will. The first major problem is the cost of doing business in Nigeria which is astronomically high, making products and services, uncompetitive. The major reason for this is lack of infrastructure amongst others. If we are able to guarantee steady power supply, cost of production in some cases can go down by as much as 40% to 50%. This would in turn make the products more competitive.

In a market that is not controlled, there is no way a product which is made, say in China, with its low labour cost and superior technology will not supplant a local product which may not even be the same quality with the imported one, even after taking care of logistics including cost of importation.

Of course, we are also aware that there are circumstances where goods are deliberately dumped by foreign exporters into Nigeria.

It becomes the responsibility of government to ensure against such sharp practices that have the potential of strangulating local producers and driving them out of business.

Closely related to provision of infrastructure is the issue of red tape and bureaucracy. It is commendable that the government has focused on the ease of doing business which had led to improvement in our rating by 20 places in the relevant ranking. We, however, need to do more if our entrepreneurs have to be encouraged to become competitive.

Security is another major challenge that the country faces. It has become more serious in the recent times with increase in insurgency, kidnapping, armed robbery and attacks by herdsmen. To encourage and promote business in the country, security challenges must be seen and handled as an emergency.

Just like Bill Gates told us, to achieve the required level of entrepreneurial progress, we must deliberately invest in Human Capital development. A poorly trained entrepreneur will produce mediocre results. Investing in human capital development would include training and retraining to ensure that skills are not only acquired, but that they are also updated to keep pace with changes in technology and modernization. This will also ensure that quality of products is up to speed with changing tastes and technology and costs are continuously brought down.

Again, the problem of access to both local and international markets cannot be overemphasized. Because goods and services can only be said to be completely produced when they end up with consumers, there must be deliberate efforts to create markets and the demand so created must be backed up by purchasing power to become effective. A situation where most people live below poverty line does not help the consumption of the goods and services made by the entrepreneurs.

There must also be an attempt to move up from the present 7% contribution by MSMEs to exports to more reasonable numbers.

This can only happen if the products are competitive both in terms of quality and price. To promote export, government must take interest in ensuring that locally made goods can compete internationally to enable entrepreneurs earn foreign currency and

support the economy. Government should also use tax and tariff policies to promote local production and protect local industry and technology.

Most entrepreneurs you will meet complain about access to Capital as the major challenge they face. While this may be true, this is not limited to Nigeria, even though developed countries have found ways around this challenge by setting up all sorts of funds and intervention agencies. Apple, which is the most valuable company in the world today, faced the same challenge when Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started the company decades ago. Somehow, they were able to manage and the rest is now history. Banks in Nigeria generally believe that MSMEs are loss leaders and therefore are reluctant to extend credit facilities to this segment of the market. Experience has shown, however, that this is more of a myth than fact. The fact is that even though the chances of loan default are high with this sector, on account of the fact that one is dealing with diversified loans which are not concentrated, the chances of a critical mass of the facilities extended to the segment, going bad at the same time are very remote. Look at it this way, if a bank lends N500m to a big business, it may be easier to manage because the bank probably needs just one officer to manage the customer. But if that customer fails to perform, the entire N500m may go bad in one fell swoop. On the other hand, if the bank lent the same amount to 100 customers at N5m each, it would require more intensive management and therefore more hands. Chances are that a few may go bad, but certainly not all.

Besides, whatever the loss norms are, the asset pricing model should be able to price the risk properly and because this segment of the market is very profitable, you will find that the facilities are able to pay their way.

So, when banks are making those arguments, it is easy to hear what they are not saying: they need to manage headcount and cost. I know that some naysayers out there would ask what I did in my previous life in the banking industry. The simple answer is that I did exactly what I am proposing here and had very good results. The records are there to show and I remain proud of the team that worked with me at the time. In fact, we went beyond just lending to providing support for MSMEs by setting up clinics and free advisory and training services for them.

A few other challenges would include the unstructured way that some small businesses run, lack of proper bookkeeping and accounting principles, inability of entrepreneurs to partner with other entrepreneurs to pool resources and share risks and returns, and inability to muster up the required collaterals to secure loans from banks.

My contention is that even though there are challenges which will not readily go away, the greatest concern is the unavailability of the enabling environment that would positively and proactively encourage entrepreneurship. This environment must be created by government which should take deliberate interest in ensuring that more small businesses emerge. They need to be in existence to support industrialisation, creativity and innovation. If we do not start, we cannot improve. Innovation is only possible when creative people are encouraged to boldly experiment, fail, learn from failure and then succeed and reinvent themselves.

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