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FG’s Failure to Pay Service Providers May Ground TSA Obinna Chima There are strong indications that the federal government’s Single Treasury Account (TSA) policy may be grounded, following the government’s failure to pay the technology service

providers and participating banks their commission in the past 22 months. A reliable source in the Federal Ministry of Finance, who spoke with THISDAY yesterday, said the major reason the federal government

approved a new TSA tariff model which mandated that the service charge on payment to its ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) from last Thursday, would be borne by the individuals or corporate organisations making the

payment, was to ensure that the debts no longer accumulate. Attempts to speak with the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris, on the matter proved abortive as he did not respond to phone calls yesterday, neither did he

respond to text messages by THISDAY. An indigenous firm, SystemSpecs, was engaged to provide the Remita platform on which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) coordinates all accounts linked to the TSA.

Under the terms of the service which was agreed after some controversies, SystemSpecs is entitled to one per cent of each in-bound transaction and up to N5, 000 for each out-bound transaction. Continued on page 8

Report: 2019 Politics Influenced NNPC’s Oil Lifting Contracts … Page 10 Monday 5 November, 2018 Vol 23. No 8601. Price: N250

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Despite Court Injunction, Labour Insists Strike Goes on Tomorrow Says it’s not aware of any judicial process FG awaits tripartite committee report Olawale Ajimotokan, Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and James Sowole in Akure Organised labour was adamant yesterday that its nationwide strike scheduled to start tomorrow would proceed despite a National Industrial Court’s Friday ruling, restraining

ASUU resumes industrial action

workers from shunning work until the determination of a suit instituted by the federal government on the dispute over national minimum wage. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Continued on page 8

USIP: Many Nigerians Think Buhari’s Defeat Less Likely in 2019 Alike Ejiofor The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has said despite misgivings by many Nigerians about the performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the president is most unlikely to lose the 2019 election. USIP made this known in a report it released on the forthcoming general election,

saying its report was based on its interactions with Nigerians from different sectors. USIP was established by Congress in 1984 as an independent institution devoted to the non-violent prevention and mitigation of deadly conflict abroad. It operates on the ground in some of the world’s most Continued on page 12

Atiku Berates Buhari over $500,000 CHAT WITH ROYALTY… President Yemi Osinbajo (left) and Emir of Gumi, Alhaji Lawal Hassan, during the 2018 Annual Lecture of Barewa Donation to Guinea Bissau …Page 8 Vice Old Boys Association (BOBA) at the Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, Sokoto…Saturday

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Atiku Berates Buhari over $500,000 Donation to Guinea Bissau Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The federal government’s $500,000 donation to Guinea Bissau has been described by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as wasteful, saying it’s one of the ways the President Muhammadu Buhari administration brought a once thriving economy to its knees. The federal government, through the Minister of

Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, had announced the donation of the sum, over 350 electoral kits and seven vehicles to facilitate a successful conduct of Guinea Bissau legislative election slated for November 18, 2018. Onyeama announced this when the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Guinea Bissau, Mr. Jose Filho, visited him in Abuja. He said, “It is in the framework of establishing

peace and stability in Guinea Bissau that Mr. President has approved a substantial number of election kits to enable them to carry out this election. “Without those kits that are over 350, it is going to be difficult to carry out the election. The last batch of it is about to be delivered and in addition, Mr. President has approved the supply of seven vehicles with about 500,000 dollars.� However, Atiku, in a statement by his campaign

organisation yesterday in Abuja, wondered why a country that had been officially named as the world headquarters for extreme poverty, would donate her resources to others instead of using them to solve pressing domestic problems. He stated, “We had cause to counsel the Buhari administration to be more prudent with national resources after the government declared its intention to sell national assets built by previous administrations to fund their

business as usual 2019 budget. “Apparently, rather than give heed to our pro bono patriotic advise, the Buhari administration is persisting in the financial profligacy that has seen them destroy a once thriving economy. “This is the same government that is so cash strapped that it has so far borrowed 13 trillion in three years putting our economy in even greater peril. “How prudent is it to go about taking loans from

whosoever cares to lend you money and then turn around to give out those same monies even when your own people are suffering the worst forms of poverty they have ever endured?� The former vice president said that there were over one million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria, saying, “If you cannot adequately support your own people in dire need, what is the wisdom in crossing borders to support others?�

total packages, and salaries and allowances of other political office holders in order to free up more resources that can be used not only to augment the cost of the new wage, but also the provision of social welfare programmes, such as free and quality education and free and adequate health care." The unions said that as a regulator, the federal government has a responsibility to enforce compliance of the minimum wage on both public and private employers of 50 employees and above. They said that the government should call the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige to order and to stop spreading falsehoods and deepening the tensions in the polity. The unions said, "In addition, the federal government should prevail on its agent – Minister Ngige to submit the reports of the Tripartite Committee that agreed on the N30,000 Minimum, and the federal government should prepare immediately a N30,000 new minimum wage bill and send to the National Assembly. "JAF wants to alert and urge organised labour and Nigerians to further demand that the N30,000 new minimum wage

must be implemented to the fullest, without retrenchment and the arrears of salaries and allowances owed on the basis of the 2011 Minimum Wage Act must be paid. “JAF takes strong notice of the manipulative court injunction obtained by the federal government on Friday November 2, 2018, with the criminal intent to undermine the impending strike action, but JAF is resolved that the strike action must continue."

DESPITE COURT INJUNCTION, LABOUR INSISTS STRIKE GOES ON TOMORROW Malami, had approached the court on Friday and asked it to stop the strike, pending the determination of the substantive suit the federal government had filed. The court obliged him with a restraining order, putting the strike on hold. But organised labour said having not been served with any court process, it was unaware of the court ruling, therefore, the tomorrow’s strike shall proceed as planned. Labour also denied knowledge of a meeting held at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and attended by the SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, and Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige. As the federal government made last minute efforts to stave off the strike, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) announced the resumption of its strike suspended months ago, accusing government of not keeping to its promise of acceding to its demands. The strike is indefinite. Workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had threatened

to go on national strike to compel the government and the private sector employers to pay N30,000 as new minimum wage. Whereas the federal government has offered to pay N24,000 and state governments, N22,500, labour has insisted that it is either N30,000 or no deal. Following the deadlock, the federal government approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja and obtained an order restraining the organised labour from proceeding with the nationwide strike. Delivering ruling in an exparte application by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Justice Kado Sanusi restrained the NLC and the TUC from engaging in the proposed strike pending the determination of the substantive suit filed by the federal government and the AGF. Justice Sanusi also restrained the NLC, TUC and the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum listed as the first to the third defendants from taking steps capable of destroying the subject of the dispute. However, the labour unions said they were not aware of any

court order stopping the strike. While giving update on the planned strike, the General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Peter Essom, said tomorrow’s national strike would go ahead as planned. Essom who spoke to THISDAY on telephone yesterday evening, said labour had not been served with any court proceeding. He said, "The conditions we have given is clear, pay the N30,000 agreed by the tripartite committee on minimum wage. “The government should act on it; that is the only thing we know about. We don't know anything about court; strike is going on as planned on Tuesday. We are not aware of any other development." Also the NLC scribe said that labour was not part of the meeting convened yesterday by the SGF and would not be bound by its decision. "We are not aware of any meeting at the SGF and we are not part of it," he added. Meanwhile, labour and all its affiliate unions yesterday sent out messages sensitising its members and Nigerians on the rationale for the industrial action. In a statement signed by the

Chairperson of Joint Action Force (JAF), Dr. Dipo Fashina, and General Secretary, Mr. Abiodun Aremu, the unions said the current demand for a new National Minimum Wage has gone beyond the stage of negotiation. The statement said the N30,000 agreed at the Tripartite Committee, which is even very poor (at $83 per month compared to 1981 Minimum Wage of N125 at $250), represents an irreducible minimum for industrial peace. According to the statement, “What is clear today from the unnecessary tensions being generated in the polity by the APC Looters’ Government and its officials is that none of the 36 state governors and the federal government, irrespective of political parties (APC, PDP and APGA), like in the past struggles for upward review of wage, is committed to pay the minimum wage without being compelled by struggle to do so. “JAF therefore challenges the presidency, state governors and legislators in the national and state assemblies to forfeit the questionable security votes/ undisclosed allowances, and cut down their outrageous

FG awaits tripartite committee report But the federal government has said that the Tripartite Committee on the national minimum wage set up November last year will meet today and submit its reports to President Muhammadu Buhari for consideration. The SGF, Mustapha, disclosed yesterday at the continuation of the Reconciliation Committee meeting between government and labour, which started on Friday. But the NLC shunned yesterday’s meeting that had in attendance the federal Continued on page 10

USIP: MANY NIGERIANS THINK BUHARI’S DEFEAT LESS LIKELY IN 2019 dangerous places to provide training, guidance, resources and analysis for those working to prevent or reduce violent conflict. USIP works in 51 countries facing warfare and extremism, from Iraq and Afghanistan to Burma and Nigeria. The organisation said though many Nigerians feel that the current administration has not met their expectations, this is not likely to cost the All Progressives Congress (APC) government its hold on power. The report said, “Many Nigerians feel their hopes have not been met. Some respondents suggest the electorate is sufficiently

disappointed that voter apathy will be greater in 2019 than in 2015, with the unifying narrative of change that helped elect the APC in 2015 much less compelling as a factor in mobilising the electorate, and perceptions that another defeat of the presidential incumbent is less likely to happen in 2019,� the report read. Comparing the 2015 elections to the forthcoming one, the report said there is a greater chance of the occurrence of election violence, listing Adamawa, Anambra, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Plateau and Rivers as the eight of 36 states with greater risks of election violence.

While it stated that it was up to the combined efforts of political parties, security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to curb violence in the election, it said the greater work lay with the electoral body. According to the report, “Important shifts in Nigeria’s political and security context have occurred since the 2015 elections, presenting both evolving, and new risks to the 2019 elections. “Of all the state’s institutions, most respondents felt that peaceful elections in 2019 are contingent on the performance of Nigeria’s INEC.

“Given the relative success of the 2015 elections, they felt that INEC ought to be able to deliver credible elections again in 2019. They feared, however, that any regression from the level of performance achieved in 2015 could lead to violence because some would view the failings not as a result of incompetence but as deliberate attempts to frustrate the will of the voters. “INEC should at least match the standards it set in 2015, and any regression could set the stage for violence. “Yet, while the potential for election violence exists, there are signs of hope. Some states have developed successful

election conflict-mitigation practices. In the short amount of time remaining, INEC and the police should undertake a number of key reforms,� it said. “The United States, along with other international supporters of the electoral process, should also intensify their efforts to reinforce the work of these key Nigerian institutions. “Beyond institutional support, rather than apply a conventional approach to electoral violence mitigation, donor programming should adapt to Nigeria’s current context, political shifts, and opportunities, and be

“In line with the global best practices and amidst dwindling revenues, the federal government has approved a new Treasury Single Account tariff model which mandates that the service charge on payment to its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from November 1, 2018 would be borne by the payer.� Under the new model, all funds collection into the TSA would require payers to bear the transaction cost. The new model would therefore replace the previous

one wherein the merchant— the federal government—bore the charges on all transactions to the service providers on behalf of payers. In 2012, the pilot TSA scheme commenced using a unified structure of accounting for the 217 MDAs for accountability and transparency in public fund management. In August 2015, the initiative was fully implemented and covered over 1000 MDAs after a presidential directive. Idris had said the TSA had saved the government about N40 billion monthly.

FG’S FAILURE TO PAY SERVICE PROVIDERS MAY GROUND TSA The firm was last paid in 2016, while as of December 2017 the total outstanding against SystemSpecs was in excess of N10bn for out-bound services. The payment app is a single online platform that manages financial payments tags and has blocked all financial leakages in the government circle. Responding to enquiries on why the federal government decided to shift the charges to payers, the source explained, “Remember the service provider used to get one per cent on each transaction on that platform, which was

re-negotiated to one per cent, but a maximum amount of N5, 000. Then there was a disagreement on the effective date of the difference. “But they eventually agreed with the date proposed by the federal government and for 22 months after that agreement was reached, they have not been paid and the debt has been accumulating. For now, the government’s indebtedness is in excess of N10 billion. “So, because the service provider has threatened to withdraw its service, a meeting was held between

the Accountant General and some Central Bank officials in Abuja, last Thursday, to resolve the matter and find a way to settle the debt. “So, what the new mandate means is that from November 1, the debt would no longer accrue. But the annoying thing is that when you ask this government about their achievement, the first thing they would tell you is the TSA and yet the service provider is not paid for providing the platform for this to happen.� Idris had in a statement last week explained that,

sufficiently flexible to respond to the risks distinct in each of Nigeria’s states. “In advance of the election, international diplomatic efforts to preempt electoral violence need to be intensified. Regional and international actors should convey their expectations that political parties effectively address their internal disputes, and be ready to put on notice politicians responsible for escalating these disputes.�

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Report: 2019 Politics Influenced NNPC’s Oil Lifting Contracts Corporation justifies rise of lifters to 50 Chineme Okafor in Abuja A United Kingdom-based public policy assessment organisation, the Oxford Policy Management (OPM), has interrogated the increase in the number of firms engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to participate in its crude oil lifting contracts and the two-year duration of the contracts from 2018 and 2020, despite the country’s unchanged levels of crude oil production. The OPM in a report queried NNPC’s decision to extend the term contract to two years as against the traditional one year, alleging that the process may have been largely influenced by the political undertones of the 2019 general elections with less consideration of the economic benefits. But the NNPC in a swift response to the report stated that the increase in the number of beneficiaries was in line with the federal government’s desire to have more Nigerian firms participate in the lifting and sale of the country’s crude oil. The NNPC added that its 2018/ 2020 oil lifting terms has nothing to do with the upcoming 2019 general

elections. OPM helps low and middleincome countries achieve growth and reduce poverty and disadvantage through public policy reform. In the report of the OPM titled ‘Gaps in NNPC’s 2018/2020 Crude Term Contracts: Nigeria’s Crude Lifting Contract,’ the international organisation noted that the controversy surrounding the publication of certain companies as the beneficiaries of the latest annual round of contracts awarded to lift Nigerian crude oil was remarkable for a number of reasons. It explained that firstly, the reported rise in number of lifters to 50 while Nigeria’s oil production has remained relatively at previous levels ran against the declared policy of the current government of President Muhammadu Buhari, to rationalise participation in the oil sector. Additionally, the report queried the tenure of the annual contract which has been increased to two years, stating that it was contrary to convention and the terms of the invitation to tender published by the NNPC.

As a starting point, it explained it wanted to examine the controversies and trace the roots surrounding the award of the contracts for disposal of Nigerian oil, adding that it had to explore three possible explanations for the current development and upsurge in the number of contracts awarded. Providing its views in the report, the OPM said, “We find that the economic argument is hardly supported by the facts since Nigeria's oil output has not significantly increased in the last few years so as to justify the increase in lifting contracts required to dispose of it. “Besides, the structure of the global market for oil, which is dominated by a cartel of producers to which the country herself belongs, does not support the additional argument that more contractors equal better pricing for the country’s oil.� It explained that in the early life of Buhari’s government, it stated that it wanted to rationalise participation in the contract regime, but that this has been undermined by the controversies arising from the recent crude lifting contract.

“Additionally, the justification of the latest upsurge, including the number of Nigerian beneficiaries of the contracts, in the attempt to keep up with the spirit of the country’s local content law is not very persuasive, since that law does not just focus on increase in Nigerian ownership, but more importantly on domestication of economic activities. “Finally, there is a prima facie case to be made for the political explanation, which suggests that the upsurge is an indication of the government continuing the culture of awarding contracts in exchange for political favour. “The trend in recent times has been for contract awarded to increase considerably in the year leading to national elections. Additional insight from industry players would appear to corroborate this perspective, with the uneven credibility of the profiles of the contract beneficiaries,� the report informed. The report further argued that a coincidence of factors supports the theory that the latest upsurge in the number of crude oil lifting contract awards could be explained by the expediency of Nigerian

politics. It stated: “2018 is the year leading into the national elections, a period typically rife with political racketeering in government circles. Oil contracts and assets are valuable currencies in the horse-trading typical of this period. With the award of 50 Crude Oil Lifting (COL) contracts in 2018, there is now a trend that the number of such contracts spikes in the year leading to national elections. “However, to validate the political explanation theory, we will need better evidence than a mere jump in the number of contracts. One way to confirm this theory is to independently verify the capacity and history of the successful bidders.� According to it, of the 50 companies whose names have been published as awardees of the new COL contract, at least 10 are new to the COL regime, adding that there is no direct evidence however to suggest that they do not meet NNPC’s criteria.

NNPC JustiďŹ es High Number of BeneďŹ ciaries But in his response to the report, the Group General

Manager, Public Affairs of the NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, told THISDAY over the telephone that there was no link between the COL and 2019 elections. Ughamadu explained that the corporation had consistently increased the number of participants in its COL to accommodate indigenous players, adding that its award of COL contracts is not usually influenced by politics. “There were no political considerations in the award of the crude oil term contracts. This management has made it duty to scale up local participation in crude oil trading in line with the provisions of the Nigerian content act. “There is progressive increase in the number of off takers, especially Nigerian entities in sync with the local content growth agenda since 2015. All companies selected met the set criteria for selection that includes financial clout, local presence and ability to penetrate market. The inclusion of more Nigerian companies will retain trading margins that were hitherto transferred to foreign companies,� Ughamadu explained.

APC Calls for Security Probe of Atiku’s Dubai Meetings PDP: You are jittery Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked security agencies in the country to probe the strategy meetings of the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, alleging that they have sinister agenda. But the main opposition party said the APC’s fretting over the meetings by its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was defeatist, and a clear sign that the ruling party was already petrified ahead of the 2019 electoral

contest. The ruling party has also rejected the claim by the PDP that Atiku would crash fuel price if elected in 2019. On the strategy meeting of the PDP leaders in Dubai, APC said the purpose of the trip, which it claimed was to plot strategies to oust President Muhammadu Buhari in next year’s election was rather "comic and ridiculous." The ruling party raised suspicion over the Dubai meeting by Atiku; his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi; Senate President Bukola Saraki; and the party’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

APC’s deputy spokesman, Mr. Yekini Nabena, said in a statement yesterday that the agenda of the meetings is spurious as they had held several meetings for the same purpose in Nigeria. He said, "Clearly, the meetings held in Nigeria did not yield their desired results, hence, a follow up meeting in Dubai. But we know the way of these politicians and the political party they represent. "There is more to the meeting than meets the eye. Nigeria has enough meeting/ conference rooms, many of which meet international standards. It is, therefore, clear

that the Dubai meeting is for other sinister political purposes ahead of the 2019 elections." Nabena said anti-graft and security agencies must be awake to their responsibility of investigating the Dubai meeting. According to him, "Cash and carry politicians must be prevented from moving illicit cash around to induce voters and sponsor election violence and rigging. "Again, relevant agencies must check suspicious movement of cash both locally and internationally by politically exposed persons under the guise of a Dubai

meeting or any clandestine meeting."

APC: PDP Will Return Nigeria to Subsidy Crisis Meanwhile, the ruling party has also rejected the claim by the PDP that Atiku will crash fuel price if elected in 2019, alleging that the opposition party wants to plunge the country into another subsidy crisis. PDP had promised that the country would witness a crash in price of fuel from the current pump price of N145 per litre down to N90.

APC’s Nabena, in a statement, accused PDP of pushing for a return to the inglorious days of subsidy scam. It said there was no way such crash in cost of petroleum products would happen without incurring huge subsidy bills. "The reported promise by the presidential candidate of the PDP, to reduce the pump price of petrol from the prevailing N145 per litre to N90 per litre, sounds like a cheap political gist designed to hoodwink unsuspecting voters ahead of the 2019 election," APC said. Continued on page 51

DESPITE COURT INJUNCTION, LABOUR INSISTS STRIKE GOES ON TOMORROW government representatives, the Organised Private Sector and the National Salary and Income CommissionNgige, and the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, went into a technical session after the reconciliation committee sitting. NLC shunned the meeting, claiming it was not informed it was taking place. The tripartite committee was set up as a result of the outcome of the negotiation between government and labour unions, when subsidy was removed from some aspects of petroleum products last year. Mustapha, told reporters that the deliberations of the committee would be concluded when the committee ratifies its recommendations, while it will subsequently send the report to the president for approval. He said, “Government is desirous to receive the report

once the Tripartite Committee concludes its sitting. We are waiting for the report to be concluded and transmitted to the government. Once that is done, we will set the processes that are required for the purpose of effecting the recommendations of the committee. According to him, after the president receives the report, it will subsequently send it as draft bill to the National Assembly, National Economic Committee and the Council of State before it is drafted as a bill. Speaking to reporters at the end of the technical meeting, Ngige said they expected to meet labour leaders on Monday at the reconciliation meeting. The minister said union leaders were only making up excuses for shunning the parley held on Sunday. “It is a continuation of meeting that we had on Friday

and it’s programmed to be a reconciliation meeting before we hold the tripartite committee on Monday. Their absence did not affect the outcome of the meeting,� Ngige said. He said what government is offering labour is N24,000 as the minimum wage and is not in support of the N22,500 and N30,000 offers made by state governors. He said the next meeting will look at the template and know how to accommodate government’s position, saying what the outcome reached on Monday will be consensual.

ASUU Declares IndeďŹ nite Strike Meanwhile, ASUU last night announced the resumption of the nationwide strike it suspended last September. The resumption of the strike was announced by the ASUU

president, Biodun Ogunyemi, at a news conference he addressed at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State. The ASUU boss said the strike became necessary in view of the failure by the federal government to implement many items in the 2017 Memorandum of Action on certain agreements reached with the government over the years Specifically, the ASUU said the government failed in the area of implementation on the release of N20 billion revitalisation fund as a sign of commitment to implement the Needs Assessment Report and the N1.8 trillion for revitalisation of universities. The ASUU also alleged that the federal government also failed to release the report of the forensic audit, payment

of outstanding amount and mainstreaming of EAA into the 2018 budget as well as payment of arrears of shortfall in salaries. Ogunyemi also condemned the underfunding of university education and undue interference in the affairs of state universities and the failure of the government to payment of EAA to their loyal members in University of Ilorin. "Today, our union has observed that the most important overall government policy thrust in university education is privatisation. The private universities clearly fill the bill of elites that have decided to rob the people and rape our country by creating private universities whose staff and students surrender to market forces. “Our union has run of patience with government unpreparedness to address old

and new challenges facing the Nigerian university system. "There can be no justification for government’s failure to address outstanding components of the 2017 Memorandum of Action and concluding the renegotiation given the reckless spending by our leaders on primary elections and bailout to banks. "It is evident that government is not interested in funding public universities. "ASUU and Nigerians were betrayed over the 2009 agreement. The 2012 MOU, 2013 MOU, 2017 MOA and continue to erect barricades in concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement," Oagunyemi stated. He therefore directed all ASUU members to withdraw their services until government fully implement all outstanding issues as contained in the 2017 MOA and conclude renegotiation of 2009 agreement.

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COMMENT

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

NATION BUILDING: COMMUNITIES, INCLUSION AND PROSPERITY Akinwunmi Ambode writes that an inclusive society must have institutions and structures that empower all

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here have been so many papers on nation-building, focusing on institutions and regulations but I will restrict myself to the softer issues – the people; the most important fabric of the nation. In discussing this topic, we must determine who we are as a nation, where we are and where we want to be. I will not draw any conclusions but I will present some critical information and present what we have tried to do in Lagos State for nation building. Globally there is a feeling that we live in an increasingly fractured world. Results of the World Inequality Report of 2018 shows that inequality has increased everywhere in the world despite substantial geographical differences, with the richest one per cent twice as wealthy as the poorest 50 per cent and Nigeria is no exception. In recent decades, income inequality has increased in nearly all countries, but at different speeds, suggesting that institutions and policies matter in shaping inequality. There are a number of prevailing opposing political, economic, and trade trends reshaping the world, including the widening gap between the rich and poor, climate change and concerns around the future role of technology. So, recently, we have been hearing things like Brexit, nationalism or Triumpism, which some people see as populist and nationalistic tendencies. That is how fractured the world is. Around the world, people are finding it increasingly difficult to buy into the narrative of shared, continuous social and economic progress that has prevailed for decades. The truth is that globalization has inadvertently exposed a fractured world. However from a strictly economic perspective, the world is really not in bad shape. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) for example predicted a growth rate of 3.7 per cent in 2018. The reality however is that for most people, the benefits of economic growth remain elusive. This category of people thus feel excluded from globalization and all the rosy narratives that often accompany it hence the fractures we see in the world today. These fractures foster intolerance, the rising nationalism, populism and strife all over the world and intolerance technically leads to terrorism. This fracture is even more evident in Nigeria with the various indicators of inequality. The focus of national economic programmes since 1960 has been the reduction of poverty, bridging inequality and the achievement of a sustained economic growth that should translate to economic development. However, our growth indicators, even when we averaged growth of 6 per cent prior to the recent recession of 2015 and 2016, we have not managed to translate into real development for the greater majority of our people. The reality and which is the stark truth is that the country is stuck in dire situation. UNDP’s most recent Human Development report (combines life expectancy, education, and income into a single measure) reveals Nigeria’s has a score of 0.51 which is low (one is the maximum; Norway is at 0.953). To put this in perspective, Nigeria’s HDI is lower than Kenya, Congo and Ghana. The question is, if Nigeria is number one on GDP, then where should our HDI be if we really want to grow and become a true nation?

OUR GROWTH INDICATORS, EVEN WHEN WE AVERAGED GROWTH OF 6 PER CENT PRIOR TO THE RECENT RECESSION OF 2015 AND 2016, WE HAVE NOT MANAGED TO TRANSLATE INTO REAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE GREATER MAJORITY OF OUR PEOPLE. THE REALITY AND WHICH IS THE STARK TRUTH IS THAT THE COUNTRY IS STUCK IN DIRE SITUATION

However, the 0.51 score masks massive differences between different parts of Nigeria, for example, Lagos ranks the highest among all states at 0.65 and is comparable to South Africa and Morocco, while, Sokoto ranks the lowest at, 0.29, which is worse than war-torn Yemen. The stark difference in HDI scores points to the extreme inequality in Nigeria’s well-being – imagine a segment of the population with life expectancy, education and incomes similar to South Africa, while others live like residents of currently devastated Yemen. Various other indices present an equally worrying picture. According to UNICEF, Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world: 10.5 million children (20% of world population of such children). According to Oxfam, women represent between 60 and 79 per cent of Nigeria’s rural labour force but are five times less likely to own their own land than men. Women are also less likely to have a decent education. Over three-quarters of the poorest women in Nigeria have never been to school and 94 per cent of them are illiterate. Five million of our people face hunger. More than 112 million people are living in poverty in Nigeria. Some 57 million Nigerians lack safe water. Over 130 million lack adequate sanitation. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its Q2’2017 report stated that the country’s unemployment rate rose from 14.2 per cent to 18.8 per cent. Underemployment is also close to 20 per cent. We need to understand these statistics for us to realise why we need to talk about nation building, inclusion and prosperity. CBN’s data indicates that only 48.6 per cent, equivalent to 46.9 million Nigerians have access to formal financial services. This is behind developed nations, but it is also behind some of our African peers. According to the World Bank, only 39.4 per cent of adult Nigerians have bank accounts with only 5.6 per cent having access to mobile money service. In other words, millions of our people are excluded from the formal banking and financial systems. To build a virile nation, we must pursue financial inclusion aggressively. Nearly 10% of newborn deaths in the world last year occurred in Nigeria (UNICEF: 2017). What really is inclusion? According to the World Bank framework for inclusion, social inclusion is the process of improving the terms for individuals and groups to take part in society. It is also the process of improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of people, disadvantaged on the basis of their identity, to take part in society. Individuals and groups want to be included in three interrelated domains: markets, services, and spaces. Intervening in one domain without consideration of the others is likely to be one of the most important reasons for the limited success of inclusion policies and programmes. I can use Lagos as a good example of a society practicing social inclusion because Lagos is a classical example of a cosmopolitan city that has imbibed every other person to succeed in anything that they try to do. In their day-to-day interactions, people engage in society through four major markets—land, housing, labour, and credit—all of which intersect at the individual and the household level.

Excerpts from the address of Lagos State Governor, Mr Ambode at the 75th anniversary of Island Club, Lagos

BUHARI AND WAEC CERTIFICATE SAGA The possession of a WAEC certificate is not an absolute requirement, argues Carl Umegboro

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ursuant to Section 131(d) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, a person shall be qualified for election to the office of the President if he has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent. By the school certificate, it implies Ordinary Level. This therefore renders anyone that has attained or acquired education leading to a certification by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) or its equivalent eligible to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Incidentally, the polity has since the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) been subjected to unending controversies over Buhari’s claims that his WAEC certificate is in the custody of the Nigerian Army. Some members from the opposition resultantly demanded from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) outright exclusion of Buhari from the race on account of his inability to provide the WAEC certificate. Absurdly, the same issue came up ahead of the 2015 presidential election but was resolved in favour of Buhari leading to his contest. Be that as it may, by the above constitutional provision, it is pertinent to note that WAEC certificate is not absolute for the election of a President in the subsection. It unambiguously utilized the word “at least� which destroyed the

absoluteness of WASC as a requirement. By this position, must O’Level, that is, WAEC certificate be presented as academic requirement? The answer is emphatically NO. Any aspirant with superior certificates needs not present WAEC certificate to the electoral umpire. The academic requirements merely begin from WASC (West African School Certificate) without end. Thus, aspirants with Diploma, Bachelors, Masters or doctorate degrees or their equivalent in military need not present WAEC certificate which is simply the least academic requirement to participate in the race. Had it been the Constitution strictly requires school certificate or its equivalent only, then, the hullabaloo would make sense if not provided. The word ‘at-least’ literarily means ‘not less than’; ‘at the minimum’; ‘if nothing else’. And therefore, WASC is not absolute requirement. Anyone with superior qualifications need not be harassed over the minimum requirement. Again, it would amount to belittling the office of Nigeria’s President to peg the academic requirement for the position at O’ Level. The essence of bringing the academic qualification to the minimum of WASC is to promote universal suffrage and not that a school certificate holder is sufficiently trained to lead the nation. Therefore, it would amount to a charade on the system if the academic requirement for the number one position in the nation is O’Level qualification. In consequence; WAEC certificate is not absolute requirement.

Seriously, it amounts to absurdity to be heating up the polity over President Buhari vis-à -vis O’Level. Buhari’s rank as a Major-General in the Nigerian Army is a certification superior to O’Level which cannot be contested, let alone several doctorate degrees from various accredited universities in the country. Other various trainings and certification in the military are equally all superior to WASC and therefore Buhari is not under any obligations to present O’level or any particular certificate as far as the election to the office of the President is concerned. Having acquired numerous certificates, Buhari is at liberty to present any of the certificates he holds. If his WAEC certificate is unavailable, any of his other certificates can serve the purpose provided it is superior or equivalent to O’Level. In other words, the society has been busy for nothing which is akin to indolence. At this point, campaigns should be extensive, policy and issues based on national interest and not on frivolities. The fundamental issue that should dominate the polity at this critical juncture is the resuscitation of the economy alongside the people. By pegging the minimum academic requirement on O’Level or its equivalents in the Constitution, it is obvious that almost all electorate are academically eligible, albeit distinct from soundness, to run for office of the President. Therefore, issues should shift to competence, credibility and ideology for service-delivery. For example, by Buhari’s first term scorecard, has the country been realistically, economically secured, restructured, and

significantly making progress to necessitate his reelection for consolidation and progression? On the other hand, does the leading opposition, PDP now have what it takes to lead the country distinct from its 16 years of administration? Does it now have significant blueprints or reviewed policies for the people different from the typical rhythm with no economic foresight? What policies or strategies can it guarantee to put in place towards ensuring that the nation doesn’t revert to the era of a ‘leading consuming-nation, fantastically-corrupt state and colossally looting dispensation’? The above questions should dominate the squabbles in the political terrain. As for the populace, particularly the electorate, national interests and welfare of the people should always be the decisive factors. The unending dirges over minimum academic requirement are uncalled-for and symptomatic of misappropriation of priorities and values. The masses’ concern should be on the way forward; essentially, with a judicious comparative assessment on the system under PDP’s watch of nearly two decades and the present APC one-term administration. Holistic appraisals will give astute directions. This is no good time to be pursuing shadows or for aimless and deceptive propaganda. The people are keenly enthralled to see realistic manifestoes, sound policies and political-will for service-delivery and dividends of democracy. Umegboro is a public affairs analyst and Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

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T H I S D AY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2018

EDITORIAL CBN AND THE CURRENCY HAWKERS The central bank should be bold enough to enforce its own laws

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he egregious handling of naira notes by some users is one of the reasons for the large stack of mutilated or dirty currencies in circulation. In the light of this conduct, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently announced the plan to arrest and arraign before mobile courts, currency hawkers, those who spray naira notes at parties and people who habitually deface the national currency. But given the level of the abuse and how prevalent these practices have become in recent times, it would take more than a tepid statement to curb the habit of hawking the national currency. Sections 20 and 21 of the CBN Act of 2017 outlaw any action by anyone who hawks, sprays, squeezes, dances on or writes on the naira. Culprits convicted by the mobile courts deployed nationwide to enforce the law risk a jail term of about six months or a fine of N50,000. Indeed, the apex bank deserves kudos for trying to curb this illogical behaviour and ensuring that the nation’s currency earns SECTIONS 20 AND 21 OF some respect. Under no circumTHE CBN ACT OF 2017 stance should the OUTLAW ANY ACTION BY naira be squeezed, ANYONE WHO HAWKS, scribbled on or marched on by SPRAYS, SQUEEZES, DANCES ON OR WRITES revellers at public gigs during sprayON THE NAIRA ing spree. The CBN has had to explain the implications of some of the sordid acts. “We spend a lot of money printing these bank notes. If we print a N500 and issue it to you on Friday, on a Saturday you might probably take it to a wedding for spraying. They go to churches, squeeze it and put it in offering and by Monday, it is already old and mutilated. We spend hundreds of billions of naira to print these notes. It is so unfortunate,’’ CBN Director of Corporate

Letters to the Editor

Communications, Mr Isaac Okorafor lamented. The wanton mutilation and careless handling of naira notes is indeed a serious infraction with enormous cost to the country. Currency notes that are poorly handled get defaced and as people do not like worn out money, they reject them. Money which government can use for other projects is then used to print new notes to replace the defaced ones. But we have our doubts and are indeed concerned as to whether the CBN will able to enforce the directive which is not exactly a brand new one.

G 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

iven the volume of worn out currency in circulation, CBN should not hesitate to sanction Money Deposit Banks (MDBs) across the country for recirculating dirty naira notes, when their obligation is to sort the money, mop them and return them to the CBN vault. In case many people are not aware, filthy notes in circulation predispose people to many health risks, including upper and lower respiratory tract infections, conjunctivitis, protozoa infections and allergies because such currencies can carry germs that make people feel unwell due to handling. This is unacceptable in a country where the health indices are among the worst in the world. There is therefore the need for CBN to upscale its public awareness campaign because the mass of our people, particularly the taxi drivers, meat sellers, market women and street beggars still need reorientation on the use of wallet and how to properly arrange money. The way we handle money is the reason why we have dirty notes in circulation. Some people are fond of squeezing brand new money when given and they need to change such attitude. CBN also needs to clamp down on people in the business of hawking used currency in exchange for new ones for little profit to be sprayed at ceremonies. This business cannot thrive without the connivance of some commercial bank workers. The sources of the supply of such money should be blocked and workers engaged in the practice arrested.

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.

2019 PRESIDENTIAL MATCH: APCVS PDP

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have prepared some Olympic games for candidates of the 2019 Presidential polls and their parties which are supposed to follow all the formalities from the opening to the closing ceremonies and the award of medals to the winners, as well as consolidation prizes. There are also football contests amongst the candidates with their party members. I crave the indulgence of my readers to start with the final match of the football competition because it is going to be the most exciting of the national event. Other matches may come in replay forms. I expect that my readers will be calculative to decipher some underpins in the match. As the match boss, I have decided that each goal will be counted one million points. And the final match is between the Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ladies and gentlemen! My dear football lovers in Nigeria and across the world! You are welcome to the National Stadium at Plot 436, Zambezi Crescent, Maitama in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is the final match of the 2019 Presidential Olympic football tournament. You will recall that the tournament has been very interesting with some surprises. 91 clubs or so have participated in it, but unfortunately many matches witnessed walkovers due to the inability of the clubs to meet up with the requirements after their registrations. The Olympic management will review this callous attitude and penalize the defaulting clubs accordingly. This final match is between the two strongest teams, the defending champion, the APC FC and the runner-up of the last

tournament, the PDP FC. The stadium is very neat and fitted to international standard. It is the largest stadium in the African continent with the capacity of about 190 million. It has been a very beautiful day. The match is a decisive one as its outcome will determine the unity, peace and progress of the spectators in particular and the football lovers across the continent and the world. Every country of the world looks on to this game with keen interest. The two teams, assuredly, have international supporters. On the other hand, most of them have shown, like football lovers, particular interest in the defenders due to the national and international accolades they have gathered in the past few years and the confidence they have instilled in their supporters. Since their debut into the tournament, their consistent fair play and tolerance in defeat, as well as magnanimity in victory has remained a point of reference. That has endeared them more to their fans and people of the world. The defenders are full of sports experts and players in world top clubs. The runner-up is equally up to the task, having won the tournament four times in the past. As you can see, the spectators are carrying either the broom or the umbrella. I will discuss the strength and significance of the two protection tools in my future features. I think that these tools were carefully chosen by their managers who are sports strategists. Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure that you will enjoy this wonderful crucial tough clash between the two titans. The APC’s team is with the green-white-blue jersey with red short and stocking. The jersey and short are decorated with the

team’s logo, the broom. The PDP’s team is with the red jersey, white short and green stocking. They are decorated with the team’s logo, the umbrella. Both teams are warming up before the national anthem and other formalities. The spectators are all full of expectation for this spectacular national event. The security is well organized as you can see the police, all other paramilitary personnel including the road safety, fire service and staff of the national emergency management agency (NEMA) positioned in strategic areas to ensure safety of lives and property as well as orderliness from the spectators. I can see the head coach of the APC Oshiomhole, assistant coach Abdulkadir; technical assistants, E. Omachukwu, H. Ekpe, Victor, M. Salisu and Lawal Shuaibu; fitness coach Nduka Ayongo, goalkeeping coaches, A. Shuaib and E. Ebediro scoutings and physiotherapists A. Bolaji, B. Abdullahi, A. Fanda and B. Ogala. They are seated on the bench with the reserves. I can also see seated the head coach of the PDP Secondus; assistant coach G. Garba; technical assistants Y. Akinwonmi, U. Tsauri, E. Agbo, A. Akobundu, U. Okoye and H. Yakubu; Fitness Coach K. Ologbondiyan; goalkeeping coaches D. Odeyemi and A. Maibasara; scoutings and physiotherapists I. Gerald, A. Adewale, W. Masu and E. Enoidem. The referee of this match is a well-known no-nonsense sportive gentleman. M. Yakubu is known to be a just and courageous umpire. We are very hopeful of a very hitch-free match but full of actions and interesting displays. Muhammad Ajah, Abuja

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THISDAY t MONDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2018

© 2018 CFA Institute. All rights reserved.

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Welcome, CFA charterholder class of 2018.

Congratulations to all who became CFA charterholders in 2018. You are now part of a community of 155,000 CFA charterholders worldwide. Your Charter Award Dinner is on 9 November 2018 at Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Event starts at 6pm. Learn more about CFA Society Nigeria at cfasocietyng.org Abdulhakeem Muhammed, CFA

Eno Udo Adetayo-Olugbemi, CFA

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THISDAY t MONDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2018

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëž Í˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG

POLITICS

Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

M O N D AY D I S C O U R S E

Ready to Upset APGA’s Applecart of Peace Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that the thin veneer of peace in the All Progressives Grand Alliance which was restored following last July’s Supreme Court judgement, Chief Martin Agbaso, a former factional National Chairman of the party may have concluded plans to ruin the party’s chances in the 2019 general election

H

aving lost its bid to get the Supreme Court to rule in its favour on the matter of the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Martin Agbaso, the erstwhile factional chieftain of the party who had gone to court to oust Chief Victor Oye as National Chairman of the party took some time away from the public glare to lick his wound and reflect on his next move in politics. The apex court’s verdict last July effectively closed the long-drawn battle between the two factions of APGA. With the recent conduct of primaries ahead of the 2019 general elections, Agbaso has found his voice again, perhaps in readiness to play a more strategic and influential role as a kingmaker, whose political machinery is positioned to help any candidate win the election. There is no doubt that the ‘Ahamefula’ political structure of Agbaso played a big role in making APGA a winning brand in Imo. His name is also synonymous with APGA nationwide. The group’s Executive Director, Chief Stanley Ukaga recently recounted to a team of journalists the contributions of Agbaso to the formation and growth of the party in the South-east In order to launch the foundation of the party, Ukaga recalled the selflessness of Agbaso in working with Chief Chekwas Okorie who muted the idea of APGA in 1999. He said, “When the idea to form APGA was muted by Okorie and others in 1999, Agbaso joined other prominent Igbo sons and daughters to invest time, experience, funds and contacts in order to ensure that the dream became a reality. Agbaso was originally a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at that time, but he contributed enormously towards the actualisation of the dream of an Igbo party which was subsequently registered as APGA.�

How Agbaso was robbed in the April 2007 Election

On the issues that led to APGA’s abysmal loss in the 2007 governorship election in Imo State, Ukaga maintained that Agbaso’s refusal to denounce the party and its leader, late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, cost him the governorship of the state. “With the massive followership he enjoyed in APGA, Agbaso not only became the flag-bearer of APGA during the 2007 governorship election in Imo State, but also overwhelmingly won the election. He was asked to denounce Odumegwu-Ojukwu, APGA and then decamp to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, as a pre-condition for declaring him Governor of Imo State, in an election he had clearly won. As a result of his refusal to denounce Ojukwu, compounded by the unpatriotic machination of some ill-motivated persons, the INEC unilaterally cancelled an election that he had won in 25 out of 27 local governments.� Continuing, Ukaga noted that, “Agbaso refused to place his personal interest above his loyalty to the party, his massive followers and Ikemba Ojukwu. Little did he know that his deep commitment to the party was not only offensive to some key individuals in the party at that time, but also became a veritable albatross. Following the cancellation of the April 14, 2007 governorship election which was clearly won by Agbaso, he fought relentlessly in court for four years to reclaim his mandate, a battle that ended in February 2011. The case ended without any court in Nigeria answer-

QUICK FACTS: r"1(" T MPOH ESBXO MJUJHBUJPO PWFS leadership ended last July with a Supreme Court judgement that favoured Chief Victor Oye as National Chairman, instead of Chief Martin Agbaso, a former factional National Chairman r"HCBTP B GPSNFS NFNCFS PG UIF 1%1 had committed his resources to help Chief Chekwas Okorie who muted the idea of APGA in 1999 establish the party. He has

Obiano

Ararume

Agbasso

ing the ultimate question: Has INEC the right, under the Electoral Act, to completely cancel an election that was concluded? It is important to note that the governorship ballot papers were cast in the same ballot-box as that of the House of Assembly. The result of the House of Assembly election was declared, while the governorship election was cancelled. How INEC contrived and got away with such a blatant act of injustice and impunity, is left for posterity.

interest of APGA. Agbaso has continued to insist that no money was offered to him at any time during or after the election. He has even challenged Okorocha in public to provide evidence giving him up to N10 million; and if proven, he would give him N100 million. Agbaso was believed to have led and financed the party and most of the party candidates at all levels including Okorocha thereby ensuring APGA’s 2011 election victory at the gubernatorial, senatorial, representative and state sssembly levels. The 2011 election and that of 2007 were arguably acknowledged as the best outing ever recorded by APGA in Imo State and indeed in Nigeria, to date. According to the Ahamefula director, Agbaso and Okorocha entered into a written supervised and signed by Chief Victor Umeh, the National Chairman of APGA, at that time. The letter and spirit of the document stated among other things that Agbaso should, in the interest of the party, support Rochas Okorocha in 2011 and, thereafter become the party’s candidate in 2015. Little did Agbaso know that after largely funding the campaign of Okorocha particularly and those of other candidates of APGA that he was not dealing with a man of honour. Chief Okorocha never honoured that agreement. Rather he falsely accused the then deputy governor Jude Agbaso of bribe taking in order to scuttle the agreement. Rochas as we now all know resorted to an unprecedented campaign of calumny against Agbaso, falsely claiming that Ochoudo sold him the gubernatorial ticket and in turn was settled for a sum of money, which he has failed to disclose till today. However, the most verifiable payback (which was not in the written agreement) was allowing Agbaso’s younger brother to become Okorocha’s running-mate. Even this too was short-lived as the younger Agbaso was removed from the office through the machination of Governor Okorocha.

Agbaso, it was, who reconciled former Governor Peter Obi and Chief Victor Umeh whose battle for the soul of APGA almost destroyed the party and its chances of winning Anambra State in 2014. His selfless disposition ensured a democratic and transparent primary that led to the emergence of Chief Willie Obiano as the flag-bearer of the party in 2014. Obiano has publicly acknowledged this role played by Agbaso. Strangely, Obiano was fingered to have a hand in halting Agbaso’s emergence as the APGA National Chairman.

Historians will determine also the role played by prominent sons and daughters of Owerri Zone in denying one of their own the opportunity of governing Imo State at that time. All through his battle in court, to reclaim his mandate, Agbaso did not abandon the party. It’s important to note that during this period several inducements were made to him to abandon his mandate and the party. He not only dismissed such offers but sustained the party, ensuring that APGA not only had, but maintained offices in the 305 wards of Imo State. He built the party in Imo till it became a beautiful bride. If he had abandoned the party after the 2007 election, or signed the pact with the PDP in order to become governor, there wouldn’t have been an APGA in Imo today, for the current auctioneers and political jobbers to exploit.

The entry of Rochas Okorocha into APGA

Owing to the certain factors, the national leadership of APGA imposed Rochas Okorocha on the Imo State APGA faithful in 2011, despite Agbaso’s determination to once again lead the party to victory, adding that such would have proved that the election he won in 2007 was not a fluke. He was fully prepared for the 2011 election and had mobilised APGA members across Imo State. However, the same auctioneers who have continued, unchallenged, to run APGA as their private enterprise, after receiving undisclosed inducements smuggled Chief Rochas Okorocha into the race and mortgaged the party to him, with the active connivance of traitors some of who were key players in Agbaso’s campaign organisation. The party leadership having compelled him to accept Rochas as the flag-bearer of the party, in spite of the pain of betrayal, he single mindedly led the campaign in the overall

Unfortunately, the tables have turned now and the APGA in Anambra has controlled governance in the state for over one decade. However, during the election of Chief Willie Obiano as governor of Anambra State in 2014, Agbaso played a key role which stopped the envisaged disintegration of APGA before the election.

since been identified with APGA r)JT QFSTPOBM QPMJUJDBM NBDIJOFSZ JO *NP State is known as ‘Ahamefula’ is believed to be functional in the 305 wards of Imo State. Agbaso played a big role in making APGA a winning brand in Imo r"HCBTP XBT UIF *NP 4UBUF HPWFSOPSTIJQ flag-bearer of APGA in 2007. He was said to have in 25 out of the 27 local governments r0O "QSJM */&$ VOJMBUFSBMMZ cancelled the election r"HCBTP GPVHIU SFMFOUMFTTMZ JO DPVSU GPS four years to reclaim his mandate, a battle

that ended in February 2011. The case ended without any court in Nigeria answering the ultimate question: Has INEC the right, under the Electoral Act, to completely cancel an election that was concluded? r)JT MBXZFST BSHVFE UIBU UIF HPWFSOPSTIJQ ballot papers were cast in the same ballot-box as that of the House of Assembly. The result of the House of Assembly election was declared, while the governorship election was cancelled r*O "HCBTP XBT QFSTVBEFE UP ZJFME the space for Chief Rochas Okorocha under an agreement which included making his

Agbaso’s Inuence in Anambra APGA

Agbaso Withdraws Support

Having suffered so much betrayal, Agbaso withdrew his support for APGA in 2015. Of course, it contributed in no small way in the routing of APGA in Imo State in the election that year. Following his acceptance of an offer of peace from the APGA national leaders, he returned to the party. The delegation was led by late Ozo Nwabueze Okafor, who was the then Acting National Chairman of APGA pleaded with him to assist them in salvaging the sinking party. At that juncture, the National Chairman, Chief Victor Oye, was on suspended alongside his two deputies, Uchenna Okogbue (South) and Alhaji Adamu (North). This was the situation when Agbaso was persuaded to return to APGA. Nwabueze died on January 8, 2017. When the NWC met in Enugu, on January 30, 2017, they unanimously mandated Agbaso, who was then the Acting Deputy National Chairman (South), to take over the leadership of the party since he was the next in line of succession, in accordance with the party’s constitution. Determined not to abandon the legitimate court case initiated by Nwabueze and others, Agbaso deployed his time and personal resources in prosecuting the court case, in order to restore accountability and internal democracy to APGA. At great risk to his person, Agbaso took on the challenge to rescue APGA. As vividly reported in the media, though he lost the case at the Supreme Court, it was convincingly won in the court of public opinion. The assumption in many quarters today is that 85 per cent of APGA members are solidly with Agbaso. Across the 305 wards of Imo State, the true APGA and teeming Ahamefula members know their own. younger brother Okorocha’s running mate. After he emerged governor, Jude Agbaso was impeached, allegedly through the machination of Okorocha r"HCBTP EJE OPU TVQQPSU "1(" JO He was later persuaded to return to the party and was made the Deputy National Chairman (South). Upon the death of the Acting National Chairman, he was asked to step into that office by the NWC. This pithced him against the suspended National Chairman, Oye and the legal battle went all the way to the Supreme Court, which decided in favour of Oye

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëž Í˝Ëœ ͺ͸͚΀

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MONDAY DISCOURSE

Uneasy Calm Reigns in Ogun Femi Ogbonnikan writes on the festering crisis that has engulfed the Ogun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress over the outcome of the governorship primary which produced Prince Dapo Abiodun as its standard bearer

Amosun

T

he last four weeks have witnessed an unprecedented uneasy calm in Ogun State, particularly within the apparatus of government, largely due to the emergence of Dapo Abiodun, a successful businessman and IperuRemo born Prince, which was an unexpected blow to Governor Ibikunle Amosun. The unforeseen twist truncated the Governor’s attempt to unilaterally foist Hon. Adekunle Akinlade on the state as his successor. He had also concluded plans to install 39 other candidates into various elective offices, both at the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, without recourse to the founding fathers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. Amosun has bluntly refused to accept the defeat of his preferred candidate Akinlade in the October 3 direct primary election in the state. Rather, he has chosen to embark on several moves to upturn the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party which supports Abiodun’s emergence as the governorship standard bearer of the party. The governor’s apparent desperation for power elongation through his puppet, Akinlade, has drawn critical comments from many political watchers. The overwhelming opinion is that Amosun is engrossed in a personal inordinate ambition to entrench himself as an emperor in the control of the soul of the party in the state, but using the smokescreen of trying to get ‘justice’ for a governorship candidate of Ogun West extraction, since they have never governed the state. Poised to upturn the decision of the NWC, Amosun began running helter-skelter and shuttling between Abeokuta and Abuja almost on a daily basis to see President Muhammadu Buhari and wanted him to interfere in the matter, but all his moves met a brick wall. On a particular Thursday, it was learnt that an angry President Buhari, shortly after attending his co-traveller from Zamfara State, Alhaji AbdulAziz Yari Abubakar who was also at Aso Rock, seeking the intervention of the President on a similar matter, cautioned the Ogun State governor not to drag his name into the mud, that he had directed the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to accede to his request of dropping Abiodun for his preferred candidate, Akinlade. “Just to shed more light on the provisions of the APC constitution, President Buhari quickly called on the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to interprete the power vested in the office of the national leadership of the party concerning the decision in electing governors, National Assembly and States House of Assembly members into elective offices. Amosun left Aso Rock disappointed, sensing that would put pay to his unscheduled visits to see Mr. President over the Ogun State APC crisis. Afterwards, he persuaded two revered royal

Oshiomhole

fathers, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo (Alake of Egbaland) and Oba Kehinde Olugbenle (Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland) and Sen. Iyabo Anisulowo (former Minister of State for Education) to join him to Aso Rock to seek the President’s intervention in giving the Ogun State APC governorship ticket to Akinlade, but the story was still the same. Buhari didn’t betray his emotion. He told Amosun and his entourage that the power is vested in the national leadership of the party, led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on such a matter,� said an anonymous chieftain of the party who was privy to the discussion. At the turn of events, another method devised was a gathering of selected cronies of Amosun under the aegis of Ogun West APC stakeholders led by Alhaji Yakubu Ajayi (chairman), Chief Kayode Kajebora (Secretary), Sen. Iyabo Anisulowo, Chief M.A. Olagbaye and Chief Jide Ojuko on Tuesday, October 23 gathered at Ilaro to announce their support for Akinlade. In a communique, the stakeholders commended Amosun for standing firm in the struggle for the “Ogun West for governor agen-

Amosun began running helter-skelter and shuttling between Abeokuta and Abuja almost on a daily basis to see President Muhammadu Buhari and wanted him to interfere in the matter, but all his moves met a brick wall. On a particular Thursday, it was learnt that an angry President Buhari, shortly after attending his cotraveller from Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdul-Aziz Yari Abubakar who was also at Aso Rock, seeking the intervention of the President on a similar matter, cautioned the Ogun State governor not to drag his name into the mud

Abiodun

da�, culminating in the supposed mandate of Akinlade. They, however, tasked the lawmaker representing the district at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Sen. Gbolahan Dada, the three members of the House of Representatives and those of the State House of Assembly to make their positions known concerning the “Ogun West for Governor agenda� or else they would disown them. Also, protesting women took to major roads within the Abeokuta metropolis, gave a week ultimatum to the national leadership of the party and threatened to travel down to Abuja and go naked if it failed to reverse the governorship candidacy in favour of Akinlade. The women were led by the Chairman, Ilugun Local Council Development Authority (LCDA), Mofoluke Soremekun and other women leaders across the three senatorial districts. Penultimate Friday, a group, “Ogun West APC Elders�, led by Chief Mufutau Ajibola, Yahyah Fadipe and Chief Samuel Ayedogbon, issued a communique to caution traducers from making inflammatory statements, capable of stoking discord within the APC family in the state. In the same vein, the immediate past governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel admonished Amosun to shun personal ego, if he was truly interested in an Ogun West candidate to succeed him in office. They noted with displeasure that the leadership of the party in the state betrayed their trust for a processed, empowered and mentored Yewa-Awori man to take over the mantle of governance in the state. The elders averred that they vehemently object to any form of ‘third term agenda’ in Ogun State using a Yewa-Awori man. They said they were aware of the current intrigues that have been playing out in the State, shortly after the hitch-free conduct of the gubernatorial primary. They unanimously aligned, agreed and supported the decision of the NWC that conducted APC gubernatorial primary in the state to uphold the mandate freely given to Abiodun by the overwhelming majority of the party members. According to them, “Yewa-Awori governorship candidate of our dream must be credible, have the full virtues of Yewa-Awori, without any blemish. He must be acceptable to the vast majority of other equally important stakeholders across the state and responsible to the citizenry and not to a selfish cabal under the leadership of tyrant emperor and selfacclaimed governor of Ogun State,� said the elders. “We appreciate the efforts and salute the courage of Mr. Governor in the quest for “Yewa-Awori for Governor,� but we equally want to remind him that in democracy, the power belongs to the teeming party members. We appeal to Mr. Governor to respect, sup-

port and rally round the choice of the party members in Abiodun (his bosom friend) in the overall interest of our great party APC. However, the group took exception to recent uncomplimentary comments by Mr. Governor and Sen. Anisulowo against the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomole and former governor Segun Osoba and warned that a repeat of such action would be met with appropriate actions. Mr. Governor having exhausted all known avenues to have his way through, took on Oshiomole, of conniving with a cabal in Lagos that wrote a fake result which produced Abiodun as the party’s governorship standard bearer. Amosun had made the allegation in an interview on Monday shortly after the swearing-in of the new Chief Judge of the state, Mosunmola Dipeolu, held at the Governor’s office Chamber, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. The embittered governor also fingered former governors Tinubu (Lagos) who is the national leader of the party, and Osoba (Ogun), as having played a strong role in the fraud, while predicating his argument on the silence of the duo, which he said translated to their consent to the electoral fraud. The issue of Chief Osoba and Asiwaju and co, what we said was that there was a defeaning silence from their end, and silence means consent. “We have not heard one word from any of them. Was there any election in Ogun State? Yes or No? People at this level should be courageous enough to take position and tell us whether there was election or not.� As if his travails are not yet over, a chieftain of the APC, Mr. Bolaji Akinola, indicted Amosun of impoverishing the state, describing the governor as the real problem of the APC in Ogun State. Akinola claimed that the way and manner Amosun carried on the state, particularly his alleged habit of hand-picking and imposing candidates on the party, should be a source of concern to all well-meaning APC members. According to him, he alleged that Amosun’s disregard for internal democracy was demonstrated earlier this year when the APC conducted its ward, local government and state congresses. “Only those hand-picked by Amosun were returned to office,� he declared. Akinola also claimed that the people of Ogun state had had enough of Amosun and would resist any attempt by the governor to impose an unpopular candidate on the state as his successor. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08152252325

The Unbearable TrafďŹ c Situation in Apapa For some time now, the traffic situation on all the roads leading to Apapa has become a serious nightmare that seems to have defied every solution, Davidson Iriekpen writes

F

or those who work and live in Apapa or have one form of business transaction or the other, the last eight weeks have been very harrowing. Signs that the traffic situation in the port city will soon abate are still very far from near. Each day, trailers, trucks, fuel tankers and other container-bearing articulated vehicles line up on every major road leading up to the Tin Can Port and the Apapa Wharf, making commuting a herculean, sometimes unfeasible task for other motorists. Till date, most bridges on Western Avenue, Ijora and along the OshodiApapa Expressway have been turned to parking lots by drivers. It was gathered that operations at the ports have collapsed, making accessibility of the facilities difficult for the container-bearing trucks. Though the difficulty in accessing the area has been on over six years now, there is no hope that solution is in sight soon. Everywhere looks like a jungle or no man’s land. Hope that the Muhammadu Buhari administration would tackle the problems as soon as he came to office has been dashed. From the look of things, the problems are beyond it.

Present Situation

Everyday people are meant to go through difficult situation to get to their offices and homes. Not only have houses been deserted, offices have been closed down due to the difficulty in accessing the area. For those who have access to Apapa from Western Avenue, sometimes the gridlock starts as far as Ikorodu Road, Alaka or Ijora Olopa. Others who access the area from the Oshodi-Mile 2 axis, the traffic starts from Sanya Bus-Stop. It is not only entering Apapa that is unpleasant, exiting is as hellish as motorists and road users are left at the mercy of the elements, with nobody knowing when it will come to an end. It is common sight these days to see commuters alighting from buses and trekking down to their destinations.

TraďŹƒc bedlam in Apapa

Allegations of Bribery

Not even the security agencies drafted to the area to control the chaos appear to have achieved suc-

We have ports in Warri, Sapele, Port Harcourt, Onne, and Calabar. We have also river ports in Onitsha, Lokoja and Baro. Why can’t we activate them to disperse these trucks and tankers to other ports and allow Apapa to breathe? Why must the whole nation depend only on Apapa and Tin Can Ports? Why can’t we rehabilitate the various fuel depots around the country so that tankers will not need to come to Lagos to load fuel?

The bridges are not left out too

cess. They seem soundly defeated. On many occasions, they have ignored the directive for them to create one lane for cars to have easy access to Apapa due to corruption. Whether they are on duty or not, they are constantly seen on the bridges collecting bribes to pass truck drivers or sometimes escorting them to block the roads. Added to this is fact that all the roads leading the port city have broken down. While Dangote is seriously trying to construct the Wharf Road, the Oshodi-Apapa road particularly from Mile 2 to Liverpool Road all through Creek Road is in a sorry state. Even on

top of the bridges leading to the ports are in a sorry state. A worker in Apapa, one Adekoya Aderemi, expressed believe that for as long as security agents collect bribe from truck drivers, there will never be sanity on the road. “What the Apapa bedlam has exposed is that we are in a complete jungle. For over seven years now, this traffic has been there without any solution in sight. What personally pains me is that we have police, soldiers, navy, civil defence, road safety, all carrying different guns and sometimes sticks and horsewhips, yet they cannot control unarmed truck drivers. What a shame! They

have sold their consciences. They collect bribes and allow the drivers do what they like by blocking the roads.�

Helpless Government

From the look of things, it would appear that motorists and other users of the ever-busy roads have an endless wait before the nightmare they experience daily on the road comes to an end. All efforts by the federal and Lagos State governments to solve this seemingly intractable threat to the nation’s economy are to no avail. The Lagos State Government under Akinwunmi Ambode is completely

20

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍłËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08152252325

The Unbearable TrafďŹ c Situation in Apapa For some time now, the traffic situation on all the roads leading to Apapa has become a serious nightmare that seems to have defied every solution, Davidson Iriekpen writes

F

or those who work and live in Apapa or have one form of business transaction or the other, the last eight weeks have been very harrowing. Signs that the traffic situation in the port city will soon abate are still very far from near. Each day, trailers, trucks, fuel tankers and other container-bearing articulated vehicles line up on every major road leading up to the Tin Can Port and the Apapa Wharf, making commuting a herculean, sometimes unfeasible task for other motorists. Till date, most bridges on Western Avenue, Ijora and along the OshodiApapa Expressway have been turned to parking lots by drivers. It was gathered that operations at the ports have collapsed, making accessibility of the facilities difficult for the container-bearing trucks. Though the difficulty in accessing the area has been on over six years now, there is no hope that solution is in sight soon. Everywhere looks like a jungle or no man’s land. Hope that the Muhammadu Buhari administration would tackle the problems as soon as he came to office has been dashed. From the look of things, the problems are beyond it.

Present Situation

Everyday people are meant to go through difficult situation to get to their offices and homes. Not only have houses been deserted, offices have been closed down due to the difficulty in accessing the area. For those who have access to Apapa from Western Avenue, sometimes the gridlock starts as far as Ikorodu Road, Alaka or Ijora Olopa. Others who access the area from the Oshodi-Mile 2 axis, the traffic starts from Sanya Bus-Stop. It is not only entering Apapa that is unpleasant, exiting is as hellish as motorists and road users are left at the mercy of the elements, with nobody knowing when it will come to an end. It is common sight these days to see commuters alighting from buses and trekking down to their destinations.

TraďŹƒc bedlam in Apapa

Allegations of Bribery

Not even the security agencies drafted to the area to control the chaos appear to have achieved suc-

We have ports in Warri, Sapele, Port Harcourt, Onne, and Calabar. We have also river ports in Onitsha, Lokoja and Baro. Why can’t we activate them to disperse these trucks and tankers to other ports and allow Apapa to breathe? Why must the whole nation depend only on Apapa and Tin Can Ports? Why can’t we rehabilitate the various fuel depots around the country so that tankers will not need to come to Lagos to load fuel?

The bridges are not left out too

cess. They seem soundly defeated. On many occasions, they have ignored the directive for them to create one lane for cars to have easy access to Apapa due to corruption. Whether they are on duty or not, they are constantly seen on the bridges collecting bribes to pass truck drivers or sometimes escorting them to block the roads. Added to this is fact that all the roads leading the port city have broken down. While Dangote is seriously trying to construct the Wharf Road, the Oshodi-Apapa road particularly from Mile 2 to Liverpool Road all through Creek Road is in a sorry state. Even on

top of the bridges leading to the ports are in a sorry state. A worker in Apapa, one Adekoya Aderemi, expressed believe that for as long as security agents collect bribe from truck drivers, there will never be sanity on the road. “What the Apapa bedlam has exposed is that we are in a complete jungle. For over seven years now, this traffic has been there without any solution in sight. What personally pains me is that we have police, soldiers, navy, civil defence, road safety, all carrying different guns and sometimes sticks and horsewhips, yet they cannot control unarmed truck drivers. What a shame! They

have sold their consciences. They collect bribes and allow the drivers do what they like by blocking the roads.�

Helpless Government

From the look of things, it would appear that motorists and other users of the ever-busy roads have an endless wait before the nightmare they experience daily on the road comes to an end. All efforts by the federal and Lagos State governments to solve this seemingly intractable threat to the nation’s economy are to no avail. The Lagos State Government under Akinwunmi Ambode is completely

21

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FEATURES helpless. It also refused to take concrete steps to ameliorate the situation or criticise the federal government unlike when Babatunde Fashola was governor. Fashola had on several occasions criticised the Goodluck Jonathan Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led federal government for allowing the roads leading to Apapa to rot. What is even most annoying to many Lagosians and motorists is fact that the same Lagos State government would allow truck drivers to takeover Eko Bridge which leads to other important places like Marina, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki. The traffic quagmire in Apapa got to a head recently when the OshodiApapa Expressway was totally locked down. From Cele Bus Stop, there was simply no movement for vehicles going towards Mile 2, Apapa, Kirikiri and other communities in the axis. Sheer bedlam reigned on the road. Motorists desirous of reaching Mile 2 were compelled to ply the opposite lane and face traffic coming from Mile 2. All adjoining roads, including Ago Palace Way, Lagos-Badagry Expressway and other areas were affected. To restore some sanity, the federal and state government set up a taskforce headed by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, comprising members of the security and traffic management agencies as well as unions within the maritime sector. The taskforce has since been handed over to the Commander Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft, Commodore Okon Eyo. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was also in Lagos for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. But like every other thing in the country, the task force has since gone to sleep with truck drivers reigning supreme. While this is happening, living in and around the Apapa zone is a nightmare. Businesses are suffering and many have folded up. Everyone is losing. The trucks and tankers which gather around Apapa from all over the country are also incurring heavy losses due to the long period they spend on queues to access the ports and fuel tank farms. All these could be greatly reduced if only the truck operators would comply with simple instructions; stay in holding bays and await their turns to access the ports.

Culpability of NPA

The NPA has equally been accused of culpability in the confusion taking place in Apapa. Many analysts and observers believe that it is not playing its regulatory role properly, thereby allowing the concessionaires at the ports to hinder smooth operations.

Revamping Ports

Many stakeholders have wondered why the federal government has also not revamped the ports in Warri, Sapele, Port Harcourt, Onne, and Calabar in order to decongest the Lagos ports and save Lagosians the trouble of entering Apapa. For instance, an importer, Emeka Enebeli, said the Apapa gridlock is a great sign that Nigeria is a country that cannot solve the most elementary of its problems. According to him, “we have ports in Warri, Sapele, Port Harcourt, Onne, and Calabar. We have also river ports in Onitsha, Lokoja and Baro. Why can’t we activate them to disperse these trucks and tankers to other ports and allow Apapa to breathe? Why must the whole nation depend only on Apapa and Tin Can Ports? Why can’t we rehabilitate the various fuel depots around the country so that tankers will not need to come to Lagos to load fuel? “Can’t we quickly complete the roads in Apapa? Can’t we activate the Apapa rail corridor to join in evacuating goods? When will Nigeria

The traďŹƒc often stretches to Ikorodu road and beyond

Bad roads also contribute to the traďŹƒc snarl

have a government that can solve problems? The is gridlock, which has been in place for the best of the past nine years, defying succeeding regimes, is a great sign that Nigeria is a country that cannot solve the most elementary of its problems.�

Wrong Priorities

Writing with the caption: ‘Apapa as a metaphor for Nigeria’ recently, a public affairs analyst, Chido

What the Apapa bedlam has exposed is that we are in a complete jungle. For over seven years now, this trafďŹ c has been there without any solution in sight. What personally pains me is that we have police, soldiers, navy, civil defence, road safety, all carrying different guns and sometimes sticks and horsewhips, yet they cannot control unarmed truck drivers. What a shame!

Nwakanma, said the current state of Apapa speaks to the confusion and wrong priorities in Nigeria. He added that it was inconceivable that the place that contributes so much to the nation’s income and resource base would suffer such wanton disregard until all of its infrastructure would collapse. “Apapa speaks to the confusion and wrong priorities in our national planning or lack thereof. It is inconceivable that the place that contributes so much to the nation’s income and resource base would suffer such wanton disregard until all of its infrastructure would collapse. What is wrong with officialdom in this country that allows such egregious errors happen? Is there an Elite Consensus to enable Nigeria to die? Drawing any other conclusion is difficult. “We similarly neglected the Niger Delta until our brothers and sisters revolted from the stranglehold and choking effects of the deprivation and degradation. Nigeria began to respond only after the agitations. We have not felt the urgency of the need even now.�

Untold Hardship

Lamenting on the untold hardship which all the stakeholders in the maritime industry are facing on a daily basis because of the bad Apapa Port road, the Vice President,

Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr. Kayode Farinto, said it was a shame to the country because the ports are generating billions of naira on a daily basis. He argued, “If the road is fixed, about 70 per cent of the problem of Lagos port has been solved. The congestion on the sea and on the road will be solved. Aside this, most of the shipping companies do not have holding bays. They still want to return the empty containers to the port; this is also causing congestion on the road. “Some of the owners of these containers are giving us problems because the owners are top government officials. We have shouted and cried out but nobody is listening to us until recently when the port authority at started using the big stick on them. Some of their activities have been suspended now because they do not have a holding bay. “Without any apology it is the elite of this country that is causing problem for us, all the shipping companies have retired generals or former Heads of State, ministers and senators both serving and retired as their chairman, therefore they can just flout the order at will until recently when the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala, stood her ground that the law must be obeyed no matter who is involved.�

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IMAGES

L-R: Deputy Governor of Lagos State representing the State Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; Chairman, Island Club, Mr. Olabanji Oladapo; Representative of the President and Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN; Alake of Egbaland, HRH Oba. Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo and former Minister of Interior, Senator Demola Seriki, during a Business Lecture to mark the 75th Anniversary of Island Club, in Lagos...recently PHOTO: PHO OTO TO: KOLA KO OL OLASUPO OLASUP PO

L – R: Chief Operations OďŹƒcer, RMB Nigeria, Funsho Odukoya; Head Boy, Estate Senior Grammar School, Ilupeju, Destiny Aladeyekun; Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, RMB Nigeria/Regional Head, West Africa, Michael Larbie; Head Girl, ,Damilola Odebiyi and, Principal, Estate Senior Grammar School, Ilupeju, Folake Adams during the World Savings Day with RMB at the school in Lagos‌recently

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Photo Editor ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ ÔËÖË Email Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜Ë›Ă‹Ă”Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

R-L: Vice President, Sub Saharah African, FedEx, Mike Higley; Vice President, Legal & Regulatory Aairs, Hassan Bouadar; Chairman, Red Star Express Plc, Alh. Suleiman Barau; Group Managing Director, Sola Obabori; Managing Director, Middle-East, India Sub, Africa and Turkey Region (FedEx MEISA), Maher Hasbini; a security expert with FedEx and Managing Director, HR Services, Graham Almond during the business visit of the FedEx team to Lagos...recently

L-R; Vice President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Comptroller Wale Adeniyi; Chairman of Council NIPR, Mr. Mukhtar Sirago; Manager Public Relation/CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Erummu Baigaghon; and Head, Media/ External Relations, First Bank, Mr. Babatunde Lasaki, at the NIPR 2018 annual conference of directors/heads of public relations in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

L-R: Head of Sales Redington, Sujeendra Prasad; Founder and CEO of SLOT systems Limited, Nnamdi Ezeigbo; Regional Head West Africa, Redington, Sivadoss Vijayakumar and Product Manager, Redington, Manu Sanon, at the launch of Apple iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max in Lagos...recently

L-R: Executive Director, Finance and BeneďŹ ts Administration Trustfund Pensions Limited, Mr. Andrew Onyilokwu; Representative of the Principal of Model Secondary School Maitama , Mrs. Ugonma Akanu-Okorie; Winner of the maiden edition of the Trustfund Pensions Limited Essay Competition for Senior Secondary School Students in the FCT, Miss Glory Chuks Amacha and the Executive Director, Business and Personnel Administration, Trustfund Pensions Limited Mallam Musa Nasr at the Award presentation ceremony in commemoration of the 2018 World Savings Day in Abuja...recently

L-R: Chief Audit Executive. Union Bank of Nigeria PLC, Mr. David Isiavwe; Director General/CEO, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Aliyu Aziz; Managing Director/CEO, Digital Jewels Limited, Mrs. Adedoyin Odunfa and Managing Director/CEO, Central Security Clearing System PLC (CSCS), Mr. Haruna Jolo-Waziri, during the 71st Information Value Chain forum to Commemorate Cyber-Security Month and World Standard Day, in Lagos...recently PHOTO: KOLA OLASUPO

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BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima

Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08024557078, 08152447875

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Quick Takes World Quality Alliance Organises Awards

CAPACITY BUILDING

L-R: Senior Manager, Tax Services, EY Nigeria, Oluwasike Ibiwoye; Human Resource Officer, Sunu Assurances Nigeria Plc, Adedotun Adejumo; Senior Manager, Tax Services, EY, Akeem Ogunseni; and Atinuke Alakija of Drudge Consulting, at the optimal payroll management / audit readiness training organised by EY Nigeria in Lagos‌ recently ETOP UKUTT

Publishing Debtors’ List Will Enhance AMCON’s Debt Recovery, Say Experts James Emejo in Abuja The recent publication of list of debtors by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has been welcomed by experts who believed the move will boost the recovery of existing huge non-performing loan (NPLs) by the corporation. Although mixed reaction had trailed the action by AMCON, especially its legal implication, some experts who spoke to THISDAY, however said the move by the corporation was a step in the right direction. Former Managing Director, Unity Bank Plc, Dr. Mohammad Rislanudeen and a Professor of Finance and Capital Market at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Uche Uwaleke told THISDAY over the weekend that naming the debtors, including

ECONOMY prominent Nigerians would be a game changer in its recovery drive. According to Rislanudeen, the NPLs which stood at about five per cent when the debts were acquired by AMCOM in 2011, now averaged about 15 per cent, implying that more loans had gotten bad. He said both AMCON and the debtor entities are currently in a dilemma-�because that chunk of money- over N4 trillion are tax payers’ money which was used rightly to ensure financial stability. And it’s the responsibility of AMCOM to recover these loans.� However, the ex-banker added, publicising the identities of debtors in an effort to compel them to pay represented, “a right thing to whatever AMCON will do to ensure that those loans

were recovered.� Contrary to suggestions of a possible backlash, he said: “I don’t see any negative implication for the economy. “If you are in business, you won’t like your business to fall. For instance, if you are indebted to AMCON to the tune of N1 billion and you’re doing good business, AMCON will never come to you and demand that you pay all the money at ago. “All AMCON will want from you is to sit down with them, agree on the exact amount and restructure the facilities to be paid over a period of time based on your own cash flows. “All AMCON wants is ownership: agreeing that you’re indebted and that you’ll start to pay. “So anyone that’s in good business and is not ready to pay debts, then he should as

well allow his business to go. “If we don’t do that, we’ll continue to have this problem of moral hazard and adverse selection. It means even from day one, both the borrower and lender knows that the facility can get bad and yet they went ahead because they know at some point, somebody will take over.� He added: “People will just go to bank, borrow money and then refuse to pay. On the part of the banks, because they know there’s AMCON- there’s always a place to sell the loans- it will be an unending vicious cycle.� In the same vein, Uwaleke posited that the publication of the list of debtors would go a long way to aid recovery of most of the debts that AMCON took over from distressed banks. He added:� AMCON is meant Continued on page 24

PwC: Credible Data Needed to De-risk Mining Sector Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The availability of credible data on Nigeria’s mining potential will help de-risk the mining sector and attract the much-needed investment inflow, global professional services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), has said. PwC, which has been in collaboration with the government to help Nigeria develop the mining sector also identified artisanal ownership, smuggling of mined items, infrastructure deficit and funding constraints as some of the major challenges confronting the sector. Two top officials of the firm— the Associate Director, Energy, Utilities & Resources, Habeeb Jaiyeola and Partner, Corporate Finance, Andrei Ugarov, spoke with THISDAY in separate

ECONOMY interviews on the sidelines of the recently-concluded Nigerian Mining Week, in Abuja. According to Jaiyeola, funding remains one of the major challenges confronting the sector, but pointed out that this could be addressed to a large extent by providing credible data on Nigeria’s mining potential. Credible data, Jaiyeola argued, has the capacity of de-risking the sector by giving potential investors accurate information on mining deposits, which persuade such investor to make informed investment decisions. “Data is one of the critical factors of the mining sector. Without data, you cannot typically market any mineral resource to an investor. Right now, from the

conversations which have been held, we are aware that a lot of data-gathering contracts have been signed with data gathering companies. “We’re seeing that effort where government is investing into data-gathering. The government is working towards ensuring that we have data on several minerals so that investors can pay and access. So, the conversations are ongoing. We’re aware that the government is making efforts to ensure that there is bankable data for the mining sector,� he said. Jaiyeola noted that the data conversation was one of the areas to de-risk the mining industry, adding that “any fund provider, when they see the gain to be gotten, will definitely put in funds there.� “But you need to show them value first. Data is the first port

of call. By the time we have more data-collection in-country, then the funding will follow. “Without data, banks and the financiers will be a bit apprehensive about where they are putting their funds because they are not certain if there is commercial quantity available to whatever mineral they are going into. “So, data will support that the minerals exist and exist in commercial quantity, and the returns will be profitable, hence the fund providers will certainly put in the funds. “So, we expect that the time this data issue is solved, and several others like infrastructural issues are solved, we are able to create mining value chain up to sale, which can be easily done Continued on page 24

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate the World Quality Day (WQD) on November 8th, the World Quality Alliance has concluded plan to hold the Global Quality Excellence Awards. The event is to recognise excellence, quality conformance and promote awareness of the important contribution that quality make toward a nations growth and prosperity. Speaking at a press brieďŹ ng to announce the award in Lagos, the Secretary, Award General Committee, Ifeoma Favour Emeka, said in a global economy where success depends on quality, innovation and sustainability, the award reinforces these commitment as foundation for improving brands and business performance. With the theme this year as “Quality: a Question of Trust,â€? Favour noted that the World Quality Alliance with the support of the Chartered Institute of Quality have made an alliance to intensify relationship promote global commitment to quality and their application in all segment of the society. Speaking on trust as the theme for this year, the secretary explained that trust is a hard earned commodity but can be squandered in a moment, hence the need to celebrate the roles that everyone in an organisation plays in building and sustaining trust among stakeholders, customers, suppliers, regulators and the whole society. “Hardly a day passes without reading about quality failure and its impact on stakeholders, organisations and the corresponding question on integrity and competence. “The quality management profession is about helping organisations put in place competent system to ensure that the activity of an organisation delivers on its promises to customers and stakeholders. “These systems of governance, assurance and improvement combined, with your culture of quality are your investment in trust and reputationâ€?, adding further that the quality profession is a business partner in enhancing trust in organisations.â€?

Osinbajo for APBN Presidential Investiture

Vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and other prominent layers, from various sectors of the nation’s economy, are set to attend this year’s Annual General Assembly and investiture of Mr. Olumuyiwa Alade Ajibola, as the president of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN). According to a statement issued by the association, Osinbajo is expected to declare the two-day event opened in Abuja, while Amb. Bunu Sherif Musa and Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo Obe will be the chairman and guest speaker respectively. According to the statement, this year’s meeting would be used to further strengthen the bond between government at the three tiers and all professional bodies in the country. “Over the years, the APBN has been a one stop shop in harnessing the potential of the professionals in the country towards its economic growth and development,� the statement stated. Founded in 1983, APBN, an umbrella body for all professional groups in Nigeria, currently boasts of 30 foremost professional bodies in the country.

InďŹ nix Mobile Launches Hot 6X Phone

InďŹ nix Mobility Nigeria has launched the new Hot 6X Phone. According to a statement made available by the Marketing Communications Manager, InďŹ nix Mobility Nigeria, Tayo Odunowo, 2018 can arguably be regarded as the most competitive year within the smartphone space with OEMs putting their best foot forward with high end tech innovation.He added that InďŹ nix Mobility left no stone unturned in churning out exceptional devices from their various series that appeals to dierent sects with their target market. According to him, “From creating its own user interface, XOS that possess better design, faster screen responsiveness and energy eďŹƒciency to producing smartphones that stays true to its “Tech, Bold and Stylishâ€? brand DNA, InďŹ nix Mobility are reshaping normalcy and setting a new standard for excellence for stakeholders within the smartphone creation industry.“The Hot 6X is structured for an immersive entertainment as it comes with 3D Dirac speakers while the camera department is adequately equipped with 8MP A.I selďŹ e camera that also has the wide-angle selďŹ e camera feature and dual rear cameras (13MP+2MP) for pictures of awless nature.

“The demand is very straightforward, we are open to dialogue, but dialogue must have an end. If we must have dialogue for one year and there is no end to that, certainly there is deceit, and we are not ready for that

President, Nigeria Labour Congress

Ayuba Waba

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BUSINESSWORLD PUBLISHING DEBTORS’ LIST WILL ENHANCE AMCON’S DEBT RECOVERY, SAY EXPERTS

to be a temporary resolution vehicle and therefore should be seen to be ready to activate its sunset clause any time soon. “This is one of the steps it should be taking to recover the debts owed it in preparation for winding down.� According to the professor: “One implication of this sort of action is to send the right signals to bank customers with a reputation for loan defaults that they are expected to honour their obligation to the banks as at when due or risk being named and shamed. “This will help to reduce the high level of non-performing loans in the banking industry. So, I think the development bodes well for financial system stability.� Nevertheless, the former Unity Bank boss said AMCON was unlikely to wind up its operations by 2020 given that it “will not be able to recover those loans.� He said: “So if they (AMCON) don’t recover the loans and more loans are getting bad, and there may be another pressure for another round of AMCON; because now, there’s Polaris Bank- that has huge bad debt... Now it has been liquidated and the entire share now belong to the NDIC and after some time, it’ll be handed over to AMCOM.� PWC: CREDIBLE DATA NEEDED TO DE-RISK MINING SECTOR

and profitable, then funding will certainly follow,� Jaiyeola added. The PwC official also commented on the Solid Mineral Development Fund (SMDF), which he said the government was working to ensure that artisanal miners (small-scale miners) form cooperatives. This fund, he stated, would help them develop their mining sites and move towards a better mining and more funds. Also speaking on Nigeria’s mining sector, PwC’s Partner, Corporate Finance, Andrei Ugarov, observed that the Nigerian mining sector is not yet very developed, adding that a large part of the work his firm was doing is to work with the government. to develop the sector.

NEWS

‘China Maritime Silk Road Game Changer for Global Transport’ Eromosele Abiodun The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has described the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road as game changer for global transport and substantially. These, he said would affect the pattern of global commerce. Dakuku, stated this in Dubai during the Dubai Maritime Summit 2018, which was part of the events at the five-day UAE Maritime Week. Speaking on the benefits and risks of the BRI, a Chinese government development strategy aimed at enhancing regional connectivity through infrastructure development and investments in Europe, Asia and Africa, the NIMASA boss urged African and Middle East countries to plan mitigation measures against potential risk elements of the initiative. He identified the likely risk elements to include trade imbalance in favour of China and Chinese control of trade infrastructure, which will give it a lot of leverage in the global market place. According to him, “Chinese policy will affect port calls and hub decisions, which may adversely affect ports of Africa and Middle East; Chinese political influence and dominance leading to reintroduction of Sino centric order is imminent; the tanker market will shrink substantially, as

pipelines across continents will be the preferred mode of transportation of oil and gas.� However, he said the benefits of the Chinese economic initiative outweighs the risks. At the event, the panellists unanimously agreed that the China Belt and Road initiative would open new markets in global commerce, improve connectivity between modes of transport, enhance speed and efficiency at the ports,

open new international trade routes, and boost technology transfer. On the panel to discuss the initiative were Managing Director of Precious Shipping, Khalid Hashim; Chief Executive Officer of King Abdallah Port, Rayan Qutub; Chief Executive Officer of Drewey, Tim Power; and CCO of Abu Dhabi Ports, Ross Thompson. The Dubai Maritime Summit brings together the maritime

sector’s leaders, decision makers, policymakers, high-level government officials, and regional and international maritime industry leaders to deliberate on issues affecting the global maritime industry. Previous editions included some of the most distinguished local and international guests, such as Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Kitack Lim, and UAE Minister of Infrastructure Development

and Chairman of the Federal Transport Authority, Land and Maritime, H.E. Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi. The Belt and Road initiative is the signature policy of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The basic idea behind it is to boost trade and economic integration among the countries in the initiative through investments in roads, pipelines, ports, communication networks and other such infrastructure that promotes connectivity.

PRODUCTLAUNCH

L-R: GMD / Founder, Interswitch Group, Mitchell Elegbe; Group Chief Information Officer, Dangote Group, Prasanna Kumar Burri,: Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Akin Banuso and Divisional Chief Executive Officer, Payment Processing, Interswitch Group, Akeem Lawal, at the launch of Interswitch Blockchain Service (Supply Chain Financing Module) held in Lagos‌recently SundayAdigun

SMEDAN Seeks Chinese SMEs’ Partnership on Technology Transfer James Emejo in Abuja The Chairman, Governing Board, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Femi Pedro said efforts are ongoing towards a possible collaboration and synergy with Guangdong SMEs in China, in the area of technology transfer to small enterprises in Nigeria. He said the initiative was being canvassed through the Africa-Guangdong Business Association (AGBA) window

for the promotion of MSMEs in the country. Pedro, spoke when he led management of SMEDAN to participate at the just concluded 15th edition of the China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair (CISMEF), 2018 (CISMEF) with 21 Nigerian SMEs in attendance. This came as nine SMEs from Nigeria were said to have been successfully matched with Chinese companies who are interested in their respective products at

a Cross-Matchmaking forum aimed at offering opportunities to connect Chinese SMEs with overseas customers, and increase their presence in the global market. According to a statement by SMEDAN’s spokesman, Ibrahim Mohammed, about 25 Made-in-Nigeria products were on display at the Nigeria pavilion spanning foods, garments, agro-commodities, arts/crafts and leather works with over 3000 SMEs from various countries in attendance.

The Director General, SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, further requested for areas of collaboration, particularly cluster development, capacity building and trade partnership beyond the fair. He said the participation of Nigerian SMEs at the fair would have a great impact on the economy of the nation, adding the SMEs that attended the fair were able to identify new markets and modern technology to improve their production He added that SMEs were

also able to discover new investments and business opportunities. According to him, Nigeria’s showing at this year’s edition of CISMEF has left an indelible mark about various business opportunities that abound in the country especially, “in our naturally endowed agrocommodities, especially ginger, Shea butter, coconut oil, black seed and turmeric which were rated very highly. Identification of niche markets to focus on e.g. agro-commodities and solid minerals.�

‘Collaboration, Key to Achieving Broadband Penetration’ 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)

Emma Okonji The Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) has expressed optimism about the country achieving and surpassing the 30 per cent broadband penetration that had been set by the country for this year. The country is currently at 22 per cent broadband penetration. The Managing Director and Chief Executive of NIGCOMSAT, Abimbola Alale, noted that through determined collaboration between NIGCOMSAT and telecoms industry stakeholders, Nigeria would surpass the 30 per cent target in the next few

weeks. Alale, who spoke at the stakeholders’ collaborative meeting between NIGCOMSAT and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), in Lagos recently, said such collaboration with industry stakeholders would speed up the process of broadband penetration in the country and open opportunities for businesses to have unlimited access to internet, thereby boosting online transactions and e-Commerce business in the country. According to Alale, “NIGCOMSAT has all it takes to speed up broadband penetration in the country, since it operates

Nigeria’s foremost satellite, NigComSat-1R that operates on the Ka-band payload consisting of eight active transponders with a bandwidth of 120 MHz each for communication and broadcasting services.� According to her, “The collaborative gathering between NIGCOMSAT and telecoms stakeholders, emphasises our collective desire to critically examine the prospects, challenges and future plans in our attempt to redefine the relationship between telecoms operators and NIGCOMSAT in deepening broadband penetration nationally. “Whilst I appreciate the business focus and contribution

of ATCON in taking services to urban and sub-urban areas, I also believe that our collective efforts will yield better results across all parts of the country in order to boost the overall business environment.� The President of ATCON, Mr. Olusola Teniola, said the initiative was borne out of the need to bring NIGCOMSAT’s services to ATCON’s members because it has shown that majority of ATCON members did not know that they could buy capacity from NIGCOMSAT and those who know do not patronise NIGCOMSAT because they thought NIGCOMSAT’s prices are very high.

“ATCON’s primary focus with respect to pervasive broadband is to see how our members can leverage on satellite technology for the deployment of broadband for socio-economic development of our country,� Teniola said. Executive Director, Business Development at NIGCOMSAT, Samson Osagie, said the provision of last-mile connectivity through satellite, was key to addressing Nigeria’s digital divide gap. “With over 40 transponders on our satellite, with eight of them active and others redundant, NIGCOMSAT has enough headroom to drive speedy development of broadband services,� Osagie said.

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BUSINESSWORLD

Equities Market Sheds 2.4% as Investors Ignore Corporate Earnings Goddy Egene Despite the release of corporate earnings by many companies, the Nigerian equities market closed last week downtick following profit taking in bellwether stocks. Three of the five trading were bearish pushing the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) to close 2.38 per cent lower at 32,124.94. Similarly, market capitalisation shed N285.6 billion to end at N11.728 trillion. The year-to-date (YTD) decline worsened to 16 per cent. Daily performance The week started on a positive note last Monday as investors reacted positively to nine month corporate earnings of companies released the preceding week. Gains by 17 stocks, including market leader, Dangote Cement Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, lifted the market capitalisation by N105 billion to N12.119 trillion. The NSE All-Share Index appreciated by 0.88 per cent to close higher at 33,196.07, thus moderating the year-todate decline to 13.2 per cent. Although the market recorded 17 price gainers and losers apiece, bellwethers among the price gainers influenced the positive close for the day. However, on the first trading session, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc led the price gainers with 10 per cent, trailed by LASACO Assurance Plc with 6.6 per cent. Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc chalked up 6.5 per cent, while WAPIC Insurance Plc garnered 4.7 per cent. Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc last week reported a jump of 54 per cent and 59 per cent in profit before tax (PBT) and profit after tax (PAT) respectively for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. Specifically, PBT increased to N70.380 billion, from N45.650 billion, while PAT grew faster from N37.672 to N59.75 billion. Market operators said the price gain posted by Stanbic IBTC showed investors’ bullish response to the positive results. Similarly, GTBank Plc appreciated by 4.0 per cent, just as Transcorp Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc and Sterling Bank Plc garnered 3.9 per cent, 3.4 per cent and 3.3 per cent in that order. Forte Oil Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc were also among the price gainers, rising by 2.8 per cent, 1.8 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively. Conversely, Unity Bank Plc led the price losers with 10 per cent, trailed by Diamond Bank Plc with 9.7 per cent. Royal Exchange Plc shed 9.0 per cent, just as AIICO Insurance Plc and Meyer Plc went down by 8.8 per cent each. Meanwhile, on that day, activity level was mixed as volume traded fell by 46.3 per cent to 150.0 million shares m units while value traded rose 46.7 per cent to N2.9 billion indicating investors’ interest in bellwethers. Zenith Bank Plc (28.4 million shares), GTBank (28.3 million shares) and FCMB Holdings Plc (15.4 million shares) were the top traded stocks by volume while GTBank (N1.1 billion), Zenith Bank(N0.7 billion) and Dangote Cement (N0.5 billion) led by value. But on the second day, the market pared gains of the previous day as elevated sell pressures impacted market performance. As a result, the ASI NSE shed 0.1 per cent to settle at 33,167.88. It was majorly affected by FBN Holdings Plc, which lost 8.3 per cent, Zenith Bank 3.1 per cent and Seplat 4.6 per cent while gains in Dangote Cement Plc (+1.7%) cushioned the losses recorded. Market capitalisation also shed N10.3 billion to settle at N12.1 trillion.

Maritime Services Plc led the price gainers with 10 per cent, followed by Neimeth Pharmaceuticals Plc with 9.0 per cent. WAPIC Insurance Plc and Learn Africa Plc garnered 7.5 per cent and 7.2 per cent respectively. Activity level, however, increased as volume and value traded moved higher by 67.4 per cent and 29 per cent to 355.7 million shares and N4.9 billion respectively. The top traded stocks by volume were FCMB Holdings Plc (168.7 million shares), GTBank (85.8 million shares), and Zenith Bank Plc (24.4 million shares) while the top traded stocks by value were GTBank (N3.2 billion), Zenith Bank Plc (N562.9 million) and FCMB Holdings (N261.2 million).

However, activity level strengthened as volume and value traded spiked by 105.4 per cent and 108.4 per cent to 309.1 million shares and N6 billion respectively. The top traded stocks by volume were GTBank (57.6 million shares), Sterling Bank Plc (57.0 million shares), and FCMB Holdings Plc (41.1 million shares) while the top traded stocks by value were GTBank (N2.2 billion), Dangote Cement Plc(N1.6 billion) and Nigerian Breweries Plc (N616.6 million). The market extended losses following sustained sell pressures amidst weak investor appetite. Sell pressures in Dangote Cement (-3.2 per cent), Stanbic IBTC Ban (-10 per cent), and Nigerian Breweries (-6.4 per cent )

depressed the market by 2.1 per cent to settle at 32,466.27. In line with market performance, market capitalisation shed N256.1billion to settle at N11.9 trillion. Activity level also fell as volume and value traded trended lower by 31.3 per cent and 37.2 per cent to 212.5 million shares and N3.8 billion respectively. The top traded stocks by volume were GTBank(43.6 million shares), Zenith Bank (29.6 million), and FCMB Holdings Plc (22.1 million shares) while the top traded stocks by value were GTBank (N1.6 billion), Zenith Bank (N695.8 million) and Nigerian Breweries (N572.8 millio). The sell pressure persisted at the stock market on last Thursday to extend

the negative performance to the third day running. Consequently, the NSE ASI went down by 1.4 per cent to close at 32,006.65, while market capitalisation shed N167.8 billion to close at N11.7 trillion. A total of 24 stocks depreciated compared to only 11 that appreciated. Cadbury Nigeria Plc led with 10 per cent, followed by CAP Plc with 9.9 per cent. Eterna Plc and Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc went down by 9.9 and 9.8 per cent in that order. Other top price losers included: African Prudential Plc(9. 8 per cent); Dangote Flour Mills Plc (8.3 per cent); Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc (7.9 per cent); Veritas Kapital Assurance Plc (7.4 per cent). On the positive side, Japaul Oil &

Market Turnover Meanwhile, the market recorded total turnover of 1.267 billion shares worth N20.346 billion in 15,088 deals last week in contrast to a total of 1.454 billion shares valued at N15.263 billion that exchanged hands last week in 16,682 deals. The Financial Services Industry led the activity chart with1.082 billion shares valued at N12.735 billion traded in 8,397 deals, thus contributing 85.3 per cent and 62.6 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The Consumer Goods Industry followed with 83.168 million shares worth N 3.295 billion in 2,888 deals. The third place was Conglomerates Industry with a turnover of 32.817 million shares worth N 109.846 million in 654 deals. Trading in the top three equities namely – First City Monument Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc accounted for 670.295 million shares worth N11.019 billion in 2,768 deals, contributing 52.9 per cent and 54.2 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. Also traded during the week were a total of 15,168 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N216,251 executed in nine deals compared with a total of 280,563 units valued at N3.385 million that was transacted last week in 10 deals. A total of 14,581 units of Federal Government Bonds valued at N14.472 million were traded last week in 34 deals compared with a total of 20,430 units valued at N20.729 million transacted the previous week in 45 deals. Price Gainers and Losers A look at the price movement chart showed that 18 equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 26) in the previous week, while 50 equities depreciated in price, higher than 42 of the previous week. Presco Plc led the price gainers with 12.9 per cent, trailed by Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc with 11.1 per cent. Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc and Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc garnered 10 apiece. Other top price gainers Included: C & I Leasing Plc (9.8 per cent); Livestock Feeds Plc (9.6 per cent); International Breweries Plc (8.2 per cent); Learn Africa Plc (7.2 per cent); Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc (7.1 per cent) and Sterling Bank Plc (6.6 per cent). Conversely, Unity Bank Plc led the price losers with 21.1 per cent, trailed by Dangote Flour Mills Plc with 21.0 per cent. Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc and Meyer Plc and Diamond Bank Plc shed 18.8 per cent, 17.6 per cent and 16.6 per cent in that order. Other top price losers were: FBN Holdings Plc (15.0 per cent); Fidson Healthcare Plc (14.8 per cent); Niger Insurance Plc (14.2 per cent); PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc (13.0 per cent) and Eterna Plc (12.2 per cent).

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Momoh: We are Eliminating Estimated Billing Prof. James Momoh is the Chairman, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission. In this interview during a courtesy visit by some top officials of the Commission to the corporate headquarters of THISDAY, he spoke on efforts by his agency to address some of the challenges in the power sector. Martins IďŹ jeh provides the excerpts: What should Nigerians do when DISCO ofďŹ cials cut them off power supply without any reason. Can they go to court? While customers have the right to go to court, I will say it depends on the type of customer. This is because we have three categories of them. There are customers who have money and pay for electricity in Nigeria, there are those who do not have money and they cannot pay. Then there is a third category that has money but does not want to pay for power. So, we are mostly dealing with customers who use electricity and are willing to pay and the challenge is that they are not getting the services commensurate to what they deserve. Such customers have the right to complain. We have Discos who provide the services to our customers. What happens is that sometimes, they don’t bill the customers on time and sometimes because of lack of metres, they do a lot of estimated billing, which the customer may not like and which may also be wrong. And sometimes, there may be other logistics problems. Who should consumers complain to? The first thing is to complain to the service provider, who ideally should address the complaint. But if such complain is not taken seriously or the customer is not satisfied, it can then be addressed to the Nigeria Electricity Regulations Commission (NERC). NERC is the last resort. Fortunately for everyone, we have created a forum office. Recently, we opened one in Abuja, and we plan to have them across the country. The office is now the liaison between the customer and NERC. Once consumers are not satisfied with providers and they contact the forum office, they will try to resolve it, but if that fails, NERC can be resorted to for justice. Justice will mean doing what the law says. It is in this regard we think consumers’ and DISCOs’ interest is being protected. We have in times past said ‘go fix their transformer, go fix their circuit breaker’, and in other cases we have had to give ultimatum for certain things to be done. Customers have right to power, because we are protecting both the Discos and the customers and on several occasions, we have been able to reconcile both the customers and the Discos, to the extent that we have severally ordered the Discos to go and provide power to its customers. Sometimes, in recent months, I even had to make an order where I gave the Discos certain number of days to restore power in some areas. So, we have oversight over the Discos, Gencos and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, in terms of making sure that they abide by their terms of reference, their licence conditions. So, whereas we have the mandate to execute our laws, we also have the human face to try to try to reconcile these two different groups. So, in a nutshell, customers have rights. After all, it is their right from birth; remember God said let there be light. So, because it has to be paid for, so, it has to be generated, it has to be transmitted and distributed. Sometimes, when one of our supply chain is broken, we have the challenge of fixing it. Why do Nigerians still experience electrocution when such is no longer happening in many countries, and what is the commission doing to address it? I am the number one safety officer of the commission. I practised this job as a young engineer; I did not just become the chairman overnight. I climbed poles, worked around sub-stations, got my hands wet and my feet dirty. You may say I am a professor of mathematics and power, but I am a practical expert of power who understands this. Power system is vulnerable to attack everywhere in the world, whether US, UK or Germany, because huge energy is passing through the wires, and this energy is deadly. When you touch a live wire, electrons will go through your body, and the body will conduct it very quickly and the next thing will be the destruction of the arteries,

Momoh

destroy the bones and other biological system. So, in Nigeria, Europe or America, electrons are the same. They do the same thing all over the world. So, if somebody is careless and touches a live wire, the person would be dead. Secondly, even when the system is so vulnerable and volatile, if you don’t protect it, then it is going to blow up and we may just lose millions of investments and lives. As a result of this, first lesson we learnt in Power Engineering 101, is the concept of safety. In fact, when we go to a power laboratory, the first thing we teach our students is adherence to safety. Wearing your gloves, wear your overall, using your glasses, and making sure you put one hand

Once consumers are not satisďŹ ed with providers and they contact the forum ofďŹ ce, they will try to resolve it, but if that fails, NERC can be resorted to for justice. Justice will mean doing what the law says. It is in this regard we think consumers’ and DISCOs’ interest is being protected

mubo peters

at the back while one is put at the front. You don’t use your two hands to touch a life wire. So, we teach that first. When I worked in the laboratory as a power professor, I had to be conscious because safety is a requirement in the power sector anywhere in the world. That is in the sense of safety as a prerequisite of running the power sector anywhere in the world. However, if a Disco, a Genco or a transmission company does not take care of the safety of its people, its customers or citizens, that means we may have broken wires. If Nigerians see two broken wires on the ground, they should not touch them because they could be live wires and are deadly. Customers should not play with electric wires lying on the ground. It can only be de-energised remotely. This is a common issue all over the world and there are procedures, processes and caution, that are given all over the world in terms of safety. Safety is not only of human; safety of the apparatus is also important. So, we have designed a lot of things in case of emergency and these are protection devices that would de-energise the wire from the supply so that we can have one region of the power still safe and the other de-energised, but unconnected. So, we have protection devices. If the protection fails and you go there and think it is de-energised, you will get into trouble. So, we also have warning signals that shows; ‘this is high voltage, do not touch, be careful’. If you do opposite, you will be in trouble. The worst part is that If one person touches such live wire and you think you are safe and some come to assist the person without de-energising the wire, if another person touches the person, the energy will conduct to that person and as many

people they touch, would be affected, except the wires touching the person is de-energised. As a young man then in Lagos who loved his work, I remember I was holding instruments that were not properly insulated, and the next thing I knew, I was already conducting and I was holding instruments that were not properly insulated. The human being is a power system. Electrons flow and it goes to all parts of the body. The artery of my body, the brain and all parts of my body. Lucky for me, there were senior engineers there who used a wood to knock the plier off my hands and I found myself on the floor. So, I would have been dead. So, I committed myself to this job, but I told myself that I would learn everything about safety. So, this is the truth. I am so sorry on behalf of our commission and the Discos over those that died by electrocution. Our regulation is in place for safety and we have passed safety regulations. We understand how electrocution works; hence we have put in place regulations for safety. We would be enforcing safety and I would become not only the CEO, but also the safety officer and chief inspecting general, that would send people out in the field to ensure that safety procedures and, maintenance are adhered to. So, safety comes first in our regulation. Safety saves lives. Many Nigerians are paying for power they are not using. Those who have prepaid meters pay relatively very low compared to those without it. How do you save Nigerians from this exploitation? Estimated billing is not what we recommend Continued on page 27

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MOMOH: WE ARE ELIMINATING ESTIMATED BILLING

Estimated billing is not what we recommend at NERC, but it has been there before we came on board. We have reviewed the issue of estimated billing and we are eliminating it. But for that to happen, we are creating a technology called Meter Asset Provider at NERC, but it has been there before we came on board. We have reviewed the issue of estimated billing and we are eliminating it. But for that to happen, we are creating a technology called Meter Asset Provider (MAP). This will allow new businesses for meter manufacturing in Nigeria, meter installation, and meter merchandising, which of course mean customers who want power can go to any store, not to the DISCOs anymore and buy their own meter. That will ensure it is the power used that is being paid for. So, that is ongoing at the commission. We have received over 100 letters of no objection from those who want to be involved in that franchise business. This will bridge the metering gap currently existing in the country. Currently, DISCOs do not have the resources to meter every house. Recognising that, we took it upon ourselves to also contribute to the solution space. So this is a sure way to addressing issues around it.

Momoh

But why are the power companies hoarding meters? That will be a thing of the past. To move forward, I am saying our duty is not just to put rules on paper and there is no strategy to encourage the enforcement. We can’t say don’t hoard meters when we have not put strategies in place to stop it and enforce the right thing. So to be sure of enforcement, we said let us open the market for new meter providers. If you have access to meter, it means it is no longer a meter challenge. Once that is solved, Nigerians will now know how to manage the energy they consume. I use a prepaid meter in my home. For two weeks I know what it cost me. I know what to turn off when going to bed. Every customer will

then be energy wise once they have meters, so it is a win-win situation. By the end of this month (October), our deadline for opening all bids would have been done. Those who are qualified through the no objection qualification will go to particular disco of their choice and get their details published by that Disco. Soon, you will start seeing announcements of people selling meters. That would help everybody because the Discos are looking forward to a lot. That is because that burden of extra cost, overhead cost, worrying about raising capital to buy meter for all its customers would be over. Customers should also be aware, that if they are residential customers, there is a class of billing that the Discos are supposed to charge you. If you are a commercial customer, you are in a different class and therefore your billing would be different. And residential customers are in a different class. And therefore their billings are different. For instance, when I moved to Abuja, I realised I was paying too much for light, but I didn’t call DISCO. I didn’t run to NERC. What I did was go check my meter and I realised I was on commercial class (C Class). So, lucky for me, I called an engineering colleague and told him, he then helped me get on to the residential category. I then called my neighbours and told them to go change theirs to ‘R class’, So Nigerians can do the same. How do we address capping issues in Nigeria? We realised that the capping issue is not working, so we have just written a position paper which will be announced and available to DISCOs and customers. Within the next three months, we will be able to say this is the total amount you can charge someone with four bedrooms, or rooms in ‘face me I face you’ houses. We will make sure everybody is aware that this is what should be charged. Anything above that, customers should raise their flag and call me or any of our commissioners. And

if customers have questions, they are free to contribute to the discussion. We would take advantage of their concerns about capping going forward, so that within the next three months, we should know the total amount that can be charged by the Discos on this. So, going forward, nobody would be cheated. Our first regulatory requirement is that we are governed by law and they call it a quasi-judiciary responsibility they gave us. We would make sure we are always within the law when we talk and when we act, so that customers are protected and the Discos too are fairly treated. This is because at the end of the day, we need the Discos’ business. If I don’t have the Discos to buy my power, what am I going to regulate? Are you planning to increase tariff? There is a plan to do cost reflective tariff, but we will not do it by fiat or by just waking up one day to say the rate will change by 10 per cent or so. Before then, we hope the issue of metering will be resolved, because we can’t increase tariff without justification. If you are being charged for black out or erroneous billing, the rate will just be unacceptable. All these will give us the benchmark to say since we have improved efficiency, and losses have been reduced, and that there is better quality of service and 247 electricity. When all these are in place, Nigerians will be willing to pay. We don’t want both customers and DISCOs to be ripped off. We don’t want to also hear that DISCOs buy a product for five naira and sell it for two naira, it will not make sense. That is why we are having a human face to everything. We will make sure everybody is happy. The rate increase is conditional; efficiency and performance has to be higher. So we cannot increase tariff while efficiency is down. I can’t defend that. Under president Buhari, we have been charged to make sure we do the right thing. We will not give tariff increase to the point customers will be mad with me. We will do what will make everyone happy at the end of the day.

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Lion Air: Tragedy in the Skies The world was shocked on Monday, October 29, 2018, when an Indonesia-based airline, Lion Air Flight 610 dropped into the sea with 189 lives on-board shortly after take-off. Part of the shock stems from the fact that the aircraft involved was barely two months old. Chinedu Eze examines factors that could have led to the tragic crash Aircraft manufacturers, lessors, aeronautical engineers and other aviation experts are still in shock over the crash of Flight 610 operated by Lion Air, an Indonesia based carrier. According to reports, the scheduled domestic flight took off from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to Depati Amir Airport in Pangkai Pinang and crashed 13 minutes after take-off. The flight was operated by Boeing B737 MAX8, the latest and most advanced aircraft from that category being manufactured by Boeing. The wreckage of the aircraft was found in Java Sea, off the coast of Java. Indications showed that all 189 passengers and crew were dead. The Boeing 737 MAX 8, had as registration PK-LQP, manufacturer’s serial number 43000, powered by two CFM International LEAP engines. It had been delivered brand new to Lion Air on 13 August 2018 and flown to Indonesia two months before the accident. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had flown about 800 hours in service. This was the first accident involving a 737 MAX since the type’s entry into service on 22 May 2017. Details of the crash were that the aircraft took off from Jakarta on 29 October 2018 at 6:20AM local time (28 October 2018, 23:20 UTC) and was scheduled to arrive at Depati Amir Airport in Pangkal Pinang at 7:20 a.m. It took off in a westward direction before circling around to a north-easterly heading, which it held until crashing offshore at about 6:33AM northeast of Jakarta in waters estimated to be up to 35 metres (115 ft) deep. According to an official at Pangkal Pinang’s search and rescue office, the flight crew had requested clearance to return to the Jakarta airport 19km into the flight. The accident site was located 34 nautical miles (63 km) off the coast of the Karawang Regency on the island of Java. The accident is described as the deadliest involving a Boeing 737, surpassing Air India Express Flight 812, and the second-deadliest in Indonesia, behind Garuda Indonesia Flight 152. Search and Rescue Reports also indicated that search and rescue operation was deployed by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), with assistance from the Indonesian Air Force Basarnas dispatched about 150 people in boats and helicopters to the site of the accident. Civilian vessels also responded to the reports of a downed aircraft, and the crew of a tugboat reported to authorities in Tanjung Priok that they had witnessed an aircraft crash at 6:45 a.m. and located debris in the water at 7:15 a.m. Debris believed to be from the aircraft was found near an offshore production platform near the accident site. A spokesperson for the agency confirmed to reporters that the aircraft had crashed, though as of about 9:00 a.m. a Tanjung Priok official said that no information had emerged about the condition of the people on board. Head of Basarnas, Muhammad Syaugi later confirmed that there had been casualties, without specifying a number. The chief executive officer of Lion Air, Edward Sirait, said the same aircraft had reported a “technical issue� on Sunday night, but had been cleared to fly on Monday. He said he would not ground the nine other MAX 8 aircraft in Lion Air’s fleet. On 30 October, however, Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry ordered all of the country’s airlines to conduct emergency inspections on their Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The ministry would also launch a special audit on Lion Air to see if there were problems with its management system. By the end of 29 October, authorities said that all on board were presumed dead and that the first human remains had been recovered. Divers had located fragments of the aircraft’s fuselage and assorted debris, but had yet to find the onboard flight recorders. By 30 October, six body bags had been used to recover human remains. Experts React Former Director of Engineering, Medview Airline, Lukeman Animaseun, told THISDAY that any

aircraft, whether new or old could be involved in a crash, noting that an aircraft is as good as its maintenance status. “An aircraft is as good as its maintenance whether it is old or not,� Animaseun said. He observed that insurance always emphasised on the age of the aircraft but noted that if there is any weak link in the chain of the aircraft it would be involved in accident. “One cannot conclude on what happened to the flight, unless investigation report on the crash is out. But I do not agree with those who argue that maybe something is wrong with the aircraft type because the integrity of the aircraft has been tested and cannot be questioned. The B737 MAX is an improvement on B737 Classic. So I don’t expect that the aircraft should crash based on that argument,� he said. Pilot’s Experience Animaseun said rather than argue about the aircraft type being responsible for the crash, experts should focus on the pilot, his experience and what

One cannot conclude on what happened to the ight, unless investigation report on the crash is out. But I do not agree with those who argue that maybe something is wrong with the aircraft type because the integrity of the aircraft has been tested and cannot be questioned

might have happened before the crash. “We should look at the maturity and experience of the pilot and possible pilot error or human error, which is what I am suspecting. They dismissed sabotage. So I suspect pilot error. “He might not be inexperienced pilot on that aircraft type. Perhaps he might have failed to pull the aircraft from a possible low level wind shear. Pilots should concentrate on the angle of attack when taking off in a wind shear. “The maximum the aircraft can nose up under that circumstance is 15 degrees, while pulling it up when it enters wind shear. Beyond that, anything can happen to the airplane. So it could be human error but not because of the aircraft type,� Animaseun explained. Also the Head of Engineering at Air Peace, Prince Ihemeredu, spoke in the same vein, saying something might be wrong with the aircraft type. He said he was shocked by the report of the crash. According to him, B737 aircraft is good equipment. “For now I cannot say what the problem that led to the crash was. I don’t know the experience of the pilot; so one will not rule out inexperience of the captain of the flight. An incident might have developed but he was unable to handle it. “I don’t believe what happened has to do with the equipment. So I would want to look at the causal factors as the experience of the pilot on the B737 MAX. I don’t know the snag that developed that he could not handle, but the black box when recovered would tell us. “To me, nobody can rule out terrorism in that part of the world. Then the development of snags he could not manage due to inexperience,� Ihemeredu postulated. Crash of Brand New Plane According to reports, a lot of attention has focused on the fact the plane, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was brand new and this is the first major incident involving that kind of plane. Experts note that plane crashes are often the result of a combination of factors - both technical and human - but could the fact that the plane was so new have played any part? The Boeing 737 MAX 8 has only been in commercial use since 2017. The plane involved in Monday’s incident has only been in operation since 15 August, 2018. It had logged only 800 hours of flight time, according to the Indonesian head of the National

Transportation Safety Commission, Soerjanto Tjahjano. The pilot is reported to have radioed air traffic control in Jakarta asking for permission to turn back, shortly after the takeoff. According to online reports, it emerged that the plane had some technical problems on Sunday on its penultimate flight, as a technical log obtained by the BBC for that flight - from Denpasar airport in Bali to Jakarta - suggested that the airspeed reading on the captain’s instrument was unreliable, and the altitude readings differed on the captain’s and first officer’s instruments. As a result of the problem, the captain handed over control of the plane to the first officer, the crew continued their flight and they landed safely at Jakarta. “Lion Air have not confirmed the report, but this may have been the unspecified ‘technical problem’ that the company’s chief executive said the plane’s Denpasar to Jakarta flight had suffered from,� BBC reported. But the airline said that this problem had been “resolved according to procedure�. Lion Air was currently operating 11 aircraft of the same model and there were no plans to ground the rest of the planes. However, Boeing said in a statement Monday that it “stands ready to provide technical assistance to the accident investigation� while the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are both sending investigators to Indonesia. Aircraft Order The Boeing B737 MAX8 is the latest offering the US based aircraft manufacturers has offered in that range of aircraft type. Many airlines all over the world have lined up in firm aircraft order, while others have received their order, like the Indonesian Lion Air. There are recent orders made by airlines and other buyers for the Boeing 737 MAX family of aircraft, which is currently being produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, a division of the Boeing Company. On November 17, 2011, Boeing released the names of two other customers in addition to American Airlines that ordered for the aircraft and these include Lion Air and Aviation Capital Group. At that time, Boeing reported 700 commitments from nine customers for the 737 MAX. Then on December 13, 2011, Southwest Airlines announced they would be the launch customer for the 737 MAX with a firm order of 150 aircraft and 150 options.

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Phillips Consulting Highlights Opportunities in Digital Transformation Sunday Ehigiator Phillips Consulting, one of the leading consulting firms in Africa, has pointed out that transformation and change remain constant in leading organisations, noting that it is typically a bitter pill to swallow especially for a consulting business. The Senior Partner, Strategy and Operations Transformation, Francis Buamah said this at the sixth Human Resources Directors Network, hosted by Phillips Consulting in Lagos recently. This year’s event had the theme: “Leadership and Innovation.� Buamah added that, “For Phillips Consulting, this is an opportunity to redefine ourselves and services to be relevant in this digital economy.� While addressing participants, the Chairman of Phillips Consulting, Foluso Phillips, explained how leaders could drive business performance through Digital Transformation while Managing Director of ABInBev, Mrs. Annabelle Degroot, delivered the second paper on ‘Workspaces with Purpose’ explaining how potential and productivity can be unlocked by creating purpose driven workplaces. The event was attended by over 60 HR directors in Nigeria. Managing Director of Phillips Consulting, Robert Taiwo stated that “the core themes of digital transformation and the purpose driven workforce are more pertinent now than ever before. “New technologies can drive competitive advantage and stimulate job creation for young people. This is especially

important in a country where 62 per cent of the population is under the age of 25,� he added. Meanwhile, the Senior Partner, People Transformation, Paul Ayim lauded the HR Directors Network for setting the pace in organising such high-profile capacity building events for its members. “This is one of the few learning events that is well attended by very senior executives,� Ayim said. The HR Directors Network is a gathering of HR executives that facilitates innovative and thought-leadership knowledge sharing sessions for members. The event provided learning and networking opportunities for HR directors towards enhancing their knowledge and building professional relationships that are mutually beneficial. Meanwhile, Philip Consulting at the event rolled out its training and digital learning plan for organisations in 2019 Addressing journalists, Ayim said: “We are here to lunch our 2019 calendar/training program. Philip consulting as an organistaion has being in business for about 26 years now. “About a year ago and up till this date, we refreshed our services and brand. Today we have three major divisions and two other that cuts across all services. You may have heard about the wave of changing customer experiences through digital means and various technologies used today. “A lot of organisations who have had the opportunity to experience and witness what we do here, either by training of staffs, our consultation, have left with so much impact.�

PZ Wilmar Introduces New Seasoning Brands Azeez Abdulrauf PZ Wilmar has announced an addition to its brand portfolio, as it recently launched its seasoning products under its existing brands, Mamador and Devon King’s. The products were introduced to trade partners and consumers at a trade launch event in Ibadan, Oyo State. The Mamador seasoning debuts in three variants – Classic, Beef, and Chicken, while the Devon King’s seasoning comes in Classic Tomato, Beef, and Chicken variants – as they are set to compete in the Nigerian markets. Mamador5g Seasoning Cubes boast health benefits as the company said it contains a 15 per cent Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Zinc and Iron, while Devon King’s 5g Seasoning Cubes gives provides Nigerians with tastier meals at a lower cost with its ‘added tomato’. Both brands of seasoning cubes give consumers 25 per cent more volume than other seasoning cubes at competitive prices. Speaking at the trade launch event, the Category Marketing Manager, Chioma Mbanugo, reiterated that PZ Wilmar’s commitment to providing Nigerians with healthy and tasty cooking options at affordable prices through its new

line of seasonings would signal a seismic shift in the seasoning market category. “We ventured into the seasoning category to offer Nigerians much healthier, valuable and affordable options, something different from the norm, as our seasoning cubes all come in five grams as opposed to the four grams currently available in today market. “By studying and analysing the needs of Nigerians as regards food products, we developed these seasoning variants to help fulfil our consumers’ nutrition needs by delivering on delicious and rich tastes. While both brands serve different purposes, they both deliver on the signature PZ Wilmar quality, and will certainly ensure that consumers can now create authentic dishes that are rich in taste, flavour and nutritional value. “More importantly, these seasoning brands will be available to Nigerians at competitive prizes, so everyone can taste the difference,� she said. PZ Wilmar,a joint venture with PZ Cussons was formed in December 2010 with the ambition to establish food ingredients consumer brand, developing a range of edible cooking oils providing quality, healthy cooking oils to Nigerian families through Mamador and Devon King’s at affordable prices.

‘Contributory Pension is Boosting Savings Culture’ Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is boosting the savings culture and deepening the consciousness among Nigerian to plan for their future, the Executive Director, Business Development and Personnel Administration, Trustfund Pensions Limited, Nasiru Musa, has said. Musa, spoke in an interview in Abuja on the sidelines of the maiden essay competition organised by Trustfund Pension for senior

secondary schools in Abuja to mark the World Savings Day. He stated that people have gone beyond the structured savings provided under the CPS to make additional savings, and are reaping the inherent benefits. According to Musa, the scheme has helped to deepen savings culture in the country, adding that Trustfund’s customer base is in excess of 700,000. Earlier in his remarks at the essay award ceremony, Musa said the competition falls under Trustfund’s corporate social

responsibility. According to him, the topic for which Miss Glory Chuks Amacha of Model Secondary School, Maitama emerged winner was ‘Saving Today Leads to a Happy Tomorrow,� and was carefully chosen to expose the children to the enormous advantages of savings. “This is in commemoration of the World Savings Day which is celebrated worldwide...Last year, PenCom directed all pension fund operators to participate in this celebration. “Trustfund Pensions

Limited decided to introduce this essay competition as our own way of inculcating the savings culture in our youths who are tomorrow’s leaders. “The competition which was targeted at senior secondary school students under the FCT Secondary Education Board, seeks to encourage students and young people to embrace a savings culture early and prepare them for the mandatory Contributory Pension Scheme when they become gainfully employed in the future,� Musa said.

REWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

L-R: Head of Investment Advisory and Wealth, Middle East and Africa, Mr Jonathan Owens; Head of Market Development, Mrs Candice Dott; Winner of the People’s Choice Award Mr Ini Ebong and Head of Corporate Communication, Africa, Sonwabise Sebata, at the Refinitiv (Formerly Thomson Reuters) Excellence Award held in Lagos‌recently

Thomson Reuters Unveils New Identity Refinitiv, Organises Awards Oluchi Chibuzor One of the largest providers of financial market data, Thomson Reuters, has launched its new brand identity, Refinitiv, formerly the financial and risk business unit of the company. This followed the completion of a partnership deal with a consortium of investors led by Blackstone, who now own 55 per cent of the new business. The standalone business – which includes the largest multi-dealer forex platform, with a daily average of $400 billion traded on FXall, FX Trading and Matching – was the outcome of a deal whereby Thomson Reuters sold a 55 per cent stake in its Financial & Risk business to private equity firm Blackstone. Speaking recently in Lagos, at an unveiling ceremony, which was also to recognise and reward individuals and organisation that had excelled in their various areas of expertise, the Head of marketing Development, Thomson Reuters Rinitiv, Candice Dott, said the firm has great admiration for

its customers. He also highlighted some of the areas that necessitated the introduction of the award. “We are surrounded by incredible people in the West Africa region and francophone countries, which are working in the area of financial inclusion, broadening and deepening the capital market, working on how to fight financial crime,� she noted. She further added that the purpose of the award was to celebrate and put the spotlight on customers and partners that helped the firm deliver its brand promise. In his keynote address, the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Okwu Joseph, who was represented by the Director, Financial Market, CBN, noted that Thomson Reuter has been a dependable partner within the West Africa sub-region. He also noted that the group has been developing support for financial products and information since 1999 when the central bank introduced the

Interbank Foreign Exchange System of trading (IFEM 2-way quote trading system.) According to him: “Financial system plays an important role in the economic stability of any nation, the constant competition among market participant from both new entrants and existing customers demands for an increased in innovation from Thomson Reuters as market players look to survive and prosper in Business.� Ogwu stated that market regulators play a key role in upholding efficiency by facilitating a stable regulatory environment where financial products and services are delivered in a way that maximizes cost and value. Meanwhile Winners of the various award category included: For Best Partner - Bola Onadele. Koko of FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange and the award of -Most Impactful Business – Doing Good and Doing Well- Ibukun Oyedeji of Ecobank The award on ‘Innovation’ was won by Bola Onadele. Koko; award on ‘Embracing

Technology’ was won by Jacob Brobbey of Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited; Longest Service award was won by Ini Ebong of First Bank Nigeria and the award of the ‘People’s Choice’ (voted for with a live poll by the attendees on the night, was also won by Ini Ebong. Commenting on the award, the Managing Director for Africa at Thomson Reuters’ Financial and Risk Business, Sneha Shah said “We are very excited to be bringing the Excellence Awards for the first time in West Africa. What is going to drive the success and growth of our economy is committed individuals and companies that are contributing to strong and stable financial systems and institutions. “The inaugural 2018 West Africa Excellence Awards will recognise and highlight the great work of individuals and companies who amongst many outstanding nominees were selected, by the independent judges, as the ones producing the most impact for West Africa’s financial markets.�

30

THISDAY t MONDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2018

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31

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34

M O N DAY Ëž NOVEMBER 5, 2018

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

BDCs Record 163% Increase in Dollar Sales The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) the 163 per cent increase in dollar sales to bureaux de change (BDCs) which amounted to $3.1 billion in the first half of the year, helped in sustaining exchange rate stability and protected 25,000 jobs in the sub-sector. ABCON President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe stated this while commenting on the half year 2018 draft economic report released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently. The report had shown that CBN dollar sales to BDCs rose by 163 per cent to $3.1 billion in the first half of the year, from $1.2 billion in the corresponding period of 2017.

The CBN had in May this year, increased weekly dollar sales to each BDCs by 50 percent to $60,000 per week from $40,000 per week. Gwadabe noted that the 163 percent increase in foreign exchange sales to BDCs was attributed to the success recorded in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window introduced by the CBN and the transparency in the forex market, facilitated by the live exchange rate platform introduced by ABCON. He added that the development enabled the central bank to empower BDCs in achieving sustained exchange rate stability, convergence of exchange rates which by extension discouraged rent seeking and other speculative tendencies

in the market. On the impact of the increased forex sales to BDCs, Gwadabe said: “The overall impact in the economy includes employment generation of over 25,000 in the BDC sub sector and enhanced investors’ confidence.� He added that the recent efforts of the association to automate operations of BDCs will help to consolidate on these gains. “The ABCON automation drive of BDCs operations designed to enhance their visibility and attractiveness is already giving them an information technological (IT) edge in the quest to become direct agents of international money transfer operators�, he said.

Sekibo Harps on Partnership for Business Success The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Bank Limited, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, has advised entrepreneurs and youths to embrace partnerships in their quest to succeed in business He stated this while speaking to a group of youths and entrepreneurs in Lagos recently, saying partnership was key to a successful enterprise. According to him, “Learning from people and forming partnerships is one the keys to achieving success in any business enterprise. Trying to do things alone or hiding your vision from others might not give adequate results in any given enterprise. “As a person, I have never done things on my own. Though I have my ideas at every point in time in life but I have always done partnerships because most

times, other people are privy to information you do not have. “Partnerships have also helped in my propelling my visions and aspirations in life. So, I am urging entrepreneurs not to keep their visions to themselves.� Sekibo further said, “After working in oil company for years, I was bored and I feel like doing something else. So I saw an insurance company and I decided to buy it. “As at the time I was buying the insurance company, it was located somewhere in Ikeja in one office, no window, no toilet and the company was owing about N150 million. “I said to myself if we buy this business, we will be able to employ people and give them a life. I went ahead to borrow money, N7 million from my brother’s friend and went to the bank to borrow another N7

million and bought the insurance company. “And holding on to God and with the help of other people I shared my aspiration and visions with, within a year and half, we were able to grow the company to a tune of N12 billion�. Sekibo also advised the youths to brace up for the challenges of life early enough just as he asked them not to allow poverty mentality deter them from making headway. “I am an accountant, I did not study banking and finance in school but I stumbled into banking. It is about preparation, you have to prepare early enough because it is what you do with your wilderness days that makes the difference, those periods that you can hardly feed, and those are the days that will determine what your future will be,� he said.

Diamond Bank EnlightensTraders on Naira-Yuan Deal Diamond Bank Plc recently enlightened importers on ways of taking advantage of the recently signed currency swap deal between Nigeria and China. The bank which held a business seminar for importers and other small-scale business owners in the commercial city of Onitsha, on ways of improving their businesses said the forum was geared towards helping business owners grow their businesses. An investment banker, Mr Henry Akumuo, who took participants on the topic: “Taking Advantage of Nigeria- China Bilateral Trade Deal,� said using the bank, importers can access Yuan at a very low rate that can boost their business profits.

According to a statement, he said some of the ways the importers can attract good rate in converting the naira to yuan was by ensuring that such conversion was not done in dollars. He also called on importers to always ensure that their goods leave China straight to Nigeria, instead of importing using other neighbouring countries, saying it is one of the criteria that would enhance their chances of accessing Yuan from the Central Bank of Nigeria easily. “This seminar is meant to add value to your business. Our major aim as your bank is to teach you ways you can grow your businesses, because if you grow, we will get better patronage. “If you can follow the steps we

have marshalled out here, you will be surprised the exchange rate you can get, and this can help your business, and also help you to maximise profit.� The bank also taught the importers way of reducing the tax burden they bear without any form of illegality. Mr Taiwo Oyedele of Price Waterhouse Cooper(PWC) told participants, “If you are not very careful with the way you handle your taxes, you might make losses. “Because of the way the tax system works in Nigeria, some of the tax agent are dubious, but if you know your right, you can also know what to pay as taxes, without waiting for them to bring you very high tax.�

Access Bank Celebrates 10Years of Sustainability Principles As a way of re-enforcing its commitment to sustainability principles and commemoration of the bank’s 10 years of sustainability, Access Bank Plc has dedicated November 5 - 9, 2018 as its Sustainability Awareness Week. This CSR Week themed ‘The Journey to a Sustainable Future,’ is aimed at reminding staff of the crucial role they have to play in creating a sustainable future. “This week will also encourage them to engage in activities that will positively impact the environment

as well as touch lives, leaving indelible positive memories on people,� a statement from the bank explained. The Access Bank Sustainability Awareness Week 2018 will also be held in all the subsidiaries of the bank. It stated that the week is packed with series of events, one of which is the Employee Volunteering Awareness Day that recognises the contributions of employees who had championed various innovative initiatives to better the lives of people in various communities.

Additionally, various impactful training sessions and workshops would be held to educate people on the importance of embedding responsible practices in business operations and everyday life. They will highlight the effect on the triple bottom line- Planet, People and Profit. As part of its plan for encouraging and promoting healthy living among staff and external stakeholders, the bank said it would finance the treatment of 100 women with fistula as well as host a weight loss challenge.

L-R: Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Sokonte Davies; Country Director, Renner and Renner Consulting, Ibby Iyama; Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman and Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mohammed Bello-Koko during an awareness workshop on ISO 9001:2015 and Occupation Health, Safety, and Assessment Series 18001:2007 ISO CertiďŹ cation for NPA held in Lagos‌recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

MARCH 2018 Broad Money (M2)

24,303,049.86

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,912,604.10

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,668,378.21

---- Demand Deposits

9,244,225.90

-- Quasi Money

13,390,445.76

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

15,619,134.18

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

8,683,915.68

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,267,136.53

---- Credit to Government (Net)

3,823,345.45

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

5,433,209.43

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-1,609,863.98

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

22,443,791.08

--Other Assets Net

-17,583,220.85

Reserve Money (Base Money)

6,746,646.49

--Currency in Circulation

1,668,378.21

--Banks Reserves

4,357,551.58 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY OCTOBER 30, 2018

The price of OPEC basket of ďŹ fteen crudes stood at $75.51 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $76.07 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Oriente (Ecuador), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela). SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

35

M O N DAY ˾ NOVEMBER 5, 2018

MARKET NEWS

NSE Lifts Suspension on Unity Bank Goddy Egene The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday lifted the trading suspension placed on the shares of Unity Bank Plc barely one day after the bank was suspended along with five other listed firms for not filling their accounts in accordance with the post-listing requirements of the exchange. Unity Bank was suspended along DN Tyre & Rubber Plc, FTN Cocoa Processing Plc, International

Energy Insurance Plc, Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc and Union Dicon Salt Plc. According to the NSE, “pursuant to Rule 3.1, Rules for Filing of Accounts and Treatment of Default Filing, Rulebook of The Exchange , which provides that If an issuer fails to file the relevant accounts by the expiration of the cure period, the exchange will: send to the issuer a second filing deficiency notification within two business days after the end of the

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

cure period; suspend trading in the issuer’s securities and notify the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the market within 24 hours of the suspension, trading in the shares of the companies six companies have been suspended effective today, 8 October.” The exchange had explained that in accordance with the rules set forth above, the suspension of the above listed companies will only be lifted upon the submis-

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

sion of the relevant accounts and provided the exchange is satisfied that the accounts comply with all applicable rules of the exchange. But barely 24 hours after, the NSE lifted the suspension on Unity Bank Plc. The exchange said the bank was off the hook following the submission of its accounts. In a notification to market operators, the NSE said: Unity Bank Plc which was amongst the companies suspended has submitted its outstanding audited

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

and interim financial statements to the exchange. “In view of the submission of the company’s accounts and pursuant to Rule 3.3 of the Default Filing Rules, which provides that the suspension of trading in the issuer’s securities shall be lifted upon submission of the relevant accounts provided the exchange is satisfied that the accounts comply with all applicable rules of the exchange. “The exchange shall thereafter

O F

also announce through the medium by which the public and the SEC was initially notified of the suspension, the general public is hereby notified that the suspension placed in the trading of the bank’s shares was lifted on November 2, 2018.” Meanwhile, in its audited results for the year ended December 31, 2017, Unity Bank recorded a loss of N14.91 billion, compared with a profit of N2.184 billion in 2016.

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QUANTITY TRADED

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˾ MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2018

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37

T H I S D AY Ëž Ë&#x153; Í˝Ë&#x153; ͺ͸͚͜

MARKET NEWS

Diamond Bank Boosts SMEs with N1 Billion Disbursement Goddy Egene Diamond Bank Plcâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disbursement to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has hit the N1 billion at September 30, 2018, the Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Uzoma Dozie has said. He stated this while reviewing the performance of the bank for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. According to him, as a result of its network and digital infrastructure, during third quarter

(Q3) the bank reached the N1 billion mark in total loans disbursed to SMEs. The disbursement was to small business owners under the cash flow-based SME lending scheme in partnership with the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Banking (WWB), and this has earned the financial institution ranked among the first five SME customer bank in Nigeria in the KPMG customer service survey 2018. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alongside this, we introduced

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return. An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sharesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the

the SMEzone, a platform targeted at keeping entrepreneurs well positioned for competitiveness through community and continuous learning. We are investing more in businesses in the middle market because we see entrepreneurs as a key driving force for economic growth. This focus is in line with and supportive of our own recovery and return to profitability,â&#x20AC;? he said. Despite the challenging trading environment, the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 1-11-2018, unless otherwise stated.

contribution of non-interest income to profit increased by 10.81 per cent from N24.66 billion (Q3 2017) to N27.32 billion (Q3 2018) whileiImpairment charges fell 24.21 per cent from N33.21 billion (Q3 2017) to N25.17 billion (Q3 2018). Interest expense up 18.3 per cent to N41.26 billion but it has continued to decline in-line with guidance, falling by 15.4 per cent from N14.83 billion (Q1 2018) to N12.56 billion (Q3 2018) and 2.9 per cent increase in operating

expense to N66.20 billion (Q3 2018). The bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customer deposit dropped by 8.0 per cent to N1,107 billion due to re-pricing and non-rollover of high priced maturing deposits, and migration to government securities while liquidity position remains strong as current and savings account balances increased from 77.4 (FY2017) to 78.1 per cent of total deposits in September 2018. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As we move into the final quarter of the year, we expect

headwinds to continue driven by emerging situations in developed economies as well as our domestic political realities. Despite this, our investors can expect a further decline in non-performing loans (NPLs), a further increase in our digital footprint and completion of the sale of the UK subsidiary. Through these actions we remain optimistic about the medium to long term outlook of Diamond Bank and its return to strong profitability,â&#x20AC;? Dozie said.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors. Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return. NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 162.25 163.30 -8.59% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 11.00% Nigeria International Debt Fund 273.12 274.36 18.10% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.83 0.84 1.15% ACAP Income Funds 0.62 0.62 6.35% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.00% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.20 2.22 -4.31% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 10.93% Paramount Equity Fund 11.57 11.87 4.36% Women's Investment Fund 101.62 104.22 0.98% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.03% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 99.38 99.38 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 99.25 99.25 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 11.74% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 12.09% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,158.71 1,159.44 10.53% FBN Heritage Fund 141.13 142.30 1.17% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.11% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $113.40 $113.77 4.14% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $113.12 $113.5 4.04% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 146.93 149.01 -7.52% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 1.22 1.24 -5.59% Legacy Debt Fund 3.19 3.19 10.41% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.02 1.02 1.60% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,979.17 3,008.35 -0.22% Coral Income Fund 2,739.27 2,739.27 11.89% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.86% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 105.31 105.48 5.04% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.91%

Vantage Balanced Fund 2.14 2.16 1.54% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 14.75% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 122.02 122.22 6.02% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD ďŹ ncon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.19 1.21 3.46% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,077.43 1,077.43 11.67% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.19 11.28 -13.59% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.57% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 127.98 128.39 -1.34% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.67 1.67 12.35% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,305.66 2,320.53 4.92% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 186.63 186.63 7.19% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.95 0.96 -5.45% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 244.32 244.36 13.21% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 159.72 161.51 -10.82% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.51% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,575.82 8,680.52 -9.83% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.10 1.10 6.28% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 11.12 11.28 -6.87% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.02 12.12 -5.95% Zenith Income Fund 19.75 19.75 7.18% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.76%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

9.00 138.69 51.55

-20.11% 4.70% 1.42%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

10.39 117.60 90.75

10.49 120.10 92.45

-12.22% -17.67% -16.93%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva GrifďŹ n 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

SPECIALIST FUNDS*

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.14 7.11 14.93 13.95 143.40

4.18 7.19 15.03 14.15 145.40

-12.61% -25.60% -14.49% -28.93% 6.57%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.13

17.03%

FOR HNI & PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS ONLY

Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website and FMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

38

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍłË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

CITYSTRINGS

Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x161; Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ë? Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2014;Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă? äĂ?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x201C; Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2013; Ă?Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2014;Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ë&#x203A;Ă?äĂ?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x201C;ĚśĂ&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x2039;ĂŁĂ&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ë&#x203A;Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2014;Ë&#x153; Í&#x2018;Í&#x2122;Í&#x2019;Í&#x2013;Í&#x201C;Í&#x201C;Í&#x2013;Í&#x201C;Í&#x201D;Í&#x201C;Í&#x2013;

Waging War Against Human Trafficking Mary Nnah and Ayodeji Ake write that educating and empowering young Nigerians will reduce the incidence of human trafficking of victims, who are often trafficked for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery or commercial sexual exploitation

I

n tons and hundreds, humans worldwide are constantly being trafficked for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery or commercial sexual exploitation. Despite measures put on ground by the authorities of different nations, the status quo is yet to change. But in a recent interactive session organised by a nongovernmental organisation, Beauty in Every Life (BIEL) held in Lagos, stakeholders posited that educating and empowering young Nigerians, who are often targeted as victims, will go a long way to reduce the incidence of human trafficking.

Statistics According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Nigeria has become one of the leading African countries in human trafficking with internal, cross-border and cross-country trafficking. Reports state that thousands of Nigerian women have been forced into labour and prostitution in other countries with a population of approximately 10,000 women in Italy. As undignifying as the situation of trafficking of young Nigerian women and children is, it has also often led to deaths and exploitations during the journey. Recently, the bodies of 26 Nigerian women, who were said to have been victims of trafficking, l MmdweMediterranean Sea and buried in Italy. According to United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), half of the refugees and trafficked victims are women on their way to Europe, who suffered physical and emotional abuse, including sexual and financial exploitation, stripping them of their dignity and confidence.

Some of the participants at the interactive session

Keeping Dignity Alive Despite the innumerous challenges, women tend to be resilient and do whatever it takes to support themselves and their families. Given opportunities and support, these women can contribute to the cultural diversity, innovation and workforce of their respective nations. Nonetheless, the vision of amy society is one where everyone is empowered to live their best life, achieve their highest potential and with equal opportunities live in freedom and dignity and contribute to the society. This is one ethos BIEL belives in. Through its Keep Dignity Alive Project, the organisation was set up to tackle human trafficking, criminality and hunger by educating and empowering Nigerian youths to come out of poverty and step into further education or self-employment. At its inaugural interactive session organised by the company in Lagos, themed â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Partnering with Communities to Prevent Human Trafficking in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Founder, BIEL Nigeria, Mrs. Ebere Akadiri, noted that the foundation is keen at partnering the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and other stakeholders in Nigeria to join in the battle against human trafficking in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are here to collaborate with the launch of Beauty in Every Life in Nigeria. We are here to partner organisations that are already fighting human trafficking especially NAPTIP. We have so far seen what they are doing and we are here to partner them to elevate their work internationally, globally and locally. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a way out, we have planned this awareness through communities. I encourage people to go back to their communities and speak with their families to tell them the dangers of trafficking because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not what we can do alone. We have materials and curriculum that have been developed so that people can learn to communicate with people that human trafficking is a dangerous adventure and it will help them desist from the journey they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand."

Empowerment Speaking further, Akadiri emphasised on the need for skill acquisition, training and empowerment to ensure the youths are financially independent. She revealed plans of the foundation in training hundred girls. She said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;My passion is about entrepreneurship. I believe if we develop these talents, people can become financially independent. We need to

L-R: Zonal Director, National Agency for the Prohibition of TraďŹ&#x192;cking in Persons (NAPTIP), Daniel Atokolo; Founder, Beauty In Every Life (BIEL) Foundation, Ebere Akadiri and Director of Strategy and Operations at BIEL, Charles Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Tudor, at an interactive session on partnering communities to prevent human traďŹ&#x192;cking focus on human development. The dignity is lost when you kidnap people. We want to end this. What we are doing is to create a curriculum for entrepreneurship. We want to empower them. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just want to train people to create awareness,

The kind of disaster that is taking place in the gulf should show people that human trafďŹ cking is not a joke. Look at the deaths recorded in Sahara Desert. So, we want people to know that human trafďŹ cking is modern day slavery and they should be security conscious

even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one person we train and help secure a loan to setup a business, or maybe we help them get a job." She said BEIL is assisting NAPTIP, by training their young girls as the foundation has already partnered an organisation in Port Harcourt, which has begun training activities at a fee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are already training hundreds of them this month and the more we raise funds, the more we train. What I have done is that I have taken time to volunteer for an organisation where they have shelter for South African girls rescued from human traffickers, so we are also partnering them. We are trying to get a video to share to other girls of their experiences. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s painful when these girls tell their stories. We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do so much but we will help to change mindset, educate and support them. So, we have to do our best," she added.

NAPTIP's Plea Commending the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort in partnering against human trafficking, Zonal Commander, Lagos Zonal Command NAPTIP, Mr. Daniel Atokolo, urged members of the public to partner NAPTIP to more foster campaign and awareness against human trafficking. His said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Preventive platform is what we need especially now and as we have always done,

which is preventing people from being trafficking. Awareness, sanitation and partnering stakeholders like we are doing now, are the platforms we are using. The kind of disaster that is taking place in the gulf should show people that human trafficking is not a joke. Look at the deaths recorded in Sahara Desert. So, we want people to know that human trafficking is modern day slavery and they should be security conscious. Also note that most people are trafficked by those very close to them. Today, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not news that fathers traffic their daughters and vice versa, neighbours also traffic each other. So we preach the gospel of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Beware'."

Creating Awareness Speaking on sanitisation and effectiveness of the campaign of awareness, he said â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sanitisation is working, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the reason why many people are not trafficked. Town halls meeting, campaigns are really working. The awareness will extend if we partner stakeholders. People need to join us and become ambassadors. We go to schools, churches, mosques and other institutions to ensure we work together for tight security. We make them realise human trafficking is real and they should deviate from fake promises. As far as anti-human trafficking is concerned in Nigeria, NAPTIP is doing a lot. "

39

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍłË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

CRIME&SECURITY CRIME SITUATION REPORTS

SECURITY TIPS (PART 22)

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen and the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, ďŹ&#x201A;anked by others at the recently concluded three-day capacity building workshop for Justices and Judges

NJI, EFCC Partner to Fight Corruption The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, has expressed optimism that the synergy between the National Judicial Institute (NJI) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will continue to record phenomenal achievements in the ongoing fight against corruption. The CJN made this disclosure during the second edition of a three-day capacity building workshop, organised by EFCC, in collaboration with NJI, for Justices and Judges, at the Andrew Otutu Obaseki Auditorium of the National Judicial Institute, Jabi, Abuja. The workshop, with the theme, "Administration of Criminal Justice Act: Emerging Issues in the

Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Financial Crimes" , was designed to address challenges arising from the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA), 2015, with particular emphasis on the investigation and prosecution of economic and crimes. Onnoghen, who is also the Chairman, Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute, said: "It is my utmost belief that the synergy between the National Judicial Institute and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will continue to record phenomenal achievements, most especially by expanding the knowledge base of our Judicial Officers, as well as being part of an extensive effort in the fight

against corruption." The CJN, while declaring the ceremony open, described the theme as "apt and deliberate" and said the workshop will be extremely beneficials to the participants in the performance of their duties as it will sharpen their adjudicative skills in relation to daily challenges they encounter in the discharge of their duties. According to him, "the Judiciary has been and will continue to live up to its constitutional mandate, by correctly applying the law and proactively supporting the government in its bid to ensure growth and stability in the society and rid it of corruption in line with the 3VMF PG -BX

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NDLEA Celebrity Drug Free Club Inducts New Members

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5IF /%-&" $FMFCSJUZ %SVH 'SFF Club, recently inducted actor and GJMN NBLFS .S $IBSMFT *OPKJF BOE IJT DPMMFBHVF .S "SJO[F Okonkwo into its fold. The induction, which was PWFSTFFO CZ %JSFDUPS 5 3 .ST Felicia Ikechukwu, representing UIF /%-&" $IBJSNBO TBX UIF celebrities inducted into the club to help spread the message against drug abuse. According to the National CoPSEJOBUPS /%-&" $FMFCSJUZ %SVH 'SFF $MVC .S 8JMTPO *HIPEBMP some of the primary objectives PG /%-&" $FMFCSJUZ %SVH 'SFF Club, is to serve as a role model to colleagues and youths in the

"$1 .PIBNNFE "SFB $PNNBOEFS / *KFEF

society. Ighodalo, also doubles as the QSFTJEFOU 5IF %SVH 4BMWBUJPO Foundation and Focal Person, 4PVUI 8FTU ;POF $PNNVOJUZ *OUFSWFOUJPO /FUXPSL PO %SVHT $*/% /JHFSJB B OFUXPSL PG CSOs working on drugs in Nigeria. )F GVSUIFS MJTUFE PUIFS PCKFDtives of the club as causing an increase in understanding of the dangers posed by drugs and substance abuse with their platform, encouraging young people to resist any form of drug use and anyone with substance abuse issues to break the silence and seek for help. )F BEEFE 5IF DMVC TVQQPSUT and promotes youth oriented

activities that promote healthy lifestyle in the society, they also lead advocacy campaigns and Public Orientation stigmatisation against drug users. "The club also promotes positive youth oriented programs that provide alternative activities to drug involvement." Ighodalo further posited that UIF BJNT PG /%-&" $FMFCSJUZ %SVH 'SFF $MVC JT OPU KVTU GPDVTFE about the delivery of information to increase youths knowledge and understanding, but to also contribute towards the development of skills and attitudes that can help young people to make safer choices in their life.

"$1 )PQF 0LBGPS "SFB $PNNBOEFS , .PSPHCP "$1 *TIPMB 0MBSFOXBKV "SFB $PNNBOEFS - *MBTIF "$1 5PZJO "SFB $PNNBOEFS . *EJNV "$1 "CEVMTBMBN (B[BMJ "MBEF "SFB $PNNBOEFS 1 "MBHCBEP $41 $IJLF 0UJ 1PMJDF 1VCMJD 3FMBUJPOT 0GĂ DFS 1130 SOURCE: Lagos State Police Command

REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATION VELVET Although OPERATION VELVET has been postponed for a month, when fully operational, the Lagos State Government Special Task Force and the police are tasked to ensure vehicles are meeting Lagos road worthiness standards. Vehicles that fall below these standards may be impounded. Papers Required 1. Insurance papers 7FIJDMF -JDFOTF 3PBE 8PSUIMOFTT 1SPPG PG 0XOFSTIJQ 7BMJE %SJWFShT -JDFOTF 5JOU 1FSNJU GPS DBST XJUI UJOUFE HMBTTFT /VNCFS 1MBUF 3FHJTUSBUJPO QBQFST $FOUSBM .PUPS 3FHJTUSZ 1BQFS $.3 Required Tools 7BMJE 4QBSF 5ZSF 2. Caution Sign +BDL BOE 8IFFM 4QBOOFS 3B[PS #MBEF UP DVU TFBUCFMU *O DBTF PG FNFSHFODZ

5. Flashlight 7BMJE 5JSFT 7BMJE 'JSF &YUJOHVJTIFS

L-R: National Coordinator, NDLEA Celebrity Drug Free Club, Mr. Wilson Ighodalo; actor and ďŹ lm maker, Mr. Charles Inojie; actor, Mr. Arinze Okonkwo and Director, T&R, Mrs. Felicia Ikechukwu, representing the NDLEA Chairman, at the induction ceremony of the club

Source: Lagos State Police Command/ Operation Velvet

40

THISDAY t MONDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2018

RETURNS ON UTILIZATION OF FUNDS SOLD TO CUSTOMERS FOR THE WEEK ENDED FRIDAY 2nd-NOVEMBER 2018 This publication: Mandated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) BANK: ECOBANK NIGERIA LIMITED SN CUSTOMER

ITEM OF IMPORT

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

WEATHERPROOF AIR CONDITIONING HANDLING UNIT PIGMENT BLUE RAW MATERIAL FOR PAPER CONVERSION INDUSTRY BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA CCI CANCELLATION CCI CANCELLATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION IMPORTATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES PIGMENT BLUE TITANIUM DIOXIDE RUTILE R996 POLYURETHANE RESIN - MORBOND MB870 AND CURATIVE CT84 MACHINERY SPARES/MISC. MECHANICAL SPARES BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA

DATE OF USD EX- AMOUNT FUND CHANGE SALE RATE 29-Oct-18 364.00 51,109.84 29-Oct-18 360.00 24,990.00 29-Oct-18 307.10 50,000.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 2,000.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 3,994.13 29-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 3,100.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 573.95 29-Oct-18 358.50 3,200.00 29-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 29-Oct-18 351.00 85,000.00 29-Oct-18 363.50 918,962.25 29-Oct-18 358.50 8,052.90 29-Oct-18 358.50 9,867.86 29-Oct-18 358.50 2,197.42 29-Oct-18 358.50 122.72 29-Oct-18 358.50 2,746.78 29-Oct-18 364.00 3,883,356.91 29-Oct-18 360.00 29,132.81 29-Oct-18 360.00 60.00 29-Oct-18 360.00 60.00 29-Oct-18 360.00 427.79 29-Oct-18 360.00 2,771.81 29-Oct-18 360.00 811.88 29-Oct-18 360.00 270.72 29-Oct-18 360.00 78.52 29-Oct-18 360.00 232.79 29-Oct-18 360.00 991.00 29-Oct-18 360.00 200.00 29-Oct-18 360.00 1,588.83 29-Oct-18 360.00 922.88 30-Oct-18 361.00 38,957.00 30-Oct-18 361.00 14,147.20 30-Oct-18 361.00 5,548.02 30-Oct-18 361.00 12,806.33 30-Oct-18 358.50 3,877.80 30-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 30-Oct-18 358.50 515.60 30-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 30-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 30-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 30-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00 30-Oct-18 358.50 3,600.00 30-Oct-18 358.50 4,000.00

BTA PTA

30-Oct-18

358.50

BTA PTA BTA PTA CCI CANCELLATION CCI CANCELLATION EDUCATION OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES LOAN REPAYMENT LOAN REPAYMENT IMPORTATION OF AUTO BATTERIES SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE UMBRELLA SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE GENERATORS BULBS(BRAND:PILLA) ROLLER CHAIN WORLD RECEIVER/FM RADIO TAILORING MATERIAL(SEWING THREAD VALVE AIRCONDITION BRACKETS UMBRELLA WATER PUMP DISCHARGE LAMP SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE HAND TOOLS (HAMMER) WATER PUMP UMBRELLA PRINTING MATERIALS BICYCLE SPARE PART AIRCONDITION BRACKETS DISCHARGE LAMP SPORTS EQUIPMENT WATER PUMP TAPS AMERICAN STEEL PANEL DOOR ROLLER CHAIN SPORTS EQUIPMENT AUTO INJECTOR CABLE(LUNEZ BRAND) WALL PAPER DECORATIVE CRANK SHAFT FOR X2 MODEL FOR DOLMAR MACHINE PHARMACEUTICAL ITEMS DISCHARGE LAMP WALL PAPER DECORATIVE AIR FILTER ROLLER CHAIN SPORTS EQUIPMENT SPEAKERS HAMMER

30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18

358.50 4,000.00 358.50 3,700.00 362.50 41,395.03 361.00 3,541.45 358.50 9,500.00 360.00 341.19 360.00 108.08 360.00 8,838.90 360.00 26,054.32 360.00 8,585.31 363.50 9,373,492.21 363.50 626,507.79 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 10,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 13,170.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 20,000.00 358.50 10,000.00 358.50 17,210.00

50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103

ETCO NIGERIA LIMITED OLYMPIC INKS LIMITED VISTA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED IHUNDE PATIENCE ISOKEN UMOREN JOYCE ANIETIE NKEM GEGE ADEWOLE PHILIP IDOWU KOLAWOLE JOHNSON IWUEZE JOAN ONYEKACHI OGBUAGU IFEOMA CHINAZOR OKPARA OBIORA LAWRENCE OKUMAGBA AGHOGHO DANIELLA OSUJI EMMANUEL SUCCESS .N OYESEYITAN OLUWAFEMI PETER SOFOWORA ELIZABETH OLUWATOYIN UZODIEGWU CHINWE EUCHARIA ALABI OLADELE ADEBIYI THE SLAY NETWORK LTD AKINSANYA OLUWAFUNBI OLAMIDE M R EVENTS PLANNING COMPANY MICHAEL UKARI TUBONIMI MUOKA NNAMDI CHRISTOPHER OKOEKI KELVIN OSEOFUA A A RANO NIGERIA LTD A A RANO NIGERIA LTD ANXIN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY NIGERIA ANXIN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY NIGERIA ANXIN INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY NIGERIA NAKS INTERNATIONAL CO LTD NAKS INTERNATIONAL CO LTD ORIENTAL FOOD INDUSTRY LIMITED SABASTEEL INDUSTRIAL NIG LTD SABASTEEL INDUSTRIAL NIG LTD SABASTEEL INDUSTRIAL NIG LTD SARO AGROSCIENCE LIMITED SARO AGROSCIENCE LIMITED SARO AGROSCIENCE LIMITED OLYMPIC INKS LIMITED OLYMPIC INKS LIMITED SALIENT INDUSTRIES LIMITED SHAKTI INDUSTRIES LIMITED AIKHENOMIA JOSEPH OSAHON AKINOLA JAMES AROMIRE AFEEZ IDOWU BOSEDE REMILEKUN IDOWU OLUSEYI MOSES ILEOMA OMOTOLA ABIOLA NDUKA ONUOHA IKECHUKWU NWAULU COMFORT CHIAMAKA OGUNJOBI OLAREWAJU WAHEED OGUNNAIKE CHRISTIANA REMILEKUN ABIMBOLA OKUYA EJIKE MICHEAL ONAJINRIN ADEOLA ADEDEJI ALABI OLADELE ADEBIYI ALABI OLADELE ADEBIYI OLANIYAN LATEEF KOLAWOLE DAILY NEED INDUSTRIES LIMITED INTEGRATED FISHERIES COMP LTD SABASTEEL INDUSTRIAL NIG LTD SABASTEEL INDUSTRIAL NIG LTD SABASTEEL INDUSTRIAL NIG LTD INT TOWERS LIMITED INT TOWERS LIMITED A.B.CONFIDENCE INTERNATIONAL LTD. ACHIBE INVESTMENT LTD ALFANUMERIK SERVICES B.C EDU ENTERPRISE BEN OKAFOR AND COMPANY BENVOUS INTL COMPANY LIMITED BLESSED HARRY INVESTMENT CO LTD BLESSED NZE NES NIGERIA LIMITED CEASAR RESOURCES LIMITED CHICOS BROTHERS LIMITED CROWN STONE INDUSTRIES LIMITED DAHUGWS DYNAMIC LIMITED DE GOLD FEATHERS ASSOCIATES INTL E.MUCH-MORE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED E.SCENT INVESTMENTCO.LTD EILOO INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL COY ELO CONCEPTS NIGERIA LIMITED ENYINADON AUTO LINK LIMITED EXCELLENT GATE CORPORATE LIMITED EXQUISITE DIGITAL LABELLING COMPAN FELIX-MARY ENTERPRISES LIMITED FIRMUS ASSOCIATES LIMITED G. PAUBLOMBS AND CO GIDEON ELECTRONIC AND ALLIED PDT GIVE AND TAKE SUPERMARKET LIMITED J.O UZOR GLOBAL NIG LTD JUDON ASSOCIATES COMPANY LIMITED KON NZE GLOBAL IMPEX LIMITED LANO LINK GLOBAL LTD LEGHTWISE LIMITED LUNEZ VENTURES MAC DUTECH ELECTRONICS LTD NATTYS INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LTD NCI PHARM CHEM IND LTD NINO TRADING ENTERPRISE NNAEMEKA STORES NOTETIME VENTURES NZEKWE GLOBAL NIGERIA ENTERPRISES OBISON DOLLMAR NIGERIA LIMITED OBODOECHI GLOBAL VENTURES OKEREKE HIRING SERVICES

3,867.00

SN CUSTOMER

ITEM OF IMPORT

104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113

OLIVE C MERCHANDISE LTD OLIVE MICHEAL ENT LTD PAR CHIZIK GLOBAL LIMITED PEACE SKY ENTERPRISES SIR LITTLE JONNY INTERNATIONAL (NIGERIA) LIMITED ST MODEL GLOBAL RESOURCES LIMITED SUNDELAS INVESTMENT COMPANY NIG LTD TAP FOODS RESOURCES UBASAM ASSOCIATES VICTORY NWAWUZIE INVESTMENT LIMITED

114 COUSINS NIGERIA LIMITED 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

DAG INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LTD VISTA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED SALIFU ISA EGAH ADEBAYO RISIKAT ADEBOWALE GLADYS SERIFAT ADEBOWALE GLADYS SERIFAT ADEREMI OLAJUMOKE MARCELINA AGARRY BUCKY UFUOMA ASHIMI JANE BALOGUN SULAIMON AFOLABI DURU OBINNA EBUBEDIKE ELIZABETH UCHECHUKWU FAGBAMILA TAWAKALITU KEJIDE FETUGA TOMILOLA IBIWUNMI GEORGE OLUSOJI JAMES IKUENOBE ANNABEL ILU LAWAL MUHAMMADU OKAFOR DAN CHIBUEZE OTITOOLA SAMUEL OLUFEMI OTU-BASSEY BASSEY ALABI OLADELE ADEBIYI ALABI OLADELE ADEBIYI COUTROUPIS CONSTANTINE HAY BARRY CONSULTING LIMITED IGBINOVIA JOLLY M R EVENTS PLANNING COMPANY OJUBANIRE-AJALA OYEYEMI OKWUIKPO IHE ONYEAGBOKA CHARLES ORDOR MATHILDAH JAJA SAGOE KOFI OFRIBROHNBRA SUNDAY MICHAEL CHIMEZIE SUNNY RAPHAEL APPAH YASHIM MAGAJI DAG INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LTD DAG INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LTD

151 FLOUR MILLS OF NIGERIA PLC 152 FLOUR MILLS OF NIGERIA PLC 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204

INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO COMPANY PLC JUBAILI AGROTEC LIMITED JUBAILI AGROTEC LIMITED ECOBANK NIGERIA LIMITED SCC NIGERIA LIMITED (2) STRONG TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED IFY ENTERPRISES NIG KHAMELEON CONSTRUCTION OBODOECHI GLOBAL VENTURES OJONG VICTOR AJE IPINNAIYE OPEYEMI ISAIAH ALABI OLADELE ADEBIYI AREMU AKINDEJI ADENIPO ARTHUR ANIEFIOK UDO EZEOKE DORATHY NWAMAKA OKONKWO CHRISTOPHER NDU OKPARA PAULINA IJEOMA ADETAYO ADEDEJI CHRIS ADETAYO ADEDEJI CHRIS AKA ADETUTU KIKELOMO AKINWUNMI MICHAEL BAKARI UMAR DOROFI BENAMAISIA RUTH ADAKU PREMOBOERE LAOYE ADENIKE NDU JOSEPH OBI NWANSOH NGOZI SYLVIA NZEKWE SYLVESTER ATOKWU OGBUAGU GODSWILL UCHE OHIEN GODWIN KOLA OKPANACHI IVIE EMILY OLADAPO FLORENCE OLUWASEUN ADERIBIGBE ISAAC ONAFOWOKAN JOYCE AVWERODA ONYEJIAKA BEN CHIGOZIE THEO-NWANGWU IJEOMA EVELYN AJIBOLA ENITAN MOFOLUWAKE DADA AKINTAYO TOLULOPE ADEKOYA OLUSHOLA OLUWAKEMI OLUWATOSIN ISAAC AYODELE OLUWASINA FOLAJINMI OLUYEMI ODELADE MUTIU ADEBAYO OGBONNA ISAAC NDUBUIKE OBINWA NANCY NKECHI OBINWA NANCY NKECHI OSUNKWO DANIEL CHIKE RAJI BOLANLE SARAH BASSEY UKET EKPO DANBURAM SAMIRA ALI NWEZE CHIBUZO CAROLE DELEGAN AYOWOLE MOSAKU OLUFEMI OBE ADENIYI ADEKUNLE

AMOUNT

AUTO SPARE PARTS UMBRELLA NEW MOTORCYCLE SPARE PARTS SPORTS EQUIPMENT

DATE OF USD EXFUND CHANGE SALE RATE 30-Oct-18 358.50 30-Oct-18 358.50 30-Oct-18 358.50 30-Oct-18 358.50

TAILORING MATERIAL(SEWING THREAD

30-Oct-18

358.50

20,000.00

WATER PUMP UMBRELLA TIGER HEAD BRAND PAPER JACKET DRY BATTERY UMRELLA AUTO SPARE PARTS CORNER LAMPS PAYMENT FOR ELECTROVOICE & DYNACORD BRAND OF P. A. SYSTEMS & EQUIPMENTS BAJAJ RE 4S 198.88CC AUTORICKSHAW IN CKD PACKED CONDITION INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL FOR PRODUCTION OF EXERCISE BOOKS: BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA CCI CANCELLATION CCI CANCELLATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION BAJAJ BOXER- BM100CC MOTORCYCLE IN CKD PACKED CONDITION BAJAJ BOXER- BM100CC MOTORCYCLE IN CKD PACKED CONDITION 12,000M/TONS OF CANADIAN DURUM WHEAT WITH MINIMUM PROTEIN OF 12% IN BULK 12,000M/TONS OF CANADIAN DURUM WHEAT WITH MINIMUM PROTEIN OF 12% IN BULK TO PURCHASE UNMANUFACTURED STEMS OF CIGARETTE PRODUCTION AGRICULTURAL HERBICIDES AGRICULTURAL HERBICIDES SUBSRIPTION FEES SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE TRANSPONDER SERVICE FEE UNCOATED KRAFT PAPER AND BOARD TAILORING MATERIAL(SEWING THREAD LED TV EDUCATION OFFSHORE CHARGES CCI CANCELLATION BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA

30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18

358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50

20,000.00 10,000.00 15,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00

31-Oct-18

357.50

27,420.19

31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18

357.50 357.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 362.00 362.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 357.50 357.50

100,000.00 50,000.00 2,200.00 4,000.00 500.00 3,500.00 3,983.01 2,000.00 3,500.00 4,000.00 800.00 1,289.00 3,844.20 4,000.00 1,095.65 2,800.00 2,500.00 4,000.00 2,000.00 2,300.00 2,500.00 229,990.00 11,020.04 6,386.34 12,410.95 3,657.32 280.00 655.00 7,000.00 1,500.00 2,047.98 5,550.00 2,776.79 3,000.00 65,855.01 400,000.00

31-Oct-18

364.00

500,000.00

31-Oct-18

364.00 1,000,000.00

31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18

357.50 357.50 357.50 360.00 357.50 357.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 360.00 362.00 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50 358.50

20,000.00 3,600.00 20,000.00 5,600.00

56,724.80 50,000.00 50,000.00 3,090.69 12,100.00 187,900.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 10,000.00 500.00 2,590.21 66,797.37 2,000.00 3,331.64 1,281.40 4,000.00 1,000.00 2,000.00 1,297.70 2,500.00 700.76 600.00 3,893.10 3,996.92 4,000.00 700.00 2,000.00 4,000.00 1,200.00 1,557.24 800.00 1,537.68 4,000.00 2,000.00 2,000.00 700.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 3,988.48 1,000.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 1,500.00 1,312.00 4,000.00 4,000.00 3,936.00 4,000.00 1,000.00 3,000.00 2,000.00 4,000.00

41

THISDAY t MONDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2018

RETURNS ON UTILIZATION OF FUNDS SOLD TO CUSTOMERS FOR THE WEEK ENDED FRIDAY 2nd-NOVEMBER 2018 This publication: Mandated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) BANK: ECOBANK NIGERIA LIMITED SN CUSTOMER

ITEM OF IMPORT

205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227

BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA BTA PTA CCI CANCELLATION CCI CANCELLATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION BAJAJ BOXER - BM100CC MOTORCYCLE IN CKD PACKED CONDITION OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES OFFSHORE CHARGES

ERHINYODAVWE EJOMEYOVWI OKOLOAGU JOSEF OKONKWO JUDE EL-BAFF MAHDI ABUBAKAR AWOJOBI JELILAT MOTUNRAYO ALABI OLADELE ADEBIYI THE SLAY NETWORK LTD EFFIONG WINIFRED INIOBONG AKPABIO ONUEKWUSI NWACHUKWU GABRIEL SIJUADE GBEMISOLA APERE EMBELEAKPO RAMONU LATEEF OLATUNJI ROYAL ROOTS COMM NET LTD SOKOTO STATE UNIVERSITY TET FUND AC CYPRIAN ONYEISI UKAH-OFUASIA SHOFOT CON NIG ENTERPRISES DAG INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LTD OUTSPAN NIGERIA LIMITED NAKS INTERNATIONAL CO LTD OUTSPAN NIGERIA LIMITED ECOBANK NIGERIA LIMITED SABASTEEL INDUSTRIAL NIG LTD ORIENTAL FOOD INDUSTRY LIMITED MODEL STEEL INDUSTRIES LTD

DATE OF USD EX- AMOUNT FUND CHANGE SALE RATE 2-Nov-18 358.50 2,000.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 4,000.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 4,000.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 4,000.00 2-Nov-18 362.75 19,479.09 2-Nov-18 362.75 230,520.91 2-Nov-18 358.50 4,000.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 3,371.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 438.07 2-Nov-18 358.50 9,184.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 796.10 2-Nov-18 358.50 2,117.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 2,000.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 1,240.00 2-Nov-18 358.50 577.20 2-Nov-18 350.00 206,353.03 2-Nov-18 360.00 135.00 2-Nov-18 360.00 842.58 2-Nov-18 360.00 135.00 2-Nov-18 360.00 13.91 2-Nov-18 360.00 15,534.28 2-Nov-18 360.00 68.83 2-Nov-18 360.00 2,472.11

RETURNS ON SOURCES OF FUNDS PURCHASED FROM CUSTOMERS FOR THE WEEK ENDED FRIDAY 2ND-NOVEMBER 2018 SN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91

SOURCE OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS INTERBANK INTERBANK IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES OTHERS OTHERS CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS INTERBANK INTERBANK OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS INTERBANK INTERBANK OTHERS IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES OTHERS OTHERS INTERBANK OTHERS OTHERS IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES IMTO PURCHASES OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS OTHERS TOTAL AMOUNT AVERAGE AMOUNT

DATE OF FUND PURCHASE 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 29-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 30-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 31-Oct-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 1-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18 2-Nov-18

USD EXCHANGE RATE 306.55 306.55 359.00 363.00 362.98 305.54 362.99 305.51 350.00 305.55 306.60 306.60 355.00 355.00 355.00 356.00 355.00 355.00 355.00 356.00 306.55 306.55 357.00 357.00 362.98 360.00 362.00 308.05 314.50 306.60 363.50 356.00 356.00 355.96 356.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 306.60 306.60 306.60 362.00 357.00 357.00 363.86 305.53 305.60 331.37 361.00 363.50 363.50 310.00 356.00 355.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 355.00 355.00 356.00 355.00 356.00 355.00 355.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 306.60 361.00 361.00 355.00 355.00 355.00 306.60 306.60 360.13 363.74 316.92 362.00 355.00 355.00 355.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 356.00 356.00

AMOUNT 484,958.66 96,220.34 24,990.00 4,853,429.00 7,240.42 1,741.20 9,499.98 3,175.00 85,000.00 20,480.18 50,000.00 5,000.00 41,006.63 49,723.54 65,801.67 99.07 22,026.33 85,012.61 34,103.21 14,097.64 10,127.44 333,871.18 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 980.76 75,000.00 41,395.03 30,000.00 100,000.00 65,932.03 718,760.80 86,732.55 11,577.78 38.44 78.50 250.39 63,072.21 18,439.07 406.77 338.57 81,195.80 41,280.36 135,970.27 91,002.27 229,990.00 500,000.00 500,000.00 5,227.72 7,691.52 55,985.00 35,301.10 2,500.00 500,000.00 1,000,000.00 4,838.71 10.41 116,089.73 14,311.32 22.43 6,183.19 25,906.38 44,129.34 10.41 31,259.25 18,454.56 92,278.73 54,430.57 545.16 107,688.40 445.99 100,000.00 63,647.37 3,150.00 45,675.41 26,462.30 161,735.67 315,806.08 149,575.14 2,845.52 634.62 1,546.15 250,000.00 107,838.66 16,536.96 37,336.10 28.09 592.75 18,848.26 16,971.12 65,690.08 275.56 14,598,551.46 160,423.64

Notice of Appointment of Olusola Laniyan, Esq (Legal Practitioner) of Principles Law Partnership of No. 7A Bishop Dimieri Street, GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt as Receiver over the assets of Multinational Geophysical Survey Limited. This is to inform the general public that in the exercise of its powers under the All Assets Floating Debenture dated 2nd June, 2004 between the Lead Bank Plc (in liquidation) and Multinational Geophysical Survey Limited and all other enabling powers conferred upon it by law and equity, the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) as the liquidator has appointed OLUSOLA LANIYAN, ESQ (Legal Practitioner) as Receiver (the Receivership having been registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) over the assets of Multinational Geophysical Survey Limited (the Debtor) Be informed that Olusola Laniyan, Esq. in his official capacity as the Receiver hereby OFFERS FOR SALE to the General Public the following machines/equipment of the Multinational Geophysical Survey Limited. Machines/Equipment 1. Transducer 1304 2. Differential Beacon Receiver 3. GPS Antenna 4. X-Star Thermal Printer 5. Base Station Power Supply 6. Radio Trans receiver 7. Radio Telephone 8. Daven set 9. Power Unit 10. Battery (Sealed) 11. Battery 12. 14â&#x20AC;? Monitor 13. Full Spectrum Sub Bottom Profiler 14. Keyboard 15. Pacific Crest Equipment (1) Range Pole, 12 16. Marine Magnetometer

17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31.

Switching Power Supply Echo Sounder Digi Ports Splitter Total Station Side scan Sonar (Sonar Processor, High Impact case only) Battery Charger Flat Screen Monitors Antenna Rod GPS Receiver Heave Sensor HS 50 (2) Marine Magnetometer Benthos Offshore Marine Equipment Gyro Compass Sub-bottom profiler

For further inquiries on the Sale and inspection of the Machines/Equipment, please contact:Olusola Laniyan, Esq (Receiver), Principles Law Partnership, 7A Bishop Dimieri Street, GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. 07063278485, 08037246680 sola.laniyan@principleslaw.com; Soronnadi@principleslaw.com

LAGOS OFFICE Plot 14, Block 53 (Road 14) Adebayo Doherty Street Lekki Phase 1 Lagos Lagos State Tel: 01-2906708

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MONDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

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FOREIGN/DIPLOMATIC AFFAIRS

Italy Storms Death Toll Hits 30 Floods killed 12 people on the island of Sicily, including nine members of a single family, pushing Italy’s week-long storm toll beyond 30, rescuers said Sunday. After a river burst its banks, the bodies of the family including children aged one, three and 15 were discovered in the town of Casteldaccia in the Palerno region. Their house was near a small river which had burst its banks, rescue services said. The other victims’ ages ranged from 32 to 65. Three family members

managed to escape, one by climbing a tree, the Agi news agency reported. “I lost everything, I have nothing left, just my daughter,” one of the survivors, 35-yearold Giuseppe Giordano, told journalists. His wife, two other children, his parents, brother, and sister all died, he said. After flying over Casteldaccia on Sunday, Sicilian prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio described scenes of “total disaster”. Officials have opened an investigation to determine whether houses built near

the river had complied with safety norms. In a separate incident in Sicily, a 44-year-old man was found dead in his car near Vicari, also in the Palermo region. He had been trying to reach a service station, where he was the manager, to help a colleague trapped there. A 20-year-old passenger in the car with him is still missing. Rescue workers are also searching for a doctor, 40, forced by the storms to abandon his car on the road near the town of Corleone

after trying to drive to work at the hospital there. Two other people, a man and a woman, died after their rental car was swept away by a torrent in the region of Agrigente, rescuers said. Violent winds and strong rain had killed at least 20 other people this week around Italy, especially in the northern parts and around Venice. Two were reported killed on Friday, including a 62-year-old Germany tourist struck by lightning in Sardinia. Six regions remain on high alert for storms.

The severe weather has caused massive damage and disruption. Trees in sprawling mountainside forests in the northeast of the country were flattened like matchsticks by violent winds. “It’s like after an earthquake,” said the governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia. “Thousands of hectares of forest were razed to the ground as if by a giant electric saw.” On Sunday, after flying over the area with Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, Zaia said the storms had destroyed 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres)

of pine forest in all. Salvini posted photos of the devastation in a series of tweets Sunday after also flying over the Alpine town of Belluno. “We need 40 billion euros ($45.5 billion) to secure the national territory,” he said. He pledged to collect and spend that sum but, in a barbed aside to the European Union, said he hoped his plans would not provoke overspending complaints from Brussels. Europe has objected to Italy’s proposed budget, which it says will worsen the country’s already huge deficit.

Tanzania Cracks Down on Homosexuals US Midterm Elections: Obama Battles If you are gay, you are advised homosexuality since winning vocal. Trump in Final Campaign to be far away from Dar es power in 2015, and a Uganda abolished the death Salaam, Tanzania from this week, as the city’s authorities will begin a crackdown on homosexuals. Dar es Salaam’s administrative chief Paul Makonda said on Wednesday that a special committee would seek to identify and punish homosexuals, prostitutes and online fraudsters in the city. Last October, no fewer than 12 men were arrested at a Dar es Salaam hotel in a raid on a gathering which authorities said was to promote same-sex relationships. President John Magufuli has cracked down on

conviction for having “carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature” could lead to a sentence of up to 30 years in jail. Homosexuality remains taboo across much of Africa and gay people face discrimination or persecution, with rights groups often reluctant to speak publicly in defence of gay rights. In neighbouring Kenya a conviction can lead to a 14year jail sentence, although in recent years campaigners for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender (LGBT) rights have become increasingly

penalty for homosexuality in 2013 but some offences are still punishable by life in prison. In 2016, Tanzania banned non-governmental organisations from distributing free lubricants to gays as part of efforts to control the spread of HIV/AIDS, even though some health experts warn that shutting down such outreach programs could put the wider population at higher risk of infection The United States, is not taking Dar es Salaam’s plan lightly as it has warned its citizens in Tanzania to be cautious.

After boasting about the economy and raising fears over immigration, US President Donald Trump is facing pushback from his predecessor Barack Obama in the run-up to the midterm elections. The former president has taken on a prominent role in the final weekend, campaigning for the Democrats, in an election on 6 November in which Republican control of Congress is threatened. The election is also seen as a referendum on President Trump’s stewardship. With rallies taking place in Montana and Florida, a state

he had already visited on Wednesday, Trump is keeping up his relentless campaign schedule before Tuesday’s ballot. The campaigning comes one week after a gunman, who allegedly hated immigrants and Jews, killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, and after a fanatical Trump supporter was arrested in Florida on charges of mailing homemade bombs to more than a dozen Trump opponents, including Obama. At a moment of deep national division, with the political temperature soaring,

the president’s critics say he has helped create an atmosphere in which the two attackers felt comfortable to carry out their crimes. “A Republican Congress means more jobs and less crime. A Democratic Congress means more crime and less jobs, very simple. I like that. Nothing like simplicity,” Trump told supporters in Belgrade, Montana. Trump says his Republicans are in a good position ahead of the midterm congressional elections, particularly with new employment figures out showing the economy booming.

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11th Commonwealth Business Forum

Mr. Obinna Anyanwu, Country Head (Nigeria) CWEIC welcoming President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) of Nigeria; Nigeria High Commissioner to UK, Ambassador George Oguntade and Dr. Okey Enelamah, Hon. Minister for Trade and Investment to CBF 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) of Nigeria delivering his speech at CBF 2018

The Commonwealth of Nations converged in London UK recently at 11th Commonwealth Business Forum; tagged â&#x20AC;&#x153;CBF 2018â&#x20AC;? organized by Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). CBF 2018 provided a unique platform for dialogue bringing together Heads of Governments and Business Leaders from across the Commonwealth and the Globe with Nigeria playing a front-line role. The Nigerian Delegation to CBF 2018 was led by President Muhammadu Buhari with Dr. Okey Enelamah; Hon. Minister for Trade & Investment, CWEIC Nigerian Strategic Partners and top Business Leaders as part of the delegation.

Prime Minister of UK, Theresa May delivering her speech at CBF 2018

L-R: Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC; Prime Minister of UK, Theresa May; Session Moderator, Zeinab Badawi of BBC News; Philanthropist & Co-Founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, and Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Michael Holness, ON, MP during a special session at CBF 2018.

Mr. Peter Obi, Chairman, Next International & CWEIC Strategic Partner with Lord Marland of Odstock, Chairman CWEIC at CBF 2018.

Mr. Obinna Anyanwu, Country Head (Nigeria) CWEIC welcoming His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales to CBF 2018, while Alderman Charles Bowman, The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of the City of London watches with keen interest.

Alderman Charles Bowman, The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of the City of London delivering his speech at CBF 2018

Dr. Amy Jadesimi, CEO LADOL & CWEIC Strategic Partner making a presentation at CBF 2018

L-R: (4th) Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, Vice Chairman, Famfa Oil & CWEIC Strategic Partner with some delegates after chairing a special session at CBF 2018

L-R: Mr. Jim Ovia, Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc & CWEIC Strategic Partner meeting with Lord Marland of Odstock, Chairman CWEIC, Alderman Charles Bowman, The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of the City of London and Mr. Obinna Anyanwu, Country Head (Nigeria) CWEIC at the sideline of CBF 2018

Mr. Greg Ogbeifun, Chairman/CEO, Starzs Investment Company Ltd & CWEIC Strategic Partner with Lord Marland of Odstock, CWEIC Chairman.

Lord Marland of Odstock, Chairman CWEIC, delivering his speech at CBF 2018

Engr. Chibuike Achigbu, MD, Chimons Ltd & CWEIC Strategic Partner (middle) with Sir Franklin Ojukwu, GMD, Goshen Group (right) and Mr. Chinedu Okpaleke, Management Consultant (left) at CBF 2018

Mr. Chris Oshiafi, GMD/CEO, Pan African Capital Holdings & CWEIC Strategic Partner in a special Round-table session at CBF 2018

Mr. Gabriel Ukpeh, representative of Akwa Ibom State Governor & CWEIC Strategic Partner with other delegates.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

49

NEWS

Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

PDP: Buhari’s Certificate Saga Turned Nigeria to Laughing Stock Accuses INEC of violating Electoral Act Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the public demonstrations that the presidency may have procured a forged West African Examination Council (WAEC) Certificate attestation and confirmation for President Muhammadu Buhari has turned the country to a laughing stock in the West African sub-region and the global community. The PDP has also written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) insisting that the electoral body violated the party’s constitution, 2018 rlectoral guidelines and the Electoral Act 2010 as amended when it chose to recognise the candidates submitted from an unknown group from Ogun State. The main opposition party said the most appalling was that the president’s handlers have succeeded in dragging a reputable institution as WAEC into public disrepute and opprobrium. The party in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said Nigerians were quick to demonstrate marks of forgery in the attestation issued by the examination body. According to him, “The development has turned our countryto a laughing stock in the West African sub-region and the global community, as our president is now being mentioned as beneficiary of a duplicitous act.” Ologbondiyan noted that a check on the attestation clearly shows that it does not have the ‘Original Certificate Number’, the key authentication feature

in all genuine attestations by WAEC. He stated: “Instead, a nonapplicable is entered, indicating that the beneficiary does not have a certificate to be attested to, thus rendering the said attestation unauthenticated, fake and of no effect.” “Also, the attestation is for West African Senior School Certificate, which President Buhari couldn’t have sat for, given that the Senior School Certificate Examination was established in the late 1980s.” “Does it not smack of high level scam that the same WAEC, which in 2015, confirmed that it does not have records of President Buhari’s certificate, now had to send officials to present the president with an attestation that has no original certificate number?” The opposition party alleged that the unauthenticated attestation has shown that Buhari does not have a WAEC certificate; we urge his handlers to humbly so admit and apologise to the country, having exhausted all gimmicks to mislead Nigerians. The PDP added that by WAEC rules, attestations are only issued in the case of missing or destroyed certificate. Ologbondiyan queried: “Why then should the examination body issue an attestation to President Buhari, whose certificate, he claimed is with the military and not missing or destroyed? “If not intended to circumvent the system and deceive Nigerians, why did President Buhari’s handlers chose to write to WAEC to issue an attestation when he, as the Commander-inChief, has the powers to direct the military to make available

his credentials for all to see.” “The Buhari presidency should know that there is no way the truth can be suppressed. In fact, the current disagreement between the presidency and WAEC over who initiated the attestation deal is also very revealing. “ The PDP urged WAEC to redeem its image by handing over all its officials involved in the deal to the INTERPOL for investigation and prosecution, while also calling on the Nigeria Police to immediately invite the president’s handlers for questioning over this huge national embarrassment. Meanwhile, the PDP has written to INEC insisting that

the electoral body violated the party’s constitution, 2018 electoral guidelines and the Electoral Act 2010 as amended when it chose to recognise the candidates submitted from an unknown group from Ogun state. To this end, the party urged the commission to reverse the ‘illegality and travesty’ in order to preserve the sanctity of the process and its constitutionality. The electoral body had in a letter written to the party on October 25, 2018 and received on October 30, 2018, notified the PDP of its decision to publish the lists of candidates submitted by the Adebayo Dayo led State Executive Committee of Ogun State PDP in pursuant to the

orders until it is set aside. The Federal High Court in Abeokuta had on October 2, 2018, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/ CFS/636/2016, Mr. Adebayo Dayo (State Chairman) and eight others vs INEC and three others ordered the commission to recognise Adebayo Dayo led State Executive Committee of PDP in Ogun State and receive list of candidates for the 2019 governorship, National Assembly and state House of Assembly elections from the said committee. However, the main opposition party in a letter dated November 1, 2018 with reference number PDP/DOM/ GF.V/VOL.V/18-373 and signed

by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, and the National Secretary, Umar Ibrahim Tsauri, said the party rejects INEC’s decision in its totality. The letter titled; ‘Re: Nomination of Candidates For 2019 General Elections in Ogun State’ read; “Please refer to your earlier letter with the above caption in which the commission insisted on violating the constitution of our great party, the 2018 Electoral Guidelines and the Electoral Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2010 as amended) and also in utter disobedience to several Supreme Court judgements on Cont’d on pg 53

HEARTY CHEERS… Shiites Release 34 Names of 70 L-R: Wife of celebrant, Mrs. Patricia Iyayi; celebrant, Macaulay Iyayi, and presidential candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, during Iyayi’s 70th Birthday and Harvest Thanksgiving service held at Church of the Protesters Killed by Soldiers Assumption, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos ...yesterday The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has listed the names of 34 of its members who were allegedly killed by soldiers on October 27, 29 and 30, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The group, also known as Shiites, clashed with soldiers in Abuja during protests calling for the release of their spiritual leader. In a statement yesterday the group accused soldiers of murder, demanding an investigation into the matter. The IMN said the list would be updated to accommodate the names of others yet to be identified. The group said most of the dead were buried in Zaria, Kaduna State, while family members claimed the bodies of others. It described the Nigerian Army as ‘murderous’ and called for international pressure on the federal government to investigate and punish those found culpable. The 34 victims whose bodies the IMN said have been identified, and their place of origin include: Abdulaziz Ibrahim (Maigana, Kaduna State); Rabi’u Abdulwahab (Malumfashi, Katsina State); Minka’ilu Shu’aibu (Kudan, Kaduna State); Muhammad Hussain (Sokoto,

Sokoto State); Abdu Dijana (Suleja, Niger State); Ukasha Dayyabu (Madalla, Niger State); Faru’q Ahmad Garba; Sulaima SK; Muhammad Soje; Fatima Yahaya Musa; Malam Abu Qasim (Gaji, Bauchi State); Surajo Adam (Garu, Borno State); Ja’afar Yusuf (Keffi, Nasarawa State); Saeed Adamu (Awe, Nasarawa State); Lawal Ibrahim (Tudun Baushe Maraban Kafanchan, Kaduna State); Kamal Muhammad Haruna (Kaduna, Kaduna State); Al-Kasim Minka’il; Huzaifa Musa; Abdulaziz Haruna (Bauchi, Bauchi State); Muhammad Sani Awwal (Bauchi, Bauchi State); Zangina Muhammad Garba (Bauchi, Bauchi State); Isma’il Shu’aibu Alramma (Bauchi, Bauchi State); Aliuu Munnir (Mutum Biyu, Taraba State); Hamisu Muhammad (Zaria, Kaduna State); and Abbas Muhammad. Others include: Munnir Muhammad (Samaru Zaria, Kaduna State); Sa’id Zubairu (Maraba Abuja, FCT); Abdullahi Sabo Muhammad (Yauri, Kebbi State); Umar Abdullahi; Mansur Lawal (Bauchi, Bauchi State); Umar Abdullahi Dogon Haris (Adamawa State); Abubakar Dadda’u (Gombe, Gombe State) and Imrana Abdullahi.

Buhari Meets Amosun, Akeredolu, Fayemi over APC Crisis President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met behind closed doors with three state governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the South-west. The meeting, which was held inside Buhari’s residence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, had in attendance, governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti). The meeting, it was learnt, was

part of the efforts by President Buhari to resolve the crisis that followed the primary elections of the APC across the country. Amosun and Akeredolu, had been at loggerheads with the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, over the manner in which the primary elections were conducted in their states. The presidency has yet to issue a statement on the meeting

of the three governors with the President as of the time of filing this report. The governors, however, told the Nigerian Television Authority that they were at the Presidential Villa to assure Buhari of their continued support, ahead of the 2019 presidential elections. Akeredolu said apart from assuring the President of their supports, they also seized the

opportunity of the meeting to “talk on some issues and put our feet on the ground on the issues.” He said that although the governorship election would not hold in his state in 2019, he would work to ensure victory for the APC in other elections. Amosun and Fayemi also expressed confidence that Buhari would win the 2019 presidential election.

Afrinvest: Insurance Sector Grows Faster Than Nigerian Economy Ebere Nwoji Leading investment banking firm, Afrinvest, in its report on Nigerian insurance sector for the year 2017, said the insurance sector grew faster than the Nigerian economy . Afrinvest, in the report, said historical data on Nigerian insurance sector shows that the sector among other critical sectors of Nigerian economy grows at a faster pace than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) when the economy expands.

This was attributed to rising disposable income. The reporth however, said nonetheless, the sector suffered a setback in the last two quarters of 2017, contracting 1.9 per cent and 15.7 per cent in third quarter (Q3) and Q4, respectively despite growth recorded in the overall economy. The report further said that the sector rebounded in Q1, 2018, expanding 18.1 per cent relative to 1.95 per cent growth recorded by the economy as a whole.

The Swiss Re report, however, said despite growing at a faster pace than the economy, Nigeria’s insurance sector is still one of the most underdeveloped compared to its peers. “With a population estimated at 196.1 million people, a growing middle class and increased life expectancy rate for Nigerians (54.5 years average for men and women in 2017 from 53.4 years in 2016), the potential for growth in the sector is significant.”

At optimal state, industry gross premium should be comparable to overall consumption expenditure in the economy, since insurance is a risk mitigating strategy. However, at 0.3 per cent, Nigeria has the lowest insurance penetration level (measured as insurance gross premium written as a proportion of GDP) amongst notable African countries – South Africa (14.7 per cent), Kenya (2.8 per cent), Angola (0.8 per cent) and Egypt (0.6 per cent).

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Gencos: We are Yet to Receive Payment for Electricity Since June The Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) has stated that power Generation Companies (Gencos) have not received payment for electricity generated since June 2018 from the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET). The Executive Secretary of APGC, Dr. Joy Ogaji, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday. Ogaji also said that the generation companies were owed N500 billion for power generated from 2013, when they took over electricity generation, to December 2016. “The Gencos’ debt is classified

into about three categories, so; when you are talking about debts, before even NBET came, market operators were owing Gencos. “If you calculate all that debt from 2013 to December 2016, Gencos debt was about N500 billion, this debt that we are talking about is without interest. “Because the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) says if they delay to pay, Gencos are entitled to interest, so this amount is without interest, it does not also cover the cost for available capacity. “You know Gencos makes capacity available, so the power that is been rejected it does not

cover that one, because that one is a different cost. “From 2017, NBET, through federal government’s Payment Assurance Guarantee has only been paying 80 per cent and there is 20 per cent short fall till date. “And for this year, since June we have not been paid,’’ Ogaji said. On Gencos’ capacity to meet their obligation on payment to gas companies, he said: “Gencos have been taking loans from the banks to be able to meet their obligations in the market and put power on the grid. “Because when we don’t generate, we are called saboteurs they will start saying that the

owners of the Gencos are PDP members that is why they are not generating. “But the government is not looking at the cost implication of putting power on the grid and you are not paying for it. “There is no business person that will want to continue business when you are not getting anything on it and upon that you are being accused that you are a saboteur.’’ The APGC executive secretary, however, said Gencos were engaging NBET on the nonpayment since June. Reacting to alleged nonpayment of Gencos invoice since June, Head Corporate Communication of NBET, Mrs.

Henrietta Ighomrore, said the comment was inaccurate. She said Gencos had always received their payment as at when due, saying that at no time did NBET withhold payment to Gencos. “NBET do not retain any money, every money we receive from the Discos, we immediately pay it to the Gencos to settle their invoices.’’ She said it was important to understand how payments were made in the electricity market. “For instance, if you have January invoice, that invoice will be coming to you around end of February or early March. “Because when the generating

companies generate and then they send to us and then we send to the Discos. “Then all of these transactions at the end of the month, the Market Operator (MO) will now read the meter and will now raise the market settlement statement. “The MO will now send it to us, we will send to the Gencos and the Gencos will also receive it and send to us, then we will send to the Discos, so the issue of not receiving payment since June, that is not accurate. “The thing is that most people in the electricity market don’t give very detail information, so you find out a lot of information outside are mere speculation.

British Govt Condemns Shiites’ Clash With Security Operatives The British government has condemned the recent clashes between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiites and security operatives in the country. In a statement from the British High Commission yesterday, the government decried the number of people who lost their lives to the clashes which occurred in Abuja. It said, “We are concerned by the deaths of up to 50 people in and around Abuja this week. Our thoughts are with the families of those people who have lost their lives.” “We are following events closely, and have expressed our concerns about the levels of violence and numbers of people killed to the federal government. We encourage all parties to work together to enable the people of Nigeria to exercise freedom of association, expression and religious belief safely, peacefully and in line with the rule of law.” The British government stressed that security agencies have a primary responsibility to protect the lives and properties of the citizens. It also urged the Nigerian

Government to ensure that the incident was thoroughly investigated while those culpable should be brought to justice to serve as a deterrent for others. The statement said, “It is essential that security forces act in accordance with international and domestic law and work to protect civilians. “We welcome commitments by the Government of Nigeria to conduct a thorough investigation and to take appropriate action to hold accountable any member of the security forces held responsible for violations of Nigerian law.” The Shiites had converged on the Federal Capital Territory last week in a protest against the continued detention of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. The procession had, however, gone south when the protesters were intercepted by security operatives who dispersed them at various locations in the nation’s capital. The clashed which left a varying number of persons dead and many injured have sparked a widespread criticism from individuals and groups within and outside the country.

Police Parade Suspected Killers of General Alkali Seriki Adinoyi in Jos The Plateau state Police Command yesterday paraded 19 suspects handed over to them by the military, disclosing their levels of involvement in the disappearance and death of Major General Idris Alkali, the retired former Chief of Administration at Army headquarters whose corpse was later discovered. The command has also stated that the suspects will soon be charged to court according to their level of involvement in the crime. According to the state Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Mr. Mathias Tyopev, a Deputy Superintended of Police who briefed reporters, one Pam Gyang Dung is believed to have participated actively in the killing of the General. According to the PPPRO, one Michael James saw when and how Alkali was killed but concealed the information even when he knows the people who killed the General. The police spokesman also revealed that one Mathew Chuwang Rwang, the youth

leader, was among those that exhumed the corpse from a shallow grave in Doi Du and relocated same to Gushwet Shen. The only female suspect, Rebecca Gyang Pam, organised a protest against the draining of the pond where Alkali’s car was eventually recovered. Others were accused of knowing but concealing information. According to the PRO”On October 17, 2018 the Military handed over 13 suspects arrested in connection with this case to the Plateau state police command for investigations.After a painstaking interrogation, the command declared 8 suspects wanted on October 21, 2018”. He added that six out of eight suspects declared wanted in connection with the murder have reported to the Police, while two of them are still at large. Tyopev also emphatically said that the body recovered from the abandoned well was that of Alkali, adding that the public and journalists witnessed the event.

COURTESY VISIT...

L-R: President, Committee of the West African Universities Games (WAUG), Prof. Kingsley Akpabio; Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ndowa Lale; and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, during the visit of WAUG to the governor at the Government House, Port Harcourt ...recently

SERAP Asks Buhari to Investigate Bribery Allegations against Ganduje Ugo Aliogo A civil society organisation society, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), or the appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations of bribery against Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State contained in widely circulated

video clips allegedly showing him receiving bribe. The organisation said if there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, Ganduje should face prosecution at the expiration of his tenure as governor. SERAP also urged the government to instruct the AGF to ensure the protection and guarantee the safety and security of journalist, Jaafar Jaafar, who reportedly published the video clips. In the open letter dated

November 2, 2018 and signed by SERAP’s senior legal adviser, Ms. Bamisope Adeyanju, the organisation said, “Given the history of corruption in Nigeria, especially unresolved allegations of grand corruption against many state governors, your government cannot and should not look the other way regarding the allegations against Ganduje. Any allegations of bribery and abuse of power in any state of Nigeria is of concern to every Nigerian, and should therefore, be

of concern to your government.” The organisation also said, “The obligations of your government to combat corruption in Nigeria extend to all the three tiers of government, namely, the federal government, state government and local government. Although primarily a matter of concern for Kano State, the allegations of bribery against Ganduje have assumed such a proportion as to become a matter of concern to the federation as a whole, and therefore, to your government.”

Shehu Sani: Why APC Senators Opted Out of Saraki’s Removal Plot Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Senator representing Kaduna Central in the upper chamber of the Ntional Assembly, Shehu Sani, has given reasons why he and his colleagues in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) backed out of the plot to remove the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. He said the reason was because “it is constitutional and an impossible feat to fulfill given the number of loyal members of the Senate.

The outspoken Senator, who recently dumped the APC for Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), also said the ruling party has run out of number to carry out the removal plan. Speaking in an interview with journalists yesterday in Abuja, Sani, who is now seeking re-election on the platform of PRP, said the opposition party which Saraki belongs to now is more united than the ruling APC senators in the National Assembly.

“It is technically impossible to remove Saraki because the APC does not have two thirds majority in the National Assembly. Secondly, Saraki has been able to carry everybody along and provide a leadership to the extent that he is able to accommodate those who are critical of him. “Thirdly, the opposition is more united and more formidable in their resolve to keep the Senate president than the ruling party in their plot to remove him,” the lawmaker

said. Senator Sani stated that added to the constitutional and numerical constraints, members of the ruling party were not united in the cause of removing Saraki. “So, I can tell you that removing the Senate president through constitutional means is very much impossible because the APC is not united to do that. The APC does not have the number to do that, and it does not have the kind of support it needed to be able to carry out the plot.

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Confusion as Bayelsa Gets Seventh Police Commissioner in 10 Weeks Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa The drama trailing the frequent redeployment of Police Commissioners (CPs) in Bayelsa State continued over the weekend with the posting of a new boss for the state police command. At least seven CPs have been sent to the state in the last two

and a half months, with some of the police chiefs spending less than a week on duty. There are insinuations that the frequent change of guards regarding top officers in the state may not be unconnected with high-wire politics to ensure that the police helmsman in the state is pliable to some forces even as 2019 approaches.

Delta APC Chieftains Want Oshiomhole, INEC Chairman Jailed over Disobedience of Court’s Order Alex Enumah in Abuja Some aggrieved chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State have commence move for the committal to prison of the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole and the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu,over their alleged disobedience of a valid court order. Already, a notice of consequence of disobedience to order of court contained in Form 48 has been issued on them by the court in respect of the suit brought by the plaintiffs. The said Form 48 dated November 1, 2018 and filed on behalf of plaintiffs’ counsel, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, simply reads: “Take notice that

It was learnt yesterday that the decision to frequently change police bosses in the state was not only causing tension in the political circles, but was also causing low morale among officers who have to perform the ritual of welcoming a new police commissioner almost every week. As at yesterday evening, the name of the new helmsman at the police headquarters located at Ovom, Yenagoa, was still being kept under wraps, but a top security personnel said

a comprehensive statement would be released to the press before 12 p.m. today (Monday) concerning the new deployment. It has been a game of wits since the redeployment of Mr. Don Awunah, to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, who was replaced with CP Joseph Mukan. Barely 48 hours later, Mukan was removed and replaced with Ahmed Bello, who was still preparing to take over when the Force Headquarters asked

Ahmad Abdulraman to proceed to the state as the new police boss. Before Abdulrahman assumed duties, Austin Iwar, former Kaduna CP, was deployed in the state and had barely spent a month when he was retired from the Force. Mr. Ebere Onyeagoro, who took over less than four weeks ago, has now been replaced by the new man whose name is expected to be made public today. Meanwhile, Governor Seriake Dickson has reaffirmed his call

on the federal government not to undermine the peace and stability of the state and the Niger Delta as a whole using state apparatus. Speaking at the weekend, Dickson said that within a short period of time, the state had witnessed the posting and redeployment of several Commissioners of Police and three Directors of Department of State Services (DSS), stressing that the development portends a threat to the prevailing peace of the state.

unless you obey the direction contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and you will be liable to be committed to prison.” The plaintiffs, the Chief Cyril Ogodo-led Executive Officers (EXCO) of the APC in Delta State had in the suit accused Oshiomhole and Yakubu of violating the orders of court to maintain status quo over the issue of the authentic list of candidates that emerged from the parallel primaries conducted in the state through the two contending State Executives in the state. Other Plaintiffs are Chief Moses Adjarho (Chairman, APC Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State) and Mr. Kayode Jimoh (Chairman, APC Ward 5, Sapele Local Government Area) for themselves and other aggrieved members of the party in the state.

Aviation Workers to Join TAKE HEART... State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left) with Dr. Caesar Iyayi, eldest son of the late Dr. Iyayi Efianayi, during the governor’s condolence Strike over Minimum Wage Edo visit to the Iyayi family in Benin City, Edo State...recently Chinedu Eze The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has announced that it would join the nationwide strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) that will commence tomorrow. NUATE said it would ground the country’s aviation sector and insisted that no flight would take place during the period of the strike. President of NUATE, Ben Nnabue said the decision to join the strike was in compliance to the directive by the NLC and other partners in the organised labour for workers to embark on a nationwide strike “due to the inability of the federal government to agree on the new national minimum wage”. He said, “All flights operating in/out of Nigeria airports shall be

affected by this industrial action. We appeal to your good sense and understanding in this regard”. NUATE President stressed that “injustice anywhere was a threat to justice everywhere”, adding that labour would ignore the court order that directed the strike be suspended pending the hearing or determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction on November 8, 2018. Ibe said for overriding public interest, the labour would ignore the court decision, noting that the decision to embark on the strike was an outcome of a meeting which was attended by the highest hierarchy of labour, insisted on going on strike. “No court order can take away our right to strike,” he said. Ibe said all heads of aviation agencies have been informed of the strike and withdrawal of services of its members from all airports in the country.

You Can’t Blackmail Me, WikeTells EFCC River State Governor, Governor Nyesom Wike, has called for joint effort to stop impunity in Nigeria, saying the current situation in the country is worrisome. The governor who berated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for attempted blackmail, said he was not in any way excited over the media trial the commission has continued to adopt. While calling on federal government to refrain from using EFCC as a tool to intimidate

opposition, the governor said it was wrong for federal government to be supervising what states get from common pull when nobody does the same to government at the centre. “We are running a federal system of government, where all tiers of government, including the federal government, come to the pull to collect what is due for their respective states. It is therefore wrong for federal government to start supervising us when nobody is supervising it,” he stated.

APC CALLS FOR SECURITY PROBE OF ATIKU’S DUBAI MEETINGS APC said that a close study of the well entrenched and verifiable market fundamentals clearly indicates that the promise is virtually anchored on fiction and limited knowledge of the petroleum industry. It said that as at the moment, petrol cost under recovery was fluctuating between N60-N70 per litre propelled by vaunting crude oil price of around $81 per barrel, adding, “The only way the bogus promise could be possible albeit unreasonably, is through the re-introduction of the PDP styled subsidy payment schism, which almost bled the nation to death.” “It is shocking to note that at a period when the nation is looking ahead to embrace the eventual deregulation of the downstream sub-sector of the oil and gas industry to allow for equitable private sector participation and break the seeming NNPC monopoly of fuel importation, the PDP is

plotting a reversal of the spiraling wheel of progress. “No doubt if the PDP had been clairvoyant enough in its long years’ of ruler ship to fix the local refineries and make them work for the benefit of Nigerians, the country would have reaped bountifully from the gains of higher price of crude oil while optimising the benefits that comes with local processing of its God given natural resource.” Meanwhile, the PDP has said that the fretting by the Buhari’s administration and the ruling party over the strategy meetings by Atiku is defeatist and a clear sign that they are already petrified ahead of the 2019 electoral contest. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the ruling APC was panicking over its strategy meetings because it did not only fail to deliver on the promises it made in the past, but

is also completely bereft of ideas required to solve the problems it caused, even as it knows that it cannot drive our country in this 21st century. The party said since the emergence of Atiku as PDP’s presidential candidate, the panic-stricken Buhari presidency and the APC had abandoned governance for smear campaign and now frets over the strategy meetings because they know that the outcome will dismount their incompetent, deceitful and disconnected administration. It said, “Is it not ludicrous that the APC has become so disoriented that it is now issuing statements about the venue of our meetings which does not offend any section of our laws, and for which it has now rented itself to lies and spurious allegations? “By its statement, the APC has demonstrated its confusion, lack of organisation and tact to manage itself and the responsibilities of governance;

the very reason our country has been in dire strait since the last three and half years of the Buhari administration.” The opposition party noted that APC and Buhari were entangled in enough personal and collective crisis, while counseling them to face their problems instead of dabbling into the issue of venue for its meetings. It said, “If President Buhari and the APC had sat down to draw up strategies for governance, our nation would not be facing the economic, social and security woes that have brought her to its knees in the last three and half years. “The PDP and our presidential candidate will therefore not allow a dysfunctional and rejected party like the APC to distract us from our partnership with Nigerians in the all-important mission to remove the incompetent administration of President Buhari.”

No Need for Panic Buying of Petrol, Says NNPC ]Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured motorists that it has adequate petroleum products that will serve the nation, irrespective of the proposed strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). The Corporation gave the assurance in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu in Abuja yesterday. “The corporation had 39 days

petroleum products sufficiency and about 25 days products availability on land “Motorists and other consumers of petroleum products are assured of adequate stock to meet their energy needs,’’ he said. Ughamadu further dispelled insinuations of any impending petroleum products scarcity in the country. He said that providing

information on the petroleum products stock level became imperative to dispel suggestions that the threat of strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress would result in a slip into a round of products shortages across the country. Ughamadu advised motorists not to engage in panic buying as the corporation would do all it could to ensure the strike did

not impact negatively on fuel distribution nationwide. He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and volunteer information to the Department of Petroleum Resources or any law enforcement agency around them, on any station that attempts to take advantage of any prevailing situation in the country at the expense of the consumers.

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INEC: Why We Accepted List of APC Candidates from Rivers Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it collected the list of candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State because there was no court order or judgment barring it from doing so. The Supreme Court had on October 22, 2018, descended on the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal for granting

an application in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in respect of the conduct of the party’s congresses in the state. A five-man panel of the Supreme Court, in its unanimous judgment, held that the Court of Appeal committed “a sacrilegious exercise of discretion” by favouring the APC in its June 21, 2018, judgment despite the party’s decision to conduct its congresses in Rivers State in disobedience of subsisting orders of the court.

Amaechi’s Convoy Rescues Kidnapped Victim in Rivers The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, yesterday rescued a kidnapped victim along the Omoku/Egbeda road in Rivers State. Amaechi was on his way to Ubimini community of Emohua Local Government Area to address All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters when he sighted a Lexus SUV abandoned in the bush. It was reported that the minister, who was leading his convoy, consequently stopped by and ordered his security team to comb the bush in search of the occupants of the vehicle. It was during the search that the security personnel in the minister’s convoy rescued one of the occupants of the abandoned Lexus SUV. The victims turned out to be APC supporters who was attending the PVC sensitisation rally in Ubimini where the minister was to address party supporters.

The Supreme Court faulted the action of the APC, and described the conduct of the party’s ward, local government and state congresses of May 19, 20 and 21, 2018, respectively, in Rivers State, in violation of a pending court order as “condemnable, egregious and preposterous.” The five-man panel of the apex court led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, upheld the appeal filed against the APC by 23 aggrieved members of the party in Rivers State. But while speaking with THISDAY on the phone yesterday, INEC National Commissioner on Voter

Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, said as at the time APC submitted the list, INEC has not been served any court order or any judgment barring the party from submitting the list. According to him, “The APC conducted party primary in the state and the party primary election was monitored by INEC, and at the end of the day, the National Chairman of APC and the National Secretary forwarded the list of candidates that emerged from the primary election to INEC, and INEC collected the list as submitted by the national chairman and secretary of the APC.” Okoye added that “on the date of submission of the list,

there was no order from any court of law served on INEC to the effect that the electoral body should not collect the list of candidates from Rivers State.” He said what INEC has done is what the law says in terms of political party submitting the list of their candidates. Okoye stressed that in the next few days, INEC would publish the list of candidates for governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the various constituencies in accordance with the law. He stated: “When the affidavit is published in all their constituencies, any individual or group that has issues has the constitutional right to go to

court to challenge issues arising from the primaries.” However, the electoral body has once again rejected the list of candidates from Ogun State submitted to it by the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while acknowledging that of the state chapter of the party loyal to Senator Buruji Kasamu. Though the electoral body had in a letter written to the party on October 25, 2018, and received on October 30, 2018, notified the PDP of its decision to publish the lists of candidates submitted by the Adebayo Dayo-led State Executive Committee of Ogun State PDP in pursuant to the orders until it is set aside.

Narrating his ordeal to Amaechi, the rescued victim, Edi Chinda Edi, said they were on their way to Ubimini for the APC programme when suspected kidnappers barricaded the expressway and attacked them. He said eight of them were in the Lexus SUV when the kidnappers, armed with AK47 riffles and other dangerous weapons, struck. According to him, “We were eight in the car, and they succeeded in kidnapping seven others .While they were beating and forcing us into the bush, I managed to escape into the other side of the bush.” Worried about the safety of other victims who were yet to be found, Amaechi directed some of his security personnel to continue the search and ensure that the remaining victims were rescued and their abductors arrested and prosecuted according to the law.

MORE ROOM FOR GHOST WORKERS… CPPP Backs Sanwo-Olu’s NO L-R: Director of Information, National Judicial Council (NJC) , Mr. Soji Oye; Deputy Director, Performance Evaluation/ Legal Department, Hadiza Sa’eed; Executive Secretary, NJC, Ahmed Gambo Saleh; and Assistant Director, Pension Department, NJC, Aminu Safana, during the Governorship Bid biometric data capturing of retired federal judicial officers and non - judicial officers on the payroll of NJC held in Lagos…yesterday PHOTO; Running mate unveiled

Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Segun James The chance of the Lagos State gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has received a boost yesterday with the support of the 45 political parties on the platform of the Coalition of Progressives Political Parties (CPPP). The CPPP explained that it endorsed Sanwo-Olu because he represents its vision and passion for the development of the state, while stating that there was no line of ideological demarcation between it and the ruling APC in Lagos State. The opposition parties include Accord, Freedom and Justice Party, Unity Party of Nigeria, PPP, PPA, AMPP and GPP. The opposition leaders listed their demands, including an improved environment, improved security, resolution of the traffic snarl, correction of the LASTMA and BRT deficiency, and programmes for widows and youths. Its leader, Aderemi Fatukasi, said, “The next 50 years of the state must cut a path to create a framework for leaders that are not only visionary, but also inspirational with a passion for development.” A chieftain of the coalition, Akinola Obadia, said, “This is historic. It has never happened before in Lagos State. Forty-five

of the 58 opposition parties in the state are supporting the APC candidate. The coast is clear for him to win next year’s election.” At the endorsement ceremony, which held at Ikeja, Sanwo-Olu promised to appoint a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to serve as a link between his government and the parties, if elected as governor. He was accompanied by his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, his campaign manager, Tayo Ayinde, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, Ademorin Kuye, Abiodun Made, Alawiye King, Nosiru Musa, Abiodun Mafe, Bayo Ajisebutu, Goke Salvador, Hameed Olorunoje, Shamusideen Olaleye, Wale Adelana, Joe Igbokwe, Sesan Daini, Remi Adikwu-Bakare, and Gboyega Akosile. Sanwo-Olu also presented his running mate at the party’s secretariat yesterday. Speaking, Sanwo-Olu, said that he has confidence that Hamzat would work with him effectively as his running mate, adding that Lagos will be better it with the caliber of Hamzat being his running mate if voted into office. “I am here to confirm that the party in consultation with myself, we have decided to formally unveil and to publicly present the candidacy of my running mate, Dr. Obafemi Kadiri Hamzat.

ETOP UKUTT

APC, PDP Pick Candidates for Kwara By-election Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Ahead of the November 17 bye-election to fill the vacant position of late Hon. Funke Adedoyin, who represented Ekiti/Isin/Oke-Ero/Ifelodun federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Abdulraheem Olawuyi, yesterday emerged through affirmation. Also yesterday, Mr. Saheed Alatishe emerged the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the

federal constituency through affirmation. Late Adedoyin died after a brief illness at an Abuja hospital September this year. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had last week fixed November 17 for the bye-election to replace Adedoyin. The APC primary took place in Omu-Aran, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area of the state. Earlier, state Chairman of APC, Hon Bashir Bolarinwa, urged the party members to be united and work for the party’s victory.

He added that members adopted a consensus mode as recognised by the party’s constitution. Bolarunwa, who said members should observe one minute silence for late Adedoyin, said she got to the National Assembly in 2015 on the platform of APC. He added that “the election will be a test case for APC in the state. It will also afford us the opportunity to show Kwara people and Nigerians that in 2019, APC will take over the government.” Chairman of the APC

electoral panel, Dr. Usman Zanna, hailed the conduct of the party members. Zanna is optimistic that APC would emerge victorious at all levels in the 2019 elections. He added that “if you are united and firm, nobody will be able to penetrate your ranks.” In his response, Olawuyi thanked the constituents for the confidence reposed in him. He promised to be loyal party member, saying: “My joy knows no bound, and this is not because I am the best candidate, but for the confidence reposed in me.”

Don’t Be Rude to Atiku, Group Cautions Ezekwesili A group of legal advocates and other professionals who back the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, for a better Nigeria in 2019, has warned former Minister of Education and Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) activist-turnedpolitician, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, to desist from her rude and opportunistic communication attitude towards attack on the former vice president, and concentrate on her political manifestos to Nigerians rather than tag others as fraudsters. The group, Atiku for Better

Nigeria, in a statement released in Abuja at the weekend and signed by its National Coordinator, Mrs. Benita DikeIsrael, condemned Ezekwesili, a presidential contestant who was a minister in PDP government, for attacking both the PDP and its candidate, as lacking in knowledge economy and playing politics of deceit. “Oby should learn not to be rude to Atiku or bite the fingers that fed her. For her to say that PDP and Atiku lack knowledge in economy and into 419 politics, is self-indicting. That means her period as

Minister of Education and Solid Minerals added no value to the party that appointed her and Nigeria as a whole. That also mean her immense credential amount to nothing and has nothing new to offer. After all, a river is as good as its source; for whatever is built on void is void,” Mrs. Dike-Israel stated. “By throwing her hat into the political ring, the BBOG boss has diluted her fame and goodwill with the ordinary Nigerian, and friends of Nigeria, who may now want to see her previous efforts at seeking the return of

abducted school girls by Boko Haram insurgents, as a mere ruse, smokescreen and cheap opportunity to feather her own political nest. She must learn the ropes to avoid the abyss slope. “Whereas it is her constitutional right as an eligible Nigerian to contest election, yet she should understand politics as a game of persuasion and lobbying rather than pressure group tactics of brickbatting and foul language. She can politicise without being rude and judgmental,” Dike-Israel advised.

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Nwosu: I’ll Recover Imo APC Governorship Ticket Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The embattled governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, who is also the son in-law of the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has said he would use all legal means to reclaim the ticket. Nwosu, who double as the Chief of Staff to the governor, said the APC has exhibited lack of internal democracy under the leadership of Adams Oshiomhole. Addressing journalists yester-

day in Abuja, Nwosu who was reacting to Oshiomhole’s verdict on the controversy that trailed the outcome of the two governorship primaries conducted by the party in Imo State, claimed that he is the authentic APC governorship candidate for the state. “What our chairman who we respect very well did yesterday is not internal democracy. I won that election. I remain the candidate of APC and nobody can take it away from me. It might take a while but let me state it clearly, I am the candidate

of APC, and by the special grace of God, in 2019, I have no doubt that I will be the governor of Imo State,” he said. The APC national chairman, Oshiomhole had last Friday, announced Senator Hope Uzordima as the party governorship candidate in the state. But Nwosu said: “Oshiomhole was speaking with both sides of his mouth.

“I envisaged this, and I went to the party national secretariat. I wrote the first letter, wrote the second letter as well as the third letter asking our chairman that something is about to happen, and that he should come to my aide but no help was given. I went to court and got a court order restraining the party from submitting any name that is not mine, restraining the party from accepting any other name that

is not my name.” Nwosu said contrary to claims by Oshiomhole that there was no existing court order, the order of the Abuja High Court has not expired. “There is a court order from Justice Ashi restraining the party from submitting the name of Uzodimma, restraining them from accepting the result from Gulak. Nobody has vacated that court

order, and if the chairman says it has expired, he should show us a paper from the court that the order has been vacated,”he said. The aspirant also said it is false insinuation that the Catholic community in the state is against the state Governor, Okorocha, adding that over 400,000 party men who voted for his candidacy were Catholic faithful.

Kachikwu, Tinubu, Others Represent Nigeria in Africa Oil Week Peter Uzoho The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and the Group Chief Executive Officer of Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu are among key oil and gas industry players representing Nigeria in this year’s, Africa Oil Week (AOW), the continent’s leading oil and gas gathering, which celebrates its 25th year. In the past 25 years, AOW has provided a platform for government officials, national and international oil companies, independents, investors, corporate players and financers, to share their strategies for growth, better national participation in the oil and gas sector and engage in high level discussions on the future of the continent’s oil and gas industry, focusing on current challenges and trends and proffering solutions that will provide a positive and lasting impact for all. The conference which kicks-off today in South Africa, with the theme ‘The Leading Business Intelligence and Transaction Platform for Africa’s Oil and Gas Sector’,will play host to 16 ministers from across the continent,delegates from over 70 countries, 1,300 international CEOs and senior decision makers. As the largest oil producing nation in Africa, Nigeria is well represented at the event with a cross section of delegates consisting of government and private sector leaders. The former President, Olusegun Obasanjo will give a Chairman’s welcome address at the event alongside Hon. Mark Simmonds, Former Minister for Africa, United

Kingdom. Kachikwu will share the Nigerian perspective at the ministerial insights session with six ministers from other African countries. Tinubu will lead discussions on a panel session titled ‘Can Africa upstream play a significant role in the context of the global and regional energy landscape? ’This session will offer an objective market watch of the African oil and gas landscape, addressing the challenges and opportunities the industry is presented with. In commemoration of the 25thAfrica Oil Week, Oando ingeniously, used its social media platforms to highlight the changes that have occurred in Africa’s oil and gas space over the past 25 years. Notable amongst these are its highlight on the increase in Africa’s proven oil reserves. As culled from its social media platform Oando said: “The last 25 years have seen proven oil reserves in Africa increase significantly. It has grown by almost 106.6% since 1993, increasing from 61.2 billion barrels at the time, and is currently at 125.5 billion barrels.” Also worthy of note is rig activity in Africa. According to Oando, Africa is dominated by land drilling, however in recent years, offshore activity has notably increased, particularly off the coast of West Africa, Oando highlighted that between, 2007 and 2018, the number of active rotary rigs in Africa increased from an average of 66 to 95 rigs, increasing African drilling contribution to the global industry from 2.1 per cent to 4.3 per cent.

Osun Community Set for First Anniversary of Ijebu-Jesa Monarch Sons and daughters of IjebuJesa, popularly referred to as Ijebu Egboro, will converge on the ancient town and headquarters of Oriade Local Government of Osun State, this week Saturday for the first year coronation anniversary of the town’s monarch, The Elegboro, Oba Moses Olufemi Agunsoye, Abikehin-Ekun Agunsoye II. According to a statement ssued by the Chairman of the Planning Committee and President of Egboro Klub of Ijebu-Jesa, Mr. Gbenga Abudiore, the first year anniversary celebration will cap a week-long activities commencing with an Interdenominational Service at the Palace Chapel in the morning of Monday November 5.

On Tuesday November 6 a Public lecture on ‘Community Development: An important tool for Unity’, will hold at the Town Hall while on Wednesday November 7 there will be Male and Female football matches at the Ijebu Jesa Grammar School (IJGS) football field. The statement further indicated that there will be indoor games at the IK Dairo Square on Thursday, November 8. The square would also host the community carnival on Friday November 9. Abudiore said the grand finale of the coronation anniversary would start with royal carnival and the monarch’s visitation to all the quarters in the town and end with the main celebrations at IJGS football pitch.

HERE IS OUR CANDIDATE…

Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Imo State, Mr. Peter Ezeobi (third right), presenting the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume (second left), to members of the party in the state…recently

Araraume: APGA Will Accommodate Everybody in Imo The governorship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Imo State, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, has said that unlike what is currently being obtained in Imo State, where governance has been personalised, the size of government is very large to accommodate everyone in his government, if elected, assuring party members that those who work will be rewarded. This is coming as one of

the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has praised the leadership qualities of Araraume, revealing that he won the 2007 governorship election in Imo State but was denied the victory. The Media Unit of Senator Araraume Campaign Organisation quoted its principal as speaking at his expanded residence in Isiebu, Isiala Mbano in Imo State

weekend, when he hosted a reconciliation ceremony, attended by thousands of party’s members and friends. Ararume said APGA will win the coming state governorship election. He advised members of APGA to take charge of the campaign, promising to do everything legitimate and lawful to make sure the party wins the governorship election in the state in the coming general

election. “We had our primaries; we have finished with it; the party has submitted names. Like in every contest, you have winners and losers. But the most important thing is to unite the party -- by talking to all those who contested the primary with you at all levels and lost. We are talking to them -- that APGA is one big formidable family. All of us must work together.

Abuja Enterprise Agency Moves to Export Shea Butter Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja In a bid to support the diversification agenda of the federal government, the Abuja Enterprise Agency has set up shea butter plant to process the product for export. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Arabi Muhammed Tukur, made the disclosure during an interactive

session with journalists. Tukur, who was represented by the Principal Manager of the agency, Mr. Chudi Ezirigwe, said the plant is aimed at supporting the processing of the products towards meeting the requirements for export. He said, “We have special programs that capture different activities of people such as women and youth.

“We have set up a shea butter processing plant which we are working on expanding with a view to producing grade A shea butter for export. We also have the cassava processing centre in Kwali area council,” he added. Abuja Enterprise Agency, he stated, has many programmes aimed at reducing the level of unemployment in the country. For instance, he said that a

one-stop shop has been opened by the government in the agency to support the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) The objective of the one-stop shop is to have a system where information to support the setting up of a business is domiciled in one location rather than the previous practice of moving from one place to the other, he added.

PDP: BUHARI’S CERTIFICATE SAGA TURNED NIGERIA TO LAUGHING STOCK STOCK the exclusive right of political parties through their National Executive Committee (NEC)/ National Working Committee (NWC) to conduct Congresses for the purpose of nomination/ sponsorship of candidates for elections into all public elective offices from Councillorship to Presidency.” “We wish to state frantically and authoritatively that the PDP, a law-abiding political party, officially rejects in totality and in very strong terms the

attempt of the Commission to foist candidates on the Party through illegal congresses embarked upon by few dissident persons claiming to be members of our party.” The party said it was tempted to believe that the decision of the Commission to accept names of candidates from ‘controversial, lawless individuals’ from Ogun State who illegally assembled in the name of congresses, without the knowledge of the party’s NEC/NWC was instigated

from outside. The opposition party said otherwise it was impossible to agree that the Commission headed by a seasoned Professor, Mahmood Yakubu and supported by full-fledged Legal Department could ordinarily preside over and condone ‘this illegality’. The party therefore, draw the commission’s attention to the position of the law on this subject matter as gleaned from both the PDP Constitution, the

Guideline 2018, the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and decided cases, especially the Supreme Court. The party said that the Buruji’s faction in Ogun State claims to have judgment and purportedly stood on those false claims to fake the Party’s forms, sold them and on the basis of the conducted illegal congresses. “We are by this letter urging you to reverse this illegality and travesty in other to preserve the sanctity of the process and its constitutionality.”

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

Chelsea Manager Explains Why Victor Moses is Out of Favour

r Iwobi earns more plaudits from Arsenal Boss for five-star performance Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri, explained at the weekend why Nigerian international Victor Moses is out of favour at Stamford Bridge. Blues defeated Crystal Palace 3-1 yesterday without even list Victor Moses amongst the reserved players. Two goals from Alvarro Morata and a third from Pedro gave the London team maximum three points to move to the second spot on the English Premier League Aside Moses, England midfielder Danny Drinkwater who moved from Leicester City to Chelsea for £35 million under Antonio Conte is in the same boat as Moses. Drinkwater hasn’t featured since coming off the bench in the Community Shield against Manchester City. Sarri however explained why the duo are not featuring much in the early stages of his tenure as manager of the club. “Moses is more suitable for playing wing back than like a winger or a full back, I think. I don’t know (if they have a future). They have to improve

but their characteristics are a little bit different,” Sarri told reporters. “I think the situation is that Drinkwater for me is not suitable for a midfield with two other midfielders. I told him two months ago what I think.” Moses is rumoured to be unhappy about his status at the club and could set to leave the former Premier League champions in January. He has been linked with a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Manchester United and a return to his former club, Crystal Palace. Chelsea face Crystal Palace on Sunday in the Premier League as they aim to extend their unbeaten run in the competition to 11 games. Meanwhile, while Moses is going through the worst moment of his club football career, his teammate at the Super Eagles, Alex Iwobi, has again been praised by Arsenal boss, Unai Emery, after the London Gunners drew 1-1 with Liverpool at the weekend. Iwobi threaded the assist for

Alexandre Lacazette to draw Arsenal level against Liverpool on Saturday night. Emery said the Nigeria star can do more after he again impacted on the game against Liverpool.

“Iwobi can impact hard on a match… This impact in some moments like our goal (vs Liverpool) is important,” the Arsenal manager remarked. “His energy, his quality. He

Femi Solaja with Reports Most Super Eagles players proved their worth for their respective clubs in Europe last weekend. Nigerian defender at the last World Cup finals in Russia, Kenneth Omeruo, put up a five-star performance for Leganes against Atletico Madrid in a 1-1 scoreline. Omeruo, who is on loan from Chelsea received lots of accolades for his performance especially the way he silenced Atletico Madrid forward and French star, Antoine Griezmann all through the match at the Estadio Municipal de Butaraue as his side secured an impressive 1-1 at home. Although, Griezmann scored his side’s only goal, it only came off free kick as Omeruo was at his best and checked his attacking duet with Gelson Martins. In the match, Omeruo made four successful tackles, two interceptions and five clearance for his time and his passing accuracy stood at an impressive 71.1% with six of his passes coming via long balls from his defence to attack. In another match, newly invited Super Eagles forward, Samuel Chukwueze, played his first La Liga game for Spanish side Villarreal as they forced Levante to a 1-1 draw at home. Chukwueze was on from the start and the 19-year-old operated from the left flank although he drifts into the middle most times to influence play just like he did in the Copa Del Rey game against Almeria where he scored his first goal in a 3-3 draw. He lasted the entire duration of the game but his lively display was partly the reason why Villarreal was rescued from defeat thanks to a late goal by Alfonso Pedraza which cancelled out a Ramiro Funes Mori own goal. After the game the Nigerian was rated by Whoscored.com as

the best player on the pitch for Villarreal with a rating of 8.0 over 10, more than any player on the pitch for the Yellow Submarines In Seria A, another loanee Nigerian player also on loan from Chelsea, Ola Aina was one of the star players during his club, Torino, secured a 4-1 win against Sampdoria away from their home ground. The Nigeria international was in the defence and he didn’t disappoint as his team went into the half time break leading 2-0 thanks to a brace from Andrea Belotti. Operating as a left wing back, Aina was very composed in possession and assured in defence when they needed to protect their lead after the fourth goal scored by Armando Izzo. His progress since moving to the Italian Serie A side has steadied his career growth with his performance improving since his debut for the team in the Serie A. However the same easy coasting cannot be said of Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho who on receiving end for his club Elche as he conceded five goals in 1-5 loss to Cadiz in second tier league match in Spain yesterday. The Nigeria goal keeper who maintained a clean sheet in the first two start for the club in the lower Spanish league conceded four second goals in 12 minutes to ruin his day. Although he wasn’t culpable for three of the goals and also the one from the spot, he could however have done better for the fifth goal conceded by his side in the heavy loss. Uzoho has worked his way to the role of first choice goalkeeper after playing second fiddle for a while and many still expect him to keep his spot despite conceding five goals yesterday.

“It was a terrific contest against Liverpool,” he said. “Lucky enough I was able to pull out an assist. We ought to have won the match and sealed a win over Liverpool from the first half, but a point is not as bad as losing,” concludes Iwobi.

Team Captain, University of Agriculture Makurdi (UAM Tillers), Ebuka David (left), receiving the Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL 2018) champions trophy from President, Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA), Professor Stephen Hamafyelto with the C.E.O of Stanbic IBTC, Dr Demola Sogunle; Director, PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Mr Sola Fijabi and Vice-Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Prof. Anande Richard Kimbir all giving a helping hand at the HiFL final in Lagos…on Saturday

Omeruo Halts Griezmann, Osheku Gets ATFS Uzoho Concedes Five Recognition, Certified as r New Super Eagles player Chukwueze An Athletics Statistician

wins ‘Man of the Match’ for club

can improve, he can do better. “He scored against Chelsea, I want him to be nearer the goal, having chances to score more. He can. He’s very young.” Iwobi himself said Arsenal will take the point against unbeaten Liverpool.

The Association of Track and Field Statisticians (ATFS) has certified respected athletics coach, Chief Anthony Osheku as its newest member in Nigeria. The certification brings to two the number of track and field statisticians in Nigeria who have enjoyed global recognition from the international body. The first was Samuel Ademolu Fatunla who worked for over 20 years at the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN). Osheku’s certification was confirmed in the report of the association’s secretary, Michael J. Mclaughlin in the 2018 bulletin of the body which listed the Nigerian’s name among the three newest ATFS-recognised statisticians. Unarguably one of the most successful track and field coaches Nigeria has ever produced, Osheku

trained Falilat Ogunkoya to two Olympic medals and two African records at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA. He also coached Ogunkoya to four consecutive final appearances in the 400m at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) flagship event, the World Championships (1995-2001) as well as the number ranking in the quarter-mile in 1998. Osheku was also involved in the successes recorded by sprinter, Seun Ogunkoya who won the African 100m title in 1998 in Dakar, Senegal before setting a then new Nigeria record of 9.92 seconds to place second in the IAAF World Cup in Athletics (now Continental Cup) in Johannesburg, South Africa also in 1998.

ZENITH BANK WOMEN’S B’BALL FINAL SIX

New Entrant, MFM, in Bright Start The Mountain of Fire Basketball Club, new entrant into the National Women’s Basketball League, created an upset yesterday as they defeated Nigeria Customs 58-57 in the opening match of the Final Six decided at the Sports Hall of the National Stadium Lagos. It was a tension soaked encounter in which the Customs ladies led for the better part of the duration but the MFM ladies took over when it mattered most to win with just one point margin. The victory was the third recorded by the team with a single point margin. Coach Aderemi Adewunmi was full of praises for the MFM players who were not given a

chance to win any match in the Final Six series. “No one gave us a chance from Enugu where we emerge for the Final Six but I am proud of these girls because within a short time they have been able to prove that with hard work, many things can be achieved in sports,” the coach said. MFM defeated First Deepwater in the crucial final match in Enugu to qualify for the final phase of the competition in Lagos. The Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo, said the outfit was proud of the Women’s Basketball league which has produced many national team players over the years.

UAM Tillers Win Nigeria’s First Collegiate Football League University of Agriculture Makurdi (UAM Tillers) defeated University of Calabar (UNICAL Malabites) 5-4 in penalty shootouts on Saturday in Lagos to emerge champions of the maiden Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL). The Tillers from Makurdi started the game on the front foot, with skipper and highest goal scorer of the tournament Ebuka David in the thick of action, but the Okorie Okechukwu- led UNICAL Malabites defence stood resilient. The boys from Calabar were the better side in the second half as skipper and Man of the Match, Charles Ufot created a lot of chances that were poorly finished. But after a goalless stalemate in regulation time, the Makurdi team won 5-4 in shoot out to be crowned champions at the Agege Stadium in Lagos. Organisers of the HiFL league were impressed with the huge support that the league has garnered and sustained in its first inaugural edition. A Director of PACE Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Sola Fijabi, said that he was impressed with the first edition. “It is heart-warming to close out our first season on a high note. We are especially happy that the league did not only create an engagement platform for brands and several stakeholders, but it also unified students across Nigeria in the delightful spirit of sportsmanship. “We are extremely prepared for the 2019 edition to accommodate more schools than what we presently have.

“In 2019 there will be 32 schools a 100 per cent increase in the number of universities that participated in this maiden edition. “We are hopeful that like the maiden edition, subsequent editions of the league will continue to have positive impact on sports and education in Nigeria. “We hope to place collegiate sports in Nigeria on the same pedestal obtainable in other countries that have recorded successes and built a strong network of young, home-grown sporting and football talents in particular” Fijabi concluded. Speaking after the final match, President, Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) Prof Stephen Hamafyelto enthused that “The maiden edition of the Higher Institutions Football League has been largely successful. “We have delivered on the promises we made regarding standards, discipline and even fair-play. The fact that the winner of the last NUGA Games is also the winner of the 2018 HiFL competition is further proof of the credibility of both NUGA and HiFL. “Next year, we look forward to a more brilliant and interesting execution plan that will enable more schools to participate. “We are glad that the league has not only given a voice and a face to football talents across the country, but is also providing hope and a veritable platform of success for the numerous talents that are being discovered,” he added.

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EPL: Sterling Scores Brace as Man City Moves to Top r Chelsea climbs to second spot with win against Crystal Palace Raheem Sterling scored twice fresh from agreeing a new five-year contract with Manchester City as the champions swept aside Southampton 6-1 yesterday to return to the top of the Premier League table.

Sergio Aguero, with his 150th league goal, David Silva and Leroy Sane were also on the mark as Pep Guardiola’s side continued their unbeaten start to their title defence. Southampton had the minor

consolation of becoming the first team in 630 minutes to score against City but the leaders’ form is ominous for the rest of the division. City are scoring at a marginally faster rate than they did while

racking up a record 106 goals last season, and they made a devastating start at the Etihad that finished the game as a contest within 18 minutes of kick-off. Five minutes had gone when Aguero orchestrated an attack on

Raheem Sterling celebrating his two goals in Manchester City’s 6-1 crushing of Southampton to move back to the summit of the English Premier League…yesterday

the edge of the Southampton area, David Siva then moving the ball on to the overlapping Sane, whose cross was turned into his own goal by Saints’ Wesley Hoedt. It took a further six minutes for City to double the lead, Bernardo Silva setting free Sterling on the right and the England forward selflessly squaring for Aguero to hammer in from close range. It was the Argentine’s 150th league goal for City, a landmark that moved him level with Michael Owen in eighth place on the Premier League’s all-time goalscoring list. It appeared City were capable of scoring almost at will and a slick move saw them make it three in the 18th minute. Again, Sterling was heavily involved, accepting Bernardo Silva’s pass and putting in a cross that was a little too high for Sane but arrived for David Silva, who volleyed in at the far post. Sterling did in the 67th minute when he latched onto Aguero’s perfectly-weighted pass to score his second goal of the afternoon. Sane completed an impressive individual and team display in stoppage time when he steered in a left-foot shot from 18 yards following another assist from

Sterling. Later last night, Alvaro Morata scored twice to take unbeaten Chelsea above Liverpool into second place in the Premier League behind Manchester City but Maurizio Sarri’s men made hard work of seeing off Crystal Palace 3-1. Morata has now scored four in his last four Premier League games after just two goals in his previous 20 domestic matches, and his return to form could be the final ingredient Sarri’s side need to mount a serious title challenge. The former Real Madrid striker gave Chelsea a barely deserved half-time lead from an uninspired first 45 minutes. However, Andros Townsend’s equaliser and the introduction of Eden Hazard from the bench woke Chelsea from their slumber after the break and Morata restored the hosts’ lead before Pedro Rodriguez sealed the three points. “I can score a hat-trick so it was not the perfect day but we will take the three points,” said Morata. “When you have a bad period, it takes long to recover. “Last year was difficult for me for many things. You don’t expect an injury but now I am good, it is nice to be scoring.”

Leicester City Players in Thailand Nigeria Sports Award 2018 Voting to for Srivaddhanaprabha’s Funeral Close Sunday Leicester City players are in Thailand for the funeral of the club’s owner, who was killed in a helicopter crash. Jamie Vardy and club captain Wes Morgan are among the players who attended a prayer ceremony at a Bangkok temple for Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s funeral. It began on Saturday with Buddhist bathing rituals, and is being followed by a week of recitation ceremonies.

The helicopter crashed after taking off from the club’s stadium on 27 October, killing Mr Vichai and four others. The Leicester players travelled to Thailand on the 12-hour flight on Saturday after winning 1-0 at Cardiff City in the Premier League, in the first game since his death. They joined Sunday’s Buddhist prayers for Mr Vichai and will do so again on Monday before arriving back in the UK the

Nigeria Sweeps Titles at ITF W/chair Tennis Futures Alex Adewale and Kafayat Omisore emerged champions of the men’s and women’s singles of the Puma ITF Wheelchair Tennis Futures in Abuja over the weekend. The winning outing marked a glorious return of Nigeria to the international stage after a few years of absence due to financial challenges. Adewale, a London 2012 Paralympian defeated Kenyan top seed, Peter Naveh 6-1, 6-0 while Omisore also got the better of Jane Ndenga of Kenya 6-3, 7-6 (3). Prior to the final on Saturday at the National Tennis Centre, Package B, National Stadium, Abuja, Adewale had paired two-time Paralympian Wasiu Yusuf to claim the doubles title at the expense of Kenyan duo of Peter Naveh and Collins Omonde while Omisore also teamed up with Kemi Oluwasegun

to beat Ndenga, who paired Nigerian Foluke Shodehinde, to clinch the women’s doubles crown of the $3, 000 prize-money event. Former NTF President, Sani Ndanusa, who facilitated the tournament and also footed the bills of the players, pledged to ensure that Nigeria consolidates on the success recorded in the tournament stressing that the resounding success ensured Nigeria reclaimed its status as a leading force in the sport in Africa. He hinted that the players would be motivated to ensure they put up a similar display at the African Championship billed for Accra Ghana in February 2019. The Nigerian team was represented by 10 male and 5 female players with all but Adewale and Yusuf, making their debut in international tournament.

following day to prepare for their home match against Burnley on Saturday. Press agency AFP reported that on entering the temple, players gave Mr Vichai’s family a hug, and then offered jasmine flowers as they knelt in front of an octagonal jewelled urn given by the king. Nusara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner, Izabela Roza Lechowicz, also died in the crash at the King Power Stadium. Ms Nusara’s funeral took place in Bangkok on Saturday. The 32-year-old, who was a member of Mr Vichai’s staff, was a runner-up in Miss Thailand Universe in 2005, where she was listed as being from Bangkok province.

As the countdown towards the 7th edition of the Nigerian Sports Award (NSA), gets closer, organisers of the prestigious awards have announced that the voting phase will close as scheduled by midnight of Sunday, November 11, 2018. Executive Director, Unmissable Incentives Limited, Mr. Kayode Idowu, disclosed this while briefing the media on updates on the 2018 edition of the Award. Idowu stated that voting for sports men and women in the

various categories of award would close as scheduled and urged the general public to take advantage of the few days left to participate in the voting process. The award panel had announced nominees for the different categories including Footballer of the Year, Team Sports Person of the Year, Sports Governor of the Year, Sports Administrator of the Year, Track & Field Star of the Year, Sports Man and Sports Woman of the Year, amongst others.

Other award categories to be voted for include Racket Sports Person of the Year, Basketball Player of the Year, Para Sports Person of The Year, Team of the Year, Discovery of the Year, Wrestler of the Year, Coach of the Year. Idowu reiterated that the general public are open to vote on the official website of the award; www. nigeriansportsaward.com/vote or via SMS & all three social media platform of the awards; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Rain Disrupts Bendel, Shooting Stars Clash

r Game to be concluded this morning Centre Referee Nwite Thomas, (Abia) had to use the rule of force majure to stop Bendel Insurance and Shooting Stars rescheduled week 17 encounter minutes before the resumption of the second half.

This was due to poor visibility occasioned by heavy downpour immediately both teams filed on to the pitch for the restart. Nwite had to consult with the Match Commissioner, the two teams and their officials before

announcing the shift till 9 am tomorrow. The Oluyole Warriors were ahead with 1-0 score line through Olawale Mutiu’s two minute strike from a free kick before the postponement.

Leicester City Players joined Sunday’s Buddhist prayers for Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in Thailand…yesterday

Monday, November 5, 2018

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Price: N250

MISSILE Amosun to Oshiomhole

“We wonder why Oshiomhole accepted the result of the primary election in Lagos State when the result was also not announced by the State Electoral Panel. Why will the same scenario be acceptable in Lagos State but regarded as self-help in Ogun State? Is it because it was executed by the Capo Di Tutti in Lagos State?” – Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, describing the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, as lacking respect for truth and decency.

ENIOLABELLO For Buhari, A Sigh! ENI-B

eniola.bello@thisdaylive.com

0805 500 1956

Buhari

Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria during one of their protests in Abuja...last week

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked… rule, the people mourn.” – Proverbs 29:2

detained since December 2015 despite several court orders authorizing his release. The sect’s spokesman Abdullahi Muhammad Musa accused the security forces of killing 46 mourners and protesters, injuring 107 others and leaving 1,000 unaccounted for. There were video clips on social media of soldiers shooting at protesters sporadically for nothing more than blocking the road. The military, and the police, have since justified their highhanded response to the Shiites protesters. It is indefensible, however, that so many protesters would be killed simply for throwing stones at security forces. It is difficult to understand the continued detention, in the last three years, of Zakzaky, arrested after a confrontation of his followers with the convoy of the Army Chief, a confrontation resulting in the death of the cleric’s wife, son and hundreds of Shiite members. Despite repeated court orders, the Buhari administration has denied Zakzaky freedom in what is seen in my quarters as unhelpful persecution of Shia Muslims. Although the sect’s modus operandi has been problematic for successive administrations in the country partly because of their defiance of the institutions of state, and partly because of their non-recognition of the state itself, the former resulting from the latter, this administration’s resort to lawlessness would only end up worsening the situation. Or is the administration acting at the behest of Saudi Arabia, supported by the US, in what has become a global battle by the Sunni Muslims, championed by Riyadh, to crush the Shia Muslims, led by Iran? In,

G

eneral Muhammadu Buhari was elected president in 2015 essentially on the strength of his famed integrity, his disdain for corruption, his asceticism, and the belief that he would be a swinging rod of justice. Buhari’s associates and supporters still parrot the same qualities in their push to resell him for another term in 2019. It is unlikely if discerning Nigerians would again fall for the trick of buying what may be no more than a fake product. For three and a half years down the line of his presidency, Buhari has fed the tree of integrity with the waters of nepotism, he’s driven his anti-corruption battle tank with a tunnel vision, he’s dressed asceticism in the garb of hypocrisy, and he’s thrown the lamb of justice to the wolves of lawlessness. It’s apparent that the president had all along been adorned in stolen robes. As rivers of blood flow from the deserts of the northeast to the Benue valleys and the Plateau mountains; as a sea of tears sweeps through the Zamfara farm lands to the Kaduna plains; and as the federal capital Abuja boils in the cauldron of protests, the people mourn and groan and sigh. For three days last week, the Shiites mourned; they mourned the killings of 46 of their members during the Arbaeen Symbolic trek, a three-day religious gathering and protest for the unconditional release of their leader, Sheik Ibraheem Zakzaky,

‘The State Beyond El-Zakzaky’ (December 29 2015) this column had called for a different approach in handling the problem of the Shiites and the increasing abuse of religious freedom. Among others, I had argued that there should be some regulation to curtail the present unrestrained religious freedom, called for taxation of business ventures thriving on the platforms of religious organisations not only to improve revenue but also to subject religious leaders to state authority, and frowned at the politicization of religion and religionization of politics. My conclusions then are still valid today. The bloodfest in Abuja was only one in a series of needless deaths in the country under Buhari’s watch. The people of Kaduna are still mourning some 55 persons killed in an ethno-religious crisis in Kasuwan Magani, and a traditional ruler kidnapped and murdered after even after paying a N10m ransom payment. The people of Benue State had serially mourned killings from rampaging herdsmen. Plateau State has been no less in mourning with hundreds killed in communal clashes arising from land disputes. Zamfara people have had more than their own share of mourning from the deadly activities of bandits and cattle rustlers. Mourning has taken a larger than life image in Borno State and some other areas in the northeast due to killings from incessant raids of Boko Haram terrorists whose capacity to commit havoc the administration had repeatedly claimed had long been degraded. Those not mourning are groaning, yes, groaning from the pangs of hunger, and

from the debilitating pains of poverty. Many businesses have closed down in the last three years, sending breadwinners out of jobs, and leaving them unable to pay for their accommodation or keep their children in school. The victims thereafter groan in depression sometimes leading to suicide. They groan as the temptations to commit crime pull at their apron strings. They groan as they burden their equally groaning relatives and friends with begging. The rest of us can only sigh. We sigh at the in-your-face nepotism in the administration’s major appointees to critical offices. We sigh at the one-sided battle being waged on corruption. We sigh at the unseemly face of hypocrisy in high places. We sigh at the lawlessness in some state institutions, the impunity with which favoured appointees break the rules because they can. We sigh at the arrogance of those we had thought would treat us with compassion, at their refusal to talk to us while talking at us, at their distant stares at our complaints and cries, and at their contemptuous responses to our criticisms. Yes, we sigh! In all this, we are comforted in the knowledge that the 2019 election is almost here. Soon, very soon, we’d move to cast our ballots. And when the movement of mourners sweeps away those who have been carrying on as if tomorrow would never come, and those who have been groaning gyrate in celebration, we’d be here to capture the transformation of stressed sighs to seductive smiles. It would then be Buhari’s turn to sigh!

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