THURSDAY 28TH MARCH 2019

CBN to Reintroduce Cashless Policy Nationwide, Says Emefiele Ugo Aliogo The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has unveiled plan to extend the cashless policy nationwide almost two years after the policy was halted.

Emefiele said all necessary

structures have been put in place to improve banking services in the country.

He made this remark yesterday during the First Bank of Nigeria’s 125 years anniversary gala night dinner.

According to him, his predecessor, the Emir of Kano,

Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, had introduced the policy, but the CBN under his leadership was not certain about the rate of financial inclusion and penetration in the country.

The CBN had in April 2017, suspended the nationwide implementation of the cashless

policy.

“We had to wait a while because we felt that there was need to be sure that the rate of financial inclusion in Nigeria has effectively penetrated all the nooks and crannies of the country for us to be able to say yes, it is time to really

proceed on cashless banking.

“I want to use this opportunity to say that very soon, all the structures that have been put in place would improve banking services in Nigeria,” Emefiele explained.

He said the CBN believes that collaborative efforts by

non-finance entities and banks would be critical in building a robust financial system that has a wider reach and enables better integration across different payment gateways in a reliable and secure and Continued on page 9

Crude Oil Price Drops by 1% over Excess US Inventories.. Page 9 Thursday 28 March, 2019 Vol 24. No 8753. Price: N250

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APC Explains Choice of Lawan, Gbajabiamila for N’Assembly Leadership Moves to pacify aggrieved aspirants Senator denies alleged plan to give Buhari third term Deji Elumoye and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday moved to douse tension in the ranks of its senators and members of the House of Representatives-

elect over the selection of Senator Ahmad Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate president and speaker respectively, explaining that they are preferred by the party leadership because they are the highest ranking members in

both chambers of the National Assembly.

The party also said it is working to achieve consensus among its federal legislators, adding that all the aggrieved aspirants are being spoken to, to understand the position of

its leaders.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who spoke to THISDAY yesterday, said APC’s leaders considered the experience and ranks of Lawan and Gbajabiamila in

coming to their conclusion, explaining that their loyalty to the party over time was also a major consideration.

The National Chairman of the party, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, had on Monday night at a meeting President

Muhammadu Buhari held with returning senators and senators-elect of the APC, announced the decision of the party hierarchy to adopt Lawan and Gbajabiamila Continued on page 8

Court Permits Atiku, PDP to Serve Petition on Buhari through APC HDP drags president, ruling party, INEC to tribunal Asks for nullification of presidential election Alex Enumah in Abuja The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his party yesterday got leave of the Court of Appeal to serve their petitions, challenging the outcome of the February 23 presidential election on President Muhammadu Buhari by substituted service through any of the senior lawyers of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A three-man panel of the

Court of Appeal led by Justice Abdul Aboki gave the order in a ruling on an exparte application filed by Atiku.

The court in the ruling held that the application is meritorious and in the interest of justice and subsequently ordered that "leave is hereby granted to serve the petition and other processes via substituted service through any of the senior officers of the All Progressives Congress Continued on page 8

INEC: Supreme Court will Decide Zamfara APC Logjam.. Page 8

MINISTERIAL CHAT...

L-R: Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, during the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja... yesterday godwin omoigui

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PAGE EIGHT

INEC: Supreme Court will Decide Zamfara APC Logjam Releases timetable for completion of Rivers governorship election Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would wait for the directive of the Supreme Court before it could make a final decision on the contentious primary elections of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) in Zamfara State.

A Zamfara State High Court had recognised the primary elections that produced governorship, state and National Assembly candidates held by the APC faction loyal to Governor Abdulaziz Yari and ordered INEC to accept the party candidates for the elections.

But the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto on Monday set aside the judgment, thus nullifying the primary elections that produced the governorelect and other winners of the 2019 general election.

In obedience to the court order, INEC suspended the presentation of Certificates of Return to the governor, deputy governor and state House of Assembly members-elect on the platform of the APC in the state.

The electoral body also added that the judgment of

the Court of Appeal would also impact the Certificates of Return already issued to senators and House of Representatives members-elect from the state.

However, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Voter Education and Publicity Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye, told THISDAY yesterday that it would be futile and counterproductive to speculate on what the Supreme Court will or may do in a case before it.

He explained that each matter has its own peculiarities and dynamics, adding that the Supreme Court is empowered to make consequential orders that nobody may anticipate.

According to him, “INEC will not speculate on a matter before the Supreme Court. The commission will rather wait and enforce the orders and judgments of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the final court in Nigeria and policy court.�

Okoye stressed that the commission would prefer to wait and abide by the judgment of the Supreme Court, stressing that the commission does not have the power to pick and choose but will abide and enforce the judgments of the court.

He stated: “Academically and constitutionally speaking, the Supreme Court may order the swearing in of the candidates of the parties that came second in the election and regard the votes scored by APC as wasted votes. “The Supreme Court may also order that only the candidates that meet the constitutional requirement of having scored majority of lawful votes and the necessary spread should be sworn in. The Supreme Court may also affirm the judgment of the lower court. “The court may also insist that the matter in question is no longer a pre-election matter but a matter subject to Election Petitions Tribunal. There are so many variables and dynamics and it is prudent and rational to wait for the court to decide. “The commission is not infallible. The commission’s decisions and opinions are subject to the interpretative jurisdiction of the court. And the commission has no choice but to abide with the said decisions.�

On the supplementary governorship election that would be held in Adamawa State, the national commissioner added that the commission was

determined to deliver on its mandate, assuring that it was ready for the election.

He said that the commission has taken on board the lessons from the conduct of other supplementary elections and is putting in measures to ensure that mistakes are not repeated.

Okoye said: “It is selective amnesia to use the Kano supplementary elections as the only yard stick for measuring the success of the supplementary elections. We conducted supplementary elections in Benue State. We conducted in Sokoto State, Plateau and Bauchi States. “The commission should be commended for its expeditious resolution of the electoral challenge in Bauchi State and for conducting good election in other states. We will continue to work assiduously to deliver good elections.�

Okoye revealed that the electoral commission has delivered the sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the conduct of the election to the various local governments.

He added that it has met with the security agencies and they have promised to act professionally and ethically, noting that it has also held

meetings of the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on election security and a stakeholders meeting.

Okoye assured that the commission would continue to maintain its neutrality and guard its independence in the conduct of elections.

He said: “For the election, only party agents will be allowed to observe the elections.

The commission will not permit the presence of party supervisors in any polling unit. “Furthermore, only persons with Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) domiciled within a polling unit will be allowed near a polling unit. The commission will not disrupt the school system in Adamawa State and polling units in schools will be located outside the precincts of the schools and the commission will provide canopies.�

Meanwhile, INEC has released a schedule of activities for the completion of the outstanding election in Rivers State.

The electoral body stated

that the process for the election earlier suspended on March 10, 2019, will resume with stakeholders’ meeting on March 30.

According to a statement signed by INEC’s Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Edwin Enabor, resumption of collation and announcement will hold between April 2 and 5.

The statement added that stakeholders’ meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 30, while the resumption of collation and announcement of results will hold between April 2 and 5. Supplementary elections will be conducted where necessary on April 13, results will be announced between April 13 and 15 while Certificates of Return will be issued on April 19.

INEC affirmed that the scheduled exercise was a result of the careful auditing by the fact-finding team set up by the commission to review the circumstances that led to the suspension of the process.

The electoral commission appealed to all the residents of the state to embrace the resumed electoral activities to conclude the 2019 general election.

Their main grouse is that they were validly nominated for the 2019 general election, but were unlawfully excluded from the said elections by INEC, which delisted their names and party logo from the ballot papers.

They, however, asserted that they will at the trial lead evidence and rely on the laws in support of their petitions to establish that the shifting of the election from February 16 to 23, was without the force of law and powers to do so.

Another grouse of the petitioners is that INEC placed a false version of their registered party logo on the ballot papers for elections, adding that the action of the electoral body cost them the chances of realising their political ambition in the 2019 general election.

Meanwhile, an ex parte motion

filed by the petitioners seeking to serve President Buhari with their petitions and other processes is to be heard at the Court of Appeal in Abuja today.

The ex parte motion filed by Yusuf Ibrahim, an Abuja based lawyer, is seeking an order of the court to serve President Buhari by pasting their petition at the Aso Villa Presidential office, the National Secretariat of the APC and at the tribunal's notice board.

The ex parte motion followed an affidavit of non-service deposed to by one Abubakar Mohammed, Chief Bailiff of the Court of Appeal, where he claimed that security personnel at the reception of Aso Villa denied him access to enter and effect service on President Buhari on the grounds that there is no directive from the president's office to that effect.

yesterday, confirmed that the national leadership of the party had by its adoption of Lawan divided the caucus of the 65-man APC senators into two straight groups to pursue the ambition of both Lawan and Ndume.

Some APC senators-elect loyal to Ndume who were jolted by the adoption of Lawan by the party leadership on Monday night met immediately after the dinner with Buhari on Tuesday morning to brain storm on the next line of action.

The meeting which was said to have lasted till about 4a.m. and attended by senators-elect from all the six geo-political zones agreed to pursue the ambition of Ndume to a logical conclusion by reaching out to the 43 other senators-elect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This informed why Ndume had to brief the media on Tuesday morning before heading to Maiduguri, Borno State capital to consult with his party leaders on the next line of action.

THISDAY further learnt that the pro-Ndume senators have scheduled a meeting in Abuja with some PDP senators-elect this week.

Pro-Lawan senators-elect, however, faulted the submission

of Ndume that Lawan was imposed on the APC senatorselect by the party leadership.

Spokesman of the Senator Ahmed Lawan for 9th Senate Presidency, Senator Sabi

INEC Releases Timetable for Completion of Rivers Election

COURT PERMITS ATIKU, PDP TO SERVE PETITION ON BUHARI THROUGH APC (APC).’’ Consequently, the petition is now to be served on the President through the National Secretariat of the APC, located at no 40 Blantyre Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse, Abuja.

INEC had declared Buhari winner of the February 23 presidential election having scored the majority of lawful votes at the poll.

However, Atiku and his party, PDP, are challenging the victory of Buhari and the APC based on allegations of massive rigging, suppression of voters in stronghold of the PDP, malpractices and non-compliance substantially with the electoral laws amongst others.

The duo had on March 18 filed their petitions at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

However, owing to what appears to be difficulty in effecting service of the petition on President Buhari, the PDP presidential candidate through his lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche (SAN), approached the tribunal for leave to obtain an order of the tribunal to serve the petition on Buhari through substituted means, his party, the APC. According to the senior lawyer, it was practically impossible to reach Buhari in person to effect service on him because of the retinue of security.

The exparte, which was predicated on seven grounds, was supported by a 17-paragraph affidavit and another fiveparagraph further affidavit, praying the court to grant leave to serve Buhari with the petition outside the Presidential Villa.

Respondents in the exparte

motion are INEC, Buhari and the APC. Precisely 19 days after the declaration of Buhari as winner of the February 23 rescheduled presidential election, Atiku and the PDP had filed their petition against Buhari's victory.

In the petition, Atiku and the PDP are praying that they be declared winner of the February 23 presidential election. In the alternative, the two petitioners prayed the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to nullify the poll and order for a fresh election that will be conducted in line with provisions of the electoral laws.

HDP Drags Buhari, INEC, APC to Tribunal Meanwhile, fresh petitioners, the

Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and its presidential candidate, Chief Ambrose Owuru, are also challenging the legality of the election.

In the petition marked CA/ EPT/PRE/001/2019, dated March 6 and filed March 7, they prayed the tribunal to nullify the election of February 23 and the subsequent declaration of Buhari as the winner on the grounds that INEC has no power under any law to shift the February 16 date to 23.

The two petitioners, who claimed to have been excluded from participating in the February 23 poll, averred that the election was invalid by reason of noncompliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, which stipulates the conditions under which election can lawfully be postponed.

APC EXPLAINS CHOICE OF LAWAN, GBAJABIAMILA FOR N’ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP as the party’s candidates for president of the Senate and speaker of the House.

But former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, kicked, complaining that the leaders’ decision were made without consultation, dismissing it as unconstitutional and indicating his intention to challenge it.

Issa-Onilu had on Monday reacted to Ndume’s complaint, saying the party would not brook any act of disloyalty.

But by last night, he sang a new tune, indicating that the APC was on a fire fighting mission.

He said the party would push for consensus for the National Assembly’s leadership positions so that election in June will be a mere formality.

He, however, restated its position that it would not allow the opposition to dictate the pace in the emergence of new leadership of National Assembly.

Also addressing journalists yesterday at the national secretariat of the party, the IssaOnilu, said notwithstanding the furore created by endorsement of Lawan, as candidate for the incoming Senate presidency, the party hopes to reach out to members to ensure that there will be only one person to be put forward for each position.

Contrary to reports that the party may have zoned other positions including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Issa-Onilu said the ruling party is still at work, trying to sort out details of the zoning for the remaining leadership positions at the National Assembly.

"It is not the party that will determine whether there will be election or not, and that's what I said; but by the time we announce one person standing in, with a clear majority on the floor, and anybody says that he objects to that, then that person has to come up with a candidate and back it with his number. So there will be only one person being put forward and what do you have, a consensus," he said.

On why the party decided to zone the Senate presidency to an individual rather than allowing the affected area to arrive at a consensus themselves, IssaOnilu said the party in its own judgement believes that it will not only zone positions but that it will go as far as identifying who from a particular zone is fit and proper as a Senate president.

He said APC will read out names of its preferred candidates on the floor of both legislative chambers and urge members to rectify them on

the day of the inauguration, saying the party doesn't envisage a situation where two APC senators will stand as candidates for a position.

While clarifying the party's position on the issue of sanctions for members found guilty of anti-party activities, Issa-Onilu said the party does not bar any of its members from expressing their desire or opinion on the issues at stake but that as loyal party men, it expects them to show solidarity and respect for party’s supremacy and support any final position it has taken.

Speaking on the suspension of Senator Kabiru Marafa by the Zamfara State chapter, Issa-Onilu said it is within the powers of the party’s executives at the ward level to do so.

On the refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to issue Certificate of Return to the Imo State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, for the senatorial election, the party said that it is constrained to intervene because the governor is on suspension.

However, when asked its position regarding the decision of the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, to ask APC members to support African Action Congress (AAC) in the

governorship election in Rivers State, he said the party did not view his action as anti-party.

Onilu said: "I will emphatically say no; because if you liken it to the situation in Imo and or Ogun States, it will be wrong. In Rivers State, APC does not have any candidate and as a party, Rivers State is very important to us.

"If we have the opportunity of working with a party, willing to abide by our principles, then it is within our right to work with such a party to ensure we free the people of Rivers State."

Crack in Senate Deepens Meanwhile, there appears to be a crack in the APC senators-elect caucus over who occupies the coveted office of the Senate president among the 14 senators-elect from the North-east zone where the office has been zoned to by the ruling party.

So far, two ranking senators, Lawan (Yobe North) and Ndume (Borno South) have declared their interest for the office ahead of the inauguration of the ninth Senate in June.

Two of the APC senatorselect, who spoke to THISDAY on condition of anonymity

Continued on page 9

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THURSDAY, ÍşÎ€Ëœ ͺ͸͚Π˞ T H I S D AY

NEWS

TCN: It’s Illegal for Discos to Supply Industrial Users Says NERC’s interim rules violate power sector reform law Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) yesterday stated that by allocating electricity consumers within the 132kv lines to the distribution companies (Discos), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has violated the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSR) of 2005.

TCN has also insisted that it is illegal for the Discos to supply electricity to industries and customers who consume heavy volumes of electricity and are on the 330 and 132 kilovolt (kV) power lines.

It further alleged that NERC encouraged this arrangement with its interim rules and other by-legislations.

Speaking yesterday at a public hearing on its position on the Transmission Electric Market (TEM) Order, the Managing Director of TCN, Mr. Usman Mohammed, explained that NERC’s allocation of electricity customers within the 132kV lines under the Eligible Consumers’ regulation was in violation of the EPSRA.

Mohammed insisted that the Discos do not incur any form of expenses or cost in servicing consumers within the 132kV lines, adding that such lines were maintained by the TCN and not the Discos.

Mohammed called on the NERC to take off the Discos from the transactional arrangements relating to consumers within the 132kV lines in the eligible consumers regulation. “Discos billing, charging and collecting tariff from 330kV/132kV customers is a violation of the tariff setting principles of the EPSRA. Currently the 330kV/132kV customers of the Discos are being charged industrial tariffs of the Discos. “Customers on 132kV and 330kV networks only impose costs on Gencos, transmission wheeling system, stabilisation of the grid through ancillary services, market administration.

They do not in any way impose costs on the Discos,� Mohammed said, in his presentation at the public hearing.

He added that: “It is a clear violation of Subsection 76(2) (a)

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to make Discos bill them at their industrial tariffs because they are not on Discos’ network and do not impose costs on Discos’ operations. Simply put they are not part of Discos business activities.�

Mohammed further explained that: “There is nothing a Disco can do to improve the efficiency of a customer connected to a 132kV or 330kV network. If a Disco cannot affect the efficiency

of a customer as stated in 76(2) (b) because is not connected, then the Disco should not charge the customer. “There is nothing a Disco can do to improve the quality of services of a customer connected to a 132kV or 330kV network as stated in 76(2)(c). Imposing industrial tariffs on 132kV and 330kV customers send economically inefficient signals to the customers.�

“Unfortunately the collection of industrial tariffs for 132kV and 330kV customers by Discos is not a principle of inter-customer class subsidy, it is simply a subsidy of Discos operations, which are at best inefficient with losses averaging more than 50 per cent,� he stated.

According to him, allowing the Discos to charge customers connected to 132kV and 330kV was a gross violation of EPSRA tariff setting principles, which the NERC is authorised to protect. “132kV and 330kV customers do not impose any costs on Discos; the Discos are basically collecting revenues for services they do not provide. The best way forward is to declare all 330kV and 132kV as eligible customers in line with the EPSRA because eligible customer is the only category they fall into either in the EPSRA, Market Rules or Grid Code, and they should not be obligated to pay competition transition charges (CTC). “They were never customers of the Discos according to definitions in the Grid Code, Market Rules and EPSRA. Discos charging them is a violation of

the principles of Section 76 (2) of the EPSRA and all the 330kV and 132kV customers should pay their energy and capacity charges directly to generators who they have contracted with, while paying the Market Operator for wheeling charges, ancillary service charges, market operation charges and system operation charges,� Mohammed, noted.

Turning to the NERC, he explained that Rule 8 (a) (viii) of the TEM (Transition Electricity Market) supplementary order was inconsistent with the provisions of the EPSRA and other industry ruling documents.

Mohammed further stated that the EPSRA, being a law from the National Assembly, was superior to any other by-legislation of the NERC. “Any order or regulation that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Act to the extent of such inconsistencies shall be deemed to be null and void. 330kV/132kV customers do not impose any costs on the Discos – Gencos bear cost of energy and TCN bears cost of wheeling.

Crude Oil Price Drops by 1% over Excess US Inventories Ejiofor Alike with agency reports Oil prices sank about one per cent yesterday after a United States government data showed that the country’s crude stocks unexpectedly rose last week as exports slowed due to a chemical spill at the country’s busiest energy port.

While the global benchmark, Brent crude futures fell 51 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to $67.46 per barrel, the US crude, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 83 cents, or 1.4 per cent, to $59.11 per barrel.

United States crude inventories rose last week by 2.8 million barrels, compared with analysts’ expectations for a decrease of 1.2 million barrels, the United States Energy Information Administration said.

Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, a delivery hub, rose by 541,000 barrels and exports fell 506,000 barrels per day, the EIA said.

A petrochemical tank fire and chemical spill last week along the Houston Ship Channel hampered crude shipments for several days.

The US Coast Guard on Monday reopened portions of

the Houston Ship Channel with restrictions on waterways affected by chemical leak.

Further disruptions to Venezuelan exports helped to limit losses.

The United States had in February announced sanctions intended to produce the most damage possible to the government of President Nicolås Maduro, the country’s oil sector and its state-run oil company, PDVSA. Washington had in January recognised opposition leader, Juan Guaidó - who is the leader of the country’s National

Assembly - as the rightful head of state.

Venezuela's Congress, which has been stripped of most of its powers by the government, had also described Maduro is a "usurper".

Washington embarked on an open campaign with GuaidĂł to oust Maduro.

The White House is trying to make oil revenues directly reach ordinary Venezuelans and bypass the government of Maduro, which owns most of the oil industry through PDVSA. US National Security Adviser John Bolton said the sanctions

would block $7 billion (ÂŁ5.4 billion) in PDVSA's assets and more than $11 billion in lost export proceeds over the next year.

Reuters reported that on top of US sanctions in January, which banned US refiners from buying Venezuelan oil, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member’s main oil export port of Jose and its four crude upgraders were unable to resume operations following a massive power blackout on Monday, the second in a month.

Oil prices have jumped more than 25 per cent this year,

supported by supply curbs by OPEC and other major producers, along with US sanctions on exports from Venezuela and Iran.

Bullish supply and demand signals from the United States were also supportive.

Crude flows from two key shale basins to the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery point for US crude futures slowed in March due to winter production outages, dealers said.

Hedge funds and other money managers have increased bets that demand for oil will be sustained, even as the market rallied last week.

and I know that we shall work together and succeed together.�

Abdullahi also described as blatant lies a story making the rounds that if Lawan emerges as Senate president he will amend the constitution to allow President Buhari stay in office beyond 2023.

Abdullahi described the fake news as a desperate plot concocted by "evil and desperate politicians" bent on frustrating the emergence of Senator Lawan as Senate President in the 9th National Assembly.

The senator in a statement issued yesterday evening said, "This is just a very desperate attempt by detractors and some politicians who want to taint the good image of the Senate Leader, and the future Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan."

According to the lawmaker, "When we (Senators) met the President two days ago, he (President) was very emphatic that he has stood for election

five times, and this is his last.

"The President made it clear that he wants to retire quietly to his home, on the basis of which he is going to work very hard these four years since Nigerians have given him this opportunity, to leave a lasting legacy behind."

"The president's statement clearly shows that he is a full democrat who knows that our constitution only provides for second term which he has gotten, and for which he is grateful to Nigerians.

"Therefore, to come back to say that Senator Ahmad Lawan will amend the constitution to keep him in office beyond 2023 is just the height of evil thinking and bad politics taken too far.

"The public should discountenance that and focus on supporting a very genuine and transparent process that will lead to the emergence of our own choice leaders as senators-elect when the 9th Senate unveils."

Nigerians are able to obtain verifiable BVN, while addressing safety concerns. “These measures will ensure that we have a faster and safer convenient system for eligible banking customers and we believe that if achieved, we can be sure that the growth of the banking industry will be formidable, supported by banks and fintechs meet the evolving needs of majority of Nigerians,� he added.

On his part, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi, who also spoke at the event, said he has resolved to avoid political and economic controversies in the aftermath of the 2019 elections. “My new post-election resolution is to avoid controversies; economics, politics. “My prayer is that with these elections, the government would not think of these four years, but the government would think of Nigeria 125 years from now.�

APC EXPLAINS CHOICE OF LAWAN, GBAJABIAMILA FOR N’ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP Abdullahi (APC Niger North), also debunked allegation made

by Ndume that Lawan was imposed on the lawmakers.

Ndume had on Tuesday in Abuja at a media briefing alleged that the choice of Lawan for the presidency of the 9th Senate by the National Chairman of the APC, Oshiomhole, at the presidential villa on Monday night , was imposed on the APC senatorselect and not through any consensus arrangement.

Reacting to the allegation, Abdullahi told newsmen that Ndume lied as Lawan's choice emerged from recommendation made to that effect and widely accepted by majority of APC Senators-elect present at the presidential dinner.

According to him, at the dinner attended by many of the APC governors and most of the Senators-elect on the platform of the party, the APC national chairman in a family affair tone, recommended

Senator Lawan for the position of President of the 9th Senate which was spontaneously and instantaneously applauded by the senators - elect without any dissenting voice .

He said: "It is not good for people to peddle lies. I was at the dinner along with other APC senators-elect. The National Chairman of our party, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, never made any announcement or submission that can be described by anybody as imposition.

"He in the spirit of avoiding what happened in 2015, along with the presidency, gave the required direction for the party as regards the position of President of the 9th Senate in a very persuasive and convincing tone, recommended Senator Lawan for the position.

"The recommendation was spontaneously and instantaneously applauded by all the APC senators- elect in attendance without anybody

dissenting.

"So for Senator Ndume to later tell a story of imposition and shock to Nigerians through his media briefing is nothing but being economical with the truth."

He vowed that at anytime the 9th Senate will be inaugurated, Lawan will get overwhelming votes from his colleagues for the position.

According to him, “By the grace of God, on the day of inauguration, God sparing our lives, the Senate president of the ninth National Assembly will be Senator Ahmad Lawan. “I won’t come here and start boasting about number but I want to tell you that on that very day. The party is responsible for zoning and the senate presidency has been zoned to the North-east. “I don’t have the idea on what the party is doing on the position of deputy senate presidency. The party will ensure that a senator from each

of the geopolitical zone benefit from the leadership positions, that is, two presiding officers and the four principal officers.�

He, however, added that the 9th Senate under Lawan’s presidency, will carry along the PDP senators -elect in all spheres of legislative business for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians.

His words: “Let me tell you very clearly that we have been engaging our colleagues in the PDP and I will tell you that majority of them are actually working for us to see that we have a harmonious, rancourfree, non-tumultuous senate. “They are right by doing so because they are mandated by their people to come and represent them and to take dividend of democracy home not to take victories of fight on the floor home. “Our colleagues in the PDP are not interested in any fight.

We are engaging them and we are talking. They know the truth

CBN TO REINTRODUCE CASHLESS POLICY NATIONWIDE, SAYS EMEFIELE convenient manner.

Emefiele explained that one key area that would affect the growth of the banking system was ensuring that majority of Nigerians have verifiable means of identification such as Biometric Verification Number (BVN) or national identity.

The CBN governor added that in working with financial institutions in Nigeria, the central bank also introduced the unique BVN in 2014 for all holders of

bank accounts in Nigeria.

According to him, “We have adopted a risk-based supervisory framework for payment system and payment service providers. “The risk-based approach ensures proper designation of payment systems in the country based on systemic importance and ensures that accessing such payment at primary and secondary levels are premised on clear access criteria, notwithstanding concerns on

the rise of fintechs, and the use of crypto currencies; currently usage stands at total asset base of the banking industry. “It is indeed safe to say that banks will continue to remain important players in the financial system in the future and the critical role of warehousing funds and the provision of loans will still require the use of banks. “Rapidly changing technology is providing historic opportunity

to transform our daily lives from the way payments are made to shaping the customer’s ability to access credit from financial institutions. “At the CBN, we have implemented several measures that we think will help to support the growth of the banking system in the future.

This will be achieved by improving financial inclusion rate, supporting innovation, and ensuring that unserved

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THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

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

FG, ASUU Resume Renegotiation on 2009 Agreement Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have begun fresh re-negotiations on the 2009 agreement.

The Chairman of the federal government’s renegotiation team, Dr. Wale Babalakin, who addressed journalists in Abuja, yesterday, after a meeting that lasted six hours, said he was hopeful the meeting would yield positive results.

Babalakin disclosed that the ASUU team had presented more than 20 issues that were being

looked into to ensure stability in the university system.

He said that both sides were determined to put an end to the lingering problems in the system.

“We resumed our renegotiation today. The government team and ASUU were appropriately represented and we had positive discussions.

“We are actually hopeful that we are on a positive path to finalising the negotiation.

“There were very hectic discussions on topical issues and both sides had extensive

contributions for the benefit of the university system.

“It is the same negotiation, we had interim discussion, that is over now and we

are back to where we left off. So it is a continuous negotiation.

“ASUU submitted its timetable today and there are

more than 20 issues in that timetable, it is not a single issue, but they will all be discussed,’’ Babalakin said.

The News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN) reported that the representative of ASUU, however, declined comments at the end of the meeting.

US: Africa’s Development Hampered by Corruption Segun James The United States of America has identified corruption as one of the factors hampering development of the continent, adding that it is the belief of the government that solution can only come from among the people.

The Public Affairs Officer of the U S Consulate, Mr. Russell Brooks, who said this at the 2019 Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) Tech Camp Digital Advocates for Civil Engagement in Lagos yesterday, said finding lasting, sustainable solutions to these problems is hampered by corruption, the absence or misallocation of resources as well as simple mismanagement.

According to him, “It is not an exaggeration to say that everyday, we see evidence of the critical need for greater efforts in good governance. In fact, you will not have to go far outside the doors of this institution to find confirmation of the need for real solutions to some of the most vexing issues facing the government in Nigeria and elsewhere.

“I am speaking of the need for better healthcare, more efficient transport system, better schools, improved sanitation, a healthier environment, in other words, a better quality of life and a more prosperous lifestyle for the citizens of Lagos and other cities on the continent of Africa.”

Brooks said the US government, in providing support for this initiative, has demonstrated its belief that real solutions to African problems can best be developed by Africans.

He told the 50 participants from 15 countries across the continent that “it is especially gratifying that

what has brought you here is your desire to advance good governance and accountability on the African continent.

“We are counting on you! The task is huge but every journey must begin with that first step.

Perhaps sometime in the future, someone will cite this TechCamp as one of those first steps toward finding solutions to today’s problems.

“I strongly encourage everyone here to think broadly about ways you can forge partnerships and expand your network as Tech leaders.

“When former US President, Barack Obama, established the Young African Leaders Initiative in 2014, he did so out of the conviction that the future of Africa is largely in the hands of its youths. Your presence here today is a practical demonstration of that conviction.

“To assist you, the US State Department through International Information Programmes (IIP) has assembled a team of highly qualified trainers and experts who will help to bring out the best in you. These trainers have extensive experience from previous TechCamps held in Europe, Asia and in Africa.

I understand that among these trainers and experts are some very accomplished Nigerians. That is fantastic!

“I am sure it is your hope that your skill and experience, the wisdom of the facilitators, or perhaps your commitment and passion will lead you and your colleagues to share some best practices or identify technological innovations that will help us in our quest to improve governance at all levels and ensure greater transparency and accountability.”

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS OF BANKING…

L-R: Minister for Works, Housing and Power, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Managing Director/ CEO, First Bank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan; Group Chairman, FBN Holdings Plc, Oba Otudeko;wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo; Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainad Ahmed;and Chairman, First Bank, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, at the First Bank 125 anniversary lecture in Lagos… yesterday ETOP UKUTT

Zone Deputy Senate Presidency to South-east, Kalu Tells APC Chinedu Eze A former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the position of Deputy Senate President to the South-east “in the interest of equity and justice.”

The two-term former governor of Abia State who is also interested in the position, called on the party to allow justice to prevail in the zoning of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President positions.

Kalu, who stated this yesterday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos during a media briefing,

said the fight for the two prime positions, “would be an openmarket affair on the floor of the Senate”, adding that he is capable of shopping “and I will shop back the Deputy Senate President back to the South-east.”.

He noted that he was aware that the APC, which has the majority in the forthcoming Senate, has zoned the Senate presidency to the North-east and the Deputy Senate President to the North-west.

Kalu said: “I’m a very loyal party man. The party has zoned the Senate presidency to the North-East and I want to respect the party’s will; but the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South-east.

“So, as far as I’m concerned, in the South-east, I’m going to run openly on the floor for the position of Deputy Senate President.

“I am not going to listen to the party, neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody that wants to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party.

“I have suffered for the party and have been called by Nigerians to come out. I want the party to respect the will of every other person and I’m committed to democracy and contesting on the floor of the House.”

According to him, Articles One and 50 of the Constitution make it clear that members of the National Assembly in-house

can elect their principal officers.

He said it was only fair that the position is retained in the South-east, stressing that both President Muhammadu Buhari and APC chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, are well aware of this.

“So, if justice must prevail, you have to bring the Senate President from the North-east and you bring the Deputy Senate President to the South-east.

“The chairman of the party is from South-south. The President is from North-west.

The Vice-President is from South-west and also the Senate President will come from North-east.

FG, States, LGs Share N619.857bn for February FGN March bond auction oversubscribed Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) shared a total of N619.857 billion to the three tiers of government for the month of February as the monthly meeting of the Committee ended in Abuja yesterday.

This is coming as the FGN Bond Auction for March 2019 conducted by the Debt Management Office (DMO) yesterday with N100 billion Bonds on offer, was oversubscribed as was the case in January and February 2019.

A communique issued

by FAAC indicated that from the total distributive

revenue of N619.857 billion, the federal government received N257.681 billion, states - N169.925, and local government councils - N127.722 billion.

Oil producing states received N50.946 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue while the revenue generating agencies got N13.582 billion as cost of revenue collection.

The total distributable revenue of N619.857 billion comprised revenue from various sources, including distributable statutory revenue, Value Added Tax (VAT), Exchange Gain Tax, Excess Bank Charges recovered and Forex Equalisation.

The gross statutory revenue for February was N478.434 billion; VAT revenue was N96.389 billion; Exchange Gain--N0.858 billion and Forex Equalisation revenue -N44.176 billion.

The N478.434 billion gross statutory revenue for the reference month was lower than the N505.246 billion received the previous month

by N26.812 billion.

The gross revenue from VAT was N96.389 billion as against N104.468 billion distributed in the previous month, resulting in a decrease of N8.079 billion.

From the total revenue from VAT, the federal government received N13.880 billion, states received N46.267 billion, local

government councils got N32.387 billion while the revenue generating agencies received N3.855 billion.

The communique stated that for the month of January 2019, the federation crude oil sales increased by about 46 per cent, resulting in increased federation revenue from $425.00 million previously to $574.95 million.

The Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at March 27, 2019 stood at f $183 million.

Meanwhile, the FGN Bond Auction for March 2019 conducted by the Debt Management Office (DMO) yesterday with N100 billion bonds on offer, was oversubscribed was the case in the January and February 2019.

THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Dogara: We’re Not Rubber Stamp Lawmakers Shola Oyeyipo in Abuja The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has expressed dissatisfaction over the antics

of the executive, which he said had accused the legislature of delaying Nigeria’s budget.

The speaker argued that the lawmakers in the current National Assembly are not

Gunmen Abduct Former NBA Chairman WoleAyodele in Jalingo The immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Jalingo branch, Mr. Joel Ubandoma, was yesterday abducted by unknown gunmen at his residence in Jalingo.

According to family sources, the gunmen stormed Ubandoma’s residence at Mayo-Dasa area of the town, at about 1:00am and whisked him to an unknown destination.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Taraba State Command, David Misal, said the command has swung into action to rescue him.

He, however, promised to brief the press about information regarding the abduction, and assured that he would keep them abreast of developments as they unfolded.

Also speaking on the

development, the Publicity Secretary of the Jalingo branch of the NBA, Boniface Iorkumbur, said the news of Ubandoma’s abduction came to the entire NBA family in Jalingo as a rude shock.

Iorkumbur, who prayed for his quick release, recounted: “We woke up this morning with the devastating news of the abduction of our learned colleague, J. D. UbandomaEsq, the immediate past Chairman of our branch.

“He was reportedly kidnapped last night at his house at Mayo-Dasa area.

In the interim, we urge our members to pray for his immediate, unconditional and safe release from his captors.”

He appealed to the security agencies in the state to intensify efforts and ensure his immediate release, saying no stone should be left unturned in securing his release.

Envoy Wants Sharia Judges Placed under Sharia Courts of Appeal Francis Sardauna in Katsina Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Justice Isah Muhammad Dodo, has called on the Katsina State Government to immediately place the control of the Katsina Sharia Courts under the State Sharia Court of Appeal as stipulated in the Sharia law.

THISDAY reliably gathered that Sharia bill was passed into law by the then governor of the state, late Umaru Musa Yar’Adu and the State House of Assembly in 2004 amidst controversy.

Dodo made the call Wednesday in Katsina at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop for Upper Sharia Court Judges on Sharia Practice and Procedure, organised by the Katsina State Sharia Commission, adding that states that are practising Sharia law should be placed under Sharia Court of Appeal.

Dodo, who was the guest speaker at the event, said there was need for Sharia court of Appeal to spearhead the affairs of State Sharia Courts to ensure prudent and speedy dispensation of justice in the state.

He said: “The law was passed by the government of Sokoto, Kano, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kebbi and many

other Northern states as well as the Federal Capital Territory. In all the states where the Sharia law was passed they placed the control of Sharia Courts under Sharia Court of Appeal.

“However, in Katsina State, after the law was passed in 2004, the control of Sharia Courts still remains under High Courts of the State. The Sharia Courts are under the state government and not under the federal government.”

In his remarks, the state Grand Khadi, Dr. Al-Hafeez Mika’il Abubakar, urged Sharia Court judges to discharge their obligations as enshrined in the Sharia law, irrespective of tribal and political affiliations.

While calling on the state government to establish Hisbah Corps in the state, Abubakar argued that the corps, if established, would help in encouraging Muslim faithful to operate within the ambit of Qur’anic teachings and reduce overdependence on judges for minor cases.

Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Abubakar Musa Danladi, advised judges in the state to shun corrupt tendencies and other illegal acts capable of truncating the judicial system, adding that his leadership would not condone unwanted act.

rubber stamps.

Dogara expressed his disapproval yesterday at the opening of the 2019 National Budget Hearing jointly organised by the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives, saying lawmakers have the statutory responsibility of ensuring that budgets meet the need of Nigerians.

He stated that “the budget is the most important law that is passed yearly; consequently, no parliament anywhere in the world rushes it. Let me re-

emphasise that this parliament can never be a rubber stamp and we are not prepared to surrender our constitutionally assigned rights of checks on the executive.

“It is unfortunate, however, that many commentators always ignorantly accuse the National Assembly of delaying the Appropriations Bill as if we are meant to urgently rubber stamp whatever budget estimates that is submitted to us by the executive. If we fail to scrutinise the budget proposals, it will not only amount to abdication of our constitutional responsibilities

as legislators but a betrayal of the mandate of our constituents.

“Let me also add that it is very unfair for the executive to consistently and repeatedly blame the National Assembly for delaying passage of the budget while failing to address the issue of late budget submission on its part,” he said.

He said that the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, provides that the Appropriations Bill be submitted not later than September of the preceding year, which will give the parliament ample time to process the document and pass it in good

time. Unfortunately, he said, the 2019 Appropriations Bill was submitted on December 19, 2018, just 12 days to the end of the year and the earliest time an Appropriation Bill has ever been presented to the National Assembly in this dispensation was on November 7, 2017.

According to him, “over the years, the main problem with our budget as submitted by the executive is that it does not reflect national values and priorities. The budget, more often than not, only reflects the values and priorities of those who help the president in drafting it.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION...

L-R: Managing Director/CEO, Afriland Properties Plc, Mrs. Uzoamaka Oshogwe; Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel N. Nnorom; Company Secretary, Miss Funmilola Suleiman; Directors, Ms. Yinka Ogunsulire, and Mrs. Agatha Obiekwugo, during the 6th Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos...yesterday .DAN UKANA.

17 Political Parties Adopt Abubakar Audu’s Son for Kogi Governorship YekiniJimoh in Lokoja Ahead of the November governorship election in Kogi State, the candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and son of late former governor of the state, Prince Mustapha Audu, has said 17 political parties have adopted him as their preferred candidate and next governor of Kogi State.

The late Audu participated in the 2015 governorship election in Kogi State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress

(APC). He was on the lead but died before the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) declared the election inconclusive.

While declaring his intention to contest in the race before thousands of his supporters Wednesday in Lokoja, Audu said the 17 political parties adopted him because of the quality he possesses.

He said he was contesting in order to liberate the people of the state from “poverty and negligence by the present government of the state.”

The junior Audu who lamented that Kogi State was yet to develop since the creation of the state with other states, added that if elected, he would embark on infrastructural development to bring the state at par with other states created alongside same time with it.

He pointed out that if elected, the issue of civil servants in the state would be solved immediately, particularly in the area of workers welfare and salary.

He also promised to bring the dividends of democracy

closer to the people as his administration will embark on meaningful development.

“Today is the beginning of our freedom, Lugard House gate is open. We shall occupy it.We are tired of half salary, no school fees. We are tired of suicide in Kogi State.

Today we are ready to move Kogi forward,” he said.

He also assured the people of the state of his readiness to govern the state and bring meaningful development if given the chance.

Kwara PDP PassesVote of Confidence on Saraki Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State yesterday passed a vote of confidence on the national leader of the party and President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

The party in a statement after its state executive meeting assured Saraki of its continued support for him and all that he stands for.

It said the party’s executive and members stand firmly

behind him in all his struggles to liberate, emancipate and free the country from draconian and autocratic rule, and also share in the pains of the present with him in all ramifications.

The PDP in the statement signed by its state Chairman, Kola Shittu, also thanked the state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfattah Ahmed, for his administration’s giant stride on the various development programmes embarked upon since his assumption of office

in 2011.

It, however, urged him to continue his good work till the end of his tenure in May 2019.

According to the state PDP, “The party hereby assures the public that the Garin-Alimi underpass, the UITH dual carriageway and the new state secretariat among other projects already embarked upon by the governor will be completed by the end of his tenure.

“That all our party

members across the state are urged to remain steadfast and loyal to the party and not allow the little setback of the outcome of the March 2019 general election discourage and or instill fear in them as the party’s leadership are making efforts at repositioning the party towards regaining its lost victory.

“The party also thanked the electorate for their support during the elections.”

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THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

INEC Withholds Return Certificates of Four Delta Assembly Members-elect Okowa: We’ll leave state much better than we met it Omon-Julius OnabuinAsaba The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has withheld its Certificates of Return for four persons earlier declared duly elected members of the Delta State House of Assembly after winning the March 9, 2019 state legislative election in their respective constituencies.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Delta State, Dr. Mohammed Lecky, said the certificate of return of the four persons, including three candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and one candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), could not be presented to them owing to “pending legal cases that have kept the consummation of their electoral victory hanging in the balance.”

Lecky statedthis while presenting the return certificates

to the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, his deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, as well as 24 out of the 29 members-elect The elected lawmakers affected include: APC candidates in Ethiope East, Ugheli North 1, and Ugheli North 11, Anidi Innocent Emosivwe, Oniyere Charles Whomrouhu, and Egbo Jaro Morovudu respectively, as well as the PDP candidate in Ukwauni Constituency, Ochor Christopher.

However, he said the exercise was a statutory obligation for INEC, and congratulated the governor and others elected to represent their respective constituencies.

Lecky said: “Today’s event is the highpoint of one of the legal requirements on the journey to assumption of office, after being elected.

“Section 75 (1) of the Electoral

Act 2010 (as amended) provides for the issuance of certificate of return to elected candidates by the INEC and by this event, the commission has complied with the requirement of the law in this regard.”

Responding, Okowa stressed that his reelection meant a greater demand on his administration to redouble its effort to improve on its achievements during his first tenure.

He said with his deputy and

team working harmoniously with the legislative arm of government and the Judiciary, they would leave Delta State much better than they met it at the end of their second term in 2023.

He called on all Deltans to actively participate in governance in the next four years, starting from May 29, 2019.

Okowa said: “we cannot do the job alone; with collaborative efforts, partnership, the job will be easier and to the satisfaction of all.

“In the next four years, we will do much more than we have done in the last four years. In 2023, people will judge us based on our performance and we are committed to be accountable to God and our people.”

Okowa who was accompanied to the INEC office by his wife, Dame Edith and a retinue of political office holders, used the occasion to urge Nigerians to be committed to democracy, noting that Nigeria will be better when

things are done right.

He added: “There is room for growth in our democracy; we must conduct elections in such a manner that will be appreciated by the world as such will boost the confidence of the people and attract investors to our country.

“Politicians should realise that election is noble and should go out and campaign for votes and ensure that elections are devoid of avoidable deaths.”

FEC Approves N1.4bn for Design of DPR Head Office Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday in Abuja approved N1.4 billion for only the design of the headquarters of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

Briefing journalists at the end of the weekly FEC meeting in the State House, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, said the sum was meant for a contract award to Messrs Artek Practice Limited for the design of a 12-floor building on a parcel of land already allocated to DPR by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The minister who described the agency as the regulatory and supervisory arm of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, said DPR whose head office is currently located in Lagos is instrumental to income generation, adding that the construction of its head office in Abuja would enable the agency to move to Abuja.

Asked if a whooping sum of N1.4 billion for a mere building design was not excessive, Kachikwu said the contract was awarded by DPR tenders board

and the amount was the lowest bid for the project.

“The contract was awarded

by DPR tenders board. Their bid was the lowest. The highest bid was about N3 billion. The total projected potential cost for the building when it is done is about N35 billion. So, if you look at that as a percentage of the work, it is absolutely insignificant, in international terms it is very justifiable, it is less than two per cent.

“The FCT did mention in our deliberation that because of the new zoning policies, the previous plan which was to build a car park of another five floors along with the 12 floors have to be changed a little bit because they are taking possession of additional green area that was assigned to DPR. In his own briefing, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, said the council also approved another N1.556 billion for the award of a consultancy contract to Programme Management Office Consultant and System Provider on Government Enterprises and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

Alaibe Mourns Okara Hamid Ayodeji A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Timi Alaibe, has described the death of Gabriel Omomotimi Okara as a loss to Nigeria.

According to Alaibe in a statement made available to THISDAY, Pa Okara was a father-figure friend, a forerunner in many aspects, and also a man with a fertile inspirational mind.

Alaibe stated, “My encounters with Okara were always humbling. His simple lifestyle contrasted with his broad view and global recognition. In many ways, he was an inspiration.

“He started his career as a printer and books binder, a job he did for almost 10 years. His rise

from the dust of his career to the top where he rubbed shoulders with the best across the world can hardly be captured in words.

“It was in recognition of Pa Okara’s outstanding performance in the art and literary world that the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission during my time as Executive Director, Finance/Administration created the Association of Nigerian Authors NDDC Gabriel Okara Prize for Poetry.”

The statement added that Nigeria has lost one of its best. However, we must move from mourning to celebration because Pa Okara lived a fulfilled life, although his exit marks the end of a fruitful era, which must be reinvented and sustained.

VICTORY AFFIRMED...

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (right), receiving his Certificate of Return from the INEC National Commissioner, Dr. Muhammed Lekky, at the state INEC Conference Hall in Asaba...yesterday

Buhari Hails Tinubu at 67, Says He’s One of Democracy’s Strong Pillars President Muhammadu Buhari has sent warm felicitations to the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his 67th birthday, scheduled for March 29.

Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, described Tinubu as one of the strong pillars of Nigeria’s democracy.

He joined the APC family in celebrating the Asiwaju of Lagos, who is also the Jagaban

of Borgu Kingdom in Niger State, for his selflessness in serving his country, and making life better for many.

The President recalled some of the sacrifices of the party chieftain to include standing up against injustice in 1993 when the June 12 elections were annulled, which led to his going on political exile for many years, and a protracted legal battle with the federal government when funds for Lagos were withheld.

President Buhari affirmed

that Tinubu’s uncompromising posture in the face of injustice and refusal to follow the path of least resistance for personal gains stand him out today as a rare breed and one of the cornerstones of Nigeria’s democracy, especially with his track record of persistence, consistency and effective leadership.

As the father of modern Lagos State, the President commended the visionary and inclusive leadership style that he provided for the commercial

nerve centre of Nigeria for eight years, laying the foundation for a modern and technologicallydriven city, and ensuring that every successive leader in the state sticks with the master plan of a greater Lagos.

President Buhari said he rejoiced with family members, friends, political and business associates of Tinubu on this auspicious milestone, which is further brightened with the many successes recorded at the recently concluded polls by his strong leadership.

I’ll Address Root Cause of Boko Haram, Borno Gov-elect Assures Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Borno State Governor-elect, Prof.

Babagana Umara, has said the priority of his administration would be to address the root cause of Boko Haram insurgency.

Umaru made the promise yesterday in Maiduguri shortly after receiving his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying “it is only by

doing this that the decade old crisis would be finally put to rest.”

Umaruwho received the certificate of return with the deputy governor-elect, Usman Kadafur and the 28 newly elected members of the Borno State House of Assembly, said he would accord priority to his “Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement (RRR) programmes to fast track restoration of peace and resettlement of displaced

communities in the state.

He said his administration would initiate sound programmes to address the root cause of Boko Haram insurgency, providing job opportunities to the teeming unemployed youth, promote discipline and social rehabilitation He called for the support of the elected members of National and State House of Assembly to enable him put up effective leadership and move the state

forward In his remarks at the event, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Borno, Adamawa and Taraba States, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Mu’azu (Rtd) who was assisted by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mohammed Magaji, said the presentation of certificate of return to elected political office holders was mandatory on the commission in line with section 75 of the Electoral Act

5 ) * 4 % ": t THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ Í°ÍśËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

COMMENT

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

2019 GENERAL ELECTION: THE DAY AFTER

Ousegun Adeniyi argues the need to review the remunerations of political office holders

I

n October 2015, the Nigerian Army set up a Board of Inquiry (BoI) to investigate the alleged involvement of its personnel in the malpractices that characterised the 2014 gubernatorial election in Ekiti and Osun States. “The essence of the investigation is to prevent future unprofessional conduct by officers and men in the performance of constitutional roles. It is also to strengthen Nigerian Army’s support to democratic values and structures in Nigeria�, the statement read. Given what has transpired in the course of the 2019 general election, it is obvious no lessons were learnt. The military, the police and other security agencies that were ordinarily meant to help the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free and fair elections became, in most instances, the problem. While I am already compiling notes on the sundry acts of misdeeds that we have witnessed in the past one month, the 2019 general election is also unique in certain respects. Three things stand out. One, for the first time in the political history of Nigeria, there was no ‘bandwagon effect’ to render the gubernatorial election ineffectual. Two, when all the emotions are spent and the results are analysed more dispassionately, it will be easy to see how a strong two-party system has evolved in Nigeria. Three, Nigerian voters are becoming very sophisticated. For instance, while President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC won his polling unit in Daura with 523 votes to beat former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP who got three votes, the APC candidate for Katsina North senatorial district, incumbent Kaita BabaAhmad secured 248 votes to lose the unit to the Accord party candidate, Lawal Nalado who secured 263 votes.

In my coming book, I will examine some of these issues while looking at the violence, vote-repression, ballot-snatching and other forms of electoral manipulation as well as the safeguards that we need to enthrone for our democracy to survive and thrive. However, regardless of how we may feel about the outcomes of some of the contests, there are significant positives.

For instance, by the time the presidential and national assembly elections were concluded in Bauchi State on 23rd February, Buhari polled 798,428 votes to beat Atiku who scored 209,313 votes. In that same election, of the 12 federal constituencies contested, Speaker Yakubu Dogara was the only PDP candidate who won. The APC cleared nine seats while the remaining two were won by APC members who contested on the platform of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) after they were denied party tickets by the governor.

With victory in 22 of the 31 state constituencies, Bauchi could be described as an APC state. But the tide turned two weeks later on 9th March during the gubernatorial election which was rendered inconclusive through what I now understand to be a contrived violence. At the end, the APC governor lost. Today, in Adamawa State, no miracle can save the sitting APC governor from a sure defeat by his PDP challenger. In Imo State, the PDP is taking over from an APC governor. Sokoto was APC until Governor Aminu Tambuwal defected late last year yet, he still won his re-election. The same with Benue State where Governor Samuel Ortom won re-election.

The foregoing is important against the background of what transpired in the past. In 2011, Buhari as candidate of the opposition Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) defeated then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in 11 of the 13 states that make up the north-east and north-west.

He also won in Niger State. But because Jonathan won the presidential election, in the gubernatorial election that followed two weeks later, PDP won all the 12 states, including Katsina. In 2003 when President Olusegun Obasanjo was seeking re-election, five of the six Alliance for Democracy (AD) governors in the South-west who were naĂŻve enough to do a ‘Parapo’ deal with him lost re-election due to this same factor of ‘bandwagon effect’ after the presidential polls.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF NIGERIA, THERE WAS NO ‘BANDWAGON EFFECT’ TO RENDER THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION INEFFECTUAL

Therefore, President Buhari deserves commendation for the manner in which he comported himself in the course of the 2019 general election.

Only few leaders would accept what INEC did to APC in both Rivers and Zamfara States without finding a way to either circumvent the law or armtwist the commission to backpedal. It is becoming increasingly clear now that the PDP may benefit from the fiasco Governor Abdulaziz Yari created with the black market court order he procured to put APC on the ballot in his state. Yet if INEC decision had been against the PDP, the general conclusion would have been that it was contrived by the presidency.

While, as I said, I am interrogating the elections and all the associated issues for my coming book, it is important that commentators rely on facts rather than emotions, especially regarding inconclusive and supplementary elections which entered our lexicon in 2011 as a result of two provisions in the Electoral Act, 2010: Section 53 which deals with over-voting and section 26 on violence.

As a result of these provisions, two governorship elections were inconclusive in 2011: Imo and Bauchi States. In 2013, Anambra gubernatorial election was also inconclusive for the same reasons. In 2015, the provisions rendered five gubernatorial elections inconclusive: Imo, Kogi, Taraba, Abia and Bayelsa. In 2018, Osun was inconclusive and this year, we had six. While I don’t want to get ahead of myself, it is now evident that politicians are devising brazen acts of brinksmanship to game elections by either instigating violence or muddling the process to ensure over-voting, all in the bid to instigate cancelation in certain areas.

Section 53 subsection 1 and 2 says, “No voter shall vote for more than one candidate or record more than one vote in favour of any candidate at any one election. Where the votes cast at an election in any polling unit exceed the number of registered voters in that polling unit, the result of the election for that polling unit shall be declared void by the commission and another election may be conducted at a date to be fixed by the commission where the result at that polling unit may affect the overall result in the Constituency� while subsection 3 adds, “Where an election is nullified in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, there shall be no return for the election until another poll has taken place in the affected area.�

Given recent experiences, it is clear that in close races, supplementary elections can undermine the integrity of the democratic process by allowing the incumbent to introduce vote-buying, intimidation and all forms of inducement. In the process, the initial verdict of the electorate could easily be thwarted with an unpopular outcome rigged into place as we have seen in some recent cases. But in a situation where INEC is empowered by the National Assembly to postpone election on grounds of a “reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date� as spelt out in section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010, how can the commission proceed with elections when there is outright violence as was witnessed in some theatres across the country?

Now that the supplementary election that our lawmakers helped to institute has turned out to be a tool for manipulation, there is need to sit down with other stakeholders to find a solution in the interest of our democracy. But if there is any take-away from the 2019 general election, it is the increasing desperation for power not necessarily to advance public good but rather because of the enormous spoils of office that are attached to political positions at all levels of governance in Nigeria.

Therefore, until there is a review of these disclosed and undisclosed remunerations and we are able to instill accountability in the system, there will be no end to this mercantile approach to politics and our elections will continue to be a matter of life and death!

THE LAPEL PIN FOR A NEW NIGERIA Lapel pin is for the good of the country, writesTony Monye

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mall as the lapel pins appear, oftentimes, they relay big significances. The lapel pins have ornamented man’s vests, depicting differentiated messages, meanings and purposes, beginning, most notably, from the mediaeval times. Also known as the enamel pins, like humans, these tops-beautifying objects, come in different shapes. However, unlike humans, they come in less varied sizes. Times have been all but constant. Our values and our ideas of fashion have been redefined, between the polar axes of the coolest and the weirdest. On the other hand, the subsisting strength of the lapel pins has evolved as well as exposed, cuddling acceptability across the highly diversified fields of politics, military, governance and even business. Lapel pins are quite ubiquitous and are helping in furthering causes and, pulling down walls in barriers-oriented societies. In brief, notwithstanding their size or shape, the lapel pins have found their worth along five different alleys. They can be quite ornamental as well as uncovering ‘affiliational’ benefits. Enamel pins serve as cause-promoters as well as achievers-identifier. Less often, they also help project counter-cultural meanings.

In all of these, the lapel pins have sought and found usefulness in their chronological encasements and, also within dissimilar societies.

With a gold-plated back cover, a lunar overhang on a rectangular box with a front circular cut-out, the Lunar Leadership lapel pin beautifully combines all the black, blue and red colours of the society. It is an ensemble of converging significances the society affirms are necessary for the emerging, more variegated but

tolerance-rolled Nigeria. These meanings, as embedded in the lapel pin, are critically encased in the social realities of present-day Nigeria and, it is hoped would give more vent to the shape of the country’s much anticipated future to come. Although, it combines all of the essences of the enamel pins earlier enumerated, in particular, the Lunar Leadership lapel pin is viewed as an emblematic bit that advances the cause of what is regarded by members as the 3N. Non-bigotry. Non-racial.

Non-tribal. In aggregate terms, the 3N campaigns for peaceful co-existence and inter-crowd tolerance in the society. More importantly, the lapel pin demonstrates that the Lunar Leadership Society does not share in the illusion that societal evils can be healed without being tackled. Besides, it is a succinct acknowledgement that our beloved nation is within sight of a turning point, making the hard bend from good to better.

Although, its lapel pin is one of the advocacy measures for firming up inter-group harmony and peace in the larger society, the Lunar Leadership Society views, understands, and spares nothing in promoting and situating it as a tolerance-strengthener across the identified plains of bigotic, racial and tribal narrowness.

On the non-bigotic alley, the enamel pin symbolises the society’s vow and commitment to raise the effort at taking the skeleton out of bigotry and prejudice.

These twin evils, whilst beating hard, down our various neighbourhoods; shorten all of us, strengthening none.

The chains of bigotry and prejudice are strong binds, holding us from enjoying the many beauties of our varieties as peoples living in the geographical enclave called Nigeria. Our members and even the larger

society are being urged to embrace broader definitions to what appeal to our normative sense(s). What we, more or less, regard as good for us should not be uncompromisingly held as the expected standard or norm for others. A strict bi-dimensionality approach to all issues can be quite limiting. ‘They against us attitude’ has to be de-emphasised for the benefit of all. The views, perhaps, are even a lot more and some have yet emerged. A little openness would aid us as we try to grasp that the other man’s orientation, religion, views and opinions ought not to pull any strain on our hearts. It is only proper to understand them as standing aloof, some distance away from our own. If we believe our opinions, views, creed and orientation support and uphold our daily existence; it therefore should be trouble-free to hug the other man’s as planks, holding firmly his daily survival.

On the racial front, today’s Nigeria, like many other nations (for factors not elaborated in this piece), is rapidly growing multi-racial, with its cultural implications/ repercussions. There are signs everywhere.

Compared against the nineties, the non-black constituent of our population is on the rise and would, perhaps, continue along that trajectory into the foreseeable future.

It is a much easier sight these days to see an oriental fellow marching down a street in some of Nigeria’s hinterlands or a European having a beer in a restaurant or an Indian man sharing a joke with his Nigerian counterpart. Nigeria is now their new home. Many, if not all of them, have chosen to become part of us. As we embrace tolerance as a people, we ought to ask ourselves, “Does the colour of one’s skin pigmentation

matter more than our common humanity?� If we respond, NO, it becomes thereafter important that we steward ourselves to evolve, with a clear and distinct message to persons of other races – white, red or yellow – in our midst, in our country. We can see so clearly your humanity; we feel and share in your humanness.

Although our nation, Nigeria is one of great tribal cornerstones; we deeply appreciate that our historicallyrecorded past as tribal peoples of Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Ijaw descents was glory-filled. Not excluding the many other minority groups. We however must fully embrace we are scrawling the last words of a swiftly decaying paragraph. We, as a people, are fast-turning the page to a more novel and more glorious chapter of mutual respect, togetherness and tolerance. Let’s write it with the smooth running ink of deliberate effort at stimulating the Nigerian brotherhood of all peoples within the country-space; let’s begin by expressing love, understanding and tolerance beyond persons of shared tribal affiliation. The goods we don’t try to see in the other tribes definitely won’t be easily found. The Lunar Leadership lapel pin represents the society’s wholesome bit at laying down new marker for advancing intergroup and national cohesion rather than tribal loyalism.

There’s so much more to having the Nigerian outlook.

With the Lunar Leadership enamel pin on our vests, it isn’t meaning-free. It goes beyond its ornamental appeal. It is more of a cause-driver, an expression of goodwill to all, an affiliational bit and an identifier, symbolising wearers are not walking blind of some of the ills of our society.

Monye is Convener, Lunar Leadership Society

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

EDITORIAL The Prevalence Of Drug Addiction The authorities could do more to contain the epidemic

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hen a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the illegal use of the cough syrup last year generated a frenzy and elicited dramatic responses from the relevant authorities, we said at the time that it could end up as another show off as had been the case with many unresolved issues in the country. We have been proved right. While the noise about the link between the illicit codeine trade and drug abuse in several parts of the country may have completely ebbed, the challenges seem to be multiplying.

Two years ago, the alarming rate at which vulnerable groups among the young and the old were getting hooked on illicit drugs caught the attention of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council. In the communiqué issued at the end of the council’s General Assembly, the royal WE MUST DISCARD fathers noted with THE TEMPTATION AND grave concern the alarming rate of COSMETIC APPROACH drug abuse and OF ALWAYS TREATING addiction and THE SYMPTOMS RATHER drug “resolved to partner THAN THE DISEASE with coalition of northern groups to check the menace in the North in particular and the nation in general.” Sadly, hardly anybody is paying attention.

Hard drugs, ranging from cannabis, often called Indian hemp, to cocaine, heroin and amphetamines are increasingly available on the street in most towns in Nigeria and abused by both the young and the old. Yet these are substances that cause serious problems for the user and the society at large.

Heroin and amphetamine-type stimulants and over-the- counter drugs are also being increasingly abused in most of our cities. But the most common is codeine. Even when statistics may be hard to come

by, many of our young people are already hooked on substances that are more or less a one-way traffic to destruction.

It is instructive that the Northern Governors Wives Forum (NGWF) has always raised the alarm over an alleged growing rate of drug abuse by young women and youths in the region. “Over the years, the problem had become very common with women in the North, as it had been reported that an increasing number of mothers and young girls engage in drug/substance abuse, codeine being the most abused among this group,” said wife of Niger State governor, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello at one of the numerous drug awareness and advocacy sessions she midwifed on the issue.

H 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

owever, as we stated in a recent editorial, to limit the whole fight against drug abuse to the north or restrict it to one single substance will be a disservice to the whole struggle. From north to south, there are many disingenuous ways and substances that many of our young people have devised to abuse drug. According to the founder, ‘House of Recovery’, Ms. Hadiza Aliko Mohammed, top among the substance of abuse are: codeine, fuels, cobwebs and marijuana.

There is no doubt that the challenge of drug abuse in our country is huge but it is not insurmountable.

Some significant mileage has been achieved by the reaction of Nigerians and the rapid response of the government to the BBC documentary. Nevertheless, the real work is to design a sustainable and holistic approach that tackles drug abuse right from the source. We must discard the temptation and cosmetic approach of always treating the symptoms rather than the disease.

While the government, at all levels, should create drug awareness units, especially in schools, it is also important for religious leaders, parents and other stakeholders to join in the efforts to rid our society of this dangerous habit that can only impact negatively on the future of our country.

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ITA FAJI AND IMPERATIVE OF BLOOD DONATION

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ecent tragic incidence of building collapse at Ita Faji, Lagos Island, has once again brought to fore the need to sensitize Nigerians on the essence of blood donation. One of the major highlights of the awful episode was the appeal made by individuals and organizations for blood donations to victims of the collapsed building.

Unsurprisingly, the Nigerian Red Cross Society was in the forefront of this request. The main objective of the drive is to ensure that the Lagos Island General Hospital, where victims of the building collapse were recuperating have enough blood in the bank. When an incident like that happens, blood donation is always required to meet the demand of those in need of urgent blood transfusion.

Cheerfully, according to the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, Modupe Olaiya, the donor turn out has been huge and quite astounding. The most impressive development about the whole episode is that some of the donors had to travel quite a distance to get to the hospital, with the sole aim of donating blood for the survivors. Perhaps, more intriguing is the fact that those who could not make it physically to the various centers opened for the purpose of the exercise demanded that special arrangements be made for them.

As inspiring as the attitude of our compatriots to the call to donate blood to victims of the recent building collapse in Ita Faji is, it is important to stress that blood donation is really yet to be a way of life for us in this clime. From every human perspective, the essentiality of blood to the human life cannot be

overemphasized. Indeed, it could be said that blood is the life of man. The circulating blood is what keeps our immune system healthy and our heart pumping.

In contemporary medical science, blood transfusions are used for various medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood. According to the United States National Library of Medicine, blood transfusion is generally the process of receiving blood products into one’s circulation intravenously.

Early transfusions used whole blood, but modern medical practice commonly uses only components of the blood, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, clotting factors, and platelets.

Swift transfusion of blood and blood products can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with higher quality of life. Access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products can help reduce rates of death and disability due to severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth.

Voluntary donation of blood is the most common source of blood. Many countries have blood bank at which any healthy person can donate blood. WHO and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies developed a global framework for action to achieve 100% voluntary blood donation around the world. The vision embodied in this framework is the achievement of 100% voluntary non-remunerated blood donation in every country of the world.

In the 2010 WHO report, Nigeria recorded 50,000 maternal deaths a year, thus placing it as having the second highest rate

after India. And with every maternal death, there are more child deaths. The mortality ratio for children under -five years in Nigeria is 230 per one thousand births, 16 children less than five years die every 10 minutes. New born deaths account for more than a quarter of these deaths especially within the first week of life due to pregnancy and delivery related complications.

Nigeria, as a member of The World Health Organization has made little progress with voluntary donor enrollment. Only about 5% of donor bloods used in Nigeria come from voluntary donors; family replacements and paid donors are still the major sources of donor blood procurement. The blood banking system in Nigeria is still poorly developed as a number of centers depend on paid donors whose hematological and infectious status may not have been determined.

A critical obstacle to achieving adequate supply of safe blood in Nigeria is insufficient consciousness among the citizenry on the health benefits of such exercise. General understanding about blood donation is still not properly enhanced. This is why many still erroneously hold the view that blood donation can be injurious to them. This, indeed, is far from the truth.

In view of this, it is essential that major stakeholders in the health sector must evolve a more pragmatic approach towards sensitizing the public to the need for voluntarily blood donation.

The objective is to encourage regular blood donors to continue giving blood and motivate healthy people who have never donated blood to begin to embrace the practice.

Tayo Ogunbiyi, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com (08114495324 SMS ONLY)

‘Nothing Can Displace the PDP in Akwa Ibom State’ Okon Bassey enters a conversation with the National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Emmanuel Enoidem on some of the intriguing issues that characterised the 2019 national elections

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Budget and National Planning; Nsima Ekere, the immediate past Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Managing Director of the Oil & Gas Free Zone, Umana Okon Umana; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang. What have they brought from the so-called centre into the state?

It would be a waste of time to expect that the federal government will bring any development into the state. That is why we need a governor that will think about developing Akwa Ibom, not the type that will take the little money we have to Abuja.

he dream of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to preserve Akwa Ibom State in the 2019 governorship and state house of assembly elections has materialised. How did this happen?

It was not a surprise because I knew there was nothing that could displace the PDP in Akwa Ibom State. The events that happened between 2015 and 2019 did not change anything despite the defection of Senator Godswill Akpabio to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The best outing for APC in terms of membership in any location, ward or local government in the state, is not more than 30%, including Essien Udim and Ikot Abasi Local Government Areas. It is not possible for 30% to displace or overtake 70%. If the results of the recently concluded elections are put into consideration, it would be discovered that it is basically about 30% to 70% APC-PDP ratio. So, I was not surprised at the result.

Don’t you think that the defection of the two PDP senators, Senators Nelson Effiong and Godswill Akpabio to the APC could have influenced the election considering the fact that they were serving National Assembly members?

The only person who left the party that had some impact on the party was Senator Godswill Akpabio, because he was one of the foremost leaders of the party in the state, Senate Minority Leader and former governor for two terms, as well as a former commissioner for six years.

He was freely loved by the people until his fall and decision to join the APC. That was the only person who left that could have some impact on the party. Two members of the State House of Assembly – Nse Ntuen and Idongesit Ituen, and two members of the National Assembly – Emmanuel Ekon, and Emmanuel Akpan, left with him.

Emmanuel Ekon left for his selfish reason because PDP was not prepared to give him ticket for a third term. It was not for the interest of the society but for their personal interests.

Nelson Effiong said that he left to where he was sure of a second term ticket.

You don’t just leave a party because of second term ticket. There should be better reasons than being selfish. You don’t join politics because of yourself but for the fact that it gives you the opportunity to serve your people. That is what should motivate anybody who joins politics.

Service is not about you but the people. Anyone who defected did so for his own selfish interest including Godswill Akpabio, not for the interest of the state that is why their defection did not add any value to their new party.

I can say it categorically that if election was orderly conducted in Essien Udim, Senator Akpabio would have failed to deliver that local government. This is how massive the PDP is and how dogged the followers are in the state.

Was it about the party itself or the leadership of the state?

It could definitely be the combination of the two. By 1999, Akwa Ibom was a glorified village. All the developments in Akwa Ibom today are the products of the PDP government from 1999 to date. The party is in tangent with its followers. It would be difficult to dissolve a successful marriage without the permission of the couples. That is exactly what the APC wants to do in Akwa Ibom State.

Apart from that, there was a strong sentiment about giving Governor Udom Emmanuel a second term. That is strong enough on the side of God and humanity. People appreciate the need for justice, fairness and equity. Udom Emmanuel has tried as governor to deliver on the dividends of democracy under very tedious circumstances. Trying to stop his second term bid is something a typical Akwa Ibom person would not want to hear.

Victor Attah and Godswill Akpabio from Uyo and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial Districts respectively served two terms each. The exception would

Enoidem have been Governor Udom Emmanuel from Eket Senatorial District. Akwa Ibom people did not want to hear that because that would amount to injustice driven, inequity and lack of conscience. A typical Akwa Ibom person is very sincere, truthful and committed to the values of truth, and nobody can’t take that away from us, hence the massive resistance against the attempt to stop the governor.

The state APC agent complained bitterly about every result announced by the returning officer, and right now they have threatened to petition that result. Is there no merit in their outcry?

The attitude of the agent, Bishop Samuel Akpan at the State Collation Centre was a reflection of the APC attitude even before the election, instead of campaigning they were only protesting. Their complain was unprecedented, the attitude of Akpan was prearranged so that no matter how transparent the election was, his duty was just to complain and when it got to the hallmark, the last local government, which was Essien Udim he walked out, even when they won in Essien Udim he walked out because they didn’t allow the votes Akpabio and his APC structure in Essien Udim allocated to themselves to be collated.

The wisdom in the card reader was designed to check that kind of attitude; the overbearing attitude, vote allocation. The card reader was made to give value to each voter, so if that card

Sustaining this freedom is very paramount to us and the only way we can achieve this is by performing. I believe performance will start by a deep understanding of self.

For now, we’re trying to understand our problems, our people. There is no middle class again in Kwara South, we’ve all been degraded to the lowest class, so we want to understand our people.

We’re now trying to put things together because, what we went through, for so many years, was war

reader was not deployed to check those excesses of politicians then the votes from Essien Udim would have found their way. In 2019, every vote had to count and the card reader is the height of getting this done. His exit from that collation centre didn’t indict the collation.

Senator Godswill Akpabio and other APC leaders in the state have come out to say that the results collated at the units were manipulated once it got to various local government collation centres because of connivance of the PDP with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)?

I don’t understand what they mean by connivance. I don’t want to say much because if I do, some people will feel insulted; because this is the first time we have a truly reflective election in Akwa Ibom State, an election that reflects the will of the people. That was made possible because we had Mr. Mike Igini as REC. He was not prepared to compromise or sell his conscience. That is why the APC is castigating him. If he had accepted all the money they offered, would they have been criticizing him?

Igini is a hero of democracy in Nigeria. His heroic fame did not start from Akwa Ibom State.

He had been REC in about five states before he was posted to Akwa Ibom, and has had positive track record in those states. He said he did not come to count money in Akwa Ibom State but to count votes. He has been invited several times for a meeting outside the country but he turned down all the offers, insisting that any meeting should be held in his office. This is the first time they are not able to bribe electoral officers and REC in the state that is why they are shouting.

If you win somebody in 30 out of 31 local government areas, that person does not have shame. These are the same people who boasted that election would be conducted in three hours.

How can the entire electoral process be done in three hours if someone was not planning to rig? They should humble themselves. It is the will of God that has been laid down. Let them have a moment to reflect and live a life that would encourage the younger generation.

Do you wish to wave aside the sentiments that Akwa Ibom has lost the chance of being connected to the centre?

Connect what to which centre? How much have we gained from the so-called centre? We do not have anything from the centre even when a Southerner was President and GodswillAkpabio was governor of the state. What was he able to bring from the centre into the state in his eight years in office? Is it Buhari that will come and give us development in the state? What have we got in the last four years of President Muhammadu Buhari in office? Nothing.

We have Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister for

You are one of those alleged to have destroyed Godswill Akpabio?

Anyone who paints me in that light is not correct. I stood my ground to give value to politics, honesty and discountenance selfishness in leadership. Before the defection of Godswill Akpabio, we had at least 20 different meetings between December 25, 2017 and August 8, 2018 where we tried to persuade him, using all manner of parameters, even kneeling down before him to get him understand that he does not have any place outside PDP where his honour lies, but all to no avail. He cannot accuse anybody of conspiracy. If anybody conspired, he was the one conspiring against the state. He betrayed the state and the entire people.

When we went to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, we all contributed money to the stadium and not less than 20,000 people were mobilized to the stadium to give him his second term mandate without any opposition in the party.

Unfortunately, all he could say was that the people will go with him anywhere he goes no matter the platform. That was too boastful. The highest level of pride. He cannot accuse anybody of undermining him. We were in love with Godswill Akpabio till August 8, 2018 when he made public his decision to dump the party.

Anything that happened to him can only be placed on his personal altar.

There were high expectations that the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, would win, but the margin of votes between him and the APC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, was wide.

What went wrong?

Our party was rigged out of the election. We were rigged out of the election in the North with the help of the military and police. There was suppression of voters in the South-South/ South-East including the Middle Belt. What happened in the last election was because it was a local election, and the sentiment of the people could not be suppressed like they did in the presidential election. The back servers of INEC shows that PDP won the election.

How can anybody think that Nigerians, in 2019, would still vote for Buhari after what we passed through in his last four years?

How would the record in INEC server indicate what the voters did whereas the server is supposed to record only the attendance and not who they you vote for?

Every unit was sending in results to the server.

The reflection of those results from the unit is what we are talking about and they were sending in results of each candidate. I’m not talking about accreditation, I’m talking about unit-by-unit results, form EC8A, the summary from EC8A was sent from the units to the back sever in Abuja and there were four severs in INEC. We have given details of those servers, if they like, let them go and change the records but that’s what we got.

The supplementary election was held and we had three states in favour of PDP, and you are applauding INEC…?

We are not applauding INEC anywhere.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

19

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019

POLITICS

‘The Outgoing Administration in Kwara Was Not Good to Us’ Hammed Shittu dialogues with the All Progressives Congress Senator -elect for Kwara South Senatorial district, Mr. Lola Ashiru on the agenda for his constituents and what Kwarans expect from the incoming administration in the state

Y

ou have been elected to represent the people of Kwara South Senatorial district in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, what does this mandate meant to you?

Everybody in Kwara South is very excited for one simple reason, we’re free and we can prove ourselves now. We can develop and even move forward.

Everywhere I go, I see that excitement of freedom on the faces of the people.

We are now like someone coming out of prison, imagine how free we are now.

However, we want to maximise this freedom. We want to ensure that we don’t ever go back to Egypt where we suffered. We want to guard the mandate so that we don’t lose it.

How do you intend to sustain your perceived freedom?

I want to say that, sustaining this freedom is very paramount to us and the only way we can achieve this is by performing. I believe performance will start by a deep understanding of self.

For now, we’re trying to understand our problems, our people. There is no middle class again in Kwara South, we’ve all been degraded to the lowest class, so we want to understand our people.

We’re now trying to put things together because, what we went through, for so many years, was war. For so many years, we’ve been at the battle field, trying to win this war, and we’re grateful to God, we won.

As one of the political leaders in Kwara South senatorial district now, how will you go forward with the new order?

I have the biggest mandate in Kwara South and I won’t waste it. Discussion is going on among us, principally, we want each stakeholder to have knowledge about his environment, people who will work with us are those who are passionate about the grassroots, the man and woman on the street. People who are concerned about children who cannot go to school or who go to poor schools. We have to create a better local government system. Immediately our government comes in, there must be a change.

What can you say about the level of development in the senatorial district in the past 16 years?

The situation here is very sad. There is no development at all. From education, health, infrastructures among others.

They are in shambles. Those who are there today, who claimed they’re elected, must give room to real election and they must account for what they’ve done with public fund. We will start from the local council up to the state. We have the responsibility to do this and we must not relax, we must ensure we have the best breed of people who can serve the interest of the state. We will engage the federal government to make sure development comes to our side. All the three tiers of government must be brought into focus. Having gone through a bad past, we’ll be in control of today so that we can plan for tomorrow which is for our children. The work we have to do is so intimidating, but with a lot of cooperation and unity in the party, we will make sure we don’t lose hope.

We will be reporting constantly to our people, every politician must contribute his own quota.

How do you intend to tackle unemployment, infrastructural deficit among other challenges facing the people of your senatorial district?

The first assignment I have is to build Kwara South as a political entity. I must ensure a rebirth of confidence in the

Ashiru

people of Kwara South. We want to revive the local government system that has already collapsed, they are not viable and they’re dysfunctional, those people who are supposed to move it forward don’t have the knowledge of their council or their people. For our first three months, it is going to be total rebirth, afterwards, we can start addressing the problems. Industries have collapsed, the businesses that are being run today, are not viable. Hardly will you see a graduate who stays here and is gainfully employed unless he is riding ‘Okada’. The outgoing administrations in Kwara state was never good to us.

I want us to be methodical about this, some people will say, the outgoing Senator provided 30 boreholes. The question is, is borehole the solution to our water problem? Even if they’ve

Sustaining this freedom is very paramount to us and the only way we can achieve this is by performing. I believe performance will start by a deep understanding of self. For now, we’re trying to understand our problems, our people.

There is no middle class again in Kwara South, we’ve all been degraded to the lowest class, so we want to understand our people. We’re now trying to put things together because, what we went through, for so many years, was war

provided roads, what is the economic value of the road? We must do correct assessment.

You said your party will put in place true democratically elected representatives of the people and that the outgoing administration will give account of their stewardship, does that mean you’re going to probe?

I don’t want to talk about probe, but there is no administrator that will come in and will not investigate. It is in the process of investigation and putting things in place that government can move forward. It is not about probe but about doing things right.

What advice do you have for the APC at the National Assembly to avert leadership crisis associated with electing principal officers?

With my interactions with some Senator-elect, I’m proud to say that they are set of intellectuals. They are passionate about our country. They are people who are prepared to move this country forward. Politics is about options and competition, we will never get to a situation where a minority leads the majority in the Senate, it will never happen again. I’ve never seen a country where minority is leading. There is not going to be division among the APC Senators. What happened in the 8th Senate will never happen again.

As a way of encouraging participation of everyone, would you involve members of the opposition parties in your government?

We’re not an enemy to other political parties, even the. The fact on the ground today is that APC will form the government of Kwara State come May. In APC, we have lots of dynamic and honest politicians who are very eager and sincere to serve this state. The government we are going to form will have much of technocrats. I won’t say we will go outside our party to share responsibility because in APC, we have the best programmes and the best hands

who can drive our agenda.

The role of the traditional rulers cannot be overruled in any democratic government, how do you intend to carry our monarchs along in your government in order to improve on our local security system?

Traditional rulers need to be included especially in the area of development, mobilization of people, cultural promotion and creating stability in the society, we’re not an enemy to traditional rulers.

The APC government will take care of them, they will be happier, and they will be able to contribute more. They are our royal fathers. We will treat them well them but they must play their role.

During campaign, the PDP governorship candidate promised to pay N30,000 minimum wage, your party has been silent on this, can you put things in the right perspectives?

The bill has been passed, so it has become a law that is binding even on the private sector. The minimum wage today is N18,000. Have we checked what graduates in the private institutions earn? One will be surprised that in some private institutions, they pay as low as N8,000 to teachers. Some hotels pay an average of N12,000. It is a beautiful thing to pay N30,000, but will it not be consumed by inflation? I’m more concerned about the private establishments that are bigger than government.

There is a rumour going round the state that the governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulraham Abdulrasaq has vowed to downsize after resuming office, is this true?

There is no business that will not rightsize because we must put everything in appropriate position. We cannot force the private sector, especially the small businesses to pay N30,000 which they do not have, otherwise, we will be asking them to collapse their businesses.

However, we must look into the issue critically so that we don’t incur what we will later regret.

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FEATURES

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

Redesigning Workplace Relations Through Time Management Summit

Sunday Ehigiator writes that the Time Management Summit, a social impact initiative that promotes accountability of time and resources in the work space, has provided a platform for critical discourse about issues that enhance the workplace

Participants at last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Time Management Summit

T

he Nigerian labour force is one of the most diligent, yet one of the least appreciated groups in the country. Unlike labour forces in most other societies, the Nigerian workforce works under some of the most difficult conditions conceivable. Many work in some ungainly environment and are often overused and yet they are expected to produce results. Interestingly, they do produce some outstanding results.

This unseemly situation is possible because there is hardly any protection for them under the law. To be sure, there are labour laws in operation in the country (Labour Act; Factories Act; Employees Compensation Act, etc), coupled with the fact that Nigeria is signatory to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) rules governing labour relations. But these laws are hardly ever adhered to or enforced, even when it is obvious they are being flouted by business owners and governments.

A case in point was a factory in Ikorodu, Lagos that was gutted by fire in the night some years back and many of the factory workers were burnt to death. It later came to light that the Indian owners would lock in the factory workers and go home for the night. So, the workers were locked in overnight. When the

fire started, the workers tried but couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t force open the factoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heavy storm doors.

That is an example of some of the inhuman conditions under which some Nigerians work.

It is not uncommon to find an average worker in Nigeria working 56/60+ hours a week as opposed to the ILO recommended 40-hour week and with hardly any compensation for the extra manhour he/she is compelled to put in. One finds a workforce that is not adequately tooled yet constantly pressured to deliver results or for non-performance and punished.

The recent minimum wage issue is one example that even government is often complicit in denigrating workers. It took close to two years of serious arm twisting and face-off before government agreed to

Our dream of a great Nigeria is achievable when we all invest in human capital development by creating a team of change agents

raise the minimum wage from N18,000 to N30,000. The old minimum wage subsisted for close to 10 years despite commitments by government in 2010 that the minimum wage would be reviewed every five years.

The minimum wage scenario is emblematic of what goes on even in the private sector, where in some places workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; remunerations are never increased, yet the workload keeps increasing yearly. So, over the 10-year period, the purchasing power of the average Nigerian worker diminished in line with rising inflation rate because his salary remained stagnant.

Right Tools While productivity may be considered high in Nigeria, considering the extenuating circumstances, it can be far greater than what it currently is if Nigerian workers are provided the right tools and given the right kind of encouragement. It has long been established that there is a correlation between productivity and societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advancement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Productivity is indeed the most important determinant of socio-economic growth, wealth creation, employment generation and overall improved standard of living. Indeed, no nation enjoys a standard of living higher than its level of productivity,â&#x20AC;? says the Minister of

Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.

This is quite true. And today, in many societies, there are deliberate steps, through trainings, through exchange of ideas with other countries, through innovations, through recognitions and awards, and most importantly through regulations, taken to constantly empower their workforces to make them consistently highly productive.

Time Management and Productivity Summit SB Telecoms, an ICT company based in Lagos, is one organisation, however, that is working to change this unseemly narrative about the work ethics in the country. The ICT company is seeking to make an appreciable change through its widely acclaimed yearly Time Management and Productivity Summit (TAMS Summit).

The summit is a social impact initiative that promotes accountability of time and resources in the Nigerian work space. TAMS Productivity Summit is a platform for critical discourse about issues that enhance workplace and national productivity. It underscores the interrelationship of elements such as time management, employee performance and workforce productivity and their impact on operational efficiency vis-a-vis resource optimisation and service delivery in all sectors

21

T H I S D AY Ëž Ë&#x153; Í°ÍśË&#x153; Ͱ͎ͯ͡

FEATURES

Some of the special guests at the summit

Dubai 2018 winners

of the economy.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summit will be the fourth in the series, which has been hailed by Human Resources Managers, employers, employees, and other stakeholders for its recognition of the contributions of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s labour force to economic development and for its far-reaching impact in galvanising a resilient labour force.

Little wonder the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of HealthPlus, Mrs Bukky George, said â&#x20AC;&#x153;the summit is timely and a welcomed development.â&#x20AC;?

The Chief Executive Officer of SB Telecoms, who is also the chief architect of the TAMS workforce management solution and convener of the summit, Mr Afolabi Abiodun, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our dream of a great Nigeria is achievable when we all invest in human capital development by creating a team of change agentsâ&#x20AC;?.

He added that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the TAMS Ambassadors are imbued with the change culture where they influence their immediate workplace and the larger community to achieve a Nigeria that truly represents our heritage and our future.â&#x20AC;?

Review The 2018 edition of the summit focused on youth engagement and empowerment in corporate and public workplaces as a catalyst

for national growth. Headlined by founder of LEAP Africa, Mrs Ndidi Nwuneli, the 2018 edition featured prominent Nigerians and foreign nationals who contributed to the panel discussions. Among dignitaries who participated last year were Mr. Andrew Gbodume of MRS Oil; Mrs. Emily Liggett of the Stanford University; Prof Adebayo Ninalowo, Pro-Chancellor, Lagos State University, LASU; and Mr. Fola Tinubu of Primero, among others.

The uniqueness of the summit is the fact that productivity is not only discussed, it is equally rewarded. The 2018 Summit conferred

the prestigious TAMS Ambassador recognition on the top 50 employees out of about 50,000 in over 1,200 organisations in Nigeria that participated. Three outstanding employees were rewarded with an all-expense paid trip to Dubai last year.

Time Management Summit has made a positive impact on our client organisations and business owners who have seen a signiďŹ cant rise in employee punctuality and productivity

Reward The summit will also be celebrating more Nigerian workers through its Nigerian Employee of the Year Award (NEYA) and the newly introduced Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HR Manager of the Year award, in recognition of the crucial role HR managers play in creating enabling workplaces for employees to contribute to the success of the organisation and grow their careers. The top three nominees in each

Pathway to Growth This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summit, themed Charting Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Path to Growth: Playing by the Rules of Work, Wealth and Wellbeing, will hold on May 16, 2019 at the Muson Centre in Lagos. It is billed to be more engaging and robust. Issues that will occupy the front burner will include workplace disruptions occasioned by advancements in technology such as deployment of robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, etc.

category will enjoy an all-expense paid trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in addition to other fantastic prizes.

Time Management Software Pivotal to the summit is the time and access management software developed

by SB Telecoms, an easy to use workforce management tool for Small and Medium-scale Enterprises and large corporations alike, with functions such as remittance, appraisal, shift, leave and payroll management at the fingertip of business owners.

Abiodun said of the software, â&#x20AC;&#x153;TAMS has made a positive impact on our client organisations and business owners who have seen a significant rise in employee punctuality and productivity.â&#x20AC;? According to Abiodun, â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we set out to develop a home-grown human resources management solution, it was informed by our commitment to help SMEs achieve their potential, seeing that they employ over 80 per cent of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s labour force.â&#x20AC;?

TAMS Summit is one initiative that is determined to redesign the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workplace ethics, relations, and productivity for sustainable economic growth and development. This needs to be commended and supported by all stakeholders.

22

5 ) * 4 % ": t THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

23

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BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08024557078, 08152447875

Í° Í° Ë&#x153; Í° ÍŽ ÍŻ ͡ MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

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S & P INDEX INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY

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1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

EXCHANGE RATE ÍľË&#x203A;͜Ͳ Ďą ÍľË&#x203A;͜Ͳ Ďą

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GE Partners YTF

MEDIA BRIEFING

L-R: Director, Publicity/ Marketing, Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN), Mr. Babatunde Obaniyi; President, Mr. Chika Eseka and First Vice President, Mr. Ike Chioke, at a media briefing to announce the first business lunch of the AIHN, that took place in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śrecently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

Operators Kick as Buhari Declines Assent on Digital Rights Bill Stories by Emma Okonji Some operators in the telecommunications sector have continued to react to the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Digital Rights Bill into law, after six weeks it was presented to him by the National Assembly.

Speaking on the importance of the bill, which seeks to protect the rights of people online, the operators urged the lawmakers to put pressure on the president to sign the legislation into law without further delay.

They argued that the bill was people oriented that seeks to protect the rights and privileges of Nigerians online.

The National President, National Association of Telecoms

TELECOM Subscribers (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigeriansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; presence online is on the increase, going by the present statistics where over 100 million Nigerians have access to the internet and 174 million Nigerians have access to telecommunications voice services. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What this portends is that data usage is also steadily increasing, which signals the need for laws that will protect Nigerians while browsing or transacting businesses online.â&#x20AC;?

Ogunbanjo called on Nigerians to support members of the National Assembly in putting pressure on the president to sign the bill.

The pan-African digital

rights advocacy organisation, Paradigm Initiative has expressed disappointment over the decision of the president, saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;the refusal of the President to sign the Bill is a huge setback for human rights online in Nigeria.â&#x20AC;?

Giving reasons for declining assent, the Presidency in a letter to the National Assembly, had said the bill â&#x20AC;&#x153;covered too many technical subjects and failed to address any of them extensively.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;These areas include surveillance and digital protection, lawful interception of communication, digital protection and retention etc. Which are currently the subject of various bills pending at national assembly. We therefore suggest that the scope of the bill should

be limited to the protection of human right within the digital environment to reduce the challenge of duplication and legislative conflict in the future,â&#x20AC;? the letter read further.

The group, however, promised to continue to work on getting the bill passed into law.

Speaking on the development, the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, Mr. Gbenga Sesan said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Work will continue on the Digital Rights and Freedom Bill in Nigeria, and in other countries where Paradigm Initiative is now working with partners on the adoption of similar positive rights legislation.

Continued on page 24

Take Advantage of Tech Revolution, Minister Urges Nigerians The Minister of Communications, Dr. Adebayo Shittu, has urged Nigerians to utilise the tech and social media revolution benefits by accessing global markets through local creativity and personal branding.

He gave the advice during the recently concluded Glocalisation and Branding Summit with a theme â&#x20AC;&#x153;Accessing Global Market Using Local Creativity and Personal Brandingâ&#x20AC;?, which held in Abuja.

The minister said the present drive of the Buhari-led government to restructure and rebuild the political institutions for sustainable socio-economic growth and change have to be

TELECOM complemented with an aggressive drive towards diversification of the economy from dependency on oil and focus on putting â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Made in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goods, services and products on the global market place.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;With a captivating culture, Nigeria is prime for foreign direct investment and greater synergy with the private sector.â&#x20AC;?

Shittu, pointed out that there was need for private sector involvement in filling the gap of an infrastructure deficit of over $300 billion, adding that government on its own cannot finance, build

and manage infrastructure. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ministry is focused on leveraging on innovative technology to create global brands and work with the private sector to accelerate the pace of socio-economic and sustainable growth, particularly in those areas that will lead to the speedy realisation of the objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, (ERGP)â&#x20AC;?.

The Special Adviser on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to the Vice President, Mr. Lanre Osibola, stated that young people matter a lot for economic growth and Nigerians should do away with self-defeating attitude, avoid

distraction and focus on how to showcase our success story.

He added that Nigeria was blessed with intelligent young people who need a good reportage by the press to paint Nigeria well to the world adding that our mindset should change to improve the country because we are hardworking people despite the various challenges we faced as a people.

The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, recently disclosed plan to establish a National Information Communication Technology (ICT) Park inside the Abuja Technology Village.

Continued on page 24

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Mouka Commemorates World Sleep Day

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Artificial Intelligence is a bulk of data that requires the application of algorithm to give a productive and useful output. They are measurements needed to make decisionsâ&#x20AC;?

Territory Manager for Nigeria and Ghana at Cisco Meraki,

Nick Malherbe

24

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°ÍśË&#x153; Ͱ͎ͯ͡

OPERATORS KICK AS BUHARI DECLINES ASSENT ON DIGITAL RIGHTS BILL

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would like to make it clear that the efforts of our coalition on the Bill are not a lost cause. Although the Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s refusal to assent the Bill is a setback, we are currently liaising with our partners towards a strategy to take this work forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At stake is the state of human rights online in Nigeria, which is too important to abandon, and which we have dedicated ourselves to protect.â&#x20AC;?

Paradigm Initiativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Program Manager, Boye Adegoke said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also acknowledge the role that certain stakeholders played including the role of a government agency but we consider it strange that assent was denied to a bill on the ground that its provision could conflict with proposed laws that have not been passed by the national assembly.â&#x20AC;?

The Digital Rights Bill provides for the protection of human rights online, protect internet users from infringement of their fundamental freedoms and guarantee the application of human rights for digital platform users.

The bill seeks to guarantee human rights within the context of emerging innovative technologies, security concerns, increasing citizen participation in governance and democratic processes.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TECH REVOLUTION, MINISTER URGES NIGERIANS Although it is a government initiative to establish the ICT Park, such initiative has already won the hearts of foreign and local investors who are operating in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ICT sector and they have indicated their interests to invest in the ICT park, which is expected to open up investment opportunities for the Nigerian economy.

The establishment of the park according to Shittu, would further facilitate digital capacity building for immediate employment, entrepreneurial skills development, job and wealth creation, designed to promote the digital economy in an era of disruptive technology through effective regulations.

Group Business Editor

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Goddy Egene

AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

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Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039; Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x201C; Senior Correspondent

Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2014; Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă? Ă&#x152;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC; (Maritime) Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2014;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2014;Ă?Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2122; (Finance) Ă&#x152;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă? ĂĄĂ&#x2122;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x201C; (Insurance) Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x2014;Ă? Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x2039;Ă?Ă&#x2122; (Energy) Reporters

Ă&#x;Ă&#x2014;Ă? Ă&#x2022;Ă?Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2019;Ă? (Money Market) Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ă&#x2039; Ă&#x2013;Ă?Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x201C;Ă? (ICT)

NCC, NBC Seek Affordable Rural Connectivity for Nigerians Emma Okonji

Already, pilots, through proof of concepts, have been conducted to confirm the suitability of TVWS in delivering rural connectivity in terms of coverage and quality of service.

Speaking at the stakeholder consultative forum, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said connectivity of every Nigerian remained a priority to the Commission.

Danbatta, who was represented by the Director, Spectrum Administration at NCC, Austine Nwaulune,

said the quest to achieving the rural connectivity goal has led the Commission to embark on several initiatives.

He stated that one of such initiatives was the collaboration with the sister agencies such as the NBC to explore the use of TVWS in the lower spectrum band to deliver low-cost broadband services to the Nigerians in the rural communities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;NCC takes the connectivity of every Nigerian irrespective of where he or she resides very importantly. So, what we do is to look out for technology that

fits into making this happen for us. TVWS is one of such technologies because it is coming to utilise the spectrum in the lower megahertz band and as it is, the spectrum is very good because it propagates very far. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, you need less number of base stations to deliver services on TVWS and the fact that rural communities are very challenging does not mean that people in those communities should not be connected, hence the use of this innovative technology,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Director at NBC, Victoria Ngozi Ekeh, who represented the Director-General of the Commission, Mallam Isâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;haq Modibo Kawu, enjoined stakeholders to make valuable suggestions and inputs that would help the NCC in coming up with a framework that addresses interference issues in the use of TVWS. â&#x20AC;&#x153;NBC will continue to support the TVWS initiative provided adequate measures would be put in place to prevent harmful interferences to the broadcasters using the spectrum band,â&#x20AC;? Ekeh said.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) are set to develop a framework for the use of television white space (TVWS) technology to extend affordable rural connectivity to Nigerians.

The NCC said the initiative on TVWS technology was in line with Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan to achieve pervasive broadband connectivity.

Both NCC and NBC discussed the possibility of using television white space technology to boost broadband connectivity at a one-day consultative forum organised by the NCC in Abuja recently.

The Ministry of Communications has given its nod, following approval for the use of the TVWS technology by the National Frequency Management Council (NFCM).

In technical parlance, television white space is the unused spectrum in the broadcasting band, which can be used to deliver affordable broadband services in rural communities, thereby bridging rural-urban digital divide. In Nigeria, TVWS is currently being deployed to extend connectivity to over 56 per cent of Nigeria living in the rural areas.

In his opening remarks, Minister Communications, Adebayo Shittu, said the government approved the use of TVWS so as to, â&#x20AC;&#x153;extend broadband internet coverage, especially to rural communities and other remote communities and increase L-R: Head, Mobile Financial Services, Sterling Bank Plc, Adekunle Yusuf; Group Head, Transaction Banking, Abidemi Asunmo; Deputy broadband penetration in Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria, Aishah Ahmad and Deputy Governor, Operations, Adebisi Shonubi, at the 2019 Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme Efficiency Awards where the bank was adjudged â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Innovative Bank of the Year,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;held in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śrecently Nigeria.â&#x20AC;?

AWARD WELL DESERVED

NIMC Extends Diaspora Enrolment to UAE, UK The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has extended its diaspora enrolment programme to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Kingdom (UK).

Announcing the extension plan in Abuja recently, the Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Director General and CEO, Aliyu Aziz, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The extension is in line with NIMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mandate to ensure that all Nigerian citizens in Nigeria and the diaspora and legal residents in Nigeria are enrolled into the National Identity Database and issued the unique National

Identification Number (NIN) to applicants upon successful enrolment.â&#x20AC;?

The NIN enrolment in UAE and the UK is in collaboration with the Defcon Systems Limited (DSL) and the National eAuthentication Limited (NeAL), which are Nigerian companies licensed by the NIMC to serve as its agents, to carry out enrolment services across the globe with a view to ensuring best-in-class services and inclusivity.

The exercise would involve the demographic and biometrics data capture of all Nigerian

citizens residing in the two countries.

The programme is slated to begin this week in both UAE and UK. While the UAE programme is scheduled to hold at the Online Integrated Solutions DMCC office, 22nd Floor, Silver Tower, cluster I Jumeirah Lake Towers Dubai, UAE, the UK programme will take off at the Online Integrated Solutions offices at OIS services, 56/57 Fleet street London EC4Y IJU, UK; and OIS Services, St. Georges House, 6 St Georges Way, Leicester LE1 1SH, UK.

Aziz, further reiterated that the programme would make it easier for Nigerians in diaspora to be identified as the Federal Government of Nigeria has made the possession of NIN a mandatory requirement for elections, bank account opening, land transactions, access to legal/ health services, acquisition/ renewal of the International Passport, Driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s License and the ECOWAS travel document, among others.

He added that the rollout of additional locations in other cities across the globe where Nigerians

reside would be concluded and announced in due course.

The Nigerian companies that are licensed to work with their respective partners across all countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and America to carry out the enrolment of Nigerian adults and children in the diaspora into the National Identity Database (NIDB), are Biosec Solutions Limited, CHAMS Consortium Limited, Defcon Systems Limited, National eAuthentication Limited, Thebez Global Resources and Venn Technology Limited.

Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IXPN Attains Regional Internet Exchange Status The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) has become a regional internet exchange with the support of the African Union (AU) Commission.

In 2016, following a response to a call for proposals issued by the AU Commission, the IXPN was awarded a grant to be supported to grow to become a regional Internet Exchange for West Africa.

With many IXPs in Africa exchanging intra-country traffic locally and intra-regional traffic being exchanged regionally, this will reduce the latency and

save costs by eliminating the international transit through overseas carriers.

Through the African Internet Exchange System (AXIS) project of the African Union Commission, countries in Africa with internet exchange points have increased from 18 to 35.

The AU Commission further provided grants to support selected internet exchange points in the five geographical regions of the African Union to become regional internet exchange points.

One of them was the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria.

Project Manager, African Internet Exchange System Project of the AU Commission, Mr. Moses Bayingana, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Africa has been paying overseas carriers to exchange intra-continental traffic on our behalf. This is both costly as well as inefficient. With regional IXPs in Africa exchanging intra-regional traffic locally, this will reduce the latency and save costs by eliminating the international transit through overseas carriers.â&#x20AC;?

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is growing importance in exchanging traffic among the internet

service providers in Africa. This is due to the fact that by connecting to the regional internet exchange point, access to local content in the region improves, since the local traffic remains in the region.

This in turn enhances internet use because the end users realize fast and efficient services.â&#x20AC;?

The Chief Executive Officer of IXPN, Muhammed Rudman, said with the new status as the Regional Internet Exchange Point for West Africa, IXPN would seek strategic alliances with other IXPs, regional carriers and service providers towards

connected West Africa. He also said the AXIS initiative has now positioned IXPN to champion a more regional connectivity drive that will ultimately lead to a one-connected Africa.

Rudman, noted that localising the internet within the African continent, would help to improve quality of service as traffic would no longer travel abroad as was the case. He enjoined African countries, especially in the West Africa region to embrace this concept of AXIS for a better and improved connectivity for the continent.

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Sustaining Indigenous Software Ecosystem The continual loss of about $400 million annually to foreign software licence renewals and upgrades

by Nigerians should trigger the need for government to develop and sustain indigenous software ecosystem, writes Emma Okonji

L

ast weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gathering of information and communications technology (ICT) stakeholders in Lagos, to discuss the level of patronage of Nigerian software in the financial sector, exposed the huge financial losses incurred annually by the Nigerian government and organisations operating in Nigeria, through foreign software patronage, licence renewals and upgrades.

The stakeholders, who put the annual losses at over $400 million, called on government to put a stop to it through formulation and implementation of policies that will protect and promote indigenous software.

They suggested that government must begin to look inwards and develop policies that would help in the building and sustainability of indigenous software ecosystem that will encourage talented local software developers to improve on their local software through continuous research.

The stakeholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; roundtable, which was jointly organised by the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), in collaboration with CWG Plc, with the theme: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Adoption and Development of Local Content Technology as Growth Driver for the Nigerian Economy,â&#x20AC;? raised issues on the need to boost the quality of local software, if it must attract same patronage as foreign software.

Innovation and FinTech Innovation in technology has brought about revolutionary changes in traditional financial services, and innovators are effectively employing technology tools to bring in seamless and innovative financial services for the banked and unbanked population in Nigeria. As recently reported by KPMG, the opportunities in the global fintech software and services sector are expected to hit $45 billion by 2020, growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 7.1 per cent.

Fintechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are technology-based businesses that create highly integrated software ecosystem that brings with it the expertise, experience, technology and facilities of all the entities together through these partnerships. The growth and market success of any Fintech hub originates from an integrated software ecosystem. The forum was of the view that government could develop an ecosystem of innovative Fintech players who will be dedicated to the development of local software that could meet international standards and at the same time compete favourably with foreign software in terms of quality.

Local software ecosystem The forum stressed the need for a viable local software ecosystem that could make Nigeria proud in software development. The Chief Executive Officer, CWG Plc, Adewale Adeyipo, who was represented at the forum by the Business Director, Government Sector at CWG Plc, Udukheli Izebuno, said the purpose of developing a viable software ecosystem is to create mutual values and innovative solutions for the Nigerian market, leveraging on platform-based business models and digital technologies, thus leading to a switch from direct competition to mainly platform-vs platform competition.

Giving example of the cellphone industry, Adeyipo said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The rivalry is no longer between Nokia and Blackberry but rather between the Android and iOS ecosystems. The ecosystem of Android does include not only the Google platform but also all mobile phone manufacturers, application developers, users, telecommunication services, among others.â&#x20AC;?

According to him, companies such as Nokia and Blackberry are no longer on top of the mobile device market in Nigeria and across other countries because they have not considered this development at all. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a sustainable software-ecosystem, all stakeholders benefit. Where just one part of the ecosystem has nothing to gain, the whole ecosystem can potentially collapse,â&#x20AC;? Adeyipo said, adding that a viable software ecosystem is where all the market players engage, connect and share ideas across active communities and networks, as well as identify and convert opportunities into business. In the current age of technology-driven financial services, no market participant can afford

Prototype of a typical ICT Park for Software Development

to operate in silos. In Nigeria, the market players are still not fully active as it should be.

Collaboration To achieve a viable software ecosystem in the financial service sector in Nigeria, the forum advised that all stakeholders need to collaborate actively.

Adeyipo said there was need for deliberate policies and regulations that will drive such inclusiveness. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The survival of our software ecosystem is dependent on the collaborations between the government and the financial service sector ecosystem. Services like Payment solution service providers (PSSP), Payment gateways providers, Bill payments platforms, E-wallets, and mobile money operators and Disbursement/settlement service providers, must collaborate to succeed,â&#x20AC;?

Adeyipo said.

He listed others who must collaborate to include universities and government agencies, government and regulators, investors, incubators, financial institutions, tech vendors and consumers.

According to him, while institutes will collaborate to support the community by mentoring and assisting early-stage companies and producing a more talented workforce, government and regulators must collaborate to protect consumers through appropriate rules and provide supportive incentives to help the ecosystem grow. He said investors like angel investors and venture capitalists must collaborate to continually see the technology sector as a viable investment opportunity, while financial institutions like banks should come together to engage with Fintech companies and leverage their innovation. He said incubators, accelerators, and innovation labs must collaborate to engage and assist young companies in meeting their potential, while technology vendors must explore ways to imbibe IT solutions in their solution stack, and the end users of solutions developed in the ecosystem, should adopt these solutions to improve their services.

Local software beneďŹ ts Looking at the benefits of adopting local software within the government circle and among financial institutions who are heavy users of software products, Adeyipo said with over 900 micro finance banks (MFBs) and 2,972 cooperatives in Nigeria, the adoption of local software, for example, as their core banking application could create over $100 million in revenue yearly through deployment, renewals, and maintenance.

According to him, if more policies exist and are active, more revenue can be generated to promote indigenous software development and implementation. CWG, he said, is consistently developing indigenous software to tackle and meet the need of every Nigerian ranging from the lower class to the upper-class segment. It has become an objective through the â&#x20AC;&#x153;CWG 2.0â&#x20AC;? Initiative to develop solutions that enable growth, improve the standards of living and do so at reduced costs.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Facts have shown that there are endless opportunities for the vibrant software industry in Nigeria, especially with its average population of over 190 million people with about 50 per cent of the population to be an active internet user,â&#x20AC;? Adeyipo said.

Citing Indian contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) through software development, Adeyipo said the Indian contribution of the ICT sector towards GDP rose from 3.4 per cent in 2000/01 to 5.9 per cent in 2007/08, with a compound annual growth rate above 20 per cent for this period. He said most developing and emerging economies with a nascent IT industry were usually advised to provide services for the local market as a form of a natural entry point for new enterprises. This is just as the global software industry has grown exponentially, in 2013, where Gartner reported that the worldwide software industry was worth $407.3 billion and Nigeria is expected to consume about 0.05 per cent annually. If we channel these resources to our ecosystem, job creation and unemployment rates will reduce significantly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;CWG is currently investing in skill acquisition programmes through CWG Academy platform, so each candidate can shape their IT career and consistently seek for disruptive solutions that can compete with â&#x20AC;&#x153;foreignâ&#x20AC;? software. The Nigerian software ecosystem can improve on their contribution to the GDP and change the narrative from being dependent on international solutions, using this approach,â&#x20AC;? Adeyipo said.

Right policy Stressing the need for the right policy implementation that will encourage indigenous software development and patronage, Director General, NOTAP, Dr. Dan-Azumi Ibrahim, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;NOTAP in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property (WIPO), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other stakeholders resolved and developed the Local Vendor Policy in 2007 to strategically engage local ICT firms on the implementation of foreign software agreements in Nigeria.â&#x20AC;?

The policy, which came into effect in 2008, states that the Annual Technical Support (ATS) fee should not be made more than 23 per cent of the Software License fee. The payment of ATS should commence one year after the implementation of the Software license agreement. A local vendor must be appointed to be involved in the implementation of a Software License agreement submitted to NOTAP and must be paid a minimum of 40 per cent of the ATS fee in Naira. According to Ibrahim, in the event of renewing the agreement after one year, evidence of payment of 40 per cent ATS fee must also be submitted to NOTAP. He said over10 indigenous ICT firms are currently participating in the implementation of foreign technology transfer agreements and some have developed competencies and capacities to be listed

on the Nigerians Stock Exchange (NSE), stressing that the development of our country lies in our hands, and that we should not be under any illusion that foreign firms are here for the development of our country. Ibrahim said Nigeria needed to be strategic to leverage on the available foreign technologies to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth of our country Nigeria.

The Director General, NITDA, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, said that government had since identified the need for concerted action and policy to utilise the significant spend of government to promote local content as a core pillar of economic diversification and for building targeted industries in Nigeria.

He said in 2013, NITDA issued the guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT, essentially mandating agencies of government to compulsorily prioritise indigenous ICTs for procurement where available in-country. The regulation mandates a compulsory consideration of indigenous hardware, software, networking service, ICT services and data management first before any non-Nigerian service provider. The policy, he added, resulted in growth of the purchase of indigenous content in the public sector, where last year, it recorded the highest figures of purchase of indigenouslyassembled hardware and software with a total of 355,647 units sold, compared to 154,424 from the previous year.

Executive Orders The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who lauded the initiative of the organisers and partners for arranging the roundtable at the time the federal government is emphasising on local participation in the execution of government contracts, said the Executive Orders of government would continue to encourage investment and global competitiveness.

The minister, who was represented by the the Director General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), Prof. (Mrs.) Gloria Elemo, said the Presidential Executive Orders series started in May, 2017 with numbers E01, E02 and E03 and subsequently EO 4, EO5, with the resolve to reform the administrative and regulatory environment for both private and public sector players.

The minister said NOTAP, an agency under his ministry, plays an important role in the implementation of the orders. These he said, included managing the consortium of firms that must be registered with NOTAP in compliance with NOTAP Act; Development, maintaining and regularly updating the database of Nigerians with expertise in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) and other fields. Currently, NOTAP is compiling the database of Nigerian experts in SET and other fields, Ogbonnaya said, adding that he is confident that the executive orders would be beneficial to Nigeria in generating wealth, stimulating inclusive growths in the domestic economy and reduce unemployment level.

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Djouahra: Demystifying Camera Technology Will Boost Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Economy Senior Manager, Sales and Marketing, B2C, Canon Central and North Africa, Mr. Amine Djouahra, spoke with Emma Okonji on the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new range of products and its commitment to the Nigerian economy. Excerpts:

C

anon has been operating in Nigeria since 2015, what are your business challenges and prospects in the past four years?

Since 2015 that we commenced the Nigerian operations, we have experienced challenges and prospects in our business. Yes there were tough times within the period but we were not deterred by the tough times. At the very beginning of our operations, we were strongly advised not to recruit Nigerians in order to make fast turnover in our business.

But we went against that advice and recruited Nigerians, an action that we did not regret for one moment and as at today we have over 60 employees in our Africa operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, and Cote deâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ivoire. We were very fortunate to have recruited Nigerians in our Nigerian operations, because Nigerian youths have proven themselves to have huge potential with high level of education and we are proud of Nigerians in our Nigerian business, because they are instrumental to the success we have recorded in the Nigerian market. When we came to Nigeria in 2015, we invested without allowing the risk factors to deter us. As multinational, we are conversant with risk factors in business and we have ways been handling risk factors in business. Yes we went through difficult period in our business in Nigeria during the fluctuation of naira, but we had since overcome that. The business is becoming exciting for us and we are looking forward to business growth because we have come to stay in Nigeria for a long term business.

Canon recently launched new range of products in Nigeria. How will they enhance Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive for digital transformation?

Digital transformation is a global trend and I am happy that Nigeria is fast advancing in digital transformation. So this range of products are all digital products designed for the Nigerian market that will further boost digital transformation and digital revolution, especially in the Nollywood industry. Our EOS R camera is another value added when it comes to film making. We have made it compact and light to still have quality images that will suit the lifestyles of people in the Nollywood industry.

What are the beneďŹ ts of the new products to the Nigerian consumers?

As leaders in innovative imaging solutions, Canon has reiterated its commitment to the Nigerian market through the launch of its latest products that will redefine photography and film making in Nigeria. The products are the EOS R Camera, the PIXMA TS9540 Printer and the ZOE MINI Printer. The new range of printers and the camera are poised to expand Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imagery range in Nigeria and help customers manage productivity.

The EOS R System is redefining the frontiers of photography and film making. Its new RF lens mount has been engineered with the perfect blend of optical, mechanical and electronic design to capture unique moments previously seen as very challenging.

A pioneering lens mount built from the best of EOS legacy since its inception in 1987, the EOS System â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including Cinema EOS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; has grown into the most recognised imaging system in the world.

The Canon PIXMA TS9540 is a compact All-In-One inkjet printer that is capable of A3 printing, with a comparable A4 printer footprint.

It delivers professional results with the help of Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class leading fine print head technology and its five individual inks give photos a rich gradation and up to a 100-year album life.

The ZOE MINI is Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest and lightest Mini photo printer, the perfect accessory for those who enjoy snapping and sharing treasured moments with family and friends. It features ZINK technology, meaning zero ink is required. With customisation at its foundation, the printer, through the Canon mini print app,

Djouahra

offers the option to print not only individual smudge-free and water-resistant 2â&#x20AC;? x 3â&#x20AC;? prints or stickers, but also a tile print that is made up of four or nine prints, as well as over ten unique collage templates that print on one 2x3 photo.

To what extent did the ďŹ rst campaign meet its set target?

Canon had a photo competion where winners went home with canon cameras, and this time,

Since 2015 that we commenced the Nigerian operations, we have experienced challenges and prospects in our business.Yes, there were tough times within the period but we were not deterred by the tough times.

At the very beginning of our operations, we were strongly advised not to recruit Nigerians in order to make fast turnover in our business

we are launching the professional consumer photo competition in Nigeria under the campaign #Mynaijamycanon. The competition is part of Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts in enabling and inspiring cinematography talent in this region. The first campaign met its set target and we targeted all Nigerian citizens in that campaign because we have since discovered that Nigerians are very much interested in photography and film making. The campaign was clear. We wanted Nigerians to tell their own story in different categories like the culture, peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way of life and Nigeria as a country. The engagement of Nigerians on the social media platform in relation to video and photo is quite high. So we saw the first competition as vey engaging, where people had to tell different stories, using photo.

Based on the success of the first campaign, we decided to launch another campaign for professional photo consumers, to allow professionals express themselves through story telling, using photographs that will be uploaded for the competition.

How many people have beneďŹ tted from the Canon training programme in Nigeria and across African countries?

Our training programme started since 2014 in Kenya, and since then we have trained over 4,800 people in five African countries, and out of that figure, more than one thousand have been trained in Nigeria. They have been trained in photography and film making. Training them was the first step because some of them graduated to become business partners to Canon and some were certified as Canon trainers and they are involved in delivering training programmes for Canon in different African countries, while others established their own photo studios and sales shops, and this is one of the ways that Canon is empowering people in countries where it operates.

How do you address grey market and after-sales support in your business?

We are aware of some substandard products in the grey market that tend to confuse our customers of the original Canon products in the market. People have asked us where they could buy original Canon products and how they could recognise genuine Canon products.

Some want to know where they can repair their faulty Canon products and some have asked about extended warranty. To address all these issues, in 2016, we signed a third party service agreement with partners to service and repair faulty cameras locally in Nigeria, and this initiative has saved time and cost for our customers. They are technically trained and supported by Canon. So we have collection points in all most all the cities and towns of the country, from where we pick up faulty cameras that have been recorded for repairs. We send them for repairs, and at the same time, return them after the repairs.

In Nigeria, we have extended warranty for all our products that are on sale in Nigeria.

We are giving one year extended warranty to make it two years warranty for all our Canon products that were sold in Nigeria. So we have the Canon Central and North Africa (Canon CNA) warranty programme that comes with sticker and a voucher on all products under warranty. As for the grey market, we are aware that people bring in used Canon cameras from other markets and try to sell them in the Nigerian market as new Canon products, but such products do not have the status of Canon warranty. So we are working to raise awareness on the actual new products from Canon and those that are grey.

What is Canon brand commitment to the Nigerian economy after four years of operation in Nigeria?

Our brand commitment is to produce the best camera and printer products for the Nigerian market, we are committed to best quality products and to grow the Nigerian market in the areas of cameras and printers.

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Ě&#x201C;

Phase3 Supports Programmes for Start-ups, Small Businesses Stories by Emma Okonji Phase3 Telecom has joined in offering grants to recipients of the first edition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Glocalisation and Branding Summitâ&#x20AC;? orgarnised by

Vivacity PR in Abuja.

The initiative, which centres on promoting and providing support for private enterprise growth, budding entrepreneurs and start-ups through local

Firm to Expand Operations to Ghana, Kenya Kobo360, a technology logistics platform, has announced its expansion plan to Accra in Ghana and Nairobi in Kenya.

The expansion plan is sequel to the successful launch of its operations in Lome, Togo, the home to West Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest shipping port. The company is also considering a rapid expansion for the African start-ups.

Backed by international and African investors, including International Finance Corporation (IFC), Y Combinator and TLcom, the move comes as Kobo360 seeks to build a global logistic operating system that will power trade and commerce across Africa and emerging markets. Positioned as key trading and transport hubs on the African continent, the new territories have seen almost exclusively double-digit growth, with Togo having 12 per cent growth, Kenya 10 per cent growth, and Ghana 7.9 per cent growth.

The company is currently rolling out a beta operation in Ghana, recording over 100 trips and collaborating with clients such Olam Ghana, and expects to test the Kenyan market further, in the coming weeks. The team will meet with drivers and equip them with the tools they need to run trips effectively, while also imbibing African culture and brand affinity with the supply chain. In Nigeria, Kobo360 has stood at the forefront of logistics, covering over 80 per cent of the country and recording a 40 per cent cost

reduction in the supply chain.

The company now plans to aggressively extend to other key markets and expects to be in nine African countries before the end of 2019.

Speaking from the recent Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Co-founder and CTO of Kobo360, Ife Oyedele, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We estimate that Africa needs 10X the number of trucks to meet short-term commercial transport needs, since rail continue to underperform. Time, cost and quality are key drivers of success in logistics which is why we, at Kobo360, are building a global logistics operating system that will ensure fast movement of goods at a lower cost for businesses across Africa. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kenya is the hub of East Africa, it is the most innovative market in Technology and if we win here, we have won across the region. From here we will expand to Uganda and Tanzania. By adding Ghana to our West African territories of Togo and Nigeria, we will link all the market to a Global Logistics System and this will help us to serve our customers across a seamlessly lined Pan-African market. By this we create value to our customers as we are in all the key countries in the continent.â&#x20AC;?

To-date, the company has partnered global logistics brands including Dangote Group, DHL, Unilever and Lafarge and has moved over 297M KG of goods, serviced over 1,450 businesses and aggregated a fleet of over 10,000 drivers and trucks.

BCX, Canon Promise Quality Products with New Showroom Business Connexion (BCX) Nigeria, a full-fledged information and communications technology (ICT) operators, in collaboration with Japanese technology company, Canon have promised Nigerians of quality technology products that will be available its first showroom that was unveiled in Abuja recently.

The Managing Director, BCX, Mr. Ayo Adegboye, while speaking at the opening ceremony to unveil the showroom in Abuja, said the company commenced operations in Nigeria in 2008 with the full support of BCX in South Africa.

The showroom comprises different ranges of Canon printers including image press C850-production printer, large format printer LF770 and other printers, which are programmed to function in a fastest way and they are also easy to maintain, Adegboye said.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;BCX has opened its dedicated showroom/ service center for B2B solutions in Abuja, Nigeria. We are not just

a distributor of Canon products but we also provide after sales services and managed print services (MPS) solution across Nigeria. We also plan to open a fully-fledged Canon Experience Centre in Lagos later in the year.â&#x20AC;?

He added that the company was also running a promo on two of the printers by sponsoring an all-expense paid trip to Dubai for those who would purchase the production printer this week while the large format printer comes with a Canon camera give away.

The representative of Canon B2B in Abuja, Richard Momoh said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Canon is a world leader in office technology solutions and has developed technologies that make the devices energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Canon has a wide range of office products to suite all user requirements.â&#x20AC;?

He assured Nigerians that BCX has been certified and licensed to sell as well as support canon range of office devices and production machines.

creativity and personal branding, offers a line-up of training/workshops, facilitation, networking, development and financing programs to recipients who are looking to enter into global markets.

The founder and Chief Executive Officer at Vivacity PR, Oluwakemi Ann-Melody Areola, explained that the event, which has 900 registered participating government institutes, big corporates, MSMEs and individuals, would

bring together global and local brands to explore areas of synergy, discuss financial options, impacts of technology and social media on branding as well as the techniques that would make their products/service offerings stand out and generate projected revenues.

Chief Executive Officer, Phase3 Telecom, Stanley Jegede, said the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support for the initiative rides on a key corporate social responsibility goal to build a credible portfolio of

technology driven or related grant support programs that are measurable, impact driven, sustainable and do have transformational effects on the livelihood of Nigerians especially youths.

According to Jegede, beyond the Glocalisation and Branding Summit, Phase3 would always support genuine initiatives that uplift entrepreneurship projects, cull seamless financing solutions for small businesses and startups, promote healthy and technologically

robust commercial ecosystem, encourage industrial growth and stimulates innovation, drive business incubation ideas/exercises for Nigerians and Africans, who are looking to crystallise their professional aspirations at local and global levels.

He said the company would advocate local companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; capacity for job creation and access to viable investment options through tenable ease of doing business policies and regulations across sectors.

STAKEHOLDERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ENGAGEMENT

L-R: President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Olusola Teniola; Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Nigerian Communications Commission, Josephine Amuwa; Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Mr. Musa Istifanus, during a stakeholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; consultative forum held in Abuja...recently

Network Security Solution Provider Gets Recognition

itel Mobile Creates Public Awareness on Road Safety Nosa Alekhuogie

Sophos has announced that its next- gen endpoint solution, Sophos Intercept X, was recognised for having the highest security effectiveness and the most efficient total cost of ownership (TCO) of the 19 endpoint security products tested in the 2019 AEP Group Test published by NSS Labs.

The 2019 Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP 3.0) Group Test tested 21 products from market-leading vendors out of which 19 comparable products were presented in the Security Value Map (SVM). These products were examined for security effectiveness and total cost of ownership (TCO).

The Chief Technology Officer, Sophos, Joe Levy, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Measuring cybersecurity product effectiveness is unimaginably complex.

With threats and attack techniques increasing and evolving at an everaccelerating rate, testing houses need to make extraordinary investments in their laboratories if they are to produce meaningful and rigorous measurements of cybersecurity product effectiveness.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;But just like all cybersecurity products are not equal, not all testing houses are equal and this remains somewhat opaque to the consumers of their reports, particularly when there is insufficient transparency around methodologies or execution details. Competent independent testing labs provide a great service to vendors and buyers, and are critical to the cybersecurity ecosystem to drive higher standards of protection for all.â&#x20AC;?

Sophos Intercept X includes advanced deep learning technology, which delivers a massively scalable detection model that is able to learn the entire observable threat landscape.

With the ability to process hundreds of millions of samples, deep learning can make more accurate predictions at a faster rate with far fewer false-positives when compared to traditional machine learning.

By integrating deep learning technology, Intercept X says it is changing endpoint security from a reactive to a predictive approach to protect against unknown threats.

Mobile phone brand, itel Mobile has launched a campaign to sensitise the public and commercial tricycles popularly known as Keke Napep on the dangers of texting or receiving phone calls while driving.

The one-day campaign, which was held in Lagos recently, stressed the hazards accompanied with these acts and the various problems that has resulted from the misuse of mobile technology. in order to ensure a safer traffic environment and reduce road-related tragedies.

According to the company, this comes with keeping up with its consistent national drive to prioritise its communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs under the corporate social responsibility initiative â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love Always On,â&#x20AC;? in order to ensure a safer traffic environment and reduce road-related tragedies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In recent years, the number of road accidents in Nigeria has been on a steady increase with distracted drivers who divert attention from the road, usually to talk or text on their mobile phones, becoming one of the leading causes of road accidents,â&#x20AC;? they said.

According to reports from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), no fewer than

2,598 Nigerians died in road accidents between October 2017 and March 2018. In response to this growing concern, itel Mobile also collaborated with Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to sensitise the drivers on safe driving and road maintenance through physical demonstrations, interactive courses on driving safety, visual aids, and donations such as reflective jackets and caution stickers.

Commenting on the initiative, the Marketing Communications Manager, itel Mobile, Oke Umurhohwo, explained that itel Mobile has always been in the forefront of raising awareness on social issues that affect each one of us, irrespective of class, location or any other factor, and road safety is one of them.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We noticed that mobile phone usuage while driving in Nigeria is on the rise. As Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading customer-centric brand providing smartphones for everyone, we aim to engage in activities that ensure safer behavior, especially safe driving, to help drivers understand the intricacies and unpredictabilities of driving as accidents can happen in a brief moment. â&#x20AC;&#x153; The campaign had over thirty tricycles drive around Ikeja axis to spread awareness on safety.

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Has Payment of Pitch Fee Been suspended?

Raheem Akingbolu revisits the issue of payment of pitch fee to marketing communications agencies and wonders if its agitators have been defeated

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fter winning the indigenisation war, which was made possible by the promulgation of the indigenisation law of the 70s, advertising practitioners have faced many other challenges.

Of all, getting required recognition from government and corporate organisations appear to be the greatest challenges the practitioners are currently contending with.

The Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), the umbrella body of advertising agencies, has, from inception been concerned about deepening professionalism in the industry.

While they checkmate their members from involving in sharp practices and other acts that can tarnish the image of the association, they also point out global standard to clients.

It was the need to redefine the agency/ client relationship to tally with the international standard that brought up the issue of payment of pitch fee, which is mandatory at the international level.

In most of the advanced markets, pitch fee has been adopted as a standard order that cannot be contested. In the last 10 years, associations of advertising agencies in Asia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Indian and Japan have fought the issue of payment of pitch fee to logical conclusion.

Speaking on the justification for the fee, a former Chairman of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, (APCON), Mr. Chris Doghuje, had in a recent interview with THISDAY, said payment of pitch fee is not alien to the profession.

He likened pitching exercise to a situation whereby a client walks into a lawyer or a medical doctor, for consultation, after which the lawyer or the medical doctor is paid, even without handling any legal brief in the case of lawyers or perform any operation or administer any drug in the case of medical doctors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we pay consultancy fee to see lawyers or medical doctors, I know it may not be the same, but money exchanges hands for the service rendered. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any brand owner that wants the best result must prepare to invite as many agencies as possible. At the end you settle for one, but to make sure you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waste the time of those who came for nothing, pay them their pitch fee.

That is the international standard that cannot be contested. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come to think of it, it takes the same time to do a pitch and campaign, in some cases you spend more time and money to do a pitch than the campaign. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When it happens like that, do we expect the agency to bear the brunt alone? We shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget also that things done for free are not appreciative,â&#x20AC;? he said.

AAANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Move Few years ago, having employed all form of persuasions and dialogues with little or no result, the AAAN issued a memo with which it ordered its members to stop attending pitches that would not recognise the need for the payment of pitch fee.

According to the memo, as approved by the executive board of AAAN, copy of which was made available to THISDAY then: â&#x20AC;&#x153;With effect from Tuesday February 27, 2007: strategy representation, N500, 000; creative presentation, N500, 000; below the line (logos/look and fill etc) now cost N100, 000.00, while profile presentation is left at clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; discretion.â&#x20AC;?

It went further to state that; â&#x20AC;&#x153;recent development have necessitated the Executive Board revisiting the issue of proper remuneration for member agencies during pitch exercises. It has became clear the current figures do not take into cognisant the value and volume of efforts that go into pitch exerciseâ&#x20AC;?.

The board also discussed with some concern the prevalent issue of members not advising prospective client on the need to pay pitch fee and cases where members still go ahead and participate in the pitches when the prospect indicate there would be no pitch fees.

While stating that it was a clear valuation of existing rules of the association and that it was a sanctionable, the board according to the memo urged members that the issue of pitch/

rejection fee must be discussed and agreed with prospect/client before a pitch, and where the prospect or client is unwilling to pay, members were told to decline participation in the exercise.

The memo further enjoined heads of memberagencies to inform their association of any unprofessional conduct by client or colleagues, before, during or after a pitch exercise.

A former AAAN President, Lolu Akinwumi, under whom the issue can be said to have been mostly debated and reviewed, was optimistic when he commented on the issue in an interview with THISDAY that the two parties would soon agree finally on it.

He said the association intensified the issue of compliance in respect of pitch fees few years ago and has managed to create a higher level of industry awareness about the reason and the need for it.

Akinwumi, also stated that AAAN then empowered and educate members on the need to and how to comply To this end, he disclosed that the association has instituted tougher sanctions against erring members and educated clients on various types of pitch processes and how to go about each one within the year under review. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the period, we have therefore recorded a measure of success, some which were well reported in the media. As an association we continue to pursue this objective responsibly. . â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are however aware that we are not

In all these, our agencies have a lot of blame because of how cheap they have carried themselves, how lily-livered they have accepted anything from their clients and how selďŹ sh and ignorant they have been in selling to their clients that they are of inferior value to their South African counterparts, even when they have to manage brands they know so much about

likely to record 100 per cent compliance record immediately; clearly there will still be a few leakages every now and again. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As determined, as the AAAN is to ensure a higher level of compliance, the association at the moment hardly possesses the capacity for a more effective monitoring.

Overall, the situation today is better than a few years ago and it will continue to get betterâ&#x20AC;? he said.

To another former president of the association and the Managing Director of SO & U Saatchi and Saatchi, the payment and nonpayment of the fee by clients is the yardstick to judge if a particular client is responsible or not. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All good and responsible clients pay pitch fees. At worst, they request a negotiated settlement. Problems is that most times, agency representatives at first contact meetings forget to raise the issue, or are too timid about it, or lack supporting arguments to justify, or just too desperate for the business to insist on things being done according to the rules.â&#x20AC;?

With his experience as a former leader of the association, Ufot said that once agencies bring AAAN into such disputes, and lined up firmly behind the leadership, clients eventually cooperate.

The Chief Executive Officer of TBWA/Concept, Kelechi Nwosu also toed this line.

In his reaction, he stated that the professional marketing savvy clients usually pay pitch fees, while the group that avoids it is the not savvy and experienced companies. While urging AAAN to continue with the education of both practitioners and agencies on the issue, he added that; â&#x20AC;&#x153;far more important is the need for pitches to be merit driven and depend less on nonprofessional consideration.

Operating Environment On the question of whether the Nigerian environment is not ripe for the payment of the fee, the Managing Director of Fuel Communications Limited, Mr. Tunji Abioye, disagreed, saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing like our market not being ripe for the payment of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pitch feeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. First, the fee idea is needed to inject some seriousness into the pitch process (which sometimes could be infested with abuse and mischief). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Second, my view is that agencies (regardless of size and age) must learn to respect the ground rule on pitch fee.â&#x20AC;?

He went on to point out that adherence to the rule was one of the many ways the industry can earn her respect. According to Abioye, if it is enforced, clients will acknowledge it and oblige.

Commenting on the rationale behind the issuing of memo in 2007 and the guide issued recently, on how brand owners can choose their agencies, the executive secretary of the AAAN,

Mr. Lekan Fadolapo, said the new position was informed by the association concern over all sorts of pitches which were becoming unnecessary. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If any brand manager arrives, he calls for a pitch, if a new marketing boss is appointed a pitch is called, if a person in power disagrees with any agency on principle, he or she call for a pitch. It is even more worrisome when many agencies are called. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In recent time, we have seen pitches that have been thrown up perhaps to show that a new man or woman is now in control. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been a sorry tale of mostly selfish clients, with people who do not value the essence of marketing communications, except seeing it as an avenue to enrich their pockets, manning their corporate affairs department. They want to get the best of their creative people, yet not ready to respect creative process. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In all these, our agencies have a lot of blame because of how cheap they have carried themselves, how lily-livered they have accepted anything from their clients and how selfish and ignorant they have been in selling to their clients that they are of inferior value to their South African counterparts, even when they have to manage brands they know so much about. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That is why our clients can pay any amount to get some cheap service from South Africa while they resist any fee from our own agencies a â&#x20AC;&#x153;favourâ&#x20AC;?.

One of the prices our agencies have paid and still paying is that of refusal to pay pitch fee for time spent on, sometime fruitless and spurious pitches.â&#x20AC;? The executive secretary stated.

It is not only Fadolapo that blamed agency owners for their desperation, a brand analyst and the Publisher of Marketing Edge Magazine, Mr. John Ajayi, said the way some agencies make overture to clients as soon as they perceive a pitch is approaching could make clients look down upon them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because of desperation for business, agencies that are not invited for pitch often force themselves on clients. They will want to appear by all means and when the client finally gives its nod, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s albeit reluctantly, how do we expect such approach to be respected? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of course, such agency would just be part of the crowd for nothing. In fact, it will be difficult to open mouth and ask for pitch fee when you gatecrash. I think what is needed to be done is for AAAN members to go back too and re-orientate their members on how not to pursue business.â&#x20AC;? Ajayi said.

With many agencies struggling for survival under a harsh economy and silence on the part of the promoters of the proposition, many concerned analysts are worried if stakeholders in advertising and public relations industry are still keen about the payment of the fee.

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Olalere: Online Shopping is RedeďŹ ning the Nigerian Market The Chief Executive Officer of Numero Groups, owner of Dozen Price, an e-commerce firm, Omowunmi Olalere speaks to Raheem Akingbolu about the growth and challenges of e-commerce in Nigeria.

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but the idea of having to pay afterwards has really helped us to promote the brand.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not for everybody so what we try to do to limit the risk is to engage the corporate organizations directly so we write to them, then once the staff make their own orders, they send their orders to us. Immediately we complete the transaction, we advance the HR so that the debit is scaled in. so, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been seamless, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a structure on ground, we have staff that monitor that all the time.

hat is your view about online and e-commerce industry in Nigeria?

Among other opportunities, the birth of online shopping that came with the internet boom has redefined Nigerian purchasing patterns over the years. Of course, it has also continued to deepen operations in the financial sector as the banking public and consumers of insurance products now do more online than physical appearance in the banking hall.

Like in every new thing, embracing e-Commerce as alternative shopping experience was, at the beginning, tough for Nigerians. In the last few years, both the operators and consumers have recorded both their high and low moments. While it has eased the mode of transaction, there have also been stories of scammers and attacks on delivery agents.

But today, despite the hitches, it is obvious that consumers who have bought into the system are growing in folds every day.

You launched an e-commerce ďŹ rm called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dozen Priceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; a year ago, what was your mission?

Dozen Price is our online retail store where we sell home groceries, household items, and personal care on bulk purchases using a flexible payment pattern. This service is available to people in corporate organisations, especially paid employment. It has been in existence for over a year now. We started the business in February 2018 and so far, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been promising.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been getting clients and we intend to build the brand more than it is.

Can you please give the reason why you target only the working class?

We streamlined it that way because of the selling point. The online dozen stores have a lot of competitors so we thought of what we can do differently. Aside our target market that was cleverly another unique selling point of our brand is the introduction of the flexible payment pattern. When we say flexible payment, you can actually buy your own groceries, your own items and then you pay after a certain time. You can pay at the end of the month or we give you two months to pay. So, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier for us to use people in the paid employment so that we could guarantee our source of repayment from their salary, from their employers. Their employers or the HR pay us at the end of the month. So it gives our clients the comfort that they can actually come online, shop for their items and pay us at a later date.

Olalere

How do you determine the employment status of your customers?

We have put a measure in place to have basic information about our customers. They need to provide some form of information, we are also registered with CRC, we do credit checks on them to find out their eligibility to determine if we can actually proceed with the facility. People make purchases of N20, 000; N50, 000, to buy indomie, cornflakes, milk and all those basic items that you need in the house. So, what we do is we write proposals to corporate organisations, we write to the HR, corporate organisations, they call us for presentation and then they sell it to their staff.

What informed the decision to start the business in the ďŹ rst place?

To start with, I have passion for e-commerce and credit facility offering, perhaps of my banking

industry background. I was inspired because first, I love shopping and second, my professional experience, having resigned from the bank to start my own company. So, I like bulk purchases, I like to buy my things in bulk and the credit that was introduced into Dozen Price was as a result of what I practiced while in paid employment. I was involved in offering credit facility, offering personal loans, salary advance and all that. So, the two mixed together, it was a mixture of passion and professional experience.

Over a year after the launch, what has been the feedback?

Fine, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promising and I think the selling point is actually the flexible payment. People love access to credit facility so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier for them and that has been selling the brand, compared to a situation where you will be conditioned to pay upfront. If we insist on cash before service, we might not have gotten to where we are now

What are the challenges you have faced so far?

One major challenge we have encountered is a situation whereby a staff resigned while still in debt and the company where he or she worked now repaid the facility. The employer paid because the customer still had some outstanding remuneration that they were supposed to give him, so they debited from that. But thank God that we noticed on time and we were able to alert them for them to debit from his remuneration.

However, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a learning point for us because we have some organisations where those owing us will not even have remuneration at the end of the day, so how do we get our money. What we have done in this regard is to tidy that end.

To this end, we have informed the employers on our platform that before they lay off any staff, they should find out from us if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any obligation.

The other challenge that we have is logistics.

Sometimes we have a number of orders that the logistics and facilities that we have cannot accommodate. A follow up to this is the traffic logjam in Lagos metropolis, which often affects our delivery system. For instance, if dispatchers have four clients to cover in a day but due to traffic they are able to cover three, we have to start calling the customers and apologising to them for rescheduling. Sometimes, we even use Uber and that comes at the loss. You have charged the customer for N2, 000 and because there is such, they cut costs to six thousand naira and you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go back to the customer to say thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a difference. We have to bear the loss.

What advice can you give to startups operating in Nigeria, despite the peculiar challenges of doing business in the market?

One, any potential entrepreneur in this market must be steadfast. It is important to constantly review strategies and involve in market research.

In our small company for instance, we involve in frequent strategy session to learn from our mistakes, learn from the failure and try to improve better.

Panasonic Trains Technicians, Engineers

NB Pioneers Solar Powered Brewery in Africa

Jonathan Eze

Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB) and the CrossBoundary Energy, have announced the signing of Heinekenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first solar project in Africa.

CrossBoundary Energy would be installing and operating a 650 kW solar plant located at NBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ibadan Brewery, the solar energy plant will become operational in 2019. The project, according to the promoters, is the first of its kind for Nigeria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a fully-financed solar power purchase agreement for a major Nigerian business customer.

A statement signed by NB Director of Corporate Affairs, Sade Morgan, explained that CrossBoundary Energy would operate the rooftop facility on behalf of Nigerian Breweries as part of a 15-year solar services agreement.

Under the agreement, NB would only pay for solar power produced, receiving a single monthly bill that incorporates all maintenance, monitoring, insurance and financing costs.

In a renewed drive to boost its after-sales service delivery capacity, Panasonic Africa Division, along with its Nigeria partner, Panaserv Nigeria Limited, recently organised a special training programme in Lagos and Abuja for its technical staff, channel partners and freelance technicians and engineers on air conditioners installation and repairs The training attracted delegates and engineers from Panasonic Japan, Malaysia Factory & from Regional Head Quarters in Dubai, as major resource as well as the best of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core technical staff in all the Panaserv service centres located in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.

Speaking on the essence of the training, one of the two Chief Trainers from Panasonic, Mr. Premsankar Vijayan, stated that enhancement for all technical partners was an activity that is

ingrained in the culture of the organisation, reaffirming that the company would continue to empower more technicians with requisite skills.

Vijayan explained that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;These training sessions offer all participants the opportunity to update their skills in residential air conditioner installation and the use of ultra-modern tools for accurate diagnoses and repairs of air conditioners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is why among the equipment being deployed for practical demonstrations here include the latest models of gas leakage detectors, digital temperature thermometers, and vacuum machines, automated gas refilling machines, portable welding machines, clamp meters and several others.â&#x20AC;?

Vijayan, further explained that the training would deepen the pool of well-trained technicians that would not only assist the company in offering after-sale services to its customers but also

help to bridge the technical skills gap in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Panasonic believes in complementing our superior product quality with excellent customer service delivery. That is why training and re-training of our staff is an important part of our processâ&#x20AC;? he said.

Panaserv Nigeria Limited has continued to demonstrate its commitment to full scale customer service with a growing number of sales and service centres all of which enjoy the support of the Panasonic Corporation of Japan with supplies of genuine spares, the latest diagnostic equipment and technical assistance in continuous training.

With the sustained strides in staff training by the company, coupled with year on year product improvements, Nigerians are further assured of superior value from Panasonic products with many years of trouble-free enjoyment of any item in the range.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The solar plant will supply 1GWh annually to the Ibadan brewery at a significant discount to their current cost of power, while reducing the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CO2 emissions by over 10,000 tonnes over the lifespan of the plant.â&#x20AC;?

Jordi Borrut Bel, Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are delighted to be a pioneer in the adoption of solar energy in Nigeria. The solar plant will help power our world-class brewery in Ibadan, enabling us to deliver on commitments under our â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Brewing a Better Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; initiatives and supporting Heinekenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Drop the Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122; programme for renewable energy.â&#x20AC;?

Through the initiative, Heineken aims to grow its share of production related energy sourced from renewables from the current level of 14 per cent to 70 per cent by 2030. â&#x20AC;&#x153;NBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brewing a Better World initiative has further targeted a 40 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030,â&#x20AC;? the Supply

Chain Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Martin Kochl said.

On his part, the Head of Business Development for CrossBoundary Energy, Femi Fadugba said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited to be helping Nigerian Breweries go solar and to be providing the site with cleaner, cheaper power with no upfront investment or technical risk. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m also proud that this flagship project â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the first of its kind in Nigeria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will be launched in my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hometown of Ibadan.â&#x20AC;?

CrossBoundary Energy has commissioned TPN to design and build the plant as well as performing operations and maintenance immediately after commissioning. Ruud van Milligen, General Manager for TPN said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are grateful that we, as an Energy Solutions partner for Nigerian Breweries, and CrossBoundary Energy can contribute to the renewable goals of Nigerian Breweries with our custom-made energy solutions and best-in-class operations and maintenance operations.â&#x20AC;?

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°ÍśË&#x153; Ͱ͎ͯ͡

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Eatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;go Deepens Market Penetration across Nigeria Stories by Raheem Akingbolu Eatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Go Limited, the Nigerian franchisee for Dominoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizza and its two other brands, Cold Stone Creamery and Pinkberry Gourmet Frozen Yoghurt, is adding new stores across several cities in Nigeria as part of its expansion project in 2019.

According to the company, the launch of the new stores at new locations nationwide reinforces the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dedication to bringing the best global food brands and concepts to Nigeria and Africa at large.

Following a successful year in 2018, Eatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Go was said to have expanded its presence in seven states in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, Ogun, and Rivers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; adding Kwara and Akure in only Q1 of 2019, and aims to deliver new outlets in the South-South region in Q2. The company is set to open more branches of its brands in Lagos, Enugu, and Abuja in coming months. Meanwhile, the company has stated in a statement that the establishment of these new stores will further increase the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staff strength from the already existing 2000

staff across board.

The CEO, Eatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Go Limited, Patrick McMichael, was quoted to have expressed his delight on the advancement so far. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are on a mission to keep providing mouthwatering treats to lovers of Pizza, Ice Cream and Frozen Yoghurt all over Nigeria. It is such a great opportunity for us to be able to deliver our products and services to yet more and more states nationwide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to keep investing profoundly in opening new stores in different locations so that everyone, everywhere can have easy access to all the yummy treats we have to offer. We believe that this expansion process is a key step that reaffirms our position as the leading player in the quick service restaurant industry in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The brand looks forward to increasing its network of consumer touch points while still delivering first-rate quality products and services. We are excited about the level of growth the brands have seen so far in Nigeria as a result of how well the members of our host communities have welcomed and patronised our delicious foods and snacks.â&#x20AC;?

Advertising Practitioners Vow to Check Vandalisation of Bill Boards Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Piqued by the indiscriminate vandalisation of advertorial bill boards and related materials in Kwara state, the Advertising Practitionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Forum (APF) has vowed to collaborate with security agencies so as to curb the menace in the state.

The state interim chairman of the forum, Mr. Adedeji Olumide Adebowale stated this in Ilorin, while speaking with journalists shortly after the maiden inauguration of the forum.

He described as a disturbing trend, the nefarious activities of thugs and other miscreants who often descend on advertorial materials erected on road facilities, especially during political campaigns.

Adebowale, who identified advertising practitioners on outdoor advertisement as worst hit in the vandalisation of bill boards and other effects, alleged that the men of the underworld

were out to discourage them from their businesses.

He noted that the forum under his leadership would be willing to collaborate with security formations to put an end to the unwholesome activities of the vandals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Collaboration with security agencies is very cardinal in the next phase of our endeavor.

We are going to do a lot of engagements with them (security agencies) to ensure that we have some synergy and synchronisation with the way we work. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those of us who are into outdoor advertisement, we have issues with thugs and miscreants, who go about trying to discourage us from this business of ours. We are very optimistic that there is a brighter future ahead of usâ&#x20AC;?, he said.

Speaking on the effects of camping advertorials in the just concluded elections in the state, the APF interim chairman

said the messages contained in them captivated and enlightened the electorate with which they decided on the candidates of their choice.

He added that the environment was somewhat conducive for the professionals to conduct their advertising businesses in the state. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was little saner and less dangerous in Kwara even though at some points, there were some vandalism. But specifically in advertising, the messages were adequately passed with one or two lapsesâ&#x20AC;?, Olumide said.

The state APF interim chairman, who is also the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, BEAULD Communications, informed that the group would soon launch an offensive war to dissuade high rate of quackery in the advertising industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We understand that there are lots of people who are contravening and carrying out wrong doings in the advertising

industry. The forum is now here to ensure we support APCON in surveillance and enlightenment, because the first step towards preventing crime or offence is enlightening people, who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know it is an offence in the first placeâ&#x20AC;?, he maintained.

In his remarks, the General Manager of Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Kwara), Alhaji Abdullateef Adebowale Adedeji, noted that professional advertising practitioners had shirked in their responsibility hence the rise in number of quacks in the industry.

Adedeji, who described advertising as an intellectual business and full of research, said it behooves the professionals to elevate their status if they intend to practice.

The maiden meeting of the advertising professionals was attended by advertising executives from broadcasting stations in the state.

Firm Acquires Alcoholic Brand Kensington Distillers and Vintners (KDV) has acquired the 1960 Rootz brand to form Monument Distillers Nigeria Limited which will also represent a range of international brands in Nigeria.

Owners of the international brands Bannermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finest Scotch Whiskey, Grace du Roi Fine Wine and Mazzatti Italian Beer, Kensington Distillers & Vintners (KDV), have made a significant investment into Nigeria with the recent acquisition of the 1960 Rootz brand.

Having purchased both the brand and its manufacturing plant used to produce 1960 Rootz from AB InBev, KDV are forming a new business called Monument Distillers, creating jobs in the process. The production facility will shortly be moved from AB InBevâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Port Harcourt production facility to Lagos where KDVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offices are based.

Monument Distillers Managing Director, Ajay Malhotra, assures Nigerians that the 1960 Rootz brand will remain unchanged.

He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;AB In Bev built an extremely successful brand in 1960 Rootz, and we believe it has the potential to lead this uniquely Nigerian flavored spirits category which grew by 21% from 2016 to 2017. We wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be changing anything â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much- loved taste will remain the same,â&#x20AC;?

He went on to explain that KDV have plans to build on the success of this proudly Nigerian brand: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are delighted to be given the opportunity to continue to grow 1960 Rootz and for us to use our newly-formed Monument Distillers business to accelerate the growth of our international brands.â&#x20AC;?

In addition to manufacturing and owning the 1960 Rootz brand and representing international KDV brands â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bannermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finest Scotch Whiskey and Grace du Roi Fine Wines â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Monument Distillers will be launching a number of exciting new international brands in Nigeria soon under the guidance of respected board members.

Global Accelerex Bags Award One of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading payment terminal service providers, Global Accelerex Limited, has been rewarded for its exceptional performance in the Nigerian electronic payment ecosystem for 2018 at the annual Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Electronic Payment Efficiency Awards organized by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) in Lagos over the weekend.

The company was awarded for its outstanding performance as Cashless Driver: Point of Sales Transactions after it achieved the highest volume of transactions on Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals managed on behalf of banks in 2018.

According to the organisers, the award put into consideration electronic payment transactions data rendered to the CBN by banks and other licenced payment service providers, public voting and surveys administered to industry stakeholders for transactions within the year under review.

The NIBSS Electronic Payment Efficiency Awards is an annual event to recognize, reward and encourage stakeholders in the payments ecosystem driving the CBN cashless agenda. It is also to appreciate efforts geared towards driving adoption of epayment across service delivery channels and the promotion of financial inclusion.

BUSINESS FAIR

L-R: Managing Director/Founder, Connect Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Okafor; Assistant General Manager, Marketing and Communications, Rack Center, Mrs. Ejieke Maduka Ezeadiugwu; Director General, Nigeria-America Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Joy Akpata and Business Development Executive, Lagoon Hospitals, Mr. Charles Udeze, during a press brieďŹ ng on Connect forth-coming business fair in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śrecently PHOTO: AKINYELE ABAYOMI

International Breweries, Distributors to Strengthen Partnership The International Breweries Plc, a member of AB InBev, recently hosted its distribution partners across the country to a gala night in Lagos.

The event was an opportunity for the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distributors, trade partners and other key stakeholders within the distribution value chain to exchange ideas, as well as deepen business relationships.

It also provided the company an opportunity to fete and commend the performance of the distributor partners, with those who had excelled in their performance in the recent financial year, winning delectable prizes.

Delivering her remarks, Managing Director, International Breweries, Mrs. Annabelle Degroot, was full of praise for

the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distributors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to spend this evening celebrating and thanking our special partners in our business, our distributors. The successes we recorded in 2018 would not have been possible without your hard work and commitment.â&#x20AC;?

While commending the stellar performance, however, Degroot reminded the distribution partners that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;standing still was not an option, going forward,â&#x20AC;? adding that as a very ambitious organisation keen on meeting the needs of consumers across the country, neither the International Breweries PLC organisation nor its trade and distribution partners would rest on their oars. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are looking forward to a 2019 that will be even more impactful than 2018.â&#x20AC;?

Speaking on the role and the relationship that exists between the company and its valued distributors, National Sales Director, Godwin Oche, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our distributor-partners play a very critical role in our supply chain and I am particularly proud of the synergy that exists between them and our team.â&#x20AC;?

Oche added that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;From overseeing the movements of products from our factories to the points of sale and managing all attendant risks, our distributors have been able to bring real value to our consumers and in good time too, which has helped to enhance our reach and ensure year-round availability of our leading product brands across the country.â&#x20AC;?

Speaking further, Degroot assured the distribution partners

that in the best traditions of ABInBev, International Breweries would continue to engage them closely and render support to their businesses.

Degroot also reminded the distribution partners about the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to its communities and sustainability in general. International Breweries, she said, would continue to invest in the provision of potable water to its communities, while also availing prospective entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial training and support including mentorship.

The company, she added would, by virtue of its membership of the Beer Sector Group of the Manufacturersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association of Nigeria, remain very committed to driving responsible alcohol use in Nigeria.

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CBN to Outline Regulation for Fintechs Ugo Aliogo The recently created Payment System Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been charged with the responsibility of regulating the activities of the financial Technology Companies (Fintechs) and other financial institutions under the digital development.

Speaking recently in Lagos, at the Annual Retreat of Chief Compliance Officers with the theme: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Digital Revolution; Repositioning Compliance Function in Nigeria Banksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the Group Head, ML Safety, Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), Joseph Gina, said with the creation of the department the CBN was moving ahead to ensure that it was in tune with the global realities.

Gina explained that regulation is very important for the smooth running of institutions, stating that the CBN has always made sure that financial institutions are properly regulated to promote soundness in the financial system.

He said effective regulation would make the financial institutions attractive to domestic and international investors and also in compliance with global trends. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the area of compliance, I think we are doing well that is why you will notice that the CBN is constantly collaborating with the operators and the financial institutions so that we are all in tune with what is happening in the world and making sure that nobody is left behind. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are strong as our weakest link and we cannot take things for granted. What is certain is that

all their challenges are addressed; also they understand that what is expected of them and once they are able to do that, then they are able to carry out their functions effectively. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the area of compliance, you will recall that there was a time Nigeria was placed on the blacklist as one of the none corporative countries because it was discovered that our sanction regimes were not proportionate and dissuasive enough, therefore what CBN did in 2018 was to come up with the anti-money laundering/administrative sanction regime which came into effect in February, 2018 and that was to put things in focus and make sure that things are working appropriately.â&#x20AC;?

In his remarks, the Chairman, Association of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria, (ACCOBIN), Opeyemi Adojutelgan, noted that in order for compliance officers to remain relevant in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world, there is need for them must learn new skills.

He also stated that compliance officers have to understand what the digital revolution means for the banks that the officers represent, adding that and this is why we brought some of the leading practitioners on global issues such as crypto currency, artificial intelligence and it is part of our own way of ensuring that as compliance practitioners that we are up skilled in these areas.

We are up to speed with recent global developments and we will continue to remain relevant and continue to play the role we play in our respective organisations.

FG Seeks Increased Private Sector Partnership Ugo Aliogo The Minister for Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed has expressed the desire of the federal government to increase its partnership with the private sector.

This, according to her, would translate to an increased flow of private capital into the economy and stimulate economic growth.

Ahmed, who disclosed this in Lagos on Tuesday, at the 125 years anniversary lecture of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, with theme: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Institutional Impact on Economic Growth and Improved Living Standard.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; She stated that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would ensure that it provide enough policy incentive

that would attract capital both locally and international. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The global interdependencies as catalyst for Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ascendancy are both an opportunity and a threat for us in Africa.

There are a lot of risks; some of them are within our control. While others are not. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We must as government ensure that we are able to build fiscal purpose, and also that we are providing enough policy incentive that will attract capital both locally and international,â&#x20AC;? she noted.

The minister explained that in the area of policy, the administration was making frantic efforts in addressing infrastructural deficit, which she described as too large for

the present government or any government to tackle alone.

She assured Nigerians of the desire of the federal government to intensify efforts in terms of enabling the business environment and improving security, both physical security and security of capital.

She added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We must do more than we are doing now in terms of enabling the business environment and improving security, both physical security and security of capital. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So that when investors choose to come to Nigeria they are comfortable enough that their investments will grow and flourish, so that they can bring their monies in and take it out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So we must learn from

the mistakes we made in the past. We must make sure that the present reality that we live in that we accelerate fiscal purpose that we invest and we also make sure that investment is done on a consistency basis.â&#x20AC;?

In his keynote address, the guest speaker, Prof.

Daron Acemoglu, noted that high quality growth was only visible with inclusive institutions, adding that democracy is gives people a voice which he noted is vital for inclusive institutions.

He added that tax revenue is the life blood of developing nations, therefore added social pact is vital increasing growth, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and revenues would help in addressing healthcare and education.â&#x20AC;?

Mastercardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rajamannar Named WFA President The WFA has announced a new leadership team and elected Mastercardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Raja Rajamannar, as its new president.

He will serve a two-year term as WFA President, with the option to extend for a further two years.

Rajamannar, has worked for Mastercard since 2013, and in particular has led the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketing transformation, including the integration of the Marketing and Communication functions, evolution of its Priceless experiential platform, and creation of cutting edge marketing-led business models into the core of the company. Recently, he pioneered Mastercardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s move to become a symbol brand and the launch of its breakthrough sonic brand platform.

He also serves as president of Mastercardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Healthcare Division in addition to his role as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer.

With more than 30 years of experience as a global executive across multiple industries, previous roles include Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, WellPoint (now Anthem, Inc.); Chief Executive, International and Chief Innovation & Marketing Officer, Humana; Global Chief Marketing Officer, Cards and Payments, Citigroup; and CEO of Diners Club North America.

Raja started his career with

Asian Paints in India.

He replaces David Wheldon, CMO at RBS, who has been president since 2015. Wheldon will continue to serve on WFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Committee as Regional Vice-President for Western Europe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The opportunity in front of marketers today to make a difference for their brand, their business and even the world is tremendous. I am honoured to pick up and carry the torch as President of WFA, an organization committed to elevating and advancing the activities of our profession, and a role I am convinced will become even more important in the years to come,â&#x20AC;? Rajamannar said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thrilled to be working with Raja as our new President.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the very best in the business and his work at Mastercard demonstrates how marketers can deliver unrivalled business and social impact when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at the top of their game,â&#x20AC;?

Stephan Loerke, CEO of WFA said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d also like to thank David for his invaluable service as President. He is nothing short of a giant in the global marketing industry and he has helped lift the organisation to another level in terms of its relevance to CMOs, its strategic focus and its global expansion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re delighted heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agreed to stay on our Executive Committee and help steer the organisation through future challenges.â&#x20AC;?

PRODUCT LAUNCH

L-R: Senior Sales/Marketing Manager, B2C, Canon CNA, Amine Djouahra; TY Bello and Country Manager, Canon Nigeria, Omotayo Omodia, at the launch of a new product in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śrecently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

Experts Charge FG, Doctors to Halt Brain Drain Sunday Ehigiator In a bid to address the seeming decay in the healthcare sector, some experts have advised states, federal government and medical practitioners to address the challenge of brain drain and capital flight in the country.

Speaking at an event organised by EY, a global professional services firm, the Head and Partner, EY Transaction Advisory Services, West Africa, Olufemi Alabi, stressed the need to adopt the Indian model in the healthcare sector to address the challenges faced by the sector.

Alabi, also explained that the Indian model is focused on maximising the enormous benefits of digitalisation and technology, saying the Indian model works where medical practitioners go down to the hinterlands to provide medical services to the people even below the cost of what their

counterparts collect elsewhere.

He further added that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We at EY are not after the problems in the health care sector, but we are looking at the solutions and we are reassuring Nigerians that the untapped potential in the sector Cam be harness through a collaboration amongst stakeholders and the government.â&#x20AC;?

Speaking at the event, the founder of The Flying Doctors Nigeria, Dr Ola Brown, urged the federal government to prioritise the health of its citizens.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Citizens do not have confidence in our health care sector, these have caused a fall in our Gross Domestic product(GDP) and inevitable loss of Life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The government at all levels should partner with private sector to make our medical services felt by all and sundry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Also the financial Institu-

tions must be ready to support the health care sector to avert further decay in the sector.

Similarly, the Director, PharmaAccess, Dr Olamide Okulaja, tasked the federal government to strengthen existing laws in the health care sector and enact more policies and as well fund the health care sector in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) standard.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The government must know that Health care sector is a viable sector to invest in and make huge returns. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a crime of Nigeria becomes a medical tourists centre in Africa and beyond, unfortunately most Medical practitioners who could not move out of Nigeria have dives into other profession because to them the Practise here is frustrating. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The government must respect the value of Life and do everything to give its citizens the best, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high time

our leaders stopped increasing the GDP of other countries through their medical tours.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even advisable to subsidize the sector like other sectors if we must improve quality health management systemâ&#x20AC;? he added.

Furthermore, the panellists called on the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to tighten its belt by ensuring that the Rights of Patients in Nigeria hospitals are enforced, especially The Right to Life.

They also called for the enforcement of Bill of Patientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rights in Nigeria as well as National Health Insurance.

They also called National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), Insurance companies, National Population Commission (NPC), National Bureau of Statistics(NBS) and other relevant government agencies to have up-to -date Data for use by investors, policy makes, planning and economic analysis.

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BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Curbing Illicit Financial Flows in Extractive Industry In this report, Ugo Aliogo examines efforts of stakeholders to curb illicit financial flows in the country

I

llicit Financial Flows (IFF) has become a dominant theme while discussing domestic resource mobilisation.

Its importance in the global agenda is reflected by its mention in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) document as a challenge that must be addressed.

That was why at a one-day stakeholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; engagement event with the theme: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Towards Curbing Illicit Flow in the Extractive Sector in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), under the Conflict and Fragility (C&F) Theory of Change Under the OXFAMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Global Strategic Partnership, the discussion took a new dimension as stakeholders proffered solutions on way forward.

The Programme Manager, Environment and Conservation of Nature, CISLAC, Kolawole Banwo, while speaking at the forum, said illicit financial flow results to revenue loss to the country.

Banwo, said illicit financial flow affects governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to fund development because monies that should have been put together into the budget are fretted away through illegitimate means.

He also noted that the campaign is aimed at making sure that stakeholders are able to develop the framework to ensure that resources are available for national development, while government on their part has a duty to take action.

He explained that civil society organisations (CSOs) have a duty to take advocacy and do research, and make recommendations for the government on what can be done and advocate to specific agencies of government specific steps they should take.

The CISLAC, Programme Manager, further noted that the extractive sector is a very peculiar industry because it is dominated by foreign capital and foreign technology, adding that there are foreign companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which have subsidiaries, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and one of the ways that illicit financial fraud takes place is when foreign companies trade with their subsidiaries.â&#x20AC;?

Banwo, noted that the foreign companies engage in dealings and inflict its cost, saying when such occur, it reduces the foreign companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; profit margin and reduce the tax the companies are to pay because tax is paid, â&#x20AC;&#x153;meanwhile they are transferring the monies to themselves because the subsidiary is a part of the mother company so it leaves the country and the nation loses.â&#x20AC;?

He added that during importation, importers inflict the cost of importation, and reduce certain charges to ensure that less tax is paid, stating that there are illegalities in the such as oil bunkering, and oil theft, â&#x20AC;&#x153;all of these are illicit flow leaving the country.â&#x20AC;?

According to Banwo, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Curbing illicit financial flows require a multi stakeholder approach.

It is only possible through the combination of multiple approaches that include policy, laws, and administrative tools. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will demand inter-agency collaboration, enforcement of laws and sanctions and capacity and economic initiatives that will prevent, detect and recover revenues lost due to IFF. It involved short, medium and long term strategies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is need for establishment of beneficial ownership information/registry publicly available (CAC/NEITI/DPR/MCO. There is also need for implementation of Automatic Information Exchange (NFIU/FIRS/DPR/ NCS and Country-by-Country reporting , (FIRS/DPR/NNPC ).â&#x20AC;?

From the event it was learnt that Oxfam International has been playing a role in the campaign and it is tired to the global strategic partnership programme under the conflict and strategy change theory.

Oxfamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Role A representative of Oxfam who pleaded anonymity noted that as an International Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO), Oxfamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role is to coordinate platform and stakeholders to galvanize their interest in terms

of how Oxfam can block revenues linkages within the country.

The representative also noted that if the revenue linkages are blocked, it would allow government get the monies and use it for development purposes.

The representative added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also want to see an era where communities will have a voice in the entire process, what project should go into budget for instance and what type of needs they have at community level. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to get to that level where communities are able to engage with policy holders in terms of the type of policies that should benefit them directly and the indicators that should tell if those policies are being implemented or not and in terms of how it affects the people directly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to see that point where the linkages from our shores are reduced to the barest minimum, not as it is right now in order to bring in a better governance process within our system.â&#x20AC;?

NEITI Report The Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) new report entitled: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Averting Illicit Financial Flows in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Extractive Industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; noted that the extractive industry which consists of the oil and gas sector and the solid minerals sector.

The report also noted that the most dominant one, however, is oil and gas, adding that it accounts for 9.6 percent of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while solid minerals contributes less than 1percent according to figures released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the first quarter of 2018.

NEITI in the report stated that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in its annual report of 2017, oil and gas accounted for 56.2 percent of total federally collected revenue.

It added that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report on foreign trade stated that crude oil exports contributed 83.17 percent of total exports in Nigeria during Q3, 2017, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the contribution by the solid minerals industry to both revenue and export is less than 1 percent.â&#x20AC;?

According to the report: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The civil society advocacy has been recognized globally as a way to combat corruption and illicit financial flows. Therefore, it is no doubt that involvement of civil society organisations in Nigeria will help reduce the vulnerabilities that create IFFs opportunities within the extractive industry.

A network of civil society organisations with particular focus on anti-corruption

and financial crimes should be established.

Periodic workshops on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;IFFs in extractive industry in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; should be organised to build capacity of civil society within this network. In addition, collaboration with civil society will help create public awareness and this can proffer robust strategies to fight IFFs in the industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is need to develop an anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC) policy framework.

The lack of enforcement of Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC) policy has been identified as one of the challenges facing extractive industry in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To this end, this study invites extractive industry governance institutions to come up with ABC policy frameworks that can be implemented to eradicate IFFs within the industry. This will involve design and implementation of strategies to combat corruption and IFFs originated from the operation of extractive industry. These agencies can setup Anti-Bribery and Corruption Desk (ABCD) within oil and gas and Solid Minerals sectors across Nigeria to help track incidence of IFFs in industry going forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Templates can be developed to report incidence of IFFs and the Anti-Bribery and Corruption Desk officers can be appointed to submit periodic incidence report to the existing Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) and the NFIU. The reporting regime of IFFs within the extractive industry will exposed the illicit enrichment of politically exposed persons that are abusing public offices at the expense of national development. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Solvability factor model of IFFs in the extractive industry .The solvability factor model is a scientific approach to combat IFFs in the extractive industry. This model will probe all challenges faced in the industry in the quest to provide scientific solution.

This project will be divided into three stages. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first stage will probe the extractive industry threats and illicit opportunities.

The second stage will develop mechanisms to combat the risks associated with threats and illicit opportunities impeding transparency of the extractive industry in Nigeria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The final stage, which is the third face, will test the mechanisms to combat IFFs in the industry and deploy solution to mitigate threats. It is no doubt that the extractive industry in Nigeria lacks a robust data management framework to help fight associated risks and threats of the IFFs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many of the affected sectors do not have required data to help follow the illicit financial

flows. This limits the efforts to minimize illicit opportunities in the industry. In some instances, agencies within the sectors are not adequately sharing data with each other to reduce the illicit opportunities and inherent risks of IFFs in the industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the view of this, this study calls for an improvement in the management system within the industry. The future thoughts for data sharing require the industry to deploy eco-system data management framework capable of linking data bases of one agency to another within the industry in order to achieve maximum solution for intelligence sharing.â&#x20AC;?

In his remarks, the Special Assistant to the Registrar-General Compliance, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr. Garba Abubakar, noted that the CAC has an institutional mandate to identify and register legal ownership.

He also noted that the commission has widened the scope of the definition of legal ownership of companies to include beneficial ownership (BO) following Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitments to EITI and OGP initiative and in line with global standards.

Abubakar explained that there are no obligations under the current CAMA to disclose beneficial ownership of shares, adding that government policy in Nigeria expressly mandates the disclosure of the beneficial/ real owners of companies.

He added that the CAMA is however presently undergoing review to this end and there are hopes to achieve Presidential assent before May 29 2019.

According to Abubakar, â&#x20AC;&#x153;With respect to the establishment of beneficial ownership, Nigeria has set a five percent threshold as compared to the UK with a 25 percent threshold. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The commission is presently working on the technological aspect of the publicly accessible electronic register. The above cannot however address the corruption issues alone. There is a need to track where the money goes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Also, Nigeria has an inadequate reward system that is not commensurate with job demands. This has the resultant effect of making the most competent civil/public servants prone to temptation. Conversations around this are pertinent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is mandatory for every company to be registered with the CAC. Waivers only exist for companies on invitation by the government for specialized activities on a temporary basis.

Any companies outside this bracket must be registered and non-compliance is a crime punishable by law.â&#x20AC;?

33

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°ÍśË&#x153; Ͱ͎ͯ͡

OPEC Within Global Energy Transition Sanusi Barkindo

P

erhaps, now more than ever before, the world needs the guiding principles at the heart of the Atlantic Council: international cooperation; innovative thinking; fact-based policy making; the generation of bold ideas and the multitude of benefits that come from reaffirming historical alliances.

Let me stress that OPEC shares these values. Our encouragement of international cooperation and support of the multilateral system are â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;front and centreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of everything our Organization stands for and the actions we take.

Given our common values and shared interests, I welcome the opportunity to share perspectives with you today and encourage exploring all other possibilities for further strengthening relations between our two organizations.

Next month, OPEC celebrates a very special and historically significant occasion. We will commemorate the 60-year anniversary of the First Arab Petroleum Congress, which took place in Cairo, Egypt.

On the margins of this event, two kindred spirits, Venezuelaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Juan Pablo PĂŠrez Alfonzo and Saudi Arabiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Abdullah al-Tariki who had originally met as students in the US, sat down with representatives from Iran, Kuwait and Iraq, at the Maadi Yacht Club in Cairo.

There the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gentlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Agreementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of Maadi was forged, which encouraged the signatoriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; governments to establish a formal consultation commission as a means of countering the arbitrary decisions of oil companies and sought to secure better concession terms for oil producing countries.

It was what I might term a first â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;crossroads momentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for our Organization.

The unstoppable momentum generated in Cairo would eventually culminate in the foundation of OPEC in Baghdad on 14 September 1960 by the five founding fathers of our Organization: Abdullah al-Tariki; Perez Alfonzo; Fuad Rouhani of Iran; Dr. Talaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;at al-Shaibani of Iraq; and Ahmed Sayed Omar of Kuwait.

It was perhaps no coincidence that a US citizen, the legendary energy reporter, Wanda Jablonski, also played an important role in bringing these five founders together, helping bring about the initial consultations in Cairo.

I think this, alongside the fact that Alfonso and al-Tariki first met in the US, is symbolic of the crucial, interactive role that OPEC and the oil industry in the US would have over the subsequent six decades. I also believe it represents how our fortunes are closely intertwined.

OPEC has a vested interest in sustained US economic growth and prosperity. We are friends of the US. Equally, I feel that the US stands to benefit when OPEC prospers. OPECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Statute and mission is to help achieve a sustainable stability in the oil market; and this is not stability for stabilityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sake: this is because we are cognizant of the diverse range of economic and social benefits that came from sustainable oil market stability.

When we succeed in our mission, this benefits both US producers and consumers.

One of the clearest examples of the interconnected nature of our fortunes was during the last global energy market downturn, what some call the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Great Bustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of 2014-2016. This downturn was as devastating for OPEC Member Countries as it was for US producers, especially tight oil producers.

I would like to commend the author Bethany McClean, who vividly described the impact of the bust on the US industry in her book, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Saudi Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

The consequences of the downturn were various: the rig count in the US fell from 1,920 rigs in late-2014 to a low of 480 in early-2016. This is a huge drop of around 75%! By mid-2016, US oil production had declined by a staggering 1 mb/d. Two hundred companies would declare bankruptcy in this country as a result of the bust, with huge corresponding negative multiplier effects on the economy.

With shale companies looking to reduce expenditure, fracking equipment was idled and as IHS Markit research has shown, close to 60% of the fracking equipment in the US

Barkindo

was inactive during 2016.

OPEC Member Countries were not insulated. Revenues fell significantly and national and corporate budgets had to be readjusted. Foregone oil revenues were in the region of $1 trillion!

At the global level the figures were also stark. Investments were choked-off, with exploration and production spending falling by an enormous 27% in both 2015 and 2016, and only recovered by 8% in both 2017 and 2018. Additionally, nearly one trillion dollars in investments were frozen or discontinued.

Moreover, according to the consulting firm Graves & Co, the global oil and gas industry shed almost half a million jobs.

Of course, these factors rippled through the global economy. Millions of pensions were put at risk, especially in the US, as pension funds had invested in high yield debt, such as energy firms, and private equity firms that were heavily invested in shale companies.

Given all these factors, it is small wonder that the British economic historian Adam Tooze has concluded: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 2015-16 the world dodged a third instalment of the global crisis.â&#x20AC;?

It is far from hyperbole, then, when I say emphatically that our industry was resuscitated from its â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;death bedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by the collective efforts of OPEC and its non-OPEC partners through the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Declaration of Cooperationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; process.

As a result of our voluntary production adjustments, a long absent element of stability was reintroduced to the market.

The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Declaration of Cooperationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; became an integral and responsible feature of the energy market.

In the interests of ensuring our noble efforts were conveyed transparently to the market, participating countries also developed effective monitoring mechanisms: the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee, supported by its Joint Technical Committee and my team at the OPEC Secretariat. This was the first time this occurred in the history of oil.

On the back of the stability generated by the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Declaration of Cooperationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the US oil industry has been revived. From the depths of despondency and despair, we now have an industry that is thriving again. Last year, with production booming, the US became the largest oil producer in the world. At the end of last year it was at 11.85 mb/d, and now sits at over 12 mb/d.

If you asked producers in the US shale basins whether they have benefitted from the actions taken through the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Declaration of Cooperationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, I am sure the answer would be a resounding â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

I should also like to add here that without

the US shale revolution in the first part of this decade the world would have witnessed major energy chaos.

It underscores the importance of the US and OPEC to the global oil industry and the fact that we both have a strategic stake in global supply and demand levels.

The past two years or so of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Declaration of Cooperationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the recovery of the oil industry also came at the same time the global economy picked up too. This was apparent in the conclusions of the IMF in a publication entitled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Global Economic Recovery 10 years after the Financial Meltdownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: â&#x20AC;&#x153;After faltering at time over the past 10 years, the global economic recovery experienced a long awaited synchronized growth upswing in 2017-18.â&#x20AC;?

Looking ahead, the world will need more oil from both OPEC and the US. According to OPECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship publication, the World Oil Outlook, long term oil demand is expected to rise to 111.7 mb/d in 2040. There is no expectation for peak oil demand over the forecast period to 2040.

The IEA, the EIA and OPEC share this consensus.

To put this into an investment perspective, the required global oil sector investment to 2040 is estimated at $11 trillion.

What all this emphasizes is that while the short-term focus remains on maintaining market balance and stability, it is also vital that we do not lose sight of the mediumand longer term outlook. All timeframes are inter-linked; what happens in the short-term will have knock-on impacts for the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prospects.

Such timeframes and numbers highlight the fact that oil will continue to play a critical role in the energy transition.

A clear exemplification of this is the petrochemical industry. Our Outlook, in line with other forecasting agencies, sees global population expanding to 9.2 billion by 2040. To support such growth and feed these additional mouths, there needs to be a high yield per acreage in the agricultural sector â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this can only be achieved through nitrogenous fertilizers and other agricultural products that are produced through hydrocarbons.

As Charlie Munger, the famous entrepreneur, thinker and collaborator with Warren Buffet, has concluded: â&#x20AC;&#x153;hydrocarbons as chemical feed stock are probably irreplaceable.â&#x20AC;?

Meeting this future demand challenge must of course be done in a sustainable manner, especially given one of the major issues of our time: climate change. At the most recent UN Climate Change Conference COP24 in Katowice, Poland, OPEC reiterated

that it remains fully engaged and supportive of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Paris Agreementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

In some quarters, however, there is an evolving narrative that the oil industry is on the cusp of a demise.

This is far from the truth. We need to challenge this misconception, particularly given the climate disclosure drive from the financial community, which is affecting the vital investments into our industry.

It is perhaps a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;crossroads momentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for the oil industry.

We need to reinvigorate the industry; highlight the great benefits that oil has brought to billions, and the future positive impact it can have on billions of others.

We need to highlight, as eloquently put

by Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, that carbon emissions from crude oil production by all IOCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constitute only 4% of emissions worldwide, and compared with other energy types, this proportion is relatively low.

Moreover, as often noted by Bob Dudley, BPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CEO, we need to emphasize this is not a race to renewables alone; it is a race to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

For this reason, OPEC emphasizes the importance of what sometimes is known as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fifth fuelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; energy efficiency or as Dan Yergin called it in one of his masterpieces, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Questâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;energy ingenuityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, namely, applying greater intelligence to consumption, and being more clever about how energy is used.

Of course, the great enabler of improvements in energy efficiency is technological innovation.

We need to stress that the scale of the climate challenge means that no single energy source is a panacea; nor can the contribution of an entire industry or group of countries be overlooked.

The oil industry possesses know-how and experience for reducing our environmental footprint: working practices and fuel efficiency standards have improved exponentially over the decades.

Of course, more needs to be done.

Nevertheless, the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity for technological innovation must be harnessed within this process.

OPEC, the US oil industry, and the entire global oil industry, are part of the solutions to a sustainable energy future.

At the end of last year, when analysts and commentators were looking to the year 2019, one word kept being repeated: uncertainty.

Uncertainty related to heightened trade negotiations; the easing of monetary tightening by several central banks; geopolitical developments; the impact of sanctions; the continuing prevalence of populism â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the list goes on.

Yet in this world of uncertainty, I can assure that one thing is steadfast, unchanging and completely unwavering. And that is the resolve of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Declaration of Cooperationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; partners to maintain a balanced oil market and achieve a sustainable stability, in the interests of both producers and consumers.

Moreover, following the proven success of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Declaration of Cooperationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, participating countries are organizing in 2019 a permanent intergovernmental platform for dialogue, under the Charter of Cooperation between Oil Producing Countries, a forum that will ensure constant conversation between countries about salient energy issues.

We will persevere because it is the right thing to do. As one of the greatest sons of this country, John F Kennedy, said: we undertake our actions, â&#x20AC;&#x153;not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone.â&#x20AC;?

And as I have stressed throughout my remarks today, it is in the interests of both the US and OPEC to see a vibrant and flourishing oil industry in the decades ahead.

-Barkindo, who is OPECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Secretary General, delivered the speech at the Atlantic Council Luncheon in Washington DC, USA, recently

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

34

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Dealing with Endometriosis

If there is one health condition that has defied correct diagnosis for decades in Nigeria, it is endometriosis, as not only do family and friends wonder why a woman would go through intense pain during menstrual periods, even most doctors still consider it exaggerated pain or outrightly refer to it as a different condition. But as Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Endometriosis Month this March, experts say the condition is real and can be better treated and managed with increased awareness. Martins Ifijeh writes

A

ina, 25 is one jolly good fellow many people see from afar and want to be like. When she is at her best she radiates positive energy. She is beauty.

She is brain. She is the life of the party you hear people talk about. But behind that glamour lies a woman carrying a burden of pain.

When it is time to experience her monthly cycle, Aina undergoes a monthly ritual of agony, fire and death; the kind that turns her into a mess for five full days. It is a period her life is at a pause. It is the time people call her the daughter of the rivers- they say it may be the sacrifice she has to pay for the beauty the gods had given her. Better put, they say for her to look beautiful for the next month, she must undergo the mounding of the gods prior to that month.

It is a period she is highly misunderstood even by her family members and close friends.

Those who should care say she exaggerates the pain. They say there is menstrual pain but not to the point of incapacitation and character summersault. They say she has no reason to stop attending school or communicating with people.

But they are all wrong. Aina is suffering from what the Founder, Endometriosis Support Group of Nigeria (ESGN), Dr. Abayomi Ajayi has described as Endometriosis; a painful condition in which tissues that normally line the womb grows outside of it.

In a bid to establish that none of what people think of her was true, Aina sought medical advice, but she was told nothing was wrong with her. For every medical facility she approached, the results were the same.

She however knew the clean bill of health she was been given was because she was being misdiagnosed.

To this anomaly, Ajayi said a doctor that does not think of Endometriosis as a condition, will never be able to diagnose it even when a patient with the condition is staring at him.

This was what Aina went through for over a decade before she finally knew what she is suffering from.

Though she has undergone a surgical procedure once, the pain still persists. To alleviate this, she lives on painkillers whenever it is time.

“I am usually a happy person, but it is hard to be happy when you are in so much pain, and that time of the pain is the worst part of my life,” she said.

Aina is not alone. Kate is a business woman in her early 40s. Since 12, she has never experienced a painless menstruation.

Overtime she accepted that that was who she was and decided to live with it while living on painkillers.

But it became a concern for her after marriage.

She realised in addition to the monthly pain, she also suffers from pain during sex. Then by the tenth year with her husband, it was clear the condition had also taken a toll on her reproductive life.

Kate is currently accessing treatment with Nordica Fertility Centre for the management of the condition as well as invitro fertilisation.

The Grim Picture Aina and Kate are just two among the 10 per cent of Nigerian women affected by the condition with majority still living in confusion as they cannot tell what really the issue with them is. Worse still, only few Nigerians, including health experts really know what this women go through as the condition is still shrouded in mystery.

About 180 million women worldwide are currently living with the condition, while almost 40 per cent of such women may be affected by infertility, according to available reports.

Endometriosis is still poorly understood in Nigeria

Ajayi

Curbing Misdiagnosis Ajayi believes it is time health experts are aware the condition is real, emphasising that doctors can only think of diagnosing a condition if they also think of that condition as a possibility.

He said one of the issues health experts have is that Endometriosis as a condition presents in more ways that could suggest other conditions.

“For instance, an Endometriosis patient can present as suffering from epilepsy even as she continues to have severe pain around the abdomen. With that, a general practitioner or a gynaecologist may miss the underlying condition unless he probes beyond the surface presentation of epilepsy.

“Sometimes too, an Endometriosis patient could bleed while coughing; giving an impression it is tuberculosis. The diagnosis would however be easily done if this presentation occur around the monthly cycle of the patient,” Ajayi said.

Ajayi who spoke during a pre EndoMarch press briefing to commemorate World Ednometriosis March in Lagos, organised by the ESGN in collaboration with the Nordica

Fertility Centre, said there is increasing great methods of diagnosing endometriosis in the country, noting that these include the use of CT scan, Laparoscopy, among other.

He also said one important thing was for the patient to present to the right facility and medical diagnostic Laboratory.

Good Looks as Precursor for Endometriosis?

Ajayi said studies may have shown that the qualities that lead to a woman’s good looks also predispose her to the painful gynaecological conditions.

“You know female attractiveness is linked with higher estrogen levels, and it is possible that the hormone might favour the development of aggressive and infiltrative endometriotic lesions,” he said.

Link Between Endometriosis and Infertility Ajayi, who is a fertility expert said being diagnosed with endometriosis – and the fertility problems that come with it - often brings emotions of shock, denial, anger, and depression, particularly if the person is planning to start a family.

He said: “From the wish to have a baby to the diagnosis of reproductive problems, the experience of infertility on its own can cause anger, confusion, depression, a sense of helplessness, and frustration. Having to cope with endometriosis on top of all this is challenging.

“Imagine this scenario: You have experienced painful periods and discomfort for years before being diagnosed with endometriosis. Worse still, you’re having trouble conceiving. Put together, it’s a combination of emotions that require attention.

“It’s normal to feel anxious, sad, and stressed, especially with the pain that comes first even before the infertility issues. Pain is physical and emotional with endometriosis. So you may have been dealing with such difficult issues for a while.”

He however said not all women with endometriosis are infertile, as many women have children without difficulty, have children before they are diagnosed, or eventually have a successful pregnancy.

He said while Endometriosis and infertility are serious and uncomfortable conditions, the good news is that help is available. ”Getting pregnant with endometriosis is possible, though it may not come as easily as expected. It has been established that up to half of the women with endometriosis will have trouble getting pregnant; however, the likelihood of having fertility problems depend on your age, your partner’s fertility, and how severe the endometriosis is.

“If you’re struggling to conceive, surgery or fertility treatments like IVF help. Perhaps you have been trying to conceive unsuccessfully for some time, and now, after a fertility evaluation and diagnostic laparoscopic surgery, your doctor has diagnosed you with endometriosis.

“Or maybe you haven’t even started thinking about having children yet. However, after experiencing pelvic pain or severe menstrual cramps, investigation and diagnosis show you have endometriosis.

“It is natural to wonder if you have any chance of conceiving. If you have been diagnosed with Endometriosis before you even thought about getting pregnant, you may wonder if it’s worth trying to get pregnant on your own before seeking fertility treatment.

The answer is yes. You can conceive with endometriosis. It’s not a guarantee, but it is possible,” he added.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

35

NEWS

Contradicting Life’sTheory, Study Shows Having More Children Slows Down Aging Martins Ifijeh The number of children born to a woman has the potential to influence the rate at which her body ages, a new study

by Simon Fraser University researchers have said.

The study, led by Health Sciences Prof. Simon Fraser University, Pablo Nepomnaschy and postdoctoral researcher, Cindy Barha, found

that women who give birth to more surviving children exhibited longer telomeres.

Telomeres are the protective tips found at the end of each DNA strand and are indicative of cellular aging. Longer telomeres are integral to cell replication and are associated with longevity.

The study assessed the number of children born to 75 women from two neighbouring indigenous rural

Guatemalan communities, and their telomere lengths.

According to the study, the participants’ telomere lengths were measured at two time points 13 years apart, through salivary specimens and buccal swabs. Nepomnaschy who also spearheads the Maternal and Child Health Laboratory at the SFU Faculty of Health Sciences, said the study findings contradict life history theory which predicts that

producing a higher number of offspring accelerates the pace of biological aging.

He said: “This is the first study to examine the direct association between the number of children and telomere shortening in humans over time.

“The slower pace of telomere shortening found in the study participants who have more children however, may be attributed

to the dramatic increase in estrogen, a hormone produced during pregnancy.”

He added, “Estrogen functions as a potent antioxidant that protects cells against telomere shortening.”

The social environment that the study participants live in may also influence the relationship between their reproductive efforts and the pace of aging.

“The women we followed

over the course of the study were from natural fertility populations where mothers who bear numerous children receive more social support from their relatives and friends. “Greater support leads to an increase in the amount of metabolic energy that can be allocated to tissue maintenance, thereby slowing down the process of aging,” Nepomnaschy further explained.

SYNLAB Nigeria Launches Facility in Calabar Rebecca Ejifoma SYNLAB Nigeria has formally launched its new laboratory facility in Calabar, the Cross River State capital for quality laboratory tests and support for doctors. The new facility is meant to provide quality laboratory tests, support doctors with accurate test results and improve the quality of healthcare in Cross River State and its environs. Speaking during the launch, the Executive Director, Operations, SYNLAB Nigeria, Dr Tolulope Adewole, said SYNLAB will continue to provide quality services to Nigerians.

He said: “As a company, we are committed to making investments that will deliver first-world healthcare service to Nigerians. With more than 5,000 tests on offer, SYNLAB Nigeria has the most comprehensive test offering in Africa.

“For SYNLAB – formerly called Pathcare Laboratories – part of our penchant remains to support doctors in ways not previously possible. Together, we are building a stronger healthcare system and Calabar is part of the process.”

Located inside the premises of the renowned Calabar Women

and Children Hospital, the SYNLAB facility further aims at delivering top quality, stateof-the-art medical diagnostic services for health professionals and residents of Calabar.

Adewole said, “The new facility fits into SYNLAB’s strategic footprint coverage in the South-south. Earlier in the year, the company commissioned an ultra-modern laboratory in Gwarimpa, Abuja, to expand its reach to meet the needs in the Northern zone of the country.”

The SYNLAB Management has announced that a special package awaits the first five customers, every day for the next one week, at the new facility in Calabar. Meanwhile, those present at the commissioning included: Professor of Histopathology, Imaobong Ekanem; host of the event and former First Lady of Cross River State, Mrs Onari Duke; representative of the Commissioner for Health, Cross Rivers, Dr Udeme Asibong.

Others are: Dr Simon Sunday and Mrs Briggs from NNPC Hospital; Dr Ayuk A.E, NMA Chairman, Calabar; Dr Jenkins Ukaga, Nigeria Police Hospital and Dr Ukweh Ikechukwu, CMD, Arubah Specialist Hospital, among others.

FOR ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE

L-R: Youth Chairman, Ode Itsekiri Community, Delta State, Franklyn Eyikimi; Representative of Delta State Governor and Commissioner for Transport, Delta State, Vincent Uduaghan; and Director General, Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC), Dr. Ben Nkechika, during DESOPADEC’s handing over of Ode Itsekiri Health Facility to DSCHC in Itsekiri Kingdom recently

Salako: With NAIIS Result, FG Should Increase Funding for HIV Martins Ifijeh The Director General, National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Prof.

Babatunde Salako, has called on the federal government to increase funding for HIV AIDS intervention since the success recorded from the National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) may cause donors to turn their priority to other areas.

Speaking during a media visit to his office recently, he

said the federal government has to put in the front burner the process of ensuring that it takes over the funding of HIV interventions completely from donors.

He said: “HIV is one disease that we must tackle and it has to be in a holistic way, because if we want to produce Nigerians with good health and well-being, as well as good workforce that can translate into economic prosperity, we should not rest in addressing the health burden.

“We cannot afford to leave it for development partners alone. The important focal areas have to be in the area of service, that is, detection, prevention, treatment, research in that order.

“So I would expect that they put money on case finding, and on prevention which I believe has helped a lot in terms of awareness campaigns about how the disease is contracted, what preventive measures are available that people can make use of, and what to do when

people are engaged in risky behaviours, among others,” he said. On HIV treatment, he said although the country has been able to put a lot more people on treatment much more than before, it is best to have even larger majority of people with very low undetectable viral load as this will ensure infectivity will be low.

“We have the issue of resistance but that is not in isolation. Resistance happens to many infectious diseases either because of fake drugs

or because of patient behaviour in terms of low compliance or things like that. “ It will be a dangerous signal if we allow young people who still have mileage in terms of their age to get tired of taking their drugs. What that would mean is that it is very likely that mortality and morbidity will increase and the rate of infection will become higher and then we go back to square one. “ I think these days, we must begin to look at the role of social scientists and anthropologists

who have the art of being able to make changes in the community, being able to talk to the community and also having the capability of convincing them on the positive ways and thinking that communities should be able to prevent people from stopping their ARV agents. “ We need more of these people in the community motivating patients with HIV generally and talking to them about the danger that exists ahead if they stop taking the drugs,’’ he added.

184 People Benefit fromTaiwo Afolabi Free Dental Outreach Martins Ifijeh A total of 184 persons have enjoyed free dental and medical care at the Taiwo Afolabi Free Rural Dental Outreach, which was held at Dugbe market in Ibadan recently.

The rural community health outreach, which is organised by the University of Ibadan

Association of Dental Students, is a free medical mission targeted at rural communities in Oyo State and is sponsored

by SIFAX Group.

Some of the services the beneficiaries enjoyed were body mass index (BMI) measurement, blood pressure test, random blood glucose measurement, blood pressure measurement,

dental clerking, examination and referrals, extractions and scaling and polishing.

Medical personnel deployed for the event included doctors, medical and dental students from the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

There was also a question and answer session, which was meant to educate the

beneficiaries on how to improve their oral health.

Mr. Olumuyiwa Akande, Corporate Affairs Manager, SIFAX Group, said the sponsorship of the programme was part of the humanitarian gestures of the company, adding that SIFAX Group believes that healthy citizens translate to a healthy nation.

President, University of Ibadan Dental Students Association, Urenna Emenyonu, said the aim of the outreach was to create an oral health awareness and promotion of good oral health hygiene in the society.

She noted that SIFAX Group’s support for the outreach has helped to not

only reach out to many rural persons but also equipped the students with adequate field knowledge needed for them to excel in dentistry.

She enjoined other corporate organisations to emulate the company by partnering the student body to take the rural health mission to other communities.

36

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

HEALTH

Addressing Lassa Fever through Increased Funding Out of the five major diseases burdens under the purview of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Lassa Fever has continued to be a reoccurring burden with outbreaks and deaths still having its toll on Nigerians. Ayodeji Ake writes that with increased funding, the health challenge can be eradicated or reduced significantly

Lassa fever can be prevented

Lassa fever was first described in the 1950s, but virus causing Lassa disease was unidentified until researchers discovered a single stranded Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) virus belonging to the virus family Arenaviridae in 1969.

It became a heart aching disease that about 80 per cent of people infected by the virus at that time could rarely show symptoms of the disease, whereas their vital organs like the liver, spleen and kidney were being severely affected.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), Lassa Fever is a zoonotic disease, which interprets that it could infect humans when they get in contact with infected animals.

Not all animals but rodents.

However, animal reservoir, or host, of Lassa virus is a rodent of the genus Mastomys known as the ‘multimammate rat’. Mastomys rats infected with the virus do not become ill, but they shed the virus in their urine and faeces.

This has become a viral illness that occurs in Nigeria and other West African countries, which is transmitted to humans mainly through food or household items contaminated by infected rat’s urine or feaces and also by handling infected rat.

Lassa Fever symptoms, according to the world health body run between six and 21 days. Phase one of the symptoms include fatigue, general weakness and fever; the second phase includes headache, sore throat, vomiting, and diarrhea; the third phase symptoms are: face swelling, low blood sugar and nose bleeding.

Lassa Fever is known to be endemic in Guinea, Liberia and Mali, where it was diagnosed for the first time in February 2009.

In 2011, it was first diagnosed in Ghana, and in Benin for the first time in November 2014.

Because the clinical course of the disease is so variable, its detection in affected patients has been difficult.

Outbreaks of Lassa Fever in Nigeria Lassa fever from historic facts is as old as Nigeria’s independence. The first case was reported in the Lassa village, Borno State, Nigeria. Over the years there has been mortality which became louder as the year unfolds.

Since January 2019, 93 deaths and over 1279 suspected cases have been recorded

by NCDC. In the reporting week, 52 new confirmed cases were reported; Edo had 23, Ondo had 11, nine from Ebonyi, one in Bauchi, Nasarawa recorded two, Plateau had, Taraba had four, as well as Delta State.

Intervention The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said it has since inception been involved in eradicating or minimising the impact of disease outbreaks.

The center added that it has lately been involved in engaging in both national multipartner and multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate response activities, deploy national rapid response teams (NCDC, Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Federal Ministry of Environment) to Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Bauchi and Plateau and Taraba, as well as the establishment of state EOCs activated in Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Plateau states, among other interventions.

Preventions On Lassa fever prevention, an epidemiologist, Dr. Lawal Bakare emphasised that the best and simplest ways are to ensure houses are crack free, floors are concreted and most importantly that Nigerians avoid keeping refuse in the home and beside where foodstuffs are kept.

“We need to be sure that rodents do not come in contact with human directly or indirectly.

Bushmeat seekers should be extra careful.

By indirectly, we mean do not let the blood, urine and feaces of rodents come in contact with your foods. Make your environment

“I believe there will be improvement in clean, sweep and mop floors when necessary.

“People should also ensure that their houses terms of controlling disease outbreak but are rodents free. So those that have cracks in the important thing is to channel the funds their houses should seal them up,” he said. appropriately. For example, when we started having yellow fever in Nigeria, we did not have enough vaccine around and it is about Curbing Outbreak Through Funding The Chief Executive Officer, NCDC, Dr. how proactive we are as government in this Chikwe Ihekweazu told THISDAY that increased country.

“On Lassa fever, we need to have a barrier funding will enable the centre perform excellently in terms of availability of resource to between the animal that is causing Lassa infeccarryout preventive and healthcare treatment tion and human being which has to do with educating the public most especially those functions.

He said: “Nigeria is a very large country living in the rural area,” he said. with factors that increase our vulnerability to NCDC Act outbreaks; therefore our mandate to protect President Muhammadu Buhari in November the health of Nigerians depends largely on availability of adequate resources. With increased 2018 signed the Bill for an Act to establish funding, the centre will be in a better position the NCDC, which was established since 2011.

On this note, Professor of Virology, Prof. to implement its functions.

“We can rapidly escalate activities such as Oyewale Tomori said the Act will aid in acquiring improved technology for public health improving the funding capacity needed laboratory services, ensure full roll out of our for running of the centre. He said this Act digital surveillance system in all states, LGAs makes the centre a fully fledged parastatal and health facilities, supporting establishment that will now have its own budget line of state level public health EOCs, improved provided in the national budget annually.

Speaking further, he said the act permits risk communications activities, among others.

These will contribute to the prevention, early the board of NCDC to create partnerships detection, quick response and control of disease and fund raising capabilities for successful project implementation. outbreaks,” he said.

“This means the centre shall establish Ihekweazu noted that funding will also enable NCDC to provide optimum priority and maintain a fund to which the annual to preparedness and response activities. “We federal allocation will be credited. The can conduct more simulation exercises to test NCDC can also get funds through fees and charges for services rendered by the centre; our level of preparedness.

“It is important to note that increased funding fees from publications; and such other sums for NCDC should be matched by state level accruing to the centre by way of gifts, grants, allocation to health security as well. Ultimately, endowments, bequests, donations or voluntary the mandate to respond to outbreaks starts with contributions by persons or organisations states and limited funding at the sub-national including foreign aid and assistance from level will only lead to an over-dependence multilateral and bilateral organizations or agencies. on NCDC’s capacity”, he said.

“One other source of funds could be allocaAlso speaking on funding, the President, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Francis tions from other extra budgetary allocations Faduyile concurred that funding will lead to from the Basic Health care Provision Fund improvement and curbing of disease outbreak. (BHCPF),”he said.

37

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

HEALTH

For Healthy Living, Enjoy Quality Sleep, SocietyTells Nigerians Martins Ifijeh To enjoy good health and improved quality of life, the Nigerian Society of Physiotherapy (NSP) has called on Nigerians to have adequate sleep.

Stating this during the commemoration of World Sleep Day and the launch of Mouka Foam’s Sleep Gallery in Lagos recently, the National President, NSP, Dr. Rufai Ahmad said sleep is an essential component of physical and mental health, adding that it could determine whether an individual will enjoy good health or not.

He said: “Sleep determines quality of life and when we say quality of life, we mean how you relate with people, how you do things,

how you interact with your environment, among others.

It can also help you maintain a good quality of life.”

Ahmad, who commended Mouka Foam for promoting healthy sleep culture through its various sleep friendly products and campaigns, said the company has continued to educate Nigerians on proper ways of sleeping, as well as the use of quality mattresses and pillows by all sections of Africa’s most populous country.

Dr Ahmad further said: “It is an honour for the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy to identify with them. Coincidentally, the society and the company were founded same year.

So they are both celebrating 60th year anniversary.”

Bariatric Surgery Prevents Noncommunicable Diseases, Says Experts Ayodeji Ake Medical experts have urged patients to embrace Bariatric surgery as a solution to reducing the adverse effects of non-communicable diseases on human lives, which sometimes lead to preventable death.

The team of medical experts from Euracare MultiSpecialist Hospital, Lagos, which comprises Bariatric surgeon and anesthesiologist, endocrinologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist and Bariatric dietician, lamented that the surgery, which has been in the country since 2011, has been undermined by Nigerians, adding that its benefits are enormous as it helps in increasing lifespan/

expectancy.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos recently, Consultant Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgeon, Dr. Abuchi Okaro, said obesity was becoming a serious threat to life, thus it should not be overlooked.

He said obesity predisposes people to cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, cancers, infertility, erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, low quality of life, mental illnesses, such as clinical depression, anxiety and other mental disorders.

Okaro noted that emerging scientific evidence has strongly revealed that the Bariatric surgery procedure, which includes gastric balloon insertion, sleeve, gastrectomy

and single anastomoses bypass, is capable of achieving resolution of long-term of the above listed diseases, which is threatening life expectancy, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

On the importance of Bariatric surgery in preventing cardiovascular diseases, Medical Director and Chief Cardiologist, Tosin Majekodunmi, said it helps to control blood pressure in the heart, reduce hypertension, pains in the body and prevents mortality rate.

He said: “hypertension is a major problem in Nigeria.

One in two adult suffer from hypertension and its complications. Bariatric surgery serves as a key component in solving

these problems.”

On the benefits of the surgery in the prevention of diabetes and cancers, Consultant Endocrinologist, Dr. Faye Korubo pointed out that obesity predisposes to diabetes and cancer, adding that Bariatric surgery helps to improve the outcomes of patients with these diseases.

He however stressed that Nigerians should embrace Bariatric surgery as a solution to preventing these disease, which could lead to death, adding that the team has brought the surgery to Nigeria with the right equipment and medical team to ensure the country rids these life threatening disease in the next decade.

NACC, Flying Doctors, Others, Brainstorm on Health Reforms in Nigeria Ayodeji Ake Health stakeholders from the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Flying Doctors Nigeria (FDN) , among others, have set an agenda to reform Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

Speaking at the Breakfast Meeting and Inauguration of the first healthcare committee of NACC, themed ‘Improving Quality Outcomes through Health Information Technology’, in Lagos recently, organised by NACC in collaboration with FDN, the Managing Director, FDN, Dr. Ola Brown said it was important to Introduce technology to the Nigeria healthcare system for rapid development.

She said: “The inauguration is key and what we will be doing is to advocate polices that will introduce technology into the healthcare system to make it more affordable and accessible.

“Healthcare reform is very important as highlighted in my book ‘Fixing Healthcare in Nigeria’, focusing on five pillars of healthcare reform; primary care expansion, tasking shifting, healthcare financing, maternal and child health, and centralisation of

tertiary healthcare.”

President, NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile, emphasised that there was an urgent need for information technology to be introduced into the healthcare system for easy access of healthcare remotely.

“This event is to look at the next level of healthcare profession. It must now embrace information technology.

We must also key into digital services.

“So what we are doing is to push for the government to buy into the idea. We are in the digital age and we must be ready to embrace it. Rome wasn’t built in a day” he said.

Speaking on the same vein, President, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, Mrs. Clare Omatseye, also noted that the world was transforming into a digital world, and that it was essential to adopt technology in the healthcare system for flexible access.

“We have to leverage on information technology to take us to the next level.

More importantly we must look at technology and how it will catapult us to the next level. Although, healthcare is in a bad state at the moment, but with technology we will get to the next level,” she said.

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole (m); Comedian, Babatunde Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe (2nd right); Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Chris Bode (r); and other partners during Omidina’s thank you visit to LUTH for his free treatment, held in Lagos recently

WOHD 2019: Pepsodent Advocates for Increased Awareness on Oral Hygiene Martins Ifijeh Oral care brand and advocate, Pepsodent has called for increased awareness on oral hygiene to combat poor oral health in Nigeria.

While making the call at a press briefing to commemorate this year’s World Oral Health Day (WOHD) in Lagos recently, the Category Manager, Oral Care, Unilever Nigeria, Salu Toluwaleke, said poor oral health not only damages teeth, especially children’s teeth, it can also lower their self-esteem and harm their performance

at school. “According to a global study commissioned

by Unilever Oral Care, the report, published ahead of World Oral Health Day on March 20, shows that the quality of a child’s oral care can have an impact beyond obvious medical problems like bad breath and dental pain; it can also limit their potential and negatively impact their self-esteem,” she said.

Joining the call to raise awareness for oral hygiene in Nigeria, the President, Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), Dr Evelyn Eshikena

said that the time has come for all stakeholders in the private and public sectors to address the challenges of poor oral health among Nigerians through partnership.

Eshikena, said, “I use this medium to commend Unilever Nigeria for their commitment and continuous support as Nigeria participates in the Brush Day and Night initiative to achieve the actualisation of improved oral health for all Nigerians.”

Also speaking, the Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Business Director, Unilever Ghana

and Nigeria, Soromidayo George, said, “The Pepsodent Brush Day and Night initiative is part of Unilever’s sustainability commitment to ensure good health and wellbeing for children. Through this initiative we have reached five million children, and we hope to reach 10million children by 2020.”

World Oral Health Day commemorated on March 20 every year, is an international day set aside to promote good oral health for everyone and empower individuals to maintain a healthy oral hygiene for all ages.

62,000 Nigerians Benefit from Invivo Free Clinic Chain Ayodeji Ake Invivo Health and Beauty Store, a subsidiary of Smartmark Limited has stated that its corporate social responsibility arm, INVIVO Free Clinic Chain has gifted free healthcare services to over 62, 000 Nigerians.

Stating this during the opening of its Surulere branch, one of its Directors, John Onyeoguzoro said it has over the years continued to support the government in improving primary healthcare goals, as its focuses on addressing basic healthcare needs of Nigerians.

He said: “With INVIVO, the social problems being addressed are a lack of easy access to primary healthcare; the menace of counterfeit and fake dugs; self medication; and lack of early diagnosis of potentially fatal disease conditions.

“Our aim is to improve

the quality of healthcare in Nigeria by working within the core principles of primary healthcare as stated by the World Health Organisation,” he said. He said the organisation is managed by seasoned individuals who have spent years of their careers in the pharmaceutical

sector and understands where gaps exist and where to offer solutions. On his part, the Vice Chairman, Surulere Local Government Area, Yusuf Bamidele Sulaiman who represented the Chairman, AjideYomi Yusuff , lauded INVIVO for its commitment to development.

He said: “What we need in the community is passion and conviction in primary healthcare for us to strive ahead in order to rekindle hope for a quality healthcare service in Surulere. INVIVO team has really done well in bringing this to our community.”

38

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°ÍśË&#x153; 2019

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Manufacturing Index Expands Further Nume Ekeghe The Manufacturing Purchasing Managersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Index (PMI) sustained its upswing in March as it increased to 57.4 index points.

This current position of the PMI represented an expansion in the manufacturing sector for the 24th consecutive month.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed this in its PMI report for March that was posted on its website.

According to the report, the index grew at a faster rate when compared to the index in the previous month.

In all, 11 of the 14 sub-sectors surveyed reported growth in the review month in the following order: cement; food, beverage & tobacco products; fabricated metal products; furniture & related products; paper products; chemical & pharmaceutical products; plastics & rubber products; electrical equipment; printing & related support activities; transportation equipment and

non-metallic mineral products.

But the textile, apparel, leather & footwear; petroleum & coal products and primary metal subsectors recorded decline in the review period.

On the other hand, at 58.3 points, the production level index for the manufacturing sector grew for the 25th consecutive month in March 2019.

The index indicated a faster growth in the current month, when compared to its level in the month of February 2019.

Nine of the 14 manufacturing sub-sectors recorded increased production level, while five recorded decline.

Also, at 56.7 points, the new orders index grew for the 24th consecutive month, indicating increase in new orders in March 2019.Eight sub-sectors reported growth, four remained unchanged, while two contracted in the review month.

The report showed that the manufacturing supplier delivery time index stood at 58.4 points in March 2019, indicating faster

supplier delivery time.

The index has recorded growth for 22nd consecutive months as 11 of the 14 sub-sectors recorded improved suppliersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; delivery time, while one remained unchanged and two recorded decline in the review period. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The employment level index for March 2019 stood at 56.9 points, indicating growth in employment level for the twenty-third consecutive month. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of the 14 sub-sectors, nine reported increased employment level, one reported unchanged employment level while four reported decreased employment in the review month. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The manufacturing sector inventories index grew for the 24th consecutive month in March 2019. At 57.1 points, the index grew at a faster rate when compared to its level in February 2019. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eight of the 14 sub-sectors recorded growth, three recorded unchanged, while three reported declined raw material inventories in the review month,â&#x20AC;? the report stated.

Travelex,ABCON Partner to Enhance Diaspora Remittances Travelex Nigeria and the Association of bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) have agreed to enter into strategic partnership that will enable the Bureaux de Change (BDCs) access over $20 billion annual Diaspora remittances into Nigeria.

A statement quoted ABCON President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, to have disclosed this at a one-day sensitisation programme organised for BDCs by Travelex Nigeria and Travelex UK, in Abuja. He said Travelex and ABCON were reviewing the possibility of ABCON riding on the Travelex high-tech for BDCs to become direct agents of International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs). He said the digitisation of the BDCs operations through the launch of ABCON Live Run Automation Portal which has the backing of the CBN showed the BDCsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; readiness and commitment to full digitisation of their operations to provide seamless services to forex end-users and become direct agents of IMTOs.

He said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) captures only six per cent of the Diaspora remittances and the rest goes under the counter without any tracing. According to him, riding on Travelexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high-tech would enable the BDCs address the reoccurring complaints of poor infrastructure which has kept the operators away from accessing the Diaspora remittances for years. Gwadabe, who spoke on the theme: â&#x20AC;&#x153;ABCONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Plans and Proposals for strengthening and Improving the Foreign Exchange Market viz-aviz the BDC Sub-sector in the Economyâ&#x20AC;? said the BDC operators were obligated by law to render daily, monthly and annual returns to the CBN. He said the daily returns known as Daily Transaction Returns (DTR) gives details of the total sales made for the day by the BDC and comes in as DTR 202, DTR 217, DTR 305 and DTR 315.

The DTR 217 return gives the information of the customers of whom the forex was sold to.

Information like, the name, the international Passport number, Bank Verification Number, address, Tin number, email address among others while DTR 305 provides details of the customers as well their destination and reason for the purchase of forex.

The total amount of forex sold to them is also mention with the transaction date.

According to Gwadabe, DTR 315 tells BDCsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; opening balance, amount purchased in forex , the equivalent in naira and the rate of purchase, amount sold in forex, the equivalent in naira and the selling rate as well as the closing balance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Monthly Transaction Returns (MTR) also known as the MTR returns is a compilation of the daily and its rendered to Trade and Exchange Department. It also comes in four parts MTR202, MTR217, MTR 305 and MTR 315. It is pertinent to note that these returns as described above are rendered in soft copies (electronically) and hardcopies to the apex Bank,â&#x20AC;?

Gwadabe stated.

L-R: Managing Director, Decagon Institute, Mr. Chike Nwobi; Chief Digital OďŹ&#x192;cer, Mr. Yinka Oni; one of the ďŹ nalists, Benjamin Mark; Chief Human Resource OďŹ&#x192;cer, Mrs Temi Dalley; one of the ďŹ nalists, Ochuko Ekrresa; Chief Engagement OďŹ&#x192;cer, Sterling Bank, Moroufolu Fasinro and Divisional Head, Retail and Consumer Banking, Shina Atilola, during the showcasing of Decagon Elite Software Development Progrmme ďŹ nalists in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Ś recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

NOVEMBER 2018 Money Supply (M3)

31,794,803.44

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

6,333,064.28

Money Supply (M2)

25,461,739.17

-- Quasi Money

14,773,076.98

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,688,662.18

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,711,763.59

---- Demand Deposits

8,976,898.59

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

18,990,400.78

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

12,804,402.66

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,062,986.22

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,980,229.66

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

7,093,619.43

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

-4,144,571.43

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

23,082,756.56

--Other Assets Net

13,258,583.57

Reserve Money (Base Money

6,811,192.37

--Currency in Circulation

2,100,129.91

--Banks Reserves

4,366,259.05

Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă? Ě&#x2039;

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR)

Sigma Assures Pensioners of Better Welfare Packages James Sowole Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă?

Sigma Pensions Limited yesterday said welfare of contributors being managed by the company remains priority to the organisation.

The Senior Business Development Manager (West) of the company, Mr John Igiehon, said this yesterday in Akure, Ondo State, at a sensitisation forum for retirees and prospective retirees in Ondo and Ekiti states.

Igiehon, who urged contributors not to hesitate in pointing out any problem they may encounter in their dealings with the company, stated that the company would not relent in efforts to satisfy contributors.

The event tagged, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Agenda for the Retirees,â&#x20AC;? had in attendance over 500 participants from the two states and who

interacted freely with the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management.

Igiehon, said Sigma which was licensed in 2005 was preparing the pensioners for the future on what they should know as regards their pensions and be able take critical decisions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The main purpose of us bringing you together today is to educate our retirees and prospective retirees on what they should know about their pensions so that when it comes, you will know what to do. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have been in operation since 2005 and we doing our best to give our pensioners deserved benefits after retirement. We ensure that all our books are correct and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t involve in fraudulent acts,â&#x20AC;? he said. Also speaking, the Head Business Development Division (West), Mrs Mabel George, noted

that Sigma wants to show that pensioners are still relevant in retirement.

She added that the company also ensures that those still in service have seamless path to retirement, stressing the need for them to be properly educated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to keep in the touch with the retirees and let them know that though, they are retired we care for them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The second category of people we also cater for are those nearing retirement to enlighten them on the requirements and the steps they need to take before they retire. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to have better educated retirees and for us to show that care benefitting from our medical services and the rest. We are here today for Ondo and Ekiti and our next stop is Kwara state.

Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;ĂŁ Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?ĂŁ Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ě&#x2039; ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ë&#x153; Í°Í´ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $67.03 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $66.19 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), 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), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela) SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

39

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°ÍśË&#x153; Ͱ͎ͯ͡

MARKET NEWS

Transcorp Assures Stakeholders of SuperiorValue Delivery Goddy Egene The President /Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Plc, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, has said the conglomerate with interests and investments in hospitality, power, oil and Gas and others, remains committed to deliver superior value to all stakeholders.

Ozigbo, stated this while presenting the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Facts behind the figuresâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to stockbrokers

and the investing public at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos. According to him, the management would focus on cost management strategies to ensure marked improvement in the 2019 financial year.

Transcorp grew its revenue for the year ended December 31, 2018 by 30 per cent to N1014.16 billion, while profit after tax soared by 94 per cent to N20.6 billion, from N10.6 billion in 2017.

Ozigbo, said the businesses

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

has been well positioned to continue to perform profitably and deliver value to numerous investors.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today, we own and manage the best business hotel in Africa, and are intent on improving tourism in Nigeria and beyond. We own and manage one of the most strategic power assets in Nigeria, and aim to meet the power needs of one out of every four Nigerians, and through this, help in poverty eradica-

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

tion and improving Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitiveness. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our businesses are contributing unprecedented revenue and profits in the history of the group and we are also stronger in corporate governance and now consistently among the first three companies quoted on this exchange, who each year successfully finalise their audited accounts and organise their AGMs.â&#x20AC;?

He said plans were in motion

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

to ensure that the conglomerate grows by leaps and bounds based on the strategic investments in the last couple of years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will deepen our play in the sectors we currently operate in, operationalise our oil asset and invest in more sectors. With the support of the stakeholders, especially the entire capital market community, we will be that conglomerate Nigerians will be proud of,â&#x20AC;? Ozigbo said.

Transcorp has so far injected

O F

about $1 billion in power projects with a combined capacity of 700 megawatts and was among those who bid for Afam Electricity Generation Company.

Meanwhile, the stock market sustained its bearish run for the third as the NSE All-Share Index fell 0.67 per cent to close at 30,829.45. Similarly, volume and value dipped 8.5 per cent and 16.6 per cent to 131.4 million shares and N1.4 billion respectively.

2 1 / 0 3 / 2 0 1 9 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

˾ THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

40

Thursday, March 28, 2019 Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index Declines 100bps

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

Yesterday, the Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index declined 100bps to ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϭ͕ϱϬϮ͘ϭϱ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůů ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞƐ ŝŶ GUARANTY (ϯ͘ϳйͿ͕ FBNH (-Ϯ͘ϰйͿ ĂŶĚ SEPLAT (-ϭ͘ϴйͿ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ Ϯϳ͘ϲй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘

ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ƋƵŝƟĞƐ ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶ ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ZƵŶ͘​͘​͘ ^/ ŽǁŶ ϲϳďƉƐ

^Ğůů ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ – GUARANTY (-ϯ͘ϳйͿ͕

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚĞ ƚŽƉ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ ZENITH ;Ϯϳ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ STERLING ;Ϯϱ͘Ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ĂŶĚ ACCESS ;ϭϲ͘Ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ZENITH ;EϲϬϲ͘ϲŵͿ͕ NIGERIAN BREWERIES ;Eϭϱϭ͘ϯŵͿ ĂŶĚ ACCESS ;EϭϬϰ͘ϭŵͿ ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ƚƌĂĚĞƐ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŽĨ ϱ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĚ͘ dŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĞŵĞƌŐĞĚ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ŐĂŝŶĞƌ͕ ƵƉ ϯďƉƐ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ CUTIX ;нϵ͘ϳйͿ͘ ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚĞdž ƐŚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϭ͘ϯй ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƐĞůů ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞƐ ŝŶ CUSTODIAN (-ϯ͘ϮйͿ͕ NEM (-ϱ͘ϱйͿ ĂŶĚ WAPIC (-

P/BV

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

2.3%

50.2%

21.3%

7.7%

5.9x

0.8x

5.2%

13.7%

-3.7%

19.5%

4.5%

4.3%

31.2%

5.5%

5.5x

1.9x

7.6%

18.2%

2 Zenith Bank PLC

22.00

1.4%

11.5%

-4.6%

6.1%

22.6%

3.2%

3.8x

0.8x

12.9%

26.6%

190.00

0.0%

8.8%

0.2%

2.2%

44.6%

23.2%

8.3x

3.3x

8.4%

12.0%

1,497.90

0.0%

8.0%

0.9%

1.6%

90.4%

27.8%

27.6x

23.6x

3.9%

3.6%

67.00

0.0%

4.6%

-21.6%

-12.4%

11.3%

5.0%

27.2x

3.2x

3.6%

3.7%

8.05

-2.4%

5.2%

1.3%

0.6%

6.6%

0.8%

5.8x

0.4x

3.1%

17.4%

20.00

0.0%

4.5%

3.1%

3.1%

34.2%

19.6%

4.8x

1.5x

6.3%

20.7%

3.5x

0.5x

11.0%

28.4%

4 Nestle Nigeria PLC

6 FBN Holdings Plc 7 Cement Co Northern Nigeria PLC 8 United Bank for Africa PLC

7.75

0.0%

4.3%

0.6%

-0.6%

15.2%

1.7%

9 International Brew eries PLC

26.00

0.0%

2.9%

-14.8%

-17.5%

-23.8%

-3.2%

540.00

-1.8%

2.9%

-15.6%

-15.6%

9.4%

5.7%

5.8x

0.5x

3.3%

17.1%

7.8%

51.7%

10 SEPLAT Petroleum Development C 11 Access Bank PLC

6.3x

-1.4%

6.40

-0.8%

3.1%

-5.9%

-1.5%

19.1%

2.1%

1.9x

0.4x

12 Ecobank Transnational Inc

13.05

0.0%

2.6%

-6.8%

-8.7%

12.1%

1.0%

4.1x

0.5x

13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

46.00

-5.2%

2.5%

-4.1%

-4.1%

34.5%

4.7%

6.5x

2.0x

3.3%

14 Unilever Nigeria PLC

39.00

0.0%

2.5%

5.4%

5.4%

14.7%

9.0%

19.2x

2.7x

1.3%

5.2%

15 Lafarge Africa PLC

12.95

0.0%

1.7%

4.0%

7.9%

-53.7%

-7.9%

0.9x

11.3%

-48.6%

16 Guinness Nigeria PLC

62.45

-2.4%

1.1%

-13.3%

-13.3%

8.5%

4.5%

17.5x

1.6x

2.9%

5.7%

17 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

80.00

1.3%

1.3%

5.0%

5.0%

39.3%

29.7%

7.6x

2.6x

3.8%

13.1%

18 Total Nigeria PLC

196.00

0.0%

1.2%

-3.4%

-3.4%

34.6%

7.5%

6.8x

2.2x

8.7%

14.6%

19 11 PLC

170.00

0.0%

1.1%

-8.4%

-8.4%

38.0%

16.8%

5.7x

1.9x

4.9%

17.6%

5.5%

12.0%

20 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

/ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ŵĞƌŐĞƐ >ŽŶĞ 'ĂŝŶĞƌ

P/E

-1.00%

5 Nigerian Brew eries PLC

ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĚŝƉƉĞĚ ϴ͘ϱй ĂŶĚ ϭϲ͘ϲй ƚŽ ϭϯϭ͘ϰŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Eϭ͘ϰďŶ

ROA

36.00

ďĞŶĐŚŵĂƌŬ ŝŶĚĞdž ϲϳďƉƐ ůŽǁĞƌ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϯϬ͕ϴϮϵ͘ϰϱ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ

ƚŽ Eϭϭ͘ϲƚŶ͘ ĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ

ROE

1,502.15

STANBIC (-ϱ͘ϮйͿ ĂŶĚ FBNH ;-Ϯ͘ϰйͿ – ĚƌĂŐŐĞĚ ƚŚĞ

ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ůŽƐƚ Eϳϴ͘ϳďŶ ŝŶ ǀĂůƵĞ ĂƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ĨĞůů

Price Change Index to Date

1 Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

3 Dangote Cement PLC

ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ǁŽƌƐĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ -ϭ͘ϵй͘ ĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐůLJ͕

Price Previous Current Change Price Weightin YTD Change g

24.3% 15.4%

18.00

-5.0%

0.9%

-22.1%

-18.9%

6.6%

2.0%

8.3x

0.5x

21 Oando PLC

5.70

0.0%

1.3%

14.0%

18.8%

10.9%

1.7%

4.7x

0.4x

22 Fidelity Bank PLC

2.30

0.9%

1.2%

13.3%

13.3%

11.3%

1.5%

3.0x

0.3x

4.8%

23 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.24

2.5%

0.9%

-6.1%

-1.6%

19.3%

4.3%

4.0x

0.7x

2.4%

24.8%

24 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

14.20

0.7%

0.8%

-6.9%

-4.1%

32.6%

16.4%

5.7x

1.6x

8.8%

17.7%

21.1% 33.3%

25 Diamond Bank PLC

2.42

0.0%

0.9%

12.6%

-5.8%

-0.7%

26 FCMB Group Plc

1.94

0.0%

0.6%

2.6%

7.8%

8.4%

1.2%

2.5x

0.2x

5.1%

27 UAC of Nigeria PLC

7.80

-2.5%

0.4%

-20.0%

-18.3%

0.4%

0.2%

61.4x

0.3x

8.3%

1.6%

28 Sterling Bank PLC

2.39

-0.4%

0.6%

25.8%

25.8%

10.6%

1.1%

6.3x

0.6x

0.8%

15.9%

29 Presco PLC

62.00

-3.9%

0.4%

-3.1%

-3.1%

37.0%

24.8%

2.4x

0.8x

3.2%

40.8%

30 NASCON Allied Industries PLC

18.20

-4.2%

0.3%

1.1%

1.1%

47.0%

17.5%

10.9x

4.2x

5.2%

31 Forte Oil PLC

27.70

0.0%

0.3%

-3.5%

-1.1%

84.6%

8.3%

11.3x

2.1x

0.3x

-29.0% 39.4%

9.2% 8.8%

32 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

7.10

2.9%

0.4%

26.8%

26.8%

5.3%

1.0%

12.9x

0.7x

33 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

27.50

0.0%

0.3%

36.8%

24.4%

31.5%

3.6%

4.3x

1.1x

34 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

10.00

-2.0%

0.2%

-17.4%

-18.7%

0.9x

1.5%

35 Chemical and Allied Products P

37.40

0.0%

0.2%

7.3%

7.3%

66.2%

30.2%

17.5x

11.7x

5.8%

ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĚ͘ ^Ğůů ŽīƐ ŝŶ SEPLAT (-ϭ͘ϴйͿ ĚƌĂŐŐĞĚ ƚŚĞ Kŝů

36 Wema Bank PLC

0.73

-2.7%

0.2%

15.9%

15.9%

6.6%

0.8%

8.4x

0.5x

37 Beta Glass PLC

71.95

0.0%

Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĚŽǁŶ ďLJ Ϭ͘ϴй ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž

0.2%

5.3%

5.3%

21.1%

14.7%

6.6x

1.3x

1.6%

15.0%

38 Dangote Flour Mills Plc

11.00

-3.9%

0.2%

60.6%

66.7%

14.9%

4.2%

9.7x

1.4x

1.8%

10.3%

39 Transcorp Hotels Plc

5.40

0.0%

0.1%

-11.5%

-9.2%

11.0x

0.7x

2.8%

9.1%

40 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

2.20

0.0%

0.1%

20.2%

20.2%

9.7x

1.1x

2.8%

10.3%

Ϯ͘ϱйͿ͕ ƚƌĂŝůĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁŚŝĐŚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϭ͘Ϭй ĂƐ GUARANTY (-ϯ͘ϳйͿ͕ STANBIC (-ϱ͘ϮйͿ ĂŶĚ ACCESS (-Ϭ͘ϴйͿ

ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ Ϭ͘ϰй ĂƐ Ă ƌĞƐƵůƚ ŽĨ ůŽƐƐĞƐ ŝŶ GUINNESS (-Ϯ͘ϰйͿ͕ FLOURMILL

(-ϱ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ DANGFLOUR

(-ϯ͘ϵйͿ͘

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϲdž ĨƌŽŵ Ϭ͘ϵdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ĚĂLJ ĂƐ ϭϭ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ƌĞůĂƟǀĞ ƚŽ ϭϵ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ dŽƉ ŽƵƚƉĞƌĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ǁĞƌĞ UNIONDAC ;нϭϬ͘ϬйͿ͕ CUTIX ;нϵ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ MEDVIEWAIR ;нϱ͘ϵйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ NEM

(-ϱ͘ϱйͿ͕ STANBIC

(-ϱ͘ϮйͿ ĂŶĚ

5.7% 12.0%

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

UN ION D A C

0.33

10.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

27.9

1.4%

C UT IX

2.03

9.7%

ST ER LN B A N K

25.0

-0.4%

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

M ED VIEWA IR

1.80

5.9%

A C C ESS

16.2

-0.8%

C A D B UR Y

11.20

3.2%

UB A

11.4

0.0%

UB N

7.10

2.9%

FCM B

7.4

0.0%

T R A N SC OR P

1.24

2.5%

FB NH

5.8

-2.4%

Z EN IT H B A N K

22.00

1.4%

F ID ELIT YB K

5.7

0.9%

OKOM UOIL

80.00

1.3%

T R A N SC OR P

3.4

2.5%

F ID ELIT YB K

2.30

0.9%

J A P A ULOIL

2.4

0.0%

A F R IP R UD

3.90

0.8%

NB

2.3

0.0%

FLOURMILL (-ϱ͘ϬйͿ ůĞĚ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ͘ tŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ĚŽǁŶǁĂƌĚ ƚƌĞŶĚ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƐ͕

3.5%

23.1%

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

T o p 10 G a i n e r s T ic k er

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĞĂŬĞŶƐ

11.6%

7.8% 7.3%

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

T o p 10 L o s e r s

ŝƚ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚƐ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟĞƐ ƚŽ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ŝŶ P ric e

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Value

2.22

-5.5%

Z EN IT H B A N K

606.6

1.4%

ST A N B IC

46.00

-5.2%

NB

151.3

0.0%

F LOUR M ILL

18.00

-5.0%

A C C ESS

104.1

-0.8%

0.21

-4.5%

UB A

88.5

0.0%

18.20

-4.2%

ST ER LN B A N K

58.7

-0.4%

T ic k er

ĨƵŶĚĂŵĞŶƚĂůůLJ ƐŽƵŶĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ͖ ŶŽŶĞƚŚĞůĞƐƐ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ Ă ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ ĐůŽƐĞ ƚŽĚĂLJ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶƐ ǁĞĂŬ͘

N EM

N IGER IN S N A SC ON

11.00

-3.9%

GUA R A N T Y

47.8

-3.7%

P R ESC O

62.00

-3.9%

FB NH

46.7

-2.4%

GUA R A N T Y

36.00

-3.7%

SEP LA T

39.1

-1.8%

LA SA C O

0.30

-3.2%

P R ESC O

38.0

-3.9%

C UST OD IA N

6.10

-3.2%

UN ILEVER

30.7

0.0%

D A N GF LOUR

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

P ric e C hg %

Brokerage

Asset Management

Investment Research

Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Ola Belgore | obelgore@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com Oluwarotimi Ashimi | oashimi@afrinvest.com

Jolomi Odonghanro | jodonghanro@afrinvest.com

41

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

ASHON Unveils New Identity, Harps on Financial Inclusion Goddy Egene The Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) is set to unveil a new corporate identity even as it has concluded arrangements to host the 2019 Capital Market Summit tomorrow in Lagos in pursuit of its members’ expanded scope of operations.

One of the highlights of the

annual event is the recognising of some distinguished professionals in the financial markets with awards. According to ASHON’s Public Relations Officer, Ms Ify Ifejeize, the event is to deliberate on critical issues of how to develop and deepen the capital market and proffer solutions to challenges facing the economy in general and the capital market in particular.

Commenting on new logo

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

and corporate name, ASHON’s Chairman, Chief Patrick Ezeagu explained that the new name, Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) would be unveiled at the summit.

Ezeagu noted that the new name was long overdue in line with the changing dynamics of operations of ASHON’s members.

He explained that the it was too limiting to call the individual

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 26Mar-2019, unless otherwise stated.

members stockbrokers because aside from equity trading, they deal in other securities, including derivatives, fixed income, commodities among others.

“The name you bear defines you. It is long overdue for our members to drop a name that portrays them as dealing in equity trading alone. We are trained and qualified to deal in many commodities. Our new logo is

symbolic. “ We are launching it along with our new corporate name at the Summit. The bar chart on our new logo implies the true position of a normal market. A normal market is never static continually. Bullish and bearish trend are normal features of a stock market,” he said.

Speaking on the summit, he said the theme: “Financial

Inclusion – The Capital Market Perspective,” has been uniquely chosen for examination of how capital market can be deployed for financial inclusion.

Also at the summit, ASHON shall be giving awards to deserving and distinguished stakeholders in the Nigerian financial industry in recognition of their immense contributions to the growth and development of the capital market.

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 159.35 160.03 0.82% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 8.11% Nigeria International Debt Fund 281.07 281.95 3.03% 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 0.85 0.86 1.33% ACAP Income Funds 0.63 0.63 12.63% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.65% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.29 2.32 3.01% 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 16.76 17.26 0.99% ARM Discovery Fund 360.96 371.84 1.21% ARM Ethical Fund 28.97 29.85 2.60% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.77% 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 13.60% Paramount Equity Fund 12.13 12.23 2.70% Women's Investment Fund 105.48 106.05 1.81% 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 13.10% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 101.20 101.27 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 102.98 103.60 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.84% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.84 0.85 Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.17 1.17 4.06% 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 N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A 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 1,235.79 1,236.65 4.24% FBN Heritage Fund 146.12 147.38 1.89% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 14.11% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 116.83 117.22 2.58% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 116.79 117.18 2.80% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 150.12 152.31 0.08% 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 1.20 1.22 -1.32% Legacy Debt Fund 3.34 3.34 2.82% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.04 1.04 1.12% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,008.75 3,041.61 0.86% Coral Income Fund 2,841.98 2,841.98 3.75% 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 12.80% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 109.83 110.52 2.93% 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 12.28% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.18 2.21 1.60% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.39% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 125.04 125.29 0.12%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.16 1.18 1.67% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,102.92 1,102.92 3.08% 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 11.49 11.59 -0.13% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.29% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.38 1.40 7.84% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.37 12.44 1.39% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.79% 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 126.88 127.62 5.16% 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 1.03 1.03 3.32% 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 2,374.08 2,387.89 2.59% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 196.29 196.29 3.23% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.96 0.97 1.58% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 253.88 253.91 2.72% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 165.30 167.12 1.32% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.00% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,440.75 8,543.49 -0.56% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.12 1.12 1.44% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.22 1.22 1.51% United Capital Bond Fund 1.65 1.65 3.72% United Capital Equity Fund 0.70 0.72 -0.75% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 14.81% United Capital Eurobond Fund 109.40 109.40 1.99% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.12 1.12 2.28% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 11.18 11.32 5.74% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.21 12.38 2.61% Zenith Income Fund 21.39 21.39 10.95% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 11.46%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.95 119.47 52.08

-39.35% 1.48% 0.66%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

10.48 113.21 88.91

10.58 115.62 90.56

-0.68% -3.49% 0.27%

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

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.09 6.95 14.53 12.44 152.79

4.13 7.03 14.63 12.64 154.79

2.22% -8.81% -2.80% 0.65% 6.40%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.24

17.42%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND 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 manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

42

THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

Brexit: Theresa May Vows to Stand down If Deal is Passed British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has promised Tory MPs she will stand down if they back her EU withdrawal deal.

She told backbench Tories: “I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party.”

The PM said she knew that Tory MPs did not want her to lead the next phase of Brexit negotiations “and I won’t stand in the way of that.”

She did not name a departure date at a packed meeting of the 1922 committee.

But the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg said a Tory leadership contest could be expected in May. Downing Street said it would be a “different ball game” if the deal was not passed by Parliament.

It comes as MPs seize control of the Commons agenda to hold votes on alternatives to the deal.

Mrs May told the 300 or so Tory MPs at the meeting “we need to get the deal through and deliver Brexit.”

“I ask everyone in this room to back the deal so we can

complete our historic duty - to deliver on the decision of the British people and leave the European Union with a smooth and orderly exit.”

The BBC’s Iain Watson said Boris Johnson - a likely contender in any leadership contest - was smiling broadly as he left the meeting.

Very senior Conservative had said the PM was “as clear as she has ever been” that she will not be around for the next stage of Brexit but if the deal does not pass then “that’s a different matter.”

Tory MP Simon Hart said the mood in the 1922 meeting was “respectful” as the prime minister set out her plan.

He said: “She was passionate about getting the deal through, passionate about keeping the party together and passionate about keeping the government as the government, passionate about keeping Jeremy Corbyn out of Number 10.”

Despite the nature of the meeting, Mr Hart joked that “neither the Chief Whip nor the PM were crying.”

The PM has said she wants to bring the deal back to the

Commons this week, after it was previously rejected twice, by large margins.

Commons Speaker John Bercow ruled last week that the government could not return for a third attempt, unless there had been “substantial” changes to the proposals.

And he warned ministers earlier that they should “not seek to circumvent my ruling” by introducing procedures that could reverse his judgement.

But a Downing Street spokesman said there had been a “significant development” at the summit in Brussels last week, after Mrs May agreed “extra reassurances” over the Irish backstop with the EU, and the date of exit had changed.

Many Tory Brexiteers are looking to the Democratic Unionist Party, who have led opposition to the PM’s deal, before deciding whether to get behind it.

Leading Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said there was an “element of sadness” about the prime minister’s announcement “even though it’s something I’ve wanted”.

And speaking to journalists

Over 16,000 Ethiopians Die of HIV/AIDS Every Year, Says Study The Ethiopian government on Wednesday revealed that over 16,000 of its citizens die due to HIV/AIDS every year.

The new study, which was released by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, reviewed the status of HIV/ ADIS in the country.

It revealed that there were some 16,000 new cases of HIV/AIDS annually, while the virus caused in excess of 16,000 deaths every year.

“Some 450,000 people across the East African country are also currently on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART),’’ state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) quoted the Ethiopian Public Health Institute as saying.

Ethiopia, since 2016, has been working to prevent more than half a million HIV/ AIDS-related deaths and up to 80,000 new HIV infections by 2020.

The target is part of the second five-year national Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II), effective from 2016 to 2020.

According to figures from the HIV/AIDS Control and Prevention Office (HAPCO), the East African country, during the first five-year GTP-I, was able to reduce new HIV infections from 0.28 per cent in 2010 to 0.03 per cent in 2015.

The HAPCO was established in 2002 as an

agency of the Ministry of Health and the executive arm of the National AIDS Council (NAC).

NAC, chaired by the President of Ethiopia, spearheads the multisectoral forum composed of government, private, nongovernmental, religious and civic society representatives and people living with HIV/ AIDS. “Ethiopian government’s HIV prevention activities since 2010 mainly focused on people most at risk of infection, with activities that targeted on identifying places and people with a high risk of HIV infection,’’ it noted.

Somali, AU Forces Step up Intelligence Sharing to Flush out Terrorists Somali and African Union forces wrapped up a two-day conference in Mogadishu on Wednesday aimed at enhancing intelligence sharing to help flush out terrorist groups in the Horn of African nation.

“The meeting, organised by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) called for strict vigilance and enhanced collaboration among various security actors in Somalia to defeat the armed insurgency in the country,’’ the AU mission said in a statement.

In his closing remarks, AMISOM’s Chief Military Intelligence Officer, David Obonyo, urged stakeholders to forge closer working ties for efficient intelligence sharing mechanisms.

“It will be important going forward to consistently liaise with Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and other security institutions within the country, to be able to get factual information,’’ Obonyo said.

He emphasised the importance of systematic sharing of intelligence in defeating al-Shabab and other armed groups that have been terrorising Somalis.

“To do that, to degrade the enemy, the information or intelligence that we share must be timely, accurate and actionable,’’ he added.

The conference, the fifth of its kind to be held in the country, discussed the dynamics in intelligence gathering and

how it impacts on Somalia’s security.

It brought together AMISOM’s military intelligence officers from all sectors, representatives of the Somali National Security Forces and other key stakeholders.

Nakibus Lakara, AMISOM’s Deputy Force Commander in charge of operations and plans, noted that the presence of Islamic State in the Horn of Africa called for improvement in intelligence gathering methods and heightened vigilance.

The top military officer urged stakeholders to forge closer working ties to defeat the armed insurgency in Somalia.

“Most often than not, situations where stakeholders or entities keep information to themselves, create gaps.”

after the 1922 committee he said he would vote for the government’s Brexit deal if the DUP abstained.

Asked what would happen if the government’s deal failed to get through, he said: “Then she would have every right to carry on.”

He refused to speculate

on who would now stand as Conservative leader - but asked what he thought of Boris Johnson he said: “I think Mr Johnson is a formidably able man and I backed him in 2016.”

Earlier, Mrs May moved to prevent possible ministerial resignations by allowing

Conservative MPs a free vote when MPs pass judgment later on different Brexit plans, in the so-called indicative votes.

But the prime minister herself, along with her Cabinet ministers, will abstain in the votes, Conservative whips have indicated.

EU Lawmakers to Vote on Single-use Plastic Ban The European Union is expected to ban single-use plastic products, a growing problem in the world’s oceans, after a vote by EU lawmakers on Wednesday.

The ban, which would take effect in 2021, targets the top 10 disposable plastic products that wash up on European shores, provided that consumers have alternatives.

In practice, this regulation would cover products such as plastic cutlery, foam takeout food containers, straws and drink stirrers.

Other products will not be banned but subject to new design and label requirements, while

producers will be under tougher waste management obligations to limit their use.

Wet wipes packaging, for example, will need to inform consumers of the presence of plastic in the wipes and the harm done to the environment if they are not thrown away in a bin.

Producers of plasticcontaining tobacco filters, meanwhile, will be subject to an extended producer responsibility scheme.

In addition to avoiding the emission of millions of tonnes of CO2 equivalent, EU measures against single-use plastic products and bags will avoid 25 billion dollars worth

of environmental damage by 2030, according to the European Commission.

As for oceans, plastic waste is particularly dangerous as its slow decomposition rate means that traces are often found in marine species such as sea turtles, whales and birds, as well as in the seafood that ends up in the human food chain.

The legislation is based on a draft agreement reached

by European Parliament negotiators and member states in December.

It still needs official approval by member states, which is expected to be a formality.

43

THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Court to Rule on Oshiomhole’s Objection to Alleged Financial Misappropriation May 13 Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja, will on May 13, 2019, rule on the objection of a former Governor of Edo State and National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, to a suit seeking to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence criminal investigation against him over alleged financial misappropriation as Governor of Edo State.

Justice Chikere announced the date yesterday, shortly after counsel to parties in the matter made their submissions on the preliminary objections.

Oshiomhole yesterday asked the court to dismiss the suit seeking to compel the EFCC to commence criminal investigation against him for lacking in merit.

The APC chairman in a preliminary objection to the suit filed by a Benin-based cleric and activist, Bishop Osadolor Ochei, said the plaintiff lacks the locus standing (legal right) to institute the action.

Arguing the preliminary objection, Oshiomhole’s lawyer, Terhemba Gbashima, told the court that the suit filed by the plaintiff is status-barred, as it was filed18 months after the cause of action.

According to him, the plaintiff, whom he described as a meddlesome interloper, ought to have filed the suit three months after the cause of action.

Gbashima, who prayed the court to dismiss the suit or in alternative, strike it out, also submitted that Osadolor has

not shown how the alleged cause of action has affected him more than other indigenes of the state and asked the court to dismiss the suit for being incompetent.

In her response, counsel to the plaintiff, Uju Chukwurah, urged the court to discountenance the preliminary objection of Oshiomhole, who is the second respondent in the suit.

She said the EFCC, which was represented in court by Best Ojukwu, is empowered to investigate financial crimes against anybody and as such, it is under a statutory duty to examine the petition brought before it by the petitioner.

While praying the court to dismissed the preliminary objection, Chukwurah said there is a continuous damage, since the subject matter of the plaintiff’s petition has not been addressed, adding that, until the petition is dealt with, the plaintiff’s matter cannot be said to be statute-barred.

She said the plaintiff, being an indigene of Edo state, has the legal right to file the suit.

Justice Chikere however adjourned till May 13, 2019 for ruling on the preliminary objections.

The plaintiff had dragged the EFCC and Oshiomhole to court, praying the court to order the EFCC to investigate different petitions that contained allegations of financial recklessness against Oshiomhole.

The anti-graft agency has, in its preliminary objections, challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel it to arrest and prosecute Oshiomhole, over allegation that he diverted public funds to his personal

Killer of Ex-dep Gov’s Daughter to Die by Hanging An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure yesterday, sentenced Seidu Adeyemi to death by hanging, for killing Miss Khadijat Oluboyo, daughter of a former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Lasisi Oluboyo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Adeyemi, the boyfriend of the deceased Oluboyo, is a graduate of Federal University of Technology (FUTA) Akure.

He was arrested by the Ondo State Police Command in July 2018, on suspicion of killing his girlfriend on July 2, and burying her in his room in Akure.

Adeyemi was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

Khadijat, who was a final year student of Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba Akoko, was buried in the convict’s room and her decomposing body found after five days.

Justice Samuel Bola, in his judgment, said the prosecutor and the state counsel had proved beyond reasonable

doubt that Adeyemi actually committed the offences he was charged with.

Bola held that by criminal law, the convict had committed a capital offence and should die by hanging.

Speaking with journalists after the sentence in Akure, Mr. Kola Olawoye, leader of the prosecution team and the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, expressed satisfaction with the judgment.

Olawoye said the circumstances leading to the death of the deceased were unfortunate.

“The state decided to take up the case in order to know what led to the death of the deceased; and we wanted the defendant to explain to the whole world the part he played in the killing of the lady, if any.

“Thank God the court has done justice to the case today.

“I believe this judgment will serve as a deterrent to other criminals who have the intent to commit such act,” he said.

use while in office as governor.

EFCC admitted that it has received petitions accusing Oshiomhole of complicity in acts of corruption, but added

that it was not under any obligation to report or give account of its investigations to any individual or under a timeline within which to carry

out its functions.

The anti-graft agency, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the suit that is seeking to invoke

an order of mandamus to compel it to initiate criminal proceedings against the embattled APC Chairman.

ENDORSING ASABA AIRPORT...

L-R: Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah; Pilot of Egypt Air Boeing 737, Captain Ramy Mansour; Asaba Airport Manager, Mr. Austine Ayemidejor, during the boarding of Egyptian national football team back to Egypt at the Asaba International Airport... yesterday

South-east Market Leader: Folashade Ojo Isn’t the New Iyaloja General of Nigeria Sunday Okobi and Hamid Ayodeji The South-east Market Leaders Association of Nigeria has stated that Mrs. Folashade Ojo, who claimed to have taken over Lagos International Trade Fair complex market, is not the new Iyaloja General of Nigeria.

The South-east market leader, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ezenwa, in a statement made available to THISDAY yesterday, explained that the legitimate Iyaloja General who took over

from late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji is Mrs. Felicia Sanni and not Ojo. According to Ezenwa, “I want to inform Mrs. Ojo that she is just the Southwest market leader, and not in a position to control the South-east union as she claimed, adding that she has documents to prove the claim if further asked.

“The position of Iyaloja General of Nigeria is not a family affair; in fact, the deputy to the Iyaloja General of Nigeria is in position to

take over the duties of her principal at her death or resignation, I insist.”

Ezenwa also explained in the statement that the Law enforcement agencies should be relevant at this time and not allow themselves to be misled by some politicians, adding that the Market Unions in Lagos should be aware, and should not aid the wrong person to authority.

“The Iyaloja General of Nigeria was her grandmother before her death. As stated in the registered Articles

of the Association, this position was not designed, formed or implied to be a family business. The Market Women Association has the Board of Trustees (BoT) who is certified of such status during registration at the CAC. “This document is a positive reaction against the publication titled: ‘Tinubu’s daughter takes over Lagos International Trade Fair complex market’, ‘where she allegedly said all traders in Lagos must be under my control’,” she added.

Presidency Behind My Ordeals, Dokpesi Alleges Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Founder of Daar Communications, owner of Ray Power FM and Africa Independent Television (AIT), Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has accused the federal government of being behind his arrest.

He was arrested by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja last Friday, after he returned from a medical trip overseas.

Dokpesi disclosed this yesterday while speaking with journalists in Abuja after he was grilled by the NIS for two hours at its headquarters in Abuja.

The PDP chieftain said that the intention of NIS was to seize his passport, which he said was returned to him by a Federal High Court.

Dokpesi explained: “I just returned from a medical trip

overseas last Friday, March 22, 2019, when I was arrested for 50 to 55 minutes at the Airport. I was told that they have instructions from above to arrest me on my return; but after a few phone calls and contacts, the immigration officer at the airport told me that he has instructions from above that I can leave and he gave me back my passport and told me that I should go and that they will reach me subsequently.

“On Monday, I received new information, and in line with the normal process, I returned my passport to the Federal High Court, since I travelled under a judicial approval or permission. So, I returned my passport, telling the court that I have gone and came back, and gave notice that I might have to go for a medical check- up so that they will ensure that the operation was successful and that all the organs and everything are properly healed.

“So, when I got the letter yesterday March 26, I replied that same yesterday (Tuesday) notifying them that I have returned the passport to the Federal High Court, and that it has been duly acknowledged and added all the necessary information and so on.

But the officers who interrogated me said that they had expected me to go back to the Federal High Court and obtained the passport with their letter of invitation and I told them that I totally defer from that line of thought.

“If you, the immigration service with the instruction from above, requires my passport then write directly to the Federal High Court and request for the passport. If you like, you can copy me for me to be able to go there and say, look I am supposed to be a courier, has the court approved it and I will return it clearly, but that did

not happen and that made us have altercations and tempers went very high.

“But I stood my ground and said, well I am a Nigerian citizen, I have travelled out for my medical treatment, I am back to the country and I voluntarily came back and has handed over my passport to the appropriate authority. They were telling me that passport was a property of the federal government and federal government has a right to withdraw it at any time.

“Granted passport is a property of the federal government and federal government has a right to withdraw it, but I am also a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and there is a judicial process, there is a rule of law, why should we not go through the judicial process and be able to define what is required,” he added.

THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

44

NEWSEXTRA

Landing at Asaba Int’l Airport was a Nice Experience, Says Egypt Air Pilot Omon-Julius OnabuinAsaba The Asaba International Airport witnessed its

second international flight yesterday with the Pilot of EgyptAir Boeing 737, Mr. Ramy Mansour, saying

JDPC Moves against Domestic Violence, Sexual Molestation Okpuzor Ezekiel As part of efforts to address the issues of domestic violence and sexual molestation in the society, the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) has organised a seminar with a focus to provide possible solutions.

Speaking during the event at the weekend in Lagos, the Head of JDPC, Lauretta Egboh, said that to eradicate domestic violence and sexual molestation in the society, adding that there is need for concerted efforts from parents, and Churches.

“Whenever we glance through our newspaper and tune on our television we keep hearing and reading about domestic violence and sexual molestation, so JDPC took it upon themselves to address

this issue because it can lead to more damages in the future”.

She also noted that parents must love their children and be able to listen to them, urging parents to create friendliness with their children, “so that the children can pour out their mind all time.”

In her remarks, the President, Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said that the government must not relent in its fight against abusers.

Joe said a lot of young people suffered molestation, adding that most of their abusers are usually in a close relationship with the abused.

“The abused must speak up because a justice delayed is a justice denied, there is a constitution that guards every citizen and abusers would be brought to book,” she noted.

that it was a wonderful experience landing at the airport.

According to the Pilot who flew into Asaba at about 7.57 a.m., “we had a nice experience landing at the Asaba International Airport; the runway is very good and the greenery was a very nice view from up.”

“It is six hours from Asaba to Cairo and we will like to land here again,” the Pilot said in a chat with journalists at the Asaba International

Airport.

Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah at the airport, described the successful landing and take-off of international flights from the Asaba International Airport as clear attestation of the success story of Governor Okowa’s administration.

“We give thanks to God for the successful flights; this is an attestation of the good

works of Governor Okowa’s administration in Delta State; we have just witnessed the second international flight that is landing and taking off from Asaba and it is a strong message to investors that Asaba is safe for business.”

Also speaking the Special Project Director, Asaba International Airport, Mr. Austine Ayomidejor, stated that the airport was strategically located to cater for the travel needs of a lot of people, disclosing

that the work has already commenced on the cargo portion of the airport.

“With all the facilities in working condition, its strategic location and serene environment, air travel will become so much easier for travelers as well as tourists who are interested in coming to Delta and the neighbouring states to not only do business but to sight see and enjoy the best hospitality in the country,” Ayomidejor said.

Let’s Build Abia Together, Ikpeazu Tells Otti, Ogah The Governor of Abia State and the Governor-elect, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has extended an olive branch to his opponents at the just concluded governorship election, Uche Ogah of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Dr. Alex Otti of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), calling on them join him in building Abia.

Ikpeazu, who made the call when he collected his Certificate of Return as Governor-Elect of Abia State from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the commission’s headquarters in Umuahia, said that such collaboration is the only way to build the state.

The governor, while extending the olive branch, also called on his opponents to bring their ideas to the table and participate in the development of Abia State.

“I call on my brothers and

those who lost in the election to join us to build the Abia of our dreams. This is the only way to go because in every election or contest, there must be a winner and losers. For us, this is a victory for Abia and since all of us that participated in the election are all Abians, it then means there is no loser in the actual sense. We must collaborate for the good of our state and our people.”

He described as a privilege, the opportunity to serve Abians again for the next four years while reaffirming his commitment to the all round development of the state.

Ikpeazu further reiterated his administration’s commitment to job creation for the teeming Abia youth in the next four years, adding that he is poised to leave Abia better than he met it.

TAKE HEART…

L-R: Widow of the late Olumegbon of Lagos, Mrs. Jumoke Fatai Olumegbon; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; another widow of the deceased, Mrs. Omolara Fatai Olumegbon, when the deputy governor represented the state governor and members of the state executive council to commiserate with the family of the late Olumegbon, at the deceased’s residence, in Ado -Langbasa, Ajah, Lagos...yesterday KOLA OLASUPO

Man Bags 97Years Jail Term over False Claim Justice A.O. Otaluka of the FCT High Court, sitting in Apo, yesterday sentenced one Clement Joseph, a.k.a Dr. Omale to 97 years prison term with no option of fine.

He was first arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 7, 2017 on a seven-

count charge, bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N5, 600, 000 only.

He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment on the conspiracy charge and 15 years each on the rest of the six charges, totalling 97 years. The prison terms run

concurrently, and he will, however, serve only 13 years, having been in custody for two years.

The convict is also make N5.6 million restitution to his victim, one Bola Akintola, following a plea by the prosecuting counsel, Elizabeth Alabi.

The convict had defrauded

Akintola of the said sum on the false pretence of having mystical power to deliver her from untimely death.

The offence runs contrary to Section 8(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006, and punishiable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

Fraud: Ex-NNPC GMD, AndrewYakubu Knows Fate April 4 Samson Tunde Oduleye Passes on $9.8m counsel, Abubakar said the defence Justice Ahmed Mohammed of located on Chikun Road, Sabon 6, 2018.

The Socialist Congress of Nigeria, the Board of Trustees of the Festus Iyayi Foundation and the UNILORIN 49+ Foundation have announced the death of one of their members, Professor Tunde Oduleye who died on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at the age of 75 years.

According to a statement issued by Poju Akinyanju, the deceased, an accomplished academic, spent a considerable part of his life and energy in the struggle for the development of the Nigerian University system and the Nigerian Nation.

The statement disclosed that the late Oduleye who was born in Zaria, Kaduna State on January 21, 1944, spent his childhood days in Katcha, near Bida in Niger State and Jos in Plateau State.

At death, he was the head of the Oduleye Clan of Ile Abese, Ogbomoso, in whose activities he was deeply involved. He is survived by his wife, Mary and three children, Bimbola, Bolanle and Jibola.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, will on April 4, 2019 decide whether the former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on a six-count charge of non-declaration of assets and money laundering to the tune of $9, 800, 000 has a case to answer.

The EFCC had, on February 3, 2017, raided Yakubu’s house,

Tasha area of Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State, from where the sum of $9,772, 800 and £74,000 was recovered.

The judge will also decide on April 1, 2019, whether to allow Yakubu travel for medical trip to United Kingdom (UK).

At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, the defendant, through his counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), along with five other colleagues informed the court of a ‘no-case submission’ filed on November

Andrew, through his counsel, Raji also applied for foreign medical treatment in the United Kingdom (UK).

But responding, prosecuting counsels led by M.S Abubakar, opposed the application, on the ground that the earlier date scheduled for the medical treatment being March 11, 2019, had elapsed.

The defence counsel argued that the appointment was rescheduled to April 2, 2019. The prosecution

counsel did not provide the court with a valid document or exhibit, to show that the medical appointment was rescheduled for April 2, 2019, adding that, the court should not allow the prayers of the defendant.

Justice Mohammed adjourned to April 1, 2019, for ruling on whether or not grant the prayers for the medical trip. The judge also adjourned till April 4, 2019, to rule on the ‘no-case submission’.

Trinity House Church to Organise Conference Samson Tunde Oduleye

Ghanaian Pastor, Mensa Otabil will be joining Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Rev. Yinka Yusuf and Senior Pastor, Trinity House, Ituah Ighodalo to minister at the second annual

word and power conference of Trinity House.

According to a statement made available to THISDAY yesterday by the convener, Pastor Ituah

Ighodalo, it was noted that the conference which would begin from April 3-7 has as the theme: ‘Set Time’ would take place at the church main

auditorium, Zion Centre, situated on Trinity Avenue, through Water Corporation Road, off Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

45

THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

PDP Urges Supporters to Turn out Massively, Peacefully for Adamawa Poll APC makes u-turn, accepts to participate As the people of Adamawa State prepare for a supplementary governorship election today (Thursday), the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged its supporters to turn out massively and peacefully for the poll.

This is coming as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has called on its supporters in the state to get prepared and participate in the governorship supplementary election slated for today.

The state PDP Chairman, Mr. Tahir Shehu, made the appeal yesterday in a statement in Yola.

Shehu alleged that the state government, led by All Progressives Congress (APC), was planning to import thugs from Kaduna and Kano States to cause mayhem and manipulate the process to ensure victory for the APC candidate.

He urged the security agencies to rise up to the occasion.

“We find it necessary to draw the attention of all security agencies to take note and put eyes on the development.

“We equally call on all the good and peace loving citizens of Adamawa State, particularly our party supporters to remain

calm and resolute to ensure that they peacefully come out en masse to exercise their franchise without any fear of intimidation or harassment.”

Shehu also urged voters in the 44 polling units in 14 local government areas where the election would take place to be vigilant and security conscious and to report any unfamiliar faces at their units to security agents.

Meanwhile, the APC in the state has called on its supporters in the state to get prepared and participate in the governorship supplementary election slated for today.

The state Organising Secretary of the party, Alhaji Ahmed Lawal, gave the directive yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola.

Lawal said that the party reviewed its earlier decision to boycott the poll and had resolved to fully participate in the poll.

He, however, said that in spite of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)’s refusal to heed their call for a re-schedule, the APC would still win the election.

He appealed to the APC family and supporters not to

be deterred by INEC’s action, but to go out en mass to vote for the candidate of the party.

“Having consulted all the party stakeholders, we have resolved to participate in the supplementary election fixed for tomorrow.

“Our earlier boycott threat was not out of fear, but to encourage participation by other political

parties who had been taken unawares by the date for the supplementary election.

“To us, we will participate and win the re-run even as INEC has refused to rescind its decision to hold the re-run tomorrow.

“We appeal to APC supporters to come out and vote for APC massively so as to ensure victory in the election.

“Adamawa is an APC state, and with the developmental strides recorded by Gov. Mohammed Bindow, it is a sure qualification for winning an election,’ Lawal said.

It will be recalled that the state chapter of the APC had earlier rejected the March 28 date fixed by INEC for the conduct of the supplementary

election in 44 polling units in the state.

The APC threatened to boycott the election if INEC refused to reschedule the election.

The date was fixed sequel to the vacation of a court order restraining INEC from conducting a governorship supplementary election in the state.

Court Awards N25m to Student Who Became Blind After Being Flogged A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has ordered the proprietress of Cendom International Nursery and Primary School, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos, Mrs Uche Owen, to pay N25 million as damages to a 5-year-old pupil of the school, Destiny Kalu who became blind after he was flogged for not paying school fees.

Destiny had through his father, Inyima Kalu, dragged Mrs Owen and his class teacher, Miss Uduak Sam before the court in 2013 for flogging and inflicting severe injuries to his right eyes over non-payment of school fees.

In his statement of claim, Destiny

alleged that on June 20, 2011, Mrs Owen came to his classroom and flogged all the pupils that had not paid their school fees.

He stated that the proprietress further instructed their class teacher, Miss Uduak to flog them severely.

Destiny claimed that while being flogged, his right eye was covered with blood as a result of cane injury inflicted on him by the teacher.

He said the incident left him in pains and tears for several hours unattended to in the schooI premises.

Destiny further claimed that his class teacher neglected him

as he bled internally and water gushed out of his right eye all through the school hours, until he was picked up at the close of school by his father after every staff of the school had abandoned him and gone home.

Destiny was subsequently taken to Ajeromi General Hospital Lagos where he was treated and later referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) At LUTH, the right eye was operated on without success.

Doctor’s report revealed that Destiny’s right eye was permanently damaged and cannot

perceive light as a result of severe internal damage.

Following the permanent injury sustained by Destiny, his father demanded N30 million as compensation from the school.

In her statement to the Nigeria Police after the incident, Miss Uduak admitted that she punished the infant by caning him on the instruction of the principal, Mrs Owen.

However, in her statement of defence, Uduak claimed that Destiny may have sustained the injury on his right eye during a fight with another pupil in the school.

46

T H I S D AY Ëž MARCH 28 2019

Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x161; Ă&#x161;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153; Duro Ikhazuagbe Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2013; duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

AFCON 2019: Eagles 69% Ready,Says Rohr Ëž Ă&#x2018;ĂŁĂ&#x161;Ă&#x17E;ËŞĂ? Ă?âĂ&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC; Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2039;Ă?Ă&#x2019; Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x2039;äĂ?Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x152;ĂŁ Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2039; Duro Ikhazuagbe Despite handing out Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first defeat to Egypt since 1990, one of the favourite teams to win the 2019 AFCON in summer, Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr is not deluding himself that he has a team to surprise the continent yet.

Speaking at a crowded post match briefing shortly after Paul Onuachiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record eight second strike welcomed the Pharaohs into the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on Tuesday, the FrancoGerman coach admitted his team is still work in progress but not looking for new players. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, there is no need calling up new players to the Super Eagles before the Nations Cup. Now, we already have 69% of the players that will go the Nations Cup,â&#x20AC;? stressed the gaffer who qualified Nigeria for the AFCON 2019 with the reverse fixture game against Seychelles pending.

Inspired by his wards display against the seven-times AFCON champions in Asaba that Tuesday evening, Rohr insisted that Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next round of tune up matches will determine the remaining players to make up his 23-man squad to Egypt in

June. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the coming friendly matches, we will know. We still have some friendly games that will help us get ready for the AFCON. He however remain resolute that no new player can displace any of the current Eagles in camp. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think it will be possible for a new player to displace any of the ones we have now, so we are going to work with the current players.

Interestingly, while Rohr is happy with how his team is evolving, his opposite number in Egypt, Mexican Javier Aguirre is unfazed by the first defeat he suffered on the Pharaohsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; job. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am happy with this serious experience against a big team (like Nigeria). We benefited from the match after examining new faces amid our strategy to inject new blood into the squad ahead of the African Cup,â&#x20AC;? he noted earlier at the post-match.

Aguirre admitted that after that initial shock from Onuachuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thunderbolt, his wards regained balance and proved their worth even in the face of several top stars absent from the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our players restored the balance quickly and were a stiff opponent for the hosts.

The whole match was a bal-

Egyptian senior national football team boarding an Egyptian airliner at the Asaba International Airport after Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friendly with Super Eagles. Inset: Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah (middle); Airport Manager, Mr. Austin Ayemidejor (left) and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Charles Aniagwu at the airport to see oďŹ&#x20AC; the players and oďŹ&#x192;cials of the Pharaohsâ&#x20AC;Śyesterday

anced one, except the early few minutes that witnessed the goal,â&#x20AC;? he explained.

Rather than feeling low, Aguirre is rather taking the positive from the defeat in Asaba, most especially having

the chance to experiment with new, untested players in his team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am happy with this serious experience against a big team.

We benefited from the match after examining new faces amid

our strategy to inject new blood into the squad ahead of the African Cup,â&#x20AC;? he concluded.

Just Like Nigeria, Egyptian is due to play three other friendlies in final preparations before the tournament scheduled to take

place between 21 June to 13 July.

Egypt is aiming to win the continental football showpiece for the first time since the Pharaohs were champions the last of their record seven trophies was in 2010.

Gov Okowa Boosts Super Eagles with $60,000 Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State has again bountifully rewarded the Super Eagles following victories in their 2019 AFCON qualifying match against Seychelles and the prestigious friendly against seven-time African champions Egypt, as he presented a gift of $10,000 to Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr and another $50,000 to the team on Tuesday.

Okowa similarly rewarded the team following their qualification for the 2019 AFCON with the 1-1 draw against South Africa in Johannesburg in November 2018, which they followed up with a friendly against Uganda in Asaba three days later. Captain Ahmed Musa, who on his part received rave reviews for promptly fulfilling his promise of N1million-a-goal to the Olympic Eagles by

DOAMF Charity Golf Tournament toTee-off Saturday at Ikoyi The Final of the 9th edition of the Daniel Ogechi Akujobi Memorial (DOAM) Foundation Golf Tournament, featuring about 190 players is scheduled to tee off on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the Golf Section of Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos, with several prizes at stake to be won courtesy of electronics giant, LG, and other sponsors.

The Coordinator of the event, Mr. Pat Bassey, stated that: â&#x20AC;&#x153;As is usual for this special tournament, the Ikoyi Golf Course is being put in great but very challenging shape to ensure the emergence of a truly deserving 2019 Champion of the DOAM Foundation Charity Golf Tournament. With best-inclass golfing hospitality and mouthwatering prizes on offer, participating golfers are in for a special tournament day treat that has become the hallmark of this annual event.â&#x20AC;?

Proceeds from this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tournament will enable the Foundation increase its Scholarship Roll to 60 students, boost its Back-to-School and Mentorship programmes, re-equip and refurbish an Accident and Trauma

Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17E;

Madrid Football Academy

Centre, power various Medical Missions and Healthy Living (Health is Wealth) Enlightenment programmes, as well as expand its Empowerment (Skills Acquisition) initiatives. All of these initiatives are aimed at touching lives of our less privileged citizens.

The event will be rounded off with a Closing Ceremony and Awardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cocktail later that evening, at which event the DOAM Foundation will show appreciation to those corporate organisations, groups, and individuals without whose support the Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact would be severely limited.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tournament is heavily backed by an impressive lineup of Individual and Corporate Donors/Sponsors including PricewaterhouseCoopers, Diamond Bank Plc, ARM Pension Managers, Radial Circle Group, Zenith Bank Plc, Providus Bank, Channels Television, Silverbird Television, Grand OAK, Cappa & Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Alberto, SPAR (Park Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Shop), ExxonMobil, Fidelity Bank Plc, Victoria Crown Plaza, LG Electronics, Ikoyi Club 1938, Raddisson Hotel, and many more.

sending the team N4million on Monday evening immediately after their 4-0 win over Libya, thanked Governor Okowa for his kind gestures and support to the team, other national teams and Nigerian football generally.

At its meeting on Monday, the NFF Executive Committee had hailed Delta Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one citizen and his administration for full sponsorship of the Super Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; two matches, as well

as augmenting for the U-23 AFCON qualifier between Nigeria and Libya.

Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Odion Ighalo emerged top scorer of the 2019 AFCON qualifying campaign with seven goals, and the 1-0 victory over Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one â&#x20AC;&#x201C;ranked side Egypt was brilliantly executed and must have positive implications for Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth-ranked team Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position in the next

FIFA ranking activation.

The Stephen Keshi Stadium is fast turning to a positive hunting ground for the national teams, with the Super Eagles banishing a 19-year demon by defeating the Pharaohs, and the Olympic Eagles overturning a 0-2 deficit against Libya in the first leg to reach the final round of the qualifying series for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.

The football feast in Delta State was hugely rewarding for Nigeria, as the teams won all the matches, scoring eight goals in all and conceding only one.

At its Monday meeting, the NFF Executive Committee also approved that the Super Eagles play two more friendly matches during the FIFA window in June as part of the preparations for the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt this summer.

Axxela Inaugurates Elegbata Sports Complex, Greater Lagos IV Gas Pipeline Network Axxela Limited (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Axxelaâ&#x20AC;?), sub-Saharan Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preferred fast-growing gas & power portfolio company, has officially inugurated its Greater Lagos IV (GLIV) gas pipeline network and the newly renovated Elegbata Sports Complex.

Greater Lagos IV (GLIV) is Axxelaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gas pipeline network, developed by its Gaslink Nigeria Limited subsidiary in partnership with the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (â&#x20AC;&#x153;NGMCâ&#x20AC;?).

Spanning from Ijora through Lagos Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Marina axis, the

$30 million pipeline will supply gas to commercial and industrial off-takers along its route, and already has First Power and Island Power amongst its customers. Speaking at the event, Axxela Chief Operating Officer, Rasheed Olaoluwa remarked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This occasion demonstrates our continued contribution to the growth of Lagos Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s burgeoning socio-economic landscape, and also reinforces Axxelaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment as trailblazers in the distribution of natural gas to industries, and we are

immensely proud of this pioneering effort. There remains a considerable demand for power generation, and this pipeline extension project will revitalize industrial development across the metropolis. We are also delighted to commission the sports complex, affirming our promise and always-on engagement of host communities in our areas of operation.â&#x20AC;?

The Lagos Sports Commission Chairman, Dr. Kweku Adedayo Tandoh, representing the Lagos State Governor Governor Akinwunmi Ambode applauded

Axxela for the initiative and its role in boosting economic development in the state.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would like to thank Axxela for developing this sports facility which indicates its firm commitment to the welfare of its host communities.

This project is a welcome development for denizens of Elegbata which signifies the many possibilities that abound from public and private partnerships and the significance of sports in the community.

Team Nigeria Back from Special Olympics with 63 Medals Okpuzor Ezekiel Special Olympics Nigeria (SON) athletes returned victorious from the 2019 World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi with 63 medals.

At a welcome reception held in their honour on Tuesday in Lagoa, the athletes and officials were celebrated for being resilient, tenacious and exhibiting good sportsmanship.

At the World Summer Games,

athletes from over 190 countries including Nigeria participated in Athletics, Badminton, Unified Basketball, Cycling, Unified Football, Swimming, Table Tennis and Unified Volleyball.

Chairman of Special Olympics Nigeria, Gbolade Osibodu expressed his happiness with the performance of the team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am proud to inform you that we returned home with 63 medals, 32 gold, 21 silver, and 10 bronze medals.

These numbers may sound odd but in Special Olympics we celebrate individual athletes and not the event.

Therefore, the medals are not counted as per sport but as per athletes,â&#x20AC;? he noted.

Osibodu said he was very grateful to the coaches, caregivers and the medical personnel for their dedication and hard work.

He also extended his appreciation to all the sponsors

of SONigeria like, Union Bank of Nigeria PLC, Leadway Assurance Company Limited, Globacom Limited and others for making the game a reality for the athletes with intellectual disability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parents should involve their children and encourage them to participate in Special Olympic Games ahead of upcoming competition locally and internationally,â&#x20AC;? Osibodu concluded.

47

T H I S D AY ˾ MARCH 28, 2019

THURSDAYSPORTS

Nigeria’s FIFA Badged Referee forVARTraining in S’Africa

Man Utd to Face Spurs in Shanghai Summer Clash Manchester United will play Premier League top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a pre-season glamour friendly in Shanghai, the Old Trafford club announced yesterday.

At least six major English clubs will visit China this summer with Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers taking part in the Premier League Asia Trophy on July 17 in Nanjing and July 20 in Shanghai.

United will face Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs on July 25 in Shanghai, by which time the future of interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is likely to be resolved.

Conditions are likely to be testing in Shanghai that time of year, when temperatures can exceed 30 Celsius (86F) with high humidity and the likelihood of heavy rain.

But the Premier League and clubs see such trips as a prime opportunity to grow their fan bases in China, the world’s second-biggest economy.

This will be United’s fourth visit to Shanghai, the last time being 2016, when Jose Mourinho was in charge.

On the same tour, the first Manchester derby to be played overseas had to be cancelled at the last minute when the pitch at Beijing’s “Bird’s Nest” stadium was deemed unplayable because of rain.

United in January said they were opening a series of “entertainment and experience centres” in China, where they claim to have more than 100 million followers.

Super Eagles new found forward, Paul Onuachu (right) celebrating his record eight second winner against Pharaohs of Egypt in an International Friendly played at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba on Tuesday night. Nigeria won the game 1-0

Nigeria’s international referee, Abel Baba is among the few privileged FIFA referees selected from Africa to take part in the maiden VAR Course organised by the Confederation of Africa Football, CAF for Elite A Referees in the

continent ahead the usage of the methodology for refereeing in major competitions.

According to National Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Referees Association (NRA) Kelechi Mejuobi, the referees body is happy to associate with

its member for being found worthy to benefit from the training. “The Nigeria Referees Association is happy to associate with the giant strides, Abel Baba of the Kogi State Referees Council, fondly known as Igwe in referees circle, has recorded

by being part of the exercise.

“The NRA wishes him good luck and successful outing as the country’s ambassador in the program holding in South Africa,” he concluded on behalf of NRA in a statement yesterday.

Henzel, Chapecoense Plane Crash Survivor Dies One of the six survivors of the plane crash that killed most of the Brazilian football team Chapecoense in 2016 has died after suffering a heart attack.

Brazilian journalist, Rafael Henzel, 45, collapsed while playing football with friends on Tuesday but died shortly after he was taken to the hospital Chapecoense described him as a “symbol of the club’s reconstruction”.

The plane carrying 77 people, including 19 Chapecoense players, crashed in Colombia after running out of fuel. A respected journalist, Henzel

returned to his job at a radio station in the southern city of Chapecó after recovering from the 28 November 2016 crash.

“Throughout his brilliant career, Rafael told the story of Chapecoense,” the Chapecó club said in a tribute on its website (in Portuguese). “The green and white pages of this institution will always remember his example of overcoming (adversity) and everything he did.

Henzel was scheduled to cover the match between Chapecoense and Criciúma for national tournament Copa do Brasil on Wednesday. Chapecoense

has asked Brazil’s football association to postpone it. The plane carrying Chapecoense was flying from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, in Bolivia, to Medellin, in Colombia, where the team were due to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana.

Speaking to the BBC a few weeks after the crash, Henzel said the passengers had no warning of the impending crash.

“When we were 10-15 minutes away from landing, the engines went off because the plane had ran out of fuel... I put my seat belt on and I thought that the engines would go back in a few minutes.

But that didn’t happen.

Henzel, who had seven ribs broken, said he could not remember the moment of the crash and that he had been the penultimate passenger to be rescued. “My dream was to come back to my city, feel the ground under my feet. And this finally happened. It was a very special moment,” said the journalist, who published a book about the crash in 2017.

The other survivors are footballers Alan Ruschel, Helio Zemper Neto and Jakson Follmann, and crew members Ximena Suarez and Erwin Tumiri.

Nigeria Blessed With Taekwondo Talents, Says Korean Centre Director Olawale Ajimotokan ÓØ ÌßÔË The new Director of the Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria (KCCN), Lee Jin Su has noted that Nigeria is endowed with raw talent in Taekwondo that only have to be groomed.

Lee made this disclosure, when he inspected the general training and grading test to acquaint four FCT schools with the latest training in Taekwondo.

The diplomat said Nigeria will

produce world class performers in the Taekwondo, if it succeeds in grooming the talented kids at its disposal to the international standard. He said the Korean government is fired up to offer partnership support for the sport in Nigeria.

“The potential in the country is incredible. I can also feel Nigerians’ passion for Taekwondo. In a not too distant future, I can see international champions emerging from this country, “Lee said.

About 100 kids drawn from LEA Primary School Wuse, Zone 3, Model Primary School, Maitama, LEA Primary School, Wuse 5 Zone 1, and Model Secondary School, Maitama featured in the programme, which is a grading test for the second FCT UBEB Elementary Taekwondo Championship that holds in June.

The training was supervised by KCCN Taekwondo instructors led by Coach Abdulmalik Mohammed.

Mohammed said the exercise was meant to bring the kids up to date with the latest rules of the sport. The the Arts coordinator of FCT UBEB Okafor Isioma, also lauded the initiative of KCCN towards the growth of Taekwondo.

She added that efforts were being made to extend the programme to the other area councils in the FCT and for KCCN to admit more schools into the training programme.

NPFL: Pillars Crush IfeanyiUbah in Kano ˾ Ý ËØÑÏÜÝ ÏËÜØ àËÖßËÌÖÏ ËáËã ÚÙÓØÞ ÓØ ËÑË×ß Kano Pillars dealt a heavy blow on FC IfeanyiUbah’s title ambition yesterday when the Sai Masu Gida scored three un replied goals against the Anambra Warriors in a rescheduled Match-day 12 clash in Kano.

The Nnewi team however remains in the top bracket of Group B in third spot on the

log while the winning Kano side step one place up to No 4 in place of Go Round FC. In Group A where Enugu Rangers got a valuable one away goal in Sagamu against Remo Stars there is no change in the standing.Rangers and Lobi Stars are third and fourth, while Remo Stars and Niger Tornadoes are

second and last from the bottom Gateway International Stadium. of the table. In Sagamu, players of the Flying Antelopes had to RESCHEDULED MATCHES dig deep into their reservoir of talent to ward off a rampaging, (Results)r Remo Stars F.C to cart away Remo Stars 0-0 Rangers that precious point from the three available after a nail biting Lobi Stars 2-2 Tornadoes goalless draw in a re-scheduled NPFL encounter at the bumpy Kano Pillars 3-0 Ifeanyi Ubah

Zenith /Delta Principals’ Cup: Ikpeba to Leads ExInternationals to Final Former international, Victor Ikpeba, has confirmed that he will be present for the final of this year’s edition of the Delta State Principals Cup football competition.

The annual youth development initiate which is in its third edition is sponsored by Zenith Bank Plc. The sponsors in partnership with the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration of Delta State revived the tournament which has been in limbo for 27 years in 2017.

Ikpeba was in attendance for the 2017 finals, he was also at the last day of the event last year and this time, the former African Footballer of the Year is not ready to break the tradition.

He said: “It is always good to encourage the young ones.

We all started like that and I always enjoy seeing young ones exhibiting their talents.

“I witnessed the finals of the two editions and I will be there again this time” Henry Nwosu, Victor Agali, Samson Ozogula, Sam Sodje, Humphrey Jebba, Edema Fuludu, Ifeanyi Udeze, and Alfred Anijeku are some of the former internationals who have witnessed the finals of the competition in the past two editions.

The final of the 2019 edition is scheduled to take place at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on Monday April 1.

Obule Integrated School, Sapele and Boys Secondary School, Obiaruku are to compete for honours in the final while Ekpan Secondary School and Comprehensive Secondary School will fight for bronze in the third place shortly before the final.

The final of the competition originally scheduled for February 15 this year was moved due to the General elections and the involvement of the state in the series of international games at the venue.

Omoluwa Slams Over-par Scores Among Nigerian Pro Golfers Even though golf is the least precise game in the world, what golfers however do is to make something that is very hard look easy.

This is exactly what Nigeria’s foremost professional golfer, Ochei Odoh did when he saved a par with a thunderous putt on the 18th hole of the IBB Golf Club in Abuja to clinch the NNPC GMD’s Cup with just a stroke.

But the feat Ochei claimed to win the four-day tourney with7-over par and is what is infuriating an outspoken member of the IBB Club Board of Trustees, Sir Lucky Omoluwa now.

He clearly mentioned that it was unacceptable for a professional to win an event with a 7-over par score.

Omoluwa disclosed this when he was delivering a special speech at the closing dinner ceremony of the NNPC championship last Saturday night.

“It is quite unimaginable watching a professional carding an over score to win an event,” Omoluwa who is equally the Executive Chairman of the Pinnacle Communications said.

“We can see some amateurs returning under-par score in big events and there is no big deal in this. Yes, I know that in golf one never leaves feeling completely content and there must be something a golfer could have done better.

“But the truth I know is it is quite ridiculous for a Pro to return an over score to win such big event like the one we just witnessed,” he admonished the golfing community.

All the same, Ochei, trying to make his victory look important, offered a timid response that the nation’s professionals are sometimes misfiring because they are not properly engaged with adequate tourneys.

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Price: N250

MISSILE Seyi Makinde to Abiola Ajimobi

“Awarding fresh contracts worth over N30 billion in one fell swoop and under mischievous circumstances will be a disservice to our state, if we do not cry out…

What the people never knew was the extent to which the outgoing government will go to attempt to empty government coffers to frustrate the incoming administration” – Oyo State Governor-elect Makinde, replying outgoing Governor Ajimobi’s statement that he should desist from campaign of calumny

OLUSEGUNADENIYI A Worthy Example in Leadership THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

T

wo years ago, following the convocation ceremony of a private university where 188 students graduated with first class degrees, there was an online discussion on the lack of quality control in our educational sector. According to the report that generated the conversation, 568 other students obtained second class upper degrees while 322 graduated with second class lower and 47 with third class.

With 17 percent of the graduating students coming out with first class and another 50 percent with second class upper, the two alone accounted for 67 percent of the entire graduating class! This same issue is now the focus of attention in the United Kingdom where, as we all know, the quality of education is of the highest standard.

Last week, the UK Education Secretary, Mr Damian Hinds warned that British universities must slash the number of first class and second class upper degrees they award or risk undermining their reputation. “Our universities are world-class and world-leading, with four ranked among the top 10 in the world, and attracting thousands of international students. At the heart of that global reputation is a trust in the quality and high standards of the education provided. It cannot be right that students in one year are awarded higher grades for the same level of achievement than those in previous years. We owe it to the hardworking students who have earned those top grades to stamp out this unfair practice.”

Authorities in the UK know the value of education and that is the essence of the debate regarding standards that should not be compromised. Sadly, even with our educational sector in total shambles, nobody seems to care about quality control or how to address challenges in a country where the integrity of examination is extremely low.

At least so I thought until I encountered the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede about three weeks ago.

Since most of the news about Oloyode had been that he was remitting billions of Naira to the federation account as opposed to what obtained under his predecessors, my attitude was that a JAMB registrar should be more interested in the quality of candidates selected to enter our tertiary institutions than in book keeping. As it turned out, Oloyede has done far more at JAMB than he is being credited for.

This I only came to know only by chance.

A female member of my church who works in JAMB was transferred from Abuja to her state of origin. The implication of being separated from her family became a serious challenge and my intervention was sought. That was what took me to JAMB but the moment I explained my mission, Oloyede sent for his senior staff and the file of the woman. In their presence, he explained the reason for the transfer which, as it turned out, affected several of the staff in a particular department.

Because this department is critical to the work of JAMB, Oloyode, on assumption of

Prof. Oloyede... JAMB Registrar duty, decided to examine the qualifications of those working there - only to discover many of them had no background in education. To put that right, he provided incentives for those who would take the offer to go to school with all their entitlements paid. He also told them that his reform of the department would necessitate that each of them would take a day out every week to teach. With that, JAMB adopted three schools within Bwari Area Council, provided N60 million to upgrade their facilities and deployed qualified staff to teach in these schools.

As Oloyede explained to me, in addition to being a corporate social responsibility initiative, he wanted the staff of this specialized department to be exposed to the standards of education in the country, the challenges and what could be done by way of recommendation to help. But by adding a reward bonus for those who teach once they acquired the requisite qualifications, other staff started to fight back. Oloyede responded by asking that they be transferred from the department.

While I felt satisfied with his explanation, he also seized the opportunity to brief me about what has been happening at JAMB. In the course of our discussion, I learnt about several innovations that Oloyede has brought to restore the integrity of the JAMB examination which, as he said, is his number one priority. First, no candidate learns the location of the centre where he or she will write the examination at the point of registration. Second, a candidate can pick an examination town but not the centre. For instance, you can choose Garki as an examination town but the Board is authorized to put you in any of the ten centres within Garki.

Third, under the current dispensation, once registration is closed no extension is entertained. In the past the Board was registering candidates for upwards of three months. It was discovered that the longer the period of registration, the more time the syndicate that specialised in examination malpractices had to invest in their nefarious business.

Perhaps Oloyode’s greatest achievement is the introduction of real time monitoring

of each of the JAMB centres before, during and after the examination. This he has been able to achieve by investing heavily in IT infrastructure. With CCTV cameras in the examination centres linked to the headquarters, some of the ‘miracle centres’ are now finding it difficult to game the exams because JAMB is one step ahead.

Oloyede shared with me interesting insights.

A man who brought in experts to connect computers where he had placed mercenaries writing JAMB for his candidates was being watched in real time from the headquarters and was apprehended in the process by security men. In addition to security gadgets, Oloyede personally debriefed a number of those who had been caught in malpractices to enable him to learn their tricks. In this way, he is turning the table against cheats.

As the JAMB Head of Media, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, would later explain to me, even though more than 80 percent of the examination centres are owned by private individuals, they now know that there are consequences for bad behaviour: “It is not enough to tell us that you have a certain number of computers, we will send our staff to check their suitability and we will do a link test. On that date we must see all your active computers which would be given codes and they cannot be substituted. During the examination, we see all the computers being used in all the over 700 centres across the country from our monitor room in Abuja. That way, we can easily detect malpractices.”

Beyond measures to restore sanity to the examination process, Oloyede took me through the admission process. His computer is linked with that of admission officers in most tertiary institutions. In the charts he showed me, Nigeria has 846 tertiary institutions offering Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates in education.

This year, a total of 1,793,018 candidates applied for admission to these institutions through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (D/E). He can monitor every single admission from the computer on his desk.

What I found particularly interesting was that throughout the period I spent with Oloyede and his senior staff, there was not a single mention of how he has brought transparency and accountability to financial dealings at JAMB. The implication is that he considers what seems to endear him to many Nigerians a routine matter.

That says a lot about his character. Before I left, Oloyede came back to the matter that brought me to JAMB. He told his senior staff: “I take no delight in separating a

woman from her husband and children. But how do we handle this situation without compromising discipline?”

One of his staff said it was not a problem to reverse the transfer out of Abuja, but what they would not do is bring the lady back to the same department. He suggested that she be posted to another JAMB office in town, away from headquarters. At that point Oloyede picked up her file. In my presence, he reversed the transfer with a proviso: There should be no financial cost to JAMB. He then explained. Although the lady had relocated, she would forfeit the N300,000 allowance because the transfer had been reversed. It was after I agreed to this term that he appended his signature to the instruction. Exactly three days later, I received a long thank-you message from the woman. She had just received a memo from headquarters transferring her back to Abuja.

There are several lessons I learnt from my encounter with Oloyede. One, the idea of JAMB staff serving as teachers can only be enriching for their examination process. Two, the efforts to restore integrity to their examinations are in the right direction. Three, the manner he carried his management staff along in dealing with my request demonstrated leadership.

Four, in acceding to the request, he still followed due process. Five, the speed with which his directive was promptly carried out showed the respect his staff has for him and the efficiency at JAMB. Meanwhile, following my column last week titled, ‘The Exodus of Nigerian Doctors’, I got several responses and I am still processing them to know the format the debate should take. Interestingly, one doctor yesterday forwarded to me a letter sent to the Nigerian Healthcare Professionals UK ‘NHS 70 Award Night 2019’ by the British Prime Minister, Mrs Theresa May. In the message to the ceremony held last Saturday night in London, May wrote: “As we celebrate the many achievements of the NHS over the last 70 years, these awards are an excellent opportunity to recognise the dedication of outstanding healthcare professionals of Nigeria origin.

Your contribution has had an important influence in our vital healthcare system, helping to shape the NHS and the delivery of its workforce.”

While we will come back to this conversation, May’s letter is a recognition of the importance of social sectors like health and education to the development of any nation. That is why we must celebrate change agents like Oloyede who inspire others by setting the right example.

The 2019 General Election “…Now that the supplementary election that our lawmakers helped to institute has turned out to be a tool for manipulation, there is need to sit down with other stakeholders to find a solution in the interest of our democracy. But if there is any take-away from the 2019 general election, it is the increasing desperation for power not necessarily to

advance public good but rather because of the enormous spoils of office that are attached to political positions at all levels of governance in Nigeria…”

NOTE: Interested readers will find my take on the 2019 general election on page 14.

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