LABOUR TO BUHARI: Nigerians losing faith in your change mantra

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 63018

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Foreign reserves ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: Edo Deputy dip significantly, reverses previous Gov vows to continue with campaign 8 •Alleged attempt not true — Oshiomhole 12 gains

LABOUR TO BUHARI:

Nigerians losing faith in your change mantra

By Victor AhiumaYoung, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Gabriel Ewepu

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•Decries rising poverty, unemployment, insecurity, fuel scarcity, etc •Govt committed to well-being of Nigerians — Buhari •Seeks workers' cooperation in fight against corruption

B U J A — ORGANISED Labour at yesterday ’s May Day celebration, told President Muhammadu Buhari that workers and ordinary Nigerians were beginning to lose faith in the change mantra of the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government.

The President, however, assured workers and Nigerians generally that his government was determined to tackle, headlong, all socioeconomic ills troubling the nation. He said the

Continues on Page 5

We're close to drawing down $480m loot from US — AGF 9

Mr & Mrs

COLUMNISTS:

MAY DAY —From left: President, Trade Union Congress, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama; Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Mohammed Bello; Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige and factional President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, during the May Day Celebration in Abuja,yesterday. Photo: NAN.

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OWEI LAKEMFA

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HENRY BOYO

Like Obama, Odia N56,000 minimum wage or a Ofeimun turns stronger Naira? to politics

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OCHEREOME

NNANNA

Technology Shifts James Agada

Buhari: too CEO, Computer little, too late Warehouse Group •P.35

2—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016—3

4—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 5

POCKET CARTOON

MAY DAY—People Living with Disabilities, at the May Day Celebration in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Labour to Buhari: Nigerians losing faith in your change mantra Continues from Page 1 government would evolve solutions to emerging threats to the well being of the people and the realization of sustainable development as well as growth anchored on equity and social justice.

But the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, were unanimous in condemning increasing poverty, unemployment, insecurity, erratic power supply, fuel scarcity, and called on government at all levels to urgently address the mounting hardship and frustration in the country.

Though both the Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero factions of the NLC held their May Day rallies in Abuja and Lagos respectively, they were united on issues affecting workers and other Nigerians, and called for improved economy and well-being of the people.

Addressing the gathering at Eagle Square in Abuja, factional leader of the NLC, Wabba, urged the President to provide people-based

actions and programmes and not elitist programmes. He said the government should come up with discernible strategies and directions that would tell Nigerians where his government was headed economically.

Privatisation

He also implored the federal government to stop further attempts at privatisation, especially of railways, return local refineries to full capacity and invest in new refineries and in, the short-run, sort out the supply bottle-neck that had made product availability difficult in Nigeria. He urged the government to discourage all companies destroying collective bargaining platforms in order to encourage decent workplaces and enhanced terms and conditions of service for Nigerian workers.

Wabba appealed to President Buhari to initiate a deliberate policy to build domestic industrial capacity, not just by stimulating private sector investments, but also by investing in

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

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HENEVER a man wakes up is his morning, it doesn’t matter how much time you have lost, you can start now and make your life count. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Make it a point to challenge yourself daily while you work —Patricia Yankee

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F you stay focused and challenged at what you do, you don’t become bored with your craft, lose respect for your talent, or grow complacent with your skills. Remember, there is always someone out there as good as you are in your field. You always stay up with your skills and knowledge when you are one step ahead of your competitors.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE No matter how dry the jungle may be, the lion will never eat grass.

medium and large scale industries in critical sectors of the economy.

He equally urged him to set up a special task force to stop all the violence and bloodletting spreading like wild fire all over the country".

Insecurity

On insecurity, he said: “At the beginning of the year, we had cause to assert that on the security front, our armed forces within the year, redeemed their reputation as a resilient fighting force and fought the Boko Haram insurgents, inflicting heavy defeats on them in the North Eastern part of the country.

"We said that our conviction was that though the war was still on-going, Nigerians now believed that it was only a matter of time before these evil forces are defeated.

"As workers, who have been direct victims of the violence in the North East, we want to use this May Day to restate our call for Mr. President to combine the military success with a marshal plan for the reconstruction of the devastated infrastructure of the geopolitical zone.

"The ruling APC government in its manifesto, promised to create three million jobs annually. We have waited one year for the government to bring out its blueprints on how it intends to go about achieving this. Congress will seek audience with Mr. President to get more information on this important matter."

It's a shame —Ajaero

Similarly, Ajaero, while addressing workers, after a long procession from NLC office at Yaba through the Funsho Williams Way, at Iponri, before returning to the front of the National Stadium, Lagos, said: “It

is a shame that we have continued to import petroleum products. It is also a shame that we have also privatised it so that the products have become inaccessible to majority of the citizens, causing serious distortions to our economic processes.

"Fuel scarcity has persisted far longer than ever, foisting on our people the most horrendous of sufferings ever meted out to them by any ruling elite in our nation’s history.

"This has driven the prices of staples far above the reach of the ordinary people. Bread has gone up by 25%; Garri from N300 per paint bucket to N500; rice from N8,000 to N15,000; Milk and Chocolate beverages by about 50% while toiletries and other home products have all skyrocketed beyond the reach of workers and the masses.

“As a nation, we cannot be seriously thinking of economic development, when we allow our domestic manufacturing capacity to continue to decline. We cannot move forward as a nation, when instead of producing more products internally, we allow the existing ones to fold up.

"We cannot make progress when our tastes are heavily foreign. We cannot be talking of economic development when we continue to import petroleum products, allowing our local refineries to lie comatose. Has anybody imagined what would happen to the foreign exchange market and the pressure on the Naira if we stop this national insanity of importing petroleum products and refine our products locally?"

Nigeria bleeding —TUC

In the same vein, the President of TUC, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, while corroborating Wabba and Ajaero in a speech at the Eagle Square, said the country was bleeding, adding that there was no pretence about that fact.

He said: "He who feels it, knows it. The poor masses of the country feel it in all spheres, and only very close monitoring of the economy, commitment and sincerity of purpose constitute the way out.

"We must start generating significant increase in the income and development of the country. In as much as the present administration appears intent on fashioning out effective ways of checking wastage of our resources, they must decisively check unrepentant saboteurs who have continued to have a field day.

"The truth is that Nigerians are currently in pains, and the pains can

only be soothed when the leadership abhors unfriendly policies like those advocated by the B r e t t o n Wo o d s institutions, addresses naira depreciation issues, inflation, corruption, power outages, breach of collective agreements by employers, Boko Haram insurgency and ethnoreligious violence, the unwarranted killings in Agatu by Fulani herdsmen, the kidnappings, collapse of socio-economic infrastructure, including our existing refineries, roads, schools, and the drought of petroleum products, etc.

"We certainly do not need any soothsayer to tell us that the current slide in the global prices of oil would have less adverse effects on our economy, if we refine our oil within our borders.”

Govt committed to Nigerians' well-being —Buhari The President, in his speech read by Labour Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige, said his government was not unmindful of what Nigerians were presently going through but assured that the federal government was determined to remedy the situation.

He said: "I make no excuses as this government of the APC is determined to tackle, headlong, all socio– economic ills that have troubled our nation and we shall evolve solutions to emerging threats to our well being and the realization of sustainable development as well as growth anchored on equity and social justice. ‘’Development must be sustainable for it to benefit society in general. It is, therefore, the responsibility of those in the citadels of power to align themselves with the working class who make development possible by generating and sustaining the momentum of positive change.

"That is why the present administration has sought and will continue to seek the hands of Labour so that together we can attain the enviable heights of

progress in our beloved country.

"It is for this very reason that I aspired to become President which the Nigerian people have now made a reality. This administration shall effect positive change in the lives of average Nigerians, to ensure that the downtrodden are elevated and most importantly to fight the intense pain of corruption which has enriched the very few to the detriment of the majority of Nigerians who groan under the overwhelming weight of poverty and all the superstructural and infrastructural maladies resulting from corruption.

"In this fight against corruption, I need you all to be very willing partners.

Fighting corruption in the public service in particular, requires the workers to play major roles by cooperating with the government.

"I have listened to the speeches made by both the Presidents of the TUC and NLC. By the speeches, you have without any equivocation affirmed your faith in the greatness of Nigeria as a nation.

"The challenges facing Nigeria have been highlighted and I assure you that they shall be accorded due consideration. It is worthy to note that solution to some of those issues and requests are already being considered and would be made public in the near future.

"The times may be tough, but we Nigerians are by nature resilient and strong and it is that nature that propels us to overcome adversities and still thrive as a nation.

"Let us use this National May Day to celebrate the workers and Nigeria as a nation. There will always be challenges in the life of a man and what defines greatness is the way and manner such challenges are tackled and overcome.

"I assure you, great Nigerian workers that this administration is able and willing to constructively handle the challenges. In so doing, I request your cooperation and understanding, as partners in progress."

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY MAY 2 , 2016

WHO warns FG, govs against fresh outbreak of Polio virus

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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AGOS—WORLD Health Organisation, WHO, yesterday, said Nigeria was yet to be certified free from Polio virus and could record a fresh case any moment, saying “If proper measures are not taken by the governments.”

The organisation’s National Surveillance Officer, Dr. Clement Nwaeke issued the warning at the official presentation of the anti-polio animated movie/comic authored by Mr. Olugbenga Kuye in Lagos.

This warning came barely one year after the WHO announced Nigeria’s exclusion from polio endemic countries, thus leaving Pakistan and Afghanistan as the remaining countries where the virus was still endemic.

Nwaeke explained that the solution for Nigeria to maintain its current status and achieve more “is for the Federal Government and states to intensify their sensitisation campaign on the need for residents to immunize their children against the virus.”

He warned that the exclusion of Nigeria from the list of polioendemic countries “does not translate to being free from the virus completely. Nigeria can record another case of polio.''

Lagos is Africa’s true capital of arts, entertainment — AMBODE ...As Tinubu, Osoba, Duke, Jermaine Jackson, others storm Jazz concert

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, has said his administration is working hard to transform the state into the tourism hub of the continent as the state is gradually emerging as the capital of arts and entertainment in Africa.

Governor Ambode spoke weekend during the Lagos

By Chioma Obinna

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S the World Immunisation Week ended weekend, the World Health Organisation, WHO, raised alarm that 18.7 million infants (1 in 5 children) worldwide are still missing routine immunisations for preventable diseases such as diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus.

This came on the heels of the recent removal of Nigeria from the list of polio-endemic countries.

In 2012, Nigeria accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide but through improved immunisation the country is now a step closer to being certified by WHO. In a statement to highlights recent gains in immunisation coverage, WHO also stated that not less than three million deaths can be averted through immunisation annually.

Solomon, Chief Femi Adeniyi Williams, Retired Justice of Supreme Court, George Oguntade, among others.

Ambode explained that the event was part of efforts to join the rest of the world, particularly the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, to celebrate the Jazz Day. According to him, a similar evening of jazz was hosted by

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY: From left; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; his wife, Bolanle; wife of former Governor of Cross River State, Mrs. Onari Duke and husband, Mr. Donald Duke during an evening of Jazz Music with the Governor in commemoration of the International Jazz Day 2016, at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Saturday.

NPA keys into FG’s drive to diversify economy

By Omoh Gabriel

...Says 18.7m infants still missing routine immunisation

International Jazz Concert held at the Lagos House, Alausa, to commemorate the 2016 International Jazz Day, which attracted both local and international jazz artistes.

Among dignitaries who graced the concert are : former Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu I, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Senator Ganiyu

President Barak Obama of United States at the White House last Friday as Washington DC was this year’s jazz capital of the world, noting that the concert was his administration’s effort to show that Lagos was in tune with the world.

Ambode noted that April 30 has since 2011 been designated as the International Jazz Day and that Lagos being the Centre of Excellence was using the platform to promote arts and entertainment.

He said: “This musical show is a continuation of our promise to Lagosians that we will use tourism, hospitality, entertainment and the arts as well as sports to create jobs and opportunities for our people and to position Lagos State as a destination with rich entertainment content.

“We also want to use today’s event to identify with every musician here today, from far and near and to use their God-given talents and creativity to announce to the world that Lagos is the true capital of arts and entertainment in Africa and that Lagos is in tune with the rest of the world.”

Artistes who lit up the stage with scintillating jazz performances included former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, award winning Afrobeat musician, Lagbaja, veteran jazz diva, Yinka Davies, Jimi Solanke, Dare Art Alade, Grammy award winner, Kirk Whalum and other local and foreign jazz artistes.

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AGOS—THE Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Habib Abdullahi weekend, said the agency had keyed into the Federal Government’s agenda to diversify the economy. He said the agency was now more focused on ways to encourage the export potentialities of agricultural products and solid minerals.

Mr Abudullahi, who spoke to some Editors in Lagos said the ports were littered with empty containers indicating that the nation’s mono economic model

which had been largely import driven in the past and with majority of those ships coming here going out empty, noting: “We can encourage people to export their agricultural produce and solid minerals as a way of helping to diversify the economy. ''The diversification will help to shift the focus from import to export, so we can take advantage of the containers lying idle. This is one of the areas we think we could diversify and increase revenue thereby compensating for the loses from the oil sector.''

Mr Abdullahi revealed that the NPA has already written a letter

to federal ministry of agriculture and the Nigerian export promotion council, to this effect.

According to him the agency was re-orienting the terminal operators to support this trend, while at the same time also strategizing with the customs to see possible areas of engagement and collaboration to ensure some terminals could be solely dedicated to export.

In his words: “We are trying to see how we can make Ikorodu an export port. We also have some interested parties coming in to help our dedicated cause, for example, we have received proposals for Ilaje port

Lagos marks Badagry market for relocation

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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AGOS State Government has marked Badagry roundabout market for relocation, even as it raised alarm over possible outbreak of disease in the axis.

The state government noted that the proliferation of illegal dumpsites in the metropolis could cause an epidemic outbreak in the state.

Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, who stated this while briefing journalists weekend, warned that the state government had declared zero tolerance for all forms of environmental

degradation in the state and will prosecute anyone or corporate organization violating its laws.

Adejare said such dumpsites that dot some parts of the Lagos metropolis at present would not be tolerated at points of entry into the country like Badagry, noting: “We need to put a plan in place on how to improve the state of the environment in Badagry especially how they dispose their refuse. This is one of the ancient towns in the state. We will not accept dirty environment in Badagry.

It is not government's fault. The refuse didn’t walk there, they were dumped there by the people.''

in Ondo; they want to make the port dedicated to solid minerals”.

Talking of exploring new trade routes, like directing business to other ports in the country to reduce the pressure at the Lagos terminal, the NPA boss said though it was not a direct function of the authority to tell people to use any particular port as this was dependent on the exporter or importer, the agency was working at improving infrastructure across all the ports, hoping that government and the terminal operators would promote and encourage businesses to come and use them.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 7

PDP CHAIRMANSHIP: South West'll resist North, say Babatope, Ogunlewe

By Dapo Akinrefon

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AGOS—FORMER Ministers of Transport and Works, Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, yesterday, kicked against the decision of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to retain the zoning of the national chairmanship of the party to the North East.

The two PDP leaders, in separate chats with Vanguard, said the decision would be resisted by the South West, PDP. Faulting the decision, Babatope said: “Well, a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the party will be called shortly and there we will express our mind. Talking individually, I think it is not the right decision but then, if that is their final decision, that is what it is. Those of us of like mind will meet and discuss it because they cannot jeopardise the chances of our party at all.”

On his part, Senator Ogunlewe called on the

VISIT: From left; Barr. Akintola Arikawe; Ondo State governorship aspirant under the platform of the APC Senator Ajayi Boroffice; Mr. Ayo Opadokun, Chairman Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms, CODER; Dr. Pius Osunyikanmi, DG, Directorate of Technical Aid Corps and Dr. Adeyekun a retired Permanent Secretary during Boroffice Campaign team’s visit to Mr Opadokun. party ’s NEC to rescind its decision, saying: “Our position is simple. The two (chairmanship and presidency) cannot go to the North but if it is a temporary arrangement that they should be there for another two years before we pick the presidential candidate, I will

agree with them.

The danger is this, if the two are from the North, what do you use to campaign in the South west? What do we tell our people? It is probable that we (South west) may not get the deputy chairmanship position, it will go to the East.

So what will be our fate in the

whole arrangement? That is our fear and if we cannot tell our people what is there for them, it will be very difficult for us to campaign.

So, we are appealing to them to consider their decision to let the national chairman come from the South-West”, Ogunlewe said.

2018: We don’t need propaganda to defeat opposition — FAYOSE

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D O - E K I T I — GOVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has said he does not need to engage in propaganda about his performance in office to convince the people that he has done well, but that his work will surely speak for him.

The governor said: “The people of the state were keeping records of every leader that has governed them and would never fall for cheap propaganda and blackmail from any quarter.''

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, Fayose noted that because of the political sophistication of Ekiti people, any elected public office holder not living up to the expectation of the people were always rejected at the poll.

He advised his political antagonists to look at the history of elections in the state and they would see that Ekiti people always rejected political pretenders once their antics have been discovered.

He said, “Our fathers have a saying that you know a lazy man’s farm by the way he keeps it. Nobody can hoodwink Ekiti people. They know what they want and who they want. I will never jump into the wagon of those whose stock in trade is propaganda. When they came into office through the back door, we all saw how they messed up the whole place.

C M Y K

Group wants Oronsaye’s trial discontinued

“The person they took over from didn’t borrow a kobo, even when he wanted to take a bond of N5 billion from the capital market, they frustrated it. They came into office, enjoyed a period of huge statutory allocation and even excess crude money being shared, for instance, in the month of June

2014, they got N4.4 billion as monthly allocation.

“In spite of all these, they still borrowed N25 billion from the capital market and billions of naira in commercial loans. Not done yet, they thought the back door through which they came to office was still open and they attempted another back door

entry, but unfortunately for them, the door has been securely locked.

“People are aware of their tricks and Ekiti people are now telling them that once beaten twice shy.

Let them go and enter the internet, sleep inside radio and television stations as their propaganda has failed woefully.

Catholic Diocese sues Ekiti govt over education levy

By Rotimi Owomoyela

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DO-EKITI—THE Catholic Diocese of Ekiti has dragged Ekiti State government to court over the imposition of levies on pupils and students of its primary and secondary schools.

This was just as the Bishop of the Diocese, Most Reverend Felix Femi Ajakaye, condemned the closure of seven schools run by the church.

Some of the schools closed down by the government were said to be preparing for their National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.

In the suit filed at an Ado-Ekiti High Court by the Incorporated Trustees of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, which has as defendants, the Attorney General of Ekiti State as well as the Commissioner for Education, Ekiti State, the church wants three questions determined.

It wants the Court to determine, “whether every child of primary school and junior secondary school age in Ekiti State is not entitled to free and

compulsory basic education under Section 2 of Compulsory Free Universal Education Act, 2004 and Section 19 of Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board Law.” It also wants the court to determine if “the imposition of education development levy or any tax or levy on pupils and schools in Ekiti State, including the claimant’s schools, by the defendants, does not violate Section 2 of Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004 and Section 19 of Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Law.” The Catholic Church also wants the court to determine whether the defendants could impose education development levy or tax on pupils and schools “without a law validly passed by the Ekiti State House of Assembly” in view of some sections of the Nigerian constitution.

The church also prayed the court to declare that the defendants could not impose education development levy or tax on pupils and schools and to also restrain the defendants from further demand of the levy.

HE Federal Government has been advised to discontinue the ongoing trial of former Head of Service of the federation (HoS), Mr Steve Oronsaye.

The advice was given at the weekend by Integrity Forum, a non-governmental organisation.

A statement signed by the group’s National coordinator, James Alo and secretary, Aliu Sanni said the advice came as a result of its review of circumstances surrounding the entire case against Orosanye which smacks of vendetta and a bid to punish Orosanye for no just cause.

The group noted that rather than put Orosanye on trial, he should be commended for his service to the country, adding that all the key figures during the public hearing on corruption in the pension office exonerated him. “The senate committee equally absolved him of any wrong doing,” the group noted.

The Integrity Forum traced the genesis of Orosanye’s present travail to his time as HoS when he made effort to reform the pension scheme which was then rife with high level corruption and in the process stepped on powerful toes.

The group recalled that on assumption of duty as HoS, Orosanye embarked on an exercise aimed at saving cost, eradicating and eliminating ghost pensioners.

According to the group, Orosanye’s effort deserves commendation considering that during the exercise, mindboggling frauds spanning several years were unearthed in the pension scheme.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Troops discover another Boko Haram bomb making factory As Army chief vows fallen heroes'll never be forgotten Says bombs, Molotov guns used by Shiites backfired

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA— THE Nigerian Army said, yesterday, that its troops had succeeded in busting another Boko Haram bomb making factory in Ngala, Borno State, as clearance operation to rid the state of remnants of the terrorists continued.

The discovery of the factory came just as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, vowed that gallant officers and men of the Nigerian Army, who paid the supreme sacrifice in the course of prosecuting the ongoing war on terror or in any theatre of operation, would never be forgotten.

The army chief also disclosed that contrary to allegations that the Nigerian Army was responsible for the death of hundreds of Shiite Islamist, the misuse of bombs and Russian-made Molotov gun by the group against the army led to the killing of their followers because they were not trained in the use of the guns.

A statement signed by Colonel Sani Usman, detailing how the bomb factory was discovered, said: “On Friday, April 30, 2016, the ever hard-working troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Brigade of Operation Lafiya Dole, again succeeded in busting a secret Boko Haram terrorists’ improvised explosive making device factory in Ngala town, North Eastern Nigeria.

“Recall that despite their defeat, the terrorists continued to attack innocent citizens, military and soft targets through vehicular and human bore Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

“Despite ongoing clearance of the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists, they persistently hid the IED manufacturing factories location.

“However, that would be no more, thanks to the efficient intelligence and resilience of our troops. It was based on this that we got credible and timely information that made troops to swoop on one of such factories in Ngala town, destroyed it and killed some of the Boko Haram terrorists.

“In addition, they recovered 20 gas cylinders of various sizes prepared and ready for explosive insertion, primers, gun powder, electric wires and tape recorders, amongst other items.

Fallen heroes'll never be forgotten

On the fallen heroes, Gen Buratai emphasized that the troops of the Nigerian Army were gallant patriots, who had the interest of the corporate existence and integrity of the Nigerian state at heart and had sworn to do anything and everything possible,

including laying down their lives, to the defend the country.

The army chief gave this reassurance when he received in audience the Executive Secretary of the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (retd) who led the management of the centre on a courtesy visit to his office.

Buratai said: “The army will henceforth ensure that gallant soldiers, who die in action, are given a publicized befitting burial with full military honours. In fact, even if it means conducting it in

arrears, we will ensure that our fallen heroes are given befitting national burials. ‘’Aside from that, we have also ensured that immediate family members of our fallen officers and soldiers receive prompt payment of all their entitlements and other welfare supports.”

Bombs, Molotov guns used by Shiites backfired

On the recent altercation with Shiites group in Zaria, Gen Buratai maintained the army’s position that there was nothing

like premeditated murder of some of the sect’s members as alleged by such groups as Amnesty International.

The COAS said: “How can anybody accuse a responsible armed agency of government of murder? On the contrary, the people were attacking the soldiers with petroleum bomb and other weapons.

"In actual fact, not all of them knew how to handle Molotov they were trying to use against the Army and it back fired on them.”

In his remarks, Executive Secretary of the CCC, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (retd), commended the Nigerian Army for its unwavering commitment to the defence of the country from external aggression and internal insurrection.

LECTURE: From left, Chairman of the occasion and former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman; President/Chairman, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrator of Nigeria (ICSAN), Dr. Nat Ofo; Guest Speaker and Board member, Society for Corporate Governance, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, and Chairman, Board of Directors, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, during the 50th ICSAN annual public lecture, in Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Foreign reserves dip significantly, reverses previous gains Exchange rate maintains stability

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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AGOS — AMID myriad of restrictive measures to stem the steady slide in the external sector of the economy, a significant reversal of gains has been recorded in the foreign reserves, with latest figures at $27.1 billion as at last weekend, showing a decline by $730 million or about 2.6 per cent in April 2016, against $27.9 billion recorded in March.

The March figure was the first growth, though marginal at about 0.14 per cent, ever recorded in recent months.

The April figure, which is now less than six months import cover, also shows a massive 6.4 per cent decline since this year, losing a total of $1.9 billion.

The latest development came against the backdrop of foreign exchange management measures aimed at reducing demand, curtailing speculative purchases, while reining in on exchange rate

volatility at the autonomous segment of the market.

Vanguard investigations show that while the first two objectives have largely failed so far since last year, when the policies came into force, a measure of stability in exchange rate had been achieved after the February 2016 all-time volatility was recorded.

Exchange rate maintains stability

Almost throughout April, nearstability in exchange rate had been recorded in the parallel market which ranged between N320 and N330/ USD1, while the official and interbank market segment was maintained administratively at N197 and N199/USD1.

As at last weekend, rates were stable at market average of N321/ USD1, even as a marginal appreciation of the local currency was recorded early in the week.

However, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s, policies have not

been able to address the wide parallel market gap which had spurred excessive and speculative demands in the official segment.

In the same month of April, two major policy moves were made to starve off the demand pressures but the latest reserves position indicates that the policies are yet to yield positive results.

The two new policy moves are the currency swaps with China and the special provision and sale of foreign exchange to petroleum products marketers.

China and petroleum products import bills are the largest group of real demands on foreign exchange reserves.

Before the two policies, CBN had last year eliminated over 41 products from its list of eligible products for foreign exchange supply, while following it up with stringent foreign exchange bidding requirements on banks.

Nigeria to generate N5trn annually from solid minerals — Fayemi

By Japhet Alakam

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LE-IFE— THE Federal Government is set to hit another gold mine in the solid mineral sector, which has potentials to fetch the nation about N5 trillion annually, if adequately harnessed.

This was disclosed by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Solid Mineral Development, during the third Chief John Agboola Odeyemi Annual Lecture at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun, weekend.

Fayemi, who offered an insight into what he believed would be Nigeria’s next frontier of opportunity, stated that the Federal Government would no longer renege in its bid to diversify the nation’s economy, saying his ministry was working assiduously to realize this objective and had sought the cooperation of all stakeholders in the sector to attain success.

Pointing out that the country’s dependence on crude oil had blinded and taught it a great lesson, Fayemi said it was imperative for Nigeria to stop paying lip service to the development of other sectors to enable it come out stronger and be on the path of sustainable development.

Speaking on the theme: ‘Harnessing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage for National Development,” Fayemi, who took the audience back on how the country fared during the colonial period when it progressively carried out extensive geological surveys and had a good idea of the extent of its mineral reserves, noted that Nigeria currently had about 44 known mineral assets that were not fully harnessed. He advised states and investors to invest in the sector as it had the potentialities to change the economy of many states who go to Abuja every month for stipends.

He, however, cautioned investors to moderate their expectation for quick returns within the context of the economic reality.

Also speaking at the event, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, called for a cultural revival as the country had lost its moral values and heritage.

The Ooni, who described morals as the bedrock of development, urged all to go back to the source.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016—9

Budget impasse: Lawmakers still working on grey areas May submit budget today

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru BUJA — THE 10-man committee set up by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on 2016 budget is still working on the grey areas that caused the delay which made President Muhammdu Buhari to withhold his assent. A source privy to this development told Vanguard: “We’re working round the clock to ensure that before midnight today (Sunday), all the differences have been properly ironed out. Immediately we achieve this, we’ll transmit it to the executive arm for the President’s assent.”

He explained further that “nobody is happy about the delay so far but there is a ray of hope at the end of the tunnel.”

Asked to list the grey areas, he simply said: “I can’t do that now but all the areas enumerated by the executive are being touched and streamlined to perfection. The way we are working on it now, within the next 24 hours, we may just hit our target of Monday.” But another source close to the committee told Vanguard that there was still a snag, saying even if the assignment was concluded today, it would still be presented to the leadership of both legislative chambers before it would be transmit to the ex-

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ecutive.

“This development may delay a little as we cannot transmit it to the executive without the consent of our leaders. As at this morning (Sunday), we had almost concluded it but this public holiday and the fact that our leaders must see it is the problem for now,” the source said.

Recall that a 10-man National Assembly committee to interface with another five-man committee from the executive to harmonise all the grey areas pointed out by the Presidency on the 2016 budget, was set up last Wednesday.

The 15-man committee, which has five members of the House of Representatives and five members of the Senate as well as five members from the executive, is expected to finish its assignment on or before today for Presidential assent expected to take place between tomorrow and Wednesday. The House of Representatives had embarked on a closed-door session on Wednesday to discus the outcome of the meeting among President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, were at the presidential villa on Tuesday evening.

We’re close to drawing down $480m loot from US —AGF sible for the Abacha family and its assoBy Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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ciates to forfeit over $550 million and £95,910 in 10 accounts and six investment portfolios linked to them in France, Britain, British Virgin Islands and the United States.

On efforts so far made to stem looting in Nigeria, Malami said: “I can tell you that the Buhari administration is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that all looted Nigerian funds are retrieved and those found to have aided and abetted same brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to potential looters.’’

Malami was optimistic that the repatriation of the huge cash would send a clear and stern signal to corrupt Nigerians that there was no safe haven anywhere to keep stolen Nigerian funds.

BUJA —THERE is hope for Nigeria that it will soon draw down $480 million (N153.6 billion) looted by fraudulent Nigerians and warehoused in the United States of America.

The optimism stems from a recent comparison of notes between top US and Nigerian officials on the looted funds, which were spread in many banks and commercial ventures in America. The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, confirmed to Vanguard, weekend, that there had been an appreciable progress between officials of the two nations over the repatriation of the cash to Nigeria. Malami, Minister of Justice, explained that the decision to return the funds followed his recent visit to the US in company of acting Chairman of Economic and Financial

By Henry Umoru Crimes Commission, EFCC, BUJA— FORMER Federal Commissioner for Ibrahim Magu, during which Information and South-South leader, Chief they met with the Department of Justice and other relevant agen- Edwin Clark, said, yesterday, that the qualities of late Oba of Benin, His Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo cies over the matter.

“The money that is due for im- Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa, were unmatchable.

Clark, in a statement, described the late monarch mediate repatriation is $480 million (N95b) and we are as a humble gentleman, but with arresting royal confident that we have reached carriage, adding that late Oba lived a life that could a point that it will be drawn down not be defined.

The elder statesman, who condoled with the Royal before long,” the minister said.

Vanguard learned that the US Court of the Benin Kingdom and entire Edo people had, however, given Nigeria on the passing of the revered monarch, said: “Oba some undisclosed conditions to Erediauwa maintained the integrity of the revered meet before the money would be traditional institution of Edo people, as a trusted drawn down, apparently to pre- custodian of the values of one of the greatest vent a repeat of what happened kingdoms on earth.

"He was huge. He lived a life that cannot be with such funds during previous defined in plain terms. In short, he set a standard administrations.

The Abacha cash is said to have for leadership and comportment.” been revealed, following the forNoting that the late Oba succeeded him as feiture hearings against the fam- Commissioner of Finance of the defunct Mid-West ily and others conducted by the State, and later under the administration of late US Department of Justice, DoJ, Brigadier Agbazika Innih, Clark recalled that the over the years to track the funds late king was a humble gentleman but with arresting from different banks and entities. royal carriage.

The proceedings made it pos-

Late Oba of Benin’s qualities unmatchable —Clark

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10—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Kidnappers shoot doctor's buttocks

By Perez Brisibe

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G H A R A — DOCTORS within Oghara and environs in Delta State are lamenting the spate of kidnappings of their members as a medical doctor, Dr. Victor Ogagavwario, is currently nursing a gunshot wound on his right buttocks while trying to escape from his abductors.

President, Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, DELSUTH chapter, Dr. Innocent Okocha, weekend, explained that the doctor attached to the Delta State Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara, was rescued following pressure mounted on the hoodlums by security operatives.

According to Dr. Okocha, the victim prior to his recent ordeal had earlier suffered similar fate in April 2014 and June 2015 after he was kidnapped and released following the payment of an undisclosed amount.

Appealing to the security agencies in the state to ensure the security of lives and properties in the area, Okocha said: “As it stands, we are like endangered species in Oghara as the spate of kidnapping of our colleagues is very worrisome.”

Court jails graduate 5yrs over fake drugs

By Innocent Anaba

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35-YEAR- OLD fake drugs manufacturer, Osita Eli, a graduate, has been jailed for five years without option of fine by a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State.

Eli had been standing trial since October, 2015 for manufacturing, distribution and sale of fake drugs in Asaba.

He was arrested at his residence in Asaba September last year by operatives of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, following a tip-off with cartons of already produced and packaged fake drugs, machines and other equipment used for the production.

Cultists kill 4 in Rivers as Police deploy men

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— About 14 persons were said to have been killed in Ula Upata community, Rivers State, after suspected cultists stormed the area, Saturday night, shooting sporadically.

Meanwhile, Police sources said only six persons were killed.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Musa Kimo, who spoke on the development, yesterday, said

heavily armed Policemen have been deployed to the area to secure lives and properties.

The Police boss, who said he was deeply saddened by the ugly incident, appealed for collaboration between the Police and communities to effectively tackle security challenges in the state.

He said residents should assist Police with timely information when they see suspicious persons in their neighbourhood.

He gave the names of those killed as Mrs. Monica Zion, 62,

Gospel Nwoka, 45, Patricia Ziko, 42, and Rogers Nwoka 28.

He said the Police was making frantic effort to track those behind the incident, expressing hope that they will be arrested.

He said peace had returned to the community with armed Policemen on ground combing the area for any clue that will lead to the arrest of those behind the heinous crime.

Community sources told the Vanguard that the suspected cultists invaded the community at

about 9p.m., Saturday, shooting sporadically.

The sources, who did not want their names in print, said the action of the cultists caused so much tension as many residents scampered into the bush for safety.

One of the sources said an Okada rider was among those allegedly killed, adding that the rampaging cultists also extended to Edeoha community in the same local government where they also shot sporadically.

Police deploy 2 helicopters to search for ex-Minister, Anisulowo ...as family debunks rumour over N200m ransom

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — INSPECTOR General of Police, Solomon Arase, has deployed two police helicopters for the search of former Minister of State for Education, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, who was kidnapped by some armed men on Sawonjo/Imasayi Road, in

Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Anisulowo, who was abducted last Wednesday while returning from her farm in Igbogila, had represented the people of Ogun West senatorial district between 2003 and 2007 at the upper chamber.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a

statement said the choppers that arrived the state, Saturday, had been patrolling suspected kidnappers' hideouts within the state with search parties.

He said the search parties include the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command Lagos,AIG Bala Hassan, Commissioner of Police Ogun State, CP

Members of Radio Television Theatre and Art Workers Union of Nigeria, RATTAWU, during the Workers' Day celebration in Maiduguri, yesterday. Photo: NAN

Abdulmajid Ali, Commander 35 Artillery Brigade, Brig.Gen. S Danwalis,Director,Department of State Security, Ogun State, and Mr. Kabir Sanni, among others "The Ogun State Police Commissioner, who spoke on behalf of the team, assured that the kidnapped former Senator will soon be rescued unhurt and culprits apprehended as every officer of the command and members of the search team had been having restless nights since the day of the incident,” he said.

Meanwhile, the family of the kidnapped former Minister of state for Education had debunked the reports by few sections of media (Vanguard not included ) that the abductors had demanded for N200 million ransom.

A younger brother of the kidnapped Senator, Kola Popoola, who spoke with Vanguard on Phone said, the media report was not true.

He said as at the time of speaking with our correspondent around 4p.m., the kidnappers had yet to contact the family, describing the report as a mere rumour.

Police allegedly torture 19-yr-old boy to death in Lagos

By Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—A 19-year-old boy identified as Gafar Ayoola, who resided at 16, Bridge Road, Otto, Ebute Metta in Lagos Mainland, had been allegedly tortured to death while in detention at Denton Police Station, Lagos.

Vanguard gathered that Gafar Ayoola, who was a barber at Okoafo, Badagry Area, was arrested Friday morning by a policeman attached to Denton

Gafar ...died in hospital

Divisional Police station, Oyingbo, on his way to board a cab to his work place.

It was learned that when news of Gafar’s arrest got to his parents, they stormed the station demanding to know why he was arrested, but the policemen on duty denied having any suspect

with that name in their custody.

According to his father, Sulaiman Ayoola, “he was arrested by one of the officers at Denton police station named Taye. When the news got to us, we went to the police station but the officers on duty lied that they did not see or know the reason

behind Gafar’s arrest.

“However, this morning (Saturday) at the police station, one of the police officers was trying to pacify us by disclosing that Gafar was rushed to Dunik Hospital at Kano Street by Bola in Ebute Metta (East) where he breathed his last.

...arrest major buyer of stolen phones

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—OPERATIVES of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Lagos State Police Command, weekend, arrested a suspect, Kazeem Bamidele, 42, accused of being a major buyer of stolen mobile phones in Lagos State.

Bamidele, who claimed to be the Second Vice Chairman of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers, NURTW,

Ajegunle Unit, confessed to RRS interrogation of two other Intelligence Team that he had suspects.

Badmos said that the two other over 52 boys in Lagos State, who steal and sell “clean phones” to suspects, who were also receivers him. of stolen He equally confessed to have phones, bought over 4,256 mobile phones w e r e from robbers, pickpockets and arrested in one-chance gangs.

Kogi State, The Lagos State Police i n command’s spokesperson, SP connection Oladapo Badmos, who confirmed w i t h the arrest, said that the suspect, abduction popularly known as “Elewure” and robbery was arrested after the arrest and Kazeem Bamidele cases.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016—11

President condoles with Sultan, Sokoto govt over Walin Sokoto’s death

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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B U J A — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock over the death of Walin Sokoto, Ambassador Hamzat Ahmad, who passed away.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, yesterday, said President Buhari commiserated with the Sultanate, the government and people of Sokoto State, describing the Walin’s death as a great loss to Sokoto State, the diplomatic and business communities and to the Nigerian public service.

President Buhari prayed that the Almighty God would grant the soul of the late Walin Sokoto a peaceful rest.

Sambisa Forest raid: Troops rescue 1,000 hostages, apprehend 4 female suicide bombers —Gen Irabor ...terrorists’ commander, others killed

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—TROOPS prosecuting the war against Boko Haram terrorists have rescued more than 1000 hostages, held captive by the group, even as soldiers apprehended four female suicide bombers, approaching military locations from Sambisa Forest following a tip-off.

Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, who made the disclosure while giving an update on the battle, noted that troops were at present in the heart of Sambisa Forest.

His words: “Troops are deep into the forest to smoke out Boko Haram terrorists. The outcomes of major operations are as follows: “Following a tip-off, troops intercepted four female suicide bombers approaching from Sambisa in the general area of Jimini-Bolari village.

“Two unexploded Improvised Explosive Devices on the suicide bombers were safely detonated by own EOD team. During the incident, two women and a baby from Ngawafete village were arrested after the blast as they were seen approaching Madiyari village.

“Also, a suspected Boko Haram training camp at Mudallah village

in Dikwa Local Government Area was raided by troops on April 16.

Consequently, troops made contact and killed a suspected BHT Amir and six others while capturing five.

“During the raid, five Boko Haram terrorists’ vehicles and several BHTs flags were destroyed. Also, over 1,000 civilians held captive were rescued.

“Similarly, on April 16, Operation Lafiya Dole troops conducted fighting patrol to Boboshe, Garna, Kyare, Ginba and Ajiri villages. The patrol team recovered eight industrial gas cylinders and five regular gas cylinders at a primary school

EFCC storms Adamawa, picks Chief of Staff to Gov

By Umar Yusuf

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OLA—FEAR has gripped Adamawa State government officials as officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, stormed Yola, and whisked away Abba Jimeta, Chief of Staff to Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla.

Abba Jimeta, who also served as the Chief of Staff to former Governor Murtala Nyako, whose property on

Karewa Road, opposite Bekaji Housing Estate were sealed off

by EFCC, is alleged to have been arrested to explain all he knows about N2.88 billion said to have been used for the renovation of Yola International Hotel awarded since Murtala Nyako’s regime.

According to sources, contract for the project had had upward reviews almost three times, and payment were done in nine instalments where the government then paid up to N2.664 billion and was left

with the balance of N204 million.

“But when Jibrilla’s administration came on board, the contract was again reviewed upward, under the supervision of ministry of culture and tourism,” said a government source that did not want to be named.

Efforts to get EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, proved abortive as his GSM lines SIMs did not connect.

being used for bomb making.

Continuing General Irabor said: “Also, 3 Boko Haram terrorists were captured while four motor cycles, three bicycles, a solar panel and two containers of liquid herbicides were destroyed.

“On April 28, troops embarked on fighting patrols in the general area of Bogoro, Duguno 1, 2 and 3. On reaching Mbaraka, they encountered and cleared some Boko Haram terrorists’ elements.

“The troops proceeded to Jadda village where they engaged and killed four Boko Haram terrorists.

The patrol team also discovered a big pit where the BHTs used for dumping their victims to die and rot.

“The patrol team later freed some hostages and recovered an AK-47 rifle, 30 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition, 12 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 14 dane guns, a motorcycle, two solar panels, 120 litres of AGO, some packets of panadol and a food storage facility.

“During the operation, one of our troops suffered gunshot wound and was evacuated for medical treatment. I am glad to state that he is in stable condition and responding to treatment."

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Assassination attempt: Odubu vows to continue with campaign Assassination story is a lie —Oshiomhole

By Emmanuel Aziken, Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—IRRESPECTIVE of the reported assassination attack on him, weekend, embattled deputy governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, yesterday, vowed to proceed with his campaign to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The governor has, however, described the assassination attack as a lie, saying that the gun shots fired at Odubu’s campaign event were orchestrated by the deputy governor ’s supporters.

The conflicting claims came as fellow All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship aspirants, Mr. Kenneth Imasuagbon, Dr. Pedro Obaseki, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and Engr. Chris Ogienwonyi, expressed outrage over the incident.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the party in Etsako West, Alhaji Abubakar Akokia, corroborated Oshiomhole’s account that the attack on the deputy governor was marshalled by Odubu’s supporters, just as the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, told journalists, yesterday, that some names had been mentioned and that he had given a marching order to his men to go after the people and arrest them.

He insisted that the perpetrators of the attack would be brought to book and advised all governorship aspirants to go about their campaigns peacefully, adding that Edo 2016 will be very peaceful.

PDP reacts

On its part, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, has called on the various security agencies in the state to urgently investigate the assassination attempt on Odubu and bring the perpetrators to book.

It will be recalled that a policeman, an operative of the Department of State Services, DSS, and six others were injured during the attack on the APC secretariat in Auchi, during the deputy governor’s visit to the area, the home base of the governor.

Director of Strategy, Research and Planning of the Odubu Campaign Organisation, Mr. Samson Osagie, who briefed newsmen in the presence of Odubu, yesterday, in Benin on what transpired during the attack, said the national headquarters of the party must urgently intervene to save the party from sliding into total crisis.

He said: “We thank God that our deputy governor was not hit by bullets as it was obvious that the attack was orchestrated directly at his person and geared towards disrupting the aims of the campaign. For us in Odubu Campaign Organisation, we believe that this act of cowardice being perpetrated by those who C M Y K

FILE PHOTO: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (left) and his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, at a public function........ when the going was good. dread a free, fair and credible democratic contest is another attempt to intimidate, harass and put pressure on the deputy governor to quit the governorship race or be eliminated.

“We need to emphasize that as an ardent and firm believer in the tenets of democracy, Dr. Odubu will continue to market himself to the delegates of the APC with a view to getting them to nominate him as the flag bearer of the party.

“You will all also recall that Saturday’s attempt to exterminate the deputy governor is only a high point of events targeted at his person and his governorship ambition.

You are all aware of the spate of illegal suspension of party officers supportive of his ambition earlier, and the almost daily removal of political appointees from office who dared to associate with his ambition.

“This, to us, is the height of naked display of cruelty, animosity, intolerance, gross irresponsibility and man’s inhumanity to man. Let us be reminded that in a democracy, it is only the people that have the right to choose their leaders.

And for those who seek to spill blood (as they attempted on Saturday), on account of mere party nomination exercise, the God of justice shall bring judgment upon them,” he said.

Osagie said that while on the way to Auchi, an unmarked vehicle broke into the deputy governor’s convoy causing it to stop for a while, adding that the campaign team got information that instructions had been passed on to the delegates not to receive Dr. Odubu and his team in the three Etsako local government areas and that money was disbursed to that effect.

He said that delegates in Agenebode who received the

team happily and pledged their support for the deputy governor, confirmed the instruction.

However, the case was different in Fugar, administrative headquarters of Etsako Central, where an Executive Director to the governor allegedly dispersed the delegates from the party chairman’s house while waiting for the deputy governor.

Oshiomhole refutes report

Reacting to the whole incident, Oshiomhole, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua, yesterday, said: “While we condemn in very strong terms the ugly incident at Auchi, we note, however, that the conclusion of the Odubu Campaign Organisation on alleged assassination attempt appears hasty as preliminary reports suggest that the fracas at Auchi was caused by thugs loyal to the Odubu campaign imported in two truck-loads to Auchi who attacked other party loyalists not disposed to the deputy governor’s aspiration.

“It is instructive to note that the deputy governor was inside the secretariat building of the APC in the company of the party's Chairman in the local government, Alhaji Umoru Akokhia, addressing the delegates while thugs loyal to him who had become unruly, fired gunshots at other APC loyalists who were outside protesting against his visit.

“We gathered authoritatively that the first shots were, in fact, fired by Odubu’s security details in an attempt to scare away the party faithful who were against the hoodlums imported to their domain by the Odubu Campaign Organisation, before thugs loyal to him fired at the party ’s loyalists.

“It should be noted that among those who sustained injuries

were APC loyalists who are presently receiving medical attention in the hospital. It is laughable that the Odubu Campaign Organisation will allege that the deputy governor, with full compliments of security details, was shot at, yet no casualty was recorded on the other side and nobody apprehended.

“Given the above scenario, we find it lousy for anyone to impute assassination theory as propounded by the Odubu Campaign Organisation, especially when investigations are still ongoing and the Police are yet to submit their findings on the fracas. A responsible campaign organisation should have waited for investigation reports before jumping to reckless conclusions.”

On his part, Alhaji Akokia, chairman of the party in Etsako West, where the attack occurred, gave a different perspective of the attack saying the attackers were among supporters of the deputy governor.

He said: “Yesterday (Saturday), the deputy governor visited us. Before he came, there were hoodlums everywhere. I even asked the people who they were and ordered them to leave, because the deputy governor only came to address delegates.

But they said no, they were his supporters. So I left them.

“When the deputy governor came, I took him inside our office. The crowd was chanting you don win, you don win. We were trying to calm them down but nobody listened to us. That was when tension heightened.

I called for opening prayers and we did that. While we were doing all these inside, we were hearing songs outside, you don win, you don win. But hoodlums were now shooting seriously.

Fortunately, no life was lost. But three or four persons sustained injuries.”

The state chairman of the party, Ojezua, on his part, said that the attack was not characteristic of the party.

“I am very worried by what I read in the newspapers, people throwing stones and mud at each other. I join the call on security agencies to get to the root of this matter so that the culprits are identified and dealt with if they are members of our party.”

Imasuagbon described the attack as an insult on the Police and security agencies and called on the National Security Adviser to wade in to avert a bloodbath during the forthcoming APC governorship primaries.

Blaming the attack on those he claimed were desperate to hold on to power, he said: “I am troubled by what this means for Edo people. For the life of the deputy governor or that of any Edo person to be threatened is satanic and barbaric. That is not the way politics should be played. Why are they scared, panicky because of a free and fair election? This election must be free and fair.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016—13

PDP holds rancour-free Ward congress in Delta

By Festus Ahon, Egufe Yafugbori, Godwin Oghre & Ochuko Akuopha

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SABA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ward congresses held weekend, were free of rancour in Delta State.

A cross-section of PDP faithful in the state who spoke to Vanguard, separately, said the exercise was the most peaceful in the history of the party in the state.

Those who spoke to our correspondents include Minority Leader of House of Representatives, Mr Leo Ogor, immediate past Minister of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Steve Oru, Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Osanebi, Chief of Staff to former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Dr Festus Okubor, Chief Isaac Akpoveta, Olorogun Ebenezer Okorodudu, Olorogun Teleb Tebite and member representing Okpe Local Government constituency in the state House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori.

Others were, Executive Secretary, Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board, Elijah Ologe, Executive Director, Social Services Development of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Mr. Ochor Ochor, Dr David Oghenekevbe, Mr Mike Ogwa and Chairmen of Isoko North and South Local Governments, Mr. Emmanuel Egbabor and Sir Itiako Ikpokpo, respectively.

They all adjudged the congresses as peaceful and successful.

Ogor, who represents Isoko federal constituency at the House of Representatives, applauded the conduct of the congress in the

various wards, saying: “So far, there has been no complain from any ward, the congress is very peaceful.”

On his part, Dr Steve Oru said that the congress was held in all the wards of the local government areas in the state, saying the exercise was peaceful in all the 11 wards in Ughelli North, particularly in Ward 1/5.

“It was conducted in line with globally acceptable best practices and in tandem with our party’s constitution.

“I have reached out to our various party leaders and faithful across Delta State and the story is that of a successful outing. I believe very strongly that PDP is on the track to greater glory.”

Osanebi, on his part, said that the ward congresses were

generally peaceful and orderly in Ndokwa East Local Government Area.

Immediate past lawmaker representing Ughelli South constituency in the state House of Assembly, Olorogun Teleb Tebite described the congress as hitch free, peaceful and the best that the party had held over the years.

Dr Festus Okubor, said that the exercise was successful and largely peaceful in Ika North East Local Government Area.

Chief Isaac Akpoveta said the congress was very peaceful in Ughelli North, particularly in Ughelli ward 2/6 where according to him option A4 was adopted. He said that the congress was the beginning of a united PDP ready to stand any challenge.

Commenting on the conduct of the congress in Ughelli South, Olorogun Ebenezer Okorodudu, state PDP Chairmanship aspirant, said the election was peaceful. He noted that the PDP is a well organised party that has internal mechanism for resolving issues.

At Okpe, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori said that the exercise was peaceful and credible in his constituency, while Dr David Oghenekevbe said the exercise was successful in Sapele, adding that it was done through consensus.

The situation was not different in Patani, as Elijah Ologe described the congress as the most peaceful ever. He commended the leadership of the party in the area for the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

BURIAL: From left: Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Senator representing Delta North senatorial district and son of the deceased, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi; Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Chief Ighoyota Amori, during the funeral of Obi Francis Nwaoboshi in Ibusa, Delta State, weekend.

Herdsmen's attack: Ijaw group, activist blast Northern govs

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—IJAW Council for Human Rights, ICHR, has faulted the Northern governors' position that Fulani herdsmen should not be labelled as criminals in the wake of the vicious attack on an Enugu community in which several lives were lost.

The Fulani herdsmen, not long ago, also sacked Agatu community in Benue State, where they killed many of the inhabitants.

Founding Director of ICHR, Patterson Ogon, in an interview with Vanguard, described the defence of the herdsmen in the brutal killings in Agatu and Enugu by the Northern governors as puerile, insensitive, unfortunate and lacking empathy for the souls lost.

According to him, “The Northern governors would help us more if they saw the need to address the crimes committed by the itinerant herdsmen and suggest

C M Y K

measures to keep them from being a source of concern to the nation. Rather than stand in defence of the vicious and rampaging acts of the herdsmen, who have taken the liberty to invade and destroy lives and property of people far from their homes, the governors should take measures to curtail the excesses of their people.

“The itinerant herdsmen are Fulani. They are killing and maiming innocent people. The silence by the Federal Government is alarming. I hope there is no extra constitutional agenda to this.”

Also speaking, a Niger Delta rights/environmentalist and Coordinator, Environmental Rights Action ERA, Bayelsa office, Alagoa Morris, expressed disappointment over the stance of the Northern governors.

His words: “In this country we heard about how Fela’s mother

was thrown down from a storey building by soldiers and they were later tagged ‘unknown soldiers'.

“If, as we heard, the Enugu State governor tried fruitlessly to avert the disaster by reaching the security chiefs based on intelligence report, then it is important that we look at the information at the disposal of the governor before the unfortunate incident. We need to juxtapose that prior information and the actual attack.

“Nigerians must not fold

their hands and keep silent like victims of hypnotism until things really get out of hand. It has to be quickly nipped in the bud because it is capable of dividing this country into several nations."

Wike promises workers priority attention

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has assured workers in the state that his administration will continue to give their welfare priority attention.

The governor, in a goodwill message to mark this year's Workers Day, yesterday, enjoined the workers to always give their best to the state, and thanked them for their support to his administration.

Meantime, Trade Union Congress, TUC, in the state has called on the government to take urgent steps to rescue the economy from total collapse.

Chairman of TUC, Mr Chika Unuegbu, said that the fall in the price of crude oil had created a major challenge for the nation’s economy.

He said that the government should evolve measures to avert job loss and incessant protests from the people over economic challenges.

“All sectors of the economy are bleeding profusely due mainly to the fall in crude oil price from $115 per barrel in June 2014 to the current level some $44 per barrel.

“The quest for economic revival and improvement in the lives of the ordinary people should, therefore, pre-occupy our minds. This is because, except very drastic actions are taken to fix the Nigerian economy, more jobs will be lost. More workers will be owed salaries. More students protests will take place and if nothing is done, then ultimately a revolution may ensue and our democracy will be threatened to its very foundations,” he warned.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

NIGERIAN WORKERS CELEBRATE MAY DAY Yesterday, Nigerian workers joined the world in celebrating May Day.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (right) and workers at Osogbo City Stadium.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State (left) and workers at the Cenotaph Ground, Asaba.

PHOTO: Nath Onojake.

From left—Secretary, Mr. Bayo Oladipupo; Chairman, Mr. Isaiah Okungbowa, both of National Union of Textile Garments & Tailoring Workers, and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.

From left— Chairman, Trade Union Congress, TUC, Mr. Akamba Awah; Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Etim Ukpong; Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State and his deputy, Mr. Moses Ekpo, at Uyo Township Stadium.

ABOVE: Agriculture and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria, AAEUN, Abuja.

From left— Abia State NLC Chairman, Uchenna Obigwe; Head of Service, Vivian Uma; Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; Chairman of the occasion, Solomon Nwaigwe, and Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Matins Azubuike, in Umuahia.

Workers in Kaduna. PHOTO: Olu Ajayi.

Students from different higher institutions at Onikan Stadium, Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

NLC, Gombe State.

ABOVE: Factional

President of NLC, Mr. Joe Ajaero; his Deputy, Igwe Achese, and factional state Chairman, Lagos council, in front of the National Stadium, Lagos.

RIGHT: Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, at Heroes Square, Owerri, Imo State.

Onikan Stadium, Lagos Island. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez C M Y K

From left—Alhaji Kabiru Usman, representing Sultan of Sokoto; NLC factional Vice Chairman, Abubakar Malami, and Chairman, TUC, Alhaji Sani Yabo, in Sokoto.

AAEUN, Lagos chapter, protesting alleged misappropriation of N150 million by their leaders at the Lagos rally. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

Onikan Stadium. PHOTOS: Bunmi Azeez.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016—15

By Vincent Ujumadu, Anayo Okoli, Peter Okutu, Francis Igata & Chimaobi Nwaiwu

E

NUGU—INDICATIONS emerged, weekend, that Fulani herdsmen have regrouped in bushes on Iga community’s corridor, UzoUwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, to launch another attack, even as the apex socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, met yesterday in Enugu with a call on the Federal Government to boot out of office, all security heads in Enugu State over lapses that culminated in the slaughter of 46 Ukpabi, Nimbo natives last Monday by Fulani herdsmen.

A communique made available to Vanguard at the end of the meeting of Imeobi (highest decision organ) of the group, read in part: ”Imeobi expresses disappointment at the obvious security lapses which allowed these heinous acts to be committed in Nimbo community.

“Imeobi, therefore, calls on Enugu State Government and the Federal Government to ensure that a thorough investigation is carried out with a view to ensuring that all those responsible for the lapses are made to account and be punished for their action.

“Imeobi mandates Ohanaeze leadership to take all necessary actions to ensure that such incident never again occurs in any other part of the South-East geopolitical zone.

“Imeobi endorses the position of Ohanaeze on rejection of the proposed Grazing Bill. Cattle grazing is private business and, therefore, should not be done in a manner that individual’s or community ’s rights are infringed upon.

“Imeobi views with grave concern and unequivocally, condemns the recent slaughter

by Fulani herdsmen of our defenceless kith and kin in Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.”

Security agencies accept blame

Meanwhile, 48 hours after Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State accused security operatives in the state of being complicit, demanding explanation as to their whereabouts between 6.30 and 7.30a.m. last Monday, which gave the Fulani herdsmen a window to slaughter 46 natives of Ukpabi, Nimbo community, despite the assurances they gave him that they were on ground, none of the security agencies accused have come up with a response.

This was even as tension, weekend, enveloped Iga community, about 46 kilometrre from Nimbo in the same UzoUwani council area, of another planned attack on the natives by herdsmen, who were said to be regrouping in bushes near the

Another Fulani attack looms, as Ohanaeze blasts security agencies CAN youths urge Ndigbo to boycott Fulani cows

ON HERDSMEN: Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Cecilia Ezeilo (6th right); SSG, Enugu State, Elder Gabriel Ajah (7th right); leader of the delegation, Committee on Persistent Clashes between Herdsmen and Farmers in Nigeria, Major General Edward Nze (5th right); and some transition committees’ chairmen and commissioners, when Major General Nze and his team arrived Enugu on a fact-finding mission on the herdsmen menace, at the Government House, yesterday. community’s corridor.

Vanguard gathered that the natives have resorted to selfhelp, arming themselves to ward off impending threats, following perceived inaction from security operatives in neighbouring Nimbo community.

Herdsmen regroup for another attack

A dependable source told Vanguard, weekend, that the herdsmen had regrouped in bushes on Iga community’s corridor to launch another attack on the community.

The source revealed that the herdsmen were emboldened from the high casualty rate recorded in last week’s attack that caught security operatives napping.

Further investigation by Vanguard showed that a possible clash may be in the offing at Adani community, still in the same Uzo-Uwani council area, between the natives and a denselypopulated Hausa community resident in the area.

The northerners, Vanguard gathered, bought parcels of land and built residential houses on them which has, over time, turned a Hausa community settlement at Adani.

But following last Monday’s attack on Nimbo community, the Adani natives are said to be living in perpetual fear.

The natives, it was learned, are united on driving away the Hausa community from their area, a situation that is generating tension.

MASSOB warns of more attacks

Also yesterday, principal officials of MASSOB executives rose from an

emergency meeting in Okwe, MASSOB headquarters. It's leader, Uchenna Madu, in communique made available to Vanguard, said: ”President Muhammadu Buhari’s sudden, pressurised U-turn and presidential order against Fulani’s herdsmen is a complete political jamboree which can never hold any water.

“It is a hypocritical exhibition meant to deceive the Igbo and Christians in general.

“More coordinated military camouflaged pogroms is coming; it shall continue to be disguised as Fulani’s herdsmen, but the real men behind these pogroms are Islamic Arewa Army, ISAA, established to conquer, actualise the Islamic, political, economical, social command of Othman Dan Fodio, Ahmadu Bello, Sarduana of Sokoto, using the minority North (Middle Belt) to fight against the Christian South.

“MASSOB warns that Ndigbo should hold their governors much responsible for any invasion of our land by foreigners.”

Ndigbo to stop buying Fulani cow

In another development, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, South-East youth wing, in a statement signed by the Chairman, Rev. Fr. Clement Okonkwo, and Ogechukwu Nnamene on behalf of the executives, and made available to Vanguard, condemned the killing of 46 Nimbo natives.

It called on Ndigbo to shun buying cows to frustrate Fulani herdsmen out of Igboland.

It said: “Igbo should stop

buying cows from Fulani herdsmen as a source of meat. Ndigbo should rise to the occasion and patronise other sources of meat to frustrate their business and force them out of Igboland.

“Traditional rulers, and community leaders in the South-East should, as a matter of urgency, constitute and arm vigilante groups in their villages and resist any attempt by the Fulani herdsmen to occupy their farmlands.”

Ohanaeze youths, IPOB berate Northern govs

Similarly, Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, and Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, have berated the Northern governors over their position on the killings in Enugu by Fulani herdsmen.

The Ohanaeze youths alleged that the stand taken

by Northern governors points to a strong suspicion that the rampaging Fulani herdsmen were being sponsored by the governors.

In a statement, yesterday, OYC denounced the Northern governors for defending and exonerating the Fulani herdsmen on the rampant violent activities, including invasion and killing in communities, kidnapping and rape.

OYC also gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the South-East governors “to fully reply their Northern counterparts or we will assume that they are cowards.”

Signed by the National Vice President of OYC, Mazi Obinna Achonye; the Coordinator of Ohanaeze Youths in Niger Delta, Mr.

Opurum Cheya; and the Rivers State Chairman of OYC, Bobby Ezemuonye, the statement said: “The careless statement from the Northern governors is an affront to Ndigbo.

“Instead of joining millions of sane minds across the globe in condemning the atrocities of the Fulani herdsmen, especially last week’s invasion of Enugu community, the governors were busy absolving the criminals of any wrong doing.”

The indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB, while berating the 19 Northern governors, described them as the sponsors of the Fulani herdsmen.

They said: “The statements by the so-called governors, who were elected to protect the lives and properties of the people, proves to the whole world that they are the sponsors of the new emerged terrorist group in disguise of Hausa Fulani herdsmen and cattle rearers.

“However, the massacre of our brothers and sisters by the Northern governors through their foot soldiers, HausaFulani terrorist group in Biafra land, will not be in vain because Chukwu Okike Abiama (God Almighty) created us Biafrans.

“The Northern governors condemnation of the killing of our people in Agatu in Benue state, Uzo-Uwani, Enugu State and Delta State, after they had promoted those who committed the heinous crime, is hypocritical because it does not reflect the true character of people who respect the rule of law.

“We, IPOB worldwide in a strong terms call the governors in Biafra land to read meaning into the statements made by their counterparts in the North.

“This is because they have become nobody in the country their fathers fought vigorously for her independence.”

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 SPEECHES were made. Workers marched. Everything else about May 1, Labour Day, was a reflection of the hard times.

Every year, hundreds or thousands of workers gather at various venues across Nigeria, make fiery speeches about the dearth of jobs; sing about solidarity, the shrinking welfare of the employed and the importance of labour. They listen to placating speeches from governments – they go home, waiting for next year’s speech.

Things are getting worse.

Government policies, poor security situation, and the ubiquitous challenges from electricity supply have combined to lower Nigeria’s attraction to investors.

The rise on unemployment, rated as high as 50 per cent according to some statistics, is the evidence of the

Government, Labour and promises impact of policies that emphasise the welfare of politicians and top government officials, over the development of the infrastructure that would enhance job creation.

Many who marched at last year’s rallies are currently jobless. The statistics are worse for youth unemployment with thousands of university graduates without jobs.

More join the queue with every graduation ceremony.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan won workers’ hearts when he signed the minimum wage law. The labour disputes the

law spawned, with authorities refusing to pay, are among tensions around labour.

Hardly is there a part of the country without a strike over workers’ welfare. The attitude these days is to ignore the strike, whether it is by lecturers or doctors. If you expect to hear what governments have done since last year to increase employment opportunities, all you would get are phantom figures that are improvements on ones rehashed over the years.

Where are the jobs successive

government have promised.

Medium and small scale industries have been shrinking progressively rendering more people jobless.

The prophecy of improved electricity, without which the capacities of industries are doomed, have not materialised.

This government has been talking about job in vacuous terms.

Labour Day, instead of a review of the progress made since last year, witnessed another round of promises, and lamentations.

Strikes, agitations for better working conditions, the millions of the unemployed roaming the streets, and the links that security agencies make between unemployment and rising unrest are good reasons for government to create jobs beyond words.

Promises have run their full course. They now sound hollow.

OPINION If PDP adopts option A4

By Paul Odili

C

HIEF Olisa Metuh on Friday April 16th informed Nigerians that the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, will be adopting this option in the selection of its candidates for the 2019 general election.

He said the party has recognised that there is need to end its inglorious past of imposition of candidates by allowing members of the party to directly participate in the selection of its candidates.

According to Metuh and he needs to be quoted for emphasis: “We are going to change our system so that our presidential candidate would be voted by all our party members in the country. It would be done at the ward level, we would no longer elect presidential candidate at the national convention. It would now be for every party member to vote for whoever would be our presidential candidate…it is not going to be restricted to presidential primaries alone, but others like governorship, senatorial, House of Representative and all, everybody would be elected from the ward level.”

On the surface, this is a fantastic proposal and should be supported by all and sundry

within the party. PDP since the days of President Olusegun Obasanjo completely departed from the democratic norm of giving party members the authority to elect candidates of the party. Under Obasanjo who had no democratic temperament and would rather encourage subversion of party rules, such that one of his legacies after eight years in power was a damaged party that scoffed at rule of law, but bend to the

This is the only way the PDP ‘s slogan of power to the people can have real meaning whims of powerful chieftains. The cascading aftermath was electoral defeat.

However, this is the real issue. 16 years of institutionalised impunity within the party means that there are still those within the PDP who will resist this good intention. Why? They have enjoyed the proceeds of evil for so long, and it has become in quote the norm within the party, to subvert its own laws and impose the will of a few in many cases the will of

one man rather than allow majority say.

There are people within PDP who from all intents and purposes hate democracy and hate even more any sign of internal party democracy.

This is the issue. And it clearly goes beyond the proclamation of Chief Metuh.

To give the party back to the people in a transparent and sincere manner is one sure way of the party regaining lost ground. But will there be sincerity? Is there the political will to do so? Time will tell. It should surprise no one if the revisionist forces in the party who would not tolerate this proposal, find a way to water it down or make it ineffective.

As a matter of fact, had the party not been privatised and had the people been allowed to own it, many of the bad apples that did incredible harm to the party would have long been weeded out. But because of lack of accountability and transparency, the PDP lost its focus and direction.

It became a party of anything goes, immoral, undisciplined and dubious. PDP parade leaders, who claim to have grassroots base, yet are fearful of testing their claims with the people. This is the state of the PDP today, and so Chief Metuh was right in drawing attention to the reforms that would be introduced.

Ideally option A4 is a transparent

process that should lift this miasma of despair and despondency. If adopted it would completely energise the party. It would confer real legitimacy on the party’s representatives. The people would feel empowered. Real leaders and representatives of the people will emerge.

It will enable the party to be in a position to compete in any election.

Effectively, this means the era when some party chieftains sit somewhere out of sight, and cut private deals to determine who becomes what is over. Let the people decide, after all this is the only way the PDP’s slogan of power to the people can have real meaning. As a matter of fact, many progressive PDP members had long wished for this kind of reform.

Good as this proposal is, and this cannot be said enough, it is the political will and desire of the party to bring option A4 to reality that will eventually determine the future of PDP as a viable party that Nigerians can trust again to wield power at the centre. The PDP has two choices: to prolong its agony and wanderings in the wilderness of defeat or to reform itself and become formidable again. Either each way, the adoption and use or lack of use of Option A4 represents one route over the other. The choice is that simple.

•Mr. Odili, a PDP chieftain, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

MAY 2, 2016

Banks cut interest payments to customers by N44bn Net interest margin rises 13% It's gross milking of customers — BCAN

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

I

nterest rates received by customers of nine banks dropped by N44 billion between March 2015 and March 2016.

On the other hand, seven banks increased interest collected from customers by N16.8 billion within the same period.

These were revealed by the unaudited banks’ financial results for the first quarter ended March 31st 2016 (Q1 2016) released by the banks.

Among other things their results showed that the difference between interest collected from customers and interest paid to customers (net interest margin) rose by 13 percent or N39.8 billion in Q1 2016 to N344.5 billion from N304.7 billion in Q1 2015.

The banks are UBA, GTBank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, FirstBank, Ecobank, and Union Bank. Others are C M Y K

Diamond Bank, Sterling Bank and Wema Bank.

Interest paid by nine of the ten banks to customers dropped sharply by 22 percent to N156.2 billion in Q1 2016 from N200.5 billion in Q1 2015.

On the other hand, seven banks increased interest they collected from customers by N16.8 billion or 5.6 percent to N332.2 billion in Q1 2016 from N315.4 billion in Q1 2015.

Gross milking of customers “It is a gross milking of customers of bank”, said Mr. Uju Ogubunka, President, Bank Customers Association of Nigeria (BCAN), In an interview with Vanguard, he said, “Banks are improving their profitability at the expense of customers. It is because we have a seller’s market, where take it or leave is what is happening. What is going on is anti financial inclusion that we are all working towards”.

“This is not a good trend”, said Mr.

Muda Lawal, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Speaking with Vanguard, he said “This is not new, it has always been like that because in Nigeria the spread between deposit rate and lending rate is about the highest among what you can find anywhere else in the world.

Banks are improving their profitability at the expense of customers. It is because we have a seller’s market, where take it or leave is what is happening

The disparity is too much, how much they pay on deposit and how much they charge for lending.”

Interest paid by customers Analysis revealed that customers of FirstBank, Zenith Bank and UBA suffered more reduction in interest payment, while customers of Wema Bank enjoyed increase in interest payment.

First Bank reduced interest payment to customers by N16.2 billion or 36 percent to N19.6 billion from N35.8 billion, while Zenith Bank reduced interest payment to customers by N12.8 billion or 33 percent to N26 billion from N38.8 billion. UBA on its part reduced interest paid to customers by N7.4 billion or 27 percent from N27.9 billion to N20.5 billion. Wema Bank however increased interest paid to its customers

by N900 million or 19 percent to N5.6 billion from N4.7 billion.

Interest collected from customers Analysis revealed that seven banks increased interest they collected from customers while three banks reduced interest they collected.

The banks that increased interest Continues on page 18

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Cover

Empowering Nigerian Women: Strategies, Insights, Ideas

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AGM: From left, Mrs Oyinda Ehiwere, Company Secretary, FSDH Merchant Bank; Mr. Osaro Isokpan, Chairman and Dr. Rilwan Belo-Osagie, MD/CEO FSDH Merchant Bank Limited,during the AGM of FSDH Merchant Bank in Lagos.

Banks cut interest payments to customers by N44bn Continued from page 17 collected from customers are GTBank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Ecobank, Union Bank, Sterling Bank and Wema Bank.

FirstBank, UBA and Diamond Bank reduced interest collected from customers.

Access Bank and Wema Bank led the increment in interest collected from customers, with 19.4 percent and 8.9 percent increases respectively. Access Bank increased interest charged

by N9 billion from N46.4 billion in Q1 2015 to N55.4 billion Q1 2016, while Wema Bank increased interest charged by N800 million from N8.9 billion to N9.7 billion. Union Bank came third with 4.9 percent or N1 billion increases in interest collected from customers from N20.5 billion to N21.5 billion.

On the other hand, FirstBank reduced interest collected from customers by N11.8 billion to N83.5 billion in Q1 2016 from N95.3 billion in Q1 2015.

Diamond Bank reduced by 11.9 percent or N4.8 billion from N40.5 billion to N35.7 billion while UBA reduced interest rate collected by N3.8 billion or 6.7 percent to N54.9 billion from N58.7 billion.

Customers deserve a better deal LCCI Director General, Muda Lawal averred that customers deserve a better deal in terms of interest payment customers.

He noted that, “Whenever there is an upward review of the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), almost instantaneously the lending rates will be reviewed upward. But if it was a reduction, they hardly advise their customers that the MPR has been reduced, our lending rates have gone down by this percentage.“But you know it is a free

market because the banks also argue that they incur a lot of non-interest cost, on providing generators, security, providing mobile police. They argue that these are also major component of their cost. But I think that bank customers should have a better deal than they are having now, despite the non interest cost. If you look at the kind of profit they declare, though it has been going down. It shows that there is still room for them to give customers a better deal as far as cost of funds is concerned. So we have to continue to use combination of subtle regulatory pressure and moral suasion for them to at least a better deal.

CBN has a role to play BCAN President, Mr. Uju Ogunka noted that the CBN has a role to ensure customers get a better deal.

“CBN should insist the banks do the right thing. You can’t be asking people to bring their

money to the banks, and then you keep charging them fees that are exceptionally too high or unfounded. You will be discouraging them”, he said.

He added, “The regulators should monitor what the banks are doing, because it does not appear as if they are doing so much in that regard.

Again bank customers also do not monitor their accounts, to know what is going on whether it is in line with the policy of the CBN. CBN should educate banks’ customers to know what to expect. CBN should also ensure there is proper monitoring of these banks. It is not this periodic thing the do there must be a way they monitor these things. For instance banks publish their interest rate, but how often does the CBN cross check to ensure that what the banks publish is in line with what is in the offer letter to their customers. Nobody does that.”

CBN disburses N6.4tn loans to commercial farmers

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says loans to banks under its Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) stood at N6.4 trillion as at Dec. 31, 2015.

The bank disclosed this in its 2015 Annual Financial Report posted on its Website.

It reported that the figure increased from N5 trillion in 2014.

According to the report, the apex bank’s net income grew to N123.07 billion in 2015 from N33.6 billion in 2014, representing a 266.3 per cent increase. It said that its interest

income rose from N434.77 billion in 2014 to N567 billion in 2015, an increase of 30.4 per cent.

The apex bank said that its operating expenses rose by 42.8 per cent from N433.14 billion in 2014 to N618.85 billion in 2015.

It said that the total assets of the bank as at Dec. 31, 2015 stood at N15.5 trillion from N13.7 trillion in 2014. The figure represents an increase of 12.5 per cent in the period under review. Also, the liabilities rose by 12.9 per cent to N14.897 trillion in 2015 as against N13.192 trillion posted in 2014.

hen women are fully account. *Minimise failure – rates for involved, the benefits can be seen immediately: enterprises involving women families are healthier and through on-going technical better fed; their income, and financial assistance, with savings and reinvestment go in-built frame work frame up. And what is true of work for efficiency monitoring families is also true of and continuous survey. *Improved communication communities and, in the long run, of whole countries (Kofi and co-operation between women entrepreneurs across Annan) International observers and related sectors to assist aid agencies frequently cite creation of resources pools the case of Africa’s most and sharing of expertise and populous nation when it technical support. *Improved accountability on comes to highlighting women’s issues. Nigeria’s women’s issues at both states future growth prospects are and federal levels through of official irrevocably tied to the status evaluation of its women and its ability to programmes.

These points are by no adequately leverage their considerable economic means exhaustive in terms of the issues facing Nigerian potential.

In this light, the following women, but they do outline in are some of the key issues the broad strokes the efforts country ’s government and necessary to successfully policy makers need to explore: empower and include them in *Legal reforms the process of sustainable guaranteeing equal rights of growth. Despite their past and present woman to condition, ownership, N i g e r i a n property and women hold financial one of the keys control, social Nigeria’s to the country’s reforms to longterm e n f o r c e future prosperity. h u m a n e growth Nigerian treatment of women have women and prospects just as much t h e i r are innate chance worthwhile as Nigerian irrevocably participation men to succeed in the tied to the in the world of development status of business. of their However, there families and its women are barriers communities. between women *Development and success, of special chief among entrepreneurial initiatives that focus on which is the mentality that unbiased participation of women are inferior to men. women in gainful enterprises Women are impoverished and make adequate because of socio- cultural and allowances for their socio – institutional barriers stacked cultural, economic and legal against them. For example, the economic condition of the constraints. *Redrawing budgetary country has forced most poor allowances and state parents to prefer the expenditure outlays to education of the boys rather specifically improve gender than girls despite a equality and promote subsidised public education increased participation of system. And in an economy women in new and existing with high unemployment rates, women suffer more as entrepreneurial activities. *Enhanced collaboration they are regarded as less between women and credible applicants for financial, policy and aid government and corporate agencies through innovative jobs. Thus entrepreneurship models that takes women’s offers one of the few viable lack of formal training and options for women for business expertise into economic empowerment.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 19

I

n a Presidential system of government, political theorists have long propounded that separation of power is the chess game at the political arena. It is a known fact that the executive, the legislature and the judiciary act as checks and balances on each other in the system. In budgeting, while the executive proposes the budget, the National Assembly has the responsibility to debate and pass the budget into law for the executive to implement. It is a fact that in several instances, budgets are held up because of disagreement either on provisions or in the principles and policies enunciated in the budget proposal.

In the case of Nigeria’s 2016 budget, the National Assembly was accused of padding the federal budget by N500 billion above the revenue projection and the built-in deficit, thus making it impossible for the President to implement going by the current fiscal situation in the country, if signed into law.

All along, the House of Representatives was ready to reconsider the budget when the Executive cried foul when the details were submitted, it was the Senate that insisted that the President must first assent to the Bill as passed and thereafter bring forward areas of concern in a Supplementary Bill. This position was said to have put the President off, prompting his insistence that he would not sign a budget he was not likely going to implement. President Buhari had insisted he made a pledge to Nigerians and would not go against that pledge no matter the pressure. He said he could not honestly implement the budget as presented, and signing it will amount to not only deceiving himself but Nigerians because the budget is not implementable.”

The President’s position was based on his earlier experience with some officers of the National Assembly who would agree with him on some issues and later renege just to blackmail him. He cited two earlier issues on the same budget: “There was an agreement that since there are errors and omissions in the budget because of the shortness of time during which it was prepared, that it

Is the National Assembly a budget rubber-stamping body? should be taken back and corrected. The next thing that was heard was that the budget was missing.

That development thoroughly embarrassed the President. It happened again when the corrected version was presented and they now claimed they had two budgets.” The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on his Facebook wall had posted that the President would not be rushed into signing the budget unless it was delivered in a format that could be successfully implemented in line with the administration’s strategic agenda.

What Nigerians have not heard is whether the so called padding was altruistic or selfish in nature because the National Assembly has been traumatized with corruption allegations and in actual fact, many have seen the action of the lawmakers as selfcentered. Looking at the accusation, it seems the executive wanted its budget returned to it the way it was presented to the National Assembly. In the last few weeks that the issue has generated reactions and heated debate, the blame has been heaped on the lawmakers.

It would appear that no one is asking the question; has the National Assembly the right to alter the budget and make additional input in the interest of the nation and the people they represent?

The constitution empowers them to make some adjustments where necessar y. But because Nigerians have been through military regimes where

budgetary processes are dictated, no one wants to reason and look beyond the ordinary to urge both the executive and the legislature to take the path of honour and dialogue over the issue and sort out the grey areas in the budget. The lawmakers were elected by their people to represent their interest just as the President was elected to represent the interest of all Nigerians.

Besides the raising of the budget figures, the National Assembly members were said to have included projects such as provisions of boreholes, town halls, football pitches as constituency projects to be funded by the Federal Government. This, angered the Presidency as these are projects in their opinions that states and local governments should be funding.

Here is the real issue.

Constituency projects are permitted in the budgeting process. The fundamental thing here is that Nigerians know too well that states cannot meet their salary obligations to their civil servants. Upward of eight

Has the National Assembly the right to alter the budget and make additional input in the interest of the nation and the people they represent?

months arrears are outstanding in almost all the local government councils in the country. 24, out of the 36 states are owing theirs workers three to five months salaries.

The Federal Government has decided to be the financial godfather or rather the bread winner of the other two tiers of government in the country by collecting the lion’s share of the federation account.

Since it has decided to be the financial father of all, it should bear the burden of all. The legislators know this and have decided to ask the Federal Government to fund water supply to some sections of the Nigerian community which at the moment have no access to clean and potable water.

The federal legislators are well aware that in some parts of the country, water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and river blindness are taking a huge toll on the populace. Arguably, in recent times, Lassa fever has taken a heavy toll on several communities across the country. This arose because of filthy and dirty environment which many Nigerian rural dwellers live in.

Providing clean water could be a way to solve some of these health problems. It is, therefore, not an offence to ask the Federal Government to make provisions for water for the citizens in a political milieu where there is understanding among political actors who takes the welfare of the populace above party politics and selfish interest.

I cannot make excuses for town hall request as Nigerians are well aware of the shenanigans at the National

Assembly. For football pitches, the only thing unifying Nigerians as a people, is the game of football. If this government of change can invest in Nigerian football, it could bring about a positive change of attitude towards one another as Nigerians do not care who plays so long as the their team is winning. It certainly would be a right investment in the youth which APC has said it will develop.

Nigerians must wean themselves from emotional outburst and look beyond the current face off between the executive and the legislature and blame game tactics. Good enough, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yussuf Lasun, has been saddled with the responsibility to lead the 10-man National Assembly Committee to interface with another five-man committee from the executive to harmonise all the grey areas pointed out by the Presidency in the 2016 budget. The 15man committee which has five members of the House of Representatives and five members from the Senate as well as the five members from the executive is expected to finish its assignment on or before today for the presidential assent expected to take place between tomorrow and Wednesday.

This is the sensible thing to do; all parties to the reconciliation of the budget figures should approach the issue with an open mind. It must not be a blame game session but a session of give and take and concessions. It must be a thorough negotiation process that will resolve all the grey areas and make the budget implementable. That is what Nigerians voted for, not which arm of government is superior to the other.

Economy CITN chief seeks introduction of Cattle Rearing Tax to check herdsmen excesses

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he President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Mrs Olateju Somorin, has advised the Federal Government to introduce a Cattle Rearing Tax to check the excesses of herdsmen in parts of the country.

Somorin gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the induction ceremony of new members of the institute on Friday in Lagos.

According to Somorin, Cattle Rearing Tax if imposed on nomads will reduce the penchant of herdsmen to invade Nigerian communities at will.

“If Cattle Rearing Tax is imposed, nomads will prefer to stay in a place for grazing.” She said the Federal Government could achieve this by directing states to impose the tax. The CITN chief noted that bloodletting arising from incessant killing of farmers by herdsmen could degenerate

and give rise to security challenges like the Boko Haram insurgency.

Herdsmen have descended on many communities in parts of the country in recent times,

killing, raping and looting communities in a bid to secure grazing rights for their animals.

FG begins preparation of 2017 budget

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he Ministry of Budget and National Planning says it has started preparation of the 2017 budget to enhance economic development. This is contained in a statement by Mr Charles Dafe, Director of Information in the ministry in

Abuja. The statement said that the Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this when the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) paid her a courtesy visit.

She added that the Federal Government had also started the

preparation of the Medium Term 2016-2020 Development Programme to achieve sustainable development.

The ministry, however, solicited the support of ANAN to build the capacity of the staff on Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB) application.

20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Business & Economy

LIRS engages 1200 tax audit professionals

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n its drive to ensure full maximization of its revenue generating potentials, and to commence tax Audit exercise of 2016 in earnest, the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service ((LIRS) has engaged 1200 members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) as Tax Audit Monitoring Agents (TAMAs).

The TAMAs are authorized to act as agents of LIRS for tax audit and assurance purposes. The LIRS carried out a review of the appointment and operational procedure of the TAMAs in order to enhance efficiency in its audit exercise.

Their duty would be to collect requisite information during tax audit field exercises, collate, prepare and submit tax audit reports based on the facts gathered for use by the LIRS. A workshop was organized for the agents at The Haven Event Centre, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday, April 26, 2016.

Present at the workshop were the Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mustapha Akinkunmi; Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Finance, Honourable Oluyinka Ogundimu; Executive Chairman of LIRS, Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, and other management staff of the agency.

In his opening remark, Mr. Ogunsanwo implored the TAMAs to demonstrate the highest level of professionalism. “We believe you will demonstrate a high sense of responsibility and integrity in this noble assignment in line with international best practices as we hope to improve the internally generated revenue of the state and ultimately engender a sustained culture of voluntary compliance amongst tax payers in Lagos.

“I have no doubt in my mind that your professionalism will be of tremendous value during this year’s exercise and beyond,” Ogunsanwo said.

AFDB, Cellulant target food security with technological innovation

BY MICHAEL EBOH

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he African Development Bank, AfDB, has entered into a strategic partnership with Cellulant Corporation, to boost agriculture in Nigeria and across the African continent, using innovative technological solutionsb that would help provide access to financial services to a large number of farmers.

Cellulant, in a statement in Abuja, stated that the collaboration seeks to make available to African Governments technology solutions such as the eWallet system that drive inclusive

growth in Africa by expanding to smallholder farmers access to financial services, agricultural inputs, eextension, & markets in the agricultural sector via their mobile phones.

The partnership, according to the statement, would see AfDB and Cellulant Corporation working with African governments and African technology firms to develop and deploy various agricultural services via mobile phones, adding that with the eWallet framework, governments will be able build the agriculture software development capacity across the continent.

Specifically, Cellulant Corporation had already

recorded many notable achievements in Nigeria, where it has been a driver of the highly successful eWallet scheme that transformed millions of farmers lives.

In a span of three years, Cellulant Corporation worked with the Nigerian government to register more than 14 million farmers into the eWallet system. Additionally, $600 million, about N120 billion, was created in lending and microfinance opportunities, over $30 billion was contributed to the Nigerian GDP, and farmers income was doubled from $700 to $1,800.

To this end, Cellulant said it has extended its e-wallet solution to Liberian farmers to

BRIEFING: From left, Chef Raphael Duntoye; Chef Tiyan Alile and Mr Bolaji Lawal, Divisional Head e-Business, GTBank during the GTBank Food &Drink Fair press briefing held in Lagos.

ANAN to assist FG on Zero Based Budgeting

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

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he Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) is to assist staff of Ministry of Budget and National Planning with technical knowledge on Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB) Concept adopted in the 2016 budget.

This was revealed on Thursday when members of the Association, led by its President and Chairman of Council, Mr. Anthony Chukuemeka Nzom, FCNA, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, a fellow of the Association in her office in Abuja.

Commenting on the visit, the Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, expressed appreciation to the Association for it’s concern to help the ministry succeed. Her words: “the federal government has started preparation on the 2017 budget process and also the medium term 2016-2020 development programme, our ministry needs ANAN’s technical training on ZBB

application. I am aware that budgeting is a core component course our Association experts teach at its well ranked Accounting school” The Minister also appealed to the members of her Association to assist the present administration to fight corruption when she said “the terrible corruption of our past administration has denied Nigerians benefits of our commonly owed resources. As Accountant, we can resist corruption, block illegal releases, we need to start from ourselves, and we must uphold tenets of our profession and make ourselves clean and accountable always” Hajia Zainab added that “our administration came on a change mantra; we shall be transparent and accountable to all Nigerians” Earlier in his remarks, the President of the Association, Mr Anthony Nzom, lauded the appointment of two of their ANAN fellow members Hajia Zainab Ahmed as Minister and Alhaji Tijjani Muhammed Abdullahi as Director General Budget Office by President Muhammadu Buhari and added that the nation will benefit a lot from their professional competences and services.

help transform the country’s agricultural sector, adding that within the next six months, it would be developing an innovative farmer eregistration platform which provides a holistic system to link farmers and agro-dealers to agricultural inputs supply chain, finance and market places.

The same technology, the company said, will transform Liberia’s agricultural sector into a viable agri-business.

Commenting on the development, Cellulant Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Cellulant Group, Bolaji Akinboro, said, “We are excited to be partnering with the Government of Liberia and the African Development Bank.

This collaboration will provide a solution to millions of Africans who depend on the agriculture sector for their livelihoods.

“We believe that the digital revolution in Africa supports an outside the box thinking that can build infrastructure on payments and easy access to services that can be scaled with speed. Additionally, programs such as the Agricultural Transformation Agenda are clear examples that social return on investment can play a role in the growth in the continent where current and future generations can be part of the transformation of millions of lives.”

The company further stated that through an international procurement exercise, Cellulant won the contract beating 17 global companies that participated in the bidding in 2015, adding that the technology provided by the company is essentially expanding access to financial services, agricultural inputs, eextension and markets in the agricultural sector to smallholder farmers via their mobile phones.

“This is accomplished by integrating into mobile networks, financial services providers, market and trading networks and mobile payment systems. Eventually there will be integration into third party databases for cross-referencing and monitoring purposes.

“By tracking farmers’ activities, the platform will help address livelihood and business risks, linking them to service providers along the value chain, in order to achieve higher economic returns to land, labour, capital and ecosystem service investments,” the company said.

Cellulant is a digital payments ecosystem in Africa connecting merchants, banks and mobile operators with their customers.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 21

Business & Economy

Micro-Business

Young Entrepreneur F

LAUNCHING: From Left: Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi with Mrs. Mary Akpobome, Heritage Bank’s Executive Director, Lagos, South West and Corporate Banking; at the launching of Oyo State Agricultural Initiative, OYSAI, supported by the bank, at Paago Village, Iseyin Local Government Area of the State on Tuesday. In the background is Shuaibu Bello, CEO, InterProducts Link Limited, an agro-allied investor invited to the occasion.

Ineffective laws fuel impunity by businesses, multinationals — CPC boss

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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he Director-General of the Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Dupe Atoki yesterday blamed the ineffective use of the Council’s enabling legislation on the flagrant display of impunity by businesses and multinationals in the country.

Atoki while addressing members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at the mentorship and business development programme in Abuja said the council was able to reduce the level of consumer abuse and in curbing the excesses of business owners and multinationals with the prosecutory powers of the Council’s Act. She noted that the adoption of sector by sector intervention by her leadership in addressing consumer abuses has had widespread positive effects in the sectors, stating that the Council’s investigation was ongoing in the banking, hospitality, electricity and aviation sectors noted that food and beverage as well as satellite television sectors had been successfully undertaken.

She further hinted that “interventions in other problematic sectors will also be undertaken as we progress in order to alleviate the suffering of consumers”, stating that the strategy became inevitable in view of the widespread consumer abuses in the country.

According to her, “In view of the myriads of consumer complaints in various sectors, it became apparent that the resolution of individual C M Y K

complaints alone will not make the desired impact”, pointing out that “sectoral intervention was identified as a major strategy for arresting systemic irregularities and modifying the behaviour of firms for faster and widespread resolution of consumer complaints.”

Atoki went on to say that, “Interventions in the food and beverage and satellite television sectors have drastically reduced the quantum of complaints in those sectors and conferred some benefits on consumers.”

The CPCboss asserted that some of the challenges facing the agency, prior to her

assumption of office, such as low level of consumer awareness; consumer apathy; impunity of businesses; brick walling by sector regulators; and protection of self interest by trade association, were already being addressed by the Council’s strategic plan. “The committed execution of the strategic initiatives carried out by the Council under the current administration has awakened, to a great extent, the consciousness of Nigerian consumers, who are now more assertive and are thereby beating businesses to a retreat from their erstwhile practice of shortchanging consumers.

Piracy: NIMASA seeks inter agency pooling of resources

By GODWIN ORITSE

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OLLOWING an upsurge in pirate attacks on vessels of the coasts of Nigeria, Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has called for the deployment of inter Agency resources including the use of advanced technology to secure Nigeria’s maritime domain.

Speaking during a visit of the agency’s management to the Headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force, Peterside said that collaborative efforts ny relevant agencies will stem the increase of rising cases of piracy in the Nigerian waters.

The NIMASA boss requested the immediate review of

the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), NIMASA has with the Nigerian Air Force with a view to strengthening the Agency’s capacity to deal with maritime crimes as well as reduce the response time for Search and Rescue (SAR) operations.

He commended the Nigerian Air Force and indeed the military for the successful prosecution of the war against insurgency in the North East saying that “now Nigeria can begin to discuss developmental issues for the good of all its citizens”.

Peterside emphasised that maritime security needs a multi-sectoral and inter-Agency collaboration, calling on relevant stakeholders to pool national resources together to defeat piracy.

isayo Solomon Oguntayo (21), popularly known as Fisayo OG is the C.E.O of his own company DeMoriah which is a fashion company. He was born on the 13th of March 1995 in Lagos, Nigeria and is the second child of four kids. Growing up, Fisayo developed his own unique sense of fashion and always wanted to stand out wherever he may be fashion wise.

Fisayo decided to start his own fashion line after noticing the amount of people complimenting his style as well as asking where he got his outfits from. With this initiative he started his own brand which was originally called Gidi Couture but then changed to DeMoriah Couture in the year 2014.

When he told his parents about his plans to start his own business at the young age of 17 like any normal parent, they tried to discourage him.

They advised him to focus on his education first as he was studying Pharmacology, a course which needed as much concentration as possible.

But due to his drive and passion he went ahead and started with custom made shirts before expanding to other types of clothing and footwear.

Fisayo has always been a selfless person and has always cared about those who are less fortunate, they inspired him to use his line of business and the popularity he had gained over two years to help those who are less privileged, which was how the DeMoriah Valentine came about.

DeMoriah couture is a fast rising fashion house and observes its annual philanthropic project tagged “DeVal”. “DeVal” is also known as DeMoriah Valentine, it is an annual charitable event which brings students from various institutions to observe the St. Valentine’s Day in Lagos Nigeria. They visit two orphanages every February 14 to show the kids love and also donate gifts as well as educational materials. Since the inception of this initiative in 2014 tagged “DeVal 14”, subsequent DeVal programs such as DeVal 15 and DeVal16 have taken place with each year being bigger than the last.

Being one to always

find new ways to help and educate young minds, Fisayo S o l o m o n Oguntayo is also an ambassador for a peace movement c a l l e d Galaxy4peace.

Galaxy4peace is a youth led nongovernmental organization with the major objective to promote a peaceful culture. They go about achieving this by creating an awareness of the need for a peaceful society, talking people through capacity building & sensitisation programs, particularly with youths who are more likely to get into trouble in our communities.

The peace movement Galaxy4peace was founded by Miss Precious Ajunwa. They host different events during the course of the year, such as the Sweat4peace which is a peace walk, Teach Peace Early and Peace at Workplaces.

Sweat4peace is an annual peace walk which brings over 400 young people and Nigerian celebrities as well as politicians to observe the international day of peace in Lagos, Nigeria. Since its inception in 2014, this project has brought together about 900 young people to observe Peace Day. These people are well educated on the importance of peacemaking as well as ways to shun violence and embrace peace.

Teach Peace Early is a peace education campaign in schools. So far, they have been able to reach out to over 2000 students through this peace education program. The activities get participants engaged with exciting lectures that centre on tolerance, love, unity, empathy,

Find what you’re passionate about and just go for it

peace a n d respect.

Peace at Work places is another event that takes place multiple t i m e s during the year which is aimed at equipping c o workers with necessary conflict management skills to avoid and be able to manage conflicts when it arises at work places.

Fisayo who just recently graduated from Medical College of Lagos, has been featured on various blogs due to the work he does for Galaxy4peace as well as his own annual event.

Everyone who comes in contact with him is always impacted with his good vibes as well as his drive for his work.

According to his friend Gloria, “I am privileged to have met such an inspiring young man. He is someone that not only has the ability to dream but also to bring those dreams to reality and the beautiful thing about this young man is that he not only believes in his own dreams but also believes in, encourages and supports my own dreams too, I’m baffled.”

When I asked Fisayo what message he wanted to relate to the readers, he simply said “I want the readers, especially young ones, to know that it is never too early to start making your mark in the world. Find what you’re passionate about and just go for it.

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Banking & Finance

Ecobank Rapid Transfer adds value to Okpekpe race

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cobank Rapid Transfer product would adequately cater for over 3000 local and international professional athletes including sports enthusiasts and government officials across the continent expected at the Okpekpe International Road Race.

The Chief Executive Officer, Pamodzi Sports Marketing, Mike Itemuagbor and promoter of Okpekpe International Road Race stated this while commending the product for adding value to the Okpekpe 10km Road Race scheduled for May 7th in Okpekpe town, in Edo State.

According to him, “The Okpekpe Road Race is global competition. It is therefore natural we look for a bank with a product that has international appeal. This informed our choice of Ecobank Rapid Transfer. The product has contributed immensely to the success of the past competitions.”

Speaking on the partnership recently, Ecobank’s Managing Director, Charles Kie said the Ecobank Rapid Transfer is best suited for the competition that has grown to have global recognition. This year ’s partnership is the 3rd on the row the bank is getting the official money transfer status of the renowned Okpekpe Road Race.

According to Mr. Kie, the Ecobank Rapid Transfer is an innovative money transfer services available within Nigeria and countries in Africa where Ecobank is present. “The service was conceived out of the need to provide quick, convenient, accessible, and reliable money transfer facility for our retail and wholesale customers and non-customers of the bank”.

Kie is optimistic that the Ecobank Rapid Transfer will provide the much-needed ease of financial transactions during and after the competition, and urged all the participants to avail themselves of the opportunities provided by the bank.

In his words: “This is an Ecobank proprietary send and receive money transfer product available in all Ecobank branches in Nigeria. The product allows you to send and receive money across Nigeria and to also receive money from over 30 countries other Ecobank has its footprint. It is our way of supporting this international race to ease the burden of fund transfer.”

C M Y K

Bank of Agriculture’s performance deteriorates in 2015 *Loss rose by 3,742% to N7bn * Mint records N345m loss Stories by BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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he declining financial performance of the Bank of Agriculture deteriorated in 2015 as its losses shot up by 3,742 percent to N7.1 billion.

Meanwhile financial performance of Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM) or The Mint, improved during the year as its losses dropped by 94 percent to N345 million in 2015.

This was disclosed by the

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in its Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements for the year ended 2015 released last week.

The CBN statement revealed that all the associate companies made profit in 2015 except BoA and the Mint

The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) is one of the seven associates companies of the CBN. Others are Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), African Finance Corporate (AFC), National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND), Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM), Bank of Industry, Financial market Dealers Quote OTC (Plc).

The CBN statement revealed that all the associate companies made profit in 2015 except BoA and the Mint recorded losses.

Analysis of the financial performance of BoA revealed

FORUM — From left: Ahmed Kuru, MD, AMCON; Professor Pat Utomi, Founder, The CVL and Oluwatoyin Sanni, Group CEO, United Capital Plc at The Centre for Values in Leadership Role Model Forum in Lagos.

Cost of funds falls as N336bn inflow boosts interbank liquidity External reserves drop by $740m in April

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ost of funds in the interbank money market fell by 40 percent last week following inflow of N336 billion into the market.

Meanwhile the nation’s external reserve fell slightly by $740 million in April to $27.12 billion at Thursday April 28th from $27.86 billion on March 31st.

Vanguard review of money market activities revealed that the interbank market received inflow of N143 billion from Federal Allocation Accounts Committee (FAAC); N52 billion from Cash Call payment to International Oil Companies (IOCs) by the federal government, N45 billion from payment of coupon payment on FGN Bonds; and N96.4 billion payment from matured treasury bills.

The market however experienced outflow of N152 billion due to liquidity mop by the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) through treasury bills.

Hence the market experienced net inflow of N184 billion, which caused market liquidity to rise by 59 percent from N284.78 billion at the beginning of the week to N454 billion.

The surge in market liquidity prompted a 40

percent fall in short term interest rates namely Overnight Lending and Open Buy Back (OBB) lending, which fell from 5.0 percent in the previous week to 3.0 percent at the close of business on Friday Analysts at Afrinvest however predicted that cost of funds will rise this week as the CBN is expected to mop up liquidity from the market through sales of treasury bills.

“Next week, we expect money market rates to trend northwards as we expect the CBN to carry out more OMO mop-ups. There is a net T-bills maturity of N150.6bn expected to hit the system on Thursday, the impact of this on liquidity levels is however expected to be off-set by a rollover of the same net amount”, they said in the Company’s weekly Update of the financial markets.

The Company also predicted that the relative stability of the naira exchange rate last week will persist this month. The Company stated, “This week, Naira traded at the CBN and Interbank at N197/$ and N199.10/$ respectively.

that total loss rose sharply from N185 million in 2014 to N7.108 billion in 2015. Though revenue rose by 50 percent to N1.8 billion from N1.2 billion, the bank went from gross income N3.2 billion in 2014 to gross loss of N2.5 billion in 2015, implying sharp increase in losses to bad loans Furthermore its total expenses jumped by 35 percent or N1.2 billion from N3.4 billion to N4.6 billion.

The Bank was incorporated on 24 November 1972 as Nigerian Agricultural Bank Limited, changed its name to the Nigerian Agricultural and Co-operative Bank Limited (NACB) in 1978 and later changed to Nigerian Agricultural Co-operative and Rural Development Bank Limited (NARCDB) on 29 December 2000. It enlarged it object clause to include the total development activities of the Peoples Bank of Nigeria and also acquired the risk assets of the Family Economic Advancement Program (FEAP). On 6 October 2010, the Bank further changed to Bank of Agriculture Limited.

The Bank is fully owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Finance Incorporated and the Central Bank of Nigeria. The Bank grants Micro and Macro loans for Agricultural production, processing and marketing and other financial services, but as from 1 April 2006, marketing ceased to be one of the Bank’s principal activities. It also engages in the business of stimulation of rural savings as well as provision of loans to small scale enterprises in order to develop the economic base of the low income populace.

Mint records N345m loss The financial statement revealed that the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM) or Mint recorded a loss of N345 million in 2015. This however represents 94 percent decline when compared with the N5.5 billion loss incurred in 2014.

The Company’s revenue rose

by N5.31 billion or 29.6 percent to N23.2 billion from N17.89 billion. Cost of sales rose 33.3 percent to N20.22 billion from N15.19 billion while administrative cost dropped by 37 percent to N2.96 billion from N4.7 billion. Though the company earned N275 million as finance income, up by 17 from N235 million in 2014, its finance cost, interest paid on loans, jumped by 269 percent to N1.22 billion from N33 million in 2014.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 23

Corporate Finance

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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here was a positive trend reversal on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, last week, which resulted gain N73 billion to investors owing to significant activity on shares of some blue chips, including Nigerian Breweries, Total Nigeria Plc, Dangote Cement Plc and 7up Bottling Company Plc. As a result, the primary market indicators – the market capitalisation and the All Share Index – rose by 0.9 per cent apiece. Specifically, the market capitalisation rose by N73 billion from N8.548 trillion at the opening session on Monday to N8.621 trillion, while the All Share Index (ASI) rose to 25,062.41 points from 24,850.11 points.

44 gainers emerged in the week a against 36 losers.

Consumer goods company, Nigerian Breweries led the gainers chart, rising by N10.19 to close at N115.89 from the previous N105.70 per share. Total Nigeria Plc followed on the gainers’ chart with N7.19 to close at N154.19 from N147.00; 7up Bottling Company advanced by N2.41 from N142.59 to close at

We are investing despite challenges — PZ CEO

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NEW EXCO: From left, Chartered Institute of Stockbroker’s Second Vice President, Mr Olatunde Amolegbe, Past President, Mr.Olushekun Ariyo, President, Mr. Oluwaseyi Abe, after announcement of the institute’s new President in Lagos.

Blue chips gains propel NSE capitalisation by N73bn N145.00, while Dangote Cement Plc appreciated by N2.36 to close at N163.40 from N161.04.

On the other hand, shares of

petroleum marketing major, Forte Oil Plc, led the losers, dropping by N60.77 to close at N214.35 from N275.12, followed by Mobil Oil Plc with

FCMB shareholders okay N1.98 bn dividend

By PETER EGWUATU

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hareholders of FCMB Group Plc, the holding company of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited last weekend, unanimously approved the proposed dividend payment of N1.98 billion for the financial year ended December 2015.

The shareholders commended the Board and management for the performance during the year under review despite the harsh operating environment.

Speaking at the third Annual General Meeting, AGM of the company, the Co-ordinator of Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, who spoke the minds of members present at the meeting said “We appreciate FCMB Group, its subsidiaries, their respective Boards, Management, the Founder and indeed all staff for their resilience and ability to face the present socio-economic and regulatory challenges. The fact that the institution paid a dividend of 10 kobo shows that it has all it takes to overcome the situation. Things may be tough now, but it will not last forever. Given the advice, we have given the Board and Management, we are optimistic that FCMB will

perform better going forward.”

Another independent shareholder, Alhaji Kabiru Tambari, expressed appreciation to FCMB for the dividend payment and other strategies put in place to enhance performance. According to him, “we believe that the institution will continue to improve and add more value to shareholders”.

Addressing shareholders at the meeting, the Chairman of FCMB Group, Dr. Jonathan Long, said, ‘’although 2015 posed many challenges for the Group, it was again possible for us to continue the development of our core banking franchise and to do so profitably”. With the depth and range of professional excellence among our staff, and benefitting from our strong Board and Committee structure, the Group will deal successfully with the challenges of 2016 and continue to lay a path for future growth and prosperity in a sustainable manner”.

The Managing Director of FCMB Group Plc, Mr. Peter Obaseki, noted that the Group is focused on sustaining the momentum of its leading retail presence He added that, “the outlook for 2016 in terms of portfolio strategy is positive”. As we seek to build more businesses in the retail space, we hope to fully launch a microfinance business as a full subsidiary of the Group and seek opportunities to improve

controlling participation in the pension fund industry; we expect our non-pension asset management and private trusteeship business to grow more steadily. A combination of these initiatives will reduce the pressure on the bank’s balance sheet and steer activities to less capital intensive businesses”.

Also speaking, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank Limited, the flagship firm of the Group establishment, Mr. Ladi Balogun pointed out that the Bank has moved swiftly and decisively to address the challenges that affected its financial results last year.

N7.20 to close at N147.80 from N153.00. Guinness Nigeria Plc and Lafarge Africa Plc lost N6.72 and N6.01 to close at N91.28 and N67.99 respectively.

Meanwhile, analysts at United Capital Plc had predicted that the gains recorded in penultimate week would be sustained barring unexpected shocks on the macro side. They said: “We expect demand for equities to be sustained this week, as more quarter one (Q1-16) numbers roll in. We envisage momentum will however be short lived as investors remain cautious mostly betting for a short horizon.

In their review of activity in the previous week, they attributed the rebound on the NSE to higher demand, tied to position taking by investors with the Q1-16 earnings numbers firmly in view.

Lafarge Africa records N2.2bn loss in Q1

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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afarge Africa Plc has recorded poor performance across all major indicators for its first quarter ending march 31, 2016, posting loss before tax of N2.22 billion as against profit before tax N6.09 billion achieved in the corresponding period in 2015, representing 63.6 per cent decline. Similarly, the company recorded N1.87 billion loss after tax compared to profit after tax of N5.83 billion reported in the same period in 2015.

Highlights of the report released on the Nigerian Stock

Exchange, NSE, showed that operating income reduced to N180 million as against N8.12 billion recorded in the corresponding period in 2015, representing 15 per cent decline.

However, the company’s revenue fell by 29.3 per cent to N52.42 billion in comparison to N74.12 billion in Q1 2015.

The company said in an accompanying note to the result that the reduced profit was a result of the decreased cement prices and slightly lower volumes, following the temporary logistics and production challenges.

he Chief Executive Officer, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Mr. Christos Giannopoulos has assured the investing public that the company is still investing in Nigeria despite the economic challenges.

He disclosed this when the management of PZ Cussons paid a courtesy visit on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE and sound the closing Gong of the market.

According to him “Our company has come to stay in Nigeria. We are investing despite the economic challenges and there are potentials and opportunities that the company can tap, though we are importing most of our materials but we are encouraging our suppliers to look inwards toward producing some of our materials locally.”

He stated that the country will overcome some of the challenges it is currently facing and businesses would begin to strive. “We are investing for the future and our stakeholders would be adequately rewarded for their resilience and support” he noted.

“Nigeria is PZ Cussons’ largest single market, and therefore important in understanding the business.

Stanbic IBTC stockbrokers launches e-trading platform on NSE

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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tanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited has launched an online stockbroking service on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, with real-time processing capacity. The Stanbic IBTC ETrade provides investors with real-time market information as well as enabling them give realtime mandates to buy or sell shares on the Exchange.

Among its uptakes, the platform is expected to help the market regain investors’ confidence by availing them the insight required to act prudently on new investment opportunities in the marketplace via a secure and robust technologically-driven platform.

Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Sola David-Borha, said the Group is committed to helping deepen the Nigerian capital market by making available to the investing public information, initiatives and strategies that could help them have superior information about developments in both the local and global markets.

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24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Insurance

Nigerian Turkish Nile University set to bridge entrepreneurship gap

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IGERIAN Turkish Nile University has announced its readiness to hold an entrepreneurship trade fair in Abuja, to bridge the entrepreneurship gap in Nigeria.

Dr. Gylych Jelilov, the Head of Department of Economics in the University stated that it is important to create an effective working relationship between the business community (the town) and the academia (the gown), with the growing knowledge-based economy and the need for innovation.

Gelilov said it is imperative for a country like Nigeria at a time like this to start thinking towards building bridges to link up theories and knowledge that spring out daily from the academic world to enhance and consolidate innovation in the Nigeria economy.

“It is against this backdrop that we have taken bold steps toward building solid bridges (developing sustainable economic policies) to close up the gap between the “Gown” and the “Town”.

Commissioner urges West African insurance practitioners to build strong market Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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OMMISSIONER for Insurance, Mr. Mohammed Kari has urged insurance practitioners in West Africa to join hands to build a stronger regional market that is capable of competing with its peers in other regions.

Kari who stated this during his welcome statement at the just concluded West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) educational conference 2016 in Lagos, noted that insurance provides financial and social stability, enhances trade and commerce, offer opportunities for savings which in turn

enhances the well-being of the citizenry and the nation in general.

Kari noted that though the future of the insurance sector is hard to predict, however it can be prepared for.

He said, “Insurers are faced with the challenges of new businesses, changing laws and regulation among others.

Changes in regulation in my opinion are a by-product of the past financial crisis and the globalisation of the world’s economy which have enmeshed nations of the world together irrespective of geographical boundaries.

“Notwithstanding these challenges, I see enough potential for positive growth of

the insurance sectors in the West African states, given the collaborative efforts of the players, regulators and governments in the region. The potential I see are not limited to some prospective demand for insurance products but for the operator’s collective efforts to address common issues that were hitherto seen as individual’s problems.

“Meetings like this should create opportunities for operators and regulators alike, to compare and exchange notes on how each market is tackling their individual challenges, and how best to avoid others’ adverse experiences. I’ve witnessed first-hand how coming together can easily

overcome previously presumed insurmountable hurdles. The global insurance markets are one and the same. It may only differ in magnitude but not in substance.

So while deliberating we should remain conscious of other regions resolutions and ideas, thus acknowledging the age-long adage of not having to reinvent the wheel.

“Our overall desire is to have an industry that is knowledge driven and run in line with international best practice in our respective countries. Let us come out with resolutions and ideas that can make us the envy of Africa and the world, let us learn from each other and let us work together in order to overcome challenges confronting us, economic or otherwise,” Kari stated.

Nominations for Businesstoday awards opens

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usinesstoday Online, a Nigerian business news website has said that nominations for its insurance and pension awards 2015, now in third edition have opened. A statement issued by the Managing Director /CEO, Nkechi Naeche said the global awards seek out exceptional insurance and pension industry operators and firms who have exceeded in their field in the last twelve months.

The statement added that the awards provides opportunity for firms, clients and associates to vote for who they feel is the most deserving in the 2015 Businesstoday awards.

The statement further urge operators interested in nominating anyone to do so through the Businesstoday online email info@businesstodayng.com and deadline for entries is Tuesday 27th, May 2016.

The categories are: Businesstoday insurance man of the year award; Businesstoday insurance company of the year award; Businesstoday micro insurance company of the year award; Businesstoday CSR insurance company of the year award; Businesstoday most valuable insurance brand 2015; Businesstoday pension company of the year award; Businesstoday pension man of the year award; Businesstoday online most pensions compliant state award and Businesstoday insurance broking company of the year award.

WORKSHOP: From left, Dr.Olufemi Oyediran, first Vice President, Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN);Dr. E.Osagie Ehanire, Hon. Minister of State for Health; Mr. Duro Abdusalam, acting Registrar; second Vice President, Prof. Olugbenga Ogunmoyela during the Institute’s 23rd Training Workshop held in Lagos last Thursday.

Pension's all about making plans for old age — Ideva M

ANAGING Director and Chief Executive Officer of Premium Pension Limited Mr. Wilson Ideva has said that Pension is all about one making plans on how to take care of oneself at old age.

Ideva made the assertion when the company gave out four categories of prizes to winners in the first phase of its social media campaign which ran from February 15 to March 19, 2016. The campaign tagged #Reward4DHustle was on the social platforms of Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook and was anchored

by Alder Consulting Limited.

The campaign provided an

opportunity for the company to address public enquiries and requests through the instrumentality of modern information technology and also contribute to the generation of public awareness as to the workings of the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Kofoworola George-Taylor, an event manager based in Lagos won on Instagram and received a prize of a fully-paid project management course and international travel while Olanike Oyediran, a Lagosbased lawyer won on Facebook and got the opportunity to undergo a fully-paid project

management certification course. Another prize was for Idris Abubakar Sadiq, a computer engineer/teacher based in Kaduna who won a home office (laptop, printer and modem) while Ogbonna Kingsley Leo, an Enugubased nurse won on Instagram and received a laptop.

Ideva said, “We believe in catching them young that’s why we opted for the social media which is very popular with the youths.”

He reiterated the need for massive public awareness with regard to the Contributory Pension Scheme while conferring on the

winners the status of brand ambassadors of the company.

“You are now our brand ambassadors and you must project the image of the company positively and continue to propagate among your peers the immense advantages of the new pension scheme,” he added Responding on behalf of the prize winners, Idris Abubakar Sadiq expressed appreciation to the company for the high level of creativity adopted in the campaign and the company ’s achievements underscored by consistent high Return on Investment and being the first Pension Fund Administrator in Nigeria to receive ISO Certification among others. “We accept the position of your brand ambassadors and would live up to expectation,” he said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 25

Homes & Housing Finance

Police begins work on Abuja housing estate

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•A private estate development

FG commits N44bn to social housing Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE

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he federal government has committed N44 billion to the development of social housing in the 2016 budget, in fulfilment of its proposed plan to build one million housing units across the country yearly.

Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin, Managing Director of Federal Housing Authority (FHA), disclosed this when he visited the Turkish Embassy in Abuja, as a follow-up to the recent visit

by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to President Muhammadu Buhari. He recalled that that housing featured prominently in the discussion between the two Presidents on areas of possible economic cooperation between the two nations during the visit.

The FHA boss noted that the Federal Government’s plan envisaged that the Federal and State governments would build 250, 000 housing units each while the balance of 500, 000 would be taken up by domestic and foreign investors. According

to him, the Federal Government had matched its words with action by initiating a budget of N44 billion to take care of its own commitment, which would consist solely of social housing units.

Al-Amin said the FHA plans to partner with Turkish companies to facilitate the realisation of the government’s housing development target.

Lagos housing deficit estimated at 2.55m units

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survey commissioned by the Lagos State government has revealed that the total housing deficit in the state is currently estimated to be 2.55 million units.

Commissioner for Housing, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, who disclosed this, said it was the final report of the Housing Needs Assessment Survey prepared by TNS RMS Nigeria Limited for the Lagos State Ministry of Housing.

He said an annual development of 187,500 new houses over the next five years

UK mortgage approvals drop to 4-month low

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he number of mortgage approvals for house purchases in the UK fell to 71,400 in March, a sharp drop from the 73,900 approvals seen in February and well below the 74,200 forecast by economists.

This is the second consecutive month of declines, the Bank of England data show, and follows four straight months of increases, which lifted mortgage approvals to a two-year high in January.

There are several possible factors driving the drop.

Economists have highlighted that some buy-to-let purchases

He noted that Turkish housing products were of high quality and enjoined the Commercial Counselor, Dr Ahmed Zafer Gulsen who received him, to encourage companies from his home country to come and partner with the FHA through: mass production of building materials, contribution of construction finance and technical expertise and

housing construction. The FHA boss praised Turkey’s rich history and noted that the country occupied a strategic geographical position at the intersection of Asia and Europe, and commended the friendly relations between Nigeria and Turkey.

In his response, Gulsen said he would do his best to facilitate the coming of Turkish companies to take up the opportunities offered by the FHA. He promised to forward the request to his home Ministry of Economy, which he said would seek out the appropriate Turkish companies to partner with the authority.

were brought forward to escape the rise in stamp duty on buy-to-let acquisitions that came into force in April, fuelling a rise in approvals at the start of the year, which was followed by the current decline.

In addition, there are growing concerns about the impact of uncertainty surrounding the Brexit referendum in June. Some economists have warned Brexit would dent the UK property market, and as such prospective purchasers as well as construction groups have been putting plans on hold.

is required to effectively tackle housing deficit in the state. “At least, 187,500 new homes are required over the next five years to reduce the deficit,” he said.

Lawal noted that major problems confronting mass housing delivery include high population density, high cost of building materials, nondeployment of new technology and, proliferation of slums.

Others are lack of access to finance, shortage of skilled labour and artisans and problems caused by unscrupulous estate agents, landlords, developers and omo oniles. “In order to reduce the huge deficit, the current policy is to continue to undertake construction of mass housing directly and through the Public Private Partnership programme,” he added.

At least, 187,500 new homes are required over the next five years to reduce the deficit

The commissioner further disclosed that, in its bid to tackle the housing deficit, the state government is set to embark on construction of 50 housing units in each of the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.

He added that government plans to partner with the private sector to deliver affordable housing units, and also facilitate mortgage finance with a view to addressing the challenges in the housing value-chain.

Lawal also spoke about the government’s proposed ‘Master Craftsmen Project’ aimed at redressing the dearth of skilled workers in the building industry, such as masons, carpenters, steel fabricators, plumber, electricians and the rest. He also reiterated government’s plan to introduce a rent-to-own scheme designed to make housing more accessible and affordable particularly to low and medium income earners in both the formal and informal sectors. He said under the arrangement, individuals would be required to pay just 5 per cent of the value of a housing unit as commitment fee while payment is spread over 10 years at 6 per cent interest rate.

onstruction work has commenced on the 1004 units housing project for officers and men of the Nigerian Police at Gousa Town, Abuja.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, last week, performed the ground breaking ceremony of the project. This is coming on the heels of the commissioning of 260 Police Staff Homes as part of effort of the Nigeria Police to improve the quality of lives and provide affordable houses for officers and men of the force.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the IGP said the event symbolizes the continued efforts of the Police Force leadership to address one of the most fundamental challenges facing officers and men, which is access to decent accommodation for themselves and their supportive families.

His words: “This event represents another historic step towards advancing the welfare oriented policing component of my Strategic Police Plans as Inspector General of Police. The uniqueness of this event, however, rests on the fact that this is the first time that international bodies will be collaborating with the Nigeria Police Force for purpose of addressing the housing needs of the personnel of the Force.”

Arase noted that the project is being undertaken by the Nigeria Police Force Property Development Company in conjunction with Shelter Afrique and UN Habitat.

He added that the partnership will lead to the construction of 25,000 units of low cost houses for members of the Nigeria Police Force nationwide.

“The construction of 1,004 units of this initiative is being launched in the FCT. Prior to this time, similar projects have been completed and handed over to members of the Rank and File cadre in Katsina, Adamawa, Edo and Enugu States. This was made possible through the incorporation of the Nigeria Police Force Property Development Company which engages direct labour using our assets in the Logistics and Supply Department to construct such houses,” he stated.

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26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

E-Commerce

Shoprite berths in Onitsha, Anambra State

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hoprite demonstrated its commitment to growing in Nigeria with the successful opening of its Onitsha Mall store recently.

Executive Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano who was accompanied by his wife and other government dignitaries officiated at the opening of the store, remarked that the occasion was a milestone in his administration’s efforts to make the state the centrepiece for commercial activities.

Speaking on behalf of Shoprite Nigeria, Executive Director, Adeola Kagho, said that she was excited about the warm reception that the store was receiving from the people of the state. “We look forward to opening more stores and playing our part to impact more communities. The free breast cancer screening is just one of the many CSR projects we intend to embark upon in the state and I am happy to witness the high turnout of women taking part in the screening exercise” Through the store opening, Shoprite, in partnership with the management of Onitsha mall, is doing its part by creating over 1,000 job opportunities for locals.

Manufacturers'll redefine physical stores, shape online retail — Report Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

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rick and mortar stores will not exist the way it is known today as a result of manufacturers’ and private label retailers increasingly leveraging online retail to showcase products and build brand awareness directly with consumers, with less emphasis on “take home” product transactions.

This is according to a report by an independent analyst and consultancy firm specializing in global coverage of IT, and telecommunications industries, Ovum.

The report which was released last week and titled: ‘The future of E-Commerce: The road to 2026’ indicated that over the coming decade, physical retail will significantly evolve and play less role in global retail structure as a result of the impact of manufacturers preferring online retail.

According to the report, “Physical retail stores will still exist but not the way we know it today. There will tend to be

small format stores. Retail store leases will continue to shorten, and in some cases, more innovative models will evolve to allow manufacturers and private-label online retailers to road-show new products or their brands with event-driven pop-ups.

“While pop-- ups have often been confined in the past to vacated space and therefore less premium locations, in the future, we foresee pop- ups occupying more desirable locations to satisfy manufacturer demands.

Physical retail stores will still exist but not the way we know it today

Manufacturers will want the reach of a large store network but not all year round, and the impact-- driven model means they will want to concentrate resources at a few locations at a time.”

The report noted that the implication of this is that, “manufacturers have already demonstrated their power over retailers, especially in the electrical devices market, and will favour only those retail sites where they have control over how their products are displayed, such as department store concessions.”

The report also indicated that within the coming decade,

Konga commercialises payment solution, KongaPay

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nline marketplace, Konga.com has launched its payment solution, KongaPay to users outside the Konga platform.

This means that the ecommerce giant has joined the league of other payment

Amazon profit crushes estimates as cloudservice revenue soars

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mazon.com last week reported profit and revenue that blew past analysts’ expectations, sending its shares soaring in after-hours trading and demonstrating the growing market power of its core retail business and new cloud services division.

The results draw a sharp contrast to the disappointing fourth quarter Amazon reported in January, which renewed worries among some shareholders about the company’s comparatively thin profit margins. Shares of the world’s biggest online retailer jumped nearly 13 percent to $679 in extended trading on Thursday.

Amazon’s performance also assuaged concerns about a broader slowdown among tech and internet companies after Apple, Microsoft and Intel all reported disappointing earnings.

“It did restore my faith,” said Dan Conde, an analyst at the Enterprise Strategy Group, who keeps a close eye on Amazon’s cloud business.

The company also offered a bright outlook, with revenue guidance for the current quarter of $28 billion to $30.5 billion, compared to the $28.33 billion analysts had expected.

LAUNCH - From left: Shola Adekoya, CEO Konga; Mayowa Adebayo, Director, Marketing & Customer Experience and; Olayemi Jinadu, VP, Payments & Digital Goods, Konga, at the commercial launch of KongaPay in Lagos last week.

Viber apps boost online security with end-to-end encryption

By PROVIDENCE OBUH

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iber, one of the world’s leading messaging apps with more than 711 million unique users worldwide have announced the complete end-to-end encryption across all devices which offers users benefit from increased security and privacy whatever the device or platform.

This new feature will strengthen security in every voice or video call, message, video and photo, in both group messages and one-toone communication across devices like Android, iPhone, iPad, Android tablets, PC and Mac desktops.

“We take our users’ security and privacy very seriously, and it’s critical to us that they feel

there will be an increasingly fragmented physical footprint because the sale of branded products will continue to migrate to the web, as online merchants benefit from pricecomparison shopping, except where superior service and customer experience can justify the higher price points, such as at premium department stores.

“The ‘pile them high, sell them cheap’ model will only remain viable at the very lowest end of the market, where the urgency of attaining products and the lack of a delivery charge supersede a lower online price.

confident and protected when using Viber,” said Michael Shmilov, Chief Operating Officer of Viber.

As part of this update, Viber have also launched ‘Hidden Chats’ allowing users to hide specific chats from the main screen so no-one but the user knows they exist. These chats can only be accessed using a four digit PIN, providing an optional additional layer of privacy to users’ personal communications.

Shmilov disclosed that Viber has spent a long time working on this latest update to ensure that users have the most sophisticated security available and maximum control over their communications stressing that the company will continue to make this an ongoing priority as digital communication evolves.

providers like Systems Specs, eTranzact, Paga etc, providing online payment solutions to all Nigerians.

Recall that KongaPay was first launched in June, 2015 as a strategic step at tackling payment on delivery, which is seen as a disincentive to ecommerce growth in the country. It has since been deployed by the retailer for payment processing within the Konga platform with increased utility by myriads of merchants selling on the Konga marketplace.

The commercial version allows any user to receive payment, pay for goods and services and even send money to third parties. It also comes with a unique feature allowing a user to upload and sell items on the social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Speaking at the launch in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer of Konga.com, Shola Adekoya, said: “Konga is launching KongaPay payment solution because we want Nigerians and Africans at large to experience the best of service at their convenience. This means we constantly evolve to be more relevant to customers and society.”

He added: “We are extending KongaPay to other consumers outside of the Konga.com’s platform because it is designed to be fast, reliable, secure, flexible and above all provides a best-in-class financial solution to Nigerians and Africa at large.”

Speaking further, Adekoya said: “What this means for the e-commerce sector in Nigeria is that commerce really is beyond one location. This means that Konga has stepped outside the www.kong.com url.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 27 “We are approaching an emergency on this crisis, because not only is the crisis spreading like wild fire across the states, it is assuming a dimension that would seriously affect the economy of the country…the Federal Government must address the problem now, even if it means having recourse to our reserves ..APC spokesman from South West State.

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eaders would permit me if the APC spokesman is not identified.

He is a long term associate and one of those who have helped me as a columnist in the early years. Like Shakespeare, 1564-1616, “I hate ingratitude more in a man than lying, vainness, babbling drunkenness or any taints of vice” (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 103). But, that far I will go and no further. The crisis he spoke about is well-known: salaries crisis which has engulfed the nation. His own state might not even be the worst – but is very close to it. The state is definitely the closest to an eruption because the situation there is almost hopeless – given the monthly collection from Abuja, which had dwindled to almost nothing.

Unfortunately, the spokesman is not an economist. He is a journalist and a lawyer. That explains why he hinged his appeal on what amounts to grasping at straws by a drowning man.

His reference to “having recourse to external reserves” if it represents the views of the government he serves would indicate that nobody in that state government has a basic understanding of economics and why countries maintain external reserves.

He and those in the state

government who think along those lines probably think the external reserves are like a savings account which the owner can access and draw down any time he feels like it. Nothing can be further from the truth. Any state waiting for the Federal Government to deplete the external reserves just to bail her out of the salaries crisis is living in a fool’s paradise. Even if accepted and implemented, it will not solve the problem for more than three months. Then what follows?

The Federal Government’s response recently, granting relief to states from repaying one month’s installment on the bail-out received late last year, is in reality, too little, too late and an exercise in futility.

It amounts to putting plaster on feet run over and badly crushed by a trailer. It would not help much. Quite the contrary, it will further promote fiscal irresponsibility by state governors for reasons too numerous to disclose in a short article. But, here are a few to consider.

CONTINUOUS LOW AGGREGATE REVENUE Most problems caused by money can mostly be solved by money. Allied to money is financial discipline and wisdom. By and large, the Federal and State governments of Nigeria had demonstrated neither fiscal

Bailing out states: FG’s exercise in futility discipline nor wisdom. For instance, anybody reading the papers these days must ask if those who were going to the Central Bank to truck out billions of naira and millions of dollars, while infrastructure decayed can be regarded as disciplined – or even sane. Over N40 trillion is now being traced – more than six times this year’s budget and ten times last year’s budget. Obviously, our problem is not money; but discipline, sanity and wisdom. Let those hoarding those funds return only one quarter and we would not need a kobo of loan from anywhere and there will be sufficient funds to fund every project in the current budget.

However, since we are unlikely to receive reparations soon, it is important to understand where we stand, so that desperate state governments will stop making silly requests of the Federal Government which for political reasons Buhari wants to grant in one way or another.

For decades to come, the years 2012 and 2013 will be

DISTRIBUTABLE REVENUE FG, STATES AND LG Feb 2012 Nov 2015 Feb 2016 March 2016 N620.73bn N473.83bn N338.77bn N299.75bn remembered as our golden years during Nigeria’s Age of Oil. Crude prices reached dazzling heights (up to $145 per barrel in one month) averaging over $110 per barrel in those two years, which unwise people in government at all levels assumed would never end.

When recently, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Federal Minister for Finance at the time, accused the governments of lacking the will to save, many regarded the statement as intellectual dishonesty. If the states refused to save, what stopped the Federal Government from saving? The former Minister is now preaching what she failed to practice when in office.

From 2012 to early 2014, all the governments spent all they received. That was bad enough. They also went on a borrowing spree based on those high revenue allocations from Abuja.

Nobody gave a thought to

tomorrow. Tomorrow is here.

Let us now look at what has happened.

Meanwhile, in 2009, all the states of Nigeria had foreign debts amounting to N242 billion with the top ten including Lagos (the perennial champion), Oyo, Kaduna, Cross River, Katsina, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Osun, Ogun and Imo. In 2015 alone, the same states borrowed from commercial banks N13.1 trillion. That figure excludes external debts piled up by some of the states as well as bond issues. The top ten were: Lagos, Rivers, Kano, Oyo, Delta, Kaduna, Cross River, Enugu, Ogun and Abia. The interest on loans in 2015 was almost equal to the debts in 2009 and it was being incurred against dwindling revenue. In some states debt servicing exceeds monthly wage bill. That is one major reason why salary bail-out is an exercise in futility..

Microfinance

LAPO client base hits 2.2m with 92% women Stories by

PROVIDENCE OBUH

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APO Microfinance Bank has recorded a client base of 2.2 million across the country with women acounting for about 92 percent of that figure.

Also, the bank signed-on Nigerian broadcaster, Omotunde Adebowale, popularly known as Lolo1 of Wazobia F.M as Brand Ambassador.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos, Managing Director, LAPO MfB, Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, said that the decision to engage Lolo was strategic in enlightening LAPO’s target audience on the various financial services the bank offers to improve lives and support the growth of small and medium scale businesses in Nigeria.

Ehigiamusoe pointed out that there are small scale entrepreneurs who do not have access to finance or even have the capacity to meet the tough conditions set by commercial banks when accessing business loans.

He said, “This is why LAPO is in business-to support small scale by breaking the barriers set by commercial banks. We have been very concerned about the challenges that women especially those at the bottom C M Y K

end of the society face and so today we have over 2.2 million clients across the country and women accounts for 92 percent of that and we do not think we are going to change that proportion, what may happen is that, that proportion may continue to increase.

“To this end, it is appropriate we have a personality who is not just a woman, but one who

through her carrier had shown so much concern about the challenges of women. This partnership will bring expansion, this is first time we are having a brand ambassador,” he said.

The MD expalined that the rationale behind the choice of Lolo as the brand ambassador was strategic to the goal of the bank in reaching five million clients

by 2017, saying, “weproud to be associated with LOLO as ambassador, she will lend credence to the Bank’s continuous support to entrepreneurs,” he said.

In her response, Adebowale expressed joy at the honour, “To have been chosen as the face of LAPO MFB in Nigeria is humbling and encouraging. I identify with the LAPO brand as

being committed to supporting small and medium scale businesses in Nigeria for the past two decades. It’s a delight to bring joy to customers and drive home all the important messages of the brand.

Am passionate about small businesses because they are helping our economy grow, lapo has been empowering a lot of women, for that they are so dear to my heart, I have done LAPO 10years back, she said.

ITF moves to strengthen students industrial work experience

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HE Industrial Training Fund, (ITF) said it has commenced moves to strengthen the Students Industrial Work Experience, (SIWES) in order to stimulate and sustain industrial development, grow the economy and create jobs in line with the vision of the Federal Government.

Speaking during a stakeholders summit organized by the agency, the Acting Director General of the Fund, Mr. Dickson Onuoha, said the agency will also meet regularly with both regulators and other stakeholders to think outside the box so as to improve the standard of the SIWES scheme.

He explained that the SIWES scheme was established by the Federal Government to solve the problem of lack of adequate skills preparatory for employment in the industrial sector by Nigerian

graduates of tertiary institutions.

Onuoha said that the scheme which exposes and transit students from classrooms to the practical world has been grappling with the challenges of inadequate funding due to increasing demands on government’s revenue and the increase in the number of students graduating from the nation’s tertiary institutions.

He described the SIWES as capable of bridging the gap between theory and practical realities in the nation’s industrial sector, pointing out that ITF will continue to evolve innovative methods, considering that the scheme has continued to prepare students for the world of work.

According to him, “ITF will continually strive to remain the leading human resource development organization that will be focused on improving

industrialization and quality of working life. The agency will remain focused on achieving the cardinal goals of the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government that emphasizes job creation and youth empowerment.

Meanwhile, he disclosed that the reorganized and strengthened SIWES administration, coupled with understanding with stakeholders will facilitate the training and development of youths and entrepreneurs in the country, explaining that the collaboration was critical in order to have an effective local skills and manpower development that can drive the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda.

On his part, the Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, (MAN),

Mr. Remi Ogunmefun, said the association will effectively collaborate with the ITF to ensure practical experience was extended to Nigerian graduates in the nation’s industrial and manufacturing sectors.

Dignitaries at the summit includes: Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investments, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, (MAN), the National Universities Commission, (NUC) and National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE).

The National Commission for Colleges of Education, (NCCE) and representatives of various students’ union groups from the National Association of Nigerian Students, (NANS) also attended the summit.

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

People in Business production manager, production staff, I do the media content stuff, and I run the website, I design the label, I do product development.

Basically, I am a jack of all trade when it comes to YesChilli.

One of the good things about this is that it helps you know your product inside out and then you acquire skills you didn’t know you could acquire.

It’s been a fantastic experience for me.

The major challenge is creating awareness about the product, and I am severely handicapped because I don’t have a huge financial budget.

In fact, my financial budget is about zero. Distribution is another challenge for the same reasons. We are slowly getting out there; we are in about 87 stores around Lagos and I am talking to one or two big shops presently, but I need to be talking to a lot more.

I ventured into manufacturing ‘cos’ job market isn't buoyant -— YesChilli boss

By Princewill Ekwujuru

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here are challenges of doing business in Nigeria, which Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs envisage. In terms of the business environment, SMEs face challenges of infrastructure and finance. As presented in the World Bank ranking on the Ease of Doing Business, Nigeria lags behind.

Among other challenges, the country lacks policy transparency and governance, these have made SMEs complain of difficult environment to do business, yet some individuals still forge ahead despite all the bottlenecks.

Background: rs Elizabeth Nwaizu is the Founder of YesChilli

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Ventures, makers of YesChilli and Ginger sauce.

She holds a BA English degree from the University of Jos and did her one year youth service at the Nigeria Television Authority. After her youth service, she joined the Official Solicitor’s Office in the Ministry of Justice in 2003 as a Senior Case Manager in the Family Litigation Team which looked after the interests of vulnerable parents in Children Act Proceedings. Nwaizu rose to become Divisional Manager of the Family Section in 2009, where she impacted the lives of clients and secured some useful decisions on their behalf in the House of Lords. She proceeded to England to broaden her horizon and returned to Nigeria in 2015 to give back to the society.

Motivation: Having worked in the civil service for so many years, Nwaizu decided it was time for a change. “There comes a time in life when you begin to fancy a career change or you are not exactly or fully satisfied with what you are doing or you want a stretch or you get bored. For me, it was a combination of all of that. Plus I wanted to come back to Nigeria to give back and also to be close to my mother who is getting aged. So I needed to have something to do when I came back to Nigeria.

The job market is not buoyant so I decided to go into manufacturing and food has always been a passion for me.

I just happened to be one of

*Mrs. Elizabeth Nwaizu....our catch phrase is Healthy convenience foods, 100 per cent natural

those lucky people that have been able to turn a passion into a living.

Product: We make tasty, healthy indigenous convenience foods that are attractively packaged and competitively priced. Our first product which is the YesChilli and Ginger sauce has been in the market since January 2016. Presently, we are trying to establish the YesChilli brand.

Funding: Nwaizu said she started the business with her savings. “I haven’t tried to access any funds because I will like to see the business grow organically first, and then when I hit the stage and need expansion, I will hopefully approach banks or private investors.

I know these funds are accessible but with stringent criteria. One is providing guarantors and when you have guarantors for a loan, you put them, their businesses and families at risk because if you don’t cover the loan, then they would have to fill that gap.

I don’t want to be in a position where I would put somebody else in that position. So for me, that will be a barrier for taking those loans because I do not have any collateral in Nigeria to put down against the loan Challenges: Well, I face the same problems as most Nigerian manufacturers. You spend quite

I just happened to be one of those lucky people that have been able to turn a passion into a living

a bit of your cash flow on generating power because the national grid doesn’t supply near enough of what is required. I spend about N15,000 a week on diesel.

As new start-ups, you know all the challenges new starters have like funding. I am the administration manager,

Future plans Two years from now, I would expect YesChilli to be a r e l a t i v e l y recognisable brand with at least four products in its range.

I am still trying to get even more territorial share of the convenience market. There are quite a few indigenous convenience food outfits, but our catch phrase is Healthy convenience foods, 100 per cent natural ingredients with no additives and no preservatives.

FSD graduates win BoI national skills competition

By Jonah Nwokpoku

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wo graduates of a Nigerian vocational academy, Field of Skill and Dreams, FSD, Amarachi Agufobi and Kehinde Oluwafemi have emerged winners of 2016 Bank of Industry’s National Skills Competition which is organised annually to encourage vocational skills acquisitions as a means of tackling the unemployment challenge in the country.

Amarachi Agufobi, a graduate of Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Kehinde Oluwafemi, who holds a Higher National Diploma in Business Administration beat other nominees from other vocational institutions across the country, to clinch first and second positions in the fashion designers’ category.

The duo started their journey at the Ikeja-based vocational training centre, FSD Academy in 2015. The Imo State-born Agufobi, who won the fashion competition with a wedding gown made with local fabric,

told Vanguard she was trying to complete her one year NYSC programme when she registered for the nine-month intensive course in fashion at FSD. On his part, Oluwafemi had finished his national service and had a stint in cloth-making at a roadside shop, but, according to him, joined the FSD in order to gain more professional experience.

Their decisions paid off in the form of cash prizes and equipment they will get from BoI to set up their fashion shops.

Agufobi said she had no intention of seeking a paid job anymore as her new-found vocation has the potential to help fulfill her childhood dream of running a successful business of her own.

She said: “I have always wanted to be a successful business woman but I needed to acquire education first. With my sewing skill, I think I am close to fulfilling my dreams. I want to start my business so that I can grow to become an employer of labour.”

On the difference the award has made in her life, the 26year-old Economics graduate said it has boosted her confidence and many clients now have more confidence in her abilities.

“I cannot believe that I, the same person who was making clothes in the corner of a room have received a national award in fashion designing. Apart from the prestige and financial reward, what interests me most is that successful fashion designers have accepted to mentor me. For me, this is the most valuable aspect of the honour. Above all, I appreciate FSD who took time to train me.

The award would not have come without the centre,” she said.

Agufobi called on Nigerian youths to take advantage of the opportunities made available by the FSD and other training institutes to acquire skills that would make them self-reliant.

She said she would always be grateful that she enrolled for skills acquisition instead of wasting her free time during her NYSC.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 29

Economy

IMF calls for depoliticisation of budget, steady increase in VAT

By EMEKA ANAETO, Economy Editor

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midst lingering crises in the 2016 budget, the International Monetary Fund, IMF, has proposed a “depoliticized” oil-based fiscal policy to shield the budget from controversies that stall smooth passage as well as hamper impactful implementation.

The multilateral financial institution made this proposal in the full report of its 2016 Article IV consultations published last weekend which shows further details of the staff report submitted to the executive board in late March, 2016, with the executive summary made public early last month.

The report failed to explain in details what it meant by depoliticisation neither did it allude to the long-drawn battle between the executive and the legislative arms of government.

In the latest report, the Fund, however, suggested a combination of the oil price over the past five years, the current price and the forward level over the next five years, together with a primary surplus target (before interest payments), to determine benchmark.

The 2016 budgeted benchmark was set at USD38 per barrel but before the budget could go through the passage process the

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international price had gone down to USD30 per barrel before rebounding to over USD46 previous week.

The report also calls for a steady increase in the standard tax rate with specific reference to the Value Added Tax, VAT, from 5.0 per cent to

•Kemi-Adeosun, Finance Minister 7.5 per cent, noting that the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWA S , require a minimum 10 per cent.

The Fund was basing its tax suggestions on the adverse effect of dependence on oil

export for budget funding, a situation which has forced governments at all levels into borrowings.

The baseline fiscal projections for the federal government this year have

non-oil revenue collection lower than in 2015 and a poor performance from independent revenue, of which the authorities have high hopes based upon the treasury single account, TSA. In the first publication of the Article IV Consultation report the Fund had favoured a more flexible foreign exchange policy to replace what it terms a “soft” or a “de facto peg”.

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had imposed what the Fund views as exchange restrictions and a multiple currency practice under Article VIII of the Articles of Agreement.

The restrictions include the circular of foreign exchange restrictions covering imports of 41 items and the allocation of foreign exchange in line with the CBN’s own priorities.

FDC advises FG, CBN on import substitution policy T he current drive for import substitution by the present government also championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has been suspected to be fraught with motives other than strategic policy initiative.

According to a report by Financial Derivatives Company Limited, a Lagos based economy research outfit, the import substitution strategy in Nigeria in the present dispensation “seems to be borne out of fear and capricious thinking rather than clear economic rationalization”.

In the research report the company stated that “the CBN shut official access to foreign exchange for the importation of selected items using import substitution as a smokescreen for the real exchange rate issue of currency misalignment and forex scarcity facing the country”.

The report, therefore, advised that rather than have a blanket policy towards import substitution and trade controls, a case by case approach that limits the importation of goods based on a comparative advantage analysis should be used.

“In essence, a temporary import substitution for select commodities in which Nigeria has potential comparative advantage should be pursued”, it advised.

According to the report the country

should also have an export-oriented economic vision to spur growth and development while also reducing dependence on imports.

“Countries such as Japan, South Korea and China that have used an export promotion approach attained a fast rate of economic growth despite beginning from a state of underdevelopment.

“This outward-looking strategy to development has led to growth not just in primary products and raw materials segment, but also in manufacturing”.

The report also stated that incentives and governmental support are required for successful reduction in import content and export development, adding that the success in the development of the cement industry to its present state, where it is dominated by local cement manufacturers that also export, can be replicated in other sectors.

This, strategy, according to the report, is necessary especially in agriculture where government can provide subsidized financing, inputs and machinery. “There could also be incentives to attract foreign investors as they respond positively to favourable trade and forex policies. It is critical to make the business environment attractive to foreign investors so that they can bring their capital, technology,

managerial and technical experience to the country”.

The report also recommended that a combination of temporary selective protectionist restrictions, innovation, governmental support, human capital development and an effective exportdriven master plan is required to catalyze Nigeria’s economic and industrial development.

The report had cataloged the general impacts of the CBN’s restrictive foreign exchange policy which includes a significant reduction in manufacturing output given that many of the products on the list of the 41 items with forex allocation restrictions are intermediate goods, which are critical inputs to several manufactured products.

It also stated that the policy has resulted into lower profitability and higher production and operating costs, as well as higher credit defaults with foreign suppliers due to the lack of forex to settle obligations.

On macroeconomic level, it stated that the policy had led to increased inflationary pressures, higher unemployment due to the closure of several manufacturing companies as well as negative perceptions of the country as an investment destination.

30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Aviation

Arik Air launches ground transfer service for London passengers

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

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rik Explorer, Arik Air’s leisure and packaged travel subsidiary, is launching a ground transfer service for London bound passengers from Heathrow Airport to destinations within London city.

The ground transfer service is in collaboration with Puzzles Group and Hummingbird cars.

According to Mr Adebanji Ola PR and Communication Manager, Arik Air, “All London bound passengers departing Lagos will be able to book this service at Murtala Muhammed International Airport with the option to pay in Naira. With this service, London-bound passengers need not worry about having immediate access to foreign currency on arrival at Heathrow. “ “The collaboration makes the services of a reliable and reputable transport company accessible to Arik Air travelers from prices as low as thirty three pounds (£33) one way (or its Naira equivalent). Arik Air passengers will be able to book this service at the Arik Explorer stand at the Arik Air check-in counter located in the departure hall of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos from May 3, 2016.”

Cliqfest promo: MAPOLY student wins car

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Etisalat product, Cliqfest, stopped at the Moshood Abiola Polythenic, a HND 1 student made home with a car. The initiative a strategic engagement with Nigerian youths by Etisalat Nigeria is focused on education, sports and entertainment in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

The two-day event culminated in the emergence of Ogundeyi Ayobami, a HND1 student of Accounting as the winner of the star prize, a Hyundai i10 Car through a raffle draw. An elated Ayobami was full of praises to Etisalat for giving him the wonderful opportunity to experience Cliqfest. “I never believed that I would win a car today and I am still surprised.

Speaking on the Cliqfest initiative with Nigerian students, Debo Agun, Manager, Consumer Segment, Etisalat Nigeria described the engagement level with the students of MAPOLY as a great experience for the brand, and pointed out that this is the second time the Cliqfest train will be visiting the school, having debuted at the school last year.

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AGM - From left: Mr Ladi Balogun, Non-Executive Director, FCMB Group PLC; Mr Jonathan Long, Chairman; Mrs Olufunmilayo Adedibu, Company Secretary; Otunba Subomi Balogun, founder and Mr Peter Obaseki, MD/CEO, during the 3rd FCMB Group PLC Annual General Meeting held in Lagos.

Booking keeping, airlines debt recovery imbroglio

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

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he protracted debt reconciliation problem between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and domestic airlines has brought to the fore once again the popular view, or what is almost becoming a fact, that government ministries and parastatals do not keep proper accounting records of financial transactions they engage in.

Or how can one explain a situation where receipts or tellers , allegedly, cannot be produced by FAAN to back financial figures which keep changing at every debt reconciliation meeting with airlines? Is it not elementary accounting that books are opened for any customer or client you do constant business with, and every transaction recorded immediately it takes place?

Last week, the nation's aviation industry witnessed the disruption of Arik Air flight operations by aviation workers under the aegis of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos over N12.5 billion debts they claimed Arik Air is ownig FAAN. The unions said Arik Air’s failure to pay the debts has incapacitated the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and made it unable to meet its obligations to employees and pensioners.

This is not the first time the unions will be disrupting the airline’s flight operations. Last

year a similar incident took place and the airline's flight operations were grounded for two days which led to untold

If proper records of financial services rendered to Arik had be properly kept and documented, this needless disputation of figures would not arise

hardship for air travelers as Arik Air has the largest fleet among domestic operators in Nigeria and airlifts more than fifty percent of the passenger traffic on domestic routes.

Commenting on last week's incident, Arik Air Managing Director, Mr Chris Ndulue, said the disruption is unfortunate, adding: “When the revenue drive was ongoing and our operations were grounded, we tried to reach the management of FAAN via phone calls and they did not respond and even text messages and up till now, as we are speaking, they have not

responded. It is curious, why is it only Arik? Others are owing, even foreign airlines, but why Arik? The figures they bandy about, sometimes its N7b or N11b or like yesterday N12.5b.”

Also Arik Air Chairman, Sir Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide said the airline had paid FAAN N18.9 billion since inception.

He frowned at the way the unions took the airlines by surprise while alleging that FAAN had been frustrating the reconciliation process initiated by both the court and past aviation ministers.

According to him “We have paid N18.9billion and we are saying that we need to reconcile. FAAN was the one that took us to court and are the ones that are not respecting court judgment. And anytime we want to reconcile these debts and get to the bottom of this matter once and for all, they (FAAN) become evasive.

“We are prepared to pay for services rendered to us but we are not going to be bullied into false payment. When they feel like, they resort to intimidations.

They took us to court and said they will impound our aircraft and later rescinded but what happened was quite unfortunate. It is not good for aviation and not good for Nigerian industries.” ArumemiIkhide also recalled how efforts were made to resolve the dispute by the Senate Committee on Aviation, headed

by Senator Hope Uzodima, former Aviation Minister, Mrs Stella Oduah and former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Mrs Binta Bello.

Domestic airlines pledge to pay debts owed NCAA

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

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he Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, has pledged to ensure that all outstanding debts they own the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, are paid as agreed in a meeting with the agency.

According to Mr Sam Adurogboye, General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, the assurance was given during a meeting between the management of the regulatory authority led by the Director General, Capt.

Muhtar Usman and the Airline Operators at the NCAA Conference Room.

Adurogboye said “Speaking on behalf of the operators, the AON Chairman, Capt.

Noggie Meggison remarked that it is incontrovertible that operators are heavily indebted but promised that all unremitted funds will be fully paid.

“He thanked the DG for holding a series of meetings with all operators, a move he said was long expected. Meggison therefore requested for similar fora¨ where the Authority’s vision will be properly articulated from time to time to enable us key into it.”

He added that Meggison, however, called for a retreat where stakeholders will meet to brainstorm on some knotty challenges which operators and the entire industry is

confronted with.

“In his response, Capt.Usman enjoined the airlines to comply as agreed because the issue of Ticket and Cargo Sales Charges is sacrosanct. According to him, this is to enable the Authority and other benefitting Agencies effectively carry out its regulatory and Statutory responsibilities.

“The DG and the NCAA management emphasized the need for automation by operators which will offer real-time and transparent transaction. He directed that all reconciliations must be done within the 60 days window provided. He advised the operators to forward all required documentations to verify conflicting claims.”

“Capt. Usman admonished the operators to be alive to their responsibilities and challenges. He added that operators should take advantage of various Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) entered into by the Federal Government to compete with their foreign counterparts thereby generating the much needed foreign exchange.”

“Concluding, the DG assured the operators that there will be a broader stakeholders’ forum very soon where various grievances could be looked into and addressed and charge the operators to fully embrace the Automation for the sake of transparency and an end to discrepancy over figures forthwith.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 31

Advertising & Media

Whither digital hydro advertising?

STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

perception game with their image, making clients believe they are top there, with display

of splendour, big buildings, clean and green environment, even though it is believed that

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igital hydro advertising seems to have died in Nigeria along with Late Managing Director of Spot-On Media, Sesan Ogunro. Since his demise, no ad agency has been able to replicate or repeat the feat exhibited at the Marina waters

by Falomo Bridge, Ikoyi, Lagos, first of its kind in Africa.

Digital Hydro advertising is water advertising. It is a vast and seemingly holographic imagery that offers a great fusion of art and technology on a natural canvas, the result of which can cause members of the public to pause in admiration of the creativity.

This feat has only been achieved in top cities like New York, Toronto and Dubai. What would have been the challenge

by Nigeria ad agencies.? And why has this masterpiece not been replicated by corporate organisations to launch their products.?

Is it that Ogunro died with the idea, connection and technology? No wonder they say millions of ideas can be found in the grave. Or is water advertising not still relevant in today’s advertising world.?

Is it that the agencies are so cash strapped that they cannot muster the courage to repeat a feat as such by Spot-On Media.? Or that organisations will not be able to foot the bill.?

Why is it that agencies like Insight Communications, Lowe Lintas, Centre Spread, Invent Media, New Crystal Communications Limited, ClearEdge Media Limited to mention but few cannot repeat this feat?. Or is it that the present economic circumstance is biting hard on them?.

Or are they just playing the

PRESENTATION: From Left, Chief of Staff to the President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Mr. Willy Ogbidi, President, Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria, PRCAN, Mr. John Ehiguese and Vice President, PRCAN, Mr. Muyiwa Akintunde at the presentation of office equipment by NIPR to PRCAN Secretariat in Ikeja.

KairosWebTV launched, set to boost entrepreneurship K

airosWebTV, a nextgeneration online TV platform for emerging and aspiring entrepreneurs and start-ups, has been launched to transform the Nigeria online television landscape. Its offers news and insights, technology trends, edutainment, skits, events and online digital training.

The television is owned and ran by CIHAN and focuses on motivating and inspiring viewers to success. It features seven channels with content from partners across over the

world such as Fate Foundation, Real Success (South Africa), Nigerian Olympic Committee and The Winlos, among others.

At the media briefing in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer of CIHAN, Mr. Celestine Achi, who is the founder of KairoswebTV, said that KairosWebTv was designed to save cost for the viewers, adding that the era of reaping off payTV viewers must be challenged through disruptive technologies.

Achi, a Digital PR strategist and social techpreneur, said that KairosWebTv had been

Chi’s vegetable, fruit nectar drinks enter market

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perception is everything.

Is it that the above mentioned agencies cannot develop an outdoor masterplan to rival major cities of the World.? What is the problem.? Is creativity lacking or lagging?.

Nigeria is blessed with great opportunities for water advertising, with the attendant potentials to promote sport, business, tourism and transport activities. If the infrastructural development of Nigeria is symmetrically and strategically developed by government and if adequately utilized by creative agencies will be an advantage conferred by nature and this will lead to economic boast for Nigeria and the agencies. While the dredging and channelization of several waterfronts will be geared towards enhancement of aquabased activities.

With all these in place Hydro platform will encourage practitioners to be more innovative with outdoor advertising formats, especially water, the platform will be a hit as many companies will indicate interest to use it to grow their bottomline.

or the first time in the fruit juice market history, consumers’ who place a premium on health consciousness can now satisfy their need for healthy drinks with the introduction of Chivita Active Vegetable & Fruit Nectar.

The company said this is an innovative product and an addition to products from Chi Limited production line. With the power of vegetable and fruit, perfectly blended with the goodness of vitamins, fibre and nutrients, Chivita Active vegetable fruit nectar is a healthy and tasty way to get antioxidants and stamina required for a healthy active lifestyle.

The company said the product producd with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and available in three variants – Carrot Orange, Beetroot Grape and Beetroot Apple. The Carrot Orange variant comes with a burst of Orange and the goodness of carrot to ensure a great taste and a healthier lifestyle. While the Beetroot Grape is a tasty blend of beetroot and grape which

guarantees stamina and rich antioxidants. The Beetroot Apple variant which is a mix of beetroot and apple ensures a healthier and active lifestyle through the stamina, antioxidants and wellness it provides.

According to Roy Deepanjan, Managing Director of Chi Limited, “We are once again pioneering a new segment of the juice market with the Chivita Active Vegetable & Fruit Nectar in line with our market penetration strategy. As an innovative company, we are always looking for new ways to excite and invigorate the market which is why we will continue to develop the right products, that meets market expectation of consumers who are health conscious, in the years ahead”.

The space created by the growing need for the consumption of healthier drinks at home, offices and parties may in no time be filled in by Chivita Active Vegetable & Fruit Nectar as the popular choice going by the highly nutritional benefit of the drink.The Managing Director said.

configured to save users’ data, “which has been the reason some people are keeping off the online platforms. We want to restore confidence in the minds of digital natives, while providing enabling ground for the digital migrants to exploit the power of the internet. Whether you are on 2G, 3G or 4G LTE, the experience will be such that videos should show seamlessly.”

The CIHAN CEO said that the platform would deepen local contents as part of measures to boost the digital migration through Nollywood contents.

He explained further, saying various channels of KairosWebTv: “The Entrepreneurship Channel focuses on motivating emerging entrepreneurs and startups. We are doing that through three key partnerships. The NetNEWS Channel provides up-to-date news on entertainment, politics, business and sports. We will even go deeper to give you news behind the news, which is usually the human angel stories.”

Achi added: “KairosWebTv also recognises the need to inspire creativity. That is why we have the Winlos Channel, which uses creative, inspiring and hilarious skits and sketches as well as dramatic illustrations to motivate viewers based on real life issues. The TechSavvy Channel delivers news and insights on the latest technology trends.”

NB extends Maltina’s initiative to private schools

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igeria Breweries, NB Plc says it has expanded the scope of the Maltina Teacher of Year, MTY competition to include teachers in private schools, even as it commences collection of applications with effect from April 17, 2016.

It could be revealed that the first edition of the program focused solely on public secondary schools in 2015.

Speaking in Lagos, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Adviser of NB, said: we have expanded the focus of the 2016 edition of the Maltina Teacher of the year Award to include teachers from private secondary schools across Nigeria.

He went to say that the NBFelix Ohiwere Education Trust Fund, in 2015 expanded its intervention in education in Nigeria to teachers through the Maltina brand.

Ekanem stated that the initiative was hinged on the fact that teachers seldom get recognition they deserve in spite of the pivotal role they play in training, coaching and determining quality of education impacted in pupils.

StarTimes wins best 2016 BoICT award

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tarTimes, a pay-TV operator has clinched the Best Pay TV Operator in Nigeria award at the just ended Beacon of Information and Communication Technology, BoICT awards in Lagos.

Speaking on the achievements, Mr. Ken Nwogbo, Editor-In-chief and CEO of Communications Week Media Limited, organisers of the awards, said over time, StarTimes has revolutionarised the Pay TV industry landscape in Nigeria with its consistently affordable and public friendly offerings.

“Since StarTimes joined the industry, Pay TV has become more popular and accessible for many people.”

Receiving the award, Marketing Director, Oludare Kafar expressed appreciation to millions of StarTimes subscribers who made it possible with a promise of better subscribers experience.

“As a business, we have embraced innovation and cutting edge global technology solutions to deliver compelling digital television experience to our millions of subscribers.

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

(0805 220 1997)

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he leadership of organised Labour Unions, last week presented a new demand for N56,000 monthly minimum wage, to the federal government. The President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Ayuba Wabba told a news conference in Abuja, that even though it is true that the economy is not doing well, but the law has stated that wages for workers must be reviewed after every five years”.

Consequently, the Labour Lord insists that since the last wage review was in 2011, “the issue must be looked into by the Federal government and workers should not be seen as sleeping on their rights”.

However, a triple increase in income, in one fell swoop, may seem inappropriate when several state governments are presently incapable of paying the current N18,000 minimum wage, while street cleaners and other Labourers in state government establishments nationwide earn much less.

Ayuba, however explained that the “logic behind the new minimum wage is to ensure that no worker earns below what can sustain him or her for a period of 30 days”. Nevertheless, despite their apparent determination, it would not be unexpected, if Labour unions, ultimately, patriotically accept between N30-N36,000 as the new minimum wage, after heated and protracted negotiation; the impact of such increase in incomes will regrettably, however most certainly, cripple the economies of several states, as the resultant simultaneous spiral in salaries of all staff cadres will double the already heavily lopsided recurrent State budgets and further diminish any prospect of impactful social infrastructural development.

Ironically, however, despite the inability to currently pay salaries in several states, Ayuba, has called on government to ensure that the issue of National

increases, notwithstanding the disenabling collateral impact of such demands. However, it is now expedient for Labour to also carefully examine how countries with larger, and more successful economies manage inflation below 2% to conserve the value of all income earners and sustain the tempo of consumer demand and steadily drive growth; Labour will also need to interrogate why it is seemingly impossible to bring cost of borrowing well below 10% to facilitate real sector growth and export competitiveness.

In reality, successful economies everywhere, sensitively manage money supply to ensure that excess money supply does not trigger inflation; furthermore, productivity is also encouraged with very low interest rates which will drive real sector growth.

Unfortunately, organised Labour has never shown any interest in identifying why CBN consistently failed to effectively manage Naira supply in like manner to power economic growth as in other successful nations, especially when, CBN does not deny that the monetisation of distributable dollar revenue (read as unilateral substitution of Naira for dollar denominated revenue) is actually the primary cause of persistent excess Naira with its train of disenabling monetary indices such as unusually high inflation and interest rates and a weaker Naira (see monetary thrust statement of vision 2020).

Conversely, better liquidity management, particularly in the forex market can gradually strengthen and sustain the Naira below N100=$1. In such event, the subsisting N18,000 minimum wage, would now command a purchasing power of N36,000 without any wage increase or further negotiations.

N56,000 minimum wage or a stronger Naira? minimum wage increase “was urgently taken on board as a way of fighting corruption in the country”, because, according to the Labour Chief “ If employers failed to cater for their workers’ welfare adequately, it would be difficult for such an employer to fight corruption”! Unfortunately, Ayuba’s prescription against corruption has continued to be blatantly abused by several states, without any sanction, despite the subsisting Act for a minimum wage of N18,000.

Consequently, the nexus between minimum wage levels and corruption is such that, even if the ghost population, in public service is halved, the fifty percent of ghosts, who may ‘survive’ the cleansing will invariably also have their incomes doubled, if minimum wage increases by 100% or more as presently proposed.

However, the preceeding narrative does not suggest that there should be no minimum wage level.

Indeed, as Ayuba also rightly pointed out, the purchasing value of the present N18,000 wage was equivalent to about N110= $1 in 2011; Sadly, with present exchange rate of N200300=$1, the purchasing power of the same Naira income against dollar values may have also become halved below what N9,000 can buy today.

Furthermore, with average annual inflation rate of about 8%, static minimum wage earners may barely have the capacity to buy the equivalent of 60% of the purchasing power of their incomes five years ago.

Invariably, high inflation rates significantly reduce consumer demand, discourage domestic production and ultimately fuel an already burdensome unemployment rate, with

poisonous social consequences.

Unfortunately, the very high cost of borrowing caused by an albatross of surplus Naira supply, invariably restrains the real sector’s capacity to also produce competitively for export. Nonetheless, even if Labour succeeds in negotiating a higher minimum wage, it is likely that, they may not be able to enforce compliance nationwide, particularly if state finances remain challenged.

Conversely, if by some stroke of good fortune, increasing revenue becomes available to make the payment of N56,000 feasible, the joy of such victory will be quickly threatened by a rise in the general price level, from the already volatile, current spring board of 12.8% inflation rate to well above 20%, so that a N36,000 minimum

Organised Labour has never shown any interest in identifying why CBN consistently failed to effectively manage Naira supply

wage, for example will after five years lose over 90% of its present purchasing power, to trigger another tortuous train of negotiations for a new minimum wage.

Instructively, reprieve from this cyclical bondage may however come, only if inflation can be tamed to best practice rates below 3%; unfortunately, however, an increase in money supply, inevitably caused by 100% rise in wages would, however make such fine achievement in monetary management impossible.

Furthermore, increased money supply would also quickly compel CBN to step up the usual, expensive, compulsive counterproductive borrowings, it persistently embarks on to reduce bloated Naira values in the financial system and restrain inflation. Unfortunately, this process also instigates higher interest rates and similarly crowds out the real sector from ready access to cheap funds for expanding domestic production and creating jobs Painfully, this bizarre cycle has predicated our economic misfortunes for so long; thus, it was inevitable that our economy tottered endlessly while unemployment rate continued to spiral, even when we flaunted huge foreign reserves and sustained more modest domestic debt levels. Thus, Labour should recognise, from the preceeding narrative, that the joy of a substantial increase in minimum wage would be short lived, while increasingly sporadic wage demands will become more regular, if inflation remains untamed.

Unfortunately, organised Labour’s leadership remains rooted in the classical mode of persistent calls for wage

•Save the Naira, Save Nigerians!

Business & Economy Nigeria imports N165bn fruit juice annually — MAN

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igeria spends N165 billion annually to import fruit juice, the President of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr Frank Jacobs, has said.

In a paper presented at a workshop organised by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in Owerri weekend, Jacobs noted that in spite of the high rate of fruit production and a thriving juice market, the country imported fruits concentrates.

In the paper entitled “Promoting Investments in Concentrate Production,” he said the situation resulted in an estimated loss of one billion C M Y K

dollars annually.

Jacobs, represented by Mr Nwabueze Anyanwu, observed that Nigerian farmers also lost 60 per cent of their produce as a result of lack of processing facilities. He listed other factors to include limited demand and logistics challenges such as handling and transporting the fruits to the urban centres.

“Importation of concentrates has adversely affected local fruits cultivation for juice processing,” the MAN president said. He also said that the continued dependence on massive importation of concentrates by industries was not healthy for the nation’s economy. He said that

the availability of raw materials, a large market, a ready domestic concentrate and good export potentials should serve as incentives to attract investment in the project.

Jacobs said that the challenge of poor concentrates in the country could be overcome with improved high-yield seedlings, technology and technical services and better education and enlightenment for farmers. He noted that the recent drive by the Federal Government to diversify the economy, encourage resource-based industrialisation and backward integration should provide the needed impetus to attract investors.

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016—33 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com democracy.

When the late Obafemi Awolowo; the most programmatic politician in our history, search for a like-mind to be his Private Political Secretary, he picked Odia out of a mass of

Like Obama, Odia Ofeimun turns tto o politics

B

ARACK Obama was a phenomenon when he turned to politics. His Presidential victory seemed assured that July 24, 2008 day he stood in a street to address over 200,000 Germans in Berlin, in the “Victory Column Speech”. It was a trip to Europe to test if the young Democrat had the presidential stuff to lead the world. He electrified the audience painting a picture of a new world, a new partnership and a new direction towards peace. He displayed the rarity of a genius.

In the mold of Obama, is Odia Ofeimun, a writer with uncommon intellectual prowess; deeply knowledgeable on a wide range of matters, ability to grasp quite complex issues and proffer solutions. A man endowed with a programmatic mind and photographic brain. When he launched forty one of his books in October, 2015, he espoused his world outlook: “We must describe our future before we move into them. That doesn’t mean you should neglect the past.”

Lanre Arogundade, Director of the International Press Institute narrated his encounter with

Odia on January 25, 2016 when the latter strolled into the Nigeria Bar Association, Ikeja Branch Lecture on Public education. He wrote that although Odia was told the topic right on the lecture platform, for about one hour, he held the audience “spell bound” Adding: “Provoke Odia into a debate anytime, anywhere, you will get a lecture in return. I observed once again that it is part of the Nigerian sad story that none of our universities has deemed it fit to offer Odia professorship.”

Actually, part of my burning desire, is to write a book on this great Nigerian and Pan Africanist.

He had sat on editorial boards of some of the best newspapers in the country. When the heavy clouds of the General Abacha dictatorship enveloped the country sending patriots like Ken Saro-Wiwa – a predecessor of Odia as President of the Association of Nigeria Authorsto the gallows, rather than flee, Odia descended into the underground cells of guerrilla journalism to fight. Whenever he surfaced, we met at meetings or street barricades to fight for

One of the major problems in Nigeria is that most patriots and social fighters like Professor Wole Soyinka and late Bar leader, Alao AkaBashorun, shunned partisan politics, leaving the field to professional politicians most of who see public office as an ATM machine eligible people. A strong point of Odia is his ability to connect with youths, inspire and mentor them. In the late 1980s and 1990s, whenever I visited his home, I met young writers and political activists like Ogaga Ifowodo for whom Odia’s house, was home-away-from-home.

One of the major problems in Nigeria is that most patriots and social fighters like Professor Wole Soyinka and late Bar leader, Alao Aka-Bashorun, shunned partisan politics, leaving the field to professional politicians most of who see public office as an ATM machine. You can then imagine my reaction when I heard that

Oil:: The 'City States' of the Niger Delta, the South-South and Nigeria

By Patrick Cole

T

HE slave trade had made a number of states and towns on the coast extremely wealthy; these include many Ijaw towns – Bonny, Buguma, Okrika, Brass, Sapele, Koko, Calabar and so forth.

The kings and chiefs were warriors, jealously protecting their privileged position as the principle market places where Africans did business with Europeans. As primary products – timber, palm oil, rubber and a host of other products their middle man status between them and the Europeans continued to foster trade that had started centuries before.

Nigerian in the hinterland of the Ijaw towns had course to be on good terms with the Ijaw chiefs and kings who were their intermediaries with the merchant vessels from Germany, Portugal, England Denmark, France, etc.

The Europeans had officers which were known as factors with huge warehouses awaiting ships to carry the goods to Europe. For ease of reference many of these chiefs and kings had alliances and names their counterparts gave them – Pepple, Jaja, Horsfall, Amakiri, Jack, Briggs, Member, Black Duke, Blue Jack, Blue Bird, Harry, Graham- Douglas, Yellow, Braide and so on.

It would be a mistake to think of these men as subordinate to any of their colleagues since the rise of the individual was closely tied to whether these men, warriors that they are, could outfit war canoes with men and canons. Each trader had his customer to whom he called upon on arrival to collect goods which the C M Y K

“factors” had kept for them – the factors were the Europeans who had warehouses and accumulated goods awaiting shipment. These factors were known by various names – Thomas Walsh, G.B Olivant, John Holt, Winberg, etc.

To be an Ijaw chief was to be a man of means and character. He must be a soldier of considerable courage and powers, quick to anger, ready always to fight to maintain his honour The ships could be loaded in Bonny, Abonnema, Brass, Koko, Nembe, Warri etc. The captains of the merchant vessels were protected by the Consuls, and Vice Consuls who had gun boats and are ready.

Disputes were settled not always amicably, but all knew that was costly and unprofitable.

No doubt some jealousy would inevitably arise but the aim was not superiority but commerce. Each chief had his own “boys” up and coming young men who, when they could, would marry the chief’s daughters and rig out his own warship. To do that he would have his own land in the town and a gate where he and his people lived.

No doubt a lot of organisation in the part of the chiefs while awaiting the merchant vessel would be undertaken. To ensure a continuity of supply many of the chiefs

Odia has decided to go into partisan politics and contest gubernatorial elections in Edo State; it was good music in my ears. I told myself that the people of Edo State, and by extension, Nigeria, will be lucky, and, better for it, if a man like Odia were to hold such high political office and administer to people's needs.

I know that he has friends across all the major political parties in the country, but his choice of the Labour Party as platform, is not surprising as this intellectual giant was actually, a factory labourer before clawing his way to the University of Ibadan where his brilliance shown like the sun. He is like the River Niger which remains eternally nurtured because it never forgot its source.

Odia is no money bag; will not rent crowds, pay his way to power through the institutions of the state, nor adopt a godfather.

He is a man of the people who has implicit confidence in the common Nigerian and their ability to turn their lives round.

Expectedly, he is straight forward and none deceptive. In his first outing to speak with the Edo People, he told them “I have no truck with manifestoes that deceive and confuse the electorate. What I offer is not a mere promise but a challenge to mobilise the human and material resources of our state in pursuit of a truly grand and marvellous future.” Rather than sweet talk, he proposes a shared vision with the people “My ambition is to plan and re-plan every village, town and city… in a manner that can solve the perennial problems of water shortage, without boreholes; electricity, without payment for darkness; and energy, without

had farms in the interior to grow the export crops needed.

It is true that anyone who could rig up a war boat may become a chief. He must do that and he must also have chiefly boats (alali aru) fastened with his own flag and fitted out like a boat befitting a king or chief. He may have several of these, complete with a high stool, dancers and drummers singing his praises.

The Consul or Vice Consul is a frequent visitor or guests at the sumptuous dinners the chiefs organised.

To be an Ijaw chief was to be a man of means and character. He must be a soldier of considerable courage and powers, quick to anger, ready always to fight to maintain his honour. At the ceremony, making an individual a chief, he is asked to choose between a canon ball and a yam tuber. The chief would choose a canon ball signifying that above all else he would defend his town with his life rather than eat a good meal when duty calls.

The chief would live in a quadrangle with a Northern gate, in front of his house. The gate is at the extreme of his living quarters.

Between the gate and his house is a large space, a square, devoted for various activities – dancing, meeting, etc. At the end of the square is the main building of the chief, usually a two or three storey affair cutting right across the square. His building consists of a ground floor, stores, pantry (to keep all the various imported foods and spirits, part of his treasury, etc. There would be sometimes two flights of stairs leading to a balcony on the first floor. Behind the balcony is an enormous dining room/cum Council Chambers. Running off the dining room are other rooms – one or two may be his bedroom and inner parlour where he may receive guests. The chief has a suite of rooms – a smaller outer room, a larger bedroom with facilities. The outer smaller room is where someone always sleeps for he is not allowed to sleep alone, in case of

importation of fuel.”

To him, the best way to develop the state, is to transform it into one gigantic school where everybody from five to sixty years will have a right and duty to education armed with an electronic tablet, and the teacher will be king, in a determined fight to wipe out Western illiteracy.

He plans within eighteen months in office, to build five processing plants and twenty factories, ten of which shall be agro-allied, as part of the collective determination to tackle mass unemployment. He argues that a job must be placed in every able hand, and protect hands that are unable. In this context, he plans to lead the people towards self-sufficiency in which sixty percent of what is sold, is locally produced.

He plans a speed train with the centre of Benin, the Oba Square, as terminus of a culturally rejuvenated people; a speed training reaching out to other parts of the country. Odia, understandably, sees the development of local languages and the link between indigenous and modern technology as key to development. But his constant challenge is to the people to become partners, drive and implement policy. While showing that it is possible to have Life More Abundant (LMA) as was in Awolowo’s administration of the old Western Region, he challenges the people to dare struggle for a new world; “The core issue is to change the way we live, not in terms of slogans, but actual physics of behaviour, and actual chemistry of performance.”

More socially conscious and conscientious people need turn to partisan politics.

anything he might need at night or if he falls ill.

An Ijaw chief does not marry a woman unless he has built her a house.

Consequently on either side of the square, left and right, are the terraced quarters or houses of each of the wives. The wives apartment is made up of a reception from which two rooms run on either side. There are other rooms behind these rooms – children rooms, private rooms and an essential small room (kalabio) where the wife can hold confidential meetings.

There is also a treasury room – to keep her wealth – expensive clothes, coral beads, gold and other jewelry.

This structure of wife A is replicated down the line to the end of the square and gate as in a terrace; after the gate, a similar terraced wire building runs down to the chief’s main building straddling the square. The effect is like the quadrangle or cloisters of an Oxford or Cambridge College.

This structure is replicated on a smaller scale by the brothers of the chief who may well be chiefs in their own right but not accorded the title of Main House Chief (Polodabo) Bonny has 22 Houses that make up the town and what is described above more or less obtains. Okrika has 12 Houses, Bakana 5, Buguma 22, and Abonnema 13. These Houses are recognised as the original houses making up the towns – especially if they were chiefs in the “old shipping” before arriving at the newest settlements.

The nexus of wealth surrounds the relationship between the trading Houses (chiefs) and the European “factors” on the one hand, and the ability of these chiefs, through intricate diplomacy, to maintain good relations with producers in the hinterland.

Continues tomorow *Dr.Cole, OFR, a former ambassador, wrote from Lagos.

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

S

OMETIMES when you examine the way things are done in this country, especially at the level of government, you get this feeling that Nigeria is a huge circus stage where acts of inanity are elevated to high art in the name of leadership. th On Wednesday, 27 April 2016, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, woke up at last and directed his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, to issue a statement commanding the Inspector General of Police and other heads of security agencies to take “urgent” steps to halt the murderous menace of Fulani militias in the country.

Many Nigerians may not see what is funny about it because they are used to the practice of the president or governor ordering government functionaries and agencies constitutionally charged with specific responsibilities to do their jobs before they do so. In saner climes, people employed to do their work simply do them; they don’t wait to be ordered. You may wonder why in Nigeria the IGP, DirectorGeneral of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and the rest, would wait to be told to do their constitutional duties by the President before they do so.

The answer is simple. IGP Arase, a Bini man from Southern Nigeria with a few months to his retirement, has to wait for Buhari to give orders because he is not sure if he would last another day on his job if he did the right thing at the right time. If he had swung into action, disarming Fulani herdsmen all over the country, arresting and prosecuting those found culpable (for leading their animals into the farms of poor villagers who have no other means of livelihood) and ensuring that the lives and property of citizens are guaranteed, he could step on the big toes of the high and mighty who employed and armed the herdsmen.

His orders might even be disobeyed by some of his subordinates in that the Police, the security agencies and the Armed Forces are generally perceived to be “owned” by people from a section of the country. These people also own the cattle.

He might find himself being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) shortly after being forcefully retired, for an offence that would have been conveniently overlooked if he had played the “good boy” to the ruling class. Because such officers choose to play

Buhari: too little, too late the “good boy”, thousands of innocent Nigerians are killed and communities destroyed by the rapacious armed Fulani militia as if the nation has no provision for the safety of its citizens.

What about the DSS which is headed by Lawal Daura, President Buhari’s kinsman?

They are more interested in chasing after those they call “cattle rustlers” or people who steal the cows of the high and mighty.

The nefarious activities of the herdsmen against innocent Nigerians mean nothing to them. If any thing happens to any of

We want cattle owners and herders to stop asking for “grazing reserves” because we won’t give it to them, especially here down South. Any governor who donates land belonging to his people to these killers and their sponsors will be brought to account

the cattle herders, as we saw in the Abia shallow graves episode, they raise dangerous alarm and blame local agitators for culpability without any shred of evidence. DSS found fifty bodies in shallow graves and told the nation that five of them belonged to Fulani herdsmen. They even named them, and heaped the blame for

the deaths on the Indigenous People’s of Biafra (IPOB), a group that openly declares non-violence in their agitation for independence.

Now that Buhari has ordered the Police and “other security agencies” to “investigate the attacks, apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice”, it is left to be seen exactly what these agencies will do. Can we realistically expect the armed forces to descend decisively on the armed Fulani militia, even if it means incurring the displeasure of the fat cats who employed and armed them?

We watch and see. But if I know my country and the way it is ruled by the evil forces that have held it hostage since independence, not much is going to change. Who wants to bet? By this time next year, we will still be talking about the menace of Fulani herdsmen, quote me.

In any case, the preliminary findings of the Police team dispatched to Ukpabi Nimbo in Enugu and Agatu in Benue States do not give much cause for cheer.

Police say these communities were not attacked by Fulani herdsmen; they were attacked by “hoodlums”! This manner of approach is designed to complicate and obfuscate the matter. They have to be hoodlums to carry sophisticated arms and ammunitions without licence or authority.

How many of them have the Police arrested with the arms seized? They have to be hoodlums to attack and kill innocent Nigerians, burn their houses and churches and destroy their farms with hungry animals. But if you refuse to pin them down to a specifically identified group, what manner of “hoodlums” would you be chasing?

The most important thing, however, is that the President and the Federal Government have, at last, officially recognised the need to mobilise to site on this matter, with “clear instructions to take

all necessary action to stop the carnage”.

We hope the action we will see will be as sweeping as the instruction on paper.

Taking “all necessary action” in military terms (at least based on our experience when an American president utters the directive) means military action if that is what it takes to achieve the ultimate objective of eliminating the threat.

We want Fulani cattle herders to be stopped from bearing banned and unlicenced firearms. We want them, in the short term, to stop leading their cattle into people’s farms and property; and in the long term, to be settled in ranches acquired by the owners of the cattle. After all, cattle business is a business just like any other.

We want cattle owners and herders to stop asking for “grazing reserves” because we won’t give it to them, especially here down South. Any governor who donates land belonging to his people to these killers and their sponsors will be brought to account.

We want the Fulani herdsmen and nomads who are Nigerian citizens to be settled so that they too can benefit from the welfare that Nigeria has to offer its citizens, such as education, good health, access to potable water, electricity and the opportunity to integrate with the rest of civilised society. We want them to be Nigerians like others, and not some medieval outcasts living like wild animals in the forests slaving for their multibillionaire kinsmen who live in opulence in big cities. We want cattle farmers to also benefit from modern agriculture which guarantees increased productivity, profits and food security for all. We want the ethnic and religious conflicts which Nomadism breeds to disappear. We want people to farm their lands and reap the harvests in peace. If cattle owned by Fulani keep eating the crops of farmers, how could Buhari achieve his agenda of diversifying the economy through agriculture?

It is in Buhari’s political interest, as well as that of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government to end the Fulani herdsmen menace immediately. Already, it has scarred them very deeply because the nation has never had it this bad as in the past one year.

More people have been killed in less than one year of APC in power than at any other time by Fulani herdsmen. This cannot continue.

Let it be remembered that Nigerians are waiting to rate the Buhari government’s protection of their lives and property – with their votes – come 2019.

OPINION Ikpeazu's new urban cities

By Godwin Adindu

I

N Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s Abia State, there are cities, like a retarded child, that have refused to grow.

They are not like the imbecile with a wobbling brain and cognition, or like the diminutive pigmies of Congo condemned to a life of the dwarfed, they are just simply stunted and scrawny in development. Year after year, decade after decade, these cities have remained on the ground, crawling and faltering. They seem, by their frank pretensions, to be incapable of the giant leap. The cities of Omoba, Mbawsi, Akwete, Obehie, Azumini, Ovim and the rest are like a retarded child. They have refused to grow.

But, today, Governor Ikpeazu is determined to force them to grow. He has envisioned to develop these centres into urban status and turned them into sprawling centres of modern life, with all the charm and trappings of city centres. He has put up a machinery to develop these old centres that long assumed the semblance of urban centres but suddenly reclined into a form of retardation. One of his policy thrust is to develop new urban cities in addition to the two major municipalities of Aba and Umuahia.

In the past, these places used to be major, human concentration centres with great economic potentials, legacies of colonial adventure in Nigeria. But, they have remained stagnant. Today, these cities have attracted the attention of Governor Ikpeazu and he has inaugurated Urban Development Committees to change the narratives of these centres.

If you can tell the story of the Portuguese and their adventure in Nigeria and recall the trans- Atlantic trade C M Y K

in human and material produce, then you will remember Ikpeazu’s retarded cities. If you can tell the history of the establishment of the Railway Line in Nigeria, then you must be abreast of Ikpeazu’s new promising cities. These centres have a history tied to the early adventure of Chinua Achebe’s “strangers” in our land. With the early contact with the White Man, these centres grew from agrarian values to an early egalitarian status and became centres of government and commerce. They became mini polyglots with settlers from far and wide and gaining a multi-cultural identity.

At a corner in Isiala Ngwa South, not quite too secluded but where I will rightly describe as the bowel of Abia, lies Omoba, a railway town, a centre of palm kernel and palmwine. Founded by the Portuguese, Omoba is old and famous but it is also a retarded child, a city that has refused to grow. It used to have a booming market, a bubbling urban life with an agglomeration of people and cultures. It was developing fast but, suddenly, Omoba developed jaundice and became stunted and has remained just the same.

Like Omoba, there is Mbawsi in Isiala Ngwa North, hometown of the legendary Wachukwus, second home of the Aros, also a railway town. The Anglican and Catholic missionaries discovered the city many years ago and founded the reputable Grammar School and girls college, Mercy High School respectively. As far back as the 60s, Mbawsi has had a Post and Tele-communication Code, pipe-borne water and electricity. It was developing fast as a melting pot of commercial activities with the accompanying urban pressure. But, suddenly, Mbawsi became a retarded child, stunted, stagnant and dwarfed.

It is the same story with Akwete, Obehie and Azumini

in Ukwaland. These three towns have had a long cosmopolitan history. Countryman, Don Ubani, recounted that as early as 1892, the Chiefs of Akwete had succumbed and signed a peace treaty with the invading British Colonial administrators. Akwete subsequently became a sub-district colonial administrative headquarter from where the British administered Aba and its environ. When the sub-district office was moved from Akwete to Aba in 1903, the administrative importance of Akwete declined but its economic relevance continued to boom, partly due to its proximity to the sea. The centre will later become the headquarters of Ndoki Native Authority in 1934 following the reorganisation of native administration by the colonial powers.

Yet, even with this rich history, Akwete has refused to grow. Save for the famous and unique textile weaving culture popularly known as Akwete Clothe, the town has been in the backyard, stunted, retarded.

It is the same story with Obehie, a town strategically located between the commercial city of Aba and the seaport town of Port-Harcourt. A link city to Akwa Ibom.

Ubani would describe it as the traditional headquarters of Asa people. As a result of the re-organisation of native administration by the British Colonial Government, Obehie became the headquarters of Asa Native Authority in 1938 and became an attraction point for business and government work. Indeed, the programme of developing these old centres is one of the crucial policy thrust and development strategy of Ikpeazu-led administration. It is one of the driving forces of the government. Governor Ikpeazu is envisioning that these new cities , by their rare location,would gainfully serve as satellite cities by the time they are fully developed.

Mr. Adindu, is CPS to the Abia State governor.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016 — 35

Technology Shifts T

HE emergence of Information Technology has forever changed the way economic and social development occurs in Nigeria.

Most stakeholders in IT industry prefer to talk about what’s coming. Not what’s happened.

But to be able to make informed guesses about prospects for the IT industry, it’s important to understand its origins in Nigeria. James Agada is the CEO of Computer Warehouse Group, a leading pan-African IT company in Nigeria.

As a major stakeholder, he thinks the origin of IT in Nigeria sprouts from connections with the oil industry: “ I think that the first serious introduction into IT in Nigeria was most likely through the oil companies because some of the people that became doyens of IT in Nigeria worked in the oil industry.

Processing of large amount of data “A person like Donald Etiebet had done a lot of work with the oil companies so; my suspicion is that a lot of the initial investment in IT in Nigeria possibly came from the oil companies and that can be quite easy to understand because they are one of the first sectors of the economy to seriously apply IT to analyze data. IT was also applied in the scientific search for oil because it couldn’t have been possible for them to process large amounts of data without using computers.

“From its early uses in the oil companies, IT spread into the banks from where it rolled on to some government agencies.

All these was before the advent of the micro computer revolution that came in around the early 1980s and became widespread in the banks. Ever since, IT has become mainstream.

And the revolution continues.”

James Agada CEO, Computer Warehouse Group Agada’s account of the origin of IT in Nigeria stands in good stead given that he’s built a life and career around IT. As a graduate of Electronics engineering, he had always known that he wanted to do something with computers.

“I’ve always had an interest in computers and robotics. And my early interest in computers was driven by the story of man called Seymour Cray who used to work for IBM Computers before setting out to start building his own version of super computers. As a young boy in secondary school; I was enthralled that he was building the fastest computers in the world. Following this, I was inspired to follow his lead.

Subsequently, I gained admission to go to Waseda University, a comprehensive research university based in central Tokyo.

“Unfortunately, my parents didn’t have the money to send me to Japan so I had to let it go. But from then onward, I knew I was going to study something related to computers and by the time I got into the university to read Electrical Engineering that allowed me to design computers and all kinds of things. And I thoroughly enjoyed the programming both with the mainframe and microcomputers we had in our school’s department which enabled me to learn software and hardware.

“By the time I was doing my final year in the University, I had already started building my own computer from scratch and writing the operating system and eventually that became my profession and life”.

The lifelong passion for computers eventually paid off when he came on board as coowner of Computer Warehouse

BIO BRIEFS Education: Bachelors Degree in Electronics Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Masters Degree in Electronic Engineering ,University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

MBA from the international Graduate School of Management (IESE), Navara, Spain

C M Y K

Group (CWG) providers of integrated functions and shared services. The company has since advanced as a major PanAfrican Systems Integration company with branch offices in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Cameroon.

CWG boasts a client’s base across Government, Banking & Finance, and Oil & Gas, M a n u f a c t u r i n g , Telecommunication and Education as well as other key sectors of the African economy.

Initially starting out as

Information Technology is a fast changing business sector; standing still would be an invitation to death Computer Warehouse Limited, the acquisition of two other firms namely DCC Networks and Expert Edge Software made the company change name to Computer Warehouse Group. Agada Recounts the story of the merger: “I worked for in Inland Computers with the founders of Computer Warehouse Limited. And then we all left at some point to set up our own individual businesses.

“I started a company called Expert Edge Software and Systems and we were a small struggling company. And most of the time, we were always being bailed out by our friends in CWL with whom we did a lot of projects together.

Eventually they made an offer to buy over Expert Edge Software and Systems on the condition that I joined and because Expert Edge wasn’t doing particularly well and

given that we had the technology without the business acumen, gave in and took up the offer.”

“In 1997 Computer Warehouse Limited acquired Expert Edge and one other company. It then rechristened and became Computer Warehouse Group. Since the emergence of the company as Computer Warehouse Group, the corporate culture has been fast paced. We are in a fast changing business sector and realized that standing still would be an invitation to death.

“At any given point in time, there’s always something changing. The second thing is that CWG is an entrepreneurial company so as much as we are growing and putting processes in place, we want people to take responsibilities by getting things done in spite of whatever has happened. And therefore, that does lead people to take a bit more risk whilst focusing on results. And for a long time, we’ve been dealing with customers and manufacturers directly.

Main challenge It’s a very open environment where we say ‘silence is not golden’. Everybody’s got to speak up for themselves and what the boss says is really immaterial because for anybody to stand out here, they’ve got to be able to speak up for themselves and the company.”

“So, the dominant thing here is the entrepreneurship and the willingness to constantly evolve.”

James Agada has been CEO of Computer Warehouse Group since January 2016. He thinks the main challenge for him is being able to hold the CEO position while at the same time navigating a change: “ T h e constituency is much bigger n o w

because there are so many people who will ask questions but we’ve done a fair job of defining our destination more than five years ago. It’s the urgency of getting there that has changed especially in the environment and economy that we find ourselves.

“So, at every turn there are painful choices to be made until we create something that becomes stable for some time before we change it again”. He goes on to explain that the company’s policy of doing five year plans are part of the key strategy to enable it to emerge as the number one IT platform provider in Africa by 2020.

IT platform provider “The benchmark to be number one is for us to have platforms that about 40 million subscribers could use. And we should be able to get the equivalent of an average revenue per subscriber of $1 a month. So that’s already defined and there are a lot of hidden changes in that statement because that would mean having facilities that enables subscription of such patronage and we have to find the services.”

“But the big part of it is that there’s a big spectrum of possible services that we can deliver to give us that kind of volume. There are services for healthcare, transport, education, bill payment, internally generated revenue services for government. We’ve succeeded with some and failed with some but we are determined to triple the number of subscribers on our service platforms this year.

“I think it’s both a hard time to be CEO of an IT company in Nigeria but it is all the same an exciting time because of the possibilities of opportunities to make an impact.”

•James Agada

36—VANGUARD, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Buhari’s Nigeria is like a pregnant woman about to deliver — MOMOH JOURNALISM icon, lawyer, former minister and now politician, Prince Tony Momoh, served as Minister of Information and Culture during General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime from 1986-1990. He was National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change, CPC, one of the three parties that merged to form the All Progressives Congress, APC. He is presently a member, Board of Trustees, BoT of the APC. Prince Momoh, the Yerima of Auchi Kingdom, in an interview last Wednesday ahead of his 77th birthday, spoke on the formation of APC, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the government’s plans for the country, former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba and the APC, among other salient issues.

By Henry Umoru

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OW is your party, it appears the honey moon is over?

There is nothing like honeymoon when you are talking of party alliances, but I don’t know what honeymoon you would be talking about in ACN as regards its own membership or the PDP or the CPC and even the ANPP. These could be alliances if they came together and agreed to run an election together, but what we have now, which had never happened in the history of Nigeria is a merger; three political parties dissolved themselves to come together in a political party and in dissolving themselves they became a political association, which applied to INEC to be registered as a political party.

Major leaders So everybody in APC became a member of APC as an individual not as a group, the three chairmen that drafted the merger, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (ANPP), Bisi Akande of ACN and Tony Momoh of CPC were the major leaders and at the apex were Buhari and Tinubu.

If you look at this group, there is nothing like CPC any more, there is nothing like ACN any more and there is nothing like ANPP any more Even those who came into the party about the same time or C M Y K

after the merger came in as individuals. The five governors didn’t come in as governors of the PDP, they came in as individuals. Saraki came in with 11 senators or left PDP with 11 senators, but they didn’t come in as a group to APC, they came in as individuals. Atiku came in as an individual so I, as a CPC former leader denounced my membership and registered as a member of APC in my polling unit and so with every other person.

Do you still stand by your claim that you should be stoned if the APC government fails given mutterings here and there?

Yes I said so, I even gave the time; I said within two years.

Let me tell you, Buhari was the only military leader, who commanded three of the four divisions of the Nigerian Army.

Prosperity is not manna that fell from heaven that God ordained for the Israelites in Egypt. Even when they had left Egypt and gotten to Canaan there was no way manna could fall from heaven because they had opportunity to till the land and grow their food.

The ‘hitting the ground running’ people talk about, you can hit the ground running where you have a beautiful field, a road that is tarred, but where you have the whole ground is mined, you don’t even have shoes like Jonathan who when he was going to school had no shoes, the first

•Momoh: Buhari is being celebrated step you take you will be to blow up and remove those mines.

Every inch and trace of the mine must be treated and then stabilize it through infrastructural development.

That is the step Buhari is taking and for instance, nobody can deny that in one year that we have achieved a fundamental mindset; that is nobody now boasts at parties by throwing

Buhari is being celebrated today because of his attitude towards many things; and let me tell you one thing; Buhari is not devoting his official time to fighting corruption dollars.

But people say that the fight against corruption is propaganda as they are not seeing the money?

There is no single person in Nigeria today, who has a skeleton in his cupboard that doesn’t await the knocking of his door for an EFCC man or a security person coming to his house to ask questions. For the first time in a long time we whistle blowers are not afraid.

Before, if you blew the whistle, the person you are blowing the whistle against will send a message to you and tell you ‘I will kill you if you do what you are about to do.’ In other words they had agents in every security outfit that told them who was blowing the whistle.

Buhari is being celebrated today because of his attitude towards many things; and let me tell you one thing; Buhari is not devoting his official time to fighting corruption. There is difference between when he was there as military head of state and today that he is there as elected president.

Greatest short cut When he was there as military head of state, most of the politicians were sent to confront tribunals and tribunals jailed many of them for hundreds of years. Buhari hasn’t set up any group to investigate anybody or inquire into the resources anybody claims to own or resources that were diverted, no!

He only allowed the people in the security outfit to do their job. If EFCC had been allowed to do its job since 2001 or so, nobody will be quarrelling now, but the fact is the greatest short cut you needed was just to declare for PDP and once you declared for PDP, you were free, but the fact is anybody who had anything to do or say must do it or say it by answering his

father ’s name. You are not protected by belonging anywhere, if you have to answer your father’s name, you must answer your father ’s name before the agencies.

He is being effective in a double sense, he doesn’t interfere with investigations and he does his own work as president; working from 6 am to 2 am the following day. You see the travels he has made.

Everywhere he goes to, he is being celebrated and there was no one trip he made that was unnecessary. So I think so far so good.

On criticisms that the fight against corruption is targeted at those now in the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP The fact is Tony Momoh was in CPC, is Tony Momoh being investigated? I wasn’t in government. What I am saying is those in APC today they all came from different places, I was a foundation member of PDP till 2003 when I was frustrated out because I supported Ekwueme as director. Lots of people who are in APC today were in PDP or ANPP or other parties so if you were in PDP and you are being tried today are you being prosecuted because you were in PDP or because you abused office?

Internal affair What I am saying is that if they are PDP people or opposition people that are being harassed, are they being harassed in opposition or because while in government they abused office?

What of those who were in PDP who left to form the New PDP and then joined the APC? There are whistle blowers, if people have anything against people who were PDP and are now in APC they should blow whistle and see whether they won’t be investigated.

On the prospects of a PDP senator emerging as Senate President if Senator Bukola Saraki is forced out?

It isn’t a threat to APC because the Senate always insists on producing its own president, so it is their internal affair. They can remove the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House as it has happened over the years. So it is not a big thing.

The assembly itself makes laws, so it isn’t a threat to the executive and we recognize that it is the Senate and House of Representatives that choose their leaders.

So, anybody that wants to be a leader can go there and campaign among his colleagues to be leader and that was what happened. So even if the party wanted someone other than Saraki to be Continues on page 37

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NASS exceeding its bounds on budget — MOMOH Continues from page 36 president, Saraki has the right to campaign among his own people being a senator as well as the president of the Senate.

In the House of Representatives the party’s choice was also over ruled by the majority of members but that doesn’t mean that Dogara isn’t a loyal member of APC or Saraki isn’t a loyal member of APC. The National Assembly has its own power to elect its own officials to run the affairs of the National Assembly.

So, do you agree that Saraki is being prosecuted because he emerged as Senate President?

That is where I don’t buy the argument because the party didn’t sit down to say prosecute Saraki. The party didn’t take that decision. If you talk about what may have happened along the way of disagreement, why shouldn’t there be disagreement when we have people who have freedom to associate and the group we are talking about is the National Assembly.

Threat to the executive The National Assembly has the right to choose who its leaders are and that doesn’t make them a threat to the executive. There was no day the party sat down and said go and punish Saraki, go and punish Dogara and so on and so forth.

His take on Chief Olusegun Osoba’s return to APC As far as I am concerned, Segun never left APC with his whole heart. If Segun had wanted to leave APC, he would have gone to PDP not SDP. I was in the committee that was set up to reconcile the interests in Ogun State. Segun was in control of all the members of the House of Representatives from Ogun State and the three senators and these people had issues that were raised and I was in the committee that listened to them and Segun had always said (in fairness to Segun) that he had no problem with the governor of Ogun State and it is the people he leads that have issues and he thinks for the issue to be addressed, we should be relating to those people.

We met these people and they stated their grievances. So, if for instance their grievances were not addressed, election was coming and they took a tactical move to be outside the party, they would have moved to PDP, but the fact is they didn’t move to PDP. As far as I am concerned, we

•Momoh: National Assembly is exceeding its brief weren’t in a position to write off such a person and the plan had always been for Asiwaju and others to convince their own colleague as a governor and a political leader to come back to where he belongs.

What is the way out of the budget logjam?

A lot of people don’t understand presidential system, separation of power and division of powers. The National Assembly makes laws and it is an autonomous body and the supreme body in law making. The presidency executes laws and the law the executive executes is the law passed by the National Assembly. So they have their own personalities.

The National Assembly is comprised of elected members;

Nigeria is the only country in the world I know where democracy comes before development.

I have never seen a country where there is democracy before development whether APC or PDP or Labour or APGA they are elected members. Once they are there, they operate as a body and in the division of powers, you have the executive, judiciary and you have the legislature.

The legislature is a unit. You can’t over rule the decision of the unit, it makes laws, but the fact is the law must be assented to by the executive and if the executive refuses to assent to

it, it goes back to the National Assembly.

National Assembly if it doesn’t want to compromise can pass the law by 2/3 majority and if it holds the law must be executed and passed by the executive, but it hasn’t gotten to that. We are talking of details in the budget and there are always processes between the National Assembly that makes laws and executive that executes laws. Don’t forget that even after that law has been made and it is being executed, the National Assembly has oversight functions to monitor how the law they passed is being executed so there is a symbiotic relationship between the two.

Those at the driving seat As far as I am concerned, the National Assembly is exceeding its brief by wanting to impose on the executive the projects that the executive didn’t initiate. That is where I find what the National Assembly is doing is unacceptable, but the fact is that they can only dispose it.

What is your role in the government because your counterpart in ANPP was made a minister?

I was a minister at 46; on the 27th of April I marked my 77th birthday.

But Audu Ogbeh was a minister before you Yes, he was a minister before me, but I am older than Audu Ogbeh and another thing is that Audu Ogbeh wasn’t one of those in the driving seat. I don’t see why anybody will want me to go and be a minister. Nine persons from CPC are ministers and I can reach anyone including any of the

ministers, I can reach any of them. I don’t regret that I am not a minister because in fairness to me, I will not pursue a full time job now.

Do you relate very well with Mr. President?

Why not, I do and with other leaders of the party too.

What will you tell Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the aspirants in APC ahead of Edo State governorship election?

The fact is that issues in Edo state are being misunderstood.

The governor is being accused of imposing a candidate. The governor can’t impose a candidate, but what seems to be happening is the accusation that the governor is sponsoring a candidate.

There is nothing wrong with sponsoring a candidate; the candidate must win the primaries. If the candidate wins the primaries, he becomes the flag bearer of APC. If any other aspirant wins the primaries because there are many aspirants and the governor says this is the man I want; that is the time we talk of imposition and he can’t do that, he has no power to do that.

Anybody who wins the primaries is the one we give the ticket to. So the issues in Edo State have been misunderstood. People are saying because he is the governor he shouldn’t be interested in who succeeds him, why not? Why shouldn’t he be interested in who succeeds him? But there are statutory delegates and other delegates who vote at the primaries that decide who is their flag bearer and the governor.

What will you tell Nigerians who are complaining?

The fact is I look at what is happening as a pregnant

woman, who has pains in her waist, stomach, head and everywhere, but after nine months, delivers the baby and everybody celebrates. Nigeria is the only country in the world I know where democracy comes before development. I have never seen a country where there is democracy before development. What happens is you take that quantum of freedom in it to drive development, in other words your eyes are on development. For instance, we spend more than 80 percent of our earnings on current expenditure; we should not spend up to 20 percent.

What are your views on restructuring Nigeria I am talking personally now; I don’t see why the National Assembly and other lawmakers in state assembly should be full time. They should be part time.

Like in the First Republic. I don’t even believe in executive government position, I think it should be parliamentary so that the party would be majority in the house and appoint the head of government instead of one man running round the place then being governor and then spending more than 80 percent of the expenditure and appointing those who failed primaries to be commissioners so that those who won primaries and are now members of the house of assembly go begging for contracts, it doesn’t make sense to me.

Welfare and security We should cut our coat according to our cloth. Nigeria is 170 million, but we need money to grow Nigeria through infrastructural development.

Government is there because of the welfare and security of the citizens and those who are in assemblies even from councillor to senators are there full time and doing their work full time, earning money full time.

Look at what is happening now, the money we would have used to grow Nigeria we are using it on about 17, 400 public officers in Nigeria and they take up more than half of the budget; it doesn’t make sense to me. So why should we eat the future in the present? That is what is happening now, the executive and the legislature and some of the judiciary.

The legislature and executive must cut the coat according our cloth and economically. For instance I am told that the fire department in USA in New York alone has more money voted for it than our own national budget. We are eating the future in the present. So I believe in restructuring, I also believe that the electoral process and arrangement in Nigeria should be revisited.

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We must severely punish pedophiles Albinos risk extinction in Malawi — UN — Pope

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OPE Francis called for “severe punishment” for pedophiles on Sunday after new details emerged in Italy of the 2014 death of a six-year-old girl who is alleged to have been thrown from an eighthstorey balcony by her abuser.

“This is a tragedy. We should not tolerate the abuse of minors,” Francis said, departing from prepared remarks at his weekly Sunday message and blessing to tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square.

“We must protect minors and severely punish abusers,” he said.

Though the Catholic Church itself has been

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•Pope rocked by its own abuse scandals, he did not mention them on Sunday as he has in the past.

Italians have been

shocked as details emerged in the case of six-year-old Fortuna who died in June 2014 after a fall from an eighth-storey balcony in Naples.

Clashes erupt at French May Day rally

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lashes have broken out between French police and demonstrators during a May Day parade in Paris.

Trade unions used the traditional march to protest against a proposed labour law to be discussed by parliament.

Police responded with tear gas when youths began throwing missiles,

bringing the march to a standstill.

France has seen two months of unrest over the reforms. Several police officers were injured during countrywide protests on Thursday.

The proposed law, to be debated in parliament on Tuesday, would remove some of the protection workers enjoy against

Germany adopts anti-Islam policy

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HE German right-wing party Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) has adopted an explicitly antiIslam policy.

Delegates at a party conference adopted a ban on minarets,thecalltoprayerand the full-face veil, saying Islam was “not part of Germany”.

A delegate who called for more local dialogue with Muslim groups was booed.

The start of the conference in Stuttgart on Saturday was disrupted by clashes andhundreds of left-wing protesters were detained.

Meanwhile, hackers published the addresses of more than 2,000 AfD

members on a left-wing website.

Formed three years ago, AfD achieved gains in three state elections in March, after campaigning against Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to accept a million migrants in 2015.

Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and other established parties have ruled out going into coalition with AfD. AfD’s other proposals include withdrawal from the euro and the reintroduction of conscription, but there are splits within the party, including between its less hardline wing and the

Obama’s daughter Malia to attend Harvard S President Barack U Obama’seldestdaughter Malia will attend Harvard

Universityin2017,aftertaking a year off following her high school graduation, the White Housesays.

“Malia will take a gap year before beginning school,” a WhiteHousestatementsaid.

The 17-year-old will be followinginthefootstepsofher parents, both of whom went to HarvardLawSchool.

Her choice of university has been a subject of much speculation.

Malia is the eldest of the Obamas’ two daughters. She andhersisterSasha,15,attend the Sidwell Friends, a prestigiouslocalprivateschool.

The Obamas have said they C M Y K

will keep living in Washington after the president leaves office in January, so that Sasha can finish her high school studies there.

being laid off, in an attempt to encourage businesses to hire more people.

The socialist government says its aim is to combat chronic unemployment, but opponents say it will let employers bypass workers’ rights on pay, rest time and overtime rates.

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can fetch a high price.

Superstition leads many to believe albino children bring bad luck.

In Malawi, where people withalbinismnumberaround 10,000 out of a population of around 16.5 million, the situation amounted to “an emergency, a crisis disturbing in its proportions”, she said.

Some of the Malawians with albinism she met compared their ordeal to that of endangered species in the wild, Ero told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview from Malawi.

She said people with albinism are “an endangered people group facing a risk of

systemic extinction over time if nothing is done.”

“We talk about protecting wildlife while not even prioritizing efforts in protecting people with albinism,” she said.

Ero, who is from Nigeria and has albinism, took the job as the U.N.’s first independent expert on the issue last August.

Attacks against people with albinism are particularly brutal, at times involving victims being dismembered alive by assailants wielding machetes, Ero said in her first report earlier this year. She was particularly troubled during her Malawi trip by an encounterwithateenageboy, Alfred, she said.

Collapsed Mosque kills 15 in Somalia

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MOSQUE under refurbishment has collapsed in Somalia, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40.

It happened during Friday prayers as the building, in the capital Mogadishu, was packed with worshippers.

Hundreds of people are reported to have been inside the building when it

collapsed and some are still believed to be trapped under the rubble.

An engineer on the refurbishment project has been arrested on suspicion of negligence, local media report.

Some media outlets report that worshippers were at prayer, while others say more than 100 people were

pouring a concrete foundation after prayers when the structure collapsed.

Most of the dead were construction workers, the privately-owned Radio Shabelle reported.

The state-owned Somali National News Agency said the incident took place in Dayniile district.

…Venezuela raises minimum wage as inflation bites

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HOUSANDS of workers in Venezuela will receive a pay rise of 30 percent as the country ’s socialist government works towards improving its deteriorating economy.

Sunday’s introduction of the minimum wage is aimed at calming tensions caused by runaway inflation and food shortages.

President Nicolas Maduro’s government has been rocked by protests in response to the crisis and demands from the country’s opposition to stand down.

The government, which models itself on the leftwing ideology of its late leader Hugo Chavez, still has significant support among the countries' poor.

Aleppo onslaught continues as US demands end to strikes HE Syrian government has launched fresh air strikes across Aleppo as part of its ongoing offensive against rebel groups in the historic city, as John Kerry, US secretary of state, plans to head to Geneva in an attempt to revamp peace talks.

Government forces carried out at least six air strikes targeting the residential areas of al-Lairamon and Kafr

EOPLE with albinism in Malawi are at risk of “systemic extinction” due to relentless attacks fueled by superstitions, the United Nations’ top expert on albinismsaidonFridayonher first official visit in her new role.

At least 65 cases of violence against people with albinism including killings and dismemberment have been recorded by police in Malawi since late 2014, said Ikponwosa Ero, the U.N.’s independent expert on human rights and albinism.

People with albinism live in danger in regions of the world where their body parts are valued in witchcraft and

Hamra on Sunday morning, Zouhir Al Shimale, a local journalist, said.

“Late last night, there was shelling on a big basement storing relief aid and food,” he told Al Jazeera. “Most of it was burned.”

The US demanded that Syrian President Bashar alAssad’s forces halt their bombardment of Aleppo and help restore a nationwide ceasefire.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta at the scene of a collapsed six storey building in Nairobi.

Nairobi building collapse area evacuated

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EOPLE in Nairobi have been asked to leave their homes near a sixstorey building that collapsed in heavy rain, killing at least 12 people.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta visited the disaster site and said the building’s owners should be arrested.

A baby was among 134 people pulled from the rubble andrescuersaresearchingfor more people who may be

trapped.

The buildings to be evacuated house 1,000 people and are built next to a river bank.

The Red Cross criticised “chaotic scenes” as rescuers arrived after the Friday night collapse. Nairobi’s police chief has said rescue teams were delayed on their way to thescenebyhours-longtraffic jams caused by flooded roads.

France to increase troops in I/Coast after beach attack a bouquet on the beach in

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VORY Coast (Reuters) -Francewillnearlydouble the number of troops it has in Ivory Coast, the defence ministersaidonSaturdayona visit during which he laid flowers at the site of an attack ontouriststhatkilled19people.

Jean-Yves Le Drian placed

Grand Bassam, a resort town 40km(25miles)fromAbidjan, where gunmen shot swimmers and sunbathers before storming hotels last month,anattackclaimedbyAl QaedaintheIslamicMaghreb.

Four French citizens were killed.

The Red Cross said 150 building units and adjacent homes were affected Rainfall has caused landslides, washed away houses and flooded roads.

Police said 19 people had died in the Nairobi rains, including those in the collapse.

The building took three months to construct, the BBC’s Emmanuel Igunza reports from Nairobi. County authorities say it had been earmarkedfordemolitionand did not have a certificate of occupation that would allow tenants to rent the 119 rooms out.“The building went down during the heavy rains, but we still want to establish if all the procedures were followed when it was constructed,” Nairobi’s deputy governor Jonathan Mueke told reporters at the scene.

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Enugu attack: Buhari orders crackdown on rampaging herdsmen Michael Chioma Let us not deceive ourselves. It was never like this until this present government came to power. The President and his government are not taking security issues serious. They have put the lives of Nigerians in danger more than any government in recent times. The greatest of all evils is a weak government .

Apai Sunday The Presidency has taken a

good step to see that the perpetrators are brought to book.

As a matter of fact and urgency, the issue of these inhuman herdsmen is so pathetic to bear .

It is good that the Presidency has ordered crackdown on rampaging herdsmen wodofmouf What is the real reason behind the unnecessary killings by the Fulani herdsmen? The present government should have the

answer.

Night Crawler The thing is that the presidency ought to have stopped the terrorist activities of the Fulani herdsmen. The government should have ordered the confiscation of illegal AK47 from the Fulanis. Nigeria law does not permit any one to carry concealed weapons. The Fulani’s herdsmen are still in control of the farms as we speak.

Saraki Trial: ACF representative decries ‘tele-guided judgement’ Richardson I am among those that are asking that Saraki should face a proper court of law under our judicial arm of government and not this CCT which could be pandering to the whims of some person(s).

Gbola Saraki’s case didn’t just start last year when President Buhari won election or when Saraki ascended to the Senate Presidency. Saraki’s case started way back even before Mrs Waziri became the EFCC boss.

Lawrence Monebi Let Saraki defend himself first. If the head of tribunal err in its judgment eventually there are higher courts Saraki can appeal to. Saraki’s sympathizers should stop preempting the outcome of the suit

Enugu Massacre: S/East Senators call for emergency SE/SS Summit Mahmud Salele Can anyone swear that the attack was carried out by Fulani herdsmen? Or is it just that any carnage carried out by unknown persons the responsibility goes to Fulani herdsmen? Let us be sure before judging.

Anyanaso Chinedu Divide this country. We are tired of living with other tribes that hate us Othman Muh’d Is’haq I am beginning to think where these ‘herdsmen’ got their weapons from? I think we need to look into what Ijaw leaders

said that ‘militant disguised as herdsmen’ to perpetrate this evil act. It is really sad to be hearing killings every day here and there. Is only God that knows who is behind it.

Hassan Mohammed In as far as we did not hold the government of Goodluck Jonathan responsible for creating boko-haram, nobody should hold the present government responsible the Enugu killings.

Hajji O Abdulaziz Ahmad “The Enugu attack that killed many people with conflicting figures has nothing to do with

Fulani Herdsmen. Its rather a clash between two group of hoodlums in the area who attacked themselves..

Kenechukwu Herbert Duru When Nnamdi Kanu was saying it, you said he was joking. Now more is still coming and it will affect more families Anonymous James Although I don’t support Kanu and his group,this time, his predictions are becoming obvious.From the actions of the Fulanis, deliver us, O Lord.

Fulani Herdsmen Killings: Soyinka slams Buhari

Unapologetically Thank you Professor Soyinka.

My faith in you and your stand for the truth has never shaken.

Even if we supported President Buhari against Jonathan, it doesn’t mean we must condone the seeming silence and conspiracy of silence over the Fulani herdsmen and their attacks all over the South and middle belt.

Until like you said, any herdsmen seen with arms is demobilized, arrested and C M Y K

arraigned then Buhari’s charge to the security agencies must be taken with a pinch of salt Hary Biafrans, sit up! Your defense is in your hands! Even in campus, there are secret men in the secret bush who carry out secret activities. It is so in any military. I mean clique inside a circle. Let Biafrans form their own secret service. These men will be invisible almost like Bakassi boys.. As the cattle

operates at night so also should our secret service do. No comments, just actions.

It is a sin not to protect your women and children.

Daniel Okofu Nonso Our women have stopped going to the farm because the Fulani herdsmen who rape,destroy their crop.

Something has to be done urgently to stop these killings.

Delighto Well meaning Nigerians should not spear against these killings. It is gradually developing into anarchy if not checkmated.

Omeje Victor The trial needs to be allowed to run the full circle. It has been reasonably open despite the incongruous attempts to thwart the processes.

The charges are not spurious nor are they mere fabrication of the federal government.

The onus lies on both parties to adduce convincing evidence to prove the case or defeat the charges.

Flooding the tribunal with lawyers is enough evidence that the issues at stake may comprehensively be argued from all points and the tribunal’s verdict may be disarmingly fair, balanced and immutable. Let all the innuendos and reckless tactics against the case be stopped and allow justice to be seen to be done.

APC change programme:

The slogan and the reality Okonofua Itohan I’m tired of this kind of change, they said the past government is corrupt it’s like corruption is better than change. This time during transformation, salary will be paid by now. Light everywhere. Please bring back transformation Ayoyinka Gabriel Akanbi What change? Increase in attacks by herdsmen, fall in the value of naira against dollar, drastic fall in power supply, persistent fuels scarcity, counter insurgency.

Woman leader Buhari is not a failure. We are supporting him because we know that he will change this country for good. Sooner or later, those who hate him will all smile.

Unapologetically Yoruba We are bold enough to speak the truth despite supporting Buhari. Shame on those that saw the failure of last government and could not speak out.

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44 — Vanguard, MONDAY MAY 2 , 2016

Joy, despair as workers mark May Day N

IGERIAN Workers across the 36 states of the federation yesterday joined their counterparts in the rest of the world to mark this year’s May Day, with some smiling home, while other left in despair.

While it was jubilation in few states, including Edo, where the governor announced a new minimum wage of N25, 000 for the state workers, and few others, it was lamentation and despair, in most other states.

EDO Simon Ebegbulem, reports from Benin City that Governor Adams Oshiomhole pleasantly surprised workers when he announced an increase of the N18,000 minimum wage to N25,000 for the least Edo worker.

The governor also assured workers in some Local Government Areas such as Egor, who had not been paid for the past seven months, that his administration was liaising with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to ensure that their bailout fund was released, describing the plight of the affected workers as pathetic.

Labour leaders commended the governor for the prompt payment of workers’ salaries in the state, asserting that they had enjoyed cordial relationship with the Comrade Governor, whom according to them had made them proud.

CROSS RIVER IN Calabar, Governor Ben Ayade stunned labour leaders and workers when he announced the payment of salaries for the month of May on the first day of the month.

A mild drama immediately ensued when the workers who were at the U.J. Esuene Stadium for the May Day celebration began to receive salary payment alerts from their various banks.

Ayade told the workers, who named him the Best Labour Friendly Governor in Nigeria, that his administration had a duty to give workers in the state a sense of dignity.

LAGOS According to Olasunkanmi Akoni and Monsur Olowoopejo, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode shunned the May Day celebrations against expectation by workers.

Consequently, workers

who gathered at the Onikan Stadium, venue of the celebration, after listening to speeches by their leaders, booed the state Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola, who represented the governor.

They refused to do the traditional march pass, demanding to know why the governor was absent.

OGUN Daud Olatunji reports from Abeokuta that workers urged Governor Ibikunle Amosun to take their welfare seriously, calling on the Federal Government to fix the economy, bad roads and epileptic electricity supply and others.

In his address, Governor Amosun commended the workers for dedication to duty, pledging that the government would continue to place high premium on their welfare.

EKITI Rotimi Ojomoyela reports from Ado-Ekiti- that the event was devoid of the usual fanfare as a result of the four months salaries owed workers by the state government and the death of the six doctors in an auto crash along Kaduna road last Sunday.

The workers offered prayers for the rejuvenation of the country ’s economy to enhance prompt payment of salaries and other benefits, and also prayed God to grant the families of the dead doctors the fortitude to bear the monumental loss.

BENUE According to Peter Duru from Makudi, labour leaders urged the state government to clear the backlog of salaries owed workers in the state or be prepared for a showdown.

Responding, the Acting Governor, Mr. Benson Abounu attributed the nonpayment of salary to the decline in the allocation accruing to the state.

He added that government was on the same page with the workers in their yearning for better welfare, promising that the administration was working hard towards that.

AKWA IBOM Chioma Onuegbu, reports from Uyo that Governor Udom Emmanuel called on workers in the state to join the Contributory Pension Scheme to enjoy the

benefits, even as he equally urged the labour leaders to fix a date for him to meet with the workers and brainstorm on the issue.

ABIA According to Anayo Okoli from Umuahia, labour leaders lamented that workers were afraid to retire because state pensioners had not been paid their gratuities and pensions, saying some arrears of salary of workers were still outstanding and called on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to clear the arrears.

Speaking, Governor Ikpeazu accused the workers of contributing to problems, especially in ghost workers’ syndrome.

BAUCHI Suzan Edeh reports from Bauchi that labour leaders called on state government to always consult widely with stakeholders before embarking on any verification exercise to guard against future embarrassment, saying: ”The labour union envisaged the herculean task ahead of this administration because of the mishandling of the economy and diversion of our common resources by the past administrations” Speaking, Governor Mohammed Abubakar, represented by his deputy, Nuhu Gidado, said “reports coming out from the exercise are quite revealing. The outcome will be made public as soon as it is concluded. I call on workers to take the exercise in good faith.”

ENUGU Emeka Mamah reports from Enugu that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said his administration would address the issue of salary adjustment chart for workers as soon as the ongoing biometric data exercise in the state was concluded.

Labour leaders in the state had earlier demanded among others, improved welfare for workers, while commending the governor for what he had been doing since assumption of office.

OSUN Gbenga Olarinoye reports from Osogbo that Governor Rauf Aregbesola, told workers that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, had confirmed to the state through a letter that it never indicted the state on the disbursement of

the bail-out loan.

He said the state got N25.8 billion bailout for state “and N9.1 billion for local government, totaling N34.9 billion. So, we can all see that this is a far cry from what we wanted. We got this far only because of exceptional financial engineering, prudence and cooperation of Labour.

KOGI Boluwaji Obahopo reports from Lokoja, workers were overwhelmed with joy as Governor Yahaya Bello, said the bailout applied for by the state government was ready and N20 billion first tranche had been released to offset part of the salary arrears owed workers.

Labour leaders had earlier regretted that the present situation was not the best of time for civil servants in the state, saying: “The Kogi State workers and the working class generally have never been confronted with the kind of gloomy prospects like we have today.”

DELTA According to Festus Ahon from Asaba, labour leaders issued the state government a 21-day ultimatum to restore the two lecturers; Ogidi Tobechukwu and Anthony Ezaga, sacked by the state Polytechnic, Ogwash-Uku. Speaking, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said with the dwindling revenue from the Federation Accounts, there was the need for workers to readjust to the present economic realities.

ADAMAWA Umar Yusuf reports from Yola that workers warned the government that they were running out of patience over unpaid salaries and other entitlements.

Reacting to the threat, the Deputy Governor, Martins Babale promised that government would look into the complaints of the workers with a view to addressing them soonest.

NIGER Wole Mosadomi, reports that labour leaders called on

the state government to give priority to workers’ welfare immediately or face Industrial action, saying the workers had exercise enough patience in last one year.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello in his address said the ongoing verification was not aimed at witch hunting anybody but to actually knowing the numbers of the workers in the state and to eliminate ghost workers.

KWARA Demola Akinyemi, reports from Ilorin that labour leaders threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the state government refused to offset unpaid salaries of councils workers, primary school teachers as well as pensioners arrears and six months unpaid salaries of staff of water corporation in the state.

Speaking, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed promised that his administration’s strategies in reducing the cost of governance and the renewed revenue generation would ensure prompt payment of salaries and pensions.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016—45

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

LEO; You may find yourself between some difficult people who want you to do their different biddings.

Let reason be your guard so that you are not used painfully.

VIRGO; If care is not taken you may be deceived just to pick cashew nuts from burning fire for others the way you can get your fingers burnt. Watch carefully from 8.48pm.

LIBRA; Those of you working late this evening will need to be on your guard, especially between 8.48pm till mid-night as minor but costly mistake is possible. All of you should think of the law and say no to whatever cant be placed above board.

SCORPIO; Friends may unconsciously disappoint you today; that is to say it is better you don’t expect too much from promises made to you especially from 8.48pm.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

...THERE has never been a perfect world. Even in the best of times, the world was never perfect.

Not even in the best of economies

Talk happiness (2) can we talk of perfection. Yet, no matter how bad the situation appears to be some people are making their mil-

TERROR MUDA

lions and smiling to the bank. Be happy.

Think happiness.

Talk happily. Act happily. Laugh out your disappoint-

in “Never say goodbye”

ment. There has never been a better time than now. Join millions of happy people who are taking advantage of the present challenges.

Be happy because happy people make things happen.

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS; Those of you who have been rigid of recent may be paid back in your own coins. Try your best to pacify your spouse and/or other important partners of yours.

CAPRICORN; This is the wrong time to fan embers of discord, especially within your working arena.

Getting things done properly will earn you success.

Be loving.

AQUARIUS; Deception is in the air today. Unless you are very cautious those who thought they are more clever would take undue advantage of you to the detriment of your finances. Do away with gambling with matters-of-the-heart.

PISCES; If you allow minor domestic challenge to go out of hands you would be the loser to the detriment of your cause. Make sure temper don’t over-shoot acceptable limit, especially around 8.48pm till mid-night.

ARIES; As the day progresses you will encounter challenges you will need to handle with maturity.

But here is a day when element of good luck will see you through.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS; Although there will be challenges they will serve as the needed tonic to make head-way; certainly success indicated for you. Be cautious from 8.48pm till mid-night GEMINI; You are likely to over do things to the resentment of people within your base of operation.

It is important you respect your superiors. Yet you’ll succeed.

CANCER; If you don’t accord the law and it’s agents needed respects you may walk your way into avoidable trouble. Deception is around; be warned.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Can colour help?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Joshua, I have it nice in some areas of my life while other side can not be said to be Ok Why? Somebody tells me that combination of good colours can assist; is it true? Anyway what are my colours, love life, socials, luck and the future?

Oyinda, Kano.

Dear Oyinda, Yes good colours can enhance good prospects and mitigate some hard aspect if applied at the right time rightly.

Here is where a few challenges are indicated.

Although you are the disciplined type, because of closeness between Venus (love) and difficult Saturn (tough challenges/delay) you just can not totally escape frustration here. But as Saturn will not put one on trial without adequate reward you will eventually be rewarded and be happy. Yet have it at the back of your mind that you must not expect too much here. Luckily for you as Lucky Jupiter will soon be at a positive angle to your natal planets very soon, things will soon improve very rapidly.

Yours is an active and happy social life. But then if POLITICS comes your way do not say no. It is important you don’t give in to negative spiritual side of life Your POWERFUL MIND, both YOUR PERSONAL and OTHER PEOPLES’ INFLUENCES are many times sources of your SUCCESS. Then eleventh hour help assistance and or help always come your way some times when hopes are almost lost. You are meant to achieve GREATNESS. YELLOW/GOLDEN and blackthare your favourable colours.

Your 38 year on earth will bring you unexpected break-through which you can build on. And I am saying congratulations.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

Iheanacho scores 13th goal for City K

ELECHI Iheanacho scored his 13th goal in all competitions this season for Manchester City courtesy of a brace in a 4-2 loss at Southampton yesterday.

The Nigeria starlet’s header in first half stoppage time pulled a goal back for City after they went down 2-0.

He then smashed home his brace in the 78th minute, when he curled his shot with his magical left foot beyond

the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.

It was the 19-year-old’s seventh Premier League goal in five starts.

The only little blemish on a great day in the office for the Nigeria star was when he was dispossessed of the ball for the home team to go ahead and get their fourth goal.

Iheanacho is making his debut in the Premier League this season after he came through from the City youth team.

Okpekpe ready to host world class race

O

RGANISERS of the O k p e k p e international 10km road race have restated their readiness to organise a bigger and better event this Saturday in Okpekpe near Auchi in Edo state.

Race director Zakari Amodu says the first and only IAAF Bronze Label race in Nigeria will live up to its billing as one of the prestigious road races in the world.

‘Everything is set for a good race,’begins Amodu.

‘The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) have set requirements for us to follow as a bronze label event and I can tell you we have met all the requirements and have

needed to celebrate Premier League glory in their own back yard.

And his side were clearly listening as Anthony Martial fired past Kasper Schmeichel at the back post after just eight minutes.

But their lead was short-lived as Foxes captain Wes Morgan rose highest to power a bullet header through David de Gea to level things up.

Marouane Fellaini was lucky to stay on the pitch after he appeared to swing an elbow into the neck of Leicester defender Robert Huth.

But Foxes star Danny Drinkwater did see red late on after picking up

NPFL Continued from B/P consecutive matches without an acceptable reason to LMC such a club shall be expelled from the League and its matches played and unplayed match shall be cancelled.”

And this sanction would also apply should Giwa fail to honout three

J

UVENTUS coach Massimiliano Allegri kept his cool as the Italian giants celebrated their fifth consecutive title in Turin with a convincing 2-0 win over Carpi to leave them teetering on the edge of relegation.

Brazilian midfielder Hernanes hit his maiden goal for Juve to give the hosts a half-time lead but it took until Simone Zaza’s 80th minute strike, after he had

By Jude Opara, Abuja

A

FTER a successful hosting of the Tombim tennis open in Abuja, the Nigeria Tennis Federation, (NTF) over the weekend

a second yellow card when he dragged Memphis Depay back on the edge of the box, as United fans screamed for a penalty.

Chris Smalling hit the post and Martial was a continuous threat as United dominated possession.

While Leicester, as they have all season, looked menacing on the break.

But neither side could find a winner — as the game ended in the result that nobody wanted.

A point leaves Leicester on the brink of a remarkable title win.

And it’s over to Tottenham who must now beat Chelsea on Monday night to keep the race alive. cumulative matches in the season.

Article 13.28 stated: “If a Club fails to honour three matches cumulatively within the League season without an acceptable reason to the LMC such a club shall be expelled from the League and its matches played and unplayed match shall be cancelled.”

replaced Alvaro Morata, for the title celebrations to really begin.

Juventus, now 15 points ahead of secondplaced Napoli before they host Atalanta on Monday, had secured a record-equalling fifth consecutive Serie A crown last Monday when Roma defeated Napoli 1-0 in the capital.

But Allegri was in no mood for seeing complacency creep into his squad.

Milo Basketball championship Lagos, Oyo, Delta in Western Conference finals

Y BLOCKING . . . Man United’s midfielder Juan Mata (L) tries to block a clearence from Leicester City’s defender Christian Fuchs (R) during their match at Old Trafford. Photo: AFP

even moved several steps higher,’he continued. ‘What we are waiting for is just for the race day to be here so

that we can put into practice all we have been doing in terms of keeping to the requirements.

EJIDE Grammar School Ibadan, Oyo State picked the first semi final ticket in the girls category at the ongoing Western Conference playoffs of the Nestle Milo Secondary Schools B a s k e t b a l l Championship.

The Ibadan side defeated Regina Mundi

45 players jostle for $50,000 Dayak Tennis tournament

Leicester’s Continued from B/P

Juventus celebrate 5th consecutive title

began yet another round of a two-week tennis championship known as Dayak Open.

The Dayak tournament which began over the weekend boasts of no fewer than 45 players from 25 countries from all parts of the world in attendance.

Like the Tombin tourney, the Dayak Open would equally attract an ATP ranking of 35 points for the overall winner who will also go home with about $3,500 and a trophy.

Briefing the media in Abuja at the weekend ahead of the

scholarships Continued from B/P President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel, who made this known on Friday also noted that 11 athletes were also on the list of the International Olympic Committee for another grant aimed at boosting the preparation of the athletes for the games.

They are Okagbare, Oduduru, Regina George, Ese Brume, Christian Morton (athletics), Oduayo Adekuruoye (wrestling), Adesanmi Oluwatoyin, Maryam Usman (weightlifting), Aruna Quadri, Effiong Edem (table tennis) and Jonathan Akinyemi (Rowing).

championship, president of the NTF, Sani Ndanusa said the two tennis tournaments sponsored by Tombim and Dayak have brought life back to the tennis section of the Abuja national stadium.

He also noted that the tennis revolution has given Nigeria players the much desired opportunity to play against some of the top and Grand slam tennis players in the world.

The former Sports Minister/Chairman of the defunct National Sports Commission (NSC) while expressing Gumel said: “The IOC grant is not new. The athletes get it regularly especially in an Olympic year like this but that of ANOCA is a new initiative. We are also working with the ministry of Sports to ensure Nigeria performs well at the games.

“Olympic Games involve many things. We have held meetings with the Brazilian Embassy in Nigeria to ensure visas are given out to people who have genuine reason to travel. But they must come through the NOC for endorsement.”

The NOC boss also said 70 athletes have so far qualified for the forthcoming Games while many other qualifiers are still outstanding especially in weightlifting

his joy in the commencement of the Dayak Open as soon as the Tombim ended, gave kudos to the Chief Executive Officer of Dayak, Ifedayo Akindoju, whom he noted fulfilled the promise he made last year during the first edition of Tombim.

Snr Sec Sch Iwo,Osun State 41-02 to grab the semi-finals ticket with a very bold stance.

Also Wesley Girls Snr Sch Lagos State silenced Anglican High School Ado, Ekiti State by 3520.

In the other matches played, Greater tomorrow Int’l college Akoko, Ondo State defeated Idia college Benin city , Edo State by 15-13, while Ugborikoko Sec Sch Warri,Delta State beat Adedokun International school Ogun State 21-9.

The girls from Oyo state will slug it out with Anglican High Sch Ekiti in the first semi final, while Wesley Girls Snr Sec Lagos will confront Ugborikoko Snr Sch Warri,Delta state in the second semi finals.

MFM thump Akwa Utd 3-0

M

OUNTAIN of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club of Lagos continued its impressive run in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with a thumping 3-0 win over Akwa United Football Club of Uyo on Saturday at the Agege Township Stadium.

Lagos-based NPFL lovers were thrilled with beautiful display of Football on Saturday night as they

SWAN Continued from B/P action of the Chris Giwa group and called on the Sports Minister to take a decisive step to put an immediate end to what they termed as “national embarra-ssment.”

The 8-point communiqué also advised all stakeholders in sports to eschew personal aggrandizement and allow for the development of sports in the country especially during this Olympic

witnessed another resounding victory from coach Fidelis Ilechukwu’s men courtesy of a brace from in-form left-winger, Sikiru Olatunbosun and teenage striker, Stephen Odey.

The Lagos outfit began the match day 14 encounter with the first kick of the ball.

The visitors were awarded the first free-kick of the game following a foul on Ubong Ekpai but they failed to make it count. year SWAN also called on the sports ministry and the Nigeria Olympic Committee to “ensure proper and adequate preparation for Team Nigeria’s successful participation at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games to avoid a repeat of the 2012 disastrous participation in London” The council also inaugurated a 7-Man electoral committee headed by Yusuf Isa to conduct election for the next National Executive Committee within 90

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016—47

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016

6 Nigerian athletes enjoy Olympic scholarships

Iheanacho scores 13th goal for City

6 4 .

P

T

HE Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa has approved six Nigerian athletes for Olympic Scholarships for elite Continues on Page 46

•CELEBRATION . . . Juventus players celebrate their victory over Carpi

NPFL: Giwa a game away from home game against expulsion their Enugu Rangers was

G

CONTROL . . . Manchester City’s Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho controls the ball during their English Premier League match against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton. Southampton won 4-2. Photo: AFP

IWA FC failed to turn up in Ilorin on Sunday for their Nigeria league match against Wikki Tourists and they could now be just a game away from being expelled from the league.

Wikki thus conducted a walkover Giwa when it was clear they will not honour the game and there was no representation from them as to why they stayed away.

Jos club Giwa have been banished to Ilorin after

Call Giwa to order —SWAN tells Minister

S

PORTS journalists in Nigeria have tasked the Minister of Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung to call Chris Giwa group to order so as to put a stop to the lingering crisis bedevilling the administration

of football in the country.

Rising from its emergency full council meeting in Ilorin, Kwara state on Saturday April 30, 2016 SWAN condemned the days Continues on Page 46

Leicester’s title party postponed Gaal had sworn

L

EICESTER’S title party is on hold after they could only draw at Old Trafford. Louis van

Manchester United would not let the Foxes claim the win they Continues on Page 46

abandoned due to crowd trouble.

According to the Framework and rules of the NPFL for the 2015/ 16 season, Article 13.27 clearly stipulated the consequence of missing consecutive matches without acceptable reasons to the organisers.

It reads: “If a club fails to honour two Continues on Page 46

•Ogunbote

RESULTS NPFL

Enyimba Giwa Ifeanyi Ubah Nasarawa Tornadoes Rivers United Shooting Sunshine Stars

EPL

Swansea City Man United Southampton

2 0 0 2 1 3 2 0

Lobi 2 Wikki 3 (Walkover) Abia Warriors0 Warri 0 El Kanemi 0 Enugu 1 Plateau 2 Kano 1

3 1 4

Liverpool Leicester Man City

1 1 2

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Guide (5) 7 Cease (4) 8 Roused (6) 9 Grown-up (5) 11 Rotter (3) 13 Unhappy (3) 15 Sign (4) 16 Charge (3) 18 Lake (4) 19 Deceive (7) 20 Act (4) 22 Couple (4) 23 Affair (7) 25 Grotto (4) 27 Permit (3) 28 Present (4) 30 Fasten (3) 31 Performed (3) 33 Precipitous (5) 36 Respect (6) 37 Margin (4) 38 Handle (5)

DOWN 1 Vapour (5) 2 Spring (3) 3 Bird (3) 4 Rodent (3) 5 Bed (3) 6 Prevent (5) 10 Dregs (4) 11 Behaviour (7) 12 Earn (7) 13 Calmed (7) 14 Ordained (7) 16 Last (5) 17 Choose (5) 18 Chart (3) 21 Rabbit (3) 24 Amphibian (4) 26 Pointed (5) 29 Crest (5) 32 Damp (3) 33 Fixed (3) 34 Watch (3) 35 Favourite (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1 Canal 5, System 8, Parch 10, Choice 11, Avid 14, Malice 15, Reached 18, Ton 19, Den 21, Rent 23, Level 24, Clan 27, Dim 29, Cad 31, Lenient 32, Editor 34, Done 35, Idiocy 38, Arson 39, Reveal 40, Geese.

DOWN 2, Ash 3, Apiece 4, Lac 5, Sham 6, Sailor, Modest 9, Receded 12 Vat 13, Dune 16, Evil 17, Devil 20, Nemesis 22, Noon 24, Clever 25, Acid 26, Nature, Divine 30, don 33, real 36, Dog 37, Cos.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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