EFCC, ICPC, others bungle crime cases--- CJN

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62612

N150

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Customs to axe 400 more officers 8

Customers set to fight CBN, banks over BVN 8

Emefiele, CBN Gov

EFCC, ICPC, others bungle crime cases—CJN

By Emma Nnadozie & Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

Lamorde (EFCC)

Ekpo-Nta (ICPC)

Mohammed (CJN)

•Says over 200-count charges not helpful •No need to join issues with him, says EFCC •CBN seeks special court on e-fraud

I won't stop talking of corruption during Jonathan's govt — BUHARI 9

COLUMNISTS:

Amongst ambassadors and intellectuals •P.19 C M Y K

Rebuilding the North East together •P.20

Continues on Page 5

Buhari's statement on economy chasing away investors— PDP

Omeben frustrated investigation of Dele Giwa's death — Ray Ekpu

39

BUJA— THE Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, has revealed why anti-graft agencies in the country often fail to successfully prosecute high profile criminal cases.

According to the CJN, aside the fact that the agencies conduct shoddy investigations before rushing accused persons to court, in some cases,

Nigeria beats Brazil 3-0 .See Back Page

NNPC records N59bn loss in one month 7

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 3

C M Y

4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

TEXT TITAN—From left: Chris Parkes, Chairman, CPMS; Lilian Olubi, CEO, Primera Africa Securities Ltd.; Mr. Jude Money, Executive Director/ Chief Risk Officer, Heritage Bank Ltd and Kyari Abba Bukar, CEO, CSCS and Chairman Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) at the presentation of The Next Titan, a reality TV show in Lagos at the weekend.

EFCC, ICPC, others bungle crime cases—CJN Continues from Page 1 “up to 200-count charges are brought before the court”, a procedure which he said “makes mockery of the constitution and the laws”.

Justice Mohammed, who disclosed this when a delegation from the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum, NEFF, paid him a courtesy visit weekend, insisted that problems associated with adjudication of criminal cases were not mainly from the courts. He said: “It is in the investigation, collection of evidence, presentation of the cases and trial”.

The NEFF delegation

was led by the Deputy Governor (Operations) at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Alhaji Suleiman Barau.

Barau told a team of Supreme Court Justices that received them alongside the CJN that the reason for their visit was to create a synergy between the NEFF and the judiciary in anticipation of increase in electronic fraud.

He hinged the anticipated rise in efraud on imminent increase in electronic payments in the country following the take-off of ‘cash-less policy’, which he said already has a pilot project in Lagos

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

L

IFE is tough but you are tougher, as long as you never give up, you will always rise above what life throws at you. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

What we can or cannot do,what we consider possible or impossible, is rarely a function of our true capability. It is more likely a function of our beliefs about who we are —Tony Robbin

H

OW many times have you surprised yourself and done something you had once only hoped to do, or done something you thought were impossible. No matter how much we achieve, new obstacles will present themselves, and to varying degrees our doubts, fears and hesitations will accompany them. Take steps towards achieving your dreams. Momentum happens when we begin to take action.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

T

HINGS will happen. You can't stop them from happening, but you can control your reaction.

State.

While maintaining that the judiciary has been quick to properly position itself to meet the challenges posed by the dynamics of the digital age, the CJN said: “Judiciary is like a builder, and works with materials that are brought to it.

“As such, the materials necessary for construction must measure up to standard in order to be applied by the courts. "

Investigation before arrest The CJN continued: “Courts cannot carry out investigation and our security agencies must be encouraged to carry out investigation-led arrest and not arrest-led investigation”.

The CJN stressed that once suspects are charged to courts, there should not be too many counts of offences (charges), stressing that for anti-graft agencies to successfully nail accused persons, they must, at least, call a witness or more on each count in the charge.

“In some cases up to 200 count charge are brought before the court which is a waste of court’s time and makes mockery of the constitution and the laws”, he added.

The CJN told the delegation that most Superior Courts in the country, including the

Supreme Court, have enacted Practice Directions on Serious Crimes like Money Laundering and Fraud, saying the aim is to fast track the adjudication of cases and ensure speedy trial of accused persons.

He said that the judiciary, as a matter of principle, gives priority to fraud or criminal cases, especially those brought on appeal to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

“I wish to assure the Forum that the Judiciary will stand with the Bankers' Committee in providing an effective solution to electronic fraud and other ancillary issues.

“Indeed, it is our hope that soon Nigeria will become a major destination for the movement of capital and investment”, the CJN added

CJN entitled to his opinion — EFCC Reacting to the comments by the CJN, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwajaren said: “The Chief Justice is entitled to his opinion and I would not want to join issues with him.

However, I am yet to find a single EFCC case that was thrown out because of shoddy investigation.

Neither has any judge thrown out any of the

Commission’s cases because of the length of the charge.”

Earlier, the CBN deputy governor requested for the setting up of dedicated courts that will specifically adjudicate on Banking and financial matters.

He expressed the readiness of the apex bank to contribute towards deepening capacity of judges that would preside over the special courts.

He said: “Given the importance of providing secure payment systems, whilst ensuring public confidence in electronic means of payment, the role of proactive fraud management could not be overemphasized.

“It was in this context and leveraging on lessons learned from past experience (e.g.

ATM magnetic stripe card frauds) that the Nigeria e-Fraud Forum was established”.

Barau disclosed that the Payment System industry losses have grown to over N4billion, a situation he said gave credence to the fact that e-fraud has become an industry of its own.

He told the Supreme Court Justices that the Forum, having recognised the role of the Judiciary as strategic partners in stemming efraud, decided to seek its collaboration.

Whereas the CJN was accompanied by Justices Walter Onnoghen and Clara Bata Ogunbiyi to receive the team, those on the banking delegation led by the CBN deputy governor were Mr. Dipo Fatokun, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, Mr. Amusa Ogundana, Biyi Dosumu, Mr. B.H.Ibrahim who are all from the CBN, as well as Mr. David Isiawe from Union Bank of Nigeria PLC.

MTN bows, to pay N1.04 trillion fine slammed by NCC

By Emeka Aginam

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AGOS—MOBILE telecoms operator, MTN that was ordered to pay a fine of N1.04 trillion by the industry regulatory authority, Nigerian Communications Commission for violating its directive on SIM has accepted to pay the fine even as it pleaded for staggered payment.

This followed series of meetings held between MTN management team from South Africa and Nigeria, led by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

The telecoms operator which has largest subscriber base in Nigeria, it was gathered, may have agreed to pay the fine to sustain the interest of its telecoms business.

Industry sources, who confirmed the new

arrangement, disclosed that the federal government is already yielding to the plea which was part of the agreement reached at the series of meetings held at the weekend in Nigeria.

“There have been series of meetings at the Presidency between Vice President Osinbajo and MTN team. MTN wanted a waiver considering their level of investments in the country, but government did not buy the idea of waiver. Instead, I think there will be concession, but certainly not a waiver.

"At the conclusion of the meeting, the MTN team negotiated on how to stagger the payment. The Presidency is even angry because MTN was a signatory to the regulation, but they were failing to comply with rules”, the source added.

It will be recalled that

NCC had said that MTN would not escape the fine, owing to the enormity of its implication to national security.

Although NCC had hinted that the issue was being handled by the federal government, the telecoms authority also noted that MTN would risk withdrawal of its licence if it fails to comply with the fine.

NCC said:"It had consistently engaged Mobile Network Operators, (MNOs) to strictly adhere to the regulations and its business rules in the registration of their subscribers.

"Following several engagements, the Commission had confirmed various cases of violations of the regulations and sanctioned them appropriately."

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

3 medical personnel kidnapped in Imo regain freedom

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—THE three medical personnel, including the former Edo State Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Phillip Ugbodaga, who were kidnapped recently in Imo State, have regained their freedom.

The other two kidnap victims were Mrs. Anne Usman, a Matron in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City and Mr. Sunny Omo-Alasa, a health worker.

Narrating their ordeal to newsmen in Owerri, Mrs. Usman said: “When we got to Orlu that night, we did not know the right way to Uburu Ekwe. So, we hired a commercial motorcyclist to direct us. Just a few minutes after we started the journey, a sports utility vehicle overtook our car and blocked us”.

Continuing, the badly shaken lady recounted that a young man that was armed with an AK 47 rifle, clad in the Civil Defence uniform, jumped out of their vehicle and ordered the medical personnel to get out of the vehicle.

“Three of us were ordered into the hoodlums’ SUV. They quickly reversed and sped off to their den, through a very lonely road. All the efforts by residents of the community to flag the vehicle down that night, were rebuffed”, the woman recalled with grief.

She also recalled that as the hoodlums were driving to their den, they were intermittently making calls to their colleagues, urging them to be on the alert as they were “coming with consignments.”

“When we go there, they took our bags and led us into the bush. They ordered us to sit on the bare ground, under one big tree. They chained our legs. From October 16 until we were rescued, we were blindfolded. They were giving us Gala and water,” Usman said.

Speaking also, Professor Nwauwa appealed to the Federal Government to provide the police with sophisticated and modern tracking devices.

“This will easily assist the police in tracking and flushing out kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals, even if they are in the bush”, Nwauwa said.

UNILORIN varsity student goes missing Feared to have drowned

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By Demola Akinyemi

LORIN—THE University of Ilorin community, has been thrown into mourning after a 200 level student of the institution, Onikenku Michael Atunde, who was said to have gone for swimming in the university since last Saturday, was yet to return to the hostel.

At press time, members of the Kwara State Fire Service and National Emergency Management Agency, who had also been deployed to search for the student, were yet to make any head way.

Vanguard learned that Atunde of the department of Science Education and a member of Man 'O' War, was said to have gone

missing since Saturday when he reportedly went for swimming.

Authorities of the university, it was gathered, had contacted the student’s next of kin.

Spokesperson of the university, Kunle Akogun, in a telephone message said: “A member of the Man ’O' War was reported to have been calling for assistance in the river flowing behind the Parks and

Garden Unit early Saturday.

“Rescue efforts coordinated by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Nike Ijaya was immediately mounted, and search is still ongoing. Medical services have been on since yesterday. It is feared that the student might have drowned at the university’s dam site.“

ALLEGED ILLEGAL DETENTION: Angry youths invade

station, smash Police vehicles in Enugu N

By Chinenyeh Ozor

SUKKA—IRATE youths of Umabor community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State weekend invaded Nigeria police division in the area, smashing police vehicles over alleged indiscriminate arrests and detention of youths by officers and men of the division.

Vanguard gathered that the youths in their numbers invaded the station when men of the division allegedly swooped on them at a football viewing centre, at about 8pm.

Investigations revealed that the youths have been complaining of Police intimidation, harassment and mass arrests.

When Vanguard visited the police division, a Police Hilux van a Mercedes Benz car belonging to the Divisional Crime Officer, and one other vehicle were smashed by the irate youths while broken bottles used to shatter the windows of the station were seen all over the premises.

A source who did not want his name in print at the division disclosed that what the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, DSP Joseph Otuboh did was to seize all handsets of policemen on duty in order not to circulate the information of the attack on the division.

Meanwhile the youths in their hundreds later blocked the expressway of EnuguMarkurdi axis of the police station threatened to burn down the division.

Vanguard gathered that attempt by the youths to set the station ablaze was averted by the intervention of Chairman of Nsukka local government council, Hon. Charles Ugwu a native of Umabor community, who pleaded with the rampaging youths.

The DPO of the station, Otuboh, the DPO of Nsukka Police Urban Division who represented the Area Commander, Nsukka, the council chairman met after which the council boss, Hon. Ugwu offered to undertake all repairs of the damaged

properties.

Reacting to the incident, Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ebere Amaraizu, said that no fewer than three persons had been arrested by the state police command in connection with the invasion of the police division.

Giving an account of the incident at Umabor, DSP Amaraizu noted that a serving Councillor in Nsukka local government council led the irate youths to the police station on that

fateful day at about 10pm to attack the division and damaged police vehicles and smashed the windows.

He noted that operatives of the division, acting on a tip off raided an alleged unlawful gathering of youths suspected to be members of cult group at Umabor at about 8pm in which three suspected cult members from the village were nabbed.

The arrest of the suspected cultists, now helping the police in their investigations did not go

down well with the said Councillor who allegedly mobilized youths to the police station where vehicle windscreens and window blinds were destroyed.

"The DPO of the division has been invited by the state commissioner of police for questioning on the incident while full scale investigations have commenced as manhunt for the councillor is ongoing," the PPRO said.

ACCIDENT: Scene of an accident at Ijesha Bu stop on Oshodi-Apapa Expresway, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

Kidnappers of Ughelli businessman how they would raise the said demand N8m ransom money.

U

By Brisibe Perez

GHELLI—ABDUCTORS of an Ughelli based businessman, Mr. Adetona Olayimika have demanded N8million as ransom from his family for his release.

A member of his family who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the kidnappers have been in contact with his wife using the

phone numbers of other kidnap victims in their custody in negotiating for the ransom.

Giving details of the conversation, the source said: “When they mentioned N8 million as ransom, she told them they do not have that kind of money, but they insisted that she and other relatives should call a meeting of immediate and extended family members and discuss on

“We are using this medium to appeal to them to release him because the family does not have that kind of money they are demanding for as ransom.”

Mr. Olayimika, a wholesale distributor of Reckitt Benckiser Nig. Ltd. antiseptic products to retailers at the Ughelli market, was abducted at Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State last Wednesday evening while returning home from work.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—7

NNPC records N59bn loss in one month

By Michael Eboh

A

BUJA—THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, weekend announced a loss of N59.4 billion in its operation in the month of September 2015.

The NNPC in its Monthly Oil and Gas Report for the Month of September, 2015, also revealed a year-to-date loss of N437.9 billion.

Specifically, the report noted that the NNPC recorded gross revenue of N1.284 trillion and expenses of N1.722 trillion between January and September 2015, leading to the deficit of N437.9 billion.

On the month-by-month basis, the report stated that the NNPC posted a revenue of N112.51 billion and expenses of N171.9 billion in the month of September 2015, leading to the loss of N59.4 billion in the month, compared to a loss of N60.67 billion in the month of August 2015.

Commenting on the report, the NNPC said: “76.92 per cent of year-to-date NNPC deficit of N437.89 is accounted for by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company’s, PPMC, deficit of N336.83 billion.

“The N336.83 billion deficit attributable to PPMC mainly comprises of claimable subsidy of N249.15 billion, that is, 73.93 per cent of PPMC deficit. Other causes of PPMC deficit include claimable PPMC Pipeline

repairs/management cost of N73.971 billion and Crude/ Product losses of N48.82 billion due to vandalized pipelines.”

The NNPC had a few weeks ago announced a loss of N378.49 billion in its operations for the first eight months of the year.

One of NNPC’s subsidiaries, the Products and Pipeline Marketing Company Limited,

PPMC, accounted for majority of the losses.

In the figures presented by NNPC’s Monthly Financial and Operations Report for August, obtained over the weekend, NNPC posted a loss of N60.669 billion and N51.714 billion for the months of July and August, respectively.

The loss resulted from expenses being higher than

its revenue in the period under review.

Specifically, NNPC recorded a total revenue of N1.17 trillion lower than an expenditure of N1.55 trillion, leaving a deficit of N378.49 billion.

In the month of July, NNPC recorded revenue of N149.198 billion and expenses of N200.126 billion, while in August, the group posted N146.617 billion revenue and expenses of N207.287 billion.

VISIT: From left: Oba Adeniji Sonariwo, Akarigbo of Remoland, Otunba Rotimi Paseda, and Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan, during Otunba Rotimi Paseda's visit to the Akarigbo of Remoland, at Sagamu, Ogun State. Photo: Wunmi Akinola.

Nigeria's Freeman Osonuga named among 3 finalists for space trip

By Chioma Obinna & Gabriel Olawale

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AGOS—AS the global contest for Kruger Cowne Rising Star space trip competition deepens, Nigeria’s Freeman Osonuga has been selected among the three finalists for the influential Rising Star programme. His selection among the three finalists is one step closer for a Nigerian to travel to space for the first time in history.

Launched last year at the One Young World Summit in Dublin, Ireland, the programme consisted of a year-long search to find one inspiring individual, who will become the voice of the next generation, culminating in the chosen champion being catapulted onto the world stage and into space.

Flying beyond the 100km mark by XCOR Aerospace’sLynx® Spacecraft, the champion will be presented with the opportunity to view the world from an entirely new perspective.

Also through the unique experience, if chosen Rising

Star will provide new insight into global discussions on some of the world’s most pressing issues.

Osonuga who hail from Ogun State was selected based on the tremendous social media engagement, candidate profiles on the Rising Star website, video content among others.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Vanguard Corporate Head Office in Lagos, Osonuga explained that he was selected following his efforts to garner support from the entire country including the government.

“I was also selected for my efforts to use both national and international press to inform an international audience of his journey, from Ebola suit to spacesuit and how his mission to change the world continues.”

Elated Osonuga is up against Keren Jackson of Ireland and Hussain Manawer of the United Kingdom. These three finalists will be flown to Bangkok next month where they will attend the One

Young World Summit and also deliver a keynote speech on their topic of choice to the thousands of delegates present as well as a panel of global business leaders after which the winner of a space trip will be announced.

“If selected, I will be making Nigeria proud as the first Nigerian to go to space thereby making history in the process.

“Going to space is not the overall objective of the

project. It is to be able to raise global conversations on issues that affect us all as inhabitants of planet earth such as climate change, global peace and poverty.”

Osonuga who was among the 250 Nigerian Ebola doctors sent to some of the West African countries to contain the disease expressed gratitude to Nigerians urging them to support him once more.

HuCaPaN's luncheon forum

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AGOS—THE first Executive Luncheon Forum of the Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria, HuCaPAN, was last Thursday held at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.

The programme specifically shared with the chief executives in attendance, the programmes and activities of the association and also got their views on how the association could be of better

service and relevance to their businesses.

The event was attended by Dr. Clement Illoh, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity as the Guest of Honour.

The association’s president, Mr Neye Enemigin, while welcoming the chief executives sought better dedication to the association’s aims and objectives.

Nigeria's internet users rise to 97m, says NCC

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By Chidi Nkwopara

AGOS—THE Nigerian telecoms regulatory authority, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, in its monthly Internet Subscriber Data for September has revealed that the number of internet users in the Nigeria’s telecoms networks has increased to 97.21 million.

Meanwhile, in the month of August 2015, the number of internet users as released by the Commission was 95.37 million.

The increase in the use of the internet in the month of September, according to industry watchers was an indication that more Nigerians were embracing data as the country moves towards achieving 30 per cent broadband penetration Accordingly, the data showed that internet users on both Global System for Mobile communications, GSM, and Code Division Multiple Access, CDMA, networks, increased by 1.84 million in September.

The data further showed that out of the 97.21 million internet users in September, 97.06 million were on GSM networks, while 151,816 users were on CDMA networks respectively.

With this development, the CDMA operators lost 367 internet users, after recording 151,816 in September, against 152,183 in August.

While MTN has 41.84 million subscribers browsing the internet on its network, NCC explained that MTN recorded an increase of 423,448 internet subscribers in September, after recording 41.41 million in August.

The monthly data also showed that Globacom has 21.89 million subscribers surfing the net on its network in September. About 20.77 million surfed the internet on the network in August.

Similarly, Airtel had 17.73 million internet users in September as against 17.49 million customers recorded in August.

The data showed that internet users on the Airtel network increased by 235,941 in September.

NCC, according to the data revealed that Etisalat had 15.59 million customers who browsed the internet in September, against the 15.54 million users in August.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

MTN rakes in N5bn from callers' tune

By Princewill Ekwujuru

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TN Nigeria said it raked in about N5 billion from its caller tune subscription alone through its social media impact platform.

The Managing Director of the company, Mr. Michael Ikpoki, who was the key note speaker at the Advertising Association of Nigeria, ADVAN, awards for Marketing Excellence 2015 with theme Social Impact Marketing, revealed this in Lagos.

The Managing Director, who emphasised the social impact of his company’s activities, said the social impact of marketing cannot be over looked in the present day marketing space.

He said in 2013 the company generated N5 billion from the industry through caller ring tune alone.

Mr. Ikpoki, who also stated that MTN had a very high responsibility to build its brand equity, noted that “the only way to grow our economy is to grow our brands.”

For MTN, he said: “I adopted the principle of sharing value,” which he described as generating economic value in a way that also produces value for society by addressing its challenges.

“In reality, the issue about how we create value and how we achieve social impact is very closely interrelated,” the Managing Director pointed out.

He went on to say that it was possible for employees to generate economic value for companies, brands and at the same time achieve social impact.

He said: “I think the reality of where we are today as an economy, as an industr y, is the companies that are able to achieve that sweet spot, and companies that are really able to achieve this are able to do that in an authentic way and able to endear genuine attention and affinity from their customers.”

Customs to axe 400 more officers

By Godwin Oritse

F

OLLOWING the voluntary retirement of five Deputy Comptrollers-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, and 35 other officers last week, there are indications that another 400 officers will soon leave the service for

various reasons ranging from corruption, insubordination, indiscipline to absenteeism.

Also, some of the officers pencilled down for next round of retirement were said to have flouted re-deployment directives as well as influenced their promotion even when they were not due to be

promoted.

Vanguard gathered that some of these officers refused to report at their new postings and instead obtained notes from legislators, who lobbied customs management to stop such re-deployment.

Industry executives said the

VISIT: His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III (left) and Director General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri, during Omeri's courtesy visit.

sudden retirement of Deputy Comptrollers–General appears unsettling as the development had brought public attention to happenings NCS. Stakeholders believed that though the retirements will create room for Customs Comptrollers who have been idle for some sometime to be posted or deployed to commands, it would also give rise for Deputy Comptrollers to be promoted as some of them had been on same rank for a long time.

The alleged voluntary retirement of five Deputy Comptrollers-General is unprecedented in the history of the service.

The retirement letter read in part: “We, the under listed officers currently on the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General met today, October 29, and unanimously agreed to voluntarily retire from the service of the Nigerian Customs Service having risen to the privileged rank of Deputy ComptrollerGeneral.

“We thank the President for giving us the opportunity to serve our great nation.”

Spokesman of the service, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, a Deputy Comptroller, denied knowledge of any government reports on the affected officers.

When Vanguard contacted him he said: “I do not know what you are talking about.”

Customers set to fight CBN, banks over BVN

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

A

S banks insist on barring customers from access to accounts without Biometric Verification Number, BVN, following the expiration of the deadline for registration, Bank Customers Association of Nigeria, BCAN, has threatened to challenge any action by the banks to restrict access to bank accounts on grounds of non-BVN compliance.

Chairman of BCAN, Dr. Uju Ogubunka, told Vanguard yesterday that the association was meeting this week to, among other things, marshal out course of action to protect customers’ right to full and unrestricted access to their account, irrespective of their BVN status.

Several banks had sent out messages to their customers last week warning that access to their accounts would be barred unless they were BVN compliant by October 31.

Spokesman for Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Ibrahim Muazu, told Vanguard yesterday that denial of access to non-BVN compliant accounts had gone into force

and the apex bank would not extend the deadline for compliance as it did last June, when the first deadline expired.

20.8m accounts registered

He explained that CBN was satisfied with the level of compliance achieved as at last week Monday, which showed about 20.8 million bank accounts registered as against about 52 million active bank accounts with the various banks.

On the 32 million unregistered accounts, he explained that the apex bank believed that since most bank customers maintain multiple accounts, the linking of all the accounts would give an average of about 40 million captured in the BVN net, adding that “we are home and dry.”

He also noted that a move round the banks, during the last day of the week, showed there were no queues of customers on BVN lines in the banking halls, indicating, according to him, that most bank customers had complied.

However, Ogubunka, who was the immediate past chief executive of the Chartered

Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, said BCAN was not opposed to BVN, but it would not allow the rights of its members to be abridged by any policy to the extent of denying any bank customer access to his or her account.

He also explained that many bank customers may have been unable to comply due to one reason or the other, adding that such should not automatically lock the customer out of his or her bank account.

BCAN faults CBN on 32m accounts claim

Ogubunka, though admitting that many people have more than one account, added that the figure of 32 million, over 60 percent, noncompliant account was too large to be attributed to multiple account holding.

“We have called an emergency meeting of BCAN executives to review the situation, among many other industry issues, affecting bank customers this week,” he stated.

CBN, in its last week’s statement, had downplayed the calculations that 32 million accounts had not

been registered, but admitted that some customers were yet to link all their accounts to their BVN. He said: “The point that needs to be stressed here is that it is not enough to just enrol for BVN. The process is duly concluded only when all accounts owned by a bank customer are linked to his or her BVN. “From the foregoing, it becomes clear that the insinuation of about 32 million accounts holders yet to enrol was simply a misrepresentation that fails to take into consideration the multiple accounts holding habit of most Nigerians.”

The apex bank also declared that if anyone had not enrolled for BVN, it cannot be attributed to lack of facilities, but out of his/ her individual volition and that by all indications, it can be safely said that the BVN exercise by the Bankers’ Committee in collaboration with CBN had proved rather successful.

The statement also disclosed that Nigerian banks’ customers in the Diaspora had taken advantage of more facilities provided for enrolment in more locations abroad.

CBN, in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, introduced the BVN on February 14, 2014.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—9

Glo rocks Ikeja with Slide ‘n’ Bounce

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ESIDENTS of Ikeja, Lagos, weekend, shared the fun of Globacom’s first-class entertainment show, the Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert.

The event, which was held at the Ikeja Water Parks Hotel, attracted excited subscribers on the Glo network in the area, who came to watch their entertainment idols such as Korede Bello, Burna Boy and P-Square perform at no cost to them.

As Glo had done in several cities, where the show has been hosted, the next generation network ensured that the teeming subscribers, who turned up for the show were thoroughly entertained as resourceful Nollywood actor and comedian, Okey Bakassi, up and coming artistes as well as the main acts of the evening took turns to perform to the delight of the audience.

The Disc Jockey for the night, DJ Neptune, got the audience dancing to different hit tunes.

The dancing competition for the night, which attested to the limitless talents that abound in the country, was won by Adeosun Adeleke.

VISIT: From left— Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, and Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Brig. Gen. I. Attahiru, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, during the Vice President's visit.

I won't stop talking of corruption during Jonathan’s govt—BUHARI President's statement on economy chasing away investors—PDP Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has vowed not to shy away from telling Nigerians how the immediate past administration allegedly plundered the economy, irrespective of anyone's feelings.

Responding to allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that he was demarketing the country and dissuading foreign investments, the President vowed that the

relentless tackles of the opposition party would not in any way dissuade him from his obligations to the citizenry and the international community.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh had, yesterday, attacked the President’s claim in India that Nigeria was broke, saying that such claims at international fora tended to worsen the country’s investment climate.

Metuh had, in his statement, alleged that such claims by the President were essentially because of his lack of a viable

Buhari 'll not require ministers to publicly declare assets

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Henry Umoru

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BUJA—THE new ministers to be inaugurated soon may not be compelled to publicly declare their assets as President Muhammadu Buhari and VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo did, presidency sources have disclosed.

Many of the ministersdesignate were at the weekend wary of the issue as a number of them were miffed when they were asked on the issue.

The minister-designate from Nasarawa, Ibrahim Jibrin, who was the only one that was forthcoming on it, however, pledged to abide by whatever instruction was handed out by the presidency on the issue.

President Buhari and VicePresident Osinbajo had last

August made a public declaration of their assets in line with a now contentious pledge given by one of the support groups of their presidential campaign.

That same support group had in their campaign material also affirmed that Buhari, if elected President, would not just make a public declaration of his assets, but would also require his appointees to do same.

A high ranking presidency official, asked yesterday if the presidency would require the ministers-designate to make public their declared assets, said the ministers to-be would not be subjected above constitutional requirements.

He said: “What does the law require? Whatever the law requires is what we expect them to be doing? Does the

law require it?”

Reminded that the President went above the law, he said: “Well, that is the President on his own volition.”

Yesterday, several of the ministers-designate shied away from the question, some even aggressively.

However, in a written response to Vanguard, Jibrin, who noted that he believes in the present administration and its cardinal objective of zero tolerance for corruption, stressed that as a minister, he would join the President to pursue this and ensure that it was achieved for the country.

The minister-designate said that if President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo could declare their assets, what would stop him as one of those that will drive the manifesto from declaring his assets too.

economic plan.

Responding to PDP yesterday, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, said that Metuh’s attempts to distract the President from focusing on his job would fail, maintaining that he was a broken record.

The statement read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to the latest statement by the PDP spokesman, Olisa Metuh, alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari is ‘demarketing Nigeria’.

“We restate for the umpteenth time to Mr. Metuh and his ilk that their attempts to distract President Buhari from the job he has been elected to do will fail.

“President Buhari will remain true to the virtues of honesty, integrity, sincerity, incorruptibility and plainspeaking, which endeared him to Nigerians and made them prefer his leadership to that of a lying and deceptive PDP administration.

“The President will not, in the guise of ‘marketing’ the country, refrain from telling Nigerians and the world, the emerging truths about the abject state in which years of plundering by a PDP leadership has left the Nigerian treasury and economy.

“President Buhari will not in the name of ‘marketing’ or ‘attracting’ investors, follow in the footsteps of the ousted PDP administration and its discredited officials, who shamelessly lied to Nigerians and the world about the

buoyancy and vibrancy of an economy they had bled dry for personal gain, when it was very obvious to the discerning, that the Nigerian economy was headed for serious trouble.”

PDP's reaction

Earlier in his statement, Metuh had said: “Mr. President’s recent announcement to the world that the nation, with its abundant human and natural resources, is broke and cannot pay cabinet ministers, not only sends a discouraging signal to the domestic and international business community, but also exposes the ineptitude of the present administration to meaningfully and sincerely exert itself and work with industrious and innovative investors to create and manage wealth.

“We ask how can any reasonable investor still have the confidence to invest in a country where the President himself continues to alert that his country reeks of corrupt people and that the government is broke to the extent it cannot pay cabinet ministers?

“Is the President not directly advising investors against having confidence in Nigeria and the system, and that they risk not being paid for jobs awarded by government at any level?

“More worrisome is the fact that Mr. President makes his damaging comments in international fora with potential investors in attendance. It reminds one of the proverbial father who, in the presence of potential suitors, often portrays his daughters as wayward and yet constantly complain of their inability to find husbands.”

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Ambode appoints Ademola HoS

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O V E R N O R Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, yesterday, approved the appointment of Mrs. Olabowale Ademola as the 19th Head of Service, HoS, in the Lagos State Public Service.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, the appointment, which takes effect immediately, follows the retirement of Mrs. Folashade Jaji on October 26.

The new HoS was born on November 10, 1957.

She had her Primary Education at Corona School, Yaba, Lagos, and Lagos University Staff School (1962-1968), after which she proceeded to Queen’s College, Yaba, where she obtained her West African School Certificate and Higher School Certificate in 1973 and 1975, respectively.

Thereafter, she was admitted to the University of Ibadan where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics in 1981.

She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN; has a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Lagos and the Lagos Business School, respectively.

After several stints in the private sector, Mrs. Ademola joined the State Water Corporation as Controller Audit in 1995, before her transfer to the Mainstream Civil Service in 1999, where she rose to become Permanent Secretary in 2010.

Until her appointment, she was the Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Civil Service Pensions Office.

Light rail: Lagos shops for fresh funding package

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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OVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, yesterday, said the current source of funding for the Lagos light rail project cannot be relied upon if it must be delivered quickly.

Ambode, who disclosed this during an interractive session with residents on social media, through the tag JJmeetsAmbode, said that the state government was negotiating another package to help fund the project.

The governor lamented that the contractor handling the project was on site battling with the project, but not as fast as expected.

According to him, “this project is driven by commercial loans and bonds leaning on the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. That arrangement cannot be sustained. We are negotiating a better package that will deliver the project by the end of 2016.”

My greatest challenge — Ambode

Ambode, on the forum, said: “The most challenging aspect of my job has been managing the resources of the state to meet expectations of Lagosians. It is challenging meeting expectations of Lagos residents, at a time we are experiencing dwindling

T

HE Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, SAHCOL, Dr. Olu Owolabi, has decried the high cost of tariff in purchasing aviation ground handling equipment.

C M Y K

On traffic

Admitting the current gridlock across the state, Ambode explained: “There are some new projects going

on in Victoria Island and other parts of the state. These are contributing to the traffic situation. We will try to finish the constructions on time and fix the pot-holes to ease traffic across the state.”

The governor, however, added that human attitude also contribute to the gridlock.

He said: “A lot of it is caused by human attitude; those disobeying traffic laws and those patronizing street hawkers.”

He also accused men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, of not being effective in managing the traffic, noting “some traffic officers are not doing their job.

“We will deploy more traffic officers to the roads to direct traffic and enforce the road traffic law.”

ARISE WOMEN: From left— Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa; wife of the former President of Nigeria, Mrs Bola Obasanjo; former deputy governors of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Sosan; Princess Orelope-Adefulire; wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode; Convener of ARISE Women, Pastor Siju Iluyomade; wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo; wife of Kwara State Governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed; wife of former Governor of Benue State, Mrs Yemisi Suswam; wife of former Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Abimbola Fashola; wife of former Governor Osun State, Mrs Olagunsoye, and APC Women Leader, Lagos State, Chief Kemi Nelson, at the ARISE WOMEN conference at the City of David Church, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Robbers disguise as hawkers in traffic— Lagos govt

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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AGOS State Government, weekend, justified its clampdown on street trading and hawkers, especially in traffic across the state, saying “some robbers disguise as traders in traffic and rob commuters.”

Speaking in an interview, Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Samuel Adejare, argued that commuters, at night, cannot distinguish between genuine traders and robbers.

Adejare lamented that infrastructure in Lagos Island Central Business Districts, CBD, had suffered due to the

SAHCOL boss laments cost of aviation equipment

By Lawani Mikairu & Daniel Eteghe

resource.

“We have road construction, unemployment and others to take care of with limited resources. It is a challenge to choose which projects to embark upon and which to keep in view.

The consideration is always which project would benefit the generality of the people more.”

The governor noted that the challenges had been with governing the state, considering its population of over 20 million residents.

Speaking in his office in Lagos, Dr. Owolabi said the high tariffs on imports has remained the greatest challenge in cargo handling.

According to Owolabi, the company recently acquired some state-of-the-art equipment for the handling of the South African Airways

that was making a début at Abuja airport.

While condemning the high cost, he called on government to address the situation urgently to save the handling companies from collapse, especially with the high rate of foreign exchange that had affected imports and exports.

activities of street traders, who discharge waste indiscriminately.

He said: “We have set up a special Kick Against

Indiscipline, KAI, unit to ensure that the CBD remains clean always. Companies make so much money from there. They have to sanitize the area.”

FIDA makes case for Police

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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D O - E K I T I — WORRIED by the increasing cases of rape and gender-based violence, the Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers in Ekiti State, Mrs. Rita Ilevbare, has called for adequate empowerment of the police to effectively tackle the scourge.

Mrs Ilevbare, who described the act as very

disturbing, said police have not been coming up with results because they were not adequately equipped both in human and material resources.

Speaking during the third annual public lecture of Women and Children Development and Health Research Initiative, WCDHRI, in Ado Ekiti, she said: “Apart from the absence of laboratories at most police stations to preserve forensic evidence, the attitude of police officers to rape victims is very appalling.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2 , 2015—11

FULANI HERDSMEN VS S-WEST FARMERS:

Police, DSS broker peace in Ondo, Osun

By Gbenga Olarinoye & Dayo Johnson

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KURE—Following recurrent clashes between fulani herdsmen and their host communities across the country, the Department of State Security, DSS, has brokered peace between the leadership of Afenifere and Miyetti Allah Cattle Rearers Association over the frosty relationship between the two groups in the South West.

The Director of DSS in Osun State, Mr. Andrew Iorkay, according to a source organised the peace meeting as a result of tension between the leadership of Afenifere and Fulani herdsmen.

The source said the DSS boss did not want the situation to degenerate among the two groups in Osun State hence the peace meeting.

Former Attorney General of Osun State, Mr. Niyi Owolade was said to have represented the Afenifere while the Miyetti Allah team was led by its chairman, Salihu Ismael as well as its secretary, Aliyu Kamilu and Sarkin Hausasa, A. Ahmadu.

Peaceful coexistence

It was gathered that, during the meeting, the DSS boss stressed the need for the two groups to coexist peacefully.

Iorkay, the source said told the leadership of the two groups to prevail on their members to shun acts inimical to peace and security.

The source said Iorkay warned that the DSS would not hesitate to deal decisively with anybody caught promoting violence.

Also, police authorities in Ondo State weekend initiated a peace meeting between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the state.

The move according to investigations was to ensure harmonious co-existence between them in the state.

The peace initiative comes after

the kidnap and release of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Chief Olu Falae by Fulani herdsmen who invaded his farm on several occasions.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mike Ogbodu met with the President and executive members of the Miyatti Allah and a security outfit in the state on how to resolve the crisis.

Ogbodu stressed the need for

cordial relationship between the farmers and Fulani herdsmen in all parts of the state.

According to him; The visit by the leadership of Miyatti Allah would further enhance cordial relationship between the state Police command and the security outfit."

Policing not for security operatives alone

The CP while hailing the co-

operation of all other security outfits in the state, said Policing could not only be handled by security operatives alone, urging all individuals to support the Police to ensure total security of lives and properties.

Earlier, the National President of Miyatti Allah, Alhaji Muhhamudu Adronsuru commended the efforts of the Police during the abduction of Chief Falae.

Fasoranti resigns as Afenifere leader A

By Dayo Johnson

KURE—THE leader of the Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti has resigned his appointment with immediate effect citing old age.

He took over the leadership of the group from the late Chief Abraham Adesanya over ten years ago.

According to a letter personally signed by him in Akure, Pa Fasoranti said he has since stopped being the Chairman of the foremost Yoruba organization.

The letter was addressed to the Secretary General, Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa, leaders of the group, including Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sir Lanihun Ajayi, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Supo Sonibare and all state Chairmen of Afenifere.

The letter read: “Our organization, Afenifere was formed in 1951 under the leadership of our leader; Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The organization was formed to serve as an umbrella in particilar, to actualize the dream of a great nation and the Yoruba race.

“Over the years, Yorubas have tried to focus on a common goal.

Chief Awolowo tried to ensure the oneness of our people with a lot of efforts notwithstanding the

challenges he faced in the process.

Unfortunately, he passed on without actualising this dream.

“I joined Afenifere from inception with the following leaders of our race, Pa Onasanya, Alhaji Ganiyu Daodu, Pa Abraham Adesanya, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sir Olanihun Ajayi, Chief Sam Sonibare, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Wunmi Adegbonmire and so on.

“The mantle of leadership fell on late Pa Adekunle Ajasin and subsequently Pa Adesanya and then my humble self. As events have been unfolding in the past few years, the focus and goals of the founding fathers of our great organization Afenifere were gradually eroded.

“This therefore made it a herculean task for our members to work in unity. Several efforts were made to ensure the actualization of the Afenefere goals, but it

appeared that we have not succeeded in achieving this.

This is basically due to reasons best known to our members individually.

“Let me state clearly that the issue of adoption of the National Confab report had always been the focus and goal of our people in Afenifere even long before the National Confab was set up."

However, some members of the group have expressed concern over the decision of the leader of the group.

Vanguard gathered that all may not be well with the group hence the reason the octogenarian leader decided to opt out before the bubble burst.

The secretary of the group, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa could not be reached to comment on the development.

Ajimobi has plunged Oyo into N130bn debt —Ladoja

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By Ola Ajayi

B A DA N — F O R M E R Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State yesterday alleged that the All Progressives Congress-led government had plunged the state into a debt of N130 billion.

He said this through the Director of his campaign in the April 11 election, Mr. Adeolu Adeleke in Ibadan.

According to him; “The state as at October 3, 2014 was owing N130 billion. It is owing the banks N55 billion and also the local contractors. All the figures I have quoted are real and that was on October 3, the figure must have risen by now.”

He also alleged that all the petitions that APC had won were already pre-determined adding that the governor had boasted severally that he would win all the petitions.

He added that out of about 28 casesnow,theAccordPartyhadwon only one.

In a recently delivered judgment, a petition tribunal dismissed the petition of Ladoja who was the governorship candidate of Accord Party in April 11 election.

However, the State Chairman of APC, Chief Akin Oke said all the allegations should be treated with kid gloves asking why Accord was complaininghavingdecideditwould appeal the tribunal judgment.

Senate c'ttee on works visits Ogun

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By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—THE Senate adhoc Committee on Works has inspected erosion sites across Ogun State, saying it had received numerous petitions on bad roads and ecological disasters across the country.

The committee, represented by two of its members, Senator Lanre Tejuoso of Ogun Central Senatorial District and Senator

Tayo Alasoadura of Ondo Central Senatorial District, visited Makun in Sagamu, Kekere-Ekun in Ijebu-Ode and Adigbe in Abeokuta areas of the state.

Speaking after their inspection, Tejuoso described their mission to the state as urgent and timely, adding that the committee was set up principally because of the numerous petitions received

by Senate on

ecological disasters from the people across the country.

He said there were numerous petitions by Nigerians on various ecological disasters in areas across the country, such as erosion, gullies, potholes and so on.

He also said the Senate has received many petitions on bad roads all over the country, thus the Committee on works immediately swung into action by mandating members to go and inspect the places in the country where petitions were received.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Emmanuel promises 10, 000 agric jobs for youths U

By Tom Moses

YO—AS part of efforts by Akwa Ibom State government to boost food sufficiency in line with the agricultural revolution agenda of Governor Udom Emmanuel, 10,000 youths are to be engaged in job openings in the agricultural sector in the state.

The state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, announced this, weekend, during an interaction with leaders of major sociocultural organizations who were at the Government House, Uyo, on a solidarity visit.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to laying a solid economic foundation for the future through industrialization, just as he said modernized cassava processing plants would soon be established across the state.

Governor Emmanuel expressed optimism that employment would boost the economic development of the state as youths from the state earlier sent to Israel for training on mechanized farming would now be gainfully employed, thereby reducing the level of poverty in the state .

He said: “If we don’t plant today, there may not be harvest tomorrow to sustain the people

as over-dependence on oil does not do the economy any good.”

Earlier, the International President, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, Akparawa Monday Etukakpan, who led the delegation, informed the governor that all the sociocultural organizations in the

state decided to visit him to declare their solidarity for him over the tribunal’s verdict on the April 11, 2015 governorship polls in the state.

He assured Governor Emmanuel of victory in the rerun elections in the 18 local government areas where the

tribunal annulled the election, stressing that even if election was conducted 1,000 times, he would emerge winner to advance the course of developing the state including harnessing the agricultural sector for employment generation and food sufficiency.

DEFECTION: Delta South APC Chairman, Prince Yemi Omaghomi (left); Chief Ayirimi Emami (middle) and Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, during the formal defection of the latter from PDP to All Progressives Congress, APC at the Warri home of Chief Ayirimi Emami, weekend. Extreme left is Chief Michael Johnny.

ALLEGED N36M SCAM: Why we passed confidence vote on Speaker, by Edo Assembly

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—MEMBERS of Edo State House of Assembly, weekend, gave reasons why the House passed a vote of confidence on the Speaker of the House, Mr Victor Edoror, saying that after investigations the House found out that the Speaker was not involved in the alleged N36 million scam as claimed.

According to them, after investigations, it was discovered that the Speaker never received N36 million from local government council chairmen in the state, describing him as a “team player.”

In a motion by the chairman, House Committee on Information, Mr Chris Okaeben, seconded by Mr Igbas Ezehi, the lawmakers stated: “It has become necessary to clear the air that the speaker never collected the alleged N36 million from local government chairmen.”

Majority Leader of the House, Foly Ogedengbe, who spoke to journalists in Benin, said: “The vote of confidence was necessary to inspire C M Y K

confidence in the leadership, in our commitment to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. The House has mechanisms for investigating issues and we have not found him wanting in the alleged scam.”

Also reacting, a sociocultural organization, the

Edo Forum for Good Governance, led by Mr Ojiefo Momodu, said: “It is only fair and just that the Esan people are allowed the opportunity to complete their tenure as speaker of the House. The immediate past speaker,Uyi Igbe, a Bini man, was there for four years while the governor from Edo North is

at the verge of completing his eight years tenure. We suspect that these people who are peddling fake rumours about the speaker are just doing so to create the impression of corruption where none exists. We believe in the ability of Hon Victor Edoror to continue to lead the Assembly.”

Buhari playing politics with Ogoni clean and release of funds, the up —YOUTHS Dr. Nkpah said: “After a study action federal government has

By Dapo Akinrefon

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IVE months after the celebrated announcement of the clean-up of Ogoniland by President Muhammadu Buhari, youths of the area have accused the President of playing politics with the exercise.

In a statement, the president of the National Youth Council of the Ogoni people, Dr. Young Nkpah, accused President Buhari of deceiving Ogoni people by that announcement.

President Buhari had, immediately after assumption of office announced his readiness to implement the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP report on cleaning of Ogoniland.

of the approach, loud pronouncements and long delays adopted by the government on the globally celebrated implementation, the Ogoni people are not persuaded about the sincerity of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government whose earlier promises were designed to score cheap political points.”

He said after the July 28, 2015 consultative meeting in Abuja chaired by the immediate past Head of Service, Danladi Kifasi, the federal government was yet to release any fund to kick start the process.

“Since the announcement by President Buhari of immediate

seemingly dosed off on the programme without regard to the health hazards and increasing mortality rate resulting from the long polluted Ogoniland. The silence by President Buhari’s administration has raised suspicion among the Ogonis that the federal government in collaboration with SHELL has opted for their usual strategy of divide and rule to set the Ogoni leaders and the people against themselves and also employing gradual frustration of the oil clean-up programme to force the collective loyalty of the Ogoni nation to join the ruling party in the country,” the statement said.

Police moves to resolve Sapele Anglican church crisis

By Emma Amaize

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E N I N — T H E Assistant Inspector General, AIG, Zone 5, Benin City, Edo State, Mr. Musa Dara, has constituted an 11man committee headed by the Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Warri, Delta State, Rt. Rev C. E. Ide, to resolve the crisis rocking the Sapele Diocese of the Anglican Communion in the state.

The laity of the Saint Luke Cathedral, Sapele, have been at daggers drawn with the bishop for months resulting in lockouts and several protests that tainted the image of the church and Christian faith.

The matter came to a head when placard-carrying members called for the removal of the bishop, which was rejected by the supervising authority in Benin City, Edo State.

They later dragged the bishop to the police, alleging corruption and mismanagement.

The bishop also at a point in the sour relationship slammed a court case against some members of his feuding congregation.

Delta youths protest litigations against Okowa

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OMADI—A coalition of youths from All Progressives Congress, APC, Labour Party, LP, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the aegis of Frontiers for Peaceful Delta, FPD, yesterday protested against further litigation against the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

The youths besieged the Bomadi /Tuomo roundabout renouncing their support for any governorship candidate who wanted to impede the progress of the state by unending litigation.

Mr. Preye Ekpebide, who later addressed the APC, LP and, PDP, youth leaders and their supporters, at his Bomadi residence, thanked them for their peaceful conduct during the rally and called on the LP governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru and his APC counterpart, Chief O’tega Emerhor, to jettison their appeal against governor Okowa’s election and tribunal victory.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—13

A-IBOM GOV POLL: Emmanuel, PDP file separate appeals against tribunal judgment

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—GOVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have separately gone before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, to challenge the tribunal judgment that nullified the governorship election results in 18 local government areas, LGAs, in the state.

The two appellants are praying the higher court to set aside the verdict of the Justice Ishaq Umarled tribunal, which had on October 21, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct re-run election in 18 out of 31 LGAs in the state.

The tribunal specifically held that it was satisfied that a total of 566, 436 voters in the affected areas were disenfranchised during the governorship election that held in the state on April 11, 2015.

According to the tribunal, section 108 (2) of the Electoral Act, empowered it to, in view of circumstances that surrounded the governorship election in the 18 LGAs, nullify the outcome and order INEC to organise a re-run.

It enumerated the LGAs where INEC must conduct a re-run poll within 90 days, as Etim-Ekpo, Uyo, Ikono-Ibeeikpo, Orina, Ikon, Oruk, Uruan, Ibenu, Iboni-Ibom, Nsit-Ibom, Nsit-Ubium, Ini, Oron, Nsit-Afia, Etinan, Udung-Oko and Eket.

The decision of the tribunal was sequel to a petition that was lodged against the election by the All Progressives Congress, APC,

and its governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Chief Umana Okon Umana.

Even though the petitioners alleged that the governorship election was generally fraught with manifest irregularities, however, it was the view of the tribunal that the alleged electoral anomalies and noncomplaince to the Electoral Act, were not enough to warrant outright nullification of election results from all the 31 LGAs in the state.

Both the petitioners and the respondents had since expressed their dissatisfaction with the judgement of the tribunal, with the APC and its

candidate insisting that the poll ought to have been nullified in its entirety and a fresh election ordered.

Meanwhile, in their bid to reverse the decision of the tribunal, PDP raised 20 grounds of appeal while Governor Emmanuel anchored his reason why the appeal court should uphold results of the election that brought him to power, on two grounds.

The two appellants are praying the court to hold that election was duly conducted in the aforementioned 18 LGAs, in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act. Governor Udom and his party

faulted the judgment of the tribunal in nullifying results in the said LGAs on the premise that the petitioners, did not plead any fact to the effect that voters in the 18 LGAs were disenfranchised.

According to them, neither the APC nor its candidate at the poll, Umana, adduced any evidence to support claims that voters were in any way, disenfranchised in the affected areas.

In his appeal, governor Udom told the appellate court that: “The petitioners did not in their petition at all plead the facts of voters’ disenfranchisement in the 18 councils."

CONVOCATION: From left: Akwa Ibom State Governor Mr. Udom Emmanuel; SA to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang and wife, Rosemary and Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julis Okojie, at the 21st Convocation of the University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

FG has no part in our tribunal battles —RIVERS APC

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IVERS State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has dismissed claims of its desperation to take over control of the state at all cost in connivance with the APC-controlled Federal Government, insisting that the reverse is the case.

The party in a statement by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, yesterday in Port Harcourt, said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Government has no hand whatsoever in the cases we are pursuing at the governorship, National and State Houses of Assembly tribunals across the state. It has become necessary for us to clear the air before this wicked lie being spread by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, takes root.”

The questions that arise, according to the party, were: “Was there any election in Rivers State? If there was, was it conducted according to the rules?

The European

Community and other international observers that condemned the conduct of the elections, are they APC members? The security agents that told the Tribunal that the election was a sham, are they APC members? The respected jurists of the Supreme Court who threw out Wike’s application to stop the Governorship Petition Election Tribunal, are they APC members?”

Rivers APC accused the state PDP of suffering from a guilty conscience on account of its alleged connivance with the then PDP-led Federal Government under the watch of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to persecute APC and forcibly take over Rivers State.

“Is PDP forgetting so soon how it used Federal Government machinery to its advantage, throwing caution to the wind? Has it forgotten how impunity thrived under Jonathan to the point that Wike

and the PDP became lords of the manor?”

Rivers APC, however, assured that, unlike PDP, “We are a civilised group and we will continue to pursue our case before the courts because litigation is part of the electoral process. God helping us, we shall triumph in Jesus’ name.

By the grace of God, we shall be vindicated, if for nothing, at least for the sake of the over 100 APC members that were killed to install Wike as governor of River State.”

It advised Wike to stop

wasting the Rivers State scarce funds for allegedly sponsoring some idle groups in the state to protest against the sound judgement of the Tribunal annulling his election.

“We know he has no agenda for the emancipation or development of Rivers State but he can keep himself busy by either writing a handover note or preparing how to face the Rivers State people in a free and fair election devoid of intimidation and killing of innocent Rivers people,” the party said.

What Buhari must do for Binis —PRINCE AKENZUA

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—ELDERS and political leaders from Edo South senatorial district of Edo State, weekend, announced plans to forward the problems of Bini Kingdom, to President Muhammadu Buhari, through the state governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

The elders, on the leadership of the Enogie of Obazuwa and chairman Benin Leaders of Thought, Prince Edun Akenzua, listed some of the problems as the non-implementation of the Supreme Court ruling over the ownership of Gelegele between the Binis and the Ijaws.

Prince Akenzua, who also is the younger brother of the Oba of Benin said: "There are very many things that the Buhari administration will look into in Benin Kingdom.

I don’t think it is something one can talk about right now because they are so many.

We are preparing a paper which we will send to the President through the governor of Edo State, to say, look these things have been on, try and correct them. For instance, there has been a Supreme Court judgment over the ownership of Gelegele which has not been enforced.

“We have done a paper before the governor, and of course the governor promised to send it to the federal government but you know, because he is not in their party they did not listen to him. That is one of the things we will urge the present administration to execute. We have been asking that the rail line in Nigeria should pass through Edo South to Warri. That was not done. We have been asking for the Gelegele Port which is a natural port to be built into a port, that was not done. We will chronicle all these problems and send them to the President through the governor,” he stated.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, NIVENBER 2, 2015

Nigerian Breweries 7th Golden Pen Award in Lagos

From left, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, Chairman committee for 7th Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Awards; Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of Abia State; Mr. Anthony Akaeze, winner of Reporter of the Year, and Chief Kola Jinadu, Chairman of Nigerian Breweries Plc, during the 7th Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Awards, in Lagos.

Photos: Diran Oshe

From left, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries PLc; Mrs. Nkechi Balogun, winner of Photo-Journalist of the Year; Mr. Issac Ayodele, The Nation, Mr. Godwin Ireke, Telegraph, and Mr. Standley Ogidi, Punch.

From left, Mr. Victor Famuyibo , Director, Human Resources Nigerian Breweries From left, Mr. Mojeed Alabi from New Telegraph, receiving award from Head of PLc; Chief Kola Jinadu, and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

Department, Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Professor Ralph Akinfele, and Gbenga Ogunleye, Rector Nigerian Institute of Journalism.

ADVAN Awards for Marketing Excellence 2015

Cross section of Advertisers' Association of Nigeria, ADVAN, Executives, during the ADVAN Awards for Marketing Excellence 2015 in Lagos, at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, weekend. Photos: Akeem Salau

From left, Mr. Seun Lawal, Brand Manager, Gulder; Omotunde Adenusi,Brand Manager, Star,Obabiyi Fagade,Brand Manager, Star; Chidike Oluaoha,Senior Brand Manager, Star, all of Nigerian Breweries Plc -winner of Experiential Marketing Award presented by Mr. Lampe Omoyele.

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From left, Sam Umukoro, Communication Manager; Patricia Jemibewon,Marketing Director; Gbolahan Sanni, Senior Brand Manager, all of Cola Nigeria Ltd -winner of Marketing Excellence Campaign of the Year Award, and Chief Charles Anyiam-Osigwe, Publisher, Pride Magazine.

From left, Kelechi Nwosu,AAAN President; Mr. Tunde Adedoyin, and Femi Ogala, OAAN General Secretary

Vanguard, MONDAY, NIVENBER 2, 2015—15

Unilag holds Distinguished Alumni & Recognition Award 2015

Professor Yemi Osinbajo,Vice President (4th left), Professor Jerry Gana, Pro-Chanccellor/Chairman of Council, Professor Rahman Bello,VC, and other award recepients, cutting the alumni cake at the University of Lagos Distinguished Alumni and Recongnition Award 2015 at the College Multipurpose Hall, University of Lagos, Lagos, weekend Photos: Biodun Ogunleye

Prof Yemi Osinbajo, receiving award from Olor'ogun Sonny Kuku.

Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (centre), receiving a plaque from Prof Jerry Gana, Pro- Centre Chief Willie Obiano,Gov Anambra State and wife (left), receiving an Award from Prof Jerry Gana, Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council Chancellor/Chairman of Council while Professor Rahman Bello, VC (right)

Rt Hon. Ude Chukwu,Deputy Governor, Abia State (centre), and wife, Lady From left, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, GM/Editor-In-Chief, Vanguard; Dr. Garba Nnenna Chukwu (left), receiving an award from Olor'ogun Sonny Kuku.

Tetengi, and HRH Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje, all Unilag Council members.

From left, Professor Sola Fajana, VC, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU, Ikeji; Alhaji Musiliu Smith, former Inspector General of Police, and Professor Duro Ajeyalemi, Registrar/CE, Joint University Preliminary Examination Board, JUPEB. C M Y K

From left, Ven. Prof Francis Fajemirokun, Prof Olajide Abass, both former University of Lagos Deputy VCs, and Prof. Tolu Odugbemi, former VC of the university.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—17

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18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 NIGERIA can overcome slowing growth with spending as the government plans to create a $25 billion fund combining public and private financing to develop infrastructure, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. This is heartwarming at a time of great fear that the economy might slide into recession.

The decline in oil prices since the middle of last year led Nigeria, Africa’s largest producer of crude, to slash its budget. The country’s credit rating has been downgraded by Standard & Poor ’s, while JPMorgan Chase removed Nigeria from its localcurrency emerging market indexes. The nation relies on oil for about two-thirds of its revenue and 90 percent of its exports.

The Vice President said government is thinking of dodging the slide into recession by maintaining a healthy spending agenda rather than cutting back. Many in government quarters

Budget 2016 should focus on infrastructure have already been calling for belttightening or austerity measures that could see a deep slash in 2016 government spending.

In reality, it is in times of economic slowdowns that governments should borrow and spend more. Economists have long argued that massive public works in times of recession have, most of the time, had positive effects on economies faced with prospects of slumping. During the 2007/2008 global financial meltdown, the government of President Barrack Obama introduced a massive stimulus package that helped the American economy to overcome its

difficult times.

It is, therefore, imperative that President Muhammadu Buhari's administration takes a cue from this and borrows even from the capital market to shore up spending in 2016. An economic stimulus package by this government will succeed as President Buhari has a track record of successfully guiding stimulus programmes as he did with the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

Buhari has a track record of frugal handling of public funds and zero tolerance for corruption. He will be trusted and supported by the people to borrow and invest heavily in

OPINION Tribunals and our weak political system

By Alex Atawa-Akpodiete

S

INCE the return to democracy in 1999, we have had the same recurring decimal in our elections, which are the unending election petitions.

On March 28, 2015, Muhammadu Buhari won the Presidential election and was sworn in as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2015. The outgoing President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan did not contest the outcome of the election and bowed out gracefully. His actions has been hailed by the international community as one of the best things to have happened to Nigeria, especially in light of the doomsday prophesy about the break-up of the country or expected bloodshed. Even the incumbent President has not failed to recognise this magnanimity whenever the opportunity presents itself.

By comparison, on April 11, 2015, there were governorship elections in twenty-nine (29) States of the federation, which were Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara. Only Bayelsa, Kogi, Edo, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo and Anambra States were the only seven States that did not hold governorship elections, but they still held elections for State Houses of Assemblies, House of Representatives and Senate.

In other words, there were 109 Senatorial seats, 360 House of Representatives positions, 29 governorship positions and at least 774 House of assemblies seats (some states had more constituencies than the actual number of LGAs) that were available. This means at least 1,272 contested positions. Of all these, the results of most of these were contested at the Election tribunals, congesting the judicial system, while making lawyers very rich.

The electoral challenges included allegations of violence, no actual voting, unqualified candidates, missing names on ballot papers, irreconcilable number of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) holders versus accredited voters, non-functioning Smart Card Readers (SCR), outright jettison of the SCR, ballot box snatching, absence of electoral materials, disappearance of INEC officials, rigging through multiple thumb printing or falsifying of election result sheets.

I am sure there are other species of challenges, but they must fall within the parameters of Section 138 of the 2010 Electoral Act, as amended.

Section 133 of The amended 2010 Electoral Act states that “(1) An election petition shall be filed within 21 days after the date of the

The electoral Act must be amended to stipulate that the Election disputes must be determined within thirty days

declaration of results of the elections; (2) An election tribunal shall deliver its judgment in writing within 180 days from the date of the filing of the petition; (3) An appeal from a decision of an election tribunal or court shall be heard and disposed of within 90 days from the date of the delivery of judgment of the tribunal; (4) The court in all appeals from election tribunals may adopt the practice of first giving its decision and reserving the reasons thereto for the decision to a later date.”

By the time you add 21 days statute of limitation for filing petition to the 180 for determining the petition at the tribunal, and 90 days for appellate resolution at the Court of Appeals, it essentially means that a governorship election dispute cannot be resolved under 291 days which is slightly under nine months. This is clearly unacceptable.

Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria deals with Election Tribunal. The pertinent portion states, “There shall be established in each State of the Federation one or more election tribunals to be known as the Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Tribunals which shall, to the exclusion of any court or tribunal, have original jurisdiction to hear and determine petitions as to whether any person has been validly elected to the office of Governor or Deputy Governor or as a member of any legislative house. (3) The composition of the National Assembly election Tribunals, Governorship and

infrastructure.

Government robust spending in times of low cash flow has the capacity to stimulate the economy by increasing demand, production and job creation.

On the other hand, deep cuts in government spending will lead to low production resulting from reduction in disposable income in the hands of consumers.

Nigeria could follow the example of Asian countries that financed their stimulus programmes through domestic borrowing mainly by issuing government bonds. It is a global norm that borrowing money domestically in one’s own currency is not nearly as problematic as raising funds from external sources.

We indeed support that Nigeria should not cut spending in 2016 but rather increase budgetary provisions for infrastructure even if we have to borrow. It is a welcome idea and the right way forward.

Legislative Houses Election Tribunals shall be as set out in the Sixth Schedule to this Constitution. (4) The quorum of an election tribunal established under this section shall be the Chairman and two other members.”

Why can’t we get it right with these election challenges? Is it impossible to conclude the electoral victory challenge before the swearing-in? States like Delta have witnessed situation when the governor was sacked after serving 42 months of 48months tenure. How ridiculous can that be?

Just this past week, the governorship election of Rivers was annulled by the election tribunal after 177 days in office. A few days before, the elections in 18 of the 31 LGAs in Akwa Ibom were nullified.

Assuming the Court of Appeals upholds these decisions, we are again faced with the quagmire of the status of the executive actions taken to date. Several governors have borrowed humongous amounts of money.

Some have sacked employees and entered into binding contractual obligations.

It should be recalled that most of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) (now in All Progressives Congress (APC)) governors were installed by the Court of Appeals under the watch of former Justice Ayo Salami, that was shrouded in some controversies. Some pundits have postulated that APC is after the some South-South states.

Our weak political system cannot continue this way. Something must give. The electoral Act must be amended to stipulate that the Election disputes must be determined within thirty days, or at least before swearing-in. *Prof. Atawa-Akpodiete, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Amongst ambassadors and intellectuals to school last Tuesday. a leader, he said you do not was a privilege walking in become the Ooni of Ife, Oba of ItheItWENT midst of some of the best Benin or Shehu of Bornu, serving and retired ambassadors in our country. This class had Ambassador Abdul Rimdap, former Ambassador to Germany as captain. The party was complemented by the presence of some leading intellectuals with Emeritus Professor Anthony.I. Asiwaju as leading light. Heavy weight professors like Ahmadu Sesay, Ayo Dunmoye, Bolade Eyinla and Victor Adetula were also present.

The presence of Adelaja Odukoya reminded me that the intellectual torch has passed from the Asiwaju generation to a younger one.

On hand to deliver an enlightening and stimulating lecture was Dr. Martin Uhomoibhi former Permanent Secretary, Foreign Affairs Ministry who was comfortable strutting through many fields; from history to politics, domestic to foreign. I learnt not too familiar concepts. For instance, Nigeriacentricity.

His explanation is that the “Ancient Nigeria Commonwealth” predates colonialism. That commonwealth, is the umbilical cord that connected the ancient kingdoms and city states that constitute what is now Nigeria.

Comparing those ages with today’s ephemeral politics where anybody can overnight become

overnight.

He also espoused the concept of Smart Missions. He argued that this is the solution to policy summersaults that sees one administration closing a Mission today, and tomorrow, a new administration reopens the same Mission.

He argued that even if the economic reason for shutting a Mission is cogent, the host country will wonder why it is the one in his country being closed and not another. The unintended signal, he pointed out, is that such a country might assume Nigeria does not think much of it. The solution he argues, is to have Smart Missions; an embassy with an ambassador and one diplomat supported by local staff.

Uhomoibhi said Nigeria’s foreign policy of being friend to all, has its roots in the, Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa era. Based on this, he said, Nigeria has never gone to war with any country even if it meant giving up some of our territory as happened in Bakassi. To me, it is debatable if this is smart policy or docility in international relations.

Uhomoibh argues that Nigeria has not made adequate use of its position as ancestral home to many black peoples, especially those in Brazil and the

Caribbean, nor Nigerians in diaspora. The Black race he said, is in trouble pointing out that while by the mid 18th Century, we constituted one third of the human race, now we are far fewer. To him, most of the discussions on migration, especially in Europe, are focusing on the symptoms, rather than the root causes.

Except for circumstances, he wonders who wants to leave his country.

There was a joke when I was young, that an ambassador is an honest man sent abroad to lie for his country; for Uhomoibhi, the value of an ambassador is his ability to reach his host president and adequately report on the country of his posting to the home office.

Glancing through the landscape, he submitted that it is not history that makes mistakes, it is people who make mistakes and blame it on history.

As if talking about himself, Uhomoibhi said, the most beautiful thing for a human being is after doing his best, to

There was a joke when I was young, that an ambassador is an honest man sent abroad to lie for his country; for Uhomoibhi, the value of an ambassador is his ability to reach his host president and adequately report on the country of his posting to the home office

Biafra not Nigeria’s problem

By Chuks Iloegbunam

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IAFRA is not one of the problems besetting Nigeria. Those unable to appreciate this fact may require a dose of creative thinking. Nigeria’s stubborn thorn in the flesh is its adamant repudiation of the self-evident concept of the changelessness of change, upon which sits a crippling unwillingness to engage that same constancy of change. There are two random but famous declarations – one little remembered today, the other, something of a mantra – that neatly wrap up the national antiparty to inexorable change and its management.

On January 15, 1970, there was a ceremony at Dodan Barracks, Lagos, the then seat of political power. Biafran acting Head of State, General Philip Effiong, Colonel David Ogunewe, Colonel Patrick Anwunah, Colonel Patrick Amadi and Police Commissioner Patrick Okeke had gone to submit Biafra’s document of surrender, which officially marked the end of the civil war. “The so-called rising sun of Biafra has set forever,” declared Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, on that occasion. In the leaps and dips of Nigeria’s turbulence, it is common to hear politicians of varying persuasions declaring, as a way of “helping” to stabilise the listing ship of state, that “Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable.”

Between Gowon’s presumption of Biafra’s finality, which rode on the crest

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of triumphalism and was hailed as prescient by many, including Gowon’s biographer Professor Isawa Elaigwu, and the incessantly voiced exclusion of terms on Nigeria’s oneness, lies the country’s problematic.

General Gowon is alive and bouncing. Were he to honestly comment on his 45-year old declaration today, he would readily admit to not having thoroughly considered all sides of everything. For it is clearly outside the bounds of political authority to decree the irreversible amputation of human predilection and proclivity. The current hoopla around Biafra lends credence to the assertion.

Now, there is something baffling in the oft-repeated statement on Nigeria’s unity not being negotiable. The statement does not mean that Nigeria’s unity is a fait accompli. It simply insists on a spiteful denunciation of any thought of mapping out a sustainable road on which the assumed or anticipated national unity must travel, free from iniquity and

One possible way of checking skepticism on Nigerian unity is the implementation of the report of last year’s National Conference

retire and do things at his chosen pace.

Ambassador Ayo Olukanni, immediate past ambassador to Australia with concurrent representation to a number of surrounding countries, told two touching stories about the unique presence of Nigerians in virtually all parts of the world.

While visiting Papau New Guinea, he discovered that there is only one mosque in that country and that the Chief Imam, is a Nigerian. In Alice Spring, on the edge of the Australian desert which has one of the largest concentrations of the Aborigines, he met a Correctional Officer, Adeyemo, who is Nigerian. The officer, he said, has two customized plate numbers; Igwe I and Igwe II. While being Yoruba, Adeyemo in that far away desert, prefers to promote Igbo tradition.

Occasion Chairman, Prof.

Chudi Uwazurike was a uniquely placed person; he is a veteran of the Foreign Service, an academic and was a member of the National Assembly.

I sought to correct Uhomoibhi that there is still an African country under colonialism; Western Sahara. But he argued that with an ambassador in Nigeria and similar representation in other countries, that country cannot be categorised as a colony. By his logic, it means that Palestine is an independent country or that South Africa under Apartheid which had ambassadors from the liberation movement, was not a colony.

The event was put together in Abuja by the Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA) led by Prof.

Nuhu Yaqub, Vice Chancellor of the Sokoto State University and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja. The SIRA which is supported by the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) also used the occasion to launch its book “The Challenges of Insurgency”. Prof. W. Alade

cataclysms; a method for mastering the imperatives of national unity which is, anywhere in the world, a particularly daunting proposition. It is because Nigeria has kept its back obdurately turned to change that even the littlest molehill on its uncharted road invariably becomes a precipitous mountain.

Why is Nigeria incapable of learning from history? When Biafra came in 1967, it was way ahead of its time. Since January 15, 1970, the world’s political map has continued to be redrawn.

Emperor Haile Selassie would have started, and branded any dream in which Eritrea was mentioned a nightmare.

Eritrea gained international recognition as an independent state in 1993. South Sudan was only a fictional construct in 1970; it became an independent nation in 2011. Bangladesh was non-existent in 1970; it declared its independence from Pakistan a year later. The Soviet Union dissolved into 12 independent states in 1991. By 1992 Yugoslavia had fractured into about seven independent countries.

On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia split into Czech and Slovak Republics. Scotland held an Independence referendum early this year that failed. There is a powerful Catalan movement pushing secession from Spain. Separatist tendencies are not on the wane in Cabinda.

What to bear in mind is that most of the secessions or agitations for secession in the world are along ethnic lines. For an ethnically composite country like Nigeria, the way to avoid a potential split is not by precluding discussion on contentious issues, and it is not by expeditionary repression of peaceful dissent. After all, dissent is not and

Fawole who reviewed it also showed good salesmanship in marketing the book. As expected in such a gathering, the millions did not come tumbling, but people freely gave. The SIRA also used the occasion to celebrate one of its own, Prof. Tonia Simbine who has just been appointed a Commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) I got a copy of the memoirs of Ambassador Olufemi Oyewale George titled “FROM ROOKIE TO MANDARIN: The memoirs of a Second Generation Diplomat”.

The diplomat who was quite prominent during the Obasanjo administration told of struggles in the Foreign Service including one when there was an attempt to ‘import’ an obviously unqualified officer from a state civil to a top position in the Foreign Ministry where he would have been boss to his superiors in service and education.

What struck me was that the setting was a unique gathering.

Ambassadors who by their training, exposure and experience, ordinarily, cannot but be Pan Nigerian in their views, and intellectuals who rely on the use of their intellect rather than the prevailing primordial sentiments. These groups of professionals who identify poverty as a major challenge, are in a position to brain storm on the way forward for the country. How to transform the old subsistence farming methods, and turn traditional cattle rearing that sees herdsmen damaging crops, to breeding in given settlements which would make it unnecessary to roam across the country. How do we shift emphasis from sharing national wealth, to true wealth creation and development? How do we ensure that population is not merely a criterion for revenue sharing, but more importantly, for production. Many questions I could not really ask the ambassadors and intellectuals.

should never be construed as a crime in a democracy. A country of disparate peoples can only be held together in peace and harmony by the glues of visionary leadership indexed on tried and tested political structures of equity, fairness, justice, innovation and practicality. This cannot be said of Nigeria.

Look at neighbouring Ghana, which, like Nigeria, is multi-ethnic. Who ever heard of secessionist agitation in that country?

Here is a point made in a June 28, 2012 Memorandum submitted to the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo: “In our socio-political and economic intercourse all groups (big or small) must be allowed free-play and equitable access to our country’s resources and strategic political command posts, including particularly the presidency. Sustained imbalance in sharing responsibilities and the ‘national cake’ could conceivably induce in those units aggrieved a rethink of the value to them of our much vaunted national unity.”

One possible way of checking skepticism on Nigerian unity is the implementation of the report of last year’s National Conference. Unfortunately, chameleons, who throughout their dubious political careers had hoisted the National Conference placard, turned up on the eve of the last presidential ballot to execrate the idea.

*Mr. Omidiora, GM , Ikeja Golf Club, wrote from Lagos.

20—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

UNLESS the unexpected happens, the Federal Government appears set to convene a national conference for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the North East region of Nigeria, if, hopefully we meet the deadline of killing Boko Haram in December. The Chairman of the Victim Support Fund (VSF), retired General Theophilus Danjuma last week told newsmen that the summit will be held on December 7th 2015 in Abuja.

The Federal Government also unfolded what it called the “North East Marshall Plan” (NEMAP), which immediate and long term programme funding is expected to gulp over N200 billion. This fund will be provided from the national treasury, along with assistance that will be provided by international support groups. So, what we are looking at is more of an international collaboration to bring the North East back to its feet when the Boko Haram virus has been effectively removed from national anatomy.

Even though a similar programme loudly proclaimed after the Biafra-Nigeria war was nothing more than a mere empty propaganda, I am genuinely gratified to know that the North East will not be abandoned to its own fate when the war ends.

Religious ideology The North East is fortunate that the nation is not prosecuting the war against Boko Haram with the same sense of sectional revanchist venom and false magnanimity that largely ruled the postcivil war efforts. The nation is suffused with genuine empathy towards a part of it that has been overrun by its own evil sons and daughters feeding on a devilish religious ideology spawned in the dark recesses of the Middle East. Mindless orgies of killing of everyone in sight by Islamist insurgents have led to the death of over 20,000 Nigerians and the uprooting of more than two million innocent citizens from their communities and homes.

As we prepare for this conference, there are certain truths and realities we must bear in mind. The military conquest of Sambisa Forest is not automatically the same thing as the defeat of Boko Haram. Right now, we have conflicting reports from those who should know about the level of progress already made. While the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, wants us to believe that Boko Haram no longer controls “an inch” of Nigeria’s territory, Governor Kassim Shettima of Borno State informs that the insurgents still maintain

Rebuilding the North East together presence in two local government areas and some parts of a third.

I don’t want to be deceived: if Boko Haram no longer occupies any territory, how come it is still organising raids, carrying out suicide bombings and killing people? Why are we getting daily reports of Nigerians being rescued after the insurgents are driven from their hideouts by our gallant troops? Why haven’t we declared the military campaign over with mission accomplished? Why are we still debating whether December is still viable as a deadline for eliminating this threat?

Reading off from my experience and gut feelings, I think we still have a lot to do before we can shout Uhuru or Hosanna.

The military operation will certainly capture, clean up Sambisa Forest and possibly recover some of the abductees, including the surviving Chibok girls. The greater work before us is to ensure that we do not drive fleeing terrorists from Sambisa back into the law-abiding population. There is too much indiscipline, evil-mindedness, religious wickedness, perfidy and questionable loyalties among

Northern Muslims must first of all, purge themselves of their open or hidden loyalties to Boko Haram and its international paymasters. Without that commitment, I am afraid, we are going to dump N200 billion down the drain

our people for many of the insurgents not to escape from the evil Forest and be cozily accommodated within the populace.

Some sections of the North have not been sincere in the war against Boko Haram.

Many Northern Muslims are secret (and sometimes not so secret) supporters of the Islamists. When former President Goodluck Jonathan said there were Boko Haram supporters even in his government, he was only saying the truth which many found too bitter to swallow. During the campaigns towards the 2015 general elections, a Northern governor showed me some threatening text messages he was getting from a variety of sources in the North and lamented that Boko Haram loyalists were “everywhere in the North”, ready to come out when the time was ripe.

If the North had been as sincere as the South in the fight against the terrorists, they would not have even had the chance to balloon into such a terrible monster. At a stage, there was hardly any highly placed or well-to-do Northerner who did not contribute to the insurgents. They gave either to buy their safety and those of their family members under duress, or voluntarily and supportively, or to protect their political interests or hurt those of their political opponents. These are things that usually happen whenever criminals overwhelm society and begin to call the shots.

Luckily and hopefully, the days when Boko Haram had the temerity to cow Northerners and force them to contribute to their upkeep are largely over. We can now separate those who supported out of fear and those who did so out of conviction and begin to round up Boko Haram sponsors. Without doing this, we will give the insurgents a breathing space to replant themselves in another “forest” and pronto, we are back to square one. Northern Muslims must first of all, purge themselves of their open or hidden loyalties to Boko Haram and its international paymasters.

Without that commitment, I am afraid, we

are going to dump N200 billion down the drain.

Having purged themselves of loyalty to Boko Haram, and joined in the apprehension of its sponsors and supporters, the next step will be to embark on an orderly relocation of the displaced persons to their communities. It will be necessary to assist all adults with a minimum amount of money along the lines of General Yakubu Gowon’s “20 Pounds” to former Biafrans. With that they can start life from the scratch. Without it they will be left in total destitution, and the youth among them may go back to Boko Haram or simply join the violent crimes train.

Speaking of the youth, we must set aside a special package for the “Civilian Joint Task Force” or Civilian JTF, the patriotic volunteers who have helped the army with the war on Boko Haram. These chaps have tasted blood and now used to the feel and power of weapons. We must learn from our experiences of the civil war and desist from simply demobilising them to fend for themselves, or they will simply use their firearms to make the North East a hotbed of crimes.

The actual construction work should focus on rebuilding schools, hospitals, roads and the agricultural infrastructure. This is not the time to waste scarce money on churches and mosques. Those should be rebuilt by the adherents of their faiths, not with government funds!

The rebuilding of the North East should not be left to Northern politicians alone, or they will, as usual, put our money into irrelevant matters that will not add much value to the common people. Let us go together to the North East Summit.

Relocation of terrorist from Ekwulobia

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MUST register my delight that the Federal Government has yielded to the demands and concerns of not just Igbos but all Nigerians of goodwill, to remove the Boko Haram detainees from the Ekwulobia town jail in Anambra State.

Kudos to President Muhammadu Buhari for that. The people of the town can now sleep normally.

But I still hope that the Federal Government took adequate care to ensure that the people of the next destination where they were taken are safe. I hope the prison will not be the type that Boko Haram can attack and thus endanger the people. It is not tribal issue but the safety of Nigerians that matters here. Whatever I wish myself, that is what I wish other Nigerians.

OPINION Options before Nigerian states

By Alabi Adekunle "Every adversity in life makes us bitter or better, every problem comes to break us or make us. The choice is ours whether we become victor or victim" - Anil sinha.

A

DVERSITY can be turned into opportunities if only there is a determination to do it. As the quote above goes, adversity has the tendency to bring out the latent talents which would have otherwise remained dormant in prosperous circumstances.

It is a thin line between people who make use of adversity and break records and those who breakdown due to adversity.

Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending. This may be triggered by various events, such as a financial crisis, an external trade shock, an adverse supply shock or the bursting of an economic bubble.

At a point in time, the economy of most countries in the world was affected, a period of global economic slowdown or declining economic output.

It's no longer news that most states in Nigeria are seriously challenged and state governments up until now find it hard to meet up with their major obligations

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including payments of salaries and pensions and embarking on capital projects.

For some time, the revenue accruing into states in Nigeria’s treasury have been dwindling steadily, owing to the glut in the international oil market.

This continuous decline in monthly revenue from Abuja,in addition to the fact that most of the states have one loan or the other to service, hence the call from all angles that states begin to look inward on how they can boost their finances so that they can meet up with the challenges of paying salaries, run governments and at least provide basic amenities for their citizens.

For Nigeria, the state of affairs at the moment is not new. The oil boom had given way to oil doom in the middle of the 1970s, as the glut in the international oil market sent the oil prices tumbling and For Nigeria, crashing. With this came the fall of many economies, the state of Nigeria inclusive. A mono product economy, an oil affairs at the based country could not withmoment is not stand the shocks associated with the global recession. new Several governments that

have served the nation came up with different cushioning measures to salvage the situation. Alhaji Shehu Shagari, President of Nigeria then initiated a series of Austerity Measures and stabilisation policies in 1981.

Generals Buhari and Idiagbon in the 80s introduced a comprehensive package of austerity measures, where it closed the country's land borders for a period to identify and expel illegal alien workers and placed severe restrictions on imports and heavy penalties on smuggling and foreign exchange offenses.

There was the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida that introduced the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which promoted floating interest rates, relaxation of the Indigenization Decrees, controlled the rate of growths of money supply by squeezing domestic credit, placed an embargo on appointments, froze wages and deregulated the economy in general. At the same time, fund to the educational sector was cut by about 35%, schools were closed or merged, subsidies were removed from social services, petroleum and related products, and emphasis was placed on regular debt servicing.

The present situation calls for toughness on the part of the states of the federation. To stay buoyant, they must look inwards, on how they will steer the ship of their state through the stormy weather and land at a safe harbour. *Mr. Adekunle, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Osogbo, Osun State.

NOVEMBER 2, 2015

PET bottles recycling generates 1,800 jobs across value chains Collectors earning N34,000 monthly; N403,000 annually

By FRANKLIN ALLI

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ET bottles recycling, a new line of business which sprang from the foods and beverages industry currently generates about 1,800 jobs across value chains — pickers, collection centres and recycling plants.

PET bottles are containers made of a hydrocarbon called PolyEthylene Terephthalate, or PET, for short.

Investigations revealed that the new industry which focuses on recycling of PET bottles, cans, crown-corks and labels, is being driven by multinational companies operating under an umbrella body called Nigerian Beverage Alliance. Its members comprise Coca-Cola Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nestle Nigeria Plc; Nigeria Bottling Company and Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc. The recycling is done in partnership with Alkem Nigeria Ltd, a former textile

company, which is now using its machines to recycle bottles for beverage industries.

Mr. Clem Ugorji, the Association’s Secretary/ Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Coca-Cola, told Financial Vanguard that although these companies are competing fiercely for market shares, they are also working together behind the scenes to drive the recycling economy.

“We do not want to be part of the problem of waste littering our streets,

COMMISSIONING: Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ivara Esu, commissioning the Calabar office of the Bank of Industry. He is flanked by Managing Director/CEO Bank of Industry, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa (right) and Executive Director, Small and Medium enterprises, Mr Waheed Olagunju during the occasion in Calabar.

canals, instead we want to be part of the success story. We ensure that litters from our products do not constitute hazards to the business, the environment and the economy,” he said.

According to him, across Nigeria’s cities and villages, as in many other developing countries, solid waste, including PET bottles and other nonbiodegradable materials, end up at dumpsites and landfills, often clogging drains and waterways, contributing to health and environmental hazards.

“In response to this challenge, in 2005, Coca-Cola , in collaboration with Alkem Nigeria Limited, a synthetic fiber manufacturer, initiated a buyback and recycling scheme for used PET bottles, regardless of source or brand. Together, the partners launched Nigeria’s first bottles-to-fiber recycling operation. Coca-Cola is the only player in the beverage sector that is investing in this initiative and was joined in 2009 by its bottling partner, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited.

“Coca-Cola funded the creation of the first two collection centers in Lagos, October 2005, and continues to subsidise the cost collection (buyback) to help sustain the project, which has grown to include more than 26 collection centers across 10 cities. The volume of recycled bottles has grown from 135 tons in 2005 to more than 6,200 tons in 2012, with a total of nearly 26,000 tons recycled since project inception.

“In addition to reducing litter from PET bottles, the project employs an estimated 1,800 people, with many earning more than $6 a day (about N1,200 daily, N34 ,000 monthly and over N403,000 per annum, in a country where about 70 per cent of the population lives on less than $2 a day.

Continues on page 22

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Cover

The Basic Guide to Starting Your Business Part 3 WHAT IS NOT BUSINESS? ften time people engage in all sort of shady deals and call it business. This should not be, because any act/trade that is not genuine and is to the detriment of others cannot be called a business, especially if it doesn’t fall within the confines of the law or is aimed at getting profit wrongly. Some of these wrong businesses include, money laundering (government officials), abuse of office, stealing, defrauding, internet scam otherwise known as yahoo-yahoo, 419 and a host of others. If you are involved in any of the above, then you cannot say that you are in a business as the above named are prohibited by the laws of the land and they do not create opportunities. Rather they ruin or cripple the country, portraying it in a very bad light to the rest of the world. It is only a lazy man that looks for an easy way out all the time, not wanting to go through the right process and procedures.

THE MENTALITY OF A BUSINESS MAN: We have discussed what a business is in the previous chapter and what business is not; we have also looked at the importance of self analysis in starting a business as well as the disadvantages and advantages. Now it’s time to talk about the mentality a business man should possess. We cannot underestimate the power of the mind and I make bold to say that that is where every idea and dream is born.

The good book also emphasizes this by saying “as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is”.

When starting a business, you would need to ask yourself if you possess what it takes to run it efficiently and get the desired results. Every successful business man has a mentality and should possess a strong sense of character.

That is why it is important to carry out a self analysis before commencing a business.

The business man does not see failure as a reason to quit; to him failure is a stepping stone that launches him to his next level. He is not afraid but is a risk taker, possessing the utmost desire to succeed; he is not just out to make money, but rather to bridge the gap between demand and supply.

He is a sharp thinker and very witty, seizing every available opportunity to meet the demands of consumers. The following make up the mindset of successful business men.

Optimism Optimism continues to be a primary factor in whether or not an individual will stay focused on goals rather than be thwarted by the negative events that would impede progress.

It is the absolute ideal that leads to achievement as nothing can be done without hope. Therefore, it is the very essence of success.

If you want to have a successful business, it is important that you start out as an optimist, refusing to see impossibilities and obstacles. An optimist is not discouraged, but rather looks for other ways to make things better. A good business man will always diligently search for answers that will work.

He possesses the “yes I can” aura and mentality which will endear him to clients and friends alike.

Before you start a business it is very important that you have a very optimistic mentality, one that is not easily swayed by various obstacles you will encounter in the course of carrying out your business. This is because nobody wants to do business with a pessimist.

Creativity A creative ability is a very vital tool in the hands of a person who intends to start a business, although sometimes even as a business owner there is a risk with being creative; it is not possible to do something the same way and expect a different outcome. You have to be very dynamic in your choice and approach to the business you intend to start. Brainstorm a list of possibilities no matter how wild it seems. Look for the unusual but plausible.

Enhanced creativity when looking at possible business solutions increases the flow of ideas within the framework of a set of desired goals.

O

FORUM - From left: CEO, Almond Productions Limited,Faith Ughwode; Guest Speaker, Almond 2015 Insurance Consumers Forum, Mrs Ekaete Augustine-Edet; Chairman of the Occasion,Sir Muftau Oyegunle;and MD/CEO, Custodian Life, Mr Larry Ademeso,at the Almond 2015 Insurance Consumers Forum in Lagos.

PET bottles recycling generates 1,800 jobs across value chains Continues from page 21 The synthetic fiber produced is valuable raw material that supports various local industries in producing textiles, mattresses, pillows, sofas, roofing sheets and insulation for buildings. Coca-Cola alone has invested $1 million (about N2 billion) in waste recycling plants,” he stated.

According to him, the vision ofCoca Cola is to build an effective nationwide recycling economy that would ensure that our streets, drains and dump sites are rid of PET bottles in particular. He called on Nigerians who have money to come on board and invest in the industry because of the huge returns on investment and that 80 per cent of the 36 states lack recycling infrastructure.

An expert on recycline, Mr. Kayode Ogunbiyi, who is also the Managing Director of Resource Renewables, said it was high time for producers of wastes to take responsibility for recycling. In a presentation on “Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and the Producer Responsibility Organisations (PRO) , he urged the federal government to come up with laws to regulate the industry through National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, adding that this is what obtained in the European Union and the USA. However, Mrs. Miranda Amachree, Director, Inspection and Enforcement NESREA, hailed the emergence of the new industry, the brains behind it and expressed hope that it will have a huge positive impacts on the economy.

C M Y K

Financial Vanguard spoke to some waste collectors in some parts of Lagos metropolis. It was discovered that the pickers are mostly youths from Northern parts of the country. One of them, who gave his name as Ayuba, said he and his colleagues start work as early as 7.30 am to pick the plastic bottles and cans from different locations and even buy some from people at N5 per bottle depending on the litres.

“We pick any brands of PET

bottles with or without cap and wrapper, ensure they are empty and free of water and sand. At the collection centres they are weighed in 30-50 kilograms,” he said. When asked how much they make each day, he said “N800-1,500, depending on the volume of picks. Another picker with truck loaded with four bags, said each bag contains 20-30 pet bottles and is sold for N20 per bag. He said that in a day, he makes up to N1,200.

Nigeria's hospitality business hits N562bn

By Princewill Ekwujuru

T

he hospitality business in Nigeria is now peaking at N562 billion as at last year.

This was disclosed by SlimTrader, West Africa Vocation Education, WAVE, a technology/e-commerce solution provider.

In a chat with Vanguard, Femi Akinde, Managing Director, SlimTrader, said: “The Hospitality industry in Nigeria is worth approximately N562 billion ($3billion) in 2014 and still growing.

Akinde said Nigeria does not have enough hotels. “We just have 7,000 hotels for 70 million adults, excluding people coming into the country. If we consider the internal travels that happen in Nigeria, 7,000 hotels are probably not enough to accommodate all of the people that are looking for rooms.”

Nnenna Onyewuchi, a Board Member of WAVE, added, “I think hospitality business in Nigeria is in transition, I think

the entrant of international brands have changed the game and I think that the Nigerian customers are beginning to demand a better, quality of service. I am certain that is why today, Nigerian customers are not ready to deal with any kind of service; they are demanding a better and courteous service.

“People in the hospitality business need a better quality employee; this is where WAVE comes in. It is not that you just need someone who can take an order and go, we also need someone who can talk to people, who is able to be pleasant, who is able to deal with difficult customers.”

What we are seeing is the formalisation of retail and an improvement of the customer service experience in general and across the board, it is causing people to demand for better customer service and that requires better customer service representatives.

“As the Nigerian economy continues to grow and expand, we have seen a real growth in the formal retail business."

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 23

We bring you the readers' reactions to some issues raised on this column.

Oyeye:

K

udos to the author of this article as it really makes sense to someone like me that lived in the United States for almost three decades. Providing credit facilities will certainly discourage corruption to a large extent and stimulate the economy. However, the practical approach for actualising this strategy is still missing as banks have no way to track borrowers. The BVN that is ongoing may help in that direction, including the National ID that servants are not sure of their some selfish Nigerians have future wellbeing is wasting of been suppressing for political time or “noise-making”. reasons up till now. If the Buhari administration is ready Emmanuel Kalu: Most to move this country forward, sensible Nigerians continue to the National ID card must beat their head against the become compulsory for all wall, because we can’t solve Nigerians, including every simple problems that have child born daily. And in been solved across the world. combination with the BVN, There is no problem facing banks can begin to give out Nigeria today that has not loans with the hope of tracking been experienced by other people they give loans to; and countries. Nigeria only needs credit ratings for individuals to study it, copy it and refine it and institutions can commence to fit Nigeria, yet we continue thereafter. The National to fail to do this. And the Assembly should commence reason is simple, money is still legislation for this as soon as flowing from oil and we have possible. useless leaders. Developing mortgage scheme and D a n i e l O s a z u w a : I consumer credit would take completely agree with you. Nigerian economy to new But the miss-norma here is height, and yes, like the writer the so called private sector- said, it would reduce driven economy. Planning for corruption. How can you stop our economy to be private corruption when the average sector-led is like trying to worker is not getting paid well place a 24-wheeler truck fully enough, and the little he gets loaded on top of a Kia Picanto is delayed by months? Our and expect it to move. Even leadership has failed us, and if in countries where listed we don’t understand that and companies are sometimes make the necessary change, 800% of their GDP, the we would continue to be in the government still funds the same spot 55 years from now. mortgage sector like the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Banfi: Very correct, only If the Government can bail out Nigerians like big things. the banks and connect Instead of building a one, two private borrowers with more or three-bedrroom flat like in than N4 trillion through overseas they will go for duplex AMCON, it can create a sort of above their income thereby Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac leading to corruption.We have here in Nigeria. Trying to fight a long way to go. corruption when civil

Consumer credit and mortgage financing can help fight corruption

•President Buhari

The kind of ministers Nigeria needs now Emmanuel kalu: Very good article and straight to the point. No matter what anyone said, our last agriculture minister was a minister that knew how farming worked, and was ready to get down. We need ministers like that, ministers that know how to make Nigeria work, ministers that would find local solution

to our problems, instead of wasting money on foreign import.

Truth forever: The author has beamed the light on the right spot but our economic drivers in Nigeria are theorists who gallivant on news headlines parading our street in several guises blabbing nonsense on what I call “routine administration - a trial by error type of a government”- the rabble rousers .

One quick lesson that quickly comes to register on people's

mind after the election was the body language by the presidency that removed what is called federal character from national service and replaced it with a determined 'North must control every sector of Nigerian life at all cost.' And the moment people noticed the sudden change of the presidency especially on his first list of aides appointed at the Villa, the spirit of workingtogether for Change suddenly fell, and the rest is history.

Yes, people have lost hope in this government of change, which hopefully was expected to be national with all intent and purposes, but now only Baba’s crusade alone- yes only Mr President is running the show. The issue at the NASS, ministerial embarrassing list, sleazes here and there reported on our ex-governors who are actually the front-line army for the change, militants unleashing terror at will, kidnapping going unabated, economy squeezing without notice- naira having the heaviest fall in decades, the only formal economic activity - oil - yet to take structure within national, regional and international trades and with worst selling reports in decade - currently at $48 per barrel.

And lastly, probing of past leadership remaining selective - the administration for Change promised probing only the immediate past government but recent development indicates the post has shifted.

Business & Economy Nigeria is most expensive country to buy car in West Africa — Survey

By JONAH NWOKPOKU

A

survey conducted by Nigeria’s online vehicle m a r k e t p l a c e , Carmudi.com has shown that Nigeria is the most expensive country to buy a car when compared to its neighbouring West African countries.

The study which focused on the used car model manufactured between 2008 and 2013 provided insights into the price difference across some of the surveyed countries in West Africa.

According to the study, Nigeria is the most expensive country to buy a car in Western Africa, with an average price of $19,547 dollars which is about N3.9 million while that

of Senegal and Ghana are about $18,923 and $17,654 respectively. From the studies, Nigeria, Senegal and Ghana rank the top three in most expensive countries to buy a car.

The study noted that in 2013, Nigeria imported more than 500, 000 unit of cars, 75 per cent of which were used cars.

Although the number of used cars imported in 2014 and 2015 reduced, Nigerians surveyed in the study agreed it was because of the increase in custom tariff rather than availability of locally manufactured cars.

The study however revealed that despite being the most expensive country to buy a used car in West Africa, Nigeria still has a high

demand for cars. It noted that even though the middle class has grown three times larger in the last decade and a half, very few brand new cars have been purchased.

Carmudi pointed out that one

of the difficulties Nigerians experience in the purchase of brand new cars is the lack of vehicle financing options as finance institutions give car loans with very high interest rates.

Speaking on the findings, Managing Director of Carmudi Nigeria, Amy Muoneke called for affordable loan options to aid people who wish to own locally manufactured cars.

Equatorial Guinea promotes new offshore exploration in 2016

F

ollowing the success of its 2012 and 2014 bidding rounds, the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy of Equatorial Guinea has announced it will launch a new bidding round for all remaining deep and ultradeepwater blocks in 2016.

Two operators have confirmed

they will further explore prospects in Equatorial Guinea in 2016: RoyalGate Energy will drill Block Z and Brazil’s G3 Oleo e Gas will drill Block EG-01.

“In a sustained environment of low oil prices, Equatorial Guinea continues to be attractive for deepwater

exploration,” said Minister of Mines, Industry and Energy Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima.

“The start of two more exploration drilling campaigns in 2016 reinforces the fact that our contract terms are competitive and appealing to international explorers.”

24— Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 25

Banking & Finance

Union Bank: Sustaining growth with refreshed Identity

Forex: CBN should limit PTA, BTA businesses to BDCs

B

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

I

n a bid to sustain its steady growth, reflected in its Third quarter 2015 result released last week, Union Bank launched a refreshed brand identity, designed to rekindle public confidence and attract increased customer patronage across the country.

“As we go into the final quarter of the year, we expect to sustain this level of performance, leveraging on our new brand identity”, said the bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Mrs Oyinkan Adewale in a statement announcing the bank’s third quarter 2015 financial results.

Financial results On October 26, the Union Bank Plc released its unaudited report for the third quarter, which indicated significant growths in gross and net earnings. According to the results, gross earnings and profit before tax grew by 11 per cent each while total assets rose by 10.3 per cent to N1.02 trillion. Gross earnings rose to N86.4 billion in third quarter 2015. Net interest income grew by four per cent from N37.2 billion in third quarter 2014 to N38.8 billion in 2015. Profit before tax rose to N13.17 billion as against N11.89 billion recorded in comparable period of 2014 while profit after tax increased from N11.79 billion to N13.08 billion.

Other highlights of the results showed that net operating income was up two per cent to N55.5 billion from N54.5 billion in Q3 2014. Total expenses were down by two per cent to N42.3 billion from N43.1 billion in the corresponding period in 2014. Customer deposit also increased four per cent, rising to N526.1 billion from N507.4 billion in the corresponding period.

Mrs. Adewale, in her remarks, stated: “We are pleased with the financial performance of the bank during a particularly challenging period for the industry as a whole. “Our loan impairment charges continue to reflect our cautious approach to loan growth and our outlook as we anticipate the impact of economic headwinds on business activity. Even as we continue to invest in our branch infrastructure and step up marketing and communications initiatives, total expenses for the period are two per cent lower than the same period in 2014.

Also commenting on the

report, the bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, said, “Looking towards the end of the year, we remain confident that the fundamentals of our business will remain s t r o n g , spurred by t h e momentum of our refreshed brand. As we get set to launch Union Bank’s new identity, we have entered a new phase of our transformation.

Our new brand identity positions us competitively in the industry and we are confident in our ability to deliver a superior customer experience to our existing customers and attract a new base of customers.”

Refreshed brand identity The next day after the results were announced, which was Wednesday October 27th, the bank unveiled a refreshed brand identity. “From today, a new chapter begins”, declared the bank’s chairman, Senator Udo Udoma, at the unveiling ceremony, held at the historic Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

“This is an iconic institution,” he said about Union Bank.

“There is virtually nobody across the country that has not in some fashion interacted with the brand”, stated, Emuwa, Union Bank’s CEO, while standing with Udoma to unveil the new identity.

Established in 1917 and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1971, Union Bank is a household name and one of Nigeria’s long standing and most respected financial institutions. With an extensive

Our iconic white stallion, which represents strength and passion, is now in motion, cantering forward with energy and dynamism

•Emuwa, MD/CEO, Union Bank network of over 300 branches across the country, the bank is a trusted and recognisable brand.

After a countdown from nine to zero, the massive structure behind the platform was revealed to be a mammoth replica of the bank’s iconic white stallion, in a different form that suggests increased smartness and agility. “Building a simpler, smarter bank” became the new tagline.

“We believe that the critical milestones we have achieved in the past three years have laid a solid foundation for us as a bank,” Emuwa said. “The launch of this refreshed identity signals a new phase in Union Bank’s transformation as we set our sights on attracting a new base of customers while remaining focused on providing simple and smart banking solutions to all our customers.”

Since 2012, under the leadership of Emuwa, Union Bank began rebuilding its banking business, by redefining its business model, rebuilding its technology, physical infrastructure and reengineering its work force.

During this period, the bank has rolled out a new banking platform, Oracle FlexcubeUBS 12.0, and launched Smarter Banking Centres targeted at technology savvy customers looking for convenient banking service. The bank has also built a state-of-the-art data centre, and a new Central Processing Centre to streamline its branch operations and enhance customer service.

“Union Bank has been a trusted name for Nigerians for nearly a century, and we will continue to leverage our heritage as we embrace a rapidly changing world,” Emuwa noted.

Explaining the thought-

processes behind new the brand identity, the bank’s Head of Corporate Affairs and Corporate Communications, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, said, “Union Bank is one of the longest standing financial institutions in Nigeria and our new identity pays homage to our past, and carries with it our proposition for the future. In developing the new identity, remaining true to our brand proposition of simplicity was foremost in our minds. Our iconic white stallion, which represents strength and passion, is now in motion, cantering forward with energy and dynamism. We have introduced a modern typeface and updated our colour to a fresher and more vibrant blue.

Finally, we have included patterns to infuse a contemporary feel to the overall identity.”

Speaking with journalists after the fireworks of the launch, Udoma shared his thoughts about what the new identity means.

“We want the brand to show and demonstrate what Union Bank is about. Union Bank is a customer-focused bank. It’s a bank that addresses all the needs of all our customers. It’s a bank which is very responsive. We want a simple, accessible banking service that anybody can be able to access.

And we want it to be smart. That means we anticipate your needs and meet them. That’s why it’s a simpler, smarter bank,” he said.

“What we’ve said is that we are building a simpler, smarter bank,” Emuwa explained. “The simplicity is for our customers.

The smarter means that every day, we look at doing things better and smarter than we did yesterday, so that it can be easier for our customers. So, it’s a continuum.

ureaux De Change (BDC) Owners have called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make foreign exchange transactions relating to Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) and Business Travel Allowance (BTA) exclusive businesses of BDCs. This call was made during the second BDC Owners Forum’s meeting held in Lagos last week.

Presently, banks and BDCs are allowed to sell foreign exchange for PTA and BTA. The BDC owners however stated that, “The CBN should disengage banks from the sales of PTA and BTA and make it an exclusive preserve for BDC operation.”

The BDC owners also called on the CBN to extend the deadline for use of BVN as criteria for foreign exchange transactions. Consequently, they mandated the leadership of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) to write a position paper on the CBN’s reintroduction of the BVN. “The position paper should seek for an extension in the deadline for compliance on the use of the BVN while emphasizing the resolve of ABCON members to comply with the CBN circular and that we are indeed ready to partner with the regulatory authority on its monetary and fiscal policies”, they stated.

The meeting however lamented the gap between the official and parallel market exchange rates and resolved to take measures to reduce the gap drastically. The gap between the two exchange rates as at Friday October 30th was N20 with the interbank market rate at N197 per dollar and the parallel market rate at N227 per dollar.

The measures include publication of the names, addresses and contact details of BDCs in national dailies and publication of foreign exchange rates in national dailies. To complement this, the BDC owners also agreed to constitute a price control mechanism committee for the purpose of ensuring price and market stability.

In order to address the lingering crisis in ABCON, the umbrella body of BDCs, the BDC owners resolved to form a reconciliation committee, with membership comprising BDC owners and CBN officials.

The committee is to mediate on all matters of discord between aggrieved factions of the Association.

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26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Corporate Report

Cadbury Nigeria: Out of the red, into the pink C

adbury Nigeria has moved out a net loss of N250.7 million in the second quarter into a profit level that keeps it on the edge of slipping off again. The beverage manufacturing company suffered a big profit slash last year and this year another major profit drop is keeping it swinging between profit and loss. The company returned to profit in 2010 after many years of sustained losses. It seems to have run out of the operating steam again that empowered its turnaround five years ago.

Management is keeping costs in check but the problem is stagnating sales revenue. It has not been able to grow turnover reasonably since 2012 and it closed 2014 operations with the lowest turnover in four years.

A further drop happened at the end of the third quarter in September, indicating that the sales revenue could fall to the 2010 level at the end of 2015.

A robust finance income used to be a major strength on the income statement but that fell by 81% in 2014 and has fallen by another 63% as at the end of the third quarter. The robust cash flow and huge cash balances that used to produce huge interest income have thinned down considerably.

The company hasn’t yet returned to the injurious bank borrowings that hurt it badly in the past but it may not be that far from it going forward. The ability to smell profit at all at this time rests on the absence of any finance charges.

Inability to grow sales revenue warrants a strategic look at the company ’s products. Sales revenue closed 10% down year-on-year at N21.07 billion for the company at the end of the third quarter.

The full year expectation is N29.2 billion – the same revenue figure it generated in 2010. It will be a decline of 3.3% from the sales revenue of N30.52 billion the company posted at the end of 2014. Sales revenue dropped by 15% in 2014 to stand at the lowest figure since 2011.

Cadbury Nigeria closed the third quarter operations with a net profit of N28.5 million, which is a drop of 98% from the net profit figure of N1.65 million in the same period last year. It is however a big recovery from loss of N250.7 million in the second quarter.

The likely full year position is dicey, as it could swing to either side of profit or loss. After tax profit fell by 75% in 2014 from a peak figure of N6.02 billion in 2013 to N1.51 billion, the lowest profit in four years.

The ability to convert revenue into profit weakened C M Y K

VISIT: From left: Head, Public Relations, Airtel Nigeria, Adefemi Adeniran; Registrar/CEO, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), Sunday Adeyemi with Director, Human Resources, Airtel Nigeria, Gbemiga Owolabi during the courtesy visit of the CIPM team to the telco’s Banana Island headquarters, Lagos.

Top Earnings Projections 2015 Company Seplat Pet Nestle Mobil Oil Dangote Cem Total Nig 7-up Lafarge Africa NB ForteOil Julius Berger Zenith Bank GTB ETI considerably in 2014. Net profit margin sank from 16.8% in 2013 to 5% in the year. Profit

EPS N - Full year

30.72 30.0 14.13 12.51 13.23 13.10 8.87 4.58 5.37 3.64 3.55 3.44 2.91

margin has virtually thinned out at 0.1% at the end of the third quarter of the current year.

Costs failed to go down with sales revenue and this is true of all the main cost lines of the company.

Cost of sales was flat yearon-year at the end of the third quarter Apart from the decline in sales revenue, other incomes have also continued to drop.

Finance income, which boosted the bottom line in 2013, dropped by 81% to N331 million in 2014. It dropped further by 63% to N114 million

at the end of the third quarter.

Also, other income, which dropped by 35% in 2014 is further down by 63% to N93 million at the end of September.

The large profit drop against a 10% drop in sales revenue is explained by sticky cost behaviour. Costs failed to go down with sales revenue and this is true of all the main cost lines of the company. Cost of sales was flat year-on-year at the end of the third quarter, caused nearly a drop of 26.5% in gross profit to N6.40 billion at the end of the third quarter.

Marketing and administrative cost was also flat at N6.38 billion over the same period, claiming 30.3% of revenue against 27.3% in the same period last year.

The summary of the company’s operating story is that income lines are down and costs are sticky.

The company’s balance sheet was still free of interest bearing debts as at the end of September and this is a major operating advantage for the company. Since the company exited its balance sheet debts with fresh capital injection it has operated with an entirely debt free balance sheet.

Changes in the balance sheet have helped the company’s cash flow position significantly.

Trade and other receivables have dropped by 19% to N4.96 billion from the closing figure last December and inventories are down by 4% to N2.30 billion during the same period.

Trade and other payables increased by 2% to N13.76 billion and cash and bank balances grew by 23% to N4.54 billion. These developments explain a drastic change from a net cash of only N37.8 million generated in operating activities in the prior year to a net cash generation of N1.94 billion at the end of the third quarter.

We created online print shop to drive SME growth —Printivo CEO O

luyomi Ojo is the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s first online print shop, Printivo.com. Founded in 2014, Printivo’s digital printing innovations have earned it several industry recognitions.

These include N2 million from the Etisalat EasyBusinessmillionnaire hunt grant for SMEs and winner of start-up of the year 2014 award by the Creative Entrepreneur Association of Nigeria Creative Industries Award. Printivo was also represented in the 2014 online printing Symposium that

took place in Germany. In this interview with Jonah Nwokpoku, he explained that Pintivo.com was inspired by the need to drive the growth of Small and Medium Enterprise, SMEs in Nigeria. Excerpts What is Printivo?

Printivo is an online print shop. It is a one-stop shop for your basic printing needs. Take for instance you are starting a business and needs business cards, just log on to Printivo.com, pick a template you like and edit in real time to your taste, choose the quantity

•Oluyomi Ojo you want and then submit it and pay with your credit card. We will print and ship to your door

step anywhere you are in Nigeria. Printivo goes beyond business cards, we also do letterheads, envelopes, flyers, we are also moving into customised kits now and we are also adding large formats products like banners, wedding gifts etc. So people now have the power to sit in the comfort of their offices and homes and place orders on Printivo.com for print products and Printivo will ship the products within three days if the orders are coming from Lagos and five days outside Lagos.

What inspired you into this line of business?

I have had several years of experience in advertising and Continues on page 27

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 27

Corporate Report Stock Market Guide - Mike Uzor- 08035810522; findataservicesng@gmail.com Yea r Full Year Forecast

Mos t Activel y 3rd quarter report, 2015 Traded Equi ties Turnover NetProfit Net Profit Margin % Nb Nb

EPS K

Turnover Nb

PAT Nb

EPS K

Prior Year EPS N

Vol. of Shares m

LastDiv/ Closing Share PriceN— K 30/10/15

One Week Chng N

to Da te %

Fi ve-y ear Earni ngs Tr end Nb Yr. 14

13

12

11

Rev 8.65 PAT 1.55

8.86 2.09

10.15 8.95

11.12 6.09 10.52 1.63

9.14 2.60

8.49 1.34

11.25 3.55

8.54 1.78

-44.3

41.34 3.30

18.82 6.96

13.24 2.53

13.90 13. 93 5.86 5.39

-2.52

-22.1

85.65 10.73

78.71 9.87

69.63 7.04

59.64 52.3 3.41 3.19

38.81

-1.18

-36.0

196.81 212.74 8.24 7.85

201.56 167.4 171.9 8.01 4.41 2.40

70

7.03

-1.54

-26.0

11.70 3.59

12.04 2.18

1,506

320

125.00

-17.20

-25.7

+ 118.50

0.59

3,294

32

16.00

-1.00

-31.5

+20.65 18.49 1.95 2.10

458

5.62

7,929

120½

136.85

-0.17

-17.2

266.37 268.61 252.67 42.52 43.08 38.04

8.4

1,310

11.12

641

250

196.00

0.00

18.5

45.4

-

-

-1.24

5,000

20

2.55

-0.15

77

98.5

12.8

106

0.97

12,000

60

6.92

2.7

347

-

-

-

1.93

2,624

160

0.47

16.4

18

12.1

2.2

83

0.70

2,649

21.07

0.03

0.1

2

29.2

-

-

0.75

Nestle

107.98

17.24

16.0

2,174

145.4

23.8

3,001

Vitafoam

13.84

0.34

2.4

34

17.6

0.44

PZ Cussons¼

14.95

0.43

2.9

11

62.3

Unilever Nig

42.70

0.141

0.3

4

Access Bank

257.59

48.09

18.7

Diamond Bank

156.54

15.97

ETI

411.83

Fidelity Bank2 / 4

Okomu Oil2 / 4

4.99

1.84

36.9

85

9.07

1.94

2.03

1.62

954

25

29.02

-1.54

14.5

Presco 2 / 4

4.68

1.19

25.4

119

7.72

2.0

200

2.68

1,000

10

30.50

0.00

24.5

Transcorp

30.43

5,89

19.3

7

41.71

8.4

11

0.0

38,721

6

1.81

-0.26

UACN 2 / 4

37.37

1.04

2.9

40

75.52

2.4

91

3.40

1,921

175

26.48

Julius Berger 2 / 4

77.82

2.26

2.9

177

157.3

4.8

364

6.13

1,320

270

UAC-Property 2 / 4

3.50

-1.58

-45.1

-91

8.8

-

-

2.09

1,375

Guinness¼

21.74

0.36

1.7

24

89.2

1.62

107

6.36

Int. Breweries¼

5.22

0.42

8.0

13

22.4

1.98

60

Nig. Breweries

214.92

26.18

12.2

330

288.6

36.3

7-Up¼

23.15

1.96

8.5

306

94.4

Dangote Flour 2 / 4

21.97

[6.78]

-30.9

-135

Dangote Sugar

73.05

9.33

12.8

Flour Mills of Nig.4 / 4

308.76

8.47

Nascon ¼

2.87

Cadbury

7.79

11.30 3.15

10.80 2.03

10

5.39 1.10

8.19 2.32

109.20 122.46 123.7 109.4 9.57 11.86 14.93 13.74 17.39 2.33

9.91 0.20

4.79 0.20

226.2 185.7 38.4 30.3

+82.45 7.12

77.89 6.43

59.86 2.07

41.07 1.89

34.86 1.53

-44.0

41.27 -6.11

29.96 -7.22

66.28 0.47

67.60 2.76

61.39 5.53

0.53

9.0

94.85 103.15 11.63 10.85

21.16

0.16

-46.0

90

7.00

-0.41

12.5

11.25 1.87

10.84 2.70

1,878

65

20.15

0.15

-49.6

30.52 1.51

35.76 6.02

33.55 3.46

28.04

793

1,000½ 825.01

-4.99

-18.5

143.33 22.23

45

0.63

983

30

5.33

0.00

32.3

2.6

65

1.16

3,970

81

24.00

-1.00

58.4

0.20

5

0.64

3,783

125

38.68

201

345.6

64.5

282

1.88

22,888

60

10.2

68

210.2

22.9

99

1.10

23,160

60.42

14.7

219

552.2

81.7

291

314

71.89

8.21

11.4

57

145.8

16.7

58

FBNH

390.90

50.22

12.8

147

523.5

67.7

FCMB2 / 4

77.35

8.30

10.7

42

157.3

GTB

229.37

75.16

32.8

265

Skye Bank

129.24

12.58

9.7

Stanbic Bank2 / 4

68.29

9.69

Sterling Bank

81.81

UBA

2013

106.87 107. 22 89.98 10.80 7.156 11.28

+308.76 325.79 258.27 161. 8 157.1 8.47 5.37 8.21 10.09 13.37 8.89 1.65

8.77 1.84

34.10 3.68

29.2 1.18

133.08 22.26

116.71 97.96 21.14 16.50

80.1 12.6

16.71 0.43

16.81 0.39

14.48 0.54

14.52 10.62 0.52 0.51

0.8

+ 73.13 4.57

72.90 5.08

71.34 5.32

72.16 65. 88 2.41 5.22

-4.17

8.0

55.74 2.41

60.0 4.81

55.55 5.60

54.72 5.49

4.60

-0.42

-30.3

206.89 36.30

206.50 135. 63 91.14 39.33 15.83 11.24

10

2.62

-0.24

-53.0

208.40 181.20 138.85 96.31 91.02 25.48 28.50 22.11 -11.22 1.29

28,030

62 2013

18.60

0.50

0.1

489.25 319.56 65.68 23.57

362.14 235. 97 169.9 42.61 32.06 19.8

0.48

28,963

18

1.42

-0.05

-12.3

132.40 126.92 13.80 7.72

119.14 70.05 56.05 18.20 5.47 5.97

188

2.55

35,896

10

5.10

-0.83

-42.0

480.62 395.94 82.84 70.63

359.25 296.3 231.0 75.67 45.67 33.41

17.4

88

1.12

19,803

30

1.96

-0.23

-21.3

148.64 131.0 22.13 16.0

116.83 80.51 62.67 15.12 -9.91 7.93

307.6

101.2

344

3.33

29,432

170

23.09

-1.41

-8.3

278.52 242.66 98.69 90.02

223.06 188. 80 153.9 86.96 52.12 37.92

86

173.5

17.5

126

0.75

13,879

30

1.99

-0.12

-25.2

136.74 127.34 127.73 9.74 18.53 12.64

104.8 83.98 5.22 10.30

14.2

80

138.6

20.79

208

2.93

10,000

90½

18.91

-4.09

-30.0

130.61 111.23 32.06 20.77

63.38 56.74 5.67 9.45

7.55

9.2

26

110.1

10.5

36

0.42

28,790

25

2.05

-0.09

-19.3

247.21

48.56

19.6

143

332.4

66.2

182

1.56

36,280

50

3.50

-0.55

-18.6

Union Bank

84.72

9.34

11.0

55

114.2

12.8

75

1.51

16,936

100

5.80

0.05

-31.8

135.80 121.40 117.21 26.82 3.84 3.95

Zenith Bank

336.85

83.09

24.7

264

451.6

111.6

355

3.16

31,396

175

17.60

-0.10

-4.4

403.34 99.45

351.47 307.08 3244.1 192.5 95.32 100.15 43.92 37.33

Fidson

6.16

0.47

7.6

32

8.8

0.65

43

0.42

1,500

10

3.41

0.41

-12.6

9.72 0.632

9.25 0.155

7.17 0.21

7.10 0.31

Glaxo

23.04

0.48

2.1

51

31.6

0.66

55

1.93

1,196

130

38.20

-1.79

-23.6

30.52 1.85

29.18 2.92

25.31 2.82

21.52 16.86 2.30 1.98

Ashakacem

14.55

3.70

25.4

165

19.8

5.2

232

2.04

2,239

42

23.00

0.00

5.0

21.13 4.57

21.69 2.82

21.82 3.12

20.78 19.15 2.89 3.0

Berger Paints

2.15

0.21

9.8

71

3.1

0.29

100

0.51

290

70

9.77

-0.57

8.6

3.08 0.15

2.71 0.25

2.51 0.18

2.57 0.23

2.76 0.44

CAP

5.10

1.17

23.0

167

7.12

1.68

328

2.37

700

100

38.00

0.00

1.3

6.99 1.66

6.19 1.42

5.23 1.12

4.31 1.05

3.64 0.88

CCNN

11.50

1.65

14.3

131

15.7

2.4

191

1.53

1,256

35

7.93

-0.03

-19.9

15.12 1.92

15.31 1.56

15.12 1.20

13.90 2.30

11.2 1.27

Dangote Cem

365.45

157.99

43.2

980

489.4

213.2

1,251

9.42

17,043

600

163.03

0.02

-18.5

391.64 386.18 159.50 201.20

298.45 235.90 235.7 145.02 125. 90 105.3

Lafarge Africa

168.14

29.52

17.6

633

225.5

38.7

887

7.38

4,362

330

96.01

-1.49

19.3

205.84 206.07 34.66 60.95

87.96 14.71

Oando

95.78

-47.80

-49.9

-418

123.6

-

-

-13.80

8,869

70½ 2013 6.01

-3.95

-62.7

Conoil 2 / 4

43.03

0.36

0.8

52

88.9

0.87

125

1.20

694

100

27.41

0.00

-28.1

128.35 159. 54 0.83 3.07

Forte Oil

91.61

4.28

4.7

259

124.2

5.8

537

2.20

1,311

400

290.00

0.00

27.2

170.13 4.46

128.03 5.0

90.98 117.0 132.7 1.01 -19.53 -2.75

Mobil Oil

45.33

3.65

8.1

1,012

62.4

5.1

1,413

17.73

361

660

154.00

0.00

-2.5

79.58 6.39

78.74 3.48

80.80 2.88

62.10 3.75

MRS Oil 2 / 4

36.98

0.04

0.1

15

75.4

-

-

2.94

254

74.96

49.66

0.00

-6.7

92.35 0.75

87.79 0.63

79.73 0.21

71.49 74.78 0.62 1.85

Total Nig2 / 4

111.97

1.97

1.8

580

226.6

4.5

1,323

13.03

340

1,100

150.01

0.00

5.3

240.62 4.42

238.16 217.84 173.9 160.6 5.33 4.67 3.81 5.44

ASL 2 / 4

2.05

0.10

5.1

24

4.5

0.25

39

0.28

634

12

1.85

0.00

8.8

3.55 0.170

3.50 0.09

NAHCO

6.32

0.52

8.2

33

8.8

0.71

44

0.39

1,625

40

4.02

-0.38

-19.0

8.13 0.57

8.09 0.82

245.22 42.98

10.31 2.18

91.86 8.87

103.68 91. 74 68.86 47.74 9.0 8.27 6.95 6.91 290.02 264.69 220.13 184. 8 47.91 46.60 51.37 -6.80

424.68 -183.89

½-I n teri m di vi d en d ; ¼ - 1s t q ua r ter ; 2 /4 - 2n d qu a r ter ; ¾- 3r d qua r ter ; 4 / 4 -F ul l y ear ; +2 01 5

449.87 1.40

85.10 -82.55

46.81 4.18

34.34 5.04 177.6 0.67 130. 4 112.1

5.10 0.47

62.5 8.51

43.8 4.88

650.56 378. 9 10.79 14.37

336.8 10.1

149.99 157.51 102.8 0.71 3.0 2.79

3.60 0.22 7.40 0.59

58.34 3.89

3.56 0.24

3.84 0.18

7.14 0.80

6.35 1.18

We created online print shop to drive SME growth Continues from Page 26 graphic designs and one of the major problems we had then was that we could not work for SMEs. This was always because of the quantity they wanted to print, their budgets and the kinds of projects that they had. Take for example someone wants to start a small business, all he needs is a business card with a simple logo, maybe 200 copies and his entire budget is not even up to N20,000. So usually bigger printing and design companies will turn down such projects because they consider that the time that would have been spent on such projects would be better used for blue-chip company projects. So we saw this opportunity and decided to launch a solution for small scale businesses. This does not mean that we cannot attend to the big companies but we have special tailored solutions for SMEs. How relevant is your business model to the growth of SMEs and printing industry in Nigeria?

Every industry needs its own type of innovation. And what Printivo is bringing is innovation and technology to the printing industry. We believe that this will definitely revolutionise how Nigerians print. The culture of having to wait for days, low quality printing, the culture of having to go back and forth to print shops is what we are changing with Printivo.com.

And the biggest winners will be the consumers and the printing industry. The customers now have better and smarter option.

Print in its own way adds tangibility to businesses. It gives you something to feel and touch about any business.

Besides that, what we are doing is to boost the creative industry itself. We have things we are working on for graphic designers and people in the creative industry. Part of what we are doing now is to drive growth in the graphic design industry itself. This is an industry that everyone has always overlooked. This is basically because it’s a place you find a lot of freelancers and people that do not even have registered businesses. At the moment, no one is looking at the kind of growth that will be driven in that segment. In the next couple of years, we are looking at how what we are doing will have impact on SMEs, printing industry and eventually on the creative industry as a whole.

What we are doing does not mean that people will change the way they do business offline. It simply means that more growth will be driven via technology. The print industry as a whole is experiencing its largest form of technological innovation in its history.

How much technical

Continues on page 34

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

C M Y K

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 29

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 29

30—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Corporate Finance

Vetiva Fund Managers lists suite of 3 ETFs

T

he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has listed Vetiva Sector Series Exchange Traded Funds, a suite of 3 (Three) Exchange Traded funds to be managed by Vetiva Fund Managers Limited.

These comprise of the Vetiva Banking ETF, the Vetiva Consumer Goods ETF and the Vetiva Industrial Goods ETF. The Vetiva Sector Series ETFs are open-ended equity-based sector exchange traded funds which are designed to individually track the NSE Banking Index, NSE Consumer Goods Index and NSE Industrial Index. The investment objective of the ETFs is to replicate the price and yield performance of the relevant Indices.

The Vetiva Sector Series ETFs are the first sector-based ETFs to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange following the listing of the Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund (the first equity ETF to be listed in Nigeria) in March 2014.

The Managing Director of Vetiva Fund Managers Limited (Fund Manager to the ETF), Mr. Damilola Ajayi, said the Vetiva Sector Series ETFs would give Investors opportunity to express sectoral preferences in their asset allocations. “The ETFs will also enable investors isolate and implement whole sector exposure via a single security,” he added.

Skye Bank records N129bn gross earnings in Q3

S

kye Bank Plc has announced gross earnings of N129.24 billion for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015, representing an increase of 33.06 percent over the N97.13 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2014.

The bank’s unaudited result submitted on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, showed very strong fundamentals in all the key performance indicators and strong growth in fees and interest income, as well as investment and other incomes.

The bank’s fees and commission income grew to N25.46 billion as against N15.57 billion recorded during the same period in 2014. The result reflects a growth of 63.52 per cent. Similarly, investment and other income rose to N4.28 billion from N2.05 billion, representing 108.77 per cent growth.

C M Y K

Utilise capital market to drive entrepreneurship — STOCKBROKERS

By PROVIDENCE OBUH

T

he capital market is a veritable tool for enhancing entrepreneurship in any economy, said Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS).

Acting President and Chairman of Council, CIS, Mr. Oluwaseyi Abe, said this in his opening address at the 19th annual stockbrokers’ conference themed: ‘Entrepreneurship and the Capital Market: Fast Tracking

a New Economy for Africa’ in Lagos.

Abe, who said that the African continent can break out from the vicious cycle of poverty into prosperity when entrepreneurs and governments develop a dominant and pervasive culture of financing ventures and projects through the capital markets, stated: “Among other advantages, the capital market mechanism optimally allocates capital and enhances

economic performance. It provides a window through venture capitalism for the growth of small and medium scale enterprises and catalyzes industrial growth faster. It engenders pro-poor growth through greater employment opportunities, creates greater opportunities for home ownership and promotes macro- economic stability.”

He added that the theme of this year ’s conference is indicative of its pan- African sentiment, saying that the

CEREMONY - From left: VP and MD of Medtronic Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Turkey, Majid Kaddoumi, and, Chairman of Renescor, Dr Ladi Awosika shaking hands in the presence of His Excellency Ibrahim Auwalu, Ambassador of Nigeria in the UAE, and Medtronic and Renescor representatives, during the Medtronic and Renescor Manager signing ceremony which took place in Dubai.

Sterling Bank grosses N82bn in nine months Stories by NKIRUKA NNOROM

S

terling Bank Plc has posted N82 billion in revenue for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015, representing 12 per cent growth over N73.1 billion achieved in the previous quarter.

Key extracts from the earnings report showed that non-interest income grew by 13.3 per cent from N18.1 billion in 2014 to N20.5 billion in the review period. Profit after tax rose by N400 million to N7.5 billion in the third quarter 2015 as against N7.1 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2014.

Commenting on the results, the Managing Director, Mr. Yemi Adeola, said: “The third quarter performance was in line with expectations as the bank continues to prioritize efficiency in the management of its balance sheet in response to a challenging operating environment.”

He explained that in spite of the pressure on earnings, the bank was able to achieve a 12 per cent growth in top-line

revenue to N82 billion, driven by a 13 per cent increase in non-interest income and a 210 basis points improvement in cost-to-income ratio.

He attributed the increase in funding costs by 130 basis points to tighter monetary policy measures while the increase in non-performing loan ratio to 4.9 per cent was driven primarily by a reduction in the size of the overall loan book as a result of the repurchase of state government

loans by the federal government.

According to him, the bank would deploy the capital freed up from the liquidation of the re-purchased loans to generate further earnings and bolster the returns to shareholders. “Our capital adequacy ratio reached an alltime high of 19.3 per cent driven by asset substitution arising from the liquidation of the previously highlighted subsovereign loans.

theme and sub-themes were conceived to enlighten African businesses, entrepreneurs and governments on the way forward to fast track new and prosperous economies across the continent.

He said, “We believe this can be achieved through optimal utilization of the instrumentality of the capital market to finance and drive entrepreneurship.

“The importance of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs in economic development cannot be overemphasized.

Entrepreneurship has been defined as the capacity and willingness to develop, organise and manage a business venture along with any of its risks in order to make a profit. It is also a journey of opportunity exploration and risk management to create value for profit and /or social good.”

On his part, the CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Mr. Oscar Onyema, said: “Over the last decade, the main driver of economic growth across the African continent has been growth supported by private sector activities. However, many African countries are struggling with poverty, homelessness, crime, unemployment and noninclusive growth. This increase in the levels of social inequality and environmental degradation has accentuated the importance of a more inclusive model of progress.

“With the growing understanding that these societal problems cannot be solved or prevented only by the government or development organizations, some businesses, business leaders and talented individuals have tried to transform capitalism to use the market to solve social problems.”

Unilever Nigeria’s PAT rate improves in Q3

U

nilever Nigeria has announced N13.97 billion turnover for the nine month period ended September 30, 2015. The company recorded a considerable leap from its losing position in Q2 to record a 111 per cent increase in its profit after tax to N55million from loss position of N505 million in 2014. Although the result showed a decline of 2.1 per cent in its turnover from N43.6 billion in September 2014 to N42.6 billion in 2015; the company reported a growth of 1.2 per cent in its turnover from N13.81 billion in Q2 2015 to N13.97 billion in Q3 2015. Profit after tax dipped by 92 per cent from N1.8 billion in September 2014 to N141 million in September 2015.

Cost of sales increased marginally by 3.6 per cent to N27.8 billion compared to N26.8 billion

recorded in the corresponding period in 2014.

Other income grew by 1340 per cent from N5 million in 2014 to N76 million in 2015, while net finance costs increased by 98 per cent from N1.09 billion in 2014 to N2.16 billion in September 2015.

With the result, Unilever Nigeria has shown some resilience in tackling the growing drop in the purchasing pattern of consumers amidst other extraneous factors, a situation that has led to an increased reduction in profit for most companies in Nigeria.

The company assured in a statement by Mrs. Soromidayo George, Corporate Affairs Director, of its efforts to ensure a sustained and steady growth in the company’s operations engineered to achieve better returns on their investments.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 31

Homes & Housing Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE, with agency report

O

ne of the factors responsible for the huge housing deficit in Nigeria is that houses are not being delivered fast enough in tandem with population growth, especially in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, etc. A probable solution to this problem is to adopt the use of prefab technology in housing delivery in the country. The prefab technology will make it possible to produce houses en masse across the country very fast.

Prefab A prefabricated building is a type of building that consists of several factory-built components or units, which are manufactured off-site in advance, usually in standard sections that can be easily shipped, and are assembled onsite to complete the unit.

The process is different from the more conventional construction practice of transporting the basic materials to the construction site where all assembly is carried out. For instance, the conventional method of building a house is to transport bricks, timber, cement, sand, steel and construction aggregate, etc. to

Understanding the dynamics of prefabricated housing

•A modern prefabricated house the site, and to construct the house on site from these materials. In prefabricated construction, only the foundations are constructed in this way, while sections of walls, floors and roof are prefabricated (assembled) in a factory (possibly with window and door frames included), transported to the site, lifted into place by a crane and bolted together.

The word ‘prefab’ is an amalgamation of panelised and modular building systems, and can mean either one.

‘Prefabricated’ may refer to buildings built in components (e.g. panels), modules (modules homes) or

transportable sections (manufactured homes), and may also be used to refer to mobile homes, i.e., houses on

wheels. Although similar, the methods and design of the three vary widely. The prefab house requires much less labour compared to conventional houses. Examples of prefab buildings include: Portable cabins or Portakabins); Modular homes; Manufactured homes; and Mobile homes.

Appeal Prefab buildings are aesthetically appealing, durable, and have a short lead time. That means the time between when the order is placed and when the prefabricated buildings are

delivered is short because prefab buildings are quick built factory manufactured homes.

Using this technology, various home types have been constructed with less money and in less time when compared to conventional building systems. Although this technology is not very popular in Nigeria, there are a number of prefab building companies in the country.

When building with conventional techniques, the building site is prepared before building can commence. This is not the case with the prefabricated building technology as off-site fabrication process can take place in the factory while the building site is being prepared and this saves building time.

Restructure mortgage system for better delivery, FG urged

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university don, Prof. Timothy Nubi, has called on the Federal Government to restructure Nigeria’s mortgage system to position it for better service delivery.

Nubi, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Estate Management, University of Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos, that that the solution to the nations’ housing deficit would not be possible without a functional and sustainable mortgage system. He asserted that Nigeria had failed

to solve its housing problem because shortterm funds were being used to finance longterm projects. According to him, housing projects are long-term projects and should be funded with long-term loans.

The varsity don argued that a viable mortgage system was the bedrock of housing development. “Presently in the country, accessing funds to build houses is very difficult, due to the near-absence of a functional mortgage sector.

Advertising & Promotions

Phone trends & Huawei’s incursion A

frica is the fastestgrowing mobile market in the world, and the biggest after Asia. Princewill Ekwujuru examines phone trends in Nigeria Overtime, the number of phone users on the continent has grown considerably by 30 percent annually for the past five years. The GSM Association report on Africa says. The report stated there will be more than 735 million subscribers by the end of 2012, which has equally increased to date to over 1billion.

The report said that bad and non-existent landline connections in Africa are responsible for the high mobile phone usage.

It also noted that Kenyan government’s abolition of the 16 percent general sales tax on mobile handsets in 2009 resulted in handset purchases increasing by more than 200 percent.

South Africa, with its more developed infrastructure, has the highest broadband penetration – 6 percent, followed by Morocco with 2.8 percent, the report says.

The report further said Nigeria has the highest number of mobile phone subscriptions in Africa – with more than 100 million,

Huawei’s brand has been heavily promoted on a global scale. “We believe that a solid foundation for P8 is in place, given the brand’s influence from promoting the P7 and Mate7, which were catalyst for the brand’s success in 2014 and 2015 H1 sales performances.”

Taking a look at what the GSM report said, that 36 percent of people in the 25 CONTEST - From Left: Brand Manager,Yojus Fruit Drink, Foluke Makinde, Art Educator, Ibrahim Ganiyu; Artist/Art Educator, Olaniyan Timothy with Second place winner Yojus painting contest , Iyoha Peculiar at ‘Yojus Painting Star Contest’, organized by Ranona in Lagos. representing 18 percent of the continent’s total mobile subscriptions.

With Nigeria’s population hitting 173 million, this may have triggered the entrant of various phone brands like Huawei P8, Samsung galaxy S6, Infinix Hot 2, Alcatel OneTouch and few others.

“The mobile industry in Africa, particularly Nigeria is booming and has been a catalyst for immense growth, but there is scope for far greater development,” said Senior Marketing Manager, Consumer Business group,

Huawei Technology, Olanipekun Okunowo.

He however said: “The Huawei P8 takes beauty to the next level, striking a flawless balance of artistry and creativity.”

Speaking on the P8 story, the Senior Marketing Manager, stated: “Previously released flagship phones have helped Huawei’s brand globally, providing a strong foundation for the P8.”

He went on to say, that with the continuous release of flaship phones including the P1, D2and Mate series,

largest African mobile markets still had no access to mobile services.

Invariably this may have informed the flooding of the market with low end phones that can do what some high end phones can do riding on the back of affaordability, a good example is the Mate7 from the stable of Huawei, while not forgeting the high end market, like the P8.

Unilever, Multichoice plan for youth empowerment

By DAVID OKPE

U

nilever Nigeria Plc and Multichoice Nigeria said they are collaborating to empower Nigerian youths in a campaign tagged “We care,” which youths could look good and be self reliant.

The Brand Manager, Rexona, a product of Unilever, Mrs. Shadiat Shoyombo, during the launch at the University of Lagos said the partnership with Multichoice was to help promote the living standards of youths, as well as to empower them to get the best out of life. “And this can be achieved by fuelling the passion of the

youth towards achievable goals.” Her words, “we also realise many youth are talented and they needed assistance to be able to achieve their aim, goal and aspirations. Our aim is to give the youth a platform where they can utilize their potentials, where they can be useful in their area of interest whether in entertainment, comedy or other careers. We are going to all tertiary institutions such as universities, polytechnics and colleges in other to tell them that we care.”

She said also that the campaign has touched 16 schools so far, and the University of Lagos is the 17th of the schools we have been to.

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”

Yogi Bera, American Comedian.

T

he report in the NATION, October 13, 2015, page 7, titled “Fed Govt suspends quota issuance to rice millers”, brought tears to my eyes. It would be the third time in my life that the Federal Government of Nigeria would drive me to tears of frustration over the national policy on rice importation. Althogu, I no longer have any investment or involvement with the sector, it is the only sector in which easy when, shortly after cent. personal monetary investments introducing the Structural On the day of my arrival in as well as sacrifice of well-paid Adjustment Programme, SAP, Sokoto, there was not a grain of job was made because of the Babangida administration paddy rice to be milled. But, the government policy announced a new rice policy government’s ban on rice announcement. designed to make Nigeria self- importation had created a rice Last year May, on my 70th sufficient in rice production and scarcity. The nearest places to birthday, I decided to travel by also making the country a rice get rice to Sokoto were the road to Sokoto, my last place of exporter by 2000. That meant Bakolori Dam project near employment in the North. planning to grow millions of Talata Mafara, one hundred and Situated on Kalabina Road, metric tonnes of rice annually fifty kilometers away and Yelwa right next door to Sokoto of a crop which most Nigerians Yauri wetlands; over 280 Cement, is the carcass of consumed at least once every kilometers down south. But, HASKE RICE MILLS LTD, two days. within two months the mill was where I joined at 43 and worked That was the sort of project for running. until February 1990 as the an ambitious young man Later, working with thr Rice General Manager/Chief wanting to feed millions. But, I Institute at Badeggi, we Operating Officer, GM/COO, was stuck at first, I didn’t know developed various varieties of until policy changes and death where to start and how to enter rice suitable for each ecological in the family forced me to into the sector. Then fortune took abandon the dream of a hand a the matter, I received becoming Nigeria’s Rice King. a call in my office at the brewery At 46, having made a great deal in Kano to come and see the of success in the pharmaceutical younger brother of a retired and brewery sectors, as Sales Major-General. As it turned But, just as the and Marketing Director, I out, the General and his brother yearned for some big enterprise had just bought a rice mill investors in the which will impact the lives of which was established by the sector were making millions of Nigerians and which President Shagari headway and would be sustainable. By 1983, administration and which had I already knew the North like been run aground in a very expanding paddy the back of my hand and the first short time. The brothers needed production, the decision was to settle there. The a manager who could turn the second was to get involved in mill around and one of them Federal food production and that had been told at the Kano Club government involved evaluating several to get in touch with me. That changed policy by, possibilities – animal husbandry was how I landed in Sokoto; but first approving rice or crops or combinations of both not before securing a five per (integrated farming). The cent stake in the business with import quotas to ultimate decision was made option to increase to ten per selected firms

Reversal of rice import prohibition and its consequences zone of Nigeria as well as wetland and upland varieties.

Our biggest “coup” was to have dam situated in Goronyo under the Fadama project. Those of us involved were determined to remove all the obstacles in the way of making Nigeria selfsufficient in rice. At first our greatest enemies, it turned out, were a small band of Nigerians, smugglers, aided by the rest of our Fellow Countrymen, especially those in uniform called CUSTOMS SERVICE. For private gain, they virtually rendered government policy impossible to implement.

But, just as the investors in the sector were making headway and expanding paddy production, the Federal government changed policy by, first approving rice import quotas to selected firms. The problem with this was soon clear to the investors. We were suddenly faced with competition from two sources – smugglers and those with import licences.

Unfortunately for Nigeria, and us, the limits on the quota licences were not strictly enforced. By 1990, the country was once again flooded with cheaper imported rice with which local millers could not compete. HASKE was in the midst of finding solutions to these problems when our Daddy died and, as new head of family, I had to resign and move to

Lagos. But, I still followed the trend of events as they unfolded.

HASKE closed its gates about four months after my departure.

Similat mills at Makurdi and Badeggi soon followed. Since the three were the biggest millers, it was only a matter of time before others stopped.

When the Jonathan administration embarked on the implementation of its rice policy, prodded by De Adesina, the former Minster of Agriculture, now President of African Development Bank, they traveled down the familiar road – which had left us starting afresh every time another government announces its own “Rice Policy”. Invariably, the government receives applause from those who are actually waiting to subvert it knowing it would create an initial scarcity; and also knowing that Nigerians are impatient for results. Just as certain, when the predictable scarcity emerges, smugglers, CUSTOMS, and those close to the seat of power request for import quota. That inevitably kills the rice policy.

We are now repeating the same mistakes made in the past and because of this Nigeria will never become self-sufficient in rice. One of the greatest fortunes in Nigeria and the world, today, was built on quota licences granted to an individual for rice and sugar….

Micro -Finance

Visa, Total partner to drive cashless economy

By PROVIDENCE OBUH

T

o further drive the need for a cashless economy among Nigerians, Visa, Global payment technology company has entered into partnership with Total Nigeria Plc with a view to rewarding customers who use their Visa card to buy fuel at service stations in Lagos state.

The initiative would last for a period of seven weeks between October 19 to December 6, 2015 where seven service stations would be giving out N1000 worth of free fuel daily to 10 Visa card users who makes purchases worth N3000 and above.

To ensure all stations get fair round, the seven stations giving out free fuel are preselected and they change daily just as cardholders also stand a chance of winning free fuel for one year via a raffle draw by sending an SMS to a short-code to be

provided at the service stations.

Country manager, Visa West Africa, Mr. Ade Ashaye, said that the card payments are more secured and convenient than cash payments for both buyers and sellers, adding: “At Visa we are committed to developing creative ways of driving the cashless policy in Nigeria through e-commerce and we understand that card

payments are more secure than cash payments for both buyers and sellers.

This is why we have partnered with Total to launch the ‘Total fuel campaign with Visa’, to ensure that personal finances are managed effectively with minimal costs by our cardholders.

“Also, consumers will not only be able to enjoy the usual benefits of paying with

their Visa card, but they will also be rewarded for it,” he added.

Network Development Manager Total, Maxence Bourgoing, said that the partnership will further drive the cashless policy agenda by decreasing cash handling and its negative implications whilst eliminating cash reconciliation discrepancies.

“With Nigerians warming up

Cormart lauds Nigeria’s economy

C

hief Operating Officer, Cormart Nigeria Limited, Chief Vijay Nair said the company has rekindled hope in Nigeria’s economy, saying the current crisis in the international oil market is an elixir for Nigeria to diversify its economy.

He stated this in Lagos during the re-launch of some of the company’s products.

According to him, the over dependence of Nigeria on oil as sole foreign exchange earner remains the country’s albatross, pointing out that the global oil crisis might be a blessing in disguise as it is already forcing the federal government to revive other sectors like agriculture and mining capable of generating income for the country.

Describing Nigeria’s economy as the largest in Africa, he said the present government is already on the right track to sustain the economy through its friendly policies especially as regards manufacturing and agriculture.

He expressed hope that the company will continue to benefit from the laudable policies of the government.

On his part, Consumer Business Head, Mr. Satej, described the company’s latest offering, as unique products of two years of research, development and testing.

He said it was formulated keeping in mind specific usage pattern of consumers and other environmental factors like climate and water quality in West Africa.

to the use of card for purchase, Visa has made a lot of investment in providing high security for its cards to ensure payments which is not only secure but convenient.

“We are happy to work with VISA on this project. Total has invested a lot in ensuring that our service stations are up to international standards and this partnership is certainly a step in the right direction”.

Bourgoing added that there is a drive towards e-commerce and card payments globally, saying, “ we are happy to be at the forefront of this initiative in Nigeria. Total service stations are a key interaction point with our customers and so we promise to continuously offer innovative payment solutions that make purchases as seamless as possible.”

However, the promotion aims at educating consumers and businesses on the convenience of making payments for fuel and other commodities at Total service stations.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 33

Economy

Nigeria, Paris Club deal in significant reversal, as debt grows 200%

By EMEKA ANAETO, Economy Editor

A

s the presidency gets ready to emplace the federal cabinet to face the daunting economic challenges figures from the Debt Management Office, DMO, of the federation has indicated a massive reversal of debt relief obtained nine years ago.

An official of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, told Vanguard last weekend that foreign debt would hover around USD10.7 billion by end 2015, showing over 200 per cent up from USD3.5 billion recorded by the debt relief deal of 2006. DMO records show USD10.3 billion as at June this year.

The data shows that the bulk of the reversals were coming from the multilateral institutions, the World Bank Group, which had hitherto dominated the foreign debt profile of Nigeria.

Firstly, was an increase in loans from the International Development Association, IDA, a part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. From a balance of about USD1.4 billion in December 2006 the loan had more than tripled to USD6.0 billion by June 2015. The group was responsible for over 73 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign debt as at 2006.

The loans had started increasing in 2009, during President ShehuYaradua’s regime, just three years after the debt repayment deal.

The DMO data also shows that another major cause of the increase in Nigeria’s foreign debt was the loans from the Chinese Exim bank.

In 2006 Nigeria had zero loans coming from China but as at June 2015 Chinese loans to Nigeria stood at about USD1.3 billion.

Nigeria obtained its first loan from China back in 2012 when it closed the year with Chinese debt balance of about USD683 million. The loan doubled to USD1.29 billion by the end of 2014 contributing about 13 per cent of the total external debt stock of the country.

A financial analytics company, Nairametrics, had noted “back in 2005 Nigeria did something unprecedented in its history. It reached a deal with a band of external

creditors to wipe out over USD18 billion of what was crushing the economy. That was former Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo Iweala’s signature deal in her first stint as F i n a n c e Minister”. From a total debt balance of about USD33 billion in 2005 Nigeria’s foreign debt was crashed to about USD3.5 billion in 2006.

In October 2005, Nigeria and the Paris Club announced a final agreement for debt relief worth USD18 billion and with additional buy backs with other debtors an overall reduction of Nigeria’s debt stock by USD30 billion was effected. The deal was completed on April 21, 2006, when Nigeria made its final payment and its books were cleared.

Nairametrics noted, “back then the mood around the

The data shows that the bulk of the reversals were coming from the multilateral institutions, the World Bank Group, which had hitherto dominated the foreign debt profile of Nigeria

•Abraham Nwankwo DG, Debt Management Office country was so positive and optimistic as the proponents of the debt repayment deal believed that with a leaner debt balance Nigeria can now concentrate on fixing its dilapidated infrastructure”.

Nigeria, the largest economy with the largest population in Africa, has been the continent’s most indebted nation until the

Paris Club debt relief deal. With USD36 billion in external debt, and about150 million people then living on less than a dollar a day, and a fledgling democratic government attempting reforms, Nigeria should have been a strong candidate for debt relief. Yet, in part because of its oil revenues, Nigeria slipped through the

cracks of debt relief programs.

Centre for Global Development, CGD, had provided analytical support to Nigeria’s debt relief efforts in 2005. According to Mr.Todd Moss, who led CGD’s work on Nigeria’s debt, the completion of the deal, which saw Nigeria exit from Paris Club debt, was historic.

He stated “in the short-term it will mean that the budget can focus more on promoting private sector growth and development. But the longerterm implications could be much more important. Debt has been hanging over President Obasanjo and is one of the major barriers to consolidating the aggressive reforms being undertaken by his economic team. This gives them momentum to push further”.

With the reversal of the scenario the burden is building up at a time oil revenue is in decline. However, economic analysts note that the ratio of Nigeria’s foreign debt to GDP is still about 2 per cent whilst total public debt to GDP is about 13 per cent leaving the economy in a somewhat perceived comfortable position.

Some analysts believe the ratio should be about 20 per cent for Nigeria.

Bank of Industry to give SMEs training on access to working capital

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rrangements have been concluded to prepare some micro, small and medium enterprises, MSMEs, for working capital supports from the private sector financial institutions.

A training program to facilitate this opportunity with a theme, “Accessing Business Finance”, has been fixed for Wednesday, 4th November, 2015 at LCCI Exhibition and Conference Hall, behind MKO Gardens, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

The program is organized by SME Business Platform and Highnet Resources Ltd to diagnose SME funding needs,

provide low cost funding options and resolve funding documentation challenges including collateral.

Bank of Industry, BoI, the main financial institution involved in the programme, is expected to give the SME entrepreneurs at the training the requried information and opportunity for loans.

According to Mr. Emmanuel Odoemelam, Associate Consultant at SME Business Platform, SME operators have every reason to be excited about the program as they often struggle to fulfill their dreams of business growth without success due to lack of finance while large companies often

have relatively easier access to finance.

“Lack of working capital can limit the capacity of an SME to succeed and thrive, but unfortunately many SMEs do not know how to structure their businesses to attract the right type of funding. Such SME funding sources go beyond bank loans and include equity and grants from local and international sources”, he stated.

The program organizers have a track record of working with SMEs. Highnet Resources’ mission is to prepare Nigerian companies to compete and win in the global market by creating products and services that will be world class. The company has gained a reputation for conceptualizing and writing bankable business plans, feasibility reports, and facilitating funding access for many companies.

Highnet Resources has worked with many banks, as well as the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded projects amongst others in writing various reports and providing training services to SME clusters. Highnet Resources is currently a financial advisor to the USAID West African Trade Hub project.

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 35

E-Commerce

Forex policy, ECOWAS and threats to Nigeria's economy

By MAXWELL ODINAKA INTERNATIONAL trade is a well-known path to economic prosperity for many countries, but in Nigeria, its warped practice, marked by smuggling and evasion of duties, have become destructive drainpipes for an ailing economy. At issue is the Economic Trade Liberation scheme (ETLS).

Battling with smuggling through the international trade alliance of the ECOWAS for various products, recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced the shut out Crude palm Oil with the 41 items from the foreign exchange (forex) window. Though the CBN maintained that its action was necessary for economic stability, members of the organised private sector believe the move may have been wrongly conceived without the apex bank properly appraising domestic capacity for production of some of the excluded items.

The ECOWAS ETLS In 1990, ECOWAS launched the Economic Trade Liberation Scheme (ETLS) with the primary objective of establishing a Customs union aimed at the total elimination of Customs duties and taxes of equivalent effect and removal of non-tariff to protect goods produced in Member States.

The ETLS is the main tool for promoting the West Africa region as a Free Trade Area. This is in tandem with one of the objectives of the community which is the establishment of a common market through “the liberalisation of trade by the abolition, among Member

States, of customs duties levied on imports and exports, and the abolition among Member States, of non-tariff barriers”. – Article 3 of ECOWAS Treaty Implication of CBN forex policy on ETLS Although in Nigeria, a lot of well- intentioned economic instruments are abused and instead of being used to promote the growth and development of the country, they end up helping the rich and powerful and those close to the corridors of power line their pockets.

If the ideal situation thrives in respect of the ETLS, it should lead to economic prosperity for most ECOWAS member states and especially Nigeria where there is a lot of indigenous investments in manufacturing, processing and other valueadding economic activities. But with the forex restriction on Crude Palm Oil (CPO), smuggling will increase to avoid tariff payment (through re-expor-

For manufacturers, there are just two options — relocate to neighbouring ECOWAS countries like Ghana, Togo or Benin where this raw material is being smuggled from or join the bandwagon and start patronising the smugglers

tation).

In this case it becomes illegal under the ETLS for a company or an individual to import crude palm oil from a region outside the ETLS to a neighbouring country like Republic of Benin and then refine to palm oil with the intention of bringing the products into Nigeria. Under ETLS a large percentage of the product to be moved from one member state to another must originate from that country. For example palm oil produced in Nigeria can be moved to Ghana duty free under ETLS and steel produced from iron ore in Togo can be moved to Nigeria duty free under the ETLS. In principle, the overall gains from trade could be used to compensate for the effects of reduced trade barriers by appropriate inter-party transfers. As Crude Palm Oil (CPO) under ETLS is classified under processed goods enjoys certain concession upon entry into a dif-

ferent ECOWAS state which includes Nigeria. The three groups of goods under the scheme enjoy the following concessions: Total exemption from import duties and taxes No quantitative restriction, Non-payment of compensation for loss of revenue for unprocessed goods and traditional handicraft product as a result of their importation.

Despite the glaring benefits of the ETLS, the forex restriction policy has started to show its effect on ETLS as some importers and local producers of CPO at a low capacity have started exploring the ETLS as a means of bringing in the products with the agenda of reselling it to the manufacturers in Nigeria.

Certain stakeholders of the industry have taken undue advantage of the scheme to indulge in sharp practices by importing CPO from member states through round tripping

We created online print shop to drive SME growth Continues from Page 27 knowledge does a user need to use the Printivo platform?

Any user of the platform only needs basic knowledge of computer. If one has ordered a product online before, it will not be a problem at all navigating through the platform. In case of designing one’s item, what we have done is that we created thousands of templates, so that all you have to do is edit the template of your choice on the website. Basically, if one can use Microsoft word or operate a Facebook account, then that person would have no challenges using our solution.

What has been your experience over the past one year that you have been in business given the challenging business environment in Nigeria?

When we first started, adoption was a bit slow and difficult. People were sceptical that if they cannot see their print products, how are they going to trust the quality of the products? And that was where gaining trust became

necessary. So we started telling our customers that if the product we give to them is not up to the standard they expect, we will take it from them and reprint at no cost. And if you end up not liking it, we will refund your money. With such assurances, we were able to give them a sense of security and then they started ordering. And today, once you have ordered from us and have seen the kind of quality that Printivo offers, you always return.

How much do you think Nigeria loses to non adoption of current printing technology?

The culture of having to wait for days, low quality printing, and going back and forth to print shops is what we are changing with Printivo.com

I may not be able to put a figure to it but from the statistics we have which says that Nigeria is a $200 million market, I think we are losing twice that for slow adoption of current printing technology which is what is driving sales and growth in other markets. However, Nigeria is also not extremely backward. If you look at print in Africa as a whole, we can conveniently say that Nigeria is one of the countries doing well.

But there is always room for improvement. Right now we are one of the best print markets in Africa after South Africa and Egypt.

What are the greatest challenges you have encountered in this business?

How can the industry surmount these challenges?

First and foremost, the first challenge an ecommerce business in Nigeria will face is logistics. There is no strong structured logistics in the country. So you are apparently having to build your own logistics system at least if not

for every other city, you are going to build it for Lagos and probably outsource the rest.

But one of the challenges we had when we started that was peculiar to us when we started was outsourcing the larger part of our production unit. We were printing some in-house, but some were outsourced to some of our partners who were offering some of our services.

One of the toughest challenges became getting the quality we wanted and getting it in on schedule. And you know customers want the best print and want it on time and whether your partners share this vision remains a question and of course it is none of your customers’ business. So at the end of the day, we brought everything home. Since we started doing that, we were able to deliver the value that we stand for. Right now we control our entire value chain which is one of the best things that has happened to the business in recent times.

from other countries. These CPO round tripped into these member states are then imported into Nigeria under ETLS zero duty regime which negates the CBN objective for the restriction of the forex policy “in order to promote development of our local production.”

For manufacturers in the country, there are just two options; either close up and relocate to neighbouring ECOWAS member countries like Ghana, Togo or Benin where this raw material is being smuggled from or join the bandwagon and start patronising the smugglers.

It is a known fact today that in every part of the world where agriculture is growing, it is because their governments are supporting the sector in various ways including the implementation of favorable agribusiness policies and practices.

In Nigeria for example, in past years, the government has distributed more than 1.4 million sprouted nuts to farmers free. These hybrid sprouted nuts are high-yielding Tenera seedlings of greater yielding capacities that will benefit and improve production. However, this requires that the farmers have to recapitalise their plantations which, is the responsibility of the government. There is no doubt that Nigeria can become self-sufficient in palm oil production and consumption although we currently pay a higher price due to the weakened strength of the Naira each time we import CPO or any other agricultural produce.

It is therefore important that if government is to encourage and promote private sector participation in its current transformation efforts in palm oil plantation development, the current lapses in the ETLS where round tripping of CPO from other countries are dumped into the nearby country and subsequently the same into Nigeria under the guise of the ETLS must be checked and eradicated and this could only be achieved with the removal of CPO from the Forex Policy list with a proper roadmap of backward integration for the manufacturing companies.

In as much as the objective of the ETLS is to promote industrialization within the sub-region, the current practices are totally counterproductive to this objective and there is a need to have a review of the ETLS in its journey so far. Government should not ignore the cry of the industry especially the CPO sector with the continual falling value of the Naira against Dollar and the dire need to create jobs for our jobless teeming youths as the manufacturing sector is gulping more than 70% of the unskilled and skilled labour forces in the country.  Odinaka, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos.

36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Tel:0805 220 1997

I

MF Africa Director, Mrs. Atoinette Sayeh recently noted at a press conference at a World Bank event in Lima, Peru, that “...those measures introduced by CBN to restrict demand and limit access to official foreign exchange for certain imports are quite detrimental to economic activities and invariably led to a lot of unhappiness in the private sector”.

Consequently, Sayeh, apparently concluded that “these measures were neither sustainable or advisable, and therefore hoped “that there will be an opportunity to review forex restrictions and permit the Exchange rate to continue to adjust”, because, according to her “the restrictions are “already making things harder for the average person to buy milk or to buy milk at an affordable price”.

Evidently, there was no mention of under nourished babies or government’s insensitivity to the plight of the average Nigerian in Sayeh’s comments, but it is difficult to deny the intended mental association!

Incidentally, the IMF’s demand for Naira devaluation has also been echoed from various strongholds and media organs of international investment capital and speculative portfolios; notably, ‘The Economist’s commentary titled ‘Toothpick Alert’, was a bland and disdainful parody of CBN’s exclusion of 41 imported items from access to cheaper official forex sales.

Similarly, earlier this year, the International banking stalwart, JP Morgan also gave notice of its decision to delist Nigeria’s government bonds from its widely subscribed index, unless the Naira was devalued, and CBN also increased liberal dollar supply to the forex market, presumably, so that foreign portfolio investors, (i.e. those without factories or productive

liquidity surplus between September-December with treasury debts.

Not surprisingly, when he was CBN Governor, Sanusi had similarly defended this same distortional process that constrains government to pay double digit interest rates for funds which will simply be sequestered as idle funds, notwithstanding the insistent cry of the real sector for access to cheaper funds.

Advocates for a weaker Naira like the Emir, are always eager to explain that Naira devaluation is inevitable since the fall in crude oil prices has depleted CBN’s self styled “own reserves”. These compulsive Naira bashers, however, always become unsettled when asked why Naira did not appreciate from N153 to below N100=$1, for example, when CBN reserves exceeded $55bn, with the controversial Excess Crude Account also in excess of $8bn.

Furthermore, devaluation advocates cannot also explain why Naira exchanged consistently for N80=$1 between 1995-98 despite CBN’s relatively paltry reserves of just over $4bn and barely 4 months imports cover.

Conversely, CBN’s reserves, presently average about $30bn with certainly longer real imports cover than was possible prior to Obasanjo’s administration, when the Naira exchanged below N100 = $1, yet, we are inexplicably presently confronted with intense pressure for further Naira devaluation.

Poverty will clearly deepen nationwide with serious social consequences if our choice strategy is to rescue our economy with further Naira devaluation and removal of fuel subsidy as recommended by the IMF and likeminded experts like Sanusi.

Devalue Naira, remove subsidy and ‘kill’ Nigerians enterprises) particularly can take out their speculative cash flows at short notice, if necessary.

Evidently, further Naira devaluation would also make it much cheaper for such footloose portfolio investors to acquire both public and private equity in Nigeria for less dollar values.

Ultimately, therefore, if Naira depreciation persists, more Nigerian equity prices will fall in value below US$0.10(Ten Cents); expectedly, before that happens, the much sought after foreign investors would have long spoken with both feet.

The above awkward realities, notwithstanding, last week, no less a person than the suspended former CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi, who is now, the Emir of Kano, joined advocates of Naira devaluation, when he advised, that “the country cannot continue to live in denial on the Naira” and therefore called for Naira devaluation as well as the removal of fuel subsidy.

According to Sanusi, “It is wrong to continue to pretend that you can keep the Naira at a certain level, when the price of oil is falling, without depleting your reserves. You have to make a choice” he advised. Sanusi warned that CBN’s policy was depriving key industries of imports and therefore suggested that “if we have to make a choice between economic growth and devaluation”, his recommendation would be that “we protect growth”. However, His Highness is clearly in denial that it will be an impossible challenge to protect growth if the Naira slide subsists unchecked overtime.

However, the ex CBN Governor, correctly recognizes

that CBN has lost control of its core mandate for price stability as, “inflation is already upon us”, according to him; however, Sanusi, inexplicably suggests that “it is time to loosen monetary policy” to counter the subsisting oppressive, and irrepressible excess money supply that is primarily responsible for rising inflation and the diminishing purchasing value of all incomes, particularly the incomes of millions of Nigerians who still earn below $2/day. Sadly, our parlous economy, is today, probably the product of the application of such a misguided problem solving mindset, which has expectedly failed to favorably resolve our challenges with inflation, interest and Naira exchange rates.

In addition to devaluation, His Highness, warned that unless we loosen monetary policy to help stimulate the economy with cheaper funds, and “lower CBN’s key interest rate from a record high of 13%, we would

Incidentally, the IMF’s demand for Naira devaluation has also been echoed from various strongholds and media organs of international investment capital and speculative portfolios

compound an exchange rate crisis for business with high borrowing costs and declining demand”.

The essence of Sanusi’s recommendation is that if CBN reduces its key interest rate, commercial banks would follow suit and lower their rates to possibly below 20% from the average of 25% currently available to the real sector.

Expectedly, accessibility to cheaper funds should stimulate consumer demand and also reduce cost of loans across the board. Instructively, however, unless the existing burden of systemic excess money supply is resolved, it will be reckless to reduce CBN’s monetary policy rate to best practice level below 5% across board to induce single digit cost of funds that would jumpstart economy revival.

However, it will be clearly absurd and foolhardy to introduce policies that provide cheaper funds to stimulate consumer demand when surplus cash is already a disenabling abiding economic burden. This would be akin to pouring petrol into the already raging fire of spiraling inflation. Ultimately, the N1,000 note which is currently less than $5 may become worth less than $1, if money supply remains untamed, while fuel price, even with local production, will more than quadruple with its own distortional inflationary consequences!

Evidently, our presently disenabling inflation rate is fueled by a subsisting burden of systemic excess money which has forcibly predicated CBN’s need to remove over N3Tn from the burdensome systemic

•SAVE THE NAIRA! SAVE NIGERIANS!

Business & Economy Telecoms epileptic server disrupts Customs operation as revenue collection dips

By GODWIN ORITSE

T

HE Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS) is at the moment having a herculean task in its risk assessment function on cargoes due to the frequent system breakdown of the sever backbone provided by Telecom service provider, MTN. MTN provides the server backbone upon which the Customs carry out its online transaction assessing cargoes with a view to computing payable import duties.

The agency’s operations at both the Tin Can Island and

Apapa ports witness daily influx of Customs agents who want to pay their duties but the system breakdown has prevented them from doing so.

Already, the Apapa area one Command of the service has been having problems with its revenue as there is no guarantee it will meet its target for the year.

Stakeholders in the maritime industry have also blamed Webb Fontaine, a firm contracted by the Federal Government to assist Customs in introducing Information Technology to the agency’s operations.

Webb Fontaine brought in MTN to provide interconnectivity for Customs operations.

When Vanguard contacted the Managing Director of Webb Fontaine, Mr Ahmed Muktar, he said that he could not speak for the company as he was no longer working with the firm.

In his reaction, the President of the National Council of the Managing Director sof Licensed Customs Agents, (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero confirmed that the Customs system has been epileptic adding that the server has been down for some time.

Omoh Gabriel Babajide Komolafe Clara Nwachukwu Peter Egwuatu Yinka Kolawole Favour Nnabugwu Godwin Oritse Godfrey Bivbere Michael Eboh Franklin Alli Ifeyinwa Obi Rosemary Onuoha Nkiruka Nnorom CONTRIBUTORS Princewill Ekwujuru Jonah Nwokpoku Naomi Uzor Providence Obuh LAYOUT

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Group Business Editor Deputy Business Editor Energy Editor Asst. Business Editor Snr Bus. Correspondent Insurance Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Energy Reporter Industry/Agric. Reporter Maritime Reporter Insurance Reporter Capital Market Reporter

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Media/Marketing E-Commerce Industry Micro Finance Graphics Department

Vanguard, MONDAY , NOVEMBER 2, 2015—37

Devaluation of Naira not an option, says Osinbajo Aina Abimbola NLY a voodoo economist will advice an import dependent economy with a taste for foreign goods to devaluate her currency. That will cause terrible high cost of living. China did it because it’s the world’s leading exporting economy and the country’s self sufficient .

O

ChukwumaNwaonicha Further devaluation of the Naira may not be a solution or an option to the current economic down turn in the country. However, one of the ways to stop the devaluation of Naira is to practically address the very weak economy. Nigeria lacks technology and industrial development. The nation also lacks infrastructural development in all sectors and very low economic productivity (unemployment is at all time high), the economy is highly dependent on oil coupled with other social problems. All of these make the Naira a weak currency. There is no magic bullet to make the Naira stronger

My experience in conducting 20 15 polls 2015 — Jega

P

ROFESSOR JEGA, the only reason 2015 election was a success is Jonathan. He adhered strictly to the rule of law till the end. If Jega was INEC chairman between 1999 and 2007 when Obasanjo was President,would the conduct and results of the election be the same?

Ado musa Jega’s elections were seriously flawed.

The card readers disenfranchised more than 50% of voters. Of the number that registered, many did not get PVCs and those who got, the card reader disqualified them and in some instances, card readers did not function at all. There is a big gap between the number of registered voters and actual votes cast. There were lots of anomalies that gave rise to the big gap.

Jonathan had many genuine reasons to have annulled the elections but he chose to overlook them. We thank God for giving him the strength to do what he did to save us all from untold crises. God will personally reward him for this singular act. World leaders globally respect him for this action. I am sure INEC is now doing something to correct the mass failure of the card readers.

Tundemash ado musa How did you see this from the confinement of your amnesty camp ?

Were you part of the local/international observers?“Apparently Dumbo Jo is in a better position to see what you don't see from your amnesty camp.

Cancellation of that election was not an option, they had done their best by postponing it (to give them time to bribe Obas and religious merchants) and that also failed; Nigerians were determined to get rid of the biggest looting party in Africa . Shikena ! de_wale ado musa By your own admission there were many hiccups but it was not in favour of one party, safe to say it affected all in equal measure. Jega tried under the circumstances. His successor can only build on the gains of making the system fraud proof.

but economic and social developments including good governance ( fiscal discipline, structural change, and a rigorously maintained monetary policy ), high GDP, job creation and low inflation rate.

Comicbishop common sense I understand that the measures being put in place by the CBN are temporal, however, they are necessary. The lasting solution to the pressure on the Naira, as a result of the fall in oil prices, would be a diversification of the economy.

Currently, we are heavily dependent on the oil revenue but the Foreign Exchange gains that flow in from oil exports are subsequently eroded by the FX losses from refined oil imports. Thus, the need to diversify the economy by expanding the revenue generation frontiers to include other sectors that are negatively correlated to the oil sector, where we could possibly do more export than import and absorb shocks in periods like this. Another solution would be the optimisation of the refining capacity of our refineries and encouragement of backward integration for industries that currently import raw materials that otherwise can be produced here in Nigeria. All of these are medium and long term measures that should have been in place long before now as the signs of the crumbling oil price have been visible for a long time given the crisis in the Middle East.

As such, given that Nigeria is largely import driven or dependent, further devaluation of the Naira would be counter-productive. Devaluation would be very effective if our economy were export driven. For example, China recently devalued their currency amidst their financial crisis. That was a step in the right direction because they have an export driven economy. So, the man is still right and I don’t see any voodoo as you claim.

Akpobome Comicbishop The market forces would devalue the Naira, unless government shores up the naira with an influx of Dollars. This is evident in the official rate of the Naira to the Dollar which is at about 197 naira to the Dollar. This rate is artificial and the banks cannot meet the demand of its customers hence they go to the black market to pay the ` real value of 240250Naira. As government tightens control, the black market rate is bound to increase .

Comicbishop Akpobome The measures of the CBN have also been to discourage further patronage of the black market. Even the black market has limited access to foreign exchange from the banks unlike before. I understand that the measure is temporary and is coming at the cost of depletion in our foreign reserves but the end point remains for the good of the general populace. We will be forced into serious hike in general prices (inflation) and the complaints we have today, would be nothing compared to what we will have then.

Akpobome Comicbishop Does the government have enough dollars to sell to the public at 197 forever? The answer is no. Can we produce what we consume now ? The answer is no. Then the naira would continue to fall. Simple! No voodoo economics there.

UAlloy

Importation of crude oil

I

T is a shame that among all the oil producing countries, Nigeria remains the only one that is importing petrol.

The blame goes to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which left the country’s economy prosrate after 16 years of its misrule, despite the fact that our crude oil sold for over 100 dollars per barrel for most part of that period that the party held sway at the centre.

To fix the rot in the system, the Buhari presidency requires prayers and understanding.

Anonymous +2347052624455

Subsidy removal

Of what use is the so called subsidy if the actual ‘relieve ‘of the subsidy is not getting to the masses? If the ‘subsidised’ PMS could sell most of the time for; N200, N250, N300 per litre, what use is the subsidy? Nigerians should please do away with this economic sabotage called ‘subsidy’!

Mike+2348063897516

Slashing of NASS’s and lawmakers’ jumbo salaries lt will be ethically wrong for the emolument of Nigerian workers to be tampered with, because it is the corrupt political class and oil glut that caused the fiscal doldrums.

They killed the economy through bad economic policies and thievery. NASS members and politicians should reduce their jumbo pay and return their loot and approve death penalty for corruption.

Bobson Gbinije, Mandate Against Poverty, +2347068621168

National Committee’s visit

Peace

The recent visit of the National Peace Committee led by former Head of state, Gen.Abdsulami Abubakar, to Buhari to intercede for Jonathan on corruption was a diservice to this country.

This committee could not claim ignorance of high level of corruption perpetuated in this country by Jonathan’s administration.

The committee has outlived its usefulness and does not have any morality again to speak for Nigerians.

Buhari must be supported in his courageous fight against corruption and impunities.

Prince Onele Simeon, Enugu. +2348036370127

Alleged FG’s talks with Boko Haram While Nigerians who voted for APC in the last election that brought Buhari to power are basking in the euphoria of change, with the leadership tussle in the Senate and Buhari’s lopsided appointments and recent visit to France where Nigerians were told of informal talks between the FG and Boko Haram, Buhari may plunge the country into a Sudan like situation.

The recent rejection by some notable northerners of the 2014 confab report, Nigerians from the South should be prepared as the north is already strategising, considering the present political division in the South.

Solo Aloba. +2347052624455

NASS leadership crisis and Saraki purposeful direction Without Saraki’s strategy of mobilising PDP NASS rebel members to join APC, the party would not have won the elections in the first place. Saraki can make APC regret their action, If APC dares to do something stupid against him.

Ochiks, O.S. +2347081369442

Ex- militants allowances

and

unpaid

When Kimgsley Kuku was Special Assistant to former President Jonathan, whenever there is delay in the payment of allowances,heoftenusedthemediatoexplain to the Niger Delta ex-militants why it was so.

But since President Buhari assumed office, the coordinator of the amnesty programme has not deemed it necessary to let these militants know why they are owed for three months. Amnesty was not the main reason for militancy in the region but control of their resources. If the Federal government then decides to grant amnesty to create room for peace and development ,why is President Buhari not paying?

Solo Aloba Aloba. +2347052624455

EFCC and politics in Nigeria

Nigeria as a country is rapidly growing politically, but the political class is foot dragging! They are the clogs in Nigeria’s wheels of acceleration. They have refused to grow along with Nigeria. When will the Nigerian political class acquire this attitude or mentality to resign when they are indicted or accused of malfeasance?

The EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamorde, should resign if he knows that his hands are clean and surrender the Commission’s account book or books to scrutiny.

Anonymous 08181167166

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS If the hen fails to chuck, how will she train her children -An Igbo proverb

Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs.

Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. Address your sayings to: editor@vanguardngr.com

38 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Russian airliner ‘broke up mid-air’ *Experts say plane not downed by militants *Black boxes found, sent for test

A

RUSSIANairlinerwhich crashed in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, killing all 224 people on board, broke up in mid-air,aRussianofficialsays.

VictorSorochenko,thehead of Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee,saiditwastooearly to conclude what caused the crash on Saturday.

Hetoldreportersdebriswas found across a 20sq km-wide areaofSinai.Sofar163bodies have been found.

Russia is observing a day of mourning after its worst air disaster.

Mr Sorochenko spoke after

visiting the site of thedebris,nearthe village of Hasana.

Jihadistsalliedto so-called Islamic State in Sinai, where such groups are active, had made a claim on social media that they had brought down The wreckage of crashed Russian Airliner flightKGL9268.

ButEgyptianPrimeMinister (31,000ft), the altitude the Sharif Ismail said experts had Airbus 321 was flying at, by confirmed that a plane could weapons the militants are not be downed at 9,450m known to possess.

Berlin Wall blunderer Guenter Schabowski dies at 86

A

SENIOR East German official whose impromptu announcement at a news conference led to the demise of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has died aged 86.

Guenter Schabowski said travel restrictions on the exstate’s citizens would be immediately lifted, prompting tens of thousands to cross to the West.

Officials had intended to phase in changes the next •Guenter Schabowski day, but the mass of people hastened the Wall’s rapid to Hungary amid mass protests. fall.

Less than a year later, East The measures were intended to stem an exodus and West Germany were

Aung San Suu Kyi’s rally draws thousands in Myanmar

T

ENS of thousands of supporters of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi have gathered in Yangon for her party’s largest rally so far, a week before the country votes in landmark elections.

“I want to tell you again to vote for us if you want to see real changes in the country,” she told supporters at the rally in eastern Yangon on Sunday.

“I have no fear at all to face or fight anyone as long as you support me.”

Tens of thousands streamed into the outdoor parade ground next to a Buddhist temple in an eastern district of Yangon, the first major National League for Democracy (NLD) party rally in the heart of the commercial hub.

Political tensions are running high in Myanmar, which heads to the polls next Sunday.

Late on Thursday, Naing Ngan Linn, an NLD sitting MP, was attacked with a C M Y K

sword while canvassing in the Tharketa township in his constituency, sustaining head injuries.

Observers hope the vote will be the fairest election in decades as the nation slowly shakes off years of brutal and isolating junta rule.

reunited into one country, ending 45 years of division.

Mr Schabowski was a spokesman for the East German regime in 1989, when Communist governments across Eastern Europe were facing a wave of popular protest.

The government had decided to make it easier for East Germans to travel to Western Europe, in an attempt to curb a flood of people crossing into Hungary, which had itself opened its western borders.

U.S. House Speaker rules out work with Obama on immigration

H

OUSE of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan on Sunday ruled out working with President Barack Obama on overhauling U.S. immigration policy, saying it would be “a ridiculous notion” to pursue legislation because Obama cannot be trusted on the issue.

Republicans have fought Obama’s unilateral steps that bypassed a gridlocked Congress to try to shield millions of illegal immigrants from deportation.

Obama’s executive

orders, announced last November but put on hold by the courts, would let up to 4.7 million illegal immigrants stay without threat of deportation. It was aimed mainly at helping 4.4 million people whose children are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.

The immigration issue has driven a wedge between Hispanics, an increasingly important voting bloc, and Republicans, many of whom take a hard line on illegal immigration, to the benefit of Obama’s fellow Democrats.

Pope likely to cancel C/African Republic visit

P

OPE Francis indicated on Sunday that his planned visit to the Central African Republic this month could be cancelled if violence between Christians and Muslims there worsens.

Speaking to tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, he called for an end to the “cycle of violence” in the country he is scheduled to visit Nov. 28-29 as part of a trip that will also take him to

Kenya and Uganda.

Francis spoke of the “trip I hope to be able to make to that nation”. He has previously simply said he would go.

A senior Vatican source said the phrasing was chosen because of the violence in the capital Bangui, where the pope is scheduled to visit a mosque in one of the most d a n g e r o u s neighbourhoods.

“If the situation

worsens, he will not be able to go and he is aware of that,” the source said.

Last Thursday, four people were killed by mobs, bringing last week’s death toll to 11, including three negotiators for the Muslim Seleka alliance visiting Bangui for peace talks.

Mostly-Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the majority Christian nation in a coup in 2013, prompting reprisals.

Official suspended over Mugabe’s wrong-sized cap

A

UNIVERSITY of Zimbabwe official has been suspended for allegedly supplying President Robert Mugabe with an illfitting graduation cap.

Assistant registrar Ngaatendwe Takawira caused embarrassment for university administrators by procuring a cap which was too small for the 92year-old leader, according to her suspension letter, quoted in local media.

Ms Takawira denies the allegations.

The president’s office is not thought to have made a complaint.

The decision to suspend Ms Takawira

•Robert Mugabe was probably taken by university authorities keen to appease the president and not from any genuine anger on his part.

Academics first noticed that the so-called “cap of knowledge” was not sitting properly on the president’s head while

he was presiding over a graduation ceremony in 2014, our correspondent says.

The university then arranged for new caps to be designed for Mr Mugabe in time for this year ’s ceremony, our reporter adds.

Al-Shabab assault kills senior Somali officials

A

T least 15 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in an attack on a hotel in the centre of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.

A car bomb exploded at the main gate of the Sahafi Hotel early on Sunday morning, with attackers then storming the hotel as they

exchanged gunfire with security guards.

A suicide bomber detonated a second set of explosives inside the hotel.

Somali troops and African Union forces were deployed to the scene and took control of the situation,. Lieutenant Colonel Paul Njuguna, the spokesperson for the

AU Mission in Somalia, told Al Jazeera.

The al-Shabab armed group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Those killed in the attack included parliamentarian Mohamed Abdi Abtidoon and a freelance photographer, Mustaf Abdi.

Thousands march in Niger to denounce election preparations

T

HOUSANDS of anti-government protesters marched in Niger ’s capital on Sunday to denounce what they say are irregularities in voter lists ahead of presidential elections in early 2016.

Marchers carried banners with slogans such as “The people stand up for clean elections” and “No to

dictatorship” and demanded a full audit of the electoral register.

Niger, a poor, uraniumproducing country in the Sahel band of West Africa, is set to hold presidential elections in February with President Mahamadou Issoufou expected to seek a second five-year mandate.

Issoufou, a key Western ally against radical

Islamist groups, is widely expected to triumph over a fragmented opposition to win a second mandate.

His ruling PNDS party has forecast a one-round victory.

This is despite a failure to secure regions like Diffa, where Nigeriabased Boko Haram militants have increased cross-border attacks in recent months, prompting the authorities to declare a state of emergency.

40—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Omeben published a book on this matter in which he accused the directors of Newswatch of having a fight within the board and he claimed that it is a product of that fight that the directors killed Dele Giwa

•Ekpu, Akinrinade, Agbese & Mohammed at their office in Ikeja

We must back Buhari or go down as a nation •Biafra agitation: Strong arm tactics alone won’t work Continues from page 39 the only correspondent for the company in the UK for that period. He left through the airport.

The police knew he was leaving and they didn’t arrest him, they didn’t call him. A week or two after he left, it was curious they wrote a letter to us asking us to produce him that they wanted to interview him again. We responded and informed them that the man left and we gave the address and telephone number of Kayode Soyinka. We don’t know if they later got in touch with him or not. Police all over the world are international, they have their links, they have INTERPOL. What Chris Omeben is saying is clearly an afterthought.

Breakfast in the study He thinks he can draw wool over people’s eyes and explain away their incompetence or inability or reluctance to get to the bottom of the matter.

On Omeben’s comments that Soyinka was a prime suspect, who was with Dele Giwa when the parcel bomb was brought but went to hide in an adjoining room before the explosion Mr Omeben does not know the facts of the matter. They were sitting in Dele Giwa’s study.

They were having breakfast in the study. Soyinka was sitting opposite Dele. And Dele received the parcel from his son, placed it on his laps and was trying to open it when it detonated. Kayode was thrown on the floor and his ears were perforated, for many months he lost his hearing.

So, he did not run into any room because there was no next room. I have seen reports saying he ran from the dining room to the kitchen. It did not happen in the dining room, it happened in the study. I know the geography of that building because I lived on the other side, two wings of a duplex built the same way.

Omeben does not know the facts of the situation that is why he is making all these speculations.

The police men came there after that incident and they did not say it was at his dining room or anything like that. It is absolutely false.

How he feels that 29 years after, Dele Giwa’s murder has not been unravelled and Chris Omeben is making the kind of comments he made Mr Omeben has been struggling to explain

away the incompetence of the police or their reluctance to get to the root of the matter. Omeben published a book on this matter in which he accused the directors of Newswatch of having a fight within the board and he claimed that it is a product of that fight that the directors killed Dele Giwa. So, it is unclear to me whether he is revising his opinion by pining it on Kayode Soyinka, who he says is a prime suspect.

Kayode cannot be a prime suspect because I don’t think there is any sensible person, who would know that a bomb will explode in a room and sits face-to-face to the person who will open the parcel. It is preposterous to think somebody will do that. So Kayode Soyinka could not have been an accomplice or anything like that.

Again, Kayode could not have killed Dele Giwa because he had nothing to benefit from it. He was not even in the top 10 of the company at the time. So what would he gain by killing Dele Giwa?

In the next 10 years after that he would never have got to be editor-in-chief of Newswatch because apart from the three guys there were other senior people including Soji Akirinade, Nosa Igiebor, Dele Omotunde, Onome OsifoWhiskey and others. So you have to find a motive, why would he do it? Mr. Omeben has not given us a motive.

Three, you cannot even accuse directors of Newswatch of killing Dele Giwa whether you are talking about the external directors or the internal directors meaning the three of us (Ekpu, Mohammed and Agbese) because Newswatch was arranged in such a way that we didn’t have this question of seniority or juniority. All the four directors were equal. They earned equal salaries and allowances, they had access to the magazine, all of them wrote columns, decisions were taken collectively. So, there was no super man status for anybody as per to kill Dele Giwa so that they could take his place.

Fourthly, I don’t know whether people that make these allegations, like Chris Omeben, know that we take friendship seriously. You talk about killing somebody and that somebody is your friend. killing somebody itself is anathema, then killing your friend, I cannot even imagine that.

Maybe in the police system these things don’t matter, we are not of that mould. You can see that even when we left Newswatch, we are still here together. Those are not people who fight

and kill themselves.

Why we made Dele Giwa our leader Can I tell you how people were chosen for those offices? Yakubu Mohammed and Ray Ekpu met privately in Yakubu’s house, they decided that since the other two guys had problems with their employers – Dele Giwa was removed as the editor of Sunday Concord and brought as a member of the editorial board, which I chaired; Dan Agbese was removed as the editor of New Nigerian and was not assigned any position.

Yakubu and I said to ourselves, ‘we can make these guys feel comfortable and make their former employers, who treated them badly, feel uncomfortable.’

Having shown that we have confidence in them, we want the two of them to lead the organisation, Dele Giwa as the editor-in-chief and Dan Agbese as the managing director. We announced it to them within five minutes and there was no dissent.

No in-fighting in the board None of us felt inferior to the other. There was no in-fighting in the board.

The role of Omeben in the investigation Omeben did not investigate the case. Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, who later became the Commissioner of Police in Lagos was the one who handled the investigation. He did a report and also appeared at the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa panel and gave evidence. The three of us were at the Oputa panel in Abuja and Lagos and gave evidence.

Tsav said he did an investigation and he felt that there were people he needed to interview and these people were in the military and he wanted the police authorities to get permission for him to interview these people, search their offices and houses. He submitted his report.

The police authorities, as represented by Chris Omeben, did not take action. They did not return his report to him, they did not reassign the case to anybody. They just did nothing. That is the role that Omeben played.

Now, he is telling stories, singing like a canary trying to exonerate himself and the police system over their pathetic failure to do something about Continues on page 41

They were sitting in Dele Giwa’s study.

They were having breakfast in the study.

Soyinka was sitting opposite Dele.

And Dele received the parcel from his son, placed it on his laps and was trying to open it when it detonated C M Y K

VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—41

•Ekpu: Buhari assembled a good team

Newswatch: How we fell for Jimoh Ibrahim •Advocates plea bargain for corrupt leaders Continued from page 40 an issue that became a national and international problem. Dele Giwa’s murder gave Nigeria a very bad name. Of course we had many assassinations since then and in most of the cases, the police have not been able to find the culprits. But in Dele Giwa’s instance, the tell tale signs were all over the place but the police could not do anything. In fact, even after the then Inspector General of Police, we wrote letters to each IG that came after but there is no reply up till today.

Did you write the current IG? No. I don’t think there is any point. This system kills people and buries them and you can never exhume them. So, what is the point?

Who was the last IG you wrote?

I can’t remember. It is not important, we have th gone beyond that. On the 10 anniversary of Dele Giwa’s assassination, we had an anniversary meeting in Ikeja and we said, ‘after 10 years, we have forgiven those who committed the assassination.’

Public domain So, we have gone beyond that. It is too late to talk about it. Who wants to do it? Who wants to bell the cat? The information has been out there in the public domain. The Oputa panel report said the police should reopen the investigation.

Have they re-opened the investigation? They have not. If Chris Omeben said we shielded Kayode Soyinka from being arrested, why haven’t they arrested us? Why haven’t they questioned us to say, why did you shield this man, if they cannot find a way of interviewing Kayode?

Kayode has been coming here. He came to contest the governorship of Ogun State twice since then. He runs a magazine, speaks to the press and is everywhere. There is no time limitation on cases of murder. Why haven’t they picked him up and queried him?

Are you establishing anything like a foundation to keep the memory of Dele Giwa alive?

C M Y K

We had a trust fund that we raised money to deal with the problems of the immediate family.

That fund has been exhausted and the objectives have been fully achieved. We didn’t need any foundation. Whatever else we had done as publications were done on one-off basis. We published some books and dedicated them to him. We have the Dele Giwa Prize for Investigative Journalism and we marked the anniversary every year till we retired.

On their work ethic and what they have been doing of late We are old school, we still do it the old fashion way. We are doing book publishing. We have published six books since we left Newswatch.

You know we used to publish books at Newswatch but here, we actually write the books ourselves.

We also collect manuscripts from other people, assess them and if they are good, we publish them.

His take on the five months it took President Buhari to appoint his ministers and the quality of the appointees Yes, President Buhari took five months and some others have taken fewer months but I don’t think that, that takes anything away from the goal of the government. You can take a decision in a haste and it turns out bad.

By and large, I don’t think the quality of people nominated is bad. I believe that it reflects on Buhari’s attitude, the type of people he wants to work with and the direction he wants the country to go. A few issues have been raised about a few of the people but these are the kind of things you expect in a partisan political situation. I know a few people, who were persuaded to leave their lucrative businesses and come into cabinet. I think the president has done well to assemble a team like that. It is for us to support that team because we really don’t have a choices otherwise we will go down.

The country is not in the best shape possible.

The economy is almost flat on its back. Oil revenue is low and we need to think outside the box, on our feet, for this country to grow. There are a few issues here and there, I think we should go beyond these partisan issues we are raising and support the government to move in the direction

of revamping the economy and restoring sanity in the system.

Supports anti-graft war I am particularly thrilled by President Buhari’s attempt on tackling corruption. Whether it is partisan or not, I want to see corruption tackled.

I want to see part of the $100 billion he said was stolen brought back. I really don’t care about people being put in jail because if we put them in jail, we are going to feed them. I am of the opinion that government must work out a mechanism of collecting nine-tenth of the stolen money from the looters.

I am for plea bargaining because of this question of having a long time in the courts, they will hire the best lawyers that money can buy and frustrate the system. I am wishing that the government can fashion a system where it can negotiate with these people that have stolen money, give them a plea bargain, collect part of our money and we move on. If you put them in jail without recovering the money, they will come back and enjoy their loot.

On the rising wave of insecurity and dissent in the country with Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, struggle for actualisation of Biafra in the East and the menace of Fulani herdsmen in the South and North-Central, with some Yoruba leaders threatening secession recently Violence has become the norm almost all over the world, there is escalation of global violence.

Part of it is the global movement towards democracy and lot of people take freedom as licence. The dissent and problems you listed are some of the fallouts of a democratic government.

Democracy gives you the licence to shout or fight for your rights. These things cannot abate except we have a comprehensive look at the way we live as a country. What are the Biafrans looking for? Late Chief Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu waged the war for 30 months with arms, with soldiers and they were ready to fight and die. He didn’t win.

Omeben did not investigate the case.

Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, who later became the Commissioner of Police in Lagos was the one who handled the investigation.

He did a report and also appeared at the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa panel and gave evidence

Strong arm tactics These people are not using arms, they are saying they want return to Biafra, they are tearing their Nigerian passports, printing Biafran currency, etc. This is just a pressure group, as far as I am concerned. They are going the extreme way to draw attention to their problems.

They have Radio Biafra, there are pirate radios in different parts of the world. This is just a pirate radio.

The government doesn’t need to just arrest people and throw them into jail. We have to talk.

We need to have a conversation. Ask the Biafran people, what do you want?. They feel that they have been marginalised and not given their fair share. A lot of people in the country feel marginalised. What it calls for is a conversation among the different groups. Strong arm tactics alone will not solve the problem. These are young people who were not born during the civil war.

They came after the war. The old men who tasted war don’t want war. If you have ever been at the war front, you will know that war is dangerous.

War is evil.

These young men don’t want war but they want a fair share of the national cake. I don’t know whether they are doing it right but they want their voice to be heard. They are sending petitions to the United Nations and so on.

My view is that we can have a conversation.

You can’t rule people without having a conversation and finding out what is biting them.

Whether they are herdsmen, Niger Delta people, militants, Biafrans or Boko Haram people, these are pockets of disgruntlements.

Let’s see whether we can talk, whether we can meet each other half-way. Nobody can get from the system all that he wants but people must get a bit out of the system for them to be stable and for the system itself to be stable. So, we have to have a conversation.

I think we should go beyond these partisan issues we are raising and support the government to move in the direction of revamping the economy and restoring sanity in the system

42—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

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Shell JV partners PETAN, foreign manufacturers on local content

T

HE development of indigenous manpower for the oil and gas industry received a boost, Friday, as 40 engineering and geosciences graduates passed out from a one-year internship programme organised by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) operated Joint Venture and Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), a group of indigenous oilfield service companies. The milestone occurred on the same day that SPDC JV performed the ground-breaking ceremony of its Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) domestication initiative, whereby the manufacturers and their Nigerian partners have been allocated land to set up local assembly plants and service centres at the Shell Industrial Area in Port Harcourt.

The internship programme introduced by SPDC JV in 2014 to support manpower development in critical disciplines equips graduates with vital industry experience for employment and continues with another batch of 40 graduates who are now attached to 20 PETAN companies.

PAC joins Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade

T

HE Police Assistance Committee of Nigeria (PAC) has aligned itself with the anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Government by initiating a nationwide intense grassroot awareness programme that will take the message to all and sundry.

The organization is coming up with nationwide seminars and workshop which will hold in the six geopolitical zones of the country and draw participation amongst critical stakeholders comprising PAC members who are mainly tradesmen / artisans, all arms of government at Federal, states and local government levels, the armed forces, all security agencies including paramilitary establishments as well as the public.

Speaking on the seminars/ workshops the DirectorGeneral of PAC, Dr. Martins John-Oni said the programme was designed to drum up support for the anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Government.

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

PDP govs behind Wada’s re-election bid —MIMIKO

By Boluwaji Obahopo

L

OKOJA—THE chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Olusegun Mimiko, yesterday said all the PDP governors were behind the second term bid of Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State, contrary to insinuations that some PDP governors were against him.

Mimiko, who spoke in Okene, headquarters of Kogi West senatorial district, during the PDP zonal rally in the area, called on the people of the state to re-elect Governor Wada for another term in view of his performance in the last three and a half years.

Mimiko said: "Failure to vote for the PDP would mean the state risking being led by foe and emperor. I caution you (Kogi electorate) against voting for an octopus that will come and decimate the people by lording himself over you.”

Mimiko described Wada as a man of integrity who had respect for the traditional institution, youths, and women alike, saying: "Wada has done a lot in the area of youth and women empowerment. Wada is the only

candidate that is sincerely committed to power rotation, unlike the All Progressives Congress, APC, who are just using it for election purpose.”

Also speaking, former governor of the state, Ibrahim Idris, called on the people of the area to be steadfast and vote for PDP to secure their future, saying: “There is no alternative to the PDP. Kogi has always been for PDP and it is still a PDP

state.”

Governor Idris Wada, who had earlier visited the Ohinohi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, to pay homage, while receiving his flag, said his administration had recorded great achievements in education, health, agriculture and road construction in all parts of the state.

He said the general hospital at Obangede had been

upgraded to a specialist hospital, noting that it would create employment opportunities for the people.

The governor who pointed out that the contract for the procurement of medical equipment for the hospital had been awarded, said he was seeking re-election to consolidate on the projects he started for the development of the state.

Senator faults El Rufai on Kufena hill

By Luka Binniyat

K

ADUNA—SENATOR Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central at the Senate, yesterday said Kufena hill should be a rallying point for people demanding for good governace and accountability in Kaduna State.

It would be recalled that penultimate Sunday, Governor El Rufai had, at a town hall meeting in Kaduna, told off anyone not happy with the

political appointments he had so far made, to “go climb Kufena hill and fall.”

El Rufai, however, denied saying he meant anyone to die from the fall.

Addressing a youths group from Southern Kaduna yesterday in his office in Kaduna, Sani said: “The positive aspect of the governor’s proclamation is that he has put an unknown Kufena hill on a national discourse. It has thus become a tourist attraction and a

symbol for people to see where the opposition could go climb and die. But, on a serious note, it was irresponsible to have called on people who voted us to power to climb such a hill, fall and die. My advice to all the opposition forces in Kaduna State is that we should turn Kufena hills into our meeting place to demand for good governance, accountability and government without arrogance."

Emir of Borgu laid to rest

By Wole Mosadomi

M

INNA—THE body of the late Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Mohammed Dantoro, Kitoro III, was yesterday laid to rest in New Bussa, headquarters of Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The body was interred at the palace of the late Emir amidst wailing by family members relations, friends and other sympathisers.

As the remains arrived the palace, a congregational prayer was immediately conducted by Chief Imam of New Bussa, Alhaji Ahmed Shehu.

The remains of the late Emir had arrived Nigerian Air Force Base, Kainji, in Arik Air 5NJEA , at about 11:20 am with Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, on hand to receive it.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, and governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Bello Bagudu, members of the national and states Assembly, traditional rulers from across the country as well as business community led by Alhaji Aminu Dantata, and Colonel Sani Bello, attended the burial ceremony.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—51

Concerned stakeholders threaten to recall Sen Orji

By Anayo Okoli

U

M UA H I A — A group, Concerned Abia Central Stakeholders Forum weekend it had commenced collection of signatures of voters aimed at recalling Senator Theodore Orji, representing Abia Central at the National Assembly on the allegation that he was not doing anything at the National Assembly.

The group accused Senator Orji of low quality representation five months after his election.

But in a swift reaction, the President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, dismissed the group as “faceless,” only out to rubbish Senator Orji, who he described as a prominent Igbo leader.

According to Isiguzoro, though it was too early to access the current law makers, Senator Theodore Orji had already within his short stay in the Senate sponsored four bills.

The group had in a statement in Umuahia described Senator Orji as “a mere bencher ” that moved no motion or took any visible stand on any issue.

Ebonyi House denies rift with gov

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI— EBONYI State House of Assembly, weekend, denied any rift with the state Executive arm of government led by Governor David Umahi, over constituency allowances among other issues.

The Speaker, Nwifuru Francis, while speaking with newsmen on his victory at the tribunal, dispelled the rumour and stressed that the allowance was already built into all the lawmakers’ salaries, insisting that “the Assembly members cannot make such agitation."

According to the Speaker, the House of Assembly was happy with the prudent and credible manner the Executive arm of government was managing the meagre resources of the state to the benefit of Ebonyi people.

S/East roads require urgent attention, says Osinbajo insisted that the worst problem plaguing people of the SouthEast geopolitical zone, was the failed road networks, saying the situation required urgent Federal Government attention.

Prof. Osinbajo noted that

despite government financial constraints at the moment, there was need to improve on the roads in the region where commerce was the mainstay of the people.

While fielding questions

from journalists in Enugu, where he attended a wedding at the Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd, Anglican NUGU—VICE Communion, the Vice President, Professor, President disclosed that he Yemi Osinbajo, weekend, had discussed the issue with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, noting that the problem was not unknown to the Federal Government.

According to him: “One problem that the people of the South-East have is roads. You know what our financial constraints are, and there is a need for improvement on roads where there is a lot of commerce and movement of people. There is need to raise the value of naira by discouraging importation of some items so that the economy will improve.”

In a homily at the church, Arch. Bishop of the Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Anglican Communion, His Grace, Emmanuel Chukwuma, appealed to the Federal Government to create MEETING: From left, Director, Transcorp Hotels Plc THP, HRH, Alhaji Baba Mohammed; Executive employment for the teeming Director, Customer Services, THP; Managing Director/CEO, THP, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo; and Director, unemployed youths in the THP, and Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, during the Completion country,wallowing in poverty.

Board Meeting for Transcorp Hotels Plc’s N10 billion bond issue for the renovation of Transcorp Hilton Abuja, in Lagos, last Friday.

By Francis Igata

E

ALLEGED RELOCATION OF BOKO HARAM SUSPECTS TO ABAKALIKI PRISONS: There's no such thing —Umahi

By Peter Okutu

A

B A K A L I K I — FOLLOWING the alleged relocation 47 Boko Haram suspects from Ekulobia Prisons in Anambra State, to an undisclosed destination in the country, there was tension,

weekend, in Abakaliki metropolis that the suspects might had been secretly relocated to Abakaliki prisons without any publicity.

Recall that there were about 134 inmates at the Ekwulobia prisons before the 47 Boko Haram prisoners were brought in the dead of the night, Sunday, June

28, 2015 amid tight security.

Unconfirmed sources claimed the suspects arrived the Abakaliki prisons, last weekend, in 10 trucks heavily guarded by security operatives.

But Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, described as false the rumour that the Boko Haram

NON-PAYMENT OF SALARY ARREARS: Abia workers protest amid govt's claim of owing only 4 MDAs

By Anayo Okoli

U

M UA H I A — A M I D protests and complaints from angry workers over nonpayment of arrears of their salaries, Abia State government, weekend, said it had cleared all the arrears of 64 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, remaining four MDAs. The government also said that the money for the payment to workers of the remaining four MDAs was already in the bank awaiting clearance before disbursement.

According to a statement by Sam Hart, Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Public Communications, government had met the deadline of October ending it set for itself to clear the arrears of the workers’ salaries following the receipt of N14.152 billion bailout fund from the Federal Government.

According to the statement:

“There are approximately 13,000 Primary School Teachers in Abia State. Government has effectively cleared the backlogs of salaries of over 11,000 teachers. The payment of the remaining 2,000 is being delayed because of the wrong account number and other irregular details. All those who are yet to receive their salaries should please approach their banks for regularization of their details.

“Government wishes to notify the general public that the current strike by staff of the Abia State University has nothing to do with salary arrears as government has paid its subvention to the institution up to date. The strike was occasioned by some demands made by the academic staff to the school authority which are yet to be met.

“For the Health Management Board, four months arrears have been paid. The 5th and 6th month has been lying in the bank. The

staff of the board have been slow in computing their outstandings and whenever they conclude, the funds can be accessed at the bank.

"The Abia State government reiterates its call on the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, to cooperate with it to ensure a sustainable salary payment model for the Local Governments. Government commends staff of Umuahia South Local Government Area, who have since undergone verification and restates its directive to staff of other local governments to do the same.

“On pensions, government has paid up till July 2015. August and September have been sent to the bank and can be accessed from next week. The bailout Disbursement Committee had challenges with some pensioners due to wrong data imputation and urges any pensioner yet to be paid to please approach the bank for correct data imputation."

suspects were brought to Abakaliki Federal prisons.

Umahi, who debunked such claims during a briefing at the Government House, Abakaliki, insisted that from available reports to him, the Boko Haram suspects were not relocated to the state.

According to him: “The news that Boko Haram suspects were brought to Abakaliki prisons is false. This rumour is capable of disintegrating the state and people should be careful of the type of information they peddle.

Moreover, the prison space and capacity are not there in the state.

There is no such thing. Ebonyians should relegate such rumour to the background and go about their lawful businesses.”

Similarly, Commissioner of Police, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, said she was not aware of the arrival of Boko Haram suspects in the state, insisting that she had not been briefed regarding such development and so could not authoritatively speak on the matter.

Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer of Abakaliki prisons, Mr. Frank, said he was not aware of the arrival of Boko Haram suspects to the prisons.

“My brother, I am not aware of Boko Haram suspects being brought to the prisons. If they are on their way, I don’t know.”

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

2015: KOGI DECIDES

PDP Govs're behind Wada — Mimiko •Audu

APC Flag off: Wada’s supporters mock Audu over Buhari’s absence

By Kingsley Fanwo & Boluwaji Obahopo

T

HE multitude of APC supporters that trooped to Lokoja to witness the presentation of flag to the governorship candidate of the APC, Prince Abubakar Audu were disappointed with the absence of the president and leader of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The rally which was attended by the national leaders of the party didn’t spark colours as the president’s absence was conspicuous and politically loud.

The Campaign Organization of the APC had announced, Friday, that the president would attend the event. The announcement was ostensibly borne out of a truce allegedly brokered to ensure the president attended the event to save the face of the embattled party in the state.

President Buhari has refused to identify publicly with the candidature of Audu and there are insinuations that it is on account of the ongoing trial of the candidate for alleged corruption.

There have also been whispers that Buhari is still miffed by the alleged halfhearted support he allegedly got from the then Governor Audu in his 2003 presidential bid.

Buhari’s absence was picked up by supporters of Governor Idris Wada to back their claim that Audu was not sellable as a candidate. Chief Communication Manager to the

Governor, Mr. Phrank Shaibu said yesterday: “The absence of President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is a clear attestation that the candidature of Abubakar Audu is antithetical to the anti-corruption stand of the president.

“It’s a further confirmation of the issues that the PDP has been harping on, particularly, that the APC candidate is being weighed down by a large ton of baggage. We implore the people of the state to toe the line of President Buhari by jettisoning Audu at the poll”.

However, the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun assured party supporters that the party will work hard to ensure APC wins next month’s governorship election in the state.

According to the national chairman of the party, APC is prepared to add Kogi to the Change States in Nigeria.

After accepting the party flag, Prince Abubakar Audu assured Kogites of the readiness of APC to rescue the state from the jaws of underdevelopment orchestrated by the PDP since 2003.

“It is high time we rescued our dear state from the hawks who have refused to bring development to our people. I am prepared to lead the rescue crusade”, he said.

The flag off was also used to present Hon. Abiodun Faleke, member representing Ikeja 2 Constituency in the House of Representatives as the running mate to Prince Abubakar Audu.

•Mimiko

By Boluwaji Obahopo

T

HE Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Governors Forum, Olusegun Mimiko has said that all the PDP governors are backing Governor Idris Wada for second term, contrary to insinuation that some PDP governors were against Wada’s second term bid in Kogi State.

Mimiko who stated this, yesterday, in Okene, the headquarters of Kogi West Senatorial District during the PDP zonal rally, called on the people of the state to re-elect Governor Wada in view of his performance in the last three years and a half.

Mimiko said: “I caution you (Kogi) electorates against voting for an octopus who will come and decimate the people by lording himself over you, and a ‘street boy ’ from Lagos as running mate.”

I’m working towards victory — Wada

By Boluwaji Obahopo

G

OVERNOR Idris Wada of Kogi State yesterday said he has put in his best in the past three and half years to deserve victory for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the November 21 governorship election in the state.

Wada who stated this in Lokoja said unlike the All Progressives Congress, APC, which is relying solely on the popularity of President Muhammed Buhari to secure its victory, PDP, was working for a deserved victory.

Wada who made this known through •Wada his Chief Communication Manager, Mr. Phrank Shaibu however said that measures to address those issues that the last loss by the PDP in the March cost it victory, and is wooing back general election has awoken its aggrieved members. The last electoral leaders. loss by the Kogi PDP has awoken its He said: “The PDP has already taken leaders to the fact that politics of today

is no longer business as usual.

“What the PDP Kogi seems to be doing is to halt their membership decline, endear its displeased members back to its fold and work towards winning.

“On the other side, what the APC hopes for, is to use the popularity of President Buhari to supplant the PDP, but this may no longer be an easy task especially with the recent cracks in the membership of the Kogi APC.’’

•Wada Mimiko described Wada as a man of integrity who has respect for traditional institution, youths, and women alike, adding, ‘Wada has done a lot in the area of youth and women empowerment. Wada is the only candidate that is sincerely committed to power rotation, unlike the APC who are just using it for election purpose”.

Also speaking, the former Governor of the State, Ibrahim Idris called on the people of the area to be steadfast and vote for PDP in order to secure their future, “there is no alternative to the PDP, Kogi has always been for PDP and it is still a PDP State.”

Governor Idris Wada who had earlier visited the Ohinohi of Ebira land, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, to pay him homage while receiving his flag, said his administration has recorded great achievements in education, health, Agriculture and road construction in all parts of the state.

He said the General Hospital at Obangede has been upgraded to a specialist Hospital adding that it will create employment opportunities for the people.

He also pointed out that the contract for the procurement of medical equipment for the Hospital has been awarded, said he was seeking reelection to consolidate on the projects he started for the development of the state.

Wada enjoined the royal father to impress it on his subjects to give their full support to the PDP during the election.

Present at the rally were the acting National chairman of the party, Uche Secondus; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekwerrmadu; Governor Olusegun Miminko of Ondo State; Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dakwambo; former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan, Tarawa State Governor, Darius Ishaku; Deputy governors of Ebonyi and Cross River states among others.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015—53

Champions League: Musa targets United’s fall S

UPER Eagles and CSKA Moscow forward, Ahmed Musa says his Russian club will do everything in their power to beat Manchester United in the Champions League on Tuesday night at Old Trafford.

The Muscovites will leapfrog Manchester United in the standings if they manage to secure three points, with both teams level on four points presently, though the English club have a better goal difference.

“We are well aware that it will be very hard, but go to England with the utmost spirit at least to win a point, and even better bring back victory,” said Ahmed Musa to CSKA Moscow TV. “We remember how events unfolded in last year ’S match with Manchester City. We are quite capable of winning in England.

“We will do everything in the match that will try to ensure the victory.”

Including the qualifying rounds of the competition, the Nigeria skipper has bagged 4 Champions League goals this term but lasts scored against PSV on September 30.

after a rash of media interviews on the state of affairs in the U-23 team’s camp were a clear misrepresentation of facts.

“There has never been a time we in the technical committee or at the executive committee level discussed any such thing.

I am a member of both committees and never has that come up for discussion.”

Fresh admitted however,

AF have brought forward the draw for next year’s CHAN in Rwanda to November 15.

CAF announced the draw in Kigali will now be staged three days earlier than the originally slated.

All 16 finalists are now known after Cameroon outscored Congo on aggregate on Saturday.

The other qualifiers for the 2016 CHAN are hosts Rwanda, Angola, DR Congo, Gabon, Ethiopia, Guinea, Cote

continued from BP

•Ahmed Musa (l) fights for possession against a Spartak Moscow player in the Russian League

Rangers, Akwa Utd share points R

ANGERS and Akwa United settled for a 2-2 draw in a Week 36 game of the Nigeria

assertive and confident fashion on his way to 44 winners, 12 aces and three breaks of serve.

Nadal, meanwhile, was unable to serve up an ace and only managed to break his opponent once in the second set.

Federer won against serve in the fifth and ninth games of the opening set, the Spaniard struggling with his first serve and the local favourite producing some worthy

Siasia continued from BP

C

d’Ivoire, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Both defending champions Libya and last year ’s runners-up Ghana failed to qualify for the 2016 CHAN. The tournament reserved for players featuring in their home leagues will be played from January 16 to February 7 in three Rwandan cities of Kigali, Gisenyi and Butare.

Brazil

Professional Football League (NPFL) game played yesterday in Enugu.

Federer wins 7th Swiss title R OGER Federer overcame his old rival Rafael Nadal in three sets to claim his seventh Swiss Indoors title in Basle.

The decorated duo met for the first time this year with Federer top seed and strong favourite but Nadal enjoying the better of the head-tohead record, including victories in their last five matches.

The Swiss came through 6-3 5-7 6-3, going after the game in

CAF move CHAN draw

that the Olympic team coach was queried after what was taken as an affront against his employers. “But that was not enough for the media to suggest that it would lead to Siasia’s sack.

“Siasia was queried and he has since answered to the query. It is a normal administrative procedure which should not call for speculations that are unfounded. There is no intention to sack Siasia,”he repeated.

winners.

Nadal tightened up to level the score with the solitary break of the second set, but Federer was back in the groove for the decider and finished up by taking three consecutive games.

Rangers now have 48 points from 35 games, while Akwa have 44 points from 36 games.

The hosts started well and scored in the seventh minute when Chinedu Udeagha finished well from Etim’s cross.

4-0 win at home against Bayelsa United.

The Aba club’s remaining matches are at home to rivals Wolves this coming Sunday, before their final game at Sunshine Stars on November 15.

Mfon Udoh was the match winner for Enyimba after skipper Chinedu Udoji missed a penalty.

The all-time Nigeria league highest goal scorer Mfon Udoh made the difference when he scored in the 69th minute.

Udoh, a second half substitute, scored off a solo effort to beat Akpan Bassey in Abia Warriors goal.

Mfon Udoh has now

back over his shoulder, with Michael following in. The ball bounced up off the turf and past Juliano. The Brazilian No1 was deceived by another bounce just four minutes later, as Anumudu hit a left-footed drive from distance. The effort skipped off the turf, and past the stopper, who was visibly unhappy at not keeping the shot out.

The second period saw few clear-cut opportunities, with Funsho Bamgboye and Evander going closest for either side but, in truth, it was a mere procession for the holders to take a step closer to retaining their title. They will head to Concepcion for Thursday ’s semi-final against the winner of tomorrow’s quarter-final between Ecuador and Mexico.

Mourinho turns attention to Dynamo game

J

OSE Mourinho has quickly turned his attention to Wednesday ’s Champions League clash with Dynamo Kiev following

Enyimba continued from BP

the rest of the game out at a canter to reach the final four.

Brazil had looked bright in the opening stages, either finding Akpan Udoh in fine form in the Nigerian net or hitting their opportunities off target, with Rogerio and Evander two of the culprits. A Seleção were made to rue those missed opportunities when the lethal Osimhen extended his lead at the top of the goalscoring charts. John Lazarus crossed from the Nigerian right and the Nigerian No9 headed in, via a deflection off Eder Militao.

Moments later, Nigeria doubled their lead, Osimhen instrumental once more. The forward hooked a bouncing ball

scored five goals this season.

The hosts started well and forced a save off Femi Thomas in the third minute before Markson Ojobo made a goalline clearance.

In the 21st minute, Ezekiel Bassey failed to score for Enyimba after Abia goalkeeper Chinedu Anozie fumbled Andrew Abalogu’s effort.

Enyimba captain Udoji then failed to score from the penalty spot in the 29th minute after Abalogu was brought down as the goalkeeper saved.

Kingsley Sokari almost punished Abia Warriors goalkeeper Chinedu Anozie for a poor clearance, but he fired wide in the 23rd minute.

Chelsea’s latest defeat on Saturday.

Chelsea took the lead but eventually lost 3-1 to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, a result which saw them remain in 15th place in the Premier League with six defeats from 11 games.

The newspapers are at odds over how much longer Mourinho will stay in charge, but the Portuguese expressed his confidence after the

•Mourinho

Liverpool game that it would not be his final game.

He is now looking ahead to the crucial Dynamo encounter, with Chelsea third behind Porto and Dynamo in Group G and in need of a win to kick-start their Champions League campaign.

“It’s a big game. It’s a game that we cannot lose,” Mourinho told Chelsea TV.

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Salami shoots to top of goals chart

W

ARRI Wolves striker Gbolahan Salami has shot to the top of the goal scorers’ chart of the Nigeria Professional Football League after he scored in Wolves 4-0 thrashing of Bayelsa United.

The former Shooting Stars striker is now joint top scorer with 15 goals alongside Nasarawa United’s Esosa Igbinoba.

The two players are being trailed by Sunshine Stars Tunde Adeniji who has scored 14 goals.

Abia Warriors Chisom Chikatara and Heartland’s Bright Ejike have scored 13 goals each.

Wikki Tourists Mubarak Umar has scored 12 goals with Lobj Stars Tony Okpotu on 10 goals.

Last season, Enyimba’s Mfon Udoh set new goalscoring record with 23 goals, but it is unlikely this tally will be surpassed this term.

•Salami

"Rochas didn’t sack Ndubuoke at Heartland"

F

ACTS have emerged that Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha was unaware that Fan Ndubuoke had

•Ndubuoke

been relieved of his position as General Manager of Heartland FC over a year after.

This much was revealed

by Imo State Deputy Speaker Hon. Ugonna Ozuruigbo, who is the Chairman of a Task Force Committee for Sports Facilities in the state.

“The governor had summoned a meeting involving my committee, the former sports commissioner, Ken Emelu and Heartland GM. When he (Okorocha) asked after Heartland GM, Emelu pointed at Okey Ibe. The governor shook his head and said ‘no, I’m talking about the Mbaise man that was winning those

trophies (Ndubuoke).’

The fact is that over a year after, the governor was not aware that Fan was no longer the Heartland GM. Ozuruigbo exonerated the state government from the ‘ill treatment’ meted out to Ndubuoke.

“Here was a man who had an accident while working for the club. He was still bed-ridden and the next thing was to sack him after all he had achieved at the club. My governor will never be involved in such a thing.

He wouldn’t have approved of it if it was brought to his knowledge.

Emelu and Ibe have to explain to Imolites how they did what they did”, he pointed out.

Show of shame in Akure as fans turn refs into punching bags

I

T was a show of shame yesterday in Akure after fans attacked match officials during a Week 36 league game involving home team Sunshine Stars and Lobi Stars.

The match was stopped with 10 minutes left on the clock when the fans invaded the pitch to beat up match officials as well as the team manager of Sunshine Adeleke.

An official of Lobi Stars was also attacked and later rushed to hospital.

Lobi opened scoring after six minutes through

Abdulrahman Bashir, but the home fans became unruly when they felt Sunshine ought to have been awarded two penalties in the course of

the game.

After topping the league table for several weeks, Sunshine Stars title challenge has slipped in recent weeks.

Ejike ends goal drought

H

EARTLAND leading scorer Bright Ejike ended his longdrawn goals drought yesterday when he helped Heartland beat Giwa 3-2 in a Week 36 game of the NigeriaProfessionalFootball League (NPFL).

Heartland now have 53 points from 36 games,

while Giwa have 60 points from same number of matches.

Ejike’s last goal before the Week 36 game was in the Week 26 1-0 win over Warri Wolves.

Bright Ejike broke the deadlock in the ninth minute when he tapped home from Emeka Ogbugh’s delivery.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — 55

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2015

Federer wins 7th Swiss title p.53

Nig 3 Brazil 0

Brazil battered H

OLDERS Nigeria cruised into the FIFA U-17 World Cup semi-finals after stunning Brazil with three goals in five first half minutes in a 3-0 victory. Victor Osimhen, with his eighth goal in five games, Kingsley Michael and Udochukwu Anumudu battered Brazil, and the Golden Eaglets played

Continues on Page 53 CELEBRATION...Golden Eaglets celebrate victory over Brazil

Enyimba, one point away from 7th title

We won’t sack Siasia—NFF

•Udoh

By Jacob Ajom GAINST the backdrop of intense media speculation that national U-23 team coach, Samson Siasia would be sacked soon, a member of the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh has informed that the football house has no intention of sacking the Olympic silver medal-winning coach.

Speaking exclusively

A

E

NYIMBA are now just a point away from being crowned Nigeria league champions for a seventh time after they beat local rivals Abia Warriors in ‘The Abia El Classico’ on Sunday.

Enyimba now have 68 points from 36 matches, six points clear of closest rivals Warri Wolves, who recorded a convincing Continues on Page 53

CHAMPION...Roger Federer with the Swiss Indoor trophy after beating Rafael Nadal 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the final.

•Siasia

to Sports Vanguard yesterday, Yusuf insisted that media reports that suggested the impending sack of Siasia

Costa faces four-game ban p.53

Continues on Page 53 RESULTS Glo League Abia Warriors El Kanemi Enugu Heartland Kwara Shooting Warri Wikki EPL Everton Southampton

0 1 2 3 1 2 4 2

Enyimba Kano Akwa Giwa Taraba Ifeanyi Ubah Bayelsa Dolphins

1 0 2 2 0 1 0 0

6 2

Sunderland Bournemouth

2 0

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Hatred (5) 9 Pair (6) 10 Undergo (6) 11 Parched (5) 12 Cupid (4) 15 Food-list (4) 17 Earn (7) 20 Wand (3) 21 Finished (5) 23 Detail (4) 25 Cab (4) 26 Renovate (5) 28 Beaker (3) 30 Ebbed (7) 33 Genuine (4) 35 Dandy (4) 36 Brittle (5) 38 Gang (6) 39 Evoke (6) 40 Agree (5)

DOWN 1 Performed (5) 2 Glory (5) 3 Elderly (3) 4 Obtain (6) 5 Employed (4) 6 Mire (3) 7 Bid (5) 8 Haughty (5) 13 Train (7) 14 Drain (5) 16 Spotted (7) 18 Go in (5) 19 Encountered (3) 22 Old-fashioned (5) 24 Males (3) 27 Mammal (6) 28 Split (5) 29 Confusion (5) 31 Dullard (5) 32 Demise (5) 34 Region (4) 36 Sever (3) 37 Layer (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Polish 5, Ripped 9, Tamed 10, Earned 11, Louder 12, Medal 14, Char 17, Sex 18, Else 20, Eaten 22, Blend 23, Severed 24, Remit 26, Tenor 29, Eden 30, Hem 32, Ripe 33, Wider 35, Endear 36, Limpet 37, Depot 38, Lodged 39, Needed.

DOWN: 1, Pierce 2, Lariat 3, Stem 4, Hades 5, Relax 6, Idol 7, Puddle 8, Darted 13, Deleted 15, Hated 16, Resin 18, Elder 19, Snoop 21, Net 22, Bet 24, Reveal 25, Mended 27, Nipped 28, Rested 30, Hired 31, Melon 33, Wade 34, Rite.

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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