DASUKI, KANU: Buhari not dictatorial

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62664

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N150

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Obaigbena writes EFCC over N670m compensation to THISDAY, NPAN

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DASUKI, KANU:

Buhari not dictatorial — AGF, Ndume, Tsav, others • Buhari’s actions so far derive strength from Section 15 (4-5) of the Nigerian Constitution, which is to fight corruption holistically and give the nation a new lease of life and has nothing to do with tyranny or oppression— AGF

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor, Henry Umoru, Dapo Akinrefo, Charles Kumolu, Emman Ovuakporie& Jonhbosco Agbakwuru

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B U J A — AT TORNEY General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, yesterday, teamed up with other eminent Nigerians to give President

Continues on Page 5

•See pull-out inside ARRIVAL: From left, Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun; Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ms

Christine Lagarde, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, during the arrival of Ms Lagarde at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. See story on Page 9.

NIGER DELTA VOICE

Cultists force 2 Rivers towns to mark Yuletide in exile See Inside C M Y K

COLUMNISTS:

Oil prices rise as Saudi Arabia/Iran crisis escalates P.17

FEMI ARIBISALA

interrogating the budget of Buharinomics

P.20

YINKA ODUMAKIN

2016 budget: Bani changi!

8 P.42

UCHE ONYEBADI

New Year in Fort Wayne

Mr & Mrs

2 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016 — 3

C M Y K

4 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON

CONFERENCE—Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson (centre) explaining a point to the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Esueme Dan-Kikile (right), during a World Press Conference at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa, while the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah rtd (left) looks on.

Buhari not dictatorial, AGF, Ndume, Tsav, others Continues from Page 1

Muhammadu Buhari a robust defence after the president came under criticisms for insisting that the Federal Government would not release former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), and the founder of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, despite several court directives to that effect.

Senate Leader, Sen Ali Ndume, former Minister of Transport and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Chief Ebenezar Babatope and retired Police Commissioner, Alhaji

Abubakar Tsav argued that President Buhari was not dictatorial. They said he was only being serious minded, while the Attorney General said the president was just being a promoter of public interest and not a tyrant.

Speaking with Vanguard, yesterday, in an exclusive interview, Malami described as laughable, allegation by some Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari is a tyrant.

He said that those making the allegation against Buhari were oblivious of the national interest, which the

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO HERE is a tremendous difference between doing the right thing and doing the bright thing. Achieving good success is about doing the bright thing. It's up to you.

T

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible —Francis of Assisi

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F YOU want to experience more love, start giving more love. if you want to feel like you’re worth something, start treating yourself as a worthy being, because you most certainly are.

When you change your thoughts, you change your life, you heal the erroneous belief that runs wild in one’s mind about life’s limitations. You become more confident in your abilities to do better and live happier and fulfilled life. You are not controlled by the external things anymore. After all, there is always a step further in life, and even if the circumstances require changes, your joy remains. You can always do better.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

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OU can never tell who your next friend will be, but you can guess who your next enemy may be.

President was protecting.

The minister said that what was at stake was a conflict between public and private interest, insisting that there was no way any rightthinking leader would allow individual interest to override the national interest.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian Bar Association had on Monday lashed out at the president for not heeding two court judgments directing the Department of State Service, DSS, to release both Col. Dasuki and Kanu, who also runs the Biafra Radio and Television.

But Malami said that in all democracies around the world, national interests are always given top priority over individual interests, especially when such individuals had committed heinous crimes against society.

The minister pointed out that both Dasuki and Kanu, who were recently admitted to bail, had committed very serious crimes against the nation and its people and should not be made to appear as victims of any state victimisation.

Malami said: “These people compromised national interest leading to multiple loss of lives and property of innocent Nigerians and are now crying foul that they did nothing wrong.

“Here, when you weigh national interest against individual

interest, the latter must naturally give way.

“Are we now saying that the collective national interest should give way for the individual interest of a few people who are working hard to cause more havoc?

“There is no basis whatsoever to profile Mr. President as a tyrant given the fact that what he is doing is rooted in public interest and to advance the well being of the majority of Nigerians as opposed to the protection of a few privileged and powerful individuals.

“What the president is doing is to end the unfortunate regime of impunity which some of these people used to perpetuate injustice, corruption and lawlessness in the land and that does not amount to tyranny,” Malami said.

According to the minister, Buhari’s actions so far derive strength from Section 15 (4-5) of the Nigerian Constitution, which is to fight corruption holistically and give the nation a new lease of life and has nothing to do with tyranny or oppression.

Section 15 (4) says: “The State shall foster a feeling of belonging and of involvement among the various peoples of the federation to the extent that loyalty to the nation shall override sectional loyalties. Subsection 5 states that “the State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”

Others who came to the defence of the president argued that the president was not dictatorial but a serious minded person who is very focused while he has also been very fair to the opposition. They added that Buhari’s stern commitment towards ensuring probity in the polity was being misconstrued.

He is focused, serious minded —Ndume

Ndume said: “It is not possible to be a dictator in a democratic environment like ours where you have a vibrant opposition. But I will agree if people say President Buhari is a very serious President.

We have a very serious President which is a far departure from the past where we had a very funny, unserious and

weak President. Now we have a serious President.

“If you accuse him of being a serious President, I will agree with you, but not as a dictator who does not respect rule of law.”

On his part, Datti a close associate of Buhari said the President has not violated any law through the non-release of Dasuki and Kanu.

He said: “Dasuki’s first arrest was based on illegal arms possession before the issue of monies he shared to his PDP cronies came up and some people are saying that Buhari violated the rule of law “It is only in Nigeria that people will commit heinous crimes of this magnitude and then a few will be calling our President unprintable names”.

“As For Kanu his crime is simply treasonable felony. Releasing him is dangerous as the man needs to be taught a lesson.

“The man imported gadgets into Nigeria using it to destabilise the polity at the same time calling the President a terrorist and you expect the man to be released?

“If his elders can’t teach him a lesson then he should remain where he is to learn better lessons as he was not properly brought up by his parents.”

He has been fair to the opposition —Babatope Similarly, Babatope said: “With what has been happening regarding the court orders, I will not say he is a dictator. He has been fair enough to allow the opposition have a say at any given time.”

“It does not mean that we should not

encourage Buhari to obey court orders because obeying court orders is submitting to the rule of law. And the rule of law is one of the cardinal points in a democracy.”

Buhari is not a dictator—Tsav Also speaking, Tsav said: ‘’The statement the President made to the effect that Dasuki and Kanu will not be released is unfortunate. As a matter of fact, if I were him I would not have commented on that because some might think that he is interfering with the process of the court. Apart from that he has allowed the courts to do their jobs. Same applies to other institutions of the state that have been performing their duties without interference.

Therefore, I don’t think the perception of him having dictatorial tendencies holds water.

People don’t know that sometimes some suspects are jailed in their own interest Mr. President is not a dictator.

No one should be above the law—Shettima Shettima on his part differed saying: “We should not encourage what is happening. If Buhari as the President can undermine the judiciary, it gives me a lot of worry and concern. He should not be seen to be higher than our institution, what we should be looking at is for our institutions to be strengthened.

Due process must be followed. If a court of law gives an order, that order must be obeyed.

Investigations must be carried out and if the court finds anyone guilty such a fellow must be convicted.”

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016

Masked men behead 2 suspected cultists in Rivers P

By Davies Iheamnachor

ORT HARCOURT—THE people of Elibrada community in Emohua Clan, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State trooped out Monday dancing and singing following the killing of two cultists that allegedly had been terrorizing the community.

According to a community source who pleaded anonymity, the problem started, Sunday night, when unknown gunmen invade Elibrada Carnival and shot sporadically, causing pandemonium in the area.

It was gathered that after the unidentified gunmen laid siege to the community, Sunday night,

that one of the boys that had been terrorising the entire Emohua LGA was picked. The remains of the terror boy were discovered later, Monday, at Elibrada Junction.

It was gathered that when the remains were discovered his head was already cut off from the body and placed separately on a clean George wrapper, while his body was found in the bush.

The source also revealed that the people of the area rolled out their drums and gongs, singing and dancing when the news filtered in that the alleged terror cultist, Mr. Sunday Okogbule, popularly called, DD the White Lion, had

been beheaded.

The source disclosed that in the third week of December 2015, that one of the close pals of DD the White Lion was also killed and beheaded.

It was gathered that DD, the White Lion was the leader of one of the cult groups that have imposed a reign of terror on the Emohua people.

The source said that when the news came in that the 'White Lion' had died with his head separated from his body the people of the area trooped out in their numbers to the scene of the incident to express their joy.

At press time no rival cult group or vigilante had claimed responsibility for the killing, but it is clear that the killing would have resulted from reprisal attack of a rival cult group in the area.

But the source who related the incident hinted Vanguard that the slain cultist was one of the hoodlums used by one of the political parties in the state to disrupt the electoral process during the last general elections.

It also said that the people of the area would experience relative peace following the killing of the two terror kingpins in the area.

Fire guts building, sacks 8 families in Lagos L

By Faith Ake

AGOS—Eight families were rendered homeless yesterday as a bungalow building was razed in Mafoluku area of Oshodi, Lagos.

The fire, said to have started from one of the rooms, was caused by a candle lit by one of the occupants.

It was reported that the said occupant of the room (name withheld) returned from a party staged to celebrate the New Year, drunk at about 11am. He reportedly lit the candle and slept off, only for occupants of the building located on Fadeyi Street to be jolted from sleep by the fire alarm raised.

Some of the occupants reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries as they scampered out of their rooms for safety. While some managed to salvage their important documents and other properties to safer places, others could not.

When Vanguard visited the scene, the occupants were seen bemoaning their fate. A daughter to the owner of the building, Miss

Bukola Adedokun lamented: “It is indeed a huge disaster for us because we could not take a pin out . But we thank God that no life was lost neither did we have any casualty.”

Another resident who spoke on condition of anonymity hailed the

fire service for its prompt arrival. “But for the prompt arrival of the Fire Service, the fire would have spread to other buildings and that would have been catastrophe.

“This is the second building that would be engulfed by fire

By Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—POLICEMEN attached to the Alakuko Divisional Police station have arrested a 22- year-old Ganiu Amusa, for allegedly raping a five-year-old boy, (name withheld) in Lagos State.

Vanguard learned that the bubble burst after the toddler innocently complained that his anus was hurting.

It was gathered that the victim informed his mother Mrs. Adenike Ejigbo, that his anus was hurting him and when his mother asked him when he started having the pain, he said since the time Ganiu Amusa had sex with him through the anus.

Mrs. Ejigbo reported the matter at Alakuko Police Station where the Divisional Police Officer, Superintendent of Police, Ajayi Abayomi, ordered investigation into the matter leading to the arrest of Ganiu Amusa.

....Nab suspected pipeline vandal, recover truck in Enugu

By Francis Igata

E RAZED: The building gutted by fire in Lagos.

....Destroys timber market in Benin B ENIN—AN early morning fire outbreak at the ‘Pipeline Timber Market’ in Benin yesterday destroyed timber and machines worth millions of naira.

An eyewitness, Mr Precious Emmanuel, disclosed that the fire started at about 3 a.m., adding that the prompt response of the fire service helped to save some parts of the market.

“We woke up to see that the market was on fire. We believe that the fire was caused by those boys who smoke Indian hemp in the market.

“The intervention of the state fire service saved the situation. They responded quickly to the distress call put across to them,” Emmanuel said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of

in this area. The first fire razed a building at Sadiku Street just two days ago. This one was caused by the carelessness of one of the occupants who came home drunk and forgot to put out a lit candle before going to bed,” the source said.

Police arrest man, 22, over alleged rape of toddler

the Pipeline Timber Market, Mr Osaremen Monday, told NAN that the source of the fire was still unknown.

According to Monday, timber and machines worth millions of

TICKET FEE:

Security agents, okada riders clash

in Delta

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naira were destroyed in the fire.

He appealed to the state government to assist those whose shops were affected, stressing that the market was

their only source of livelihood.

In his comments, the state’s Director of Fire Service, Mr Frankly Agbolahor, described the incident as sad, adding however, that the timely intervention of his men saved the day.

By Perez Brisibe

GHELLI—HUNDREDS of commercial motorcycle operators popularly called okada riders yesterday clashed with security agents in Ughelli, Delta State over 200 per cent hike in daily ticket fees charged by the state government.

Thousands of commuters in the town were stranded as the

protesting commercial motorcycle operators refused conveying passengers while those who tried to do so were mobbed with some passengers sustaining various degrees of injuries.

In pressing home their demands, the protesters blocked major junctions in the town, including Afiesere Junction, NNPC roundabout

and the Post Office roundabout.

Describing the ticket increase as the height of insensitivity on the part of the Delta State Government, one of protesters, Johnny Omoefe said: “Prior to now, we were paying N50 daily for welfare yet we do not get any welfare package from the government. Now they have added another N100 making it a total of N150."

NUGU—A notorious pipeline vandal whose activities have disrupted the flow of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise known as Petrol, in Aninri, has been arrested by operatives of the Aninri Division of Enugu Police Command while drilling a pipeline filled with petroleum product.

The suspect, Okechukwu Okeke, a native of Umuhu,Awgu in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, was nabbed during an operation at Umurah,Ndeaboh,Aninri council area in the wee hours of December 30,2015.

It was gathered that the suspect alongside those now at large were arrested by eagle-eyed operatives at Umurah Ndeaboh where they were allegedly siphoning the product into their waiting 13,800 truck with number plate XF 312 PHC.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016—7

Fire destroys filling station at Nnewi

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI—RESIDENTS of the industrial town Nnewi, Anambra State were yesterday jolted by another fire incident as a popular petrol filling station located at Amuko Junction, Nnewichi Nnewi went up in flames, with the tanker oozing fuel and a car refilling in the station completely burnt.

The fire incident came on the heels of a fire incident at a Gas Plant on the eve of last Christmas that claimed eight lives, but yesterday ’s fire incident did not claim any life.

Many people were said to have sustained various degrees of injuries in the fire, which reportedly started around 6:20am.

The fire according to an eye witness would have been controlled if the fire fighters had responded early to the distress calls, adding that those who later came had no water in their tanks as they were seen collecting gallons of water from people around the area.

“The fire may have been caused by the fuel tanker that was discharging products while sale of fuel was in progress, as one of the cars refilling at the time of the incident got burnt completely as well as the tanker,” he said.

Two adjoining residential buildings were partially burnt, while roadside retail traders who displayed their goods outside their shops lost some of their goods as fuel that poured into the gutter was burning as it flowed.

A petroleum marketer in Nnewi while speaking with

newsmen said: “The incident was a result of carelessness on the part of the managers of the filling station who allowed sales of products to continue when a petrol tanker was discharging at the same time.”

He regretted that each filling station owner in Anambra paid N100,000:00 to government

annually and yet there was no functional fire service station anywhere in the State.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Anambra State Police Command, Mr. Ali Okechukwu, DSP, confirmed the incident, but said there was no loss of life.

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INFERNO: Smoke oozing from a burning tanker at a fuel station in Amuko near Nnewi, Anambra State, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

7 die, 17 injured in Ogun auto crash A

By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—SEVEN persons yesterday lost their lives with 17 others on danger list as a result of an accident that occurred at the Sagamu/Iperu Remo Junction of the Lagos - Ore Benin Expressway.

The accident involved a Toyota Hummer passenger bus with number plate BDG 789 XJ which had a head-on collision with another Mazda passenger bus with number plate REE 248 XA. Vanguard gathered that the passenger-filled Toyota Hummer bus was reported to be carrying passengers who were returning to Lagos after the Yuletide festival in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

It was also reported that the accident might have occurred when the driver of the Toyota Hummer bus lost control of the bus prompting it to veer off its lane and scale the median before hitting the Mazda bus, which was reportedly driving towards Sagamu.

Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Adegoke Adetunji, explained that 28 persons were involved in the auto crash, but, only seven

Neighbour batters pregnant woman over ponmo stench

persons lost their lives.

Adetunji, however, linked the cause of the auto crash to over-speeding, saying that 17 other victims were in critical condition.

He also explained that those rescued alive were

taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, for medical attention, while the dead were taken to the mortuary.

The Ogun FRSC boss also stated that it took the combined efforts of officers

from his commission, the Police as well as those of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency to clear the expressway to prevent another road crash as well as traffic gridlock in the area.

Inferno razes 80-year-old Yola market

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By Umar Yusuf

OLA—AN early morning inferno yesterday razed down the 80-year-ago Yola market destroying properties worth billions of Naira with the state commissioner of police announcing arrest of some looters .

The cause of the fire which reportedly started at about 2:30 am went out of control as initial efforts to put it off were hampered by lack of access roads.

An eyewitness disclosed that the fire might have consumed about 90 percent of shops with many shop owners broken down in tears as a result of the losses suffered in the fire incident.

A shop owner, Mallam Babayola Maijimilla whose shop was also razed down said “the fire started around the middle of the market, efforts by early sympathizers to put it out were rebuffed by security operatives who denied them

access into the market for fear of looting.

According to him, the situation did not get better even upon the arrival of fire fighters who found it difficult to gain access to the point of the inferno as the market did not have access roads.

Chairman, Adamawa Traders Association, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammad, appealed to the federal, as well as state and local governments to come to their aid, saying that they lost 90 per cent of their shops to the inferno.

Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Martins Babale, who was among the early callers at the market said the government will assess the extent of damage with a view to knowing the level of intervention.

Babale called on NEMA, corporate organizations and wealthy individuals to come to the aid of the marketers.

Similarly, the Speaker Adamawa State House of Assembly, Kabir Mijinyawa, in

whose constituency the market is situated called on the traders to be patient as the government assesses the level of damage on the market.

He urged them to see the incident as an act of God even as he promised to do everything in his capacity to ensure that the marketers get succour from the government.

Commenting on the incident, the state Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr Sa’ad Abubakar, said the fire started around 3 am and that no life was lost.

He said fire fighters from the state fire service, Nigerian Army, Air force, and American University of Nigeria intervened to contain the inferno.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Gazali Mohammed, has confirmed the arrest of “some looters” at Yola ancient market gutted by fire.

Mohammed who did not give the number of those arrested said adequate security measures had been provided at the scene to check activities of looters.

By Ufuoma Tiveruahor

AGOS—A 36 yearold pregnant woman, Mrs Deborah Samuel, has fled her Ijegun home in Lagos State, following alleged threat to her life by a male tenant who allegedly beat her to a pulp during an argument over stench from ponmo (cow skin).

Vanguard gathered that trouble started for Mrs Samuel after she asked her neighbour to move a bowl soaked with pomo from her window at 8 Olaniran Crescent around Oluwa -Shehu Ayo area of Ijegun.

Her request turned out to be her greatest undoing as she alleged that the neighbour identified simply as Baba Miracle, pounced on her until she passed out.

Narrating her ordeal to Vanguard shortly after she was discharged from a private hospital around Ijegun, where she was rushed to, Mrs Samuel said: “As if the beating was not enough, he threatened that he would kill me, boasting that nothing will happen because he has a brother who is a Divisional Police Officer that will defend him.

“Baba Miracle and his family occupy a flat upstairs, while we live in the back flat down stairs. His wife sells pomo (cow skin) whose stench inconveniences other tenants.

"As usual, she brought some fresh pomo and started burning it at our middle post last week. All the tenants complained about the position of burning but they refused to heed to plea that they should move it away from my window .

“Because of my present state,(pregnancy) I left the house and sat outside until my husband arrived. We went inside, only to be confronted with the unbearable smell. Unable to stand it, my husband went to the back yard to wash the water that was dripping from the basin of poNmo, in order to reduce the odour."

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Insolvency: NNPC owes IOCs $2.84bn in 11 months Blames declining crude oil export revenue

By Michael Eboh

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BUJA — THE insolvency of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has been brought to the fore, with its inability to fund its obligation to International Oil Companies (IOCs), as it owes its Joint Venture (JV) partners $2.839 billion, about N567.76 billion, between January and November 2015.

The NNPC, in its Monthly Financial and Operations Report for November 2015, obtained from its website, yesterday, stated that it was only able to pay $3.395 billion to fund its JV cash call obligation with IOCs, instead of a total of $6.774 billion.

Specifically, the NNPC stated that JV cash call is a first line charge to Federation Account, adding that the 2015 approved budget requires monthly funding of about $615.8 million.

To this end, a monthly funding of $615.8 million translates to $567.76 billion for the 11-month period.

The huge indebtedness to the IOCs in the JV arrangement was irrespective of the fact that the NNPC last remitted dollar proceeds from its crude oil export to the Federation Account in the month of March 2015.

Giving a breakdown of JV cash call funding and amount remitted to the Federation Account, the report stated that the NNPC paid $300 million for its JV obligation in January and $320.8 million each for February and March, while it remitted $76.642 million, $346.21 million and $184.98 million to the Federation Account for January, February and March respectively.

From April till November, no single remittance was made to the Federation Account, while it paid $502.386 million, $338.103 million, $387.93 million, $419.411 million and $225.74 million for the months of April, May, June, July and August respectively.

For the months of September, October and November, it paid $271.994 million, $445.79 million and $402.55 million respectively, for its JV cash call funding obligation.

NNPC blames declining crude oil export revenue The NNPC blamed the development on its declining crude oil export revenue, occasioned by the persistent decline in the prices of crude oil in the international market.

According to the NNPC, the crude oil export proceeds are

no longer sufficient to service the JV Cash call obligation and remit to Federation Account.

It said: “JV cash call is a first line charge to Federation Account and 2015 approved budget requires monthly funding of about $615.8 million. NNPC is, therefore, mandated to sweep all the export receipt to JV Cash Call funding implying a zero remittance to Federation Account.”

The NNPC stated that current total export receipt

was 9.7 per cent lower than previous receipt by $43.24 million, noting that the outlook is attributable to 11 per cent drop in export lifting relative to previous month lifting.

It said: “Total export crude oil and gas receipt for the period of January-November 2015 is $4.54 billion. Of the total receipts, the sum of $0.61billion was remitted to Federation Account while the balance of $3.94 billion was used to fund the JV Cash Call for the period. Thus, JV

funding has gulped more than 86 per cent of the proceeds.”

Conversely, on the allocation of Naira proceeds, the report stated that the NNPCremitted N1.003 trillion to the Federation Account from January to November 2015 from the sale of domestic crude oil.

Giving a breakdown of NNPC Naira remittances, the report disclosed that N69.634 billion was for debt repayment while N933.097 billion was for transfers to the Federation Account.

BRIEFING: From left, Elder Emma Adaelu; Sen. Adolphus Wabara, former Senate President; Gashion Amuta; Lady Victoria Akanwa, and Augustine Alaibe during a press conference by the Ukwa-Ngwa leaders on the Abia State Governorship Appeal Court judgment, in Aba.

$2.1bn arms probe: EFCC writes Defence Hqtrs for release of more suspects

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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BUJA — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has written to the Military High Command to release all the officers who were implicated in the fritting away of $2.1 billion meant for the procurement of arms for the prosecution of the terror war in the North-East.

Vanguard learned last night that the EFCC tabled the formal request to the Defence Headquarters following the arrest and detention of officer with the rank of a Colonel, who served in the Procurement Department of the Office of the National Security Adviser and reportedly made a fortune, buying property in choice areas of the nation’s capital.

The affected military officer, who hails from Delta State,

served as a Personal Assistant to the embattled exNSA, who is facing multiple charges over fraud, money laundering and breach of public trust along with powerful PDP politicians.

It was learned that the suspect, who had been detained by the anti-graft agency for the third week running, suddenly became a landlord in Abuja with several palatial homes in many parts of the city without explaining the sources of his income.

A top source told one of our correspondents last night that the discovery of the officer’s inexplicable wealth, led EFCC operatives to probe other officers who had held sway in the Office of the National Security Adviser, leading to the exposure of many others.

“That is what prompted our office to formally request the

Defence Headquarters to release some serving and retired officers, whose names we have provided in connection with the arms cash,” a source said last night.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest of the said top military officer but declined to give further details of those to be picked up by the agency for further investigation.

But a source at the Defence Headquarters said it would be willing to release any officer who is implicated in the arms scandal as a demonstration of its zero tolerance for corruption.

It was gathered that the new set of suspects, including retired and serving military personnel, might be affected this week by the EFCC.

Oil prices rise after Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Iran

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IL prices swung violently on the first trading day of 2016 following worsening relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the biggest rivals in the Opec cartel.

The year began with higher prices after Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Iran in response to protests in Tehran targeting the Saudi embassy over the execution of a prominent Shia cleric.

Brent — the global benchmark — rose 4.6 per cent, or $1.71, to $38.83 a barrel. Some market observers warned about threats to supplies should tensions escalate further between the two big oil powers.

“Saudi Arabia and Iran are already engaged in proxy wars in Yemen and Syria,” said Carsten Fritsch at Commerzbank.

“Any direct military dispute between the two hegemonic powers in the Middle East would have grave consequences for global oil supply.”

In afternoon trading prices eased again, recording a drop of 45 cents to $36.84 after US stock markets tumbled.

Other analysts have said the increasingly bellicose posturing by Saudi Arabia and Iran would only hamper attempts to find consensus on policy among the world’s biggest producer countries.

The oil market is highly sensitive to any change in sentiment because of the record bets traders have placed on falling oil prices. If there is a rush to cover or buy back these positions, it could trigger a rally, similar to one that pushed crude futures up more than 10 per cent in August.

Hedge funds ended 2015 with record bets against the oil price, with the total short position across futures and options markets standing at more than 360m barrels, the equivalent of almost four days’ global oil demand.

Oil hit an 11-year low at the end of December as an 18month price collapse showed little sign of abating, with oil output expected to continue exceeding demand for at least the next six months.

Reports of fighting between Isis militants and forces guarding Libya’s Es Sider oil export terminal, also supported the price of Brent crude in afternoon trading.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016—9

Investors lose N93.5bn on NSE, amidst global stock market fall

By Peter Egwuatu

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AGOS — INVESTORS in the Nigerian stock market, yesterday, lost N93.5 billion in the first trading year of 2016, amidst global equity markets fall, signifying slow economic activity.

However, gold and bonds rose after a seven per cent slide in Chinese shares, sparked by weak economic data, and rekindled worries over global growth on the first day of trading in 2016.

Specifically, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, market capitalisation, which represents total value of stock market transactions dropped

by N93.5 billion or 0.95 cent to close, yesterday, at N9.757 trillion from N9.850 trillion it ended on December 31, 2015.

In the same vein, another stock market gauge, All Share Index dropped by 0.95per cent or 95 bases points to close at 28,370.32 points from 28,642.25 points it ended on the last trading day in December 2015.

The NSE ASI and NSE 30 lost 95 bases points and 120 bases points, putting Year to Date, YTD, returns at -0.95 per cent and -1.20 per c ent respectively.

The market recorded turnover of N700 million on 98 million shares. Value and volume of transactions were below December averages by 73 per cent and 75 per cent respectively.

The Consumer Goods sector dropped by 294 basis points bowed to profit taking with Nigerian Breweries, NB Plc, dropping by -500 bases points and NES, notwithstanding gains recorded by Zenith Bank (+178 bases points).

Global markets Meanwhile, on the global markets, rising tensions in the Middle East also increased demand for safe-haven assets.

Global benchmark Brent crude rose above $38 a barrel as some speculated a breakdown in diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran could result in oil supply restrictions.

Worries that the weak Chinese data could portend slower world economic growth hurt Wall Street and sent key indexes down more than 2 percent in early trading.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 351.01 points, or 2.01 percent, to 17,074.02, the S&P 500 slid 38.46 points, or 1.88 per cent, to 2,005.48 and the Nasdaq Composite lost 127.45 points, or 2.55 per cent, to 4,879.96.

China’s yuan currency hit its C M Y K

lowest in more than four years after the central bank lowered its guidance rate and factory activity contracted for a 10th straight month in December, at a sharper pace than November.

Stocks in Europe fell sharply, with Germany’s DAX index tumbling 4.0 percent and the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index slipping 2.4 per cent.

The sell-off in China triggered a circuit-breaker that suspended equities trading nationwide for the first time and put at risk months of regulatory work to

restore market stability.

In the United States, the iShares China large-cap ETF fell 3.7 per cent, it’s biggest single-day slide since a 4.5 percent drop in September.

Investors are warranted to worry about global growth as the factory numbers may not fully indicate how quickly China has been slowing down, said Paul Mendelsohn, chief investment strategist at Windham Financial Services in Charlotte, Vermont.

“The China seven per cent drop last night and the close of the market, along with

Saudi Arabia, are causing investors to rethink to their growth estimates and the geopolitical risk that’s really out there,” Mendelsohn said.

Islamic bonds listing Meantime, FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange Plc, said it planned to list Islamic bonds on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2016 to deepen the nation’s Debt Capital Market (DCM) as contained in its

PARLEY: From left, Honorary Consulate of the Kingdom of Belgium, Paulette Gondry-Van Trier; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mrs Nike Akande, and Director-General, LCCI, Mr Muda Yusuf during a business meeting on the creation of the Enterprise European Network at the LCCI office in Lagos, yesterday.

2016 outlook.

The company said it would offer a more diversified products portfolio, including ‘Sukuk’ bonds to enhance the development of the DCM. According to the company, it will ensure the quotation of bonds of private companies in 2016 as well as the integration of the FMDQ markets.

The statement added that the company would continue to work collaboratively with its stakeholders FMDQ listed other areas the company would focus on in 2016 to include capacity building and financial markets education for all FMDQ markets stakeholders.

A total of N130.01 trillion worth of transactions were recorded on the platform in the first 11 months of 2015.

Statistics from the company indicated that the figure was an increase compared to the N104 trillion worth of transactions recorded in 2014.

The total value for this year included transactions in overthe-counter market in foreign exchange comprising Treasury Bills (TBs), bonds and money market derivatives.

TBs were the most active, accounting for N46.29 trillion worth of transactions and were followed by repurchase agreements/buy-backs with N29.69 trillion worth of transactions.

Foreign exchange came third with N25.50 trillion worth, while unsecured placements/ takings accounted for N11.62 trillion.

FMDQ said it was committed to promoting an efficient, transparent and well regulated market to attract and retain domestic investors.

IMF MD arrives, to hold talks with Buhari

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

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BUJA— MANAGING Director of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, Ms. Christine Lagarde, arrived Nigeria, yesterday, on a four-day official visit to engage with policy makers and other stakeholders on how her organisation can partner the nation for a better economy.

She arrived the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport aboard a private plane at about 3pm, where she was received by Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

Although she did not speak to journalists, her organisation said “the visit to

Nigeria will provide an opportunity to strengthen the fund’s partnership with the largest economy in subSaharan Africa.”

While in Abuja, Ms. Lagarde will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and other senior leaders as well as business leaders, prominent women, and representatives of civil society. She will also meet with legislators.

“I look forward to productive meetings with President Buhari and his colleagues as they address important economic challenges, most importantly the impact of low oil prices,” Ms. Lagarde was quoted as having said in preparation for the visit which will end on Thursday, January 7.

According to her, “Nigeria is working hard to improve its business environment,

promote opportunities for growth in the private sector, and strengthen social cohesion, all areas where the government has an important role to play.”

Ms. Lagarde, who is on a two-nation tour will leave Nigeria for Cameroon, where she will also meet President Paul Biya, Cameroonian economic policy makers, private sector executives, women leaders, and members of Civil Society Organisations.

The Nigeria Labour Coungress, NLC, had last week accused the President Buhari administration of playing the IMF script by removing subsidy on petroleum products and warned that it would resist any attempt to increase prices of the products through the back door.

Last year, the IMF had

advised the Buhari administration to remove the fuel subsidy. The call was made by the IMF Director African Department, Ms. Antoinette Sayeh, while fielding questions at the Africa Region press conference during the 2015 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the IMF. The IMF Director said: “This is the time the Nigerian government has to deal with the subsidy issue – now that the prices of oil have fallen because when prices rise it would be very difficult to remove subsidies."

"But to achieve this, the government actually has to make sure and convince the people that the savings in subsidy would be used to improve the lives of the citizens. This is what they need to do to make it politically feasible to remove fuel subsidy.”

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016

29 ships carrying petroleum products, foods expected

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AGOS— 29 ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected to arrive Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos from yesterday to Jan. 18, 2016.

The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, stated this in its publication; ‘Shipping Position’, a copy of which was made available yesterday in Lagos.

NPA explained that the expected ships contained general cargoes, buck wheat, containers, fresh fish, containers, bulk rice and petrol.

The document said 12 other ships are waiting to berth with various goods at the port.

It said eight of the ships would berth with petrol, while others would berth with base oil, bulk gas and aviation fuel.

Seventeen other ships are at the ports discharging buck wheat, general cargoes, steel products, soda ash, bulk gypsum, butane, containers, kerosene and petrol.

NGO begs Amosun over Abeokuta juvenile home

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B E O K U TA — A Non- Governmental Organisation has appealed to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to provide a home for the homeless graduates of the juvenile correctional home in Abeokuta.

The President, Stephanie Peace-building and Development Foundation, SPADEV, Dr. Tope Olaifa stated this during 10th Christmas visit the Juvenile correctional home, Asero Abeokuta.

Olaifa, who commended the State Government for the care being given to the inmates of the home, said lack of homes for them after they have served their terms worsens their condition.

She said: “More children are constantly open to the risk of being snuffed out of life through battering, illegal trafficking, parental negligence, homelessness, illiteracy, diseases and exposure to crime. These children need to be rescued.

Ambode signs 2016 budget, says it’ll be IGR-driven •Rules out new taxes; to borrow N119.714bn

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday, said the 2016 Budget will be driven by Internal Generated Revenue. He said this at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House when he signed N662.588 billion into 2016 Appropriation Law, promising that the budget would be faithfully implemented in line with the determination of his administration to make Lagos work for all, irrespective of age, gender, tribe or status.

Ambode said the budget of N662.588 billion will enable the government focus on the present challenges of security, traffic gridlock resolution including physical and social infrastructural developments which have thrown up new challenges quite different from the past experience.

At the briefing the governor thanked the House of Assembly for speedily ensuring the passage of the bill which he presented to the House on December 17 and passed on December 31, saying it was no mean feat considering the long hours spent and meticulous scrutiny provided by the House Committee on Appropriation.

The governor urged tax payers to fulfil their civic obligations, promising that no stone will be left unturned in delivering value for every Kobo spent.

“I will commend this Budget to all Lagosians and enjoin them to continue collaborating with us in building the Lagos of our dreams”, he said.

Giving a breakdown of the 2016 budget, tagged “The Peoples Budget”, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade said it will go a long way to promote massive investments in Security, Transport/ Traffic management, Physical and Social Infrastructural development in addition to enhancing job creation/opportunities.

He said the 2016 budget is 26 percent higher than the budgets of 2014 and 2015 respectively, with an estimated total revenue of N542.873 billion with the balance of N119.714 billion expected to be funded through a combination of internal and external loans included World Bank DPO 3 loan which could not be accessed in 2015.

Ashade noted that the Lagos Internal Revenue Service is expected to generate N300 billion equivalent to 78 percent of the total IGR, however, adding that while the state government does not intend to introduce new taxes, efforts will be made towards bringing more citizens into the tax net, especially the informal sector as well as through the adoption of an automated

FIRST SUNDAY SERVICE OF THE YEAR: The Most Revd (Dr) Adebola Ademowo, Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, with Church Choir and Ministers during the first Sunday service of the Year 2016 at Cathedral Church Of Christ in Lagos yesterday. Photo by Biodun Ogunleye. process to block all leakages.

According to him, the 2016 budget was carefully prepared taking into consideration recent developments in the Global and National Economy Spheres, adding that although the State Government adopted the National Crude Oil projection of $38 per barrel, the budget will be largely driven by IGR made up of taxes, rates and levies.

He said the underlying principles of the budget include planned and systematic maintenance of existing/new infrastructural facilities, completion of ongoing projects, payment of outstanding liabilities, sustenance of the goals of job creation, poverty eradication and wealth creation in addition to efficient service delivery to Lagosians.

Giving a breakdown of the expenditure plan, Ashade said N89 billion will be spent on construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of roads and public buildings, while N48.9 billion will be expended on various Transportation initiatives including the completion of the Blue Rail Line and expansion of BRT Corridors (Mile 12 - Ojota).

The Commissioner also said that N86 billion will be spent on the education sector, which, according to him, will cover the state government flagship programmes including A-Meal-a-Day initiative to be partly sponsored by the Federal Government, Ibile tablets for Secondary Schools as well as the development of the ECurriculum initiatives.

He gave the expenditure breakdown of other sectors to include, Health (N46.9bn) Agriculture and Food Security (N2bn), Tourism (N2.2bn), Commerce and Industry (N6.2bn),

Environment (N27bn), Pensions (N6.5bn), Science and Technology (N9.6bn), Water

(N17.6bn), Housing (N25.3bn), Sports Development (N2.3 bn), among others.

Seme NDLEA seizes 907.4kg hemp in 2015

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ADAGRY—THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Seme Command in Lagos State said yesterday, that it seized 907.4 kg of hemp in 2015.

The Commander, Mr Udotong Essien, said in Badagry that 31 suspects were also arrested during the same period. He said 22 of the suspects had been

convicted by the courts.

“From January to December 2015, about 907.45 kg of cannabis sativa popularly known as hemp was seized and 31 suspects were arrested during the period under review.

“Among the suspects is a Ghanaian woman, caught with 35.5 kg of hemp while she was trying to come into the country through the border,” he said.

DAVIDO’S BABYMAMA DRAMA: We shall soon know the king of cannabis — DELE MOMODU

By Abiodun Alade

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T seems the babymama drama involving 23-yearold pop artiste, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido and 28-year-old Sophia Momodu, the niece of popular publisher, Dele Momodu, will not end soon.

In what look like an indirect response to the allegation by Davido that Sophia infected their daughter, Imade with cannabis; Dele Momodu threatened that Nigerians will soon know the king of cannabis when the case is fully disclosed.

The veteran journalist disclosed this in a tweet, saying that he is not fighting anyone but oppression of his

niece by the rich and powerful.

“Good morning Africa! Thanks to all the journalists calling to ask my side of the raging story but I can’t talk because lawyers are involved”.

“It is also pertinent to establish the rule of law rather than brigandage but we shall soon know the king of cannabis in Nigeria!”

“The rich and powerful always think they can get away with anything but under a CHANGE government we shall test the laws protecting the weak!,” Momodu posted on Twitter.

On Sunday, Davido rebuffed claims by his estranged lover, Sophia Momodu on the circumstances surrounding the removal of their daughter, Imade, from Sophia’s custody.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 11

BRUTALISATION: Police hand over irate cadets to NAF

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—THE Police in Lagos have handed over cadets Peters Solomon and Abdullahi Fahad, who were intercepted by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, last Wednesday, while manhandling an artisan, Dahiru Lawal in Ketu area of the state, to authorities of the Nigerian Air Force.

The cadets were alleged to have beaten Lawal to a pulp, for breaking their car windscreen, and locked him up in the trunk of their Chrysler Stratus car when the governor’s convoy showed up.

Consequently, the governor, who was returning from an inspection visit ordered that they (cadets) be handed over to the Police for further investigation and prosecution.

Cadets Solomon and Fahad reportedly spent four days in police custody before they were handed over to authorities of the Nigerian Air Force at the Logistics Command, Ikeja, weekend.

Police sources hinted that while the cadets were in their custody, they claimed to be personnel of the Logistics command.

“We had to contact the command to ascertain if the claim was true.

Thereafter, preparation towards their hand over was made. They have been handed over as constitutionally expected”, police

sources told Vanguard yesterday.

Also, sources at the Logistics command hinted that the next line of action will be an in-house investigation. Thereafter, a court Marshal would be instituted to try them.

Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Muhammed Muhammed, had earlier described the suspects

INTER-RELIGIOUS SERVICE: Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (right) exchanging greetings with the Chairman, Organisation of African Instituted Churches, Elder Apostle Femi Olaoye.

With them are the State Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. (Dr.) Elisha Ogundiya, at the Inter-Religious Service for the New Year 2016, held at the State Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo yesterday.

Ajimobi laments predecessors’ sale of govt property •Inaugurates Olive Court Housing Estate

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BADAN—GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State at the weekend inaugurated the first phase of a multimillion Naira housing estate in Ibadan, pledging that his administration would embark on infrastructural revolution in the state.

He used the opportunity to query the rationale behind the sale of government lands and quarters by some of his predecessors, whom he accused of selling such properties to their cronies at ridiculous prices.

The estate, christened “Olive Court” and located at Agodi GRA, is expected to accommodate 45 duplexes but had its first phase of 15 buildings completed within 18 months. The estate is furnished with facilities such as independent power supply, sewage system and water supply.

The project was a partnership between the state government and UPDC, a subsidiary of United African Company.

The governor said that the building of the estate was a further demonstration of his administration’s commitment to the rapid development of the state through the provision of necessary social and economic infrastructure for the people.

According to him; “This edifice is one of the legacy projects of this administration.

It is the actualization of our dream for the physical infrastructural development of Oyo State. This state must continue to be developed.

“We are committed to actualizing the overall development of this state. A good leader must not only have dreams but must ensure that the dreams are actualized.”

Adetunji’s death, big blow to labour — AREGBESOLA

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has described as a rude shock the news of the death of former Chairman of the Trade Union Congress TUC in the state, Comrade Francis Adetunji.

Comrade Adetunji died weekend after battling with yet-to-be known illness.

Aregbesola, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, said Comrade Adetunji’s death was a big blow to the state, it’s TUC Chapter and the labour union in general.

The statement quoted the Governor as saying the deceased labour leader was a great labour activists and leader of purpose.

According to him, Adetunji was a leader, C M Y K

conducts as contrary to the ethics of the NAF. He said: “The leadership of the Nigerian Air Force will like to make it absolutely clear that the Service does not condone this kind of behaviour. We clearly understand our responsibilities to the public”, he said, adding that appropriate judicial process would be conducted as soon as the personnel were handed over to them.

who knew when to fight and when to dialogue whenever there was a row between labour and the government.

He commended Adetunji for his understanding and the commitment to Government/labour relationship when he was the chairman.

The statement said in part: “The death of Comrade Francis Adetunji is indeed a very devastating one. We received it with heavy heart and felt very sad that a vibrant and objective labour leader suddenly bowed out at this critical time.

“Comrade Adetunji’s death is a big blow to us in the state and to the TUC Chapter in the state and across Nigeria.

“Adetunji’s death will leave a huge gulf in labour unionism here in Osun and the entire country.''

APC calls for 3-day fast in Osun

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—ALL Progressives Congress APC, in Osun State has urged the citizens of the state to observe a three-day special fasting and praying period from tomorrow, January 6 to Friday, January 8, 2016.

The state chairman of the party, Gboyega Famodun gave the directives in a statement by the Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the party in the state Mr Kunle Oyatomi in Osogbo yesterday.

According to the chairman, everybody in Osun owes it a duty to themselves and the state to seek divine intervention “so that our last year losses may be restored.”

The other reason for this fasting and prayers, the party said was to plead for God’s favour so that 2016 will reverse the unpleasant fortunes of last year, and bring prosperity and blessing instead.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Daisy Okocha emerges first female Chief Judge in Rivers

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— JUSTICE Daisy Okocha has finally been sworn in as substantive Chief Judge of Rivers State after serving in acting capacity twice in this administration.

Performing the swearing-in yesterday, at Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Nyesom Wike described her emergence as victory for the rule of law, adding that he acted in line with the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, NJC, which was ratified by the Court of Appeal.

The governor said that the judiciary should be encouraged to be independent to maintain its neutrality in a popular democracy.

“The system will collapse if we refuse to respect the judicial system of succession as laid out. My administration will never do anything that will threaten the rule of law.

We will always uphold the customs and traditions of the judiciary. We will never break down the laid down procedure.

“We will never run contrary to our avowed commitment to respect the independence of the Judiciary at all times,” he

said.

He urged the new Chief Judge to uphold the constitution and give other members of the bench opportunity to contribute to decisions.

The new Chief Judge, Justice Okocha gave praises

to God Almighty for making the appointment a reality.

“This is a solemn moment for me.

The NJC recommendation of July 22, 2013 came to manifestation on January 4, 2016. God has glorified himself in my elevation as Chief Judge.

Man can try, but only God’s counsel will prevail,” she said.

Justice Okocha who is the first female to be appointed Chief Judge in the state also lauded Governor Wike for making the judiciary enjoy its independence.

BRIEFING: From left: Rep. Douye Diri; Sen. Foster Ogola; Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, John Jonah; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State; Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Mr Dan Kikile and Secretary to State Government, SSG, Prof. Edmond Allison-Oguru, at a news conference by Governor Dickson on the re-run election in Southern Ijaw, in Yenagoa, yesterday.

Bayelsa supplementary poll: Ex-militant leaders shun police invitation

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By Emem Idio

ENAGOA—MOST exmilitant leaders in Bayelsa State, yesterday, failed to honour the invitation by the state command of the Nigeria Police to attend a meeting over the intelligence report on security threat against the conduct of the rerun election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and 101 units across six councils in the state.

The meeting, according to the letter of invitation dated December 31, 2015, was convened by the state Police Command through the office of the State Intelligence Bureau, led by Ondo Gbekumo.

Though the meeting was considered mandatory by the police command, a source at the meeting confirmed that only two ex-militant leaders, Pastor Reuben Wilson and Mr Joshua MacIver, attended the session held behind closed doors.

Other ex-militant leaders, including the former second in command in the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger

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Delta, MEND, Ebikabowei Victor-Ben, known as 'General' Boyloaf, Africanus Ukparasia, Eris Paul, also known as Ogunboss, among

others, were absent at the meeting.

The spokesman of the state Police Command, Astimin Butwat, who confirmed the

development, said, “Two exmilitant leaders attended the scheduled stakeholders meeting. The discussions were fruitful.”

UNEP Report: MOSOP gives FG 30 days in the implementation was an until the report was visited. ultimatum act of genocide, adding that Similarly, Pyagbara called on

By Davies Iheamnachor

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ORT HARCOURT— MOVEMENT for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to commence the implementation of the United Nations Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoni, Rivers State.

This was disclosed, yesterday, at the 23rd anniversary of Ogoni people, at Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni people.

Speaking, President of MOSOP, Mr. Legborsi Pyagbara, said that the people of Ogoni were tired of the delay in the implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoni environment.

Pyagbara said that the delay

Ogoni people were resolved to go on with protests in the state if the FG delayed further.

He said that after 30 days the people would be mobilized to the streets on peaceful protest

the Rivers State Government to commence the dualisation of Saakpenwa-Kono Road, stressing that it was for the economic well-being of Ogoni people.

Bayelsa poll: REC denies bribery allegations

By Emem Idio

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ENAGOA—THE Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, of Bayelsa State, Mr. Baritor Kpagih, has denied the bribery allegations levelled against him by a political party in the state, describing same as lies.

Ahead of the rescheduled governorship election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state,

and 101 units in other local government areas in the state on January 9, one of the leading political parties in the contest, had accused the state REC of allegedly collecting N200 million from a rival candidate.

But reacting, Kpagih, who responded to a text message, sent to him by our correspondent, denied the allegations, stating that he had already briefed his lawyers on the matter.

He said: “This is a lie and I have referred it to my lawyers.”

Semenitari denies obtaining N1bn loan as commissioner

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— F O R M E R Commissioner for Information and Communications in Rivers State, Mrs Ibim Semenitari and acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has challenged her successor, Dr Austin Tam-George to show proof that her ministry obtained N1 billion bank loan while she was in office.

Dismissing the allegation as untrue, Semenitari said ministries were not allowed to secure bank loans.

According to her, only the state governor could obtain bank loans as ministries had no such powers.

She said: “No commissioner can do that. I did not. This is a definite and unfortunate lie. It is against financial guidelines and service rules. Only a state governor can borrow and there was no project in the Ministry of Information requiring government to borrow.”

Semenitari served as Commissioner for Information and Communications under former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

UNIBEN staff defend VC over appointments

By Gabriel Enogholase

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E N I N — CONCERNED citizens of the University of Benin, have risen in defence of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof.

Faraday Orumwense, over recent appointments in the institution to fill existing vacancies, insisting that the legion of petitions against him were uncalled for and an attempt to rubbish the good work he was doing.

A statement in Benin yesterday by Mr. Sanamu Momodu for the group, said that the petitioner was ignorant of the foresight of the Vice-Chancellor on the 2016 and 2017 calendar year which would witness mandatory retirement of staff of the university.

It said: “In 2016, over 3,000 staff of the university above the mandatory age of 65 will be disengaged from the service of the university. In 2017, over 2,000 staff, both academic and nonacademic, will retire from the institution."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016—13

Itsekiri groups flay alleged N13bn payment for Maritime Varsity

By Emma Amaize

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ARRI—THE Warri Study Group and Omadino Professionals in Warri, Delta State, yesterday, described the purported payment of N13 billion by the Federal Government for the acquisition of land for the Nigeria Maritime University, NMU, in Okeringhigho/ Okerenkoko, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, as daylight robbery to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.

The groups, in a statement by Edward Ekpoko and two others, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other security agencies to investigate the matter, claiming that they raised alarm before the payment, but it was ignored.

Already, the EFCC is investigating the payment of N13 billion to ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, but sources close to Tompolo said the Federal Government only paid him for the acquisition of the buildings and facilities at the Mieka International Diving Institute, Kurutie, for the take off of NMU, Okerenkoko, and not for the acquisition of land in Okerenkoko.

The Itsekiri groups argued that Okerenkoko is an Itsekiri settlement owned by the Omadino people and that Justice Obaseki

confirmed it in suit W/30/62 when he said, “I find as a fact that the land in dispute is called Okerenghigho by the plaintiffs who are Itsekiri and Okerenkoko by the Ijaws who are the defendants.

“The Ijaw of Gbaramatu appeal to the Supreme Court on January 31, 1973, their appeal was dismissed by Elias, C. J., Sowemimo and Ibekwe SCJ. Now, one may ask, what is the

difference between Okerenghigho and Okerenkoko? Okerenghigho is Okerenkoko. What the Ijaws have done is to change existing names as it appeared on the judgment.

“When the Itsekiri people of Omadino got wind of the acquisition, they registered their interest, as owners of the land to all authorities concerned, the Federal

Government, Delta State Government and NIMASA – but were ignored since all authorities were either Ijaw or coerced by Ijaw from Presidency to NIMASA.” They said acquisition of the land was suspicious, adding, “Rumour had it that the acquisition was done by the immediate past administration of Warri South West Local Government Area, headed by an Ijaw man."

TRAVELLERS: Passengers returning to their stations after the New Year holida, at the new Peace Motor Park in Enugu, yesterday.

Obaseki: APC urged to discipline members casting aspersion on Oshiomhole

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—A socio-political organisation in Edo State, Positive Change Vigilante, PCV, has called on the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State to discipline all members casting aspersion on Governor Adams Oshiomhole over his purported support for the governorship ambition of Mr Godwin Obaseki, Chairman of the state Economic Team.

The group said: “Most of the people accusing Oshiomhole of imposition today are the same people that had benefited from imposition even though they never achieved anything for the people of the state during the years they were in position. They cannot be bigger than the party and the governor, hence they should be suspended if the insult continues.”

A statement by Isaac Ukponahuinsi, acting Coordinator of PVC, said: “We have been reading in the media and understudying the unguarded statements by some APC members and

governorship aspirants for some time now and I think the state chapter of the party must discipline such members.

“It is uncharitable and crass-indiscipline for party chieftains to exacerbate

arrogance and disdain to the governor over purported support for Godwin Obaseki’s candidacy in the forthcoming election.

“As disciplined politicians, while insisting on fair play in the build-up to the

primaries, governorship aspirants who lacked the requisite capacity to surmount the political climate should quietly disembark from the race, rather than resort to casting aspersions on the party’s sensibilities."

Edo PDP chieftain defects to APC

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Chief Stephen Emuan, has defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the area in support of the governorship bid of his son, Mr Austin Emuan, on the platform of the party.

Chief Emuan, in Ekpoma, informed his former PDP followers in Ward 3, comprising Egoro/Ukhun/Idoa and Farm Settlement communities, that he had decided to quit the PDP for APC, in order to support his son in the governorship race.

He noted that there was hardly a father who would not defect to

a son’s political party and support his ambition as he has just done.

Chief Emuan, however, told his audience, who were

apparently depressed by the news of his defection, about the good companionship they had shared and how they always won Ward 3, since 1999.

Okowa urged to sack Delta Muslim Pilgrims Board

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—INDIGENE Muslims in Delta State have asked Governor Ifenanyi Okowa to reverse his recent reconstitution of the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, complaining that the new board gave prominence to non-indigene Muslims.

The six-member board, as constituted, is made up of four non-indigene Muslims, including Dr. Ismaila Okudaye, Chairman and two

Deltans including Alhaji A Amori (Secretary) and Alhaja Mariam Nabiri.

In a petition by Alhaji Sadiq Oniyesaneyene and five others, the indigene Muslims in Delta said: “It came to us as a surprise that the reconstituted board was made up of non-indigenous Muslims of Igala, Yoruba and Hausa against the tradition of appointing Deltan Muslims.

“This is injustice and oppression to the indigenous Muslims."

Itsekiri in Lagos felicitate with Olu of Warri

I

TSEKIRI community in Lagos State has commiserated with His Royal Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, the 20th Olu of Warri, just as a Niger Delta activist, Mr. Matthew Itsekure, celebrated the Olu for the peace and joy the monarch has brought to bear on the throne.

In a statement, the Chairman of Itsekiri community in Lagos, Mr. Lawrence Edema, said: “Your ascension to the pristine Warri throne is the Lord’s doing that you may live long with the direction of the Almighty.”

Edema prayed that the Olu be endowed with divine wisdom as his majesty steers the ship of Warri Kingdom to lofty heights. He expressed confidence that the Olu's reign would usher in greater peace and progress in the three Warri local governments areas.

Meanwhile, a Niger Delta activist, Mr. Matthew Itsekure has celebrated the Olu for the peace and joy the monarch has brought to bear on the throne.

Itsekure explained that the coming of Ikenwoli at this time, would usher in abundant prosperity to save Itsekiri nation and its neighbours when faced with challenges.

Ogbemudia Foundation gives awards to Edo journalists

O

S A I G B O V O Ogbemudia Foundation has conferred awards of excellence on two media practitioners, Cyril Madugba, Director of News, NTA Benin and Frances Odupute of the Nigerian Observer, both in Edo State, during the Foundation’s Media Excellence Award Gala in Benin City.

Winners of this maiden edition emerged from the print and electronic media, having been rated highest in the assessment of a seven-man selection panel that placed emphasis on performance and dedication to service.

While Cyril Madugba was adjudged the best for the electronic prize for his over 34 years of service as a newscaster, the winner from the print media clinched the prize with his passionate six months consecutive investigative journalism in Edo State.

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016

Obaigbena writes EFCC over N670m compensation to THISDAY, NPAN P

RESIDENT, Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria and Chairman, Editor-inChief, THISDAY Newspapers Group Mr Nduka Obaigbena yesterday wrote the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to further clarify the payments of N670 million compensation to Thisday newspapers and members of Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN, following Boko Haram attack on Thisday office and confiscation of copies of newspapers and circulation vans of newspaper houses.

In his letter, Mr Obaigbena explained how the compensation was arrived at following an agreement for out-of-court settlement and how the payment was made by the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA. He told the anti-graft commission that the newspaper houses “ were victims of a horrendous terrorist attack and should not be victimized any further as the terrorists will be celebrating what we are now being put through.”

According to him, “We do not deserve further trauma because some official(s), outside of our control, may or may not have followed due process. All victims of terrorist attack deserve a fair and just compensation. The fact that we have received some remedy should be reason to accelerate compensation for all victims of Boko Haram attacks across Nigeria, however big or small. We never wished this upon ourselves. The central purpose of government is the security of life and property of all citizens. And the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as other international law instruments and conventions of which Nigeria is a signatory underscores this - and in fact requires that we receive effective remedy and compensation”.

Contents of letter

The letter addressed to the acting Executive Chairman of the EFCC reads: “At your request, we provide the following clarifications on payments of N670,000,000 received by GENERAL HYDROCARBONS LTD on behalf of THISDAY NEWSPAPERS GROUP (N550,000,000) and THE NEWSPAPERS PROPRIETORS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (NPAN), for member newspapers (N120,000,000) from The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Office of The National Security Adviser (ONSA) between 2014 and 2015. I have set out the areas of possible questions and C M Y K

concerns and provided answers below: •Why GENERAL HYDROCARBONS LTD? General Hydrocarbons Ltd was set up as the power supply, diesel and fuel logistics arm of the THISDAY NEWSPAPERS GROUP, servicing the power and fuel logistics requirements of the group. There are other business units that service supplies and imports such as newsprint, ink, chemicals and consumables, machinery, etc. It is standard practice within large media groups to have business units meeting special logistics, infrastructural and supply needs; •Why was the payment made to General Hydrocarbons Ltd and not to THISDAY directly? First, President Goodluck Jonathan made it clear at the beginning that he did not want to create a precedent by paying THISDAY compensation, given that we had several victims of Boko Haram bombings around the country.

Once payment was approved for the reconstruction of the UN Buildings in Abuja, that continued refusal or reluctance to pay us became tenuous as we were the next institution to be so bombed after the UN and Police Headquarters buildings, which were then being reconstructed by the Federal Government. So, when the ONSA said that they had approval to pay us, but would rather not set a precedent by paying THISDAY directly, we nominated a member company of the THISDAY Newspapers Group, called General Hydrocarbons Ltd., to receive the payments on behalf of the group of companies, given that the assets of General Hydrocarbons Ltd – mainly generators - were also destroyed in the bombings; •Why did THISDAY Newspapers Group not seek insurance payments for the bombings? We did ask our insurance consortium to pay compensation but they said we were not covered for war and or terrorism risk. Until that time, we never knew we needed war or terrorism insurance in Nigeria as the Government had not officially declared war. With the power of hindsight, we now know better; •What was the N550,000,000 paid to THISDAY used for? We simply used the compensation funds to defray some 30% of the N1.7 billion we already paid to 3rd party printers for services in lieu of the Abuja press (please see attached for a listing of each of these payments) while we went to our banks for refinancing printing presses, computer-toplate and other facilities; •Why was the payment classified by ONSA as payment for “Energy Consultancy”? We do

Mr. Nduka Obaigbena not know and cannot determine why and how security and intelligence agencies classify their payments in whatever manner they do. General Hydrocarbons Ltd did not engage in “energy consultancy” – whatever that means – with the Federal Government and or ONSA. They simply acted in agency collecting approved payments for and on behalf of THISDAY Newspapers Group and the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) – to which the newspapers group belongs; •Why did ONSA pay General Hydrocarbons Ltd and not directly to the account of NPAN? We did supply the account of NPAN to the Federal Government through the ONSA once we agreed the N120,000,000 compensation for member newspapers. But when I got a call from an official of the ONSA informing me that the payments agreed with The President was ready and should arrange to pick up cash, I balked and refused, asking him to pay to the NPAN account. Even when he suggested that The Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE - (who are now calling for a probe) was paid N50,000,000 cash by the ONSA when President Jonathan donated to the building of the NGE secretariat, I still refused to collect cash and in any case, I had no independent confirmation the NGE had collected cash.

And even if they did, I was not prepared to do so. And when he insisted, after I had refused to pick up such a huge amount in cash, we agreed in good faith they credit the account of General Hydrocarbons Ltd, who upon legal advice, were acting in agency in line with industry practice

where most payments are received through agencies, but in this instance, at no cost.

General Hydrocarbons Ltd did receive the payments on behalf of NPAN and delivered same to NPAN, at no cost, despite bank charges. General Hydrocarbons Ltd – a member of the THISDAY Newspapers Group - who are bonafide members of NPAN therefore collected the compensation on behalf NPAN and passed on exactly what was collected in fulfillment of the outof-court settlement reached between President Goodluck Jonathan and the expanded leadership of NPAN, who attended the June 12, 2014 meeting, at the invitation of The President, at State House Marina, Lagos to ensure newspapers are never again clamped down after years of military harassment. Indeed the newspaper chiefs were very concerned that the military authorities would accuse them of using their circulation vans to ferry bombs on behalf of terrorists and feared that this was a pretext for more sinister action against the media by the Federal Government.

Against this background, we summoned a high-powered NPAN team that reached the outof-court settlement with the Federal Government and they included: Nduka Obaigbena (THISDAY), Chief Olusegun Osoba (Past NPAN President invited to underscore the seriousness of the issues), Uncle Sam Amuka (Vanguard Newspapers), Lady Maiden Ibru (Guardian Newspapers), Wale Aboderin (Punch Newspapers), Victor Ifijeh (The

Nation Newspapers), Femi Adesina (Sun Newspapers), Bayo Onanuga (The News Magazine Group), Frank Aigbogun (BusinessDay), Mrs Nwadiuto Iheakanwa (Champion Newspapers), Comfort Obi (Source Magazine and General Secretary), Mr Akanni Aluko (New Telegraph), Gbenga Adefaye (Vanguard), Toke Alex Ibru (Guardian), Ayo Arowolo (THISDAY), and Feyi Smith (NPAN).

Everyone who attended this meeting did so with their heads high in defense of Free Speech and sought nothing beyond the national interest and an enabling environment for the media to operate in a democratic setting;

•Did NPAN members receive the N120,000,000 payments and did they know these payments were from the ONSA? Yes. At the NPAN meeting of March 17, 2015 held at the offices of Media Trust, Abuja, ahead of honoring the invitation of then Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, at Sheraton Hotel Abuja, members were, again, informed that the Federal Government through the ONSA had agreed to make the payment of compensation for newspapers that had made claims for the military crackdown on newspapers. Indeed when the ONSA asked for their own meeting between President Jonathan and the media ahead of the elections, he was told that the NPAN would not meet with him or President Jonathan until the out-of-court settlement was paid.

Continue on Page 16

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016—15

Ohanaeze Ndigbo president bemoans killing of Igbo in hundreds

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI —THE Ohanaeze Ndigbo has expressed serious concern at the way hundreds of Igbo are systematically eliminated in Nigeria, including the current violent campaigns by the dreaded Boko Haram Islamist fundamentalists.

President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Abuja Branch, Chief Odozi Nwodozi, yesterday, when he paid a courtesy visit to the founder of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike in Owerri, Imo State, said: “Hundreds of Igbo people have lost their lives and many others displaced due to the ongoing violent campaign by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.

“We will like to know what government has done to ameliorate their sufferings,” Nwodozi said.

According to Nwodozi, most of these displaced persons, who relocated to Abuja are still being confronted with more lifethreatening challenges and harassment without anybody speaking for them.

“Recently, majority of these displaced Igbo people fell into the hands of fraudulent people in Abuja, where they were asked to pay N50,000 for the construction of a shop at Karo area of Abuja.

After building these shops, they were forced out of the shops on the condition that they must pay

additional N4 million before taking full ownership of the shops.”

It was his view that if an Igbo son or daughter was the nation’s chief security officer, Ndigbo would not have been so vulnerable to attacks in parts of the country.

“Sincerely speaking, if an Igbo man is a member of Security Council, such injustice would have been adequately discussed at the council. I urge the President to urgently address this imbalance for fairness and

equity, “Nwodozi pleaded.

Commending the non-violent approach of Uwazuruike’s proBiafra group, Nwodozi called on him to continuously speak out over numerous challenges facing the Igbo people.

Responding, Chief Uwazuruike commended the zeal of the Abuja branch of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in bringing to the fore, matters of interest to the Igbo nation.

Uwazuruike, who recently rebranded his pro-Biafra group to Biafra Independence Movement,

BIM, said there was every need for Ndigbo to rise up and defend their rights in every part of Nigeria.

“Issues of rights and privileges of Ndigbo were matters that our late leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, stood for and he adequately prepared me to continue the crusade. The President must not shy away from the reality that non-appointment of an Igbo man into security council was a deliberate attempt to make Igbo people vulnerable.”

CONFERMENT: From left, Dr. Ejike Anunike, President, Oko Patriots; Hon. Leonard OkonkwoOkom, Legal Adviser, Oko People’s Union, OPU; Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former Vice President, and Reuben Muoka, Deputy Director, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, during the final Investiture of Muoka into the 'Nze Na Ozo,' and conferment of 'Aka- Ji Ugo Oko' title on him, in Oko, Anambra State, Sunday. Photo: Emeka Aginam

Anambra Central: PDP to give Ekwunife, others equal opportunity in primary

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said, yesterday in Awka, Anambra State that the party would give equal opportunity to all the aspirants for the senatorial seat of Anambra Central during its scheduled primaries to select the party’s candidate for the rerun election.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu nullified the election of Mrs. Uche Ekwunife following appeal by the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and former National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh and ordered for a rerun within 90 days.

Addressing stakeholders of PDP at its state secretariat in Awka, the state Chairman, Prince Kenneth Emeakayi said, that the National Working Committee, NWC, of PDP had scheduled congresses to address the issue raised by the judgment of the Court of Appeal regarding the nomination of the party’s candidate for the election.

Emeakayi said: “Though Uche C M Y K

Ekwunife has the right of offer of first refusal which can only be rejected or ratified by the senatorial congress, this is without prejudice to the right of any other member of our great party from Anambra Central senatorial district to present himself or herself to contest and

participate in the exercise, and allowing members of PDP in Anambra Central to exercise their franchise in line with the provisions of the PDP constitution, as amended.”

He said that for the avoidance of doubt, PDP remained the party to beat in the fresh election,

insisting that despite what he described as the deliberate misrepresentation and misinterpretation of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, the party would deploy all constitutional instruments and legitimate means to reclaim the senatorial seat.

Lord's Chosen Overseer tasks Nigerians on national greatness

By Olayinka Latona

T

HE GENERAL Overseer of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka has challenged Nigerians to embrace righteousness and shun every form of extortion and unrighteousness to make Nigeria great.

Mouka, who spoke at the closing of the three-day international crusade of the Church, entitled, 'What God determined shall be done,' at the Chosen International Secondary School open ground, Mgbidi Imo State, described Nigeria as

a blessed nation with rich human and material resources.

He said that it was time to utilise them to the fullest, saying, “all the good things that God has destined for us as a nation this year shall be done, there will be perfection because God has promised.”

According to him, the country was crawling due to lack of unity and love among Nigerians, adding that any nation that has the fear of God would earn God’s favour.

He said: ”Righteousness exalts a nation while sin is a reproach.

God’s hand is not short to save us in Nigeria, but when we dwell in sin, God distances himself from

us and when He distances Himself, there will be crisis and chaos in the land.

“Let us go back to God, humble ourselves, and our relationship with God should be intact. Flee from every act of wickedness.

Iniquity is an abomination before God, it hinders prayer. As a nation, we should search our lives and do the will of God. Love your neighbour and be at peace with one another. “ There were participants at the event from Cote d’Ivore, Togo, Ghana, Benin Republic, Cameroun, South Africa, USA, Australia, Austria, Gabon, Guinea Bisau, Equatorial Guinea, China, Philipine, Senegal and Chad.

BIAFRA: Uwazuruike appoints Catholic priest electoral helmsman

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA— LEADER of Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike has appointed a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Samuel Aniebonam as Chairman of Biafra Independent National Electoral Commission, BINEC. Announcing the appointment at Ojukwu Memorial Library, Owerri, Imo State, Uwazuruike explained that the measure was in line with BIM’s principle of non-violence towards establishing a sovereign control over the territorial boarders of the new Biafra.

In a issued in Onitsha, Anambra state d by the newly promoted Biafra Director of Information, Chris Mocha, Uwazuruike noted that Fr. Aniebonam and his team of other members of B-INEC would conduct and supervise the internal election in all the offices of BIM on February 22, 2016.

Arson: Police arrest 8

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

N

NEWI—THE Police in Anambra State have arrested eight persons in connection with the alleged setting ablaze of a house in Mgbachu village Nkpor, Idemili North local Government Area, Anambra State.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ali Okechukwu, who made the disclosure, said, that the arrest was made by the Anti-Cult Squad in the state and the names of the suspects would be disclosed later.

It will be recalled that in the wee hours of January 1, the house of one Innocent Ilechukwu was set ablaze by people he described as cultists, who he alleged to have been sponsored.

He alleged the suspects were behind the arson, adding that property worth N25 million was destroyed as the suspected cultists warned earlier that they would raze the house and did as they promised.

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Group calls for support for Buhari

W

ARRI—Nigeria Youth Project Monitoring Initiative, NYPMI, has urged Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his anticorruption drive to sanitise the already battered economy.

National President of the body, Hon. Amos Osigidi, who made the call when he addressed newsmen, yesterday, in Warri, Delta State, said the president within the short period he took over the reigns of governance, had proved to Nigerians that he "is out to correct the ills plaguing the country," insisting that the laudable effort must not die.

He contended that the decay in infrastructure development was traceable to the mass corruption and substandard jobs prevailing in the country, adding: “Nigeria is not supposed to be suffering as a result of non-existent infrastructure development considering the huge financial allocation for such projects.”

According to him, Nigerian youths have vowed to assist the three tiers of governments as well as security agencies to curtail corruption through strict monitoring of projects awarded.

“A team of engineers will go round the various project sites and report their findings to the Presidency, state governments and security agencies. We are poised to eliminate all forms of corrupt practices, including sub-standard jobs,” said the national president.

Hon. Osigidi, however, stressed that actualisation of projects is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians, explaining that all hands must be on deck in order to achieve this laudable effort.

“We should put political sentiment and ethnic differences aside and work assiduously to make Nigeria great."

Obaigbena writes EFCC over N670m compensation to THISDAY, NPAN Continued from page 14

T

HE NPAN captured this in the Minutes of the meeting as follows: “The President (of NPAN) reported on a request by the National Security Adviser for a meeting for the following Wednesday and added that he made as a pre-condition for attendance, the payment to affected members, of the agreed sum of N10 million compensation for the June 2014, military seizure of newspapers and distruption of circulation. The (NPAN) meeting endorsed the decision. It also endorsed that each beneficiary

will pay N1 million of the paid sum to the Association for its development activities.”

Extracts from Minutes of NPAN Meeting of March 17, 2015 held at Media Trust offices, Abuja Once payment of the full N120,000,000 was received, we realized that we had 13 newspapers claiming instead of 12 and bank drafts were then issued as follows: 1. THISDAY Newspapers / N9,000,000; 2.

Media Trust Newspapers/ N9,000,000; 3.VANGUARD / N9,000,000 ; 4. Leadership Newspapers /N9,000,000; 5. The Nation Newspapers (Vintage

ORDINATION: Catholic Archbishop of Jos, His Grace, Ignatius Kaigama (left), praying for the ordinands during the traordinary jubilee and diaconate ordination of Catholic deacons in Jos, weekend. Photo: NAN

Abia gov poll: PDP asks S-Court to void Ikpeazu’s sack ...as Ikpeazu writes INEC, says he remains gov

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE People Democratic Party, PDP, has appealed to the Supreme Court, challenging the nullification of the election that brought Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State to power.

PDP, in the appeal, urged the apex court to set aside the judgment that was delivered by the Court of Appeal, Owerri on December 31, 2015.

The party contended that the

appellate court panel headed by Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, erred in law when it not only sacked Ikpeazu, but also declared Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, the winner of the April 11 and April 25 supplementary elections.

It maintained that the appellate court judgment occasioned a gross miscarriage of justice and therefore, ought to be set aside in its entirety.

PDP, argued that neither Otti nor his party, APGA, adduced credible and cogent evidence in support of

Abia governorship appeal judgment, a conspiracy — Onyechere

By Tare Youdeowei

U

MUAHIA—A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chieftain and a former Special Assistant to Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Mr. Ben Onyechere, has faulted the judgment of the Abia State governorship appeal, which awarded the governorship position to All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA’s candidate, Alex Otti, after cancelling results from C M Y K

Press) N9,000,000; 6. Business Day / N9,000,000; 7. The SUN Newspapers/ N9,000,000; 8.

Blueprint Newspapers / N9,000,000; Daily Independent / N9,000,000; 10. Peoples Daily / N9,000,000 ( with secretariat); 11.

Tribune Newspapers / N9,000,000 ( with secretariat); 12. Guardian Newspapers / N9,000,000 ( with secretariat) ; 13. New Telegraph / N9,000,000 ( with secretariat) and NPAN /N3,000,000. TOTAL : 120,000,000.00 as received from the ONSA (not a penny less).

The association had ruled that members should first bring their membership accounts current with the NPAN Secretariat and then collect their cheques. The onus of whether or not to collect cheques for compensation they had voluntarily and collectively claimed remains with each member. *Did NPAN members know these payments were from Arms Purchase budget to fight Boko Haram? The NPAN and indeed THISDAY Newspapers and /or even General Hydrocarbons Ltd could not have known which budget head payments ordered by the President through the ONSA came from, given that security and intelligence agencies have several payment conventions unknown to the public. But what is in the public domain is that the Appropriations Act 2014 and the Appropriations Act 2015 provided N28.5 billion and N26.49 billion respectively in capital expenditure for the ONSA which included such miscellaneous subheads, that did not include arms purchase, from which the payments agreed with the President on June 12, 2014, could have been made after due process given that it was the

three local governments.

Describing the result as a conspiracy to wipe out PDP, Onyechere said: “This nation has watched helplessly as opposition strongholds are being forcefully taken over through the courts, which is reminiscent of the former President of the Court of Appeal, era in the Appeal Court where one party got four states through the judiciary.

“The cancellation of election

results without ordering for a rerun is tantamount to disenfranchisement of eligible voters by a court which should protect fundamental right of harmless members of the public.

“The atrocities perpetrated through some courts, if not checked, will turn this country into a lawless nation because a situation where the judiciary begins to allow politicization of its judgments portends great danger.

their substantive petition against Ikpeazu’s election victory.

Meanwhile, Ikpeazu, yesterday, wrote the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu, asking him not to do anything that will tamper with his office as the governor of Abia State.

The governor, in the letter by his lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, said he remained the governor, pending when he has exhausted his right of appeal.

Ikpeazu said he had already instructed his lawyers to challenge the nullification of his election at the Supreme Court.

He argued that section 233(2)(e)(iv) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, imbued him with an unfettered right to remain in office pending the determination of his appeal.

Nevertheless, Ikpeazu, decried that the appellate court had since refused to avail him with a copy of the judgment that nullified his election.

ONSA that oversaw the crackdown on newspapers.

Separately, the same Appropriations Act 2014 and the Appropriations Act 2015 provided the Ministry of Defence with arms budget of some N35.4 billion and N36.7 billion for capital budget and arms purchase.

We never dealt with the Ministry of Defence. So any suggestion that payments made to NPAN and THISDAY Newspapers Group were for arms purchase is like calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it; incite the public against us and create panic among our members and stakeholders in such an important national institution as the media. We never participated in any arms purchase in any shape or form and only demanded compensation for a horrendous terrorist act against us. In the same way, the United Nations and others who may have received some compensation, could not have known the line budget items for the funds being used for the reconstruction of the UN Abuja buildings.

Even the Nigerian Guild of Editors, which may have received donations for their secretariat from the ONSA, could not have known which subhead it was paid from.

We simply cannot know or be expected to speculate which line item the spending was made from by the ONSA. There is simply no nexus between payments made for compensation, to us victims of terrorism as well as to newspapers in compensation for an unprovoked attack on free speech, and any arms purchase budget.

It will be of interest to have a full and complete list of all payments made by the ONSA between 2014 and 2015 to make an informed determination and to understand what happened to the over N70 billion in arms budget allotted to the Ministry of Defence for armament; At the end of the day, we were victims of a horrendous terrorist attack and should not be victimized any further as the terrorists will be celebrating what we are now being put through.

We do not deserve further trauma because some official(s), outside of our control, may or may not have followed due process. All victims of terrorist attack deserve a fair and just compensation. The fact that we have received some remedy should be reason to accelerate compensation for all victims of Boko Haram attacks across Nigeria, however, big or small.

We never wished this upon ourselves. The central purpose of government is the security of life and property of all citizens. And the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as other international law instruments and conventions of which Nigeria is a signatory underscores this - and in fact requires that we receive effective remedy and compensation

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 17

I

F there is anybody I can vouch for in Buhari’s Cabinet, it is Senator Udoma Udo Udoma. I have known him, and his best friend Keem Bello Osagie, for 30 years. All three of us are graduates of Oxford University, England, although I was there before him and Keem. Udoma is as sharp as a razor; he is one of the most intelligent people I know.

Better still, he is a man of unimpeachable integrity.

Udoma cannot be bought. He has a very successful law practice; the last thing he would do is fiddle public funds.

Udoma was a two-term Senator of the Federal Republic, where he distinguished himself representing Akwa Ibom. His people would always remember him as the man who ensured that Akwa Ibom now receives one of the biggest, if not the biggest, share of oil money from the federal government. While many of his Senate colleagues pocketed N50 million bribes to support Obasanjo’s dastardly thirdterm bid, including those who nevertheless voted against it; Udoma rejected the bribe and joined the campaign against the scheme.

Thereafter, he knew even his re-nomination as PDP Senatecandidate from Akwa Ibom would be blocked. So he quietly bid the Senate and politics goodbye. But righteousness will always exalt a man. Udoma was sought after by blue-chip companies. He re-surfaced as Chairman of UAC and a Director of Unilever. He also became in 2010 chairman of the Governing Board of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Planning in a hurry On 11 November, 2015, President Buhari appointed Udoma as Minister of Budget and Planning. Six weeks later, the president presented the 2016 budget to the National Assembly. This makes the budget an inevitable casualty of timing. A new Nigerian president is sworn in at the end of May in an election year. He is expected to have his cabinet in place by June. That would give a Minister of Budget and Planning six months to work on a budget.

However, when Buhari became president in the middle of an economic crisis, the first thing he did was to squander the first five months.

In that time, anti-corruption propaganda became a substitute for policy. The economy nose-dived; going from bad to worse. Queried about the delay in choosing his cabinet, the president badmouthed anticipated ministers as “noise-makers.” When he finally succumbed to the Constitution by unfolding his Cabinet, the year had virtually come to an end.

Udoma is a man wellprepared for public office.

However, in the short-term, he will have to defend as, a team-

Interrogating the Buharinomics player minister, a budget unlikely to be his brainchild.

Udoma could not have known he would be the Minister of Budget and Planning. But now he has to defend a budget he could not have planned.

Frankly, there are a number of things in this budget that are indefensible.

In the medium-term, Udoma is in the unenviable position of being an economics minister to a president who clearly has very limited understanding of economics. Worse-still, he is minister to a president who castigates ministers as noisemakers. That indicates Buhari is not likely to be open to wise counsel. It would not surprise me if schemes like the antediluvian counter-trading are mooted again from Aso Rock sooner or later.

Pretend Budget The first thing that becomes noticeable in the 2016 budget is that it is a budget of pretension. Nigeria is still a monocultural economy. The oil, on which the lionshare of the nation’s income depends, has suffered a drastic decline in price in the international market. But the government has decided to pretend as if nothing has happened. No austerity whatsoever is entertained. As a matter of fact, in the name of stimulating the economy, the president has decided to present a budget that assumes Nigeria has suddenly become richer overnight, when in fact we have become poorer.

Clearly, there will be no austerity in Aso Rock in 2016, as a matter of fact, it would appear that elephants will be on the menu for lunch

budget

This is a very neat trick. In 2015, the total federal budget was N4.45 trillion naira. In 2016, in the middle of an economic downturn, this has been increased dramatically to N6.08 trillion. The new 2016 budget is based on the price of oil being $38 a barrel, ignoring the fact that the price has already fallen below that to $36. Indeed, the IMF projects the price might fall even further in 2016 by $5 to $15; bringing it down to as low as $20. But the government is not prepared to contemplate that eventuality. How can the APC enjoy the trappings of power if, after so long in the political wilderness, its turn is now to be constrained by austerity?

Therefore, observe the following contradictions. In the middle of looming economic adversity, the government has decided to be even more profligate than the previous administration. For example, in 2014, the budget for Aso Rock was N12 billion.

In 2015, President Jonathan judiciously reduced this to N6.6 billion. But in 2016, Buhari has raised this by 50% to N18 billion. One of the more ludicrous aspects of this is the N3.6 billion earmarked for the purchase of an unspecified number of BMW saloon cars!

Clearly, there will be no austerity in Aso Rock in 2016.

As a matter of fact, it would appear that elephants will be on the menu for lunch. A whopping N1.75 billion has been budgeted for feeding in Aso Rock in 2016. Goodluck Jonathan was pilloried for spending N1 billion in 2011. He reduced this to N717 million in 2013; N542 million in 2014; and N530 million in 2015. But now Buhari has decided to increase this by more than 100%.

N115 million is budgeted for foodstuffs and catering materials for President Buhari alone, an increase of over 64% above that of President Jonathan.

If you were of the view that the president has spent too much of his honeymoon period gallivanting abroad this year, think again. N1.4 billion has been allocated for his travel expenses in 2016; N470 million more than that of Jonathan in 2015.

The maintenance of the 10 aircraft presidential fleet that the

of

president attacked as wasteful when he was asking Nigerians for our votes will cost N3.6 billion in 2016. N764 million is budgeted for the construction of recreational facilities just for Mr. President.

The same lavishness is also proposed for the vicepresident. Not to be left out, the National Assembly will cost us nothing less than N115 billion. These are the kinds of changes the APC has in store for Nigeria in fiscal 2016.

Voodoo Buharinomics Where is the money for all the extra expenditures in 2016 supposed to come from given the sharp reduction in our income? There is a lot of talk about squeezing more money out of taxation, creating greater efficiencies in the MDAs, and generating more income from agriculture and solid minerals. But it is just talk.

Only N29 billion is devoted to the Ministry of Agriculture, while more money, N39 billion, is earmarked for Ministry of Information and Culture. But of course, Lai Mohammed has already told us he plans to have one cultural festival a day, 365 days in 2016; although he has already missed a few days.

Principally, the government has decided to go a-borrowing.

It proposes to borrow N1.88 trillion in 2016; 30.9% of the total budget; N1 trillion more than what was borrowed in 2015. This is where the whole thing gets even more ludicrous.

When the APC came to power, the first thing it attacked was Nigeria’s debt-profile under the previous Jonathan administration.

VicePresident Osinbajo complained that: “Our economy is currently in perhaps its worst moment in history. Local and international debt stands at $60 billion.”

The APC answer to this predicament is now to borrow more in 2016 than we did in 2015. Osinbajo complained that our debt-servicing bill in 2015 was N953 billion. How then are we to understand the APC decision to increase that debtservicing bill to N1.8 trillion in 2016; an increase of nearly 100%. Osinbajo complained that our debt-servicing bill was 21% of the budget under

Jonathan in 2015. But now under Buhari, 30.9% of the total federal budget in 2016 is going to be financed by debt.

Suddenly, the same government that complained it inherited a huge burden of debt from the PDP now argues that Nigeria is underborrowed. That is the new truth now being dished out by government spin-doctors.

Kemi Adeosun, the new Finance Minister, now says Nigeria’s debt to GDP ratio is low at 12%. She compares this conveniently to Angola (57%) and South Africa (48%).

In which case, our indebtedness is no longer an albatross. Since the APC has replaced the PDP at the centre, we can now borrow as much as we like. This is all well and good. Except that it is exactly how we got into the debt predicament of the 1980s and 1990s. It means in 2016, we will spend N4 billion every day on debt-servicing.

Productive debt The government promises that, this time, it is only going to borrow for capital projects.

But it cannot tell us precisely what these capital projects are.

All we have are promissory notes that they will be for infrastructural projects like roads, rails and power supply.

However, promissory notes from this APC government are no longer worth a dime.

In 2015, the federal budget was N4.5 trillion.

Nevertheless, the government was able to gather as much as N1.5 billion into the TSA account. This represents money not spent from previous budgets. This should tell us that we did not even have the capacity to spend what we earned. Monies voted for recurrent expenditure gets gobbled up more or less. But capital projects are either ignored, uncompleted, or big chunks of the earmarked money are stolen.

What the government now proposes to do is to increase even that usually unspent money, without first fixing the underlying lack of capacityutilization.

Since the government actually has no structural anti-corruption policy, beyond declaring its enemies guilty without trial, all that might happen here is that we are simply making more money available for graft.

Then there is the brilliant idea of employing 500,000 graduates as teachers in the rural areas. Quite apart from the difficulty of assembling and equipping these graduates, the cost of the project is prohibitive. A modest 50,000 monthly wage bill will come to N300 billion per annum, while the total amount allocated for education is N369 billion.

My conclusion is simple.

The APC won the election in the wrong country.

The government should be shipped elsewhere; perhaps to France.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 THE recent call by Honourable Sanni Zorro, the member of the House of Representatives for the Gumel/Maigatari, Sule Tankar/ Gagarawa Federal Constituency of Jigawa State for the domestication of the Kampala Convention on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is a worthy idea.

Zorro, who chairs the House Committee on Internally Displaced Persons, Refugees and Initiatives on the North East, believes this will lead to a permanent, holistic approach to the care of citizens displaced from their homes and communities as a result of wars, insurgencies, violence, natural disasters and other factors.

The Kampala Convention on IDP’s was established in 2012 by the African Union with 40 out of 54 countries (including Nigeria) as signatories, taking into account the large number of displaced persons all over Africa and the need to evolve a framework for their welfare and

Framework for the care of IDPs rehabilitation. Africa has the largest number of displaced persons in the world numbering more than 12 million people. Nigeria alone, in the past three years, contributed three million people to this number, mainly as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency and the rage of armed hoodlums referred to as “Fulani herdsmen”.

The Convention emphasises the need for governments to see themselves as primarily responsible for the care, protection and wellbeing of their countries’ IDPs and commit to responding adequately to their needs.

Apart from man-made factors of armed violence, many Nigerians are routinely displaced from their homes as a result of natural disasters linked to climate change, such as flooding, desertification, dwindling natural water resources (such as the case with the Lake Chad region), coastal and gully erosion.

For now, there is no standard framework for tackling the needs of IDPs, as federal, state and local governments as well as public spirited individuals and groups respond haphazardly to emergency situations. This will no longer do, as the incidence of

OPINION Relevance of the January 9 Bayelsa guber polls

By Solomon Adams

P

RESENTLY, Bayelsa State is under a situation of suspended animation characterised by eruption of violence particularly in the politically fertile Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. The December 5 and 6 2015 governorship election was, indeed, declared inconclusive following tension between the two major political parties, the APC and PDP, and the polls in the Ijaw area rescheduled for January 9, 2016.

While the mutual finger-pointing war continues, the Joint Task Force which was responsible for security during the polls has alleged complicity on the part of the PDP and the state governor, Seriake Dickson in the violence that torpedoed the election.

Of particular note in various reports was the visit by the Governor Dickson to the peculiarly volatile town of Oporoma , the local government headquarters of Southern Ijaw during the election; it is claimed that the appearance of the governor at such critical moment exacerbated the tension. Closely following the chronicles of events prior to the election, it was obvious that the historical stakes and political consequences of the 2015 governorship polls in the SouthSouth state were phenomenal ; that both Timipre Sylva of APC and Dickson of PDP were going to engage in a fiercely contested election based on profound and painful antecedents. In fact, some analysts see the Bayelsa election as besieged by

surreptitious echoes of a national contest as being the home state of immediate past president Jonathan. The former Nigerian leader is said to be deeply (and justifiably) invested in the victory of PDP and Dickson.

It is, however, wrong for commentators and observers to leap to the conclusion that the state which produced the former president and has been a PDP stronghold for more than a decade will ipso facto stay PDP. There is a curious psychological deficit to such a frame of mind as it suggests that the people of Bayelsa State are exempt from the momentum and imperatives of political sociology. It would seem that Bayelsia State was being profiled as being permanently mortgaged or leased to one political party in a relationship evocative of feudalistic servitude; but this is 21st century democratic Nigeria where the citizenry are to free enter into social contract.

In Bayelsa, analysts and drum majors who are predicting a PDP victory may not be reading the political thermometer and the pulse of the people in Oporoma and elsewhere correctly.

Undoubtedly, both candidates are worthy opponents, but Sylva has endured

The road to progress in Bayelsa State will not come through political ‘militancy and thuggery

a remarkably long regimen of political trials and tribulation in which only a Spartan character can survive. As a former governor, he went through nullification of a 2012 gubernatorial contest and all through the judicial process before getting cleared, he has also been through tribunals examining matters of corruption and getting vindicated at the highest level of the judicial crucible; Sylva is said to be indefatigable in the pursuance of any cause he considers just irrespective of the formidable obstacle in his path.

Some of the travails he, Timipre Sylva underwent were allegedly cultivated by former president Jonathan , it would , therefore, be unimaginable for the expresident to see his home state under the rule by the very party (APC) that defeated him at the national level and even more so to see someone he considers a bitter antagonist as the flag bearer of that party.

And intensely enraging for the PDP and Jonathan in this case is the fact that Sylva was one of the founding architects of APC in Bayelsa. Perhaps, the unmatched durability of Sylvia’s courage is of a premium political asset to the electorate of Bayelsa.

But far beyond all of this, the people of the state cannot be magically shielded from the wind of change blowing across the nation; like their fellow compatriots, they are engaged in rigorous assessment of the records of those seeking their votes.

The electorate who are the ultimate sovereign are disposed to raise questions relating to the catalogue of abandoned

IDPs is likely to remain high due to the fact that Nigeria is a hotbed of disenchantment. Yet the country is not ready to sit down and realistically address the root causes of discord. Rather, it responds to these challenges with force, which amounts to mere fire fighting.

The framework we expect should, as Honourable Zorro rightly put it, come in the form of a legal instrument to domesticate the Kampala Convention and provide the roadmap to guide the nation in responding to the needs of IDPs in all parts of the country. It will provide the institutional support required to cope with the needs of refugees and also pave the way for their rehabilitation and resettlement.

The care of the IDPs must be taken with all seriousness because these are the most vulnerable of citizens, and their right to be catered for is inalienable.

projects and several unfulfilled promises under the watch of incumbent Governor Dickson.

Of very sad note, according to reports, is the abandoned Okaka Housing Project which was almost completed under Sylva.

Governor Dickson for very strange reasons neglected the project, and then commenced a Phase 3 opposite the housing project which he again abandoned. To the PDP and Governor Dickson, Bayelsa State is treated as their remote fiefdom hence the road linking the state with the rest of the country has not been paid its due attention despite the potential economic benefits.

The same style of poor economic management is symbolised in Dickson’s failure to take the necessary step to full completion and commissioning of the only ultra-modern hospital in the state. To this end, let the people of Bayelsa weigh their option between stagnation and change.

The people of the oil-producing state may be seeking a new direction in their affairs, to join efforts with Sylva whose principal resolution is to uplift Bayelsa as one of the fastest developing geo-political entity in this country, to sensibly invest the benefits of oil due to the state and simultaneously galvanise a process of diversification of the economy in line with best global ethos and practices. The road to progress in Bayelsa State will not come through political ‘militancy and thuggery’, but through the reasoned discourse and arguments that will be presented to the people and the free choice they exercise on January 9, 2016. *Mr. Adams, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Yenogoa, Bayelsa State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016— —19

A new year wish for change

By Sunny Ikhioya

A

T this time of the year, the practice is to make resolutions on how to move forward in the new year, habit to reinforce and that to discarded. It is like a goal setting process, only that, in this instance the decisions are made under atmospheres of feasting and wining, so they barely last beyond the first or second week of the new year. But, mine is not a resolution because the tools to accomplish them are not in my hands, they are in the realms of those in position of authority, beginning with the President of this country and his team. Mine is in the form of a wish for what the so much sought after change should be like this year 2016, a wish that majority of Nigerians have borne in their hearts since the country attained independence in 1960 which had remained till date. A wish for a united, economically strong and buoyant nation, of multiple friendly and loving cultures that will attract people from outside our shores like bees to honey. A country of freedom with wide expanse of landscape, beautiful and diversity, with unquantifiable mineral and agricultural potentials, a country with established religious

secularity where love for humanity is paramount. A freedom that will encourage genuine creativity, where ideas are propounded beyond the confines of ethnicity and religion, of true democracy and federalism, of independent states that will not run cap in hand to the federal authorities for hand outs. I wish for truly productive and independent states looking inward to tap on available resources and using them for the benefits of the people. This has been our dream and that is my wish as we commence the new year. Are these wishes achievable? I say yes because the materials to make them realisable are in great abundance in this country - land, labour, capital and entrepreneurs - but the will to see it through is the big problem. This 'will' is mostly influenced by the principal factors of ethnicity, religion and party sentiments. These are the factors that have made it impossible to tame the monster of corruption in this nation.

When we fight corruption on the basis of religious, ethnic and party interests, we only scratch the surface of the cancer. Some have said that we start with the ones that we have selectively arraigned and I say; start with all, no discrimination. It is my

wish this new year that the corruption fight be done without discrimination, that way no one will be in doubt about the administration's sincerity.

The question then is: how do we make this change possible, realistic and convincing to the people?

If you cannot find the correct compass, you will never be able to reach your destination. For how long are we going to run this country on lies? As long as we pretend not to know the truth, the change will remain a mirage. The people must be told the real situation of things, that way they will not be disappointed with the outcome even if it is not in their favour. True communication is based on real facts, not propaganda. You want to feed and get youths into employment in this country and you do not have

We must run our government on verifiable facts and not on unfounded propaganda

Dickson as Monk without Hood

By Ruth Francis

T

HE December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa reminded me of one of the seminar papers I delivered in the University of Maiduguri many years ago.

In the paper, I had amongst other things, argued that, though the 1999 Nigeria Constitution regards governors as Chief Security Officers of their domains, in actual sense they may bark but lack the teeth to bite. Governors are usually at the mercy of the Federal Government or President. It is against this background that I submitted that governors are like Monks without hoods!

The December 5, Bayelsa inconclusive election re-enforced my position. First, the All Progressive Congress (APC) which was hitherto non-existent in Bayelsa State suddenly became a factor, following the desire of the central government to capture the state by hook or crook. With the backing of the federal institutions, APC’s apparatchiks led by Sylva suddenly bounced back from political Siberia, strutting the political landscape with exaggerated swagger, boasting that Bayelsa must fall. Many of the APC members took it seriously because Sylva had earlier boasted that the corruption charges on his neck would be quashed and it came to pass. Government magic!

Then enter Saturday, December 5 when Bayelsa, the glory of all lands and Jerusalem of the Ijaw nation was put under siege and turned to a war zone by the Nigeria military. Soldiers and Armoured Personnel Carriers were deployed in the oil rich state with a clear directive to deliver Sylva! The thinking of the APC as espoused by its national chairman, Dr. John Oyegun was that the state was too strategic not to be controlled by the centre.

On that faithful Saturday when elections held in the state, it couldn’t hold in Southern Ijaw, the headquarters of militancy because the dreaded militancy war lords, Africanus Ukparasia fondly called General Africa and Eris Paul popularly known as Ogunboss, who themselves are APC chieftains had launched an attack on Southern Ijaw,

C M Y K

leaving five people dead on Friday night.

The insecurity in the area forced INEC to shift election in Southern Ijaw from Saturday to Sunday against Governor Dickson’s counsel.

Stakeholders and ordinary voters were still living in fear. They protested against INEC plans to go ahead with the elections until enough security was put in place.

In fact, many of them had not returned from where they had fled to. On the strength of this intelligence, the governor visited Oporoma, the headquarters of Southern Ijaw to see things for himself and advised strongly against going ahead with the polls on December 6, but his counsel fell on deaf ears.

In defiance of the governor, election materials were distributed in the afternoon in contravention of the INEC guidelines. Critical stakeholders in the area like Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Kombowei Benson was barred from going to his ward by militants.

I was an accredited observer covering Ammasoma in Southern Ijaw. I saw Soldiers connive with thugs to snatch election materials and taken to homes of APC chieftains. Some APC thugs, one popularly called T.O wore army uniform.

Luck ran out of him when he snatched election materials, sped off, ran into a ditch and his vehicle summersaulted. If he survived the accident, then he should dance and give thanks to God the way King David did!

I recall how election materials were hijacked, how many INEC officials were chased away while those who were not lucky were kidnapped. And people were killed especially in the coastal areas of Southern Ijaw. In the few polling units where elections held, both accreditation and actual voting took place at night up

Dickson defeated Sylva in his LG, Nembe and defeated him in six out of 10 wards which make up Brass LG where Sylva's mother is from

a factual data base of the number of employable youths in the country, no correct statistics, how can you execute such programme without bringing in sentiments and other untoward factors?

So, the first point of take off must be to put in place a verifiable and reliable data base, in fact, a true census for the people. If it is too cumbersome at the federal level because of present economic challenges, we can begin from the local government levels, then the states and finally, the federal level for collation. Every state should have an authentic census of its own, the way the Lagos government did a few years back, with proper planning, the cost will still be within reasonable range.

Once that is achieved we can use the information not only for planning and forecasting purposes but for such others like the insurgency battles and containment of illegal immigrants. The insurgency battles go beyond ammunitions, it is more of intelligence; when you have good data base, your ability to contain insurgency is enhanced. Census must not be seen as an opportunity for ethnic groups to gain dominance, it goes beyond all that shenanigans.

Propaganda will not bring the desired change, rather our determination to change our approach to resolving issues. It is my wish also that the change in this country extends to correction of inherent structural defects.

to mid-night! These irregularities and the attendant violence finally forced the commission to cancel the polls in Southern Ijaw and fixed January 9, 2016 for supplementary election in the area.

Analysts believe if they had heeded the governor’s advice, they would have averted the collateral damage done to the process, saved public funds from being wasted and innocent lives from being destroyed.

But the governor was helpless. He watched the military overrun a state he theoretically superintends as chief security officer. The military boys mocked the governor and threatened to withdraw his security operatives. The governor was threatened with arrest should he protest the rape of democracy not minding his immunity against arrest. The governor of course, called this bluff, stormed the state owned radio station and mobilised Bayelsans against what he calls desecration of democracy and subversion of their right to choose a governor of their choice. As the electorate trooped out to the street, they matched to INEC headquarters to demand the cancellation of the election before INEC bowed to their wish on Monday.

Meanwhile, election held in seven out of eight local government areas. They are: Yenagoa, the state capital, Kolokuma/ Okpokuma, Sagbama, Ekeremor, Nembe, Ogbia, Brass. In spite of the intimidation of voters by the almighty federal might, Governor Dickson and candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was in a clear lead. What the governor lacked in federal institution, he gained in people’s support as he swept six local government areas with a total of 105, 748 votes while Sylva managed to win only Brass and polled 72, 534 votes.

What actually impressed me about Dickson for which analysts are silent on is that he defeated Sylva in his LG, Nembe and defeated him in six out of 10 wards which make up Brass LG, where Sylva’s mother is from. And above all, Dickson remains one of the few governors ever to have won re-elections in the state capital cities which in his own case is Yenagoa.

My take from the Bayelsa experience is that the incumbent governor has already won the election. The upcoming elections in Southern Ijaw and the 101 polling units cannot change the equation for a number

The centre is too unwieldy, bogus and wasteful. States should get a larger share of the allocations and the federal government should concentrate on its core roles. The structure that we have now is what breeds corruption.

I wish that we can truly determine our population. I wish that we can sort out our over dependence on oil. I wish that recovered funds could be tied to specific visible projects instead of the normal sharing practice. It is my wish that every drop of mineral resources leaving our shores will be accounted for properly. It is also my wish that there is no discrimination or selective treatments in the pursuit of our anti-corruption war. It is my wish that our leaders would be bound by their statements and promises. It is my wish that we tap into all the derivatives from our petrochemical productions beyond petrol, diesel and kerosene. It is my wish that we tap into the potentials of solar energy and include same in our national housing policy like the South Africans have done. And, finally, we must run our government on verifiable facts and not on unfounded propaganda.

Happy New Year and may all of our wishes come true. *Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

of reasons. One, Southern Ijaw is the stronghold of the PDP. The party controls the grass roots having produced the Council chairman and all the councilors, the four members of the state House of Assembly and the only member of the House of Reps. Apart from appointing key government functionaries like commissioners and SAs, the Speaker and Chief of Staff to the incumbent governor are from there. The Dickson administration is reputed to have delivered on his campaign promise to the area through road construction and citing of major projects like schools and hospitals in Southern Ijaw. And above all, the first elected governor of the state and Chairman Advisory Council of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, late DSP Alamiesiegha, who was championing the cause of Dickson’s re-election hailed from Southern Ijaw. The thinking amongst most Ijaw people is that the only way the former governor would rest in peace was to re-elect Dickson. No date has been fixed for his burial.

Many Ijaws also believe that the governor has performed and the only way to reward him was to retain him in Creek Haven. And as Dickson itches closer to his 50th birthday anniversary on January 28th, the campaign by his supporters is that the only birthday gift the governor expects from the people of Southern Ijaw is to follow the footsteps of the other six local government and re-elect him.

Secondly, if the densely populated state headquarters like Yenagoa could only record about 40 percent voter turnout, it is unlikely for the APC to amass the needed votes from Southern Ijaw to upturn Dickson’s lead!

In a nut shell, what played out in Bayelsa in December and what may play out next Saturday is a clash between federal might and the will of Bayelsans with the latter triumphing over the former. While I doff my hat for the electorate for their resilience and defence for the sanctity and majesty of the ballot box, the mess in Bayelsans has more than ever before made it imperative for the amendment of the constitution to empower state governors to practically control the security of their jurisdictions.

*Comrade Francis, National president, Wake Up Bayelsans, wrote from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 5 2016

2016 budget: Bani changi!

M

ALLAM Audu used to have a kiosk as you crossed from Moremi Hall to Awolowo Hall in Ife in those days. We bought little items from from the wares he displayed close to the health centre. After payment was made, Audu was usually not so quick with giving out the change, so, we would yell at him in our smattering knowledge of the Hausa Language: "Mallam,bani Changi!

For all those persuaded that all we needed to bring about CHANGE in Nigeria is one man of integrity while keeping the crooked structure that survives only on the oxygen of corruption must be screaming "Bani changi!" after going through the 2016 budget proposals laid before the joint session of the National Assembly recently.

President Buhari himself betrayed the limitations of what one man's moral can do in a totally depraved system when he revealed during his maiden media chat that he refused the sum of N400m appropriated to buy cars for him but that his officials persuaded him to accept, that cars be purchased for use of visiting heads of state and all that when the dire straits we are in compels that we rely on hired taxis to receive such people so they would know that we are not in party mood. By the time they were done, the Presidency whose head felt buying cars should not be our priority now is to spend N3.6b on Salon cars.

spent in 2015. We should be spending more time to find home-grown solutions to our problem given the global economic turmoil that we are witnessing.

At a time when we are not sure if human beings would be able to feed, the N24m budgeted for the purchase of exotic animals in 2015 has been increased to N326m in 2016.

A further breakdown of the 2016 budget for the Presidency includes other ridiculous headings such as : general renovation of the Guest House (N387m); complete furnishing of the Guest House (N45m); purchase of computers (N27.5m) and construction and provision of recreational facilities at N764m.

Other insensitive expenditures on the Presidency ’s vehicles include N39.8m for the purchase of an unspecified number of 200 amps, 100 amps and 60 amps Mercedes Benz batteries for bulletproof vehicles while N30m is to be expended on the purchase of tool boxes, car jacks, and diagnostic machines for bulletproof cars.

The purchase of C-Caution triangles, fire-extinguishers and cables is to cost N27m.

The uproar generated nationally in 2015 over the

Presidency's mockery of the times There are many other expenditure items in the presidency that are scandalous and mock the times that we are in. There is the N189.1m voted for tyres for various vehicles, including the bulletproof and plain Mercedes Benz cars being used in the Presidency.

The budget for the Presidency has been raised to N39b from N24.4b in the 2015 budget with N1,415,706,197 devoted to both local and international travels as against N944m C M Y K

N1billion budget for food in the villa did not stop the almost 100% increase on the same heading to N1.75billion in 2016 at a time "fellow Nigerians" are being summoned to tighten their belts!

Insensitive expenditure In the same vein, the acquisition of presidential canteen materials and kitchen equipment increased from N83.1m in 2015 to N89m in 2016. Where are those purchased last year?

We have not been told yet that the last occupiers of Aso Rock went away with kitchen equipment and as such it is sheer waste to make such an item a recurrent expenditure.

A whopping sum N114.4m is to be expended on the upgrade of internet infrastructure in the State House with another N22.5 to be spent on purchasing internet servers.

In what appears as cooking up items to justify frittering of resource, a nebulous “Active Devices for State House Network” is to cost N100m and N35m is to be expended on the purchase of security appliances and licences, including computer anti-virus software. God have mercy!

The binge continues, the Office of the National Security Adviser where out of the N90.3 billion budget for 2016, N8.7 billion is to be expended to develop the ONSA’s “All-Eye” surveillance project and N9 billion to construct a salacious b “Stravinsky Project”.

Securing the nation

To continue to do what brought us to where we are and call it CHANGE is sheer deception.

Give us the real change now!

The ONSA’s security vote, including funds for operations, is put at N576m.

The Department of State Security Service (DSS) has N2.2 billion for its 2016 security vote.

The Presidential Air Fleet is to spend N262.4m on Air Navigation equipment.

Other wasteful items under the Presidency’s 2016 budget include: N55,670,000 for

installation or budget planning software; N272,646,891 for Upgrading of mechanical and electrical power line (underground) supplies to the State House; N322,421,971 for linking of cable to drivers’ rest room at Villa Admin and N213,873,953 for linking of cable from House No 9 Generator House to the gate.

The craze continues with N618,604,265 for installation of electrical lightings and fittings; N191,592,132 for electrical installation of distribution boards and other cables; N22,861,449 for provision of stage curtains and electrical drive; N10,416,146 for installations of electrical materials and luminaries.

There have been a lot of rhetorics about "diversification " of the economy to the point that people were expecting that the 2016 budget would pay serious attention to non-oil sources especially the solid mineral sector. Alas, only a paltry N9b was voted for solid mineral, just a quarter of the N40b that has been earmarked to search for oil in the Lake chad at a time when IMF has projected that oil may fall to $20 a barrel as against our $38 projection.

Peradventure oil is found in the North East, who is going to invest in the place given the security situation in that area? This is at best a sentimental voyage!

The President was right when he said that there is the need to secure Nigeria and then manage it. But we also need to manage what resources we devote to securing the country. We have N294.5 billion budgeted for the Ministry of Defence,the Ministry of Interior has a budget of N145.2b, Nigerian Police Formation and Command has N283.09 billion.

There is another N10b voted for Operation Lafiya Dole. If the four items are added with the N57.7 billion voted for the office of the National Security Adviser we have N799.04 billion devoted to security out of a N6.08 trillion!

Neglect of Agriculture There is no rationale for the N39 billion voted for the Ministry of Information in the 2016 budget as against the N9 billion allocated to the same Ministry in 2015. Are we to consume more propaganda in this appropriation year? It boggles the mind further when it is realised that the N39.1billion allocated to the Information is more than the combined budgets of Ministry of Transportation N13.7 billion, Ministry of Water Resources N7.2 billion and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment N10.5

billion. The Information Ministry also has a higher vote than the Ministry of Agriculture N29 billion and Solid Mineral N9 billion. Yet, these are two key ministries crucial to diversification of our economy to meet the challenges of our reality.

It is doubtful if our policy makers came across Rick Rowden's article titled "Africa's Boom Is Over" where he opined as follows: Today, I’m sorry to say, it looks like the skeptics were right. Oil and commodity prices are plunging, China’s purchases are slowing, and GDP growth rates across the continent are in steep decline. Reflecting these trends, the IMF has cut its 2015 projection for growth in sub-Saharan Africa from 4.5 to 3.75 percent, concluding that the decade-long commodity cycle that had raised African export revenues “seems to have come to an end.” With a population boom on the horizon, experts now worry about how the continent will produce enough jobs for its people.

Africa and arrested development Africa’s plight is reflected by developments in its two leading economies, Nigeria and South Africa, which together account for 55 percent of the 48 subSaharan African nations’ GDP, and which have both been particularly hard hit by falling mineral and oil prices.

Nigeria’s growth rate has slumped to 2.4 percent in the second quarter, the slowest pace in at least five years, while South Africa’s economy contracted by an annualised 1.3 percent as power shortages curbed output.

The fall in commodities prices has hit other oil producers, too, such as Angola and Ghana, while Zambia, the continent’s second-biggest copper producer, has suffered as copper prices have plunged to a six-year low."

Nigeria has to smell the coffee. We must come to terms with the fact that the 2016 budget proposals is a great goof that betrays lack of appreciation of the need to CHANGE our ways. A return to the drawing board is necessary.

We must urgently disperse powers to the federating units so they can start in earnest the exploration of non-oil minerals under their soil and create new corridors of prosperity.

There is too much resources in Abuja with little responsibility which is the reason scandalous spendings would continue to be its lot. To continue to do what brought us to where we are and call it CHANGE is sheer deception. Give us the real change now!

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 21

Motorists decry Customs’s harassment on highways over duty payment

By Godwin Oritse

M

VISIT: Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, Joseph Odumodu (left) and Founder, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Boniface Aniegbonam, during the visit of SON to NAGAAF headquarters as part of the enlightenment programme against importation of substandard products.

PENGASSAN, IPMAN differ over sale of refineries Speaking on the issue, PENGASSAN National Public ETROLEUM and Natural Relations Officer, NPRO, Ojugbana, Gas Senior Staff Association Emmanuel of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has described the call by IPMAN as kicked against the suggestion sabotage against national by the Independent Petroleum interest.

He lauded the efforts of the Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, that the government in ensuring that nation’s four refineries be sold the four state owned refineries as scrap, saying it is a were back on stream, especially fraudulent way of ripping the with the recent report credited to the Minister of State for country off its national assets.

Petroleum Resources, Mr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, that the Kaduna and Port Harcourt Refineries would -1.55 $125.15 soon commence production after a

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

P

$3,184.00

-27.00

$14.96

-0.28

$38. 14 0.86 $37. 60 CURRENCY US DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

BUYING

0.56

SELLING

196 196.5 290. 4524 291. 1934 213. 5616 214 .1064 197.2228 197.7259 1.6279 1. 6321 0.3056 0.3156 270.7026 271.3931 30.1752 30.2527 52.3358 52.469 28.6106 28.6836 271.8128 272.5062

197 291. 9343 214 6512 198.229 1.6362 0.3256 272.0837 30.3301 28.7566 273.1996

CBN Exchange rate as at 04/1/2016

The challenge confronting the functionality of the refineries is not the ownership

long while.

Ojugbana said: “Nigerians need to ask the IPMAN leadership why they want the refineries which can be said to be in good form now to be sold as scrap. Even when the government has shown that the refineries can work and take care of 75 per cent of the nation’s local demand of refined products. The proof that the refineries are still viable and profitable was exhibited by the Port Harcourt Refining Company, PHRC, which posted a net profit of N11.2 billion for December 2014, representing N8.2 billion or 250 per cent above the N3.2 billion posted by the company in preceding November 2014. This is attributed to the improved financial performance for the phased rehabilitation programme, which was done by the workers.

“The challenge confronting the functionality of the refineries is not the ownership. We have examples of countries even in West Africa such as Ghana and Chad Republic, just to mention a few where refineries are owned by the government. The refineries in those countries are not only functioning but Nigeria even imported from them in the past.

IPMAN should know that aside from the challenge of Turn-Around Maintenance (TAM) of the refineries, adequate and regular supply of crude which is the main feedstock is another major impediment to the efficient and effective operation of the refineries.”

OTORISTS have decried the incessant harassment and impounding of their vehicles on major highways across the country by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS).

Some of the motorists who spoke to Vanguard lamented that officials of the Service hide under the pretext that most of their vehicles are smuggled and therefore did not pay the correct duties and levies at the nation’s ports during clearing.

The motorists said that even when the evidence of purchase shows that these vehicles were bought from reputable automobile dealers, they are harassed and asked to prove that the dealerships paid appropriate duties and levies, a development many of the motorists find very embarrasing.

Mr. Emeka Mbagunuju, a worker in one of the multinational companies in Lagos, said that “when these vehicles are purchased, the dealer give you receipt and papers that would enable you register the vehicle. I was stopped on the Lagos-Benin highway by men of the Customs Service.”

“They capitalised on the fact that I was travelling with my family to the east and delayed me needlessly.They asked me to go to Lagos and get the papers from the dealer, a reputable one for that matter.

“The car is new and they know the showroom where I bought it. If they have any issue about payment of customs duties they should take it up with the dealer.”

Another motorist,Omobolanle Sobowale, who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity , said:“This is counter-productive as they impeded smooth movement of goods and services. They should go to the border posts and the various foot paths that they know so well to stop smugglers instead of harassing people who legitimately bought their vehicles inside the cities.”

Sobowale told Vanguard that he sells vehicles adding that he was aware of the duty rate on vehicles.

“I sell cars and I know the duties to be paid and I pay them to avoid any form of embarrassment either at the ports or elsewhere. These customs officers capitalise on the fact that not everybody knows the charges to be paid and what papers to present to the police. Once goods are in the streets the customs have no business checking for import papers; they should have done that at the point of entry.”

Underpayment of tariffs and charges He alleged that some customs officers connive with some unpatriotic Nigerians to facilitate smuggling of goods into the country adding that duties are not paid on smuggled goods. “It is not possible for anybody to underpay tariffs and charges because this process is automated and once the fees are generated the next step is to proceed to the bank and pay.

“No vehicle that came into Nigeria from recognised land and sea ports can avoid payment of these charges.” He said. Another victim, Mrs. Kike Olaode, whose car was impounded on the Akure road, asked the customs officers to check out her claims from the auto dealer she bought the car from in Ilorin but that they said it was her responsibility to get the papers.

“It was a senior officer who was driving past and saw us arguing that intervened and gave me back the car. Before the man came they were already telling me to give them money so that I will not be delayed” she added.

Those who encounter these customs officers said they sometimes park their patrol vans close to the Lagos Ports, on the Leventis Bridge close to Ijora in Apapa and on the Oshodi-Apapa road and take advantage of the slow traffic to stop vehicles and extort money from unsuspecting importers.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Yesterday however marked the beginning of an era where such unethical practices became almost impossible

INVESTOR'S ,

,

TOP 10 PERFORMING STOCKS

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

U

nity Bank Plc again occupied the topmost place on the league of top 10 performing stocks after achieving the same feat in the last week of 2015. The stock price rose by 19.15 per cent or N0.18 to close at N1.12 from N0.94 per share.

Analysts believe that the company is reaping from a repositioning effort commenced by the erstwhile management team which has resulted in return to financial prosperity. Available financial statement of the bank for the second quarter ended June 30, 2015, showed that it posted profit before tax of N8.774 billion as against N7.898 billion recorded in the previous quarter, showing an increase of 11.10 per cent, while profit after tax improved from N7.108 billion to N7.89 billion, indicating 11 per cent increase. The gross earnings rose from N30.851 billion reported in the comparative period to N33.562 billion, while total liabilities grew from N337.041 billion to N345.162 billion at the end of June this year. The net interest income fell by 11 per cent to N14.563 billion from N16.442 billion achieved in 2014 while total assets rose to N429.662 billion from N413.305 billion in the previous year. Unity Bank undertook a number of initiatives last year, part of which was the share reconstruction. Under the scheme and in line with the board’s recommendation, the 44.2 billion issued and fully paid ordinary shares of 50 kobo each in the capital of the bank were approved for reconstruction into 14.7 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each by converting the 44.2 billion issued and fully paid ordinary shares of 50 kobo each into stock of N14.7 billion and reconverting the stock into 14.7 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each. The share reconstruction, according to the bank, was as a viable option to position it for future stability and profitability with a guarantee of good return o n investment and also consolidate its gains.

Nigerian Breweries followed with 17.53 per cent or N20.28 appreciation to close at N136.00 from N115.72 per share. In order to complement its other sources of working capital and diversify its funding sources to include non-bank investors, the company last year established a N100 billion Commercial Paper programme. The Commercial Paper notes are being traded over the counter via the FMDQ OTC Plc platform. Nigerian Breweries has to-date invested N3 billion in upgrading its brewery at AwoC M Y K

Omamma Community in Imo State, while the plant has gone from one unit production line facility to multiple line facility where the company produces seven different products. Also, at the tail end of the year, 2015, The company reported mixed financial performance for the nine month period ended September 30, 2015. While its revenue for the period rose by 10.4 per cent to N214.92 billion, the profit before tax fell by 11.8 per cent to N37.57 billion compared to N42.58 billion posted in corresponding period in 2014. Similarly, its profit after tax fell by 12.2 per cent to N26.180 billion from N29.826 billion. Also, its basic and diluted earnings per share decreased to N3.30 as against N3.94 recorded in the previous quarter, representing 16.3 per cent decline. However, the Board of Directors proposed an N1.20 interim dividend to investors.

Vono Products Plc closed as the third with 17.39 per cent or N0.12 increase to close at N0.81 from N0.69 per share. The share has lost more than half of the gains it recorded last year following the announcement of merger plans w i t h Vitafoam Plc and t h e expectation that the valuation would stand in favour of Vono. By mid-2015, the stock price had risen to as much as N1.75 as a result of the news.

However, compared to the closing price last week, investors who bought into the stock then have lost N0.94 or 54 per cent of their investment. Last year, both companies – Vitafoam Plc and Vono Products Plc – revealed plans to combine their businesses to ensure business efficiency. The business combination is more of information sharing, developing new ideas and pooling resources together, and will help Vono regain its footing in the bedding and furniture industry.

Union Bank of Nigeria Plc trailed behind with 15.77 per cent or N0.94 appreciation to close at N6.90 from N5.96 per share; Forte Oil Plc advanced by 15.12 per cent or N43.35, closing at N330.00 from N286.65; Vitafoam Nigeria Plc appreciated by 15.11 per cent or N0.71 to close at N5.41 from N4.70; Airlines Services and Logistics Plc added 15.10 per cent or N0.29 to its share price, closing at N2.21 from N1.92; Eterna Plc appreciated by 13.89 per cent or N0.25 to close at N2.05 from N1.80; Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN) advanced by 12.52 per cent or N1.04 to close at N9.35 from N8.31, while Wema Bank Plc’s shares rose by 12.36 per cent or N0.11, closing at N1.00 from N0.89 per share.

Direct cash settlement: No more fraudulent stockbroking

By Babajide Komolafe

I

t has happened to many investors.

Your stockbroker helps you to sell your shares. You had instructed him to sell at any price because you need the money urgently. He sells the shares at N20 per share but tells you he sold at N18 per share. Or the broker uses your money for his expenses and tells you he is yet to sell the shares.

These unethical practices have caused many investors to lose confidence in the stock market and hence discouraged from investing in the market.

These practices were possible because investors have to go through a stock broker to buy or sell shares on the stock market. In addition, when the shares are sold, the money will be paid into the account of the broker, who will thereafter, deducts his commission, and pay the balance to the investor via cheque. This confers on the broker the power to determine what comes to the investor and the time he receives proceeds of the share sale.

Some unscrupulous brokers however exploit this process to divert the proceeds for

personal use. One of the ways they do this is to open a bank account with the name of the investor, issue a cheque in the name of the investor and pay the cheque into the fake account.

Yesterday however marked

These unethical practices have caused many investors to lose confidence in the stock market and hence discouraged from investing in the market

the beginning of an era where such unethical practices became almost impossible. It is an era where the proceeds of share sales will now be paid directly into the bank account submitted by the investor.

This is called Direct Cash Settlement (DCS). This is built on the Biometric Verification Number (BVN) which makes it possible to verify the identity of the owner of any bank account.

How does it work? When Broker A sells shares on behalf of Investor A to broker B, rather than credit Broker A the proceeds of the share sale, the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), which processes and effects the transaction, will credit Broker A his commission on the transaction and then credit the bank account of Investor A. So Broker A only receives his commission while the balance is credited to the bank account of Investor A. Thus the broker cannot fraudulently divert the proceeds of the share sale.

This also makes it impossible for any broker to fraudulently sell the shares of any investor.

However, before an investor enjoys the protection of the

MARKET NEWS

2016: FMDQ highlights key initiatives to boost DCM development

By Nkiruka Nnorom

F

MDQ OTC Securities Exchange Plc has outlined key initiatives that it intends to concentrate on in the course of the year to drive development in the Debt Capital Market (DCM).

Among the initiatives are offering a more diversified product portfolio, including short-term and Islamic (Sukuk) bonds.

The quotation of bonds of private companies; integration of the FMDQ markets to include securities dealing and investment banking firms in the fixed income secondary markets; capacity building and financial markets education

for the FMDQ markets stakeholders.

The Securities Exchange further stated that it would ensure that the financial markets provides the necessary support for economic development, as well as concentrate on Nigerian debt capital market transformation and the introduction of OTC Derivatives.

In its monthly Newsletter made available to Investors Forum, the Securities Exchange observed that it will continue to work collaboratively with its stakeholders to establish those initiatives that would enhance the development of the Nigerian DCM. The Exchange noted that its

vision of becoming the number one in Africa in the fixed income and currency markets by 2019 remained unchanged.

It added that it remained committed to its mission of empowering the financial markets to be innovative and credible in support of the Nigerian economy, adding that it would continue to strive to ensure the realisation of the goals towards making the Nigerian financial markets globally competitive.

Listing some milestones achieved by the Exchange in 2015, the Exchange said: “In February 2015, FMDQ introduced a Risk Management Framework to address volatility in the fixed income (FX) market, ensuring that the market remained open at all times without any market shutdown.”

In the same of month of February, the Exchange said it successfully launched a technology initiative FMDQ e-Markets- in line with its

AGEND A GENDA

ABANDONMENT BY GOVT:

Residents cry out to Okowa over ramshackle roads

Delta community goes spiritual, shuts businesses

PAGE 3

PAGE 2

One LGA chair, Mr. Austin Ahiamadu, on the grounds that he could not manage the recurrent killings in the area.

The state assembly subsequently screened Prince Isaac Umejuru, who was appointed by Governor Nyesom Wike as caretaker chair.

Ahiamadu vows to challenge sack VOL. 1: No. 77

TUESD AY, JANU ARY 5, 20 16 TUESDA JANUARY 201

•A deserted compound in Ogbogu

One of the compounds affected in Obite

Cultists force 2 Rivers towns to mark Yuletide in exile •15 feared dead in gruesome attacks; police corroborate 5 •Gov Wike fires LG chair over killings, appoints caretaker chair •Sacked chair vows to fight back

By DAVIES IHEAMNACHOR

E

GI—RESIDENTS of Obite and Ogbogwu communities, Egi clan, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, One LGA, Rivers State, who fled their homes following a gory supremacy battle between Greenlanders and Icelanders cult gangs in the area, early last month, unbelievably celebrated the Christmas and New Year festivities in exile.

Niger Delta Voice learned that the affected inhabitants currently living as refugees in neighboring towns could not resettle in their communities before the festive period because of the obtainable tension in their area. The cultists almost razed their villages.

C M Y K

About 15 persons allegedly lost their lives in the skirmish with property worth millions of naira destroyed. The rampaging cultists sacked no fewer than six communities in the bitter scuffle over who controls Egi clan.

Uneasy calm

There was an uneasy calm among the people when our reporter visited the communities at the weekend.

Speaking to Niger Delta Voice, a villager, who simply identified himself as Mr. Osere said the people could not come back fully for the celebrations because of fear.

He asserted that nobody, who passed through the trauma at Egi at the end of 2015, would return

home to celebrate the Yuletide, adding that several persons lost their loved ones and property.

Killings and counter killings

Icelanders reportedly killed three people at Obite community, seven at Erema, four at Akabuka and four at Ogbowu

Investigations showed that the crisis actually started December 9, 2015 when one of the cult groups, Icelanders, invaded the area hunting for members of the rival gang.

Icelanders reportedly killed three people at Obite community, seven at Erema, four at Akabuka and four at Ogbowu.

Some days after, the Greenlanders carried out a reprisal attack in some of the communities killing about seven persons.

Panic-struck villagers fled the area while oil companies operating in the area had temporarily shut down operations.

State govt sends LG chair packing

Following the recurrent killing and cult related activities in the area, the Rivers state government on the recommendation of the state House of Assembly sacked

The sacked local government chair, Mr. Ahiamadu, however, vowed to challenge his removal in court.

He said that it was not proper that the state assembly would on the instruction of the governor order him, a duly elected chair of the local government out of office.

Umejuru undertakes to tackle insecurity On assumption of office as the new Caretaker Committee Chairman of One LGA, Prince Umejuru swore to tackle the insecurity bedeviling the area head-on.

Umejuru, who spoke while on tour of the affected communities, accused his predecessor of not doing enough to combat security challenges in the area. He has visited more than 10 communities calling for peace among the youths.

“I will work closely with the security agents so that with their help we will bring back the peace in One LGA. If Ahiamadu has been accused of negligence, it is not an accusation because it is real. Before this time, One LGA was a home to everybody; people leave other parts of Rivers State and come to One LGA to relax with their families during the weekends,” he said.

His words: “But today, One LGA is just like a grave yard; oil companies are packing out, market is no longer functioning properly because of insecurity.

You can see that he has neglected his duties.

“I heard that he is not even operating from the office. I am here today, I know the problem, of the people, I know the people and the people know me. So I think within a short period of time, we will nip this on the board."

The caretaker chair, on the other hand, appealed to the people who fled their homes during the attack to return to the communities.

Rivers police confirm five persons dead in cult war.

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the cult war but said that five people died in the clash.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, the command stated that the war

Continues on Page 4

Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Erosion sweeps away dead man’s house, grave in Edo •Ibore leaders appeal to local, state and fed govts for assistance •Grumble about abandoned Ugbalo water works

By Gabriel Enogholase

BORE—IBORE community, Irrua in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, is under the threat of devastating gully erosion, which not only destroyed a dead man’s house and grave in the community, but also killed many children, women and farmers.

Two leaders of the community, Chief Abdul Ugbesia and Mr. Peter Ijeh, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice during a visit to the community, said that flood habitually carries off the victims and deposits them in the ravine.

Ijeh said: “The most sympathetic one was that of a man whose house and the grave where he was buried were swept away. Some of the houses close to the erosion site are at the verge of collapsing into the gully and the owners have since abandoned them and flee for their safety.”

They also appealed to the local, state and federal governments to collaborate and tackle the erosion problem and collapsed Ugbalo Water Works, which used to supply water to the entire Esan land and part of Etsako West local government area.

Govt has neglected us

Chief Ugbesia, a traditional medical practitioner, disclosed; “The erosion was first noticed in 1985 and we have complained to the various tiers of government, but nobody has listened to us.

"However, seeing the crew of Niger Delta Voice here in Ibore, we are very happy because we know the problem of the community would be brought to the attention of the government.”

THE TEAM Emma Amaize, Editor Jimitota Onoyume Samuel Oyadongha Simon Ebegbulem Gabriel Enogholase Festus Ahon Egufe Yafugborhi Emmanuel Una Akpokona Omafuaire Godwin Oghre Tom Moses Chioma Onuegbu Ike Uche Davies Iheamnachor Emem Idio Brisibe Perez Theresa Ugbobu Ochuko Akuopha Barnabas Uzosike Nath Onajoke Chijioke Nwankpa C M Y K

He informed that the late Chief Anthony Enahoro provided the Ugbalo Water Works for Esan people when he was a member of the old Western Region House of Assembly, lamenting, “Though there was not much development in the country

and the water pipes laid on the ground are still wasting away, even the biggest water reservoir in Africa is still there at Ivue in Uromi rusting away.

There were other reservoirs built at Ubiaja, Agbede. Emu, Ekpoma and Ewu for the storage of water, the river at Ugbalo is still flowing and it

Erosion site in Ibore

The erosion, which started as potholes assumed a different dimension in 1985 when in September of that year, there was a heavy down pour that washed away the surface of the earth and opened it up then, there was water in Esan land. But at this time of development and with much money in the country, the masses are suffering and they sank bore holes which never functioned.”

Ugbesia groaned that no single government official since the last visit of late General Sani Abacha in 1996 to commission the first phase of the project has come to the area to inspect the project.

“They have abandoned it

LAND OF PROMISE

I

AKWA IBOM…

HEART BEAT OF THE NATION

EDO…

24—Niger

I

KOT-USOP— AKWA-IBOM State Government has paid compensation to over1000 residents of Ikot Usop, Ikot Edeghe and Ikot Ekpuk communities in Ikot-Abasi and Mkpat Enin Local Government Areas of the state whose property were affected by the ongoing construction of the 3.5km Ikot Edeghe-Ikot Usop-Ikot Ekpuk Road.

Commissioner for Works, Akparawa Inyang, said

Our people‘re suffering

Mr. Ijeh, who corroborated Ugbesia’s claim, said, “Our people are tired and suffering because whenever it rains, we become apprehensive, flood swept away four people into the gully, among them a woman called Otiti, who was coming from Uwesan through Edeinu to Ibore with a baby strapped on her back. Two men, who were coming home

Ugbalo water pumping station is just left for the government to have the political will to rehabilitate the project so that Esan people can have water again,” he said.

His words, “However, I

from their farms, Messers Odibo and Akeme were also swept into the gully erosion” He asserted: “The erosion, which started as potholes assumed a different

dimension in 1985 when in September of that year, there was a heavy down pour that washed away the surface of the earth and opened it up. As I speak with you today, over nine houses have been swept away.”

Ijeh bemoaned that politicians flock the community at electioneering period promising to tackle the erosion problem if voted into power, “but as soon as they get our votes, they simply abandon and renege on their promises.”

The two community leaders appealed to the local, state and federal governments to save the people from extinction, saying they want the three tiers of government to collaborate with them to solve the ravaging erosion problem and give the people rest of mind.

Govt officials disagree on intervention

However, an official of the Edo State Ministry of Environment, who preferred anonymity, said that the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was aware of the gully erosion predicament and government was doing everything possible to mitigate apture it in its plan to tackle over 30 of the 108 erosion sites in the state.

On the other hand, another official of the state Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the Northern Ishan Water Works belongs to the Federal Government and not Edo State.

ABANDONMENT BY GOVT: Delta community goes spiritual, shuts businesses DELTA… FINGER OF GOD

By SAM EYOBOKA

A

GBARHO—THE people of Agbarho, a community of 14 semi-autonomous villages in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, penultimate Thursday, locked up all businesses to seek celestial intervention and protest neglect of the community by government.

The Agbarho Christian Forum spearheaded the interdenominational solemn

A’Ibom pays compensation to 1000 residents

By TOM MOSES

believe that if the Northern Ishan Water Project at Ugbalo is rehabilitated by either the state or federal government, Esan land will have water again more with what boreholes can supply. I, therefore, appeal to the governments at all levels to help the Esan people by rehabilitating the water project so that our people will not be dying of water borne diseases.”

government paid the compensation after diligent assessment of the affected property by certified estate valuers and lawyers of the individual property owners.

Village Head of Ikot Usop, Ete-Idung Iko Essien Ukoh, who lauded the state governor, Udom Emmanuel for timely payment of compensation also commended him for awarding the contract for the construction of the road to give the people of the two local government areas a sense of belonging.

Clergymen on the ground praying for God's intervention. assembly in conjunction with Agbarho Urhobo Improvement Union and Agbarho Traditional Council.

All approaches to the city centre known in the community as Five Junction, including the Agbarho Main Market, which daily serves the needs of residents were effectively blocked by local task force members supported by a detachment of Nigeria Police operatives for the programme tagged; “Agbarho fasting and prayer day/thanksgiving service 2015.”

Different preachers from diverse denominations took their turn to lead the large audience in supplication to God to forgive the sins of past local leaders, heal the entire land, and rid it of hoodlums and other undesirable elements that daily terrorize innocent people in the community.

Speaking, president-general of Agbarho Urhobo Improvement Union, AUIU, Chief John

Gbenedion and the coordinator of Agbarho Prayer Day, Bishop Isaac Etidia, stressed the importance of the yearly prayer sessions, arguing that for the exercise, which started four years ago, the situation in the community would have degenerated.

The twosome urged Christians living in the community to pray against all strongholds pitted against the progress and development of the community and its citizens, adding that in the face of obvious oppressive governmental policies, it was wise for the indigenes to emphasize the spiritual option.

Guest speaker and former CAN chair, Ughelli North Local Government, Bishop Diamond Emuobo, after a brief exaltation, came down from the podium and led the battery of clergymen present to the Five Junction and laid flat on their bellies, praying for total deliverance of the land from shackles of wicked occult powers.

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016—25

BAYELSA… GLORY OF ALL LANDS

By SAMUEL OYANDONGHA

I

KEBIRI—IT was a foggy Yuletide for the indigenes of riverside town of Ikebiri, host to Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC and Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Olodiama clan, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, as the community recorded yet another crude oil spill that polluted rivers and creeks on Christmas Day. Inhabitants of the predominantly farming and fishing community woke up on Christmas Day to see massive crude oil slick floating on their river allegedly from a fresh spill at Tebidada Well 9 owned by NAOC the previous day.

Anxiety over inconclusive in Bayelsa community •Villagers accuse regulator, oil firm of twisting the truth

Frantic efforts to contain spill

Niger Delta Voice could not reach NOAC to ascertain the cause of the spill, but a source said Agip officials pleaded with some community leaders to allow them access to the wellhead to contain further spread, but the community was suspicious of its intention based on previous experience.

Bemoaning the latest spill, chair, Community Development Committee, Ikebiri community, Godgift Diepreye Lambert said, “I am saddened by the turn out of events; I am really disappointed and this is why the community has continued to withdraw confidence in Agip and the regulators.

“Due to the communications between us, (with Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria, FoEN) and the way Agip was putting pressure with repeated calls and to save the environment, I allowed them to effect a shut down and now they are saying they do not know the cause of the spill.

For this unfortunate reason, even my own fellow community leaders are shifting the blame on me for allowing Agip to shut down the well.”

Questionable JIV

His words: “They came with four gunboats, loaded with armed military personnel.

After taking a critical look at the spill point, they said we should go to their Station at Tebidaba Flow station where they will inform us of the cause. Very strange, though this is not the first time they (regulators and Agip) doing this.

“This happened in November, last year too. We agreed and went with them to the flow station, but unfortunately, we left the station very late without them telling us any meaningful thing about what caused the spill. My greatest surprise is the attitude of the regulators.

How do they expect us to have confidence in them if they cannot say the truth of what they saw?

Also commenting on the matter, the CDC chair of C M Y K

Crude oil within Ikebiri environment.

As I talk with you now, crude oil is still dropping from the wellhead into the water even though it has been shut down. The residual pressure is still sending crude oil out. Our environment is seriously impacted Ikebiri 3, Wisdom Taylor, said: “First of all, let me confirm that there is a current oil spill in Ikebiri environment, precisely from Tebidaba Well 9 belonging

DELTA… FINGER OF GOD

W

ARRI—OVER 10,000 residents of Enughe and Apala Streets, Okumagba Layout, Warri, Delta State, have lamented the dilapidated condition of roads in the area, which they said has turned into a nightmare to them.

They said many inhabitants abandoned their homes during the raining seasons because of incessant flooding and called on the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to come to their rescue.

Crude oil from the Wellhead.

to NAOC. I have never seen this kind of oil spill since I was born in terms of the volume of crude oil spewed into the environment.

“At the end of the day, JIV exercise took place and there was no result, it was tagged as inconclusive and they told us that the team that came for the JIV was not experienced enough and so they sent another team two days later.

The JIV took place first on 27 December 2015 and we went back for another one on 29 December 2015.

“All this while, the crude oil was still pouring from the wellhead, polluting the whole terrain: water in Creeks and Rivers (from when it was first discovered on 25th). Even though they told us that the

This hole...point of leak

first set of officials from Agip were not qualified to pronounce the cause of spill, it was sad that those who came for the second day were also unable to tell us what caused the spill.

Crude oil still leaking

“As I talk with you now, crude

Residents cry out to Okowa over ramshackle roads which dates back to the 1980s

Ebieroma, said: “The bad state of the roads and the incessant flooding has become a nightmare to the residents of Enughe and Apala Streets and the residents had to abandon their homes during raining seasons.”

Continuing they said: “About four schools with over 20,000student population have been shut down, while businesses, artisan workshops, corporate offices and four shopping malls in the locality were adversely affected, thereby paralyzing economic activities in Inhabitants desert homes the aforementioned areas and The residents in a letter to the governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, by neighborhood.”

Investigation also showed that their solicitor, Okiroro Ikithe Catholic Hospital at Idiaregbe Street, off Edughe Road, Okumagba Layout, which offers treatment to HIV patients on humanitarian grounds could no longer render such service because of lack of an access road to the hospital.

According to Dilapidated Enughe-Abala Street, Warri. them, the road,

constructed during the regime of Chief James Ibori did not last beyond his first tenure “for obvious reasons not far-fetched as the designers and contractors of the road did not take into cognizance the water-logged and swampy terrain of the environment.

Dwellers feel estranged

oil is still dropping from the wellhead into the water even though it has been shut down.

The residual pressure is still sending crude oil out. Our environment is seriously impacted, as we speak.

“So we need the government, Agip and the involvement of environmental groups like ERA to come in and find solution to our current problem, as the crude oil has seriously affected our source of drinking water and fishing.

“Although I have seen other spills in the past, none is like this one, this is a very serious spillage. The people [Agip and regulators] are just dribbling us as if we are so naïve and do not know anything. I do not have much to say but let me conclude by saying the regulators who went for the JIV [NOSDRA and State Ministry of Environment] are in full support of Nigerian Agip Oil Company. That was why they were unable to pronounce what they saw [as cause of spill]. Agip brought their experts with tools/ equipment, carried out tests on the spot of leakage,” Taylor added.

Regulatory agency should be above aboard

Reacting to the matter, Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria, FOEN, which carried out a report after the community contacted it, said: “Not only oil companies, regulators should also be equipped enough to provide some testing tools/ equipment to save them from embarrassment and losing the confidence of the people and communities. When the communities completely lose confidence in regulators of the oil industry; it would result in serious conflict.

“Agip should ensure the impacted swamps, creeks and rivers are properly cleaned up as soon as possible and the regulators, NOSDRA and State Ministry of Environment, should prevail on Agip to do the needful,” the group added.

Iki Ebieroma said: “Our clients feel neglected and alienated by government and put in the constant mood of protestation and disenchantment. It is worthy of note that the Okumagba Layout is one of the best or most well planned urban areas in Warri and host to people of diverse ethnic nationalities in contrast to the mono-ethnic settlements scattered within the Warri metropolis.”

Okowa commends US-based doctor for free medicare to villagers

By THERESA UGBOBU BODO—DELTA State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has commended a Nigerian medical doctor based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, Dr. Mrs. Isioma Okobah, for helping the state government to extend free medical care to the rural area.

Okowa, represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, made the commendation while flagging off a free health programme, tagged Healthier 2016, for indigenes of Igbodo community and environs by Dr. Okobah.

G

Doctors treated over 500 persons, including the old and young, diagnosed for high blood pressure, malaria and other ailments.

He said that government would reintroduce rural health care, which stopped for a long time and health insurance at the grassroots, assuring Deltans of quality health care by his administration.

The traditional ruler of Igbodo kingdom, HRM Obi Nkemobikwu Osadume, also praised Okobah for offering free health care to the people of Igbodo and environs.

26— Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Cultists force 2 Rivers towns to mark Yuletide in exile Continues from Page 1 startedbecause of two rival cult groups in the area battling for supremacy, adding that the casualties were mainly members of the warring cult groups.

Muhammad stated that the police have already brought the escalating situation under control through its swift intervention and that normalcy has returned in the area.

The statement reads in part: “The attention of Rivers State Command has been drawn to the alleged killing of about fifty persons in cult related activities in Egi land of Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government. It is pertinent to point out that the

reports are not true and did not reflect the actual position of things in the area. To say the least, the reports were spurious and over amplification of the security situation in the area.

“It also instructive to state that on 09/12/2015, the Command recorded simultaneous incidents of cult clashes between two rival cult groups in Ogbogu and Obite communities, which resulted in the death of five persons who are suspected to be members of either of the cult groups.

“Consequently, the command swiftly and massively deployed tactical teams that expeditiously brought the situation under control and normalcy has since been restored,” the police said.

Group urges Rivers govt to probe killings Meanwhile, a youth group, One LGA Youth Forum, has called on the Rivers state government to investigate the cause of the continuous killing in the area.

A rights activist, who is also one of the leaders of the group, Mr. Bright Abali, said there was need to investigate the killings, adding, “Over 300 persons have been killed in One LGA in Rivers State between 2014 and 2015 unaccounted for and most of them are youths.”

“The group wants the newly appointed caretaker chair of ONELGA and the state government to set up a commission to unravel the cause of the killings to avoid similar occurrence in future.”

EDO… HEART BEAT OF THE NATION

By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

Widow of Prisons staff killed by flood cries for help

Mrs Gloria Osejie, widow

B widow, Mrs. Gloria Osejie, whose ENIN—THIRTY-EIGHTYEAR- OLD

Sacked chairman, Ahiamadu.

DELTA… FINGER OF GOD

Hon. Austin

The CTC chairman Mr. Isaac Umejuru visiting one of the communities.

NURTW crisis worsens as leader shoots member in Delta

By BRISIBE PEREZ

DU—A factional leader of the U National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in Udu, Delta State,

has shot a member of the union, Victor Omor, for refusing to purchase a newly introduced non existing ticket of the Delta State Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, to drivers in the area.

The shooting incident has exacerbated the leadership crisis in the troubled union, as a rival faction mobilized and carried out a reprisal attack, destroying property worth millions of Naira and impounding a Toyota Camry car belonging to the other group.

A source said the factional leader, who shot Omor took the gun of one of his security aides and allegedly fired at him.

Chair, Aladja Park, Samuel Onuata and secretary of the Udu branch ‘B’ unit, Henry Akpunu attributed the crisis to plot by a leader of the union, who had served two terms in office to stay put in power unconstitutionally.

According to the Delta State organizing secretary of the union, Elvis Akpokona, trouble started when some drivers resisted the leader.

Accusation

He accused one of the leaders of constituting many illegal parks, including the popular Onitsha unit and Otor-Udu park without due approval of the union and converting

C M Y K

one of them to his private business.

Akpokona also faulted the chair of Udu local government council, Chief Solomon Kpomah, saying, “as the chief security officer of the council, he ought to call all factions to order to forestall breakdown of law and order in the area pending when an election would be conducted for the union.”

However, Chief Kpomah and Udu NURTW branch ‘A’ chair, Chief Matthew Uparan punctured Akpokona’s claim, describing his allegations as unfounded. They said the council had the power to create motor parks while the NURTW in the area accommodates such parks for revenue drive.

Uparan said: “These parks were created to boost the revenue base of the council and the resolution for their creation was agreed upon by the union to sponsor an ongoing litigation between the unit and Block Industry Association.”

Council boss sues for peace

Chief Kpomah, who sued for peace explained that Udu council had not received any money from the union whose primary mandate is to remit all levies collected.

He maintained that as the chief security officer of the council, he would not interfere with the union matters, but asked those concerned to maintain peace in the area.

A police source told Niger Delta Voice that the Police at Ovwian Police station were investigating the incident.

husband the late Mr. Gabriel Osejie was swept away by flooding has appealed to the Nigerian Prisons Services to pay his gratuity and other entitlements. Mr Osejie was an Inspector of Prisons and died in April 2012 in Benin City, Edo State when he and his bike were swept away by the flood.

Mrs. Osejie, who said things have been very difficult for the family since her husband died, told Niger Delta Voice that he was returning from work when the sad incident occurred along Ekenwan Road, by Asoro Grammar School.

She said, “I have appealed to the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Prisons Services and the Edo State Comptroller to show concern by paying my late husband’s entitlements, a man who served them for over 12 before his death. I also appeal to the Federal government and Governor Adams Oshiomhole to come to my assistance as I cannot carry the load alone.”

Mrs. Osejie, a volunteer with the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, also urged the authorities to regularize her appointment to enable her take care of her children.

Late Mr. Gabriel Osejie

Her words: “Since the death of my husband on that fateful day in 2012, things have been very hard for the family as we have been living from hand to mouth. My children that were once in private schools are now in public schools because I cannot afford the payment of their school fees.”

Son can’t proceed with EDUCATION

“My eldest son who had finished his Senior School Certificate Examination cannot proceed to higher institution of learning because of lack of money. He is a good footballer but he is unable to get a football club to play for at the moment.”

She also accused the authorities of the Nigerian Prisons Services of abandoning the family since the death of her husband, saying, “We have written several letters to the Prisons authorities on the need to pay my husband’s gratuities and other entitlements, but received no reply. As at now, I have accumulated debts as house rent and we are now at the mercy of the land lord who may evict us any moment from now.”

However, when Niger Delta Voice visited the NPS in Benin City, an official, who said his name should not be quoted, said the command was aware of the death of Gabriel Osejie, and the process to pay his entitlements to his family was on.

He urged the family to exercise patience as relevant authorities in NPS were handling the matter.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 27

,

S FORUM

Such stocks are generally considered to be highly speculative and high risk because of their lack of liquidity, large bid-ask spreads, small market capitalization and limited following and disclosure

,

How to invest in penny stocks

By Casey Murphy

F

CEREMONY: From left, Secretary to Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello; Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and Chairman, House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Rotimi Olowo, during the signing ceremony of 2016 budget into law, by Governor Ambode, at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday.

PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

DCS he has to register for it through his broker.

This was contained in a circular, issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission to the general public. The circular stated, “This is to inform the general public that effective from January 4, 2016, the implementation of Direct Cash Settlement will commence.

“The Direct Cash Settlement (DCS) is a process where cash proceeds from trades executed

by Brokers on the Exchange settles directly into investors’ bank account. DCS is aimed at improving transparency,

entrenching investor confidence, reducing market infractions and improving trading velocity.

“Based on an agreement reached with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) PLC, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Plc, Dealing Firms are hereby directed to send relevant information to NIBSS not later than Wednesday, December 30, 2015 to enable the Firms

agenda of being operationally excellent.

“FMDQ e-Markets, designed to suit the needs of different users in varying capacities - whether trading, investing, raising debt capital or seeking participation in the market - has proved to be an invaluable tool for various stakeholders, including FMDQ members,” the Exchange said.

– In April, Thomson Reuters launched its FX

In February 2015, FMDQ introduced a Risk Management Framework to address volatility in the fixed income (FX) market C M Y K

log-on to NIBSS portal for validation of Bank Verification Numbers (BVN).

“All investors are expected to complete a Direct Cash Settlement form with their Stockbroking Firms. Forms could also be downloaded from the website of SEC, NSE, CSCS, ASHON and individual Stockbroking Firms and forwarded to investors’ respective Stockbroking Firms after completion.” TO BE (Send CONTINUED. comments, complaints and enquiries to vanguardinvestorsforum@gmail.com)

trade reporting solution for the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) and FMDQ. This solution has helped enhance the supervisory role of Nigeria’s regulators over the FX market, automated the regulatory reporting requirements of market stakeholders, and has aided the automated tracking of FX market volumes and real time activity.

FMDQ gained admission as a “Full Member” of ASEA. The admission, which is a positive step for FMDQ towards making the Nigerian capital markets globally competitive, provides, among others, a platform for unlocking the potentials in the markets through mutual networking and communication with various Member Exchanges in Africa.

In addition, FMDQ, following International Capital Market Association (ICMA)’s Executive Committee Meeting in October 2015, also received a firm approval on its membership application and was admitted into the association.

In September, the EMDQ also launched a new membership category - “Affiliate Members” – which is ideal for institutions and individuals with a keen interest in the FMDQ markets, and an association with the financial markets, but not in a full participatory role as a Dealing, Associate or Registration Member of FMDQ, it further stated.

or many beginner investors dipping their toes into stock investing, the first stop is penny stocks. As the name suggests, penny stocks are those companies that trade with a low share price, often less than $1. It’s understandable to see why rookie investors get hooked by the dream of buying into a company for only few cents and then selling for a substantial profit when the price trades back in the multidollar levels. The extremely low share prices allow an investor to hold thousands of shares for a relatively small amount of invested capital. With that scale, the gain of just a few cents per share can translate into big percentage returns (the reverse is also true, of course).

Of course, such stocks are generally considered to be highly speculative and high risk because of their lack of liquidity, large bid-ask spreads, small market capitalization and limited following and disclosure. If you feel like you are ready to start trading penny stocks then continue reading

Opening an account

There are many factors to consider when opening an account, such as ease of transferring funds, fees and customer service. Brokers specialize in different areas, so take your time to shop around for one that will meet your needs. For penny stock investors, one aspect to pay particular attention to is the fee structure. Some brokers charge commissions based on a per-share basis. This structure is usually set at a certain rate for the first set number of shares, and then For penny stock another rate for each investors, one additional share. This structure is better suited for aspect to pay investors who are buying a particular relatively low number of shares and may not be the attention to is best structure for penny stock the fee traders. It may prove more useful to shop around for a structure. Some broker that offers a relatively brokers charge low flat rate per trade regardless of how many commissions shares are traded. The lower based on a perthe flat rate, the less impact fees and commissions have share basis on the final return.

Where to look for penny stocks

Major stock exchanges, such as NYSE and Nasdaq, have special listing requirements. For example, according to Nadaq rule 5550(a), failure to have a minimum bid price of at least $1 per share for primary equities will result in being delisted. As a result, traders interested in trading penny stocks turn to the Over-The-Counter Marke t (OTC). The OTC Markets Group organizes securities into tiered marketplaces that reflect the integrity of the operations, level of disclosure and degree of investor engagement.

Narrowing down trading candidates

Now that you understand where to trade penny stocks, the next step is to determine what stock to trade. One popular method is to use stock screening tools, such as the one found on the OTC Markets website or Finviz. Screening for stocks with a price under $1 is the easiest way to narrow down the trading universe. From here, you can filter the list down further depending on your strategy and risk tolerance. For example, perhaps you are only interested in penny stocks that conduct business within the technology sector. In this case, you’d make the necessary adjustments and then run the filter.

Culled from Investopedia.

28—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Rolls Royce redefines ultra-luxury with new siblings R

OLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars reaffirmed its mantle as the undisputed pinnacle of bespoke automotive luxury with the unveiling of Phantom Coupé Tiger, Ghost Golf and Wraith ‘Inspired by Music’ at Show, on a day that also saw the Rolls-Royce Dawn make its first ever public appearance in the region.

A selection of motor cars with inspirations ranging from the ferocity of the jungles of India to the serenity of North America’s woodland greens; from the anticipatory romance and energetic excitement of a breaking dawn to the myth and legend of the contemporary music scene during the birth of Rock ‘n Roll; fittingly made their bow in evocatively-named colours such as Brooklands Green, Desert Dune, Burnt Orange, Lyrical Copper and Midnight Sapphire.

This quartet of motoring masterpieces, featuring two oneof-one highly specially made commissions, a limited-time only ‘Inspired By’ edition and a brand new model that has been described as ‘the sexiest RollsRoyce ever made’, enthralled visitors not only with their ethereal splendour but with their

innovative engineering that includes the Silent Ballet of the quietest drophead roof retraction ever and the most exhaustively designed sound system in automotive history, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Audio.

One of the most anticipated moments at the Dubai International Motor Show was the first public reveal in the Middle East region of the new RollsRoyce Dawn. Dawn promises a striking, seductive encounter like no other Rolls-Royce to date, and begins a new age of open-top, super luxury motoring.

Super luxury motoring This beautiful new motor car offers the most uncompromised open-top motoring experience in the world, and is the most social of super-luxury drophead motor cars.

Compromise is not a word recognised in the Rolls-Royce lexicon. Indeed the company continues to live by the clarion cry of co-founder Sir Henry Royce to “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it. Accept nothing nearly right or good

enough.”

The final part of that maxim – “Accept nothing nearly right or good enough” has guided the Rolls-Royce design and engineering teams as they have worked to initiate a new age for open-top, super-luxury motoring. In a sector exclusively populated by the biggest of automotive compromises – the 2+2 seat configuration – RollsRoyce accepted no compromise.

And so, the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, the world’s only true modern four-seater super-luxury drophead, is born. The new Rolls-Royce Dawn stands apart from its stable mates, featuring 80% unique body panels. Indeed such attention has been paid to ensuring this amazing new dawn for super-luxury motoring delivers on its promise, even the tyres that connect the new RollsRoyce Dawn to the road are new.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom

Coupé Tiger on its part draws its design inspiration both visually and spiritually from its animal namesake, conveying its power, grace and ferociousness in an iconic automotive form.

This one-of-a-kind edition features an eye-catching twotone Burnt Orange and Arizona Sun exterior, reminiscent of the auburn-toned fur of this magnificent creature, highlighted with a Tiger motif twin coachline.

Sleek and poised with a commanding, powerful presence, the Tiger Phantom Coupé features a striking interior of Tan and Seashell leather with hand-stitched embroidered Tiger motif headrests, Moccasin Lambswool floor mats, Maccasser Ebony Veneers and Bespoke Tiger Phantom Coupé tread plates, reinforcing its one of one exclusivity.

Bespoke Ghost Golf Edition being conceptualized by AGMC, the sole dealers of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates of the UAE, and taking more than two years to be realised by a team craftspeople at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England, the Bespoke Ghost Golf edition takes its inspiration from the fairways to appeal to discerning sportsmen, incorporating design cues and materials that evoke the history of this gentleman’s sport.

A breath-taking two-tone exterior featuring a contrast Bespoke paint combination of Brooklands Green and Desert Dune resonates strongly in Dubai, where luscious green golf courses of the highest international calibre are set against the majestic background of the surrounding Arabian desert sands.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 29

By Theodore Opara

Stallion boosts Hyundai brand image with 3S showroom H YUNDAI Motors Nigeria Limited, authorised Hyundai manufacturer and product distributor has inaugurated yet another avantgarde showroom that truly depicts the Hyundai DNA, promising to integrate attractive pricing structure and riveting sales incentives with efficient service structure that can sustain the confidence of the motoring publics in the Korean engineered brand.

The Hyundai Motors Nigeria Head of Sales and Marketing Jatin Nadkarni gave this hint in Lagos at a customer appreciation ceremony, remarking that the facility was fundamental to the harmonization of ideals and reassessment of the Hyundai brand.

Located between the trio of Nissan, Audi and Porsche showrooms in highbrow Akin Adesola Street Victoria Island Lagos, the facility would ease access to Hyundai product

range; sales and after sales service under a convenient atmosphere, Hyundai Motors Nigeria management assured.

“This ultramodern 3s showroom is borne out of Stallion Group’s commitment to the Hyundai brand and particularly her dedication to the Federal Government auto policy direction to make affordable vehicles available to the teeming motoring publics,” Mr. Nadkarni explained. He said: “We are looking forward to unlocking the huge potential of the showroom which will give us great opportunity to present the Hyundai range to our valued customers in all its variety.”

A subsidiary of West African Conglomerate Stallion Group, the Hyundai Motors Nigeria avant-garde showroom follows

Weststar Associates bags excellence awards

M

ERCEDES-BENZ has maintained its lead in the Luxury car segment as Particular success was enjoyed by the Mercedes-Benz SClass, which won the “Luxury Car of the Year 2015 Award” and the Mercedes-Benz Trucks voted the “Truck brand of theyear 2015". This prize was awarded by the National editorial team at the just concluded Nigeria Auto Journalist Awards (NAJA) organized by the Guild of Motoring Correspondents.

The Mercedes-Benz brand also took double honors recently at the 10th edition of The Nigeria Auto Awards (TNAA), where the Mercedes-Benz Trucks tri-

umphed as ‘The Truck of the year 2015’ while in the premium car segment, the E-Class was honored ‘The Luxury car of the year 2015’.

At leadership levels, the Managing Director, Mr. Mirko Plath & the General Manager, Mrs. Elisabeth Itegbe won personal awards of recognition for their immense contributions to the automobile sector.

“These accolades for us, is a motivation to do more. It wouldn’t have been a reality without our customers and that’s why we use this medium to thank them all for being a part of our success story” Mr. Mirko Plath MD/CEO, Weststar Associates Limited.

Hyundai Motor Corporation adaptable module and concept design that is gradually being rolled out across Hyundai dealerships worldwide.

Mr. Nadkarni said Hyundai is committed to becoming a lifetime partner in automobiles and beyond, adding that the Korean automaker offers topquality best sellers that have won internationally acclaimed reputation.

Intended as an architectural masterpiece of sort, the new showroom display area is imbued with crystal floor that can accommodate up to 10

vehicles with ambience and spacious climate controlled drive-through reception area with comfortable customer lounge that makes shopping a cinch. The ultramodern Hyundai Motors Nigeria facility is clad in white framed aluminium with seamless fusion of style and elegance that signifies Hyundai corporate identity.

Customers would appreciate Hyundai unique hospitality at the reception with free WIFI access and interesting broadcasts on flat screen TVs while shopping for choice Hyundai cars.

Mr. Nadkarni assured.

He said customers can also savour the beauty of new model Hyundai cars in the showroom while their cars are checked-in for routine maintenance in the conviviality of the new showroom fitted with a quick service centre that can handle 25 cars per day.

Meanwhile, the company has announced the introduction of attractive pricing structure that would fit all customers that aims to drive Hyundai engineered vehicles and endear the brand unique premium experience to customers, Nadkarni said.

Kia appoints Kojo Services as dealer I

N a bid to continuously bring its brand closer to customers, Kia Motors Nigeria has strengthened its dealership network with the appointment of Kojo Services International Limited in Surulere, Lagos.

Following its appointment, Kojo Services will offer the entire range of top-of-the-segment Kia vehicles through the facility located at Rasaq Balogun Street, Surulere. The franchise has a 3S facility to provide better services for the increasing number of Kia customers in the Lagos Mainland and its nearby areas.

The appointment comes on the heels of the expansion drive of Kia’s dealership network and further reaffirms its commitment to providing quality and comprehensive services to its loyal customers, while cementing its position as one of the best performing brands in Nigeria. The new 3S centre boasts fullfledged facilities that consist of sales, service, spare parts providing ease and utmost convenience to

Kia’s discerning clientele.

Sanjay Tatpati, Vice President, Kia Motors Nigeria stated that “at Kia Motors Nigeria, we take great pride in providing the best Kia experience at every customers’ touch points in their purchase life cycle, from the point of purchase, after sales service right through their next repurchase. And with the continued expansion of our 3S network nationwide, we hope to bring our outlet closer to our customers”.

“The appointment of Kojo Motors with longstanding dedication to

strong customer service is aimed at expanding our network in the light of our increasing sales volume and our commitment to providing the best customer satisfaction. Given Kojo’s success and track record, we are confident that our customers will be offered top-notch services that exceed their expectations,” Sanjay, added.

“We are beyond pleased to join the Kia family and we will contribute our valuable experience in the auto industry to deliver best in class retail experience to the teeming customers” said Chinedu

Oguegbu, Executive Director, Kojo Services.

Further added by Ikenna John Oguegbu, Managing Director, Kojo Services, “Kia Motors Nigeria’s unprecedented growth in Nigeria’s automotive industry will be a strong asset to the continued success and growth of our company and we are committed to providing Kia customers the ultimate premium services and class-defining ownership experience that is at par with the brand’s customer-focused ingrained ethos.”

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

When FRCN identified with IDPs in Borno Donates food, other items

By Etop Ekanem

H

AUWA Maishara, a 35year-old mother of four, is one of the internally displaced persons, IDPs, who moved to the IDPs camp in Dalori, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital when Boko Haram insurgents made her home very close to Potiskum almost uninhabitable.

She has lost a lot—physically, mentally and emotionally. To her, the pain she always felt was that of abandonment. She felt she was no longer part of humanity. Like thousands of others displaced from their homes by the rampaging insurgents, life promised nothing but pain.

But she got a huge relief penultimate week when the management and staff of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, led by its Director-General, Ladan Salihu, presented gifts and food items to IDPs in the Dalori Camp.

To Hauwa, the joy was not in the gifts but the fact that contrary to her thinking, the world has not forgotten her and those who were in her shoes.

The presentation: The donations were part of FRCN management’s determination to identify with those whose lives have been disrupted by the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State.

Management’s determination Gifts presented to the IDPs included food items, children clothing, baby wears, pampers for babies, sanitary pads for women, men’s clothing, soaps, baby cups, powdered milks, beverages, women wrappers and clothing, shoes, bags and clothes.

Vanguard Metro, VM, learnt that some of these gifts were personal items donated by members of staff of the Corporation. The Director-General was said to have appealed to them to donate personal items they were no longer using to the IDPs in order to identify with them.

“The director-general urged us to donate to this people. We donated our old goods and personal belongings. We were happy to do that. Besides, the management of the FRCN also donated those things like baby wears, foods, sanitary pads and lady’s personal effects to these people.

“I think the director-general C M Y K

just wanted these people to know that the rest of the country has not forgotten them. It is quite commendable, especially coming from a public institution like the FRCN,” a staff of the commission who did not want his name in prints, told VM.

Items handy, timely —Gov Shettima Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, while welcoming the FRCN team, said it was not easy taking care of the IDPs. He lauded the director-general for getting the staff and management of the FRCN to donate to the IDPS. According to him, the gesture showed how magnanimous Mallam Salihu is and the largeness of his heart. The governor said the items brought were very handy and timely.

“That Ladan Salihu got the staff and management of FRCN to donate items for our IDPs in Borno State shows the magnanimity of his heart and his management style. The items you brought are handy. We are at the heart of harmattan season.

“We want you to show empathy at Dalori Camp. Most of them live in tents. We have about 18,000 IDPs there. In Maiduguri, we need about 940 bags of rice per meal. And we have 31 camps in Maiduguri. We have people in Bama and we have in Konduga. Right now, people in Damboa are congregating in Sabongari. Those in Burate are coming to Biu,” the governor explained.

Salihu lauds Gov Shettima: In his remarks, Salihu told the governor that Borno has become more or less a second home to

We want you to show empathy at Dalori Camp.

Most of them live in tents. We have about 18,000 IDPs there. In Maiduguri, we need about 940 bags of rice per meal

TOP: FRCN Director-General, Ladan Salihu, making donation to one of the IDPs and (Below)Salihu (middle) and his entourage with the gift items at Dalori Camp, Maiduguri, Borno State

him and he felt the pains the people of the state were going through as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. He said he was aware that the governor shed tears at a time as a result of the pains people of the state are going through.

The ace broadcaster also commended the resoluteness of the governor who he said would not run away from Borno State no matter the activities of the insurgents.

“Radio Nigeria is with you in the fight against insurgency.

Radio Nigeria will support your government and all initiatives of the Federal Government to fight this insurgency by teaming up with security forces and to help them win the war in public opinion and to ensure that this insurgency is brought to a conclusive and decisive end,” Salihu declared.

The FRCN team also paid a visit to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar, before returning to Abuja. At the Shehu’s palace, the director-general echoed same sentiment about how the FRCN was with the people of the state at the hour of need.

Salihu also commended the monarch for his steadfastness and doggedness when his domain was under the threat of the insurgents and was on the verge of being run over. He said they were in Maiduguri not just to present gift items to the IDPs but also to show solidarity with the monarch.

Apart from the director-general, other members of the FRCN entourage included the Zonal Director, North-East, Mallam Abdullahi Yahaya Maikano; his Kaduna counterpart, Alhaji Abba Zayyan, and Nurudeen Ahmed who is the FRCN director of administration.

Others were director of finance and accounts, Pastor Michael Oluwole; director Lagos operations, Emeka Odigbo; and director, corporate development and communications, Osana Omame, special assistant Kaduna Zonal Director, Mallam Mainasara Usman, and personal assistant to the director-general, Abdullahi Gambo.

Rotary brings succour to LASUTH patients at Christmas

By Kingsley Adegboye

I

N what has become an annual ritual for the past 35 years, Rotary Club of Ikeja spent the early hours of Christmas day with patients at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH and Ikeja. General Hospital.

Members of the group danced as they distributed gifts to patients at various wards as part of their humanitarian efforts to bring succour to the sick who were forced to celebrate Christmas at the hospitals.

The event which was graced by the Lagos state commissioner of Health, Dr Jide Idris, also witnessed visitation of several wards in

the hospital, presentation of gifts and awards to staff of the hospitals.

The President of the club, Tosin Kadiri, an estate surveyor and valuer, expressed happiness that the Rotary was able to put smiles on the faces of the patients as well as reduce the burden of the hospital through the donations.

“It is the tradition of the club in the past 30 years to spend the first Christmas hours with patients of the hospital,” he said.

The donations which included an incubator, three Spygnomanometers, 200 hundred bed spreads, 200 pillow cases and standing fans for surgical operations, were as a result of needs

assessment carried out in the hospital by the club.

Kadiri expressed willingness to continue to programme because of the impact it has on the patients.

Elated by the gesture, Dr Idris extolled Rotary Club of Ikeja for sustaining the programme in the last 40 years. He recalled that the club has so far donated equipment worth over $1million to the hospital. Dr Idris said it was a reflection of the club’s dedication to service to Nigerians particularly LASUTH. Represented by the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adewale Oke, the commissioner said the patients will be forever grateful to the club.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 —31

called on the government to put measures in place to reduce substantially the current housing deficit put at a staggering 17 million units.

Apart from calling on the government to use relevant professionals in the execution of its projects, Ukpong advised both the Federal and state governments to appoint a ValuerGeneral especially now that the government is implementing the Public Sector Accounting Standards.

Also speaking to Vanguard Homes & Property on his expectations in the new year, the President of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, BCPG, Mr Kunle Awobodu called on the government to pay contractors who are owed huge debts for projects already completed.

1004 estate in Victoria Island, Lagos

Built environment experts to FG: Pump money into construction industry and grow other sectors

By Jude Njoku AGAINST the backdrop of a very difficult year in which the construction industry witnessed several abandoned or uncompleted projects, job losses and huge debts owed contractors for projects already completed, built environment experts have called on the Federal Government to pump enough money into the fledging sector in view of its multiplier effect on other sectors.

The experts who spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property posited that the construction industry which is generally regarded as the barometer for measuring the health of any economy, should be given priority attention by the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.

The Secretary, Marketing & Corporate Affairs, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors,NIQS, Mr. Olujide Oke said expectations are high that the sector will come out of the woods.

Sectoral activities “The budget has been read but we are yet to get the breakdown to enable us know how sectoral activities will be. But we are positive and optimistic because of the improvement in capital expenditure and the fact that we have a tested and trusted man in the person of Mr. Babatunde Fashola as the Minister in charge of Power, Works and Housing. We are still watching as events unfold but we are optimistic and hopeful,” Mr. Oke said.

Asked to set an agenda for the government, Mr Oke advised the government to inject sufficient funds into the construction and housing sector. The NIQS Marketing & Corporate Affairs Secretary who observed that many projects in the country have either being abandoned or are at a standstill, called on the

government to reawaken and bring such projects back to life.

He also advised the government to pay contractors the outstanding debts owed them to enable them return to the abandoned construction sites.

“The construction sector is the first sector to reflect the health of any economy. If the government pumps money into it, other sectors will benefit: artisans, contractors, consultants, construction materials producers and suppliers – the benefits will cut across all sectors of the economy. The trickle down effect will be massive,” he said.

Mr Oke charged the government to do all within its power to ensure that power supply becomes stable. “If power becomes stable, many of the industries which are pulling out of the country will return while those planning to exit will remain. Small scale industries will thrive and artisans will have power to remain in business,” he said.

He lauded current efforts by the Federal Government to boost activities in the housing sector. “It will be a massive boost to the economy if the government pumps in enough money into the sector. The construction industry has been comatose as it were, our roads are in very bad states. If

The construction sector is the first sector to reflect the health of any economy

enough money is injected into the construction industry, the government will be in a position to fix the Lagos-Ibadan express way, the Benin -Ore Road and other very bad roads in the Southeastern part of the country,” the NIQS image maker said, adding that the government should also tackle corruption in the construction industry with all its might.

Immediate past chairman of the Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Pastor Stephen Jagun who also spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property, called on the Federal Government to come up with a clear-cut financial policy to enable local and foreign investors know where to put their money.

Jagun noted that since the present administration came to power, we have not had a clearcut financial policy and this is hurting the economy. According to him, the financial policy somersault is impacting negatively on the economy as many investors are scared of

investing in the country’s real estate sector.

Jagun who noted that expectations that infrastructure and housing would be given a major boost going by the pedigree of Fashola who oversees the Power, Works and Housing Ministry, enjoined such optimists to soft pedal. He anchored his subdued optimism on the fact that Fashola is not 100 percent in charge as was the scenario when he was the Governor of Lagos State. “Now, he will take directives from the President and would also require the cooperation of other ministries and agencies, When he was performing in Lagos State, he was calling the shots 100 percent unlike now,” Jagun posited.

The current chairman of NIESV, Lagos branch, Mr. Samuel Ukpong in his own reaction, enjoined the Federal Government to shift its attention away from oil and focus on other sources of internally generated revenue, IGR. He stated that real estate assets can be be a veritable source of revenue and advised the government to explore this. He

Dwindling fortunes Noting that many of them have retrenched or at the verge of downsizing their workforce, Awobodu maintained that the government cannot embark upon massive construction projects without the support of construction companies.

He prayed that the dwindling fortunes of the Naira against major currencies would be halted while the government looks for other sources of beefing up the country’s revenue base.

Awobodu, a former chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Building, NIOB, called on the government to register all developers engaged in housing construction. He also made a case for quality control of houses being built in the country. “The fact that we are in dire need of housing does not mean that we should build shoddy or substandard houses. Professionals should be engaged to play necessary roles in the built environment sector,” he said.

Facility manager vows to resist thuggery in 1004 estate

By Jude Njoku AGAINST the backdrop of theface-off between the management and residents of 1004 Estate in Victoria Island, Lagos, the estate’s facility manager, Messrs 1004 Estate Limited has vowed not tolerate any semblance of hostility or thuggery in the highbrow residential estate.

The Managing Director of 10004 Estate Limited, Mr. Samuel Ukpong who gave the warning, described the estate as a well-run place with rules and regulations guiding its management, and not a training ground for thugs.

Ukpong gave the explanation in Lagos at a recent media parley which he used to address the ongoing face-off between the management and the residents’ association. “The gangsterism which some apartment owners and leaders of the association have brought into the estate cannot be tolerated.

1004 estate is a well-run place and we do not tolerate anything that has a semblance of hostility or thuggery,” he said.

According to him, the fact that residents of the

estate cut across nationals of many countries and continents who work with international organisations in Lagos and oil companies, means that decorum must be maintained at all times as anything that tends towards disorganisation and violence would create unnecessary apprehension.

“We are restrained from engaging the association in any conflict, not because we don’t have the capacity but because we want to present the estate as a secure place to live and work in, particularly with 60 percent of the flats occupied by foreigners.

We know that they will not like to see this place engulfed in any kind of crisis or bloodshed or fighting, These expatriates are from different countries of the world. They find the environment very conducive. You see them walking around in the evenings because they are confident that their security is guaranteed 24 hours,” he added.

He further said that at the estate, services that make occupants comfortable are adequately provided, such as banks, schools, swimming pools, and other recreational facilities.

Continues on page 32

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Developer wants FG to make NHS loan more accessible

By Princewill Ekwujuru

M

ANAGING Director of Buildcon Global Services, Mrs Bukola Gazama has called on the government to make the National Housing Scheme, NHS loan more accessible as this would help in bridging the housing deficit in the country.

Gazama who made the call at the unveiling of the company’s new corporate identity in Lagos, also called for a reduction of the interest rate on mortgages because only a few Nigerians can cope with the high interest rate of about 26 percent currently charged by banks.

According to her, making the NHS more accessible would give more Nigerians the opportunity of owning their own homes.

“We want the NHS scheme to be more accessible. If the NHS scheme is more accessible that gives each contributor N15million already and if their partner (s) are also contributing that gives them N30 million, they have paid for the house, and if the interest rate on the NHS loan is quite minimal people can cope with that as against the 26 percent per annum the banks are demanding. NHS loan is just six percent. I think that will just go a long way in helping

Nigerians own their own homes,” she noted.

Buildcon is into real estate, facility management and interior decorations. Noting that 2015 was a difficult year for many businesses, Mrs Gazama said her company is looking forward to a more robust business environment with its customers in 2016.

“In 2016, we are going to satisfy as many people as we can, because you know your customer dictates your business. So we are going to listen to what they have to say, improve on what we are doing

and try as much as possible to give them (customers) what they want,” she promised.

“Last year, the company involved its customers in the finishing of their homes. They choose their tiles, windows, kitchen designs, basically we are building for them.

So they need to have something they leave with and be happy about, and we also give our clients six months period once they move in, to fix anything that is not working properly, without collecting any extra money from them,” she said.

Residents decry growth of slums in Amuwo-Odofin scheme

By Dotun Ibiwoye

R

ESIDENTS of AmuwoOdofin and Festac Town have frowned at the emergence of a slum in the middle-income neighbourhood.

They argued that the growth of the slum at the shore of the canal which divides Amuwo-Odofin residential scheme and Festac, runs foul of the Lagos State urban and regional development plan.

A septuagenarian who has lived in First Avenue, Festac town since 1977, Dr. Mark Chukwuka Nzube decried the emergence of illegal occupants

Fuels in jerry cans

Some of the illegal developments at Amuwo Odofin

Ilamoshe land dispute: Peace estate residents seek LASG’s intervention

By Kingsley Adegboye

G

RIPPED by fear of armed thugs allegedly led by Ojo Barber and Ajagungbade Families, residents of Peace Estate in Ilamoshe area of Ejigbo, Lagos have called on Lagos State government to urgently intervene in order to avert breakdown of law and order in the area.

Residents of the sleepy

neighbourhood alleged that for the past one month, thugs have been harassing and terrorising their community.

Residents of Peace Estate led by their Community Development Association told newsmen that the call had become imperative because a nearby community called Ilamoshe was recently invaded by the same armed thugs, destroying buildings and

Facility manager vows to resist thuggery in 1004 estate Continues from page 31 “We make sure power is constant; water supply is on 24 hours. The elevators are working perfectly, there’s enough parking lot that accommodates residents’ vehicles. And these are constantly maintained. So, the estate is not a place for violence or thuggery.

It is a well-organised place that it beat my imagination recently when some policemen, thugs and some other security agents invaded the complex to cause a breach of peace. Of course, we

in the waterfront. “Amuwo Odofin is a Lagos State government planned residential scheme with the canal area and the set back of the canal created to serve as the green belt of the scheme,” he explained.

According to him, civilians ejected from Navy Barracks between 1993 and 94, moved to the location when the AmuwoOdofin scheme was not yet fully developed. Sometime in 2002, after a major crisis at Ajegunle, many of those who were displaced from the slummy neighbourhood also moved to the waterfront to develop another slum. “ They remain illegal residents because the area was not officially allocated to them and none of them has a legal building approval from the Lagos State Government,” he said.

The residents further claimed that the settlers pose a huge threat to their lives because many of them are allegedly engaged in illicit activities like armed robbery, sale of hard drugs, prostitution and illegal sand mining.

could not return violence for violence,” said Ukpong.

“Apart from the fact that we have determined to be civil in our approach to such level of unwarranted provocation, we also know that violent retaliation would create panic and apprehension in the minds of right-thinking residents, particularly the expatriates, that we are trying to replicate Boko Haram. We have decided to be law-abiding, and I think that’s the path of honour,” he added.

dispossessing people of their valuable belongings.

The Public Relations Officer, Peace Estate CDA, Evangelist Emmanuel Faka alleged that the armed thugs came to the estate recently with a claim that they got court judgment to take over some properties in Peace Estate.

Fakas who briefed newsmen at a gathering of all members of the CDA at the gate into the estate, explained that although Peace Estate is part of Ilamoshe, it is not part of the judgment the Families claimed they got.

Purported judgment According to him, the first time these people came in 2011 to paste public notice to take over some properties based on the purported judgment, they did not enter Peace Estate.

“When they came to demolish properties and looted a lot of items at Ilamoshe community, they did not enter this our estate.

But recently, they came to our estate heavily armed, harassing and terrorising everybody in this estate. They said our estate was

included in the said judgment.

What we are trying to let Lagos State government know is that we are not contesting the judgment Ojo Barber or whatever he calls himself is claiming he got, but what we are saying is that there is a legal way to go about it and that is why we are telling the government to intervene to avoid breakdown of law and order.

We are asking the state government according to the police authority which told us they cannot do anything until residents of Peace Estate go to the state office of SurveyorGeneral to determine the houses that were affected by that judgment, to call the thugs to order.

The police said they have ordered Ojo Barber and his thugs to stop destroying people’s properties, harassing and terrorising the residents of the estate.

But up till now, the people still come to our estate every day and what they come to do, we don’t know. We have gone back to the police to report the presence of the thugs in our estate.

Mrs Adenike Odegbile who also lives in the area alleged that some of the residents are engaged in illegal bunkering.

“Recently, selling of siphoned fuels in jerry cans has become a common practice around the canal where we have illegal occupants. They cause serious environmental problems along the waterways and this is affecting the aquatic environment and impairing movement along the waterways,” she said Continuing, she alleged that “hemp smoking and drug peddling are also common features of the community”.

“There are no legal residents around the canal; they are all illegal squatters. It is high time they are removed because their continued habitation of the area is negatively affecting the mega city status of Lagos. The place is known by Festac Police as a red zone,” she said.

Another resident, Mr Musa Abdulkareem accused officials of the Lagos State Ministries of Environment and Physical Planning and Waterfront as being largely responsible for the deplorable condition of the Amuwo Odofin axis.

“The attention of the Lagos State government, particularly the former Governor was drawn to it severally. The Ministry of Environment had marked the shanties for demolition several times but no action was taken. I guess the officials were compromised at the expense of the environment,”he alleged.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016—33

Bayelsa ready for supplementary poll —IPAC Dispels rumour of insecurity

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE InterParty Advisory Council, IPAC, yesterday described as false, the claims by some youth groups and politicians that the people of Bayelsa State were not ready for the January 9, supplementary election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and 101 units in the other local government areas of the state.

IPAC, a group made up of the political parties in the state, said though claims of alleged insecurity and nonreadiness by the youth groups and politicians had been discovered to be false, the people of the over 101 units and Southern Ijaw council were ready for the weekend poll.

In a statement in Yenagoa by its Chairman, Prince Oniekpe and Secretary, Ben Elema, IPAC stated that the state was peaceful and every concerned voter ready for the election.

IPAC said: “The claim by the youth groups under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Leaders on a desperate campaign for the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commission, REC and call for a shift in the January 9 election is false.

“We condemn in its entirety, the activities of the so-called group, that are apparently

unaware of the decision taken by all stakeholders with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Abuja on December 17, 2015.

“Among decisions taken by the leadership of all the 20 political parties and their governorship candidates, is that the REC or any other official of INEC should not be redeployed, but rather, the REC was asked to work diligently to complete the

election process in the state.”

IPAC said that preliminary investigation into the activities of the group showed that the purported protest on the streets of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, never took place.

“Whoever is sponsoring such unpatriotic activities does not want peaceful election in the state. Bayelsa cannot afford to be dragged into the mud all the time by the inordinate ambition of power seeking politicians.

“We have resolved that Bayelsa people should totally disregard the false impression of lack of security in the state as it is meant to distract and put fear in the minds of the people.

“We stand by the decision of the December 17, Abuja meeting where all the governorship candidates agreed not to postpone the election or redeploy anybody and therefore respect all decisions so taken,” the group said.

WEDDING: From left: Capt. Adetokunbo Adekunbi, Chief Pilot, Arik Air; Chris Ndulue, M.D, Arik Air; Capt. & Mrs Jide Bakare with Ring Bearer, Master Nurain Shehu; Capt. Ado Sanusi, Deputy Managing Director, Arik Air and Ali Magashi, Chairman, CountryWide Housing Company Limited, during the wedding of Capt. & Mrs. Jide Bakare, in Kano, weekend.

Alleged violation of FCPA Act by oil firm: Itsekiri communities petition US agency

W

ARRI—CLUSTER of communities of Itsekiri ethnic extraction in Warri North and Warri South -West Local Government Areas, Delta State, under the aegis of Concerned Itsekiri Coastal Dwellers Association, CICDA, has petitioned the United States, US, Department of Justice, Criminal Division, over alleged violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, FCPA of 1977 by Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, in its dealings with some officials of Delta State Government, regarding payments and offer of job slots.

The FCPA Act, according to CICDA, prohibits the wilful use of mails or any means of instrumentality of interstate commerce to induce any foreign official to “influence the foreign official” in his or her official capacity so as “to secure improper advantage in order to assist in obtaining or retaining business for, or with, or directing business to any person.”

The petition by Rexlly Ede and Johnbull Odinma, Chairman C M Y K

and Secretary General of CICDA, respectively, accused some members of Delta State House of Assembly from the area, a top management member of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, a top Delta State Government Waterways Security Committee official, and others of receiving “payments from Chevron Nigeria in return for their utilising government forces to harass, intimidate and coerce the indigenes of the communities

in which Chevron operates to do business in flagrant disregard for human rights and security.”

The petition further alleged that, “In December 2015, Chevron Nigeria offered to give some job slots to the above named group of government officials pursuant to which a document was issued and signed,” claiming that the recruitment exercise is on-going.

The petition already mailed to the US Department of Justice, includes a bank account into which monies were allegedly paid by

Chevron for the benefit of the said government officials.

The CICDA listed projects for which the alleged job slots were promised the government officials as: Development of SONAM FIELD Project/West African Ventures job, WAV; Chevron Nigeria Offshore drilling rig project and Offshore Catering Services Contract, warning that if the US agency refused to address the petition, they “might be constrained to do the needful.”

Tension in Delta Varsity over withdrawal of accreditation Faculty. If the issue is left like

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

LEH—APPREHENSION has gripped students of Delta State University, Oleh campus, following the withdrawal of the accreditation of the institution’s Faculty of Law by the Nigeria University Commission, NUC. The Faculty of Engineering, the other faculty in the campus, it will be recalled, lost its accreditation about four years ago, eliciting

fears in the Oleh community that the campus may be scrapped.

Reacting to the development, the President, Law Students Association of Nigeria, LAWSAN, Oleh campus, Mr. Desmond Orisewezie, appealed to the state government “to do its best to partner the university authority to ensure the prompt accreditation of the two faculties in the campus.

“Engineering has lost its accreditation, and now Law

that, it means that the campus will be closed which will not be fair, because psychologically, it is going to have effect on the students.”

On his part, Mr. Oghenemine Djebah, a 400 level student of the Faculty of Law, appealed to the state governor to look into the various areas of need identified by NUC to enable the two faculties to regain full accreditation.

A-bom professionals drum support for Gov Emmanuel

By Kelechukwu Iruoma

T

HE League of Akwa Ibom Professionals has drummed support for the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.

State chairman of the body, Mr. Mbuotidem Affia, at the dedication service at the New Creation Ministry, Abiakpo Assembly, in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state, called on the people to continue to support the Emmanuel administration, noting that Governor Emmanuel was a devout Christian and the spiritual father of the state who has done enough to deserve the peoples’ support and solidarity.

He expressed confidence that Governor Emmanuel was dedicated and committed to the betterment of the welfare of the people of Akwa Ibom State and solicited the peoples’ support for the continued success of his administration.

Don tasks Delta community on unity

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—HEAD of M a s s Communication Department in Delta State University, Dr Emmanuel Biri, has said that division will destroy the cultural heritage, down grade the prestige and the prestigious greeting of Omo-Ughievwe, Omo-ufo, which is the symbol of unity and strength of the Ughievwen people in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Biri, in his paper at the second edition of the Ughievwen Cultural Carnival at OtorUghievwen, called on all Ughievwen sons and daughters, both at home and abroad, to follow the legacy of their fore-fathers, which was founded on the pragmatic philosophical foundation of unity of purpose, unity of strength, unity of brotherhood, and unity of vision, which enabled them to establish the present day Ughievwen Kingdom, which flows with milk and honey.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016

KICC empowers widow

APC shops for candidate in Anambra Central fresh poll ...as Ngige withdraws from race

T

HE 10TH edition of K i n g s w a y International Christian Centre, KICC’s annual widows’ party and e m p o w e r m e n t programme will hold on January 9, at the King’s University premises on Oshogbo Road, OdeOmu, Osun State.

According to the Founder of KICC, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, this year ’s edition will attract about 2,200 widows from Modakeke, Ikire, 2,000 from Ode-Omu, 15 royal fathers and dignitaries from around the country.

“It started as a move to bring together all the progenies of my grandfather. It was during the first edition in January 2007, that I asked my cousin to gather widows in town because I wanted to bless them.

That first event attracted 308 widows.”

By Enyim Enyim

O

NITSHA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC in Anambra State has started shopping for a candidate that will fly the flag of the party in the scheduled fresh election in Anambra Central senatorial zone in March this year.

This followed the withdrawal from the race by the party’s candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, who was recently appointed Minister of Labour and Employment.

Ngige formally announced his withdrawal from the race at an emergency meeting of the state executive members and stakeholders of the party in Awka, following a resolution by the party contained in a sixparagraph communique.

The communique by Ngige and the state Chairman of the party, Mr. Emeka Ibeh praised the decision of the Court of Appeal, Enugu that nullified the Anambra Central senatorial election on March 28, 2015 and ordered fresh

poll.

“Our candidate in that last senatorial election is also the incumbent Minister of Labour and Employment. We observe the importance of this national assignment and the scourge of

A

BA—THE Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Aba branch, Abia State, has condemned the non-payment of salaries by the Okezie Ikpeazu's administration to the recalled non-indgene workers in Abia State, who the last administration disengaged.

The NBA Aba Chairman, Mr. Kenneth Nwakamma in an interview, said that the association was not happy with the nonpayment of salaries to the workers recalled by the current administration in Abia, as they were facing serious hardship.

He said that the NBA Aba had

earlier drawn the state government’s attention to the workers' plight, promising that the association would follow up on the matter.

He said: “The NBA has come out openly to condemn such injustice. We are not resting on our oars, we have it on our agenda and when we return in January 2016, we will take a more pro-active step to address that issue.

“Everybody in this society is affected by this injustice in one way or the other. If it is not your brother or sister, it could be your friend or in-law. We are condemning it because it is not a welcome development and it is

“Because our party, the APC, is now the party to beat, the party will use its machinery in conjunction with our national party structure to nominate a credible substitute which our leader will now deliver in the 8th Senate.”

Father Mbaka’s prediction on Buhari: Group threatens to shut down Nigeria

By Anayo Okoli

U

M U A H I A — FOLLOWING Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka’s prediction of possible assassination plot against President Muhammadu Buhari, a group, Buhari SouthEast Youth Movement, BSEYM, has threatened to shut down the country if anything ugly happens to the President.

The group advised anyone or group with such evil plan to have a rethink “because such will spell doom for not just the country.”

In a statement in Umuahia, Abia State by its leader, Mr. Nwabueze Onwuneme, the

NBA condemns non-payment of salaries to recalled disengaged workers in Abia

By Eric Ugbor

unemployment in the country. We therefore, request our leader and Senator Ngige to continue with his national assignment. He had earlier discharged the function as a credible senator in the 7th Senate.

not something that should be allowed to continue.”

Earlier, the spokesperson for the disengaged workers in Abia, Mrs. Fidelia Ihejirika told Vanguard that Governor Ikpeazu had invited them to Umuahia where he promised that they would be recalled and paid.

She wondered why after the governor ’s address and promises, nothing cheering had happened seven months after.

“Till this moment, we are talking, not up to half the number of the disengaged workers have been recalled and among this number not even one person had been paid salary since seven months now,” she said.

group expressed its support for President Buhari’s anticorruption war.

It called on anyone with any knowledge of any ploy against the President or the country to immediately divulge such to law enforcement agents.

According to the group, Mbaka’s prediction should not

be dismissed with a wave of hands because “corruption really fights back dirty when attacked.”

It called on all well-meaning Nigerians to resist the evil work of “this small group that wants to kill this country,” and which had improvised the masses, and support President Buhari in his effort to sanitize the country.

Enugu govt blasts APC over 2016 budget proposal

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—ENUGU State Government, yesterday, berated the All Progressives Congress, APC, following what it described as unwarranted attacks on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi over his administration’s resolve to shore-up its revenue base through robust taxation.

It will be recalled that state chapter of APC had, in a statement by Mrs. Kate Offor, its Publicity Secretary, on Sunday, described the 2016 budget proposal of Governor Ugwuanyi as prone to excessive taxation.

Condemning the unguided comment by the ruling party at the centre, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Uwakwe Abugu said, “APC has stunned critical observers of the ailing economy of the nation by condemning plans by Enugu State Government to shore up its revenue base in the 2016 fiscal year by generating funds through taxation.

“Either inadvertently or merely displaying seeming ignorance of

the economic mood of the nation, the state chapter of APC is busy attacking Ugwuanyi for proposing to raise more funds from taxation in the 2016 Appropriation Bill presented to the state House of Assembly, while the Minister of National Planning, Udo Udoma, was explaining to Nigerians how the Federal Government formed by the APC will within the same fiscal year of 2016 raise trillions of Naira from taxes as one measure to cushion the effects of the crashing oil prices on the nation’s economy almost solely powered by oil revenue.

“Is the state chapter of APC living in the past or so oblivious of the programmes of its government at the centre that it did not realize that the attack on Enugu State Government’s move to augment the sharp fall in oil revenue constitutes a clear attack on the Federal Government’s tax policy which has been designed in the present circumstance to generate trillions of Naira for the apex government?"

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

What is your new year message to Nigerians?

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y new year message to Nigerians is that everything about the future is uncertain, but one thing is sure, God had already planned all our tomorrow. We just have to trust Him. -Miss Rose Okonta, Student

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think Nigerians can see the progressive developments across the country, especially as it concerns fighting corruption. You have to start crawling before walking, and I pray for our pains to end, as I wish all the best for Nigerians. Miss Mabel Odu, Self Employed

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just pray that Almighty God will put all our rulers through in their leadership roles. Also, all those who wish this country bad shall totally fail, while Nigeria will sail through triumphantly. God bless Nigeria and Nigerians. -Miss Uzor Perpetual, Businesswoman

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sincerely wish this government will quickly do something about the exchange rate of naira to a dollar, and other related actions. I am also using this opportunity to wish Nigerians better times. Mrs Charity Igwilo, Medical Practitioner

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t could not have been so easy for President Buhari and his men in government to clear a mountain of mess created or piled up over a period of 16 wasted years in just seven months. It is well with Nigeria. -Miss Eniola Richard, Student

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ince President Buhari took over from the last government, I tell Nigerians to watch out for the greatness of this country in 2016. Our president is ready to fulfil all the promises he made during the campaign. -Miss Hope Macaulay, Entrepreneur

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 35

Kwara teachers begin indefinite strike over non-payment of 3 months salaries

By Demola Akinyemi

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LORIN—TEACHERS in public primary and Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in Kwara state yesterday carried out their threat to go on strike despite pleas from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The teachers, who had threatened to commence indefinite strike action yesterday over unpaid three months salaries, deserted classes in public schools in the state.

When Vanguard visited some junior secondary schools along Offa road, Zango road and Saw mail areas in Ilorin yesterday, pupils who resumed from Christmas/New Year holiday were seen playing around the compound without any teacher to attend to them.

However, teaching and learning activities were going on in Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) because it was gathered that the state government did not owe SSS teachers.

Speaking with journalists, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Alhaji Abubakar Musa, said the strike

became imperative following non payment of October, November and December 2015 salary of the affected teachers.

Alhaji Musa noted that teachers need to be motivated to carry out their duties as motivation is one of the indices of teaching which the teachers presently lack , “there is no way the hungry teachers could deliver effectively, it is better for teachers to stay at home until

the Government is capable of paying them.” he said.

Meanwhile, the Kwara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has appealed to the striking teachers to suspend the strike.

In a release by its Publicity secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the party said, “as a party, we wish to state that we feel the concerns and share in the pains of primary school teachers in Kwara State. Quite unfortunate, this issue is

WEDDING: Vice President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo exchanging pleasantries with the Executive S e c r e t a r y, A m u w o Odofin Local Government, Deaconess M o d u p e Ajibola-Ojodu during the wedding of Akin Ajibola, son of Prince Bola Ajibola at V i c t o r y Sanctuary Seventh Day Adventist Church, Lekki, Lagos.

...As workers continue to shun work in Kogi

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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O K O J A — A L L government offices were under lock and key yesterday in Kogi state as activities were paralysed following the continuation of the strike action embarked upon by the state and local government workers.

The Nigeria Labour Congress on the eve of New Year, embarked on an indefinite strike action to protest none payment of their three months salaries.

Though the state Government held a meeting with the executive of the organised labour, but all entreaties by the government seems to have fallen on deaf ear as the NLC is yet to ask its members to resume work.

Students of Kogi state Polytechnic, Lokoja, who returned to school yesterday with the hope of resuming for the 2015/2016 first semester, were denied access to the school by the security men.

The hope of other students who were already in the school preparing for their third semester make -up exam were also dashed as the security operatives also drove them out in compliance with the strike action.

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chiefly caused by the dwindling allocation from the federation account.

“Therefore, it is not about non-payment of teachers’ salaries but non-availability of funds to pay salaries. It requires collective efforts to address rather than strike action, if the resources are available today, the Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed-led Kwara State Government will pay all teachers like it has always done in the past five years.''

Build on Col Bako’s records, Gaidam charges new army commander bring the Boko Haram

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI— GOVERNOR Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State has charged the new commander, 27 Task Force Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Damaturu, Brigadier General C. A. Apere to build on the committed fight against Boko by his predecessor, Col, Bako.

The governor, who spoke yesterday when the new Army Commander visited him at the Government House, Damaturu, attributed the successes recorded so far in the fight against Boko Haram to the hard work of officers and men of the Nigerian army deployed to the State.

The governor described the outgoing commander of the 27 Task Force Brigade, Col. Bako, as a professional and committed officer who epitomizes the fight against insurgency in the state.

“Across Yobe State, people are very excited with the work that Col Boko has done. Many people here associate the

successes recorded against Boko Haram to the hard work of Col Bako and other army commanders.

“I am confident you will build and expand on this excellent record that Col Bako has achieved so that together we will

insurgency to an end,” Governor Gaidam said.

The governor assured the new army commander of his determination to continue to support the military and other security agencies to ensure the full restoration of peace and security in the state.

Lawmaker promises better representation possibilities. My belief is

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ELTA State House of Assembly member-elect in Warri South 1 Constituency, Mrs. Omawumi Udoh, yesterday promised to give robust representation at the state Assembly in order to uplift the constituency.

Udoh, whose victory was recently revalidated by the Appeal Court in her New Year message, noted that 2016 would be fruitful inspite of the prevailing economic realities in Nigeria.

She said: ‘’Even as I am not unmindful of the challenges that herald every New Year, I am nevertheless optimistic that 2016 holds great promise of hope and

reinforced by what we collectively achieved in 2015, when against all odds, we recovered our mandate taken from us. That victory is an attestation that power indeed belongs to God, while mandate is of the people.

“As we prepare to assume this divine mandate with great pride in the New Year, we should remain hopeful that better days are ahead.

“I intend to introduce and support legislation that enhances employment generation, and protection of human rights and the education of the less privileged, because an educated society is always easy to govern.’’

KOGI POLL: Ad-hoc staff tackle INEC over service fees

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA—13,000 adhoc staff that participated in the November 21, 2015 Kogi state governorship election and the December 5th supplementary election yesterday staged a protest over the inability of the Independent National Electoral Commission to pay them.

During a protest march to the NUJ secretariat in Lokoja, the ad-hoc staff in their hundreds said they are tired of the series of lies and deceits they have received from those who are supposed to pay them their claims which they said is over N227 million.

The protesters who presented a copy of their protest letters addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari to newsmen said, they have over the past six weeks after the election spent numerous nights at the State INEC headquarters waiting to be paid; only for the management to postpone the pay day.

DRY SEASON FARMING: Kebbi targets 1m tonnes of rice

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EBBI Government has commenced the verification of the 200,000 dry season farmers in the state with a view to providing relevant assistance to them ahead of the 2016 dry season farming in the state.

The state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Samaila Yombe, speaking during a meeting involving dry season farmers, finance institutions and other key stakeholders, yesterday said that the aim was to fully mobilise the farmers to harvest more than one million tonnes of rice at the end of the dry season.

Yombe told the farmers that modalities had been completed for millers to purchase the commodity directly from farmers and assured that all registered farmers would receive seedlings, chemicals and extension services from the government.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

VISIT: From left: Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and Tunji Bello, Secretary to the State Government, SSG, during Senator Ashafa's visit to State House, Ikeja Lagos.

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PRESENTATION: Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (right), National Youth Leader, Coalition of APC Supporters Group, Abuja, Comrade Mojeed Yaya ( 2nd right), Deputy National Chairman South Coalition of the group, Kunle Ehinlanwo (2nd left), and State Cordinator, Hon. Shekete Adamson, during the presentation of educational materials to the Governor in appreciation and support of Government Educational Policy by the group inOsogbo.

PRAYER MEETING: From right: Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Pastor Odia Akintunde of Living Faith Ministries (Winners' Chapel), Akure, Provincial Pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Ondo Province 1, Pastor Jacob Oni, President, Agape Christian Ministries, Bishop Felix Adejumo, Elder Tunde Adesida and Chairman, Ondo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Joshua Ketiku, at the prayer meeting for the first working day of 2016, at the Governor's Office, in Akure, yesterday.

NEW YEAR PARTY FOR CHILDREN: Representative of the First Lady and Women Affairs Minister, Senator Aisha Alhassan, with other dignitaries dancing with children during the New Year party for children at the Banquet Hall of the State House Conference Centre, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

DISTRIBUTION: From left: Commissioner for Information, Katsina State, Alhaji Hamza Burodo, Deputy Governor, Katsina State, Alhaji Munir Yakubu, and Government and Community Relations Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Gabriel Nyam, at the commencement of distribution of materials to beneficiaries of the MTN Foundation Disability Support project in Katsina State.

NEW YEAR SERVICE: From left: Revd. Adebayo Adenekan, Ven. Abraham Odumuyiwa, Canon of Resident, Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral Ikeja, Rt. Revd. Dr. & Mrs James Odedeji, Bishop of Diocese, Lagos West, Ven. Abel Ajibodu, Dean, Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral and Ven. Adegoke Agara, during the New Year's Service, at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

40TH DAY PRAYER: From left: Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Mohammed Audu, son of late Prince Abubakar Audu, and Hon. James Faleke, during the 40th day prayer for late Audu Abubakar held at his country home, Ogbonicha, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi state.

PARTY: MTN Foundation Executive Secretary, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, dancing with children, during the MTN Foundation Endless Joy party for children living in orphanages in Lagos.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016—37

By Simon Ebegbulem

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T was the time of sharing last December and Mr. Kenneth Imasuagbon, was at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH located in the western flank of the ancient city of Benin to in part thank the hospital authorities for helping save his life three years earlier when he suffered a motor accident.

In showing his appreciation, Mr Imasuagbon off-set the bills of some sick people including kidney and cancer patients before donating N1 million to the hospital authorities through the Chief Medical Director, CMD, Prof. Michael Ibadin.

While awe struck patient and staff were fixed on Mr. Imasuagbon’s narration of the goodness of God on him, a trailer load of rice drove into the hospital drawing the attention of staff and patients in different wards. A number of the seemingly bedridden patients temporarily got their healing in the struggle for the free rice.

The gesture pushed the CMD to hail Imansuagbon as the “most popular man in Edo streets”.

Accumulation of wealth “If there is any Edo man that is popular it is Ken Imansuagbon.

We pray that when the time comes Edo people will reciprocate,” Prof. Ibadin said.

“You are also sending a strong message on the need to extend help to others rather than primitive accumulation of wealth, what matters is what you share to your neighbours. When the time comes I believe people will reciprocate your kind gesture”.

The point made by the CMD to the people of Edo to reciprocate was indeed remarkable given Imasuagbon’s ongoing political expedition. Imasuagbon is one of the leading governorship aspirants in the state. Mr.

•Oshiomhole: Serving out his term

•Orbih: Edo PDP chairman

EDO 2016: The miracles of rice •The return of the rice man •PDP, APC face-off over rice sharing THE annual rice distribution exercise by Mr. Kenneth Imansuagbon, famed as the Rice Man in Edo State, takes another dimension in a faceoff between the PDP and the APC over seeming efforts by political rivals to follow the trend.

Imasuagbon has gained fame in Edo State as the Rice Man and also as the Rice Armada on account of the yearly distribution of rice which he has done in the last ten years during the yuletide season.

Though no political undercurrent was directly related to the distribution of rice, the distribution of rice as a currency in political ascendancy is becoming an issue.

It was as such no surprise that not long after Imasuagbon’s 2015 event, that controversy stirred its head over the move by another

aspirant from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to distribute rice. Now the PDP and the APC are stuck in a face off over rice in the state.

At the centre of the controversy is the allegation that a PDP governorship aspirant (name withheld) held back part of the rice earmarked for distribution during the PDP presidential campaigns of 2015. The aspirant is also alleged to have superimposed his campaign insignia on the Goodluck Jonathan rice, an issue that has now drawn the two major parties

in Edo State into a cross fire.

Controversy on the issue first arose after a chieftain of the PDP in the state, Mr Okharedia Ihimekpen, made the revelation about the alleged action of a governorship aspirant in the party.

He was quick to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the ongoing probe on the funds expended during the former President Jonathan campaign to Edo State.

According to him, “it was

shocking when we saw that the bag of rice was actually meant to be distributed during the Presidential campaign but this aspirant confiscated it. I want to appeal to the Federal Government to extend the Dasukigate probe to Edo state and if this aspirant is indicted he should be prosecuted disqualified in this governorship race.

“The PDP should rediscover themselves before talking about election so that we don’t run into another years of the holocaust” he stated.

The assertion was, however, subsequently denied by the PDP state executive which claimed to have investigated the report and discovered that the allegation was a fabrication by “agents of darkness” aimed at smearing the image of the party in the state.

Edo State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Chris Nehikhare at a media briefing in Benin last Tuesday, said: “We would like to confirm that we have investigated it and are pleased to tell our party members that the story is not only false, it is sponsored and fabricated.

Deceit and petty rumour

•Imansuagbon distributing bags of rice before Christmas

Mr. Imasuagbon has gained fame in Edo State as the Rice Man and also as the Rice Armada on account of the yearly distribution of rice which he has done in the last ten years during the yuletide season

“We wish to tell those that thrive on lies, deceit and petty rumour that there is no room for them in our party. We advised our party members to be wary of paid agents that are bent on destabilizing our very cohesive party.”

However, the APC in the state has tackled the PDP alleging that the defence put out by the opposition party was hollow as it claimed that there was something to it.

The Edo State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Godwin Erhahon, who displayed the rice to journalists said the PDP members who were allegedly

Continues on page 38

38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

ragtag force cannot think of any video or audio recording now.

So what do you think is the next move on the military agenda in view of the recent casualties that happened after Christmas?

This is exactly what we are saying. Mind you the degraded Boko Haram are working along the narrative that they have not lost in order to create more fear in the minds of the people including the media whose responsibility is to report what happens.

BOKO HARAM: Why

we must support the military — NWANKPA MR. Emeka Nwankpa, a former journalist and development activist is the Chief Media Strategist of the Concerned Professionals’ Congress (CPC), an advocacy team with an inclination to Nigeria’s total development.

In this question and answer session he examined wide-ranging issues around the antiterror war, insisting that Nigerians should appreciate, support and sympathize with the Nigerian military for paying the supreme price to keep the nation safe and secure. EXCERPTS:

By Emmanuel Aziken

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HAT is this CPC movement all about?

What is your message?

Thank you. Please permit me to quickly share an exciting encounter I had not too long ago during a trip to the U.S. We were taking a connecting flight from Houston to New York. Shortly after take-off came an announcement by the crew that there were some men of the U.S Marine on the flight.

Almost spontaneously, the announcement drew a loud applause from passengers on board, some sitting, others standing chorusing ‘God bless America! God bless America!! It lasted for 10 seconds or so but, my God, it was so electrifying that I didn’t know when I jumped on my feet and started clapping too.

So what does that tell us if we may ask?

What it tells us is that every country has institutions and monuments that, by their sheer existence signal core values that instantly translate to national strength and pride. Our military is such.

Common identity In CPC (mind you this is not the political party!) we are students of history, and professionals, united by a sense of concern, patriotism and common identity, for solutions to our issues.

Are you saying that Nigerians don’t honor our military enough?

Precisely yes. But we can do more. Five months ago, Boko Haram used to move around brazenly with 12 to 15 Hillux jeeps from one territory to another. On one occasion, they bombarded Bama, chased the emir away, hoisted their flag, declared their caliphate and started collecting levies, taxes and what have you, from the conquered territories.

In Borno State alone, 21 out of

the 27 LGAs were under Boko Haram. It was a horrible blight on our sovereignty as a nation.

But thank God that today all that nonsense has stopped not without a heavy price paid by our military. A new crop of officers with the passion, patriotism, commitment and zeal are now in charge.

I had expected that our citizens will roll out the drums to appreciate our soldiers. We thank the active Minister of Defence, Brig. Gen Muhammad Dan-Alli for his Christmas lunch and ‘welfare’ for our troops which he gave in the company of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Ayobami Olonisakin, a first-class professional officer who seldom talks, the cerebral Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai whose village has been attacked twice apart from two failed assassination attempts he has survived and the brilliant Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadiq.

Our troops have regained their rhythm because they have never had it so good since these guys came on board. This is leadership magic.

Do you mean we have never had it so good? But why are we still recording terrorist attacks in isolated places?

The message is that we have come to the point where we need to realize that everybody has a stake.

This nonchalance by the public must stop

Commission of inquiry

•Nwankpa I’m glad you used the term isolated places. It is so because they (Boko Haram) can no longer hold on to specific places to launch their attacks.

They have been degraded, scattered and in disarray.

Are you guys not posturing as military apologists?

Military apologists? Please count us out. But if we have to be called apologists to appreciate the sacrifices of our troops, then so be it. For crying out loud, we love these soldiers for their bravery and courageous gallantry. We have no apologies whatsoever.

Our military has done a good job to actualize Mr. President’s deadline. In fact, I learnt that the President actually gave the military high command a timeline and not a deadline because the military works by timelines, not deadlines. I do not know how timeline became deadline, maybe the press substituted it.

You may have also observed that Boko Haram has not released their hollow video and audio messages for some time now. That was only possible before. A thoroughly decimated, degraded and disoriented group that has been reduced to a fleeing

You will observe that their strategy has confirmed what Lai Mohammed told newspaper editors on December 23 in Lagos. It is our duty now to ensure that we don’t suck into the terrorists’ game.

So you think that the December 12 bloody Army/ Shi’ites clash was avoidable? On whose side was it avoidable, the Army or the sect or both?

It will be unfair and absolutely pre-emptive to begin to comment or apportion blames at this juncture until the judicial commission of inquiry of the state government comes up with its findings and recommendations.

The message is that we have come to the point where we need to realize that everybody has a stake. This nonchalance by the public must stop. Our psyche must change.

The motor parts dealer in Mushin and Makurdi, the teacher in Lapai and the trader in Lagos, the mechanic in Banki and the mason in Badagry, the pupil in Yobe and the pure water hawker in Yenagoa, it is everybody’s war, not for the military alone.

EDO 2016: The miracles of rice Continues from page 37 denied of the rice brought the rice to him.

While displaying the rice to journalists, Erhahon said “you can see that originally, what was written in the sack was Feed Nigeria Campaign 2015. But the aspirant super-imposed his campaign sticker on it. Can somebody who is running for governorship write ‘Feed Nigeria Campaign’ in the rice he wants to share to his supporter?

No. Rather it should be feed Edo state.

“We have the evidence and we are going to petition the EFCC and the presidency because we believe this is part of the Dasukigate, so they should probe. Look at how rice meant for people was diverted to private use, that is wicked and we shall get to the root of the matter. So when I see the PDP telling lies when the facts are so obvious I wonder. But we already know

their antics and they will never change” he stated.

While the controversy was brewing, Imansuagbon continued his own rice distribution round the state. The seeming political hue to it was the involvement of some of the state’s formidable political warhorses in his latest effort.

At Okada, the administrative headquarter of Ovia North East local Area, for example, Imansuagbon was assisted by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Mr Isaiah Osifo, a twotime council chairman and former chief of staff to the Edo State governor who urged the people to reciprocate the gesture of Imansuagbon.”

Remarkably, at Okada Imansuagbon was able to give an insight into his motivation.

He said: “I came from a very poor home where it was difficult to eat rice, in fact we ate rice once in a year because then, each time

Christmas is approaching my heart beats. One Christmas, I prayed to God that if I grow up I will share rice to the people of the state and in the last ten years I have been doing that even before I came into politics. It was a Benin Woman that gave us rice one particular Christmas, am here to say thank you to Ovia people today” “I know that rice is not enough, schools need to be fixed, roads need to be tarred and the man who will remember you and knows what you need, here I am in Ovia send me. They will tell you not to do the right thing and even threatened you. Nobody can remove you from the delegate list. When voting don’t vote tribe rather vote for the man that will remember you. If by the grace of God am given the ticket PDP is dead. When I went to Auchi I told the people that their son Oshiomhole has done well and I want to improve on it”.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 39

Kenya’s Garissa university reopens after deadly al-Shabab attack

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Bill and Camille Cosby who will be testifying during his trial have been married for more than 50 years.

Saudi Arabia’s allies Bahrain, Sudan, UAE act against Iran

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number of Saudi Arabia’s allies have joined diplomatic action against Iran after the Saudi embassy in Tehran was attacked amid a row over the execution of a Shia Muslim cleric. Bahrain and Sudan have both severed relations with Iran, and the UAE has downgraded its diplomatic team.

Saudi Arabia on Sunday severed ties and gave Iran’s diplomats two days to go.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said trade links with Iran would be cut and air traffic links stopped.

But in an interview with Reuters news agency, Mr al-Jubeir also said Iranian pilgrims travelling to holy sites in Mecca and Medina would still be allowed to enter.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are respectively the key Sunni and Shia powers in the region and back opposing sides in Syria and Yemen.

Bahrain, which is ruled by a Sunni monarchy but has a majority Shia population,

on Monday gave Iranian diplomats 48 hours to leave the country.

It accused Iran of “increasing, flagrant and dangerous meddling” in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states.

It said the attack on the Saudi embassy was part of a “very dangerous pattern

Chinese markets suspended as shares plunge

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hinese stock markets have tumbled seven percent in their opening session of 2016, forcing exchanges to suspend trading for the first time.

The plunging share prices on Monday came as weak factory activity surveys and falls in the yuan added to concerns about the struggling economy.

Early losses quickly snowballed in the afternoon, with trading suspended around 05:30 GMT, about 90 minutes

Swiss billionaire Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, 53, pregnant with twins company said in a statement.

“She intends to continue to exercise her duties as chairperson until the birth, take a brief break and return to work full time in late April,” it added.

•Louis-Dreyfus

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WISS multi-billionaire businesswoman Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, the 53-year-old chair of French conglomerate Louis Dreyfus Commodities and owner of the Olympique de Marseille football team, is pregnant with twins, the company said Monday.

“Margarita LouisDreyfus, Non-Executive Chairperson of the Louis Dreyfus Commodities Group Supervisory Board, is pregnant with twin girls, due in early April 2016,” the C M Y K

of sectarian policies that should be confronted... to preserve security and stability in the entire region”. Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, has frequently accused Iran of fomenting unrest in the country since 2011 - a charge Tehran denies.

before the regular close.

Selling intensified after a brief 15-minute trading halt early in the afternoon when main indices had shed five percent, and activity in Shanghai and Shenzhen was halted for the day soon after.

It was the first day that the China markets’ so-called “circuit breakers”, intended to curb volatility, had been in effect.

Al Jazeera’s Adrian Brown, reporting from Beijing, said the plunging share prices were “another reminder that China’s economy is continuing to splutter”.

“It is an economy weighed down by two problems at the moment: excessive government debt and currency flight,” he said.

“The Chinese who can get their money out of the country continue to do so.

They no longer have any faith in the stock market or the property market and they are voting with their feet.”

Bill Cosby’s wife to testify in defamation case

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ILL Cosby’s wife has been ordered to give evidence in a defamation case filed by seven women accusing the comedian of sexual assault.

A judge rejected Camille Cosby’s attempts to avoid testifying, after she claimed she was protected by a marital disqualification law.

The women claim Mr Cosby portrayed them as liars after they went public with their allegations against him.

He filed a countersuit alleging their claims were

only for financial gain.

The 78-year-old is also seeking unspecified monetary damages and said the women inflicted emotional distress.

Mrs Cosby is also her husband’s business partner and the couple have been married for more than 50 years. Joseph Cammarata, a lawyer for the women, argued last month he should be able to question Mrs Cosby because he believed she had “information that’s relevant to the litigation in this matter”.

ENYA’S Garissa University College has officially reopened, nine months after the killing of nearly 150 people, mainly students, in an attack by militant Islamist group alShabab.

Staff have reported to work while students are expected to be back on campus next Monday.

A police post has been set up on the campus in northeastern Kenya, to improve security.

Last year’s attack was the deadliest so far by the Somali-based group in Kenya.

Following its closure, some 650 students from Garissa University College were offered places at a sister campus in Eldoret, western Kenya, to continue their studies.

The French government has set up a fund for 109 students injured in the

attack, putting 150,000 Kenyan shillings (£1,000; $1,500) towards each student’s tuition fees and living allowance for the year. The $500 allocated for fees is expected to cover roughly a third of the annual cost of tuition.

In May, local media reported that students at

the Garissa Teachers Training College, which has a separate campus, but lies just 200m from the site of the attack, refused to return to class, citing security concerns.

Al-Shabab says it is opposed to the presence of Kenyan troops in neighbouring Somalia.

•Returnee students of Garissa University, Kenya being frisked by security agent.

CAR: Ex-PM Touadera leads vote count R ESULTS from the Central African Republic presidential election show former Prime Minister Faustin Touadera has a surprise lead with a quarter of votes counted.

Thirty candidates contested the poll, which is likely to go to a run-off on 31 January.

He was prime minister in the government of exPresident Francois Bozize, ousted in 2013 by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels.

The country has since been wracked by conflict along religious lines.

More than a quarter of the population has been forced from their homes.

Voting took place on 30 December, with UN troops guarding polling stations.

Mr Touadera has more than 23% of votes counted so far with his nearest rival, Anicet Georges Dologuele,

another former prime minister, on around 13%, according to electoral officials quoted by the AFP news agency.

Desire Kolingba, son of a former president, is in third place.

But the votes cast outside the capital, Bangui, as well

Zambia sets 2016 election date, scraps power price hike

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AMBIA’S new constitution on Monday set Aug. 11 as the date for fiveyearly presidential and parliamentary elections, previously set by the president, lining up another close vote after last year’s neck-and-neck race.

Also on Monday, President Edgar Lungu, who plans to stand in the

Leading Benin businessman to run for president in Feb election

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prominent Benin businessman, Sebestien Ajavon, announced on Sunday he would run for president in an election scheduled for February in the tiny West African state that borders Nigeria.

President Thomas Boni Yayi has led the cottonproducing country since 2006. He is barred under the country’s constitution from standing for a third term and the election is considered wide open.

“I dream of a Benin that smiles and that’s why I invite us to turn resolutely toward a clear future,” he told a rally

as those of refugees and other CAR citizens abroad still need to be counted.

The candidates are vying to replace interim leader Catherine Samba-Panza.

Mr Touadera, 58, was a university maths lecturer before entering politics. He ran as an independent candidate in the election.

at Mathieu Kerekou stadium, which holds 35,000 and was nearly filled to capacity. Ajavon, who made his fortune through a food product company, will run as an independent supported by various political parties.

He called for a reduction in youth unemployment, improved access to energy and less corruption.

Leaders in Congo Republic, Rwanda and Burundi have all secured the right to run for third terms in the last year through constitutional changes, in moves that opponents have criticized as stifling democracy.

election, reversed a sharp increase in electricity tariffs, saying the hike had ended up hurting the poor, presidential spokesman Amos Chanda said on Monday.

Lungu, who is due to ratify the constitutional amendments on Tuesday, defeated the opposition United Party for National Development’s (UPND) Hakainde Hichilema last January. Hakainde said the election had been “stolen”.

Lungu, a lawyer, won 48.3 percent of the vote to 46.7 percent for Hichilema, a wealthy economist.

“The new constitution has a fixed election date and that will take effect as soon as the president signs,” Chanda said.

Other amendments to Zambia’s constitution include a clause requiring a winning presidential candidate to get more than 50 percent of the valid votes cast, Chanda told Reuters.

Some analysts criticized as politically motivated Lungu’s decision to scrap electricity price increases and sign the constitutional amendments at a lavish public ceremony.

40—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Group canvasses end to HIV

BUDGET 2016: Give Nigerians functional health facilities, FG urged

By Daud Olatunji

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EDERAL government has been urged to team up with the states and local governments to stop the spread of teenage pregnancy and HIV/ AIDS in the rural areas of the country.

Combating HIV/AIDS and Teenage Pregnancy Initiative, CAIDS&TPI, said government should devise holistic means to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancy which are prevalent in remote areas and border towns.

Project Director, CAIDS&TPI, Omolola Omolokun, who spoke in Abeokuta at the launch of two books, said an AIDS free generation is achievable and that unwanted pregnancy can be eradicated.

Omolokun who is the co-author of "Adolescence and Teenage Pregnancy - Challenges, Do's and Don'ts" said over 10,000 people have benefited from the initiative from Ogun, Oyo, Imo and Plateau states.

"In 2016, we plan to reach out to the 20 local government areas of Ogun State through distribution of free copies of the books to students and communities."

Founder of the group, Ayodele Omolokun said government should use the books as part of the tools to stop the deadly disease.

Omolokun who co-authored one of the books said they address the causes and factors encouraging the spread of teenage pregnancy, dangers, risk and consequences associated with teenage pregnancy and its

By Sola Ogundipe

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S reactions continue to trail the allocation of N221.7 billion to the health sector by the Federal government as presented by President Mohammadu Buhari to the Senate last week, experts have called on Federal government to ensure adequate human resources and infrastructural development and support.

Government has also been urged to immediately facilitate the entrenchment of a policy for Universal Health Care in health insurance.

Making the call in Lagos, a medical doctor and health insurance expert, Dr Patrick Korie, said for the 2016 budget to make appreciable difference, the medical community and the larger public expect better healthcare access and improved infrastructure.

Korie, who is the Managing Director, Managed Healthcare Services Ltd, MHS, Lagos, argued that health is about wellbeing and three things are required when talking about wellbeing of the people.

Physical infrastructure “We need to look at access to health services beyond the perspective of the presence of the facilities. Having a physical structure called the healthcare facility does not automatically translate to access in medical perspective,” he noted.

Further, Korie observed that the healthcare industry wants facilities that are functional,at the

primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

“To be functional is to have the necessary equipment and manpower, and environment. These must be put in place with the budget so that when people walk into a hospital, there would be assurance that they would get treatment that is comparable with anywhere in the world.”

member, Board of Directors, MHS, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa, said only adoption of Universal Health Care would guarantee good quality health services for Nigerians.

Idahosa said complaints about health insurance emanate either because people don’t participate at all or participate but are not getting the degree of service de-

BRIEFING - From left: Managing Director, Managed Health Services Plc., MHS, Dr. Patrick Korie; Member, Board of Directors, MHS, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa and Head, Finances & Accounts, MHS, Mr. Johnson Omoruyi, during an interaction with the media in Lagos, recently.

He argued that the issue of healthcare tourism is a problem because it is being encouraged by the fact that many Nigerians are compelled to go abroad to seek care that may actually be available locally.

“There is this feeling that the right and functional health fa-

Northern youths award NIMR DG

By Chioma Obinna

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AWARD- From left: Usman Yusuf Abubakar and Yahaya Salisu; Abdulsalam Kazeem both of NYC; Prof. Innocent Ujah, Director General, NIMR, Yaba, Lagos; and Isa Abubakar, President, NYC during the presentation of the “Defender of the Northern Youths Award” by NYC to Ujah in his office, recently.

cilities are not on ground here.

So infrastructural development is very important. The right healthcare personnel and availability of drugs are all very important. If these things are addressed in such a way that people would have faith in the system, things would augur well for Nigeria in this dispensation”.

Noting that the Primary Health

HE Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Yaba, Lagos, Prof Innocent Ujah was recently awarded the Sir Ahmadu Bello Platinum Leadership Peace Award by the Arewa Youth Assembly (AWA).

He was also conferred with the Defender of the Northern Youths Award by the Northern Youth Council.

In a statement, the Deputy Speaker, Arewa Youth Assembly, Dogo Shagari, Deputy Speaker, described Ujah as “personality of a great, visionary and foremost nationalist that has, and continues to provide a standard reference point for this generation, demonstrating a true and selfless

Continues on Page 41

Care, PHC, level is where most Nigerians access health, Korie argued that it must be made ready to function with immediate effect.

“The PHC facilities are not being properly handled by the Local Governments. We must institute an efficient healthcare management system that will enable us tackle categorically the healthcare indices that have been getting.

Using important but basic healthcare statistics is good for planning and projection, so getting these statistics is very important in planning and development matters.”

In an admonition to the Minister of Health, an accountant and

We need to look at access to health services beyond the perspective of the presence of the facilities

sired.

He said the quality of service currently available is poor because there isn't a pool of resources that is large enough to accommodate everybody.

“The first thing to say to the Minister of Health by way of health policy is to work very quickly towards Universal Health Care in insurance.

Basic health insurance “If there is UHC and every person in Nigeria contributes, say N1000, that gives 170 million people giving N1000 a month into a pool of insurance, there will be enough funds to increase capitation.

Then, if you go to the hospital, the basic health insurance plan can be expanded. The reason for the current limitations is because the available pool of funds is too small, but with UHC, this will not be a hindrance. Everything will be covered because the pool of funds will be much.

“So the first thing that we would want the minister to do is to work together with the state, local governments and the private sector to attain UHC where everybody contributes,” he avowed.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016—41

Blind 3yr-old girl seeks N0.6m for heart surgery

By Gabriel Olawale

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N the spirit of the yuletide, Indomie Santa Claus donated gift items to children and mothers at the Paediatrics unit of Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos. Medical equipment were also presented.

Head, Public Relations and Event Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju said it was in the spirit of this season, that the management and staff of Dufil Prima Foods Plc wanted everyone to have something to cheer about during this festive season.

“We want to be part of them, we want to party and merry with them. During our last party, we have children all around coming to a particular place playing, jumping up and down, of course we also recognised that there are some children who would have love to be in that situation but due to their health challenges they are here in the hospital that is why we decided to come and meet them and celebrate with them.”

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HRISTABEL Oluchi Nwaogu, a 3-year old girl that was born blind is in urgent need of a life-saving correction surgery for a hole-in-theheart.

Several years of effort by her parents to find lasting solution has ended in futility. A recent visit to Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, revealed that her suffering is as a result of the hole in her heart which predisposes her to several health challenges.

Narrating his daughter’s ordeal, Mr. Marshall Nwaogu said that his dream of hearing her call him “Daddy” as never come to pass.

“It all started two months after she was born. We noticed that her body was flexible and she didn’t respond to movement of the hands. We took her to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, where we were told that she was too young to be operated and advised us to bring her later.”

Nwaogu who hails from Ikwuano LGA of Abia State explained that Christabel did not walk, talk or hear, normally.

“After two years, cataract surgery enabled her to see partially with the aid of glasses. She was then referred to LUTH for another check up.

“At LUTH, they told us to do ear washing which cost N8,000. Later we were told to do breathing, heart and brain tests. It was the outcome of heart test that revealed Christabel has a hole in her heart. They recommend surgery and advised us to get it done before 2016.”

Indomie donates to Gbagada GH

NIMR DG Christabel.

In a statement signed by Consultant Paediatric Cardiolgist, LUTH, IdiArarba, Dr. E. N Ekure, Christabel suffered delayed development milestones, bilateral cataracts and cardiac murmur. She however recommends anti-failure medication and Patent Ductus Arterosus Closure.

Nwaogu who pleaded to Nigerians for assistance said the total cost of the procedure is N600, 000; N500,000 for the heart surgery, N20,000 for brain

checkup, N30,000 for ear testing and N50,000 for medication.

“They said the hole in her heart is preventing normal flow of blood in her body and is responsible for her predicament. Once they close the hole, everything will be in order,” he noted.

If you are touched by Christabel’s plight, kindly send your donation to Marshall Nwaogu, GT Bank: 0015589801 or contact 08038077515 for further details.

Continues from Page 40 leadership characterized by dynamism and efficiency.”

“This honour is our little way of saying well done, and to spur you to do more and ensure that the health sector through research is well positioned and in line with global health standards.

“At 61, Professor Ujah has continued to serve his fatherland with the energy and vitality of a youth. This is why the Arewa Youth Assembly today brands you as "a 20 year old with 41 years' experience!"

Isa Abubakar, President, NYC, urged Ujah to act as a champion to rally other professionals and eminent persons from to join in the fight against insurgency.

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– Tosin Rabbit vibrators do more for the user because they stimulate in many ways such as dual rotation of the shaft, vibration, pulsation, dedicated clitoral stimulation and dual stimulation. Some rabbit vibrators also thrust in and out to simulate the feeling of actual coital penetration. So rabbits are the best. But realistic toys work too – Uche Happy New Year to you all. Zee Virtual Media has reopened for business and pending orders are now being delivered. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can call us on 08171912551, 08027901621 or 07086754515 for help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com to place their orders. Zee Virtual Media delivers all over Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com- Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Nigeria’s economy, entrepreneurship and banking

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By Dan Mgbolu

N October 2011, at a meeting of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, the office of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a plan to bring a tactical team of business experts from the private sector into the federal government to help streamline the process for letting foreign entrepreneurs into the United States to help ignite a new wave of economic growth.

The Chilean government also put in place a strategy to encourage entrepreneurs irrespective of country of origin. Thus, they came up with a programme where anyone with a compelling startup idea, gets a $40,000 grant from the Chilean government to move to the country and establish the business. The Chilean embassy will grant the person a one-year visa within days. When you arrive in Chile, you will have free offices, fast Wi-Fi and other necessary infrastructure needed to move an enterprise forward.

Between banks and the economy: Banks and financial institutions on the other hand contribute to economic development and the improvement in living standards by providing various services to the rest of the economy through clearing and settlement systems to facilitate trade, channelling financial resources between savers and borrowers, and various products to deal with risk and uncertainty.

The banks’ role as financial intermediaries has a major bearing on how efficiently the economy allocates its resources between competing uses.

A commercial bank is basically a collection of investment capital in search of a good return by granting loans and extending credit to people who can pay it back on the bank’s terms. Thus, banks specialise in assessing the credit worthiness of borrowers and providing an ongoing monitoring function to ensure borrowers meet their obligations.

They are rewarded for these services by the spread between the rates they offer to the accumulated pool of savers, and the rates they offer to potential borrowers.

Potential borrowers This process is at the heart of modern banking.

However, the question can be asked on whether the structure of Nigeria’s financial system is optimal for the economic growth outcomes the country would like to achieve.

It is somewhat difficult to measure the impact of banks financing in providing support for entrepreneurs in Nigeria. However, there have been some success stories and leading lights that signpost Nigeria’s entrepreneurial spirit; Aliko Dangote owns the Dangote group, conglomerate with interests that cover food processing, cement manufacturing, and freight. The company operates in Nigeria and other African countries, including Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Togo, Tanzania, and Zambia. The Dangote Group employs over 11,000 people.

Oba Otudeko, an astute and highly successful investor and entrepreneur whose Honeywell Group invests in diverse sectors It is of the economy since its inception somewhat in 1972 has grown to become one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous difficult to conglomerates. measure The Honeywell Group is now a major diversified group the impact engaged in select businesses in of banks key sectors of the Nigerian economy; namely, foods and financing agro-allied, energy (oil, gas and in power), infrastructure, services providing and real estate, and through other portfolio investments the Group support for is also a significant provider of entrepreneurs capital to other sectors of Nigeria’s economy. Honeywell in Nigeria Group which employs over C M Y K

New Year in Fort Wayne

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10,000 people. In the services sectors, Jim Ovia and Tony Elumelu stand out. Ovia is the promoter and founder of Visafone and was a co-Founder of Zenith Bank Plc while Tony Elumelu is the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa amongst other interests.

These entrepreneurs through their businesses have at certain times enjoyed and continue to enjoy the support of the Nigerian banking and financial system through loans and credits with which the businesses are funded for growth and expansion.

It is fair therefore to conclude that the Nigerian economy is fueled by entrepreneurship and funded by the banks. These two must work hand in hand as one surely cannot exist without the other, the relationship banks have with their customers and businesses must therefore be maintained with a degree of professionalism as expected from a well-regulated sector.

Between banks and entrepreneurs: Due to the numerous risks that are inherent in commercial/ contractual transactions, disputes are often times inevitable. The banker-customer relationship being contractual in nature is not exempted. With the pivotal role of banks in the growth of entrepreneurship in Nigeria, it is essential that there is a strict adherence to professional and ethical standards within the industry and also a framework for the resolution of disputes arising from a departure from established standards and practices.

Customer complaints One of the initiatives set up to address customer complaints and disputes arising from banking practices was the establishment of a subcommittee on “ethics and professionalism” by the Bankers’ Committee. The Bankers’ Committee is an umbrella body comprising the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks.

Whilst the Sub-committee on Ethics and Professionalism has resolved over 1000 cases/ petitions since its establishment in December, 2000, the Sub-committee’s ability to ensure compliance by the Banks with its decisions remains a critical issue. Can entrepreneurs rely on the Sub-committee to ensure that all banks adhere to the code of ethics and professionalism?

Can the decision of the Sub-Committee compel a bank to honour its commitments/responsibilities to a customer? The ongoing situation between Honeywell and Ecobank highlights these issues and the impact they can have on the growth of entrepreneurship and the economy.

Between Honeywell and Ecobank: The facts as publicly available from the ongoing court proceedings as instituted by both parties revealed that Honeywell Group through three of its companies (Anchorage Leisure’s Limited, Siloam Global Services and Honeywell Flour Mills) obtained various banking facilities from Oceanic Bank. These facilities were subsequently inherited by Ecobank Nigeria Limited upon its acquisition of Oceanic Bank.

Y family journeyed some 390 miles (about 630 kilometres) in roughly six hours to visit with and welcome 2016 in the company of my long-time friend, Tony Aduro, and his wonderful family in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Tony and I go way back to our days in Nairobi, Kenya, in the 1990s when we served as officers in the Association of Nigerians in Kenya. Fate brought us back together in the United States and we have kept in touch.

As usual with me whenever I travel long distances in the US, I marvel at the foresight and ingenuity of the forefathers of modern America who had the vision and wisdom to invest in good roads as a stimulant for economic growth and leisure trips. I’ve always believed that one of the few areas where the so-called developed nations beat the rest of us is in their welldeveloped and maintained infrastructure. You drive for six hours or more and you don’t feel any stress. I’ve driven for 13 straight hours alone and hardly noticed anything. My good friend and school mate at the University of Missouri, Tayo Oyedeji, used to drive longer distances, sometimes 17 or more hours, without qualms. Yet, when you drive mere two hours outside the capital cities in some, if not most, African and developing countries, you feel as though you had survived a tough wrestling or kick-boxing context.

If only our governments would pay deserved attention to the development of infrastructure, roads for a start! Here, roads are full of well-managed Rest Areas, which are utility buildings constructed mostly 50 miles apart for the convenience of motorists.

If you felt tired while driving or needed to use the bathroom, you simply stopped at the Rest Area, reenergized and drove on. For people on family trips, and truck drivers who have The to deliver goods to trouble various parts of the country, the with our Rest Areas are leadership, simply utility spots. Of course, including at measured those in intervals, you see highway patrol power, is officers not only to that they check excessive speeding but also are not to give you a ready to sense of security hear as you make your such journey.

The economic truths benefits of such infrastructure are

simply unimaginable: lower costs of goods and more disposable income in the pockets of many; cheaper cost of vehicle maintenance and less fuel consumption; phenomenal increase in trade, employment and ancillary activities. I’m not an economist, but you don’t need to be one to appreciate what reliable infrastructure would do to an economy. As I drove towards Fort Wayne, I thought of one of Nigeria’s great educationists, the late Tai Solarin, a man I had the privilege to interview when I worked for Vanguard newspaper. At the beginning of each year, Comrade Solarin used to write this prayer and wish in his Tribune newspaper column: May your year be rough. It was his way of reminding everyone of the need for hard work and focused agenda for the year.

Let me borrow from the late icon and say to myself, family and friends, and all who bother to read this column: May your year be rough. Still on the smooth drive toward Fort Wayne, I thought of the New Year resolution I was contemplating.

I don’t usually make them. But, this time I thought, why not? I’ve resolved to respectfully tell uncomfortable truths to people around me, especially family and friends, and also to myself. And, I’ve also resolved to accept such truths from others, including my staff, students and colleagues in our school of journalism.

Trouble with followership The trouble with our leadership, including those in power, is that they are not ready to hear such truths; and the trouble with the followership, is that they are too timid to tell them.

That is why our African societies rot away at incredible speed.

Another resolution is to reach out to, and maintain more contact with old acquaintances and buddies in 2016. At times, we all get totally wrapped up in whatever we are doing and pay less and less time to people with whom we share nostalgic moments in the sun. The “very busy” excuse we all seek refuge in to wriggle away from bad habits will no longer be tenable.

We can’t be too busy to extend our hands and give hugs to people who genuinely worry about us.

My thought was also on international politics and governance. I thought about ISIS, Boko Haram, Al-Shaba and other organizations that have insatiable thirst for human blood.

Something tells me that their days will actually, and in the real sense, be rough in 2016.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 43

Oshiomhole: He made a choice for the people

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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N a remarkable session with journalists just before his inauguration for a second term as governor of Edo State in 2012, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole gave an unusual philosophical perspective to his political odyssey.

“I have not built any road in what is generally called the GRA where the big people reside and that is a conscious decision. I have chosen to put public resources in those depressed neighbourhoods where the forgotten majority reside,” Oshiomhole had said.

Hinting at his own inclination to self denial, Oshiomhole added: “I had the choice to build an ultra modern government house, “befitting” for the first family but I would rather prefer to build an ultra modern hospital which is currently under construction where majority of the people can have access to, rather than a government house where they will be locked out. Again, it is the cost of choice.”

While his assertion may well be challenged by his political critics, the comrade governor’s mission to direct the resources of the state towards the benefit of the greater majority may well have won him a place of significance in the hearts of the majority of the people.

Reconstructing 5 confusion to 5 junction Not surprisingly, some, especially the bourgeoisies see him as a disruptive leader determined to impede their claim to the commonwealth. It is a cross Oshiomhole, however, bears with great aplomb.

Oshiomhole’s path to folk hero, however, was not surprising for two major reasons. First, as the immediate past president of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC just before he contested the 2007 governorship election, he had won fame for his pro masses chants and claims. Second, the yawning crave for good governance in the first eight years after the return of democratic rule had reached a peak by the time Oshiomhole contested the governorship election in 2007.

Indeed, given the situation he met on ground at the time he belatedly got his mandate in November 2008, it was generally assumed that he could not have gone below the benchmark he inherited from the substantive PDP administration that preceded him. The rebuilding programmes commenced by the short-lived Oserheinmen Osunbor administration took another life of its own a year or so after his inauguration in 2008 with a frenzy that literally transformed the state especially in the area of road infrastructure.

Perhaps the most conspicuous testimonial of Oshiomhole’s stewardship in the area of road C M Y K

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole infrastructure is 5 Junction, an intersection where five roads meet in the heart of Benin-City, the state capital. 5 Junction had over time won the sobriquet “5 Confusion”, on account of the horrendous time faced by motorists whenever it rained, no matter how briefly. While city dwellers could avoid it by bypassing the junction, out of state travellers with limited knowledge of the city were often trapped at the junction for hours.

However, two years after Oshiomhole came in, the confusion in 5 Junction began to clear as it was integrated into the massive N30 billion Benin storm water Master Plan, a scheme conceived to eliminate the flooding that tended to paralyse motor traffic in the ancient town.

Besides Five Junction, the streets in the adjoining neighbourhood where Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia lives were almost wholly transformed with street lights.

Besides Benin-City, roads in far flung places of the state from Igbanke, the Ika speaking area in the eastern flank of the state to once forsaken sections of the state in the north benefited from new roads or rehabilitation of dilapidated roads. According to records the Oshiomhole administration has awarded contracts of N121.6 billion for the

Given his antecedents in labour, it is also not surprising that Oshiomhole in his more than seven years as governor has also impacted on the political psyche of the citizenry

construction of roads across urban and rural areas of the state.

Remarkably, both newly built roads and those reconstructed are designed to have surface and underground drainage systems to prolong the lifespan of the roads.

Shinning out to enhance the beauty of the Oshiomhole’s road infrastructure projects is the beautification programmes that have basically enhanced the urban renewal programme of the administration. As part of this, trees and flowers have been planted in strategic sections of some urban towns, especially Benin.

Red roof revolution Another imprint of Oshiomhole’s stewardship in Edo State is what has been termed as the Red Roof Revolution in the state’s public schools. As part of an elaborate rehabilitation scheme, about half of the state’s public schools have been rebuilt with their characteristic red roofs to differentiate them from the structures the government inherited in 2008.

Administration officials claim that its intervention through the renovation and equipping of public schools has reversed the flow of students from public institutions to private schools.

Besides the rebuilding of structures, the education sector

has under Oshiomhole been subjected to stringent restructuring with initiatives to boost capacity of teachers. Just as it has done in the education sector, the administration is also positively impacting the health sector through building and rebuilding health facilities in all 18 local government areas of the state, and also, injecting modern equipment to boost the capacity of the state’s health care system.

Unarguably, the star attraction is the modernisation of the Central Hospital, Benin City, a hospital that was first built in 1903.

The hospital is now being upgraded to a tertiary referral facility while new hospitals are also being built in Ewohimi in the Central Senatorial District and Otuo in the Northern Senatorial District.

Governor Oshiomhole has also since 2102 administered free medical care for the elderly above 60 years and school pupils. Given his antecedents in labour, it is also not surprising that Oshiomhole in his more than seven years as governor has also impacted on the political psyche of the citizenry. Though hotly disputed by his political critics, one of Oshiomhole’s earlier political chants, one man one vote, has become a political refrain that has distilled into the consciousness of nearly all in the state.

Governor Oshiomhole may have grieved some with his repeated vocal bombardments, but those utterances have neither created potholes on the many rebuilt roads in the state nor collapsed the rebuilt school buildings dotted around the state.

For daring to make a bold difference in infrastructure when he had the choice of doing little or nothing, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole wins Vanguard’s Award of Governor of the Year, 2015.

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

•Fast food joint

How Megacity restaurants turned goldmines

By Monsuru Olowoopejo with Agency reports

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OOD is one of the most basic human needs. Everyone, including the rich and poor, must eat to survive. As more people living in Lagos Megacity cannot find the time, convenience or skill to cook for themselves, eating at fast food and casual dining restaurants is rapidly on the rise.

The demand for prepared foods in the city is massive and no one restaurant or fast food chain may be able to satisfy the market.

The African restaurant and fast food market is estimated to be worth over $100 billion every year.

Local restaurants: There is no doubt that the rapid growth in the Quick Service Restaurant, QSR, market and increased urbanisation and changing work roles have conditioned Nigerian consumers to adjust to a new way of life An historical excursion into the Nigerian consumption pattern shows that fast food in the traditional sense is not new to Nigeria. It began with the corner seller of suya, akara (fried bean cakes), roasted plantain, fried yam, and roasted corn, which are an age-old feature of many Nigerian towns. Local operators C M Y K

of such shops used to serve snacks for those on the go, from little children to working adults.

While traditional fast food delicacies still remain as well as mobile market fast food vendors, analysts believe that what has contributed significantly to the growth of fast food restaurants in Nigeria has been increased urbanisation and changing work roles.

By mid 80s when the UAC Group entered Nigerian market with Mr. Biggs, to cater the culinary needs of the upwardly mobile working class people, the innovation was second to none.

Marketing decisions This explained why it was touted by many analysts as one of the most insightful marketing decisions the group has embarked upon in recent times.

It was over two decades after it had started as coffee shops inside Kingsway Department Stores and 13 years after the shops were rebranded as Kingsway Rendezvous, which then became Mr. Biggs in 1986.

It was not long however before the leadership of Mr. Biggs was challenged by competitions, the

fact that it was the first in the industry notwithstanding.

Why is the demand for QSRs growing?

City lifestyle is one the key drivers of demand for food service businesses like fast food outlets and dine-in restaurants in Lagos.

Because of the demands on their time, people living in the city are increasingly unlikely to cook their own meals. They prefer to have a decent meal without the hassle of going to the market to buy food stuffs, cook or wash dishes.

Due to reasons of convenience (and maybe low cost), eating out has become a growing and popular trend in the Megacity This trend is still in its early stages in Africa and is bound to explode. A recent study reveals that up to 40 percent of Africa’s population now lives in cities.

Africa as a continent is more urbanized than India (30 percent) and nearly as urbanized as China (45 percent).

Currently, 52 African cities have a population of more than one million people. By 2016, over 500 million Africans will live in cities and the number of cities with more than one million people will reach 65.

As the size of African cities and towns continues to expand, the demand for more convenient eating options is bound to go through the roof.

Seeing this opportunity, many home grown and international restaurant chains are already entering the African market and are fast becoming popular destinations in many of Africa’s major cities.

Aside from the demand for basic meals, a growing number of Africans have developed a taste for, and can now afford, fine, foreign and up scale delicacies.

In addition to the higher

Because of the demands on their time, people living in city are increasingly unlikely to cook their own meals. They prefer to have a decent meal without the hassle of going to the market to buy food stuff, cook or wash dishes

earning power of Africa’s middle class, rapid economic growth has attracted a lot of foreigners to the continent. As a result, ethnocentric restaurants like those that specialise in Chinese, Italian, Thai and Indian cuisine have become a common feature in many African cities.

However, the tastes and demands of the African market are very diverse. This makes it very difficult for any one restaurant type or business to dominate the food service market in Africa.

Types of restaurants Fast food and Quick Service Restaurant–These are basically the most common type of restaurants right now. While many of them are corner booths and stalls that cater to the common man on the street, up scale versions like Kentucky Fried Chicken, KFC,cater to higher-income segments of the market.

A fast food restaurant, sometimes known as a quick service restaurant or QSR, usually features a very limited menu. The food is normally cooked in bulk, in advance and is kept warm (or hot) throughout the day.

In QSRs, customers are very likely to give their orders at a counter near where the food can be eaten within the restaurant its is packaged and taken away.

Some other fast food outlets sell snacks like hamburgers, pizza, barbecues and a variety of other quick meals and foods.

To be concluded

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5 , 2016 — 45

C M Y K

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA; Take note that others may break promises made before early afternoon period; that is to say you should not take anybody for granted before 12.43pm.

SCORPIO; Although friends are willing to assist you circumstances may not allow complete help as expected.

9.46am to 12.43pm can be a bit sensitive…..

SAGITTARIUS; Emphasis will continue to be on career related issues. However you will not be wrong if you take matters-of-the-heart more seriously now. Be more loving.

CAPRICORN; Mid-morning till early afternoon period may bring more promises than it can actually deliver; your being clever will see you through. Be very practical.

AQUARIUS; Continue to attach necessary importance to your family values. Here is a day when joint ventures can bring you under pressure between 9.46am and 12.43pm.

PISCES; Other people will continue to feature in your activities; that is to say you will need to be as co-operative as reason permits. Watch it between 9.46am&12.43pm.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

A

MBITION is what you want to achieve. It could be long term,it could be medium, it could also be for the

No Future Ambition? short term.It is a good thing for every human to be ambitious. A man(woman) without ambition is like a car

TERROR MUDA

without driver.

Such a car cannot move forward.It is ambition that propels the man to strive,to stress

in “Never say goodbye”

and to challenge himself to attain seemingly unattainable goals. A man without ambition is a man without future.

What is your ambition?

By Lanre

ARIES; You will be in good position to consolidate on progress made yesterday. However you will need to watch your mood from 9.46am to 12.43pm.

TAURUS; It is important you don’t take things for granted around mid-morning and early afternoon period so that you will not run into avoidable disappointments.

GEMINI; If you are in position to control your actions you would fare better if you can wait till after 12,43pm before you make an important move. Be family minded.

CANCER; Your being receptive can enhance your prospects but that is not to say you have to be naïve, especially during mid-morning and early afternoon periods.

LEO; Success is boldly printed on your cards and like yesterday if priority attention is given to money the scope of your success will be wider.

VIRGO; Although things may be happening around you, you are the right person to make things happen and give others opportunities.. Be wise.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat tr ological datee and place of bir th ttoo the As Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What about Sagittarius?

Dear Joshua, I want you to tell me characteristics of my Star; Sagittarius as you have done to others.

Adenuga, Ibadan.

Dear Adenuga, BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SAGITTARIUS Sagittarius is a mutable sign by its quality. It‘s element is fire, symbolised by half horse half man and/ or an Archer aiming at the sky. Mutable means changes and experimentation, while fire is all about enthusiasm, taking of the initiative and leadership ability. Thus, you are the type that will exhibit strong interest in an important project that catches your fancy and you will not mind to experiment with ideas just to achieve your objectives and aims. Sagittarius is the 9th sign of the Zodiac that rules philosophy, RELIGION, law, foreign land, higher mind/higher institutions, lawyer, long (distance) travelling, in-laws, future, optimism and bluntness. Major problem or weak points of Sagittarians are excessive openness/bluntness and sometimes fanatical approach to religion.

Being a born adventurer, you are not afraid of exploration and new beginning. Sagittarians are incurable optimist and ever ready to listen to and eager to believe others; you are not an exception. Honesty is truly in your inner self You are a tolerant person but you are not ready to compromise your FREEDOM. Sagittarius as a fire sign can make you a quick tempered person. Half horse half man as the symbol, of Sagittarius indicates dual (double) personalities known in different circle with different personalities.

Yet, you are not a pretender. As the Archer aims arrow into the sky also Sagittarians have many lofty ideas and ambition.

But sometimes their ideas and/or ideals are not practical enough for realisation. Many times, they start too many things at a time only to either forget or lose view of their original targets. Development of practical approach is more important for Sagittarians, this is in order to make success of many of their brilliant ideas, otherwise they tend to become dreamers. In reality, Sagittarians are dreamers (by this 1 mean real dream many use to have at night) and many of their dreams usually come to pass. Sometimes their dreams are vividly prophetic.

Sagittarians are born philosophers, that is why they have well developed minds indispensable to rare wisdom. Then, you are humorous, lively, sports loving out going, energetic, good hearted, in love with experimentation, ever willing to co-operate, socially inclined, enthusiastic and highly intelligent. As intelligent as you are, you can surprisingly appear fanatical about your believe and/or views.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 — 47

Calabar remains host of National Sports Festival

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

C

ALABAR, the cap ital of Cross River State remains the host city of the National Sports Festival Games in 2016. Disclosing this yesterday at an interactive

session with reporters in Lagos, the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung said he has received assurances from the Cross River State government that they were committed to hosting a befitting and successful festival this year.

The Minister, while noting that the festival was postponed at the instance of host state be-

cause of the harsh economic situation of 2015 and transition programme that gulped a lot of funds, said that the host state has since communicated with his office that they are in good position to host Nigerian athletes at a date to be

Zidane: I’ll do my all for this club

Access Bank Lagos City Marathon:

Dalung urges other Govs to emulate Ambode

T

HE Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Barr Solomon Dalung on Monday urged other state Governors in Nigeria to emulate the giant strides of the executive governor of Lagos State Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode especially in the areas of sports and entertainment. The Minister made the remark when he visited the Lagos City Marathon office located at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Mr. Christian Ohaa, the Director General Mallam Alhasan Yakmut, Director Sports Mrs. Hauwa Kulu-Akinyemi and the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, Nneka Ikem Anibeze.

Dalung told the Chairman of the Organizing Committee Hon. Deji Tinubu who was accompanied by the Director

Continues from BP and what did the minister see? – an old, disused and abandoned facility which, if well maintained, could save the country a lot of funds and generate more to the federation account.

Although renovation work is ongoing, the minister was not satisfied with the pace of work which we later gathered was stopped because the ministry had considered concessioning the facility to private hands.

“I have been told stories about the abandonment of sports facilities in Lagos but I didn’t consider the situation as serious and embarrassing as I found out today. It is a sad story,” Dalung said at a post-tour briefing at the National Stadium. He pointed out that the movement of the seat of power to Abuja was not enough reason for the abandonment of facilities in Lagos or any

C M Y K

General of Lagos State Sports Commission Mr. Ayo Agbesanwa, General Manager Marathon Yussuf Alli and Protem Secretary and Head of Media Olukayode Thomas that within a short period Governor Ambode has set the pace for other Governors in entertainment and sports. He recalled that during the festive period Governor Ambode was on the streets in every nook and crannies of Lagos celebrating with the people, “this Lagos City Marathon is the master stroke.

I commend Governor Ambode for his foresight in reviving the culture of full marathon in Nigeria after 30 years”.

Hon. Tinubu the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor and Chairman of the Lagos Sports Commission thanked the Honourable Minister for not only visiting the marathon office, but also signing on for the race.

Dalung other part of the country, for that matter. “The idea of concentrating on Abuja and neglecting other areas will not promote national unity, national cohesion and national development. We must take critical decisions on what to do with our facilities. They belong to all Nigerians.” The minister identified instability in the leadership of the supervisory ministry and the attitude of those who are supposed to take care of the facilities as reason for the poor state of the facilities.

“Lack of stable leadership in the ministry is a major cause. A situation where you find a minister lasting less than one year in office is not good enough for consistent policy implementation.

Some of the decisions on facilities are so critical that cannot be reached in Six months,” he said,

ratified after the next Council of State sports meeting.

“We can assure our athletes that the National Sports Festival will hold this year and Calabar, the original host remains the host city of the festival”, said Dalung.

*Zidane

“I’m going to do everything I can to make the best for this club,” said Zidane after his appointment.

“It’s a very important day for me. What I can tell you is that I will give everything or this club.

“Ever since I arrived as a player I knew how great this club was.

“We have the best fans in the world and the best club in the world and I’ll do everything to win.”

CHAN: Eagles arrive Rwanda Jan 15

T

HE Super Eagles are due to fly out to Kigali, Rwanda, for the 2016 CHAN on January 15, officials have announced. The team arrived Pretoria, South Africa, for a training camp on Saturday to meet up with coach Sunday Oliseh, who joined up from his base in Europe.

They will play their first warm-up match on Wednesday in Pretoria against another CHANbound team, Angola.

They are also slated to tackle Cote d’Ivoire in another test game on January 11, also in South Africa. adding that poor maintenance culture in Nigerians was another factor.

The minister, however affirmed that as soon as he was back at his desk, and after due consultation with relevant officers, decisions affecting the facilities would be taken in no time.

He also called on corporate Nigeria to intervene in the development of sports in the country as government alone cannot develop sports.

But he was aware of the lack of confidence among corporate bodies investing in sports.

“Lack of transparency in the management of resources by the various sports federations have done a lot of damage in that respect,” he said, adding, “I want to assure the corporate bodies that we will work together and ensure all that is changed. We are calling on them to invest in sports as government alone cannot do it.”

•Chikatara

Continues from BP

has appeared on the wall for some time.

Madrid president Florentino Perez called an emergency board meeting on Monday after which it was confirmed Benitez had been dismissed and Zidane drafted in.

The former France midfielder made over 150 appearances for Madrid between 20012006 before starting his coaching career in 2013 under then Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.

He then assumed control of Castilla - Real Madrid’s reserve side during which time he gained his UEFA Pro Licence.

Reward

get paid. Sports is a global earner and we must do our bit to encourage our youths who use it as a means of survival.

They not only give us joy on the pitch or track or pool but also bring glory to this country, which is why we must always encourage them at every turn of the corner.

“In this line, President Buhari will be rewarding the Golden Eaglets, D’Tigers and other teams who won continental and international competitions for Nigeria last year. The ceremony will be taking place in the third week of January and all the athletes who have done this country proud will be rewarded by the President”, said Dalung.

Continues from BP with reporters in Lagos, the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung also informed that members of the 1985 Golden Eaglets squad that won the first FIFA U-16 Kodak Cup were recently rewarded

by President Buhari for their historic feat in China.

Observing that it was demoralising for athletes to go unrewarded after giving their all to win laurels for the country, the Minister said the present administration was going to do its best to encourage athletes to achieve their potentials by way of incentives and rewards.

“We frown at situations where you work and don’t

Sports Minister Continues from BP administrations, who despite promises to revamp it, merely allocated funds shared by their cronies while the national edifice laid fallow, Dalung, clad in his trademark short sleeve and khaki trousers, with a striking red-beret to match, said the swimming pool complex was critical to the sports development plan of President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

He told the contractor of the project, who looked visibly shaken by the tone and facial expression of the minister that the government was going to follow through on ensuring that the project was delivered for use to Nigerian swimmers at the end of March.

Madrid

ing start to the season with Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Valencia leaving Madrid third in La Liga, four points adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid and two behind arch-rivals Barcelona, who also have a game in hand.

Results on the pitch only tell half the story, though, with persistent rumours that senior players at the Santiago Bernabeu were underwhelmed by Benitez’s cautious approach.

And with fans also voicing their disapproval Benitez’s name was loudly whistled when read out ahead of the game against Real Sociedad on December 30 - the writing

Warning that he was going to hold Ojez to his word, a boiling Dalung said “I’m a very mathematical person, so if you tell me to come back after 100 years, I would go and surely return at the end of 100 years. With what you have told me today (yesterday), I will go and expect that this complex will be ready for swimmers to start diving in by March ending.

“If this project is not delivered by the end of the first quarter, we are going to follow you with everything that you don’t want. I don’t pay contractors who use the money we give them to change their number plates to more fanciful and customised ones or buy expensive gifts for their girlfriends to impress them”, added

Dalung.

He was also unimpressed with the on-site work being done as he inspected, noting that it seemed more of a political show to impress him, adding that he expects the workers to continue working on site until the job was completed by the end of the first quarter.

“I can see people working everywhere, obviously because the minister ’s coming, so they all came out to impress me.

I understand this kind of behaviour but I don’t want to see this work as a political gimmick, so that when I leave here, the workers will leave.

This work must continue and I will be monitoring it so that we can achieve what we set out for ”, said Dalung.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Madrid sack Benitez, turn to Zidane

R

State of sports facilities in Lagos:

EAL Madrid have sacked head coach Rafael Benitez after just seven months in charge and appointed Zinedine Zidane as his successor.

Benitez, 55, has paid the price for an uninspir Continues on Page 47

A sad story – Dalung

TIME OUT: Benitez

BY JACOB AJOM

M

•Dalung

INISTER of Sports, Solomon Dalung yesterday came face to face with the rot, neglect and abandonment that surmised the derelict state of facilities under his commission, scattered all over Lagos.

The minister who began his facility tour from Sea School, Apapa drove into the famed Games Village in Surulere at exactly 12.02 pm with a retinue of aides that included the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Alhassan Yakmut, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Christian

Ohaa, the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, directors, deputy directors, scores of journalists, among others.

A staff of the ministry was on hand to guide the minister round the expansive Games Village Continues on Page 47

Sports Minister warns Ojez over swimming complex act to the contractor hanBY JOHN EGBOKHAN

T

HE Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung has read the riot

Reward for Eaglets, D’Tigers, U-23 Eagles, African others soon Eaglets, basketball champions,

BY SOLOMON NWOKE D’Tigers and the other teams that won laurels R E S I D E N T for Nigeria in 2015 in the M o h a m m a d u third week of January.

Buhari will reward world Speaking at a parley champions, Golden Continues on Page 47

P

dling the rehabilitation of the swimming pool complex of the National Stadium in Lagos, Joseph Odebeatu, alias Ojex to complete the project before the end of the first quarter of the year or face the consequences.

Speaking during the inspection of the Olympic size swimming complex built in 1972 and used to host the All Africa Games a year after but left to rot away by successive Continues on Page 47

QUICK CR OSS WORD CROSS OSSWORD

TODAY'S PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Respond (5) 7 Pointer (5) 8 Eject (5) 10 Erect (5) 12 Owns (3) 13 War-horse (5) 15 Polluted (7) 17 Cashier (6) 19 Taxi (3) 20 Fiendish (7) 23 Tardy (4) 25 Excursion (4) 26 Appeared (7) 30 Wonder (3) 31 Moisten (6) 34 Foolishness (7) 37 Length (5) 38 Snake (3) 39 Fish (5) 40 Trivial (5) 41 Farm-birds (5) 42 Beneath (5)

DOWN 1 Combine (5) 2 Revolt (5) 3 Oozed (6) 4 Frigid (4) 5 Show (7) 6 Beleaguer (5) 9 Friend (3) 11 Deciphered (7) 13 Booth (5) 14 Chosen (5) 16 Enthusiast (3) 18 Subdue (7) 21 Vault (5) 22 Backbone (5) 24 Originate (7) 27 Sheep (3) 28 Harm (6) 29 Tag (5) 32 Measure (5) 33 Delete (5) 35 Spot (3) 36 Rotate (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Aroma 7, Hand 8, Slight 9, Dress 11, Cur 13, Mar 15, Reel 16, Lap 18, Fate 19, Deliver 20, Aver 22, Erse 23, Damaged 25, Open 27, Led 28, Here 30, Rid 31, Did 33, Wreck 36, Solace 37, Idea 38, Titan.

DOWN: 1, Vague 2, Add 3, Ode 4, Ass 5, Win 5, Cheat 10, Seal 11, Creator 12, Receded 13, Married 14, Renewed 16, Legal 17, Piled 18, Fee 21, Ran 24, Gear 26, Pivot 29, Risen 32, Pad 33, Wet 34, Eft 35, Kin.

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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