Why FG's not charging Diezani, others now

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62507

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS:

I spent N333m, not N64bn, Jonathan replies El-Rufai 8

N1.68trn cash inflow eases banks' liquidity

9

ALLEGED OIL SECTOR FRAUD:

‘Why FG's not charging Diezani, others now’

By Soni Daniel, Northern Regional Editor & Dapo Akinrefon

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BUJA — AS anxiety mounts over the identities of suspects arrested alongside former Petroleum Minister, Diezani AlisonMadueke, indications emerged last night that

•Investigation still on-going, says security source •Ex-NNPC official faces arrest •I'm not shocked by Diezani's arrest, says Sagay

Continues on Page 5

NASS planning immunity laws for Senate President, House Speaker, CJN 8

Mr & Mrs

SYMPATHY—President Muhammadu Buhari, his aides and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State (right) during the President's visit to survivors of the Abuja bomb blasts, at the Trauma Centre of the National Hospital, Abuja, yesterday.

COLUMNISTS:

Growing up, looking back •P.43 C M Y K

MPC and the blind leading the blind •P.40

Buhari and other ministers: Random musings •P.46

Labour alleges brutalization of Defence Ministry staff 9

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POCKET CARTOON

DEMOLISHED—Houses and shops close to the L.E.A Primary School along Lagos Street, Kaduna being demolished, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

‘Why FG's not charging Diezani, others now’ Continues from Page 1 she and other suspects might not be charged to court in Nigeria soon.

This came as chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), said he was not shocked about the former minister’s arrest, especially as she had earlier been indicted by the Senate, noting, however, that his committee had no role to play in her prosecution.

According to a top security official working with one of the anti-crime agencies, the reason is that investigation into the money laundering case and bribery is yet to be concluded.

The official, who spoke in confidence with

Vanguard last night, said that the investigation had not reached a point of pressing charges against the suspects, citing the length of time it took both Nigerian and British security agencies to investigate a former political office holder, before trial.

The official said: “Look, the idea of charging Diezani or any of the suspects to court does not arise now because investigation is going on in Nigeria and overseas.

“You will recall that it took some years to investigate the case of a former political office holder in Nigeria and London before we arrived at a decision to charge him to court,” the security source said in response to Vanguard's enquiry last

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

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DOUBTFUL and double minded man makes little out of life. Whether you think you are able to or not, you are just right. You become what you believe. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves —J. Barrie

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HEN pure love takes over your life, you become a being full of compassion and less critical of others. You learn to love unconditionally.

And everyone and everything is seen as an extension of yourself. We are all kindred spirits. Love is caught never taught and the spirit of generosity becomes imbed from within and when you walk into a room, people cheer up because you make a difference.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

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HEN a ladder can no longer reach the roof top, it becomes firewood

night.

That notwithstanding, the British national crime agency has ordered Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke and four other suspects, who were arrested and released on conditional bail last Friday, to report today at the Charing Cross Police Station.

There were fears that they could be charged today or this week for their alleged involvement in money laundering and bribery.

Ex-NNPC official faces arrest

But as the investigation progresses, a top-ranking former official of a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, might be picked up by security agencies as part of the probe of the former minister going on in London and Nigeria.

A source close to the matter, told Vanguard that the top ex-oil official from the South-South, who held sway in many NNPC subsidiaries before working directly with the embattled former minister, ran into trouble because of numerous questionable deals he allegedly effected during the period.

The man is described by many top oil sector officials as someone who aided and abetted many financial misdeeds, which caused the national oil firm a fortune during Mrs Allison-Madueke’s tenure.

Although the official was surreptitiously removed from office shortly after the

minister left office last May, the man is said to be under the radar of both Nigerian and British security agencies.

It could not also be established last night whether he would be picked up and moved to London as part of the investigation by the British National Crime Agency, NCA. A source in NNPC described the former official in question as having played a key role in causing the state oil firm to lose huge sums of money to private pockets through questionable deals sanctioned by political influence.

The other two oil barons reportedly arrested alongside the former oil minister, were said to be her close business associates who had their way in virtually all major oil deals in the NNPC when the minister was in charge.

Both suspects, said to be from the South-West were reported to wield considerable financial muscle, having also benefitted immensely from the subsidy regime of the last administration, which cost the nation a whopping N1.2 trillion yearly from the N425 billion, which the Yar’Adua regime spent.

One of the suspects, aged 21, is said to be related to the former minister but his identity was still being kept under wraps by the NCA as at last night.

An official of the British National Crime Agency, who spoke with Vanguard, had explained that the identities of all the

suspects would only be unveiled at the point of charging them to court.

The official explained that the law establishing the NCA does not allow it to name those being investigated before charging them to court.

The official said: “Indeed, we cannot name the five persons who were arrested and granted police conditional bail until we are ready to charge them to court.

“The law does not permit us to do so and we will release appropriate information to the media as the case progresses,” the official said in response to an enquiry by Vanguard.

The Presidency has washed off its hands in the current ordeal of the former minister and her accomplices, saying, however, that the arrests might be Britain’s response to the recent plea by President Muhammadu Buhari to world leaders to help Nigeria recover its stolen wealth. The Senior Special Assistant on Media to the President, Garba Shehu, is reported to have confirmed this to a television station when asked to confirm whether the arrest of the former minister by Britain was requested by the Presidency.

I'm not shocked, says Sagay

Reacting to the arrest and subsequent bail of former Pretroleum Minister, Diezani AllisonMadueke, chairman of the newly constituted Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) said he was not shocked and threw his weight behind the former minister’s arrest.

Sagay, in a chat with Vanguard last night, said: "That is the correct thing to do, it is to be expected.

No one is surprised because we all knew her story, even when she was

minister, we all know the number of times she was indicted by the Senate.

Her story is out there, it is no shock to me at all.”

Asked about the role of his committee on the issue, he said: “We are not an executive agency, we don’t arrest, we don’t prosecute. Our role is more of co-ordination of the activities of various agencies.

"We deliberate and find out what their shortcomings are, what can make them more effective, what they need in order to combat corruption effectively. We make recommendations to make them stronger and more effective, we also look at the whole administrative justice system, see the weakness in them, why cases are taking such a long time, why the prosecutions are failing.

"What we are doing is to make the system stronger and more effective. We also ensure cooperation among the ICPC and EFCC and Department of State Service."

On whether his committee will be advising the Federal Government to extradite Mrs Allison-Madueke, he answered in the negative, adding that it was “the work of the Ministry of Justice”.

On the possibility of his committee appearing in a London court to give evidence, Sagay said his committee would not be appearing in court, stressing again that it was the job of the Ministry of Justice.

On whether or not evidence will be sent against her to the UK if necessary, Sagay said that was the job of the EFCC. ‘’Let me tell you what we do. We will strengthen the EFCC to do its job. For example, we can help them in training for investigation, prosecution but when it comes to actual activity, they are the ones to do it. We are behind the scene.”

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

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Gospel musician, Yinka Ayefele escapes lynching by hoodlums in Ondo A

By Dayo Johnson

KURE—A popular musician, Yinka Ayefele, narrowly escaped being lynched weekend at Ijare area of Ondo State as some hoodlums went on rampage and vandalized his vehicles and musical instruments.

Some of his band boys, however, were not as lucky as they were beaten silly when the hoodlums discovered that their leader had escaped from the scene of a party in the town.

They complained that Ayefele got N3 million for the performance and could not drop anything for the local boys in the town.

Reports had it that about 15 persons were wounded as the hoodlums vent their anger on

those invited to a burial ceremony held at Odo Oja street in the town.

Ayefele was in the town to perform at the burial of 85-yearold Madam Ebunoluwa Lydia Odumakinde.

He was reportedly smuggled out of the town as the hoodlums went wild due to his refusal to settle them for performing in the town.

Eyewitness account said the hoodlums reportedly sent their leader to Ayefele band leader to ask for the “ boys settlement” but was turned down.

Angered by the feedback from their leader, the hoodlums were said to have mobilised others to the venue of the party as

another person was reportedly sent to the leader of the band who told them that there was no provision for them.

Sensing that the hoodlums were poised for a showdown, t he band leader pleaded with them to exercise patience till the end of the party when their boss would be informed.

Vanguard learned that the hoodlums after the assurance, placed themselves in strategic positions to be able to monitor the movement of the musician.

Eyewitness said the hoodlums became unruly when they were later told that their boss turned down their request.

The big tent under which the party took place, tables and chairs were reportedly damaged, while bottles were recklessly broken by the rampaging

hoodlums.

Vanguard gathered that Ayefele was, thereafter, smuggled out of the venue of the party as the hoodlums surged towards where he was staying ( back stage).

Hell was let loose as the hoodlums descended on those who were eating and drinking after enjoying the performance of Ayefele.

Normalcy was later restored after over one hour of disruption of the party by the hoodlums.

Contacted, the new spokesman of the state police command, Femi Joseph, said there was no official report of the incident.

But a police officer at Ijare, told Vanguard that the timely intervention of policemen in the town saved the situation from degenerating into a full blown crisis.

3 dead as traditional tree wreaks havoc in Nsukka E

By Francis Igata

NUGU—AT least three persons were confirmed dead, at Obolloafor Market square in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, following heavy rainfall which fell a tree reportedly used as a deity by the community.

The market,situated along Enugu-Makurdi Expressway, where the tree, known as Ukwuakpa fell, was said to be an outlet for Akatakpa masquerades during festive period, even as residents have cried out over the nefarious activities of masquerades in the area who maim, rob, kidnap unsuspecting victims under its cloak.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that prayers had been said severally at the traditional shrine which the tree symbolises, following incessant attacks of masquerades on hapless residents.

Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Enugu Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, DSP, said the

victims affected were a mother, daughter and mechanic.

“The incident occurred during a rainfall which killed a woman

and her little baby, identified as Ijeoma Ojobor, and Chibueze Ojobor as well as a mechanic, also identified as Eze Romanus.

“The mechanic was taking his lunch in one of the shops around the tree when the tree fell. Some

persons like one Obetta Ikechukwu was seriously injured and was rushed by sympathizers to the hospital at Obolloafor where he is being treated,” the police spokesperson revealed.

PROTEST: Residents of Badia and Amukoko protesting alleged hike in electricity tarrif by EEDisco in Lagos, weekend.

39 homeless as fire razes makeshift buildings in Lagos

By Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—OVER 39 families have been rendered homeless and property worth several millions of naira destroyed in four fire that occurred weekend in different parts of Lagos.

It was learned that the inferno razed several makeshift buildings in three densely populated areas of Lagos.

One of the incidents was an overnight fire that destroyed about 20 makeshift houses at Ikota second gate area of Lekki, while the second razed six rooms at Raliatu Close, Sango Tedo, also at Lekki.

The third fire which occured at

No.11 Otunba Gani Adams Road, Abule Ado area of Ojo claimed about 12 rooms in a bungalow.

Though, no life was lost in all the incidents, rescuers said property worth millions were destroyed, while over 39 families had been rendered homeless.

One of the occupants in the makeshift buildings at Ikota, said he was jolted from sleep at about 1 am, following an alarm raised by one of them.

But initial effort to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings proved abortive, because of the absence of water in the community.

Some of the desperate youths were said to have rushed to a

canal close to the community, while others struggled to get water from two wells to douse the fire.

But before they could do anything meaningful, the fire had spread to other buildings, making their mission impossible.

Octogenarian brutalised in Delta for witchcraft

By Ochuko Akuopha

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LEH—AN-85-year old woman, (identity withheld) narrowly escaped lynching at Oleh, headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, weekend, for allegedly confessing to practising witchcraft.

It was gathered that the w e i r d - l o o k i n g octogenarian was found in a swampy spot around Ogbemudia road area of the metropolis in the early hours of Friday.

Sources said residents of the area had at about 3am heard the sound of someone wailing in the neighbourhood, saying the people who held back for fear of the unknown, came out from their homes at about 5.30 am to figure out what the problem was.

On locating the spot where the sound was coming from, a source in the neighbourhood said the elderly woman, who was clad in a blouse and a piece of cloth tied around her waist was found lying on the ground.

“When they got there, they discovered that she could barely walk, so they raised an alarm and gradually a crowd began to gather. ‘’When she was brought out from the swamp, they interrogated her and she confessed that she was a witch. She actually said she was on her way from a night party when she found herself in the pit,” a source who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

The source said her confession drew the ire of the people who brutalised, hitting her with all sorts of objects.

He said the woman was, however, rescued by some of her children and men of Oleh vigilante team who stormed the scene and dispersed the crowd.

Badia, Amukoko residents protest hike in electricity tarrif come to our aid,’ ‘stop playing

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By Ebere Aham

AGOS—RESIDENTS of Badia and Amukoko areas of Lagos, took to the streets weekend, to protest continuous increment of their electricity tariff

by Eko Electricity Distribution’s sub station.

The residents, numbering over 150 ,also accused staff of the

electricity distribution company of bringing outrageous bills at the end of each month for services that was never rendered to them.

The protesters, who marched through Amusun street to Gaskiya road in Badia, carried placards, some of which read; ‘stop crazy bills’ ‘electricity bills is higher than house rent’, ‘government,

on our intelligence ‘ etc.

Expressing displeasure over what they described as arbitrary increase in electricity tariff by staff of Eko Electricity Distribution Company on monthly basis , particularly since the beginning of 2015, the protesters lamented that several complaints lodged had not yielded any positive response.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

BOMB FACTORIES:

Army to begin demolition of buildings

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI—THE Nigerian Army said, weekend, that it will henceforth demolish private houses or structures found to be used as bomb-making factories in Borno State to serve as deterrent to those assisting Boko Haram terrorists.

Maj.-Gen. Yushau Abubakar, Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, said this, adding: “We are working on plans to introduce more avenues for individuals to pass vital information across without being noticed.”

He was commenting on last Thursday’s multiple blasts at the Sajeri area of Maiduguri metropolis, where four suspected female suicide bombers detonated explosives, killing 14 people and injuring 39 others.

LUTH doctors call for forensic audit of hospitals

By Chioma Obinna

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AGOS—THE crisis at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, deepened, weekend, as its doctors called for forensic financial audit of the hospital and other Federal Governmentowned hospitals, alleging over-bloated workforce.

Making this call at an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, the doctors, under the auspices of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Association of Resident Doctors, LUTHARD, also blamed the current low patronage on the astronomical increase in hospital charges for admission, surgery and other sundry services by over 300 percent.

President of LUTHARD, Dr Moronkola Ramon Kolade, said the cause of the problems at LUTH was traceable to the culture of financial mismanagement and administrative blunders.

VIGIL: From left— General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye; Deputy General Overseer, Daddy Abiona, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo(right), during the Church's Holy Ghost Congress at its camp along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, Friday.

JONATHAN REPLIES EL-RUFAI:

I spent N333m, not N64bn

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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BUJA—IMMEDIATE past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has denied claims by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State that his administration spent N64 billion to organize Nigeria’s independence celebrations for three years.

According to the governor, Jonathan spent N13 billion in 2011, N15 billion in 2012 and N14 billion in 2013 and N22 billion in 2011, bringing the total to N64 billion.

However, Jonathan denied the claim, saying only N332.6 million was spent during the three-year period and chided el-Rufai for deliberately lying to confuse the public and give his administration a bad name.

Jonathan, who responded to the allegation yesterday, described the huge figure as figment of el-Rufai’s imagination and a fabricated lie by a favour-seeker.

In a statement in Abuja, through his former Minister of National Planning, Minister/ Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, Jonathan said: “For the record, a breakdown of our anniversary spending between 2012 to 2014 amounted to N332.6 million.

“We challenge the Office of the Government of the Federation to publish these details for the consumption of the public.

“A breakdown of our spending for this event between 2012 and 2104 goes thus: 2012, N107.6 million; 2013, N45 million and 2014, 180 million. So, the question

here is where did the billions, as claimed by el-Rufai, emanate from?”

The former President said though he did not have the figures for 2010 and 2011, expenditure for the two years fell within the threshold of what was spent in the last three years and there was no attempt to overspend the country’s resources as claimed by the governor.

He said his administration never budgeted nor spent the outrageous amount alleged by el-Rufai and pointed out that the increment in the 2010 celebration budget was due to the fact that the nation celebrated its golden anniversary that year.

Jonathan also explained that

the increase in the 2013 anniversary spending to N174.8 million was due to the incorporation of the National Honours Award Investiture into the event, making it a two-in-one celebration, which was actually done in 2014.

‘Don’t destroy history’

The former President warned government functionaries to desist from abusing the immunity enjoyed by them by destroying history and trading lies just to earn cheap popularity or curry favour from certain quarters.

He said: “It is high time government functionaries desisted from abusing their immunity by destroying

history and trading on lies just to gain cheap popularity or curry one favour or the other from certain quarters.

“Perhaps former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was right in his assessment of elRufai when he said in his latest memoirs, My Watch, that his vivid recollection of el-Rufai is his penchant for lying, unfair embe-llishment of stories and inability to sustain loyalty for long.

“That exactly is what el-Rufai has done with his ungodly fabrication of lies against Jonathan’s government.

“One hopes that President Buhari would be on guard against being misled by the likes of el-Rufai, who are hell bent on misinforming Nigerians.”

NASS planning immunity laws for Senate President, Speaker, CJN

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—THE National Assembly is set to begin the process of constitution amendment towards ensuring immunity for heads of the three arms of government.

To also benefit from the immunity, when the constitution is amended, are the Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, his deputy and the Chief Justice of the Federation, CJN. The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, was recently docked by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, over

the alleged falsification in his asset declaration over 10 years ago.

The trial of the Senate President has attracted criticism, even as some have alleged that his trial was a political witch-hunt, following his alleged stubbornness in contesting for the position of the Senate presidency, contrary to party decision.

Worried by what have been described as constant external influence and manipulations in the choice of presiding officers of the National Assembly, the lawmakers are set to begin the process of amending the 1999 Constitution to include the Senate President and his

deputy, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy as well as the Chief Justice of the Federation in the immunity.

This hint was dropped by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Leo Ogor, who exclusively told Vanguard that if the head of the executive arm, the President, and his vice should enjoy immunity, the heads of the other two arms of government, the legislature and the judiciary, should also benefit from the immunity.

This, Ogor reasoned, would reduce distractions and crisis in the National Assembly as well as put a stop to the frequent change of the presiding officers as a result of external influence.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—9

N1.68trn cash inflow eases banking system liquidity

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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ONTRARY to fears of liquidity stranglehold, a total cash inflow of about N1.68 trillion was received by banks in September on the heels of the implementation of the Treasury Single Account , TSA, policy by the Federal Government, a development which has created high liquidity, while crashing money rates last week.

The high liquidity is expected to persist this week.

Of this amount, the Bankers’ Committee Meeting, last weekend, confirmed the largest chunk was N740 billion from Cash Reserve Requirment, CRR, write-back released

previous week by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, following the reduction of the CRR to 25 percent from 31 percent.

A breakdown of other inflows, according to money market operators, came from the various government maturing securities and Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, releases comprising N234.47 billion, N101.53 billion, N76.58 billion, N292.3 billion and N237.12 billion on September 3, 10, 17, 24 and last week, respectively.

A total of N197 billion in matured Open Market Operation, OMO, bills was retired last Friday, while CBN did not issue new bills to mop

up funds in an attempt to keep money rates low.

Banking system credit had opened at N189 billion on that Friday before the cash flow hit the system, lifting the sector’s total cash balance with the apex bank to N386 billion.

Money market operators told Vanguard that with these developments the general fears of liquidity squeeze and rate spike in the money market, following the TSA implementation in the third week of the month, were not experienced.

The TSA had sent the interbank rates over 50 percent before further cash inflows crashed the rates to 6.5 percent by end of third week.

However, by last week

additional inflows had sent the rate further crashing to 3.5 percent market average, about the lowest this year.

The overriding net flow of cash appeared to have tamed the equally huge outflows recorded during the period as total cash withdrawals amounting to about N636.8 billion was recorded, in addition to over a trillion Naira TSA withdrawals.

The Bankers Committee meeting last week denied that TSA withdrew about N1.2 trillion from the system, as the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, said the banking industry was still collating the total figure lost to TSA during the month.

INVESTITURE: From left— Acting Director, Domestic Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Culture & National Orientation, Mrs. Narai; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi; member, Board of Trustees and Proprietor, 805 Restaurants, Sir Fredrick James, and lnitiator/Chief Coordinator Afrifoods&drinksfest, Segun Ola-Oyodeji, during the investiture of Oyemomi as a Patron of Afrifoods&drinksfest in Abuja.

Labour alleges court-martial, brutalization of Defence Ministry staff

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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RGANIZED Labour has raised alarm over c o n t i n u o u s brutalization, humiliation, harassment, denial and courtmartial of civilian staff in military formations nationwide by management of the Ministry of Defence.

Labour, on the platform of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, in a protest letter to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, lamented that despite several warnings, both verbal and in writing, abuses of the rights of civilian staff had continued unabated, contrary to the dictate of then Public Service Rules, PSR. The association said the civilian staff would want to know

from the permanent Secretary where exactly they belonged.

The letter read: “Is it a crime to be civil servant working with the Military in Ministry of Defence? If not, why are we often subjected to the military rules and regulations, the so called martial laws, as against the PSR, which is being applied in other ministries, departments, agencies, MDAs?” In the 10-page petition, ASCSN detailed the catalogue of alleged atrocities, abuses, denial of right to associates, among others, meted out on civilian staff in military formations across the country, especially those in Nigerian Navy, Air Force and Army secondary schools nationwide.

The association contended that the apathy against unionization of civilians by the

military should be addressed, adding that civilian workers had the right to hold trade union meetings in the work environment and participate in all activities of the union.

The petition read: “As a matter of alignment with UNESCO treaty, to which Nigeria is a signatory, Education Officers and Temporary Teaching Staff in Nigeria Navy and Air Force academic institutions should be allowed to join their colleagues in the field to observe Teachers’ Day. “Students and academic staff in all schools in Nigeria Army and Air Force, including those in boarding houses, should be allowed to observe midterm break.

“The Military at all levels should be given necessary orientation on the need to

follow unified operational procedures and guidelines in line with the national policy guiding educational system in Nigeria.

“A customized policy running at tangent with the conventional one should be discouraged. The oppressive posture of the Commandant, Command Secondary School, Lagos, over deduction of temporary staff salaries (N3,000: OO/ Staff) in June over mid-term should be reversed.

“The trauma over nonpermanent appointment and other forms of discriminations experienced by temporary staff, while many of them have spent over 10 years in the system, is more than a punitive measure.”

FG 'll foot bills of all bomb blasts victims —BUHARI

By Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday in Abuja, assured victims of last Friday’s bomb blasts at Nyanya and Kuje in Abuja, that Federal Government would take full responsibility of settling their medical bills.

This came as the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, said the multiple bombings unleashed on innocent residents at Kuje and Nyanya towns in Abuja by terrorists was not only condemnable, but also a call for communal vigilance by all residents.

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, also condemned the bombings, describing it as cowardly, brutish and offensive to the collective well-being of all Nigerians.

Similarly, President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, condemned the bomb attacks.

On the bills, President Buhari gave the assurance while on a visit to the Trauma Centre of the National Hospital, where the victims of the blasts were receiving treatment.

While wishing them speedy recovery, the President, who was accompanied to the hospital by his personal aides and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, visited the intensive care unit, the paediatric unit and general wards of the National Hospital.

He was, however, greeted with the sight of a baby girl at the paediatric ward whose mother, Mrs. Deborah Stephen, had broken into tears on seeing President Buhari.

She told the President that the baby girl was shot by armed robbers who raided their home, adding that the family could not afford the medical bills.

President Buhari directed his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, to settle the medical bill of the girl, which amounted to N268,790.

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

Lawmaker promises federal presence in Ajeromi

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AGOS—MEMBER of House Representatives representing Ajeromi/ Ifelodun Federal Constituency in Lagos, Dr. Rita Orji, yesterday advised residents to support her plan to attract federal presence to the area.

Orji made the call at the celebration of her 100 days in office where she inaugurated many borehole projects in five different communities in the constituency She said that the area, otherwise known as Ajegunle, had been lacking basic amenities which contributed to the hardship of residents.

“Ajegunle people have been suffering and smiling because we don’t have good roads, water, electricity and schools. ‘``I understand our problems because I live here too. Therefore, I promise to represent you fully by ensuring that you feel the presence of the Federal Government.

“These three months I have spent in office, I have moved a motion on the construction of Kirikiri/ Boundary Road and I am seriously praying that it will be approved soon.

“I beg you to maintain the boreholes I have provided for you. I also urge you to pray and support me so that I can help our people to live comfortable lives,” she said.

Also speaking, Mr Danladi Baido, the House of Representative member representing Ardo-Kola, Lau and Karim-Lamido Federal Constituency in Taraba State, urged the people to pray for Orji.

INSECURITY: Lagos police restrict access to public places Sets up Tactical Operation Points

By Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—FOLLOWING weekend’s bomb blasts in Kuje and Nyanya areas of the Federal Capital Territory, the Lagos State police command is taking measures to forestall a possible infiltration of the metropolis by insurgents.

This is particularly urgent as Lagos was rumoured to have been targeted at the same time the bombers planned the Abuja blasts.

To give a bite to the measure, the Lagos police has said that residents will have to submit themselves to screening by bomb experts and bomb detectors before they can be allowed into any public place including motor parks and shopping malls, henceforth.

The decision is against the backdrop of the Friday twin bomb blast at Abuja on Friday.

In a statement, the spokesperson for the Lagos state police command, DSP Joe Offor said the command has created a Tactical Operation Point, TOP, in all entry points of the state.

The statement reads: “Members of the public are by

AGOS—THE Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja, Lagos, has intercepted 5,020 cartons of smuggled frozen poultry products with a Duty Paid Value of N30.1 million.

Mr Uche Ejesieme, the Public Relations Officer of the Unit, said in a statement yesterday in Lagos that the poultry products were concealed in 2,016 packages of bottled water.

this release informed that such Tactical Operation Point should not be seen as the old fashioned/ banned road blocks because as far as the command is concerned road blocks remain banned. “ Given the twin bomb blast that

occurred at Kuje and Nyanya areas of FCT Abuja on Friday, and in line with the policing strategy of the leadership of Lagos State police command, the state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Owoseni, wishes to inform

residents of Lagos not to panic and but to go about their normal businesses without any fear. ‘’In the circumstance, measures have been put in place to forestall the occurrence of such ugly incident here in Lagos”

NCAA unveils National Safety Policy Statement

By Lawani Mikairu

T

HE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has unveiled the Nigeria State’s Safety Policy Statement.

The policy statement is expected to provide guidance to all stakeholders to ensure improvement in safety management and practices including safety reporting within the civil aviation industry.

Disclosing this development yesterday, Mr Sam Adurogboye, Acting General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA said the policy statement has been signed by the Director General, Capt.

Muhtar Usman.

According to him; ‘’This

Customs impound poultry products worth N30.1m The statement quoted

L

OPENING: From left; Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, Alake of Egbaland; Emeritus Professor, Oladipo Akinkugbe, former Director, Fidson Healthcare Plc; Professor Folashade Akinkugbe; Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, former Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and Dr. Fidelis Ayebae, MD/CEO Fidson Healthcare Plc during official opening of OOA Private Ward Annex endowed by Fidson Healthcare Plc in honour of Prof. Akinkugbe at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta,yesterday.

Comptroller Amade Abdul as saying that the articulated truck ferrying the concealed items was intercepted on October 1 on the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode expressway.

Abdul said the Special Assignment Team from the Customs Headquarters, led by an Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Mr Shittu Abdulmaruf, made the seizure while on patrol.

was done in compliance with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 19 on Safety Management, which was adopted by the ICAO Council on the 25th of February, 2013. It however, became effective on the 14th of November, 2013.

“The Chapter 3 of the Annex requires each Contracting state to establish a State Safety Programme (SSP) for the management of safety in that state. This shall be done in

order to achieve an Acceptable Level of Safety Performance (ALoSP) in civil aviation.

Adurogboye added that the requirement for a State Safety Programme, SSP, recognises that states as well as service providers have safety responsibilities.

“The SSP therefore provides a framework within which service providers are required to establish a Safety Management System.

“Furthermore, the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) recognises the importance of the establishment and maintenance of

fundamental safety oversight systems. These are prerequisites to the full implementation of the State Safety Programme and calls on those states with mature safety oversight systems to progress towards full implementation of SSP. He also revealed that the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman formally inaugurated an eleven-member State Safety Programme Implementation Unit on the 4th of August, 2015, at the Authority.

Lagos intervenes in 25-year-long domestic violence issue

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS State government through the state Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT, has intervened in a case of domestic violence of over 25 years between an estranged couple.

Coordinator of the DSVRT, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said yesterday, that the move was in line with the mandate of the present state government to stem the tide of all forms of abuse, adding that the case was brought to the fore when a relative of the victim spoke out on the ordeal.

She said the team immediately proceeded to contact the victim, Mrs. Oridota Oladele, 63, to enlighten her on her rights,

support services at her disposal, and ascertain what she wanted out of the situation.

“The Director of Citizens’ Rights, Mrs Omotilewa Ibirogba, with other team members met with her, and she insisted that all she required was officials of government to talk to her husband to desist from acts of physical, psychological, emotional and verbal abuses which are all crimes contrary to the Prevention Against Domestic Violence Law, 2007.

“A referral letter was subsequently done to Isokoko Police Station, which is a representative of the Police Force in DSVRT and houses a Family Support Unit. Some members of

the Team also accompanied the victim to the station where the matter was duly reported.

“Upon her making her report, police officers in company of DSVRT members went to the couple’s residence to invite the husband for questioning and cautioning”, Vivour-Adeniyi said.

A Memorandum of Undertaking was later signed at the station by the victim’s husband pledging to desist from domestic violence or be arrested and a protection order gotten against him.

“The Ministry of Health, also a member of DSVRT was informed of the case and are working on taking up her treatment free of charge as the victim is in need of constant medical attention and care”, she said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 11

Fulani in S-West disagree with Afenifere over keep-off call

We’re open for discussions – Afenifere

By Dapo Akinrefon

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AGOS—THE Association of Fulani Chiefs of South West Nigeria and Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Asociation of Nigeria, MACBAN, has frowned at the recent kidnap of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

However, the groups also opposed the call for a ban on cattle rearers by Pan Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, saying it is in violation of 1999 Constitution which protects free movement of people and livestock.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, the chairman, Association of South West Fulani Chiefs, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Bambado who is the Sarkin Fulanin Lagos said; “Much as we, as a group condemn in its entirety, the criminal act of kidnapping of anybody or individual for ransom, there is need for us to be cautious in taking rash decisions and making unwarranted statements that could cause socio-cultural or socio-political disorder in our country at this very critical period.’’

Afenifere had warned all Fulani herdsmen to stay away from Yorubaland henceforth or face dire consequences.

A communique issued by Yinka Odumakin accused the Fulani herdsmen, who allegedly abducted Chief Falae of being on vengeance mission.

The communique read by Odumakin said “We demand that nomadic cattle rearing should be stopped in every state of Yoruba land. We believe now that after

what has happened to Chief Falae, people would not tolerate such thing in any part of Yoruba land. So, while we await the arrest of the criminals, cattle rearing should stop in Yoruba land.”

While faulting the banning of cattle rearers in the South West, the Fulani leader said; “Such calls banning of cattle rearing or movement in Southwest Nigeria is not in the best interest of anybody be it Yoruba, Fulani or any tribe whatsoever and as such, we must be seen to be equal partners in the Nigerian project.”

In addition, he lamented the activities of Fulani herdsmen, who engage in the wanton destruction of farmlands across the country

characterised by the movement of cattle across the length and breadth of Nigeria, saying; “We are working round the clock to look for ways to resolve the issues for good.”

He, however, appealed to Afenifere leaders ‘’to co-operate and work with us so that we can have a lasting solution to the perennial clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria. Nomadic grazing and cattle rearing is a prominent and permanent socio-cultural and socio-economic means of survival of a Fulani man. To stop this cultural trait and means of survival of centuries old is like bringing the Fulani clan into extinction.’’

BRIEFING: From left; Chief Akingbade Akinyemi, Baale of Iragon, Badagry; Otunba Gani Adams, Convener of Olokun Festival, and National Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC); Chief Abiodun Patinvoh, Baale of Yafin,Badagry, repsenting the Akran of Badagry, and Mr Yomi FashLanso, Cultural Ambassador, during the press briefing on the 2015 Edition of Olokun Festival, and national issues at Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. Photo by Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Ekiti Airport project, misplaced priority — BAMISILE

By Rotimi Olaleye

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DO EKITI—FORMER Speaker Femi Bamisile, has described the multi-billion naira Airport project being undertaken by the administration of Governor Ayodele Fayose as not only a misplaced priority but a criminal act.

Bamisile , an All Progressives

But in a swift reaction, Afenifere said it was open to discussions with the Fulani leaders on ways to ensure harmonious coexistence in the South West.

Its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said; “We acknowledge the appreciation of the wrongs the herdsmen have done to their hosts and the promise to find solution to the problem. We, however, reject their quoting international treaties to justify the right of cows to graze freely as if they are humans who know how to distinguish between grass and crops that the owners of the land sweated for. Are there treaties that say they should rob, kidnap and rape women too?

Congress chieftain and governorship aspirant, queried the rationale behind the building of a N17 billion airport in an economicallydisadvantaged state like Ekiti, which he said is less than 30 minutes drive from Akure, the capital of Ondo State, where such opportunity abounds.

Bamisile said the mere fact that

Fayose’s government inaugurated the project without following due process vividly depicted that it was programmed to fail.

He said; “Has the government given out the project? Did Fayose follow the laid down rules? Where is the tender and where was it advertised? It is going to be done through direct labour? Is it in 2015 Budget? These are criminal acts , and breach of constitution that must be challenged”.

Bamisile, during a chat with newsmen in Ado Ekiti over the weekend, also refuted the allegation that he was planning to return to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, due to a meeting he allegedly held with Fayose recently.

But Ekiti State Commissioner for works, Mr. Kayode Oso, who supervised the clearing of 4,000 hectares airport site on Friday, said Fayose had set up a planning committee for the project a month ago, which he said consulted widely with relevant consultancy firms and professionals and also visited several airports in the country for assessment. Oso, who stated that the Governor Fayose-led administration is desirous of implementing the airport project as quickly as possible said it was part of the developmental programmes of F a y o s e ’ s government to open Ekiti to the outside world.

TEACHERS’ DAY: Ogun teachers raise alarm over population of students ...As crisis hits Ekiti teachers union

By Daud Olatunji & Rotimi Olaleye

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B E O K U TA— TEACHERS in Ogun State have raised the alarm over the large population of students in public schools across the state, saying the development was threatening the infrastructure in the schools.

The teachers said the free education programme has encouraged many parents who could not finance their children’s education to dump their children in the public schools.

The state chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers, Comrade Dare Ilekoya stated this in Abeokuta during a press conference ahead of the world teachers day.

Ilekoya said this development was capable of rubbishing the quality of the education in the state.

He further cautioned governor Ibikunle Amosun over the construction of model schools , describing the idea as misplaced priority.

Crisis hit Ekiti Teachers’ Unions

Meantime, as Ekiti gets set for World Teachers’ Day celebration, scheduled to hold today, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, Ekiti chapter, has accused the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, of being responsible for the sour relationship between it and Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The body said NUT tricked the Governor to hate the union and have the erroneous impression that it was a political and illegal body.

In a statement signed by its State Chairman, Comrade Sola Adigun yesterday, ASUSS expressed concern over how Fayose had sidelined it, preferring instead to deal exclusively with NUT. NUT Chairman had during a press conference to herald the World Teachers’ Day described ASUSS as an illegal body and accused exgovernor Kayode Fayemi of breaching the law to have granted it recognition.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

RIVERS ELECTIONS PETITIONS TRIBUNAL: APC accuses PDP of blackmail plot

By Gbenga Oke

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IVERS State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, said it had uncovered an alleged plot by the state governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to use both the traditional and new media to blackmail the APC, as well as using federal might to intimidate PDP witnesses at the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.

APC in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chris Finebone, contended that it regarded such alleged blackmail as a facade to hide the fact that Nyesom Wike had clearly run out of credible witnesses to present at the Tribunal.

He said: “As things stand at the moment, everything points to the fact that the governor has been struggling to get witnesses to attest at the tribunal under oath that elections held in Rivers State in substantial compliance with relevant laws of the land even when everything points to the contrary. How can the governor accuse the APC of intimidation when he has successfully subpoenaed top police officers as witnesses at the tribunal? Speculations in the media that the two police officers Governor Nyesom Wike called at the tribunal were arrested after their appearance as witnesses have been debunked by the office of the InspectorGeneral of Police.

IGP

“The IGP refuted such speculations and unequivocally stated that no such arrests were made though there were untoward issues pointing at lack of due process in the subpoena of the two officers. In the case of the Department of State Service, DSS, officer that was called as witness by Wike, whatever shortcomings the DSS may have observed about the purported officer’s subpoena and any action it decided to take in that respect remains the exclusive responsibility of the DSS and could not have been externally influenced in any way and not the least by the APC. “Signs that Governor Wike, who is the 2nd Respondent in the petition of the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, was having serious challenges getting credible witnesses to

testify at the Tribunal became obvious when the governor failed in presenting any INEC top staff to defend what the commission claimed happened on April 11 and 12, 2015.

Instead, Wike presented NYSC ad-hoc personnel to justify that elections held. In the past few days, the APC has observed that

Wike had to resort to blackmailing civil servants with dismissal except they appeared before the tribunal as his witnesses to lie that elections took place in Rivers State in April, 2015. This has resulted in several serving and retired civil servants and some supposed clergymen appearing as

witnesses to lie that elections took place in the state.

“On the other hand, the APC candidate, Dr. Peterside, (Petitioner) presented top INEC personnel who stated before the tribunal that elections did not hold in Rivers State in substantial compliance with laid down requirements."

BRIEFING: Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State (left); Finance Commissioner, Mr. Duate Iyabi (right), and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Treasury and Accounts, Mr. Timipre Seipulo, during the state's monthly transparency briefing for August and September, 2015, at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa. Photo: Michael Owi.

Uduaghan's ex-commissioners dump PDP for APC

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—THREE former commissioners who served with the erstwhile governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, weekend, led their supporters out of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to All Progressives Congress, APC. They are former Commissioner for Housing, Chief Paulinus Akpeki; former Commissioner for Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, Mr Missan Ukubeyinje and former Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr Ebifa Ijeoma.

Speaking at a press briefing in Asaba, Chief Akpeki said his decision to leave PDP for APC

with his supporters was borne out of his conviction that the state needed to be freed from the grip of the PDP, which according to him, was threatening to turn the state into a fiefdom.

Akpeki said his association with the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun, dated back to the time when he was to contest as running mate to Oyegun in 1991 as governor in the defunct Bendel State.

He said: “We shall take over power because we are like John the Baptist heralding the coming of the Messiah. It is not going to be easy because nothing good comes easy but the end will be smooth. APC will offer constructive criticism in the state

but will not go on character assassination. We will not sit and watch the state go into oblivion. Delta State with all its enormous resources cannot afford to be in opposition.”

Akpeki, who also served as Chief of Staff in Uduaghan’s government, told the party faithful that included the State Chairman, Prophet Jones Erue, Chief Ayiri Emami, Olorogun Jaro Egbo and others, that with the APC in charge of the Federal Government, it was proper for him to pitch tent with the ruling party at the centre instead of being in the opposition.

Also speaking, Ebifa Ijeoma and Ukubeyinje, stressed the need for the state to be part of the mainstream politics.

Wike assures on quality roads

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has assured that his administration will deliver quality roads in the state.

The governor spoke, weekend, during an unscheduled inspection of work on Rumuomoi/Orosi/Psychiatric Road in Obio/Akpo Local Government Area.

Governor Wike said he was satisfied with the quality of work by the contractor handling the project, noting that the way residents of the area trooped out to see him was also an indication that they were happy with the quality of work, “The happiness on the faces of the people shows that they appreciate what the state government is doing for them.

But the quality of the job is what

is important to my administration. For some time now, this road was impassable, but today you can see that businesses are thriving and the value of properties will improve,“ he said.

The governor also promised judicious use of every kobo belonging to the state, saying that his administration was determined to take the state to greater heights.

NUPENG seeks stakeholders’ summit on oil theft

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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IGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has called for a stakeholders' summit made up of ship owners, military, police, Department of State Services, DSS and labour, among others, to fashion out a new strategy to end oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

The union named other stakeholders to include Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, NUPENG, and Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, Army, Navy and Air Force, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and Civil Defence President of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, spoke during a courtesy call on the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, in Abuja.

Achese said NUPENG, as a major stakeholder, was worried about the incessant vandalism and oil theft which had led to huge losses to the nation’s economy, promising to collaborate with the army to end the scourge.

He also drew the attention of the Chief of Army Staff to some soldiers whom he said had formed the habit of harrassing and disturbing tanker drivers who are performing their lawful duties in the haulage of petroleum products to various parts of the country.

Responding, General Buratai assured that the army was on top of Boko Haram situation and noted that he ordered the commander of the Military Police to check the harassment of tanker drivers and was also going to meet with Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, on ways to check oil theft.

He advised NUPENG to always explore the use of dialogue instead of shutting down the nation whenever they had grievances.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—13

CORONATION OF OLU OF WARRI: Itsekiri professionals, planners to meet Oct 10

By Charles Kumolu

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HEAD of the coronation of the Olu of Warri designate, Prince Godfrey Ikenwoli Emiko, engineers, surveyors, architects, designers and planners of Itsekiri ethnic nationality, have been summoned to an emergency meeting.

The gathering, which is scheduled to hold in Warri on October 10, 2015, is expected to be a platform where some salient issues cornering the coronation would be discussed with a view to arriving at a short and long term work plan.

In a chat with Vanguard yesterday in Lagos, convener of the forum, Chief (Mrs.) Rita Lori- Ogbebor, said the proposed event became necessary given the significance of the forthcoming coronation.

Lori-Ogbebor, who is the Igba of Warri Kingdom, said: ‘’The Olu-designate is now in

Edaiken where he is in seclusion for 90 days. During this period he is expected to carry out all the cultural activities and also commune with God and his ancestors.

Activities are in full gear in Ode-Itsekiri and its environs.

All technocrats are expected to contribute their expertise and make the coronation befitting and successful. ‘’We are inviting our sons and daughters, who are professionals to meet with us and see how they can cost the work very quickly and work to produce a short and long term plan which will be befitting to all Itsekiri. The engineers, architects and planners should be able to meet us on October 10, 2015 at Peter Kings Guest House, G.R.A, Warri. This is an important task that should be treated with seriousness by all Itsekiri sons and daughters. The coronation of our king must be befitting.

The land of our fathers requires the services of our professionals and we expect that they heed this call.

Itsekiri nation is blessed with wonderful technocrats in abundance, who are needed to make themselves available for this paramount task. ” The coronation is expected

to commence when the Olu designate comes out of the 90 days seclusion.

Prince Godfrey Ikenwoli Abiloye Emiko, was unveiled as successor to the throne during the formal announcement of the demise of Ogiame Atuwatse II at the special

congregation of Itsekiri traditional chiefs and people at Ode Itsekiri.

His emergence was announced by the Ojomo of Warri Kingdom, Chief Yaya Pessu I, having assumed the role of Ologbotsere, a position in the traditional hierarchy saddled with such responsibility.

RIVERS: APC blasts PDP chairman over comments on Amaechi

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS state chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has lambasted the acting National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, over alleged disparaging comment on former governor of the state, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi.

State Chairman of the party, Mr Davies Ikanya, in a statement yesterday, warned

Secondus to steer clear of Amaechi or be ready to bear the wrath of the party, threatening that the party would not hesitate to expose him.

Secondus, while receiving recommendations of the Ekweremadu committee of his party on how to strengthen its fortunes in future elections, had, among other things, reportedly called on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate former Governor Amaechi over alleged issues of

corruption levelled against him while he was governor of the state, The APC, in its statement by media aide to the state Chairman, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka said: “We appreciate the agony of Prince Uche Secondus, one of the key architects of PDP’s loss of power after 16 years of misrule. We also understand his frustration in his very difficult assignment of reinventing PDP, a party whose death he and some other tin gods caused by frustrating Amaechi and other progressives who were the souls of PDP, out of the party."

70TH ANNIVERSARY OF GOVT COLLEGE UGHELLI OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION PHOTOS: AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

Prof. Oritsegbemi Omatete (middle), President World Wide, GCUOBA, flanked by Ancient Mariners and top dignitaries while cutting the 70th anniversary cake , 4th Annual National Dinner of Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association held October 3, at Best Western Plus Wetland Hotel, Orhuwhorun, Delta State.

From left: Mr. Patrick Origho, Delta State Head of Service; Prof. & Mrs. Oritsegbemi Ola Omatete, President World Wide, GCUOBA, at the occasion.

Olorogun Charles Okobiah, UK Branch President, GCUOBA, presents a Chief Joseph Akpieyi, Immediate Past President, World Wide, presents plaque of GCUOBA Lifetime Achievement to Prof. Oritsegbemi Omatete, GCOBA Lifetime Achievement Award to Chief Miller Obriks Uloho.

President, GCUOBA World Wide, on behalf of Prof. Vremudia Diejomaoh.

C M Y K

14 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

THANKSGIVING SERVICE TTO O MARK 80TH BIR THD AY OF CHIEF (MRS) EDITH YETUNDE BIRTHD THDA ANIMASHA WUN, AATT OUR SSA AVIOUR CHUR CH, TBS, LA GOS, ON SSA ATURD AY. Phot os bbyy S ola Oy elese.

ANIMASHAWUN, CHURCH, LAGOS, TURDA Photos Oyelese.

From left; Mr Tola Animashawun; Prof Theo Ogunbiyi; Mrs Bunmi Adeniji; Mr Bode Emmanuel; Chief Gaffar Kayode (GK) Animashawun, husband of the celebrant (sitting); Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd) former head of state; Chief (Mrs) Edith Yetunde Animashawun (celebrant) and Chief Ernest Shonekan, former head of Interim National Government, cuttingthe birthday cake at the reception organised by the husband and children at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.

Mrs Yemisi Asekun (left) and Chief (Mrs) Nike Akande.

(BELOW): From left; Mr Kayode Animashawun (Jnr); HRM Oba Rilwan Babatunde Akiolu 1, the Oba of Lagos; Gen Tajudeen Olarenwaju (retd); Gen Yakubu Gowon and HRM Oba Dapo Tejuosho, the Osile of Oke-Ona, Egbaland.

From left; Prof Ade Elebute; Chief (Mrs) Animashawun; Prof A. Elebute and Mr Dupe Asekun.

From left; Olori Ojuolape Ojora; Otunba Adekunle Ojora; Chief GK Animashawun and Chief (Mrs) Animashawun.

From left; Amb. Ola Adeniyi; Mrs Bunmi Adeniyi; Chief GK Animashawun; Elder Ayo Oni;, Mr Kayode Animashawun Jnr; Chief (Mrs) Yetunde Animashawun and Mr Dayo Adeagbo.

(RIGHT): From left; Efunnike Animashawun; Funlola Delano; Olayode Delano and Yewande Bertuna.

From left; Mrs Olufunmi Osifeso; Gen Yakubu Gowon, Otunba Adekunle Ojora and Dr. Segun Osifeso C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—15

Royal father lauds Nigeria at 55

Anambra govt denies death rumour

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By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA— ANAMBRA State government, yesterday, dismissed rumours making the rounds that the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, was dead.

Special Assistant on Media to Governor Obiano, Mr Emeka Ozumba, in a statement in Awka, said the governor’s wife was hale and hearty.

Apparently due to the long absence of the governor’s wife from official functions in the state, an online publication went to town with the rumour that Mrs. Obiano passed on, weekend, after plastic surgery in the United States of America, USA. However, a statement by Ozumba described the publication as the handiwork of enemies.

In the statement entitled “Politicking with death in Anambra State: The Height of Indecency ” the governor’s aide said: “Our attention has been drawn to the vicious rumour injected into the social media by an immoral opposition, alleging that the amiable wife of the governor of Anambra State, Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, Osodieme has passed on. This poisonous lie is a new low in opposition politics in Anambra State and one that must be condemned by anyone who has the slightest respect for the right to life and the dignity of the human person.''

L-r: Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano with philanthropist and business mogul, Dr. Ernest Azudialu Obieje at the commissioning of a 100-bed hostel he built at Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, weekend.

Enugu gov laments state of federal roads in south east

By Francis Igata

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NUGU— GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, weekend, raised alarm over worsening state of federal roads in the south-east geopolitical zone, saying they are nothing short of death traps and have brought socioeconomic activities to a standstill.

Ugwuanyi who spoke to Vanguard management team, during a courtesy visit at the Enugu Government House office, expressed concern on the pathetic situation of EnuguOnitsha expressway, EnuguPort Harcourt expressway, among others that have inflicted pain on motorists plying the roads.

The governor said, “Look at the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, it’s completely dilapidated.

Motorists have resorted to using old Udi-Orji road to make their journey to Anambra State. If you

dare ply the expressway, a journey of forty minutes is now four harrowing hours. We have, at the level of governors, made presentation to President Muhammad Buhari calling for Federal Government's immediate intervention on these roads. ''We are yet to see promises translate into physical action. As a concerned government with the interest of the people, I find it hard to sleep knowing the condition of those roads. The situation has drastically affected

Women storm Eze’s palace over abduction of youths

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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OLLOWING Thursday’s alleged abduction of about eight youths of Eluama, Lokpaukwu-Umuchieze, autonomous community in Umunneochi Local Government Area, of Abia State, aged and young women from the area, yesterday, stormed the palace of the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Moses Okwale, pleading with him to intervene and save the victims.

Gunmen allegedly dressed in military camouflage had, C M Y K

September 9, stormed the community on alleged invitation of some prominent indigenes of the area and whisked away the eight youths to unknown destination. The youths were accused of being cultists, gun runners and kidnappers.

At the Eze’s Palace, the eldest woman, Mrs. Angela Iroh, who led others, knelt down before the monarch and pleaded with him not only to secure the release of the victims from the hands of the gunmen, but also wade into the town union's leadership crisis currently rocking the

community.

Responding, Eze Okwale pledged to look into the matter, with a view to finding a lasting solution to the crisis.

However, 24 hours after the alleged abduction, some indigenes of the area, identified as concerned citizens of Eluama community, petitioned the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, alleging an invasion of the community and abduction of some citizens by an unknown group of armed men in military camouflage.

socio-economic activities of the people known for their undying spirit of industrialization, commerce, agriculture among others.”

Ugwuanyi also assured that the Enugu Diagnostic Centre which has reached eighty percent completion, would provide a buffer to the frequent medical tourism in the region occasioned by non-availability of state-of-the-art medical facilities even as it would restore confidence in treatment of terminal ailments common

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

ASKING in the euphoria of the 55th Independence Anniversary celebration of Nigeria, the traditional ruler of Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Christopher Idigo, weekend, said Nigeria has not performed badly.

Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, Igwe Idigo said Nigerians and political leaders should go back to the drawing board to know why the country is yet to be where it is supposed to be, with all the God given endowments.

He said, “In fact, everywhere in the world, Nigeria is one of the blessed countries with oil, arable land, minerals and intelligent people. What then is our problem? Whenever you are celebrating your birth day, it should not only amount to eating and drinking. You should equally think back to see if you have achieved what you are supposed to achieve, if not, find out what had held you back.

That is what I am saying we should do.

“We should all share in what is happening to Nigeria. We should not be blaming the government alone. If the government is not doing what is right, we should also take the blame because we saw the people who aspired to be in government with all their short comings and weaknesses and elected them,” he said.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 The submission of nominees for Senate screening is another opportunity for President Muhammadu Buhari to put into effect his campaign vow of changing some of our nation’s repugnant political practices.

The process of cabinet formation is the foundation for success or failure for any administration. Our experience in Nigeria in recent times has often been to wobble and waffle in the recruitment process of ministers.

It was comforting to many that President Buhari promised that he would not give the governors and other power brokers the privilege of foisting their political surrogates on him and the nation as ministers, a patronage practice that had been so common.

Picking the right persons into the cabinet will be a key indicator of the capacity, and nay, commitment of President Buhari to redress ills in the land.

He is expected to, within the

Only the best, as Senate screens ministerial nominees framework of geographical spread as stipulated by the constitution, focus on men and women with the zeal to serve the nation. The era of inviting political associates to ‘come and eat’ must indeed be seen as a phenomenon of the past.

We therefore call on the leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who must have in various ways contributed to the party’s victory in the presidential elections, not to regard their contributions as political investments for economic benefits.

They should regard themselves as men and women of honour who fought gallantly to enthrone change.

They should not in any way become obstacles to change through unnecessary pressures on the President for the appointment of themselves or their political associates into jobs they are neither qualified nor suited for.

We also call on the President to follow the pattern already set by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, by attaching the portfolios ear-

OPINION to critical sectors of our national life.

Role of women in nation building To ensure coordination and sustainability

By Beatrice Jedy-Agba

T

HE place of women in any endeavour can not be over emphasised and given theirenormous contributions to socioeconomic development, there can be no meaningful advancement where women are excluded.

In Africa, the vulnerable conditions of women are more critical, given lingering gender inequalities, domestic violence, lack of social protection, among other issues, that exacerbate injustice and privation. These and many more limit their ability to reach their full potential.

Nigeria is one of the countries where women have faced challenges and discrimination for reasons of their sex and wrongful perception that women belong to a lesser class than their male counterparts; a perception strengthened by traditional and cultural practices. Be that as it may, Nigeria has continued to develop and implement national strategies and plans for the advancement of women in leadership and managerial roles in the form of amending legislation, policy and institutional framework as it affects the full promotion and protection of the rights of women. In this year alone, the Federal Government has reenacted several criminal laws to reflect a gender perspective and to ensure that restorative justice is incorporated for victims of crime, who are noted to be mostly women.

These include the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which is applicable in all federal courts, and the Trafficking in Persons Law Enforcement and Administration Act. Another model legislation in this regard is the Violence Against Persons Act (VAPP) C M Y K

2015 which creates a broader legal framework for the prevention of all forms of violence, including rape, abolishes Female Genital Mutilation, unfair and discriminatory widowhood practices and other harmful traditional practices.

It further makes provision for protection, compensation and rehabilitation for victims of violence. The government of Nigeria has also approved a National Gender Policy which acknowledges the attainment of gender equality as not only as an end in itself, but as a prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable development. In addition, there exists a National Policy for Protection and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking which provide a broad framework for providing protection and assistance to trafficked persons.

Common to these legislations and policies is a review of the victimology recompense regime in our legal system, incorporating compensation and rehabilitation, counselling and supporting survivors through skills acquisition and financial empowerment. All of these are in acknowledgement of the lasting effect of trauma suffered by victims and need to restore them to some kind of acceptable social and psychological footing, maximizing their potential for full recovery. This is with the view to facilitating opportunities for victims of crime to continue to contribute their quota

There still appears to be a gap between the existence of these laws and policies in some areas

of all initiatives in this regard, Nigeria has Federal and State Ministries of Women Affairs with a mandate to bring about speedy and healthy development of Nigerian Women, Children, and the main-streaming of their rights and privileges in national development process. The Ministry with key development partners, including civil society organizations, has developed policies, initiatives and strategic plans to engender gender equality and ensure full and effective participation as well as equal opportunities for women in leadership at all levels. There has been a deliberate increase in the number of women holding leadership positions in crime prevention and criminal justice.

Specifically, some critical positions held by women include the positions of Chief Justice of Nigeria and head of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal, Chief Judges of High Courts, Comptroller General of the Immigration Service, Commissioners of Police, Directors of Public Prosecution with significant numbers of women justices in superior courts of record. The Nigerian Army also now admits Female combatants in the Armed Forces. I should also mention the position of Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons, which I am privileged to hold, as its second female chief executive. At a practical level, appreciable gains have been recorded in the last two decades and Criminal justice policies and institutions are continuously being strengthened to better reflect the invaluable contributions and needs of women.

All of this has been possible as a result of intense advocacy as well as growing recognition of leadership potentials and

marked for each nominee as they go for the screening. Doing that would further deepen the Senate exercise and allow the nominees to be assessed, even by the public for their specified jobs.

Senate screening had in the past often fallen short of expectations, as certain classes of ministerial nominees, especially former senators, were not properly screened but perfunctorily asked to ‘bow and go’.

Nominees for cabinet positions must be thoroughly quizzed at Senate Committee level, and subsequently, at the Committee of the Whole and preferably under live television coverage. That will expose prospective managers of our commonwealth before the citizenry, promote transparency and boost the confidence of the people in our democracy.

The Eighth Senate under Senator Bukola Saraki must strive to improve in the performance of the Red Chamber in all areas of legislative practice to give Nigerians the positive change that they voted for.

competences, irrespective of gender. The result is that women are able to claim their pride of place in this sector and make invaluable contributions that have led to the positive development of criminal justice institutions and policies in the country. It is however acknowledged that a lot still needs to be done in this regard. While appropriate legalisation and policies are in force in many parts of the country, there still appears to be a gap between the existence of these laws and policies in some areas and the reality due to cultural norms, prejudices and practices that reinforce discrimination against women, including the activities of terrorist groups.

In pursuing the goals of women’s effective involvement in crime prevention and the criminal justice sector and building the capacity to ensure their own protection; strategies could broadly be categorised in two viz: Women as role actors within crime prevention and the criminal justice system institutions and Women as subjects of protection from crime. A possible starting point is to deliberately ensure the incorporation of women in crime prevention because they are known to have more empathy and are more likely to win the confidence of victims of crime. Another point is the review of victimology recompense regimes and public education of members of society on the benefits of inclusive criminal justice practices and institutions. This will serve the dual purpose of supporting the place of women in criminal justice roles and dealing with gender attitudes, accounting for crimes committed against women.

*Mrs Jedy-Agba is Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP).

OCTOBER 5, 2015

September Purchasing Managers Index signals recovery in manufacturing sector

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

he FBN Capital Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rose by 2.6 points to 51.6 per cent for September signalling gradual recovery of business activities and confidence in the manufacturing sector.

A PMI is an indicator of the economic health of the manufacturing sector. A PMI of more than 50 represents expansion of the manufacturing sector, compared to the previous month. A reading under 50 represents a contraction, while a reading at 50 indicates no change.

In Nigeria the manufacturing sector contributes 9.6 per cent to the nation’s gross domestic product. But, owing to the political uncertainty, devaluation of the naira, scarcity of petroleum

products and worsening power supply, the sector recorded negative growth in the first and second quarter of the year.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the manufacturing sector grew by -0.7 per cent and -3.8 percent in the first and second quarter of this year respectively. Similarly, the FBN Capital Purchasing Managers Index, declined steadily from 56.4 per cent in January to 49.4 per cent in May. Though it rose to 56 per cent in June, it resumed its downward trend in July falling to 50.6 per cent, and further to 49.2 per cent in August.

The moderate improvement in the PMI for September however offers ray of hope of gradual recovery in the manufacturing sector.

“The September report marks an improvement in all sub-indices

excluding delivery times. We view the headline reading as consistent with a manufacturing sector that was flattish y/y in Q2 once we exclude a segment

We think, however, that the CBN will not be able to hold the line, and expect a further devaluation, with the interbank rate at N215 per US dollar at end-2015

COMMITTEE - From left: Chief Compliance Officer, Stanbic IBTC, Opeyemi Adojutelegan; Chief Compliance Officer, Access Bank, Pattison Boleigha; Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Jibril Aku and Chief Compliance Officer, Ecobank, Okibe Attah, during Committee of Chief Compliance Officers of Banks in Nigeria meeting hosted by Ecobank Nigeria in Lagos last week.

C M Y K

in the state sector (the NNPC’s ailing petroleum refineries)," said FBN Capital. " The third quarter will be pivotal: our expectation is that GDP (and manufacturing) growth will be no better than Q2, and that the final quarter will post modest improvement.

The macro challenges prevail and business confidence remains poor. At the same time, we will see the new administration’s general and sectoral policy direction. We also see slightly firmer oil prices in Q4", the Company stated.

The FBN Capital PIM is based on five variables output, employment, new orders, delivery times from suppliers and stocks of purchases. They have equal weightings in on the index, and respondents are asked to make allowances for seasonal factors.

The Company said, "Our reports cover a representative sample of the sector with large, medium-sized and small firms. Any broad conclusions about the economy on the basis of our reports need to be tentative because we are operating in a near void: there are few data series on sectoral trends."

On the Output sub-index, “The reading picked up strongly from 43 per cent the previous month, which reflected some one-off operational challenges, to 55 per cent, with the improvement shared across all three company sizes. Companies have become conservative with operational expenditure, given the pressures on purchasing power and the broader macro challenges, and wary of overproduction.

"We note that the reading for new orders also improved, albeit at a slower pace. Overall, respondents reporting higher output accounted for 42 per cent of the total. Considering Nigeria is heavily dependent upon imports, most manufacturers are vulnerable to the weakness of the naira exchange rate.

The two devaluations were painful.

The CBN remains committed to avoiding a third and deploy

Continues on page 22

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

Cover

The Basic Guide to Starting your Business Part 1 CONFERENCE - From left: Mr. Emre Demirci, Mr. Rafik Oklu, Mrs. Nkechi Obi, MON, FNIM, Executive Vice-Chairman, Techno Oil Limited; Mr. Erhan Oklu, Mr. Bulbul Omer, Techno Oil technical partners at the 2015 Annual World LPG Conference in Singapore recently.

September Purchasing Managers Index signals recovery in manufacturing sector Continues from page 22 administrative measures in pursuit of exchange-rate stability. Its latest move of substance was a circular dated 23 June stipulating that foreign exchange from official sources was no longer available for 41 import items.

"The governor has suggested that the list could even be extended, and is in no mood to make concessions despite the criticism from many quarters. We think, however, that the CBN will not be able to hold the line, and expect a further devaluation, with the interbank rate at N215 per US dollar at end-2015."

On the Employment subindex, “This reading increased marginally from 48 to a neutral 50. The largest number of respondents (44%) reported no change in employment.

The Q2 2015 report within a new quarterly unemployment/ underemployment watch series from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the labor force (population of working age between the ages of 15 and 64) had increased to 74.0 million from 73.4 million recorded in Q1.

"The unemployment rate had risen to 8.2% from 7.5%.

Within the labor force, 19.6 million people were either unemployed or underemployed, compared with 17.7 million in Q1. A shift in focus towards light manufacturing such as textiles, apparel and footwear could, in our view, boost job generation because of Nigeria’s comparative advantages.

"Government policies to encourage a more businessfriendly environment for private sector participants including foreign investors within the made-in-Nigeria initiative would be supportive.

"The most recent data on job creation from the NBS show the manufacturing sector contributing 15.0% of the total number of jobs created in Q2 C M Y K

2015. Generally, the business environment has deteriorated in view of the macro challenges. Companies want to see how the new administration will counter

The governor has suggested that the list could even be extended, and is in no mood to make concessions despite the criticism from many quarters

these challenges, and few will take on additional labour until they have the reassurances they seek.”

On the New orders subindex , “The reading for new orders improved from 47 in August to 51. The largest category (46%) was those reporting no change, as in the previous month (38%). This and the workforce subindices are the most forwardlooking of the five so we take some comfort from the fact that that for new orders has risen just above neutral.”

On the Stock of purchases sub-index, “The reading picked up from 47 in August to 52. The proportion of respondents that reported no change in stocks rose from 30% to 36%. Ideally firms like to maintain strong control over stocks for reasons of cost but have to allow some flexibility if they have concerns about the delivery of their orders for logistical or other reasons.”

JPMorgan to bid for $18.2bn UK mortgages

J

PMorgan Chase & Co plans to bid for about 12 billion pounds ($18.2 billion) of mortgages being sold by the British government’s “bad bank”, according to a report by Bloomberg.

JPMorgan is preparing to bid for a portfolio being offered by UK Asset Resolution (UKAR) Ltd, a state-run “zombie bank” charged with winding down the assets of two failed British lenders, Bloomberg said, citing five people with knowledge of the matter.

JPMorgan will partner with CarVal Investors LLC to make the bid, Bloomberg added.

UKAR said in June that it had attracted several possible bidders for a $13 billion-pound mortgage book, named Granite, which comprises of loans from bailed-out Northern

Rock and Bradford & Bingley.

Richard Banks, UKAR’s chief executive, said at the time that a shortlist of potential buyers would be in place by the end of July, but warned that a deal was unlikely to be completed this year.

A group including investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc and U.S. buyout firm Blackstone Group LP had bid for Granite, sources told Reuters in June. Royal Bank of Scotland group Plc is also interested in the portfolio, the sources had said.

British finance minister George Osborne is keen to sell the government’s banking assets to recoup taxpayers’ money splashed out in a bailout of troubled lenders during the 2007-2009 financial crisis.

T

he term business denotes a particular trade or profession designed to provide goods and/or services to consumers. And in like vein, any organization which provides these services is also referred to as a ‘Business’. Businesses play a vital role in the life and culture of countries with capitalist and free-market economies. In free-market economies, businesses operate without government control in matters such as pricing and wage levels.

While in capitalist economies, private individual and business firms carry on the production and exchange of goods and services through a complex network of prices and markets. The earliest known use of “business” is the state of being busy either as an individual or society as a whole, doing commercially viable and profitable work.

It is of utmost importance that in starting a business, you need to be guided in your choice of bringing that lifelong dream of yours into fruition. By following the basic guides or rules, you can write a plan adequately that reflects your goals, your personal skills, needs, knowledge, leadership abilities, available resources, level of risk, and the nature of your business factor into the equation (the nature of your business). One of the most important aspects of starting your own business is that it gives you an opportunity to do what you enjoy.

When starting a business, certain important points must come to mind your business must fit into your personality, passion, vision, strengths and other strong character traits.

Never base your desire to start a business on what a friend has done, this is because the fact that it worked for another doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. Bear in mind that entrepreneurship is individualistic, and leadership is indivisible.

Let me explain to you, why I decided to write this book. I am constantly pained by the alarming rate of unemployed youths in the society and the poverty level not only in our country, but also all over the world. The situation pulls at my heartstrings and I know and am convinced that we can change things for the better, if only people join in the entrepreneurial revolution by becoming their own boss.

Growing up for me wasn’t easy and I knew I didn’t want to end up that way, so the moment I discovered an opportunity, I did not hesitate to take advantage of it. I’m desirous for a transformation, which will catapult your life to that place God has predestined for you.

Every business starts with an idea, so it is important to have the right kind of idea; this is because the wrong idea can lead to the failure of a business. Don’t forget that the first step is always crucial in the start of any journey in life.

It is important that you Brace up for the challenges ahead, and do not let anyone fool you (don’t be deceived) that you won’t encounter obstacles. Nevertheless, the determination to succeed and go on will guarantee that you remain on top of your game; this is because the very existence of an idea in your mind shows that you have within and around you, the capacity to turn it into reality.

Generally, the size of business you want to embark on has to be thoroughly considered; this is because there is no maximum or minimum length for a business plan. The determining factor for lengths depends on the level of details and the amount of funding you require to achieve such goals.

I will be taking you through the steps bit by bit, on what to look out for and helping you become your own boss through entrepreneurial revolution. What is business?

I have come to realize that a lot of people do not understand the term business, the way an entrepreneur sees it. Many actually limit it to just buying and selling, but my dear, business to an entrepreneur is more than just trading to make profit. I will expatiate more on this in the next publication.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 19

Buhari talking tough on corruption; motion, no movement

ORUNMILA said: "When Buhari started the war from within his party members, miscreants PDP are shouting like monkeys. PDP crying more than the bereaved, because they know the hammer will fall on all of them soon. He is arresting and charging thieves to court, but they are condemning his action. How do you please these hopeless PDP supporters who are still mourning their monumental loss.

The above topic was discussed in this column, here are some of the reactions from Nigerians

A

YOBAMIBA wrote and said “If Buhari is keen and sincere about fighting corruption, he should stop this unnecessary media hype of motion without movement and develop a solid anti corruption framework and bill and send it to the NASS on the brutal war against corruption. To me what APC and Buhari had been doing is akin to what I will call fondling and romancing corruption. APC and Buhari are rather in my opinion fondling and romancing corruption, praising and exalting corruption instead of engaging it in a brutal war.

I am angling to see buhari send to NASS a law that shall establish a new anti corruption body that will be peopled by highly intelligent Nigerians like Kangiwa Umar, Nuhu Ribadu, Olisa Agbakoba, Mike Ozekome, Yakassi, Peter Obi, Oby Ezekwesili, Bishop Kuka, Olubumi Okogie, Tunde Bakare, Shiek Gumi etc and recruit highly intelligent Nigerians with a handsome pay package and a new specialised anti corruption court that will consist of the best brains and men of integrity of our judiciary; and if need be we import incorruptible foreign technical advisers to form the anti corruption courts who must be insulated from our rotten

judiciary.

No corruption case should ever last more than 18 months and once a prima facie charge has been established against any corrupt person and so charged, there should be no bail till the final judgment is given.

The appeal should go straight to a special anti corruption supreme court where the maximum time frame for every case must not be more than 3 months.

Finally there should be another highly intelligent and specialised anti corruption police to monitor the new anti corruption body and the anti corruption courts to ensure that the slightest mistake is severely punished.

Let whistle blowing be encouraged with mouth watering rewards and let the new anti corruption body and its special courts be completely independent and be appointed by the NJC and let them have authority to try even the President or governors once genuine petition is written against them. Death penalty shall be the ultimate punishment for a convicted corrupt person and forfeiture of every property of the convicted corrupt person whether it is proceed of the case or not.

If Buhari have guts, let him take this path and see if corruption shall not fly away from our nation. Enough of this

•Buhari propaganda by APC, let the recovery begin now for time is ticking fast and Buhari has no where to hide for his incompetence, lack of direction, blackmail and malicious propaganda. This man is just being sustained through high level propaganda and corruption induced media hype.

ATSENOKAI said: “We should stop fighting ourselves here and pray for PMB to win the war against corruption and be filled with divine wisdom to know the major things to do to move this nation forward.

GASTRONOMIE said: “Nigeria is cosmetic made.

Nothing can work out in this kind of arrangement. So spare me this pray for rhetorics.

Nigerians have been dreaming over 50 years, no result yet because Nigeria is not a nation

but just mere geographical expression.

BATHO wrote: “I wish to thank this writer for entertaining me today. I just cannot stop laughing at some Nigerians.

You listed everything the President should do to move Nigeria forward but forgot that the man does not even have a cabinet. You should walk before you run. Civil servants only implement policies of the government.

These policies are formulated by the President and his cabinet.

Now, what you currently have in Nigeria is just a one man show. You people should be pressing the man to form his cabinet. Then you can put the feet of those ministers to the fire and make them work, unless you believe in the power of “body language”.

Business & Economy HarvestPlus to deliver Vitamin A maize by 2016 ...offers panacea for micronutrient deficiencies

By PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

H

arvestplus says by 2016 it is going to deliver Vitamin A fortified maize, even as it targets the vulnerable in the society to solve micronutrients deficiencies.

It also said that is why it is developing and delivering crops that carry essential micronutrients (known as hidden hunger) required by the body cells.

The Director of Harvestplus, Dr. Howarth Bouis, who was in

Nigeria on a working visit, made this revelation during a lecture titled, “Biofortification of food staples: Progress and future strategy,” delivered at the IITA Conference Center, Ibadan, where he said plans have been concluded to deliver vitamin A maize from 2016.

According to Dr Bouis, over two million households are currently multiplying the biofortified crops while ongoing research is focused on a number of other crops, which have capacities to deliver these essential micronutrients to target population. He added

that HarvestPlus’s biofortification project is gender-sensitive and has continued to empower women farmers alongside their male counterparts because of their crucial role in decision-making at household level and in nation-building.

He also said that Harvestplus is developing and delivering crops that carry essential micronutrients required by the body cells to function adequately is key to solving the global problem of micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable society.

He however highlighted why mineral and vitamin deficiencies constitute a significant public health problem and efforts by stakeholders to address the problem through dietary d i v e r s i f i c a t i o n , supplementation to children aged zero to 59 months, food fortification, and biofortification.

He described biofortification, which is the breeding of crops to increase their nutritional value, as the most viable and cost-effective strategy in the chain of solutions adopted by policy-makers.

Martino JayGeeX One thing I noticed about APC apologists is their media and body language hatred for PDP. But have you noticed that APC loves to poach members from PDP regularly to the point now that ex-PDP makes up about 70 per cent of their politicians. If the PDP is so bad as being alleged and portrayed by the APC, why hold elaborate welcome rallies for only ex-PDP members? They never do when receiving ex-APGA, ex-AD, exXXX members. I can conclude that PDP produces good materials. PDP is, then, the bomb. I need to go register with them; they are good politicians.

BARON SAMEDI MARTINO said: “You are right.

APC is a party of disgruntled elements who left the PDP out of frustrated high ambitions.

The remaining members of the PDP are the true honest Nigerian politicians. The rest, those who left, are the followers of OBJ , the chimp of Otta who also doubles as the greatest thief in Nigeria.

“This is so because 75 percent of target vulnerable population lives in the rural areas where they eat mostly what they plant and making the staple crops carry essential vitamin and minerals provides a great opportunity to reach them in a cost-effective and sustainable way”. Dr Bouis gave account of the progress HarvestPlus has made on biofortification project from conceptualization, breeding of crops, delivering of seeds to farmers for multiplication, production, value addition to select food staples, marketing and consumption of food products in over 27 countries where the crops – cassava, maize, cowpea, sorghum, millet, wheat, rice, and orange sweet potato – have been released.

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20— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

Economy

Arunma Oteh: The rejected stone

By COMFORT OBI

A

RUNMA Oteh, the much maligned immediate past Director-General of Nigeria’s Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, has just assumed duties at the World Bank as its Vice President and Treasurer. Oteh’s appointment was announced on Friday 24, July 2015, by the World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim who enthused: “I am pleased to announce the appointment of Arunma Oteh as VP and Treasurer of the World Bank. Ms. Oteh was selected for this position through an international competitive search.” Her appointment, said Kim, is effective from September 28, 2015.

Oteh’s appointment excites me for three reasons. She is a Nigerian. She is a woman.

But the most exciting is that it vindicates all those who believed in her in the midst of one of the most vicious humiliation meted out on a public officer in his/her fatherland.

I first met Oteh on the pages of Vanguard Newspapers when the newspaper invited her from her Tunis base at the African Development Bank Group, AfDB, where she was the Vice President, Corporate Services, to deliver a high profile lecture in Nigeria.

After reading her paper, I regretted not attending the lecture.

Beautiful. Elegant. Sure – footed. Meticulous, intelligent, brilliant, and not given to frivolity, Oteh is a cocktail of a total woman. I longed to meet her. Then, as fate would have it, months later, I met her physically at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, where both of us were honoured with the Fellowship of the Institution.

Before we were bestowed with the honour, Oteh delivered another beautiful lecture which had the students on their feet, cheering and applauding.

When I went over to congratulate her, she was humble, and full of humility.

We chatted like two long lost C M Y K

friends. That was where Oteh and I exchanged phone numbers.

You can imagine my joy when former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed her the Director General of SEC, thus, bringing her back to her fatherland. In doing that, she was expected to bring her expertise into reviving Nigeria’s, almost, dead Capital Market.

Her profile fitted the bill, and so did her carriage.

Prior to coming home to boss the SEC, her job as the VP AfDB, Corporate, included human resources, information, technology, and institutional procurement. For five years – 2001 to 2006 – she led AfDB’s fund-raising and capital market, worldover. According to Kim’s press release, “Earlier roles at the AfDB, which she joined in 1992, included trading room management, investment portfolio coverage, and public sector lending. She also held other positions in capital markets and lending during the course of her career at the AfDB.” So, Oteh’s home-coming, to her fatherland, to put on display what she had done for Africa at the AfDB was a big deal. She went about it meticulously and courageously, not minding, excuse this cliché, whose ox was gored. She began by cleaning the capital market, and showing dead woods the exit door. In doing that, she stepped on very big toes.

For some people, hard work, competence and efficiency are a no-no. As SEC boss, she exhibited those, and that was the beginning of her problem.

Her carriage, beauty and brilliance did not help matters. To some people, “she is but a woman who must be conquered.” And they went about it in a most shameless manner.

Where she was accommodated, briefly, at the Hilton Hotel, Abuja, they went snooping, even in the thrash basket in her suite.

•Arunma Oteh

They compiled her menu everyday and, what it cost. If she entertained visitors in her capacity as the SEC boss, they added up the number of cups of tea and/or coffee they drank, as well as cakes and/ or other snacks they ate, and compiled the bills. Then, they inflated them, calling her extravagant.

At SEC, her very serious work ethics were her undoing. She was accused of high-handedness, amongst others, because she would not compromise standards.

The last straw was her ordeal at the National Assembly where every effort was made to not only intimidate her, but to rubbish her. During an “ordinary session” to confirm a couple of things before the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market, some members of the Committee, led by the then Chairman, Herman

For some people, hard work, competence and efficiency are a no-no, as SEC boss, she exhibited those, and that was the beginning of her problem

Hembe, reduced it to a humiliation of Oteh.

They insisted she was not qualified to head SEC; that she didn’t have the experience or competence.

Their aim was to intimidate her, and make her grovel before them. But you intimidate Oteh at your own peril.

Angered by the condescending manner she was treated, she hit back, accusing the Chairman of corruption and certain behaviours beneath his position as an Honourable member. As for her qualification? She flaunted her CV before them to the applause of those who watched it live on television.

She told them she graduated, top of her class, in Computer Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and had her Masters in Business Administration from the Harvard University. Then, she flaunted the portfolio she managed at AfDB. Those grilling her watched openmouthed, taken-aback, and too confused to say anything coherent. After Oteh’s performance, everybody became cautious. Her penalty was the zero – allocation in the budget for SEC, after a failed pressure on Jonathan to sack her.

That zero-allocation inspired her to keep SEC o n track. But, it no doubt led to the non-renewal of her tenure as SEC DG. Now, it is this same woman who Nigerians tried hard to rubbish that the World Bank has found worthy for this high profile

appointment after a thorough search.

She neither lobbied for it, nor got it through “bottom power”, the cross always hung on the neck of every successful career women in Nigeria. Her competence gave her the job.

No wonder the World Bank President, Kim, was effusive in his commendation of Oteh, while announcing her appointment. As the VP and Treasurer of the World Bank, Oteh will manage and lead a large and diverse team responsible for managing more than $150 billion in assets. Her top priority, Kim revealed, among others, will be to maintain the World Bank’s global reputation as a prudent and innovative borrower, investor and risk manager.

For the records, there are many Otehs in Nigeria. But they are destroyed by their country men and women as soon as they start “shining.”

We derive joy in pulling down our compatriots, thus, running down our country before the world. Oteh’s case is a classic example of the Biblical prophet not recognised at home, but worshipped abroad. No response could have been sweeter for her envious critics than this very appointment. It is an unequivocal endorsement on her competence. And a lesson for bad belles!

•Obi is the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief of The Source (Magazine).

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 21

Business & Economy

F

oreign Direct Investments (FDI) into Nigeria and other African countries increased by $151.6 billion from 2000 to 2013.

This was one of the highlights of a report published by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Titled, “Economic Insight: Africa Q3 2015 report”, the report was commissioned by ICAEW and produced by the Centre for Economics and Business Research Ltd (CEBR). Among other things, it provides a snapshot of Africa’s economic performance focusing specifically on Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, South Africa and Angola.

According to the report, and drawing on estimates prepared by the World Bank, the total level of external financial inflows into Africa has increased from $40.4 billion in 2000 to $192 billion in 2013. This is largely attributed to the inward FDI from China with investment mainly going into primary resource sectors and infrastructure.

Michael Armstrong, Regional Director, ICAEW, Middle East, Africa and South Asia, said: “China has approached African economies in a very different way to Europe, focusing less on official aid and engaging more aggressively through

Vision 2020: JCI sets agenda for government

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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CEREMONY - Fronm left: Adedayo Olowonniyi, Managing Director, Sub-Sahara Africa, MAN Diesel & Turbo, Ingo Herbert, German Consul General, Martin Kalter, Vice President-sales Sub Sahara Africa, at the opening ceremony of MAN Diesel & Turbo Lagos office.

Nigeria, others attract $151bn FDI in 13 years

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE foreign direct investment and trade. This has been a game changer for the development industry, forcing European countries to rethink their strategy of connecting with the continent.”

At turn of the century,

private finance constituted 62 per cent of African economies’ total inflows. Today, that number has risen to over 70 per cent, signalling a shift in investors’ perceptions of the market. Thanks to resource wealth, West Africa and Southern Africa are leading the way, attracting the majority of FDI; though East

NCAA slams N7m fine on grounded planes

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

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he Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has slammed the operators of the two grounded foreign registered aircraft with N7 million fine.

The foreign registered planes were grounded by the authority last Sunday for operating the aircraft from Farnborough, London and landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on the 10th of September, 2015 without any flight clearance from NCAA. Disclosing this development to newsmen, Acting General Manager, Public Relations of NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye said that out of the two aircraft that were grounded by the authority and fined the sum of N7million each, one of them, the Bombardier 700-100 with Registration No: G-RBEN Global express S/ N 9083 operated by Gama Aviation, United (UK) Limited have been released after it had paid the penalty. He said, the owner of the Bombardier 700-100 also paid about $20,000 to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, for violating the Air Traffic Controllers’ regulation.

“Two days ago in which we grounded two aircraft the Bombardier 700-100 with Registration No: G-RBEN Global express S/ N 9083 operated by Gama Aviation, United (UK) Limited and there is another one that was grounded, an Embraer 135 J with

Registration No: XA-MHA, as we speak the Gama Aviation has paid the fine because after our investigation, a letter of sanction was written to them which reads; “In the light of the above, you are hereby sanctioned under the provision of section 1 point 3A and section B of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation 2009 and you are required to pay within seven days on the date of the receipt of this letter the sum of N7million being the penalty for the above violation.” “ So in line with the regulation and the fine imposed on the Gama Aviation, and its crew, they have complied and they have paid yesterday or so and their aircraft has been released, all these while, the aircraft has been on the ground at the Abuja airport and all the crew has being stranded in Abuja, I don’t know where they stay but I know that they have being living in Abuja.” he said.

The NCAA GM further stressed that due to the grounding of the aircraft, their crew were stranded in Abuja adding that it is the Embraer 135 J with Registration No: XA-MHA that was yet to comply with the penalty leveled on it.

“It remain the Embraer 135 J with Registration No: XA-MHA, they are yet to pay their fine so their aircraft and crew are still on ground.

Their fine is N7million and also because their offences are also linked to NAMA on the ATC side. Gama Aviation has paid about $20,000 to NAMA while they paid NCAA N7million, they have operated about ten flights into the country” he added.

Africa is catching up. This is partly thanks to efforts for closer integration in the East African Community (EAC), which has involved harmonising investment regulations across the region and reducing red tape.

Much of the non-resource focused growth can be attributed to African infrastructure projects and investment in consumeroriented industries including: rail projects in Uganda, Nigeria and Zimbabwe; Ethiopia’s textile, real estate, automobile and rail industries; Eritrea and Tanzania’s shipping industries; and Kenya and Rwanda’s real estate industries.

According to Danae Kyriakopoulou, ICAEW economic adviser and the report’s author, “While economic development naturally varies across the continent, Africa’s regional outlook as a whole remains bright with a number of projects expected to bolster growth.”

Among other things, the report also shows that: Nigeria is expected to experience growth in the medium term helped by higher oil prices and the implementation of reforms; Annual GDP expansion of 8.5 percent is expected for Ghana by 2017; Ivory Coast should remain on a high growth path into 2016; Growth in Angola is expected at 4 percent; The pace of GDP expansion in South Africa is forecast to see a gradual pick-up over the next three years.

unior Chambers International Nigeria is set to present a five point agenda for government to focus upon while planning for vision 2020 through its sustainable development goals programme.

This was disclosed by the national President of JCI, Seun Osikalu at the occasion of 2015 Ten Outstanding Young Persons awards held recently in Lagos.

He revealed that the document of Vision 2010 which the government worked upon was developed by the organization.

Earlier in his address, he said that the yearly award which does not attract any special reward or gratification is usually carried out to recognize young outstanding Nigerians who were outstanding in their various careers.

According to him, “the awardees are recognized on the fact that they are good on what they are doing. They are making impact in the society and young people are willing to emulate them to make the society better”.

Osikalu while blaming the youth for sitting by the corner and not making any effort or impact in the society urged the youths to go out and add value in the society saying that the youths hold the future. He maintained that the youths are not supposed to wait for the future to come to them but they must take the future and make the change they all desire to happen in the society.

He expressed his joy over the event saying though Nigeria did not make it to this year global award, we still have good and young people to qualify for next year event.

Mr. Stephen Akintolu, one of the awardees, in responding to journalists’ question said it is good when you are recognized among your peers and urged the youths to be persistent in anything they do in so far it is good. He urged the youths not to relent in whatever they are doing that is adding value to the country saying because what they think is not being noticed by anybody is actually seen by the people.

He said that his company will be starting an orphanage home in December to help victims of Boko Haram who have been turn to orphans in Nigeria Overtime and Job House Company which will serve as a search engine for unemployment.

C M Y K

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

Banking & Finance

Banks gain N740 billion from CRR reduction Why we are celebrating our customers, by Sterling Bank

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ustomers are the reasons for our continued existence and they have been part of our success story thus far. As a responsible and customer sensitive financial institution, we are poised to continue to appreciate them from time to time through quality product offering and services. The Customer Service Week provides the right platform to achieve this." With these words, the Group Head, Strategy & Communications of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Shina Atilola announced plans to celebrate the customers of the Bank who have remained loyal to the brand over the years.

The Customer Service Week, held annually during the first full week of October, is a global event which celebrates and recognizes the loyalty of every organization’s customers as well as staff who render excellent service. The week is planned to boost staff morale and encourage team work, while rewarding customers.

This theme for the celebration this year is “Every day Heroes”. This according to Mr. Atilola was chosen to further reinforce this assertion by celebrating both customers and staff in a unique way.

In Nigeria, numerous companies and organizations participate by giving back to their customers every day of the week. This reminds customers of the organizations’ commitment to customer satisfaction.

As part of the plans, the Bank has introduced what it called the Sterling Heroes.

Campaign aimed at appreciating the uniqueness of its customersand celebrating the stories.

Similarly, a “Sterling Cares” Campaign in partnership with Genesis Deluxe Cinemas who provided members of the public free movie tickets was flagged off on Independence Day in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Enugu.His words: “This Heroes campaign would entail Staff nominating customers who have inspiring stories and deserve to be celebrated. The top 10 customers as voted by staff would be celebrated every day of the Customer Service Week and awarded gifts.

Other walk-in customers of the Bank will also enjoy special treats at the Bank’s branches during the Customer Service Week.

C M Y K

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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he banking sector gained N740 billion as a result of the reduction of the Cash Reserve Ratio, CBN from 31 to 25 per cent by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN recently.

Recall that the CRR reduction was announced by the CBN following the implementation of a Treasury Single Account, TSA that mandated all commercial banks to return all government funds in their custody to the CBN. The Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo who disclosed this at a press briefing after the Bankers’ Committee meeting in Lagos, said that the speculations in some quarters that banks gained N1.2 trillion as a result of the CRR reduction and TSA implementation were unfounded.

According to him, “A lot of figures have been bandied around. Some said N1.2 trillion and so on. Well, the bank examiners are currently reconciling with banks on the figures they have returned but what is definite is that the N1.2 trillion being bandied around is false. The actual figure when they have been reconciled will be made known to the public. Also the CRR that was released back to the banks on account of TSA implementation was N740 billion. This is confirmed. But the amount of TSA fund that went back to CBN is not verified yet.”

He added that the movement of funds from the system on account of TSA was not intended to strangulate the banks, saying, “If you release the deposit you have, CBN who handles the monetary supply management will of course return your CRR.” Earlier in an address, the Director Banking Supervision Department, CBN, Mrs. Agnes Tokunbo said the bankers’ committee meeting focused on how the banking industry currently manages risks and how it could sustain the gains measures so far adopted.

She said: “There have been concerns, and a lot of discussions about how the banking industry is holding up to the risks in the economy, both domestically and internationally. The committee was satisfied that the banking industry remained safe and sound.

VISIT - From left, NDIC MD/CE Alh. Umaru Ibrahim and NDIC Executive Director Operations, Prince Aghatise Erediauwa in chat with MD/CE Jaiz Bank Plc Mr. Muhammad Nurul Islam during a courtesy visit of the Jaiz Bank Management Team to the Corporation.

But then there was also discussion that we need to sustain this to continue having the kind of safe and sound and resilient system that we have right now. So, the committee agreed that in addition to the measures we have in place right now, banks on their own would improve their risk management processes. They would hold sufficient capital to ensure that no matter the risks or the shock that emanates, the banks will be well prepared to bear them.”

Also speaking, Group Managing Director, FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Bisi Onasanya said that at the meeting “(The Bankers’ Committee) evaluated the options and the decisions

taken so far in respect of the management of the foreign exchange. We all agreed that the JP Morgan delisting has taken place and we should not be too worried about that.

What is important is that we have been able to, through effective demand management, managed and preserved the volume of foreign exchange reserve. We have also been able to keep the exchange rate very stable which is one of the positive impacts of the demand management and totality of the foreign exchange management positions taken by central bank.

“We all agreed that irrespective of the actions of JP Morgan or any other party, we need to reserve and

manage the foreign exchange reserve for Nigeria and for Nigerians and that we cannot continue to play to the gallery but we will do what is best in the interest of Nigeria.

So the Bankers’ Committee endorsed the activities. We also agreed that we will continue to supply forex, even though we will continue to prioritise but we will prioritise and make effective supply available to key segments of the economy including manufacturing. And that we should not panic because the central bank is in good control and it is also supported by the pronouncement on the fiscal side that these are effective strategies and that we should just continue to fine tune them as the situation demands.”

NDIC advocates intensive publicity on noninterest banking

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igeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has called for intensive publicity and education on the benefits of non-interest banking in order to increase volume of patronage.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, NDIC, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim made this call during a courtesy call by the Managing Director of Jaiz Bank Plc, Mr. Muhammad Nurul Islam and other top management staff of the Bank who visited the Corporation’s head office in Abuja to brief it on the recent developments in the bank.

Non interest banking or Islamic banking was officially

introduced in Nigeria in 2009, when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the, Framework for the regulation and supervision of non-interest banks (NIBs) in Nigeria. According to the framework, a non-interest bank is a bank which transacts banking business, engages in trading, investments and commercial activities, as well as the provision of financial products and services in accordance with the principles and rules of Islamic commercial jurisprudence. In 2011, the CBN granted the first non-interest bank license to Jaiz Bank Plc Addressing the Jaiz Bank

management, the NDIC boss, stated that the benefits of profit and loss banking are a mutually rewarding partnership among all participants in the Islamic Banking in line with its business practices.

Ibrahim informed the team that the Corporation had developed a non-interest banking deposit insurance fund framework in May 2015 which is designed to create a level playing field and provide deposit protection for depositors involved in noninterest banking and protect them against any possible losses.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 23

Corporate Finance STORIES By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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perators in the nation’s capital market have said that attracting new listings to the stock exchange requires developing a strong and reliable business and regulatory environment by the government.

Speaking to Vanguard on the backdrop of continuous delisting of companies from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) either as a result of regulatory action or voluntarily by the company concerned, Mr. Emeka Okolo of Molten Trust Ltd, said the country should concentrate on attracting direct investment rather than portfolio investors, adding that growing the quantum of direct investment is what would result in new listings in the long run.

He stated that while the security issues are being addressed, there is need to also put right policies that would favour businesses in place. He said: “if the economy is strong and buoyant, that is the only way you have companies growing and then thinking of coming to list. If the environment is okay for businesses to thrive, that is when you start talking of companies coming to list.

There is a difference between buying of shares, direct investment and portfolio investment. What we need more or less, I can tell you, is direct investment because that is what would translate in the long run to having companies coming to list.”

He explained that portfolio investors abadon the market at the slightest shake in the economy, stressing: “But when you have companies that are strong enough in the economy and they are doing well, that is when they will start talking of the future, leaving legacy and all that, having the company to outlive them, that is when you start talking of listing.

“The essential thing is to get the environment right, get your policies in order; that is what we need. The security aspect is being tackled; we also expect the economic policies to also be addressed.”

“The challenge is getting a credible finance minister and having strong economic team to work with him,” Okolo added.

On his part, Chinenye Anyanwu, Managing Director/CEO, Dependable Securities, insisted that heavily capitalised multinational firms should be made to compulsorily list on the Exchange after some years of operating in the country.

“We already know that the

UBA customers win all expense paid trip to Dubai, other prizes ByPETER EGWUATU

A CELEBRATION - From left: Senior Brand Manager, Peak, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Omolara Banjoko; Junior Brand Manager, Peak, Adetunji Quadri, and Senior Activation Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Grace Onwubuemeli; during the Independence Day Family Fun Celebration with Peak Choco at New Apapa Amusement Park, Lagos.

Reliable business environment, policies critical to attract new listings – Operators likes of MTN will come into the market by 2016, all things being equal, we missed this in the beginning, the new finance minister should make sure that certain companies with such heavy capitalization should list,” he insisted.

They should have as part of the conditions for operating in Nigeria to listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange compulsorily, he noted, adding: “if you give it to them when they are coming, they

will take it, but if they have come in, it becomes a negotiable deals.”

He continued, “The big names, the MTN of this world, the GLO, the ETISALAT, all of them are heavily capitalized. They should give Nigerians a piece of what they have made from Nigeria by coming to list in the market; the new finance minster should do something in that area.

And let it now be made

known that any of such big company that must operate in Nigeria must put in their clause before coming in that they must go to the Nigerian Stock Exchange after a particular number of years, maybe two to three years or whatever, if you don’t put it, it becomes an issue of pleading with them to come, when they should be forced to, Because they are taking the money from Nigeria.”

Analysts assign sell rating on PZ shares

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Z Cussons Plc has recorded very abysmal financial performance for its first quarter ended august 30, 2015 with the profit before tax falling by 37.3 per cent to N546.8 million from N872.3 million.

The unaudited financial statement filed with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed that its profit after tax also fell by 33 per cent from N641.7 million in first quarter 2014 to N427.8 million in the review period.

The revenue dropped marginally by 0.44 per cent to N14.95 billion in 2015 from N15.02 billion achieved in the same period of 2014, while the basis earnings per share dropped 33 per cent to N11 from N16 in 2014.

Net assets, however, grew by 0.98 per cent to N44.1 billion from N43.7 billion in the same period of last year.

Following the performance, financial analysts at Investment One affirmed that the results came much weaker than expected and assigned sell rating on the shares. The share price was unchanged at N26.20 for three consecutive trading sessions from Monday, September 28 through to Wednesday, September 30, 2015.

The firm noted that the company ’s performance was much subdued contrary to the expectation that post election business environment would see improvement in earnings reports.

“Revenue showed 26.1 per cent decline over the previous quarter, contrary to the stability seen in the cyclical trend, gross profit margin contracted by over 200 basis points.

However, the deterioration in opex/sales was worse, as it rose by over 600 basis points qarter-on-quarter. This consequently led to about 900bs and 500 basis points decline in year-on-year pre-tax and after tax margin.

Ultimately, both Profit Before Tax and Profit After Tax recorded an over 70 per cent decline quarter-on-quarter,” the firm said.

While there was a positive undertone in management’s last trading statement, we believe the concern raised: “market currently adjusting relative pricing and consumer spending power is likely to be impacted in the short term by the imported inflation” must have had more damaging impact on volume than anticipated, it added. PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc is listed on the main board of the Nigerian Stock Exchange under the consumer goods sector with Market capitalization of N104.03 billion and 3.97 billion shares outstanding.

s part of its commitment towards attracting customers , United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc has rewarded 80 of its customers in the first batch of the UBARemittanceAwoofPromo,with a Dubia trip and other prizes.

The draws, which was attended by customers of the bank, journalists and regulators from the National Lottery,waspartofthebank’sefforts to reward loyalty, give back to the society and impact the lives of individuals that carry out business with the bank.

Ikemefuna Mordi, Head of Marketing and Brand Communication, expressed his appreciation to customers for their loyaltyandtrustinthebank,adding that the Awoof Promo was carried out to add value to customers, who continued to do business with the bank.

“This is the first time a bank is doing something that is unique, stepping out of the usual dynamics, to acknowledgeourcustomers,weare doing this to create a rewarding experience for the UBA customer.

We want to make this seasonal and we are taking this across Africa to other countries,” he said.

At the draws, which took place at the bank’s Head Office on Friday, 20 winners, 10 each of Western Union and MoneyGram, were drawn and will be enjoying a 3day all expenses paid trip to Dubai, sponsored by the bank.

The winners emerged from customers and non-customers that sent and received MoneyGram andWesternUnionmoneytransfers at the bank within the period of January and August this year.

The 10 winners for the Dubai Trip that received money through MoneyGram are; Anyim Okorie of Lagos, Aneke Emeka of Enugu, Linda Dede of Sapele; Samuel Diei of Asaba, Olatokunbo Olaleye of Kano State; Harris Adeniyi from Ife, Oluwatosan Nicol from Unilag, Abiodun Fakeye from Lagos Island, Ibisobia Hezekiah from Port Harcourt and Alofe Tope from Ibadan.

From Western Union, the 10 winners are; Omeregie Osadebamwen Peter from Benin, Benita Ojeh from Asaba, Richard Ojo from Iju, Ndidi Ojukwu from Port Harcourt, Ime Davis from Ikot Abasi and Osahon Idugboe of Ugbowo. Others are Ibrahim Sunusi from Kano, Oluwabukola Owoeye from Unilag, Alali Blessing from Port Harcourt, and Itunu Fakiyesi from Ogbomosho.

24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

Corporate Report

Time to change your share investing technique

By MIKE UZOR

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he stock market is ruled by times and seasons, which come and go. What time we are in and what season it is matter very much in what you buy and what you sell. A new season calls for a new technique as the ever changing market conditions warrant. What investing and trading technique that direct your actions in the market are determined by the prevailing conditions that rule the equities market.

There was a time when penny stocks were the rising stars. You could invest in almost anything and win.

That time is now in the past – when a prospering economy created great opportunities for small and growing companies.

Economic prosperity here ended with the financial crisis that hit the economy in 2008.

Since then, the Central Bank of Nigeria has run the financial markets along the path of austerity – squeezing liquidity and hiking the cost of money. This has hurt small businesses more than the others. Will penny stocks rise C M Y K

again, some readers ask. May be some day especially with the present government of change but certainly not foreseeable for now.

Bigger is better The presnt scenario is that only the big and well established businesses are able to whether the economic storm some how. When the market is tight, it is normal to expect that only the leading names in the business will be able to make a sale. Niche markets, which the small firms come in to serve, tend to dry up whenever market shares are shrinking.

This is exactly the position of the Nigerian economy at the moment. The economy has been slowing down for the past four years and the downturn is accelerating into a possible decline. This means business opportunities are closing in many segments of the economic system.

Further stresses have been added by the freezing of the credit and capital markets, which favours money market trading to the detriment of real sector activities.

We are therefore in an economic condition where

only the fittest can survive and this applies to all economic units – households and businesses. We now have an economic climate stripped of what normally aids small businesses to survive and to grow. The business sector has been forced into a consolidation mood and the stock market is now following the new direction led by a change in corporate earnings prospects.

Investors in equities will have to understand and follow the direction of the

Are you looking for small but stronger firms that will be the stars of the future - they are now a rarity; in fact, an endangered specie. This means that the stars you see today are mostly the promising stars for the future

economy and the market. In the consolidation process, only the big and strong businesses appear to have the capacity to become bigger and stronger. The strength for survival and growth is now in the bigness. It’s now ‘the bigger the stronger, the smaller, the weaker ’.

Small businesses endangered Are you looking for small but stronger firms that will be the stars of the future - they are now a rarity; in fact, an endangered specie. This means that the stars you see today are mostly the promising stars for the future.

Whether they will keep shining or fade somewhere along the way is not the issue in an economy that is run one day at a time. For now they are the best.

Check the corporate earnings fundamentals and see that the volume drivers – the giant firms across various sectors and industries, are also the leaders in terms of performance quality. The banking sector is a typical example of the changes operating climate. Small banks used to lead in terms

of performance quality. Now, the bigger banks are the better banks. They are leading not only in terms of absolute numbers but also in terms of profitability, efficiency and risk asset quality indices.

The highest profit margins in the banking sector in 2014, for instance, came from GTB, Zenith Bank, FBN Holdings and Access Bank. The smalland medium-scale operators, that are normally the high growth drivers, have become distant followers.

As it is in the banking industry, so it is in the rest of the sectors. The small and medium-scale businesses, the informal sector operators and even highly indebted big companies are presently being crushed. Only the giants have the capacity to stand and defend market share in a tight market. These fundamental changes in the economic and market structures have far reaching implications for the equities market. Even if the authorities are to begin right now to take the right policy actions that will inject new lives into the ailing small and stunted medium companies, the results will take many

Continues on page 25

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 25

Corporate Report

Time to change your share investing technique Continues from page 24 years to come.

The market is clustering For now, it can be expected that investors and traders in the equities market will continue to cluster around the blue chips and industry leading stocks just as the consumer market is now crowding around leading market brands. Why, because these are the only companies that are able to maneuver through the operating hurdles and give profit to shareholders.

Only the corporate giants are able to attract prime lending rates and minimise the impact of high interest charges in the high interest rate situation.

They are again in a good position to reduce their borrowing needs by using their market leading brands to attract significant supplier credit.

Taking a lot more supplier

credit than is given is now the trend in the business with much positive impact on cash flow. Besides, the big corporate entities can afford to spend less on sales and marketing to promote products that are essentially household names. There is no surprise therefore that the big companies are coming out with better profit margins than the small operators.

Viewed from many angles, the leading corporate names are comparatively better positioned in the current market situation than the

small and medium companies. They have also seized this opportunity to plug in the economy of scale benefits to their operations.

Consequently, they represent the hopes for consistent and improving dividend pay-out to investors.

The best of them are again the growth leaders that we can see now. They show the highest possible growth in revenue and profit in their respective industries.

Go for the giants You want to know which

company stocks will move up in price: go for the corporate giants. If you are already in the giants, stay with the winners. If the stock was a winner for you last year, it can win again for you this year.

The winners appear to retain what it takes to keep winning while the losers seem to keep lacking what it takes to become a winner. This is the state of the stock market now and this position isn’t likely to change very soon.

You think the price of the stock is high; it will rise further as long as it is creating

new value. The stock market is able to keep recognising companies that keep creating new values for shareholders.

To be able to play the market along the lines of the current trend, a change in value perception is quite important.

A stock is not expensive if it merits the price at which it trades neither is it cheap if it is worth the low price it sells.

Whether a stock is cheap or expensive needs to be considered not just in terms of the price it sells but in terms of where it is likely to be headed next.

26 —Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

Homes & Housing

How to process building plan in Lagos

By YINKA KOLAWOLE

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building plan is a g r a p h i c a l representation of what a building will look like after construction, used by builders and contractors to construct buildings of all kinds.

Building plans are also useful when it comes to estimating how much a project will cost, and preparing project budgets.

In most countries, including Nigeria, it is customary to obtain a permit or approval from appropriate authorities.

A building plan approval is necessary before construction can commence. This is to ensure that building complies with building laws and codes and to prevent people from just constructing as they deem fit.

According to a report by Nigeria Real Estate Hub (NREH), the first thing to do when you want to commence construction in Lagos is to obtain a development permit from the Lagos State Physical Planning and Development Authority (LASPPDA), a

parastatal under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

Approval process he first step is to submit architectural design for inspection to confirm if design is in conformity with the approval standards and order for the area which the land is located. If documents are found satisfactory, assessment will be given. The assessment is based on the volume of your building multiplied by the rate applicable to your land location.

Usually, bank drafts are made payable to the Lagos State Government, the relevant local planning authority of the land location and Lagos State Physical Planning and Development Authority. You might also need to pay some additional fees to Lagos State Government depending on your proposal.

Before submission of your application, the site will be inspected. This is the first of various inspections that your site will be subjected to. The reason is to know if the site in

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question is the same as the one being proposed for development and also, that you have not commenced construction before building plan approval.

The site will also be checked with the immediate environment to see if proposal is in conformity with the existing land use, and if the size of the plot is as presented in the survey plan and design proposal. If the inspection report is satisfactory, the application will then be registered, provided all

Assessment is based on the volume of your building multiplied by the rate applicable to your land location

documents submitted.

have

been

Processing registered file he following are the processes a registered file undergoes within the planning office: The file is authorised for registration by the District Officer (DO) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and registered by the clerical officer who assigns the file number and receives all sheets of the drawing submitted.

Provided all relevant documents are submitted, the file is sent to the table of the DO/CEO, who sends it to the field officer to include his site sketch and report while another file is opened with all relevant payment receipts and sent to the accountant’s office at LASPPDA headquarters for payment confirmation Thereafter, the file is sent back to the DO/CEO who acts on the report of the field officer. If satisfied, it is forwarded to the charting officer to determine the conformity of the land with the land use of the area and

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the actual status of the land.

The charting report is then sent back to the DO/CEO who determines the next line of action.

If the report is satisfactory, it is sent to the table of the engineer for inspection of the structural drawings. The engineer will treat the application and revert back to the DO/CEO who acts on the report. If satisfactory, the file is sent to the recommendation officer to examine and recommend as appropriate.

The recommendation officer’s job is crucial as he/she will go through the entire file to ensure that all requirements in terms of documents and fees have been included in the file.

Finally, the site will be revisited to confirm that construction has not commenced before recommending to the DO/CEO if application should be granted approval or not. All of these can be done for you by your architect, surveyor or any other knowledgeable member of your building team.

(NREH)

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 27

E-Commerce

Survey reveals engine status tops used car online buyers’ priority Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

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survey carried out by Nigeria’s online classified site, OLX has revealed that status of engine remains the most imprtant factor considerd by Nigerians who want to buy used cars.

OLX Country Manager, Lola Masha, said the research was carried out to identify what is most important to their users when buying used cars.

According to her,“This information will enable us educate them on what to really look out for when in the market to buy a used vehicle”.

The research carried showed that the engine, price and transmission of the car as the top three things that used car buyers look out for.

The survey revealed that 26 per cent of the respondents believed that the engine was the most important thing to consider when buying a used car. This was followed by 22.3 per cent who considered the price as

vital while 1.7 per cent considered the transmission as the most significant factor. The remaining 38.4 per cent, chose the model, colour and year of the car. Speaking on the significance of the survey, automobile expert and General Manager, Mandilas Enterprises Limited, Stephen Gladwin said: “There is a wide range of factors to consider when buying a used vehicle.

More often than not, there is more to consider than what meets the naked eyes. These factors range from the condition of engine, gearbox,

transmission system, tyres, year of manufacture, the make of the vehicle, battery condition, and even the upholstery. These are instrumental factors that make

up the overall perception of a vehicle.

“There are however little things that could make or mar the feel of the car and they must

Jovago, MTN partner to boost broadband access

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n order to reduce data costs and boost ecommerce in Nigeria, online hotel booking platform, Jovago.com in partnership with MTN has launched a free internet service.

The move means it won’t charge users of its mobile network for the data they

consume while using the Jovago app.

Jovago said this startegic partnership with MTN, one of the biggest telecommunications player in Nigeria and Africa "is a great milestone for us in order to offer great accessibility for the customer-centric mobile

Facebook unveils new mobile profile design

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be considered in the utmost regard. Some of these comprise the AC system, audio system, steering system, body condition, windscreen, rust, effectiveness of clutch system, brakes, windows, body colour, suspension system, Odometer reading, condition of airbag, ABS, wheel and exhaust.”

acebook is adding life to mobile profiles, as the social network unveiled a variety of new features, including “profile videos.”

With profile videos, users will be able to add a new dimension to their profile by including a short, looping video clip that plays for anyone who visits the user’s profile. In addition, Facebook unveiled a new profile picture feature that allows users to set a temporary version of their profile picture that reverts back to their previous picture at a specified time. For instance, someone could

temporary change their picture.

In addition to the profile design changes, Facebook announced new profile controls that enable users to change the visibility of the fields that are shown at the top of their mobile profile. For example, users can select what “About” details appear, and choose five featured photos to be showcased. Plus, Facebook introduced a new, one-line bio space where users can describe themselves.

experience. We have noticed the immense growth of mobile internet penetration in Africa and remain focused on reaching clients across the world in order to offer them our services.”

Chief Executive Officer of Jovago, Paul Midy said, “Now, all MTN users can have access to more than 8, 000 hotels in Nigeria and 25, 000 hotels in Africa without cost and book in one click.”

The recent launch of the Jovago app on the Android platform was a positive step in the right direction and this next step with a key partner would boost value with the customerbase. A survey conducted by Jovago shows that more than 50 per cent of the booking are done through mobile devices.

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Insurance

NICON targets immediate settlement of outstanding claims Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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he new management of NICON Insurance saddled with the responsibility to reposition the company for optimum performance has said that part of its key performance indicators for the company is immediate settlement of all claims received from the period of acquisition till date.

Managing Director of the company, Mr. Bayode Samuel said: “Claims settlement is pivotal to the business of insurance and anything short of this is unethical. That is why in our unwavering quest for alignment with operational and regulatory standards, we have settled and disbursed in excess of N400 million to all our numerous clients across Nigeria on outstanding claims due under the defunct National Insurance Corporation and the new NICON Insurance Limited under my leadership”.

“On that note, NICON has joined every other liquid player in the industry poised to clean their books as directed by the Regulator, the National Insurance Commission under the leadership of Alhaji Muhammed Kari.

He further disclosed that NICON has being repositioned to take advantage of strategic opportunities untapped in the insurance industry via various alliance

Claims settlement is pivotal to the business of insurance and anything short of this is unethical

with different stakeholders in the insurance and financial industry by introducing insurance benefits to almost all sectors of the economy.

He therefore urged the

insuring public to take advantage of the new development in NICON Insurance of today by insuring their general and life assurance businesses with

NICON being the flagship and the biggest in Nigeria by asset base in excess of N40 billion, coupled with over 42 branches nationwide and 6 regional offices.

AXA Mansard Health hosts HR leaders conference

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riven by the desire to help Human Resource (HR) practitioners and leaders identify and integrate concepts that will offer innovative employee benefits and motivation, AXA Mansard Health Limited, will next week host HR leaders from different industries in the country to a HR Leaders Conference with the theme, “Sustaining Employees Motivation through Integrated Benefit Planning”.

Billed to hold in Lagos, the conference keynote address will be delivered by the CEO/ Registrar of the Chartered Institute of Personnel

Management (CIPM), Mr. Sunday Adeyemi. The event will have over 200 Head of HRs of large institutions across industries which include manufacturing, oil and gas, financial service, consulting and NGOS. Highlighting the idea behind the conference, the Chairman, AXA Mansard Health, Mr. Olusola Adeeyo noted that the conference demonstrates the commitment of AXA Mansard Health to the good of human capital development in Nigeria and is positioned to stimulate a more dedicated, committed, patriotic and highly productive

workforce for the nation.

On the benefit the conference for participants, Adeeyo stated that, the various plenary sessions of the conference has been designed to assist and equip HR leaders with strategies and tools that can help deal with employees assistance programs.

“The conference will broaden participant horizon on how best to go about the reinforcement of culture and corporate governance in their various organisations at large and also build a stronger and high performance workforce for their organisations”, he added.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 29 “Government is working out a document that would guide the administration within the four years of its life span.”

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in Abuja, September.., 2015.

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ne of my favourite wise cracks is the Law of the Hammer which says, “Give a young boy a hammer and he suddenly decides that everything he sees needs to be hammered immediately.

Nigerians voted for change, without obtaining a clear idea of what we wanted changed and when. Commonsense, which incidentally is not common, would suggest that not everything needs to be changed. And surely not all existing systems and structures can be altered at the same time.

Certainly, not everything can be changed this year. Yet, in the manic rush to “change” everything, we might be committing great errors which will be costly to correct in four years. As a general principle, it is easier to destroy than to build. It required several years of planning to put up the World Trade Centre in the US; it was reduced to rubble in a few hours when Al Queda struck on September 11, 2001.

What has this got to do with Zero-Based budgeting, you are probably asking? Plenty, as you will soon discover. At least, regular readers of this page would remember that last week the question was asked, “WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 2016 BUDGET?” Now we know part of the answer: “Nothing much”. Professor Osinbajo, SAN, but not an economist, did not say “Nothing much” when he made the announcement about Zer0-Sum Budgeting.

But, professional economists know that when an entity

(government, business etc) is still talking about the method or approach for its budget in September, when the draft of the actual budget should have been ready by month-end, then “Nothing much” had been done. And, for 2016 budget, that means trouble. The change from traditional budgeting procedure to Zero-Sum invariably requires a lot of time to impose in any organization, especially government. It is certain to result in delays and avoidable errors if it is introduced in the little time left for this year to end. Two reasons would be sufficient to illustrate the point. But, before stating the reasons, let me summarise for our readers what the palaver is all about.

Conventional budgeting procedures can generally be characterized as “top-down” programmes. Government reviews what was budgeted in the current year, projects what the year-end results will be; forecasts what the gross revenue for the coming year will be and the Executive branch allocates what it considers appropriate for each Ministry, Department and Agency. The underlying assumptions are that all the ongoing programmes and projects will continue; that the staff strength will remain the same and very little will change. It is an evolutionary approach to budgeting which has its positive and negative attributes.

The good news is, with conventional budgeting those

Zero-based budgeting and its consequences for 2016 charged with the responsibility of drafting it can work quickly and get it done in the shortest possible time. Furthermore, because this had been the traditional way of budgeting, all the operators are familiar with it and can easily adjust their programmes when the need arises. The downside of conventional budgeting is that it often fails to take account of projects and programmes which had been. Or should have been terminated and no longer funded.

For the 2015/2016 budgets the perfect example are the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, to which Obasanjo committed the country in 2000. Nigeria, like several other nations, was a signatory to an agreement

Zero-Sum Budgeting, which is allied with Management By Objectives, MBO, is a “bottom-up” approach to budgeting and development

mandating the achievement of eight development goals by the end of 2015. Whether achieved or not, and Nigeria failed woefully in at least six of the MDGs, the programme terminates in December this year. The staff in various Ministries, employed to ensure the success of the MDGs will actually become redundant – unless other uses can be found for them. Traditional budgeting methods will not be able to detect the redundant staff and recommend either discharge or transfer or redeployment to other Ministries, Departments or Agencies.

By contrast, Zero-Sum Budgeting, which is allied with Management By Objectives, MBO, is a “bottom-up” approach to budgeting and development. The Federal Government has announced that “The Zero-Sum budgeting will be carefully coordinated to ensure that it is policy-driven; especially regarding the proposed social intervention policy of President Buhari’s administration”. In reality, all budgets, irrespective of whether conventional or Zero-Sum, should be policy-driven. At any rate, the benefits, or otherwise, to the nation will determine the soundness of the policy – not the approach to budgeting.

Zero-Sum budgeting can produce great disasters as conventional budgeting if the policy driving it is wrongheaded.

A good example is the, now disputed “free meals for school children” programme – which was announced before counting the costs – which will run into hundreds of billions of naira. Neither conventional nor Zero-Sum method of budgeting will remove the fact that, if government actually intends to implement it, then government is taking on the responsibility of feeding close to fifteen million kids every school day – at least two hundred days per annum. The modalities for ensuring that every kid, irrespective of how remote the location is, gets fed, had not been worked out; neither has the nutritional content of each plate of food been determined – among other matters arising from this laudable but complex proposal.

One thing is certain; it cannot take off in January 2016, and perhaps not until 2017.

Zero-Sum, being new will need to be introduced gradually, and it cannot be done in time for the 2016 budget to be presented. That is its major drawback for now.

There are others….

MICRO-FINANCE

CICAN to brainstorm on job creation for youths Stories by PROVIDENCE OBUH

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ommerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria, CICAN, is organising an interactive forum to discuss possible ways of creating more jobs for unemployed youths in the country.

CICAN described the initiative as part of its support towards Federal Government’s job creation drive and the President Mohammadu Buhari's promise to create over three million jobs annually to fill the unemployment gaps.

CICAN said in a statement, that it is holding its 5th Gala Nite with the theme, ‘’Job Creation through Entrepreneurship Empowerment,” expected to attract industry players from different walks of life and the one-day forum is billed to hold on October 8 at the LCCI Exhibition Centre, Ikeja.

Some resource persons, expected to do speak include, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, BoI, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa and the Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf. According to the statement, signed by the CICAN Chairman, Mr Toba

Agboola and Secretary, Charles Onwuatuegwu, the association said the forum would also feature a Gala nite as well as recognition of some outstanding captains of the industry, who have contributed immensely to the development of the nation’s industrial sector.

Expected at the event include: the Executive

Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria , Dr Frank Jacobs, The Permanent Secretary, Ministry Industry Trade and Investment, Alhaji Ajiya Mamman, President NACCIMA, Chief Bassey Edem, President LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello among others.

'We see tremendous market potential in Nigeria'

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he Managing Director, MAN Diesel & Turbo, Nigeria, Mr. Adedayo Olowoniyi has said that the country’s market potential is enormous just as it opened a new sales office with company ’s new representation located in Lagos to serve as representation centre to Lead Sales Initiative in Sub-Saharan region.

Olowoniyi further said, “The privatization of the local power market is driving investment and with only about 5.5 gigawatts installed today, there is a substantial need for additional decentralized generation capacity. The country’s overall economy is growing substantially and our products can help companies secure their energy supply

without having to depend on the public grid.

“With the new office, he considers MAN Diesel & Turbo to be well positioned for future endeavors in Nigeria and beyond. Lagos is the country’s commercial capital, which is why we have chosen it as our first and main office.”

Speaking at the Launch in Lagos, CEO of MAN Diesel & Turbo, Dr. Uwe Lauber,said “By deepening our local footprint we hope to further grow our business affiliations and strengthen our partnership with this country.”

Congratulating MAN Diesel, German Consul General, Ingo Herbert, said that out of the 50,000 German companies, that are active on a global level, only about 1,000 are present in Africa, saying.

Decor & Rainbow launches in Nigeria, to offer professional trainings

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ecor & Rainbow, an international creative agency has formally launched its business operations in Nigeria.

Operating from their studio in Ikeja Lagos, Decor & Rainbow will be offering services such as interior design for all types of buildings, branding for business looking to improve their image and professional training in interior design for individuals looking to develop a career in interior design.

Addressing journalists at the firm’s office in Ikeja, Mr. Michael Banjo, Head of the Firm said that If one has a project that requires an interior design agency or a company that needs to improve its brand image or someone looking to be trained as a professional interior designer then Decor & Rainbow should be contacted.

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Advertising & Promotions

Between IDL, distributors reward as tool for business growth STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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N a competitive business en vironment, more business owners are looking at improvements in exceptional sales performance from their trade partners.

Meanwhile, a strong competition has resulted in a tight trade partnership of which now businesses require more from their trade partners, while partners are also looking out for more outcome from them.

Trade partners reward and recognition programs are one method of motivating partners to change their sales habits and key behaviours to benefit business owners.

Although these terms are often used interchangeably, reward and recognition systems are different. A reward refers to programs set up by a company to reward performance and motivate employees on individual and/or groups. They are normally considered separate from salary but may be monetary in nature or otherwise have a cost to the company.

While previously considered

the domain of large companies, small businesses have also begun employing them as a tool to lure top employees in a competitive job market as well as to increase employee performance.

While this may seem obvious, companies frequently make the mistake of rewarding behaviours or achievements that either fail to further business goals or actually sabotage them. Thus if teamwork is a business goal, a bonus system rewarding partners who improve their productivity does make sense.

Properly measuring performance ensures the program pays off in terms of business goals.

Since rewards have a real cost in terms of time or money, business owners need to confirm that performance has actually improved before rewarding it. Often this requires measuring something other than financial returns: reduced defects, happier customers, more rapid deliveries, etc.

As noted, although trade partners recognition programs are often combined with reward programs.

In order to reap benefits such as increased productivity, the

company while designing a reward program identifies a company or group goals to be reached and the behaviours or performance that will contribute to this.

That was why in the 2014 distributor’s forum organised by Intercontinental Distillery Limited, IDL, to reward distributors for their exceptional performance, the company set aside N313 million and gift items for three zones as divided by the IDL, Lagos , Port Harcourt and Ibadan, with the gift items ranging from generating sets, washing machines,

TV sets, home theaters etc to boost its distributors businesses across the country.

In Lagos for example, Mrs. Dorothy Anegbe of Ogbohu Enterprises won the platinum award worth N9.25 million and a 4.5 tonne truck. In Ibadan, Adebambutayo and Top Biz International, Illorin both won bronze with cash sums, home theatre and a year subscription and in Port Harcourt, the highest distributor Ogoamaka Ugwoegbu of Merdian Marketing went home with N11.4 million, a 4.5 tonne truck.

The region also produced 1 gold winner, 10 silver winners and

many bronze winners.

Like, the Managing Director of IDL, Engr. Patrick Anegbe said during the 2014 distributors forum and award ceremony tagged: Living-it-Up, in Lagos, that the ceremony has become an age long tradition of appreciating distributors who performed exceedingly well.

Engr. Anegbe maintained that the essence of celebrating excellence and rewarding hardwork is to encourage the distributors to invest more in their businesses and also rekindle the drive to grow their businesses.

Happenings Magazine launches 2nd edition

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new entrant in magazine publishing, Happenings Magazine has unveiled its second edition with headline ‘The truth issue’offers a blend of fashion, lifestyle and entertainment.

The occasion tagged “Style, Urban, Life” brought together a host of fashion enthusiasts, clients and guests.

It was an afternoon of fun and excitement as guest experienced the magazine come alive through enlightening engaging discus-

sions centred on fashion and lifestyle.

The major highlights of the event were the raffle draws which saw excited guests walking away with fantastic prizes courtesy sponsors: Exquisite Sapphire, TT DALK, Udoka makeup, COCO’S catering and dessert, Nasco, Whispers.ng, Winston and David and Adibba.com.

Guests also enjoyed live music

by Aduke as well as sumptuous finger foods and drinks.

The magazine style is elegant and contemporary with top notch visual and editorial quality that creates an inviting world with something for every upwardly mobile man and woman. www.happenings.com.ng started as an online magazine and because of the need to satisfy and reach a wider range of our ardent readers launched the Happenings Magazine print publication.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 39

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40— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.com Blog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2 Website: www.lesleba.com Tel:0805 220 1997

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he Monetary Policy Committee is the ‘Think Tank’ that designs the blueprint for best practice strategies that should drive Nigeria’s economic growth and prosperity. Thus, if the MPC’s recommendations were appropriate, and progressive, inclusive economic growth would evolve; conversely if the MPC’s diagnosis or prescriptions are off target, then our current stunted growth experience will inevitably be the product of implementating those Monetary Policies midwived by the committee from time to time.

Nonetheless, while the complimentary role of fiscal policy to a nation’s economic growth is undeniable, best practice money supply management, can redeem a grotesque fiscal plan; conversely, however, an “excellently structured” budget will grossly diminish in value if extant monetary strategies induce spiraling inflation, increasingly high cost of funds and a Naira exchange rate that is determined by fiat!

Consequently, a nation with a benevolent spread of latent wealth, with diverse agricultural and mineral resources, will remain poor if there is brazen indiscipline in managing its money supply; for example, if the authorities recklessly and liberally, continuously print or create money values, inflation would hit the roof, and all income earners, will ultimately become traumatized and pauperized as the purchasing power of the Naira becomes steadily whittled down. Furthermore, subsisting high cost of loanable funds will also make sustainable real investments a challenge, and ultimately deepen our already suffocated job market to precipitate a rising wave of insecurity! For these reasons, the role of the MPC in promoting best practice

demonstrated by CBN’s notice of the 4th September ,2015 that it would mop up some of the perceived excess money in the system and restrain inflation by borrowing over N800bn from the money market between September 17th to the 3rd December this year. Incidentally, the banking subsector, primarily, will earn between 1215% interest on these loans which CBN will, inexplicably keep sterile or idle in order to contain the inflationary pressures propelled by the threat of unbridled money supply chasing relatively few goods and services.

Alarmingly, the CBN now pays over N500bn interest annually to warehouse surplus cash it borrows and simply keeps idle in CBN vaults and records, while the real sector inexplicably suffers severe funding deprivations which invariably engender contraction of production and job opportunities. In this event, all sectoral intervention funds to stimulate economic activity and job creation, will inadvertently, further expand the bloated cash surplus already in the system, and become indiscriminately mopped up also once again with high such interest rates that are clearly discordant with rates payable on sovereign risk free loans by countries with robust resource endowments such as Nigeria. Worse still, it has been suggested that the latest reduction of cash reserve ratio from 31% to 25% would supplement/compound liquidity by over N300bn; in this event, the CBN may have by the reduction of CRR inadvertently also increased its portfolio for idle loans which attract oppressive interest rates.

Incredibly, inspite of these policy contradictions, a gullible media and public still believe the MPC/CBN will lead our nation to Eldorado.

•SAVE THE NAIRA, SAVE NIGERIANS

MPC and the blind leading the blind management of money supply, will be recognised to be pivotal for the achievement of enhanced social and economic welfare for our people.

Regrettably, however, for over two decades, the best efforts of MPC/CBN ‘collaboration’ have failed to successfully manage money supply to keep inflation below best practice level of 2% and stabilize the value of all incomes; furthermore, subsisting monetary policy directions have also failed to bring down cost of borrowing, to the supportive level of middle single digit interest rates. It is clearly unrealistic and foolhardy to expect credible economic growth or indeed successful diversification, when cost of funds exceed 20% for domestic real sector investors.

Incidentally, the management of money supply is of universal application and a nation’s Central Monetary Authority may from time to time reduce or increase cash supply to control consumer consumption and also modulate the lending capacity in the banking system, in line with the peculiar needs of their economy. For example, when unemployment is so deep as in our case, Monetary Authorities will be expected to aggressively increase the supply of money and also crash the cost of funds to stimulate consumer demand and facilitate new investments.

Conversely, the MPC and CBN would be expected to promote policies that could reduce the extent of “spendable money” and deliberately also spike the prevailing cost of funds to discourage investment and consumption and reduce the perceived inflationary

pressures in an economy nearing full employment by this process. Regrettably, however, it is inexplicable that despite our abiding heavy burden of unemployment, our MPC ‘Think Tank’ has over the years, consistently endorsed inappropriately high double digit CBN benchmark interest rates, which in turn, readily set the pace for banks to lend to customers, including the productive sector at oppressive rates, above 20%.

Incidentally, when the MPC concluded its 103rd bimonthly meeting last week, it retained its existing anti-growth, benchmark cost of funds at 13% while it slashed the cash ratio which commercial banks must retain as reserves from 31% to 25%. The overt interpretation of such monetary indices is simply that the CBN appears impervious to the crying need of the real sector for access to cheap funds; furthermore, the adoption of a cash reserve ratio which is still as high as 25%, also suggest that the CBN clearly considers the prevailing

Regrettably, however, for over two decades, the best efforts of MPC/ CBN ‘collaboration’ have failed to successfully manage money supply to keep inflation below best practice level of 2%

level of money supply worrisome and counterproductive to price stability and the apex bank therefore intends to reduce both consumer spending and the capacity of banks to extend credit to their customers, despite the downside, that the high monetary policy benchmarks instituted would restrain investment and industrial capacity utilisation and also impede job creation in the economy. Thus, for reasons best known to them, the MPC’s regime of inflation and interest rates are clearly out of tune for an economy with low consumer demand, a shrinking industrial base, and the attendant irrepressible and socially poisonous rate of unemployment.

The MPC’s tight money policy is clearly traceable to the fear that a lower cash reserve requirement for banks will expand an already, discomfortingly bloated money supply to facilitate increased consumer spending which could trigger inflation well beyond 10% and threaten the purchasing power of Naira incomes and the maintenance of economic price stability.

Instructively, the recent enforcement of the Treasury Single Account, allegedly led to a 10% reduction in excess liquidity. Regrettably, this reduction appears to be clearly insufficient to tame the oppressive burden of systemic excess money supply and the collateral threats to job creation, economic stability and social prosperity.

This persistence of incurable surplus money supply is clearly

Business & Economy Alcatel Onetouch reveals Nigeria growth plans

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lcatel OneTouch, one of the world’s smartphone manufacturers said plans are in top gear to claim a sizeable portion of the Nigerian mobile market. The company which occupy’s the number 4 position globally said that there is every assurance its coming back will increase the competition in the market it said has enough space to operate in. The company, a brand within the international mobile and Internet device maker TCL Communication has also chosen TD Mobile as distributor for Nigeria with the launch of a range of affordable, yet attractive and feature-rich

mobile devices into the Nigerian market.

Speaking at the launch, Nick Imudia, Regional Director for Alcatel OneTouch in charge of , Nigeria and Central Africa, said: “I am pleased to be a part of Alcatel OneTouch as it strives to bring the latest mobile innovations to mass market consumers in Nigeria.”

His words, “my mandate is to build the Alcatel OneTouch brand by providing tools that will grow and enrich our Nigerian market. We recognise that every smartphone user needs and deserves a device that offers good performance, beautiful

aesthetics and rich functionality.

As such, we’ll strive to offer choice, variety and flexibility to consumers irrespective of their budget.”

“My immediate priority will be to give Nigerian consumers, partners, operators and their consumers easy access to our vast range of affordable products,” says Imudia. “In the mid to long term, we believe we can grow Alcatel OneTouch into a major player in the Nigerian market. We have the brand, the products and the distribution capabilities to grow aggressively in the years to come. “

Omoh Gabriel Babajide Komolafe Clara Nwachukwu Peter Egwuatu Yinka Kolawole Favour Nnabugwu Godwin Oritse Godfrey Bivbere Michael Eboh Franklin Alli Ifeyinwa Obi Rosemary Onuoha Nkiruka Nnorom CONTRIBUTORS Princewill Ekwujuru Jonah Nwokpoku Naomi Uzor Providence Obuh LAYOUT

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Group Business Editor Deputy Business Editor Energy Editor Asst. Business Editor Snr Bus. Correspondent Insurance Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Energy Reporter Industry/Agric. Reporter Maritime Reporter Insurance Reporter Capital Market Reporter

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Media/Marketing E-Commerce Industry Micro Finance Graphics Department

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—43 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Growing up, looking back

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LONG for the good old days whenever I think about the new bad ones. In confronting the ugly scenes of today, my mind instinctively, switches, like some defensive mechanism, to my youth, or even my childhood.

They were the periods of innocence. When humanity was a child.

I recall that in those days, a thief will wait until the dead of the night before stealing stealthy into the victim’s house. He needed to operate in dead silence not to awaken his victim. His greatest fear was the victim, or some other person waking up, and raising an alarm. The cry of ‘ole!

Ole!! ole!!!’ (thief! thief!! thief!!!) was all that was needed for the thief to outpace Usein Bolt in a hundred metres dash. But in these digital times, robbers put whole areas on notice; sometimes, writing letters or pasting notices of their intention to rob. In some cases, they give the date and time they intend to strike. They are so business like that in many instances, they keep to time. There are instances when residents prefer to leave their homes before the appointed day. I have a friend in Abuja, who after three visits in quick

succession by robbers, abandoned his house to be a tenant somewhere else.

Of course, robbers these days, make no distinction between night and daylight; some of them prefer to go to ‘work’ in day time, rather than be some nocturnal animal. Until a few years ago, robbers simply operated and vacated the area, as quickly as possible, leaving no traces. Now, they may end up kidnapping their victims.

They raided Steve Nwosu, Deputy Managing Director of SUN Newspapers on September 14. Obviously disappointed that the poor journalist had nothing substantial at home, they abducted his wife, Toyin and asked him to pay a ransom of N100 million. She did not regain her freedom until three days later.

A similar act played out a fortnight earlier when on August 30, my fellow VANGUARD columnist, Donu Kogbara was robbed at home.

After stealing money and jewelry, they abducted her. She was only released on September 11.

When I was young, kidnapping was rare, and in most cases, the

victims were children. Today, kidnapping is a big industry.

Things became so bad in Abia State a few years ago, that people could be kidnapped for recharge card. All categories of people have been kidnapped; traditional rulers, traders, politicians. But the nation was shocked when former Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Samuel Oluyemisi Falae was kidnapped on September 21; his seventy seventh birthday. His family had to pay a N5 million ransom to secure his release.

As a younger man, journalist, trade unionist and prodemocracy activist, I attended several meetings, workshops and conferences in virtually all parts of the country. Then when the senseless killings in Kaduna went on, it became a no-go-area. Later, the madness spread to Plateau

In my undergraduate days in Ife, indigent students who could not afford the 50 kobo meal ticket increase imposed by the Obasanjo regime, were assisted by the university which gave them part time jobs, especially in the cafeteria

Obiano and the new Anambra

By Uchem Obi

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F rebranding is the process of giving something a new image, in order to make it more attractive or successful, then Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State is truly rebranding the state. His actions have involved an extensive rebranding of the state. This is not about the construction of roads, attraction of billion dollars investments, revamping of the agriculture sector or the prompt payment of salaries and pensions.

His government has done all these and much more than he has been given credit for. My interests are not those traditional responsibilities which his government in so short a time, has been so focused to achieve. My focus is on the “much more”, which has retrieved the state from the sidewalk of pedestrian governance.

It began with his emergence in 2014.

He had come into the governorship race with profound academic qualifications, unconsciously preserving the Anambra tradition of not leaving governance in the hands of those who have not been adequately stewed in the fundamentals of hybrid education or very well tested by corporate or technocratic parameters.

The curriculum vitae of his predecessors make this clearer.

Chukwuemeka Ezeife earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University College Ibadan and a Master’s and Doctorate from Harvard University and rose to become a permanent secretary. Chinwoke Mbadinaju obtained a BA in political science and a doctorate in government.

He also gained a law degree and rose to become an Associate Professor and Editor of Times International Magazine.

Next Chris Ngige, a medical doctor who earned his practice from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and joined the civil

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service, where he retired as DeputyDirector in the Federal Ministry of Health.

The immediate past governor, Chief Peter Obi, earned a BA in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He was the chairman of several companies including Next International, Guardian Express Mortgage Bank, Guardian Express Bank, Data Corp and Fidelity Bank.

This tradition came under attack in 2014 by career politicians, who campaigned to govern the state with secondary school certificates. Obiano’s emergence saved the situation and preserved the tradition of high standard. With Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Lagos, Obiano launched out in quest of knowledge and self development. He underwent extensive professional trainings in Harvard and Stanford and also became a fellow and patron of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). This former Chief Internal Auditor of Texaco later became the Executive Director of Business Banking in Fidelity Bank. He began the rebranding of the state from the polls, where he emphatically halted the enthronement of mediocrity.

Before his election, the Anambra State Chapter of the association of Hoodlums, Assassins, Kidnappers and Armed Robbers (HAKA) had domineering presence in the state. They ruled in motor parks and garages and in the company of their foot soldiers, who masquerade as Okada riders, they unleashed terror and mayhem. The state was helpless and in dire need of someone with extra-ordinary

In his 18 months administration, his government has already attracted $2.4bn investments

State, and it became a place to avoid. Now with the level of violence spreading, organisations avoid holding events in states like Bornu, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe and Bauchi in the North. Kidnapping and violence has made states like Edo, Rivers and most of the East, areas people avoid, if they can.

Many parts of the West are also prone to robbery, and increasing cases of kidnapping. The safe areas in the country, have drastically reduced. Nigerians have been forced to abridge their right to movement.

Education used to be accessible.

For both post-primary and tertiary education, the password was passing the required entrance examinations. The best and cheapest secondary schools, were the public ones. In my undergraduate days in Ife, indigent students who could not afford the 50 kobo meal ticket increase imposed by the Obasanjo regime, were assisted by the university which gave them part time jobs, especially in the cafeteria. Today, such students starve, that is if in the first place, they can afford to be students.

Some people think I can be a fierce fighter; one of the biggest battles I have been engaged in my life, was refusal to go to school. Until six, I was contented watching my elders go to school.

When it was my turn, I fought tenaciously; how could anybody think of tearing me from my mother who fed me all day? When my family realised that the battle was not being won, an uncle, Gilbert Fakrogha (GLO) devised a means. He lived two streets away in Obalende, Lagos.

On his way to work in the defunct Electricity Corporation of

courage. Obiano was sworn in at a time when the state had become the unofficial headquarters of kidnappers. He quickly reaffirmed that this is not who we are and not how we want our state to be remembered.

The governor rose well to the precarious situation. He banished touts, hoodlums and idlers from the motor parks and garages and in collaboration with the police made the entire state uninhabitable for criminal elements. Kidnappers have since relocated and with the ban of okada on the highways, peace has returned and the state has been reclaimed from marauders.

There are things that should not be but have come to be accepted as normal because of lack of initiative. For instance, the stretch of Enugu-Onitsha Express way, running from Arroma Junction in Awka to Amawbia Junction had become a highway of death. Scores of indigenes and non-indigenes, students, traders, civil servants, hawkers and many others, have died unsung on this highway because someone lacked initiative to take affirmative action.

Obiano chose to do things differently.

He chose to stop the unholy sacrifice of blood on this highway, with the courageous and unprecedented flag-off of 3 fly-overs at the same time across this deadly stretch of express road. When completed, the state would heave a deep sigh of relief because adequate care has been taken to protect lives.

In a season, when many of his colleagues are crying for bail out and others very busy mortgaging the future of their states with different kinds of loans, Obiano surfaced on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), not to scout for loans but to engage the attention of quoted companies in the existing investment opportunities in the state. It is note worthy that in his 18 months administration, his government has already attracted $2.4bn investments. He

Nigeria, ECN, (later known as NEPA, NEP plc, and PHCN) in Okesuna, he would visit, ask me to go buy some food. After eating together, we left home, parting opposite Lewis Street, in front of then Police Headquarters (Now, Kam Salem House). He to his office, and I to the nearby Araromi Baptist School.

Needless to say, whenever he did not go to work, I refused to go to school. So I assume that during his leave periods, he still came to perform our ritual.

Later, I followed Barbarosa, that was his nickname, into the trade unions, but this was not by design. On Tuesday September 1, I received a call.

GLO is gone, and on November 14, the family is to gather for his burial.

That was a phase in my life.

Another person who influenced my education by firing my love for poetry, and enabled me pass literature in WAEC, is Professor Theo Vincent. His book, A SELECTION OF AFRICAN POEMS which he coauthored with K.E. Senanu was like a bible to me. Today, thirty seven years after I left secondary school, I still read that collection. Sadly, I read that this intellectual, who spent thirty seven years teaching in the University of Lagos, and was Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, has gone blind and is almost destitute. Can’t we rescue our intellectuals?

General Yakubu Gowon was quoted in the 1970s as saying that our problem was not money, but how to spend it. Yet, major infrastructure like mass transit was not put in place.

Those were the good old days.

Today, the Nigerian economy, runs on one leg.

continued this investment drive at the Stock Exchange where he exploited his private sector experience to factor the state into the immense capacity of the NSE to restructure the economy of the state and this is by no means pedestrian.

Even in matters of security, things are done differently now. The governor believes that the state will be better secured if its neighbours are also better secured. So, in the actualisation of this empirical strategy, he convened a Regional Conference on security for the South East and Delta state. The high profile event which was moderated by the Inspector General of Police was attended by the governors of Delta, Enugu and Abia states while the Ebonyi state governor was represented.

The security conference was a call for a regional response against the threat of insecurity because victory over crime in the region would not endure so long as a criminal driven out of one state could find shelter in a neighbouring state. The conference has already boosted momentum in the fight against crime in the region and Anambra has continued to enjoy peace and tranquility.

During the Eid-El Kabir celebration, Governor Obiano notched up another first.. For the first time in the history of the state, the governor hosted our Muslim brothers to a lavish banquet at the governor’s lodge in Amawbia. The event was so novel that the leader of the Muslim Community in the state Alhaji Sule Momoh said, “This is the first time since the creation of the state, that we have been so honoured”.

Only 18 months, Ndi Anambra see the efforts of the governor as “a validation of their choice” and a reminder, that the governor has the capacity to muster goodwill from across board to do that, which career politicians would consider outlandish and unworkable. *Mr. Obi, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

44—VANGUARD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

2019:

PDP presidential ticket for North, excludes Hausa/ Fulani

The PDP needs to rebrand. It needs to get into the management of more competent hands, not charlatans that have compromised and brought the party to it are knees. It needs fresh and competent hands

— JACOB, EX-PDP LEGAL ADVISER •Jacob BARRISTER Mark Nzamah Jacob, was Kaduna state Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General (2005-2007) before he became the National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP (2007-2009). He played powerful roles in the 2011 general elections as one of the key players in the Neighbour -2-Neighbour campaign that retained Pthen resident Goodluck Jonathan in Power. He served as executive Director, Legal Services of the Ferderal Civil Avaition Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from where he resigned in 2014 to return to his village, Zonkwa, Zangon Kataf Local Council of Kaduna State to contest for Southern Kaduna Senatorial ticket of the party. He howver stepped down for his friend, Chief Danjuma La’ah who later won the senatorial seat.

In this audacious interview withVanguard in Kaduna, Jacob, a restless advocate of the right of the Middle Belt, spoke among others on how the North would produce the PDP presidential ticket in 2019 and how Kaduna State is being run under Governor Nasir El Rufai.

By Luka Binniyat

H

OW can you assess the PDP after it lost the Presidential election?

There is no hiding the fact that the PDP currently has a problem. The problem is how do we re-invigorate; how do we re-strategise? The PDP needs to rebrand. It needs to get into the management of more competent hands, not charlatans that have compromised and brought the party to its kneels.

It needs fresh and competent hands. We cannot move on if we have stubborn people who insist on operating the party as personal estates, and have become so used to the old ways of doing things. We had a President; we had most of the governors, Ministers, Senators and all that. These people easily got money from them and that made them too complacent and lazy. They have to move away now.

The dynamics have changed. They are just no longer competent to handle the party under the new challenge. We are now an opposition party.

We need new ideas; new people. Other than that, we are intact as the biggest party in Africa.

Why did the PDP lose so much in the last election?

Apart from clear lack of internal democracy in the party, incompetent leadership of the party and some gaffe we committed in our 16 years of running the country, we were also bombed with unprecedented propaganda and unbelievablly well crafted deceitful messages from the opposition.

Today, those lies are hitting back at the ruling party. They managed to convince a broad section of Nigerians that for 16 years the PDP did absolutely nothing, outside embezzlement. For God’s sake, that’s arrant nonsense! Look, I come C M Y K

from a village called Zonkwa, in Zangon Kataf.

Before the PDP came, I can’t name one community that had a borehole not to talk of treated running water; many communities had no schools, clinics or even motorable roads.

There were many village folks who never believed that they could have electricity at home in their life time. You had to travel for hours to get where to make a phone call. The Post offices were dead. But, go to my village today and see the abundance of these things. There was only, I think two Banks in Kafanchan town that were serving six local councils, which in area is larger than Abia and Imo states combined. Today, there are banks everywhere with ATMS. But, to me, the most profound contribution of the PDP to our people is the sense of liberation and justice it gave us, we the ethnic people south of Kaduna. Before the advent of the PDP, we were forced under the Emirate of Zazzau with Zaria about 300 kilometre away as the headquarters.

Insulting injustice This was a sad, unfair colonial arrangement of the so-called indirect rule. It was such an insulting injustice and our parents would tell us of the indignity and exploitation that came with it. So we had Distract Heads from Zaria superintending over a people they could not and never conquered in ancient wars. We were ruled by people who shared no cultural and religious similarity with us. But, the PDP changed that. It created several autonomous chiefdoms for every ethnic group in Southern Kaduna.

The PDP ended over 100 years of oppression and exploitation. Our Chiefs are now the

equivalent of our emirs. So, how could anyone say that the PDP did nothing? Well, the records are there, that Southern Kaduna did not buy into that propaganda. They voted for PDP in 2015.

And come to think of it, apart from General Muhammdu Buhari and maybe two others, who is in the APC today that was not a creation of the PDP? They made their political capital from the largesse of the PDP. They would have been nothing without the PDP. Check and see, from their governors to their Senators.

Who was Nasir El Rufai among the six million people in Kaduna state if he was not chanced to have been picked by the then Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and given a job at the BPE? We all know how he turned round and humiliated Atiku. Now, if El Rufai claims that he had contributed to the development of Nigeria as the BPE boss and the FCT Minister and that it was based on that that he should be voted governor in his campaign, would that not mean that it was the PDP government that carried out those services?

So, how could he turn round again, to say that we did nothing and people believed him? I don’t know the kind of voodoo they used on the people.

So this helped the APC to get a swell of violent supporters and the rest is history.

We are waiting to see when they will start paying N5000 per month to the poorest 100 million Nigerians as they promised in their campaigns. My brothers in the villages are waiting. And it is already in arears of three months. We are waiting to see Electricity hit 10,000 MW in one year. We are waiting to see when every child in our primary school will be fed and clothed free. We are waiting see every village in Nigeria paved with tarred roads. We Continues on page 45

They managed to convince a broad section of Nigerians that for 16 years the PDP did absolutely nothing, outside embezzlement.

For God’s sake, that’s arrant nonsense

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—45

Continues from page 44 are waiting to see when Boko Haram will be completely eliminated before December.

We are waiting for a utopian Nigeria. Today when you say things are just not working, people would say, “please be patient”.

Did we vote for patience? APC is reneging on its promises and you are talking of patience! The very few that voted for the APC from my place said they did so based on a promise of great changes. Now, they are saying that instead of criticising the government, we should pray for it. That is rubbish! I will not pray. I cannot become a prayer warrior for lying politicians.

The PDP has zoned the 2019 Presidential ticket to the North, are you happy with this?

That is in sync with me. I have no problem with that, except that some of us would like to know which kind of North the PDP is talking about. Because, there is a section of the North that believes that its only part of the North is the North.

It arrogates the definition of the North to itself, even when it is a minority in the North. If the PDP is talking about a north that includes me from Southern Kaduna; that includes the Idoma man from Benue, the Nupe man from Niger, the Bachama man from Adamawa, then I am happy. So, let no one think that the zoning of the ticket to the North is for Hausa/Fulani. They have had their share of power.

The late President Yar’adua and now President Buhari are Hausa/Fulani. That is enough. It is the turn of the majority of the North who are the other ethnic nationalities scattered in 14 Northern states. Let the Hausa/Fulani never imagine rearing their heads near the ticket when the time comes.

Do you see the possibility of the PDP returning to power?

I am abundantly and absolutely sure that we will get back to power. The APC cannot sustain and manage what it got for free. You can see the confusion already. The sun is too scorching.

People will have to move back to the big, new formidable umbrella.

His assessment of the APC government in Kaduna State I have not seen anything outside the propaganda that is being mouthed. The government of El Rufai is delivering promissory notes only. The few things it has done shows the poor policy direction of the government. I can mention two of them. The first one is demolition of peoples' homes and business premises. And I am surprised that the people of Zaria, who were visited with this cruelty, did not go to court.

Negative show of power If the constitution says that government has a responsibility to provide food, clothes and housing as basic rights, why should government, which did not do so, go on to demolish homes of citizens? And the plots on which they built were provided by government. You are saying that the allocation was in trespass of government land.

If it is not sheer wickedness why make demolition a priority over so many other promises you made?

How does destroying people through demolition improve the standard of living of voters in the state? It is unfortunate that a man like that would accept the nickname “rusau” (demolisher) and want to live by it. Even, the APC Senator representing Kaduna Central, Comrade Shehu Sani is with me on this. Many APC supporters also detest this appetite for negative show of power.

His take on Governor El Rufai’s abrogation of indigenship status in Kaduna state, saying every resident is an indigene.

I want to say that I pity the governor on this pronouncement because it in obvious clash with the Constitution. Sections 25, 26 and 27 of the 1999 Amended Constitution of Nigeria has C M Y K

•Jacob

t u o b a g n i th o n g n i o d s a n u d a K El-Rufai' n r e th u o S n i e d i genoc clearly stated the citizenship status of every bona fide Nigeria. It states that “. . . a Nigerian citizen must be an indigene of a Nigerian community”.

That means that your father must be an indigene of a certain place. It is in the constitution. El Rufai is carrying out a dangerous experiment in Kaduna state in violation of the constitution. El Rufai is trying to instigate natives against nonindigenes for very strange reasons.

But he has appointed non-Kaduna state indigenes into prominent positions in government, among them a woman from Niger state as the acting LGA Chairman of Chikun.

You can interpret it the way you want. But, you witnessed the brave demonstration by the Gbagyi Progressive Union over that inciting appointment of Hajiya Ladi Yahuza. They challenged it and the protest was stopped using state violence. Six trucks of fully armed police men came and shot live bullets to stop the demonstration. The woman does not know anyone in Chikun.

She has never lived there. She is not from Kaduna state, except that she and her husband live in Kakuri, in Kaduna town. And the two are not natives of Kaduna State. The woman knows nothing about the problems and prospects of Chikun people. Yet, Chikun is blessed with thousands of educated, experienced and exposed politicians in APC. Let’s see if such “artificial” indigenes can win elections in Kaduna state.

On El Rufai’s perceived eradication of banditry and cattle rustling in Birnin Gwari and other northern areas of the state and whether it has been felt in Southern part of the state I want to say that the approach of El Rufai to security in Kaduna state, especially in Southern Kaduna is very irritating and laughable. Look at it this way: There is an established problem of cattle rustling in Birnin Gwari and some northern axis of the state, which is unacceptable. Then

you have a case of ongoing, clear genocide in parts of Southern Kaduna. In these parts of Southern Kaduna, gun wielding herdsmen butchered people, burnt communities and people have fled in terror. Their villages have been taken over by the herdsmen. Fear rules Sanga and Atakad. Marauders are lurking all over the place till date. In Birnin Gwari, cattles are being stolen.

But the governor invested millions of Naira, sponsored the military in a formidable operation by a combined Task Force. And they wiped out the rustlers.

Everyone sleeps well and life has become normal there, which is okay. Yet, in the case of the genocide, the governor set up a committee led by General Martins Agwai (retd) and gave him terms of reference. Among the terms is, “finding ways to end communal clashes in Southern Kaduna”. The General actually embarrassed us when he accepted that job. It is very insulting to use respectable man to do a dirty and eyes diverting assignment like that.

In Southern Kaduna, there have never been communal clashes. The governor knows this.

The General knows this.

Occupied villages Villages will be sleeping and some armed people would invade the villages and kill, loot and burn villages and then retreat. They came back and graze in the occupied villages. There is no history of a certain native community in Southern Kaduna clashing with another native community in the past 150 years, outside the Zangon Kataf crisis of 1992. In the case of Southern Kaduna where herdsmen killed 200 people in a night, the next day 50, and 70 and communities razed and taken over, you set up a committee to go and speak English. Then in the case of where cows are stolen, you spent millions and commission the military to end the stealing.

Let no one think that the zoning of the ticket to the North is for Hausa/ Fulani. They have had their share of power. The late President Yar’Adua and now President Buhari are Hausa/ Fulani

I want to say that the approach of El Rufai to security in Kaduna state, especially in Southern Kaduna is very irritating and laughable

46—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

O

NE of the most brilliant lawyers in Nigeria, Chima Nnaji (you will see him from time to time on Channels and the African Independent Television discussing current affairs) once said: if you close your fist everybody’s eyes will be attracted to it. Everybody will want to know what it is you are hiding in that fist, until you open it and they find it is a mere piece of paper. Hiding that piece of paper creates suspense, a heightened sense of expectation and yearning for you to open that dratted hand.

You must have noticed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s handlers, since the Bola Tinubu camp became part of his political life, adopted the strategy of creating myths around him. They make him the stuff of fables and legends and the gullible and unwary (that is, most Nigerians) are thus charmed and blown away. But in the end, it turns out to be what Ben Gbulie, in one of his writings described as “figments and nothing”.

The latest of these snake-charming antics which ended as a stupendous non-event was the ministerial saga. It was more than a saga: it was an odyssey. When in June 2015, Femi Adesina, Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media, broke the rather melancholic news (especially to All Progressives Congress, APC “investors”) that our new president would not appoint ministers until September, he and his fellow presidential image cosmeticians tried to douse the uproar by saying it was because Buhari needed time to search for immaculate and angelic Nigerians unsullied by corruption. No need to appoint just anybody only to find out he is a looter. Buhari is keen to avoid soiling the pristine government that he seeks to establish.

Enthusiasts said: “Ah, if that is why he is delaying, then let him take his time”. The bewildered grumbled: “What?! A man who retired from the army as a general, was once our head of state, ran for president FOUR times, and yet he needs FOUR months to search for suitable materials for ministerial positions?” I wrote a two-serial article entitled: “Brand Buhari’s Encounter With Diogenes”, likening this quixotic search for Nigerian angels to Greek philosopher, Diogenes who searched for an upright man, going round the streets of Athens with a lighted lantern in daytime!

Buhari and other ministers: random musings As Buhari’s painstaking search nudged toward the end of September, he travelled to France and gave a television interview.

He shocked us all when he contemptuously declared that ministers were mere “noisemakers”; that civil servants are the ones who do the real work.

Yes, the same civil servants who are the acclaimed engine room of corruption, some of whom own the overpriced, unoccupied mansions up for sale or rent in Abuja! This open preference for civil servants portrayed a certain disdain for ministers which we found somewhat incompatible with his search for “saints”.

When, at the proverbial eleventh hour on the 30th of September 2015 Buhari sent his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari and his Senate liaison officer, Senator Etta Enang to deliver a letter to the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki (whom some APC chieftains had sworn never to recognise) the bunch that was unveiled as

Come to think of it, I wonder why these military chaps are always angling to take over the Petroleum Ministry. Some say if there was no oil, there would have been no Nigerian civil war. Why are presidents not similarly attracted to the Agriculture Ministry (particularly Buhari, who owns farms and so many cows)?

his ministerial nominees was a whimper not a bang. In his Independence Day national broadcast, the president no longer said the delay was because he was looking for angels. He told us: “it would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalised the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance”. This was the better and more honest justification for the delay rather than the fib that he was searching for nonexistent “saints”.

A game for mortals I have no headache about the few, highly familiar names peddled as Buhari’s ministerial nominees. I am realistic enough to know that party politics is not a game for angels, and it should not be a game for devils either. It is a game for mere mortals.

Jesus Christ was the only mortal that walked the face of the earth without blemish, and that was because he was not a “mere” mortal. Section 147 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, makes it clear that no person can be nominated as a minister unless he is qualified to be a member of the House of Representatives. The simple interpretation is that he must be a cardcarrying member of a political party.

So, when you see some ex-governors who promoted Buhari’s aspiration financially, logistically and otherwise surfacing as ministerial nominees and other positions, it is not strange. That’s what the constitution envisages. After all, this is an APC federal government. They campaigned for our votes and a majority of the electorate voted the party and its flag bearer to run the affairs of the nation

for the next four years. Buhari is the leader of the party, but not the sole proprietor of the APC nor the sole administrator of Nigeria as he has been for the past four months. I am relieved that we are now exiting the military-like sole administratorship of the past four months.

We are easing into a proper democratic atmosphere, where the National Assembly and the ruling party will bring their impacts to bear on the new administration and show us the difference between our PDP past and our APC present.

Finally, I muse over PMB’s decision to double as Minister of Petroleum, opting to appoint Minister of State to assist him. This could, indeed, help him straighten things on that front, being a former occupant of the post and founding father of the NNPC. Buhari taking up a ministerial post, however, proves me right that ministers are not “noisemakers” as he erroneously postulated. That is why Ministers are called “Honourable”. Buhari, I am sure, is not a noisemaker, whatever else he is.

But president as minister could also be bad for the country. He is unlikely to present himself to the Senate for screening. Even if he does (I am sure he won’t) nobody will ask him old questions such as his school certificate or what not. He will be told to “bow and go”. He is unlikely to be summoned by the National Assembly committees on the oil industry and subjected to queries during public hearings. This is one Minister who will be untouchable, not only because of his overwhelming presidential powers but also because of his immunity.

I would have preferred that the person that oversees our primary source of federal income should be subject to accountability.

When Obasanjo became president in 1999 he also made himself Minister of Petroleum. He ran that ministry for six years and he never gave account of his stewardship to anyone till date.

Come to think of it, I wonder why these military chaps are always angling to take over the Petroleum Ministry. Some say if there was no oil, there would have been no Nigerian civil war. Why are presidents not similarly attracted to the Agriculture Ministry (particularly Buhari, who owns farms and so many cows)? Why not Power or Defence or Police Affairs? Why always the proverbial “honey-pot” of the nation?

OPINION Saraki: Igbokwe's ramblings (2) In the first part of this copy, Nwobodo submits thus: "How much of the APC's so-called ‘Master Plan’ went into the lopsided appointments by Buhari into key offices?" Here's is the conclusion of his argument.

By Chidiebere Nwobodo

S

ENATOR Saraki bribed his way to the clerk of the Senate and cajoled him to proclaim a Senate that is incomplete. Saraki and Ekweremmadu criminally changed the Senate rules in order to carry out the open robbery we saw in the hallowed Chamber of the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

By the above contradictions, one is led to conclude that it is either Igbokwe is hypocritical or assumed that majority of Nigerians are gullible.

When the Action Congress of Nigeria, Joe Igbokwe’s inner family of the APC extended family, connived with the former Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to work against the interest and directive of the PDP to enthrone Tambuwal as Speaker in 2011, Igbokwe hailed it as democracy in action.

The APC was also not only the brain behind Hon. Tambuwal’s eventual defection to the APC along with the PDP’s Speakership mandate, but they also celebrated and praised the move to high heavens.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Lai Mohammed said: “I must say that this historic development means that our democracy is growing by the day and it is dynamic. On a more serious note, we welcome the defection of Tambuwal to APC. With this defection, APC has now taken the leadership of one arm

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of the national legislature. We think that having the head of the legislature from the opposition party makes for a balanced setting in government and it’s good for democracy…. Those who are saying this has not happened before and that Tambuwal should step aside as Speaker do not have the backing of history and the constitution”.

The former Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who is Igbokwe’s co-wailer today affirmed: “We welcome and applaud the speaker’s decision… We are proud to acknowledge that the speaker remains not only a member of the House of Representatives but also its speaker. This position is consistent with the law and practice in a presidential system of government and Nigeria is no different. For the avoidance of doubt, the constitution requires only that the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be elected by members of that House from among themselves. As a caucus, we pledge our continued support to the current leadership of the House of Representatives”.

The then presidential aspirant, Muhammadu Buhari told APC Special Convention in Abuja: “We will like to thank Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal for what he did yesterday. We were overwhelmed. Taking such a What remarkable risk and sending everybody on holidays till happened in December is an the National achievement”.

Today, as law of Karma and Assembly is Section 50 of our Constitution assertion of may have it, the same Hon. Tambuwal who benefited legislative from the gang-up of then ACN, independence

CPC, and ANPP worked with other pro-legislative independence lawmakers from both the APC and PDP to thwart the plot external puppeteers to pocket the National Assembly leadership through the imposition of puppets.

What happened in the National Assembly is assertion of legislative independence. It was also politics of interest, not treachery or betrayal as some APC power mongers and Igbokwe are trying to make Nigerians believe in the Saraki case. And if it was betrayal, does the scripture not say that the measure a man gives is the measure he will receive?

Thus, APC and Igbokwe’s foul-cry is the height of hypocrisy, especially when the same APC maneuverers ensured that APC lawmakers became Speakers of Benue and Plateau States Assemblies last June even when the PDP had the majority.

I am also ashamed that Igbokwe can argue that adult National Assembly members-elect who disregarded a Proclamation made by Buhari in accordance with Section 64(3) of the 1999 Constitution, clearly stating the time and venue for the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly were the democrats, while the Clerk to the National Assembly and the rest of the lawmakers who obeyed the Constitution were the anti-democrats, villains, and bribe-givers and takers. What a shame!

The truth and immorality behind Saraki’s travails is clear and cannot be buried by paid propagandists.

Anyone still in doubt that he is being victimised for upholding the independence of the legislature would soon find out to their horror that Nigeria has become Africa’s North Korea.

Concluded •Mr. Nwobodo, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—47

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48—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOMBER 5 , 2015

UNILORIN VC laments inability to admit more students

By Demola Akinyemi

I

CENTENARY CELEBRATION: From left: Chairman, Centenary Committee, Chief Emmanuel Alley, Cathedral People's Warden, Mr John Akinola, Venerable Joseph Alao, Bishop of Wusasa, Rt. Rev'd Ali Buba Lamido, Dr. Ajibola, and Cathedral Provost, Very Venerable Samuel Nwaeze, at the Service for the 100 years of St. Michael's and Cathedral Golden Jubilee celebration in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Rumoured nomination of Amina as Minister stirs protests in Kaduna K

By Luka Binniyat

ADUNA—KADUNA State has remained tensed since media leakage of supposed ministerial list, last Tuesday, indicated that Amina Mohammed, an indigene of Gombe State, whose mother is Caucasian, was picked to represent Kaduna State.

Many groups and individuals said Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who had always maintained that every resident of Kaduna State had equal indigene status with natives, must have nominated her based on her experience as the former Presidential Adviser on Millennium Development Goals, MDGs. Amina is currently the Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary General on MDGs. Centrum Initiative for Development and Fundamental Rights Initiative, CEDRA, a Kaduna-based human rights advocacy group, last Wednesday, wrote a protest letter to the three Senators representing Kaduna State, asking them to reject her nomination should she appear for screening under Kaduna State.

Another group, Kaduna State Initiative for Good Governance, KSIGG, warned that if it was true that El- Rufai had nominated Amina as the nominee for Kaduna State, then it would have confirmed that he was trying to instigate Kaduna indigenes against non-indigenes for reasons best known to him.

Another Group, Alliance for Rights of Ethnic Nationalities, AREN, said should Amina be the chosen person to represent Kaduna State, it would mobilize all its members in the state to embark on a protracted peaceful

demonstration until her nomination was reversed.

Part of CEDRA’s letter, signed

by Dr. John Danfulani, a Political Science lecturer at Kaduna State University, KASU, read: “The attention of CEDRA has been drawn to the ministerial nominee representing Kaduna State in the person of one Amina Mohammed. We have serious objection to her nomination.

“We strongly object to the nomination of the ministerial nominee for Kaduna State, Amina Mohammed. Our objection is predicated on the fact that we have reasons to believe that she is not an indigene of Kaduna State as provided in the Constitution. She is an indigene of Gombe State.

Nominating her will be against Section 147(1), (2) and (3) of the Constitution.

“We pray that you will use your good offices to reject the nomination of the said Amina Mohammed and directs that an indigene of Kaduna State preferably from Southern Kaduna Senatorial District be nominated and sent to the Senate for screening. ‘’ The need to have a nominee from Southern Kaduna is very important if the power sharing formula in the state is to be maintained in order to give the people a sense of belonging at the federal level.”

LORIN—VICE Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, has lamented the inability of the institution to admit more candidates for over ten years as thousands of candidates were desirous to attend the institution because of its stable academic calender.

Professor Ambali, who disclosed this at a press conference in Ilorin, preparatory to the 40th anniversary celebration of the university, said this against the backdrop of dashed hopes of several thousands of parents and guardians eager to secure admissions for their wards to the university for 2015/ 2016 academic session.

According to him, only 7,800 of the 65,000 candidates who sat for the post-UME will be offered admission.

He expressed the intention of the university toadmitmorestudents,provided the National Universities Commission, NUC, gave approval, saying the university now had more infra structure facilities to cope with more students.

KOGI GOV POLL: APC, PDP, LP intensify campaign

L

By Kingsley Fanwo

OKOJA—AHEAD of the November 21 governorship poll in Kogi State, the three main political parties in the state have intensified campaign to outwit one another. While the two main gladiators in the contest are the APC and PDP, Labour Party, which is fielding another formidable candidate in the person of Dr. Philips Salawu, has also emerged as a major contender.

The PDP and APC are the two major parties with structures across the 21 Local Government Areas of the state with neck to neck chances of winning next month’s governorship election. Labour Party and APGA are seen as underdogs in the contest.

With a successful outing in Anyigba, APC has shown a clear intent of taking over the 1914 Lugard House come January 2016. The turn-out of supporters at the rally was quite instructive and might have sent the right signals to the powers that be in the state that the election would not be a walk over for the incumbent. Anyigba is located in Dekina Local Government Area, the local government of the

incumbent governor and candidate of the PDP, Capt. Idris Wada.

But before the dust of the Anyigba rally could settle, PDP also pulled a masterstroke of their own by welcoming over 10,000 defectors from the All Progressives Congress in Ofu Local Government Area, the home front of Prince Abubakar Audu.

The defectors submitted their membership cards and resignation letters to APC along with their

leader, Ajeka Baba.

Speaking at the event, Baba said their action was moved by the desire to support a governor that had laid the foundation for a truly democratic and developed Kogi State.

He promised PDP that more defectors were expected in the coming days as the party was set to defeat APC in the local government area.

This, coming from the

political enclave of Prince Abubakar Audu, may be a tall dream, as Audu is a veteran politician who knows his onions.

But the signals showed that all is not well in the local government of the APC candidate.

Pundits are of the view that the support given Audu by the former Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Yinusa Yakubu, might swing the pendulum in APC’s favour in the area.

US'll continue to partner Nigeria for peace —Consul-General

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By Olasunkanmi Akoni

AGOS—THE United States of America has said it would continue to partner Nigeria to achieve peaceful co-existence and sustainable development, especially in the country’s drive towards attainment of enduring democracy.

Acting Consul-General of the United States Consulate in Nigeria, Mrs. Dehab Ghebreab, gave the assurance at a media conference shortly before the premiere of "Captive" at House on

the Rock Cathedral in Lagos.

According to her, peace is not negotiable in any nation that aspires to achieve sustainable democracy and development.

Ghebreab said her country was in partnership with The Rock Cathedral to send a strong message that will change people’s lives. ‘’We are partnering on a theme to look at a purposedriven life. The movie, Captive, shows how the struggle between hope and despair play

out,’’ Ghebreab said.

The American diplomat reminded all that societies learned from each other, adding that in order to extend the American democracy beyond America, the Consulate decided to share that experience with Nigerians through Selma. ‘’It’s a long term commitment and that’s what we are doing today to send the message about a purpose-driven life which will help contribute to having a purpose-driven nation,’’ she said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—49

Akwa Ibom govt petitions NPC, NUJ over disparaging publication

By Tom Moses

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YO—AKWA Ibom State has petitioned Nigerian Press Council, NPC, and the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, over alleged disparaging publication against governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, by some local tabloids in the state with a view to calling the publishers of the said newspapers to order.

The government was also threatening legal action against the authors of the said publications.

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, at briefing, yesterday, said one of the said local tabloids had alleged on its front page: 'Governor as ArmedRobber' over the governor plans to commence the deduction of civil servants' taxes from the month of September 2015 as stipulated by the Pay As You Earn, PAYE, tax policy of the Federal Government.

According to him: “If those who are doing this are under a spell or curse, I think this is very annoying and it is important we begin to take this matter to the court of law because it has come to that point since people have now chosen not to respect themselves and their profession.

"The Nigerian Press Council must be involved in this, also the Nigeria Union of Journalists because the taxation issue is a legal issue; it is across board in the entire country. It is not an invention of the Commissioner for Finance, it is not an invention of the governor of Akwa Ibom State and it is not an invention of the Akwa Ibom State government; it is a law of the Federal Government of Nigeria, which state governors are mandated to implement.

“This is totally unacceptable, it is the height of journalistic rascality and as far as I am

concerned, it should be condemned by everyone. It is not acceptable for anyone to publish such falsehood. So, the Nigerian Press Council and the Nigeria Union of Journalists must rise and

A

BUJA—THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Retail Limited, has dragged the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, and Natural Network Petroleum and Gas Company Limited, NNPG, to court, alleging an infringement on its trademark.

Also cited as defendants in the suit marked FHC/AK/99/ 15, was the Registrar of Trade Marks, Patent and Designs.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, the

billion from the Excess Crude Account, ECA, as approved by the Federal Government for the continuous development of the state.

VISIT: Governor Mohammadu Bindo of Adamawa (left),welcoming Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo, at the Yola International Airport, during a one-day visit to Yola to acquire land for less privileged children school under the Okorochas Foundation, yesterday.

Odife, banking, capital market icon dies at 68

By Peter Egwuatu

T

HE BANKING industry and Nigerian capital market, have lost a guru, Chief Dennis Onyemaechi Odife, who died on Friday October 2, 2015, in Abuja.

The Media Adviser to late Odife, Dr. Obinna Nwachukwu, confirmed this, yesterday, to Vanguard, saying, “already, sympathizers have started trooping into his Asokoro residence to register their condolences.”

Nwachukwu said his death had been confirmed by his younger brother, Chief James Odife and

NNPC drags CAC, others to court over trademark infringement

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

condemn this dastardly act.”

The Commissioner used the occasion to commend the state House of Assembly, for granting the request of Governor Emmanuel, to obtain a loan of N10

Managing Director of NNPC Retail Limited, Mr. Fagbola Ladipo, maintained that the suit was a consequence of the anti-corruption campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said the firm had also commenced similar legal action against an indigenous firm, Mummy Nigeria Limited, over the same subject matter.

Ladipo said the infringement on the NNPC trademark by the first defendant (NNPG), had dwindled sales of NNPC in Ondo State.

son, Emeka Odife.

Late Odife served Federal Government in various capacities.

He was Chairman of the Presidential Panel on Capital Market Reform, Chairman, Steering Committee on the establishment of Abuja Stock Exchange (now Abuja Commodities Market) as well as Chairman, Presidential Study Group on public-private sector infrastructure financing in Nigeria.

An alumnus of both Kings College, Lagos, and University of Lagos, as well as recipient of the national honour of Member of the Federal Republic, MFR, Odife died at the age of 68 years. He was born in Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government of Anambra State on August 29, 1947.

The late banker was a Fellow of the Nigerian Economic Society, British Institute of Management, Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Management, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers of Nigeria and member Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. He was author of many publications and books Chief Odife had B.Sc. (Hons) in Economics from the University of Lagos, an MBA in Finance and Management Science from the Graduate School of Business Colombia University, New York.

Odife played key roles in the nation’s banking and capital markets. He pioneered the development of the second-tier securities market of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE and arranged the admission of majority

of the indigenous companies therein. He arranged several mergers and acquisition and in the process established some of the current standards for merger documentation in the Nigerian capital market. He made the first issue in the Federal Privatization Programme in 1988 and in the process set jointly with the Technical Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, TCPC, the standards for all subsequent privatisation exercises.

Odife championed advocacy for capital market education and reform, for the quotation of indigenous companies on the stock market and for unit trust development in Nigeria. He travelled extensively and rendered financial advice on investing in Nigeria to U.S. and European multinationals, as well as lectured on financial matters in Nigeria. He intervened decisively in the reentry of the World Bank Group into Nigeria.

C h i e f Odife was also a consultant to the World Bank and International Finance Corporation for the study on the review of the Nigerian Financial Late Chief Odife System.

Odife is survived by his wife, Stella, two sons and a daughter.

CAR CRISIS:

NEMA receives 197 Nigerian refugees

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—As the crisis in the Central African Republic rages on, 197 Nigerians, who fled to neighbouring Cameroon and were living as refugees, have been returned to Nigeria by the International Organization for Migration, IOM. According to a statement

by Manzo Ezekiel, Public Relations Officer, PRO, of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA: “NEMA, weekend, received 197 Nigerians that were displaced by the crises in Central African Republic, CAR, who took refuge in the Republic of Cameroun under the International Organization for Migration, IOM." Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sidi, who received the returnees in Sahuda border post near Mubi in Adamawa State, said about two years ago, following the escalation of the crises in the CAR, the Federal Government through NEMA had evacuated its citizens through the airport. These Nigerians could not be reached because they had crossed over to the Republic of Cameroun.

He said under international charter which Nigeria was signatory, the Nigerians were free to decide when to return home, especially given the cover of the international organization for them in that country.

According to him: “As IOM was closing the camps and informed the Nigerian government of the development by transporting them to the border, NEMA was mandated to receive them there on behalf of the Federal Government.”

The Director General of NEMA who was represented by the Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore, Charles Otegbade, said “the returnees were fully screened by the security agencies at the border before being received by NEMA and even escorted to the reception point by the military and police. With logistic arrangement put in place by NEMA, they were immediately catered for and fully transported to their various homes across 12 states.”

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

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Youths urged to shun criminal acts

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—YOUTHS in the country have been told to shun acts that could hinder their prospects in life and focus on things that could guarantee a better future for them.

Speaking during a condolence visit to the family of late Chief Samson Ofua, Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Peace Building, Mr. Augustine Ogedegbe, insisted that indulgence in criminal acts could hinder the prospects of youths who are future leaders of the country.

Ogedegbe appealed to Urhobo leaders and youths to support Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration in its effort to develop all parts of the state.

He lamented that the death of Ofua was a big blow to the Urhobo, the state, Nigeria and his immediate family, saying that Ofua was a legend whose bundle of experience and creativity created employment for the people including the old and the young in oratory.

He said: “The Urhobo are proud to have late Pa Ofua as one of our distinguished illustrious sons who have promoted the culture of Urhobo in Nigeria and the world at large. He was a man who brought his wealth of experience in innovation of Urhobo culture in the area of folk music/tales as well as teaching of Urhobo language and culture including sporting activities and programmes in our schools. He created employment for our people, both the old and young, in the oratorical genre.

“Late Ofua produced many musical works, and oratorical albums in his bid to promote Urhobo culture and language. The death is a big blow to Urhobo nation and Nigeria in general. He promoted Urhobo language and culture in academics. He deserves a befitting burial.

I am calling on stakeholders of Urhobo nation and the government to assist in giving a befitting burial to the first orator of Urhobo nation.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—51

C M Y K

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

Buhari’s cabinet: Cleanest dirty shirts in the laundry?

By Magnus Onyibe

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Buhari’s rockstar international image

By Garba Shehu

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UHAMMADU Buhari, the new Nigerian Leader seems to be the embodiment of everybody’s idea of a reformist capable of restoring the lost glory of the world’s biggest black nation. For the reason that he has the trust of Nigerians, he has rekindled their hope of their country achieving the greatness destined for it.

Even when he protests against larger than life images of himself, he has been wildly popular at home in Nigeria. His recent engagements in and around the United Nations General Assembly, put a stamp on his rock star international image.

While still in Nigeria, tens of adoring foreign leaders had written to the Nigerian Mission at the UN and directly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting for bilateral meetings in New York with President Muhammadu Buhari. With a population of 170 million and endowments in natural resources, there are many countries that are eager to expand into Nigeria but the one key that seems to be unlocking all the doors and lifting Nigeria’s image abroad is President Buhari’s personal characteristics. He is seen as a leader with personal integrity, honesty and truthfulness. He is perceived as a promising reformer, a crusader against corruption and a unifier of a people who are yearning for a change.

Solicitations for investment Since he assumed office, he has traveled to the neighbouring countries and the major capitals of the world seeking a unified approach to the war on terror in the North-East, and the piracy, oil pipeline sabotage and crude oil theft in southern Nigeria. In addition to solicitations for investment so as to create jobs for the teeming unemployed, the President has been making attempts to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the international community as a big player. For the first time in any public statement he has made, President Buhari in a New York newspaper interview spoke about his country’s aspiration and qualification for the membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council.

The euphoric cheers he got while addressing the UN are a part of this unfolding story, not the whole story by itself. The real story is in the line-up of leaders of nations, big and small, serving and out-of-office with requests for one-on-one or bilateral meetings with President Buhari. Since it was humanly impossible to cope with the deluge of demands, a sifting and balancing acts had to be used. In

the course of the visit, the President accepted or took part in the following side events: •United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO) meeting on the “Operationalisation of the post- 2015 Development Agenda for African Industrialisation;” •High-Level Roundtable on South-South cooperation, organised by China; •Heads of State and Governments’ meeting of African Union Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC), at the Permanent Observer Mission of Africa Union to the United Nations; •Global Leaders Summit on countering ISIL and Violent Extremism convened by the U.S. President Obama; •Summit Meeting on Climate Change, called by French President Hollande and the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon;•Reception by the President of the United States of America and Mrs. Obama; •Side event organized by Nigeria’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS(NACA) * Meeting of the UN Fund for Population Activities:” Building Stability and Resilience in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Countries” convened by Prof.

Babatunde Osotimehin.

Other world leaders met include: •His Majesty, Don Felipe VI, King of Spain •H.E. Mr. XI Jinping, the President of the Peoples Republic of China; •H.E. Rt Hon. David Cameron, Prime Minister of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island; •H.E. Park Geun-hye, President of the Republic of Korea; •His Majesty, King Abduallah II Bin Husseini, King of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan • H.E. the Prime Minister of Guyana Moses Nagamootoo; • H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the UN; •Mr. Bill Gates, the Chief Executive Officer of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; •H.E. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany; • Former President Bill Clinton of the U.S.A.• H.E. the Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat • Mr. Gordon Brown former British Prime Minister and President OlusegunObasanjo of Nigeria; •Mr. Christopher Stone,

President Buhari returned to the country convinced that his government is doing all the rights in our international relations that would catalyze Nigeria’s revival as a key player on the global stage

President Muhammadu Buhari President of Open Society Foundations and •Mrs. Julia Stasch, President of McArthur Foundation.

Most of these meetings were dominated by issues of defence cooperation and economic ties.

Groups such as McArthur and Bill Gates Foundations and Gordon Brown’s UNBacked “Safe Schools Initiative” are expected to aid the recovery and rehabilitation of schools and other infrastructure in the North-East. At all of these meetings, President Buhari asked the international community to be united in combating the challenges posed by terrorism across the world. In his words, “no nation is immune to this threat. We must, therefore, stand united against terror.”

Recovery of stolen assets One of these meetings that stood out from the rest is the one President Buhari had with the King of Jordan. Beyond making acquaintance and congratulating the Nigeria leader on his election victory, King Abdullah promised to offer assistance in any way possible to help Nigeria fight terror. He promised to bring the experience of his country, itself surrounded by terrorist activities manifested by ISIL, Al-Shabab, Houthi rebellion and others to help Nigeria out as it confronts Boko Haram.

President Buhari returned to the country convinced that his government is doing all the right things in our international relations that would catalyze Nigeria’s revival as a key player on the global stage and a favourable destination for foreign investment. This is a departure for a nation that suffered for years under a government that was immersed in selfserving engagements and unfriendly attitude towards neighbours. With all of these going on, on the part of Nigeria, President Buhari will continue to be seen all over the world as a potential game-changer who will realize the dream of a rich, powerful and stable Nigeria.

Shehu is senior special assistant, media and publicity to President Buhari

N a bid to ensure that Nigeria is in safe and secure hands for socio-economic and political regeneration promised during his campaign, p r e s i d e n t Mohammadu Buhari, PMB has spent the better part of four months into his new administration scurrying around the country for Nigerians, incorruptible and professionally competent to serve in his cabinet.

For a country located at the bottom rung of Transparency International ,TI global corruption perception rating index,finding thirty six (36) good men to fit the lofty expectations of PMB in consonance with his high integrity persona is akin to identifying the cleanest dirty shirts in the laundry.

Although the task is as arduous as seeking for a needle in a hay stack,it would appear that PMB maybe on target in accomplishing his mission as he prepares to roll out the list of the change agents that l would like to refer to as his economic’Husband Men’ in the coming days.

Already, security agencies have been putting the potential candidates in the crucible and quite a number of names floating around in the main stream and social media seem to have passed the litmus text.

In a country where people are judged based on ethnic bias and religious inclination rather than from the prism of their character and content,PMB, APC and indeed Nigerians should brace up for the flurry of criticism that would trail the official release of the names of the ‘few good men’ to the National Assembly, for scrutiny and approval as ministers.

One way of vitiating the associated agony and stress is for PMB to take solace in the wise counsel of the philosopher, John Adams who posited that “politics, as a practice, whatever it’s

One way of vitiating the associated agony and stress is for PMB to take solace in the wise counsel of the philosopher,John Adams

professions, has always been the systematic organizations of haters.” The quote above underscores the fact that political hate is not perculiar to Nigeria.

While the aphorism that, one can never be prepared enough, holds true in almost all instances,a counter strategy against the aforementioned onslaught of ethnic jingoist and religious bigots that would seize the media space to literarily slay the president as soon as the list is released, may not be a media management master stroke, but suffice it to say that the initiative would evince similar benefits realizable when measures are put in place to mitigate an anticipatory response to an uncommon policy.

By that l mean that president Buhari’s spokesmen and APC’s reputation managers should proactively hedge against any backlash by preparing upfront,information underpinning the principles behind the choice of the candidates and the values they are bringing to the table.

Preemptive actions As image and crisis managers would agree,the efficacy of preemptive actions is undeniable and one way of justifying the appointments is by engaging their principal,PMB, rigorously in dialogues that would elicit reasons for his choice of the candidates for the cabinet positions-professionally, ethnically and religiously.

In a highly polarized country where divisive factors such as the tongue, tribe and worship pattern of candidates were freely used as commodity,currency and fuel during campaigns for the general election,appointments into public offices have assumed an equally combustible dimension ,so one can never be too careful.

For instance , two of the recent appointments made by President Buhari that generated the most public opprobrium are the military service chiefs and his choice of Secretary of Government of the Federation,SGF and Chief of Staff.While the appointment of his Chief of Staff and SGF were later explained -he chose people he can trust having worked with the appointees over the years which was deemed treasonable-his explanation that professionalism was purely the criteria applied in choosing the top brass of the three arms of forces- Army, Navy and Airforce has been received with skepticism. Dissenters believe that it is unlikely that in the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria, no South-East or South-South candidates were qualified enough to fit the bill.

To be concluded

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 — 53

Mourinho survives!

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OSE Mourinho has survived a meeting of Chelsea’s board following Saturday’s disastrous 3-1 defeat against Southampton Mourinho feared he would be sacked after Chelsea slipped to their sixth defeat of the season and even appeared to challenge Roman Abramovichto sackhimafter the game.

Instead he has been given a stay of execution and has been given the support of the board as they attempt to turn their season around.

It hit a new low following the defeat, leading Mourinho to launch into a seven-and-a-half minute monologue live on Sky TV. He said: ‘I don’t run away.

•Mourinho If the club wants to sack me they have to sack me because I’m not running away from my responsibilities or my team.’

Liverpool sack Rodgers!

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IVERPOOL Football Club have announced that Brendan Rodgers will leave his post with immediate effect after having his contract terminated. The process to appoint a new manager is underway.

The Northern Irishman joined Liverpool FC in June 2012 and helped the club mount a memorable title

challenge in his second season, as well as helping to develop many exciting young players. LFC’s ownership have paid tribute and thanked Rodgers for his contribution.

In a joint Fenway Sports Group statement, Principal Owner John W Henry, Chairman Tom Werner and President Mike Gordon said.

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EST HAM United forward Victor Moses has pulled out of Nigeria’s friendlies against the DR Congo and Cameroon, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have announced.

The Super Eagles play the Leopards of DRC in Vise, Liege on Thursday, October 8 and will then confront Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in Dendermonde on Sunday, October 11.

Victor Moses, in a letter to the Nigeria Football Federation through the Super Eagles’ Administrator, Enebi

Advocaat quits!

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ICK Advocaat has quit as head coach of Sunderland and the club will now begin their search for a fourth manager in two years.

The Dutchman’s departure was confirmed yesterday. .Advocaat decided last week that he could take the Black Cats no further and informed the club of his desire to leave.

They had hoped to keep news of his exit a secret until after the game against the Hammers.

But Advocaat was forced

to field questions about his future during his prematch conference – when he got up and left early – and again following the 22 draw with West Ham. He has now returned to Holland, ending a sevenmonth association with the Wearsiders.

Moses out of Eagles’ friendlies Achor, said he was pulling out in a precautionary move against injury.

Earlier, Turkey–based defender Kenneth Omeruo was ruled out of the double header in Belgium this week owing to injury.

Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh, while regretting this setback, assured that the team have enough good quality options to fill the gaps left by both players.

“We have no choice now but to work with the other players who are available,”Oliseh said.

Gunners shoot down United 3-0

A

RSENAL blew Manchester United away in the opening 20 minutes to go

Bayern run riot, thrash Dortmund 5-1

B

AYERN Munich’s steam-rolling lead at the top of the Bundesliga shows no signs of letting up as Pep Guardiola’s side cruised to a 5-1 victory over rivals Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.

Bayern’s eighth win in as many games, courtesy of two goals each from Thomas Muller and

•Moses

Robert Lewandowski as well as a further strike from Mario Gotze, sees them open up seven-point lead at the table’s summit.

Germany international Muller opened his account in the 26th minute and doubled the hosts’ lead with a penalty nine minutes later for his eighth league goal this term.

second in the Premier League with a 3-0 victory at the Emirates.

Sanchez flicked home the opener in the sixth minute, before United found themselves 2-0 down less than 60 seconds later when Mesut Ozil rolled the ball into the bottom corner after being teed up by Theo Walcott.

Arsenal established a three-goal lead on 19 minutes when Sanchez fired in to the top corner from the edge of the box following another sweeping passing move.

Enyimba slip!

N

IGERIA league leaders Enyimba slipped in their charge for a seventh championship after they lost 2-1 at regional rivals Heartland yesterday.

Enyimba on 58 points are now just three points clear of second-placed Warri Wolves with six rounds of matches till the end of the season.

The ‘Oriental Derby’ lived up to its billing as both teams gave a good account of themselves with hosts Heartland deserved winners.

Fortune Omoniwari gave the lead in the 40th minute from a well-struck free kick,

but Enyimba, who were reduced to 10 men after Ifeanyi Anaemena was sent off for a second booking in the 38th minute, drew level in first half stoppage time through Markson Ojobo from the penalty spot following a hand ball. It was Ojobo’s fifth penalty goal this season.

Emeka Ogbugh scored the match winner for the home team in the 62nd minute to push them to seventh place on the league table.

Heartland thus avenged a 2-0 loss they suffered at Enyimba in the first round of the season.

•Ikana

Eaglets play Argentina tomorrow

N

IGERIA’S Golden Eaglets will tackle Argentina’s U17 team in a warm-up match tomorrow in Buenos Aires as part of their preparations for the FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile.

They are also scheduled to battle the U20 team of either Racing FC or Boca Juniors on October 11 before they depart for Santiago.

The Nigeria U17s on Friday arrived their pre-

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World Cup training camp in Buenos Aires, Argentina aboard an Emirates Airline’s B777-300 flight from Dubai.

The Eaglets have already begun training at the Buenos Aires Futbol ground. BAF, as its simply known is a facility privately owned by former Argentine international, Matias Almeyda, and it is tucked away at San Roque in Tigre on the outskirts of the capital city of Argentina.

According to Eaglets

coach Emmanuel Amuneke, the facility in BAF is similar to what was obtainable at the Papendal Sports Centre in Holland that was used by the Super Eagles in the 1990s during the era of Dutch coach, Clemens Westerhof.

Though not as gigantic as Papendal in Arnhem, BAF has about seven training pitches with state of the art gymnasium, swimming pool and other adjunct facilities good for camping.

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

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HEN news broke last week that four Nigeri ans had been appointed by CAF to handle four of the eight semi final matches of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederations Cup, even colleagues in the media suddenly woke up to the realization that these competitions “still exist”. Gone are the days of Rangers International, Shooting Stars Sports Club, Bendel Insurance…..and lately Enyimba International…..

In a chat with Tony Bekederemo of Brila FM, I said it was regrettable that the Nigerian media closed its gates to those two competitions just because Nigerian clubs had crashed out and early too.

But, can we blame them? How can they sustain interest in a competition that Nigerian clubs were not involved in? Last week, news that Samson Adamu, Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, Gen Dominic Oneya and yours truly had been appointed to officiate, rekindled interest as the competition entered its home stretch.

By the end of this month, the two finals will be played.

Where did we branch off?

I remember that we were still in touch when the draws were made, especially the historic Champions league pairing that saw three Algerian clubs in the same group. By the time the group matches ended, only one of them, USM Alger qualified for the semi final!

In contrast, Sudan with just one team in that group,( El Merreikh) and another in Group A (El Hilal ) qualified for the semi finals. Yes Sudan!

The CAF Champions League semi final pairing saw T.P.Mazembe of Lubumbashi, Congo DR squaring up to El Merreikh, while USM Alger played El Hilal. At the time of submitting this column, USM Alger had qualified for their very first continental final after beating El Hilal 2-1 in Sudan and drawing the return leg 0-0 in Algiers last Saturday.

The other semi final spot is likely to be picked up

by Tout Puissant Mazembe who played the return leg yesterday after a slim 0-1 loss at away to El Merreikch in Omdurman, a match that was coordinated by Dr, Bolaji Ojo-Oba. Africa football will not forget in a hurry the nerve wrecking drama that saw three teams in Group B. (Mazembe, Tettouane and Hilal) going into the last

CAF Cups without Nigeria group match with 6 points each and pundits predicted a nail biting encounter in Lubumbashi as Tettouane came calling. At the end of Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe’s final whistle, it was five star Mazembe that qualified for the semi final, the five goals going down in History as a club record.

This leaves us to hope that next year, Nigerian clubs will not only return to Africa but will do so with authority.

In the CAF Confederation Cup, a similar drama played out with two Egyptian clubs, Al Ahly and Zamalek reaching the semi finals against Orlando Pirates of South Africa and Etoile Du Sahel of Tunisia respectively.

This has been a momentous year for Zamalek who beat their more famous compatriots Al Ahly in the league and cup, before embarking on the first leg of the semi final against Etoile in Tunisia. They were hammered 5-1, a result that sent shock waves through African football circles.

The only explanation given for that heavy defeat is that Zamalek were still in celebration mood over the double over Ahly that they became vulnerable in Tunisia. Ardent Zamalek followers in Egypt ( Not too many compared to Al Ahly) even said that if they were to choose between beating Ahly and win-

Musa scores as CSKA beat Dinamo A

HMED Musa scored his sixth league goal of the season on Sunday as CSKA Moscow beat Dinamo Moscow on match day 11 of the Russia Premier League.

Musa has been in impressive form this season and duly made a goalscoring contribution for the Army club who completed the win to continue their barnstorming start to the season.

The Nigerian in all honesty owed the goal to the hard work of Ivorian marksman, Seydou Doumbia.

Doumbia was played through by Musa on the right via a fantastic ball and the striker honed in on goal with single-minded intent of scoring emphatically.

He was however denied, twice successively, by the Dinamo goalkeeper, Vladimir Gabulov.

With the chance seemingly gone, Doumbia decided to turn provider as he produced a looping cross which the grateful Musa heded home from two yards.

It was Musa’s ninth goal

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HELSEA captain John Terry has said the players remain behind manager Jose Mourinho and need to rediscover the hunger of old to improve on a dreadful start to their Premier League title defence.

Terry has suffered as much as anyone from Mourinho’s changes to the team, having been left out of the biggest games recently until a recall for the 3-1 home defeat by Southampton on Saturday (Sunday NZ time).

That loss left them 16th in the table, with only eight points from the same number of games.

“We are not in the familiar position we are normally in,” Terry said on Chelsea’s official website.

ning the CAF Confederation Cup, they would have gone for the former!

Zamalek players and officials thought differently and planned for the return leg that had our own Dominic Oneya as Match Commissioner. Disaster struck five minutes into the match when Referee Bakary Gassama of Gambia, one of Africa’s best flashed a straight red card at defender Ali Gabr.

With ten men, Zamalek was not deterred and got the curtain raiser in the 11th, converted a 55th minute penalty, benefited from an own goal in the 69th minute, yet could not score that decisive fourth goal that would have catapulted them to the final courtesy of the away goals regulation.

You needed to be at the stadium last Saturday to experience the tension as Zamalek went all out especially in the last five minutes of the match when 2-goal scorer in the first leg, Marouane Jej also received the marching orders reducing both teams to ten players each.

Too late, as Etoile, winners in 2006 and runners up in 2008 reached their third final ready to face perhaps Al Ahly who played last night in Suez, confident of upturning a one goal deficit suffered in Johannesburg last week against the Pirates.

This is the story of 2015. As written earlier, by the end of this month, this year ’s competition will be brought to an end.

What plans, Nigeria in 2016?

There is an overwhelming belief that this year’s league has been exemplary, that whichever team wins the league this year will be a worthy champion. This leaves us to hope that next year, Nigerian clubs will not only return to Africa but will do so with authority. So help us God. ADIEU MADAM ENYEAMA I agree with the NFF President that we should not shed tears over the relocation of Madam Lucy Phillip Enyeama, that we should rather celebrate the woman who gave us one of the world’s greatest keepers. I agree. But how I wished she had lived long enough to, like we say in this clime “ enjoy the fruits of her labour” Adieu Dear Mother, fare thee well and thanks for the gift of Enyeama.

See you next week.

Terry backs mourinho “We find ourselves in it and it is down to the group of players and the manager to get ourselves out of it and we must do that very soon. We need to be hungry like we were.

“We are suffering a bit of late but we have big characters in the dressing room and we will remain together along with the manager and get ourselves out of this,” he added.

After Saturday’s (Sunday NZ time) game Mourinho insisted he was the best manager for Chelsea and his captain backed him up.

“We have the best manager who we remain

Perisic salvages point for Inter

I

•Ahmed Musa in all competitions and further underlines his position as one of CSKA’s most prized possession.

CSKA remain top of the

Premier League standings with 29 points from 11 games, eight points clear of nearest challengers, Zenit St. Petersburg.

VAN Perisic netted his first career goal for Inter, as the Nerazzurri came from behind to secure a hardfought 1-1 draw with Sampdoria in Serie A on Sunday.

The Blucerchiati took the lead through Luis Muriel just after the restart, his fourth career goal against the

Biscione, before the Croatian headed home in the 76th minute to ensure the first draw between the two sides at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris since August 2008.

Perisic was kept in check by the home side for much of the match before netting, as the Biscione struggled at times in front of goal, but his effort was welcome re-

•Terry behind and we remain together,” said Terry. spite for the away side as it prevented a second consecutive defeat after falling to Fiorentina last weekend.

The home side got the better of the opening exchanges, as Ervin Zukanovic sent a header just wide of goal, while Samir Handanovic was forced into a one-handed save to deny Joaquin Correa’s effort from distance.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015—55

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015

Mourinho survives!

Liverpool sack Rodgers!

Advocaat quits!

RESULTS Dolphins El Kanemi Giwa Heartland Kwara Nasarawa Shooting Wikki

0 2 0 2 2 1 0 1

Ifeanyi Ubah Sharks Kano Enyimba Akwa Ibom Lobi Bayelsa Taraba

Everton Arsenal Swansea

1 Liverpool 3 Man Utd 2 Tottenham

England Premier League

Germany Bundesliga

•Advocaat

•Gunners shoot down United 3-0 •Bayern run riot, thrash Dortmund 5-1 •Enyimba slip!

0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

3 1 1

R/Vallecano 0 Real Betis A/Bilbao 3 Valencia

2 1

Empoli Palermo Sampdoria Udinese

0 4 1 1

Italy Serie A

France Monaco Caen Lorient

1 2 1 1

Sassuolo Roma Inter Genoa

Lique 1

1 Rennes 1 St Etinne 3 Bordeaux

Netherlands

Glo Premier League top 5 Team P W 1. Enyimba 32 16 2. Warri 32 16 3. Wikki 32 15 4. Sunshine 32 16 5. Giwa 32 13

1 0 2

Schalke 04 0 FC Cologne B/Leverkusen 1 Augsburg B/Munich 5 B/Dortmund

Spain Liga •Rodgers

•Mourinho

Glo Premier League

1 0 2

Eredivisie

De Graafschap 1 Feyenoord Ajax 1 PSV Vitesse 5 FC Groningen AZ Alkmaar 3 FC Twente

Russia Premier League

2 2 0 1

Dinamo Moscow 0 CSKA Moscow 2 FC Ufa 1 FC Krasnodar 1 Terek Grosny 2 Rubin Kazan 1

Details inside

Moses out of Eagles’ friendlies

D 10 7 9 5 12

L 6 9 8 11 7

F 58 55 54 53 51

Premier League Team 1 Man City 2 Arsenal 3 Man Utd 4 C Palace

P 8 8 8 8

W 6 5 5 5

D 0 1 1 0

L 2 2 2 3

F 19 13 12 11

A 7 7 8 7

GD 12 6 4 4

Pts 18 16 16 15

La Liga Team 1 Villarreal 2 Celta Vigo 3 Barcelona 4 Real Madrid

P 7 7 7 6

W 5 4 5 4

D 1 3 0 2

L 1 0 2 0

F 12 15 12 14

A 5 7 9 1

GD 7 8 3 13

Pts 16 15 15 14

Bundesliga Team 1 Bayern 2 Dortmund 3 Schalke 4 Hertha Berlin

P 8 8 8 8

W 8 5 5 4

D 0 2 1 2

L 0 1 2 2

F 28 22 10 11

A 4 11 8 8

GD 24 11 2 3

Pts 24 17 16 14

Serie A Team 1 Inter 2 Fiorentina 3 Lazio 4 Roma

P 7 6 7 7

W 5 5 5 4

D 1 0 0 2

L 1 1 2 1

F 8 11 10 17

A 6 4 11 9

GD 2 7 -1 8

Pts 16 15 15 14

Ligue 1 Team 1 PSG 2 Angers 3 Caen 4 Rennes

P 8 9 9 9

W 6 5 6 4

D 2 3 0 4

L 0 1 3 1

F 17 10 11 13

A 4 5 10 8

GD 13 5 1 5

Pts 20 18 18 16

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

DOWN ACROSS 1 Sword (5) 3 Stick (5) 2 Cite (5) 9 Entertained (6) 3 Favourite (3) 10 Bird (6) 4 Worshipped (6) 11 Soar (5) 5 Pour (4) 12 Roster (4) 6 Spike (3) 15 Rodents (4) 7 Unadorned (5) 17 Built |(7) 8 War-horse 20 Bow (3) (5)13 Commanded (7) 21 Quilt (5) 14 Performed (5) 23 Always (4) 16 Brief (7) 25 Record (4) 18 Cheated (5) 26 Old-fashioned (5) 19 Marry (3) 28 Damp (3) 22 Weary (5) 30 Varied (7) 24 Knock (3) 33 Hero (4) 27 Swell (6) 35 Caribou (4) 28 Breezy (5) 36 Prevent (5) 29 Flashlight (5) 38 Physician (6) 31 Rule (5) 39 Language (6) 32 Strayed (5) 40 Principle (5) 34 Lake (4) 36 Spot (3) 37 Decay (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Attest 5, Impart 9, Aroma 10, Rankle 11, Plaque 12, Eagle 14, Iced 17, Try 18, Here 20, Dared 22, Rider 23, Fainter 24, Towed 26, Peril 29, Hear 30, Her 32, Date 33, Hades 35, Editor 36, Nudged 32, Lever 38, Dogged 39, Welder.

DOWN: 1, Afraid 2, Tender 3, Sale 4, Treat 5, Imply 6, Male 7, Argued 8, Teeter 13, Granted 15, Canoe 16, Defer 18, Hired 19, Remit 21, Dad 22, Rep 24, Thread 25, Wading 27, Ragged 28, Leader 30, Hared 31, Renew 33, Hole 34, Sure.

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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