Buhari orders 2 week ceasefire in N-Delta

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 63044

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

SIGNING: Wale

I fought corruption, says Jonathan

Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc (left) and Herbert Wigwe, Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, at the N94.6 billion Medium Term Loan signing between Oando and a consortium of local banks, in Lagos, yesterday. SEE STORY ON PAGE 21.

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I can fall ill like anyone 2 else —Buhari

Buhari orders 2-week ceasefire in N-Delta For dialogue with Niger Delta militants

NSA, Monguno leads FG's talks Soldiers return to Oporoza; Ijaw chief, others released More oil companies review N-Delta operations

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, SouthSouth, Emma Ujah, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Sam Oyadongha, Egufe Yafugborhi, Grace Udofia, Perez Brisibe, Akpokona Omafuaire & Prince Okafor

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the military to suspend operations in the Niger Delta for two weeks to create a window for dialogue with militants.

Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, disclosed this Continues on Page 4

Devt Bank of Nigeria takes off July 3

Mr & Mrs RITES OF PASSAGE: Some of the 33 new Iwebos returning home in a procession after seven days of initiation inside the Oba of Benin’s Palace during the rites of passage for late Oba Erediauwa, Omo N’edo Uku Akpolokpolo 1, in Benin-City, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

P.17

YINKA ODUMAKIN

Oil money tears Bayelsa community apart See Inside C M Y K

Atikulate intervention for nationhood

COLUMNIST:

Ibadan boils as teachers, pupils, workers protest

•P.44

Master's students drown during birthday party at Lagos beach 6

2—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

First Guarantee Pension stakeholders ‘war’: PenCom accuses ex-Rep, Ozodinobi of fraud ...As accused petitions Reps c’ttee

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

I've informed NASS about my illness —Buhari

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday subscribed to an agelong belief that all mortals can fall sick and that he, too, can take ill.

The President made the admittance at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, en route London, United Kingdom, for medical attention on his ear.

Recall that the State House

had on Sunday night, announced that the President was ill and needed to see his doctors in a London hospital to attend to his ear.

While departing Nigeria, the President, who spoke to journalists, said he had also communicated the National Assembly about his trip.

He said: “I have already told Nigerians that I am going for 10 days to get my ear checked. The National Assembly knows, they have been formally informed.’’

On how to calm the tension of

a President falling sick, the President answered “is there anybody that doesn’t fall sick?”

But on another breath, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, who accompanied the President to the airport, denied that the President was sick.

He said the President was taking 10 days off and would see his doctors abroad.

Adesina said: “The buzz going round town is that the President is “ill”, but “ill” will be a misnomer. It should not be the

A

BUJA—THE management of National Pension Commission, PenCom, has accused a former member of the House of Representatives, Chidi Duru and one George Ozodinobi of impersonation and forgery of shareholders' signatures at the First Guarantee Pension Limited,FGPL. Ozodinobi, who is laying claim to the chairmanship of the Board of FGPL, had dragged PenCom to the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, accusing the management of unlawful activities and illegal appointment of an interim management against a subsisting order of the Federal High Court.

In the petition dated April 14, 2016, with the title, “Unlawful Activities of the National Pension Commission,” the petitioner alleged that the commission, which is a Pension Fund Administrator, PFA, based in Lagos, on August 15, 2011, illegally appointed an interim management against the subsisting order of the Federal High Court.

But the Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu-led PenCom equally accused the petitioner of boycotting a hearing on the said petition.

CONFERENCE: From left, President Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Dr. Olateju Somorin; Managing Director ,Intermarc Consulting, Mr. Adeyinka Adeyemo; Executive Chairman, Kwara State Internal Revenue,Mr. Muritala Awodun, and Executive Director, System Spec, Mr. Deremi Atanda, during the e-Revenue Sustainability Conference 2016, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

Alleged N3.1bn fraud: Judge hands off Suswam’s trial over bribery allegation

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—JUSTICE A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday withdrew from the ongoing trial of the former governor of Benue State, Dr. Gabriel Suswam.

Justice Mohammed disqualified himself from the

matter, following an online media report alleging that he collected bribe from the defendant.

Suswam, who piloted the affairs of Benue State from 2007 to 2015, is facing trial alongside his erstwhile Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Omodachi Okolobia.

The duo were alleged to have looted about N3.1billion, being proceeds of shares owned by

Benue State government and Benue Investment and Property Company Ltd. The court had earlier adjourned for the fourth prosecution witness, Mr. Abubakar Umar, to continue his evidence-in-chief.

However, at the resumed sitting, Justice Mohammed said he was no longer willing to preside over the trial, in view of the publication which he said had greatly tarnished his image before the

Scrapping of post-UTME: Varsities to screen candidates on oral, essay before admission

By Dayo Adesulu

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ORMER EXECUTIVE Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Peter Okebukola, has said that Nigerian universities deviated from the initial agreement NUC had with ViceChancellors in 2004 when it introduced post-UTME to screen candidates on oral interview and written essay.

He also said out the present position as revealed to him by the Vice-Chancellors, after their meeting with Malam Adamu Adamu last Thursday, was that

right word to use.

“The President is going for a 10 day rest and during that period he will see specialists who will look at his ear because he has been treating that ear locally for sometime.

“Nigerian physicians have looked at it and now they have said you are going to UK, now that you will be there let specialists look at the ear. They have treated it locally so it is not a question of whether the President is ill. If he is ill, it presupposes that there are certain things that he cannot do.

“Till the very last minute that he is traveling, the President performed the duties and functions of his office as the President.

“So illness is not the issue but as a human being, yes, he can rest. He has been President for one full year. You know that in February, he took 5 days leave.

He is taking another 10 days now that means 15 days leave in one year.

“You and I take more than that.

So, it is natural that the President as a human being is taking 10 days rest but he is not ill.

“We need to underscore that.

Rather than going into a frenzy, I will urged Nigerians to just show goodwill and patriotism.

They should pray for him and wish him well. Things about health, life and death are in the hands of God. But I believe that all is well with out President and God will take care of him and take care of the country.”

the Minister had directed that universities should no longer conduct the same type of test as JAMB, but should be free to further subject candidates to screening to meet their local peculiarities.

Okebukola, who spoke exclusively with Vanguard, lamented that universities had since deviated from the initial agreement of post-UTME disclosed that the 2004 model had a screening component which was agreed with all vicechancellors to be through oral interview and essay which JAMB assessment did not cover.

The former NUC Scribe expressed joy in the scrapping of post-UTME, adding that it now took the universities system back to the original model of postUME which NUC initiated in 2004 while he served as Executive Secretary.

While expatiating on reasons for the introduction of postUTME in 2014, he explained that the NUC and the vicechancellors discovered that more than ever before, they needed to admit into the universities, secondary school leavers, from the large pool, including those who have at least two

characteristics. The first characteristic, he noted, was to ensure that admission seekers attained minimum cognitive competence in the relevant subjects in the discipline they wished to study; and second to test their competence in written and oral English, critical thinking and ability to present ideas in logical sequence befitting of undergraduates in Africa’s mostexpansive and well-regarded university system. ‘’JAMB’s UTME targets only the first characteristic; while the university-level screening should measure the second,’’ he said.

public.

He said it was better for him, in the interest of justice, to return the case-file to the Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for it to be re-assigned to another Judge.

Despite plea from both the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, and Suswam’s lawyer, Mr. J.B. Daudu, SAN, Justice Mohammed declined to proceed with the trial.

Both Jacobs and Daudu had urged him to ignore the report which they said was in bad faith.

However, Justice Mohammed said the damning report placed him in-between two devils, saying wherever the pendulum of his decision swings at the end of the trial, the issue of the publication could be used to justify or rubbish his final judgment on the case.

Justice Mohammed said it was regrettable that trial Judges have in recent times become objects of attacks in the media.

“It is trend these days to accuse a Judge handling a matter of all sorts of wrong doing.

“The allegation is in the public domain and whatever the court does would be subject to public speculation and interpretation.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 —3

NSCDC arrests alleged leader of Agip pipeline bombing in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

E N A G O A — OPERATIVES of the anti vandal unit of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, have arrested the alleged leader of the armed gang that bombed the TebidabaBrass trunkline penultimate week around Ikienghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Vanguard gathered that the suspect identified as Suoyo Nathan, was arrested in the swamp, yesterday with the assistance of NAOC community surveillance team.

It was further gathered that security operatives are on the trail of two of his cohorts, identified as Iyalewei and Fyneboy.

Community security sources told Vanguard that full scale security operation was ongoing in the swamp area backed by Air Force fighter jets and helicopters on surveillance as

well as gunboats.

The source added that night movement had been banned in the area.

Though the state NSCDC

Commandant, could not be reached for comment, a senior official of the corps who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “The suspect is in our custody.

He was arrested today (yesterday) with the assistance of NAOC surveillance team and would be prosecuted at the conclusion of ongoing investigation.”

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APELE—NIGER Delta Development Movement, NDDM, yesterday, cautioned Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, which has consistently claimed responsibility for the spate of new bombings of oil pipeline facilities across the Niger Delta region, warning them to desist from such acts because of the attendant economic waste, adding that they were scaring investors away from the region and the country in general.

National President of NDDM, Mr Paul Toruwie, who spoke in Sapele, yesterday, also called on the youths of the region to be patient with President Muhammadu Buhari, saying, “the future will be bright for the youths of the region under the current administration.”

It also called on the Ministry of Finance and the Directorate of Budget and National Planning to, “approve substantial money for the Amnesty Office to enable it handle the outstanding payments of ex-militants as they are family people with children in schools."

Also, Ayakoromo community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, are now living in fear over rumours that the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff had ordered the militarisation and bombardment of the community on ground that some members of Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, were hiding there.

In a statement by National President of Ijaw People Congress, IPC, Mr Ekanpou

—Group

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Emmanuel Elebeke

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CONFERENCE: Mr Bart de Vries, President, International Public Relations Association, IPRA (right) congratulating Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, the new President of the African Public Relations Association, APRA, and Mr Peter Mutie, outgoing APRA President, at the just concluded APRA Calabar 2016 Conference.

ATTACKS: Group cautions Avengers as Ayakoromo community raises alarm passionate about things that a partner of retrogressive venBy Etop Ekanem, Akpokona Omafuaire, Godwin Oghre

FG's Ogoni clean up flag off, mere jamboree

Enewaridideke, the community said this was purely a manipulation by some ethnic groups in Delta State to start the second military bombardment of Ayakoromo.

According to the community, “we hereby refute the false claim by some rumour-builders that some members of the Niger Delta Avengers are hiding in Ayakoromo. The people of Ayakoromo are highly educated and law-abiding who are only

move the society forward.

“Consequently,we want the public to disbelieve and reject any vindictive attribution of membership of NDA to any indigene of Ayakoromo community. The linking of NDA to Ayakoromo is a creation by ethnic champions in search of avenues for blood-letting.

Ayakoromo had long been purified by Christians, Muslims and African traditional religionists and so can never be

tures."

On his part, General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, has called on the Federal Government and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to stop trading blames and dialogue to move the nation forward.

Pastor Kumuyi, in Warri , at a Special Bible Study, tagged, “Following a life of transforming example,” made the appeal, while speaking with reporters.

Dasuki seeks consolidation of charges against him $2.1BN ARMS PROBE:

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE embattled former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), yesterday, applied for a consolidation of charges the Federal Government filed against him over alleged diversion of funds meant for procurement of arms.

Dasuki, through his counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, filed the motion on a day one of the charges came up before trial judge, Justice Hussein BabaYusuf of an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama.

He is facing 19-count charge before Justice Baba-Yusuf.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleged that Dasuki diverted over N32billion from accounts the office of the NSA operated with both the Central Bank of Nigeria and other financial institutions.

The funds were allegedly

distributed to delegates that attended the Presidential Primary Election the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, held in Abuja, a process that saw the emergence of former President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party.

Those also on trial over the alleged fraud are the erstwhile Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu and a former Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Aminu Baba-Kusa.

Devt Bank of Nigeria takes off July

L

By Franklin Alli

AGOS—THE much anticipated Development Bank of Nigeria, DBN, will take off next month with $323 million (about N64 billion) capital base.

A breakdown of the figure shows that African Development Bank, AfDB, is supporting the DBN operation with $258.5 million, African Development Fund, ADF, $32, 590,000 and Delta $32,036,874, totaling $323.2 million or over N64 billion.

Investigations by Vanguard reveals that the proposed bank, an initiative of the past

administration, was launched in March 2015 in Abuja but could not take off due to change in government and it is now ready to start operation from July 2016.

The DBN is a financial inclusion that will bridge the gap between the Bank of Industry and other commercial banks that could not satisfy the funding needs of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs in the country. The principal mission of the bank is to increase financial inclusion by providing access to credit finance.

B U J A — A N environmental group, Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria, ERA/FOEN, has given the Federal Government a knock over the recent flag-off the clean-up of Ogoni, Rivers State, saying that apart from the usual fan fair, there was no serious commitment by the government to the exercise.

Executive Director of ERA/ FOEN, Dr. Godwin Ojo, who expressed dismay over what he described as lack of commitment by the Federal Government to the clean-up of Ogoni during the World Environment Day in Abuja, urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to come out and state in a clear and unambiguous terms the commitment of government and Shell Petroleum Development Company in the exercise.

Ojo also frowned at the non passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, which his organisation has been at the fore front of the campaign for passage of the bill, noting that what was presently before the National Assembly as PIB was highly deceptive.

Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. General Paul Boroh (retd) has described the clean-up of Ogoni as both an environmental and economic lifeline for the Niger Delta.

RETRACTION

O

N page 33 of our publication of Friday May 6, 2016, we published a news item titled ‘’Delta Monarch accused of hindering community ’s progress.’’ We have since discovered that some of the facts of the story are not correct.

We, therefore, retract the story and apologise to the Monarch of Ewu Otor Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State for any inconvenience the publication may have caused him.

—Editor.

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

POCKET CARTOON

PROTEST: Some students protesting against privatization of public schools by the Oyo State Government, in Ibadan, yesteday. Photo: Dare Fasube

Buhari orders 2-week ceasefire Continues from page 1 in Abuja, yesterday.

According to him, the Federal Government is determined to explore the dialogue option, with a view to restoring genuine peace in the region, where oil production has been significantly hurt by activities of the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, in the last two months.

He said: “The President is interested in dialogue and has mandated the military to halt actions for about two weeks to ensure a team that will be led by the NSA, dialogues with the militants to ensure peace in the region.

This is coming as more oil companies in the Niger Delta have reviewed their operations, following continued bombing of their facilities in Delta and Bayelsa states.

Avenue open to militants, says Kachikwu

‘’The avenue is open for them, provided the

militants are willing to embrace dialogue and allow truth to reign because we are going to involve key leaders from the region who have had previous experience in that area to play whatever role they can”.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas to the Federal Ministry of Education, Kachikwu stated that the Federal Government was not just committed to securing oil and gas installations but the lives and property of people in the region.

According to Kachikwu, the Monguno team will consist of top officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, service chiefs and ministers from the Niger Delta.

The NNPC boss said the nation needed peace in oil production now than ever, given the circumstances currently facing the economy.

However, Kachikwu expressed hope that the dialogue would yield positive results and get

IT'S UP TO YOU

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TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482 HE golden heart is an attitude, it is thinking of the other person before one's self. Being of service and simply being an instrument of love — H. K. Zee.

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A person with a golden heart is a shining light.

They have love and compassion for life around them.

They can easily put themselves in the other person’s shoes; they know how to make things easier for the others. Anyone can develop a golden heart.

Naturally, these people experience abundance in life.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

I

F the cockroach wants to rule over the chicken, then it must hire the fox as a body-guard.

C M Y K

Nigeria back to maximum production as the country was currently producing about 1.6mbpd, about 600,000 barrels, short of the 2.2mbpd production target of the 2016 budget.

Meanwhile, Kachikwu has commended the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, for being able to start and finish a huge project such as the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas at Ekowe, Bayelsa State.

He said: “This is a very good attempt by PTDF, to cover the skill gap in the areas of training and research in oil and gas in the country.”

More oil firms review N-Delta operations

More oil companies in the Niger Delta have reviewed their operations, following continued bombing of their facilities in Delta and Bayelsa states.

Investigations by Vanguard revealed that some of the oil companies have developed jitters over the latest impudence by militants operating in the creeks of the region.

Agency reports indicated that Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, shut down operation after an attack, last Friday, by militants on its pipeline in Bayelsa State, forcing it to cut production by 65,000 barrels per day.

Spokesperson for Aiteo, Mr Shola Omole, operator of the Nembe Creek Trunk Line, which came under attack by Niger Delta Avengers, May 28, also said production on the line that conveyed crude to Bonny export terminal had been shut.

He added that the company was compelled to shut daily production of 75,000 due to the attacks.

It was also learned that Chevron Nigeria

Limited and Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, have started reappraising their operations in the region, particularly with the constant bombings of their facilities by Niger Delta Avengers and other nascent militant groups.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, said the company had shut down most of its facilities in Bayelsa State due to militants’ threats and bombings.

Similarly, Shell said it was forced to declare a force majeure on its Bonny light crude blend because the militants attacked its Nembe Trunk Line which it relied on to evacuate crude from its oil fields in Bayelsa State.

Vanguard also gathered that Eni, the parent company of NAOC's production had been interrupted by 65,000 barrels per day, following attacks on its pipeline in Bayelsa State.

A source close to the company, said: "The total deferred production due to the attack is 65,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily."

FG in talks with N-Delta stakeholders —Osinbajo

However, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, revealed that the Federal Government has commenced talks with the leaders and people of the Niger Delta to halt the spate of attacks on oil installations in the area.

Besides reaching out to the people, the Vice President said the government was beefing up security in the region, describing the blowing up of pipelines as economic sabotage.

Speaking during a meeting with a delegation of the European Union, led by the EU Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. Michel Arrion, Osinbajo called on the Niger Delta leaders to live up to expectations befitting their status.

“We are talking, we are ensuring that we minimize losses and we are stepping up security.

We are also engaging the international oil companies, IOCs, to see what options exist,” he said.

The Vice President reechoed that the focus of the Buhari Presidency “is to ensure that the man on the street in the Niger Delta receives the benefit from all that is available there.”

Tompolo flees as militants vow to test missiles

Meanwhile, there were palpable fears,

yesterday, as the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, JNDLF, restated its plan to test missiles in a three-day operation in the Niger Delta, amid report that ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has fled to Libya.

The group, which issued alert last week that it would commence the operation today, in a statement by its Commander, General Duties, General Akotebe Darikoro, and three others, said: “In our final meeting, it was resolved that the Nigerian communication satellite orbit should be shut down so that it will avoid the cause of electronic radiation to human lives.

“We shall fire these missiles simultaneously at the night, as this will enable every Nigerian to see the movement of the missiles and equally to believe us of our seriousness on the final breakup as predicted by the United States of America (USA).”

The group’s resolution to go ahead with the operation is in clear conflict with the stand of the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, which disowned the new groups, claiming to have anti-aircraft missiles and warned them, last Saturday, to desist from targeting any aircraft or it would go after them.

Militants vow to bomb Aso Rock, other targets

However, the JNDLF, remained unperturbed, last night, as it warned occupants of the State House, Abuja, Defence Headquarters, DSS Headquarters, National Assembly, NNPC Towers, Central Bank of Nigeria, Supreme Court/ Appeal Court, Agip Heaquarters, Abuja and Shell Headquarters, Lagos, to vacate them to save their lives.

Other targets listed by the group include Chevron Headquarters, Lagos; Exxon Mobil, Lagos; NLNG, Lagos and Abuja offices, Kaduna Refinery and all

military formations in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna and Benue states.

On militant leader, Tompolo, the group asserted: “At present, Tompolo is in Libya and we’ll get him dead or alive for betraying us in supporting the Federal Government against us.

“Nigerian military has weak intelligence gathering mechanism, hence they could not identify our modus operandi. Nigerian military is only good in carrying AK-47 to harass innocent people and raping young girls and women.”

Before now, the Niger Delta Avengers was the group that had issued warnings to Tompolo for allegedly disowning it and its bombings, now the JNDLF is against Tompolo.

However, while both agreed on dealing with Tompolo, they disagreed on deployment of missiles.

Avengers had threatened to go after any group that deployed missiles, kidnap and abduct soldiers in the region.

A source close to Tompolo laughed when contacted by Vanguard, yesterday, saying: “I do not know what you want me to say, they should leave Tompolo alone.”

JNDLF, however, maintained: “The fight is not for any human blood, but to destroy all those infrastructure that were built with our oil and gas monies in this country.

“We will make Federal Government and oil companies to suffer as they have made the people of Niger Delta suffer over the years from degradation and environmental pollution.

JNDLF warns diplomatic community

“We equally advise the diplomatic community to be neutral on this issue as wrong comments against us will be seen as sabotage. Where they are staying currently will not be affected which is not part of our targeted

Continues on page 5

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 — 5

Continues from page 4 areas of destruction in the country.

“We shall embarrass the Nigerian Air Force with their recent deployment of fighter aircraft, helicopter gunship and surveillance aircraft when at this digital age, countries are talking about missile development, and they still condescend so low with their present obsolete equipment. This is sad indeed.

“Note, we are going to destroy the ones they have deployed to Escravos, Forcados in Delta State; Bonga oil field, Agbami offshore and Brass in Bayelsa; Bonny in Rivers; Qua Iboe Terminal in Akwa Ibom State, and Opuekeba in Ondo State if they fail to remove them before time. Our crack team has taken inventory of their equipment.

“Even the present suffering from a rare ear disease known as Meniere’s disease by President Muhammadu Buhari will not win any sympathy to save our action against the Federal Government.

Military fully involved in illegal bunkering

"The name, Nigeria as a country, will come to an end this week. The socalled operatives of the military operations, code named ‘Operation Pulo Shield, in the Niger Delta were our partners in the oil bunkering activities, because at present, without being told, the former JTF Commander, MajorGeneral Emmanuel Atewe, was arrested by the EFCC last week over pipelines surveillance contract of N8.2 billion in the region.”

It said his arrest “is an eye opener to the Federal Government that the military are fully involved in illegal bunkering in the area.

"The Pharaoh of Nigeria (Buhari) should take the counsel of sycophants and jesters around him, especially Mr. Ayiri Emami and Professor Itse Sagay, who are currently in our searchlight.

“The founder of the Niger Delta ExAgitators, Israel Akpodoro, is a dead man and he should not hide for linking former President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Seriake Dickson with the Avengers.”

JNDLF noted that Shell Petroleum Development Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, had continued to spend billions of naira to repair

damaged oil and gas pipelines, instead of paying victims of the 2011 Bonga oil spill and Koluama gas explosion in Bayelsa State.

“Since they don’t want to hear, we’ll continue to break the pipelines until they do the needful for our old parents at home because that is the only language the companies and Federal Government understand in the country.”

Army revisits Oporoza

Meanwhile, soldiers of the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta, went back to Oporoza community, traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday morning, less than 72 hours after they ended a six-day siege to the riverside town.

A source, who spoke to Vanguard at 6.40 a.m., said: “The soldiers are scattered all over the community, they are moving from place to place, we do not know what they came to do again.

“Most of the young people fled into the bush again, but some women and elderly ones, who could not run, waited behind to know what they came for this time around.

I am seeing about 50 soldiers, though I am not sure of the exact number."

A security source, who wondered why there was fuss over soldiers performing their lawful duty, asserted: “There is nothing wrong in soldiers going back to Oporoza if they got more intelligence information on the perpetrators and their modus operandi.”

Vanguard learned that soldiers might have searched the Oporoza Guesthouse, which they ransacked earlier and other strategic places.

Former militant leader, G o v e r n m e n t Ekpumupolo, alias Tompolo, who some persons fingered in the ongoing attacks by Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, despite his strong denials, had his space in the lodge turned upside down in the previous visit.

Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, confirmed to Vanguard that soldiers stormed Oporoza earlier yesterday, at about 7.57 am. Another leader in the area, Piniki Azaiye, said: ”They just left without harassing anybody.”

Military never really left Oporoza

However, a military source told Vanguard that contrary to reports that the

Applicants for Nigerian Police recruitment checking for their names in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: NAN

Buhari orders 2-week ceasefire military departed Oporoza only to return yesterday morning, soldiers were still very much around at Oporoza.

According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “the military never really left Oporoza as reported, what actually happened was that we just only had a routine change of soldiers embarking on surveillance operation at Oporoza.

“The withdrawal was also facilitated to enable the soldiers to be paid and it has nothing to do with pressure on the army authorities to withdraw its men from the community.”

Again, students, teachers scurry into the bush

However, despite the people’s complain about the return of the military to Oporoza, former chairman of Oporoza, Amami Ebimene, told Vanguard on phone: “As I speak with you, they have taken over the town and everyone, who had returned before, has fled into the bush again.

“What pained me most is the students, who were to start examination today (yesterday).

They scampered along with their teachers into the bush. The teachers, who we managed to convince to come back, have vowed not to return. ”The military should take their search for Avengers to some other places; we are fed up with this harassment. The elderly people are in shock and there is no means of rescuing them.

“The Federal Government and its military are pushing us to anger and they know that there will be a limit to what

we can bear."

Secretary of Okerenkoko Federated Community, Ernest Bebenimibo, blamed the silence of the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for the woes of the people.

He said: “The state government should act fast because our students’ future has been thrown into jeopardy due to military occupation.

“The plight of our students, who are currently writing examination is terrible, we have been displaced and the children cannot write their examinations.

“For the government to watch us suffering and children not being able to write examinations after voting for them, is terrible.

We are angry, we are not Avengers, and we are not militants, so the military should leave us alone.”

Ijaw denting N-Delta image — Itsekiri group

An Itsekiri group, Iwere New Era Watch, INEW, however, frowned at the frequent resort to militancy

by Ijaw ethnic nationality, saying the ethnic group was smearing the image of other nationalities in the region.

Leaders of the group, Jubemi Mofeosan and Joshua Edemakporo, said in a statement: “The Niger Delta has returned to international headlines as the hotbed of violence, less than one year that power has changed hands in Abuja.

“The bad image makers and perpetrators of these renascent assaults have carried on with pomp and swagger as though they are the absolute owners of this region.

"While this attitude is

abhorrent, it is not entirely surprising to serious observers in the region as these miscreants always sprout from the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

“A look at the Kaiama Declaration leaves nothing to doubt that the Ijaws falsely believe that they are the owners of the region, Iwere homeland inclusive. It would be, therefore, correct to say that these set of militants, whether Avengers or whatever nomenclature they choose to adopt, like their predecessors, with all intents and purposes, have been acting out a twisted version of the Kaiama script.

I was not arrested —Ogulagha chairman

In a related development, security agents have released the Ijaw chief and other persons arrested on Sunday at Ogulagha community, in connection with the bombing of the Forcados 48-inch Export Line, belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company, last Thursday,

by Niger Delta Avengers.

However, executive chairman of the community, Captain Prebor Solomon, reported to have been arrested with five others, called Vanguard on phone, yesterday, that he was not arrested, but voluntarily went with his people that were arrested to ensure that they were freed.

Chairman of the umbrella body of Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, clan structure in Ogulagha, Dobra Collins, had confirmed the arrest of the chairman and others to Vanguard on Sunday.

S-South doesn’t

need North’s food supplies

Reacting to the call by some alleged divisive elements on northerners to halt food supplies to the South-South, National President of Ijaw People Development Initiative, IPDI, and the Foundation for Human Rights and Anti Corruption Crusade, FHRACC, Alaowei Cleric, said the South-South and, indeed, Southern Nigeria, do not need food supplies from the North to survive.

He said: “While we are in support of the unity of the country, we wish to let whoever cares to know that Southern Nigeria or better still, the SouthSouth geo-political zone is self-sufficient and selfreliant. The South can survive and will even do better without food supplies from the North.

“The call on northerners to halt food supplies to the South-South by some divisive elements, which have the acronym of ProBuhari Supporters, is nothing but a selfdestructive message, a booby trap that can only harm its progenitor.

"The said nasty message, which is widely in circulation in some online media, purportedly authored by those democratic naysayers, is the height of stupidity.

“They talk as if we are not farmers and fishermen in the South-South. Is it not because the oil companies working for government have polluted our land and river that people can no longer farm and fish that Niger Delta is complaining, yet government does not think that there is need to dialogue and address the issues?”

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

08023019505 08034073107

House help docked over N3.1m theft

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—A 28-yearold housemaid, Anna Payaro, who allegedly stole cash and property worth N3,142,500, from her employer, was docked before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, yesterday.

Payaro is facing a threecount charge bordering on conspiracy, burglary and stealing preferred against her.

She allegedly committed the crime with others, who are still at large.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences on May 27 at Goshen Estate, Lekki, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area Lagos.

He said defendant broke into the house of one Olatunde Adepoju and stole $1,000 Dollars, £500 and N300,000.

The prosecutor further alleged that the defendant stole properties worth N2.5 million from her employer.

According to the prosecutor, the offences are punishable under Sections 409, 305 (a) (b) and 285 (10), of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011. But she pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate A. T. Omoyele granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum. She said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of tax payment and adjourned the case to July 4 for mention.

Lagos estate draws up defecation roster, as power cut grounds sewage plant T HE non-functioning sewage plant at Iponri Low-Cost Housing Estate, Surulere, Lagos Mainland, has compelled the residents to agree on when the occupants of each block can use the toilet.

The development arose

when the plant, which processed human waste, stopped functioning because of power supply to it, which was cut off by the management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC. The residents disclosed,

yesterday, that the action of EKEDC was due to unpaid electricity bills by government, which had left the estate covered with badsmelling water from the sewage.

They also said that they were now living under the

Master's students drown during birthday party in Lagos beach

By Evelyn Usman

T

RAGEDY struck in Lagos when two ladies drowned at Elegushi Beach, Lekki, weekend.

The ladies, Funmi, 24, and Shola, 27, Vanguard learned, were graduates of International Relations from Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State, and were studying for their Masters in International Law and Diplomacy at the University of Lagos, UNILAG. The deceased, who were in the company of some friends, were at the beach to celebrate the birthday of one of their friends, when an alarm was raised by one of them, who noticed a heavy tide sweeping the ladies away.

Unfortunately for them, they drowned before help could come, with some local divers saying such incidents occurred daily.

One of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “There is never a week that at least three persons do not drown. Not just in Elegushi beach, but at Alfa Beach and others around this area. That is why picnickers are always advised to swim in shallow waters.”

When contacted, the SouthWest spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahic Farinloye, said

information at his disposal revealed that the deceased were among the picnic team.

He could, however, not ascertain whether their bodies had been recovered, but

L

AGOS—POLICE in Lagos, yesterday, arraigned a 36year-old woman, Awosoka Abiodun, before a magistrate’s court sitting in Ikeja for allegedly stealing a child.

The defendant was arraigned before Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi over the offence allegedly committed on May 16 at Church Street, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Abiodun is facing a count charge of child stealing preferred against her by the police.

According to the complainant,

Mr. Chibueze Oduba’s statement: “The facts of the case is that on March 5, at about 4:30p.m., two of my sons, Michael Chibueze and Solomon Chibueze, both left home for their mother’s shop.

“On getting to Ihomas Olaniyan Street, Ajegunle, before their mother’s shop at Ariyo Street, Ajegunle, one woman Abiodun, waylaid them.

“She gave the elder one Michael N20 to go and buy biscuit, but when he returned, he could not find his younger brother and the said woman.

assured that he would get back to this reporter when armed with detailed information.

Funmi and Shola

Mother of

Woman arraigned for child stealing

By Jane Echewedo

threat of an epidemic due to the untreated human waste from the sceptic tanks in the area.

The residents urged Lagos State Government to fix the estate’s sewage plant to prevent an imminent disease outbreak.

“Chibueze started crying and that attracted passers-by who took him to Owode Onirin Police Station before they called me and explained what happened.”

He further said all efforts made to locate the said woman proved abortive.

“After a month, we saw the woman at the same place.

She pretended to be a beggar, while playing with some children,” he added.

At first the defendant pleaded guilty in Yoruba language before the court, but when the fact was read in

By Chika Ukele Yoruba language to her, she pleaded not guilty.

The IPO, Corporal Adegbenle Sunbo, informed the court that he could not locate the accused's family, but she told the court that they should take her home and her family will identify her.

The magistrate granted her bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The sureties must be working in a reputable company and will show evidence of tax payment.

The matter was adjourned till September 26.

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AGOS—THE mother of a four-year-old boy suspected to have been kidnapped in Olodi Apapa area of Lagos State, has been hospitalised, while no one had contacted them for ransom for his release.

The toddler, Tobichukwu Nliam, was reportedly last seen crying along Iheanacho Street, two weeks ago after his brother turned him back from following him on an errand.

Apprehension set in after his brother came back from the errand, without any sign of Tockuchwu around. A search conducted round the vicinity

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—7

08023019505 08034073107

4 arrested over Colonel Inusa's murder

By Okolie Ifeanyi

F

OUR suspects, allegedly involved in the killing of an Army Colonel, Samaila Inusa, in Kaduna State, have been arrested by police.

Vanguard gathered that two of the suspects, Abdullahi Adamu, a prison warder, and Emeka Okeke, leader of the gang, were arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response, Team, IRT, while two others, Ibrahim Kabiru and one Ebele were arrested by operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command Special Intelligence Bureau, SIB. Colonel Inusa, 44, who was serving at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji near Kaduna, as Chief Instructor, was abducted by unknown gunmen on the night of Saturday, March 26, along Kamazo, Kaduna Refinery Road, Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

His corpse was later discovered few kilometres away from where he was abducted, by three children who had gone to pluck cashew.

The children were said to have rushed back to their village to inform the community elders, who alerted the police.

Police sources disclosed that Adamu, a close associate of the alleged gang leader, Okeke, was in possession of the late Colonel's phone when he was arrested. It was gathered that Adamu led the IRT operatives to Kaduna State SIB where they found Ebele and Kabir.

Ebele was said to have confessed that the gang had no intention of killing the Colonel, but only wanted to snatch his car when he was abducted.

He explained that Inusa struggled with one of the gang members known as Sokoto, when they attempted to drop him off, which led to his being shot.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, did not respond to calls put across to his line at press time.

By Peter Duru

M

Late Colonel Samaila Inusa

Caterer dies in fight over cake

By Esther Onyegbula

A

misunderstanding over touching a cake baked by his friend has led to the death of Onyeka Jackson, who was reportedly stabbed to death by his colleague, Daniel Okorie, in Iyana Isashi area of Lagos, on May 24.

It was gathered that after the close of work on the said day, Onyeka trailed the 26-year-old Daniel to his house at 102, Iyana-Isashi area, over the misunderstanding caused by the cake-touching incident.

He reportedly banged on Daniel’s door until he opened and an argument ensued, which later degenerated into fisticuffs at a nearby bus stop.

missing 4-yr-old boy hospitalised proved abortive.

At press time yesterday, Vanguard gathered that the missing child’s mother, who was attending to a customer in her shop when the incident occurred, had been going in and out of the hospital.

Efforts to speak with her failed.

But her husband, Cyprian Nliam, an event planner, said he went out on the day, leaving his five children in the care of their mother at home, to watch a football match at a viewing centre.

He said: “My wife called to inform me that they had been looking for him. I was told he followed his elder brother, who

Gov Ortom’s adviser arraigned over murder of security aide

was sent on an errand, but he asked Tobechukwu to go back home.

“Someone saw him crying, but no one can tell how he disappeared. We have conducted search all over the possible places he could be and no one has called to demand for ransom for his release.”

Effort to get the reaction of Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus, failed. But police sources hinted that investigation was still ongoing, sighting the recent arrest of suspected kidnappers and the subsequent rescue of victims.

When Vanguard got to the scene of the incident at Iyana Isashi, traces of dried blood were still visible on the ground, leading to the suspect’s apartment.

A neighbour (names withheld) who spoke to Vanguard, said: “Sincerely, I do not know what the bone of contention was. But we saw the two of them quarrelling and later they started fighting.

“Before people could separate them, Daniel had stabbed Jackson in the chest and he was bleeding profusely.”

Suspect’s account

According to Daniel: “Jackson and I work at the same place in Iyana-Era. That day we had a misunderstanding in my place of work. Few minutes after I got home, someone was hitting my door. But I was surprised to see Jackson at my

door.

“While we were quarrelling, I took a kitchen knife to threaten and chase him out of the compound. It was while we were fighting outside the compound that I stabbed him.

I did not mean to kill him.”

Contacted, Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus, said that the police arrested a murder suspect, Daniel Okorie, last Thursday morning at 102 Isashi Road, Clinic Bus Stop. He allegedly stabbed Onyeka Jackson to death while they were fighting.

“The exhibit has been recovered, while the corpse of the deceased has been deposited at Badagry General Hospital for Autopsy.

Meanwhile, investigation is in progress at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos.”

Man sodomises 13-yr-old boy in Kano

A

23-year-old man, Ahmed Musa, who allegedly had anal sex with a 13-year- old boy, was yesterday remanded in prison on the order of a Kano Magistrate’s Court.

Musa, who lives at Rijiyar Lemo Quarters in Kano, is facing a charge of sodomy, but pleaded not guilty.

Chief Magistrate Fatima Adamu, who refused the accused bail, said he should

be kept behind bars until the next hearing.

Earlier, Prosecutor Sale Muhammad, told the court that a man, Adamu Shuaibu of Rijiyar Lemo Quarters, Kano, reported the incident at Rijiyar Lemo Police Station on May 2.

The offence contravened Section 284 of the Penal Code.

The case was adjourned to July 12 for mention.

AKURDI—THE Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Special Duties, Mr. Joe Ikyaagba, was, yesterday, arraigned before a Makurdi Chief Magistrate’s Court for conspiracy and culpable homicide punishable with death.

Mr. Ikyaagba, who was last Friday arrested in his home by police, is standing trial over the alleged murder of Governor Samuel Ortom’s security aide, who was about two weeks ago gunned down by armed men in the presence of his family.

At the trial, the prosecutor, Sergeant Daniel Swende, told the court that on May 20, one Ephraim Tyobee, Chairman of the vigilant group in Tyoshia village reported to the ‘D’ Division of the Makurdi Area Police Command that his neighbour and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Mr. Denen Igbana, was trailed to his house by armed men on motorbike.

He said according to the witness, the gunmen opened fire on Mr. Igbana, who was returning home in a white Hilux van.

He added that the deceased was said to have run out of the car, but the gunmen ran after him and killed him in front of his neighbour’s residence.

It was said that before he died, he shouted to the hearing of neighbours: “If I die, it is Gana, Joe Ikyaagba and his group that killed me.”

The prosecutor stated that the victim was rushed to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed him dead.

Sergeant Swende stated that during investigations, Mr. Kyagba was arrested for the alleged offence.

At the hearing, no plea was taken for want of jurisdiction. However, the prosecutor asked for an adjournment, stating that investigation into the matter was ongoing.

Chief Magistrate Thereza Wergba, adjourned the case to August 3 and ordered the accused remanded at Makurdi Federal Prison.

8 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—9

Jonathan defends record on corruption Explains why he congratulated Buhari on election victory

By Omoh Gabriel & Emeka Mamah

A

BUJA—FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, defended his government’s record on fighting corruption and denied his successor’s assertion that the country’s Treasury was left empty when he handed over power last year.

Jonathan, 58, was succeeded in May 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari, who accused the previous administration of looting billions of dollars and leaving the country’s finances “virtually empty."

“There’s no way he would have inherited an empty Treasury,” Jonathan said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in London, adding “It’s not possible.”

Nigeria’s economy is contracting after a decline in the price of Brent by about half since the middle of 2014.

Crude exports accounted in 2014 for as much as two-thirds of government revenue, with most state budgets relying on monthly handouts from the federal administration.

Kemi Adeosun and implementation of 2016 budget

Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, said last month that a long-delayed 2016 budget might not be fully implemented.

The cash crunch has dampened optimism around the election of Buhari who campaigned on an anticorruption platform, beating Jonathan in the first election victory by an opposition candidate in the nation’s history.

In a bid to plug the gap in the finances of Africa’s biggest economy, Nigerian authorities have gone after corrupt officials, recovering more than $500 million in cash so far.

Investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have brought top officials of Jonathan’s government under scrutiny, such as his National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and then-spokesman of his political party, Olisa Metuh.

Asked if he was being investigated for corruption, Jonathan said, “of course, obviously, they investigated and I’ve been investigated.”

My administration did very well —Jonathan

He declined to say what those investigations might reveal.

Jonathan said his administration did “very well” in the fight against corruption.

Former President Goodluck

KILLINGS: FG rules out military action against herdsmen

A

SUMMIT: From left: Chairman, Association of Good Cilinical Practice in Nigeria, Prof. Ifeoma Okoye; representative of the Minister of Health, Dr Ngozi Azodoh, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, at the opening of the 4th Annual Clinical Trial Summit Titled in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: NAN. Jonathan expressed confidence that the authorities could reach an agreement with militants in the Niger Delta to stop their attacks that had slashed production of Africa’s biggest oil producer.

“Definitely, it will be resolved,” Jonathan, said in an interview at Bloomberg’s offices in London on Monday. “Yes, government can always overcome restive movements and so on, but the Niger Delta is too delicate. The level of damage will be too much for the government to bear. We used dialogue.” Jonathan was vicepresident when Nigeria’s government offered an amnesty and monthly stipends to militants to end years of instability, which had cut oil output.

Councellation of security contracts by President Buhari

In February, Jonathan’s successor Muhammadu Buhari reduced the stipends and canceled security contracts with former military leaders.

A militant group known as Niger Delta Avengers has claimed attacks on facilities belonging to companies, including Chevron Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Agip Oil Co., causing Nigeria’s output to drop to an almost 30year low of about 1.4 million barrels per day.

The violence has deepened the crisis facing Africa’s largest economy, which is already reeling from a slump in crude prices.

Nigeria gets as much as twothirds of its revenue and more than 90 percent of foreign income from oil.

On why he conceded defeat

in the elections, Jonathan said that having helped to stabilise democracy in four other West African countries, including Niger, Mali, Guinea Bissau and Cote d’Ivoire, he decided to leave a stable country by ensuring peaceful transition of power in his belief that his “political ambition was not worth the blood of one Nigerian.”

Refecting on Nigeria's future

His words: “Since leaving office one year and one week ago, I have had the luxury of time to reflect on the future of my great country, Nigeria. ‘’So, today (yesterday) is not about my personal memories or a litany of ‘what ifs’. No! Today I would like to share with you what I believe are the key lessons from my experiences for the future of democracy not only in Nigeria but also across the entire continent of Africa.

Conceding defeat and congratulating President Buhari

“I said before the last election that my political ambition was not worth the blood of one Nigerian.

I was true to my word when on March 16, 2015, just after the election, when the results were still being collated by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, I called my opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari, retd, to concede, in order to avoid any conflict and ensure a peaceful transition of power.

“This was without precedent in my country and I am proud that it achieved my goal of no conflict arising from the result of the election.

“Some may think, it is ironic that perhaps my proudest achievement was not winning the 2015 presidential election.

“By being the first elected Nigerian leader to willingly hand over power via the ballot box, to the opposition party; without contestingtheelectionoutcome,Iproved to the ordinary man or woman in the country that I was his or her equal.

“That his or her vote was equal to mine and that democracy is the government by the will of the people, and that Nigeria, and indeed Africa is ripefordemocracy.Itismysincerestwish that democracy is being consolidated in the continent of Africa and it will even get better."

By Omeiza Ajayi

BUJA—DESPITE the ferocious wave of attacks on indigenous communities by rampaging herdsmen in some parts of the country, the Federal Government has ruled out the possibility of using the military option to quell such violent activities.

The government said since the Police had not been overwhelmed by the attackers, military option was not on the table.

Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd), stated this on a Sunday midnight television programme “Question Time” on Channels TV. “We must protect the country which is the main function of the police. The Civil Defence are there to complement them too.

“This is a non-military issue that borders on law and order.

It is not every security issue that you call in the military. It is the responsibility of the police to maintain peace. I believe that if we put the police in proper position, in terms of discharging its functions, then there would be no need for military option,” he said.

According to the Global Terrorism Index 2015 report, “Fulani militants” killed 1,229 people in 2014 — up from 63 in 2013 — making them the “fourth most deadly terrorist group” globally.

Privatization of Prisons, an option

Dambazau also hinted at the possibility of privatizing Nigerian Prisons, saying the only challenge withtheproposalwasthatmostprison inmates were not serving their sentences but awaiting trial.

Hesaid:“Privatizationisanoption.

How we go about doing that is another thing. Outside the country, for instance in the United Kingdom UK, they rely on ‘Prisons Labour’ to do that and it is from prisons labour they do that to recoup their investment."

We've no link with $3.1bn loot recovery —NLNG

By Michael Eboh

A

BUJA—NIGERIA Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, yesterday, condemned attempts to link it with a malfeasance of $3.1 billion, stating that none of its accounts was under investigation by any of the anti-graft agencies, nor was it involved in recovery efforts by the government.

In a statement by its General Manager in charge of External Relations Division, Mr. Kudo

Eresia-Eke in Abuja, the NLNG appealed to all concerned stakeholders to cross-check the accuracy of information before publication, to guard against falsehood.

He said the malicious report, “Quoted an unnamed public official, and states that ‘$3.1 billion intercepted in the accounts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and NLNG which was yet to be moved to the Central Bank of Nigeria in line

with the Transaction Single Account, TSA, policy.’

“NLNG views this statement with utmost seriousness and wishes to denounce it as misleading and untrue.

“To our knowledge, no NLNG’s accounts are the subject of any recovery effort by the EFCC or any other similar authority more especially as NLNG is a private company and not a government agency or parastatal."

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY JUNE 7 , 2016

Jide Kosoko’s wife, Henrietta dies at 53

By Benjamin Njoku & Juliet Ebirim

P

OPULAR Nollywood actor and former president of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, ANTP, Prince Jide Kosoko is bereaved. He lost one of his wives, Henrietta to the cold hands of death yesterday. She was aged 53.

Henrietta, who was also an actress, reportedly died yesterday morning after she slumped at their home and was rushed to the hospital where she was confirmed dead.

Confirming the death of their mother on their father ’s Facebook page, Sola Kosoko and her sister, Bidemi wrote, “Henrietta Kosoko is dead. We will miss you Mama. May your soul rest in perfect peace.”

Until death, Henrietta who trained as a caterer before delving into acting celebrated her 53rd birthday last week.

Sources close to her family said that before her demise, she battled diabetes for a while, causing her sugar level to flunctuate.

Reacting to her death, ANTP president, Comrade Victor Ashaolu described Henrietta’s demise as “a big blow to us in ANTP, and the film industry.”

Court grants ex-NIMASA boss, Omatseye N500,000 bail

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, granted N500,000 bail to former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Raymond Omatseye, who was convicted on charges of contract splitting.

Trial judge, Justice Rita OfiliAjumogobia granted the convict bail pending the hearing and determination of his appeal at the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

Ruling on the bail application

by Omatseye, pending appeal, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia said: “I have looked at the processes filed by appellant but I have a discretion which must be exercised judicially.

“In the applicants affidavit, he deposed to the fact that his child suffers from a severe medical condition, which is an uncontrollable epileptic seizure which has put the family under serious strain. I will admit the appellant to bail on the single ground of my being a mother.

“Even a mad woman will come after you if you toil with her child.

The applicant is hereby admitted to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum. One of the sureties must be a level 16 officer in the civil service who must deposit his international passport with the

court’s registry,” she held.

Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia had on May 20, sentenced Omatseye to a prison term of five years for awarding contracts above threshold while in office.

The judge had found Omatseye guilty of 24 out of the 27 counts preferred against him.

The court, discharged and acquitted him in 3 out of the 27 counts bordering on bid rigging.

Ajumogobia found Omatseye

guilty of the offence of awarding contracts above stipulated threshold, and accordingly convicted him on counts 1 to 20,24,25,26, and 27.

She, however, discharged and acquitted him on counts 21, 22 and 23 of the charge.

In challenging the verdict, Omatseye had prayed the court to grant him bail pending the determination of his appeal lodged at the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos.

According to him, given the number of years it takes to

prosecute appeals, it is likely that he could have finished serving the prison term by the time the appeal is determined.

Besides, Omatseye had said he is a father of four children, one of whom is very ill and suffers from “severe medical conditions of epilepsy.''

He had told the court that his wife stays full time in London with the sick child, to enable him get proper medical attention.

Omatseye had averred that he would not run away if granted bail.

PARLEY: From left; Head, EU Economic Section, Mr. Fikuppo Anatomical; Deputy Head of Delegation, Mr. Richard Young; Head of Delegation, Mr. Michel Arriving and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during an audience with the Vice President at the State House, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

Nightmare for Ajah residents as govt closes roundabout today

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

L

Late Henrietta Kosoko

AGOS—THE Lagos State Government will today begin restriction of Vehicular movement in and Around Ajah roundabout, Eti-Osa Local Government, to commence construction of the Ajah

REPOSITIONING: Lagos reads riot act to PHCs’ staff Mojoda, Afuye, Eredo, Odomola,

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—AS part of measures to reposition and enhance efficiency across the Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, Lagos State Government, yesterday read the riot act to staff of tge health faculiries who have non-chalant attitude to duty.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Healthcare, Dr. Femi Onanuga made the remarks when he paid unscheduled visit to PHCs in Epe to inspect their workings, shortcomings and find ways to salvage situations in them The monitoring is part of government’s move to reposition the PHCs, make them functional and accessible to grassroots people in order to decongest the secondary healthcare facilities.

PHCs visited include Epe,

among others.

Onanuga, who condemned what he called unwholesome activities in some of the PHCs, such as staff not reporting for work on time, bushy environment, among others, said government embarked on the unscheduled visits to PHCs across the state since January, 2016 and that over 90 of the 276 PHCs and health posts had been visited.

While admitting unsatisfactory state of progress at the PHCs, he assured that the gaps identified would be fixed.

Onanuga explained that the essence of the monitoring “is to see what we have on ground, the governor has passion for health of the people. We want to monitor the PHCs and see what we have on ground and ensure that the staff are working.''

Reinforced Concrete Flyover.

Vanguard gathered that the closure of the road at the Ajah roundabout end of the Lekki-Epe Expressroad, would elapse at the completion of the project. It will be constructed by Messrs. Hitech Construction Company Ltd. Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson, in a statement made available to Vanguard, said that the completion of the project would alleviate the gridlocks often experienced by motorists in Ajah and its environs.

According to him, “The State Government appeals for caution and co-operation from all road users by obeying all traffic regulations and ensuring free flow of traffic during the construction period.”

Lamenting the inconveniences the closure of the road would have on residents, the commissioner directed “all relevant agencies to ensure free flow of traffic” within the axis.

Also to cushion the effect of the closure, he disclosed that the state government has made several diversion/alternative roads available to motorist plying the ever busy road.

His words, “This notice serves as awareness information on the closure of Ajah Intersection.

Motorists and other Road Users are therefore advised to use any of the diversion roads.”

He listed the diversions to include: “Main Diversion/Bypass: The newly constructed 2lane dual carriageway running between the existing carriageway of the Eti-Osa/Lekki/Epe Expressway and the fence of Royal Garden Estate shall serve as the main diversion in both directions.

“Alternative Routes Outward Lekki Scheme 1 Inward Ajah

Roundabout: Turn off Eti-Osa/ Lekki/Epe Expressway at Ilaje bus-stop, onto Mobil Road to connect the road network within Lekki Scheme II to Ogombo Road and return to the Expressway at Abraham Adesanya roundabout.

“Turn off at Ikota 1st Gate Bus Stop onto Gbola Gas Road after Mega Chicken to link Mobil Road, connect the road network within Lekki Scheme II to Ogombo Road and return to the Expressway at Abraham Adesanya roundabout.

Ohuabunwa to deliver Archbishop Vining Church lecture in his life before a large congregation at the auditorium of IR Mazi Ohuabunwa, second oldest Anglican Cathedral said to be one of the in Metropolitan Lagos.

Ohuabunwa, a fellow of several decorated young old men of this generation is next in line to professional organisations had his mount the podium in the series postgraduate training in business of enlightening quarterly lectures and organisational management of Archbishop Vining Memorial at the Columbia University, in Church Cathedral, AVMCC New York, U.S.A, and later at the Lagos Business School.

Ikeja, on Sunday, June 12.

He serves on the boards of Given the generic title of ‘God in my life,’ Ohuabunwa who led several public and private the management of Pfizer organisation, and recently served products Plc at Chief Executive as a member of the Presidential Officer Level for 18 years is Committee on Subsidy scheduled to attest to the Reinvestment and Empowerment spectacular roles played by God Programme, SURE-P.

By Gabriel Olawale

S

Vanguard, TUESDAY JUNE 7 , 2016 — 11

NBA PRESIDENCY:

Afe Babalola backs Gadzama’s

candidature

By Innocent Anaba

A

DO-EKITI—AHEAD of the July 2016 election of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, the founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, in Ado-Ekiti, described Chief J-K Gadzama, SAN, as the most qualified person for the office of NBA President now.

He made this call at the 2016 annual lecture of the NBA Ado-Ekiti held at the Bar Centre, in Ado-Ekiti.

Chief Gasdzama, presented a keynote address at the 5th edition of the Aare Babalola annual lecture of the NBA Ado-Ekiti. The theme for the Law Week was “Upholding the rule of law” and Chief Gadzama received standing ovation after his presentation.

Responding to the applause that greeted Gadzama’s presentation, Aare Babalola said: “ Gadzama is the most suitable of all SAN I know today to head the Bar. He came from a small village in Lassa in Borno State, where he started his practice from a very humble beginning.

I sympathized with Gadzama because his village has been destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents and I can’t tell the last time he went home. He rose from a humble beginning to greatness because he is a determined person who wants to make it in life.

“His achievements are not only in this country, but also overseas, London School of Economics, he was also called to the English Bar, Lincolns Inn where both of us share a common experience. You don’t start to be great by being great, you become great by aspiring to be great and by doing great things. Gadzama is humble, he is very honest, very industrious, well learned, most resourceful, innovative and has brought many changes in the practice of law.’’

Why FG withheld names of those who returned loot — OSINBAJO

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—RELEASING the names of persons from whom the Federal Government recovered looted funds and assets may jeopardize ongoing investigations, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has said.

Though the government at the weekend released a list of sums of money and assets already recovered in the last one year, names of individuals involved were not included.

“We have released the list of recovered loot, we know people are asking for the names, but releasing the names may jeopardize ongoing investigations,” the Vice President said yesterday, at the Presidential Villa during a meeting with a delegation of the European Union led by the EU Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. Michel Arrion.

According to a press release by his Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity Laolu Akande, the Vice President also explained that the federal government is engaging leaders and people of the Niger Delta regarding the spate of attacks on oil installations in the area, an act he stated amounts to economic sabotage.

But besides reaching out to the people in the area, government is also beefing up security, he said.

According to him, the focus of the Buhari presidency “is to ensure that the man on the street in the Niger Delta receives the benefit from all that is available there,” while calling on the leaders in the region to be accountable to the people.

Prof. Osinbajo added that government is working round the clock to minimize the losses arising from the attacks, adding that “we are talking, we are

VISIT: From left; Mr Fidelis Anosike, Chairman, Daily Times; Miss Leesi Peter Vigboro, Miss Nigeria; Mr Gbenga Adefaye, GM/Editor in Chief, Vanguard Newspaper and Mr Oliseh Egbunike, General Media Manager, Daily Times, during the courtesy visit of the Management team of Daily Times to the Head office of Vanguard Newspaper in Lagos, yesterday. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele. ensuring that we minimize losses and we are stepping up security.

We are also engaging the international oil companies, IOCs, to see what options exists.”

On economic issues, the Vice President restated government’s commitment to drive its diversification policy and encouraged investors from European countries to take advantage of the situation especially in the agro-allied/

Enelamah, as Vice Chairman.

“In the next few months, we should be seeing some changes,” he promised.

Earlier, Ambassador Arrion said he came to hold consultations with the Vice President as a followup on President Buhari’s meeting with EU leaders during his visit to the continent, adding that “Nigeria has a huge market we can invest in. It is also a place we can export from.”

Daily Times publisher lauds Vanguard as leading online platform being Nigeria’s number one but the only way we can survive

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

L

AGOS—DAILY Times publisher, Mr. Fidelis Anosike has lauded Vanguard for

Mrs Mimiko seeks official recognition for first ladies

By Dayo Johnson

A

processing industry.

He restated the administration's resolve to ensure that the ease of doing business ranking in Nigeria goes up by at least 20 steps in the World Bank rating.

To this end, he said the President has approved the composition of a Presidential Commission on the matter to be chaired by himself, the VP, and Industry, Trade & Investment Minister, Dr. Okey

KURE—WIFE of the Ondo State governor, Mrs Oluwakemi Mimiko yesterday called for the recognition of the office of the wives of the President and governors in the country.

She spoke as a guest lecturer at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko during the 4th Research and Development lecture entitled: “Women and Development.”

Mrs Mimiko said it “ is a wrong notion that the offices of the wives of President and governors should not be recognized. “ While it is been argued that the offices of the wives of the President and the governors should not be recognized in the country, yet they still receive piles of mails in their offices mainly requesting for financial assistance.''

Mrs Mimiko said Nigerians should wake up from the deceit and officially recognize the offices to complement that of their husbands.

online news platform, saying that the newspaper should, however, not lose sight of its heritage as an offshoot of the country’s oldest surviving newspaper, Daily Times.

Speaking during an interactive session with Vanguard management at the company’s corporate headquarters in Lagos, Mr. Anosike said those newspapers that benefited from the old Daily Times should contribute towards ensuring the continuing survival and profit of the brand.

Anosike had in his delegation to Vanguard reigning Miss Nigeria, Leesi Peter-Vigboro, Mr. Oliseh Egbunike, General Media Manager, Mr. Biodun Durojaiye, Editor, Daily/Online among others.

He was received by Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager, Vanguard Media Limited, Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor, among others.

Giving the determination of the new Daily Times management to tap from Vanguard, Anosike said: “In terms of legacy and what we need to do, we are surely going to be learning from you, it is a very tough and challenging industry

is coming up with programmes like this,” Anosike said as he commended Vanguard for sustaining its leadership position as the country’s number one online platform as assessed by online ranking agency, alexa.com.

Anosike, who said that the new management was laying a solid foundation for continued growth of the newspaper said: “In terms of the business, we have laid a solid foundation that can sustain this paper for the next 90years. But the idea is now how do you build it to profitability to the glory of the people that built the enterprise.”

Also speaking, Miss Nigeria 2016, Miss Peter-Vigboro said her experience as the reigning beauty queen would build her into a model who would be able to maximally impact her society.

On Miss Nigeria, she said: “The advantage of having a 90year-old paper like Daily Times is that you have an institution that knows the history of the country.

We will have a library where anyone that wants to research the history of the country can come to.

That is part of the innovation we are bringing because it is linked to Nigeria’s history and heritage.”

12 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—13

POWER OUTAGE: Oshiomhole threatens to

withdraw BEDC's C of O in Edo B

By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN CITY—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has threatened to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, if the company continues to keep the people of the state in darkness.

The governor accused the company of alleged criminal extortion of the people through their billings despite the fact that they failed to fulfill their obligations by giving electricity to the people.

Oshiomhole handed the warning to BEDC management at a meeting in Benin City.

Governor Oshiomhole decried the indiscriminate disconnection, failure to deliver power to the people and exploitation of the consumers through exorbitant charges.

He said: “We have had a couple of conversations with you, with your Managing Director and your senior management over the unacceptable deterioration of the services that you provide as a distribution company, and the prohibitive charges that your company imposes on the people of this state, and even the arrogance with which you respond when consumers genuinely raise concerns about growing darkness and rising bills.

“It is absolutely unacceptable in a civilized society that because you are a private monopoly, you resort to tactics which are meant to destroy the economy of this

state and make life miserable for families and create such confusion that, if not arrested, you will not be able to survive in this state.

“In different parts of Edo State, when protesters raise concerns which you cannot fault, namely that you do not invest in the provision of transformers, and therefore, in many cases they are in the dark for weeks, months, some of them nine months, and even the few places you provide light, maybe three hours a day, you charge bills that are as high as 30 hours a day, and when they protest, you arrogantly

disconnect them. As we speak, the traditional ruler in Auchi tells me you have shut down supply to that area, and all the businesses there, hotel owners have come to complain.

“In different parts of Edo South, Edo Central, the story is the same. And as the governor of the state, I have continued to appropriate public funds to provide facilities that ought to be provided by Benin Electricity Distribution Company. The government has no business buying transformers which is part of the cost which a distribution company should take on board.

We take taxpayers’ money to buy these transformers and with or without power supply, you collect exorbitant rates.

“When I hear as you have often done that you have shut down in Igarra, in different parts of the state, including Benin area and Esan area, because people protested in a manner that you don’t approve of, you resort to abusing your power by disconnecting them. If you abuse your powerlikethat,andIrespondthesame way, as I have the power to revoke your certificate of occupancy of the property that you own in Edo State, you will not be able to do business in this state without the approval of Edo State Government."

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, Rivers State Deputy Governor, (left) and Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, during the 2016 WorldEnvironment Day celebration in Port Harcourt.

Stop vandalising oil pipelines, Okowa tells vandals A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, has urged those vandalizing pipelines in the state and Niger Delta region to sheath their swords and employ the civil approach to address issues agitating their minds.

Okowa while commissioning the first phase of 10 kilometres Jeddo/Ughoton Road in Okpe Local Government Area of the state as part of activities to mark his one year in office, said: “The pipeline vandalism that is going on is very bad for Delta State. We are suffering from pollution, our communities are affected, we are the losers, our communities are impacted negatively.

“I appeal to our brothers who are involved in one way or the other in this vandalism to stop, we cannot destroy ourselves in order to make a point, there are more civil ways of channeling grievances which we should adopt rather than vandalizing pipelines and endangering our people.”

Commissioning the road, Okowa said his attention was

drawn to the deplorable state of the road by the Orodje of Okpe, HRM Orhue I and commended the contractor, Obakpor Engineering Limited for the speedy and quality delivery of

the road.

In his brief remark, the Orodje of Okpe, Orhue I, congratulated Deltans for having a listening governor, disclosing that only a phone call attracted Governor

Okowa to construct the road which also, lead to the community where the Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye hails from.

Christian leaders move against communal killings in C'River

C

By Emma Una

ALABAR—CHRISTAIN leaders in Central senatorial district of Cross River State under the aegis of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, have risen against the continued killings in the district in the communal conflicts currently raging in the area.

In a communiqué in Calabar after a three-day marathon meeting, the Christian leaders said human life was sacred and the continued killings of people and destruction of property in communal conflicts by so-called combatants was unacceptable to God and man and should therefore, be put to a stop immediately.

“The recent negative developments beginning with the Inyima/Adun crisis, followed

by the Mkpani/Nko conflict which is still raging and the unprovoked attack on businesses and their owners on May 17, in Ugep leading to wanton

destruction of lives and property are all acts against God and man which are unacceptable and should be stopped immediately,” they said.

Delta Gov gets commendation

S

By Godwin Oghre

APELE—DELTA State Commissioner for Environment, Mr John Nani and Executive Director, Asaba Airport Project, Mr Austin Ayimedejor, yesterday, in Sapele, hailed the state governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, over his administrative prowess, saying that the governor has fared well in his administration of the state in the last one year in office.

Nani said: “The Ministry of Environment has witnessed

unprecedented growth with the creation of three committees to effectively handle sanitation, forestry and illegal sharp sand dredging across the state.”

Ayimedejor, on his part said, “The governor has, in his show of uncommon concern for the welfare of the people and the state, facilitated the upgrading of the airport to international standard that can accommodate Boeing 737 (big aircraft) that shall be completed shortly.”

Ijaw of Edo better off under Oshiomhole, says group

B

By Etop Ekanem

ENIN—SOUTH-South Youth Leaders Forum, SSYLF, has said that the Ijaw of Edo State fared better under Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, who they described as “detribalised and non-partisan in the governance of the state.”

In a statement by Wilson Alatubo, President, the group said: “Governor Oshiomhole has shot the Ijaws into the political limelight and equation of Edo State, thereby giving them a sense of belonging long denied the Ijaw in the state.”

The group said that Oshiomhole was the first to visit the Ijaw communities of the state, adding, “Oshiomhole renovated schools, built boreholes, graded roads in the Ijaw areas of Edo State and appointed an Ijaw son of the state, Don Okubo Robert, as Executive Director, Surveillance Security, Edo State.”

Claiming that over 500 Ijaw youths got employment in the present administration, SSYLF said Oshiomole was a democrat that walked and lived the change mantra

EFCC urged to probe ex-LG boss

By Godwin Oritse

W

ARRI—THE Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, has been asked to probe former chairman of Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Michael Diden over allegations of mismanaging the council’s fund while in office.

The former council boss was alleged to have defrauded the council of the sum of N864 million.

In the petition by Mr. Hosanna Williams to the EFCC, he said that Diden allegedly owns property in Abuja, Lagos, Sapele and other cities across the country.

Williams said barely a month after Diden took over as Chairman, he acquired luxury cars, adding that as at the time Diden was sworn in December 2004, the amount standing to the credit of council in the State/ LocalGovernmentjointaccountwas N306million, which was released to him (Diden) as the Council Chairman.

In his reaction, the former chairman told Vanguard that he was invited by the EFCC, adding that the petitioner, had apologized and he (Diden) had also forgiven him.

14—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Court decides Ohakim’s no-case submission June 30

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, yesterday, begged the Federal High Court in Abuja to quash the three-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.

He was alleged to have looted $2.290 million from the state treasury and used same to acquire a mansion at the Asokoro District of Abuja.

However, the defendant, yesterday, insisted that he has no case to answer.

However, the anti-graft agency, yesterday, urged the court to dismiss the no-case-submission and ordered Ohakim to open his defence.

Trial Justice Ademola Adeniyi, fixed June 30 to rule on the no-casesubmission.

Activist urges FG to charge looters to court

By Bartholomew Madukwe

H

UMAN rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Aborisade, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to charge corrupt officials from whom assets were recovered to court, following the publication of the list of retrieved funds.

He noted that the identities of persons from whom the recoveries and forfeitures were made were not disclosed, contrary to repeated promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to name and shame former public officers who looted public coffers.

Aborisade, who spoke in Lagos, said nondisclosure of the identities of looters, who have made returns, was not in the public interest, adding that public interest dictated full disclosure of loot, forfeitures and identities of the looters through the prosecutorial judicial system.

C M Y K

North-East not safe yet for return of IDPs— UN

By Omeiza Ajayi

A

BUJA—THE United Nations has warned Federal Government against returning internally displaced persons, IDPs, in the NorthEast to their homeland, saying the area was not safe.

Giving the warning, yesterday, in Abuja at the Lake Chad Basin Regional Protection Dialogue for the victims of Boko Haram insurgency, the United

Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, said the insurgency and its spill over to Cameroon, Niger and Chad had led to loss of thousands of lives and caused massive displacement of over 2.7 million people.

UNHCR Regional Representative for West Africa and Regional Coordinator for the Nigeria Situation, Ms. Liz Ahua, who gave the warning, said about 60 percent of the affected populations were

children and that about 20,000 unaccompanied children have been displaced by the conflict.

She said: “We note that there are returns that are taking place even right now.

But I simply would want to underscore that the conditions are not fully ripe yet because we still have persistent threats from Boko Haram, presence of mines, unexploded improvised devices, IEDs, and absence

of some basic services.

“All of these mean acute humanitarian and protection risks for the population. We have visited these areas and we know precisely what we are saying.”

Earlier, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Bassey Akpanyung, noted the importance of the regional dialogue, especially as a result of the progress the country and other members of the Lake Chad Basin Commission had made in the fight against insurgency.

VISIT: From left—Site Director, Ogba Brewery, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Arthur Mamvura; British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright; Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria, Mr. Sesan Sobowale; Human Resources Director, Monica Peach; and Acting Deputy British High Commissioner, Mr. Ahmed Bashir, during the British High Commissioner's visit to Guinness. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Saraki says amended Electoral Act ready soon; alarmed by inconclusive elections

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—THE Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, said that an amended 2010 Electoral Act would be ready before year end, to address very salient and grey areas, ahead of 2019 presidential election.

He, however, raised alarm over the growing anxiety generated by inconclusive elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. He said it had become imperative to amend the Act to do the right thing at all times, stressing that the country often recorded low turnout in elections because they did not believe in the system.

Saraki, who spoke while declaring open a summit on elections organised by Senator Abubakar Kyari-led Senate Committee on INEC in Abuja yesterday, said: “We must conclude the amendment by the end of the year.

“My view is that politics now start early. Let us amend the areas we all agreed on because we may not agree on all the issues.”

According to the Senate President, in reviewing the

Electoral Act, the issue of diaspora voting should be addressed and the Senate would also look at the issue of allowing voting opportunities for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. Meanwhile, Chairman of INEC, Professor Mamood Yakubu, yesterday stressed that the commission would conduct re-run elections in affected senatorial districts and federal constituencies by July 31.

Professor Yakubu, who listed the challenges that had been confronting INEC since 2015, said since the conclusion of the 2015 general election, INEC h a d conducted 129 elections.

According to him, 23 election certificates w e r e withdrawn in accordance with court rulings and s u c h certificates re-presented to rightful winners of elections in both the Senate and

House of Representatives.

The INEC boss stressed the need for an amendment to the 2010 Electoral Act to ensure that candidates whose elections were nullified because of improper nominations by their parties, should have their certificates re-issued to the runners-up.

He said the move will save the nation the huge cost of conducting fresh elections in such circumstances.

Yakubu added the committee should ensure the inclusion of card readers in the Electoral Act, ahead of the conduct of the next general election.

He said such provision should cover the use of other forms of technology to enable INEC have the full power to deploy any technological innovation it deemed fit without any legal hindrance.

Also speaking at the event, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, made case for early and direct primaries by political parties to make the nation’s electoral process more credible and deepen democracy.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—15

Biafra: Igbo leaders who visited Buhari after Nkpor massacre are traitors —IPOB Killings

premeditated—IPOB, Spain

By Nwabueze Okonkwo & Chimaobi Nwaiwu O N I T S H A — T H E Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has described those who visited President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock a day after combined security forces massacred its members who were praying and observing remembrance day for their fallen heroes at Nkpor, near Onitsha, Anambra state, as Igbo traitors.

IPOB, in a press statement signed by its Coordinators, Dr. Clifford Iroanya said they were surprised at the likes of those who rushed to Buhari and congratulated him for killing Biafrans on the fateful day and not to condemn his murderous act or to discuss the process of restoration of Biafra, adding, “it is now left for Biafrans to decide what to do with these traitors”.

Meanwhile, a South East Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations, SBCHROs has said it is deeply worried that the Nigerian security forces and their political conspirators are dangerously pushing innocent and law-abiding members of key ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to the wall, forcing them to learn the hard way of preserving their ethnic identities and human existence.

SBCHROs warned that if these dangerous trends are checked, it can be dicey for the country, its peoples, West African sub-region, African Union and the United Nations, adding that the Nigerian killer-state entities under reference are also taking the country and its people to the path of social catastrophe with uprising and retaliatory justice as looming end product.

In a press statement entitled: “Igbo Heroes Day Massacre & Wicked Regime Falsehood: We Foresee Uprising & Retaliatory Justice,” by Emeka Umeagbalasi, the coalition declared: “The Muhammadu Buhari, Tukur Buratai, Solomon Arase and Willie Obiano of Nigeria’s present disastrous democracy and their killer-subordinates are steadily pushing Nigeria back

to the Hobbesian era where life was brutish, short, nasty and disease prone; and where retaliatory and jungle justice and cannibalism were the order of the day. ” Killings premeditated Meantime, the Directorate of State, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Spain has described last week's alleged killing of its members as premeditated and unwarranted.

In a statement by Head, Directorate of State, IPOB Spain, Mazi Uchenna Asiegbu,the group said "the massacre, the maiming and forceful displacement of unarmed peaceful people of Biafra on a day we were remembering the atrocious genocide of the same

government is utterly unthinkable and absurd."

It said the present government in Nigeria has indeed proven to be an undemocratic government, hiding under the cloak of democracy to perpetuate ponderous evil deeds on ordinary people.

"The account of what took place across the Biafra land that day is condemnable by any conscientious average person. It is expedient and expressly essential for the office of the Directorate of State, Indigenous People of•Biafra, to state categorically that the acts so meted out on our kiths and kin at home is nothing short of an apparently premeditated, unwarranted and extra-judicial killing of our people, men and women, young and old, even sparing

the pregnant of this inhumanity was not the case.

"As if the killing was not enough, they went all out to fabricate all manner of allegations and accuse the IPOB of being •violent . Their deed certainly cannot be justified, and it leaves many unanswered questions.

•"They harassed and gruesomely murdered innocent citizens without sparing even the most vulnerable like the pregnant women. All was executed to please the President of Nigeria and other Igbo haters and came out to defend their callous and unprofessional action with their outdated extant Rule of Engagement, RoE, given self-defense as claimed by the 82 Division Nigeria Army," he said.

VISIT: Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (5th right), flanked by the management of an orphanage in the state when he visited the inmates to assess their conditions at Old Abakiliki Road, Enugu, yesterday.

Commission of Inquiry into Nimbo killings begins sitting

By Emeka Mamah

E

NUGU—THE Judicial Commission of Inquiry into killing of people and destruction of property by suspected herdsmen at Nimbo in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State has started sitting.

Speaking during the inaugural sitting in Enugu, yesterday, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Chukwuma Eneh, rtd. said that the members would do justice to all parties involved in the matter.

Eneh who described the assignment as critical said, “We call on Nimbo people and every other community where herdsmen live and graze their cattle in the state to cooperate with us as we strive to discharge our duties without any ill will.

“We equally call on the herdsmen to cooperate with us in spite of the season they are in. “ He further said that the commission would do its best to curtail infringements on citizens’ rights in the interest of communities and herdsmen,

adding that all parties involved would be given summons “as we would not like anybody to complain of being omitted.

“We have a commitment to look into all communities where herdsmen live and do their business in the state and call on all parties to maintain the status quo ante.”

In his submission, one of the Counsel to the Nimbo community, Mr Sodiq Nwabueze told the commission that the herdsmen were still grazing in the ravaged community.

Ariaria traders count losses as floods submerge shops

A

BA—TRADERS at Ariaria International Market, Aba, Abia State are counting their losses following Sunday night’s torrential rains which submerged the market and consumed goods worth over N5 million.

The affected lines include A line, drug dealers’ line and some other parts of the market. The

traders whose shops were submerged by the flood said that they arrived the market as early as 8am to meet their shops filled with water.

Even the barriers erected by the traders to protect their shops were swept away by the rampaging flood. As a result of the flood, some traders have acquired the

shops upstairs which they use as parking store in order to save their goods.

When Vanguard visited the market, the traders were seen using pumping machine to pump out the excess water from their shops. Others who could not afford pumping machines, used containers to scoop water from

their shops.

It was observed that due to the impact of the flood, buses plying the Faulks road leading to the Ariaria International market now stop at Ama Ikonne area while the commuters wade through and board another bus or tricycle to continue their journey.

Enugu govt distances self from faulty traffic lights

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE Enugu State Government yesterday debunked what it described as a misleading publication in the media insinuating that Enugu motorists were lamenting faulty traffic lights which caused accidents last weekend.

A statement by the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor,Louis Amoke, stated that“ the referenced publication alleged that a major car crash on Uwani street which involved two vehicles from opposite directions, during the weekend, was caused by the dysfunctional traffic control light system.

“Ordinarily, the state government would have wished not to react to the said publication, but since it does not represent the true position of things concerning the ingenuity of the operation and maintenance of traffic control light system in the state since the inception of the present administration, the need to put the records straight becomes imperative."

'Invest more resources in sports to reduce social vices'

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI— CHAIRMAN House Committee on Youth and Sports in Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Okechukwu Ali, yesterday, told the government to invest more resources in the development of sports to reduce incidents of cultism, rapes and robbery in the state.

Ali made this call in Abakaliki while reacting to the recent cult clashes, killings and robbery in the state.

He explained that when sporting activities were used to keep the youth busy, it would reduce their interests and involvement of youths in social vices, especially cultism.

The law maker stated: “When the youth are properly engaged in meaningful activities such as sports and other creative ventures, their interests in cultism will reduce."

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Obiano’s wife’s NGO gets ambassadors across Anambra

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—THE Caring F a m i l y Enhancement Initiative, CAFÉ, a non – g o v e r n m e n t a l organization formed by the wife of the Anambra State governor, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano to assist the less privileged in the society received a boost weekend with the formation of CAFÉ Ambassadors in all the 21 local government areas of the state to support the programme.

At the launch of the support group in Awka, its coordinator, Mr. Tony Ezekwelu said they were touched by efforts of Mrs. Obiano to put smiles on the faces of the needy, adding that the decision to form the CAFÉ Ambassadors in all the 21 local government areas of the state was to help spread the good news among the people.

He observed that since the formation of the NGO, the wife of the governor had built houses for many widows who lacked adequate accommodation, donated motorcycles, gas cookers, sewing machines, hair salon items and cash, among other things to the less privileged and those who received them have been doing well in their various endeavours.

She has also refurbished the three special schools for the handicapped in the state by providing them with the necessary amenities.

According to Ezekweleu, CAFÉ as an interventionist organ, has impacted positively in the lives of society ’s vulnerable members like widows, women, children, the mentally and physically challenged and the destitute and therefore needed the support of all and sundry.

APC berates PDP in South East

By Emeka Mamah

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NUGU—THE South East chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the zone of allegedly conniving with agents of disunity to hoodwink the people by inciting the peopleto revolt against the Federal Government through the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. The party also, cautioned priests in the zone against making inciting and provocative statements against the Federal Government, saying that they were tired of war in Igbo land.

These were contained in a statement signed by the APC, South- East Publicity Secretary, Hycienth Ngwu in Enugu yesterday.

Ngwu’s statement read, “We have taken notice of inciting and provocative statements by officers and agents of PDP in the South

East in recent times, using false group names and sometimes masquerading as IPOB sympathizers to misinform and hoodwink our people by inciting them against the Federal Government led by APC. “Their sole aim was to bring the Federal Government to public hatred, contempt, ridicule or disrepute particularly in the South East zone, so as to divert attention from the agenda of the government to fully recover looted public funds and set our economy to a self-sustaining mode. This is quite unfortunate and we stand tall in condemning these acts of sabotage and deception.

“These series of unwarranted attacks against the Federal Government by these agents have been carried to a disturbing level and are the reasons for the pockets of civil disturbances in the South East in recent times.

PDP and their agents should learn to play fair politics rather than destructive politics.

“They should learn to criticize

policies constructively with a view to deepening our democracy and building a strong economy that will see many of our people out of poverty threshold, rather than fabricating lies with a view to hoodwinking our people, inciting them to violence and destroying our economic base. The clergy should not be drawn into politics with bitterness.

“They should as a matter of fact, be peace-agents and not otherwise. Inciting and provocative statements are like ill wind. It blows nobody any good.

Nothing compares to peace and dialogue.

“We have had enough of marginalization; confrontation is not the answer. It is not the key.

PDP with its array of prominent Igbo failed woefully in addressing the issues in their 16 years of reign in power.

“Our roads and other infrastructures were neglected and abandoned. Contracts were awarded and recklessly abandoned. We cannot afford

FORUM: From left: CEO, Financial Derivatives Company Ltd, Mr. Bismarck Rewane; Executive Director, Corporate and Transactional Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ms Yewande Sadiku; Founder, Leap Africa, Mrs. Ndidi Nwuneli; and former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Lagos State, Mrs. Sola Oworu, at the 11th Annual CEOs Forum of Leap Africa, co-sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, in Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

20 escape death as fuel tanker crashes into cars, trailer in Aba

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—OVER 20 persons escaped death in Aba, Abia State, yesterday, when the brake of a fuel tanker failed and it crashed into two cars before ramming into a trailer as all the vehicles moved in the same direction.

Vanguard gathered that the fuel

tanker with registration number, Anambra: NEN 571 XA and the other vehicles including the trailer, a Mack with registration number, Rivers: XA 499 SKN were descending the Water Side bridge when the driver of the tanker laden with gas lost control as a result of brake failure.

As the tanker driver struggled

to regain control, the truck hit two cars, a white 190 Mercedes Benz V-Boot and a Honda Prelude saloon car which somersaulted twice.

Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the driver of the trailer skillfully used his truck to prevent the fuel tanker from running across the Aba water side bridge where scores of passengers were

Herdsmen Attack: S’East govs urged to ban cattle grazing

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—A sociopolitical and cultural organization, Igbo Improvement Union (IIU), weekend called on Governors of the South East geopolitical zone of the counry to place a total ban on cattle grazing

another war in the South East.

And we cannot ask the Federal Government not to ask for refund of looted public funds. We understand their antics. They should please leave us alone, to be part of this “Change Agenda” so that we can benefit maximally from it and re-establish our major stakeholder ship in the Nigerian community. We are Nigerians.

“Our people are true democrats.

We hereby call on our people to show this by promoting the tenets of democracy and the rule of law.

We should shun any political tendencies that preach disunity and hatred amongst us, and between us and other tribes or regions in the country.

“It is time we told the PDP and their agents that being in opposition is not synonymous with abuse of and or making exciting, inciting and provocative statements against the government and a hysterical wolf crying. Politics should be played with the interest of the masses in the fore-front. We must liberate our people politically and economically. And the time is now and in AP “We urge our people to embrace this present administration with peaceful disposition and dialogue as ways to bridge the huge infrastructural gap and economic woes inflicted and perpetuated on the South-East by the previous Federal Governments in Nigeria.

We should reciprocate President Buhari’s love to us, the Igbo.

“It was President Buhari’s love to us that made him pick on his first and second trial to the Presidency, late Senator Chuba Okadigbo and Chief Edwin UmeEzeoke, two prominent sons of Igbo land, as his running-mates respectively in 2003 and 2007.

“And currently our eminent personalities are occupying vantage positions in his administration to bring about the desired change we needed in the South East."

across the zone.

According to the group, the Governors should also strengthen the ban through State Houses of Assembly by enacting a law to that effect.

In a communiqué after their meeting in Abakaliki, signed by the President-General of the group, Barr. Ugochukwu

Agballah and other leaders, including Senator Anthony Agbo; former Speaker Enugu state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Eugene Odoh and Chief Edozie Njoku, the group said Ndigbo has lost hundreds of sons and daughters as well as farmlands worth millions of naira to herdsmen, whose alleged

murderous activities have become unbearable in recent times.

While opposing the proposal for government creation of grazing reserves, the group, made up of eminent personalities in Igbo land, mostly former political office holders advised that cattle rearing should be seen as private business enterprise.

boarding vehicles to different parts of the city centre.

“If not for what the trailer driver did, if the fuel tanker had crossed the bridge, dead bodies could have littered the place because many passengers were there trying to board vehicles to the city centre. It was something to give God the glory that with all that happened, no soul was lost”, they said.

When Vanguard visited the scene of the accident, two policemen were seen directing traffic due to the gridlock in the area.

A cross section of sympathizers who spoke to Vanguard at the scene urged the state and the federalgovernments to come to the aid of residents of the area by building a flyover at the bridge head to prevent the incessant accidents ing at the area.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7 7, 2016—17

Atikulate intervention for nationhood

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WAS told that in the days Chief Olusegun Obasanjo held sway as Nigeria's President,he brought a memorandum to the Federal Executive Council which had to do with devolution of powers to the states.

As the papers were going round, his Vice (vice indeed!) whispered to a minister sitting next to him "if you took all these powers to the states,what shall we be doing in Abuja?".The Nigerian crisis had yet to reach the terminus at the point Atiku was making this side talk.

By the time Atiku had to chair the presentation of Chido Onuma's "We Are All Biafrans" in Abuja some 12 years after the incident I referenced above,Nigeria has totally unravelled and one of the most urbane and cosmopolitan politicians from the north of Nigeria had fully converted to the kind of views Col. Umaru Dangiwa Umar has been expressing for many years now.I quote the Turaki Adamawa extensively : “Agitations by many rightthinking Nigerians call for a restructuring and renewal of our federation to make it less centralised, less suffocating and less dictatorial in the affairs of our country ’s constituent units and localities.

Rising tide of agitations “As some of you may know, I have for a long time advocated the need to restructure our federation. Our current structure and the practices it has encouraged have been a major impediment to the economic and political development of our country. In short, it has not served Nigeria well, and at the risk of reproach it has not served my part of the country, the North, well.

“The call for restructuring is even more relevant today in light of the governance and economic challenges facing us. And the rising tide of agitations, some militant and violent, require a reset in our relationships as a united nation.”

“Some may say that we are saddled with more urgent challenges, including rebuilding our battered economy, creating jobs,

C M Y K

•Atiku Abubakar fighting corruption and securing our people from terrorism and other forms of serious crimes. I believe, however, that addressing the flaws in our federation will help us address some of those very economic and security challenges facing this country.

“Nigeria must remain a united country. Our potential is enormous. But I also believe that a united country, which I think most Nigerians desire, should never be taken for granted or taken as evidence that Nigerians are content with

No, Nigeria has failed! It has entered a terminal crisis from which it cannot recover except we restructure and the manual is in the "archives"2014 National Conference reports the current structure of the federation.

“Making that mistake might set us on the path of losing the country we love or, as Chido Onumah puts it, result in our ‘country sleepwalking to disaster.’”

“Let me quickly acknowledge that no federal

system is set for all time. There are always tensions arising from matters relating to the sharing of power, resources and responsibilities. But established democracies have developed peaceful mechanisms for resolving such conflicts among the tiers of government. They recognise that negotiations and compromises are eternal.”

“An excessively powerful

centre does not equate national unity. If anything, it has made our unity more fragile, our government more unstable and our country more unsafe . We must renegotiate our union in order to make it stronger. Greater autonomy, power and resources for states and local authorities will give the federating units greater freedom and flexibility to address local issues, priorities and peculiarities.

“It will help to unleash our people’s creative energies and spur more development. It will reduce the premium placed on capturing power at the centre.

It will help with improving security. It will promote healthy rivalries among the federating units and local authorities. It will help make us richer and stronger as a nation.”

None of us who have been strident in the call for the restructuring of Nigeria could have put it better than he did.

And his intervention has shown that it is only those who want to see Nigeria sink that would not see the imperatives of changing the structure of our country today . After 56 years of independence, Nigeria cannot perform the simplest tasks that states that are not fully formed perform with ease. Biafra refined petroleum for its use during the civil war,militant in the creeks had over 600 refineries that were destroyed by JTF years ago but Nigeria cannot refine one litre of petrol in 2016.

It cannot create job opportunities for millions of its youths who have become totally disoriented.It spends billions of dollars on electricity to generate darkness.

Herdsmen are killing people with AK 47,an estimated 3000

people killed in the season of change but Nigeria has not brought one of them to book.

Top government officials assault our sensibilities by saying they are Ghaddafi trained militias who found their way into our country through our porous borders.

And once they come into our country they all transform into herdsmen?

No, Nigeria has failed! It has entered a terminal crisis from which it cannot recover except we restructure and the manual is in the "archives"- 2014 National Conference reports.

If leadership in Nigeria decides to take that report for a referendum today 80 % of the fighters will drop their arms.But if it remains obstinate, in the next six months it may not find anybody to discuss the reports with anymore.

Timely and articulate This is why the intervention from the former Vice-president is so timely and articulate . It is Atikulate!

A troublesome friend of mine Tayo has not stopped dropping it in my ears that it is marabouts who have been advising against the local trips for which the Vice-president has been called on to fill the slot lately.From Cross River through Lagos and now Ogoniland.I have not stopped telling him that Abacha days were the last time I am aware that marabouts were more or less an arm of government .When he would not take my explanation I told him that may be we should refer the million dollar question facing our country today if indeed they are back: should we devalue the Naira or not?

Feedback Re: Fantastically corrupt Nigeria, fantastic British creation

D

EAR Yinka, In the British Common Law and Nigerian Law, the giver and the receiver of stolen property are both criminally guilty.

Thank you very much for your candid note on the role of the British Prime Minister David Cameron with regards to the role of the British our colonial master viz - vis the level of corruption which has engulfed our nation for more than fifty five (55) years since our independence.

Your revelation of the role they played in Nigeria’s history copiously quoted the revelations of British's cheating and dishonesty which was documented for posterity by their erstwhile servant at the colonial office Mr. Harold Smith is worthwhile for all present day Nigerians to read as some of us have done before.

Those who do not want Nigeria to be restructured as a truly Federal and Financially Federal Republic should

ponder once more and avoid the inevitable breakup of this nation into smithereens.

We hope you will publish these coming rejoinders.

Best Regards.

Chief Guy Ike Ikokwu, Lagos.

Dear Mr. Odumakin, A billion thanks for this piece.

Wonderfully educating and soothingly refreshing indeed!!.

Bob Marley did say that you can fool some of the people some day, but you can not fool all the people all the time!

IGP has ordered immediate disarming in the South East while remaining/maintaining a "Mumu" posture towards 'Boko Haram Herdsmen'.

Hmmmnn...selective justice/ initiative indeed. Please remain blessed with every member of your family, while doing the great job. Godwin - Lagos.

Dear Mr Odumakin, Thanks for your Candid Notes always sending the right notes

all the time.Your Vanguard column tells the Nigerian government and the world the truth, although they keep pretending not to hear. The recent killings of innocents in Aba, in Onitsha, in Port Harcourt, among other places, by men of the Nigerian armed forces, including the ravaging of the Middle Belt region and Igboland by Fulani Jihadists, emboldened by the highest authority, under the guise of Fulani herdsmen, are part of the ''intense strain'' Britain's colonial architecture is suffering.

In response, the current wave of agitation from the East of Nigeria, which is today, a global phenomenon, is enough message to the world body, and Britain in particular, that we can't continue like this.

Frankly, your 'Candid Notes' symbolically represent the voice of the oppressed peoples of geographic Nigeria. Keep it up!

Your Fan, Okoro Ndukwe.

Feedback

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 THE banking industry reacted to the economic squeeze by downsizing their staff roll in order to survive, but the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige’s “directive” for banks to suspend such actions forthwith may not be a sustainable response to it.

For the banks, the full year financial results for 2015 and the interim results for first quarter of 2016 showed a massive degradation of their balance sheets and the tumbling of top and bottom lines in their profit and loss accounts. Even the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently warned of impending danger if the declines continue this year.

Also, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), rising unemployment and underemployment rates came to 31.2%, with over 500,000 jobs lost in the first quarter of 2016 alone. This

Labour Minister’s directive to banks bodes the potential danger of social instability engulfing the entire country. The gover nment can hardly stand the escalation of the situation.

The Minister ’s order appears misplaced, and at best shadow boxing, as it does not address the root causes. The macroeconomic headwinds have unhinged banks’ financial stability. The impact of the oil sector woes and the Federal Government’s poor responses to them have conspired to undermine the stability of everything in the banks, including jobs.

If the CBN’s warning is anything

to go by, we prefer that firmer steps should be taken to protect the banks and the financial sector to avoid a system collapse, as this would trigger horrendous economy-wide consequences. Far more jobs would be lost.

We advise the Federal Government to focus more efforts on macroeconomic policies for the banking sector and to ensure that the woes of the oil industry are tackled to shore up production.

The resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta requires deft political responses beyond mere military mobilisations.

The reality is that no

organisation would sacrifice its survival to protect a few jobs. We expect the Federal Government to initiate dialogue with stakeholders in the banking industry to ascertain the manner of relief they require to encourage them to stem the retrenchment gale. Government should not hesitate to bring down the full weight of the law against any unjust and unlawful termination of jobs.

And these measures should not only be limited to the banking industry as the statistics from both CBN and NBS indicate that job losses in the banking sector are less than 1.0% of the total job losses in the country.

We are in a great economic emergency as a nation. The protection of the stability of the financial system is a task for all Nigerians, and we must all join hands to paddle the economy out of these troubled waters.

OPINION

By Louis Amoke

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T was about 2:25 pm on May 29, 2016, when Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State mounted the podium at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, to address the people of the state on his administration’s one year stewardship.

It is on record that Ugwuanyi’s administration in just one year in office has completed six major road projects while over fifteen development projects are on-going and has also recorded unprecedented feats in other sectors of development. His administration has also advertised the award of contract for 25 new roads including 3 bridges in the 17 Local Government Areas as part of his administration’s grassroots development initiatives and the exercise is currently at the stage of bidding.

Standing confidently before an array of dignitaries who came in their numbers to grace the first anniversary, Ugwuanyi started by paying special tribute to God for the wonderful privilege, favour and mercies that had accompanied his administration in the journey since inception.

He appreciated the good people of the state both at home and in the Diaspora and most especially its founding fathers and elders for their overwhelming support, goodwill, cooperation and solidarity, describing them as “the true heroes of democracy” One fact of significance about the 2016 Democracy Day celebration in Enugu State was that it was the first time an immediate

Uguwanyi and democracy dividends past governor of the state attended the first anniversary of his successor. Former Governor Sullivan Chime was prominent on the roll call of those who witnessed the colourful first anniversary of Ugwuanyi.

While congratulating President Muhammadu Buhari and, indeed, all Nigerians for the attainment and sustenance of 17 unbroken years of democracy, Ugwuanyi stated that the feat “shows our

Government had utilised the bailout fund to liquidate outstanding pensions common faith in the progress and stability of our country and our capability to accomplish any goal that we have set our minds upon, despite our differences.”

As a visionary leader, Ugwuanyi after presenting the true picture of the state of the economy, which includes a fall in the monthly allocation to states from the Federation Account to less than 38 per cent of what it used to be, declared that “notwithstanding these bleak economic realities, we were able to embark on the massive development of urban and rural roads across the state in fulfillment of our promise to create more urban centres, enhance rural access and boost economic activities in every corner of Enugu state.”

On investment promotion, Ugwuanyi said: “Enugu State currently occupies a

prominent space in the global economic map owing to the resounding success of the first ever Enugu State Investment Summit which we organised to showcase the economic potentials of the state in line with our promise to vigourously promote investment and pursue the diversification of the state’s economy.” He expressed confidence that investors will soon take advantage of this great opportunity to do businesses in the state.

On rural and agricultural development, the governor stated that his administration constructed a 15-kilometre Inter-Town Connection (ITC) 2.5MVA Injection SubStation at Ezi-Nze, Udi Local Government Area which currently supplies electricity to communities in Udi, Igbo-Etiti and UzoUwani Local Government Areas. He said that Injection Sub-Station will also activate businesses in these rural communities and power the Adada Dam Project as well as the Greater Nsukka Water Scheme, adding that it procured 20 tractors to be hired to genuine farmers at very low rates.

He disclosed that his administration recently acquired 750 hectares of land to be distributed to youths and women for use in commercial agriculture, noting that each beneficiary will be allocated 3 hectares of land for use in the scheme.

On health, Ugwuanyi observed that the sector was already receiving a breath of fresh air, adding that the state government has

continued to sustain its well acclaimed Free Maternal Health and Child Care programme while ensuring the proper equipment and staffing of existing health institutions in the state.

He said his administration was also on the verge of completing the ultra-modern medical diagnostic centre in Enugu and arrangements had been made for commencement of the construction of three new Specialist Hospitals in the three Senatorial Zones of the state in pursuit of its aspiration to turn Enugu State into the choice destination for medical treatment and medical tourism in the country.

On workers’ welfare, Ugwuanyi said that his administration had made the welfare of workers a focal point of attention by ensuring the regular payment of salaries and pensions. He stated that the state government had utilised the bailout fund from the Federal Government to liquidate outstanding pensions and subventions to parastatals, agencies and departments, adding that the industrial disputes between the government and some of her agencies and their workers have been resolved amicably.

He noted that electricity, water and other ancillary services at the New Secretariat Complex had been provided. The governor said arrangements were been concluded for the formal hand-over of 100 units of one bedroom flats won through an open lottery system by lucky civil servants . *Mr. Amoke, a social critic, wrote from Enugu, Enugu State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, June 7, 2016— —19

We can't be free until they're free

By Eric Teniola

T

HE name Sir Henry Urmston Willink (18941973) does not ring a bell in the modern day Nigeria. It was not so about 59 years ago.

Sir Willink was a British Politician and Public Servant. He rose to be British Minister of Health from 1943-1945. He later became Vice-Chancellor University of Cambridge between 1953 and 1955. His papers are held till today at the Churchill College Cambridge.

On September 2,1957,Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912-1966) deputy leader of the NPC and Federal Minister of Transport was appointed Nigeria’s First Prime Minister by the then second Governor General of Nigeria, Sir James Wilson Robertson(1899-1983) who served from June 15, 1955 to November 16 1960.

On September 26, 1957 the British government appointed Sir Henry Willink to chair a commission to inquire into the fears of Nigerian minorities and means of allaying them. The commissioners arrived in Lagos on November 23, 1957 and between that date and April 12, 1958 they held public sittings and had private meetings and discussions in each region, in

Lagos and in the Southern Cameroons. They returned to London on April 12, 1958.

In its report published on July 30, 1958, the Commission stated that although real fears existed in every region, it was satisfied that setting new states would create problems as great as those they sought to eliminate.” In every region the fears expressed were of a government based on a tribal, or in the North a religious, majority. Rightly or wrongly, it was feared that the Regional governments, secure in their majority, would not be ready to respond to criticisms or to meet the wishes of the minorities”.

Other members of the commission were Gordon Hadow, Phillip Mason, J.B. Shearer while K. J. Hilton served as the Secretary. The commission published 108 pages for its conclusions and recommendations.

In paragraph 26-30, the Willink recommended as follows: “We were impressed in both the Western and Eastern Regions, with the special position of the people, mainly Ijaw, in the swampy country along the coast between Opobo and the mouth of the Benin Rivers. We were confronted, first, with their own almost universal view that their difficulties were not understood at headquarters in the interior, where

those responsible thought of the problems in quite different forms from those they assumed in those riverine areas; secondly, with the widespread desire of the Ijaws on either side of the main stream of the Niger to be united. We cannot recommend political arrangements which would unite in one political unit the whole body of Ijaws; we do however consider that their belief that their problems are not understood could be

We were confronted, first, with their own almost universal view that their difficulties were not understood at headquarters in the interior largely meet without the creations of a separate state which have rejected for the reasons mentioned elsewhere. 27- This is a matter which requires a special effort and the co-operation of the Federal, Eastern and Western Government; it does not concern one Region only. Not only because the area involves two Regions, but because it is poor, backward and neglected, is the whole of Nigeria concerned.

We suggest that there should a Federal Board appointed to

There was a Dora: A tribute

By Francis Agbo

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XACTLY two years ago, precisely on June 7th 2014, a day after my birthday, in far- away India, the cold hands of cancer snatched my second mother, former NAFDAC DG and Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili, OFR. She was 59. For me, she was a mother of the motherless, activist in government, a courageous turn-around expert, uncommon anti -fake drug czar, anticorruption crusader, a disciplinarian, a compassionate public servant and a devout Christian of catholic faith!

Going by what I know about her medical history, particularly her proactive regular medical check- ups abroad, it was difficult for me to accept her passing.

Even after I had joined her husband, siblings, and her former governor, Mr. Peter Obi to deposit her remains at the National Hospital mortuary, Abuja, it was difficult to grapple with the irredeemable reality of her death. I continued to wallow in this state of disbelief even after she was laid to rest on August 28, 2014 in her Agulu country home, (Anambra State).

I waited in vain for a miracle. I had thought that one day, I would see her.

Two years down the line, when her early morning calls ceased coming, I accepted the reality of her death. Indeed, I now know I can only see Dora in the hereafter because there is life after death!

I joined Dora on the 6th of January 2009 as one of her media aides. Before I got to her office on the eight floor of Radio House, Garki, Abuja, she was already on her table treating files and dishing out instructions to staff of the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications. I had thought that she would be struggling to fully settle down to work having been sworn in as minister in December 2008.

But I saw a confident and passionate woman who took charge of her responsibility as if she had held the portfolio for years! She had commissioned a media guru and a well-respected editor to hunt for a Special Assistant that would manage her image. Though I had been interviewed and selected for the job by the consultant and my CV sent to her, Dora still went ahead to interview me.

She then congratulated me after our interaction and allotted an office to me that same day. I was lodged in Chida C M Y K

International hotel, Utako until I was given a place in Wuse 2 both in Abuja.

One thing that struck me on the 6th of January was that apart from me, many journalists were recommended by her kinsmen and friends in the media industry to work with her even for free.

And those who couldn’t pass the Dora test left unhappy because many professionals especially journalists wanted to manage Prof. Akunyili to among other things, tap from her media savvy and fountain of knowledge.

She was very close to her aides and staff of the ministry; she even called us by our first names. She called me Francis my son.

In spite of her busy schedules, she kept tab with our birthdays and congratulated us on our birthdays, in some cases, bought gifts for us. It was also on record that as

Now that Dora is dead who will now speak truth to power and the secessionist groups springing up in today’s Nigeria? minister, she personally wrote letters to senior journalists and correspondents covering the ministry on their birthdays.

The letters were also followed by birthday gifts. This superb public relations sense, passion for Nigeria, uncommon courage, brilliance, industry, syllogism and patriotism endeared her to Nigerians and made her the reporters delight any day.

Unknown to many Nigerians, this was why President Umar Yar’ Adua of blessed memory appointed Dora the spokesperson of the Federal Government of Nigeria. And she used her goodwill and towering image at NAFDAC to shore up the battered image of the government, having been produced by the controversial 2007 general elections, conducted by Prof. Maurice Iwu’s INEC and adjudged to be a charade.

The negative image of Nigeria at the time and Dora’s love for fatherland propelled her to initiate an image programme, tagged National Rebranding Campaign. Her target was to reposition the image of the federal government and restore the dignity of the Nigerian both locally and internationally so that the green passport could be taken to the bank.

consider the problems of the area of the Niger Delta. In this we would include the Rivers Province without Aboada or Port Harcourt and would add the Western Ijaw Division. 29- We suggest that constitutionally it would be necessary to place on the concurrent list a new subject which might be “The Development of Special Areas”. It would be open to the, Federal Government to announce in the Gazette that a certain area had classified as” Special” and from that moment special plans for its development would become a Federal as well as a Regional Responsibility. The Board would be required to submit its annual reports to each of the three Governments, Federal, Western Region and Eastern Region, and it would be necessary to make provision of time in each House for discussion of the report of this board. We do not contemplate that the Board should carry out the works which it recommends; this would be left to the Regional Government (except in the case of exclusively Federal schemes) and the annual report of the Board would include a report on actual progress. We consider that this arrangement should be temporary and it should be the object of the Board to conclude its work within ten or twelve years when provision for development had gone far enough to make it possible for this arrangement to be abandoned. It would then be for considerations whether the Area should become a Minority Area as

The campaign came with a bang but not without efforts of some Nigerian brand eroders who did so much to return Nigeria to Egypt! Whether the campaign achieved the set target is an issue for another day. What was however glaring was that there were conscious attempts at attitudinal change, re-orienting Nigerians and Nigeria had a brand new logo: Nigeria, good people, great nation.

And many scholars across the globe wrote their thesis on Rebranding Nigeria.

Dora’s exploits in the ministry earned her local and international awards and attracted positive stunt to the country in those days before her successor, Mr. Labaran Maku who had endorsed Rebranding when he was her junior minister suddenly jettisoned Rebranding with a wave of the hand. What a country of discontinuity!

I enjoyed every bit of my association with her. Dora cared about my family.

She facilitated the employment of her female personal assistants and our spouses who had no job at the time before she threw in the towel in December 2010 to contest the senatorial election in Anambra State. She asked for a ‘favour’ from me before we left the ministry which was that I should name my daughter after her which I did. I could see the happiness on her face when she attended the naming ceremony in June 2013.

Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili was born into a family of workaholic, baptized and ushered into hard work. Hard work, passion, uncommon courage and her creativity were the propelling forces which enabled her to safeguard public health at NAFDAC, rebrand Nigeria and indeed turned around every institution she was privileged to superintend!

Dora, my daughter’s name sake was an international figure and a workaholic of inestimable proportion. I remember those days of rebranding, Abdulmutalab terrorism saga and the President Yar’Adua health crisis. We would work round the clock and retire to bed at ungodly hours. But by 6;00 am, when people of her age should still be sleeping, Dora would be on her feet working, calling me on phone to wake up to continue working. For this departed amazon, the reward for hardwork was more and more work! Having worked with her closely till death did us part, I know she loved mankind and served Nigeria with passion, served the nation dutifully and died on a national service at the National Conference as a soldier in her boot!

Many Nigerians still remember how

discussed below”. 30- We consider that when the Board has drawn up the schemes it considers desirable and possible, it should place them in an order of priority and endeavour to obtain the agreement of the Governments concerned. We do not recommend powers of compulsion, which we believe would defeat their own object. Our proposal would provide some financial inducement to the Regional Government, but its sole ultimate sanction is the working of the domestic machine and the value of votes; it is more likely to be successful if there is such a balance in the Federal House of Representatives that every seat is of importance. The declaration of the Ijaw country as a Special Area would direct public attention to a neglected tract and give the Ijaws an opportunity of putting forward plans of their own for improvement. It would be difficult for either Government to justify to the electorate either a blank refusal to accept a plan recommend by the Board or a failure to implement an accepted plan; in this, as in all our recommendations, we assume a desire to continue with democratic institutions;it is on this assumption that all the steps leading to independence are based.”

These were part of the suggestion by Sir Henry Willink commission.

Continues tomorrow on pg. 18 *Mr. Teniola, a former Director at the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.

she averted the looming constitutional crisis in the President Yar’Adua days through her letter, urging the Federal Executive Council to pass a resolution to make the then Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, acting president pending the recovery of Yar’Adua. This show of uncommon courage further endeared her to world leaders and earned her the sobriquet: hero of constitutional democracy.

We cannot question God on this unfortunate loss to humanity. Nigerians should Weep not for Akunyili for she played her part extremely well. She was simply a change agent on our planet and not many change agents are fortunate to die at the ripe age. But my consolation is that there is life after death and I believe, Dora, my mother who fondly called me ‘‘my son’’ will continue to render selfless service in the hereafter!

My only regret is that she didn’t live for my daughter, Dora to know her and tap from her tank of knowledge. Two, she passed on at a time when religion and ethnicity had more than ever before become the deciding factors in Nigerian politics. Now that Dora is dead who will now speak truth to power and the secessionist groups springing up in today’s Nigeria? Three, her vision, the Drug Mart in Bayelsa State will be commissioned in Yenagoa without the cameras beaming on her elegant face. Oh death, thou is truly a bad reaper! Dora conceived the Drug Mart project to phase out fake drugs and substandard products from the market in her days as DG NAFDAC but no government had the political will to execute it until the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson came to judgement and funded it. Four, she would have loved to live to see the Chibok girls released from captivity and peace returned to Nigeria. Five, her pet project, National Rebranding project was abandoned by her successors; and the resultant effect of it is that, Nigeria of today is more divided than when there was a Dora!

The lesson to be drawn from Dora’s demise is that: death is no respecter of persons. The Federal Government of Nigeria must immortalise Dora so that her spirit will live on. And the best way to do this is to name a national institution after her, deepen democracy with its attendant dividends, properly safeguard our public health and of course, release the Chibok girls. *Mr. Agbo, SA Media Relations to Governor Dickson of Bayelsa State was SA Media to Prof. Akunyili.

20— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Paralysed by injection, JSS student vows to forge ahead •Says: ‘I will never beg for living’ I have decided never to beg for living despite my disability but rather pursue my education to the highest level in life for others to emulate. In fact, I don’t want people to look at me with pity and end up giving me alms; rather, I will prefer to be assisted by individuals, corporate organisations and government to attain my goal, academically, in life

By Wole Mosadomi, Minna

T

HIS was the moving and indeed hope-stirring statement of Lawal Bello, 19, a JSS 3 student of Day Secondary School, Gbada, Gidan Mangoro in Minna, Niger State. Bello who is crippled was not born paralysed, but was afflicted with this problem at the age of eight when he fell ill and was rushed to the hospital for medication.

Sadly, instead of being healed, he was left with a permanent deformation.

Narrating his ordeal to Vanguard Metro, VM, at the presentation of learning materials to students of Day Secondary School by the National Examinations Council, NECO, Lawal said misapplication of an injection led to his paralysis.

“At the age of 8, I fell ill and was rushed to a hospital in Minna by my parents for treatment. I was given an injection by a nurse according to the prescription by the doctor.

Various treatments applied Three days later, I started feeling uncomfortable on my two legs to the extent that I could not stand on my own again except leaning against the wall or any other object. I was rushed back to the same hospital, but various treatmets applied did not work and that was how I became paralysed,” he said.

Lawal who is number six in a family of 12 children said only three of them are in school while others have taken to farming. “I have opted for education because I have set a goal for myself. My ambition is to become a lawyer in my life in order to help the less-privileged persons in the society fight for their rights and justice. No matter what the situation may be, I don’t miss classes in order to enable me attain my ambition in future,” he stressed.

On the assistance he received from NECO, he said: “I am the happiest person on earth today.

These free gift of learning

materials given to me by NECO will go a long way in solving my educational problems and this is an additional wake up call to me to read more and accomplish my ambition in life with a solid

I started feeling uncomfortable on my two legs to the extent that I could not stand on my own again except leaning against the wall or any other object foundation.”

In a chat with VM, his father, Malam Bello, said though his

*Lawal Bello displaying his certificate of honour while Hajiya Fatima Madugu(c)and some NECO officials look on son’s sudden ailment was lamentable, the development was an act of God. According to him: “It was an injection applied to my son that paralysed him.

The management of the hospital took frantic steps to trace the nurse that injected my son but drew a blank. All other drugs and injections given to my son to save him from the agony did not work.

The only consolation I have is that he is a promising boy.” He did not stop there.

“Besides taking him to the hospital, we also took him to many traditional healers but without any success. We are tired of running from pillar to post,

and that is why I said it is an act of God,” he submitted.

Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Professor Abdulrashid Garba said the gesture was part of the social responsibility of the Council towards establishment of a more cordial relationship with its immediate host in particular and the state as a whole. He said the beneficiaries are drawn from Day Secondary School, the only public secondary school in Gbada, Gidan Mangoro.

Five of the SS3 students who excelled in a selection tests conducted by the Council were identified for sponsorship of the NECO 2016 Senior School

Certificate Examinations(June/ July). Other students in the SS2 Class were also presented with textbooks, notebooks and mathematical sets, while three other indigent students from JSS1 to JSS3 each received textbooks, notebooks, school uniforms, a pair of canvass shoes, a pair of stockings, a school bag and two singlets.

Professor Garba said besides the educational materials, NECO also drilled two boreholes for the people of the community. He promised that similar gesture will be extended to other communities in the area.

Competition Bill: Why coalition wants it passed

A

private sector coalition, comprising the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA and other key business membership organisations, in collaboration with Enhancing Nigerian Advocacy for a Better Business Environment, ENABLE, has called on the National Assembly to work without further on the Competition Bill currently before it so as to pass same into law.

Stressing “on the need for early passage of the Competition Bill in Nigeria”, the coalition had in a statement issued in Lagos urged that it be given accelerated legislative attention since Nigeria presently does not have such law in existence.

According to the statement signed by Olusola Ayodele, on behalf of Olusegun Oshinowo, Director-General of NECA: “Nigeria has no Competition Law at present and previous efforts made by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and other interested parties to get the Competition Bill passed into law did not succeed.”

Oshinowo recalled that Nigeria

began the process of instituting a competition regime over 16 years ago. According to him, a draft policy was produced by the Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE and two separate Bills were drafted by BPE and the then Ministry of commerce and industry, but that none of these saw the light of day.

He also said that successive administrations and sessions of the National Assembly had taken steps to enact a competition law but the effort was never seen to completion.

Consumer protection Tracing the journey of the bill so far, the DG said: “The immediate past administration drafted a Policy Document and a Bill on Competition and Consumer Protection. While the Policy Document was never presented to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, for consideration, the Bill was approved by FEC and transmitted to the National Assembly for enactment.

However, the Bill could not make any progress in the 7th National Assembly as it was transmitted just

three months before the elections.

“At the moment, about four Bills on the subject have been sponsored by different concerned lawmakers in both Chambers of the National Assembly as private Member Bills. Moreover, the National Assembly has identified this Bill as one of the priority Bills for passage.”

On the need for the National Assembly to expedite action on the Bill, he said: “Since this Bill will among other things, promote job creation and attract foreign and local investors to invest in the country, it is, therefore, imperative that this Bill should be given priority attention by the lawmakers.

“We, therefore, urge the lawmakers to match words with action and give Nigeria a competition law before the end of this year.”

The group further said that the Bill “sets out the rules that regulate the operation of commercial entities within the economy so as to ensure that virtues of competition are not impeded. Prohibition of agreements or contracts between

or among firms aimed at restricting or eliminating competition in a given market.

“Prohibition of abuse of dominant position or market power (using a dominant position to unfairly restrict or eliminate competition especially from smaller players or new entrants into the market).

“Regulation of mergers and acquisitions (to ensure that competition in the relevant market is not eliminated by the merging of two or more firms); specific practices that come under the scrutiny of competition law include: Price fixing by a dominant firm or by a number of firms in concert; allocation of markets along geographical or product lines,” he said, adding: “Refusal to deal with a particular supplier or distributor collusive tendering or bid rigging; forming and operating cartels or using other antics to keep new entrants away from the market; resale price maintenance; refusal to grant a potential competitor access to shared or network facility, etc.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Stock market investors lose N12.3bn in one day of trading

By PETER EGWUATU

S

TOCK market investors yesterday lost N12.3 billion from investment in shares listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE as market value (market capitalisation) dropped to N9. 478 trillion from N9.491 trillion.

Capital market operators attributed the decline in market value to the upsurge in profit takers activities which drove theAllShare Index lower by 0.1 per cent to close at 27,599.48 points.

Specifically, market performance was broadly driven by profit taking activities in banking stocks as Guaranty Trust Bank, GTBank declined (-2.1 per cent), Stanbic IBTC (-5.0 per cent), Zenith Bank (-1.0 per cent ) and Union Bank (-4.9 per cent ) . All the loses by these stocks diffused the impact of the appreciationinEco Transnational Incorporated ,ETI which gained (+0.9 per cent) and a late rally in Dangote Cement (+0.9 per cent ) . Similarly, activity level trended southward as volume and value traded shed 0.4 per cent apiece to close at 142.2 million units and N1.4billion respectively.

Meanwhile, the Industrial Goods index appreciated 0.6 per cent on the back of the 5.0 per cent upward movement in Ashaka Cement and a late rally in Dangote Cement (+0.9 per cent ) whilst the Insurance index also gained 1.5 per cent as MANSARD gained (+5.0 per cent ), AIICO (+4.1 per cent ) and NEM Insurance (+3.9 per cent ). On the other hand, the Banking index declined 1.3 per cent consequent on the performance of GTBank -2.1 per cent ), Stanbic IBTC (-5.0 per cent ), Zenith Bank

$128.15

A

NACCIMA CONFERENCE: From left, 1st Deputy National President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Iyalode Alaba Lawson; Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah; Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar and National President of NACCIMA, Dr. Bassey Edem at the 56th Annual Conference of NACCIMA in Dutse, Jigawa State.

(-1.0 per cent ) and Union Bank (4.9 per cent) whilst the 1.0 per cent decline in OANDO pulled the Oil & Gas index 0.5 per cent lower.

Likewise, the Consumer Goods index shed 0.1 per cent on the back of depreciation in Guinness (-2.9 per cent ) and Flour Mills (-3.2 per cent ).

US DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL

196 282 .8084 218.54 197.7401 1.7998 0.3151 274.6713 29.7497 52.2597 29.4701

A

LHAJI Aliko Dangote has said that the Federal Government will save one billion lost annually to bad roads by using concrete in the construction

0.62

SELLING 196.5 197 283.5299 284.2513 219.0975 219.655 198.2446 198.749 1.8044 1.809 0.3251 0.3351 275. 372 276.0727 29.8261 29.9024 52.393 52.5263 29.5453 29.6205

CBN Exchange rate as at 06/06/2016

C M Y K

Investor Sentiment Softens Investors sentiment appeared watered during the first trading session of the week as market breadth (advancers’/decliners’ ratio) closed at 0.7 times - from 1.8 times on Friday- as a result of 16 advancing stocks against 24 declining stocks. However,

analysts stated that in yesterday trading, negative performance was broadly driven by profit taking as expectations of the apex banks’, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN announcement on a flexible exchange rate policy stifles momentum. “We expect the market to continue southwards tomorrow” analysts from Afrinvest Research stated.

Govt’ll save $1bn annually by using concrete to make roads — DANGOTE

$3,029.00 -2.00

CURRENCY BUYING

11 banks seal N94.98b Oando loan deal

By Nkiruka Nnorom

1.05

$50.26

— 21

of Obajana- Kabba road in Kogi State.

The Federal Government has also commended the business ingenuity of the Africa’s foremost entrepreneur, Aliko Dangote, saying the acumen won him the contract for the construction of the novel concrete paved Obajana-Kabba road in Kogi State.

Dangote said “One advantage of concrete roads is that cement, the basic raw material for construction, is available locally, and it is cheaper to use in the long run than bitumen, a petroleum-based product that is presently imported.

As a matter of fact, in Nigeria, economic losses due to poor condition of our roads are estimated

about $1billion annually. I believe that the introduction of concrete roads will enable the government to find lasting solution to the poor road network in the country, and also reduce the burden of constantly sourcing for funds to repair roads.”

Dangote explained that his decision to start the campaign for concrete road in Nigeria is to introduce cement concrete roads to the country in line with what ob-

Dangote already had a vision that sometime to come Nigeria will need this kind of service like the road construction with concrete which would not need foreign exchange to execute

tains in other parts of the world.

Meanwhile, Minister for works, Housing and Power, Babatunde Raji Fashola in his remark during the commissioning of the 24km ItoriIbese concrete road, Itori, Ogun State, said Dangote constructed the road, as a Corporate Social Responsibility, to the community. He noted that a lot of people had asked why Government had decided to award the road contract to Dangote. They failed to understand that what gave the job to Dangote was a combination of law and vision. “It is a matter of law because there is an existing government policy that allows for government to give tax waiver in exchange of services from private investors especially in the area of infrastructural facilities provision which the government needs direly.

“On the other hand, Dangote already had a vision that sometime to come Nigeria will need this kind of service like the road construction with concrete which would not need foreign exchange to execute. So, he keyed into this and I hope other investors can take a cue from him. The law was not made for Dangote, it has been existing before now”

consortium of 11 banks yesterday sealed N94.90 billion 5year Medium Term Loan (MTL) facility in favour of Oando Plc. The banks are Fidelity Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Ecobank Nigeria Limited, First City Monument Bank Plc, Keystone Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, FBN and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc may eventually join through an accordion.

The facility is coming on the heels of the investment of Helios/Vitol Group (HVI) into the downstream operations of Oando. At a signing ceremony in Lagos, the banks confirmed that the MTL will bring an immediate cash flow injection of $195 million and further repayment is expected within 90 days from the proceeds of $130 million sale of Oando Gas & Power.

This sale is to allow Oando strictly focus on its downstream activities in light of the recent deregulation of the down stream sector of the oil industry.

The company also expects to raise an additional $800million in foreign currency within the next 18 to 24 months as it deleverages on its Oando Energy Resources (OER).

Speaking on behalf of the participating banks, the GMD/CEO of Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe said MTL facility would allow Oando to optimise its balance sheet towards greater efficiency.

“As we all know, Oando is the largest indigenous oil and gas player in Sub Saharan Africa and this MTL facility would allow it to optimise its balance sheet towards greater efficiency and improve its working capital. This combined with the synergy of Investment by HVI into its downstream operations, will see Oando’s growth and development really take off,” Wigwe said. The Group Chief Executive of Oando, Mr. Adewale Tinubu, commended the banks for providing the facility to the company, noting that it would have significant development impact on Oando’s group operations.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 Diamond Bank had soft-pedaled on loan expansion, as gross loans and advances fell 24.2% to N823.7 billion in 2015 from N1.1 trillion in 2014

,

INVESTOR' INVESTOR'S

,

Diamond Bank: Resilient top line may buffer bad bottom line •Impairment charges still a threat to returns

I

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

T is no longer news that more than half of banks in Nigeria are carrying huge burden in their balance sheet due, largely, to severe macroeconomic headwinds and, in some cases, coupled with weak corporate capacities to navigate troubled waters.

The fact that about six out of 22 operators in the sector have managed to stay their heads above the trouble waters indicate that others could have done better than give excuses of the harsh operating environment.

Taking the argument further would mean that amongst the 16 that have reported bad 2015 results many of them should be able to get out of trouble in 2016 even though the environment has not yet improved.

Conversely, they are expected to re-strategise, then swim to safe shore or sink.

Already many of them are turning out first quarter 2016 results which gives little glimpse of what has been happening since the red results sheet of 2015.

Diamond Bank, one of the systemically important banks, and one of the 16 that turned out bruised scorecard in the 2015, announced its Q1, 2016 results recently and it looks like it requires a two-quarter result to convincingly show they are fully back on growth track. But there are some good scores to cheer.

OPEX and management costs Profitability remained pressured by loan impairment provisions in 2016, with Q1, 2016 Profit Before Tax (PBT) and Profit After Tax (PAT) further declining 23.9% and 24.1% to N6.04 billion and N5.12 billion respectively.

However, the bank seems to have stepped up cost work-down across both OPEX and management costs. Total expenses have further gone down by 3.6% y-o-y to N21.22 billion. Though on lower volume of transaction, interest and similar expense went down 16.5% to N8.44 billion.

On the other hand there was reversal of loss position in Net Trading Income as the heading recorded a huge inflow of N5.8 billion while Fee and Commission Income improved

15.1% to N9.6 billion.

All these positive developments moderated the huge adverse impact of the impairment charges on operating income in Q1, 2016.

Managing Director of the bank, Uzoma Dozie, said Diamond Bank has continued to focus on curtailing cost, and the projections of the macroeconomic conditions and other external factors for the rest of the year are that these will remain challenging, indicating that this may lead to higher impairment charges. “This very conservative approach to managing our loan book assures of its quality in the long run and in general should

Diamond Bank has continued to focus on curtailing cost, and the projections of the macroeconomic conditions and other external factors for the rest of the year are that these will remain challenging deliver the numbers that are consistent with our long term plans.” he said.

Coming from the cold 2015 Diamond Bank had published its audited full year, FY, 2015 and first quarter, Q1, 2016 results at same time. In the 2015 results, while gross earnings growth slowed to record low of N55.2 billion, credit impairment charges led to a 77.8% decline in net income on account of huge exposure of loan portfolio to oil & gas (29%) and general commerce (20%).

Diamond Bank reported a N217.1 billion gross earnings FY 2015, modest 4.2% y-o-y growth compared to N208.4 billion in 2014. Gross earnings growth was broadly driven by non-interest income (27.3% of gross income) which improved 25% y-o-y to N59.2 billion relative to N47.3 billion in 2014. Non-interest income was boosted by 466.3% jump in Net Gains from Other Financial Instruments to N11.5 billion from N2 billion in 2014.

On the other hand interest and related income (72.7% of gross income) declined 2% as gross loans and advances tumbled 24.2% y-o-y to N823.7 billion on

the back of tougher operating environment.

Asset quality deterioration took a huge toll on profitability in 2015 as the bank booked a total of N55.2 billion in impairment charges (up 109.2% y-o-y from N26.4 billion). As a result PBT and PAT crashed 74.8% and 77.8% respectively y-o-y to N7.1 billion and N5.7 billion as against N28.1 billion and N25.5 billion in 2014 respectively.

Operating Margin waned despite restraints in OPEX In 2015 the bank’s cost to income ratio (CIR) improved to 61 per cent from 64.6 per cent in 2014, indicating that serious cost cutting measures have been instituted since 2015 when the books started looking uncomfortable.

Improvement in CIR didn’t, however, impact significantly on the profit margin as PAT margin contracted to 2.6% from 12.2% in 2014 due to loan impairment charges. Consequently, Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Asset (ROA) settled at 2.7%

Uzoma Dozie,

MD Diamond Bank

and 0.3% in 2015 in contrast to 14.5% and 1.5% in 2014 respectively.

Risk Assets shrank 24.2% y-o-y on macroeconomic dictates 2015 was weakened particularly, by asset quality deterioration which translated into higher cost of risk (CoR) ratio which increased to 6.7% from 2.4%

in 2014 as impairment charges jump by 109.2%. Significant weakness in the asset quality is reflected in outrageous loan portfolio exposure to oil and gas (29%) and general commerce (20%), sectors which accounted for 13% and 42% of nonperforming loans respectively as at 9-month results.

Short-Medium term forecast Some financial analysts believe the bank’s gross earnings growth in full year 2016 would be likely subdued by weaker interest income due to asset quality concerns, while loan loss provision is expected to stay ahead of FY 2012- 14 average of N22.2 billion.

However, they also indicated that in addition to a lower base effect the likelihood of resurgence in a double digit growth in PAT

by FY 2016 cannot be over-ruled Against the backdrop of relentless challenge in the economy as witnessed up to April 2016 risk asset growth is expected to stay modest. Though some of the analysts have projected a loan growth around 1.5% for the bank, first quarter result show a 2.1% growth. In response to the worsened impairment charges, Diamond Bank had soft-pedaled on loan expansion, as gross loans and advances fell 24.2% to N823.7 billion in 2015 from N1.1 trillion in 2014. The bank is expected to leverage its growing customer acquisition which had resulted in over five million new retail customers in 2015.

DIAMOND BANK PLC. Q1: 2016 Result -Financial Highlights (NGN Billion)

Source: Company Report/Afrinvest

C-River monarch wants govt's quick rescue of kidnapped Igbo PAGE 24 businessman

VOL. 1: No. 94

By EMEM IDIO OLUASIRI- CONTROVERSY has hit the roof at Oluasari riverine community, Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, over the purported dethronement of the paramount ruler, HRM Iyerite Awuluhu, the Ola I Ibenyanaowei of Oluasiri clan by a group of politicians and subjects that want to control the largesse from oil companies and dictate to the monarch.

The splinter group has already installed a Regent, Ogara Baribote, to administer the affairs of the community.

HRM Awuluhu in reaction to his alleged deposition told Niger Delta Voice, that the cabal, which purported to have removed him, had no power to do so.

He said he was the defacto king of the community and his detractors, unfortunately, would not change tradition.

Kick- out motion Things came to a head in the community April 28 when at a meeting convened by the elders, chiefs and people of Oluasiri to jaw-jaw on the security challenges and other issues besetting the riverine community took a new dimension, as infuriated villagers voted to overthrow their monarch for supposedly ruling them in exile and his alleged insensitivity to their problem.

The spectacle actually unfolded after the assembly resolved to set up a vigilante group to secure the community. An indigene of the community, Duomo Gabriel, apparently peeved at the many unsettled problems confronting the community, moved a motion passing a vote of no confidence in HRH Awululu, who was not in attendance.

Another villager, Ebiegberi Akari, seconded the motion, which the assembly unanimously affirmed through a voice vote. With a vote of no-confidence hanging on the monarch, a community leader, Chief John Otama, rose and radically moved a motion nominating a new Regent, Ogara C M Y K

Delta govt promises reasonably priced healthcare

PAGE 25

TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Oil money tears Bayelsa community apart Cabal, subjects sack monarch, instal regent It’s a taboo, nobody can depose me - HRM Awuluhu

Deposed HRH king Iyerite Awulul

Chalking and formal presentation of the newly elected Regent,” Ogara Baribote.

One of the peaceful protests by women, elders and youths against the monarch Baribote. One of his kindred, Mr. Joel Isaiah, seconded the motion and the people collectively ratified it with a thunderous voice vote.

Installation of new Regent Without much ado, elders of the community ‘chalked’ the new Regent, while youths and women, who supported the decision declared the paramount ruler an “absentee” monarch.

They claimed that he

administered the community as a sole administrator with his Council of Chiefs and Advisory Council, accusing him of selfishness and neglecting his responsibility to them. .Voice of the people A youth leader, Comrade Braide Fredrick, described the action as a true expression of the will of the people, noting that the villagers elected to take their destiny in their hands by saving

the community from appalling leadership.

Also speaking, an elder of the community, Firstborn Tom, said the people took the action because they have been without leadership being that the paramount ruler had abandoned his responsibilities to the people.

Two mothers, Mrs. Ala Bert and Mrs. Marian Daniel, also said the monarch had lost touch with his people, adding that his inconsistent leadership polarized the people.

I’ll not fail you- Regent In his remark, the newly- elected Regent, Baribote, said he faced a

A youth leader, Braide Fredrick, described the action as a true expression of the will of the people, noting that the villagers elected to take their destiny in their hands by saving the community from appalling leadership

huge task of reuniting the people and holding fort until a substantive monarch was elected.

He urged the people to bury their differences and support him in the difficult task of reconciliation, assuring that he would not betray the confidence reposed in him by the community.

Taboo The embattled monarch, HRM Awululu, however, said it was a taboo to remove a crowned king in Nembe and debunked the allegations leveled against him by a cabal that wants to control the resources of the community.

“They say they are passing votes of no confidence in me, for what?

Did I steal money? Did I embezzle money? Did I rape somebody?

Was I convicted, are they the kingmakers? If they were the king makers, at the time of my installation, why did they not protest? They should have gone to court. And the law says that when I am presented to the governor, and if after 90 days, there is no objection and the governor has stamp his seal on my certificate, even the possibility of the king makers withdrawing me is no longer possible.

“In Nembe tradition and customs, when a king is installed and has performed all the traditional rights, he rules for life. It is a taboo for someone to tell a king that we have removed you. It is never done; you can go and find out for yourself,” he said.

I don’t rule in exile The king added: “When the unanimously swore that I should be the King of Oluasiri, I promised them that I will spend two weeks in every month in the community, since my coronation till this crisis, I have been spending two and sometimes three weeks in the community. I want to tell you that all those who claim that they are more Oluasiri than others do not even have houses and have never slept one night in the community.

“Monarchs are no longer operating as it was in the past where he stays 365 days in the

Continues on page 24

24 —

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

CROSS-RIVER… THE PEOPLE’S PARADISE CALABAR—THE Obong of Calabar, Cross River State, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, has joined the Igbo community in raising the alarm over the wave of kidnapping of Igbo business persons in the state and called on the state government to reinforce security residents in the state.

Igbo leader, Chief Albert Enya, who first blew the whistle, said: “”We have been fighting the trend, we have been talking to government and kidnapping must stop.”

The monarch condemned in strong terms the spate of kidnappings in the Calabar metropolis, stressing that the act was capable of crippling the economy of the state if government did not intervene speedily.

HRM Otu V, who spoke during an interactive session with the Igbo Community in Cross River

Abduction of Igbo businessmen:

C-River monarch urges govt quick intervention We’re

tracking the miscreants- Jude Ngaji, SSA

state, in his palace, said: “If anything affects the capital city definitely it will affect the entire state, the rate of kidnapping is alarming. We invited only the Igbo because we have realized that it looks as if a group or a body have singled out Igbo brothers of ours, targeted them, and keep kidnapping them thereby making life unbearable for all of us.

“As royal fathers, if we keep quiet, which means we are condoning, supporting and it means that we are allowing this act to go on.

“Many Igbo are being

Government has purchased some modern equipment that will help in tracking down these miscreants. We have mapped out strategies to curb the menace

kidnapped and the ransom demanded has been so high as they pay through their nose and unfortunately, they still pick up their wives and if you look at it, it is collapsing the economy of the state which is not so good and we cannot close our eyes and allow this to continue,” the Obong said.

Responding, the leader of Igbo Community in Cross River State, Chief Emmanuel Ezewenyi said: “It has become a daily affair and we pay heavily for our freedom, they force you to pay and sincerely, it is becoming unbearable and worrisome, the

Igbos are no longer sleeping with two eyes closed.”

Also speaking, President emeritus of the group, Chief Fidelis Onyebueke , said: “We are no longer safe, our wives and children are not safe, we now leave our businesses as early as 5.00 pm to avoid being kidnapped, and our wives cannot go the market freely because they too are at risk of being kidnapped.”

Govt hunting the criminals Contacted, State Security Adviser , SSA, to the Governor, Mr. Jude Ngaji, told Niger Delta Voice: “Generally speaking, the government is not sleeping on this particular matter; government has purchased some modern equipment that will help in tracking down these miscreants.

We have mapped out strategies to curb the menace.”

Okowa, best thing to happen to Ndokwa in 17 years —Hon Chika ASABA—COMMISSIONER Bureau for Special Duties, Delta State, Hon. Chika Ossai, has said that the current administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was the best thing to have happened to the people of Ndokwa nation since 1999.

The Commissioner whose bureau supervises the Pilgrims Boards, Christian and Muslim, handles fire outbreaks and natural disasters, said in Asaba that by and large in the state, the governor has delivered the dividends of democracy in his first one-year in office, adding that no reasonable Deltan would aver otherwise.

His words: “The attention we have experienced in my local govermnent area, Ndokwa East,

Continued from page 23 palace, particularly in the Niger Delta; no king stays 30 days in a month in their palace. The assertion that I rule the place in exile is a fallacy and it simply does not hold water. I do not rule in exile, I am on ground and that is why you see the other people from

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

within the first one year of Okowa government, we have not experienced it from the PDP government in the state since 1999.

“I can categorically tell you that apart from commissioner and the normal House of Assembly position, we have more than 20 persons in this government and regarding infrastructure, yes Ndokwa East is riverside area, but we have the Benekuku road that leads to Kwale , it has been awarded.

“After the rainy season, the contractor will move to site. In Kwale, that is Ndokwa West, there are five roads just awarded. He did the same thing in Ukwuani local government and there is one major one, he has also awarded

DELTA… FINGER OF GOD

Hon. Chika Ossai

the road that leads from Owheologbo to Abi. Generally, he has done well, my people are happy with Okowa,” he said.

Eleborating further, he said: “The government has done very well and I do not think there is any Deltan that will raise his head and say Okowa has not done well.

He is best thing to happen to Ndokwa.

“What I will say is that people should follow the policies of Okowa government, nobody should feel marginalized, of course, we have our various interests, but if you follow government policies, you will know where you will fit in and join others to develop the state.”

On the achievements by his ministry, Ossai disclosed: “We

Oil money tears Bayelsa community apart Cabal, subjects sack monarch, instal regent It’s a taboo, nobody can depose me - HRM Awuluhu the other side reacting,” he asserted.

Why they are fighting me Explaining why he feels he is being persecuted, he said: “What disappointed them (cabal) is that when I came on board. I told them that I belong to nobody and I belong to everybody; that I have dropped politics and that I will never reason like a politician and that I am going to rule with the fear of God. “Unknown to me that they have an agenda and wanted to control and direct the affairs of the community and share booty from oil companies, and when they did not have that access, they started blackmailing me.

“The remote problem was how to control the resources, the immediate problem there is an organ in Oluasiri established by the elders of the council even before my enthronement called, Oluasiri Development Union,

ODU, and Oluasiri Youth Federation, OYF, and because Oluasiri comprises more than 50 towns, villages and settlements.

“Principally, all the positions of these two organizations are rotated among all the villages.

Even before I came on board, each time the tenures of the ODU and OYF wants to expire, there will be crisis in Oluasiri because these organs control the resources and interface with the multinational oil companies. They are saying that the politicians must decide the composition of the executives of these organs and I refused to compromise.

“By Nembe tradition, Oluasiri is not an autonomous community, it is a sub- kingdom or clan of Opu Nembe- Bassambiri and was founded by elders and chiefs of Nembe Bassambiri over 200 years ago and all natives of Oluasiri belong to one of the nine Chieftaincy Houses in Nembe-

Bassambiri, therefore, the chiefs of Nembe controls the communities.

Appeal “My appeal is that we are in the era of wisdom; my advice to my people is that they should go about their normal and lawful business and tow the path of peace as the matter will be resolved constitutionally.

“I was traditionally chalked and installed on June 12, 2009 by His Royal Majesty, King Dr. I. M. Iwowari, Amanyanabo of NembeBassambiri, of blessed memory.

There was no protest or argument, and on December 5, 2009, I was formally coronated.

“Today, few politicians, who do not even have a mud house in Oluasiri have constituted themselves to form an opposition simply because I failed to follow their dictates, and are saying that I passed through the back door,” he added.

achieved so many things, though my ministry is not a full-blown project-awarding ministry, we dwell more on humanitarian activities. My ministry supervises the Pilgrims Board, both Christian and Muslim, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA and of course, the Fire Service.

We have done a lot attending to natural disasters, including last year’s flood, fire outbreak within the states and all that.

“The major challenge we have managing flood in the state is people building within the waterways, but we have made our recommendation to the Ministry of Environment on things to take up. In 2016, we do not expect much flooding in the state, but we have put in place measures to tackle emergencies.”

Speaking on the peculiar challenges of fire outbreaks and management, he said: “People may not know that there have been many fire out-breaks ranging from public schools, hotels, private roads and markets, but the good thing is that the Fire Service stations are on alert anytime they call them.”

“The challenge, however, is the victims themselves, some of them when there is out-break, they are unable to call fire service men immediately, it is then you will see that they do not have the numbers of fire service men even with all our jingles and adverts.

He added: “And even when they call because of the anxiousness or situation the find themselves, they would just tell you fire, fire, fire and cut their phone without saying the location. You start calling back and before they pick again, many things may have gone wrong.

“In such cases, before the fire men got there, a lot of time had been wasted and fire gotten so far. However, we always handle the situation, I think we have done very well in that aspect and His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has given us a platform to perform. Out of the 19 stations, we have 14 stations fully equipped.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 —25

BAYELSA… GLORY OF ALL LANDS

Hard times: Bayelsa housing estate where rouges ‘disappear’ with pots of soup Contractors, engineers swindle residents

By SAMUEL OYADONGHA & EMEM IDIO YENAGOA—AN abandoned Bayelsa State Governmentowned Housing Estate, located in the Okaka suburb of Yenagoa, is currently providing cheap accommodation and a haven to street urchins, the destitute and different categories of persons, who bizarrely ‘disappear’ with a pot of soup on the fire.

The living conditions of residents of the neglected rambling settlement harshly contrasts with the opulence that exudes from the adjoining Okaka Housing Estate and the serene Palm Avenue axis.

Cast off over four years ago, the housing estate, known as the Okaka Housing Estate, Phase II, situated behind the brilliant Okaka Housing Estate, Phase I, is designed to provide onebedroom accommodation for civil servants.

It is inexplicable why the occupants choose to live and raise their kids in such an environment, where virtually all the basic amenities of life are missing.

Life in the slum A resident, Mr. Eric Ineife, who has been living in one of the apartments since he ‘discovered’ the place, told Niger Delta Voice that residents pooled resources to connect electricity from the nearby Okaka Housing Estate, Phase I, and pay bills to men of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC. Ineife disclosed: “Life here is just like a village setting or camp due to the pattern of living and the dirty environment. However, some important career people are also living here. There is a medical doctor, serving police personnel, Civil Defence Corps and civil servants. There is also a private school where children living here attend.”

The dwellers get their water supply from water vendors popularly known as “Meruwa,” while they answer to the call of nature in the nearby bushes.

According to an occupant: “The contractors and site engineers, who handled and supervised the building of the estate were making money and smiling all the way to the bank because of the rents they receive from the tenants.”

Quick money His words: “The contractors and site engineers are the ones giving the place out and collecting rent from the tenants.

Some pay between N30, 000 to N80, 000 per annum for each one-bedroom apartment depending on the level of completion of the apartment.

“Although I did not pay because one of the engineers is a member of my church, so he gave me free, C M Y K

One of the houses in the estate. resident, Mr. John Enebraye, has caused the residents to form a vigilante group to help stem the tide of criminal activities.

He said: “Crime rate used to be high when there was no vigilante group. Some youths were breaking into people’s houses to steal mobile phones, pot of soup on the fire, and other foodstuff.

“Now, the crime rate has reduced drastically because we contribute N200 every month to fund a vigilante group and men of the police force on patrol frequently come around. This also helps to check crimes in the area.”

I am living alone, as my family is elsewhere. After paying the rent, you can use your money to renovate and furnish it to your taste and make it conducive for yourself,” he added.

Hideout for criminals Niger Delta Voice investigation revealed that the remote location of the estate has made it an attractive place for criminals, who engage in nefarious activities in the city centre, particularly at night and run back to hide after their operations.

The high concentration of virile youths, according to another

Crime rate used to be high when there was no vigilante group.

Some youths were breaking into people’s houses to steal mobile phones, pots of soup on the fire, and other foodstuff.

RIVERS…

BATTLE FOR RIVERS COMMUNITY STOOL:

TREASURE BASE OF THE NATION

Vacate throne, court's sacked you, aspirant tells monarch

By DAVIES IHEAMNACHOR

K

ALABARI— AS the tussle for who ascends the throne of Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom in Rivers State builds up, a contender to the stool, Chief Mac-Donald Abbi, has called on King Theophilus Princewill to vacate the throne, claiming that the court has removed him.

Princewill had after the death of the former monarch, King Obaye Abbiye-Suku Amachree X in 1998, taken over the throne of Amanyanabo of Kalabari.

However, on Monday, May 16, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt in suit number PHC/624 /2002, ordered the present occupant to vacate the throne for a proper selection process of a new king.

Abbi said that based on the court judgment, the throne was now vacant and therefore, Princewill should not remain or purport to still be on the throne when the right thing was for

Chief Mac-Donald Abbi the kingdom to traditionally select who becomes king among the five contenders.

We've no Amanyanabo

I am a front line contestant to the throne of Amanyanabo of Kalabari. I have been on this matter for 16 years now, so I am a very serious and interested contestant. This victory in court is not for me, it is for the entire Kalabari people

of Rivers State because for 16 years, we have no Amanyanabo, which is not supposed to be.

"So we are happy that God has answered our prayer through the court judgment.

Very soon, Amanyanabo of Kalabari will emerge. For now, we have no Amanyanabo.

Therefore, nobody should be parading himself as Amanyanabo. The throne remains vacant until the people traditionally choose another person," he said.

Continuing, he said: "Where there is no head, there is a problem. Therefore, since that time Kalabari has been facing problems because we have no head, we have been having problem of militancy, crises upon crises, all these because we do not have a leader, who will control these situations.

These problems will be solved later by the grace of God. "Princewill illegally went and installed himself king, Kalabari has a tradition, installation of a king follows a democratic

Population explosion A concerned Bayelsan, Diepreye John, said: “With the increasing scarcity of decent accommodation in Yenagoa, which is experiencing population explosion, the government has a moral burden to complete the multi-billion naira estate to help ease accommodation problems of its work force and residents.”

However, a top government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, assured that government would revisit all development projects in the state when its revenue base improves.

nature, but he did it alone, that is why we went to court and we have gotten justice."•

No vacant throne

Reacting to the development, King Princewill told Niger Delta Voice that he remains the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, adding that he had appealed against the judgment.

Speaking for the King, Mr. Opubo-Pryse called on the people to disregard any rumour that the stool of Amanyanabo of Kalabari was vacant.

He said: “As far as I am concerned, the seat of Amanyanabo of Kalabari is not vacant because there is no case in court that cannot go to appeal.

“The king that is occupying the seat of Amanyanabo of Kalabari is still the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, if a judgment is given and you are not satisfied, you will go to appeal the case, which we have done I am sure they will be served shortly.”

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

PANORAMA

Okowa, Uduaghan inaugurates projects in Delta

Dr. Uduaghan flanked by Gov Okowa (right) and Igbuya (left), inaugurating project

Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (2nd left); Secretary to State Government, Hon. Ovie Agas (left); Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah (right); Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie (2nd right) and Chair man, Ika South Local Government Council, Hon. Fred Ofum (centre).

Gov. Okowa (right); Dr. Uduaghan (middle); Speaker, State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya (left) and other dignitaries.

Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left) and the immediate past governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, during the commissioning of Ogbemudein Model Secondary School, Agbor, Ika-South Local Government Area.

Okowa (2nd right); Uduaghan (middle); Speaker, State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya (2nd left); Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi (left); Chairman, Ika South Local Government Council, Hon Fred Ofum (right).

Gov. Okowa (right) and Dr. Uduaghan at the event

Delta govt promises reasonably priced healthcare

A

SABA- DELTA State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, says the state government will stop at nothing to provide affordable and quality health care for Deltans.

He stated this while fielding questions from reporters shortly after a meeting with the management of Delta State Contributory Health Commission and stakeholders from across the state in Asaba.

He said: •"The present administration under the watch of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa places high premium on the health and well- being of Deltans as encapsulated in the SMART agenda."• The commissioner underscored the importance of advocacy and sensitization to take the scheme

to the grassroots to enable people in the rural areas key into it.

He listed benefits of the scheme to include improved access to quality healthcare, reduced cost in accessing quality healthcare, among others.

Chairman, Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Olorogun (Dr.) Isaac Akpoveta, said the scheme was aimed at providing quality and affordable healthcare to Deltans.

Director General, Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Dr. Ben Nkechika and the Chairman, Hospital Management Board, HMB, Dr. Nnamdi Ononye, maintained that the benefits of the scheme were enormous.

DELTA… FINGER OF GOD

•From left, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, Commissioner of Health; Dr. Isaach Akpoveta, Chair, Delta Contributory Health Commission, and Dr. Ben Nkechika, Director General of the Commission at the stakeholders’ conference. Photo: Nath Onojake

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Restructuring may lift investors’ return in Goldlink

By Nkiruka Nnorom

T

HE on-going restructuring in Goldlink Insurance Plc will position the company for a reversal of fortunes, that is if it is successfully executed.

Charles Fakrogha, Chief Executive Officer, Foresight Securities & Investment Ltd, said the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, in conjunction with the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, have commenced efforts towards restructuring the company with the appointment of an interim management team.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, has placed Goldlink on suspension for quite sometime now. Fakrogha noted that the company came for the first time in the history of the stock exchange to do a Fact Behind Restructuring. “For me, it was novel and I must congratulate the NSE,” he said. “The primary regulator of Goldlink, NAICOM in conjunction with SEC are already doing the restructuring. An interim board is working with a clear mandate. So, the

funds they want to raise need to be by way of Rights”, Fakrogha added .

As part of the restructuring agenda, the acting Managing Director, Olufunke Moore, said the company would be raising N8 billion from the capital market through a Rights Issue to strengthen its operation. She was of the opinion that the company would become solvent once

They will also restructure the company, align its staffing requirements with the realities on ground, streamline its expenditure pattern the planned capital raising exercise is done.

In February 2016, NAICOM reconstituted the Interim management Board, IMB, with the mandates to assume oversight responsibilities and

,

S FORUM

— 27

Looking ahead, analysts at Cowry Asset Management Limited, a Lagosbased investment house, said: ‘’We expect bargain hunting activities for value stocks"

perform normal duties of Board of Directors for sound management and growth of the company, ascertain the financial state of the company, implement the AGM decisions on increase in authorized share capital and take steps to facilitate its recapitalization.

The IMB was also charged with the responsibility of exercising all powers to allot relevant shares in connection with the increase in authorized share capital resulting from capital raising and ensure that all necessary filings and statutory returns and other requirements of the law are complied with in the course of recapitalization, as well as cash injection and allotment of the shares.

They will also restructure the company, align its staffing requirements with the realities on ground, streamline its expenditure pattern and take all other strategic actions to put the company on competitive edge and profitability, as well as carry out all other tasks that may be necessary to bring the company to sound management and operational stability.

Meanwhile, Gold link released its 2015 Q3 results showing pre-tax loss was N1 billion for the period compared to a pre-tax profit of N126.6 million same period last year. The company reported underwriting loss of N207.8 million compared to an underwriting profit of about N1 billion a year earlier.

GUINNESS PLC. 9M2016 Result -Financial Highlights (NGN Billion)

,

Stock Market Outlook (June 07 - 14)

T

HE bullish trend which persisted for five consecutive weeks was bucked last week as a combination of profit taking and portfolio rebalancing dragged market performance southwards.

But a major factor which influenced the reversal of the bull run was the body language of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on its impending flexible foreign exchange. The apex bank had announced two weeks ago that it was modifying the exchange policy which had hampered the stock market performance and the market followed the announcement to further launch into renewed bull run which wiped out the yearto-date, YTD, loss position launching it into positive .

However, CBN’s delayed announcement of the guide line for the proposed flexible foreign exchange market regime disappointed investors who are now wondering if the policy would be as favourable as speculated.

Consequently, All Share Index depreciated 4.4% week-on-week, W-o-W, to close at 27,634.48 points, dragging YTD performance back into the negative region of -3.5%.

Looking ahead, analysts at Cowry Asset Management Limited, a Lagos based investment house, said, ‘’we expect bargain hunting activities for value stocks. However, we advise caution amid uncertainties over government’s intended foreign exchange supply model’’.

On its part, analysts at Afrinvest West Africa, another investment house in Lagos, said ‘’outlook for the week is expected to be soft as the market continues to anticipate clarity from the CBN on the new exchange rate regime which was proposed to be announced after the May Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, meeting. ‘’Thus, market activities will be largely driven by speculation as investors bet on stocks with attractive short term upside amid weakening macroeconomic indicators and hazy outlook. We advise investors to trade cautiously and take position in fundamentally sound stocks’’.

Investor sentiment appeared watered during the first trading session of this week as market breadth (advancers’/decliners’ ratio) closed at 0.7x - from 1.8x on Friday- as a result of 16 advancing stocks against 24 declining stocks.

Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited attributed the losses recorded yesterday to ‘’a rebirth of negative sentiments from investors, following the gains accumulated during bargain hunting activities of the last two trading sessions’’. Looking at the week ahead they stated ‘’we anticipate a negative close to the week at the Nigerian bourse, as profit taking activities are expected to overshadow bargain hunting actions baring substantial market moving news inflow’’.

Stock Market Yesterday Market Capitalisation (N’bn) Market Capitalisation (US$’bn) All-Share Index Performance % Performance % Performance % Volume (Million) Value (N’bn) Value (US$’m) Source: Company Report/Afrinvest

9, 478.7 47.6 27,599.48 (0.1) (0.3) (3.6) 142.2 1.4 7.2

28—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

By Theodore Opara

NAMA boss proffers remedy for auto industry In his appraisal of President Muhammadu Buhari led government in the last one year, MR. TOKUNBO AROMOLARAN, Chairman, Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association, NAMA, umbrella body of the Original Equipment Manufacturers said government input in the automotive industry may have been unnoticeably calm, but stakeholders are optimistic the Federal Government would not renege on its pledge to implement the needed policies for a robust automotive industry. Excerpts:

H

OW would you assess theincumbent administration’s temperament to the quest for a feasible automotive industry since her inception about 365 days ago?

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari ledgovernment came in barely three years after the National Automotive Industry Development Plan, NAIDP was approved by government and no sooner the policy document was launched than the Original Equipment Manufacturers OEMs, swung into action with a rush of investments into the sector. The policy seeks to revive domestic production of automobile, using local human and natural resources with a view to enhancing the industry’s contribution to the country’s GDP. the Impact of the policy on the automotive segment has, in fact, been tremendous. It is short of spectacular.

Critical look at the policy At the last count, more than 12 entrepreneurs have taken up the challenge and commenced operations, with fresh investment running to billions of Naira.

There is still a long way to go in getting us to the promised land.

We are looking to this administration to take it to the next level and really own it.

There, has, however been very little interaction or activity with this government on the policy. We understand the Minister is accessible but we haven’t been able, as a segment, to interact with him.

But being from the private sector, we believe he is positively disposed to the policy. We are aware that the government is taking a critical look at the policy with a view to tweeting it to achieve their own idea of development and we hope they will engage the authentic stakeholders, who have already invested so much in the takeoff of the sector shortly.

What do you suggest the government should do especially at this time to reawaken the sector for renewed growth If government is serious about developing our industries, it

should determine the strategic industries going by the National Industrial Revolution plan and determine the incentive package it would put in place to accelerate their take-off.

The incentive package would take into account the peculiar disadvantages investors •Mr. Tokunbo Aromalaran, NAMA Chairman face in Nigeria because of failure to develop our take the credit for giving it a bite infrastructure and put them in a by actually putting out a strong Auto Policy initiative, so the position to compete. The auto incentive package to attract major government is well acquainted industry falls into this category.

OEMs and seeing it through. with the potentials of the sector Without mincing words, a This is the way to reawaken our and what should be done. It is a viable vehicle manufacturing productive capacity and create a question of overcoming the industry is capable of creating future for the children of the poor inertia. huge multiplier effects for the Statistics compiled by various and down-trodden.

Nigerian economy and society. government agencies NAMA, Does it mean government is Other nations with developed unacquainted with the potential confirmed that a total of about auto industries towed the same 400,000 vehicles (100,000 new of the automotive industry? path. There is so much for the Recently I read an excerpt of a and 300,000 used) valued at over government to do in this respect. speech from the Minister of Trade N550 billion were imported into The previous governments & Industry outlining the path of the country. Now imagine if one merely scratched the surface of growth for the industry. His fifth of that quantum of imports the issue by putting in place the thoughts were in line with the were assembled locally using auto policy. The government can

available local resources. Won’t the country be much better off?

What then is your conviction?

It is my conviction the government is well aware of the positive and multiplier effects a vibrant auto sector can have on the economy. I believe they are figuring out how to assume ownership of the programme started by the previous administration and how to improve on it. This has taken the better part of one year without a formal engagement of the association of automotive manufacturers.

We are forced to believe that the government is being distracted by many nay-sayers and interested parties who wish to slow down progress in the sector.

The way forward is clear, very easy to decipher if you are objective and desirous of moving this country forward. Many people have benefitted from trading and are feeding government with negative reports and holding back the pace of development of the industry.

The investors in the Nigerian auto manufacturing segment are indeed hopeful and that’s why there is still tremendous activity in the automotive sector in spite of very difficult operating environment of policy uncertainty, dearth of skilled labor, poor infrastructure and scarce foreign exchange.

Coscharis woos customers with Ford Protect Package

D

ETERMINED to make ownership of Ford brand of vehicles more rewarding and stress-free, Coscharis Motors, foremost Ford dealer in Nigeria, has introduced an incentive known as Ford Protect Package, FPP, for its customers.

The company also officially introduced the 2016 models of the Ford Explorer, Figo and Ranger pick-up.

The Ford Protect Package replaced the Extended Service Plan, ESP, and covers all Ford vehicles purchased from Coscharis Motors.

Speaking at the Ford showroom in Victoria Island, Lagos, the General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Services, Mr. Abiona Babarinde, who represented the Group Managing Director, Mr. Josiah Samuel, explained that the new package offers free service to Ford customers for four years or 120,000 kilometres, whichever comes first.

“What this means is that for four years Coscharis Motors will service the vehicle for the buyers for free,” he said.

He listed the areas covered under the Ford Protect Service during the period to include free oil change, air filter change, tyre rotation, brake pads change, wipers, belts and hoses as well as shock absorbers.

The Ford Extended Service plan pro-

•Mr. Fabian Anuforo, Sales Manager (left) and Abiona Babarinde, GM, Marketing and Corporate Services at the unveiling of the new Ford Explorer. mo was replaced by Ford Protect Package to give the customers more value for their money and it covers all Ford models sold by Coscharis, he explained.

Meanwhile, Coscharis Motors has unveiled the 2016 edition of the Ford Explorer, as well as the 2016 Ranger and Figo.

Sales Manager, Ford, Mr. Fabian Anuforo, said the Explorer had been one of the highest selling Ford models in Nigeria and attributed this to the luxury

features, comfort and general performance.

The Explorer is a three-row sport utility vehicle that seats up to seven and which comes in five trim levels. “Powering the vehicle is a 3.5-litre turbocharged V6 (EcoBoost) engine that outputs 365 hp (272 kW) and 350 lb-ft (475 Nm) of torque,” he said.

The manufacturer said for the vehicle, the six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive were standard.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 — 29

By Theodore Opara

How tyres can affect your fuel efficiency

By Majemite Okome

W

Ford's small engine ranks best F

ORD’S tiny yet powerful 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine has been voted best in class at the International Engine of the Year Awards for the fifth year in a row. Judges praised the combination of drivability, performance, economy, refinement and technology that continue to set the standard.

The frugal three-cylinder EcoBoost engine was named “Best Engine Under 1.0-litre” by a panel of 65 automotive journalists, from 31 countries, to win its class each and every year since launch. This year it finished ahead of 32 competitor engines, 19 more than it competed against in 2012.

Significantly, 2015 also saw an increase in competition from global automotive manufacturers of sub 1.0-litre, turbocharged engines with direct fuel injection.

In 2014, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost became the first engine to be named overall International Engine of the Year for a third time in a row, and also was in 2012 named “Best New Engine.”

“The 1.0-litre EcoBoost was a game-changer, and despite others following our lead, it remains the undisputed benchmark in its class five years on,” said Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product

Kia sales up by 3.4% in May •Sportage is best selling Kia

K

IA Motors Corporation has announced that its May 2016 global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles, recorded a total of 261,269 units sold. This figure represents a 3.4% year-onyear increase compared to the same month of 2015.

In May, Kia posted year-onyear sales increases in the domestic Korean market (19.0% growth with 47,614 units sold), Europe (8.5% growth with 53,298 units sold), China (0.7% growth with 51,002 units sold) and North America (0.2% growth with 70,032 units sold).

Cumulatively through the first five months of 2016, Kia’s global sales totalled 1,201,936 units for a year-on-year increase of 0.5%. Korea (224,244 units sold), Europe (251,129 units sold) and North America (294,533 units sold) have seen a 13.5%, 7.4% and 3.0% rise in sales, respectively.

Kia’s bestselling model in overseas markets during May 2016 was the Sportage

compact CUV with 48,798 units sold. The B-segment Rio (known as ‘K2’ in China) was the second best seller with 36,445 units sold, while the Csegment Cerato (Known as ‘Forte’ or ‘K3’ in some markets), Soul urban crossover and Sorento midsized CUV followed with 31,372, 18,613 and 17,609 units sold, respectively.

Development, Ford of Europe.

“The spirit of innovation continues to drive us as we look to use the same smart thinking for a new breed of efficient, clean and powerful down-sized diesel engines.”

Available with 100 PS, 125 PS and 140 PS, and even 180 PS in the Ford Fiesta R2 rally car, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine powers vehicles in 72 countries worldwide. In 140 PS form, the engine delivers a bigger power-to-litre ratio than a Bugatti Veyron. A road-legal Formula Ford fitted with a 205 PS version of the engine also lapped the famous Nürburgring circuit, in Germany, in 7 minutes 22 seconds; a performance that put it ahead of a host of supercars including the 600+ horsepower Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari Enzo and Pagani Zonda.

Eleven models, including Fiesta, EcoSport, B-MAX, Focus, C-MAX, Grand CMAX, Tourneo and Transit Connect, Tourneo and Transit Courier, and Mondeo are available in Europe with the multi-award winning engine.

One in five all-new Ford vehicles sold in Europe in 2015 were equipped with the 1.0litre unit, including almost two in five Fiestas.

HEN was the last time you checked your tyre pressure yourself? This is one very important aspect of the automobile that is often overlooked even when I should always be on your priority checklist as a car owner.

Beside safety, your tyres are everything when it comes to your vehicle, and gas mileage is no exception.

The rolling resistance of your vehicle has a direct effect on your fuel economy. The type of tyre you use has a direct effect on your fuel economy. Some tyres are better than others; some have less rolling resistance. You might spend more for better tyres, but in the end, you will likely come out on top based on your fuel savings alone.

Correct tyre pressure As for the specifications of the tyre for your vehicle and the correct tyre pressure, you should check your owner’s manual or the tyre sticker that located somewhere on your vehicle. This vital information is usually around the inside frame of the driver’s door, or sometimes on the glove box.

Occasionally I find them under the hood. The important thing is to find it and set your tyres to the correct value and specified pressure recommended by the manufacturer. Tyre inflation depend on the manufacturer's specification, so don’t ignore this vital information.

Note that if your tyre pressures are low, your vehicle will have to work harder to get itself down the road. The harder your vehicle works, the more fuel it will use which is not good for the current fuel pump price in the country. If tyre is over inflated, you stand a risk of tyre rupture while driving, which is very dangerous. This could lead to tyre burst. And you know the consequences.

Many people make the mistake that the pressure indicated on the outside of the tyre is where you want to set the pressure. This could not be far from the truth.

That listing is the maximum tyre pressure for that tyre, not what you should set your tyre pressures at. I also often see that people want to inflate their tyres till they look roundish, with no bulge at the bottom.

In Nigeria, there’s this common saying by vulcanisers “the one wey dem write for the car body na oyinbo own, here na 40”. This is 40 psi we dey inflate tyres.”

Apart from being ignorant, most of these vulcanisers have faulty tools, while others are mischievous because they want you to cough out some money by telling you that your tyre is under-inflated so they can pump your tyres.

They don’t care about the after effect of their deceit. I have had personal encounters with some of these vulcanisers. Most times when I ask vulcanisers to gauge my tyres to35 psi, they would tell me they had done it and on checking with my own tool, I realize they had gauged it to about 53 psi. Once again, this is wrong.

That bulge at the bottom of the tyre is important. It’s called the “foot” or “contact patch.” The name implies its purpose, and it is an important one. After all, you can’t walk very well without your feet, in fact or even feet that didn’t have the proper shape. Over-inflated tyres have the same effect. Vehicles with over inflated tyres are unstable and difficult to control. Don’t go by appearances when it comes to inflating your tyres. Inflate them to the proper pressure recommended by the manufacturer or go to a good tyre fitments centre and move on.

I recommend that every car owner should have a Digital tyre pressure gauge. It doesn’t cost much and would save you a lot.

Contact us for availability.

FRSC boss expresses solidarity with Muslims as Ramadan begins

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OLLOWING the announcement on Sunday by the Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigeria Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Saad Abubakar 111 of the sighting of the moon of Ramadan in several locations in Nigeria and commencement of the Ramadan fast on Monday, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi has expressed solidarity with the Muslims across the country, saying his staff would be on duty to assist in effective traffic management during the one month spiritual activity.

In a press statement by Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy, FRSC Oyeyemi shortly after the formal announcement by the Sultan, noted that as a human centered organization, FRSC has relevance in all human activities, adding that with the number of people that would be participating in the Ramadan fast, coupled with the envisaged traffic implications, adequate proactive measures to address cases of traffic violation and gridlocks arising from those that may be in a hurry to reach their homes to break the fast have been put in place.

“Ensuring that people obey traffic rules and regulations as well as efficient traffic management during the month is one way we would assist Nigerians who are fasting and all other road users to reach their destinations safely and freely during the period, and we are committed to that,” he stated.

Successful Ramadan While wishing all Nigerian Muslims successful Ramadan fast, the Corps Marshal enjoined road users to obey traffic rules and regulations, saying

consideration for other road users is a religious obligation which everyone must observe.

Oyeyemi particularly called on FRSC staff to rededicate themselves to the efforts to make the nation’s highways safe and obstruction-free. “I wish all my staff who would be participating in the Ramadan fast a successful experience and abundant reward for the act,” he further stated.

“Fasting from dusk to dawn during the month of Ramadan is the third pillar of Islamic religion, which every matured and healthy Muslim is expected to observe.”, the corps marshal said.

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Dearth of Artisans: Lagos flags off Master Craftsman Project Stakeholders want project extended to all built environment professionals

By Kingsley Adegboye

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GAINST the backdrop of artisans in the country which is one of the major challenges confronting housing delivery in Nigeria, Lagos state government at the weekend officially announced its planned take off of Master Craftsman Project aimed at exposing craftsmen and artisans in the building construction industry to the training needed to offer suitable services to the people.

The state Commissioner for Housing, Prince Gbolahan Lawal while announcing the flag off, said the dearth of skilled workers made up of masons, carpenters, steel fabricators, plumbers, electricians, painters, joiners, tilers and others has apparently led to the Nigerian housing and construction industry becoming more and more dependent on foreigners to fill the skill gap created as our trained artisansgraduallygrowold,andnew ones are not being trained to replace them.

Lawal who disclosed that the situation has been compounded by the absence of a well-structured training and apprenticeship system for workmen, added that the Lagos State Ministry of Housing as the organofgovernmentperformingthe major regulatory role in the housing sector has come to the conclusion that state intervention is required to create a platform through which artisans and workers in the building

•From left, Permanent Secretary, Housing, Foluso Adebayo Dipe; Commissioner for Housing, Prince Gbolahan Lawal and SA Housing, Mrs. Mudirat Giwanson, during the flag off of Master Craftsman Project, in Lagos.

industry could be trained and retrained to acquire necessary skills and certified before being permitted to work.

Meanwhile, stakeholders who were at the capacity filled Adeyemi BeroAuditorium,AlausaSecretariat, the venue of the event, lauded the state government for the initiative andurgedthegovernmenttoextend the gesture to professionals in the building sub-sector, as they equally need to be updated in their various fields through training and retraining programmes.

According to the commissioner, “This initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the industry and will

further add value to our housing delivery programme. The training

This initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the industry and will further add value to our housing delivery programme would involve the collaboration of the Lagos State Technical and

Vocational Education Board whose centres at Epe, Ikeja, Ikorodu and Ikotun would be used. “The equipment in the centres are being upgraded to facilitate the training of the artisans in the different trades.

We hope to expand the centres as the training progresses. Also, developers/contractors are collaborating with the government to take on the craftsmen for on the job training.

“TheMinistryiscollaboratingwith Professional Bodies and Institutions instructuringandinregularrevision of the training programmes. The training will be flexible to accommodate the artisans and workmenalreadyatworkorinsome

30% for capital projects'll create jobs for quantity surveyors, others—NIQS boss

By Ikenna Asomba

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HE President, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, NIQS, Mercy Iyortyer, has hailed President Buhari for allocating 30 per cent for capital projects in the 2016 budgetary allocation which is believed to be the highest in the country's history, adding that it would create a lot of jobs for quantity surveyors and other professionals in the country's built industry.

Iyortyer, the first female president of NIQS who spoke at the 1st NIQS Job Fair for fresh graduates and undergraduates from South-West tertiary institutions last week at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, said "One of the visions I have for the Quantity and Surveying profession is to create opportunities for our members. Students and job seekers are part of our members.

“When we discovered that there are a lot of job seekers out there, we decided to organize this job fair to enhance their job seeking skills.

We decided to use this fair to teach them how to write and present good job curriculum vitae CVs, what to do at interview sessions, who and

who to meet as their potential employers, then, it would be the beginning of giving them hope”, she stated.

The optimistic Ivortyer added that "One good thing about Nigeria today is that for the first time in so many years, we have capital allocation of 30 per cent from the usual 12 per cent. Capital allocation in the past had never exceeded 15 per cent. So, this year, it has doubled.

“So, the chances for people getting jobs now is going to double.

As an institute, that is our expectation. We appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for this vision he has for this great country, to take infrastructure development to a new level.

Without infrastructure development, there will be no national development.

"What makes first world countries industrialized is because of the infrastructure they provide for their citizens. By the time federal government provides infrastructure, there are high hopes for job seekers, particularly those in the construction sector to get employed", Iyortyer assured.

On his part, Obafemi Onoshile,

deputy president, NIQS, said "The job fair is out of concern for our young graduates and even students. While at school, they have little or no counselling about what to do when they graduate. Or even, how they can apply what they are

being taught in school. In many educational institutions, abroad, companies organize fairs to select best students in order to catch them young and groom them for their companies. But in Nigeria, no firm is doing that.

form of employment.

A total of 4,000 craftsmen is targeted over a period of a four years.

A data base of all certified craftsmen will be maintained by the government. This data base will identify and categorize trained craftsmenfromthisprogrammewith a unique identification number that will be verifiable online, real time from anywhere in the world.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bayo Dipe, an architect, who noted that the ministry has observed with concern just as other stakeholders in the industry have that our well experienced artisans are aging and not enough of the younger ones are being trained to take over, pointed outthatoldandexperiencedartisans in the past used to have several apprentices and even members of the family took delight in being part of family business.

According to him, the skill was passed on from generation to generation just as it is done in some other parts of the world where family business could run for centuries and continue to wax stronger. He said natureabhorsvacuum,insistingthat anywhere there is a gap, it must be filled.

While commending the state for the initiative, Brig-Gen Tunde Reis (retd), President, First World Communities, a real estate development company, said “We have been talking about training of craftsmen in the country for a long time. We should not limit it to only uneducated people. Craftsmanship is not for only those who didn't go to school. Even for qualified professionals, they still need to learn from artisans. So, let it be extended to both artisans and professionals”, Reis said. Speaking on behalf of the NigerianInstituteofBuildingNIOB, Mr. Kunle Awobodu, 2nd vice president, NIOB said the craftsman project by the state government is welcome development.

Lagos to complete Ishefun, Aiyetoro Roads in 12 months

By Kingsley Adegboye AGOS state government has disclosed its determination to complete the rehabilitation and upgrading of New Market/Camp Davies/ Ishefun Road (section 1) in 12 months while it targets eight months to complete the rehabilitation and upgrading of Aiyetoro Road (section1).

The contracts for both projects were awarded to Messrs CGC Nig. Ltd in December 2015, while work commenced March 25, 2016.

According to a statement from the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, the Ishefun Road which is 5.9km in length connects the newly completed Ipaja/Ayobo Road to Ishefun town and Camp Davies Village.

“Before the commencement of the project, residents within these communities have been experiencing untold hardship plying the road due to its bad state while 'Okada' was the main mode of transportation within the axis. In order to ensure free flow of traffic, the project was designed to upgrade the New Market/Ishefun Road into10.75km

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dual carriageway for the section 1 while Camp Davies Road will be a two lane-single carriageway of 460 metres”, the statement said.

The statement further noted that Aiyetoro Road is a border road linking Lagos state with Ogun state, pointing out that it is a one kilometer earth road which for many years had been characterized by gullies and craters thereby impeding vehicular movement.

“The road is being upgraded to a dual carriageway to be implemented in sections. Section 1 entails the complete asphalting of one side of the dual carriageway, while the other carriageway will be completed to sub base level.

“The section 2 will complete the outstanding asphaltic work on outstanding carriageway including the construction of a new bridge. The project are aimed at improving road connectivity thus reducing traffic gridlock and reduction in travel time along the axis. This will improve the living standards of the residents and the socio economic activities in the axis.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—31

FG reiterates determination to address housing problem …as group raises alarm over looming housing crisis in Africa

By Caleb Ayansina

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RESIDEBNT Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his administration’s commitment towards addressing housing problem in the country, just as the Shelter Afrique raised alarm over looming crisis in housing sector in Africa.

The President stated that for the government to avert housing crisis in Nigeria by the year 2020, it had kicked start the process by earmarkingN40binthisyear'scapitalbudget for a comprehensive housing programme for the low income earners in the country, while still retaining housing standard.

Buhari, who declared open the 35th Annual General Meeting AGM, of Shelter Afrique tagged ‘Housing Africa’s Low Income Urban Population’, in Abuja, however, agreedthatgovernmentalonecould not solve the problem in the human settlement sector without the involvement of the private sector.

Represented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Muhammed Bello, the President said; “We are therefore very much convinced of the catalytic development potential of the housing sector and has accordingly earmarked N40 billion in the 2016 capital budget to implement a comprehensive housing programme in Nigeria.

“Nigeriawithapopulationofabout 170 million people and an annual population growth rate of 3.5 percent requires an additional one million housing units per annul to reduce much acclaimed national deficit of 17 million housing units in order to avert a housing crisis by the year 2020.”

Quality and affordable houses In his remarks, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. BabatundeFashola,SAN,identified planning as the first key to the roadmap of providing quality and affordable houses in the country, while outlining the roadmap of his Ministry to achieving a sustainable Housing delivery.

He said it was not only necessary but expedient to embark on proper planning to meet the real demand of the majority of Nigerians in housing, adding that it is the key to project completion, cost control and reduction in variation requests as well as financial calculations.

The Minister noted that Nigeria never had housing plan, as the country’s National Housing Policy was only a mere Policy Statement, not a plan, He adding that his Ministry was currently developing the needed plan to make the housing policy a reality.

“We must never tire to explain the necessity and importance of proper planning. It is the key to successful execution,itisthekeytoprojectcompletion, it is the key to cost control and reduction in variation requests and financial calculations.

“I acknowledge that there is, for

Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (left), Deputy Minister of Land , Housing and Human Settlements Development, Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Angeline Mabula (middle) and Head, Affordable Housing & Buildings, Lafarge ReadyMix Nigeria Limited, Ms Jumoke Adegunle during the 35th Annual General Meeting & Symposium of Shelter Afrique’ with the theme,” Housing Africa’s Low Income Urban Population,” jointly organized by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works & Housing and Shelter Afrique in Abuja last week. example, a National Housing Policy of 2012. Some have chosen to call it a plan. To the extent that it is a broad statement of intent about providing housing, it is a policy statement,”

he said.

Fashola further explained that the plan requires “a clear understanding of who we want to provide housing for, and I recognize that there

are people who want land to build for themselves, there are also people who want town houses and duplexes, whether detached or semi-detached”, pointing out that

this category of people were not in the majority. According to him, “The people who we must focus on are those in the majority and those who are most vulnerable; the people who are in the bracket of those who graduatedfromUniversityaboutfive years ago and more. People who are in the income bracket of grade level 9 to 15 in the public service and their counterparts, taxi drivers, market men and women, farmers, artisans who earn the same range of income.”

The Managing Director, Shelter Afriques, Dr. James Mugawa said the current situation in the African continent regarding housing problem calls for concern, which all leaders in the continent must give a priority to. “It is no secret that there are huge housing deficits across the continent, in Nigeria alone, it is estimated at a whopping 17 million units and could be more once current data is made available. In nearbyGhanaanestimated170,000 housing units are required every year over the next 10 years.

“In Kenya doesn't fare any better with the deficit estimated at 2 million houses over the next 10 years.

These estimates however assume thatthepopulationwillremainstatic, and from what we can see, it will not.'

Estate surveyors take fight against building collapse to Oba of Lagos

By Kingsley Adegboye

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ORRIED by the spate of building collapse in Lagos, members of the Lagos state branch of the Nigerian Institution of estate surveyors and valuers NIESV have taken the ‘fight’ to prevent building collapse in the state to Oba of Lagos, HRM Alaiyeluwa Rilwanu Akiolu 1 for his intervention.

Leading members of his executive council to Oba Akiolu’s palace last week, the chairman of Lags state NIESV, Mr. Samuel Ukpong said: “We know that Kabiyesi is very worried and in fact, disturbed about the frequent news of collapsed buildings in the state.

Mischievous circumstances We know this because no reasonable king will be happy to frequently hear that his children are often killed in mischievous circumstances and buried in rubbles, and those occurrences are so rampant.”

Ukpong, a fellow of the professional body who noted that his members are equally very worried and disturbed too about incessant building collapse in the state, added that “We often ask ourselves that has any estate surveyor and valuer been involved in any of the collapsed buildings?

The best of the answers we have so far received is, none.”

According to the chairman, “We now look at the Marina skyline and find those multiple storey buildings

dotting Broad Street and Marina and ask, why have they not

We know that Kabiyesi is very worried and in fact, disturbed about the frequent news of collapsed buildings in the state collapsed till date? The truth is that most of them were project managed by estate surveyors and

valuers, the professionals that are vast in land acquisition, site selection, feasibility and viability appraisal, project management, property management(British) or facility management (Americans).

“The Europeans brought these to us, practiced them while they were here. They taught us how to practice them and when they left we refused to continue. Your Royal Majesty, you would recall the works of Knight Frank and Rutley then called Fox and Co. and many other indigenous firms that operated then.

“They were involved in project conception, project management and property management and we had more organized cities and society then. Suddenly every other

professional in the built environment thought that what the estate surveyors and valuers knew and could do, can be done by them and we became known, called and addressed as estate agents and today, the buildings are collapsing, the cities are decaying and the environment blighted”, Ukpong lamented.

He, however, expressed optimism that this negligence can be corrected by stipulating that no development in Lagos State above four floors should not be approved without the inclusion of a consultant estate surveyor and valuer who by training and experience knows what to do about the enormous responsibility of his profession in every project.

ERA/FoEN lauds commencement of Ogoni clean up by FG

By Bose Adelaja

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HE Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria ERA/FoEN, has commended the federal government for keeping to its promise of commencing the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP, assessment on Ogoniland.

President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at the flag off in Bodo, one of the most impacted Ogoni communities, announced the start of the programme to implement the assessment report which confirmed the devastating extent of oil spills from Shell pipelines in Ogoni land. The assessment also exposed how Shell systematically failed to carry out properly cleanup of oil spills.

In a statement issued in Lagos, ERA/FoEN said the beginning of the exercise was a welcome development, even as it noted that “no concrete

statements” were made by the president at the flag off exercise in Bodo.

ERA/FoEN Executive Director, Godwin Uyi Ojo said: “No doubt, this administration has shown the political will to right the wrongs that the Ogonis have suffered in the last five years but we are discomforted that the president’s representative did not make any revelations that lifted the hope of the people” Ojo explained that, “In as much as the president revealed that structures would be set up for the immediate implementation of the report, no definite time lines were set for these structures to be in place to commence work.”

The ERA/FoEN boss stressed that for the cleanup to be effective, time lines must be set and that the government must then go ahead to strengthen oversight bodies such as the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency NOSDRA, to be able to fulfil their mandate of holding the oil industry accountable.

32 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA; Similar to yesterday but, today more emphasis’ll be on money. Thus those of you who are more financially ambitious’ll have better and rewarding day than others. However that is not to say you should neglect your health.

SCORPIO; Positive things are happening from (and around) you. The more enterprising you are the better for you today. And some of you will be mixing business & pleasure without harm. Lovers can have their way moderately.

SAGITTARIUS; This is your day when things’ll go according to your plans. And you’re advised to hit very hard not minding minor pressure from your base.

CAPRICORN; Once again success would come if you experiment with good ideas rightly at the right time. Those of you travelling are in for an exciting day.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

A

lady recently said to me - This weather is just not friendly. The sun is too much. Let the sun subside before I do it.

And I looked at her and said, supposing it starts raining now what will you do? The

The Weather truth is that the weather has never been friendly. Of course, it is not the business of the weather to be friendly to you. But

TERROR MUDA

your duty is to do everything within your power to be able to use the weather as it is. Tell me, have you ever seen a perfect weather? Whether

in “Never say goodbye”

rain or sun, people have always complained. Yet, some people are making fortune from it, rain or sunshine. You too must do the same.

For he that must succeed does not need to look at the weather.

By Kola Fayemi

AQUARIUS; Early part of the day may bring you good opportunity along your business/business lines. Work and your health must be taken very seriously PISCES; Like yesterday the Moon will operate from your Star sign again to the betterment of your cause.

Think of both your immediate and far future now.

ARIES You can still count on the supports of your tried and trusted friends. But it’s imperative you keep secrets as much as you can positively do.

TAURUS; The more receptive and willing you are to give and take co-operation the better for you today. It’s wrong of you to neglect your friends in need now.

GEMINI; You’ll have the needed opportunity to consolidate on progress you have recorded yesterday along your career/business lines. Try to work harder.

CANCER; Element of luck will work favourably for you. Therefore you’re advised to expand the scope of your tentacle for better results. It’s another fairly favourable day for lovers who are more enterprising today.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

LEO; Joining forces with other people is not a sin but it’s important everybody knows the clear term of the venture , be it of short or longer duration. Be very practical.

VIRGO; Many of you’ll travel either physically or within your mind; whichever one you’re involved with the out come will be favourable. Be more receptive, especially if your priority is commercial success. Take your new ideas more seriously today.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Basic Characteristics Of Aquarius Aquarius is ruled by freedom loving Uranus-the planet of unpredictability, eccentricity and genius.

Aquarius is friendly, loving, hopeful and very altruistic in nature. That is why they are nice persons who truly care for others, especially the less fortunate ones. They are loyal friend willing to belong to powerful social clubs or reasonable community.

The quality of Aquarius is fixed. That means it is important for them to watch the way they change their minds on important issues; Uranus factor makes all Aquarius natives freedom loving and whoever tries to impose any idea on you will be resented The element of Aquarius is the air. That makes you an intelligent person with fair share of sense of humour. Aquarius is the star sign that rules considerable social influence, and the natives of this star have better chances to have at least some influential friends. Then, Aquarians are truly good friends and bad enemies; it is not in the best interest of anybody to frustrate an Aquarian..

Aquarius being a scientific sign. Aquarians can be inventive. Any Aquarian who falls to take his sudden flashes of ideas seriously is doom (to fail eventually) because, Uranus the ruler of Aquarius, usually bring success to Aquarians unexpectedly through ideas that come suddenly, and unexpected luck usually accompany their sudden inspiration and/or ideas.

The most dangerous weak points of Aquarian are the tendencies to procrastinate things and willingness to take opponents or enemies for granted I mean you must not believe that some body you might have had heated argument with will not try to undermine your progress after what will look like intervention of peace makers.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—33

Jubilation as court grants Delta community oil host status W

ARRI—THE people of Kusimi community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have described the recent court judgments which granted them an oil host community status over Shell Petroleum Development

Company, SPDC, facility in the area as a victory that would safeguard a better future for generations unborn.

The community in August 2010 sued SPDC along with Kantu and Odidi communities over ownership

of the sites where Odidi 1 and 2 oil operations were located, demanding to be accorded host community status for its ownership of the locations.

The court in its judgment granted two major reliefs sought by Kusimi in the suit.

A community leader, Newman Kusimi and Deacon

Clement Tekedor, Chairman, Tekedor/Kusimi, said: “The judgment has laid the foundation for unborn generations to succeed. We won two five reliefs sought, one of which is for Kusimi to be an accredited representative to Shell and two, that Shell should deal with Kusimi as the landlord of Odidi 1 and 2.”

....As Edo revenue service threatens oil firms over N221m tax

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By Gabriel Enogholase

ENIN—EDO State Internal Revenue Service, EIRS, yesterday, gave two oil companies operating in the state, seven days notice to remit all outstanding taxes especially the Pay As You Earn, PAYE, taxes worth over N221 million deducted from their employees.

EIRS threatened that failure of the management of both companies to comply with the directive, it would initiate legal action for debt recovery.

EIRS Tax Enforcement Director, Mr. Victor Okube, who led officials of the agency during an enforcement exercise, where the non-compliance notices were pasted on the premises of the firms, explained that both companies failed to remit their Pay-As-You-Earn taxes as enshrined in the Personal Income Tax Act (2011) as amended.

He noted that the notice of noncompliance was to serve as a deterrent to other companies and establishments operating in the

state without fulfilling their tax obligations.

According to him, all PAYE taxes were expected to be remitted at an interval of not more than 10 days of every

month as enshrined in the PIT Act, as amended.

The EIRS chief, who noted that officials of both companies had begun efforts towards clearing the tax owed, urged them to remit all outstanding taxes due

to the state government or risk being sealed off.

He reiterated the commitment of the state government to the provision of basic infrastructure, through a tax friendly environment which allows business activities to thrive.

PROCESSION: Traditional procession to the Oba's palace as part of burial activities of Omo N'oba N'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, Oba of Benin. (INSET) Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, perfoming the traditional rites in Benin, yesterday. Photos: Barnabas Uzosike.

EDO 2016: APC gov aspirant, Don Obaseki withdraws from race or who had bought their forms E.D.O. (Empower, Develop and supporters, friends and well-

B

By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN CITY—BARELY 11 days to the primaries of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, a governorship aspirant of the party, Mr Don Obaseki, yesterday, announced his withdrawal from the race, saying that he has lost faith in the scheduled primaries of the party.

He said he hopes to contest the governorship election under another platform which he said he will make public after consulting with his supporters.

Obaseki who also is the nephew to another APC governorship aspirant, Godwin Obaseki, told journalists that he does not believe that the primaries of the APC will be free and fair, saying “I am undoubtedly running for, and shall contest the 2016 Edo governorship election slated for September 10, 2016.

“I have lost faith in the APC primaries process. Unfortunately, I was in Abuja on Thursday and I stumbled on a document that I cannot divulge to the public for security reasons that makes it clear that all those who are buying

to contest the primaries of the APC are wasting their time.

“As an academic and someone who is guided by thesis antithesis and syntheses, I elected to withdraw my intention to contest the primaries of APC, I will not tell you that I am no longer a member of the APC but I am more interested in being an

Opportunities) man than an APC man, I will rather be an EDO man than being a PDP. I am not running for the election as an APC candidate anymore, I am running for the election as EDO candidate on September 10.

“I have therefore, embarked on wide consultations with my immediate and extended family,

wishers and I won’t advise any of the aspirants to pay the whole sum of N5,500,000 for the expression of interest, and nomination forms of the APC. The coming primaries of APC will be the most expensive in our history because there are plans to bribe the about 3,000 delegates with N200,000 each."

Criminal Justice Bill passes 2nd reading in Delta Assembly

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By Festus Ahon

SABA—DELTA State Administration of Criminal Justice Bill 2016 has passed second reading on the floor of the state House of Assembly.

The passage followed conclusion of debate on the bill by the lawmakers with the lead sponsor, Mr Anthony Elekeokuri, opening debate on the merits of the bill.

Elekeokuri who represents Ika North East and Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, had in a motion moved for the second reading of the bill, co-sponsored by nine other

lawmakers.

The lawmaker said the criminal procedure code and law currently operational was old, hence the need for a law that will address present day society.

He disclosed that the new law has been passed by the National Assembly and domesticated by Lagos and Anambra states, pointing out that when passed, Delta State, will be the third state to domesticate the law.

He maintained that the key issue was to enhance Criminal Justice procedures in Delta State in order to have an efficient management of the judicial

system, emphasizing that “as it stands today, even the innocent are being punished for crimes they know nothing about.”

The member representing Ughelli North 1, Mr Samuel Mariere who is one of the cosponsors of the bill, said the current criminal procedure law has been in existence since 1960, noting that most of the provisions were archaic.

Mariere pointed out that the proposed law will mandate the Police to arrest only the suspect, not the relatives in the event of the suspect being at large among others.

Ayade moves to improve waste disposal in Calabar

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ALABAR—IN an effort to ensure effective waste management in Calabar, the state capital, Cross River State, governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has embarked on an inspection of dump sites in Calabar.

The governor who spoke at Lemna dump site while being conducted round by a team of waste managers, said: “It is unacceptable and totally unhealthy for both wastes and human beings to coexist side by side as we have witnessed here today. I am sure that when this place was designated as dump site, no body was living here. But now that it is sharing the same environment with human beings, we have to consider an alternative place for a new dump site.”

The governor appealed to Cross Riverians to be patient with him as he was holistically addressing the issue of proper waste disposal in line with the clean and green status of the state.

End destruction of oil facilities, LG boss urges NDA

K

OKO—WARRI North Local Government Area, Delta State, Chairman, Mr. Francis Maku-Eyituoyor, has reiterated his appeal to the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, to desist from the vandalisation of oil installations in the region especially in Warri North council.

His call came on the heels of the recent destruction of major Chevron oil facilities at Olere oil field in the council.

Maku –Eyituoyor lamented that oil spills caused by the vandalisation were creating enormous environmental degradation of communities in the council, just as it will stop investors from investing in the oil industry in the Niger Delta.

He urged the militants to seek a constructive way of engaging the Federal Government.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Enugu slavery war: Ugwuanyi inaugurates 6-man panel of inquiry

UK-based Prof urges FG to establish first class research centres for medical students

To

submit report within 3 months

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—FOLLOWINg the recent crisis which had engulfed Alor Uno community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State over allegations of slavery, Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State,has constituted a six-man Administrative Panel of Inquiry to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the crisis.

As contained in the terms of reference, the members were charged to investigate and ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the recent crisis in the community; investigate and ascertain the number of persons killed, injured or threatened in connection with the crisis; ascertain properties destroyed, their owners and values of the properties; and to indentify persons, groups or institutions who either by acts of omission or commission were directly or indirectly involved or sponsored the crisis.

They are also to investigate any other matters that may come to the knowledge of the Administrative Panel in the course of the inquiry, not covered by the terms of reference; to make

By Tare Youdeowei

B

ENIN CITY—A Professor of Pharmacology, University College London, Prof.

Humphrey Rang has urged the Federal Government to establish what he described as a first class research centres that will encourage undergraduate medical students across the universities in the country to embark on research in modern medicine with a view to discovering drugs that could cure different ailments.

He stressed the need for lecturers in tertiary institutions in Nigeria to demonstrate more commitment to research into modern medicines, saying it is the only way to help discover drugs capable of solving some health challenges prevalent in the country.

He stated this while delivering a lecture entitled: “Drug Discovery in a changing world,” at the University of Benin, UNIBEN. According to him: “It will be nice to see that the rain forest is further exploited for the development of drug and improved funding by both local and international government support so to assist African countries to attain the threshold in drug discovery considering the high levels of researches in the last few years."

recommendations regarding persons whom the panel finds blameworthy in connection with the crisis and damage to property.

The panel was equally charged to generally make recommendations in the light of its findings on how to avert and / or prevent similar crisis in future and make other recommendations which the panel may consider appropriate in view of its findings.

While inaugurating the panel, the Secretary to the State Government, Elder Gabriel Ajah,

who represented the governor in the event, stated that the panel has only three months to submit its report to the State Government.

The chairman of the panel, Mrs. Sylvia Onwubuemeli thanked Governor Ugwuanyi for finding them worthy to carry out the onerous task. She equally stated that given the caliber of people that make up the panel, the State Government expects quality service and transparency in their discharge of the task. “I wish to on behalf of other members of this Administrative Panel, thank our

Alleged blasphemy: Bring killers of Mrs. Agbahime to book, NUF tells police ...wants Kano govt to compensate family with N20m

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA—A human rights group, Ndigbo Unity forum, NUF has called on authorities of Kano state police command to arrest and prosecute the killers of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime for murder, with immediate effect.

NUF said it was shocked that barely 24 hours after the crime

against humanity was committed, the Kano state police command is yet to arrest the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

In a press statement issued at the weekend in Onitsha, Anambra state, yesterday, jointly signed by its President, Augustine Chukwudum and SecretaryGeneral, Chinedu Onyebuchi, the group noted that having read and confirmed through their sources that the gruesome

Power cut to hospitals endanger lives--IMC

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—A passionate appeal has gone to the management of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, to resist the temptation of disconnecting power supply to hospitals because of the obvious danger it would pose to human beings in life support equipments.

The Medical Director and Chairman, Interim Management Committee, IMC, of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri,

Professor Ndu Eke, who made the appeal, yesterday, in Owerri, recalled with grief, how EEDC disconnected FMC even after paying N5 million into the company’s account.

“We were owing EEDC about N12 million. We paid N5 million into EEDC account on a Friday and the next Monday, we were cut off. This put the lives of patients, especially the children in incubators, at risk,” Eke said.

Answering a question, Prof.

Eke said that a survey already carried showed that it would cost

the hospital management about N120 million to instal solar powered electricity supply in FMC. “We do not have this kind of money for now. The report is currently kept in the cooler until we get the necessary financial backing to execute the project,” Eke said.

Professor Eke identified availability of oxygen in the hospital as one of the serious problems facing the hospital, adding that “the situation is desperate.”

his government is just busy dishing out lies to divert the minds of some gullible citizens in their propaganda /child play government. We would like to know the source of the recovered funds. Whether it is from yahoo-yahoo boys or public officials. Miss Chika Dike, Graduate

murder of Agbahime, an Igbo woman on June 2, this year, by some Muslim fanatics in Kofar Wambai market, Kano really occured, NUF is disturbed that a law-abiding citizen could be nurdered in a cold blood in the 21 century over an allegation of blasphemy.

According to the statement, “it is a public knowledge that this is the second time an Igbo person is being killed under a week. Our position is that we want the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr. Solomon Arase to mandate the Assistant Inspector-General, AIG incharge of Zone 1 and Kano state commissioner of police to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to book within the next 48 hours.”

The statement added: "Even though we know that no amount of money can be quantified with the irreparable loss suffered by the family of the deceased, we call on the Kano State government to compensate bereaved family with at least N20 million.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

T

governor for finding us worthy to carry out this task. We believe that by choosing the caliber of people here, the governor expects the best from us.

“He expects quality, dedication, transparency and honesty in handling this task.

We promise that God being our helper, we are going to carry out this responsibility with fairness.

We will do everything within our power to ensure that the truth is found and that our report will be transparent” she said.

On FFederal ederal Go Govvernment’s released list of reco recovvered loo loott

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he anti-corruption crusade of the government was meant to serve two main purposes-the recovery of looted money and to deter future looters. The two aims are complementary and one without the other is a failure. - Mrs. Morayo Simeon, Businesswoman

D

emanding that the names of looters be published and what the recovered money is to be used also made known is good for Nigeria. Anything worth doing at all is worth doing well. We would like to know the source of the recovered funds. -Miss Chioma Ani, Model

S

ecrecy promotes corruption and re-looting.

I actually think that our politicians are worst than Yahoo Yahoo boys because what they did is wicked and killing our people bit by bit.

May God have mercy on them. -Mrs. Emmanuella Mercy, Teacher

I

n one year this government has fulfilled more promises than the previous government. The number one promise made during the election is fighting corruption, and that President Buhari is doing as it can be.

This does not look like broken promise. -Mr. Imoni Jesukri, Journalist

H

ow are we sure there are names to those monies? President Buhari should name the so called thieves so we can believe the figures are not orchestrated by Lai Mohammed propaganda. -Mr. Igwe Buchi, Engineer

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 — 35

KOGI GOV POLL: Tribunal dismisses Faleke’s petition Says he remains Bello's deputy

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri & Boluwaji Obahopo

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BUJA—THE Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has dismissed the petition lodged by erstwhile running mate to late Prince Abubakar Audu, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke.

Faleke had gone before the tribunal to challenge the legitimacy of Yahaya Bello’s emergence as the Governor of Kogi state.

He queried the refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to declare him as the valid winner of the governorship election in Kogi State.

Faleke, who is currently representing Ikeja II Federal Constituency, Lagos, in the House of Representatives, through his team of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, contended that the initial election had produced a winner in late Prince Abubakar Audu, saying his death arrogates to him, the status of governor-elect.

Insisting that he had a joint ticket with late Audu, Faleke argued that INEC should not have declared the election inconclusive since they had already secured enough votes to warrant the declaration of a winner on the basis of the total number of votes that were cast.

He therefore prayed the tribunal to declare that INEC acted wrongly when it declared

the outcome of the November 21, 2015, governorship poll in Kogi State inconclusive.

Both the petitioner and the 2nd respondent, Bello, belong to the All Progressives Congress, APC. However, in their unanimous judgment yesterday, the threeman tribunal headed by Justice Halima Mohammed, held that Faleke could not be declared governor considering that his party, the APC, never nominated him as its substantive candidate for the 2015 Kogi governorship election.

The tribunal, which conducted its proceedings in Abuja, maintained that under the law, the political party, APC, had the right to nominate or choose its

candidate for the election.

It said the party did not act in breach of either the 1999 Constitution, as amended, or the Electoral Act, when it nominated Yahaya Bello to replace the late Audu as its candidate in the December 2015 supplementary election.

Besides, Justice Mohammed who read the lead verdict, held that Faleke had no locus-standi to institute the action since he was not nominated by the APC as its governorship candidate.

Reacting to the judgement, Governor Bello said it was a victory for the people of the state, who had been yearning for meaningful development for many years.

The governor, who spoke in Lokoja, the state capital after the tribunal’s verdict, however, said with the judgment, he would be glad to receive Faleke to enable him contribute to the development of the state.

He said: “Since my mandate is from the almighty Allah I have no doubt in my mind that, we are going to have this victory today, it is a victory for the people of Kogi State, it is a victory for our party.

“It was a judgment between me and my brother, honourable James Faleke, he is not my opponent, we belong to the same party and it is just an explanation that he sought from the court and court has given its own explanation to him, he is my brother, he should come and join me.''

AWARD: Senator Adefemi Kila (left) presents Trade Union Congress (TUC) "Excellent, Visionary, and Emphatic Leader" Award to Director-General of National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Mrs Chinelo AnohuAmazu at at TUC Triennial National Conference/Award dinner in Abuja at the weekend.

El-Rufai has threatened our lives – Sen Sani, Akida members They are mischief makers, says Kaduna APC

By Luka Binniyat

K

ADUNA—SENATOR Shehu Sani and members of Akida, a pressure

group within Kaduna State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday alleged that Governor Nasir ElRufai has threatened to deal

NIESV decries state of the economy

By Elizabeth Uwandu

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AGOS State branch of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers, NIESV, has decried the state of the economy and what they called geometric progression in expenditure by the citizenzry compared to their take home resulting in several cases of rental defaults and litigation.

In a media chat to mark the institutions week in Lagos, the Vice Chairman, NIESV Lagos branch, Mr. Orimolade Olurogba, said 80 per cent of all properties under his care had defaulting tenants who were previously meeting their obligations.

He noted that some sectors, including oil and gas, that were hitherto known to offer C M Y K

job security, had been the worst hit lately.

He said: “What is most worrisome about it is that the sectors, which were termed to be secure, such as the oil and gas industry, are now the jobs that are most insecure. ‘’A lot of people are being retrenched; the high end or the upper middle class people working in oil companies and who live Victoria Garden City and Lekki Phase 1 and other areas whose rentals are up to N4million and above are struggling. Some are even moving to cheaper accommodation. ‘’The ‘ideal and choice tenants’ that most landlords look forward to occupying their properties are currently defaulting because of the uncertainties in the economy.”

with them and and called on security agencies to look into the matter.

But Kaduna State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has described the group and Senator Shehu Sani, as partners in mischief and indiscipline.

APC Akida, which was formed last week in Kaduna, has Mr. Tom Maiyashi, as its chairman, while Senator Shehu Sani, APC, Kaduna Centrral, Isa Hashiru, who contested the governorship ticket of the APC with El-Rufai, and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Secretary of Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, among others, are members.

Addressing a Press Conference in Kaduna yesterday, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of Akida, Mallam Mustapha Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the group, said: “We are here today to alert the general public, security agencies, members and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress on a serious issue that has to do with

the safety and lives of many prominent individuals and some citizens of Kaduna State.

“On Saturday, June 4, 2016, a town-hall meeting was held at Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, while responding to one Ayuba Ragas who advised Governor Nasir ElRufai to reconcile with the APC Akida group, he (governor) described himself as the man with the big shoes that will crush, trample and destroy the ants’ (in reference to members of the APC Akida).

“I am ready for the useless people who call themselves APC Akida. The scene is like that of a man wearing a big shoe being confronted by ants, the man wearing the big shoe will crush, trample and destroy the ants.

“This unwarranted threat, coming from a man who has the resources and state security apparatus at his beck and call is very disturbing and such comments should not be swept under the carpet because it has the power to push some over zealous thugs of the governor to maim and attack the supporters of the true APC AKIDA.''

RAMAD AN RAMADAN TALK

Another precious time for rebirth

By Ishola-Haroon Balogun

A

S-SALAM alaikum waramotullahi, wa barakatuh! Alhamdulillah! Allah has brought us to another season of blessings by His Grace. The blessed month of Ramadan —the month of striving in obedience and supplications, the month of fasting, reading the Qur’an, standing in prayer at night, and seclusion in the mosque; the month which has the Night of Decree, in it, a night in which the Quran was revealed, a night that is better than a thousand months.

There are lots and lots of people that had craved to witness this period but had been buried. It is neither because of their sins, nor because we are better. It is simply

by His Grace. We must therefore be prepared for the enormous opportunities in this month and take time to invest these precious moments wisely.

Basically, it is time to develop a sense of responsibility towards getting closer to Allah, let us affect lives positively in our family, community and society. Let us resolve to stay away from sleeping all through the nights, let us refrain from idle and vain talk, spending considerable time on TV programmes and the social media and from sins. The spiritual and physical exercise of fasting are premised on gaining (taqwa) piety.

Distractions consume our time and take us away from living a more productive and fulfilling life. During the month of Ramadan our time is precious. Our eating and sleeping patterns are altered with early morning sahoor, the occasional nap during the day and late night prayers. If we allow our everyday distractions to continue throughout Ramadan, we risk depriving ourselves from the immense blessings that are available.

If you are sincerely ready for the change, then you have to persevere, it is never easy to dump old habit, but as you take a bold step towards redefining your spiritual life, doing more nawafil, more tahjudd, more charity and getting closer to Allah, these changes may be difficult initially, but gradually you will start seeing the positive impact of such changes on your life.

Then if you believe that the promise of Allah is true, then you are sure you are completely blessed in this life and the hereafter.

We all need to constantly purify our intentions and strive to gain taqwa. Certainly, there is no better time to take ourselves to account and renew our intentions and gain peity than this blessed month. “And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.” (Q 29:69).

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

DIASPORA VISIT: From left—Councillor, Welfare and Education, Nigerian High Commission, UK, Mrs Folake Abdulrasaq; Mrs Abike DabiriErewa, SSA to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora; Acting Nigeria High Commissioner in UK, Ambassador Simon Ogar, and Nigeria Defence Attache, Brig. Gen. Oyefeso, during Dabiri-Erewa's visit.

ANNIVERSARY: From left— Lagos State Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola, and Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mr. Adeyemi Fashola, at a briefing by Mrs Ademola, as part of activities marking the one year anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode's government.

left— Executive Producer, HB Consolidated, Mr. Oludare Onasanya; Manager, Team Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Ife Oteyipo; Olayiwola Onafowokan; Tony Okungbowa; Executive Director, Hey What, Chichi Nwoko; and Manager, Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria, Orah Egwu, at a briefing on the Etisalat-sponsored of Kids Say the Darndest Thing Nigeria, in Lagos. PHOTO: Shola Oyelese.

YELLOWCARE: From left—Director, School Support Services, Mr. Ade Abatah, representing Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Ganiyu Sopeyin; student, Iwerekun Community Junior High School, Kamoldee-Juwairah Adejoke; Human Resources and Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria, Amina Oyagbola; student, Gbaja Boys Senior High School, Okeke Paul, and Trustee, HopeGate Foundation, Olufunto Igun, at the 10th anniversary of MTN 21 Days of YellowCare in Lagos.

CEO FORUM: From left— CEO, Financial Derivatives Company Ltd, Mr. Bismarck Rewane; Executive Director, Corporate and Transactional Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ms Yewande Sadiku; Founder, Leap Africa, Mrs Ndidi Nwuneli, and former Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Sola Oworu, at the 11th Annual CEOs Forum of Leap Africa, co-sponsored by Stanbic, in Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

WORLD MILK DAY: From left—Actress, Sola Sobowale; Marketing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Tarang Gupta; celebrity chef, Adeniyi Williams; public health physician, LASUTH, Dr. Elo Ukatu; Senior Brand Manager, Omolara Banjoko, and Marketing Manager, Peak, Dolapo Otegbayi, both of Peak, during World Milk Day celebration, tagged Art of Milk, cooking competition among Lagos State students in Ikeja.

NESTLE'S AGM: From left— Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Mr. Bode Ayeku; Chairman, Board of Directors, Mr. David Ifezulike, and Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Dharnesh Gordhon, all of Nestle Nigeria, at the company’s 47th Annual General Meeting in Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

LOTTO: From left— MD, Mr. Charles Arthur; Chairman, Idowu Obasa, both of Golden Chance Lotto, and Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Lotteries Board, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, at the launch of Golden Chance Lotto, web aplication and mobile devices in Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

ETISALAT: From

CORONATION:

From left— The new Onitegun of Itegun, Alhaji Kayode Adams; Olori, Taye; her husband, HRM Oba Adeshina Oluwaseyi Ogunniyi, Ojiwukin III; and Yeye Oba of Itegun Ijesha,Yeye Oluwatoyin Akinmolayan, and others, at the coronation ceremony in Itegun, Ijesha, Oriade Local Government Area, Osun State.

ICCON: From left— Mr. Richard Wheeler of Infinix Africa; Mr. Olukayode Ayinde, representing the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing; Dr. Iyabo Phillips, representing Lagos State Commissioner for Education; Vice President, Dr. Shettimah Saidu; President, Professor Felix Okieimen, both of ICCON; keynote speaker and former Head of Service of the Federation, Professor Afolabi Oladapo; Ag. Reg/CEO, ICCON, Mrs. Kujore F. M., and Mr. Jide Majiyagbe, representing SMEDAN's DG, at ICCON’s workshop in Lagos.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—37

Lighting up Nigeria: The investors’ nightmare

6 Marketing tips that can enhance governance in Nigeria (2)

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DENTIFY and focus on the main agenda: In marketing where very limited resources always surround numerous needs, the issue of focus goes beyond a concept. It is a daily practice. The team’s eye must always focus on the high points and main priorities, or important points will quickly get lost in the details.

Marketing strategies that aren’t focused ever work. When a team has 14 priorities and strategic objectives in a plan, they rarely accomplish any. So the team must always focus on specific target markets, most important products or services, most productive sales and marketing activities, specific target market needs and the company ’s strengths.

Even to get the most out of a campaign and to move people into action, a marketing team needs to be specific and direct about what it is offering.

Wherever there is focus, there are things to be downplayed or ignored totally. The team must know when to say no, why, where and how. It was globally renowned comedian, Bill Cosby who said “I don’t know the secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everybody, every time.”

Suffering from a lack of clarity Mark Sanborn still in his article for LeadershipNow.com reveals that Leaders can lose sight of what is important as they become distracted by the trappings of leadership and power. When this happens, instead of “thinking big” as all great leaders must, “they suddenly start thinking small. ”This translates into micromanaging and becoming consumed by “the trivial and unimportant.” In Nigeria today, most observers would readily bet that the country’s leadership is suffering from a lack of clarity.

Recent pictures in our dailies show the President, VP and Budget Minister going through budget details, a document with hundreds or probably thousands of pages.

With two large ministries in charge of budget: Finance and Budget &Planning, all with directors and consultants trained in preparation, appropriation, implementation and review of budgets why should These three sit like schoolboys, all pretending to look for needles in a giant haystack?

Can’t the leader call for briefings on any area he desires so that he can focus on major issues? The issue of focus, which is an intrinsic part of marketing, can be borrowed to ensure the smooth flow of governance in Nigeria.

Communication is key: The fundamental goal of marketing

is to deliver a message to potential consumers designed to convince them to perform a specific action-usually to purchase a particular product or service.

To be an effective marketer, one must have a keen grasp on the effects of different media on communication and understand how consumers are most likely to interpret various messages.

Effectively, every marketing is an act of communication.

In marketing, communication plays a significant role in the way the audience reacts to massages about any product or service. No genuine marketer can ignore the relevance of communication if he wants to succeed.

This is a lesson Nigeria’s leadership should imbibe since no democratic leader can survive long if he fails to win the buy-in of the citizens. In recent times, Nigerians have been clamouring for the roadmap the present regime wants to use in navigating Nigeria to greatness.

Till date no such communication, even in an abridged format has been presented. Mark Sanborn opines that when leaders lose their grasp on what’s important, ,“they

Wherever there is focus, there are things to be downplayed or ignored totally often hide their confusion and uncertainty in ambiguous communications.”

Alternatively, they fall into “the clairvoyance trap”- believing that the people who follow them should “automatically sense their goals and know what they want to do without being told.”

When those followers are unable to decipher the essence of the leader’s communications, he or she blames them for a lack of effort, “rather than his or her own communication negligence.” Just like every passionate marketer, no sincere leader can underestimate the relevance of good communication.

Institute periodic reviews: Marketing teams just like military command units hold “after-action reviews” (AARs) after each “combat” encounter irrespective of the outcome. As in business, the reasons for

success or failure in combat often are not always very clear.

So reviews sessions are organised regularly to generate specific recommendations that can be put to use immediately after performance appraisal.

Like sports coaches and players who convene right after a game to review a team’s performance, the marketing team meets after one, two or five days of activity, depending on the agreed space of time, to past performances and the best actions to be taken in the short, long and medium term.

In a political environment like ours where people would prefer to just celebrate victories and move on, the temptation to overlook periodic evaluation is very high. However a government that desires to make strong impact needs to consider periodic performance evaluations. This should be different from the regular federal executive council meetings that is always preoccupied with allocating projects and resources Periodic reviews provide clear and immediate understanding behind any good, average or poor performance, thus bringing light to important lessons for all team members.

Think like a customer In most introductory marketing training module, rule number one is to solve your customer’s problems. To enhance marketing the organisation is always expected to make a product that meets an obvious need. The need must be obvious. A successful product must take guesswork out of how it satisfies a customer’s problems.

To further enhance its success, the product needs to put some distance between it and other commodities by explaining what makes it different. This difference must be remarkable and longlasting so that the consumer will not think it is just a fad. This explains why the marketer has been trained to think like a consumer. In Governance, any action taken without the decision maker putting himself in the space of the populace is bound to lose its sensitivity and subsequent acceptance.

To build sustainable goodwill, the leadership group in Nigeria must imbibe this trait from the marketing world.

Courtesy: The Advertiser, a marketing information publication of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN).

By Ademola Adedoyin

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ATELINE: June 2012, Egbin Power Plant. The 4 unit Gas powered Electricity generating plant wore the look of a consignment set aside for a power plant museum. In a state of disrepair and neglect, and lacking in overhaul maintenance for decades, the plant managed to epileptically produce a paltry 400 Megawatts of its installed capacity of 1,320 Megawatts, at its best performance.

The workforce’s ordeal was similar, if not worse, than the plant they were supposed to work on. Frustrated owing to several years of stagnation in one position without prospect of career fulfillment or growth, the workers were a study in how low morale can run down a vibrant entity. They exhibited neither any sense of purpose nor any eagerness to make things happen. They took everything, including the most urgent of tasks, unbelievably easy.

Fast forward to May 2016.

From a distance you could feel the new; vibrant Egbin Power Plant. The Power units are overhauled, upgraded and sparkling; producing, when gas is sufficiently available at its full production capacity of 1,320 MW. In the workers, the sense of urgency and commitment to the task at hand is palpable: young, energetic, well kitted, these guys appear ready to drive this project to the next level. That next level is the Investor’s plan to double the plant’s production in the first five years of taking over.

Total power capacity Since November 2013 when Sahara Power, a subsidiary of Sahara Group bought 70 percent stake in Egbin Thermal power plant, the vast complex has come back to life and the plant, after a comprehensive overhaul which cost the new investors some $388 million, has resumed production, at full capacity barring no disruption to gas supply.

With the 1, 320 MW of electricity, Egbin currently produces one quarter of Nigeria’s total power capacity.

Today, new facilities and structures have been put in place by Sahara Power, the new investors in collaboration with their technical partners, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). These include the upgrading and modernization of the plant, training institutions, social infrastructures and recreational facilities for the wellbeing of staff.

Egbin Power Station now boasts of skilled manpower, world class professionals and in general, a well motivated workforce. That is why Kola Adesina, chairman, Egbin Power Plc.. can beat his chest

and assert that “since we acquired the assets our passion has been to embark on constant upgrades in technology and investment in human capital to ensure we light up Nigeria.

I make bold to state that our staff in Egbin rank among the best in Africa when it comes to power generation. In fact, they remain the drivers of our relentless quest for excellence and desire to redefine power generation on the continent.”

But beneath the giant strides so far achieved by the Egbin Power Station, lies a huge challenge. The power station currently suffers shortage of natural gas. The situation is worsened by renewed militancy in the creeks of the Niger Delta region, where oil and gas pipelines are being blown up on regular basis.

This is a more compelling reason why the federal government must get its acts right in ensuring that peace returns to the region.

The company is at present grappling with economic woes occasioned by difficulties in accessing foreign exchange. At the time of the acquisition of the assets by the new investors, the exchange rate was N198 to the dollar.

Having raised capital from banks, the investors are now

One of the most difficult situations the company is currently facing is the huge legacy debt burden faced with the harsh reality of paying back in time of economic down turn. Indeed, the company is in trouble with the current exchange rate ragime. As a result of the harsh economic situation, liquidity problem has also set in, making it increasingly difficult for the company to finance its capital intensive operations.

One of the most difficult situations the company is currently facing is the huge legacy debt burden. It is estimated that electricity distribution companies (Discos) are being owed about N100 billion in the last two years. For these companies to live up to expectation, the government must take steps to settle these debts owed by its agencies. The bulk of these huge debts are money DISCOs are to pay the generation companies, the gas companies and others in the value chain of the power sector.

To be concluded

38—VANGUARD, TUESDAY,

JUNE 7, 2016

Sorry, I didn’t pray about Oshiomhole — PASTOR IZE-IYAMU

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

H

E did not make any pretence about his local content as the scheduled interactive session kicked off in an upscale Ikeja, Lagos hotel last Thursday.

A total homeboy, perhaps the only foreign content in Pastor Osaze Ize-Iyamu is his adoration for the immediate past English Premiership champions, Chelsea. Besides that, every other thing about him seemed to be programmed for Edo State.

A product of Edo College Benin, University of Benin, he has played his politics and business almost entirely in Edo State. In fact, the one year programme he did at the Lagos Law School was to him a ‘miserable time’ being the longest time he stayed away from Edo State.

“Unlike many of you who have had the opportunity of moving from place to place, I have been localized. I was born in Benin.

My primary school was in Benin.

My secondary school was in Benin; my university was in Benin.

Passion for the state If it were possible to have done law school in Benin, I would have done it, but it was not possible, so I had to come to Lagos, and so it was a miserable one year in law school and even when I was doing Youth Service in Ondo State because it was close to Edo, I could afford to visit Edo as often as possible,” Ize-Iyamu, arguably the leading Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship aspirant in the 2016 said.

“I work in Edo, I live in Edo, and I have told my children, that is where I want to be buried.

So you can understand my passion for the state,” he said.

Many would, however, say that his passion is the cause of the pains some allege has been the bane of governance in Edo State since 1999.

Brain behind successful governorship campaigns Pastor as he is popularly called was the brain behind the four successful governorship campaigns that produced the two substantive governors that have emerged in the state since 1999.

He crafted and steered the campaigns for Lucky Igbinendion in 1999 and 2003.

In 2007 given that he was still serving a PDP government, he had no qualms appointing his cousin, Prof. Omo Omoruyi to manage Oshiomhole’s first campaign. In 2012 he was the

•Ize-Iyamu: I want to be governor, but not at any cost director general of the Oshiomhole Campaign which won the governorship election in all 18 local government areas of the state.

Classical politician: It is thus not surprising that Ize-Iyamu is normally identified as a classical politician who should take blame for whatever is seen as the lot of the people today. However, the meeting with him last Thursday

town. Some of them were subsequently scrambling to pay his bills!

So given his pedigree, it was quite easy to tackle him for helping the APC to power in the state. “In their first four years when they did well, I was in the fore-front of those applauding them. But in the second four years when I expected that they would finish strongly, what I have seen is a very strong disappointment.

Very strong disappointment

I work in Edo, I live in Edo, and I have told my children, that is where I want to be buried. So you can understand my passion for the state was an eye opener for the handful of political reporters.

It was a shocker of sorts when he was introduced as a real pastor, lawyer, farmer and even more, a trainer of young farmers.

Besides the journalists were a handful of Edo stakeholders who converged at the meeting venue on the news that Pastor was in

There are many critical areas in our state that have not been touched. Industries have not been touched, agriculture has not been touched, sports has not been touched, tourism has not been touched, housing has not been touched and then a few others.

And there is no way you can govern the state and neglect these areas. Even the areas that have been touched, the approach, has been more cosmetic than anything else.”

Political movements: Undoubtedly, one potential embarrassment for Ize-Iyamu would be his political movements.

From the PDP he moved over to the ACN/APC and is now back to the PDP. His response amazingly reveals a potential virtue in his persona as he observed that the two times he defected, that he left parties that were in government. When he left the PDP for the ACN in 2007, the latter was new in Edo State.

When he again left the APC in 2013 for the PDP, the latter was at that time a no-hoper given the adoration for Oshiomhole.

“I don’t think it is fair to just stigmatize us as the usual politician who jumps boat at the slightest drift. I never left because we were defeated or because we were not in government, instead I took what many people considered as a risk to do what I did. And the reason is that my objective in politics is people-centred.”

Not desperate to be governor: Despite his reputation as having the most rooted structure of all the aspirants, Pastor Ize-Iyamu affirmed that he was not desperate to be governor.

Ulterior motive “When I tell people I want to be governor, but I am not desperate, they are shocked, and I tell them that anyone who truly wants to serve cannot be desperate. It is when you have an ulterior motive that you are desperate. I want to be governor, but it cannot be at any cost, it cannot be at any cost.”

Given his past adulations on the outgoing governor especially in the construction of roads, it was interesting to find out IzeIyamu’s beef with Oshiomhole.

“One of my grouses as somebody who has always lived in Edo is that government money is squandered,” claiming that costs of projects carried out by the

outgoing administration are set in secrecy.

“I don’t know how a project can be appreciated when the cost is not known and in Edo that is what we find today. People would just appreciate projects without bothering about the cost; even top civil servants are extremely reluctant to divulge it. A place where the secretary to government, chief of staff, commissioners cannot tell you the cost of projects, even when those projects have been done and commissioned, tells you that we are running a system that cannot be described as transparent.

“I would give you a simple example; a new university has been built by the governor in his village. I was looking through, and I stumbled on documents on the cost of a hostel for students, a 168-room hostel, and I found out that the cost was N1.6 billion.

That means that just one room for students cost Edo State government over N10 million to build,” he said.

Ize-Iyamu affirms that his Christian experience is not politically motivated as he gave a touching narration of his Damascus Experience on the Benin-Shagamu Highway. A car crash sometime in 1995 was the turning point for him in his relationship with God which has so far blossomed and led to his appointment as a zonal pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

Christian testimony Given his Christian testimony, the question of his attitude to the well-known debauchery of politicians was an issue. After all, he was a key man in the Igbinedion and Oshiomhole arrangements.

On that point, he said that his testimony has been his defence.

“If anyone wants to do any bad thing, they know that pastor must not hear of it otherwise he would stop it.” Assertions that the Oshiomhole administration would sooner than later slam him with culpability in the indiscretions of the Igbinedion administration easily excite IzeIyamu even as he acknowledges that Oshiomhole was a big mistake for him.

“It was a big mistake and like you just pointed out, sorry I didn’t pray. I am not being malicious, even if I weren’t running, I would be very strong in condemning him because I am disappointed, I brought him in, all the money he spent we brought it together for him. So I feel very, very disappointed.”

What of the famed baggage that the Edo Government House is waiting to hang on him?

“I have headed offices, but let me also tell you that I am proud to say that I have never been indicted for any wrongdoing.”

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—39

PVC MOP UP: Ogiemwonyi

arrest Rep

asks IGP to

•Count me out — Obaseki

By Gabriel Enogholase

A

By Omeiza Ajayi

A

PC governorship aspirant Chris Ogiemwonyi has asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase to arrest a member of the House of Representatives, from Edo North for allegedly buying up the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, of some delegates of the All Progressives Congress, APC. At a news conference in Abuja, Ogiemwonyi who spoke through the Director of Planning, Strategy and Operations of his campaign organization, Akemokue Lukman said at the right time his group would release video evidence to back its claims.

“This news conference has to do with attempts by highlyplaced people in government, some of whom are lawmakers to smuggle in a gubernatorial aspirant in as the candidate of the party through the backdoor. This, they intend to do by disenfranchising the voters who are scheduled to take part in the forthcoming primaries.

“We are telling the delegates to go back to their wards and LGA chairmen and collect back their PVCs because that is their ticket to vote”, he said.

Accusing lawmakers of becoming lawbreakers, Ogiemwonyi said government officials, including Mr Obaseki were in attendance at the meeting and that his team have video evidence.

He called on the IGP to arrest the lawmaker and get the cards from him, saying the PVC and the party membership cards are what would be used for the party primaries.

Yes, PVCs are allegedly on sale — Gen. Airhiavbere One of the aspirants of the party, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere who was at the APC national secretariat Monday to submit his nomination form also confirmed that some political elements in the state had been buying up the voter cards.

“That information is very correct. Delegates have been reporting that some members of the public are moving around buying PVCs for N5,000. It has two sides to it. It is a gross abuse of human rights probably because N5, 000 means a lot to a delegate and he sells it for N5, 000 to part with what is his fundamental human right.

“One of the aspirants has even been campaigning that

•Ogiemwonyi : Wants Obaseki's man

PDP to commence sale of forms

•Obaseki: Frontline APC aspirant

arrested

HEAD of the September 10, 2016 governorship election in Edo State, the Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will commence the sale of governorship nomination forms this week to aspirants wishing to contest the election.

There are four governorship aspirants on the platform of the party aspiring to be the governorship candidate of the party for the election. They are Chief Solomon Edebiri, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu , Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen and Mr. Osaro Onaiwu.

A competent party source, who does not want his name in print, confirmed to Vanguard that all was set for the sale of the governorship nomination forms to the aspirants. He said the forms would be sold at the State Secretariat of the party in Benin- City.

On how much the nomination form would cost, he said he cannot disclosed the amount as only the State Executive Council of the party can disclosed that.

Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that most of the aspirants are geared towards collecting the nomination forms before the dateline set by the party.

BATTLE FOR DELEGATES •Airhiavbere: PVCs are being bought up

people should not sell their birth right. From Esan yesterday, people called me that they had to chase away some people who came to buy their PVCs. I don’t know what they want to do with it, maybe they want to clone it, but it is very unfortunate”, he said.

It’s a waste of time -Odubu In his reaction, one of the aspirants and Deputy Governor of the state, Pius Odubu said anyone engaged in buying of voter cards is only embarking on a wasteful exercise.

“I arrived Abuja yesterday (Sunday) and I have heard that allegation too but I cannot confirm whether it is true or not because I am not in Edo State at the moment. In any case, if anybody does that, it is just a wasteful exercise because there are other forms of identification beside the PVCs. What you need is to properly identify yourself at the polling units through the voters register. So anybody buying up PVCs does not believe in the tenets of democracy. This is participatory democracy and everybody must be allowed to make his choice.

•Odubu: Collecting PVCs will not help anyone

I condemn the act in its entirety and I want to urge anyone doing that to stop it”, he said.

On whether he was aware that the incumbent governor, Adams Oshiomhole has endorsed one of the aspirants

We are telling the delegates to go back to their wards and LGA chairmen and collect back their PVCs because that is their ticket to vote

to be the party’s flag bearer, Odubu said “I know my boss, if he had anointed anybody, he would not be afraid to say so publicly, to the extent he has not said so publicly, that is in the realm of rumour and I will urge you to take it as such.

Odubu also dismissed insinuations of a frosty relationship with Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, saying there is no such thing as he enjoys a very cordial relationship with his boss.

It’s not me — Obaseki Meanwhile, the man at the centre of the allegations, Godwin Obaseki has denied sponsoring anyone to help him buy up voter cards.

Obaseki who was flanked by Shuaibu and other federal and state lawmakers from the state spoke Monday when he visited the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to submit his nomination form.

He said; “ I am not sure Ogiemwonyi would have made that statement. He is too responsible for that. I was in Auchi yesterday (Sunday) where Hon. Phillip Shuaibu hosted over 400 delegates from Etsako. We were all seated with them and they had their voter's cards. This is what we try to discourage in campaigns. The campaigns must be truthful and people must be focused on issues,” Obaseki said.

Obaseki, Odubu camps playing mind games

By Simon Ebegbulem

T

HE Campaign organization of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr Pius Odubu and that of Godwin Obaseki led by Osarodion Ogie, are playing mind games ahead the June 18, 2016 scheduled governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The reason is that Ogie and Odubu were Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s foot soldiers in the 2014 congresses that brought in the delegates, and hence, know one another well.

Ogie, however, had to dismantle his political structure to work for Obaseki as directed by his boss Oshiomhole and that is giving Obaseki good advantage.

Ogie understands the strength of Odubu and the two have been battling in the field to outwit each other. Some say that it would have been better for Odubu if Ogie had remained aloof.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 — 40

Foreign leaders to attend Ali’s funeral

T

HE President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and King Abdullah of Jordan are among the dignitaries scheduled to speak at Muhammad Ali’s funeral on Friday, a family spokesman says.

Thousands of people are expected to join the funeral in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.

Former US President Bill Clinton and actor Billy Crystal are also set to speak.

Ali died last Friday at the age of 74 in hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

A spokesman said his death was from “septic shock due to unspecified natural causes”.

The three-time world heavyweight champion had been suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson’s disease.

Ali’s funeral will take place at a large concert and sports arena, the KFC Yum! Center, from 14:00 (18:00 GMT). The service will be open to the public.

California imam and scholar Zaid Shakir will preside over the service, family spokesman Bob Gunnell said.

The funeral will be broadcast live on the internet.

Before the ceremony, at 9:00 (13:00 GMT), the coffin will be taken on a procession through the streets of Louisville, passing by locations histori-

cally important to Ali. “Everything that we’re doing here was blessed by Muhammad Ali, and was requested,” Mr Gunnell told journalists.

“He wanted the memorial service to reflect his life, and how he lived. He wanted everyone to be able to attend. He was the people’s champ, and he wanted the memorial service to reflect that”, he concluded.

In sign of unity, Christains renovate Christ's tomb together

A

TEAM of experts has begun a historic renovation at the spot where Christians believe Jesus was buried, overcoming longstanding religious rivalries to carry out the first repairs at the site in over 200 years.

The project, which began Monday, will focus on repairing, reinforcing and preserving the Edicule - the ancient chamber housing Jesus’ tomb in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is the first such

work at the tomb since 1810, when the shrine was restored and given its current shape following a fire.

An ornate structure with hanging oil lamps, columns and oversize candlesticks, the Edicule was erected above the spot where Christian tradition says Jesus’ body was anointed, wrapped in cloth and buried before his resurrection. It stands a few hundred meters (yards) from the site of Jesus’ crucifixion.

•Police chase protesters down one of the main roads in the western city of Kisumu during a protest aimed at overhauling the country's election commission, yesterday.

Protests in Kenya as opposition marks ‘Day of Rage’

A

T LEAST two demonstrators were killed in police firing on Monday, as opposition supporters in Kenya blocked key roads and set fire to tyres in a “Day of Rage” protests aimed at overhauling the country’s election commission.

Opposition CORD alliance, which alleges that the electoral body is

biased towards the president, has been staging weekly protests every Monday.

Protests took place in several towns but in Kisumu, an opposition stronghold in western Kenya, police opened fire before using tear gas and water cannon to quell the protests.

Word of the shootings

Britain warns of possible terrorist attacks in S'Africa

B •Rahaman Ali, the younger brother of Muhammad Ali, cries while embraced by assistant pastor ,Rev. Charles Elliott, III, during a service at King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church where Ali’s father worshipped in Louisville, Ky.

GOP TO TRUMP: Stop alienating Latinos

T

OP Republican officials and donors are increasingly worried about the threat Donald Trump’s attack on a judge’s Mexican heritage could pose to their party ’s chances in November — and about the GOP’s ability to win Latino votes for many elections to come.

Trump is under fire for repeatedly accusing U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is overseeing a lawsuit involving Trump University, of bias because of his Mexican heritage.

Those concerns intensified Sunday after Trump said he

would have the same concerns about the impartiality of a Muslim judge.

House and Senate GOP leaders have condemned Trump’s remarks about

U

It was not immediately clear what triggered the warnings. Security officials say there are no known militant groups operating in South Africa. It has only a small Muslim population.

Number of migrant bodies found on Libyan coast rises to 133

T

HE bodies of 133 migrants have washed up on the shore at the western Libyan city of Zuwara in recent days, the Red Crescent said on Sunday.

ILO wants world leaders to

safeguard environment, boost devt Kim Jong Un too ‘young and impulsive’— S/Korean Defense Minister came at a significant

By Victor Ahiuma-

Y

OUNG, rash and impulsive.A frank assessment of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by South Korean Defense Minister Han Minkoo.

Speaking exclusively to CNN on the sidelines of a defense forum in Singapore, Han says it’s a

Ukraine detains Frenchman over Euro 2016 attack plot KRAINE has detained a Frenchman suspected of planning a series of attacks across France during the forthcoming European 2016 football championship, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said.

Curiel, while donors have openly worried that losing Latino voters could doom them in key down-ballot races.

RITAIN has warned of a high threat of attacks against foreigners in popular shopping malls in South Africa in an alert issued at the weekend, when a similar advisory was published by the United States embassy in Pretoria.

Africa’s most industrialised country has a significant expatriate and tourist population but has seldom been associated with Islamist militancy.

South Africa’s government said the country was safe following the U.S. warning on Saturday.

The man came to Ukraine under the guise of volunteering to fight in the conflict in the country’s east and managed to obtain 125kg of TNT, five assault rifles, two anti-tank grenade launchers and ammunition, the SBU said on Monday.

combination that concerns him greatly.

“Kim Jong Un was just 28 when he came to power with very little time to prepare. Add to that, he is very young, he lacks experience.”

Kim certainly seems to be in a rush to perfect his nuclear and missile capabilities, the intensity of testing this year alone is unusual even for North Korea. If you look at his father, Kim Jong Il, during his 18 year reign, there were about 18 missile tests.

During Kim Jong Un’s four year reign there (have been) 25 missile tests,” says Han.

Young, reporting from Geneva, Sitzerland

G

E N E V A — INTERNATIONAL Labour Organisation, ILO, has called on world leaders to do everything possible to preserve the environment so as to boost development and provide jobs for unemployed persons across the globe.

Director General of ILO, Mr. Guy Rider, who spoke while speaking on World Environment Day, at the th 105 International Labour Conference, ILC, in Geneva, warned that illegal wildlife trade is inimical to the environment.

Ryder said this year’s World Environment Day

fuelled heavy clashes in the centre of Kisumu and the working class district of Kondele. There were widespread scenes of looting and two supermarkets were destroyed.

A bullet wound was visible on one corpse, laid outside a hospital morgue by protesters who said he was hit by police fire.

Six protesters were taken to Kisumu’s main hospital suffering from gunshot wounds, the Red Cross said.

Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga led peaceful demonstrations in the capital, Nairobi.

moment, as it was the first to follow the historic adoption of the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

He said both landmark agreements had pushed sustainable development to the centre of the global agenda.

According to him, ”wildlife, through a range of productive activities and industries dependent on it, such as nature-based tourism, supports numerous jobs. Also, workers such as park rangers and forest managers are vital to the protection and conservation of the world’s biodiversity.

Spokesman Al-Khamis al-Bosaifi said about threequarters of the migrants were women and there were at least five children.

No documents were found with the bodies, which were partly decomposed, but they were mainly subSaharan Africans, he said.

A local security official said the migrants were thought to have set off from the nearby city of Sabratha, where a surge in boat departures led to hundreds of migrant deaths last week.

Migrants hoping to reach Italy from Libya pay hundreds of dollars to traffickers for a place in a boat. The vessels are often flimsy and ill-equipped for the journey across the Mediterranean.

The crossing is far more dangerous than that between Turkey and Greece, which was the busiest sea route until a deal to curb flows between the European Union and Turkey came into force in March.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016— 41

42—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

With advancing age, ear infections are inevitable — Professor Julius Ademokoya

I

A PROFESSOR of Speech and Hearing Rehabilitation, Professor Julius Abiola Ademokoya, has called for more public education and enlightenment about the need to go for regular checks in order to detect common ear infections.

Ademokoya, who is the President, Speech Pathology and Audiology Association of Nigeria, SPAAN, said a number of factors that contribute towards the relatively high cases of hearing problems in the country are preventable.

Excerpts:

By Sola Ogundipe, Chioma Obinna & Gabriel Olawale

W

HEN talking about ear infections, we need to first understand that the ear is divided into three parts, the outside, middle and inner ear.

Infections can happen in any of the three parts. Fungal infection can cause external ear infection and if not properly treated can move to the middle ear and also migrate to the inner ear to cause damage.

Middle ear The middle ear which is made up of the hole we normally see, contains the tympanic membrane, there can be some infections there as well (utertis media disease). Parts of the middle and inner ears are vulnerable to infection.

If you look at the middle ear, there is always fluid on the lining of the canal of the hole, some

people usually have excess of cerunen, the accummulated fluid in the middle ear can become so much and thick which can create

It is more of a functional disease than infection.

What I mean by functional is that it is something that has to do with aging and it is not really infection per se two problems. It can narrow down the passage of sound from outside to the inner ear, that can affect hearing to some extent.

Conditions Secondly, it can put pressure on the tympanic membrane. You know the middle ear also leads to the throat. Now you can have some infections from the upper chest area that will travel from the Eustachian Tube, that leads the middle ear to the throat.

Infection can come from the chest or mouth and move through the Eustachian Tube. Common infections like cold, viral infections, etc., can move through that Eustachian Tube to the ear, and cause infection of the middle ear.

Some of all these challenges are not “infections”, rather they are “conditions”. For instance, the Eustachian Tube is very delicate and tiny. Some people put sharp or pointed objects into their ears and this can tear tympanic membrane, so that can cause a problem.

Inner ear In the inner ear, there are normally a lot of infections, especially viral infections such as meningitis. All the family of viral infections can affect the sensitive part of hearing that is called the Cochlea. Some of these infections affect the Central Nervous System, organs of hearing and lining of the brain, especially the part that is responsible for

How to care for your ears Use earplugs around loud noises ANY people have noise-induced hearing loss because of loud work or leisure environments.

Clubs, concerts, lawnmowers, chainsaws, and any other noises that force you to shout so the person next to you can hear your voice all create dangerous levels of sound.

Turn the volume down

M

The suggestion is to listen with headphones at no more than 60 percent volume for no more than 60 minutes a day.

Give your ears time to recover If you are exposed to loud noises for a prolonged period of time, like at a concert or a bar, your ears need time to recover. If

Ear diagram you can, step outside for five minutes every so often in order to let them rest.

What's more, researchers have found that your ears need an average of 16 hours of quiet to recover from one loud night out.

Stop using cotton swabs in your ears It's common for people to use cotton swabs to clean wax out of their ear canal,

but this is definitely not advisable. A little bit of wax in your ears is not only normal, but it's also important. The ears are self-cleaning organs, and wax stops dust and other harmful particles from entering the canal.

Take medications only as directed Certain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-

President Muhammadu Buhari, travelled abroad to seek medical attention for persistent ear infection. correctly and do things hearing and interpretation of correctly, is courtesy of the inner ear function. sound.

If there is problem with the way Meniere’s disease you are standing, you can’t walk Meniere’s disease, which is correctly, jump properly, you called noise in the ear, is sound coming into the ear. Most people can’t balance yourself very well, in old age experience that, it is it could be due to malfunction or the condition that is common with vertigo. At times, accident to the age, It is more of a functional ear is a serious factor. Accident disease than infection. What I resulting from heavy blow to the mean by functional is that it is ear among other issues can cause something that has to do with inner ear problem.

Number one, hereditary is a aging and it is not really infection factor, because most of the hearing problem has to do with per se.

With advancing hereditary, especially gradual age, a lot of loss of hearing, another thing is conditions begin genetic characteristic of your inflammatory drugs to come up in the body make up could cause it.

(NSAIDS) like aspirin, body system ibuprofen and naproxen, that are not Causes of hearing can sometimes contribute really tied to impairment to hearing loss. infection but are Keep your ears dry Lifestyle, what we expose our due to the ageing Excess moisture can allow p r o c e s s . ear to as regard the noise. These bacteria to enter and attack Occasionally, could be environmental noise. the ear canal. This can there is ringing There are times we carelessly cause swimmer's ear or (noise) in the ear, expose ourselves to noise. At other types of ear you feel it and it parties, people sometimes sit very infections, which can be could be close to the loudspeaker. Some dangerous for your d i s t u r b i n g wear earpieces all the time to hearing ability. especially if it’s enjoy music and there are Get up and move b e c o m i n g instances in which exposure to Did you know that exercise drugs can cause hearing persistent. is good for your ears? It's impairment.

Vertigo true.

Way forward We also have Manage stress levels The education is not there, I V e r t i g o Stress and anxiety have problem which think for the first time we are been linked to both is peculiar to the having a high profile hearing temporary and inner ear. A case in Nigeria. At the Speech permanent tinnitus (a s y m p t o m Pathology and Audiology phantom ringing in the includes feeling Association of Nigeria, we ears). dizzy, like the always emphasise that there is Get regular checkups world is turning. need for every Nigerian to go for Ask your primary care The balance you hearing check up, especially if physician to incorporate enjoy when you they are feeling strange in their hearing screenings into stand up hearing pattern. your regular checkups.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016—43

How voluntary blood donation improves heart health

B

By Gabriel Olawale

V

OLUNTARY blood donation is a healthy habit that most Nigerians can engage in as a means of relieving the shortage of blood supply in the country and also improving their heart health and reduce excess iron in the body that predisposes individuals to cardiovascular diseases, CVDs. Head of the Blood Donor Organising Unit, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, Ms. Sijuade Olayinka, told Good Health Weekly regualr blood donation id beneficial to the donor an recipient in several ways.

Speaking during the 4th annual blood donation camp of Seventh Day Adventist Church Lagos Mainland Conference to mark Global Youth Day, Olayinka said “Anything more than 12.5 grammes of blood will only overstress the heart.

Donation itself acts as a form of exercise, because if one pint of blood is collected, one will be losing about 650 calories.

“With regular donation, you are at a great advantage not to develop diseases associated with heart problems because you have made your heart work at a pace that is proportional to your body mass.

She said whether a person donates blood or not, every 120

The role of blood in the body

Blood donation saves lives days, the red blood cells are naturally replaced, so it is advisable to give blood to save lives.

“People with chronic disorders, cancer of the blood, accident victims, pregnant women, and fire outbreak victims can benefit from the pint of blood you are donating.”

President, Lagos Mainland Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church, Emmanuel Adeniyi, said blood transfusion is an essential component of healthcare and contributes to saving millions of lives annually in routine and emergency situations. It improves life

expectancy and quality of life of patients with a variety of acute and chronic conditions.

“Patients who require transfusion as part of their clinical management have the right to expect that sufficient blood is available to meet their needs.”

Adeniyi said the exercise is aimed at inculcating the act of kindness in the youth.

The estimated blood needs in Nigeria averages 1.4 -1.7 million units per annum. Voluntary/nonremunerated blood donation accounts for 10 per cent of total blood collection, according to data from the National Blood Transfusion Services, NBTS

LOOD is a bodily fluid in human that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells.

The components of blood include plasma (the liquid portion, which contains water, proteins, salts, lipids, and glucose), red blood cells and white blood cells, and cell fragments called platelets .

Blood plays an important role in regulating the body's systems and maintaining homeostasis. It performs many functions within the body, including: Supplying oxygen to tissues, supplying nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids either dissolved in the blood or bound to plasma proteins.

Removing waste such as carbon dioxide, urea, and lactic acid Immunological functions, including circulation of white blood cells and detection of foreign material by antibodies.

Coagulation, which is one part of the body's self-repair mechanism (blood clotting by the platelets after an open wound in order to stop bleeding).

Regulating body pH. Regulating core body temperature Hydraulic functions, including the regulation of the colloidal osmotic pressure of blood Blood transport oxygen and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is needed for cellular respiration to produce energy for the cells. Carbon dioxide in cells changes to carbonic acid which is toxic as it decreases hameoglobin levels.

Haemoglobin carries oxygen molecules through the blood to all living cells so if carbon dioxide is not removed no oxygen will not get to the cells and this will lead to death. Blood also transport hormones. Hormones are important because hormones transmit signals from a group of cells to a group of another cells, where its effect is determined to the pattern of secretion and the response of the receiving tissue. It has a long onset of action than neurons and thus is more suitable for controlling slow processes of the body, e.g. growth, menstural cycle, metabolism regulation Simple sugars such as glucose. Also included amino acids, fatty acids, glycerol, vitamins and dissolved minerals because human blood is made up of 55 percent plasma and 45 percent blood cells.

These digested products are carried by blood plasma.

Blood also transports nitrogenous waste such as urea are by products of protein metabolism. Urea, uric acid, creatinine, bilirubin and ammonium ions are transported by plasma to kidney to be excreted.

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44—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7,

2016

Ibadan boils as teachers, pupils, other workers protest •Govt shuts down all public schools indefinitely

By Ola Ajayi BADAN — THE face-off between Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Nigeria Union of Teachers and Nigeria Labour Congress took a dangerous dimension yesterday as pupils in public, primary and secondary schools in Ibadan violently marched through major roads brandishing dangerous weapons such as machetes, clubs and axes.

The students who made futile attempts to gain entry into the government secretariat went wild destroying government property. At the front of the government house, the angry students who were armed with stones, broke all lights at the gate and the surroundings.

In what appeared like an incitement against the state government, the students trooped out of their various schools in the metropolis shortly after resumption yesterday.

After vandalising valuables at the entrance of the secretariat, the students moved to a private broadcasting station, Murhi International Television(MITV), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State where they destroyed property and drove all workers out.

Also, the state office of the All Progressives Congress at Oke-

I

Ado was not left out. It was seriously vandalised. All the window glasses were completely shattered. They even wanted to set it ablaze, but they were prevented by security agents.

Vandalization Ajimobi’s wife's office: They pelted the office of the the first Lady, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi with stones and

Workers who have been directed to embark on strike over a matter that is still in the conception stage should have a rethink wounded one of her security agents.

The visibly angry students held green leaves and chanted antigovernment slogans as they marched throug h Molete, Dugbe, Mokola, Agodi Gate, Iyaganku, Challenge and later headed to the state government secretariat which houses the of-

Ajimobi reacts, orders closure of schools

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EANWHILE, Governor Ajimobi has ordered the immediate closure of all primary and secondary schools in the state as a way of protecting the lives and property of the entire citizenry, pointing out that government has noted the attempt by some members of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Nigeria Union of Teachers to expose our staff and students to danger arising from the on-going court action against their members.

“Today’s(yesterday’s) incident whereby some students and members of the public were once again coerced by labour to disrupt school sessions and engage in unwarranted public protests and wanton destruction of property is highly condemnable.

“Members of the Public will recall that members of the two bodies (NLC and NUT) and their hired collaborators last week dis-

rupted the stakeholders’ forum organized by the government on the proposed participatory management of some public secondary schools.

“The decision of the leadership of the NLC to declare total strike without existing labour dispute or ultimatum to the government contravenes all known labour laws and conventions. It is quite unfortunate that labour leaders at the national level, who ought to know better, also failed to avail themselves of the opportunity of meeting with officials of the state government to clear apparent misconceptions about the intention of the government.

“The state government wishes to state for the umpteenth time that it never had any intention to privatize, commercialize or cede any of its public secondary schools to any individual or group.

•Secondary schools pupils went on rampage, yesterday, to protest an alleged plan by the state govenment to privatise public schools in the state.

fice of the governor.

All the gates leading to the secretariat were securely locked with security men keeping vigil to ensure the students did not cause any havoc.

The pupils threatened to attack commuters and vandalise vehicles in some areas as they marched on. As the students were roaming the streets, their teachers who had earlier declared that all schools in the state be shut went round the schools that opened and chased pupils and teachers out. The protesting teachers went to schools like Saint Anne’s Secondary School, Molete to force them to shut down.

Court releases detained NLC members: Seven members of the NLC including the state Chairman, Mr. Waheed Olojede who were detained and arraigned at the Iyaganku Magistrate's Court

3 on Friday have been freed.

Though, the Magistrate, A.A. Adebisi had granted them bail on Friday, their bail conditions were not perfected which compelled the workers to remain in detention till yesterday.

Rather, the intention of the government is to partner willing stakeholders in the participatory management of a negligible number of the public secondary schools, which may not be more than 10 per cent of the existing 631 schools in the end.

“Discussions are still ongoing with stakeholders on the matter and this informed the invitation extended to those concerned, including labour, NUT and other members of the public to come and contribute to the discourse before a final decision is taken by the government.

"The reality of today is that the

NLC declares strike

N

LC declares strike: Meanwhile, the national secretariat of NLC has declared strike in the state indefinitely. The leadership of the workers’ union was in the state to weigh options.

Led by Solomon Adelegan, the National Vice Chairman, said, “the national secretariat of NLC is quick to bring to the notice of the general public of how the Senator Abiola Ajimobi-led government has gone ahead in early hours of today (yesterday) to mobilise hundreds of armed thugs to Iyaganku magistrate court with a directive to allegedly attack innocent and law abiding workers who are expected to be at the same magistrate's court this morning to ensure the adequate perfection of bail conditions for the release of the labour leaders who had been incarcerated since June 3, 2016 at Agodi Prison.

“Consequently, our members were beaten, harassed, and intimidated by these gangs of armed thugs. This is a deliberate attempt to scare the workers

away from the court premises with a view to perfecting the bail conditions.

“Therefore, we call on the general public not to hesitate to hold Senator Ajimobi solely responsible should Oyo State be plunged into a state of uncontrollable anarchy as a result of his crude and uncivilised method of mobilising thugs and use of military force to silence the opposition voice against the anti people plan to sell some leading secondary schools in the state under the pretence of private public partnership.”

NLC demands: They demanded immediate withdrawal of all trumped-up charges levelled against the incarcerated labour leaders; government must rescind its decision to sell off public schools; proper and adequate funding of the education sector including payment of living wages and other incentives for education workers and immediate payment of six months outstanding salaries and all pension arrears.

government alone cannot solve the myriads of challenges confronting education and other critical sectors in the state. “The unpatriotic role being played by the disgruntled labour leaders and their external collaborators will not proffer solutions to the dilapidated state of infrastructure, poor performance of students in public examinations, low morale of teachers and in-conducive teaching-learning environment. Government will like to remind them that the era of brigandage and wanton destruction of public property has become history in the state and we will resist any attempt by any person or group, no matter their status, to draw us back into the dark era."

Baseless street protests Meanwhile, the forceful co-option of innocent school children to partake in today ’s (yesterday’s) baseless street protests anchored on outright falsehood and rumour is rather unwarranted, shameless and evil.

“We want to use this medium to again advise parents to warn their children and wards not to allow themselves to be used for any unlawful gathering or protest, because law enforcement agents have been placed on red alert to disperse any unlawful assembly. Workers who have been directed to embark on strike over a matter that is still in the conception stage should have a rethink and report at their duty posts, while the government intensifies efforts to clear arrears of salary”, Ajimobi stated.

APC reacts: The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State has condemned in strong terms yesterday's violent attacks against some of its members as well as its State Secretariat by some hoodlums allegedly sponsored by the opposition parties to stage violent protests against the government of Senator Abiola Ajimobi ostensibly over a

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016— 45

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Muhammad Ali’s children ‘to box’ over legend’s $80million fortune I

T was a moving display of family unity: nine childrenwithfourwomen gathered around the bedside of dying Muhammad Ali. They had rushed from all corners of the US, said his spokesman, to share the final moments of a man whose chaotic family life had always been subsumed under his glorious public one.

‘We all tried to stay strong andwhisperedinhisear,“You can go now. We will be OK. We love you. You can go back to God now”,’ said his daughterHana.

‘All of us were hugging and kissing him, holding his hands, chanting the Islamic prayer.’

Ali’s spokesman Bob Gunnell said he was deeply moved by the scene. ‘It was a wonderful thing to witness. A lot of love and every member ofhisfamilywasthere,’hesaid.

‘There was a lot of crying ... butmoreimportanttheydidit with dignity and kindness, as Muhammad lived his life.’

This show of solidarity in grief is undoubtedly one that Ali’s family will maintain – at least until after his funeral.

An airplane carrying the boxing great’s body arrived from Arizona, where he died, on Sunday afternoon in his hometownofLouisvilleahead of a public funeral procession and service expected to draw huge crowds in honor of ‘The Greatest’ on Friday.

Theprivateplanelandedat LouisvilleInternationalAirport around 4.30pm, WLKY reports. Gunnell says Ali was accompanied by his wife, Lonnie, and other family membersandfriends.Hesays the body was taken to a local funeralhome.

Police reportedly escorted the casket, which was wrapped in a black cloth bearing Arabic scripture in gold on it, from the airport to the funeral home.

Thethree-timeheavyweight championandoutspokencivil rights activist died on Friday night at age 74 after health problems complicated by a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

‘Our hearts are literally hurting. But we are happy daddyisfreenow,’oneofAli’s ninechildren,daughterHana, wroteonTwitter.

After the funeral there are fears that the gloves will be off in the battle over the boxer’s $80million(£55million)fortune and, perhaps equally importantly, who guides the legacy of such a legend.

ForbothhisbrotherRahman and Muhammad Ali Jr, the boxer’s sole biological son, have accused others in his extended family of being anything but ‘humanitarian’ towardsthem,cruellyleaving

them in varying degrees of financial hardship as Ali and his controlling fourth wife, Lonnie, lived in the lap of luxury.

Unemployed Ali Jr, 44, recently revealed he hadn’t spoken to his father for two years,andthathisattemptsto contact him were routinely blocked.

Indeed, he even went so far astoclaimthathehadstopped caring what happened to Ali. Andit’snotdifficulttoseewhy.

For the past decade, he has been living in a miserable garret in Chicago’s crimeriddenSouthSide,relyingon charity handouts to feed and clothehim,hiswifeShaakira, and their two children, aged seven and eight. Their grotty flat is theirs only through the charity of Shaakira’s family, who own it.

AliJr,thesonofAli’ssecond wife, Khalilah, says he has beenalmostentirelycutofffrom his father since 2004. He blames Lonnie, who married Ali in 1986, and not only nursed him through his long decline but also – with power of attorney over his money – sortedouthischaoticfinancial affairs.

The official cause of Ali’s deathwassepticshockdueto unspecified natural causes.

GunnellsaidAlihadsought medicalattentionforacough, but his condition rapidly deteriorated.Hewasadmitted

‘I used to say that I felt hurt not having my daddy in my life and it’s still not a good feeling. In reality, it’s like not having one' to a hospital in the Phoenix suburbofScottsdale,wherehe hadlivedforseveralyearswith his wife Lonnie.

InLouisville,thelateboxing legend’slifewascelebratedat a memorial service at the churchwheretheirfatherwas a longtime member on Sunday.

His younger brother RahmanAlitookcenterstage atthetwo-hourserviceatKing Solomon Missionary Baptist

United front: Ali, center, with some of his children – (from left) Jamillah, Maryum (standing), Khaliah (sitting), adopted son Asaad, Hana, Miya, Laila and Rasheda goodfeeling.Inreality,it’slike Church, sitting in a front-row Ali wed his first wife, albeit 16 years his junior.

Inevitably, Ali’s life was nothavingone.Myfathercan’t pew with his wife, Caroline.

ChicagococktailwaitressSonji complicated by claims he do a thing for me.’ Rahman Duringtheservice,assistant Roy,in1964buttheydivorced Ali also blames Lonnie for his pastorCharlesElliottIIIasked within 17 months without fathered other children. They reducedcircumstances. include Kiiursti Mensah Ali, the congregation to stand to producing any children.

Aged 72, the ex-boxer honorMuhammadAli.Inhis The marriage reportedly now35,whosemotherclaims married six times and was a she had a 20-year affair with tribute, Elliott said ‘there is no ended because she objected member of his brother’s greatmanthathasdonemore to the constraints of being a theboxerwhichstartedwhen entourage. she was 17. forthiscitythanMuhammad Muslimwife.

In return, Ali is said to have Meanwhile Lonnie and Ali Ali.’ Next came Belinda Boyd, helped him with alimony adopted a baby boy, Asaad, The church is not far from who had caught Ali’s paymentstosomeoftheseexthe little pink house in wanderingeyewhenshewas andshebecameAli’sfull-time wives and allowed him to carer .

But her motives for such Louisville’s west end where 14andworkinginaKentucky move into a house he bought theAlibrothersgrewup.Italso bakery.Theymarriedin1967, self-sacrifice remain hotly for their mother after she debated within the family. features a painting by Ali’s when she was 17 and he 27.

Whereassomeareadamant passed away. father, Cassius Clay Sr. She dutifully changed her Yetthislargesseendedwhen that LonnierescuedAli,others And it was one of several name to Khalilah Ali and had Lonnie took over the purse emotional remembrances three daughters – Maryum say she poisoned his strings, forcing Rahman into relationships with the rest of Sunday as the city joined and twins Jamillah and a modest Louisville flat. together to mourn its most Rasheda–andthesonAlihad hisfamily,manyofwhomwere Rahman says he once seen as spongers leeching celebrated son, called ‘the long craved. confronted Ali about the Louisville Lip’. Later on During the tumultuous money off him. Ali Jr, as well woman he’s called a ‘gold as the boxer’s brother , are seen Sunday, interfaith services marriage, Ali had numerous digger’and‘anevilb****’.He were planned at Louisville’s affairs, two of which led to the in this category. claims Ali ‘just looked at me For his part, Ali Jr says his IslamicCenter,whichinvited birthofanothertwodaughters. with his famous look’, put a citizens to ‘join hands in unity In 1975, Ali strayed again, estrangement from his father finger over his mouth and happened 12 years ago when to celebrate the life’ of Ali. beginningarelationshipwith went ‘Ssshhh’.

On Friday, politicians, Veronica Porsche who had heaskedhimforasignedpair With family members of boxing gloves.

He claims celebrities and fans from workedasaglamorous‘poster expecting Lonnie to be a coaroundtheglobeareexpected girl’ to spice up his fight Lonniebelievedhewantedthe executoroftheestate,Rahman memento only so he could sell foramemorialservicethatAli against Joe Frazier. has reportedly vowed to fight planned himself with the Once,Khalilahcaughtthem it and therefore refused to let ‘tooth and nail’ in court to him see his dad. intent of making it open to all. in bed together in a hotel and He also claims she did not ensureheandallAli’schildren After a small family funeral sheattackedhimsoferociously allow his father to attend the receiveashare–whichisnow on Thursday, Ali’s coffin will she drew blood. likely to soar in value. betransportedFridaythrough After Ali married Veronica, funeral of Ali Jr’s baby The marginalised brother daughter. thestreetsofLouisville,before Khalilah was quickly written and son aren’t the only In recent years, Ali Jr says a private burial at Cave Hill out of his life and reduced to enemies of Lonnie. Charlotte that when he phoned his Cemetery and the public very modest circumstances.

Waddell, the boxer’s cousin, interfaith memorial service at Today,sheworksasahospital father, his calls would either claimed two years ago that not be answered or he would the KFC Yum! Center. canteenwaitressinFlorida.

Lonnie ‘controls everything’, The procession has been Ali’s marriage to Veroncia be told his father was busy. saying: ‘I can’t stand to be Although he’s in touch with organized to ‘allow anyone produced two more around her. It wouldn’t take that is there from the world to daughters, Hana and Laila, his sisters, they never me two seconds to spit in her discussed their father, he said. say goodbye,’ family butby1986she,too,hadbeen AliJrclaimstheyarealsoangry face.’ spokesmanBobGunnelltold swept aside.

Howtragicallyironicthatthe reporters.

That year, as Parkinson’s atLonniebutaretooscaredto greatest fighter the world has Louisville Mayor Greg Disease began to take hold, say anything.

Headded:‘Iusedtosaythat ever known has left an Fischer said the city is ready he married wife number four, extended family who seem for a massive celebration to Lonnie Williams, who had Ifelthurtnothavingmydaddy hell-bent on plunging into in my life and it’s still not a honor its most famous son. been a childhood neighbour, bitter feuding.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016 — 47

Siasia raises alarm over Rio 2016 Court disowns U

NDER-23 coach Samson Siasia disclosed that his team is not ready for the Brazil 2016 Olympics after his boys failed to live up to expectations at the Suwon Invitational tournament in South Korea.

Nigeria came from a goal down to beat Honduras 3-1 in another game of the tournament yesterday. The team had lost 1-0 to hosts South Korea and 6-2 to Denmark. Siasia stated that there is much work to be done if Nigeria were to meet the target of winning to the gold in Rio. “The Suwon invitational tournament campaign was preparatory to helping us get ready for a successful outing in Rio. “We know from this four-nation tournament that we are not really

Giwa Continues from BP effort of Giwa and his group to forcefully take over the secretariat of the football house last Friday.

According to the NFF boss, the action of the group who are laying claim to the leadership of the NFF just a day after a peace meeting with members of the House of Representatives on Sports, only shows how desperate they are for power.

He said the NFF under him will not do anything that is not legally binding adding that after subscribing to FIFA in 1960, she must have to respect the rules and regulations of the body.

“Let me say that what these people are doing is a major distraction.

What they attempted to do is a misnomer because what they are parading does not even give them the power to come and forcefully take over the secretariat That action is very destructive

.Giwa group’s antics blown apart Nigeria football, Giwa and

T

•Siasia

Suwon invitational: Nigeria thrash Honduras 3-1

N

•Awoniyi

‘writ of execution’

ready yet. It was an eye opener for us to see the players we have and their ability to perform on a high level like the Olympics,”Siasia said He stated that changes would be made to the team in the course of time.

“There will be changes of course to make the team a better one.”

He added that the paucity of funds for their preparations was not helping matters. “ I have said enough about poor financial support because nothing good will come out of all this talk. No need to talk about it any more because it will never change we will continue to suffer till the Olympics are over.”

IGERIA U-23s came back from an initial blip to defeat Honduras U-23 31 in the 2016 Suwon Invitational Tournament on Monday.

The Central Americans took the game to the African side at the 35,000-seater Bucheon Sports Complex, dominating ex-

changes in the opening minutes until they finally had their questions answered with an opener credited to striker Albert Elis.

Honduras continued to be on the rampage and almost scored the second goal of the game. Lozano came close with his effort.

and must not be condoned. We don’t want to go against FIFA Statutes but even at that we have taken an appeal in a Nigerian civil court and I know that when you appeal, any issue at the lower court seizes to have life.

“Their aim is to destroy our football and prevent Nigeria from qualifying for the 2018 world cup.

I am sure while Nigerians were happy that the Super Eagles defeated Mali and Luxemburg in the friendly matches, they were not happy.”

Pinnick who was emphatic in his speech further warned that even as he is still committed to the peace meeting called by the House Committee, added that he even accepted to be in that meeting because of the respect he has for the lawmakers because Giwa is already serving a ban.

“The House Committee in their wisdom called us to a

meeting, we spoke and I preach the gospel of Rule of Law. The House gave us a timeline of 10 days to come out with what they think should be the way forward but just the next day Giwa and his group were to forcefully take over.

“I am not supposed to sit with Giwa in a football meeting because he is under a ban. I don’t have the power to unban him, the issue must go back to the Congress who may either pardon him, reduce or even extend the ban. We were elected to serve for a four year term which will end on September 30, 2018 and nothing will change that and we will remain in office till then.”

Giwa and his group were reported to have stormed the NFF last Friday, an action Pinnick described as an affront to all well meaning Nigerians trying to make peace in the nation’s football.

The game went into recess with Honduras leading Nigeria by one goal to nil.

With pressure increasing from the Nigerian team, skipper Azubuike Okechukwu got the equalizer on the 61st minute mark.

Eight minutes after, Belgium based winger Godwin Saviour scored from the penalty spot after Abia Warriors utility man Ndifreke Effiong was fouled in the box.

On 85 minutes, Tottenham Hotspur winger Nathan Oduwa earned his fourth cap for the Nigeria U23s, replacing Abdulrahman.

In the 87th minute, Saturday Erimuya finally got his name on the score sheet as the game ended 3-1 in favour of Nigeria.

HE latest antic by Chris Giwa and his group to continue to lay some claim to the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation has been blown to smithereens, after the Federal High Court, Jos disowned the ‘writ of execution’ being bandied by the group.

In an interview in his office in Jos on Monday, the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Jos, Mr. Nasiru Gusau said the document did not emanate from the court.

“We did not issue any writ of execution on this matter. What you are saying is strange to me,” Gusau told thenff.com on Monday.

Gusau explained further: “The Giwa people made an application for writ of execution, which the court declined. The court cannot execute a declaratory judgment or an interlocutory order.

“Moreover, if the case is on appeal, how can the High Court issue a writ of execution?”

It has now become clear that in their desperation to attain some relevance in

cohorts would stop at nothing, including the ridiculing of the judiciary.

An undated and completely invalid ‘writ of execution’ was submitted at the NFF secretariat on Friday, by an Executive Officer (Accounts) with the Federal High Court, Jos, Langmbweng Enoch Wupeh. The ‘ writ of execution’ was, strangely, prepared and signed by Plaintiff Counsel (Giwa’s lawyer), and to it was attached only the first two orders made by the court, leaving out the most recent orders that struck out the first two, as well as the Hon. Judge’s clarification. The signature of a ‘Judge’ (no name) was poorly forged.

Gusau had earlier clarified the interim order made by the court on 8th April, saying the court only re-listed the Giwa case for hearing and never said Giwa should assume leadership of the NFF. The Honourable Judge M. H. Kurya himself clarified the order he gave, dated 14th April 2016, while delivering his ruling on the application by NFF for leave to appeal.

•Pinnick

•Giwa

Brume Continues from BP jump event of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria golden league held yesterday in Akure, Ondo State.

Brume, who struggled with her form in 2015 improved on her personal best of 6.68m and barring any circumstances she could be in the final of the Rio Olympics. The 6.83m is the best jump so far among the African women and sixth best jump in the world this season, this

represents a gold at the African Championships billed for Durban South Africa this month.

“I was quite determined to make the Olympic Games here in Akure. I am glad my hard work has paid off,”said Brume.

In the women 400m, Patience Okon George ran her season’s best in the 400m at 51.06 seconds. But the biggest upset of the day was when Divine

Oduduru beat OghoOghene Egwero in the men 100m in a very tight race.

Oduduru clocked 10.29 seconds, while Egwero who had won two legs of the golden league finished in 10.30 seconds.

Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Solomon Ogba was delighted with the performances. He stated that about 35 Nigerian athletes have so far qualified for the Olympics.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2016

Muhammad Ali’s children ‘box’ over legend’s $80million fortune — Pg.46 Suwon: Nigeria thrash Honduras 3-1 — Pg.47

Giwa out to destroy Nigerian football – Pinnick

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

P

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick yesterday said the sole ambition of Chris Giwa and his group is to

Muhammad Ali’s last photo

destroy Nigerian football by getting Nigeria banned by world football governing body, FIFA. Pinnick who spoke in his office in Abuja regretted the reported

Continues on Page 47

Brume, others hit Rio 2016 mark

BY BEN EFE

C

OMMONWEALTH Games champion, Ese Brume launched

herself into reckoning for a medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, with a jump of 6.83m in the long Continues on Page 47

•Late Muhammad Ali

Rio 2016: Siasia raises alarm — Pg.47

EURO 2016: Three Lions land in France

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Renew (6) 5 Dummy (4) 8 Symbol (5) 9 Vehicle (3) 10 Observed (4) 11 Puff (4) 12 Test (5) 13 Mend (6) 16 Plant (4) 18 Revise (4) 20 Damp (3) 22 Bed (3) 23 Fellow (3) 24 Team (4) 25 Due (4) 28 Audacious (6) 30 Swam (5) 32 Related (4) 33 Press (4) 34 Bother (3) 35 Fidgety (5)

DOWN 1 Log (6) 2 Peeled (8) 3 Rock-mass (6) 4 Agreed (9) 5 Discussed (7) 6 Sole (4) 7 Lustful (4) 8 Beverage (3) 14 Identify (9) 15 Transgress (3) 17 Rank (3) 19 Rule (8) 20 Toupee (3) 21 Lockjaw (7) 26 Condemned (6) 27 Disregard (6) 29 Post (4) 30 Flute (4) 31 Attempt (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS Across: 4, Alive 7, Turned 9, Axe 10, Lid 12, Lance 13, Matt 15, Ripen 17, Thieve 19, Torn 20, Cloud 22, Era 24, Soaring 27, Lit 28, Order 31, Cede 33, Dinner 35, Scene 37, Will 38, Lasso 39, Gap 41, Air 42, Talent 43, Beryl.

Down: 1, Atomic 2, Grotto 3, Gel 4, Axle 5, Lant 6, Vicarage 8, Dire 11, Diverting 14, Thus 16, Peri 18, Idol 21, Liberate 23, Anon 25, Aide 26, Grew 29, Driver 30, Relate 32, Essay 34, Neat 36, Coil 40, Pad.

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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