Army kills 100, loses 7 in battle with terrorist

...towards a better life for the people

**

VOL. 25: NO. 62600

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

THE OLISEH, ENYEAMA WAR I want a captain who is disciplined. A leader who can motivate other players. A player who comes to camp early. I want a young player, not a retiring player as captain. And Ahmed Musa is that player. He is my captain. — OLISEH

After 13 years of national service, having this smile on my face and this passion in my heart through the billows, the waves of the ocean, the tears of defeat... Now the thought of being stripped naked and security agents throwing me out breaks me completely. I will take anything, but not insult to my dead mother. — ENYEAMA See Back Page

BATTLE FOR BATTALION HQTRS IN YOBE:

Army kills 100, loses 7 in battle with terrorists •18 killed, 25 injured in Damaturu multiple blasts CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK

By Kingsley Omonobi, Bala Ajiya & Ndahi Marama

A

BUJA — As the battle to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency by December continues, the Nigerian Army fighting with the support of the Air Force, Continues on Page 5

Fulani herdsmen attack Falae's farm afresh 11 CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK: From left: Julius B. Omodayo-Owotuga (Group Chief Financial Officer, Forte Oil) and Tiwa Savage (Forte Oil Brand Ambassador) attending to customers as part of activities marking the 2015 Customer Service Week in Lagos,yesterday. INSET: From left: Mr Uzoma Dozie, MD/CEO, Diamond Bank attending to a customer, Mrs Jumoke Tene, at the Ajao Estate branch of the bank in Lagos as part of activities to mark World Customer Service Week. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele

COLUMNISTS: National Assembly immunity delusion syndrome •P.17 C M Y K

Paternity, maternity leave: The Lagos and Enugu states •P.19 initiative

No to Buhari as Petroleum Minister •P.19

Focus shifts to 15 states, as reactions trail ministerial list 9

Mr & Mrs

2 —Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 3

C M Y K

4—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Senate eulogises HID Awolowo

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—THE Senate, yesterday, paid glowing tributes to Mrs H. I. D. Awolowo, wife of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who recently died at the age of 99.

The Red Chamber, which said it was saddened by the demise of the nonagenarian, also sent a four-member delegation, led by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to condole with Awolowo family, government and people of Ogun State.

The decision, which came after it observed a one-minute silence in honour of the dead, was sequel to a motion entitled The Demise of Chief (Mrs) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo (1915-2015), sponsored by Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso, APC, Ogun Central.

Tejuoso, whose motion was co-sponsored by seven other senators, noted that the late Mrs Awolowo spent her life and time very well.

He added: “We are convinced that Mama Awolowo was a great nationalist, an icon whose life was one of remarkable service to humanity and great achievements.

“Mama Awolowo was a generous and loving woman, whose death is not only a loss to Ogun State in particular, but to the entire nation at large.”

Saraki, who presided over the plenary, described the late woman as a detribalized Nigerian and called on other women in the country to emulate her devotion to her late husband, who died in May 1987.

Oil revenue down by N372bn, non-oil by N198bn

By Michael Eboh

A

B U J A — N I G E R I A’ S economy suffered severe shock in the second quarter of 2015 from the impact of the low price of crude oil in the international market, as data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, revealed that the country’s oil revenue dipped

by N372 billion in three months, between April and June.

CBN, in its Economic Report for the Second Quarter of 2015, also disclosed that the country ’s non-oil revenue depreciated by N197.78 billion, while total federallycollected revenue dropped by N569.54 billion in the quarter under review.

Specifically, CBN noted that the country, in its gross

…as FG’s revenue drops N570bn federation revenue account, recorded oil revenue of N839.02 billion, dropping by 30.7 percent from oil revenue of N1.211 trillion recorded in the first quarter of 2015.

Despite the drop, oil revenue accounted for 56.5 percent of total receipts in the period under review, while it was 38.2 percent lower than the 2015 second quarter budget estimate.

Non-oil revenue in the second quarter of 2015 stood at N646.72 billion, dropping by 23.42 percent from N844.5 billion in the first quarter of 2015. Non-oil revenue also accounted for 43.5 percent of total receipts in the period under review.

As a result of the decline in oil and non-oil revenue, CBN report stated that “total federally-collected revenue during the second quarter of 2015 stood at N1.486 trillion, reflecting a decline of 39.2 and 27.7 percent, compared with the provisional quarterly budget estimate of N2.445 trillion and receipts of N2.055 trillion in the preceding quarter, respectively.”

It attributed the fall in oil receipts to the decline in receipts from Petroleum Profit Tax, PPT, and royalties, owing to the persistent fall in global crude oil prices.

Giving a breakdown of components of the country’s oil revenue, the report

MAN'S

L

AGOS—THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, yesterday, expressed concern over the alarming use of bleaching creams and skin whitening agents.

NAFDAC also warned that such chemicals, aside from causing cancer, could lead to psychiatric and kidney problems.

It equally warned against the

AGM:

From left— Former President of South Africa, Dr. Thabo Mbeki; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Dr. Frank Jacobs, at MAN's 43rd Annual General Meeting in Lagos, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Inter-bank interest rate falls to 2015 lowest

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

L

AGOS—INTERBANK interest rate went down further yesterday to this year’s low of 2.3 percent as the Central Bank of Nigeria,

CBN, withholds fresh issue of treasury bills.

The rate had hit three-month low of 3.5 percent last week from over 50 percent recorded three weeks ago in the wake of Treasury Single Account policy which pulled over N1.2

trillion deposits from banks.

The apex bank also credited the banks with excess cash reserve provisions yesterday evening in line with the new cash reserve requirement, CRR, reduction to 25 percent from 31 percent.

CANCER: NAFDAC raises alarm over bleaching creams

By Chioma Obinna

disclosed that earnings from crude oil and gas sales dropped

by N58.69 billion or 21.4 percent to N215.4 billion from N274.09 billion, recorded in the first quarter of 2015.

Earnings from PPT and royalties stood at N325.03 billion, dropping by N248.27 billion or 43.31 percent from N573.3 billion, recorded in the first quarter.

Furthermore, the report put Nigeria’s average crude oil production, including condensates and natural gas liquids in the second quarter, at 1.91 million barrels per day, mbd, or 173.81 million barrels in the quarter, adding that deliveries to refineries for domestic consumption remained at 0.45 mbd or 40.95 million barrels.

continued use of banned chemicals by unscrupulous cosmetics manufacturers.

Reading what seemed like a riot act in Lagos during the first NAFDAC’s Good Manufacturing Practice, GMP, training for cosmetics and medical devices manufacturers in Lagos, Director-General of the agency, Dr. Paul Orhii, said the use of glutathione intravenous as a skin whitener was unsafe and might result in serious

consequences, including cancer.

He expressed concern that the urge to satisfy customers’ ever-increasing demands and the bid to make profits had driven some cosmetics manufacturers into experimenting with raw materials with little or no safety records.

Orhii vowed that the agency would not hesitate to shut down any company, which failed to comply with good manufacturing practice or

caught with the banned chemicals.

He said: “Skin bleaching is a cosmetic treatment to reduce the prominence of skin discolourations and even out skin colour.

“Some people apply skin lightener to their entire body to change their complexion, but this can be very risky. The active ingredient in some skin lighteners is mercury and so bleaching can lead to mercury poisoning.”

Bank treasurers told Vanguard that there was high liquidity in the banking system, forcing the rates down in interbank market, but not yet sustainable enough to impact lending rates.

Prime lending rates are still over 18 percent in some banks.

Yesterday’s cash inflows to the banks surged banking system credit with CBN to N1.1 trillion after it had opened at N355 billion, indicating that the CRR inflow was less than N700 billion.

Last week the bankers’ committee meeting briefing by the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, indicated that the banks were expecting N740 billion from the CRR refunds.

Meanwhile, Debt Management Office, DMO, has plans to issue N80 billion worth of local currency denominated bonds with maturities of between five and 10 years on October 14, according to a release, yesterday.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

AWARD—From left: An expert on Global Economy, Financial Markets and Policy, Dr Gerald Lyons; Govs. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State; Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, and Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, on the Governors Panel, during the Africa Pension Awards in Abuja, Tuesday night. Photo: NAN.

Army kills 100, loses 7 in battle with terrorists Continues from Page 1 has killed over 100 insurgents who attempted to take over the headquarters of the 120 Task Force Battalion in Damaturu, Yobe State.

This came as Yobe State Police Commissioner, Mr. Markus Danladi, confirmed that four suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers attacked Buhari Housing Estate

and a village on the outskirts of Damaturu, killing 18 people and injuring 25 others in the Yobe State capital early, yesterday.

Meantime, the terror group, yesterday, published a new propaganda video via social media, in which an unidentified fighter read a statement in Hausa and Arabic, flanked by more than a

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

B

E careful what you say about yourself, you are a prophet to your destiny and the words that you speak are potent. Be careful what you say to others, your words can either make or break their spirits. The body responds to what the mouth speaks repeatedly. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them —Albert Einstein

T

HERE’S an old saying that you can’t solve a problem on the level that you meet it. This means that one must find new solutions to old problems. For instance, a given relationship with constant disagreement may require dealing with the problem on a higher level, the question to ask, would be, “in terms of being happy, is this the right relationship for us in the first place?” As soon as you begin to use happiness as your measure of rightness, you begin to see a situation entirely differently.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

T

HOSE who know me should not die, so that little children will not see me as the edible bettle, says the dung bettle.

dozen armed fighters. At the end of fighting for the barracks, which also took place early yesterday, seven soldiers were killed, while an officer and eight other soldiers sustained injuries.

The battle of Goniri According to the military, the battle which occurred at Goniri saw the troops, well-armed with modern fighting equipment, repelling the terrorists who came in droves, seeking to reestablish a base in Yobe State and capture the arms and ammunition from the battalion's armoury.

A statement detailing the operation, signed by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman said: “Fleeing Boko Haram terrorists in a great sign of desperation and to create an impression that they remain relevant, in the early hours of today (yesterday) made a futile attempt on 120 Task Force Battalion troops located at Goniri, Yobe State.

The encounter “During the encounter, our gallant troops successfully repelled the attack and inflicted heavy casualties on the invading terrorists as all of them were killed.

“After the encounter, the troops recovered a

sizeable number of arms; ammunition and other equipment from the terrorists.

“These include one General Purpose Machine Gun, two R o c k e t Propelled Grenades, nine AK-47 rifles and belted rounds of 7.62 (NATO) ammunition.

Others were various wires used for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), seven Primed IEDs, different types of spanners and a torchlight.

“The troops have consolidated on the encounter and are more determined to defend their location and continue to serve as blocking force to any fleeing terrorists from the Nigerian Air Force aerial bombardments and other troops’ artillery fire.

“In a related development, troops of 21 Brigade on fighting patrol from Bama to Ngurosoye, have destroyed Boko Haram terrorists' camps along that axis.

“While on patrol, the brave soldiers came across some of the terrorists' hideouts that also served as fabricating area for IEDs and the terrorists’ training area.

“Another patrol along Bama-Kawuri axis discovered and exhumed IEDs and wires for detonation.

“It is important to reiterate that the Nigerian Army, with the support of the Nigerian

Air Force and other security agencies, would not relent in its determined effort to defeat Boko Haram terrorists.”

Suicide bomb attacks on Buhari Estate Meanwhile, Yobe State Police Commissioner, Mr. Markus Danladi, confirmed that four suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers, yesterday, attacked Buhari Housing Estate and a village on the outskirts of Damaturu, killing 18 people and injuring 25 others.

The multiple blasts, according to the police chief, were coordinated, as the housing estate had twin blasts at a shop and vegetable market along Gashua Road, Damaturu.

“The third bomb blast occurred in one of the Fulani villages, nine kilometres from the state capital, where eight villagers were feared killed. Five people were also injured and brought to the Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital for treatment,” said Toyin Gbadegesin, the spokesman of the police command in a telephone interview with Vanguard.

Gbadegesin also disclosed: “The first attack was launched at a Fulani village, before the three other blasts were heard around Gashua Road that killed over a dozen people, including three suspected bombers.

"The 18 bodies had been evacuated by rescue teams of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Nigerian Red Cross and the Police to the hospital on Gujba road."

M o h a m m e d Damagum, a resident of

Buhari Housing Estate, also said: “I’m terrified with this morning’s bomb blast here that killed one of the children in Yobe State University. My son was supposed to do his registration when his life was taken away by these insurgents. What have we done to these mad boys maiming and destroying our lives and property in the last five years here in Damaturu?”

Boko Haram's new video The insurgent group also, yesterday, published a new propaganda video via social media, in which an unidentified fighter read a statement in Hausa and Arabic, flanked by more than a dozen armed fighters.

The person who spoke in the video did not identify himself, reaffirmed allegiance to the Islamic State group and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

He asserted that Boko Haram, also known as IS West Africa Province, was still under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau, who hasn’t appeared in a video since February.

The man, who spoke in both Arabic and heavily accented Hausa, denied recent claims by the Nigerian military that some members of Boko Haram had surrendered to the army.

He also denied that the military had rescued a number of women and children abducted by Boko Haram, saying the security forces had failed on the battle front and were now resorting to a media campaign to rubbish the insurgents.

"The violent campaign by the group would not be derailed," he said.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Police nab 5 suspected kidnappers in Delta

U

By Perez Birisibe

GHELLI—A team of security operatives attached to the Ughelli ‘A’ Division police station have arrested five members of a suspected six-man kidnap gang along East/West road axis of Ughelli in Delta State.

The suspects, it was gathered, were allegedly heading to Ughelli for a kidnap operation when they were arrested during a stop and search operation by the security operatives, following a tip off on the activities of the gang.

Making the disclosure to Vanguard yesterday, a senior officer of the division who spoke on condition of anonymity, hinted that the suspects were heading to Ughelli from Yenagoa in Bayelsa State in a green Siena car when they were arrested between Evwereni and Ughelli.

“The sixth suspect fled into the bush, while the other five were arrested and taken to Ughelli police station where they are currently being detained for investigation,” he said.

Driver docked over alleged theft of N15m SUV

L

By Onozure Dania

AGOS—A 42-year-old former driver of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Ltd, Gabriel AkinMaweku, was yesterday charged before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court over alleged theft of a Jeep worth N15 million, belonging to the company.

The defendant, who resides at Iyana Era at Ojo Ajangbadi suburb area of Lagos, was docked before Magistrate A.T Omoyele.

He is standing trial on a three-count charge bordering on burglary, stealing and impersonation proferred against him by the police.

The prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji, told the court that the defendant who was a former employee of Seplat Petroleum Development Company ltd, committed the alleged offences on September 30, 2015.

He said the incident took place in the premises of the company at Temple Road Ikoyi at about 8:30 am.

Family of slain undergraduate accuses Police of complicity U

By Anayo Okoli

MUAHIA—THE family of Mr. Emmanuel Uwagbaokwu of Ohobo Afara in Umuahia North local government area of Abia State has accused the state police command of killing their 21-year-old undergraduate son, Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu.

Consequently, the family cried out to the Inspector General of Police to order a thorough investigation of the alleged police murder.

Ikechukwu was until his tragic death, a student of Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, in OhajiEgbema Local Government Area.

Uwagbaokwu family is accusing Abia State police command of being used by certain families it currently had a case of land

dispute with to kill their son.

Ikechukwu was gruesomely murdered in the family house five days to a date fixed by Ibeku Okonko Arbitration Panel to resolve the land dispute and the Uwagbaokwu family is pointing accusing fingers at the rival families in the land dispute.

According to a petition to the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Uwagbaokwu family hinged their suspicion on an alleged threat from one of the rival families.

The family in the petition written by their lawyer, Godwin Oriaku of Overcome’s Chambers, alleged that prior to the killing of Ikechukwu, there had been threats issued on several occasions.

The petition also alleged that one of the rival families that lost a

member, accused Uwagbaokwu family of being behind his death and allegedly warned that they would revenge the death.

The petition read: “On September 10, 2015, Mr. Ikechukwu Vincent Uwagbaokwu, a Marketing Student of Imo Polytechnic went to bed at about 9.00pm but at about 10.50pm there was persistent banging on the door of the family house of the Uwagbaokwu.

“When Mr. Anthony Uwagbaokwe (elder brother of deceased) came out to see who was banging on their door, lo and behold, there were about ten fierce men in Police uniform who had taken strategic positions around the house.

“One of the men in uniform,

who came with Hilux pick up van and another with black Camry saloon car, hit the door of another occupant of the house and forced it open. When the occupant came out, the men in Police uniform, who refused to identify themselves, said that he was not the person that they were looking for."

The Commissioner of Police, Joshak Habila, in a telephone chat with Vanguard, could neither confirm nor deny the incident.

He, however, urged the members of the family to see him in the office if they had such allegation, saying the command would not cover or protect any policeman involved in extrajudicial killing.

But the family lawyer, Godwin Oriaku, insisted that the police commissioner already had a copy of the petition and had directed the CID department to

Fire guts Ikorodu market, destroys 25 shops L

By Bose Adelaja

AGOS—NO fewer than 25 shops and two houses were yesterday razed in an early morning inferno which razed a section of Sabo Market, Ikorodu.

Property worth millions of naira were also lost to the fire, which also consumed a relaxation spot.

The incident which was attributed to a power surge, occurred at about 1.20am when the traders had retired from the day’s business.

The prompt response of the state emergency responders was said to have prevented the fire from escalating.

A mild drama ensued at the scene as some of the victims blamed their woes on the nonchallant attitude of personnel of Ikeja Distribution Company who supplies electricity to the market.

According to the traders, the company failed to respond to a distress call until the situation almost got out of hand.

“Before going home on Tuesday, there was high voltage which affected electrical appliances such as bulbs, fans and sockets, a signal that havoc will soon be recorded but the distribution company turned deaf ears to this. ‘’The office of the electricity supplier is very close to the market and we called their emergency number asking them to switch off the panel leading to the market but there was no response until the fire escalated and almost spread to their office,” chorused the traders.

It was learned that 25 of the 80 shops in that section of the market, two warehouses and a relaxation spot were razed by the inferno.

Some of the shop owners were seen counting their losses when this reporter visited the scene.

In spite of the presence of law enforcement agents, some scavengers were seen carting away some recovered items immediately after the fire was put out by emergency responders.

Eyewitnesses’ account said there was power failure in the market for a period of three days and a high voltage was noticed when the power was restored on Tuesday which eventually gave rise to the surge.

A n eyewitness, Austin Daniel, said he received a distress call at about 1.25am and quickly Some traders sift through rubble to salvage anything left of their wares, at the rushed to the Ikorodu Market gutted by fire in Lagos, yesterday. scene.

“I was and Lagos State Emergency were among the affected shops,” confused when I got a distress Management Agency were on he lamented.

Another victim, Peter Mmahi, call thinking it was a small matter ground at the time of Vanguard’s said he lost items which monetary and I rushed to the scene with visit. two buckets of water but it Some of the traders were seen value he could not immediately dawned on me that it was not a putting calls to their relatives, quantify.

Efforts to reach the distribution child’s play when I got to the intimating them about the company proved abortive as the scene. development. ‘’Anyway, credit goes to the fire One of the affected victims officials could not be reached at services who were readily on simply identified as Sunday,who press time. ground before me and many deals on provision, said he did not Lagos State Fire Services other shops were saved,” he believe the inferno could spread confirmed that 25 shops and two said. to his shop. ware houses were affected, and A combined team of policemen “I thought I was coming to urged traders to switch off all from Sagamu Division, Nigeria sympathise with others but I was electrical apparatus at the close Security, Civil Defense Corps shocked to discover that my shops of business daily.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015—7

Security operatives kill suspected kidnapper in Delta A

By Emma Amaize

SABA—A joint team of soldiers and policemen has shot dead a member of a five-man kidnap gang which abducted the proprietor of Derag Eateries, Ozoro, Delta State, Mr Bamidele Daudu.

Vanguard learned that

kidnappers invaded the residence of the victim on Monday and whisked him away in his SUV along Kwale road.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the kidnap, said: “On receipt of information about the incident, a combined

team of policemen and soldiers quickly mobilized and gave the hoodlums a hot pursuit, and in the ensuing gun duel, one of the kidnappers yet to be identified, was gunned down, while others escaped with bullet wounds into the bush.”

She, however, said the victim

was subsequently rescued unhurt.

“Items recovered include the victim’s Nissan Tera Jeep, one locally made cut to size single barrel gun and one live cartridge,” she said.

Kalu said police were making efforts to apprehend the fleeing gangsters.

Controversy trails death of teacher over alleged rape of 4-year-old L

By Ebere Aham

AGOS—CONTROVERSY is currently trailing the death of a female teacher at First Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Ipaja, Lagos, who reportedly jumped from a storey building in her bid to escape from a mob that accused her of negligence in the rape of her four-year-old pupil.

While the school claimed that the deceased, identified as Mrs Folashade Adesomu, was beaten to death by the mob after the fall, her widower said she died a few days after the fall.

The mob, it was gathered, stormed the school to attack one of its members of staff who allegedly raped a four-year-old pupil two weeks ago.

Report had it that the bubble burst after the four-year-old raped kindergarten returned home that fateful day, only for her grandmother to discover that she was bleeding from her private part. On enquiry, the little girl was said to have complained of severe pains in her private part when she wanted to urinate, consequent upon which she was rushed to the hospital.

shock and suspected internal bleeding.

But the school insisted she was lynched by the mob in the school premises.

When Vanguard visited the school owned by First Baptist Church yesterday, the church’s administrator, who refused to disclose his identity, simply stated that the case was in court, directing this reporter to go to the court for any explanation or detail on the matter.

Vanguard also paid a visit to the widower’s abode at Ipaja, where he affirmed that his wife died some days after the rape case.

How my wife died —Widower

He said: “My wife died on September 24, 2015. She said that on that fateful day, people stormed the school and started shouting and destroying things.

Immediately, someone pointed at her and said that she was the teacher to the girl in question.

She began to run for her life and

hid in the toilet. She said that she jumped through a window as other teachers ran to hide. I took her to the hospital after complaining of pains in her hands and legs.

"On September 24, she brought people who she wanted to teach how to operate her large cooking stove so that they can roast the ram for the just celebrated sallah.

"That same day she told me to look her in the eyes and hold her hands, saying her body was paining her inside. That was how she died. She was buried same day according to Islamic rites . I missed her so much.“ On her part, grandmother of the four-year-old girl who expressed displeasure over the way the school handled the alleged rape, also accused it of trying to bury the matter.

“When I went to the school, the management denied the allegation.. They did not even bother to ask how my grandchild was faring in the hospital. Who did she offend to have warranted being molested by an adult male?

"She pointed at the driver when the Police invited every member

of staff during interrogation I do not even know the driver because I take my baby to school myself.

This girl we are talking about is in Nursery Two and very small and fragile. When we go to church, I always carry her because she is so small. She always complains of tiredness. That is a girl a man put under a desk and raped. From all indications, this may not be his first time of engaging in such act.

It is only God that will save us. Is it a crime to send your child to school? The driver does not even feel remorseful. He is not even begging for forgiveness.

"The fateful day when I went to pick her in school, she was just so dull. When I discovered her blood stained pant, I asked her what happened to her. She was so quiet and kept on repeating, ‘he said I should not tell anybody.’ After much coercion, she said ‘one man put something from his body in my bombom and covered my eyes and mouth.’ When I asked her who, she said it was Uncle Yemi.

"Instead of focusing on the case, the school is saying the mob killed its teacher right in the school premises. That is a big lie.”

Hospital report

Hospital report, according to her grandmother, simply identified as Mrs. Ajose, showed that the little girl’s hymen had been broken.

To the surprise of all, the girl reportedly alleged that the atrocity was committed by the school‘s bus driver, Mr. Yemi Adeshina.

Ajose was said to have rushed to the school on seeing the school’s proprietor, one Rev. Michael Abodurin, it was learned that she was shunned as the management of the school denied its member of staff culpability.

Angered by the management’s reaction, Ajose reportedly left the school in tears. She was said to have narrated her grand child’s ordeal to some residents, who mobilised and stormed the school, vandalising its property.

One of the invaders was said to have identified one of the female teachers as the victim’s teacher.

In her bid to avoid being lynched, the teacher, Mrs Folashade Adesomu, reportedly ran into the toilet from where she jumped through the window. The 53year-old teacher was said to have died a week after the fall, due to

KEROSENE FOR THE MASSES: Conoil filling station at Alapere, Ketu, Lagos, selling kerosine to the public at N50 per litre. Photo: Kolawole Alli.

Rapists to face 14 years jail term in Kano, says Govt

K

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

ANO—KANO State government has raised the bar from two to a minimum of 14 years jail term for convicted rapist in the state to check rising cases of rape.

The State SolicitorGeneral, Mukthar Sani Daneji, who disclosed this yesterday, said the punishment would come with option of fine for culprits.

Addressing a packed hall of legal and paralegal personalities, tagged ‘’Justice for all in Kano’’, yesterday, the Solicitor-General disclosed that the punishment had been repealed from two years or fine to life in prison maximum.

Deneji explained that most parents now come forward to complain about their children being raped as a result of awareness campaign put forward by the state.

He disclosed that so far, the government had disposed of hundreds of cases, adding that many people had been convicted after being found guilty.

In his speech, the Country Director of the Justice for All, Mr Bob Arnot, said his organisation was working in collaboration with Police and Judiciary to increase safety, security and justice reform aspect of sexual gender violations.

Bob Arnot revealed that the J4A was assisting NGOs and CSOs to establish referral centers for victims of HIV and other sexual abuse problems.

He expressed worry that out of over 1000 cases they have recorded still what they have disposed in terms of having justice on it is nothing to write home about.

Man arraigned for allegedly stabbing friend to death

By Onozure Dania, Sodiq Alausa & Opeyemi Lepe

L

AGOS—THE Police yesterday, charged a 21year-old man, Azeez Adejumobi, before an EbuteMetta Chief Magistrate's Court sitting at Oyingbo for allegedly stabbing his friend, Saheed Ibitoye, to death.

It was gathered that the defendant was alleged to have stabbed the deceased on his left hand after an argument ensued between them.

Adejumobi, who resides at 4, Ajegunle Street, Onipanu, Ilupeju, is facing a count charge of murder.

The Prosecutor, Inspector

Gbemileke Agoi, told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence on September 24 at 9p.m., along Abidogun Street, at Onipanu, in Ilupeju area of Lagos.

According to Agoi, the duo got into a heated argument and in the process, the deceased picked up a cutlass but

Adejumobi was quick to stab him on his left hand.

The offence, Agoi said, is punishable under section 221 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

However, Magistrate, Mrs. M. O. Olajuwon declined to remand the defendant, while turning down the murder charge levelled against him.

8 —Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015—9

VISIT: From left— Abdullahi Al Zufairi; Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Leader of the Advisory Council, Majlis al-Shura of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Khalid Bin Abdullah alSaud, and Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, during the visit of the Saudi delegation to the Senate President in Abuja.

Focus shifts to 15 states, as reactions trail ministerial list

By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru & Erunke Joseph

W

ITH the announcement of ministerial nominees from 21 states, attention has shifted to the remaining 15 states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which slots are yet to be filled.

States that are yet to have nominees are Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Cross River, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ondo, Osun, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara Leaders of All Progressives Congress, APC, at the national and state levels, and other stakeholders, Vanguard gathered, are still lobbying to get themselves or their associates nominated.

They have intensified moves to reach out to President Muhammadu Buhari and strategic aides on the issue.The President’s tight-lipped handling of the process has led to an avalanche of speculations, especially given the surprises that trailed the first list. The former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who is on the list, said he was surprised at his nomination because in spite of his closeness to Buhari, he never got any hint.

This is coming as kudos and knocks have continued to trail the ministerial list and as some senators vowed, yesterday, to oppose the clearing of some of the nominees, following petitions against them. The nominees affected are former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and Amina Mohammed.

In his independence speech, President Buhari said he had forwarded the first batch of the nominees to Senate President Bukola Saraki and that the second list would follow shortly.

At press time, the second list had not arrived, a development sources attributed to “more work” being done on the list. It was also not clear if the President would meet the expectation of sending the list before next Tuesday’s commencement of screening by senators.

Imo

In Imo, the matter is hot as President Buhari appeared to have side-stepped Governor Rochas Okorocha’s suggestions.

The governor, who incidentally, is the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, reportedly forwarded two ministerial nominees, namely immediate past Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Professor Anthony Anwuka, and the immediate past Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Benjamin Uwajumogu. Apart from Okorocha, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, is also said to be lobbying for Chief Festus Odimegwu, a former chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC, to take the Imo slot.

Sokoto, Enugu, Abia

In Sokoto, the slot may go to immediate past governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko or Boss Gida Mustapha, a lawyer. Those angling for Mustapha say he could play a stabilising role in the Buhari cabinet with his experience.

Mustapha lost the APC governorship ticket to Senator Bindow Jibrilla, who went on to win and is now governor.

In Enugu, the President has a long list to pick from, which may have accounted for the delay in nominating a minister from the state.

Those said to be in consideration include Osita Okechukwu, who is National Publicity Secretary of the CNPP; former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji; APC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Emma Eneukwu; APC governorship candidate, Chief Okey Ezea and Chief Onyemuche Nnamani.

In Abia, the race is between Buhari’s old associate, Ike Emenike, and the party ’s 2015 governorship candidate, Anyim Nzeribe.

For the Ondo slot, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) appears to be one of the most favoured, while in Osun, an interesting scenario is playing out between former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, said to be backed by Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the APC, and immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Profesor Isaac Adewole.

Sekibo vows to oppose Amaechi’s clearance Senator Thompson Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East), yesterday brought the petition to the floor of the Senate. The petition was reportedly sent to President Buhari a couple of weeks ago.

Indeed, a group under the aegis of The Integrity Group, yesterday at the Senate opposed Amaechi's nomination via a petition entitled Petition Against Ministerial Nominee: Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi: Demand to Withdraw and Reject His Nomination and Appointment on the Corruption, Criminal Breach of Trust, Unlawful Enrichment and Conversion

of over N70 billion Rivers Peoples Monies by the Former Governor of Rivers State.

In the petition signed by the Media/Publicity Director, Livingstone Wechie, the group said its objective was to fight corruption and ensure that corrupt persons were brought to justice and alleged stolen moneys recovered.

Soon after Senator Sekibo raised a point of order, notifying the Senate that he had a petition from the Integrity Group from Rivers State, members of the APC, unanimously shouted “no, no,” continuously in an attempt to shout him down.

But to save Sekibo, the President of the Senate asked him to lay the petition before the Chamber, and thereafter, it was committed to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions for further legislative input.

Petition against Amina In a related development, Senator Senator Danjuma Laah (PDP, Kaduna South), in a document entitled Objection Against the Nomination of Mrs Amina Mohammed, or Amina Ibrahim as Minister Representing Kaduna State, said: “The vote and proceedings document (Senate) of Tuesday, carries one Amina Ibrahim (no state of origin was listed) on the list as a ministerial nominee.

“Daily Trust of Wednesday, October 7, carries one Amina Mohammed, Kaduna State, as state of origin, a ministerial nominee.

“Daily Sun of Wednesday, October 7 carries one Amina Mohammed, Gombe State as state of origin, a ministerial nominee. The above are different sources carrying variations either in names or in the states of origin.

“Be that as it may, I Senator Danjuma Laah, stand firmly by the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 147 Act(3) – which reads in part, ‘Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of Section 14(3) of the Constitution, provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid, the President shall appoint at least one minister from each state, who shall be an indigene of such state.

“The Daily Trust Page 44 of October 7, a part of Amina Mohammed’s citation reads ‘ was born of a Nigerian father from Gombe and a British mother from Wales, she was educated in Nigeria from the age of two in Birin Kebbi, Kaduna and Maiduguri, before finishing in Isles of Man’.

“It is in the light of above, that I categorically state that I will throw my weight behind scuttling any attempt to impose on the good people of Kaduna State a non-indigene to represent them at the Federal level. “

EFCC probes Centenary City Project

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced investigation into a petition alleging corruption in the Centenary City Project initiated by the administration of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The anti-graft agency, Tuesday, invited the petitioners, who are operating under the aegis of Nigerian Unemployed Youth Vanguard, NUYV, to furnish it with information that would help it nail some top government officials in the previous administration, who were said to have used the project as a conduit pipe to siphon public funds.

The initiative of the past government was meant to be a monument to commemorate Nigeria’s 100 years of nationhood.

Meanwhile, the petitioners, led by their National Coordinator, Mr. Solomon Adodo, while briefing newsmen after their meeting with EFCC investigators, said they were satisfied that those involved in the alleged fraud would be punished accordingly.

It will be recalled that erstwhile Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, had earlier asked a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory to award him N2 billion as general and aggravated damage for insults he said he had received over the Centenary City Project that was hitherto under his supervision.

Anyim, in two separate suits through his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozehkome (SAN), told the court that he had been called many derogatory names such as “419ner,” “fraudster” and “corrupt former SGF,” among others.

The ex-SGF wants the court to compel the National Vice Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, and Deputy National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Mr. Timi Frank, to retract the said damaging stories and apologise to him in six major dailies.

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

LCCI wants speedy confirmation of ministers

By Naomi Uzor

T

HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, yesterday, said the absence of ministers had created a vacuum in the governance process hence the need for an expeditious consideration of the nominees by the senate.

In a communique of the council meeting of the LCCI, the President of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello, said, the council underlined the need to ramp up the momentum of governance at the federal level to facilitate the delivery of value to the people.

He said the council expressed grave concern over the deplorable state of roads leading to the Lagos Ports Apapa and Tincan Island Ports. These Ports account for over 60 per cent of the cargo into the Country and an estimated 70 per cent of customs revenue. ''The poor state of the roads has had multifarious effects on the private sector, economy and the citizens,'' he said.

...As Ogun Assembly screens 18 commissionernominees

By Daud Olatunji

A

BEOKUTA—THE Ogun State House of Assembly, yesterday, screened 18 commissionernominees whose names had earlier been sent before it for confirmation by the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

The commissionernominees who appeared before the House include six who had served the Amosun administration during the governor’s first term between 2011 and 2015.

The screening of the nominees, held inside one of the committee rooms of the Assembly in OkeMosan, Abeokuta, was presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Suraj Adekunbi.

During the exercise, which lasted about five hours, all the commissioner-nominees were asked various questions ranging from their professional competence, to experiences and capacity to serve the state.

INSECURITY: Lagos warns owners of abandoned buildings

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

L

AGOS State Government has warned owners of uncompleted or abandoned buildings in the state to complete them or face sanctions.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, who gave the warning yesterday, while briefing state House Correspondents after the State Security Council meeting, said the measure became necessary to prevent such buildings from being occupied by miscreants or used for unlawful acts.

He said the meeting discussed

various issues regarding the security situation, crime management, law enforcement and traffic management within the state, with a view to finding lasting solutions to them.

Owoseni, said the security implication of uncompleted and abandoned buildings and the increase in the number of people that are illegally residing in them around estates in Lagos is enormous.

“We’ve looked at areas where we are winning, and areas where we need to put in more efforts especially at the security implication of the influx of people into Lagos State, the security implication of so many un-

completed and abandoned buildings and the increase in the number of people that are getting into so many estates in Lagos,” Owoseni said.

While warning owners of abandoned buildings, he said Government has resolved to enforce existing laws to the letter, and ensure that miscreants who utilise such uncompleted buildings to perpetrate unlawful activities are brought to book.

He said some of such buildings, which are usually residential are often converted into lounges and clubs across the state.

Constitution of Boards

Meantime, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday, announced

the setting up of Boards for the Health Service Commission, Audit Service Commission, Universal Basic Education and Local Government Service Commission.

Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, who disclosed this, named Dr. Bayo Aderiye as Chairman of the Health Service Commission, Dr. Tokunbo Oluwole, Mrs. Kemi Ogunyemi, Dr. (Mrs) Monsurat Oyekan and Mr. Seun Osikoya as members of the Board.

Also constituted was the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) as provided by the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Law 2006.

Residents ask lawmakers to confirm Ambode’s nominee

By Monsuru Olowoopejo & Ebun Sessou

L

AGOS— SCORES of residents yesterday stormed the Lagos State House of A s s e m b l y demanding the confirmation of one of the cabinet nominees by the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

The residents, urged the lawmakers to ignore the allegations leveled against the nominees including Dr. Femi Onanuga.

Speaking on behalf of the protest-

ers, Mr. Musiliu Maiyegun, said that the allegations against the nominees were unfounded and totally baseless.

Responding to the concerns of the residents, a member of the ad-hoc committee of the House and member representing Epe Constituency II, Segun Olulade, said the House would act on the request of the residents.

He assured the residents

and the petitioners that the nominees including Onanuga will be given fair hearing.

Meantime, the House of Assembly, through a 4-man Ad-hoc Committee headed by its Chief Whip, Rotimi

Abiru, representing Somolu 2, has commenced investigations into the alleged violation of human rights of residents of Majidun community in Ikorodu by naval and military personnel drafted to curb illegal bunkering

in the area.

Aggrieved residents in a petition titled; “Gross Violation Of Fundamental Human Rights” accused the military personnel of incessant abuse, rape, physical and psychological torture of residents.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 11

Fulani herdsmen invade Falae’s farm afresh

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—BARELY two weeks after the kidnap of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Chief Olu Falae, in his farm, herdsmen have allowed their animals to destroy the same farmland.

The Farm Manager, Bruno Akhigbodemen conducted newsmen round the farm located at Ilado in Akure North Council area of Ondo State.

This time, over one kilometre stretch of maize plantation was destroyed during the invasion at about 2.00 am on Monday.

Akhigbodemen said that the herdsmen arrived the farm with their flock and wreaked the havoc despite the horrible experience the workers and their boss had in the last two weeks, sequel to their menace.

He pointed out that efforts by the guards to prevent the destruction of the farmland were rebuffed as they were threatened by the herdsmen.

The Farm Manager said that the former Finance Minister has reported the latest destruction to the state Police Command.

Vanguard learnt that following the complaint by Chief Falae, some detectives from the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, were deployed to the farm.

They reportedly combed the neighbouring villages for the suspects, but were unable to make any arrest.

Reports, however said the search continues as some detectives still keep vigil in the village.

It was gathered that the police authorities invited leaders of the herdsmen in the state, who stood surety for those that were arrested and released during the last invasion when over N500, 000 worth of

farm products were destroyed.

Akhigbodemen described the destruction of the farm last Sunday as devastating.

He appealed to the government and the security operatives to act decisively on the menace of the herdsmen.

Chief Falae could not be reached for comment on the

destruction of his farmland which is coming after his kidnap and payment of N5 million ransom.

The former Minister of Finance has been having issues with the Fulani herdsmen, whose cows have on several occasions destroyed his farmland.

He is billed to travel abroad this weekend for medical treatment after his horrifying experience which he described as hell.

The latest destruction

PARLEY: From left; Member, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) Executive Working Group (EWG), Prof Lemchi Jones; Head of Govt Affairs, West Africa Area, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), Odiri Erewa-Meggison; Head, Legal and External Affairs, BATN, Freddy Messanvi; Executive Director, BATNF, Mrs Seyi Ashade; and member, BATNF EWG, Prof Femi Ajibola, at the BATNF Dialogue Session on Smallholder Farmers and Sustainable Agric in Lagos.

OONI STOOL SUIT: Kingmakers challenge court’s jurisdiction Oba Solomon Omisakin and Lowa

By Gbenga Olarinoye

O

SOGBO—THE Ife traditional kingmakers yesterday challenged the jurisdiction of an Osogbo High Court over its jurisdiction to adjudicate on who becomes the next Ooni.

The Lafogido ruling house had dragged the kingmakers and Osun State Government to court

over their decision to exclude other ruling houses in Ile-Ife except Giesi Ruling House from presenting candidate(s) to fill the vacant stool of Ooni of Ile-Ife. Sooko Adegoke Ademiluyi and Prince Marcus Adebola Akimoyero on behalf of Lafogido Ruling House was challenging the authority of the Osun State Government and Kingmakers especially the Obalufe of Ile-Ife,

Ondo retirees in showdown with govt Over non-payment of pension, gratuity arrears

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE — Pensioners in Ondo state are poised for a showdown with the state government over non-payment of their gratuities and pension arrears running into billions of naira.

Consequently, they have given the state government four days to pay them or face their wrath.

Rising from a meeting in Akure, the pensioners, who are civil service, teaching service and local government retirees said the ultimatum became necessary as all entreaties made to the government have not yielded any result.

The Secretary of Akure Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Funso Odere while ad-

according to findings was said to be the fifth in two months.

No fewer than three policemen have been deployed to his Oba-Ile residence since his last ordeal.

Contacted on the Sunday invasion and destruction of the farm by the Fulani herdsmen, the Police image maker Femi Joseph said he was not aware of the incident.

Joseph was recently posted to the state as the command's spokesman.

dressing newsmen said none of them who retired since 2011 has received any gratuity.

Odere said the total indebtedness of the state government to the pensioners in term of gratuity aside the monthly pension is about N15 billion.

According to him “Certain amount of money is being deducted from our monthly pension which is illegal.

“They said the money is being paid to the consultant in charge of remittance. It is the state government that should pay the consultant and not the pensioners.

“They should stop this illegal deductions and pay us back those money that were deducted from

our monthly pension.’’

Odere said since the bailout received from federal government is not meant for the payment of pensioners, the government should raise fund from other sources to pay them instead of allowing them to die.’’

Meantime, Governor Olusegun Mimiko has reacted to the pensioners ultimatum.

Speaking in Owo during a town hall meeting, he said that approval has been given by him that all outstanding pensions be paid till August. He pleaded with the pensioners to bear with government as the allocation from the Federation account has not been able to pay workers salaries on monthly basis.

According to him government

of Ife, Chief Joseph Ijaduola on the decision to allow only Giesi Ruling House present the next Ooni.

While the case was pending in the court, the plaintiffs (Lafogido Ruling House) asked for the exclusion of the first defendant, Governor Aregbesola, from the suit.

At the resumed sitting yesterday, counsels to the respondents, Mr Wale Afolabi, who is also a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Mr Peter Ogunleye, told the court that issue of jurisdiction was fundamental and should be addressed first, before considering notice of discontinuance with the first respondent.

But the respondents, Obalufe and Lowa of Ile-Ife, contented that the court lacked merit to hear the original suit, hence should not determine the exclusion of the first respondent or any other motion in the case.

However, t h e Presiding judge, Chief Justice Adepele Ojo, adjourned the case till Friday October 9, 2015.

Tribunal reserves ruling in Osun East senatorial case

By Gbenga Olarinoye

O

SOGBO—THE Justice A. G. Kwajaffa-led tribunal hearing matters emanating from the 2015 National Assembly polls in Osun state, yesterday reserved ruling indefinitely in the Osun East Senatorial District petition.

Prince Francis Fadahunshi of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is challenging the victory of Senator Babajide Omoworare of the All Progressive Congress, APC, who was returned elected by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. While the hearing lasted, the petitioner called 30 witnesses and presented documentary evidences before Hon. Justice A. G. Kwajaffa-led panel.

The 1st and 2nd respondents, Senator Babajide Omowoware and All Progressive Congress, APC, called 9 witnesses, while the 3rd respondent, INEC, did not call any.

Adopting his final address before the panel, counsel to the 1st respondent, Mr. Ipoola Binuyo, urged the panel to dismiss the petition because it was frivolous and unwarranted.

Counsel to the All Progressive Congress, APC, Mr. Ibrahim Lawal, also told the panel to dismiss the petition because the petitioners failed to prove their case.

INEC counsel, Olorunfemi Olalekan, aligned self with 1st and 2nd respondents’ counsel, saying the petition should be dismissed.

Addressing the parties, the tribunal chairman, Justice Kwajaffa, said the panel will communicate them when judgement will be delivered.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Okpozo to Saraki: Don't play politics with screening of ministerial nominees As IYC faults ministerial nominees

By Emma Amaize &

Simon Ebegbulem ENIN—SECOND Republic senator and elder statesman, Senator Francis Okpozo, has admonished the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, not to play politics with the screening of ministerial nominees, saying the interest of Nigerians must come above the personal interests of senators.

Okpozo, who was reacting to fears that the alleged frosty relationship between the Senate President and leaders of All Progressives Congress, APC, might frustrate the screening of the nominees, warned that such action might not only put the Senate in bad light before Nigerians, but also incur the wrath of Nigerians who voted massively for President Muhammadu Buhari.

Okpozo, who also is a leader of the APC in Delta State, said: “Anybody who has an open mind and the interest of this nation, cannot on his own create a situation

B

to obstruct any arm of government. Every arm of government is for the betterment of the nation and the people. If the process adopted by President Buhari in forwarding his nominees to the President of the Senate is obstructed by the lawmakers, then the interest of the senators is not for the good of the nation. Such action is myopic, it is unethical and injurious to the wellbeing of the entire nation.”

He stressed the need for both the executive and the legislature to “unite and resolve their differences if there are any, so that Nigeria can move forward.

The friction between the President and the Senate President cannot override the collective interest of Nigeria because both of them were elected by Nigerians. It is my hope that the President of the Senate and his team will not hinder the screening of the ministerial nominees. This does not mean that the Senate has no legal and moral right to screen the nominees. It is its constitutional right to do so. But let members do it with an open

mind and for the interest of the nation so that the President’s nominees are not rejected. No quarrel lasts forever. It is good they tolerate one another for the interest of Nigerians and should forgive one another.”

Meanwhile the Ijaw Youth

O

LEH—FOLLOWING alleged ill treatment by government officials during the 2012 flood disaster, the people of flood ravaged AdiaObiaka, Ndokwa-East Local Government Area, Delta State, have rejected attempts by the council’s administration to evacuate them from the community.

It was gathered that the Ndokwa-East Local

Government Council's flood rescue team which visited the community in two house boats to evacuate the flood victims, to the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs camp, at the Skills Acquisition Centre in Ashaka, was taken aback when the people said they would rather die in their community than move into the camp.

Vanguard learned that the indigenes cited the death of their traditional ruler whom they claimed lost his life in a boat

mishap during a similar evacuation mission by the council in 2012. They alleged that the council’s administration was yet to make any meaningful response to the incident.

“They also told us that the life in the place where they were camped at Otagba-Ogbe in 2012 was unbearable and that the people that managed the camp then were taking the food items meant for flood victims to their own homes,” a member of the rescue team, Mr. Major Azubike, told Vanguard.

Tribunal dismisses petition against Delta Assembly Speaker Igbuya.

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—THE National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Panel 2, sitting in Asaba, yesterday, dismissed the petition against the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chief Monday Igbuya.

Chief Felix Anirah, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had dragged Chief Igbuya to the tribunal challenging his election to represent Sapele constituency in the House of Assembly.

Dismissing the petition, the tribunal chairman, Justice Bamjoko, said Chief Anirah lacked the locus standi to challenge the election of Chief

Bamjoko said the petitioner failed to prove his allegations of over voting, noncompliance with the electoral act and fraud.

Entrepreneur assures on devt of Delta community

A

N entrepreneur, Engr. Ebenezer Obidi, has promised to partner with any social organization interested in the socio-economic development of Ibusa community, in Delta State.

Obidi made the remark while speaking at a civic

Spokesman of the council, Mr. Eric Omare, in a statement, said, “We are disappointed that persons with allegations of corruption pending before anti-graft agencies and are under investigations were nominated. This is an obvious compromise on the anti-corruption war."

VISIT: From left: Jagun Kayode Badejo; Jagun Wale Abdul, the Giwa Egbe; Governor Seriake Dickson, of Bayelsa State who is also the Are Ona Kakanfo of the Egbe, Omoba Yemi Odusote, the Balogun Egbe, Prince Tayo Adumati; the Odofin Egbe and Jagun Sola Dawodu, the Basorun Egbe, when the executive members of Egbe Jagunmolu Okunrin Fehintade Akile Ijebu visited the governor in Government House Yenegoa, Bayelsa State.

FLOOD: Delta community rejects evacuation move

By Ochuko Akuopha

Council, IYC, has expressed displeasure that most of President Buhari's ministerial nominees are recycled politicians and former members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rather than the agents of change.

reception organized to honour members of Isunambogu Social Club of Nigeria, Ibusa worldwide.

Obidi, who is also the patron of the club, appealed to other social clubs in the town to emulate the gesture of the Isunambogu Social Club .

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015—13

N53bn diverted by previous administration in Rivers —OMEREJI COMMISSION Allegation is Wike's last ditch trump card to discredit me —Amaechi

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State Commission of Inquiry on the Sale of Valued Assets set up

by Governor Nyesom Wike, yesterday, submitted its report, claiming that N53 billion belonging to the state was allegedly diverted by the previous administration.

In a swift reaction, however, the media office of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, said the purported “missing” N53 billion, was unfortunate and left much to be desired, describing the report as a last ditch trump card “in the hope that it will diminish the former governor's towering stature as a statesman and honest Nigerian.”

Head of the commission of inquiry, Justice George Omereji, while submitting the report, said the commission received 27 memos and 142 exhibits, while 25 witnesses testified before it.

He called on the state government to act fast on the report, saying: “We hope that the government should act fast and by the time the government looks into this report and acts fast, it will be able to recover billions that are still stashed where they kept them. That money belongs to Rivers people and I hope that the government should act fast and recover the funds so that we can use it for the people of Rivers State.”

Receiving the report, Governor Wike assured that the report would be implemented and that it would not be like other reports of commissions that were not acted upon by previous administrations.

He said: “This will not be like other report. We will make sure that we swing into action immediately to see that the recommendations made by the commission are implemented.

We will not be intimidated by anybody or group of persons.

Many things have been done to discredit the commission. But for me, it is when your hands are not clean that you begin to use the media to discredit people’s work.”

Speaking with newsmen after the submission, Justice Omereji claimed that N53 billion belonging to the state was allegedly diverted by the previous administration.

He said among other things, the commission recommended that those behind the alleged missing funds should be made to refund them.

He said: “On the billions of naira said to have been stashed away in some places, there was the sum of N55 billion in the State Reserve Fund. Between 2014 and May 2015, they were

able to remove N53 billion and we found out that the N53 billion was not used for the projects in the state.

“The money went to individuals. From the papers submitted to us, we also found out that the money was given to people they like. We went to the site of the Justice Karibi Whyte Hospital, we did not see anything at all."

Amaechi reacts

A statement from Amaechi's Media Office, read in part: “The mischief is all the more evident as the funds referred to are funds from the Rivers State reserve fund which was duly approved by the Rivers State House of Assembly and whose expenditure were duly captured and accounted for.

Ordinarily, we might not have responded to the mischief of Mr. Wike knowing that having failed with his various desperate tactics to stop Amaechi's nomination as a

minister, he has embarked on this last ditch effort which is his trump card in the hope that it will diminish the former governor's towering stature as a statesman and an honest Nigerian.

“However, in keeping with Governor Amaechi’s ethos of transparent and accountable leadership, we will again repeat the facts of the matter.

Between 2013 and early 2015, revenue accruing to the government of Rivers State was cut in half due to dwindling federal allocation to states. From about an average of N20 billion, the state began to receive between N9 billion and N10 billion. By the middle of the first quarter of 2015 the state revenue dipped to as low as N6 billion. Salaries alone stood at over N9 billion besides other expenses. Government has set aside a reserve fund as a rainy day fund and had need to fall back to it to fund salaries and projects. The

details of the expenditure were clearly captured and this information which was already in the public domain was shared with the incoming administration and the Omereji panel.”

The statement added that “government business should be transparent and honest and if indeed Mr. Nyesom Wike understands the basics of governance, then he should know that rather than playing to the gallery with his red herring of a panel, he should simply go to court and prove his spurious allegations of corruption. He should go to court if he is sure there is corruption.

Spending resources left behind for the betterment of Rivers people by a prudent and thrifty government on frivolities is indeed irresponsible and unbecoming for a person who aspires to public office, especially that of the exalted office of governor.”

REPORT: Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State (right), receiving the report of the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry on the Sale of Valued Assets from the Chairman, Justice George Omereji, at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Edo Assembly confirms appointments of 3 commissioner nominees

By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—EDO State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed the appointments of three commissioner nominees presented to it by Governor Adams Oshiomhole, penultimate week.

The commissioners confirmed include Chief Tom Uloko, a Chartered Accountant, who was Chairman of the State Procurement Agency; Mr. Gideon Obhakhan, who was a candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2015 House of Representatives election and Prince Joseph Okojie.

Majority Leader of the House, Mr Folly Ogedengbe, who spoke during the confirmation of the nominees, said: “We have scrutinized their credentials and their antecedents and we found that they are men who have distinguished

themselves in their fields. It is our belief that they will bring their wealth of experience to bear and assist the governor in moving this state forward.”

Meanwhile, the gale of suspensions of local government council chairmen in Edo State continued yesterday, with the suspension of the Akoko-Edo Local Government Area Chairman, Mr. Akereoja Folorunso by the state House of Assembly for a period of two months.

He was suspended sequel to a petition of alleged financial misappropriation sent to the House of Assembly by one Mr. Bello Sunday.

Akerejola is the 5th council chairman to be suspended this week following Tuesday's suspension of

four council chairmen, namely, Osaro Obazee (Oredo) Victor Enobakhare (Egor) Roland Ibierutomwen (Orhiomwon) and Emmanuel Momoh (Estako Central).

Labour issues 2-week ultimatum to Egbin Power plant

By Evelyn Usman

O

RGANISED labour yesterday issued a two-week ultimatum to the management of Egbin Power Plant to pay compensation to workers at its Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos station, whose property were allegedly lost or destroyed during forceful evacuation by the company last week.

On the platform of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Labour demanded that the company must, within the time frame, effect necessary repairs on damaged areas in the staff quarters, or it would stop the evacuation of power from Egbin station.

However, the Board of Egbin Power Plc, restated its commitment to carrying out its transformation and expansion programme on the plant to accelerate the nation’s drive towards sustainable power supply.

Chairman of Egbin Power Plc, Kola Adesina, explained that the recent Amber security alert declared by the management was unavoidable in light of security reports that linked illegal occupants on the facility with plans to disrupt operations and destroy property.

He said the undocumented residents had continued to occupy the plant’s housing estate illegally since the new management took over on November 1, 2013, a development he said was a huge setback to the housing needs and productivity of the company’s bona fide staff.

But leader of NLC Joe Ajaero, while protesting alleged brutalization of workers and damage to their property as part of the Decent Work Day celebration in front of Egbin Power station, said: “We are giving the company two weeks ultimatum to repair the quarters and make it habitable for the workers."

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

20 15 ANNU AL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE AND AAW WARD, ABUJ A, YES TERD AY. 201 ANNUAL ABUJA YESTERD TERDA

Representative of President Muhammadu Buhari, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Engr. Babachir David Lawal (left) presenting Leadership Governor of the Year award to Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima.

From left; National Coordinator of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili; Chairman, Leadership Group, Sam Nda-Isaiah presenting award of Leadership Young Persons of the Year to representatives of parents of kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, Rev. Enoch Mark and Rev. Martha Enoch.

Chief Kanu Agabi (left) receiving the Leadership Representative of Leadership Sports Person of the Year, Company of the Year-Stallion Group from former Faith Anuge (left) receiving an award from DG of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri.

Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

Sen. Abubakar Kyari (left) presenting award of Leadership Government Agency of the Year to Director-General, Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Bature Umar Masari.

ACCIDENT GOS. PHO CCIDENT,, FIRE IN LA LAGOS. PHOTTOS B BYY DIRAN OSHE, SHOLA OYELESE & LAMIDI BAMIDELE.

An accident involving a fuel tanker and container-laden truck, caused by failed road at Ilasamaja, along Oshodi - Apapa Expressway.

Charred remains of multi-million Naira goods gutted by fire at Sabo Market, Ikorodu, Lagos State being scavenged by some people.

(LEFT) Fire fighters and rescue workers at the scene of an explosion of a tanker loaded with fuel at Oshodi and (RIGHT): The bad portion of the road that caused the accident.

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015—15

UNION TO NASS:

Pass Mental Health Act

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—NIGERIA Association of Psychiatric Nurses, Enugu State Chapter, has called on the National Assembly to immediately pass the Mental Health Act for the interest of the health sector.

Chairman of the union, Mr. Afam Ndu, who addressed journalists in Enugu, yesterday,ahead of the 2015 World Mental Health Day, described as unfortunate “a situation where the country still operates with a mental health act inherited from Britain in 1959.”

According to him, activities for the programme are being packaged in Enugu by the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Association of Psychiatric Nurse of Nigeria, Enugu State Chapter in collaboration with Faculty of Psychiatry and Mental Health Nursing of West African College of Nursing.

Ibusa elite advocate devt, peace for community

By Tare Youdeowei

I

BUSA—AN elite group under the platform of Ibusa Think Tank has moved to ensure adequate government’s presence and sustainable peace in Ibusa of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.

Speaking at the gathering of prominent sons and daughters of Ibusa drawn from all parts of the country and beyond, chairman of the Ibusa Think Tank and former commissioner in the state, Dr. Austin Izagbo called on the federal and state governments to provide, among others, electricity to the community.

Dr. Izagbo, the Ide (Pillar) of Ibusa, stated: "The Think Tank group is made up of members with proven integrity and meaningful contributions to the development of the community.

The President-General of ICDU, Prof. Tony Arinze in his speech commended the organizers of the event for re-branding community image dented by kidnappings, armed robberies, among others.

The ceremony, at the Sheraton hotels, Lagos , was attended by Delta State legislator, Princess Pat Ajudua, a film director, Mr. Zik-zulu Okafor, Dr. Henry Nzekwu, among others.

Police nab suspected fakers of vehicle, drivers' licences in Aba

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—THE Ohuru Isimiri Police Division in Aba, Abia state has arrested a syndicate who specialises in faking vehicle and drivers’ licence in the city.

The suspects; Daniel Lisaa, a computer analyst and Larry Ilas, who claimed to be a computer engineering National Diploma student of Ibadan Polytechnic Oyo State, hail from Shagamu and Ewekoro areas of Ogun state, respectively.

Items recovered from them include: 313 Drivers’ Licence, 3 packs of passport photographs belonging to over a million victims, 2 laptop and 2 desktop computers, 22 packs of unfinished Drivers’ Licence cards each containing 250 pieces, 3 scanners and a printer.

The duo who were arrested at their hideout at Ohuru Isimiri in Obingwa council area, have agents at Aba and Port-Harcourt who are still at large.

Vanguard gathered that the duo confessed to have been in the business for more than two years where they charge their

customers, N1, 500 per driver’s and vehicle license.

Police Public Relations Officer, Abia state command, DSP Ezekiel

Onyeke, who confirmed the incident, said efforts are on top gear to arrest the fleeing suspects.

EXHIBITION: From left, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication Technology; Professor Kole Omotoso, Chairman of the Occasion, and Odia Ofeimun, the Author, at the Hornbill House Exhibition of 40 plus Books Exhibition by Odia Ofeimun, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau

How mobile phones transform emergency responses in developing countries

By Emeka Aginam

A

NEW report from Developing Telecoms backed by the United Nations Children’s Fund , UNICEF, the United States Agency for International Development, USAID and Mobile Phones Association, GSMA, released yesterday has revealed how mobile phones transform emergency response in developing countries by unlocking untapped reserves of local knowledge, resourcefulness and creativity.

The report showed how “connected citizens” become active partners in recovery and reconstruction rather than passive recipients of overseas aid.

Accordingly, the report uses examples from recent crises in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Iraq, Nepal, the Philippines and West Africa to show how mobile network coverage enables those directly impacted to collaborate in order to help themselves and others more quickly and effectively than external aid agencies.

Working with “Connected Citizens”, the report said it enables aid agencies to work more efficiently by better targeting the areas of greatest need and more accurately identifying requirements.

The overall effect, according to the study was to speed up response, improve aid

delivery and reduce both the short and long term impact of disasters.

“Maintaining mobile network coverage enables connected citizens to become active partners in recovery and reconstruction, rather than passive recipients of aid.

“Mobile phone use in developing countries is growing fast. Better network coverage and falling handset prices mean most people in developing countries have access to a mobile phone, even if they don’t own one.

“Internet-enabled smartphones are becoming widespread - the cheapest Android smartphones are now below US$80 in many parts of Africa and Asia - and cheap pay-as-you-go voice

and data access is the norm.

Thanks to mobile phone networks internet coverage which now extends beyond the main urban centres for the first time”, the report added.

During crises such as natural disasters and conflicts, connected citizens in developing countries, the report further revealed were finding new solutions to traditional challenges.

Firsthand experience of these events, the report added provided a greater understanding of the immediate needs.

“The ability to access information and communicate with those affected provides connected citizens with a much better understanding of scope and extent of disasters.

“This allows them to find and implement solutions much more quickly than external aid agencies have previously been able to.

“The report details several examples of this new trend. In Iraq, mobile network operators collaborated to set up a single short code SMS hotline to feed information back to a dedicated call centre about the needs of displaced persons in response to user requests” , the report explained.

Similarly, during the Nepalese earthquake, mobile operator Ooredoo, according to the study reacted to user needs by setting up a satellite link to reconnect families using a mobile phone internet connection.

NAN staff robbed in Owerri

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—DARE-DEVIL bandits have raided the residence of Mr Francis Onyeukwu, a Principal Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Owerri, and stole properties valued at over N450, 000.

Vanguard gathered that the hoodlums struck at his Works Layout residence about noon last Tuesday, when he and members of his family had left for work.

Mr. Onyeukwu told Vanguard that the hoodlums stole everything they considered

valuable in his room and that of his wife, and children.

“What the criminals did not steal in my flat was what they considered less valuable to them, because they even drank water from my refrigerator and collected meat from my wife’s soup pot”, Onyeukwu said.

Continuing, the NAN staff recalled that the bandits stole his 33-inch Sony plasma television installed in his sitting room, LG home theatre; HP Laptop computer set, N42, 000 cash, clothes and his wife’s jewelries among other valuables.

He recalled with grief how his 1996 model of Toyota Camry car with registration number, Lagos :

GG874EKY was stolen in May 2011, from where it was parked in a church premises, during Sunday service.

“This is another painful incident of theft I am recording as a journalist. The first was when my car was stolen in a church premises and yesterday’s attack is a lot more devastating to me due to the importance of my laptop and television set as a newsman”, Onyeukwu lamented.

Explaining how he got wind of the robbery, Onyeukwu said he received a call at about 12.52pm, from his fellow tenant, Mr Ugochukwu, narrating how criminals made their way into his flat using ‘fake or master key.

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Gov Ugwuanyi urges legislators to promote transparency, accountability

By Kelechukwu Iruoma

E

N U G U — GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, yesterday, urged members of the National Assembly and its state counterparts to promote transparency and accountability in their activities, as to correct public misconceptions about them.

Ugwuanyi said this while delivering the 55th Founders’ Day Lecture of the University of Nigeria, UNN, tagged, 'Legislation as an Instrument for Social Justice in a Growing Democracy,' at the Nsukka campus of the university.

He said: “The legislature embodies the representatives of the people; these representatives of the people exercise the mandate and sovereignty of the people. It is for this reason that the legislature as a key component of the governmental trinity, has been rightly described as pillar of democracy.

‘The uneven landscape of legislative institutions in the country has made it rather difficult for any significant impart on social justice to be recorded. The reduction in the number of returning members and the downward spiral in members’ image for the seeming inability of the National Assembly members to act as instruments of democratic change."

Imo courts, Assembly complex shut as workers begin indefinite strike

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—SCORES of litigants and their lawyers went home disappointed yesterday, following the indefinite industrial action by the Imo State leadership of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN. The aggrieved workers downed tools as a result of what they termed “the apparent unwillingness of Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, to comply with the ruling of the Federal High Court judgment on the financial autonomy of the judiciary”.

According to the release by the leadership of the body, JUSUN explained their action stemmed from the State Government’s inability to respond to legitimate demands.

In declaring the indefinite industrial action, the union directed “all the offices of the courts and the State Judicial Service Commission, to remain

under lock and key, until further notice”.

When Vanguard visited the State High Court premises, Owerri, at about 10am yesterday, the judicial workers completely deserted their offices, while the litigants were seen in groups bemoaning their plight.

One of the lawyers, who spoke to Vanguard on strict grounds of anonymity, lamented that “the indefinite industrial action would further worsen the bad situation in Imo Judiciary”.

According to the lawyer, “the courts are currently congested due to lack of adequate number of judges to adjudicate over the numerous matters”, adding that even those awaiting trial would simply remain in jail, until the labour crisis was resolved.

Meanwhile, the State House of Assembly was locked up yesterday by the aggrieved workers, over their five months arrears of salaries and allowances.

The workers, who were acting on the umbrella union of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, appealed to the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, to intervene on their behalf.

They told the Archbishop that their pains were excruciating and

Buhari’s diversification drive to receive boost with mining conference

By Charles Kumolu

A

N INDIGENOUS company, Solid Mines Limited, is to convene a mining conference to support efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari, at creating alternative sources of revenue in the face of dwindling oil prices.

EXERCISE: From left, Mr. Adedanisi Pegba-Otemolu, member of Board; Managing Director, both of E Medic Jobs, Dr. Ibifunke Pegba-Otemolu, and Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director, Care Organisation Public Enlightenment, COPE, Mrs. Ebunola Anozie, during the free screening breast cancer exercise, organised by E Medics and COPE, in Lagos.

DECENT WORK DAY: Labour, allies protest abuse of workers’ rights

By Victor AhiumaYoung

L

AGOS—ORGANISED Labour and its civil society allies, yesterday stormed some industrial locations in Lagos to protest increasing abuse of workers’ rights casualisation, indecent work and inadequate pay to mark the Decent Work Day, declared by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, on October 7, annually.

There was also seminar attended by stakeholders including representative of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, to highlight the rising cases of workers’ rights violation and the need for government to protect workers from further exploitation

through casualisation, outsourcing and contract staffing, and poor wages.

Before the protest, labour leaders including both factional presidents of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero, addressed the gathering on the essence of the protest Addressing the workers, Mr Ajaero, said indecent work and abuse of workers' rights remained a problem for workers in Nigeria and NLC had resolved to create more awareness for employers to provide decent job by visiting some companies in Lagos.

Also speaking, Mr Isa Aremu, General Secretary, National Union of Garment and Textile Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, and Chairman of the IndustrilAll Global Union

Nigeria, condemned the pattern of job recruitment in the country.

He cited the example of the ill-fated recruitment exercise by the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, which claimed several lives, adding that such act would not bring development to the economy.

Also, speaking, Profesor Princewill Alozie, a retired social advocate who joined the NLC team, lamented the neglect of the aged in the society and declared that because of poor policy, the retired and aged “people still queue to conduct verification before collecting their money. ” Similarly, at the seminar organised by the Association of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, to mark the occasion, participants including leaders of the

wondered why the governor was threatening to transfer them, not just away from the Assembly, but into the rural communities as punishment.

All efforts to get the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, to speak on the matter failed, as his line could not be reached before press time.

Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, called for a united fight against indecent jobs.

Speaking, ASSBIFI President, Mr Sunday Salako, condemned a situation where workers were treated with disdain, noting that indecent employment was still being promoted in Nigeria by failure to adhere to the principle of tripartism.

According to him, “`Tripatism is where labour, employer and government sit and agree to what should obtain in the labour system. Rather than adhering to the tripartism, what is happening in Nigeria is bilateralism, where enterprises are collaborating with those in government to make lives unbearable for employees.”

It also wants the Federal Government to be steadfast in its quest at diversifying the economy of the country, noting that the present financial crisis provides an opportunity to do so.

In a chat with Vanguard, yesterday in Lagos, the Director of the firm, Mr. Frank Ekperigin, said the conference was conceived to dissect issues with particular references to artisanal mining, environmental impact of illegal mining and recognition of information and mobile technology as key tools in the sector.

The one day event, which is planned to hold in Abuja on October 21, 2015, is titled: African Mining Conference 2015.

With the theme: Harnessing the Continent’s Solid Minerals for Economic Buoyancy through Sustainable Public/Private Sector Synergy, the forum is expected to attract participants from some African countries, Europe and America.

Ekpegirin said a former Vice-Chancellor of University of Ife, Prof Wale Omole, would be the key note speaker.

His words: ‘’ The mining sector currently accounts for about 0.3 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP, generating about $1.5b.

This is very negligible when compared with other African countries such as South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana whose mining sectors account for 18 per cent, 25 per cent and 40 per cent of the country’s GDP and generate $63 billion, and $7.6 billion.

“The low contribution of the mining sector to the nation’s GDP has not always been the case as Nigeria once had a booming mining industry, but like the agricultural sector, the discovery of oil resulted in the gradual neglect of the sector.

"Before the oil boom, Nigeria’s economy was largely sustained by agriculture and exploration of solid minerals.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8`— —17

O

N Monday this week, VANGUARD newspaper carried a report that the National Assembly will soon commence a constitution amendment process, towards ensuring immunity for heads of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. The hint came from Leo Ogor, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, in an exclusive chat with VANGUARD. Ogor argued that: “if the head of the executive arm, the President and his vice should enjoy immunity, the heads of the other two arms of government, the legislature and the judiciary, should also benefit from the immunity”. For Leo Ogor, such free-for-all distribution of immunity (like confetti!): “would reduce distractions and crisis in the National Assembly”.

And the confetti of free-for-all “immunity” is being designed for Senate President and Deputy; Speaker, House of Representatives and Deputy, and even without solicitation but clearly a bribe and blackmail, the National Assembly hopes to also “dash” the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), their free-for-all “immunity”.

Well, Leo Ogor and those pushing the idea should know clearly, that they are embarking on an exercise in futility, because it will NEVER fly! Nigerians are no fools. The background to this

National Assembly immunity delusion syndrome deluded plan is Bukola Saraki’s indictment flowing from his controversial assets declaration and trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). So with Leo Ogor’s plan, Bukola Saraki, with “immunity”, would not have his day in court; and that desperate search for “perpetual injunction” has been the central judicial ambition of politicians who corruptly enriched themselves at the expense of the Nigerian people. The National Assembly has become the redoubt of many of these controversial individuals and this is the basis of the harebrained plan for “immunity”.

This is also the context to understand the irresponsible and self serving motion that the House of Representatives passed mandating the Speaker, Yakubu

Dogara, to seek a “political solution” with President Muhammadu Buhari, over the criminal indictment which Bukola Saraki faces at the CCT. They have so audaciously placed the personal interest of one of them above the laws of the land and could not even ask, what “political solution” they seek, portends for Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

A powerful legislator should be removed from the course of justice, on the basis of a “political solution”. That’s how it is with

Pains of Nigerian teachers and absurdities of the NANS

O

N Monday this week, Nigerian teachers joined their counterparts around the

AbdulRashid Garba: Turning a new leaf at NECO

I

N 2012, workers of the National Examinations Council (NECO), in Minna, Niger state, were locked in a major battle with the Professor Promise Okpala led management of the organisation. The issue was about the unionisation of the workers, which Professor Okpala interpreted as a personal affront.

He tried to destroy the unionisation drive by dispersing the workers in different directions through punitive transfers. The embittered workers took their case to the National Industrial Court and they won against the arbitrary anti-worker posture of NECO boss, Professor Okpala.

But he chose to obey the court’s decision selectively and the crisis generated by his highhandedness lingered through his reign at the national examination body. I followed the workers’ struggle because one of their leaders, Ibrahim Ali, has been my friend for about twenty-five years, dating back to our days at the Bayero University in Kano.

This background has become particularly relevant because of the changes that have begun to take place at the National Examinations Council (NECO), with the appointment just over 100 days ago, of Professor AbdulRashid Garba as the new Registrar/Chief Executive of the organisation. One of the first issues that he unknotted was the unionisation problem which had hung on NECO’s neck like an albatross, by initiating a process of strengthening union activities as a step towards consolidating the rights, welfare and the general condition of service of members of NECO staff.

Participatory engagement: C M Y K

Another innovation introduced by the new chief executive is the committee system to investigate and present reports on the best ways to revitalise service delivery and organisational behaviour.

Pursuit to that, Prof. AbdulRashid Garba said he believes in ‘participatory engagement’ and integrity as core leadership traits.

Prof. Garba comes with a very solid pedigree as an educationist and scholar who found his scholarly métier in educational guidance and counseling, and is in fact a Fellow of the Counseling Association of Nigeria (CASSON). He had posted over a quarter of a century of experience as a teacher and researcher at the Bayero University in Kano, while he has taught, researched and collaborated with professional colleagues around the world and has similarly published in scholarly journals around the world. He brings to his new assignment as Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, the exacting standards of my alma mater, the Bayero University, Kano. And those standards have begun to

When institutions get the leadership that can inspire confidence and unfold new visions then newer vistas of development will surely open

these characters !

Controversial induction: Members of the National Assembly have wasted so much time since they controversially became inducted on June 9, 2015.

They have not done anything meaningfully in the interest of the Nigerian people and yet have continued to draw humungous salaries and allowances. These legislators are far more interested in their own personal and collective survival than any fidelity to the oath they are sworn

to, to protect the best interests of the Nigerian people. Objectively, I think as things stand and especially with such irresponsible plans as mooted by Leo Ogor, this 8th National Assembly is trying to constitute itself as a veritable danger to Nigeria’s democratic development. Nigerians must tell this band of legislators that they suffer an immunity delusion syndrome. But they will have to deal with their delusion through very appropriate dosages of realism and responsibility because the plan to amend the Nigerian Constitution so that Bukola Saraki gets “immunity” to evade justice for example, will NEVER pass. I am sure even the judiciary will be quite embarrassed to be included in the deluded quest for the freebie of free-for-all “immunity”. Whoever offends the law should face the consequences of his actions: no immunity or “political solution” will ever be allowed to hamstring the process of justice! Leo Ogor and his colleagues should face what they were elected for: SERVICE!

manifest; for instance, the previous leadership of the organisation unfortunately, instituted a deliberate policy of dividing and playing members of staff against each other, on the basis of ethnicity and at a point, NECO was divided between members of one ethnic group against all other Nigerians. That is a wound now being healed as well as entitlements of the workers that were previously neglected, but have also been fully paid. But in my view, these efforts to heal the festering sores within the organisation are merely the first necessary steps to improve organisational responsibility as well as service delivery.

A vision of repositioning: When staff are incentivised and properly mobilised, they will most likely buy into the vision of the new leadership of the organisation. Prof. AbdulRashid Garba has his vision of how to reposition a national examination organisation as important as NECO. And that importance will be consolidated in the years to come as more and more Nigerian youth become mobilised for examinations that will be launch pads for tertiary education and a life of work to build our country.

When institutions get the leadership that can inspire confidence and unfold new visions then newer vistas of development will surely open.

NECO deserves a shiny place in the sun of Nigeria’s educational development and that is the central plank of the vision which drives Prof. AbdulRashid Garba’s leadership. That will gradually unfold in the years ahead and they will redound to the benefit of NECO and all its publics.

world to celebrate World Teachers’ Day. The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Michael Olukoya underlined the serious security threat that faces Nigerian teachers today, against the backdrop of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Today, 19, 000 teachers are recorded amongst the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast part of our country; while over 600 teachers have lost their lives to terror attacks.

They included 308 teachers in Borno; 75 in Adamawa; 18 in Yobe; 25 in Kaduna; 120 in Plateau; 63 in Kano and 2 in Gombe state. Central to the belief system of Boko Haram, is that ‘Western’ education is a ‘sin’, and they have therefore targeted teachers; pupils and educational infrastructure in the Northeast of Nigeria.

The people of these states have suffered untold hardships and that is made particularly vicious by the fact that these are already disadvantaged people and states in the first place, and so the little that they possess has been systematically targeted for destruction by the insurgency.

Reconstruction of infrastructure It is imperative not only to defeat Boko Haram, but to also begin a process of rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure, particularly educational infrastructure, in that part of Nigeria.

And the best way to defeat the fanatical and backwards ideology is to ensure that education is given a pride of place for girls and boys so they can help to build their states, region and our country in general, in an atmosphere of peace and democratic consolidation.

In that process, adequately remunerated and motivated

teachers will play a central role.

As we talk about our teachers and their plight, a tragedy of monumental proportions is unfolding amongst Nigerian students at the tertiary level of education. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has made a transition from conscience of Nigerian society to an association of student touts and thugs.

I say that with pain in my heart, because as President of the University of Lagos’ Marxist League in 1980/81, it was my generation of student activists that drew up the NANS NIGERIAN STUDENTS CHARTER OF DEMANDS. It was a very militant, democratic and anti-dictatorship platform, which represented the yearnings of Nigerian students for a patriotic education that served Nigeria’s development and was in tandem with the demands of the Nigerian working people and the patriotic democratic movement in Nigeria.

Nigerian students had a proud tradition of standing for the best interests of the Nigerian people.

But today the story is different.

Our student movement has become an organization of thugs and touts available for the highest bidder, usually the most despicable and corrupt politicians in the land. NANS now issues very dubious awards as it did this week to the controversial politician Buruji Kasahamu. And a few weeks ago, it was also hired to demonstrate in support of Bukola Saraki!

Certainly, that is not the same NANS that we painstakingly built as a platform of ideals and patriotism. If we wait long enough, everything changes.

In NANS case, the change is for the worst and its mercenary condition just shows that Nigeria’s future is in considerable jeopardy with the type of characters posturing in today’s NANS leadership! Pity.

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 ANXIETY over the economy has not abated even as both the Presidency and the Senate appear to be ready to put in place the federal cabinet and by extension the economic team of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

Economy watchers heaved a sigh of relief when a list of the first batch of ministers was submitted to the Senate on Thursday, September 30th, 2015 after four months of long-drawn anxiety as to the direction and character of the economy being contemplated by the new regime.

A key factor of interest is the regime’s lackluster attitude to the budgetary and fiscal policy 2015/ 2016 left behind by the previous regime. While most stakeholders appear to have resigned to fate that 2015 budget is lost, there is palpable anxiety that 2016 is also looking bleak since nothing is being said by government less than three

Salvaging the 2015 budget months to the new year.

Due to the long processes involved in making the annual federal budget, actions on the upcoming year’s budget usually start as early as July, culminating in the presentation of the Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly latest byNovember.

Economists and indeed ordinary Nigerians are concerned that at the pace of the current regime, the 2016 Appropriation Bill may not get to the National Assembly this year; a development which would worsen the economic decline recorded in 2015. No one even knows when

the ministers in charge of the economy will start work.

Both local and foreign investors have blamed the currently depressed macro-economic indicators on the inability of the government to define its economic direction.

They are waiting anxiously for the government to clarify the fate of this year’s budget and pave the way to that of next year. We expect that this should be a priority the next ministers in charge of the economy must attend to.

We expect the Budget Office and the Finance Ministry to be on this assignment as we await the resump-

tion of the minister(s) in order to fast-track the process.

Budgetary pronouncements would galvanise positive sentiments in the minds of investors and the business community and stimulate economic activities as soon as possible.

It is noteworthy that a similar swift statement by the Ministry jointly with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Debt Management Office (DMO) in the wake of the withdrawal of JP Morgan Index had saved the economyfrom a possible massive cash run.

The economy has grown weary of tension and depending mainly on speculations and the president’s “body language”.

We want the federal government to be up and doing, and see what it can do to salvage this year’s Appropriation Law. Otherwise the year might pass without the budget being implemented at all.

OPINION Triumph of reason

By George Njoku

I

T is apposite in view of the eventual formation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet to revisit some contentious issues in our body politic with specific reference to the interrogation of political tolerance and its utility in the development of our democracy.

Arguably, political intolerance is a vice in the polity. It manifests itself when political leaders refuse to give space to opposition politics through a rejection of different views.

However, political tolerance is a necessity by accepting and respecting the basic rights and civil liberties of persons and groups whose viewpoints differ. All citizens, especially political leaders, therefore, have a responsibility to practice political tolerance in their words and actions as a key principle of democracy.

This is so because as an ideal, democracy upholds the right to differ as well as the acceptance of such difference by all.

Democracy allows people speak their minds and shape their future. Indeed, that so many in different parts of the world are prepared to risk so much for this idea is testimony to enduring appeal of democracy. Otherwise the crude desire to restrict the rights of a disliked person or group based on their differing views represents a threat to democracy.

Like in many other parts of the country, this enlightened perspective is no less relevant

C M Y K

than the situation in Rivers State where the divergent political positions before and after the last general election between the former Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his political traducers left in its wake some regrettable impressions.

Although the Peoples Democratic Party was declared winner and a government was formed, Amaechi somehow became the issue of governance rather than the implementation of the manifesto of the PDP government. All manner of accusations rented the public space. Such was the media smear campaign that a psyche of distrust already embedded in the people could possibly lend credence to the campaign since the character deficit in many political leaders, including the traducers was rife.

It became so vigorous a campaign that many concerned leaders from Rivers State and the South-South region in general took notice and raised alarm to the effect that beyond the shenanigans being dished out, there was an ulterior motive to embarrass Amaechi so thoroughly to make his further rise in political leadership and perhaps public service impossible, at least in the new dispensation. This is the reason for the daily

Amaechi’s new challenge, however, is a call to service on a national scale which should dwarf his feat in Rivers State

orchestration about corruption, about such incredibly humongous figures in “secret bank accounts” in capitals across the world.

But it was all lies, a calculated recourse to evil doing to tarnish a hard-earned reputation.

Initially, Amaechi never bothered because he knew his has a clear conscience and as such replying to such pedestrian accusations which can easily be detected as false would amount to frivolity. But it later dawned on him that when a lie is repeated over time could register as truth in the estimation of the ordinary people. And he took the most appropriate step through a legal redress to protect his name and reputation. The case is subsisting in court.

It is worth reiterating that Amaechi’s travail in the hands of his traducers was purely political. It resonates in his political differences with former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, leading to his exit from the PDP basically on matters of ideological differences.

And to compound the “Amaechi sins”, the former governor was regarded to have contributed in some strategic ways to the defeat of the former president and hell was let loose. So the situation in Rivers State is a proxy war!

What we cannot and must not overlook in the saga, however, was the fact that Amaechi’s actions were not personal but a realistic appreciation of his politics, founded on convictions, rather than any ethnic or tribal leaning, to the effect that patriotism and the need for a virtuous and vibrant way to democratic and leadership renewal was

inevitable. Of course, such is hard to fault in the context of the common good. Amaechi’s political pragmatism has defined him over the years.

Thus, his inclusion in the Buhari cabinet, in spite of the dirty tricks by his traducers, underscores his relevance not necessarily as a political gift but essentially as a measure of his leadership character and ability to add value towards the realisation of the president’s agenda. It is also an endorsement of his stewardship as former governor of Rivers State both in terms of integrity and performance.

Whether his political enemies like it or not, Amaechi’s legacy as a reformer will outlive him in Rivers State. His numerous landmark projects and development initiatives in education, health, agriculture, power and empowerment, remain imperishable especially in the hearts of the people who were beneficiaries.

President Buhari who appointed him should also be commended for his clear sense of mission and objectivity by not pandering to sentiment and antics of talebearers.

Understandably, he must have done his due diligence to realise that the wholesale smear campaign was political without any iota of truth. It is clearly a triumph of reason rather than the emotion-laden chorus of ‘betrayal” as every discerning observer could read along the line of hate politics in Rivers State.

Amaechi’s new challenge, however, is a call to service on a national scale which should dwarf his feat in Rivers State. *Mr. Njoku, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 8,, 2015— 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

No to Buhari as Petroleum Minister I

N my article here this past Monday entitled: Buhari And Other Ministers: Random Musings, I touched briefly on this issue but because of its increased topicality I have decided to bring it back today for a more detailed interrogation.

Since President Muhammadu Buhari announced his intention to head the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian marketplace of ideas has been vibrating with people’s reactions to it. The questions are as follows: Does he have the right under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to do so? The other resting on political correctness says, should he? My answer to both is: No. I am not a lawyer but I can read and understand the constitution enough to offer an informed opinion on any section of it. Let the lawyers go to court and bandy their “learned” viewpoints, and let the judges deliver their rulings to “settle” the issue and guide our future application of the constitution.

Even the lawyers are divided.

The side that supports the president’s intention points to Sections 5 and 148 of the Constitution, which vest the executive powers of the federation in the president. He may decide to exercise it through the vice president, ministers or any other person of his choice.

They posit that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources is one of those executive offices, and the president is at liberty to take up the job or delegate it to a minister.

The opposite legal view torpedoes this by pointing out Chapter 6, Section 138 which is short, direct and unequivocal about the president’s ineligibility to appoint himself minister: “The President shall not, during his tenure of office, hold any other executive office or paid employment in any capacity whatsoever”.

I believe that Section 138 has said all, though we must still wait for the courts for their final say.

Garba Shehu, the presidential spokesman (as opposed to Femi Adesina, the more civilised gentleman) has already launched a vituperative verbal attack on

those who say no to Buhari’s intended executive impunity thus: “the criticisms are coming from deal makers and briefcase carrying crooks…” Oh yeah?

Using his own logic, are we to assume that when Garba Shehu, as Atiku Abubakar’s spokesman and as the media manager of the Buhari presidential campaign was criticising former President Goodluck Jonathan, maybe it was because he was a “crook and deal maker”? When you leave the substance of an issue to chase after rats you come out smelling like a rat.

The substance of this issue is that though the constitution vests the executive powers of the nation in the president, it also provides for checks and balances to prevent him from becoming a dictator. The constitution gives the president express discretionary powers to appoint whoever he likes as ministers, but they must be screened and approved by the Senate before they can be sworn-in. But if the

If the President appoints himself minister and also refuses to appear before the Senate for screening, he would be in flagrant violation of the constitution on two fronts

Paternity and maternity leave to the rescue: The Lagos and Enugu States Initiative

F

ROM the rural frying pan to the urban fire, the average Nigerian has been virtually an endangered specie. His life has been characterised by continuous struggle – he has to struggle even for those things that citizens of other countries take for granted and, which they get as basic rights.

If a man must struggle through school and finally graduate into unemployment; if the system is such that enables the few lucky ones who are said to be working to be owed backlogs of salaries, sometimes for upwards of 24 months; and meanwhile retirement has become a death sentence as many pensioners have perished, “waiting for the dead-man’s shoes”, as it were, then, there is something fundamentally wrong. And in our type of situation, every window of opportunity should be explored to the limits.

Admittedly, working in Nigeria is an ordeal. Even at that, the principle of Reward and Punishment requires that people should emulate good examples and discard the bad. Lest we forget, while politicians were crisscrossing the country during the last campaign season, some healthy administrative changes were taking roots in Lagos and Enugu States.

In both States, not only have they introduced Paternity Leave into their workforce; they have also increased the traditional maternity leave from 12 weeks to 24 weeks.

Paternity leave is defined as a period of paid absence from work to which a man is legally entitled immediately after the birth (or adoption) of his child. In the UK, the paternity leave is currently two weeks. In Canada, men get a couple of days off, as negotiated with their individual employers.

C M Y K

The Maternity Protection Convention C183 adopted in 2000 by the International Labour Organization, ILO, requires 14 weeks of Maternity Leave as a minimum condition.

In Lagos State, a man to whom a new baby (or babies in the case of multiple births) is born is now entitled to two weeks (10 working days) paternity leave at the time of the spouse’s first two deliveries. In Enugu State, the paternity leave is three weeks.

The thinking here is that for a young couple, the husband is given the opportunity to support his nursing wife, at least while awaiting Mama’s arrival from home.

Six months maternity leave with full pay for female public servants is in place in Lagos and Enugu States. This, however, is for the first two deliveries. For third and subsequent deliveries in both States, the maternity leave will revert to the traditional 12 weeks – six weeks before and six weeks after delivery. Male officers shall not be entitled to any paternity leave after the first two deliveries.

The strong point behind the six months maternity leave is that in six months, a baby is considered strong enough to be left in a decent crèche for proper care, having gone through close affection and nurturing by the mother for those very important and delicate first few months of his or her life.

Ideally, nursing parents-employees

We recommend its adoption under Federal legislation for universal application throughout the country

president ignores Section 138 of the Constitution and appoints himself as Petroleum Minister, then he must submit himself to the Senate for screening.

Perhaps, they will then remember such better-forgotten but yet unanswered issues as the “missing” $2.8 billion oil money, his controversial assets declaration that provided no details and monetary value, the school certificate scandal and others, based on which he will be ignominiously dropped as minister. I don’t think we can afford such demeaning distraction now that Buhari is finally setting up his cabinet. If the President appoints himself minister and also refuses to appear before the Senate for screening, he would be in flagrant violation of the constitution on two fronts.

More importantly, as I pointed out on Monday, the nation will be denied the benefit of the president being routinely invited by the Senate to explain matters arising in his ministry.

It will be a repeat of the Obasanjo experience whereby he occupied that post for six years of our immediate past oil boom and did not render account of his stewardship to anyone. I am convinced that Buhari can still “clean up” the oil sector with a competent and resourceful minister. He will even do a better job of it.

I am surprised that after four months of searching for saints even among Nigerians in the Diaspora, Buhari was unable to find someone who can hold that position and help achieve his visions for the benefit of Nigerians. I am also curious that our president, who moaned that he would have liked to be elected

would utilise the privilege to devote fuller attention to their children, t h e r e b y promoting emotional b o n d i n g b e t w e e n parents and children when it matters most. It also has a propensity to make public officers remain more dedicated on their various beats and schedules.

Indeed, paid maternity leave does not only promote the mother’s and the baby’s health; but it also improves the odds of women returning to work. In fact, women use maternity leave not only to bond with their babies, but also to establish new routines that eventually allow for a successful return to work.

The Enugu State government holds strongly to the view that the extended maternity leave regime would encourage nursing mothers to engage meaningfully in the internationally recommended four to six months of exclusive breast-feeding for newborn babies. Besides, the policy would strengthen the family as a social unit and also promote mother and child welfare.

We agree essentially that pregnancy is not a disease per se. But other long-term arguments in support of the expanded maternity leave provide pointers to the fact that psychiatrists and psychoanalysts are agreed that the relationship between the infant and its mother during the first two years of a child’s life are most critical for bonding.

The long-term consequences of maternal deprivation include juvenile delinquency, reduced intelligence with the resultant poor scholastic performance and the inability to show full affection or concern to others. Luckily, the effects of all these can be reversed if relief from deprivation is instituted early enough.

while he was younger, has suddenly found the surplus energy to take on presidential and ministerial duties at once!

I am firmly against the naïve, even foolish notion of the nation placing its trust on any politician of which Buhari is one. Whoever is handling the nation’s cash-cow must be available for legislative oversight as the constitution demands. No human being should be allowed a freehand to do just as he likes with the resources of the nation because absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Some are quick to remind us that former President Obasanjo did the same thing. Obasanjo can never be a credible yardstick for our democracy. Buhari is coming at a point where our democracy has been refined in many ways and should not drag us back to the ugly past. The unsaid truth is that these former military heads of state-turned elected presidents always prefer to grab the oil ministry because they know they will soon be politicking for a second term in office, and the oil sector is where “loose” money abounds.

On the political and moral fronts, his ministerial appointment may mean two ministers from Katsina State.

The state will be having more than its fair share. The constitution makes ministerial appointment a big federation balancing act. Katsina and the North will worsen the sectional domination of the Buhari government.

My people have a funny but insightful way of describing a greedy person: “he carries an elephant on his head and yet uses his toes to try to pick up a beetle”!

It is in the face of all this that some advanced countries like Canada have instituted maternity leave regimes for a maximum duration of 52 weeks for each birth. In such cases, though, some employees could easily develop the fast pregnancy syndrome in which they fall into the cycle of becoming pregnant soon after the one year maternity leave. Such employees would proceed on one year maternity leave at nine-monthly intervals. Depending on the number of children they are blessed with, they could attain retirement age, and retire, after putting in an aggregate of less than 10 years of effective service.

This introduces us to the debit side: if women take long maternity leaves, the neoclassical thinking would predict that their lifetime earnings and opportunities for promotion would be less than those of their male or childless counterparts, thus creating a situation of “motherhood penalty”. And it is also to be expected that only menial, unimportant schedules would be reserved for such. The guiding principle here is that you cannot have your cake and eat it.

On balance, nothing vitiates the fact that the Lagos and Enugu States initiative is an idea whose time has come. It is in conformity with the practice in many parts of the world. We recommend its adoption under Federal legislation for universal application throughout the country. This much we owe our labourforce, if only as a demonstration that the labour of these heroes shall never be in vain.

20 —Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

For residents of Ayobo, a day of hope, requests as Ambode visits

By Ikenna Asomba

I

T was a rare opportunity to interact with their governor one-on-one, and residents of Ayobo-Ipaja community in Lagos enthusiastically took advantage of it by coming out in their numbers to express their feelings and desires to the state’s chief executive. And not surprisingly the people had so much to say, both in appreciation of their governor’s kind gesture in coming to meet them and what they expected him to do for them.

For Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the occasion was right and indeed auspicious to demonstrate commitment to one of his electoral promises of running a government based on bottom-up budget plan.

This is because prior to the April 11 governorship election in Lagos State, not many Lagos residents understood what Ambode, who was the standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at that poll, meant at the time.

But on Tuesday, October 6, 2015, when he stormed the Ayobo-Ipaja community to render account of his stewardship at the maiden edition of his quarterly Town Hall Meeting, themed, “Community Inclusion in Governance,” it was an opportunity to explain it all.

Bottom-up budget Governor Ambode, who addressed thousands of residents, party chieftains, traditional rulers and top government officials at the Abesan Mini Stadium, Ayobo-Ipaja, explained that a bottom-up budget means meeting firsthand with residents to ascertain what their priority needs are and how his administration can accommodate them in the budget as well as execute them effectively.

Responding to several critical questions of governance posed to him by residents, Ambode pointed out that one of his first key tasks on assumption of office was to stabilise the finances of the state.

According to him, over the last four months that his administration came on board, he had embarked on financial re-engineering and reviewed the revenue and expenditure frameworks of the state, adding that these efforts coupled with the realignment of Ministries, Departments and Agencies have saved the government almost N3 billion every month.

“This has provided us with C M Y K

more funds to inject into capital projects and the initial funds to establish the Employment Trust Fund which we promised our youths,” he said.

Governor Ambode who reiterated his vision to make the state globally competitive in all sectors, said that his administration has mapped out long-term plans and programmes that will lead Lagos on the path to becoming a truly competitive city-state.

Highlighting some of his administration’s strides in the last four months, the Governor said that aside using the period to set up an institutional framework to pilot the programmes and policies of government, remarkable interventions and reforms have been made in the areas of road rehabilitation, health care, security, service delivery, transportation and education.

Speaking specifically on road rehabilitation, Governor Ambode said about N1.3 billion has been earmarked towards the construction and rehabilitation of over 190 roads across the state, most of which were not catered for in the 2015 budget.

He listed some of the roads to include Agege Motor Road, Herbert Macauley Way, Yaba, Murtala Mohammed Way, Isolo, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Dopemu Road, Agege, Akowonjo Road, Akowonjo, Obalende Bridge, Obalende, Isaac John Road,

We quite appreciate him (Ambode) for demonstrating to us that for progress to be achieved in our communities, he needed to meet with the people to feel their pulse, to know their problems with a view to providing solutions

*Cross-section of Obas and chieftains at the Town Hall Meeting

•Gov. Ambode GRA and Apapa Road, Ebute Meta.

Other roads he mentioned include the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Toyota-Charity Axis, Olufemi Street, Shomolu, Billy Street, Epe, Aswani Road, Isolo, Yekini Street, Shogunle, Oshodi, Isawo Road, Ikorodu, some of which he said are federal roads.

“As I speak, work has commenced on the Ago Palace Way-Okota Road. The State, in conjunction with your local governments and local council development area, is coming to your neighbourhood soon.

“The Ejigbo–Ikotun Road, Okota-Cele Road, Metalbox Road and Acme Road in Ikeja are currently being rehabilitated, while work has started on Brown Street, Oshodi, Ladipo Street as well as Mushin Road.

“Till date, we have committed N1.386 billion to road construction and rehabilitation.

We will pump more funds into road infrastructure in this present quarter,” the Governor said.

Our needs: Meanwhile, speaking to Vanguard Metro, the Chairman, Oke-Isagun Community Development Area, CDA, Mr. Adebisola Adewole, expressed confidence that Ambode’s visit to the area

is a sign of good things to come.

Adewole, who however outlined some of the m a j o r challenges of his CDA, said: “We q u i t e appreciate h i m (Ambode) for demonstrating to us that for progress to be achieved in our communities, he needed to meet with the people to feel their pulse, to know their problems with a view to providing solutions.

“Again, most of the things that our people have told the governor is a statement of fact of what we are facing here. In the area of roads, we are facing serious problems of traffic congestion, not to talk of Ipaja or Dopemu Bridge. There are two roads that are of major concern to us. If government can fix them for us the perennial traffic gridlock faced around Ipaja, Ayobo, Abesan, Abulegba will be reduced. Those two roads are Oke-Isagun Road and Iyana Ipaja Road.

Housing project “The major road is off Command Road, and we have two estates there. Government has already tarred Diamond Estate and presently, they are embarking on the construction of low and medium-cost housing projects in the other estate, that is the Sunrise Estate. That road is in-between that estate. There are also two schools sited in the Oke-Isagun community. So, we would appreciate that government fixes the bad roads, especially now that its institutions are

sited there. The road should be opened up to Aboru and to Iyana-Ipaja. We have the strong belief that Ambode is a listening Governor, who will always come to our aid whenever we call on him.”

Question and answer session: The question and session of the meeting was indeed a lively and interesting affair. It was an opportunity for the residents to make known their requests to the governor.

For instance, Pastor Boniface Adeyemi, a resident of Abaranje-Okerube, in Ikotun area of the state, appealed to the governor to assist them construct a secondary school in their community.

Responding, Ambode assured that the appeal will be captured in the state’s budget next year.

Noise pollution Similarly, Alhaji Adeleke Ogunowo from Oku-Oba Central Mosque, asked the governor on the state government’s stand on noise pollution, particularly as it affects religious organisations.

Responding, Ambode clarified that the state has an existing law that prohibits noise pollution, adding that the activities of security agencies to ensure residents abide by this law should not be seen as punishment against religious organisations.

He however, urged the residents to curb noise pollution in their various areas, so as not to disturb others.

Also, Mr. Gift Ikpe from Mosan-Okunola community appealed to the governor to empower residents of the community, particularly the youths, by establishing fish farming centres.

Responding, Ambode promised to direct the state’s Ministry of Agriculture to partner with the community to set-up fish farming centres in the community.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

— 21

146 countries submit action plans for climate change

By Godwin Oritse

with Agency Report TOTAL of 196 countries, representing about 87 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, have submitted their intended national climate action plans to the United Nations.

This means that so far over 75 percent of all member countries to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have responded.

This includes all developed countries under the Convention and 104 developing countries, or almost 70 percent of UNFCCC developing member states.

Over 80 percent of the plans include quantifiable objectives and also over 80 percent include intended actions to adapt to climate change.

Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC said: “Over the past few months, the number of countries submitting their climate action plans to the Paris agreement has grown from a steady stream into a sweeping flood. This unprecedented breadth and depth of response reflects the increasing recognition that there is an unparalleled opportunity to achieve resilient, low-emission, sustainable development at national level.

A

L-r: Director, Community Development Service, NDHQ, Abuja, Victoria Okhakhu, DG, NYSC, Brig. Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, Sustainable Development Manager, Guinness Nigeria, Osita Abana and Representative of the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Michael Dawodu at the presentation of drugs by Guinness Nigeria to the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers which was flagged off in Olorunda LCDA, Badagry.

French companies target investment in security, power, others L

By Favour Nnabugwu

ESS than a month after President Muhammadu Buhari visited France, Nigeria could begin to reap the fruits of that trip as the French government said it has bridged the divide between France and Nigeria.

French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Denys Gaver, who led a delegation of 50 Heads of companies to the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) in Abuja on Monday, said that France has restored bilateral relationship with Nigeria.

Gaver said, “Nigeria is already the first trading partner for France in Africa, don’t forget that and we are exporting also to Nigeria worth $1.5 billion per year. So it is not so bad but it is true that we could do much more now.

“The political cooperation between France and Nigeria has developed very positively recently. We are helping to fight against Boko Haram in the north. We are encouraging neighbouring countries to work very closely with Nigeria, and we are working with the

128.65

1.10

$3,092.00

0.00

$13.61

-0.03

51.80

2.55

48.38

2.12

CURRENCY

BUYING

DOLLAR

196 196.5 297.41204 298.1691 220.01 220.5713 201.1494 201.6626 1.6287 1.6329 0.3166 0.3266 274.6556 275.3562 30.8351 30.9142 52.2611 52.3944 275.3408 276.0432 29.483 29.5582

POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL SDR KRONA

CENTRAL

CBN Exchange Rate as at 06/10 /15

197 298.9278 221.1325 202.1757 1.637 0.3366 276.0569 30.9934 52.5277 276.7456 29.6334

Nigerian Armed forces to fight terrorism.

“It is a real partnership that is developing between Nigeria and France in the political field and in the security field. It is true that we have to do more in the economic field therefore we have to attract more French companies to come to Nigeria to invest and establish partnership with Nigeria.”

Gaver promised to showcase the new Nigeria and its development to Francophone countries, “It is true that many French companies probably still have the vision of Nigeria of 20 years ago. So we have to update them on the real realities now of Nigeria.”

The companies comprising of Large, medium and small are also focusing in many opportunities of the Nigerian market including building, transportation, environment, energy, power, security, transport and sustainable cities.

Leader of the Head of companies, Mr Pierre Gattaz who is also the President of the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), said Nigeria is a land of investments and development for French companies.

Africa is our new frontier. “Nigeria is the largest economy and the largest population on the continent, the middle class is emerging in Nigeria, which demand new infrastructures, facilities and equipment, but also in services and leisure.”

Chairman of the delegation in Nigeria, Chief Audu Ogbe, former Minister of Mines and Steel Development assured the companies that Nigeria is correcting the mistakes of the past.

According to him, “We have a The political government that is determined to correct the mistakes of the cooperation past. No matter the challenge we are facing, the reality is far between better that what we see or read France and in the media."

While welcoming the Nigeria has companies to Nigeria, Execudeveloped very tive Secretary of NIPC, Mrs. Uju Baba-Hassan told the compapositively nies that investment potentials recently. We are huge in Nigeria. “The are helping to opportunities are huge, the are good and we have a fight against profits government today that is deterBoko Haram mined to correct the mistakes of the past and to make sure things in the north are done correctly.

“The INDCs can be seen as an impressive portfolio of potential investment opportunities that are good for each individual country and good for the planet,” she said.

The UNFCCC secretariat, as requested by Parties to the Convention, will provide a synthesis report of all these plans, known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), on November 1.

More countries will continue to submit their plans ahead of the Paris UN climate change conference from 30 November to 11 December, 2015. The European Union is also counted as a separate “Party” to the UNFCCC in addition to all its members, which means that a total of 147 parties to the Convention have submitted plans.

The Paris agreement is to be a turning point that puts the world on track to the low-emission, climate resilient and sustainable future that is the only way to keep global average temperatures from rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius, the internationallyagreed defense line against the worst impacts of climate change.

Daikin targets N9.8bn air-conditioning business in Nigeria

By Princewill Ekwujuru

D

AIKIN Industries Lim ited, Japan, says its targeting about $50 million (N9.850,000 billion) from airconditioning sales in Nigeria, as it plans $815 million from global sales by 2020, which is a 300percent rise in sale.

According to statistics made available to Vanguard, Daikin is the number one brand in industrial air conditioning, especially the central air conditioning system for large and high rise buildings.

The Company’s President, Mr. Sano Ryoji, who was on a visit to Nigeria told Vanguard that the company’s focus will be heavy on the Nigeria Air-conditioning market as the country is one of its key markets in Africa, expecting to rake in $50million from air-conditioning sales in the country.

Ryoji who said Daikin has been in Nigeria in last two years has its eyes on every big project in Nigeria ranging from the Eko Atlantic city, Corporate Organisations and hotels springing up in parts of the country.

The company which says it intends to grow its Middle East and Africa, MEA, market to $270 million this year from $193 million in 2014, which will be 140 percent increase, said Africa’s market is one of its important markets in the 145 countries it operates The President stated that the company is looking forward to establishing a Completely Knocked Down, CKD, assembling plant in Nigeria and may not establish its presence fully as a manufacturing company, pointed out that it would be opening a plant in Egypt by 2016.

He went further to say that the company had the highest market share in japan and remains the number one in India market and globally, saying that in the last ten years the company took over the number one global spot from carrier Airconditioning company.

Also speaking, Mohamed Abbas, Regional Director, Daikin Middle East & Africa, said: “Outdoor air has many atmospheric and corrosive pollutants such as dust, humidity, rain, etc., that damage the heat exchanger coils of air conditioners.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

,

Serious entrepreneurs think about saving some money before they start, or think of using their own savings to start a business

,

Creative ways to finance startups

E

VERY startup needs access to capital, whether for funding product development, for initial rollout efforts, acquiring inventory, or paying that first employee.

Most entrepreneurs think first of bank loans as the primary source of money, only to find out that banks are really the least likely benefactors for startups.

Thus “creative” really means maximizing non-bank financing.

The alternatives are many, but they are not easy. The most successful entrepreneurs are the ones who think creatively, not only about their offering, but also about how to acquire cash, and never say never.

They have to sell themselves, more than their product, to close on every alternative source of funding. Here are some top sources of funding startups: Personal financing - You may not think this is very creative.

Serious entrepreneurs think about saving some money before they start, or think of using their own savings to start a business. No investor will put money into a deal if they see that you have no financial commitment.

Personal credit lines - You qualify for a secured personal credit line based on your personal credit efforts. Credit cards can usually be acquired with even less history. We all know startups that have been built on one or both of these.

The advantage is that you retain total ownership and control, as long as you make minimum payments.

Family and friends - These are people who should believe in you, without waiting to see if your idea works, or waiting until you have real customers, revenue, and hard assets. These commitments should always be positioned in writing as promissory notes, or so-called bridge-loans, which convert to equity at a rate determined by later investors.

Peer-to-peer lending - This is a process whereby a group of people come together to lend money to each other. It’s been around many years, such as small business groups or ethnic groups supporting similar efforts. In the startup context, look for a successful entrepreneur peer willing to fund similar new ideas.

Crowd funding - Here you use the power of the Internet to find a crowd of like-minded people, with small amounts

each, to back your efforts.

Microloans - There are many private companies and nonprofits that offer small loans, to promote entrepreneurship, to individuals who would not normally qualify for bank financing. Examples include Microfinance Banks Vendor financing - If you need tangible products for inventory, many manufacturers and distributors can be convinced to defer your payment until the goods are sold by you. This really means an extension of the normal 30-day payment terms to a period of months or longer, depending on your credit worthiness and extra fees.

Purchase order financing - The most common scaling problem faced

Look for a successful entrepreneur peer willing to fund similar new ideas

by startups is the inability to accept a large new order, since they don’t have the cash to build and deliver the product.

PO financing companies will often advance the required funds directly to the supplier, allowing the transaction to complete and profit to flow to the startup.

Factoring accounts receivables - This is similar in concept to PO financing, but applies the advance to unpaid amounts not yet due or collected from customers. In high volume startups starting to scale up, this will provide cash on your sales immediately, rather than waiting for 30 to 60 days or longer for payment.

These aforementioned are different from the more conventional and less creative finance approaches of Angel and venture capital investors.

For new entrepreneurs, these sources usually have very little interest in early-stage or seed financing, preferring the lesser risk of a proven business model, with real revenue and customers, ready to scale.

BUSINESS EXCHANGE RATES (6/10/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

196

196.5

197

297.4104 220.01 201.1494 1.6287 0.3166 274.6556 30.8351 52.2611 29.483 275.3408

298.1691 220.5713 201.6626 1.6329 0.3266

298.9278 221.1325 202.1757 1.637 0.3366

275.3562

276.0569

30.9142 52.3944 29.5582 276.0432

30.9934 52.5277 29.6334 276.7456

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Characteristics of successful entrepreneurs

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

R

EGARDLESS of one’s definition of success, there are some common characteristics that are shared by successful business people.

There are certain musts that are required to be successful in any chosen activity. To legally drive a vehicle on public highways, one must have a driver’s license; to excel in sports, one must train and practice.

If your goal is success in business, then the formula is no different. There are certain musts that have to be fully developed, implemented and managed for your business to succeed. James Stephenson, a consultant with more than 15 years of business and marketing experience, in an article on Entrepreneur.com, enumerated some important business musts that are required to start, operate and grow a successful business.

Do what you enjoy What you get out of your

business in the form of personal satisfaction, financial gain, stability and enjoyment will be the sum of what you put into your business.

If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, chances are you won’t succeed.

Take what you do seriously You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell. Far too many business owners fail to take their own businesses seriously enough, getting easily sidetracked and not staying motivated and keeping their noses to the grindstone.

Plan everything Planning every aspect of your business is not only a must, but also builds habits that every business owner should develop, implement, and maintain. The act of business planning is so important because it requires you to analyse each business situation, research and compile data, and make conclusions based mainly on the facts as revealed through the research.

Manage money wisely The life of any business enterprise is cash flow. You need it to buy inventory, pay for services, promote and market your business, repair and replace tools and equipment, and pay yourself so that you can continue to work. Therefore, all business owners must become wise money managers to ensure that the cash keeps flowing and the bills get paid.

Customer is king Your business is not about the products or services that you sell.

Your business is not about the prices that you charge for your goods and services. Your business is not about your competition and how to beat them. Your business is all about your customers, or clients. After all, your customers are the people that will ultimately decide if your business goes boom or bust. Everything you do in business must be customer focused, including your policies, warranties, payment options, operating hours, presentations, advertising and promotional

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 23

,

& YOU

dity de

Gas

COMMODITIES (7/10/15) Last 48.93

Change ($) +0.40

% Change +0.82

2.53

+0.06

+2.27

13.83

+0.20

+1.47

127.05

-1.05

-0.82

3,086.00

-6.00

-0.19

campaigns and website. In addition, you must know who your customers are inside out and upside down. along with trying to draw newcomers, the more you can do to woo your regular customers, the better off you will be in the long run and personalised attention is very much appreciated and remembered.

Project a positive image You have but a passing moment to make a positive and memorable impression on people with whom you intend to do business. Business owners must go out of their way and make a conscious effort to always project the most professional business image possible.

Leverage on technology You should avoid getting overly caught up in the high-tech world, but you should also know how to take advantage of using it. Make sure you’re keeping up with the high-tech world as it suits your needs. The best technology is that which helps you, not that which impresses your neighbors.

Build a strong business team Nobody can build a successful business alone. It’s a task that requires a team that is as committed as you are to the business and its success. Your business team may include

If you don't enjoy what you're doing, chances are you won't succeed

family members, friends, suppliers, business alliances, employees, sub-contractors, industry and business associations, local government and the community. Of course the most important team members will be your customers or clients. Any or all may have a say in how your business will function and a stake in your business future.

Develop expertise The more you become known for your expertise in your business, the more people will seek you out to tap into your expertise, creating more selling and referral opportunities. In effect, becoming known as an expert is another style of prospecting for new business, just in reverse. Instead of finding new and qualified people to sell to, these people seek you out for your expertise.

Create competitive edge A successful business must have a clearly defined unique selling proposition. What aspect or combination of aspects will your business from your competition? It could be better service, a longer warranty, better selection, longer business hours, more flexible payment options, lowest price, personalised service, better customer service, better return and exchange policies or a combination of several of these.

Invest in yourself Top entrepreneurs buy and read business and marketing books, magazines, reports, journals, newsletters, websites and industry publications, knowing that these resources will improve their understanding of business and marketing functions and skills. They join business associations and clubs, and they network with other skilled business people to learn their secrets of success and help define their own goals and objectives. Top entrepreneurs attend business and marketing seminars, workshops and

The notion of either staying small or big should not be the focus.

Whether you are big or small, the key thing is GROWTH

,

The size of your organisation doesn't really matter By ‘Uju Onwuzulike

dynamic and will continue to be. The truth is that “no organisation is too big to fail”.

Organisations have two choices to make, either to stay in the “Maintenance Mode” and stop growing or to step into the “Growth Mode.”

In the end, the customer doesn’t know, or care, if you are small or large as an organisation.. She or he only focuses on the garment hanging on the rail in the store … Giorgio Armani

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

W

ITH the rate of change in the business world today, having the mindset or perception that one’s organisation is big or small may not be strategic and in the best interest of any organisation. Forward looking organisations and also those that are strategic in all facets of their operations focus only on GROWTH. They keep asking the pertinent question: how do we grow the more regardless of people’s perception of our size?

We have heard and seen over the years, stories of global companies who taught they were so big, have arrived, and were invincible abound.

Any organisation that 'sleeps' when others are running may not have the growth mentality

Unintended consequences Much to our chagrin, some of them went under due to one insidious act or the other. When we take wrong actions in organisations, they tend to create “unintended consequences”.

Sadly, one or two of such can sink the organisation. We do not intend to write names of such failed global companies.

On the other hand, companies that always think they are small (and cannot make major business impact) will only succeed in limiting their business growth potentials.

They may not be able to move to the next level of growth. Today, we have lists of businesses that started small and have grown to become global players.

You might ask, if we are not to focus on being big or small, what should be our

focus? The answer is simple; your focus MUST be on GROWTH. Companies that are perceived to be “big (by which ever standard) can grow more and more. On the other hand, companies that are perceived to be small today can equally outgrow big companies in the future. So let us re-shift our thinking to Growth mentality.

Any organisation that ‘sleeps’ when others are running may not have the growth mentality (“when the rate of change on the outside exceeds the inside, the end is near”).

The only way to retain control over your business is by growing, and this is because businesses and customer needs are ever

Organisations in the “Maintenance Mode” will experience the following: Your competitors catch up with you or take up your position. Your revenue drops. Your products or services might become old fashioned. Your employee’s sense of creativity and innovation stifles.

Points to ponder: The notion of either staying small or big should not be the focus. Whether you are big or small, the key thing is GROWTH. The only way to retain control over your business is by GROWING. Have you seen any organisation that has “we have arrived” status?

The answer is No. Final Note: There is no better time to grow your organisation than now. Long term growth will not be achieved by doing things the old way. It will never be achieved by “piecemeal” or analytical way of doing things, because it creates unintended consequences for the company. Most times, they are difficult to handle.

Growing an organisation requires using “Systems Thinking Approach” – where everybody’s focus is entirely on the organisation, and not on self or some parts of the organisation. Achieving this focus or goal is sometimes hard for some people, but it MUST be achieved.

Call or email us for your views or perspectives.

Email:uju@hainescentre.com Mobile: 09091142093 C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Large scale migration offers opportunity for global economy —World Bank

By Babajide Komolafe

T

HE World Bank has said that the ongoing large scale migration from poor countries to richer regions can enhance the growth of the global economy.

According to the Global Monitoring Report 2015/2016: Development Goals in an Era of Demographic Change, released in Peru at the start of the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the IMF, the world is undergoing a major population shift that will reshape economic development for decades and, while posing challenges, offers a path to ending extreme poverty and shared prosperity if the right evidence-based policies are put in place nationally and internationally.

The share of global population that is working age has peaked at 66 percent and is now on the

decline. World population growth is expected to slow to 1 percent from more than 2 percent in the 1960s. The share ofthe elderly is anticipated to almost double to 16 percent by 2050, while the global count of children is stabilizing at 2 billion.

The direction and pace of this global demographic transition varies dramatically from country to country, with differing implications depending on where a nation stands on the spectrum of aging and economic development. Regardless of this diversity, countries at all stages of development can harness demographic transition as a tremendous development opportunity, the report says.

“With the right set of policies, this era of demographic change can be an engine of economic growth,” said World Bank Group President Jirn Yong Kim. “If countries with aging populations

can create a path for refugees and migrants to participate in the economy, everyone benefits, Most of the evidence suggests that migrants will work hard and contribute more in taxes than they consume in social services.”

More than 90 percent of global poverty is concentrated in lowerincome c6untries with young, fastgrowing populations that can expect to see their working-age populations grow significantly. At the same time, more than threequarters of global growth is generated in higher-income countries with much-lower fertility rates, fewer people of working age, and rising numbers of the elderly.

“The demographic developments analyzed in the report will pose fundamental challenges for policy-makers across the world in the years ahead,” said IMF Managing Director Christine

LAUNCH: From left: Chairman, Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited, Godwin Obaseki; President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Managing Director, Afrinvest, Ike Chioke and Chairman, Forte Oil Plc, Femi Otedola, during the launch of Afrinvest Nigerian Banking Sector Report 2015 /20th Anniversary celebration of the firm in Lagos.

Finance experts discuss international trade finance at ICC Nigeria forum

E

XPERTS from the financial sector will today discuss issues concerning trade finance at the maiden International Trade Finance Forum of International Chamber of Commerce (Nigeria).

The Forum, with the theme “Rethinking Trade” will be addressed by experts including Mr. Olakanmi Gbadamosi, Director,Trade & Exchange Central Bank, Dr. (Mrs.) Tokunbo Martins, Director, Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Chief (Dr.) Raymond Ihyembe, Chairman, ICCN Banking Commission, and Dr. (Mrs.) Omolara Akanji, Vice Chairman, ICCN Banking Commission, Others are Mr. Bamidele Ayemibo, Managing Director, 3Timpex Consulting Limited, Mr.

Banjo Adegbohungbe, Group Head, Operations, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Rotimi Badiru, Group Head, Wema Bank Plc, Mr.Paul Omoijiade, Managing Partner, Institute of Trade ,Finance Management and Practice of Nigeria L TD/GTE and Mrs. Olubunmi Osuntuyi, Secretary General, ICCN. In that regard, professionals involved in international trade and finance, Exporter and Importers, Bankers, Regulators, Policy Makers, Government Officials, Traders, Lawyers,’ Risk Managers, Transporters, Shippers, Freight Forwarders, Customs, Port Operators, Credit Analyst, Insurers, Academics, trading consultants, Attorneys, In-House Counsel, Supply Chain/Logistics Officials and all who deal with letters of credit

transactions and Bank Guarantees would be in attendance.

According to ICC Nigeria, “It is a well known fact that, trade is the lifeblood of the world economy and it is vital to the global economic recovery. International trade contributes to prosperity and is a powerful force for peace.

Bringing down barriers to international trade and investment ‘and increasing cross-border trade and investment flows can make a significant contribution to meeting the need for jobs and growth in all parts of the world.

In today ’s economy, the transformation of trade through global value chains is bringing far-reaching change to companies and economies worldwide.

Access Bank bags Women Market Champion award

A

CCESS Bank Plc has received the Global Banking Alliance for Women Market Champion 2015 award. The award is in recognition of the Bank’s innovative approach to banking women across the shores ofthe country.

The Bank has also restated that its Women Awards, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, seeks to recognise and celebrate Nigerian women, home and in the Diaspora who have impacted the Nigerian economy and their immediate environment positively.

During the just concluded 14th Annual Summit of the Global Banking Alliance (GBA) for Women in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Access Bank bagged the award for the Women’s Market Champion 2015 alongside banks across the worlds that have implemented successful women market programmes.

This award’ is coming on the heels of the one year anniversary of the Bank’s Women initiative which was launched in Nigeria and subsequently in the Bank’s subsidiaries in Ghana, Rwanda and Zambia. W is the home for everything Access Bank offers to women.

The Global.Banking Alliance for Women is the leading international consortium of financial institutions and other organizations interested in building women’s wealth worldwide. GBA member institutions work in 135 countries to build innovative, comprehensive programs that provide women entrepreneurs with vital access to capital, markets, education and training.

With the presence of Bankers, policymakers, multilateral and bilateral representatives, academics, and other stakeholders, the GBA Summit is the seminal and most comprehensive event for women’s financial inclusion in the world.

The Chief Executive Officer of GBA, lnez Murray who presented the award to Ope WemiJones, Group Head, Inclusive Banking, Access Bank Plc, corn mended the women program at Access Bank and reiterated that the Summit was designed to deepen the sharing of know-how among GBA member banks as well as create the opportunity to network and support one another as a community of practitioners.

On another note, nominations are ongoing for the four Women Awards categories via the designated website, www.thewawards.com and the SMS short code, 30812. The Awards categories were drawn from the cardinal principles of the Bank’s W Initiative.

The first category is the ‘W Entrepreneur’ of the Year (W in Business) Award. This award recognizes a female entrepreneur who has shown immense growth in her business.

Accordingly, she must be fully engaged and active in the dayto-day running and decision making in the business.

The second category is the ‘W Young Professional’ of the Year Award. This award is for women between 25 and 35 years who are making significant contributions in their chosen professions in any organisation and have a drive to reach the peak of their careers.

Standard Chartered facilitates $1.2 bn fund for NNPC/Chevron joint venture

S

By Peter Egwuatu

TANDARD Chartered Bank has facilitated $1.2 billion fund for the NNPC /Chevron Joint Venture, JV oil well development.

In a statement made available to Vanguard, it stated that the deal enables incremental oil and gas production from 36 oil wells owned by the NNPC-Chevron joint venture and covered by OML 49, 90 and 95 onshore and offshore to be funded. NNPC has a 60 per cent interest and Chevron 40 per cent.

In a time of increasing pressure on banks to prove their worth with productive industrial engagements and innovative structures, it is refreshing to see a bank with international footprints like Standard Chartered Bank, banking on Nigeria despite persisting low oil prices, dwindling reserves and a government in transition with project-financing type deals in successful collaboration with prominent international and lo-

cal banks.

According to the statement “Other project finance transactions successfully led by Standard Chartered in the last few years in Nigeria include: US$1.5bn drilling program and a couple of US$200 to 600m range projects for the ExxonMobil JV, US$1.2bn for Indorama Group, the recent acquisition by OANDO group of ConocoPhillips assets, $800m towers acquisition by IHS of MTN telco towers among others and General US$ syndication and bond facilities led by the bank include a US$750m bond for AFC, $200m Syndication for Ecobank, N26bn issue for FCMB, and a US$300m syndications for Zenith Bank, among others.”

The NNPC/Chevron Accelerated Upstream Financing Programme will address the critical national issue of maintaining current production levels in the short term as well as replacing depleting Nigerian reserves which has been static at circa 35billion in the last 10 years.

Vanguard, THURSDAY,

OCTOBER 8, 2015

—25

By Dayo Adesulu, Amaka Abayomi,Tare Youdeowei, Glory Ekwenuya, Kelechukwu Iruoma & Chiebuka Enwere

A

N American professor emeritus of education, Dr. Ivan Welton Fitzwater, once said “the future of the world is in my classroom today, a future with the potential for good or bad.

Several future presidents are learning from me today; so are the great writers of the next decades, and so are all the socalled ordinary people who will make the decisions in a democracy.

I must never forget these same young people could be the thieves and murderers of the future. Only a teacher?

Thank God I have a calling to the greatest profession of all! I must be vigilant everyday, lest I lose one fragile opportunity to improve tomorrow.”

Despite having the great responsibility of moulding the future of Nigeria, the welfare package of the Nigerian teacher is among the worst in the country. They operate from not too friendly work environments with meagre and irregular salaries.

Irregular salaries Most lack the passion for the profession and are not properly trained on what it takes to be a st 21 century teacher and when they are trained, lack the necessary instructional materials to carry out their jobs and yet they are the first to be blamed for poor students’ achievement.

As Nigeria joined other countries to celebrate this year ’s World Teachers’ Day, Nigerian teachers, particularly those in the public school system, say its not yet uhuru as there is nothing to celebrate while their conditions of service continue to nose-dive.

The plight of Nigeria’s teachers is pitiful as many of

FUNAB kickoffs skills acquisition programme PG. 28

Whither university education under the change programme? — 1 PG. 28 C M Y K

Nigerian teacher: A poorly paid professional expected to deliver gold Still working in 19th century classrooms, with chalk and blackboard them have died of hunger, diseases and out of frustration.

The system has turned a good number of them into beggars and destitutes such that the younger generation dread the idea of becoming teachers in the future. If our teachers are not appreciated and recognized, they would be forced to turn their noble job of inspiring the youth to higher academic excellence into positions of creating ‘yahoo boys’ and ‘runs girls’ in our schools.

Remunerations for teachers Calling on employers of teachers to consider increasing salaries and other remunerations for teachers to put them at par with their counterparts in other sectors, the Director-General, National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Dr. Aminu Ladan, points out that Nigerian teachers are demotivated in Nigeria because their remuneration is abysmally low.

Speaking at a symposium organised to mark the WTD in Abuja, Ladan said “in the past teachers were motivated and

had no option than to perform.

But today, teachers’ pay is so low that most of them can barely put food on their tables by the time they settled their children school fees, utility and medical bills, yet they are expected to perform magic.

“It is quite absurd that under this unpalatable conditions, they are expected to produce those that will grow up to become leaders of tomorrow.

They are expected to perform wonders in bare classrooms as they are derogatorily compared with teachers in other countries or teachers of the past.

“Was this the situation of Nigerian teachers in the past?

Let me take you down memory lane, we all remember how teachers were revered, in villages, teachers are next to the village heads or chiefs. In short, in Nigeria today, teachers are de-motivated and so I say to whom less is given, less should be expected.”

In the same vein, the Lagos State Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, Comrade Kazeem Labaika, said for the state to meet up with the increasing figure of enrollment at the basic schools and to replace the teachers who have either

retired or are dead, there is need to immediately employ about 11,300 teachers.

According to him, “1,007 basic schools in Lagos currently do not have enough teachers, though this is better when compared to the situation in other states.

Stressing the need for teachers to be properly motivated, compensated and empowered to perform and deliver, the Lagos State Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, Raheem Adesegun, called for an upward review of teachers salaries and allowances.

“Teachers are in the centre of

The plight of Nigerian teachers is pitiful as many of them have died of hunger, disease and frustrations

the educational configuration but they are denied, deprived and depressed. To redress the situation, teachers must attract a genuine professional status and be paid a special salary scale to address their social and financial disenfranchisement.”

Stressing that a special salary structure, as is obtainable in the nursing profession, be created for teachers to grow passion and interest in the teaching profession, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, Federal Wing, Mr. Emeka Okonta, said the basic minimum requirement for teaching — NCE or B.Ed — should be implemented to make teaching more respectable.

“The condition of service for the Nigerian teacher is very poor when compared to other professions or even teachers in other countries. The salary is very discouraging and allowances is poor and not forthcoming despite our fight for better conditions of service.

These and the reduction of JAMB cut off mark for colleges of education has not encouraged the younger generation to go into the

Continues on Page 26

26—Vanguard, THURSDAY,

OCTOBER 8, 2015

Nigerian teacher: The poorly-paid professional expected to deliver gold Continues from Page 25 teaching profession.”

Mr Adesina Adelaja of the Federal Ministry of Education, Inspectorate Division, Abeokuta, has been teaching for 32 years and he admits that things have taken a turn for the worse as teachers welfare has taken the back seat.

His words “the poor remuneration is the major challenge we have because it is not commensurate with what is being paid in the civil service as there are bonuses and other

allowances that other civil servants enjoy but are not extended to teachers.

“The excuse always given is that the size of the teaching population is too much for the government to cater for so they limit the emoluments to only those in the office and this is very bad. I wonder why they create such teacher-unfriendly policies because those in charge of these policies and their implementation all pass through teachers and have teachers as their mentors.

“Teachers are core nationbuilders and we expect financial rewards and policies should be amended to enable us enjoy what other civil servants enjoy. When Peugeot cars were given to civil servants from Grade Level 7 and above during Obasanjo’s regime, teachers were exempted while Army and Air Force officers were given.”

For Mr. Lezigha Tornyie, a teacher with the Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, two major challenges

teachers face are lack of supervision and training.

He said “Poor supervision has allowed teachers to do as they like or fail to do their duties to the detriment of the students and fellow teachers, and they get away without punishment. Another sad challenge is that teachers are not being trained and retrained. This has affected our welfare as we are not being adequately taken care of.

“Even though civil servants are supposed to be the same, doctors are paid higher than teachers, meanwhile without the teacher there is no doctor.

Despite all these

We have blended learning which can take place anywhere, anytime, by anybody and on any device

Little Saints Montessori School, Ilupeju, Proprietress, Mrs Bukky Fadayomi chatting with school children in preparations for its 30th anniversary.

Mimiko charges as Ondo absorbs 900 NCE teachers Tare Youdeowei, HE Ondo state government has increased the number of teachers in Primary schools in the state with 900 National Certificate in Education (NCE) holders.According to the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, the 900 were redeployed from the local government service into the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to address the need for more teachers in Primary schools across the state.He reported thata three-day refresher course for the teachers is holding in four zones in the state with a centre each in Ondo, Akure, Okitipupa and Ikare .

The flag -off ceremony of the course which ends on Thursday he added was performed by the state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko at the Akure centre.Akinmade who said the deployment is to address the challenge of shortage of teachers in schools submitted that government discovered that they are being under utilised in the local government areas hence the need to redeploy them, adding that the former local government workers are moving from the era of redundancy to the era of full engagement because they are

T

C M Y K

round pegs in round holes.Addressing the teachers at the flag off ceremony of the course, Dr Mimiko charged them to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and contribute their quota to the improvement of standard of education in the state.He said the

deployment is an opportunity for them to bring to bear their wealth of experience to improve the state of Education.According to him, “You have the opportunity to mould the future of the state and Nigeria, so you should be up and doing”.He also assured them that they will enjoy the 27.5

percent teachers’ salary scheme and continuous training, adding that to whom much is given much is expected.Earlier, the Head of Service , Barr. Toyin Akinkuotu had said the deployment is to enhance productivity in the service.

Firm calls for focus on skills acquisition in schools

By Dayo Adesulu ith over 11 million unemployed young people in the country, the Managing Director of Pearson, Muhtar Bakare has urged the Muhammadu Buhari lead administration to focus and enforce skills acquisition in schools saying, ‘’it is a problem that looks set to worsen if urgent action is not taken.’’

Bakare in a released said that of the 167 million people in Nigeria, over half are between the ages of 15 and 34 years, adding that about 1.8 million young people are entering the job market every year, placing increasing pressure on an already tight job market.

He said, Nigeria must address the rising youth unemployment challenge through improved skills education at all levels adding,”International

W

experience has shown us that high rates of youth unemployment have farreaching social, economic and political consequences at a national level.’’

According to him, Nigeria’s unemployment challenges are vast and complex and no one solution will fix the problem.

However, the research clearly shows that improving educational standards will be vital in any resolution to this crisis.

He said: ‘’Around half of those affected by unemployment in Nigeria do not have an education past primary school level. Even in other parts of the world where children have access to the highest standards of education, youth unemployment remains a huge issue (the global number of unemployed youth sits at 300-

400 million). ‘’So what does this mean for children in Nigeria, where the primary school enrolment rate sits at just 66% and educational attainment rates are low by international standards?” . He explained that young Nigerians, despite often being better educated than their parents, face diminished employment prospects. This, according to him is not just a result of structural problems in the labour market or a lack of available jobs (although these are no doubt contributing factors).

His words: ‘’What we are seeing is a chronic mismatch between skills and employment opportunities – poor teaching standards and poor curricula have meant the Nigerian education system is not equipping young people with the skills and knowledge valued by employers.

discrepancies, some of us still put in our best though we are again met with a curriculum that is constantly changing. We need a stable curriculum to function equitably.”

Pointing out that the average Nigerian teacher has little or no value bestowed on him, a lecturer at the University of Benin, Dr. Daniel Ekhareafo, said “This is evident in the pitiable pay and conditions of service teachers are made to work under. Teachers need better pay, offices and accommodation befitting moulders of destiny. “ For Mrs. Onwukamaike Nkechinyere, a teacher in Umuahia, Abia State, teachers are not being taken care of as "we have not been paid for four months."

Private school teachers bear the brunt more as they are paid peanuts. For Mrs Azuka Ezennia from Tosvvi Precious College, Shibiri, Lagos, her salary is N30,000, though some earn as little as N10,000 or N15,000. She wants teachers to be remembered and be given conducive environment for teaching and learning.”

In advanced countries, governments look out for what is best for its teachers in terms of welfare package while their Nigerian counterparts have to fight for better conditions of service with the government before any such thing is granted them.

UK, US pay teachers well According to the American National Education Association, depending on the state, high school teachers in US get as much as $48,631 while the best-paid 10 percent in the field made approximately $86,720, while the bottom 10 percent made $37,230. Compensation is typically based on years of experience and educational level.

Newly qualified teachers in England and Wales start on the main salary scale, which rises incrementally from £22,023 to £32,187, though salaries may be higher depending on location. Salaries on the main scale in Northern Ireland range from £21,804 to £31,868. High school teachers’ in South Africa earn an average of R166,068 per year.

When asked if she would want to teach in Nigeria under the present teaching conditions, a Nigerian who has been teaching in the US for 11 years, Mrs. Nkiru Nnadi said she’ll consider teaching in Nigeria if her salary in the US can be matched plus provision being made for accommodation and flight ticket to the US for annual vacation like was done when she was in Morocco.

Vanguard, THURSDAY,

OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 27

Ekiti AG commends AAUA infrastructural feat, applauds sucessive administrations

FUNAB kick-offs skills acquisition programme

By Ebele Orakpo

A

S part of efforts towards mitigating the challenges of unemployment and enhancing the standard of living of Nigerian youths, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta's, (FUNAAB) Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies (CENTS), has commenced the Vocational Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition Programme for the year.

According to the Director of CENTS, Professor Adewale Dipeolu, the establishment of

the Centre was in tandem with the attainment of objectives of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Vision 20:2020 of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

He said the aim of integrating entrepreneurship studies into University education curriculum is to empower students and graduates, irrespective of their areas of specialisation with skills that would enable them engage in income-yielding ventures, if they were unable to secure paid jobs.

Professor Dipeolu disclosed that the skills acquisition programme would last for nine weeks and would cover soft skills areas, such as as business plan development, business registration, funding, product patenting and hard skills in areas which the participants have chosen for themselves out of the array of skills.

The Director pointed out that at the end of the programme, participants are expected to create their own micro, small and medium scale enterprises over time and in the process, create jobs and grow the economy.

EXCURSION: Cross section of students of Adetoye College, Ofa, with students from KIPP Academy, Georgia, United States of America during an excursion organised by Lencol HR & Educational Consultants LLC held in the US.

Unilag students union honours outstanding students

By Kelechukwu Iruoma

I

T was an arena of euphoria at Multipurpose Halls, University of Lagos, Akoka, as University of Lagos Students Union, ULSU, honoured outstanding students for their immense contribution towards the positive growth and development of the University.

Addressing newsmen at the event, the Chairman of the planning committee, Unilag Awards, Adebayo Moyosore revealed that, “the rationale behind the awards to outstanding students is to reward excellence. When you find yourself facet of life, just put in your best as a student and ensure you are the best in

it and you will be rewarded for it.”

He revealed that students who were rewarded were those who had excelled in various fields; academics, leadership, among others. Some of those rewarded include: Miss Yetunde Alabede, Seun Faso, Oposanya Moji, among others.

ITF sues for collaboration with AAUA on staff training

By Williams Covenant & Obiajulu Chisom

T

HE Ondo/Ekiti Area Manager of Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Mr. Tayo Salami, has requested for partnership between Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, and ITF in the area of staff training.

Salami, who assumed office as the new ITF Area Manager May this year, made the request during a courtesy visit to the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun.

The ITF boss said, “I am aware that ITF enjoyed a lot of support from you when you were the Rector of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, RUGIPO. ITF is not meant to train students only, but also the workforce. Since you have been our partner from RUGIPO, we

want to appeal to you that anytime we call on you for participant drive, kindly, answer our call in this regard.”

As he added that the visit was to familiarize the new ITF management with the University authorities; “We are glad to note that we have been enjoying the massive support of your Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme, SIWES, particularly in terms of ensuring that the students are prepared and presented for SIWES promptly.”

Responding, Prof. Ajibefun thanked the ITF team for its commitment and for finding the time to visit the University. The VC noted that the contributions of ITF to the society over the years have been remarkable, adding that the body would continue to remain relevant in the country.

On the request for the continuation of the relationship ITF had with RUGIPO while he was Rector, the VC said, “We are going to extend the kind of relationship we had with your predecessors to your team. We are going to sustain the current areas of our collaboration and look at other areas where we can collaborate such that both of us will benefit.

“We know that you organize different trainings for different categories of organizations and institutions. We will also look at how we can benefit from such trainings. The practical exposure that ITF offers our students cannot be overstressed.”

The VC also promised to continue to give necessary support to AAUA SIWES Unit under the new leadership of Dr. Olanrewaju Olotua.

By Williamas Covenant & Olatide Faith

T

HE Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Owoseni Ajayi, Esq., has commended the leadership of Adekunle Ajasin University for the institution’s tremendous infrastructural development.

Barrister Owoseni said this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor in his office as part of the activities marking the celebration of the AAUA annual Student Judiciary Day in his honour.

He said, “I have not had the privilege of seeing the University campus until now, but seeing the level of infrastructural development on ground, especially the senate building. I want to confess that what I have seen here has truly overshadowed what we have in our own university. So, I want to give kudos to the successive administrations who have nurtured this University to this height.”

The theme of this year ’s Student Judiciary Day, Contemporary Bar and Bench Actions on the Stage of Justice: Is Justice Obtainable in Judiciary?, was delivered by Professor Elijah Adewale Taiwo of AAUA’s Faculty of Law. The Attorney General also enjoined the students and student leaders to use the opportunity of student leadership to serve their fellow students, noting that student unionism is an avenue for

leadership training. He said, “The leadership training I got from student Unionism has brought me to the present status that I am. So, I always use every opportunity I have to talk to students and student leaders to make good use of the opportunity they have to serve their fellow students so that they can prepare themselves for the future. “As a former Student Union President of the Obafemi Awolowo University and as a two-term Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ekiti State, it affords me the privilege to deal with students’ matters. And I always pay attention to anything that concerns students because student unionism is an avenue for leadership training.” While giving his remark, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun affirmed that AAUA Law Faculty remains the best in Nigeria.

He thanked the Attorney General and his team for the visit, saying that the feats AAUA Law Faculty has achieved were not unconnected with the fact that the University usually brings men and women of high intellectual worth around to mentor the students. He said, “I want to remark that our University Law Faculty has remained the best in Nigeria with our graduate coming first in the 2014 Final Bar Examinations. This cannot be unconnected with the fact that we bring people of high intellectual worth to the University to mentor our students."

Students to get global awareness, inter'l exposure

By Tare Youdeowei

A

MERICAN based ompany, Lencol HR & Educational Consultants, LLC, has unveiled plans to take several Nigerian students on an educational excursion to the United States of America as part of its annual international excursion plans for students from Nigeria.

The excursions which are educationally based and designed to deliver a lifetime of global awareness and international exposure are always conveniently scheduled during school holidays and the next one will be in December.

Its Vice President of the company, Mrs. Sharon Webley said: ‘’The excursions will give Nigerian students the opportunity to be part of International Writing Workshop, International University tours, Student Leadership Training, International camping event, Sports & Academic Camps and many more. And to always reassure parents that their children are in safe hands, all student travelers are provided with full health insurance coverage.’’

According to her, Senior Secondary Students excursions are focused on leadership the University or College preparation while the Junior Secondary Students excursions are focused on increasing global awareness. Her words: “During this excursion, the Senior Secondary Students will tour the campuses of several universities and have an opportunity to meet with Admissions staff and college students. Students will hear skill development lectures and visit several tourist attractions. The Junior Secondary School students will visit their same aged peers at several U.S. schools.

They will interact both socially and academically and often athletically. Students opting for this excursion will also have an opportunity to tour U.S. Universities in order to start developing a plan for their university studies”.

Lencol Educational Consultants is a group of educators who offer services to professionals and students domestically and internationally aimed at strengthening the teaching process as well as the learning process which involves assessment, learning goals, engagement, motivation and goal setting.

C M Y K

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY,

OCTOBER 8, 2015

Wither university education under the change programme? — 1 “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Yogi Bera, American comedian, 1970s.

“Numerous are the streams that lead to social prosperity; but all spring from the same source and that is public education.” Gasper Jovellanos, 1744-1811. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 46).

A

OUTREACH: ExxonMobil Women Interest Network (WIN) in Nigeria President, Mrs. Toyin Sarumi and Vice President, Mrs. Jumoke Akinpelu, in a group photograph with female Geology and Engineering students and Head of Geology Department, University of Ibadan, Prof. M. N. Tijani, at the launch of the ExxonMobil WIN University Outreach at the University of Ibadan.

ExxonMobil launches varsity lecture series

By Amaka Abayomi

A

S part of its commitment to the improve on and grow interest in the study of Geosciences Education in Nigerian universities, Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL) a subsidiary of

ExxonMobil Nigeria, has commenced a University Lecture Series.

Themed “Understanding the Upstream Oil & Gas Business”, the Lecture Series is an initiative under the company’s University Assistance Programme (UAP) with the overall objective of

Tantalizer welcomes pupils with Back-to-School packs

By Elizabeth Uwandu

T

ANTALIZERS Plc, Nigeria is welcoming back Pupils in Nursery and Primary Schools to the new session with its special “Back to School” Packs The Deputy Managing Director of Tantalizers Plc, Mr. Gbolahan Labinjo stated that the special “Back to School” Pack includes the Tantis Kids meal with its accompanying kids drink, a beautiful water bottle, a 30g Minimie chin-chin and a 500ml PET Drink. In addition, Mr. Labinjo stated that this special package goes for only N1,000 making it very affordable for many families.

Tantalizers introduced Tantis kids meals to the Nigerian Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) market in mid 2014. This children

C M Y K

dedicated meal comes in six variants which ensure wide variety of the meals among children. Also the meals are very delicious and nutritious. Another added value of the Tantis kids meal is that each comes with 200 to 250ml packed size drink at no extra cost to the parents. The packaging material for the kids meal is very attractive featuring carton elements which the kids love.

Mr. Labinjo revealed that Tantalizers is partnering with Minimie to include a 30g pack size of the product in all its Tantis Kids meal to the end of the year starting with the “Back to School” season. In addition Tantalizers is partnering with 7-up Plc for the inclusion of PET Pepsi and Mountain Dew in the Tantalizers “Back to School” Packs.

enriching the quality of Geoscience training in Nigerian varsities.

Speaking at the inaugural lecture series at the University of Ibadan, the General Manager, Exploration of EEPNL, Mr. Andrew Ejayeriese, represented by ExxonMobil’s Geosciences Coordinator, Mr. Gilbert Odior, said the lecture series will be held in three-day sessions at 16 varsities across Nigeria by December 2015, with senior Geoscience professionals from ExxonMobil Upstream companies sharing their wealth of experience and depth of technical knowledge with both students and academic staff.

He said “our overriding goal is to help Nigerian varsities produce Geoscience graduates that can stand on equal competitive terms with other Geoscience graduates from any of the leading varsities across the globe “Equipping young Nigerians with the relevant skills through quality education is the surest means of unlocking the huge socio-economic potentials of our dear country, Nigeria and the lecture series we are launching today is yet another significant step we are taking towards this desired destination.

ND, at the top of public education is the university or tertiary institution. That Nigerian education is in shambles is no longer debated; that most of our universities turn out graduates unfit for employment is no longer news. The most alarming aspect of all these is the fact that governments – Federal and States – don’t appear to give a damn about it. One example will be sufficient to illustrate the point. But for the awkward bail-out arranged by the Federal Government recently, some states, including those governed by the APC, owed university staff up to seven months salaries and entitlements. Yet, they expected world class performance from their starving staff as those of Harvard or Oxford University whose emoluments are assured. Self-deceit has become our national characteristic when it comes to university education. But the most urgent question now is: can we expect change and how soon? The depressing answers are: not bloody likely and not very soon.

Ask anybody in Nigeria, including those who worked in the All Progressives Congress, APC, campaign office at Abuja what is the content of the change agenda with regard to university education; and you will receive a blank stare. The truth is nobody knows; and, more disturbing nobody seems to worry that education, being the foundation of any positive change, has not received the attention it deserves.

Back in 2011, when Buhari ran for the presidency under the banner of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, I worked for him.

In fact, I produced a very small document, which summarized what I thought could constitute the content of change in some key sectors of Nigerian society including education. Although the outline was presented to Buhari’s campaign managers, at the time, I never had the opportunity to brief the candidate himself. And, I did most of the work at my own expense – including traveling to Abuja.

The reader should not get me wrong. I am not vain enough to assume that the suggestions were perfect. But, at least they addressed the situation as at 2011, the trends I thought will emerge and suggestions regarding how to make improvements. Nobody else brought anything to the campaign except noise about “CHANGE” – whatever that meant.

The marriage of strange bedfellows which produced the APC in 2014, brought with it the Action Congress of Nigeria, CAN, which I know has a lot of cerebral individuals who could draw up blueprints on anything under the sun – education included. So, with those people in the fold, I relaxed – confident that the contents of the change programme would have been worked out; or, at least, would be formalized by election time. But, as we moved closer to the 2015 Presidential elections, it was becoming clear to me that Nigerians were being asked to vote for undefined change in all aspects of our lives – education included. In June 2014, writing a two-part series in this paper, titled IS APC THE ANSWER? I had raised the issue of the alliance which produced the APC and how several of those forming the coalition have the different ideas about governance which had not been resolved. The battle in the Senate had thrown into clear relief that the APC is not only a house divided against itself, it s a house built with sand and sputum. I started that article on APC by informing our readers about what late British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, said about alliances.

“Alliances are held together by fear not by love.” (VBQ p 9). And quite often there is usually mutual suspicion.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, provided the fear element. Almost all of them were afraid that their political obituaries would be written if Jonathan was re-elected. In the manic urge to form a winning team, none stopped to think of post-election governance and how to keep the team united. Today, the APC exists only on paper and most likely will disintegrate before 2019. Meanwhile the contents of the changer programme remain unknown. More worrisome, it is unclear who is addressing the numerous issues begging for urgent solutions which the university education sector presents.

This is September, and most universities will soon resume for the first semester. The students will return to the same under-funded institutions, the palavers over JAMB placement of students, cut-off points for admission, UMTE, school fees to be paid, corruption (sex for grades, sexual harassment, rapes, cash and carry examination results etc) on campus remain untouched and there is really nobody in charged.

Vanguard, THURSDAY,

OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 29

Over 80 percent of teachers lack formal training — Prof. Okebukola

By Glory Ekwenuya & Kelechukwu Iruoma THE immediate past Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, Professor Peter Okebukola has stated that over 80 percent of teachers working in higher institutions in Nigeria have not received formal training, adding that, is a real challenge to the growth of education in Nigeria.

Prof. Okebukola who revealed this while delivering the 10th Convocation Lecture of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, titled ‘Higher Education and Africa’s Future: Doing What is Right’ held at Covenant University provided; “Depreciating quality of higher education teachers is a problem of the education sector. The inability to have quality higher education teachers, on account of its relative newness only a few have training and skills, but majority of them are learning on the job, which has resulted in the stagnancy of higher education.”

The Don who noted that there are several gaps that Nigeria needs to bridge in the quest to reduce the rot

in higher education and elevate it to a global status, also listed some of the challenges facing higher quality education in Nigeria which include, “poor attitude of students to work, inadequacies in funding, management inefficiencies,curriculum inadequacies to impart 21st century skills, research capacity deficit, poorlyprepared students from the secondary level, slow adoption of ICT for delivering quality higher education, among others, which has resulted to the stagnancy in the educational sector.

Prof. Okebukola frowned at the appointment policies saying; “Management inefficiency is a big challenge in the educational sector,

Gaskiya old boys donate sick bay to school

By Princewill Ekwujuru & David Okpe

A

S part of its corporate social responsibility, the Old boys Association of Gaskiya College, Ijora Badia, Old Boys Association has donated a fully equipped sick bay to the school.

Nigeria Medical school gets foreign boost

By Elizabeth Uwandu

A

S part of efforts to boost the medical profession in Nigeria, a Medical Foundation Pathway programme has been launched for Nigerian students to learn the prerequisite of the profession.

MFP , a one year post Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, (SSCE) programme after completion, will afford Nigerians the opportunity of studying in top medical schools of the world.

The programme which will be offered by Oxbridge College in partnership with Dublin International Foundation College, also marks the 1st formal educational collaboration between Ireland and Nigeria.

Present at the launch is Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Sean Paul, founder,Oxbridge College Dr Mrs C Olufemi, president of DIFC, Diamuid Moreney,

especially in the case of inadequacies in the appointment system of vice chancellor and rectors who are the head of the institutions. Another contributory factor is the lack of full deployment of the committees system in governance. On paper, all institutions are to be run through a layer of committees.”

“More importantly, problem on the part of students is as a result of their attitude towards working. People no longer want to read but want to pass. As a student, there should be willingness to read, you shouldn’t be forced. Poor attitude is reflected in absenteeism, nonchalance towards assignments and writing of lecture notes.”

Marketing Director, Northern Consortium United Kingdom, NCUK, Piera Gerrard, representative of British Council, Sephora Imomoh, Mr Ray Marketing Director, DIFC and other guests.

Declaring the launch opened, His Excellency, Sean Paul said ‘he is delighted over the partnership between Oxbridge College and DIFC as this will go a long

According to the Secretary of the Association, Mr. Godwin Orie, “we are giving back to the school that made us what we are today. We were once like these students, we sustained injuries, but no medical attention was given to us.

We don’t want them to suffer the same fate.”

Vice-chairman of the association, who also doubles as the medical adviser to the association, Dr. Valentine Osigbeme, revealed how the association intends to run the sick bay.

He said “The sick bay is to take care of minor health issue of the students such as stooling, headache, sprain and other minor health related issues that need immediate medical attention. The association is absolutely ready to ensure that the sick bay works and continues to work.

Maltina Teacher-of-the-Year emerges October 12

By Bolaji Awoyale

T

HE winner of the maiden edition of the Maltina Teacher-of-theYear award will be announced on Monday, 12th October, 2015, at a grand ceremony in Lagos.

The overall winner of the award will emerge from the ten finalists that were screened by the panel of judges last week.

The national winner will get one million naira and another one million naira to be paid into his account annually for five years. The runner-up will take seven hundred and fifty naira, while the school that produces the national winner will also become a beneficiary of infrastructural development and projects worth twenty five million naira.

C M Y K

30—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Anti-graft war: Remove immunity for President, Governors — Ali Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, is a reputable legal practitioner who has contributed immensely to development of law in Nigeria. In this interview he spoke on reasons why the constitution should be amended to remove immunity for the President and the Governors when the issue is on corruption. Besides, he spoke on the efforts of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, to stamp out impersonation in legal practice in Nigeria. Excerpts:

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

S

OME Lawyers have picked holes in some constitutional provisions. Are there things that can be done to guarantee a constitution that is highly revered?

You see, Constitution is a living document. And like human beings, it is not a perfect document. You can’t have a perfect constitution.

Constitution usually develops and evolves. Let’s take the American Constitution for example.

It is usually the interpretation by the courts that engenders amendments. A constitution cannot contain everything that you think could be in a document; otherwise it would become an encyclopedia. And, it is the interpretations of the provisions that would flesh it up.

Levels of government They would form the body of the constitution as you go on.

For me, the present Constitution has lots of issues; the issue of devolving of power in the tiers of government. I want a situation we had in 1963 Constitution where we had three items on which each levels of government could legislate upon.

We have issues on the exclusive legislative and concurrent lists that would spell out things and then, the issues that would be on the residual legislative List.

The concurrent and exclusive would be for the federal government alone; the concurrent would be on what the federal and state can legislate upon and the other one would be the one that only

states can dabble into.

I have always advocated and supported the call for the abrogation of Section 308 that talks about immunity for people in public offices. All I am saying is that it should be whittled down.

How do I mean?

Cases that border on corruption should be exempted from immunity. That is, if there is a valid allegation of corruption, nothing should stop the security agencies from proceeding to investigate either a sitting president, vice president, or a sitting governor or deputy governor. If a primafacie case is established which can be taken to court, immunity should not cover that.

I say that because I’ve discovered in this country that immunity is not suppose to be forever. It is supposed to cover you while you are in office, but I know Nigerians suffer general amnesia. Once somebody has spent his term and he leaves, nobody seems to remember he has committed any offence.

So, that problem remains there. That is why some of us said we should clear these cases of mis-governance. And, of course, my immediate constituency, the judiciary, I have advocated for a better provision to ensure the independence of the judiciary.

Some legal practitioners are of the opinion that plea bargain is a way of allowing corrupt persons to escape justice. How do you react?

Corruption is already here;

JUDGEMENT FOR SALE: Who are the buyers? Pg 32 C M Y K

you must look for all •Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN legitimate means of ensuring that all our monies that have been stolen is brought back. Let us face it, there is nothing evil about jump into it without any rules plea bargaining once you have guiding it. the rules that will guide it. Our That is why people are major problem is that we simply saying it has been abused and so on. For me, it will be difficult to prove that someone stole N5billion, because those who commit such crimes are people who are well connected.

They have the resources to fight to the end, and because of the uncertainty of litigation everywhere in the world, when the matter goes to court you cannot say this is the way it will end until it finishes.

It will be difficult to prove that someone stole N5billion, because those who commit such crimes are people who are well connected

Lighter sentence Law is based on facts. That is why people in America encourage it. If you stole about N2billion, they would say look, the option are these - If we take you to court and undergo trial, and it is against you, you will go to 21 years in prison, but if you agree to drop N1.8billion, we will let you go and save us

useful time to do other things and also save our resources.

Then, you are given a lighter sentence because you have returned substantial parts of the money. And as a country, it pays us better rather than to insist on pounds of flesh that might never come. Never forget that those who commit this kind of crime are people who can afford the best lawyers anywhere in the world.

So, they can afford the best of defence. That is why often, people wonder why someone who stole N20 would go to jail, but one who stole N20 million is set free. It happens everywhere in the world, not only in Nigeria.

If you watch the O J Simpson trial or Oscar Pistorius trial in South Africa, because they are celebrities, they hired the best lawyers. When former United States President Bill Clinton, was to be served an impeachment notice, he hired Continues on page 31

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015—31

Continues from page 30 the best lawyers. It is only a fool that would not deploy the best resources to defend himself.

There has been an argument that the Attorney-General of the Federation should be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, considering the fact that there are many brilliant and versatile lawyers who are not SANs. What is your take on this?

When you are going for a competition, you don’t choose your second best. In the committee of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, you have to pick the best to be the leader.

Among accountants, you don’t just pick a University graduate but a Fellow of the chartered accountant.

So, you don’t want to put up someone who would not give you the quality of service needed to be at your best. You won’t get someone who though is occupying the position, he still feel something is missing. Never!

Highest honour The truth is that being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is the highest honour.

So, when you want to appoint an Attorney General of the Federation, you ought to put somebody who would not be unduly intimidated by other people.

If you put any other lawyer who is not a SAN, he would be ambitious to become one and in the process, some critical things could suffer because of his ambition. It is like somebody in the university system; who is not a professor, there is limit to what he can do.

For example, if you are not a professor and become the Vice Chancellor, it means that for the time you are there, nobody would be promoted to the professorial chair because you cannot sit at a meeting or chair a meeting of professors and you are not one.

The Vice Chancellor is the chairman of promotions committee of universities. So, that is why if you want to appoint a Vice Chancellor, you

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

people don’t know they should not do such thing.

However, I believe, the Bar is taken the initiative to address all these things.

The low performance of the law students at the Bar exams in the last few years, is becoming worrisome. The argument is that probably some of the lecturers are not up to the task. What is your view on this?

I always believe that when students failed, there are many factors responsible, which may be lack of seriousness from the student, lack of seriousness on the part of the lecturer, environmental problems, financial problem and the general falling standard of education in Nigeria.

The problem with education is that it is garbage in-garbage out. The quality of law graduates from the law faculty from our universities has declined. Also, that is the reflection of the standard of the students that left the secondary schools for the universities.

You can see mass failure of the WAEC.

•Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN

Sign of seriousness

Anti-graft war: Remove immunity for President, Governors — Ali appoint a professor so that there would be no problems, as other things will follow. So, it is the same thing.

We’ve produced many SANs since 1975. Now, there is no reason for you to think you want to produce somebody

Most students does not exhibit any sign of seriousness for what they are doing now

that is not a SAN to become the Attorney General of the Federation.

You want to put a lawyer that could be a match to any lawyer in any part of the world in terms of attainment; this possibly informs the decision to always have a SAN as Attorney General.

To what extent do you think the stamp and seal adopted by the NBA to sanitise the legal profession can work?

It is a good idea and innovation because we have been having series of ‘’fake lawyers’’ that is, those who were not called to the Nigerian Bar. May be they are people who failed the Bar exams or drop-out from the university.

So, the stamp and seal is going to assist us to ensure that

such people are wielded out.

This is because in the stamp and seal, it contain your call number and year with the Supreme Court. So it will cut down radically the people involved in this act.

Beside it will also authenticate all documents filled in the court. This is because once you affixed your stamp and seal, it indicates that indeed you are a lawyer.

Is there any mechanism put in place to checkmate forgery on the stamp?

Before now, the honesty level of Nigerians was very high until some years back, when things have changed. The society moral has gone down, even to the extent that people counterfeit drug now. The societal moral is so low that

Here, that is where you have less than 40 per cent of the students that passed English Language and Mathematics.

That is the beginning of the problems.

Most students does not exhibit any sign of seriousness for what they are doing now.

There are so many distractions. In our days, it is difficult to see students involving in the politics going on in the society, reading the political barometer and comment.

The problems also is that the economy is not helping matters. I believe quite honestly that it is the barrage of the society problems today and of course, the dedication of the teachers is very important. I believe 50 percent of those teaching are doing so because they have no alternatives, on the contrary, during our days, large percentage of teachers chose teaching as profession.

32—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

JUDGEMENT FOR SALE: Who are the buyers?

By Ahuraka Yusuf Isah

M

ICHAEL Daly Hawkins was a former senior judge in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

While reacting to harsh public criticism of several Supreme Court Justices, among other notable judges in the United States of America in his book, titled ‘’Dining with the Dogs: Reflections on the Criticism of Judges”, he had this to say: ‘’We certainly have not seen the end of criticism of judges. Robust free speech, even of the coarse and inaccurate variety, may simply be one of the prices of a free society.

Today’s judges may draw some relief from the knowledge that modem critics are normally not as colorful or as sharp of tongue as Horace Greeley or Teddy Roosevelt, as nasty as George Wallace, or as violent and aggressive as David Terry. In the end, while judges may not like what they hear and may be sorely tempted to respond to their critics, history does seem to teach us that our predecessors endured far worse, and both they and the Republic seem to have survived”.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had on February 17, 2012 vowed to expose how politicians used “consultants” to buy election cases with “incredible sums of money.”

Valedictory court session The legal body which made the allegation at a valedictory court session that was held in honour of late Justice Anthony Nnaemezie Christopher Aniagolu, said it was aware of all the senior counsels and eminent retired judicial officers that served as conduits between election courts and parties in electoral matters, saying it would forward their names to relevant anti-graft agencies for prosecution.

In a speech presented by the then NBA President, Mr J.B Daudu (SAN), he stated “corruption is now a live issue that is threatening to tear apart the foundations and fabric of the society. The Bar believes that as it does not possess the machinery and infrastructure to battle this scourge as the EFCC and ICPC possess, it can still be proactive in its battle against this vice which if left unchecked will sink the whole ship of state.

“We are no doubt aware that some of our colleagues including very senior counsel and at times eminent retired judicial officers go about offering their services as ‘consultants’ particularly in election cases for incredible sums of money so as to act as a conduit between his client and the

election court.

“The end result is to facilitate ready-made justice for the persons they are acting for. We must strongly deprecate this practice. Our members and members of the public should feel free to avail themselves of the services of this NBA anticorruption body. We do ourselves the greatest disservice if we fail to fight this ill which renders irrelevant the work and skills of hardworking lawyers who daily toil in and out of courts and who do not have the advantage of knowing with certainty the

outcomes of cases as these ‘consultants’ are privileged to know.

“Second, this charge falls at the feet of the = a r particularly counsel who for political manoeuvres or the gratification of ‘varying interests’ misuse the process of the Supreme Court and other courts by bringing applications that are clearly frivolous or contemptuous.

“I have approached the Attorney-General of the Federation to call a meeting of the General Council of the Bar so that inter alia, the existing rules of professional ethics can be amended to include such areas that will safeguard the dignity of the courts and integrity of judicial process. Let us call ourselves to order in this regard.

The essence of a just judicial system is to provide prompt qualitative justice for the people.

Justice is meaningless when it is delayed, hurried or perverted”, it stressed.

Since it has become seemingly attractive to revel on ‘’Judges’ Corruption Mantra”, the current NBA President, Augustine Alegeh, SAN, seized the opportunity of the mammoth crowd that gathered for the special session of the Supreme Court to mark the commencement of the 2015-2016 legal year and the swearing-in of newly conferred Senior

Advocates of Nigeria to accuse some judges of rendering judgments for a fee. The VicePresident of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osibanjo (SAN) was also in attendance.

Alegeh said: “It is indeed very worrisome that certain judicial officers still engage in rendering judgments for a fee. “Instances abound where judicial officers have resorted to turning the law on its head and making pronouncements which are at variance with the provisions of the law.

“A few others have formed the bad habit of ignoring judicial precedents even when such authorities are brought to their attention by counsel.

“This trend is quite injurious and erodes the confidence reposed in the judiciary by society.” While Daudu’s NBA promised to set up an anticorruption commission to identify and hand over the culprits to EFCC or ICPC for prosecution, Alegeh also said the association

It is the duty of the lawyer to maintain towards the Court respectful attitude

would take the matters as prima facie evidence of corruption.

Up till the end of Daudu’s tenure 5-6 months after the famous speech, even till date the NBA’s anti-corruption commission has failed to release or even disclose the names of corrupt Judges to the appropriate authorities.

Time shall tell if Alegeh can walk his talk.

Lawyers are regarded the world over as guardians of the law, and consequently play a vital role in the preservation of society.

Unlike the Judges who are often only seen and seldom heard, they have unfettered access to the public, are often easily heard and very publicly seen.

Professional conduct The Rules of Professional Conduct of the Legal Profession as contained in the Legal Practitioners Act (Chapter 207 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) are intended for maintenance of respect for and confidence in the judicial office Rule 1 for instance, specifically states that; “It is the duty of the lawyer to maintain towards the Court a respectful attitude, not for the sake of the temporary incumbent of the judicial office, but for the maintenance of its supreme importance. Judges, not being wholly free to defend themselves, are peculiarly entitled to receive the support of the Bar against unjust criticism and clamour.

Where there is proper ground for serious complaint of a judicial officer, it is the right and duty of the lawyer to submit his grievances to the proper authorities”.

Templars win Law Firm of the Year Award

T

EMPLARS emerged the biggest winners firm of the year award, it is makes us to work harder so we can at the 2015 ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards, carting away win it again next year.” an unprecedented total of 4 trophies, including the highly ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards is hosted by ESQ Legal Practice coveted Law Firm of the Year award. magazine to recognise, honour and celebrate outstanding law In a ceremony held on the 18th of September, 2015 at the firms and legal professionals in Nigeria. The Award reflects MUSON Centre Lagos, Templars was also awarded the both pre-eminence in key transactions, practice areas, and Corporate Restructuring Team of the Year, Capital Markets achievements including notable work, strategic growth, Team of the Year and Project Finance Team of the Year to crown excellence and innovation in client service, advancement in a glorious night for the Firm. technology and contribution to the legal profession at large.

Speaking about the awards, Olumide Akpata, Templars The award is based on the legal deals or unique contribution Corporate & Commercial Partner said, “Our law firm is 20 years to legal business in Nigeria with an emphasis on novel deals/ and it’s not just to feed ourselves, but we are trying to build a transactions across different sectors and the law firms who were law firm that will put Nigeria on the map in terms of the involved in structuring the deals. This year’s nominations provision of legal consisted of submissions services; a law firm that from 72 firms over 11 deal will rank with others categories, under the around the world to scrutiny of a reputable show that out of judging panel who used Nigeria can come a deciding criteria such as: law firm that can the quantum of the deal, provide quality legal the legal expertise services.

“It is expended in the course gratifying that some of the transaction, other people are innovation, measurable recognising that. We outcomes and precedents are delighted to be set. among the group that Our awards come after can stand on our our another successful year own anywhere in the for the firm advising world. A team of ground-breaking and impartial judges had note-worthy transactions looked at it and say across Nigerian and Templar being presented the project finance team of the year award that we merit the law international markets.

by Chief Mrs. Sena Anthony (centre) Director at Oando Plc

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 —33

C M Y K

34 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

BUHARI'S CABINET: How Ekiti received Fayemi’s nomination •Fayemi’s nomination, reward for hard work — APC, clerics, monarchs

By Rotimi Olaleye

T

HE nomination of immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi for ministerial appointment is still being celebrated in the state christened Fountain of Knowledge.

Across the state and particularly in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti, residents and party supporters could not contain their joy and they erupted in jubilation when Senate President Bukola Saraki read out Fayemi’s name as one of the nominees on Tuesday.

Congratulating Fayemi, the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress, APC State Chairman, Olajide Awe, asked the former governor to strengthen the template for modern governance anchored on human development he had established in Ekiti State to contribute his quota to national development.

Catholic Bishop, Felix Femi Ajakaye asked Fayemi to use his God-given gifts and talents to “concretely and meaningfully” make a positive impact in the service of the nation.

The Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Fayemi’s home town, Oba Sunday Ajiboye, said the brilliance and vision he demonstrated as the governor of Ekiti State between 2010 and 2014 posted landmark

impacts unprecedented in the state’s development and enjoined him to demonstrate the same passion on the national scale for Nigeria’s development.

The Alare of Are-Ekiti, Oba Boluwade Adebiyi, described Fayemi as “a politician of no mean stature, a complete gentleman, a child of destiny” and asked him to maintain the attributes in the service of the nation.

Other monarchs who spoke glowingly of Fayemi were the Olupole of Ipole-Ekiti, Oba Ezekiel Babatola Oladele JP

and the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi.

The Alare of AreEkiti, Oba Boluwade Adebiyi, described Fayemi as a politician of no mean stature, a complete gentleman, a child of destiny

•Fayemi: Ministerial nominee

•Oke-Ogun people decry Oyo APC’s stance on Shittu

By Ola Ajayi

A

LSO hundreds of OkeOgun people have warned leaders of the APC in Oyo State not to work against the nomination of Mr. Adebayo Shittu for ministerial appointment.

The people had on Tuesday stormed Ibadan, the Oyo state Capital to protest the rejection of their kinsman, Mr. Adebayo Shittu by the leadership of the APC in the state.

War ning that the nomination should not be tampered with, they lamented that the zone had been largely marginalised in the

distribution o f dividends of democracy in the state.

T h e aggrieved p e o p l e complained that they had always b e e n sidelined in previous political appointments e v e n though they had worked •Shittu: Ministerial nominee tirelessly to put many politicians in power. Concerned citizens of Oke Two different groups, Oyo Ogun zone led by Alhaji State Youth Assembly and

Bashir Mayowa Alade and Mr. Ismail Adewoyin respectively disagreed with the leaders of APC in the state, Chief Akin Oke and the Secretary of the party, Mr. Mojeed Oloye who rejected the nomination of Shittu saying, “if the change we desire and yearn for is to be achieved, the choice of Barrister Adebayo Shittu as nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari is not only sacrosanct but also desirable. Shittu is not only a disciplined legal icon but also a politician with unblemished records of public service.”

NASS: Ekweremadu has come to stay — REP AZUKA MR. Chris Azuka, represents Nnewi South/North/ Ekwusigo Federal Constituency of Anambra State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the House of Representatives. In this interview he speaks on the preparedness of the PDP to offer positive legislative services in the House.

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

O

N PDP legislators Our duty here is principally to make good laws for Nigeria.

We will make sure that we engage in vibrant legislation.

The legislature is the bastion of democracy, without the National Assembly, NASS, there will be no democracy. During the military era, we had the executive, we had the judiciary but we didn’t have the legislature.

With the legislature in place, you are sure of checks and balances that will entrench democratic culture.

The PDP is a minority party in the House but we have a duty to ensure that we participate in

bipartisan ways that will deepen democracy. We have assumed the position of an opposition party and we have accepted it.

Ours is to offer alternative opinion or alternative government when the need arises. And I want to assure you, it is not that we have not upped our game, we don’t just want to be seen as being undemocratic in our ways.

Have you any regret that the PDP had the opportunity to produce the senate president, but didn’t make use of it?

Since someone from the APC offered himself to contest for the position of Senate President, it was good that the PDP senators

•Azuka respected him because they wanted the presiding officers to come from the ruling party. What happened was not totally unacceptable.

Constitutionally it is right, whether they are talking about morality or whatever, the sentiment they are putting up

does not exist.

Ekweremadu has come to stay, they should just accept it, and it was their fault. Whatever, Ekweremadu’s emergence is constitutionally right. The best thing to do is to accept the fact that a decision has been made by the senators in the interest of the country.

On bi-partisan NASS If it is bipartisanship that will promote democracy in Nigeria, let us accept it the way it is because Nigeria is always a peculiar place. And peculiar circumstances prevail when peculiar solutions are needed.

It might be a blessing in disguise so that the National Assembly will give Mr President maximum support. Nobody has conquered Nigeria. It is just that Nigerians said okay, we have another alternative. And we have had enough of these people let us try other people to see if

they have something better.

Your state faces ecological problems, what efforts will you make to ensure that the Federal Government comes to the rescue of the state in that regard?

There is a fund that is called the Ecological Fund which takes care of such things. All the legislators representing Anambra in the Senate and the House, will do everything to make sure that Anambra is considered a special case.

An ecological state of emergency should be declared in the state because of the level of ecological degradation in Anambra. We will continually insist among ourselves that legislators from Anambra and states with ecological issues are part of the ecological committee of the House.

That will allow for a better functioning of the committee.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 35

2015: KOGI DECIDES

Audu, a man of integrity — Ametuo, APC chairman

By Kingsley Fanwo

T •Governor Idris Wada during his second term declaration

Wada visits Buhari, seeks level playing field

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

K

OGI State governor and flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the November 21 governorship election, Capt Idris Wads has sued for a level playing field for all participating political parties, saying it is absolutely necessary in the interest of peace.

The governor, who spoke to State House Correspondents, yesterday, after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari boasted that his performance would secure him a second term.

He stated that the flagging off of his campaign on Tuesday recorded an impressive turnout, an indication that he is in the good books of the people of the state.

Tumultous turnout His words: “I thank God that I am the candidate of the PDP for the election. Yesterday (Tuesday), we had a tumultuous turnout of our supporters and members of our party when I launched my senatorial campaign at the Eastern Senatorial Zone of Kogi State at Ayingba. It was a very successful rally and the turnout of people.

“In terms of preparation, we are working hard. I am also working with security agencies to ensure that there is a secured and safe environment for our people in the course of the campaign and during the election.

“I will tell the people of the state to keep faith because we have a transparent President.

Provided a level playing field is created and security is tightened, any miscreant

dealt with in the course of the election, people given the opportunity to express their will, I believe that on the basis of performance I have laid down over the last three and

a half years, our people will provide an overwhelming support for my candidacy. All we need is a level playing field.”

HE Kogi State Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Hadi Ametuo has described Prince Abubakar Audu as a man of integrity and the only political leader with genuine commitment to the development of Kogi State.

Hadi made this remarks in a chat with Vanguard in Lokoja, Tuesday, saying the PDP is already jittery of the inevitability of losing the state to the APC on November 21.

He said: “The PDP should start preparing their handover notes because the people of the state will reject them on November 21. They have

Wada deserves second term — LG boss

By Kingsley Fanwo

T

HE Senior Special Assistant to the Gov. Idris Ichala Wada has said that the governor will win in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Fabola stated this in an exclusive chat with Vanguard in Isanlu, headquarters of Yagba East Local Government Area. He said the governor has performed excellently to

deserve a second term in office.

“The way we play our politics in this part of the world is not healthy. Even those who are accusing the governor of non-performance are benefiting from his numerous projects. But because of political gains, they have closed their consciences to the fact that the governor has performed beyond expectations in view

of the available resources at his disposal.

“On November 21, the people of Kogi will speak with an unmistakable voice to return Gov Wada to Lugard House to consolidate his vision of a great Kogi State.

With his massive investments in the infrastructural development of the rural communities, the people are prepared to stand by him.’’

failed Kogi State, a situation which has repudiated their tenancy in Lugard House.

“Today, Kogi State is one of the least developed states in the country despite the comparatively high allocation coming into the state. With low allocations, Prince Audu was able to build all the institutions you find in the state today.

“The desperation of the PDP, shown by their cheap propaganda, has exposed their weakness. How could I say Prince Abubakar Audu will return money, if elected when Audu never stole a dime while in office? Prince Abubakar Audu is a shrewd manager of resources and he is incorruptible. Over the years, he has been the poster of opposition politics in Kogi State because of his desire to see to the development of the state.

“2015 is the year of APC to uproot the non-performing PDP from Lugard House. We are confident of defeating them at the poll”.

APC, a party of confused people — Kogi PDP spokesman

M

EANWHILE, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Kogi State, Prince Bode Ogunmola has carpeted Prince Audu for accusing the PDP of being behind the N11 billion scandal that has dominated political discourse in the state over the last two weeks.

Reacting to reports by Audu’s campaign organization that PDP was the brain behind the story, Ogunmola asked the APC to put its house in order and look inwards for scapegoats.

“Their claim that we are launching propaganda against Prince Abubakar Audu is untrue and a ranting of a confused party. Their chairman, who was alleged to have made the statement is not

a member of our party. Kogi people know the truth.

“To us in PDP, the forthcoming governorship election is about issues, it is about the celebration of a governor who has achieved so much. We are concerned about telling Kogi people what

Wada has done over the past three and a half years and what they should expect from him in the next four years.

Audu is our regular customer.

We have been beating him since 2003 and we hope to repeat it again on November 21 with the support of Kogi people”.

•Audu: APC governorship candidate

Philips emerges DPC candidate

T

HE Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) has nominated Comrade Ezekiel Koleola Philips as its candidate for the Kogi State governorship election.

It also nominated Barrister Henry Pereokosifa Apeli for Bayelsa state election holding on December 5.

A seasoned politician, activist and philanthropist, comrade

Philips is an accountant by profession and holds a Higher National Diploma in Accounting from Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.

Barrister Apeli read Law at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, attended Nigerian Law School, Lagos, worked for Ministry of Justice, Bayelsa State before starting a private practice.

He was Bayelsa State Chairman

of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, member Law Officer Association of Nigeria etc.

Confirming the nominations, DPC National Chairman, Rev. Olusegun Peters, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to provide a level playing field for the political parties contesting the elections and ensure that card readers are used to avoid electoral malpractices.

36 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOMBER 8 , 2015—37

Okowa urges diversification of Nigeria's economy A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for the diversification of the Nigeria’s economy if the country is to face the socio-economic and political realities of the time.

Okowa who spoke during a retreat for members of Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, in Asaba, however, said a strong political will was required to make the country less dependent on oil.

The governor who was represented by Commissioner for Finance, Mr. David Edevbie, complaining that the decline in revenue receipts had made the three tiers of government, particularly the states and local governments, to suffer funding gaps, making budget implementation difficult.

Lamenting that most states and local governments had not been able to pay workers salaries, the Governor said these developments accentuated the clamour for review of the revenue allocation formula in favour of the states and local governments.

He, however, commended the Federal Fovernment on the recent bailout to states and held that it was the desire of his administration to improve on the economic prospects of the state

through programmes and policies enshrined in the government’s SMART agenda.

He reiterated that the SMART agenda; “is about strategic wealth creation; meaningful peace building reforms; agricultural reforms and accelerated industrialization; relevant education and health

policies; and a transformed environment through urban renewal.”

Noting that job creation was the cornerstone of his administration, Okowa said; “we embrace and embark on projects and programmes only when we are convinced and truly satisfied with their job creation contents.”

Earlier, chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Mr Elias Mbam, said the idea to establish the post-mortem sub-committee, was moved by the commission in 2014, to critically analyse and examine all submissions made to FAAC in respect of all accruals into the federation account.

FLAG OFF: HRH, Eze Anele Oriebe, Nyewali of Akpor Kingdom, being attended to by Dr. Benjamin Arijesuya, during the flag off of Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, at the Ozuoba community Town Hall in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, yesterday. With them is Mrs Ngozi Nwatarali, Rivers State Co-ordinator of the National Youth Service Corp. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

We've best articulated free education policy —A-IBOM GOVT

U

By Tom Moses

YO—THE Akwa Ibom State government, yesterday, said its free education policy was one of the best articulated in the country.

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, in a statement, reiterated the government’s commitment to continuous infrastructure upgrade in public schools as well ensure qualitative education at all levels in the state.

While expressing concern over the spate of alleged conspiracy and blackmail by the opposition groups, Umanah said Governor Udom Emmanuel, would remain focused and not be distracted by views and opinions of those looking for power and recognition at all costs.

The commissioner said at least, 2,500 blocks of classrooms had been constructed and rehabilitated in 1,162 primary schools and 244 secondary and technical schools across the state.

According to him, the state government also intervened in the public schools by providing perimeter fencing in high traffic areas, provision of laboratory equipment, school desks, workshops and supply of teaching aids and materials, insisting that the free education

policy of the Akwa-Ibom State government was one of the best ones in the country.

“The free education policy of Akwa-Ibom State is one of the best articulated in the country and government should not be blackmailed by a skewed presentation of facilities in a few outstanding public schools.Thepicturepublishedonthefront page of one of the national dailies of

Tuesday, October 6, 2015, is not a true reflection of the general situation in Akwa Ibom State.

"The intervention of the state government in public schools is a continuous exercise. Governor Udom Emmanuel, has directed the Inter Ministerial Direct Labour Committee, to take inventory of schools in need of rehabilitationandprovisionoffacilitieswith a view to tackling them in the next phase

of interventions.

"Althoughprimaryschoolsaredirect responsibilities of the federal government, through the Universal Basic Education, the state governmentwillpromptlyaddressthe situation in any identified school, in line with the infrastructure consolidation programme of the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration”, he added.

Navy impounds oil firm's barge over alleged crude oil theft

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

A R R I— T H E Nigerian Navy has impounded a barge belonging to an oil exploration and production company for allegedly siphoning and selling crude from a marginal field at Eremor 1, Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

While authorities of the company said they had legal mandate to do exploration at the field, Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, who disclosed the arrest yesterday, indicated that the company had been involved in "a lot of illegalities" within that legal mandate.

Suleiman, after visiting the incident spot told newsmen at neighboring Ogbobagbene, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, said that "Eremor 1 field is not an oil terminal or loading point, but our combined team arrested MT Dera, a barge and Runner Charley, a tugboat there laden with 6,000MT crude oil suspected to have been pumped from the well head.

An eleven-member crew is also under our custody.

"On investigation we saw that they have pumped several metric tonnes of oil and selling out to other operators. In the first place they are not supposed to have sold any oil from that barge. There was already a court case by Century Energy accusing this same firm who has the barge, of selling adulterated crude to them."

Stakeholders move to check rising medical bills

A

By Chioma Obinna

B E O K U T A — STAKEHOLDERS in Ogun State have begun a process of finding lasting solution to the problem of high medical bills that have become a source of concern to many Nigerians.

Under the auspices of “Araya Initiative” in collaboration with Ogun State government, the stakeholders at a workshop in Abeokuta stressed on the need for affordable health care for all residents in the state.

The workshop which brought together key players in the health sector, was aimed at deliberating and proffering solutions, to the rising cost of medical services as well as measures, that would bring affordable quality healthcare closer to the residents of the state, especially the low

income earners.

In a communiqué issued by the organisers at the end of the

workshop, they said the initiative was borne out of the belief that health ranked first in

FLOOD: 30 houses

submerged in Delta T HE councilor representing, Jeremi Ward 3, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Sunday Apah, has appealed to the state and federal governments to come to the aide of his people, following the submerging of over 30 houses by flood at Otu-Jeremi.

Apah, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions in Ughelli South Legislative Arm, made the appeal, during an inspection of the extent

of damage done by the ravaging flood.

He said: “I am surprised at the level of devastation wreaked on the properties of my constituents by the flood. Many have been rendered homeless as over 30 houses have been submerged.

“As a local government, we can only do our best because of limited resources. I want to appeal to my people to be patient as they will definitely be taken care of by the government.”

the pursuit of human development goals, hence the need to push for universal health coverage.

“The strength of any society is determined by the health of its people but sadly, accessing quality healthcare has become a huge luxury for a larger percentage of our society comprising mostly the low and middle income earners. The desire and passion to bring quality healthcare closer to the people of Ogun state at affordable rates led to this health care workshop packaged by Araya Initiative with the support of Ogun State Government.

It aims at bringing the key players in the health sector of Ogun State together in order to find ways to bring quality healthcarewithinthereachofthepoorest of the poor and the lowest of the low,” the communiqué stated.

38— VANGU ARD,THURSD A Y,OCTOBER 8, 2015 ANGUARD,THURSD ARD,THURSDA

Ebonyi declares 7 days mourning for Gov Umahi’s late mum

By Peter Okutu

T

HE EBONYI State Government, yesterday, declared seven days mourning as a mark of honour to the mother of the state governor, late Mrs. Margaret Umahi who died on Tuesday after a brief illness.

The Deputy Governor, Kelechi Igwe declared the seven days mourning period when members of the State Executive Council paid a condolence visit to Governor Dave Umahi in his temporary lodge on Ezza Road, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Igwe announced that all State Executive Council members, chairmen and members of boards and parastatals are expected to converge at the Government House chapel everyday from 9a.m. for a onehour praise and worship service in honour of the deceased for seven days.

He further added that between the hours of 6pm and 7p.m., another praise and worship service would hold at the Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre which would also last for the seven days.

Igwe, who eulogized the sterling qualities of late Mrs. Umahi, also enjoined the 13 caretaker committee chairmen, 64 Development Centre coordinators and all permanent secretaries in the different ministries to replicate same in their areas.

Demolition of illegal structures in Aba'll continue —Abia govt Stories by Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State government has said that the demolition of illegal structures in Aba would continue despite the protest from the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, that it was targeted at its members.

APGA had accused the government of selective destruction of illegal structures in Aba, describing it as vindictive and targeted at its members. The party also accused Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of using the demolition to pay back Aba and APGA people who did not vote for him and the PDP. Reacting to the allegations, the

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ikpeazu, Mr. Godwin Adindu, dismissed it as a “misguided and ill-conceived aggression against a government that is genuinely seeking to ameliorate the bad situation of infrastructure decay of Aba. “There is no selective pattern in the demolition exercise. There is no target. What is being destroyed is any illegal structure that contravenes town planning regulations. If the government should think or behave in relation to who voted or did not vote for PDP, it will not start its development work in Aba at all in view of the voting pattern in the elections.

“The two local councils in Aba

metropolis gave us 12,450 votes or 5.01 per cent of our 248,459 votes. They gave APGA 56,216 votes or 33.99 percent of its 165,406 votes. Thus, if Governor Ikpeazu is driving his developmental agenda as a reward for electoral victory, he would not have started in Aba. But to us, Aba is beyond the voting trend of one election. Aba is beyond the election.

“Aba belongs to everybody. It belongs to all Igbo and all Nigerians. By developing Aba, the governor is developing a place that is home to all Nigerians and not a place that is home only to APGA people.

“The spirit of the Aba Urban Renewal Drive is to change the narrative of Aba from a city of a

....We're not ready for council elections —Gov Ikpeazu

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has said he was not ready yet to conduct local government elections in the state, saying he would rather prefer to institutionalize the State Electoral Commission before talking of conducting council election.

According to Governor Ikpeazu, for him to conduct

local government election, he had to prepare very well to ensure that it is credible.

The State Electoral Commission, ABSIEC, Dr. Ikpeazu lamented, is one of the agency’s struggling to clear arrears of unpaid salaries.

Speaking at an interactive session with journalists last week in Umuahia, Governor Ikpeazu said ABSIEC needs to

be institutionalized by having its own office as against rented apartment and be able to take care of certain things.

Answering a question on the issue, the governor said: “I desire to conduct local government election; it would be government's priority to conduct the elections.

The question is, do we have the capacity to do it now.?"

lamentable meltdown to a modern city of order and decency.

The governor is driving the agenda to reclaim the reputation of the city as the commercial hub of Nigeria, an epicentre of commerce and industry.

“And, he made it clear that in the process of the rebuilding effort, he will certainly step on toes.

Nobody is being spared and nobody is being victimized but the contractors on site might exercise their discretion to delay demolition for technical purposes or to allow time for people to evacuate their property. But, at the end, the structures will still be demolished. What the government is seeking is the greatest good for the greatest number,” Adindu said.

According to Adindu, former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, during his tenure, engaged consultants to under-study the problem of Aba which recommended that no less than 2,500 illegal houses built against flood flow must be pulled down to sanitize the city.

“Illegal shops, kiosks, fences and buildings that encroach into the service lane and on the roads are being demolished only on the roads where construction works are going on. The notice to this effect was dully served to the public."

RELOCATION OF MECHANICS: Imo govt signs MoU with Avu

By Glory Ekwenuya

O

NITSHA—IMO State government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the people of Avu autonomous community in Owerri West Council area of the state to give way for the relocation of mechanics to the area.

Secretary to the Government of Imo State,

Jude Ejiogu, who represented the state governor during the signing of the MoU in his cabinet office, on Sam Mbakwe Road, Owerri, Monday, commended the courage of Avu people for the dialogue, assuring them that government would do everything possible to make them benefit from the project.

According to Ejiogu, government’s decision to build a permanent ultra modern

mechanic village in Avu community was to make life meaningful for the people and as well decongest the rate of human influx in the capital city thereby creating job for the citizenry.

He, therefore, thanked them for the cooperation, understanding and peaceful coordination they exhibited throughout the period of negotiation with the state government, pointing out that

government would do a lot in return to appreciate their good gesture.

Speaking shortly after signing the MoU with the state government, traditional Prime Minister of Avu autonomous community, Major General Roland Ogbonna (ret'd) applauded the state government for actualizing the project that has lingered for several years.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On President Buhari as Petroleum Minister So he can be president and a minister at the same time, does the constitution allow that? The northerners will not rest until they uproot Niger delta oil to the north, he has come to complete what he started long ago. -Mrs. Grace Omoye, Businesswoman C M Y K

W

hat is wrong in the President’s decision to keep the supervisory powers of a minister? It is his exclusive prerogative. Besides, he is not the first to do so without recourse to screening by the Senate. Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, Worker

N

igerians need enlightenment, the President trust the ministers as individuals whom he feels can help him in his responsibility. So, what is wrong with him saying he does not trust anyone in this ministry? Miss Ezenwanyi Ezembu, Broadcaster

T

hat OBJ got away with it does not make it right. If Buhari wants to rule by law he himself must respect the constitution, nobody hates him. What is right is right and Buhari cannot be preaching law and going against it. It won’t work, period. -Mr. Jacob MacDaniel, Worker

I

cannot understand the type of human beings we are in this country. Should I say we are inhuman or fools?

If you are fighting corruption and you are appointing corrupt people, who are you?

That is just my view on the matter. -Mr. Elijah James, Self Employed

T

he minister that managed it in the last administration, did she do well?

There is nothing bad if the President Muhammadu Buhari decides to manage the petroleum ministry. It is a sensitive section for the nation's revenue. -Miss Afor Bukola, Student

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 39

Kogi ejects illegal occupants of estate built for flood victims

By Boluwaji Obahopo

L

flood in 2012, only 241 signified interest in the flood estate.

“The government after validation of those who indicated interest, allocated 241 of the 272 housing unit to them. The remaining 31 housing units were assigned to disables and widows on humanitarian ground.

“But it was disheartening that some illegal occupants forcibly find their way into the estate and turned themselves into landlords and started collecting rent.

“At the beginning, government thought those who have passed through the screening and were allocated the rooms were the ones who were overzealous and find their way into the estate; but now that the truth had been discovered, government, after series of dialogue, warning and persuasion, has no option but to eject the illegal occupants and seal off the estate, pending when the correct allotees conclude the re -validation.”

He, however, warned the

illegal occupants not to make the ‘mistake’ of returning to the estate, saying government would no longer be lenient violators but treat them as criminals.

“A government which does not do its duties rightfully is a ‘sagging’ government. Our government will continue to do the right thing. ‘’We only appeal to those who are successful and legal victims to see this as a temporary setback. We just want to clear the estate so that the true allottees will be the ones to benefit,’’ Awoniyi said.

OKOJA—KOGI State government yesterday evicted all occupants of the estate of 272 housing units built in Lokoja for victims of the flood which ravaged parts of the state in 2012 and sealed off the premises.

The state deputy Governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi said government took the step to forestall all illegal occupants of the estate who were denying the original allottees the opportunity to occupy their houses.

Awoniyi, however, urged those who had genuine allotment, to re-present their allocation papers to the Ministry of Land and Housing in order to re-validated their position and collect the keys to occupy the estate built and given out on owner-occupier basis to 2012 flood victims.

He said: “This morning (yesterday) we heard that illegal people who have already occupied the housing estate were demonstrating over their eviction.

We want to make it clear that our government is one who will do the rights thing at all time “On September 12, 2015, government placed advertorial CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK: From left; Tunji Rabiu, GM, Business Operations, Forte Oil; Tiwa for flood victims to come and bid for the housing estate. The Savage, Forte Oil Brand Ambassador; Julius Omodayo-Owotuga, Group Chief Financial Officer, Forte Oil and Temitope Fagbemi, Group Head, Human Capital Department, Forte Oil attending to process was free but of the 1,740 customers as part of activities to mark the 2015 Customer Service Week in Lagos, yesterday. unit of dwellings affected by the

Furore in NCAA over recall of retired worker

By Kenneth Ehigiator

T

HE calm in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, may have been ruptured as a personnel (names withheld) who retired after completing her 35 years in the service has reportedly been brought back to the system as a contract staff without due process.

The staff, who was said to have

spent extra two years and three months after her retirement was due, retired only two months ago and was immediately engaged as a contract staff.

The action, Vanguard learned, is already causing bad blood in the system, especially in the critical departments of the agency said to be short of staff.

Vanguard gathered that the lady had her services transferred to the

NCAA as a cabin inspector from the defunct Nigeria Airways where she was a cabin crew.

Efforts to get NCAA’s reaction yesterday proved abortive as deputy spokesman of the agency, Mr. Sam Adurogboye’s promise to get back to Vanguard didn’t materialise at press time.

However, a source told Vanguard: ‘’She was supposed to have retired two years ago,

‘How subsidy suspects defrauded FG of N19bn'

By Bartholomew Maduekwe

T

HE ongoing subsidy trial of Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer and Ontario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited before Justice Lateefat Okunnu yesterday continued with the prosecution presenting various documents and drafts allegedly issued by the defendants for payment to defraud the Nigerian government of N1.9 billion.

At the resumed hearing, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacob SAN, showed the 1st defendant (Wagbatsoma) how he participated in the activities that led to the alleged fraud by signing documents and drafts used.

“The 1st defendant (Wagbatsoma)

said he never participated in the operation of this company (Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited) in the alleged matter. He said he is only a nominal chairman. ‘’What we are trying to point out here is his involvement in the proceeding of the company which he had already testified to the court that he was involved in the transactions that led to the alleged fraud,” Jacob stated.

Objecting to the documents and drafts tendered by the prosecution, the defence counsel, Mr. Edoka Onyeke, argued that the document tendered was to ambush his client (Wagbatsoma), adding that the prosecution was springing surprises. ‘’Normally, we should be

availed with any document they intend to use in this matter. My client has been ambushed,” he said.

Giving ruling on the issue, the judge held that the witness had specifically asked that the said document be shown to him, which was done.

“This, however, means that the issue of surprise does not take place. Saying that the defence has been ambushed does not hold any water,” the judge said.

The 1st defendant (Wagbatsoma) told the court that Summerset, which was also mentioned as a company that transacted business with the defendants in the alleged oil subsidy, was among the 27 companies he had interest.

having served 35 years but she remained in NCAA, drawing salaries. ‘’However,when this current Director General assumed office, the cover up was discovered and she was consequently retired about 2 months ago with the added instruction to refund the salaries she collected for the two years and three months she overstayed. ‘’She was officially given a letter to that effect but amazingly, instead of refunding the said amount and possibly prosecuted for offences bordering on fraud and criminality,she has been brought back to her position in NCAA as a contract staff.’’[ It was also learned that a discreet interview was conducted for her and some others in Abuja last month without any advert as stipulated by the Civil Service Act. The angst of staff of the agency is said to be fuelled by the fact that the agency is currently dominated by administrative staff, while the more critical units of the agency suffer inadequate personnel.

The NCAA, because of the technical nature of its operation, is supposed to have more of qualified technical than administrative staff.

Takete Ide community holds annual day Oct 31

By Kingsley Fanwo

T

HE people of Takete Ide Amuro will hold their annual Takete Ide Day celebrations on October 31, 2015 at the the community Town Hall.

Speaking to Vanguard, a member of Takete Ide Day Planning Committee, Capt.

John Olukomogbon said the event was expected to bring all Takete Ide sons and daughters together to celebrate the rich culture of the community.

In his words: “The 2015 Takete Ide Day is aimed at promoting the rich culture of our people and celebrate our history as a people. ‘’It will also help to bring us together to look into development issues as they affect our community. We urge all sons and daughters of this great community to attend the event to enable us rebuild our community to the path of progress and unity.”

Also speaking, the National President of Takete Ide Progressive Union, Elder Samuel Orumbe, urged the people of Takete Ide to celebrate the day with pride and sense of unity.

Delta APC rejects Kachikwu as ministerialnominee

T

HE All Progressives Congress, APC, Delta State Chapter, has rejected the nomination of Ibe Kachikwu, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, as the party’s ministerial nominee from the state.

Addressing newsmen in Warri, yesterday, Media Adviser to the party in the state, Martins Mukoro, described Kachikwu’s nomination as “a slap in the face of all true and conscientious supporters of APC in the state and a very big insult to diehard party chieftains and stalwarts who risked it all to identify with our amiable President and the party when the likes of Kachikwu were sitting on the fence and supporting Ifeanyi Okowa of PDP behind the scenes.”

While denying that Kachikwu is a member of the APC in Delta, the party said: “There are countless true APC loyalists and staunch Buhari supporters in the state APC chapter that are as qualified as Kachikwu to man any Ministry.”

40 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

IMAGING POLICE: From left— Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebami, representing the Inspector General, Solomon Arase; Oba Kabir Shotobi, Ayangburen of Ikorodu, and ACP Sybil Akinfenwa, author, during the presentation of her book, Imaging the Nigeria Police: A Public Perception, Focal Point, in Ibadan. PHOTO: Dare Fasube.

GLO:

From left— Globacom Business Director, Ogun State, Mr. Ayo Ogunranti; musician, Korede Bello, and Nollywood actor and Glo ambassador, Odunlade Adekola, carrying seven-year-old dancer, Tolulope Orimoloye, at the Ijebu-Ode edition of Glo Slide 'n'Bounce.

DIAMOND'S CUSTOMERS' WEEK: From left— Mr. Sahabi Ismaila; Alheri Dauda, bank customers; Managing Director, Diamond Bank, Mr. Uzoma Dozie; Alhaja Taibat Olugbade and Abdul Isah, bank customers, during the visit of the MD to Ajao Estate branch to mark the World Customer Service week in Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Lindi; MTV Base VJ, Ehiz Okoeguale, and US-based comedian, Arlen Griffin, at Comedy Central Lord of the Ribs in Lagos.

FOR PR: From left— CEO, BlackHouse Media, Ayeni Adekunle; CEO CMC Connect and Secretary General, APRA, Yomi Okusanya; CEO, X3M Ideas, Steve Babaeko, and APRA Coordinator, Kayode Yeku, at the PR is Dead service of songs in Lagos.

CSR: Founder/ CEO, Foundawazi Foundation, Mrs. Nomthi Odukoya (right); the foundation’s Ambassador, Ms. Amarachi Ubani (2nd left), during books presentation by Mrs. Odukoya to primary schools pupils in Ilupeju, as part of the foundation's CSR to celebrate Nigeria at 55, in Lagos.

GRADUATION: From left— Mr. Michael Ojuope, Mrs. Margaret Oludotun, mother of the celebrantor, and Miss Taiwo Oludotun, celebrating her completion of Masters in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at FH, University of Applied Science Krems, Austria.

LORD OF THE RIBS: From left— South African comedian, Ndumiso

C M Y K

TETFUND VISIT: Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, Professor Suleiman Bogoro (left) and Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, during the governor’s visit in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 41

C M Y K

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 , 20 15 2015

Unions, weak economy, responsible for job insecurity, others, laments Eburajolo INSECURITY of jobs and its consequences have been a major challenge to workers and organised labour in Nigeria. In this interview, renowned human resource expert and Deputy Group Managing Director of Kewalram Chanrai Group, Victor Eburajolo, looks at this and others.

Excerpts: Stories by Victor Ahiuma -Young

T

HE issue of job security has been a nagging problem in recent times. How can it be addressed?

Talking about job security, as an HR person, do we really have job security today in this country? The answer is no.

One of the things that guarantees job security for the individual is a strong labour union.

Today it is absent. Labour unions are strong when the economy is strong, if the economy is weak, their strength is eroded.

I read in the papers about some workers in the Central Bank. It was reported that temporary workers that had worked for 20 years were unable to collect their benefits.

Temporary workers Temporary workers in a government establishment for 20 years?

What is the definition of temporary workers in labour law? Labour law is very clear about it.

By the time somebody works for three months, he or she must have a letter of employment stating his or her conditions of service.

Everything about the law is clear; that whether casual or temporary, it should not be more than three months. But

you have people spending 20 years and this has been going on in the country and nobody did anything about it. They just put the workers there, they are not confirmed, so where is the job security?

It is very much like what we used to call daily paid workers in those days. At the end of the day, they calculate pay for a month and pay the workers, but they earn their pay on daily basis. But today, the situation has gone haywire. If the person is not a casual, he is outsourced. There is no job security because of the situation in the country.

Retirement age: Let me give an instance, I always use my company. In our book, retirement age was 60, when all other companies went down to 55, we kept our own at 60 because of the situation in the country.

Recently, we wanted to compile a list of those who are 60 years and above. We found out that there are close to 20 who are 63, 64, 65 years old.

A lot of other companies would have retrenched them.

They will not call it retrenchment because most of the employees are either casual or outsourced.

It is only somebody who has letter of employment that gets this conditions of service, that you can declare redundant. If your contract says you can be laid off with one-day notice, you are classified as casual,

Eburajolo: Labour unions are strong when the economy is strong

you are not entitled to redundancy benefits. So, people are being discharged from work everyday without benefits. If there is job security, somebody who read Banking and Finance with a second class lower degree won’t be selling recharge cards.

Truck drivers: I don’t know if you read in the papers when Dangote advertised for truck drivers, there were reports of people with Ph.D and several

Labour unions are strong when the economy is strong. If the economy is weak, their strength is eroded

masters degree holders who applied to become truck drivers. Is it not pathetic? I never knew in my life time that my country would deteriorate this much. As it is, things are going to be tougher for our children and those who are lucky to be able to send their children abroad. When they come back, they will have an edge over those that are schooling here. You are already creating problems even among those with first degree, second degree and so on.

As HR practitioner, and one who has followed the trend, where should government focus to tackle unemployment?

First, emphasis should be on enabling people to be able to fend for themselves. I am talking of small and medium enterprises. If you provide the infrastructure, and if you have stable power supply, people can do things for themselves.

Wabba, Ajaero lead workers protest against precarious jobs

T

HE two factions of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday put their differences aside and jointly led workers to protest the growing cases of workers’ rights abuses and precarious jobs to mark the International Labour Organisation, ILO, declared “Decent Work Day” observed on October 7, annually.

For the first time since the disputed March National Delegates Conference, NDC, leadership of the factions, Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero, jointly strategized and worked together denouncing increasing precarious jobs and abuse of workers right at work places.

After both Wabba and Ajaero, led other labour leaders, workers and allies to commence the protest at Ikeja industrial area of labour, the protesters were divided into two.

While Wabba led one group that concentrated on Ikeja and Isolo areas of Lagos, Ajaero led the other group that went to Ikorodu, especially Egbin Power Plant,

where dispute is on between the management of the plant and organised labour in the sector.

Ahead of the protest, Wabba and Ajaero, attended a briefing with their leaders including General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Issa Aremu, and President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Igwe Achese, who are factional Deputy Presidents of Ajaero faction Briefing after their meeting, Chairman of the IndustrilAll Global Union Nigeria, Mr Issa Aremu, said the aim was to promote global awareness on the need for decent work. According to Aremu, decent work means productive, rewarding and protected work that guarantees minimum and living wages for the workers.

He said that all over the world, work was no more decent as millions of workers were

exposed to worsening health and safety situations with increased cases of deaths and injuries at work and in Nigeria, workers had the right to make ungovernable and unmanageable companies and states defaulting on wage payment.

According to him, “regular, permanent and direct employment remains under constant attack from multinationals and other forces that are instead promoting precarious work. Across sectors, more and more precarious workers are unable to realize their fundamental rights at work and enjoy social rights. High number of women and young workers are caught in the web of precarious work, especially in the banks'.

Because of their employment status, an increasing number of women have no access to maternity protection; young people are trapped in a vicious circle unable to move from precarious work to permanent employment.

Yes, we have schemes to encourage and make loans available to small and medium enterprise and so on, where is the impact? I have always believed that it is not the business of government to employ people, government should create enabling environment for the economy to thrive and private sector will employ people. We have to grow the economy and first of all, we must get rid of this rent seeking mentality. Everybody wants to get from the government and some years ago, it used to be revenue allocation. Today, it is now sharing formula. You can see the way the language is changing to suit our mentality.

But there has to be serious work done in the economy. If this is not done, Nigeria could be heading for serious social revolt.

Social revolt Able bodied men, educated and frustrated citizens will get to a point that they will vent their anger. Some innocent people will suffer and good enough, if it happens here, it will not be like the Arabs spring that they were in chaos, we are already in chaos anyway. We must take a look at the economy and try to do everything for manufacturing and productive sector to thrive.

Those in this sector are the ones that employ people, not service industry and not those who buy and sell.

New auto policy: I want to commend the government for the new auto policy. When this started initially, they set up Volkswagen of Nigeria, PAN, Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company, ANAMMCO, etc, immediately other auxiliary companies started coming up producing silencers, windscreens and others.

If government can sustain this new policy, it will provide a good number of employment and not just in the assembly line alone, but those that have been providing the services, parts and so on can thrive.

The good thing about this new policy is that government does not have shares in any of them.

But there are powerful individuals in government or related to government, they have been in this rent seeking business for long, they have been supplying vehicles and selling vehicles to government and they will still want to make sure this policy does not work. So, I advise the new government to make sure the policy works. We should kick up other things like this to grow the economy; we need to employ our youths.

Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 43

C M Y K

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Buhari’s war on corruption - real or fake? (2) This is the second edition of this discourse. In the first which was published, Tuesday, Chinweizu, insisted that if President Buhari refuses to implement the Confab Report before him, he will merely use the EFCC, ICPC, etc and noise making against corruption to harass and persecute his political enemies

By Chinweizu

W

E can expect him to extend his vengeance to David Mark, John Shagaya, Joshua Dogonyaro and the others who made that coup against him, and eventually, when he has consolidated his power, he will go after IBB their leader.

The Nigerian corruption system is a clever mechanism. It is so configured that it continues to covertly serve as the Caliphate’s principal device for plundering Nigeria even while the proclaimed war on corruption distracts the public from its systemic roots in the constitution.

The noisy war on corruption is also used to persecute the Caliphate’s enemies, with the Caliphate’s alleged corruption fighters enjoying acclaim for fighting a mysterious and intractable malady. In reality, there is nothing mysterious about corruption in Nigeria. It is bred by the lootocracy that is encouraged and protected by the 1999 constitution.

People should not be fooled by Buhari’s show of impartiality when he goes after some Caliphate looters. An institution under serious attack will sometimes find it expedient to sacrifice some of its own members, throw its most blatant offenders to the baying dogs, and save itself to continue business as usual.

Contemporaneous massacres For example, during the Vietnam War, the US army sacrificed platoon leader Lieutenant William Calley for the My Lai massacre of March 1968.

He was made a scapegoat and accused of directing the killings, and in 1971 he was convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to life in prison.

As a result, the army ’s numerous and contemporaneous massacres in Vietnam were ignored. By making Lt. Calley a scapegoat the US army was even vindicated in the eyes of the duped American public, and was seen as not tolerating atrocities by its soldiers.

It could, therefore, continue with its habit of massacres that are on record from its Indian wars of the 19th century and even earlier.

(The books to read are, Understanding Power, by Noam Chomsky, p. 35, for Lt Calley and My Lai; and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown, for the Indian wars.)

This is a form of triage: throw overboard a third of the people crowded on a sinking boat so as to keep the boat afloat and save the rest. So we can expect Buhari C M Y K

Map of Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari to sacrifice Nyako, Sule Lamido, and some other blatant Caliphate looters so as to save the looting system itself and also make himself appear an impartial anticorruption fighter. But don’t be fooled.

To understand why no caliphate politician, let alone Buhari, the current political leader of the Caliphate, will seriously fight corruption by getting rid of its fountainhead, the 1999 constitution, we must examine the function of corruption in the Caliphate’s mechanism for plundering Nigeria.

The 1999 Constitution and the Caliphate system of plunder and exploitation. “Pre-capitalist agrarian ruling classes in virtually every case depended on what Marx called surplus extraction by extra-economic coercion to reproduce themselves. They therefore owed their ability to take part of the product of the peasants not to their role in production, but to their capacity to organise themselves politically to exert force against them. . . . . In European feudalism, [the] lords’ place in agricultural production, notably via the management of their demesnes, was in general quite limited, and in some places non-existent; but this in no way impeded their ability to dominate

In reality, there is nothing mysterious about corruption in Nigeria. It is bred by the lootocracy that is encouraged and protected by the 1999 constitution

and exploit the peasantry, a capacity achieved through their self-organisation into politicomilitary communities or groups, lordly states on whatever scale.”

[The origins of capitalism-debate in 2004, between Chris Harman & Robert Brenner http:// w w w . i s j . o r g . u k / index.php4?id=219 , Accessed Sept 2012] Like their counterpart in feudal Europe, the feudal Caliphate sarkuna (aristocracy) in Nigeria has used its politico-military organization to dominate and exploit the economic producers— farmers, oil companies, manufacturers, etc. The Caliphate’s politico-military organization is the Nigerian state apparatus. From 1966-1999, Caliphate scions dominated the Nigerian military which dominated Nigeria. By 1999, they had developed a complex and clever political apparatus for exploiting their colony, Nigeria.

They codified it as the 1999 constitution, and imposed it by military decree.

Military decree Their hope was that, using the cover of that fake-democracy façade, they would fool everybody and forever dominate and exploit the rest of Nigerians - just like the white settlers in South Africa hoped to forever exploit the natives of South Africa through the Apartheid constitution with its fake democracy from which the black majority were excluded.

In the case of the Caliphate fake-democracy, the other Nigerians are not excluded from participation in elections and government. However, Caliphate colonialists in Nigeria have organized the political power to appropriate the surplus produced by non-Caliphate sectors of the country using various devices in the 1999 constitution.

For example, the 1999 constitution distributes the seats in the National Assembly, NASS, in a way that guarantees Caliphate domination of the

NASS. And it’s lopsided distribution of states and Local Government Areas, LGAs, guarantees that the Caliphate territory gets more than its fair share of Nigeria’s state revenues, principally through the constitution’s provision for revenue allocation to states and LGAs regardless of what each produces or contributes to the National coffers.

Furthermore, the looting immunity granted to the state governors ensures that in every state there are local politicians who stand to benefit personally by the looting arrangement. This device co-opts the political class in the whole country as accomplices and self-serving defenders of the Caliphate system.

Caliphate system That is why the Caliphate is adamant about keeping the 1999 Constitution, even by resorting to civil war as Junaid Mohammed threatened in 2013. That is the system that Buhari has come to entrench. Since corruption/ lootocracy, whereby state revenues are looted into the pockets of key office holders, is precisely the Caliphate’s main feudalist mechanism for plundering Nigeria, Buhari, as the Caliphate’s political leader, will do nothing to uproot it.

He will do just enough shadow boxing with it to fool the ever gullible Nigerian public. He will make a big show of catching and punishing many high profile looters, even starting with some of his fellow Caliphate officials so as to give the impression that he is impartial in fighting corruption.

As some have speculated, Buhari may sideline the EFCC, ICPC etc. and hire consultants to ferret out corrupt officials; he may even set up special courts to try corruption cases so as to reduce the logjam in the regular courts, as advocated by some - but that’s all like trying to swat, one by one, the mosquitoes in your bedroom that are bred in the swamp in your backyard, instead of destroying the breeding ground of the mosquitoes by draining the

swamp.

Confining his war on corruption to the Jonathan administration Another aspect of Buhari’s war on corruption that gives a clue to his Caliphate hidden agenda is his insistence on confining it to the Jonathan administration. [Buhari will probe Jonathan’s govt only; not Obasanjo’s, others – Presidency. http:// www.premiumtimesng.com/ news/headlines/187120-buhariwill-probe-jonathans-govt-onlynot-obasanjos-otherspresidency.html] Nigerians have rightly condemned this as an indication that he is on a witch hunt, instead of a genuine war on corruption.

Balarabe Musa, the civilian Governor of Kaduna state during the Shagari presidency, 19791983, has already challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to extend his corruption probe to past regimes starting from 1966.

He said such an investigation should include Mr. Buhari’s military regime between 1983 and 1985.

Military regime “At the moment, he seems to be sparing some people because he said he will probe only Jonathan’s administration and will not probe the others. That is negative and short-sighted and will not solve the problem of the country. He should go the whole hog from 1966 till date because the corruption we find today started at that time,” the former governor said. . . .”He should probe everyone and everything including himself. . . .” he said.

[Balarabe Musa to Buhari— Probe your military regime if you’re serious about corruption war http:// www.premiumtimesng.com/ news/top-news/188907-balarabemusa-to-buhari-probe-yourmilitary-regime-if-youre-seriousabout-corruption-war-2.html In support of Balarabe Musa, I shall focus light on a special aspect of Buahri’s limiting of the scope of his war on corruption.

Lawyers are fond of telling us about coming to equity with clean hands.

Coming to equity with clean hands: In this war on corruption, Buhari is the chief accuser and prosecutor of the accused. But is Buhari himself innocent of corruption? If there is evidence that he is not, then he ought to start by prosecuting himself and withdrawing from the role of prosecutor until he has had his own day in court and is discharged and acquitted of every charge of corruption.

Nigerians who are under fifty today were either not born or were too young in 1980 to have been aware of the scandal over the N2.8bn, which was then more than $2.8bn, that went missing when Buhari was in charge of the NNPC during the Obasanjo military regime that ended in 1979. That scandal was never cleared up under President Shagari before Buhari overthrew Shagari. So the question arises: In prosecuting anybody today, is Buhari coming to equity with clean hands?

To be concluded

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 —45

Stakeholders seek more resources for cancer screening programmes

E

By Chioma Obinna

A

S Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark this year’s Cancer Month, stakeholders are calling on the Federal Government to direct more resources into screening programmes with a view to detecting and initiating treatments for diseases early enough to save lives.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 100 Nigerian women received free ultra scan screening for breast cancer on Independence as part of the exercise to mark Nigerian’s Independence Day and Care Organisation Public Enlightenment, COPE, 20th Anniversary.

Making the call during a free breast cancer screening in Lagos organised by E Medic Jobs in collaboration with COPE, Chief Operating Officer, E medic Jobs, Dr. Ifechi Ezumba posited that the need to invest more in preventive care was as a result that over time prevention of all disease has proven to be cheaper and more cost effective than treatment of the disease.

Ezumba, who pushed for a Universal Health Coverage, said if diseases such as cancer are detected early, more lives and resources would be saved.

Ezumba who encouraged women to go for breast cancer screening as the disease is curable, noted that early screening makes all the difference.

“Women should be more aware of their bodies and what is going on. They should stop living in denial that it cannot happen

Why you must eat eggs

FREE HEALTH SCREENING: Cross section of women waiting to be screened during a free breast cancer screening programme organised by E Medic Jobs in Lagos recently. to them. It can happen to anybody. Women should always try to have knowledge about how to prevent such disease and try to live a healthy lifestyle.”

“We are raising awareness about breast cancer because breast cancer has the highest cure rate in the world if detected early. We are expecting over 100 women for screening.

Speaking, Executive Director, COPE, Mrs. Ebun Anozie appealed that at 55, President Muhammadu Buhari should appoint good leaders that would lead Nigeria well and not leaders that are

corrupt as the health system needs sanitisation.

Advising women to always carry out self breast examination monthly, explained that breast examination is best done about a week after your menstruation. For menopausal women, pick a special date every month. With your hands at your sides, visually check for lumps, depressions. Then, placing palms on hips, press down firmly, flex your chest muscles and check again. Don’t worry if your breasts don’t match, chances are they will be a little different.”

VERY 2nd Friday of October, the world marks World Egg Day to raise awareness on benefits of eggs. For centuries, eggs have played a major role in feeding families around the globe. They are an unbeatable package when it comes to versatility and top-quality protein at a very affordable price.

According to nutritionists, eggs are one of the nature's highest quality sources of protein, and indeed contain many of the key ingredients for life. The proteins contained within eggs are highly important in the development of the brain and muscles, have a key role to play in disease prevention and contribute to well being in latter life, particularly in relation to eyesight (avoiding macular degeneration).

According to experts eggs are few foods classify as superfoods.

Here are some of the benefits of eggs confirmed in human studies: Eggs are incredibly nutritious because a whole egg contains all the nutrients required to turn a single cell into a baby chicken. A single large boiled egg contains all the necessary vitamins.

Eggs also contain decent amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Zinc. Eggs are high in Cholesterol, but they don't adversely affect blood cholesterol. Eggs contain choline an important nutrient.

Eggs contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin, Antioxidants that have major benefits for eye health.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

ELLO everybody and welcome. Before taking a few questions today, we will like to update you on exciting new products for adults. The first of these are top quality vibrators for women. Every now and then, we get emails from women about their lack of sexual enjoyment. Studies show that only around twenty five percent of women have orgasms during intercourse. Does this mean that the majority of women shouldn’t expect to ever enjoy sex as much as the others?

Absolutely not. That is because adult toys, supplements and arousal gels are being manufactured to ensure that any woman can get the best out of her love life. The vibrators that just arrived are the best in this department.

They are mostly rabbit vibrators with the ability to stimulate internally and externally. Some of them also thrust in and out like the Luxe G Plush Thrusting Rabbit and the Thrusting Purple Rabbit. A good vibrator is such a great investment for women and we have some amazing ones in this new collection. Amongst those also are the Ovo K5 Rabbit, the Pirate Katsunis Revenge of the Sea Rabbit and the Elegante Rabbit Vibe by Elan. These toys have all won different awards in many industry ceremonies.

Of course a toy is not complete without a good orgasm gel to aid lubrication and arousal. So new in this collection also is the Jo Oral Delight Arousal Gel. In addition to being able to lubricate and sensitize the user, Jo Oral Delight Arousal Gel is also edible so it is perfect for oral sex. A little dab of this gel massaged on to the clitoris will transform any sexual experience to a phenomenal one.

And then for the men, we have new enlargement and performance supplements that you will absolutely love.

There used to be a time men dreamt about penis enlargement with no idea of how to get it done. Back then one will research the costs of enlargement surgeries and it will run into millions of naira. Today, we have supplements that can enlarge the penis and give men better and stronger erections without hassle. One of such

top quality penis enlargers is Prosolution. Prosolution is a world renowned and doctor approved penis enlarger that enlarges the penis in length and width while also reviving lost sexual desire, improving libido and better ejaculatory control. It is ranked among the top two penis enlargers in the world and is taken daily.

The second of these supplements is Stiff Nights, a herbal male performance supplements that helps men with weak or no erection get back their erections while also enabling them with multiple rounds of performance, stamina, prolonged action and an enlarged penis. Stiff Nights also ensures that when you climax the first time, within five minutes, you will get a second erection. This aspect of it will benefit those men that complain that it takes them hours to get a second erection after ejaculating the first time. The dosage is one capsule with a second capsule taken 24 hours later. The effects can last up to two days in the system. Stiff Nights works on stimulation. This means that you will not be walking around with an unwanted erection except for when you are stimulated in anticipation of sex.

Next week, we will discuss more new products. Let us now take a few questions from our readers.

I just want to know if there is any product that will make me enjoy sex more, reach orgasm and I don’t know if you have breast enhancement cream – Mrs Olusola Yes we have different products for sexual enjoyment. The Sex Accelerator Gel and the Ovo K5 Rabbit Vibrator will help you reach orgasm and enjoy sex. If you are also experiencing lack of sexual desire, then Kangaroo for her or G Female Oral Tablets will help you with that.

And for breast enhancement, we have the Max Enhance Natural Breast Cream – Uche And that is it for today. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can call 08171912551, 08027901621 or 07086754515 for help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com Zee Virtual Media delivers all over Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com- Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

FG to review naira exchange rate —Buhari

By Naomi Uzor

country that is highly dependent on importation, we need the foreign reserves, RESIDENT MUHAMMADU one of the critical issues we have to deal Buhari, yesterday, said the Federal with is to see how we can negotiate with Government would review the exchange the CBN. We will take a second look at the foreign exchange.” rate of the naira.

On power, he said, Nigerians should not He stated this at the 43rd Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association be rejoicing at 4,000 mega watts of power, adding that, at this point, the only way to of Nigeria, MAN. Represented by the Vice President, Prof. service the whole value chain is a cost Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari said: “There is effective tariff. “ Government has to come in and play urgent need to diversify the economy and that the missing link in the whole value some kind of role, by next year we should chain of the economy is the manufacturing be able to get to 5,000 mega watts and we sector. Manufacturing is a crucial pillar in should have increased transmission the Nigeria economy and being the largest capacity by 40 per cent,” he stated.

Also speaking at the event, the former economy in Africa, puts the country in a lot President of South Africa, Dr. Thabo Mbeki, of responsibility in Africa.

“Our duty as a government is to create said, at this point, and within the context an enabling environment for all of these to of these shared African socio-economic happen. The issue of foreign exchange is objectives, he would like to draw attention one of the major issues that we have, for a to an important reality – the reality that Nigeria had an obligation it could not escape, the obligation to play an historic role in terms of helping to lead Africa to realise its dream, the dream of achieving its renaissance.

“This relates not only to the Federal Government but also to such important organisations such as

By Omoh Gabriel can give a smoother ride, MAN, which contains and how well-planned public represents an important echelon in the corporate HE INTERNAT- investment can help a leadership of this country. steady economic climb, and IONAL Monetary Accordingly, the important how fiscal frameworks can Fund has said that Nigeria work you do and your and other resource-rich lay the track for the longachievements in this term future. economies that face regard are important to The experience of recent enormous challenges due Africa as a whole as they decades shows that many to drop in commodities constitute important prices could adopt right tax countries find it difficult to examples which other manage volatility around policies to address the short corporate institutions on commodities.

Their public fall in revenue. our continent can emulate,” expenditure tends to In its survey report it said he said. that resource rich countries significantly accelerate Similarly, he said, it was during price upswings and that face challenges can obvious that a developed fall during downswings. manage volatile and Africa, liberated from the unpredictable commodity This is how fiscal policy can scourge of pervasive prices. In its latest Fiscal play a major role in poverty, would be in a transmitting commodity Monitor, the IMF much better and stronger price volatility to the examines how countries position to stand up for its domestic economy. can tax and spend wisely inalienable right to so that their oil, gas and Macroeconomic instability, determine its destiny. in turn, hampers metals support strong and sustainable growth. stable economic development.

It said “Fiscal policy can either calm or magnify the effects of volatile commodity prices on the domestic economy. In

By Levinus within the precinct of the many countries, large Nwabughiogu Villa. swings in commodity prices When contacted, the have resulted in large presidential spokesman, fluctuations in public BUJA—THERE Mr. Femi Adesina, denied expenditures and, in turn, were indications knowledge of the meeting, exacerbated economic last night that the asking if it was scheduled volatility. leadership of the National in the official paper.

Vítor Gaspar, Director of Assembly met with Though there was no the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs President Muhammadu official position as to why Department, said “The Buhari at the Presidential the head of the federal right reforms can make a Villa, yesterday. parliament met with the difference. Improved fiscal Details of the meeting nation’s chief Executive, the frameworks and policies that involved the atmosphere around the can help ensure that natural leadership of the Senate Villa was, however, heavy resources are truly a and the House of with speculations that the blessing for resource-rich Representatives were not meeting was connected countries,” So how can made available. with the screening of the countries tame the The meeting held at ministerial nominees which commodities roller coaster? 9p.m. and venue was the would commence next The report outlines how official residence of Tuesday. more stable expenditures President Buhari located

P

Nigeria, other resource rich countries should learn to build buffer —-IMF

T

MINISTERIAL NOMINEES SCREENING: NASS leadership

visits Buhari

A

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015—47

C'ttee to modernize Armed Forces inaugurated

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—THE Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Gabriel Olonisakin, has inaugurated a 10member committee to study the doctrines and procedures of the military and come up with workable plans to renew the Armed Forces.

The committee, which has until November 16 to submit its reports, is expected to identify real and urgent measures and recommend short, medium and long term reforms needed to reinvigorate the forces.

The committee’s suggestions would be used to enhance Nigerian military’s performance in the current security challenges, especially in the North-East.

I quit politics, says Chief Edwin Clark

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, disclosed yesterday he was quitting politics.

He said with the move, he would no longer be a member of any registered political party and would rather prefer to play the role of a father to all, as an elder statesman Chief Clark turned 88 on May 2.

Speaking, yesterday, when a delegation of Think Nigeria First Initiative, TNFI, led by the Director-General, Abubakar Tsanni, paid him a courtesy call in his Asokoro residence, Chief Clark noted that President Muhammadu Buhari was on the right track in his anticorruption crusade.

He, however, urged the President not to be selective, irrespective of race, tribe and ethnic group.

Chief Clark, who urged all Nigerians to think of Nigeria first above any personal interests, said it was unfortunate that most politicians in the country don’t think of Nigeria

first.

He said: “I no longer belong to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. I will not go to All Progressives Congress, APC, either. But I will continue to talk

as an elder statesman and leader.

“I have left politics. If anyone comes to me to say he is running for any elective position in PDP or APC, I will

not support the person.

“I am a true Nigerian. I have Muslims in my house, even though I am a Christian. Boko Haram is a problem of all of us and we must fight it together.”

FG audits military pensioners

By Kingsley Omonobi & Funmi Olasupo

A

BUJA—AS part of efforts to have a credible, reliable and dependable data for military retirees in the country, the Federal Government, yesterday, flagged off the 2015 Military Pensions Verification at the Shittu Alao Barracks, Keffi, Nasarawa State, for 7,865 retirees.

The barracks is serving as the Centre for Abuja and Nasarawa State, where 7,865 retirees from Abuja and 1,359 from Nasarawa State are to be screened.

Speaking at the centre, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence Alhaji Ismaila Aliu, said the exercise was meant to capture all military retirees in the National Health Insurance

Scheme, NHIS. He said: “We want to have a data base where every retired military personnel will be registered.”

Aliu explained that with this exercise, there would be an insignificant margin of errors in capturing all the retired military personnel in not only the NHIS, but also for the budget.

His words: “Let me thank Mr. President for giving us the directive to make sure that we have a verification that will give us a data that is credible, reliable and dependable and on that basis we also have collaborated with attendants of agencies like EFCC, Department of State Services, DSS, the PenCom office and Budget office of the federation.

“We want to come out with a data that will at least assist us in planning not only for the budget purpose, but also for National Health Insurance Scheme that have for some time captured only about 30 percent of the retired military personnel, so at the end of this exercise we want to have 100 percent of them.”

In an interview with newsmen, Chairman, Military Pe n s i o n s B o a r d , A i r Vi c e Marshal Mohammad Dabo, said the exercise was currently taking place at all the 36 states of the country, including Abuja, with Benue having two centres and Lagos, three centres, making it 41 centres nationwide.

He said the turnout of retired military personnel was impressive, as they all came out in high spirit for the screening.

48 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Amanze, Ogunji share magical illusions at Omenka gallery

By Japhet Alakam

I

T was a romance that started two years ago between two leading contemporary artists, ruby Onyinyechi Amanze and WuraNatasha Ogunji , through numerous written exchanges, they maintained an ongoing conversation on their processes and love of drawing, and their parallel experiences of moving through the world as hybrids.

And that conversation led to the presentation of Magic, a joint exhibition of their recent works at Omenka Gallery.

The ongoing exhibition which opened on October 3, and will run till October 24, 2015 featured about 15 works that gives the viewers an insight into the understanding of the works and their motives.

With Magic amanze and Ogunji share a glimpse into this conversation, with new drawings on paper and collaborative, site-specific drawing performances. In the works, they present a magical world peopled with strange hybrid beings, the drama heightened by black birds in flight, and the ephemerality of their medium.

Ephemerality of medium Through the body of works, the two friends, reveal their critical outlook towards the condition of being in transit between places with different languages, customs, material culture and ideas.

Amanze’s aliens, hybrids and ghosts is a series of drawings that began as a way to make language for the experience of navigating multiple cultural identities. The story gave birth to a world inhabited by beings who thrive in their hybrid skins, and show us what it is to live between and within many countries, cultures, and languages. ada the Alien, audre the Leopard, a black eyed pea constellation, Twin [a headless duo], Pidgin [appearing on the page as a pigeon], and merman [half-human, half-fish] are a few of the beings who dwell in this visionary landscape.

For Wura Natasha Ogunji, a performance and visual artist who works in a variety of mediums, her drawings, made on whispery architectural paper, reference a tracing and claiming of a city [Lagos] and the daily interactions, or rather vibrations and frequencies that occur. Characters, such as Soundman and running

• Tenderhearted Crosses the sea by Amanze • Even the DJ must die, a drawing by Wura- Natasha Ogunji cheetahs, move effortlessly in and out of an unknown world and time,

Through the body of works, the two friends reveal their critical outlook towards the condition of being in transit between places with different languages, customs, material culture and ideas

yet feel quite at home in their interaction with orchids and generators, Ife heads and gems.

Through performance, Ogunji often engages the body in highly physical, yet subtle, endurance and time-based work that explores the residue of a body’s marking, and therefore assertion into public domain.

Amanze and Ogunji’s drawings re-think the notion that displacement equates to loss or fragmentation. Instead, their trans-continental existence and the inevitable hybridity that forms as a result, becomes a source of

expansion; an amplified view of not just the world we know, but a portal into the vastness of other worlds. The physical openness of the paper space, coupled with their choice of materials and processes—the thin line of thread or graphite, the wateriness of iridescent inks, the translucency of photo transfers, the acute physicality of their performances—speak to the fluidity, impermanence and constant reinvention that a nomad, hybrid or transnational might require. Through Magic, Amanze and Ogunji conjure

quasi-human creatures, expansive landscapes and surreal abodes as a new language for a universe in infinite flux.

Omenka is a leading art gallery in Nigeria and represents a fine selection of established and emerging contemporary African and international artists working in diverse media. Omenka stimulates critical discourse on African art through solo, group and large themed exhibitions accompanied by informed, scholarly catalogues.

Traditional attires on display as Chinasa, Bantu wow guests at Germany Day

By Prisca Sam-Duru & Vera Samuel Anyagafu

A

T a period when it appears every race is struggling to preserve its culture and traditions which are on the verge of being lost due to mordernisation and technology, every single opportunity turns out to be suitable as a clear and concise moment to showcase the people’s identity. These are stealthily done through foods served as well as attires worn during occasions.

The invites sent to guests that attended the 25th anniversary celebration of German unity held at the German Consulate General, Lagos on Saturday, clearly indicated Business attires or national dress as dress code.

And in obedience to that instruction, culture enthusiasts attended in glowing Nigerian traditional outfits that added form and colours to the event. The evening was even more fantastic as some young Germans appeared in Yoruba traditional regalia mostly won by the Obas.

This was a clear indication of how appreciative foreigners are of Nigeria’s culture.

Adding entertainment to the

Entertainment at its best already glamourous evening were Nigeria’s beautiful songstress Chinasa Mbakwe and Kora Award winner and Afropolitan Vibes exponent, Ade

The evening was even more fantastic as some young Germans appeared in Yoruba traditional regalia mostly won by the Obas

Bantu.

The floor was thrown open by Chinasa who rendered about 5 numbers that could be classified as R & B. When Ade Bantu stormed the stage it was as though the entire arena was on fire. His performance of Nzogbu Nzogbu, Omowaleoo and Dem De Lie oo got people on to the dancing floor. His next performance of one of his popular tunes, No more no vernacular teacher no teach me nonsense, actually raised the roof. Guests who were thrilled danced and sang along with the band.

Nigeria’s iconic artist and Director of Nike Art Gallery located in Lekki, Lagos, Chief

Mrs Nike Okundaye popularly known as mama Batik and her workers who stood out in their rather massive but beautifully crafted traditional headgear and attires, were not left out of the celebration as they danced all through.

It was such an interesting evening which Mrs Okundayo described as a time of celebration with the Germans which she said not only shares same birth month with Nigeria but have ensured a good relationship with Nigeria.

According to her, “We love to celebrate with the Germans because we love the Germans and they love Nigerians. I have long enjoyed a mutual relationship with Germany. You know I designed the Expo 2000 in Hanover.

"And about 5 German museums have my works. The Welawa University have my works and when the BMW celebrated their 40 years anniversary, I was one of the artists invited from the whole of West Africa to represent not just Nigeria but the whole of West Africa. I have been going to Germany since 1972 and they have always been good friends and they promote my works a lot."

Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 49

C M Y K

50 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Three scientists win Nobel prize for work on DNA repair

T

HREE scientists from Sweden, the US and Turkey have won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for showing how cells repair damaged DNA, work that can be used to develop new cancer treatments.

Swedish scientist Tomas Lindahl, American Paul Modrich and US-Turkish national Aziz Sancar shared the $960,000 prize, awarded on Wednesday.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said their work on DNA repair “has provided fundamental knowledge of how a living cell functions” and can

•Winners of Nobel Prize in Chemistry for showing how cells repair damaged DNA work that can be used to develop new cancer treatments.

be used for the development of new cancer treatments, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Russia launches naval bombardment against ISIS

R

USSIA says it has launched rocket strikes on Islamic State group targets in Syria from warships in the Caspian Sea - about 1,500km (930 miles) away.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said four warships fired 26 sea-based cruise missiles on 11 targets, destroying them and causing no civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, Syrian ground troops have launched an offensive under Russian air cover, Syrian officials say.

Russia denies claims that its week of strikes have mainly hit non-IS targets.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported “the most intense fighting in months” in Hama and Idlib provinces. The clashes followed a wave of Russian air strikes in the same areas, it said.

It appears to be the first co-ordinated offensive since the air campaign by Russia - a staunch ally of

Syrian President Bashar alAssad - began on 30 September.

Russia says it is targeting “all terrorists”, but at least some of its air strikes have reportedly hit civilians and Western-backed rebels.

Arab coalition accused of war crimes in Yemen

A

MNESTY Interna tional has accused the Arab coalition fighting in Yemen of carrying out unlawful air strikes, some of which amount to war crimes.

The UK-based rights group on Wednesday called for the suspension of transfers of certain arms to members of the coalition, which launched an air campaign against Houthi rebels in March.

Amnesty said in a report that it had examined 13 deadly air strikes by the coalition, assembled by Saudi Arabia, that had killed about 100 civilians,

Kunduz Bombing: MSF demands Afghan war crimes probe

A

ID agency Medecins Sans Frontieres is seeking to invoke a never-used body to investigate the US bombing of its hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz.

MSF said it did not trust internal military inquiries into the bombing that killed at least 22 people.

The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC) was set up in 1991 under theGeneva Conventions.

Sancar is a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Sancar is the second Turk to win a Nobel Prize after novelist Orhan Pamuk was awarded the literature prize in 2006, and the first in a scientific field. “I’m sure there will be (celebrations in Turkey),” Sancar said. “Yes, they’ve been asking over the years and I was tired of hearing ‘when are you going to get the Nobel Prize?’ so I’m glad for my country as well.”

The US says last Saturday ’s bombing was a mistake. It came amid efforts to reverse a Taliban takeover of Kunduz.

Kunduz, a strategically significant city of about 300,000 inhabitants in north-west Afghanistan, was quiet for the first night in more than a week, reports said.

Security forces say they have spent the past few days mopping up Taliban remnants and sporadic fighting has been largely confined to the outskirts.

including 59 children.

“This report uncovers yet more evidence of unlawful air strikes carried out by the Saudi Arabialed coalition, some of which amount to war crimes. It demonstrates in harrowing detail how crucial it is to stop arms being used to commit serious violations of this kind,” said Amnesty’s Donatella Rovera, who headed the group’s factfinding mission to Yemen.

Germany, France call for united EU front on refugees

T

HE German Chan cellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande have urged fellow EU leaders to unite to resolve the ongoing refugee crisis, the continent’s most serious since the Second World War. Merkel warned leaders of the dangers of succumbing to nationalism at a meeting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

“In the refugee crisis we must not succumb to the temptation of falling back into acting in nationalistic terms...national solo efforts are no solution to the refugee crisis,” Merkel said.

B/Faso coup leader Gen Diendere charged

T

HE leader of last month’s short-lived coup in Burkina Faso has been charged with crimes including threatening state security and murder.

Gen Gilbert Diendere is expected to face trial before a military tribunal.

Interim President Michel Kafando was reinstated two weeks ago after intervention from the army and West African leaders.

The presidential guards’ unit that carried out the coup is to be disbanded.

Gen Diendere was formally charged with 11 crimes including threatening state security, murder, collusion with foreign forces, voluntary assault and wilful destruction of property.

•Gen Gilbert Diendere, who was charged yesterday for coup plotting in Burkina Faso.

Last week, Gen Diendere was reported to have surrendered to the authorities in the capital Ouagadougou.

Some of his forces had

Kenya, Tanzania step up war on poaching, terrorism, drugs

K

ENYA and Tanza nia have agreed to scale up joint onslaughts against poaching, terrorism and drug trafficking.

Elephant and rhino poaching has become a big concern in East Africa, affecting tourism which is a key foreign exchange earner.

Experts estimate Africa’s elephant population has fallen by more than 60 per cent over the past decade. More than 30,000 elephants are killed every year in Africa, many of them to meet demand for ivory from Asian nations.

Most seized savannah elephant tusks came from a region spanning parts of southeastern Tanzania and northern Mozambique.

Drug trafficking is also

a growing concern in East Africa following recent huge seizures. The region is largely a transit point to other parts of Africa and beyond.

refused an order to disarm, forcing the army to attack their base in the city.

The elite Presidential Security Regiment (RSP) is loyal to Blaise Compaore, the country’s longtime ruler who was ousted in a popular uprising last year.

Unhappy about being integrated into the regular army, members of the unit stormed the cabinet room on 16 September, seizing Mr Kafando, the prime minister and others.

Somali militants kill President’s nephew in ambush

I

SLAMIST al Sha baab gunmen ambushed and killed the nephew of Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud in the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday, police and the rebels said.

Militants from the al Qaeda-linked group attacked a car carrying Liban Osman, and a lawyer named Abdikadir Mohamed, through the city and shot them both,

police Major Mohamed Nur told Reuters.

Osman had just returned from abroad and was about to start working as the director of a Mogadishu hospital, Nur added.

Al Shabaab’s military operation spokesman, Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, said the group targeted Osman because he was “a very important official at the presidential palace”

Burundi expels Rwandan diplomat

B

URUNDI has expelled a Rwandan diplomat, whom it accuses of destabilising the country, a Burundian official has said.

Desire Nyaruhirira had been a top adviser at the Rwandan embassy in Bu-

rundi for many years.

The expulsion comes amid worsening relations between the east African neighbours.

Last week, Burundi accused Rwanda of training rebels seeking to destabilise the country, allegations it de-

•Rwanda’s Paul Kagame (L) and Burundi’s Pierre Nkurunziza (R) before the latest diplomatic row between their countries.

nies.

The Burundian official, who said Mr Nyaruhirira had been expelled, requested not to be named. Rwanda has not commented on the expulsion. The move by the Burundian government is a sign that the time for restraint is over.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has criticised the decision of his Burundian counterpart Pierre Nkurunziza to seek a controversial third term in office.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated further afterBurundiaccusedRwanda of hosting failed coup leader GenGodefroidNiyombare,who tried to seize power in May.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 51 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: Both your personal ideas and suggestions from your tried and trusted friends should be taken more seriously today, more especially if such will have direct effect on your finances. Be more ambitious.

GEMINI: Although you are power house of ideas, there is nothing wrong in your becoming more receptive to others with good ideas meant to enhance both your business and money-making-ability. Be more loving.

CANCER: Mercury in your Star Sign at positive angle to Uranus in Pisces will bring you new ideas very suddenly.

Such ideas should be noted in black and white so that you don’t forget what can bring great breakthrough.

LEO: It is good to be as confident and ambitious as you are now but, it is equally important you give in to spirit of co-operation as others can come up with good ideas meant for your success very suddenly.

VIRGO: Forget about tough challenges you went through yesterday and concentrate on the best way to move forward today. Here is a day when unexpected from your partner can positively lift up part of you.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Need a friend?

E RY O N E E Vneeds a

friend. However, not everyone wants to do what could bring about the much desired friendship.

Friendship is a

deliberate and curteous act aimed at making the other man or woman to like you. Do you want a friend? Then, be

TERROR MUDA

friendly disposed to other people.

Today, one of my my closest friends is someone I met at the bible college. I was sitting

in “Scavenger Elite”

in one corner of the room when he accosted me, asking: Can I shine youir shoe?

And I quickly answered: Yes, you can. Tell me, who wouldn’t reciprocate such a friendly gesture?

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA: Those of you willing to embrace hard work and practical approach will have genuine cause to smile for unexpected financial success. Don’t discourage your colleagues with new ideas at work.

SCORPIO: New ideas that cross your mind very suddenly today should be taken very seriously as such can lead to tangible success either now or in the near future.

Family issues and matters-of-the-heart are favoured.

SAGITTARIUS: Your creativity quotient will be enhanced. And you are part of those that can come by new and powerful ideas suddenly today the way your working pattern will be lifted. Try to be as family minded as possible.

CAPRICORN: Tomorrow will bring you good result in many ways but if you are more co-operative today, you will have genuine cause to smile. This is the wrong time to reject good ideas from your spouse and/or business partners.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in “HEY’

By Andy Akman

AQUARIUS: Good ideas to enhance your working method and considerably enhance your finances will come your way very suddenly; you are therefore advised to go around with pen and paper. Be more family minded.

PISCES: Uranus in your Star at 120 degree angle to Mercury in Cancer will play positive role over your mind and if you take your personal ideas more seriously today, unexpected success will be yours. Be more loving.

ARIES: Your friends may come up with good ideas about your social life the way both your career/business and finances will be benefited. Good suggestions from younger persons within your home and other base of operation should be taken 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 Pisces

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

RULER = COMPASSIONATE/SPIRITUAL NEPTUNE. QUALITY = MUTABLE. ELEMENT = WATER. SYMBOL = TWO OPPOSING FISHES. GROUP = FEMININE. ZODIACAL NUMBER = 12TH. Mutable aspect of Pisces indicates that people born under it are changeable, by this I mean they change their minds often times. Being a water sign, natives of this Star have very strong intuition and can flow into anybody heart and/or mind.

Neptune as the ruler of Pisces brings compassion and ARTISTIC talent into Pisces born peoples’ creativity quotient. Neptune rules psychic related thing and many of things that cannot be placed above board; Neptune makes most natives of this star sign secretive, hard to understand and dreaming.

Two opposing fishes as joint symbol of Pisces often-times responsible for occasional confusion suffer by all natives of Pisces one time or the other. It is truly important for them to learn how to control both their emotion and mind.

Because it is easy for Pisces people to become pessimistic unnecessarily. The reasons are while one of the fishes may head for optimism and day dreaming, the other inclination may be of fear, despondency and timidity.

Thus, confusion can creep in and that will be to the detriment of their confidence.

Cultivation of practical nature and adoption of realistic method in all you do will be of great importance. It is equally important for Pisces born people like you to take psychic related things more seriously because they can make use of psychic and/or spiritual related things.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

52—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOMBER 8, 2015

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

Public office holders from 1999 should be probed —OSOBA

A

BUJA—FORMER Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has said that Nigeria’s quest for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council may remain elusive as long as the country was yet to overcome basic economic and security challenges.

Gambari, who spoke at this year’s Leadership Award and Conference in Abuja, noted with dismay that Nigeria had not been able to overcome its basic challenges more than 100 years after its amalgamation.

The renowned diplomat, who is the founder of the Nigerianbased Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, SCDDD, regretted that the nation was still grappling with nation-building when it should be consolidating on its growth and development as a leading black nation on earth.

Gambari lamented that it was a paradox that Nigeria, the world's eight largest exporter of crude oil, endowed with many precious resources, still had more than 70 per cent of its population living below the poverty line and remained a relatively poor country in the world.

'Difficult for Nigeria'

The former top public servant said that it would be difficult for Nigeria to take a permanent seat at the world’s body with the barrage of challenges still starring it in the face.

Gambari said: “We cannot lay claim to a permanent seat at an enlarged United Nations security council when the Nigerian Armed forces have not been able to demonstrate exemplary capability in the Defence of our territorial integrity.”

He pointed out that the myriads of challenges hanging on Nigeria's shoulders needed to be urgently addressed by the leadership if progress was to be made and take the country into a new era of progress and prosperity.

To be able to achieve success, Gambari suggested that the negative forces working against the country must be deliberately and urgently tackled to pave the way for peace, security and development.

He said: “In reclaiming Nigeria, the use of overwhelming force to degrade the military capacity of the terrorist group, the mobilization of neighbouring countries and the West African sub-region to collectively fight the scourge and to drain the swamp which is to embark not only on massive relief of the victims but on socio-economic recovery and reconstruction of the areas of the country that have been devastated by the activities of the terrorist group.

Youth unemployment

“Furthermore, youth unemployment has to be tackled head on so that extremist groups

By Prisca Sam-Duru

L

LEADERSHIP AWARD: From left—Sen. Abdullahi Adamu; Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, receiving Leadership Politician of the Year Award from the Etsu Nupe, HRH, Yahaya Abubakar, and Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Isa Mustapha Agwai, during the awards in Abuja, yesterday. See more photos on page 14.

Why UN permanent seat may continue to elude Nigeria—GAMBARI As Obasanjo emerges Leadership Person of the Year Borno Gov wins Governor of the Year would not be able to recruit from a pool of unemployed youths for violent extremist actions.

“It is difficult to exaggerate the fact that Nigeria needs intensified efforts at peace-building in various parts of the country; hence public policy must respond to and apply effective peace-building strategies to existing and emerging area of crisis in the country.

“More importantly are the economic implications of continued terrorism and insurgency in the Northeast for Nigeria’s international economic relations as security is a critical demand for any rational investorlocal or foreign.

Potential of being a great nation

“It is obvious that Nigeria has the potential and possibility of being a great nation as well as a significant player in the comity of nations. However, the realization of that noble objective would continue to elude us so long as these enemies of the Nigerian state hold sway.

“Nigeria, as the pre-eminent black and African must not only fashion a grand design but also the appropriate strategy of achieving that design, but also the appropriate strategy of achieving that design.

“Neither complacency nor wishful thinking or for that matter mere verbalisation of our ambition can lead us to our cherished goal.”

According to him, these constraints among others, consist of political fragility, political volatility, ethnic and religious

mistrusts, intolerance and violent extremism.

He said: ”As if these were not enough ,recently the international market prices of the crude oil dominated mono economy of the beleaguered federation nosedived thereby further compounding the fate of a country evidently at the crossroads.“ He further explained that of all the vices which had reared their ugly heads in enmity against the Nigerian state, ethnicity or rather the wrong use of ethnicity, ranked as one of the most dangerous.

“In my view no measure can blunt ethnic jingoism and advance the cause of national unity more than a determined, honest and manifestly fair effort to treat all Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic origin, equally before the law as well as the promotion of and respect for the human rights of all Nigerians,” he said.

Boko Haram menace

The former Nigerian Permanent Representatives to the United Nations noted that the menace of Boko Haram represented one of the greatest threats to the Nigerian state and national security by negatively using religion and sectarian violence to undermine the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

The former UN agency boss also took a swipe at the nation’s successive leaders, saying they were either inept at combating corruption or were out rightly corrupt themselves.

Chairman on the occasion and former Health Minister, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, said in

reclaiming Nigeria, citizens must redefine the terms under which the Nigerian people engaged with one another.

Adeluyi said: “We need to redefine for ourselves the terms under which we the Nigerian people will engage; we need to address the structural faults that the union presently has.

“We simply need now to demonstrate that Nigeria’s leaders can team up, come together and pull together with passion and compassion to work for the good of all Nigerians. We need to redefine for ourselves the terms under which, we the Nigerian people will engage ourselves. We need to forge ahead with the urgent tasks of catching up with the rest of the world which has continued to move ahead in leaps and bounds."

Obasanjo, Borno Gov

He commended the Chairman of the Leadership Group, Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah, describing him as an entrepreneur of boundless optimism and uncommon focus and a former Presidential aspirant as well as being on Board and Management of the paper for the foresightedness and thoroughness in selecting recipients for the award.

Among the top awardees of the event is former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who bagged the Leadership Person of the Year, while Borno State governor, Shettima emerged, the Leadership Governor of the Year.

AGOS—FORMER governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, has said that past public office holders since the transfer of power to civilian government, must be made to account for their activities in office.

Chief Osoba said this during an exhibition of books written by Nigeria’s foremost Poet, and public commentator, Odia Ofeimun, tagged, “Special 40-Plus Book Exhibition held yesterday at the Agip Recital Hall of Muson Centre, Lagos.

He said: “Those who have held public offices in the civilian era should all come back and account for their stewardship, if you really want everybody to be accountable, I’m suggesting that the president should make all of us come back and account for whatever we did when we were in offices since 1999, since the return of civilian government. There should be thorough examinations of our actions, 2003 was not under Jonathan, so the probe must begin from 1999 because once you pull the root, the root will pull all the grass around.

“The modern day journalism is just to write, get byline and publish things that are not well researched and you don’t ask questions anymore, I’m not happy as a journalist.

We have killed investigative journalism.

For instance, since the last election, has anyone asked questions about the card readers that Jega introduced, what are the number of voters that the card readers read in each of the states, there are so many things to investigate.

We need to go back to investigative journalism to be able to educate our people thoroughly.

“I’m not one of those who think that we are not reading, we may not be reading hard copies of books, but a lot of our children now go on internet and do a lot of reading. I recommend that the likes of Odia Ofeimun should not give up."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 53

Reps mandate NSC to renovate National Stadium

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE & JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

T

HE House of Representatives yesterday decried the collapse of infrastructure at the National Stadium, Lagos and mandated its Committee on Sports, when constituted to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Commission to devise a scheme for the renovation of the stadium.

•Yakmut

C M Y K

The House also urged the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Commission to ensure that the funds for the renovation of the stadium is incorporated in the 2016 budget proposal.

In a resolution on the motion titled ‘Urgent need for the renovation of the National Stadium, Lagos’ sponsored by the member representing Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Hon. Oghene Emma Egoh, the House further mandated the Committee on Sports to ensure compliance of the resolution and report back to the House within four weeks for further legislative input.

Hon. Egor in the motion noted that the National Stadium was built in 1973 at an enormous cost to the Federal Government essentially for the hosting of the All African Games

and that for many years, the stadium became the bedrock of sports activities in Nigeria.

He said the stadium that has 60,000 sitting capacity and is situated in the heart of Lagos state is among the biggest stadia in Nigeria and had the unique privilege of having also hosted the 1980 African Cup of Nations competition.

The lawmaker expressed concern that the stadium has suffered more than a decade of abandonment as the last major competition held there was the African Cup of Nations which was cohosted by Nigeria and Ghana in 2000.

He said the abandonment of the stadium has led to collapse of structures, decay of facilities and consequent taking over of the complex by undesirable characters who have turned it into a cesspit and venue for criminal activities.

ATLANTA SUPPORT: Former African Champion, Rolake Olagbegi Kassim is in town with tennis kits from Atlanta Youth Tennis Association. More than 80 school children in Akure benefited from the clinic she held during which tennis balls and rackets were given out. Rolake, here, poses with a section of the kids

54— Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

Why I removed Enyeama as Eagles captain — Oliseh

BY TONY UBANI

T

HE dramatis personae in what has become known as the show of shame of Belgium have been speaking on their actions even as they put aside their differences to confront Congo in a friendly match today in Belgium.

Gaffer Sunday Oliseh who described the altercation as a normal disagreement in a family, however, has explained his actions of stripping first choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama of the Eagles captain’s band and handing it over to CSKA Moscow forward Ahmed Musa.

Speaking on Brila radio, Oliseh said that the storm was over but insisted that Musa, the man who takes over as captain of Eagles have all the qualities of a good captain. ‘’I want a captain who is disciplined. A leader who can motivate other players. A player who comes to camp early. I want a young player not a retiring player as captain. And Ahmed Musa is that player. He is my captain’’, Oliseh said.

When you have a new government like our honourable president just came in, he’s picked his ministers. And you have your philosophy and you have your way of working.

Enyeama lifts Ahmed Musa on his shoulder at a training session prior to 2014 W/Cup in Brazil.

“As a coach I have looked at the team and I have looked at Nigeria going forward. We need a captain who will think of staying with Nigeria for several years to come, who is regularly in the front. And Ahmed Musa did a great job for us in Tanzania under very difficult circumstance. He is a very responsible player and he is the captain of the team. So he is the captain of the team, there is no question of a tussle.

“The fact that I would like to have somebody (as captain) who is thinking of playing now and not somebody who is preparing for retirement or thinking of

Enyeama Continues from BP men that resulted in his clothes being torn.

The altercation between coach Sunday Oliseh and Enyeama graced the headlines as the Eagles prepare to face Congo in one of their two friendlies ahead of a World Cup qualifier. The Eagles play Congo today and would face the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Sunday.

Writing on his Instagram page ‘vinny 2908’, Enyeama regretted the disgrace of being thrown out naked by security men. ‘’After 13 years of national service, having this smile on my face and this passion in my heart. Through the C M Y K

billows, the waves of the ocean, the tears of defeat, the sound of rejoicing from victory chants. Now the thought of being stripped naked and security agents throwing me out breaks me completely.

“I will take anything but not insult to my dead mother.”

Sports Vanguard gathered coach Sunday Oliseh has since appointed Ahmed Musa as captain to replace Enyeama who kicked against it. But before the issue got out of hand, NFF President Melvin Amaju Pinnick quelled the situation. Enyeama was later re-admitted to the Eagles camp.

life after-football. And I think it’s time we had peace and quiet around the Super Eagles. That is why I am glad that most of the players here are finding ways to work as a team because I get the feeling now that they are aware that they are representing 170 million people’’, Oliseh said on Brila. He explained that

the camp was in good mood ahead of today’s match. ‘’The players have shown their desire and we are working on stringing them together.

It is unfortunate that the home-based players are yet to be given visas but we are hopeful that they will be here for the second match against Cameroon on Sunday’’

Blatter provisionally suspended for 90 days

F

IFA president Sepp Blatter has been provisionally suspended for 90 days.

Members of Fifa’s ethics committee met this week after the Swiss attorney general opened criminal proceedings against Blatter, 79, last month.

He is accused of signing a contract “unfavourable” to football’s governing body and making a “disloyal payment” to Uefa president Michel Platini, 60.

Swiss Blatter, who has run Fifa since 1998, and Platini, who wants to succeed him, deny any wrongdoing.

A final decision is likely to be made on Thursday

NFF hails team spirit as Eagles set to tame Leopards

N

FF President Amaju Pinnick on Wednesday hailed the spirit in the camp of the Super Eagles in Belgium, as Nigeria’s senior boys banished memories of a brief misunderstanding that reared its head on Tuesday night.

“I’m happy there is

NSA 2015: Awoniyi, Quadri, Oguchi among nominees conference, the Chairman of Award Panel, Mr. Ikeddy … As voting phase begins the Isiguzo explained that the

A

S the 2015 edition of the prestigious NigerianSportsAwardenters its voting phase, winner of Ball Sports Person of the Year, Aruna Quadri was renominated for the category alongside the duo of Chamberlain Oguchi and Olumide Oyedeji who are members of the victorious National Basketball team, D’

Tigers that won the just concluded FIBA Africa tournament.

Organisers of the award, Unmissable Incentives Limited unveiled the list of the top three nominees in each categories of the award.

Thenomineeswereunveiled at a press conference held in Lagos yesterday.

Speaking at the press

Cameroon Continues from BP November.

Both teams will kick off their World Cup campaign in November, before continuing their Afcon 2017 qualifiers in March.

“Finke has reminded his players the importance of the regrouping in Belgium,” Vincent De Paul Atangana, Indomitable Lions media officer told Camfoot “He told his players that the friendly with Nigeria is important and

it is to prepare the team for 2018 World Cup qualifiers which begins in November.”

Nigeria will face Cameroon in an international friendly in Belgium on Sunday, three days after the Super Eagles face Congo DR. The Eagles coach also reiterated that the games are meant to help him fine tune his team ahead of their 2018 world cup qualifiers against either Djibouti or Swaziland.

by Hans Joachim Eckhert, the head of Fifa’s ethics adjudicatory chamber.

Blatter ’s adviser Klauss Stohlker told BBC Sport: “The news was communicated to the president this afternoon.

He is calm. Remember he is the father of the ethics committee.

“This is provisional for 90 days but he is not actually suspended. The committee has not yet made a decision and their meetings continue.”

Blatter told a German magazine that he was being “condemned without there being any evidence for wrongdoing”.

top nominees emerged having recorded highest frequency of nominations by the members of the public for their outstanding performances in their respective sports.

“The shortlisted nominees for the 2015 edition of the award is a true reflection of the majority wish of the Nigerians as expressed through nominations for the different categories during the nomination phase” he said.

Speaking shortly before announcing the top nominees, the Executive Director, Unmissable Incentives Limited, Mr. Kayode Idowu noted that the long list of nominations was painstakingly scrutinized by the panel to shortlist the top nominees.

Idowu announced that the Coach of the National Men’s Basketball team, William Voightwillbecompetingwith Are Feyisetan, Nigerian Powerlifting Coach and the Women Cycling Coach, Bashir Mohammed for the Coach of the Year category.

absolute peace in the camp and the players and coaches are thinking of nothing other than the two matches against DR Congo and Cameroon. “ W h a t e v e r misunderstanding that happened on Tuesday night has been peacefully resolved and everyone’s forgotten about it.

Anywhere you have a group of people there is propensity for misunderstanding now and again. The key thing is the immediacy of resolution and the maturity to forgive and forget.”

Head Coach Sunday Oliseh assured there were no longer issues and that the three –time African champions were focused on Thursday’s high – profile friendly against the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

DR Congo, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1968 and 1974, has remained a strong force in African football, and never a squad to treat with kid gloves. But they face a supercharged Eagles loaded with plenty of new and enthusiastic talent, and fortified by some of the old guard.

There are three –time FIFA World Cup star Vincent Enyeama, defenders Efe Ambrose and Elderson Echiejile, midfielders John Mikel Obi and Ogenyi Onazi as well as forwards Ahmed Musa and Emmanuel Emenike (who have all played at the FIFA World Cup).

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015 — 55

Walcott vows to deliver Arsenal form for England T

HEO Walcott is eae r to carry his Arsenal form into England’s final two Euro 2016 qualifying matches - especially with Wayne Rooney a doubt due to injury.

England captain Rooney was forced to sit out training on Wednesday after picking up a knock in Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal last weekend.

Walcott, who starred in the Gunners’ dominant victory over Louis van Gaal’s side, is determined to produce the goods for his country as England look to finish their qualifying campaign with a 100 per cent record against Estonia and Lithuania.

“I’d love to maintain my Arsenal form for England,” he said.

“Things are going great, I’m looking after myself and looking forward to the next two games.

“I feel good and when players feel good it’s a great opportunity to give them a chance. Everyone knows I want to play up front.

“Wayne is the only person who can tell you whether he’d play. We’ll know today if he can train but if he is not 100 per cent the manager will make a decision. It’s always great to see him.

He is the England captain and he will want to play.” g

Barcelona plan to land Pogba

B

•CELEBRATION .... Arsenal's forward, Theo Walcott celebrates his goal.

Nedved: Morata´s future is at Juventus J

UVENTUS director Pavel Nedved has stressed that Alvaro Morata’s future lies with the Serie A champions rather than back at Real Madrid.

The Spain international joined Juventus in 2014, but Madrid have an option to re-sign the striker for a set fee at the end of this season.

Nevertheless, Nedved is confident the 22-yearold will not return to the Spanish capital any time soon.

“Morata is our player,” Nedved told Tuttosport.

“I can only see his future at Juventus.

“He is a great player and I believe that he is still only at 60 per cent of his full potential.

“Morata represents the future of Juventus.”

The striker has a contract with the Turin giants until June 2019.

Meanwhile, Nedved was adamant that Juventus did not make a mistake by allowing Kingsley Coman to leave the club for Bayern Munich, irrespective of his fine run of form this campaign.

•Morata

ARCELONA have admitted they have a solution to land Paul Pogba next year, the Express reports.

Barca’s transfer embargo will be lifted in 2016 leading to the Spanish giants preparing to make a splash in the transfer market with the capture of Frenchman, according to the club’s sporting director Robert Fernandez.

Talks between Juventus and the Catalans have reportedly been taking place for a while, though with them free to make signings next year the reality of those alleged discussions will be played out next summer rather than January in all likelihood.

Juve have been determined to keep hold of their star midfielder and are believed to have so far put off a number of suitors, including Chelsea after Jose Mourinho apparently made a call to the club in the summer. PSG and Manchester City have also been widely touted to be keen in recent times.

The France international, 22, has always said he is happy to remain with Juve for the time being but his and the Italian club’s resolve could be tested soon.

At last Belgian Embassy issues visa to home All Set For SNEPCo Junior tennis Eagles •Oliseh, Enyeama row in-house matter – Anyansi BY: JUDE OPARA, ABUJA

T

HE Belgian embassy in Nigeria yesterday evening issued entry visa to the members of the Super Eagles ahead of the international friendlies between Nigeria and Congo today and against Cameroon on Sunday.

The chairman of the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chief Felix Ayansi-Agwu who confirmed the development in a telephone chat also hinted that the team comprising mainly home based players and other backroom staff will now travel today.

“We appreciate the issuance of the visas by the Belgian Embassy but I doubt if the team will be able to meet with the first

C M Y K

match against Congo on Thursday since they will be travelling on the same day.”

Meanwhile, Chief Ayansi has described the camp row between Super Eagles Chief Coach, Sunday Oliseh and team captain, Vincent Enyeama as an inhouse affair which has been resolved.

The media was awash with the news of the disagreement which ensued as soon as Enyeama arrived the team’s camp in Belgium ahead of a double header international friendlies.

According to sources, trouble started when Enyeama on arrival demanded as it used to be his room as team captain but Oliseh was said to have told him to go and pair with another player because he has

A

•Femi Thomas selected Ahmed Musa as the new captain.

But according to Ayansi, the matter has been resolved and the team is again operating as one.

“The said disagreement is just a minor incident

which can happen in any family. The Super Eagles operate as a family and when it happens, it is resolved immediately. We at the federation will also wish that the matter is not blown out of proportion.”

LL is now set for the SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship slated to hold at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club from Monday, October 12 to Saturday, October 17.

The International Tennis Academy (ITA), organisers of the tournament said it was expecting very substantial entries and very high standards following pre-tournament competitions held in various States and tennis academies all over the nation.

According to the Academy, Abelife Tennis Academy Abuja run by Babatunde Abe who also coaches Team Tombim will be making their debut at the championship with six young players. Kano State is also presenting players for the first time in the 12s and 14s categories.

“This is a very good de-

velopment as the frontiers of tennis development is expanding with academies springing up.” said Godwin Kienka, director of the ITA. Adding, “Some of the States and academies have already called for us to be ready for increased entries.

That we assure them will not be a problem. The ITA Junior Tennis Circuit is the only circuit in the world with open ended entries and we are proud of that.”

The Championship is featuring boys and girls 10s, 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s and all players from outside of Lagos will be provided with free accommodated while all competitors, coaches, parents and officials will be fed three square meals each day.

Winners will also be given very attractive prizes at the end of the championship.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015

I was stripped naked and thrown out — Enyeama A

FTER the yelling, shouting and

Why I removed Enyeama as Eagles captain — Oliseh

BY TONY UBANI shoving that engulfed the Super Eagles camp in Belgium on Tuesday, skipper Vincent

Enyeama still heartbroken has opened up on the disgrace meted out to him by security Continues on Page 54

Blatter provisionally suspended for 90 days

Continues on Page 54 •Blatter

Prepare for war — Cameroon coach warns Eagles

T

•Enyeama

•Musa

NFF hails team spirit as Eagles set to tame Leopards •Kickoff: 7 p.m.

•Oliseh

Details inside

HE head coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Thomas Finke has reminded his players that this weekend’s friendly game against the Super Eagles of Nigeria isn’t friendly at all, saying it’s a massive preparation to their world cup qualifiers in

Continues on Page 54

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Begin (5) 7 Too (4) 8 Introduce (6) 9 Arouse (5) 11 Wicked (3) 13 Rodent (3) 15 Watched (4) 16 Lettuce (3) 18 Stupor (4) 19 Twist (7) 20 Group (4) 22 Pull (4) 23 Purified (7) 25 Flat (4) 27 Edge (3) 28 Intend (4) 30 Performed (3) 31 Delved (3) 33 Attain (5) 36 Vie (6) 37 Fever (4) 38 Fold (5)

DOWN 1 Soothe (5) 2 Broadcast (3) 3 Enquire (3) 4 Can (3) 5 Donkey (3) 6 Vision (5) 10 Cupid (4) 11 Bewildered (7) 12 Wished (7) 13 Turned (7) 14 Speaking (7) 16 Courteous (5) 17 Precipitous (5) 18 Weep (3) 21 Number (3) 24 Fine (4) 26 View (5) 29 Presage (5) 32 Transgress (3) 33 Material (3) 34 Hatchet (3) 35 Headgear (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Brush 5, Repeal 8, Purge 10, Remote 11, Spur 14, Tenant 15, Burglar 18, Get 19, Tar 21, Dear 23, Rebel 24, Cosh 27, Din 29, Lot 31, Deluged 32, Roamed 34, Pane 35, Eluded 38, Alder 39, Reveal 40, Genre.

DOWN: 2, Rue 3, Sponge 4, Hut 5, Rest 6, Pruned 7, Litter 9, Related 12, Peg 13, Rate 16, Undo 17, Rabid 20, Renewed 22, Acme 24, Career 25, Slap 26, Homage 28, Future 30, Ten 33, Deal 36, Leg 37, Err.

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.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K