Court indicts Joshua's Synagogue church

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62445

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THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

COLUMNISTS:

MONEY LAUNDERING: Ogogoro don dey

Bukola Saraki: Amina Zakari sour, but its ban Demarche and and her 'Uncle' is not a remedy prognosis •P.17 Buhari •P.19 •P.19 (2)

Nyako, Ohakim 9 docked, denied bail

BUILDING COLLAPSE:

Court indicts Joshua's Synagogue church

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Bartholomew Madukwe

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zCalls for transfer of Divisional Police Officer zWe're not guilty— Synagogue Church of All Nations

zSenate asks CBN to recover N30bn import waivers

16

AGOS—AFTER 10 months of sitting, the Lagos Coroner's Inquest into the collapse of a six-storey building belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), yesterday, in Ikeja indicted the church for “criminal negligence” and recommended that it be prosecuted. 116 people died in the tragic incident.

The court said the Church did not get the necessary permit or approval before

Continues on Page 5

Dogara concedes House Leader to Gbajabiamila camp 9 Mr & Mrs

TRIAL—Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, at the Federal High Court, Abuja where he is standing trial for alleged money laundering, yesterday. Right: Former Governor Muritala Nyako of Adamawa State, arriving the Federal High Court Abuja, where he sits in court (below right) with his son as they stand trial in Abuja, also, yesterday. Photos: NAN.

Troops arrest alleged mastermind of Zaria, Jos bombings 8

C M Y K

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C M Y K

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C M Y K

— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

VISIT—President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the US Special Envoy to NIgeria, Mr. Anthony Blinken while the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Enstwistle (l); Assistant Secretary Bureau of African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield and the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Paul Lolo (r) join in a photograph during the audience the President granted the Envoy at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Building collapse: Court indicts Joshua's Synagogue church Continues from Page 1 c o m m e n c i n g construction of the building.

The Lagos State Government inaugurated the Coroner ’s Inquest under the state's Coroner ’s System Law No. 7 of 2007 to investigate the cause and circumstances leading to the death of 116 people, mostly South Africans, following the building collapse of September 12, 2014, and bring its findings and

recommendations to the appropriate authorities.

The Coroner's Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, in its verdict, held that the “death of victims of the collapse was consistent with blunt force trauma that would normally be sustained from a collapsed building.”

Komolafe noted that most of the victims sustained various injuries ranging from haemorrhage, loss of

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see — Arthur Schopenhauer

T

HE most creative people in any field are people who have a tremendous amount of knowledge.

Creative people like Einstein, Edison, Coltrane, and O’Keefe were also experts in their own field.

In this age of easy access to search engines the internet, there is a tendency to assume that information is available when you need it and so you don’t need to internalize it. But, if you have to interrupt your flow of work whenever you need to look something up, you can’t follow ideas to new places.

In order to maximize the quality of your knowledge, you have to develop the habit to explain things back to yourself. Openness is one key factor to creativity, It reflects how much you are motivated to consider new ideas, concepts, and experiences.

The most creative people are typically very open people.

If you are someone who resists new ideas and experiences, that does not mean you cannot be creative. It just means that you need to develop a new set of habits to try new ideas and new ways of thinking and being creative.

limbs, crushed bones, multiple rib fractures, perforation of the lungs, destruction of left tibia vessels, strangulation, and chest wounds.

Aircraft not cause of building collapse He said the alleged aircraft which SCOAN claimed hovered over the building minutes before it collapsed was not the cause of the collapse of the building.

Mr. Komolafe called out the names of the 116 victims and gave specific details on the causes of their deaths. He said 60 of them were males while there were 56 females, including a sixyear-old child. He said six of the victims were yet to be identified. Eightyfive of the victims were South Africans, 22 Nigerians, two Beninoise and two Togolese nationals.

The Coroner's Court also held that structural failure due to combination of designs and detailing errors were the cause of the building collapse.

It added that the state government should as a matter of urgency carry out detailed ‘fitness for habitation test’ on all the structures/buildings within the premises of

the Synagogue Church of All Nations, situated at Segun Irefin Street, Bolorunpelu, Egbe, Lagos State.

DPO to be transferred On the conduct of the Police at the scene of the accident and the testimony given by the Police at the Coroner's Court, Magistrate Komolafe recommended that the DPO attached to Ikotun Division of the Nigeria Police, C SP Haruna Alaba, be replaced immediately because he has become too compromised to lead a credible investigation.

He said Mr. Alaba failed to take note of what was happening in his area and had to rely on information from the Police headquarters.

He equally charged the government to reduce the cost of obtaining necessary building permits/approvals as well as removing all administrative bottlenecks to encourage i n d i v i d u a l s / organizations go through the due process of obtaining necessary permits before commencement of building construction.

Komolafe said: “Alleged aircraft was not the cause of the building collapse.

Building permits/

approval was not obtained in respect of the collapsed building. The foundation failure was a remote cause of the collapsed building.”

The court said that the contractors Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun, both engineers) of HardRock Construction Co. Ltd., who handled the collapsed building project for SCOAN be investigated and tried for criminal negligence by the relevant authority.

Magistrate Komolafe pointed out that government agencies must be rid of corruption, including issuance of fake receipts and “greasing of palms” during inspections on construction sites.

The recommendations The recommendations read in part: “Synagogue Church of All Nations be prosecuted by the relevant authorities for not possessing necessary building permits.

“Individuals/ Organizations must endeavour to obtain relevant building permits before commencement of any building construction.

“Individuals/ Organizations must engage the services of qualified and competent Engineers/Consultants in carrying out building constructions.

“Relevant authority should carry out detailed ‘fitness for habitation test’ on all the structures/buildings within the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, situated at Segun Irefin Street, Egbe, Lagos State immediately.

“Government agencies responsible for ‘monitoring and inspection’ at every

stage of construction should be alive to their responsibility and vigilant. Alternatively, the function of ‘monitoring and inspection’ be outsourced to competent professional body that will detect violation of building law and regulations early before any failure.

“Statutory/First Responders should be adequately equipped to perform their functions effectively and efficiently.

“The Government, NGO’s and other ancillary bodies should educate and sensitize the public on the need to always allow the statutory/first responders perform their duties during rescue operations/ emergency cases and not take over the duties.

“Government should make it mandatory for professionals involved in the design and supervision of major structural building constructions to have professional indemnity.

“Government should take steps to secure and preserve the site of any collapsed building, so as not to compromise the conduct of investigation at the collapsed site.”

We’re not guilty –SCOAN Reacting to the judgement, Mr Olalekan Ojo, counsel to the church and Pastor T. B. Joshua said no findings were made about the church by the coroner and that it never indicted the church for the collapsed building.

Ojo said: “Yes, the court said the church building collapsed due to structural failure but never said the church was guilty of any offence.

So, with the situation I never doubt my client may challenge the verdict of the coroner.”

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Pandemonium as man, 44, dies in Benin church B

By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN CITY—THERE was pandemonium Monday at Uselu quarters in Benin City as a 44 year-old man, identified as Osayande Ekhator, reportedly died during a deliverance in one of the new generation churches, Hope Ministries, also known as Holy Ghost Deliverance Centre.

Vanguard gathered that the death of the man angered the youths in the area who stormed the church with dangerous weapons, destroying its properties, including musical instruments, electrical appliances and vehicles parked in the premises.

died there, we all ran to the church to know what happened, but some angry youths started destroying the altar and everything in the church. We had to escape from

the scene so that we won’t be attacked.”

Reacting to the development, Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Steve Onwunchie, who confirmed the incident, said

the police had commenced investigation into the matter, adding that the findings would be made public at the appropriate time.

Father laments

The father of the deceased, Pa Erase Ekhator, lamented that the deceased visited him the previous day to inform him he was attending a deliverance in the church, that he quickly obliged him the request.

He said confusion, however, enveloped the deliverance when he heard the deceased crying out for help.

“They forced him and tied both his legs and hands, carried a bucket full of water and poured it on his body. The mother asked why and they said that it is what they usually do to calm him down after struggling for five minutes, only for Osanyade to die in the church,’’ the deceased's father said in anguish.

Sister of the deceased, Mrs Omoregie Osas, who suspected foul play in the death of his late brother, alleged that they beat him to death because the cloth he was putting on was pulled off and had him wear another one.”

But reacting to the allegation, resident Pastor of the Church, Mrs Isoken Okudaye, and a church member who claimed he witnessed what happened, said the victim who they claimed was violent during the deliverance, accidentally hit his head on a nearby generating set and died.

Pastor Okudaye said: “We have been taking care of his father without any money; we don’t kill, beat or destroy souls here. If they bring people with insanity here, we heal them."

An eyewitness told newsmen: “When we heard that somebody

OPERATION FEED THE NATION: Children drinking gari at the Internally Displaced Persons (IPDs) Camp, at Durumi in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

3-year-old killed, pregnant mother injured in Delta kerosene explosion

By Ochuko Akuopha

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LEH—TRAGEDY struck at Ozoro in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State on Tuesday as a three-year-old girl was killed, while her pregnant mother was seriously burnt in a kerosene explosion.

Vanguard gathered that the mother who resides at Urude

road area of the metropolis, was refilling a lit lantern with kerosene at about 8pm when the lamp exploded.

Sources said the woman, simply identified as Mrs Uyeri and her daughter who was sitting close were trapped as their apartment went up in flames.

“The shouts of the woman attracted neighbours who immediately ran into the house

3 docked for stealing vehicle parts

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By Opeyemi Lepe

AGOS—THREE men were yesterday arraigned before an Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly damaging and stealing vehicle parts worth N2.5million. The suspects include Mayowa Bankole, 26, Adewale Michael, 23 and Abraham Ndame, 27.

The defendants, who have no fixed addresses are facing a three-count charge bordering on

malicious damage and stealing preferred against them by the police.

The prosecutor, Supt. Olu Ojaokomo, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences on July 1, 2015, at Resurrection Praise Ministries, Satellite Town, Lagos.

He said the defendants stole the following motor parts, one brain box valued at N45,000,

pressing buttons worth N40,000, side mirror valued at N20,000 and Pigen hole valued at N15,000, property of one Jude llo Ojaokomo.

The prosecutor also accused the defendants of unlawfully damaging one SUV with number plate KTU 818 CV valued at N2.4 million with intent to render it useless, which also belongs to the complainant.

to rescue her but they did not know that the child was in the apartment. ‘’As she was being taken to the hospital, she was pointing towards the house and it occurred to everyone to check again, only to discover that the child was in the house. ‘’By the time she was taken out of the apartment, she was burnt beyond recognition. That was how she was taken to the General Hospital, Ozoro, where she gave up the ghost,’’ an eyewitness told journalists.

Commenting on the incident, a doctor attached to the hospital, Dr. Chuks Ossai, said the child was 80 per cent burnt at the time she was brought to the hospital.

Blaming the incident on adulterated kerosene, Ossai disclosed that the news of the death of the child had not been broken to the pregnant mother who is receiving treatment in the hospital, saying the woman was responding to treatment.

Tailor jailed 6 years for drug trafficking

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By Onozure Dania

AGOS—A 38-year-old tailor, Kehinde Ogunmola, was yesterday sentenced to six years imprisonment for trafficking in illicit drugs by Justice Musa Kurya of a Federal High Court, in Lagos.

The convict, who resides at Ebuta Meta area of Lagos, had tried to escape from court on July 1 when he was brought to court for arraignment.

He was sentenced to six years imprisonment by Justice Kurya, after he pleaded guilty to a twocount charge preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. Kurya sentenced Ogunmola to three years imprisonment on each count without an option of fine in accordance with the provisions of Section 281 of the Criminal Procedure Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004 and held that the sentences would run consecutively.

.... Another remanded in prison for chasing mother with machete

A

BUJA—A Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja, yesterday, remanded a-23-year-old man, Promise Iwuzor, in prison for allegedly pursuing his mother with a machete.

The accused , a resident of Angwan Hausawa, Kabusa village, Abuja, is standing trial on a charge of criminal intimidation.

The Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison and adjourned the case till September 21 for hearing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Shedrack Dauda, told the court that one Madam Stella Jim reported the matter at Kabusa Police Station on July 3.

He said the accused picked a machete and pursued some of his neighbours, threatening to kill them, following a mere misunderstanding on the said date.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—7

33-yr-old man arrested for raping lunatic

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—POLICEMEN attached to Makinde Division in Lagos State have arrested a 33-year-old man, who allegedly raped a mentallyderanged lady at Oshodi area of the state.

The victim (names withheld) was said to have been kept in an isolated room in her parents’ apartment on Alhaji Shehu close, where some traditional doctors were administering

zIt was consensual— SUSPECT; impossible, says victim's relative treatment on her.

However, penultimate Friday, the suspect, Itodo Stephen, who lives in same building, was said to have sneaked into the apartment and allegedly raped the lady, when her parents had gone to work.

However, a neighbour, who suspected Stephen’s moves, raised the alarm when she caught him in the act. He was then apprehended.

At the station, Stephen reportedly denied raping her, claiming that the lady gave consent without hesitation.

One of the victim’s relatives, who spoke with Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said: “She could not have put up any resistance because of her state.

If he had admitted and begged, we would have considered settling without involving the police. There is even a doctor’s

report, which confirmed that there was penetration.”

Police sources hinted that Stephen had been charged before Oshodi Magistrate’s court, where he pleaded not guilty to the offence.

He was reportedly granted N50,000 bail by Magistrate Akeem Fashola with one surety in like sum and remanded in Kirikiri Prison custody, until he meets the bail conditions.

Five arraigned

by DSS over N2m theft

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—FIVE persons were, yesterday, arraigned before an Evboriaria Magistrate’s Court, Benin, by the Department of State Services, DSS, for allegedly stealing N2,090,000 belonging to one Suberu Shaibu.

The five suspects, Murktar Shuaibu, Kabiru Shuaibu, Abdul Momoh, Enesi Jamiu and Abubakar Lawal, were arraigned for stealing.

However, pleas of the suspects were not taken as they were alleged to have committed the offence on June 28 in Benin.

The prosecutor’s counsel, E. Aubrey, applied for the suspects to be remanded in the DSS custody, pending when the bail application was heard.

Presiding magistrate, Frank Idiake, said bail would be considered in the course of trial and remanded the suspects in DSS custody.

The case was adjourned to August 10.

Meanwhile, some beneficiaries of phase two of the amnesty programme have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to pay their allowances allegedly stopped since March 2012.

The beneficiaries from Delta State, who protested at the premises of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Benin yesterday, said they were warned not to protest in Delta State again.

Led by Pawpaw Julius and Gideon Ogbe, the protesters blame former head of the amnesty programme, Kingsley Kuku, for their plight.

They alleged that the few allowances they collected were not paid into their individual account, but into an account belonging to camp leaders.

Internally-displaced persons, IDPs, camp, Durumi, Abuja, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Man dies after ingesting 55 wraps of cocaine zAs NDLEA nabs another with $2.2m at Abuja airport

By Daniel Eteghe

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AGOS—A 32-year-old Lagos-based trader and suspected drug trafficker has died of cocaine ingestion at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

This came as operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday arrested a 46 years old passenger with $2,198,900 (N437.3 million) at the domestic wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

The dead suspect, identified as Ndulue Emmanuel Obiefuna, who was an intending passenger on an Ethiopian Airlines flight to China, en route Addis Ababa, on July 5, collapsed at the departure hall after ingesting about 55 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.20 kilogrammes and was taken to a nearby hospital.

Disclosing this development to newsmen, NDLEA Commandant at Abuja airport, Mr. Hamisu Lawan, said the suspect confessed to cocaine ingestion on his hospital bed.

He said: “The deceased collapsed at the departure hall and was being attended to by Port Health officials. The collapse triggered our suspicion and a narcotics officer was

assigned to monitor the development.”

Lawan said after the suspect confessed, NDLEA took over the case from Port Health Services, adding that the suspect died few minutes later.

He said: “He collapsed immediately he notified the airline officials of his intention to cancel his trip.

“At the hospital, 55 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine, with a total weight of 1.20kg, were evacuated from his stomach.”

It’s suicide—NDLEA boss

Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, who described narcotic ingestion as a suicide mission, said: “Ingesting narcotics is a suicide mission. I sympathise with the family members. Drug trafficking is a serious crime.

“People must shun drug trafficking and support the antidrug campaign. We must collectively intensify counternarcotics efforts by talking to at least one person daily on the dangers of drugs and benefits of a drug-free society.”

The 46 years old passenger arrested with $2,198,900 (N437.3 million) on his way to Abuja at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos,

Mr. Ibiteye John Bamidele, was accused by NDLEA operatives of money laundering.

Giade directed that the suspect and the exhibit (money) be transferred to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further action.

He said: “The outcome of preliminary investigation did not link the money to proceeds of narcotics. I have, therefore, directed that the suspect be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigations.”

‘I'm a bureau de change operator’

However, the suspect, who claimed to be a bureau de change operator, said: “I used to work for Ebi Bureau De Change at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, before I established my company with the name ND&C Global Investment Limited, which is yet to be fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. “One of my clients (names withheld) gave me the said amount to take to Abuja. I was arrested by NDLEA officers while checking in the money at MMA2 on my way to Abuja.”

Robbers take over Mile 2, attack Vanguard staff, motorists

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OTORISTS and commuters that ply O s h o d i - A p a p a Expressway have harrowing experiences in the hands of armed robbers as the bandits rob them of money and other valuables, taking advantage of the perennial traffic gridlock at Mile 2 and environs.

The bandits brandish dangerous weapons to make their victims submit to them everything in their possession.

Among those who fell victim was a Vanguard Newspapers staff, who was dispossessed of his mobile phones and other valuables.

The Vanguard staff (names withheld) who was on his way home after the close of work at about 9:30p.m., recounted his experience: “On my way home, a few steps from Otto Wolf Bus Stop, two men stopped me with a gun, demanding for my phones and other belongings.

“Prior to that time, two men had walked passed me and must have sent a signal to the other two, who came on a bike, stopped and pointed a gun at me.”

Another victim, a woman, recounted her ordeal: “I was walking on the bridge, hoping to find a motorcycle to escape that deadly spot, when some men parked beside me and pointed a gun at my face.

“I quickly surrendered everything I had on me to them, without waiting for them to ask and the crossed to the other lane.

“Police could not see the incident because they were obstructed by petrol tankers parked all over the place.”

Yet another victim said: “At the Mile 2 bridge, the lane that leads to Oshodi was slightly free, so I had to stay on that lane, since I was going to Oshodi.

“At first, two boys walked past. They later called their gang members, who seized me and collected my handbag containing N80,000 and other belongings.”

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Troops arrest alleged mastermind of Zaria, Jos bombings zBoko Haram's days are numbered —Buhari zAs UN lauds Buhari’s determination to fight insurgents

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief & Levinus Nwabughiogu, with agency reports

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BUJA— TROOPS of 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and officials of the Department of State Services, DSS, have arrested the mastermind of the coordinated bombings in Jos, Plateau State and Zaria, Kaduna State on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively.

President Muhammadu Buhari has, meantime, declared that the days of Boko Haram are numbered just as the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, commended his determination to fight Boko Haram Military sources in Abuja said the terrorist kingpin responsible for the Jos and Zaria bombings was arrested at a checkpoint in Dadin Kowa, Gombe State.

The alleged mastermind was said to have disguised and hid in a trailer in order to beat security but was spotted by eagle-eyed members of the Special Task Force. He was arrested with two alleged accomplices.

“The arrested terrorists are currently being processed for further action and would soon face the full wrath of the law,” the source said.

According to the source, the arrests were made possible by a swift action of the STF which established a security cordon in the general areas, especially along Bauchi, Gombe and the North Eastern part of the country immediately after the Jos blasts.

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists had carried out coordinated bomb and gun attacks on worshippers at Ýan Taya mosque, Dillimi Street, off Bauchi Road, Jos where worshipers had gathered for a Ramadan tafsir, and Shagalinku Restaurant, along Bauchi Road, Jos. Forty eight persons were reportedly killed in the two attacks, while scores were also injured and property destroyed.

Similarly, terrorists carried out another bomb attack on hapless workers undergoing verification exercise at Sabon Gari Local Government Secretariat, Zaria Kaduna State which resulted in the death of over 25 people.

The source appealed to members of the public to be more vigilant, security conscious and report any suspicious persons, movements, and facilities to the security agencies to nip in the bud plots by

terrorists to kill innocent Nigerians.

Ki-Moon commends Buhari

Meanwhile, UN SecretaryGeneral, Ban Ki-Moon, on Tuesday in New York, commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination in the fight against Boko Haram. KiMoon said in a statement that he had noted Buhari’s determination to root out the menace.

He also commended the countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin for their steadfast efforts in the fight against Boko Haram.

The UN chief strongly condemned the attacks by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin countries, including the deliberate targeting of Christian and Muslim worshippers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Borno and Yobe States.

He extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and further renewed his calls to support the operationalisation of the MultiNational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) through the provision of the requisite political, logistical and financial resources.

He also called for necessary expertise, consistent with

international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law.

Boko Haram's days are numbered —Buhari

Meantime, President Buhari, yesterday, encouraged Nigerians not to despair over the continued Boko Haram attacks against the Nigerian state, assuring that insurgency will soon become history.

Buhari’s assurance followed his condolences to all Nigerians who lost relatives in the latest terrorist atrocities in Jos, Kano and Zaria recently.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President “urged all

Nigerians not to be unduly disheartened by the seeming resurgence of terrorist attacks and atrocities in the country as his administration remains fully committed to overcoming the challenges of insecurity, terrorism and insurgency as quickly as possible.”

Shehu stated that “already, the intensified onslaught by the military on terrorists’ strongholds has led to significant seizures of weapons and vehicles, a blockage of their sources of arms and ammunition, and a decimation of their fighting men.

“Buhari assures Nigerians of the ability and readiness of the country’s armed forces and security agencies to contain the frantic resort by the terrorists to attacks on soft targets such as crowds and places of worship.

“The President is convinced that with recent increases in troops deployment, improvements in the supply of arms and equipment to the military, as well as the ongoing effort to mobilize greater international cooperation and support, the end of Boko Haram and terrorism in Nigeria is in sight.”

Boko Haram may resume talks with FG

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North with agency reports

A

BUJA — SOURCES close to the leadership of the Boko Haram insurgents have told Vanguard that the group might have agreed to hold talks with the new leadership in Nigeria with the aim of ending the six-year-old insurgency in the country.

One of the sources which had been involved in previous attempts to broker peace between the Federal Government and the terrorists group confirmed to Vanguard last night that there were some level of discussions between the group and the government but that the "government does not want to be seen to be negotiating with the terrorists."

The source, who works with an international agency with some presence in Nigeria, said: “I can tell you that there is some behind-the-scene informal discussion with certain segments of the Buhari administration, going on in Nigeria.

“But the truth is that the government does not want to be seen to be talking with the group apparently because of the failure of all previous efforts to dialogue with the Boko Haram men in and outside Nigeria under the previous administration.

“The aim of the renewed effort is to resuscitate the discussions from where we ended abruptly under the Jonathan administration and take it forward from there since there is a new government in place

VISIT: President Muhammadu Buhari (3rd left); Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (2nd left); Leader, BringBackOurGirls Group (BBOG), Dr Oby Ezekwesili (4th left) and other members oF BBOG during their visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. in Nigeria.

“The true position is that some of those with contacts with the leadership of the Boko Haram have gone back to assure them that there is a new government in place and that things can be done differently from what it was in the past when they were dribbled over and over again by top government officials who wanted to make quick gains under the guise of negotiating with the militants."

The source said the militant leaders had been assured that the Buhari government was more open and ready to negotiate with them.

“Indeed, we have begun the peace process from the Boko Haram side and that may signal a new hope for the release of the missing Chibok girls,” the source

said.

It will be recalled that the Presidency had hinted last week that it might negotiate with the dreaded Boko Haram leadership in order to end the cycle of violence that has wreaked havoc in Nigeria in the last six years.

Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, who gave the hint, did not, however, give a timeline when the negotiation would start and who the government intended to deal with in carrying out the assignment.

Boko Haram is said to be offering to free more than 200 young women and girls kidnapped from a boarding school in the town of Chibok in exchange for the release of

militant leaders held by the government.

An Associated Press quoted an unnamed activist as saying that Boko Haram’s current offer is limited to the Chibok girls who were taken in April 2014.

“The new initiative reopens an offer made last year to the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan to release the 219 students in exchange for 16 Boko Haram detainees,” the activist said.

He said the five-week-old administration of President Muhammadu Buhari offers “a clean slate” to bring the militants back to negotiations that had become poisoned by the different security agencies and their advice to Jonathan.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—9

Money laundering: Nyako, Ohakim docked, denied bail zTo remain in EFCC custody

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA — FORMER Governors of Adamawa and Imo States, Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd) and Ikedi Ohakim were separately docked before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, over allegations bordering on money laundering, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.

Whereas Nyako was accused of diverting over N40 billion from the Adamawa State treasury between January 2011 and December 2014, Ohakim, on the other hand, was alleged to have amassed about $2 million from the public coffers and used same to acquire a mansion at the Asokoro District of Abuja.

Nyako was arraigned alongside his son, Abdulaziz and two others, Zulkifikk Abba and Abubakar Aliyu. They are answering to a 37count criminal charge dated July 7.

Five companies that allegedly served as conduit pipes for the illegal diversion of the funds — Blue Opal Limited, Sebore Farms & Extension Limited, Pagoda Fortunes Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Crust Energy Limited— were equally charged as the 5th to 9th accused persons.

In the charge which was preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the accused persons were alleged to have in their bid to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, embarked on the development of estates in Abuja.

Besides, EFCC said it was able to trace various cash lodgements that Nyako and his son made into various bank accounts they operated in the name of the companies that were indicted in the fraud.

The anti-graft agency maintained that huge sums of money which the accused persons purported to be security funds, were illegally placed under the control of one Ma’aji Iro, the then Regional Manager of Zenith Bank Plc, North-East, Nigeria.

They were said to have sequentially withdrawn the funds through the bank manager and channelled same for private use, contrary to section 15 (2) (a) & (6) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act. Meantime, all the accused persons, including Ohakim, yesterday, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Shortly after Nyako and his coaccused persons entered their plea to the 37-count charge yesterday, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf urged Justice Evoh Chukwu to okay the matter to proceed to trial immediately.

Yusuf produced his first witness who mounted the dock with a view to begining his Evidence-in-Chief.

Bail application

At that juncture, the defence lawyer Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, prayed the court to grant him time to properly study the charge which he said was only served on them on Tuesday, to enable him to be able to put up a formidable defence for his clients.

“My Lord, it is in the interest of justice that we familiarise with it to be able to put up our defence. I commend the diligence of the prosecution, but I was going to avert your

lordship to the issue of bail of the accused persons”, Agabi submitted.

He begged the court to use its discretion and release the former governor and the other accused persons on bail since they were previously granted administrative bail by the EFCC. “My Lord, it is at the expense of the state that the accused persons are kept. Our Prisons are congested, I plead, I beg, I urge for their release on bail”, he added.

In opposition, the EFCC, while placing reliance on section 299 of the newly enacted Criminal Justice Administration Act, applied that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.

The EFCC lawyer stressed that he was only served with their bail application yesterday afternoon, saying he would need time to go through it.

Yusuf told the court the EFCC has no facility to keep the accused persons.

Sensing danger, Nyako’s lawyer quickly pleaded that instead of prison, his clients should rather remain in the custody of the EFCC.

Accused to remain in EFCC custody

In a short ruling, Justice Chukwu ordered the remand of all the accused persons in EFCC custody till Friday when their bail application will be heard.

Similarly, Justice Ademola Adeniyi directed that former governor Ohakim who is answering to a three-count criminal charge should remain with the EFCC till today when his bail application will be heard.

EFCC had through its lawyer Mr. Festus Keyamo, objected to an oral bail application that was made yesterday by Ohakim’s lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN. Justice Ademola who in his ruling ordered Ohakim to file a formal bail application, also directed the EFCC to grant him access to his wife, lawyer and medication.

At the end of the proceedings yesterday, all the accused persons were conveyed back to the EFCC detention facility in a white coaster bus with an Abuja registration number, BR 739 BWR.

Dogara concedes House Leader to Gbajabiamila camp zSays S'West, N-East not to be considered zOyegun, 2 govs wrote letter without NEC, APC caucus

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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

BUJA—IN the spirit of reconciliation in the House of Representatives, the camp supporting Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has announced conceding the position of the House Leader to the camp supporting Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

But the speaker’s camp also made it clear that the nominee for the House Leader position will neither come from the South-West nor the North-East in the spirit of equity and federal character, noting that the two zones have already occupied their slots.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, spokesman of the Dogara group Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, said after the reconciliatory meeting as directed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, which was headed by the immediate former speaker and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, the Dogara camp decided to concede to Gbajabiamila camp the position of House Leader.

He said that if the camp turned down the offer, the only option would be to conduct election on the floor of the House by the APC members in accordance with the provisions of the House Rules.

He further said that his camp did not recognise the letter from the National Chairman of the party, Chief John OdigieOyegun, which he said did not pass through the National Executive Committee of the party and the House caucus or the recognised legal process.

He said while ceding the

COMMISSIONING: From left, Pamela J. Hall, Managing Director, General Electric, GE Company to Country, Health Care Nigeria; Prof. Olufemi Fasanmade, representing Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH; Thierry Leclerq, CEO, Lifecare Solutions/Health Care Systems at GE and Professor Carmen Walker, Director Biomedical Training Centre, at LUTH, during the commissioning of the centre, in Lagos. position of leader to the Gbajabiamila camp, it was made clear that sharing the six principal officers of the House must be in tandem with the constitution as regards the federal character, adding that it will be unfair to exclude any geopolitical zone in sharing positions.

He said: “The Governor of Sokoto State met with Femi Gbajabiamila and his group.

Yesterday, he met with us and we also had a lengthy meeting, at some point heated. We wish to appreciate Mr. Speaker for tolerating all our actions at the meeting to be able to stand firm.

“Concessions were made completely against the original plan that we went to the meeting with. This morning, we received lots of phone calls, under normal circumstances we are not supposed to make a public statement on this.

“Because of the information going round and in order to put the record straight, I have been mandated as the spokesman of the group to make some few comments.

“As regards some of the things that transpired at the meeting, of course the details would be made public when the entire process is concluded.

“We went to the meeting and you have always known our position. We believe that we did not go against any provisions of the laws of the party or the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in electing the speaker or his deputy.

“We also believe that there should be a level playing ground for everyone in terms of the occupation of the remaining offices of principal officers that has always been our position.

“But after a very lengthy meeting with His Execelleny, the immediate past speaker and Governor of Sokoto State, we were able to make a far-reaching concession and this is to allow for peace to reign in the House.

“It was very tough and of course the wise counsel of the Governor of Sokoto State on the need for a concession on peace. Three things we agreed: one, we maintain the position that we do not recognise the letter written by the party in quotes and I give you reasons.

“We have utmost respect for the chairman of the party, but that letter did not pass through the relevant organs of the party.

“It was neither approved by the National Working Committee nor the National Executive Council, not even the caucus was consulted and it was a product of one or two governors and of course the National Chairman."

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Ekiti Iyaloja’s arrest: How market space was acquired – FACILITATOR

APAPA GRIDLOCK: Lagos govt, fuel depot owners to expand tankers' parking lot

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

By Ikenna Asomba

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ORMER DirectorGeneral, Ekiti Enterprise and Economic Development Agency, EEEDA, under the administration of exgovernor, Kayode Fayemi, Seyi Aiyeleso, yesterday, disclosed that the controversial 3-hectare Eyitato Fabric Market situated on the premises of the Ekiti-Odua Enterprise Development Centre, EOEDC, was secured for the market women by Fayemi’s government in 2012.

Being the facilitator of the project, Aiyeleso, said Fayemi laid the market’s foundation stone in October 2012, during his 2nd year anniversary, adding that the clarification became imperative owing to the ongoing feud between officials of Ekiti State Government and the leader of Ekiti State Market Women Association, Chief Waye Osho.

According him, after one year of following due processes, an agreement document was sent on August 1, 2013, by ODUA Investment Limited and was dully signed by representatives of the market women association and ODUA, witnessed by the Director-General, EEDA, representing Ekiti State Government as the facilitator.

He added that in the acceptance of approval, it was agreed that 500 lockup shops with a 10-year renewal and annual rental fee of N3000 per shop on completion will be paid by the women.

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AGOS—TANK farm owners and other stakeholders in the downstream sector of the economy have expressed readiness to evolve a process, through partnership with Lagos State government for the speedy construction and expansion of the second phase of the petroleum tanker parking lot at Orile-Iganmu.

This aims at finding immediate solution to the challenges of indiscriminate parking of tankers on bridges and roads within the

AGOS—INVESTORS in Nigeria yesterday concluded plans to partner Lagos State Government to improve infrastructural development in the state.

The investors disclosed this in an interview with the State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, at the Lagos House, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.

Vanguard gathered that the meeting was attended by team leaders of top multinationals in attendance, including Julius Berger, JP Morgan, Wested Group, Contraco

light rail system in the corridor.

Also as part of measures to reduce traffic gridlock in Apapa and environs, the stakeholders agreed to re-strengthen the callup system that allows only a certain number of tankers with valid papers of authority to load fuel, go into Apapa at a given time.

Any violator will be arrested by state task force and other security personnel.

Ambode last month met with other stakeholders including the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), National Association of Road

MEETING: Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle) with his Deputy, Dr. Oluranti Adebule (2nd right), Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello (right), State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni (2nd left) and Commander NNS Beecroft, Navy Commander Daniel Ikoli during the meeting with Tank Farm Operators in Apapa, at Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday.

Ambode orders enforcement of law on street trading, begging Environmental Sanitation and

By Monsur Olowoopejo, with Agency Reports

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos yesterday, directed the Task Force on Environmental

Investors partner Lagos on infrastructure devt

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state, especially in the Apapa axis.

The tank farm owners, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers’ Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN and other stakeholders, stated this yesterday, with the state government, led by Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

The measure is to enhance the capacity of the tanker holding bay from its current 350 trucks to about 1,000 trucks. This became necessary because a greater part of the phase one of the tanker parking lot has been taken over by the construction of the ongoing

Nigeria, among others.

Mr. Idowu Iluyomade, leader of the team, said “Today, we’ve been encouraged, we have international and local investors and we have international banks, UPS, JP Morgan, who have shown interest in partnering with the Lagos State Government and I pray that that which we have started, this seed that we have sown, it would grow and germinate and transform the whole of the state.”

Ambode in his remarks said the meeting was in line with his campaign promise to open the state for greater business as well as create enabling environment for investments to thrive.

Sanitation and Other Special Offences to carry out full enforcement of the law restricting street trading in the metropolis.

The governor, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, expressed concern about the resurgence of street trading in major areas of the state, noting that not only do they constitute environmental nuisance, but also pose security threat to citizens.

He said there is an existing law in the state prohibiting street trading, urging those interested in doing business to seek for space in the various modern markets redeveloped by the state government to enhance business activities.

“At the State Security Council Meeting on July 7, it was resolved that the act of street trading that has continued to hamper free flow of traffic on Lagos roads which further constitutes nuisance and security threat to law abiding citizens will no longer be tolerated”.

“Therefore, street traders and buyers will henceforth be arrested and prosecuted. The Task Force on

Special Offences has been mandated to ensure the Law of the State against street trading is enforced to the letter ”, the Governor said.

He said that all security agencies have resolved to beef up security in the State so as to ensure that it remains safe for citizens and investors alike.

He also urged residents in the state not to encourage the trend by patronizing them, saying in doing so, they indirectly aid and abet crime.

Transport Owners (NARTO) Association of Maritime Trucks Owners (AMATO) in his search for a lasting solution to the gridlock in Apapa in particular and other parts of the state metropolis.

Addressing the stakeholders, Ambode said,”What is important now is to make sure there is easy and motorable access to Apapa.

Our joint task force has been given the directive to make sure tankers and trucks do not constitute nuisance.

“We are looking at the possibility of reigniting the Orile-Iganmu park to increase its capacity to accommodate tankers, and we have to do this as soon as possible,” Ambode also reiterated the call on the Federal Government to ensure the speedy completion of another trailer park being constructed opposite the Tincan port in Apapa.

The DAPPMAN team led by their chairman, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, agreed there was urgent need to secure an expanded holding bay for the tankers, assuring that the association would consult with members and other stakeholders and come up with what should be their stake in the construction of the phase two of the Orile-Iganmu park.

He said piping petroleum products remains a huge challenge due to vandalisation of the pipeline just as he disclosed that the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) loses products worth over N600 million weekly to pipeline vandals between Atlas Cove and Mosimi in Lagos.

Also, in the interim, the team is to work out modality for the setting up of a standing committee comprising of all stakeholders, including Petroleum Tanker Drives Association, PTDA. that will complement efforts of the state Taskforce in ensuring traffic flow in Apapa and environs.

The meeting was later adjourned till sometime next week to accommodate other stakeholders in the haulage businesses.

Court acquits driver of firearms possession after 4 years

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KEJA—AN Ikeja High Court yesterday acquitted a 25-year-old driver, Ben Akure, of illegal possession of firearms due to insufficient evidence.

Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya, while delivering her judgment, said that the prosecution did not prove its case against Akure beyond reasonable doubt.

“The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were full of inconsistencies, they could

not prove that the defendant had the firearm within his possession.

“They were not at the scene of the alleged crime and they could not identify the defendant as the person who allegedly ran out of the bus.

“It is not the duty of the defendant to prove his innocence, the burden is on the prosecution to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond any reasonable doubt.''

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 11

By Ola Ajayi

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B A DA N — P E O P L E S Democratic Party, PDP, chieftains gathered in the Oyo State capital, Ibadan, yesterday with a resolve to get to the root of what actually led to its defeat in the last elections.

The party is particularly interested in what went wrong in the North Central and South West zones of the country which used to be its base.

Among the chieftains of the party that arrived the state include the former Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha who is the Chairman of the post election review committee of the party, Adamu Maina Waziri, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and Hon Uzor Azubuike, among several others.

Ihedioha, who admitted that the party made some blunders said he was optimistic that having identified the pitfalls that eclipsed the dominance of the party and addressed them, electoral victory for the party was sure in 2019.

Despite the party’s loss in the election, he noted that the

PDP chieftains brainstorm on causes of electoral woes numerical superiority of the party was incontrovertible He said “It just appears to all of us that Nigeria is still largely a PDP state. In every ward, local government areas, states, zones and indeed in the entire country, PDP remains the most popular party by our reckoning.

“What has happened to us was that we made very costly mistakes. We took steps that we shouldn’t have taken. And those steps today are beginning to haunt us.

“The party in its wisdom decided to take steps early enough, as early as May to set up this committee and the committee can begin to review what happened in the election.

That’s why it’s called post election review committee.’’

To ensure that the party bounces back, he added, “Last week, we invited all the state and zonal chairmen and we

VISIT: Airport Commandant, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA) Lagos, Group Capt. Idi Sani (middle) flanked by Managing Director, Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue (right) and his Deputy, Capt. Ado Sanusi during his visit to the Airline at the Company’s Corporate Headquarters at MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos. briefed them on the various programmes that we wish to adopt to reach out to the various states. Consequently, we set up

Ogun Police warn officers against bribery, corruption

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — O G U N State Police command has warned its officers against bribery and any other corrupt practices, saying, that a website created by the Inspector General of Police was meant for complaints against any erring police officer.

The Police Public Relations

Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi stated this, yesterday, during the promotional training of 953 officers who are undergoing training that will usher them from the rank of corporal to the rank of a sergeant.

The training took place at the Police College in Iperu area of Ogun State.

Adejobi said the Inspector

New Deji of Akureland crowned

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—AKURE, the Ondo State capital yesterday literally stood still as the new traditional ruler of the town, the Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi ascended the throne as the 48th Oba. His ascension after Oba Adebiyi Adesida joined his ancestors barely three years ago was after undergoing a month of traditional rites.

All shops in the metropolis were shut throughout yesterday in honour of the new Oba. The state government presented the instrument of appointment and staff of office to him on June 8 this year after all the kingmakers unanimously selected him, a move said to be unprecedented in the 120 years of the ancient town.

Thirteen princes contested for the vacant stool and the new Oba had contested for same twice but failed.

He was however lucky at this third attempt.

With the completion of all traditional rites and his entering

into the ancient palace for the first time after been the Oba, the market which had been under lock and key for almost three years will be re-opened and the economic activities in the metropolis would pick up again.

Oba Aladetoyinbo's coronation ceremony was held with funfare as indigenes of Akure and visitors trooped to the palace to welcome the new Oba as he was finally crowned as the new Deji.

General of Police, Solomon Arase has zero tolerance for bribery and corruption within the police force across the country adding that he has created a website where police shortcomings can be reported.

Adejobi who described policing as the first profession quoting ‘Genesis 2 verse 15 of the holy bible’ charged other officers to be decent even while discharging their duties.

He also advised the officers to be good ambassadors of the police force, saying the inspector general will not condole any act of bribery.

His words; ''As officers of the Nigeria police, please be decent, you just have to. The authority has been planning on how to improve the welfare packages; meanwhile you must be good ambassadors of the police because the Inspector General of police will not take it lightly with anyone who is caught in the act of collecting bribes or indulging in any other form of corruption.

three groups: each of these groups consisting of statesmen and women of our great party to visit two zones each. Our group is responsible for finding out what happened in the North Central and South West zones”, he said.

“We concluded findings on our programmes in the North Central zone yesterday (Tuesday) evening, and today(Wednesday), we are here to commence work as regards the South West zone.

We requested all the state chairmen and the zonal chairmen to intimate all stakeholders of our party who have any submission to make to us, because we are interested in finding out what actually went wrong and we believe that it is when we find out what went wrong that we can apply solutions”.

“So, this visit is a fact finding mission. And for us, we believe that in our normal way of playing politics, everyone and every group will have an opportunity to make their presentations. We’ll collate these presentations for onward submission to a committee which would articulate them, review them and come up with our collective position.”

BAILOUT: APC tells Fayose not to be ungrateful

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HE All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has criticised Governor Ayodele Fayose over his recent comment on the bailout fund released by President Muhammadu Buhari to states, saying it is ingratitude taken too far.

Fayose said the bailout fund out of which Ekiti State benefited in billions of naira, is not a bailout but an amount due to Ekiti State from the federation account.

This is an irresponsible statement coming from a governor over which his colleague

governors, labour unions and all well meaning Nigerians were full of gratitude to the President for the bailout. Fayose as usual, is up to one of his antics whenever money is involved.

His statement that Ekiti wage bill is N2.6billion has given him away as someone who wants to shortchange Ekiti people again. For the avoidance of doubt, the wage bill of Ekiti State workers is N1.6 billion naira and if we include subventions to higher institutions, pensions and political appointees’ salaries which is N600 million naira,

everything amounts to N2.2 billion naira. We wonder where Fayose got the figure of N2.6 billion, Olatunbosun stated. ''We have said it many times that Mr. Fayose is paying some election contractors and he has not denied this categorically. His latest inflation of the wage bill of Ekiti State is to prepare the minds of Ekiti workers that he would not use the bailout fund to pay their backlog of salaries and allowances even though he lies to the outside world that he was not owing Ekiti workers.''

Cleric bemoans criminality in tertiary institutions

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — FOUNDER of Campus Life Project, Pastor (Mrs.) Adedayo IsraelOlukayode has raised the alarm over the high rate of crimes in various tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.

Isreal-Olukayode described the moral decadence among students on campuses as worrisome, declaring that if the rate of social vices on campuses are not checked, the nation would be heading for outright doom.

The founder of campus life stated this, yesterday at the official launching of the Adedayo Israel Olukayode Campus Revolution (a.k.a Campus Life Project) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

She lamented that most of Nigeria's tertiary institutions are now producing rapists, armed robbers, cyber criminals and kidnappers.

She suggested that reorientation of students in higher institutions of learning is one of the tools needed for development of the nation.

“The moral decadence among our children on campus is worrisome. Even secondary schools are being affected. We have studentrapists, armed robbers, cyber criminals, kidnappers. A place of information and reformation is fast becoming a place of deformation and destruction,'' she said.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Fear in Rivers as CLO alleges transfer of Boko Haram detainees to P-Harcourt Prisons

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State chapter of Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, yesterday alleged that some Boko Haram detainees had been transferred to the prison in Port Harcourt.

Publicity/Research Secretary of the rights body, Livingstone Wechie, in a statement, said that though there was no official comment from any of the security agencies, a top security source within the prison service disclosed the development to the organisation.

“Although the authorities may deny and make this development an unfounded secret, there is no basis for this action by the authorities involved,” he said.

He expressed worry that the development could impact negatively on the area if the situation was not well managed.

“Ordinarily, terrorists’ inmates should be kept in isolated maximum facilities because keeping them with other ordinary criminals will give them room to indoctrinate other inmates particularly since the Port Harcourt prison

is already over congested,” he added.

No official of the Nigeria Prison Service was ready to comment on the allegation, following Vanguard's inquiry.

Meantime, spokesman of Governor Nyesom Wike, Mr Opubo Nko-Tariah, said that the state government was not aware of the alleged

development.

“I can’t attest to the veracity of the story. However, should there be an ounce of truth in the transfer story, the Rivers State Government should know so that adequate measures can be put in place in partnership with the Federal Government.

Although the prisons belong

to the Federal Government, the state government will be blamed for any havoc wreaked on residents if and when there is a jail break,” he said.

He wondered why the prisoners would be transferred to the state when Port Harcourt does not have a heavily fortified prison for such inmates.

BAD ROAD: A crater filled with rain water opposite Nigerian Tide Newspapres on Ikwerre Road, Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, making that axis of Ikwerre Road unmotorable. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Deep Seaport: Call Ayiri Emami to order —WIPMG

By Emma Amaize

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ARRI—THE Warri Ijaw Peace Monitoring Group, WIPMG, yesterday, called on the Ugborodo Interface Committee on the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, to call Ugborodo people, led by Chief Ayirimi Emami, who went to court to stop the naming of the Deep Sea Port in Escravos, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, after Gbaramatu, to order.

However, Chief Emami, an Itsekiri leader, slammed the Ijaw group, saying: “The rule of law must apply. We filed a suit at the court and we will pursue it to a logical conclusion. In any case, I am not answerable to the Interface Committee in the suit we instituted.”

WIPMG, in the statement by Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, said: “Our attention has been drawn to the litigation regarding the proposed Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Deep Seaport in Gbaramatu by Ugborodo people, led by Emami, that the naming ought not to be Gbaramatu, but Ogidigben.

“We wish to call on the Ugborodo Interface Committee to call Emami and his colleagues to order so as not to stall the progress that had been made in this matter.

The committee should tell Emami to show respect for issues he has no competence to contest because this issue was settled before the

C M Y K

groundbreaking ceremony and the port is so designated as ‘Gbaramatu Deep Seaport, GDS. “The committee should let Emami know that he is fanning the embers of war and also let him know that he is putting obstacles on the road to development, which is not good for our people."

Emami told Vanguard on

phone, “There is rule of law in the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari, it is not the government of President Goodluck Jonathan where they arm twisted Itsekiri people. That is why we have gone to court for the law to take its course.

“The land where the Deep Sea

Port is sited does not belong to Gbaramatu people. It is an Itsekiri land and I, as an Itsekiri man from Ugborodo cannot open my eyes and allow them to take what belongs to us. Gbaramatu is the name of an Ijaw clan, not a community. If the port is located in an Ijaw community, why is it not named after the community?"

Dickson's kinsman resigns, defects to APC

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and leader of Bayelsa Peoples Consultative Assembly, BPCA, Chief Alex Ekiotenne, has resigned his appointment from the Governor Seriake Dickson administration and defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Until his resignation, he was an Adviser and a member of the Board of Directors of the stateowned Bayelsa Oil Company.

Addressing newsmen in Yenagoa, Chief Ekiotenne said his decision to resign his appointment from the PDP government in the state and defect alongside the leaders of the BPCA to APC, was a clear indication that the state government had failed.

He said: “The two policy thrusts expected of the administration, which are proper consultation and listening to proper advice have

failed.

“A number of well meaning Bayelsans actually had great hopes at the beginning of the administration in terms of a consultative approach to developmental programmes and

the transparency objectives of the administration.

“Soon after, the government completely jettisoned the consultative approach of running a successful government," he said.

We didn’t ask Anirah to withdraw petition against Igbuya —Okpe Union

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HE leadership of Okpe Union, Worldwide, has denied media reports alleging that officers of the union, at the instance of the Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Mr. Monday Igbuya, appealed to Chief Felix Anirah to withdraw his petition challenging the election of the Speaker at the tribunal in the interest of Okpe people.

Anirah was the All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Assembly candidate for Sapele constituency in Delta State in the

last elections.

In a statement, President General of the union, Patrick Akpotor, said that contrary to Anirah’s claim, the move by the union to reconcile the Okpe sons was the initiative of the umbrella body of Okpe nation.

He said that although it was true that the leadership of the union had an audience with Anirah on the best way to resolve the impasse, it was without the consent or knowledge of Igbuya, because the union considered it imperative to wade into the crisis.

Rep insists on Dogara as Speaker

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By Emma Una

A L A B A R — M E M B E R representing Ogoja/ Yala federal constituency, Cross River State, in the House of Representatives, Jarigbe Agom, has said that there was no going back on the election of Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, so any one hoping that he would be removed should think of something else.

Agom told Vanguard in Ogoja, yesterday, that there was synergy among majority of the members of the House who find Dogara capable and experienced enough to lead the 8th session of the lower chamber of the National Assembly and as such the issue of his resignation or impeachment was not on the agenda of majority of the members.

“Dogara is the best to have emerged as Speaker of the House of Representatives for now and he is handling the affairs of the House effectively and has the support of majority of the members from both Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC," he said.

Madam Enogue for burial

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HE late Mrs. Rose Enogue, who died on May 19, aged 80, will be buried on July 11.

The remains will leave Time Mortuary, Ekewan Road, Benin City on July 10, for her residence, 4, Old Market Road, Abudu.

Service of songs will hold by 4 pm, same day while a thanksgiving service will take place at Jesus Power House, Old Benin/Asaba Road Abudu, on July 12.

She is survived by many children and grand children.

Late Madam Enogue

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—13

Oshiomhole advocates stiffer penalties for rapists, child abusers G

OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has advocated stiffer penalties against rapists, paedophiles and anyone involved in child abuse to serve as deterrence to others.

He also urged people of the state to stop giving alms to child beggars to discourage the rising trend of child beggars in the state.

Speaking to the Chairman and members of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, in the state, led by Mrs. Stella Ojemen, who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Oshiomhole, said: “Edo State Government appreciates that you are addressing some of the challenges that government ought to have addressed like ensuring that we all mount campaigns against rape and defilement as well as ensure that when people have carried out these heinous crimes, that they are arrested and diligently prosecuted with a view to sending them to prison.

“We have discussed this time and again at our Executive Council Meetings and at a point, we asked the AttorneyGeneral to review the laws

such that the number of years a convict gets will commensurate with the severe nature of rape and defilement.

“We are concerned, we have discussed this and we have a feeling that the number of reported cases are on the increase. We also know that because of the nature of our

environment, there will be several others that may not even be reported at all.

“When you look at the number of rape cases that are recorded, it is clear that across the country, both rape and defilement cases are increasing and this calls for tougher measures on the part

of those strengthening the law and providing for stiffer and harsher punishments than what is currently obtained but also ensure that the few cases that are reported are properly prosecuted with a view to securing conviction,” he added.

INSPECTION: From left: Prince Clem Agba, Commissioner for Environment and Public Utilities, Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his wife, Iara, at the inspection of the Queen Ede Erosion site reclamation undertaken by the Edo State Government.

Rivers govt starving us of funds, 23 LG bosses allege

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

T

HE 23 All Progressives Congress, APC, local government chairmen in Rivers State have accused Governor Nyesom Wike of starving them of funds.

They made the allegation when they met with the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, in Abuja yesterday.

The chairmen were at the APC national secretariat alleged cases of human rights violations, unpaid salaries and

monthly allocations to the state civil servants and intimidation to their persons

by Governor Wike.

Meanwhile, Odigie-Oyegun assured the grassroots leaders that APC followed due process, adding that the party would not “allow the blood of the innocent to be shed for political reasons.

“I want to give you that things have changed in this country, and those who are still testing our resolve will discover sooner than later that they are absolutely on the wrong track. The fact that we

are a party of law, a party of order, a party of due process, does not mean that we will allow impunity to continue.

“We will not allow the blood of innocent ones to be shed on the platform of politics or for

political reasons. If the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State does not recognise that change has come to this nation, then they will be doing so at their own peril because there will be consequences," he said.

Rivers PDP lauds Wike on payment of salaries

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HE Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Felix Obuah, has lauded the concern and wisdom of the state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for alleviating the sufferings of the state civil servants and pensioners by commencing the payment of the four months salaries and allowances owed them by the Rotimi Amaechi administration.

Obuah, describing Governor

Wike as a man of his words, and a dependable leader, recalling that the governor had, during his electioneering campaign, assured civil servants, pensioners and other public servants in the state that were unduly denied their legitimate entitlements by the previous government, of offsetting the backlog of salaries owed them as soon as he assumed duty as the state governor.

This, the PDP chairman noted, was a promise redeemed as the affected public servants have bounced back to life following the commencement of payment of their salaries and allowances by the Governor Wike-led government in the state.

Clark grants scholarships to 100 undergraduates

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—FORMER F e d e r a l Commissioner for Information and SouthSouth leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, offered scholarships to no fewer than 100 qualifying students who gained admission into his newly established university.

Disclosing this at his Asokoro residence, Abuja, Chief Clark, who noted that the gesture was the only way to give back to the society, said: “This scholarship scheme will encourage students from different parts of Nigeria to live and learn together in a patriotic spirit and thus contribute to the socioeconomic development of our country.”

According to the elderstatesman, the action was another way of cushioning the effects of the financial burden on parents, guardians and sponsors of potential students of the university, adding that the scholarship cuts across 15 disciplines that would be offered in the Edwin Clark University, ECU. Reiterating why he chose education, Clark noted that on his 85th birthday when the idea came to him to do something as a legacy, the only thing that crossed his mind was education.

Bobo Oviosu passes on

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RS. Matikta Oviosu (nee Oriola), is dead. She died on July 6, after a brief illness.

She will be laid to rest on July 17 after a wakekeep at her residence.

She is survived by children, grandchildren sisters and aunties.

Late Matikta Oviosu

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

BRING BACK OUR GIRLS: Buhari laments state of

Nigeria's military

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

Said he: “It’s unfortunate that the security and federal government conflicting report initially presented the government and its “How are the mighty fallen, for Nigerian agencies in a very bad light both nationally military which recorded great and internationally because the law achievements in Burma, Zaire, Liberia, enforcement agencies and the government Sierra Leone, and Sudan now to be helped were conflicting each other sometimes

by Niger, Chad and Cameroon”. These within hours or within weeks. That is not words sum up President Muhammadu very impressive. The delayed and late Buhari’s lamentations, yesterday, on the reaction by former government and its state of the military he inherited as he agencies was very unfortunate as I said.

Our efforts to end insurgency hosted a delegation of Bring Back Our Girls President Buhari who gave a detailed led by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and Mrs. account of the efforts to end insurgency in Mariam Uwais, The delegation paid him a visit at the Nigeria however assured the country that presidential Villa in furtherance of their all hopes were not lost.

“I think you will agree that the present campaign for the release of over 200 abducted Chibok girls from Borno State. government take the issue very seriously.

Responding to the 13-points demand by Within a week of being sworn in, I visited the group, President Buhari regretted Niger, Chad and would have visited what he described as the conflicting Cameroon but for the invitation of the G7 reports of the terrorist attacks, saying that to go to Germany and listen to them. I’m the delayed response by the former very impressed with the leadership of this government gave impetus to the escalated important group (G7) other than the United attacks and promised to rebuild the Nations itself. They are very concerned about the security in Nigeria led by ravaged communities. abduction of the Chibok girls by the terrorists.

“When the terrorists announced their loyalty to ISIS, the whole attention again was brought squarely to Nigeria. And now we are rated with Afghanistan, Iraq and S WE strive to advance our spiritual heights, get Syria , this is very closer to Allah than ever before, more especially as unfortunate. we step up our ibadah during the last ten days of the “After Ramadan, I will month, there could be some lethargy, fatigue, and general visit Cameroon to see the lack of wellness as a result of the activities over the last President there and then twenty one days. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said: Benin Republic. But on the “Verily, your body has a right over you.” No doubt the efforts we have been body will react to all these especially those who still have making, we will not to do strenuous work to make ends meet. Our bodies disclose some of them require proper attention to keep them running at top publicly because it will not performance. be consistent with security.

At this point, we don’t have to succumb to any kind of But I assure you that under inactivity. Ramadan is only once in a whole year, and this the Lake Chad Basin blessed last ten nights, we have to do more than we have Commission, the military been doing put together. have met. The ministers of Some of the tips you have to watch out for are proper defence have met. We the nutrition and not necessarily over-eating, good hygiene presidents have met here in and give out time for sleep.

Abuja except the President Note that Health is holistic, and includes overall well- of Cameroon who was being, in addition to your nutrition and activity! Many represented by his Minister Mu’takif become ill during their stay in the mosque or at of Defence. the very least, come home by Eid with a cold, runny nose, “Strategy and tactics have or illness that they contacted from someone at the Masjid, been drawn. Multinational merely because you always come into contact with one taskforce has been put in another. But you have to be careful and show enough place more or less with care for your health. In fact, the operators of these should headquarters in Ndjamina also step up their games to ensure that proper hygiene is with a Nigerian General as kept within the environment. Cleanliness forms substantial Commander. The troops part of Islam and we must show always. delegated by each of the Like we discussed yesterday, the period of itikaf is solely countries are to be put in for worship. If you are not doing supererogatory prayers, place by the end of the you should be studying the Qur’an or doing zikr. If you month. And Nigeria, I are not doing any of those listed, then it is better to sleep assure you will do its best so that you can muster enough energy to do tahjud. One because we as I said are the should refrain from idle talk during Itikaf. battle ground and we are Again, it is better to state here that although itkaf is being helped by our recommended during the last ten days, observance of it neighbors”, he said. is not necessarily restricted to the last ten days of Ramadan.

The president also A person wishing to perform Itikaf during the entire month regretted that Nigerian of Ramadan is at liberty to do so, as this is also a sunnah. army known for its military It can also be done during the middle ten days of finesse in the sub African Ramadan, as this has been established from the Prophet region has been unable to (s.a.w) A hadith recorded by Bukhari and Muslim rout out the Boko haram in mentions that the Prophet did Itikaf during the entire Nigeria. month of Ramadan.

“It is paradoxical what the The benefits however as stated in hadiths are (1) that Nigerian military has the person performing Itikaf avoids sins, and (2) achieved from Burma to he is rewarded for even those deeds which he could not Zaire to Liberia to Sierra perform as a result of his Itikaaf. May Allah make it easy Leon to Sudan. But Nigeria for use to perform Itikaf and reap the reward therein. has now to be helped by Allahumma innaka afuwwun, tuibul-afwa, fa-afu anni. Niger, Chad, and ( O Allah, You are the One who forgives sins, forgive me)

Roll up your sleeves for Itikaf

A

Cameroon. How are the mighty fallen!

“We will do our best to restore the respectability of our country and its institutions. And with you, your steadfastness and your seriousness, we will do what we can do. We will accommodate all your observations including the negative ones about the performance of the government and its agencies”, he said “At the G7, the leadership there asked us for our shopping list which I’m still compiling. The military has submitted theirs and I’m waiting for the governments of the front line states to submit theirs local government by local government in terms of infrastructure, schools, health care, roads, markets, churches, mosques and so on.”

In their 13-points demand, the group is asking among others that: *The Federal Government should spare no resources in urgently rescuing our 219 Chibok Girls as promised by the President and the National Security Adviser of the President at various times.

Our Federal Government has the constitutional duty to give justice to our Chibok Girls by ensuring their immediate rescue. The rescue of OUR Chibok Girls

will amount to the strongest statement that our Government has respect for the “Sanctity and Dignity of Every Nigerian Life. *An apology for the failure of governance that led to the abduction. *An apology for the failure of governance that caused failure to rescue our girls for over 400 days. *Strategies for curbing the emergence, and growth of curious sects. *Immediately set up a structured feedback and communication system that is composed of the Federal and Borno State Governments through designated security and ministerial authorities, the parents of the abducted girls, the Chibok (KADA) community, and citizens, through the BringBackOurGirls group.

The feedback mechanism is so the Parents and the public can have regular updates on efforts to rescue our 219 Chibok Girls.

The National Security Adviser, Leaders of the Counter Insurgency Task Force, the Department of State Security on one hand; and State Governments of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, aided and supported by Local Authorities and Traditional Leaders, on the other hand and the representatives of abduction victims on the

other hand. The Team should be tasked with credible implementation of the VARS. The primary task of the Team shall be to work with every abducted victim’s family and community to accurately ascertain the true identity of such individuals and following their accurate identification to make available the comprehensive program for Recovery, Rehabilitation Resettlement and Reintegration to the rescued citizens. We advise that this system should be adopted for the 200 girls and 93 women rescued on the 28th April 2015.

The rehabilitation, resettlement and reintegration following their authentication should be implemented by both the Borno State Government and the Federal Government that make up the VARS Team and supported by development partners, NGOs and publicspirited Nigerians. Our m o v e m e n t , BringBackOurGirls, stands ready to support this initiative. Furthermore, grant access for BBOG to Chibok girls when rescued; thereby accepting our offer to support re-unification of rescued Chibok girls with their families as well as their rehabilitation and reintegration.

From left, Member House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jubril, Hon. Mohammed Bago and Hon. Suleiman Sumaila after a press briefing to announce the outcome of the reconciliatory meeting on the sharing of leadership position of House of Representatives e in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamkan

EDO CENTRAL: Inegbeniki

'll reclaim mandate at tribunal, say activists Party, PDP.

B

ENIN—NIGER Delta Oil Producing Communities Agenda, NIDOCA, has expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial candidate for Edo Central in the last National Assembly election, Chief Francis Inegbeniki, would reclaim his mandate

at the tribunal.

Spokesman of the group, Mr. Emmanuel Akpovoka, who gave the assurance at Abuja, said the people of Edo Central voted massively for Inegbeniki on March 28 election, alleging that the election was rigged and results manipulated by the Peoples Democratic

The group also urged the people of Edo Central to remain steadfast and hopeful that the judiciary under President Muhammadu Buhari will certainly do the right thing, give them justice and Inegbeniki will emerge victorious.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—15

Tension in Onitsha as traders get forceful eviction

By Anayo Okoli

A

N ONITSHA-BASED businessman, Chief Ben Ezibe has written a protest letter to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State over what he called “act of lawlessness/oppression and breach of peace” by some people, he described as hoodlums, who claimed to be agents of Anambra State government.

In a letter dated July 6, 2015 addressed to Chief Willie Obiano and made available to Vanguard in Onitsha, Chief Ezeibe alleged that the hoodlums harassed, intimidated and vandalized his sports equipment shop located at No 11/13 Williams Street, Onitsha.

Part of the protest letter read, “it is with utter dismay as responsible, law abiding citizen that we write to intimate the governor on the use of miscreants and hoodlums by agents of Anambra State government to harass, intimidate and vandalize our Sports Equipment shop, located at No. 11 William Street, Onitsha.

“On Saturday, July 4, 2015, these miscreants and hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons and matchetes invaded our shop which was well locked up with padlocks and broke the padlocks with their weapons, carting away our sports equipment and cash.

The extent of items removed will, however, be revealed by audit.” he said.

“We are appealing to your Excellency, to intervene and halt these acts of lawlessness and

destruction, we are not dealing on building materials and we are not members of Williams Street Building Materials Traders Association. The hoodlums and miscreants were led by one Mr. Okonkwo and we sincerely and passionately appeal to your Excellency to halt these shameful acts of recklessness and abuse of our fundamental rights."

In a similar letter to the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State by Mr. Tochukwu Ezibe, a legal practitioner, the traders called on the Commissioner of Police to deploy

his men to their shops to track down the alleged hoodlums and miscreants and charge them for breaking into and looting their shop.

Meanwhile, the executives of Building Materials Traders Association, Williams Street Branch, have appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase to prevail on the police in Anambra State to stop giving these alleged agents of government protection while they break into their shops and cart their goods to unknown places.

Chairman and Vice Chairman

of the association, Mr. Christian Onyeiwu and Solomon Madubike respectively made the call, yesterday, while addressing newsmen after assessing the damages done to their store and goods.

The duo said that they were surprised that some people said to be government agents will be breaking into their stores in the day time without their permission and carting away goods and cash to an unknown place in an attempt to evict them from their shops they are doing their business.

T

HE STRIKE embarked upon by the Enugu State Judiciary Staff Union for six months now has been called off.

Speaking to Enugu State Government House Correspondents, after the leadership of the union’s four hours discussion with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, the Chairman of the union, Mr. Chinedu Mba called on all members to resume work tomorrow, Thursday, July 9, 2015.

In his words:“The strike action embarked by the Judiciary Staff Union, Enugu State, is hereby suspended. I am calling on workers to resume work immediately.”

The chairman thanked God that after having discussion with Eugwuanyi for the past four hours on the way forward to resolve the issue between the state government and the judiciary they had successfully achieved their aim.

He noted that the governor had agreed to abide by the terms of

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—THE wife of Abia State governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu has offered a university scholarship to the best graduating student of her alma mater, Girls High School, Aba. According to Mrs. Ikpeazu, the offer was made in order to challenge the students to study hard.

The governor’s wife, who announced the offer when a delegation of the Old Girls Association of the school paid her a courtesy visit at Government House, Umuahia, said that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had developed a blueprint to make education in Abia the envy of other states.

She urged stakeholders in education to key into her husband’s new education vision for the state.

PenoksTimbershedUgwuogoNike road for dualization COMMISSIONING: From left, Onijaiye of Ijaiye, Oba Nafiu Adeyemi; Representative of District Governor of Rotary Club, Rotn. Abas Olaniyan; President of Rotary Club of OkeOna, Rotn. Festus Adetonwa, and Biotech Project Coordinator, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Yinka Olukoya, during the commissioning of the Fidson-sponsored Modern Toilets and Water Borehole, at ANLG Primary School, Oke Ona, Abeokuta.

Ugwuanyi gets judicial workers to call off strike

By Anayo Okoli

Abia Gov’s wife offers scholarship to alma mater's best student

agreement earlier signed by the immediate past administration and the union with a promise that if the economy improved, he would pay the Consolidated Judiciary salary Structure, CONDUS.

He added that the union would have another meeting with the governor in December.

He noted that after the meeting with the governor, they conferred with the National President of the Union, who directed that the strike

should be suspended immediately. He, therefore, emphasized that the strike embarked by the Judiciary staff Union of Enugu State “is hereby suspended.”

Presbyterian Church tasks Buhari, backs subsidy removal

By Uduma Kalu

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HE PRESBYTERIAN Church of Nigeria has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remove subsidy on petroleum products, revive and build new refineries, improve electricity supply and create jobs in the country.

The church also decried non payment of workers’ salaries and pensions by most State Governments, stating that the family depends on wages and incomes of workers and urged the three tiers of government to prioritise salaries and wages in order not to worsen the poverty line and create more social problems in Nigeria.

A communique from the church’s Administrative Headquarters in Aba, Abia state

by Rev. Kalu U. Eme, its Director of Information & Public Affairs, after its West Synod’s 20th Regional Synod meeting in Lagos, congratulated Buhari, former President Goodluck Jonathan and Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for success at the polls.

Jointly signed by the newly elected Moderator of the Synod, The Rev. Marvellous Kalu and the Synod Clerk, Rev. Bassey Ayek, the church lamented the worsening insecurity in Nigeria and asked Buhari to seek global coalition to tackle these problems for national growth.

By Francis Igata

E

N U G U — DETERMINED to alleviate the sufferings of motorists plying PenoksTimbershed-UgwuogoNike road,the Enugu State government has served property owners and traders, one-week notice to remove their property that may obstruct the dualization of the road.

The governor had in his maiden working visit to Abakpa-Nike, assured residents and motorists of his administration’s resolve to ease their pain by immediately dualizing the roads.

Enugu State House of Assembly, last Tuesday, passed into law, the amended appropriation bill of N9.8 billion presented to them by the state government to enable them undertake the immediate dualization of the road, among other new projects.

CASH CRUNCH: Council chairman cuts salary by half

By Anayo Okoli

A

BA—THE transition committee chairman of Aba South Local Government Area, Chief Okezie Erondu has slashed his salary by 50 per cent, saying it was in solidarity with the vision and mission of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

In a chat with newsmen shortly

after presenting the letter conveying his decision to slash his salary by half to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in Umuahia, yesterday, Erondu said he was aware of the hard times the state was passing through.

According to him, as citizen of Abia State, who is very interested in the well-being of the workforce as well as development of the

state, he believed that a lot of sacrifices would be made by everybody for the good of the state.

“Governor Okezie Ikpeazu set the ball rolling by sacrificing 50 per cent of his salary. This is to show the people of the state that he is here to work and that he is not going to play with the state's development," he said.

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Phase3 upgrades network for high connectivity

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EST AFRICA’S l a r g e s t independent fibre optic infrastructure and telecommunications services provider, Phase3 Telecom, in addition to previous solutions, has commenced plans to ensure optimal performance of Smile Communications’ network.

This, according to the company, was to amplify the company’s service quality, broadband internet access and other communications offerings via clear channel upgrade.

This upgrade expands the scope of the on-going relationship between the companies as Phase3 continued to serve as Smile’s telecoms infrastructure provider.

Meanwhile, Smile Communications had leveraged on this development to to enhance its broadband service and product offerings.

Speaking on this, Phase3’s Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Jegede said that, “as Smile’s choice telecoms infrastructure provider; we will continue to ensure the company enjoys high and exceptional service quality.

We are unflinching in our commitment to a dedicated network reach that deliver winning solutions to boost our client’s experience as well as business objectives and goals for the region”.

Jegede reiterated that Phase3 has a clear understanding of the value its services offer clients.

Thus, the firm will continue to ensure clients leverage its investments on reliable and scalable infrastructure to provide affordable and flexible opportunities for businesses to grow

Recover N30bn given to coys as waivers to import rice, Senate tells CBN Says Nigeria must work towards import substitution .Nigeria’s foreign reserves rises by $2.89bn, stands at $32bn -CBN gov .'Inflation rose from 8% in December 2014 to 8% in May, 2015'

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke ABUJA—THE Senate yesterday asked the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to as a matter of urgency go after some companies to recover the over N30 billion of waivers given by the Federal Government channeled towards the importation of rice, just as it urged the apex bank to ensure that all agencies of government remit money into the Federation account.

Speaking yesterday when the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele led other management team of the bank to honour the Senate’s invitation, Senate President

Bukola Saraki instructed the CBN to go after the Customs Service to recover the money given as waivers to these companies, even as he stressed the need for the review of the Customs Act for effective performance when the Senate resumes plenary.

The Senate President said, “We must also show the big signals in things that we bring out the success of this policy, for example, you brought to our notice, the issue of the waivers on taxes and duties especially on rice which is about N30bn that were granted to certain companies, this money must be paid back to the federal government. We have mentioned this to the governor of Central Bank. It will be our resolve too after we resume to get the Nigerian Customs act on this.

“Even before that, we cannot be taking some of these top positions while some people will get away and will not pay what they are supposed to pay what they should return to government. We have told the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria as well, he should also go and collaborate with customs to ensure that this N30 billion come back to the government coffers, so that we will be seen to be doing things to make this policy successful.

Meanwhile, the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele told the Senators yesterday that the External Foreign Reserves Nigeria’s Foreign Reserves has since the coming on board of President Muhammadu Buhari risen by 2.89 billion dollars and

VISIT: Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki (middle); Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu (left) and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, after a courtesy visit to the National Assembly, yesterday.

Abians urge Ikpeazu to set up monitoring mechanism for adequate project execution

By Eric Ugbor ABA—ABA residents have called on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to set up a mechanism for monitoring contractors executing various jobs in the state to ensure compliance to standards and for effective delivery.

The residents who spoke in separate interviews with Vanguard in Aba said that only such mechanism can check the excesses of the contractors.

The residents who also praised the government for its effort to ensure that the city is free from puddles in this season of

rain by de-silting all the drains in the city lamented that the past administrations left Aba to degenerate and rot away, adding that they appreciate what Ikpeazu was doing for them Mr Peter Njoku, a businessman said that “ the ongoing de-silting of the drains which is accompanied by the scooping of the silt will make Aba a cleaner city. What the government is doing by de-silting the drains and packing the contents is welcome by us. We have not had it so good from past administrations.

“Past administrations de-silted the gutters and left the contents on the streets only for the rains to

wash them back into the gutters but we are seeing a change from what we used to know with past government. We are happy to see that they have started scooping the silt as well. If the city is put in order, it will favour every one and that is what we want” he said.

Mr Njoku called on the present government to fulfil its campaign promises which induced voters during the elections saying that “ we do not expect to become beggars before them after voting for them”.

Mrs Peace Emeonye, an accountant with an Aba-based firm told Vanguard that although the government of Dr Ikpeazu shows

signs of positive activity, the government should do more to keep people’s love for it.

Emeonye said that there was need to monitor contractors given jobs in the state to ensure they did better jobs, stressing that the de-silting of Aba was not being done accordingly.

She said that the contractor should be told to scoop the silt quickly before it is washed back into the drains.

Christian Ikeokwu, a driver praised the governor for his efforts at rebuilding Aba but noted that he should constitute a monitoring team to ensure timely and quality delivery of projects.

as at July 7, the External Reserves stood at 31.89 billion dollars, adding that Inflation rose from eight percent in December 2014 to nine percent in May, 2015.

According to Emefiele, following the sharp fall in oil prices and speculative foreign exchange activities, the external reserve declined from $37.3 billion in June 2014 to $29.1 billion at the end of June of 2015, adding, “Headline inflation remained stable throughout the year, although it has crept up to the upper limit of Central Bank range of 69 percent. Import prices inflation rose to 8.9 percent.

Inflation rose gradually to eight percent in December 2014 to nine percent in May, 2015. Reflecting the sharp fall in oil prices and speculative foreign exchange activities, the external reserve declined from $37.3 billion in June 2014 to $29.1 billion at the end of June of 2015.

“I am delighted to note that with the strong efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari, to block all leakages as well as the Vigilant Demand Management Strategy of the Central bank of Nigeria, we have seen our foreign exchange reserve begin a gradual recovery.

“As at the 7th of July, 2015, the reserve stood at $31.89 billion, a trend we find extremely gratifying.

Given our understanding that a fall in oil prices transitory but permanent, and that some speculative activities were ongoing in the foreign exchange market, the CBN took a number of proactive actions. These include: (1) Further typing of monetary policy, closure of the official foreign exchange window, review of operators’ net open position, placement of 72-hour limit on foreign exchange utilization by customers, introduction of a two-way other based quota system, introduction of a bank-around CBN tentative rate and bank on selective items from assets to foreign exchange.”

Speaking further, Senator Saraki who frowned at the issue of smuggling, said that no matter how good the nation’s policy on import substitution may be, it will not succeed if smuggling continues to be the order of the day, adding that the big smugglers that are well known, must be stopped through serious action of government, adding , “Secondly is the issue of smuggling, because no matter how good, this policy on import substitution looks, if smuggling can still be going on the way it is now, this policy will not be successful. That area as well, especially the big smugglers that are well known, it is time that this action is taken to stop it.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 17

I

T was indicative of the earth-shattering weight of the burden that he carried, that it took Bukola Saraki almost a week, to find the words to describe the plot that he hatched against his party in the early morning of June 9th, 2015. Some of my more observant friends back home in Ilorin, noticed that he wore the same blue cap for days in a row, which some assigned even mystical reasons.

But what played out on the floor of Nigeria’s Senate that morning, revealed most graphically the essential political character of a young man who has taken Nigerian politics by the scruff of the neck, in a most pitiless show of self interest, expediency, lack of defined altruistic principles but an incredible focus on achieving results, no matter how it was done!

In Bukola Saraki, Nigeria finally found its most defining politician who learnt from his father how to survive the political minefield, and who surpassed the father in the deployment of a more ruthless streak that shuns all emotional strings for as long as there was an objective to attain. And with Bukola Saraki, the object has always been narrowly defined: his self interest above any other, be it community, interpersonal or national!

It was clear to all, that Bukola Saraki would give his all to win the Senate Presidency. He lobbied hard; spent huge sums of money; sent highly respected traditional rulers around and he ferried the Ulama from Ilorin to the Holy Land. Yet, there was a problem with the pursuit.

Many of the leaders of the APC did not trust him and National Leader, Bola Tinubu was prepared to stop him.

Bukola Saraki: Demarche and prognosis domineering arrogance. That campaign found traction in many quarters within the APC. In Kwara, Bukola Saraki’s sidekicks regularly rail against Tinubu on radio and even composed a song against Tinubu!

Substance of struggle The substance of the struggle within the APC is about the direction of events in the present while the long term struggle for power in the near future is clearly embedded in the bitter fight that is unfolding.

Let us be clear about it; Bukola Saraki has a long-standing presidential ambition, dating back to the years of his hegemonic influence under the presidency of the late Umaru Yar’adua.

Together with his partner, James Ibori, Bukola Saraki had worked it out that he was going to be the next president and James Ibori, the running mate. The

Unstated animosity There had developed between the two men an unstated animosity, rooted in so many aspects of the politics of the present and the future.

Everybody knew that Bukola Saraki is ambitious, some say inordinately over-ambitious.

But they also underrate the capacity that he has developed to achieve those ambitions. On the eve of the last Presidential election, the APC campaign train reached Ilorin.

And one of the most intriguing scenarios was Bola Tinubu’s dance and song. He heartily praised Bukola Saraki: “OMO OLE JO BABA KAMA BINU OMO” (literally, Bukola Saraki was a chip off the father, so must not be envied!). As we watched on television, a friend of mine remarked that Bola Tinubu had chosen Ilorin to dance on his own political grave!

And with the events of the past month, it is clear that Bola Tinubu must be regretting the day he chose to relate with Bukola Saraki. In the lead to Bukola Saraki’s seizure of senate presidency, he had led a systematic campaign against Bola Tinubu’s perceived C M Y K

story went that Umaru Yar’adua’s state of health was not going to allow him to run for a second term. Yar’adua had also promised him (Bukola), that he would be the selfanointed successor.

Unfortunately, the president died before that could take place! Bukola Saraki, who had meanwhile built up tremendous political influence and a huge financial power, was no longer going to step back from the pursuit of his ambition.

So even within the vicissitudes of politics, he kept an eye on the ball, as they say in football, and was prepared to move as close as possible to the ultimate destination of one day becoming Nigerian president.

His followers back home in Ilorin say it openly, that for Bukola Saraki, senate presidency is merely a stepping-stone; the ultimate goal remains Aso Villa!

But having stabbed his party in the back with a most treacherous dagger of personal ambition, what are the issues for the present? It is clear that Bola Tinubu is hurting very badly from the tenuous and temporary victory that Bukola Saraki has won in the senate. But given his antecedents, Tinubu is not likely to give up on a fight. And the indications are that the fight will be very dirty indeed. I think that Bukola Saraki is presently riding a tiger and he knows it!

Riding a tiger

As for the platform to convey his ambition, it seems clear that Bukola Saraki will contest control of the APC from inside over the next four years

In the first place, he was NEVER ideologically committed to APC’s slogan of change. He joined APC as a project of expediency; he correctly read the portents and knew that Nigerians were fed up with the PDP. In Kwara, there is a groundswell of feeling against the manner that he has run and frankly, ruined the state, in the twelve years of his hegemony.

He stole the thunder of the opposition by joining the opposition and becoming a central actor within the APC, even when objectively, he could NEVER have bought into the vision which drives General Muhammadu Buhari.

By nature, he is a PDP type of politician, and that was why it was very easy in the long run, to win the senate presidency, on the basis of 49 PDP senators

and only 8 APC senators supporting him.

It was indicative of his most negative Machiavellianism, that despite the initial propaganda that he has the support of a majority of APC senators, he could not trust members of his party to vote for him.

He chose to do a deal behind the backs of his party and the APC senators. Nigerian people voted out the PDP, but by subterfuge, and in pursuit of naked personal ambition, Bukola Saraki returned to the PDP to find the “unopposed” platform to achieve his personal ambition to become senate president.

Personal ambition And in case other politicians don’t know, he has found the redoubt from where he will launch an assault on Nigeria’s presidency! It could be in 2019, depending on how President Muhammadu Buhari performs.

Even Buhari in the long run, will discover just how far Bukola Saraki will go in the pursuit of power and a personal ambition!

As for the platform to convey his ambition, it seems clear that Bukola Saraki will contest control of the APC from inside over the next four years. We will see what Segun Adeniyi called “Tambuwalism”, this time taken to a new height, by a scheming Bukola Saraki. He will give Bola Tinubu a real fight!

One of the least known aspects of the Bukola Saraki kit of political survival is that he had studied the Nigerian terrain very carefully, in the lead to the end of his tenure as Kwara state governor in 2011.

He came to the conclusion that the best option is the Tinubu option.

And that consists of leaving power but installing a crony that can be trusted to be totally loyal, while the godfather actually rules by remote control. Bukola Saraki has been luckier than Tinubu in that sense, because in Kwara state, his word is literally gospel! The senate president vows openly that he would not allow his own party to dictate to him, but in Kwara state, he dictates EVERYTHING! He suspends party members for being rude to him or for disobeying his directives. It is remarkable

therefore, that it was Bukola Saraki who studied the Tinubu method, but has taken the method to a higher level and has consciously chosen to give the master a fight. It is that decision to fight that is continuing to unfold inside the senate and it will go on for a long time, as the various tendencies within the APC jostle for its soul!

Bukola Saraki has a fallback option; he will go back to the PDP, if in the long run, that will help him to achieve his ambitions for power. Let us recall that he started out when his father moved from the ANPP to the PDP, in search of governorship of Kwara state, in a titanic battle against the late Governor Muhammed Lawal; from the PDP, after serious crisis with President Goodluck Jonathan, he became one of the leaders of nPDP, which eventually joined the APC; the platform that renewed a flagging political life in Kwara state; and to achieve the ambition of senate presidency, he turned his back against the APC, and ran back to the PDP! The wisdom here is that for Bukola Saraki, what is constant is not idealism, principle, honour or patriotic exertions; far from it. What is constant is the achievement of a personal ambition. And whatever platform offers the greatest advantage of achieving it will be that which he will climb into power. Period!

A whittled Tinubu mystique On a final note, I think the past couple of weeks have considerably whittled the Tinubu mystique in the Nigerian political firmament.

Those who want him diminished are working hard and are also gloating at his temporary misfortunes. I have NEVER met Bola Tinubu and I have written against his style on several occasions. But the CHANGE that we are all happy about today in Nigeria, has come about largely as a result of the vision and devoted political work that Bola Tinubu did with many patriots from all over Nigeria. It was Bola Tinubu’s dogged commitment, which helped to build the alliance between the North and the Southwest that could win power at the centre for the first time in Nigerian history.

Whatever might be his political inadequacies Bola Tinubu has made a MAJOR contribution that we cannot ignore. It is therefore imperative that all those who wish Nigeria well and have been shocked by the manner that the senate presidency was hijacked by stealth, by a most reactionary individual, must not lose sight of the fact that Nigerians voted for the change they promised us. They must find the means to ensure that progressive forces rally to defend their turf and in the final analysis, defeat the reactionary forces; in senate and in politics in general!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 09, 2015 IN the last one month or thereabout, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has lost three high profile court cases.

The cases which had generated public interests like similar ones in the past involved two former public office 0holders (former Governor Timipre Sylva and former Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode) and an ex-bank Managing Director, Francis Atuche.

It is, however, curious that EFCC lost the three cases on legal technical grounds, not on the merit or otherwise. A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja dismissed the 42count charge filed against Sylva for lack of diligent prosecution. Atuche got a reprieve from a Lagos High Court on the ground of jurisdiction which the court said it lacked on the matter. The court ruled that FaniKayode’s prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

It may be out of place to insinuate that EFCC deliberately bungles celebrated cases particularly those involving highly placed personalities in the society. The question that however pleads for an answer is: why have cases of such nature not been prosecuted successfully? Is it that the antigraft agency is underfunded by the

EFCC’s W orrisome Worrisome Losing Streak government? Interestingly, most of the cases are being prosecuted by experienced senior lawyers including Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN’s).

Reasons have been adduced as to why the anti-corruption agency appears not to be faring well in securing convictions in its important cases. It has been accused of looking for evidence to prosecute after arrests. Some of its operatives have been accused of compromising cases during investigations. Lack of capacity on the part of some of its officials is another adduced reason.

At present, the public confidence in the EFCC as an effective anti-graft agency is waning.

For its fading glory to be restored, the Commission must rise above the daunting challenges impeding its performance. There must be ample evidence to prove its case beyond an iota of doubt before an individual is arrested and subsequently arraigned.

Arrests should not be on a basis of mere suspicion that will lead to phantom charges that cannot withstand coherent and vigorous defence.

Second, only credible operatives with proven record of professionalism and integrity should be allowed to investigate sensitive cases of public interest. In the same vein, bad eggs and misfits should be identified and flushed out. Also, the process of recruitment must be overhauled to prevent moles from infiltrating the system.

EFCC should consciously build the capacity of its operatives especially in the area of forensic and technology based investigations. Equally, only lawyers with proven track record should henceforth handle its cases.

EFCC cannot help the President Buhari regime to fight corruption unless the factors behind its spate of prosecution failures are arrested.

OPINION

Keshi go, it's well

By Bobson Gbinije

T

HE philosophical principles of Tempus Fugit (time flies), buttressed by the English playwright William Shakespeare that “there is a tide in the affairs of men, which when taken at the floods, leads on to fortune, omitted all the voyages in their lives are bound in tempestuous waves.”

But Stephen Okechukwu (Keshi), he came, he saw, and he conquered (Veni, Vidi, Vici).

The issue of whether to terminate Keshi’s appointment as coach of the Super Eagles has been dangling and oscillating in the landscape of public discourse, the hierarchy of Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) and beyond for some years now. It virtually took the mien and characteristic of the crab’s eye which ruminates and flagellates delicately as if it is going to fall. But it hardly ever does. The crab’s eye finally fell.

However, there are open-ended omnibuses and questions sequel to Keshi’s sack. Did Keshi deserved to be sacked, did he contribute anything positive to the development of football as a player and a coach to Nigeria's soccer, was Keshi corrupt, C M Y K

was he indisciplined and was he qualified and competent as a coach of the Super Eagles.

There will be as many answers and opinions as there fans, pundits and football fans etc to these questions.

But it is unambiguously clear that Keshi grew in football not only from the grassroots level, but from root hair base to tree top heights as a player and coach.

At academicals level in Lagos (CMS Grammar School) and in Bendel State (Eghosa Grammar school, Benin City), he was indeed, a diaphanous diadem.

At club level and captain of the New Nigeria Bank Football Club, Benin City he captained the club to win the West African Football Union (WAFU) Cup thrice. He captained the Nigerian National Team to win the Africa Cup of Nations and he coached the

Keshi should have resigned when the plaudits and ovations were loudest

National teams of Togo and Mali to great heights. He coached the Super Eagles to win the Africa Confederation Cup. But a little slip and faux pas turned the whole world against him.

It is my humble and candid opinion that barring political acrobatics and Machiavellian manoeuvres, Keshi is still the most qualified Nigerian Coach to handle the Super Eagles, because he has the pragmatic cerebral carriage, the verve, the energy, the palpable experience and exposure to still contribute positively to Nigeria’s Football growth and development.

However, Keshi should have resigned when the plaudits and ovations were loudest. In the midst of all the brouhaha and rumpus kicked-up after losing vital matches, he should have indeed resigned. He didn’t understand the politics, dynamics, nuts and bolts and the chemistry of football in Nigeria vis-à-vis the great expectations of our fanatical fans and an NFF administrative organogram that is sunken in the labyrinth of cluelessness. He had a very big eye, but could not decipher the miasmatic contours of skulduggery and manipulative zeitgeist cocooning the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

What is wrong with a prospective Coach applying for a job outside the NFF that was sunken in the cesspit of prevarication, planlessness, cluelessness ?

We only hope that the NFF and its new crew will take football to the next level and beyond in Nigeria because broken is ‘Apollos Bow’ the only bow that grew and shot fully straight. We wish the NFF and their coaches the best of luck. We pray that the words of their mouth, the meditations of their hearts and the élan of their Zeal be acceptable in the sight of ALLAH, in JESUS name, Amen.

We beseech God Almighty to direct Keshi to the right path in his future job. He should be sagacious enough to beware of back stabbers, moral reprobates, cheats and hierarchical entropy. He must note that Godfathers and Godfatherisms come and go so as favours and influences.

Hence, an Urhobo adage says “akpobrisi goma o ji we akalamudo wo keroma forke ro fowi” – (the great spiritual and powerful tree still had to rely on a trusted friendly tree because of unforeseen circumstances).

Finally, Sapele boys say “when one door close, another one go open”.

Keshi, no matter what they say, you etched your name in the hall, rubrics and the pantheon of fame for soccer Greats in Nigeria and you have left your foot prints in the sands of time in Nigeria. Indeed, you came, you saw, and you conquered.

•Mr. Gbinije, a social critic, wrote from Warri, Delta State.Nwaonicha, a clergy, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Amina Zakari and her ‘Uncle’ Buhari

I

T is none of our business whom the president of Nigeria appoints as his personal aides. If he likes, let him put his children there, or crowd himself with people from his hometown.

We get interested when he picks people to act as Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At this point, we are concerned with issues of personal track record: qualification, competence and integrity. We want to know if the appointment follows due process. We check if the cabinet reflects the constitutional principle of federal character and national spread.

But when it comes to certain federal institutions that require the reinforcement of the principles of “independence” to enable them serve the country and not just the government, we must not just be keen, we must be vigilant. Of all such federal bodies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is pre-eminent. The INEC underpins our democracy. If the independence of that body is compromised our country as a whole is in danger.

During the President

Olusegun Obasanjo years, the INEC was not independent. It more or less, worked for the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). We had a dominant one party dictatorship. The opposition could not muster the strength to create alliances that could compete. Buhari contested presidential elections three times and failed woefully. He became so frustrated that he wept openly before his supporters who came to tell him to run again in 2015. That was when he threatened that if the 2015 election was “rigged” the dog and baboon will “soak in blood”. During the general elections, Buhari’s al majiri mujahedin across the North were massed for an orgy of killings. They were only stopped because former President Goodluck Jonathan, the father of Nigeria’s modern democracy, conceded victory to Buhari.

Jonathan’s patriotic action was the culmination of a wellcalculated agenda to upgrade our democracy and put it among the world’s best. It was under Jonathan that the PDP

decided to hands off their tampering of the independence of the INEC. It started with the appointment of Prof. Attahiru Jega, a man widely acclaimed by Nigerians as an independent-minded activist.

Jonathan never knew, let alone met Jega in person, yet he bowed to public opinion and appointed him. He could have given the job to a fellow Ijaw man or a crony from elsewhere.

In the end, the same Jega conducted an election that stopped Jonathan’s re-election.

Today, GEJ has returned to Otuoke. Buhari is in power.

Nigeria, rather than exploding in a paroxysm of genocides and national disintegrated as predicted by America, has moved forward to the applause of the entire world. That is the

It is, therefore, safe to speculate that Buhari is probably poised to submit Hajiya Amina Zakari’s name to the Senate as the next INEC Chairman! The implications are grave for the survival of our democracy

‘Ogogoro don dey sour’ but its ban is not a remedy (2)

A

DMITTEDLY, adulterated ogogoro has wreaked havoc on the Nigerian psyche but a wholesale ban on ogogoro is not only unjust but also counterproductive.

We are guided by the lessons of history: In 1919, America stood on the threshold of a new era when it observed that alcohol was killing its people just like what ogogoro is doing in Nigeria today. That was when America came up with the National Alcohol Prohibition Law, which proscribed the consumption of all alcohol beverages.

Unfortunately, this simplistic approach brought exactly the opposite results: A billion-dollar criminal syndicate sprang up overnight. To counter this, the government had to expand its drugspolicing forces, composed principally of incorruptible federal agents. By 1928, about $25 million was being spent daily to quench America’s thirst for alcohol. In 1933, America was forced to repeal the alcohol prohibition law but the harm had been done. During the 14 years that the prohibition lasted, a criminal syndicate, which still exists till date, had been born.

Today, the situation in Kenya is precarious: over 14,000 youths are alleged to have died from incidents traceable to the illicit brews, through car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning and associated injuries.

Again, illicit and heavy drinking have been blamed for the violence and social challenges facing the nation, including adults abdicating family responsibilities, like men unable to father children!

Women have severally taken to the streets to protest that their men’s performances are “grossly below the mark”.

Indeed, the situation in Kenya today reduces Nigeria’s to fritters and it is giving the Kenyan authorities sleepless nights.

Yet, they have resisted the urge to place a C M Y K

blanket ban on the largely re-enforced drinks.

Hear the Kenyan Interior Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Nkaissery: “Effective from midnight of Thursday, 2 July 2015, Government has revoked all licenses for ‘second generation alcoholic drinks’.

Besides, the legal age at which people can buy and consume alcohol as well as the price of alcohol are to be reviewed upwards”.

Prior to our independence, ogogoro was outlawed in Nigeria. It was given various derogatory names - illicit gin, push-me-Ipush-you, kai-kai, akpeteshi, etc. The police hunted all those who were engaged in the business. It took the intervention of the late Tai Solarin, who in the early 1960s, walked into a Police Station with a bottle of ogogoro and demanded to be arrested, to unban the product.

Claims advanced in favour of protectionism continue to flourish because of their political attractiveness. It is easy to make an appeal based on the health of the youths. Some youths who were randomly sampled on the issue even felt that the law was coming too little to late because ogogoro had wasted a large segment of the youth population.

Over the years, judges themselves have come to recognise that criminal law is a

Why must we then single out ogogoro for an outright ban, other than that ogogoro is the only one that is within the reach of the poor?

dividend of the independence of our INEC. Is it not an infuriating irony that Buhari, the man who suffered under a compromised INEC, is now taking the electoral body back to the dark days of Obasanjo? This man has forgotten his serial defeats and profuse weeping. Or, maybe he wants to inflict the same pains on others?

How else would you describe the shoddy change of guards we witnessed at the INEC last th week? On 30 June 2015, Jega’s tenure ended and he handed over the mantle to a National Commissioner, Ambassador Ahmed Wali to hold the forte until the president appointed a new Chairman.

Eight hours later, Buhari meddled in the affairs of the Commission by reversing Jega and appointing Hajiya Amina Zakari as Acting Chairman.

This move smacks of a sinister political footwork. Why would the president dabble into routine internal affairs of the Commission when he should be submitting the name of the substantive INEC Chair to the Senate? Why did he ignore Jega’s letter reminding him of the imminent end of his tenure? Why did he wait for Jega to hand over to Wali before intervening? Did someone whisper into his ear the need to key Zakari in as a prelude for further action? What will st happen on or before July 21 , the day Zakari’s tenure will ends, which is also the day the National Assembly will reconvene? Will Buhari take the clumsy step of looking for another Acting Chairman pending the Senate’s approval

p o o r instrument for radical change.

Trade involves two parties – a willing seller and a willing buyer – with both of them getting what they want from t h e transaction. When you place a ban on a product, which the people need desperately, you merely succeed in driving the economy underground.

Ultimately, a new industry, smuggling, springs up. People will go to any length to obtain anything that they truly desire.

In doing this, they are prepared to break the law. At this point, you only succeed in securing a kind of monopoly interest for the entrepreneur who is willing to break the law. All that the smuggler is told is, “We shall create a barrier to entry into this line of trade by making it illegal and therefore very risky. As long as you are prepared to bear the risk, you will be protected from the competition of those who are unwilling to do so”.

Again, there is the loss of income resulting from an unreasonable prohibition.

Under normal circumstances, government would collect taxes from the activities of those banned products. The smuggling industry thrives on non-payment of taxes. In the particular case of ogogoro, what has just happened is the lengthening of the unemployment line because all those who were previously engaged in the production and distribution of ogogoro have now been put out of business.

Because we are dealing with voluntary commerce in commodities whose buyers are willing to submit to any price increase; as we increase the risk on the commodities, we also put a corresponding increase on the potential gain to the seller. In essence, the harder we work to make the banned commodities risky, the higher we drive

of his nominee for Chairman?

It does not make sense at all.

It is, therefore, safe to speculate that Buhari is probably poised to submit Hajiya Amina Zakari’s name to the Senate as the next INEC Chairman! The implications are grave for the survival of our democracy.

It will signal the return of the electoral body to the dark days of being tied to the apron strings of (a) the ruling party and (b) the president. Amina Zakari is one of the Northern hawks at the INEC. She is strongly linked to the APC, and she is a known close ally of the party’s top hats such as Nasir el Rufai and President Buhari whom she calls “Uncle”.

Along with el Rufai, she was part of the Afri-Projects Consult, which carried out contracts for the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) which Buhari headed under General Sani Abacha. As the head of hiring in INEC she has been reported to have favoured the North with staffing during the Commission’s major programmes.

More importantly, she is an ardent proponent of the discredited 30,000 extra polling units that nearly tore the North and South apart before the 2015 general elections.

Such an officer, if appointed as substantive INEC Chair, can be used to entrench the APC against the wishes of Nigerians.

We may see an end to the trend of losers congratulating winners which was beginning to take root under Jonathan.

We may see an upsurge of violence and vicious ligations watered by corruption at electoral tribunals.

up the price that would make the risk worth taking. We remember Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), “The calculus of pleasure and pain produces equilibrium at a higher price level. And at that point, the theory of deterrence breaks down completely.”

One major fault in Nigeria is the nearabsence of enforcement of our laws.

Evidence of this can be seen in the presence of the same banned products on our streets and markets. The moral message communicated by the laws is contradicted by the absence of enforcement. While the public sees the conducts condemned in words, it sees in the dramatic absence of enforcement, that they are not condemned in deed. This is undermining of fate in the system and, in the long run, it invariably breeds cynicism and indifference to the process of law, which augments tendencies towards disrespect for those who make and enforce the law.

Admittedly, adulterated ogogoro kills.

So do cigarettes, whisky, brandy, vodka, rum, etc., both imported and locally made. Why must we then single out ogogoro for an outright ban, other than that ogogoro is the only one that is within the reach of the poor?

The alcoholic is a lonely, desperate person whose act is a deep cry for help.

Rather than seek to make a criminal of him at every turn, society must give him the much-desired care. The challenge before us is to correctly identify the rootcauses of the problems. A blanket ban is a mere cop-out!

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Geometric Power, banks, others sign N15bn new agreement on power

By Ediri Ejoh, with agencvy report

A

ba Integrated Power Project (Aba IPP) has signed a N15 billion new Transaction Implementation Agreement with its leading sponsors, Geometric Power project companies, pursuant to which Afrigem Integrated Utilities Limited becomes a core investor in the integrated electricity power project.

According to the parties, the new Transaction Implementation Agreement is expected to help fasttrack the commissioning of the plant to takeoff in November and start the generation and distribution of quality electricity power to the residents of Aba metropolis.

It will be recalled that Geometric Power led the sponsors of Aba IPP while the creditors include Diamond Bank Plc, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc. Afrigem, a West African focused development and investment company with a 720MW pipeline of energy solutions project in the region.

Geometric Power is to inject N15 billion into the project, making Geometric Power one of the most capitalised private sector driven power companies in the sub-region. In its 3year growth plan, the Sponsors and Afrigem expect to increase the plant capacity from 141MW to 341MW by

2018.

Professor Bart Nnaji, Chairman of Geometric Power Limited led the signing on behalf of the project sponsors while Mallam Samaila Zubairu, Vice Chairman of Afrigem, led the signing on behalf of Afrigem Integrated Utilities Limited at the ceremony attended by energy consultants, top bank executives and representatives of the various professional parties.

“I believe that the immense benefits that this new implementation agreement will bring will make Nigeria a better place especially as it will help boost economic production when the power plant starts generating power soon.”

FROM LEFT: Executive Director, Access Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu; Executive Vice President, Business Development and Global Product, Moneygram, Alexander Hoffmann; Regional Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Moneygram, Kemi Okusanya and Vice President, Africa, Moneygram, Herve Chomel, during the inauguration of ‘MoneyGram Send’ services at Access Bank in Lagos.

$122.20

-1.10

$3,286. 00

-8. 00

$12. 82

-0.20

$51.27

54.14 CURRENCY

BUYING

DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL SDR KRONA

195.95 304.8002 215.8389 206.9821 1.5961 0.3114 273. 5045 31.5561 52.2464 273.8989 28.9281

-1.26

-2.79

CENTRAL 196.45 305.578 216.3897 207.5103 1.6001 0.3214 274. 2024 31.6371 52.3797 274.5978 29.0019

196.95 306.3557 216.9404 208.0384 1.6042 0.3314 274.9003 31.718 52.513 275.2967 29.0757

CBN Exchange Rate as at 07/ 07 /15

C M Y K

— 21

Nigeria, Indonesia trade volume hits $4bn

T

he Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Harry Purwanto, says the volume of bilateral trade between Nigeria and Indonesia is worth four billion dollars.

The ambassador disclosed this in Abuja yesterday at an interactive forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). “The trade volume between Nigeria and Indonesia as at now is about four billion dollars,” he said.

The ambassador said that not less than 20 Indonesian companies were currently doing business in Nigeria.

He said that Nigeria had benefited more in the trade relation as Indonesia was currently buying not less than 3.4 billion dollars of oil from Nigeria.

The ambassador, who would have preferred direct purchase of oil from Nigeria, said that Nigeria only gets 700 million dollars importation from Indonesia market.

He stressed the need for more Indonesian investors in Nigeria, while urging Nigerian investors to take advantage of the relationship between the two countries and invest in Indonesia. He also called on Nigerians to visit Indonesia during the upcoming Trade Expo slated for October to see products and services by themselves.

Purwanto also described the existing bilateral relations between the two countries as very cordial. He said that there were many similarities between the two countries like weather, climate and demography.

“Coming here, I found a lot of similarities, the Nigerian people are nice; our environment looks same, we both are major powers in our region and belong to developing countries,” he said.

States may raise bonds as revenue falls — SEC

S

ome state governments are considering bond issue to replace dwindling income from crude. “I know one or two states have started talking to investment banks in view of coming to the capital market,” Mounir Gwarzo, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said yesterday in Abuja According to Bloomberg report “Given their financial situation the capital market is the best avenue for them, because some of them have lots of loans from commercial banks.” Some of the 36 states constituting are unable to pay employee wages after their share of the nation’s oil income, which accounts for bulk of their budgets, declined.

Crude oil prices have slumped by more than 50 percent since June last year. Nigeria’s federal, state and local governments agreed to share a $2.1 billion dividend paid into the Treasury by Nigeria LNG Ltd., the nation’s producer of liquefied natural gas, to pay

wages and meet their financial obligations, presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said on Tuesday. More than 660 billion naira ($3.3 billion) in commercial loans taken by the state governments will be restructured by the Debt Management Office, Adesina said.

If they restructure the commercial loans it will give them breathing space and temporary liquidity to pay salaries and allowances

Although , no state has yet applied to the SEC to issue bonds this year, some state governors have discussed the possibility with the commission, Gwarzo said, without naming any.

“They’re very excited about it,” Gwarzo said.“Iftheyrestructurethecommercialloans it will give them breathing space and temporary liquidity to pay salaries and allowances.”

The SEC plans to start separate meetings with the states this year, which will be a forum to educate the leadership “about the importance of capital market,” Gwarzo said.

“Oncetheinstrumentsaregoodandinvestors are comfortable, we believe they will invest,” he said referring to state bonds. The commission requires a debt-to-revenue ratio of 50 percent or less for states tapping the market, Gwarzo said.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

,

A bank will not lend you money unless you can show that bank that you have a good business plan

,

How to obtain small business bank loan

O

ne of the challenges of running and expanding a small business in Nigeria is getting access to funds to finance the business. People usually start their businesses with money they have saved and, sometimes, donations or loans from friends and family.

Sometimes, money from these sources is not enough to really grow a business, and so the business owner starts looking for other ways to finance his ventures.

Some business owners say that banks are not willing to lend money to small businesses. This is not the case. The issue, many times,

It is important to know that banks have different areas in which they focus

is that business owners do not know how to organize and present their businesses in a way that will help them get money from banks.

H

ere are five simple ways through which you can increase your chances of getting a loan from a bank, and grow your business.

Number one, you must understand why banks give out loans in the first place.

Banks give out loans because they expect to be paid back.

They will therefore only lend to a business purpose that they think is sound. A bank will not lend you money unless you can show that bank that you have a good business plan and that you will use the money that you are given as your business plan says.

The second thing is your reputation. Do you have a record of borrowing from banks and repaying what you borrowed? Or have you borrowed from other banks and not paid back? If you have

a track record of not paying loans you have taken or issuing cheques which bounce, most banks will not be willing to lend you money.

Number three; do you have a good accounting system in place for your business?

Many banks will only lend to businesses that have a good and accurate accounting system. The accounting system must show that the owner•fs accounts and the accounts of the business are separate. The accounting documents which banks like to see before they lend you money for your business are the profit and loss account of the business, the balance sheet, the cash flow statement and etc.

Four, are you familiar with your industry? It is easier to convince a bank to lend to you if you are able to show that you understand the industry that you do business in and, that you understand the value that you bring to that industry. Do you know who your major competitions are?

What do you offer that they do not or cannot? How do you intend to win a bigger market share over time? If you can show that you understand your competition and how to get ahead of them, banks may consider your business a good one to support.

F

inally, be persistent.

Many small business owners try just one of two banks and then give up on their goal of getting a loan because they have been rejected. It is important to know that banks have different business areas in which they focus. They also have different areas of knowledge. Some banks prefer to lend to really big companies while others prefer to lend to small or medium sized ones. If you really need a loan, don't give up after trying just one or two banks.

If you have a good business plan, keep the right accounts and find the right bank, chances are that you will get the loan that you are looking for to grow your business.

Courtesy of Wema Bank as part of Bankers Committee’s Financial Literacy Public Enlightenment Programme

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (08/07/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

195.95

196.45

196.95

301.3319 216.0741 206.2849 1.6132 0.3074 272.6445 31.5571 52.2492 28.9499 273.507

302.1008 216.6254 206.8112 1.6173 0.3174 273.3402 31.6381 52.3825 29.0237 274.2049

302.8697 217.1768

207.3376 1.6214 0.3274 274.0359 31.7191 52.5158 29.0976 274.9028

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Tapping into $200bn cocoa products market

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

C

ocoa farming presents one of the best investment opportunities in agribusiness. The cocoa plant is a small, evergreen tree that grows exclusively in the deep tropical regions of the world. A cocoa tree usually matures and begins to bear fruit (pods) when it is about four or five years old. On the average, a single cocoa tree produces between 20 and 30 pods at a time. Each pod contains about 20 to 50 seeds, known as cocoa beans. These beans are the goldmine of the cocoa plant because they are processed into cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate.

About 70 percent of the world’s cocoa is grown and harvested in Africa. Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon are Africa’s largest producers but there is still unexploited potential in other West and Central African countries that are

also well suited for cocoa production. There is a huge market for both raw and processed cocoa and its derivatives locally and internationally. The global market for chocolate and cocoa beverages, of which cocoa is the major ingredient, is worth over $200 billion (and growing) every year.

Demand boom Although chocolate is the biggest and most popular cocoa product, it is not the only cocoa product in high demand. Cocoa beverages are also heavily consumed in developing regions of the world. According to Oxfam, the demand for cocoa is growing to a point that some experts warn that the world may run out of affordable supplies of cocoa within 20 years. More pressure will be exerted on this already high demand by countries like China and India which will have over 450 million people joining the middle class over the next ten years.

As a result of explosive population growth, more people in the developing world

will depend on cocoa farmers to produce the valuable beans used for producing these beverages. And because cocoa can be grown in only a few other places outside Africa, the high demand for cocoa products will provide a steady and lucrative market for cocoa producers.

Opportunities for entrepreneurs Cocoa business remains an interesting opportunity for entrepreneurs. A bag of Cocoa is currently sells for around $200 (about N40,000). For 1,000 bags, that will fetch $200,000 (about N40 million) cash.

Cost of investment varies with type and scope of investment, but typical returns for an investment of N15 million in cocoa cultivation are as follow: Year 1 – Nil; Year 2 – Nil; Year 3 – N1,687,500 ; Year 4 – N7,875,000; Year 5 – N15,000,000; Year 6 – N18,750,000; Year 7 – N25,312,500. From Year 7, return on investment remains constant at

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 23

,

& YOU

dity de

Gas

COMMODITIES (08/07/15) Last 51.73

Change ($) -0.60

% Change -1.15

2.73

+0.01

+0.37

12.50

+0.17

+1.38

123.10

+0.20

+0.16

3,248.00

-37.00

-1.13

N25,312,500 per annum.

Support for farmers But while the cocoa business may seem very lucrative on the outside, many cocoa growers are very poor people. This is because middlemen and giant chocolate companies have found a way to take a significant chunk of profits while leaving very little for the poor farmers. As a result of the little returns made by cocoa farmers over the past few years, many of them have become frustrated and are increasingly abandoning cocoa to cultivate more profitable crops like rubber and oil palms.

To prevent the collapse of international cocoa industry, governments, NGOs and big chocolate companies are now making huge efforts to make cocoa production more lucrative for African farmers.

Nestle and Cargill, two of the world’s largest food companies that sell a lot of chocolate products are investing millions of dollars to train African cocoa farmers and providing disease-resistant and highyielding varieties for farmers. Nestle’s Cocoa Plan is an initiative that will invest over $120 million in cocoa development over the next ten years. Cargill calls its program the Cocoa Promise.

The program has trained over 90,000 farmers in Cote D’Ivoire to improve their

The global market for chocolate and cocoa beverages is worth over $200 billion every year

skills in cocoa cultivation. To increase the amount of money farmers can make from the cocoa business and encourage sustainable cocoa production, NGOs like Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ have set up certification programs to protect cocoa farmers and increase the profit potential of their produce. Fairtrade for example has a very interesting program which assures that farmers are never paid below $2,000 per ton to protect them from the often wild swings in cocoa prices.

Also, the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) provides early-maturing, high-yielding, diseaseresistant cocoa beans can help double farm production in two years. These varieties of cocoa plants mature in about 18 months, while the traditional cocoa crop takes about four to five years to mature. The new varieties produce 1.5 metric tons of cocoa per hectare each season compared with the older types which yield 0.5 metric ton.

Ogun State beckons Ogun State government has alerted interested investors to opportunities that exist in Cocoa plantation and establishment of processing plants in the state, with the government ready to facilitate access to land and provide necessary support and enabling environment.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun said at an investment forum: “Having realised that land is a key factor for meaningful agricultural development, our administration has allocated over two hundred thousand hectares of land to willing investors in agriculture at a minimal cost.

We have identified some particular sectors in agriculture as presenting viable business opportunities for investors.”

For organisations to achieve higher results, every individual role in the entire organisation must be seen as unique and highly needed

,

Who has a more important role to play in organisations?

“A lamp cannot play the role of the sun and the sun cannot play the role of a lamp.”…Amit Kalantri

A

rguably some people attribute the roles of the very senior people in organisations to be more relevant than those who are at the lower rung of the ladder. This misconception was predicated upon the fact that a senior person in an organisation is assumed to have an ‘all time high’ important role to play while a junior officer has the least role. Come to think of a situation where an organisation has no customer service officers to attend to the issues of the customers. Imagine a bank where there is no Account Opening Officers to open accounts for customers. Of course, that bank would be seen as not yet ready for business. To put it rightly, the junior or mid officers who contribute their quotas to ensure organisational success are not less important (in terms of the value they bring to the table) than the senior officers in that same organisation holding strategic sessions probably in a cozy resort. For organisations to achieve higher results, every individual role in the entire organisation must be seen as unique and highly needed.

Recently, during a program I did for one of the hotels in Lagos, I had an experience that corroborated the fact that even the lower officers in organiations view their roles and responsibilities as less contributing. Doesn’t that sound like a self imposed slavery? They tend to downplay their organisation’s expectation of them, thinking that they are nowhere in the scheme of things – meanwhile they are highly needed. The danger of seeing one’s role as less important is that one can never give his/her best in that situation. You will continually assume that the best should be given by others. So on the d-day of the one hour early morning training which I did for them titled: “Running the hotel as your own business”, I listed

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

No one has a more respected responsibility than others all the departments in the hotel and made each of the participants to name the ‘least’ important department in the hotel. The maintenance officer humbly raised his hand and named his own unit as the least important unit. I was indeed shocked and taken aback. That sounds like someone voting against himself.

He might have said that because he feels he is not in the marketing department, customer service or the bar section etc where everyone is seeing him, where things are happening. At the end of day, I was able to get him to realise that his job function is very strategic to the hotel and highly invaluable and so are all others. The point I'm trying to make is that the person who brings the guest to the hotel is not more important than the maintenance officer who works round the rooms fixing problems. No one has a more respected responsibility than others – they all have equal and different responsibilities entrusted upon them.

The equality in our individual responsibilities should be viewed from the standpoint of our employers expecting more results from us – no employee has been told to perform less. Then, different responsibilities mean that we have different

(but unique) roles to play in the team. A leader has an important role to play in seeing to it that every unit, department and the entire workforce hold their roles in high esteem. The leader must not be seen or interpreted to attach more importance to some units or departments or individuals. The new slogans for leaders should be “everyone has something to contribute” especially when given a little nudge.

For employees, they are to have at the back of their minds that they were employed to add value to their organisations first and foremost. They would have to justify their pay. They should be able to provide the right answer when asked the question: “who pays their salaries”. The old believe that your employers pay your salaries should be debunked.

This old believe explains why some people in organisations have not seen the need to be highly productive – they assume that regardless of their performances, salaries are sure to come. It might not always be so – failed organisations cannot pay salaries anymore.

Final note: We need to give our best to our organisations first before we are justified to expect the best in return. Simply expecting the best from anything (be it in our organisations or families) when we have not carried out our roles or responsibilities is synonymous with expecting to pass an exam when you have not even opened your books. It is also important to know that in organisations like in a football team, no team member has a less important role. Everyone has a unique and complementary role to play. In summary, every body’s role is needed to grow the business and no role is inferior or superior to another. Whenever I am doing induction training for new hires (on how to run with their organisation’s vision), I always tell them to do their work like a CEO will do. In order words, everyone in an organization should work as a CEO in his/her desk –that way better results are delivered.

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

BRIEFS Citigroup mulls entry into retail banking in Nigeria

C

itigroup Inc. said i g e r i a ’ s efforts to crackdown on identity theft are making it more attractive to start a consumer banking business in Nigeria.

The U.S. lender is “looking at” rolling out consumer banking in Nigeria because individuals dealing with banks in Africa’s biggest economy are increasingly “ who they say they are,” Akinsowon Dawodu, chief executive officer of Citibank Nigeria Ltd., said in an interview. A lack of security around identification has been an impediment to personal banking in the country in the past, he said July 3 in the commercial capital, Lagos.

Nigeria’s central bank is requiring customers to provide fingerprint identification, a system it started introducing with commercial lenders in February 2014. A deadline for customers to get bank verification numbers has been extended to Oct. 31 so that Nigerians living abroad can enroll. People who don’t comply will lose access to their accounts, the regulator says on its website.

N

NDIC Executive Director Operations, Prince Aghatise Erediauwa (left) and President, Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa at the NDIC 2015 Annual Sensitization Seminar for Justices of the Court of Appeal, in Abuja.

NAIRA: Perpetual devaluation vs lower import bills

By Babajide Komolafe

T

he decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to impose foreign exchange restriction on the importation of 41 items attracted another series of reactions last week. While announcing the restrictions on Wednesday June 24, the CBN stated, “In the continuing effort to sustain the stability of the foreign exchange market and ensure the efficient utilisation of foreign exchange and the derivation of optimum benefit from goods and services imported into the country, it has become imperative to exclude importers of some goods and services from accessing foreign exchange at the Nigerian foreign exchange markets in order to encourage local production of these items. “The implementation of the policy will help conserve foreign reserves as well as facilitate the resuscitation of domestic industries and improve employment generation.”

But in its July 4th edition, the globally acclaimed Economist Magazine added its voice to the series of criticism that greeted the policy announcement. It stated, “Instead of allowing the naira to devalue, the central bank is trying to defend it by blocking imports. It has drawn up a list of disfavoured goods, and will not grant foreign exchange to import them.

The CBN however responded in a press release, saying, “The article seems to ignore the fact that the exchange rate is simply a price that is essentially determined by the forces of supply AND demand. The CBN believes that the 48 percent decline in oil prices may not be transitory and made bold policy

changes including closure of the subsidized Official FX Window, which resulted in 22 percent depreciation in the currency, the Naira. Because the Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on imports and the exchange rate pass-through to inflation is high, we believe that this adjustment is optimal at this time.

The policy however received a major support from Africa’s richest man, and President of Dangote Industries, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who described the restrictions as “excellent and one of the best decisions taken so far by the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.”

He said this should be seen as a clarion call for all hands to be on deck in the development of the nation’s economy, disclosing that the foreign exchange restrictions on the 41 items also affected the Dangote Group, especially the Dangote Rice. He however believes that the measure would encourage his firm “to look inward and massively produce locally to create jobs for our growing young population.”

At some point, we all have to decide what we really want for our country, and I believe that the time is now right for that deep and honest conversation

Perpetual devaluation

While the general consensus among analysts is that the naira should be further devalued, and devaluation is inevitable, there is however the possibility, based on history that, the next devaluation may not be the last one.

The value or exchange rate of the naira is determined by supply and demand for dollars.

Over 70 percent of Nigeria’s supply for dollars comes from crude oil, while demand is determined by importation of goods and services. But the price of crude oil has fallen sharply in the last one year, and by extension supply of dollars, yet importation for goods and services and hence demand for dollars have remained the same or even higher. The result is the sharp devaluation of the naira from N155 to N196 per dollar at the official market. This means, if the price of crude oil continues to fall, and the present rate of importation is maintained, naira will be subjected to perpetual devaluation.

Or lower import

Since the determination of the price of crude oil is outside the control of the country, the only way to deliver naira from perpetual devaluation is to control or restrict what we import.

This according to the CBN is the rationale for banning the use of the nation’s scarce foreign exchange for importation of toothpicks, cement, wheelbarrows etc “At some point, we all have to decide what we really want for our country, and I believe that the time is now right for that deep and honest conversation”, CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele said in a press

conference to explain the rationale for excluding the 41 items.

He said, “Most of you are aware of the often-quoted number of N1.3 trillion, which is what we spend on average importing Rice, Fish, Sugar, and Wheat every year. Each time I ponder these issues; many vexing questions trouble my mind.

“Take rice imports, for example: why should we keep allocating scarce foreign exchange to rice importers when vast amounts of paddy rice of comparable quality produced by poor hardworking local farmers across the rice belts of Nigeria are wasted, and farmers are falling deeper into poverty while we export their jobs and income to rice producing countries? Few decades ago, Nigeria was one of the world’s largest producers of palm oil but today we import nearly 600,000 Metric Tonnes while Indonesia and Malaysia combine to export over 90 percent of global demand.

Under these circumstances, the CBN will do the little it can to protect the jobs and incomes of local farmers, using some of the same principles Western Economies use to justify the protection of their farmers through huge subsidies.”

This view was re-echoed by Chike-Mustapha Obi in a recent interview, where he noted that the desire for stable exchange rate will be difficult if Nigeria continue to import at the rate it present does. He said, “We need to start making in Nigeria what we eat, drink, what we wear, how we educate our children. All of that has to be done locally. We can’t afford to continuously consume foreign good at this level. The only cure for the naira, long term, is increased productivity in Nigeria.

IMF warns U.S Fed on rate hike

T

HE International Monetary Fund has warned the US Federal Reserve against raising interest rates this year.

A rise risks adding to the growing economic and political threats to US growth, the IMF said in a health check on the world’s largest economy. Many economists had forecast a rise in September, although recent economic and jobs data had dampened expectations. The Washington-based IMF also warned that US share prices were hitting unsustainable levels.

A rate rise would trigger more gains in the value of the dollar, something that the IMF has said previously this year could stall growth and impact across emerging markets. The dollar has risen about 20% against a basket of currencies during the past 12 months.

On Tuesday, t h e I M F said “growth could be significantly debilitated” by another rise in the dollar.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 —25

UNVEILING: From left; Vice Chancellor, Hallmark University, Ijebu-Itele, Prof. Olusegun Odunola; member, Governing Council, Mrs Olubukola Ajomo; Pro-chancellor/Chairman Governing Council, Prof. Wale Omole; Founder, Hallmark University, Dr Leila Fowler; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Archbishop Adebayo Dada Akinde; member, Board of Trustees, Mr. Babatunde Fowler and member, Governing Council, Major Kehinde Damole (retd) at a press briefing to unveil Hallmark University in Lagos.

Tertiary institutions tasked on research relevant to societal needs

By Dayo Adesulu

R

ESEARCHERS in tertiary institutions have been charged to engage in cutting edge research relevant to the needs of society beginning with their local environment rather than mere redistribution of knowledge. Apart from failure by developing countries to finance their own research and hence determine their own research agenda, a major problem relates to the limited capacity to conduct research that leads to development of appropriate technology.

Speaking during a training pro-

Labour faults moves to cede unity schools to states PG. 27

Entrepreneurship

is solution for unemployment - SBN PG. 29 C M Y K

gramme for top executives in Nigerian tertiary institutions held in Houston, Texas, US, Professor Sola Akinrinade said: ''It is the responsibility of higher educational institutions to conduct researches relevant to the needs of the society beginning with their local environment. He averred that there is urgent need to build the capacity of our researchers to engage in cutting edge research rather than mere redistribution of knowledge, and create enabling environment for research to thrive.

Innovation and development He pointed out that universities in developing countries like Nigeria in such situation, have a great role to play in knowledge generation for innovation and development adding that the generation of new ideas, accumulating and transmitting knowledge is the responsibility of the university. He explained that through universities' research and teaching, they help to produce expertise, manage development, engineer social transformation, and preserve social values and cultural ethos. He said: "Universities create knowledge in two broad economically relevant domains. These are firstly, generic scientific types of knowledge that are broadly ap-

plicable across fields, such as mathematics; secondly, there are industrial sciences such as electronic engineering or chemical engineering; and social sciences, including business studies." According to him, many researchers from universities across the country have at one time or the other conducted cutting edge researches and produced inventions that impacted the technological world and affected the life

of the people nationally. Going down memory lane, he pointed out the era of publish or perish when survival in the academic realm depended on publications which are supposed to derive from original research.

Akinrinade maintained that if research is properly done, it will lead to national development because such research could serve as basis for notable inventions in Engineering, Agricul-

ture, Pharmacy, Medicine, etc.

He also noted that good research publications in reputable international journals will enhance economical development of the institution and a country.

The professor who lamented the over emphasis on research in science and technology in our society, noted that breakthroughs are much easier to record in the humanities & social sciences. He Continues on page 26

Our agonies over unpaid salaries —Teachers

By Amaka Abayomi, Gbenga Olarinoye, Daud Olatunji, Peter Duru, Bolu Obahopo & Marie-Therese Nanlong

T

EACHERS’ take home pay actually used to take them home and they were paid as at when due. Then, the teaching profession was a noble one and teachers walked with pride wherever they went because of the important role they play in human and nation building.

The saying that teachers’ reward is in heaven seems to have taken literal meaning as teachers, who want their reward here on earth, are being owed salaries, and

when they are paid, the money barely gets home with them as they have to settle the numerous debts they accrued while waiting for their salaries.

This is made worse by the backlog of unpaid salaries owed civil servants as 12 of the 36 states of the federation are owing their workers more than N110 billion, and worst hit are Osun, Rivers, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, Plateau, Benue and Bauchi states. To make ends meet, teachers in most of these affected states have adopted different survival strategies, such as begging, seeking for loans, and handouts from charitable individuals and organisation, while most teachers have

downed tools and are engaged in other ‘profitable’ ventures.

Jos teachers on half salaries Teachers in Plateau State have been placed on half salaries for over three years now though most are yet to be captured in the biometric exercise which was initiated by the administration of the former Governor, Jonah Jang.

Primary teachers, whose salaries are paid by their respective Local Government Council, have received their salaries up to May, 2015, but some are being owed between seven to 15 months arrears,

Continues on page 26

26— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Our agonies over unpaid salaries —Teachers Continues from page 25

AWARD: Female top executives in Nigerian tertiary institutions during a training in Houston, Texas, U.S.A presenting a plaque of Academic Excellence to Executive Trainers Limited for its contributions to the development of higher education in Nigeria. ETL's Chairman, 2nd right, Dr Ayo Ogunsan and M.D, Mrs Ajoke Ogunsan receiving the award.

Tertiary institutions tasked on research relevant to societal needs Continues from page 25

urged the polytechnics and colleges of education to imbibe these core value and carry out projects that meet local needs.

While acknowleging efforts made by institutions in establishing Offices of Patents and Inventions, Enhancement of Research in Strategic Plans, ETF/ TETFUND support and appointment of Deputy Vice-Chancellors for Research and Innovation, he regretted that the quality of research has been a matter for concern in recent years.

He said: "Capacity for original, cutting edge research in our universities has been severely undermined by the pressures on the system since the early 1990s with the reducing quality of personnel entering into the system in all cadres. Lack of personnel (capable researchers and support staff including laboratory scientists and technologists), absence of basic equipment, facilities and enabling environment.

Lack of clearly defined research policy in many universities and lack of capacity to enforce where available Research policy is expected to drive funding priority.

Some of the challenges faced by researchers, he enumerated include fund, stressing that in the absence of funding, researchers are forced to depend on donor agencies for grants and invariably research projects are drawn up to suit the need of the donor agencies.

He maintained that the lack of capacity on the part of policy makers to utilise university research findings and inventions is a challenge that needs redress.

Akinrinade who noted

that there is a great disconnect between university research and uptake by the State, explained that many times, policy-makers need basic training to even understand research findings.

"Another great challenge is the disconnect between the research output of our universities and industrial uptake of same as not much of the research activities have been translated into innovative products by our industries," he added.

If these challeges would be addressed, he posited that building competencies for research and innovation should be look into. According to him, developing research competencies for sustainable development of higher institutions involves a series of proactive, capacity-building activities to enhance the capacity of individual academic staff, teams of researchers and the central administration for such purposes as attracting research funding.

He further added that developing research competence will create relationships, develop and implement strategies that increase institutional competitiveness. These activities are common to univer-

Capacity for original, cutting edge research in our universities has been severely undermined by the pressure on the system since the early 1990s

sities, but are also applicable in polytechnics and colleges of education to varying degrees," he said.

On the need for Research policy he said, it will impact on research funding allocation priorities in the context of institutional resources available for research. He noted that the presence of a Research policy that is widely disseminated within the system should help in developing the research focus of staff particularly those seeking institutional support. His words: "The Research Policy should be accompanied by a Publication Policy establishing institutional guidelines for acceptable publication including publishing outlets.

Institutional guidelines ´"Research policy should be developed adopting a bottom-up approach similar to the process of developing institutional strategic plan. Inputs should be taken from all disciplinary representations in the institution. ´"The policy should be periodically reviewed particularly with a view to developing new research priorities reflecting contemporary dynamics in the research environment. While the policy could retain its essential features, research priorities should reflect new local, national and international priorities." "Eliminating research fraud by instituting research integrity process (adopting TURNITIN) and heavy sanction on plagiarism, self-plagiarism, forged data, etc. Reward for excellent performance in research institutional cover enjoyed by the researcher while allowing the researcher to benefit financially from his/her efforts."

while teachers in secondary schools, who are being paid by the state government, are the worst hit as they have not been paid since November 2014.

Though Governor Simon Lalong has paid some of the backlog based on the agreement signed with the State Chapter, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC which prompted the calling off of the strike action embarked upon by the workers, but teachers still lament that they are going through hard times and are earnestly looking forward to ‘genuine change’ which will better their lots.

According to a former Nigeria Union of Teachers, Jos North Chapter Chairman, Mr. Patrick Azi, “honestly, we are going through stress. We have been receiving this half salary for a long time. You can imagine what my family and I are going through.

What we are collecting can’t meet our needs and we end up borrowing money we have difficulties repaying.”

Children's school fees Another teacher, Mrs. Halima Baraje said “I am passing through a lot but I am lucky I am getting this little as some of my colleagues are not getting any and we don’t even know the fate of those who are yet to be captured in the biometric. I can’t buy what I want and my children’s school fees are another headache as I am yet to complete the part payment I made.”

For a teacher with the St. Theresa’s Boys School, who doesn’t wants to be named said “ we are going through hell. People will see teachers going to work yet we don’t achieve much because we are not well paid. This half salary is affecting us, this new government should look into the issue and address it.”

Osun teachers down tool Teachers like other categories of workers in the state had in the last 8 weeks stayed off work in protest of several months unpaid salaries, allowances and issues bordering on contributory pension scheme.

Since the state chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Jacob Adekomi, declared commencement of indefinite strike, activities in all public schools in the state have been grounded to a halt.

In a chat with our correspondent during a visit to a public school in Osogbo, some teachers said the strike had taken negative toll on them, saying as long as the industrial action persists, they are losing as much as their students.

A teacher in public school located in Testing Ground Area of Osogbo, said aside the economic loses, teachers are also losing academically as many teachers, because of the need for them to make ends meet, have to engage in other jobs, forcing them to relegate research work and academic activities to the background, a situation where both the teachers

We have been receiving this half salary for a long time, you can imagine what my family and I are going through and students would bear the brunt.

Though a female teacher, Mrs. Olawoore, has been engaged in petty trading to keep her family going since the strike commenced, she, however expressed readiness to resume work, especially if the long vacation is canceled and third term extended till September to cover the lost ground.

Giving an overview of experience of teachers, the state chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Comrade Wakeel Alade Amudah, said teachers are recording enormous loses because of the strike and the treasuries of many teachers have been emptied as cooperative societies are no longer functioning

because salaries are not paid.

According to him, the prolonged industrial action would further affect poor performance of students in public examination, especially in the junior class as the senior secondary school students have completed the syllabus before the strike started.

While hoping for quick resolutions of the industrial unrest in the state, Amuda said “we are ready to teach whenever the strike is called off. Whether we are well treated or not, we owe the society the duty to pass knowledge and train young ones.”

Kogi teachers protest Primary school teachers in Kogi State have been having a running battle with the state government over many months of salary arrears. Though the teachers are still in school, but there has been a lot of strike actions and mass protests by these teachers who keep threatening the state government to embark on another strike.

However, the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, has promised to settle the salary crisis of the basic teachers.

Benue teachers sell off property The story is same in Benue State where civil servant and teachers are currently being owed about seven months salaries while the pensioners in the last ten months have also not received their monthly retirement benefits and this has grounded social, academic and economic activities in the state.

While the situation has led to the untimely deaths of yet to be ascertained number of civil servants and pensioners alike, many have resorted to selling off their property so as to make ends meet.

A worker at the state Ministry of Education said most civil servants and teachers in the state are passing through the most difficult time of their lives in the history of the state.

He said “never in the history of the Benue State have we passed through this type of anguish due to the non Continues on page 28

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 —27

Pearson provides professional development training for teachers

By Dayo Adesulu

C

BRIEFING: From left, Mr. Adeyemi Adeperi, Mr. Obisike Nwosu and Mrs. Chinelo Ekwenie, members of Kings College Concerned Parents Forum, at a press briefing on the dilapidated infrastructure of the school, in Lagos.

Labour faults moves to cede unity schools to states

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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SSOCIATION of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has advised Mr. President to reject alleged moves to transfer the 104 Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) to the state governments, following perceived subtle campaigns by hired analysts.

In a statement in Lagos, the ASCSN National President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and the Secretary-General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, emphasized that those pushing the President to embark on such negative action wanted him to enter into a collision course with millions of Nigerians who voted him into office, arguing that “They would come in different guise and Mr. President has to watch out for them. The Union is worried that now that we have a new government in place, some Nigerians under the guise of discussing the issue of devolution of power in the country are clamouring for the transfer of Unity Colleges to

state governments.

"The question to ask is, what has devolution of power got to do with ownership of Unity Colleges when Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

“What manner of country do we want to run when we engage in the habit of approbating and reprobating on sensitive national issues? Moving forward and backward will not help anybody.

Let us take all our institutions as given and service them on a regular basis for the benefit of mankind. You build toll gate today, demolish them tomorrow only for you to come back later and start toying with the idea of rebuilding them. We need to get serious for once and move the

Let us take all our institutions as given and service them on a regular basis for the benefit of mankind

country forward. The idea of selling our national assets and heritage is only being driven by selfish motive and interest. It is not the way to go.”

ASCSN recalled that when in 2005, government tried to auction the schools to its cronies, millions of Nigerians overwhelmingly opposed the move while ASCSN carried out 7-week strike throughout the Federation to forestall the plan.

“Besides, how can anyone in his or her right senses be advising the Federal Government to hand over the 104 Federal Unity Colleges to state governments that cannot pay salaries to their workers and whose primary and secondary schools are in shamble?” the union wondered.

The union pointed out that the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, Alhaji Tawafa Balewa, in 1966 established the first three Unity Schools in Sokoto in Northern region, Warri in Western region, and Okposi in Eastern region as centres for nurturing national unity because the existing political parties then used tribes and religions to divide Nigerians.

Hallmark varsity kicks off, vows for excellence

By Dayo Adesulu

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S Hallmark University, Ogun State kicks off admission of its first set in October, its Pro- Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Professor Wale Omole has said that the university will address the challenges of educating the masses faced in the 21st century.

Speaking at a press briefing held at Ebute-Meta, Lagos, he noted that universities should go beyond educating few elite if the society is to be transformed.

According to him, with the emergence of global knowledge-based economy, universities including those in developing countries like Nigeria, are taking on another important role in the society. ‘’The traditional belief that

universities should be left to generate knowledge through research and disseminate what is accumulated through teaching and publications does not suffice any more,’’ he said.

Omole added that in the face of new opportunities as regards information communication technology, Nigerian universities are being challenged to constitute themselves into sites for lifelong learning, providing continuing education for former graduates, teachers, civil servants and business people.

Starting with faculties of Natural and Applied Science and Management and Social Sciences, Omole noted that all courses in the institution will encourage the advancement of learning and extend it to all persons to acquire quality university education.

Asked what Hallmark wants to be known for, he said excellence in promoting and providing

sound basic scientific training and proffering solutions to technological problems.

His words: ‘’Hallmark University will achieve this laudable goal of creating a total man full of resourcefulness and ingenuity to be part of the social engineering of our nation by: encouraging the advancement of learning and extending it to all persons without prejudice to race , creed, gender, or political leaning; the opportunity to acquire quality university education in the sciences, technology and management; promoting and providing sound basic scientific training as a foundation for the development of technology and applied sciences with consideration for indigenous culture and the need to enhance national unity; identifying the technological problems and needs of the society and proffering solutions to them within the context of national development."

ommitted to improving the standard of teachers throughout Nigeria, Pearson has provided an introductory professional development training session, Change Management and DataDriven Decision Making in Schools for school owners, principals and ministry officials.

The session was an overview of more c o m p r e h e n s i v e professional development programmes which Pearson plans on running in Nigeria over the next 12 months.

It is envisaged that the programmes will provide educators with the skills and information needed to adapt to rapidly changing education environments, where they face the challenge of implementing new policies and the changes wrought by the introduction and increasing importance of technology in classrooms.

The training will also strengthen the ability of school leaders to bring about successful change in their institutions – demonstrating how to manage resistance to change through effective leadership practices and identifying and utilising the right data with new technologies to measurably improve instruction and student learning in schools.

Doyin Shonubi, Pearson’s Professional Development Director in Nigeria, believes providing teachers with quality training in these areas will be vital to improving overall education standards across Nigeria. She says: “Pearson has recently published research from internationally acclaimed education expert,

Professor John Hattie, who believes one of the most effective ways to ensure student achievement is through professional, inspired and passionate teachers. This is what we are trying to achieve through programmes such as this, to give teachers the confidence and knowledge they need to foster successful learning for every learner in their classrooms.

“Improving teacher effectiveness is fundamental to realising Nigeria’s goal of raising the quality of the country’s education system. The ongoing professional development of teachers helps ensure and maintain a requisite supply of competent and motivated teachers. We cannot modernise the Nigerian education system and have it meet international standards until we address the current situation of teacher deficiencies in Nigeria."

According to a UNESCO report published in October 2014, Nigeria needs to recruit an additional 1.4 million teachers by 2030 if the country is going to overcome its rapidly approaching teacher shortage. UNESCO points out that the situation will get worse if prompt action isn’t taken, meaning that by 2030 there will be more children needing primary teachers than there is now.

However, as Shonubi points out, filling the teacher shortage alone will not be enough to improve education standards in Nigeria. She says: “As the UNESCO report indicates, for real improvements to be made to learner outcomes, teachers need to have adequate education themselves."

Managing Director, Pearson Nigeria, Mr. Muhtar Bakare making his presentation at the meeting.

28— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Edeoga tasks tertiary executives on quality service

*Professor Hilary Edeoga

By Tare Youdeowei

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he Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University, Umudike, Imo State, Professor Hilary Odo Edeoga has urged top executives in tertiary installations to use their positions to better the lives of their students and co-workers, adding that victimization of staff and personal interest are a disservice to humanity.

Edeoga who has shown that a five-year single tenure is really enough time to transform an institution said; “My father told me that if you are given position of authority, don’t use it to maltreat, extort, victimize, terrorize, or undermine the interest of those under you; rather use such position to elevate humanity and make friends.”

In his inaugural address on March 1, 2011, Edeoga pledged to create an enabling environment that would usher in the expansion and/or introduction of new programmes other than agriculture so that the general public would derive maximum opportunity for education of their children/wards.

According to him, the university should always be to teach and to educate in an environment that encourages people to seek understanding, wisdom, service and live in a way

that fulfils everyone’s higher purpose.

Four years have into his administration, the 4th ViceChancellor of MOUAU, in an interview said, the university is collaborating with Kentucky State University, USA; Boras University, Sweden and many other internationallyacclaimed universities across the globe.

He said that within four years of his administration, full-fledged College of Agricultural and Science Education as well as Department of Chemical Engineering were established.

“We have successfully split the Department of Computer Science from former Department of Computer Science/Mathematics/ Statistics. The Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology and Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology were also split from the Department of Biological Sciences,’’ he said.

He noted that on assumption in office, students’ enrollment was not up to 5000, but today there are more than 25,000 students in the institution.

On calmness of the students; ‘’There was no strike or students' riot, not because they love me but because they had no need to do

If you are given position of authority, don’t use it to maltreat, extort, victimize, terrorize, or undermine the interest of those under you

UNN alumni Lagos elect new officers

By Amaka Abayomi

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he Lagos Branch of the University of Nigeria Alumni Association, UNAA, has elected new executives to steer the affairs of the alumi for the next two years.

According to the Publicity Secretary, UNAA Lagos, Mr. Emeka Nwuzor, the election, which held at the University of Nigeria Liaison Office on th June 28 , 2015, witnessed massive turn out of members and had the Ibadan Branch President, Elder George Akintola, as the Chairman of the Electoral Committee for the election.

Elected members are Mike

Okoye as President, Peter Idialu as Vice President, Kelechi Uloh as Secretary, Adile Iroajugh as Asst.

Secretary, Richard Chukwudike Treasurer, Tina Okereke Fin. Secretary.

Others are Ifeoma NdioloEnaholo as Asst. Fin. Secretary, Malachy Ugwummadu Legal Adviser, Emeka Nwuzor Publicity Secretary, Victoria Onuoha 1st Soc. Secretary, Chinyere Okeke - 2nd Soc. Secretary, and Ndubuisi Nonso as Internal Auditor Ex-Officio members are Andrew Oru, Emeka Nwanevu and George Nwolisa

so since all they want has been provided."

Highlighting some of his achievements, Edeoga said “ my administration completed the building of ten students’ hostels from internally generated revenue. This is to accord dignity to the students and enhance academic performance in a congenial environment.

"We installed more than 300 interactive white boards for easy delivery of lecture to students.

This is to enhance effective and efficient teaching/learning process. At the same time, Optic Magnetic Resonance (OMR) machine had also been procured for grading computer based scripts.

Computer based scripts “There have been continued efforts to ensure that academic programmes in the University meet expected standards. Our College of Veterinary Medicine now has full accreditation from the Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN). We also have full accreditation of engineering courses by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) as well as accreditation of Accounting Department by the Institution of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). ‘’Staff welfare is not left out as over 200 casual staff of the University were converted to permanent staff, payment of accumulated arrears of responsibility allowance to deserving staff with effect from 2009 to date, regular approvals and sponsorships of staff training/ re-training especially outside the country. To this end, hundreds of academic staff have travelled to some African, European, Asia countries and United States of America to attend short training, workshops and conference. The management, however, paid over N120 million tax arrears for workers, while regularization, promotion and proper placement of all qualified staff was carried out."

On infrastructural development, the present administration completed the College of Applied Food Science and Tourism building, drainage project in the University, rehabilitated the moribund poultry farm, established commercial fish pond, piggery farm, completed and commissioned College of Agricultural Economic and Rural Sociology and Extension (CAERSE), College of Engineering and Engineering Technology complex extension (CEET), College of Natural Science Complex (COLNAS), College of Veterinary Medicine block extension.

Our agonies over unpaid salaries —Teachers Continues from page 26 payment of salaries. As you know, this is a civil service state which means that any delay in the payment of salaries would have far reaching implication on the economic live of the state.

“At the moment, businesses have all been grounded due to low patronage and most of our children are not going to school because we cannot afford to pay fees, though some private school owners have been magnanimous enough to allow our children attend school pending the payment of salaries.

“Public school teachers are not on strike over the matter but most of them report to work without any zeal to work thereby leaving our children unattended to, but no one can blame them for their actions.

“Most state owned tertiary institutions including the Benue State University are on strike as a result of this and our children are forced to remain at home. Some parents have also resorted to having their children hawk petty items on the streets as a means of survival. The most painful aspect of it all is that some of us are now selling off our property because you cannot keep such property while the needs of your family cannot be met.”

Reacting, the Benue state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Godwin Anya, who said the governor has promised to pay salaries, added workers are facing the most difficult time of their lives

and many have taken up some other activities to make ends meet.

Ogun teachers demoralised Though the Ogun State government is not owing workers' salaries, but hundreds of public school teachers in the state have been caught up in the eight months outstanding of deductions as the state government’s inability to pay the deductions and some other allowances, including unions dues, has inflicted serious pains on public school teachers in the state.

Some of the teachers said the non-payment has demoralised them and they have lost the zeal to teach as their plans to build their future have been distorted.

Explaining on condition of anonymity, some teachers had approached some cooperatives societies and obtained loans which are to be deducted from source, but their creditors are now on their necks to repay, a step which has become impossible as a result of the outstanding deductions.

According to a primary school teacher, “I applied for some loans from a cooperative society to settle some pressing needs but I am in a fixed now as the deductions are not being remitted to the Society.

This has affected our performance and we don’t pay adequate attention to our students because we have to look for means of survival.

Meanwhile, the teachers have vowed to down tools until they are paid while the crippled NUT and Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, who are owing their staff, have suspended their activities until the union dues are paid from the deductions.

FG to the rescue

Public school teachers are not on strike over the matter but most of them report to work without any zeal to work thereby leaving our children unattended to

There is light at the end of the tunnel as the President, Muhammadu Buhari, has approved a comprehensive relief package to end the backbreaking burden of unpaid workers’ salaries in several states.

A Central Bank of Nigeriapackaged special intervention fund that will offer financing to the states, ranging from between N250bn and N300bn, would act as a soft loan states can access to pay the backlog of salaries.

By extending the commercial loans of the states, more funds would be made available to the state governments, which otherwise would have been claimed at source by the banks.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 29

State universities threaten our kids' future “We have not been paid for the past eight months.” Resident Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo. Back page, PUNCH, June 19, 2015.

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UNVEILING: From left; Mr Christian Nwaigwe, Group Managing Director, Sterling Business Network; Mr Raymond McMillian, Chief Executive Officer, SBN and Mrs Tiwo Ovakporie, Executive Director, SBN, Lagos, during the unveiling of SBN held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

Entrepreneurship is solution for unemployment — SBN

By Dayo Adesulu

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MEMBER of the House of Representatives, Ghana, Honourable Mohammed Salisu Bamba in Lagos, stated that the singular solution to the plaque of joblessness ravaging youths in Africa subregion is entrepreneurship.

Bamba who spoke during the official launch of Lagos chapter of Sterling Business Network in Lagos where over 200 people were in attendance lamented rate of unemployment among youths. ”The biggest challenge we are facing in the sub region is basically unemployment.

Everybody is looking up to the politician for a solution and as young politician, I know we cannot.”

Canvassing for self reliance among youth, he urged stakeholders in education sector to discourage the notion in students that the sole purpose of education is to be employed by someone.

Vowing to take SBN to Ghana before the last quarter of the year, he said: “It is disheartening to note that if you come to Ghana, you will see associations like; Unemployed Graduates Association, Masters Holders Association and Masters Holders and Job Seekers Associations.”

He words: “Youth empowerment and how to network was why I left my legislative work and came to Nigeria because I am passionate about youth empowerment. Life is all about determination, once you have determined to do a thing, definitely, you can achieve it.

“Few weeks ago, we passed a law in Ghana on how to C M Y K

empower the youths, specifically in area of finance.

But as as a young politician, I know we cannot do much. It is important we start thinking of how to network or an organization that can assist in that direction, instead of waiting for the government or the state to do something about the youth.

“When I heard about SBN, I said it is a good thing, because it is a means to empower the youths and also network with professionals.

The biggest challenge we are

faced world over is to find a network. Looking at the calibre of people sitting in this meeting today, we have lawyers, economists, doctors, media men. Miners and all kinds of professionals.

“By the time we leave this place, I have the strong belief that whenever I am coming to Nigeria to do business, I won’t find it difficult, or whenever any of you is coming to Ghana to do any business such will not have any problem. That is the beauty of SBN."

Olashore bags award for Top 10 schools in nigeria

By Glory Ekwenuya

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lashore International School has bagged an award for emerging one of the Top Ten schools in Nigeria, and one of the best international schools in Africa. This was stated at the 17th Valedictory ceremony of the school held recently at the school in Osun state.

The Award which was granted

by Africa Brands Review, an Integrated Marketing Service Company in Africa, got its ratings from the 2014 WASSCE results. They compared how secondary schools across Nigeria performed and rated the Top 1000 schools in Nigeria, and thus granted the award in June 2015. The events brochure of the Africa TOP 1000 SCHOOLS AWARD is to be distributed to Embassies of various Africa countries and libraries of institutions of higher learning and blues chip companies, including free copies to all participating Schools in Africa. The Plague award which was granted based

on standard criteria read ‘2015 Africa Top Schools Award Platinum Category’ Speaking at the valedictory ceremony, the Chairman Board of Trustees, Prince Bimbo Olashore, stated that being honored with the Platinum category award based on standard criteria, and top ten award based on WASSCE results, gives credibility and validation to the efforts of the staff and students in taking the school to its career peak. His words: “Awards are good. When we do things here, we don’t do them for the purpose of awards, but awards are validation of some of the things we stand for. We believe in academic excellence.

It’s the bedrock of what the school stands for. About 99.8% of our students get Cs’, while about 92% get As’ and Bs’. To us, this is already excellence. By the time we add other activities such as music, drama, discipline, leadership and the likes, we will be proud of ourselves.

N the same page Profes sor Ayo Olukotun, had this to report. “A time there was when some state-owned universities excelled in certain disciplines nationally and retained outstanding academics in their workforce. Today, that cheerful trend had been totally reversed as more than a fair number of these institutions are run on a hand to mouth basis..”.

Olukotun was guilty of understatement. There is no state university in Nigeria today which is not “run on a hand to mouth basis”. Not even, the State of Excellence, Lagos has escaped the sad fate which had befallen others throughout the country. With few exceptions, sending a kid to a state university implies expecting a half-baked or even unbaked product back afterwards. If Olukotun had stepped into the premises of some of the state universities I had been unfortunate to visit he would shed tears of blood for Nigeria. Most of them simply lack “the idea of the university” as it is globally understood. And all the federal universities established by Jonathan are not far behind. In fact, some are worse.

Osun State has inexplicably been in the news, more than any other state and the picture of the staff carrying placards is only the latest embarrassment to the state government. Before that, the state was in the news for sacking the Governing Board, the Vice Chancellor and the Deputy Vice Chancellor on the recommendations of a Visitation panel. At least a few more professors will depart the university as a result.

Lagos State University, LASU, had been the theatre for a prolonged battle between the VC, some academic staff, Non-Academic Staff and students. There is probably nobody connected with LASU who is not in the trenches doing battle against somebody else. Is this a university in Nigeria

With few exceptions, sending a kid to a state university implies expecting a halfbaked or even unbaked product back afterwards

or ISIS versus Syria, Iraq and Kurds? How can meaningful learning be undertaken under a siege environment?

The last two examples have been cited just to let Professor Olukotun and our readers know that poor and inadequate finance constitutes only part of the problem in our state universities. It was Professor Ajibade Rokosu, LASU, who implanted in my mind the concept of the “idea of a university”; which, if lacking will render even the most well-endowed university on earth worthless.

In Nigeria, “the idea of the university” is frequently absent because state universities, being creations of politicians, rather than educationists, are politicized ab initio. Locations are based on political considerations and the top appointments follow the same pattern.

Semblance of discipline That said, it must be acknowledged that poor finance has now become so pervasive and crippling that even the best faculties and administrators will find it impossible to maintain any semblance of discipline in the university. Eight months unpaid salaries, if true, by any measure imaginable is inexcusable and it raises the question: can the states no longer afford to run their universities? The answer to that question might trigger the greatest socio-political outrage in the country. Already, Nigerians are becoming visibly angry about the outrageous remuneration package which the drunkards in charge of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Financial Commission, RMAFC, had granted to elected officials and their appointed aides.

It seems, and it is obscene, that in a nation where 70% of the people still live on less than $2 (N400) a day, elected officials will be granted “Wardrobe Allowance”.

Were they campaigning in the nude? Such almost criminal waste of our financial resources account for our inability to fund education properly.

We are now at the cross roads; we must now decide whether our current economic models for funding state [even Federal] universities are sustainable in the long run.

Obviously, they no longer work.

It is our collective responsibility to decide whether or not parents/students must assume a greater percentage of the cost of providing quality university or not.

30— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

RESEARCH & DEVT

UNIZIK makes Formula One car, welding electrode local materials

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n importdependent nation like Nigeria, will never grow. It was, thyerefore, a welcome development when the CBN said it will stop forex sales to importers of certain products. Nigeria imports virtually everything - tomato purée, toothpick, pencils, potato chips etc.

The solution to a problem lies within the problem, says a Chinese proverb, and so some students of the Department of Mechanical Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Solomon Nwaigbo, coordinator of Chisco Institute of Transportation Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, decided to look inwards. They came up with some interesting products that Nigeria can export to the world.

He spoke to Vanguard Learning in his office.

Excerpts:

Formula One car (Auto-Zik): We designed and fabricated an aerodynamically stable mini version formula one car. The car represents what an effective racing car would look like. The design concept was adopted from that of a fish due to its streamline nature.

We used a Kawasaki power bike engine. The car takes off and stops as manipulated by the driver.

Generally, automotive technologies are applicable in so many areas of life. When people hear of automotive engineering and automotive systems, they think only of cars, but when you look at the rail system, ocean liners, fishing trolleys, even the generator in your house, you see that they are powered by an automotive plant. A car is just an automobile.

So in UNIZIK, students at the first level of engineering are made to have a hands-on learning and a feel of what automotive engineering is all about.

The racing car is flexible so the design concept can be adapted, developed further and used for the production of private and commercial vehicles. The idea is not actually to make C M Y K

them disjointed or cut off until you complete the coil.

We have gotten to the point of testing and we have done the preliminary test, what we need now is funding to get a large quantity, enough volume that will run a whole lot of coils so that we see how continuous (sustainable) it will be and see how it will degrade overtime.

Pencil lead:

*Dr. Solomon Nwaigbo a racing car for racing purposes, no; but to bring the knowledge that it is possible to make automobiles to the level that could serve the elementary needs.

There are a lot of ongoing researches in that area now in the university. Other people are looking into shuttle bus, power bikes, tricycles etc.

So such design can spur good engineering inputs and somehow, we will be part of the global automobile producers.

Welding electrodes: We have produced

welding electrodes and now waiting for manufacturers to key in and produce. Over time, Nigeria has been importing flux from Switzerland but when China came up with a cheaper brand, we diverted to China. By 1998, most of the industries had folded up because they could no longer afford the flux, produce in Nigeria and compete with the Chinese so we started importing the finished product from China.

We came up with the first locally made electrode in 1999. Currently, we have an improved version which will compete favourably with im-

*Auto-Zik ported ones even in terms of price because the flux is made from agro waste, solid minerals etc. The constituents of the welding electrode flux can be generated from wastes. We have abundant solid minerals in Jos; the problem is making out time and money to give it a good try.

Wire drawing flux Similar to that, we have also produced a wire drawing flux for manufacturers that draw wires. An example of what wire drawing is: In the production of nails,

the wires come in very large diameters and you need to reduce them to smaller diameters to have the different sizes of nails like six, five, two and and half inch nails; the diameters vary.

The drawing of the wire is a very sensitive one and if you don’t have the flux (also called the lubricant), the wire will be cutting while the operation is going on.

Even in wire production, there are different gauges of wires; they come in different diameters, some very tiny, sensitive, flexible wires.

You need this wire drawing flux to make sure you don’t have

We made and presented the first pencil in the last three, four years.

The pencil lead was made here. The lead was locally sourced. It is not real lead but it looks like lead. That is what the whole world will call it but actually, there is no lead in it. Normally, children bite the pencil and eat it. We incorporated some natural fibre, some carbon and added some solid minerals and baked it enough at high temperature manually because there is a clay constituent and it turned to lead. It can write.

One of the good properties of a pencil is that it must be erasable, we carried out all the tests and it was graded according to the international grading of shading.

The pencil was classified. You could get a good 2B and 2H pencils after the manufacture.

Nwoko wins int’l law, diplomacy contest

By Hugo Odiogor

We came up with the first locally made electrode in 1999; now we have an improved version which will compete favourably with imported ones because the flux is made from agro waste, solid minerals

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NIOMA Youths have hailed Nigerian-born Omar Nwoko for his outstanding role in the victory of International law students from The Dickson Poon School of Law, London that won a prestigious international law and diplomacy competition in Paris, France. The competiton which was hosted by the Université Paris X Nanterre, in Paris, France, was sponsored by international law firm in London, and supervised by Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin.

The International ‘Day of Crisis’ competition

required teams from international schools to respond to a series of real life, real-time events, within an intense 24-hour period.

In this year ’s contest, the teams had to advise on a fictional outbreak of raccoon flu originating in China and spreading to Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. The simulated crisis involved China using a US patent without permission, triggering a trade war.

At the same time, the teams were faced with the crisis in Syria, where a cyber attack was launched on India from a privately-owned weaponised satellite and bombings in Qatar and Pakistan.

The King’s team worked non-stop for 24 hours, culminating in a mock session of the UN Security Council sessions to resolve the international crisis. They had to produce over a dozen pieces of written legal advice, conduct multiple negotiations, engage in a press interview and make a final presentation. The competition featured the UK, France, Germany Spain, Brazil and Russia.

One of the members of the Kings team is Omar Nwoko, son of a former Federal lawmaker, Prince Ned Nwoko.

In a congratulatory message issued in Asaba, Anioma Youth

Forum hailed Omar Nwoko for doing Anioma youth and Delta State proud as he was also awarded second place for the Security Council International Speech which he gave.

The statement signed by its national president and secretary, Mr. Felix Ifejiokwu and Barth Inneh described Omar as "a worthy son of Anioma nation" and urged Nigerian youths to emulate Omar Nwoko's determination to excellence.

Other members of the Kings team included Francois Doumont, Abdullah El Maghraby, Amy Liu and Sophia Schroeder.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 31

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32 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

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VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—33 staff? NLC general secretary must be a full time staff of congress. That was how the first illegality was carried out and that was the illegality that nullified every other thing.

The man started acting illegally because you can’t act on nothing.

You have also faulted the qualification procedures leading to the election?

When the nomination closed the NLC COMRADE Joe Ajaero is the factional President of the Nigeria Labour Congress constitution was clear that and is also the National Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Electricity Employees, within 48 hours, you NUEE. After the 11th Delegate sConference of the Union in January, unity of the publish the names of those congress was shattered following allegations by the Ajaero group that Comrade duly qualified. For the Ayuba Wabba was rigged into office. Consequently, Ajaero and his own group position of deputy, we organised another delegates conference in Lagos where he emerged president. In needed three and three this interview with correspondents in Abuja, he gives the panacea on how peace were qualified while could be restored to NLC. Excerpts: others were disqualified because they couldn’t fill their who Adams brought to NLC, so All efforts to harmonise it proved they brought Ozo-Eson. The forms properly or they provided abortive. Never in the history of establishment committee met false information. By that the movement has anybody who and I don’t think Ozo-Eson publication in the national dailies, is none of the deputies become applied for the job because with those who qualified were president in the order of his level of education being a returned unopposed. succession. But Ayuba came up The same Issa Aremu they PhD holder, he would have seen and filled his nomination form didn’t want as general secretary that he didn’t qualify for the and the politicking started. There position. But the area the had been returned unopposed as were also violations of the process establishment committee looked deputy president; there was need leading to the election because at was the point of age; the to violate the constitution again the manipulation started even committee said the NLC staff to make sure he is stopped. I am before the election. condition of service is clear that saying all these so you can The first one was the Comrade Joe Ajaero, factional president, NLC NLC staff retire at the age of 65. understand the level of illegality appointment of the general But as at today, Ozo-Eson is 66 we are coming up with and as a secretary. A general secretary is years, so the committee said it movement that Nigerians should unions affiliated with congress. the principal actor in the election

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru will like to seek for further run to. When we moved to the At that unity forum some of NLC; he is like the engine advice. The issue came up at delegate conference, they said IGERIA’S labour decisions were taken and offices room. At that time Chris Uyot was National Administrative Council they were opening nominations movement has been in were harmonised; nine positions acting general secretary; they (NAC) meeting and some of us and we said why? It was rowdy crisis since the last delegates’ were zoned to public sector advertised. Issa Aremu applied. said you can’t just smuggle in and they said others can contest. conference of the Nigeria unions and seven to the private To be continued a general secretary at the eve of Labour Congress (NLC) where sector unions including that of Staff of election, a new leadership emerged. president. congress the motive What is the genesis of the The public sector was also is suspect. problem? allocated two more offices; that However, for you to apply, you T h e y I would have left it for you of the chairperson of the gender must have been a general took it to analysts and followers of the commission and the deputy. If secretary of an industrial union National movement but I have to say that you add it up, it will be 11 for for at least five years. You must Executive in 2011, I vied for the office of public sector as against seven for have been either a deputy C o u n c i l deputy president of NLC. At that private sector. We agreed. general secretary or senior (NEC) and time, there were issues around Comrade Ayuba was present at assistant general secretary of made a my opposition to privatisation of the meeting and the unity forum congress for that number of years recommendation PHCN to the extent that the then executive was made up of about for you to be eligible to qualify to NEC Director General of the five persons, including his for interview. Peter Ozo-Eson that OzoDepartment of State Services (Ayuba’s) general secretary that who they are calling general Eson is 66 (DSS) said he didn’t want to see drew the proposal. secretary now was never a years old Ajaero at the venue of the NLC general secretary of any and NLC delegate conference. I had to be Submission industrial union for one day; he staff retires moved from about three hotels of nomination was never a staff of congress but at 65 when they (the DSS) were they brought his name because r e c o m m e n d ing looking for me to pick me up a The private sector tried to limit they didn’t want Chris Uyot who that he day to the election. themselves to the seven offices. was acting to be confirmed and should be Igwe Achese (NUPENG they didn’t want Issa Aremu. engaged Delegates president) and I tried to How did Ozo-Eson emerge? for a four conference harmonise whether we should Nobody knew how they pre- y e a r s have one candidate for the qualified Ozo-Eson to be general But the delegates said they president but we could not secretary. The rumour we heard s i n g l e were not going to start until they because he wanted to run and I was that since Issa Aremu was t e n u r e see me. Around 12pm, Comrade wanted to run as well. At the eve Adams Oshiomhole’s candidate e v e n Owei smuggled me from a bush of the closure of submission of coming from textile union, there t h o u g h path and that was how the nomination, we discovered that was need to bring another person N L C general election took place and I emerged Comrade Ayuba Wabba from secretaries as deputy president. That was public sector had in addition to don’t run how I saw the involvement of the the nine offices allocated to the tenures. If State in the affairs of Congress. public sector, picked form for y o u But after we started work at president, a position that had engage NLC, for four years, there was been zoned to the private sector.

Never in the somebody this show between Omar and That was how the issue started. on ad-hoc Ayuba (Omar Abdulwahed is history of the What happened after then? for four immediate past president of NLC From the history of NLC, it had movement has years for and Ayuba Wabba current been deputy presidents taking a n anybody who is president NLC), it was so over from outgoing presidents. organisation visible. At some stage, the three We have also tried to balance none of the that retires deputies were no longer between north and south as well it’s staff at deputies attending meetings because of as public and private unions.

65 and you the way things were being run.

Those are unwritten conventions become engage That was before the last with which we try to balance the president in the him at 66, election. When the election came congress. This time around when did you up, there were issues. We had it became the turn of the private order of engage what was called the unity forum sector to produce the president, succession him as a which involved 42 industrial Ayuba violated the arrangement.

How crisis in How to resolve NLC crisis — AJAERO

N

34—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

SUBSIDY: We are drinking away a quarter of our future — Ajogwu Dr Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, is a Lagos based lawyer and educationist who has written several books and articles in journals on the establishment of laws for corporate governance in Nigeria. In this interview, he spoke on how corporate organisations can work and excel in line with the international laws as well as compete favourably with their counterparts the world over. He also shed light on what to do about fuel subsidy in the country.

Excerpts:

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

W

HAT is your view on the call for the removal of oil subsidy in the country?

The amount of money we spend trying to subsidize consumption is one of the biggest leakages in the system which ought to be blocked. Subsidized consumption, especially if it is of imported product, you are rarely creating jobs outside of your shores. My preference is that we do not subsidise consumptions of petroleum products.

When we spend about N1.2 trillion out of the budget of above N4trilion, it means that we are drinking away a quarter of our future. And in any case, if we continue to do that, we will not have refineries built.

There are over 32 or more refining licenses issued now for more than six years or more, no one has built. Nigerians should ask why a capitalist firms such as Shell, Mobil and others are not building refineries.

Obviously, there is something wrong in the system that makes it unattractive for business people to go into refinery construction. That huge drain needs to be dealt with. My worry is that the average Nigerian is made to pay this price because he doesn't understand the mechanism.

Understanding the mechanism When there is attempt to deal with this problem, you can bet that it would be met with resistance. There will be some illinformed resistance and some bandwagon resistance without really assessing whether these make someone better off or not. What we are doing over the years is that we are graduating set of students who see the paper that students affairs gives them as not different from the papers that DPR gives them.

And in-between the subsidy, insane profits are made. Whenever insane profits are made, I am of the view that some people suffer insane losses to fund those insane profits. Until we come and build a nation where truth and justice reigns and not one

where we live on falsehood of subsidy, we will be scratching the surface. My expectation is that finally, we may have the courage in this new administration to tackle this problem of subsidy because it is built on falsehood. The current subsidy in Nigeria, subsidizes the richest man's Porsche.

Remember you can't tell the fuel attendant that that man driving a Rolls Royce doesn't need a subsidy. He gets subsidized whereas it is the ‘Danfo’ driver who is carrying 18 passengers inside a bus needs subsidy. It is a flawed process and I think that in our lives time, we would address it.

What does the society for corporate governance stand for?

The society for corporate governance of Nigeria is a non profit organization registered under the laws of this country and committed solely to the development of corporate governance. And this is an issue that has become prominent in how organisations are run, after the first and second waves of failures of companies in Nigeria. We have history of companies’ maladministration in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world; it is not peculiar to us.

But what is important is to draw lessons from each wave of company failures.“Again, it threw open issues of how far a person can be in control of much and what you should do when you have multiple stakeholders. People lost several millions of dollars. All these led to Nigerian realizing that we have to sit down and define what corporate governance is for us and write a set of rules.

And that was the beginning of the idea for having a body dedicated to corporate governance. After working and drafting Nigeria's pioneer code, which is the SEC corporate governance code, under the chairmanship of Atedo Peterside, much of that work was for me fulfilling, but yet, challenging to find a way to actually beyond making the code, to make people understand the code, comply with the code, challenge things when we feel they are not in compliance and help regulators

The legality of Bukola Saraki's election as senate president

—Pg 37

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Dr Fabian to enforce the code. This is the reason for the birth of the Society for Corporate Governance.

What has been the experience after ten years?

The society has gone from its initial period of establishment to putting in place itself to observing corporate governance.

The pioneer president and chairman of the board is the very respected Dr Christopher Kolade. It was a rich board of very experienced people and captains of industry. We have just to mention a few, Mr Pascal Dozie, the chairman of MTN, Mr, Olusegun Oshunkeye, who is the current president and chairman of the board of the society.

He was previously the chairman of Nestle, Larfage, Wemco, Glaxosmithklime, and a whole lot of those blue chips. We have the current chairman of Diamond Bank, Dr. Chris Ogbochie on the board.

The current vice chairman of Exxon Mobil for Africa, Dr. Kachukwu and the executive

Nigerians should ask why a capitalist firms such as Shell, Mobil and others are not building refineries. Obviously, there is something wrong in the system that makes it unattractive for business people to go into refinery construction

Terminal operators of concession pact

allege breach against NPA

—Pg 37

director of Etisalat, Ibrahim Dikko on the board, Vice President in First Bank, Alhaji Tijani Borodo on the board and professor Pat Utomi is there as well. That is just to mention a few of them. What we did was to establish a very sound society with broad based membership. We selected those who met the criteria. We have individual members, we have corporate members and we have fellows. Over this period of ten years, the society has first of all sought to observe the things that it preaches and has regular board meetings once every quarter.

There is sound financial reporting. It is constantly audited by KPMG. It has succession planning. The society embarks on research and publications.

It has a journal of corporate governance where ideas from the academia and practitioners are drawn. It also has observatory on corporate governance, which is like a 30,000 degrees view on corporate governance within corporate Nigerians.

Foreign investors These are the things foreign investors look at. It is not just that there are returns on investment in our country, but that they can rely on whatever you pulled out and publish as your account. It is important to research and bring out critical data within the industry. It really does advocacy in that field by finding out what laws, bills are likely to affect businesses in Nigeria, especially governance and proactively follow through with it to either provide advice to the National Assembly or the investment community and we have several instances.

In any case, the primary responsibility of the welfare of the people of Nigeria is vested on the government. Companies may be kind, nice and sponsor things; we cannot outsource our welfare to those companies.

These are a kind of quite advocacy which we do. If we don't raise it and the laws are made, they bind everyone.

How do you react to the issue of missing

Continues on page 35

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 35

SUBSIDY: We are drinking away a quarter of our future — Ajogwu Continues from page 34

public funds within these SOE's?

As a human being and a Nigerian I feel a sense of purpose and seriousness when issues of financial accountability and maintenance of the public wealth is raised. Whenever there are those allegations, there is sequence. In my opinion, I think that those allegations should be investigated promptly, the outcome should be made known and the people who are suspected should be promptly prosecuted.

If those sequences are followed, what would happen is that, you would have sent a clear message to everyone that whenever this sort of thing happens, these are consequences? When the person goes through the process and there is conviction, for me I would not lose my energy on the quantum of penalty - whether the person is locked up for three years or two.

Clear message What is by far most important is the conviction of the person and the regurgitation of ill-gotten wealth and return it to common purse and then, to make a statement that this is not allowed.

In some of those institutions; the current one happening is the central bank, where some people were accused of mutilating currencies.

It is very important because it sends strong signals to non Nigerians that people can do whatever they like and take what is not supposed to be money in circulation. But whilst that happens, it then becomes important, like I said; in the next phase of what the society is embarking on is public sector financial management and accountability. That is the next focus.

We recognised it is going to be a more difficult terrain. But we will still send the same message, the same principles and same board enhancement. There is a board for the Nigerian Ports Authority; there is one for Nigerian Airspace Management

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

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Dr Fabian Ajogwu Agency and so on. Most of those entities are supposed to function like companies because they have boards. Sometimes, the way they are structured, such that the chairman becomes the key personnel of everything. I think that most of those things emanated from the military era of command and control and 'big man' mentality.

So where the board chairman was a major general then, no one questions what he said. But today, we know that the board chairman is one of the directors that have been appointed to so act, that nothing in it gives him immunity from prosecution, from any wrongdoing. The absence of corporate governance took away our national pride - the Nigerian Airways.

And it just died a natural death.

They sold a company like NITEL. So, these are SOE's. You cannot divorce their performance from the quality of governance they receive. I must say that the fish gets rotten from the head and so it is with our own Public Enterprises here. If you don't have a good board, you will have problems or difficulties down the

line and this is what we now want to do. So these are the things we do for the past ten years. There's every reason to celebrate the society in ten years, not because it has amassed surplus funds but because it has reached out to stakeholders to its desired impact focus and earned the respect of almost all the regulators they deal with.

Has there been any regulation developed by the society to allow shareholders fix remunerations of chief executives of companies?

The issue of executive compensation is an integral part of the corporate governance debate. The debate is essentially, should the executives not tie their fortunes to the fortunes of their companies such that they are not earning fat salaries whereas the company is going down.

Those who argue this say well, if the company is doing well, let the executive do well. And if the company is not doing well, the executive shouldn't. The other debate is that they are not shareholders and they are not bearing the risk of failure or success, that an employee salary

should not be dependent on whether the company make money or not. These are the two schools of thought. A few salient best practices are in place. No person should be allowed to fix his remuneration. That is a sound principle of corporate governance which the society advocates. When you fix your own remuneration, you are obviously in a conflict of interest.

It is not natural to not favour yourself. By the same token, the general meeting has been argued not to be a proper forum to discuss and fix the remuneration of the management or the board either.

The argument is that the managing director does not want the whole world to sit down and discuss whether he is earning N20million or whatever figure for his own safety. We now have vices in our environment where some people think that you have the money to pay. So you are exposing him by so doing. There are also those who bring in the decency argument. Discussing your wages in a general meeting, the decency of it, whether it is demeaning in labour and all that.

So, what has come out is a midway to solve all those. The way to solve all of these is to have a board remuneration committee,

No person should be allowed to fix his remuneration.

That is a sound principle of corporate governance which the society advocates. When you fix your own remuneration, you are obviously in a conflict of interest

which is not answerable to the management. To that extent, the executive should not be allowed to fix its own remunerations. We saw that in the third wave of the banking collapse that they were fixing their own remunerations.

Members of the society have their own code of conduct expected of them and the participating companies but not a code of corporate governance.

The code of corporate governance has been issued by the regulating entities. The National Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, (NFRCN) Act 2011 empowers the financial reporting council to issue a national code of corporate governance, which will capture all other persons to which no industry code is applicable to.

Is the code available?

I will answer to a degree! The code was prepared by a steering committee comprising the chairman, a representative of CBN, PENCOM, NSE, NAICOM and others. Different representatives were there. They worked for more than 18 years or so and came up with draft codes.

One for public companies, another for private sector and the third one for non profit sector including Churches and Mosques. The argument for including churches and mosques is that some churches own business centres and oil service companies by the side and took the non taxable general coverage.

They came up with what they called an exposure draft code and published it for people to comment and give a timeline for people to start responding. Some people have started responding but others were aggrieved and went to court.

The court gave an order restraining the public hearing. I can tell you that the court has vary the order to allow the council to go ahead and have the public hearing but not to issue a code until the determination of that suit. I can't comment further on it because I am counsel in that matter which is still before the court.

36 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

NBA, Lagos Branch holds Law Week/Award Night

National Association of Catholic Lawyer (NACL) recently held dinner/ award night L-R: Dr. Adewale Martins and Bishop Hassan Kukah.

L-R: General Secretary NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe and Justice Nweze (JSC).

Former President NBA, Dr. Agbakoba, SAN and wife, Lilian.

L-R: Chief Otokhina Andrew, his daughter, Winifred and Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN.

R-L: Mr Sylva Ogwemoh, SAN, and wife, Prescilla.

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VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 37

Court to determine contractual obligations between terminal operators and NPA

By Dayo Benson

A

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos will on September 29, determine whether a concession agreement between Terminal Operators Nigeria Limited (PTOL) and the Nigerian Port Authority, NPA, empowers the plaintiffs to receive different vessels and cargoes into their terminal without hindrance.

The presiding Judge, Justice Saliu Saidu fixed the date to enable the plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Ayo Olorunfemi regularise his processes and give opportunity for the office of the AGF to file its defence on the motion brought before the court.

Breach of concession The Ports and Terminal Operators Nigeria Limited (PTOL) had dragged the Nigerian Ports of Authority (NPA) to court over breach of concession agreement, which they signed on May 11, 2013, over a terminal at Onne Port in Rivers State. PTOL said the Federal Government breached the agreement through the NPA. Joined as defendant in the suit is the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), where PTOL is alleging that the defendants are granting “monopolistic benefits” to another firm, known as INTELS. PTOL, has argued that based on the concession agreement it signed with the Federal Government through NPA, it became the operator of Terminal A at the Onne port complex, situated along Bonny Estuary on Ogu Creek, about 25 kilometres south of Port Harcourt, managed through public/private

partnership with effect from the day the agreement was signed.

The plaintiff said the concession agreement empowered it to receive vessels and cargoes of all descriptions into the terminal without hindrance.

But, in violation of the agreement, the plaintiff said NPA diverted some of the vessels meant for Terminal A to another terminal owned by INTELS. PTOL is therefore asking for a court declaration that the diversion of vessels scheduled to berth and discharge their cargoes at its terminal to INTELS’ terminal, as well as the defendants’ classification of cargoes the plaintiff can take into Terminal A, “is in clear breach of the agreement and therefore wrongful and unreasonable.”

A

member of Commonwealth Lawyers Association and Nigerian Association of Law Teachers, Prof Paul Idornigie, has stressed the need for alternative dispute resolution processes and judicial activism, saying that it would contribute to strengthening the nation’s judiciary.

Prof Idornigie, who is to launch a book titled “Commercial Arbitration Law and Practice in Nigeria” said that with the phenomenal growth in international trade and investment in Nigeria, especially on the issues of arbitrability and extent of court’s intervention in arbitral proceedings, it would contribute to the existing literature in his book.

The author holds a doctorate degree in International Commercial Arbitration. He is the Head,

N1.3billion being direct and exemplary damages suffered by the plaintiff, including loss of earnings. Justice Saidu had, on March 20, granted an ex-parte order restraining the defendants from diverting the vessels meant for the plaintiff’s terminal.

But the plaintiff alleged that NPA has issued a parallel letter/ directive to PTOL to the effect that vessels scheduled for their terminal would be diverted to INTELS, which it said is in flagrant disregard of the court order.

It has already filed an application praying the court not to hear the defendants until they purge themselves of the contempt of court they allegedly committed.

However, NPA has filed a

motion seeking to set aside and discharge the ex-parte orders made on March 20. It is also praying the court to dismiss the suit for lack of jurisdiction.

According to NPA, parties to the agreement ought to refer any dispute arising from the breach of the contents of the lease agreement to an arbitration panel for resolution.

“The plaintiff has disregarded this provision by instituting this action. The condition precedent before instituting this action against the first defendant (NPA) was not met. The ex-parte order was granted based upon suppression and misrepresentation of material facts,” NPA submitted.

The legality of Saraki's election as Senate President

By Ikenna Okpala

F

ollowing the inauguration of the 8 th National Assembly on the 9th June 2015, the All Progressives Congress (APC) which won the presidential elections and majority seats in the Legislative house, witnessed what many termed a “legislative coup” in the election of the leaders of both chambers of the National Assembly.

The APC leadership it was alleged, had sought to influence the elections to favour some zones in the country and when all negotiations to reach this end failed, the APC hierarchy had enlisted the help of the President to hold a meeting with the members of the National Assembly and convince them to

Book launch ffocuses ocuses on judicial activism — Prof Idornigie

By Bartholomew Madukwe

The Terminal Operators said the defendants’ action also contravenes the privatisation policy and relevant anti-trust laws, adding that it is “to the monopolistic benefit of INTELS and the detriment of the plaintiff.”

To this end, it is seeking an order setting aside the defendants’ directive classifying cargoes as oil and gas meant only for a particular terminal and diverting vessels meant for the plaintiff’s terminal to INTELS’ terminal.

The plaintiff is also seeking for an orders of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from classifying and diverting vessels meafor its terminal to INTELS’ terminal.

Beside, it prayed the court for

Department of Commercial Law at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (London), member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK); London Court of International Arbitration, including Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and International Bar Association.

Expected to chair the public presentation of the book on July 13 is the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, while the ViceChancellor, University of Jos, Prof. Hayward Mafuyai, is the special guest.

Others expected at the event are Prof. Mohammed Akande of the Faculty of Law , University of Ilorin, who would review the book while the President of the NBA, Mr. Augustine Alegeh SAN, is the book presenter.

National Assembly members squabble over election of principal officers obey the party’s directive.

On the scheduled date of the election, the members of the ruling party had honoured an invitation

by President Buhari to a meeting at the International Conference Centre (ICC) when BukolaSaraki struck.

BukolaSaraki with 12 other “rebel” APC Senators held a sitting with the 47 PDP Senators and Saraki was elected Senate President while Senator Ike Ekweremadu from the PDP was elected his deputy.

Constitutionality of Saraki’s Emergence A lot has already been said on the emergence of Saraki, the object of this discourse is to examine the constitutionality of same in the light of whether the 8th National Assembly was properly inaugurated.

This is in view of the fact that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) provides for the issuance of a proclamation by the President. Section 64(3) of the Constitution provides as follows; “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the person elected as the President shall have power to issue a proclamation for the holding of the first session of the National Assembly immediately

after his being sworn in, or for its dissolution as provided in this section”.

There is also a similar provision with respect to the inauguration of a State House of Assembly in section 105 (3).

It is not in doubt that compliance with this provision is a sinequanon for the valid exercise of any legislative power or engagement in any legislative activity. In fact, the learned Constitutional law author Ben Nwabueze had opined that Nigeria first shot at Presidentialism was marred by lack of proper inauguration of the legislature both at the federal and state level via the proclamation of the president or governors respectively.

According to the learned author; “The tragic process began right from the second day of the inauguration of the Second Republic, when the State Houses of Assembly held their first meeting on 2 October, 1979 without being convened by a proclamation issued by the Governor as the Constitution required, and thereby turned themselves into illegally constituted bodies, with the consequence that all laws passed by them during the entire four years of their

existence became complete nullities. It is arguable whether even the first meeting of the National Assembly was regularly convened”.

The salient question in the light of all these is whether the 8th National Assembly was properly inaugurated as if the answer to this question is in the negative, the consequence of that would be that the 8th National Assembly is nothing more than an illegally constituted body and all its action including the election of its leaders would be illegal and unconstitutional.

Was the National Assembly Properly Inaugurated? th The 7 National Assembly was th day dissolved on the4 of June 2015 while the 8th National Assembly was inaugurated on the th 9 of June 2015. According to information on the National Assembly website www.nassnig.org, the maiden session of the 8th National Assembly was convened by the Clerk of the National Assembly, AlhajiSalisuAbubakarMaikasuwa following a written proclamation from President Buhari to that effect.

The said presidential Proclamation was said to have been contained in a letter which was read on the floor of the house.

The question is then whether the constitutional requirement is satisfied by a written proclamation or if the president needs to be physically present for an oral proclamation?

Manner of Proclamation; Verbal or Written A proclamation by the Executive or Sovereign for the inauguration of parliament is a common feature in both the presidential and parliamentary systems of government as practiced in various countries.

To be continued

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Oyegun asked him not to worry, he stepped down for the other man at Agbor who later became the chairman. We were lucky, at that time, they had to appoint an executive secretary and my son was appointed.

That was how he started and I encouraged him until Oyegun told me they were going to create Delta State and that somebody else was running in our state, Chief Felix Ibru.

So I went and came with Ibru to our camp. By that time Delta State and Ika North-East had been created, Ifeanyi became the first chairman of the council.

From there he went on. In the time of Grass-root Democratic Movement, GDM, in our local government, the party won the election and that was how he went on and there was no question of whether he should leave his medical practice it was almost natural and voluntary.

Have you had any cause to regret having your son as a politician since he started his political career?

No. Even though there were some challenges they were challenges that an intelligent man can cope with.

•Pa Okowa:We need to improve teacher education

Delta governor: Why I encouraged my son to join politics — Pa Okowa CHIEF Arthur Okorie Okowa, the father of the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, is a retired principal. Pa Okowa, who leads Delta North Justices of Peace, JP, in this exclusive interview spoke on how his son started his political career and emerged as governor. He also spoke on the dwindling standard of education in Nigeria and the way out. Excerpts:

By Festus Ahon

H

OW do you feel having your son as the governor of a complex state like Delta?

I sympathize with him but I know that God who called him at this time will see him through otherwise the state has been bastardized so much so with heavy debts. Anybody there as the leader has an uphill task; unfortunately the All Progressives Congress (APC) is now at the top, so who do we cry to? But God knows best, God will continue to see him through as I continue to pray and I pray that the price of oil

should go higher so that allocation can go higher.

You trained the governor as a medical doctor and your expectation was for him to practice medicine. At what point did you encourage him to veer into politics and why?

He was working with the government before he left to start his own clinic. One day, our secondary school here was doing inter-house sports and I had to come with him.

He had a silver cup which he was to present to them. What surprised me was that as we were just arriving at the gate we were asked to park and they

came; the entire students rose up and crowded him; they wanted to carry him up but I refused. So we marched to the place. After that inter-house sports I saw that he has an aura that was attracting the whole people, both students and the community to him.

I was in politics then and I told him you are going to go into politics. He laughed over it, but behind him they started a group here and brought him in. By the time he entered, the first thing was to attempt to go for the chairman of the council.

Then they had not created Delta State, Ika South and Ika North-East were one local

government.

I was following Chief John Oyegun on campaign for his governorship election. Then, someone, I don’t need to mention names, tried to push my son down. However,

I was in politics then and I told him you are going to go into politics. He laughed over it, but behind him they started a group here and brought him in

Do you have regrets not having access to him like you used to when he was a commissioner, SSG and senator?

When you become more important and you become the child of the state or even the nation I have no regret. I can call him on phone and I can meet him at times in his house, I can meet him at certain occasions. I am all right with that provided he takes care of me. I am no longer working and my pension is so meagre. If I tell you my pension you will laugh. My pension today from Delta State is N5, 700 (laugh).

What do you think is the magic wand behind his wide acceptability to Deltans?

Humility. He is so humble.

He humbles himself before everybody. All the time he was commissioner he stretched his hands here and there to all the people and whatever you gave him to do, he did without fear or favour to anybody. A lot of people will come to say your son is so good and tell me of what he had done for them and so on and so forth. He was good to the people when he was commissioner; as SSG and even as a senator, he was so good. His constituency projects are scattered all over Delta State.

So many people today believed that Chief James Ibori who was governor between 1999 and 2007 gave him all the support because

Continues on page 39

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—39

Delta governor: Why I encouraged my son to join politics — Pa Okowa Continues from page 38 there was an alliance between the two of them. How true is this?

Ibori is still our friend, we still love him. Ibori gave doctor a very good push politically even though some people say if he loved him so much, what happened in 2007? Blood sometimes can be thicker than water, so he put his brother there and nobody could blame him. When you are working, you may be afraid of one shadow or the other, so putting his brother there after him is something that is natural; anybody can do that. So Ibori was instrumental in pivoting him up politically.

When he was growing up, did you find any trait of leadership in him?

Oh yes, even in the primary school, he was organizing his juniors, he would bring them together and begin to do one thing or the other. In the secondary school, he would come back home and organize lectures for all the secondary

school students in the lower classes.

By the time he went to the university, he had organized lectures for all classes of secondary school students. He was fond of organizing. I know that people follow him and once he starts, everybody will rush to him, so he had all the leadership traits from youth.

So, was he organizing the lectures for financial gains or for humanity?

No kobo was paid to him. He just wanted his people to come up academically.

What informed your decision to name him after you?

That is just funny. I decided to give him my name by calling him Junior, Arthur Junior. I was just interested in calling him Arthur Junior but throughout his young age Ifeanyi is all that we have ever called him because that is the name that he was given after eight days of his birth before his baptism.

I was fond of him, I was always calling him the big boy because

he was very outstanding academically and in his behaviour. So he started to being humble right from the beginning.

As a former educationalist what is your assessment of the country ’s educational standard?

I have seen that education is falling and the standard is going down to the drain. I am not happy about it. The government may have good plans but in the implementation, they fail and that is because they are faster than even those who brought education to us.

If you go to Britain which brought education to us you still find that teacher education is in the forefront, but here they scrapped teacher education at grade two level and that is now affecting the standard of people in the NCE. Because a child comes straight from secondary school into NCE; he does not have any rudiment about the principles and practice of education.

•Pa Okowa:Governor Okowa has a pointing aura He does not know anything about it and so, they are not even able to write reasonable lesson notes.

Secondly, HSC is still going on in Britain which brought education to us but here in Nigeria, we have cancelled it.

So students are not able to

broaden their knowledge because they don’t have reading culture. They just depend on the handouts. Even the teachers are not making things to work out well because they make them to depend on

Continues on page 40

Senate rules: I’ve no hand in alteration — Ekweremadu

By Joseph Erunke

D

EPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday, dissociated himself from the amendment of the 8th Senate Standing Rules, saying he was no longer a senator when the rules were made.

Senator Ekweremadu spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, on a Ray Power Radio morning programme, tagged: “Political Platform”, where he responded to questions on the alleged forgery/amendment of the Senate Standing Rule, 2011.

He washed his hands off the allegation, saying at the time the said Senate Standing Rule/ Order 2015 was made, he had ceased being the Deputy Senate President and so was no longer a principal officer to have contributed to the making of the document in question.

He said the making of a new Rule/Order for a new Senate or House was entirely the business of the National Assembly bureaucracy and asked those striving to frame him up to look elsewhere.

He said: “Let me just explain here that every National Assembly, that is every Senate or House has its Standing Rule/ Order as every Standing Rule/ Order normally has a life span of four years. So, if you go to the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly now, you are likely to find Standing

Rules/Orders of 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and the current 2015.

“From the point of the valedictory session of the 7th Senate on 4th June, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Distinguished Senator David Mark and the rest of other members of the 7th Senate ceased to be senators until the 9th of June, when the 8th Senate was inaugurated; and as usually done, the new senators received new Standing Rule/Order 2015.

“The making of that 2015 edition of the Senate Rule/ Order is the business of the bureaucracy of the National Assembly. What the 8th Senate can do, which its predecessors have sometimes done is to amend as suitable. And the process of the amendment is spelt out in the that document.

“So, if you say that the current Senate or Ekweremadu or whoever altered the Standing Rule that brought them to power, it is just like saying that former President Olusegun Obasanjo forged the 1999 Constitution upon which he was inaugurated as a president.

You know it wasn’t his making and the governors that came that time too, it wasn’t their making. What happens is if Nigerians don’t like what is contained in the 1999 Constitution, they try to amend it. It’s the same with the Rules/ Orders of the National Assembly. But you cannot even

•Ekweremadu: My hands are clean amend it until you are inaugurated as a Senator or Member. So, haven been inaugurated, anybody not comfortable with any part of the Standing Rule/Order 2015 upon which the Senate was inaugurated can follow the laid down procedure in the Rule within the lifespan of the Senate.

“So, you can see that what they call an amendment is a new document with a life of its own. It couldn’t have been done by any member of the 8th Senate. It is just impossible for it to have been made by Ekweremadu. I guess it is all politics” Asked whether his principal did not work behind the scene

to influence the alleged changes in the Senate Rule, Mr Anichukwu said: “How could he have worked behind the scene to amend it because from the 4 th of June, when the 7thSenate ended, he ceased to be a senator, just like every other senator.

“You could remember that after the valedictory session on that day, Ekweremadu and Senator David Mark left without their usual official cars. That showed they were no longer senators or occupying their offices in the Senate. So, how could he have worked from behind the scene? And do not forget that even the main matter they are contesting is not Ekweremadu’s eligibility. They claim the old Rule for the 7th Senate prescribed open ballot in which you mention the name of the person you want to vote in as the Senate President or Deputy President of the Senate, while the Clerk to the National Assembly used the open secret ballot system in which your name is called, you are given a piece of paper to write down the name of your preferred candidate and drop in the box in the full glare of everyone and on live TV watched all over the world. No one has complained that the election was rigged.

Even Senator Ali Ndume crossed over to Ekweremadu and gave him a very warm congratulatory embrace” He explained further: “There is an important point I want to

make here, how a new Senate or House is inaugurated is entirely the business of the National Assembly bureaucracy “Remember that in the 6th Senate, Senator George Akume ran against Senator David Mark for the position of the Senate President. You would remember that some people said no, he was not qualified to run for that office going by the old Rule because he was a new Senator. But the then CNA, Mr. Ogunyomi, said no, ‘this is how I want to run it.”

When told that some people, especially from the opposition APC felt that his principal took a seat that rightly belonged to the APC, Mr Anichukwu said the seat did not belong to any political party.

He said: “Going by Section 50 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, that Office doesn’t belong to anybody or party. It belongs to Nigerians. That is why APC lawmakers became Speakers in Plateau and Benue State Assemblies last June even when the APC was in minority.

By the way, are some people trying to tell Nigerians that if the PDP had won majority in the National Assembly, which is an independent arm of government, and head both chambers, the President Buhari Administration would cease to function?"

40—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

NASS crisis: APC trying to disunite Nigerians, Rep Agbede HONOURABLE Fred Agbede is representing Sagbama-Ekeremo Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview with Vanguard in Abuja, he bares his mind among others on the recent developments in the National Assembly, dispelling reports that the opposition PDP struck an agreement with Yakubu Dogara to support his emergence as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Excerpts:

By Chris Ochayi

O

N PDP’s perceived protection of Speaker Yakubu Dogara PDP is not protecting the speaker. Yes, he was a member of the PDP but he has left PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC. The reasons for his leaving PDP are best known to him, I don’t know the reasons. But to say that the PDP is protecting him is not correct.

I was elected on the platform of the PDP; most members were elected on the platform of APC, some on the platform of Accord Party and other parties.

In the chambers, we are party-blind and it was not only PDP that elected Hon. Dogara.

His election and the votes he got are more than the number of PDP members in the House.

If he had majority of votes to emerge as speaker of the 8th Assembly, then you know that those who voted for him will stand by him and protect him.

It is not a PDP affair, he is not a member of PDP. And of course having heard from him and believe in his competence, we elected him as speaker and up till today we have not seen or found any reason to abandon, disrespect or withdraw our support from our speaker.

On comments that the PDP struck a deal with Dogara to support his election as speaker No, nothing like that, we never struck any deal with Dogara. There was no bargain, negotiation, or conditions, stated, written or agreed upon as the basis for supporting him. His emergence as speaker was simply and completely based on the fact that he showed us that he is capable of leading us.

The PDP held sway at the Federal level for 16 years but along the line you lost it to the the APC. With the role the PDP played in the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly, is it part of your restrategizing to return to power in 2019?

First of all, the loss is part of democracy. In every democracy you cannot be the ruling party

forever. You also know that it is very difficult to manage success. If PDP was able to manage success for 16 years, we are to see how long the APC will manage it. So far, the APC has shown that it won’t be able to rival PDP’s 16 years because the foundation appears bumpy and very disorganized. The foundation appears very divided in interests and opinions which of course you

We did what we felt was right, what is good for democracy, what is good for this nation and we will continue to put the interest of this nation over and above personal and party interest

•Agbede:APC must put their house in order never saw in PDP for the 16years that we were in power.

So, what happened to us in the 2015 elections has given us more strength and unity to continue to build our party for 2019. And in the National Assembly, both in the Senate and the House of Representatives, there is no two-third majority for APC. They will certainly find it difficult except they have administrative and political competences to work with the opposition parties. If you don’t have a clear majority in the National Assembly then you must device a means to work with the opposition because what is important is the unity, progress and development of Nigeria and that is what we all stand for.

The bills that will come to the National Assembly will not be talking about APC, PDP and Accord. So if the ruling party has the competence to present issues of development, national unity in such a manner that will not make the

minority feel that they are not genuine enough to strengthen the bond of unity and progress of this country, then of course the minority party will always know that it is not in the interest of this country. And that is why you saw the elections of the presiding officers going the way they went.

The majority of us felt that the direction the majority party wants to go is not in the interest of the National Assembly. It is not in the interest of the development of this country; it is not in the interest of the unity of this country.

And so we did what we felt was right, what is good for democracy, what is good for this nation and we will continue to put the interest of this nation over and above personal and party interest.

So what I want to assure you is that the happenings in the majority party today, maybe till tomorrow and up to about 2019 will give strength to PDP. And if they keep making their mistakes which we are sure

they will continue making, we are sure of defeating them.

Nigerians are already losing confidence in them. The change they promised is the change of stealing Mace, or attempting to hijack Mace and fighting themselves.

And that is why we of the PDP will advise them: don’t fight, go back to your party and resolve yourselves. But as for our speaker, don’t come close, this is a speaker we all elected, he is no longer your personal property. So, for those things that you feel are your personal property that you are fighting for, you are not even supposed to fight over them here. Go back to your party and discuss those issues there. It is wrong for a party to write to the National Assembly either the Senate or the House of Representatives and say this is the decision of our party.

Once you step into the chambers there is no issue of party. There is no way the national chairman of the PDP will write a letter to the speaker and say announce this, this is the decision of my party.

Are they not capable of taking decisions as members of the party? Will they take decisions as non-members of the party?

So when they say look, they came on the platform of a party and that party has the right to decide what happens or what will not happen and all that, I laugh at them. Members of the National Assembly under your party are major stake holders of the party.

If they don’t know, we would like to educate them. Members of the National Assembly are major stake holders of the party. Outside the president, they are the next people you should be talking about in the hierarchy of the party.

I think members of the APC who are elected as members of the National Assembly are the people who are supposed to decide who their leaders in the National Assembly should be.

Delta governor: Why I encouraged my son to join politics — Pa Okowa Continues from page 39 their handouts.

So, all the graduates turned out appear to be half baked which is making the standard to go low and I believe that the standard of education in a nation depends on the standard of the teachers and education is the only thing that makes a nation. If you go into the scheme of work given to the schools, they might appear to be very good but there is a problem in the implementation of those schemes of work. Are the teachers able to cope? Like I said earlier, government may be planning very well, but the implementation is very bad.

When they brought in the 63-3-4 system, it was good but the implementation failed. It was intended that after the first three years in secondary school, students should be classified according to their subject areas; some will go for commercial, some will go for technical. They just build secondary schools all along; no technical colleges where these children could branch out to.

Technical colleges are very few and they are not doing anything in that line. It appears, everybody, when you finish from JS3 you go straight to SSS and then you continue.

But that was not the intention.

The intention was that after JS3, you classify them, science

students will go into science schools, arts will go into arts schools and those who are out for technical things will go to such schools where they will develop but these are not in place so government failed on that part.

What do you think is the solution to the fast dwindling standard of education in Nigeria?

Government should equip the schools with the necessary facilities; a child in the school should be able to sit comfortably and when they are teaching he will be able to listen. So we appeal to government to first equip the schools with desks and chairs;

then they should review the scheme of work with a view to finding out the defects.

There should be standard books that should be recommended. The child coming into the class must have that as a reader; as a text book for mathematics; as a text book for any subject and then have a good library and government should stock the schools with textbooks which can be given to the students.

There should be training and retraining of teachers; a lot of the teachers who went through secondary schools and went to Colleges of Education are half baked.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—41

Donate blood and save lives, Agba urges Nigerians

By Sola Ogundipe

N

IGERIANS have again been urged to regard voluntary blood donation as a social and civic responsibility.

The call came on the heels of the chronic blood shortage and insufficient blood banks in hospitals across the country., Making the call in Lagos, Emmanuel Agba, a pharmacist, said voluntary blood donation is the safest means of obtaining safe blood, and that, when carried out appropriately, had potential to save lives.

Lamenting the poor blood banking services in the country and inadequacy of safe blood, Agba, who is Managing Director, Tyonex Healthcare Ltd, lamented that even as a member nation of the World Health Organisation,WHO, Nigeria had made little progress with voluntary donor recruitment.

“The blood banking system in Nigeria is still poorly developed as a number of centers depend on paid donors whose hematological and infectious status may not determined often times prior to blood donations,” he noted.

Agba, who spoke on occasion of the 2015 World Blood Donor Day in Lagos recognised the growing need for blood from a broad range of patients and accident victims. “Blood donation is an important civic duty and we should see it as such.

People die every day in our hospitals due to loss of blood and blood shortage in blood banks. This is needless loss of lives, and

we can help just by donating blood and playing our part as citizens. It is a good cause and we should all identify with it.”

The Day, with the theme “Thank You for Saving My Life,” sponsored by Tyonex Healthcare, held at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja hosted by the Nigerian Medical Association and Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee.

In his remarks, the Chairman of NMA, Lagos Branch Dr. Tope Ojo noted that there was a more robust management of blood

donation by the Lagos State government, saying it was safe to donate blood while donors could also derive benefits such as free medical checks and the satisfaction of saving a life with each donation.

At the event, several people volunteered to give blood. All were tested to determine their fitness and qualification to donate.

The WHO earmarks the World Blood Donor Day (June 14) as a day to raise consciousness and promote blood donation across the world.

A voluntary blood donor

LUTH not shut despite doctors’ strike — CMD

S

ERVICES at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba Lagos have remained available to patients even as the strike called by the LUTH branch of the Association of Resident Doctors, LUTH-ARD, continues.

Disclosing this to Health & Living yesterday, while giving an update of the situation brought about by the industrial dispute, LUTH’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Chris Bode, said the hospital was determined to remain open.

Bode observed that all efforts to implore the doctors not to embark on the strike at this time of political, economic and social trying period in the nation, proved abortive.

“We have shut down services too often.

When they insisted on embarking on this strike, we also drew the line and insisted that this time, we are not shutting down.

“As of today we have over 300 patients still on admission. All the essential units such as x-ray, laboratories, labour wards services, and others have been working.

“The emergency wards are open and doctors in all the essential services are working. We want members of the public to know that LUTH is not shut down, we are still rendering services.” he remarked.

Over the weekend, a woman was delivered of a set of triplets at the hospital.

Bode said the unnamed woman had initially opted to leave the hospital against medical advice because she had no money, but the hospital mangement waived the charges for the Cesarean Section and she was successfully delivered.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

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42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Rivers govt defends N30bn loan S

ECRETARY to Rivers State Government, Mr Kenneth Kobani, has said that the N30 billion loan approved by the state House of Assembly for the state government would be used to rehabilitate and re-construct roads.

Kobani, in Port Harcourt, yesterday, said that the loan would also fund the government’s “Zero Pothole” campaign and offset salary arrears of civil servants and pensioners.

He said that the state government was pursuing a robust road rehabilitation and reconstruction drive to ease the sufferings of road users.

“Rivers State Government sent a request to the state House of Assembly to fund key infrastructures that needed urgent attention. The first N10 billion is currently being used

by Julius Berger and CCECC construction companies for the

S-South politicians drum support for Oyegun

W

ORRIED by the accusations levelled against the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun, politicians and political office holders in the South-South geopolitical zone have described him as a man of conviction who cannot be bought, no matter the price.

The call for Oyegun’s resignation drew the ire of the leaders who described same as ridiculous and unfortunate.

“All kinds of invectives have been hurled at Chief Oyegun.

Politicians behind this wicked agenda want to remain relevant in the political terrain,” they said.

In a statement in PortHarcourt, Rivers State,

by National Chairman of Politicians and Political Office Holders in the South-South, PPOHSS, Chief Julius Ikuru, the leaders said Oyegun had served the party well and needed to be commended by all wellmeaning people in the country.

Praising Oyegun for playing politics with integrity and honour, the leaders said there was no basis asking him to resign.

state government’s Zero Pothole campaign in Port Harcourt.

“Other funds will be used to complete strategic projects that were left by the previous administration. They include

Woji/Akpajo Road and bridge projects, among others,” he said.

Kobani, while reacting to critics of the loans, said that the government was forced to borrow because the roads were

in bad conditions.

According to him, every project being embarked upon by the current government is considered to be one that would have great impact on the people.

RALLY: Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State (middle) and the state Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (retd) (right), acknowledging cheers from the crowd during a rally organised by various groups to welcome him back from his vacation, at the Peace Park, Yenagoa. Photo by Goodluck Ayebatonye.

Delta to enforce monthly sanitation law

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—DELTA State Commissioner for Environment, Mr John Nani, has vowed to enforce the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in all parts of the state to check problems associated with filthy environment.

Nani, at a meeting with the management of the ministry upon resumption as the commissioner in charge of the ministry, said that residents must be encouraged to participate actively in sanitation exercises.

He said that it would not be business as usual, noting that the dream to make Delta State the cleanest in the country must be realised.

Nani commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for finding him worthy to serve the state as a commissioner and member of the State Executive Council and promised not to betray the confidence reposed in him.

He said that the Ministry of Environment was saddled with lots of responsibilities, noting that despite the successes recorded by the ministry in the past, he would ensure that those achievements were improved upon.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Transport,

Mr Vincent Uduaghan, has pledged to recover all government vehicles from past political office holders in the state and their cronies.

Udughan, who made the pledge on assumption of office, alleged that some of the vehicles had either their plate numbers changed or engine number tempered with. He

said that the Okowa administration was out to bring sanity to governance.

He stressed his readiness to re-activate the Delta State Urban Mass Transit Scheme in line with the government's policy direction on transport, adding that “Immediate steps must be taken to address all issues affecting the scheme.”

N-Delta'll benefit from Buhari’s govt, Oshiomhole assures

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has assured that the Niger Delta region will benefit immensely from the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking during the visit of the Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Senator Bassey EwaHenshaw, who led other members of the board including the Managing Director and CEO, Mr Bassey Dan-Abia, to his office, Oshiomhole said that events of the past few years had shown that the friends of the Niger Delta were not necessarily from the region.

He said: “I am aware that the board has initiated a number of projects and according to you,

you have over 1,000 of them valued at over a trillion naira.

These are huge numbers. The expectations of the people of the Niger Delta are very high as they expect that the intervention agency would find resources to address their critical needs.

“I also know that the board has been afflicted by critical Nigerian diseases, namely: clarity of ideas and the need to take extra-ordinary measures.

“The law is specifically clear as to how NDDC should be funded and all that is expected is that the Federal Ministry of Finance or to be more specific, the Federal Government to ensure that the law they had passed and signed which is in operation is enforced to the letter so that they in turn can compel the board to ensure that the fund is judiciously expended."

PDP decries murder of former LG boss' spouse

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, has condemned the reported murder of Mrs Ebire Ejor, wife of former Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area of the state, Chief Ngowar Ejor.

Chairman of the party in Rivers State, Mr Felix Obuah, in a statement by his media aide, Mr Jerry Needam, said Mrs Ejor's corpse was found on Tuesday at Eagle Island, in Port Harcourt, after her abduction on Sunday.

Lamenting the incident, the party expressed fears that the killing could have been politically motivated.

It further charged the police and other security agencies to beef up security in the state.

“The killing is unwarranted, barbaric and shocking to the PDP family.

The manner she was abducted, and later killed clearly exposes political undertone in the sad incident," the party said.

Traders drag Delta govt to court over alleged eviction

By Emma Amaize

S

APELE—TRADERS in Sapele, Delta State, under the aegis of Sapele Main Market Traders Association, have dragged the state government before a state High Court sitting in Sapele over an alleged plan by the state government to evict them and allocate their stalls at Sapele Modern Market to other persons.

The traders are praying the court to restrain the state government and its agents from carrying out their eviction threat.

They said that the past administration of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had assured them that upon the completion of the modern market, government would allocate the stalls, which was carried out in three phases to them, with majority of the members paying specified fees into the government's account with a Sterling Bank.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—43

Police rescue kidnap victim in Enugu, arrest 2 armed robbery suspects

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—OPERATIVES of the Anti Kidnap Unit of Enugu Police command have rescued unhurt, a kidnap victim who was allegedly abducted on

July 3.

The victim was rescued at Abunuzu-imezi Owa forest in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, following intelligence report gathered on the activities of the suspects.

ABIA: JUSUN won’t end strike

until... —ONUOHA

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—THE chairman, Judiciary Staff Workers Union (JUSUN), Abia state, Mr. Lambert Chibuike Onuoha says the state judiciary workers may not end the industrial action embarked upon by the union until the state government implements the Consolidated Judiciary Salary structure, CONJUSS. Onuoha, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, insisted that the only condition for which the union could call off its industrial action depends on the ability of the state government to implement the outcome of the meeting between the union and the state government.

Vanguard gathered that members of the JUSUN had in a meeting with the state government told Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu that the only condition under which they would call off the industrial action is for him to pay their May salary using the CONJUSS. The chairman also disclosed that the position of the workers’ body was that the state should show good faith within 60days by paying their May salary under the CONJUSS after they met with the representatives of the state government.

Onuoha who said that the state Accountant General, Gabriel Onyendilefu has invited him to his office to bring the financial

implication of the judiciary workers’ May salary, disclosed that they were going to call off the strike as soon as the state government implements the agreement.

The JUSUN chairman disclosed that the parties resolved to spread the arrears of January –April 2015 salaries across the months of June to September, warning that they would not accept anything outside the group’s agreement with the government.

Police source revealed the suspects had engaged the operatives in a gun duel, but they were subdued by the operatives.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,Mr. Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the rescue adding that some of the suspects were injured during the exchange of gunfire.

According to Amaraizu: "The suspects, who gave their names as Umaru Abubakar,Iya Bello,Ruwa and another who could not give his name are helping the operatives in connection with the alleged criminal offence as well as various acts of kidnapping,armed robbery along Enugu-Onitsha highway.

“Some of the things recovered from the suspects in the forest include; one English made pump action,one double barrel locally made long gun,two single barrel locally made gun,one locally made

short gun and twenty five live cartridges.”

In a related development, Onyeka Okonkwo of Ibagwa Nike village state in Enugu-East Local Government Area of Enugu State and Igbokwe Onyekwere of Umuchigbo, Iji- Nike, who allegedly specialized in armed robbery as well as other related criminal activities within Abakpa and its environs have been nabbed by the operatives of the Anti Kidnapping Unit of the command.

It was gathered the suspects allegedly robbed a female victim at Trans-Ekulu axis of Enugu,dispossessing her of money and other valuables which prompted police trail.

Things recovered from the suspects include a Golf saloon car with registration number AGU 987 TP and assorted phones which the suspects used in luring their target victims.

VISIT: From left: Mr. Klaas Kruger, Group Chief Information Officer, Standard Bank Plc; Mrs. Ruby Onwudiwe, Chief Information Officer, Stanbic IBTC; Mr. Austin Okere, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Computer Warehouse Group, CWG, Plc, and Mr. Wole Adeniyi, Executive Director, Business Support, Stanbic IBTC, during the visit of Stanbic IBTC's team to the corporate head office of CWG Plc, in Lagos.

ISSAN says new cybercrime law’ll clean up Nigeria

By Prince Osuagwu

I

N F O R M AT I O N SECURITY Society of Africa-Nigeria, ISSAN has said that Nigeria will begin to get good rating by the international community, with the signing into law of the cyber crime law by the former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The group however expects the law to help save the nation billions of Naira being lost to cyber criminals every year and also help to sanitise the country ’s cyberspace already riddled with web of frauds and malpractices.

President of the society and General Manager, Union Bank Dr. David Isiavwe, said the society expressed delight that with the law now in place, it will no longer be business as usual for criminals whose business is to defraud innocent people of their hard earned money and resources through the internet and other electronic means.

“We are delighted that Nigeria has joined the few countries in Africa and indeed, the world at large, to have a law which provides effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the prohibition, detection, prosecution and punishment of cyber-crime in the country, while also ensuring the protection of computer systems and networks, electronic communications, data and computer programmes, among others.

SENATORIAL ELECTION: Nnamani files application for additional witness

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Change,PDC,for the Enugu-East senatorial district in the last National Assembly election, former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, yesterday, filed an application before the election petition tribunal sitting in Enugu, seeking the introduction of an additional witness.

Nnamani had petitioned the tribunal challenging the declaration of Senator Gilbert Nnaji of the People Democratic Party,PDP, as winner .

Also joined in the suit are; PDP and Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC. Nnamani has a motion granting the PDC, permission to forensic examination of elections materials in his favour.

While raising the

application,Counsel to the petitioner,Bola Adeboye prayed the tribunal to grant leave to the Petitioners/Applicants for the document titled: “Report on the Election Result Analysis and Election Materials Inspection, Examination and Analysis for Enugu East Senatorial District Elections (2015)” to form part of the list of documents to be relied upon at the hearing.

A witness statement made available to Vanguard read in part: “I am Olayiwola Adeola,of Plot 14 Akinloye Layout, Idi-Ape, Ibadan, Oyo State; a data analyst, research specialist and a forensic scientist; “Of the 1,051 Polling Unit Result Sheets EC8A (i) that were expected from INEC, only 970 were provided by INEC. “Of the 1,051 Forms EC40A that were to have been used to allocate ballot papers to polling

units, only 194 were provided by INEC for inspection and examination. Only 145 of these 194 were legible.

“Of the 1,051 Voters’ Registers that were to have been used for

accreditation and voting at the Polling Units, only 222 were provided by INEC for inspection and examination.

“Of the 1,051 Polling Units at which elections were to have

taken place, INEC provided Card Reader data for only 700 Polling Units.

“Only 64 Forms EC40J-series were provided by INEC for examination."

ABA: Oil marketers cry out to Buhari over poor

supply of petroleum products

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—AS a result of the perennial fuel scarcity which has hit the South East zone, oil marketers in Aba, Abia State under the aegis of concerned members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Aba depot, have cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari and urged him to unravel the circumstances behind the scarcity of petroleum and other products in the zone.

In a statement by its chairman, Levi Amah, the group said that it was worrisome that despite the assurances given by Pipelines and Petroleum Marketing Company, PPMC, of availability of products, their members still suffer untold hardship, forcing them to source the products from outside the zone.

“We are appealing to the President because for the umpteenth time, officials of the PPMC have assured us of availability of products, but we

do not see any product and this has made us to travel as far as Lagos to buy the products which we are supposed to be buying at Aba, with its attendant risks”, the statement read in part.

They described as untrue, the excuse in some quarters that the scarcity was as a result of the weak nature of pipelines on the Port Harcourt - Aba depot route, stressing that some engineers assured them that such pipelines last more than 150 years before they could become out of use.

44 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Two suicide bombers kill 5, injure 5 others in Borno market

2,374 pilgrims to perform Hajj operation in Jigawa

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI—BORNO State police command said yesterday two suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers attacked the Sabon Gari village market in Damboa local government area, killing five persons, including the suspects, and injuring five others.

The suspects, according to the police, detonated the Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs strapped to their backs in the market square on Tuesday at 11am.

Sabon Gari is in Sambisa Forest on Maiduguri-Biu road; and is150 kilometres south of Maiduguri, the state capital.

The state Police commissioner, Mr. Aderemi Opadokun, who disclosed this yesterday in Maiduguri, said three traders died in the Sabon Gari twin blasts.

“The insurgents are continuing attacking soft targets of markets, motor parks and hospitals in the Sambisa Forests and its environs.

“Yes, on Tuesday morning at about 11am; twin explosions

By Aliyu Dangida

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VISIT: From left; Frank Anyanwu, Assistant Director, Debt Management Office, Nigeria; Moses Kwesiga, Head, Domestic Debt Market Operations, Bank of Uganda; Dipo Odeyemi, Divisional Head, Operations & Technology, FMDQ; and Timothy Nkata, Head Forex Trading, Bank of Uganda, during a courtesy visit to FMDQ OTC PLC in Lagos. occurred at the Sabon Gari market in Damboa council area of Borno State after two suspected suicide bombers sneaked into the village market square and detonated the

explosives strapped to their bodies and killed three persons. ‘’The suspects also died in the blasts, while five others sustained injuries,” the police

Court sacks Benue PDP lawmaker

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI— A Federal High Court in

Makurdi, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, has nullified the election of Mr. Mathew Ire of Peoples

USAID project saves 38,000 Bauchi women in 5 years

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI—TARGETED States High Impact, TSHIP, a USAID sponsored project, has saved the lives of more than 38,000 women in Bauchi State through its health care project in the last five years.

This was disclosed by the TSHIP Chief of Party, Dr Nosa Orobator, while speaking with newsmen at the end of Project Dissemination meeting held at Zaranda hotel on Tuesday.

USAID/TSHIP Project was a 5 year project launched in Bauchi and Sokoto states in 2010 to provide quality health services to the citizens, especially women and children.

The project served as technical lead on state policies on human resources for health, ward minimum health care packages, pre-service education, state midwifery and health management information systems.

USAID/TSHIP helped the states develop their five-year strategic health plans, which are the

framework for comprehensive health care delivery and it was supported by Bauchi State government to set up the Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency, DMMA. Dr Orobaton also disclosed that maternal mortality ration in the North East stood at 43 out of every 100,000 life birth.

He said: “What we have observed in the work we have done through USAID/TSHIP, specifically in relation to use of misoprostol which is three tablets intervention that is ingested by the mother after the baby has been delivered. There is dramatic reducation in maternal mortality in Bauchi State as a result.

“In order for maternal mortality to really come down in Bauchi at the minimum, we must have coverage that approximate 80 percent for the tablet and we also need to encourage mothers to work towards having babies in the health facility. ‘’These are the steps that need to be taken.

Misoprostol has started very well, it needs to go higher to achieve its target impact.’’

Democratic Party, PDP, who represents Oju 11 state constituency in Benue State House of Assembly.

The lawmaker had contested the PDP primaries in November 29, 2014, alongside Micheal Adigwu and Jairus Erube who then was the incumbent and lost but the PDP declared him winner of the primaries.

However, Adigwu, who polled the highest number of votes in the primaries, challenged the decision of the party at the federal court on the grounds that the substitution of his name and the process leading to the emergence of the preferred candidate was illegal.

In her ruling, Justice Nyako upheld the plea of the complainant and noted that substitution of the name of the original winner of the primaries was illegal and a breach of the process.

She queried the wisdom of the PDP in embarking in an illegal substitution of the name of the winner of the primaries with the name of the lawmaker who was the first runner up at the election.

Justice Nyako further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to withdraw the certificate of returns issued the lawmaker and issue same to Micheal Adigwu in the interest of justice and fair play.

commissioner said.

He said the corpses of the dead had been evacuated, while those injured had been moved to hospitals for treatment.

Sabon Gari was early this year attacked by the insurgents who killed over 25 villagers, and snatched food items and other livestock after torching several houses and shops.

Tuesday’s market blasts bring to 185 the number of those killed in insurgents’ attacks this month as Kukawa and Monguno towns as well as Malari, Zabarmani and Hadamari villages had earlier been attacked.

UTSE—A total of 2,374 intending pilgrims from Jigawa State will perform this year’s Hajj obligations.

This comes as the state’s Pilgrims Welfare Board announced the 2015 hajj fare for the pilgrims from the state.

A statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the board, Mati Ali said, said the minimum hajj fare was N785,676.59, with $750 as Basic Travelling Allowance, BTA. It also listed the medium hajj seat to cost N825,676.59, with $1,000 as Basic Travelling Allowance, while N924,676.59 was pegged as maximun fare, with $1,500 Basic Travelling Allowance.

The statement explained that already, each intending pilgrims had deposited the total sum of N700,000 with the board and called on them to complete the balance in their respective zonal centers on or before July 17, 2015.

According to the Pilgrims board, this is to enable the board complete arrangements with the National Hajj Commission on time.

RAMADAN: Watch out for Night of Majesty, Sultan tells Muslims

By Agaju Madugba

K

ADUNA—THE Sultan of Sokoto who is also President-General, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Sa’ad 111, has urged Muslims in the country to watch out for the Night of Majesty as the month of Ramadan entered the 20th day on Tuesday.

“Taking into cognizance the importance of the last ten days of Ramadan, Nigerian Muslims are called upon to maximally put to use these last ten days in reciting more of the Glorious Qur ’an, being punctual in observing the daily obligatory prayers in congregation,’’ the Sultan said yesterday in a statement by the JNI Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu.

The statement also urged Muslims to intensify their acts of generosity in giving alms to the poor, the needy, the orphans

and the handicapped in the society, especially as many families currently live from hand to mouth.

The statement read: “Tuesday, July 7, 2015, marked the twentieth day of Ramadan. The night witnessed the beginning for the search of the most blessed night, the night of decree and honour which is sought in the odd nights, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th of Ramadan.

“More importantly, Muslims should watch out for Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) which often comes up in one of the five exceptional nights, according to authentic Ahadith of Prophet Muhammad.

“We, however, use this medium to once again condemn in the strongest terms the recent attack unleashed on innocent civil servants undergoing screening at the Sabon Gari local government secretariat, Zaria in Kaduna State.''

45—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Regional Director, West Africa, Africa Magic; Kate Henshaw, Nollywood actress, and John Ugbe, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, during the launch of DoGood, a comic drama, on Africa Magic, in Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

SKYE JINGLES: From left— Mr. Wale Akintunde, Chief Operating Officer, Centre Spread Advertising Limited; Mrs. Abimbola Azu, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Skye Bank Plc; Panshak Zamani (Ice Prince), singer, and Mr. Kolade Ojo-Osagie, Head, Treasury, Skye Bank Plc, during the launch of the bank’s new television and radio jingles in Lagos.

YEZZ: From left— Stomo Ekwegh, Technology Distribution Mobile; Stanley Uzoechina, Retail, Yudala; Adeola Awesola, Country Manager, YEZZ Mobile Nigeria, and Mark Russel, Chief Operations Officer, Konga Nigeria, at the media launch of YEZZ mobile phones in Lagos.

SIFAX: From left— Dr. Phil Ofulue, Executive Director, HR and Admin, Sifax Group; Prince Ayorinde Adedoyin, Chairman, Planning Committee, Nigeria Maritime Expo 2015; Stella Damasus, Manager, Oil and Gas, Sifax Group; Major Henry Ajetunmobi, Director, and Mr. Oliver Omajuwa, General Manager, Sifax Offdock Services Ltd, during the Sifax Group CEO's presentation at the 2015 Nigeria Maritime Expo in Lagos.

DO GOOD: From left— Basorge Tariah jnr.; Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu,

PRESENTATION: Mr. Charles Imuzeze, Managing Director, Great

Measures Media Network Limited (right), and Tolu Ogunkoya, President, Corporate Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria, MIPAN, during the presentation of MIPAN membership certificate to Imuzeze in Lagos.

NCS CONFAB: From left— Moses Briamah, Chairman, Conferences Committee; Professor Sola Aderounmu, Deputy President; Professor David Adewumi, President, and Jide Awe, Chairman, Publicity, Trade and Event Committee, all of Nigerian Computer Society, NCS, at the briefing on the 2015 NCS International Conference to hold in Akure, Ondo State.

GRADUATION:

SAMSUNG: From left— Mr. Parikshit Chandna, Head, Consumer Electronics; Mr. Brovo Kim, Managing Director, both of Samsung Electronics West Africa; Sunil Kumar, Director, Consumer Electronics, and Bojoong Kim, Business Development Manager, Visual Display, at the launch of Samsung SUHDTV in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

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Mrs Jola Alokolaro, Head of Schools, ChildVille Primary School (right), p r e s e n t i n g Outstanding Student certificate to Miss Adeife Gafaar during the school's graduation at the school premises in Lagos.

PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

46 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

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52—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

by the innocence and playfulness of Nigeria’s youth – who make up a huge proportion of the population and the future of this country. I have seen the strength and the resilience of the Nigerian woman, a pillar of the family and of the Nigerian society.

Nigerians need to work together to reach consensus on important common issues — Marie-Nelly

By Marie-Francoise MarieNelly

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REPARING to leave Nigeria has been one of the most difficult experiences of my life.

Even before leaving, I am already feeling nostalgic about this amazing, classic African country - at the crossroads of tradition and modernity.

My departure coincides with the change of guard at the helm of this nation of 180 million people. Something about my pulse at this time exactly matches the pulse of Nigerians and their new administration: relatively calm, hopeful for the next four years, committed to change, and reflective on lessons learned over past years.

It is hard to find anyone who does not have their own perception of Nigeria. I am taking and will carry with me, an

immense but nuanced sense of a Nigeria that continues to win despite its many daunting challenges. Despite its many great stories of perseverance, endurance and achievement, no one is blinded to the challenges: the recurrent violent attacks by Boko Haram extremists; the fiscal shocks from the huge drop in oil revenues; and the social vulnerability of still far too many Nigerians; etc.

Persistent backward pull The resilience of Nigeria in the midst of this persistent backward pull would give anyone great hope in its future.

The unshaken faith that so many Nigerians possess, which was somewhat confusing to me at first, now seems almost intuitive. After

Natural tapestry

Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly four years and now “proudly Nigerian”, my suitcases are filled with stories of success despite all odds; of fond memories of the friendship and generosity of Nigerians; and of the unique lessons learned here that will stay with me forever.

It feels like yesterday, when I arrived in Nigeria in October 2011 and was immediately struck by the energy of the people.

Throughout my tenure, I observed with awe, the entrepreneurial spirit that cuts across tribes and genders - unparalleled anywhere else. Over the past four years, I observed the ever growing spark of innovation from Nigeria’s creative industries — from Nollywood to the music and

comedy industries to the fashion industry. I was pleasantly surprised at the level of the country’s cultural penetration beyond Nigeria’s borders and far into other continents. This level of creativity and innovation also shows strongly in Nigeria’s thriving technology industry.

Konga and Jumia are two of the foremost e-commerce platforms in West Africa and both of them have their roots in Nigeria.

In education and ICT, Microworks is a part of the many ways that has provided a means for graduates to acquire the skills that make them employable and lead the country in a forward march of progress.

I have been particularly touched

I also keep vivid memories of the rich natural tapestry in Nigeria such as the lush Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River State, Awhum water falls in Enugu, Olumo rock in Ogun State, the hot springs in Ekiti State and the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State.

Despite the unexplored yet immense potential of these tourist sites, one cannot speak of Africa’s rise or economic revolution without speaking prominently of Nigeria’s.

The World Bank Group – Nigeria’s biggest development partner albeit not exactly a major player relative to consolidated public sector spending – has built a strong partnership with many achievements to its credit.

We have responded to explicit needs of the country and helped put in place significant blocks for the “Winning Nigeria” of tomorrow. For example, working alongside other partners, Nigeria seems to be winning the battle against polio and is on the road to becoming a polio free country.

The recent focus on maternal health with a result-based Continues on page 55

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015—53 L-R: Managing Director/CEO, PRM Africa and Executive Producer, All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), Mike Dada; Managing Director, Raypower FM, Kenny “Keke” Ogungbe; Artiste, Phyno; Managing Director, Beat/ Classic FM, Chris Ubosi; and Artiste, Joel Amadi, during the Industry Nite with AFRIMA, in Lagos

Buhari: PAC advises Nigerians

T

HE Police Assistance Committee, PAC, Director General, Dr. Martins John-Oni, has appealed to Nigerians to allow President Muhammadu Buhari to work at his pace in the governance of the country.

John-Oni who was addressing the PAC Executive members at a training session in Lagos stated that President Buhari at his age and with strong determination to lead the country right would want to guard against making avoidable mistakes in actions that would have lasting impact on Nigerians, adding that patience usually brings

good result.

While disagreeing with those who are accusing the President of having a northern agenda based on the few appointments he had made so far, he said that

President Buhari was a detribalized Nigerian who will reflect Federal character as the constitution demands in making appointment into public offices.

School holds 21st Valedictory

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HE valedictory/ graduation of Victory Group of Schools comes up July 14 at Victory Hall, Ikeja.

Managing proprietor, Chief Christian F.I.Olaniyan said the schools will present the 21st set of Victory Grammar School, 31st set of Victory College and 42nd set of Victory High School, Ikeja.

Olaniyan who appealed

to the parents and guardians to always take the education of their wards seriously, also commended the Lagos State government over the standard of education in private and public schools, on the infrastructural development since political dispensation began in 1999.

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

DESOPADEC contractor sends SOS to Gov Okowa

E-learning 'll boost tertiary education —EPG boss

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contractor to Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC, Mr. John Umukoro, has appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to see to the release of the money due DESOPADEC for the month of May and June, to enable the commission pay its contractors for jobs executed.

He said most of the contractors were owing banks for the projects and interests on loan facilities were increasing daily.

He said: “ DESOPADEC contracts used to be the most credible. Once contract were executed, payments were made immediately.”

Delta Poly gets NBTE accreditation

T

HE Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Dr. J. S. Oboreh, has secured an interim accreditation of National Board of Technical Education, NBTE, for five new courses for the institution.

The courses include National Diploma in Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology, Computer Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mass Communication and Marketing.

He said academic work had commenced in the first three courses, while Mass Communication and Marketing would begin in the new academic session.

Oboreh also revealed that the FM station of the Department of Mass Communication would come on air in September.

Beyond the Trial for launch

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HE presentation of Beyond the Trial, written by Dr. (Mrs.) C. A. Mbadugha, will hold on Saturday at the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research Auditorium, Yaba, Lagos.

Mbadugha, an ophthalmologist, said the book “is one that you will want to buy again and again.”

By Emeka Aginam

T

WORKSHOP: From left— Adekunle Yusuf, Manager, Rewards & Benefits, Fidson Healthcare Plc; Joyce Uredi, Head, Personal Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank; Olumide Okeowo, Head, Human Resources, Healthplus; and Taiwo Dayo-Abatan, Head, Human Resources, Total Health Trust Plc, at the Stanbic IBTC Human Resources Forum in Lagos.

Buhari orders revamping of moribund textile, mining, agro industries

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, ordered that immediate attention be given the revival of ailing and moribund textiles, mining and agro-based industries.

Buhari gave the directive when he received a delegation of foreign investors, who were proprietors of Olam Farms Nigeria Limited, led by Mr. Mukul Mathura.

President Buhari declared that the creation of more jobs for Nigeria’s unemployed youths was the key objective of his administration’s economic agenda and will be pursued with the greatest possible dedication.

He said: “I still recall with clarity that at some point, the textile industry in Nigeria was employing about 320,000 Nigerians. But today, the same industry employs less than 30,000 people and the factories operate below capacity or they are completely closed.

“I have made a promise to Nigerians that jobs will be created as part of efforts to revive the economy and that promise will be fulfilled. We will move as fast as we can to resuscitate the textile and mining industries, and also improve production in our agricultural sector.

“Now that we are trying to create jobs, we cannot allow industries and factories to close down. Instead, we should be making every effort to ensure that we re-open the closed ones and attract new ones to reduce unemployment.”

The President further stated that his administration would encourage investments in agriculture and other sectors of the economy by creating a more favourable environment

and enabling laws, stressing that he had already ordered some immediate interventions to address current challenges faced by industrialists.

Speaking earlier, Mathur

told the President that Olam Group of Companies was established in Nigeria in 1989, and currently employs about half a million Nigerians, directly and indirectly.

... as IndustriALL commends him on bail-out for states

By Oboh Agbonkhese

T

HE Chairperson of IndustriALL Global Union, IGU, Africa Region, Mr. Issa Aremu, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the intervention funds to states to settle accumulated workers’ salaries.

He made the commendation at the National Executive Council meeting of Nigerian Affiliates of IGU in Lagos, yesterday.

Aremu said: “This is the first time we have positive and timely intervention on wage payment. The President has shown that with respect to payment of salaries, he is labour-friendly and laboursensitive.

“By approving the release of N713.7 billion intervention funds for states, President Buhari has walked his talk on delayed payment of salaries.

“The bail-out also included a Central Bank-packaged special intervention fund that offers financing to the states, ranging from between N250 billion to N300 billion; this would be a soft loan available to states to access for the purposes of paying backlog of salaries.”

He said that beyond the intervention funds, state governors must partner with the Federal Government to re-industrialise their states, adding that “governors must depend on companies and personal income taxes not oil money bail outs.

“The Governors’ Forum must declare state of emergency on industrial revival and public officials must travel commercial and travel economy. If possible, they must be on KEKE NAPEP and put up their private jets for auction.”

GE refurbishes, equips biomedical centre for LUTH

G

ENERAL Electric, GE, has commissioned the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Biomedical Training Centre, which it refurbished and equipped.

The commissioning took place at the Federal School of Biomedical Engineering Technology at LUTH in Lagos.

The event was in fulfillment of a commitment made by GE Foundation to work with other

stakeholders in developing a new Biomedical Equipment Technician Training, BMET, project in the country to address a major need for locally-qualified medical technicians to repair and service biomedical equipment.

In the first year of running the programme, about 19 technicians and engineers had been trained.

HE Group Chief Executive Officer, Emerging Platforms Group, Mr. Kola Aina, has said that tertiary education across the continent of Africa would witness massive boost with the embrace of latest educational technologies called ilearn and ilearn Plus currently introduced across the world.

Aina, who stated this at the just concluded Elearning Africa Conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said that Africans cannot afford to be left out of the educational technology movement that is presently showcasing the best of e-learning solutions bringing education closer to the people.

While presenting EduPlatforms, one of the start-up companies in Nigeria within the Emerging Platforms Group, Aina said that personalised e-learning solution is a revolution needed in advancing education in Africa.

Ariyomo gets backing for Ondo 2016 governorship

V

ETERAN journalists and a leading social commentator in Ondo State, Mr. Ayo Ogedemgbe, has endorsed Tunji Ariyomo, former Coordinator of Ondo State Information Technology Development Centre, SITDEC, for governorship in 2016 election.

Ogedemgbe, former Director of Information in Ondo State Ministry of Information, noted that he, in the spirit of fairness, aligns with the argument that of the five foundation ethnic or stakeholder divisions that make up Ondo State, only Akure division had not produced a democratically-elected governor.

He said among the lot jostling for the coveted seat, “the cap fits Tunji Light Ariyomo” because he is “untainted, fresh, an achiever, truthful, factual, forthright and cerebral among other attributes.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 55

Suspected cultists attack Benue community, raze houses M

By Peter Duru

AKURDI—SUSPECTED cultists numbering over 50 in the early hours of yesterday, attacked Gaadi village on the outskirt of Makurdi town razing several houses.

This is just as suspected Fulani herdsmen also besieged Adeke in Makurdi town, shooting sporadically for over two hours while

residents scampered for safety.

Vanguard learned from a source that the invaders stormed the village at about 10:30 pm Tuesday, firing gunshots as they matched through some streets in the community.

The development forced many residents and parents to flee with their families, scampering through bush paths to safer ar-

eas in the town. Calm has, however, returned to the community after three police patrol vehicles moved into the area around 12 midnight.

When contacted, the State Police Commissioner, Hyacinth Dagala, stated that the squabble between the Tiv locals and some Fulani herders in the community on Tuesday afternoon, could have

We lost 37 teachers in Kaduna bomb blast —NUT

By Laide Akinboade & Marie-Therese Nanlong

A

BUJA—THE Na tional President of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, M r. Micheal Olukoya, yesterday confirmed the death of 37 teachers in Tuesday ’s bomb blast that rocked Sabon-Gari, Zaria, Kaduna State.

This came on a day Christian youths in Plateau State condemned the daily attacks and killings in the state and called on

security operatives to take steps to stem the killings and restore peace in the state.

Comrade Olukoya, who disclosed the casualty figure at a programme to commemorate NUT Founders’ Day in Abuja, said several other teachers who were victims of the latest bomb blast were in critical condition in various health centres in the state.

He said so far, over 272 teachers’ had lost their lives to the atrocious ac-

tivities of the Boko Haram sect in Borno State alone, while over 19,000 had been displaced in the North East since insurgencies broke out in the country.

It would be recalled that another blast occurred on Tuesday at Sabon-Gari Local Government Secretariat, while civil servants in the state presented themselves for verification as earlier directed by Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

led to the sporadic gunshots.

“You know there was a problem in that area between Fulanis and the Tivs yesterday (Tuesday). The police even waded into the matter but it’s likely that the

attack may be because of that incident. ‘’ For now, we don’t know who is responsible but my men are already there to maintain peace and I can assure you that the place is calm now,’’ he said.

Among the houses razed by the gang of cultists that attacked Gaadi village was the home of late Alexander Gaadi, who before his demise two years ago, secured compensation of over N8 billion for victims of Zaki-biam military invasion in 2001.

An eyewitness and brother of the deceased, Devien Gaadi, who spoke to reporters narrated that the cult gang stormed the area in a commando manner at about 1 am with dangerous weapons and shot sporadically into the air to

NOTAP faults PROSAN on unwholesome activities

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B U J A —

MANAGEMENT of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, NOTAP, has denied involvement in any financial complicity with any company.

Protective Shareholders Association of Nigeria, PROSAN, had in a publication in one of the national dailies accused NOTAP of unwholesome activities with some companies.

In a statement signed by NOTAP head of media, Solomon Nshem, and made available to Vanguard, the agency accused said the allegation lacks credibility as there was no evidence adduced by POSAN to substantiate theclaim,describingitasunfortunate andmisleading.

Nigerians need to work together to reach consensus on important common issues — Marie-Nelly Continues from page 52 approach where disbursements to states are linked to measurable improvements in health outcomes, is a real game changer. Its sustained application over the next five-to-eight years should dramatically shift health performance in Africa given Nigeria’s demographic significance on the continent. The establishment of the mortgage refinancing facility will help mobilize long-term financing and in turn boost construction, allowing many more Nigerians to own their homes while creating jobs for both skilled and low-skilled labor.

The Bank is also helping to enhance productivity and the integration of the agricultural value chain, because millions of jobs are likely to come from the nonfarm activities spurred by, and linked to agriculture – a guaranteed source of more inclusive growth; of transformation across rural Nigeria; of job and wealth creation and of enhanced food security and nutrition outcomes. The Bank has also initiated significant work to put more coherence to the instruments for social protection.

During my tenure, I saw how young entrepreneurs with small but awe inspiring incentives such as the You Win Initiative demonstrate their capacity to create new products or service lines. I have seen flickers of Nigeria’s immense potential once it can resolve its most daunting challenges –

among them, power and education, notably for its young people.

The reality, however, is that the environment, both economic and social, is not the most favorable. The significant drop in oil prices has seriously reduced government revenues at a time when the ambitions have never been as large. Balancing both factors will require significant adjustment and consensus on the core priorities of Nigeria. This is the way to help turn things around and create what I call, a virtual cycle of development.

Virtual cycle of development I have learned that Nigerian problems need Nigerian solutions. I have found that Nigerians know how to find the answers to their own problems, when they are determined. They eloquently demonstrated this in the fight against the Ebola pandemic last year. This deeply ingenious manner of finding solutions to problems is part of the reason why I have worked with a group of distinguished Nigerians representing the various facets of the society and sought their advice on very complex and difficult issues - from how to approach our engagement in the North, to the understanding of the root causes of poverty.

Their advice has been

extremely valuable and I hope that my successor will continue this approach.

As I depart from a country that has blessed me with so many fond memories, I have three main thoughts.

Firstly, Nigerians need to work together to reach consensus on important common issues. It is clear that we need to do development differently in Nigeria, looking at the local context while bringing the global experience, and nurturing the local leadership. This can only be achieved through cooperation. Secondly, there is a need to include the poor and vulnerable as this is imperative for Nigerians to win as a people. Finally, it is crucial to persevere and remain focused on the critical issues — what I describe as remain “ relentlessly boring”.

The good news is that I am not going very far —I am just crossing the Sahara to Rabat, where I will cover the Maghreb Countries and Malta. I’ll be checking in from time to time, sharing in the joy of Nigeria’s continued wins, and remaining hopeful for the future of this truly stunning country.

•Marie-Francoise MarieNelly, is the out going World Bank Resident Representative in Nigeria.

She came into the country in 2011 and now on transfer to North Africa. She writes on her experiences of her four year stay and leaves Nigeria with three pieces of advice.

Here is her thought

56— VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9 , 2015

Court in Naples convicts Berlusconi of bribing a senator

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Nuclear talks extends to Friday I

RAN and major pow ers gave themselves at least until tomorrow to negotiate an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, but a source from one of the powers said on Tuesday they had to wrap up in the next 48 hours.

“We are continuing to negotiate for the next couple of days,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said outside the hotel where the marathon talks between Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States are taking place.

The spokeswoman for the U.S. delegation, Marie Harf, said the terms of an interim deal between Iran and the six would be extended through Friday to give negotiators a few more days to finish their work.

The negotiators had set Tuesday as a deadline when it became clear last week that a June 30 deadline would not be met. But despite a push in the past few days they made clear again that they still needed more time.

“We’re frankly more con-

•US Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry listening to debate during the nuclear talks. cerned about the quality of the deal than we are about the clock, though we also know that difficult decisions won’t get any

disputes in nuclear talks with six major powers, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported yesterday , but Western officials suggested they had heard nothing new from Tehran.

HE U.S. National Security Agency tapped phone calls involving German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her closest advisers for years and spied on the staff of her predecessors, WikiLeaks said yesterday.

A report released by the group suggested NSA spying on Merkel and her staff had gone on far longer and more widely than previously realized.

WikiLeaks said the NSA targeted for long-term surveillance 125 phone numbers of top German officials.

The release risks renewing tensions between Germany and the United States a month after they sought to put a row over spying behind them, with U.S. President Barack Obama declaring in Bavaria that the two nations were “inseparable allies”.

WikiLeaks published what it said were three NSA intercepts of Merkel’s conversations, and data it said listed telephone numbers for the chancellor, her aides, her office and even her fax machine.

“The names associated with some of the targets indicate that spying on the Chancellery predates Angela Merkel as it

includes staff of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (in office 19982002), and his predecessor Helmut Kohl,” WikiLeaks added in a statement.

to end a more than 12-year standoff over Iran’s nuclear program. The aim is to lift sanctions in exchange for at least a decade of curbs on the program.

“Iran has presented constructive solutions to overcome the remaining differences. We will not show flexibility regarding our red lines,” an Iranian diplomat, who was not identified, told ISNA. But Western officials indicated they had yet to see substantive new proposals. The biggest sticking points include issues such as a United Nations arms embargo, U.N. missile sanctions, the

advanced nuclear centrifuges.

“I haven’t seen anything new from Iran,” a Western diplomat close to the talks told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Another Western official echoed the remarks.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have stayed behind in Vienna, along with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, in an attempt to break the logjam while most of the other foreign ministers returned to their capitals.

•Silvio Berlusconi Berlusconi from serving in public office for five years, but, again, that punishment won’t apply due to the statute of limitations expiring this fall.

Prosecutors had alleged a senator was bribed to defect from a coalition supporting then-Premier Romano Prodi, the only politician who defeated Berlusconi in elections for the premiership.

Erdogan eyes snap Turkish election

ELAYS in efforts to D form a coalition ...Iran offers new proposal government in Turkey are RAN has offered Iran and the powers are speed of sanctions relief, buying time for President Erdogan, I“ c o n s t r u c t i v e in the last stretch of talks and research andon Tayyip heightening the chances solutions” to resolve to reach a final agreement development

US spy agency tapped German chancellery for decades: WikiLeaks

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easier with time,” Harf said.

There was disagreement about whether the talks were in effect open-ended.

U.S. officials hoped to wrap them up in time for a Friday deadline to secure an expedited review by the U.S. Congress, but it was unclear if that was possible.

“No deadline is sacrosanct for us,” senior Iranian negotiator Abbas Araqchi told reporters.

“We are ready to stay in Vienna and continue talks as long as it is necessary.”

Western diplomats said they had not yet given up hope of making the deadline for the U.S. congressional review.

The source from one power, however, said there would be a time limit.

court in Naples y e s t e r d a y convicted former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi of corruption charges, accusing him of bribing a senator to weaken the government of his arch political rival.

The court also gave the media mogul a three-year prison sentence, but since the statute of limitations is expiring soon Berlusconi won’t do prison time. In Italy, sentences are served only after two levels of appeals trials, which take years, are exhausted.

Berlusconi wasn’t in court for the verdict. “It’s a verdict that we contend is shockingly unfair and unjustified,” a Berlusconi lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini, told reporters.

The court also banned

of a snap election which could see his AK Party regain its majority and leaving the opposition floundering.

A month after an election which saw the AKP lose its ability to govern alone for the first time, talks to form a coalition have yet to begin.

Opposition parties are as fragmented as ever, and Erdogan - from the shadows - is calculating how best to maintain his grip.

The June 7 vote plunged

Turkey into political uncertainty not seen since the unstable coalition governments of the 1990s and thwarted, for now, Erdogan’s ambition to turn the largely figurehead presidency he assumed last year into the powerful executive position he had all but taken for granted.

The man who has dominated Turkey ’s political landscape for more than a decade is illdisposed to sharing power.

Despite his repeated calls for a new government to be formed quickly, his interests - and those of the AKP he founded - appear to lie in the failure of coalition talks and a new election.

Clinton jabs GOP field on immigration policy

H

ILLARY Rodham Clinton said a Republican in the White House would mark a “big U-turn” for the nation and assailed the GOP presidential field’s stance on an immigration overhaul.

Asked about Jeb Bush, the Democratic presidential candidate said: “He doesn’t believe in a path to citizenship. If he did at one time, he no longer does.”

In an interview with CNN, Clinton said the Republican presidential contenders range “across

•Hilary Clinton a spectrum of being either grudgingly welcome or hostile toward immigrants.”

Campaigning in one of

Pope’s ‘homecoming’ tour moves from Ecuador to Bolivia

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OPE Francis showed his sense of humor during the last few hours of his trip to Ecuador yesterday straying from a prepared speech to joke with people who came to see him at a shrine near the highland capital Quito.

“I have a prepared script but I don’t want to

read it,” said the 78-yearold pope to laughs from the crowd, before asking them to pray for him so that he would never forget where he came from.

“Do not fall into a spiritual Alzheimer’s, do not forget!” Francis added in a totally improvised speech.

the most liberal pockets of Iowa, Clinton offered herself up as a Democratic standard-bearer at a time when her main Democratic rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, has generated big crowds and stoked interest among progressives.

Clinton also addressed criticism that she has avoided scrutiny, taking questions from reporters and then sitting down for her first national television interview since starting her campaign.

Clinton cited her husband’s eight years in office as a time of strong economic growth that helped not only the wealthy but the poor as well. She said Republicans afterward left President Barack Obama to tend to an economic crisis.

“Right now our country deserves to keep moving forward, not to do a big U-turn going back to where we came from,” Clinton said at the Iowa City Public Library.

•Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan greets parliamentarians as he arrives to watch a swearing-in ceremony in Ankara, recently.

US to cut 40,000 soldiers from Army

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HE US Army is to cut 40,000 soldiers from its ranks over the next two years at home and abroad, a defense official said, in a move that will raise doubts about its ability to fight wars.

Congress Voted Against Directly Arming Iraq’s Kurds. Here’s What That Means For The ISIS Fight.

Huffington Post Under the cost-cutting plan, the Army will be down to 450,000 soldiers at the end of the 2017 budget year, even though in 2013 it argued in budgetary documents that going below 450,000 troops might mean it could not win a war, USA Today said.

By comparison, the Army swelled to 570,000 men and women during the peak of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the newspaper said. Some 17,000 civilians working for the Army will also be laid off, the official told AFP, confirming the USA Today report.

The paper quoted a document it had obtained and said the cuts are being made to save money.

It will affect virtually every Army post domestically and abroad, USA Today said The defense official told AFP that the Army plans to announce the cuts soon, with USA Today adding that the matter would be addressed this week.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 57

At least 22 killed in Algerian ethnic clashes

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Eritrea blames migration on human trafficking A

top Eritrean diplomat said human traffickers, not rights abuses, were driving people to leave the impoverished African country, after a U.N. body accused the government of presiding over forced labor, torture and other rights violations.

Ambassador Tesfamicael Gerahtu told Reuters in Geneva on Tuesday there was an international “conspiracy” to tarnish Eritrea, saying Western nations had in part been swayed to act against it by regional rivals.

Eritrea, one of the most tightly controlled countries in Africa, has long accused its much larger neighbour Ethiopia — with which it fought a 1998-2000 war over a disputed border — and others in the region of trying to destabilize it.

Ethiopia and Eritrea have regularly traded accusations, while nearby Somalia and Djibouti have pushed for greater U.N. scrutiny of human rights in Eritrea.

The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR says 5,000 people flee Eritrea each month and many end up being picked up in the Mediterranean trying to cross to Europe. Those who make it often say they are fleeing indefinite military conscription and other abuses.

Tesfamicael dismissed these charges, saying the number of migrants

A migrant rests near a banner that reads ‘’We won’t go’’ on the rocks of the seawall at the Saint Ludovic border crossing on the Mediterranean Sea between Vintimille, Italy and Menton, France, June 16, 2015. leaving Eritrea was “insignificant” and that many of those claiming to be Eritrean in order to secure asylum were lying.

The figure of 5,000 was a manipulated statistic, he said.

“The whole ideological apparatus of the Western

WANDA’S main opposition party opened a case in the Supreme Court yesterday seeking to prevent constitutional change that would allow President Paul Kagame to run for a third term seven-year in office.

The debate about term limits and challenges to veteran leaders has flared in several places in Africa.

The United States and other Western nations have been pressing African leaders to stick to constitutional rules on presidential terms.

Yesterday’s supreme court case was quickly adjourned after the lawyer for the Democratic Green Party failed to appear. One party official told Reuters lawyers had been fearful about taking on the case.

Senior members of the ruling party have urged scrapping of the two-term limit and parliament has said it would debate public

want to discourage migrants from making the perilous and often fatal journey to Europe.

Tesfamicael repeated accusations that Ethiopia was meddling in his country — something Addis Ababa routinely denies.

of indigenous Namibians a century ago constituted a “genocide” that stemmed

petitions calling for Kagame to stay beyond 2017.

Kagame has said he opposes a change but is “open” to being convinced.

The Democratic Green Party, a tiny party but the only vocal political opposition in a nation where rights groups say critics and free speech are stifled, opened proceedings by explaining that the lawyer who was to represent them had not turned up.

•Rwanda President Paul Kagame

for news weekly Die Zeit, said the Herero and Nama peoples had been systematically targeted for massacre by German imperial troops.

“Using today’s standards of international law, the crushing of the Herero revolt was genocide,” he wrote.

“There were tens of thousands of Herero and Nama victims, not only through fighting but also illness and the targeted killing through allowing people to die of thirst and hunger,” he said.

“Others died in

and cattle and taking their women, the Herero people launched a revolt in January 1904 with warriors butchering 123 German civilians over several days.

The Nama tribe joined the uprising in 1905.

The colonial rulers responded ruthlessly and General Lothar von Trotha signed a notorious extermination order against the Hereros.

Rounded up in prison camps, captured Namas and Hereros died from malnutrition and severe weather. Dozens were beheaded after their deaths

one local official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media. “We hope the situation will improve. Tribal leaders have been mediating.”

Fifteen people died of wounds on Tuesday night and another four people died of their wounds in hospital on Wednesday, a local medical source told Reuters.

Most Mozabites live in the desert region around Ghardaia province but some are based in northern areas.

About 70 Mozabites staged a rally in Algiers yesterday to urge authorities to take urgent measures to end confrontations there.

Some protesters carried banners that read ‘I, Ghardaia’ among others, witnesses said.

S/Sudan rebel warns president of more fighting

S

OUTH Sudan’s rebel leader yesterday warnedof renewed fighting, saying President Salva Kiir ’s new three-year mandate was illegal and the people had the right to “rise up and overthrow his regime” if he stayed on.

Riek Machar made his statement in the capital of

A century on, Germany speaks of ‘genocide’ in Namibia concentration camps and in slave labour.”

HE speaker of the from a “race war”.

Incensed by German Norbert Lammert, T German parliament, yesterday said the slaughter writing in a guest column settlers stealing their land

Rwanda court hears case to block third presidential term

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countries has been mobilized against Eritrea, believe it or not,” he said.

“Human trafficking networks have been established even in the major cities of Western countries.”

U.N. refugee officials at camps near Eritrea say they

T least 22 people have been killed in ethnic clashes between Arab and Amazigh communities around the Algerian desert town of Ghardaia, with several businesses and homes burned down, medical sources and state media said yesterday.

The violence that erupted over the weekend was some of the worst in years in the flashpoint region where tensions often run high between Arabs and Mozabite Berbers - one of the Amazigh people of North Africa - competing for jobs, houses and land.

Security forces were sending reinforcements in a bid to calm renewed clashes that intensified on Monday and Tuesday night.

“Most of the victims died after being struck in the head by projectiles,” said

•Speaker of the German parliament, Norbert Lammert and their skulls sent to German researchers in Berlin for “scientific” experiments.

neighboring Kenya as South Sudan’s parliament speaker formally extended Kiir’s term for three more years, as approved by lawmakers in a March vote.

Rebels say parliament did not have the right to take such action, in a nation that has been mired in conflict since December 2013.

“Should President Kiir remain adamant and refuse to hand over power to the people, then the citizens have every right to rise up and overthrow his regime,” Machar said, adding Kiir’s term ended from midnight on July 8.

“This is not an elected president. This is a coup leader,” he said.

Fighting between forces loyal to Kiir and rebels allied with Machar plunged South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, into a civil war in December 2013.

South Sudan will mark four years of independence from Sudan on Thursday.

“You cannot see any country developing while fighting internal insurgence or fighting an external enemy, because whatever you have in your economy you have to give it to the fighting forces,” he said.

Zimbabwean police drive out vendors in cleanup operation

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INOR scuffles broke out as Zimbabwean police made good on a pledge to drive vendors from the capital’s crowded sidewalks yesterday.

It was the first day of a cleanup drive that will continue until vendors move into permitted areas, said Michael Chideme, Harare city council spokesman.

“Sanity has to return to Harare but vendors have to go first for that to happen,” said Chideme. “It is a process, so we don’t expect to remove all of them

overnight because they are too many.”

Some of the vendors held up placards as they were removed and threatened to take revenge in the next general election, with one vendor carrying a cardboard box with the message “Let’s meet 2018 elections” written in thick black letters.

Many vendors in the city center continued to do business while police targeted other areas. With little chance of formal employment in Zimbabwe’s struggling economy.

A vendor carries his goods after he was evicted from the streets by Zimbabwean police in Harare,yesterday.

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Effect positive change in National Theatre —Ali-Balogun

By Chris Onuoha

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HE issue of concessioning of National Theatre has been one with many sides as stakeholders and public have asked questions concerning the overall intent of Federal government in concessioning the place. They are of the view that with the wind of change that is blowing in all the areas of the country, there is the need to do a proper assessment of the move to save the country from the imminent danger the neglect of the place will cause.

National theatre is one big investment that requires huge fund to maintain and federal government in a bit to keep up the edifice which serves as one of the national prides decided to concession it. The deal as vaguely understood by some stakeholders sparked some outcries as why it should be sold.

Numerous beneficiaries of the outfit, such as thespians, artists, creative industry practitioners and the general public have cried out loud concerning their eviction and deprivation from

usage of their once revered base of operation without a bequeathing alternative.

As the whole business of concession still stands vague to the general public, proper definition of the transaction was made known to mean sale of fallow land surrounding the building which in the original master plan,was meant to compliment the edifice.

While stakeholders relentlessly aired their views on the issue, one, whose worries over the state of affairs of national theatre are still not defined, is Mahmood AliBalogun, the first president of NANTAP, who in a chart with media at Freedom Park, Lagos recently bemoans on how the concession deal has been

He laments that the place do really require an urgent attention to bring it up to its original self, if not elevated status

*National theatre handled.

Mahmood, after recalling the enviable state of the edifice during the tenure of Ahmed Yerima as General Manager laments that the place do really require an urgent attention to bring it up to its original self, if not elevated status.

Previous administrators Ali who acknowledged the efforts of previous administrators of national theatre to keep up the good status of the place, said that the current executives under Yusuf Kabir have done sort of disservice to the place with some uncomely measures that inadvertently reduced the patronage for example Booking prices were jerked up, even with dysfunctional facilities. The theatre environ especially, The Abeg spot opposite Yusuf’s office also attracts nefarious nocturnal misdemeanours, thus debasing

the integrity of the only nation’s art edifice.

Mamoud argued “Why can’t the federal government do a thorough positive transformation change of national theatre like it happened in other areas like Freedom Park, Lagos, rather, people come, collect subvention without any tangible results. If urgent steps should be taken to rectify things, the institution will bring in international patronage and reposition the place to its original status.”

According to him, “Federal government was genuinely very interested in concessioning the place because it will help to alleviate its own burden as well as generates money to cushion service effects on the existing facilities.

Meanwhile, as good as government’s intention is a welcome development, the way and manner the project is been handled is not in good faith with stakeholder’s expectations. Also,

*Mahmood Ali Balogun stakeholders are not been carried along in the whole process.”

Mamoud also decried that the current administrator of the National theatre , Yusuf Kabir has not really paved way for smooth operation judging from its inexplicable interception of genuine processes to forestall viable project that will work for the place.

He said, critical projects or assignment which should be given to competent people always ends in the hands of politicians or people within a caucus who will always suggest someone that will not perform.

Female culture stakeholders seek ways to promote culture

By Prisca Sam Duru

T

he first congress of women stakeholders in the Nigerian cultural industries in the Federal and States Culture Agencies as

well as culture based organizations at the directorate level, was held recently at the Conference Room of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), National Theatre Annex, Lagos.

Participants at the meeting decried how the political leadership and social e l i t e s h a v e trampled o n Nigeria’s p r o u d cultural assets over the years by promoting foreign cultural brands at t h e

expense of local products made by Nigerian cultural industries, to the detriment of the country ’s creative economy.

They therefore agreed that the Congress of Women in Cultural Industries (CWICI) will not only seek to articulate varied and genuine concerns of women in culture but will aim at becoming the trusted umbrella body with different categories of membership and

a cogent voice for all women active in the cultural industries of Nigeria.

The Director of NICO Training School, Mrs. Brigitte Yerima, who opened the floor for other speakers at the event, stated that the newly formed CWICI, is a veritable platform to create awareness of activities of women in the culture sector in order to optimize the opportunities for wealth creation and increased

productivity from the abundant cultural resources of Nigeria.

Also, a Director with Centre for Black African Arts & Civilization (CBAAC), Dr. (Lady) Gloria Chuma-Ibe, expressed hope that the newly formed body of women in culture will tremendously benefit many women especially the younger generation of female culture stakeholders.

* Wo m e n c u l t u r e stakeholders

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 59

*A cultural performace during the World Theatre Day celebration by NANTAP

welcomed even when it has done so.” She said.

Quoting from Martin Luther’s words, “Non violence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation.

The foundation of such a method is love” Corroborating her views in line with theatre, she said, “Theatre encompasses such a wide range of experience for both audience and

Award galore as NANTAP commemorates World Theatre Day

By Chris Onuoha

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HE National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Lagos State chapter joined other thespians globally to mark “World Theatre Day (WTD)” in Lagos. The event which originally holds in March was shifted due the elections in the country, but bent on moving with other countries the group held its own leg of it in an epoch event which also featured the celebration of distinguished thespians and cultural ambassadors and investiture of World Theatre Day (WTD) Distinguished Personality, Bolanle AustenPeters.

The event which was held on Friday June 26 at National Art Theatre, Lagos, was chaired by Rilwanu Bello-Osagie and Connie Price, Country Director British Council, Lagos as guest speaker.

Theatre practitioners It also attracted stakeholders in art and culture industry like Prof. Duro Oni of University of Lagos, theatre practitioners, stage drama aficionados in a culturally embellished style laced with performances by indigenous dance groups Sound and Sight de l’Afrique, The Great Crown Troupe of Africa and with a stint of hilarious rib crack from ace comedian Teju Baby face.

Rilwanu Bello-Osagie, the chairman of the event alongside other speakers commented on the significant role theatre played as bedrock of entertainment industry in the country under which Nollywood thrived. They all commended NANTAP’s effort in recognizing thespians and especially the gaits of Bolanle Austen-Peters who they described as an epitome of resilience and success story.

On her part, British Council Country Director in Lagos, Connie Price described Austen-Peters' award as an honour well deserved for an emerging Amazon, adding that

Theatre is a critical tool for conflict management, an engaging approach that support the peace building and conflict resolution agenda

“she is a dynamic, innovative game changer with strong passion and drive for moving theatre forward.”

In her address titled, “Theatre & Conflict Resolution in the 21st Century”, she said that theatre is a good tool for conflict resolution in the society.

The soft spoken and articulate Connie hinged on concept of conflict, interpretation of theatre and how theatre has stimulate and facilitate a deep and lasting change in societal responses to conflict.

“Theatre is one of the most powerful expressions of a culture and for thousands of years have been used to hold up a mirror to human society which has not always been

practitioners –through traditional performance in a space. Theatre has brought some of the most powerful practices into the sphere of conflict resolution – role modeling, practice, listening, mime, language and play.”

Speaking of conventional theatre as having nonparticipatory focus, she said that participatory theatre built on conventional platform gives an opportunity to address issues and provides an active way for the audience and community to become involved.

“Through the use of participatory theatre which addresses real social and

Nigerians join ICA to celebrate cultural heritage

By Vera Sam Anyagafu

T

HE Indian High Commission, in collaboration with Indian Cultural Association (ICA), once again demonstrated their commitment to building a stronger bi-national relationship with Nigeria.

This was evident at the just concluded international Yoga day celebration where citizens of both countries shared in the benefits of practicing Yoga, one of India’s age long cultural heritages at both premises of the India High Commission.

Describing the ceremony as an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition, the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra, in a massage, stated that Yoga embodies unity of both mind and body. He urged all to embrace the practice and discover the sense of oneness with one another.

According to the message which was sent to participants across the globe, “Yoga is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with ourselves, the world and

societal issues, public takes their time to reflect on the issues at stake, asks questions in order to find a common, sustainable solution to the present conflict.”

Finally, she advocates for need to look seriously at theatre as a critical tool for conflict management, an engaging approach that support the peace building and conflict resolution agenda.

Earlier, Lagos NANTAP chairman, Eki Faith Eboigbe who expressed gratitude to the distinguished guests said as the first female chairman of NANTAP Lagos, she has contributed milestone projects to the sustainability of the association.

She then appealled to government to come to aid of theatre practitioners.

“As we commemorate this day in celebration of the Artist and the practice of Theatre, NANTAP Lagos seize the opportunity to call attention to established policies on Art and Culture, and advocate areas of implementing sustainable structure that will create enabling environment for practitioners.”

The awardees were: Osita Ezenwanebe, Peace Anyiam Osigwe, Femi Odugbemi, Yemi Shodimu, Laja Adedoyin, Tunji Bamishigbin and Efe Omorogbe for Cultural Ambassadors while Lancelot Imasuen Oduwa led the Certified Thespian award recipients alongside Ejike Asiegbu, Bunmi Davies, Pat Oghre Imobhio, Rogers Ofime, Teju BabyFace Oyelakin, Najite Dede and Emem Isong.

Kids display visual angle of colour of God

By Abiodun Alade

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•Yoga culture, a gift of ancient Indian tradition nature.” “It embodies unity of mind, thought and action, restraint and fulfillment, harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and well-being”, he added.

Lending a voice to the Prime Minister ’s massage, the

The practice of Yoga is widely considered as an immortal cultural outcome of the Indus Sarawati civilisation

General Secretary, Indian Cultural Association, Mr. Sanjeev Tandon, who reiterated his association’s resolve to maintain the ancient practice with their Nigerian friends, pointed out that ICA will continue in efforts towards a progressive Nigerian –Indian bi-national relation in all sectors of both countries economy, including intra-cultural celebrations.

He further stated that the practice, which is widely considered as an immortal cultural outcome of the Indus Saraswati Civilisation, dated back to2700 BC and has proven itself to carter to both material and spiritual uplift of humanity.

ll is now set for a special exhibition by children and teens of St Andrews Anglican Church Ojota road Ogudu, Lagos. The exhibition which will feature about thirty colourful, inspired work created by children and teens is scheduled to open from 11th -12th July 2015, at the Church Gallery.

According to the organisers, the children art exhibition tagged “What Colour is God”, is put together as part of the church’s 2015 Harvest of Increase celebration and hosted by the Apostle of Peace (AOP) society.

“This exhibition align with our vision as a society and is an important opportunity to showcase who God is to the community, kindling the creativity of our children and to provide the flavor of what the church intend to achieve when the proposed children and teen church is completed,” said Eze Afieroho, Program Director of the Harvest 2015.

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CANCER; You will have your ways; much will depend on how ambitious you are, the bigger your aspiration the better. Take your tried and trusted friends seriously.

LEO; Here is an ambitious day for many of you and with moderation things will go according to your plans.

Financial success is actually close to you than you think.

VIRGO; Make sure your plans for both immediate and far future are legal friendly. This is day of success you will need to savour with your partners/spouse.

LIBRA; Even if you think your health is ok you better make sure you confirm your fitness from your doctor before giving in to strenuous activities. Success at work indicated for those of you who are truly healthy. Be practical please.

SCORPIO; It will not be a bad idea trying to consolidate on progress made recently. And the more co-operative you are today the better it will be for you..

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Need a friend?

E RYO 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 closest friends is someone I met at the Bible College.

I was sitting in

in “Never say goodbye”

one corner of the room when he accosted me, asking: Can I shine your shoe? And I quickly answered: Yes, you can. Tell me, who wouldn’t reciprocate such a friendly gesture?

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS; You will be in good position to take good advantage within your working arena.. Don’t wait till tomorrow before you make important future plans.

CAPRICORN; Tomorrow may bring more challenges than anticipated that is why you will need to prosecute your plans now. Lovers are fairly favoured.

AQUARIUS; Those of you who are moderate and practical with their financial plans are in for a good day.

Live up to expectation within your family circle.

PISCES; Success is within your reach but you must do away with mental arrogance and take good and practical advice from the professionals. Work harder.

ARIES; Your being enterprising will go a long way to further enhance your prospects and if financial advancement is your priority you will fare better. Be more loving.

TAURUS; Prepare to take the lead and exhibit your special talent. Advice from younger people may look good but not practical enough thus if you must take advice today take it from matured personality who may appear authoritative.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

GEMINI; Element of luck will work in your favour, however that is not to say you can not back your reasonable plans with practical action. Keep your secrets.

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,

Early death for me?

Dear Joshua, I am not having any terminal disease but some times am afraid of life. Bluntly ‘am I meant for early death? What are my weak points health-wise? Please tell me about my career line.

Adewale, Abeokuta.

Dear Adewale, You are not meant for sudden death but that should not be a license for reckless life style. Although Cancer is said to be one of weak Star signs, with potent and positive aspects the Sun and Mercury got from planets in Virgo and more powerful Scorpio yours is a strong constitution meant for good health. .

Certainly you must have gone through rough times when you were younger, once you are out of it your health path is clearer. And nothing is pointing to early death.

Naturally Cancer born people must be more careful about their tummy (stomach related ailments) and you are not an exception. Other thing you will need to watch carefully include the circulatory system (because of Aquarius influence). Your sense of taste is distinctive and capable of making you a little bit stout as a result of little enlargement of liver because of your sugar intake, which you can control perfectly. As a tropical man fever can come and go, but nothing fatalistic here please.. If you notice toothache symptom do not ignore it.

But yours is a sound and good health, astrologically.

Mercury –the planet of education and Accountancy, together with mighty Sun at positive angle to planets in Virgo (another Accounting Star sign) attracted you to both Accountancy profession and the academic world.

Truly you did not make wrong choice of career.

Money will eventually come along this line but it’ll not be as faster as if you take to OIL RELATED BUSINESS. Because Neptune (the planet of OIL) was very comfortable when you were born. It will not be out of place if you have filling stations as time goes by, because you are basically a GAS PERSON. Another money spinning vocation for you include writing either along your line or for film making industry; it is important you exhibit the higher quotient of creativity in your innerself. Politics is another area you are not looking at now but will surely come. Do you say why? Because Aquarius is equally political.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 61

NFF hires foreign coach to assist Rivaldo makes comeback at 43 Oliseh

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

T

HE first time the Nigeria Football Federation contacted Sunday Oliseh for Eagles’ job, the former national team captain declined on one condition: He was to assist a yet to be employed foreign coach.

This was shortly after NFF announced they were parting ways with Keshi when Sudan beat Eagles, one of the defeats that contributed to Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the last Nations Cup. Oliseh politely turned down the offer even before external forces imposed Keshi on the federation. Oliseh felt his pedigree would earn him the top job and not to assist anybody. He wanted to be in charge and take full responsibility. The Pinnick Amaju-led federation respected his position and left him out and succumbed to the pressure to re-engage Keshi.

And now that they have, again, parted ways with Keshi, the federation has, again engaged a foreign coach to coach the Super Eagles. But the foreign coach, a Dutch, will be under Oliseh who assumes the office of Chief Coach or Technical Adviser.

The deal has already been sealed and Oliseh and his assistant will be unveiled in Abuja next week. The contracts were signed in London Tuesday.

“You can even report that Jay Jay Okocha is the next Eagles coach,” Amaju Pinnick jokingly said when we contacted him for confirmation Tuesday night.

He would not discuss further details but only expressed excitement about the roles the Eagles coaches are expected to play in the development of football in Nigeria. He spoke to this reporter from London and these were his words.

“There will be workshops and coaching clinics for Nigerian coaches. The Eagles’

C M Y K

coaches will be touring Nigeria to watch league matches and not like in the recent past when our national coaches failed to monitor our leagues.

We are initiating so many things that will help our football. We will develop the game and also aim to present a good team for the next World Cup. I can see a bright future”.

Keshi was accused of applying for another job while still with contract.

The NFF terminated his contract on Saturday.

Oliseh is highly respected at home and abroad. His television soccer analysis earns him kudos. He is now expected to practice what he preaches on television. In principle, he is always firm. And this paints a picture of his character and should, perhaps, educate the federation on the need to make things plain to the new helmsman. This reporter recalls when he refused to cringe before a bullying sports ministry at the 2002 Nations Cup in Mali. The players ended the group stage without bonuses.

Oliseh, as captain, ensured there was peace and no agitation.

“We believe that the ministry does not have our money yet. And we believe that they will pay the money when they receive it. We are here for the matches and we hope to continue to win. We are focused on the tournament and not our bonuses for we know they will surely be paid later,” Oliseh told the then sports minister, Mark Aku, in response to the minister ’s plea that they should be patient over their bonuses. Applause followed Oliseh’s maturity and response.

But when money was eventually sent from Abuja, the ministry announced changes in flight ticket refunds.

This was midway into the tournament and the players felt that they had stomached enough.

It angered them. They downed their boots for a day and went into the semi final match against Senegal with audible grumbles. They lost and coaches Shaibu Amodu and Stephen Keshi were

R

•Oliseh disengaged from the team.

Adegboye Onigbinde was engaged to take the team to the World Cup. Oliseh, George Finidi and a few others were also dropped from the World Cup team. It was the height of injustice in Eagles and the results of the Korea-Japan World Cup possibly added weight to the law of karma.

Thirteen years on Oliseh is back at the national team as coach.

This will delight former NFA chairman, Yusuf Ali who, before now, strongly campaigned for the engagement of Oliseh as Super Eagles coach even as Oliseh was yet to take up any known top coaching job.

“He is intelligent and it is on that basis that I want him as coach. If it means Oliseh assisting a foreign coach and eventually taking over they should consider that for he is a brilliant guy,” Ali repeatedly told this reporter who equally published his views on these pages.

“Yes, Oliseh has been signed,” one top NFF member confirmed last night. He also confirmed the Dutch assistant.

Samson Siasia hired Kalika, a Dutch, as his assistant from the Flying Eagles to his Olympic and Super Eagles days.

Clemens Westerhof is generally rated as the best foreign coach Nigeria ever had. He is Dutch also.

IVALDO returned to action at the age of 43 on Tuesday in a bid to kickstart Mogi Mirim’s campaign in Brazil’s second division, but it was only after the former world player of the year went off that his team were able to claim their first win.

Rivaldo, who is club president, said last month he planned to help out only occasionally but the 2002 World Cup winner started Tuesday’s game against Náutico in Serie B. He missed a chance to give his side the lead when he shot wide midway through the first half and also had a freekick saved by the goalkeeper Júlio César during the second half.

Rivaldo was substituted in the 68th minute with his side trailing 1-0, and two minutes later Mogi Mirim were level.

Serginho grabbed the equaliser and then went

in London on Tuesday.

“An offer has been made, and there is understanding, but we have to work out the final details of the agreement in a few days.

Of course, the Executive Board has to give approval for his appointment based on the final terms to be agreed,” said Felix Anyansi-Agwu, chairman of the NFF Technical and D e v e l o p m e n t Committee.

Oliseh will come with a Foreign Technical Assistant, whose job description will centre around development programmes, and who will work with Clubs’

on to score the winner two minutes before time, giving Mogi Mirim their first win in 11 outings.

“After one year and three months, I started training back again and went out to play at a match after just 20 days and that inspires any younger player,” said Rivaldo. “I helped the team get out of this predicament. We are still in a difficult situation and we are doing our best to get out of it.”

Emenike to replace Gyan at Al Ain

E

MMANUEL Emenike is set for a loan move to Al Ain in the UAE to replace Ghana

•Emenike

••• confirms negotiations with Sunday Oliseh T HE Nigeria F o o t b a l l Federation has confirmed it is in talks with former Super Eagles’ captain Sunday Oliseh with regards to the vacant position of the team’s Head Coach.

At the weekend, the NFF terminated the appointment of another former captain, Stephen Keshi, over breaches of core terms of his contract.

Following the encouragement of a team of the NFF Technical and Development Committee that is working on filling the vacant position, Sunday Oliseh met with NFF President Amaju Pinnick

•Rivaldo

Youth Teams and certified Academies towards developing the game from the grassroots.

Current stand-in Coach Salisu Yusuf will also be in the new team, but with greater devotion to the home-based team, otherwise known as Super Eagles B, and will be the interface between the technical crew and the home boys.

•Pinnick

striker Asamoah Gyan, who is moving to China.

Al Ain have accepted an offer for Gyan from Shanghai SIPG, who are coached by ex-England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.

The 29-year-old arrived in China on Wednesday to undergo a medical and finalise a contract with Shanghai SIPG. Emenike is due to arrive in the UAE on Thursday to complete a season-long loan from Turkish side Fenerbahce.

Enyimba Continued from BP Premier League champions, lost 4-2 on penalties to Plateau United, after regulation time ended in a goalless draw.

Enyimba, Federation Cup winners in the last two years, crashed out after losing 3-1 on penalties to second-tier side Remo Stars. The teams were drawn 1-1 after 90 minutes.

In another fixture that saw two NPFL sides squaring up, Heartland edged out Sharks 1-0, while Rangers thrashed Kukuruku FC 3-0.

In other results, Prime FC advanced 5-3 via a penalty shootout (both teams played 1-1 during 120 minutes); Kwara United had to also rely on spot kicks to see off ABU 5-3, while Lobi Stars pipped Niger Tornadoes by a lone goal.

62 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Transfer...Transfer....Transfer...Transfer....

Gyan joins Eriksson at Shanghai A

SAMOAH Gyan has completed his move from United Arab Emirates champions Al Ain to Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG. The Ghana captain formally left the UAE club yesterday in order to complete his medical at Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side.

“I want to really thank the entire Al Ain club and its fans for the support they have given me in my time here,” Gyan said.

“At Al Ain we were able to achieve a lot of things and I tell you this club will remain in my heart forever.

“It is however time to embrace a new challenge and hopefully this new challenge will be as successful or even better than my time here at Al Ain.” After joining Al Ain from Sunderland in 2011, he played a key role in securing three

•Gyan UAE Pro League titles, one President’s Cup and one Super Cup for the UAE club, scoring 113 goals in the process.

During that period of domestic success, he also helped the club reach the 2014 AFC Champions League semi-finals and was subsequently named the competition’s best foreign player.

R

EADING Women’s striker Fran Kirby has signed for Chelsea in a deal which sees her become the most expensive player in the history of British female football.

Dubbed the ‘Mini Messi’, 22-year-old Kirby was one of the stars of England’s successful Women’s World Cup campaign and moves from Reading, where she has played since she was eight.

In a statement, Reading said all the money would allow them to keep their team “progressing in their current manner”.

Everton, Newcastle slug it out for Wijnaldum

N

EWCASTLE face competition from Everton as they attempt to capture Holland international Georginio Wijnaldum.

The Magpies have spent several weeks engaged in discussions

Alderweireld faces legal battle after Spurs deal

T

OBY Alderweireld may have completed a dream move to Tottenham – but the Belgium defender could still be involved in a legal wrangle between Southampton and Atletico Madrid.

The 26-year-old moves to White Hart Lane having spent last season on loan with Ronald Koeman’s Southampton, who had a deal in place to sign the former Ajax man.

Under the terms of the loan, Atletico could pay £1.5million to Saints to cancel that agreement but the south coast club claim that the La Liga outfit did not do so in time and therefore believe they should have been the front-runners to sign Alderweireld.

Despite the uncertainty over any outstanding fee or potential legal proceedings, the player completed a move to White Hart Lane – where he will join up with at least three familiar faces from his international team.

‘Mini Messi’ joins Chelsea in record deal

•Alderweireld

with PSV Eindhoven over the highly-rated midfielder with managing director Lee Charnley understood to have travelled to Holland on Tuesday in yet another attempt to secure a deal.

However, it is understood Everton have now formalised their interest in Wijnaldum, although fresh speculation on Wednesday morning suggested a fee of £15million had now been agreed between Newcastle and PSV. Toffees’ midfielder James McCarthy has been linked with a bigmoney move to Tottenham this summer, and Wijnaldum would represent a worthy replacement should that deal materialise.

That would come as a huge blow to Newcastle, who identified the player as one of their major

PAIN international Daniel Carvajal has signed a five-year contract

•Carvajal

extension with Real Madrid.

The 23-year-old’s new deal will keep him at the Santiago Bernabeu until June 30, 2020.

Carvajal came up through the ranks at Real Madrid but was sold to Bayer Leverkusen in 2012 after failing to make an appearance for Real’s first team.

The defender enjoyed an excellent season in the Bundesliga in 2012/13,

prompting Real to take up their option to buy back the player the following summer.

Carvajal was a fixture in Carlo Ancelotti’s starting line-up over the past two seasons but faces competition for his place next season from incoming FC Porto right-back Danilo.

The Spanish giants completed the signing of the Brazilian international for £23m in April on a sixyear deal.

“It goes without saying that I’m very excited about moving to Chelsea, and I can’t wait to get started at a new club,” Kirby said.

“But at the same time I am leaving behind so many memories at Reading.

“To have success with all my team-mates at Reading, played for England in the World Cup and now make this move, it’s all a little bit surreal to be honest.”

Sterling shuns Liverpool training

R

•Wijnaldum. targets at a transfer summit in the immediate aftermath of Steve M c C l a r e n ’ s appointment last month, but the Magpies still appear to be in pole position.

Carvajal extends Real deal

S

•Fran Kirby

•Raheem Sterling

AHEEM Sterling failed to report for training at Liverpool yesterday after claiming he is ill.

Sterling’s no show at Melwood comes after he told manager Brendan Rodgers he wants to be omitted from their preseason tour of the Far East and Australia as he looks to force through a move to Manchester City.

Liverpool offered no comment on the development. It would be standard practice in this situation for the club to send a doctor to the player’s house to assess the seriousness of the illness.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015 — 63

Ultimate F/ball Challenge comes to Lagos

T

radio game show that has held the entire SouthEastern Nigeria spellbound since its debut in early 2015 is set to start airing in Lagos from Friday 10th July. Rated as one of the most exciting game shows on radio, the Ultimate Football Challenge is designed to provide football fans with a unique dimension to enjoy the sport and get rewarded for it.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of BrandXpose Mr. Austen Umeania, the Ultimate Football Challenge has amassed a huge followership since it commenced in Enugu and it’s time to expand that fan base to the biggest playing HE

field in Nigeria which is Lagos.

In his words, “the program’s content is unique and exciting, and the reward is very valuable.

In each episode, more than 50 people call-in to participate.

The excitement is electric and the platform is a great communication medium for brands that are geared towards the youth segment”. The Ultimate Football Challenge is a live game show where listeners call-in, test their knowledge on different questions about the game of football and get rewarded with mobile phones and other exciting prizes based on their performance.

AFN golden league: Brume targets big jump

By Ben Efe

C

OMMONWEALTH and African long jumpchampion,EseBrume is hoping to put her 2015 season back on track at the Athletics Federation of Nigeria golden league meet Saturday at the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State.

Brume, with a personal best of 6.68m, came into limelight last year, when she won back to back titles at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the African championships in Marakesh, Morocco. She stated that her aim is to repeat the feat at the All Africa Games, but her first

outing this season at the first golden league meet in Onitsha didn’t match her expectations.

“That was why I did not go to the Abuja golden league. I wanted to train and get back into form. I will be in Akure to put things back together,”said the soft spoken Brume who is also theAfricanjuniorchampion.

In other events, Nicholas Imhoaperamhe and Nkem Ezealah, will be aiming to consolidate their hold in the men and women 100m respectively. Oluwatosin Adeloye will also seek to improveonhertiminginthe women’s 400 metres.

GOtv Boxing Night: No more power failure —Alumona assures

By Jacob Ajom

T

HE Managing Director of Flykite Productionsandpromoterof GOtvBoxingNight,Jenkins Alumona, has disclosed that his outfit has put to rest the problem of power outage during its promotions.

He has therefore assured that future promotions will no longer experience power outage, as was witnessed in the last boxing night.

In a chat with media men athisofficeinIkeja,Alumona said, ‘’what happened that night will never rear its ugly headagainbecausewehave purchased three 150kva generating sets to be on

standby. We won’t be depending on the generating set provided by stadium management.’’

Reviewing the past promotions with a team of journalists,Alumonasaidhe was happy that the GOtv Boxing Nights have impacted positively on the Nigerian boxing scene. ‘ ’I have noticed a tremendous growing enthusiasm for boxing among Nigerians and peoplearebeginningtowant to identify with what we are doing,’’ he said.

Alumona, however, noted that it is not all rosy as potential sponsors are yet to key into it.

Wimbledon Special...Wimbledon Special

Murray ready for a showdown with Federer •Semifinal

A

NDY Murray set up a Wimbledon semifinal showdown with Roger Federer as the world No 3 eased to a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win against unseeded Canadian Vasek Pospisil last Wednesday.

Murray illuminated a rainy day at the All England Club with a ruthlessly efficient display, collecting his 150th Grand Slam match victory to move a step closer to his second Wimbledon title.

The 28-year-old Scot will make his 17th Grand Slam semifinal appearance, and his sixth at the All England Club, against seven-time champion Federer on Friday.

“I felt like I played some good stuff considering he served extremely well for long periods,” Murray said.

“It was tough because we stopped a few times and it was difficult conditions.

“I’ve loved playing here over the years. I’ve played some of my best tennis here.

“I hope I can get to another final but it will be a tough one.”

Although Murray lost his only previous Wimbledon clash with Federer in the 2012 final and trails their head to head 11-12, he can take heart from his demolition of the Swiss great in the Olympic final at the All England Club later that year.

I C T O R I A Azarenka claimed that women players are unfairly pilloried for their on-court shrieking and grunting and blasted boozy Wimbledon fans for mocking her as well as rivals Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.

Azarenka and Williams cranked up the volume on Center Court on Tuesday during their gruelling quarterfinal, which the American won 3-6, 62, 6-3 to set up a semifinal clash with Sharapova.

As the encounter’s tension increased so did the mimicry of the fans inside the 15,000-capacity arena.

“I’m so tired of these questions all the time. It’s so annoying because guys grunt. I was practicing next to Rafael Nadal, and he grunts louder than me, and nobody noticed that,” said the former world No. 1.

“Why? Both the women on court are trying their

•Murray

Sharapova set to end Serena’s streak

•Sharapova

N

OW it’s Maria Sharapova’s turn at Wimbledon to try to put an end to Serena Williams’ bid for the third leg of a calendar-year Grand Slam - and a fourth

Azarenka fury at scream queen critics

V

•Federer

hardest and giving everything they have, and they make a noise. Is that a problem of tennis?

“It happens in every sport. So I think maybe it’s time to just put it aside and not talk about it all the time because this is not what is important when there are two players playing on the Center Court.

“We’ve got to look a little bit past that and see, Oh, my God, Serena played 24 aces. Look at the good stuff. Stop bringing this ridiculous stuff.

Let’s put aside the noise and how she looks, and look at the game.”

Azarenka believes fans on Center Court, many of them revelling in the tournament’s status as a major English social summer event as well as a sporting spectacle, should learn to behave. The Belarusian advised them to ease up on their alcohol intake when they are spending all day in the sun watching the tennis.

•Serena consecutive major title.

The No. 1-seeded Williams takes a 26-match Grand Slam winning streak, which began at last year ’s U.S. Open, into her semifinal today at the All England Club against No. 4 Sharapova.

And while Sharapova has spent time atop the rankings, too, and owns five major titles of her own, this has not been much of a rivalry on the court.

Off the court? Well, that’s another story. Most

infamously, in the run-up to Wimbledon two years ago, they exchanged barbs, via the media, connected to their respective love lives.

But with rackets in their hands, this has been a one-way street: Williams has won 17 of their 19 career meetings, including the past 16 in a row.

Both of Sharapova’s victories in the series came all the way back in 2004; one of those was in the Wimbledon final.

“I haven’t had great success against her. I would love to change that around,” Sharapova said.

“That’s how I look at it.”

Their most recent matchup came in the final of the Australian Open in January, when Williams won in straight sets for her 19th Grand Slam title. Williams then won the French Open last month for No. 20. In the Open era of professional tennis, which began in 1968, only Steffi Graf has won more, 22.

Federer breaks record in win

R

OGER Federer set a new serving record as he defeated Gilles Simon to book a Wimbledon semi-final with Andy Murray.

Swiss ace Federer extended his latest bid for a record eighth Wimbledon crown by dismissing France’s world number 13 Simon 6-3 7-5 6-2 in a commanding display of grass court mastery.

Wimbledon’s second seed eclipsed Wayne Arthurs’ 16-year-old record of 111 consecutive unbroken service games - reaching 116 in a run that began before Wimbledon, before dropping serve late in the second set - on his way to reaching a 10th semi-final in SW19.

Federer knew he would face the winner between Britain’s Murray and Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the last four, carrying with him the ominous portent that he has never lost in

the last four at Wimbledon.

Murray booked his semifinal place with a 6-4 7-5 6-4 victory over Vasek Pospisil.

Grass king Federer still covets that elusive eighth Wimbledon title that would push him past Pete Sampras into outright ownership of the greatest men’s haul at the All England Club. His imperious form in south-west London so far this year suggests only a performance of true magnitude will deny him that acclaim.

Federer had predicted his service streak would end against Frenchman Simon, who Kevin Anderson revealed at Queen’s Club dubs himself the “return genius”.

So it proved that the 33-year-old’s serving run came to an end, Simon stopping Federer serving out the second set, only for his form to collapse straight away.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2015

Rivaldo returns to playing at 43 Details inside

NFF hires foreign coach to assist Oliseh

•Rivaldo

Federer cruises into Wimbledon s/final

PERSONAL DATA

....

Confirms negotiations with Oliseh

Full name Sunday Oliseh Country Nigeria Age 40 Date of birth September 14 1974 Place of birth Abavo Height 1.83 m Weight 82 kg SENIOR CAREER YEARS, TEAMS 1990 - 1994 FC Liège 1994 - 1995 Reggiana 1996 - 1996 Nigeria (oly.)

1995 - 1997 1. FC Köln 1997 - 1999 Ajax 1993 - 2000 Nigeria 1999 - 2000 Juventus 2000 - 2002 Nigeria

•Oliseh

•Pinnick and Oliseh in London

2000 - 2002 Borussia Dortmund 2002 - 2003 Borussia Dortmund 2003 - 2004 VfL Bochum 2004 - 2005 Borussia Dortmund 2005 - 2006 Racing Genk ALL TITLES AND HONOURS TITLE TEAMS SEASON Bundesliga Borussia Dortmund2002 African Cup of Nations Nigeria1994 Eredivisie Ajax1998 Olympic Games Nigeria (oly.)1996

•Federer

Enyimba, Pillars crash out of Federation Cup

K

ANO Pillars and Enyimba Football Club of Aba were knocked out of this year ’s Federation Cup, round of 32, on Wednesday.

Pillars, the current Glo Continues on Page 61

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S ANSWERS YESTERDAY'S

ACROSS 4 Mark (5) 7 Named (6) 9 Because (3) 10 Through (3) 12 Scoop (5) 13 Servant (4) 15 Broom (5) 17 Condition (6) 19 Shove (4) 20 Applaud (5) 22 Sprite (3) 24 Mixed (7) 27 Vegetable (3) 28 Stadium (5) 31 Region (4) 33 Said (6) 35 Shrewder (5) 37 Twist (4) 38 Tree (5) 39 Immerse (3) 41 Line (3) 42 Debase (6) 43 Pale (5)

DOWN 1 Nuclear (6) 2 Fighting (6) 3 Material (3) 4 Unaccompanied (4) 5 Hobo (5) 6 Apparition (8) 8 Liability (4) 11 Demoted (9) 14 Consider (4) 16 Vend (4) 18 Excursion (4) 21 Bald (8) 23 Stunt (4) 25 Headland (4) 26 Sketched (4) 29 Revised (6) 30 Passionate (6) 32 Conscious (5) 34 Parched (4) 36 Press (4) 40 Fix (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Prop 4, Cap 6, Wail 9, Aid 10, Abnormal 11, Free 14, Col 16, Truly 19, Confused 21, Revel 23, Relegate 24, Final 27, Lie 31, Save 33, Adequate 34, Tin 35, Heed 36, Try 37, Lame.

DOWN: 2, Robe 3, Poor 4, Composer 5, Pill 6, Wafer 7, Air 8, Ideal 12, Scoff 13, Known 14, Cur 15, Level 17, Urban 18, Yokel 20, Delivery 22, Lee 25, Irate 26, Amend 28, Pant 29, Pull 30, Stem 32, Vie.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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