War of words in Senate over saraki

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62420

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Group MD of Skye Bank Plc., Timothy Oguntayo; flanked by Deputy MD, Amaka Onwughalu and Executive Director, SSouth/S-East, Retail, Ibiye Ekong, congratulating the first Reach for the Skye Millionaire winner during the launch of the bank's new retail banking roadmap tagged Retail for Transformation and Growth (R-TAG) held at the bank's Hqtrs on Tuesday.

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War of words in Senate over Saraki zLawan's Unity Forum threatens court action zInauguration followed due process— Saraki's Like Minds zNo going back to PDP, says Saraki zLawan, 27 other senators sworn-in as Senate President unfolds agenda zEmbrace Dogara, former speakers advise APC leadership zAPC naive, unprepared for governance, says PDP

zRMAFC begins review of salaries, allowances of political office holders•P.9

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor; Henry Umoru, Joseph Erunke, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Abiodun Alade

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BUJA— THE rumbles from Tuesday ’s election of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President continued, yesterday, with opponents and supporters of the nation’s new number three man stalking one another in furtherance of upturning or sustaining the new order.

Senator Saraki was

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236 of our colleagues dead, Osun pensioners protest 11 Mr & Mrs

SARAKI'S FIRST PLENARY SESSION: Senate President Bukola Saraki (M) going in for his first plenary session as President of Senate yesterday. Behind him is Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. Photo: NAN.

Ogogoro tragedy in Rivers: Death toll now 66 7 C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

FIRST PLENARY SESSION—Speaker, House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara (M) going in for his first plenary session at the floor of the House in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

War of words in Senate over Saraki Continues from Page 1 n e v e r t h e l e s s conciliatory towards his antagonists in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, as he dismissed insinuations of his imminent defection from the party.

His insistence nonetheless, the bad blood flowing from Saraki’s upset of the APC’s official nominee for Senate President flowed into the Senate session, yesterday, as the different camps in the party squabbled over the legitimacy of the inauguration.

Besides, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday, publicly snubbed a handshake from the Senate President at the

swearing-in of 28 senators who missed the oath-taking on Tuesday.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in its own intervention, chided the APC over its threat of sanctions on the new National Assembly leadership, saying the ruling party had proved to all that it was not prepared for governance.

Threats, as Saraki takes charge Meanwhile, associates of Senator Saraki were, yesterday, trying to explain circumstances under which Senator Ike Ekweremadu emerged Deputy Senate President over the camp’s earlier choice, Senator Ali

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Be like a duck, paddling and working very hard inside the water, but what everyone sees is a smiling and calm face — Manoj Arora

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OMPASSION is by nature gentle, peaceful and soft, but it is a very powerful virtue. It is those who easily lose their patience who are insecure and unstable.

So, when a problem first arises, try to remain calm and humble, and also maintain a sincere attitude and be concerned that the outcome is fair. Of course, others may try to take advantage of you, and if your remaining detached only encourages unjust aggression, adopt a strong stand. This, however, should be done with compassion, and if it is necessary to express your views and take strong countermeasures, do so without anger or ill-intent.

You should realize that even though your opponents appear to be harming you, in the end, their destructive activity will damage only themselves. In order to check your own selfish impulse to retaliate, you should recall your desire to practice compassion and assume responsibility for helping prevent the other person from suffering the consequences of his or her acts.

Ndume. This was upon mutual allegations of culpability between them and the camp of Senator Ahmad Lawan, the official APC candidate for Senate President, over the party’s loss of the office of Deputy Senate President to the PDP. The threat against Senator Saraki’s seat was made by supporters of Senator Lawan, who spoke under the aegis of the Unity Forum. The group vowed to seek redress in court as it alleged that the inauguration did not follow constitutional provisions.

At yesterday’s session, the first time he took full charge of the Senate, Senator Saraki commenced with the administration of the oath on his rival, Senator Lawan and 27 other APC senators absent at the formal inauguration of the 8th Senate on Tuesday.

The 28 Senators that took their oaths of office and allegiance were said to be waiting at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja, for President Muhammadu Buhari for a meeting, allegedly at the instance of the President at the time the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa began inauguration of the 8th Senate that started about 10:03 on Tuesday.

Senator Tinubu snubs Saraki’s handshake

But the oath-taking and allegiance witnessed a mild drama as Senator Oluremi Tinubu, APC, Lagos Central, held back her hands when the Senate President, in line with the tradition after administering the oath stretched out his hands to shake her.

After the exercise, the Senate entered into a closed-door session which lasted about 25 minutes. On returning to plenary, Senator Kabiru Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central) and a member of the Unity Forum raised a Point of Order, citing Order 15 and 43 bordering on his privilege.

Anger over Points of Order Senator Marafa stated that the report that 51 senators were absent at the time of inauguration portrayed him and others as “irresponsible members of the Senate”, stressing that “singular act caused a lot of embarrassment for me and my family who felt that I was absent.”

He also alleged that he was handed the Senate Standing Order 15 as amended, pointing out that as a member of the 7th Assembly, he could not recall when the Senate Standing Order was amended.

But the Senate President ruled him out of order because he did not take the required procedure of previously informing him, Senate President of his motion as stipulated by the order he quoted.

Senator Saraki also overruled Senator Barnabas Gemade (APC, Benue North-East) who also stood on Order 15 to object to the way and manner the Senate President ruled Marafa out of order as being “abrupt and too casual.”

However, Senator Mohammed Goje (APC, Gombe Central) while standing on the constitutional provision of Section 64 and subsection three of the Constitution said that the President was empowered to order proclamation of this Senate as he did.

He said: “For anybody to now say this hallowed chamber should ignore that constitutional provision which is the letter from Mr President, I think that person is saying that we should

disobey the Constitution of the country and disobey Mr. President.

And I want to say, let it be on record, that whoever decided to go for a meeting there is on his own.”

Meanwhile, the Senate has adjourned plenary till Tuesday June 23, 2015.

Senate to write Buhari on election of leadership Before proceeding on the two-week break, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ekweremadu moved a motion that was adopted that a letter be sent to the President informing him of the election of presiding officers of the 8th Senate with a view to receiving a p p r o p r i a t e communication from him.

He said: “Now, that the principal officers have been elected and while awaiting the naming of other principal officers, I think that it is important that this motion be made.

I, therefore, move that a message be sent to Mr. President and Commander-In Chief, informing him that the presiding officers of the 8th National Assembly of the Senate have been elected as follows.

“Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President; Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.

“That a congratulatory message is sent to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives on their elections.

“That a message be sent to the following bodies informing them that a quorum of the 8th National Assembly has assembled and is ready to receive any communication. They are the African Union, AU; The Commonwealth Parliamentar y Association, CPA; Inter Parliamentary Union,

IPU; ECOWAS Parliament; Pan African Parliament.”

Lawan’s Unity Forum vows to go to court Following the session, the Lawan leaning Unity Forum at a press briefing vowed to seek a judicial review of the process that led to Saraki’s emergence.

“This process which remains unconstitutional cannot confer legitimacy on the elected Senate President.

“Our right to participate in the election of the Senate President is a constitutional right which cannot be taken by any person or group of persons,” Senator Gemade who led the group said.

He also explained the circumstances surrounding the absence of some of the APC Senators when the inauguration started.

He also accused their colleagues in the Like Mind group of being responsible for the party ’s loss of the position of Deputy Senate President which according to him, should have been produced by the majority party.

Gemade accuses Saraki’s Like Minds group According to him, “We received an invitation from the office of the National Chairman of our party, the All Progressives Congress, which indicated the request of Mr. President to have a brief meeting with all the APC elected Senators and House of Representatives members at the International Conference Centre before the inauguration of the National Assembly at 10am.

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6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

One dead as cult groups clash in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA— A young man was reportedly killed, Tuesday, following a clash between two suspected rival cult groups in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

The deceased, in his 20s, from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, was identified as Blessing Amakiri.

The incident, which occurred at the Ovom suburb of Yenagoa at about 4.30p.m., was said to have caused panic in the densely-populated area.

Vanguard could not immediately ascertain if the deceased was hit by the cultists’ bullet or bullets from the police team said to have responded to distress call from the residents.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, wondered why the police initially abandoned the corpse only to return and remove same to the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.

Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident, saying it occurred after a clash between two rival cult groups.

Butswat said the corpse of Amakiri was identified by his mother.

11 die in Cross River road accident

By Emma Una

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ALABAR—ELEVEN persons were confirmed dead, yesterday, at Biase, Southern District of Cross River State, as a 13-seater commuter bus and a truck had a head-on collision on Calabar-Ikom Road.

The bus, which belongs to a popular auto company, Romchi, had on board 13 passengers, travelling to Ogoja in the northern part of the state from Calabar, when it ran into the truck. It was attempting to overtake another vehicle on a bend in the road at Biase.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that all the passengers in the bus were crushed, some beyond recognition.

He said only the driver and another young man seated in front with the driver came out alive.

The eyewitness said: “Many children, along with their parents, died in the accident and we had to use axes to cut off some part of the bus before we could bring them out.”

He said none of the deceased persons had been identified, adding that it was the survivor that said the vehicle was on its way to Ogoja after taking passengers at its park along Eta Agbo Road, near the University of Calabar.

Public Relations Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Samuel Ndumelo, could not be reached for comments.

Police Public Relations Officer for the Cross River State command, Mr. Hogan Bassey, said he was yet to receive information on the accident.

zRescue workers used axe on wreckage

WRECKAGE: Remains of the bus involved in the accident that claimed 11 lives.

DSS operatives rescue kidnapped nun

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—A member of Friends of Mary Missional Sisters Congregation sect of the Catholic Church, Rev Sister Mary Providential Nkeiruka Okoli, who was kidnapped in Bayelsa State has been rescued in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, by operatives of Department of State Services, DSS, after 17 days in captivity.

Rev. Sister Okoli, a 300 level Biological Science student of Niger Delta University, NDU, Amassoma, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, was abducted on May 21, at about 4p.m., along Tombia-Amassoma Road by unidentified gunmen, while returning from Amassoma.

State Director of DSS, Mr. L. B. Baba, told newsmen in Yenagoa that the victim was

14 foreigners in court over illegal oil bunkering

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—FOURTEEN nationals of Russia, Ukraine, Japan and the United Kingdom, have been arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over their alleged involvement in oil bunkering in Nigeria.

The accused are Artur Pakhladzhian, Sergo Abbgarian, Vasily Shkundich, Vitaliy Bilours, Hlarion Regipor, Laguta Oleksiy, Cadavis Gerarado, Kretov Andry, Badurian Benjamin, Chepikov Olksan, Naranjo Antero, Patro Christian, Alcayde Joel and Caratiquit Beyan, alongside their companies.

They were alleged to have illegally dealt in several thousands metric tons of petroleum products such as automotive gas oil (diesel) and

zMeet N750m bail condition low pour fuel oil, LPFO. The matter is before Justice Ibrahim Buba.

Charge

According to the charge, the foreigners were said to have dealt in petroleum products without lawful authority or appropriate licence contrary to Section 19(6) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federal of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act. EFCC’s lawyer told the court that the accused illegally dealt in 1,738.087 metric tons of petroleum product; 1,500 metric tons of automotive gas oil aboard MT Anukret Emerald’s cargo tank and 3,035 metric tons of low pour fuel oil, LPFO, aboard the

same cargo on March 27.

Bail conditions ‘Not guilty’

After the charges were read to them, the accused persons pleaded not guilty, while their lawyer moved an oral application, praying the court to grant them bail on the ground of self-recognition and on liberal terms.

EFCC’s lawyer faulted the application that the accused should be granted bail on selfrecognition, arguing that such application was not applicable to the accused who are not citizens of Nigeria and also not residing in Nigeria.

The prosecution urged the court to attach stringent conditions in the event that the court was minded to grant the accused bail, to prevent the accused from absconding.

Justice Buba, in his ruling, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N50 million each, with one surety in like sum, while the surety must be a resident of Lagos.

The court also ordered that the accused be remanded in prison, pending compliance with the bail conditions.

However, the accused informed the court that they were ready to issue bonds of N750 million bank guarantee, to avoid delay of surety, a request which was granted by the court subject to the deposit of their passports and all travelling documents with EFCC. The case was, thereafter, adjourned to June 17, 18 and 19 for trial.

rescued in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on June 6.

He said the rescue operation continued until June 6 and that at about 3:50am, the rescue team closed in on the kidnappers in their hideout.

Baba said:”For fear of being killed or arrested, the kidnappers fled and abandoned their victim in an uncompleted building around Itu Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, where the operatives rescued her at about 6: 25a.m. same day” The command, according to him, has launched a manhunt for the kidnappers and has intensified investigation to unravel the circumstances of the kidnap.

He warned kidnappers and other criminals to steer clear of the state in their own interest, adding that the command, in collaboration with other security agencies, was working with the state government to fight crime and criminality, especially kidnapping, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and cultism.

He also called on the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that would help fish out criminals, assuring that the identity of informants would be treated with utmost confidentiality.

The victim, who looked exhausted, told newsmen that she was blindfolded by her captors and driven away to the kidnappers den in far away Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

She thanked the state command of DSS for rescuing her.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—7

Three kidnappers arrested over death of 11-yr-old girl in Ogun

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—MEN of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ogun State have arrested three suspected kidnappers for allegedly killing an 11-year-old- girl, Aminat Ishola, after kidnapping her from her father’s company.

The suspects, including Babatunde Aderonmu, 21; Sina Damilare, 40, and Taofeek Kola, 50, were arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of the primary five pupil.

They reportedly kidnapped the girl at Arugudu, Ijoko-Ota area of Sango in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state on May 21 and subsequently moved her to Osun Jegede, Ogbere area of Ibadan in Oyo State, where she was held captive.

Mastermind is father’s former employee

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, while parading the suspects at the SARs office, Magbon, Abeokuta, yesterday, said one Babatunde Aderounmu, a former employee of the victim’s father at his bakery, masterminded the action.

He said the girl died after one of the suspects, Taofeek Kola, who claimed to be an alfa, administered a powdery substance on her to hypnotise her.

Adejobi said: “After the girl had died, they packed her corpse into a sack and dumped the sack opposite Ogbere Police Station in Ibadan.

“The following day, a woman whose shop is close to the police station, noticed the sack and called the attention of the police. The DPO ordered the opening of the sack and the corpse was discovered. It has been taken to a morgue.

Ransom

“We have carried out an autopsy on the girl and we are awaiting the result. We have gathered that the suspects had contacted the parents of the girl and had demanded N2 million ransom before they could release the girl.

“They agreed on N300,000, following the intervention of the police. One Lasisi Olalekan reported the case of the missing girl to the police and the officers had commenced investigation on the matter, leading to the arrest of the lead suspect, Babatunde Aderounmu.

“The suspect had sent the account number of a prophetess, who they claimed had prayed for them before, to the parents.

“The suspects have confessed that they employed the service of an Alfa who

Robbery trial stalled by absence of victim

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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Late Aminat Ishola. administered a substance on the girl, which led to her death

The suspects. and later dumped her remains very close to the Divisional

Police Station at Ogbere Tioya in Ibadan.”

OGOGORO TRAGEDY IN RIVERS:

Death toll now 66 zMy family's been in ogogoro business since 1971—DEALER

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State government, yesterday, said the death toll from consumed poisonous local gin, otherwise known as ogogoro, has risen to 66 from 38.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Somiari Harry, who disclosed this to journalists shortly after a meeting with vendors of ogogoro, said efforts were on to ensure stoppage of consumption till further notice.

A major dealer of the local gin in Nembe/Creek road area in Port Harcourt, who was at the meeting, said it was unfortunate that deaths were being traced to consumption of the gin.

He said his family had been in the business since 1971, and that nobody had died from consuming their product.

He insisted that the one responsible for the death so far recorded in the state came from a neighbouring state.

He said they always bought what they sold from

neighbouring Bayelsa State, stressing that their own was poison-free.

He said since news of the casualties broke out in the state, they had been forced to lock up their shops, assuring that they would cooperate with government until the problem was resolved.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, appealed to people in the state to stop consumption of the drink, urging them to avoid it in traditional events.

Flood sweeps away 12-year-old in Lagos zAs fire guts police barracks, eight other buildings

By Evelyn Usman & Bose Adelaja

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AGOS—A 12 -year-old boy was, yesterday, swept away by flood in Ejigbo area of Lagos.

This is just as nine buildings, including a police barracks, went up in flames yesterday.

Although no life was lost in the different fire incidents, several families were rendered homeless.

At press time, information on how the 12-year-old boy met his death was still sketchy. But it was gathered that he was swept by flood into a canal at Orilowo area of Ejigbo. At 7p.m. yesterday, he was yet to be rescued.

Spokesperson for the SouthWest Zone of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim

zOnly a flat was affected— POLICE Farinloye, confirmed the incident, saying rescue effort would commence fully today.

However, officials of Lagos State Fire Service were reportedly sighted at the scene.

The state’s Fire Service Director, Rasaq Fadipe stated that Ikotun Fire station was on ground.

Fire

Meanwhile, on the fire incidents, Fadipe said the service attended to all nine incidents, when contacted, thereby preventing the spread.

He listed the affected buildings to include a twin building at 10 Bornu Crescent Road, Apapa, where the top floor was affected; buildings on Aromire Street, Allen Avenue; Olowokere Street, Agege and a

storey building at Suramogaji Street, off Cooker Street, Ilupeju.

“There was also a fire outbreak at Hazzan Street, Greenville Estate, Ajah, and another involving a two-storey building at Adekunle Police Barracks,” he said, disclosing that one of his men, who died while rescuing a man that fell into a well was also buried yesterday.

Contacted, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said only a flat was affected at the Adekunle Police Barracks.

According to him, “no life was lost. The fire only affected Flat 26, Block 4, belonging to a Corporal. All the property was destroyed”

AGOS—A defence counsel, Mr. Worer Obuagbaka, has told an Ikeja High Court that there was no victim in an attempted armed robbery charge brought against two persons by Lagos State Government.

He said: “There is no victim in this matter. This is a matter that nobody reported that he or she was robbed.”

Adeleye Tope, 32 and Usman Fashola, 29, whose pleas were taken on March 1, 2014, are being accused of attempting to rob one Edosa Sylvester of his Bajaj motorcycle.

They were arraigned before Justice Lateef LawalAkapo on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and attempted armed robbery.

One of the charges read: “Adeleye Tope and Usman Fashola on April 15, 2012 at Aladiye Bus Stop, Lagos, in Ikeja Judicial Division, did attempt to rob one Edosa Sylvester of his Bajaj Motorcycle, value unknown.”

According to the prosecution, the offence is contrary to Section 296 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Although the matter had been adjourned three times for the prosecutor, Mrs A. T. Olaleye, to provide witness, she informed the court that getting the witness to appear before it was difficult.

At the last proceeding, Olaleye asked the court for another adjournment to enable her make more effort to provide the witness.

Counsel to the defendants, Obuagbaka, said: “I sympathize with the counsel’s inability to get the witness because it is a matter this court should have looked at.

“In view of this development, I urge the court to strike out the matter. The defendants have been in custody since 2012.”

However, Justice LawalAkapo adjourned till November 9, 10 and 11 for trial, after warning the prosecutor that failure to provide the witness on the given dates would result in the matter being dealt with according to law.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

2,688 BDCs meet new requirements —CBN

By Yinka Kolawole

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AGOS — THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), yesterday, confirmed that 2,688 bureaux de change (BDCs) have complied with new requirements for operations in the country.

The list of the confirmed BDCs was released by CBN’s Financial Policy and Regulation Department in a circular entitled: “Updated list of confirmed Bureaux de Change in compliance with new requirements.”

It will be recalled that CBN had in a statement in June 2014, revised upward the minimum capital requirement for Bureau de Change (BDC) operations in Nigeria from N10 million to N35 million.

CBN said it introduced the new requirements in a bid to correct observed deficiencies in the operation of BDCs in Nigeria, which it noted had led to gross inefficiencies and sharp practices in the foreign exchange market, rentseeking, depletion of the external reserves, financing of unauthorised transactions and dollarisation, among others.

The apex bank noted that while the capital requirements for all other CBN-regulated entities had been reviewed upward over the years, that of the dealers in the sub-sector of the forex market had remained the same.

CBN also reviewed the mandatory cautionary deposit for BDCs to N35 million, adding that the fee shall be deposited in a non-interest yielding account in the CBN upon the grant of approval-inprinciple. In addition, while the application fee was raised to N100,000, the licensing fee to N1 million, the annual renewal fee for the forex dealers was also increased to N250,000.

All existing BDCs and those currently operating with a final approval letter were expected to comply with the new mandatory cautionary deposit requirements by July 15, 2014.

The statement signed by Mr. Isaac Okorafor, on behalf of the Director, Corporate Communications Department, added: “Furthermore, the compulsory membership of the Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigeria is no longer a requirement for the licensing of BDCs.” CBN said the move would lead to BDCs that are properly structured, effectively regulated and well capitalised to meet the objectives for which they were licenced.

Laxity: NJC summons 3 high court judges zRejects 2 for appointment as high court judges

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA — THE National Judicial Council, NJC, has summoned three high court judges from two states to appear before it over their alleged lackadaisical attitude to work.

In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, the council said it had already queried the affected judges to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against them.

NJC which is headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, said it had at its 73rd meeting, considered the report submitted by its committee on Performance Evaluation of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of Record in the Federation and found the three judges wanting in the performance of their judicial duties.

Nevertheless, the council refrained from disclosing the identities of the three high court judges under probe.

approved by Mr. President, confirmed by the Senate and sworn-in. Three other Heads of Courts, three high court judges and 1 Customary Court of Appeal judge for the states were recommended and forwarded to their respective State Governors for appointment.

“Under one of the new rules in the Revised 2014 Guidelines and Procedural Rules on appointment of judicial officers of the

federation, all candidates for appointment as judicial officers to superior courts of record shall be interviewed by the National Judicial Council. Pursuant to this new rule, two candidates forwarded to the council by a state Judicial Service Commission for appointment as high court judges were rejected after being interviewed by the National Judicial Council, having been found to be unsuitable

due to their poor knowledge of basic law.

“Council had two years ago introduced Freeze List of Courts that do not have sufficient work load and are not allowed to forward recommendation for new appointment of judges to it until their workload improves.

At its recent meeting, two courts were put on the Freeze List by the Council bringing the total number of courts in the federation on the Freeze List to 26.”

Rejects 2 candidates as high court judges

Besides, NJC in the statement signed by its Acting Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, said it had also rejected two candidates whose names were forwarded to it for appointment as high court judges.

It stressed that after the candidates who were nominated by their state Judicial Service Commission were thoroughly interviewed, they were found to be unsuitable due to their poor knowledge of basic law.

The statement read: “The National Judicial Council, under the Chairmanship of the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, at its 73rdMeeting, considered the report submitted by its Committee on Performance Evaluation of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of Record in the Federation and decided to invite three high court judges from two states to appear before it for low performance and show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against them.

“The appointments of some Heads of Courts were considered at the meeting.

The candidate recommended to Mr. President for appointment as Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory had been

VISIT: From left: Former speakers, Ghali Na'Abba; Agunwa Anaekwe; new Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; former speakers, Patricia Etteh and Aminu Tambuwal during a courtesy visit by the past speakers and deputies to the newly elected speaker at the National Assembly, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN

NNPC blames non-remittance of N2.32trn NLNG dividends on on-going reconciliation

By Michael Eboh

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BUJA — THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), yesterday, confirmed that it is yet to remit $11.6 billion, about N2.32 trillion, into the Federation Account, blaming its inability to remit the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, dividends on an ongoing reconciliation process.

The NNPC, in a statement

by Mr. Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, stated that contrary to the impression created by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, that nothing was being done to get the money remitted, the matter has since been referred to the InterMinisterial Task Team (IMTT) for reconciliation and resolution.

He faulted NEITI’s posture on the issue, stating that as a member of the IMTT, NEITI

is aware of the ongoing efforts to reconcile and resolve the issue of NLNG dividend remittance.

He said: “At the last meeting of the IMTT, it was resolved that the Minister of Petroleum, Chairman of NEITI, Executive Secretary of NEITI, and the Group Managing Director of NNPC should meet on the issue of NLNG dividends and report back to the IMTT. “Unfortunately, that meeting has not held.

However, another meeting of the IMTT is coming up next week and the issue will be taken up from there.”

NEITI had on Tuesday accused the NNPC of refusing too remit $11.6 billion to the Federal Government from the NLNG investment. It also accused the NNPC of not being transparent in the transfer of eight oil wells to Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC. However, the NNPC failed

to state its position on the transfer of the oil well to NPDC. Executive Secretary, NEITI, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who made the allegations in Abuja, described the transfer of eight oil wells sold by the NNPC to the NPDC in 2010 and 2011 as lacking in transparency and called for a full investigation into the transaction.

She said: “The position of NEITI is that the whole transaction is not transparent.

The Federal Government needs to carry out a full investigation into the sale to ascertain the actual cost of the oil blocks and revenue loss to the Federation in the whole transaction.”

She further noted that a total of $11.6 billion which represents outstanding total dividends arising from loans and interest repayments from Federal Government’s investment in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) should be recovered by the President Muhammadu Buhari into government coffers.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—9

Boko Haram: Buhari hosts Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Benin presidents z$30m needed to set up MNJTF hqtrs in Chad

By Kingsley Omonobi & Ben Agande

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What were discussed “We discussed the issue of the operationalization of the Multi National Joint Task Force and the siting of its headquarters in N’Djamena and the contribution from various states. The objective was to fight the insurgency within that region for the purpose of peace, security and prosperity Among leaders expected to attend today’s meeting which will hold at the presidential lounge of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport are Paul Biya of Cameroon, Mohammadou Issoufou of Niger, Idriss Deby of Chad and the President of Benin Republic, Boni Yayi. Benin Republic is, however, not a member of the commission.

$30m needed to set up MNJTF hqts in Chad

BUJA — THE Revn u e Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) says it has commenced processes to review salaries and allowances for political, public and judicial office holders.

This is contained in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja by the Head of Public Relations, RMAFC, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed.

According to the statement, the Chairman of the commission, Mr Elias Mbam, announced this while inaugurating members of the Remuneration Committee charged with carrying out the review.

Mbam said the exercise was in line with the current realities where the economy was characterised by inflation and down turn in international oil prices amongst others.

In carrying out the exercise, he urged the committee to be conscious of the prevailing economic situation and the need to reduce cost of governance, to free more funds for development. The RMAFC website revealed that the current annual salary and other allowances of the president stood at about N14 million. That of the vice president is N12 million and that of ministers N7.8 million.

The Senate President earns N5.5 million yearly; his deputy, N5.1 million.

Other senators earn N5 million. In the House of Representatives, the Speaker earns N4.3 million; his deputy, N4.2 million while other members earn N4 million annually.

“The commission is constitutionally empowered to undertake the review of the remuneration packages as may be required from time to time so as to reflect current economic realities.

“RMAFC is also mandated to advise federal and state governments on monetisation policies, generate cost of living indices for revision of allowances amongst others.

“To this end, the committee will undertake wide consultations with all critical stakeholders, including all arms of government of the federation." e

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BUJA — AS part of the strategy to fight the Boko Haram insurgency, President Muhammadu Buhari will today host a meeting of Heads of State and Presidents of the Lake Chad Basin Commission in Abuja.

In a bid to perfect Nigerian position for today’s meeting, President Buhari yesterday held a closed door meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh and the Chief of Naval Staff, Usman Jubrin, at Defence House.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mr Ismali Aliyu, said they came to brief the president on preparations for a scheduled meeting of Heads of State and Presidents today in Abuja to discuss on the Lake Chad Basin Commission.

He said that defence chiefs and Ministers of Defence of the member countries of the commission had earlier met necessitating today’s meeting of presidents.

According to him, “the meeting held between the Chiefs of Defence Staff of the Lake Chad Basin and Ministers of Defence culminated in the presidents’ meeting tomorrow (today).

RMAFC begins review of salaries, allowances of political office holders

MEETING: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Ismaila Aliyu (middle); Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (4th left); Executive Secretary, Lake Chad Basin Commission, Mr Sanusi Abdullahi (4th right) and Chief of Defence Staff of Chad, Lt.- Gen. Brahim Mahamat (5th right) and other Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Defence of the Lake Chad Basin Commission's Member Countries and Benin Republic, at a meeting in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. Meanwhile, Executive Secretary of LCBC, Sanusi Imran Abdullahi, disclosed yesterday that about $30 million is required to set up the MNJTF headquarters in the next 12 months in Ndjamena, the Chadian capital.

Abdullahi who disclosed this at the meeting of Ministers of Defence, Chiefs of Defence Staff and heads of security of member countries also noted that the commission had articulated an emergency development programme for the 38.5 billion francs or about N13 billion for implementation in communities affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

The executive secretary said: “It has become imperative to quickly deploy the multinational joint Task Force (MNJTF HQ) to coordinate operations of the troops and sustain the offensive on the Boko Haram terrorist group

who should not be given the time and space to re-group as this may constitute a much more potent threat than has been witnessed."

He added that the troop contributing countries are to be responsible for equipping and sustenance of their battalions.

On the directive of the heads of state and governments of LCBC countries to develop an emergency development initiative to be implemented in areas affected by the insurgency, Abdullahi said: “We have articulated an emergency development programme for 38.5 billion francs or about N13 billion to be implemented.

“The programmes will be done in the Region of Lac and Hadjar Lamis in Chad Republic; Far North region in Cameroon; regions of Diffa and Zinda in Niger Republic; Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Jigawa, and Kano

States in Nigeria; Prefectures of Nana Mambere, Ouham Pende and Nana Gribizi in Central African republic.

“The overall objective of this programme which will last 18 months in the first phase is the reduction of poverty through the implementation of development activities in the regions to combat the causes and conditions that favour the development of insecurity.

“These include undertaking actions that generate revenues through micro agropastoral, business enterprises; strengthening the capacity of youth, women and vulnerable groups by financing social and professional integration as well a raising awareness in the Lake Chad region on security in order to create a climate of trust, conducive to the improvement of their living environment and education.

Three suicide bombers die in failed mission

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI — THE Borno State Police Commissioner, Aderemi Opadokun, yesterday, confirmed that three suspected female suicide bombers were killed in Konduga Local Government Area of the state when their Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) detonated on

their way to Maiduguri.

The commissioner who spoke with newsmen in Maiduguri said the bombers died Tuesday before they got to Maiduguri.

According to him, “three suspected female suicide bombers died in Konduga Local Government Area about 18 kilometres to Maiduguri on Tuesday when IEDs strapped to their bodies detonated on their way to

Maiduguri. All the three suicide bombers were killed with no other casualty."

He also confirmed another a blast at Tungushe Dogonwaya area along Baga/ Monguno highway.

He said: “At about 1530hrs on Tuesday explosions occurred at Tungushe Dogonwaya area along Baga/ Monguno highway.” He however failed to give details.

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Ambode dedicates birthday to anti-cancer fight

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AGOS State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has called on his family members, friends, political associates and well wishers wishing to place congratulatory messages on his birthday, billed for Sunday, June 14, to channel same to the fight against cancer.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, the Governor sought their understanding to respect his wish to use the birthday as his modest way of touching the distressed and impacting on humanity.

“As a modest way of touching the distressed and making impact on humanity, I have decided to associate with ‘The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria)’ in fighting the big war against cancer”, the Governor said.

Towards this end, he urged interested people to send such donations to the First Bank Account of The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria); No: 2026761622.

He said the project is being anchored by Dr. Christopher Kolade and Professor Pat Utomi and thanked the people for accepting his wish, assuring them that all such gestures will be acknowledged and appreciated.

Dangote to supply 24-hour power to Lagos

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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AGOS—PRESIDENT of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote yesterday said plans have been concluded to construct a gas pipeline to address power supply challenges in Lagos State.

He disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the office of the Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

He said; “We also assured him that we are going to do a Gas Pipeline from Bonny (River State) to pass under the sea (to Lagos.)

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AGOS—FOLLOWING the high intensity of rainfall, Lagos State government yesterday, advised residents living in the low line areas (flood plains) to relocate due to the rising level of water from the rainfall.

Permanent Secretary Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Ayodeji Adenekan, who gave the advice, said it became necessary for affected residents because of the persistent rains since March which had led to the rise in water level of the lagoons and rivers as a result of back-flow into adjoining low line areas.

He said this had also led to the inability of the various channels and drains to discharge.

Residents along flood plains, low line areas and other coast lines, like Ajegunle, Owode-

would satisfy our consumption at least for the next seven to 10 years by the time we finish.''

All these projects Dangote said are no small projects. ‘’We will have challenge in getting people to work there, because at the height of it, there will be close to 38,000 people working at the same location, this is something that we have to partner with the state government. ‘’Having 38,000 people on one site, not every one of them will be from the community, others will be from other states, there

VISIT: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (left)and the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN during Dangote's courtesy visit to Ambode at the Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday.

Cleric’s abduction, a challenge to Ekiti—Fayose

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DO EKITI—EKITI State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described the kidnapping of a Catholic Priest, Father Emmanuel Akingbade in Ido-Ekiti as a challenge to the state, with assurance that efforts were on to get him freed.

Chief Press Secretary to the

FLOOD: Lagos asks low line residents to relocate Onirin axis, Owode-Elelede,

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

When it is completed, Lagos state will never ever experience blackout. There will be electricity 24 hours a day.”

Addressing newsmen after the meeting with Ambode, Dangote said they also discussed the ongoing construction of the largest fertilizer plant of two to three million tonnes of Uranium and Amonia in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki.

He noted that the company is also building ''the largest ever single refinery of 650,000 barrels per day, which is by far more than the consumption of Nigeria and that

kuramo Beach, Alpha Beach, Okun Ajah, Mende-Maryland, Ijora-Badia, Iwaya among others and other low line areas were advised to relocate immediately.

governor, Idowu Adelusi said the governor, in a broadcast noted that plans were under-way to rid the state of kidnappers, saying he had spoken with the police and the Department of State Services, DSS, to be proactive in getting the kidnapped father released.

Fayose, who emphasized that the modalities of dealing with kidnapping was different from other criminal activities, appealed to the people of the state to shun protests, saying all hands must be on deck to ensure prevalent peace in the state.

He confirmed that the kidnappers earlier arrested were still in the police net, saying the rest of the kidnappers will be

apprehended as soon as possible.

According to him, the issue of kidnap goes beyond political matters, with a call to everyone irrespective of party affiliations to team up with the government to deal with the kidnap menace in the state.

He promised to give the sum of N2 million to anyone that could provide useful information that could lead to the arrest of the kidnappers.

Fayose notified people of the state of the necessity of police checking vehicles at strategic points across the state, with an appeal to residents to bear with whatever inconveniences the action may cause.

NNPC, NEMA yet to access Lagos pipeline explosion point

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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ORTY-EIGHT hours after the pipeline explosion at Ije-Ododo community, Ojo Local Government, officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA are yet to access the explosion point.

The fire, which created panic in the community continued to rage yesterday despite the heavy downpour .

Sources said that NNPC and NEMA officials stormed the scene late on

Tuesday. But they could not access the point, as the bridge to link the explosion point was already damaged by the vandals.

When Vanguard visited the scene at 1:30 pm, officials of the NNPC were seen reconstructing the bridge.

It was learned that the reconstruction commenced at about 1:00 pm after the rain subsided.

South-West Information officer of NEMA, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye explained that the terrain has hampered their effort to reach the explosion point.

would be cultural issues and all that, we need to integrate everybody to ensure that the whole thing works out fine.”

He stressed that the visit afforded him the opportunity to assure the governor of his commitment to complete these ongoing projects already embarked upon by the company.

The business mogul promised to continue to support the state government initiatives geared towards securing lives and properties, adding “I have assured him that we really love doing business here, it’s a friendly state for doing business.”

According to him, “There are quite a lot of things that will come along with creating so many jobs.

I think Lagos will be one of the fastest growing cities in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. ‘’ I can assure you that we would do our own bit in terms of your efforts in policing Lagos, for security and whatever the need is, feel free to call us, we would partner with you and whatever you want us to do to make Lagos a better place”.

Responding, Ambode vowed to embark on strategies that would open the state for new investors, aimed at reducing the rate of unemployment in the state.

He said “I will just call on other investors that wherever it is that we can assist we are willing and ready to make sure that investors have comfortable life and comfortable business profile in Lagos State.”

The governor promised that his administration would open up the state to attract new investors and growth of existing business in the state, adding that the bottom line “is to create jobs for our youths.''

UCOSA Lagos branch meets

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RHOBO College Old Students Association, UCOSA Lagos branch will hold its monthly meeting on Sunday, 14th June, 2015 at White House Hotel and Conference Centre, Ikeja by 4pm. All old students are cordially invited.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 11

236 of our colleagues dead, Osun pensioners protest ...Don’t blame me – AREGBESOLA

Deji of Akure begins traditional installation rites

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—NO fewer than 236 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners NUP, Osun State chapter have lost their lives this year following the inability of the state government to pay their pension and gratuity.

This was made known yesterday when members of the union staged a peaceful protest to the State House of Assembly and major streets in Osogbo.

The protesters, who are mostly elderly people from across the state later moved from the state Assembly to the popular Olaiya Junction causing gridlock and preventing vehicular movements in the area for more than two hours.

The pensioners, who carried different inscriptions reading “Pensioners are suffering” pay our pension” , we can’t suffer any more, ‘’ stop deceiving us’’ among others, also sang different abusive songs against the state government.

Addressing journalists during the protest, the state secretary of the union, Elder Adesoji Adedire, lamented that members of the union could no longer bear the agony posed by the current financial hardship in the state.

Adedire stressed that the protest became necessary since the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had said that no state was being

By Dayo Johnson

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OATH OF OFFICE: From left; Clerk of Oyo State House of Assembly, Deacon Adegbola Akinyanju; Hon Kehinde Subair of All Progressives Congress, APC, and Honourable Joshua Olagunju Ojo of Labour Party look on as the new Speaker for Oyo state House of Assembly; Rt Hon. Micheal Adeyemo signs the oath of office. Photo by Dare Fasube. owed monthly allocation.

His words: “Pensioners in the state are yet to be paid seven months pension. All promises made by Governor Rauf Aregbesola when we met with him on July 23, 2013 were empty and his insensitivity to the plight of pensioners have led to the untimely death of many of us.

“About 30% of the pensioners due for the 142% pension arrears are yet to collect the initial 15% of the arrears, payment which started in Octo-

ber 2012. Even many pensioners who were short-paid were not attended to.

“Non payment of the arrears of 19%, 6% and 15% pension increase which the government implemented in 2011 as well as non payment of the federal share of gratuity and pension of those who retired from July 1,2007 for which the state government has accepted.”

He also frowned at the abusive languages used by the state governor describing the pensioners as indolent people that pensioners children and wards

Declare emergency in education sector, Crescent varsity VC tells Buhari

By Daud Olatuji

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BEOKUTA—THE vicechancellor of the Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila has

advised President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a national emergency in the nation’s education sector, in order to correct the challenges confronting the sector in the country.

Isiaka lauds Saraki, Dogara elections

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HE elections of Senator Bukola Saraki as the Senate President and that of Alhaji Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker, House of Representatives have been described as the “best thing to have ever happened to the second arm of the government” in Nigeria.

Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Prince Gboyega Isiaka in a statement yesterday said the bold step taking by the National Assembly to be independent and elect their leaders will strengthen the democracy.

Isiaka described both Saraki and Dogara as experienced politicians capable of leading the National

Assembly to give Nigerian quality legislation. He noted that Saraki did not only perform well as governor of Kwara State but left an indelible achievements for generations not yet born.

The investment bankerturned politician also congratulated Chief Ike Ekweremadu for emerging as the Deputy Senate President and posited that the Senate, and indeed the country will gain from the vast experience of Ekweremadu, a PDP lawmaker that won the confidence of his colleagues at the hallowed chambers controlled by the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Prof. Gbajabiamila said this yesterday in Abeokuta while briefing newsmen about the activities marking the 10th year anniversary of the institution.

The Vice-Chancellor who claimed that due to inconsistent policies and failure to meet international standard in funding,the country had not recorded significant progress in the education sector in the past 50 years.

He also pointed out that every year, over one million candidates who were qualified for admission into the universities were denied access due to limited spaces available.

He linked the cause to failure of planning on the part of policy makers who were in charge of education, saying that there was the danger of the number increasing with time if urgent steps were not taken to address the challenge.

According to him, whatever education policies the nation had adopted in the past 50 years had failed and it's only a foolish person that will keep on doing the same thing and expect a different result.

should cater for them.

Earlier at the state house of Assembly, the deputy chief whip of the House, Mr Taiwo Adeyemi who addressed the protesters pleaded with them to exercise patience promising that the governor would soon find a solution to the issue.

Don’t blame me – Aregbesola Meantime, while reacting to the protest, Governor Aregbesola said the challenge of unpaid salaries should not be seen as opportunities to blame either his government or any other facing the same challenges.

Although he admitted that the regime of unpaid salary was tragic and painful, the governor said all stakeholders must gloss over the challenges this created, so as to find a lasting solution to it.

Aregbesola described the situation as an economic tragedy and attributed the current misfortune to gross mishandling of the nation’s economy by the last regime of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He stated that the unchecked oil theft under the PDP in which the nation was losing 400, 000 barrels per day, culminated in drastic reduction of oil price in the international market.

“The delay in salaries and pensions pains me a lot and when I reflect on the travails of the people I feel sad about it.

“There are natural disasters caused by force majeur. There are economic disasters caused by factors above human powers.

“In our circumstance, what is available to us as allocation is less than what is needed to meet our statutory obligation however prudent we have been.

KURE—BARELY 24 hours after government presented staff of office to the new Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, he has commenced traditional rites that will keep him incommunicado.

The traditional ruler has proceeded to his root that is Ayere village in Akure North area of the state where he will stay for some days .

Oba Aladelusi will later proceed to the palace where he will undergo another series of rites which include the mounting the traditional “ Okiti Omolore” with his first daughter.

The palace will remain shut to all activities until the completion of the rites by the Oba. Regent of the town, Princess Adetutu Adesida has since vacated the palace following the selection of the new Oba. Meanwhile, speaking after the presentation of instrument and staff of office, the Oba vowed to eradicate thuggery in the state capital.

The new monarch who hails from the Osupa ruling house is the 47th Deji of Akure and emerged the choice of the kingmakers as he was selected out of 13 Princes who contested for the stool.

With the commencement of the traditional rites, it was gathered that the Palace of the Deji of Akure will remain closed until the rites are concluded.

The new Deji of Akure will start exercising authorities as the traditional ruler of the city after the completion of the rites, which are expected to last for one week.

.Oba Aladelusi

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Oshiomhole swears in LG boss, warns against pitfalls

Edo judiciary staff defy govt directive to resume work

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—JUDICIARY workers in Edo State who have been on strike since January 5, 2015 have, for the second time, defied a directive by the state Judicial Service Commission, ordering them to return to work or face outright dismissal from service.

The workers described the order as laughable.

The workers, under the aegis of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, have been on strike over what they described as the unwillingness of the state government to implement the financial autonomy granted to the judiciary by a Federal High Court in June, 2014, as well as the non-payment of their July, 2014, and January, 2015 salaries.

The Edo State Judicial Commission had in a statement by its secretary, Isaac Sanu, on Tuesday in Benin, ordered judiciary workers to report for duty at 8a.m., on June 10, or risk being considered “as having been dismissed from the service,” nearly a month after it issued a similar directive.

“The Edo State Judicial Service Commission, at its meeting on June 9, decided that all judiciary workers should report for duty at

8a.m., on June 10, 2015. Any worker who fails to report for duty as has been specified, should consider himself/ herself as having been dismissed from the service,“ Mr. Sanu had said in a circular.

But a visit to the Federal High Court Complex on Sapele Road in Benin, revealed that while the main gates to the complex were

thrown open before security operatives, many of the judiciary employees were seen gathered in clusters outside the complex.

The state chairman of the union, Uyi Ogieriakhi, accused the commission of resorting to “self-help,” rather than adopting “proper means” to address the issues, even when it was a major beneficiary of the autonomy.

“It is laughable. As you can see, none of our workers has come to work. I advise the Judicial Service Commission to take proper means to resolve the issues, rather than resorting to self-help to call workers back to work.

“What we are fighting for is even for the benefit of the JSC and it is very unfortunate that a system that is supposed to protect legality is the one perfecting illegality.”

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LEH—EX-MILITANT leaders under the aegis of Urhobo Gbagbako, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to overhaul and restructure the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to pave way for “genuine host communities” to be physically captured in the interventionist agency ’s development programmes.

They also called for the restructuring of the amnesty programme to accommodate those who surrendered arms and were issued with Joint Task Force, JTF, certificates but are yet to be documented for payment and training.

The ex-militants, in a statement by their spokesman, Priest Omodjuvwu, vowed to “Fight the NDDC case to a logical conclusion as those appointed into the board have not given priority to the host communities.”

Noting that there had been talks since the inception of President Mumammadu Buhari's administration, about the scrapping of the amnesty programme and the oil pipeline surveillance contract

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VISIT: Mr. Solomon Adelaja, President, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreation Service Employees (AUPCTRE) (middle) and Secretary, Bosede Oise (left), present a merit award to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State during a visit to the governor.

Ex-militants want FG to overhaul NDDC

By Ochuko Akuopha

By Simon Ebegbulem

job, they decried that “There has not been any mention of oil blocs being allocated to a few highly placed individuals outside the Niger Delta region nor plans by the Federal Government to ameliorate the continuous despoliation of the

Niger Delta environment with unending exploration and exploitation of our crude oil.

“No one has talked about relocating the head offices of oil producing companies from Lagos and Abuja to the Niger Delta region. Our president

must be reminded that the Niger Delta amnesty programme was not initiated by the late President Umaru Yar'Adua administration because of his love for the Niger Delta but to guarantee continued oi production."

Delta communities drum support for new DESOPADEC bill

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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ARRI—COMMUNITIES under the aegis of Isoko Oil and Gas Producing Communities Development Forum, ISOGAF, have called on the 6th Delta State House of Assembly, to commence public hearing on the controversial bill to reshape the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC. The communities, in a statement

by Chief Godday Ogagarojor, Chairman, ISOGAF, noted that DESOPADEC genuinely needs restructuring as the public anger against the bill seeking to restructure the commission was that it passed through first and second reading in the 5th Assembly without prior

awareness by majority of the stakeholders.

“In line with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s vision of ‘Prosperity for All Deltans,’ we urge the governor and the new state

House of Assembly to urgently address the pending bill and begin public hearing so that oil host communities can make input and amend some fundamental issues in the existing law before passage of the new bill."

E N I N — GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has charged the new chairman of Owan West Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Reginald Okun, to avoid the mistakes which led to the removal of the former chairman of the council.

Speaking shortly after swearing in the new council boss, Governor Oshiomhole, said: “I know that you, Okun, are now the new chairman of Owan council. I have no doubt that you recognise that this is a huge responsibility placed on your shoulders to provide leadership for the council of Owan West at the grassroots level.

“You contested and won as a vice chairman and as running mate to the former chairman who has now been formally removed from office on the account of the findings of the commission of enquiry into the activities of Owan West council. A number of issues have been uncovered including clear breach of relevant procurement laws, misappropriation of funds and also poor governance issues.

“I hope that having now assumed office as the new chairman, you will do everything possible to avoid the recurrence of the wrong doings of the former chairman for which he has now be sanctioned.

It is bad enough to make mistakes but it is worse to repeat such mistakes."

Delta monarch tasks Okowa on security

By Hugo Odiogor

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HE Obi of Onicha Ugbo Kingdom in Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State, Agbogidi Victor Chukwumalieze I, has urged Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to protect the communities especially in the wake of invasion of farmlands and attacks on farmers by Fulani herdsmen, who destroy farm produce in their host

communities, thereby leaving the people economically impoverished and emotionally devastated.

Obi Chukwumalieze, in his congratulatory message to the governor on his inauguration, said: “We are not driving out the Fulanis from our communities because we are all Nigerians, but we want to stop them from leading their cattle into our farmlands to destroy the crops of our people and

sometimes, kill our people who dare to challenge them” The Obi-in-Council, meanwhile said that the people of Anioma nation were particularly grateful to God for the victory of Dr. Okowa in the April 11, 2015 governorship election which he won being the first Anioma son to become the governor of the state.

The monarch said Deltans expect positive changes in the area of employment.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—13

Bayelsa Election Petition Tribunal begins pre-trial hearing in Sylva’s suit

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THE Bayelsa State Election Petitions Tribunal has begun a pre-trial hearing in the petition by Chief Timipre Sylva, former state governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the National Assembly election, against the declaration of Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as senator-elect for the East senatorial district of the state.

Sylva, the APC flag bearer for the Bayelsa East senatorial district, had approached the tribunal, headed by Justice Ononoeze Madu, asking for a declaration that the candidate of the PDP, was not qualified to contest the National Assembly election due to

his dual citizenship and his refusal to relinquish such before the election.

He is also contending, in the petition, that due to the irregularities and manipulations allegedly carried out by the PDP and its agents during the election in Brass and

other parts of the senatorial district, his candidature should be upheld and be declared valid winner of the National Assembly election.

At the pre-trial hearing of the tribunal, yesterday, Sylva’s

counsel, Abang Odok Ogar, urged the tribunal to grant the motion for an extension of time to respond to the objections raised by the duo of Bruce and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

BRIEFING: Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, speaking with newsmen on the ongoing process of establishing the Yola Military Command and Control Centre, during his visit to Yola, yesterday.

Edo YES beneficiaries protest govt’s decision to phase out scheme

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—BENEFICIARIES of Edo State Government's Youth Employment Scheme, YES, yesterday, protested to the state government, appealing to the government to rescind its decision to phase out the scheme which has benefited over 5,000 youths.

The state government had on Monday announced the phasing out of the scheme which is under the Rapid Response Agency.

According to the announcement by Prof.

Julius Ihonvbere, Secretary to the State Government: “It is hereby announced for the information of all employees of Edo State Youth Employment Scheme, YES, under the Rapid Response Agency, that government has decided to phase out the scheme.”

The protesters condemned the state government's action, noting that the decision would plunge families into further hardship.

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According to one of the protesters, who identified himself as Osaro: “It will be difficult for us to feed our families because we no longer receive salaries. We are grateful to the state governor for giving us the opportunity to serve the state all these years but we beg that it should

not be phased out.

“We understand that government took the decision due to the dwindling resources from the Federation Account to states. But we want to appeal to the state governor to urgently commence the recruitment into the civil service as he promised.

“He is a governor that wants to protect the interest of the poor and we hope that he will not want us to go back to poverty. It is our sincere hope that he will come to our aid. We are begging the governor, not to phase out this scheme, as life will be difficult for us, if he does,” he stated.

Gov Emmanuel orders re-designing traffic jam in Uyo and of Uyo master plan we are going to reBy Tom Moses

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YO—AS part of efforts toward industrialising Akwa Ibom State, the state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has ordered the re-designing of Uyo, the capital city, to ease traffic flow in and out of the state.

Governor Emmanuel who gave the directive, yesterday, when elders of Uyo senatorial district, led by former Military Administrator of state, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House in Uyo, said the redesigning of the Uyo capital city was

expedient to ensure free-flow of traffic which the industrial revolution would generate.

“We have noticed

design the city to make ensure that the flow is actually what the business community will appreciate."

General Electric bags Ai awards

By Wale Akinola

G

ENERAL Electric, GE, has received two awards from Africa Investor, Ai, in recognition of the company’s significant contributions to Africa’s infrastructure development.

The Ai African Social Project Developer of the Year award was presented at the Ai African Infrastructure Project Developer Summit and Awards while, the Transport Deal of the Year award was

presented at Ai CEO Infrastructure Investment Summit and Awards.

GE received the Ai African Social Project Developer of the Year award for its unique partnership with Shell to address healthcare issues in Nigeria.

The two multinationals have signed a memorandum of understanding for a comprehensive healthcare project to be situated in Nigeria.

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUN E 11, 2015 —15

10 wounded, vehicle damaged as Okada operators, ATMA clash

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

N

NEWI—NO fewer than 10 persons sustained injuries, while a pick-up van belonging to Anambra Traffic Management Agency, ATMA, was damaged, yesterday, following a clash between officials of the agency and commercial motorcycle operators, who resisted the former from impounding their motor-cycles.

The motorcycle operators, otherwise known as Okada riders, had earlier in the day, protested efforts by officials of the traffic agency to enforce the restriction ban placed on their operations on major roads in Onitsha and other major cities in the state by the government.

ATMA officials had as early as 10a.m. mounted strategic points at major roads in Awka, interdicting the Okada operators and discharging their passengers.

What would have resulted in a blood-bath between both parties was averted by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Inland Town police station, who personally led his men to disperse the invading Okada operators.

The DPO said: ‘’I got a distress call that some recalcitrant Okada

operators had engaged the ATMA officials, who have been directed to impound disobedient Okada operators in a battle, following the seizure of their motorcycles.

“I immediately mobilize my men and we went there to quell the attack, but before we could get there, they had already

smashed the windscreen of a pick-up van belonging to ATMA, no life was, however, lost but people must sustain injury when such a thing happens. We have actually taken control of the situation.’’

One of the angry Okada operators, who spoke with Vanguard, accused ATMA

officials of beating them up before seizing their motorcycles.

But an ATMA official, who pleaded anonymity, in a swift reaction, denied the allegation, saying the agency officials could not have beaten up the Okada operators in the presence of policemen, who were monitoring the situation.

VISIT: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), with the Managing Director, Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe (left), and the Executive Director, Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna, during the Access Bank management team courtesy visit to the Governor, at the Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday.

Detained pro-Biafra activists accuse judge of bias, seek transfer of case

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—ELEVEN members of Biafra Zionist Federation, BZF, standing trial at Enugu Federal High Court have accused the presiding judge, Justice Dorothy Agishi, of bias, urging her to disqualify herself from handling the matter.

Leader of the group, Benjamin Onwuka, and ten others have been standing trial before the court over treason charges.

The prosecution had at the last adjourned date, prayed the court to discontinue public trial of the suspects in order to protect its witnesses.

His motion was, however, opposed by the defence counsel, Olu Omotayo, who argued that secret trial of the suspects would lead to a miscarriage of justice.

In its ruling on the matter, yesterday, the court granted the prayers of the prosecution counsel, though it held that accredited members of the press would be allowed at the trial sessions.

Angered by the ruling, one of the suspects, Onwuka, who sought the attention of the court, accused Justice Agishi of bias, noting that all the rulings of the court, including the ruling on their bail application, showed that the judge was not ready to dispense justice.

The defence counsel, who was C M Y K

also not satisfied with the ruling, announced his intention to withdraw from the matter.

The court, however, insisted that he should file a written application announcing his formal withdrawal from the

matter.

Speaking to journalists after the court session, enraged Omotayo described the ruling of the court as a miscarriage of justice.

“We cannot be party to secret trial of these people; the court said

accredited members of the press would be allowed during the trial, but our question is,who will have the responsibility of accrediting them? So, you can see that the entire thing boils down to secret trial," he said.

Obiano commissions N9.2bn Nkpor-Amawbia road

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—ANAMBRA State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has commissioned Nkpor-Amawbia road in Idemili North Local Government Area executed at a cost of N9.2 billion.

The 28- kilometre road was constructed by Consolidated Construction Company, CCC. Commissioning the project, yesterday, at the Nkpor end, Obiano expressed delight at the quality of work, adding that it was in line with the best standards in road construction.

Obiano said his administration had set a standard for road construction in the state which must be maintained.

He said: “I have to make it clear that this road was started by my predecessor in 2008 and was done up to few kilometers.

“My administration has completed 28 kilometres of the road with end-to-end drainage

and clear road signs and markings, as well as the streetlighting which will soon be completed.”

He called on the community and other residents in the area to ensure that the road was

preserved.

Also commissioned, yesterday, was the 13 kilometre Power Holdings Company of Nigeria, PHCN, road at Awada, near Onitsha, at the cost of N490 million.

Create space for youths in govt, Arewa youths tell Buhari

By Olufemi Ajasa

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GROUP, Arewa Youth Awareness Initiative Forum, AYAIF, out to empower Nigerian youths, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to create space for youth in his administration.

AYAIF’s founder, Babangida Ruma, explained in a press statement that youth-led civil societies if engaged by the government would help build youth’s capacity for the nation’s benefit.

He said: “We are calling on the new government to consider utilizing more young people in the process of governance and help create an enabling atmosphere for their betterment by providing qualitative and affordable educational system and job opportunities in order to eradicate poverty and crime.”

Ruma, who is also a Peace Ambassador for the Commonwealth Youth Council’s Youth Campaign Against Election Violence, added that the future belonged to the youth; adding that they were also part of the “present,” since they were the most productive group in the society.

“However their productivity and contribution to national development depend on their capacity, in terms of skills, education and financial empowerment,” he stated Lamenting how neglect of youth in the country had deepened poverty, the youth leader said a quick rehabilitation process should be put in place to correct the challenge at hand.

“The growing number of beggars on the streets is alarming and has become a norm in northern Nigeria," he said.

DON’T drag my name in the mud over APC N400m campaign fund —ex CP

By Austin Ogwuda

E

NUGU—RETIRED Police Commissioner, Mr. Titus Okoro, who was chairman, Security Committee of Enugu chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the last general elections, yesterday, warned against being used as a sacrificial lamb in the scandal over alleged misappropriation of N400 million sent from the party’s national headquarters to the state for campaign.

At a press conference in Enugu, Okoro shed light on what he actually received during the period he served as the chairman

of the Security Committee of the party during the last general elections.

He denied receiving the sum of N25 million of the controversial N400 million campaign fund for security, adding that he merely got a paltry sum of N30,000 as transport fare.

He said: “I have made a representation to the national headquarters over this matter. I never received or was given any amount to disburse as claimed. ‘’I only got N30,000 from him (Ezea), which I used to obtain air ticket to Abuja, period. That is why there is need for full scale investigation.”

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the party for EnuguEast senatorial zone, Chief Anike Nwoga, said he invited Okoro to publicly tell his story as the matter had got out of hand.

“Chief Okey Ezea, APC governorship candidate, purportedly claimed he gave a retired Commissioner of Police, Okolo Titus, Chairman Security Committee, the sum of N25 million. ‘’Fortunately, the commissioner is here in person to authenticate that he did not receive N400 million. He has since sent his protest letter to the APC national headquarters, Abuja,’’ Nwoga said.

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUN E 11, 2015

Obosi monarch escapes 3rd assassination attempt

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA —THE Traditional ruler of Obosi, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, on Monday eve, escaped an

assassination attempt made on him by unidentified gang of four gunmen.

The incident, according to an eye-witness, occurred between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. as the gangsters stormed his palace at Obosi on two motor-bikes.

NYSC Headquarters probe corps member’s death in Imo

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—A high-powered delegation from the national headquarters of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Abuja, has arrived Owerri, Imo State, to probe the reported murder of a corps member, Mr. Hope Frampton Akpanika, in the state.

Late Akpanika was carrying out his primary assignment at Christ the Saviour Secondary School, Umuhu Okwuato, Aboh Mbaise local government area of Imo State.

The NYSC delegation, sent by the Director-General, Brigadier General Johnson Olawunmi, was led by the Director, Corps Welfare and Inspectorate, Mr. Mike Ahile.

Briefing journalists in Owerri, Ahile explained that they were sent not only to carry out an independent investigation on the

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They were said to have entered the Igwe’s compound and attempted to gain entrance into his bedroom before they were halted by vigilante operatives attached to the palace.

According to the source, as soon as they stopped their motorbikes in front of the open gate leading to the palace, they entered into the large compound.

It was learned that when one of the security guards attached to the palace flashed his torch and asked who they were, one of the gunmen opened fire on him and as his colleague returned fire, the gunmen jumped on their bikes and zoomed off.

Narrating his ordeal to newsmen, yesterday, in the palace, the vigilante operative,

sordid death of the youth corps member, but also empowered to discuss with heads of security agencies in the state.

“We were equally empowered to charge heads of the security agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder of Akpanika, while he was resting in his room,” Ahile said.

While noting that

By Evelyn Usman & Dan youth corps members Eteghe were on national 45-YEAR-OLD tricycle rider, assignment, the Samuel Anele, has been arrested Corps Welfare Director also said it by operatives of the Natioonal Drug Law was the responsibility Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at of security agencies, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, while allegedly attempting to community leaders smuggle 4. 892kg of drugs to India. and the general The suspect, Samuel Anele, who hails public to ensure their from Ichi village, Ekwusigo Local welfare and safety Government Area of Anambra State, was through out the arrested alongside four other suspects.

The suspect, according to the agency, service year.

who gave his name as Ikechukwu Enedah, said: “On Monday, June 8, at about 1.30a.m., four armed men wielding pump action rifles, stormed the palace of the traditional ruler demanding his whereabouts and when he wanted to know who they were, they shot several times at me, but the bullets only threw me off balance and tore my clothes.

“They started shooting sporadically at the palace, the second security guard returned fire and in the ensuing gun battle, they escaped on two motorcycles.

Also in a press statement issued on behalf of the palace, the media consultant to the monarch, Okwudili Oguegbu, alleged that the assassination attempt on the monarch was the third since 2012.

“This was coming on the heels

of the spate of arrests of some Obosi youths by a crack team of Anti Cult Squad of the Nigerian Police, following a petition written by a retired AIG of Police, an indigene of the town,’’ Oguegbu said.

He said the assassination attempt on the traditional ruler was because of the monarch's widely acknowledged crime fighting stance.

He recalled that in 2012, some gunmen had fired AK47 rifles sporadically into the palace, injuring some of the security guards on duty, in 2013, another group of gummen operating on a motorcycle, attacked the convoy of the traditional ruler while his driver was returning from Asaba Airport where he had gone to drop the monarch.

Tricycle rider, three others arrested with narcotics

A

allegedly concealed the drug in false bottom of his luggage.

Explaining their arrest, the agency’s Enugu Airport commander, Nsikak-Abasi Udoh, said: “Two of the suspects were found to have concealed illicit drugs in their luggage while the other two ingested the drugs found on them.

Samuel Anele, a tricycle rider, was caught with 4.892kg of methamphetamine on his way to Bombay, India. ‘’Another suspect, Emmanuel Ifeanyichukwu was caught with

1.293kg of cocaine on his way to Istanbul, Turkey. ‘’Ukaeji Eric Tochukwu was found with 1.408kg of cocaine on his way to Hong Kong while Nwoye Ekene Godfrey was caught with 1.283kg of cannabis which he had wanted to smuggle to Guangzhou, China. The suspects are helping our team of investigators.’’

In his confessional statement, Anele said: “I am a commercial tricycle rider.

Life has not been fair to me. Every day it is one problem after another and the money I earn is not enough."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 17

I

T was the standout phrase from President Muhammadu Buhari’s Inauguration Day speech on May 29, 2015: “I belong to everybody, I belong to nobody ”. The phrase went viral, triggering an output of comical expressions. In one of them, the presidential spouse was shown asking Buhari if he meant that he doesn’t belong to the wife anymore, to which the President answered that he merely joked. In another more politically mischievous interpretation, APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu, was facing an imaginary reporter, who accosted him in a court.

Asked what he was doing there, Bola Tinubu answered that he came to change his name to”Everybody Bola Tinubu”! It seemed clear that Buhari was underlining the fact that as Nigerian president, he would endeavour to be president of all, but would at the same time not be hostage to individuals.

It is a courageous statement coming from a president who was elected on the platform of a political party that was at best, an amalgam of disparate interests. It is never easy to stay aloof from the currents of the mass and the individual, given the pitiless tides of politics.

But more poignantly for me, is how to extrapolate the thought which midwifed such phrase into the realities of contemporary Nigerian society. Despite what many might think, Nigeria today is a class society with expressions of some of the most vicious levels of inequalities and injustice in the world today. While a tiny band of our national bourgeoisie creams off some of the greatest levels of luxurious existence comparable to ruling classes elsewhere, we also have some of the greatest and most frightening levels of deprivation in equal measure.

So the issues that face the new president today are directly related to the change slogan which encapsulated why he got the vote of the majority of Nigerians in the first place.

This is a country in need of reformation at levels that might be more than the President himself either realises or could be too frightened to head towards.

Nigeria sits atop a volcano of potentially dire social discontent and the slogan of change must sooner than later, begin to take a concrete outline in terms of positive impact on social being of the mass of our people.

Unfortunately, ruling class politicians are practically the

Yes, Buhari belongs to all Nigerians, but we suspect that he chose not to belong to anybody in order to have the freedom of action that can lead to the betterment of lives in our country!

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Belong to everybody, belong to nobody same everywhere; they never seem to be in a hurry to look at the problems of society in the face. What is central to their political existence is the posturing for advantages that consumes critical time and resource, but in the long run leads to the sidestepping of the vital issues that trouble the people. Buhari went to the Nigerian people canvassing a strong security posture, a definitive onslaught against corruption as well as finding ways and means on the economy. Nigerians also trusted his personal integrity as a major factor in the process of change. The issue that must be worrisome is how slow things are shaping up in the

effort to build momentum for the process of change. The elections were won in March, and it is incredible that the two months before inauguration were not used to make the choice of personnel to assist the commencement of work.

Yet the clock has started ticking and the days passing. Things must take shape early in order to convince the Nigerian people that our president belongs to them, and they can actually take possession of their country through a determined onslaught against the hydra-headed monsters of underdevelopment.

What Nigerians want is a country that works for them through an incremental

improvement on the quality of their lives.This was the reason why Buhari became for many of our people, but especially our young, a symbol of the change that will make them own their country. And it won’t be easy for the President to lead such a process because there are too many interests, even within his own political party and related economic interests that will lose a lot, if and when the change process kicks into gear. And it is within that crucible of change, that President Buhari will be able to live his statement that he belongs to all and he belongs to on one. He would have to look at so many individuals and social groups in the face

and be man enough to say that he would not be held hostage.

He has vowed to work for the Nigerian people and the interest of the majority would be the most important for him.

Again, we must remind that the young people of our country are its majority today.

So when President Buhari stated emphatically that he belonged to everybody and to nobody, the indications were clear to us that he would place our people at the heart of governance because in truth, it was the people that democratically voted him into power. They alone he can be answerable to, not a set of individuals whose class interests privileges their material comfort above those of our country and the mass of the people who stayed patiently on long queues to cast votes and stayed to protect those votes that brought Buhari to power, at the fourth attempt. Yes, Buhari belongs to all Nigerians, but we suspect that he chose not to belong to anybody in order to have the freedom of action that can lead to the betterment of lives in our country! This president has signaled that he will not be hostage to the interests of a few and our duty as citizens will be to help him keep his words: belong to all; belong to nobody!

FIFA's World Cup of corruption

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N 2010, a British newspaper ’s sting operation caught a FIFA official from Nigeria, Dr. Amos Adamu, red-handed seeking money from reporters who had posed as lobbyists for a World Cup bidding city. Adamu and a few other officials were suspended by FIFA. That opened up a window into the opaque manner that the most important sporting body on earth was run. The suspicions about shady goings-on inside FIFA have never really subsided and the FBI and Swiss investigations of the past two weeks have been most unprecedented. FIFA officials are being investigated around the world and by last week, freshly re-elected FIFA President Joseph Blatter was forced to announce that he would resign his position. But things are not altogether as simple as they appear or have been presented, especially by the Western media. While we cannot excuse the corruption that casts a pall on the beautiful game’s ruling body, there are underlining political currents that we must put in context. Why are the FBI and the US taking extra-territorial roles in the prosecution of FIFA officials? Is it true as former FIFA official, Jack Warner alleged, that the US is launching a vendetta for losing the right to host the World Cup? And why are the Europeans, especially the English, annoyed that every country, from the tiniest to the biggest soccer heavyweights, possesses a single and equal vote inside FIFA? Isn’t it true

that they are trying to takeover FIFA in order to impose their own control and thus overturn the democracy that respects the weak and strong?

Isn’t it clear that whatever might be the problems that FIFA under Blatter has run into, it was nevertheless on the side of Africa, Asia and the poorer countries of the world?

Could the fact that Blatter has consistently opened up the rights of different countries to host the World Cup and other FIFA-organised tournaments have been reason enough for

the way he and FIFA are being demonised? We must also not forget that it was under Blatter’s leadership, that the number of African slots at the World Cup have increased to five today. Yes, we must not allow corruption and the opacity within FIFA’s structure must be eliminated. Similarly, we must have an open and transparent governance structure inside FIFA, but we must be very careful not to throw away the baby with the bath water. The imperialist powers must not be allowed to

take over FIFA in order to impose an unequal structure which prioritises their own agendas above those of the mainly, poorer countries of Africa and Asia. That is their wish and the anti-corruption red herring is just a convenient excuse to capture FIFA to their own advantage. We must not allow our interest become marginalised under the pretext of fighting “FIFA’s World Cup of Corruption” as the FBI stated at the commencement of its extra-territorial operation against FIFA.

Nasir el-Rufai: Setting into a rhythm of governance

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F I have to make a choice, I thinkNasir El-Rufai amongst the newer governors, is faster in settling into a rhythm of governance in Kaduna. He had announced early the first set of people that would work with him. Given the precarious state of finance, he indicated that he would sacrifice a percentage of his salary as governor and by this week, there was announced the streamlining of the Kaduna state governmental structure, with the reduction and merger of government ministries. The steps that have been taken so early in the administration’s lifespan are indicative of a serious approach to governance. I feel truly excited that Kaduna is on the cusp of something exciting and

despite the paucity of funds and the accumulated mess, our Kaduna is likely to witness governance that works.

Kaduna is one of the cities that I live in and it’s a place I have tremendous emotional attachment to. Over the past few years, there was a steady deterioration of standards as well as of infrastructure.

Kaduna became a shadow of its rich history and in many parts of city and state there was instituted very frightening levels of inter-communal suspicions which were clearly unhealthy and inimical to the building of harmonious existence. A lot of the problems are related to politics and governance issues. I think that it was an important victory for the people of Kaduna, that

we turned our backs on the previous administration and voted massively for Nasir ElRufai. I think he would give his all to the process of regeneration and development of Kaduna. The early steps taken are indicative of the urge to get the work going. Kaduna is going to transform because it now has at the helms a governor who has the vision, capacity and courage to lead the change process. What is definitive is that El-Rufai will drive that process to ensure that change genuinely touches our lives. That is why as a resident of Kaduna, and a taxpayer and employer 1of labour to boot, I feel so excited that the process is getting into gear in my city!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 MANY interpretations can attend Tuesday’s event at the National Assembly, when leadership of the Assembly went against choices of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Who power belongs to, after the elections, would remain a matter of speculations. APC is aghast, the opposition is celebrating.

Change, the buzzword APC delights in, could sweep further than the reaches of the binds on the strands of broom called APC, which cherishes regulated change.

Some of its members without making any claims know the role their presence played in the formation of the fastest coalition to have swept to power in Nigeria’s history.

The only thing that is permanent in politics, demagogues say, is interest, but APC tends to think that number was more important than interest and the party’s is the only interest that matters. APC forgot that some on whose followership the party rode to victory, also have interests. Could it have forgotten that one of the major reasons some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,

Winner Is… Unknown turned to APC was PDP’s imposition of candidates for the 2015 elections?

“The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of its individual members ,” APC said in a statement that insisted that Saraki and Dogara were not the party’s candidates for the contested positions. Yet President Muhammadu Buhari had breakfast with them, the day after their elections. Is the President standing away from the party? How would APC handle this crack that is growing in its ranks?

At the conception of APC, ideology was a distant consideration. Anyone who could muster condemnations against the Goodluck Jonathan administration earned a place in APC. The phenomenal

growth of the party and its race to power swept aside credentials of some of its members that it should have questioned.

The most important thing was accessing power; those who helped in that process did not matter.

Who is the winner of the APC rebellion?

Neither Senator Olubukola Abubakar Saraki nor Hon. Yakubu Dogara can claim victory. We do not know the deals that resulted in the “unexpected” face of the National Assembly leadership. We do not know the forces that delivered this strange marriage. What we know is that it could be a longer relationship that could put more strains on APC. APC hurts over it loss. It watches as the power it has is being whittled down by internal crisis. It would have to learn fast that the era of impositions is ending.

Democracy without freedom of choice is inchoate.

If the National Assembly focuses on the interest of the people, as President Buhari has advised, the unknown winner of change at the National Assembly, could be the people.

OPINION

Lessons from the emergence of leaders for the 8th National Assembly

By Paul John

A

S the results for the leaders of the 8th National Assembly were being announced, what came to my mind was that ‘democracy has finally come to stay in Nigeria’. Imagine in Nigeria where members with minority status were elected Deputy Senate president and the Senate leader? There is no gainsaying the fact that democracy is fast taking its rightful place in our politics. The same 2015 that doomsday prophets predicted that Nigeria was going to disintegrate is the year we showed the world that an incumbent president could be defeated.

We also went ahead to tell the world that it is possible in Nigeria to have a smooth transition of power at the federal level from one political party to another. In view of this, Nigeria is not only the largest economy in Africa, but has also become one of the most stable democracies in the region.

The immediate past administration allowed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to be truly independent, hence INEC conducted an election that reflected the collective wishes of the masses as the former administration was peacefully removed.

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We want this current administration to consolidate on that by ensuring that political power belongs to the people. This can only be possible when institutions that are created to be independent are allowed to be independent. Nigerians need electronic voting system so that the political thugs who specialise in ballot box snatching during elections will be shown the way out. This will go a long way in reducing the number of petitions before our electoral tribunals after elections.

Electronic voting will compel our politicians to accept that power belongs to the people and not those around the corridors of power.

Coming back to the emergence of the new leaders for our 8th National Assembly,this pattern of change started in 2011 when Aminu Tambuwal emerged

Our Constitution does not recognise any selection by any political party with respect to the election of the leaders of the National Assembly

speaker against the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, consensus candidate,Mulikat Adeola Akande. The opposition parties hailed those that thwarted PDP’s arrangement and insisted that the national legislators should be allowed to choose their leaders. Exactly four years after, the same ‘treachery’ that once befell the PDP has befallen the ruling APC, albeit the latter has refused to accept the outcome in good faith. The APC leaders believe that their party decision or rule must take preeminence over any individual political ambition.

Section 1(3) of our Constitution says that ’if any other law is inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail ,and that other law shall to the extent of the inconsistency be void ‘. Now, what does our Constitution say about the election of the leaders of the National Assembly? Section 50 (1) of our Constitution states that there shall be (a) a President and Deputy President of the Senate, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves; (b) a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives ,who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves. Sequel to this ,the Constitution never empowered any political party to interfere with the process of selecting the leaders of both Houses of

our National Assembly. Emphasis should be laid on the phrase ‘among themselves’.

Our Constitution does not recognise any selection/election or decision by any political party with respect to the election of the leaders of the National Assembly but that the leaders must be elected by the members of the National Assembly themselves. At this point that APC’s decision is inconsistent with that of our Constitution,which one shall prevail ?

When Hon Tambuwal emerged the Speaker in 2011, the PDP was expectedly angry but they decided to allow the principles of Rule of Law and Separation of Power to reign supreme. On the contrary,APC has described the emergence of the Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as totally unacceptable and the highest level of indiscipline and treachery. I seem to be confused here: Who are treacherous, those who obeyed the sections 1(3) and 50(1) of our Constitution or those who believe that the their party constitution/decision should lord it over the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

We need a transparent government, and that can only be possible when all the three arms of government function independently, but united in purpose. Our national interest must override any party’s interest at each point in time.

•Dr John, a political analyst, wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11 11,, 2015— 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Tinubu and Buhari had started the power sharing by ceding the Presidency to

Justice and equity revolt I

T was as exciting and gripping as a typical World Cup soccer match between the Super Eagles and Brazil or Argentina.

Thanks to a number of patriotic television networks, such as the Africa Independent Television, AIT, the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA and even (believe it!)

Silverbird Television, STV(obviously because its owner, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce was involved) we were able to watch it live from beginning to the end.

It could not have been more emotionsapping if it had been a battle between one political party and the other. But in truth it was a civil war. Most civil wars (like the Biafra-Nigeria war of 1967 to 1970) can be bloodier than wars between nations; and the post-war bitterness can linger for generations. William Shakespeare in Macbeth confirmed this when he observed: “the nearer in blood, the nearer bloody”.

Prof Jibril Aminu once told a Fulani proverb which translates: “Why should I harm you; are you my relation?”

It was a political standoff between two powerful factions of the newly-enthroned ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC: the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, faction led by Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, which had captured the machinery of the coalition, and the “new” Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, led by the five former rebel PDP governors and their ever-vigilant sidekick,

Buhari (North West), who represented the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC and, to some extent, the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP. Tinubu (ACN) provided the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (South West).

The June 9, 2015 inauguration of the National Assembly provided an opportunity for the party leaders to ensure that the spoils of defeating PDP were extended to as many stakeholders as possible to give them a sense of belonging. This is what the PDP calls “zoning”.

But the APC often says it does not believe in zoning. So Tinubu, once again, shared the top offices of the legislature between Buhari and himself. He allocated the Senate

So sad for Gbajabiamila, a sound parliamentarian who would have made a great Speaker; nice, intelligent, loyal chap; but he got caught in a grim shootout between Tinubu and a tested, destructive rebel army

Presidency to Buhari’s CPC acolyte, Senator Ahmed Lawan (North East) and reserved the office of Speaker of the House of Reps to Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN, South West). If the Tinubu/APC formula had sailed through, the nPDP, whose desertion of the PDP principally led to its defeat, would have lost out. All the prime offices of the Executive and Legislature (President, President of the Senate and Speaker, House Reps) and of the Judiciary (Chief Justice of the Federation) would have been in Muslim hands, with Christians reduced to mere deputies. The PDP characterisation of the APC as “Muslim Brotherhood” during the campaigns would have manifested. The South East and South-South would have been shut out for not voting for the APC. Democracy is not a perfect machinery, but it has a way of self-correcting anomalies in the heat of negotiations and jostling between contending forces. The nPDP faction, which had been dealt out of relevance by Tinubu, was so incensed that ALL its chieftains – Atiku, Kwankwaso, Bukola Saraki, Aliyu Wamakko and Waziri Tambuwal quickly closed ranks to fight back. They rejected Tinubu/APC’s strange primaries which picked Lawan and Gbajabiamila, and settled for the election of the principal officers on the floors of the Senate and House of Representatives.

In order to succeed, they went back to their friends in the opposition PDP and struck a deal. They conceded the Deputy Senate President to the incumbent, Ike Ekweremadu and the Senate Leader to twotime Senate President, David Mark, in return for the election of Bukola Saraki as Senate President and Yakubu Dogara as the Speaker of the House. I am surprised that the same deal could not reserve something, probably the Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps, for the strategic South-South zone.

If this had happened, the coup against Tinubu/APC would have produced something for everybody. However, it was able to give something to almost everybody.

I also wonder why Buhari and Tinubu could not reserve something for the SouthSouth (since the APC produced elected Reps members in Edo State) at least to compensate Governor Oshiomhole for his contributions and former Governor Rotimi Amaechi for the important role he played in the Buhari campaign. Ironically it was the South East which gave nothing to the APC that got something through the deal between the “rebel” APC faction and the PDP. It doused the extreme Muslim dominance by producing Yakubu Dogara, a Christian from Bauchi State as the Speaker, House of Reps and integrated the South-East in a bipartisan arrangement.

Some have said the APC took a beating from the election of the National Assembly officers. It was actually Tinubu that was thrashed for thinking only of himself and Buhari in the power grab. Buhari played safe and wise, saying he had no interest in whoever would lead the Legislature, and pledged to work with those now elected. He was the democrat and nationalist in this tussle. He was excellently advised, and thus escaped getting his halo scorched.

As I always say: “every charitable or uncharitable attitude is a boomerang”. Four years ago, Tinubu plotted to torpedo the PDP zoning formula aimed at giving something to every geopolitical zone and religious interest for justice and equity. Tinubu’s Tambuwal coup deprived the South West of any place in our Order of Precedence, but succeeded in giving a double portion (the VP and Speaker) to the North West. He said it was a quest for “merit”. In fact, it was Tinubu’s protégé, Gbajabiamila who used those very words in a press conference. Now, with Tinubu and Gbaja given back a dose of their own “merit” medicine, APC calls it “treachery” and other dirty names.

So sad for Gbajabiamila, a sound parliamentarian who would have made a great Speaker; nice, intelligent, loyal chap; but he got caught in a grim shootout between Tinubu and a tested, destructive rebel army

The subsidy question: Fuel will sell for N40 a litre I N their daily lives, Nigerians must cope with this open ambivalence – they have oil but they can’t see oil; they have petroleum, but they have no petrol; they pay for light but they get darkness. There is no better way to explain what we mean here than by telling our usual story of the so-called subsidy on petroleum products in its most elemental form.

Nigeria is said to be the sixth largest producer of oil in the world. But with mismanagement, what was originally supposed to be a blessing from God has virtually turned a curse. At every point, we are either fighting because of the poor allocation of this resource, or we are crying that some dubious elements have stolen the total proceeds.

The original arrangement was that as soon as the crude oil came out from the ground, Nigeria would sell 90 percent at the spot market, in hard currency. The remaining 10 percent was meant to be refined for local consumption.

At various times, Nigeria had built four refineries – two in Port-Harcourt and one each in Warri and Kaduna, intended to refine different products. These refineries were run aground; and they are now old and practically comatose.

Because of our lack of refineries, foreign concerns that had refineries began to pick up, at rock-bottom prices, the 10 percent crude reserved for local consumption. They would refine the products in their countries and export the refined products to us at their own prices.

By the time the product returns to Nigeria after its triangular journey, the price has hit the ceiling and it is no longer within the reach of many. This is where government steps in to bring in what it calls subsidy.

Under this scheme, a country like the Netherlands, which does not have a single drop of oil, is in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, as a net exporter

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of oil.

The subsidy regime in Nigeria reminds us of two issues – first, subsidy would have been absolutely unnecessary if we were doing our own refining in Nigeria. Secondly, the subsidy regime has been fraught with fraud and dishonesty.

Between 2006 and 2014, Nigeria paid over N7.5 trillion as subsidy claims. Yet, we are still where we are – the subsidised products are not available and where they are available, they sell for prices much higher than the unsubsidised products. Put differently, we have been subsidizing fraud.

The subsidy game has been a political one and has not been played on the rings of economic data; and rather than being factdriven, it has been emotion-driven and politically played by those who use it as a political tool.

Subsidy in itself is not a bad idea. In fact, it is defined in economics as money paid by

Subsidy is strangulating us! We must take the tough decision NOW – tighten our belts and let subsidy go!

Those middlemen in the current supply chain must go

government or an organisation to reduce the cost of producing goods so that their prices can be kept low. It seeks to reduce the market price of an item below the cost of production. Government intervenes to support desirable activities to keep the prices of staple low; maintain the income of producers of critical or strategic products; induce investment while reducing unemployment.

Everywhere, subsidy is supposed to be a cushion to enhance the welfare and well-being of the people. It is an acceptable practice the world-over.

This writer was in Germany in the winter of 1973, when the price of oil increased astronomically because of some major adjustments by OPEC. Many companies would have just gone under but government quickly intervened with a serious subsidy package.

Among other things, industry workers – including those of us arbiters who were “pulling gburu” – were made to work two days a week (eight days a month) for full month’s pay. That’s subsidy.

If all American farmers were to be allowed to produce at their optimum levels, food would be surplus and totally useless everywhere. The American government has had the practice over the years of paying some selected farmers to stay at home, not producing anything during the year. That’s subsidy.

In these places, the subsidy scheme is well managed and it gets to the target population – the poor. But in Nigeria, the exact opposite is the case: the real beneficiaries are not the poor but the middlemen and the rent seekers, contrary to the argument usually advanced and which has been at the heart of subsidy’s continuation, that it is pro-poor.

As long as there are long queues in our filling

stations, we are merely compounding the problems of the poor. When people queue and sleep at petrol stations like refugees, besides the human degradation involved, you have also effectively reduced from their sources of livelihood because the time spent at the stations are wasted. Funds for infrastructural and human capital development are frittered away on dubious subsidy claims and payments to about 40 corporate citizens of Nigeria, to the utter neglect of the rest of us.

Truly, petrol can sell for N40 a litre but things must get worse before they get better. Subsidy is strangulating us! We must take the tough decision NOW – tighten our belts and let subsidy go!

Those middlemen in the current supply chain must go. Subsidy removal must be approached through what we call “the blind man and his yam”. If you have to pill the blind man’s yam, you must keep whistling while you do so as a sign that you are not introducing the yam into your own mouth.

Similarly, any substantial subsidy removal must be immediately accompanied with the rehabilitation and upgrading of the refineries so the people can see what you are doing with theirmoney. Once we meet our local needs, importation will stop. When importation stops, subsidy ends. The darkest part of the night is just before dawn.

Let’s give ourselves one year to work on the refineries during which period, as a way of choosing the lesser of two evils, we shall allow only the NNPC to import petroleum products directly so that we can know exactly what we are consuming.

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Baptism of rain for Ambode: As flood cripples Lagos again *Exposes poor drainage channels

By Jude Njoku, Kingsley Adegboye & Bose Adelaja

L

AGOS the acclaimed ‘Centre of Excellence’, was Tuesday and yesterday crippled by flood resulting from a heavy downpour which began in the early hours of Tuesday and lasted till mid-evening. The heavy flooding which was prevalent in virtually all parts of Lagos, exposed the lack of drainage channels and the dilapidated state of roads in the metropolis. It is a call for immediate action for new governor of the state, Akinwumi Ambode.

The flood worsened the already chaotic transport system in the city, leaving commuters to trek long distances to get to their places of work or business. Some rickety vehicles that dared the floods, got stuck midway.

Vanguard Metro, VM, correspondents who went round various parts of the megacity reported that even the rich also cried, as the highbrow neighbourhoods were not spared from the wrath of the rampaging flood. Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki Peninsula and Ikeja were no-go places as the flood impeded vehicular movement in the areas.

If the highbrow areas were ravaged by the floods, residents of the slummy parts of the city are still counting their losses. In these neighbourhoods, the flood threw up heaps of refuse which blocked the drainage outlets.

Some of the smelly refuse which were bagged and pure water sachets, floated uncontrollably as helpless residents waded through them to navigate to their destinations.

At the ever commerciallybusy Ikotun Bus Stop in the Igando/Ikotun, LCDA, the massive floods which swept through the area, very close to the Alimosho Local Government secretariat, disrupted both vehicular and pedestrian movements.

Virtually all the roads in Coker Village and Amukoko were also heavily flooded.

The worst affected was the road that links Opere Street through Alafia Bus-stop. VM learnt that some residents of the area were forced to remain indoors while children who managed to go to school, were trapped in their various schools because the C M Y K

Flood at Powerline bus-stop along Agbado Crossing, Ogun State after the downpour yesterady. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU

roads had been taken over by the scary floods.

The Apapa-Oshodi expressway which links the Apapa and Tin Can Ports, the two major seaports in Nigeria, and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, was on lock down as a result of the chaotic traffic jam along the ever-busy dual carriageway.

Commuters were trapped in the traffic web, thereby creating an opportunity for commercial motorcycle operators, popularly called Okada riders to exploit the stranded commuters. Those who could afford their charges, went on motor bikes to access their business spots. Such passengers

paid between N500 and N1000 for a distance which ordinarily should not cost more than N100 or N150.

At the Rainbow Bus-stop end of the Oshodi Apapa expressway, the traffic, stretched beyond Sanya and to Ijesha Bus-stop.

The stories were the same at Badagry, Ikorodu, Alimosho, Iyana-Iba and Sango Ota. Reports from other parts of the metropolis revealed that major roads in Agege, Ikeja, Agbado-Ijaye, Oshodi, Mushin, Ajegunle, Festac, Amuwo, Satellite, Badagry,

lock stretched from Alabarago to Alakija. Many of the stranded passengers had no alternative than to patronise motorcyclists.

A resident of Iyana-Iba who works in Apapa said he went to Seme in the morning while the rain was drizzling.

He told VM that he was overwhelmed on getting to Iyana-Iba as flood had almost taken over the entire area. ‘’I don’t usually patronise motorcyclists but I could not help it today(Tuesday).

Another pipeline explosion rocks Lagos community

By Bose Adelaja

The flood threw up heaps of refuse which blocked the drainage outlets; some of the smelly refuse floated uncontrollably as helpless residents waded through them to navigate to their destinations

etc, were also flooded, even as some vehicles were submerged by water.

Residents of AgbadoOkearo said commercial drivers charged exorbitant fares because several vehicles could not ply the route.

Some workers who arrived their places of work before the rain, said they were forced to stay extra hours in their offices to avoid being held up in the gridlock.

Commuters were stranded for hours at Mile Two Badagry road as the grid-

B

ARELY two years after scores of people were consumed by a conflagration from a pipeline explosion, tragedy was averted Monday night at Ijedodo in the Ojo area of Lagos, when another pipeline explosion rocked the area.

Eyewitness accounts said no casualty was recorded in the explosion which occurred at a creek in the neighbourhood.

VM leant that the incident which occurred around 11pm, escalated because emergency

operators could not access the area due to its swampy nature.

Although no life was lost in the incident, VM could not ascertain the level of damage as at 6pm yesterday.

Eyewitnesses said the combined team of fire fighters from the Federal and state Fire Services could not access the area.

The National Emergency Management Authority, NEMA, said Monday ’s explosion occurred at a creek near the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC pipeline.

NEMA’s South West

Information Officer, Ibrahim Farinloye, said the NNPC supply which came directly from Mosinmi Ogun State was shut down to stop further supply to the fire.

“NNPC has shut down flows and locked the supply valves to stop further supply feeding the fire. Ije Ododo line is directly from Atlas Cove which supplies products to Moshinmi to further distribute to other parts of South West zone. Ije Ododo and Arepo have been very volatile and extremely dangerous due to activities of the vandals in recent times,” he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

T

Nigeria puts up sterling performance in ICAO’s audit

he team of auditors from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) said that Nigeria performed excellently well in the nineday audit conducted on the nation’s aviation security system. This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Mr Fan Ndubuoke, General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in Lagos.

The statement said that the team leader, Mr Steven Neu, who gave report said that the team was very impressed with the National Security Programme because there were very minimal openitems that needed to be closed. “Nigeria surpassed our expectations. We reviewed the 2008 audit before we commenced this exercise; but we discovered there have been massive improvements in the security systems at the airports.

“To Nigeria’s credit, all the minimal open-items were closed immediately. The audit focused on the eight critical elements,” the statement said.

According to it, Nigeria is one of the first countries in the world to go through the USAP Continuous Monitoring Assessment (CMA) Audit. It commended the security agencies at the airports : the aviation security, Nigerian Police, Airport Command, the DSS, Port Health Services, the Air Force, the Nigerian Drug Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Quarantine Services.

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CBN Exchange Rate as at 10/ 06 /15

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Capt. Muhtar Usman,in his response thanked the ICAO auditors for a very thorough and transparent audit.

It said that he expressed joy that Nigeria’s performance in the last audit exercise was higher than the preceding audit in 2008. The statement

said that Usman assured ICAO that Nigeria would not rest on its oars but would continue to ensure that the nation’s air transport operations were secure and safe.

DMO to raise N80.2bn worth of bonds on June 17 T

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DOLLAR 195.9 196.4 POUNDS 299.5899 300.3545 EURO 219.9565 220.5179 FRANC 210.148 210.6844 YEN 1.5758 1.5798 CFA 0.3143 0.3243 WAUA 272.955 273.6516 RENMINBI 31.5618 31.6428 RIYAL 52.2261 52.3594 KRONA 29.4759 29.5512 SDR 275.0044 275.7063

audit report to Nigeria. In 30 days, Nigeria will submit its comments on the audit report if any. “Within another 30 days, the country will submit to ICAO its Corrective Action Plan (CAP)”.

The statement said that the Director-General of the NCAA,

From left: Obinna Nwosu (Deputy Managing Director, Access Bank), Dave Umahi (Executive Governor, Ebonyi State), Herbert Wigwe (Group Managing Director, Access Bank)and Roosevelt Ogbonna (Executive Director, Commercial Banking Division, Access Bank) at the Access Bank Head Office.

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The statement said that now that the USAP CMA activity had been completed, draft findings and recommendations would be provided to the regulatory authority.

It said, “after 60 days, ICAO will forward the USAP CMA

$136.55

$62.77

— 21

he Debt Management Office (DMO) says it will raise N80.22billion worth of bonds in three categories on June 17.

According to the DMO, in its ‘Bond Circular ’ issued on Wednesday, the categories of bonds will include a 20, 10 and five-year bonds.

It said that the 20year bond would attract N40 billion, N15.22 billion for 10year bond and N25 billion worth for the five-year bond.

It said the three categories of bonds would mature in February 2020, March 2024 and July 2034 respectively. The DMO added that the

three categories of bonds had different coupon rates. The 20year, 10-year and five-year bonds will have coupon rates

of 15.54 per cent and 14.20 per cent respectively while the 10year bond will attract 12.15 per cent. It said that while the bonds

would be auctioned on June17, the settlement date would be June19. The DMO said that all the bonds could be re-opened.

NEPC chief seeks speedy approval of grants for exports

A

Director in Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Mr Olajide Ibrahim, has appealed to the new administration to urgently approve the Pre-Shipment and Export Expansion Grant (EEG) to non-oil exporters.

The grant was suspended early in 2015 for review. The grant, otherwise known as the Export Development Fund (EDF), was initiated by NEPC in 2014 to assist small and medium-scale exporters.

The grant is particularly meant to boost the export of non-oil and agricultural commodities.

Ibrahim, who spoke in Lagos, said that the appeal

was necessary because of the capital intensive nature of export business. He said that the fund was needed to ensure quality assurance of exportbound products since majority of non-oil exports had been

Grant for exporters is the major challenge now. We tried all our best to get it approved by the last administration, but to no avail

rejected due to poor quality.

“Grant for exporters is the major challenge now. We tried all our best to get it approved by the last administration, but to no avail. We hope that this present administration will quickly approve it because most exporters are stranded.

“This will be a major area where the present administration will do well if we want non-oil exports to receive a boost at this critical time the oil price is down,” he said.

Ibrahim said that the council had trained and re-trained exporters to improve the quality of products.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

One of the downsides of being a dreamer is that it is easy to think of everything as easy during the dreaming stage

,

,

How dreamers can become doers

By John Rampton

M

aybe you’ve been called a dreamer your whole life - by others and by yourself. However, saying you are a dreamer or a doer is like saying you are good or bad. Nobody is 100 percent one way or the other, but they may lean more in one direction. It’s a spectrum, and the good news is that you can shift the paradigm so you’re a little more balanced.

Remember that being a doer is not necessarily better than being a dreamer. You need both to succeed. If you are really off kilter and have a lot more dreamer tendencies, it is time to take action.

Following are some of the

Being a doer is not necessarily better than being a dreamers

easiest, quickest ways to embrace your inner doer so your dreamer can take a little break. Remember, without a comprehensive, balanced approach you’ll just keep going in circles: Write down goals and give them deadline So, you say you want to write a novel and have it ready to submit to literary agent or publishing house. That’s awesome - but how far along are you? What do you define as “submission ready”? How long can you write per day, and is it scheduled into your routine just like work or going to the gym?

Depending on where you are with your draft, choose a deadline for being submission ready (less than two years out), or schedule minideadlines, such as two chapters written by month’s end. This approach works for any goal.

Balance wants and needs Every time you decide you want to do something, follow that up with a list of steps you need to take to make it happen. This might mean

saving a certain amount of money for a special event like your wedding. If you want to save $10,000 in one year, look at your budget and figure out what you need to cut to make that happen.

You might also need to pick up more hours at work, a second job or practice more frugal living.

Surround yourself with doers Birds of a feather certainly flock together, but you probably have more doer acquaintances and friends than you realize. Who are your five best friends?

Dreamers feed off of each other, but if you’re around doers they will inspire you.

The staunchest ones aren’t quick to indulge your dreamer tendencies and will want to know what your plan is. Remember: you are in charge of your support network.

Stop doing what doesn’t work You know Einstein’s definition of insanity, so why do you get stuck in that rut?

If you’ve been dreaming about something but your attempts haven’t led to positive results, it is time to stop, reassess, figure out what’s wrong and try a fresh approach. You’ll never get anywhere making the same mistakes over and over again.

Assume everything will take longer and cost more One of the downsides of being a dreamer is that it is easy to think of everything as easy during the dreaming stage. However, things have a tendency to take more money and time than you imagine. When writing down your action plan, increase time and money by ten percent and give yourself a buffer. The worst case scenario is you’ll succeed with time and money left over.

Don’t let your drive to be a doer brush your dreaming tendencies totally under the rug. It’s your source of inspiration, creativity. and means of reaching for the stars. *Rampton is the founder of the online invoicing company, Due, and a startup enthusiast

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (09/06/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

195.90

196.40

196.90

299.5899 219.9565 210.148 1.5758 0.3143 272.955 31.5618 52.2261 29.4759 275.0044

300.3545 220.5179 210.6844 1.5798 0.3243 273.6516 31.6428 52.3594 29.5512 275.7063

301.1192 221.0793 211.2208 1.5838 0.3343 274.3483 31.7238 52.4927 29.6264 276.4082

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Small grants and loans (2):

How to access African Enterprise Challenge Fund

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

A

Challenge Fund, also referred to as enterprise challenge fund, is a competitive financing facility to disburse donor funding for international development projects, typically utilizing public sector or private foundation funds for marketbased or incentive driven solutions.

The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) is a $250m multiple window funding platform capitalized by multilateral and bilateral donors to stimulate private sector entrepreneurs in Africa. It is meant to help find profitable ways of improving access to markets and the way markets function for the poor, particularly in rural areas. The Fund which was launched in June 2008, awards grants and repayable grants to private sector companies to support

innovative business ideas in agriculture, agribusiness, renewable energy, adaptation to climate change and access to information and financial services. It is managed by KPMG. The purpose is to improve incomes of smallholder farmers and the rural poor in Africa. It is supported by the governments of Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and is hosted by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

The Fund supports private sector investments that: Provide solutions that help small holder farmers develop their businesses and increase their income; Develop new markets for agricultural products along the value chain and; Increase financial services to businesses and people in rural areas. It is open to companies all over the world, as long as the idea is implemented in Africa.

Portfolio The AECF portfolio is spread across 23 countries with 49 percent in East Africa, 26 percent in Southern Africa, 11 percent Western Africa, 9 percent in the Horn of Africa and 3 percent in Central Africa.

Application process The AECF proposal application process follows a two-stage process that is common to all AECF funding windows.

The first stage is submission of an initial application form where the applicants write about their business ideas, and about their company(s). The ideas should not only be in terms of commercial viability but also on potential rural development impact. During the first stage, the applications are assessed solely on the quality of the written submissions.

An interested business submits their application when invited in the Concept Note stage. Once the competition for entries closes, the concept

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 23

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dity de

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notes are assessed, and if successful in the initial assessment, the applicant is asked to submit a more comprehensive Business Plan for the project in the business plan stage.

Being selected is the second stage of the funding process and is a 3-stage process.

During this stage, AECF engages with and visits all of the companies preparing business plans. The final business plans are presented to the independent Investment Committee for a decision about which business ideas win the competition for AECF funding.

Once awarded funding the successful businesses are informed and invited for an Induction Workshop prior to contract signing.

The contracting process is followed by reporting and disbursement of funds. As part of its mandate, the AECF monitors and evaluates the project over the 6 year life of the contract.

Evaluation It is mandatory for grant beneficiaries to self-report semi-annually.

The beneficiaries can, however, chose to report quarterly if they need funds disbursed. The Fund Manager undertakes monitoring and evaluation visits to the projects semi-

AECF awards grants to private sector companies to support innovative business ideas in agriculture, agribusiness, renewable energy

annually with some being visited quarterly. The visits mainly assess both technical and financial progress.

AECF measures business performance using two key indicators - turnover and profitability. Turnover, and growth in turnover, are closely correlated with, and are a predictor of, development impact i.e. businesses with a large and increasing turnover tend to generate higher development impact. Profitability is tracked primarily because, if the business/project idea is not profitable, the development benefits being created will not be sustained after AECF funding ends.

Eligibility Private sector companies are invited to compete for AECF funds by submitting their new and innovative business ideas to a particular AECF competition. These ideas have to comply with the rules (eligibility and selection criteria) of the particular competition being applied for.

To be eligible for AECF funding you must enter both the amount of grant requested and the amount of repayable grant requested, even if one of them is zero. The total amount applied for cannot be less than $250,000 or more than $1,500,000. The total is an automatically calculated field on the online form. The minimum amount the AECF requires your company to invest is usually 50 percent of the total cost of implementing the project.

Contribution Your share of the total funding may come as debt (borrowing) or equity (cash injection), by yourself or by another partner(s). In principle AECF does not recognize the contribution of existing fixed assets such as land and buildings or of sunk costs, however important these may be to the success of the project.

In organisations, it is dangerous to always have someone's idea as the best idea because of the person's superior position

,

Role of genuine respect in organisation's team effectiveness

“I have always found that the speed of the boss is the speed of the team”…Lee Iacocca

S

aying to leaders and managers that their organisations’ success is hinged upon having an effective team is like telling them what they have already known even before they started their career. And not only that, their organisations at one time or the other have invested in what is called team building, team bonding, team cohesion or team synergy – depending on the organization.

From a simplistic viewpoint, one can deduce that their main reason for investing or training their workforce on team building is to get everyone to work together for the growth of the organisation.

But in reality, is it possible for someone to sabotage the growth of his or her organisation after knowing the benefits of teamwork?

Yes, it is possible. This is based on the popular belief of how effective team is being created. Some organisations believe that the key to having an effective team is by better c o m m u n i c a t i o n , understanding the vision of the organisation, cooperation or good chemistry. The truth is that the foundation of a great or an effective team goes much deeper than that. The foundation then is “genuine respect” for each other and what each other brings to the table – a respect that goes beyond position, beyond educational qualification, beyond gender, beyond economic status, and importantly, beyond idiosyncrasies, ideologies and disagreements.

With this genuine respect comes communication, shared vision, cooperation, good chemistry, and ultimately team success. So it means that without genuine respect for

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

Genuine respect is recognizing the gifts and value in others and utilizing those gifts and value

individuals in organisations, we might not be able to have better communication or cooperation that will lead to team success. There is also a misconception that some leaders have about respect in organisations. They believe that for their subordinates to show genuine respect for them, they always have to be in total “agreement” with their viewpoints. That is very wrong as respect does not equal agreement. If as leaders and managers we are looking for everyone on the team to agree perfectly with our viewpoints, it may not totally happen, and that might affect the team’s success. In addition, in organisations, it is even dangerous to always have someone’s idea as the best idea probably because of the person’s superior position.

Let us not confuse respect to mean that we will blindly accept what is wrong or unethical just to ‘falsely’ show how respectful we are.

Nobody has the whole

answers; we all have a portion of the answers. This explains why we need to rely on the views of others where we fall short – and that is even why effective team should exist.

Genuine respect is recognizing the gifts and value in others and utilizing those gifts and value. The quest for superiority or who does better should not be envisaged in a progressive team or organization. The good news is that every employee “sees in part”, so everyone sees, and everyone has a contribution. Building world-class organization requires that leaders should utilize everybody’s contributions. According to Doug Cartland, Leadership can be seen as the ability to unify a team, motivate it and head it in the right direction.

It is also the ability to interpret the gifts and abilities of those with you to best utilize them. The truth is that every employee has a significant role to play in driving growth in every organization, and being able to identify that ability is crucial for every leader and manager.

Final note: Sometimes, managers fail because they fail to make a difference in the lives they touch, the team members and employees. As leaders and managers, we should help our employees grow, let them shine and when they do, their brilliance will reflect on us. Like what the former chairman of Chrysler (Lee Iacocca) said – “I have always found that the speed of the boss is the speed of the team”. When genuine respect and the desire for the growth of other team members or employees’ increase, team effectiveness is bound to be achieved. And guess what?

Productivity and profitability are bound to increase.

For your views perspectives: Email: uju@hainescentre.com

or

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Re: Central Bank and its filthy notes

Skye Bank refreshes identity with ‘Big Enough’ campaign

By Ademola Bakare

T

he above titled article by Steve Ayorinde, the Vice President (West) of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and media consultant published on the back page of a daily newspaper of Thursday, June 4, 2015 makes an interesting read.

One is curious that a renowned journalist of Ayorinde’s has not availed himself of the truth and details of the subject of his piece before putting pen to paper. Having followed the event since the CBN first issued a statement back in November 2014 informing the public of infractions in one of its branches, one found it easy to identify several innuendos and misinformation contained in the article. One would have expected the writer to dig deep into the matter and commend the proactive step taken by the apex Bank in detecting the operational infraction that occurred in its Ibadan branch.

Could Ayorinde have fail to read in-between the lines to see the motive of the EFCC in the matter? His motive cannot be clearly understood as he clearly mixed up a lot of issues in the article. It would have helped his story if he actually confirmed the issues by seeking clarity from various security agencies.

As a seasoned journalist too, and a keen watcher of the CBN Ibadan branch incident, which I have been following since the Bank broke the news by itself on November 11, 2014, the piece by Ayorinde should not have earned a space in any credible newspaper. Ayorinde trained to inform and educate should have diligently x-rayed the issue at hand objectively rather than embarking on what appears to be a destructive mission.

The CBN, I recalled, had in November last year informed Nigerians and the banking segment of the public of the infraction at its Ibadan branch operations.

The statement issued then informed the public that “the Bank had invited relevant security agencies to investigate the matter with a view to identifying the cause of the breach and those behind the act. The statement further said that the management of the Bank had ordered the immediate suspension of all staff that were directly or remotely linked to the incident in order to ensure noninterference into the matter.

BRIEFS

By Princewill Ekwujuru

I

AGM: From left: Company Secretary, Total Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Olubunmi Popoola-Mordi; Chairman, Mr. Momar Nguer and Managing Director, Mr. Alexis Vovk, during the 37th annual general meeting of Total Nigeria Plc in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU

As we have come to understand, the Bank upon conclusion of its investigation found some middle level officers in various degrees culpable.

Some according to the Bank’s authority were summarily dismissed, while some were suspended indefinitely on October 21, 2014 pending further investigation by relevant security agencies.

The indicted officials according to the Bank were handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.

It is therefore wrong of Ayorinde to create the impression that the perpetrators of the infraction were “top officials” of the Bank, and that the CBN did not do anything until a petition got to EFCC in November last year of how N6.5 billion was cornered and discreetly recycled by top executives of the CBN Ibadan branch.

As someone who has been following the development, it must be emphasised that nobody but the management of the Bank reported the matter to the EFCC on November 3, 2014 and followed it up with a press release issued in November 11, 2014.

One therefore wonders what the EFCC had been doing since the CBN handed over the matter to it. The more disturbing question then is that why did the agency wait till now to give the public the impression that ‘a staff from the Oshogbo branch of the CBN’ blew the whistle. Nigerians are no fools, and if Ayorinde was hired, like it appears, by the

EFCC to launder its ‘dented’ image, it shouldn’t be at the expense of CBN’s integrity.

The EFCC we know of late and under its current leadership had gone to sleep in carrying out its mandate.

The same EFCC just suddenly woke after the inauguration of a new regime in Nigeria, giving the impression that it is working.

Why did Ayorinde not ask the agency what it had been doing since October 2014 when the CBN handed over the case to it? The EFCC, through its manipulation of

.It is quite laughable to accuse the CBN of sponsoring terrorism, particularly, the deadly Boko Haram insurgents without facts?

the incident, waited for six months before coming to the public to malign the institution and its management. It did not stop at that, the agency even manipulated the media in its twisted press briefing by its spokesperson and the press release he issued.

It is not my duty to defend the CBN, but it is quite laughable to accuse the CBN of sponsoring terrorism, particularly, the deadly Boko Haram insurgents without facts?

Security agencies in the land have investigated the allegation as petitioned by an NGO - SERAP last year, and found no official of the Bank culpable. For Ayorinde to have advised the new regime to dig deep into the Bank activities to unravel the identity of the ‘supposed’ CBN official sponsoring Boko Haram insurgency, in my honest view, suggest that he cares less about his personal reputation as a writer.

As we all clamoured for change, Ayorinde should be advised not to be a willful tool of the EFCC. The leadership of the Agency is much aware of the impending overhaul of the agency; it should therefore not use the CBN to launder its image nor seek to bring the institution to disrepute.

Ademola Bakare, an Abuja based media practitioner. demobakare1@gmail.com

n line with its commitment to advance customer experience, Skye Bank has unveiled its ‘Skye is Big Enough’ campaign aimed at promoting the bank’s new “Smart” unique selling proposition.

Speaking at a press conference to unveil the new thematic campaign in Lagos, Abimbola Izu, Executive Director, Corporate Services, said the campaign became necessary to align with evolving market trends as well as draw attention to the bank’s enormous capacity in ensuring customers convenience and maximum comfort at all times.

“The entire world is under very serious economic stress and pressure, but in the midst of the pressure, we find opportunities to shine. Skye Bank is seizing the moment to reposition itself for the challenges and the opportunities that abound in the market place as we evolve”, she said.

According to her, the essence of the campaign was to tell the customers that Skye is big enough to handle all forms of business transaction, as well as have smart, intelligent and innovative technologies that support the businesses of its customers.

To further push the campaign, she disclosed that Skye Bank was adopting all its platforms to convey its message, disclosing that the bank would soon commence an advertising campaign that highlights the new realities and capabilities of the bank, using the success stories of individuals just to ‘drive home our point that the Skye is Big Enough for anyone that is determined to succeed’.

Izu highlighted the bank’s acquisition of Mainstreet Bank last year, as a proof of Skye bank’s determination to leapfrog into the league of bigger and stronger institutions that are major players in the evolving global economy. ”This year, we are quickly accelerating the concluding process of integration. The merger gives us 469 branches, a quantum leap from the 260 branches that Skye Bank had, more importantly, it has given us a very significant footholds in some areas where Skye bank is not well represented. For instance in the South-East alone, Skye Bank will have an addition 54 branches right away, and in the North we will be having about 52 branches right away” she stressed.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 25

VISIT: Senior Manager, Product Portfolio, Vodacom Business Nigeria, Mr Abu Etu (left); and Senior Manager, Network Engineering, Vodacom Business Nigeria, Mr Olumide Idowu (right) with pupils of Saints Peter and Paul Nursery and Primary School, Ikate, Elegushi Lekki, Lagos during a one-day Information and Communication Technology field trip to Vodacom facility, in Lagos.

First 100 days in office: Educationists set agenda for new govt

By Amaka Abayomi

T

he first 100 days of any new government is used to measure the successes or otherwise of the government and also serves as a parameter to determine the direction of the government. It is an important and symbolic period that can also have tremendous positive impact or repercussions for the government and the country. Though 100-day landmark started with President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States of

Lagos schools get N19million hi-tech libraries from Western Union, others PG. 27

Time for class action suit against NUC, CLE, NLS and JAMB – 3 PG. 28 C M Y K

America (1882-1945), it has grown to become a global trend.

To this end, and worried by the never-ending rot and corruption bedeviling the education sector, educationists have presented a list of things they want President Muhammadu Buhari to take action on in the sector.

The first is the appointment of a sound and incorruptible Minister of Education, and then institution of anti-

corruption agency in the Ministry of Education, among others.

Urging the President to take advantage of the goodwill he presently enjoys, they asked him to take difficult decisions that would surely inflict immediate pains but are in the interest of the country and the government, in the long term.

Passion, patriotism

The South-West Zonal Coordinator, Parents' Teachers' Association, PTA, Deacon Olusoji Adams, said the appointment of the right people to manage the affairs of the sector should be taken seriously as this would determine the end result.

He said: “The appointment of credible people, especially the Minister, would set the tone for the

Continues on page 26

We no longer receive reward in heaven —Teachers

By ELIZABETH UWANDU

T

eachers in Lagos have debunked the saying that their reward is in heaven.

They made this claim as they celebrated their own, Deaconess O. Oludemi on her pen down and retirement ceremony held at State Senior Grammar School, a special school for hearing and hearing impaired. The event also corrected the belief that teaching is a job for the jobless.

The occasion meant for Deacon Oludemi to officially sign the statutory register, log out as

a staff of the government and also be welcomed into the Senior Citizen forum, was graced by, representatives of the Tutor General and Permanent Sec. Education District 1V, retired principals addressed by Senior Citizens, principals of schools, past teachers and current teachers of the school, PTA members, old students association, family and well wishers and students of the school.

Mrs Oludemi leaves an unprecedented success story as the she started in the then State

Continues on page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

We no longer receive reward in heaven —Teachers Continues from page 25

TRAINING: From left; Dr. A. G. Abbas, Provost, FCE (T), Gombe; Mr. Aina A. K., General Manager, Executive Trainers Ltd; Professor Evangellos Dedoussis, American University in Dubai; Mr. Okafor Aloysius, Bursar, Enugu State University of Science & Technology during an higher education training in Dubai.

First 100 days in office: Educationists set agenda for new govt Continues from page 25 ministry as appointing people who are passionate about their jobs would make a great difference.

“Also, the stakeholders (teachers, principals, vice chancellors, head-teachers and others) must be ready to co-operate to make the sector work. Another thing is to ensure that monies released are used for their intended purposes.”

Respectable minister An independent scholar and former Dean, Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, said the appointment of a respectable minister for the sector would determine the direction the sector heads.

He said: “It is so sad that President Buhari inherited a lot of problems in the education sector. Though the big problems are not the things that can be fixed in his first 100 days, he can show signals of how things would turn out in the education sector by appointing a respectable Minister to handle the sector. This is because education is essential for national development.

“This appointment should also apply to other sensitive positions in the sector because they should be seen as people who can translate to results the shame and rot that has bedevilled the sector.

“Also, the way Permanent Secretaries are being frequently transferred does not make them perform optimally. For you to experience any noticeable positive changes, Permanent Secretaries should be allowed to remain there till they

retire.”

Resurrect inspectorate Also, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Federal Wing, Mr. Emeka Okonta, expects the President to appoint a sound and incorruptible minister who would put things in place in the education ministry and also look into the welfare of teachers.

He said: “Within the first 100 days, I want a sound and incorruptible Minister to be appointed to steer the affairs of the Ministry of Education in the right direction and resurrect the Inspectorate Department of the ministry.

“This is because no credible organisation would survive without adequate and constant monitoring and most of us in that department just come to while away time in the office as there are no tools for us to work with.

Within the first 100 days, I want a sound and incorruptible Minister to be appointed to steer the affairs of the Ministry of Education in the right direction and resurrect the Inspectorate Department of the ministry

“I expect him to institute an anti-corruption agency because there is a lot of corruption in the education ministry. An example is the admission process after last year's entrance examination into unity schools. Most principals collected money from parents to have their wards admitted into schools of their choice.

Teachers' welfare “Another thing that would be a pointer in the right direction, if done within the first 100 days, would be addressing the deplorable welfare of teachers as no positive change can occur when teachers are demoralised.

“The truth is that unity schools are no longer as they used to be and there is no teaching going on in these schools because teachers are not motivated and the total neglect in the human capacity has resulted in the mass failure presently being witnessed today.

“As it is now, teachers’ salaries are very poor in unity schools, and their salaries cannot be compared with even the agencies in the ministry.

The teachers' salary structure - teachers' peculiar allowance - is not getting to us and the backlog of arrears is another issue.

"My arrears at grade level 10 is still pending, while I am at level 15 as an Assistant Director. So how can teachers put in their best when their welfare is nil.”

Okonta's question is one of many that Nigerians want answers to. 100 days from May 29 is September 6.

Stakeholders can only hope that by then a clear direction for the sector would be visible, even if the questions are not all answered.

Thurs learning, june 8

Mrs Oshin ,’’Today the reward for hard work is seen by the honour and encomium given to Mrs Oludemi. Hard works pay, just like me, I was not expecting this post as a principal. My expectations are that in the next three years, I might be a Vice Principal. All glory to God as am now a principal of this school.

Mrs Olayinka Titilayomi Oyebisi and a colleague, who welcomed the newest member of Senior Citizen expressed joy for the life of Mrs Oludemi who laboured and is alive to reap the reward of hard work.

Mr Oyebisi, a senior citizen, who taught with the retired principal in 1987 in the above mentioed school said ‘’ Today, I wish

Grammar School in 1987 as a teacher. She became a Vice principal and retires as principal of the same school, now known as State Senior Grammar School( Special) Surulere , April 2015, Though her teaching experience dates back in 1981-82 as corps memberteacher at Surulere Secondary School, Lagiajo Street, Surulere Lagos.

Speaking on the erroneous belief that teaching job is not a well paying one and it is a job for the never do wells, a cross section of teachers said gone where the days where teachers' reward is in heaven alone but on earth also as they get benefits for their labour. my friend, Chairman of sister and All Nigerian c o l l e a g u e a Conference of f u l f i l l e d l i v e .

Principals of Now she will Secondary no longer be S c h o o l , answerable to ANCOPSS, any one, she is Surulere now free to c h a p t e r a n d Now there is a enjoy life. p r i n c i p a l o f paradigm shift Pe r s o n a l l y I A k i n t o as yesterdays wish her best of Grammar luck. school M r teaching jobs Members of O l u n o i k i O. formerly seen the old student .Animashaun a s s ociation at t h e as one for the especially sets occasion said never do wells, of 87,88 and 89 teaching, one students, many of the noblest is no more, all of whom are p r o f e s s i o n s that has fathers and should no mothers came longer b e changed to honour the looked down o u t g o i n g as it used to be; due to the principal for the role she paradigm shift in higher played in their lives. remuneration and reward Among them is Mr Peter of Lagos state teachers Omoludu, president of OSA compared to their and Mr David Kadiri, a contemporaries in Doctorate degree in Lagos ministries and agencies State University. get.

For Mr Omoludu,’ I knew Now there is a paradigm Mrs Oludemi as a Biology shift as yesterdays teaching teacher whose motherly jobs formerly seen as one smile and manner of for the never do wells, is no teaching makes every more, all that has changed. understood whatever she Even the dance steps of was saying then whether teachers as they earn you like it or not. When she slightly above what their comes to the class, I look up contemporaries in to the ever welcoming ministries and agencies smile. get, has changed.

On the part of Mr Kadiri, The incoming principal of Éveryone has a root and my the school, Mrs. Adetutu A. root in what I am today is Oshin.expressed joy over from this school and for the the success of the occasion; ever loving encouragement she also praise the retired of Mrs Oludemi. So my principal for setting a good prayers for her as she record of hard work and retires but not tired is that diligence during her she should keep fit in all capacity as a principal. areas for greater feats await her."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 27

SUCCESS RECIPE WITH UDEME ARCHIBONG successrecipe2009@gmail.com www.worldlightbearersint.com 08035095243

Getting rid of the cancerous killer: Worry!

A

COMMISSIONING: Students of Community High School, Ketu in the library shortly

after the commissioning

Lagos schools get N19 million hi-tech libraries from Western Union, others

By Dayo Adesulu

W

estern Union Foundation in collaboration with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Skye Bank, First Bank, Ecobank, GTBank and Diamond Bank, have boosted students learning in Lagos State as they donated a hi-tech library project valued at N19.39 million or $98,500.

The project which was initiated by Gabasawa Women and Children Initiative, a nongovernmental organization, brought smiles to the faces of students from Archdeacon Adelaja Senior High School, Bariga, and Community Senior High School, Ketu, as the schools were refurbished and equipped to standard.

The representative of the Gabasawa Women and Children Initiative said: “The donation was part of the Read to Succeed Project, designed to awaken the passion for books among students of benefitting schools.

The project would in the long run improve the declining performance of the students in their examinations.’’

Meanwhile, the Regional Vice President for North, Central and West Africa, Western Union, Aida Diarra, was optimistic that the annual project would equip the students with the knowledge to excel in their education. According to him, the basic ability to read is what makes the ability to learn possible. He added, ‘’It is the way we are able to seek out and acquire information ourselves, without relying on biased viewpoints. At Western Union, we believe that education, access to financial services and economic opportunity go hand in hand to advocate for a world where economic opportunity is in reach for everyone.”

Also speaking, Patrick Gaston, President of Western Union Foundation further described

lack of education as a barrier to financial inclusion, especially for those who don’t have access to the financial services due to low literacy levels.

“Project Read to Succeed is in line with the Western Union’s ‘Education for Better’ program which supports access to education that provides resources and tools to people in the society that need to live better lives,” he said.

Both facilities were furnished to taste with split units, sparkling PVC ceiling, ceiling fans, 20 desktop computers, books worth N7m. Both schools wore a new face as the project also involved tiling the floors of the libraries, including painting of the entire school blocks and electrical repairs.

The Executive Director of Gabasawa Women and Children Initiative, Mrs. Doris Yaro, congratulated the benefitting schools and urged the students to take advantage of the facility.

She stressed the need for voracious reading, describing it as a pathway to success.

Yaro charged the students to invest their time wisely and regain their pride as the future leaders of the society.

According to her, early years

Education, access to financial services and economic opportunity go hand in hand to advocate for a world where economic opportunity is in reach for everyone

in life are arguably the most important period in the formation of a child’s personality and social behaviour. “Education is the most basic insurance against poverty”, she stressed. She maintained that education offers brighter opportunities and empowers people with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to conquer the future.

“Education is all about reading, understanding and development, and as such, reading opportunity has been strengthened through this project. We are not just here to launch a project but to set a pace and a footprint in achieving future expectancy for our children (the students). Western Union in partnership with our foundation has opened the doors. The students, today, have the opportunity to read and succeed,” she said.

Yaro said education remains the best investments one can make in a child’s life. According to her, Gabasawa Foundation was established in 1990 to advocate girl child education, women empowerment, poverty alleviation and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.

She explained that the group had in the past 25 years extended a helping hand to over 5, 000 families and 13, 000 children from various parts of the country.

“What we do for them is that we give them psycho-social, nutritional and educational support. We also create the awareness on general well being.

Due to the insurgency, we closed our office in Borno State but still operate from other places. Five of the girls that escaped from Boko Haram camp in Sambisa, we have to help them with scholarship to study in United States of America.

They were six but one of them was pregnant and could not make it to America,” she said.

n evaluation was carried your worries and the worst out about worry and it possible outcome and throw it reveal thus; Things that never in a waste basket. Write down happen-40%; Past things that everything good happening in can’t be changed by worrying- your life that you are grateful 30%; Needless health worries- for; count your blessings. Give 12%; Petty worries about thanks to your Creator for His unimportant matters-10%; blessings. Then write down Real legitimate worries-8% of the actions you can take to which 4 percent are things avert or minimize the worst about which nothing can be possible outcome; focus on the done and only 4% of the things solution. Get busy working on that most people worry about the solution; be proactive.

Think boldly and Act boldly. can be changed.

The word worry is derived Someone once said, “Be bold from an old Anglo-saxon word and mighty forces will come meaning to strangle or choke. to your aid. Emerson When you engage in worry counseled, “Do the thing you you strangle your power to fear and the death of fear is change or positively influence certain.”

Trust God and live a day at a the situation. When you worry you choke your body ’s time. Remember, yesterday immune system which makes ended last night and today is you vulnerable to all kinds of a brand new day. Begin each illness, from colds and flu all day on a clean slate. When you the way up to life-threatening awake in the morning, diseases and infections. In imagine that you are full of fact, medical experts have God and He is helping you. asserted that worry gives birth Go into the day with Godconsciousness to cancer, heart and talk positively. disease, high Stay away from blood pressure Don’t worry people; and ulcers and about the past, it toxic people who have arthritis. Dr. a negative outlook George W. Crile is in the tomb. on life. Don’t reveals, “We Don’t worry worry about the fear not only in past, it is in the our minds but in about the tomb. Don’t worry our hearts, future; it is in about the future; it brains and is in the womb. viscera that the womb. You You cannot do whatever the cannot do anything about cause of fear the tomb and and worry, the anything about womb but you can effect can the tomb and do something always be noted womb but you about the NOW! in the cells, Live in the tissues, and can do present and organs of the something maximize it and body ”.

A you sure will scientific expert about the NOW influence the on length of life conducted a study of some 450 is eroded by worry, stress people who lived to be one settles. Worry is useless; most hundred years of age. His of the things we tend to worry studies revealed that these about never happens and category of people lived long worry does not change or for the following reasons: (1) improve anything. Worry has They kept busy (2) They used no gain but losses. Worry moderation in all things. (3) could be likened to sitting on They ate lightly and simply (4) a rocking chair. Sitting on a They got a great deal of fun rocking chair is a stagnated out of life (5) They were early motion; it takes you nowhere. to bed and early up (6) They Worrying is being busy but not were free from worry and fear, effective. Worry is a fast especially fear of death (7) forwarded race to the grave.

They had serene minds and Worry robs the mind of clarity, accuracy and creativity. faith in God. A worry free life is a life Worry is meditating on the problem. Worry feeds on fear. that knows peace and ease.

When your mind is dominated To be free from worry begin by by faith thoughts-worry dies. writing down all your worries When your mind is dominated and evaluate them; analyze it. with fear- worry becomes your See it for what it is. The next master. Fear is a shadowy step is to determine the worst representation of false possible thing that could evidence. The entrance of happen as a result of this worry into the human mind is situation. Write it down. After the exit of peace. When peace that tear the paper with all

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Time for class action suit against NUC, CLE, NLS and JAMB (3) sue his lawyer for errors which HE story has been told of result in loss of case. Here in four lazy friends – Nigeria, a patient is operated Somebody, Anybody, Everybody upon and carelessly killed and and Nobody – with a task to be nothing happens – especially if performed. Somebody said it is a poor person. If we truly Anybody can do it; Anybody said want justice to be done to all in Everybody should do it. In the Nigeria, these atrocities must end, Nobody did it.” stop. And, there is no better place Anonymous. for us to start than the institutions Ask any of our leaders of producing the lawyers for thought – Pat Utomi, Bolaji Nigeria.

Akinyemi, Hassan Kukah etc — We need a few lawyers to what are the missing elements emulate them and to act on this in our search for economic, matter. If ever there is time I political and social development. regret not reading law, this is it.

Virtually all of them would This would have been a case to include in their list of top ten – take on either gratis or on lack of strong institutions. It is contingency basis. Taking young difficult to disagree totally. There law aspirants, putting them is probably no institution in through the meat-grinder of Nigeria today which can be called JAMB, university law education strong. But, we have them. And for five years, only for the NLS four of them – Nigerian and CLE to throw them out like “rotten minced University Commission, NUC, meat” is not only the Council for unethical but Legal Education, In Nigeria, a should carry CLE, the patient is operated penalties for the Nigerian Law upon and carelessly institutions School, NLS, killed and nothing concerned. and Joint Somebody must happens – especially Admission and pay for that pain if it is a poor person, Matriculation and anguish Board, JAMB, If we truly want visited on as well as certain justice to be done to thousands of our universities – all in Nigeria, these youth and their through acts of atrocities must stop, parents and for commission and/ the dreams or omission, there is no better busted and have been place for us to start hopes dashed. wasting the lives than the institutions Each of these of thousands of producing the institutions, by young people lawyers for Nigeria not taking the embarking on extra step which law career, as involves issuing well as the hard warnings to earned income of their parents aspirants for law education guardians and sponsors. contributes to their woes later. For The latest announcement that example, what prevents JAMB, those studying law at the after listing universities offering National Open University of law from asterisking those with Nigeria, NOUN, is the last of only provisional approval? The such collective dereliction of NUC publishes the list on its duties by institutions responsible website, and the Commission for the process of producing thinks it has done its duty in a lawyers in Nigeria should country where computer literacy condone. is very low and not everybody One of the things admirable has access to computer. The about America is the Nigerian Law School and CLE demonstrable fact that some also feel their responsibilities individuals and publicly-spirited start and end after the students lawyers, derisively called have laboured for five years and “ambulance chasers” have taken are then told they are up great institutions in order to inadmissible to the NLS. What obtain justice for masses of small stops them from publishing twice people who could not challenge a year the list of universities or the power institutions. Ralph programmes whose students are, Nader fought for safer cars when or are not, admissible? Finally, when will all the stakeholders he took on General Motors, force the NUC to limit the number which in the 1960s was the of years a university can be largest company in the world. allowed to function on Other lawyers have taken up the “Provisional Approval” status? defence of those who suffered Perhaps one reason that has not from smoking and forced the been done is the incestuous cigarette manufacturers to place relationship between the warnings on their packages; yet universities, the lawyers selected others have fought to ensure that to go for accreditation, the partmalpractice suits can be brought time lecturers at many of these universities, such that closing against doctors and hospitals for down many of them will amount the negligence of their staff and to economic suicide for the institutions. One can now even lawyers.

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DONATION: From left; CEO of Save Our Needy, Ms Marvella Odili, some of the head teachers of St Michael’s Nur/Pri School 1 & 2, and Alaworo Nur/Pri School, Ojo-Okokomaiko and Mr. Abdul Idris, Chief Clerical Officer, Social Mobilization, Ojo, LGEA representing Mrs. Helen Olufunmilayo Ogun, Head of Section, Social Mobilization, Ojo during the free distributions of bags to schools in Lagos.

Three Plateau pupils excel in Math contest

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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hree pupils from Founders International Academy, including 11-yearold Retji Cishak, a grade five pupil, came top in the 12th Annual National Mathematics competition organized by the Nigeria-Turkish International Colleges and the National Mathematics Centre, Abuja.

Cishak beat over 8,500 others and emerged the overall best during the Northern Zone second stage competition where competitors were drawn from both public and private primary schools from the 19

states in the zone.

Cishak won a gold medal, full scholarship into the Nigeria-Turkish International Colleges, NTIC as well as a N150,000 prize money, his school equally got a photocopy machine and a National Merit Award plaque while his class teacher went home with N100,000.

Two other pupils from the school, Esther Jackson and Selchang Dassak came 10th and 12th respectively in the same competition with Jackson winning 100 per cent scholarship in tuition, a Merit plaque, a bronze medal and a cash prize of N40,000, while

Dassak went home with 100% scholarship on tuition, a Merit plaque, a bronze medal and a cash prize of N35,000.

Commending the efforts of the teachers for giving the right attention to the pupils, Managing Director, Founders International Academy, Mr. Lucky Momoh, said “this remarkable feat depicts the high level of commitment to academic excellence in Founders International Academy and we will not rest on our oars but will keep improving on our standards so that our pupils can continue to excel and get to the peak.”

Igbajo Polytechnic gets nod for NYSC programme

By Gbenga Olarinoye

I

gbajo Polytechnic, Igbajo, Boluwaduro LGA, Osun State, has been given the go ahead to present graduates of the institution for the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, programme.

This was disclosed by the Rector of the institution, Mr. Tanimowo Oke, who said the approval was given by the Directorate Headquarters of

the NYSC in a letter with Ref. No. NYSC/DHQ/CM/M/124/ 22 of 29th April, 2015 signed

by Mr I.I. Fasanu on behalf of the Director General.

The approval letter referred to the application of the institution and said “I am directed to inform you that after a careful consideration of your application viz-a-viz the records from National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, your institution has been

included in the list of Corps producing institutions with Institution Code OS00020”.

The BOT commended the school management for working towards getting the approval, describing it as another milestone in the history of the institution.

It will be recalled that Igbajo Polytechnic was the first community polytechnic to be approved by the NBTE in Nigeria.

Increase effort in education, US Counsul General tells student

T

By Vera Anyagafu

HE US Consul General, Jeffery Hawkins has advised Nigerian students to increase effort in the area of education, warning that lack of proper education could mar the ability of youths in becoming the world’s greatest innovators.

Hawkins who spoke at the reception of the Carrington Youth Fellowship Alumni Nigeria (CYFAN), in Lagos told participants that it is okay to have some luxury to reward hard work, just as it is important to be a part of change one wants to see in Nigeria, stressing that CYFAN is expected to be among those who can make remarkable change in Nigeria.

According to the Hawkins; “CYFI exemplifies

the way in which the United States and Nigeria fit together. I have no doubt that the alumni network’s energy and enthusiasm will allow the program to continue its success.”

CYFAN is an association of young leaders who previously participated in the Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative (CYFI), in which outstanding young Nigerians are selected as fellows and grouped into teams to design and implement a project with social impact.

CYFAN President Rhoda Williams explained her vision for the organization. “We have pulled our collective energy into the Alumni Network to create a platform where young Nigerians can access support and build their capacity in addressing society’s development challenges.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 29

Glo hosts youth corps members to night of fun

World’s first commercial fly farm M opens in SA ...to map genome of fly

By Ebele Orakpo

T

he world’s first commercial waste-toprotein fly farm is nearing completion in Cape Town and by ‘herd size’ will be the largest farming operation on the planet.

As part of its commitment to ongoing research and development in the emerging nutrient recycling industry, AgriProtein Group has launched an initial five-year Research & Development programme to drive its ongoing process improvement work as well as to spearhead research for the group globally.

The team is headed by entomologist, Dr Cameron Richards, complimented by Dr Ian Banks, and a team of four researchers and six support staff.

The team will work on a wide range of Research & Development initiatives, key amongst them being the mapping of the genome of the fly species starting with Hermetia illucens or black soldier fly. The team will also be researching mating and egglaying stimuli amongst various production fly species.

This R&D initiative builds on commercialisation research supported by South Africa’s Technology Innovation Agency as well as six years of research and development into fly rearing technology in partnership with the University of Stellenbosch.

As AgriProtein rolls out factories to four continents over the coming 18 months, whilst working with research partners and institutions in Europe, Asia and the Americas - the group views South Africa as its lead research and development hub.

Dr Christo Wiese is one of Africa’s leading entrepreneurs.

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*From left: Dr Ian Banks, Karin Andse, Lee-Handra Johnson, Dr Cameron Richards, Dr Christo Wiese.

AgriProtein is at the forefront of the emerging nutrient recycling industry. Mr. Jason Drew, co-founder of AgriProteinTechnologies had in July, 2013 told Vanguard that the housefly could save the world. AgriProtein uses flies

reared on a very large scale to lay eggs that are hatched into larvae on organic waste material. The larvae are then harvested and dried into Magmeal, a natural and sustainable feed for chicken and fish.

By Ediri Ejoh

EMBERS of the Batch A 2015 set of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to Lagos recently, had a night of absolute fun as one of Nigeria’s National Telecommunications Carrier, Globacom, threw a party for them at the NYSC Orientation Camp to mark the beginning of the service year.

The company ’s Business Director, Kunle Akanmu, in his welcome address said that, the company was delighted to be part of the corps members’ orientation camp activities and that the party was aimed at celebrating the beginning of their service year which it believed, would be successful and rewarding.

“As the 2015 NYSC Batch ‘A’ service year begins, we urge you to be good ambassadors of your various institutions and brace yourselves up for the challenges ahead.

At Globacom, we believe that the youth are the future leaders of this great nation, and we are optimistic that, with the training

you have received in your schools, you will make the nation proud in your various places of primary assignment,” Akanmu said.

Miss. Befii Taekor, one of the corps members, at the event, thanked the telecom company for organizing such an event aimed at bringing about interaction, meeting people from diverse culture, institution and promoting the spirit of friendship at this time of political challenges.

“It was really thoughtful of Globacom to have such an event at the Orientation Camp. It created an opportunity for bonding amongst corps members, especially at the beginning of camp activities,” she enthused.

Amongst the company ’s Ambassadors present at the event, ace comedian, Mr. Bright Okpocha popularly known as Basketmouth, was there to entertain the corp members with comedy, while Hip-hop super star, Wande Coal’s scintillating performance made the event a colourful one by presenting some of his hits songs.

Vodacom promotes e-Learning in schools

I

By Tare Youdeowei

N furthering its mission to empower youth through communication technology, Vodacom Business Nigeria hosted fifty-six students from the S.S. Peter & Paul Nursery and Primary School, Ikate Elegushi on a special tour of the company’s facilities to learn about the cloud computing and the technology behind e-learning.

The students of the S.S. Peter & Paul Nursery and Primary School run by Loving Gaze, an independent non-profit organization, that serves the unprivileged communities in Lagos State, were given the opportunity to learn about new communication technologies and their importance to education.

As a practical demonstration of e-learning, the primary five students aged between nine and

11 were introduced to virtual classroom and also communicated with their classmates placed in separate conference rooms located on different floors of the building.

Abu Etu, Senior Manager, Product Portfolio, Vodacom Business Nigeria said, “We

promote the education and training of students at primary level of education, empowering them at a much early stage of their lives. It is part of our responsibility to prepare these young ones for the post - digital age which will demand technical

knowledge and skills.”

The General Manager of Loving Gaze, Barbara Pepoli, who was present at the field trip said; “We are excited that our students had the opportunity and learn new things beyond the walls of the classroom."

MSDF holds 4th summer camp for 70 students

T

he Morgan Smart Development Foundation (MSDF), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the economic empowerment of poor women and youths in Nigeria especially the Niger-Delta Region, will from August 8 -18, th 2015 hold its 4 annual Summer camp for about 70 students.

MSDF presently sponsors over 80 brilliant children from poor homes to enable them access qualitative secondary education.

At the camp, students are provided with out-of-classroom experiences in a conducive environment from where they are exposed to career guidance and counselling, value re- orientation and ethics, lectures on evil practices like drug abuse, prostitution etc, religious admonition etc. They are also given opportunity to acquire some skills which will include computer appreciation, bead-

making, tie and dye, make up, hat-making etc. They can also get to earn some income with the acquired skills. They will be fed for the duration of the camp and also reimbursed their daily transport expenses as the camp is non-residential.

The camping programme will take place at the Morgan Smart Resource Centre in Warri and for a selected few in Lagos from 14th -18th August.

30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 31

Delta CIE sues for quality ‘How Buhari can address Nigeria’s leadership child education birthed in 1995, with over challenges’ programmes and 25, 000 members

By Ikenna Asomba

A

fter fifty-five years of Nigeria’s independence, many stakeholders in the education sector have continued to express dissatisfaction that the nation is still grappling with the teething problem of leadership, which has unfortunately trapped the country as an underdeveloped nation.

Worrisomely, Malaysia, Brazil and Singapore, which were peers to Nigeria, have since left it behind in terms of right leadership and development. It’s against this backdrop, that coaching experts who spoke last Tuesday, in Lagos, at a Breakfast Seminar Agenda (BSA), organised by the International Coach Federation (ICF), Nigerian chapter, to commemorate the 2015 International Coaching Week, were pissed that Nigeria has over the

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years been frailed with under-development because of poor leadership.

Those who spoke at the event were the President, ICF-Nigeria, Ajibola Ponnle; Managing Director, Heineken/ Nigerian Breweries, Nico Vervelde; Managing Partner, Corporate Engagement Services, Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC), USA, Zackarie Lemelle; Board member, ICF-Nigeria, Sochi Ilomechina; Business Result Coach, Olusola Lanre Coaching (OLCA), Bashir Muse; Lead Consultant/Coach, Blue Galaxy Consults, Funmilola Aje among others.

They particularly affirmed that if the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is to get the leadership of this country aright, it must be passionate about ensuring it better the lots of Nigerians through its

policies, adding that it must jettison the idea of being perfect and not open to learning new leadership ideas, which is unfortunately the stock-in-trade of most African leaders.

Earlier, Emechina, who spoke to Vanguard Learning disclosed that whilst the ICF was

globally, the Nigerian chapter was officially launched on May 7, 2015 by 10 Board members, who are certified coaches, adding that the breakfast seminar is aimed at introducing the ICF to Nigerians, enlightening them on what coaching is and what it’s not.

By Tare Youdeowei

I

N a bid to raise the standard of education in Niger Delta communities, parents have been advised not to help their children / wards to acquire their certificates through e x a m i n a t i o n

Delta community sponsors 69 to earn NCE

K

By Tare Youdeowei

OKO Community, Warri North Local G o v e r n m e n t Area of the state has sponsored about 69 students who have just graduated from the College of Education, Warri in its Koko Study center. A statement by the Chairman of the community, Mr. Jerry Atigan, says the community is also poised to increase the number with about 38 indigenes who are in the programme and also in

their finals.

Mr Atigan who made the disclosure in Koko at the recent children's day celebration, said the feat is not by coincidence and that it was aimed at increasing the level of literacy in the community.

He also said the children's day celebration is done globally to sensitize the Nigerian child at a time when the educational system of the country is in decadence, adding that the Nigeria child

and the country ’s education system has suffered.

He encouraged parents to make the education of our children top priority, no matter how little the income they earn, adding that the community has built and equipped a twinclassroom block of about six classrooms and administrative offices in the community to reduce the hardship of children who trek long distances to access school daily.

malpractice, adding that doing so will amount to digging their academic graves unwittingly.Chief Inspector of Education of Warri North Local Government Area, Mr. Onojayefe Samuel, who gave the warning at the recent Children's Day celebration which held in the community also tasked parents to provide text books and pay fees for their children in private and government schools.

He called on parents to ensure that the children do all assignments given to them by their teachers, pay surprise visit to their school once or twice in a term, check their progress, and find out how they behave at school.

Mr. Onojayefe has also asked parents to filter the type of company or friends their children keep, and not to force any course or subject on them, but rather encourage them to choose the course or subject they have talent in or have a passion for.

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 33

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34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

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VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—35

Can

Buhari ensure accountability on state/LG joint account?

By Dayo Benson, Abdulwahab Abdulah & Bartholomew Madukwe ONE of the issues President Muhammadu Buhari has promised Nigerians to tackle is endemic corruption in the polity. Before assuming office, he was passionate about his stance against corruption that he said it is either Nigerians kills corruption or corruption will kill Nigeria.

Expectedly, in President Buhari’s inaugural speech on May 29, he did not mince words in expressing his determination to fight the scourge in the three tiers of government via the ambit of the constitution.

Specifically, the president who is not unmindful of the fact that the people at the grass-root must enjoy democracy dividend, said he would no longer allow local government funds to be

plundered by states.

Obviously, the president spoke against the backdrop of the practice whereby state governors have been using joint account with the councils to deny them funds which they constitutionally entitled to.

According President Buhari: |"It is only when the three arms act constitutionally that government will be enabled to serve the country optimally and avoid the confusion all too often bedevilling governance today.

Constitutionally there are limits to powers of each of the three tiers of government but that should not mean the federal government should fold its arms and close its eyes to what is going on in the states and local governments, not least, the operations of the Local Government Joint Account. While the federal government cannot interfere in the details of its operations it will ensure that the gross corruption at the local level is checked.

Agas, a lawyer, is Delta SSG

—Pg 37

As far as the constitution allows me, I will try to ensure that there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of government in the country

As far as the constitution allows me, I will try to ensure that there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of government in the country. I will not have kept my own trust with the Nigerian people if I allow others abuse theirs under my watch.”

Given the provisions of the constitution that spells out the functions of each tiers of government, the question is how does the president intend to achieve this without undermining the law.

Many have argued that the only way to free the local government from the grip of states is for the constitution to guarantee its autonomy. Unfortunately, this could be achieved by the failed constitution amendment carried out by the 7th National Assembly. The proposal could not pass the two-third of the 36 states Houses of Assembly.

The argument of most of the former governors was that autonomy for the local government would not engender development for the council areas. But some Nigerians have argued that local government are not carrying out their functions as provided in the constitution.

Section 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as

amended provides that: •gThe system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the Government of every State shall, subject to section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.

(2) The person authorised by law to prescribe the area over which a local government council may exercise authority shall(a) define such area as clearly as practicable; and (b) ensure, to the extent to which it may be reasonably justifiable that in defining such area regard is paid to (i) the common interest of the community in the area; (ii) traditional association of the community; and (iii) administrative convenience.

(3) it shall be the duty of a local government council within the State to participate

Continues on page 36

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Continues from page 35

Can Buhari ensure accountability on state/LG joint account?

in economic planning and development of the area referred to in subsection (2) of this section and to this end an economic planning board shall be established by a Law enacted by the House of Assembly of the State.

(4) The Government of a State shall ensure that every person who is entitled to vote or be voted for at an election to House of Assembly shall have the right to vote or be voted for at an election to a local government council.

(5) The functions to be conferred by Law upon local government council shall include those set out in the Fourth Schedule to this Constitution.

(6) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution (a) The National Assembly shall make provisions for statutory allocation of public revenue to local government councils in the Federation; and (b) The House of Assembly of a State shall make provisions for statutory allocation of public revenue to local government councils within the State. (b) A proposal for the boundary adjustment is approved by a simple majority of members of the House of Assembly in respect of the area concerned.

5.

An Act of the National Assembly passed in accordance with this section shall make consequential provisions with respect to the names and headquarters of State or Local government areas as provided in section 3 of this Constitution and in Parts I and II of the First Schedule to this Constitution.

6.

For the purpose of enabling the National Assembly to exercise the powers conferred upon it by subsection (5) of this section, each House of Assembly shall, after the creation of more local government areas pursuant to subsection (3) of this section, make adequate returns to each House of the National Assembly Also, Sections 1 and 2 of the fourth schedule of the same constitution, further explains the functions of the local governments. It states: "The main functions of a local government council are as follows:

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

(a) The consideration and the making of recommendations to a State commission on economic planning or any similar body on (i) The economic development of the State, particularly in so far as the areas of authority of the council and of the State are affected, and (ii) proposals made by the said commission or body; (b) collection of rates, radio and television licences; (c) establishment and maintenance of cemeteries, burial grounds and homes for the destitute or infirm; (d) licensing of bicycles, trucks (other than mechanically propelled trucks), canoes, wheel barrows and carts; (e) establishment, The Government maintenance and of a State shall regulation of slaughter ensure that every houses, slaughter slabs, markets, motor person who is parks and public entitled to vote or conveniences; (f) construction and be voted for at an maintenance roads, election to House streets, street of lightings, of Assembly shall drains and other public highways, parks, gardens, have the right to open spaces, or such public vote or be voted facilities as may be prescribed for at an election from time to time by the House of Assembly of a to a local State; government (g) naming of roads council and streets and

numbering of houses; (h) provision and maintenance of public conveniences, sewage and refuse disposal; (i) registration of all births, deaths and marriages; (j) assessment of privately owned houses or tenements for the purpose of levying such rates as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of a State; and (k) control and regulation of (i) out-door advertising and hoarding, (ii) movement and keeping of pets of all description, (iii) shops and kiosks, (iv) restaurants, bakeries and other places for sale of food to the public, (v) laundries, and (vi) licensing, regulation and control of the sale of liquor.

2. The functions of a local government council shall include participation of such council in the Government of a State as respects the following matters a. the provision and maintenance of primary, adult and vocational education; (b) the development of agriculture and natural resources, other than the exploitation of materials (c) the provision and maintenance of health services; and (d) such other functions as may be conferred on a local government council by the House of Assembly of the State.

Going by these constitutional provisions, it appears local governments functions and responsibilities are at the behest of state government, and that is why many are wondering how President Buhari can go in his effort ensure that the third tier of government get what is due to it. Or is it going to be a case of the more you look, the less you see.

Lawyers who spoke to Vanguard Law and Human Rights expressed different views on this issue.

According to Mr Festus Keyamo, Lawyer and activist, "the president is trying to enforce the autonomy of the local government, especially on the provisions of the constitution because Continues on page 37

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—37

Agas, a lawyer, is Delta SSG H

IS strength is in his character which is invisible.

Thus, in searching for Hon. Festus Ovie Agas a lawyer, it is quite possible to look beyond him. Yet he is not hidden because he does not shy away from responsibilities and challenges. He will always be compelled by his sheer grasp of issues to listen to him.

Every word and step are measured and calculated to make his point, even his opponents will yield and applaud his depth and artistry.

Agas, a native of Oteri-Ughelli, attended St. Paul’s Primary School, Ughelli where he got his First School Certificate in 1970. He got admitted into Urhobo College Effurun in 1971 and graduated in 1975 with a good grade.

Hon. Agas did his Higher School Certificate (HSC), at Government College Ughelli and subsequently got admitted into the University of Lagos,where he graduated with honours in mass-communication, Second Class Upper Division in 1982. After his youth service, he started his working career with the Delta State Complex Aladja where he served in the public affairs department of the company for several years before he resigned and joined partisan politics in 1999.

He contested as a candidate of the

•Hon. Festus Ovie Agas PDP for the seat of Ughelli Constituency and was elected overwhelmingly into the State of Assembly in 1999.

Hon. Agas was elected Deputy Speaker of the House in 2002 by distinguished members in recognition of his leadership qualities. During his tenure as Deputy Speaker under the Speakership of Rt. Honourable Basil Ganagana, the Delta State House of Assembly became significantly enhanced in several conceived

sphere of human endeavours, many important bills and motions were churned out by the House and readily assented to and implemented by the executive arm of government. During this period, oversight functions of the legislative arm of government were seriously and dutifully carried out to the satisfaction of all Deltans.

Equally too, all members and staff of the House of Assembly were adequately taken care of. Above all, Rt. Hon. Agas maintained and sustained a most fruitful relationship of the House as well as the general public throughout his tenure as Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.

For him every person is an important personality.

It was mainly in appreciation of his performance that he was overwhelmingly re-elected into Delta State House of Assembly in 2003. Also during this period as an Honourable Member he squeezed out time to pick up a Law Degree from the Delta State University and was subsequently called to the Nigeria Bar. Agas also served the Delta State Government as DirectorGeneral of the Direct Labour Agency during the first tenure of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. He was the pioneer Director General of the Okowa Campaign Organisation and

remained focused and committed to the success of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa at the primaries and election proper.

The likeable Agas, by his comportment and excellent human relation skills over the years, has carved a niche for himself as a man of the people and one that is very dependable. These qualities will no doubt be very advantageous in the discharge of his duties as Secretary to State Government.

All said, what does this new appointment as Secretary of the Delta State Government mean to him. “I have for the last 16 years been working very hard for the people of Delta State and Nigeria in general. Anybody who has worked hard in the interest of his people will be appreciated at the appropriate time. No matter how late.

“That His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa has found me worthy to be appointed as Secretary of the State Government (SSG) is something for which I have cause to give glory to God and I will not fail his Excellency and the people of Delta.”

Hon. Agas is happily married to his lovely wife, Kervwe and they are blessed with children.

•Daniel Okeme & Anthony Okotie are the Editor-in-Chief & Deputy Editor-in-Chief of The Freelance Eleven

Can Buhari ensure accountability on state/LG joint account?

Continues from page 36

what we have seen from 1999 is the brazen breach of the constitutional provisions that deal with the autonomy of the local governments.

So the President has acted intelligently.

The issue of joint account has been a major issue by the governors of the states. Chairmen of the local governments in the country are being treated like house boys. It has always been like that. On the other hand however, the argument has been that the local governments too are so corrupt that to leave funds at their disposal may lead to disaster.

At the same time the president cannot say he is holding funds for somebody or another tier of government over allegation of corruption. All we need to do is to deal with corruption at that level.

How do we do that? We need to decentralize the activities of the anti corruption bodies and have the one that deals with the issue of corruption at the local level. We can check their activities annually or quarterly as the case may be. As regards section 7 of the constitution, it does not give the state executive powers to deal with the local government’s finances. It only gives the state the supervisory role to maintain balance in the running of the local governments .

Also speaking on the issue, former NBA chairman, Ikeja branch, Mr Moday Ubani said , '"my position is that the constitution can be amended to remove the joint account stuff. Let

"This he has to tackle by ensuring, the local government money go to them directly. So far as good as it is, through legislative intervention of amendments, for the local government to control constitutional the finance of their councils, before immediate and total autonomy of then, every state government must local governments by detachment be made to conduct election into the of their umbilical cords from state councils unlike the caretaker stuff governments, through grant of full autonomy to local governments by, that is being run in our councils.

"These guys will be bound to be inter alia, abolition of States and loyal to the person that put them Local Governments Joint Accounts, there. There are so many things which the governors and godfathers going wrong. If you look at it, the subject to corrupt and brazen roads the local councils need to manipulation and mismanagement, to the detriment of provide are not there, developmental needs the motor parks and of the masses at the markets are there etc.

In these ways, local levels; by There must be proper too, successes abolition of accountability too, appointment of because if you allow registered in Administrators, the local government relation C a r e t a k e r chairmen to be in Committees or Heads office without a check, thereto will of Service, in place of this will also lead to serve as an duly elected officials; lack of accountability. by empowerment of I am in total support icing on the Independent National of Mr president’s cake of the E l e c t i o n view, but it must be government’s C o m m i s s i o n ( I N E C ) done without to conduct local interference from the war against government elections, Federal Government corruption in the stead of State as well.”

I n d e p e n d e n t In his own opinion E l e c t o r a l Chief Morah Ekwunoh said, "President Buhari’s Commission(SIEC), which the urgent annihilation or governors and godfathers use, as disambiguation of stinking aladdin ready sham, simulacra and springcave of corruption at Local boards, for “appointment”,and not Governments, as a watershed in election, of their stooges and local government administration, puppets into local government cannot be later, but now, in order positions; and by ingeniously to further enrich his cap with more devising mechanism of insistence feathers, as a no-nonsense and zero- that those, themselves, at this third tier of government are made level anti-corruption crusader.

accountable to the masses at the grassroots, and not leave the said masses in the most unfortunate and painful positions of their having jumped from frying pan into red-hot fire.

In these ways, the a ladden cave of corruption in the management of local government finances, personnel and manpower will be annihilated and made to be a relic of the ugly past, thus not only realizing the laudable objectives and intendments of our constitutionframers, as envisioned in section 7 of the 1999 Constitution(as amended) and sections 1 and 2 (a) to (d) of Fourth Schedule thereof. In these ways, too, successes registered in relation thereto will serve as an icing on the cake of the government’s war against corruption.

However, it remains to be seen how President Buhari will achieve these laudable intention without infringing on the provisions of the Constitution.

In these ways, the aladden cave of corruption in the management of local government finances, personnel and manpower will be annihilated and made to be a relic of the ugly past, thus not only realising the laudable objectives and intendments of our constitution -framers, ,as envisioned in section 7 of the 1999 Constitution(as amended) and sections 1 and 2 (a) to (d) of Fourth Schedule thereof. In these ways, too, successes registered in relation thereto will serve as an icing on the cake of the government’s war against corruption.

38—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Monopoly in maritime industry: Why Buhari must act now

By Zik Zulu Okafor

I

T was on April 27, 2015. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) sent a simple, concise but corrosive letter to sea ports operators.

This letter carried a directive from the immediate past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

This directive carried two confounding instructions. The first is that the management of LADOL Integrated Free Logistics Zone Enterprise should relocate its present US $500 million fabrication and integrated yards currently going on in Apapa, Lagos State, to Agge, in Bayelsa state. Perhaps well aware that Bayelsa state does not have the facilities to accommodate the massive Egina FPSO Project, the directive added that, “it can be conveniently located at any dedicated Oil and Gas terminal”. And the only designated oil and gas terminal is Onne Ports, controlled by INTELS. The second point in the curious directive, signed by one Engineer David Omonibeke, Executive Director, Marine and Operations, decreed that all oil and gas related cargo must be handled only at the designated terminals at Onne, Warri and Calabar ports. It is very important to note that these three designated ports are controlled exclusively by INTELS. This was one directive that convulsed the maritime world, staggered the sea ports operators and indeed shocked all stakeholders. And the reason is simple. The government has a subsisting contract it signed with the terminal operators through NPA and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) which serves as the confirming party.

This contract states in crystal terms in Article 18.2 that “No change, amendment, or modification of this agreement shall be valid or binding upon parties hereto unless such change, amendment or modification shall be in writing and duly executed by the parties here to.”

No consultation But the former President and his men at the Federal Ministry of Transport and NPA did not hold any form of consultation with the sea port operators before making this policy statement that represents a crass violation of the agreement and subjects Nigeria to outrageous infamy before the global business community as a nation of

President Muhammadu Buhari uncivilized people without respect for simple agreements.

But Jonathan’s directive is only an incongruous climax to a thriving illegality that has endured for years.

Take, for example the case of Ports and Terminal Operators Nigeria Limited (PTOL), an indigenous registered company and the concessionaire of the multipurpose Terminal A, Port Harcourt Port.

Discriminatory implementation of Lease Agreement In a letter to the Attorney General of the Federation, the Managing Director, Mrs Lizzie Ovbude had decried “the wrongful, illegal and discriminatory implementation of the Lease Agreement by the Federal Ministry of Transport and NPA by the diversion of vessels meant for Terminal A in Port Harcourt in the last three years to Onne Ports under the illegal classification of vessels as oil and gas related cargoes, to Integrated Logistics Nigeria Limited (INTELS), a concessionaire at Onne Port …..”

Some of PTOL diverted vessels, leading to loss of clientele and debilitating financial losses to the tune of millions of dollars and naira include MV Kota Berlain MV Kota Bakti and Cosco Jing Gang Shan .

Groaning in pains at the crucible her organization was faced with, Ovbude employed every possible administrative and legislative means to bring the authorities to see her plight. But her appeals could not penetrate the carapace of their conscience. With no alternative, left, she headed to the court to seek redress for the crude violation of their

Lease Contract.

Interlocutory injunction Indeed, a Federal High Court in Lagos did not waste time in granting PTOL an interlocutory injunction restraining the government, NPA and their agencies from “diverting MV Industrial Faith and MV Kota Budaya BYA Q03 and or any other vessel as may be scheduled to berth at their terminal”.

Jonathan’s directive of April 27, 2015, was therefore something of an ugly stamp of approval to a ritual of illegality.

By that singular action, the former President practically endorsed the enthronement of monopoly in the nation’s maritime industry. This was a retrogressive economic agenda that his two

President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has a solemn, patriotic responsibility to stop this ignominious attempt to introduce a foreign monopoly into Nigeria’s sea ports and terminals

predecessors in office, Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, had condemned and rejected for running against one of the critical reasons for the port reforms which is to increase efficiency through promoting fair competition.

But the terminal operators could no longer continue to be silent in the face of unmitigated injustice. And so, LADOL headed to a Federal High Court in Lagos and soon obtained an injunction restraining the government and its relevant agencies from implementing the controversial and economically destructive directive. A flurry of litigations challenging the former President’s defective directive soon followed, with Niger Dock and Simco Free Zone Company, the management firm of Snake Island Integrated Free Zone, among others also obtaining injunctions that appear to drum a death knell for the dream foreign monopoly.

In reality, one is compelled to embark on a journey of rare introspection, to reminisce on how we descended to this all time low. How did we get to this abysmal ebb where our government could make pronouncements that are incongruous with all known international trade, maritime law and international law.

Ambiguities into port reform How did we introduce so much ambiguities into a port reform exercise that received global acclaim for its transparency and success only nine years ago.

Why is INTELS, a supposedly cardinal name in the maritime sector?

This is why President Mohammadu Buhari needs to be firm in purpose and decisive in action in dealing with this critical matter. For it is a well known fact that Nigerian seaports, before 2006, were a huge scandal.

Firmly under the grip of the monopolistic Nigerian Ports Authority, inefficiency, abject lack of facilities, revenue leakages and stark corruption reigned at the ports.

The Olusegun Obasanjo government thought this was unacceptable. It came to terms with the hard fact that the monopoly of the NPA was a primal reason for the woes at the ports. It then decided to privatise and concession the ports to private investors.

The whole purpose of this decision was to promote fair competition among terminal operators/concessionaires with the attendant efficiency that would certainly bring down the cost of port services and imported goods while revenue to the government will be enhanced.

This is why Jonathan’s directive is simply an

anathema, because it practically annihilates the vital gains that the concession of the ports was conceived to bring by handing over oil and gas cargoes exclusively to INTELS Ports.

This is the same INTELS that has operated in the Niger Delta region in the last 20 years during which period Nigerian government has expended about USD 3.5 billion on its development.

This attempt at monopoly of oil and gas cargoes by INTELS lured its head way back in 2006. The then President Olusegun Obasanjo, reversed it and set up a committee to investigate it.

Committee recomendations The committee, headed by Dr A.S.P Sekibo in its report dated May 16, 2006, among other recommendations, urged the government to curtail the proximity of INTELS’ management to the political class, but unknown to them that the core LADOL family are bonafide Niger Delta indigenes, from Itsekiri.

The report, importantly, also recommended that “NPA should ensure that cargo owners are free to patronise any truck of their choice for the freight of cargo discharged in the Oil and Gas Free Zone” In addition, “importers of oil and gas cargo should be free to choose their ports of preference”.

However, in 2008 the then Minister of State 2 for Transportation, Prince John Okechukwu Emeka, during Umaru Musa Yar’dua’s tenure unilaterally, reversed Obasanjo’s directive.

The late President cautioned Prince Emeka and ordered him to publish his directive in a national newspaper. And in compliance, the Honourable Minister of State 2 for Water, Prince Emeka published in the Guardian of Monday, August 18th 2008, thus, “Notice is hereby given that importers of oil and gas related cargoes are free to choose their port of discharge for their cargoes”. And finally, that, “This notice supersedes an earlier directive stipulating particular ports of discharge for such cargoes”.

Despite his family interest, Yar ’Adua took a tough, decisive and patriotic stand against a monopoly that was crippling the maritime industry and driving away potential investors.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, therefore, has a solemn, patriotic responsibility not only to stop this ignominious attempt to introduce a foreign monopoly into Nigeria’s sea ports and terminals.

Zik Zulu Okafor, a Nigeria Media Merit Award Winning journalist wrote from Lagos.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—39

Will APC breakup?

Last Tuesday’s humiliation of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and the ensuing bad blood has drawn assertions from its foes that the party was only formed to win power and not to govern.

•Saraki: Outfoxed all

•Tinubu: Lost all

•Oyegun: Under pressure •Buhari: Belongs to everybody, belongs to nobody

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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HIEF Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary tried to play down his enthusiasm over the distress of the ruling party yesterday.

“We want them to survive because the key to the stability of the country is in the survival of the party because they are in power,” Metuh said in a telephone discussion. That was a farfetch from the Metuh of before who before now had been severally quoted as describing the APC as group of power seekers only united by a common quest for power.

Last Tuesday as the power quest by the different tendencies in the party peaked during the National Assembly leadership contests, references to Chief Metuh’s questions on the survival of the ruling party inevitably came to mind.

That question was further driven by the APC’s terse rebuttal of the election of the four presiding officers, none of whom got the endorsement of

the party.

Senator Bukola Saraki emerged as Senate President despite the party’s inclination for Senator Ahmad Lawan while even more agonising for the ruling party, Senator Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP returned to office as the Deputy President of the Senate. It was the first time in the Fourth Republic that a bipartisan leadership had been thrown up in the Senate.

In the House, the party’s favourite, Femi Gbajabiamila lost to the unofficial candidate, Yakubu Dogara while the favoured candidate for deputy speaker, —Moguno was edged out by Lashun Yusuf who strode to office on the back of the rebellion spearheaded by Dogara.

The APC’s pain was manifest in a terse press statement issued by National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in which the party threatened sanctions against those who masterminded the rebellion.

“The APC leadership is

meeting in a bid to reestablish discipline in the party and to mete out the necessary sanctions to all those involved in what is

Party members, who were on the losing side have barely been able to hide their indignation of the aloofness of the president to their predicament

nothing but a monumental act of indiscipline and betrayal to subject the party to ridicule and create obstacles for the new administration “ it said.

The harsh response of the party inevitably drew references to the situation four years ago when leaders of the APC allegedly lured rebel members of the then ruling PDP to a similar rebellion against the official candidates of the party in the House of Representatives leadership contest.

The rebellion of four years ago was what paved way for the humiliation the PDP suffered in the recent general elections.

But their rage on Tuesday evening, APC leaders refused to be bothered by such references asserting that the insubordination and treachery of the rebel APC members must be sanctioned.

“A strong word of rebuke must be passed to them,” a national officer of the party said that night.

Even yesterday morning when the remaining senatorselect who were in the frontline of the battle against the emergence of Senator Saraki were sworn in by their foe, that disdain was very apparent.

One of the leading pro-Lawan senators refused a handshake from Senator Saraki after the senator was given the oath by the new Senate President.

That development has now led to fears that the party could break up sooner than later given the schism that has been established.

The point of schism could start in the National Assembly.

If the party decides to encourage the impeachment of the elected presiding officer it would further sharpen divisions that would inevitably lead the two senior presiding officers, Saraki and Dogara back into the PDP fold.

Yesterday, the PDP in unpretentious assertion of its complicity in the pains of the ruling party admonished the APC to eat humble pie.

“Nothing can be more astonishing than the whining by the APC that the PDP at the last minute expressed its preference for Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively after it had earlier stated that it was not interested the positions. This calls to question the capacity, experience and skills of APC leaders on political matters and we have no apology whatsoever for their naivety.

“The APC is merely suffering the consequences of the greed, lust for power and inordinate ambitions of their leaders. They should note that Nigerians have since moved ahead with the new leaders in the National Assembly and stop wasting their energy on propaganda and blackmails to heat up the polity”.

Remarkably, President Muhammadu Buhari has not toed the line of the party in threatening fire against the presiding officers. While claiming his vexation with their rebellion, he nevertheless acknowledged that the election of the new officers was constitutional, a direct opposite from party officials who had sought to reverse the election.

Party members, who were on the losing side have barely been able to hide their indignation of the aloofness of the president to their predicament. Many have also questioned the actions of the National Assembly, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in the matter and fumed that the national chairman has been unable to show leadership in the face of the contending aspirations of power mongers in the party.

Indeed, it is that continuing quest for power that is going to further test the party. Saraki’s ambition for the office of Senate President was opposed by many party leaders simply on the fear that he would use that platform to further his alleged 2019 presidential aspiration.

40—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Okowa's SMART week

By Festus Ahon

If the first week of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration in Delta State is anything to go by then the people of the State should brace themselves up for some fast paced action and decisive leadership.

I

N his Inaugural Speech, which outlined the administration’s policy direction, Dr Okowa had promised that his administration intended to “hit the ground running” from the first day of its inception. He kept true to his word.

In the first week, the governor frontally addressed the controversies arising from the recent recruitment exercise into the state civil service which was suspended.

In taking the decision, the Head of Service, Mr. Patrick Origho, noted that “the process was fraught with sharp practices ranging from abuse of office to sales of job slots and therefore cannot by any stretch of imagination be adjudged credible.”

It was indeed no surprise as the recruitment exercise had generated a lot of controversy in the state. Many had questioned the wisdom in recruiting given the inability of the state government to meet its salary obligations to workers and the local government councils. In addition, there were widespread allegations of racketeering.

People were reportedly paying as much as N800, 000 to get the job slots, and Vanguard learnt that security reports indicated that 60% of the job offers went to non-indigenes residing in neighbouring states.

Remarkably, the immediate past governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan had first raised issues about the process leading to the suspension of the chairman and members of the Civil Service Commission.

But by far the biggest news of Dr. Okowa’s first week in office was the presentation of two bills and the approval of same by the State House of Assembly. It clearly showed a man who has done his homework and has a clear vision of what he plans to do in office.

The two are the Technical and Vocational Education Board Bill, 2015 and the Delta State Capital Territory Agency Development Bill, 2015 The Bill on Technical and Vocational Education is geared towards fulfilling the governor’s campaign promise to “empower our people with the requisite knowledge and entrepreneurial

•Okowa: A S.M.A.R.T. begining for the Delta governor skills for business, trade, and commerce.”

The Delta State Capital Territory Agency Development Bill is one that has generated a lot of interest and analysis because of its novelty.

Among other things, the proposed Agency is to “formulate policies and guidelines for the development of the State Capital

Territory; conceive, plan, and implement, in accordance with the set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the State Capital Territory; and prepare Master plans and schemes designed to promote the physical development of the State Capital Territory, as well as

tackle ecological and environmental problems.”

While many agree that the bill will ensure that Asaba is developed into a proper state capital, others expressed anxiety that the Okowa administration might abandon Warri and other urban centres as a result. That insinuation prompted the Government to issue a rebuttal dismissing such fears. A statement from the government insisted that “the Bill is meant to address the peculiar infrastructural and environmental challenges of the State Capital Territory without prejudice to the functions of the Government House Annex in Warri, or the status of Warri as the commercial nerve centre of Delta State.

Policy initiative “His Excellency, Dr. Okowa wishes to state that this policy initiative is neither strange nor new; it is consistent with attempts

by Governments all over the world to create strategic intervention agencies and/or bodies to tackle urgent economic/ developmental requirements. In Nigeria, for instance, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) was established by Law to undertake the infrastructural development of the Federal Capital City while the supervising ministry, the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, is concerned with the administration and management of the territory.

"The Governor reassures all Deltans that the Government House Annex in Warri will continue to function as it had always been under previous administrations. The mandate the Governor received is a pan-Delta one, and he remains irrevocably committed to the development of every part of the State by running an all-inclusive government that will foster prosperity and promote unity among the various ethnic

nationalities. Governor Okowa wishes to remind all Deltans that the elections are over. It is time for every well-meaning citizen to join hands with this administration to deliver on its S.M.A.R.T agenda anchored on the fundamental principles of fairness, equity, and justice.”

The first week of the Okowa administration ended with a meeting with ministry officials from the rank of Director and above on Friday. It was no-holds barred meeting where the governor laid bare the facts on the economy of the State. The officers were for the first time confronted with the parlous state of the economy.

An official at the closed-door meeting told Vanguard that “for the first time some of us have come to know the gravity of the situation in Delta State. I am a director in the Civil Service but I never knew our state was that indebted and that we are spending N5.2b monthly to service our debts. It is a very serious matter and I honestly pity the governor.”

Ghost workers Multiple sources told Vanguard that Governor Okowa solicited the cooperation of the senior ministry officials in fishing out ghost workers through the on-going biometric exercise.

Noting that it is only Delta and Lagos States that have a monthly wage bill above N5b, the governor said “unless we have the support and cooperation of the directors and permanent secretaries, the biometric exercise will not succeed.”

"We are in a major debt overhang, a very difficult financial state. We should appreciate that, and the onus is on all of us to find a way out. We will need to find a way to impact on the lives of Deltans. We desire a Civil Service that is trusted by Deltans and the Government of Delta State.”

APC: Another power centre

BY Ikeddy Isiguzo, Chairman, Editorial Board

P Multiple sources told Vanguard that Governor Okowa solicited the cooperation of the senior ministry officials in fishing out ghost workers through the ongoing biometric exercise

REDICTIONS that contests for leadership of the National Assembly would unravel the All Progressives Congress, APC, were certainly under-stated. In a matter of weeks, APC is moving from its confident strides to learning that toddlers do not break into full strides – with first steps. In what was supposed to be the most innocuous contentions in APC, in one swoop APC lost two critical positions to its change agenda.

Much has changed since the elections. Politicians have weaned themselves of platforms on which they rode to office only weeks ago. How

could APC, the party of strategists, thinkers, thought leaders, and leaders of thought fall prey to ambitions of its members? What does the new coalition in the National Assembly portend for change?

We are seeing change, maybe outside the expansive APC applications of the word.

We are also seeing interpretations of roles in APC party hierarchy, roles that seemed unimportant to define.

Any explanations in the middle of the early unstable weather the party has hit could not have lightened the unanticipated burden of success.

On Tuesday, we learnt from the brilliant APC publicist Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that APC has many leaders.

Where does that place Alhaji Ahmed Tinubu, who many consider the owner of APC, but merely address as national leader? There were no contenders for the title, which is not constitutional, until the electoral victory produced a “national leader”, not just of APC. The President of Nigeria is a national leader beyond the confines of any political party.

The President declared his disinterest in the composition of the National Assembly leadership. It marked his understanding of separation of powers, away from the military dictatorship he imposed on Nigeria 31 years ago. Was this a personal or

Continues on page 41

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—41

ABIA ASSEMBLY: APGA, PDP bicker over postponed inauguration •As battle for Speakership unfolds

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

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HE seeming frosty relationship between the Abia State chapter of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and its People Democratic Party, PDP, over the outcome of the 2015 state governorship election has been further aggravated with the postponed inauguration of the State House of Assembly earlier scheduled for Monday, June 8.

Permanent Secretary/Clerk of the House of Assembly, Mr. Johnpedro Irokansi had at a press briefing announced the postponement of the inauguration of the new House, citing the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue certificates of returns to two members elect of the House, as reason for the action. The current House expired on June 7.

APGA which is the main opposition in the state has condemned the postponement of the inauguration of the Assembly.

Irokansi explained that section 91 of the constitution stipulates that the membership of every House of Assembly should not be less than 24, arguing that INEC only gave him a list of 22 members issued with certificate of return. He stated that if the House is inaugurated with fewer

members than constitutionally required, someone might go to court to annul the entire exercise.

In a chat with journalists, Chairman of APGA in the state, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, described the postponement as an aberration, arguing that the inauguration of the House cannot be suspended on the basis that not all members of the House had collected the

•Ikpeazu: New man in charge

In a full page advertorial in a national daily, Orji, who is the son of the former governor, now Senator Theodore Orji denied being interested in the speakership position

certificate of return given that 23 out of the 24 members had received theirs.

He urged Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to inaugurate the 6th House, stressing that it will amount to illegality for the Governor to operate without a State House of Assembly.

"If Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu fails to inaugurate the House as scheduled, it means that the Abia Government had not been properly constituted for the present administration. The postponement is unacceptable to us; let the right thing be done, let the interest of the state be placed first. The interest of

APC: Another power centre Continues on page 40 party position? Why was the party pushing in a different direction, if the “national leader ” had spoken? Why were sticklers to sanctity of the legislature’s independence made to appear as outlaws?

President Muhammadu Buhari accepts the “constitutional occurrence” though it was outside APC’s wish list.

APC learnt little from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which four years ago, wanted to impose leadership on the House of Representatives. The House ignored its party leaders. If the experienced, humungous PDP could not succeed in one house, why did APC think it

could dictate for both houses?

When did locking gates stop legislators from getting into the National Assembly? Were we not witnesses when they jumped fences last November, evading teargas and other police obstacles, to access the National Assembly?

The once All Progressives Congress, with party discipline seemingly impermeable, has succumbed to the greed of its patrons, who in addition to losing the positions they coveted, have reduced the party to just another power centre. The forces that created the new leadership of the National Assembly would not be as trivial with power. They know that their survival rests on sticking and fighting together – for themselves.

APC leadership in its first

post-election effort to stake party supremacy has failed.

After handing over an arm of government – the powerful legislature to a new opposition – how would APC survive? A Senate Leader is ordinarily powerful, now we have one who has just finished serving eight years as Senate President. The Deputy Senate President has begun his ninth year in office.

Both are PDP. Tuesday flagged off the race for the 2019 presidential election. APC would soon realise that the disgruntled fellows who left PDP for APC, were only progressives, if it served their purpose. They are going home, maybe with more converts, not necessarily to PDP. They would be glad at the ease with which they have become another power centre, a new APC?

the state should not be attached to the interest of an individual,” he said.

But in a swift reaction, state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Uchechi Ogbuka, accused APGA of playing politics of bitterness with issues of the state.

According to him, “If the Clerk/ Permanent Secretary of the House of Assembly said the House can’t be inaugurated with 22 members based on the list he received from INEC; he has been there and knows the procedure. The Clerk cannot go against the law. So, APGA should be patient till INEC releases the remaining certificates of return. They should not accuse the PDP because we have nothing to achieve with not inaugurating the House.”

Ogbuka who said APGA is still bitter over her loss at the governorship election, added that the PDP cannot halt the democratic process in the state, as the party has nothing to gain by the situation.

Meanwhile, the race for the speakership position has reached fever pitch. The PDP which has 13 seats in the 24 member Assembly gearing to produce the speaker.

Among those believed to be interested in the seat zoned to Abia Central senatorial district are Hon. Martin Azubuike (Isiala Ngwa North), Engr.

Chinedum Orji (Umuahia Central) as well as Hon. Ikedi Ezekwesiri (Umunneochi) who is a member of APGA. But in a full page advertorial in a national daily, Orji, who is the son of the former governor, now Senator Theodore Orji denied being interested in the

speakership position.

A chieftain of the PDP who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Vanguard that the younger Orji took the decision as a result of the new development in the politics of the state which won’t favour him if he runs.

According to him, “There is no way Engr. Chinedum Orji will emerge speaker if he runs.

The present political climate in the state does not favour him.

It is a wise decision if he decided not to run.”

Orji is reportedly being considered for the post of the majority leader. Orji’s chances had brightened just before the election when it emerged that members in the last House from Umuahia zone, where the position is now zoned, who could have vied for speaker were not returned as candidates Vanguard checks revealed that Azubuike may emerge as the new speaker as the PDP has thrown its weight behind him.

Azubuike who is a third term member of the House and chairman of the Appropriation Committee in the 5th House is being backed by a majority of the members-elect.

His efforts nonetheless, an APGA member-elect, Ikedi Ezekwesiri said his party has mandated him to run for the speakership position.

Ezekwesiri, who is a second term member of the House boasted that he is sure of emerging the new speaker. He disclosed that PDP members are backing him for the position, stressing that there is no rule that the party with majority members must produce the speaker of the House.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Wike vows to tackle problem of multiple taxations in Rivers

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has promised to tackle the problem of multiple taxations in the state.

The governor, yesterday, when members of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture, PHACCIMA; Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN and the Petroleum Technical Association of Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt, said his government will continue to create the needed atmosphere for businesses to thrive in the state.

“What is important is commitment. The government has the political will to create a conducive environment. If we want investment to come into the state, then we must fight crime,” he said.

Promising to appoint a core professional as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry,

Senate Presidency: Onuesoke lauds PDP senators for electing Saraki

By Anozie Egole

A

Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has commended the party's senators for electing Bukola Saraki as Senate President.

Senator Saraki (APCKwara Central) was elected unopposed as President of the 8th Senate by 57 of the 108 senators present, with 51 senators, including Senator Ahmed Lawan, were absent.

Expressing his appreciation, Onuesoke explained that the emergence of Saraki as President with the support of PDP is good news because it would create an independent Senate free from party and executive control.

He argued that those who thought that PDP was dead must be surprised with the way members of the party turned around to spring a surprise.

the governor said he will also take steps to redress delays associated with the issuance of certificates of occupancy and other title documents, noting that it will also raise the internally generated revenue of the state.

He said: “This will not only raise revenue for government but will also enable the

business community to raise funds. Our mandate is clear: to make sure we improve the lives of our people and not to antagonise the Federal Government.”

Incoming President of PHACCIMA, Dr Emi Membere Otaji, said the visit was part of moves to consolidate the healthy

relationship between the government and the business community.

On his part, the outgoing president of the body, Mr Emeka Unachukwu hailed the government for the unique attention given to growing the business community.

He enjoined the government to resolve the problem of multiple taxations in the state.

INAUGURATION: From left: Mr. Folly Ogedegbe, Majority Leader, Edo State House of Assembly; Mr. Festus Edughele and Mr. Crosby Eribo, member representing Egor constituency, after the inauguration of the 6th Assembly by Governor Adams Oshiomhole, in Benin City.

Lawmaker pledges DTHA's support for Okowa’s 5-point agenda

By Onoja Innocent

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OMADI—THE l a w m a k e r representing Burutu Constituency 2 in Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Kennedy Daubry, has assured Deltans of the Assembly’s support for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s five-point agenda, which is aimed at alleviating poverty and bringing prosperity to all Deltans.

The lawmaker, after the swearing-in ceremony of the 6th Assembly lawmakers at the state Assembly Complex, Asaba, pledged a better representation that would have greater impact on the lives of c o n s t i t u e n t s , emphasizing that the 6th Assembly was prepared to leave a mark that will be overwhelming and unprecedented.

Okowa commended over SSG's appointment

By Perez Brisibe

Five security firm staff sue Police for alleged illegal detention

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—NO fewer than five staff of Erhengbo Okomo Security Services Nigeria Limited, Benin, Edo State, have dragged the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi and a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike of the Federal Special Ant- Robbery Squad, before a Federal High Court sitting in Benin, for their illegal arrest at their place of work, Oliha Market, Benin and detaining them till date.

The applicants, Seyi Erhengbo, Uwuigbe Ebegho, Abayomi Ajayi, Best Igbinomwanhia and Pletra Omosivbie. In the suit, they are contending that the action of the Police was unlawful, unconstitutional and an infringement on their fundamental rights to personal liberty, dignity to their persons, fair hearing and freedom of movement as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended.

The applicants, through their counsel, Mr A. O. Osemwegie, are also asking the respondents to jointly and severally pay to them the sum of N20 million for unlawful arrest, detention and torture.

The applicants also want the court to restrain the respondents and their agents from taking any step whatsoever against them and their families and or further dealing with the subject matter of the suit pending its final determination.

DESOPADEC warns communities against vandalization of projects

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—COMMISSIONER representing Ethiope East and Ughelli North Local Government Areas on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Ominimini Obiuvwevbi, has charged benefitting communities to guard against vandalization of projects executed by the commission in their areas.

Giving the charge while commissioning a solar powered water scheme at Kokori community, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state, Obiuwevbi advised the communities to make judicious

use of the facilities to better their lots.

Other projects commissioned were a six-classroom block at Ekrerhavwe Secondary School as well as an eight classroom block and fencing at Oghara –Agbarha Primary School, Ughelli North Local Government Area.

On the furniture also provided by the commission for the schools, he said: “I know benches, tables and chairs will be the next problem of the schools, hence, I got the approval of DESOPADEC to provide newly built school classrooms with the necessary needed school benches, teachers’ writing tables and chairs, even though they were not part of the building contract terms.”

U

GHELLI—HIS Royal Majesty, the Ovie of Ughelli, Oharisi III and the immediate past Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Steve Oru, have commended the Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, on the appointment of Mr. Ovie Agas as Secretary to Delta State Government, SSG. Speaking in Ughelli, they both described the appointment of Agas as the best thing to happen to Ughelli Kingdom in the recent political dispensation.

Describing Agas as a true representative of the people of Ughelli Kingdom, Dr. Oru noted that with the state governor’s open hand and good policy, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will continue to be the party to beat in Delta State.

On his part, the member representing Ughelli North constituency II in the state House of Assembly, Mr Eric Oharisi, explained that with Agas as SSG and Dr. Okowa as governor, Deltans would experience rapid development following the foundation laid by former Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan and James Ibori.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015— 43

Archbishop Martins calls for action against corruption

8TH NASS: APC not ready for governance

—SEPA

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

By Chris Onuoha

A

BA—A socio-political group, South East Progressives Assembly, SEPA, has berated the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, describing the party as an association of strange bedfellows and wounded political foes who clearly lacked coherence and

T

HE CATHOLIC Archbishop of Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Martins, has called on Nigerians to join forces with the political elites to end the scourge of corruption in the country.

Archbishop Martins, who made the statement at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, AmuwoOdofin, Lagos State, during the liturgical dedication of the new church building, appealed to Nigerians to embrace a true change by adopting attitudinal change towards one another.

He said: “This is a time when our great country is looking forward to a great change. It is a time when all of us are expecting something greater that has happened before to happen again in our lives. ‘’I believe today we should in our own little communities make a pledge to God that we will be agents of positive change. ‘’As we are looking upon our new leaders to initiate and give a change, let us also remember that a change in our attitude to relationship with one another, the change in our attitude to our country, Nigeria, and the way we do things, all constitute the pledge we will make to God as we look forward to this new change. ‘’If corruption is going to come to an end, it is not only the leaders alone, but all of us will make an effort to overcome corruption."

ideology to effect the much desired change they promised in Nigeria.

In a statement by its President, Ebere Uzoukwa and made available to Vanguard, the group stated that a situation where APC could not get members together and leverage on its majority in the Senate with 10 members above the PDP to produce both the Senate

President and his Deputy, clearly exposed the party’s lack of coordination, greed and disunity. Ít said: “If the APC couldn’t control its members, how can it then manage the affairs of the nation and actualize the change it promised Nigerians? ‘’We thought the APC which parades itself as an agent of change would have placed the nation above other sectional

and individual interests and allow the National Assembly members-elect to freely choose her leadership, but the party failed the first test posed to it

by Nigerians. ‘’The revolution, remarriage and consensus between the PDP senators-elect and APC’s senators of ‘New PDP’ bloc to produce bi-partisan leadership of APC Senate President and PDP deputy Senate President has taught APC a lesson that Nigerians can no longer be taken for granted.”

SEPA accused APC of resorting to intimidation and unconstitutional mock elections to satisfy the desire of a few individuals who pride themselves as leaders of the party.

The group also congratulated Senator Bukola Saraki and Senator Ike Ekweremadu for their election as President and Deputy President of the Senate; House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, his Deputy, Yusuf Lasun, as well as members of the 8th National Assembly for showing patriotism in choosing their leadership.

APGA Chieftain, Onyeama says tribunal'll recover stolen mandate

By Gbenga Oke

C

ANDIDATE OF All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, for the Umuahia-Ikwuano federal constituency in the justconcluded general elections, Sir Collins Onyeama, has expressed optimism that Abia State Election Petitions Tribunal will restore the mandate of the party at all levels in the state.

He also said Nigerians were watching to see how the tribunal, sitting in Umuahia, would remedy widespread irregularities and monumental electoral fraud witnessed in Abia State during the elections.

Onyeama said: “Reports from his field agents and testimony from voters after the election results were announced at the polling booths convinced us that our party won the election and I believe strongly that our petition would be able to prove at the tribunal how intimidation, inducement and ballot swapping affected the outcome of the election.

“We are going to prove our case by inspecting the printed data from card reader machines, present witnesses, testimonies and forensic examination of the ballot papers while we will press for the inspection of voters registers and provide additional facts and evidences that will further expose the irregularities and falsification of the election results at the polling booths and collation centres.

“There are instances of multiple results sheets with

exaggerated and conflicting numbers for several polling results and collation results that were inconsistent and contradictory. ‘’There were several instances of over issuance of ballot papers for numerous polling units that were unaccounted for at the end of the polling and these are convincing credible facts at our disposal that we believe will substantiate our case for our mandate to be reclaimed and victory restored.

Police arrest EEDC cable vandal in Enugu

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—OPERATIVES of Igbo-Eze North Division of Enugu State police command have arrested a notorious electricity cable vandal whose activities had led to power outage at Nsukka axis.

The suspect, Samson Onoja,who hails from Ette, in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state was nabbed on June 7 while carting away four rolls of high

tension cable belonging to Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC. Police spokesperson, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed his arrest, urged members of the public to always avail the police of information that would nip crime in the bud.

He, however, warned electrical parts dealers who patronised miscreants for stolen items, that a special surveillance group had been set up by the command to sniff out those engaged in the act.

Similarly, Nsukka Division of the command has, after a raid of suspected criminal hide-out at Ikpa in Nsukka Local Government Area, arrested Chukwuemeka Emmanuel, Eze Victor, Ogbu Obinna, Ngwoke Victor, Ezeugwu Christian and Ezema Okwudili, who had been on the trail of the operatives over their nefarious activities in the area.

Items recovered during the raid include substances suspected to be Indian Hemp and other valuables.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

Should petroleum products subsidy stay or be removed?

T

he idea of its removal was misunderstood initially but a deep look at it unveils looting of our treasury through cabals and marketers. The expressed feeling that Nigerians will immensely smile at its total removal is visible. So it should go for now. -Mr. Torke Ekpertun, Worker

F

uel subsidy is just a scam, it is just another means of looting our common treasury. I support its total removal. Let us buy fuel at appropriate price.

The fuel subsidy over the years has rather promoted corruption than serving its core purpose. -Mr. Michael Ogunshola, Public Analyst

F

uel subsidy has never been a solution to the prevailing challenges in the downstream sector of oil & gas industry. I am strongly of the opinion that the money budgeted for fuel subsidy yearly should rather be used in building refineries. -Mr. Popoola Olamilekan,Businessman

M

y view is that this singular act will reduce cost of producing a litre of petrol, improve employment, develop local content & manpower, and reduce over-dependency on foreign aids. -Miss Constance Nduba, Model

P

etroleum subsidy is an instrument of economic sabotage. With the so called subsidy, they bought over the privatized. Institutions and created jobs overseas for oil refining.

Nigerians need no more subsidies and it should be removed. Mr O. – EmceeComedian

F

uel subsidy should be removed. Government should work on the three refineries we have in the country to refine crude oil in full capacity. Its removal will enable the government sanitize the oil sector, curb the menace of corruption and grow the economy. Mr. Uyero Erarawewh, Worker

44 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Idris Garba emerges Jigawa speaker

By Aliyu Dangida

D

UTSE—THE m e m b e r representing Jahun constituency in the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Idris Kareka (APC) has emerged Speaker of the sixth Assembly, while Ahmed Maikudi, representing Hadejia constituency emerged Deputy Speaker of the House.

Garba Kareka’s emergence as Speaker followed his nomination

by Sani Abubakar member representing Gumel and seconded by Ahmad Aliyu r e p r e s e n t i n g K i r i k a s a m m a constituency.

The Speaker in his acceptance speech promised to uphold the honour and integrity of the Assembly, assuring that the new majority shall work on nonpartisan basis within and outside the precincts of the Assembly.

Kareka also said that in his leadership, there will be no minority concept except oneness, pledging to operate an open door policy.

‘Why Kebbi voted Governor Baguda'

By Agaju Madugba

K

ADUNA—A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from Kebbi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba, has attributed the success of Governor Atiku Baguda at the poll to his philanthropic activities in the state.

Describing Baguda as the “people’s governor,” Garba who spoke with reporters in Kaduna, yesterday, said that the governor should deploy his wealth of experience to transform the state.

According to Garba, “Governor Baguda is a philanthropist and I believe his philanthropic activities contributed a great deal to his victory in the governorship election in Kebbi State. He is a sincere leader whose vision is to transform the entire state.

“Through his philanthropic activities, Governor Baguda has carried out a lot of developmental activities in the areas of education, health, agriculture, youth and women

SYMPOSIUM: From left, Alhaja Dr. Ashiru Amirah, President, Federation of Muslim Women's Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN); Alhaja R. Yusuph, Gen Sec and Alhaja M. A. Calfoe, Ass Gen Sec, during the the association's week and youth symposium at 16 Makoko Adekunle, Yaba, Lagos. Photo by Shola Oyelese. empowerment, among others.

“I call on the people of Kebbi State to give all the needed support and cooperation to the governor to enable him carry out

his functions peacefully and successfully.

“I also urge traditional and religious leaders to always propagate the gospel of peace,

unity and understanding among their followers in order to achieve sustainabe peace and unity not only in Kebbi State but in the north and Nigeria as a whole.”

Bauchi first lady tasks women on sacrifice

By Suzan Edeh

B

AUCHI—THE First Lady of Bauchi State, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar, has called on women not to pay lip service to the change agenda of All Progressives Congress, APC, but to ensure that the change emanates from within to ensure

meaningful development in the state.

Hajiya Abubakar gave the charge when she received a delegation of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Executives and Elders Committee led by the Bauchi State Chairperson, Dr Kaltume Shall to Government House, yesterday.

The state First Lady who was appointed the Grand Patron of NAWOJ in the state also called on women to make sacrifices for the development of state because according to her, no society can experience change without sacrifice by the people.

She expressed her passion to alleviate the sufferings of women

by training them in different empowerment programmes.

“I want to commend women journalists in the state for this august visit because it is very timely. One of my visions for this state is to improve the lives of women and children and I am appealing to NAWOJ to ensure that it creates awareness on the plights of women in the state.

“I will engage our women in different skill acquisition programmes to better their lives and also work on maternal and recorded in terms of uniting infant health to ensure our women the Ummah especially in the enjoys good medical services,” issue of moon sighting, some she said. challenges still need to be Speaking earlier, the state resolved,” the statement said. Chairperson of NAWOJ, Dr Shall the statement added. commended the First Lady for putting women in the front burner of her vision for the state.

Enumerating the achievements of NAWOJ, Shall said that the association has the Northern states will soon be embarked on training and retraining of women in the state. overrun by sand dunes.

JNI decries alleged inciting statements by Muslim preachers

By Agaju Madugba

K

ADUNA—THE Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, has decried what it described as preaching of “mystic doctrines by some unguided extremists, which are completely contradictory to Islamic faith and principles.”

JNI in a statement, yesterday in Kaduna at the end of its annual conference and preRamadan lecture also regretted that media houses that transmit Tafsir lectures during Ramadan failed to censor statements capable of destabilizing the Muslim community.

JNI Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, and Chairman, Local Organising Committee for the conference, Prof. Sambo Junaidu, in the statement, said the conference condemned, “In very strong terms the atheistic statements of one Abdul Inyass and call on all Muslims to rally round the Muslim leadership so as to safeguard the integrity of the religion against the

onslaught of its enemies.

“The Ulama should utilize their respective Tafsir sessions in Ramadan to educate Muslims to be God fearing, emphasize the fundamental

Islamic teachings, refrain from issues that can divide the Ummah and cause mutual mistrust as well as tension among Muslims and people of other faiths.

“Despite the progress

DESERTIFICATION: APC chieftain tasks Buhari on GSP

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI —The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to pursue with vigour the Green Shield Programme, GSP, that will fight desertification which has been ravaging the Northern part of the country.

Alhaji Muhammad Tsofo, a frontline All Progressives Congress, APC stalwart from Yobe State made the call in an interview in Maiduguri.

He said that pursuing the Green Shield Programme with vigour will not only halt the rapidly advancing desert

in the North but help create employment opportunities for members of the immediate communities if implemented to its logical conclusion.

He advised that for the project to be successful, productive boreholes should be drilled at an interval of three to four kilometres so that adulate water supply would be guaranteed for the watering of planted seedlings.

Tsofo further advised that enough attendants should be employed to cater for the seedlings.

He observed that unless the Green Shield Programme was pursued with all seriousness,

Jigawa NSCDC arrests an illegal fake drug dealer The suspected drug dealer,

By Tina Akannam

D

U T S E — T H E Intelligence Operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, Jigawa State Command have arrested a fake drugs suspect in the state with cartons of fake Augmentin tablets.

Mr Sunday Orji, aged 32yrs allegedly confessed that he smuggles and sales fake Augmentin tablets in cartons and sell to other drug sellers and Pharmacists in different parts of Jigawa State.

He also allegedly confessed during investigation that that he did not sell his products in Jigawa State alone, though he pleaded for mercy

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—45

Facilities Services Group; Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, Deputy Governor of Osun State; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Lieutenant General Mark Hertling (retd), Senior Vice President, Florida Hospital, and Mr. Dele Ogunbayo, Director, International Facilities Services Group, during a visit to the governor in Osogbo.

NYSC/FCMB: From left— Mrs. Stella Omozoje, Head, Sponsorship Committee, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC; Mr. Olanipekun Alao, Coordinator, NYSC, Abuja; Mr. Inyang Aniedi, Retail Cluster Head, FCT 3, First City Monument Bank, FCMB; and Mrs Chinyere Ekwe, Assistant Director of NYSC, Abuja, at the 2015 Batch “A” Cultural Day Festival, organised by NYSC and sponsored by FCMB in Abuja.

INAUGURATION: From left— Mr. Tajudeen Obasa, Ojo Federal Constituency; Mr. Olatunji Shoyinka, Surulere Federal Constituency 2; and Mr. Mutiu Shodimu, Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency 2, all of the House of Representatives, during the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly in Abuja.

CHARITY: From left— Olawale Alao, Zonal Business Manager, Lagos West, Airtel Nigeria; Chioma Ohakwe, Founder, Bethesda Home for the Blind; an inhabitant of the home; Adekunle Adegboyega, Zonal Business Manager, Lagos North, Airtel Nigeria; another inhabitant of the home; and Femi Oshinlaja, Regional Operations Director, Lagos Region, Airtel Nigeria, when the company made donation to Bethesda Home in Lagos.

ART COMPETITION: From left— Emete Tonukari, Corporate Social Responsibility/Sustainability Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Wunika Makun, Brand Director, African Artists’ Foundation; Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser; Azu Nwagbogu, Director African Artists’ Foundation and Modupeola Fadugba, winner, Outstanding Production, National Art Competition 2014, at a briefing on the 2015 edition tagged Future Histories.

WORKSHOP: From left— Paul Wilson, Managing Director, Brian Munro Ltd; Abayomi Ajao, Marketing Manager; Thomas Mannel, Marketing Manager, Jagermeister; Oreoluwa Amao, a participant; and Lewis Jones, Regional Director, Jagermeister, MEA, during a training workshop for bartenders sponsored by Jagermeister in Lagos.

VISIT: From left— Dr. Tunde Ayeye, Managing Director, International

ICT ROUNDTABLE: From left— Waudo Signanga, Chairman, Kenyan

Computer Society; Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Chairman, African ICT Alliance, AfiCTA, and Engr. Evans Oforji, Chief Executive Officer, Bio-Kiosk Limited, at the ongoing AfICTA's CEO roundtable in partnership with Internet Corporation for Names and Numbers, ICANN, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Emeka Aginam.

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FUTURE READY: From left— Mr. Yomi Adedeji, Managing Partner, Softcom Limited; Mr. Uzoma Dozie, MD/CEO, Diamond Bank Plc; Professor Bridget Sokan, Education Secretary, Living Faith Church, Worldwide; Professor Charles Ayo, Vice-Chancellor, Covenant University, and Mr. Bravo Kim, MD, Samsung Electronics, West Africa, during the Future Ready University conference hosted by Covenant University.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

NAFDAC seeks collaboration for effective regulation

By Chioma Obinna

T

HE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has urged other government agencies, the international community, regulatory bodies and all stakeholders in the regulatory sector to embrace effective regulation and collaboration to deliver quality products for final consumers.

Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, who stressed the need for effective collaboration among all stakeholders, said collaborative efforts will definitely play a significant role to ensuring effective regulation.

Orhii who spoke at the 2nd NAFDAC Regulatory Forum with the theme "Leveraging Collaborative Efforts to Ensure Effective Regulation" in Lagos, said effective regulation was key to ensuring access to safe products of good quality.

He said adopting such approach would bring about in-

Effective regulation is key towards ensuring access to safe products of good quality

By Esther Onyegbula

• From left: Chairperson, Association for Good Clinical Practice in Nigeria , AGCPN, Professor Ifeoma Okoye, Director Registration and Regulatory Affairs, NAFDAC, Dr. Monica Eimunjeze and DG, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, during presentation of award of excellence to DG, NAFDAC by the Association for Good Clinical Practice in Nigeria, AGCPN, at the 3rd Nigeria Clinical Trial Summit, held at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos. crease regulatory capacity, improved regulatory infrastructure, private sector participation, confidence in the systems and also strengthen the regulatory pro-

cesses.

The essence of control and regulation is to protect public health by ensuring that only quality regulated products that are

safe, efficacious and wholesome reach the market, and ultimately the consuming public.

Earlier, the Director, Registration & Regulatory Affairs of

NAFDAC, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, testified that collaborative efforts have resulted in considerable gains for the Agency's regulatory capacity both in terms of human capacity development and infrastructure.

"This has also impacted on the regulated sector with notable and remarkable achievements being in the pharmaceutical industry as a result of positive engagements between NAFDAC, WHO, and the USP to mention a few.

Chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, PMG-MAN, Okey Akpa, said effective collaboration enabled four Nigerian pharmaceutical companies to get the World Health Organisation pre-qualification for their products, insisting that the measure has yielded unparallel result in the system.

Also speaking, Chairman, Technical Committee of the Association of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employers, AFBTE, Fred Chiazor said regulations and responsibilities should be clearly spelt out and understood. He identified multiple laws, overlapping functions of government agencies and multiple levies as challenges confronting effective regulation in Nigeria.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

AM 32 years old and I am having problems dating. I have a six year old son. The last boyfriend of mine was very angry with me when he found out that I have a son. He said that I could not be trusted and that I tried to trick him. I feel very lonely and I don’t know how to approach dating again after that break up – Sarah Dear Sarah, I totally understand your situation. Caring for a child is a huge responsibility and most men going into relationships just want to have fun. But don’t be scared to date. You certainly need to mention that you have a child and it should be done after the first few dates.Within the first few dates in a relationship, couples size each other up and decide whether or not they want to pursue the relationship.

Once the decision is made, it is easier for both parties to then reveal more details about their personal lives.

Within these early stages, the man involved has gotten to know you better.

He also would have developed feelings for you and formed an unbiased opinion about you. And that is when you tell him. Be relaxed about it. Let him know that you are just looking to have fun too and that you are not fishing for a father for your son. This can help them relax around you.

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available. Just scroll to the second or third page and you will find it – Uche I got an email notifying me that Rhino 5 supplement is now available. X Again is the one I know. What is the difference? Jim They both do the same thing (penis enlargement, stamina, firm erections and stopping premature ejaculation), but one capsule of Rhino 5 lasts for as long as five days while X Again lasts for three days – Uche This past weekend, I was with a group of friends at a party when we got around talking about sex. Your company name came up and my friends had good things to say about you. I am interested in some things but I just want to have an idea how soon it can be delivered to me. I live in Ogba, Lagos – Wale Wale you can get your order at any time and place of your choosing – Uche I can see that many of your products are available now. Please is the Thrusting Rabbit Vibrator as effective as claimed? I am only used to your vibrating bullets – Cynthia Yes Cynthia. It is the best and it is the only vibrator in this collection that the shaft moves up and down so that you don’t have to do any work yourself – Uche What is the difference between Max Stamina and Max Load? Jeff Max load increases semen quantity and sexual enjoyment while Max Stamina arouses, gives firm erections, performance stamina and also stops premature ejaculation. They are not the same thing at all – Uche That is all for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 07086754515 or 08053911233 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com.

Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 47 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 GEMINI: Those of your who are red-blooded for romance may have an exciting and satisfying day. Happenings within your social circles must be taken more seriously.

CANCER: Confrontation may come your way in the circle but the heavens are working favourably for you. Some doses of romance is not too much for you on a day like this.

LEO: Provided you don’t allow your innate ability to be as diplomatic as necessary desert you, things work favourably for you to the betterment of your finances.

VIRGO: Many of you will be in sentimental mood and exhibit strong romantic desire openly. But then, if care is not taken, you may be carried away to the detriment of your finances.

Serious minded lovers are in for happy day.

LIBRA: Whatever anybody says or does, you will have both your say and way. Venus and Jupiter may tempt some of you to embrace illicit (or secret) romance within your base of operation.

SCORPIO: Venus and Jupiter at positive angles may tempt you to join some of your friends who are already onboard of merry making train. Watch your health.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

T is not uncommon to I find man reeling out a catalogue of why he could not do anything. It is an a b n o r m a l condition, he will say. But if we must face the truth, man

Is any condition normal? will be nothing without challenges confronting him.

Do you think God couldn’t provide everything for us?

Why do you think

TERROR MUDA

God commanded us to have dominion over all things? Everyone of us have a huge sense of satisfaction

in “Never say goodbye”

anytime we overcome a major challenge. That is the joy.

There is no normal condition anywhere. But the condition will be normal when the man is normal.

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS: Minor financial success you record today can lead to something bigger and good in the near future; as good luck will smile at many and induce love of luxury, merry, making and romantic association. Genuine lovers will need to be on guard against deceit from new admirers.

CAPRICORN: Both financial success and emotional satisfaction are closed to you than before. Those of you travelling because of maters-of-the-heart are in for an exciting romantic day Those ambitious career-wise will succeed after few struggles.

AQUARIUS: Many members of your opposite sex will go out of their ways to attract your romantic interest. This is the wrong time to engage on unnecessary argument. Been your lucky day you are expected to take good advantage today.

PISCES: If you priority is love, much of it would come your way as desired. But here is a better day for more ambitious in the business world. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you over money.

ARIES: Those of you with secret admirers within your working area will have the needed opportunities to make the needed moves. Resist the temptation to deceive others.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS: Although matters-of-the-heart may give you cause to smile broadly, if care is not taken, you would cause friction that can’t help you r case at work. This is the wrong time for unnecessary scheming within your working arena.

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,

What’s my horoscope?

Dear Joshua, I want you to give me my comprehensive horoscope, especially what my special gift is.

Which day of the week was I born? Where were my natal planets and their meanings? Who am I? Julius, Lagos.

Dear Julius, There is no space for comprehensive horoscope but what you’ll have here -under is answer to your questions/ You were born on a Thursday and your special gift is LEADERSHIP quality.

YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Day Of Birth: Thursday Sun Sign: Virgo: Sun in 20th Degree of Virgo Moon Sign: PISCES: Moon on 10th Degree of Pisces Mercury in 16th Degree of Libra Venues in 5th Degree of Scorpio Mars in 13th Degree of Cancer Jupiter in 6th Degree of Pisces Saturn in 5th Degree of Aquarius Uranus in 2nd Degree of Virgo Neptune in 11th Degree of Scorpio Pluto in 10th Degree of Virgo North Node in 6th Degree of Leo South Node in 6th Degree of Aquarius Quality and Element Cardinal and air star signs hosted two planets each fixed and earth three each, no planet in fire while mutable and water star signs hosted five planets each.

Push-full influence = 20% Non- push-full element = 80% Final dispositor = Lucky Jupiter General Analysis Just 20 per cent of push-full influence in your chart can deceptively present you to others as a soft (or even timid) person but practical Virgo that hosted nothing less than three heavenly bodies when you were born and Astrological aspects between Mercury (mental focus) and aggressive Mars in you r chart are pointers to the contrary.

Yes! You are highly intelligent and your mind works the same way detective’s minds do. It is true, there are little contradictions between your inner self and your emotional being as indicated quality, water element and Virgo characteristics.

One moment, you can be very emotional, exhibiting temper with stinging tongue but a few hour later you are amiable, easy going, friendly and compassionate. You are the adaptable type who will see changes as sources of good opportunities.

LEADERSHIP quality is one of your greatest gifts from God. placement of your natal sun (basic-selfhood) and moon (your emotional being) in Virgo and Pisces respectively mean that characteristics of both Virgo and Pisces are highly pronounced in your inner-self.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 49

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50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015—51

AT HE SENATE—From left: Senators Ahmed Yerima, Mohammed Lafiagi and Danjuma Goje discussing after the first plenary of the 8th National Assembly at the Senate in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN,

War of words in Senate over Saraki Continues from Page 5 of Mr. President and while at the Conference Centre, news filtered to us that the Clerk of the National Assembly has started the process of election of the Senate President in our absence.

“The Clerk of the National Assembly, knowing full well that the quorum for election of the Senate President has not been met, went ahead to conduct an election that shuts the door to about 53 other Senators which would remain unacceptable until what would meet democratic parameters is done.”

Besides, he said, “We did not say that the quorum was not formed for the inauguration. We said the quorum was not formed for the election of the President. And that should be two-thirds of the senators present.

“We like to make it very clear that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives the letter for the Proclamation and if he invites us for a meeting at 9am and states that due communication had been made to the National Assembly and before leadership is elected, the Clerk is the one that receives the correspondence of Mr President that there must be a slight delay in order to enable him speak with senators of the APC C M Y K

before they come and commence the process.

“We had to rush from the meeting of the President, knowing full well that there would be a delay to accommodate everybody. But suddenly, we were told at that meeting that the election was already going on; the nomination had already closed. And this we find extremely unusual.”

Vanguard learnt yesterday that even though communication was made from the Presidency for the inauguration to be delayed, sources disclosed that the Clerk of the National Assembly did not receive the correspondence.

Like Minds counter, says Saraki’s election in order But defending the inauguration of the 8th Senate, Senators supporting Saraki’s emergence under the aegis of Like Minds group insisted that the whole process followed the necessary constitutional provisions.

A source close to Saraki said yesterday that the loss of the office of Deputy Senate President to the PDP was attributable to absence of APC senators who were at the ICC. The source disclosed that Senator Saraki did

not encourage Ekweremadu to run to be his deputy, saying that Ekweremadu’s emergence was forced on the few APC senators present by the PDP senators who at that time were in the majority.

According to the source, “on the floor on the inauguration day the PDP senators discovered that most of the APC senators were absent during the Senate President’s election.

They then capitalised on this when it was time to nominate DSP, after Ndume was nominated, the PDP stood up and nominated Ekweremadu for DSP, a development that shocked Saraki.

“With PDP being in the majority at the time of voting, Ekweremadu won. If you look at the voting result you will see that it was across party lines. Senator Saraki anticipated this scenario, but could not help it,” the source disclosed.

“Instead of coming to the floor for election, the Lawan group were in ICC, waiting for the President who wasn’t aware there was a meeting.”

the Like Minds in a statement yesterday said: “We went to that venue on the 8th, we waited for the VP for hours; there was no VP. And the VP was not even available.

So, having seen that on the 8th, then around 7am to 8am on 9th June, we got another text which said we should report.

It’s no longer the Vice President, it’s now the President, having been deceived yesterday (Monday). Do you think anybody who is rational will now also go for another meeting?

“Afterall the President did not appear at the ICC. The Buhari that we know cannot and will not give two contrary opinions, especially one that is against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Letter of Proclamation was written, duly signed, the time stated, date stated; he will not do otherwise.

It is not true that we disrespected the President and if the President wants to do that, he would have called.

Saraki lauds Why we weren’t at Buhari, adds no ICC meeting, by going back to PDP Like Minds Giving reasons why they did not go to the ICC for the controversial meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari,

Meanwhile, the Senate President has commended President Buhari for his positive stance on the outcome of the National Assembly

leadership contest, describing it as a “great mark of leadership” and a demonstration of the President’s commitment to democracy.

In a statement issued by his media office on Wednesday, Dr. Saraki commended President Buhari for remaining steadfast in his commitment to the principle of noninterference in National Assembly politics even in the face of great pressure on him to act otherwise.

“This shows that Mr. President is a man of great conviction who, in his own words, belongs to everyone and to no one,” the statement read.

On a similar note, Dr. Saraki also denied that he had a plan to decamp to the People’s Democratic Party, describing the insinuation as “absurd and laughable.”

According to him, “it is just cheap blackmail by political adversaries who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

Those making such desperate allegations should remember that I willingly left the PDP on matters of principles when the party was in power. Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return, having worked so hard for my party in the last general elections?” he queried.

He urged all members of the National Assembly to put politicking behind them and settle down for the proper business of legislating. “Our country is going through very trying times. We have the challenge of insecurity in the North East.

APC naive, unprepared for governance, says PDP The PDP also yesterday, rejected threats by the APC on the new Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said the claims of the APC were indicative of a party aiming to cover its naivety, inexperience and unpreparedness for governance.

The PDP also admonished the APC to shed its arrogance, eat

the humble pie and get more organized for governance, adding that it lacks the capacity, capability and means to sanction duly-elected leaders of the National Assembly.

“Nothing can be more astonishing than the whining by the APC that the PDP at the last minute expressed its preference for Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively after it had earlier stated that it was not interested in the positions. This calls to question the capacity, experience and skills of APC leaders on political matters and we have no apology whatsoever for their naivety.

“The APC is merely suffering the consequences of the greed, lust for power and inordinate ambitions of their leaders. They should note that Nigerians have since moved ahead with the new leaders in the National Assembly and should stop wasting their energy on propaganda and blackmails to heat up the polity”.

The PDP further condemned Tuesday ’s botched attempts by the APC to close the National Assembly and stop lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional duties, as well as the threats to the newly-elected leaders as “totally against the tenets of democracy, the principles of separation of powers and independence of the legislature as enshrined in the constitution”.

“Indeed, APC’s disdain for democratic norms, the rule of law and the sanctity of the legislature, coupled with its excessive thirst for power portends grave threat to our survival as a nation and calls for serious concern among Nigerians and all lovers of democracy and freedom world over,” the statement said.

The party however reaffirmed its determination to continue to work with like minds from other political parties especially in the National Assembly to ensure that the values of democracy and good governance it had already entrenched in the polity are not eroded under the APC.

52 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

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54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Safety expert advocates better life for youths

By Abiodun Alade

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AGOS—MR. Oluwole Eweoya, a philanthropist and safety management trainer, has expressed optimism at the prospect of bettering the lives of young people in Oshodi Local Government Area of Lagos State with the advent of The Forwarders group.

He said the group, a non-governmental foundation, is committed to developing the community by stirring the interest of youths in education and personal development.

Mr. Eweoya, educated at University of Westminster, England, told journalists he was inspired to come up with the initiative as a result of his dissatisfaction with the turn of events in the community.

On strategy for realising the vision, the grassroots politician has provided laboratory equipment to schools, organised seminars on safety and the environment, not leaving out inter house sports activities and book reading to encourage reading.

Schools that have benefited from these activities are Mafoluku Grammar School, Ikeja Grammar School and St. Paul Anglican Primary School, Mafoluku.

ANNIVERSARY: Mr. Ebere Nwaolikpe, Assistant Marketing Manager, Western Union (middle) and other Western Union agents and representatives at the company's 20th anniversary celebration in Lagos.

Alleged 19.2bn fraud: Court terminates Sylva’s trial

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North, & Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—RESPITE finally came the way of the former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva, yesterday, as Abuja Division of the Federal High Court dismissed the 42-count criminal charge pending against him.

In a ruling yesterday, trial Justice Ahmed Mohammed terminated further hearing on the criminal action, which was instituted against the erstwhile governor by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The ruling of the court came exactly nine days after the Federal Government, through the Director of Public

‘Jonathan walked his talk’

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public policy think-tank, First Sysco Consulting Group, has showered praises on former President, Goodluck Jonathan, for his successes in the restructuring of the agricultural and power sectors, among others.

The group, in a statement by its chairman, Chuma Igwe, said Jonathan’s moment of greatness in the country ’s political history came when he called his then opponent, Muhammadu Buhari to concede defeat even while the results of the presidential election were still being collated by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. According to the group, “Jonathan’s action was neither spontaneous nor induced, but he merely walked-his-talk as

he earlier assured.

“Therein lay the greatness of his action. Jonathan acted in line with his promise during the campaign period and in doing so averted the predicted doom and blood-letting that became the expected outcome of the 2015 election.

“Immediately Jonathan handed the national flag and the Commander-in-Chief ’s Colours to Muhammadu Buhari on that faithful day, he stepped into a waiting vehicle to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport en route to Otuoke and into the ages.

“The only similarity to this monumental action can be drawn with the declaration of ‘no victor, no vanquished’ by the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon after the fall of Biafra.”

Prosecution, DPP, Mr. M. S. Diri, withdrew another sixcount charge that was preferred against Sylva before Justice Evoh Chukwu of the same high court.

The withdrawal of the earlier matter had sparked off a mild controversy with the DPP subsequently denying that he was the one that okayed termination of that charge.

Whereas the DPP insisted that it was EFCC, being the prosecuting agency, that withdrew the charge, the antigraft body refuted the claim, saying it got a directive from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to hands off Sylva’s trial.

After the mild drama that played out before the court on June 1, Justice Chukwu said he had no option than to strike out the charge since a valid ‘fiat’ for the discontinuance of the trial, which was duly issued from the office of the AGF, was tendered before him.

Remarkably, the identity of the person that signed the said withdrawal notice was not disclosed, considering that the office of the AGF is currently vacant.

EFCC kicks

Meanwhile, EFCC has faulted the decision of the court, which dismissed the 42count charge of stealing levelled against Sylva on the grounds of abuse of court process.

According to the anti-graft agency, Justice Mohammed erred in law by dismissing the charge as the accused persons had not taken any plea and no proof of evidence placed before the court, while trial had not started.

The position of the anti-graft agency was contained in a

statement by the Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, and made available to journalists in Abuja, shortly after the court verdict.

It noted that the dismissal of the charge by Justice Mohammed, following the application of the commission to consolidate the charges against the former governor and his accomplices, does not amount to a discharge or an acquittal, and it does not preclude the power of the agency to bring fresh charges against the defendants.

Charge, drama

Sylva was in the earlier charge accused of siphoning over N6.5 billion from Bayelsa State treasury between October 2009 and February 2010.

Meanwhile, in the charge that was dismissed yesterday, EFCC alleged that he used three separate companies to siphon N19.2 billion from Bayelsa State treasury.

The anti-graft body insisted that the fraud was perpetuated between 2009 and 2012 when Sylva held sway as governor of the state.

The three companies, Marlin Maritime Ltd, Eat Catering Services Ltd, and Haloween-Blue Construction & Logistics Ltd, were also joined as defendants.

Others equally charged to court alongside the exgovernor, who is a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, and also served as a member of the transition committee of President ýMuhammadu Buhari, were Mr. Gbenga Balogun, Mr. Francis Okokuro and Mr. Samuel Ogbuku.

Both Sylva and the 4th

accused person had in their separate preliminary objections challenged the competence of the charge, even as they queried the territorial jurisdiction of the high court in Abuja to try them over an offence that was allegedly committed in Bayelsa State.

They further accused EFCC of abusing judicial process by filing two separate charges against them over the same set of facts.

Although Justice Mohammed had ab-initio slated ruling on their objections for last Monday, on that date he further adjourned the matter, following separate letters that drew his attention to the withdrawal of the initial charge.

Ruling

While ruling on a notice of preliminary objection filed by counsel to Sylva, L. O. Fagbemi (SAN), yesterday, Justice Mohammed dismissed the charges, describing it as an abuse of court processes.

Making reference to the charges filed against Sylva before Justice E. Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which were withdrawn by DPP on June 1, the judge said: “There is no allegation of abuse of court process against the charges which were before Justice Chukwu, so if there is any charge to be withdrawn, it is the one before this court.”

He held that the move by the prosecution, especially on a letter sent to the court by prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), which had requested to consolidate the charges against Sylva and which is coming after the court had already entertained arguments from both sides, and adjourned for ruling on the various applications before it, amounted to “an attempt to interfere with court processes and the administration of justice.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 55

El-Rufa’i begs Kaduna lawmakers to cut salaries, allowances

Again, Marwa defects to APC

By Agaju Madugba

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ADUNA—KADUNA State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, has begged members of the State House of Assembly to review their salaries and allowances downward in order to generate more revenue for the development of the state.

“The Deputy Governor and I have signalled our intention in this regard by announcing that we are taking a pay cut of 50 per cent of our salary and allowances until the fiscal situation of the state improves,” El-Rufa’i said, yesterday, when he paid a visit to the House of Assembly.

“We appeal to all political office holders to embrace this example and attitude of sacrifice,” he said, adding that after paying salaries of civil servants, government was left with only 20 per cent of its revenue.

According to him, “Once done with paying salaries, allowances, overheads and pensions, the state is unable to do much by way of building infrastructure or providing services. The stark fact is that Kaduna State spends 80 per cent of its total revenue on its public servants and political

By Umar Yusuf

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INAUGURATION: From left, Mr Michael Awoyinka, Technical Assistant, UBA Plc; Mr Ayoku Liadi, Strategic Business Group Head, UBA Plc; Mr Femi Olaloku, Executive Director, UBA; Mr Ranti Carew, Regional Bank Head, Mainland and Mr Lekan Balogun, Regional Bank Head, Yaba at the inauguration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos. office holders.

“Can we as elected leaders deliver any significant service or implement progressive actions or attain desirable outcomes for the majority of our people if we devote only 20 per cent of available resources to their needs? Would we not be

undermining the very rationale of democracy if, after being elected by majority vote, we uphold a system that solely serves the pleasures of a servantminority?

“How many good roads or decent hospitals can we build and maintain when we leave so little

SBL tasked to keep playing leadership role in NBA

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—GHANA’S Trade and Industry Minister, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has charged the Section on Business Law, SBL, to continue playing its leadership role in the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, especially at this period in time that African countries are seeking further regional integration.

Dr Spio-Garbrah, at the opening ceremony of the 9th Annual NBA-SBL law conference in Lagos, called on the SBL to continue to pave the way in the NBA. “I hope that the SBL of the NBA will continue to be the leader out of the three sections of the NBA and rise to the occasion and help propel Africa to the great heights that it deserves,” said Dr SpioGarbrah, while calling on NBA and its Ghanaian counterpart to play key roles in Africa’s drive for regional integration.

“Nigeria and Ghana are now in a very important strategic position to collaborate and to learn from each other to improve the ease with which they do business in the ECOWAS sub region. And with Ghana’s President as the current chairperson of the African Union’s high level trade committee, Ghana remains committed to working closely with Nigeria to advance ECOWAS

regional integration process so that we can expand business opportunities for our private sector operators.”

The African Union Heads of State are due to launch a Continental Free Trade area for Africa later in the month at their next summit in Johannesburg, South Africa with the CFT expected to come into operation in the early parts of 2017.

Dr Spio-Garbrah said: “Africa’s continental, regional and national regulatory institutions will have their hands full over the next few years or so to work assiduously to harness a wide

range of standard procedures and documentary requirements to remove bottlenecks to the free movement of people and goods in Africa, and to improve the ease of doing business on our continent.

“Ghana and Nigeria, and the Bar associations of both countries, have learnt a lot of lessons from the various experiences they have had over the years which will come in handy during this period of integration on the continent.”

In addition to the SBL, the NBA has two other sections: Section on Legal Practice (SLP) and Section on Public Interest and Development Law, SPIDEL.

PDP probes poor showing at poll

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue State, has set up an investigative committee to probe the poor showing of the party at the last general elections in the state.

Chairman of the panel and former Minister of State for Education, Dr. Jerry Agada, in a statement in Makurdi, the state capital, said that the 10-member panel has the responsibility of assessing the performance of the party in the last elections.

According to Dr. Agada, “Aside

looking at why the party had a poor showing at the elections, our terms of reference also include looking at the roles members played before and during the elections.

“I must point out that we will not witch hunt anybody, but we are taking an holistic view of what transpired before and during the elections with a view to coming out with appropriate recommendations that will place the party in a better position for future elections.”

He added that the committee has been empowered to apportion blames where necessary, irrespective of who was involved and the level.

money for the things that actually matter? The elections that have thrust the responsibility of governance on us reflect the yearning of our people for leaders that are competent, responsive and willing to offer dedicated service.

“As elected officials, we must view our massive mandates as instructions by our people for unrelenting work on their behalf. The change they voted for is for substantive improvement in the delivery of public goods, a new way of doing things and the prioritisation of their needs.

“As you are aware, the executive branch of this government has been taking briefings from the ministries, departments and agencies that constitute the public service of Kaduna State,” he added.

OLA—FORMER M i l i t a r y Administrator of Lagos State, Brig Gen Buba Marwa, yesterday, announced his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. This came barely a week after he announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In a statement by his media aide, Marwa said his decision to defect to APC follows a decision jointly arrived at a well attended meeting of his supporters.

“The decision to return to APC was jointly reached at a well attended meeting between General Marwa and his supporters under the aegis of The Marwa Organisation, TMO. After listening to the views of members, the TMO resolved to return to the party (APC) which they joined others to form when they were in defunct Congress for Progressives Change, CPC,” it added.

Marwa urged all elected and appointed officials across the country to support President Muhammadu Buhari and work for positive change in the country.

BoI, Taraba govt sign pact to jump-start MSMEs

By Favour Nnabugwu

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BUJA—THE Bank of Industry, BoI and Taraba State Government yesterday signed pact to develop Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, MSMEs, in that state The Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed in Abuja was worth N700 million.

Managing Director of BoI, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, explained that both parties have released their counter funding of N350 million each to make up for the N700 million MSMEs development funds.

Olaoluwa said aside from funding and loans, BoI renders services such as mentoring, giving financial advices to help foster industrialisation and growth in states, SMEs among others.

So far, he said the bank had

disbursed N299.4 million to 18 entrepreneurs in Taraba State.

“Taraba State can capitalise on its resource endowment and high international commodity prices as well as changes in how the global production prices have arise. In BoI’s quest to promote inclusive growth, the bank has embarked on the identification of thriving sector growth in all parts of the country, Taraba State inclusive.”

He added that the bank in appreciation of emerging economy in Taraba State, has opted to finance projects in the agricultural and solid mineral sectors such as the tea and coffee and Jalingo.

Taraba State governor, Mr Darisu Ishaku said that the state had released its counterpart funding of N350million to BoI since April 2014 but due to exigencies, the state could not make it for the signing of the MoU until, yesterday.

56— VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11 , 2015

EU draws plan to contain influx of more migrants T

HE European Union urged its 28 nations yesterday to swiftly endorse its plan to relocate 40,000 migrants as 1,000 more migrants arrived in Greece in just one day.

The plan to relocate the tens of thousands arriving in Italy and Greece with their EU partners is part of efforts to cope with the massive influx of migrants that has already seen more than 100,000 people cross the Mediterranean into Europe this year.

Around 2,000 have died or are missing.

Still, a number of EU nations have objected to the plan.

“We need to act now and not in four months,” EU migration spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud told reporters in Brussels.

Greek authorities said Wednesday that more than 1,000 people had entered the country by sea, bringing its fivemonth total to about 50,000 — well above the number who arrived in Greece for all of 2014.

Greece is a close second

to Italy in migrant arrivals this year.

The coast guard says 670 people were rescued since early Tuesday in the eastern Aegean Sea and south of Crete, where 263 people were found in one small vessel. Another 361 were found on the Greek

Convoy brings home 15 teens killed in Germanwings crash

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RAVELLING in a solemn hearse convoy, the families of 15 of the 16 German high school students killed in the Germanwings plane crash left Duesseldorf airport with their children’s coffins yesterday, heading to their hometown of Haltern.

Lufthansa airline on Tuesday night had flown in the remains of the first 44 of the 150 people killed when a Germanwings plane smashed into the French Alps on March 24.

Authorities say the copilot purposely slammed the plane into a

Putin makes antisanctions case in Italy

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LADIMIR Putin took his case against international sanctions to Italy yesterday, claiming they would cost Italian companies a billion euros and insisting he was committed to a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis.

Speaking two days after the G7 threatened tougher measures against Moscow, the Russian President told a press conference many agreed contracts had been stalled by the sanctions and may have to be torn up.

“Italian companies missed out on a billion euros,” he said. “They could have given their enterprises work, created jobs. That didn’t happen because of the sanctions.”

Putin also said he was convinced sanctions would not be sustained indefinitely. “I count on the fact that... sooner or later, we will get away from the restrictions that we are encountering today.”

He also took a swipe at

island of Lesbos. About nine in 10 arrivals this year came from war-torn parts of the Middle East — principally Syria — and Africa.

EU interior ministers are to discuss the relocation plan next Tuesday at talks in Luxembourg.

the G7 group — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — describing it as “not an organisation, just a club.”

Renzi, one of the club members, struck a conciliatory note by stressing that the world wanted Russia back on board to help resolve problems such as Iraq, Syria and Libya. wears a Putin T-shirt as the Russian leader visits Milan for a World Expo, on June 10, 2015 …

mountain.

Parents and relatives viewed the coffins inside an airport hangar before the convoy of black or white hearses, accompanied by a police motorcade, set off slowly for Haltern, 75 kilometers (46 miles) to the northeast. A bus, presumably with more relatives, and several cars followed the hearses.

The whole convoy was to pass by the JosephKoenig-Gymnasium, the high school the teens attended.

“This entire event is a tragedy, especially for the parents, but we, too, lost our students and colleagues,” said principal Ulrich Wessel.

Two of the teachers who had accompanied the students on a school exchange trip to Spain were also killed in the crash.

“It’s especially difficult for the students of grade 10,” Wessel said. “There used to be 150 students, now they are only 134 ...

Many lost their best friends.”

The group was flying back from Barcelona to Duesseldorf when copilot Andreas Lubitz crashed the plane against a mountain in France.

•Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) shakes hands with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the end of their press conference in Milan, yesterday

•Some pregnant women and their children queuing up to join the migration boats.

Iran condoles Saudi victims of poisoning accident I

RAN yesterday offered condolences to the families of four Saudis who died from an apparent accidental chemical poisoning during a pilgrimage in Iran, after Riyadh summoned Tehran’s ambassador over the incident.

Thirty-six Saudis on a pilgrimage to the Shiite

holy city of Mashhad were hospitalised Sunday morning, suffering from nausea and dizziness, Abdullah Bahrami, the director of the Imam Reza hospital, was quoted as saying by official news agency IRNA. Four, three children and a teenager, died in the hospital after inhaling

•A convoy of hearse bringing home German high school students killed in the Germanwings plane crash.

toxic gas at the hotel in Mashhad, Iranian media reported.

Saudi officials on Tuesday called for Iranian authorities to “quickly carry out investigation procedures” into the incident.

“Iranians are wellknown for their hospitality and we hope this issue is resolved,” said Marzieh Afkham, Iran’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, expressing sympathy and condolences.

A senior Iranian official Wednesday said the incident had no “political or international” links.

“All the investigations reject a deliberate intention behind the incident and the hotel manager has accepted responsiblity for this negligence,” IRNA quoted interior ministry official Hossein Zolfaghari as saying.

Syrians flee into Turkey as Kurds fight IS

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HOUSANDS of people fled from Syria into Turkey on Wednesday as moderate rebels and Kurdish forces fought Islamic State insurgents holding the Syrian border town of Tel Abyad.

A Reuters photographer at the scene said the refugees had entered Turkey through a makeshift border crossing overseen

by Turkish gendarmerie officers, and that many of them were women and children.

A Turkish official said 2,000 refugees were being registered on

Wednesday after more than 6,800 were admitted in the area last week.

He said they were fleeing advances by Kurdish YPG forces as well as aerial bombardment by the United States and Arab allies trying to help the Kurds push back Islamic State.

The northeastern corner of Syria is important to the radical Islamist group because it links areas under Islamic State control in Syria and Iraq.

The group last week launched an offensive on the provincial

capital, the city of Hasaka, which is divided into zones run separately by the government of President Bashar alAssad and a Kurdish administration.

But Syria’s Kurds have also sought to take advantage of Syria’s complex war to expand their control over a region, stretching from Kobani to Qamishli, that they see as part of a future Kurdish state.

Turkey, for its part, fears that this will encourage separatism in its own, adjacent Kurdish region.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 11 , 2015 — 57

Rights Group accuses Ghana of using child labour in mines

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African leaders sign ‘Cape to Cairo’ free trade bloc deal A

FRICAN leaders signed yesterday a 26-nation free trade pact to create a common market that would span half the continent from Cairo to Cape Town.

The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) deal, which must still be fine-tuned and ratified, caps five years of talks to set up a framework for preferential tariffs to ease the movement of goods in an area home to 625 million people.

Analysts say it could have an enormous impact on African economies, which account for only about two percent of global trade despite strong growth.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan were among those who signed the pact at a summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm elSheikh.

But hurdles remain, with the timeline for bringing down trade barriers yet to be worked out and the deal needing ratification in national

parliaments within two years.

“What we are doing today represents a very important step in the history of the regional integration of Africa,” Sisi said as he opened the summit.

He wrapped up the meeting saying: “We have told the word today... of our desire to adopt practices that are necessary to increase trade among ourselves...

We will do whatever is possible to activate this agreement.”

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said the TFTA would allow Africa “to make tremendous progress and move the entire continent forward.”

“Africa has made it clear that it is open for business.”

The deal will integrate three existing trade blocs — the East African

T

UNISIA’S navy has rescued 356 migrants, including a two-

Al-Qaida militants attack IS in Libya L-QAIDAL I N K E D militants in eastern Libya declared holy war — or jihad — on the local Islamic State affiliate after one of their senior leaders was killed Wednesday by masked gunmen, which set off clashes between the rival groups that left 11 people dead on both sides, including a top militant commander.

The hours-long fighting in the eastern coastal city of Darna erupted after gunmen opened fire on Nasser Akr, an al-Qaida-

Africa (COMESA) — whose countries have a combined Gross Domestic Product of more than $1 trillion (885 billion euros).

inspired militant once held in the United Kingdom on terrorism charges. The 55-year-old veteran jihadi, who fought in Afghanistan, was killed along with his aide.

Akr’s group — known as Shura Council of Darna’s Jihadis — announced his death in a statement Wednesday, blaming it on Islamic State militants. It accused the IS fighters of “tyranny and criminality,” and vowed to wage “holy war against them until none of them are left.”

gold from the country, which is one of the world’s top gold producers, child rights and labour stand poorly regulated.

Ghana’s Children’s Act prohibits mining work for anyone under the age of 18.

However, lax enforcement of the law and a lack of systematic inspections have led to continued child labour within the mining industry.

The hazardous conditions have led to a number of injuries, respiratory problems, pain and one death which occurred after a mine collapsed.

The children also risk brain damage and other lifelong disabilities from mercury poisoning.

Bouteflika’s loyalist emerges as likely successor in Algeria

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•Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was one of the four signatories to the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) during a summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, on June 10, 2015.

Tunisia rescues hundreds of boat migrants

MIGRANT – Four of the rescued migrants, including a pregnant woman, were being treated in hospital.

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Community, the Southern African Development Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern

HANA’S mining industry has been benefiting from child labour in unlicensed mines, Human Rights Watch has said, after conducting field observations in the Western, Central and Ashanti Regions.

It is estimated that thousands of children, mostly between the ages of 15 and 17, have been working in perilous conditions pulling ore out of shafts and processing it with toxic mercury violating Ghanaian and international law, it was stated in the 82-page report released on Friday.

With the lack of “due diligence” and many foreign companies buying

month-old baby girl, off the country’s southeastern coast near Ben Guerdane, the Red Crescent has said.

Ammar Lamloum, a Red Crescent official, told the AFP news agency that the group of migrants, mainly Africans, had been trying to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa when they were rescued on Wednesday.

“They are now at the port in Ben Guerdane,” he said.

Tunisian and Italian authorities have been at the forefront of rescue efforts for a flood of mainly African migrants fleeing Libya and bound for Europe on unseaworthy boats that run into trouble.

Four of the rescued migrants, including a pregnant woman, were being treated in hospital, Lamloum said, adding 38 women and seven children had been on the boat.

He said the migrants, who as well as subSaharan Africans included some Syrians, Moroccans and Egyptians, had left Libya aboard the makeshift vessel, but it had broken down off the Tunisian coast.

In April and May, Tunisian vessels rescued more than 450 migrants

trying to make the dangerous crossing.

Libya has a coastline of 1,770 km and has long been a stepping stone for Africans seeking a better life in Europe.

Most head for the Italian island of Lampedusa which lies about 300 km from Libyan shores.

People smugglers, who have operated in Libya for years, have increased their lucrative trade, feeding on the political divisions and lawlessness that have gripped the country since the end of its 2011 uprising.

On April 19, about 750 migrants were killed when their trawler sank between Libya and southern Italy, sparking global outrage and demands for action.

The number of migrants entering the EU illegally in 2014 almost tripled to 276,000, according to European Union border agency Frontex, nearly 220,000 of them arriving via the Mediterranean.

The International Organisation for Migration said in April that about 1,750 migrants had already died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe this year, 30 times more than during the same period in 2014.

LGERIAN President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s cabinet director and loyal backer Ahmed Ouyahia was elected as the new leader of one of the two ruling parties yesterday, confirming his status of potential presidential successor.

Speculation over Bouteflika’s health since he suffered a stroke two years ago, and whether he will be able to end his fourth term in 2019, is fuelling debate over who might replace the independence veteran who has been in office since 1999.

The North African OPEC state is at a delicate juncture after a collapse of oil prices cut into energy revenues that make up 95 percent of its exports and more than half the state budget.

Political sources and analysts said that with more

than 20 years inside Algeria’s political establishment, including several terms as prime minister, Ouyahia is on the short list of potential successors to Bouteflika.

Ouyahia’s RND party is part of a ruling coalition with the Front de Liberation Nationale or FLN, the nationalist movement that has dominated Algerian politics since it was born out of the 1962 independence from France.

“Ouyahia is a statesman; he could become Algeria’s next president,” political analyst Farid Ferrahi told Reuters. “But the list is open for other candidates.”

Analysts say that short list includes Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, who has just joined the FLN to encourage support for his candidacy. He is close to Bouteflika as he served as his election campaign leader three times.

South Africa: Lion escapes from national park

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RACKERS on foot and helicopter were searching for a lion after it escaped from a national park in a remote, arid region of South Africa, authorities said.

After a farmer reported that he’d found lion tracks on his land, the park’s trackers, who belong to the indigenous San group, began following the tracks with the farmer, South African National Parks said in a statement. A helicopter being used for a wildlife census also joined the search. The carcass of a gemsbok, a large antelope, was placed to lure the lion but it didn’t appear.

The 3-year-old male lion apparently left Karoo National Park on Friday through a rain-eroded hole under a fence and disappeared into “terrain (that) is mountainous, with many river valleys, thus making tracking difficult,” the park service said.

Several private trackers joined the search on Wednesday, said Alex van den Heever, co-founder of Tracker Academy, which is participating.

“The lion is covering vast areas,” van den Heever said. Tracks were seen 21 kilometers (13 miles) from the park. One tracking dog named Bullet is also being used, a park official said.

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

NATURE MEETS ART AT

STUDIO OF MODE

By Prisca Sam-Duru

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rilliant colours, beautiful ambiance, simplicity of forms and captivating digital photographs are some of the defining features that are bound to affect the imaginative responses of viewers as they savour the works on display at the Studio of Mode, an art gallery located inside Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The gallery, which is due to open for business from June 14, houses the exceptional works of Modebolu Aderinokun, an emerging artist whose love for colours and experimentation is likely to revolutionize the visual art circuit in the country.

Trained in the art of animation and motion picture special effect (SFX), at the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, the United States, Mode says she finds stronger expression in visual arts.

According to her, she is deeply inspired by creation and creating things. She believes that in order to attain fulfilment, one must create something that enriches the lives of others.

“When something that fills a void is created, society becomes healthier,” she said.

Modé also believes that one must search deep within, to create something unique.

A guided tour of her gallery earlier in the week reveals, nothing but her resolve to situate art as part of our everyday living.

Divided into various sections such as Indigo, Abeokuta and Lagos, the gallery itself is a master piece. On display are some of Mode's latest collections ranging from digital

photographs to mixedmedia works a n d drawings.

It is best described as a place w h e r e creativity connects

Modebolu Aderinokun

and integrates into modern day society in an expressive, intellectual manner, without necessarily losing one’s creative aesthetic. In its

spontaneity, the indigo room for instance, reminds one of Lagos. The room abruptly creates balance. Coming from a warm terra cotta environment, which is another section into a cool blue zone, brings calmness to the eye. The counterbalancing of cool and warm is Modé’s way of expressing the neutrality that is usually achieved using white walls.

T h e character of the one-

storey building, Mode says, is derived from the city of Lagos.

Lagos has a harsh, forceful, yet conflicted presence that leaves a mark on anyone who comes in contact with the city. There are many places in Lagos that are very clean, but unkempt. Some roads are smooth and well-maintained, while others are barely passable. The ultra-rich and the extremely poor coexist in Lagos. It is a city of extremes. In defining this space, she has drawn

Being constantly surrounded by Art in San Francisco really inspired me to start painting again,

heavily on her Nigerian origin (specifically Abeokuta and Lagos), in fusion with her experiences from travelling and living in the West.

Mode believes that the white space creates distance, and prefers for art to be an intimate experience between the viewer and the work.

To achieve this experience, she has created an environment that evokes the earthy feeling of Abeokuta.

The terra cotta colour brings warmth to the space and the rough texture of the walls makes one feel they are in fact “under the rock”.

She describes herself as an impressionist who likes to experiment on acrylic and w a t e r c o l o u r.

Mode’s choice of themes makes her a multidimensional artist than experimentalist.

She credits her time in San Francisco as the main reason behind her becoming an artist.

“Being constantly surrounded by Art in San Francisco really inspired me to start painting again, I dropped it a while back because I didn’t see a possible career path”. After her graduation, she spent a year working at the Cartoon Arts Museum in San Francisco; she then moved back to Lagos, Nigeria where she started pursuing her dream of becoming an artist.

She officially launched her Studio of Mode in 2012. Freda Kahlo and other impressionist artists are her primary source of inspiration. She dedicates her new gall-ery and store which is set to Launch on Sunday June 14th 2015 to her Late Father, Mr. Olutayo Aderinokun, who was a Patron of the arts.

Reviving reading culture...Odianose donates books to Alma mater

By Prisca Sam-Duru & Ogo-Oluwa Adelakun

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n today’s academic world, reading remains the ultimate pre-requisite for excelling in any exams. Sadly, young people still Byreading PriscaasSam-Duru & to see a heavy burden Ogo-Oluwa Adelakun bear and as such, want to cut corners. It therefore, becomes imperative to inculcate in young children, the attitude of reading such that it becomes part of them as they grow older.

It was in an effort to contribute his own quota towards national development and helping to revive the reading culture of Nigerians, that author of Practical Perspectives on Youth: Engagement and Mobilisation, Mr. Odianose Matthew, began a national and international book tour.

During one of his visits to his Alma Mater, Oregun Senior High School, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, the author donated copies of the book to the school library.

He noted that the challenge of students buying books due to the harsh economic reality stirring Nigerians in the face daily, the

need to contribute his own quota to national development as well as inspire the young students, are some of the reasons he has donated copies of the book to the school.

As one of the best graduating students in 1991 set of Oregun High school, Mr. Odianose expressed how pleased he was to address the students at the special assembly. For him it was a rare privilege and honour to be standing before them and empowering them.

He told the students how reading daily and cutting down on loads of distractions such as social media, usage of smart phones, games and all the other things that distract student from studying properly , contribute in a long way to achieving good grades in their studies. Readers he reiterated are leaders and as such to become a leader students must cultivate the habit of reading as if their entire being depends on it.

Reliving memories of his days in the school, Matthew

Mr Mathew Odianose (Right) handing over books to Mrs Kuti during the visit to his Alma mater.

Students must cultivate the habit of reading as if their entire being depends on it

admonished the students to imbibe the reading culture and read a book every week if possible, adding that “There is no short cut to success in exams, without studying properly and that includes revising notes, researching on the internet and making sure home work are

properly done as well. The hallmark of success he emphasized is developing a reading habit that works for them and when done over a time with the elimination of distractions from social media and smart use of smart phones will in the end pay off with good grades.

He reminded them as future leaders that they must invest their time wisely at this stage to ensure they leave school in flying colours. And to remember that they too will one day go into the wider world and it is only proper for them to be good ambassadors of their Alma Mater wherever they find themselves in future just as he has done.

According to him, it was his reading habit that propelled his desire to start writing and eventually becoming a published author.

Receiving the books, the Principal of the school Mrs. Kuti thanked Mr Matthew, for remembering to identify with his Alma Mater and for being a good ambassador of the school.

File:03/06/2015\Dominic book (pix) 03/06/2015\Dominic book

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 59

Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again reignites Abuja theatre

By Prisca Sam-Duru

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nspite of the fact that there is an urgent need to revive theatre going culture of Nigerians, the awareness of theatre production and the number of theatre goers seem to be a little encouraging in Lagos State.

Back in the days of the iconic Hubert Ogunde, theatre was a viable art form. From city to city, Nigerians came out en masse to watch theatre productions. One can't help but ask, where are the theatre goers in Nigeria? What has happened to the Nigerian stage plays? The trend appears to have changed in the past decades and one is tempted to blame it all on westernisation which so much brought with it, change in desires and needs of the present generation. Apart from Lagos, many cities in Nigeria have not witnessed stage play productions in many years. Theatre devotees who understand and believe in the efficacy of theatre as a veritable tool for the simulation of progress and the best form of entertainment have been on a crusade to revive the dwindling theatre orientation in Nigeria.

Every Sunday in Lagos, a theatre production holds, thanks to Terra Kulture and other partner theatre organisations.

The capital city of Abuja is the next destination for the reinstatement of theatre shows.

Mosaic Theatre Production in

.A scene from the play partnership with Cruise Entertainment are storming Abuja to reignite the passion for stage plays. This they are set to achieve with a theatrical masterpiece – Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again. The play, was written by one of Nigeria’s finest dramatists, late Professor Ola

Rotimi and is being directed by an erudite and prolific theatre director, Agozie Ugwu. The production will be holding at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja, in August, 2015. The Sheraton Hotels and Towers support for the re-introduction of theatre in Abuja is highly

commendable. The play in it’s entirety, contains no politically stimulated scenes or language.

It is a rib cracking comedy that will get the city laughing.

It parades some of Nollywood’s finest actors and actresses, Ramsey Noah, Ann Njemanze, Patrick Diabuah, TY

James and other professional and popular stage actors and actresses. Ola Rotimi's masterpiece is being staged, courtesy of Maxcare Pharmacy and Stores which understands the therapeutic power of theatre and thus have encouraged the crusade for the revival of theatre in Abuja.

The DNA traits for success - entrepreneurial analgia

By Chris Onuoha

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uoting from the words of former President of United States, Theodore Roosevelt, “Believe you can and you’re halfway there”; it then becomes obvious that what bedevils the mind of an individual propelling the wheel of success is fear and not in the will to do.

The buffer that secures wheels of entrepreneurial success in life is unalloyed selfbelief sinewed and ornamented with well-thought out and proactive mind.

Certainly everyone wants to be successful in life, however, not everyone aspires to and for those who do, not all faithfully believe that they can make it or persevere with the bulldog tenacity, especially when confronted with the leviathan called fear of failure.

Dr. Chris Osita Godson, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, business developer and promoter in his first work in business thinking and practice, used the book to position entrepreneurship as the key to our collective prosperity and well-being. The book titled “The 40 DNA test for successful entrepreneurship” published

by St. Paul’s JMJ Inv. Ltd in 2014 , printed by Create Space,Amazon.com Company

tries to provide the requisite and practical answers to all the “Whys”, “Hows”, “Whens”, “Wheres” “Whats”, “Whos” and “ifs” appertaining to successful entrepreneurship.

It is firmly primed on the tripod of successful entrepreneurial insights, selfbelief motivational messages and the expression of absolute faith in God. The messages are centrally located on the five pillars of “YOU”: Your Self, Your Set-Goals, Your People (Your team), Your Family, and Your God. Also, it is aimed at striking the right chords that ensure real success which is imbibe in the authors

The unique selling point in the book is Dr. Godson’s originality and innovative use of DNA tests figuratively to unearth the incontrovertible traits expected of a successful entrepreneur

acronymized five double ‘Ps’: Productive passion, Purposeful planning, Proceeding positively and Playing prayerfully.

Relationships with these are what conduce to make or mar any entrepreneurship, hence, essentials and the result you get in using them is a direct concomitant to how well and positive you apply them.

Section one of the book with 15 chapters dealt with key issues for successful planning; like thinking outside the box, asking valuable questions with effective listening, having set goals and evaluating plans and actions while harping on triple ‘T’ equity for success – Talent, Time and Treasure among others.

The section two with 15 chapters also engaged on core issues that are exclusively relevant to organisational structures, product sales and effective networking with work habit and recreational attitudes that enhance business structure.

In the last section with 10 chapters, the author expatiated on intuitions. These are your emotions, habits and all the characteristics that reveal your inner self as a man in charge, ability and will to vacate your comfort zone, team spirit, time consciousness, and finally

with the big one- trusting in G o d .

His style of delivery is more like a sermon from a highly knowledgeable and deeply concerned Rabbi in the Holy Bible. The 40 questions that made up the chapters connotes the number 40 that has a lot of biblical significance appertaining to life and success as it commonly said that life begins at 40.

Dr. Godson’s long years of entrepreneurial experiences, originality and innovative use of DNA tests figuratively to traits expected of a successful entrepreneur is the unique

selling point in the book. He deliberately injected his enviable repertoire of creativity both in his message and diction, humour, common sense business practices, caution guides and take-away ideas while professing his absolute faith in God. According to the author, a person with a reasonable level of DNA for entrepreneurial success must, above all, realize that success does not come easy. Therefore he must have Abraham Lincoln’s resilient spirit and be an incurable optimist. Some people make efforts for the sake of making efforts without any positive goal in mind.

They ‘pass over opportunities repeatedly’ and end up being POOR. In the words of Prof. Green Nwankwo, an economist, “Youths of this days do not want to work hard and earn a descent living. Secondly, society corrupt the youths.

They do not see any much enterprise to emulate. vices cannot stop unless adequate measures are taken to address the issues of youth restiveness and change their mindset towards idleness and recidivism, hence all one require for success in life are the 40 DNA test book, blueprint for successful enterprise by Dr. Godson.

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60— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

FIFA WWC: We played with boys to prepare for Falcons—Aussie keeper

Liverpool target Tevez

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USTRALIAN g o a l k e e p e r, Melissa Barbieri disclosed that their lack of knowledge about the Nigeria women pushed them into practicing with male youth teams to prepare specifically for Nigeria at the World Cup due to their skilful and unpredictable style of play.

Nigeria and Australia play a must win game on Friday night and according to Berbieri the Maltidas will bounce back, but Falcons coach Edwin Okon has other ideas.

“It is very difficult to predict but we did a lot of training in the beginning leading up to the World Cup with a lot of boys teams and the instruction was to play off the cuff.

“We sort of had that in our mindset that African nations are very, very good footballers but do play their own style and brand that we rarely get to see and usually when we get to see them it is in a World Cup. So, hopefully we’ve done enough practice for those sorts of things with the boys back home,” Barbieri said.

Coach Okon stated that his girls have gotten over their draw against Sweden and are focused on taking all three points from the Aussies.

“I also don’t know anything about the Australian team we will play next but it is a must win game.

“No team is a pushover.

We do not underrate any team. Since it is eleven versus eleven, it is the grass that will decide,” he said.

•Brazil’s Marta is chased by South Korea’s Shim Seoyeon during a Group E match at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Chelsea yet to decide on Moses

S

•Victor Moses

TOKE City ’s chief executive Tony Scholes has revealed that his club are waiting on Chelsea’s boss Jose Mourinho call on what they want for Nigeria international Victor Moses ahead of next season.

Manager Mark Hughes is hopeful of having the former Wigan Athletic player for next season either on loan or permanently and ‘The Potters’ chief executive Scholes said it is Mourinho’s call that will decide the next step.

“It’s Chelsea’s prerogative,” he said.

“They haven’t decided

what they are going to do with Victor and whether or not they want to keep him.

We will wait and see on

Marta makes scoring record WO Brazilians broke 15th World Cup goal goals) could challenge T scoring records when she converted a Marta throughout the at the Women’s World 53rd-minute penalty, course of the tournament Cup on Tuesday, as France defeated old foes England.

Brazil striker Marta became the Women’s World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer as the South American side defeated South Korea 20 in Montreal.

Marta notched her

FIFA continued from B/P conference in Russia, saying it would be “nonsense” to begin the process in the current climate.

Amid the crisis caused by US charges against 14 football officials, and guilty pleas from four more, Fifa decided that bidders from any confederation except Asia could bid for the 2026 tournament and that a decision would be made by the 209 member associations in May 2017.

However, Valcke said the process had now been postponed. The US, Mexico and Canada were expected to be among the bidders.

Swiss prosecutors and the FBI are both looking into the controversial bidding process for the 2018 tournament, to be played in Russia, and the 2022

World Cup, awarded to Qatar. A disputed summary of a Fifa ethics committee report last year ruled there was not sufficient evidence to strip either country of the World Cup but the head of the audit and compliance committee, Domenico Scala, has confirmed it remains a possibility if new evidence emerges.

The summary, which sparked the resignation of the report’s author Michael Garcia, detailed a list of allegations against Qatar and said Russia had been unable to cooperate because the organising committee had lost all its emails.

Following a meeting of the World Cup organising committee in Samara, Valcke insisted the Russian World Cup was on track before the qualifying draw in St

Petersburg in July.

“Overall the preparations for the Fifa Confederations Cup and the Fifa World Cup as well as our first major event, the preliminary draw, are well under way and on schedule,” said Valcke.

Russia’s 2018 local organising committee chairman, Vitaly Mutko, also a member of the Fifa executive committee and the country ’s sports minister, said preparations were “well on track and on schedule”. He added: “There’s no doubt all the events of 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia will go through at top level.”

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had been critical of the US investigation, claiming it was a plot to oust the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, and destabilise the 2018 World Cup.

that one.” Victor Moses played 19 games and scored three goals for Stoke City last season.

IVERPOOL are ready to swoop for Juventus forward Carlos Tevez, after he told the Serie A champions that he wants to leave, as reported by the Express.

Tevez helped Massimiliano Allegri’s men to a fourth successive Serie A title last season and was the club’s top goalscorer with 20 league goals.

Juventus were on the verge of a treble, with their Coppa Italia win coming shortly after their triumph in Italy’s top league.

However, their campaign ended in heartache when they lost the Champions League final to Barcelona in Berlin last week, which has prompted Tevez to consider his options.

The Express reports that Liverpool have been looking at the 31-year-old as the man to solve their goalscoring problems, but they also indicate that Atletico Madrid are big fans of the Argentine.

Tevez spent began his career with Boca Juniors, winning the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 2003, before joining Corinthians.

moving a goal clear of former Germany striker Birgit Prinz, while her team-mate Formiga became the oldest player to score at FIFA’s premier women’s event when she slotted Brazil’s opener in the first half.

Abby Wambach (13

as she remains a key player for United States.

Formiga surpassed ex-Canada striker Charmaine Hooper, while the 37-year-old Brazilian also joined Japan captain Homare Sawa as the only two players to play in six World Cups.

Mali maul Ghana continued from B/P champions who had gone into the game as favourites, having beaten Argentina and won Group B. The Eaglets began strongly and made the breakthrough after 20 minutes when Diadie Samassekou rifled a shot into far corner after exchanging quick passes with Adama Traore.

After the break they doubled their advantage through Diedonne Gbakle, who cut in from the right, beating two men before unleashing a thunderous effort that went in off the underside of the bar.

With nine minutes of the match remaining, Mali wrapped up a glorious victory when Aboubabacar Doumbia sped clear of the Ghana defence and chipped into the corner.

Mali will face either Germany or Nigeria in the quarter-finals.

Senegal booked their place in the last-eight thanks to some heroics from goalkeeper Ibrahima Sy. The sides were level 1-1 after extra-time - Sidy Sarr scoring on 83 minutes to cancel out Artem

Biesiedin’s 77th-minute opener - but Senegal romped to a 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out.

Sy, who is on the books of French side L’Orient, saved from Yevhen Chumak, Yevhenii Nemtinov and Valerii Luchevych, while each of Senegal’s takers dispatched their kicks.

Enyeama continued from B/P exactly what to do to make us safe,” Enyeama said “I am concerned because it’s not Kaduna but because of the security thing. I really don’t care where we play as long as there is going to be security and safety of the players and

everyone coming to watch the match.”

Enyeama will, however, be hoping Nigeria are able to keep their focus on the football, with the nation desperate to make up for their previous shortcomings, having failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON finals in Equatorial Guinea.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 61

Mannetti: We can’t be intimidated by the West

Messi to face trial over alleged E4.1m tax fraud

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BARCELONA court has thrown out an appeal lodged by the lawyers of Lionel Messi, paving the way for the Barcelona forward to stand trial for alleged tax fraud.

In a decision made public on Wednesday, the provincial high court in Barcelona said it believed there was evidence that Messi – whether knowingly or not – benefited from a complex network of companies that kept E4.1m (£3m) from Spanish tax authorities between 2007 and 2009.

The authorities have accused Messi’s father, Jorge Horacio Messi, of selling the footballer ’s image rights using shell companies in Uruguay, Belize, Switzerland and the UK to avoid reporting earnings in Spain. The scheme allegedly began when Messi was a minor.

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Both Messi and his father have denied any wrongdoing.

Related: Lionel Messi may leave Spain over tax jail threat In October last year, Jorge Messi told Spanish radio his son had no knowledge of any such scheme. “I have always said it, he had absolutely nothing to do with it, so there is no need to talk about it,” he said. “My lawyers are dealing with this issue so it’s something with me and has nothing to do with him.”

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HEAD of their 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers tie against Niger, Namibia coach Ricardo Mannetti says it’s time to break the voodoo against the West Africans.

The Brave Warriors are currently in camp in Pretoria preparing for the opening tie eying to book a spot in the continental showpiece and according to the coach, the team is ready.

The Namibians will be motivated by the recent success in the 2015 Cosafa Cup which was held in Rustenburg, South Africa

•Messi

where they beat Mozambique by 2-0 in the final to be crowned champions.

“The time has come for us not be to be intimidated by the condition in West Africa,” said Mannetti.

“We have a team full of talent, belief and the right mentality to fight and win, we will prepare well for the conditions and that is why we played Ghana away a few months back.”

The former Cape Town Santos midfielder added that the players understand that the bar is high now and they have a responsibility.

Mali Coach Diarra attributes victory to detailed preparation

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ALIAN U-20 Coach Fanyeri Diarra believes his side’s comprehensive 30 victory against Ghana was down to the detailed preparation ahead of the game.

Fenyeri, saw his side put in their most

convincing performance in the competition so far which earned them a quarter final berth at the expense of fellow West African giants Ghana.

The Les Aigles side thumped the Black Satellites by 3 unanswered goals and

Coach Fenyeri says they deserved all they got due to the effort kept in preparing the team.

“We were extremely well prepared to face Ghana today and did exactly what we set out to do,” Coach Fenyeri Diarra told FIFA.com

“My team kept things very compact and we delivered a great performance.”

“The players in this squad are able to put my tactical ideas into practice, so I’m very happy about that and delighted that we’ve made the quarter-finals.''

•Diarra

62—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015 — 63

PhD Award: NOC congratulates Ogba, hails Uniport N

IGERIA Olympic Committee (NOC) president, Engr Habu Gumel has congratulated the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, president Chief Solomon Ogba on his award of a Doctorate Degree by the University of Port Harcourt for his developmental strides in sports.

Gumel who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, also hailed the University of Port Harcourt for their foresight in bestowing the honour on a man he described as ‘’one of the best brains’’ in sports administration in the country. ‘’I’m gladdened that University of Port Harcourt has taken the lead in giving this award to the man most suited for it’’, an overjoyed Gumel said. ‘’Ogba, arguably, is the best in the country. He is a young man who is driven by his passion and love for Athletics and other sports.

He demonstrates it with his personal relationships with the athletes and he commits his personal funds to ensure that Nigerian athletes stand on the podium of success. I am particularly overjoyed that University of Port Harcourt had been tracking

•Solomon Ogba... AFN president his sterling qualities, transparency and honesty.

The cap fits him and we at the NOC rejoice with our hardworking 1st Vice President’’, Gumel said.

Secretary General, Hon Tunde Popoola also described the AFN President as a man of many parts who can go to any length to see to the success of any Nigerian athlete. ‘’Ogba is a blessing to Nigerian athletics. He has an over-all knowledge on many sports including football. The Board and

Onitsha agog for AFN golden league

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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O fewer than 800 athletes including 400 students from about 64 secondary schools in Anambra State are set to participate in the first AFN/ Anambra Golden League athletics meet that will hold today at the Rojenny Sports Village in Oba, Onitsha.

Anambra commissioner for Youths and Sports, Tony Nnacheta said that the meet the first of its kind in the State was bound to set the tone for athletics revival in the Anambra regarded as a catchment area for the sport. He urged all stakeholders including schools, parents and the media to embrace the programme and ensure it success.

Also speaking, Kate Omenugha Commissioner for Education said her ministry would mobilise students for event in spite of the fact that it fell on mid term break.

Omenugha said a lot were being done by the

government to upgrade sporting facilties in the state’s schools as sports were integral part of the education policy in Anambra.

She called on wealthy Anambra people and old boys and girls associations to adopt schools nearest to them and see the way they can intervene in the provision of sports facilities.

Rommy Ezeonwuka, Managing Director of Rojenny stadium where the tartan tracks was laid said he happy that the opportunities in the stadium was being exploited.

Ezeonwuka charged the ministries of sports and education to develop programmes that would engender effective use of the new facilities that were being installed.

“We now have all the facilities here for all fields and track events and very soon Nigerian can produce athletes like Jamaica and America”, Ezeonwuka further stated.

Executive members of the Nigeria Olympic Committee salute him on this historic conferment of an Honorary Degree of Doctors of Science (D.Sc. Honors Causa) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Sports development worldwide.

The conferment on Chief(Evangelist) Solomon Ogba will be made at the 30th Convocation ceremony of Uniport, which is scheduled to hold on Saturday, 13th June, 2015 at the Convocation Arena, University Park, University of Port Harcourt.

Warri Wolves deny Akpeyi’s South African move

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ARRI Wolves have rubbished reports that goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi has secured a move to South Africa side Chippa United.

SouthAfricanmediareport claimed that Akpeyi have signed a deal with Chippa United and the player was quoted as saying that the deal has been completed.

However, Warri Wolves stated yesterday that the club did not enter into any negotiation with the Chippa United with regards to the sale of the emerging goalkeeping talent.

It was confirmed that Akpeyi did go for trials with the South African premier league side, but that was the end of discussion with regards to a transfer.

“We haven’t negotiated the transfer of Akeyi with Chippa United. Some mischievous people are at it again by trying to pass through the back door to do an illegal business said Moses Etu, the club spokesman.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2015

Nations Cup Qualifier:

Enyeama raises dust over Kaduna venue Mali maul Ghana as

•CHECKMATE. . . Flying Eagles Mustapha Abdullahi (L) and Wilfred Ndidi try to stop Donat Zsoter of Hungary during their FIFA U-20 World Cup match. Nigeria won 2-0. Photo: FIFA

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IGERIA captain Vincent Enyeama has admitted he was unhappy with the choice of venue for Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at home against Chad due to violent unrest in the state.

The two sides are scheduled to square off at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna this weekend, but Super Eagles goalkeeper Enyeama feels the players are being put in unnecessary danger.

“I’m not satisfied with the choice of Kaduna and you know I’m a very outspoken person. I don’t like the choice of Kaduna based on what is happening in the country but then the government knows Continues on Page 60

•Keshi

Senegal reach q/finals M

ALI stunned muchfancied Ghana, while Senegal beat Ukraine on penalties to reach the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Cup. Mali produced a superb performance to beat Ghana 3-0, brushing aside the 2009

FIFA bidding process for 2026 World Cup postponed

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Continues on Page 60

Bale ‘ll transform Man Utd into champions—Redknapp

G •Enyeama

ARETH Bale could turn Manchester United back into Premier League champions if he decides to quit Real Madrid for Old Trafford this summer, according

Messi to face trial over alleged E4.1m tax fraud—P.61

to Harry Redknapp.

The Wales international has been linked with a move away from Real after enduring a difficult second season in Spain.

Bale, 25, was jeered on there is no doubt the

Continues on Page 60

IFA has postponed the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup in light of the ongoing investigations into the award of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

Its secretary general Jérôme Valcke, under pressure over a $10m payment from South African World Cup organisers to the former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner that US prosecutors say was a bribe, confirmed the move at a press Continues on Page 60

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Clothing (5) 7 Twenty (5) 8 Little (5) 10 Heron (5) 12 Fitting (3) 13 Javelin (5) 15 Advance (7) 17 Called (6) 19 Sea-bird (3) 20 Enticed (7) 23 Pour (4) 25 Expensive (4) 26 Ordained (7) 30 Prosecute (3) 31 Determine (6) 34 Own (7) 37 Claw (5) 38 Beverage (3) 39 Instrument (5) 40 Platform (5) 41 Ice-house (5) 42 Greeting (5)

DOWN: 1 Ranger (5) 2 Vision (5) 3 Rue (6) 4 Ooze (4) 5 Slapped (7) 6 Change (5) 9 Imitate (3) 11 Caught (7) 13 Condition (5) 14 Strayed (5) 16 Abroad (3) 18 Dishearten (7) 21 Satan (5) 22 Verdant (5) 24 Missive (7) 27 Hint (3) 28 Item (6) 29 Saying (5) 32 Freight (5) 33 Giver (5) 35 Ocean (3) 36 Location (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Eject 7, Bear 8, Occult 9, React 11, Sod 13, Cad 15, Ewer 16, His 18, Code 19, Section 20, Used 22, Diva 23, Tingled 25, Eden 27, Eel 28, Mere 30, Dud 31, Rod 33, Stern 36, Scarce 37, Abut 38, Troop.

DOWN: 1, Below 2, Err 3, Era 4, Tot 5, Act 6, Plead 10, Chic 11, Secured 12, Deleted 13, Conifer 14, Delayed 16, Hedge 17, Steel 18, Cod 21, Din 24, Left 26, Dunce 29, Rogue 32, Pry 33, Set 34, Ego 35, Nap.

How to Play Sudoku

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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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