$15m ARMS DEAL: Why we have been silent, says FG

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62251

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Buhari, Kwankwaso go separate ways as consensus plan flops •P.8

PDP: I will not be active until••• — Obasanjo •P. 5

$15m ARMS DEAL

Why we have been silent, says FG

By Sam Eyoboka

T

HE Presidency, yesterday, opened up on the controversy surrounding the seizure

by South Africa of Nigeria’s $15m meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigeria Intelligence Service.

On September 5 this year, two Nigerians and

•Says nothing shady about deal •Govt can't discuss security issues in public •Linking of Pastor Oritsejafor is most unfair

Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS:

EPA as enslavement partnership •P.40 agreement

Nigeria: Why America is confused •P.44

Mr & Mrs

Military Kirikiri prison arrests riot caused soldiers for by congestion, being ‘moles' unlimited for Boko freedom •P. 9 Haram •P. 7

Former NBA president, Okey Wali, kidnapped in Rivers •P. 13

Nigeria creates 1.7m jobs, private sector major employer — CBN

•Page 10

OFALA: From left: Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnemeka Achebe, Anambra State Governor,Willie Obiano, and Representative of the President, Senator Chief Ben Ndi Obi during the 13th Ofala festival at Ime-obi Onitsha

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014—5

POCKET CARTOON

Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso and APC presidential aspirant (m) with Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed (left) during a consultation with the governor in Kwara State.

$15m arms deal: Why we have been silent, by FG Continues from page 1 an Israeli national attempted to take into South Africa $9.3m cash conveyed in a chartered private jet which was seized by the South African authorities. About three weeks after, another $5.7m was seized when a South African company that was contracted to help purchase the arms by an Abuja based company tried to pay back the money.

Speaking on the seizure, yesterday, Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Communication, Dr. Doyin Okupe, explained why the government has been silent on the issue.

Okupe said, “The Nigerian government cannot share all information about the issues because it is a security matter. It is an issue which we cannot just bring to pubic domain. For goodness sake, we need to have some quiet innocent support. I am surprised that Nigerians want to discuss security issues openly and publicly when a war is still going on.

“These are very serious national security affairs and running a government is not the same thing as running a Shoprite, where everything is on the table and on display. There is nothing shady about the South African deal and the Office of the NSA has done very well because they came out and said, ‘yes, this money belongs to us and this was what it

was meant for;’ that explanation itself was okay. There is no hanky panky on this matter.”

He also stated that the second controversial deal has legitimized the first because it was a normal banking transaction.

Okupe said,“A company was mandated to do a

national security assignment for the Federal Government of Nigeria and because of the extant laws in South Africa, that company was unable to deliver its contractual agreement with the Nigerian government; the company now wants a refund which

is normal.”

The presidency also exonerated the national president of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor from alleged involvement of his aircraft in the controversial $9.3m arms deal in South Africa.

Okupe noted, “the

linking of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor is the most unfortunate thing; to put the very respectable, responsible, honest and sincere President of CAN in this matter is the extreme of mischief. It just shows you what Nigerians do, they go to any extent to politicize everything. What bothers me here is the manner with which people want to bring down Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor on this matter.

It is pure absurdity.

“Oritsejafor has no business in this matter. It is true that he owns the aircraft but there are over 200 private Nigerians who have jets. Apart from those who use it frequently, some give it out to get some money and

defray some of the costs.

If you put your jet down, you pay money and parking charges everyday. He gave the private jet to a company to manage. The company is handling it and these people gave out the plane that is available.

"What has this to do with Oritsejafor? If I have many cars at the airport and decide to give one to car hire services and he decides to carry somebody having Indian hemp, will you link it up with the man who gave it out? Excuse me, this is ridiculous.”

The presidential aide then advised Nigerians to stop playing politics with every issue of national concern saying it is not in tandem with patriotism.

PDP: I will not be active until•••— Obasanjo •Says he has not and will not leave PDP

By Daud Olatunji

F

ORMER President O l u s e g u n Obasanjo, yesterday, explained why he preferred to be active only at the ward level of his party even as he said he bears no grudge against anyone.

Obasanjo, a former Chairman Board of Trustees of the PDP was reacting to pleas made to him by National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, Senate president, David Mark and former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, last Wednesday in Abuja where they all begged the former president for forgiveness and asked him to come back to the party.

In a statement issued to newsmen in Abeokuta, Obasanjo, however, said it was wrong for the party leaders to be inviting him back to the PDP, describing it as a great misrepresentation, adding that he had never left PDP and will never leave PDP.

He said his being passive in the party was based on “principle, morality, honour, integrity, commitment and character which are paramount.”

Obasanjo said, “Last week when I was in South Africa as the chairman of AU Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan and while with my fellow commissioners, we were deliberating on how to help that new country out of its problem of security and violence, I received avalanche of news and cacophony of appeals and pleadings from some quarters of PDP leadership.

Cacophony of appeals “There are misunderstandings and misrepresentations which some of those appeals and pleas manifested; hence this explanation from me.

Talking of inviting me back to PDP is wrong and it is a great misrepresentation as I have never left PDP and I will never leave PDP. I

have said it before and I will say it again, I rose to become the President of Nigeria on the platform of PDP and for that reason alone, I will remain a cardcarrying and ward-active member of PDP for as long as I have to be a political party member.

“Secondly, nobody has personally offended me as a result of my membership of PDP. If, however, anybody or group feels offended by my continued membership, I will offer an unreserved apology but continue to remain in the Party. I have had occasions to say to the President, the Senate president and the Party chairman separately that I have no quarrel with any individual or group in the Party. There are, for me, issues of principle, morality, honour, integrity, commitment and character which are paramount.

“For instance, as a former President of Nigeria, the chairman of West Africa Commission on Drug and a member of Global Commission on Drug, I cannot accept that

the zonal leader of my political party and, worse still in my zone, will be an indicted drug baron wanted in America. How do I explain that to friends outside Nigeria?

This is only one of the many issues that I have pointed and still pointing out. I have national and international standard to maintain and reputation to keep and sustain. For these reasons, I opted to remain active only at the ward level of the Party till the leadership does the needful. But under no condition will my commitment to Nigeria be diminished.

“And, for me, it is commitment to Nigeria first and any other commitment can only follow in second or third place. Where any other commitment is in tandem with what I see and understand as commitment to Nigeria, such other commitment will share a pride of place with Nigeria. I must hasten to thank the President, the Senate president and the Chairman of PDP with

whom, at their instances, these issues have been discussed and laid to rest.

My interest and commitment to Nigeria go beyond partisan politics.

“Today, Nigeria needs all hands on deck to deal with our pressing problems of security including the issue of Chibok girls, widening inequality, infrastructure, impunity, corruption, poverty and youth education, skilla c q u i s i t i o n , empowerment and employment. These are issues of concern to most Nigerians. We all need to join hands to move Nigeria forward. I don’t need to be begged for that.

“Rather, I beg and appeal to those who are begging me to realize that we must put Nigeria’s interest above politics – party or personal – otherwise, we will all be judged at the bar of history if not the bar of current affairs.

In addition, we must preserve, sustain and deepen democracy and democratic practices.”

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Wanted car-snatching kingpin arrested in Enugu ...Cult member in Police net

By Francis Igata

E

N U G U — OPERATIVES of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Enugu Police Command weekend arrested a notorious criminal who had been on the wanted list of operatives for alleged car-snatching and armed robbery crimes.

The suspect, identified as one Arinze Nwachukwu from Akaegbeugwu, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, was apprehended, following a distress call from residents of Atakwu, Akogbeugwu, over fight for control of revenue generated at the sand field in the community.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer,PPRO,Mr. Ebere Amaraizu,DSP, “the suspect had been on the wanted list of the operatives for various armed robbery and carsnatching incidents.

“He was arrested following a shoot-out between himself and other members of his gang over who controls the revenue accruing from the sand field at Atakwu. On hearing the sound of gunfire, residents in the area called our distress line.

“The operatives swung into action and arrested the suspect with two other members of his gang that were injured in the shoot-out. The injured ones are receiving treatment at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku,Ozalla.”

In the same vein, the Police spokesperson also revealed that SARS operatives on stop and search patrol, arrested one teenager identified as Christian Ogbodo at Iva-Valley axis of Enugu metropolis over the weekend.

He said:”the suspect was arrested with an axe tucked in his waist. When the operatives interrogated him, he confirmed that he is a member of AYES confraternity.”

Fuel tanker explosion kills 15 in Ibadan

By Ola Ajayi

I

BADAN—NO fewer than 15 persons were roasted late Saturday night as a fully loaded petrol tanker exploded at Molete in Ibadan, Oyo State. The petrol tanker fell while trying to negotiate a bend.

Several others who sustained varying degrees of injuries, including an 8-year-old girl, were rushed to the Accident and Emer-

gency section of University College Hospital, Ibadan.

Properties worth millions of naira were also destroyed by the inferno which, according to an eye witness, consumed 45 shops, 13 vehicles, three houses, seven commercial motorcycles, three commercial tricycles and several other items.

Vanguard gathered that the accident happened when a fully loaded tanker lost control and

(ABOVE & RIGHT).The burnt-out petrol tanker after the explosion

emptied its contents on the road which later led to a deafening explosion.

The Iyaloja of Molete Market, Alhaja Iswat Oyinlola, who hinted that Governor Abiola Ajimobi had visited the scene, said the casualty figure would have been more but for the river that checkmated it.

She said: “I was at home around 10 pm when I got the message that a truck with petrol which lost control fell at Molete roundabout and spilled its fuel which resulted into fire.

“When I got to the market, the fire had spread every where at the roundabout. If not for the river behind the market, the fuel would have flooded the whole area and caused more death.

“I noticed that 13 vehicles, seven commercial motorcycles and three commercial tricycles were burnt, 10 people were roasted and 45 shops were burnt.

“We don’t know the actual number of those who died in the inferno but from the list I have with me, 10 people were confirmed dead. Others were taken to the hospital.”

Mrs. Oyinlola, further said that commercial bus drivers

have turned the roundabout to their park, adding that the truck was unable to negotiate the bend smoothly, it was carrying full load of fuel and fell in the process.

Also, another trader who managed to speak with newsmen early morning yesterday, Mr. Ahmed Adeoye said many of the casualties were roadside traders who allegedly defied government order to stop selling wares by the roadsides.

“I thank God that nobody sustained injury in my shop, many road side traders were unlucky as they lost their lives and goods to the fire”.

Adeoye said he counted about 15 bodies very late in the night when the fire was put out, adding that he lost property estimated at N2m.

Vanguard observed scores of security agents, State Fire Service officials, and several unrecognised items at the scene with smoke billowing out of the rubbles.

Amosun’s convoy in auto crash, two aides, others injured

By Daud Olatunji

Man for trial over killing guest with poison at naming ceremony

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By Gbenga Olarinoye

O

SOGBO—OSUN State police command has disclosed that a man accused of killing a fellow guest with poison at a naming ceremony in Ile-Ife, would soon be dragged to court after completing investigations into the matter.

It was learnt that shortly after the mysterious death of the unnamed man occurred when he returned from the ceremony, police authorities in Ife town were said to have swung into action to get to the root of the matter.

The death of the deceased, said to be an artisan, it was learnt, led to the suspicion of those that attended the event with him.

After thorough investigation into the matter, police eventually apprehended one 27-year-old Taofeek Adeyemo, who was confirmed to have attended the naming ceremony, where the deceased took his last drink.

Speaking to newsmen in Osogbo, while parading the suspect, Osun State Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Marafa, who spoke through the Public Relations Officer of the command, Folasade Odoro, DSP, said the suspect had confessed to the crime and advised people to be careful of the kind of company they kept.

Thunder kills three teenagers in Ogun

By Daud Olatunji

A

BEOKUTA—TRAGEDY struck yesterday, at Ijale Ijaka Street in Ijoun, Ayetoro area in Yewa South local government area of Ogun state when thunder struck and killed three teenagers.

The tragic incident, which occurred during a heavy rainfall reportedly killed Sunday Mulero,13, Dare Olaifa,15 and Sodiq Segun, 15.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed the incident.

Adejobi in a statement said , the information made available to the Police Public Relations Officer of the command by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ayetoro Division revealed that the young boys

were “playing “outside their house when the thunder struck and killed them instantly.

“The Divisional Police Officer with his police operatives,who responded to distress calls put to them,rushed down to the scene to possibly rescue the teenagers but were confirmed dead immediately on arrival at the hospital.The corpses were kept in the mortuary for necessary actions.

“The Commissioner of Police Ogun State CP Ikemefuna Okoye has described the incident as unfortunate. He then sympathized with the families of the deceased and prayed for God’s mercies and protection over other members of the affected families.

BEOKUTA—THE convoy of Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, was yesterday involved in an accident, leaving his aides with injuries.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that the incident occurred at SaapadeOgeere road, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway at 9:30am, when a commercial bus rammed into the governor’s convoy, damaging one of the Sports Utility Vehicles, SUVs, in the convoy.

The governor, however, escaped unhurt, but, two of his aides were reportedly injured, while some occupants of the rickety blue Mistubishi bus carrying foodstuffs also sustained injuries.

It was gathered that the governor’s convoy was heading towards Ibadan, while the rickety bus was coming from Ibadan before they had a head-on collision.

Vanguard gathered that the accident occurred at a spot where construction works were going on, forcing motorists to use only two of the four-lane road.

It was gathered that the driver of the commercial bus reportedly lost control when he faced the governor’s convoy on the narrow road and rammed into the convoy.

According to the eyewitness, the occupants of the commercial bus, mainly women and children, sustained injuries.

The source said immediately the accident occurred, the governor alighted from his vehicle to sympathise with victims.

Confirming the incident, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said no life was lost.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 — 7

Military arrests soldiers for being ‘moles' for Boko Haram

By Kingsley Omonobi

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B U J A — M I L I TA RY authorities prosecuting the war against terrorism in the North East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe have arrested several soldiers, who were discovered to have leaked vital security information on the troops’ strategies and tactics to Boko Haram that led to a series of ambush and killing of over 30 Nigerian soldiers in recent times.

Most of the arrested soldiers serve as orderlies or aide-decamps, ADCs to Commanders of Troops on the field.

It was gathered that the alleged moles among the soldiers leaked the information on the deployment of soldiers from Maimalari Barracks in April this year to the terrorists which led to an ambush and killing of so many soldiers of the 101 Battalion that consequently led to soldiers’ mutiny and the shooting at the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Major General Ahmed Mohammed.

His armoured official car saved his life.

Vanguard further gathered that the activities of these moles may have been responsible for the recent shooting of the Nigerian Airforce Alpha Jet on September 12 which took off from Yola airport and was reported missing until Boko Haram terrorists said they shot it down and killed one of its pilot, which was confirmed by the Facebook account of friends of the military.

Speaking under condition of anonymity, a reliable source said Commanders on the field had for long wondered how information on strategies for deployment, type of weaponry and fall back tactics easily filtered out to the terrorists to the extent that soldiers’ movement, timing of

A

MEETING: The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele (middle) flanked

by CBN Director, Monitoring Policy Department, Mr. Moses Tule (left) and CBN Director, Reservation Management, Alhaji Lamido Yuguda at the 2014 WorldBank-IMF meeting in Washington, DC. deployment, and routes to take, became known to Boko Haram insurgents.

“The situation became so bad that there was mutual suspicion among fellow commanders, the Brigade headquarters and even the Division headquarters. But at last, the moles were found out to be some of the orderlies and aides of Commanders. What they do is that after operational briefings and troops take off, these moles immediately pass on the information through calls.''

Asked why it was difficult to discover the traitors before now, the source said, “Who will suspect that an orderly or the ADC of a Commander will be the one giving out information. He does everything for the Commander and he is with him all the time. He is the last person that would be suspected. But thank God, they have been exposed; the truth is now known”.

Already, the source noted that

a Board of Inquiry (BOI) has been set up to carry out further investigations into the activities of the traitors and to try to find out if there were fellow fifth columnists still existing among the troops, after which a General Court Martial will be constituted to try the soldiers for Criminal Conspiracy among others.

Also, Vanguard was told at the weekend that six officers taking part in the offensive to flush out the terrorists from the Adamawa axis recently shot themselves in parts of their bodies that were not life threatening with a view to escape being drafted to the battle field to confront Boko Haram terrorists.

After allegedly shooting themselves in the arm, hip, foot and making sure that the bullets did not affect any bones in these parts of their bodies, the officers ran to a military hospital and claimed that they were shot by terrorists.

Medical experts attached to the hospital in Vintim, after carrying out several checks and x-rays on the gunshot wounds, discovered that the officers had ‘clean gunshot wounds’ which meant the injuries were 99% self inflicted.

Vanguard gathered that the Army High Command ordered that further medical tests be carried out to be doubly sure and that the x-rays were sent to Abuja where experts did further analysis and came out with the same results of ‘Clean Gunshot Wounds’ .

“In one instance, an officer expertly shot at his arm from the front and the bullet came out from the back without touching any bone neither did it destroy any artery that would endanger the treatment of the hand. In another instance, an officer just opened fire on his foot but made sure no toe or dangerous part of the foot was affected,” a source said.

PDP govs meet to take stand on endorsement

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—BARRING last minute changes, governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will meet this week to strategise on the next line of action to confront the National Working Committee, NWC over the stoppage of consensus endorsements of their candidates ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Speaking with Vanguard yesterday on the governors’ plans, a very strong source at the secretariat of the Governor Godswill Akpabio-led PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) disclosed that arrangements were being made to hold the

Group mobilizes Nigerians nationwide to endorse Jonathan

meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday, adding that he would get a clearer picture today.

Since the PDP announced the cancellation of all endorsements by the governors, zonal and state leadership, there has been a cold war between the governors and the NWC and by extension the Presidency.

Opponents of the governors in the states had accused the state helmsmen of plotting to “plant “ their successors as they leave office.

At the proposed meeting scheduled to hold at its normal venue in Asokoro, Abuja, according to the source, the governors will look at their decision of endorsing President

Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the PDP ahead of the December 6 National Convention and the Febr uary, 2015 general elections which the Party ’s National Caucus, Board of Trustees, BoT and the National Executive Committee, NEC agreed with and is to be ratified at the Party ’s National Convention.

They are also expected discuss the on- going sale of forms especially with regard to the governorship forms being obtained at the Party’s National Secretariat.

The source said that the governors want to ensure that they don’t lose out of the political equation. Having endorsed President Jonathan they want the

PDP hierarchy to allow them enjoy the same measure in their states.

Meanwhile, the PDP began the sale of forms last Friday.

State chairmen have started besieging the Wadata Plaza National secretariat to collect the expression of interest and nomination forms for onward sale to aspirants for State House of Assembly and National Assembly.

On Saturday, Chairmen of Kebbi, Kano, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Abia, Bauchi and Jigawa, among others were at the secretariat to collect their forms. The governorship primary election is fixed for November 29 and National Assembly is November 22.

B U J A — MILLIONS of Nigerians across the states are being mobilized to openly endorse President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for a second term in office. The mobilization is in form of million-man marches to hold in all states of the Federation beginning today.

Disclosing this in Abuja weekend, Prince Rekz Edward, Acting Director General of G7 Patriots International, organizers of the march, said the marches will begin simultaneously in Abia and Imo States today and move to Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi States tomorrow. Edo, Delta and Bayelsa will have marches concurrently on the 15th, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states will march on the 16th, while Rivers State will march on the 17th October 2014.

Prince Edward said logistics have been put in place to ensure hitchfree marches in all the states, adding that states in the South-West will follow shortly after the South-East, South-South Marches. According to him, ‘’The North-West and North-East will follow immediately after the South-West rallies while, the North-Central and FCT will round off the Million-Man marches. ‘’As we speak, letters of endorsement for Mr. President have been dispatched to various states governors and PDP chairmen in states not controlled by the PDP’’.

Prince Edward said his organization was organizing the marches, and other support activities because G7 believes that President Jonathan has done excellently well in his first term in office.

He added that ‘’if one good term deserves another, then GEJ should get a second term. Nigeria needs serious fixing and one term of four years is nowhere enough to do all the things needed to turn around a country that was lying almost prostrate before GEJ came in.’’

8 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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FFORTS by stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress, APC to forge a consensus between two of the major presidential aspirants in the party, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso have failed. Both men in an apparent determination to slug it out have now formally scheduled dates to declare their aspirations. Reflective of their efforts for political supremacy, the associates of both men were last night engaged in a war of words on who was better placed to win the presidential ticket of the party.

Buhari is to declare for the contest on Wednesday, October 15, while Governor Kwankwanso has himself scheduled his declaration for October 23, 2014.

Kwankwaso’s decision to go public with his bid, it was learnt, was sequel to the failed effort to forge a consensus deal between him and Buhari.

Both men are presently, the two major aspirants from the Northwest geopolitical zone of the country.

The development has led to a serious division among APC supporters in the zone over who should fly the flag of the party in the coming election.

Buhari is mainly supported by the masses but Kwankwanso is believed to have the support of government officials and political office holders especially in Kano State.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Leadership Newspaper publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah are the two other major contenders remaining in the north following yesterday’s formal declaration by Senator Bukola Saraki to withdraw himself from the contest.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole

Buhari, Kwankwaso go separate ways as consensus plan flops ...Buhari to declare on oct 15th; Kwankwaso on 23rd of Edo State is also known to be testing the waters for a possible bid.

While Kwamkwaso’s supporters are making a case for a young blood to take a shot at the presidency, Buhari’s followers advance political maturity, popularity and experience as factors that cannot be ignored.

Speaking yesterday on Kwakwanso’s plans for the presidential race, an associate and member of the Board of Trustees, BoT of the APC, Chief Olisameka Akamukali said that baring any unforeseen circumstances, that Kwankwanso would unveil his presidential campaign on October 23.

Akamukali, a former chairman of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP in Delta State said that Governor Kwankwaso had consulted widely

concerning his ambition even as he said that Buhari needed to give a younger person a chance to contest the presidency.

“Now in as much as we agree that Buhari is a man of integrity but you will also agree with me that age is not on his side,” he said.

His claim was immediately dismissed by a senior official of the party also sympathetic to the Buhari campaign who described Kwankwanso’s bid as a clownish act. He said that Buhari would defeat the Kano governor even in Kano.

“Yes, I know that Kwankwanso can get a huge pile of the government delegates from Kano but that is the much he can get.

What of the other states or is he relying only on Kano?”

“Or have you forgotten in 2011 that Buhari defeated the former governor of Kano, Ibrahim Shekarau even in Kano? The Buhari campaign is a brand, watch out and see what we are going to do at the declaration on Wednesday,” the official said.

Continuing, the Buhari associate wondered why Kwankwanso mobilises his Kano based supporters anytime he goes out of the state, saying that on the contrary that Buhari has his supporters all over the country and does not need to carry supporters along to show his political viability.”

“You know the fact that he has control of one big state does not mean that he is popular outside the state,” the Buhari man said.

UNVEILING: From left; Wife of Ogun State governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun; her husband, Governor Ibikunle Amosun; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State ; his wife, Bisi; Ekiti Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, during the unveiling of the Governor's Lodge, Ayoba Villa, as part of activities marking the 4th anniversary of the Fayemi's administration, in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday.

Mobilize Nigerians against Boko Haram, Ezekwesili tasks Jonathan

By Laide Akinboade

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BUJA—FORMER Minister of Education and one of the Coordinators of BringBackOurGirls, BBOG, campaign group, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, weekend tasked President Goodluck Jonathan to take the front seat in mobilising Nigerian citizens against the Boko Haram insurgents.

Dr. Ezekwesili, who wept while addressing members of the BBOG at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, at the special sit-out to mark the 180 days that the 219 girls were kidnapped by the insurgents, said the power to mobilise Nigerians against

their common enemy rests with the President.

She noted that it was time for the President to convey the message of a strong nation, against the current global perception of the country as a weak nation, particularly in its war against terrorism and rescue activities to bring home the abducted secondary school girls in Chibok.

She lamented that the President had not displayed the strong character that Nigerians and the international community expected him to show in the struggle to rescue the missing girls.

Ezekwesili said: “First, I would expect our President to convey a message of a strong nation. Nigeria is not a weak country by every standard.

“There’s a way to convey the message that does not seem to imply that when citizens like those that have been advocating for the rescue of the girls call for rescue, they are told to go and talk to the terrorists.

“To me, that’s not what a nation tells the citizens. A nation state is strong by virtue of the fact that it is the entity that has the monopoly of the coercive apparatus, that is, the security instrumentation. And for me I believe that there’s that strength of character that is necessary for us to be able to win this war. ''I think mobilising the citizens is unfortunately has been the most divisive thing of our modern day Nigeria.

“How can we be divided in a time of a such like terrorism and the capacity to mobilise Nigerians

lies in the President. It is the President that must mobilise the entire citizenry to face the common enemy. That’s what the kind of expectation that will make a difference. But now so far there’s been no such from the President.”

She also condemned the fact that the federal government’s approach to the rescue of the missing girls had not been persuasive since April 14 when they were abducted by members of Boko Haram.

“I don’t think government has done enough. You know there’s a way something is done and it persuades a you that there’s a certain level of credibility, diligence in the pursuit of an objective to come to true. Unfortunately it has not been so in this particular case.

But asserting the viability of Kwankwanso over Buhari, Akamukali said: “The issue of anointing candidates for elections has been rejected by the APC and that is why the party is insisting that there shall be transparent primaries. The fears of some of the aspirants may be due to the fact of their previous experience where they never faced competitive primaries to emerge as party candidate. That is why such people are pushing for consensus.

“The generality of the party is saying no, let us do things differently from what the PDP are doing. We must have a transparent primary. I can tell you that Kwakwanso has built a lot of bridges across the political divide.

Remember, he came into the House of Representatives as a member of then Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991 and became Deputy Speaker.”

According to Akamukali, one factor that gives Kwankwaso an edge over other aspirants was his firm control of APC structures in his state.

“One other factor that is considered additional strength to the Kano governor is that whereas he has solid home base support, his co-contestants, like Atiku and Buhari could not boast of being in control of the structures of the party in their home states.

“From the angle of qualification, the constitution is very clear on this, a man who has a doctorate in Engineering, academically is qualified, a man who has not been convicted by any competent court, a man whom the EFCC and other Federal Government anti graft agencies have investigated and nothing was found on him is eminently qualified to contest for the president of the country, “ he stated.

It has not been persuasive at all,” she said.

Speaking on the military actions so far taken to rescue the girls, Dr. Ezekwesili said a lot still needed to be done saying.

“I don’t think that anyone of us as Nigerians will say we are comfortable with the result so far.

There’s a lot that needs to be done.

“We have had our own citizens who are also military and security personnel who also fall victims of this insurgency. So in every sense of the war, we are affected as a people . We don’t want our military to die,” she added.

She remarked that the Safe School Initiative being implemented by the Federal Government would not instil confidence in the Nigerian child in school unless the abducted girls were brought home.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 — 9

Lagos prison riot caused by congestion, unlimited freedom — MORO

By Evelyn Usman & Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—THE Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, yesterday in Lagos, attributed last Friday’s riot at the Kirikiri Medium Prison, Lagos, which left two persons dead and several others injured, to congestion and unlimited freedom accorded inmates.

As at yesterday, it was gathered that a total of 2,536 inmates were at the Medium Prison . Out of this number, 98 are convicts with 2,434 others were awaiting trial.

Moro who was on a visit to the Medium Prison disclosed that the riot was orchestrated by one of the convicts whom he alleged incited other inmates.

It was gathered that the riot was sparked off by the detention of one of the inmates for over an hour.

The detained inmate popularly known as GOC, was said to have contracted the services of a technician to fix ceiling fans and speakers inside the Church’s auditorium . However, while the technician was fixing the ceiling fans, a Prison official was said to have accosted him, arguing that they were not aware of the installation.

It was gathered that the Chief Warder and Welfare officers, thereafter, allegedly detained GOC. His detention was said to have sparked off protest ,with the inmates describing the action as an infringement on their privileges and rights. The protest degenerated into a riot , during which some inmates attempted to scale the high walls.

In the process, one of them was allegedly shot dead with others sustaining bullet wounds.

Vanguard gathered that some prison wardens were also injured.

Next day (Saturday) one of the

inmates reportedly died in the hospital with the fate of others were unknown as at yesterday.

Explaining what happened, Moro said: “From the information made available, the immediate cause of the riot is that an inmate came unauthorised and installed some gadgets without the knowledge of the officials.

“What it meant therefore was that a convict, who brought in some gadgets, instigated the inmates to complain and that led to the fracas.

But, the police and other security agencies have intervened and calmed down the situation.

“More fundamentally, there is need for us to think about the level of freedom the inmates enjoy, in line with international practices.

The two gatherings attended by the inmates are those in the

chapel and the mosque. ‘’The world over, one worship ground is usually provided for inmates. The prison services must review the institutions of worship in our prisons.

“What also comes to mind is the state of facilities in some of our prisons. It requires some level of rehabilitation. At the moment, we have the issue of congestion, and it is very unacceptable that we have a prison which is accommodating 2,536 inmates.

Out of this number, only 98 are convicts. We have 2,434 inmates awaiting trial.

“When we finish our assessment, we will be able to address the problem of congestion in our prisons. The president has approved an interministerial committee for this.

This is one committee that will come up with some solutions on this. We are working on that. We must have facilities that conform to the international practices.”

As at yesterday, security checks at the three prisons in Kirikiri town have been intensified.

Visitors as gathered, were barred from entering as at Saturday, with armed security men positioned at the Maximum, Medium and Female prisons.

There were however, conflicting report on the exact number of deaths. While the Prisons stated that only one inmate died, sources claimed that five may have lost their lives.

The Prisons Public Relations Officer, Ope Fatinikun had on Saturday said: “ indeed , there was a riot at Medium Security Prison , Kirikiri, Lagos, Friday, at about 1.30pm. It was a riot and not jailbreak. The riot was quickly brought under control.

BURIAL: All Progressives Congress (APC) vice chairman, Lagos State, Otunba Ologunde (2nd left) All Progressives Congress Lagos State governorship aspirant, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, his wife, Bolanle and Engr Adekunle Olayinka during the burial ceremony of late Mrs. Comfort Olufunmilayo Odukomaiya held at First African Church Mission, David Parish Poka in Epe, Lagos State.

2015: Buhari woos Fashola, S'West govs for APC presidential ticket

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—AHEAD of All Progressives Congress, APC primaries, former Head of State, Major-General Mahammadu Buhari (retd), yesterday paid a visit to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State to ask for his support and other APC members in the state in his bid to be the party’s standard bearer for 2015 general elections.

Buhari, who arrived the Lagos House, Marina, with members of his campaign team, said he decided to convey the invitation personally because Lagos was considered the biggest and most viable constituency of the APC, adding that he would also visit all the other governors in the Southwest and Kwara before the Wednesday primaries.

In his remarks, Fashola thanked the retired General for the honour of delivering the invitation himself and also prayed that God would honour the APC chieftain in his bid and grant him the grace to realize his ambition.

Fashola said, “Let me say that we are pleased to receive you. We feel honoured by your presence and God will honour you and His grace will be sufficient for you in the undertaking that you are about to commit to”.

SYNAGOGUE: Obasanjo, Mbeki worry over Nigeria/S'Africa's strained relationship ...Joshua, Vanguard, others expected as inquest into building collapse starts today

By Ikenna Asomba

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S the the relationship between two of Africa’s largest economies, Nigeria and South Africa continues to be flexed over what observers described as Nigerian government’s alleged poor handling of the September 12 collapse of a six-storey guest house attached to the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, where 84 South Africans lost their lives, former Nigerian and South African Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Thabo Mbeki have swiftly expressed concern over tension in the relationship between both countries.

South-African Sunday Independent reports that during

a panel discussion, Thursday night, at the Old Mutual Wisdom Forum gala dinner in Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa, both former presidents made a passionate appeal that President Jacob Zuma and his Nigerian counterpart Goodluck Jonathan need to work harder to resolve heightened tensions between South Africa and Nigeria.

But four weeks after the tragic collapse, it was said that the delay in repatriating the bodies even after the post-mortems, have frustrated the South African authorities, who had berated the Nigerian officials for insisting on doing DNA testing themselves, even though the technology is unavailable.

With reports claiming that the Nigerian authorities had

threatened retaliation against major South African companies operating in Nigeria, including MTN, after South Africa allegedly blocked Nigeria’s arms purchase worth over $15 million twice in three weeks, Obasanjo and Mbeki appealed for more decisive action between both leaders to stop the relations from further deteriorating.

Mbeki said: “I know President Jacob Zuma does care about this matter and is keen to have it resolved. We should not have an air of animosity. Our current leadership in both countries need to work hard to ensure that this relationship is sustained. I know many Nigerians would like to normalise the relations and many South Africans share that view.”

On his part, Obasanjo, who

pointed at the long-standing partnership between Nigeria and South Africa, which dates back to his days and Mbeki’s as presidents yielded many positive results for the two countries and the continent at large, however said: “Of course, I am concerned because relations between South Africa and Nigeria should be (good). I remember, Thabo Mbeki and I used to look at it melancholically. There is no reason why relations between Nigeria and South Africa should not be the best. We were hoping that when South Africa was free, we would have two strong countries and that together we would carry the African basket high. All I am saying is that successors need to try harder.”

Meanwhile, the founder of

SCOAN, Prophet TB Joshua is expected to appear today, at the Ikeja High Court, as the coroner’s inquest presided over by Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe to establish the cause and manner of the collapse would commence sitting.

In a statement by the spokesperson of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Bola Akingbade, other persons expected at the inquest instituted under the Lagos State Coroner’s System Law No. 7 of 2007, include the contractors handling the church building, members of the families of the victims of the incident, some media houses including News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Channels TV, Television Continental, Vanguard, Daily Independent, The Nation and Punch newspapers.

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Soyinka lauds Fayemi over legacy projects in Ekiti •As PDP berates Fayemi’s regime for violence

By Gbenga Ariyibi

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OBEL Laureate, Prof.

Woke Soyinka, weekend, said the outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has placed the State on an honourable footing by the various programmes and legacy projects he has put in place, adding, however, that the decision to toe Fayemi’s path is the choice of the successor.

The Nobel laureate who commissioned the new Government House christened ‘Ayoba Villa’ in Ado Ekiti, said the new Governor’s lodge is now open to the next governor of the State to “either honour or desecrate”.

Soyinka who noted that Ekiti State has known very honourable people such as the late Governor of the old Western State, Adekunle Fajuyi, stated that he had been watching Fayemi and he was happy that the outgoing governor did him proud.

In his remarks at the occassion, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, said posterity would be a better judge that Fayemi ruled Ekiti State in dignified ways

to the extent that he left indelible marks in the State.

At the event were the governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, his wife, Olufunso; Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi and his wife Florence, the wife of the Governor of Osun, Mrs Serifat Aregbesola, wife of the Governor of Kwara State, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, the former Governor of Ekiti State, Asíwájú Segun Oni, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, APC national chairman, Chief John

Oyegun, former Governor of Abia State, Chief Ogbonaya Onu, and wife of the Governor of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu.

Meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State has said there were more political killings and violence in the state during the present regime led by Dr Kayode Fayemi than other existing governments in the state

The PDP was apparently reacting to an insinuation by a member of socio-political organisation E-11 in an interview recently in Channels Television that the state had witnessed more violence between the period of 2003-2006 during the first term of office Mr Ayo Fayose in the state The party, which spoke in AdoEkiti through the State Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, yesterday, said there was more records of political killings during Fayemi’s tenure than Fayose’s period.

2014 MTN sponsored pilgrims during their arrival at the Murtala International Airport, Lagos , yesterday.

Photo: Diran Oshe

Nigeria creates 1.7m jobs, private sector major employer—CBN

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HE Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has told the international financial community that the Nigerian economy created in 2013, a total of 1.2 million jobs. He said the remarkable thing about the jobs that were created was that about 91 per cent of these jobs were created by the private sector.

Speaking at a JPmorgan event in Washington on the sideline of the 2014 IMF/ World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Emefiele said “For the first half of 2014, the economy has created over 500, 000 jobs and “interestingly, almost 40 per cent of employers cited “business expansion” as the reason for hiring new staff.”

He said “However, given that over one million persons enter the job market annually, there appears to be room for improvement. He said the economy has remained

resilient due to the fact that "the system has endured over ten years of reforms.

In the financial system, we have now had about a decade of sustained reforms to make us a better system”.

According to him the “Reforms after the global financial crisis of 2007/2008 anchored on four pillars, namely: enhancing the quality of banks, establishing financial system stability, enabling a healthy financial sector evolution, and ensuring that the financial sector contributes to the real economy."

He further told his listeners that the 2004 Bank Consolidation Programme was embarked upon to create more resilient banks, adoption of risk-based regulatory framework while the 2009 reforms after the global crisis was to enhance quality of banks, detoxicated the banking system and improved corporate governance.

Jonathan to release crime suspect for trial abroad

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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OR the first time since it came into power, the Jonathan administration is making moves to hand over a financial crimes suspect for trial in a foreign land, apparently to prove that it is actively fighting corruption. For that reason, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has given approval for the extradition of the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security and Minting Company, NSMPC, Mr. Ehidiamhem Okoyomon, to the United Kingdom, to face trial over bribery allegations.

Okoyomon, who holds dual Nigerian and British citizenship, was the chief executive of the NSMPC until November 2013 when he was suspended by the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria in the wake of the disappearance of printed N1000 notes worth N1.2 billion from the premises of the company in Abuja. Before then, he had been under investigation since 2012 by the anti- graft agency following request by the British National Crime Agency over a different matter, the alleged collection of N750 million bribe from Securency of Australia for the printing of polymer notes for Nigeria.

Acting on that approval, operatives of the EFCC, will this morning dock Okoyomon before an Abuja Federal High Court with a view to getting a formal pronouncement of the judiciary to move the suspect to London.

Okoyomon’s extradition is being sought by the UK government over his alleged role in the bribery allegation involving officials of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Nigeria Security, Minting and Printing Company, NSPM, and Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008. Vanguard gathered from a top source in EFCC that the request followed the discovery by the Australian authorities that some Nigerian officials at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Mint, received bribes and kick backs from Securency Pty Limited, a polymer substrate producing company for the contract to produce N20 polymer notes for the Central Bank of Nigeria between 2006 and 2008.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014—11

Edo Assembly crisis: Police arrest 12 suspects ...as Oshiomhole vows to petition Jonathan

By Simon Ebegbulem

stormed the Assembly quarters at about 6:30am Saturday shooting sporadically.

Oshiomhole alleged that PDP masterminded the attack.

He said: “It is very clear that the Police granted permission for this attack.

The Commissioner of Police was informed at about 10:00pm last night of the PDP plan to attack the Legislators' quarters and the APC office. We made this intelligence available to the Commissioner of Police and you can see that even the minimal police presence here was evacuated so that these thugs could come and unleash a free reign of terror. This morning, when they assembled at a point

B

where they were meant to assemble, the fact was conveyed to the Commissioner of Police.

“They actually assembled at George Idah Primary School this morning before they proceeded and the Police provided supervision for this very serious criminal act."

Reacting to the allegation that PDP masterminded the attack, the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, said: ”There is no truth whatsoever in the governor’s allegations that we organized thugs to disrupt the President’s visit and even the House of Assembly quarters.

After welcoming Mr. President to Edo State on Friday, many of us went to our homes, had a

light dinner and went to bed. It is common knowledge that what happened at the Assembly quarters may have been borne out of the attack on Mr. Rasaq Momoh, a PDP lawmaker and the fact that those accused are still free. What happened was not the work of our party. We believe in the law enforcement agencies to deal with the situation. The APC has perfected plans to eliminate PDP leaders in Edo State over the attack in the Assembly quarters.”

He added it was regrettable that days after the attack on Momoh, “the governor has not deemed it fit to condemn the attack on an elected member of Edo State House of Assembly.”

ENIN—TWELVE persons have been arrested by the Police in Edo State over the invasion of the state House of Assembly quarters in Benin City by armed thugs, Saturday morning.

One of the buses used by the thugs was also recovered.

This came as Governor Adams Oshiomhole, after inspecting the scene, expressed shock over the level of mayhem.

Calling on the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Folunso Adebanjo, to bring the perpetrators and their sponsors to book, the governor said he would petition President Goodluck Jonathan on the issue and await his response.

However, Adebanjo, who disclosed that 12 suspects had been arrested, warned politicians in the state against sponsoring violence, noting that the command was doing its best to ensure that those involved in the mayhem were brought to book.

He said: “Throughout last night (Saturday) we were going round and today (Sunday) we will continue. The state police command has observed with concern an upsurge in politically motivated violence in the state, particularly in Benin City. This does not augur well for peace and tranquility in the state as we march towards the 2015 general elections.

“The state command is hereby making it SUMMIT: Vice President Namadi Sambo (left) and Governor Godswill Akpabio on arrival categorically clear that at the Ibom International Airport to attend the Millennium Excellence Foundation Summit in activities of hoodlums and Uyo. miscreants geared towards disturbing the peace of the state will not be tolerated. Political gladiators are warned to

By Samuel to be in vain, there was down to 50%, and 1.5% bestop sponsoring thuggery Oyadongha need for the political fore it later came up to 13%. in the state. The police leadership to see that they However, after a heated will not fold their arms and E N A G O A — were fully implemented. debate, we are able to get allow a break down of law BAYELSA State “At the initial stage, we 18% which is not even and order. Henceforth, delegates to the just were agitating for 100% enough. All we are asking anybody caught concluded National derivation fund, noting that for is the implementation of sponsoring or taking part Conference, weekend, before Independence, it this 18% derivation fund, in any act of thuggery will called on the governors, was 100%, after not less," he said. be dealt with decisively members of the National Independence, it went according to the laws of Assembly and other interest the land. Political actors groups across the six geoare advised not to take political zones to ensure the laws into their hands but implementation of to seek redress through recommendations of the the court system on conference, including the matters of disagreement 18 per cent derivation fund, between them. insisting that oil producing “Edo people are advised states would not go for to go about their lawful anything less. business without fear of Presenting a copy of the molestation. They are recommendations to hereby encouraged to Governor Seriake Dickson report activities of political at Government House, thugs and their sponsors Yenagoa, leader of the that are likely to disturb group, Professor Lawrence the relative peace that is Ekpebu, said over 60 being enjoyed in the state recommendations were right now." made, noting that for the Heavily armed thugs efforts of the delegates not

Bayelsa confab delegates task N'Assembly, govs on implementation of recommendations

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2015: Ogoni dedicate governorship project to God

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ETERMINED to ensure that an Ogoni occupies the Rivers State Government House in 2015, the people of the ethnic nationality have dedicated their Governorship bid, tagged “Ogoni project 2015” to God. The service organized by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, with the theme “That we may be one”, attracted a huge crowd of Ogoni people across party lines.

Held at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral in Bori, the ancestral home of Ogoni people and Headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, the event witnessed prominent Ogoni leaders maintaining one voice.

MOSOP President, Legborsi Pyagbara, restated the position of Ogoni on the 2015 governorship project, urging the people to form a coalition towards actualizing a successor to Governor Amaechi, insisting, “the time for an Ogoni governor has come.”

He said: “Let’s culminate our struggle for justice, liberation and against environmental degradation with the election of a governor in 2015 from Ogoniland.”

12 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Enugu Assembly begins scrutiny of state govt's accounts E

By Austin Ogwuda

NUGU—MEMBERS of Enugu State House of Assembly have begun the scrutiny of the accounts of the Government of Enugu State for the year ended 31st December 2013 together with the financial statements of the Auditor-General.

The Auditor-General had earlier presented the government financial report to the House.

At its sitting last Thursday, the House committed the Auditor-General's presentation to its Committee on Public Accounts for properly scrutiny.

Following the presentation of the report Leader of the House, Mr. Sunday UdehOkoye, moved a motion that the report be formally received, which was later committed it to its Public Accounts Committee.

The Committee was given a three-week deadline to work on it and report back to the general House for further

action.

Also, a Bill for a law to establish the Enugu State Special Needs Agency, has passed through the Second Reading.

The Bill sponsored by a female member of the 24member Assembly, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, representing Ezeagu constituency, when passed into law, will make it compulsory for public buildings to have provision for lifts (where necessary), supporting hand rails and ramps to make them accessible to persons with special needs including those on wheelchairs and the visually impaired.

It stipulates also that “the state should recognize sign language as an official language in the state being the primary mode of communication for deaf citizens; major news and programmes presented via state owned television shall be as well run in sign language and sub-titled. That any officer who approves or directs the

Drama as Ekweremadu arrives constituency meeting at Enugu West

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HE tussle for the Enugu West Senatorial ticket took a dramatic turn, weekend, when loyalists of Governor Sullivan Chime abandoned a scheduled constituency meeting at the unexpected arrival of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the incumbent senator representing the zone.

The meeting in Agwu, presided over by the Enugu West Zonal Chairman of the party, Mr. Obi Madueke, started with an opening prayer when they sighted Senator Ekweremadu’s convoy.

A text message had been sent round to party stakeholders for the scheduled meeting, but few of the loyalists of the governor had not expected Ekweremadu to honour the invitation given the frosty relationship between the senator and the governor.

Eyewitness accounts said some tough-talking supporters of the governor aiming to replace Senator Ekweremadu, including some of the local government chairmen from the zone, started shouting “Adjourn!

Adjourn! Adjourn” and left hurriedly, leaving Ekweremadu and his

supporters to take the centre stage at the meeting, with Ward Councilors, Local Government and Ward executives.

However, some of those who left, including a prominent member of the state executive committee, came back when they saw that Senator Ekweremadu and his men meant no harm.

Sources at the meeting, who pleaded anonymity, said the discomfort among Chime’s supporters must have been informed by their utterances and posture against the senator.

“I think it is sheer cowardice. Some of the people have been talking tough on Enugu West senatorial contest, even when they know that the stand of the people is that Ekweremadu should continue. So, I guess they sensed trouble following Ekweremadu’s presence,” a source said.

Speaking at the meeting, Senator Ekweremadu urged the PDP to work for the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan whose administration had favoured the people of Enugu West more than any other before it.

approval of a building plan that contravenes the building code for the special needs shall be liable to fine of a

minimum of N250,000 or two years imprisonment or to both fine and imprisonment."

The bill also seeks to provide

special designated parks for those with special needs.

The House has adjourned sitting to tomorrow.

VISIT: From left: Mr. Chidi Mokeme; Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and Mr. Hubert Eze, Sales Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc., when the governor visited the camp of Gulder Ultimate Search 11 contestants in Aguler, Anambra State, weekend.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014—13

Former NBA president, Oke Wali, kidnapped in Rivers

By Innocent Anaba; Jimitota Onoyume; Ikechukwu Nnochiri; Wahab Abdullah &Bartholomew Madukwe

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ORT HARC O U R T — FORMER President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Oke Wali, SAN, has been kidnapped in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Vanguard gathered that he was abducted around Rumuologu Road Saturday night in his vehicle which was later abandoned by the kidnappers at Ozuoba area of Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area. At press time, no group had claimed responsibility for the action nor any ransom demanded.

The NBA, and Pan African Lawyers Union, PALU, in their reactions to the development, yesterday, expressed shock at the abduction and called for his release.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Muhamaad, said the Police was trying to trail the kidnappers, explaining that his vehicle which was abandoned by the kidnappers, was recovered at Ozuoba waterfront, His words: “As soon as the Police got the information of his abduction we swung into action where his vehicle was recovered along Ozuoba waterfront.

We are still on their trail with a view to rescuing him safely and possibly apprehending his abductors.”

In a related development, media aide to state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Jerry Needam, said he escaped death in the early hours of Saturday when unknown gunmen stormed his residence in Port Harcourt.

While thanking God for his escape, Needam said the development would not be unconnected with the heightening political tension in the state.

He said the Police were immediately alerted about the development after the gunmen numbering about four sped off in a speed boat.

The state police spokesman, DSP Ahmad Muhamaad, said the Police was investigating the situation to track down those behind it.

Meanwhile, the, NBA, and Pan African Lawyers Union, PALU, yesterday,

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expressed shock at the abduction of Mr. Okey Wali, on Saturday and called for his release.

NBA, in a statement by its President, Chief Augustine Alegeh, SAN, said: “We have just received the shocking news that Wali, was on October 10, at 9p.m., kidnapped by unknown persons in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“Wali is a man of peace who has not only contributed immensely to the enthronment of rule of law and protection of human rights, but also to the development of our nation. It is, therefore, saddening that he should become a kidnap victim.

“This sad event is yet another reminder of the state of insecurity in which all Nigerians live. The NBA calls on the Federal Government to step up efforts to fulfill its primary constitutional role of providing for the welfare and security of all Nigerians. We appeal to his abductors for his immediate and safe release to his family.”

On its part, The Pan African Lawyers Union, called for Wali’s release.

Vice President, West Africa, of PALU, Mr Emeka Obegolu, in a statement, said: “We received with a sense of foreboding, the news of the abduction of Mr. Wali. We call on the security agencies in Nigeria to ensure the immediate release of this committed African Bar leader and his safe return to his family."

Reacting to the kidnap, Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, said: “It shows that there is no security in the country.

It shows neither you nor I are secured. I appeal to those behind the act to please release him unconditionally."

Also in his reaction, Dele Adesina, SAN, lamented that lawyers were becoming dangerous species in the country.

He said: “We appeal to those responsible for his kidnap to release him unarmed. He has lived his life for the nation having contributed his quota for the nation’s building as the NBA president for two years."

On his part, the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, Mr. Monday Ubani, condemned the abduction.

In a telephone interview, Ubani who pleaded with

the abductors to release the man unconditionally, wondered why Wali, who according to him was not a politician, could be kidnapped.

He said: “Wali’s abduction is highly condemnable. I plead for his release."

Prof. Itse Sagay SAN, blamed kidnapping in the country on those in government, especially the PDP. He said: “Those in government, especially in PDP, are the root cause of this problem. Kidnapping is a terrible disease that Nigeria is experiencing from criminal characters who want to make money without working for it.

“So, it is to be condemned in every way possible. It just happened that Okey Wali is a prominent person.

But I think we need to reflect on the contribution of the Nigeria elites to the present situation of crime and corruption in Nigeria."

Jonathan to declare IoD confab open

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R E S I D E N T G o o d l u c k Jonathan is to declare open the annual directors conference and exhibition of Institute of Directors, IoD, scheduled for Abuja on October 23.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, is also billed to address top level directors, technocrats and captains of industry at the conference, tagged “Imperatives of Good Governance in promoting Investment Opportunities.”

Director-General of IoD, Mr. Victor Banjo, who disclosed these in a statement issued yesterday, said other speakers at the parley would include Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, Head, Global Corporate Governance Forum, International Finance C o r p o r a t i o n , Washington DC, Mr. Phillip Armstrong among others.

14—V anguard 14—Vanguard anguard,,

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MOND AY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 MONDA

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014—15

2015: Six ministers bow out this week Jonathan to tell them not to expect special favour in guber primary

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Ben Agande & Emma Elebeke

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T least six ministers are expected to resign from office before the end of this week to join the governorship contest in their respective states in line with the guidelines of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. A special valedictory session is to be held for the outgoing ministers on Wednesday, October, 15 during which President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to caution them against expecting any special favours from him during the governorship primaries.

Yesterday, the minister of information, Mr. Labran Maku gave public indication of his own exit at a thanksgiving service to mark his service in the federal cabinet.

The resignation letters are expected to be tabled before the president lat-

est on October 15, 2014 when the Federal Executive Council, FEC holds its regular weekly meeting.

Others largely expected to leave the cabinet in pursuit of the governorship races in their respective states include Chief Emeka Wogu, (Labour and Productivity), Senator Bala Muhammed (Federal Capital Territory), Nyesom Wike (Education), Dr. Samuel Ortom (State, Trade, Industry and Investment) and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (State, Defence) and Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (Health).

Wogu is one of the leading contenders for the governorship ticket of the PDP in his native Abia State and is believed to be under pressure to contest for the ticket. Senator Mohammed is vying for the PDP ticket in Bauchi State, Wike is contending for

the PDP ticket in Rivers while Ortom is believed to be angling for the PDP ticket in Benue state.

Senator Obanikoro who was the PDP candidate in 2007 is believed to be also ready to seek the party’s ticket again for another shot while Prof.

Onyebuchi has himself been already endorsed by the mainstream of the party for the governorship ticket in his native Ebonyi State.

Sources disclosed that at the special valedictory service holding on Wednesday that President Jonathan is expected to thank the ministers for their contribution to his administration and wish them good luck in their respective endeavours. One source, however, disclosed that the president is also likely to caution the outgoing ministers not to expect any special favour from him in the gubernatorial primaries as he would

tell them to expect a level playing ground for all governorship contenders.

Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday gave notice of his own exit at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Akwanga in Nasarawa State, during a thanksgiving service to mark his time in the cabinet.

The Minister said he

would be returning home to seek the mandate of his people to be governor and lead them and return Nasarawa State to the path of peace, justice, progress and development.

“By next week 20th, anyone in cabinet or government that wants to contest election will have to step out because the time has come for us to do that and I have always made my interest known.

So next week by the grace of God, I will sacrifice the comfort of the

office of Minister, it’s a comfortable office and I am not tired and my leader is not tired but you see a time came when Moses stepped out of the palace to enter the wilderness with his people.

That’s exactly what I am about to do now.” Mr. Maku therefore urged the people never to lose hope because of the circumstances they found themselves but that they should strive to imbibe the attributes that would enable them to overcome the challenges of life and become great.

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, being anointed by Revd.

Fr. Ejike Mbaka and Catholic priests, for 2015 senatorial election, while Lady Nwanneka Ekweremadu looks on

Dangote seeks decisive action on buildings collapse

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HAIRMAN of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote weekend charged stakeholders in the building and construction industry to come together to confront the menace of building collapse in the country decisively, saying it was time a stop was put to it.

Dangote who spoke through the Group Managing Director of the company, Devakumar Edwin, in Obajana, Kogi State during a sensitization tour of the cement plant by the leadership of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria in the South West and Edo State said the incidence of structure failures had assumed a national embarrassment and therefore, there was the need for all to fashion a way out.

He explained that this was one of the reasons why his company hosted the block moulders as critical stakeholders, to the sensitization tour and practical demonstration of block making and lecC M Y K

tures on how best to get the desired quality blocks for strong structures.

Dangote also stated that the visit of the block moulders as well as the series of the sensitization workshops organized across the country for the block moulders would assist in educating them to realize the fact that there are different grades of cement for different purposes and for different applications as prescribed by the regulatory authority, the Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON. The business mogul told the block moulders that Dangote Cement had been in the frontline of the campaign for quality and standardization so as to save the nation of the headache associated with building collapse which lead to avoidable loss of lives and property.

Dangote cement, he said, had continued to research into quality improvement of the product “and has come up with Dangote Cement 42.5

3x,which is the best cement in the country. We have also continued to increase production capacity so that Nigeria can attain self sufficiency and even export the product."

By the end of this year we will be attaining 29 million metric ton per year of cement production.”

Amid applause by the block molders, the Dangote Cement Chairman pleaded with the Association leadership to help in the task of putting a stop to the incidence of building collapse by educating their members of the appropriate application of right materials for block moulding.

Earlier, the Obajana Plant Director, Mr. J. V. Gungune told the block molders that one of the essence of taking them round the plant is for them to appreciate what the company go through in the process of bring out a bag of cement from the mines to the loading bay.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Director of Voter Registry, Mr. Emmanuel Akem, recently said potential voters who failed to obtain their permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) by December 2014 would not be allowed to vote in the 2015 general elections.

The Commission recently organised the distribution of the PVCs and CVR in 21 of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the first and second phases of the exercises. No date has been fixed for the exercises in the remaining 15 states.

The distribution of the PVCs in the affected states was characterised by a deluge of criticisms. Many could not find their names in the voters register. Some found their names but their PVCs were missing.

INEC officials were not available in some polling units to distribute the cards. Frustrated by the cumbersome process of obtaining the cards they described as elusive, some political parties and stakeholders accused the electoral umpire of hoarding the voter ’s cards with the alleged plan of rigging the election in favour of certain political parties.

By Francis Ehigiator

A

C M Y K

S the Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, handed out about 306 awards at the 2014 National Honours Award Ceremony in Abuja recently, critical newspaper editorials and other comments have trailed the process of selection of recipients who are mainly Nigerians. Yet this year’s national honours award was significant in many respects. Unlike in the past when the list of awardees was dominated by politicians and cronies of the powers that be, President Jonathan appears to have reacted to criticisms by elevating merit and honest service to fatherland as the main criteria for receiving the national honours.

And to be fair to the President, he did promise at the previous year’s awards that his government would consciously and continually improve on the process of selection of award recipients. This is precisely what the President has just done with 2014 national honours award.

Although politicians appear to still have good numbers on the award list, for obvious reasons, of course, this year’s national honours award is very remarkable because many of those whose names ought to be on the list were actually honoured. From prodemocracy and civil rights activists to opposition politicians; from wealthy and successful businessmen and women to an honest taxi driver and steadfast steward; from our gallant ambassadors in sports to trailblazing entertainers, an appreciative country under President Jonathan said “thank you” to deserving citizens who had first brought honour and pride to our nation.

Mrs. Joe Okei-Odumakin who led the

20 15: V oting without 201 Voting voters The CVR’s meant for those who are 18 years and above were held at electoral wards and collation centres in the 21 states. It also had its hitches, which included malfunctioning data capturing machines and inability of many people to be registered during the registration period.

Given these challenges the INEC must ensure that the permanent voters’ cards get to the voters if they must be used for the 2015 election. Nigeria can ill-afford anything that will hurt the integrity of the 2015 polls. The elections must be free and fair and seen to be so. Disenfranchising a

sizeable proportion of the nation’s 73 million voters must not be allowed.

Since 2011, the INEC has been working on the PVC and the cards were to be ready for distribution as of December 2012. But two years after and less than six months to the election, INEC is still struggling with it. Major stakeholders fear that the Commission may not complete the distribution of the cards before the elections in spite of its claims that it recorded 71 per cent success in the distribution of the PVCs in the 21 states.

There have been low voter turnouts in the series of governorship elections held recently. They include Anambra (25 per cent), Ondo (40.1 per cent), Edo State (42 per cent), Ekiti (50.32 per cent) and Osun State (54.17 per cent). Incidentally, the elections in Ekiti and Osun were conducted with the PVCs with many people complaining that they could not get the cards.

This should not be allowed to recur in 2015.

INEC must ensure that all registered voters get the permanent voters card or holders of any voters’ card-permanent or temporary, should be allowed to vote.

OPINION Of Akinkunmi, Presidential steward and national honours nationwide protest against the withdrawal of petroleum subsidy that nearly brought down Jonathan’s government, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, chairman of the All Progressives Congress, the main opposition working to upstage the PDP government, Kenneth Nnebue, the acclaimed founder of the money spinning entertainment industry, Nollywood; Blessing Okagbare, the sprint queen who has caused our national anthem to be heard on different podiums across the world, are among many other deserving awardees.

The highlight of the event was unmistakably the honouring of three very distinguished citizens – in their own right. The first in this category is 77 years old Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi who designed the Green-White-Green National Flag of Nigeria. As a primary school kid in the former East Central State before the Civil War, we were already conscious of the name Taiwo Akinkunmi courtesy of our social studies, as the designer of the Nigerian Flag.

That was the era when there was pride in national service and our heroes past were really labouring. It is not surprising that the children of the '80s and '90s hardly know anything about the origin of the national flag, its designer and the symbolic meaning of the colours in it. It is therefore salutary and profoundly inspiring that President Jonathan reminded us of an enduring part of our national history by honouring Pa Akinkunmi with the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic, OFR. That past administrations had continually overlooked the man who gave us a national symbol for over five decades after independence

is a strong comment on our reward system and the low premium we had placed on national service.

As if to add an icing on the cake, President Jonathan not only showed his hand as a strong advocate of meritocracy but also his compassionate side by placing the flag designer on the salary of Special Assistant to the President, for life. Now, who can fathom any reason why Pa Akinkunmi even in his old age would not be ready to die for his country?

As with Pa Akinkunmi, President Jonathan clearly embodied the will of Nigerians by honouring a longstanding steward in the presidential villa, Mr. Onuh Isaac Michael.

Michael, we are told, has served nine presidents and perhaps more than nine first ladies, right from former President Shehu Shagari. The story of the diligence and sacrifice of this steward who it was said does not catch more than four hours of sleep everyday just to commute from Nasarawa State where he could afford an accommodation to his duty post in Aso Villa, in the heart of the city, is moving. The plight of the presidential steward before President Jonathan’s commendable intervention typifies the attitude of our “big men” and “big women” towards their domestic staff.

They are treated shabbily; stripped of any respect and insulted at will both by their employers and their children as if they are not part of humanity as they eke out a living. There are some bosses who never care whether the man who could plunge them into

a river has eaten once a day as long as the vehicle is moving. It is indeed gladdening that President Jonathan recognised the pains the man that oversees the preparation of the dishes that titillate his palate and those of his royal guests go through on daily basis just to be at his duty post with a gift of a flat to be provided by the FCT minister.

It is also good advertisement for the national honours award this year that a mere but dutiful traffic warden, Solomon Dauda, who does his job with animated passion and admirable spirit was spotted and honoured with the Member of the Order of the Niger, and a house for good measure as well. The recognition of this enigmatic officer will continually be a source of inspiration and encouragement to other citizens who might think that the services they provide and the effort they put in are unnoticed and inconsequential to national growth.

But by far the most deserving of all the recipients of the national honours on the day was Citizen Imeh Usuah, a taxi driver who took pains to trace and return to his passenger N18 million that he forgot in his cab. In a country that has been badly labelled to be replete with corrupt people, this taxi driver’s conduct is not only exemplary and edifying but also a refreshing reminder of the pristine values on which our country was erected by the founding fathers.

*Mr. Obasi, a clergy, wrote from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Femi Otedola, the new don of downstream

OCTOBER 13, 2014

IMF MEETING - From left: Deputy Director, African Department, Mr David O. Robinson; CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele; Director, Monitoring Policy, Mr. Moses Tule; Senior Resident Representative in Nigeria, African Department; Mr. Gene Leon, Alternative Executive Director, Africa Group 1 Constituency, Mr. Okwu Joseph Nnanna and; Director, Budget Office, Dr. Bright Okogu, at the 2014 Annual Worldbank/IMF Meetings in Washington DC. OCT 8 2014 PHOTO SUNDAY AGHAEZE.

Long-term financing:

FG to float Infrastructure Development Bank

By OMOH GABRIEL, BUSINESS EDITOR

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he Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the economy, Dr Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has disclosed on the sideline of the IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Washington that the Federal Government’s new economic thrust has been to efficiently channel the country towards becoming a non-oil economy by the time the on-going transformations embarked by the

present administration get to an end.

To this effect, an Infrastructure Development Bank will soon be launched in the country in an effort to provide long-term investments in the critical sectors of the economy.

The minister made this known to Nigerian journalists in washington DC over the weekend, after a meeting with a focused group of Soveriegn Wealth Funds managers across the globe. The minister who analysed the contents of the country’s rebased GDP, noted that the new economic status of the country may have encouraged the

intensification of the on-going expansion of certain segments of the economy which have now shown new growth potentials than the oil and gas sector.

Also at Business council meeting with institutional investors in the US, the Managing Director/CEO of Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority(NSIA) Uche Orji said the body has invested in Seven Energy which is part of the gas to power fund.

He said, “We invested $100 million in NSIA instrument with Seven Energy alongside Seven Energy bond for the

same instrument but ours come with considerations. We invested in Seven Energy to complete a gas pipeline to deliver gas to Calabar NIPP and also to deliver gas production out of their gas facility to help deliver gas to power. That pipeline when completed will help Calabar NIPP get started. It is already at 650 mega watt capacity.

He disclosed that the “gas to power investment has started. There are two other things in our pipeline that hopefully, we should complete by the end of this year also in enabling gas to power. $10 million has been done and we have other investors who are part of that project. We have IFC, Terracet all in the same Seven Energy.

There are other small projects that hopefully, we should be able to conclude before the end of the year.

One of the major things that have happened is that we have completed investment in gas to power. The second thing is that we have continued to make significant progress in equity investment and maybe in respect to what might have been written about NSIA, the reality is that out of about some equity managers that we have invested with, three are either focused on Nigeria or in Africa.So our private equity allocation is pretty done in terms of all these investments. Private equity usually takes time to show return, but when they tend to show return, they tend to return somewhere an average of 20 to 25 percent. This is the kind of return that we expect, which over the period should yield two to three times our investment for the future generation fund.

“The infrastructure fund, overall, is going on well. Some investors have made commitments, these continue.

The Second Niger Bridge continues.

Lagos-Ibadan continues to go through,. Many others are showing interests more than the amount we committed on the Second Niger Bridge and Lagos –Ibadan expressway, but that project will be formally announced by the key officials in the Federal Ministry of Works but our commitment has been there and we are ready for the two major toll road projects.

“The point here overall is that reform continues. One other thing that has dominated conversation for NSIA is

Continues on page 18 C M Y K

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Cover Story

The Basic Guide to Starting your Business Part 1

EXHIBITION - From left:Regional Manager, Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, Mrs Adetomi Soyinka; Director, Programmes Nigeria, Ms Louisa Waddingham; Project Manager, Ms Sephora Imomoh; and Chief Operating Officer/Business Director, Cutler Communications, Ms Laura Oloyede during a press conference on the Education UK Exhibition 2014 in Lagos.

FG to float Infrastructure Development Bank Continues from page 17 our efforts at establishing the Nigerian Credit Enhancement Facility. This facility is a very important initiative of the NSIA. We started working on it late last year and hopefully, sometime by the end of this year, we will start to work on implementing it.

What is Nigerian Enhancement Credit Facility?

“The idea here is to provide the facility that provides some kind of enhancement to make it easy for pension fund and insurance company to participate in credit enhancement. The question most Nigerians keep asking is, how do we get this pension fund to participate in the process? The challenge some of the insurance firms have is they need a form of guarantee or insurance that makes it easy for a pension company to invest in insurance.

NSIA has been involved for the last six months to develop the facility. The NSIA cannot provide guarantee, but the NSIA can invest in a guarantee, so this is a conversation that we have had.

Our Q2 results came in line, it met our expectations, while Q3 as the business generally become more challenging was very difficult as a whole so it is operating with the same cyclical movement of the market.

What is the value of your portfolio now?

There hasn’t been new contribution but for the first two quarters of the year, we can talk of about N1.5 billion profit for Q1 and it is slightly more than that in Q2. The second quarter was about C M Y K

N100 million higher. Q3 just ended, it will be audited before can use the number.

Are you not concerned about the lack of contribution after the initial seed money was released two years ago coupled with the opposition from state governments?

Let me say two things.

Number one, a case is in court so there is little I can say in order to avoid sub-judice. But let us establish three premises. Number one, NSIA is not being sued. Nobody is suing NSIA.The case between the states and the federal government, to the best of my knowledge is about the use of funds in the ECA of which obviously funds were brought to NSIA. We are not being sued and the operation of the NSIA continues.

Second, sovereign wealth fund, where there is a true democracy is usually controversial and so I didn’t approach this job thinking there wont be controversy .

As successful as Norwegian sovereign wealth is, I remember, because I was at Godlman Search management which used to manage some portion of the fund as far back as 1996, it has been controversial., even as at today, there is tension between future generation who thinks that because there is money now, we should spend it and a group which says, let us keep saving.

My sense and my view is that this fund tends to weather the challenges and survive and many of this type of major policies, in most countries are faced with similar challenges. Let me tell you that in the 1920s

when the social security, was introduced, it became very controversial as people carried placards and today, it has come to stay. Those type of challenges happened at the early lives of good policies.

It will be foolish not to expect this not to happen.

We should look at examples of people who have done it in the past and let us stick with it. It is not about whether we have new contributions now or not. We haven’t even finished utilizing the one given to us but let us look at it from the point of view that 40 years from now, we will be able to look back and say we did this. If we had done this say in 1974 by setting aside some fund in terms of performance, we would have significant savings by now.

That is how we should look at it as opposed to worrying about some of the teething issues. And that is not to say those issues are not important, but the point is we should look more forward about what this fund is doing.

We should not face flat at the first hurdle.

There are about 50 sovereign wealth fund in existence, less than 10 started with a billion dollars, others started with smaller amounts and with discipline they grew more significantly. Spending a billion dollars wisely is not that easy. Let us focus and get it done. The good news for us is that the federal government, through third party agency, has released $550 million of third party asset we are managing. The economics is very different because we share the difference with the agencies that own them.

Continues on page 19

my heartstrings and I know and am convinced that we can change things for the better, if only people join in the entrepreneurial revolution by becoming their own boss.

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

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

It is important that you Brace up for the challenges ahead, and do not let anyone fool you (don’t be deceived) that you won’t encounter obstacles. Nevertheless, the

,

T

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

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

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

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

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

Let me explain to you, why I decided to write this book. I am constantly pained by the alarming rate of unemployed youths in the society and the poverty level not only in our country, but also all over the world. The situation pulls at

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

,

determination to succeed and go on will guarantee that you remain on top of your game; this is because the very existence of an idea in your mind shows that you have within and around you, the capacity to turn it into reality.

Generally, the size of business you want to embark on has to be thoroughly considered; this is because there is no maximum or minimum length for a business plan.

The determining factor for lengths depends on the level of details and the amount of

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 — 19

S

ignals emerging from the global economy can best be described as complex considering the trends in macroeconomic and socio-political sphere. As of now the international financial market has not fully recovered from the 2008 financial crisis. Economies are still weighed down by the aftermath of the crisis. The global oil market to which Nigeria depends so much on is precariously oscillating and prices are heading south. The story is not different in other sector.

The sharing by the three tiers of governments from the federation account is dwindling.

Many socio-political commentators would quickly say that the global economy, fueled by monetary stimuli in crisis” agenda of fostering Europe and the U.S. appears companies and the over N200 the G-20 proposal that will economic growth and bedding to have reached a point of billion borrowed from banks by require top banks in every down the rules it has inflection based on the the new investors to purchase country to issue special approved. moderate rebound of the power assets have slowed bonds as capital that can The CBN ordered Nigerian economic activities in Africa, down the power sector growth assist them in times of crises. banks it considered too big to Government leaders are United States of America, Asia post privatisation. As a result, expected to agree in fail to boost minimum capital these power generating and parts of Europe. Yes the November that the world’s ratios to 16 per cent last year, companies are not able to sell financial industry has compared with 10.5 per cent for succeeded in leveraging the enough power to recover cost top banks must issue special South African banks, which modest recovery amidst and service banks loans. Some bonds to increase the amount control most of the continent’s regulatory adjustments. A of the huge loans will soon of capital which can be banking assets. The central critical analysis of the time become non performing assets tapped in a crisis instead of bank removed some assets calling on taxpayers to come series data of the global in the books of banks.

With Asset Management economy would show that By the Central Bank of Nigeria policy adjustments to combat Company of Nigeria foreclosing regulations, banks will have to make the impact of the 2008 any further purchase of bad and provisions for these assets sooner or financial crisis have revealed non performing loans from banks, they (banks) may soon later. This will eat up the existing loopholes and weakness in have another round of huge non capital structure of most Nigerian the system, particularly the banks and this will jeopardize the complexity in design and performing loans. By the profit potential of these banks and abnormal levels of illicit Central Bank of Nigeria regulations, banks will have to may subsequently result in systemic transactions by banks, which distress. has come to indicate a high make provisions for these assets level of governance sooner or later. This will eat up indiscipline especially in the existing capital structure of most Nigerian banks and this to the rescue. The bonds, to banks can count as capital in Nigeria. for the be known as “Gone Concern preparation As a result, regulators have will jeopardize the profit Loss Absorption capacity” or implementation of Basel II and potential of these banks and introduced new policies designed to further tighten may subsequently result in GLAC, are seen by regulators III, while limiting Tier 2 capital as essential to stopping the to 33 per cent of Tier 1 capital, the noose on banks. The systemic distress. The Central world’s biggest banks from according to its August 5th critical question now is how Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last year circular. being “too big to fail. perhaps in anticipation of this profitable are Nigerian The banks designated as “too The plans are being drafted development released a draft banks.The inability of the by the Financial Stability big to fail” or Systematically document in which it recently privatized power sector operators to pay up the designated eight banks as too Board, the regulatory task Important Banks (SIBs) in the force of the Group of 20 CBN draft paper include: First over N30 billion owed the big to fail due to the risk their economies, and G20 leaders Bank of Nigeria, United Bank failure could pose to the entire Nigeria Gas Company, a will discuss the reform before for Africa, Zenith Bank, Access financial system.

The central subsidiary of the Nigerian it is put out to public Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, bank also recently changed the National Petroleum consultation in November. Guaranty Trust Bank, Skye way banks calculate capital Corporation (NNPC), is The reform would put in place Bank and Diamond Bank. buffers to align with global posing a big challenge to The top eight banks currently the final major piece of G20 standards and increase their banks loan portfolio. The debt account for over 70 percent regulation on banking as the owed by the generating ability to withstand losses.

The CBN action is in line with global body turns to a “post- of the industry’s total assets.

Tough times ahead for investors in Nigerian banks

,

The CBN move seems to be following developments in the developed capital markets, where regulators have sought to name systemically important banks as too big to fail and have proposed higher capital requirements for them.

As is the case abroad, a big impact of being named as a SIB by the CBN is that some of banks would require additional capital. The current capital adequacy ratio (CAR) in Nigeria is 10 percent for local banks and 15 percent for banks with international operations.

Of the eight banks named by the CBN, Zenith Bank has the highest liquidity ratio at 63.1 per cent, followed by First Bank at 62.7 percent at. At the other end of the spectrum are Skye at 31.5 percent and Diamond at 36.7 percent.

Already some of these banks are out in both local and international capital market to raise new funds. The local capital market is still struggling to be on its proper footing. This leaves the bank no option than to look out side or raise the desired fund through rights issue. As it is, with the current spate of tough regulations and with the wind of dwindling economic fortune across the country, Nigerian banks are in for a tough and rough weather this time around. How they will whither the storm will be a matter of strong management capability. Bank shareholders will once again be on the receiving end of this financial game. *This was originally published few weeks back

,

Business & Economy FG to float Infrastructure development Bank Continues from page 18 So, the money invested for DMO, we will share the returns with the DMO. The money we are investing on behalf of the Bulk Purchaser, we will share the return with the Bulk Purchaser because it is a third party management.

It is encouraging because we could through that process bring assets into NSIA. I believe we should be very optimistic because at the end of the day, you can remember what has happened to oil price.

If there is any reason why we feel we must save, it is what is happening today. It is for the future generation of

Nigerians and I say that because we were 20 years younger in some cases, more when the First Gulf war took place. If we had started doing the saving by putting aside, substantial amount of money, it would have been great.

We are here now, what happened to that money? It is about discipline and investing, and that is what the administration is trying to achieve. Am I disappointed as a person? The answer is no. We are investing what was given us and that we will stay at it and make it successful going forward.

The Federal Government has just launched a 30 –month infrastructure masterplan, how

does the NSIA key into this?

We were consulted, we were part of infrastructure masterplan. We are keying in in so many levels. There are about 18 sectors that are investible by third party. We are keying in in areas where we can add value. We have a clear business plan and for third party investment. Our asset base is very tiny at this stage, so we have chosen six sectors and we will get to other sectors later. We started with agriculture where we have investment in agriculture, providing infrastructure for small holder farmers. We are looking at healthcare. Hopefully, in the

next few months you will see our investments in healthcare. We are working on centre for advanced medicine.

Very soon, we will be able to announce our progress. I told you we will be investing in a gas processing plant. We are looking at investing in motorway.

We believe motorway is another avenue for investment The minister who addressed a focus group in the company of Uche Orji, CEO of Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority(NSIA), noted that with the deployment of the funds towards some critical areas of the economy such as the SMEs, agriculture, pipeline infrastructure development,power plant projects, motorways, second

Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, the fund will become of great internal need than the indication where the plan would have been to extend liquidity to external demands. She said that all these efforts are targeted at improving the capacities of new GDP. “After rebasing the GDP of the economy one year ago, the economy is seen to have been getting more diversified as there is a very strong push to make Nigeria a non-oil economy. All the sectors have added new values even though oil and gas will remain very important , as we still have the 9th largest oil and gas reserves in the world.

"We will soon launch an Infrastructure Development C M Y K

20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Interview Here are excerpts of the President of World Bank Group press briefing at the Annual IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meetings

BY OMOH GABRIEL

I

World Bank to ensure Africa's growth translates to low poverty

’ve got three topics that I’d like to talk about and then I’ll take your questions. I’ve just come from a meeting focused on the Ebola epidemic and we had an extremely productive discussion. We had president Konde from Guinea with us and we had President Johnson Sirleaf and President Koroma on video conference. They not only addressed us, they made extremely specific requests based on what they need now in the countries to focus the response.

The crisis we know could have an enormous impact.

Just yesterday we gained a better understanding of •World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim the potential economic damage from the outbreak. The World Bank Group released a new economic impact assessment that said if the epidemic is not quickly contained and if it spreads to neighboring countries the two year regional financial impact could reach US $32.6 billion by the end of 20-15. That would be catastrophic for the people of the West Africa region.

O

ne of the things that Secretary of State of the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom, Justine Greening, pointed out was that every day that we don’t invest, every day that we don’t put money into stopping the crisis, is many, many more dollars and pounds that we’re going to have to use later. It is an extremely good investment right now to prevent this kind of loss, to put all the money on the table right now, to get the response going. The World Health Organization just estimated that Liberia alone, for example, needs 360 foreign medical staff today to treat those infected. Now, one of the sticking points of getting foreign medical staff into these three countries has been the lack of medical evacuation. We heard this morning from the European C M Y K

Commission and from the United States that both of those groups have now committed to medically evacuating health workers and other workers, the responders. This has been a major road block and now with the announcement this morning, I think that we’re on a much better path to be able to staff the response.

Second subject –- and I’d be happy to talk more about the other outcomes of that meeting. The second subject involves infrastructure.

Today I’ll be launching a new partnership initiative, the Global Infrastructure Facility, which is aimed at mobilizing

•World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim

the private sector to help tackle the massive infrastructure deficit now facing developing countries in emerging markets. We estimate that these countries need $1 trillion a year in extra investment through 2020.

The global infrastructure facility known as the GIF, represents a unique collaboration among the private sector, especially institutional investors, donor nations, multilateral development banks, and the World Bank Group to help unlock billions of dollars for infrastructure projects in developing and emerging economies. With public purses stretched it’s significant that the heads of some of the world’s leading institutional investors will be signing up as partners in the GIF. Institutional investors have deep pockets.

Insurance and pension funds have some 80 trillion in assets, but less than 1 percent of pension funds are allocated directly to infrastructure projects and the bulk of that is in advanced countries.

We’ve been hearing loud and clear that the money ’s out there.

The real challenge is not a matter of money but a

“If the epidemic is not quickly contained and if it spreads to neighboring countries the two year regional financial impact could reach US $32.6 billion by the end of 20-15. That would be catastrophic for the people of the West Africa region.”

lack of bankable projects, a sufficient supply of commercially viable and sustainable infrastructure investments. The GIF is a new concept that can be piloted quickly and does require tens of billions of new resources. The aim is to crowd in the tens of billions or more potentially that’s now sitting on the sidelines waiting for good investments. We can bring those investments off the sidelines by addressing issues like risk. My third topic involves the fight against cholera in Haiti.

Today the World Bank Group is pledging $50 million to help improve access to safe water and sanitation for all Haitians, aimed at preventing water borne diseases. Later I’ll be chairing a conference with the United Nation’s secretary General, Ban Kimoon, with the objective of raising even more donor funds.

What is your comment on AIIB’s business model compared to the existing institutions such as the World Bank and the ADB? And do you think the AIIB can cooperate effectively with ADB and World Bank, but to also avoid fragmentation? ell, my understanding is that the AIIB, the business model, is still being discussed. There are many different issues that are still to be worked out. I’ve made it very clear from the very beginning of discussions around AIIB that we think that we can be a very, very strong partner for AIIB. For example, we have 70 years of experience doing project preparation, helping with implementation, supervision, and also we think that the safeguards that we bring to the table in any project will be helpful in reducing risk for investors. I mean this is really a major concern of all investors that they do not want to suffer the reputational damage that will happen if environmental and social safeguards are not respected.

So I think that we’ve already been in very close discussions with leaders in both AIIB and the new development bank, the BRICS Bank, and our

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 — 21

Interview World Bank to ensure Africa's growth translates to low poverty intention and our expectation is that we’ll be working very closely. At the World Bank Group our enemy is poverty.

Just as I have said, there is such a need for more investment in infrastructure that any organization that’s focused on investing in infrastructure to fight poverty is our friend.

The World Bank has progressively withdrawn for infrastructure a very long period and a great deal of the expertise that used to exist in the bank in everything from engineering to finance presumably is no longer there.

So does this mean that the bank is now going to staff up again with the kind of people who specialize in infrastructure?

Well, we still actually do have quite a large portfolio in infrastructure projects. I think it’s a relatively smaller proportion of the overall portfolio than it was say

the other multilateral development banks and importantly also from the private sector.

So this is a platform to bring together the expertise to take what we know are bankable projects, but that without the kind of project preparation that will make it clear that they ’re bankable projects, investments won’t flow. So we’re looking forward to drawing on expertise from all over the world, but also from inside the World Bank Group.

For some time Africa is predicted to grow at about 5 percent with some countries like Nigeria growing at 6 percent. We know too well that a whole lot is passing on. I don’t know to the extent the growth rate is important on the efforts of World Bank to encourage countries to end extreme poverty.

What I’m saying is given the impressive growth rate in sub-Saharan Africa, to what

“For some time Africa is predicted to grow at about 5 percent with some countries like Nigeria growing at 6 percent. We know too well that a whole lot is passing on. I don’t know to the extent the growth rate is important on the efforts of World Bank to encourage countries to end extreme poverty.”

•World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim decades ago. On the other hand, we did over $60 billion in business last year. As we scale up our global practices, our groups that are specifically focused on particular areas, if we need to bring in more experts on roads and energy and transport, we’ll do so.

But we are already doing quite a bit of work in infrastructure.

The platform, though, is very important in a new sense. As we start putting projects together, it will be people from the World Bank who have expertise. But we’ll also be able to draw on expertise from C M Y K

extent is it important on the efforts to end object poverty?

The question is to what extent does the growth rate in Africa impacting poverty?

Okay. This is an important question. You know, in 1990, the number of people living in extreme poverty in East Asia and in Africa was about the same, 55 percent or so. In East Asia that has dropped tremendously over that period of time to less than 10 percent. But in Africa, it’s remained at 46 percent. And so, one of the things that has been a bit of a disappointment

is that poverty rates have remained high despite high growth rates. And so, very specifically, in Africa, we’re working with countries to ensure that these high growth rates are translated into lowering levels of extreme poverty. For example, many African countries have had new discoveries of natural resources minerals, oil, for example. And what we know, in so many cases, these discoveries don’t lead to direct benefits for the poorest. And so, this is one of our most important priorities. We want

to ensure that we work with African countries to take these new, wonderful, important discoveries of mineral wealth, of oil wealth and translate that into reduced levels of poverty.

I can tell you that every one of the Ministers of Finance I speak with in Africa are very committed to reducing extreme poverty and making sure that prosperity is shared. We need to just provide the kind of technical expertise; the solutions from around the world that will help them do that.

In your opening remarks you mentioned the new assessment of the financial impact regionally. I wonder can you elaborate more on that and also, in which aspect you see there might be spillover effects over the world?

So one of the things we did, our economists were looking at what were the impacts economically in previous epidemics and one of the ones we looked at was SARS. And what we learned is that the impact of SARS which was a tragic outbreak, 800 deaths, but the overall economic impact was far greater than just the impact of the virus. It was $46 billion. And the impact, 80 to 90 percent of the economic impact is not from the virus itself.

It’s from the aversion behavior, the fear factor, that surrounds an outbreak. Now, what we know is that the one thing that will stop that aversion behavior and lessen the economic impact is to have systems in place so that responses are quick and effective.

So one of the things we talked about this morning is that we now know exactly what it will take not only to stop the virus but stop the aversion behavior that leads to this huge economic impact. And that’s really good news in a sense, that doing

the right thing, you know, not only identifying cases, doing safe burials, but providing treatment for the people who are ill and doing it, even at the community-based level which is what was called for today, all those things are the right thing to do for the Liberian, Ghanaian and Sierra Leonean people. It’s the right thing to do to prevent the spread from a public health perspective and it’s also the right thing to do to stop the fear that causes the enormous economic impacts. So this morning what we did was everyone redoubled their commitment to acting right now to get those adequate treatment prevention identification systems in place, on the ground in those three countries. nd this is a point that we really want to make.

Are there other spillover effects? Well, we are hearing that with the two workers who died in Spain, plus there may be one or two new infections that have happened, that we’re already seeing an economic impact. That the stock value of travel companies, of airlines have already taken a hit.

And I can tell you that that will continue unless we get the adequate response in place in those three countries. You have to stop these epidemics at the source. Trying to block your borders or isolating those countries somehow is not going to work. So I was encouraged this morning but there’s still a lot of work to do and one of the messages that came out very strongly is if anybody, any country, any private sector group would like to make a contribution, they should do it now. Not wait two or three weeks because the price tag goes up every day that we delay.

Can you just clarify the 32.6 billion, what geography that covers? Does that cover Western Africa?

Yeah, it’s Western Africa.

It’s Western Africa and the surrounding countries. I can give you a list of exactly what countries, you know, Ghana, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire and it’s looking at what will happen if the cases begin to spread.

And the thing — the point that we were making is that right now as long as it’s not under control, as long as — let me put it this way. So right now, because we don’t have adequate treatment services, and you know, when — if you think about it from the perspective of a person from Guinea, Sierra Leone or Liberia, right, the public health imperative is to stop the spread. But the human imperative, the individual human imperative, is to get treatment.

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22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Business & Economy

Nigeria Railways modernise workshops

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ctivities have commenced on the rehabilitation of workshops of Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC in all the seven districts that make up the Corporation.

These include the workshops at Ebute Metta, Lagos, Ibadan, Zaria, Bauchi, Enugu and Kafanchan.

In a statement, NRC said, “The workshops are being retooled and modernised to complement the entire railway rehabilitation and modernisation programme currently going on in phases.

“NRC is currently partnering with some foreign firms to rehabilitate its Pattern, Foundry and Smithy workshop to reduce to the barest minimum the Corporation’s dependence on foreign materials that have impact on rolling stock availability. Such materials among others are brake blocks, brake hangers, brake block pin, hand brakes check chains, draw bars, coil and leaf springs (Shock absorbers).

“At present the Corporation is replacing old equipment with new modern technology.

It has also increased the production capacity.

Independence: McDowell’s promotes consumer experience

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nited Spirits Limited, marketer of McDowell’s No. 1, a whisky brand in Nigeria, said it has stepped up its consumers engagement drive in the country through its Spirit of Friendship Jam aimed at enriching consumers’ experience of the brand.

The jam, according to the company, held in Lagos, was targeted at promoting the spirit of friendship among Nigerians as the brand reunited and engaged erstwhile KcPresh to thrill its consumers.

The company said the event had in presence hundreds of Nigerians who thronged out to celebrate Nigeria’s independence in the spirit of friendship.

Speaking at the event, Precious John, also known as Presh said his experience of the brand endeared him to identify with the brand’s spirit of friendship project.

He said, “I tried it through a friend in a club and having realised that it was nice, I have often patronised over and over again.

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NIPOST intercepts goods worth N13.647bn in 9 months

By EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

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he Nigerian Postal Services said it has intercepted about 159 scam letters containing counterfeit financial instruments and other prohibited items worth N13.647 billion within the past nine months.

The Post Master General of the organization, Mallam Ibrahim Mori Baba disclosed this last week at a press conference to mark the 2014 World Post day celebration in Abuja.

This came as the NIPOST boss also disclosed that a total of 2,060 staff from grade level 03-16 were promoted in the organisation across the federation between January and September this year, as an incentive to motivate staff moral and to reverse the ongoing trend of irregular staff promotion in NIPOST. He said the N13.647 worth of items intercepted was achieved as a result of physical inspection of document and postal packets being transmitted through NIPOST between January and September 2014, saying that the effort was spurred by the new drive by the management of the Post to revive and sustain a viable Postal services across the country.

According to him, the celebration of October 9 as World Post Day on 9 October each year is a tradition that has already become firmly rooted in the postal landscape, as Postal administrations take advantage of this day to sensitize government authorities and the public on the role of the Post in national development.

Following series of brainstorming on how to move the Postal Industry forward, the PMG said the management identified some key priorities for urgent actions for the year running, among which include improvement of quality of service; change in Post business culture; product diversification; mail traffic handling and revival of letter writing culture in Nigeria.

As part of measures to improve quality of service,

PRESS BRIEFING - From Left: Ms Monique Gieskes, Vlisco Group Brand Protection, presents a certificate to Ms Latifat Lateef while Mr Adewale Shinaba, Brand Protection Manager, Vlisco Nigeria Limited (m) looks on during a Press Briefing by Vlisco-Kinabuti Fashion Limited on Youth Empowerment Initative, Programme, held last week in Lagos.

PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi Baba said the management has embarked on the acquisition of modern transportation means for conveyance of domestic and international mails following the ban on the use of motor Cycles. And to ensure success in the effort to improve quality of postal services, he said IT systems had been supplied to all major Post offices as well

as the training of all operations for tracking and tracing of mail processing mainly in domestic operations.

With the rise of global ecommerce, the NIPOST boss said the management had repackaged NIPOST workshop as a commercial venture with the capacity to generate revenue to run its

operations as a way of diversifying their products.

In the area of mail traffic handling, he said a significant improvement in the number of mail items handled by the organization from January 2014 compared to the number of traffic handled in the same period in 2013.

NEPC partners USAID to create 340,000 jobs from cashew export

By PROVIDENCE OBUH

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O fewer than 340,000 new jobs would be created in the next five years with the implementation of a new Cashew Export Strategy Programme initiated last week in Lagos by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, the National Cashew Association of Nigeria and USAID/NEXTT. The CEO of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo said the strategy is to scale-up the volume of Cashew production in Nigeria from its present 120,000 tonnes a year to 300,000 tonnes in the next four years.

“As the 6th largest producer of raw Cashew nut in the world, and with Cashew grown in almost all states in Nigeria, an increase of 20 per cent from our current production figure would create more than 344,000 jobs, and $75, 875,000 additional income to the nation,” Mr. Awolowo said.

Mr. Alf Monaghan, the Chief of Party for

USAID/NEXTT, emphasised the importance of the market, stating that the expectations and needs of the customers should determine the quality and net output of the product.

According to him, competition has changed the nature of the market place, and value added is critical to the market share that any commodity would have. He also charged Nigerian exporters to build the brand of local products to enable them attract premium pricing in the international market.

Although Cashew production in Nigeria has grown from 40,000 tonnes a year in 2004, to 120,000 tonnes in 2013, the sector is yet to attain its full potentials. As a matter of fact, Nigeria’s Cashew attracts the lowest price in the global market as a result of a number of challenges, including poor quality, lack of traceability arising from fragmented value chain and poor skills among workers in the sector.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 — 23

Business & Economy

Ecobank, Citibank, others support UK exporters with £3bn U

nited Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF), an arm of the UK Government that works as an export credit agency, has named Ecobank Nigeria as one of its partnering financial institutions to help deliver £3 billion Direct Lending Facility (DLF) support to UK exporters. Under the DLF, UKEF will provide loans to overseas buyers in order to finance the purchase of goods and services from UK exporters. Loans are available to cover new international sales by any business exporting from the UK, to any country where UKEF medium term cover is available, and can be made in Sterling, US Dollars, Euro or Japanese Yen. Some of the other selected 20 financial institutions include Citibank, Bank of China, Barclays Bank Group, Deutsche Bank; JPMorgan Chase Bank Group; The Royal Bank of Scotland Group; and Lloyds Banking Group, among others.

Ecobank is the only selected Nigerian financial institution.

According to the Chief Executive of UKEF, David Godfrey, “This is a key milestone in the delivery of the £3 billion Direct Lending Facility. Panel members cover a wide range of overseas markets, with complementary geographical strengths that will make it easier for UK

companies to arrange competitive loans throughout a worldwide network,” explaining that “the reach will increase UKEF’s capacity to lend to overseas buyers of UK products and services.

It will also provide a springboard to help us cater for the needs of a broad range of companies, in a variety of sectors, requiring

loans of different sizes.”

In a statement, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Jibril Aku, described the appointment as a great feat, stating that it was an eloquent testimony of the bank’s strides in international trade. “This international recognition is a great feat. It is a great privilege to have been selected alongside other global brands. This will help to enlist more local

companies importing British goods,” he said.

On the appointment of 16 British Bankers Association (BBA) members to the 20 strong DLF panel, Executive Director of the BBA, Irene Graham, said: “International trade plays a vital role in supporting our economy and the DLF means that export finance will be cheaper and easier for businesses to access. The banking industry has worked with UKEF to revise the facility and it’s very pleasing to see the range of BBA members that will partner the department. This is invaluable support for businesses selling overseas.”

AGREEMENT - From left: Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo and Head, Corporate Communications, Strategy and Research, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr. Kayode Lambo, signing the share sale and purchase agreement of Mainstreet Bank Limited in Lagos.

Bank customers defraud their banks —FITC

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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inancial Institution Training Centre, FITC has said that customers have also been found to be defrauding their banks.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FITC, Dr. Lucy Newman stated this while speaking on the challenges of electronic fraud at a press briefing with finance correspondence in Lagos.

She said: “FITC has been collecting data on fraud and fraudulence for thirteen years now, and we produce the report quarterly. We have seen and reasonably so, that the banks are more stringent now in terms of recruitment and their reference points on their people. And you will be surprised that some of the quantity of the fraud is actually from the customers defrauding the banks.”

“Sometimes they get slight

pollution with the staff or their service providers and the bank has to look for staff internally and terminate employment in some instances and they normally send us data in terms of number of staff involved. We

have seen that the percentage of fraud from customers is more,” she added.

The FITC boss further disclosed that her organisation is poised for

limitless opportunity in the next five years through a strategic plan that will bring significant change in the financial services sector.

Summit on CSR tasks firms on sustainability

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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peakers at a two day summit on Corporate Social Responsibility organised by CSR West Africa in Lagos has called on corporate organisations to ensure inculcation of sustainability elements on their corporate social responsibility strategies.

Speaking on ‘CSR state and of play and trend analysis: understanding the approach of CSR implementation across the region and identifying key areas of development,’ the Executive Director, CSR-in-Action,

Bekeme Masade said CSR is undergoing a revolution in Africa and that at the moment; CSR is still similar to community investment.

She said, “The broad concept of community investment is narrowed into the confines of community investment.”

She therefore called for sustainability strategies to get CSR beyond the scope of community investment. She noted that for that to happen, there is need for operational policies for improved prospects on achieving sustainability.

Also speaking, Conference Director of CSR West Africa, Sadie Walters told newsmen that the conference was organised to bring stakeholders together and foster a discourse that will ensure effective CSR implementation in Africa.

“In the Middle East we have a portfolio of CSR events. We have in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and we thought it will be necessary to have events focused on driving the adoption of CSR throughout Nigeria and West Africa."

Standard Chartered Bank opens new branch

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part of its commitment to serving Nigerians, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria has opened a new branch in Herbert Macaulay, Yaba, Lagos.

The opening of the branch is as a result of the Bank’s strong business growth in Nigeria and its strategic expansion drive in the country.

Also , as part of efforts to identify with the branch community, the bank’s staff took part in the traffic control at Alagomeji junction by assisting the authorities with the control of vehicles at the junction.

The community service, which span the whole day, further confirms the bank’s commitment towards delivering its brand promise “Here for Good”.

Speaking on this development, Bola Adesola, the Managing Director of Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria said: “We are quite pleased with the generous support we have received from the Government and people of Nigeria since we commenced business here in 1999. This has been quite encouraging and we fully intend to keep up our side of the bargain by consistently delivering on our brand promise to our customers. We believe this is an auspicious period to capitalize on the extraordinary growth dynamics in the country and the establishment of another branch in Lagos Mainland is a key element in executing the bank’s strategy to grow the business and outperform our competitors. We appreciate the continuous support we have been given by the people of Lagos and we look forward to the growth of our business across all indices in the state.”

New customers of the branch will enjoy the partnership of an International Bank that offers over 100 wealth management packages and other innovative financial solutions such as hassle free personal loans, mortgage loans at competitive rates, Priority Banking, Employee Banking, eSaver, debit and credit cards.

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24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Banking & Finance

MoneyGram Nigeria commences outbound money transfer

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lobal money transfer, MoneyGram, MG will this week commence outbound money transfer services from Nigeria to over 200 countries.

The outbound money transfer service is aimed at alleviating the stress Nigerians face in sending funds abroad for family upkeep, schooling and other legally recognised developmental purposes.

This will align Nigeria with the best-practice around the world, in line with the country ’s standing as Africa’s largest economy.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently licensed the three major Money Transfer Organizations (MTO’s) in Nigeria to engage in outbound service.

MoneyGram thus becomes the 2nd operator after Western Union to operate outbound money transfer services from Nigeria.

ICC NIGERIA launches new mediation rules

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he International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Nigeria) is set launch the new ICC Mediation Rules this month.

The new rules came into effect on 1 January 2014, and the launch would hold under the auspices of ICC Nigeria in collaboration with ICC Headquarters, Paris. Already launched in different jurisdictions around the world, the new ICC Mediation Rules have been adapted to help parties resolve even the most complex cross-border disputes quickly and reliably.

A statement by the ICC Nigeria, Secretary General, Mrs. Olubunmi Osuntuyi, said that the Launch Conference would be declared opened by Mr. Babatunde Savage, Chairman, ICC Nigeria together with Professor Gabriel Olawoyin, SAN, Chairman of ICC Nigeria Arbitration Commission and ADR.

CONFERENCE - From Left: Abimbola Okoya, General Manager, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, BATNF; Tony Usidamen, Manging Partner, UBURU; Oluwaseyi Ashade, Sustainability Manager, BATN; and Sadie Walters, Conference Director, CSR West Africa, during the opening ceremony of the two-day CSR West Africa Conference 2014, held in Lagos.

Remittances to Nigeria to hit $21bn by year end

BY OMOH GABRIEL

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he World Bank G r o u p has projected that Nigeria will in 2014 receive an inflow of $21 billion as remittances from Nigerians living and working abroad.

This figure will place Nigeria as the top receipt of foreign remittance in Africa. Nigeria will be followed by Egypt with a projected remittance of $18 billion.

This fact is contained in a release by the World Bank Group on” Migration and Remittances: Recent Developments and Outlook; Special Topic: Forced Migration “.

According to the report “Remittances to developing countries are projected to grow by 5.0 per cent to reach $435 billion in 2014 accelerating from the 3.4 per cent expansion of 2013, and rise further by 4.4 per cent to $454 billion in 2015. In 2013, remittances were more than three times larger than ODA and, excluding China, significantly exceeded foreign direct investment flows to developing countries. Growth of remittances in 2014 is being led by three regions: East Asia and the Pacific, South Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Officially recorded remittance flows to developing countries are projected to reach $435 billion

in 2014, 5.0 per cent higher than last year (Figure 1.1 and Table 1.1). The growth in remittances is expected to moderate to 4.4 percent in 2015, raising flows to US$454 billion. This outlook is based largely on lower projected GDP growth rates in key remittance-sending countries.

Global remittance flows, including flows to higherincome countries, are expected to follow a similar pattern, rising from US$582

billion in 2014 to US$608 billion in 2015.

“Remittances are an essential source of external funds for developing countries. These flows were three times larger than official development assistance in 2013, and are steadier than both private debt and portfolio equity. Remittance flows are significantly larger than total foreign direct investment to developing countries, excluding China.

They are also a more stable component of receipts in the current account, reliably bringing in foreign currency that helps sustain the balance of payments and dampen gyrations “The global average cost of sending remittances continued its downward trend in the third quarter of 2014, falling to 7.9 percent of the value sent, compared to 8.9 percent a year earlier.

Competition and the expansion of mobile-phone and internet-based technologies hold much potential to continue driving down fees. Risk-based approaches to the application of anti-money laundering regulations to remittance operators and international banks hosting their bank accounts will be important to ensuring that compliance does not result in undue costs, which could slow the fall in remittance costs and leave substantial flows underground. The report said “With over 14 million people born in India living abroad in 2013 (estimated to be the largest emigrant stock in the world), India is projected to remain the largest recipient of officially recorded remittance inflows, which may reach $71 billion in 2014. Other countries expected to receive large remittances in 2014 include China $64 billion, the Philippines $28 billion, Mexico $24 billion, Nigeria $21 billion, and Egypt $18 billion”.

Stanchart-Premise Price Tracker reveals downward trend in prices

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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he newly introduced Standard CharteredPremise Consumer Price Tracker (SC-PCT) has revealed a downward trend in consumer prices between August and September.

The Price Tracker, which was developed by Standard Chartered Bank and Premise Corporation, revealed that the downward trend in prices was driven by price declines in the ‘grains and flours’ category.

The aim of the SC-PCT, according to Razia Khan is to obtaining more accurate price information for a few staples, and can be used as a guide to the monthly consumer price

index (CPI) of the National Bureau of Statistics.

Speaking at a press conference to unveil the Price Tracker, the Head of Regional Research, Africa, and Standard Chartered said, “We have partnered with the Premise data corporation to provide more accurate, realtime price information. The effort will initially be focused on Nigeria, concentrating on the more populous centres of Lagos and Kano (alongside a few Abuja-based observations). We plan to roll this out to other African economies over time.

“More than 350 people are engaged in capturing price information on their smartphones, taking photographs of food staples

and their price tags and uploading them to a central database. Where price tags are not on display, information on prices is entered manually. Each week, price information on c.21,000 data items is captured in this way. Geotracking provides location information. Participants are paid through top-up mobile phone credits. This allows for real-time collation and understanding of price trends and their geographic dispersion, much sooner than it is likely to be available from any other source.

“This is not an attempt to create a new Nigerian CPI. The exercise is a grassroots data collection effort that allows us to engage better with local communities.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 — 25

Corporate Finance

PZ Cussons Q1 profit drops by 31%

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LAUNCH - From left: Diran Olojo Head, Brand & Marketing Nigeria & West Africa; Bola Adesola, Chief Executive Officer; Remi.O.Oni, Executive Director, Corporate & Institutional Clients; and Dayo Aderugbo, Acting Head, Corporate Affairs, all of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, during the Standard Chartered - Premise Consumer Price Tracker launch in Lagos

Skye Bank pays 20% deposit for purchase of Mainstreet Bank Stories by PETER EGWUATU

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kye Bank Plc has paid 20 per cent for the p u r c h a s e o f Mainstreet Bank after signing the agreement for the 100 per cent shares of Mainstreet Bank from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). The Agreement was signed at the

Lagos office of AMCON last week.

According to a statement made available to Vanguard, the bank’s executive management team led by the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo, signed on behalf of the bank, while AMCON was represented by its executive

Management.

It was learned that Skye Bank paid the mandatory deposit of 20 per cent for the acquisition of the target Bank.

The payment, which was made well ahead of the deadline, confirms Skye Bank’s commitment and ability to consummate the transaction.

The bank has also

Access Bank records N42.2bn profit in 9 months

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ccess Bank Plc has recorded a profit of N44.2 billion for the nine months ended 30 September 2014 based on improved efficiency, rising market share and strong risk management practices. The bank’s Profit Before Tax (PBT) showed an increase of 20 percent from N35.1billion recorded during the same period in 2013.

Access Bank Group unaudited International Financial Financial Standard , IFRS nine results released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) also showed gross earnings of N182bnillion up by 17 per cent from N154billion in the corresponding period of 2013. The growth in gross earnings was driven by an increase in interest income from loans.

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Similarly, Access Bank posted 21 per cenmt growth in operating income to N126billion from N104billion in 2013. Customer deposits increase by 11 per cent to N1.5trillion from N1.3trillion in 2013. The bank’s asset quality ratios also improved as Non Performing Loan (NPL) ratio was down 20 basis points, bps to 2.5 per cent , from 2.7 per cent in December 2013.

Further analysis of the result indicated that Access bank continued to improve on its operating efficiency and steady income growth resulting in cost to income ratio of 61 per cent in third quarter 2014 compared to 75 per cent in 2013. Total assets grew by 14 per cent to N2.1trillion from N1.8trillion in full year 2013. Loans and advances of N1.1trillion

showed an increase of 33 per cent compared to N811billuion in full year 2013.

Commenting on the result, Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe said “The bank’s resilient third quarter, 3Q 2014 results reflect consistent improvement in our balanced growth and target metrics.

Our performance over the past three quarters demonstrates the effectiveness of our corporate strategy as the Bank continues to grow its market share in key segments whilst enhancing shareholder value.”

“We have implemented a disciplined and conservative capital enhancement plan, designed to ensure we maintain our moderate risk appetite. This will ensure a stronger capitalised Bank.

confirmed its ability to meet the remaining financial commitment on the acquisition within the specified time frame.

AMCON had announced Skye Bank as the preferred bidder for the acquisition of all its interest in Mainstreet Bank, representing the entire capital of the bridge bank.

Skye Bank emerged the preferred bidder after a rigorous bidding exercise that spanned five months, with over 20 bidders contending.

The acquisition of Mainstreet Bank is part of Skye Bank’s strategic plan for growth.

It will be recalled that Skye Bank emerged from the very successful merger and integration of five banks in 2006, following the first phase of the banking industry consolidation. The Bank intends to leverage its wealth of experience from the successful integration of five banks to drive efficiency, increase market share and ultimately ramp up stakeholder value from the acquisition of Mainstreet Bank.

The acquisition will avail the bank many benefits, including cost leadership, business optimisation, and greater ability to offer business convenience to its teeming retail and commercial customers, with a combined branch network of over 450, across all the states of the Federation.

Z Cussons Nigeria (PZ) has released its first quarter, Q1 2015 results, which showed that while sales of N15.0 billion was flattish , Year on Year, y/y, both Profit Before Tax, PBT and Profit After Tax , PAT declined markedly, both by 31 per cent y/y to N872 million and N555million respectively.

According to FBN Capital “This subdued performance followed the trend set in the previous quarter, when PBT declined by over 50 per cent y/y. A 9 per cent y/y rise in Operating Expenditure, OPEX to N3.2billion more than offset a 52 basis points, bssis points,bps y/y gross margin expansion. We suspect Crude Palm Oil (CPO, a key raw material for PZ) prices which have declined by 16 per cent since June are primarily responsible for the expansion in gross margin. However we await management comments to shed more light on this point. These numbers do not come as a surprise as PZ Cussons UK (parent) had guided to subdued numbers in its interim management statement published on September 22, 2014.

Heritage Bank to sponsor customer service awards

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eritage Bank has said it will play a leading role at the upcoming Nigeria Customer Service Awards (NCSA) in order to reaffirm its commitment to customer satisfaction and excellence in quality service delivery.

The bank also says its participation in the annual excellence awards is part of an overall plan to consolidate on recent positive landmarks the bank has achieved in the industry.

Heritage Bank and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) had last week signed a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) that paved the way for the bank to acquire Enterprise Bank Limited. Heritage Bank, which was earlier announced as the preferred bidder for Enterprise Bank, paid 20 per cent or N11.2 billion being part of the bid price.

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Commodity Index Oct 3,- Oct 9, 2014

Micro-Finance

LAPO increases access to finance with AfDB’s $12m credit Stories by PROVIDENCE OBUH

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APO Microfinance Bank (MfB) has said that the reason behind the $12 million (N1, 980,000,000) African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Line of Credit (LoC) granted it is to increase access to finance for small business owners especially women.

Also, the bank said that the LoC will support its proposed expansion project to achieve a goal to serve five million clients by 2017 in the country with a focus on low-income individuals, predominantly women and micro/small enterprises by providing affordable access to finance, saving, credit and insurance in urban and rural areas as well as by expanding its geographic coverage and number of branches.

In a statement made available to Financial Vanguard, the bank said that the other rationales behind the fund include: to increase the proportion of poor households and small businesses with access to financial services in Nigeria; deepen its financial sector infrastructure, as it plans to expand their branch network across the country; promote an inclusive microfinance model that works for the poor; stimulate product development aimed at meeting diverse needs of low-income

households and local enterprises; enhance financial inclusion of women and female entrepreneurs and support increased revenue of poor households involved in profitable micro enterprises and also generate more jobs across states in Nigeria.

According to the bank, “The Board of Governors of the AfDB through its private sector window approved a $12 million LoC equivalent in Nigerian Naira (NGN) to LAPO Microfinance Bank (MfB) in Nigeria Given its history of a

WCOA 2014: ICAN urges professionals on capacity building

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head of 2014 World Congress of Accountants (WCOA) the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has called on professionals to build capacity in order to enhance quality financial reporting in the profession.

The 19th edition of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)’s often referred to as the “Olympics” of the Accountancy Profession will be host by Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti, Rome, Italy from November 10 to 13, 2014 with the theme: “Learning from the Past, Building the Future.” Speaking at a P r e - C o n g r e s s

Outsourcing practitioners engage members on new pension reform Act

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he Association of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria (AOPN), weekend, engaged its members on the new pension reform act in order to ensure compliance.

The members were engaged at the AOPN outsourcing interface between users and providers of outsourcing services and regulatory agencies event, with the theme: “Impact of the New Pension Reform Act on the Outsourcing Industry and the Economy.”

Speaking with newsmen, Treasurer, AOPN, Mrs. Mope Abudu, said that the Nigeria pension industry is growing but is still no where near where it should be compared to countries in the continent but noted that there is room for growth. Abudu said, “As practitioners within the outsourcing industry we want to ensure that we are compliant of the new pension reform act and because outsourcing practitioners are normally employers of large number of employees we have to make sure that we are aware by sharing knowledge.

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group-lending model based on a communitybased approach, the bank focuses on lowincome households and women (with females comprising over 90 percent of its total client base) by providing an average loan size of $190.

In spite of its lowerincome client base, its total loan portfolio exceeded $144 million in December 2013. With 1.1 million clients and 327 branches currently operating in 26 out of 36 states, about 3,184 staffs (1,311 men and 1,873 women staff) is under its employment list

Workshop organised by ICAN in Lagos, President of the Institute, Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu, said that the increased globalisation and recent global financial crisis have placed the profession in the spotlight, adding that the services of professional accountants are witnessing increasing challenges with complex and stringent regulatory requirements, sophisticated clients and business environment. .

Ajaegbu said, “Without doubt, the current public perception of the profession and huge expectation gap, are inevitably, the outcomes of our past professional practices which need urgent re-engineering.

Indeed, the dynamics and increasing complexities of the business environment have made this reengineering task a fait accompli.

“Therefore, to achieve the future of our dreams in terms of high quality financial reporting, enhanced service delivery to our diverse clientele and promotion of accountability and transparency in governance, we must raise our game. To do this, professional accountants must continue to enhance their collective skills and competencies through capacity building and by embracing life-long learning philosophy.

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Homes & Housing Finance

FMBN plans to disburse N48bn NHF loan

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ederal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) is planning to disburse about N48 billion loans from the National Housing Fund (NHF) to 10,596 applicants nationwide.

Managing Director, FMBN, Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, disclosed this at a sensitization workshop for operators of Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) organized by the Nigeria Deposit Corporation (NDIC), noting that the processing of the loan was already at an advanced stage. He recalled that as at August 2014, the bank had disbursed the sum of N52.8 billion to 14,179 beneficiaries across the country.

Ya’u Kumo noted that NDIC) had stepped up measures to check failures of Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) by bringing them under the Corporation’s deposit insurance scheme with the aim of safeguarding depositors’ funds. He listed challenges confronting the sector to include: dearth of long term funds, resulting in mismatch in creating longterm mortgages; high inflation and cost of funds; under-investment in the housing finance sector; lack of secondary mortgage market to provide liquidity; legal issues such as delay in obtaining Governor ’s consent; costly and cumbersome foreclosure and lack of uniform mortgages; among others.

US mortgage rates slide continues

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verage U.S. mortgage rates fell for the third straight week, making it more affordable to borrow to buy a home.

Mortgage company Freddie Mac said that the nationwide average for a 30-year loan fell to 4.12 percent last week from 4.19 percent. The average for a 15-year mortgage, a popular choice for people who are refinancing, also declined to 3.3 percent from 3.36 percent.

The 30-year rate is down from 4.53 percent at the start of the year.

Rates have fallen even though the Federal Reserve appears set at the end of this month to end its monthly bond purchases, which are intended to keep long-term borrowing rates low. Yet Fed officials have indicated that they will continue to hold shorter-term rates at nearzero levels until there are signs of rising inflation.

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Wing Towers: Redefining Nigeria's business environment Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE

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consortium, comprising Oando Plc, Argentil Asset Management, Standard Bank and RMB Westport, is set to deliver a twin tower office complex with state of the art features, christened, The Wing Towers, on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The one-stop ultra modern office complex is aimed at providing a conducive environment for national and multinational businesses in Nigeria. On completion, The Wings will comprise a twin 12-Storey towers resting on a four-storey parking and reception facility. Oando and the other 3 firms are the investors and developers of the project.

The vision for the project was conceived over five years ago by the Group Chief Executive Officer of Oando Plc, Mr. Adewale Tinubu, while RMB Westport, Argentil Asset Management and Standard bank are development partners. The leasing agents for The Wings are: Estate Links Limited (Gbenga Olaniyan and Associates) and Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). The project being constructed by Cappa and D’Alberto, with a 32 month completion, is expected to be delivered by November 2016.

At the market launch of the project in Lagos, Tinubu said, “It’s an iconic building. It’s a

testimony that whatever we do in Oando, we do in a special way.”

The complex comprises 27,000 square metres of letable space.

Upon completion, it will feature a 700-bay parking lot, a Porte Cochere, a fourth storey function deck for social events and corporate get-

leads on to the retail areas, restaurant and banking hall, as well as security reception desks in the lobby of the towers.

Bidemi Fadayomi, Head, Asset Development of Argentil Asset Management, said the coming of The Wings Office Complex will set the stage for global business

LAUNCH – From left: Managing Director, RMB Westport, Mr. Micheal O’Malley; Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu; and Development Manager, RMB Westport, Mr. Roy Hamlyn, during the launch of The Wings Office Complex in Lagos togethers, a restaurant, a bank and a jetty for access by boat via the Five Cowrie Creek. It is designed to be a green certified structure with an intelligent building management system. With 24 hour power and a wet service management system for soil and waste water, the Wings Office Complex is ranked as an energy efficient building. Access to the building is to be controlled via the public lobby, which

partnerships. “One of the major challenges of international businesses when they look to come into Nigeria is the availability of good quality real estate. Not just from a functional office perspective where they can run their daily transaction but also residential where they can house their employees. We observed the gap between the expectations of the tenants and the reality on ground.

‘97% of Nigeria’s land undocumented’

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he Federal Government said that 97 percent of Nigeria’s landmass remains undocumented, a development which has contributed to the country’s poor rating among comity of nations on the speed and efficiency of processes and procedures of land governance.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, stated this recently in his keynote address delivered at a workshop on land reform in Enugu. Anyim, who was represented by Senator Ben Collins Ndu, lamented that Nigeria has only duly documented land titles for 3 percent of the country’s total land mass of about 923,768 square kilometres. He noted

that the consequence was that the land resources in Nigeria have not been put to optimum economic advantage.

According to him, appropriate titling and registration of parcels of land will enable holders to harness the wealth inherent in their land asset. He was pleased that the pilot systematic land titling and registration (SLTR) projects already embarked upon by the Land Reform Committee in collaboration with Ondo and Kano states government were yielding results.

Anyim commended international development partners like Growth and Empowerment in States (GEMS3) funded by DFID which has supported the projects in the states and

embarked on similar projects in a few others.

“The pilot projects have proved that land titling could be transparent and quick.

The process of recording every parcel in the presence of adjoining owners is also expected to significantly reduce litigations. We are expecting that the first set of Certificates of Occupancy shall soon be rolled out from the pilot projects. The comprehensive inventory of land holdings across the country that would be generated from the ongoing titling projects shall also aid housing census and provide data for planning. It is pertinent to state that the greatest beneficiaries of the land reform programme are the states and local governments.

So, this building is the start to what would be Nigeria’s response in meeting international demand for real estate. It also sends the right signals to the international business community that Nigeria is ready to play to world class standards,” Fadayomi said.

Though, it is not definite that the office units are going to be sold or leased, for returns, she said the consortium hopes to realize between 35 to 40 percent ROI. Roy Hamlyn, Development Manager, RMB Westport, on his part, said, “Rental levels are obviously under pressure.

Thus, comparatively, we try to achieve a most competitive rental within the market.”

Fadayomi agreed, noting, “This building will offer prospective tenants a level of service that will be unmatched within the industry. In terms of returns, we do believe from the investor’s angle that it would offer us above market returns.”

Chinwe Ajene-Sagna, Regional Director of Jones Lang Lasalle Nigeria, one of the leasing agents, emphasized the flexible payment pattern for potential tenants. “You can pay for the sites quarterly, before or on the date of your quarterly payments” she said.

According to Mr. Michael O’ Malley, Managing Director, Rand Merchant Bank Westport, “The Wings will for the first time in the market offer prospective tenants superior accommodation in the commercial capital of Nigera.” He enthused that the presence of Cowrie creek on one side and Ozumba Mbadiwe on the other excited the investors and developers, stressing that the building possesses fantastic access route from water and land.

According to the developers, project is presently over 60 percent complete. “Right now the project is about two-third of the way through construction and we are still within budget. We also have Cappa and D’Alberto, one of Nigeria’s most renowned contractors. We guarantee our clients a superior product. The Wings complex is special and will change the property and real estate landscape in Nigeria,” O’Malley affirmed.

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Tax Matters

Administration of current taxes in Nigeria Education Tax (EDT) he Education tax decree No. 7 which was initially declared in 1993 was amended by Education Tax (Amendment) Decree No. 40 of 1998. As stated in the Act, 2% tax rate should be charged on the profit of all companies registered or resident in Nigeria.

EDT should be paid at the point of payment for the Company Income Tax (CIT) or Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) as the case may be.

As part of the annual Companies Income Tax self-assessment returns, taxable persons should also compute and submit their Education Tax liabilities and make payment at the designated bank.

Stamp Duties (STD) The items and persons subject to stamp duties are instruments (written documents) relating to matters executed between a company and an individual, group or body of individuals. Instruments which may be subject to stamp duties include financial instruments/transactions, company memorandums and articles of association, statements of share capital ownership, bonds, conveyances on sale, depositions, lease agreements, mortgage bonds, debentures, etc.

or gains on the disposal of all forms of assets. All forms of property (whether situated in Nigeria or not) that are liable to capital gains tax include: ?

Options, debts and incorporeal property generally; ?

Any currency other than Nigerian currency; and ?

Any form of property created by the person disposing of it, or otherwise coming to be owned without being created Capital Gains Tax is paid at the designated at which the company making the chargeable capital gain pays its Companies Income Tax.

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Stamp duties on eligible instruments can be paid through designated banks Companies and persons issuing or dealing with all chargeable instruments shall submit such instruments to the Stamp Duties Office for stamping. The Commissioner of Stamp Duties shall then assess the instruments submitted in line with the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act and specify the duties payable. The duties are then paid to FIRS at the designated bank Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) Persons subject to the Petroleum Profits Tax: ?

Companies engaged in petroleum exploration and production operations in Nigeria (up-stream operations) ?

A person resident in Nigeria employed in the management of the petroleum operations carried on by a non-resident company ?

The liquidator, receiver, or agent of liquidator or receiver of any company carrying on petroleum operations in Nigeria.

Companies carrying on petroleum operations in Nigeria make offshore payments to JP Morgan Chase Bank, the bank then advises the Central Bank of Nigeria to enable the bank credit FIRS accordingly.

Every company engaged in petroleum operations prepares and submits annual returns as specified by the Petroleum Profits Tax Act within five months of the end of each assessment year. Payment is in two segments beginning with filing of estimated annual return not later than ending of February of each year.

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•Kabir Moha Payment for the tax due is then made in twelve monthly instalments beginning from March of each year.

Where the actual tax liability arising from the annual tax returns exceeds the cumulative estimated tax, a 13th month instalment is payable and where the contrary is the case, a refund is due.

Withholding Tax (WHT) Withholding Tax (WHT) is not a distinct tax type and therefore has no legislation of its own. It is only a mechanism for the collection of other taxes. Consequently, its application is provided for in the enabling law of other tax types i.e. Section 81 of Company Income Tax Act, Section 54 of Petroleum Profit Tax Act, Section 73 of Personal Income Tax Act and Section 13 of Value Added Tax Act

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ersons subject to the various tax types may be subject to Withholding Tax deductions for the purpose of offsetting their tax liabilities. WHT deductions are regarded as advance payments (or payments on account) of the relevant tax liability that will arise from the tax returns of the period concerned.

Where the person benefiting from the payment and the income are taxable, Withholding Tax (WHT) is paid (deducted) at the point of making payment. It is withheld by the payee and the net amount is then paid to the beneficiary through the designated bank(s).

The amount deducted at the point of payment is remitted directly to FIRS through a designated bank in a prescribed format in the name of the person subject to the deduction.

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) All companies incorporated in Nigeria which earns any capital gains

In line with the provisions of the Capital Gains Tax Act and the selfassessment regulations presently in operation, a company shall compute the gains on the disposal of all forms of assets in each year of assessment and submit same together with its Companies Income Tax returns. The returns shall also be accompanied by evidence of the payment of the full amount or first instalment of the tax due. Payment is made to the designated bank.

Value Added Tax (VAT) Persons subject to the Value Added Tax: Any individual, corporation sole, group, body corporate or organization that consumes buys, procures or imports taxable goods or services is liable to pay the tax. How to pay the Value Added Tax ?

During direct sales or open market transactions, the buyer or consumer shall pay the tax to the seller together with the cost of the goods or services bought. The seller then nets off the VAT paid at the time of purchase of the stocks sold from the VAT collected on the stocks sold and credit the balance to FIRS. ?

Where the goods or services were supplied to a government Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA) or a company engaged in oil operations, the VAT payable by the MDA or oil company is deducted or withheld at source (at the point of payment). It is then credited directly to FIRS on behalf of the supplier ?

VAT payments are made on a monthly basis not later than 21days of every subsequent month. Tax payers prepare and submit monthly VAT returns accompanied by evidence of payment of the tax due at designated banks VAT remittances may be made at any designated bank; an e-ticket is immediately issued as evidence of payment. This e-ticket may be presented at the ITO and an e-receipt will be issued the taxpayer.

Company Income Tax (CIT) Persons subject to the Companies Income Tax: ?

All companies incorporated in Nigeria with the exception of companies engaged in petroleum operations. ?

All non-resident (foreign)

companies that earn or derive income from Nigeria. ?

All organizations limited by guarantee (institutions of public character or charitable organizations) engaged in profit making activities other than the promotion of their primary objects. ?

The liquidator, receiver, or agent of liquidator or receiver of any taxable company or organization.

Companies incorporated in Nigeria and organizations limited by guarantee pay Companies Income Tax through any of the designated banks.

Once payment has been captured by the bank collecting system, an e-ticket is issued is issued the company, this e-ticket is proof of payment and when presented at the Integrated Tax Office with jurisdiction an e-receipt will be issued.

Non-resident companies make payment through remittance of tax deducted at source to the designated banks. esident companies and organizations prepare and submit annual self-assessment tax returns as specified by FIRS accompanied by the evidence of the payment of the full amount or first instalment of the tax due. Payment is made to designated bank.

Non-resident companies are subject to Withholding Tax (WHT) deductions on the income they earn from Nigeria.

This becomes their tax upon filing returns Personal Income Tax (PIT) Personal Income Tax Act 2011 (PITA) requires that: ?

Persons subject to the Personal Income Tax Individuals resident in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja ?

Families, communities, trustees and estates resident in the Federal Capital Territory ?

Persons employed in the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and Nigeria Police other than in civilian capacity. ?

A person resident outside Nigeria who derives income or profit from Nigeria ?

Officers of the Nigerian foreign service. ?

Persons employed in the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and Nigeria Police, other than in civilian capacity, pay income tax at the designated banks ?

Individuals and enterprises in FCT pay at the designated banks obtain an e-ticket and may request an e-receipt at the Individual and Enterprise Tax Office, Abuja. ?

Organizations, companies and MDAs pay at designated banks, obtain their e-tickets and may request for the e-receipts at the Large Tax Office (LTO) Abuja.

Persons on paid employment pay their personal income tax through the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system. Under the system, employers deduct the prescribed tax from workers’ salaries and pay directly to the FIRS through the designated banks on behalf of the employees on a monthly basis.

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E- Commerce difficult raising money but once we started showing healthy revenue potential, we got a lot more enquires,” he said.

On his part, the Chief Operating Officer of Nigeria’s online marketplace, SpacePointe, Osato Osayande said, “The issue to deal with is connecting the start-up with investors.

Investors need access to the start-ups and the start-ups on the other hand need training on how to present them in a way that is compelling to the investors.”

Jumia, MTN unveil Connectivity Week today

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How tech start-ups can attract investors Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

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ccess to capital is one of the greatest challenges that confront entrepreneurs. In the technology space, capital is even more critical because the extent of skills and other technology investment considerations required are enormous, and fundamental.

For tech startups to attract seed funding, experts advocate a strategic and creative approach including an ability to independently operate as a business. They advocate that start-ups must first of all see themselves first as businesses that are competing for the same source of funding with other regular businesses; because there may not be room for preferential treatment because one is a tech start-up.

They also said that a start-up owner should possess enough power of conviction and then try to run the business first to certain successful level.

“For start-ups to be able to access funding opportunities, they need to be able to take the start-up quite a far distance before looking. I use this as my benchmark - a founder should reach the point of generating at least N100, 000 per month before he goes looking for funding.

It will make the search much easier. Also, it’s not every start-up that is designed for funding. Some ideas are just

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too limited in scope to attract funding,” said Mark Essien who is the founder of an online hotel booking agency, www.hotels.ng.

He added, “There are a lot of people who have enough money and are looking to invest that money. However, there are easy investment opportunities available like land or houses. Start-ups need to compete against those for the same money. The capital is available, but I believe it’s most available to very compelling start-ups that can tell a very good story about their potential.”

According to Essien, the investment dollars are excessive for the start-ups that have traction, hence leading to the perception that there is too much. The investment dollars are very, very scarce for start-ups that are only an idea without any traction or demonstration that the idea will work; hence the perception that there is no funding.

“And this can be explained also,” he noted.

“Most people looking to invest will rarely announce that they are investing. Rather, they wait for someone to recommend a good investment opportunity. When a start-up is doing great, a lot of people recommend it to the investors, so it gets a lot of offers. When the start-up is just a guy with an idea, nobody will put their reputation on the line to recommend it; hence it looks like there is no funding available.”

Having grown his start-up to a profitable level within one year of operations, he said his advice to a start-up looking for funding is to first find traction; and to have a number that is growing rapidly, and then show that number to people in the investor scene. Soon enough, the offers will come.

Also, the founder of www.drinks.ng, Lanre Akinlagun tell start-ups that investors will invest but not at seed fund stage.

According to him, investors will only react when start-ups begin to show a healthy balance sheet or at least prospects.

“This is just the nature of the business environment. We have found it extremely

PRESS BRIEFINGFrom left: Tunji Ajitoye, Head, FITC Training, Dr. Lucy S. Newman, MD/CEO, FITC and Benjamin Alao, Head, MIS, FITC at press briefing on FITC’s next five years strategic agenda in Lagos.

umia Nigeria have entered into partnership with MTN to extend their inventory to offline customers all over Nigeria during the Jumia Connectivity week that wll kick off today.

According to Co-CEO of Jumia Nigeria, Nicolas Martin, “The Connectivity Week will be bridging the gap between customers offline and the products available on Jumia with uninterrupted gadget supply including mobile phones and tablets in three states from Monday 13th to Friday 17th October 2014.”

Customers can look forward to spotting the Jumia and MTN Truck during the Connectivity Week in Lagos, Ibadan and Ogun State.

During the period, MTN will also use the platform to showcase its latest offering specially targeted for the Youth.

Jumia will reveal the exact locations on their Facebook page and on radio starting today.

He said, “The week will offer the best deals on all gadgets available with on-the-go-sale and customers will get a chance to win gifts every hour in different states from spotting the Jumia truck as Jumia takes the wheel across Nigeria.

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Advertising Stories by PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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ew entrants have rekindled the intense competition amongst yoghurt products for customer patronage. Before now competition has been between varieties including yoghurt diet, culture, starter, which are either produced locally or imported, with few making head way in the market.

In spite of the competition brands like Fan yoghurt with different flavours from Fan Milk Plc, Yoplait, Chobani, Fage and Yo have been able to carve a niche in the mind of consumers.

Notwithstanding these prominent brands, Chi Limited, has introduced three yoghurt variants, with which it hopes to create a foothold in the yoghurt market. This new entrants, namely, ‘Green Apple,’ ‘Orange’ and ‘Pure and Plain’ are expected to cater for the growing demand for dairy products in general and yoghurt in particular, the company said in a in a statement.

Speaking on the newly introduced variants, Managing Director, Chi Limited, Mr. Roy Deepanjan said: “the new variants of Hollandia Yoghurt were developed following extensive consumer engagement activities which revealed that our loyal customers who have helped us to reach the number one position have a yearning for more varieties of the Hollandia Yoghurt brand. We at Chi Limited, have always have been keen to satisfy the ever growing population of Hollandia Yoghurt consumers across Nigeria with products designed to satisfy their needs and expectations from our brands.”

According to nutritionists, consumption of yoghurt is

Ad man, Ufot bags National honour

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VALEDICTORY - From left: Vice President, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Mr. Kayode Oluwasona; AAAN President, Mr. Kelechi Nwosu; Managing Director, Angels ltd, Mr Longly Evru, welcoming Mr. Segun Adeneye during AAAN Valedictory Session for three senior members of the association

New entrants revive competition for yoghurt market recommended for persons who suffer from obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, among others, because yoghurt exerts a positive effect on health.

As consumers become more aware of the nutritional and health benefits of yoghurt, especially its role as a good source of protein, vitamins and calcium that are beneficial to general health and well being of the individual, the market for yoghurt can only grow even more, and with it the fortunes of Hollandia Yoghurt. No wonder the craze for trimming down is catching up with fatty persons. Women particularly.

According to Vanguard investigation, consumers say, the new variants will widen their experiences particularly of Hollandia Yogurt with its rich mouth feel and a

balanced flavour. They added that the new lowfat yogurts are excellent for taste.

Hollandia Yoghurt is not only healthy and fulfilling but a real delight to consumers.

This brings to putting in

'Daikin air-conditioner built for African market'

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aikin’s residential air conditioning product is designed with the newest Japanese technology and is built for the African market, says Hiroshi Fujioka, President, Daikon Middle East & Africa, The product launch ceremony in Lagos unveils the latest product line up of 2014 models of air conditioners.

Mr Fujioka said this at the unveiling of the Company’s

Game for political strategy introduced A

new board game called, “Who Wants To Be President?” has been launched.

The game teaches political strategy by making the players go through all the political processes aspiring leaders through with the ultimate aim of winning “elections.”

The steps include seeking party nominations, campaigning in the 36 states of Nigeria, cajoling for votes, negotiating for the best deals, strategizing, spying on opponents, disrupting the plans of the opposition, countering their moves and so on. The game ends when one of the players presents the card calling for “Instant Elections” or one of the players reaches the end. Only players who have won votes in 21 states would be eligible to have his “votes” counted. The player with the most “votes” win and is declared president.

The game was developed by Charles Igwe, the widower of the late producer and writer, Amaka Igwe, in 1993. He said the game was created primarily as a form of family C M Y K

perspective the interesting story of four friends; Amaka, Bose, Vanessa and Amina all yoghurt lovers. Amaka and Amina have been trying for months to get rid of junk food and make healthier food decisions.

entertainment and to educate as many Nigerians as possible on the intrigues, strategies and politics of running for and winning elections.

“I wanted to bring the good old days when families would sit around one another and have fun playing a board game,” Mr. Igwe said. “These days, kids prefer to be on their electronic games all day. This is a game everyone can enjoy together.

“I also hope that more Nigerians will understand their roles in picking and voting for leaders. The game mimics all the drama and backdoor deals that go on in the political space and by seeing them through this game, I hope Nigerians will be better informed about their country and about the politics that surrounds them.”

The game delivers the experience of participating in and contesting elections, the thrill of winning and losing, and the challenge of trying again.

2014 model of air conditionals. He said that the products would be distributed, sold and serviced in Nigeria by Panaser v Nigeria. Fujioka said, “Daikin air conditioners have been developed in order to meet Africa’s most challenging needs for the best air conditioning.”

According to the Promoter, Panaserv Nigeria Limited, Suraj Rupani the new entrant has built in protection against power supply fluctuations and blackout. “As standard, the equipment is protected against over current, over voltage and under voltage,” he said. Other features that come with the Japanese technology include energy saving feature which offers efficient operation on its equipment lower electricity consumption, up to grade A (EER). Rupani said that Daikin indoor units offer whisper quiet, a huge departure from the current products in the market. Daikin is also fortified with turbo cooling, sleep mode, high indoor air quality, Mouldproof operation and anticorrosion protection, which offers high durability even under extreme weather conditions, said Head of Sale Middle East &Africa, Mohammed Abbas.

he Managing Director of SO& U, Mr. Udeme Uinterest has been conferred with the national honour of Member of the order of the Federal Republic (MFR). The same honour was also confered on another advertising to shot, Mr. Steve Omojiafor. This is the first time any advertising industry opertor would be so honoured.

For Udeme, the honour is a testament to his hardwork and contribution to the marketing communications industry.

Within the advertising industry, he co-founded one of Nigeria’s most successful and respected marketing communications group which has endured and continues as a key player for nearly 25years. From a humble start of 2 bricks and a plank, SO&U group has metamorphosed into a strong brand with the following subsidiaries: SO&U Advertising, Publicis Consultants/Soulcomm, Maximedia and Lucid Audio visuals thereby making it a fully fledged marketing communications group.

Quill Awards winner describes Thomson Foundation experience

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he overall winner of the 2014 Promasidor Quill Awards for journalists, Mr. Kunle Falayi, has described the Thomson Foundation Summer Convergence Course he went for as both eyeopening and empowering for him as he acquired multimedia skills that would be useful to him beyond journalism.

Giving an overview of the course, Falayi said through the course, he was able to acquire rare skills that distinguish exceptional journalists in different parts of the world.

His words: “If there was a single event that could change someone’s life in a huge way, one would say the Thomson Foundation Summer Convergence Course, 2014 was exactly that. The world of journalism is about telling stories in multimedia platforms and this training could not have come at a better time for me.

40— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.com Blog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2 Website: www.lesleba.com Tel:0805 220 1997

EPA as "Enslavement Partnership Agreement review of economic partnership agreements” Punch Newspaper of 1/9/14, Pg. 36).

Nonetheless, the Manufacturers’ Association sees the EU’s appetising carrot as a dagger directed to the heart of Nigeria’s industrial sector. The Association warned that signing the agreement in its present form would impact negatively on local manufacturing and result in shutdown of industries with heavy job losses, due to unfair competition. The immediate past President of MAN, Chief Kola Jamodu also noted that “no country can develop without protecting its industries”, and further cautioned that “Nigeria stands the risk of having its market flooded by European goods with resultant negative effect on local industries and the economy, if the EPA is approved in its present form.”

The Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda also echoed above concerns at a recent interaction with MAN, when he stated that “government is actively encouraging the African Union and ECOWAS to reconsider endorsing the EPA in its current state.”

Yuguda declared that “the government is critically assessing options that will improve competitiveness and ensure that local manufacturers are adequately protected; consequently, the Federal government was in the process of negotiating a strong Common External Tariff agreement with its ECOWAS partners to protect strategic industries”.

Nonetheless, the proponents of the EPA argue that the object of the ECOWAS

Common External Tariff (CET) is to “build bridges of development, investment and trade cooperation between members of the Community and also between ECOWAS as a trade block and other such regional or third party trade and economic Union; furthermore, the Pro-EPA lobby are also optimistic that the operation of the Common External Tariff regime would create a level playing field for imports into our sub-region and thereby significantly reduce the spectre of smuggling and re-export of third party imports into

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n a newspaper report titled “Nigeria rejects EPA over $1.3tn Revenue Loss” (Daily Independent Newspaper of 15/8/2014, Pg. 30), the Director General of Manufacturer’s Association, Mr. Remi Ogunmefun commended the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Olusegun Aganga for “reiterating government’s commitment to pursue the implementation of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan” which accommodates “local content policies and transformation in the agricultural sector among others.” The statement from the MAN DG noted “that the Minister was categorical, that, based on the mission of Government in these areas, it is inconceivable that government will ignore national interest, particularly, the genuine concerns expressed by stakeholders in the country and go ahead to sign the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

Under the terms of the EPA, “the European Union will immediately offer the 15 member Economic Community of West African States, full access to it markets. In return, ECOWAS will gradually open up 75% of its markets, with its 300 million consumers, to the European Union over a 20year period. In addition, in accord with the provisions of the technical negotiations which were concluded with member states this year, the EU would also offer a package valued at about EU6.5bn ($8.94bn) over the next five years to help ECOWAS cushion the effects and costs of integrating into the global economy (see “F.G. seeks

MAN’s opposition to EPA is also premised on the reality that our different levels of economic strength and industrialisation would put Nigeria and other ECOWAS members at a trade disadvantage

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Nigeria as a result of the more favourable duty differentials of our neighbours. It is also speculated that the product of CET will be reflected in reduction of import duty leakages and contraction of opportunities for bribery and corruption at our ports.”

Inspite of the benefits listed above, the Manufacturers’ Association is however, uncomfortable with the adopted categories of customs duties under the CET; for example, essential social commodities including pharmaceuticals, books, newspapers, etc attract zero

percent duty; basic goods and raw materials attract 5%, while intermediate goods attract 10%; furthermore; finished consumer goods attract 20% duty, while an additional tariff band of 35% was created for those goods currently under Nigeria’s Absolute Import Prohibition List.

Nonetheless, the representatives of Nigeria’s real sector recognize that it will be difficult to properly evaluate how appropriate these categorizations are because of the fairly loose class definitions adopted. For example, Nigeria has a growing pharmaceutical sub-sector which could become uncompetitive with zero percent tariff for drugs and medicaments imports from those countries with lower cost of funds and supportive infrastructure.

Furthermore, MAN is equally concerned that food and agricultural imports from such better endowed countries may also reduce the chances of success in our attempts to be selfsufficient, for example, in rice and maize production.

Additionally, the manufacturing community noted that although the tariff rate for raw materials and production machinery has been set at 5%, it would probably be more appropriate for these set of imports, for which there are no potential local substitutes, to also attract zero percent duty, as this would further reduce production cost and cushion the adverse impact of high cost of funds and power on made in Nigeria products.”

Similarly, manufacturers expect that it will be challenging to appropriately, finely compartmentalize imports under the 10% and 20% tariff classifications, as what may appear, for example, as an intermediate product could well be a finished product; for example, an automobile tyre

maybe considered as an intermediate good by a vehicle assembly plant, but for the car owner, it is clearly a finished product and vice versa.

Presumably, the goods under Nigeria’s current import prohibition list may form the bulk of items under the highest duty category of 35%, since the 45 currently listed items under prohibition comprise sectors in which Nigerian manufacturers already have a foothold with possibility of further growth that would impact positively on employment and ultimately on public finance.

The manufacturers are obviously unimpressed by the promised EU package of about $9bn to the 15 members of ECOWAS over a 5 year period, as MAN estimates that the Nigerian Treasury could lose over $1.3tn revenue from a significant reduction in import duties if the EPA is endorsed in its present state.

Furthermore, MAN’s opposition to EPA is also premised on the reality that our different levels of economic strength and industrialisation would put Nigeria and other ECOWAS members at a trade disadvantage, in a manner that is sadly reminiscent of the one sided terms of the slave trade era.

The above, notwithstanding, in reality, Economic and industrial growth are the products of appropriate monetary and fiscal frameworks that accommodate lower single digit interest. rates, low inflationary rate, appropriately priced, stable and sustainable exchange rate regime with supportive social and industrial infrastructure.

Regrettably, these features have remained alien to the Nigerian economy and may negate the expected benefits of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff.

Save the Naira, Save Nigerians

Business & Economy Capital raising : UBA plans Rights Issue

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nited Bank for Africa Plc, UBA Plc has begun the process of raising Tier 1 Capital by way of a Rights Issue.

In a public announcement signed by Company Secretary Mr. Bili Odum and published over the weekend, the Bank said it has the approval of its Shareholders as well as Board Resolutions authorizing it to raise additional capital by various means, including a Rights Issue which will commence at a future date.

The Public Notice also stated that the Rights Issue will be on the basis of One (1) new C M Y K

Ordinary share for every Ten (10) Ordinary shares held as at a date to be communicated to shareholders and subject to regulatory approval.

The proceeds of the offer will boost UBA’s highly diversified bAusinesses across Africa.

(UBA) Plc, Africa’s global bank with operations in 19 African countries including Nigeria, has offices in New York, and Paris, and a subsidiary in London providing broad-based banking services to over 10 million customers globally.

UBA offers a bouquet of banking services and

products designed to meet the specific banking needs of its diverse multi-cultural and multi-lingual customer base in the three uniquely different continents.

In the last few years, UBA has been consolidating its operations across the African continent while focusing on the fast emerging growth opportunities in key sectors and economies in its countries of operations across Africa.

It has emerged as a major player in key sectors of the African economy including; oil and gas, agriculture, infrastructure, telecoms.

Omoh Gabriel Babajide Komolafe Clara Nwachukwu Peter Egwuatu Yinka Kolawole Favour Nnabugwu Godwin Oritse Godfrey Bivbere Michael Eboh Franklin Alli Ebele Orakpo Ifeyinwa Obi Rosemary Onuoha

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

CONTRIBUTORS Princewill Ekwujuru Nkiruka Nnorom Jonah Nwokpoku Naomi Uzor Providence Obuh LAYOUT

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Media/Marketing Capital Market E-Commerce Industry Micro Finance Graphics Department

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44—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

“A year ago, I would have said that they (Boko Haram) were religiously motivated. But as they killed more and more Muslims, it’s hard for me to believe that they are motivated by religion.

Who are these guys and what do they want? I don’t think we really understand them”. – Mr James Entwistle, US Ambassador to Nigeria.

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NTWISTLE, the ebullient and dynamic Chief Envoy of America here reportedly made this assertion in a media briefing at a private university in Yola, Adamawa State, when asked why his country was blocking efforts by Nigeria to procure arms and ammunition to tackle the Islamist insurgency in the North East. He also alleged that his country’s reluctance to sell crucial military equipment to Nigeria was based on what he described as “human rights violations” by the Nigerian military personnel.

I find this very interesting and surprising, indeed. I recall that on Wednesday, November 13, 2013, the United States

Nigeria: Why America is confused Mali, the Maghreb, Yemen and the biggest of them all, the Islamic State in the Levant, ISIL, threatening the territorial integrity of Syria, Iraq and Turkey. This is the group that has killed more than 10,000 innocent Nigerians in their places of worship, mostly churches and to a much lesser extent, mosques. They have killed military, security and police personnel, including some high-ranking Islamic clerics and traditional rulers.

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The Western society is in great decline because its elastic interpretation of “human rights” has eroded the spiritual foundations that originally launched the West as a modern civilisation

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Government, based on the recommendations of the Bureau of Counter-Terrorism, finally – if belatedly – designated Boko Haram as one of the 63-odd Foreign Terrorist Organisations, FTOs, active around the world, most of them Islamist groups which regard the US and the West as their primary enemies. Usually, when a group is so designated, the American government applies a number of sanctions aimed at crippling them, including cutting off their network of financial supply and even going as far as providing military support toward either eradicating them or forcing them to change their ways. Instances have also occurred where many organisations have been removed from the US register of FTOs when they scale down their terrorist approach.

Well, if America says they don’t know who these Boko Haram nuts are, let me remind them. Even the US has frequently linked Boko Haram to the Al Qaeda Network, which is principally behind murderous Islamist rebels in Somalia,

They have destroyed towns, burnt down schools and sacked villages. They were the ones who abducted the Chibok school girls, whom they have held in captivity for about 180 days. Today, these guys whom Entwistle say “we don’t know”, have captured and occupied territories which they claimed as “Islamic Caliphate”. They have been slitting throats of men, women and children, cutting hands and forcing single young women into marriages in line with their warped interpretation of Islam.

As for what they want, there is no mystery about it. They say they don’t want the Western system of living because, according to them, it is “evil” and does not allow them to practise their religion.

They say they don’t want Western education, and have accordingly been destroying schools and killing teachers and medical personnel working to eradicate polio. By claiming an “Islamic Caliphate”, they obviously want to overthrow the more accommodating Islamic order in the North to set up a new sys-

tem that will impose Islam on people and, like the ISIL, kill those who say no to them.

How can America, with all its power and technology, claim they don’t know who these people are? Is Entwistle saying that just because Boko Haram is killing Muslims along with Christians, their sins are less? It would have been more if they killed only Christians? Is it not sufficient that these guys are murdering innocent, law-abiding people? Is that not enough for any well-meaning ally of Nigeria to support all efforts to crush this menace? We are not asking for American troops. Why is America talking about human rights abuses? What evidence do they have of them? Which particular humans are their rights being abused? Even if some Nigerian troops have engaged in unprofessional conduct, has it been proved to be a policy of engagement or encouraged by the high command or government? Can America claim that in its unending interferences and wars around the world its troops and war machine do not routinely commit human rights abuses, or at least collateral damage? Which “clean war” has America ever fought? And who is to say that Boko Haram and their hordes of unpatriotic, politically-motivated supporters are not staging these abuses and passing them off as acts of our troops? Is it not wiser for the US to join hands in eliminating Boko Haram first, and then go after war criminals?

I am wondering what America will gain if, in an unlikely twist of events, Boko Haram gathers traction like ISIL and takes over most of Northern Nigeria in a major shift of loyalty by the local people there? Perhaps, America will then, in panic, start looking for interna-

tional coalition partners to stop Boko Haram? Perhaps they will begin to lob expensive missiles from the safety of their floating frigates at sea, leaving the ground mess for us to contend with, as they did in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and others?

America has to re-examine its irritating policy of seeking to impose democracy and human rights around the world because it seems to have caused more harm than good, especially in fragile, Third World states and the Middle East, which has a cultural setting that is totally different from that of the West. They colluded with local activists to destabilise Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Iraq, and Syria would have followed suit if not for their support by Russia and China. Human rights in America are not the same as human rights in Saudi Arabia. In America, if you abuse Jesus Christ it’s “free speech”, but in Saudi if you abuse Prophet Mohammed you will be beheaded, and that’s flat!

In America and most of the West, a man can marry another man and it will not only be “normal”, it will also be “celebrity” news. Here in Africa, if it happens, both will risk being lynched because homosexual behaviour is an abomination that may bring spiritual damnation to family lines down the ages.

We don’t regard gay life as “human rights”, here in Africa, and Nigeria has made a law to stamp it. The Western society is in great decline because its elastic interpretation of “human rights” has eroded the spiritual foundations that originally launched the West as a modern civilisation.

If America will not help us, let them leave us alone. They stopped buying our oil, yet we are moving on. We will defeat Boko Haram with or without their help. It will only take more time, human lives and resources. We will maintain our own standard of human rights, which says: “your rights stop where mine start”, and vice versa. You will lose your human rights when you deprive others of theirs, or if you act in ways that offend the cherished values of our society or promote the “normalisation” of taboos.

Our constitution has spelt out in detail, the fundamental human rights that we promote or aspire so to do. We do not need America or Britain to come and impose theirs on us.

OPINION AEPB: New management, fresh challenges

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By Rogers Edor Ochela

ECENTLY, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed, reorganised the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, the territory’s agency vested with the responsibility of ensuring a clean environment in the nation’s capital city.

In this game of musical chairs, so to speak, the minister during a bi-weekly FCT operational briefing, replaced the then Acting Director of the waste disposal agency, Mrs. Aisha Adebayo with Mr. Baba Shehu Lawan. The exercise equally affected three deputy directors and one assistant director, who were all redeployed out of the board.

Sen Bala, who announced plans for the urgent procurement of 3,000 plastic environmental waste bins to enhance solid waste management in the territory, equally directed the new management to liaise with estate managers and residents to find ways of collaborating with such estates in order to lessen the burden from the shoulders of the AEPB. The Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB was established in 1977 via Decree No. 10 promulgated by the late General Sani Abacha military administration with the primary purpose of controlling and removal of all kinds of wastes and doing other things that are necessary for the purpose of enhancing a healthy environment within the territory.

Charged to achieve a sustainable development in the territory, the AEPB is also mandated to secure the quality of environment adequate for the health and well-being of the residents of the territory; conserve and use the environment

and its natural resources for the benefit of the territory.

The board is also to minimise the impact of physical development on the ecosystems and raise public awareness and promote understanding of essential linkages between the environment and development within the FCT. The AEPB is to synergize with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and other states environmental protection agencies to achieve effective prevention of abatement of transboundary movement of wastes, just as it is equally to control the disposal of liquid and solid wastes, vector pests, rodents and reptiles; control and dispose portable and waste water, effluent discharges, noise pollution and the use of septic tanks and sewage maintenance.

It is also to control bush burning, poaching and indiscriminate felling of trees, stray and wandering animals, public conveniences and cemeteries and the use of residential areas for prohibited purposes as well as walking or driving on prohibited areas, including such other things that are necessary or expedient for the purpose of enhancing a healthy environment within the territory.

Finally, the board shall liaise with relevant departments of the authority and such other agencies for the control of burrow pits and quarry sites within the territory and direct construction companies or individuals to ensure that such places are replanted to avoid soil erosion.

As the new management team settles down to the huge responsibilities bestowed upon them, it is interesting to note that the new acting director, Shehu Lawan has hit the ground

running, reading the riot act to defaulters of environmental laws in the FCT, just as he has assured that Abuja will experience environmental facelifts in the next three months.

At this juncture, it is necessary to admonish members of the new management team to familiarize themselves with the rules, regulations or Extant circulars of public service, so as to guard against unintended situations of issuing instructions, which extant rules and regulations do not support and which residents will find completely objectionable.

On the other hand, the Acting Director and other members of the board must place the totality of their experience and knowledge at the disposal of AEPB if the enormous assignment given to them is to have any meaningful sanitizing effect on the nation’s capital city. The team must also urgently prioritize the role of re-orientating the staff of the agency in order to make them friendly with residents, because presently, in the eyes of the people, they are seen as brutes that are only out to extort money from a hapless populace.

But be that as it may, the AEPB is not bereft of disciplined, hardworking and dedicated staffers, who are ready and willing to work with the new management team. As a matter of fact, they are looking forward to a harmonious working relationship in order to achieve the corporate goals of the agency. The new team, a child of necessity, came at an auspicious time when the FCT is virtually bursting at the seams as a result of population explosion. From all intents and purposes, the epochal re-organization carried out by the minister, is aimed at re-engineering and restructuring the agency towards facing the challenges of the 21st century as encapsulated in globalization.

•Mr Ochela, a media consultant, wrote from Abuja.

—45 Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014—

HE University of Benin, alumni and key stakeholders around the world are shocked over untoward and negative news about their institution and have all recoiled with disgust at the recent tyrannical and atavistic tendencies of the out-going ViceChancellor of the university, Professor Oshodi, who it is reported, recently took his personal feelings beyond administrative and academic ambits, with the assistance of the University Registrar Mrs Ogboghodo, carried out what could be described as administrative mob-lynching of an academic and administrative icon of the university, Professor Andrew G. Onokerhoraye. The VC and Registrar jointly deceived the University of Benin Senate into performing an academic and administrative abomination, by illegally via a three paragraph memo under a nebuous “Any Other Business” purportedly stripped the former University Vice-Chancellor, former Harvard Visiting Professor and leading global academic authority, of the title of “Professor Emeritus” confered on him by the University Governing council since November 25, 2010.

In executing this illegal deception, the duo exhibited grave disdain for procedure, failed to check department records of what the ex-VC has done and currently doing for which he has been falsely accused, bypassed extant

university regulations and presented trumped up charges of abdication of responsibilities against this reknowed academic to the University Senate, under an unlisted agendum of “A.O.B” so that the issue will not be properly reflected upon or adequately discussed by the University Senate before making such a weighty decision.

That the illicit act could be illegally executed in Senate calls to question the quality of academics, decisionalprocessesandcurrent Senate membership of the University of Benin, particularly given that important questions were not raised on the issue regarding the nature of the title of “Professor Emeritus”which is traditionally awarded for life, especially where the recipient has not been found wantng of issue of gross academic misconduct or any other issue in the larger society considered embarrassing enough has not been put forward as reasons for this shameful action of Uniben.

More importantly, considering the reasons proffered by the VC and Registrar for their flawed, illegal, ignoble and despicable action; that the Professor Emeritus has failed to perform ‘’routine responsibilities’’, such as failure to supervise postgraduates students. This is the very shocking and by any standards a none-issue because the ex-VC has long retired from active service. But even more tragic is the fact that a University Senate, made up of supposed professors rubber-stamped such a none-issue. For this generation

That a university senate allowed itself to open such an honoured position to subjective whim of administrative chicanery without scrutiny, is an ultimate climbdown that will come to haunt many

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of professors of our great institution that do not know and even failed to make enquiries, a “Professor Emeritus” is not a paid staff, is not obligated to supervise students, and only does if he/she so pleases, upon invitation and he/she may accept or decline as a right enshrined in the title, and which is always stated on the letter of award to the honoree.

There is nowhere in the academic world where a holder of the title of Professor Emeritus is subjected to such ‘’routine responsibility’’ compulsorily. It is an honour conferred for past works and contributions to knowledge and not in anticipation of future routine responsibilities.

Nonetheless, even though the Professor is not obligated to so do, inquiries made and confirmed without equivocation from the response of Professor Andrew G. Onokerhoraye to this charade,shows that he is currently supervising five PhD students

Lai Mohammed's Ebola controversy

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By Femi Ayelabowo

OLE SOYINKA'S Madmen and Specialists is, at its heart, a satirical play featuring a perverted medical specialist whose lust for power during wartime leads him to imprison and torment his father, a well-regarded physician. It is in this context of perversion and misapplication of supposedly specialist skills that the recent diatribe of Lai Mohammed, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, ACN, against the person and office of President Goodluck Jonathan, must be located.

Lai Mohammed fancies himself a mass communication specialist. And perhaps he is one, though it has to be said, if the evidences of his manipulation of truths are anything to go by, his mass communication expertise must have been acquired from parodying the antics of Josef Goebbels, the notorious propagandist of Germany’s Nazi era. In his latest outburst against President Jonathan, Lai Mohammed has upended all reasons and thrown basic decorum to the winds, all in an attempt to “reclaim” for the APC what he perceives as a stolen credit over the successful containment of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, in Nigeria.

And yet in the same breath that he impugns the President for supposedly assuming credit for the containment of the EVD in the country, the same Lai Mohammed goes on to say: “We will also

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like to give credit to the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.”

The question here is: Did Lai Mohammed forget that Prof. Chukwu is a cabinet-level appointee who serves at the pleasure of the President? But then again, perversion of truths and manipulation of facts were hallmarks of Goebbels brand of mass communication, and it is clear that Lai Mohammed has clearly adopted these deviant practices.

It is also beyond the pale to see Lai Mohammed attempt to posthumously make the late Dr. Stella Adadevoh a member of the APC through Goebbelsian extrapolation and sheer evil machination.

Dr. Adadevoh most unfortunately lost her life in the fight against Ebola and it is the height of irresponsibility for Lai Mohammed to drag her into his mudslinging politics rather than allow her family to grieve in peace.

Strangely, that the states where the EVD struck are controlled by the APC seems to be a fact that fills Lai Mohammed with glee. His reasoning seems to be that President Jonathan’s directive to Prof.

Chukwu to lead the Federal Government’s response to the virus has nothing whatsoever to do with Jonathan’s leadership, simply because he was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. This sort of defective reasoning must be what informed the same Lai Mohammed to recently rail against the Sovereign

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By Anthony Umunna

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Why destroy the UNIBEN brand?

most of whom have successfully defended their thesis; even active professors on university pay-rolls are not more prolific and able to do as much as this retired scholar.

Moreover, he has been doing this pro-bono, without collecting the privileged compensation which he ought to be entitled to but which he honourably declined according to him. Where in the world, do you strip someone of an honour for providing free services?

Also, they erroneously accused the widely honoured Professor of failing to attend Senate meetings of the university; this is a ridiculous nadir for a globally branded university, that an Emeritus Professor should be compelled to attend Senate sittings. But assuming such distorting of tradition is true, the University of Benin Senate should have asked to be presented with objective facts, copies of invitations and minutes of meetings where such invitations were defied by their accused, for positivist evaluation and eclectic examination, a simple administrative process that should have prevented the opprobium to which the university has now been subjected to in the academic world. No doubt, the conduct of the outgoing VC and the Registrar can only be explained within the realm of malice and not reason or academic logic.

Devoid of such basic requirements for the examination of academic or administrative mysteries, unrestrained by the necessary rigors for facts in any form or description, the University Senate allowed itself to be led into the labyrinths of the mystically

The truth, as every discerning Nigerian knows, is far more complex; and real men accept their fallibility rather than glory in selfdelusional infallibility

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Wealth Fund and the Excess Crude Account, a faux pas of monumental proportions.

Since Lai Mohammed is all about the cheap political sound bite devoid of sound reasoning, it is important to slay the imaginary demons he is fighting where the Sovereign Wealth Fund and the Excess Crude Accounts are concerned.

Bloomberg, the international financial news outlet, recently reported that: “Foreign investors closely monitor the Excess Crude Account, which has helped attract high portfolio flows to Nigeria in the past two years.” And Lai Mohammed should know that Nigerians closely monitor the Sovereign Wealth Fund as an indicator of how well the government of the day is preparing for future generations.

Of course, it is not as if Lai Mohammed is not aware of these facts. His grouse is simply because, instead of his beloved APC, the Jonathan-led PDP administration is the one that initiated the Sovereign Wealth Fund with three sub funds: the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund, the Future Generations Fund and the Stabilization

propelled, with this arcane outcome.

Now, they have ended up with the abominable, by usurping the powers of the Governing Council, telescoping a process of awarding the title of a “Professor Emeritus” which is a painstaking decision beginning with facts and figures of academic contribution, fecund production of research materials and graduates, as well as administrative contributions, which were prolifically delivered

by Professor Onokerhoraye who served the university meritoriously as a lecturer/ reseacher, Head of Department, Dean of faculty, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor.

That the duo of Oshodi and Ogboghodo will attempt to blight such contributions by a stroke of the pen over unstated personal differences is a matter of profound concern to all stakeholders of the university. That a university senate allowed itself to open such an honoured position to the facile and subjective whim of administrative chicanery without scrutiny, is an ultimate climbdown that will come to haunt many.

Indeedthese recent actions by the duo ofOshodi and Ogboghodo, are creating the worse forms of negative attribution for the administration of the UNIBEN brand, a brand which many in their collective and individual endeavours all over the world have toiled with brain and brawn to earn and continue to earn with merit and honour. *Dr. Umunna,, a development expert and UNIBEN alumnus, wrote from Pretoria, South Africa.

Fund as its pillars. Lai Mohammed would have been pleased if these people-oriented initiatives were carried out by the APC, but since it was done by the PDP it must be condemned despite the benefits to the Nigerian people. What a crying shame!

For Lai Mohammed, the Federal Government, since it is formed by the PDP, must be saddled with the blame for any unfortunate happenings in the country, including those in APC states like the Boko Haram insurgency that has ravaged Borno and parts of Yobe and Adamawa states.

However, if any success is recorded anywhere, only the APC deserves to take credit since, in Lai Mohammed’s Goebbelsian logic, it is the only flawless entity in Nigeria. This is what makes Lai Mohammed a mock man, for the truth, as every discerning Nigerian knows, is far more complex; and real men accept their fallibility rather than glory in self-delusional infallibility.

Like the perverted medical specialist in Soyinka’s Madmen and Specialists, Lai Mohammed would like nothing more than to imprison and torture President Jonathan with his version of events, however farfetched or wrongheaded they may be.

And while Jonathan maybe hampered by the decorum of his office to tell Lai Mohammed what he may do with himself and his pack of lies, those of us who are not similarly constrained have no problem whatsoever telling the Goebbelsian mass communication specialist to give up his needless mudslinging. *Mr. Ayelabowo, a political analyst, wrote from Ibadan, Oyo State.

46—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi did not give the impression of being the anchor of an administration on its way out when the team of visiting journalists met with him in the late hours of last Friday. As the team motored up the treacherous hill to the new Government House, Ayoba Villa, commissioned just yesterday, Fayemi was apparently still engaged in the duties of state.

The governor has been busy in the last few days with activities mainly focussed on commissioning what the administration has styled as legacy projects.

Dressed in a dark grey buba and sokoto, with white embroidery, Governor Fayemi took out one hour to respond to questions on his exit strategy, the lessons of his four year stewardship among other issues.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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HERE has been an influx of notable personalities to Ekiti State in the past few weeks to commission projects by your administration. Why did you keep it till the tail end?

First, let me say that it is just a co-incidence that you are seeing the galaxy of stars in Ekiti at this particular period.

If you recall, you would also confirm that consistently in the last four years, every October we commission a whole series of projects and people come here. We have had even international personalities visit us to do one commissioning or the other. And it is always taking place around or about this period.

It just so happened that for this particular fourth anniversary we also had to showcase what we have been able to do in a much more comprehensive manner in the last four years. Particularly, in

that whichever way you want to look at it, this was not the Ekiti we met. The Ekiti we met was in many ways different from what we are today. We didn’t have the kind of facilities we have now. Not just on government’s side. What is often not mentioned is that there is a great measure of growth in the private sector activities that we didn’t have then.

I always cite the increase in the number of available hotel room space in decent hotels as a measure of the economic growth and investment in the state. We used to have just two decent hotels when I became governor here; Fountain Hotel and Pathfinder Hotel.

But now, less than four years after, we have had an upsurge of at least ten very decent hotels and an increase from 500 to 2500 rooms and they are still not enough. In fact, some of the hotels are doing extension of their facilities now. If you go to Prosperous or Midas, you will see the extension being built

,

What we have seen in the courts in Ekiti is monumental travesty that really shouldn’t be supported by any right thinking person

the last two years because the projects we are commissioning now are the projects done in the last one year. Last year we commissioned Ikogosi Warm springs Resort, we also commissioned most of the road projects; we haven’t really commissioned roads this time around except the local government roads. And we have projects we refer to as legacy projects, one of which you are currently inside (The Ayoba Villa). They are mostly the projects that we have commissioned in this current phase.

But I think it basically seeks to demonstrate that for us it has been a legacy of service and sacrifice to our people and on

,

by the hoteliers, not to mention The Jewel, Queens and Delight.

With the olive branch you extended to your incoming successor, Nigerians were expecting a smooth relationship between you two but at what point did things get bad?

One thing I always say is that I’m not given to playing to the gallery. I’ll not denigrate this office. As an occupant of the office, I hold it in high esteem.

That is why I sought the position and I also hold high anyone who has either held the office or is coming into the office. And I’m not going to get into personality issue. Suffice it to say though, that the record

•Fayemi: Mine is a legacy of service

I am going back to the classroom — Fayemi speaks for itself.

There is no place you will find me or my Chief Press Secretary cast aspersion in the last three months. Instead, what you will see are people who cast aspersions and then withdraw the aspersion.

For me, there is even nothing wrong in pushing the frontiers of debates but push it on the basis of facts. The steps I took which many saw as unusual, I didn’t see as unusual. I’ve given you the context. I knew the machination behind what transpired in Ekiti and I knew the next phase they were about to move to. I chose to rescue our people from that because I felt it would be double jeopardy.

And there is no apology for doing that.

Institutional manner This was why I then called the governor-elect; listen, I think it would help you to – since you said you have changedbehave more maturely. To approach this in an institutional manner, put your team together, send me a list of people that you want in your transition committee. Let your team meet with my team

and work through a process.

If there is anything that is confusing to you ask me questions. You have to be patient and also conduct yourself in that manner with a brother and a successor-inwaiting and you start reading statements contrary to what decorum dictates.

I’m not someone who will say don’t ask questions. As matter of fact, I do not expect you to come into any government and not review the activities of the past government. It’ll be irresponsible of you not to review what transpired, how did it transpire, are there gaps that you need to give us information on and if there isn’t we move on.

But if you choose not to do that, if you choose to play to the arena of public media because you are either soliciting sympathy in one form or another and creating the impression that what you are coming into is a failed state so to speak; then even if I don’t want to do it as a person, the institutions of government will not have a choice than to respond to say that you are just laying a foundation for the failure that you are going to be when you get into office.

So, take that away from it there is no breakdown. It’ll interest you to know that up to two days ago I was still signing up some papers for the government coming in. And as you all now know, there is a regular signing for support that has gone to the governor-elect since he won the election. Now that it is public information because THISDAY reported it today and I can confirm it to you. Well, I don’t know where they got their information from but they did. These are documented facts. There is no big deal in that. It did not happen in other transitions but I cannot claim to be civilized and exposed as much as I’m and not also borrow a leaf from other places.

Structural support If you have a person win an election in America today, automatically certain structural support base comes in to effect.

It is unofficial here. It is not even something that can be defended because I’ve no budget line for it. So if I choose to do that out of the contingency funds of the

Continues on page 47

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014—47

We have changed the face of Ekiti certain actions to clarify actions, to explain what I have done in office that is stewardship.

Anyone who has served must be prepared to render an account of stewardship, but even before I am called, I mean I have almost a 1,500-page hand-over note for the incoming administration and I am sure they would have enough to chew on and if they are not satisfied, I am sure they can ask questions as long as the questions are asked in a manner that does not impugn my character which I hold very dearly. And there is no reason why they should not be free to ask questions. It is a legitimate expectation of any new government to ask questions about what has transpired.

They need not necessarily be negative, they may just be because there are things I would have loved to do with the incoming administration, but I wouldn’t be able to do because of the way the incoming administration has conducted itself.

Clearly, one of the things I promised for instance, I promised the World Bank, in the course of my tenure, they have eight projects in this state, so Ekiti became the major focused state in Nigeria.

Continued from page 46 government, it is not because I’m afraid of anybody and it is not because I owe anybody that but for me, I wanted the transition to be smooth, however, if someone coming into office prefers brickbat to reason, then clearly we will also have to respond to that.

Given the present tension in the state especially in the judiciary, do you expect the House of Assembly dominated by the APC to function after the transition?

Once brigandage and thuggery descend on any society, there is a problem.

What we have seen in the courts in Ekiti is monumental travesty that really shouldn’t be supported by any right thinking person. But to think that this is actually being choreographed and coordinated by elements within the Federal Government portends serious danger for Nigeria’s democracy and for the independence of the Judiciary.

Security apparatus I hope the Judiciary and all of us, all right-thinking Nigerians would stand up firm to challenge what is going on because the minute you start using the Military and other security apparatus to hound Judges, the Chief Judge of this state was locked out of his own office when he attempted to go into his own court yesterday.

This is not what was reported in the newspapers, you are hearing from me, that is what happened to the Chief Judge yesterday and his brother Judges. And you have the

•Fayemi:I am ready to defend my actions before, it is the Judiciary that is the new one. After all, the Assembly in Gbenga Daniel’s Ogun State was shut down for more than a year, many would recall what happened. So that is actually not new, it could happen.

So, what would you do?

Well, I am not going to reveal what we are going to do in a session like this, but we would cross the bridge when we get

,

I have already received a couple of offers both locally and internationally. I have a lot of jobs to do now

police commissioner and others who are in cahoots with those subverting the courts. I think there is no adjective to use for what is happening now, not even in the days of Military rule in this country was a court invaded and Judges beaten up.

They may disagree with you, they may invite you, they may use somebody to go and talk to you before they deliver judgment, but not even the Military in all of its brazenness adopted this jungle justice as a vehicle for getting their own way.

I think you are right if that is extended to the Assembly. Of course, that is the rumour that is common. We have seen that

,

there.

There is a rumour doing the round now that you are being considered for the vice presidency of APC, my question is that if that happens, what kind of vice president should Nigerians expect from you, especially if you are going to be vice-president to somebody like Buhari who is a military man and you being a democrat, since all the presidential aspirants are coming to commission your projects (laughs).

Well, the last time I checked, I am not aware that General AbduIsalami Abubbakar is a presidential aspirant in any party. As far as I am aware, I

thought he was just a statesman, a former head of state.

But to your question, let me start by saying that for me, I don’t even understand this notion of being considered. Do aspirants consider people for vice-presidency? I think the way it functions is that you become the candidate of a party and you look for somebody who could work with you and I think as far as the timetable of APC is concerned, we are far from that.

If your question is hypothetical, what are you going to do in the event that you are asked to be vicepresidential candidate to whoever emerges as the candidate of your party, basically, I would tell you, one, I am not in the race for presidency. Two, I am a party man through and through and if that were to happen, I certainly would give it a serious thought because if you look at the seat I am occupying, I really did not run for this seat. I am one of the luckiest Nigerians that you can refer to in that sense.

Quest towards consensus I was literally head-hunted for this job and some of our

leaders felt that I had what it took at the time to run for the position of governor in Ekiti State. And I wasn’t really one of the frontline people in the party then.

If you see the three of them, maybe it is in the quest towards the consensus that we are looking for in our party.

After your tenure, are you going back to the classroom?

Oh certainly, I am a permanent student. I have already received a couple of offers both locally and internationally. I have a lot of jobs to do now. If I am going to go out at all, it will just be for a short period to write and reflect on my experience in Ekiti, it would not be on a permanent basis.

You know, I have an on-going relationship with the University of Ibadan, the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies. I have that. And then, we just set up a Regional Institute for Peace and Governance in the Ekiti State University here, so either way, I am going back into the classroom, in one form or another.

If you are called upon by the next governor to come and defend certain actions, what will be your response?

Why not!? I expect that I would be called to defend

Projects in agriculture And they are worried now, they are very worried, they are concerned about what is going to happen to their projects and to things we have been doing.

We have projects in Agriculture, in water, we have in Education. I mean World Bank has over the last one year put in almost $150 million in this state and now, they have solicited, they have asked me to bring the new person so that we sit down, introduce him to them and reassure them that these things would be handled in the manner that would not make them regret the fund they have given.

Of course, their support is not personal, it is institutional. But in fund raising, we always say it is people that you are comfortable with that you will support and it is not an accident that Ekiti did not have that kind of support before I became governor here. So it is going to be a challenge. He would have to reassure development partners. They don’t have particularly nice stories to tell about past relationships with him. So I hope we don’t lose out, I hope the World Bank doesn’t withdraw their support from Ekiti.

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Ebola: US confirms second case, quarantines journalist T

HE United States has confirmed a second Ebola case in Texas while a journalist with NBC was quarantined in New Jersey at the weekend.

This came as top federal health officials said yesterday that the Ebola diagnosis in a health care worker who treated Thomas Eric Duncan at a Texas hospital clearly indicates a breach in safety protocol.

But the unidentified worker has been unable to pinpoint where that breach might have occurred, according to Dr. Tom Frieden, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Á single inadvertent slip can result in contamination,” he said during a briefing.

He said the CDC has recommended that the hospital where the worker is being treated — and where Duncan died Wednesday — should keep “to an absolute minimum” those who care for Ebola patients and should

•A team of US military personnel preparing to combat Ebola in West Africa. perform only those procedures that are essential to a patient’s treatment.

The agency also called on the hospital to put in place a “full-time individual responsible for oversight of infection control.”

“In terms of safe and effective care, we had already begun several days ago to ramp up the education and training of health care workers at this facility,” Frieden said. He cautioned that additional health care workers could develop Ebola even as he expressed confidence

that the “chain of Ebola” could be broken.

A Texas health care worker who treated an Ebola victim has tested positive for the deadly virus, dealing a blow to the worldwide battle to stem the outbreak. This came as members of NBC News crew who worked with a cameraman who contracted Ebola in Liberia have been quarantined.

A New Jersey health officials said the order was issued at the weekend after the crew members violated an agreement to voluntarily confine themselves.

...Spanish nurse conscious, sitting unaided

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HE Spanish nurse infected with Ebola was conscious and sitting unaided on Saturday, as three more people joined 12 others hospitalized in Madrid to be monitored for signs of the deadly disease.

Teresa Romero, 44, is the only person known to have caught the virus outside Africa. None of the 15 others still under observation has been diagnosed with Ebola so far, though the Spanish government is under fire for its handling both of Romero’s case and the threat of a wider outbreak of the disease.

Reuters images showed Romero alert and sitting upright in

her hospital room with an oxygen mask strapped to her face and responding to the hospital staff attending to her. She had taken a turn for the worse two days ago, health authorities said, and is

Silva endorses Neves for Brazil’s run-off

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RAZILIAN presidential hopeful Aecio Neves yesterday earned a key endorsement in his bid to defeat incumbent Dilma Rousseff — from environmentalist candidate Marina Silva.

The Social Democrat Neves lost to Rousseff in

27 Chinese hostages released in Cameroon

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EN Chinese and 17 local hostages have been released in Cameroon, where they were kidnapped earlier this year in raids blamed on the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram, Cameroon’s president said at the weekend.

“The 27 hostages abducted on May 16 in Waza and July 27 in Kolofata were released to the Cameroonian authorities this night,” President Paul Biya said in a statement on national

still considered critical.

“Teresa Romero’s condition has undergone no significant changes and is still serious, but stable,” a government Ebola committee said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.

radio.

The 10 Chinese citizens and other hostages, who also included the wife of Cameroon’s deputy prime minister, were all “safe and sound,” he said.

The Chinese were brought to Yaounde airport by military plane, an AFP correspondent said. As was the case in past kidnappings of foreigners blamed on Boko Haram, no details were given on how the hostages were freed.

the first round a week ago, but opinion polls now show him in a statistical dead heat with her ahead of the October 26 run-off — making Silva’s backing vital.

The pair are battling to run Latin America’s largest country of 202 million, which is also the world’s seventh-largest economy.

“Taking into account the policy commitments made

by Aecio Neves, I declare my support. I vote for Aecio Neves,” said Silva, whose once promising campaign flamed out in the first round.

Silva said the probusiness Neves had moved sufficiently close to her positions on several issues to warrant her endorsement.

“I see a swathe of historic commitments,” said Silva, citing his promise to maintain social welfare programs that have lifted tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty over the past decade.

50 —V anguard —Vanguard anguard,,

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MOND AY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 MONDA

Vanguard anguard,,

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52— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Mikel, Ejide preach concentration

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HUMBLED: Super Eagles players listen to their coach before training ahead of the return clash with Sudan on Wednesday.

UPER Eagles star midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has emphasized the need to concentrate on the next three games instead of whining over last Saturday’s 0-1 loss to Sudan in Khartoum.

The Chelsea midfield man, who himself was hysteric immediately after the game in the dressing room, later at the team’s hotel and even while the team was flying home aboard the chartered Sudan Airways plane, said the team in particular and

Keshi, Enyeama beg Nigerians Nigeria’s Super Eagles returned to the country yesterday morning after the shock 0-1 loss to host Sudan in a crucial Nations Cup qualifier in Khartoum, to a cold reception from Nigerians, which was expected, going by the passion Nigerians have for the game.

An obviously disturbed Head Coach of the team Stephen Okechukwu Keshi and team skipper, Vincent Enyeama, later took time off to assess the situation and agreed that despite the fact that all hopes were not lost in the battle

for qualification, Nigerians deserve a better deal from the team.

Keshi, who spoke first to a handful of sports journalists, said he was disappointed at the result like every other Nigerian, as he had hoped to use the game to kick-start Nigeria’s quest for a back to back Nations Cup trophy. “I must ask you to help me apologise to Nigerians for this loss because they have so much belief in this team and here we are disappointing them. I want to apologise to

Chukwu, Lawal Continues from BP 2015 AFCON qualification on one point, Sudan moved to the third spot, while South Africa leads on seven points, followed by Congo on six points.

Shocked by Eagles’ unexpected defeat in the hands of the Sudanese, Chukwu said Keshi does not need to wait any longer but take the exit option.

“This is football for you, Keshi won the 2013 AFCON title and took us to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil and everyone was completely happy.

“Now that he has not done well so far in the qualifiers to the AFCON 2015 in Morocco, Nigerians definitely won’t be happy with him, “the former Green Eagles captain said.

He added: “When Samson Siasia didn’t qualify Nigeria for the 2012 AFCON, he was fired, so Keshi knows what to expect from his employer with this painful defeat.

“Keshi has no contract at the moment, so there is nothing anybody will lose. I think he knows exactly what to expect, though that decision is left with the Nigeria Football Federation.

“That’s how the coaching job is, ups and downs. At one point you’re a hero and at another time you become a villain.

“Though I didn’t watch the match, but defeat was the last thing I expected. I’m deeply shocked to learn that it’s over for us as far as Maroc 2015 AFCON is concerned.”

Nigerians and promise them we will make an immediate amend on Wednesday.

Enyeama, spoke in a similar vein, appealing to Nigerians not to lose faith in the team. “We didn’t go out there to lose to Sudan but it has happened and that is now history and I apologise on behalf of my teammates for that but we must quickly forgive and forget because we have a game on Wednesday and if we win that and our last two games, we will still be in Morocco”, he said confidently.

P

•Mikel

(UPDC), for their contributions to the development of the game in the country. He lauded the participants for their sportsmanship and dedication throughout the competition.

In his address, Mr Hakeem Ogunniran, Managing Director of UACN Property Development company expressed the company’s continued support for the annual event and promised to make the event bigger and better in the years to come.

Eagles Continues from BP in third spot while South Africa are the new leaders on seven points followed by Congo on six points.

there was need for Nigerians to come together and support the team at times like this instead of condemning the team. “It’s at times like this that we need the media and all of Nigerians but what we hear is condemnation, crucify them. That will not help the team.”

Federer wins Shanghai Masters Federer, 33, won the

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OGER Federer won his first Shanghai Masters title with a straight-sets victory over Gilles Simon.

The Swiss world number three let out a huge roar after unseeded Frenchman Simon hit a forehand into the net to give him a 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-2) victory.

“To win the biggest tournament in Asia is a treat,” said Federer, who lost in the 2010 final to Briton Andy Murray.

“I got lucky to come through the first round after saving five match points. It’s been a dream week.”

opening set with his only backhand winner down the line.

Simon led 6-5 in the second set and had two set points but two unforced errors allowed Federer a way back and the 17-time Grand Slam winner took advantage.

For 29-year-old Simon, who went off court for a medical time-out after the first set, it was a second defeat in a Masters final, having lost in Madrid to Murray in 2008.

He matched Federer for much of the match from the baseline but the Swiss dominated when he came to the net, winning 24 of 35 points.

Sports Editors

UPDC Tennis Grandslam ends in style INEVILLE Estate team at the weekend emerged champions of the 2014 UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) sponsored Tennis Grand Slam at the Ikoyi club 1938. The victorious team defeated Golf Estate team 33-12 in a highly entertainng match.

Speaking at the event, Mr Ede Osemwengie, Chairman of the Tennis section Ikoyi club 1938 commended the tournament sponsors

Nigerians in general must quickly forget the ugly past and concentrate on the remaining three games.

“While I can’t still believe we lost that game, it’s important to move ahead."

Goalkeeper Austin Ejide, spoke in a similar vein but added that

The Eagles will host the Sudanese side in a return fixture of the 2015 Afcon qualifiers on Wednesday at the Abuja National Stadium.

Continues from BP the AFCON qualifier in Abuja on Wednesday.

‘The Guild feels Keshi should not be honoured with a place on the Super Eagles bench on Wednesday in the reverse fixture after toying with the emotions of over 100 million football loving Nigerians through his unnecessary arrogance, unguarded and sometimes insulting utterances as well as questionable invitation of players to the national team,”said the Guild’s president Tony Ubani in a statement on Sunday.

‘We also want the NFF not to re-open contract extension talks with Keshi who seems to have lost the motivation to take the Eagles beyond where they are now.’’

The body wants the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF to take a holistic look at football development in Nigeria starting with the leagues. ‘’The success of any

country ’s football depends on how it is able to develop its league to not only provide quality players for the various national teams but also provide employment for millions of Nigerians.’’

The body cited England who last won a major tournament some 48 years ago but its FA has developed its league to be the best in the world with millions of job opportunities for its people and wished the new NFF emulated them.

Ubani said: ‘’We demand a total restructuring of the various leagues and an enforcement of all laws guiding club football in Nigeria. A situation where clubs do not have youth teams and where players’ salaries are not paid promptly cannot engender growth. We want the new NFF executive committee to be bold in taking some decisions on the administration of football in the country,” Ubani said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 — 53

Uyo Stadium won't be under utilized —Amaju assures Bassey

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RESIDENT of Ni geria Football Federation (NFF), Pinnick Amaju has assured that the brand new Akwa Ibom stadium, Uyo, will not be under utilized, even as he declared the magnificent arena as the new home of the Super Eagles.

Amaju who spoke in Uyo last week after inspecting the stadium alongside his board members stated that the edifice was too sweet to be left fallow without seeing regular soccer action. “What I have seen here is awesome.

This is unarguably the best stadium in the country today and in the whole of West Africa."

It is simply going to be the new home of the Super Eagles and beyond hosting South Africa here on November

19, we are going to return to the stadium in February during the FIFA match free window.

We are going to play a grade A friendly here,” Amaju stated.

The NFF boss was full of praise for the Akwa Ibom state governor, Godswill Akpabio for

constructing the stadium, even as he charged other state governments to emulate the governor who is transforming Akwa Ibom in an uncommon way.

“Honestly, what Akpabio has done deserves commendation. If we have two or three more of this kind of stadium,

we can begin to think of bidding for the World Cup,” Amaju said.

The 30,000 capacity stadium is to be commissioned November 6 by President Goodluck Jonathan, ahead of the November 19 Nigeria, South Africa Nations Cup qualifier to be decided there.

•Governor Godswill Akpabio and Paul Bassey at the Uyo International Stadium.

Wenger apologises for ‘regrettable’ touchline clash with Mourinho

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RSENAL manag er Arsene Wenger has apologised for his touchline clash with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho during the 20 loss at Stamford Bridge.

Wenger and Mourinho were involved in a touchline spat during the London derby which saw the Frenchman shove the Portuguese, as well as the pair ex-

change choice words.

The 64-year-old Frenchman initially defended his actions in the aftermath of the game and claimed he had ‘nothing to apologise for’, but he has taken to French TV to reveal he ‘regrets’ the incident.

Wenger, speaking to Telefoot yesterday, said: ‘They gave too much importance to this story.

In hindsight I think I

should not have reacted at all, it’s not a way to behave on a football field. ‘I always regret any signs of violence and I apologise, but that’s part of games where everything is manic and then we have quite a substantial past.

Did Mourinho provoke me? That is how I felt. I did not enter Chelsea’s technical area.

Interestingly, Mourin-

ho also spoke to the same French TV station about the already infamous incident. But the Chelsea boss refused to add further fuel to the fire by giving his opinion on the clash.

‘Wenger will explain what he wants to explain,’ Mourinho said.

‘I will not say more. I have no words to explain what everybody else saw in those images.’ The

apology from Arsenal boss Wenger comes despite his insistence he had done nothing wrong on the touchline at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking immediately after the game, Wenger said: ‘I don’t regret it, what is there to regret?

‘I want to go from A to B and Mourinho confronted me before I got to B without any sign of a welcome.’

54—V anguard 54—Vanguard anguard,,

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MOND AY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 MONDA

Vanguard anguard,,

MOND AY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 MONDA

—55

VANGUARD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014

Eagles booed in Abuja T

HE Super Eagles got an unwanted reception by aggrieved fans at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, yesterday on arrival from Sudan.

The angry fans booed

Chukwu, Lawal want Keshi out F

OLLOWING Ni geria’s 0-1 loss to Sudan in Saturday African Nations Cup qualifier in Khartoum, former Super Eagles’ manager, Christian Chukwu, has asked the team caretaker coach, Stephen Keshi, to resign honourably.

The African champions suffered a shock defeat to the East Africans in a match played at the Municipal Stadium in Khartoum.

Forward, Bakeber Bakri scored the match winner in the 42nd minute to hand his side the three points.

Nigeria now sits at the base of Group A in the Continues on Page 52

•Keshi

the team as security officials had a hectic time controlling them.

Sudan dealt Nigeria a serious major blow to qualify for next year ’s AFCON in Morocco after they stunned the African champions 1-0 in Khartoum on Saturday.

Nigeria will now need to win their remaining three matches at home against Sudan and South Africa and away in Congo to have any mathematical chance of advancing to the 2015 AFCON. Bakeber Bakri scored the match winner in the 42nd minute to hand Su-

dan the three needed points.

The Super Eagles touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwi International Airport around 9am local time (10am CAT) on Sunday to meet angry fans and workers who booed them.

It took the intervention of armed security men before the Super Eagles were allowed to board a bus from the airport.

Nigeria now sit at the base of Group A in the 2015 Afcon qualification on one point. Sudan are Continues on Page 52

Group A Table South Africa Congo Sudan Nigeria

3 3 3 3

2 2 1 0

1 0 0 1

0 1 2 2

5 5 1 2

0 4 5 4

5 1 -4 -2

7 6 3 1

Why Keshi must go — Sports Editors T HE Guild of Sports Editors, the umbrella body of all managers of sports in the Nigerian media, has called for the immediate removal of Stephen Keshi as caretaker coach of the Super Eagles following Saturday’s disgraceful

loss to Sudan in a 2015 AFCON qualifier in Khartoun. The body wants the new executive committee of the Nigeria Football Federation to ask Keshi to stay away from the team for the reverse fixture of Continues on Page 52

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Compact (5) 7 Cut (4) 8 Combined (6) 9 Saying (5) 11 Girl’s (3) 13 Delve (3) 15 Flag (4) 16 Border (3) 18 Scoff (4)\ 19 Widespread (7) 20 Enormous (4) 22 Intend (4) 23 Durable (7) 25 Prophet (4) 27 Heated (3) 28 Lake (4) 30 Bird (3) 31 Performed (3) 33 Emblem (5) 36 Rescind (6) 37 Frustrate (4) 38 Important (5)

DOWN 1 Go in (5) 2 Spring (3) 3 Meadow (3) 4 Owing (3) 5 Hairpiece (3) 6 Contradict (5) 10 Valley (4) 11 Tallest (7) 12 Curl (7) 13 Erased (7) 14 Permitted (7) 16 Moor (5) 17 Intended (5) 18 Preserve (3) 21 Spike (3) 24 Jot (4) 26 Sea-duck (5) 29 Inflexible (5) 32 Intimidate (3) 33 Plead (3) 34 Expire (3) 35 Newt (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Greed 5, System 8, Nudge 10, Settee 11, Arid 14, Relate 15, Deficit 18, Pot 19, Dab 21, Rest 23, Melee 24, Less 27, Don 29, Tip 31, Negated 32, Reeled 34, Pear 35, Trance 38, Ached 39, Gentry 40, Deity.

DOWN: 2, Rue 3, Entail 4, Due 5, Sear 6, Sailor 7, Modest 9, Decided 12, Rep 16, Ease 17, Talon 20, Beneath 22, Safe 24, Luring 25, Step 26, Silent 28, Parade 30, Pea 33, Dray 36, Red 37, Cut.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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