I chose new Service Chiefs on merit - BUHARI

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62448

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Oil subsidy remains for now— BUHARI 14

I chose new Service Chiefs on merit—BUHARI

•Senate to confirm new appointments •It’s long overdue –Sagay, Ajulo, Ekujumi, others

•FG earns $14.7bn as NLNG dividend in 15 yrs

14

THE NEW SERVICE CHIEFS, NSA

By Clifford Ndujihe, Ben Agande, Dapo Akinrefon & Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA— In an apparent bid to rejig the nation’s security apparatus in the wave of growing insurgent attacks and suicide bombings, President Muhammadu Buhari, 45 days after assuming office, yesterday sacked all the service chiefs and appointed replacements whom he said were chosen on merit.

The new security helmsmen are Major-

Continues on Page 5

•Major -General Abayomi Olonisakin, •Air Vice Marshal Sadique Chief of Defence Staff

Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff

•Rear-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff

Okonjo-Iweala withdrew $1bn for Jonathan's re-election — Oshiomhole •Allegations not credible, says exFinance Minister

13

Mr & Mrs •Major-General T.Y. Buratai, Chief of Army Staff

•Air Vice Marshal Morgan Monday Riku, •Major-General Babagana Monguno (retd), Chief of Defence Intelligence

Church/widow land scuffle takes new turn as 'Dead' land vendor reappears C M Y K

Se eI ns ide

COLUMNIST: Trump trumps, irks Republican Party •P.47

National Security Adviser

ALLEGED FRAUD: Oronsaye, ex-Head of Service docked, released 8

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 3

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON more detail,” President Buhari told the new service chiefs.

NEW SERVICE CHIEFS—From left: Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice

Marshal Sadique Abubakar; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan and the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno during their meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

I chose new Service Chiefs on merit—BUHARI Continues from page 1 General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (Chief of Defence Staff); MajorGeneral T.Y. Buratai (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Chief of Naval Staff) and Air ViceMarshal Sadique Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff). The rest are Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan (Chief of Defence Intelligence) and retired Major-General Babagana Monguno (National Security Adviser) This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.

The statement said the new Service Chiefs would hold their appointments in an acting capacity until confirmed by the Senate.

Those relieved of their

jobs yesterday include Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. Others are Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Usman Jibrin; and Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu.

Badeh and the former Army, Air Force and Naval chiefs were appointed by former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in January 2014, a month after he sacked the previous top brass.

That followed a daring raid against a military installation in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, which saw aircraft destroyed and weapons seized.

“The President has relieved the service chiefs, including the heads of the Army, Air Force and Navy of their appointments,”

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry its own weight, this is a frightening prospect —Eleanor Roosevelt

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UT while it may sound frightening at first, taking responsibility for our lives soon becomes a very empowering prospect. The simple but powerful act of realizing our responsibility will create a shift in our thoughts, our emotions, our actions and, therefore, our lives. Going even further, accept that you are also responsible for everything that has happened in your life so far, even before you have decided to become a conscious creator.

Also know that you cannot be anything other than your thought manifestations. With every single thought, we create our reality. The difference is that in the past we have created unconsciously which has often lead to undesired effects; now we decide to realize the intentional power of our thoughts and to create the lives we want to have.

Responsibility in this context simply means the realization that you are the architect of your life through your thoughts, your actions and your decisions.

Femi Adesina stated, adding, “President Buhari thanks the outgoing service chiefs and National Security Adviser for their services to the nation and wishes them well in their future endeavours.”

Buratai, from Borno State — the worst affected by the insurgency — has been commander of the new, strengthened regional force against Boko Haram which is due to be deployed later this month.

A new commander for the multi-national force will now be appointed, Adesina said.

You were chosen on merit — Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the appointment of the new Service Chiefs was on merit.

Addressing them shortly after their appointments were announced, the President also called on them to show utmost commitment to their new duties, urging them to regain the lost glory of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

He promised to send their names immediately to the senate for confirmation.

“All of you, including the National Security Adviser, were chosen on merit. Your records gave you the job. Save for the new Chief of Army Staff whom I briefly met at his Command at the MultiNational Joint Task Force, in Chad, I don’t know any of you. Your records recommended you.

“Legally, you are in acting capacity until the National Assembly accepts you. It is only then that you will take the oath of office. Thereafter, we will sit down and talk in

Their sack long overdue The move elicited commendations from some eminent Nigerians, who said it was long overdue, given the increasing wave of the Boko Haram insurgency.

The military command has come under heavy criticism for its poor handling of the six-year insurgency that has seen the deaths of more than 15,000 people and forced another 1.5 million to flee their homes.

Under the commanders’ watch, the militants captured swathes of territory, including towns and villages in the remote North-East in its quest to establish a hardline Islamic state.

In addition, the sacked military chiefs were unable to free more than 200 schoolgirls abducted in the North-eastern town of Chibok on April 14 last year, despite repeated promises.

Boko Haram has stepped up its attacks since Buhari became president on May 29, with a wave of raids, explosions and suicide bombings against civilians. About 600 people have been killed since May 29, 2015.

The surge in violence has sparked concern that gains made by the armies of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon against the insurgents since February this year are being eroded.

Profile of the new service chiefs Major-General T.Y. Buratai – Chief of Army Staff Major General TY Buratai who hails from Borno State was the Force Commander of the MultiNational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) before his appointment. He has served as Director at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja and also served as the Brigade Commander at 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army Port Harcourt as well as Commander, Joint Task Force, Operation PULO SHIELD. Maj-Gen. Buratai has also served as Commander of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry in Jaji, Kaduna State.

Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd.) – National Security Adviser Has worked as Commander, Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), in Minna, Niger State.

Major-General

Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin – Chief of Defence Staff The new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Olonisakin (N/6901) hails from Ekiti State. Until his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff , he was the Head of the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command in Minna, Niger State.

Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas – Chief of Naval Staff He hails from Cross River State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 26th Regular Course in 1979 and was commissioned as a SubLieutenant in 1983. His previous appointments include Naval ProvostMarshal, Chief Staff Officer, Naval Training Command, Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command and Chief of Logistics, Naval Headquarters. Until his appointment as Chief of Naval Staff, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Navy Holdings Limited.

Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar – Chief of Air Staff (NAF/1433) hails from Bauchi State. His previous appointments include Chief of Standards and Evaluation, NAF Headquarters; Chief of D e f e n c e Communications and Air Officer Commanding, NAF Training Command.

Until his new appointment as Chief of Air Staff, he was the Chief of Administration, NAF Headquarters.

DSS hails Monguno’s appointment

Reacting to the appointment, both serving and retired officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) expressed satisfaction with the appointment of Major-General Babagana Monguno as the National Security

Adviser over former Chief of Army Staff, General Abdulrahman Dambazzau who had been widely touted as favourite for the job.

Some operatives of the service who spoke with Vanguard shortly after the new set of security chiefs were announced noted that with the appointment of Monguno as the NSA, there is bound to be greater inter-agency cooperation amongst the nation’s security agencies.

They deserved to be sacked—Sagay Constitutional lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, said the decision by the President to sack the NSA and service chiefs was expected.

Sagay said: “In fact, it has taken too long. These were all Jonathan’s men, loyal to Jonathan, who were ready to sabotage the election in order to allow Jonathan re-plan.

These are all anti-Buhari and anti-APC people.

They should have been sacked long ago. Their sack was overdue, they deserved to be sacked.”

It’s long overdue —Ajulo, LP scribe Sagay has a soul mate in the National Secretary of the Labour Party, LP, Dr Kayode Ajulo, who also said, ‘’the sack is long overdue, there is nothing unusual in the sack of the service chiefs.”

It’s kudos to Buhari –Ekujumi Also speaking, the National Chairman of the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM), Nelson Ekujumi, congratulated President Buhari on the move and urged him to probe the role of the former service chiefs in the war against the Boko Haram insurgency.

His words: "We regard this sack as a long awaited and welcome development which will go a long way in repositioning and enhancing our democracy".

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

One injured in renewed cult clash at Ughelli

By Perez Brisibe

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GHELLI—THERE was pandemonium yesterday evening at Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, as suspected cultists, numbering over eight, unleashed mayhem on an unidentified male, who is in his early twenties.

The incident, which occurred by the Ughelli Central Garage, along Market Road, saw passersby and residents of the area fleeing for safety as the suspected cultists freely used cutlasses and battle axes on the victim.

When Vanguard visited the scene, policemen from Ughelli Area Command were patrolling the area in search of the suspects.

An eyewitness said: “The victim was running, while the attackers were using cutlasses and other weapons on him till he outran them.”

Welding gas explosion kills 7 people, injures 2 in Jigawa

By Aliyu Dangida

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UTSE—NO fewer than seven people lost their lives, while two others sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of gas explosion at Ruba village market in Kafin Hausa Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The gas was being used

by a welder, when the explosion occurred.

It was learned that the cause of the incident, which occurred at exactly 12:23p.m. is yet to be ascertained, but Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, said investigation was ongoing.

Commandant of the corps, Jigawa State, Dr. Muhd Fari,

who also confirmed the incident, said seven persons were killed by the explosion, while two others were injured.

He said in Dutse, yesterday, that while the injured were taken to hospitals, the remains of the dead were taken to their respective homes for burial.

According to him, the two legs of the operator of the

welding machine were seriously damaged.

Dr. Gidado said the cause of the incident was yet to be known, adding that investigation was on to ascertain its cause to avert a recurrence.

He also advised the public to be cautious in using inflammable materials.

FUEL MARKETER:

A black market fuel operator, Mr. Innocent Nwevo (right), who was arrested with 47 50-litre jerry cans, for illegal hoarding and selling of fuel at Ogba, Lagos, paraded at Ojodu Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Secretariat, Okera, Ogba, Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

Nurse kidnapped in Aba

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

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BA—KIDNAPPERS, last Friday, abducted a nurse at Starline area of Ogbor Hill, Aba, Abia State.

The nurse, whose name was given as Uchechi Stephen, was seized by the kidnappers at about 8p.m. as she made to drive into her compound at Starline area.

A source told Vanguard that the woman was about to drive into her compound, when the kidnappers swooped on her, pointing a gun at her from behind.

The source said: “The female nurse runs a chemist shop at Opobo Road. She was on her way home after close of work, not knowing the kidnappers were lying in wait for her.

“They whisked her away without wasting time. It is like they trailed her home.”

At press time, it could not be confirmed if the kidnappers had made contact with the family of the nurse.

According to sources in the area, no week passes without one or two residents being abducted.

Policewoman arrested over death of ex-husband

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—DELTA State Police Command has apprehended a female police sergeant over alleged connection in the murder of her male colleague, simply identified as Kelechi.

The suspect, who was identified as Helen, according to a dependable source, was married to Kelechi. There was said to be a disagreement, which led to their separation.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Kelechi met his death when he visited the home of the suspect, Helen, at Umuokwe village to see his daughter.

“Kelechi has lived in this neighbourhood over the years before he was transferred outside the state. He just came into town a day ago and decided to see his daughter, who is living with Helen.

“I feel that his decision to visit his daughter infuriated Helen, who raised alarm that Kelechi was a thief and had come to kidnap her daughter.

“Some youths in the neighbourhood gathered and attacked Kelechi and killed him in the process.”

Another source, a student,

who gave her name as Gift, said the killing of the policeman had brought apprehension to the neighbourhood.

She said: “Since last Thursday, most people living around here have run away from their homes. We are afraid

that police will start arresting everybody around here.”

Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, said the suspect was being held in custody along with her accomplices in the killing of a

policeman last Thursday at Ogwashi-Uku. Kalu said: “The suspect has been arrested and detained along with other culprits, who took part in the killing of the policeman. The case is currently under investigation.”

4 docked for cultism, 17 for armed robbery, breach of peace

By Jane Echewodo

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AGOS—FOUR men have been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly forming an unlawful society, known as Aiye Confraternity, a secret cult.

This came as 17 men were arraigned before same court for allegedly conducting themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by molesting and causing havoc to innocent passers-by and robbery.

The suspected cultists include Good, 18; Lilly, 18; Bidemi, 23; and Babasola, 18.

The defendants were alleged to have committed the offence on June 22, at Isawo Road in Western Lodge Hotel, Agric

Bus Stop, Ikorodu, Lagos.

According to the prosecutor, Samson Ekikere, the offence is punishable under Section 409 and 42(a)(b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the twocount charge of felony and unlawful society slammed on them before the court.

Magistrate Y. O. Aje-Afunwa, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties, who must have verifiable addresses.

She subsequently adjourned the matter till November 9 for mention.

The 17 suspects arraigned for allegedly conducting themselves in a disorderly

manner are Ismaila 20; Yusuf,18; Kabiru, 19; Adeleke, 29; Afolabi, 27; Shehu, 20; Ibrahim, 28.

Others are Afolabi, 27; Lawal, 20; Joel,18; Okafor,28; Kareem, 22; Usman, 20; Obasi,26; Ibrahim, 28; Ayuba, 35 and Abubakar, 21.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

This prompted the court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Y. O. Aje-Afunwa, to grant them bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties, who must be gainfully employed with verifiable addresses.

She adjourned the matter till October 21 for DPP’s advice.

They are all facing a three-

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—7

I D P S ' SCHOOL: Pupils

of School-WithoutWalls having their lunch at the Internally-Displaced Persons, IDPs, Camp, New Kuchingoro Village, Abuja, NAN yesterday.

PHOTO.

LAND DISPUTE: Man beheads neighbour in Benue

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—A middleaged man (names withheld) has been arrested by Benue State Police Command for allegedly beheading his neighbour over a land dispute.

Vanguard gathered from a source that the suspect allegedly killed his victim at Utonkon in Ado Local Government Area of the state, , yesterday morning.

According the source, the deceased, who hailed from Ado local government, had been at loggerheads with the suspected killer who hailed from neighbouring Oju, over a disputed piece of land.

The source said: “Both men and their respective families have been quarrelling over a piece of land that is located around the boundaries of both Ado and Oju local government areas.

“We heard that both men met in the farm this morning (yesterday) and a fight ensued between them in the bush without anybody knowing.

“The suspect eventually overpowered the deceased and killed him with a machete after which he cut off his head and buried his body in a shallow grave inside the farm.

“He was running away with the head in a polythene bag when he was caught by members of the local security outfit in the village, who eventually took him to Otukpo Police Area Command, where he is currently being interrogated.”

While speaking to reporters at the Police Station in Otukpo, the suspect said the victim threatened to kill him during an argument.

When contacted, Benue

State Police Public Relations Office, Assistant Superintendent Austin Ezeani,

who confirmed the incident, said the matter was being investigated.

He said: “The suspect is being held at the Otukpo Area Command, where he is being interrogated. He is a native of

Oju, while his victim hailed from Ado, all Benue State.”

Vanguard learned that the killing had sparked anger in Ado, with the people of the area threatening a reprisal attack on the people of Oju.

... as another kills step-brother in Anambra zPolice launch manhunt for alleged tenant's killer

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—ANAMBRA State Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old man (names withheld) from Umuohi Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area for allegedly killing his step-brother during a fight.

When police visited the area, the deceased was allegedly found in a pool of his blood. His body was later deposited at Okija General Hospital morgue

by the police.

Elsewhere at Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area, a middle-aged man, Tochukwu Maduekwe, who allegedly murdered his father’s tenant, is on the run and is being hunted by police.

It was gathered that Maduekwe, 20, stabbed the tenant, David Anukenyi, 42, following a squabble with his father over electricity bill brought by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC.

When the incident happened, the victim was taken to Iyienu Hospital, Ogidi, where he was confirmed dead.

The matter was reported to the police by his younger brother, one Chijioke Anukenyi, at Ogidi Divisional Police station.

Both cases, Vanguard learned, had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, in Awka.

Ovwian youths on rampage, as bullion van cuts off girl's legs

By Akpokona Omafuaire

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ARRI—THERE was tension, yesterday, at Ovwian, Delta State, as youths attempted to burn down a bank, whose bullion van, while driving against traffic on Udu Road, crushed a young girl’s legs.

Vanguard gathered that the bullion crashed into a tipper that was moving in the opposite direction, and then hit the girl, who was unfortunately at the scene.

It could not be ascertained at press time if the girl survived the accident, but it was learned that she was rushed to a hospital in the area.

An eyewitness said youths in the area took to the streets in protest and tried to set ablaze the bank, which owned the bullion van. It took the timely intervention of security men, who shot into the air, to disperse the protesters.

President-General of Ovwian residents association was not available for comment at press time and this reporter was almost man-handled by the youths for requesting for the telephone number of the president-general.

The intervention of an indigene, who knew him, saved his skin.

Divisional Police Officer of Ovwian Police Station could not be reached for comments on the matter.

How stray bullet killed Police officer in Lagos

By Esther Onyegbula

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TTEMPT by a soldier to scare away officials of Lagos State Transport Management Agency, LASTMA, for trying to tow a military truck he was escorting to Kaduna State, has led to the tragic death of a police officer on patrol around the area.

The incident, which occurred between Idiroko and Anthony bus stop, Lagos, saw motorists and passers-by scampering for safety.

Vanguard learned that the soldier was officially detailed to convey a white and yellow truck, belonging to the Nigeria Army, to Kaduna State.

On his way, the truck broke down at Idiroko bus stop, and he decided to sleep inside till

dawn.

Some LASTMA officials decided to tow it to their office.

However, trouble started

when the officials knocked at the driver’s side.

Immediately, the soldier was said to have got down from the

truck with his rifle and started shooting indiscriminately into the air and at the LASTMA officials.

Assassination attempt in Benin foiled, native doctor, five others arrested

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—THE Police in Zone 5, Benin, have arrested six persons, including a native doctor, allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate one Etinosa Ighodalo of lyowa in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Also arrested and paraded before newsmen is one Stephen Enakhare Oshoma alleged to be a notorious fraudster, who

specialised in forging corporate institutions documents, such as university degree certificates, school certificates, driver ’s license and bank statements, among others.

According to the zonal Public Relations Officer of the Police, ASP Emeka Iheanacho, the suspects were arrested following a tip-off from members of the public.

According to him, “the assassination attempt was due

to power tussle over local politics of who becomes the chairman of Iyowa.”

He said a list containing the name of the would-be victim and nine others marked for murder was recovered from the shrine.

Although the suspects denied the allegations, saying the names were drawn to ensure peace in the community, the native doctor said the suspects gave him the list of persons to be dealt with, but that he declined.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Alleged fraud: Oronsaye docked, released zAs EFCC kicks, opposes bail request

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA — JUSTICE Gabriel Kolawole of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, allowed the former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, to go home after he entered his plea to a 24-count criminal charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Oronsaye, who was alleged to have used some companies and diverted over N1.9 billion from the national treasury under the guise that the funds were used for biometric data capture project, secured his freedom yesterday despite the fact that the court is yet to hear his formal application for bail.

He was docked and released alongside his alleged accomplice, Mr. Osarenkhoe Afe. The firm that was allegedly used to perpetuate the fraud between March 2010 and December 2011—Frederick Hamilton and Global Services Limited—was also charged as the 3rd accused person in the matter.

For instance, in count one of the charge marked FHC/CR/ 297/2015, the EFCC alleged that on or about July 2, 2010, the accused persons collaborated in disguising genuine nature of the sum of N161,472, 000 derived from an illegal act to wit: conducting procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and corrupt action, the contract extension of biometric enrolment purportedly awarded to Innovative Solutions Limited by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, without following due process and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 14 (1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2014.

The anti-graft agency said that it is still tracking a former Deputy Director of Finance in the office of the Head of Service, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina (now at large) who it said was also involved in the fraud.

Argument for, against bail

Meantime, immediately the accused persons entered their plea yesterday, EFCC lawyer, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, applied for their remand in prison custody pending hearing and determination of their bail applications.

Yusuf further urged the court to set a date for the prosecution to commence their trial, stressing that the commission

Refining oil outside Nigeria illegal —Dogara

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

Former Head of Service, Stephen Oronsaye at the court premises, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

has line up 18 witnesses to testify against the accused.

However, Oronsaye, who was represented in court yesterday by 20 lawyers, including three Senior Advocates of Nigeria, countered EFCC’s application for him to be remanded in prison custody.

His lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, a former Attorney General of the Federation, argued that the offences contained in the charge against the accused persons were bailable.

Agabi placed reliance on Sections 23 and 158 of the newly enacted Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 as well as Section 35(4) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, and argued that the accused persons ought to be deemed innocent until their guilt is established.

Besides, he contended that under Section 162 of the ACJA, the onus was on the prosecution to show cause why his client should not be released on the basis of his oral bail application.

While adopting submissions by Orosanye’s lawyer, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd accused persons, Mr. Oluwole Aladedoye, relied on the decided case law in Abiola vs FRN, and begged the court to grant bail to his client on liberal terms.

In his response, the prosecuting counsel, Yusuf, told the court that the accused persons had earlier served him their written bail applications, insisting that he would need to by way of affidavit evidence, adduce reasons why they should be

denied bail.

“My lord we concede that this court has the discretion to grant bail, but that discretion has to be exercised judicially and judiciously based on materials placed before the court,” the EFCC lawyer argued.

At that juncture, counsel to the 2nd accused person, Mr Aladedoye, pleaded that in the event that the court was not favourably disposed to grant the bail request, he urged the court to in the alternative, remand them in EFCC custody.

All the counsel notified the court that they had ab-initio agreed to return tomorrow to exchange arguments on the written bail applications.

Accused released under undertaking by counsel

Meantime, in a ruling yesterday, Justice Kolawole, who said that he had reflected on the issues canvassed by all the parties, while agreeing with the prosecution that the prison was the appropriate place to remand accused persons after arraignment, said he was mindful to allow Oronsaye and his alleged accomplice to go home on the strength of a written undertaking from their lawyers.

Acknowledging that there are cases that have political undertones, Justice Kolawole said that the court must “ remain immune to such issues which are rather complex, which no court of law has the capacity to deal with.”

Pinpointing the fact that the accused persons were earlier granted administrative bail by the anti-graft agency, the judge held: “The prosecution has not

told the court that the accused persons posed a flight risk.

“This court will not lend its machinery to soothe the ego of any person or authority. The first defendant does not in my view pose any flight risk. If the complainant had the powers to admit the accused persons to administrative bail until last Friday when they were detained, this court has the power to make an interim reprieve orders.

“I hereby decline oral applications for bail made by counsel to the accused persons, the application must be formal. The accused persons shall be released on the strength of undertaking from their counsel, which must be made within 48 hours.

“I am comfortable releasing them under undertaking by their counsel. I am not in doubt that the primary place for remand of an accused person is the prison, but this may not be so in some cases like in this one.”

He maintained that his decision, which may appear radical, was aimed at breaking away from the prevailing practice of judges always remanding accused persons in either EFCC or prison custody.

“I am an activist judge,” he jokingly added.

Oronsaye’s lawyer, Agabi, SAN, immediately signed the undertaking and the accused persons were allowed to go home in company of their family and friends.

Meanwhile, whereas the court yesterday fixed July 21 to hear the bail applications of the accused persons, it equally slated October 28, 29, November 3, 5 and December 2 for their trial.

BUJA — SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said it was illegal for the crude oil produced on the shores of Nigeria to be refined outside the country.

The speaker, who stated this while addressing National Executive of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, led by its President, Chinedu Okoronkwo, expressed regrets over the failure of past administration to encourage domestic refining of the nation’s crude oil.

He said that singular act by the previous administration could make the country a laughing stock in comity of nations.

According to him, “I don’t know if there is any country that produces the kind of oil that is produced in Nigeria that refines outside its products own shores. For me, it is kind of illegal. This is most inexcusable because we have turned this nation into a laughing stock.

“Why is it that we can’t refine this oil here? Why is it that in an oil producing country our brothers and sisters have to queue for nine hours to buy a product that should just be there? This is something that I believe that with your expertise you need to leverage on.”

On the removal of oil subsidy, the speaker said: “As a legislator, I can tell you there is something about subsidy removal that we are not looking at.

“There is a Price Control Act; if you look at the PCA, section 4 talks about regulating or controlling the prices of products that are listed in the first schedule of that act.

“One of the products listed in the first schedule is petroleum products, so by law in this country, we must control the price of petroleum products.

“But the law as passed by parliament gives a window and prescribing, vesting the responsibility of adding up items on the schedule of the giving items to the price regulating board and I am not sure we have that board in place."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—9

If we don’t kill NNPC, NNPC'll kill us —El-Rufai zCalls for scrapping of the corporation zAdvocates removal of oil subsidy

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief, Clifford Ndujihe, Umoru Henry & Mike Eboh

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BUJA — GOVERNOR Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, yesterday, called for the scrapping of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, saying the corporation has over the years constituted itself as a parallel government.

Speaking at this year’s Wole Soyinka Media Lecture series to mark the 81st birthday of Professor Wole Soyinka, in Abuja, yesterday, el-Rufai also advocated privatisation of the nation’s four refineries and the removal of fuel subsidy by the Buhari administration.

According to el-Rufai, with the ‘death’ of NNPC, it would allow for the coming on board of a brand new company that would be commercialised and capitalized, adding that the action has become imperative against the back drop that NNPC has over the years constituted itself as a parallel government, a country on its own, with Nigeria another country different from the corporation.

He said the account of the NNPC was last audited in 2005, and accused the NNPC of remitting only about 58 per cent of the money it earned between 2012 and the first half of 2015 to the federation account.

His words: “The long and short of the situation of our oil industry is best exemplified by the parallel government called the NNPC. In 2012, it sold N2.77 trillion worth of ‘domestic’ crude oil but paid only N1.66 trillion to the Federation Account.

“In 2013, it earned N2.66 trillion but paid N1.56 trillion to FAAC; in 2014, N2.64 trillion but remitted N1.44 trillion, while between January and May 2015, it earned N733.36 billion and remitted only N473.2 billion.

“That means that the NNPC only remitted about 58 per cent of the monies earned between 2012 and the first half of 2015.

A company with the audacity to retain 42 per cent of a country’s money has become a veritable parallel republic.

“If we do not kill NNPC, NNPC will kill Nigeria. Any organization that takes 50 per cent of federation revenue for itself and gives you the change has no right to exist. It is evil, it must die, it is just the manner of the death that we must talk about."

A new company

The Kaduna governor said

Army to review operational strategies to contain fresh attacks —Minimah

LECTURE: From left, Former Minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili; Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State; members, Board of Trustees, Wole Soyinka Centre, Mr Idowu Obasa and Prof. Ropo Sekoni, at the 7th Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. the nation needs to replace the NNPC with another company that could raise capital from the capital market and the international financial market for its operations.

His words: “What is wrong with NNPC and why would a new oil company be different?

There are few things wrong with the way NNPC was structured, and I think President Buhari, who set up the NNPC along with Mr. Sunday Awoniyi, should know about this.

“We should replace the NNPC with brand new organizations that are fit for purpose, among others, a commercialized and corporatized national oil company and new industry regulators. This new national oil company should be capitalized once and for all, and then freed to fend for itself like other national oil companies do, seeking its financing independently from the financial markets and paying due taxes and royalties.

“The corruption and nonchallance that have hobbled the NNPC are symptoms that its best days are over. We should give it a deserved funeral so that a new institution, active and nimble, can promptly replace it.

NNPC’s subsidiaries and associated companies can be reviewed, restructured and privatized or commercialized as appropriate, consistent with national interest and objectives.

“We need a mix of fresh strategic thinking and a firm commitment to reform. We need to define exactly what we want the oil industry to be

and to achieve, and then define the structure that can best deliver it. An efficient and productive oil sector, able to create jobs, spur industrialization and earn more revenues requires that we tackle the monster that the NNPC has become.

"This country can no longer afford to maintain an NNPC that arrogantly, unlawfully and unconstitutionally spends an unhealthy proportion of national oil earnings on itself.

“It was a mistake to assume that NNPC should collect revenues meant for the federation. We should open an account where the money should be paid into rather than having it paid to the NNPC. “The law that created the NNPC gives it the opportunity to be opaque in every area of its operations. Despite all the deductions it made, the NNPC still collects between $7 billion and $12 billion from the budget in terms of joint venture cash calls. Other national oil companies do not collect cash calls from their countries’ budget.”

No benefit from subsidy

Governor el-Rufai, who was one of the leaders of the Occupy Nigeria group that spearheaded the mass protest that stopped the government of the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan from removing fuel subsidy admitted that subsidy has not benefitted the generality of Nigerians.

According to him, fuel subsidy was benefiting only a few corrupt members of the Nigerian public.

His words: “About N971 billion was budgeted for

subsidy payments in 2014 alone (more than twice that was eventually paid). You all recall how trillions of Naira were paid out as oil subsidy in 2011, when only N254 billion was appropriated. No one has been successfully prosecuted for this scam.

“Why is it that in this most crucial of sectors, it has been possible for briefcase companies to walk away with big assets, billion naira subsidy payments?

“I daresay that the oil subsidy regime has neither grown our people nor guaranteed stability of refined product supplies. What subsidy has achieved is create a huge hole in the budget and a new array of overnight billionaires. The downstream oil business in Nigeria has morphed into one optimised for the pursuit of subsidy payments.

“We see thinly-disguised periodic hostage-taking as the subsidy barons seek to pry open government coffers. It is time to tackle the corruption in the subsidy regime. We can discuss how the resulting subsidy savings will be spent to improve lives, while guaranteeing stability of supply to the domestic market.

"We have a President with the integrity to responsibly manage the savings and the experience of managing special interventions based on subsidy savings. Let us say bye to foreign exchange drains, opaque crude swaps, offshore processing agreements and other devices that have derailed and distorted the subsidy regime, to our national detriment.”

BUJA —FORMER Chief of Army Staff, LtGen. Kenneth Minimah, yesterday, said the Army would review its operational strategies to contain new tactics adopted by insurgents.

Minimah’s statement comes against the backdrop of renewed bombings and attacks in markets, places of worship and other public places mostly in northern Nigeria.

He spoke to reporters at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff Second Quarter Conference in Abuja.

Minimah, who attributed the increasing attacks to huge losses suffered by Boko Haram in recent military offensives, said the Army would do everything to contain the tactics of insurgents.

“We will at this conference re-examine the state of ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya,’ so as to add more impetus to our offensive into the remaining enclaves and camps of the terrorists.

“Today their ability to face our gallant troops in any form of combat has been seriously degraded which has resulted to their new tactics of attacking innocent and vulnerable citizens in markets, places of worship and other areas.

“As we review our activities for the second quarter, we will be mindful of our operations in the North-East in view of the change of tactics by the insurgents.”

He said the military high command was already repositioning to address emerging challenges in its counter-insurgency operations, identifying reinstatement of military checkpoints as one of such measures.

Minimah said that Nigerian troops had taken full control of Sambisa Forest, assuring that the military would sustain the momentum until all known enclaves of the terrorists were destroyed.

He commended Nigerians for their solidarity with the military operations, urging the public not to relent in supporting troops.

“What we propose for this phase of our operations in the North-East is total defence," he said.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Youths coalition flays NDLEA over Kashamu’s extradition bid

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—A Coalition of South West Youth Group, CSWYG, has condemned the role played by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in its attempt to extradite the senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Prince Buruji Kashamu to the United States of America over alleged drug-related offence.

The group, in a statement by its Coordinator and General Secretary, Babalola Madeyedupin and Alex Omotehinse, described the role played by the anti-drug agency as unprofessional and a flagrant disregard to the laws of the land.

The group said: “We the Coalition of SouthWest Youth Group, an umbrella body of 26 leading youth organisations in the region strongly berate the NDLEA over its unprofessional and flagrant disrespect of the laws of the land.

“As a group, we followed the case as it unfolded over the time and we felt there is a need to let the NDLEA know that it had exhibited a condemnable act of double standard in respect of Senator Buruji Kashamu’s alleged drugrelated case in the United States of America.’’

Nonagenarian writes Ambode over take-over of schools

By Innocent Anaba

commences from September 2015.

AGOS—A 91-year-old The nonagenarian, in a letter woman, Madam Roseline to Ambode, urged him to Ololo, has appealed to respect an agreement which Governor Akinwunmi Ambode she entered into with the state of Lagos State to restrain the on gradual handover of the state’s Ministry of Education school to her. The letter was from going ahead to admit written on behalf of Madam students into Metropolitan Ololo by her lawyer, Malcolm College and Isolo Secondary Omirhobo.

School for the 2015/2016 Madam Ololo and her late academic session which husband, Chief Michael Ololo,

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AMBODE ATTENDS TO ACCIDENT VICTIM: Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle) attending to an accident victim on Osborne Road, Ikoyi, yesterday.

established the school through their company, Akaix West Africa Limited in 1955 with the first batch of 19 students in Surulere area of Lagos.

Following expansion, the school was relocated to the present site at Ire-Akari, Isolo in 1966 and eventually moved there in 1974.

In 1976, via the Education (Private Secondary Institutions Special Provisions) Law, the Military Government of Lagos State took over 48 private secondary schools from their owners, including Metropolitan College. In the process, Isolo Secondary School was carved out of Metropolitan College on the same expanse of land hosting the college.

However, in 2001, the administration of Bola Tinubu repealed the law and returned the said 48 private schools to their owners, but Metropolitan College was curiously not returned, a development that brought about a law suit.

Akaix West Africa had contended that the retention of part of the school was against government’s restructuring of the educational system of divesting and allowing the private sector to invest in the educational system so as to provide the conditions in which students can learn to the highest standard and prepare themselves to meet future needs.

The suit was subsequently referred for arbitration, while parties later agreed on modalities for the return of the school.

Madam Ololo was given three options for the return of the school, while she accepted the option of gradual disengagement of the students whereby government would not admit new students, and

Buhari’s pace not worrisome — LAGOS LAWMAKERS

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AGOS—SOME members of the Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari’s pace of governance since inauguration gave no cause for worry.

The lawmakers spoke against the backdrop of complaints from some quarters that the president had been slow in addressing the nation’s problems.

Mr Rotimi Olowo, (APCSomolu 1), said the president needed time to work on the institutional and structural deficiencies of the country before the masses would begin to appreciate his programmes.

Olowo said: “He assumed duty not long ago and met a lot of structural problems on ground.

The president is not omnipresent, he needs to work with people at Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

“Everyone is talking about how to reduce the cost of governance. This involves a

lot of underneath activities, which will soon yield results.

“If such a man is coming in and you say he should name ministers immediately and that if he doesn’t, he has not performed, it is not so.

“You cannot build something on nothing; we are talking about realignment in government agencies, the rot and deficiency in the system and corruption.

“So, it is better for the president

to do the necessary things; he should re-align those agencies and stop the leakages.”

In his view, Mr Moshood Oshun, (APC-Lagos Mainland 2), said Buhari would soon end insurgency and fulfil his electoral promises, stressing that the security of the nation would enhance delivery of other dividends of democracy.

The lawmaker, lauded the recent

Federal Government’s financial bail-out for states, however, warned that the development could not be a continuous exercise.

“We need states that are viable and those that are not viable should pack up,” he said.

On his part, Mr Adebisi Yusuff (APC-Alimosho 1), said, “What will happen soon will surprise those saying Buhari is slow. We should be very careful now.''

LASU students commend mgt over new calendar

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—STUDENT Union Government, SUG, of the Lagos State University, LASU, has commended the new academic calendar approved by the institution’s authorities.

Fatai Adebanjo, the spokesperson for the SUG, said the new calendar was put together after Ambode’s intervention and direction to

fix new dates for examinations.

“Following our protest on July 9, the governor instructed the university senate to ratify our new examination date.

“The senate sat last Friday and the university updated its portal, indicating that we would start our examinations on July 22 and we all are happy with that development,” Adebanjo said.

He explained that on July 10, 2015 the senate at its emergency

approved holding the harmattan semester examination within the period from July 22 to August 4.

According to a circular released by the school authorities, “Grading, uploading of department and faculty consideration and uploading of corrections will hold from August 5 to August 25. The senate will meet to consider results on August 25, and the semester will end the same day.''

then the other students in JSS II to SSS III will be gradually disengaged from the schools.

Ambode rescues accident victim on his way to work

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AGOS—IN what could be best described as a show of concern, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, yesterday assisted in the rescue of an accident victim.

The victim, Miss Anukam Angela, who was driving alone in a wine-coloured Toyota Corolla car with registration number EKY 415 CG, at about 8:15am, lost control and rammed into the median of Osborne Road, Ikoyi which made the vehicle to somersault.

Worried by what could have befallen the occupants of the car, Governor Ambode, who was heading to the office, through the direction of the incident stopped to assess the situation as well as help rescue the passengers.

The governor immediately instructed the ambulance attached to his convoy to convey Miss Angela, who was in a state of shock, and could barely move nor talk, to be taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital for treatment.

Angela’s sister, Amaka, who was contacted shortly after the incident, said she was treated for minor injuries and discharged free of charge on Ambode's order.

She said the ambulance also conveyed her sister back to her residence at Ajah, while the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) towed the accidented vehicle away to prevent traffic gridlock.

According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, “What the governor did is typical of him. It is indeed a demonstration of his concern for the well-being of every resident and Miss Angela is not an exception.

“He has also with this act, shown his commitment to an all inclusive approach in protecting the lives and property of citizens in the state”.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 11

Osun workers resume work today, after 6-wk strike zAs govt begins payment of salaries

Ondo workers warn against diversion of bail-out fund

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—OSUN State workers yesterday ended their six weeks strike by signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the state government to put an end to the industrial action.

Labour leaders at the end of the meeting with government representatives at the Governor’s Office in Osogbo decided to end its strike and called on civil servants in the state to resume work today.

But Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State-owned tertiary institutions, CASUOSTI dissociated itself from the call-off by the NLC and the TUC, saying they are not part of the decision.

The union, in a statement in Osogbo, by its Secretary, Comrade Olusegun Lana maintained that they would continue with the strike as the problem of alleged mismanagement of their contributory pension scheme and deductions from their salaries were not resolved.

The state government reportedly commenced the payment of backlog of workers’ salaries yesterday, starting with January and February, 2015 for state workers and March and April, 2015 for Local Government counterparts.

Other ongoing payments included that of primary school teachers, balance of pensions for state government for November 2014, outstanding pensions for January-February, 2015 for Retired Primary School Teachers and March, 2015 Pensions for Retired Local Government Staff.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by the State government, the Joint Public Service Negotiating Councils (JPSNC), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), of Osun.

Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Jacob Adekomi, who spoke on behalf of other labour leaders pointed out that labour, in ending the strike considered the parlous financial situation of the state arising from decline in monthly Federal

By Dayo Johnson

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JOSTLE FOR UI VC'S SEAT: from left — Prof. B O Fagbemi; Prof. Francis Egbokhare; Prof.

O. O. Olayiwola; Prof. O. Adedeji; Prof. A. E. Falayi and Prof. Akinyinka Olusegun, during an interactive forum for aspirants for the office of the Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan by the university community forum at the Trenchard Hall of the campus, yesterday. Photo by Dare Fasube.

Allocations and dwindling Internally Generated Revenue, IGR which originally led to nonpayment of six months’ salaries.

The NLC chairman added that government and labour therefore, agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding MOU in anticipation of the various efforts to be put in place to end the delay in payments.

Labour also added that the strike is being suspended to show appreciation to the state government’s commitment to the welfare of its workers, having in mind the need to collect data towards the completion of the critical verification exercise of workers and retirees in the entire public service.

Adekomi stressed that committees will be put in place comprising government and Labour unions representatives who will embark on the screening exercise of all categories of workers and pensioners in the state.

According to him, “The MOU we are signing today is agreed to by both parties taking due cognisance of the present parlous financial situation of the state on an interim basis, as a condition precedent to suspending the strike action.

“Committees will be set up according to the MOU aimed at screening, determination of the actual wage bill, and workers in the employment of the state, the actual number and actual monthly

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KURE—THE Petroleum Dealers and Owners Association in Ondo and Ekiti States and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other regulatory authorities are on collision course over selling of petrol above the governmentapproved pump price.

Officials of the regulatory authorities had stormed both states sealing up many filling stations

Unpaid salaries protests politically motivated — OSUN NLC

Meantime, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joint Public Service Negotiating Councils JPSNC, and the Trade Union Congress TUC, in the state yesterday dissociated the unions from the recent protests embarked upon by a group of people in the state over unpaid salaries.

The unions, after calling off the strike used the opportunity to condemn the protests and described them (protests) as being politically-motivated.

APC accuses Fayose of desecrating late dep gov’s tomb zWe are honouring her — GOV dishonour the late deputy and daughters of Ekiti Land sharing the same norms, values

By Dapo Akinrefon

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DO EKITI—THE Ado Ekiti Local Government chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has faulted plans by the Ekiti State government to construct a women’s centre around the tomb of late deputy governor, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka.

But in a swift response, Governor Ayo Fayose described APC’s allegations as myopic and weird.

In a statement by chairman of the council chapter, Mr D.O Adigun, the party described the move by the Fayose administration to construct the women centre as a deliberate extreme partisanship to

DPR seals filling stations in Ondo, Ekiti over fuel price hike

By Dayo Johnson

pensions’ bills of both Local Governments’ and State Government Pensioners.”

K U R E — WORKERS in Ondo State yesterday cautioned the government against diverting the bailout fund from the Federal Government to capital projects.

This is coming against speculations that the state government was planning to use part of the fund to complete two major projects in the state.

The two projects, according to sources include the International event centre, popularly known as the “Dome” and the Akure to Oba-Ile dual carriageway.

The state Trade Union Congress (TUC) called on the state government to spend the money for its primary purpose of paying accumulated salaries of workers.

Its Chairman, Comrade Sola Ekundayo and the Secretary, Comrade Fatuase Clement stated this in a statement issued in Akure.

“The Congress will not tolerate diversion of such fund into any capital project.

“We are not against embarking on capital projects but our welfare must first and foremost be taken care of in terms of salaries and allowances,'' the statement said.

and arrested petrol attendants for selling above pump price.

Addressing newsmen in Akure, however, the association insisted that they cannot sell at the government- approved N87 per litre pump price.

With this development, the scarcity of petroleum in the states in the last few months will linger just as the association pleaded for the understanding of the people due to the hardship.

Chairman of the association, Mr

Jimi Oladapo, who led others to the briefing said due to nonavailability of products at the depots of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), members had been sourcing the products through other means at high cost.

The dealers said rather than forcing them to sell at unprofitable price, the Federal Government should deregulate the downstream oil sector to enable them sell at appropriate prices.

governor, arguing that there were numerous spaces that could have been used for the women centre.

Adigun said “The Ado Ekiti Local Government chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) and its numerous supporters in and outside Ekiti State and other well wishers view seriously with reservation, the claim of His Excellency, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, the governor of Ekiti State that he is honouring her by building a women centre within the confine of the park and almost right on the tomb of the late Funmilayo Olayinka. ''To us, this is a disservice and deliberate partisanship to fight and dishonor Moremi even in death. There are lots of open and undesignated spaces across the state capital that could be used for the so called women centre.”

Faulting the move, the party leader said “We cannot fathom why Mr. Fayose has chosen the path of war against the dead all in the name of partisan politics.''

Don’t we all belong here as sons

and the holistic cultural appreciation? We are gravely concerned. If she had indeed offended you please we are ready to appease your Excellency to stop and relocate the woman center to the state secretariat and not in the high civic and business centre of the state capital.”

We’re honouring Olayinka, not desecrating her tomb — FAYOSE

In its reaction, the Ekiti State government explained that it was not desecrating the late deputy governor but was rather honouring her.

Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, who reacted to the APC claim described it as myopic and weird.

Olayinka said “If the APC is regarding construction of a befitting edifice to be named after the late deputy governor as desecration of her tomb, someone needs to have his reasoning faculty reassessed.”

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Delta vows to tackle flooding problem

Oil firms commission projects, laud host communities in Delta

INAUGURATION: Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel (right) congratulating the Chairman, Te c h n i c a l Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, Prof. Edet Udo after the inauguration of the committee at the Exco Chambers of Governor’s Office, Uyo.

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HE people of Akoku-Uno and Umutu communities in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State have been commended for creating enabling environment for peaceful operation of the Platform Petroleum Ltd and Newcross Petroleum Joint Venture Project.

Managing Director of Platform Petroleum Ltd, Osas Oweidolor, who spoke at the commissioning of the firms in the two communities, said the projects being commissioned were important to the company, noting that infrastructure projects and empowerment schemes were the nucleus of their corporate social responsibilities towards host communities.

He listed some of the joint venture programmes executed to include; welding, sewing, hairdressing, computer operations and maintenance with starter packs to beneficiaries which indigenes of host communities have benefited from the company.

Speaking earlier, the Base Manager of Platform Petroleum, Mr Christian Odia, thanked the communities for their cooperation, noting that no meaningful development can take place in absence of peace and security.

Rivers accuses Peterside of cheap lies ...Plans improved healthcare funding

By Jimitota Onoyume & Davies Iheamnachor

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State Government has fired back at the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the April polls, Dr Dakuku Peterside, saying his alleged attempt to misinform the state on the programmes of the government was cheap and pedestrian.

Media aide to the governor, Mr Opunabo Nko-Tariah, said Peterside had shown again that his gameplan if Rivers people

Withdraw DESOPADEC Amendment Bill, Urhobo youths urges Okowa

By Ochuko Akuopha

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LEH—URHOBO youths, under the auspices of Urhobo Youths Alliance for Equity and Justice, UYAFEJ, have urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, to withdraw the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC Amendment Bill until all ‘gazetted’ ethnic nationalities in the state have taken their turn to occupy the commission’s chairmanship position.

They also advised members of the Delta State House of Assembly of Urhobo extraction to dissociate themselves from the bill, which they alleged was to deny the ethnic nationality of its right to take a shot at the chairmanship position of the commission.

Reacting to the bill sponsored the governor, spokesman of the group, Mr. Emmanuel Skido,

argued that the law establishing DESOPADEC provided for rotational chairmanship of the commission among the five ethnic nationalities of Ijaw, Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko, and Ndokwa that were gazetted.

He said: “The Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities have taken their turns as Chairman of DESOPADEC with all the benefits attached; so, after waiting patiently for years, it is now the turn of Urhobo to occupy the chairmanship seat for a full tenure as stipulated by the law establishing DESOPADEC in 2006 as amended in 2010; but the Delta State Government is sending series of bills to the Delta State House of Assembly in the name of restructuring the commission just to deprive Urhobo ethnic nationality of occupying the position and the Urhobo youths in UYAFEJ are saying ‘no, to this.''

had voted for him was to entrench the programmes of the former government that shut down the courts and ensured that the legislative arm of government was an extension of the executive arm of government as it operated under the supervision of the former governor in Government House, Port Harcourt.

Opunabo said that people of the state were happy with the breath of fresh air in the state, stressing that the government will continue to focus on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

According to him, the operation zero pothole programme of the government was on course with Julius Berger and CCECC working.

“On the Operation Zero pothole project, Dakuku and his party can see the rot they left behind and how the so-called works of the Amaechi-led administration left our once enviable state badlydamaged in infrastructure. Thus his pettiness in alleging that the project is run by local contractors will judge itself as Julius Berger and CCECC will complete work on schedule and Rivers people will be better for it.

“Rivers people must disregard this hue and cry of Peterside and he is thus advised to get busy with more important things in his life. If he so loves Rivers State, he should join this administration to bring development and not to continually circulate falsehood and spread propaganda as he is currently doing as same will not earn him any sympathy or laurels because Rivers people know better now,” he said.

Meantime, the Rivers State Government has promised to increase funding for health

institutions in the state to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.

Deputy Governor of the state, Ipalibo Harry-Banigo at Government House, Port Harcourt, when the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, paid her an advocacy visit, said that fund will be for procurement of health facilities, training and re-training of medical officers.

She said that the government will implement an all-inclusive healthcare policy and programme to improve life expectancy for women during and after delivery.

Banigo added that under the programme, efforts would be made to reduce infant and maternal mortality through affordable and accessible healthcare services.

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—DELTA State Commissioner for Environment, Chief John Nani, has assured that the challenge of flooding in Asaba and its environs will soon be a thing of the past.

Nani, who gave the assurance, while inspecting the underground drainage project along Okpanam and Anwai roads in the capital city, appealed to residents to be patient as the state government was doing everything possible to tackle the problem.

He expressed worry over the flooding of Asaba whenever it rains, saying the state government would not relenting in its efforts at finding a lasting solution, hence the renewed commitment to completing the drainage project started by the immediate past administration in Asaba.

Nani charged the firm handling the drainage project to expedite work to ensure its early complete and directed it to clean up the completed parts of the project at Okpanam Road blocked by sand.

He stressed the need for constant clearing of the water channels to allow free flow of water to the available discharge points whenever it rains, restating government commitment to the welfare of Deltans.

In a related development, Nani has appealed to Deltans to imbibe the culture of cleanliness.

Speaking, while hosing officials of the World Bankassisted SEEFOR project in his Asaba office, he urged residents to always respect environmental laws.

Akwa Ibom Assembly passes amended LG bill

By Chioma Onuegbu

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YO—FOLLOWING the expiration of the tenure of the present local government administration in Akwa Ibom State, the state House of Assembly, has amended the Local Government Bill (2007) on setting up transition committees to oversee council administration and other matters connected therewith.

The House passed the amended Local Government Administration Bill after exhaustive deliberation on the matter.

Member representing Etinan state constituency, Aniefiok

Denis, explained that the law, was amended by deleting subparagraph (b) of section 4(3) and inserting a new subparagraph(b).

He added that the amended bill sought to appoint a Transition Committee of not more than nine members to administer the affairs of the council for six month period, and not exceeding 12 months, within which period election shall be held.

In his contribution on the matter, Leader of the House and member representing Oruk Anam State constituency, Udo Akpan, said “The amendment is within the confines of the house legislative capabilities, as well as in line with the expiration of the local government tenure.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—13

Rivers Council: NIC fixes Oct 6 for hearing on suit against Wike

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THE National Industrial Court, NIC, sitting in Yenagoa, Bayalsa State, yesterday, adjourned till October 6 for hearing on application by the 23 local government chairmen against Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over their removal from office by a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.

The legal tussle between the sacked council chairmen had shifted to the National Industrial Court, with the court earlier restraining Rivers State House of Assembly and Governor Wike from dissolving the council administration.

At the resumed hearing, L. A. Njemanze, counsel to Governor Wike, Dr. Z. Adangor, counsel to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC and Emmanuel Aguma, the Rivers State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, informed the court of two separate applications on jurisdiction and the subsisting court order restraining Rivers House of Assembly and the state governor from dissolving the 23 council administration.

Okonjo-Iweala took $1bn for Jonathan’s re-election bid — OSHIOMHOLE zOshiomhole no longer credible— OKONJO-IWEALA

By Emma Ujah, Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has accused the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of illegally taking $1 billion from the Federation Account to prosecute the re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Similarly, the member representing Ikpoba-Okha/ Egor federal constituency in the National Assembly, Mr. Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima, has insisted that Okonjo-Iweala must explain to Nigerians what happened to the country’s finances, saying that Nigerians deserve to know what happened to the nation’s economy under her management.

Meanwhile, OkonjoIweala, has described as baseless and false, the allegation that she withdrew $ 1 billion to fund former President Jonathan’s reelection campaign.

Okonjo-Iweala, through her Special Assistant, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, said that Oshiomhole had taken it upon himself to consistently make wild allegations

against her which she described as a public campaign of falsehood.

She added that “The statement is just another example of the numerical diarrhea that seems to have afflicted His Excellency in recent times in his effort to damage the reputation of the former minister.

“He has, within the last few months, asked Dr OkonjoIweala to explain all kinds of totally wild and unsubstantiated figures, ranging from $30 billion, $20 billion, $2.1 billion, N720 billion and now $1 billion.

“To say the obvious, the accusations are totally lacking in credibility.

Governor Oshiomhole’s published comments also contain other falsehoods. For instance, he quoted Dr Okonjo-Iweala as saying that she and the Finance Commissioners of the 36 states approved the spending of $2.1 billion out of the Excess Crude Account, adding that the Commissioners had disowned the statement. This is also a complete distortion.”

Oshiomhole, who spoke at seminar organised by the Edo State Government for Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Deputy Directors, said that the former

Finance Minister also needs to tell Nigerians how the Excess Crude Account was drawn down to $4.1 billion from the peak of $10 billion when no approval was given by the National Economic Council for any withdrawals.

He said the state government will now hold Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Deputy Directors responsible for any fraud detected in their departments, adding that the government had trimmed down the cost of running government.

He said: “The truth is that many things went wrong even at the federal level. As you might have read in the papers, while the Federal Government, under Goodluck Jonathan, with the then Coordinating Minister of the Economy liked to blame “governors” for wasteful spending, for not saving for the rainy day, for not investing properly, the truth is the real weakness in the Nigerian federal chain had been the Federal Government.

“Our hope is that with the new President, given his pedigree, we will break from the past. I’m sure you will soon begin to hear when all the numbers are

‘Talk of Anioma agenda absurd’

A

senior aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Mr. Omimi Esquire, has said that the current government had no intentions of marginalising any ethnic group in the state, describing talk about an Anioma agenda as absurd.

Omimi, who is the Political Adviser to the governor, in a chat with newsmen in his office, said that the governor “is a consummate believer in the principle of federal character, justice and equity, so will do all within his power to ensure that no one was left behind in his government of prosperity for all Deltans.”

LISTING: From left— Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, former Chairman, Board of Directors, FMDQ OTC Plc; Phillips Oduoza, Chair, FMDQ Board Listing & Quotation Committee; Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, Director General, Debt Management Office; Bola Onadele-Koko, Managing Director/CEO, FMDQ OTC Plc, and Bolaji Balogun, CEO, Chapel Hill Advisory Partners Ltd, during the listing of N4.8 trillion Federal Government bonds and quotation of N2.8 trillion treasury bills on FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

Gov Ayade signs Infrastructure Fund bill into law

G

OVERNOR Ben Ayade of Cross River State, yesterday, signed the state’s Infrastructure Fund bill into law.

The law empowers the state government to seek for funding for its capital projects, such as the governor ’s signature projects.

Speaking at the signing at the

executive council chambers in Calabar witnessed by members of the state House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Mr. John Lebo and the state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ntufam Okon, Governor Ayade described it as a law that intends to seek for funds to cater for the people.

Ayade, while expressing his appreciation to the lawmakers for the passage of the bill, noted that the cooperation of the lawmakers was the kind of synergy required for Cross River to move forward and become a leading state among the comity of states in the country.

published.

“Last week, I complained aloud that Edo State lost about N10 billion over a four-year period from only one source, the NLNG remittance to the Federation Account.

“How did I arrive at the figure? I used my 4-figure table and I asked myself at $2.1 billion remitted by NLNG as taxes and Shell, and by the way, Shell is not the only oil operative, we have Chevron and several others.

“They shared the $2.1 billion based on the revenue allocation formula, Edo State got about N2.27 billion. So, I said, thank God this money came after the departure of Okonjo-Iweala and President Jonathan.

“If the PDP were still in charge in Abuja, this money would have been taken.”

... as Oshiomhole welcomes PDP’s call for EFCC probe

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has welcomed the call by the state Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Dan Orbih, to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe Edo State Local Government account, noting, however, that the probe should start from 1999.

The governor, in a statement yesterday, by his Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said: “As a government driven by prudence in its management of resources, we are proud to say that our achievements in the last six years far supersede that of PDP’s 10 years of presiding over the affairs of the state.

“We are pleased to state without fear or favour that we welcome the suggestion raised by Orbih, inviting EFCC to look into the books and accounts of local government administration in the last six years, but such investigation should also cover the period between 1999 and 2008, when PDP was in power.”

14 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

NLNG PAYMENTS: FG earns $14.7bn as dividend in

15yrs

...$2.9bn tax in 2yrs

By Clara Nwachukwu

N

OTWITHSTANDING THE figures being doled out from various quarters, Vanguard has reliably gathered that the Federal Government earned about $17.6billion from the Nigerian LNG Limited, NLNG, as dividend and tax since the inception of the project.

Broken down, government earned about $14.7billion as dividend, derived from its 49 per cent stake, of the $30billion paid by the liquefied natural gas company over the past 15 years.

The balance of $2.9billion represents tax payments between 2013 and 2014, that is, $1.6billion in 2014, and $1.3billion in 2013. Note that the NLNG had enjoyed tax holidays until 2013.

However, conflicting figures are now being bandied about regarding the actual revenues the Federal

government, through its representative, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, may have earned from its 49 per cent equity investment in the NLNG over the past 15 years of the NLNG operations.

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had engaged in a war of words over who paid what and where the sum went to.

NLNG confirmations Releasing its Fact and Figures on NLNG 2015, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive, NLNG, Mr. Babs Omotowa, said in Lagos that the company had paid $30 billion in dividends to its shareholders over the years, including the government, which owns a 49-per-cent stake through the NNPC. He also added: “Just a few days ago, we paid $1.6 billion to the government as tax and this will go a long way to assist the new government in solving some of its problems,” he said.

Omotowa explained that the dividend and tax were derived from the export of ITHIN THIS period when we are about to bid natural gas worth about $85 Ramadan good bye, the issue of Zakatul-fitr is billion since its inception.

He said: “For us, it has paramount. We have to keep emphasising it as much as to touch all aspect of it. Yesterday we discussed some vital been a success story. areas of importance even as we cannot exhaust it, we Between 1999 when we also have give ample time to look at other areas such as came on stream and now, what kind of food, calculation and the discourse on whether we have realised some $85 billion from exports of we can give it in money.

We have been taught that one Saa is for one person. liquefied natural gas to But what is a Saa? A Saa was and still is a measurement buyers in Europe, America of volume, similar to the size of a medium bowl. It is and Asia.”

Regarding its contribution made up of four mudds, and a mudd is a smaller container, close to the size of a small bowl. The mudd is to the Nigerian economy, not simply a double-handful. A mudd is an actual the NLNG in its Facts and physical container (like a small bowl or pot, or a large Figures also said: "Payment cup), a standardized unit of measurement, one that was to Joint Venture, JV, feedgas suppliers from widely in use in the time of the Prophet (s.a.w) The contemporary equivalent of the mudd can be found inception till date is almost in most local mosques. All you need do is to ask your $21billion; 55-60- per cent local imam for one. We have said earlier on this column of this amount goes to the that it has to be given in staple food common in your area Federal Government via its or that which is loved by your prospective recipients. In shareholding in the essence, one Saa or four mudds should be given on one NNPC.” Although incorporated on person. If you have a family of five for example, (father, mother, two children and one domestic servant); what May 17, 1989, and you will give is 20 mudds of the staple food you have commenced production on chosen. If your mother is not living with you but asks you September 15, 1999, the to pay on her behalf, it becomes obligatory on you to do NLNG did not export its first LNG spot cargo until that.

It should be noted that the measurement must be correct May 25, 2000, and by because the Prophet prescribed it as an amount of food January, 2014, had shipped its 3000th LNG cargo. which fulfills the needs of one family for at least a day.

Reconfirming the Anyhow, this is the obligatory amount which every Muslim should pay. It is better and recommended that payments in a telephone one pays an extra amount, particularly for those who are chat with Vanguard, wealthy, for they will be rewarded for it. yesterday, spokesman for Payment in money the company, who spoke in The Hanafis school of thought permitted the payment confidence said: “I can only of Zakat-ul-Fitr in money. However, the other three schools confirm that we paid did not permit this. Their argument is that the Prophet $1.3billion as tax for 2013, did not do so and hence its payment in money contradicts which was paid last year, the Sunnah of the Prophet. But some contemporary and $1.6billion tax for 2014, scholars support the Hanafi’s view since people may still which we paid this year. need money to process the food and if the recipient has Remember that we only no money, the purpose of given the food may not be started paying tax from realised. Again, since the purpose of Zakat-ul-Fitr is to fulfill the needs of the poor, this can also be achieved in 2013, and each year’s tax money especially if the recipient needs money more. is paid the following year.”

But with regard to the They further submitted that the period of famine was more useful for the payer to give it in foods, that if money is dividend payments, he more useful, then its payment in money is better. These said: “I cannot say exactly divergent opinions have also continued till date. Even when we started paying in our own environment, scholars are divided on the issue. the dividend, but what we But suffice to say that we should consider the position of have paid so far is the prophet on giving it in food first, and if the need for contained in our Facts and money for the recipient becomes imperative, then money Figures, which you already have.” equivalent becomes necessary.

Despite the politicking surrounding the payments, the source maintained that “NLNG has been fulfilling its corporate responsibilities by paying its taxes as and when due as well as meeting all our social responsibilities.”

As a result, he argued that the NLNG will not want to join issues with anyone, group or party over its payments, adding that with regard to the probe, the President had the prerogative to do so if he pleased.

According to him: “The President can decide what

he wants to do – whether to probe us or not. We are in business, we are not politicians and we don’t want to get involved in politics.”

Bandying figures Apart from the APC, the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, opened the avalanche of figures, when it recently disclosed that the NNPC had not remitted about $11.6 billion LNG dividends.

But the NNPC had quickly responded, and attributed the delay to

ongoing accounts reconciliation, which was referred to the InterMinisterial Task Team, IMTT, for reconciliation and resolution.

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

ZAKAT-UL-FITR: Calculation and

payment in money

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COMMISSIONING: From left, Public Affairs Officer, US Consulate, Mrs. Dehab Ghebreab; Deputy Governor, Ogun State, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, and Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Sesan Sobowale, at the commissioning ceremony of the Water Health Centre, donated by Guinness Nigeria Plc to the Adigbe Community in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday.

No genuine reason to remove oil subsidy —Buhari ....Removal'll affect the poor, jobless

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

P

RESIDENT MUHAMMADU Buhari said, yesterday, in Abuja that his government may not remove the petroleum subsidy, stating that the reasons so far canvassed for its removal did not sound plausible.

He argued that the absence of subsidy will have adverse effect on the poor and jobless Nigerians.

Speaking after receiving a briefing from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and other agencies in the oil sector, President Buhari said that he will carefully review all the

submissions he had received on the need to remove the subsidies.

“I have received many literature on the need to remove subsidies, but much of it has no depth.

When you touch the price of petroleum products, it has the effect of triggering price rises on transportation, food and rents. That is for those who earn salaries, but there are many who are jobless and will be affected by it,” he said.

According to the president, what impeded transparency in the oil sector may not be the subsidy, but lack of security, sabotage, vandalism, corruption and mismanagement.

He, however, promised to

deal decisively with all identified problems of the oil and gas sector.

“We have to go back to the good old days of transparency and accountability,” the President said.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu stated that “President Buhari directed the NNPC to review existing agreements for the swapping of crude oil for refined products with a view to injecting more transparency into the process to reduce costs.

He also asked the NNPC management to do more to improve the supply of liquefied petroleum Gas (cooking gas).”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—15

Anglicans eulogise Ugwuanyi’s urban renewal stance Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE Church of Nigeria,Anglican Communion has expressed satisfaction with the 12man Urban Renewal Committee set up by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State to quickly modernize Nsukka,9th Mile Corner among other cities.

Ugwuanyi had at the weekend inaugurated a 12-man Nsukka Urban Renewal Committee to produce a blue print for the development of the University town into a modern urban town.

While commending the move at the third session of the second synod of A n g l i c a n communion,dioceses of E n u g u - N o r t h , weekend,Bishop Sosthenes Eze expressed satisfaction with Ugwuanyi’s move in line with his campaign promises to the people.

Gov Ikpeazu tasks PDP to begin plans for 2019

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has called on his party, the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] to begin to re-strategize ahead of the 2019 elections.

Governor Ikpeazu made the call at the Government House, Umuahia, when he met with the caretaker committee of the party,

who visited him.

According to Ikpeazu, time for mourning the party’s election loss should be over and serious business of building the party should start so as to position it for better outing in 2019.

He said that it was his desire that the party would make a stronger showing at the national level, pointing out that the only way to move forward is to remain committed.

Ikpeazu said being his primary constituency that gave him the platform for becoming the Governor of Abia State, he is highly committed to the ideals of the party and wants it to get stronger.

The Governor promised not to disappoint the party, saying he will do well in office to showcase PDP in a good light.

Earlier in his remarks, the interim state chairman of the

Akanu Ibiam Airport ready in 8 months, FAAN assures

By Austin Ogwuda

T

HE INTERNATIONAL Terminal of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu now under construction would be completed within the next eight months, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Saleh Dunoma has assured.

Addressing newsmen, weekend, after inspecting facilities at the airport, Dunoma said that the airport had continued to receive due attention since it was upgraded especially in terms of provision of aviation facilities and basic infrastructures, noting that basic facilities needed for the smooth operation of the airport were already in place while further maintenance work on the runway would be carried out.

Said he, “Akanu Ibiam has been a very lucky airport in terms of our projects. If you look at the remodeling of the terminal building which has since been completed and commissioned, the new international terminal is being roofed and it is the highest level we have gone as far as the new terminals are concerned.

“I was in Port Harcourt, Lagos and now I am in Enugu, this is the one that has gone far, it has reached the roofing stage and

Keke operators in Enugu protest alleged extortion

By Austin Ogwuda

E

N U G U — OPERATORS of commercial tricycles, popularly called (KEKE NAPEP), in Enugu state, have expressed worry over the alarming rate of alleged extortion of its members by the police, just as they called on the state government to consider the lifting of ban placed on registration of more tricycles.

Newly inaugurated leadership of the operators under the umbrella of Association of Tricycle Riders of Nigeria, Enugu State Branch, raised the alarm at the weekend in Enugu shortly after the inauguration of the caretaker committee of the association held at Okpara Square Enugu.

Chairman of the committee, Comrade Ikah Benjamin also expressed concern over multiple taxation by the state government, appealing to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to call those responsible to order.

party, Senator Emma Nwaka, said they came to encourage the governor in his good works towards developing the state and assured him of the party’s support for him to succeed in office.

Nwaka said that the party was pleased with the governor’s decision to diversify the youth empowerment programme of government through equipping youths with skills and making women economically viable.

VISIT: President Muhammadu Buhari, receiving a gift from the President, Chevron Africa and Latin America Exploration and Production, Mr. Ali Moshiri; while V/P Yemi Osinbajo (left) watches, during the courtesy visit of Mr. Moshiri to Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

they are doing the roofing.

“The runway for Enugu was completed but we are having some challenges of drainages which is one of the major reasons that brought me here. I have seen it and we will call the contractor back to make sure that they rectify the issues with the drainages.

“You can see that some of the equipment meant for the terminal building are still outside. I have instructed the Airport Manager to shelter them and we have gotten a brand new 1,000 KVA generator which I have directed that it should be installed as quickly as possible to assist them in boosting power supply so that the new facilities we are bringing will be connected to the power generator.

“You can see that all the projects in Akanu Ibiam are going on very fine and I am happy with that.

We have a time line for the construction of all the international terminal buildings which is expected to last for 24 months."

This one (Enugu) is now about 16 months and we still have eight months to go.

“We are pushing hard to make sure that the contractor completes it on time. You can see that they are doing roofing, they have applied for extension of time; we don’t want to grant that. We want to push them to make sure that they complete them within the stipulated time but funds are going to dictate how quickly, whether we can still adhere to the timing or we will give them extension of time”,he stated.

Orji condemns renewed Boko Haram attacks Ay Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—THE Senator representing Abia Central in the National Assembly, Chief Theodore Orji (PDP) has condemned the recent attacks by Boko Haram in some parts of the country, saying that frequent attacks were capable of heightening fear in the minds of Nigerians.

Senator Orji regretted that the attacks have killed many innocent Nigerians and left hundreds of others seriously injured.

Orji, in a press release made available to newsmen in Umuahia, lamented that the incident “ was becoming one too many and heightening fear in the minds of Nigerians, such that people are now afraid to go out”.

According to Senator Orji, the aim of the renewed attacks on innocent Nigerians by the evil group was to break the never-die spirit of the Nigerians, and called on Nigerians to remain resolute and prayerful all the time, saying that the group would be defeated.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the Nigerian soldiers and other security agencies to contain the activities of the insurgents.

Senator Orji also commiserated with President Muhammdu Buhari, the Governors of the states affected by the recent attacks as well as the families of the victims, saying that they should not be discouraged, but rather remain determined in the fight against the insurgents.

Senator Orji, who is the immediate past Governor of

Abia state, noted that when Abia state faced the evil activities of kidnappers and other criminal elements, it took the resolute stand of the government and people not to push them out of the state.

He expressed confidence in the ability of President Muhammad Buhari and the armed forces to bring the insurgents to their knees and urged Nigerians to constantly pray for the members of the armed forces who daily put their lives on the line in order to safeguard the territorial integrity of Nigeria and Nigerians.

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Wailing, tears as IMSG destroys illegal structures in Owerri

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—IT was wailing and tears, yesterday, at the Maria Assumpta Catholic Cathedral end of the everbusy Owerri-Onitsha dual carriage way, when Imo State Government went after owners and occupiers of shanties and illegal structures in the town.

Vanguard spotted two pay-loaders mobilized by the state government to effect the massive destruction, while the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Acho Ihim, was seen directing affairs at the scene.

Vanguard could not immediately ascertain from Chief Ihim why he jettisoned lawmaking for the supervision of an executive function, as his aides effectively shielded him from newsmen who wanted to get his views at the scene.

Shop owners were seen making frantic efforts to salvage whatever remained of their wares, personal effects and whatever other things.

Sacked members of Imo Executive Council asked to vacate quarters

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—THE possibility of recalling members of the sacked Imo State Executive Council dimmed yesterday, as they have been ordered to immediately vacate the Commissioners’ Quarters without further delay.

Vanguard, who went on a fact finding mission, soon after getting

wind of the government’s marching order, noticed that those of them that initially banked on the possibility of being recalled by Governor Rochas Okorocha, have started moving their personal property out of the quarters.

Some of the former commissioners and their personal aides, wore long faces as they tried to move their things into waiting vehicles.

One of the sacked

commissioners’ aide, who spoke on strict grounds of anonymity, expressed regret that his boss was leaving without getting his severance allowance.

“My boss may be one of the hardest hit of all the former political appointees of Governor Rochas Okorocha, because he selflessly deployed his personal resources in the prosecution of the last general elections. I do not know what he is now going home

Abia Election Petitions Tribunal adjourns pre-trial of gov election session as announced by the

T

HE GOVERNORSHIP Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Monday, adjourned the commencement of pre-trial of the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Dr. Alex Otti, earlier scheduled for yesterday to July 24.

Dr. Otti is challenging the declaration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as the winner of the election and urging the tribunal to declare him (Otti) the rightful winner.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Usman Bwala, while adjourning sitting last Friday, said

that pre-hearing of the petition would commence Monday, July 13.

However, when sitting commenced on Monday, Chief Wole Olanikpeku (SAN), Counsel to Governor Ikpeazu, raised an objection against the commencement of the pretrial

Nigeria Prison Service in Imo decorates 40 promoted officers

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—THE Imo State Command of the Nigeria Prison Service, NPS, has decorated the 40 officers that were recently elevated to higher ranks by the NPS Headquarters, Abuja.

In his remarks at the ceremony, the Imo State Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Isaiah Amaliri, reminded the officers and men of the Command that the Service will always promote diligent personnel not only as a reward for their labour, but also to encourage them to so more.

He disclosed that Enugu and Imo State commands benefitted immensely in the last promotion exercise, adding that everyone has the potential of being promoted to higher ranks.

While encouraging the beneficiaries of the current promotion to live up to expectation, Mr. Amaliri also advised those that were not lucky this time, to remain hopeful.

with,” the young man lamented.

Answering a question, the young man said that many aides of the political appointees were owed varying sums as unpaid salaries and allowances, and wondered how they will ever get the money again.

Efforts made to reach the Secretary to Imo State Government, Sir Jude Ejiogu, failed as he was said to be out of the office when Vanguard called.

CONFERENCE: From left, General Manager, Enterprise Marketing, MTN, Mrs. Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka; CEO, Connect Marketing, Mr. Tunji Adeyinka; General Manager, Marketing, Coscharis Motors Limited, Mr. Abiona Babatunde, and General Manger, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Mr. Richard Iweanoge, during a media briefing on forthcoming TECH+MTN Conference, in Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

....I didn’t send any emissary to Otti —-Gov Ikpeazu

By Anayo Okoli

U

M UA H I A —G OV E R N O R Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has denied sending any emissaries to Dr. Alex Otti, APGA governorship candidate in the last general elections to lobby him to drop his petition against the governor at the election tribunal, and challenged Otti to mention the name of the emissaries sent to him.

The governor was reacting to a statement credited to Otti that the governor and his party, PDP have been sending emissaries urging him to drop his petition, an appeal he said he vehemently rejected.

Speaking through his Special Assistant on Media, Ugochukwu Emezue, Ikpeazu said at no time had he contemplated sending emissaries to his opponent, especially since the tribunal commenced sitting in Umuahia.

“I challenge Dr. Alex Otti to name those who visited him on behalf of the Government of Abia State. Why should I send emissaries to somebody that contested the election with me and lost woefully?

“Is it not an irony that such should be the case? I hope he is not misconstruing the hand of fellowship I have been extending to members of the opposition parties in the state to mean that I want him to drop his matter.

“He claimed I sent emissaries to him.

I challenge him today to give the names of those emissaries if he is to be taken seriously, except he is playing to the gallery and using the lie to seek the sympathy of the people of Abia State,” Governor Ikpeazu said.

According to him, since the conclusion of the April 11 and re-run of April 25, the electorate in Abia State have since moved on with life.

chairman at the beginning of proceeding today.

Olanikpeku, who based his argument on Paragraph 18 of the Electoral Act, said that his client was not served the motion for pretrial by the petitioner.

Otti’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi, however, punctured the argument, saying that under the said Act, service of pre-trial motion on the respondents was not mandatory.

Olujimi also cited a Supreme Court interpretation of the Act, saying that the process had been simplified and that the application could be informal or by motion exparte.”

He insisted that the Act did not require the petitioner to put the respondents on notice.

Justice Bwala later overruled Olanikpekun’s objection, pointing out that the tribunal had last Friday reserved July 13 for the commencement of pre-trial and that none of the respondents raised any objections.

Hearing on the pending motions and the pretrial were later adjourned to July 24 and 25.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 17

Na only Fulani waka come

because I know his capacity to read and write good stuff in the days that we saw him as a possible rallying point for the Yoruba nation(not a "tribe" as ACF wrongly classified in its response to Chief Akande"). He should have come across Awo's account of how no place could be found for him to sit at the dinner marking Nigeria's independence in 1960 except among the ex-servicemen in a dingy corner. A departing colonial officer had to flash his torch at his face to be sure it was Obafemi Awolowo whose party moved the motion for independence in 1953 that was now among those whose

D

EAR Hillary, The headline above is a line you sent to me on WhatsApp in what has become our ritual of daily dialogues about our country over the years. This has been a carryover of our passion from our days at the "Ife fortress "(apology to Prof. Jubril Aminu) where we learned when there was still a learning culture in Nigeria. I can say without any fear of contradiction that we were the last but one generation that went to proper school in real school that this country offered before it "died".

We had the great ambience to learn.We did not have to look for fees to be in school.The highest we paid for a bed space was N90 a session. Our Library was stuffed with latest books and journals.We had teachers who taught us both what they were paid to teach and went on to infuse in us what they were "not paid to teach". We tasked our teachers as there was intellectual ferment. We were not the "handout" generation.

Handout generation Just as we glowed in the true academic tradition, our cultural outlook was essentially cosmopolitan. People like you and I took a quality decision that we were not going to join any association where our membership qualification would solely be where we were born, how much money we had and our mode of worshipping God. You relocated to America after we left Ife and we did not meet for over two decades when I came to your corner of the globe a few years back. During our contact, subsequent phone calls and exchange of mails; the impression you made on me is that you remain the quintessential Larrry. Like I do with a large section of Yoruba politicians , you are very critical of many members of Igbo political elite and you take no prisoners with them.

This is why when I got the line "Na only Fulani waka come?" from you, I knew it was not a line too short to ignore.You were prodded to ask the question over the compilation by unauthorised statisticians of the appointments our new President has made in one month in the saddle. Out of the

us about the juncture where we are presently stranded in our non-journey to nationhood .

Awo wrote on page 56 of the book: "Besides, it is not difficult to forecast that the work of government in Nigeria under a unitary constitution is bound to become unduly complex, inextricably tangled, extremely unwieldy and wasteful,and productive of disunity and discontent amongst the people.Unless we have veritable supermen at the helm of affairs,the administrative machinery would eventually disintegrate and break down under the crushing weight of 'bureaucratic centralism ".

The last governor-general of Nigeria, Sir James Wilson Robertson also wrote about the clash of civilizations in Nigeria in his book "Transition In Africa" on page 223: "The general outlook of the people (North) is so different from those in Southern Nigeria as to give them practically nothing in common. There is less difference between an Englishman and Italian, both of whom have a common civilization based on Greek and Roman foundations and on Christianity, than between a Muslim village in Sokoto, Kano or Katsina,and an Ibo,Ijaw or a Kalabari.

Purpose of nationality Map of Nigeria nine appointees, eight were from the Northern part of the country and only one from the South:INEC Ag.Chairman, Amina Zakari (North); Head of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mordecai Ladan (North); AccountantGeneral of Federation, Ahmed

Idris (North); Chief Security Officer, Abduraham Mani (North); ADC, Mohammed Abubakar (North); DG SSS, Lawal Daura (North), SSA Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu (North) and SA,Media and Publicity, Femi Adenisina, (South).

Perhaps the compilation is being done because of the consciousness that we already have a situation where all the three arms of government are headed by northerners .

Shortly before your question came my way,I have read a letter written by the former protem chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande where he made some lamentations on happenings within their "recking platform".

If there was good scholarship to their politicking, the Outright South west APC demolition should not have The Ila Chief said a lot of thrown away the things in his letter but what Yoruba cutting edge caught my fancy most was his declaration that the outright (true Federalism) demolition of the ACN tendency before parting with within the party ,"...a large of the South-west see the 25% from one of section the rebellion as a conspiracy of the three zones of the north against the Yoruba". I ordinarily would have ignored the south without this were it not coming from the which a candidate only one who should know better among the "leadership" of from the North APC South west with no sense cannot be validly of history, ideological clarity and intellectual depth to navigate elected even with the Nigerian polity.

100% of northern I'm sure Chief Akande must have read most of Awo's books votes

services are no longer needed by those who opposed the move for independence.

If there was good scholarship to their politicking, the South west APC should not have thrown away the Yoruba cutting edge (true Federalism) before parting with the 25% from one of the three zones of the south without which a candidate from the North cannot be validly elected even with 100% of northern votes.

Adult education It is interesting to see how some Arewa spokespersons have reduced their contribution to "mere 500 votes not up to what Kebbi alone delivered" as against the qualification delivery. I guess this is some adult education class in power politics .

To now begin to cloak the crash of crass opportunism with Yorubaness is somehow disingenuous!

Back to who "waka come" and their identity. There is no scintilla of doubt that it would not have mattered much if Nigeria were properly constituted in the manner about the greatest thinker among the founding fathers of Nigeria, Oloye Obafemi Awolowo posited.

The sage on June 12,1967 from CELL DUP2,CALABAR PRISON signed off his book "Thoughts On The Nigerian Constitution" where he warned

How can any feeling of common purpose of nationality be built up between people whose culture, religion and mode of living is so completely different? When the British go, what will keep these diverse peoples together within the artificial boundaries drawn on the maps in the 1880s and 1890s".

Robertson's comments still ring true with the utterances of former Kano State Governor and now Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso in an interview he granted Vanguard Newspaper on April 26,2015 . He lambasted the wife of former President of Nigeria for "insulting" the north over the menace of Almajiri children which he considered a thing of "pride: "Look at what the wife of the President said about usnortherners. She was just castigating the North almost at every opportunity. You cannot insult us and think that you can get away with it. This democracy is a game of numbers, and that is why we went back and put almajiris together to get about two million votes.

“The issue of almajiris have been open to abuse in this country and turned into insults for us. Almajiri here is a positive word but the way they see it is that we are beggars, that we produce so many children that we cannot take care of, and that is what the First Lady was saying and we kept quiet because we had our own way of answering her and we did exactly that on the 28th of March”.

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18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 HE Nigerian environment is un T der threats of diverse nature ranging from oil and air pollution, toxic

waste dump and other activities that are inimical to the ecosystem.

All these have impacted negatively not only on the environment but have also affected human lives. While the overall effects on the environment are immeasurable, people are known to have died of strange afflictions and ailments. Cases of uncommon diseases abound.

Unknown to many, electronic devices, including those used in information and communication technology are risky to human lives and the environment. The greatest danger lies in imported second hand electronic devices which have become a thriving sub-sector of the economy.

Used electrical and electronic equipment which are valuable for socio-economic development have brought about large volumes of electronic waste popularly called ewaste. Some businesses, including

Imperative of E-waste Regulation cybercafes and educational institutions depend on these imported second hand products because they are relatively affordable.

E- waste is the fastest growing sector of the municipal waste stream but its improper handling can be harmful to the environment and human health due to its toxic components. This type of waste, according to statistics, comprises 5% of the total solid waste stream worldwide.

For instance, most of the imported second hand computers are almost at the end of their life cycle and burnt copper wires derived from such

computers can cause cancer. This explains why cancer is now diagnosed even in children. More frightening is the fact that cows feed on grasses where computer cables are burnt and fish also feed from the water where toxic wastes are dumped.

Experts have identified that the absence of electronic waste laws and regulatory framework in West Africa predisposes countries within the region to indiscriminate dumping of e-wastes from the industrialised countries of the world.

The only law in Nigeria regulating e-waste is Decree 42 of 1988, which was made even before the ICT boom

OPINION Governor Theodore Orji took over power Still on: 'Can evil triumph over good?' from Orji Uzor Kalu and in the process

By Koos James

T

HE tragedy of our socio-political reality is that clowns and pretenders now see themselves as the new agents of history. This sad commentary is further exacerbated by our convoluted socio economic quagmire which affords these persons and visionless lackeys the opportunity to pontificate and perhaps enjoy a joke or two at our expense. Orji Uzor Kalu’s viewpoint: Can Evil Triumph over Good? published in The Sun of July 5, 2015 is a ghastly attempt to join the national conversation on the festering crisis in states and the inability of some Governors to discharge their basic and mandatory statutory function of paying the salaries of workers under their employment.

After his rigmarole and pseudo analysis of the intractable crisis of governance, it was not by the sleight of hand that the former governor descended on the administration of Senator Theodore Orji, the immediate past governor of Abia State whom he accused of maladministration and other vices. For the avoidance of doubt, Kalu’s vitriolic attacks on Senator Orji is fuelled by deep seated animosity and hatred of the former governor for dismantling the former’s political dynasty

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that had hitherto held Abia to ransom. By confronting, defeating and dismantling the Orji Uzor Kalu political dynasty, Governor Orji brought to an end the serial raping and systematic pillage of the resources of the state by those who boast in their fleeting moments exburancy that they would enslave the state in perpetuity.

In truth, no one can rationalise and justify the inability of some states to pay the salaries of its workers. As a matter of fact, this vicarious responsibility is so basic that the failing of many of these state governments continue to provoke righteous outrage from citizens and rightly so. Many of these governors overwhelmed by the lure of power saw themselves as potentates and proceeded to govern the state as their fiefdoms.

Profligacy rather than prudence and fiscal discipline became the grand norm of governance spewing in its wake, insipient decay. In the case of Abia State, former

The quality of governance have cast a pall on our political leadership, exposing their lack of vision to unlock the great Nigeria possibility

inherited a staggering debt in excess of a whopping N55 billion naira deficit and bank loans which could not be accounted for. As a result of this monumental debt overhang, N1.5 billion was deducted at source from the federation account to service the 22 banks/creditors on monthly basis. The ruination of the finances of Abia State and the high scale mismanagement of its resources under the watch of Orji Uzor Kalu more than any other factor contributed to the parlous state of affairs in the state.

In fairness to him, he had to his credit, the invention of mamacracy, a skewered political ideology dedicated to the deification of his mother. Under his watch, it was an open secret that no individual will occupy any position of authority in the state without going to Aba to pay homage to his mother. Those who ignored this conventional wisdom did so at their own peril. It was under this strange contraption that the state was misruled for eight years.

Agreed, our contemporary society is beset with enormous challenges with ramifications on the quality of lives of citizens. Our convoluted political process and the quality of governance have cast a pall on our political leadership, exposing their lack of vision and the patriotic zeal needed to unlock the great Nigeria possibility. Clearly, the new Buhari administration has its work cut of for it by the exigencies of our time and the myriad

in the Nigerian economy. Even though Nigeria has ratified the international (Basel) convention on e-waste, it has not been domesticated.

The National Assembly must hasten to pass laws that will upgrade and regulate electronic waste management in the country. Such laws should carry stiff penalties, and their enforcement must be professionally done in line with international best practices.

It is equally imperative to regulate the importation of fairly used electronic items into the country. No self-respecting country will allow itself to be a dumpsite for the industrial wastes of other countries.Those who deal in second hand electronic items and the general consumers should be sensitised on the harmful effects of the products.

Stakeholders in environmental monitoring and protection must make more efforts to protect human lives and those of plants and animals.

of problems we are saddled with as a nation.

The next four years will prove if the hope of a new Nigeria they had professed on the campaign trial is for real or a fluke.

Given Orji Uzor Kalu's antecedents in and out of power, he is the least qualified to rail against a decadent political order. If evil is on the ascendency in our clime as he has so eloquently canvassed, then we are safe to posit that he is one of the most prominent actors in this axis of evil. For one of the leading actors of this decadent order to now deride and lampoon the political class over the single minded pursuit of their “Clannish and parochial interests” is a ghastly attempt to rewrite history. To state that this image make over and macabre dance of infamy have failed is as clear as day light.

If the immediate past administration in Abia State failed as Orji Kalu would want us to believe, then he contributed in no small measure to the ruination of the state.

The precarious financial position of the state is traceable to his action and inactions while in office. The crushing huge debt burden on the state on account of the over N55 billion naira debt he incurred in office shrunk the state allocation from the federation account with negative impact on governance. But in spite of this, Governor Theodore Orji embarked upon and completed about 34 legacy projects.

•Mr. James, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015— —19

Governors: Separating shaft from wheat

By Sunny Ikhioya

W

ITH the new found power of the electorate to determine the outcome of elections in Nigeria, the race for the 2019 elections have effectively begun – that is, if the perception of Prof. Attahiru Jega’s election is truly free and fair. In other words, the electorate is looking out to judge performance of our elected officials in the next elections, if the general public is not aware of this, those in the social media have already began the countdown. There is no time to wait, the people are impatient and craved for changes and if they do not see any, they will crave for another change.

That is why the take-off of our elected governors in this present dispensation is being brought into focus; it is never too early.

There is this general rule that the quality of the foundation determines the ultimate shape, strength and resilience of the structure. If the foundation is bad, nothing good can come out of it. It will be like a house founded upon sandy soil and when it rains the whole structure collapses.

From what we have seen and th experienced since May 29 when the new dispensation took

off, it is as if, some of our elected governors have gone on leave after the hectic schedule of the electioneering campaigns, only a handful have hit the ground running. What could be responsible for this? Is it that, there was no plan of actions before the elections? g Or, they got into the race just to grab political office for themselves?

Or, they simply lack focus?

Even before the APC's chants of change, the change phenomenon was already here with us, through the vibrant the media, especially the social media forum and which, chain reacted to the awareness of the general public. So, it was not unusual to find people, especially particular ethnic groups threatening to take their destiny in their own hands.

Furthermore, the drastic crash in our earnings from oil, with its resultant effect on the exchange rates, general inability to meet up with the people's economic expectations, coupled with the profligate displays and insensitivity of our elected representatives to the needs of the people, all of these made this change inevitable.

Therefore, at this time of our country’s economic history, only a focused, creative, intelligent,

detribalised and unbiased leadership can make it work for Nigerians. How many of our present elected governors fit into this categorisation? To me, only a few.

Although I have followed his activities over the years, I have never been a fan of Nasir ELRufai, because of the perceived high handedness with which he ran the affairs of the Federal Capital Territory as Minister and the streak of megalomaniac displays that he has put up a couple of times but, give it to the gentleman, he gets things moving. Once he sets his goals and believes in the rightness of his course as it affects the efficient running of his government, he would move mountains to accomplish it, no matter whose ox is gored. This is the kind of person we need in all strata of government. Majority of the elected governors have been

Any state governor still looking up to the federal government for bail out is in a dream world

INEC:Gambling with integrity

By Rotimi Adebisi

T

HE seeming insensitivity being shown by the President Muhammadu Buhari over the unconstitutional appointment of Amina Zakari is too early an indication of impunity, for a popularly elected government that promised to stop impunity in the conduct of the affairs of state. Some of us who helped to shape public opinion in his favour, out of shame in the last weeks, have hidden under the excuses that afterall he has no Attorney General to advise him, no Chief of Staff or Secretary to Government. But more disturbing and worrisome is the fact that it appears the Vice President, who is a professor of law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, in the absence of an AGF, was not consulted or carried along on a matter bothering on constitutionalism.

Many stakeholders in the Civil Society group joined Nigerians in embracing and celebrating the election of President Buhari through a credible and acceptable election process. It is for the same reason of maintaining credibility and the acceptability of the electoral process that Civil Society as the bridge between the family, the political public and the market, should also pay close attention to the recent process of appointing Mrs. Zakari as the Acting-Chairperson of INEC because of its normative and legal contradictions for the autonomy of INEC and the management of the electoral process.

It is an incontrovertible fact that Mrs. Zakari wrote in her resume, professional work under a consortium previously strongly associated with President Buhari’s late brother in-law and his preferred consultants for his work at the Petroleum Trust Fund-AfriProject consortium. His preference for Mrs .Zakari and his further zeal to reverse the last administrative action of Prof.

Attahiru Jega to project that preference, is a deeply injurious action for the independence of INEC as an electoral C M Y K

management institution for several normative and legal reasons.

Normatively, it contradicts the intentions of local, regional and global best practices for the autonomy of an electoral management body to be in the hands of someone with close, undeniable family ties to the appointor; it negates the recommendation of the Uwais Committee on Electoral Reform regarding the autonomy of the Commission, which called for a “review of the composition, administrative autonomy and funding of INEC and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs)”.

Regionally, it breaches the spirit and letter of the African Charter on Democracy, Election and Governance where it is stated in Article 17:1 that state parties shall: “Establish and strengthen independent and impartial national electoral bodies responsible for the management of elections”.

Globally, it contradicts best practices such as Article 3:1a-b of the Venice Convention, which indicated that, the conditions for implementing the principles of electoral heritage of universal, equal, free, secret and direct suffrage shall include: “Procedural guarantees through the organisation of elections by an impartial body, where there is no longstanding affinity and tradition of administrative authorities’

The flawed appointment of Mrs. Zakari is not a flaw of competence, but a flaw of integrity and impartiality which underpins the autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission

sleeping this past one month, they should wake up and take a cue from El-Rufai.

Nasir El-Rufai –as they say, hit the ground running, with a full realisation of the precarious cash situation, he slashed his remuneration and his deputy, and followed that up with the streamlining and rationalising of government ministries and limiting the numbers of personal aids and assistants, removing loopholes for waste in the fertilizer distribution, holy pilgrimage sponsorship and others. What bold moves. The icing on the cake is the quality and calibre of people that he is bringing into his government to effect the much desired change.

Whether one is a Christian, Muslim, northerner, southerner, he does not care, so long as the individual would add value to governance. He is trying to revive the textile industries and encourage further research into ethanol fuel production through sugar cane. All of these in one month, while some of his colleagues, even the ones in their second tenure are pleading with the people for patient and running cap in hand to President Muhammadu B uhari to help bail them out of their mess, what rubbish!

Only a blind, deaf and dumb man will not see success ahead of El-Rufai’s programmes in Kaduna state. I have stated in a previous article that we cannot afford to wait any longer, asking

independence from those holding political power”.

Legally, there is no constitutional provision for the office of an “acting chairperson” of INEC appointed from outside the Commission. Thus,any person acting in such capacity can only be delegated by the extant Chairperson, and the constitution has not been amended to give the President such powers, nor the powers to overrule the administrative decisions of an INEC chairperson.

Moreover, the only legal way to appoint a National Electoral Commissioner is by reference to the National Council of State and through the approval /confirmation of the Senate, hence, legally, Mrs. Zakari cannot stay one day longer than 21st July 2015 as an appointee in INEC. The letter empowering her to so act emanating from the Head of Service, is ultra vires. There is no provision in Nigerian laws which gives the Head of Service any role in the appointment of a chairperson of INEC. In legal terms, the whole appointment of Mrs. Zakari by the President is a legal fiasco, a constitutional congenital malformation and possibly an impeachable offence if the legislature wishes to exercise diligent oversight. In exercising his constitutional powers, the only legal ambit allowed the President is to accept Prof. Jega’s last order and appoint new National Electoral Commissioners constitutionally.

But more important is the issue of “conflict of interest” and “moral hazard”.

Considering her long standing history with the President’s family. Being an experienced National Electoral commissioner, the ethical commitment of Mrs. Zakari is morally suspect for not advising the President altruistically that there are normative standards that will be breached by her accepting such appointment.

Moreover, her not owning up to this risky contradiction is morally hazardous, because accepting the appointment despite the inherent flaws, which were obviously predicted by Prof. Jega who did not hand over to her, has exposed the President’s integrity to doubt and scrutiny.

The flawed appointment of Mrs. Zakari is not a flaw of competence, but a flaw of

us to wait is creating room for excuses and excuses do not get work done. We have seen that in previous governments, it did not work for us. We must therefore discourage this practice of asking for time each time a new government takes over. Start working immediately, the people will see action and be convinced.

As a result of the manner they got in there, some of our governors are still thinking of ways to pay back all the money they borrowed for election campaigns or are been hassled by so called godfathers and sponsors, that is why, three months after the elections have been concluded, some of them cannot constitute their cabinets.

Government is in place to help the people, what we are witnessing now in Nigeria is government imposition of its burden on the people. Why should a governor keep a fleet of helicopter when the state cannot afford to pay workers' salary?

Why can’t they draw from security votes to assist in payment of workers’ salaries? As it is now, revenue accruing to the Federal government and states have dropped significantly, we require new methods to forge ahead and any state governor still looking up to the federal government for bail out is in a dream world. *Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

integrity and impartiality which underpins the autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission. It is vital to the credibility of the process outcomes of the core task of the Commission. Credibility and acceptability of elections depends on impartiality as one of its touchstones.

Hence, one of the global authorities on the subject of election malpractices Sarah Birch asserts that electoral malpractice can occur in three principal dimensions.

One of which is manipulating the design of the institutions governing elections to the advantage of one or more electoral contestants, in violation of the principles of inclusivity, impartiality, openness or transparency such as through gerrymandering, malapportionment, over-restrictive franchise or candidacy regulations, campaign regulations that lead to inequalities among contestants, and lack of observer access to electoral processes.

Such propositions therefore strengthens the suspicions of opposing political stakeholders, who are justified in suspecting unhealthy intentions of political manipulation by the appointment of Mrs. Zakari, given her alleged filial and other relationships with the presidency. The impression being conveyed by the President and those around him is that the President feels more secure in future elections only with Amina Zakari with whom he has family ties , from the same North West zone , and it is further alleged that the President lived in the home of Zakari’s father as a tenant at some point in life.

It is therefore incumbent on the Civil Society, in living up to its responsibility of dissuading a drift towards authoritarian control of the election management body, through the possible erosion of its independence, by probing further the conflict of interest issues raised against the person of Mrs. Zakari, and the wider ramifications the establishment of that fact has for the integrity of President Buhari, regarding the conduct of free and fair elections in the near future in Nigeria.

•Mr. Adebisi, a member of the Civil Society group, wrote from Lagos.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Day of tears for hoodlums, miscreants as task force storms Oshodi again Stories By Olasunkanmi Akoni

I

N a bid to rid Lagos of miscreants and criminals, Operatives of the Lagos State Special Task force on Environmental and other Related Offences, last week stormed the popular Oshodi area and arrested 46 hoodlums and miscreants, popularly called “Area Boys” suspected to have been terrorising innocent residents. This was a follow-up to an earlier raid of the area that led to the arrest of 30 suspects.

The operations, led by the newly deployed Chairman of the Task Force, Superintendent of Police, SUPOL, Hakeem Adedeji, were at the instance of a directive from the State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who has vowed to decisively tackle insecurity in the state.

Vanguard Metro, VM, was told the action was in response to several complaints from citizens over the rising cases of robbery attacks in the axis, especially at night.

During the first operation, 30 suspects, mostly teenagers, were arrested; but 10 were said to have been released after showing proof of innocence.

The suspects, who were

*Parade of some of the suspected miscreants, hoodlums recently arrested at Oshodi rounded up at various spots, were alleged to have been responsible for pockets of criminal activities in the area in recent times.

The ages of the suspects range between 18 and 30 years old. They were said to have

been caught in possession of the Marijuana (Indian hemp) which they used as stimulant to perpetrate crimes. Adedeji said the suspects(names withheld) would be prosecuted in the Magistrate Court as soon as possible.

...As Gov Ambode directs Task Force to rid Lagos of street traders, beggars

S

IMILARLY, Governor Ambode has ordered the State Task Force to enforce the law restricting street trading and begging in the state.

It will be recalled that previous efforts by the state government last year led to the evacuation of 940 beggars from the streets. They were later released to their relations who were expected to take them back to their states of origin for further care.

Gov Ambode in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, expressed concern over the resurgence of street trading in major areas of the state, noting that not only do they constitute environmental nuisances, but also pose C M Y K

security threat to citizens.

The Governor explained that the 2010 environmental law prohibits street trading in the state, urging those interested in doing businesses to seek for legal space in the various modern markets redeveloped by the state government to enhance business activities.

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

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

Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences has been mandated to ensure the Law of the State against street trading is enforced to the letter,” he added.

The Governor noted that some unscrupulous persons hide under the guise of seeking alms to rob unsuspecting members of the public, saying “efforts will be made to rid the state of street beggars and destitute.

“We’ve had security reports on the activities of persons who pose as beggars, especially in traffic, but their sole aim is to perpetrate evil.

“We are putting a search light on this trend and one way to do that is to ensure that we take pre-emptive measures to forestall this development,” the Governor said.

He explained that the raid was part of the state government measures to restore sanity to Oshodi area and its environs.

According to the Task Force boss, during preliminary interrogation of the suspects, especially the young ones, it was discovered that most of them are from other states of the federation as they could not tell their addresses or places of abode in Lagos.

The Task Force boss,

There has recently been an upsurge in criminal activities in the area with unsuspecting residents losing their valuables to men of the underworld

therefore, advised parents and guardians to keep their children and wards away from the streets and criminal hideouts so as not to be influenced by hardened criminals and even ritualists.

He vowed that the state government would not relent in the exercise to rid the state of miscreants and other people involved in illegal activities, adding that the Task Force would soon carry out similar operation in other identified spots in the state.

Adedeji, therefore, implored citizens to come up with useful information that could lead to arrest of area boys in the state as such will be treated with utmost confidence.

It will be recalled that one of the early notable achievements of former Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration was to rid Oshodi of its notoriety by sanitising the area. To accomplish this, he ordered immediate demolition of all illegal structures and dislodgement of miscreants who had constituted a nuisance to the state.

There has recently been an upsurge in criminal activities in the area with unsuspecting residents losing their valuables to men of the underworld.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

•From left: Human Resources Officer, Pilgrims Africa Ltd, Folashade Adekunle; Head, Personal Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Joyce Uredi; Human Resources Generalist, Krones LCS Center West Africa Ltd, Deji Kayode and Director, Human Resources & Administration, Med. at the Stanbic IBTC human resources forum in Lagos.

FMDQ lists N7.6trn debt instruments to boost liquidity

By Peter Egwuatu

N7.6 trillion debt instruments in the country.

The debt instruments consist of N4.8 trillion Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Bonds and the quotation of N2.8 billion Nigerian Treasury Bills, both

As part of its commitment to boost liquidity, transparency and develop Over the Counter OTC market, FMDQ OTC Plc, yesterday recorded another milestone with the listing of

outstanding as at July 13, 2015 on the OTC platform. The dual listing is coming after the listings of the N30.5billion UBA Bond and N15.54billion Stanbic IBTC Bond recently on the OTC securities exchange.

Speaking during the listing ceremony, Director General, Debt Management Office, DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo said “It is expected that FMDQ will continue to provide a robust and credible OTC Platform for the listed FGN securities to the public; to continuously work to improve market transparency and price discovery; monitor the activities of dealers to ensure accountability; and publish relevant market data and information as and when due to guide investors in their investment decisions.

Appreciating the efforts of the various market participants and stakeholders, Mr. Bola Onadele. Koko, MD/CEO at FMDQ noted that this was yet another feat for FMDQ, and re-iterated the commitment of the OTC securities exchange to be innovative and credible, in support of the Nigerian economy.

According to Onadele “In providing an efficient platform for the registration, listing, quotation and valuation of debt securities, FMDQ has significantly improved transparency, integrating the domestic and international markets through enhanced trade visibility, improved market surveillance, global presence and

— 21

competitiveness, enhanced secondary market liquidity and effective price formation.”

He added that by listing, quoting and trading the FGN Bonds and Nigeria T.Bills on FMDQ’s Platform, the first of its kind in the nation, the securities gain access to the full complement of an FMDQ listings and quotations service; which includes but not limited to the global visibility through their inclusion on the FMDQ Bloomberg E-bond trading system and on the quotations page of the FMDQ website.

Also speaking at the Ceremony following the receipt of the FMDQ bespoke Registration Member listing & quotation paraphernalia, Mr. Balogun, CEO of the Listings & Quotations Sponsor said “Chapel Hill Denham is privileged to be the Listings & Quotations Sponsor of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s return to listing & quoting on domestic capital markets, through the FMDQ. “This listing & quotation will bring greater transparency and liquidity to the Government market and is ultimately beneficial to the Federal Government of Nigeria, in pricing future issuances”.

NIWA proposes waterways development plan, to implement Code

By Godwin Oritse

T

HE National Inland Wa terways Authority (NIWA) has concluded plans to bring about the development of the nation’s inland waterways transport just as it

$123.15

has pledged the full implementation of the national transport code.

NIWA’s Acting Managing Director, Barr. Danladi Ibrahim recently unfolded his plans towards a total transformation of the services currently being rendered, high-

0.40

$3,325. 00

+39. 00

$12. 40 +0.50 $58.72 +0.11

52.81 CURRENCY DOLLAR

BUYING

-0.04

CENTRAL

195.95 196.45 POUNDS 304.4083 305.1851 EURO 219.2876 219.8472 FRANC 209.3707 209.9049 YEN 1.6021 1.6062 CFA 0.3111 0.3211 WAUA 273.1371 273.834 RENMINBI 31.5571 31.6381 RIYAL 52.2492 52.3825 SDR 273.8205 274.5192 KRONA 29.3813 29.4563

196.95 305.9618 220.4067 210.4391 1.6103 0.3311 274.531 31.7191 52.5158 275.2179 29.5313

CBN Exchange Rate as at 13/ 07 /15

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lighting the need for NIWA to be financially independent, within the next two years.

He disclosed this in Lagos when he visited the State Area Office yesterday.

The transformation, he also indicated, would include the carrying along of operators relevant blue chip companies, as critical stakeholders; the development of a multistory ultra-modern office complex in Lagos, for revenue generation and the introduction of hover-barges technology, in the operations of Inland waterways administration in Nigeria. The NIWA boss confirmed that the federal

government has awarded the contract of dredging the lower river Benue at the tune of N26billion, adding that the contractor, indicated as Messer Oyins Oil and Gas Limited has two years to deliver the project.

“We have awarded the dredging of lower river Benue for a tune of 26billion. Also, the dredging of the lower River Niger is completed and

We believe that by collaborating, this issue will be resolved and inland waterways will be better for it, instead of legal tussles and conflicts

quite a number of boats and jetties are under construction, we are all aware that we have completed the Onitsha river port and it will be concessioned to the private sector to operate any time from now.“Baro is 95 percent completed, Lokoja is about 50 to 60 percent as well as Oguta port. We have awarded the construction of Markurdi rivers port and any oment from now it will take off ”, hestated, stressing that he was briging in his almost 20 years experience in the field, to ensure that both the government and the peple timely enjoy the gains of inlan waterways services that meets the global standards.

“We are doing everything possible to become the best inland water ways transportation manager in Africa”, he concluded.

Speaking further, the Managing Director emphasized that henceforth, NIWA management would begin to collaborate with the Governments of the riverine states to maintain efficient inland waterways services in the country, as the days of confrontation was over.

“As it relates to the conflict between NIWA and state governments, not only Lagos State, we have this issue with several other states, Rivers, Bayelsa, and most of the riverine states.

Actually, this conflict has really affected development of inland waterways greatly.

“What we intend to do this time around, is to collaborate with these states. Any moment from now, we will be visiting all the states governors that we have issues with and collaborate.

“We believe that by collaborating, this issue will be resolved and inland waterways will be better for it, instead of legal tussles and conflicts. I don’t see any reason why state and federal government cannot collaborate to develop the economy,” Ibrahim said.

Speaking on the issue of monitoring operators to ensure safety standards by checkmating the challenges of overcrowing and over-speeding, the managing director said the issue would be addressed with the gazetting of a code of operation.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

,

Two of my colleagues, one a customer of UBA, the other a customer of Ecobank were yet to receive their BVN more than two months after their biometrics have been captured

TOP 10 PERFORMING STOCKS

BY PETER EGWUATU

I

KEJA Hotel Plc led the cream of price gainers on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE last week, rising by 14.79 per cent or N0.54 per share to close at N4.19 per share from N3.65 per share penultimate week. Ikeja Hotel ‘s nine months unaudited result ended September 30, 2014 shows that loss after tax stood at N2.554 billion as against a profit of N985 million in the corresponding period of 2013; Revenue dropped by 17.9 per cent to N3.937 billion from N4.795 billion in 2013; Total assets increased to N18.057 billion from N17.141 billion, while turnover dropped to N3.935 billion as against N4.794 billion in the corresponding period of 2013.

Trailing behind Ikeja Hotels on the gainers chart was Neimeth Plc, which appreciated by 13.93 per cent or N0.17 per share to close at N1.39 per share from N1.22 per share it closed penultimate week.

The difficult economic challenges bedevilling Nigeria has stunted the growth of Neimeth. Analysis of the financial statement for the period ended December 2014, shows that the company’s net income dipped by 190 percent to N68.09 million from N75.76 million the same period of the corresponding year (Q1) December 2013, while sales fell by 43 percent to N269.26 million. Gross profits margin reduced to 38.74 percent compared with 54.95 percent the last year, while gross profit fell by 59.48 percent to N104.31 million. The falling gross profits mean Neimeth is not able to produce at relatively lower costs.

Operating expenses margin increased to 53.53 percent in 2014 as against 34.50 percent in the preceding year, while operating expenses fell by 12 percent to N144.14 million. Net margin, a measure of profitability and efficiency, increased to 25.28 percent from 16.17 percent the preceding year. Neimeth’s total assets rose slightly by 1.43 percent to N2.82 billion compared with N2.78 billion the preceding year. The company’s share price closed at N0.74 on the floor of the exchange while market capitalisation was N1.16 billion.

National Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO Plc occupied the third position on the gainers ‘chart as it gained 10 per cent or N0.50 per share to close at N5.50 per share from N5.00 per share penultimate week. NAHCO’s first quarter financial result ended March 31, 2015, shows that its revenue went up by 12.7 per cent to N2.145 billion from N1.903 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2014; Profit Before Tax, PBT dropped by 4.7 per cent to N186.2 million from N195.29 million in the corresponding period of 2014.; Profit After Tax, PAT also declined to N46.599 million from N66.919 million in 2014.

INVESTOR' ,

BVN enrolment: Facts behind deadline extension (2)

By Babajide Komolafe

A

NOTHER problem that necessitated the extension of the deadline for the BVN enrolment was technical in nature.

The standard procedure is that once the biometrics details (finger prints, facial

features) of the customer are captured at the bank's branch, the BVN is sent to him (or her) through SMS alert. Thus the customer should have his BVN not later than 48 hours after doing the biometric capture.

I received mine within 24 hours.

But along the line, we

started receiving complaints from bank customers that they were yet to receive their BVN weeks or months after doing their biometric capture. Two of my colleagues, one a customer of UBA, the other a customer of Ecobank were yet to receive their BVN more than two months after their biometrics have been captured. On Monday June 29th,

Price gainers chart Trailing behind NAHCO on the price gainers’ chart was Continental Reinsurance Plc, which rose by 10 per cent or N0.10 per share to close at N1.10 per share from N1.00 per share.

Continental Reinsurance first quarter 2015 results shows that profit before tax stood at N 1.1 billion, a significant jump of 46 per cent on the 2014 outturn of N764 million. The performance reflects the impact of the gradual evolution of Continental Re from 2011 that has positioned the company to directly exploit the benefits of a diversified client base of over 200 insurance entities across all regions of Africa.

“Underpinning our strategy is our commitment to sustainable growth and profitability through localisation of our operations in key markets” said Femi Oyetunji, Group Managing Director of Continental Reinsurance Plc. Oyetunji explained that driving the results was an underwriting profit of N479 million, which although 26 per cent down on that of the first quarter 2014, still reflects strong performance displaying positive outcomes across most key technical indices but dampened by an adverse development in the claims ratio due to settlement of legacy US Dollar denominated claims that were inflated by the effects of negative currency movement experienced in the last quarter of 2014.

An offsetting factor was the buoyant investment returns of N 825 million recorded in 2014 as against N 213 million in 2013, arising from improved yields across interest bearing instruments and significant foreign exchange gains on hard currency assets.

Wema Bank Plc occupied the fifth position on the gainers’ chart, rising by 7.53 per cent or N0.07 to close at N1.00 per share from 93 kobo. Wema Bank’s unaudited 2015 first quarter financial results shows that Gross Earnings recorded growth of 5 per cent to close at N10.63 billion while Profit Before Tax (PBT) grew by 4 per cent , Year on Year, YoY to N615 million. The downward trend in the Non-Performing Loan ratio continued closing the quarter on 2.3 per cent. There was a marked reduction in Other Operating Expenses, which reduced by 11 per cent, year on year largely attributable to improved operational efficiency.

From left: Thankgod Otorkpa, Zonal Business Manager, North West Zone, Airtel Nigeria; Chinda Manjor, Head CSR, Airtel Nigeria; Dr. Eyitayo Ojo, Deputy Team Leader/Health Coordinator, Millennium Villages Project press conference in Kaduna

MARKET NEWS

NDIC takes financial literacy to Kings College

T

HE Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) over the weekend boosted efforts to deepen financial literacy in Nigeria, as it took financial literacy camping to the students of Kings College, Lagos.

This is in line with the Corporation's decision to make financial literacy one of its corporate social responsibilities by organising financial literacy campaigns across the country targeting secondary students, university

NDIC is investing in educational institutions across the country as part of its corporate social responsibility

students and fresh graduates serving in the NYSC scheme.

The NDIC particularly targeted the 2015 graduating students of the Kings College who would soon gain admission into the higher institution and begin to access financial services directly.

The NDIC Managing Director/ CEO, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim who was the Chairman of the occasion reckoned some of the students would be operating bank accounts for the first time after secondary school thus the need for financial literacy at this stage is critical for their future

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 —23

a very close and aged relative, a customer of First Bank, also called to complain of not receiving his BVN since November last year when his biometrics were captured.

Furthermore, similar complaints were posted on the Facebook pages of banks by their customers. Some of the complaints are reproduced below but without the names of the bank.

“I registered my BVN at XYZ bank two weeks ago! But up till now, there is no response concerning my BVN or should I go and register again?

(Ezekiel Musa Demine) “I made my BVN last month at one of your branches in Bauchi but I never received any alert for BVN Number till date. Why? (Usman Abubakar Vulum) “I haven’t received my BVN weeks after registering. What’s wrong with your services ABU? (Umar Y. Giade) “I went to the Lekki PH1 branch of ABU bank for my BVN. I have registered since February, I have my ticket number. Kindly, assist as I have

I went to the Lekki PH1 branch of ABU bank for my BVN. I have registered since February, I have my ticket number. Kindly, assist as I have been going to the bank since that time and I haven’t received my BVN

financial empowerment.

At the 2015 speech, prize giving and graduation ceremony , NDIC shared literatures on financial education to the graduating students.

Ibrahim said the NDIC is investing in educational institutions across the country as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Corporate social responsibility The NDIC boss was represented at the occasion by the Director Asset Management Department, Mr. Bashir Dada Umar.

,

'S FORUM

Later, the explanation was that the delay might have been due to network failure on the part of the Telecommunications companies that provide the SMS service. But on June 30th, an official of NIBSS said, “Maybe they had technical challenges but (they should) try and complete the process. We shall act on this information.”

It is quite baffling that, while the authorities were compelling bank customers to go and enrol for the BVN, with some banks threatening to deny non compliant customers access to their accounts, they were not aware of nor had resolved the technical problem bedeviling the exercise. This ignorance or negligence contributed to the confusion and crowd that swelled the banks few days to the June 30th initial deadline.

(Send comments and enquiries t o vanguardinvestorsforum@gmail.com)

Advising the graduands, Umaru tasked them to be good ambassadors of the school that laid the foundation for their future successes.

“You are graduating today.

It’s a testimony you have been nurtured and groomed properly. You have imbibed the culture of hard work and the trainings you need to succeed and be useful to the society.

As you leave Kings College to higher learning, continue to be good ambassadors of this school” he advised.

He also told the students to remember giving back to the school that made them when they eventually become successful in life.

,

INVESTORS SPEAK

been going to the bank since that time and I haven’t received my BVN” (Martina O Kaeme ) Surprisingly, the regulatory authorities, when contacted first dismissed these complaints saying it was not possible.

Investors Forum was made to understand that once the biometrics of the customer is captured and sent to the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), the company then generates the BVN for the customer and send directly to him via SMS. So the response to the complaints was that it was not possible that their biometrics has been captured and they did not get the SMS for their BVN.

Network failure

After AGM’s we are supposed to see signs of things done but the regulators will tell you they are there to observe. But when you come to observe, you are supposed to write something and take it back to the office for follow up

Mr. Adebayo Adeleke

Mrs. Bisi Bakere

AGM: Are companies meeting shareholders' demand? (Part 1)

By Providence Obuh

E

VERY year, quoted and unquoted companies hold Annual General Meeting (AGM) to update shareholders on their investment and shareholders as well make comments and observations on the company or its audited financial statement. Whether shareholders are satisfied with the company’s response and post AGM action is a mirage.

In this interview shareholders shed more light.

shareholders are up to the task looking for such, either to appreciate you or criticize a disciplined board as the case may be.

Mrs. Bisi Bakere, Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria:

I have always anticipated this kind of question, one of the objectives for holding AGM is for shareholders to raise issues they are not clear with in a company, but 80 percent of quoted companies don’t meet with the AGM objective. We have regulatory Mr. Adebayo Adeleke, Secretary bodies such as: National Insurance Independent Shareholders Association of Commission (NAICOM) for Insurance Nigeria: companies; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for banks, among others who ought to have The AGM platform has always been an open sent a note to the companies that the issues ground for not only criticising what the your shareholders raised, how far have you management and board has done but also treated them and what are you going to be appreciating the point of view of shareholders doing to correct it. Unfortunately every year and while I still want to believe Nigerian we keep raising the same questions and shareholders still have a long way to go in nothing is being done. Like the issue of terms of their capacity to understand the depth Seplat, same thing goes to Eco Bank and the intricacies of the investing Transnational, we didn’t environment. I want buy our shares with dollar, to believe the but they want me to open a platform has served I want to believe the domiciliary account for a very useful platform has served a penny dividend, it is purpose so far in my uncalled for and very bad. experience. It is not very useful purpose so When we buy shares in also possible for far in my experience naira they ask us to collect management and dividend in dollar which is board to reply to all not done anywhere. Let us issues raised on the floor of the AGM because think about it, because of one or two dollar, some are long term issues, where the I will now go and open domiciliary account management has to go back and brief the with $100 or $200. We usually raise serious board what has happened. So the best way to issues at AGM and they don’t do anything, approach the outcome of AGM, vis-a -vis the even the regulators don’t penalize them, of expectation of shareholders, is to look at what course they are observers at AGM’s. But happens in that company over a period of say after the AGMs, we are supposed to see one year. So that by the time the company is signs of things done but the regulators will coming back for another AGM, such things tell you, they are there to observe, when you shareholders are looking out for would be how come to observe, you are supposed to write the company have handled issues raised the something and take it back to the office for previous year. So it takes that kind of time for follow up. you to be able to find out and most of the time,

24— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Nigeria loses N174bn to gas flaring — NNPC

By Michael Eboh

N

IGERIA has lost up to $868.8 million, about N173.76 billion to gas flaring in 2014, according to data obtained from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The NNPC in its Annual Statistical Bulletin, ASB, for 2014, disclosed that oil and gas firms in the country flared 289.6 billion standard cubic feet, SCF, of gas, representing 11.47 per cent of the total gas produced in the country in that year.

Using the Nigerian Gas Company, NGC’s price of $3 per 1,000 SCF of gas at the current exchange rate realities, the flaring of 289.6 billion SCF of gas translated to a loss of $868.8 million, an equivalent of N173.76 billion.

Specifically, the oil and gas companies produced 2.524 trillion SCF of gas, utilised 2.235 trillion SCF and flared 289.6 billion SCF. Gas utilisation Below is a breakdown of gas utilization during the period in review, as indicated by the NNPC: •154.37 billion SCF used for fuel;

.

Gas flaring

•712.3 billion sold to third parties; •178.447 billion SCF sold to NGC; •643.81 billion SCF was reinjected, •11.01 billion used as fuel gas to Eleme Petrochemical Limited, EPCL; •38.8 billion SCF for LPG/ NGL feedstock to EPCL; •391.37 billion SCF for Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG; •104.58 billion SCF for gas lift.

Flare offenders

According to the ASB, the Joint Venture, JV companies, comprising the multinational oil companies were the worst offenders in terms of quantity, as they flared 211.836 billion SCF of gas, representing 11.2 per cent of their total gas production of 2.11 trillion SCF. Production Sharing Contract, PSC companies followed as they flared 66.12 billion SCF of gas, representing 19.95 per cent of their total gas production of 397.58 billion SCF. Sole Risk/Independent oil

companies produced 9.71 billion SCF of gas, utilised 1.85 billion SCF and flared 7.86 billion SCF, representing 424.5 per cent of the total gas produced in the sebsector.

Similarly, Marginal Fields companies utilised only 6.79 billion SCF of a total of 10.57 billion SCF gas produced in the subsect, and flared 3.78 billion SCF or 55.7 per cent of their total production.

Flare by companies Broken down further, specific companies flared: * Chevron Nigeria Limited,

CNL -53.6 billion SCF; * Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC - 51.92 billion SCF; * Mobil Producing Nigeria 42.86 billion SCF; * Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NAOC - 35.79 billion SCF; * Addax Petroleum Development Company - 35.6 billion SCF; * Total Exploration and Production - 22.78 billion SCF; * Total Upstream Nigeria 18.73 billion SCF; * Esso - 4.517 billion SCF; * Chevron Texaco - 4.43 billion SCF; * Amni Petroleum - 3.87 billion SCF of gas.

ASB declaration The NNPC ASB stated that “A total of 2.524.27 trillion SCF of natural gas production was reported by 28 Companies. This shows an increase of 8.56 per cent when compared with 2013 production. Of the quantity produced, 2.233 trillion SCF, representing 88.53 per cent of total gas production was utilised, while 289.60 billion SCF was flared.

Continuing, the report said that total Natural Gas Liquid, NGL, produced in 2014 was 1.327 million Metric Tons, adding that Mobil and NNPC had a share of 51 per cent and 49 per cent of the quantity respectively.

Brass LNG: Management tasks Buhari on FID

zAdopts APCI technology to deliver project

By Clara Nwachukwu

N

OTWITHSTANDING the beaming of torchlight on activities of the petroleum industry, the management of the Brass Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, has charged President Mohammadu Buhari to do all it takes to facilitate shareholders taking the final investment decision, FID, of the project This is even as the management and the shareholders, after the reevaluation of the project adopted the use of the APCI technology, which was used for the Nigeria LNG project, to fast track the delivery of the project.

The Air Products Chemical Industries, APCI technology is the most-used liquefaction process in LNG plants globally.

A top management of the gas company, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence on the

C M Y K

telehpone, also urged Buhari to make the process one of his priorities for the oil and gas industry.

The source while responding on speculations that the entire project, located in Bayelsa State may be cancelled outright by the new

The Brass LNG project has been in the offing since 2006, and about $2billion gone down the drain without the shareholders taking the FID.

government, said it would be foolhardy to do so considering that “the economics of the project remain very positive.”

Stalling the project The Brass LNG project has been in the offing since 2006, and about $2billion gone down the drain without the shareholders taking the FID. Observers had thought that the FID would have been concluded during the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, seeing as the project is located in his home state.

However, the source argued that the FID was not feasible in the last administration because, “The former government had its own priorities. Also, one of the major shareholders, America’s ConocoPhillips pulled out and there were dynamics of shareholding because of the incompatibility of the remaining shareholders, and

Bechtel, the project management contractors disengaged their services when ConocoPhillips left.

Their exit took another two and half years to resolve the vacuum created. There was also the security issues concern in the Niger Delta, and thereafter was the issue of supply of gas to the project for 20 years, even where we already had 18 years supply agreement.”

Insisting on the viability of the project, the source continued: “Part of the problem then was that the gas pipelines that will move from the shore to the see was about 8kilometres buried deep into the sea, which cost was about 20 per cent of the entire project.

“But now, management decided to reduce the size to about 4.5 kilometres buried in the low areas of the ocean, which are all part of the cost

optimisation process for the project.”

He disagreed that the remaining shareholders, including the French unit of Total, Italy ’s Eni, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, were reluctant to continue with the project, and were stuck with their equities, as no buyers would touch them.

According to the source, “The Shareholders are still very much interested; and are holding on to their equities to avoid distractions. To demonstrate their levels of commitment, they are still paying their financial commitments totaling $150million per annum used for the payment of salaries and running of the offices.

“Right now, they are in the process of re-evaluating the front end engineering design, FEED, which takes an average of six to eight months. I already told you we have adopted the latest technology in LNG process.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 —25

Nigerian, British firms, partner on Shell sponsored projects

A

TOTAL of 27 partnerships have been agreed by Nigerian and British companies under the auspices of the annual Nigeria-UK engagement programme sponsored by the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, SNEPCo. The partnerships cover a wide range of oil and gas activities including engineering, maintenance, fabrication and support services and were the outcome of several business summits held in Lagos, Abuja, London and Aberdeen.

Working closely with the United Kingdom Trade and Investment, UKTI, SNEPCo initiated the business summits in 2009, to create valuable opportunities for Nigerian and British companies to collaborate.

This is also meant to close the technical gaps that exist in the oil and gas industry as a result of the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010.

The collaboration has helped to improve local capacity in innovation and technology. This model has now been replicated in Kazakhstan and Iraq.

“We are pleased with the progress that has been made with the collaboration of UKTI and Shell,” said Osagie Okunbor, Chairman, Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC).

He said this when the UKTI led by the Director of Trade in Nigeria, Mr. Chris Maskell, paid him a courtesy call, adding, “We will continue to support the initiative given the benefits and potential to drive growth in the Nigerian economy.”

Commenting on the partnership, Maskell said: “The partnerships have significantly increased the scope of operations for both the British and Nigerian companies and can only get better as they explore more areas of co-operation. We are grateful for the continued support of Shell for this initiative.”

A recent reform of the programme ensures that Nigerian suppliers now take the lead in deciding potential UK companies that they would like to meet and partner with for project delivery in areas of key needs.

The 2015 Nigeria-UK Business Summit is slated for this July in Lagos, where UK companies will be looking to take advantage of prequalification and tendering activities scheduled for 2015/ 16.

About 90 per cent of contracts in Shell Companies in Nigeria were awarded to Nigerian companies in 2014. The use of locally manufactured goods and Nigerian service providers creates employment opportunities in communities in which Shell companies operate.

C M Y K

‘Nigeria’s tax system hindering oil industry growth’

By Michael Eboh

A

NALYSTS at GTI Capital have called for a review of Nigeria’s tax policy especially as it affects the country’s petroleum industry, saying that the current tax system does not allow for technological advancement in the industry.

The analysts in a report titled, ‘Nigeria Oil Sector Outlook,’ said that the current tax system failed to take into account individual features of oil production projects, such as geology, geographical location, expenditure on development, and limits implementation of new technologies.

They said: “The need to re-assess the tax system in order to provide more room for technological advancement in the industry and the country as a whole becomes more paramount.

“A possibility is the concept of the excess profit tax using the financial results of the company’s activities as the principal subject of taxation.”

The analysts maintained that setting the tax system aright will create new economic stimuli for implementation of oil production projects.

They said: “One notable effort under the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill is a proposition for a total repeal of the petroleum profit tax Act, Cap P. 13, 2004. The present petroleum profit tax will be replaced with the Nigerian Hydrocarbon Tax (NHT).

“Section 313 of the proposed bill provides that Nigerian Hydrocarbon Tax will be computed on the chargeable profits for the relevant accounting period at 50 per cent for onshore and shallow waters. The

anticipation for the adoption of this bill into law is the optimism that it will bring about the much desired development in the sector.”

The analysts projected a positive outlook for the petroleum industry based on that the competitive landscape that will continue to remain appealing to operators and new market entrants.

They, however, emphasized the need for the government to place emphasis on diversification of the economy to reduce dependence on oil.

Continuing, they said: “Since new investments in the sector have been hampered by uncertainties around the PIB which was first initiated in 2008, the onus is on the government to palliate the growing disinterest of foreign investments.

“The PIB in itself will need to be adjusted to consider the changes in global economics on oil prices and investment costs that affected almost every 170 million persons over the last six months.

“Nigeria will need to join the long train of high-tech energy industry transition that has changed the business model of the sector and led to the possible development of a wide range of unconventional resources.

“Considering the success story of the shale gas revolution in the US with a significant growth in drilling activities over the last few years and the skills gap in this operation, Nigeria needs to stay competitive by evaluating our position in the industry.”

Managing Director, Nipco Plc, Mr Venkatapathy Venkataraman dispensing fuel to a motorist while the Company Secretary, Mr Paul Obi (2nd right) and a director of the company, Mr Tunji Adeniji watch during the inauguration of Nipco flagship station on Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

Power: FG says no change in policy direction

By Chris Ochayi

T

HE Federal Government has assured both foreign and local investors that the power sector reform is on course and that there is no need for change in policy direction.

The Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Dr Sam Amadi, who gave the assurance in Abuja, while receiving representatives of the Development of Finance International Inc. USA, said, the sector’s reform has been consistent since 2001 when the policy was formed.

The USA delegation was in Nigeria to find out possible areas for investment that could impact on the power sector.

Amadi affirmed the Commission’s believe in regulatory certainty as well as openness to investors to carry out their businesses in a transparent and efficient manner.

He allayed the fears of investors on security of investment, policy consistency and cost reflective tariff.

According to him: “the Federal Government’s belief in the reform is not in doubt as the government is

The Federal Government’s belief in the reform is not in doubt as the government is already considering privatisation of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, presently under management contract

by Manitoba Hydro International, Canada

already considering privatisation of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, presently under management contract

by Manitoba Hydro International, Canada.”

On power generation, he said that gas supply has been a major constraint and that the Commission is working with other stakeholders to remove all bottlenecks to gas supply.

The delegation comprised of Manjula Bagli and David Rosenblum, both of DFi, United States, and Ekenem Isichei, Senior Consultant to the President, Office of the Corporate Council on Africa’.

Manjula and David represent a company that manufactures hardware and software for the power sector, especially for transmission purposes.

Meanwhile, Amadi also reiterated the Commission’s stance on tariff, saying that the recent directive to distribution companies to only seek for tariff review upon improvement of service delivery.

26— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

FMC Technologies trains 16 employees in Ghana

NMGS boss decries poor mines inspection, monitoring

By Mildred Ibrahim

I

N a quest to enhance service delivery and competence, FMC technologies Inc., has trained about 16 employees in leadership expertise and other areas of specialisation.

Beneficiaries of the oneweek training inGhana were tutored in management essentials, which included modules on transition to leadership, cultural diversity, human resources fundamentals and crucial conversation.

FMC Technologies said in a statement that participants were from a variety of professional disciplines, job responsibilities and cultural backgrounds.

One of the trainees, the Surface Operation Supervisor, Port Harcourt Branch, Mr Ajikere Abuchi, was quoted as saying that: “The training was a remarkable one for our career development and it touched on every aspect of what I need to carry out my leadership responsibilities.

“In my 14years of working with FMC Technologies, we have had to go through a series of staff trainings and development. It gives staff the flexibility to acquire knowledge from other departments and encourage employees on their career paths, and that contributes to a conducive working culture and environment.”

By Gabriel Ewepu

A

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FMC Technologies trainees in Ghana

The statement also said the training created a positive step towards strengthening the nationalisation of FMC Technologies’ workforce, adding that focus on collaboration between diverse cultures during the training resulted in building stronger relationships and networks.

The company said it is also building momentum in the nurturing of strong leaders from countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, and Egypt.

Furthermore, the company said it is focused on developing people and skills across the continent, with future programmes on: mentoring/ coaching;collaboration with educational institutes in the region; career development (job rotation/changing

assignments); project management training, and additional leadership programs.

The company had a couple of months ago, partnered with the University of Port Harcourt, to create the first Master of Science

The company said it is also building momentum in the nurturing of strong leaders from countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, and Egypt

degree in Subsea Engineering in Nigeria.

The Country Manager, FMC Technologies, Mr. Michael Hunt, had said: “This collaboration represents a major milestone in furthering the development of a highly skilled Nigerian workforce.

These students will play a key role in the future of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

“However, FMC Technologies is dedicated to developing its Nigerian workforce so that an everincreasing number of technical, leadership and management roles in Nigeria can be performed

by Nigerians.”

Oversupply threatens global oil market —IEA ...as global demand to drop to 1.2 mbpd in 2016

By Ediri Ejoh

N

IGERIA and other oil producing countries are set for tougher times following the fall in global oil prices, according to the Oil Market Report of the International Energy Agency, IEA. The report revealed that oil prices are set to come under further pressure from easing global demand and an expanding glut of crude, while a rebalancing of the markets may last well into next year, the West’s Energy watchdog said last week.

The Agency said it expected global demand growth to slow next year to 1.2 million barrels per day, bpd, from 1.4 million this year - far less than needed to balance stubbornly growing nonOPEC and OPEC supply.

According to the Agency, “The bottom of the market may still be

ahead. Also, the rebalancing that began when oil markets set off on an initial 60 per cent price drop a year ago has yet to run its course. Recent developments suggest that the process will extend well into 2016.

“The oil market was massively oversupplied in the second quarter of 2015, and remains so today. It is equally clear that the market’s ability to absorb that oversupply is unlikely to last.

Onshore storage space is limited.

So is the tanker fleet ... something has to give,” it said.

The global glut arose from a steep spike in US oil supply on the back of the shale revolution and OPEC’s decision not to reduce output but rather to fight for market share with rival producers.

However, the fall in prices to $50 - $60 per barrel in recent months from as high as $115 a

year ago has yet to depress North American supply.

Specifically, the IEA said the expected timing of the rebalancing has shifted a bit, but the story line has not changed.

The supply response to lower prices is on the way, adding that it may take another price drop for a full supply response to unfold.

Full supply “Also, cost savings, efficiency gains and producer hedging have let light tight oil producers defy expectations until now, but growth ground to a halt in May and will likely stay there through mid-2016.”

It also noted that US supply grew by 1.0 million bpd in the first five months of 2015, down from 1.8 million in 2014. “Total US supply will keep growing

through 2016, but much more slowly than in 2014, and thanks to natural gas liquids and new deep-water plays rather than onshore crude supply.”

Similarly, the report had it that non-OPEC supply as a whole, after expanding by a massive 2.4 million bpd in 2014, looks on track to slow to growth of 1 million bpd in 2015 and stay flat in 2016.

The Agency further stated that among other bearish signals, world oil demand growth appeared to have peaked in the first quarter of 2015 at 1.8 million bpd and would continue to ease throughout the rest of this year and into next.

This, according to the report indicate that the need for OPEC’s oil will stand at 30.3 million bpd next year,

BUJA – THE Nigerian Mining Geosciences Society, NMGS, has decried the poor inspection and monitoring of mines and mining activities by the Mines Inspectorate Department of Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.This followed the rising tide of outbreaks of lead poisoning across the country.

NMGS President,Prof.

Olugbenga Okunlola, in a chat with Vanguard, also cautioned the Federal Government against future environmental disasters that would still occur if decisive measures were not taken to stop the activities of illegal miners.

He said their activities have caused the death of hundreds of people, mostly children in the country.

He said: “Monitoring and enforcement is a big challenge. We have called on government and still using this medium to do so to strengthen the departments. In those days there were mines police on the Plateau and in Enugu and other places, and there was virtually no illegal mining. But now it is almost out of control.

“Also we have proposed at several fora, adequate educational and extensional services to these mining sites. I am sure they also don’t want to commit suicide, but ignorance is the main thing.

“There will still be many more disasters if things are not done properly. Quackery does no nation any good. The Mines Inspectorate Department should be well strengthened logistically to monitor these situations. You will be surprised many of these offices in states of this government department have none or only one or two functional vehicles.”

On the area of using mining professionals in mining activities by investors, the NMGS boss urged investors to hire the services of the society’s over 10, 000 members and to maintain high standards of mining exploration and exploitation.

He said: “The mining sector is a viable sector but use genuine experts will help investors a lot. The NMGS can always assist and direct experienced and genuine experts to investors to assist in the exploration, evaluation of occurrences.

“Our member numbering over 10, 000 will help the investors to minimise losses by advising when to proceed further or to stop for some time.

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 —27

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28 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

By Jude Njoku

P

ROVIDERS of luxury apartments in Nigeria’s high-end neighbourhoods usually advertise the sale or lease of their properties in foreign currencies, especially the US dollar. Banana Island in Lagos is one of such exclusive neighbourhoods where the sale or lease of property is denominated in dollar. The island is the most expensive place in Nigeria and one of the most expensive in Africa to own a house.

According to Nigerian Property market,”Property on Banana Island is dollardenominated. The average cost of buying a three bedroom apartment is $2 million. However, if you’re just looking to hang around the island for some time, and not to buy property, you can rent the same apartment for about $150,000 per annum.

But there’s a clause: you must pay for an initial minimum term of two years – in advance. And there are no refunds. Also, the tenant is mandated to pay a ‘service charge’ of $17,000 per annum.

A typical plot of land on the island usually goes for between $4 million and $6 million, and the cheapest building on the island costs

Banana Island... Nigeria’s most expensive neighbourhood where properties are dollar-denominated

Experts drum support for CBN’s ban of dollar in property transactions upward of $8 million. But because of the ridiculous prices of property on the island, about 60% of the completed buildings are currently unoccupied”.

It was against this backdrop that the Central Bank of

Nigeria, CBN, four months ago, vowed to deal with those who transact property business in the country in dollars. The Managing Director of the apex bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele who gave the warning at the end of a

UN-Habitat opens electronic platform for Habitat111 A

new electronic platform allowing people from all over the world to contribute to the debates around the New Urban Agenda has been launched as part of the activities leading up to the Habitat III conference in October 2016.

Over the month of July, the Urban Dialogues will enable debate through online comment and social media channels around six key thematic areas: social cohesion and equity; urban frameworks; spatial development; urban economy; urban ecology and environment, and; urban housing and basic services.

“Our battle for global sustainability will be won or lost in cities,” said Dr Clos, Executive Director of UNHabitat and Secretary-General of the Habitat III conference, in a video about the preparatory process to date.

“This is a global process.

Habitat III welcomes participation from all [partners].”

The Urban Dialogues is one

vehicle for encouraging such global contributions. To inform the discussions, the Habitat III Secretariat has coordinated the production of issue papers around each theme which will guide discussants on the key aspects of the issue and areas of consideration for the conference.

Habitat III – the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – will take place from 17-20 October 2016 in Quito, Ecuador.

In a related development, thirty-two researchers have gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to discuss initial findings for UN-Habitat’s upcoming flagship publication, the World Cities Report 2015. This report is a major contribution to the upcoming Habitat 111 in 2016.

Through an on-going partnership with International City Leaders based in Toronto Canada, teams of experts from around the world have been working to highlight key changes that have emerged

since the Habitat II conference held in Istanbul in 1996.

The report will demonstrate with compelling evidence a number of practical steps that cities are taking to solve some of our world’s most pressing challenges, including: inequality, climate change, housing and slums, urban governance and legislation and the urban economy.

Experts agreed on the key elements that can constitute a New Urban Agenda such as urban planning and design, municipal finance and urban legislation and the system of institutions. There was consensus that there is a dynamic economic transition underway in which cities are increasingly playing a pivotal role at both national and global contexts. The report is expected to be released at the end of 2015.

This was the second expert group meeting co-organized

by International City Leaders with additional support provided by the World Assembly of Islamic Cities.

two-day monetary policy committee, MPC meeting in Abuja, maintained that the legal currency for doing business in Nigeria remained the Naira, hence it is illegal for anyone to transact business in dollars in the country.

His words: “We are looking for people who are making demands for foreign currency as payment for services, landlords who are asking for rents in dollars, schools that are asking for school fees in dollars, or those transacting business in dollars.

"It is illegal in Nigeria and we will like to advise those who are involved in these practices to desist from them because the CBN will in due course come after them”.

Real estate stakeholders who spoke to Vanguard Homes &

We are looking for people who are making demands for foreign currency as payment for services, landlords who are asking for rents in dollars, schools that are asking for school fees in dollars, or those transacting business in dollars

Property last week, drummed support for the new CBN policy.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Lagos State branch, Pastor Stephen Jagun described the policy as perfectly in order. He posited that the United States of America used its currency (the dollar) as the world benchmark because of its stability.

“Today, many people want to denominate their merchandize in dollar because it is stable.

The rate at which the Naira is falling has caused crisis in the industry. For instance, If I rented a house for $100,000 dollars two years ago, it would be around 16.5 million Naira.

The same house at today ’s exchange rate would be going for N23.3 million.

"What it is means is that If I collected my money in dollars, I would be better of. Secondly, many of these people (property owners) brought in foreign investors. These foreign investors agreed to come because they are sure of their investments because it would be dollar-denominated.

"No investor wants to lose, so they would not come if they are to be paid in Naira. That notwithstanding, we should all rally round the CBN to ensure that the directive works,” he said.

He advised estate surveyors and valuers and others engaged in property business to advise their clients (landlords) to abide by the CBN requirement.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 29

FG’s effort to sanitise mortgage sector births MOREACADEMY

By Jude Njoku

A

MEMORANDUM of understanding, MoU, signed last year between the Centre for Management Development, CMD, and West Atlantic Corporation to train mortgage and real estate practitioners has crystallized into the birth of Mortgage and Real Estate Academy, MOREACADEMY, which opens its doors for academic activities in Lagos and Abuja next month.

The public-privatepartnership, PPP which gave birth to the academy, is parts of efforts by the Federal Government to to sanitise and professionalise the mortgage and real estate industry in Nigeria.

Speaking at a media briefing to formally launch the Academy’s brochure, the Coordinator of the MOREACADEMY and Managing Director of West Atlantic Corporations, Prince Ade Akinfolurin explained that the institution was set up to offer training and certification to all mortgage and real estate practitioners in Nigeria.

“Over the years, the nation has suffered material, human and economic losses, because the industry has been left in the hands of quacks.

Professionals are less than 50 percent of those offering mortgage and real estate services in the country, which is why there have been lots of fraudulent practices in the industr y, resulting in collapse of buildings, loss of precious lives and loss of billions of revenue which should have accrued to the government,”he said.

Prince Akinfolurin stated that every economy in the world is measured by the number and sophistication of real properties that litter its landscape as well as quality of properties belonging to the citizens.

“Without a properly planned and professionally managed housing system, citizens would be struggling.

That is why in Nigeria today, you see people working in Abuja but have to commute daily all the way from Kaduna. Similarly, a lot of people to live in Mowe or Ibafo or even close to Abeokuta, from where they come to work in Lagos. If they all have opportunities of living in Lagos, they will not live elsewhere,” he asserted.

He posited that this trend can only be reversed through a veritable institution that will

guarantee necessary capacity building programme capable of taking Nigeria’s young real estate and mortgage industry to an international standard."

He disclosed that MOREACADEMY will offer tailor-made courses to real estate stakeholders.

“All mortgage ser vice providers, including relevant staff of government housing corporations and those responsible for provision of affordable housing,

Without a properly planned and professionally managed housing system, citizens would be struggling. That is why in Nigeria today, you see people working in Abuja

(L-R) DG, CMD, Dr. Kabir Kabo Usman and Prince Ade Akinfolurin, Coordinator of the Academy in handshake at the launch of its training calendar in Lagos including mortgage bankers are required to register with MORE MOREACADEMY for the annual, certification courses,”he said.

Answering questions on what could be done to bring interest rate down to a single digit, Prince Akinfolurin called on the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to put in place

a policy that would compel banks to lend at not more than one percent of the inter bank rate. He stressed the need for a pressure group that would mount consist pressure on the sector so that interest rate can be forced down.

Also speaking at the launch, the Director-General

Lagos assures residents of routine drainage maintenance

By Kingsley Adegboye

T

he Office of Drainage Services in the Lagos State Ministry of Environment says it will continue to embark on the routine maintenance of primary and secondary channels in the city in order to reduce incidents of flooding in the metropolis to the barest minimum.

The Permanent Secretary in charge of the Office, Mr. Ayodeji Adenekan, an engineer, gave the assurance last week while fielding questions from newsmen at Alausa, Ikeja.

The Permanent Secretary who noted that dredging of canals across the city is ongoing to check flooding during this rainy season, however lamented that dumping of refuse in the drains by residents has remained the major challenge confronting the Ministry.

“Until there is culture

whereby people have respect for our drains by not dumping refuse into them, we will continue to have problem with our drains and we will continue to have flooding problem in the state,” he said.

According to him, “government has embarked on its mid-rain de-flooding

The practice of dumping refuse in the drainage channels also encourages rapid vegetal growth inside the drains

programme, which involves dredging, de-silting, clearing and cleaning of drainage channels and canals across the state”.

Adenekan who noted that his Office has been campaigning against dumping of refuse in the drains through jingles and enlightenment campaign, used the forum to caution Lagos residents against dumping of refuse in the drains.

“The practice of dumping refuse in the drainage channels also encourages rapid vegetal growth inside the drains, thereby making the the maintenance of the channels very difficult.

Other disadvantages of dumping refuse in drainage channels include the reduction in the capacity of drains built to accommodate storm-water which results in overflows and spills onto the roads,” the PS explained.

of CMD, Dr. K abir K abo Usman said it is the responsibility of CMD to partner with reputable organisations who will add value to the realisation of the mandate of the agency.

Usman who stated that Nigeria requires 2.8 million housing units annually in the next six years to meet the estimated 16.8 million shortfall, declared that all hands must be on deck to bridge the housing gap.

Decrying the absence of a viable mortgage sector in Nigeria, the CMD DG stressed the need to raise the capacity of Nigerians in the area of mortgage banking and its operations.

He enjoined the three tiers of government to create the enabling environment for individuals and corporate organisations to go into real estate. According to him, the use of mortgages to buy or build houses, will reduce corruption in the country because people will no longer buy houses on cash and carry basis but will systematically make monthly savings until the save enough to pay their mortgages. The use of mortgages he said, will also help in the provision of decent shelter for the teeming homeless Nigerians.

The CMD DG who described MOREACADEMY as a pilot scheme, explained that before arriving at the partnership with West Atlantic Corporation,CMD “properly scrutinized, synthesized and filtered the company.”

30— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

By Kingsley Adegboye

B

arely two years after opening its doors for business, Messrs Grand Imperio Resorts Limited, developers of Inagbe Grand Resort and Leisure, said last week that the facility has boosted the value of real estate developments in the sleepy waterfront community.

The emerging city which is bounded by the lagoon and the ocean, is a blend of real estate and tourism developments in Nigeria. It is a stone throw from Snake Island and covers about 10 kilometres from Lekki and Victoria Island. When fully completed, the city which sits on 300 hectares of land would have its landscape dotted by coconut trees mangrove vegetation.

The Managing Director of Grand Imperio Group, Mr. Adeyeye Ogunnwusi who spoke to newsmen at the Resort, disclosed that less than two year’s of the Resort’s arrival in the area, depots for building materials have sprung up on the Island.

Observing that the leisure spot has triggered off many real estate projects on the Island, Mr. Ogunwusi pointed out that with proper infrastructure being put in place, the Resort will at the end of the day, look like a snatch of Vegas in Lagos but with a cultural twist that brings the Nigerian tradition to the forefront. The city, he said, also offers landed property on a site and service arrangement for developers and other interested individuals to have a home there.

Inagbe Resort boosts real estate development in Lagos waterfront community

Inagbe Grand Resort and Leisure, Comparing the Resort to Dubai Marina, a district in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is spiced with an artificial canal, Ogunwusi said Inagbe Grand Resorts and Leisure is located right in the midst of nature.. According to him, the city is ruffled intermittently by the marine activities of its neighbourhood.

“The resort is suitable for residential, event centre, religious, corporate and personal retreats, in and outdoor games, film industry

What we have here now is a city we have created at the middle of nowhere; it is very Nigerian and panAfrican

players and tourists. The city is having a stylishly built jetty which offers fresh air and moderate temperature as the sea which breezes from the nearby Atlantic Ocean keeps caressing the body with instant nature therapeutic feel”.

Ogunwusi, who boasted that the project is totally a ‘Nigerian’ concept, said “What we have here now is a city we have created at the middle of nowhere; it is very Nigerian and pan-African because most of the products

Open defecation rises in Nigeria, others — UN report

By Jude Njoku

A

BOUt 663 million people are still without an improved source of water while approximately 2.36 billion do not have a basic, hygienic toilet.

This disclosure was the highpoint of the 2015 report on progress towards achieving access to safe water and basic sanitation released by the World Health Organization, WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, JMP. The report which painted a grim picture of the situation in Nigeria, noted that open defecation is on the increase in the country. Although Nigeria is said to have generally done well in the area of water provision and have met the millennium development goal, MDG target for water, the report stated that the country hasn’t met the national target it set to ensure 75 percent of its

population had access to safe water by 2015. This year, 69 percent of the population now have access to safe water – an improvement of five percent from last year and an increase of 30 percent since the MDG goals were set in 1990. The proportion of the population that has gained access to safe water since 1990 is 48 percent.

The Communications Manager of WaterAid Nigeria, Mr. Oluseyi Abdulmalik explained in a press statement that the regular update is the last report on progress and access to drinking water and sanitation ahead of the expiration of the MDGs set by the United Nations, UN in 2000 to halve the proportion of people without access to water and sanitation, among other goals.

“As these goals expire this year, the goal on water has been met overall, but with wide gaps remaining, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The goal on sanitation,

however, has failed dramatically. At present rates of progress, it would take 300 years for everyone in SubSaharan Africa to get access to a sanitary toilet,”the report said.

The 2014 report showed that 748 million people do not have access to an ‘improved’ water source while 2.5 billion were without basic, sanitary toilets.

‘Improved’ water sources are protected from contamination and usually safe to drink. However UNICEF and the WHO have also warned that as many as 1.8 billion people are still at risk of going without access to water that is both safe and affordable.

Nigeria has recorded practically no progress in the area of sanitation. In 1990, 38 percent of the population had access to improved sanitation.

In 2015, this figure is now a woeful 29 percent (up just a meagre one percent from 2014’s figure of 28 percent).

The proportion of Nigeria’s population that has gained

access to improved sanitation since 1990 is only nine percent. In 1990, 24 percent of the population was practicing open defecation.

That figure in 2015 is now 25 percent. In 2014, it was 23 percent which means we’re not only worse off now than we were 25 years ago but in the past year alone, we’ve regressed by two percent in this regard.

Reacting to the report, the Country Representative of WaterAid Nigeria, Dr, Michael Ojo noted that although “a lot has changed in the 25 years since the World Health Organization/ UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme began to document the world’s access to drinking water and sanitation; the picture for Nigeria however has for the most part remained quite grim”.According to him, “Communities without safe water and basic toilets have higher rates of illness and are held back from economic progress.

we have used here are basically produced either in this island or sourced from several local companies we have partnership and alliances with.

“In fact, the showpiece Resort captures the essence of nature, culture and tradition with almost 100 percent local materials for its construction.

From the jetty walkway, the sight of leisure seekers relaxing at the Floating Lounge extended into the Lagoon is commonplace. They simply submit to the pristine beauty of the resort, enjoy nature at its best without watching their back”, he stated.

“The furniture is made from coconut trees from Inagbe.

Window frames and doors were made from mahogany wood from Ijebu Ode in Ogun State, while the glass sand for cotton walls came from Owo, Ondo State. Also dolomite and clay used in making the vitrified tiles and ceramic tiles are from Kogi State, the thatch roofing materials are from Kaduna and Zamfara states, willow plants and rattan ropes from Badagry and Epe mangroves, chair materials made from Aso Oke, from Yaba, electrical fittings and conduit materials from Aba, Abia State”, Ogunwusi, revealed.

He added that the city within the short time it took off has been playing host to blue chip companies.

To encourage all classes of people to patronise the Resort, Ogunwusi hinted that the management has recently introduced a product, known as ‘Explore’ which will afford would be visitors and guests to enjoy the all the city offers with very little financial commitment.

According to him, “The ‘Explore’ product is a Loyalty Programme that we are working out for members of the public to come and experience this place in its natural ambience. It is very easy to do this. The minimum points a client can get from this Explore Card is 25,000 and each point costs N2. With this you can experience everything we have here and from there, he keeps generating his points on regular basis”.

He explained that the average of N35,000 charged as room rate per night on the island might be unaffordable for the ordinary folks who would like to patronize them, hence the Explore Loyalty Programme is structured in such a way that it can reduce this room rate by as much as 50 percent.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—31

Stallion resuscitates VW plant, rolls out Jetta, CC M ULTINATIONAL Conglomerate Stallion Group has launched the first Nigeria made Volkswagen passenger & commercial vehicles assembled at its brand new plant, following the historic return of the global brand 20 years after the previous plant was moribund.

The Stallion Group had entered into collaboration with the Volkswagen Group to assemble its vehicles in Nigeria, pursuant of the National Automotive Industrial Plan (NAIDP) announced by the Federal Government in October

2013.

Stallion is commencing assembly of Volkswagen’s renowned products including Passat, Jetta, CC and Amarok pickup models.

Renowned Stallion Group is the preferred partner for an impressive portfolio of iconic global automobile brands and the Nigeria exclusive distributor for the Volkswagen Group brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Porsche.

The Volkswagen Group with its headquarters in Wolfsburg is one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the

largest carmaker in Europe.

The Group operates 119 production plants in 20 European countries and a further eight countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa.

The Volkswagen Group sells its vehicles in 153 countries.

Commenting on the launch, Stallion’s Chairman Sunil Vaswani who was represented at the occasion by the Vice Chairman Haresh Vaswani said: “This is a great moment for Stallion in partnering with a world leading global brand like Volkswagen. We are immensely pleased to bring back the proud legacy of Nigeria au-

tomotive industry - the Volkswagen brand that once was indigenously produced at the same premises.”

On Stallion’s plans for the automotive industry, Vaswani said: “Stallion in committed to investing and expanding its operations in the automotive value chain across multiple global brands and paving the way for Nigeria to establish itself as a regional leader in the automobile eco system.”

Stallion is already assembling Nissan, Hyundai, Ashok-Leyland and IVECO vehicles in Nigeria and has developed a large team of

highly skilled human resources following extensive training by specialists from the respective principals. The journalist were later taken round the plants to see the progress made by Stallion in assembly cars at their plant in Lagos.

In his speech, Ratz Wolfgang, leader of the Volkswagen Group delegation from Germany said “Today marks the revival of the assembly of Volkswagen vehicles in Nigeria. Volkswagen has returned to Nigeria to continue a long history that began in the 1970s,” he recalled.

Response to auto policy exceeds NAC expectations

T

HE National Automobile Council, NAC, has disclosed that it was overwhelmed by the response by major automobile manufacturers to the new Federal Government’s automotive policy.

Director General of the council, Engr. Aminu Jalal, who made this disclosure at the inauguration of Volkswagen plant in Lagos recently, said that over 90 million vehicles, valued at US$2 trilllion was produced last year, worldwide.

The NAC boss, who was represented by the Director, Polity and Planning, Mr. Luquman Mamudu noted that the response to the policy exceeded their expectations.”

According to him, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Peugeot and Renault vehicles are now assembled locally while Toyota, Ford and many others are concluding feasibility studies with a view to setting up assembly operations.

He, however, revealed that the Council’s focus had shifted to local content development, adding that a local content development strategy had been produced and its implementation committee was inaugurated recently.

Thelocalcontentcommittee he noted comprise experts from the assembly plants, local content manufacturers, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, relevant government agencies and international organisations like UNIDO. He said, "The main objective of the automotive policy is to bring back automotive assembly and to develop local content. This will enable us create employment, acquire technology for our industrialisation and reduce pressure on the country’s balance of payment position resulting from escalating vehicle import bill. In 2013, Nigeria imported vehicles worth N1.2 trillion (US$6.2 billion) and spare parts and tyres worth N260 billlion (US$1.3 billion) according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Engr. Jalat, while commending the Stallion Group for taking the initia-

Continues on page 33 C M Y K

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

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COUPLE FROM HELL: Man defiles 13-yr-old girl, wife lacerates her with hot knife, yam PAGES 2

UPSHOT OF CHURCH DEMOLITION: East-West roadside becomes worship centre PAGE 7

VOL. 1: NO. 57

TUESD AY, JUL 4, 20 15 TUESDA JULYY 114, 201

Church/ widow land scuffle takes new turn *Ministry of Lands marks church for demolition *“Dead” land vendor reappears

By IKE UCHECHUKWU

By Ike Uchechukwu

E

FUT ANANTIGHA— THE land tussle between the Mount Zion Full Gospel Church, Efut Anantigha, Cross River State and an 87-year-old widow in the community, Mrs. Nkoyo Bassey, has taken a new twist with the state Ministry of Land marking the church for demolition.

The vendor, Chief Okonkon Ambo, who sold the land to the church in 1997 and reported to be dead, has also resurfaced.

He claimed that he was scared stiff to challenge the late Muri Munene, Chief Ita Okonkon Ekpeyong, when he sold part of his (Ambo) family land to Mrs. Bassey in 1979,

18 years back. Meanwhile, the widow has raised the alarm that her life was under threat.

Niger Delta Voice had reported the bitter row between the church and widow in the last edition. However, Mrs. Bassey, who accused the church of encroaching on her land, said: “They have been abusing me from their pulpit, calling me a witch, yet they are on my property and they are threatening to maim me and my son (Imoh).

“I am using this opportunity to call on His Excellency, Professor Ben Ayade, to come to my aid before this people will kill me and my child.

“There is nothing they have not done just to intimidate me and my son, but it seems my effort to get them to do the right

thing, which is to obey the injunction, has fallen on deaf ears.

“They have been disturbing my peace here every day with their consistent drumming and noise, thereby raising my blood pressure.”

Ambo not dead

They have been disturbing my peace here every day with their consistent drumming and noise, thereby raising my blood pressure

In a previous interview with Niger Delta Voice , the church had maintained that it properly acquired the property and the then monarch, Muri Munene, Chief Ita Okonkon Ekpeyong, signed the deed.

It said the vendor was dead, but the receipt shown to our reporter bore the name of Chief Okonkon Ambo, not Chief Ekpeyong, who became the Muri Munene before his death, as seller. Our investigation, however, showed that

Chief Okonkon Ambo was still alive.

Monarch sold to widow, I sold to church— Ambo The supposedly dead clan head, who spoke to our reporter, confirmed that he actually sold the land in dispute to the church because it belongs to him by virtue of inheritance.

He said: “I did not buy the land; it is a land I inherited from my ancestors (my father and great grandfather) but the place was sold to Mrs. Nkoyo Bassey by the late Muri Munene, HRH Ita Ekpenyong and because he was a para-

Continues on page 7

2 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

COUPLE FROM HELL: Man defiles 13-yr-old girl, wife lacerates her with hot knife, yam *How missing N1,500 exposed her ordeal *Randy man on the run; wife in court for assault *She hit my head with pestle, my ankle with rod—VICTIM

DELTA...

FINGER OF GOD

By EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

W

ARRI—THERE was widespread anger at the Effurun Magistrate’s District Court 1, sitting in Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, when trial opened, penultimate Monday, in a case of sexual abuse and torture of 13-yearold Junior Secondary School, JSS, 2 student of Ekpan Basic Secondary School (names withheld).

The accused, Mrs. Chibuzor Onyeji, who resides at Oghoyoma Onomokpome Street, Ekpan, was charged with assault and grievous injuries on the visibly traumatised girl, who is her cousin and had been living with her since 2010.

Police are searching for her husband, Francis Onyeji, now at large, whose alleged sexual abuse of the girl resulted in his wife's vicious knife attack.

Virtually all lawyers and others present in the opening trial were up against the accused counsel, when he argued that his client’s lifethreatening attack on the girl was only an accident and that Mrs. Onyeji had right to be angry.

There were further angry mutters in the court when the accused knelt down and begged the girl to forgive her after pleading not guilty to the

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

one-count charge of assault and causing grievous injuries.

Started 2 years ago According to the victim, her cousin’s husband started abusing her sexually and

pacifying her with cash over two years ago, whenever he was off duty.

On one of the days, part of the N1,500 which he allegedly gave her, after sleeping with her the previous day, got missing in school during break period and she reported the matter to her class teacher.

After a fruitless search, her classmates, who felt wrongly accused, followed the complainant home after closing to express their anger to her guardian, Mrs. Onyeji.

The girl said: “My aunt asked where I got the money and l told her it was her husband who gave me after sleeping with me. She said it was a lie.”

Laceration “At about 9.30p.m., she

woke me up, heated a knife on the fire and started to use it on my body, saying she will kill me half-dead. She used pestle to hit my head several times and iron rod to hit my ankles.

“She wanted to pour boiled water on me, but she later said no, vowing to do that when I return from school the next day. She put the hot knife in my chest; this other old mark on my back was when she asked me to boil yam.

“She said the sizes were too big and took a piece from the boiling pot, unzipped my dress and placed it on my back.”

Why we invited Police— Vice Principal Vice Principal, VP, at Ekpan Basic Secondary School, Mrs. Queenbetty Unogwa, said the school authority had sent for Mrs. Onyeji several

AKWA IBOM… Eket leaders rebuke youths LAND OF PROMISE

By TOM MOSES

E

KET—LEADERS o f Eket community in Akwa Ibom State have reprimanded the youths for troubling and making bogus demands from contractors executing projects in the area and other unbecoming activities.

Chairman of the Eket Conference of Village Heads and Paramount Ruler of Eket, Chief Nduese Essien, who expressed the grouse of the leaders at a well-attended meeting by the youths, elders and other stakeholders in Eket, warned the youths to retrace their steps.

NigerDeltaVoice gathered that the youths of Eket were in the habit of confronting contractors handling projects in the area and demanding settlement before they could execute the con-

for harassing contractors tracts, a situation that not only caused delay, but also made some contractors to abandon the projects.

The former Minister of Housing and Urban Development said that such unproductive conducts would truncate the good intentions of the government for the area.

He implored the youths to organise themselves into protective and progressive forces to guard against the vandalisation of the projects in their domain and to support the present administration in the state, assuring that government would address their problems.

Also speaking at the occasion, Major-General Anthony Etukudoh (retd.) solicited the cooperation of the youths with the Governor Udom Emmanuel’s led-administration by conscientiously protecting the projects and facilities located in the area, noting that they were located in the area for the good of the

people.

Member representing Eket Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Mrs. Owoidoho Ekpo-Atai, in her speech, also urged the youths to shun conducts inimical to the development and growth of Eket, warning that confrontational conducts would only pitch the area against government.

Youth leader, Mr. Godwin Nduese, in his response, commended the Conference of Village Heads for convening the meeting to educate the youths on the good intentions of government for them and the entire Eket Local Government Area.

He said the meeting was not only timely but also expedient for the youths to ventilate their feelings and expectations from government.

Nduese, therefore, implored the elders to carry the youths along in the scheme of things.

times because of her ward’s incessant lateness and absenteeism.

“The pupil claimed it was due to prolonged engagement with house chores, which caused her to miss mathematics, agricultural science and two other papers during last term examinations. But Mrs Onyeji refused honouring the invitations.”

When the accused brought the girl to school with the intention of disgracing her publicly after inflicting the knife injuries on her the night before, the school authority cashed on the rare opportunity to get to the bottom of the oddity.

The VP said: “We saw the degree of burns and swellings on her head and we started asking the woman questions. But her behaviour was very unruly, prompting us to call the police. The girl is a very intelligent girl despite the situation she found herself.

“She is among the best in her class; l believe that she would do far better given a conducive environment.”

The school immediately had to put her in care of the school’s Guidance Counsellor, Mrs. Rita Obuh, who took custody because the police said they could not keep her at the station.

Trial so far Before adjourning the matter to July 21, trial magistrate, Mrs. Blesing Ideh, granted the accused bail as a nursing mother of a three-month old baby in the sum of N500,000 with a surety in like sum, which must include a confirmed landed property within the Magisterial District, while the accused must be present in court at every sitting.

Also, a joint prayer by the Child Welfare/Development Officer from Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Lopgun Solomon, and Mr. Omorere of the Nigerian Child Welfare Fund, that the court grant them custody of the girl was granted, despite the appeal of Pius Nworie, biological father of the abused teenager, to take his daughter home.

The girl is presently in an undisclosed orphanage, where she is recovering from the physical injuries after undergoing medical examination and treatment.

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 3

Federal Psychiatric Hospital underfunded, as lunatics invade Calabar CROSS-RIVER…THE PEOPLE’S PARADISE

By EMMANUEL UNAH

C

ALABAR—LUNATICS have besieged Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, constituting nuisance.

However, the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, which should serve as a place of confinement, treatment and rehabilitation for them is starved of funds and understaffed.

Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, CMD, Dr. Okey Egbe, told Niger Delta Voice that the Cross River State Government has not rendered assistance, either financial or material, to the medical centre for over two decades, while funds from the Federal Gover nment were rapidly dwindling and affecting the ability of the hospital to render adequate services to patients.

CRSG pays no attention He said: “We have made several requests to the Cross

River State Government seeking for assistance, but the government has never given us anything, not even one chair and the land we acquired for our permanent site was taken away by the government.

“As a result, my predecessor took the government to court.”

He said the hospital has 150 patients and is overstretched owing to lack of funds, add-

The two generators providing us electricity are down, so to manage the situation we have bought small generators to supply power in the wards, pharmacy, laboratory, and when those small generators are on, I cannot even have light in my office

ing that it would be impossible to take in lunatics since there was no money to feed and buy drugs for them.

The CMD said poor funding was affecting virtually all the departments in the hospital and most units would have been grounded, but for the ingenious management of resources adopted by him.

He said: “Currently, the two generators providing us electricity are down, so to manage the situation we have bought small generators to supply power in the wards, pharmacy, laboratory.

“When those small generators are on, I cannot even have light in my office.”

One nurse to 150 patients at night He said: “90 per cent of all mental cases are suicidal and we have very low suicide cases here maybe once a year or two years.

“This is because the clinical department has very few staff such that we have just one nurse for night duty and sometimes the person cannot completely keep watch over 150 patients at once.”

Dr. Egbe, who debunked

•Dr. Okey Egbe, CMD, rumours that he was mismanaging the hospital, said he deserved commendation because he had brought much improvement in the hospital through the building of an administration block and ensuring adequate feeding and drugs for the patients despite poor funding.

He attributed the major cause of mental illness to genetic causes rather than hard drugs and cautioned parents to regularly observe and monitor their children to stop them from hooking up with wrong

How Americans, Nigerians, plundered community rice project— Obong Udonsek •LG is waste to the people

flooding.

also help to open up Onna, and expand Onna into a metropolitan town.

What I am saying is that we want an industry that will create wealth.

That is the kind of industry our people are looking for, we are not looking for white elephant project or a type of industry that will drain our people, but one that will generate wealth, create massive jobs for the people of this community.

Apart from the flooding menace, what other things do you expect the present administration to do to benefit your community now that an Onna indigene is the governor of the state?

Well, we know what happens when people elect people to represent them. In most cases, some people misrepresent their people. I think the governor is not representing Onna alone. In a larger context, he represents the entire Akwa Ibom state.

However, Onna expects its own fair share of whatever accrues to the state. Because the governor is from here, and of course, as they say, charity begins at home, I am confident that the governor will always remember where he comes from, and he will not forget that this is also time for Onna

Talking about industries that can create wealth, employment, what actually happened to the Rice farm that was located in this community sometime ago?

The rice farm is not on the ground at all. People looted it and ran away with the loot. It never yielded anything in the first instance.

I think what the government has to do really, if they have to do something in that direction is to come in to reactivate it. That is not to say that it is the kind of industry we are expecting the governor to give us. The rice project was never completed. What happened is that the people started it and abandoned it, maybe they needed to take away cash, you know.

The Americans came; connived with some Nigerians, took away

IKOT EBIDANG- A COMMUNITY leader from Ikot Ebidang, Onna Local Government Area, Obong Sunny Udonsek, has disclosed how some Americans connived with Nigerians to loot and abandon a rice project in the area.

Obong Udonsek, who spoke in an interview with Niger Delta Voice, lamented that lack of basic infrastructure was a major problem hindering development in the community and enumerated expectations of the people Governor Udom Emmanuel, who hails Onna.

Excerpts:

AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

By CHIOMA ONUEGBU

Y

ou pointed out recently that flooding is a major problem facing your community, has government attention been drawn to the situation?

We have representation in government and everywhere and on our part, on several occasions, we have tried to draw government’s attention to this problem through publications and all that but unfortunately, over the years, government never did anything.

However, this time around we are hoping and trusting that the governor, who is our own son, will do something about it. Our people are worried over what we pass through here because of

•Obong Sunny Udonsek to benefit from the dividends of democracy. Therefore, we expect Onna to benefit more than it has benefited from other administrations.

You know the governor has made industrialization the major agenda of his administration, in your own opinion, what kind of industry should be located in Onna?

Onna is an oil producing community, so we will demand an oil refinery here. That would not mean that we are asking for too much, but at the same time we want to have an investment, a project that will employ our teeming idle youths, which will

groups that would lead them to drugs.

He said: “Mental illness is not mainly caused by hard drugs but often in the family tree. There are many people who are taking hard drugs and yet no show signs of mental illness. Often, genetic causes are responsible.

“Research has proved that 60 per cent of all mental illnesses are genetic; the immediate parent may not show signs of it, but back in the family tree, someone may have had it.”

the cash, and at the end of the day dumped the project. The equipment brought in rusted away and are still there rusting, so that is where we are as far as the rice project is concerned.

As a respected community leader, are you satisfied with performance of local government administration?

You see local government administration is the third tier of government that is supposed to represent the grassroots.

However, over the years, the rural areas have not really felt the effect of the third tier of government. It is just an avenue to share the national cake, where people come, make money and go away.

Local government has never embarked on a 1-kilometre road, they have never tarred 1 kilometre of road in Akwa Ibom state and they cannot tell us that they do not receive up to NI billion in their entire tenure of three years, and nobody has thought of using N10 million to tar 1 kilometre road for the people.

They cannot construct even culverts, so I see local government administration is another medium of paying salaries, collect money on behalf the people and share among themselves. It does not touch the actual populace in the area and for me, it does not make sense, all the same, they should not scrap it, at least for security reasons.

Aside from that, it has no benefit whatsoever to the communities.

DILAPIDATED BYE-PASS: Residents park vehicles, trek over 1-km home in Yenagoa BAYELSA… GLORY OF ALL LANDS

By SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA- F O R t h e residents of old Azikoro Assembly Quarters ByePass Road in the heart of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, driving in and out of their homes has become a nightmare due to the ramshackle road serving the area.

Most car owners residing along the troubled route have in the meantime resorted to parking their cars at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and other secured places, as they cannot access their homes.

In addition, traders and eateries along the troubled route have complained of running at a loss due to low patronage occasioned by the terrible state of the road.

Curiously, the area regarded as one of the few highbrow areas in the capital city, plays host to the old Assembly Quarters from which it derives its name, Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Road Maintenance Agency FERMA. The usually busy route, which also leads to the Air Force Mobility Command, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, and Chevron liaison offices in Yenagoa, first GRA in Yenagoa and several business outfits, among others, is now a shadow of itself in spite of the recent intervention of the state government.

Vehicles cannot access the less than one and half kilometre road, which links the newly- dualised Azikoro road and Sani Abacha Expressway.

FERMA, had in the past, rehabilitated the failed portion of the road before the sad turn of event.

Surprisingly, the immediate past administration of Chief Timipre Sylva constructed the troubled road like several other internal roads in the capital city, an indication of poor execution.

Dashed hope Residents heaved a sigh of relief, early in the year, when the state government deployed heavy-duty earth moving machines in the area to commence work on the building of drainage and rehabilitation of the failed road.

However, several months after, the situation on the road has not improved due to the snail pace of work, ostensibly because of the poor financial position of the state in the wake of the recent drop in allocation from the Federation Account.

This development has

stalled work on most of the state government projects as many contractors have pulled out of site in the predominantly riverine state.

Though, the works and infrastructure commissioner, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, had assured residents of the area of government preparedness to rehabilitate the road and had gone ahead to commence work on the construction of drainage system as a first step to tackling the perennial problem of flooding, the job is moving at snail pace.

Snail pace Residents, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice , expressed concerned over the slow pace and called on the government to expedite work on the project.

“This road is a sad commentary, how old is it to have degenerated to this terrible state. We have so many of such roads in town, poorly executed. It is a shame that residents are compelled to park their cars far away from the homes at huge cost because of the deplorable state of the road.

Strange ailments ravage Delta oil community DELTA...

FINGER OF GOD

By PEREZ BRISIBE

U

GHELLI –

ERUEMUKOHWARIEN oil community in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, says adults and children are battling with bizarre illnesses because of the regular gas flaring and toxics from oil facilities in the area.

President General of the community, which hosts two oil blocs and a tank farm, Mr. Naira Idogun, while playing host to the member

representing Ughelli North Constituency II in the state House of Assembly, Hon Eric Oharisi, lamented the level of environmental degradation caused the community because of the activities of oil exploration.

He explained that the livelihood of the people, anchored on agriculture and fishing have been negatively affected owing to the activities of oil exploration in the community and berated the Federal and State Governments for showing no concern.

His words, “As a result of consistent gas flaring and toxics from oil facilities in the area, children and adults are faced with

strange illnesses, yet the government has never thought it wise to develop the community in terms of provision of basic infrastructure.”

“It was upon this lack of essential amenities that my administration took it upon itself to embark on the construction of a water borehole for Izomo Primary School and Adagwe Grammar School, both in the community,” he said.

In his response, Hon. Oharisi while commending the president general and his executive for their efforts in bringing respite to the community, promised to present their case before the government when the House resumes.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

4 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

Thrill in A-Ibom community as Senator galvanizes devt with varsity

BY TOM MOSES KOT-ABIA IDEM—IT was celebration galore at Ikot-Abia Idem community, Ikot-Ekpene Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, last weekend, as the people rolled out drums in thanksgiving to God for enabling one of their sons to establish a university for the transformation of the town.

The community led by the monarch, elders and youths, home and in Diaspora set aside their respective engagements to identify with Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien for his courageous contributions to the transformation of the community.

Essien established a highbrow Ritman Nursery/ Primary School, Ritman College and the recently approved Ritman University in the community, all in fulfilment of a childhood dream to turn a thickly built forest in the community to an academic institution.

I

Praiseworthy stride Paramount ruler of Ikot-Ekpene, Okuku Askia Udo Usoro, who spoke at the occasion, noted that with all these institutions, Senator Ibok-Essien has more than any other person contributed to the socioeconomic well-being of the community, transformation and the overall development of the people.

The monarch recalled with gratitude that Engineer Ibok Essien started investing in the community long before he became a Senator unlike some other persons, who took their investments abroad and therefore, not contributing to the development of their homeland.

A businessperson in the community, Ekpedeme Uko, also commended Senator Ibok Essien for establishing the schools, saying the institutions so established, encouraged him and other people in the community to open up shops, eateries and other business centres to eke out a living.

Aside from the schools generating employment, Uko said many natives of Ikot- Abia Idem were encouraged to enrol in the schools to sharpen their intellects and become professionals in different fields.

“Who would have thought that this type of rapid transformation and development would have come to this community in the next 20 years? He asked.

“But through the vision, commitment and instrumentality of just one individual, the entire community, which was hitherto, notorious for certain insane and mundane traditional practices, has now become a universal community and city of note.

“Besides, over 70 per cent of the youths of this community are educated courtesy of the encouragement derived from these academic institutions established by Senator Ibok Essien,” he added.

Dream fulfilled- Essien Speaking at the occasion, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien described the Ritman University as a dream fulfilled recalling that as a child, each time he passed through the big forest, called Akai Nkuku to farm, he kept wondering what the forest was doing there until he acquired it.

“I started building the school structure in 1995.

When the officials of the NBTE came for preliminary inspection, they praised the facilities on ground and remarked that the approval and accreditation would not be a problem for the school.

“My vision and the vision of Ritman University is to become a first rate, virile centre of academic excellence whose products are knowledgeable, cultured and skilful with a can-do and proactive commitment to investing their education in the transformation of the human and material conditions of their environment,” Senator Ibok Essien stated.

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 5

17 17 Bayelsa Bayelsa communities communities renew renew bond bond at at Obunem–Epie Obunem-Epie festival festival

•His Highness King Mathias Simeon (middle) Paramount Ruler of Ovom, and other Epie-Atissa royal fathers at the festival

•Traditional wrestling competition during the festival

By EMEM IDIO

K

PANSIA- THERE was boundless joy, penultimate weekend, at Epie clan, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, when KpansieEpie community rolled out the drums to host 16 other communities in the tribe to the Obunem festival, last held in the town, 22 years ago.

Obunem-Epie festival, an annual event rotated among the 17 communities in the race started in the early 1960s to commemorate two landmark events in the history of the tribe. First is the annihilation of dangerous reptiles from the hitherto infested Epie creek by a certain native doctor. The other is the victorious court ruling, which acquitted the women from the then colonial authority’s allegation of tax evasion levelled against Epie women, which sparked off civil disturbances in 1958.

The grand finale of the week- long activities was the display of the rich cultural heritage of Epie, including traditional dances, cuisines, traditional sports, procession by various women groups and among other cultural side attractions.

As usual, the festival was graced by prominent sons and daughters of the kingdom, both at home and in the diaspora, traditional rulers, politicians, including the state governor, Seriake Dickson, who was represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Jonah Gbobriogha (retd), market women, students and fun seekers.

Agreement carnival The paramount ruler of the host community, His Highness, the Obenakan of Kpansia, Chief Preye Wilfred, said the people consider it a privilege to host the entire clan

•Women in colourful traditional attire in a procession led by the women chiefs since 1992 when they last hosted it, noting that hosting the festival evokes a special feeling.

Reflecting on the significance of the festival, president of the Epie Kingdom Development Organization (EKDO), a socio-cultural organization, Mr. Freedom

Osain, described it as “the reaffirmation of the resolve of Epie people to stay together, stick together, fight together, work together and reap together.”

Osain, who is also the state Commissioner for Tourism Development, said there were plans by the ministry

•Traditional wrestling competition during the festival to incorporate the Obunem –Epie festival and other major festivals with international appeal into the state tourism and festival calendar in a bid to sell it to the outside world.

Relishing the sensation of hosting the festival, the women paramount chief of

Kpansia, the host community, Chief (Mrs) Adevuya Otobo, said, “We hosted the festival 22 years ago, and I do not know if I will be alive to witness the next time this community will be hosting.

For people like us, it is indeed a rare privilege to be alive to mark this festival.”

TRADITION VS RELIGION: I won’t pour libation to ancestors— Rivers monarch

By DAVIES IHEAMNACHOR

W

OJI- THE newly inaugu rated Paramount Ruler of Woji community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRH, Eze Emeka George Ihunda (JP) has defiantly declared that he would never in his reign as monarch, pour libation to the ancestors and gods of the land.

Ihunda, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice exclusively at his palace after his installation as the Nyewe Eli Woji, said that he would use his throne to glorify the Most High God. He said it would amount to sin if he, a Knight of St Christopher in Anglican Church and a follower of Christ to make sacrifices or pour drink for dead ancestors, adding that the dead do not require drinks from the living.

His words, “My heart desire is to use this throne to lift the name of

•The decoration of Eze Emeka Ihunda

God higher. I will not pour libation to the gods of the land. Nobody will persuade me to recognize another god on this throne. There are elders, who can do that if they so desire to pour libation, but not me.”

Some traditions ‘ve to go “It is a traditional stool, yes, but there are traditions that need to be changed. Remember that before, when a king dies, he is buried alongside with a human head, but that has changed. It has been abolished long

ago, today if there is any need to kill, you kill animal.”

The monarch •HRH, Eze Emeka Ihunda, the newly-installed said, “I am so Paramount ruler of Woji happy to ascommunity sume this stool as Nyewe Eli Woji. I was very excited because God used his children to perfect what He said concerning the throne and me. The throne I am seating now is a divine arrangement from God. “I see it as an opportunity to serve God in this capacity. I will use this throne to do His will because it is a divine arrangement. I will never fail to use this throne to serve Him.” “The whole community was fully represented at the house of the traditional prime minister of Woji community, Chief Elenchukwu E. S. T. to crown me the ruler of the community. After I was coroneted, the whole community escorted me by foot, a distance of nearly two kilometres to my palace as tradition demands.

6 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

BAYELSA… GLORY OF ALL LANDS

Hoodlums turn Bishop Dimeri School to den

and get into that place, that’s the end as nobody dare go after them. We have heard stories that the hoodlums rape some innocent girls there. Any time they steal anything and they run into the place, they vanished into thin air. ” This reporter, who went round the premises, also noticed piles of mattresses in one of the halls, presumably part of the relief materials donated by NEMA during the flood for victims of the natural disaster.

The place was also littered with faeces, as some of the halls are being used as lavatory by trespassers and others living nearby.

An entrance had been behind the complex directly opposite the Navy Barrack, ostensibly for use by naval personnel.

Govt working round the clock Contacted, Commissioner for Education, Dein Benaduemene, said the issue of trespass and illegal occupation of the complex by the navy and others has been a major challenge.

He, nonetheless, assured that the government was working round the clock to complete of the project to enable the students return.

•BDGS complex occupied by illegal squatters

By SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—HOOD LUMS and other illegitimate occupants have commandeered the Bishop Dimeri Grammar School, BDGS, Yenagoa, and turned it to a hideaway.

The student population and staff were relocated to Okaka school built and donated to Okaka community by Shell Petroleum Development Company to enable the government commence reconstruction work at the vast complex, which was in a state of disrepair about three years ago. Some sections of the structures were almost caving in. Since then, work is still in the pipeline.

The premier institution situated at Ovom suburb of Yenagoa, was literarily begging for attention until the former Governor Timipre Sylva administration waded in to change the face of the ailing school by awarding contract for its redesigning and construction.

Though, the BDGS is today dotted with sprawling infrastructures, part of which was ceded to the Law Faculty of the Niger Delta University to facilitate the latter’s accreditation, it may take a long time for the displaced students and staff to return to their original school as squatters, including naval personnel, destitute and even hoodlums, have taken over the complex.

However, when the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson, declared a state of emergency in the educational sector at the inception of his ad-

ministration, the expectation of many stakeholders was that work on the Bishop Dimeri Grammar School, BDGS, project would receive priority attention to enable the displaced students return to their base.

Delay The government had initially blamed the delayed return of the students to the 2012 flood because the premises served as camp for internally displaced persons IDPs. Sadly, three years after, the situation has not changed.

Residents close to the school said hoodlums sneak into the premises after dispossessing passersby of their valuables ostensibly because of its neglected status and bush surrounding.

According to a resident, who simply gave her name as Onome, the illegal occupation of

the facility started after internally displaced persons in the 2012 flood vacated the structure.

Why criminals seized school “When the camp was officially closed after the flood, the Internally Displaced Persons left for their respective communities. However, some came back and have remained there since then because there is no proper security in place to secure the premises,” he asserted.

“How can government allow this? What is the distance from the school to the Government House or Ministry of Education for them to feign ignorance that the complex has taken over by illegal squatters?

“Washed clothes are displayed daily on the building railings, yet nothing is being done to eject the illegal occupants.”

Shame Another resident, Preye Adams, decried the lukewarm attitude of the government towards the speedy completion and return of the students back to the school, saying, “It is a shame that the complex is left to waste by the government. We see all manners of things in that place.

JOBO—DEPUTY Gov “Though some of the ernor of Delta State, squatters are there beDeacon Kingsley Otuaro, has cause they cannot afford appealed to the warring the high cost of accommoparties in the inconclusive chairmanship elections at dation in town, criminal Ojobo community, Burutu elements have also taken Local Government Area of the advantage of the laxity on state to sheathe their swords the part of government to and avert bloodbath. convert the place to their Senior Special Assistant to den where they smoke Inthe Deputy Governor on Communication and Press, dian hemp openly and Bulou Kosin, in a statement commit all manners of said, “Deacon Otuaro has no crime at night.

Otuaro tells Ojobo community to avoid bloodbath

O

Rape of innocent girls “When they snatch bags

Rep empowers 200 Isoko constituents

By OCHUKO AKUOPHA

O

ZORO—LAWMAKER representing Isoko Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Mr. Leo Ogor, has presented empowerment items worth millions of naira to over 200 of his constituents.

Presenting the items, which included tricycles, motorcycles, deep freezers, hair driers, women motorcycle, power generating sets and sewing machines, Ogor said the gesture was part of activities to mark the

56th birthday anniversary of Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

While noting that the items would go a long way to improve on the socio-economic lives of his constituents, he said, “It is important that we try as much as we can to touch the lives of our people. Our governor is 56 today and categorically, he told most of us that are his friends that we should not bother placing advertisements or sending gifts, that we should use those resources to empower the less privileged.

“In line with that, we have decided that in marking that birthday, we should be able to take some of these resources to empower people in the grassroots. That is the essence of this empowerment programme,” he said.

Ogor appealed to the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items to transform their lives, saying “ you should use them effectively because they run into millions of naira. If you use them effectively, it will encourage us to do more.”

vested interest in who becomes chairman of Ojobo community and for the avoidance of doubt, he is not supportive of any particular candidate in the community elections as speculated in certain quarters.

“His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Deacon Otuaro, wishes to appeal to all stakeholders in Ojobo community to give peace a chance so as to enable government discharge its mandate of delivering dividends of democracy to the people.

“Otuaro, a peace advocate, is desirous of a situation where all stakeholders of Ojobo community would work towards credible elections any time same is held, avert a repeat of circumstances that led to avoidable bloodbath in the community more than a decade ago over community elections,” the statement further noted.

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 7

UPSHOT OF CHURCH DEMOLITION:

East-West roadside becomes worship centre •Front view of the demolished House of His Mercy Bible Church, Port Harcourt

RIVERS...

THE TREASURE BASE OF THE NA TION NATION

By DAVIES IHEAMNACHOR

T

HE bulldozing of the House of Mercy Bible Church, Rumuosi community, Obior/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, has ignited bitter hostilities between the house of worship and a Port Harcourt-based engineer, Anthony Ebhodaghe, who flattened it on June 19.

The senior pastor of the church, Reverend Seye Sonibare and his flock now rent canopies and worship on the wayside, opposite the church, by the East-West Road.

Rev. Sonibare, who maintained that the church is the bonafide owner of the property, said Engineer Ebhodaghe demolished the sanctuary even when he knew there was a subsisting appeal against a High Court judgment that declared him as title holder.

He said Engr. Anthony Ebhodaghe and Mr. Harrison Umana, who are jointly claiming ownership of the land had done a great disservice to the church of Jesus Christ by displacing His flock from the place of worship.

According to him, the church was not even a party in the High Court case and an appeal of the judgment between Engineer Ebhodaghe and Mr. Kingsley Amadi, the church’s property owner, was already before the Court of Appeal, which adjourned the matter to January 11.

The judgment order by Justice Boma Diepiri in the High Court of Rivers State in Port Harcourt with suit number PHC/2189/2009, obtained by Niger Delta Voice, reads: “It is declared that the claimant is by virtue of the deed of Conveyance, dated May 11, 2001, the bonafide owner and entitled to the Statutory right of Occupancy over the parcel of land measuring 3720.00 square metres, located at Oshimini Ogbodo, Rumuosi Akpor in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State: “And particularly delineated in survey plan No PJO/ RS159/2001, prepared by Surveyor Patrick Jude O. Mbano and bound by beacon numbers RFG 119, RFG 120, RSM 5180, RFE 543.

“It is declared that the defendants’ act of breaking into, demolishing the claimant’s gate and protective metal railings on the fence on the land and building of a church thereon constitute act of trespass.

“That the sum of three million naira only be and is here-

•After the demolition •Demolition of the church

by awarded to the claimant against the defendants as general damages for trespass.

“That the order of perpetual injunction be and is hereby granted restraining the defendants, their agents and assigns from further trespassing and/or erecting any structure, interfering and/ or dealing with the said piece of land in any manner whatsoever that is inconsistent with the claimants’ right of ownership.

“That there shall be cost to the claimant against the defendants assessed at N50, 000.00 only.”

Pastor Sonibare asserted: “We were surprised to see our

members, who were in church for a programme, arrested; carting away of all our property and, finally, demolition of the church auditorium.

“He did not approach the church with any court execution order. Even if you are to levy execution on a people, the court will serve the occupant of the land notice. All we saw was a trailer load of police officers and about 20 civilians, who invaded the church on a Friday evening. We were amazed.

“They came and started moving our loads out of the church. When I was informed, I called Amadi’s lawyer, he

said we should not worry that there is an adjournment on that case and that nobody ought to do anything.

“At this point, the police were shooting sporadically. The police acted in a very funny way. They packed all our church property; till now we do not know where the property are.

“Saturday, we were in the church when we heard that they have brought a caterpillar to bring the church down.

We were there and they brought our church down.

Our landlord, Mr. Kingsley Amadi, was not happy with the development.

“We do not fight for God. If God is God, He will fight for Himself. Jesus is the owner of this church and He will defend His church. We have not lost anything because it is not the

•Senior Pastor of the church, Pastor Seye Sonibare building that is the church; we are now looking up to God for help because the church belongs to Him.” ‘My father did not sell land to Ebhodaghe’ Contacted, Kingsley Amadi, the first son of the late Amadi, expressed dissatisfaction that Engr. Anthony Ebhodaghe acted when a case was still on appeal.

He confirmed that the church is the rightful owner of the land, adding that his father did not sell that land to Ebhodaghe.

Church/widow land scuffle takes new turn •Continues from page 1 mount chief I could not join issues with him then.

“But the place I sold to the church was lying fallow and since it is still part of my land, I sold it to the church; the late Muri’s name on the Deed was part of the procedure that without his signature, every land transaction would be null and void.

“My father was the first person to step his feet into the place then, but because the Muri is a big chief, I did not contest the selling of the place with him. When I came back from service (Navy) in 1997.

But the place was fallow so I sold it to the church since it is my property.”

Late Ekpenyong didn’t appropriate Ambo’s land – HRM Mbukpa Speaking to our reporter, the current Muri, HRM Efiong Okon Mbukpa, said: “There is no individual that owns land in this place and if you are doing any land transaction that does not have traditional consent from the Efut Combined Assembly and the Muri Munene, your money is as good as gone, because it must have my endorsement.

“I know my predecessor very well. He did not sell any land belonging to any individual talk more of selling Ananghtiga’s land (Chief Ambo’s father). So for him to say the late Muri sold a land he inherited is absolute falsehood.

•Mrs Nkoyo Bassey “It is unfounded and can never be true because Ekpenyong was a man of integrity, who stood only for what was right and will never condescend so low as to sell something that belongs to a leper.”

Efut Assembly suspended Ambo over land matters Our findings showed that the combined Efut Assembly had earlier suspended Chief Ambo over landrelated transactions and other issues.

•Late Chief Okon Ambo One of the daughters of the late Muri, Mrs. Affiong Ekpeyong, who is a witness in the agreement that her father signed with Mrs. Nkoyo Bassey on November 3, 1979, said although 1979 was a long time, every land dealing that her father did was genuine.

She said: “My father detested double dealing and would never have sold someone’s property for N100,000.

Whatever the new Muri has told you is the absolute truth because my father was a disciplined person, who never wanted problem with anyone as far as land dispute was concerned.”

8—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Unaccustomed features of Uduaghan, ex-Delta gov *Frenzied woman falls in love with him *Rescues DELSUTH first quadruplet

DELTA...

FINGER OF GOD

By PEREZ BRISIBE

O

GHARA—WHILE some medical personnel at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara, Delta State, were hesitant to relate with her because of her mental state, the former governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, did not have any scruple chatting with the harebrained woman.

The hysterical woman had just delivered a set of twin babies with the man responsible for the pregnancy unidentified.

So it was unexpected that a governor would stoop to discuss with her, but Uduaghan apparently breached protocol to converse with her and his exemplary show of love caught hospital workers unawares. He also picked the bills.

A staff in the paediatric and neonatal section of the hospital told Niger Delta Voice: “At a time, we had twins by a mad woman found on the road with no family.

“We looked after them for more than six weeks until the former governor visited and we brought it to his notice. Having cleared her bills, he ensured that we bought clothes for her.

“We thought that was the end, but to our surprise, Dr. Uduaghan engaged this mad woman in conversation for over an hour with her telling him that she wants him and would marry him, having just ditched the former Prime Minister of Britain, Tony Blair.

“Dr. Uduaghan has a heart for the sick and a bigger one for children. Each time the former governor visited the hospital, there is always a bill related issue for a child.”

Quadruplet intervention Besides the barmy woman, Dr. Uduaghan has continued to display his rare side even out of office.

Lately, he came to the rescue of the parents of the first quadruplet delivered in DELSUTH with the payment of N300,000 to clear maternity, neo-natal, laboratory and pharmacy bills of the babies and another N200,000 for the financial upkeep of the mother.

The 35-year-old mother of the quadruplet, born May 15, through caesarean section, weighing 1.5 kg, 1.5 kg, 1.4 kg and 1.5 kg respectively, had two babies, aged six and four years

before now.

There was unconfirmed report that the hospital detained the quadruplets because of the parent’s inability to foot their medical bills.

Their father, Mr. Ejike Anyanwu, 39, from Enugu Ezike Aji, Igbo Eze North Local Government Area, Enugu State, allegedly raised the alarm over the matter and appealed to the governors of his state and Delta State to come to his rescue.

The former governor, who visited the hospital two days before his exit from office and gave N100,000 to the mother of the quadruplets, knew about their fresh predicament while surfing the social media.

Why I picked medical bill—Uduaghan He told Niger Delta Voice: “There was a day I visited the hospital before I left office where I saw a woman crying as regards money for some bills.

“I asked how much and was told it was less than N100, 000, so I ordered that they give her the money.

“Sometimes I go through the social media. When I saw this particular report of someone who had quadruplets and they were detained in the hospital because they could not pay their bills. I called the medical director and rendered my assistance.

“For me, it does not have to be the state governor assisting; anyone who sees it and can afford to help should help. It was something that I could afford and I said why should they be there because of that kind of money?

“Personally, I believe in the fact that every pregnant woman should have access to health

•The quadruplet in their early days

•Mother of the quadruplet, Mrs Anyanwu

•Father of the quadruplet, Mr. Ejike Anyanwu

•Laura Ade, Nurse Manager for Pediatric and Neo-natal unit

care and deliver safely.”

Elated Mr. Anyanwu applauded the benevolence of the former governor and thanked him, staff of the hospital, churches and the medical women association for rescuing his family.

Hospital denies seizing quadruplets The management of the hospital, however, described as false and mischievous the claim that the hospital impounded the quadruplets, saying Dr. Uduaghan, staff, medical associations and churches gave donations in cash and kind to assist the family in the upkeep of the children.

Public Relations Officer, DELSUTH, Mr. Emmanuel Iteme, said the hospital was shocked to read on social media platforms that it impounded the babies because of the parents’ inability to pay hospital bills, which was false.

In their respective remarks, nurse manager, paediatric and

•A nursing staff of the Pediatric and Neo-natal unit and DELSUTH PRO, Emmanuel Iteme with one of the quadruplet

neo-natal, Laura Ade and director, clinical services and training, Dr. Inikori Abraham, reiterated the commitment of the hospital to service delivery, saying it had put programmes in place through its

Social Service Department to handle situations of patient’s inability to pay bills.

They added that the department met a brick wall when the father to the babies refused to show up for meetings with the department.

MISSING ON BOARD: Mysterious disappearance of a search on the said vessel, ADAEZE and engineer in Lagos raises dust found the following items belonging to

By EMMA AMAIZE

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AGOS— ABOUT eight months after the disappearance of 47year-old electrical engineer, Mr. Jonathan Sifu, an indigene of Delta State, who was on board a vessel, ADAEZE, belonging to his employer, Sea Petroleum and Gas Company Nigeria Limited, Lagos State, November 15, 2014, his whereabouts remain a mystery.

His wife, Mrs. Jonathan Sifu, family head, Elder Moses Jitogbe, Mr. Ezekiel Sifu and Mr. Vincent Sifu (brothers) said the incident occurred within the territorial waters of Lagos State. Solicitor to the family, Delta State-based Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, in a petition to the Inspector General

of Police dated July 10, said the chief captain, Mr. Pere, safety officers, including crew-members discovered that he was missing offshore.

Ikimi said some of the crew members, led by one senior Captain in the said vessel, went to the home of a member of the family the next day and demanded to know the whereabouts of Mr. Jonathan Sifu, who they claimed was nowhere to be found on board.

He asserted that the said relative quickly informed other members of his family and advised the Captain and the crew members to report the matter at the Marine Divisional Police Station, Victoria Island, following which the police detained and released them after five days.

Ikimi said: “It is our further brief that men of the said Police Station conducted

the said Mr. Jonathan Sifu; three phones, a different pair of slippers, clothes, bags, shoes, among other, but recovered only the said three phones and the different pair of slippers to the said station.”

He said the police officers left the remaining items and had “remained adamant in carrying out the necessary investigations about the disappearance of the missing person till date.”

Ikimi added: “It is in the light of all the above that we are passionately calling on you to cause a thorough and discreet investigation into the above complaints of our clients, who are presently sceptical about the lackadaisical manner men of the Marine Divisional Police Station, Victoria Island, abandoned investigation into the said disappearance of Mr. Jonathan Sifu.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—33

By Theodore Opara

Most powerful, luxurious Range Rover arrives T

HE most powerful and luxurious Range Rover model yet, the Range Rover SVAutobiography, is now available for order at Land Rover dealerships in subSaharan Africa. First announced at the 2015 New York International Auto Show, the flagship replaces the Range Rover Autobiography Black, and adds even more luxury, design sophistication and performance to the world’s finest luxury SUV. Additionally, other models in the Range Rover line-up also benefit from the addition of new technologies and features, as well as improvements to existing features. These include ergonomic enhancements both inside and outside the vehicle, and automated features that have been requested by customers.

“Range Rover customers are the most discerning of all. By using their feedback to improve our products we’re living up to our Customer First philosophy to make the best even better,” said Lisa Mallett, Marketing and Communications Director of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa (JLR SA and SSA). “The SVAutobiography is the ultimate expression of Range Rover’s luxury and precision craftsmanship, delivering beautiful detailing that considerably enhances the customer’s experience.”

Exclusively crafted at Special Vehicle Operations’ (SVO) Technical Centre in the United Kingdom, SVAutobiography features unique exterior design enhancements, an exclusive premium leather interior with unique trim finishes and the option of a 405kW 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine. As a result, the SVAutobiography is the most luxurious and powerful series-production Range Rover in the model’s successful 45year history.

“Range Rover originally defined the luxury SUV segment and the new SVAutobiography, developed by Special Vehicle Operations, takes Range Rover to another level of comfort, craftsmanship and refinement,” said John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations.

Available in standard and long wheelbase derivatives, the 2016 Model Year SVAutobiography takes the flagship Range Rover to even greater heights of design sophistication and levels of luxury execution. New features and exquisite detailing further consolidate its position as the world’s C M Y K

As a result, the SVAutobiography is the most luxurious and powerful seriesproduction Range Rover in the model’s successful 45-year history

most luxurious and capable vehicle.

For the first time on Range Rover, customers of the 2016 Model Year SVAutobiography are able to specify a unique duo-tone body colour option. The combination of Santorini Black upper body and nine colour choices for the lower body create true distinction and individualism.

The 2016 Model Year vehicle is distinguished

by new Range Rover bonnet lettering and the tailgate is adorned with the new SVAutobiography badging. The unique front grille is finished in distinctive Graphite Atlas and polished chrome, further promoting its visual differentiation.

On the most powerful 405kW supercharged V8 version, quad tailpipes subtly hint at the huge reserves of power available.

Much of the driver ’s switchgear, including the start-stop surround and rotary controls, are machined from solid aluminium with beautiful knurled details, as are the foot pedals. This detailing continues to both the front and rear centre consoles, with distinctive materials for the cup holder and socket covers.

New armrest adjusters not only bring a similar level of machined detail, but also make them even

easier to use.

Rear-seat passengers relax in luxurious seating,with access to a chiller compartment and powered deployable tables.Solid aluminium coat hooks are incorporated into the rear pillars while, on the floor, aluminium seat rail finishers and deep twist pile mohair carpet mats complete the feeling of sumptuous luxury.

A leather-covered handbook and polished

Autobiography key fob with knurledfinish add finishing touches.

The SVAutobiography offers the option of a sliding loadspace floor.

Made from beautifully crafted aluminium and a choice of veneer options, the floor extends rearwards to optimise practicality and ease of use for loading and unloading.

For customers who enjoy the versatility of Range Rover’s split tailgate, SVO has developed ‘Event Seating.’ Stowed in the luggage compartment, these can be quickly and easily deployed to provide comfortable seating for two adults on the lower tailgate section. Hand crafted from beautiful Windsor leather with a highly durable aluminium frame, this option will appeal to those who appreciate the duality of Range Rover’s ‘business and pleasure’ characteristics.

Replacing the Autobiography Black at the top of the Range Rover line-up, SVAutobiography is available with a sensational 405kW V8 supercharged engine, combining peerless luxury with the most powerful engine in Range Rover’s history. The allaluminium 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine, used to power the high performance Range Rover Sport SVR, has been retuned for the SVAutobiography.

Response to auto policy exceeds NAC expectations —Jalal Continues from page 31 tive to lead in investing in the Nigerian auto industry, recalled how he was challenged by the company to produce a policy that will provide a conducive atmosphere for investment in automotive assembly few years ago and expressed satisfaction that this has yielded fruits He noted that the announcement by Nissan that they will assemble vehicles

in Nigeria just a week after the approval of the policy was the policy’s landmark achievement and it gave it a new impetus.

Promising that the council would work with Stallion to ensure successful implementation of the policy, the NAC boss noted that many countries with successful automotive industry started with an automotive policy like Japan in 1910, Brazil in 1952, Thailand in 1971, In-

donesia in 1969 and South Africa in 1961.

Meanwhile, Engineer Jalal has explained that the automobile industry is a great tool for industrial development in any nation, particularly in a developing country like Nigeria.

He said: “It is a big employer of labour and with extensive forward and backward linkages in the economy. 40 countries produced almost 90 million vehicles last year, valued

at over US$2 trillion.

"The industrial value added to the GDP is 7% for South Africa and some European countries, over 10% for Japan and over 5% for the USA. "The importance of this industry is highlighted by the fact that the Philippines is the latest country to develop an automotive policy this year, joining its counterparts in ASEAN. Furthermore, the ECOWAS Ministers of Industry at

their meeting in Accra, Ghana, on 24th April 2015, adopted the automotive and machinery industry as one of the four regional priority sectors.

He pointed out that the Nigeria automotive policy was launched as part of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP). The NIRP aims to increase the contribution to our GDP by the manufacturing sector from 6.8% in 2014 to above 13% by 2017.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

THIS WEEK July, 14-16, 2015

Intellectual Property Workshop on Intellectual Property protection in promoting innovation and economic development in emerging markets, holds at the 4 Points by Sheraton Hotel, V/I, Lagos hosted by Anadach Group, to draw attention to the Intellectual Property bill passing through the National Assembly.

July 15, 2015

The Right Idea: Engaging Decision Makers on Family Planning in the Post -2015 World. Effective policy engagement with decision makers through the USAID-funded IDEA Projectto share experiences with repositioning population and family planning as development priorities and advice for increasing political commitment.

Science World Ultrasound accelerates skin healing for diabetics

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ESEARCHERS from the University of Sheffield's Department of Biomedical Science have discovered ultrasound transmits a vibration through the skin and wakes up cells in wounds helping to stimulate and accelerate the healing process.

The ultrasound treatment, which also reduces the chance of wounds getting infected, is particularly effective when treating diabetics and the elderly.

Leader of the study, Dr Mark Bass, from the University's Centre for Membrane Interactions and Dynamics (CMIAD), said: "Skin ulcers are excruciatingly painful for patients and can only be resolved by amputation.

"Using ultrasound wakes up the cells and stimulates a normal healing process. Because it is just speeding up the normal processes, the treatment doesn't carry the risk of side effects that are often associated with drug treatments."

The study is published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, was carried out in collaboration with the School of Biochemistry, the University of Bristol, the Wound Biology Group at the Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair, and the orthopaedic company, Bioventus LLC.

•Defunct Ebola isolation centre at the Mainland Hospital, Lagos.

Build resilient health systems, WHO tells sub-Sahara Africa

By Sola Ogundipe

T

HE World Health Organisation, WHO, has said it is a matter of priority for the three most Ebola-affected countries within the West African subregion, as well as neighbouring countries, including Nigeria to build resilient national health systems, in the effort to achieve zero Ebola cases.

After Ebola, the world is unprepared for next infectious disease outbreak. No one agrees with this statement more than the WHO, which always stresses that strengthening health care financing, would help countries like Nigeria and at least 27 other countries in the West African sub-region, to build resilient health systems.

Substantial investment Reports from the most affected countries indicate that basic essential health services are severely disrupted.

WHO worries that if the epidemic does not trigger substantial investments in national and sub-national health systems and appropriate reforms in the worstaffected countries, the effects of the outbreak will exacerbate the pre-existing weakness in the national and sub-national health systems, which will become even more fragile.

Lessons from the 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa highlights how an epidemic can proliferate rapidly and pose

huge problems in the absence of a functional health system that can monitor the situation and quickly develop an integrated response, an epidemic can proliferate rapidly and pose huge problems.

Last week, the WHO, urged the three Ebola-affected countries and other countries in the West African sub-region to invest in building health systems that are resistant to epidemics.

Speaking in a media teleconference, last week, ahead of the UN Secretary-General's international Ebola Recovery Conference, WHO Assistant DirectorGeneral for Health Systems and Innovation, Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, said one big lesson the world has learned from the West African Ebola outbreak is that no one is immune from disease outbreaks. "We need to ensure health systems everywhere can detect and treat emerging diseases and still keep their routine healthcare services up and running.”

Kieny said it would be impossible for Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the worst hit countries, to fully recover without increasing the money spent on health.

Also speaking, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, said full recovery will not happen without strengthening the health system.

Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone entered the Ebola epidemic with severely underfunded health systems, and now, more than a year into the epidemic, these systems are in much worse shape even without reaching zero cases.

"The existing facilities need a complete overhaul, and many new structures need to be built.

If another outbreak strikes, the toll would be far worse."

To rebuild their health systems and provide services over the

We need to ensure health systems everywhere can detect and treat emerging diseases and still keep their routine healthcare services up and running

HEALTH FOR ALL:

Implement National Health Act, FG told Page 35

next 24 months, Liberia budgeted $550 million but requires $169.7 million. On its part, Guinea has budgeted $1.176 billion but requires additional $386.5 million, while Sierra Leone budgeted $361 million and must raise an estimated amount of $140 million.

The International Union hyas pledged $5 billion bailout for the three ebola-affected countries even as the World Bank Group is committing US$650 million dollars over the next 12-24 months to support recovery and development needs in the countries.

A World Bank report said disproportionate deaths among health care workers from Ebola could lead to sharp rise in maternal mortality last seen 20 years ago.

The study shows the loss of health workers due to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa could result in an estimated additional 4,000 deaths of women each year across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone - because of complications in pregnancy and childbirth.

Loss of health workers could push maternal mortality up to rates last seen in these countries a generation ago, the report warned.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—35

Ujah regretted that the Ebola outbreak did not provide the expected opportunity for the Institute to be upgraded

To achieve health for all, implement National Health Act, FG told

By Chioma Obinna

T

O improve the country’s health indices, Nigerian experts have said that the full implementation of the National Health Act will help the country achieve Universal Health Coverage which the World Health Organisation, WHO has described as the single most powerful concept public health, has to offer.

This is coming on the heels of the ongoing debate on global post -2015 development agenda which focuses on acceleration of reforms that would ensure quality health services without being forced into poverty.

Speaking in Lagos at a symposium held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, on the National Health Act, entitled: ‘'Achieving Universal Health Coverage, UHC, in Nigeria,’’ the Guest Speaker, Dr. Mohammed Lecky who is also Executive Director, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, HERFON, said: “I would submit that the National Health Act makes necessary and largely sufficient provisions and much more for addressing all the

• From left: Former Director General, NIMR, Prof. Oni Idigbe; Director General, NIMR, Prof. Innocent Ujah; Professor of Public Health, CMUL,Prof. Kofo Odeyemi, and Administrator, ADR Track, Mr Ali Emmanuel, during a symposium on the “NHIS Act and Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria,” to mark the 5th anniversary of Prof. Ujah as NIMR DG in Lagos . essential requirements of Universal Healthcare and the ultimate attainment of UHC in Nigeria” Lecky posited that the Act made provision for all Nigerians to be entitled to basic minimum

package of health services but argued that the emphasis should be on implementation.

“It could be said that Nigeria has achieved Universal Health Coverage by law but it is now a matter of implementation. ''The

Act is inclusive and unifies health services for the regulation, development and the management of the nation’s health system. ''If this act is well implemented without corruption, it will reshape

Firm upgrades facilities at Ori Iyanrin PHC

By Sola Ogundipe

T

HE mother and child care facility at the Ori Iyanrin Primary Healthcare Centre, in Iru/ Victoria Island, LCDA, Lagos, was recently upgraded and refurbished as part of Philips' annual pan-African Cape Town to Cairo roadshow.

Philips upgraded the facilities in the labour, paediatric and new born baby wards, designing them to support the well-being and recovery of expectant mothers and their new born babies.

The centre has also been equipped with the innovative Philips ultra-mobile ultrasound system VISIQ, sized like an internet tablet, to enable fast diagnosis and treatment of

obstetric and abdominal problems.

A free maternity screening camp to enable early detection of complications was set up during the Nigerian phase of the road show, to give expectant mothers within the local community opportunity to avail themselves of a free ultrasound screening.

The pre-natal screening was to ensure that complications are detected in advance of labour.

New mothers and soon-to-be mothers also had demonstrations on the importance of breast feeding and the correct techniques to enable comfort and ease for infant and mother.

Unveiling the renovated facility, Robin Armstrong, General Manager, Philips Healthcare, West Africa, said the project will

hopefully, ease the burden for the healthcare workers in the district, and in time save many lives as well. “Most expectant women visiting this facility can now have access to care which will help to keep both them and their babies healthy."

Armstrong said the Philips Cape Town to Cairo roadshow had continually championed the UN Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 related to reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.

In a statement, Medical Officer Health, Public Health and Primary Health Centre Department, Iru /Victoria Island LCDA, Dr Wale Akeredolu, said the impact the project on the district was profound.

“Community Healthcare Centres are generally under resourced and sparsely equipped with technology. Our Healthcare Centre is no different in this regard, and in particular our mother and child care facilities have been under enormous pressure in recent years.

“We are delighted to have collaborated with Philips, as this project will breathe new life into our Healthcare Centre and enable us to improve care for our patients."

The Ori Iyanrin PHC, which has an average of 300-400 outpatients per month, records 30-40 follow up appointments per week, with an average of 20 births per month.

the Nigerian health landscape to the extent that all Nigerians, without any exception, would be entitled to basic minimum package to health services.

“It is a unifying legislation, coherent, clear and an unambiguously most powerful piece of legislation that is aimed at social equity and justice.

“We should have good reason to expect great things on account of the National Health Act in years ahead. But, can we rise to this collective challenge? Lecky asked rhetorically?

Earlier, Director- General, NIMR, Prof. Innocent Ujah expressed concern that only two per cent of the annual allocation to health was expended on research.

“We call on the Federal Government to set aside a fund reserve for health researches for continuous research activities in the country. 'This will help in keeping the country ready for emergencies like the recent Ebola outbreak. It will set her on the path of progress and development as well as universal health coverage,'' he said.

Ujah who regretted that the Institute expected that the Ebola outbreak would have provided opportunity to be upgraded said despite a position paper it wrote nothing was done about it.

“Our lab which is bio safety level 3 should have been upgraded to bio safety level 4 where we could deal with live viruses. We do not want anybody to die in the process of carrying out research. So we have missed that opportunity.

“We are not praying for Ebola to come but we must be prepared because it may come. We do not have sufficient capacity in the country for health research and that is why many of our international research proposals don’t get funding because it is highly competitive.”

Intellectual property workshop kicks off in Lagos

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• From left: Robin Armstrong, General Manager, Health Care West Africa; Felix Darko, General Manager, Lighting West Africa; Juan Van Dongen, CEO, Philips Africa; Abayomi Daramola, Executive Secretary, Iru Victoria Island LCDA; Chioma Iwuchukwu Nweke, General Manager Personal Health Philips West Africa during the unveiling of the new look Ori Iyanrin Primary Healthcare Centre, in Lagos

EADERS from government, finance, and pharmaceuticals, among others are set to converge in Lagos at an international workshop on Intellectual Property protection in promoting innovation and economic development in emerging markets. The workshop opens today at the 4 Points by Sheraton Hotel, hosted by Anadach Group, to draw attention to the Intellectual Property bill passing through the National Assembly.

The Chairman, International Chamber of Commerce, ICCN, and Chairman, Guiness Nigeria, Mr. Babatunde Savage, will launch a report on Intellectual Property and innovation in Nigeria developed by the Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy Group, BASCAP. An intensive certified training session tagged 'IP 101 for innovators and entrepreneurs', will also hold where attendees will learn about ''What to protect, How and where to protect it, and What your Protection covers/costs.'' It will be followed by a 2-day workshop to connect the leaders to advance a discussion on the role of Intellectual Property protection in promoting economic development.

36 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Doctors seek standardised protocols for trauma management

By Chioma Obinna

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ITH the growing trend of election violence and insurgency in the country, doctors under the aegis of the National Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos, NOHIL-ARD, are seeking ways of ensuring that experts in management of acute trauma patients adopt standardised and validated approaches to managing patients.

At the 2015 Ordinary General Meeting with the theme: “Election Violence: Impact on the Health Sector and Society at Large” highlighted the burden on medical doctors.

In his lecture entitled: “Current Concepts in the Management of the Acute Trauma Patient” a Consultant Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgeon, Dr. Choji Chungjoe, who described trauma as neglected disease of the modern world said initiating validated approaches early would ensure better outcome in patients with complex trauma.

resents one of the major factors for the death of patients, arguing that introduction of standardised protocols in developed countries and many developing countries has reduced trauma-related morbidity and mortality.

“The gold standard since the 1990s remains the ATLS protocol.

The complex management of acute trauma patients can be optimized by adopting standardised

and validated approaches using well established algorithms such as the ATLS programme. This has proved hugely successful in lowering morbidity and mortality but it’s still a work in progress that has spawned newer concepts that are further improving outcome” Speaking on the theme, “Election Violence: “Impact on the Health Sector and Society at

Large” President, NOHIL-ARD, Dr. Idowu Deifa said: “From the health perspective, when election violence occurs, patients suffer a great deal of trauma, and as clinicians managing them, we also need to update ourselves for a better outcome. Apart from the violence we decided to also educate ourselves on the current standards acceptable worldwide as the gold standard for manage-

Gold standard Chungjoe who noted the complexity of trauma regretted that middle and low-income developing countries like Nigeria do not see trauma as disease of importance.

He maintained that trauma rep-

• From left: NOHIL-ARD, Igbobi, Dr. Idowu Deifa-Gbolabo; President, NMA, Lagos State Chapter.

Dr. Tope Ojo; Chairman, Management Board, NOHIL, Igbobi, Dr. Adedamola Dada and Guest Speaker/ Consultant, Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon, NOHIL, Igbobi, Dr. Chungjoe Choji during the NOHILARD Ordinary General Meeting/ Scientific Conference at the hospital premises ,in Lagos.

ment of these patients when they come in as trauma patients.”

Deifa who further stated that the association has continued to update themselves for better services said recently they worked with advanced trauma life support protocol which helps to ensure that patients in a salvageable period can come alive from trauma.

According to him, some patients who have potentials of surviving the trauma if time is lost and expertise is not well applied may also become irreplaceable and irreversible damages. “Advanced trauma life protocol is essentially what we use in order to help save these patients.

“Management of trauma is about what you can get anywhere in the world because in our centre we have four trauma specialists in addition to others in orthopaedic surgery who also have background knowledge of trauma patients.

“In orthopaedic hospital, I can say that we are the foremost trauma centre , other trauma centres in the country send their doctors to us for more training. We are upgrading to gain more knowledge,” he stressed.

Further, Deifa lamented the acute shortage of trauma experts, appealing to the Federal government to continue to encourage doctors who just graduated to go into different fields of medicine to specialise and make the country a better place for healthcare as well as reduce brain drain and the tax money being taken abroad in the name of specialist care.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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ELLO everybody and welcome. It is that time of the year again when we bring you new products for adult sexual wellness and enhancement. First on the list are performance enhancers for women. The makers of Magic Mike for Men have created a female version named Total Diva. If you are a woman who lacks the urge for sex or feels no sexual arousal when your husband or partner touches you, then Total Diva is exactly what you need.

One tablet of Total Diva works for as long as three days to get the woman aroused when touched or whenever she desires intercourse. Total Diva also helps women enjoy intercourse so remember the name.

Not everybody has a husband or a boyfriend and among those who do, not all of them get the sexual satisfaction they desire. So we have two new realistic dongs to help you out. The first one is the Espresso 8 Inch Dong and the second is the Hard Man 8.5 Inch Dong.

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These toys can be used with your partners or when alone. They are very helpful too considering that cheating on your spouse is not our recommended answer to sexual dissatisfaction.

Last but not the least is a set of adult toys made for women and men called the Couple’s Vibrator.

Although they are essentially vibrating Cockrings, the manufacturers have branded them Couple’s Vibrator because of how they help men and women equally. The Couple’s Vibrator is worn by the man to ensure he remains erect even after ejaculation. This helps him stretch intercourse for an additional twenty minutes.

So if you are a man that suffers from premature ejaculation, it doesn’t matter if you climax early. What matters is that with the Couple’s Vibrator,you are able to maintain your erection long enough to have meaningful sex. For women, the Couple’s Vibrator

does the job of stimulating you just like a real vibrator because it vibrates. It also helps your man last longer for your benefit. When using it, the woman must stay on top to get the full benefits of this amazing toy. Every couple needs this toy. It is powerful, affordable, lasts longer than the typical vibrating Cockring and works wonders for your relationship. It comes in different designs namely the Ovo B8 Couple’s Vibe and the Ovo B3 Couple’s Vibe.

And for men, we have new products as well, one of which is Max Stamina performance enhancer. We have written about it a few times but it was only available as a sample product. Now it is available in a 12 pack and a 24 pack bottle. The 12 pack bottle will last the user for at least two weeks because it works for 24 to 48 hours while the 24 pack bottle will last you for over a month. Max Stamina gives firm erections to men suffering from weak or no erection and also stops premature ejaculation in addition to giving the user adequate performance stamina for multiple rounds of back to back intercourse.

And finally for today are two latex products for healthy intercourse. The first is the ID Extra ThinCondoms for men. They are strong and yet thin enough to make you think you are not wearing anything at all. The second latex product is what you call a Dental Dam. It is basically a square sheet of flavored latex material designed for oral sex since humans cannot wear condoms over their mouths. The Strawberry Dental Dam is ideal for men and women who like to give oral sex. You place it over the female genitals while administering oral sex to prevent contact with infected body fluids that can give you a sexually transmitted disease.

Adults in need of these products/treatments can call 07086754515 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—37

Unpaid salaries: Explain how you spend N500m security vote, PDP tells Oshiomhole

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN — EDO State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has challenged the state governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, to explain to the people of the state what he does with the N500 million he collects as security votes monthly before asking council chairmen and councillors to suspend their security votes to enable them pay salaries of their workers.

State chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, who addressed newsmen in Benin, yesterday, said that the governor had no moral justification to talk on accountability and transparency in Abuja when he cannot explain to Edo people how he has been spending the money he collects for security in a state that has no security challenge.

He attributed the financial crisis rocking local governments in Edo State to the state government’s financial recklessness and accused it of plunging the councils into a financial mess as a result of its spending of funds meant for them.

Fifteen of the 18 councils in Edo State are currently are owing workers' salaries ranging from three to 10 months.

According to Orbih, “the problem was not because the councils were not getting money from the Federation Account but due to the state government taking money meant for the councils every month. N212.278 billion was released to the 18 councils in the state between November 2008, when Oshiomhole

assumed office, and April 2015.”

He said the move to stop the security votes of the council chairmen to enable council workers’ salaries to be paid was laughable and immoral.

Orbih, who said the council chairmen earn between N1.7million and N1.2 million each per month as security

L

AGOS — THE re-election bid of Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has received a major boost, as Ijaw indigenes under the aegis of Ijaws in Lagos State (ILS), have endorsed him for a second term, ahead of the state’s governorship election billed for December 5, 2015.

A statement by leader of the group, George Deinkoru said over 15 groups had met and decided to endorse Governor Dickson for a second term, because of the peace achieved in the state under his administration.

Deinkoru, who was national secretary, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), said: ‘’Through the

confronting Benin City, said there was nothing on ground to justify the N30 billion facilities obtained from the capital market and the N5 billion received from the World Bank to curtail the erosion menace as many houses and property were lost to downpour last week in the state capital.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State (left) being welcomed to French National Day celebration by Honorary French Consul, Mr. Nicolas Brunet in Port Harcourt.

Owan West LGA chairman suspended over alleged anti-party activities

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN — CRISIS is looming in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State as the chairman of the party in the council, Mr. Monday Ogbeta, has been suspended from office by the council and Ward leaders over alleged anti-party activities.

Ijaw in Lagos endorse Dickson for second term

By Ikenna Asomba

votes, while the legislative arm of the councils earns about N1 million each as security votes, noted that the total monthly combined sum of N42 million was nowhere close to the over N500 million Governor Oshiomhole earns as security votes.

Orbih, who also spoke on the flood and erosion problem

transformation agenda of the Dickson-led administration, the state government has progressively developed the education sector, infrastructural development such as the construction of roads, health and rural development. ‘’At this point, what we sincerely need is continuation of the good work and progress he has started through his transformation agenda. We don’t need to change a progressive and winning team. All we need is a collective effort by all democratic persons to sustain this great project, so that we don’t give room for the opposition to take advantage of our good works.’’

The notice of suspension by Peter Ekeinde and Airadion J.A. for other council and ward leaders of the party was sent to the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, for ratification.

Meanwhile, the ward and council executives have passed a vote of confidence in Mr. Johnson Abologba, a former member of the House of Representatives, who was earlier suspended by the Monday Ogbeta-led council executive, describing him as a responsible and dependable leader.

The leaders of the party at its expanded meeting, at Sabongida-

Ora, administrative headquarters of Owan West council, while ordering the suspended party chairman to handover the property of the party at his disposal to the ViceChairman, Mr. Festus Ohikhuare, accused him of running the party as a sole administrator.

He was also accused of mismanaging the party ’s finances, particularly the fund set aside for the payment of the salary of staff at its secretariat and had permanently locked up the party’s secretariat thereby preventing staff from entering.

Flood: Bayelsa moves to clear blocked drains, canals

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA —BAYELSA State Government has approved the clearing of blocked drainages to check flooding in the state.

This followed the listing of Bayelsa as one of the 12 states that might experience high flood by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.

Already, excavators and swamp bogies have been deployed to clear the canals that littered the state capital as well as enlightenment of residents on the dangers of dumping household waste in the drains and canals/ creeks.

Also, buildings erected on the right of way of the canals are to be pulled down to create free channel for water.

The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Esueme DanKikile, yesterday, in Yenagoa, told Vanguard that though the clearing of the blocked drainages was a temporary measure to check the flood, “government's long term plan is to create a drainage master plan to tackle the perennial flood menace in the state.

“Government has taken some proactive steps including approval for the removal of silt in all blocked drainages. This is to enable free flow of water from primary drains to the various canals/creeks.

“Second, is the advisory to all residents to dispose off their waste properly instead of throwing waste into drains that cause blockade.”

2016: Edo North PDP leaders call for dissolution of Orbih-led state exco

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN CITY — CRISIS is brewing in the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the leadership of the party in Edo North senatorial district, led by the former House of Representatives member for Owan federal constituency, Mr Johnson Abolagba, has called for the dissolution of the state executive of the party led by Chief Dan Orbih and other executives in the 18 local government areas.

It accused the current executive of the party in the state of failing

to win any election in the past six years, hence the need to elect new leadership of the party at all levels so that the party will focus on the 2016 governorship election in the state.

But reacting, Vice Chairman (Edo North) of the PDP, Chief Henry Tenebe, described the comments by Abulagba and others as arrant nonsense, saying it was as result of alleged anti-party activities that he was suspended from the party.

The leaders in a letter addressed to the National leadership of the party by Abolagba, S.S.Mayaki and 18

other leaders in six councils in Edo North, under the aegis of PDP Adherents-Edo North Must Win, called for the constitution of caretaker committee at all levels to temporarily run the affairs of the party and organise congresses that will be totally free and fair.

Besides, the group stressed that “Edo North PDP leaders should be allowed to determine its political future rather than its political future being determined by non Edo North leaders or Edo North leaders perceived to be loyal to some national leaders of the party.”

38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

ENUGU: 24 commissioner-nominees for

screening today Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE Enugu State House of Assembly will today, consider and confirm a 24-man list of commissioner nominees sent to it by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi last Thursday.

According to the list

presented before the House, Amb. Fidel Ayogu, a two-time governorship candidate of the defunct ANPP, Hon. Peace Nnaji , the immediate House of reps member representing Nkanu East and West Federal Constituency and former Chairman of Enugu PDP, Charles Egumgbe will be considered.

Others are: former House of

Reps member for Isi-Uzo and Enugu East Federal Constituency, Hon. Chijoke Edoga; Engr. Patrick Ezebuiro Ikpenwa; Dr. Udeuhele Godwin Ikpechukwu and Mbeke Obinna.

Also in the list are: Chika Ogbe, Ndukwe Chuka, Chidi Aroh, Rita Mba, Sam Nwobodo, Emeka Okeke, Chief Melletus Eze, Prof. Uchenna Eze,

Charles Asogwa, Ozo Gab Onuzulike, Mr. Solomon Onah, Mr. Vitus Okechi, Mike Eneh, Fide Ani, Mrs. Eucharia Offor, Samuel Ngwu and Greg Nnaji.

It is expected that portfolio will be assigned to them at the end of the screening to enable the governor constitute his State Executive Council that will oversee the running of various ministries, parastatals and agencies.

I won’t use APC FG to unleash impunity on people —Okorocha

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OVERNOR OF Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has said that the Imo state government will not use the All Progressives Congress, APC, Federal Government with President Mohammadu Buhari in charge to unleash impunity on the people of the state.

The governor, who spoke when the traditional rulers and political leaders from Mbaise, where the governorship candidate of the PDP, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha comes from, paid him solidarity visit at the Government House, also said that the election petition tribunal sitting in Owerri, handling his case with the PDP candidate,

should also be allowed and encouraged to do their work to the best of their ability.

He dismissed claims in some quarters that he asked the traditional rulers from Mbaise to tell their son, Hon. Ihedioha to withdraw his petition, saying such never happened.

He told the monarchs that his government has set up a committee to look into the case of the 40 traditional rulers, who dragged him to court and swore fake affidavit over an action he never took.

He therefore, asked the traditional rulers involved not to allow themselves again to be deceived by the old style of the

PDP where they used the PDP government at the centre to do some annoying things in the state.

He added that such ugly development had come and gone since it is the APC that is in power at the federal level at the moment.

His words: “Traditional rulers still operating on the wrong impression created by the PDP in the state would have themselves to blame. The Ezes, who have continued to fight the government will have themselves to blame.

"Those, who believed that they had relationship with the president of the PDP extraction,

Abia to train 20,000 youths in agriculture

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—ABIA State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has said his administration will sponsor over 20,000 youths in agriculture to make them self reliant.

Ikpeazu, who stated this in Umuahia added that the state would sponsor the first batch of the youths to Porto Novo, Benin Republic, to study integrated agriculture before the end of this year.

He said that his administration intended to meaningfully engage over 20,000 youths from the state.

The governor described the move as a clear departure from the past practice where vehicles and stipends were given out as empowerment items to the youths, insisting that what the "youths desire is sustainable empowerment which begins with qualitative education."

He promised to launch a special security task force

comprising the Police, Army and the Department of State Security Services in the state to check kidnapping and other violent crimes which appear to be returning to the state.

The governor also disclosed that his administration would in the next three months commission the revenue house which would be a one stop shop for those willing to do business in the state, adding that the guideline for all approved taxes payable in the state will soon be ready.

are no more in power today.

"But I cannot do what they did because I want to show leadership. I am proud of traditional rulers from Mbaise."

He assured the traditional rulers that the University of Agriculture in their area will become realistic, and that Mbaise people have benefited much from the free education policy of his government and other projects judging from their large population.

He said that in his first tenure, the Mbaise people had three key commissioners, including that of finance, and had the chairman of APC in the state.

Gov Okorocha accepted to attend the 2015 Iriji Mbaise (New Yam Festival) because, according to him, his love for "Mbaise people is unconditional," adding that Mbaise people have made tremendous contribution to the development and leadership of the state.

The traditional rulers had said earlier through the leader of the delegation, and deputy chairman of the state Council of Ndi-Eze, HRM Eze Chidume Okoro that they were solidly behind the governor and urged him not allow the action of few politicians from the area to make him feel that he is not loved by Mbaise people .

Ngige deserves national appointment —Group

By Chris Onuoha

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GROUP under the aegis of Anambra Patriots in Lagos has urged the new administration of President Buhari to give Dr. Chris Ngige suitable positions due for the South East zone.

The group while acknowledging Ngige's selfless services to the people of Anambra State which earned him far– reaching acceptance, with his firm, focused and sense of loyalty, said that his remarkable achievements as former governor of Anambra state, was the rekindling of belief and hope for a more progressive and m e a n i n g f u l development to Anambra State.

In a press release, the president of the group, Dr. Okpagu and the executive Secretary Hon. Paul Eze, in Lagos, said: “His political antecedent speaks volume, having single handedly organized, sustained and funded the political structures of AC, ACN and APC in Anambra State till date.He deserves to be rewarded with suitable appointment.

"Also, his deep sense of patriotism, sincere devotion to duty and commitment to improving Anambra development status remained unequalled despite distractions from some elements.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

What would you say about President Buhari’s delay in naming ministers?

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MB cannot afford to appoint people he cannot trust, most especially in some key offices like DG of DSS, Chief Security Officer, GMD of NNPC, among others. I believe that every zone has competent hands to help in building Nigeria. Mr. Sunday Ajiboye, Musician

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s it that we cannot tell the truth from available facts? The facts on ground now are that Buhari is working for the Northern part of Nigeria. All appointments so far, apart from that of Femi Adesina, the Media Adviser, are from the North. -Mr. Paul Atumu, Businessman

T

hose who hold Buhari captive are Yoruba politicians starting from Obasanjo and others. If Buhari tries not to work under OBJ's instructions, he (Buhari) should be ready to see another side of politics and the reason Obasanjo defected to APC. -Mr. Dominic James, Worker

I

do not think Buhari can be caged by any Nigerian. Let us give him a chance to carry out more appointments. My fear is that of the western world who may have their selfish agenda which might influence his decisions. -Mr. Egbokodo Jolomi, Retiree

I

am so surprised that people expect anything different from what Buhari is doing now. It was always going to be like this. I really wonder if this administration is going to change anything in its four years tenure. -Mr. Francis Esupofo, Musician

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o human is perfect, Buhari is a Saint compared to the entire cabinet of Goodluck Jonathan, including his own inner and personal cabinet. Nigerians should just be patient with him. I am optimistic of good things coming. -Miss Blessing Emmanuel, Worker

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 39

Jigawa moves to recover public property allegedly diverted by Lamido's govt

By Tina Akannam

D

UTSE—CHAIRMAN of the eight-man committee constituted by Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, to recover all government property allegedly misappropriated by the Peoples Democratic Party PDP-led administration of Alhaji Sule Lamido has declared that the list of defaulters would be published in national dailies for legal action and public information.

Chairman of the committee, Air Commodore Abubakar Sadiq [retd], dropped the hint when he featured in a one-hour Radio Freedom Hausa programme, ‘’Me Barka Da Hantsi‘’

monitored in Dutse, weekend.

He explained that the committee was mandated to track and recover all property belonging to the state government, such as official vehicles, equipment, furniture and fittings, as well as movable and immovable properties owned by the state government but taken away by political appointees.

He disclosed that so far, the committee had compiled some data on inventory of government properties and would swing into action this week.

Air commodore Sadiq said the intention of the committee was not

to witch hunt, molest, intimidate or threaten the defaulters but to prove that All Progressives Congress, APC, government’s manifestation of change on prudent and accountability was clearly on course at all levels of governance in the country.

He called on political and public office holders, who took public properties to return them to the committee or nearest police formation and receive acknowledgement receipt from the committee to avoid being exposed.

He noted that properties worth billions of naira were diverted and warned that any public officer who

was in possession of public properties illegally and refused to return same to the government would face the wrath of the law.

Air Commodore Sadiq cited the example of outgoing Head of Service of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mustapa Aminu, who kept his official vehicle in his former office before he vacated the office, which he described as worthy of emulation.

He appealed to patriotic citizens who had any information about the diverted public properties of the state to report to the nearest police station or Secretariat of the committee at SSG’s office, Dutse.

Union accuses mining institute's director of promoting illegality

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

J

OS—JOS branch of Senior Staff Association of Universities,Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Allied Institutions, SSAUTHRIAI, in Nigerian Institute of Mining and GeoSciences, has accused Dr. Umar Bamalli, the Director/CEO, of promoting illegality.

The Association also faulted the Director on the lopsided manner staff were being engaged in the Institute without reflecting the principle of federal character, adding the Institute’s Steering Committee should compel the management to look into the issue.

The group, in a communique issued at the end of its congress and signed by Messrs Ogunsanya Ralph and Ogoh Chris, Chairman and Secretary respectively, said the director was also accelerated promotions when most of the staff had not been promoted since 2009.

It described as unwarranted and provocative the management’s refusal to acknowledge two staff who came on transfer of service from the National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe, Kogi State, and called on the relevant Ministry to check the director’s high-handedness in the Institute.

The communique read in part: “We frown at management’s decision on the redeployment letters dated June 23, 2015, issued to two experienced staff of the institute who came on transfer of service from National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe, Kogi State, despite the fact that their redeployment was directed by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development.''

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CONDOLENCE VISIT: Senator Danjuma La'ah, representing Southern Kaduna zone with the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, during a condolence visit to the emir over the recent bomb attack on Sabon-Garri Local Government Secretariat. Photo by Olu Ajayi.

Most victims of Boko Haram are workers, NLC laments internally displaced without an The faction demanded that

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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ADUNA—JOE Ajaero’s faction of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has in Kaduna lamented that most of the 15,000 lives reportedly lost to Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria and over one million internally displaced persons, IDPs were defenceless workers.

The faction in a statement by its Deputy President, Mr. Issa Aremu, said Labour would support genuine government’s efforts to combat the vicious cycle of violence and expressed the faction’s sympathy with the families that lost their dear ones in recent bomb explosions in Zaria and other parts of the country.

It commiserated with the governor, Mallam Nasir ElRufai, the government and people of Kaduna State and the Zazau Emirate Council on the irreparable losses.

The statement read in part: “Nigeria reportedly has lost as many as 15,000 lives to terrorism and as many as over one million

official declaration of war. Labour will support genuine government efforts to combat the vicious cycle of violence. ‘’The soft targets of terror attack are indeed defenceless working people. The Zaria bombing seems an orchestrated violence against workers because most victims are working people on verification exercise.”

government implemented the resolutions of the National Conference of 2014 on national security.

It also recommended that states where matters of national security challenges originated be invited to national security council meeting, suggesting mass sensitization of the citizens on security awareness.

Group urges Buhari to establish North East commission

By Suzan Edeh

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A U C H I — WORRIED by the challenges bedeviling the North Eastern part of the country especially in insecurity posed by insurgents, a pressure group, ‘North East Youth Initiative Forum’, NEYIF, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to establish a commission for development of the zone.

The group made the appeal in a press statement on the recent attacks by insurgents in some states of the zone, signed by its National President, Comrade Dauda Muhammed Gombe, yesterday in Bauchi.

It lamented that the geopolitical region had remained the least developed in terms of education, infrastructure and the economy, despite its significant population.

The group contended that the commission should be in the form of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. It said if established, the commission would handle issues of resettlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction of places destroyed by insurgents as well as create jobs to the teeming restive youths in the area.

The group also advised the President to grant amnesty to Boko Haram militants, stressing that it was the only solution that can end the insecurity challenges affecting the region, since security agents have been unable to defeat the terrorists for the past six years.

Succession crisis looms at NIPOST ...As Post master-General bows out next month

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—THERE are indications of looming crisis of leadership at the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), as the Post Master-General, Malla Ibrahim Mori Baba retires next month at the end of his tenure.

The crisis may be precipitated by moves within NIPOST to jettison federal character, rotational policy adopted by the postal service since 1985, as well as experience on the job in the choice of who becomes the next helmsman of NIPOST. It was gathered that the retiring

Post Master-General was allegedly planning to hand over to one of the Deputy Post Master Generals from the North Central against the rotational principle which zoned the position to the South South, a situation raising concerns within the postal service.

It was also gathered that the South South had never occupied the position of post master general since its creation in 1851, about 150 years ago and from 1985 when the zoning arrangement started.

Alhaji Baba took over from late

Alhaji Abubakar Argungu from the North in 2006.

Those who want to take over from Ibrahim Baba are Deputy Post Master General (DPMG) (mail operations) Osadolor Eboigbodin (Edo); (DPMG) (specialduties)RichardBalami(Borno); DPMG (Engineering and technical services) Arch. Ade Ogun (Kwara).

Others are DPMG (Human Resoures Managment) Chibiri Ndahi (Borno); acting DPMG (Finance and investment), Joseph Ariyo (Ekiti); and DPMG (counter operations), Emmanuel Emem (Benue).

40—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

TFCC'S SCHOOL OF MINISTRY: Apostle Julius Sajuyigbe, General Overseer, the Truth Foundation Christian Centre, TFCC, Lagos (6th left); his wife, Pastor Dorcas (3rd right); with other ministers, graduands and lecturers of TFCC’s School of Ministry, during the graduation of 20 ministers as prelude to Restoration Lagos Mega Crusade coming up July 24 at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

NSUKKA URBAN RENEWAL C'ITTEE: From left— Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, Enugu State's Deputy Governor; Chief Ikeje Asogwa, state Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Mr. Edward Ubosi, Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; and Mr. Chris Offor, Chairman, Nsukka Urban Renewal Committee, during the inauguration of the committee.

Pastor Azu Akanwa, Production Editor, Vanguard Newspapers (2nd left); his wife Deaconess Gbemisola (3rd left), both graduands; behind her is Mr. John Abayomi, Vanguard’s Online Editor; his wife, Amaka (right); children, friends and guests at the event.

STANBIC ON HUMAN RESOURCES: From left— Folashade Adekunle, Human Resources Officer, Pilgrims Africa Ltd; Joyce Uredi, Head, Personal Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank; Deji Kayode, Human Resources Generalist, Krones LCS Centre West Africa Ltd, and Uche Biosa, Director, Human Resources & Administration, MediaReach OMD Nigeria, during Stanbic's human resources forum in Lagos.

CHI/TETRA PAK AGAINST MALNUTRITION: Mr. C. G. Vink, Chairman, Chi Limited (left) and Mr. Dennis Jonsson, President/ Chief Executive Officer, Tetra Pak, at the joint initiative between Chi and Tetra Pak against child malnutrition in Nigeria.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR: From left— Vivian Nkem, Head, Government Relations; Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, both of Nigerian Breweries Plc; Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, Permanent Secretary, and Mrs. O. A. Ariba, Deputy Director, Basic Education, both of Ministry of Education, during Nigerian Breweries' management team's visit to the ministry as part of sensitisation on the Maltina Teacher of the Year award initiative in Abuja.

YALE CLUB: From

left— Professor Akaneren Essien, representing Professor Julius Okojie, Exective Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC; Dr. Haroun Adamu, President, Yale Club of Nigeria; AVM & Mrs Femi Gbadebo (retd.); Mr. Eddie Mandhry, Director for Africa, Yale University, during the launching of Yale Club of Nigeria in Lagos. PHOTO: Diran Oshe.

C M Y K

TEMENOS FORUM: From left— Mr. Precious Osegi, Director, Sales and Strategy, Infrastructure Business Division, Inlaks; Suleiman Shaibu, Regional and Country Director, Temenos; Mrs. Teju Phillips, board member, Keystone Bank; Mr. Femi Adeoti, Managing Director, Africa Operations, Inlaks; and Mr. Olufemi Muraino, Regional and Country Director, Global Solutions Limited, during the annual Temenos community forum at Istanbul, Turkey.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 41

42—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

•Jang: Conducted council polls

•Lalong: Dissolved LGAs

Lalong's strange law on the Plateau The dissolution of the 17 local councils by Governor Simon Lalong despite constitutional provisions guaranteeing the system of democracy at the councils provokes strong reactions on the Plateau.

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

G

OVERNOR Simon Lalong of Plateau State came to power last May upon the popular agitation against the alleged authoritarianism of his predecessor, Senator Jonah Jang.

Besides, the governor ’s pedigree as a grassroots politician and speaker of the State House of Assembly and subsequently chairman of the Conference of Speakers was also seen as a positive development to the entrenchment of the rule of law in the state.

Acid test: One test voters subjected the then governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC was on his attitude towards the local government councils that were elected in 2014.

Given that all but one of the councils were won by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, there were suggestions that Lalong could tinker with or dissolve the councils, if elected. In the course of the campaign, Lalong however, rebuffed such suggestions as he promised to abide by the law.

The issue of the local councils was especially touching given the serious campaign and credibility of the elections that enthroned the council members and chairmen.

Even after he won the election, Lalong continued to affirm his determination to abide by the law in allowing the councils to run out their three-year tenure.

C M Y K

Indeed, as part of his promise, the governor swore in the Chairman of Langtang North Local Council whose victory at the polls was upheld by a tribunal.

The former governor, Jang, had resisted the judgement and refused to swear in the chairman despite several protests from the people of Langtang North.

Dissolution of councils Lalong’s seeming predilection for the rule of law, however, took a negative turn on Monday, July 6 when he ordered the dissolution of all the 17 local councils in the state.

His reason was that the loyalty of the council chairmen was suspect.

The Governor who tried to give a decent face to the illegality claimed the council chairmen were not willing to work with him.

Though at different fora before and after his victory at the polls, he had given every assurance that he would not dissolve the councils.

Nkup’s suspension: Before dissolving the entire councils, the Governor had earlier sanctioned the suspension of Mr. Nicholas Nshe and his Deputy, Noel Nkup by the Legislative Arm of the Council, which incidentally is the governor’s home council and directed the Council’s Director of Personnel Management, DPM, Mrs. Elizabeth Dakol, to take over the leadership of the council.

The people of the state were taken aback by the Governor’s action except his political disciples, who stand to benefit from the action.

PDP kicks: Barely had the announcement of the dissolution been made by the State Radio/ Television Stations, PRTVC, than the PDP flayed the decision and urged the chairmen not to vacate their offices as their dissolution is “illegal.”

Reacting to the situation, the acting chairman of the PDP in the state, Mr. Raymond Dabo, said the governor had barely settled in office instead of engaging in effective governance, he is perpetrating impunity, lawlessness and promoting absence of governance in the State.

not to heed any illegal declaration.”

Similarly, the embattled Chairmen flayed the action saying the governor acted on rumours of their perceived disloyalty.

The governor, some sources claim acted on the rumour that the council chairmen were hobnobbing with former Governor Jang.

Disregard for court injunction Remarkably, the dissolution of the councils was despite the court injunction procured by the council chairmen restraining anyone from tampering with the life of the councils as guaranteed by law.

The Chairmen, led

by Emmanuel Loman (Barkin Ladi local council) and Caleb Mutfwang (Mangu local council) who are the State ALGON Chairman and Secretary, respectively, said by the action, the governor had betrayed the confidence the people reposed in him as “a man whose words can be trusted.”

The duo stated the rumours that “the elected chairmen were not loyal to the governor and are not ready to work with him” are mischievous and “concocted by merchants of fortune.”

Shocking announcement According to Loman: “You will recall that on the 6th of July, 2015, the good people of Plateau woke up to the shocking announcement that the Governor had approved the dissolution of the elected local government councils in the state ‘with immediate effect’.

“The good people of the state will also recall that Mr. Governor gave public assurances on several occasions that he was not

Absence of governance He condemned the action and described it as “a betrayal of the people of Plateau” stressing, “We condemn in totality the disruption of democratic structures at the local government level, we do not wish to deprive any authority of her right to use her powers but where there are no such powers, we will be constrained by the richness of our conviction for true democracy to react.

“The dissolution is of no effect and unenforceable, our Chairmen remain the rightful Chief Executive Officers of their respective local government areas and have been instructed

Even after he won the election, Lalong continued to affirm his determination to abide by the law in allowing the councils to run out their threeyear tenure

going to dissolve local councils.

It is on record that our beloved Governor used this assurance as a campaign tool before the elections.

“Though His Excellency and his Director of Press Affairs have tried to put a decent face on this brazen act of impunity, the explanation offered by the Governor on Tuesday offers a clue into the minds of those who finally persuaded him to betray the confidence the people of Plateau had reposed on him as a man whose words can be trusted.”

However, Mutfwang, a lawyer explained that the rumour that “the chairmen are not loyal to the Governor and the Chairmen were not ready to work with him” were the cheap lies of APC hangers-on who are seeking opportunities to be appointed as Care-Taker Chairmen.

He saw the action of the Governor as “a betrayal of the wishes of the people” and called on him to “allow common sense to prevail by immediately reversing his directive and obeying the laws of the land.”

I won’t be distracted – Governor Meanwhile, Emmanuel Nanle, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor condemned the Press Conference delivered by the State Acting Chairman of the PDP, Chief Raymond Dabo on July 7 2015 saying such is “a visible exhibition of the uninformed background from which the Press releases of the PDP in the state are made.”

Prioritisation of projects His words: “The Governor of Plateau State has stated repeatedly that he would not be distracted or hoodwinked into replying on issues which they, the People of Plateau State know, the PDP is struggling to white wash with her Press Conference because of her record of bad performance in the state.

“No matter how hard the PDP try, the people are aware that the last administration’s maladministration, nonprioritization of projects and a lack of financial discipline are what have plunged the state into the current state of numerous uncompleted projects, huge salary and pension backlogs as well as a debt profile that is a nightmare to any leader.

It would be recalled that the Governor had further directed in his meeting with Directors of Personnel Management on Tuesday the 7th July, 2015, that they should report back the state of handing over and taking over of office and instructed the Police to ensure the recovery of all Government Property in the possession of the dissolved Executive Chairmen and Councillors."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 43

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

By Ikenna Asomba

F

OR several years, some schools in the AmuwoOdofin Local Government Area, have been faced with apparent neglect of infrastructural and learning facilities, a situation which residents have continuously drawn the attention of successive administrations to.

One of such schools is the Festac Junior Grammar School, FJGS, Festac Town, where no fewer than 945 students are currently learning under a dilapidated block of classrooms with roofs almost caving in.

During a visit to schools in the council area, last week, Vanguard gathered some other schools such as Festac College, Festac Girls Senior College, Imoye Secondary School, Amuwo Odofin Secondary School, Amuwo High School, Technical College Ado Soba and Amuwo Odofin Community Secondary School are faced with similar challenges bordering on dearth of teachers, inadequate books in their library and dearth of laboratory equipment.

At the Festac Senior Grammar School, founded on Thursday, November 7, 1985, and commissioned by Prof. Akin Osiyale, former Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Akoka, they lacked books in their library, even as the computer laboratory with about 20 desktop computers are running on obsolete Microsoft windows.

When Vanguard visited the Biology and Physics laboratories, they were fraught with inadequate specimen and nonfunctional equipment. Also, at Festac Girls Senior College, its hall was in a decrepit state, even as the security unit building was almost caving in.

National leader The FJGS, Vanguard gathered, was founded in 2003 during the second term tenure of former Lagos State Governor and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. At that time, the state government broke-away JSS1-3 from the Senior Secondary Schools, to eradicate over-crowding in schools, as well as to enable easy and efficient learning atmosphere.

The school newly built then by the Tinubu administration through the Eko Project, were two blocks of classrooms with library, introductory technology laboratory, computer laboratory, principal’s office and staff office.

During the visit, the school structure has apparently become deplorable with its roof almost caving in on the students during C M Y K

•The caving roof of Festac Junior Grammar School, Amuwo Odofin, as at last Thursday...

Amuwo Odofin schools: Facing prolonged neglect lectures.

Speaking to some of the students of FJGS, Vanguard gathered that there are inadequate text books in the library, even as books available are allegedly out of date with today’s school curriculum. The introductory technology laboratory, Vanguard observed was littered with broken chairs and decrepit equipment.

Other major challenges faced by the school children, Vanguard learnt, were the deplorable state of their toilet facilities, faulty computers in their computer laboratory, as well as inadequate subjects teachers.

A JSS2 student, Saidat, who lamented the decrepit state of facilities in their school, said the roof of their classroom was already caving, adding that their toilet facility was also a writeoff and poses great health danger to them.

Another JSS2 student, Jimoh, said: “We offer over 17 subjects, but of all these subjects, we have no teachers for the six of them.

They include Agricultural Studies, Computer Studies, French Language Studies, Yoruba Language Studies, Christian Religious Studies and Business Studies.

“Even subjects like Civic Education, English Language, Mathematics, Introductory Technology, Basic Education, Fine Arts, Social Studies, Islamic Religious Studies, Igbo Language Studies and Physical Health Education, which we have teachers, we feel they are

The introductory technology laboratory, Vanguard observed was littered with broken chairs and decrepit equipment

not adequate. I am appealing to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to employ more teachers in our school, so that more than one teacher will be handling each of the subjects. This will certainly ease the work-load on our teachers, and as well will enable them teach us effectively.’’

However, speaking to Vanguard, Hon. Olorunrinu Dipo, lawmaker, representing Amuwo-Odofin Constituency I, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, who paid familiarisation visit to the public schools, said it was to see the state of facilities in them, and to see how intervention could be done to them.

He said: “We have seen that most of the public schools in our Council area lack teaching and learning facilities. The laboratories and libraries are not up-to-date. Although, successive administrations of the state have tried through various intervention projects and programmes, but there is a lot to be done. Having visited

the schools, we have seen for ourselves those area we can proffer solutions to when legislative activities take full gear, especially after the appointment of commissioners

by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

“This is not the time to play politics. It’s absurd to play politics with people’s lives, especially these young ones, who we are seeing as leaders of tomorrow. This is time for service, not politics. So, irrespective of the political differences, we will see what we can do to come together to better the lives of these students.

“The ugly sight we saw in some of these schools is definitely an awakening call. Things are changing, and everybody is embracing that mantra change.

We will see what we can do to the best of our abilities to see that these schools witness massive infrastructural facelift when legislative activities take full gear in the state,’’ he assured.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY14, 2015 — 45

Lagos moves to arrest activities of illegal sand miners •Says Telecom, Discos operators frustrating flood prevention

P

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

ERTURBED by the activities of illegal sand miners in parts of the state, which pose serious environmental dangers such as land degradation and flood, the Lagos State Government has warned residents against the act of sand filling and erecting structures on floodplains, as well as places near drainage canals.

In 2009, the state government issued a threat that persons caught dredging or sand-filling any part of the state without approval by relevant authorities would be liable to a fine of N2 million or two years imprisonment or both. It also stipulated that those who obstruct or restrain authorized agencies of government from carrying out their lawful duties of preventing illegal dredging or sand-filling in any part of the state, are liable to a fine of N50,000 or six months imprisonment or both.

These form part of the 29 sections of a bill on regulation of Waterfront Infrastructure Development in Lagos State, and signed into law by the former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

The Law christened “Law to provide for regulation of

•Some illegal sand miners...

Waterfront Infrastructure Development in Lagos State,” also provides that the Governor under whose control and direction the law operates, has the right to rename, revoke, suspend or even transfer any operating license under the Law. Government had lamented that because of the uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources, especially sand, which the state is richly blessed with, there was need to promulgate the law, as the supposedly blessings now pose great danger to the lives of residents.

As there was uncertainty that

the state government may not have arrested any offender nor even prosecuted any over the

Warning residents against illegal sand filling, Adenekan said that the act does not help to improve free flow of water rather it had increased flooding in the state

Consulting Limited, for the benefit of the people living in local communities in Lagos.

According to FmAdabale’s CEO, Mr Olufemi Adabale, the above mentioned communities have not keyed into the megacity of Lagos.

He also said that his findings revealed that the residents have lost trust in the government and needs to be motivated to avoid fear of being ejected from their communities in Lagos.

Adabale affirmed that the CTS FOCUS 2015 at Makoko was centered on “Clean-Up Makoko: Self Help Initiative,’’ which according to him, is a holistic sensitisation on how to achieve a better and green environment.

Throughout the exercise, the association also carried out health safety measures for the residents

•Life in Makoko community....

Mak ok o, TTakw akw a Ba o communities Makok oko, akwa Bayy, Elek Eleko to benef it fr om CT S largesse benefit from CTS

By Dotun Ibiwoye

R

ESIDENTS of Makoko Takwa Bay and Eleko communities in Lagos will be the major benefactors of the newly launched Community Tours and Sensitizations (CTS), aimed at developing and reviving the

last three years that the law came into being, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Mr. Ayodeji Adenekan, in a renewed effort to combat the illegal activities of miners, vowed that the present administration, led by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would not condone their activities. Warning residents against illegal sand filling, Adenekan said that the act does not help to improve free flow of water rather it had increased flooding in the state.

He noted that the act is prevalent in Eti-Osa Local

dilapidated state of infrastructures in the state.

These communities have predominantly slums and poor people who have to work hard to eke out a living.

Makoko’s CTS was held Weekend at Makoko Anglican

Primary School, while that of Takwa Bay and Eleko Communities is stated for September and November, 2015 respectively.

The initiative is a Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, created by FmAdabale

Throughout the exercise, the association also carried out health safety measures for the residents of Makoko, the major beneficiary

Government and it was affecting efforts by the government to address flooding in the area.

He said: “In Lekki axis, we have done a lot. In 2007, we awarded contract to do 11 collector drains and on yearly basis, we open up canals in the area, and we have even gone to Epe axis where we are dredging about three channels.

But the problem in Lekki and Ajah has been illegal sandfilling. They often do this in areas closer to the canals. This act leads to flooding. It is alarming that residents sandfill without seeking government approval. ‘’Therefore, the new master plan by the state government identified this problem and it was recommended that retention points must be established in these areas in order to aid the flow of water into the lagoon. So it is a call for community action because the people who are doing this very illegal and dangerous business are not aliens, rather, they are members of the society.

Nobody should continue in this kind of business and we are determined to put a stop to it.”

The Telecoms, Discos challenge Similarly, as the rains are here, Adenekan said several cables laid by telecommunication and the power distribution companies along drainage paths pose major impediment to effective and efficient management of refuse from drainage systems in the state. of Makoko, the major beneficiary.

Adabale said: “The Vision of Community Tours and Sensitizations is to enlighten communities to use intrinsic ability to meet their needs. The CST mission is geared towards the reduction of communities issues through professionalism, communal effort, governmental and non-governmental efforts.

Our objective is to meet the needs of the people at the grassroots, to coach community folks within the channels where their needs can be met and to tour vulnerable communities, as well as sensitizing them on how to receive attention.’’

He added that ‘’In the process of interfacing with 14 Local Government areas, our team discovered a lot of information gaps in the different local areas, especially bordering on environment, health, safety among the people. If Lagos State claims to be geared towards a megacity, there are still several vulnerable communities that must be carried along.’’

According to him, the target communities folks are women, children, men, youths and elders who will be guided through practical demonstration session, and distribution of material gifts.

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Victory at dawn: A night of horror recalled

By Ademola Adedoyin

A

S another holy month of Ramadan made its spiritually majestic and overwhelming arrival weeks back, it became imperative to reflect on the event of July 14 last year; a most gory occurrence in a month when men and women of conscience seek reconciliation with their Maker; a most violent and bloody event perpetrated by some sons of Lucifer who had long lost their souls. It was blood bath at dawn; a most horrendous and evil act by some sadistic servants of Satan. Early that morning, these servants of Satan on the loose made their way to my home.

It was the late Dele Giwa, that unforgettable journalism icon and engaging columnist, who described Lawrence Anini called The Law, who gave Benin City and environs one hell of a time in the mid 80s as 'Son of a Dog'. Those who visited my home at Mainland Park Estate (a.k.a.

Pentagon Estate), Mowe, on this

ADEMOLA ADEDOYIN particular date last year when the th Ramadan broke into half - the15 and left in its wake tears, blood and sadness were, indeed, sons of wolves.

For, come to think of it, yes truly dogs can be nasty, murderous even; but they can also be reasonable, friendly, loyal and truly so. These sons of wolves that shattered the peace of my home at dawn a year ago were animals in human skin, as the inimitable Fela Anikulupo Kuti would have put it - they were blood thirsty, truly predatory carnivorous animals, irrational and without conscience or soul.

The event of that early morning left me wondering about the human persona. From all indications, these evil guests at dawn were Moslems or knew one or two things about Islam. My wife who speaks impeccable Hausa confirmed that these blood cuddling youngsters had their conversation in Fulfude (Fulani language) with a mix of

Hausa words. Given such background, one is still left wondering about the depth of moral depravity that would make young men from such cultural milieu, to choose the Holy month when men and women of conscience were seeking reconciliation with their Maker and atoning for transgressions to perpetrate evil and visit mayhem on any creature at all.

The gang that ruptured the serenity of my abode one year ago was not just a robbery one, but a murderous group of young men who have no values for the sanctity of human lives and whose desire for material possession made no room for any modicum of compassion or guilt.

They were a pack of wolves at their most sadistic and iniquitous rage. These professionals from hell brought their tools of nefarious trade with which they neatly cut the burglary proof iron bars on the windows of my kitchen.

That done, they made their way into my sanctuary. With nobody in the guest room downstairs, they came upstairs without any qualm. Until two weeks before then, my intellectual sparring partner Yoruba philosopher and mother, the 92 year-old Yeye Oba, Alhaja Memunat Ahinke Adedoyin, our guest for almost two months, was the occupant of the guest room, passing the night there either alone or at times, with her g r a n d d a u g h t e r, Temilade. That this event occurred in her absence has left me grateful to the good Lord.

One can still not imagine the old woman witnessing her son been shot in the chest at point blank range at dawn. Accessing the rooms upstairs was made easy by the fact that we rarely bolt the entrance leading to the living room and bedrooms upstairs.

While one snored away, awaiting the clock to rouse one from slumber by 4.30am for the sahour (early morning meal and salat during Ramadan), the evil gang had made their inroad into the children’s room upstairs. It must have been about a quarter to 4.00am. From the children’s room, they seized our housemaid and led her at gun point to the master bedroom. What followed was a most horrendous and dastardly act straight from the heart of the most sadistic soul.

The five man team entered my room where my wife and our two little boys - Babawamide and Oloruntooni - and yours sincerely were deeply in slumber. It was the penetrating ray of light directed into my eyes from their torch light that roused me from sleep. Half awake and half asleep, I leapt out of bed and with a lame sleepy voice I muttered, “Who is this?” That was it. Within the split of a second, one of the gang members responded with a volley of gunshots straight into my chest.

Volley of gunshots

Within a second, one of the gang members responded with a volley of gunshots straight into my chest

The devastating impact of the hot lead in my right chest threw me up and landed me back on my bed. Sleep took a flight. And horror stepped in. Blood gushed out as you would have water gushing from a broken pipe. My body quivered and trembled in quick successions and involuntarily; the pace of my breathing raced faster. In all this, I heard a staccato of conversations by the marauding beasts and my wife’s cry of agony saying repeatedly: Lahila ila lahu, you have shot my husband, lahila ila lahu, you have killed my husband.

As seconds rolled into minutes and my bed was turning into a river of blood, I had to feign death. I breathed heavily and

held my breath. The evil guests, now convinced I had given up the ghost covered my face with our duvet and turned their satanic attention to my wife. Only two words were clear: gold, money. They said this repeatedly as they ransacked the house like professional robbers that they were. They emptied every pocket, raided every drawer, looted all watches, collected all monies… ten minutes, 20 minutes … I was still bleeding, getting weaker, but through God’s mercy, still conscious and mentally alert.

About twenty five or so minutes into their operation, they hit the gold mine literally and metaphorically; in one of the drawers of the wardrobes, they found madam’s box of trinkets. Even without understanding the meaning of the words they were exchanging, it was obvious they were elated; happy that they have made a haul. They screamed at Madam and threatened to shoot her dead for not telling them early about the hidden treasure. Madam pleaded with them to show mercy. They led her out of the master bedroom, and as I guessed correctly, to her bedroom. There they ransacked the wardrobes and took her niece’s laptop and other valuables. Meanwhile, my bleeding continued and I felt life draining out of me. But for reasons that defied human logic, I had become supremely confident that it was not going to be my last day; that I was going to survive the ordeal.

Cold silence I kept telling myself: “Ademola, it is not your last day, you have not fulfilled your destiny.” I remained conscious and mentally alert even though by now, I was sleeping on a bed soaked totally with my blood.

And I knew the bandits would soon vanish. Having made great fortunes, the next logical thing was to scram with their loot. I asked God to let them leave without wrecking further havoc. Suddenly, there was cold silence; it could be cut with a

knife. I knew they were gone and was relieved that there were no other gun shots. But where are my wife and the children and other members of my household?

Have they led them away or locked somewhere? Since He is a merciful God, He never fails to provide succour even at the most difficult times. The saving grace He provided at that critical point was through my mobile phone.

Although they had collected all phones in the house, my two mobile phones were underneath my pillows and having shot me as soon they came in and with my bed drenched in blood, the idea of checking the underneath of my pillows for any items became far remote. They left without my phones.

Convinced that they had gone and still conscious and alert, I reached for my phone and put a call across to my brother and friend, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the then Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy and now Special Adviser on Media to the Senate President. Obviously still going through the sahour routine, Alhaji Olaniyonu picked my call at the first ring.

Rescue of helpless souls I told him the gory tale and that I needed policemen in the Estate immediately to lead me to the Hospital if I was to be saved from dying. Yusuph did exactly that. Bless him O Allah. My next move was to come out of my room to go in search of my family even though I was soaked in the pool of my blood. With Madam’s room left scattered and the door left ajar, I made for the children’s room where I found the door locked and the key left there for whoever may come to rescue the helpless souls. I opened the door. My wife screamed, she thought she had seen a ghost. She was so sure it was either I was dead or about to give up. She could not imagine that her husband could still have any energy left to walk out of the bed, not to talk of coming out of the room to rescue them.

To be concluded

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015—47

Trump trumps, irks Republican Party

D

ONALD John Trump is rich, a billionaire, and he brags about his immense wealth. If you listen to how he flaunts his wealth and positions himself as the epitome of the American energy, industry and go-get-it mentality, you’ll be forgiven if you mistakenly classify him as the richest man in America, if not the entire world. But, he isn’t. In fact, he is nowhere near the top league of billionaires in the United States. With a fortune of $4.1 billion according to Forbes magazine, he is no match for Africa’s richest man, Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote, whose net worth is $21.6 billion.

What inflates Trump’s image is his loquaciousness which, combined with being a television personality, makes him appear larger than life. But, it is his recent foray into U.S. presidential politics that has catapulted him to the centre stage of American talking points. Donald Trump has plunged headlong into the turbulent waters of American politics.

And, like everything about Trump, he has come out swinging with the boldness and fearlessness of Ares, the Greek god of war, violence and destruction. But unlike the petulant Greek god, Trump’s theatre is politics where he is in fact not far from being a novice.

If you have ever had an obstinate fly invade your space and rest on an inconvenient part of your body where killing it might hurt you, then you have a picture of what Trump is doing to the Republican Party. Fact is, Trump was supposed to be one of those people who blow hot in every presidential election cycle and quickly disappear into political obscurity. The problem is that he has refused to bow out of the stage. Indeed, current polls show him running second to Jeb Bush, the son and brother of two former U.S. presidents.

Trump is loving and relishing his moments in the sun. He has even shown indignation at being behind Jeb Bush. At his rally last Saturday in Arizona, which had to be moved to bigger arena to accommodate the unforeseen surge of people who want to hear him, Trump arrogantly wondered aloud: “How can I be tied with this guy (Bush)? He’s terrible. He’s weak on immigration.” He left the podium bragging that “The silent majority is back, and we’re going to take our country back.”

That rally in Arizona is symbolic of what has propelled Trump to the forefront of the race to the White House on the platform of the Republican Party.

Although he mentions a few other issues as he vociferously talks Trump’s about being the best anticandidate to restore the lost glory of the immigration United States, his rhetoric is main platform is believed to immigration and how America has allowed be hurting itself to be infested the with Mexicans who cross the border into Republican America with all sorts Party of badges of deviant behaviour, prominent

among which is that of being rapists!

To use such racial description quickly earned Trump the ire of people with whom he does business.

Univision, the largest Spanish-language television broadcaster severed ties with Trump saying “We will not be airing the Miss USA pageant on July 12th or working on any other projects tied to the Trump Organization.” Trump is a co-owner of the Miss Universe and Miss USA beauty pageants.

NBC Universal which owns the Apprentice, a popular television program which brought fame to Trump, also cut ties with the man, citing his “recent derogatory statements” about immigrants as the reason for its action.

But, trust Trump. He has arrogantly brushed aside the obvious business losses and promised to march on with his antiMexican immigration crusade. Before touching down in Arizona for his rally, Trump had a stopover in Los Angeles and Las Vegas where his message was: “This has become a movement because people don’t know what’s happening. We can’t be great if we don’t have a border.” Trump’s antiimmigration rhetoric is believed to be hurting the Republican Party which has been striving to find a way to win the Hispanic votes that are crucial in the forthcoming 2016 presidential election. This concern prompted Republican Party chairman, Reince Priebus, to call Trump last week, and urges him to tone down his anti-Mexican-immigration vitriol. But, Trump does not appear to heed the plea.

Immigration tirade In about a month, the Republican Party will have the first television debate among its presidential hopefuls. Fox News which is hosting the debate, has said it will only give its podium to the ten top candidates at the polls. The fear is that by playing to the gallery with the “popular” immigration tirade against Mexicans, Trump has found his way into the top ten people for the debate, thereby denying more electable competitors a place on the debate podium.

“To make America Great Again”; that is Trump’s mantra and slogan. This is the canopy he uses to hurl innuendos and insults at everyone and everything that stands in his way. To him, “(Jeb) Bush is weak on immigration. Forget about his stance on Common Core, which is a total disaster.”

Rising star senator, Marco Rubio of Florida, is “extremely weak” on immigration and warned that “If he ever got elected, you would have people flown across the border.” Turning to Hillary Clinton, Trump who donated $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation, said she is the “worst secretary of state in the history of the United States.”

He has harsh words for people and nations outside the U.S. He brags that he would build a wall to prevent criminals and rapists from Mexico crossing into the U.S., and would force the Mexican government pay for the construction. He promises to force China to its knees economically. He has warned ISIS that as president, he will “bomb the hell out of those oil fields” that make them money, and unleash the U.S. firepower on them until they surrender. And when it was pointed out to him that companies that cut ties with him are hurting his business, a cocksure Trump said this: “Here’s the good news. I’m very rich. The money you’re talking about is a lot but it’s peanuts for me.”

In 2008 and 2012 Trump tested the political waters by spearheading the campaign that Obama is not a U.S. citizen. That strategy did not gain him any substantial traction. For 2016, he seems to have found his magic in the use of anti-Mexican-immigration vile words to make himself politically relevant.

48— VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 14 , 2015

Clinton slams Bush on workers welfare

Deal on nuclear remains elusive N

U C L E A R negotiations between Tehran and six world powers has failed to produce a deal as Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed possible midnight agreement as widely reported. Reports said yesterday that there is a deadlock over U.N. arms embargo and other sticking points.

The White House said significant issues remained to be resolved and Iran faced some tough decisions.

Asked if there would be a deal tonight, Zarif said, “No,” ISNA reported.

Separately, an Iranian diplomat told Iran’s students news agency ISNA that a ministerial meeting, which Iranian media earlier reported would take place at 1900 GMT, is unlikely to happen on Monday.

Officials close to the negotiations spoke of the

Negotiators to the Iran, and six powers talk on nuclear yesterday. increasing frustration on the part of European delegates regarding Kerry ’s apparent unwillingness to walk away but the White House said ‘genuine progress’ had been made and the U.S. negotiating team would stay in Vienna as long as negotiations remained useful.

“There — there continue to be significant issues that

remain,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. “They’re not going to sign onto an agreement until all of our concerns have been addressed. And as long as they continue to make progress in doing that, then the talks will — will continue.”

For days, Iran and six world powers have been close to a deal to give Tehran sanctions relief in exchange

for limits on its nuclear program, but Iranian officials said talks could run past their latest midnight deadline and success was not guaranteed.

There were no concrete signs of a breakthrough as diplomats in Vienna continued to struggle over issues such as U.N. sanctions and access to Iranian military sites.

H

ILLARY Rodham Clinton accused former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush of lacking an understanding of the needs of American workers yesterday, using an agenda-setting economic speech to cast Republican prescriptions for the economy as relics of the past that would do little to boost wages for the middleclass.

Outlining the tenets of her economic agenda, Clinton seized upon the recent comments from Bush, who said last week in New Hampshire that “people need to work longer hours.” She said that Bush “must not have met many American workers,” and said he wouldn’t hear that sentiment from teachers or nurses or truck drivers. “They don’t need a lecture. They need a raise,” she said.

The Democratic presidential front-runner outlined the themes of her economic agenda in a

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parliament, as anger mounted at more painful austerity measures that could fracture his government.

A sleep-deprived Tsipras has until tomorrow to quell

dissent within his own ranks — probably by sacking hardliners — and get unpopular measures passed that include higher value added tax and pension reforms.

With dozens of potential rebels in the ruling Syriza party, Tsipras will need the support of opposition lawmakers to pass the package, opening doubts over the stability of his government and raising the possibility that he could give way to a caretaker prime minister.

There were no details on when and how the reform laws would be tabled. One obstacle could be the speaker, Zoe Constantopoulou, who is key to the logistics of the voting and who has been one of the creditors’ fiercest critics. One — potentially risky — move could be tabling a no confidence vote to sack her.

While there was relief that the country had escaped bankruptcy and a collapse of its banking system.

Pope Francis welcomes criticisms Greek PM Tsipras and French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace, Paris, France.

... Coalition par tner reject would remain in the bailout terms party coalition with Tsipras’

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REECE’S junior governing coalition partner said yesterday it could not support bailout proposals from lenders, but signaled it would remain in Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s government.

“The agreement speaks of 50 billion euros worth of guarantees concerning public property, of changes to the law including the confiscation of homes... We cannot agree to that.” said Panos Kammenos, leader of the Independent Greeks party.

However he said the

leftwing Syriza party.

Tspiras already faces dissent within ranks of his own left-wing Syriza party for agreeing, in overnight crisis talks with EU leaders, to talks on an 86 billion euro lifeline to stave off a financial meltdown.

However pro-European opposition parties may support the measures, ensuring they pass.

Under those agreed terms, the Greek parliament must pass a raft of reforms by Wednesday, July 15, including increases to Value Added Tax and pension reform.

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OPE Francis says he wasn’t offended by the “Communist crucifix” given to him by Bolivian President Evo Morales during his South American pilgrimage.

This came as the Catholic Pontiff defended his economic speeches during the visit to Latin American countries last week. Pope Francis defended himself against critics who accused him of preaching class warfare, saying that he’s just applying Catholic teachings to an economic system that is highly polarized between the rich and the poor.

“It is I who follow the church!” the Pope said.

“It’s not a fight against an enemy, it’s

catechism.”

The catechism is the Catholic Church’s summary of doctrine and social teachings.

The Pope was speaking at a press conference on the flight back to Rome from South America, where he had railed against the relentless pursuit of profit and said human lives are being sacrificed on the “altar of money.”

Francis also said that he has heard criticism of his economic messages, particularly the lengthy environmental manifesto released last month, and will respond when he has had time to study the critiques. He plans to visit Washington, New York and Philadelphia this September.

speech at The New School in New York City, where she called raising incomes for hard-working Americans the defining economic challenge facing the nation. The speech offered tough medicine for Wall Street traders just a few blocks away and included swipes at other leading Republican presidential candidates, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who was launching his campaign yesterday.

Netanyahu tweets in Farsi against Iran nuclear deal

Tsipras faces backlash after clinching deal I REEK Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras flew back to Athens yesterday to try to ram a controversial bailout deal he secured from creditors through

Hillary Clinton

N an 11th-hour escalation of his lobbying against an expected nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned to the Iranian public yesterday with a new Farsi-language Twitter account.

An Israeli official said Netanyahu aimed to persuade ordinary Iranians that they stood to lose from a deal that limits, but does not eliminate, Tehran’s nuclear program because “the more the regime feels strong and impervious to foreign pressure, the more it increases domestic oppression”.

Israel, not a party to the negotiations with Iran, has tried with little effect to get the terms imposed on its arch-foe toughened up.

The talks, held in Vienna, appeared close to yielding a deal ahead of a midnight

deadline.

Tweets posted on Netanyahu’s new account, @IsraeliPM_Farsi, restated his argument that such a deal would “pave the way for Iran to get nuclear bombs and billions of dollars for terrorism” and that the Iranian leadership should not be engaged diplomatically while it orchestrates anti-U.S. “hate marches” on the streets of Tehran.

Some Farsi-fluent Twitter users were unimpressed.

One spotted a syntax error in the account. Another suggested Netanyahu might be better off “explaining with a crude cartoon” - a reference to an illustration the Israeli prime minister held up during a U.N. speech in 2012 to show how close Iran, which insists its nuclear projects are peaceful, was to making a bomb.

Poroshenko faces new crisis in western Ukraine

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RESIDENT Petro Po r o s h e n k o confronted a fresh crisis yesterday as a deadly standoff between interior ministry units and armed U k r a i n i a n ultranationalists entered a third day in a western enclave near Hungary.

The EU-backed leader convened his “military cabinet” of top generals to try and diffuse tensions between two

forces vital to his bid to stamp out a separatist insurgency 1,000 kilometres (more than 600 miles) away in eastern Ukraine.

The Pravy Sektor (Right Sector) nationalists played a small but instrumental role in three months of proEuropean protests that eventually toppled the Kremlin-backed leadership in February 2014.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 49

UN chief urges ‘flexible’ financial terms

U

N Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday called for “flexibility and compromise” at a development financing summit that opened in Ethiopia’s capital and is seen as crucial for efforts to end poverty and tackle climate change.

The objective of the five days of talks, the third summit of its kind after talks in Monterrey in 2002 and Doha in 2008, is ambitious: laying out the ground rules for a fairer world of inclusive, low-carbon growth.

Concretely, that means deciding how to fill a colossal investment gap in key sustainable development sectors for developing nations — estimated at up to $2.5 trillion annually ac-

•Ban Ki-moon cording to the UN’s trade and development body UNCTAD. This in turn will enable the world body to push ahead with its 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which are due to be formally adopted in New York in October. There are 17 in all, ranging from ending poverty to providing universal ac-

cess to sustainable energy.

“I urge world leaders and ministers gathered here this week... to exercise flexibility and compromise. Let’s put aside what divides us and put aside our self-interest in favour of working together for the common wellbeing of humanity,” Ban told the opening of the summit.

Preparatory talks in New York failed to yield an agreement on a common summit outcome, with rich nations — many of which are embroiled in their own financing problems and reluctant to up their aid budgets — pushing for greater private sector involvement and for emerging economies like China, Brazil and India to share the burden.

Tunisia mulls border closure to check ISIS

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HE desert town of Re mada in southern Tunisia has suddenly lost 33 of its citizens. They vanished overnight last week and are thought to have crossed the nearby border into Libya, amid a crackdown by the Tunisian authorities against suspected jihadist cells.

The Interior Ministry said “the missing individuals are between 16 and 35 years old. Most of them are radical extremists,” but did not confirm all were from Remada. Two were said to be former soldiers, another an air force pilot.

The mass disappearance is another sign of radicalization among young Tunisians, especially in the poorer and more conservative interior, and the lure of Libya as a safe haven for

Sally Jane Adey, 57, left, was murdered in the Tunis terror attack while on holiday with her husband Robert, right in Tunisia

Escape of Ebola patients spread panic in Sierra Leone

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IERRA Leone said yesterday it had launched an emergency operation to prevent a serious spread of Ebola after two patients escaped for several hours from a treatment centre.

A highly-infectious 32year-old woman and eight-year-old girl sparked a nationwide alert by absconding together from the clinic on the outskirts of the capital Freetown on Saturday.

The pair, who are not related, were tracked down at an undisclosed location in the evening and returned to the clinic after radio appeals were made to the public, the

•Bai Koroma National Ebola Response Centre told reporters in Freetown.

“Our contact tracers and

surveillance officers are meanwhile tracking the level of contacts the two would have made during the period of their escape,” a spokesman said.

The worst outbreak in history has seen 27,600 infections in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, of which 11,253 have been fatal, according to official data largely deemed to be an underestimate.

Ebola yet to run its course, says UN

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FRICA’s Ebola epi demic has not run its course and around 30 people are still getting infected each week, the United Nations’ special envoy for the disease said

yesterday. The worst recorded outbreak of the virus has killed more than 11,000 people across West Africa since late 2013, but had abated in recent months.

50 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 51

52 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 53

FIBA hammer hangs over Nigeria •Suspends 3 Nigerian girls

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ESS than two years after five boys in the national U16 team were suspended over age issues in Benin Republic in 2013, Nigeria has again fallen foul of the rules following the suspension of three Nigerian girls in the on-going 2015 FIBA Africa U-16 Women Championship in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

According to a circular signed by the FIBA Africa Secretary General, Alphonse Bile on Monday, stated that the technical application of the FIBA Internal Regulation governing eligibility of players found the Nigeria players culpable.

Quoting provisions H1.1 Admissions and respect of the General statutes and Internal regulation; H1.2 Responsibility of the National federation concerning the eligibility of players, FIBA Africa stated that after examination and approval of the results of age control in Antananarivo for the “FIBA Africa U16

Women 2015” ; Considering that the results revealed three (3) positive cases.

Director General of the NSC where issues surrounding the engagement of Oliseh was discussed. The meeting which lasted for over an hour was centred on the procedure the NFF went about the recruitment of Oliseh to succeed Stephen Keshi who was sacked last week.

While the NSC was angered over the fact that the NFF went about it’s business with Oliseh without seeking its approval, as stipulated by the civil service Procurement Act, the matter was said to have assumed a new dimension when it was noted that Oliseh was being engaged with a foreign assistant. The NFF confirmed Sunday Oliseh will be working with a foreign assistant, Jean Francois Losciuto from Belgium.

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Technical Committee decides: Art. 1 : The players hereunder are suspended of the above mentioned competition from the 10/07/2015.

D' Tigers in action during the Afrobasket championship.

Rivers Govt assures support for U-23

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HE Rivers state government has assured that the nations U-23 team would not be lacking in support when they take on their Congolese counterpart this weekend in Port Harcourt.

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee

Doom looms Continues from BP

It stated that in accordance of the regulation dispositions Article E.5.3.3.3 points f. et g. of FIBA internal regulation The

The federal government is said to have issued a directive to all federal agencies warning that before any foreigner could be employed in Nigeria, such an opening must be one that there is no Nigerian who can do the job.

Our source further revealed that the main issue with the employment of Oliseh is the permission by the NFF that he should come along with a foreign assistant, a development which the NSC is said to be uncomfortable with, given the government’s directive on employment of foreigners.

However the source added that the NFF may still get the clearance to unveil Oliseh as earlier planned but whether he will still get the nod to engage the foreign assistant is what is yet to be determined.

(LOC), Boma Iyaye, who gave the assurance at a media chat at the weekend, said efforts have been put in place to ensure a memorable outing for the U-23.

According to him, the governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike gave the go ahead to host the Rio 2016 Olympic qualifier to demonstrate the importance his administration attaches to sports development.

It is against this background that the state government set up various sub-committees to give the encounter a befitting organisation and coordination.

Iyaye assured that all efforts are geared towards giving Nigerians and visitors

the best of traditional Rivers hospitality, just as he added that Governor Nyesom Wike has graciously paid for the tickets and as such, fans would be entering the stadium for free.

He said the kind gesture of the governor was to ensure that the Dream Team VI does not lack any support before, during and after the match.

He appealed to the people of the state and environs to come out and give maximum support to the team, while also calling for good behaviour from fans in order to ensure Po r t Harcourt continues to host international matches.

Oliseh Continues from BP country’s new coach.

The contract signing will be done at a public presentation slated for the Abuja National Stadium Wednesday morning, officials have informed.

Oliseh, 40, replaces Stephen Keshi, who was sacked for a breach of trust.

Oliseh and his Belgian sidekick, Jean Francois Lusciuto, are due to arrive in Abuja this evening and will meet

with the NFF technical committee headed by Felix Anyansi-Agwu by 9pm at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

The new Eagles coach has picked Losciuto because of his deep knowledge of African football as he has worked in Togo, Rwanda and Burkina Faso.

Oliseh has said he will prefer to work with current Nigeria U23 goalkeeper Alloy Agu, meaning Ike Shorunmu will lose his position.

Wolves savour Enyimba’s defeat

By John Egbokhan, just back from Warri

W

ARRI Wolves are savouring their 21 defeat of former champions Enyimba in a week 17 Nigeria Premier Football League match played weekend at the Warri City Stadium.

One goal in either half

by Wolves pair of Gbolahan Salami and Abu Azeez, seperated by a penalty goal by Enyimba’s Christian Obiozor condemned the two-time CAF Champions League winners to only their first loss in Warri in about four years.

The win shoots Wolves, with 23 ;points into the 10th spot in the 20-team table while Enyimba drop to third on the log with 30 points from 17 matches.

Wolves have two games outstanding and will be confident of clos-

ing the gap on the pacesetters when they play them And speaking with Sports Vanguard after the game, Wolves defender, Goodluck Onamado, who conceded the penalty that allowed Enyimba’s Obiozor to draw level after Eagles forward, Gbolahan Salami’s opening goal in the 43rd minute, said that Wolves had reasons to celebrate breaking the jinx that prevented them from beating Enyimba in the last four seasons.

“This a great feat that we have achieved because Enyimba were the only team that we were yet to be beat here until today (Sunday). It has always been a tough one against them and for us to beat them today marks a break from the past and we are so overjoyed”, said Onamado.

th 11 Shell P/Harcourt Open Scrabble tournament gets date

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ROM July 24, the city of PortHarcourt will be agog as the best of scrabble players from around the country will storm the city for the11th Shell Port Harcourt/2nd Nigeria Scrabble Players National Open tournament .

Players will compete in five categories, including the masters, intermediate, open, female and veteran.

Athletes are expected to arrive on the 24, while competition

begins on the 25.

In the Masters category, 18 games will be involved with Swiss pairings for round 1 and lagged pairings for the next 13 rounds and 4 King of the Hill, (KOH).

The winner in the masters category will cart home N300,000.00, intermediate category will get N200,000.00, while the Opens, female and the veterans categories attract N100,000.00 each.

IAAF Continues from BP Contractvisas by the Brazilian embassy in Lagos. The Brazilians claimed that the Nigerian athletics aspirants did not have Colombian visas, a claim that was refuted by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria. Consequently, the IAAF gave Nigerian officials up till yesterday Tuesday to show up or forget the 2015 championships.

The eight selected athletes were sent home by the AFN yesterday and it was tears and regrets by the youngsters and their parents.

“That was four weeks of hard work in training gone down the drain.

The athletes are depressed. They left their schooling and came to camp and now they are going home frustrated,” said one of the coaches who was with the team.

“Their parents are not happy with the developed. They called us to voiced their feelings and some of them have threatened to cut their kids’ participation in athletics so that they can concentrate on their education.”

54—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

TRANSFER, TRANSFER, TRANSFER

Sterling’s moving to City — Rogers

Celtic eye Omeruo

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IVERPOOL manag er Brendan Rodgers confirmed that a deal has been agreed between his side and Manchester City, with the fee reported to be $75 million for Sterling.

The England international, 20, has tried to push through his move to City in recent days as he first missed the start of Liverpool’s preseason training after calling in with a sickness and then reports suggested a rift had developed between Sterling and Rodgers after the former had refused to go on the clubs preseason tour.

During his press conference in Thailand, ahead of Liverpool’s first game in their mammoth preseason tour of the Far East and Australia, Rodgers confirmed the two clubs have agreed a deal for Sterling.

“The situation currently is very simple,” Rodgers said. “The club has agreed with another club a deal for Raheem to be transferred and subject to a medical that will go through.”

Nice Working With You... Raheem Sterling and Breden Rogers.

Wenger hails Man United signings

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RSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that Manchester United have signed “two top class players” in the form of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin.

Schweinsteiger has a vast level of experience, while Schneiderlin’s performances for the Saints in the Premier League have been met with widespread praise in recent years.

Wenger, meanwhile, has revealed that he expected a reaction from Old Trafford this summer after their fourth place finish last season, which may have secured Champions League footballbut was unlikely to satisfy the club’s ambition.

“We knew Man United would not be happy to finish outside the top three and that they would respond,”

he said.

“They ’ve made interesting buys. They did it by buying two important players - Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin - but two top class players, one who goes up to the top level and one who has done it all,” Wenger d e clared.

Pedro confirms interest from Chelsea

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ORLD Cup winning forward Pedro claims that Barcelona have received offers f o r h i m amid reports i n Spain that he i s

London Calling...

Pedro

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poised to join Premier League champions Chelsea.

The 27-year-old lost his place in the Barca starting line-up following the arrival of Luis Suarez last summer with the Spanish champions having agreed to reduce the size of his buyout clause.

According to reports in Spain, Chelsea are keen to sign the forward, who has also won the European Championship, and are prepared to pay the new buyout fee of 30m euros after it was reduced from 150m.

Old Trafford Bound...

Bastian Schweinsteiger

LASGOW Celtic have contacted Chelsea over the availability of Nigeria defender Kenneth Omeruo.

Celtic, who already have another Nigeria defender, Efe Ambrose, have been linked with Omeruo, who last season played on loan at English Championship side Middlesbrough.

“Celtic are waiting on Chelsea as regards Kenneth,” a source simply informed AfricanFootball.com “It is now left for Chelsea to decide where next for the player.” Celtic, Granada for unwanted Chelsea ace In the meantime, the Nigeria international has completed his pre-season medical with Chelsea.

But it is left to be seen whether he will now travel with the rest of the squad to the United States of Scottish Ideas... KenAmerica for pre-season neth Omeruo training.

Casillas in tearful goodbye to Real fans

I

KER Casillas had no words of regret or rancor as he put an emotional end to his 25 years as a Real Madrid goalkeeper on Sunday, promising instead to ‘’not let down’’ his new fans at FC Porto. ‘’After 25 years defending the colors of the best team in the world, the difficult day has arrived when I say goodbye to the institution that has given me so much,’’

Villa lead race for Adebayor’s signature

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STON Villa are re portedly favourites to complete the transfer of Tottenham’s Emmanuel Adebayor in a move that would see the striker reunite with former manager Tim Sherwood.

The Midlands club are desperate to bolster their attacking options this summer and, with Christian Benteke looking likely to leave Villa Park, they’re targeting Adebayor as a replacement, according to reports.

The Togo striker thrived during Sherwood’s stint at White Hart Lane in 2014 and is thought to be

keen to play under the former Blackburn Rovers man again.

Spurs are looking for a cut-price £5 million for the ex-Arsenal man but a potential stumbling

block to the transfer could be Adebayor’s excessive wage demands – with the 31-year-old thought to be on £100,000-a-week at White Hart Lane

Cross Roads... Emmanuel Adebayor

Tears and Pain... Iker Casillas Casillas said in what could be his final appearance at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Chelsea colour Begovic blue

A

SMIR Begovic has finally completed his move to Chelsea from Stoke City.

The two clubs announced that a $12 million fee has been agreed for Begovic, as the goalkeeper was entering the final 12 months of his contract at Stoke.

He has signed a fouryear deal at Stamford Bridge and becomes Chelsea’s second signing of the summer after they added Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015 — 55

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015

Doom looms for Oliseh’s assistant •NSC may block his employment

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

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EELERS from the National Sports Commission indicate

MANY HURDLES TO CROSS: Losciuto

Oliseh signs Eagles contract tomorrow

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ORMER Nigeria skipper Sunday Oliseh will tomorrow in Abuja sign a contract

with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as the

Continues on Page 53

that there are lots of hurdles for Super Eagles coach designate, Sunday Oliseh to cross before his appointment could be sealed by the Nigeria Football Federation.

The Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi was seen at the NSC secretariat, locked in a meeting with Mallam Alhassan Yakmut, the Continues on Page 53

CHAMPIONS DANCE: Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams showed off their disco moves to celebrate their Wimbledon wins

IAAF strikes off Nigeria from world youth championships ...Athletes’ parents fume

BY BEN EFE

A

LL hopes of N i g e r i a n

athletes participating in the world youth championships in Cali, Colombia crashed

yesterday as the world ruling body deleted the country’s name from the meet meant for under-17 athletes.

The Championships

begin today in the south western Colombian City and will end on July 19.

The athletes and their coaches were denied Continues on Page 53

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Ascertain (6) 5 Employed (4) 8 Reckon (5) 9 Regret (3) 10 Blessing (4) 11 Intense (4) 12 Precipitous (5) 13 Reviewer (6) 16 Rotate (4) 18 Win (4) 20 Tree (3) 22 Mournful (3) 23 Elderly (3) 24 Ceremony (4) 25 Sentimental (4) 28 Devastate (6) 30 Felony (5) 32 Rebel (4) 33 Against (4) 34 Wrath (3) 35 Eerie (5) 36 Oven (4) 37 Means (6)

DOWN 1 Embellish (6) 2 Shabbiest (8) 3 Animal (6) 4 Competitor (9) 5 Experience (7) 6 Pace (4) 7 Cheat (4) 8 Lettuce (3) 14 Usual (9) 15 Offer (3) 17 Uncooked (3) 19 Dog (8) 20 Sicken (3) 21 Encourage (7) 26 Consuming (6) 27 Cure (6) 29 Journey (4) 30 Hood (4) 31 Finish (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Scope 9, Loiter 10, Larder 11, Water 12, Sale 15, Nice 17, Startle 20, Ton 21, Eagle 23, Eros 25, Mind 26, Robed 28, Spy 30, Defence 33, Item 35, Rota 36, Regal 38, Torrid 39, Solace 40, Beret.

DOWN: 1, Gloss 2, Villa 3, Sew 4, Cradle 5, Plea 6, Ear 7, Admit 8, Green 13, Attempt 14, Error 16, Conduct 19, Elm 22, Eider 24, Sot 27, Debase 28, Sixty 29, Yearn 31, Nomad 32, Eager 34, Cede 36, Rib 37, Lot.

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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