MDAs rush to beat today's deadline

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62493

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

OONI: Giesi ruling house gets govt's nod 11

Abductors of Steve Nwosu's wife demand 14 N100m ransom

TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT:

Mrs. Toyin Nwosu

MDAs rush to beat today's deadline

By Our Reporters

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•FIRS, NPA, NIMASA, Customs, others comply •We expect full compliance today, says CBN

BUJA—TO escape the wrath of President Muhmmadu Buhari, some of the over 100 Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government (MDAs) were in a rush, yesterday, to beat the deadline to open Treasury Single Accounts, TSA, with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Leading parastatals that had complied with the directive, as of press time, yesterday, included the Customs Continues on Page 5

How unregistered firms got power contracts,

by Elumelu 7 Mr & Mrs BUHARI IN PARIS—President Muhammadu Buhari and his host, President Francois Hollande of France during an official engagement at the Elysee Palace, as part of the President's activities during his official visit to Paris, France, yesterday.

COLUMNISTS:

BAYOP: The Cross River community everyone forgot See Inside C M Y K

The hopelessness of our anti-corruption war •P.17

Fuel price still high in some states 8 — NBS

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

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POCKET CARTOON CBN

Speaking on the issue, yesterday, CBN Director, C o r p o r a t e Communication, Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu said the MDAs are responding, adding that by the end of today all of them would have complied. His words: "There is a rush to meet the deadline tomorrow (today). They have been on it. The statement that they are rushing to beat the deadline cannot be wrong. They have been trying to meet the deadline. The CBN expects full compliance by today."

FIRS has no issue

BOMB BLAST—Director-General, National Emergency Management with TSA

Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi (2nd R) and other NEMA officials inspecting the site of a bomb blast at Malkohi IDPs Camp in Yola, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

TSA: MDAs rush to beat today's deadline Continues from page 1 Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC).

It was not clear, yesterday, if the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the country ’s main revenue generator, has complied with the directive as the officers in-charge were yet to respond to Vanguard’s phone calls and text messages at press time.

The order was first

made on August 7, 2015 and was repeated with a warning on September 4 following partial compliance by the agencies. The measure is part of President Buhari’s bid to maintain accountability and stamp out corruption in the public service system.

A circular issued to all MDAs of the Federal Government by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, had urged the MDAs to ensure strict compliance with the deadline to avoid sanctions.

The circular dated September 4, 2015, entitled “Re: Introduction of Treasur y Single Account (TSA) (eCollection of Government Receipts)” stated: “Further to the Circular

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO ACK of belief has aborted more destinies than all the hospitals in the world combined. You will never rise beyond the level of your belief. It takes guts to succeed and to believe you can is to conspire with the universe to work in your favour.

It's up to you.

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TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

We rise by lifting others — Robert Ingersoll

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HE moment one chooses to be pure and unclouded in all things, he becomes nurtured in Divine Love, and always to a gentle awakening and a fuller realization of his spirituality and connection with life. Such a person becomes fully present; this state of being is the awareness of recognizing the beauty and goodness in yourself and others. In many ways, this is what being Godlike is about.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

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PPORTUNITY looks insignificant when it’s coming and big when it’s gone! Problem looks big when it’s coming and insignificant when it’s gone.

Ref. No. HCSF/428/S.1/ 120 of August 7, 2015 on the above subject matter, it has been observed that a number of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government are yet to comply with the directive therein.

“In this regard, Mr. President has directed that all MDAs are to comply with the instructions on the Treasury Single Account (TSA) unfailingly by Tuesday, September 15, 2015. Heads of MDAs and other arms of government are enjoined to give this circular the widest circulation and ensure strict compliance to avoid sanctions.”

The TSA is also to aid transparency and facilitate compliance with Sections 80 and 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). Kifasi redirected that all receipts due to the Federal Government or any of her agencies shall be paid into the TSA as follows: Account Name: Accountant General (Federal Sub-Treasury), Account No. 3000002095 maintained in the CBN, except otherwise expressly approved.

TSA is a unified structure of government bank accounts enabling consolidation and optimal utilization of government cash resources. It is a bank account or a set of linked bank accounts through which the government transacts all its receipts and payments and gets a consolidated view of its cash position at any given time.

MDAs rushing to beat deadline –

The FIRS is one of the agencies that have complied according to its Director, Corporate Communication, Mr. Emmanuel Ebota. He said: ‘’FIRS has no issue with the new directive, right from the start, its account has been with the CBN to which revenue is remitted on a regular basis."

We’re are TSA compliant – NIMASA Director-General of NIMASA, Mr Haruna Baba Jauro, during a courtesy visit to the corporate head office of Vanguard , yesterday, said his agency has fully complied with the presidential directive.

"NIMASA is fully compliant. We have gone to the CBN, they have opened our account. We have given our banks the mandate and we have provided all our banks with the platform. We have no issue with that.

The only issue we have is tomorrow, our staff will have to go to Abuja again to clarify the issue of how to get our money out. That is where we are," he said

NCS complies with FG single account policy The Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, yesterday, also disclosed that it has fully complied with the policy. Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Wale Adeniyi in a phone conversation with Vanguard said that the NCS was one of the first organizations in the country to comply with the policy.

“The importers do online declaration and online payment as well.

The banks do online transaction to the Customs Service account in the apex bank. We have already complied

with the new directive,” he explained.

Aviation agencies, Nigerian Shippers Council comply Speaking with Vanguard on phone, the Managing Director of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam, said his agency is complying with the Presidential directives. According to him, “every parastatal is complying with the directives from the President. Although this is an internal administrative matter that I cannot discuss with you on phone.”

Also speaking, the Deputy General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, said: “As a responsible organization, we have fully complied.”

In like manner, Mr Hassan Bello, executive secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, said: "We have complied; we have since opened the account. We have given directive to our banks to that effect since yesterday (Monday).

The account officer has been at it for long. He has been in Abuja since last week. We have opened account for Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, with the CBN."

TSA: We have complied 100% – FCTA The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA disclosed, yesterday, that it has complied 100 per cent with the directives.

In a text message to Vanguard , the Chief Press Secretary, FCTA, Sule Muhammad said: “As an obedient servant, FCTA has complied with the directive 100 per cent.”

NPA, NEITI, Immigration also comply

Contacted, Captain

Ihenacho Ebubeogu, General Manager, Public Affairs, NPA, told Vanguard that the Nigerian Ports Authority complied with the directive more than three weeks ago, adding that the authority has directed its bankers to remit all its revenue to its account with the CBN. ‘That is an old story, NPA complied about a month ago,’’ he stressed.

Similarly, the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI, said it has fully complied with the directive.

Mr. Ogbonnaya Orji, D i r e c t o r , Communications, NEITI, stated that the agency supports the TSA initiative and has complied with the policy.

According to him, this becomes necessary as the policy is at the crux of NEITI’s campaign for transparency and prudent management of the country’s resources.

He explained that the policy of the Treasury Single Account is a welcome development and that NEITI would make legitimate effort to see that the policy works.

King Egbedeme, the spokesman of the Nigeria Immigration Service, also confirmed that his organization has complied.

According to him, “It is a presidential directive which has to be complied with.”

The story was the same at the National U n i v e r s i t i e s Commission, NUC. Director, Information and Public Relations, Ibrahim Yakassai told our reporter that the commission had complied.

However, the PRO, of the Universal Basic Education, UBEC, Mr Osom Osom, said he was yet to confirm from the Director of Finance. He promised to respond appropriately after confirming from the director.

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Electricity tariff hike set for October — FG

By Michael Eboh & Grace Udofia

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VISIT: From left— Zambia's Permanent Secretary in the country's Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Trevor Kaunda; Zambian Minister for Labour and Social Security, Fackson Shamenda; President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Executive Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Olakunle Alake, during their official visit to Dangote Industries head office in Lagos.

How unregistered firms got power contracts—ELUMELU

By Emman Ovuakporie

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BUJA—FORMER Chairman, House Committee on Power in 2007, in the 6th House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, yesterday, said powerful Nigerians from all walks of life killed the power sector.

Elumelu, who disclosed this yesterday in a reaction to the ongoing Senate probe of the sector, said: “For now, I won’t mention names, but the truth is that most Nigerians that we respect because of what they have attained in life destroyed the power sector.”

According to Elumelu, the power sector had been used by cabals in connivance with government officials to bleed the nation to near-death, adding that “a situation where government would spend $1.545 billion on nine gas turbines, when 18 of same equipment were bought for $404 million within a short period was evil and a rape of the nation’s economy.

Inflated

“From Kubwa to Katampe substation in Abuja, there’s a transmission line. When we checked the cost of the line, we found that it was over-inflated.

Then another mind-boggling discovery was made where 18 turbines were procured for $404 million from General Electric.

“Then when additional nine turbines were needed, they now spent $1.545 billion on them.

“The excuse they gave for such an unpardonable sin was that an African country had paid earlier for the nine turbines hence the astronomical increase of over $600m.

“This is just one of so many terrible sins committed by our

Insists on live coverage of hearing powerful men in high places.

“Power sector probe requires lots of commitment and dedication for one to get out of it unhurt. So I am happy that the Senate came up again with it because it is quite disheartening to see that with what has been expended on the sector, we are still battling to generate just about 3,500 Megawatts of electricity.

The Brazil example

“In the course of doing our investigation, we travelled to Brazil for a comparative assessment of public investment in electricity and we found out that what they spent to achieve stable electricity was far less than what we had spent, but had nothing to show for.

“In Brazil, Geometric Power told me that they spent $12 billion to generate 12,000 Megawatts and it is working very well. At that time Nigerian government had already spent close to $16 billion to generate between 2,500 to 3,000 Megawatts of electricity.”

The lawmaker also explained how unregistered companies were awarded contracts and never showed up at contract sites.

He said: “The Special Assistant to former Minister of Power, late Dr Segun Agagu, swore to an affidavit with names of such companies that were awarded contracts. All these vital documents including that of the Auditor General are still intact.”

On why former President Olusegun Obasanjo was invited by his committee, Elumelu said: ”All we wanted

to do then was for him to confirm to us what was approved for the power sector.

“All the documents were counter-signed by the former President, who approved most of the contracts and people then said our action was unparliamentary because he was invited.

“The former President used to say ‘hold me responsible for all the actions of my ministers’. In this case, we felt he was in the right position to tell us those who did what and how his administration was involved.”

Tasks c'ttee

The former lawmaker also advised members of the Senate ad hoc committee probing the nation’s power sector to shun ethnic and geopolitical consideration and put Nigeria first if the exercise must yield desired results that will benefit the

country.

He also urged the Senate to do more by going in-depth in their probe even as he expressed fear that those responsible for the helpless situation the nation’s power sector found itself will not rest, but will try to plant their agents in the committee for the purpose of sabotaging the exercise.

He said: “What they have set out to do is very commendable given the anti corruption drive of the current administration, but don’t be surprised if you also find out that some of the people on the committee are even sponsored by these powerful people. So it is a highly organized cabal which runs these things.”

He assured that he would be available to make a presentation before the probe panel if a well publicised platform is made available at the public hearing.

BUJA—DESPITE resistance from Nigerians, the Federal Government, yesterday, insisted that the proposed increase in electricity tariffs would commence from October.

Speaking at the Powering Africa Nigeria conference in Abuja, Mr. Godknows Igali, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, further stated that Federal Government is committed to improving the fortunes of the power sector and also provide an enabling environment for investors in the sector.

According to him, government will continue to refine whatever needs to be refined in the power sector to enable investors in the sector do business profitably.

He disclosed that the power sector remains one of the best places to invest in, because the sector pays for itself and also because the challenges of gas supply had been significantly addressed.

Speaking on the proposed review in electricity tariff, Mr. Sam Amadi, Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, said from October, there would be a new tariff from the Distribution Companies, DISCOS, for retail consumers.

He said stakeholders in the sector were in the process of finalizing a new tariff structure, noting, however, that the issue is how to improve customers’ confidence to be able to sell the tariff.

Focus on economy, PDP tells Buhari

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Henry Umoru

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EOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, accused the Muhammadu Buhari's administration of abandoning sound economic management and giving priority to the persecution of its political opponents.

The party ’s admonitions were immediately dismissed by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, which flayed

the PDP claims as distractions aimed at aborting the urgent moves by APC to clear 16 years of mess left by PDP administrations.

PDP had, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, expressed its full support for the administration’s moves to check corruption, but expressed concern that the economy was on a free-fall on account of what it claimed as Buhari’s failure to articulate

a fiscal policy direction and assemble an economic team.

PDP said it was duty-bound, beyond politics, to draw the President’s attention to the grave situation ahead, especially in the light of prediction of oil selling for $20 per barrel in the immediate future.

It said: “It is worrisome that while other countries are taking deliberate steps to enhance their investment profiles and hedge their economies, the APC-led Federal Government has done nothing in that direction.”

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Only regulation 'll save IVF practice — AFRH

By Chioma Obinna

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ERTILITY experts have emphasized the urgent need for regulation in the practice of infertility care in the country with a view to saving the practice and the silent voice of the unborn child.

The experts, who spoke under the auspices of Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health, AFRH, noted that infertility treatment is not without complications hence the need for care givers to be licensed to do so and ready to practice ethically, following specific guidelines to ensure women's safety.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos on its International 5th Conference with the theme Role of Ethics and Regulation in IVF, President of AFRH, Dr. Taye Iketubosun, posited that a woman should not die in the process of trying to have a child and the unborn child or product of fertility treatment deserves both maternal and paternal care.

Iketubosun, who noted that there was a lot of ignorance regarding infertility treatment in Nigeria, said ethics and regulation would make the practice safe for both practitioners and clients.

Iketubosun said: “Due to the effects and stigmatization attached to the infertile couple, a lot of clinics are springing up in an attempt to meet this need. It is imperative to have regulation and ethical best practice guidelines in this field of medicine.

“AFRH is set to provide guidelines on ethical practice and to set in motion the move for regulation in IVF practice to ensure the average citizen, who requires the service, has access to safe and ethical care.”

He regretted that due to childlessness many women have been forced to do strange things.

He said: “AFRH is a body of IVF practitioners, doctors, embryologists, fertility nurses, counsellors and pharmacists, who come together to share ideas and best practices in the field of IVF.”

Inflation rate hits 9.3%

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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NFLATION rate trend has resumed an upward swing again after a month of relative stability, going by August 2015 figures which shows the inflation rate at 9.3 percent, up from 9.2 percent recorded in July 2015.

Inflation rate had been on a steady rise since this year making a temporal halt in July, which maintained same as June 2015.

However, the rate of inflationary pressure had been considered less intense by the report of the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, yesterday.

Reporting for the month of August, the bureau explained that the marginal increase was as a result of slower increases in alcoholic beverages, tobacco and kola, health, transport and recreation and culture

divisions.

“On a month-on-month basis, the pace of increases of food prices as reflected by the Food Sub-index has slowed, contributing to the relatively slower pace of increases reflected on the year-on-year rates between July and August,” NBS said.

The Food Sub-index rose by 10.1 percent (year-on-year) in August, slightly higher from 10.0 percent in July.

While significant increases were observed in major groups within the index (bread and cereals, meats and fish), the index was moderated upon by a slower increase in the fruit, vegetables, potatoes, yams and other tubers groups.

The advances recorded by the “All Items less Farm Produce” or core sub-index increased at a faster pace in August relative to July. The core sub-index increased by

9.0 percent in August (yearon-year), 0.2 percentage points from 8.8 percent in July.

The most intense pressures were recorded in the housing water, electricity, gas and other fuels, education, restaurants and hotels; and miscellaneous goods and services divisions.

The pace of increases slowed in the health, transportation, recreation and culture divisions.

On a month-on-month basis, the pace of the increase in the headline index eased for the third consecutive month. The headline index increased by 0.6 percent in August, marginally lower from 0.7 percent in July.

The Urban Index increased by 9.2 percent (year-onyear), increasing at the same pace for three consecutive months, while the Rural

Index increased 0.2 percentage points to 9.4 percent, from 9.2 percent in July.

On a month-on-month basis, both the Urban and Rural indices increased at a slower pace, increasing by 0.6 percent in August. The Urban and Rural indices both grew by 0.7 percent in July.

The percentage change in the average composite Consumer Price Index, CPI, for the 12 month period ending in August over the average of the CPI for the previous 12-month period (2013 - 2014) was 8.6 percent, marginally higher from the 8.5 percent rate recorded in July.

The corresponding 12-month year-on-year average percentage change for the Urban index increased marginally from 8.5 percent to 8.6 percent, while the corresponding Rural index also edged higher to 8.5 percent in August from 8.4 percent in July.

FORUM: From left— Representative of Ministry of Health, Mr. M. E. J. Bassey; Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo; DG, UNIDO, Mr. Li Young, & DG Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, at the Vienna Food Safety Forum, yesterday.

Fuel price still high in some states—NBS

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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ESPITE the relative stability in fuel supply across the country, National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, nationwide research report shows that pump price was N104.5 per litre on the national average, still significantly higher than the official rate of N87.

The report, entitled Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch, for August 2015, however showed a sustained decline in the average price for the past three months.

July average was N107.35, while June was N112.13 per

litre.

However, the steady decline under the current regime is yet to drop below lowest average rate of N93 per litre, recorded in February this year under the former regime, in the oil industry.

The highest national average recorded this year was in May, towards end of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime when it was N118.36 per litre due to acute scarcity caused by petroleum marketers’ disagreement over unpaid subsidy claims.

Bayelsa State, a leading oil producing location very close to oil export and import terminals as well as refineries,

has sustained its unenviable record of the highest fuel price in the country at N132.4 per litre. In July it was highest in the country at N152.9.

The second highest average fuel price was recorded in Yobe State, with N119.63 per litre followed by Sokoto with N113.75 per litre.

The only state closest to the official pump price is Oyo, with N88.13 average, followed by Kano with N92.57 and Abuja, N94.6 per litre.

In July the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, set up a task force to supervise and monitor the sale of petrol in some depots, against the reports

that most petrol stations were selling fuel at prices significantly above the official price due to a hike in ex-depot prices.

DPR had summoned the stakeholders in the fuel distribution chain (Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC; Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Authority, PPPRA; Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN; Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN) and conveyed its displeasure at the illegal sale of petrol above the stipulated prices.

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ACCIDENTS: LSHA summons LASTMA boss, perm sec, others

By Ebun Sessou & Amarachi Chukwudi

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AGOS State House of Assembly has summoned the General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Safety Commission as well as head of Lagos State fire service to appear before it on Monday, September 21, over the spate of fire and tanker accidents in the state.

Earlier, in its plenary session, the house directed the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode to commence the automation of the entire traffic monitoring system of the state in 2016.

Raising the motion on the floor of the house, Gbolahan Yishawu representing Eti-Osa Constituency 1, said, the state traffic law, which is being enforced manually has not achieved its aims, adding that it is humanly impossible for law enforcement agents to keep surveillance on the roads 24 hours and ensure enforcement with the way it is presently being done.

PENGASSAN pickets oil firm

By Mmadukwem Stephen

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AGOS–PETROLEUM and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, yesterday, picketed South Atlantic Petroleum Company, SAPETRO, an international exploration and production company over perceived unjustly sack of its members.

While the picketing lasted, all activities at its head office at Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, Lagos, were crippled.

Led by officials of Lagos Chapter of PENGASSAN, members of the union stormed the company’s premises as early as 7.00 am and prevented management, customers and other visitors from having access to the company.

While faulting the sack of its members numbering 10, the Lagos Zonal Chairman of PENGASSAN, Abel O. Agarin, claimed that the management did not follow due process in the sack of the workers and insisted that they must be recalled for peace to reign in the company.

According to him “we are not saying the company does not have the right to hire and fire workers, but the association has a say over the matter.''

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SCHOOLS’ RESUMPTION: Lagos decries low students turnout

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—THE Lagos State Government has decried what it called “low turnout” of students as public schools across the state resumed yesterday for a fresh academic session.

The state government, therefore called on parents to ensure that their children and wards resume for the new academic session immediately.

On the resumption date for schools, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Olabisi Ariyo, made the remarks yesterday, during a tour of schools to assess the level of compliance with resumption date.

Ariyo said schools have fully resumed in the state and students are expected to be in school.

While condemning the low turnout of students in some schools visited, she attributed it to the contradictory resumption dates announced by both state and federal governments.

Ariyo explained that there was no point extending the holiday as it would not allow the students to cover the syllabus.

She, therefore urged parents to ensure that their children return to schools, while also advising Principals and teachers to use the school facilities judiciously and also ensure that the school environments are kept clean and

VISIT: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State (right); the Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Zenner (2nd left); Consul General of Germany, Lagos, Mr. Ingo Herbert (left) and the Group Management Committee, Knauf Region Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Mrs. Isabel Knauf during the Ambassador’s courtesy visit to the Governor, at Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday. conducive for learning.

The permanent secretary was accompanied by the Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo and others.

Among the schools visited include: District Junior Secondary School, Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School, Sango Junior Secondary

School (inclusive) Agege, Agidingbi Junior and Senior Secondary Schools, Ikeja.

Rams sellers

Also, the state government, through its environmental sanitation law enforcement agency, Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, has warned ram sellers against operating illegal markets in any

part of the state as Sallah celebrations draw nearer.

The KAI Administrator, Mr. Deji Badejo, said the warning became necessary in order to prevent the illegal activities of some ram sellers who are in the habit of converting walkways, drainage, culvert and road setback to market during major festivals, like the forthcoming Eid el Kabir.

Ex-defunct bank’s boss wants second investigation stopped

By Innocent Anaba

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Dike Ifegwu was forged.

Dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation

by Zone Two Police Command, Mrs Enweliku wrote a second petition to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja detailing the

AGOS—FORMER chairman of defunct Citizens International Bank Limited, Lady Joyce Ifegwu has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to determine whether the Police can investigate an allegation of forgery of marriage certificate against her for a second time.

Joyce also wants the court to determine whether the Police was By Olasunkanmi Akoni & still entitled to re-investigate or Ebun Sessou investigate her, after men and officers of the Nigerian Police AGOS—GOVERNOR Force in zone 2 command Akinwunmi Ambode of headquarters, Onikan had Lagos State yesterday unveiled concluded investigations of the plans to commence a quarterly allegations previously. rendering of account of Respondents in the suit are the stewardship of his administration Inspector General of Police, to intimate Lagosians on the Commissioner of Police, Special journey so far as well as his Fraud Unit, Ikoyi and one plans to take the state higher.

Inspector Justus Ogar.

The governor in a statement The daughter of the applicant, signed by his Chief Press Mrs Nnenna Enweliku, had Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, written a petition against her to said the quarterly rendering of the Assistant Inspector General of account which will take the form Police, Zone two on January 27, of town hall meetings, will take 2014 alleging that her mother was the government to the nooks and not legally married to her father crannies of the state to present and that the marriage certificate its account of stewardship. she presented for the purpose of He said the town hall getting letter of administration for meetings will not only afford his the estate of their late father, Lord administration the opportunity to

manner and nature of the forgery.

As a result, fresh investigation into the allegation was launched by the Police, following which the applicant filed the suit seeking to halt a possible arraignment by the Police on the same matter.

The applicant is meanwhile, praying the court to declare that the

defendants lack the power to investigate or re-investigate allegation of forgery of marriage certificate against her, arguing that a suit pending in High Court of Abia State between her and three others against the probate registrar and seven others dwells on the issue.

Ambode to render account every quarter

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render its account, it would also go a long way to feel the pulse of the people and get first-hand knowledge of their needs and concerns.

“The maiden edition of our quarterly report will be rendered in the first week of October and would continue in that tradition every three months going forward.

At the end of each quarter, our government would report to the people of the state on the journey so far and the task ahead,” he said.

He said his administration’s efforts in the last three months have been geared towards making sure that public institutions work in the interest of the people.

“We are committed to making the various public institutions work to the benefit of the people of the state.

That in my view is why we were elected'', Governor Ambode said.

… investment drive receives boost The investment drive of the Lagos State Government received a major boost on Monday when the representative of the Knauf Group International, Mrs Isabel Knauf expressed her company’s readiness to commence work on a N14 billion manufacturing firm in the state.

This came to fore when the German Ambassador, Michael Zenner, led a group of German diplomats and investors on a courtesy visit to Governor Ambode at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

Zenner, while canvassing for an increased presence of German businesses in Lagos, also sought for improved bilateral trade relations with the state government.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 11

OONI: Giesi ruling house gets govt’s nod

To submit list of 27 princes; Next Ooni may emerge in 7 days

By Leke Adeseri, South West Regional Editor & Gbenga Olarinoye

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HE cloud surrounding the issue of who becomes the 51st Ooni of Ife started to clear yesterday as the Giesi ruling house received a letter from the state government to make the list of its eligible princes available.

The Osun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, which is mandated to handle chieftaincy matters got the go-ahead from Governor Rauf Aregbesola, to commence the process of filling the stool, a reliable source told Vanguard yesterday.

This led to the Giesi Ruling House being asked to present its nominees.

The development has therefore put paid to the ambition of princes from the Ogboru, Lafogido and Osinkola ruling houses.

However, the government directive which passed through the king-makers made it clear that the selection process should be without rancour either within or between the ruling houses.

Speaking with a source within the Giesi family yesterday, Vanguard gathered that after the preliminary screening by the elders, 27 princes were pencilled down in a list to be presented to the king-makers any time from now.

The Osun State chieftaincy edict stipulates that the government should commence the process of filling the stool by writing the ruling houses to produce candidate for the stool after 14 days that the stool has been vacant.

The stool of the Ooni of Ife became vacant following the transition of Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II which was announced by the Osun State Government on August 12, 2015, while the traditional rites was completed on August 22, 2015.

The four ruling houses are Ogboru, Giesi, Lafogido and Osinkola.

The Giesi house which has repeatedly said it is its turn to present the Ooni has the highest number of contestants and had to design a form for all contestants which the Chairman of the ruling house, Prince Ropo Ogunwusi, said was given out freely to any member of the family who wanted to vie for the exalted position.

It was after the submission of the forms and performance of other scrutiny that the list of 27 princes was compiled.

According to our sources; ‘’If all goes well as expected, the next Ooni may emerge in the next seven days. ‘’But the king-makers are being as thorough as possible since the new Ooni must be a man of vision with deep interest of the town at heart and is ready to sacrifice personal gains for Ife’s overall well-being.

“All the past Oonis did their best C M Y K

to keep Ife on top. The new Ooni must be a man of honour, integrity and strong-will who is determined to see Ife rise to a new level of prominence in development with positive impacts on local residents and the Yoruba at large. This is my vision.” he said.

Meantime, the Ife Kingmakers, yesterday confirmed that a new Ooni of Ife will emerge soon. They also said that the Giesi Ruling House out of the four ruling houses in Ife has been selected to present candidates for the vacant stool of Ooni.

Addressing newsmen in Ile-Ife yesterday, one of the two highest ranked kingmakers of Ife, Obalufe of Ife, Oba Folorunsho Omisakin, said the new monarch for the town should possess relative ability for the throne, should have good character and have the support of the people of the community.

Reading the position of the 16 Ife kingmakers in Ile Oodua, the Ooni’s palace, Obalufe, who is the Prime Minister of the town, Oba Folorunsho Omisakin, who was flagged by Lowa of Ife, Oba Joseph Ijaodola and other kingmakers, explained that 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration will be relied upon in choosing the next monarch.

He said; “Only Giesi Ruling House will be allowed to contest the throne, explaining that the concerned ruling house will be expected to present candidates upon receipt of letter from Ife East local Government Area”.

Obalufe added: “When the candidates are presented to us, the kingmakers, we will sit upon the names and within 14 days, we must come out with our findings.

After that, in another 14days, the new monarch must emerge”.

The statement read in part: “we the 16 traditional rulers making

up kingmakers by Ife tradition, rules and customs, hereby unanimously declare and confirm that the 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration is the one in existence now and we affirm as follows: *Section 19 subsections a (3) that it is the turn of Giesi Ruling House to present a candidate/ candidates for the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife Chieftaincy, other 3 ruling houses, that is, Osinkola, Ogboru, and Lafogido should wait for their turn. *No ruling house should be restricted to a particular quarter or areas of the town because members of the ruling house live in different parts of the town. *Finally, we hereby enjoin the members of the ruling houses, the town’s people, all religious bodies, men and women in Ife environs, to please maintain absolute peace. By doing this, the kingmakers would be able to select the best candidate for the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife.”

VISIT: From left; Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State; European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, Michel Arrion, and the Project Manager, Health Nutrition and Resilience, Omole Temitayo, during the Ambassador's visit to the Governor, in Akure, at the weekend.

Ajimobi to chair public unveiling of Western Post today

G

OVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State is expected to chair the unveiling of Western Post, a regional weekly covering essentially the old Western region, today.

In a statement by Managing Director of the newspaper, Mr Tunde Rahman, the unveiling slated for today at Bashorun Hall, Ibadan Civic Centre, Agodi GRA, Ibadan, Oyo State, will have a national conversation entilted: “The Dwindling Oil Revenue: A Case for Regional Integration.”

The statement reads: “The Director-General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, Mr. Dipo Famakinwa, will present the lead paper on the theme while Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Dr. Tunji Olaopa, and Centre Director, Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), Prof. Anthony Kila, are among the discussants.”

Governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and Chairman, THISDAY Group and Arise TV, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, will be the Special Guests of Honour while Senate President Bukola Saraki, Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Suleiman Lasun Yusuf, and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) and Mr. Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti) are slated as guests of honour. His Royal Majesty, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, will be the royal father of the day.”

Ekiti’ll settle workers' liabilities from N9.6bn bail-out

By Rotimi Olaleye

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DO-EKITI–EKITI State government yesterday said it will clear all outstanding staff salaries and leave bonuses as well as pension arrears to its retirees from the N9.6 billion Special Intervention Fund it was negotiating with the Federal Government.

The State Head of Service, Dr Olugbenga Faseluka, who made this known in Ado-Ekiti during activities marking the ongoing 2015 Civil Service Week said that the approval of the State Executive Council and the State House of Assembly had already been secured to enable the state access to credit facility.

Faseluka explained that the arrears of workers’ salaries to be cleared from the facilities include the September 2014 salaries of the entire workers in the state Civil service as well as the arrears of the August 2014 salaries of staff of some government parastatals and agencies which were owed by the immediate past administration in the state.

While stating that the outstanding gratuities of pensioners who retired from the state civil service from September 2012 to date were not captured in the N9.9billion intervention fund, he assured that steps to clear the outstanding gratuities

would be taken as soon as outstanding salaries and leave bonuses of workers were paid.

Meantime, partisan civil servants in Ekiti State have been told to leave politics to politicians and concentrate on

how to reinvigorate the service for a better result.

The State Head of Service, Dr Faseluka, handed down the warning yesterday in Ado Ekiti urging civil servants eyeing political offices to resign and join active politicking.

C M Y

12 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

APC recalls members suspended by state party chairman

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

the primaries.”

While calling on all the governorship aspirants and elected delegates to fully participate in the primaries,

A

the National Chairman also urged them to accept the outcome of the primaries, stressing that “national leadership of the APC would

not tolerate a situation where aspirants or their supporters are being harassed and intimidated in anyway.”

BUJA—AHEAD of its governorship primaries in Bayelsa State, the National Working Committee, NWC, of All Progressives Congress, APC, has cancelled the suspension of its members in the state to enable them participate in the exercise on Saturday.

National Chairman of the party, Chief John OdigieOyegun, announced this in a statement yesterday.

Signed by the Deputy National Secretary of APC, Timi Frank, the statement also affirmed that the Bayelsa State delegates list to be used for the governorship primaries was intact contrary to the speculations that it had been tempered with.

Oyegun said: “Following reports of threat and intimidation of members of our IGBINEDION AT 81: From left: Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin; Lady great party in Bayelsa State, in Cherry Igbinedion and Chief Lucky Igbinedion, former governor of Edo State, during a view of the party's thanksgiving service to mark the Esama's 81 birthday, at Central Baptist Church, Benin governorship primaries City. Photo by Barnabas Uzosike. scheduled for September 19, 2015, and a meeting by the national leadership of the party with the 19 aspirants on the platform of the party in Abuja today (yesterday), after

By Emem Idio the weekend during the carefully listening to screening exercise at the E N A G O A — T H E their complaints against chances of Governor zonal secretariat of the the state executive, the PDP in Port Harcourt, National Working Seriake Dickson becoming Rivers State. the flag bearer of the Committee has affirmed However, Paulker and the existing delegates Peoples Democratic Party, Dionoli, it was gathered, list to be used for the PDP, in the forthcoming had filed an appeal before primaries.

It has December 5 poll received the Appeal Panel of the annuled any suspension a major boost following the party, challenging their whatsoever placed on disqualification of two other disqualification.

Senator any member of the party aspirants, Although the reasons for in the state. APC party Emmanuel Paulker and their disqualifications Chief Ebitikin Diongoli executives at all levels remain sketchy, a close are to maintain strict ahead of the party primaries source to Paulker and neutrality before and in the state.

The duo of Senator Diongoli said, the order during the primaries.”

Paulker, representing emanated “from Otuoke The statement further Bayelsa Central Senatorial community.” assured the aspirants The Publicity Secretary of and all members of the District in the Senate and the PDP, Osom Macbere, party in the state that "the Chief Diongoli, a former who confirmed Dickson's primaries will be free local government chairman successful screening and fair as the national of the Kolokuma/Opokuma however, declined leadership of APC has no Local Council Area, were comment on the status of preferred candidate for reportedly disqualified at Paulker and Diongoli.

Bayelsa Gov poll: PDP clears Dickson

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PDP group hails composition of DESOPADEC Board

By Perez Brisibe

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political pressure group within the Peoples Democratic Party, on the aegis of People to People, P2P, has applauded the Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa over the composition of the governing board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC. The group, in a rally through major streets of

Ughelli faulted those criticising the governor over the structure of the DESOPADEC board describing the board as a first class economic team capable of developing the oil bearing communities in the state.

Applauding the appointment of its patrons, Chief Pius Ovbije and Mr. Amos Itiwhe, as commissioners on the board, coordinator of the group, Mr. Francis

Omoyibo while addressing newsmen, appealed to communities aggrieved over the constitution of the board, to be patient with the governor.

He said: “The communities should note that representation on the board is rotational as all of them cannot be represented on the board at the same time. What is important is that everybody should be carried along in project execution."

Delta NGO moves to tackle flood disaster

By Daniel Gumm

W

ARRI—IN response to the flood alert by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, a Non Governmental Organisation, Safe Communities Support and Development Foundation, SCSD Foundation, has begun a strategic move to sensitise Nigerians on the dangers of indiscriminate discharge of domestic and industrial waste in the environment.

To fast-track the implementation of the initiative, a one-day seminar with the theme, Dangers of environmental pollution, has been scheduled for September 17, 2015 at NNPC Senior Staff Club, NNPC Housing Complex, Warri, Delta State.

President/CEO, SCSD Foundation, Mr. Alfred Ugharami, in a statement in Warri, explained that part of his organisation’s policy framework was “to help communities across the country build the capacity and resources they need to mount coordinated programmes designed to promote a culture of safety for all residents.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015—13

BAYELSA GOV POLL: PDP not scared of Alaibe, Sylva —SENATOR

By Grace Udofia

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BUJA—AS the people of Bayelsa State prepare for the December 5 governorship election, Senator Foster Ogola, has assured that the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governor, Seriaki Dickson, will be returned with ease, saying there were no serious contenders from the opposition.

According to him, Dickson’s re-election has been made easier by the emergence of those he called expired politicians as the governor’s contenders from the All Progressives Congress, APC. Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Ogala, who represents Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, urged the people of the state not to be swayed by the antics of the governor’s opponents, whom he accused of misinforming the populace in order to win the hearts of the electorate.

According to him, neither former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Timi Alaibe, nor former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, contesting the governorship position on the platform of APC,

constituted a threat to Dickson.

He said: “The PDP cannot be scared of Timi Alaibe’s entrance into the governorship race, neither is the party scared of Sylva.

President Muhammadu Buhari was elected because of his anticorruption stance right from when he was Head of State.

“Bayelsans are determined to return Seriake Dickson. But some persons are trying to misinform the public. They are claiming that Governor Dickson has not commissioned any project since he assumed office. My senatorial district was not on the national grid until Dickson connected us.

“Governor Dickson runs an

all-inclusive government.

He pays the aged in the state and has saved so much money for the people because of financial prudence. Dickson has brought transparency into governance.

“Now, local governments give account and that is because Dickson ensured it."

EXHIBITION: Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, representing Governor Nyesom Wike, and the Managing Director of The Bride, Mrs. Marlene Wobisike, during an exhibition at the International Christian Business Exhibition and Conference.

APC faults alleged plans by Rivers gov to borrow another N10bn

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By Gbenga Oke

IVERS State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has faulted alleged plans by Governor Nyesom Wike to borrow another N10 billion from banks in the state, accusing him of borrowing recklessly without consideration for the present and future generations of the citizens.

The party, in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, said APC was saddened at the level of borrowings going on since Nyesom Wike took over the saddle of power in the state less than four months ago.

He said: “Till date, the governor has collected N100 billion comprising federal allocations, Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, balance in the Reserve Fund and other sundry sums left in the state’s various accounts with the banks by May 29. The aforementioned sum is exclusive of the earlier N30 billion loans obtained from banks by the governor since he assumed office. In total, about N130 billion has passed through the hands of the governor in three months with only a few projects of his predecessor he is completing and some cosmetic asphalting and pothole filling of some streets to show for it. If he

borrows additional N10 billion from Zenith Bank, Rivers people and our next generation would have been enslaved further to the tune of

N40 billion as loan before the tribunal concludes the election petition that is presently before it.”

“With the governor as

Commissioner for Works, Due Process Office and Site Engineer, the world can better imagine the scam going on in Rivers State.

Delta Police Command wades into herdsmen, communities clashes

By Perez Brisibe

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G H E L L I — D E LT A State Police Command has waded into the frequent clashes between herdsmen and communities in the state with an appeal to the former to obtain permission from communities before taking their cattle for grazing in such communities.

Through the Commanding Officer, CO, of Ughelli Police Command, Mr. Smart Pedro, the Police, during a meeting with representatives of Oviri-Olomu in Ughelli South Local Government Area and the herdsmen, Pedro urged herdsmen in the state to enter into an agreement and obtain permission from communities before taking their animals into

such communities for grazing.

Lamenting reported activities of some herdsmen in the area, Pedro said: “Reports on activities of some herdsmen are not pleasant to the ears. As a law enforcement agency, we would not condone such unpleasant reports and would do everything within our powers to maintain law and order in the state.”

Isoko women demand 40 percent affirmative action in Delta

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

LEH—WOMEN Wing of Isoko Development Union, IDU, has demanded 40 percent affirmative action from Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, in appointments into political offices.

Addressing newsmen after the national convention of IDU

Women Wing at Oleh, headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area, its President, Mrs. Caroline Usikpedo-Omoniyi, lamented the alleged sidelining of Isoko women in the appointments so far made by the governor.

Emphasizing the need for the government to focus on mainstreaming women into the political process, she said: “There are going to be new

development goals that are replacing the Millennium Development Goals which will be pronounced this September. The women have decided that mainstreaming them into decision making should be a top priority. We are saying that henceforth, the women wing of IDU must be given its rightful place in anything being done in Isoko nation without begging."

Delta youth leaders hail NPDC over empowerment

By Lucky Oji

U

GHIEVWEN Youth Leaders Association in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, has commended the management of LEE Engineering and Construction Company, a major contractor to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, for its continued support to host communities to Utorogun gas plant.

Chairman of the association, Comrade Kenneth Mukoro, also revealed that LEE Engineering and Construction company had trained youths of the communities and empowered them in various areas.

He said the firm empowered the youths by subletting jobs to indigenous contractors, and called on other companies and NPDC contractors operating in the area to emulate the company.

DESOPADEC: Itsekiri group faults Wood’s portfolio

By Tare Youdeowei

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TSEKIRI Interest Initiative has faulted the allocation of the portfolio of Executive Director, Planning, Research and Statistics on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, to Engr. Victor Wood.

In a statement, Mr. Leleji Austin, chairman of the group, said the portfolio was alien to the DESOPADEC law 2015 as amended, wondering why such a portfolio could be given to a seasoned engineer like Wood, who was initially proposed for the Executive Director, Projects.

He said: “We urge the governor of Delta State to correct the anomaly immediately before it becomes a hallmark of this administration. The only way he can achieve positive results from DESOPADEC is by placing square pegs in square holes and not the other way round.”

The group noted that the portfolio allocated to Wood was an affront and disregard to the Itsekiri nation, considering the fact that he was an Itsekiri choice and not a product of politics.

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

How my wife was abducted,

by The Sun Deputy MD Abductors demand N100m ransom

Mrs Toyin Nwosu

By Evelyn Usman

L

AGOS—GUNMEN suspected to be robbers, at the early hours of yesterday, stormed the Okota, Lagos residence of the Deputy Managing Director of The Sun Newspaper, Mr Steve Nwosu and abducted his wife Toyin.

Vanguard was reliably informed that the abductors had established a contact with the distraught Nwosu at about 4pm and demanded N100 million before his wife would be released.

The gunmen numbering about seven as gathered, stormed Bale street in Ogundiaro Bashorun Sumonu Akanwo estate , Okota at about 1.am. They were said to have gained entrance into one of the buildings with the aid of an abandoned ladder used to paint the building. But on sighting them, owner of the building was said to have scaled the fence to another street, where he sought refuge.

Thereafter, they stormed Nwosu’s bungalow building by scaling the fence and pulled the burglary on the window, before gaining entrance into the sitting room.

The sound from the window apparently woke up Nwosu , who left his bedroom to ascertain where it was coming from , only to be accosted by three gun wielding men who ordered him to lie flat .

Narrating his ordeal to Vanguard, Nwosu said: “I thought the sound was coming from another place. I went to the toilet , put off the light and peeped through the window.

It was then I heard a bang in the sitting room. By the time I came out, they have jumped in and pointed the gun at me. I raised up my hands because as a matter of policy I do not argue with anyone with a gun. They stated slapping and kicking me and at the same time asking ‘where is the money?

“I told them I had no money in the house which was true. But they did not believe me. They continued beating me with a horse whip and asked if my wife had no money as well. I said I would not know that the only money she should have was a cheque of N50 ,000 I gave to her to get some things in the house.

At that moment my children who slept in the sitting room after watching television started screaming. They took them into one room, locked them up and came back for me. They marched me and my wife round the rooms, ransacking the whole place. They demanded for her jewelry.

After searching and found nothing, one of them said, ‘Mopol, let us go, we are wasting so much time.’

Mr Steve Nwosu At that point, I was blindfolded and taken outside. But they brought me back inside and asked my wife to get dressed while I was still blindfolded.

The next thing I heard were sporadic gun shots outside, followed by shout of ole! It was at that point I knew they had left. The first person I asked after was my wife, who was no where to be found. I went into the room where my children were locked and found them . The operation lasted for thirty minutes. They came in at about 1.50 am and left after 2am. I rushed outside and was told that they went away in a motor boat through the canal. I was told that about four of them were outside with guns while three came inside”, he stated.

The gunmen apparently had a field day as they reportedly went away with assorted drinks from the shelf. Nwosu also disclosed that they went away with some perfumes, two Ipads and three phones .

But before leaving, one of them was said to have told him to contact them on one of his (Nwosu) phones that was taken away, informing that they were on their way to Maiduguri.

Nwosu however said he suspected that the gunmen were robbers. “ I think it was robbery that was taken a step too far because they also robbed a building . But you cant go to a journalist house and expect to get money. They may assume one has money on seeing this bungalow but they dont know how one struggled to to build it.

He also disclosed that “Robbers have been to my house last year and they were lucky because it happened a few hours after my wife’s birthday. So all the money and gifts people gave her was in the house and they took them. But this time around, there was no money in the house.

“They have established contact with me and said they would get back. All I am appealing is for them to release my wife for me. She does not have any money.”

Gunmen are robbers, not kidnappers — LAGOS CP

Immediately news of the incident reached the Police, the Area ‘E’ Commander, Festac, Mr Frank Mba, reportedly visited the scene with other policemen. During the visit, some private guards, as reliably gathered by Vanguard were arrested. The private guards according to Police sources were arrested for holding one of the residents whose apartment was raided hostage without informing the police.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015—15

‘Okorocha, a mole in APC'

By Peter Igata

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NUGU—SPOKESMAN of the All Progressives Congress,APC, South-East geopolitical zone, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has dismissed the statement by Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha that Ndigbo were responsible for their exclusion in appointments made by President Muhamadu Buhari.

Okechukwu was reacting to an interview granted to a national daily by Okorocha, published on Sunday.

In the interview, Okorocha said he shared the sentiments of the Igbo that none of them made the list of appointees.

The Imo governor, however, added that “some of the appointments we lost was the doings of our people, just as he recalled that when he was crying like a 'lonely voice in the wilderness' on where Nigeria was going, Ndigbo chose to put all their eggs in one basket.

But, in a statement on Sunday, Okechukwu said Okorocha should take responsibility for Igbo exclusion in the appointments, rather than passing the buck to Ndigbo.

In a statement entitled, ‘Governor Rochas Okorocha neither truly campaigned for President Buhari nor APC’ Okechukwu stated: “I am sorry to comment on the blame game being played by Owelle Rochas Okorocha; for his interview can be classified as Okorocha Rescue Mission from the less than five per cent score in the 2015 presidential election from the entire South East.

“All that one can say is that to the best of my knowledge, he neither truly campaigned for President Muhammadu Buhari nor the APC. “My thinking is that while we blame Ndigbo for putting all our eggs in one basket, we should blame our leaders who genuinely didn’t campaign for President Buhari nor APC candidates in

their domain.

“I challenge Governor Okorocha to tell the world how far he assisted Senator Osita Izunaso in his bid for Orlu senatorial district, his own constituency and how he assisted Hon. Uche Onyeguocha and Uwajimogu of Owerri and

Okigwe districts respectively.”

While noting that a little assistance from Governor Okorocha could have earned APC two senatorial seats, and other legislative seats, Okechukwu made it clear that there was no point for him to blame Ndigbo without blaming himself first.

“This is a man some of us advised not to run against the zoning convention, that it will deny Ndigbo the chance of producing either the chairman or the vice presidential slot and he refused. He thought we are in Nollywood,” he said.

N

O FEWER than 1500 workers of Lacasera Company Plc , makers of Lacasera soft drink and other consumable, have been sacked following unionisation of staff dispute with the National Union of Food Beverage and Tobbacco Employees, NUFBTE .

While the officials of NUFBTE and workers were seen gathered at the Amuwo Odofin Industrial Estate, Mile 2 in Lagos premises of the company yesterday vowing

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

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PRIMARIES: Chairman of the electoral panel for PDP governorship primaries in Kogi State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (centre), with the panel's secretary, Sen. John Enoh (left), during the primaries, at Confluence Stadium, Lokoja, yesterday.

....S-East Zone APC to probe saboteurs —Okorocha

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—THE Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors Forum, Chief Rochas Okorocha, says the party will probe the activities of some of the supposed loyalists of the party in their respective states, during the last general election with the aim of fishing out those who sabotaged and acted as moles for the last administration.

Okorocha made the position of the APC leadership public, yesterday, via a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo.

“The setting up of a committee

to X-ray the activities of APC leaders in the zone, during the elections had become increasingly necessary now, following the attempts by some of such leaders, who never believed that the APC could win, to resort to blackmail against those who made the APC what it is in the South-East because they want appointments,” Okorocha said.

While taking a swipe at the Zonal Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, who allegedly “did not make any positive contribution to the success of the party in the zone,” Okorocha, however, expressed shock that the man is not only being driven by the ambition for political appointment, but also

believed he could achieve that by blackmailing genuine leaders of the party.

Okorocha described as “laughable,” the way Okechukwu accused him of not genuinely campaigning for President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as linking him with the loss of the three senatorial seats in the state.

“Mr. Okechukwu chose to attack me because I insisted that those who staked out their necks for APC in Enugu State, where Mr. Okechukwu comes from, should be the ones to be considered for appointments. That is the only crime I committed against Mr. Okechukwu,” Okorocha said.

Lacasera sacks 1,500 workers over unionisation

By Victor AhiumaYoung & Ligali AbdulLateef

Abia govt playing politics with our reinstatement —Workers

not to leave until the workers were recalled and all pending issues resolved, the management on its part, said it shut operations over alleged invasion by hoodlums.

However, Vanguard gathered that the Indianowned company which started operation in Nigeria in 2000, has been having a running battle with NUFBTE over unionisation of workers since 2004.

It was gathered before now that the union had approached the Ministry of Labour and Productivity for mediation, while the management dragged the Union to the National Industrial Court,

NIC. The case is still pending at the NIC. However, it was gathered that the latest dispute started when the management sacked the elected chairman of the inhouse union when officials of the in-house union were about to be inaugurated.

The sack, according to source, was what led the NUFBTE officials to visit the company on Friday, September 11 to address the workers, which the management described as invasion by hoodlums.

Leaders of the union yesterday told Vanguard that they would continue to occupy

the gate of the company until all pending issues were resolved.

An unsigned notice pasted on gate of the company dated September 14 and addressed to all staff stated that “as a result of the unwarranted breaking-in and invasion of our business premises on September 11, we cannot guarantee the well-being of our employees from hired hoodlums and their collaborators. As a result of this unprovoked act of vandalism, we are unable to continue operations Unfortunately, we regret to inform all our staff of their immediate disengagement.”

BA—A group of nonindigenous workers disengaged from Abia State civil service on October 2011, has debunked a recent claim by the state government that their members have been reinstated and accused the government of playing politics with their situation.

Recall that the former Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, on October 1, 2011, ordered the disengagement of over 4, 000 non-indigenous workers from its workforce and later recalled the affected workers, who are not of Igbo stock.

However, the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Mr. Godwin Adindu said about 102 teachers had been reinstated by the Secondary Education Management Board SEMB, Umuahia, while others had been cleared for reinstatement.

He added that the 102 teachers had so far been paid their June, 2015 salaries.

But in a statement by Ihejirika I. and Unogu U, leader and secretary, respectively, the disengaged workers said Adindu’s claims that the disengaged workers had been recalled, was untrue.

The statement added that it was disheartening for the present government in the state which it said ought to have taken a holistic action against a bad policy of its predecessor which had led to the death of over 60 of their members due to hardship, to start playing politics with the issue.

“We have made several representations to the state government on the need to rescind the decision without success which prompted us to do a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari sometime in May stating our plight.

“As soon as we heard about the recent reinstatement claim by government of 102 disengaged teachers by SEMB management, our members went to ascertain the veracity of that claim, only to be told by officials that no memo had been sent to them on reinstatement."

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SETEMBER 15, 2015

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 17

The hopelsssness of our anti-corruption war “The fight against corruption mobilizes all of us because we want to do away with evil and injustice. But we should remember that casting the bad into the sea does not imply the sudden appearance on our shores of the good that we need.”

-Prof. Ricardo Hausmann, Faculty Chair of Leading Economic Growth .

I

WILL never forget that sunny afternoon at the Polo Ground Ibadan sometime in 1984 as we all massed to watch the public execution of three armed robbers who were condemned to deatth.

It was a period when the Buhari-Idiagbon regime was in a frenzy to clean up Nigeria of all the vices plaguing it.

The executioners appeared on the scene and within minutes despatched the armed robbers with hot lead shot into their chests with uncanny accuracy.As we made to leave the execution ground,there was a shout of "oooleee".Within a jiffy the security men in view had arrested one of those who just watched the Polo Ground execution picking money from the pocket of a fellow spectator.

Fellow spectator The incident flashed to my mind last week as I watched in the news the protest marches by a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) which emerged from the corruption of the electoral process of the labour body calling for death penalty as the cure for corruption in Nigeria.

That the protest marches had a tinge of official endorsement was seen in the elaborate receptions accorded the marchers by the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) who is having a running battle with the Senate over allegations of looting of recovered loots and the Secretary to the Federal Government.It was only at the National Assembly Assembly that they had some initial raw deal (understandably so) before House spokesman Sani Zoro appeared to address them.

On the surface of it, the protest march was a big endorsement of the anticorruption campaign that is currently going on in the country. But those who understand the depth of the C M Y K

Nigerian corruption and its tap root would see the whole show as no more than of nuisance value. We are all agreed that corruption has become a hydraheaded monster in Nigeria limiting all the growth potentials but it is elementary knowledge that no doctor can cure any disease he has not diagnosed.

The Wabara faction of the NLC could have been listening too much to the chief propagandist of the media fight against corruption,Adams Oshiomole to pay heed to fundamental currents in the polity which should inform that dealing with corruption in Nigeria today requires more than dancing to the gallery and orchestrated circus shows.

A few incidents in our present reality are enough to show that Nigeria is built on the foundation of corruption and it is the very oxygen it breathes.

The Saturday Independent of 5th September,2015 had a screaming headline on how scammers have hijacked the on-going anti-corruption war.

According to the report: "The anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari may have become the subject of a new wave of scam targeted at high-ranking civil servants, especially those supervising various directorates in the federal ministries.

Katsina State civil servants as well as workers in the state’s 34 local governments received their full salaries and allowances up to May when Mr. Masari became governor

Investigations by Daily Independent have revealed that the perpetrators, with the help of their collaborators in the ministries are capitalising on the vulnerability of some officials and other unsuspecting persons outside the system due to Nigeria›s poor record keeping culture to rip them off.

It has also been gathered that they now go about sneaking out records of transactions from official files in government departments and using such to concoct petitions, which they confront them with it.

Sources close to Saturday Independent have also revealed that, apart from those who do this for instant gratification, another set of people engaged in this activity are those working for officials who are scheming to be posted to lucrative ministries."

Lucrative ministries One of the measures being canvassed in the fight against corruption is the proposed looters courts. Perceptive people have opined that this may turn out another goldmine like the election petitions tribunals which have added to the list of our billionaires.The Nigerian Tribune of August 23,2015 icon firmed their fears with the report that most of the nominee-judges woefully failed the integrity test.According to the newspaper""MAJORITY of the judges nominated for probable appointment as heads of the proposed anti-corruption specialized courts failed the integrity test being conducted by security agencies, Nigerian Tribune learnt on Sunday evening.

One hundred judges selected from courts across the country by the leadership of the judiciary were reportedly placed before security agencies for a deeper look into their stewardship, before the final pick for the sensitive assignment.

An involved security source told the Nigerian Tribune that the assignment was yet to be concluded, because majority of those picked for screening failed the integrity test."

I have a friend who had always argued that Nigerian political elites would invoke natural disasters on their people if it was within their powers to make money and

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State just reinforced that going by the report by PREMIUM TIMES that he obtained N11b bailout under false pretense .According to the online medium"The governor of President Muhammadu Buhari’s home State, Katsina, Aminu Masari, lied to the president to get more than N11 billion bailout supposedly to pay workers’ salary arrears, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today.

Feigning insolvency, Katsina State applied as one of the 27 states in need of bailout from the Federal Government to pay workers owed salaries for months.

In a letter to the speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, titled: “Bailout on Outstanding Salary for Workers of the State and Local Governments” with number S/SGKT/154/3 dated August 26, 2015, Mr. Masari said when he took office on May 29, his government inherited two months outstanding salary of workers of the state and local government from the previous Ibrahim Shema administration.

Workers' salary “I would like to request for the Honourable House’s consent for the State government to collaborate with the Central Bank of Nigeria for a Bail Out of outstanding workers’ salary in the State and Local governments,” Mr. Masari wrote.

“Mr Speaker may wish to know that at the time of the takeoff of this administration, the State and Local Governments in the State owed workers two months’ salary to the tune of N11,086,632,741.32 broken down as follows: Katsina State: N3,646,943,099.80; 34 local government councils: N7,439,689,641.32; Total: N11,086,632,741,.32.

“It is in the view of the need for the State Government and Local Governments to meet their obligation in the payment of outstanding workers’ salary, considering the lean resources inherited from the former

administration, that it has become necessary for the State Government to apply for the bail out on behalf of the State and Local Governments.” he added.

However, PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation revealed that the state had no business being among the group of insolvent states in need of federal bailout to pay workers salary arrears.

Katsina State civil servants as well as workers in the state’s 34 local governments received their full salaries and allowances up to May when Mr. Masari became governor.

Masari vs Katsina Civil servants In fact, the governor’s chief press secretary, Abdul Labaran, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that workers were not owed and that their salaries had been completely paid up to August.

“Katsina State government doesn’t owe anybody any salary,” Mr. Labaran said over the phone after a long pause."

He also answered in the affirmative when asked if he meant that the state government had paid workers in the state up to August. “That is correct,” he said.

"The hopelessness of our current situation was dramatised in Lagos on 14th May when Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka at the presentation of two books on Rotimi Amaechi of "I don't like money" fame canonized two architects of hope“The political atmosphere, whatever you call it, be it change or hope, whatever name, I recognise two individuals in this particular process that led the chart for change.

“These two individuals are Bola Tinubu and Rotimi Amaechi; I call them the architects of the process of change” If the contents of a documentary on Amaechi by Rivers Integrity Group which reduces the "Lion of Bourdillon" to a child's play comes to the view of the highly cerebral Prof today he probably would wish he was more careful in his choice of words.

To be concluded.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SETEMBER 15, 2015 WITHIN his first one hundred days in power, President Muhammadu Buhari has made just a few appointments.

These constitute the inner circle or “kitchen cabinet” within the Presidency. They also include those in charge of his personal security, National Security Adviser, Service Chiefs, heads of crucial federal executive bodies, presidential advisers and assistants.

Even though the Presidency has assured that merit was the main consideration for making these appointments, there has been an uproar due to what many see as the lopsided nature of the appointments. It is obvious that people from the northern part of the country heavily predominate, with the South East and South zone so far not favoured with even a single slot.

This runs against Section 14(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) which directs as follows: “The composition of the Gov-

Redressing FG’s lopsided appointments ernment of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in the Government or any of its agencies”.

This provision is explicit and un-

equivocal about the need to carry every section of the country along at every juncture of appointments, taking into account the overwhelming importance of cementing the fragile unity of the country and the loyalties of all its people. At this juncture of the development of this country, we are convinced that all sections of the country can be accommodated in the government no matter the standard of merit being used, provided that there is genuine political will to obey the constitution.

All Nigerians must have a sense of belonging within the president’s inner circle because this is where the most crucial decisions about the country are made before taking them to the wider circles of the administration. We frown at any arrangement that will create an “insider-outsider” dichotomy as it will not augur well for the smooth running of government and peaceful coexistence in the country.

The danger of lack of federal balance and representation is that there may be no voice to table the peculiar needs of some parts of the country and this will create a sense of alienation.

We therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari to move quickly and calm frayed nerves by ensuring that all parts of the country are given an equal sense of belonging in his government. This is necessary to bring all hands on deck towards achieving his mandate to the benefit of all Nigerians.

OPINION Igbo

vs

Northerners:Hate

Continued from yesterrday's pg 20

By Bobson Gbinije

T

HE mutual hatred and antagonisms between Easterners and Northerners through inspired hate speeches and media publications, dates back many years before independence. Sporadic out breaks in Northern towns, particularly the Jos riots of 1945, had been occurring in the past but the British Administration barely took them seriously. However, after the ruthless massacre on both sides (Easterners and Northerners) in Kano in May, 1953 the British were constrained to look into the matter by setting up a commission of inquiring on the Kano disturbances.

The Report on the Kano disturbances posited that the remote causes suggested at the time could not by any means be referred specifically to Easterners. The attacks were attributed to the clash of cultures, the disparities in economic and social development between Northerners and Southerners, the occupation of strategic posts in the administrative, technical and commercial sectors of Northern life by Southerners and the leveling impact of Western religion and political ideologies introduced into the North by Southerners.

It is on record that there were series of polemical and aggressive verbal exchanges between Northern Representatives and the Action Group

and

national

Members during the Lagos Conference.

But the fuse that really set off the explosion in May, 1953 was the proposed visit to Kano of an Action Group (AG) delegation led by Mr. (afterward Chief) S. L. Akintola, “an Ex-Minister with all the Odium of antiNortherner Action Group propaganda and the Lagos incidents attached to him”. (The Report on the Kano disturbances, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th May, 1953 (Government Printer, Kaduna, 1953) Paragraph 15, page 4).

The organization and preparation of Northerners for the riots did not suggest to Easterners that they would be the main object of attack incidentally, as they have now done again in 1966, Northerners denied in 1953 that the massacres were ever organized or premeditated. But it is on record that two days before the disturbances began on Thursday, May 14, 1953, Mallam Inua Wada, then Secretary of the Kano Branch of the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and later Federal Minister of Works, convened a meeting of the Native Administration sectional heads at the works Department in Kano during which he made “a very ill-advised and provocative speech” against the proposed visit of the Action Group delegation led by Akintola. Inua Wado said inter alia

Lessons of the civil war has not sunken into the minds

cohesion(2

“having abused us in the south these very Southerners have decided to come over to the North to abuse us, but we have determined to retaliate the treatment given us in the South we have therefore organized about 1,000 men ready in the city to meet force with force. We are determined to show to Akintola and his group what we can do in our land when they come the Northern People’s Congress has declared a strive in all Native Administration Offices for Saturday, 16th May, 1953. We shall post sufficient number of men at the entrance of every office and business place we are prepared to face anything that, comes out of this business” These exhaustive kaleidoscopic quotations from various journals/ publications and releases by Easterners, Northerner’s propaganda machineries and the findings and report of the commission on this disturbances of 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th may, 1953 is aimed of showing to Nigerians the historically long and deep streak of hate and acrimony existing between the Northerners and the Easterners especially the Igbos in Nigeria that has given rise to intermittent macabre and bellicose carnages and decimations ultimately leading to the Nigeria/Biafra Civil War. Although the creation of states and subsequent boundary adjustments in Nigeria has changed the confines and demographics of the East and North, but that beastial rhetoric and verbal

aggression still remains till today. Hence, Igbo and Northern scholars, intellectuals, politicians etc resort to proclivities at the slightest provocation. This historical origin is rooted in the Igbos and the Northerners till today, hence the recourse again and again to the Biafra secessionist’s outrage.

Agreed, we have fought a civil war in Nigeria, but it seems the lessons of the civil war has not sunken into the minds, psyche and brains of the Igbos and the Northerns, Westerners and the Southerners. The aggressive verbal exchanges made by Junaid Mohammed and Uzor, Clark and Ekweme etc over so-called biased, skewed appointments and selective anti-graft war glaringly shows that nobody likes Nigeria as country. We can address the matter without using belligerent swear words, hate and anathemic expressions that takes us back to our Biafra/Nigeria gloomy death incarnadine historical references and threats of secession and a new civil war.

It is clear from these attitudinal orientation and negative utterances that the countdown to another war is on going in the minds of some Igbos and some Northerners. But can Nigeria and Nigerians survive another civil war as we still remain a mere geographical expression? If Nigeria must survive as one sovereign, united and indissoluble Nation the leadership and the followership must change the way we do things.

Concluded •Mr. Gbinije, a social critic, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015— —19

When truth is turned on its head

By Sunny Ikhioya

T

HE word truth has been subjected to severe battering by different people over time and ages. Each see it from his own perspective but this is not supposed to be so because truth is as it were is not subjected to any form of interpretations or colouring other than what it is.

It is seen by everyone in the same manner, it is constant. Truth says it as it sees and hears. It is objective, rational and not subject to whimsical calculations, otherwise, it will not be truth. Truth subjected to suppression will remain an open wound until corrective measures are applied. Truth is therefore the road to the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, that is when everyone accepts it as it is. People are happy when truth is applied because truth is justice, equity, fairness and balance.

Bitter is the opposite of sweet. It is not sour. It is worse than sour.

It has a strong pungent taste like bile in the mouth and leaves you cringing and uncomfortable.

Bitterness is harsh to the mouth and makes one unhappy. Bitter is sadness. When people refuse to accept the truth it becomes bitter to them and because it is bitter to them they tend to turn away from it. The fact is, truth is the cause of conflicts all over the world. Anytime there is a conflict between two parties, one

of the parties is not telling the truth because both of them cannot be right over a disputed issue and, there are many of such all over the world.

The fear of the truth is more prevalent in underdeveloped countries, especially in black Africa. According to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti of blessed memory, because we do not want to die, we fear to fight for justice and everything. In Nigeria, truth has been bastardised in all forms. It begins with the allocation of resources; everyone wants an advantage over the other. But such primordial quest have been taken care of by the developed nations through setting up of structures and institutions that check the excesses of man. Man by nature, is subject to various excesses, irrespective of race and colour but with strong and effective institutions in place, such excesses are curtailed. Even at that, at the international level the developed countries have been known to turn truth on its head and that is why there is tension all over the world today.

They have not stopped at the secular level; some have even gone further to manipulate the Holy books to justify their own versions of truth. The Bible is being deliberately manipulated to justify the negative actions of man that is why we now have gay priests and so on. The Koran is also not left out given the different interpretations from

the terrorists’ camps as causes of their actions. Definitely the interpretation of the Koran by ISIL and Boko Haram is not the generally accepted one. The Sunnis and Shites are killing themselves in such brutal manners over simple interpretations of doctrines, that is the extent to which truth can be bastardised by man.

The people do not want the truth because of the discomfort it causes for the manipulators but without the truth, there can never be peace. According to Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio, conscience is an open wound and only the truth can heal it.

Conscience is what keeps the world together. It is what makes man to remain on the right track and when conscience is absent in a nation, the whole nation is dead as typified by present

So, let us stop running a government of propaganda. Let us run a government based on truth. Let us get governance going and stop politicking, the task ahead is heavy

INEC and Buhari's appointments

By Salami Adebisi

I

T has been repeated in recent times that the problem with President Muhammadu Buhari appointing his supposed sister or sister-in-law, Mrs. Amina Zakari, to head the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has nothing to do with her qualifications but rather the moral burden of having his sister or sister in-law presiding over elections in which himself or his party would be participating against other parties. Whereas it was not a problem for President Jonathan to appoint her to conduct elections – allegedly as a nominee of Malam El Rufai – with whom Mrs. Zakari had worked as a subordinate at the Federal Capital Territory.

The recommendation by El Rufai is said to have occurred after he returned from self-exile and joined in the support for President Jonathan during the Yar’Adua impasse. However, President Jonathan would have had a similar problem if he had appointed a brother, in-law, sister, friends, party men or kin from the SouthSouth Zone, because Nigerians would have reacted with similar rejection. At any rate, Mrs. Amina Zakari tried unsuccessfully and unconvincingly to mitigate this concern, with a weak denial of her family relation with the President which has since been clearly defined by Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, a story that has remained unchallenged, even by the President himself.

Alhaji Yakassai informed Nigerians that Mrs. Zakari’s father, the late Emir of Kazaure, married President Buhari’s elder sister, and that President Buhari started his childhood in the late Emir’s house. He further revealed that, the mother of Amina Zakari was either the first or second wife of the Emir. Also, he informed that Buhari stayed with the Emir for some time in Kazaure declaring that he knew all these because the late Emir, was his friend of many years, having worked with him as his Permanent Secretary before becoming an Emir. All these issues bordering on law, morality and personal

C M Y K

integrity of the President are already being discussed by Nigerians but have now worsened by the President’s recent patterns of appointments that portend a strong tendency for nepotism and tribalism, particularly in utter negation of the political support he received from the South West Zone during the last elections.

Emerging from the recent patterns of the President’s appointments is the tendency to cherry-pick important appointments for his kith and kin, while reserving arduous tasks and positions for zones such as the South-West. The people of the South West are not a race any individual or group can take for a ride.

We have seen clearly the master-slave import of the three appointments given so far to the South West, wherein one of the appointees has to take responsibilities for combating a resilient Boko Haram, the other is burdened with explaining the mistakes or failures of government and its agents, while the third is to become the face of wider tax collections, to generate more revenues to be presided over by those from the North, who have now been put in strategic positions to spend revenues mainly from Southern Nigeria, such as the proposed 10% increase of VAT, wherein Lagos State that generates the highest gets far less in final proportion to what is shared when the shares of states that contribute almost zero are aggregated.

Given these touchy appointments, a vast majority of our people have come to the conclusion that the South West have received nothing but errands, headaches and heartaches for its support for “change”. To worsen this fear, it has been revealed that party leaders, particularly South West leaders of the APC are “not involved” or are only “marginally

Control of INEC will terminate the right of the South West to choose its leaders in future elections

Afghanistan. If the world is to end today as a result of conflicts between people and nations, it will be as a result of the absence of truth, as without truth, there can never be peace. Therefore, a nation that is desirous of peace and progress must crave and demand for truth from its leaders; that is the responsibility of its citizenry.

In Nigeria, this is very obvious as the leadership is surfeited with liars. It has been the tradition since 1999 and a nation of lying leaders cannot make progress.

The case is worse when the followers are been brainwashed to believe these lies, so you find common folks fighting amongst themselves over lies told by the leaders and if you probe further, you will find that they are divided along ethnic lines. It is true because my brother or townsman is the leader and lie because the leader is not from our place of origin.

When people set standards for themselves, the truth is bitter but it is for the common good and people must adhere to it. For us to move forward as a nation we must accept the truth. It is true that the ordinary Nigerian is gullible to lies told by our politicians, no exception. It is true that the forces behind Jonathan were too big for his control since he had no political structure on ground. It is true that the people were dissatisfied with Jonathan’s performance in government and that is why they voted him out.

It is true that the economy is badly battered and corruption was out of control, which is why they voted for Buhari. It is true

involved” or consulted regarding appointments. “Marginal” involvement in this sense being a mild and diplomatic expression for being “bypassed”, or even worse, “ignored;” otherwise how could it be explained that Amina Zakari could be made an “acting chairman” in violation of Sections 154, 155 and 157 of the constitution where a renowned professor of law is a sitting Vice President ?

It, therefore, comes as no surprise that this emergent pattern started with an unconstitutional letter from the Head of Service, appointing Mrs. Amina Zakari as “acting chairman” of INEC, a title unknown to the constitution of the country and illegally persisting since the 30th of June, despite public outcry over this constitutional abomination and a total aberration. Amina Zakari occupies that office illegally outside the contemplation of the constitution because she is a sisterin-law to the president. This tragedy has been tamely ignored by most civil rights activists who ought to have spoken out while this country is being led on the part of unconstitutionality. Is this because they are expecting appointments and have decided to maintain a loud silence?

By all accounts, Amina Zakari is an undisputed loyalist of the President.

Frankly, the task of election supervision does not require loyalist, it requires a neutral, independent-minded, detached, fair and professionally inclined umpire, not someone who grew up with the appointing President as an elderly relative while he lived with her father. There are many Jobs the president can devote to loyalists, but election management is not one of them. For the South West, it will be an excuse for another conflict in the making, a situation that will decimate political groups in the South West, from suspicions over any political victory by groups allied to the President, as occurred with allies of the defunct Northern People’s Congress in the South West during the First Republic.

The Council of State and the Senate that the President must submit the names of INEC nominees to, must be alive to their role as gate keepers of democratic institutions by heeding the wide public rejection of her appointment across the

that abinitio the government of Jonathan was programmed for sabotage, not everybody accepted him. It is also true that the present gain in electricity and petrol supply is to the credit of the foundation laid by Jonathan’s government. It is also true that as Buhari’s body language is saying action against corruption, Jonathan’s body language was passive on corruption. It is true that people voted Buhari in and Jonathan out to rid the country of corruption. It is also true that the United States and allies did not offer support to Jonathan in his fight against Boko Haram.

It is true that our neighbouring countries support for the Boko Haram fight was initially lukewarm. It is true that the institutions and structures to move the nation forward have broken down. It is true that revenue from oil has dwindled drastically. It is also true that if Jonathan was from a majority tribe in Nigeria, he would not be so hounded out of office and power the way it was done. The truths are so many but we do not want it because we want only our own version to be heard. That is how difficult and bitter truth is, that is why people run away from it.

So, let us stop running a government of propaganda. Let us run a government based on truth. Let us get governance going and stop politicking, the task ahead is heavy.

*Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

country. The unity of this country is too fragile and our electoral system cannot afford elections that lack credibility even before they are conducted.

It is against this background of an emerging pattern of appointing only loyal and close family members to sensitive positions that the nation must become very wary of the nature of assignment Mrs. Amina Zakari is being promoted to execute. Why is this assignment so important that the President is willing to squander public goodwill and compromise his hard-earned integrity by threading on this part of appointing an electoral commissioner whose legal mandate expired on July 21, 2015 as the “Acting Chairman” of INEC without “consultation with Council of State,” “confirmation by the Senate” as required by Section 154 of the constitution? If this is not the case, what are the legal provisions supporting her present headship of INEC that now lacks the required quorum of five members for valid decisions and how can these be substantiated if any election she presides over unconstitutionally as “acting chairman” such as Kogi and Bayelsa face a legal challenge?

It is indeed a burdensome issue, that a president who is the first major beneficiary of free and fair electoral transition from one political party to another in Nigeria should become the first to undermine INEC’s independence, by making INEC another outpost for regionally biased appointments. The President has not only appointed from his own zone of North-West but in fact from his household, an appointment that he ought to maintain a respectful distance from the appointee, like President Jonathan bequeathed to the nation, in appointing an INEC chairman not only outside his South South zone but entire southern Nigeria.This is a matter of serious concern for people in the South West who are now wondering if the confiscation and control of INEC is not a final nail in the coffin, that will terminate the right of the South West to choose its leaders in future elections, as we did in 2015.

•Dr. Adebisi, South West Study Group, wrote from Ibadan, Oyo State.

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

COLLAPSED BUILDING:

Survivors recount ordeals

By Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos

A

S you step into the casualty unit of the Plateau State Hospital where they are receiving treatment, you cannot help but feel their pains as they shed tears profusely. Some are sitting, some lying down and some others being carried. But whatever their postures, their faces all bore expressions of pain and suffering.

They are mostly children between eight and 14 years of age. They had gone to learn in an Islamic school, Abu Na’ima, which two-storey building collapsed after a heavy downpour on Sunday evening.

The building, described by many neighbours as “sub-standard”, “uncompleted”, “not fit to house pigs”, was where the children were given Islamic instructions for a token fee.

Early reports had it that six people lost their lives and more than 24 sustained injuries in the incident. But the death toll was to rise to 10 as the Acting Chief Medical Director, CMD of the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Dr. Philemon Golwa said two more died in the Hospital yesterday, while another source said two other persons died at a hospital in Bukuru where the children were rushed to.

Result of pains The building which houses a secondary school was used in the evenings and on weekends to tutor children on Islamic studies. Children who survived the incident with injuries are being treated at Bingham University Teaching Hospital (Jankwano), Plateau Specialist Hospital and Sunnah Hospital, all in Jos. A survivor, 10 years old Amina Ibrahim who could not utter any word as a result of pains in the mouth sat weakly on the bed staring into space. Her mother, Suaibat Ibrahim told Vanguard Metro, VM, that she sent the little girl and her brother, 14 years old Ruwaifa Ibrahim, to the school because it was cheap and close to their house.

Mrs. Ibrahim narrated their ordeal thus: “My children have always been going there though people in the area complain about the building. On that Sunday, they left home C M Y K

before 4pm to attend their studies. I was at home when people started running and I was informed that the building collapsed, maybe because of the heavy rain that fell. “Two of my children were affected; one is more severely affected than the other. We were brought here by the rescue team; the Hospital is taking care of the injured and we believe they will recover in time.”

Asked if she will permit her children to return to the school after the incident, she said: “Yes, they will go back, they are learning there and the Mallams teaching them are doing well.”

Falling blocks Another survivor, Maimunat Mohammed, who is also 10 years old was being pacified by her mother as she kept screaming: “Mallam Sani, Mallam Sulaiman, don’t leave me alone. My legs are paining me, my waist too. I told them to wait for me but they all ran and left me and that block fell on my legs.”

She explained that they were reading from the Koran when they heard a cracking sound and almost immediately, the blocks started falling as the building collapsed. Before rescue workers came to her aid, some blocks had fallen on her and injured her legs and waist.

Yet others, Ummi Yusuf, 12 years, with back and eyes

Mallam Sani, Mallam Sulaiman, don’t leave me alone; my legs are paining me, my waist too; I told them to wait for me but they all ran and left me and that block fell on my legs

*Amina Ibrahim...Injured pains; Hamisu Musa, 10 years old who lost his 10 years old cousin, Idris Kabiru; Abdullahi Alhassan who is eight years old and Bassamah Ahmed who is 12 years old, all thanked Allah they survived the incident.

They expressed concern about their dead colleagues and appealed to the relevant authorities for befitting schools to be provided for them so they can continue with their studies when they leave the hospital.

A teacher who survived the incident, 26 years Useni Usman, lamented the sad incidence saying: “The building was uncompleted and was being used as an Islamic school. I was not in class when the incident happened. I was upstairs but a block fell on me and I broke my leg. I am okay except for a little pain. But some of my colleagues who were at the part of the building most affected broke their arms, and two were among the dead.”

Endangering lives of children However, a member of the community who did not want to be named said: “When we raised concern about the building, they thought we were jealous. The owner of that building (names withheld), a very young man just exploited the poor parents by collecting a stipend to endanger the lives

*A Maimunatu Muhammed...Hospitalised of the children.

“He took advantage of the crisis which affected the area in the past because children could not cross to the other side to school and established that school without any form of official approval. The building does not even have a plan but because children were attending, he was collecting N700 per term and parents just send their wards there. Now see what has happened to them.”

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the incident.

In a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Emmanuel Nanle, he said: “The Governor received with a heavy heart the news of the collapse of the Abu Ni’ima Islamiyya School, Gyero Junction Bukuru on Islamic Disciples on Quranic Training.

The building collapsed on the students Sunday evening following a down pour on the Jos Bukuru Metropolis. It resulted in the death of some students, while 24 others injured were rushed to the Bingham Hospital (Jankwano), Plateau Specialist Hospital, and Sunnah Hospital all in Jos for immediate medical attention .“The Governor expressed deep concern for this loss of lives which brings to bear the necessity to ensure that public buildings conform to building standards and the need for them to be certified fit to accommodate students in training. In this wise the Governor has assured that all agencies of Government saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that all public buildings, particularly schools, are fit for use, are up and doing in ensuring the safety of these structures.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

— 21

BOI secures CBN license, repositions for service H

AVING met the requirements set by the apex bank for all Finance Institutions (DFIs) in the country, the Bank of Industry (BoI) has secured Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) license.

A statement from BoI explained that CBN has approved its application for the issuance of the required license.

This is in line with the CBN guidelines that “all existing DFIs, whether established directly by an Act of the National Assembly, incorporated under Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) or any other law shall be required to obtain license from the CBN.” Similarly, the bank noted that as part of its plans to drive industrialisation in the country, it has embarked on strategic and tactical initiatives to reposition its operations. “BoI wishes to reiterate our readiness to continue to provide financial support to SMEs and large enterprises with good business propositions.

The bank will also continue to provide business support and capacity building for SMEs. We have in recent times taken bold steps, both strategic and tactical, to reposition the bank.

These include the formulation of Strategic Plan 20152019; institutionalisation of corporate governance structures; implementation of enterprise wide risk management and compliance systems; and introduction of mobile and digital platforms for interfacing with

Nigerian SMEs, thus improving our efficiency.

“We have also introduced cluster specific SME products for Agro-processing, Nollywood, Fashion business, and others. We also expanded our branch network from seven to 14 offices to bring our services closers to our customers.

Our operations have also been certified as we recently secured the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems (QMS) Certification as well as secured good credit ratings from Agusto & Co (A-) and Fitch Ratings (BB-). “Our ongoing SME Cluster development initiative will ensure that all credible SMEs in Nigeria can feel the impact of BOI in due course”, the statement read in part.

Consultants won’t collect taxes for FIRS — Fowler

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

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HE Acting Chairman of the Federal Inland revenue Service, FIRS, Mr. Tunde Fowler, has said that he would not use consultants to collect tax.

He spoke at a meeting of the Joint Tax Board, JTB, in Abuja.

The use of tax consultants to collect taxes, a practice that is prevalent among state governments have been criticised as illegal and open to corruption between the consultants and state governors.

Fowler said that the staff strength of the FIRS 113.20 was not enough to undertake all that would be $3,248.00 -28.00 required in tax adminis$11.69 tration and as such consultants would be engaged but their duties $48.18 would be exclusive of tax assessment and collec44.78 -1.29 tion. His words: “You can imagine a staff roster CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL that can audit the books DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 of well over 400, 000 corPOUNDS 301.7812 302.5511 303.3209 porate organisations. It EURO 19.4416 220.0014 220.5612 won’t work. Therefore to FRANC 200.6347 201.1465 201.6583 YEN 1.6186 1.6228 1.6269 increase the level of CFA 0.3137 0.3237 0.3337 transparency and acWAUA 274.1845 274.8839 275.5834 countability, we would RENMINBI 30.7326 30.8115 30.8903 engage consultants.

RIYAL 52.2346 2.3679 52.5011 But these consultants SDR 275.184 275.886 276.588 KRONA 29.4038 29.4788 29.5538 will only gather data.

The law does not allow CBN Exchange Rate as at 14/ 09 /15

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From left: Mr. Akinwunmi M. Lawal, Managing Director/CEO, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc; Mr. Oscar N. Onyema OON, Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Deputy Inspector General, Azubuko Joel Udah Esq. (rtd), Chairman, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc at the Closing Gong Ceremony at the exchange

them to undertake assessment.

The law does not allow them to collect revenue on behalf of government.

“Consequently, they will collect data; they are to assist our staff.

We will do the assessment and issue the Demand Notice for the tax to be paid”. On the level of tax payers compliance, the chairman disclosed that only slightly over 30 per cent companies and other businesses pay tax in the country. A situation he said must change.

With this development, we should have a growth in tax payers both at the states and federal levels within one week.”

Fowler warned that organisations that evade taxes would be made to face the law in a civil suit in order to collect outstanding arrears and Chief Executive Officers of such organisations could face criminal charges.

The meeting, according to Fowler, was to enable the JTB

Corporate organisation According to him, “There are about 450, 000 corporate organisations with only one out of every three paying tax. Based on our objectives, we want to have at least 99.9 percentage success level of compliance. Meaning that every individual that the state level and every corporate organisation at the federal level is in the tax net and pays the appropriate type of tax.

“We have exchanged information with all states’ Internal Revenue Boards. We have all the information on the database. We have given them out already and in case they need further information that they currently don’t have on their database, we will always collaborate with them.

There are about 450, 000 corporate organisations out of which only 1 out of every three pays tax

fashion out a roadmap to provide a workable tool for both the FIRS and the Internal Revenue Boards of the states with a view to raising the level of tax revenue in the country. Justifying the need for a new roadmap, he said, “It is my conviction that there are many stones left unturned as far as our current tax administration processes are concerned,” For example, it is common knowledge that the administration of the Value Added Tax, VAT, is greatly hindered by many factors, ranging from in adequate coverage of ‘VATable’ persons to no-remittances of VAT deductions.

Tax revenue loss in this aspect can only be imagined.

“I have also identified the fact that there is deficiency on our part as tax administrators in terms of collaboration and cooperation in the areas of exchange of information for tax purposes.” He said that the FIRS and the state boards would have to work with greater synergy in the areas of conducting joint audit exercises

by FIRS and SBIRs; carrying out joint tax enlightenment and enforcement exercises; sharing and exchange of information concerning unremitted taxes identified by either side; embark on joint training programmes and workshop; review and amendments of tax laws and legislations from time to time.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

There is need to review the procedure for Diaspora registration for BVN. There is need for a more flexible procedure that takes into cognisance the realities of customers living abroad

,

TOP 10 PERFORMING STOCKS

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

O

N the top 10 performing stocks last week were the shares of Transnationwide Express Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, Evans Medicals Plc and Costain (W/A) Plc. The rest were Cutix Plc, Smart Products Plc, P.Z Industries Plc and Associated Bus Company (ABC) Plc. Transnationwide Express Plc (Tranex) came from the second position penultimate week to lead the gainers. The share price rose by 23.36 per cent or N0.25 to close at N1.32 from N1.07.

Tranex, which was faced with decreasing fortune in relation to its financial position, is beginning to breathe fresh air. In its first quarter ended March 31, 2015, its revenue fell by 74.4 percent to N183.86 million. Its profit before tax fell by 65.9 per cent from N49.476 million in 2014 to N16.828 million in 2014, while the profit after tax slumped to N12.828 million from N66.771 million in the previous quarter.

However, highlights of its second quarter result for the period ended June 2015 showed that its revenue went up by 9.8 per cent, rising to N383.64 million in 2015 as against N349.12 million posted in the H2 2014. Despite 46.2 per cent increase in tax expense for the period, the company ’s profit after tax witnessed a huge 102.2 per cent increase from N14.09 million recorded in 2014 to N28.48 million in the review period.

Guinness Nigeria Plc followed on the list with 18.90 per cent or N24.19 appreciation to close at N152.19 from N128.00 the previous week. The company was among seven other companies that received commendation from the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, for timely submission of their various financial reports and accounts for 2015. Guinness was commended by the Exchange for submitting its full year result for period ended June 30, 2015, more than three weeks before the due date. Last week, the parent

company, Dieago Plc announced plans to increase its stake in Guinness from 54.3 per cent to a maximum of 70 per cent. At tender offer price of N175 per share, shareholders who opt to divest their holdings would

C M Y K

enjoy 36 per cent premium ‘to the 30-day volume weighted average share price and 40 per cent to the company’s closing share price on 8th September 2015’.

Meanwhile, Guinness has been suffering from depreciating financial fortune as indicated in its full year result for June 2015. Its profit after tax for the period fell by 19 per cent to N 7.8 billion from N9.6 billion in 2014. Basic earnings per share fell by the same margin to 518 kobo from 636 kobo in 2014.

Revenue, however, saw nine per cent increase to N118.5 billion from N109.2 billion in the same period in 2014.

The share price rose steadily in the last one week, advancing by 17.98 per cent between Monday, September 7 and Friday, September 11, 2015.

Okomu Oil was the next as the share price rose by 14.19 per cent or N3.37 to close at N27.12 from N23.75 per share. The company recently said it had purchased 11,400 hectares of land in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State on which it intended to plant about 10,000 hectares of palm oil.

Clearing of the site, according to the company, would commence this year, while planting would take-off next year.

For the second quarter ended June 30, 2015, Okomu Oil’s turnover declined to N2.57 billion compared to N3.04 billion it recorded in the same period in 2014. Its finance cost went up to N124.04 million from N92.40 million in equivalent period in 2014, while the profit after tax declined to N808.78 million from N841.64 million in 2014. For the year ended December 31, 2015, it paid N250 million dividend to the shareholders, which translated to 25 kobo per share.

Evans Medicals advanced by 12.50 per cent or N0.08 to close at N0.72 from N0.64; Costain (W/ A) Plc rose by 12.28 per cent or N0.07 to close at N0.64 from N0.57; Ikeja Hotels Plc went up by 10.50 per cent or N0.36 to close at N3.79 from N3.43; Cutix Plc gained 9.68 per cent or N0.15 to close at N1.70 from N1.55; Smart Products recorded 8.89 per cent or N0.08 increase to close N0.98 from N0.90; P.Z Industries advanced by 7.99 per cent or N2.02 to close at N27.30 from N25.28, while ABC Plc went up by 7.55 per cent or N0.04 to close at N0.57 from N0.53 per share.

INVESTOR' ,

‘Who wants to be an Entrepreneur?'

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ITH current challenges in the global economy, new and innovative strategies are emerging in the bid to stimulate and sustain growth in national economies.

Entrepreneurship is one model that is deemed critical to the formulation and implementation of these strategies. Despite this, little is known about the profile of the Nigerian entrepreneur and

how they engage with the constantly evolving policy context.

This study, therefore, aimed at better understanding their characteristics as well as how they perceived certain key policies.

A cross-sectional online survey conducted in the first quarter of 2015 yielded a 61 percent response rate. Majority of the sample were between 26 - 40 years (70 percent), and were relatively

well educated as indicated by the proportion that had at least a Bachelor’s degree (73 percent). Most of the respondents were self-employed or in business (62 percent), but a significant proportion were government workers (20 percent). Regarding views on government policies, 45 percent of the sample felt the agricultural sector had poten-

From left: Senior Miller, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Femi Sunmola; Corporate Communication Officer, Bank of Industry Limited, Mr. Oyekanmi Toyin; BoI Ambassador, Dapo Oyebanjo (aka D’Banj); Executive Director, Marketing, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Benson Evbuomwan; and Manager, Credit Control, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Damola Shokefun, during BoI courtesy visit to Honeywell factory in Apapa, Lagos.

MARKET NEWS

JP Morgan exclusion threat: Analysts foresee increased allocation to equities Stories by Nkiruka Nnorom

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s the equities market continues to suffer from the recent announcement by JP Morgan to phase out Nigeria from its GBI-EM index series, analysts have projected an increased allocation to equities in the short-medium term as institutional domestic investors continue to exit the bond space.

JP Morgan had Tuesday announced decision to phase out Nigeria from its GBI-EM index series. The first phase of the exercise, it said would take place at the end of September, followed by a full exit by the end of October 2015.

Citing reason for the planned removal, JP Morgan noted that administrative measures in the foreign exchange (FX) market by the Central Bank of Nigeria hampers the capability of foreign investors to replicate Nigeria’s weight in the GBI-EM suite of

indices.

Consequently, investors at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) lost a whooping N328 billion in two trading days between Tuesday and Thursday last week.

Specifically, the twin market indicators of the NSE, the market capitalisation and the All Share index (ASI) fell by 3.1 per cent

With JP Morgan’s concern mostly around FX liquidity, the case for reinclusion 12 months from now remains weak in our view

apiece within the two trading days after the announcement.

The market capitalisation shed N328 billion to close at N10.111 trillion as at the close of transaction on Thursday, September 10, 2015, from N10.439 trillion on Tuesday.

Similarly, the All Share Index declined to 29,403.12 points at the end of trading session on Thursday September 10, 2015, from30.358.87 points on Tuesday when the announcement was made. The fall, was, however, halted on Friday as the market capitalisation and the ASI rose by 0.9 per cent each to close at N10.204 trillion and 29,689.08 points respectively.

In their reaction, analysts at United Capital Plc said though the initial reaction to the news would be bearish for equities considering the attendant FX pressure on foreign portfolio investors’ exit, interest in the equities market would peak as a

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 23

tial to make the most impact on national development, while a significantly less proportion had similar opinions about the information technology (16 percent) and the entertainment (2 percent) sectors. Majority (46 percent) indicated that electronic mail was their preferred means of communication with respect to entrepreneurship issues.

Demographically, Nigerian entrepreneurs are similar to their international contemporaries. This study has also confirmed that there is considerable engagement with government policies among this group, particularly those in which entrepreneurship can play a critical role.

New insight has emerged regarding engagement with entrepreneurship in Nigeria, which can improve efficiency as well as facilitate the development of contextual and effective policies. For instance, enabling cost effectiveness in communication and facilitating entrepreneurship among government workers. Adopting these approaches in the various relevant policies can help drive growth in the economy and improve other facets of national development.

Entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly important in the development of many countries’ economic sectors result.

“However, as domestic institutional investors exit the bond space, to avoid being caught in the web of sell-offs, we foresee an increased allocation to equities and treasury bills in the short to medium term.

Value stocks remain attractive, trading at a steep discount to fair value, and offering good opportunity for bargain

Entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly important in the development of many countries’ economic sectors. It is also a critical factor in the formulation and implementation of growth and improvement strategies in other relevant developmental sectors, nationally and internationally. It is therefore understandable that many countries now prioritise the development of policies aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship .

Schumpeter (1934) was one of the earliest researchers to focus on understanding entrepreneurs. Prior to this, the majority of the literature did not clearly differentiate them from other actors in the area, for example, capitalists, business owners, managers and family owned businesses.

IRST City Monument Bank (FCMB) has added another feather to its cap having emerged the “Most Customer Friendly Bank” in the country, at the prestigious annual BusinessDay Bankers Awards. The bank, which recently refreshed its brand with unique and differentiating identity, was voted after a rigorous process where several parameters were considered by the award team.

The bank during the citation was said to have also resolved the highest number of customers’ complaints, relative to total complaints recorded in the 2014 financial year.

In a release by the BusinessDay group, the award was introduced in 2013, by the nation’s premier financial newspaper to reward excellence, achievements and recognise contributions made in the banking industry, and ultimately the nation’s economy.

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INVESTORS SPEAK

Q4:Shareholders predict bearish market

Family owned businesses His pioneering work described entrepreneurs as individuals whose function was to carry out new combinations of means of production. His argument was that the function played by entrepreneurs within an economic setting was fundamental to that economy’s development. This was his basis for justifying the need for entrepreneurs to be studied independent of business personae.

Other researchers have since built on this definition. Vesper (1980) identified that a significant proportion of the value that the entrepreneurs contribute to a system revolves around innovation. For instance, they are involved with the introduction of products to the market, as well as developing or inventing new methods of production.

Another form of entrepreneurial innovation relates to the identification or emergence of new markets or sources of resources. hunting as well as portfolio rebalancing.

Thus farther out, we see a slight rebound in equities.”Agreeing with the foregoing, analysts at Cowry Asset Management Limited, noted that though there have sharp decline asset prices following the pronouncement, the decline are expected to be short-lived due to the attractiveness of current yields.

FCMB wins most customer friendly Bank Award

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'S FORUM

But when you particularly see the stocks that are going down and you have money to throw away, buy those that are depreciating because towards November they may appreciate when money will be coming out

The publication further opined that “since its introduction, it has engendered a healthy competition among deposit money banks in Nigeria, with a view to promoting the development of the banking sector in Africa’s largest economy”.

Reacting on the awards, Mr. Adam Nuru, Executive Director, Business Development, FCMB, who represented the Group Managing Director/CEO, FCMB, Mr Ladi Balogun, at the event said “we are happy to have come tops in the Most Customer Friendly Bank Category of the awards by the BusinessDay Group, which is a very credible and highly respected professional organisation. It is a confirmation of our unequalled commitment in offering exceptional quality service to our teeming customers and the Nigerian public”.

“At FCMB, we pamper our customers who have made us who we are today. We go the extra mile to satisfy them,” Nuru submitted.

*Shotunde Shopeju

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By Providence Obuh & Busayo Samuel

head of the last quarter of the year, investors’ have been advised to be careful of the stocks they buy from the stock market.

Shareholders who spoke with Investors Forum, said that there would be further drops in stock prices occasioned by festive period, just as they said that the investors should beware of their purchases.

*Sunny Nwosu next thing is for the market to rise again, it may not be to a very high magnitude but at least there should be a sign of improved capitalization and improved returns.

Chief Shotunde Shopeju, Chairman, Beacon Shareholders Association of Nigeria: The President has not nominated his Minsters and a lot of members of the House of Assembly and Senators are not stable and they have not done any passing of a lot of motions. And Sir Sunny Nwosu, National particularly, the financial aspect has Coordinator, Independent not been passed and sanctioned that it Shareholders Association of should continue. So those who are to spend that money are not in suit, as a Nigeria (ISAN): The last quarter is the quarter that result money is being held by the produces the final result and therefore government and spending style of shareholders would be mindful of investors are on the ending side, very that, investors will be mindful of that low. You will find that two, three weeks because that is the quarter that carries ago at a time the equities that all the provision. So it’s definitely appreciated were about 12 or 13, so going to be a cautionary issue and I the economic barometer is not moving also believe that a good result which up, although it did move up last week the third quarter will produce can also but today it went down as at the end of lift the capitalisation of the capital last Friday it went down from 57 to 32. market, but that will not come until So it is not stable it is osculating, as a after December. So the best time to result investors have got to be on guard know the trend of investment will be about choices of purchases they make. after December, when fillers will start But when you particularly see the going out that this company has done stocks that are going down and you have well or has done bad, then speculations money to throw away, buy those that will start inform of; let me invest in this are depreciating because towards November they may company as a result of appreciate when money these fillers. But so far will be coming out. The is a mixed feeling for the forth-coming Ramadan third quarter because is around, Muslims will that is the quarter that want to sell out at all cost will carry all the hit and at any from all the previous The economic denomination, so that quarters. they can buy ram and What to expect from barometer is to do the the market is that the not moving up, cow celebration . So it is market is down and going to further when one is down, the although it depreciate between now next thing is to get up. did move up and October and when it So that is my comes to October and expectation that the last week but you find November market should get-up, today it went coming in, people will be as you know the market a bit buoyant. down to 32 is already down and the

24— Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Shell says the world will need more oil

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Visit: L-R: Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; Managing Director, Pipelines and Product Marketing Company Limited, PPMC, Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue; and Managing Director, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited, Mr. Saidu Mohammed, during a facility tour of the plant by Kachikwu last week.

Oil companies flare N17.5bn gas in April

By Michael Eboh

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IGERIA lost about $87.38 million or about N17.48 billion in one month, as oil and gas companies operating in the country flared 29.13 billion standard cubic feet, bscf, of gas in April, according to data released by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The NNPC in its Monthly Petroleum Information, MPI, for April 2015, said oil and gas companies produced a total of 212.76 bscf gas, valued at $638.29 million, about N127.66 billion, utilised 183.64 million, mscf, and flared 29.13bscf, representing 13.69 per cent of total production.

Using the Nigerian Gas Company, NGC’s average gas price of $3/1,000scf, flaring 29.13bscf gas translates to a loss of $87.38 million, about N17.48 billion in one month.

According to the report, Service Contract companies, comprising only Agip Energy and Natural Resources, AENR, was the worst offender in the month under review, flaring 98.14 per cent of its total gas production of 483.8mscf.

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Marginal Field companies followed with the flaring of 50.92 per cent of its total gas production of 4.53bscf, utilising only 2.18bscf gas.

Sole Risks/Independent companies produced 17.133bscf gas, utilised 8.417bscf and flared 8.72bscf, representing 50.87 per cent of the total gas produced in April.

Production Sharing Companies, PSCs, and Joint Venture Companies, JVCs flared 12.53 per cent and 7.94 per cent of their total gas production respectively.

Specifically, the PSCs

Sole Risks/ Independent companies produced 17.133bscf gas, utilised 8.417bscf and flared 8.72bscf.

produced 53.37bscf, utilised 46.68bscf and flared 6.69bscf, while the JVCs produced 137.25bscf, utilised 126.35bscf and flared 10.9bscf.

What companies flared On a company-by-company basis, the report revealed as follows:  Prime Exploration: 31.64mscf – 100%;  Seplat Petroleum Development Company: 857.8mscf - 100%;  Pan Ocean: 553.57mscf 100%;  Platform Petroleum: 590.96mscf, flared 588.9mscf - 99.65%;  Niger Delta Petroleum: 1.271bscf, flared 1.23bscf 99%;  AENR: 483.8mscf, flared 474.8mscf - 98.14%;  Pillar Oil: 17.97mscf, flared 15.97mscf - 88.87%;  Midwestern Oil and Gas: 52mscf, flared 45.57mscf 87.63%;  Energia Limited: 348.62mscf, flared 284.319 - 81.55%;  Amni International Petroleum - 76.94%; Newcross - 75.23%; and,  Addax Petroleum: 4.17bscf, flared 2.53 bscf 60.63 %.

Sebastine Obasi, with agency report

HE low price confronting the global oil industry may not last long as being anticipated, if the prediction of the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Royal Dutch Shell is anything to go by.

The CEO, Mr. Ben van Beurden, said the company is responding with “vigour and determination” to cope with lower oil prices.

In his assessment of what the Iran nuke deal means for the global oil market, he said: “It’s a little bit hard for an outsider to predict what will actually happen because we’ve been out of Iran for a long time. A lot of talk about a million barrels of new oil coming on. But actually the world is going to need that million barrels. That’s less than one year demand growth and on top of it you see shrinkage in supply every year - three to four million barrels a day of shrinkage in supply at $60 oil.”

He explained that Shell has been cutting operating costs since the price slide as a way of remaining profitable. “We started off the slide in oil prices with a low gearing 12.4 percent. Since then, we have been cutting our operating costs, our capital spent quit considerably - $4 billion OPEX, $7 billion capital costs that’s about a year of dividends that we have saved in a year’s time,” he said Despite cutting costs, Van Beurden said the dividend is safe. “We did a very significant deal (BG Group acquisition) at a time of uncertainty in the markets. I think it’s very difficult for the ordinary investor to understand what is happening and what this deal means… I felt I needed to bring an assuring message out at as well that the dividend is basically guaranteed for this year at $1.88 per share,” he said.

US EIA supports higher demand The Shell CEO’s prediction of global oil demand is in tandem with United States Energy Information Administration, EIA, which in its September Outlook, said it expects global consumption of petroleum and other liquids to grow by 1.2 million barrels daily in 2015, and by 1.3 million barrels daily in 2016.

According to the EIA, growth in global consumption for 2016 was revised downward by almost 0.2 million b/d, compared with last month’s forecast, as China and other Asian economies continue to show signs of weakness. World real gross domestic product, GDP, weighted for oil consumption increased by 2.8 percent in 2014, and is projected to grow by 2.3 percent in 2015 and by 2.9 percent in 2016.

It explained that consumption of petroleum and other liquids in countries outside of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, grew by 1.4 million b/d in 2014, and is projected to grow by 0.7 million b/d in 2015, and by 1.1 million b/d in 2016.

The EIA also said that despite signs of slowing economic growth, China continues to be a driver of non-OECD oil consumption growth. China’s growth in oil consumption is expected to average slightly less than 0.3 million b/d in 2015 and 2016, below the 0.4 million b/d growth in 2014.

Also, Iran is expected to experience an uptick in economic activity and petroleum consumption in 2016, assuming implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA, between Iran and the P5+1 that was announced on July 14.

After falling by 0.3 million b/d in 2014, OECD petroleum and other liquids consumption is expected to rise by 0.4 million b/d in 2015, and by 0.3 million b/d in 2016, reaching an average of 46.4 million b/d, the highest annual average level of OECD consumption since 2010.

The EIA said that U.S. consumption is expected to grow by an average of 0.3 million b/d in 2015 and by 0.1 million b/d in 2016. Several European countries were said to have seen economic conditions improve as they emerged from recessions, which, combined with colder-than-normal weather early in 2015 across Europe, contributed to a projected 0.1 million b/d increase in consumption in OECD Europe in 2015, the EIA said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 —25

By Clara Nwachukwu

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HE Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, has maintained that in view of the scope of work required, success in the cleanup of Oginiland will only be achieved if a proper governance structure is established, the lack of which had impeded progress in the past.

In this regard, the Managing Director, SPDC/Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, said: “SPDC welcomes the leadership shown

by President Buhari in setting up governance structures for implementation of the UNEP report. It is greatly encouraged by the positive and constructive response from representatives of the community, Niger Delta NGOs and civil society,” while promising that “SPDC is determined to play its part in maintaining the momentum.”

The Federal Government about a month ago eventually stepped up the process for the cleanup of Ogoni land, more than four years after the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, released its report on the level of contamination and environmental degradation of the area, which required immediate actions.

The UNEP Report had said: “The Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland covers contaminated land, groundwater, surface water, sediment, vegetation, air pollution, public health, industry practices and institutional issues.”

Institutional issues To kick-start the process, UNEP had recommended that “An Environmental Restoration Fund for Ogoniland should be set up with an initial capital injection of $1 billion contributed by the oil industry and the Government.”

Shell implementation strategy Notwithstanding the fact that Shell had stopped operations in Ogoni since 1993, or the change in operatorship of the Ogoni assets, as the former operator of the assets, the company needed to vacate what it identified as its “legacy responsibilities” while it operated in the region.

The UNEP identified 22 actions directed at Shell, 5o actions directed at government, and four directed at the Ogoni people, which must be completed for sustainable restoration.

The Exteral Relations Manager, SPDC, Mr. Igo Welli, at an interactive session with journalists last week disclosed that Shell has executed 16 of the 22 actions it was required to take.

While stressing that the purpose of executing the actions was not to score points, but a demonstration of its commitment to the restoration process, he noted that overall success in the project will depend on the C M Y K

Officials inspecting level of damage on a spill site

OGONI CLEANUP: Shell insists on governance structure for successful implementation collaboration of all stakeholders.

He said: “When we talk about 22 actions directed at SPDC, and we’ve done 16, 50 actions directed at government, and four at Ogonis; we’re not doing it in strict sense as a scorecard that we are high or low. Even in all the actions you still need collaboration to deliver most of them. The 50 actions directed at government means they will lead, not that they will deal with them alone and if we don’t set up the governance structure or the platform to manage the funds, we cannot deliver on the 50.”

Accordingly, he argued that the process required that the Ogonis take a pro-active stand against theft and refining, and to allow access to clean up spills, while the SPDC joint venture, JV, reviewed procedures for the cleanup and remediation.

He added that partners also need to develop asset integrity management and decommissioning plans for

SPDC has always been committed to contributing its share of the environmental restoration fund recommended by UNEP once the appropriate governance conditions are in place

Ogoniland, and contribute to an Ogoni cleanup fund established

by Government.

At the institutional level, Welli said that government needed to: Carry out emergency measures to reduce community exposure  Establish institutional and regulatory reforms  Establish restoration authority  Establish clean-up fund.  Coordinate multistakeholders efforts Actions taken: Prior to its exit, the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration only went as far as establishingGovernment intervention the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project, HYPREP, with numerous white papers submitted for its mode of operations, which never took off.

Indeed, the UNEP Report recommended that “the Government of Nigeria establishes an Ogoniland Environmental Restoration Authority to oversee implementation of this study’s recommendations. With a fixed initial lifespan of 10 years, the Authority will have a separate budget which will accrue from an Ogoniland Environmental Restoration Fund, and its staff will largely be seconded from relevant national and state institutions.”

In line with this, President Mohammadu Buhari agreed that a contribution deposit of $10 million (N2 billion) will be made by stakeholders within 30 days of the appointment of members of the Board of Trustees for the Trust Fund set up for the remediation programme. The Board will also be responsible for collecting and managing funds from contributors and donors.

However, the UNEP recommended for “an initial $1billion” which pre-supposes that the amount will be higher.

Furthermore, the SPDC JV is such that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC,

holds 55 percent; Shell as operator, 30 percent; Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, TEPNG, 10 percent; and Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited, NAOC, 5 percent.

Under this agreement, it means that the initial $1billion, and every other monies subsequently required for the remediation will be contributed in order of the shareholding structure:  NNPC - 55 percent $550million ($10million committed);  SPDC - 30 percent $300million;  Total - 10 percent – 100million; and,  Agip - 5 percent - $50million Buhari also approved the amendment of the official gazette establishing HYPREP, to reflect a new governance framework comprising a Governing Council, a Board of Trustees and Project Management.

Right of way The HYPREP Governing Council will now comprise representatives of the ministries of Petroleum Resources and Environment, impacted states, oil companies, NNPC, Ogoniland, and the United Nations system.

Welli disclosed that on its part, Shell has not only completed 16 specific actions out of the 22 required of it, the remaining five actions are currently ongoing.

These include the relocation of the right of way, RoW, encroachers; decommissioning plan 1 action pending - SPDC contribution to the $1 billion Ogoni Restoration Fund; and independent verification of closed items. In terms of the RoW, he noted that of the 470 incidents documented along SPDC RoW in Ogoni, 368 have been remediated, 32 at various stages of remediation, leaving a balance of 70 incidents of which 40 are in Bodo.

He added, “Shell has also “completed the physical verification of assets in Ogoniland covering delivery and flowlines, manifolds, flow stations, compressor stations, gas plants and burrow pits.

“SPDC JV funded a regional water supply project at Eleme which provides access to potable water for about 30,000 indigenes across five clans from 103 outlets, but being expanded by Rivers State Government to include more outlets.”

In other areas, Welli said Shell has also instituted a Primary healthcare outreach to the communities through SPDC’s Health-In-Motion programme, where about 35,000 adults and 15,000 children have been reached.

The company has also executed alternative a livelihood programme, LiveWIRE, for 105 Ogoni youths, through which it provided start-up grants to the trainees most of whom have started businesses, while also monitoring the progress of the beneficiaries.

He added that Shell has also “Championed grassroots environmental campaign in partnership with SMEnv, NOSDRA, and Local NGOs to deepen awareness on ills of illegal bunkering and oil theft; and holds about 12 town-hall sessions across the four LGAs yearly.”

Town hall sessions Okunbor had noted that although oil production in Ogoni was stopped abruptly in 1993, due to access denial, but “Facilities were vandalised accompanied with fires, and oil spills. Oil theft and illegal oil refining has in addition led to significant environmental impact.”

As a result, Shell is making efforts to getting the communities to publicly stand against oil theft and illegal refining through awareness cmapaigns and sensitisation programmes.

UNEP Report: Despite what has been achieved so far, a lot more are still needed to be done for the complete remediation of Ogoni land, which UNEP estimated may take up to 30 years.

In drafting the report, UNEP noted that “We were confronted with a unique challenge: lack of trust between actors; political tensions between communities; regional and national government; gaining access to Ogoniland; security considerations and technical and logistical challenges.”

The report contains numerous recommendations that, “once implemented, will have an immediate and positive impact on Ogoniland. Further recommendations have longer timelines that will bring lasting improvements for Ogoniland and Nigeria as a whole.”

26— Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

OIL PRICE FALL: GE, others eye non-oil sectors

By Sebastine Obasi HE global fall in oil price, which has taken more than a year now, may have forced multinational oil service firms to focus on their non-oil investments in order to reduce the impact.

The new found sectors include aviation, transportation, construction, healthcare, and others.

The Chief Operating Officer, CEO, General Electric, West Africa, Mr. Uzochi Nwagwu, said that although the firm has not scaled down its operations due to oil price crash, it has invested heavily in many other areas outside oil, such as aviation, health, power, and water resources.

He explained that GE is supplying as well as servicing equipment used in hospitals; servicing aviation operators such as Arik Air, Kenyan and Ethiopian Airways, and a host of others. It is also providing equipment and services to power generation companies, GENCOs; and exploring opportunities in rail transportation by moving heavy goods across the country in order to help reduce hazards,

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occasioned by road and water transportation.

According to Nwagwu, GE has diversified its operation in order to have a balanced portfolio and further reduce whatever shocks that are coming from the instability in the oil market.

He said: “We at GE have created a balanced portfolio as part of efforts to guide against turbulence in the oil and gas

sector. A downturn period is a period that is actually meant for investment. During turbulence times, we invest more because we are looking for more friends or customers. It is during such period that an organisation knows its true friends.”

He explained that due to the global oil crisis, there has been no new investment, while there is reduction in the number of

activities carried out by operators.

He added that GE has positioned itself in such a way that it can actually prevent a spillover effect of the fall in oil prices on its operation.

“In terms of value proposition, General Electric is there. The firm is providing services to multiple companies or institutions. Apart from rendering services to oil majors such Shell, ExxonMobil,

Agip, Seplat, and others, GE provides services for the Niger Delta Development Company, NDDC, and other local operators in the oil and gas industry. That is why the company is not bothered as such,” he said.

Also, Schlumberger is said to be considering investment in rail construction as part of its divestment programmes. The company, which has a long record of service in the oil and gas has intimated Nigerians of its plan to diversify its operations with a view to expanding growth.

Energy: FG sets up taskforce for 5,000MW …Targets 6,000MW by year end

By Chris Ochayi

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BUJA - TO ensure that the target of 6,000 megawatts, MW, of electricity is achieved by the end of the year, the Federal Government has inaugurated a 14-man taskforce for the attainment of 5,000MW by this month end.

This step was taken by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, following peak capacity generation of 4,800MW that was achieved a few weeks ago.

NERC insisted that the success is the outcome of stringent

regulatory measures it applied with the cooperation of the industry operators in response to government’s renewed commitment to improve power supply.

The Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, who constituted a 14-man industry-wide taskforce, charged members to ensure the recovery of stranded 1,800MW within the network; articulate measures for effective delivery of the stranded power to consumers; and initiate actions to continuously ramp-up generation.

Amadi also challenged the

Commission’s staff on the milestone, saying: “We are witnessing increase of gas supply to power plants. This has resulted in the historic 4,800mw generation a few weeks ago.

From the report of the System Operator it is clear that we could have reached 5,000mw if we did not have load rejection by distribution companies and some frequency control issues as gas supply improved.”

He said that the present administration has “ensured discipline and zero tolerance for corruption has created a political

environment that is aligned to NERC’s transparent, accountable and effective regulatory approach.”

He noted further, “But the success we have recorded is still precarious and fragile. We have genuine fear that unless we continuously monitor the network and focus on proactively solving small problems,” such as load rejection by electricity distribution companies with attendant shrinkage in gas supply that could damage the long term prospect of capacity growth in the market.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 —27

UPDC's N5 billion Festival mall, residences coming in November •Beefs up security network

By Jude Njoku

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ARELY two years and three months after it flagged off the construction of the N5billion Festival Shopping Mall in the expansive premises of Golden Tulip Hotels (former Durbar Hotel),in the middle-income Festac Town neighbourhood, Messrs UACN Development and Property Company, UPDC Plc, is set to draw the curtains on the development of the project which has transformed the Amuwo-Odofin skyline.

The foremost property development company is also poised to deliver the 192-unit Festac Residences which is also located within the Golden Tulip Hotel premises. In fact, a November date is being proposed for the formal commissioning of the two projects.

Festival Shopping Mall which has attained a 90 percent completion level is already a beehive of activities following the opening of Shoprite, one of the two anchor tenants in the mall. The other anchor tenant, Silverbird Cinema is working round the clock to open for business on Nigeria’s 55th independence anniversary.

Apart from Shoprite, nine other tenants have opened for business in the mall.

Influx of shoppers Conducting newsmen round the mall last week, UPDC’s General Manager, Sales/Marketing, MS Titilayo Gbadamosi and the Resident Architect, Mr Sunday Ayohai, explained that in view of the influx of shoppers into the neighbourhood, UPDC has beefed up the security network in the area.

“A number of plain clothes surveillants have been deployed at the parking lots on 24 hours basis to identity, react and report any physical threats on customers, their vehicles and purchases. In addition, uniformed surveillants have been positioned strategically to give security presence and to complement the efforts of plain clothes surveillants.

Access controllers have been deployed to the main entrances/ exits at Diamond Estate and Mile Two - Jakande Estate axis to identify, authorise and vet persons and vehicles going in and out of the mall. Hand-held scanners, (metal detectors) are provided for the identification of suspicious objects. There is also a CCTV system around the mall to provide

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real time information on security matters. We also have mobile policemen patrolling the neighbourhood,” MS Gbadamosi said.

In all, a total of 46 tenants are expected to do business in the mall. Approximately 80 percent of the shops, according to MS Gbadamosi, have been leased to tenants for a duration ranging from two to five years. The tenancy is renewable at the expiration of the lease subject to both parties agreeing on the terms.

Festival Mall which is a joint venture project between UPDC and UPDC REITS, is the first mall in the country to run on IPP ( independent power plant). “This is the first mall in Nigeria that is running on IPP. Here we have the Mall, Residences and Golden Tulip Hotel. We have developed an independent power plant running on gas for our tenants because gas is cheaper than diesel. We also use electricity from PHCN,” the UPDC marketing manager explained.

“We have about 753 vehicle parking spaces to serve the three facilities. There are other parking spaces behind the food courts.

*Interior of the Mall There are three dedicated parking pay points. This will disuade those who feel that because this place is safe, they can park their vehicles and leave them here for weeks,” Ayohai said. Conducting newsmen round the Festac Residences, Mr Ugochukwu Osuji, an architect with CDS Global (the architects in charge of the project) said they will round off construction work in November.

“We are gradually driving to-

wards the completion of the project,” he said.

The Residences is an eight-storey block of flats consisting of three wings and a total of 192 apartments. A further breakdown shows that the block which was part of the defunct Durbar Hotel, is being redeveloped into 144 units of two-bedroom luxury flats and 48 units of one-bedroom apartments.

Prominent facilities being pro-

vided include borehole and treatment plant, central cooling system that can be regulated from each apartment, central gas system, sewage plant and fire-fighting sprinklers. Close-circuit television, CCTV systems will be installed on each floor of the building and at the security point. Access control will also be provided to deter unwanted guests from gaining access into the building.

Firm identifies challenges in real estate sector — Consolidates as one-stop shop

By Kingsley Adegboye

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ESSRS James Cubitt Development, a renowned firm of Architects and project developments, has identified government policy in respect of land administration and documentation, cost of building materials and the quality of manpower in terms of artisans and architects as major challenges confronting Nigeria’s real estate industry.

Making this known in Lagos last week during a round-table discussion on ‘Innovative Solutions to Housing Challenges in a Depressed Economy’ with property writers, the Managing Director of James Cubitt Developments, Mr. Oyediran Akinniranye, added that about 60 per cent of building materials are imported, pointing out however, that though, there are quite a number of good materials in the local market, one needs to be extra careful to avoid purchasing substandard products.

The Chairman of the Group, Mr. Alan Davies noted that the quality of graduates have dropped consistently over the years and it is only those who

have extra flair and exposure for architecture that can truly be tutored and mentored on the job.

For the concern about quality of artisans, it was further noted that significant process has been recorded in the private sector for the development of artisans.

Disclosing that the company has consolidated into a group of three companies thereby making it a one-stop-shop for prospective clients, Akinniranye said, as a company, James Cubitt Development works with a unique financial model that allows clients the opportunity to own parts of a project/building after payment

Cubitt Development works with a unique financial model that allows clients the opportunity to own parts of a project/building after payment over a number of years

over a number of years, explaining that this is a radical departure from the common payment model in traditional lease or extensive down payments before the project(s can be delivered.

According to James Cubitt boss, the Lagos-based firm now comprises the founding James Cubitt Architects for its traditional architectural functions, James Cubitt Interiors for interiors and landscaping as well as James Cubitt Developments for the construction of buildings to fit their designs.

The group chairman who gave a brief history of the company, said the mother company, James Cubitt Architects was set up by James Cubitt & Partners in London in 1949, and that in 1954, they established their practice in Ghana, and designed the College of Tech in Kumasi and some other projects.

According to him, in 1956, they moved to Nigeria where their first project was a public Library building in Enugu and later got involved in building projects in universities, pointing out that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was the first project where they impacted three master-plans.

“Subsequently, I came to Nigeria in 1980 to work on the fifth

master-plan. I took over the practice in 1986 and I have been in the country since then running the firm. In this period, we did many jobs in universities such as in University of Jos Teaching Hospital, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and at the University of Ife. These were our educational works including the Senate Building at the University of Lagos.

Interior designers We also did commercial and industrial works in the 1980s. In 1987, we were commissioned to design Mobil House, Victoria Island, Lagos. We were also commissioned as the interior designers”, Davis noted.

Davis who is the Honorary Australian Consul in Nigeria, said the company was known for office designers as they did more of offices like Coca Cola, Citi Bank, Diamond Bank by the Admiralty toll plaza on the Lekki expressway, Lagos, adding that they designed other buildings on Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, and the first building of the Eko Atlantic City that is evolving off the Bar Beach axis of the Atlantic Ocean.

28—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Ambassador Heights begins phased turnover in December

By Jude Njoku

AMBASSADOR Heights, the first five Star mixed-use luxury residential development in Accra, the capital of Ghana, will be completed on schedule and is expected to commence a phased turnover process later in December this year. The project is located adjacent the Moevenpick Ambassador Hotel.

Developed by KHI Ghana 01 in partnership with MAN Enterprise, the company commenced development in June 2014 completed the first “City Home” in March year.

“The vision was to create an

exclusive community comprising residences commanding the best in location, quality, and lifestyle. An integrated homeowner experience with access to the restaurants, retail, pool, spa, fitness, meeting and event facilities of the surrounding Moevenpick Hotel and Emporium Commercial Complex.

This vision is now being fully realized as the third phase of the integrated and master planned community comes to life,” the developers said in a release made available to Vanguard Homes &Property.

“Upon stepping into the Ambassador Heights’ Show Home, one is immediately immersed in

luxury. Elegant wood finishes, custom designed modern furniture, draping chandeliers, designer appliances, and the latest technology including “smart home” create an ownership experience set apart from any other in the market.

Floor to ceiling glass across the front of the home showcases a floating glass staircase while the back of the residence, also covered in glass, looks upon lush manicured gardens, beautiful amenities, and one of West Africa’s largest swimming pools.

Concierge, housekeeping, laundry, valet, and an array of other five Star hotel services are simply a phone call away, “ the

•Moevenpick Ambassador Hotel.

Sales Manager for the project, of our homeowners and those who have had the select opporRobert Davis,boated.

“I am proud to say the final tunity to view. Our development product we delivered within team has fulfilled their promise Ambassador Heights has been to create the most luxurious incredibly well received by all multi-home residential development in Ghana.” he added.

Developer tasks federal, state govts on housing, infrastructure

By Kingsley Adegboye

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GAINST the backdrop of the widening housing deficit in the country resulting from unfriendly policies, the need for governments at the federal and state level to see the issue of housing as a matter of concern and priority has been stressed.

The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Le’Venue Property Co. Ltd, Mr. Jemine Adollo, who spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property in an interview on the need by both the federal and state governments to direct their focus on housing as much as it is being done in oil and power sectors, said this is the only way Nigeria’s low income earners can have roofs over their heads with their meagre income.

Meagre income Lamenting that there is no clear direction for housing by the federal and state governments after 100 days of the new administration in Nigeria, the chief executive officer of the Lagos-based real estate firm noted that “In the area of housing, this present government has not really shown us a clear direction of where they want to go. We had hoped that on coming in, they will give us a clear chart of what they want to do in terms of housing.

“We all know that the housing deficit in Nigeria which is put at 17 million is even understated. It is beyond this figure. We had Continues on page 27 C M Y K

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015—29

LUPAR blueprint will be ready for Ilorin AGM —NITP president

By Jude Njoku

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HE draft of the new Land Use Planning Report, LUPAR will be made ready in time for the next national conference and annual general meeting, AGM of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP slated for October in Ilorin, Kwara State. This was disclosed by the President of the Institute, Dr Femi Olomola at the 17th edition of the Institute’s Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme MCPDP held recently in Kaduna, Kaduna State.

The two-day forum had: “Development of a Multi User Template for Land Use Planning and Analysis Reporting (LUPAR) in Nigeria” as its theme.

“Be rest assured that a draft of the LUPAR will be prepared and made available in time for our next conference in Ilorin in October. All suggestions bothering on comments, observations and corrections made during this MCPDP and the previous ones in Port Harcourt and Ibadan will be looked into between

now and October and possibly adopted so that we will have a robust LUPAR that we will present to a full house of the NITP in Ilorin,” Olomola said. Olomola who delivered the keynote speech, described LUPAR as a novelty that seeks to expand the frontiers of Site Analysis Report, SAR applications beyond the tradition of planning approvals. He explained that the MCPDP is aimed at building consensus on the new template among the practitioners and to allow for inputs before the report will be presented in Octo-

ber.

LUPAR which was conceived by the Femi Olomola-led administration, will also build on the existing SAR processes and procedures, as well as adding details of geographic references and further information relating to building types and conditions, title deeds, the local land use and development setting, and the permits granted on property. The expanded areas of LUPAR’s application cut across various sectors of the economy, with some of them having direct relevance to the financial

sector and regulatory agencies.

The new format LUPAR, according to settlement experts, will in addition to other benefits, become a very useful and authentic instrument that supports applications for opening of corporate bank accounts, process bank loans, make requests for Insurance cover, and incorporate/register new companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. It will also address the traditional requirements of applications for building plan approval/permits, issuance of certificates of oc-

cupancies (Cs-of-O), and potential value to security and regulatory agencies with oversight functions on crime and enforcement of standards, among others.

“With LUPAR, it is hoped that 95percent of all problems related to lack of data, inadequate personnel and stress on development control will be significantly addressed. This shall lead to situations where our colleagues in government can now rely on LUPAR as a companion in their decision making processes. A combination of two or three LUPARs in the same neigh-

*Femi Olomola

bourhood will, if carefully joined together, provide an updated base map of the neighbourhood at zero cost to the Town Planning Authority,” the NITP boss submitted.

Developer tasks federal, state govts on housing, infrastructure Continues from page 28

thought that when a new government comes into place, housing for the Nigerian people will be something major on their development plan. But in the past 100 days, we have not seen that. Rather, all we have been hearing is probes. Fine, we need to probe, but we also need to know where we are going.

I am not sure the current government in Delta state,

my home state has any plan in terms of housing.

Same with the government at the federal level. They have no plan for housing”, Adollo stated.

According to him, “It will be good for us the professionals to let them know on time what needs to be done, if they have the thought. If they do have the thought, they need to inform us on what they want to do, so that we can advise them ap-

*Mr. Jemine Adollo propriately. Over the years, what has happened in the industry is that many governments have come with ideas that they have not been able to implement.

“Several times, they have made people who are not experts or know nothing about housing as Ministers of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, or Managing Director of Federal Housing Authority. Then, they also engage people that know nothing about construction or social housing. That is what has been happening over the years.

So, we need to question the government about how they intend to take care of us, the citizens of this nation when it comes to housing.

“Housing is not a luxury, but a necessity. The minute you give a man shelter, it is assumed that 80 per cent of his problems is solved.

Then he can concentrate on other things that are of importance to him, and you will see that that person will become an asset to the society. For me, I need my governor to make housing a priority in Delta state. That is the easiest way the people can feel or get the dividends of democracy. He needs to concentrate on infrastructure and housing.

“Provide housing at a give-away price to the people of Delta State. Immediately that is done, our people will focus more on how to build the state, rather

than thinking of how to go and burst pipelines and engage in other illicit activities. So, even the government at the centre should make sure this housing thing is a major focus for them as well.

“The President was on BBC recently, promising that by 30th September, there will be a cabinet in place. We are hoping that someone who will be appointed as minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development will be somebody from the industry that has the technical knowhow of the industry. The Delta State governor and the President should bring in technocrats, people that understand the industry.

Pick them from the private sector and let them show how housing problem of the country can be checkmated. So, that is the idea that we have, that we want to sell to the federal and state governments”, Adollo said.

Reacting to the policy of the government that it should not involve itself in construction of houses, but to provide enabling environment for developers to build, Adollo said “We are not saying the government should go into actual construction of houses for the people. What we the developers are saying is that there is the Federal Mort-

The minute you give a man shelter, it is assumed that 80 per cent of his problems is solved

gage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). If you are lucky, it takes one year or more to access funding from FMBN. This is not encouraging to developers.

“Even the houses to be purchased with funds from FMBN are not available.

Remember that lands belong to the governments whether at the federal or state level. The cost of acquisition of land is very high. So, if you are acquiring land at a very exorbitant price and the interest rates are also very high because you are not able to access funds from FMBN, where does that leave us?, We are back to square one.

“Then all the houses that developers have built become out of the reach of the common man. Right now, the maximum fund you can access from any of the primary mortgage institutions (PMIs) is N15million, formerly it was N5million for decades.

But you are not able to access the fund because of so many impediments associated with accessing it.

So, if you are 30 years today, and the tenure you will pay back is also 30 years, and they are also telling you to go and bring 20 to 30 percent of the cost of the house being bought, the question is, how many Nigerians can afford that 20 to 30 percent for instance, you are buying a 3-bedroom bungalow for N7.5 million?. How many Nigerians can afford that? Is it people that are on a minimum wage of N18, 000 per month?”, he queried.

On what should be done, he said the first thing is to review Land Use Act and let it be radically amended.

“When I say radically amended, we all understand why governments rely so much on Land Use Act. It is because of the assets in the land.

30—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

•The interior

World premiere at IAA 2015:

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ERCEDES G 500 4x4²: the new special model of the GClass is designed for maximum off-road capabilities and offers the perfect basis for exclusive refinement.

This includes an increase in the power output of the twin-turbo V8 to 368 kW / 500 HP (493 bhp) and a boost in its peak torque to 710 Nm (523 lb-ft).

As a result, the tuned offroader sprints from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 6.9 seconds. Due to the allout off-road tires, the top speed is limited electronically to 210 km/h (130 mph).

The spectacular appearance of the allwheel-drive car is bolstered further by a high-end BRABUS paint finish and targeted BRABUS bodywork modifications.

An exclusive BRABUS fine leather interior created from Mastik leather and Alcantara refines the interior.

The four-liter eightcylinder twin-turbo engine of the Mercedes G 500 4x4² produces an ex-factory output of 310 kW / 422 HP (415 bhp) and isconsequently an excellent starting point for the new BRABUS B40 - 500 PowerXtra performance kit.

The centerpiece of the conversion is a plug-and-

BRABUS refines Mercedes G 500 4x4²

play. Control module that is adapted to the electronic engine management system. BRABUS utilized complex test cycles on state-of-the-art dynamometers as well as in terrain and on the road to recalibrate the electronic boost pressure control and reprogram the mapping for injection and ignition.

The result of these modifications fully lives up to the spectacular appearance of the crosscountry vehicle: An extra 58 kW / 78 HP (78 bhp) and an increase in torque by 100 Nm (74 lb-ft) make the SUV weighing more than three tons significantly more agile.

The rated power output of 368 kW / 500 HP (493 bhp) at 5,600 rpm and the high peak torque of 710 Nm (523 lb-ft), available on a plateau between 2,250 and 4,250 rpm, harmonize perfectly with the automatic transmission. Its seven speeds can also be changed manually with ergonomic BRABUS aluminum paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Equipped with BRABUS B40 - 500 PowerXtra engine tuning, the 4x4² sprints from rest to 100 km/ h (62 mph) in just 6.9 seconds. The top speed of the SUV is limited electronically to 210 km/h (130 mph) to protect the allterrain tires.

• BRABUS refined Mercedes G 500 4x4²

MAN advocates equalization fund for factories in few industries operating in less-advantaged zones the North if not quickly ad-

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HE Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the seeming imbalance in the cost of doing business in certain locations in the country.

MAN's President, Dr. Frank Jacob, made the call when the association paid a factory

visit to PAN Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of Peugeot brand of automobile in Kaduna, recently.

“There is a need for government to create some kind of equalization or palliatives that will moderate the costs of logistics and infrastructure deficiency to companies in the North,” he

appealed. He describe a situation where companies located in the less-advantaged areas pay exorbitant cost to transport their raw materials from the country’s seaports as unacceptable, warning that this ugly trend was capable of closing down there remaining

FRSC charges petroleum marketers to upgrade safety standard

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ORRIED by the rate of road traffic accidents on the nation’s highways, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, has asked independent petroleum marketers to upgrade their safety standards in line with global best practice in conveying petroleum products.

He said that safety standard must not be compromised on the altar of profit making. Oyeyemi stated this while making a presentation at the Transport Service Providers’ Training Workshop held at the head office of Oando Nigeria Plc, Apapa, Lagos.

The Corps Marshal opined that Nigeria had reached a stage where all stakeholders must take issues of road safety very

•FRSC boss, Boboye Oyeyemi seriously by observing the safety standards set to guarantee safety of lives and property. He noted with dissatisfaction that most of the crashes involving tankers/trailers in the country were avoidable as the vehicles were old, mechanically dysfunctional, while the drivers were poorly

trained with some having poor eye sight and attitudes that see road crashes from fetish beliefs.

Oyeyemi, therefore, called on stakeholders to come together to demonstrate commitment to issues of road safety by adopting scientific safety measures in their operations.

He said: “The number of tanker/trailer crashes as well as casualties that were recorded this year are unprecedented in the history of this country.

“In June 2015, we recorded 16 crashes involving tankers/trailers, while that of Onitsha alone claimed 49 lives.

“The other crashes that occurred in Lagos and other parts of the country, not only claimed precious lives, but destroyed houses and vehicles in the inferno that threw the entire nation into state of mourning,” he added.

Giving an overview of the crash situation globally, Oyeyemi disclosed that 1.3 million people die annually from road crashes, while 50 million suffer various degree of injuries with Nigeria accounting for 10, 380 of the crashes in 2014.

“5,596 people died last year in the country from

road crashes, while 32,089 suffered injuries and 16, 779 vehicles were involved,” he further stated.

Expressing the concern of the FRSC with the social and economic losses from the crashes, most of which, he said could have been avoided, with right attitudes and commitment to issues of road safety, the Corps Marshal commended the Major Petroleum Marketers in the country for taking issues of safety serious in their operations, pointing out the various safety measures they have taken to avert tanker crashes, especially fuel spillage, through the use of 'Safety Valves' had paid off.

He said: “The use of safety valves in tankers ensures that even if a crash occurs, the fuel would not spill on the ground to cause further havoc.

dressed.

He added: “The lack of access to gas is also another major deficiency threatening the survival and growth of industrial and manufacturingdevelopment in the North.” He noted that the costs of logistics and bringing raw materials from sea ports in the southern part of the country to the North are incredible. “This,” he said, “must be addressed otherwise most of them will go out of business.”

The President expre-ssed optimism that the provision of equalization fund or some form of incentives to the compa-nies operating from the northern wing of the country would also go a long way in preventing migration of youths in search of job opportuni-ties from North to South. He also called on the government to implement in full, the National Automotive Policy to boost productivity of local industries such as PAN, which will also put smiles on faces of many unemployed youths by giving them job opportunities.

The MAN boss however expressed amazement with the level capital and human resources in PAN saying the resources on ground is comparable with that of the developed economies in the world. In his remarks, the Managing Director, PAN Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Boyi, intimated the team on the challenges and feat achieved by his management in their effort to turn around the company.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015—31

By Theodore Opara

Luxury bus owners cry out to IGP

Robbery attacks:

O

WNERS of long distance luxury buses plying various routes across the country have called on the InspectorGeneral of Police, Solomon Arase, to deploy anti-crime teams that will provide day and night surveillance on the highways to stem the rising cases of armed robbery.

The bus owners also want police to investigate the frequent robbery attacks targeted at their vehicles and the hapless passengers which, according to them, have been on the increase in recent times, leading to loss of lives and a decline in their operations.

These were some of the measures recommended by the transporters under the aegis of the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria, ALBON, when they visited the police boss in his Abuja office recently, following a spate of armed robbery attacks on luxury buses

on various highways.

Led by the National President of ALBON, Sir Dan Okemuo, the bus owners lauded the efforts so far made by the Inspector-General to address the problem of insecurity since his assumption of office a few months ago, adding, however, that with regular patrol, crime on the highways “would be drastically reduced, if not totally eliminated.”

Hot spot

The association identi-

fied some of the routes on which its members’ buses and “innocent passengers have become victims of targeted vicious armed robbery attacks” as: JosAkwanga-Lafia-Makurdi stretch (especially at Kadoroko); MakurdiAlaide-Oturukpo Obollo9th Mile (especially at Ugbokolo); Okene-Lokoja Road; Abuja-KadunaZaira-Kano Highway; and Lagos-Ibadan-OwoOkene Road.

Okemuo said other routes where robbers

IGP Arase and the ALBON delegation during the latter's visit to his office in Abuja, recently have been laying siege on luxury buses and travellers are Lagos-Shagamu-Benin, Benin by-pass (even in the day time); Jos-Nasarawa-Keffi-Abu-

ja Road; and Onitsha9th Mile-Obollo stretch.

The ALBON delegation stated: “Indeed, we note with admiration the professionalism, courage and

determination the Inspector-General has demonstrated in policing our nation within this short period of his assumption of office.

FG reaffirms commitment to auto policy—Jalal D IRECTOR General of National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, Engr.

Aminu Jalal, has affirmed the commitment of Federal Government to the continuity of Nigerian Auto Policy.

Engr. Jalal said that President Muhammadu Buhari had repeatedly emphasized the Federal Gov-

ernment’s determination to diversify the economy through the promotion, support and protection of local industrial production in all areas that the country had sufficient capacity, including the automotive industrial sub-sector with its potential for mass employment.

He gave this assertion in his office in Abuja while

receiving a group of Chinese investors from the world’s largest manufacturer of high capacity buses, Zhengzhou Yutong Buses Company Limited, led by a director of the company, Mr. Michael. On patronage, the NADDC boss said Federal Government was committed to the patronage of made-in-Nigeria automobiles, and that all federal ministries,

departments and agencies were mandated to source their vehicle procurements from local assembly plants except where the specification of the required vehicle was not among the range of models produced by the various brand names in the country.

He said: “We have the assurance of government’s patronage at the Federal

level and we are still talking to state governments to appreciate the benefits of buying from our local producers,” adding that the products of our local plants are of very high quality and standards, have readily available service parts, have after-sales service and are cheaper because of the tariff differentials with the imported FBUs.

32 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 , 2015

Petroleum varsity, contractor trade words over N2bn hostel project W

By Emma Amaize

ARRI—THE Federal University of Petroleum Resources, FUPRE, UgbomroEffurun, Delta State, and Shoreline Development International Limited, a developer the university signed an agreement with in October last year to build a N2 billion 1000bed space students’ hostel on the platform of Build, Operate and Transfer, BOT, arrangement, are at daggers drawn over the project.

As at yesterday, work on the project, which Shoreline claimed to have spent over N445 million to lay the foundation, had been stalled, following a stop work order by the university.

A representative of the company, which secured a loan from a foreign investment corporation, guaranteed by Diamond Bank Plc, to execute the project, told Vanguard: “Problem started when the advisor appointed by the university started making a demand of N139 million, which they described as consultancy fee from us. We know that this is bribe and our bank refused to pay it.

They issued the first stop work order when we refused to pay, instead we went to court. They begged us to settle out of court, but when we withdrew the matter, they came up with the demand again, we offered N50 million to let peace reign, they rejected it

and issued another stop work order, that is why we have gone to court again.”

Chairman of the Governing Council of the university, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, who spoke to Vanguard on the matter, described the allegations as tissues of lies, saying findings by the university showed that the developer deceived the university into believing that it had the financial capacity to execute the project, whereas it was not financially buoyant.

He said it was after paying 20 per cent counterpart fund, which amounted to N416 million that

the university found out that the developer was dishonest and the institution wrote to the bank to return its money.

Barigha-Amange said he was not aware that the consultant, Tonye Ojoko Associates, demanded for bribe from Shoreline, saying the consultant asked for its duly approved consultancy fees of N139 million, which the developer had refused to pay till date.

He said Shoreline apparently did not have money to pay the consultant and suppliers, who were on its neck and the stop work order was based on the university’s dissatisfaction with the company’s

performance at the site.

The consultant, Tonye Ojoko, who also spoke to Vanguard, said he did not ask for bribe but his professional fee, spelt out in the Bill of Quantity for the project.

One of the suppliers, Mr. Pius Odogwu, said Shoreline owed him money for supplies made, but a source said the company had written a petition to the police in Warri against Odogwu for alleged forgery.

An official of Shoreline, Patrick Oppah, who responded to Vanguard, however, said: “Tonye Ojoko changed the design of the substructure after the bid and signing of the contract."

VISIT: Former Administrator, Greater Port Harcourt City Authority, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam (left), Mr. Andi Wariso (right) and Vanguard columnist, Donu Kogbara, released by kidnappers, weekend, 13 days after she was kidnapped at her PH residence.

Rivers APC raises alarm over alleged fresh plot to defame Amaechi APC allegation unfounded — Rivers Govt

P

By Jimitota Onoyume

ORT HARCOURT—ALL Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, has raised alarm over alleged renewed attempts by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, to tarnish the image of the immediate past governor of the state, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, through sponsored television documentaries, sponsored publications such as advertorials, columns, editorials and articles in major international, national and local print media.

According to the party, other propaganda tools planned to be deployed in the war against Amaechi are sponsored personality discussion programmes in the electronic media and sponsored special documentaries for television and radio through independent groups and organisations.

While declaring the former

governor clean and untainted by corruption, APC urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to disregard desperate efforts by Chief Nyesom Wike, to tarnish Amaechi’s image.

Rivers APC in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday and signed by its state chairman, Dr. Davis Ibiamu Ikanya, said, “We make bold to say that if there is any clean and spotless former governor in Nigeria, that person is Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

Anybody who knows Amaechi well enough would readily testify that he is an honest, sincere but courageous gentleman, a first-class patriot who is ever ready to go the extra mile to see that Nigeria becomes a better place for the present and future generations.”

The party condemned Chief Wike’s desperation to drag Amaechi’s name in the mud, the latest phase of which centred around a sponsored documentary on Amaechi being aired on Africa

Independent Television, AIT. The statement reads in part: “This satanic documentary is only part of Wike’s propaganda war against Amaechi for which the Governor of Rivers State has earmarked billions of naira in his wicked plot to destroy and decimate the person and character of Amaechi. Other propaganda tools planned to be deployed in the war against Amaechi include sponsored publications such as advertorials, columns, editorials and articles in major international, national and local print media; sponsored personality discussion programmes in the electronic media and sponsored special documentaries for television and radio through independent groups and organisations."

Reacting, Rivers State government, described as unfounded allegations by APC, accusing Governor Nyesom Wike of plot to cook up stories to rubbish his predecessor, Mr Chibuike Amaechi.

In a statement, Special Assistant to the governor on

Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, said the former governor shunned the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry where he would have defended himself of allegations of corruption levelled against him.

According to him, the former governor allegedly mismanaged billions of Rivers money, saying “It is embarrassing that the leadership and membership of Rivers State APC continue to embrace and encourage corruption despite the glaring cases of looting, mismanagement of resources and the diversion of Rivers State funds to sponsor political activities traced to the former governor and their sponsor. The former governor had the opportunity to defend himself before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry investigating the sale of valued assets of the state, but chose to stay away.”

Tribunal upholds Omovie's election

A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—NATIONAL and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal panel, sitting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, has struck out the petition by the Labour Party, LP, candidate for Warri South constituency II, in Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Bright Obodo against Chief Denis Omovie of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Obodo went to the tribunal to challenge the declaration of Omovie as winner of the State House Assembly election in the constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Striking out the petition, chairman of the 3-man panel tribunal, Justice L M Boufini, said the petition was not signed by the second petitioner.

Reiterating that the petitioner did not comply with paragraph 4 (3) (b) of the first schedule of the Electoral Act, Boufini insisted that the absence of the second signatory rendered the petition invalid.

Community appeals to FG over Maritime varsity

W

ARRI—PEOPLE of Okerenkoko have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari not to abandon the Nigerian Maritime University, NMU, at Okerenkoko town, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta state,.

Speaking through one of its leaders, Chief Beck Hitler, at a briefing in Warri, said: “The reported stoppage of the ongoing construction at the site of the university on the instruction of President Buhari cannot be true because the university is a federal government institute designed to benefits all Nigerians, irrespective of tribes and political affiliations.

"The Maritime University at Okerenkoko when completed, will admit Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba students and that is why President Buhari cannot stop the construction work at the university.”

FLOOD DISASTER: Delta govt borrow pit overflows, wreaks havoc on citizens PAGE 2

CREEPY MIRACLE: Calabar pastor, family live with python for 10 years PAGE 5

VOL. 1: No. 66

TUESD AY, SEPTEMBER 115, 5, 20 15 TUESDA 201

•Bridge commissioned in 1963 by Eastern Nigerian Government

•Science laboratory destroyed by windstorm

BAYOP: The Cross River community everyone forgot •Villagers live without electricity, road and potable water since creation •LG chair shuns village after vehicle broke down on horrible road •Rundown bridge to community constructed 53 years ago CROSS-RIVER… THE PEOPLE’S PARADISE

By IKE UCHECHUKWU

B

A Y O P — GOVERNMENT officials, neighouring villagers and traders have abandoned Bayop, an agricultural community in Osokom II clan, Boki Local Government Area, Cross River State, while residents are also relocating from the settlement because of its horribly bad road, lack of basic amenities and abject misery they found themC M Y K

selves.

During his visit last month (August) to a neighboring village to Bayop, the vehicle of the incumbent chair of Boki local government, Mr. Abubakar Ewa, broke down on the tumbledown road. Since then, chair is not in a hurry to take a trip on the road.

Youths rescued him and his entourage from the mess, otherwise, he would have had worse tales to tell.

About a month after the unforgettable incident, Bawop is still a no go area. Other government officials and citizens have followed correspondingly

because of intolerable bad road.

Inhabitants of the autonomous community, which has boundary with Oku –Bushuyu in the east, Kakwagom in the north, Oku Aro/Buanakong in the west and Mbube in Ogoja local government area in the south are predominantly rural farmers , who produce yams, cassava and cocoa yams.

Chair of Bawop community, Chief George Tuku Ochang, who was shocked to see a journalist in the settlement, asserted, “We are like people at the last part of the world. In fact, we live at the end of the world, it takes more than three hours

to get to this place on a dry day from Ogoja, talk more of coming from the council headquarters.”

Govt has since forsaken us “Government after government, administration after administration, not one has remembered us till date,” he added.

A source revealed that the last time government carried out a project was in 1962 and it was a bridge by the then Eastern Nigeria Government in a joint effort with the community. The

bridge commissioned in 1963

by I. U. Akpabio is the only government project in the area, it connects Mbube in Ogoja to Bawop-Utugwang in Obudu.

Niger Delta Voice investigations revealed that the people lacked all the necessities of life.

The people have been living in darkness since the community into existence, the road is rickety and potable water is a luxury.

The villagers constructed practically everything in the community, including the only primary and secondary schools on self-help, except the six-block Continues on Page 7

2 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

FLOOD DISASTER:

Delta govt burrow pit overflows, wreaks havoc on citizens •Mekaval Hotel affected, over 100 houses in jeopardy, inhabitants relocate •Residents explode, say Ministry of Works, Uvwie LG, NDDC ignored alert notices

DELTA...

•Another overrun compound

FINGER OF GOD

By EMMA AMAIZE Catastrophe prophesied

E

FFURUNIF you stopover at Aribogha Street and environs, off Refinery Road, Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, where a wing of the magnificent Mekaval Hotel collapsed, last Wednesday, and seven persons salvaged alive, you would bellyache for the state and the breed of officials that manage its affairs.

The September 9 incident was a disaster forecasted by the people and government would have without problems prevented it if officials bothered to listen and acted on the timely complaints of the troubled residents, who alerted the state government and assortment of other agencies since 2010. Oddly, civil servants left the letters unattended until the disaster occurred.

As at Friday when Niger Delta Voice reporter visited the area, many apartments were still submerged. A one-room shop opposite Mekaval Hotel was under water, but the owner had evacuated her goods. Also waterlogged was a close by institution, Victory School, a storey- building complex and a company, where our reporter, clutching his shoes on his left hand and his trouser folded to his knees, met a soldier on guard.

The advancing flood from the burrow pit had overrun the company’s fence from where it broke into Mekaval Hotel. At least three other high-rise buildings were

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 C M Y K

•The Borrow Pit that caused the catastrophe standing in the hotel at the time of our visit, but the collapsed wing was much closer to the point of impact. However, a bungalow behind the affected wing, also saturated, withstood the foray.

Delta govt dug controversial burrow pit!

Unmistakably, the problem that led to the heartrending state of affairs, several residents swore to Niger Delta Voice, arose many years ago, when the state government allegedly created an artificial pit (burrow pit) to build roads in the twin city of Effurun and Warri, both headquarters of Uvwie and Warri South local government areas.

High speed development With high-speed development in the area and unchecked manner of erecting structures, the borrow pit whose water flows to nowhere, grew in size and practically turned to a river, spilling over its bounds. Alarmingly with no discharge point, the water from the burrow pit ends up in houses of the residents, drenching the entire street.

It had remained so over the years. Many panic -struck residents and business owners had relocated from the ‘danger territory’ in the last few months.

Mekaval Hotel owned by Chief Chiedu Idama happened to be the first major sufferer, this year.

Inhabitants say it was customary to see the layout submerged yearly for a period of four to five months.

From our findings, there is every indication that more houses would crumple, except government takes urgent action to tackle the underlying cause of the predicament. …Five years ago: On Novem-

ber 29, 2010, the worried property owners and residents of Aribogha Street wrote to the Ministry of Works and Housing, Asaba, alerting government of the threat to their life and property by a threatening overflow from the burrow pit.

In the letter by their solicitor, J. O Igudia Esq, addressed to the Commissioner, the people said they had written the chair of Uvwie local government, Uvwie monarch and the state government before then to no avail. They pleaded that government should channel the burrow pit to the drainage in Jakpa Road to prevent the looming disaster. However, the authorities purportedly dismissed it with a wave of hand.

Rude shock: The urgent letter was seemingly followed by an incident the previous day, November 28, 2010. To the supreme mortification of the residents, who woke up on that day, they saw the same government they had been calling to come to their rescue, which had paid deaf ears to their cries, constructing drainage to channel water from different parts of Effurun to the said burrow pit through their street (Aribogha).

They noted, “This is without regard to the problem of over flooding already on ground from the said burrow pit and which has sent residents out of their houses

There is not outlet from the burrow pit, hence the overflow into our streets and houses

•Submerged street for the past five months.”

The distressed residents reportedly approached the ARC engineer on the site, who told them that he was using the design from the Ministry of Works.

Unheeded warning They expressed alarm that “without proper survey on the effect of the drainage construction on the residents and landlords, the engineer has gone ahead to construct the said drainage” and urged the commissioner to reconsider the design and save them the artificial hazard.

“Sir, development as we all know is for the enjoyment of the people and not to their detriment and we are in support of development to the letter and this development we long for, we cannot be a hindrance to it, but when it is designed to our detriment, it is not development,” they added.

The lawyer wrote, “Our client has instructed that we demand that for a drainage to be constructed to the said burrow pit there has to be a way for the water in the burrow pit to flow so that when it rains, instead of over flowing to our houses, the water will find its way to the proper channel.”

Fresh alert ignored On July 18, 2011, the property owners in a further letter signed

by Mr. Jacob Igudia and Marvel Ikpe, appraised the chair of the local government of the worsening over flooding from the burrow pit, Navy Barracks and Refinery Road, which empties into their compounds and had caused unquantifiable damage to their buildings.

“We, the residents of the area

on our own have been trying in our own way to see how we can solve the issue of over flooding of the said burrow pit by pouring laterite on the road and making embankment, all to no avail. So we are using this medium again to appeal to your humble office and as the chair of Uvwie Task Force Committee on Prevention of Flood in Uvwie to come to our rescue so as to avert any further loss of life and property,” they said.

Nothing done for almost a year, they wrote again in January 27, 2014, this time to the member representing Uvwie in the state House of Assembly, Hon Efe Ofobruku, drawing his attention to the menace.

Overflow into the street They informed him: “The flood is caused by the overflow from the Jakpa road borrow pit. All the water from the Navy Barracks, Refinery Road, Aka Avenue and Jakpa Road flows into the burrow pit. There is no outlet from the burrow pit, hence the overflow into our streets and houses.”

They also sent a letter, entitled, “Request for urgent assistance to curtail the flood in Aribogha street and environs, off Refinery road, Effurun” to the Commissioner representing the state in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, January 31, 2014, four days after the letter to Ofobruku.

Idama begs frantically for assistance On the second of the successive month, February, last year, chair of Mekaval Hotel, Chief Idama, wrote in his personal capacity to the NDDC commissioner, pleading for critical assistance in the provision of drainage to diver the

Contiunes on page 3

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 3

heavily flooded, “he asserted.

He said the residents went to the Delta Broadcasting Service, DBS, to make known their plight, but the government media outfit refused to air their plight, saying that higher authorities warned them not to take any news on flooding.

Residents perplexed, waiting for Okowa •Inside a flooded compound

•Chief Chinedu Idama

Delta govt borrow pit overflows, wreaks havoc on citizens Continues from Page 2 flood from Aribogha Street and environs into the Ekpan River via the Jakpa Road drainage.

“We are pleading that your office comes to rescue us as our entire self help efforts have not been able to curtail the flood,” he said, adding, “This has paralyzed our hotel business during the rain peak period.”

Last resort More than five months ago, it was blatant that something drastic could happen. The residents again fired another letter to the Uvwie local government chair. In the April 20 letter, signed by Chief Idama, Dr. E.U. Jegbefume and 3 others, they begged for urgent permission for the resi-

dents to construct a drainage system that will divert the flood from Aribogha Street and environs into the Ekpan River via the Jakpa Road drainage through self-help.

They noted, “The permission or authority is necessary as the neighbouring community has stopped us from constructing the drainage system…The flood has been very destructive to our lives as we have to evacuate our houses during the flooding period. This is why the landlords have come together to carry out this self help project.”

“We will be glad if you can send your engineering and environmental officers to visit the area and speak to our neighbouring community and persuade them to allow us construct the drainage

system as it does not affect their houses and roads,” they further requested.

No structural defect in Mekaval Hotel – Idama Chief Idama said, “For the past five or six years, we have been noticing the overflow from the burrow pit, it has become very menacing, this is a burrow pit dug during the construction of Jakpa Road and Refinery

We had predicted the damage this overflow has done to our buildings, so we are not surprised that part of Mekaval Hotel buildings collapsed

•Ikpe, resident Road and it does not flow out.

Therefore, at the peak of the rain, it vomits it at Aribogha Street and environs. Mekaval Hotel is located on Aribogha Street. We have complained persistently to different governments.”

“We made applications to Delta State government, NDDC, DESOPADEC, and local government to come to our assistance and channel the burrow pit through Jakpa Road to Ekpan stream, but no help came. The last Commissioner for Environment, Chief Frank Omare, was frequent here, giving promises, but still yet, nothing done.

“We had predicted the damage this overflow has done to our buildings, so we are not surprised that part of Mekaval Hotel buildings collapsed. It is a high-rise building under continuous flood bombardment, if you go round the neighbourhood, everywhere is

Secretary of the Landlords’ Association in the area, Mr. Marvel Ikpe, said that the residents were bewildered at government inactions over the years, which caused the collapse of the hotel and presently pose life-threatening danger to the people. He said those who channeled water to the burrow pit claimed that they thought the place was a river and so, they constructed the road in such a way that all the water coming from the Navy Yard, Refinery and Jakpa roads pour into our street.

He said, "officials of the Ministry of Environment came to the area about two or three months ago for the umpteenth time to look at the damage, promising that they will come back but until today, I have not seen them.”

The embittered residents chorused that the burrow pit dug by the state government caused the calamity and they were waiting to see what Governor Okowa would do about their plight.

MEKAVAL HOTEL COLLAPSE:

How church miracle hunters escaped death •They‘re not my church members — Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, Christ Mercy Land

By Egufe Yafugborhi

E

FFURUN—WHEN a wing of the Mekaval Hotel at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta state, buckled some minutes past 3.00 am , last Wednesday, virtually all the seven occupants liberated from the rubble were visitors on a miracle voyage at the Mercy Land Deliverance Ministry, a place of worship with a mounting reputation for miracles within and outside the state.

Earliest rescuers, who pulled the survivors from the wreck before the National Emergency Management Agency registered belated presence were mainly youths of the church joined by good spirited neighbors touched by the plight of trapped victims. The church also brought two excavators to the scene.

Akpoguma Davis, a property owner in an adjacent building less than three meters from the walls of the collapsed building, who witnessed it all, said: "At about 3.00 am, my dogs were barking seriously so I came out not knowing they were reacting to the noisy cracks from the C M Y K

first vibration. I took my torch and went round wondering if there were robbers lurking.”

“After three minutes, this whole thing collapsed, I heard one woman shouting repeatedly, I came to Mercy Land, help me. We got her out after four hours," he said.

When Niger Delta Voice visited the scene, rescuers were painstakingly pushing aside rubble before digging towards Mrs. Janet Mark from Bayelsa.

Her father simply identified as Gambia was waiting anxiously

•Flooded Mekaval Hotel

among the crowd of sympathizers and her mother stayed in a waiting van, too petrified to be at the site.

A church member among the rescuers, hinted, “Mrs. Mark has been looking for fruit of the womb for years. God answered her prayers at Mercy Land. She got pregnant through the prayers of Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, founder of the church and she has been here for a week over our current miracle programme.”

Rescuers got to Mrs. Mark after 10.00 am, more than seven hours after the collapse, pulling her out to waiting arms of her father, who whisked her out immediately, declining press comments. The survivor shared her experience later when the Deputy Governor, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, visited victims rushed to nearby Divine Grace Hospital.

She was the last of seven survivors rescued at the time.

Kingdom Brown from Finima, Bonny Island, Rivers State, also came on a miracle mission to

•Collapsed wing

Mercy Land. He was saved unhurt, but the younger sibling, who accompanied him, sustained injury on his leg as the building came down. They had lodged hoping to stay for six nights through the church programme.

Fifty-one-year old Benjamin Hosu from Lagos, said, "I and a colleague came to town to execute a technical project for a company in the locality. We lodged on the first floor, around Contiunes on page 5

4 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Edo community devastated by erosion cries out to Oshiomhole •Access road cut off, over 10 houses submerged •We’re trapped – Residents •Govt won’t abandon affected communities — Commissioner Agba

T EDO… HEART BEA BEAT

OF THE NA TION NATION

By Simon Ebegbulem

I

WOGBAN- RESIDENTS of Iwogban community, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Edo State, are under serious threat by ravaging gully erosion, which had pulled down over 12 houses and cut off the Ekhaguere access road to the town.

Inhabitants, who conducted Niger Delta Voice, round the endangered area, weekend, appealed to Governor Adams Oshiomhole to come to their aid.

They said erosion could wipe out the entire community that if the state government did not take urgent measures to avert the menace.

Nothing concrete by govt One of the troubled dwellers said the community drew the attention of the governor to the looming disaster in a letter jointly signed by their chair, Moses Oviawe and secretary, Emmanuel Simon. “In 2010, we wrote series of letters to the state Ministry of Works and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, highlighting the danger posed by this gully erosion. As we speak, several have been submerged by the gully erosion,” he said.

According to him, “Our hope for survival came when the World Bank came to inspect the site, they gave us assurance that something positive will be done to save our lives and properties.

This was in 2014. As we speak, there is nothing on ground to show that our dream will come true."

Present situation However, Pa Michael Azeke, a leader in the community, who explained how the erosion aggravated to the present situation, said “This used to be the road through which everybody passes but suddenly as we started to develop the community, flood started coming from the river in Temboga road.

“We have made some efforts by applying to the House of Assembly and it referred our letter to the state government, but we have not heard from them. On our side, we took some palliative measures by closing the road but that could not help, so we had to cry out that the government should help us in doing this road.

Occupants flee “Our neighbours have all left because of the gully erosion that has destroyed more than 10 houses. The distance from here to Temboga, I can guess it is up to one quarter of a mile and C M Y K

houses from there are all gone.

Since the development of this estate, we pass this major road before we are able to connect the major road. Socially and economically, we are affected.”

Pa Azeke stated, “We have been trying our best to maintain it before we cry to government but nothing has been done. They have been promising us that they will come but they have not. In February, this year, six Europeans with the World Bank came to look at it and said they will come back and start it, but up till now, we have not seen the result and most of our people are running

away from the moat area because in the night, houses may fall.”

He added, “When rain falls, most of our children cannot come here to play and even our women cannot pass this road. All our efforts on this road have all collapsed and we have been pleading with the government to tackle this flood because we have tried our best.

We are appealing to Governor Oshiomhole, who has been doing very well in tackling flood and erosion menace in many parts of Edo state to come to our aid. We cannot leave this area we have no other place to go.”

We’re endangered

Another resident, Pastor Hezekiah Eleh, an Igbo, who has lived in the area for over 15 years, said, “It has been terrible, I have done my best by digging gutters over the years to stop the erosion but no way. Now, there is nothing I can do again, every day now, I sleep with my eyes open with members of my family, We are living in danger here, we are begging government to come to our aid, we are citizens of this country, we have no other place to go.

Many people have packed away, but we do not have money to rent apartment any other place.

Please, I am begging, government must come and help us before the entire area will collapse on us.”

Our problem is finance- Govt Contacted, Commissioner for Environment, Prince Clem Agba, said the state government was handling all erosion sites in the state, expressing regrets that due to inadequate funds, it has not been able to tackle the gully erosion sites as fast as it wished.

“We have over 100 active gully sites in this state that we have

Eroded.

taken inventory of. As if we have always said, it requires huge resources to deal with, which is actually beyond the capacity of the state government. That is why we have enlisted into the Newman programme that we had to source for fund from the World Bank.

Currently, three sites are in progress for remediation, that is the Auchi gully site - the biggest that we have, Queen Ede and Ekenwan, all on- going.

“At the moment, we are looking at 10 other sites and the need to ensure that we carry the three senatorial districts along.

Senatorial districts In addition, they are huge gullies in Edo Central, we have in Ewu, we have in Emo and in Ibore, and those three are part of the next sites that we are working on. As we speak, they are doing hydrological studies, doing surveys and working out the designs. After that, we will be able to have the bill of the engineering measurement and have an estimate of what it will cost. Then we can take it from there,” he said.

Agba asserted, “The government is not going to neglect any community affected by gully erosion. Until resources are allocated we are going to look at them one after the other. We should realize that what the World Bank is giving is not free, it is a loan and there is limit to which we can take facilities.

“That is why I said we are already working on three from the facilities we got from the bank, work is on-going in about 10 sites, once we are done, we move on to the next site. It is cost intensive and we cannot take all of them at the same time. So our people should be patient, everything is being done to solve the erosion problems in the state,” .

Indigenes run oil firms in Indonesia and Malaysia — Chief Nduese Essien, ex-Minister •Regrettably in Nigeria, foreign workers are in-charge

AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

By Chioma Onuegbu

UYO- FORMER Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien, weekend, queried why oil companies operating in Nigeria should not train Nigerians to take over the operations of the firms like is the case in other countries of the world.

He said during a visit to Indonesia and Malaysia, as a member of the House of Representatives, some years ago, the lawmakers observed that it was a global trend..

Chief Essien, an elder statesman from Eket local government area of the state, spoke in an in-

terview with Niger Delta Voice in Uyo. Excerpt.

I

N your opinion, what should be an ideal relationship between companies and their host communities?

Companies and host communities ought to work together because the host communities are the owners of the wealth, which the company comes in to exploit.

However, at the beginning of oil exploration in Nigeria, the communities were not involved. The federal government just issued licenses to whomever and they neglected the host communities, so they were relating directly with the federal agencies. Therefore, this tendency grew to a point where the host communities had to call back the companies and discuss with them.

In fact, I was part of the van-

guard in Eket the oil producing community of Akwa Ibom state. Between 1979 and 1989, we saw that the company exploiting our resources was growing and leaving the community behind.

•Chief Nduese Essien Then, we called their attention and told them that aside.

In a situation where a company you cannot be growing at this pace while the community remains says it has license, paid the necstagnant. It was then that the com- essary fees to government, therepanies realized the need to in- fore, government should take care volve the communities in their of the community demands like activities and went ahead to pro- providing infrastructure and other vide some basic infrastructure and things, what is your take?

Well, they are supposed to pay gave jobs, that was up to 1998 when the agreement was signed. certain fees to government, but Therefore, the host communities then, they are also part of the host and the companies operating community. They cannot pay to there are supposed to work in Continues on Page 6 unison. None should set the other

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 5

CREEPY MIRACLE:

Calabar pastor, family live with python for 10 years •It’s not an ordinary snake—Mallam Rabiu, snake charmer •How it was discovered, killed; Area boys turn it to delicacy

By Ike Uchechukwu

C

ALABAR—SENIOR Pastor of the MegaFaith Ministries, Calabar in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Rev Tony is said to have seen numerous miracles in his life and undeniably, the Almighty God has used him to do the extraordinary even for others. All the same, the messenger of the Most High did not plan for the unusual that he witnessed, last weekend, at his 10 Ekpiken Close domicile.

Unknown to the oracle of God, a 19 –year-old python, measuring 20-metre, supposedly feeding on dogs, fowls, rats and lizards for ages, had been a co-dweller with him and his children in the same apartment for about a decade. The moment he stepped out on the revelation day, the ravenous python from its hideaway in the roof, decided it was time to materialize and use one of the children for its next meal.

Amba’s words, “Everything that happened that day was nothing less than a miracle.

What if this beast had injured anyone, they would have said a lot of things about me and the ministry, I cannot thank God enough for what he did for my family and me because I have been living in that house for about a decade. Only God knows how long the snake came into that place.’’

Angelic visit Rev Amba told Niger Delta Voice, “Two of my children were home alone when they saw that a something like a machete was piercing through the ceiling so they ran out of the house. Fortunately, one of our members was coming to the house at that time, and he is

the one, who inquired from them what the matter was and they told him what they noticed in the ceiling.”

Shocking discovery “In trying to find out if there was someone with a machete in the ceiling because the opening made was quite obvious, they set up a form of ladder to climb and look into the place, but saw something that looked like a tyre, but they discovered it was shining.

They decided to use a bigger torch light, what they saw was a python and they were shocked,” he said.

His words, “I just came back from a journey where I went to see my father in the lord in Abuja and also attended a conference there. My coming into Calabar was to prepare for our yearly programme, ‘September to Remember,’ but before coming back, I already knew that a battle had been won because God is always in control.”

September to remember

“ The occurrence did not come as a surprise but it was not natural, because what could the snake be possibly eating for those years it has spent in that place, it is indeed a September to remember for me ,my family and the MegaFaith Ministries,” he added.

Amba further said, “When I was alerted, I decided to call the police so that they can kill it because I am not the kind of person, who reads meaning to every little thing. But they refused, arguing that they could kill it and it transforms into a human being based on the incident that led to its discovery, so they left without doing anything.”

The boys with the dead python

Rev Tony Amba Snake charmers The clergyman said neighbours referred him to some Hausa snake charmers from Bogobiri. He complied and invited them. According to him, ”When they came (the Mallams), they first went into the ceiling to ascertain the size of the snake and came down to tell me that they will collect N60,000, but we bargained till they came down to N20,000, which we paid. I left them to continue the work of my Father because I had communion to administer that evening.”

He disclosed that by the time he returned, they had killed the snake but area boys did not allow the snake charmers to take it away, as they turned it into a delicacy.

Attack: An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, told Niger Delta Voice that the snake almost disappeared after they (Mallams) led by Danzaria

The python Rabiu climbed the ceiling the second time to kill it.

“When one of the ‘aboki’ climbed the ceiling, they could not find the snake anymore, so they started breaking the ceiling all over and the creature fell down in fury, started attacking them, but the four of them over powered the about 20 meters long creature” he stated.

The eyewitness added, “The incident was really strange although there is a little bush behind us, but it still does not explain how the snake entered and have been living for years, how did it survive for that long in that place, what was it feeding on? He asked.

Mallam Rabiu, who spoke in Pidgin English, said: “The snake don live there for a very long time don live there for up to 10 years and when we kill am. I discover from the counting say the snake don live up to 19 years. There is a way we dey take count the mark wey dey the belle to know how long the snake don live.”

“The snake enter there when e still dey small , na for there wey the snake stay grow because we see different kind of fowl , rat ,lizard and dog bones, that na wetin we see for inside that ceiling be that.”

He, however, said that the snake did not look ordinary because it almost disappeared while they were trying to kill it after they had finished negotiating with the pastor, who called them to come and kill it.

He said: “When we come inside the ceiling the second timer, we did not see the snake again. We come begin break the ceiling before the thing come fall down.

“With the kind things wey dey our body, the snake no suppose attack us. I surprise when e begin open mouth to bite us.”

Not an ordinary snake

How church miracle hunters escaped death Contiunes from page 3 3.10 am; we heard noise and thought they were armed robbers. Suddenly, our room went down more than two meters to the floor. Some rescuers came out with torchlight as we shouted for help. They started breaking in until they got us out. We have been to the hospital, checked and confirmed okay."

Deputy Governor directs seal up Medical officials at nearby Di-

vine Grace Hospital where the wounded victims are receiving medical attention said it was too early to allow visit and talks with the patients because of injuries and shock of the mishap.

The hospital, however, reporters access when the Deputy Governor visited the victims. There, Mrs. Mark said, "When my floor came down, it became so dark and I was about to suffocate, but I found water, drank and became okay. Luckily I had my phone with me and called my dad, my

husband and so many people that knew I was there."

Otuaro, after seeing the scene declared the hotel sealed to business. "The entire hotel remains shut until an integrity test is conducted by certified engineers to ascertain cause of the collapsed wing," the deputy governor reportedly said.

Fufeyin denies involvement of church visitors A day after the incident, authorities at the Christ Mercy

Land denied indication that some of the victims rescued were among visitors to the church.

Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, founder of the church, in a statement, explained that none of its members lodged at the collapsed building, adding that the church owned a guesthouse that accommodates its visitors.

“At the initial stage, we patronized the hotel that eventually collapsed, but in the past 20 months, visitors have been stay-

ing in our own guest house.

Since the incident occurred, I have been receiving several phone calls and messages in the social media.

"We have decided to let the public know that Christ Mercy Land does not patronize Mekaval Hotel and none of our members was involved in the incident," he asserted.

Prophet Fufeyin said he had earlier advised Chief Idama, the hotel owner of imminent danger at the place, regretting that he did not heed to his advice.

6 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

PODIUM…

opment plan in this community."

Contractors allegedly collect money, abandon projects in Rivers community •Govt should invite, grill them — Mbiama CDC Chair

By Davies Iheamnachor

M

BIAMACHAIR, C o m m u n i t y Development Committee, CDC, Mbiama community in Ahoada East Local Government Area, Rivers State, Mr. Godgift Ebine, has said that contractors purportedly mobilized by government to construct projects in the town have bolted away after amassing money from government.

The community, strategically situated on the East-West Road, serves as a trade centre for bush-market traders in Rivers and Bayelsa states but despite its economic importance to the

Mbiama community road

two states, it is still underdeveloped.

Describing the action of the contractors as objectionable, Ebine urged the state government to summon and question them because there is no government presence in the boundary town between Rivers and Bayelsa states.

His words, “Government should question the people they usually give projects to site for us because they usually eat the money meant for the project and run away.”

Neglected “Of recent, they have abandoned a hospital project given to us by the government, even

A residence at Mbiama

the school. This has given us problem as we do not have good healthcare facility around,” he added.

Investigation by Niger Delta Voice showed that the contractor for the Mbiama Modern Primary Health Centre abandoned the project after roofing and fixing of windows.

In addition, grass have overgrown the premises of the centre.

There is no drainage system, no good health facility in the community, which lacked pipeborne water while grass and green algae have taken over the community even in the very presence of citizens.

Stagnant water and bushes

surround the community and they not only give it an unsightly appearance, they serve as harbor for mosquitoes and dangerous reptiles.

Are we still part of Rivers?

Ebine, visibly furious over abandonment of the community, said, “We do not think we are still part of Rivers State. Maybe because of where the community is located, Rivers state takes us as part of Bayelsa, we have been forgotten and that is why we are suffering.”

He asserted, “We are crying out because we have to inform the Rivers state government that we are part of the state and should not be left out of development.”

The community leader complained, "Since I became the CDC chairman of my community, I have not seen any government effort or devel-

New health centre in Mbiama community

Indigenes run oil firms in Indonesia and Malaysia Continues from Page 4 the federal government and then the area where they are operating is not conducive. That is why some companies decided to build their own estates, provide light and water 24 hours, so this must attract the attention of the communities and they are bound to fight back. Therefore, a company cannot distance itself from developing the area where it operates because the staff are also part of that community.

So what do the communities really want?

Well, the communities want to be involved in the process of exploiting their resources, take for example the oil. Oil you know has come to displace community’s traditional occupation of fishing, farming, and so forth, so when this happens, then you are now asking the communities to abandon those trades and face the oil production. So what the communities want is that the companies should take them along, they should employ their people, they should make openings available for them to work. At the same time too, the communities also need to produce people that can fit into the technology of the industry. That is an area that we were deficient for some time, but later on, with the intervention of the state governments and other agencies, they redressed it and I C M Y K

would want to say that in Akwa Ibom, the major oil company operating here was able to accommodate the interest of the oil communities up until 1998.

Thereafter, the change of baton between Mobil Producing Nigeria and Exxon led to the abandonment of the MoU and the relationship that used to prevail between the communities and the oil companies. When you get into involvement with people, there must be a written understanding.

Written understanding That is why in all parts of the world, there is usually a written understanding called Memorandum of Understanding between the communities and the companies. I do not know if it is legal but that is the convention in most places.

You said earlier that state government embarked on the training of youths in order for them to acquire the needed skills and this led to the employment of many in companies located in their area today, so why are we still having disturbances over employment issue?

Well, at the early stage, the companies took the communities unawares and so they were not ready to work in the companies.

It required some period of train-

ing and tutelage for them to get involved. As at now, many various people in various communities have gone to school and they are good enough to work in any of the companies operating in their area. I am not talking about the oil companies alone, virtually every other establishment. Again, that is why the country promulgated the Local Content Act in 2010; it was because of our findings.

When I was in the House of Representatives, we went to Indonesia and Malaysia and found that the oil companies there had completely handed over the management and the technology to the people of those countries.

There were no expatriates working with them anymore, but in Nigeria, we still have the companies dominated by foreign workers. The problem that we are having now is just that instead

The problem that we are having now is just that instead of recruiting unskilled labour from the local communities, these companies still prefer to go outside the areas o recruit

of recruiting unskilled labour from the local communities, these companies still prefer to go outside the areas to recruit. Therefore, when the youths find that some people bring their course mates or classmates from elsewhere to work in their own community, they are bound to react, that is the case with most of the companies nowadays.

Do you think it is because the MoU between the communities is no longer there?

Well the abandoned MoU in 1998 but at that stage, there had been a lot of recruitment of unskilled and middle leveled work force into the industry. We also had a few top management staff engaged because of the pressure that the community mounted on the company. But with time, some of these people have retired or have left the service and there was no provision for replacement.

Whereas the Act provided that in the event of an expatriate working in the industry, the expatriate should be able to train an indigene within four years to take over his job, but that is not been done and so you still have that gap between the level of number of people employed and the compliance with the act.

We cannot talk about the Oil and Gas Local Content Development Act without mentioning the Petroleum Industry Bill. Since the bill to National Assembly in July

Mosquito turns spiritual trouble "Right now, the little rainfall is getting the whole Mbiama community flooded. This flood after a while turns into stagnant water. It refuses to flow out from the communityand becomes a safe haven for mosquitoes and reptiles.

"As I talk to you the level of mosquito in this community has gotten to a point that some people see it as a spiritual problem. The government cannot look at the community that is at the boundary between two states. They neglect us because we do not have prominent politicians.

“We are begging the government to come down and look into our challenges. They have not been showing concern. The government did not give use any help when flood destroyed everything we had in 2012,” he voiced.

He asserted, “We have been dying in silence because nobody wants to listen to us.”

Mr. Peter Ebine, Mbiama CDC Chairman 2012, Nigerians have been waiting to see how it will solve the lingering conflict between companies and their host community.

When I spoke at the NUJ, Akwa Ibom state chapter, two weeks ago, I pointed out that there are three versions of the yet to be passed PIB. Therefore, I did not really see the basis for discussing it, but what I want to point out is that the PIB was an attempt to incorporate the Local Content Act and involve the communities in the process of production.

Certainly if passed and implemented, it will go a long way in reducing the conflict between the communities and the oil companies and the federal government will also derive more revenue from its resources than is presently done because there are certain guidelines that the PIB gives the oil companies to follow. If followed, we will be able to retrieve some of the losses, which the country has incurred in the process of exploiting its resources.

Part of the bill has that Petroleum host communities fund where 10 percent of the profit of these companies come back to host communities for development, Now, looking at all the various demands, including licensing quota, the various fees, etc Don’t you think that excessive demands could scare away investors into the state?

The intention of introducing 10 percent profit sharing to the communities was to make them realize that if they prevent production, they will be the losers.

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 7

BAYOP: The Cross River community everyone forgot Continues from Page 1 classroom facilitated by a former member of the House of Representatives.

Sadly, the schools devastated by windstorm in 2012 are begging for repairs, though the community recently gave it a penny-pinching face-lift.

‘We live at the end of the world’ Bawop chair, Chief Ochang, told Niger Delta Voice, “Right from the time I was a boy, this community has been sustained by the levies and other forms of personal sacrifice made by the people. We are like people at the last part of the world; in fact, we live at the end of the world, it takes more than three hours to get to the place on a dry day from Ogoja, talk more of coming from the council headquarters.”

Kudos for Niger Delta Voice “I commend your paper (Niger Delta Voice) for sending you here to tell the world that there are people who still live in the dark ages of no light, water road or even school, yet we vote. Politicians only come to Bawop when they are canvassing for votes.”

“I can remember vividly when the current local government chairman was contesting to become the chairman, his vehicle got stuck on the bridge, it was our youths that removed the car and he promised to fix it as soon as he enters office, up till now, he has never visited this community in an official capacity. All you see are tinted vehicles of government officials.”

Kettles of fish

“Without mincing words, my friend we are still very backward, whenever we are going out to town, it is a different kettle of fish because you have to pay a lot of money to the commercial motorcyclist, sometimes up to N2, 000,” he said.

Chief Ochang asserted that the people find it practically impossible to take their farm produce to market because the roads were not motorable, forcing them to sell the produce at give away prices.

His words:” We are a predominantly farmers, farming is the only industry we have in Bawop, but our products hardly get to the consumers, making it almost impossible for us to survive, in fact we really thank your people for sending you here.”

Appeal to Gov Ayade “We are using this opportunity to send a Save Our Soul message to His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade to come to our aid, we know what he did as a Senator and we also believe that he will do the same for Cross River Sate and Bawop,” C M Y K

Classroom facilitated by Hon Chris Etta yet to be commissioned Roof taken off by rainstorm Ochang added.

The community leader lamented, “look at these poles and wire, they were all installed half way as far back as 2007/ 2008 or thereabout. They are now monuments as far as we concerned, we can only hope and pray that the Prof Ayade led administration will take us out of this misery.”

According to him, “We are making a passionate appeal, we are also aware of the fact that the state is surviving on a very lean resource, we can only but appeal for help from government at all levels especially the state and federal government.”

Bad topography Chair, Parent Teacher Association, PTA, Bawop Secondary School Bawop, Sir Patrick Eran Kekung, asserted, “We built the school from the levies we got from all young adult, both male and female. Really it has been very difficult but we have been able to weather the storm

over the years but we do not know how long we can continue like this,” ‘he said.

His words:” We live in a very bad terrain, I can only imagine what you went through before you got here, but I can tell it was not a joyful ride, there is windstorm almost every year. We, the people of Bawop have not recovered fully from that of 2012.”

Losses “We have levied the entire community, the women also levied themselves to be able to take the work up to this level but there is still work to be done, we have lost the wood workshop, chemistry laboratory and other facilities in the school, “Kekung bemoaned.

He said the very fabric of education of the children was under threat because it is difficult to teach science subjects when there is no space, materials,

tools and equipment.

Another community leader and pioneer senior prefect, Secondary School, Bawop, Mr. Manus Bisong Nku, said what was once a beauty to behold was fast becoming an eyesore because of neglect with no form of support or intervention government.

“This school became operational in 1977 and the structures you see here today were mostly put around 1973, so you can imagine a building as old as this without any renovation or facelift. Apart from that, windstorm has really dealt with us and has become a devil we have to face on a yearly basis because of our

terrain.

“My fear is not just the structure but what the condition of the schools from the Lutheran Primary School to the Secondary, it might get to a point that our children may not really be able to go to school anymore.

“The educational development of this place is under serious jeopardy, this is the only viable industry we have.

We are crying out to Prof Ben Ayade to come to our aid as soon as people we are dying, we feel like a forgotten people, “Nku said.

‘Nicodemus’ movement A resident, Mr. Anthony Abang, who is familiar with the Ewa’s August predicament on the road, however, swore that though the chair had not visited Bawop in his official capacity, he has been passing the road surreptitiously as if he was not aware of the plight of the people.

He asserted, “Since Abubakar Ewa became the chairman of Boki local government, he has Continues on Page 8

Thieves ransack Delta’s N200m skills centre •Community arrests suspect, handover to police

DELTA...

FINGER OF GOD

By Perez Brisibe

U

GHELLI – A N200 million Skills Acquisition Center presently lay idle at Afiesere community, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, with hoodlums having a field day due to non-utilization and clumsy security of the facility.

Niger Delta Voice gathered that hooligans had severally burgled the centre built in 2006 with funds from the 13 per cent derivation fund by the then Oil Derivation Committee and carted away items.

Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, later furnished the centre with the state of the art facility and ICT to aid training of youths from within and around the Delta Central senatorial district.

Neglected: Lamenting what it described as the comatose state

of the centre, the community in a letter to the DESOPADEC secretary, accused the immediate past commissioner that represented the area, Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi, of sloppiness.

The people said he intentionally diverted a youth training programme sponsored by the commission, which should have held at the center to another local council area, thereby confirming the abandoned state of the facility.

Okowa should put facility to use Appealing for the relocation of the temporary DESOPADEC zonal office located at Afiesere to the center, the community called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to in line with his SMART agenda; promptly put the facility in use to forestall further a further vandalism by hoodlums.

A community leader said, “If the Governor Okowa’s Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme, STEP, is anything to go by, one of such facilities to make

that dream a reality is the utilization of the Afiesere Skills Acquisition Centre, one of the biggest in Delta Central Senatorial district with the capability to serve numerous training skills, including vocational and ICT.” How villagers seized suspect Meanwhile, the community has busted a 4-man robbery gang that had been in the habit of vandalizing the center.

Making the disclosure at the community town hall, president general of the community, Mr. Shikaleke Emmanuel, stated that that he was in a meeting when he got secret information that some vandals were vandalizing items in the centre.

“Immediately, I contacted boys from the community to be on the alert for the suspects and seal all access points to the centre, leading to the arrest of one, while the others escaped,” he said.

Mr. Shikaleke said the suspect from Ekete Waterside in Udu Local Government Area of the state, already handed over to the police confessed on interrogation that he and his gang were behind the series of burglaries at the centre.

•One of the suspects nabbed vandalizing Afiesere Skills Acquisation Centre.

8 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

AGENDA

people since they have gone to school and passed out. We discussed with Shell, they took three first, remaining seven, it took us four years as a community to get work for the remaining seven and we had to shut down the flow station twice for them to employ them.

As I earlier alluded, each time you want something from Shell, it is never peaceful. You have to apply some force.

Ogulagha oil community gets nothing talking peace with oil firms — Hon Julius Pondi, Rep

How do you think you and other lawmakers will address this kind of situation at the National Assembly?

As lawmakers, we are going to use the instrumentality of the law to see what we can do, but the problem is really with the oil firms that do not obey the agreements reached with the people. We will work as lawmakers to make them implement the agreements they have reached with the communities.

By EMMA AMAIZE WARRI- MEMBER representing Burutu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Julius Pondi, has slammed oil firms operating in the NigerDelta region, saying they constantly flout agreements reached with oil communities, leaving the people with no option than engaging them in long-lasting hostilities.

He spoke in an interview with Niger Delta Voice in Warri, Excerpts.

A

T a recent programme in Warri, you claimed that oil firms in the Niger Delta prefer war to peace, is this true or you were merely blackmailing the oil firms?

There is really no point for me to blackmail the oil firms over the issue that affects them and benefits the communities. What I said was very clear; I am from Ogulagha kingdom where every community in the kingdom is oil producing and oil exploration has been on for 38 to 40 years.

However, if you go there and see what the oil companies give them in return, you will weep.

The little we can say today that we have is not via peaceful negotiation, it is not where you go to oil companies and say you are coming here, give us this and that, no, it took us very serious confrontations and some of our people died in the process.

Let us take electricity in Ogulagha for instance, yes, we have it and it has been stable for 20 years, but that did not come peacefully. So it is with employment, it had never come peacefully to my people and even they are eventually employed, payment are hard to come. As I speak to you now, there is a firm working in Ogulagha, I think the name is OPI, it has not paid the workers, I do not have the full names,

•Says it has been confrontation, shutting down of oil wells before they succumb but it is a drilling company. They are there; having employed the people, to pay is a problem until you apply force.

I am actually speaking from experience that there has never been a time that through peaceful negotiation the people got anything; it has always been through battles. As a speak to you now, there is a another company that is operating in Ogulagha River, we have an MoU that our children should be trained abroad, till today, not one of those things has been implemented, but now, if you shut it down, before two to three hours, you will get result.

That is how it is here; you do not get a good result through peaceful negotiation. I am saying this and it is with all sincerity to the oil companies, whether Shell, Chevron, Agip, all of them, you have to apply what you refer to war, but I call it very strong protest before they respond.

You grew up in an oil community; tell us what life was like growing up there?

It is a very pathetic situation, first, it ought to be a thing of joy to grow up in an oil producing community, but in my case, it was a very bad experience. One, we do not have good schools to go, I grew up in a community where you have oil installations like two metres from my house, we have government school there, but the oil firm does not care whether you go to school or not. Of course, I grew up at a time when only two teachers run the whole of the primary school, so you have a situation where one teacher handled primary one to primary three, the other one from primary four to primary six.

Two, your peace is frequently

•Hon Julius Pondi

disturbed because helicopters lands and go from helipads just about 200 metres from your house and every day you have 20 to 30 helicopters coming, the noise alone is shattering.

Thirdly, you are in a place where you go to the company and eat food from where they keep remnants, you also face a situation where you do not have potable water to drink but the company and their workers have very good water to drink, which you cannot access because of the security.

Getting fish from the river is difficult

Look, the situation is horrible, you are in a situation where the only means of survival is fishing but oftentimes, you see spills in the river and getting fish to eat inside the river is very difficult.

In fact, it was a very nasty experience growing up in the riverine community.

You know how it feels saying that an oil company is in your place; yet, you do not have work and cannot work there. You can imagine, Shell has been say 40 years in Ogulagha kingdom, which has a Crude Loading Point, CLP, Yokri flow station, indeed, about six major facilities and none of the people is a staff in Shell, we have just one that retired for 40 years.

Rough road to employment Let me just give you an instance, Shell has this STIP programme, it is scholarship scheme that they do for university and polytechnic students.

The only one they give to us is that of the polytechnic and in the last three or four years, we had about seven to 10 persons that passed from the programme, otherwise, you see only Yoruba people and others.

Now, as a community, we said that Shell should engage these

UNIUYO don advocates more studies in African knowledge AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

By Tom Moses

U

YO- PROFESSOR of Communications and Language Arts, University of Uyo, (UNIUYO), Akwa Ibom State, Professor Desmond Wilson, has called for modification of the current communication curricular to establish traditional African epistemology, including Niger Delta languages, to complement or sup-

BAYOP: The Cross River community everyone forgot Contiunes from page 7 never for once visited Bawop in an official capacity but that does not mean that he does not come to this axis since his vehicle was stuck on the Bridge in August (2015), this year. He has been passing here ‘Nicodemus-ly’ thinking we would not know he is the one, but we know.”

“Because the day that incident took place they (he and other Boki politicians) were going to the next community ,he promised to do something about the bridge, if he has not visited since he became chairman ,is it now that he will remember us? Abang retorted.

He, however, said that the councilor representing the ward C M Y K

has really tried by lodging complaints to appropriate quarters but nothing has come out of it.

I see electricity only when I go to Ogoja, Lagos Women leader and farmer, Mrs. Agnes Enu, said that since she got married to her late husband, Fredrick Enu, in 1970, most of the structures and development in the town were all communal efforts.

“We live at the end of the world, where there is no water, road or even electricity, I see light only when I visit my children in Ogoja or Lagos, but in this community, electricity is still a myth for us.

“We know Imoke did a lot for most rural communities beyond reasonable doubt but we don’t

know what really happened to the case of Bayop,” she added.

Her words, “Since my husband died, I went into full- fledged farming, which is what most people here do, but taking the farm produce out of the community is another herculean task because there are no roads, it is worse when it rains, sometimes you cannot go out from here for two to three days when the down pour is heavy.”

She voiced, “Life is so difficult for us here and we live and feel like forgotten people, our schools both primary and secondary, especially road are deplorable. We know Prof Ben Ayade will help us by providing

From what you have observed, what do you think should be President Muhammadu Buhari’s approach to the development of Niger Delta?

Buhari should start from infrastructure in the region because we do not have it; I like his style even though I will not judge him now because some things like the appointments he has made are sectional.

I will actually advise him to see the whole Nigeria as his constituency and deal with the people equally. Yes, some people voted for him, some people did not vote for him, that is election for you.

these things to make our lives a bit easier.”

Severe misery: Mrs. Gladys Ekum, who upheld her claim, said,” Our husbands tried by levying every young adult, but the proceeds did not take the roof too far. We tasked ourselves (the women of Bayop) again to take the work up to the level you have seen it today because the bulk of the burden of our children not going to school falls on us, so we had to do something.”

Like others, she said the major problem facing the community was a link road and she believes if Prof Ayade hears about their suffering, he would do something for them.

plant the existing Western perspectives.

He has equally called for proper harnessing of all the media and interpersonal channels, which constitute a veritable and dynamic force for meaningful exchange and sharing to bring about success in communication efforts.

The Communication and Language expert stated this at the 44th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, entitled, “ Ethnocommunicology, TradoModern Communication and Mediamorphosis in Nigeria: An Iconoclast Demystification of Some Communication Traditions.”

He decried a situation which the National Universities Commission, NUC, the curricular and academic policeman overseeing university education in Nigeria, had only in 1990, grudgingly provided a course, ‘African Communication Systems in its Minimum Academic Standards (MAS) document.

Prof Wilson said, “This is a course taken in most universities in the first year. Others take it in the final year of their programme. Many religious fanatics would not even wish to discuss the idea because of their negative orientations to many things African, especially if you had to talk about the symbolism of many of our traditional African instruments of communication.” “Rather, with the advent of the internet and social media in Nigeria, every effort is being made by scholars to keep us abreast of the new media.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 33

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34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Anglican bishops flay IMSG over unpaid salaries

Police beat up our members, stopped us from celebrating anniversary —MASSOB

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie

A

BA—MOVEMENT for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has accused the Police

O

WERRI—BISHOPS of the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, have lashed out at Imo State Government, over the nonpayment of workers salaries and pensions of retirees.

The issue of unpaid salaries and pensions featured prominently during the 26th Regular Meeting of the Owerri Provincial Council of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, held at the Cathedral of All Saints, Egbu, Owerri North local council area of the state.

Speaking on behalf of his brother bishops, the Archbishop of the Province, Most Rev. Calendar Maduoma, told the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, who represented Governor Rochas Okorocha at the event, that workers and pensioners have been experiencing hardship.

in Aba, Abia State of brutalizing her members and stopping them from celebrating the 16th anniversary of the Movement at the Christ the King Cathedral, CKC, Catholic Parish, along Asa road in the city.

When Vanguard visited the CKC area, soldiers and policemen were seen patrolling the area as people went about their normal businesses.

MASSOB’s Assistant Director of Information, Chief Sunny Okoroafor who made this

Appointments: Ndigbo'll get a fair share in APC candidates? Quality Buhari’s govt —Anyim candidates like Senator Chris

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—GOVERNORSHIP Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2015 election in Abia state, Dr. Nyerere Anyim, has urged Ndigbo to be patient with President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that the bloc would get a fair share in the appointments.

In an interview with Vanguard in Aba, Anyim, urged Ndigbo to support Buhari’s administration, stressing that the President means well for the nation.

He blamed some unnamed Igbo leaders who he said worked against the interest of the zone, and made it impossible for an APC senator to be elected from the area to occupy the senate presidency zoned to Ndigbo.

“I want us to be very careful about the appointments made by the President. I'm an Igbo man from the South East zone.

Ordinarily, nobody with sugar in his mouth will vomit it except people that don’t take sugar for

health reason. We hoped and aspired to have what you call the juicy appointments, taking cognizance of the fact that Ndigbo have been marginalized in certain political positions in the past, but what did we do as a people to position ourselves to get these coveted offices?

“It is on record that the APC zoned the office of the Senate President to the South East, but did we care to elect any senator on the platform of the APC to occupy the position? Whose fault is it that we failed to get what was zoned to us when we had qualified

Onobrakpeya tasks Buhari on release of Chibok girls

By Chris Onuoha

P

ROFESSOR BRUCE Onabrekpeya, a renowned sculptor, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to fast-track his efforts toward the release of the abducted Chibok

Group lauds govt over board composition

A

POLITICAL pressure group within the Peoples Democratic Party, under the aegis of People to People, P2P, has applauded the Delta State government over the composition of the governing board of the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, DESOPADEC. The group in a rally held around major streets of Ughelli

lampooned those rebuking the governor over the structure of the DESOPADEC board, describing the board members as a first class economic team capable of developing the oil bearing communities in the state.

They applauded the appointment of its patrons, Chief Pius Ovbije and Mr. Amos Itiwhe as commissioners on the board.

Coordinator of the group, Mr.

Ngige, Osita Izunaso and others ran on the APC ticket and any of them could have made a good senate president, but our people decided to put all our eggs in one basket. This is how the cookie crumbled and we have resorted to sentiments which can’t bestow power on us. Power is never given, but taken. How can we get what is due to us when your brother is at the other end, blackmailing you down? The other person is at another end making efforts that if it is not him, there will be no other one from the zone?” he said.

Francis Omoyibo while addressing newsmen, appealed to communities aggrieved over the constitution of the board, to be patient with the governor.

He said: “We want these communities to note that representation on the board is rotational as all of them cannot be represented on the board at the same time."

girls by the Boko Haram insurgents.

While lauding the President in his effort so far, he said there’s a need to quicken the process to save the young girls and bring succour to their parents.

The foremost Nigerian art icon made the call during a speech at an art exhibition sponsored by Greenhouse Art Empowerment Center Olambe, Ogun State, as he presented an installation work dedicated to the Chibok girls, entitled,'Sambisa Forest.'

In his statement directed to Chibok girls, he said: “This is to let you know that our spirits are there with you in the Sambisa forest where you have been suffering for a period of 510 days."

As grand parents, parents,brothers and sisters,

e need to say yes to capital punishment for corruption. Nigeria made armed robbery a capital punishment, why not corruption because there is no difference between the two. Let us try it for five years and see the result. -Mrs. Morayo Simeon, Self Employed

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friends, citizens of Nigeria and the world, we share your pains.

We pray daily for your release from the forbidden forest. I feel intensely what you are going through because I too was kidnapped as a child during the Ekene festival but was miraculously rescued before being taken away into the forest.

I dedicate the Installation called ‘Sambisa Forest’ to you."

According to Onabrekpeya, “it is a prayer to the supreme Intelligence of your existence. In the picture, protesting mothers parade behind totems which represent you girls, the armed insurgents-denied or delayed laurels and most important, the empowerment which you will receive at the end of your travails,” he said.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

W

accusation in a chat with Vanguard, said his members were billed to celebrate the 16th anniversary of MASSOB existence with a church service when the police barricaded the area and beat them up.

According to Okoroafor, “Why will police beat up members of a non- violent group like MASSOB celebrating her anniversary? Is it a crime for people to celebrate in church? MASSOB members were arrested by the police, but we are yet to get their names and the number of people they arrested. We are calling on the police to stop disturbing our members because we are only fighting for freedom.”

But in a swift reaction, Police Public Relations Officer, Abia state Command, Ezekiel Onyeke, who said he is yet to confirm if any MASSOB member was arrested, described the movement as a proscribed organization, stressing that the police will not allow any individual or group to breach the peace in the state.

On President Buhari’s anti-corruption war?

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orrupt officials should be severely punished and made to pay 10 times of money stolen,that is, if anyone steals N50 billion, the person should be made to pay back N500 billion.

Such grave measures need to be taken against corrupt persons. -Mr. Hart Wisdom, Student

U

ntil there is visible punishment for corruption, its attraction will not diminish. Many civil servants are forced to be corrupt in order to keep their jobs since there is no law protecting them when they disagree with their political heads. -Mr. Wilfred Edet, Worker

D

o people in local council go to work? Not until they hear that the LG chairman is coming. How many give jobs on merit without bribe and assault applicants sexually? Fighting corruption is not allowing family and friends go scot-free. -Mr. Tulor Julius, Businessman

P

oliticians steal through civil servants and officials and bankers, who arrange and transfer the stolen funds for them. The Nigerian workers have a great part to play in unmasking the thieves and looters of our common wealth. -Mr. Echi Nwogu, Worker

Y

ou cannot fight corruption without major punishments apart from jail. Buhari should probe all the past Nigerian leaders, starting from 1960 till date. Nigerians want corruption to die totally in this nation. -Mr. Aquila Meche, Worker

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 35

Spider Web Security Service workers decry non-payment of salaries

By Suzan Edeh

B

A U C H I — EMPLOYEES of Spider Web Security Service which compliments Bauchi State government, have decried the non-payment of their nine months’ salaries.

The security operatives in a press statement signed by the operatives interim committee secretary, Abdulhamid Muhammad, in Bauchi, explained that over 2,000 of them had been offering security services in public organizations both at state and local government levels.

They said those who were offered employment with the organization received basic training on security matters before they were posted to various ministries, agencies and parastatals in the 20 local government areas of the state.

The statement read: “The Spider Web patrol men and women were employed by the Bauchi State government in collaboration with the Spider Web Security outfit since 2007 for the purpose of reducing crime rate, poverty and unemployment among million of jobless youths in the state.''

KWARA POLY CULT WAR: No corpse recovered in our facility — HOTEL

T

HE Management of Victory Hotel, Agbooba, in Ilorin, Kwara State, has dismissed insinuations that a corpse was recovered in its facility, following the cult war that allegedly claimed the lives of 16 students of Kwara State Polytechnic.

Vanguard had reported that rival cultists invaded the hotel and killed a member of a rival group and that a corpse was recovered in the hotel a day after the attack.

But solicitor to the Hotel, Dubem Anene, said in a statement weekend that the report was a figment of the writer’s imagination, saying no such incident happened in the facility.

According to him, Victory Hotel has never, since its establishment in 1972, witnessed that kind of occurrence.

He said the report was a calculated attempt to damage its hard-earned reputation.

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Bauchi APC debunks moves to impeach Gov Abubakar

By Suzan Edeh

B

A U C H I — T H E leadership of Bauchi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has debunked any move by the state House of Assembly to impeach Governor Mohammed Abubakar, saying there was no basis for such an action, considering the

harmonious relationship between the legislative and the executive arms of government.

State chairman of the party, Alhaji Uba Nana, who was reacting to alleged moves to impeach the governor during an interview with newsmen yesterday in Bauchi, said there was no division in the party and stressed the need for members

to work for its progress and development of the state.

He said: “I want to categorically refute the insinuations making the round in the state of an impeachment move on the governor. There is a cordial and harmonious working relationship between the executive and the legislature arms of government. “ Those allegations against the

governor are the handwork of mischief makers who are threatening to destroy the image of the state and the party.”

He said the party would deal with any member who engaged in acts of misconduct and antiparty activities.

On the resignation of the vice chairman of APC, Bauchi South senatorial district, Musa Adamu, the chairman said the party had already approved his resignation and thanked him for his services to the party.

Uba Nana said the leadership of the party would soon appoint somebody to oversee the affairs of the senatorial district, following the exit of the vice chairman.

He expressed the commitment of APC in the state to provide purposeful governance in line with the party’s slogan of change.

New LASTMA boss resumes, warns against indiscipline

By Olasunkanmi Akoni AWARD: From left: The Executive Director, Business Development, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Ltd, Mr. Adam Nuru; Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer, Mrs. Yemisi Edun; Executive Director, Service Management and Technology, Mr. Nath Ude and Chairman of Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Tunde Ayeni, during the BusinessDay Banking Awards ceremony where FCMB won the "Most Customer-Friendly Bank Award" in Lagos.

Osinbajo asks research-based institutions to contribute to nation building

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

J

OS—THE Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has reiterated that no nation can make any meaningful progress without supporting its research-based institutions.

According to him, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will not relent in its efforts at repositioning research institutes to contribute meaningfully to the growth of Nigeria.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this yesterday at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, near Jos, while commissioning a multimillion Naira research complex donated to the Institute by the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation NDIC. Osinbajo, who was represented by a Director in his office, Mr. Ibrahim Yabani, noted that the founding fathers of the Institute established it to be a citadel for public policy research and analysis as well as proffer sound advice to help government make informed choices about urgent and strategic issues of domestic and international concerns.

He said the office complex

would provide a conducive environment that would engender high productivity among research fellows, adding that the outcome of research works in the Institute, arising from the donation of the complex, would positively impact on security, wealth

creation, employment generation and poverty alleviation of Nigerians.

He called on the participants to make use of the complex and engage in pragmatic public policies that would accelerate the socio-economic development of the country.

FLOOD: Residents told to relocate over rising River Benue waters

By Peter Duru

M

A K U R D I — WORRIED by the rapid increase in the water level of River Benue and the prospect of flooding in parts of the state, the Benue State government has appealed to those residing by the bank of the river to relocate immediately.

The Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, Mr. Nick Wende, who made the appeal yesterday in Makurdi, said the directive became necessary, in view of the threat the increasing water level posed to the safety of those living by the river bank.

He said there was an urgent

need for those living by the river to move out to avoid being caught unawares by any further surge in the water level.

Wende said: “River Benue has been rising steadily for sometime now and the fear is that if we continue to have heavy downpours as we’ve been having for sometime, the river might overflow its banks.

“That is why the people residing by the bank of the river should relocate without further delay to avoid being caught unawares in order to also avoid any disaster in the state.”

The commissioner further disclosed that the state government on its part had been working round the clock to ensure

L

AGOS—THE newly appointed General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr. Bashir Braimah, has assumed duty, with an assurance to ensure free flow of traffic in line with relevant laws of the state.

Braimah, who replaced Engr.

Babatunde Edu, made the remarks after a tour of the agency‘s facilities shortly after assuming office on Friday at the agency’s headquarters at Oshodi.

He reiterated the vision of the current administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in ensuring freer Lagos roads through the agency.

Addressing senior officials of the agency, Braimah reaffirmed the commitment of the administration to professionalism through human capacity building and hinted that competence, commitment, diligence, and concern for citizens should be their watchwords in the discharge of their duties.

He urged the officials to be focused and device scientific methods of unlocking gridlocks associated with the state.

He also advised the officials to do away with the old practice of chasing vehicles but rather apply the use of electronic documentation to arrest defaulters.

He said: “Gone are the days of impunity, indiscipline and extortion of money from motorists. All negative vices capable of damaging the image of the government should be done away with. ‘’LASTMA as the engine room of Lagos State economic growth can only be achieved when traffic officers are dedicated to duty.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

FORUM: From left— Distribution Manager, Oando Marketing Plc, Mrs. Funke Odufuye; Assistant Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr. Nseobong Akpabio; Chief Finance Officer, Oando Marketing Plc, Mr. Adegboyega Bell, and Corps Marshal, FRSC, Mr. Boboye Opeyemi, at an interactive forum with Oando’s transporters to drive operational safety standards in Lagos.

MARKETING INSTITUTE: From left— Member, Mike Abisini;

Chairman, Chidi Nwankpa; member, Oladele Adeola, and another member, Adebola Lema, all of Electoral Committee of the Institute of Marketing of Nigeria during a briefing on the annual general meeting and elections in Lagos.

DONATION: From left— Charter President, Platinum Heritage Lions Club Lagos, Lion Laja Adeleye; Club Secretary, Lion Segun Owokade, and Club President, Lion Lukman Olumoh, during the presentation of eyeglasses to Mrs Funmilayo Adeniyi at Oregun Market, Lagos, as part of the club's 2015 projects.

Mr. Fiyebo Eperetei (left) and General Paul Boroh, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari and Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, during Mr. Eperetei’s visit in Abuja.

GALA: From left—NEA Awards Co-Founder & Producer, DJ Zimo; CEO, Spinlet, Nkiru Balonwu; Beat FM OAP, Jimmie Akinsola; Sahara Reporters OAP, Toyosi Phillips; Executive Producer, NEA Awards, Tope Esan; and Spinlet General Counsel/Head, Business Development, Rotimi Fawole, at the Spinlet NEA Gala in New York City, United States.

BRIEFING: From left—President, AFRH, Dr. Faye Iketubosin; Vice President, AFRH, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, and Head, Social Local Organizing Committee, Mrs. Rose Ogbech, at a briefing on the 5th AFRH international conference on Role of Ethics and Regulation in IVF, in Lagos.

OPENING: From left— Alhaji Badmus Kayode, Alhaji Suleiman AlMubeen; Chairman, Warike Hotel and Suites, Alhaji Thaqibu Warike, Mr. Olowopopo Adeleke, and Alhaji Kamorudeen Ojomu, at the opening ceremony of Warike Hotel and Suites in Lekki, Lagos. PHOTO: Shola Oyelese.

VISIT: National President, Ijaw Youths Development Association, IYDA,

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SKYE DRAWS: From left— Representative of the Regional Director, South East region, Skye Bank Plc., Nkemdilim Anerobi; Enugu Zonal Coordinator, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr. Eke Michael; Nollywood actor and celebrity host, Kingsley Ogbonna alias Dauda, and Head, Retail Banking Group, Skye Bank, Nkolika Okoli, at the bank's Reach for the Skye reward draws in Onitsha, Anambra State.

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015—37

Health, at the UN General Assembly this month, would be a major catalyst for giving all newborns the best chance at a healthy start in life.

Child survival: The report further highlights that a child’s chance of survival is still vastly different based on where he or she is born. For instance Nigeria and many other countries are not fully on track to attaining the MDGs on child survival.

“Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest under-five mortality rate in the world with 1 child in 12 dying before his or her fifth birthday.

In 2000-2015, the region has overall accelerated its annual rate of reduction of under-five mortality to about two and a half times what it was in 1990-2000.

THIS WEEK September 13-19, 2015 National Assisted Living Week and National Nephrology Nurses Week established to show love and care for challenged and to honour nurses who care for patients with kidney disease.

September 15, 2015 National Neonatal Nurses Day, established by the neonatal community to honour nurses who encourage the survival and wellbeing of neonates

September 15, 2015 World Lymphoma Awareness Day, is dedicated to raising awareness about the symptoms, recognition and early diagnosis of lymphoma. Theme is Inspire. Encourage. Give hope to someONE.

Science World Questions over TB vaccine efficacy

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RECENT review published in the International Journal Epidemiology suggested that studies that had originally indicated the effectiveness of the MVA85A vaccine candidate against tuberculosis may not have been as accurate as thought.

In the review, they found that studies used varying animal models and overall the eight studies had small samples and experimental methods were not well reported.

"Tuberculosis remains a major health challenge in many parts of the world and - as with every field of research - we all have a responsibility to work to the highest standards of scientific integrity," lead author of the review and LMST Professor Paul Garner said. "We need to make our findings accessible to as wide an audience as quickly as possible. You don't bury results you don't like. It can mislead other scientists, and misinforms the public."

The MVA85A is a boosting candidate for an existing vaccine, the Bacillus Calmette- Guérin (BCG).

One study was cause for concern as the results were not made publicly available after the researchers behind the study received funding to begin experimental human trial. In this study five out of six subjects succumbed to the disease with the booster as opposed to two out of six with the BCG vaccine by itself.

CHILD HEALTH:- Survival and early child care are still major global health issues.

Immense challenge

Child mortality plunges 53% worldwide

“Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, however, continues to confront the immense challenge of a burgeoning underfive population – projected to increase by almost 30 percent in the next 15 years coupled with persistent poverty in many countries.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr. Wu Hongbo, says the new report confirms a key finding of the 2015 Revision of the World Population Prospects on the remarkable decline in child mortality globally during the 15-year MDG era.”

Progress: “Rapid improvements since 2000 have saved the lives of millions of children.

However, this progress will need to continue and even accelerate further, especially in high-mortality countries of subSaharan Africa, if we are to reach the proposed child survival target of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

But 16,000 under-5s still die daily

By Chioma Obinna & Gabriel Olawale

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HE World Health Organisation, WHO, has announced a significant reduction of over 53 percent in child mortality even as it regretted that the global Millennium Development Goal, MDG, target for child survival was missed by a wide margin.

A new report by the global health body showed a massive drop of under-five deaths from 12.7 million per year in 1990 to 5.9 million in 2015.

According to WHO, the landmark reduction is the first year the figure has gone below the 6 million.

The report, released by United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, highlighted concerns by stakeholders including the WHO, World Bank Group, and the Population Division of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UNDESA, that 16, 000 children aged below 5 still die everyday.

The report tagged, “Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report 2015” also indicated that the 53 percent drop in under-five mortality is not enough to meet the MDG target of a two-thirds reduction between 1990 and 2015.

Causes of death: “A massive 45 percent of under-five deaths occur in the neonatal period – the first 28 days of life. Prematurity, pneumonia, complications during labour and delivery, diarrhoea, sepsis, and malaria are leading causes of

death for children under 5 years old. Nearly half of all under-five deaths are associated with undernutrition.”

The rate of reduction of child

A massive 45 percent of underfive deaths occur in the neonatal period – the first 28 days of life

mortality can speed up considerably by concentrating on regions with the highest levels – sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia – and ensuring a targeted focus on newborns.

On his part, Assistant Director General at WHO, Dr. Flavia Bustreo who argued that individuals know how to prevent unnecessary newborn mortality explained that quality care around the time of childbirth including simple affordable steps like ensuring early skinto-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding and extra care for small and sick babies can save thousands of lives every year.

Bustreo said the launch of the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’

HIV: NACA commences preventive therapies

T

By Victoria Ojeme

HE National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, has said Nigeria will soon commence the Pre – Exposure Prophylaxis, PrEP, and Treatment as Prevention, TasP, therapies for reduction and suppression of the rate of HIV infection especially on couples.

Director General, NACA, Prof John Idoko who made the announcement in Abuja last week, said the Agency would soon commence the processes through a study at three selected sites in Nnewi, Anambra State; Calabar, Cross River State, and Jos, Plateau State.

Idoko said government was commencing the study because of the immense positive effects on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country.

“Pre-Exposure prophylaxis or PrEP is a procedure for people who do not have HIV but who are at substantial risk of contracting the virus to prevent HIV infection by taking a pill with a brand name Truvada which contains two medicines every day to treat HIV.’’ Idoko disclosed that multiple studies carried out by the Agency shows that after six months, antiretroviral therapy reduces HIV1 concentrations to undetectable levels in the blood plasma and

the genital compartments, adding that further studies reveal that HIV transmission by an infected person is significantly reduced when that person adheres to ART well enough to maintain viral suppression.

The study is expected to provide information on how to implement the strategies in a large population as part of a comprehensive public health programme aimed at preventing HIV infection.

The study will provide avenue for prophylaxis/treatment for long-term prevention of HIV infection for a sero-discordant couple in which the infected partner is at elevated risk.

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38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

NAFDAC advocates food safety from farm to plate

The Food safety week tagged: “How Safe is Your Food? From Farm to plate, make ITH numerous illnesses food safe,” according to was aimed at prelinked to food contamination, the Na- venting, reducing, detecting and reporting tional Agency for Food and Drug food safety issues and also strengthen the Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has national food control system.

Orhii stated the gesture was in line with advocated food safety from farm to plate to the global focus on demonstrating the imensure adequate nutrition and avert portance of food safety along the whole foodborne diseases.

Addressing food producers at the maiden length of the food chain in a globalised edition of the Agency’s ‘National Food world, from production and transport, to Safety Week in Lagos, the Director- Gen- preparation and consumption.

He said the objective of the week was to eral, Dr. Paul Orhii, who expressed worry that food contamination, has become a improve food safety through public awarepublic health problem, said behind the ness and encourage consumers to ensure the food on their plate is safe by asking news was a real disease burden.

At the event organised in collaboration questions, checking food labels and folwith stakeholders in the food industry, lowing hygienic tips. “The growing Orhii said NAFDAC had created a Food pressure of demand on food production, Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate handling and distribution systems could to strengthen capacity in robust food safety contribute to potentially serious food quality and safety problems,” he said. regulatory activities.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Linus Awute, represented by a director in the ministry, Mr. Fubara Chukwu, said: “The safety of food is a problem that has often been overlooked. The presence of harmful substance in food, WORKSHOP: From left: Director General, NAFDAC, Dr.Paul Orhii; either of biological or Head, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Central East/West Africa Business unit Coca-Cola, Mr Fred Chiazor, and Director,Food Safety chemical origin & Applied Nutrition NAFDAC, Mrs Ogochukwu Mainasara, at the brings about food maiden National Food Safety Week organised by NAFDAC /Coca- borne illness and Cola Nigeria last week in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye possible outbreak.

W

By Chioma Obinna

How Bauchi State attained polio-free status

By Gabriel Olawale ONG before Nigeria attained one year poliofree status, Bauchi State was ahead of the national level in the polio campaign having gone 25 months without a case of the Wild Polio Virus, WPV, infection and 35 months without any case of the Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus, CVDPV..

Efforts by the State government to maintain this success, included the release of N80 million of the N160 million counterpart fund contribution for routine immunisation by Governor Mohammed Abubakar to ensure 99 per cent supply of polio vaccines in all the wards, set up quick response teams, restrategise to enhance coverage and upgrade its supervision system.

The United States Agency for International Development, USAID, one of the key partners that ensured this polio free record in the state is commited to focusing on the hard-to-reach areas and employment of communitycentered strategies designed to reach every child, gain local trust and ownership.

L

The Deputy Chief of the USAID project, Dr Halima Mukaddas said prior to their operation in the State five years ago, they observed peculiar problems including lack of accessibility to vaccines by vulnerable children, conflict, and collective rejection of the vaccine.

USAID quickly aligned with the state government’s commitment to keep polio out of Bauchi State in the face of influx of internally displaced people from other states.

"USAID, through its Targeted State High Impact Project, TSHIP identified some of these challenges and employed a community-centered strategy designed to reach every child and gain local trust and ownership. The project supported the State Ministry of Health, and Local Government Area officials, enlisted community heads from every ward to personally educate households on the benefits of child immunisation."

Halima disclosed that highly regarded traditional leaders, including the Emir of Dass, were involved in door-to-door campaigns, while the ministry and LGS officials conducted up to 10

immunisation plus days with emphasis on house-tohouse delivery of routine immunisation to all children regardless of previous vaccination status every year.

"From its first year, the programme trained and engaged teams comprised of polio eradication officers, polio monitors at local government and ward levels, community health workers, and traditional birth attendants who we deployed to high-risk areas.

The project facilitates surveillance through the teams, which identify and report any suspected case of polio. The project also enlisted partner's to monitor cross-border transmission of polio form neighboring states.

In 2008 and 2009, 85 and 95 percent, respectively of all new cases of polio reported in Bauchi and the six states contiguous came from Bauchi, but by end of 2010, when the programme support began, there were no cases of polio in the state.

Uptil the end of 2014, there were no reported cases of polio in Bauchi, while Kano, Jigawa, and Yobe States reported a total of 18 new cases.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015—39

Medical Guild offers LASTMA officials free health checks

By Chioma Obinna

A

S part of measures to ensure better health for civil servants in Lagos state, medical doctors under the auspices of the Medical Guild have offered free medical checks and consultations to officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA. Chairman of the Guild, Dr. Biyi Kufor said the gesture was as a result of the incidence that led to a LASTMA official who collapsed and died on duty.

Kufor said many Nigerians are suffering from one life-threatening ailment or the other without being aware, and that the only remedy is to always be in touch with the doctor - an expert, for checks.

“The doctors visited the LASTMA office at Oshodi, taking safety messages to the door step of the officials by rendering free medical consultations, screenings and dental services.

Kufor said LASTMA was strategically chosen in order to meet the medical needs of the officers who work tirelessly everyday.

Specialists were drafted to treat various ailments ranging from hypertension to diabetes, dental care among others.

"Only severe cases where the doctors on ground are unable to cope would be referred to the hospitals if need be," he reiterated.

Permanent Secretary, Hospital Service Commission, Dr. Jemilade Longe said it was in accordance with the physician’s oath and to bequeath to Lagosians efficient, effective and affordable health care delivery that cut across all barriers.

He described the gesture as a

partnership of shared responsibilities to the public.

The Assistant Director, LASTMA Welfare Unit, Mrs Morayo Ojeniyi who represented the General Manager, Babatunde Edu, said only the healthy can contribute to the development of the state has put in place a well equipped medical facility with professional personnel who attend to the staff on daily basis.

General Surgeon, Oseni Saliu, Vice Chairman of the Guild, said the exercise was to show that medical doctors in Lagos were not self-centered.

He assured that the Guild would extend such free services to other agencies in the state.

Give us Directorate of Physiotherapy, NSP urges FG

By Jefferey Ogunyinde

A

S Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark this year ’s World Physiotherapy Day on September 8, the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy is urging the Federal Government to create a Directorate of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation in the Federal Ministry of Health, as a way of boosting decision and policy making regarding physiotherapy and medical rehabilitation issues in the country.

Making the call in Lagos, the National President of the Society, Taiwo Oyewumi, said as against about 42,000 physiotherapists required to cater for the

COMMISSIONING: From left: Chief Executive Officer, Beaconhill Smile Clinic, Dr. Olwaseun Akinbobola; Chairman, Lagos State Civil Service Commission; Dr. Olujobi Ososanya; Otunba Olatubosun Anifowoshe, and Medical Director, Kleinburg Medical Centre, Lagos, Dr. Akeem Anifowoshe, at the inauguration of the clinic in Lagos weekend.

country, there is currently about 1,000 physiotherapists gainfully employed.

“This is a state of emergency,” he stated, noting that in order for Nigerians to benefit optimally, government and policy makers need to address some front burners issues and challenges facing the profession.

Further, Oyewunmi said, “There is also dearth of physiotherapy equipment required for diagnosis and intervention in Nigeria.

The need for physiotherapists as the practitioners of choice in helping people with long-term conditions to achieve their goals, fulfill their potential and participate fully in the society, must be recognised.

In his views, many people with longterm health conditions or disabilities lead fulfilled lives. “But some do not because they do not receive the right kind of support. This can be devastating to individuals and this waste of potential also has a cost to others: families, communities and societies.”

He said increasing evidence supports the value of Ppysiotherapy in the health care. Physiotherapy is the arts and science of helping people to move and function throughout their live span.

“Physiotherapy is a client-centered profession which aims at optimizing quality of life. This includes promotion of a healthy life style, prevention of illness and injury for those at risk and rehabilitation following injury or impairment of function.

“The NSP implore sgovernment at all levels as matter of urgency to open up discussions with the NSP and set up world model rehabilitation centers in the six geo-political zones in the country as a starter,” he argued.

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40—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Continues from yesterday

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Henry Umoru

I

T was alleged that while you were going round as national chairman selling the party, the former chairman of BoT, Chief Tony Anenih was also doing same and some said that there was a clash between the two of you.

Well, if people want to clash, you cannot stop them from clashing. The job of BoT is different from the job of a party chairman.

But if you decide to dive into it, then you expect clash of interest.

But did you see his action, meeting with state executives as clashing with your job as the party chairman?

Of course it did. It was not reconciling, let us call a spade a spade. I think the governors wanted to use him so that they can soften my position, that is all.

Since you were both veterans of the NPN (defunct National Party of Nigeria) why did you not seek to address him?

Oh yes, ask Chief Anenih. I always told him that both of us are responsible to make sure this party works and the government continues. I am sure he meant well.

Superior idea But my perception was that maybe they wanted to use him to soften my position, to try and tell them, work with the chairman knowing full well that if they said selection, I would not agree; I would say election.

Sir, did you in your heart ever forgive Nyako for not supporting you to become the national chairman?

He was not a factor. What could he do? One governor when the governors of 35 states wanted me.

He was not a factor. He may have prejudice. To me, an individual going against me. If I like I can call Nyako...after all, my son is married to his daughter.

With the two of you fighting in the open, how do your children really see it?

It was unfortunate, but my son comes and my own daughter comes to see me, with my grandchild I play with them. I always say, please remove politics and relationship because politics is a game of chance. Not my wife, not my children, not my relation will enter into my political philosophy.

They all know me. After all, my wife is APC. So we must teach our people to remove all these external things.

After you stepped down you stopped attending NEC meetings even though you are a permanent member of NEC? They were not inviting me, they will say they sent a letter to me. I am in Abuja here, they will use Jimeta address.

Jonathan did not want me to resign — TUKUR ERSTWHILE National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, in an interview published yesterday spoke on several issues relating to his stewardship. In the second part of the interview, Tukur speaks on his relationship with some party chieftains and gives details of the battle he had with Governor Murtala Nyako, who was at that time governor of his home state, Adamawa. Excerpts:

Sir, where exactly was Atiku Abubakar on the Adamawa PDP crisis because he apparently moved positions?

He has the better answer himself because I am as constant as the Northern Star. Ask him.

Could you reflect as a governor in 1983 what is the difference between the mood and bearing of governors in your time and the governors of today?

Complete difference. I can tell you when Chief Richard Akinloye (NPN national chairman) entered all of us including Shagari (president) would stand up which is what I call discipline. We waited for Akinloye together with the president until they came in. We believed in the supremacy of the party. You as a governor, you as a president, you have only one vote.

Superior argument It is the aggregate of the votes that made me chairman and you president, so why should you boss it over others.

Do you think the PDP can reinvent itself and win back federal power?

Why not? It is a party dominated by the grassroots.

It only lacks maybe management.

Why was Nyako not allowed to enter the convention ground?

We had an elected state chairman but he said he wanted his own chairman who is not an elected chairman to be there. It is not him they refused, it was Kaigama (Nyako’s PDP factional chairman) that they refused, let us be fair. How can you tell me that the elected chairman should be the one not to come, could that be right? Madaki was elected and therefore he should. But Nyako said if and unless Kaigama comes with him, he is not going to come in. It was his choice, not mine.

How true is it that the quarrel with Nyako was

compounded by the fact that you both wanted your sons to be governor in 2015?

Awwal before he intended to become governor, was also a member of the House of Representatives, chairman of committee on aviation.

Should I tell Awwal because I am the chairman of the party not to vie for the position of a governor? Will it be fair?

Nyako was the one who went round and promoted his son with the emir, he was using government apparatus.

I did not use party apparatus.

I never went on campaign with him, never. I did not campaign, I did not tell anybody in the NWC or anybody else about my son.

After all somebody who is over 50 can make a choice.

Is it true you resigned as national chairman under duress?

If I found Jonathan insincere, then I would have refused to resign. I resigned for peace so that PDP will remain.

He didn’t want me to go.

That is the president?

Yes. I said the pressure on him was too much. Sule Lamido

If I found Jonathan insincere, then I would have refused to resign. I resigned for peace so that PDP will remain. He didn’t want me to go

•Tukur

called me a virus and I replied him and said, yes I am a virus for good governance, democracy and fair play and I hope it will catch you.

So what happened, I told him, I said look Mr President, I know when the two women came before king Solomon, the wisest king, he asked them what is the problem; they said one child that both of them delivered the child.

So he said oh yes, let us divide the child into two so that each of you can take half of the child. One of them said no, me I won’t agree to that, rather let the child remain so that when the child grows up, he can then determine who is his real mother. King Solomon knew from that moment that the real mother is the one who wants to spare the child, the other one who wanted the child divided, did that out of jealousy.

So I said to him, let me get out, let PDP survive. Let me stand aside. The letter was there which he refused to submit.

I want you to get the tape of those of you who attended. All of them, all the governors praised me. For I did nothing but because they were happy I was going and I did because

I wanted to save PDP. Do you feel embarrassed that the party you presided over formed a government is regularly being indicted for corruption?

So far they are allegations.

Of course I will feel embarrassed because the people they alleging against (unless they prove otherwise,) they are people that I know.

Eightieth birthday So I feel embarrassed definitely, they are friends, they are associates, so on and so forth. So nobody can pretend to you that he is not embarrassed by these kind of things.

I am not only embarrassed because of my party, I am embarrassed because of my country. I love my country. I am a Nigerian. So I am embarrassed really.

Sir, you will be eighty years tomorrow. What has life taught you?

Four scores, in health and vigour and still counting! I want to thank my God. Whatever I arrive at is with the cooperation, it is not me alone; I am part of those who, including all of you, who encouraged me either in my endeavour or by goodness.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015—41

Benue is still waiting for change — MORO COMRADE Abba Moro is the immediate past Minister of Interior, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Benue State. In this interview, he responds to questions on issues pertaining to the new administrations at the federal level and Benue State. Excerpts:

By Peter Duru

T

HERE are fears among your party men that the APC may use its incumbency to influence decisions at the tribunals. Do you share that fear?

I think that fear is palpable because of activities that have been set in the past in the development of democracy in Nigeria, there is this fear that President Muhammadu Buhari who is a product of the APC can most likely use his position as the President of Nigeria to influence judgments in the various tribunals in favour of APC elected officials whose elections are virtually in the courts and in the tribunals.

The fear was actually accentuated a week ago when the newspapers were awash with stories that the President has set up a ten-man committee which he is heading to help salvage APC members where their elections are threatened either in the courts or in the tribunals. And of course, particularly in Benue State, when the outcome of the

meeting of APC gubernatorial candidates, aggrieved on the emergence of Samuel Ortom as the candidate for the party that won the election eventually, there was palpable fear, quite frankly, that the President could continue the intervention up to the level of the tribunal.

Because we are all aware that in Benue State, the Governor has desperately been looking up for people to intervene to persuade his aggrieved colleagues in APC to withdraw their cases against him.

And for the obvious reason that Mr President has come out to say that he was going to fight corruption headlong and all of us believe in him because of his antecedents, all of us also trust that he will do it to a logical conclusion. And Nigerians are waiting that he fights corruption to a standstill.

How would you assess the Governor Samuel Ortom led government since it took over the reins of power in Benue State?

Well, while I can candidly say

•Moro

that it is too early to assess the performance of government, especially the government in Benue State now, I want to say that having been in government before at various levels, I know that people’s minds are fixated on a number of activities and periods of administrations. For instance, you know that 100 days is a celebrated period in governance in Nigeria. If you look at what is happening in Benue State now, the signs are very ominous that we are in for the worst of times. In spite of the

much touted bailout and loans that the Benue State government under Dr. Samuel Ortom has taken to pay salaries, salaries are not paid. The governor had ordered that two months salaries be paid recently but as I’m talking to you, I am on good authority that no salary has been paid.

I think that for a government that is anchored on change, a government that is headed by somebody who says he is going to run the government by the fear of God, these steps are missteps.

They are not good steps in the right direction because the first set of activities that is expected of a government that is coming on the heels of despondency on the part of Benue State workers and the Benue people in general, are activities that are supposed ordinarily to ameliorate the conditions that they met on ground; the non payment of salaries, the fast decaying infrastructure on ground, these are activities that pronouncements should have been made on and actions taken to ameliorate.

What is your reaction to the recent dissolution of governing boards of parastatals by the federal and Benue State governments?

I don’t know whether that one is also Change. You know that it has been the attitude of governments in Nigeria that as soon as they are elected and sworn in, they dissolve boards of parastatals whether they are statutory boards or are administrative boards, or whether they are regulated by law or not regulated by law.

That is exactly what has been happening in Nigeria. What is happening in Benue State is not an exception from what has been happening around Nigeria.

When government comes, the first action that they take is to dissolve boards, sack this person and sack that person, institute probe panel so that people will see you as being active.

ABIA GOV POLL: Why I'm still in court against Ikpeazu — NWOSU Barr. Friday Nwosu, one of the governorship aspirants, who contested the December 8, 2014 PDP governorship primaries in Abia state, in this interview spoke on why he is in court against the governor and President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti corruption campaign among other issues. Excerpts:

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

M

ANY people are surprised that you are still in court since the conclusion of the Abia PDP governorship primary?

I am still in court because at the end of the PDP Governorship Primaries on December 8, 2014, I discovered that there was obvious abnormality that shouldn’t have warranted the return of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu as the party ’s candidate. I petitioned the leadership of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), pointing out the abnormality, but they couldn’t listen to me. So, when no redress was given to me by either PDP or INEC, I went to court making PDP and INEC first and second defendants respectively for their failure to act upon my petition.

Secondly, my case in court is also about a particular PDP governorship aspirant who wrote a petition to the PDP complaining that there was no primary

You have been a strong advocate of power shift to Ukwa/ Ngwa bloc; now that a son of the zone has emerged governor, people expect you to sheathe your sword?

Yes, I have been a strong advocate of power shift to Ukwa/ Ngwa bloc. I have not deviated from my stand on the issue of power shift in the state. When the PDP zoned the governorship position to Abia South, it meant that the party heard the long years of cries of marginalization of the Ukwa/Ngwa people.

election in Abia State on December 8, 2014 and that PDP should organize another primary election. The same aspirant comes from Abia North Senatorial zone but the PDP in Abia State specifically zoned the governorship ticket of PDP to Abia South Senatorial zone. The details of why I’m in court are a matter before the court, so I can’t

Let the Court hear my case and if there is any merit, then let justice be done. I believe no society should promote fraud as a culture for its leaders and people

Governorship primaries

•Nwosu freely comment on it. You can go to court and find the issues.

In specific terms, what do you want from the court?

I want justice, truth, equity, and fairness. Let the Court hear my case and if there is any merit, then let justice be done. I believe no society should promote fraud as a culture for its leaders and people. Abia State should not be an exception.

I wish to remind you that at the conclusion of the PDP governorship primaries on December 8, 2014 in Umuahia, I signed the result. For me to have signed, implies that I accepted the process wholly without question. But when I discovered that there were certain abnormalities, I alerted my party, PDP, but they refused to act on my petition. I’m in court to seek redress and I don’t see how that amounts to not sheathing my sword. The governorship was ceded to Abia South by the state chapter of the PDP in line with

my agitation over the years. I am from the area the governorship was zoned to in the first place. It would have been a different thing if I’m now in court seeking to take away the governorship from Abia south zone.

If Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu comes to you appealing for support, will you oblige him?

This question is hypothetical; as a legal practitioner of more than 22 years standing, I don’t answer hypothetical questions.

Again, wait until he comes. I think your question should have been, has Gov. Ikpeazu approached you for support? The answer is no.

Some elders of your native Ukwa/Ngwa zone are reported to have approached you to drop your matter against the governor, accusing you of working against the interest of the zone. What is your take on this?

Do such elders include Eze Eberechi Dick, Eze Love Wogu, Elder Emmanuel Adaelu and others? I can remember that when I discovered the abnormality in the nomination of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, I approached them in the company of former deputy governor, Chief Eric Acho Nkwakanma.

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

A

S schools resumed for the new session yesterday across Lagos, the state government has vowed to shut any school that failed to provide adequate security for its pupils, leading to the premises been used to perpetrate defilement, rape or other illicit acts.

Worried by the increase in reported cases of defilement, the state government commenced the exercise shutting the private primary school where proprietor, Mr. Joseph Ogunleye was charged to court over alleged defilement of two pupils in his school.

The 56-year-old proprietor, who was charged before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, allegedly defiled a seven-yearold girl and a 10-year-old girl who were pupils in his school on June 27, 2015 at Ijegun, Ikotun area of Lagos.

Ogunleye, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge before the Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Erinle.

The magistrate however granted him bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till October 26, 2015.

Barely a month to the next trial, Vanguard gathered that the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has directed officials of the Monitoring and Investigative department of the State Ministry of Education to shut the school indefinitely.

Domestic violence It was learnt that the directive was in fulfilment of his earlier promise to wage war against sexual abuse and domestic violence in the state.

He was quoted as saying; “One of my cardinal programmes in the course of the campaign was that I was going to stand up for everyone and standing up for everyone is actually standing up for women and children.”

He lamented that the society has always been very uncharitable towards issues that relate to children and women, adding; “Lagos State in 2007, passed a law on domestic violence. ‘’But beyond that, the law cannot work by itself except we create the framework that enforces our laws, that is what we are standing for and in that respect, we talked about issues that relate to sexual and gender violence.”

When Vanguard visited the school, God Grace Global Group of School at Alagbelebu Street, Kudeyibu Estate, Ijegun, Lagos on Monday, September 14, 2015, there was no activity within the premises which used to be for religious gatherings too.

Lagos to shut schools where pupils are defiled •Closes Ijegun school where proprietor allegedly defiled 2 students

At the entrance of the school was a seal of the State Government which reads: “School closed indefinitely.”

Sources added that academic activities may never hold in the school again considering the gravity of the alleged offence committed by the proprietor.

Last week, while speaking on the need for adequate security in schools at a one-day workshop for Principals and Head-teachers in Education District VI, Oshodi, Director-General of the Office of Education Quality Assurance, OEQA, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo said that the state government will not shield any school that fail to provide adequate security for the pupils in its care.

Her words “Where children are not well catered for and safety is not adhered to, the state government may be forced to intervene. We have the monitoring and investigative department that ensures that if parents are not happy with some issues in the school, first they can complain to the management.

And when the school

management fails to act, they should endeavour to complain to the state government.”

She noted that the governor expect that all children would be protected irrespective of their

The aim is to ensure that the future leaders of the state are well catered for and to restore education in the state back to where it was over three decades ago

school, adding that though there are few schools where children were being abused but the government has to take necessary action.

According to her; “The aim is to ensure that the future leaders of the state are well catered for and to restore education in the state back to where it was over three decades ago. We have often been the best and we can reach that height again if all standards are adhered to.”

Medical and police reports Also recently, the Coordinator, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi in a statement, said; “In July alone, the team has attended to about 50 cases in the state.”

Of these cases, she said at least 30 of them are victims of domestic violence and over 20 cases were also monitored which include child abuse, defilement and rape with key evidential medical and police reports.

Vivour-Adeniyi however said this is excluding the total number of cases the Directorate of Public Prosecutions is prosecuting at the High Court.

On the effort by the state government, she stated that over 800 mandated reporters who are state government employees have been trained on how to detect signs of child abuse and steps to take in reporting such cases.

“Furthermore, over 2,000 school children have been empowered through our rape prevention workshops on how to avoid being a victim of sexual abuse, self defence and how to preserve evidence when physically or sexually assaulted”, she added.

The coordinator noted that the state has dedicated 112 toll free emergency lines to report cases of rape, defilement, domestic violence and others, adding that 190 officials of the State Emergency Command and Control centre on how to receive reports of sexual abuse and others.

VI

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 43

Gridlock eases as Lagos opens Alimosho median

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

F

OR residents and motorists in Dopemu and Alimosho areas of the state, it is a dream come true after years of appeal to relevant authorities, when Lagos state government, recently, opened the median by Dopemu overhead bridge along the Lagos Abeokuta road, linking Alimosho, also known as Goye road, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state as access road for motorists.

Sometime last year, the state government initially opened the median during the rehabilitation of Dopemu and Iyana-Ipaja bridges to create an alternative route pending completion of the bridges and later replaced the median at the completion of the exercise.

The, vehicles approaching Dopemu bridge from Ile- Zik inward Iyana Ipaja now make U-turn back to Dopemu bridge via the opened median along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway or take a left turn into Alimosho road.

Similarly, vehicles from Orile Agege and environs approaching Dopemu Bridge will take a right turn through Surulere road to link LagosAbeokuta Expressway and make use of the open median barrier into the link roads.

*Dopemu’s opened median on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway was unbearable.

There was no time you will drive through and you won’t spend over an hour fin traffic.

“But since the median was opened it brought the needed relief to increasing number of motorists along this axis,. It has taken away the rush and bottleneck often experienced in the axis.”

Another resident, Mrs Eniafe Funmilola, simply described the traffic situation then as

“horrendous” and expressed joy over the state’s intervention.

According to her, “Before now, I used to drop my car to board public bus. I only drive when it was absolutely necessary but now I drive more often due to improved traffic situation. I now get home early from my office in Ikeja.

While commenting on the re opening of the median, during an inspection tour of ongoing projects in the state, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry

of Works and Infrastructure, Engr.

Ajibade BadeAdebowale, said the reopened access point is expected to greatly improve commuter experience and dislodge traffic gridlock which often times characterized the expressway between Cement Bus Stop and Dopemu/Iyana Ipaja.

He said the Ministry, in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation, were directed by the governor, who visited the area twice, to reopen the

access and provide adequate traffic infrastructure to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

While speaking further on plans by the state government to improve the quality of the state’s road network, Engr.

Bade-Adebowale said “There is an irrevocable commitment on the part of the government under the leadership of Ambode to quickly deal with the various road challenges across the state regardless of the location of the road, whether rural or urban.

“We are currently working on what the governor called ‘Operation 20 road per LG’; this is a partnership that will see LG/LCDAs compliment the state government’s efforts in delivering quality roads across the state” he noted.

Similarly, the General Manager of Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Engineer Ayotunde Sodeinde, said the governor approved funds for the agency to start work immediately on upgrade of * various road projects.

“We are going to work as from Monday. We would not work during the day so that we will not obstruct traffic, we have a lot of LSPWC gangs that will handle all these roads.

“Very soon, you would see us in action and you would see what they call a new face of Public Works. Lagos roads will be free and motorable”, he said.

Median barrier In addition, vehicles from Akowonjo, Shasha approaching Agege could go through Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and turn at Ile-Zik back to Agege.

Concerned citizens had severally, called on relevant authorities – Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, and state government to live up to their responsibility by fixing the bad portions of the road which had become nightmare to road users on the axis.

“We are appealing to FERMA and other relevant authorities to help us as we are dying due to the daily stress experienced on the road. Armed robbers who disguises as highway hawkers also use the opportunity to rob innocent motorists at gun point. They carry-out their operation without any fear,” a resident lamented.

According to the then state Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. kayode Opeifa, the Federal government gave the approval to open the median and left maintenance work to federal agents in the state.

Mr, Gbenga Onitiri, a civil servant and resident of Alimosho, said; “The heavy traffic being experienced daily

New dawn at LASTMA as new boss resumes

T

OUGH times seem to await corrupt Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, officials, going by the words of the newly appointed General Manager of the agency, Mr. Mr. Bashir Braimah.

In its bid to ensure free flow of traffic across the metropolis, officials of LASTMA were recently, directed to adopt the system of booking traffic offenders, rather than apprehending their vehicles.

The measure became necessary in view of several complaints against LASTMA officials over undisciplined acts such as extortion, overzealous attitude, among others.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Oluseyi Whenu handed over the directive to the officials while briefing top echelon of LASTMA on government’s new policy thrust in the transportation sector.

He said that while government appreciates the invaluable contribution of the traffic managers to the current traffic situation in the state, more emphasis should be placed on flawless flow of traffic.

Braimah, at the weekend, while assuming duty gave assurance

to ensure free flow of traffic according to relevant laws of the state.

Braimah, who replaced Engr.

Babatunde Edu, made the remarks after a tour of the agency‘s facilities shortly after assuming office on Friday at the agency ’s headquarters in Oshodi.

While addressing the senior officials of the agency, he reaffirmed the commitment of the administration to professionalism through human capacity building and hinted that competency, commitment, diligence, and concern for citizens should be their

LASTMA as the engine room of Lagos state economic growth can only be achieved when traffic officers are dedicated to duty.

watchwords in the discharge of their duties.

He urged the officials to be focused and device scientific methods of unlocking gridlocks associated with the state and do away with the old practice of chasing vehicles but should rather apply the use of electronic documentation to arrest defaulters.

“Gone are the days of impunity, indiscipline and extortion of money from motorists. All negative vices capable of damaging the image of the government should be done away with,” Braimoh warned

Traffic officers According to him, “ LASTMA as the engine room of Lagos state economic growth can only be achieved when traffic officers are dedicated to duty. Henceforth, the focus of the Agency will be to facilitate seamless driving on Lagos roads where goods and services will be delivered within time frame.”

The LASTMA boss stressed that when traffic flows motorists will burn less fuel, save energy and time, man hour loss and insecurity will also be reduced

drastically.

Braimoh who urged LASTMA officials and staff to be mindful of the fact that Lagos role as a commercial and economic hub centre of Nigeria and West Africa sub region, said there was the need for traffic management approach to be in line with the best global practices.

He therefore charged officers and rank of the agency to be on the same page with the current administration in an effort to re position the state as a number one call for investors in the country.

He admonished officers to demonstrate discipline, courtesy and civility in dealing with the public, especially, motorists and to always work within the ambit of the law.

He however, called for the support of all stakeholders, members of the public in achieving the mission even as he pledged of his readiness to work with all so as to ensure traffic flow at all times.

Braimoh was a Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Culture before his appointment as the new LASTMA boss. A seasoned administrator, Braimoh joined the Lagos State Civil Service in 1983 and had served the state in various capacities.

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

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VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 45

Australian PM, Tony Abbott ousted by rival

Saudi crane collapse raises fear about city’s construction boom •Activists condemn uncontrolled construction

T

HE Saudi crane collapse that killed more than 100 people in Mecca at the weekend has exposed a shoddy breakneck construction boom that some Saudis complain is ruining the holy city.

For years, Mecca’s residents have lived with rampant building and development work as Saudi leaders seek to expand not just a holy site that received more than 2 million visitors during hajj last year, but the surrounding metropolis too.

“Every two years they have a new plan that is nothing to do with the previous plan,” said one activist, who like many Saudis was nervous of giving his name. “So they have to destroy a bit of the past. That is why the people of Mecca and hajjees have been suffering for the last 15 years.”

Frenetic building work is evident everywhere in Mecca, above all at the Grand Mosque, the vast complex of religious buildings spread over 356,800 square metres at the heart of the city, where Friday’s accident took place.

The country’s monarch, King

Salman, has promised to find out what caused the construction crane to topple over during a thunderstorm.

Dr Irfan al-Alawi, the executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, said: “It is a tragedy what has

happened, but it didn’t come as a surprise. There have been many accidents.Lastyear,thelastfewfloors of a building being constructed right next to the clock tower caught fire and they had to call the fire engine from Taif, which is about 45 mins away, to help extinguish it.”

More EU states introduce border checks asylum on German soil is

A

USTRIA and Slovakia have joined Germany in re-introducing border checks, putting even more pressure on EU ministers meeting in Brussels to form a new strategy to handle Europe’s refugee crisis.

German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel defended the new checks on Monday, saying they were not designed to keep those fleeing violence in their homeland out of Germany but were aimed at producing a more orderly flow of people.

Gabriel stressed that “everyone who applies for

allowed to stay here until a decision is reached. We are not changing that,” he wrote to members of his centre-left Social Democratic Party on Monday.

Earlier Gabriel said one million people may arrive in Germany seeking refugee status this year, up from the record 800,000 arrivals the government had earlier predicted.

“There are many signs that Germany this year will take in not 800,000 refugees, as forecast by the interior ministry, but one million,” Gabriel said.

A

USTRALIA would have a new prime minister after Tony Abbott was ousted as leader of the centre-right Liberal Party by Malcolm Turnbull.

In the dramatic late night party leadership ballot, Mr Abbott, who had been plagued by poor opinion polls, received 44 votes to Mr Turnbull’s 54.

Mr Turnbull said he assumed that parliament would serve its full term, implying no snap general election.

The new leader will be Australia’s fourth prime minister since 2013.

The prime minister-elect is expected to be sworn in after Mr Abbott writes to Australia’s

governor general and resigns.

Earlier on Monday Mr Abbott had dismissed rumours of a leadership challengeas “Canberra gossip” - only to be voted out by his fellow Liberal MPs. They also voted for Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to remain deputy leader of the party.

Speaking after the result was announced, Mr Turnbull praised his predecessor for his “formidable achievements” as prime minister.

The new party leader said Australia needed to have “the economic vision, a leadership, that explains the great challenges and opportunities we face.”

EGYPT: Security forces kill tourists, mistaking them for terrorists

E

GYPTIAN security forces killed 12 people and injured 10 more after firing upon a tourist group they had mistaken for militants, the country’s Interior Ministry said.

Members of Egypt’s military and police were chasing “terrorist elements” Saturday in the country’s vast Western Desert when they came upon the tourists.

Among the victims were Mexicans and Egyptians, the ministry said.

The attack happened within a so-called restricted area.

The tourist group was in cars not authorized for tours, and the group did not have permits for the trip, MENA state news agency reported, citing Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism.

An investigation is ongoing, but the head of the tour guides union disputed the state-run media account, saying, “The tour company is licensed. They had the tourism police notification. The police representative inspected all car licenses before leaving the hotel in Cairo in the morning and heading towards the Oases.”

Aftermath of crane accident in pix: By Lamidi Bamidele

Construction work still going on around the Holy Kaabah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to improve and upgrade facilities around the Holy Mosque.

Pilgrims performing one of the Hajj rites shortly after the crane accident.

Dr Naheem Ekemode, Leader, Hajj 2015 Medical Team, Medview Alhaji Abdul Salam Abdul Raheem, Leader, Hajj 2015 Guide, Consult (right) with some pilgrims at a lecture for the Medview Medview Consult (left) with some pilgrims at a lecture for the Pilgrims in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, recently.

Medview Pilgrims in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, recently.

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

AAG 2015: Dream Team, Falcons to play B/Faso, Cameroon in s/finals T

•Oparanozie

HE national U-23 team, Dream Team will face Burkina Faso in the semi final stage of the ongoing All African Games in Congo Brazzavile according to Confederation of African Football.

The Samson Siasia-led team made through to the last four from group B with four points from two games following the withdrawal of Egypt due to undisclosed reasons.

In the women category, the Super Falcons will tackle Cameroon for a spot in the final while Ghana face western neighbours Cote d’Ivoire in Women’s semis today at the Kintele Stadium.

Ghana (Women) and Burkina Faso (Men) emerged luckier during the drawing of lots for places at the semis of the on-

going 11th African Games Brazzaville 2015.

Ghana was picked ahead of South Africa whilst

Burkina Faso got the nod over Sudan at the brief ceremony yesterday, at the Kintele Sports Complex.

U-23 Championships: We’ll meet again – Senegal coach tells Siasia

S

ENEGAL Under-23 coach, Saliou Mbacke Dia believes that Nigeria was lucky to have escaped defeat in their last group B match of the All Africa Games, but according to the coach, it will not be so easy, if they meet at the CAF Under-23 tournament billed for November 28 – December 12.

The draws for the competition, which is an Olympic qualification tournament, were released yesterday. Senegal, the hosts are drawn in the same

group with South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia, and Nigeria is in group B alongside Egypt, Algeria and Mali.

“Nigeria was lucky to have scored in the dying minutes. But I believe that we still meet again in the Under-23 tournament,” said the coach.

Siasia, on his part, stated that he was happy with the draw and he is hoping that his team will pick one of the three tickets to the Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

Nigeria wins table tennis gold A

RUNA Quadri lived up to his billing in global table tennis when he guided Team Nigeria’s fight back to win the gold in the men’s table tennis event of the All Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo.

The Egyptians who won the women’s gold medal at the expense of their Nigerian counterparts won the first set but Seg-

un Toriola restored parity for Nigeria when he dumped his opponent 31. That set the stage for Africa’s number one, Aruna Quadri to offset his bitter rival, Mohammed Umar to hand Nigeria the gold medal.

The victory qualifies Nigeria for the table tennis event of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

•Quadri

D’Tigers’ll not rest on Afrobasket success — coach N Ben Efe reporting

Anichebe salutes Iheanacho, Ighalo Compared to Iheanacho

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EST BROM striker Victor Anichebe has jumped on the bandwagon in support of Manchester City starlet Kelechi Iheanacho after the teenager opened his account for the former English Premier League champions on Saturday.

The former Evertonian also had kind words for Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo, whose 59th minute strike against Swansea City secured three points for the Hornets at Vicarage Road.

who scored his first goal in the Premier League aged 18 years, 11 months and 9 days, Anichebe remains the youngest Nigerian player to score in the top flight, scoring after 84 minutes in Everton’s 2 - 2 draw with his current club West Brom at the age of 18 years and 14 days in May 2006.

“Big congrats to Kelechi on your first senior goal and Ighalo Jude on another goal. Future looking bright for Nigeria,”Anichebe posted on social media.

IGERIA’S D’Tigers are not allowing their famous win at the Afrobasket championship in Tunisia last month to get into their heads as they aim to crown their year with the All Africa Games gold medal.

The African champions are facing Egypt in the semi-final tomorrow and, according to the coach, all the teams in the pool are strong and capable of winning the gold.

“We are facing equally good teams in the semifinals. That we won the African title in Tunisia is not a guarantee that we will have an easy ride to the gold.

“We have Angola and Mali who are still in contention, but we are totally focused to get to the final and win the gold.

Cote d'Ivoire continues from B/P semi-final; but he wasn’t a match for the much taller and stronger Ivorian.

Meite ran 10.04 seconds, while Egwero tagged in at 10.17 seconds. The bronze went to Koffi Wilfred Hua 10.23. Nigeria’s other finalists Seye Ogunlewe was fourth with 10.45 seconds, while Nicholas Ihoamperamhe placed seventh with 10.52.

Cote’d Ivoire’s Marie Josee Talou running in lane seven proved too hot for the girls in the field. She won the race in a time of 11.02 secs.

In the women 400m

Patience Okon-George strolled into the final with 51 77 seconds: So did Margaret Etim with 52.34.

Tosin Adeloye is also in the final. But the real show down comes up today in the women’s 400 metres, when Okon-George will prove that her 50.76 season’s best was not a fluke, she takes on Zambian rival Mupopo Kabanga who posted the fastest time of 50.94 seconds in the second semi-final heat.

In the men’s 400m Urukpe Eriyokan ran a Nigerian fastest time in about five years; a 44.95 seconds to put himself in

contention for the gold. He has Botswana’s Isaac Makwala with 44.87 seconds to beat. Nigeria’s two other athletes didn’t make the cut.

“I am very relaxed a head of the race. There are no worries and by God’s grace I will get the gold,” said Okon-George the only African runner who reached the semi-final of the world championships in Beijing.

Tosin Oke won gold medal in the triple jump event with a jump of 17.00mtrs while compatriot Olamide Olagoke won silver with a jump of 16.99 mtrs in the same event.

“Our women are equally on course. We will do everything that we can to get the right result,” said Sanni Ahmed.

The Nigerian team re-

wrote Basketball history when they beat Angola 74-65 in the finals of the 2015 Afrobasket. They also earned an automatic qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Angola had been a stumbling block in Nigeria’s quest for basketball achievements. Basketball enthusiasts here are already looking forward to a rematch of the Nigeria/ Angola final.

N3m for winner of The Nigeria Cup

T

HE 2015 edition of the Nigeria Cup, the premier amateur golf tournament organized by the Ikoyi Golf Community Nigeria Association (IGC-

NA), is set to kick off on Saturday, September 26, 2015, at the Golf Section of the Ikoyi Club 1938. The tournament is themed 7 Shades of Green.

NFF continues from B/P football development and capacity building programs.

NFF President Amaju Pinnick led the NFF top hierarchy to the brief but colourful event at Zenith Bank’s headquarters in Lagos, where the topmost financial institution’s Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Amangbo emphasized that “we are ready to empower the new crop of young and accountable administrators at the NFF to reach lofty heights.”

The partnership announcement began with a presentation by NFF 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi, who in his capacity as Chairman of the Youth Football Committee, regaled the gathering with NFF’s comprehensive youth development program, including but not limited to grassroots, U-13, U-15 sub-heads, which will be in the framework of

what he calledThe Next Eagles Championship.

“We have a holistic Future Generation Plan, which is aimed at engendering a pool of talented youngmen and women for all categories of the National Teams at all times. Today, everybody talks about the Senior National Team. That should not be so. We want to create a situation whereby people will also talk about grassroots and youth competitions.

“The NFF is committed to working hand-in-hand with every organ that has something to do with the youth, in order to realize our objectives. In the next two weeks, we will unveil our detailed program at a world press conference.”

NFF President Amaju Pinnick stated that apart from capacity building programs for all workers in football, the youth development program is the next big commitment of the present NFF administration.

Chairman of the organising committe Lanre Kalejaiye stated that N3m has been set aside as star prize for winner of the professional competition.

The 7 Shades of Green reflects the seven days of the tournament, and the celebration of Nigerian Independence week through the game of golf. Each of the seven days will focus on a different category of golfers, and will highlight different shades of Nigeria’s national colour.

Commenting on the tournament, Kalejaiye said the week-long program will commence with the children’s tournament, while Monday 28th, Tuesday 29th and Wednesday, September 30th will be time for the Caddies, Ladies and Professionals.

The Chairman added that this year’s Independence Day Kitty scheduled for Thursday October 1st would be an exciting day of golfing for all club members and will celebrate Nigeria’s rich heritage in the Arts. The guests, veterans and sponsors will take their turn on the course on Friday, October 2nd, and the Final will be on Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 which will climax with a Gala Dinner later in the evening. The qualifier for the Final will be played on Saturday, September 12th.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — 47

Depay set for unwelcome return as Man U face PSV

Benitez banks on Ronaldo to crush Shakhtar

T

HE acid test of Rafael Benitez’s credentials at the Real Madrid helm begins today with the visit of Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League. ""I like to talk about the team when you get a victory this big, but you cannot forget the five goals Ronaldo scored – and it could have been even more,” said Benitez after Cristiano Ronaldo became the club’s alltime top La Liga goalscorer. after netting five goals against Espanyol on Saturday.

“The numbers speak for themselves. Someone who scores so many goals deserves a place in history. There is no doubt about that.

“He deserves his place just like Raul and Alfredo Di Stefano. We are talking about three historic players here. I hope Cristiano will keep scoring, for himself and for the team.”

I rejected ‘crazy Chinese money’ to play in EPL

*Depay he said to Omroep Brabant.

“Santiago Arias, the Colombian international defender who knows him inside out, is going to eat him raw.”

A

*Ronaldo

LL eyes will be on Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Parc des Princes as Paris Saint-Germain kick off their UEFA Champions League campaign against Malmo, the Sweden striker’s hometown club and first professional team.

The 33-year-old is set to face his former club, who he played for between 1999 and 2001 before beginning his star-studded career in mainland Europe that continues to this day with PSG. “Ibra is very happy to play against the club where he started,” the club’s in-form midfielder Blaise Matuidi told

Kompany tells City to vent anger on Juve

V

INCENT Kompany urged his Manchester City teammates to let Juventus feel the “anger and desire” of five frustrating years in the Champions League when both sides clash at the Etihad Stadium tonight.

“It is about finding the confidence we have in the Premier League and bringing it into the

*Kompany

W

Champions League. If we are not confident today after what we have done so far, then we will never be confident. The same goes for what we have experienced.

“We are really determined and hungry in the Premier League after what happened last season. The same goes for the Champions League."

*Ibrahimovic Telefoot.

“This may be his last Champions League, so playing against his hometown team is something beautiful.”

Simeone eyes win at Galatasaray

D

IEGO Simeone wants his Atletico Madrid side to avoid the problems that plagued their UEFA Champions League campaign last season by getting off to a winning start against Galatasaray today.

“Once the competition starts, it’s never as you imagined, Let’s hope we’ve learned from that experience so we can make a strong start in Turkey”.

Djokovic wins US Open title, claims year-end No. 1 N

OVAK Djokovic’s US Open title allowed him to clinch the year-end No. 1 ranking for the fourth time. A day after Djokovic’s 64, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory

over No. 2 Roger Federerin the final at Flushing Meadows, the ATP announced that the 28year-old Serbian would add 2015 to 2011, 2012 and 2014 as seasons he

Federer: I won’t retire OGER Federer in- nouncing his retirement.

R sists that he will “I’m very pleased with return to the US Open in where my game is at. It

*Federer

EMPHIS Depay can expect to be “eaten raw” on his return to PSV when Manchester United visit for today’s Champions League clash, according to the club’s former coach, Aad de Mos The Netherlands winger left for Old Trafford this summer and was handed an early chance to visit his old stomping ground when United were pitted against the Dutch champions in August’s groupstage draw.

“Depay is not going to get one bit of joy out of his return to Holland,”

Ibrahimovic back home against Malmo

– Ighalo ATFORD striker Odion Ighalo insisted his decision to turn down “crazy money ” to play for Hebei China Fortune in China has been justified.

“They (Hebei) were offering me crazy money, but sometimes it’s not just about money – I’m still young, progressing my career. I wanted to play in the Premier League and I’m happy to be part of it. I want to work hard, keep improving every day as a striker and help the team achieve their goals.”

M

2016 despite losing Sunday’s final 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to Novak Djokovic.

Federer, who will be 35 next year, said he had no intention of following women’s champion Flavia Pennetta by an-

feels like it has moved in the right direction. I’m back in the final for the first time since 2009. I love the sport. I’ve got a lot of passion. One last thing, I’ll see you guys next year."

finished atop the rankings.

“Knowing I will end the year at No. 1 keeps my mind relaxed,’’ Djokovic said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I have achieved a lot so far in the season, and I hope I can deliver the same game for the rest of the year.’ Djokovic is currently in his third stay at No. 1, for a total of 164 weeks, the sixth most in the history of the computer rankings that began in 1973. Federer holds the record of 302.

*Djokovic

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

NFF takes Nigerian football to Zenith

Nigeria gets tough Olympic draw N

IGERIA has been given a tough draw in Group B of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations where they will face Egypt, Algeria and Mali.

The championship is the qualifying tournament for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

The Dream Team will face off against some of the toughest teams on the continent in the competition that will run between November 28 and December 12, 2015 in Senegal.

Group A will see hosts Senegal take on South Africa, Zambia and Tunisia.

The top three teams from the competition will qualify to represent Africa at Rio 2016.

The opening game will take place between Senegal and South Africa while Nigeria will play their first game against Mali on November 29 at the 5000-seater Caroline Faye Stadium, Mbour.

Nigeria are presently playing in the All Africa Games in Congo where they are in the semi finals.

Nigeria wins table tennis gold — Pg.46 •Siasia

A

new chapter was opened in Nigeria football on Monday when the Nigeria Football Federation and Zenith Bank PLC announced a partnership for youth

Continues on Page 46

Ben Efe reporting live

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick (r) in handshake with Mr. Peter Amangbo MD/CEO Zenith Bank

Cote d'Ivoire denies Nigeria men, women’s 100m gold •Tosin Oke wins gold in triple jump C

OTE’D IVOIRE’s Ben Youssef Meite and Marie Josee Talou, clinched the men and women 100m titles as the athletics events of the All Africa Games reached their peak yesterday at the Kintele

Stadium Brazzaville, Congo.

Nigeria’s OghoOghene Egwero had given officials here hope that he was a strong contender for the gold, when he did 10.06 in the Continues on Page 46

UEFA Champions League fixtures Benfica Galatasaray Man City PSV Eindhoven PSG Real Madrid Sevilla Wolfsburg

v v v v v v v v

Astana Atletico Madrid Juventus Man Utd Malmo Shakhtar Donetsk M’gladbach CSKA Moscow

7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Handwriting (6) 5 Moist (4) 8 Paramour (5) 9 Donkey (3) 10 Quarry (4) 11 Location (4) 12 Performed (5) 13 Menace (6) 16 Repose (4) 18 Valley (4) 20 Aye (3) 22 Groove (3) 23 Finish (3) 24 Paddle (4) 25 Stagger (4) 28 Buck (6) 30 Employees (5) 32 Repast (4) 33 Jot (4) 34 Drunkard (3) 35 Skirmish (5) 36 Fastened (4) 37 Offer (6)

DOWN 1 Scarce (6) 2 Kept (8) 3 Tree (6) 4 Blacked (9) 5 Earn (7) 6 Lord (4) 8 Meadow (3) 14 Petrified (9) 15 Elderly (3) 17 Prosecute (3) 19 Inspected (8) 20 Yelp (3) 21 Subsided (7) 26 Find (6) 27 Bomb-hole (6) 29 Exclude (4) 30 Identical (4) 31 Enemy (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACR OSS: 3, Brash 9, Avenue 10, Eating 11, Scent 12, Idea 15, Wise 17, Consent 20, Die 21, Timid 23, Amen 25, Gate 26, Token 28, Peg 30, Defence 33, Edith 35, Deer 36, Birth 38, Candid 39, Landed 40, Doped.

DOWN: 1, Basic 2, Seven 3, Bus 4, Recent 5, Send 6, Hat 7, Rigid 8, Agree 13, Donated 14, Asset 16, Silence 18, Tired 19, Big 22, Dated 24, Nor 27, Nettle 28, Peace 29, Giant 31, Needy 32, Erode 34, Lido 36, Bid 37, Had.

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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