Old age won't affect my job - BUHARI

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62430

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

UNPAID SALARIES: Governors want urgent review of revenue formula >8

Moslems begin Ramadan fast today —P.59

81 killed, others injured as abandoned bombs explode in Borno — P.55

Old age won't affect my job — BUHARI

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Chris Ochayi

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The President was misunderstood,says APC; he has failed — LP Buhari is like old wine, gets better with age— Presidency He should resign, better to look for black goat in daytime — Group We're not part of call for Buhari's resignation, says PDP; disowns group

BUJA—President Muhammadu Buhari declared, yesterday, that his age will not affect his job as president of Nigeria. He said that at 72 he has in quantum, the wisdom, the patience, the temperance and forbearance that age brings and has brought all these virtues to the presidency to make a difference in our national life.

The president said this ,yesterday, in Abuja, in response to reports quoting him as saying while addressing the Nigerian community in Johannesburg, South Africa, that his age will

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LAGOS WEST POLL:

Tribunal shifts hearing to June 22

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Mr & Mrs EVACUATED: From left, Celestine Enwerem, Sani Zaharadeen and Hamisu Yunusa, some of the Nigerians evacuated by NEMA from Yemen, on their arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday. INSET: Director of Search and Rescue, NEMA, Air Commodore Charles Otegbade (R),addressing the returnees at the airport. Photos: NAN.

COLUMNISTS: 80 garlands for Uncle Sam Amuka •P.17 C M Y K

APC as a ruling coalition •P.19

On neutrality and "Tambuwalisation" of the legislature •P.19

Boko Haram: Military Command and Control Centre operational in 21 days 14

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

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POCKET CARTOON

THE AFRICAN CHILD—The African Children Emergency Foundation and Zamaar Institute (an NGO) organised a candlelight event to mark the Day of the African Child in Abuja, Tuesday. Photo: NAN.

Old age won't affect my job — BUHARI Continues from Page 1 limit his performance.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said the president’s comments in South Africa were totally taken out of context to mean that he was too old for the demands of the office.

The Presidency spoke as Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State urged Nigerians not to politicize the issue, saying that the time for political campaigns was well past.

He rather asked Nigerians to pray for the President for him to have the grace to execute the demands of his office.

The governor’s assertion came as a fringe group in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which called itself the PDP Media Watchdogs demanded the President’s resignation upon comments made in South Africa on Monday night.

The PDP Media Watchdogs was immediately disowned by the mainstream PDP

which claimed ignorance of the group, saying that the language of the group was strange to the party’s posture, which is to only engage in healthy opposition to the administration. The PDP nevertheless, said that the PDP Media Watchdogs may have been instigated by the kind of bitter language used by the All Progressives Congress, APC, against former President Goodluck Jonathan while he was in power.

The ruling APC equally chided the PDP Media Watchdogs, describing their call as the product of deliberate mischief and a result of their members’ poor understanding of the English language.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, clarifying remarks given by the President to the Nigerian community in Johannesburg in a statement titled- "Like Good Wine, President Buhari Gets Better With Age", said: “On Monday evening,

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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

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

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

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

President Muhammadu Buhari spoke with the Nigerian community at the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“Speaking extempore, because according to him, he wanted to “speak from the heart,” the President urged them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria, a country he went to the war front to keep together.

“Still extolling the virtues of our country, Nigeria, the President, who had served as a military governor of the then North-Eastern State at 33 years old, declared: ”I wish I became Head of State when I was a governor. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do.”

“The above comments have been reported by some newspapers to mean that the President was saying he was too old to cope with the demands of his office. Far from it.

“As the saying goes, “old wines are tasty” and the President Buhari we have today is a man, like old wine, that has got tastier.

At 72, yes, he can’t be called a youth, but he has in quantum the wisdom, the patience, temperance and forbearance that age brings. And all these virtues he has brought to the Presidency, to make a difference in our national life.

“The President assured the Nigerian community in South Africa that his administration will make a positive impact on the country.

“Insecurity, as symbolized by insurgency, will be brought to an end, corruption will be fought to a standstill, employment will be created for the teeming army of unemployed, the economy will be revived, and the quality of life of Nigerians will take an upward swing again.

These will not come by a sudden flight, but they will happen in the life of this administration.

“At 72, the Buhari persona has not changed.

He remains the simple, honest, incorruptible patriot he has always been. And because Nigerians earnestly desired change, that was why they voted for him overwhelmingly at the general elections in March, this year. All the virtues and values of the Buhari persona will be deployed into governance in the weeks and months ahead.

“The Nigerian community in South Africa was enthralled as President Buhari spoke with them on Monday. In fact, leaving the venue was an effort, as they swarmed around the President, who shook hands with as many of them as he could.

“They took his message well. That is the essence of good wine. It gets better with age. And it is a message for all Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora.”

Pray for Buhari — Fayose

Governor Fayose, who had during the campaigns raised issues about the President’s age, was very conciliatory yesterday, urging that the comments should not be politicised even as he called for prayers for the President to discharge his duties.

“No, no, we cannot comment on that, but all that we owe the President is to pray for him to be able to do the demands of his office,” the governor ’s spokesman, Mr. Lere Olayinka said yesterday.

“Election is gone, and all that was done in the past is past and the time for election campaign is gone,” he restated yesterday.

PDP fringe group flays Buhari

Earlier, yesterday, a fringe group in the opposition PDP had upon the published assertion demanded the resignation of President Buhari from office for the reason of dwindling productivity in old age.

The group in a statement issued by one Tunde Lawal said: “It’s barely three weeks into the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and his age is already telling on him, so, what will happen to Nigeria in the remaining 1,440 days of this government? It’s better to find a black goat in the day time rather than looking for it in the night and this is why we are asking President Buhari to resign now because Nigerians will not entertain further excuses of why the APC cannot deliver on its campaign promises.”

Not part of us — PDP

The group was immediately disowned by the mainstream PDP which through a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said: “This group is absolutely unknown to the PDP and has no connection whatsoever with our party at any level, neither is the content of their statement a reflection of the position or stance of the party.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our great party has not authorized this group to use its name, acronym or logo to issue statements or make public pronouncements on any matter and we caution those behind them to henceforth desist from such immediately.

“The PDP, therefore, distances itself from the embarrassing statement by this group wherein it called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign and went ahead to use offensive and denigrating language on the person and office of the President of our great country.

“This is completely unacceptable and against the posture of the PDP to engage only in robust and credible opposition while constructively offering alternatives to the programmes and policies of the APC-led government, preparatory to our return to power in the next four years.

“We note with dismay that the attitude of this group is a direct consequence of the approach adopted by the APC in denigrating and insulting our immediatepast President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“Though we know that former President Jonathan suffered such fate in the hands of the APC, we shall not repay them in the same coin as such is not part of our tradition and values as a party.

APC reacts

Responding to the PDP Media Watchdog, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in a statement accused the

group of mischief and of poor knowledge of the English language.

“What President Buhari was saying, which was lost on those who issued that jejune statement, is that only his love and passion for the country could have made him, at his age, to come out of retirement to seek the office of President, over 30 years after he presided over the affairs of the country.

“For 16 years, Nigerians gave the PDP the benefit of the doubt to move the country forward, but instead, the party put Nigeria in reverse gear at a high speed, spinning it towards a doomsday that was only averted when Nigerians showed the PDP the red card. This is what necessitated President Buhari to continuously seek the country ’s highest political office, so he can help put the country on a forward march again.

Nothing else matters, not for him the excitement of an office he previously held and the quest for personal accomplishment.

“If the country had been well managed, President Buhari will not at 72 be crisscrossing the whole world seeking solution to Nigeria’s problems", it said.

The party said only anarchists and nondemocrats will ask a president who has not spent one month in office to resign, adding: “It rankles when those making these calls are from the ranks of the party that failed to avail itself creditably in 16 years.”

Labour Party blasts president

The National Chairman of Labour Party, Alhaji Abdukadir Abdulsalam also flayed the remarks by the president, saying it was an admission of failure.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, Abdulsalam said: “This is an expression of failure on his part because when he was campaigning, he gave us the impression that he was hale, healthy, and not fragile, has the capacity, ability and agility to carry out the function of state as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Ritualist allegedly kills 21-year-old female student in Ogun Boils, smokes, buries her human parts

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By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—MEN of Ogun State police command, Tuesday, uncovered a ritualist's shrine at Eposo-Akaka, Isara, in Remo North Local Government of Ogun State with dismembered human parts suspected to be those of a female student of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Morenikeji Owolabi.

The shrine which was made with corrugated iron sheets in a cubicle form, contained boiled and smoked human parts.

The boiled human parts, including liver, intestines and spleen in earthenware containers, was on a table and a well-laid arm chair, covered with cloth.

There were also bottles of palm oil and other liquid forms littering the floor, while knives and plates were also found inside.

Near the shrine was a small kitchen where something that looked like the victim’s heart was being smoked on fire outside.

A few metres away from the shrine were also decomposing legs of the victim dug out of the shallow grave where they were buried but the head of the victim and other parts such as breasts, hands, and vagina, among others, were not found.

The state commissioner of police, Valentine Ntomchukwu, who led a team of newsmen to the shrine located inside the forest, disclosed that the 21-year-old victim who hailed from Ekiti State but lived at Isara, was lured to the shrine by a herbalist, Femi Awise, who is currently on the run.

Ntomchukwu said the ritualistturned cannibal is a native of Isara who lived at Jabata area of the rustic town.

He said investigation had commenced to unravel the circumstances that led to Morekeji’s murder and the motive behind it.

Ntomchukwu said the shrine was discovered through discreet investigation by his men, saying five persons, including a motorcyclist that took the victim to the shrine, had been arrested in connection with the murder.

The suspects include the Okada rider who conveyed her to the shrine, Adeyemi Ademolu, a suspected apprentice to Awise, Omolaso Taiwo, Lateef Ali, Akinyemi Dare, and Sokoya Wasiu.

He said: “We were able to locate the shrine through a discreet investigation by our men. We were able to track the Okada rider that took her on his motorcycle to the shrine.

“I would not know what would make some people to brutally cut down a girl in this manner. Five suspects have been arrested and

Five suspected criminals allegedly involved in the act.

The shrine where the heinous crime took place.

investigation has commenced, we will leave no stone unturned to get the other fleeing suspects.

“I am appealing to parents that it is not only enough to send their children to school, but they must do follow-up on them.”

During the commissioner of police’s visit to the scene, residents of Isara, Eposo and Ode Remo thronged the shrine of horror to catch a glimpse.

The motorcyclist confessed that he took the lady to the area but denied ever being aware of the existence of the shrine.

He said while conveying the victim to the shrine, she spoke with the said Awise twice on her mobile telephone, giving her direction.

The local government chairman, Femi Soyemi, expressed shock at the scary discovery.

“I was shocked because I never expected this kind of horrible and brutal thing exists here,” Soyemi said.

The victim was declared missing since Saturday, June 7, and it was those who saw her on the day she was being conveyed to the shrine by the Okada rider that gave the information, which led to his arrest, and final unravelling of the shrine.

Bus driver crushes motorcyclist in Delta

By Festus Ahon & Theresa Ugbobu

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SABA—A 14-seater Toyota Hiace bus with number plate, Anambra ZBL 903XA, yesterday crushed one motorcyclist at Agbor, along Asaba-Benin expressway in Delta State.

The deceased, simply identified as Lucky, was killed at about 8:30am by the bus heading to Lagos from Awka, Anambra State, while the motorcyclist was trying to a make U-turn.

An eyewitness who spoke to the Vanguard, said: “The deceased was making a U-turn because Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, were at work before he was crushed by the bus that was on high speed.”

He added that deceased was a popular shoemaker in the area.

A Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, officer attached to Agbor unit who does not want his name print, alleged that the driver was reckless.

Man, 40, arrested for kidnapping 97-year-old man in Ogun

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By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—OGUN State police command has arrested 40 years old Emeka Obi for allegedly kidnapping a nonagenarian, Iposiola Samaiye.

The state Police Commissioner, Valentine Ntomchukwu, who paraded the suspect yesterday, said Obi and members of his gang had kidnapped Pa Samaiye from his home at Ijebu-Esure last Thursday, and demanded a ransom of N20 million.

The police boss said his men, however, tracked down the suspect inside the forest where they held their victim captive, while his partner, identified as Prince, escaped.

He said: “They held the 97year-old man inside the bush without food for four days. But our men, through tracking between 3am and 5am this morning (Tuesday), were able to arrest them and set the old man free.”

Pa Samaiye is currently receiving medical attention at a private hospital in Ijebu Ode. His son, Obafemi, who spoke to newsmen at the hospital, said the kidnappers had demanded N20 million ransom, which was negotiated

downward first to 10 million and later N1 million.

He said: “The kidnappers first demanded for N20 million, later it was negotiated to N10 million and later N1million. But we did not pay any ransom before my

father was freed by the policemen.”

Ntomchukwu warned kidnappers, cultists and other criminal-minded individuals to leave the state, stressing that they would be smoked out to

face the full weight of the law, should they fail to heed his warning.

Speaking with newsmen, the suspect, who is a member of kidnapping syndicate operating in Ijebu axis, said his accomplice, Prince, had gone into hiding.

50-year-old man docked for assaulting police officer Adamu, whose address is attached to Nigeria Police,

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS—A 50-year-old man, Salisu Adamu, has been charged before an Oshodi Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, for allegedly assaulting a police officer, Sgt. Apeh Matthew.

unknown, was said to have hit Sgt. Matthew on his left ear and caused him harm.

According to the charge, the accused at P.W.D. Bus-Stop, Shogunle, with intent to resist lawful arrest, wilfully obstructed W/Inspr Ndace Lami and team

Divisional HQ Shogunle, during their lawful duty.

The accused is facing a twocount charge of wilfully obstructing policemen in execution of their lawful duty and assault, brought against him by the police.

Okada rider beats UNIOSUN student comatose

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—A commercial motorcyclist, popularly known as Okada rider, yesterday beat a 200 level student of Osun State University, UNIOSUN, Ikire campus, Tobi Alabi, to a state of coma at the gate of the institution.

It was gathered that Tobi, a student in the department of English Education in the university, was trying to separate two female students who were

involved in a heated altercation with one another at the gate of the institution but drew the ire of the Okada rider who was said not to be pleased with his intervention.

Tobi recounted his ordeal after he recovered: “I saw two female students fighting at the campus gate and I quickly moved to separate them so that they would not injure themselves. ‘’But the Okada riders at the spot who were watching the fight with keen interest and

enjoying the drama themselves did not want me to stop them from fighting.

“The Okada riders insisted that I should allow the students to fight on but I said I would not do that because the girls could injure each other. ‘’As I separated the ladies, one of the Okada riders hit me with a stick and that was all I could remember until I was revived by some good samaritans who helped me when I fainted.’’

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—7

Driver defrauds neighbour of N1.5m

By Esther Onyegbula

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WASHERS: Commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as okadamen, washing their machines at a flooded spot on Tin Can axis of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

Man gets 3-year jail term for rape

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middle-aged man, Ekene Nweke, was yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour, by Ebonyi State High Court sitting in Abakaliki, for raping a 20year-old girl.

The court, presided over

by Ebonyi State Chief Judge, Justice Alloy Nwankwo, sentenced Nweke for raping one Blessing (surname withheld) on February 21, 2011.

The prosecutor, Mrs Nkem Chukwu, told the court that Nweke on the stated date had carnal knowledge of the complainant without her consent at her residence in Abakaliki.

Chukwu said the offence was contrary to Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State.

Mother of two commits suicide in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—A 40-year-old mother of two, identified as Seyi Adewumi, has reportedly committed suicide in Akure, Ondo State capital.

Her body was found in an uncompleted building beside her house at Olu Foam area of Akure metropolis.

Hundreds of people trooped to the deceased's residence when the news spread.

Speaking with newsmen, her husband, Gbenga Adewunmi, expressed shock over the ugly incident.

He said he went to vigil on Tuesday, only to come back to see the body of his wife.

He said: “Last night (Tuesday night), I went to a vigil organised by our church. I left her at home hale and hearty. But to my surprise, I got back home this morning and saw some of our neighbours gathered in

WITCHCRAFT ALLEGATION: 8-yr-old girl set ablaze

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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OS—A 60-year-old man, identified as Yakubu Vong, has allegedly set ablaze an

eight-year-old girl (names withheld) at Sabon Layi in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The suspect, who is in police custody in Jos, allegedly set the girl ablaze while urging her to confess her involvement in witchcraft for which she was

Anambra revenue agents arrested for driver's murder in Onitsha

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA—POLICE in Anambra State have arrested two revenue agents for allegedly killing a driver attached to the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Mission in the process of demanding for the driver’s vehicle emblem in Onitsha, yesterday.

A source told Vanguard that the deceased, whose name was given as Okechukwu Onwuamaegbum, was driving the church bus along Owerri Road, when the revenue agents

front of our house.

“They broke the news to me and took me to where she hanged herself.”

He described the incident as a mystery to him and that he was yet to understand what could have led his wife to commit suicide.

Police spokesman, Wole Ogodo, said his office was yet to be informed, but pleaded for time to get report from Akure Division's DPO.

attached to Anambra State Ministry of Transport in-charge of sale of vehicle emblems, confronted him.

The source said trouble started for the driver when he was flagged down along Onitsha/ Enugu expressway, Upper Iweka axis in Onitsha by the ad hoc staff, numbering about 20.

Claiming to be on enforcement operation for the sale of the emblems, the officials allegedly demanded to see the emblem the driver had procured for his bus.

A heated argument was said to have ensued, which resulted

in a fight and the driver was reportedly beaten to a pulp and collapsed thereafter.

The agents were said to have abandon the deceased in the pool of his blood and drove away with his vehicle to their office at Water Works Marine premises.

Sympathisers reportedly rushed him to Toronto Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Contacted, Central Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Isa Abubakar, confirmed the incident, adding that two ad hoc staff of the ministry had been arrested in connection with the murder.

accused.

The suspect was said to have lured the girl to his house where he allegedly forced the girl to confess to being a witch.

It was learned that the girl’s refusal infuriated him and prompted him to bathe her with fuel and set her ablaze, claiming she was a witch.

However, one James Bamu, who is an uncle to the deceased girl, said the girl was innocent, wondering if the suspect had any proof that the girl was a witch.

He described the act as barbaric and demanded that the law deal decisively with the suspect to serve as deterrence to others practising such an evil act.

The girl, who was rushed to the hospital after the incident, died as the result of the burns she suffered.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Abuh, who confirmed the incident, described the situation as sad.

He added that the suspect was already in police custody and that investigations were on.

commercial bus driver, identified as Patrick Abaleke, has been arrested for allegedly duping one Ms Chinasa Nwokenem, his neighbour, of N1.5 million.

It was learned that Patrick convinced Chinasa, a mother of one, to invest in the transportation business, for which she paid N1.5 million at different times to the suspect.

Vanguard gathered that Patrick threatened to kill her each time she attempted to question the said investment, so Chinasa reportedly ran to the police.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident, saying the suspect was in their custody and would be charged to court.

Police deny N15m ransom payment for Jonathan’s cousins

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—BAYELSA State Police Command, yesterday, denied the report that a N15 million ransom was paid to secure the release of the kidnapped cousins of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Kate Ene and Patience Ebeni, cousins to the former president, were abducted on May 15 along with their friend, Edith Ekeni, along Akipelai in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

Community sources claimed that the family of the victims paid N15 million to secure their release.

However, spokesman of the state Police Command, Asinim Butswat, denied knowledge of such payment.

He said the kidnap victims were released at about 11.30p.m. on June 15 at Abua Waterfront in Abua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Unpaid salaries: Govs call for urgent review of revenue formula To meet Buhari

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor & Henry Umoru

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BUJA — WORRIED by the economic situation in the country where 18 states of the federation cannot pay workers salaries, thirty- six state governors yesterday buried their differences and resolved to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari for an urgent review of the revenue formula and address the problems precipitated by the economic problems.

The governors noted that it became imperative to work with the President because the issue of dwindling resources was not a state government problem alone, but an issue that has serious national impact.

The governors agreed that the Federal Government should have 52 percent allocation of the national resources while states should have 36 percent to enable them concentrate on the development of their various states.

The current revenue formula stand as Federal Government – 52.68 per cent; State – 26.72 per cent and Local Government – 20.60 per cent.

The states also resolved to set up bodies that would help fish out where their predecessors “hid the resources accruing to the states from the federation account.”

Reading a communique at the end of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) which lasted over four hours, chairman of the body and governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdullazeez Yari, who disclosed that they will meet with the president to hand over to him, their template towards resolving the problem, warned that if nothing urgent was done to block the loopholes, the country would be plunged into greater crises.

The NGF had series of disagreements with former President Goodluck Jonathan on issues, especially the excess crude oil receipts, revenue receipts from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Sovereign Wealth Fund and dwindling national revenue resources to the federation account.

On non-payment of salaries

On whether the Forum discussed the issue of nonpayment of salaries and other financial problems, Yari said: “Well, we discussed that extensively, and we are trying to see that we find a lasting solution to it. The Federal Government is also affected, so it is a problem of the entire nation. Therefore, we are going

Mull probe of their predecessors As Oshiomhole urges Buhari to block all leakages States weak in IGR — NBS report

to send the communiqué to the president so that we can get a lasting solution to it.”

Oshiomhole calls for blockage of leakages

Also speaking with journalists after the meeting, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State called on President Buhari to block all the leakages and then go after those he alleged to have stolen the country’s money and force them to return what they have taken unlawfully from the national purse.

He said: “I think the media is not being accurate, the country is bankrupt, not just the states. The Federal Government's finances are even worse, considering that they borrowed over N4 trillion. The entire funds for pension scheme has been drawn down by the Federal Government. It is because they borrow at will that you can't seem to see that they are also bankrupt. So, when we talk of bankruptcy, we should be talking about serious national economic crisis that is not limited to states.”

On way forward

On the way forward, the governor said: “What people don’t look at is that oil price is dropping. It is not the drop in oil price that is causing the crisis, it may have accentuated it, but it is not the primary cause. Even at $60 per barrel we could do a lot better if so much hasn’t been stolen, first under the socalled excess crude, direct stealing in the guise of subsidy, and stealing from excess crude to fund all kinds of things.

“We have various agencies, treasuries are empty. So, it is not because of the drop in oil price. The real way forward is for the new government to block all the leakages and then those who have taken it to return what they have taken unlawfully from the national purse.

"There will be enough even at $60 to keep Nigeria going.

Government's primary purpose is not just to pay salaries. Salaries are as a result of work and that work is people delivering services which is what the civil service is meant to do. We have to talk about government meeting its obligation to the people which of course include the payment of salaries.

VISIT: From left: Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed; Chairman (NSWG) Board, Ledum Mitee; Chairman, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), Clare Short and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during a courtesy visit to the Vice President at the Defence House, Maitama, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Stop the bleeding

“So stop the bleeding, stop the stealing and get those who have taken to vomit. For example, if you say you have $2.6 billion in excess crude account, we know that by May 2013 you had more than $10.5 billion in the excess crude account and now there has been no distribution to states.

“We expect that the excess crude must have appreciated.

So why has it gone down to $2.5bn, when and for what?

These are issues that need to be addressed and we must stop the bleeding. Obviously as they say no nation earns enough to meet the greed of leaders, but we earn enough to meet the legitimate need of our people.

So. if we are not able to meet the need, it can’t be explained by drop in price.

“You recognise as media people that oil dropped to $9 under Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, but salaries were being paid. So. it is not about price, it is about very huge theft of public funds.

"In Edo State, we are up to date in the payment of salaries, we paid for May even before May 29, so we are paying not because we are rich, but I do appreciate that they have worked and deserve their pay.

The payment of salaries is a legal obligation.”

Present at the meeting were Governors of Taraba, Anambra, Ondo, Bauchi, Enugu, Katsina, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Kano, Lagos, Osun, Imo,

Benue, Edo, Adamawa, Niger, Ebonyi, Abia, Zamfara, Nasarawa, deputy governors of Plateau, Delta and Borno.

States weak in IGR — NBS report

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday published a report indicating that the affected states have not been able to grow their internally generated revenue (IGR) significantly in recent years culminating in adverse budgetary performance in 2014.

Statutory allocations to all the tiers of government had fallen by over 30 per cent in 2014 due to sharp drops in revenue accruing to the federation account as a result of decline in the price of crude oil, Nigeria’s main source of public revenue.

With over 30 per cent decline in statutory allocations coming against marginal or no increase in IGR and coupled with sustained overheads on political office holders, the states found themselves in negative cash flow.

Most economy observers believed that government finances were destabilised due to undiversified revenue sources, especially weak performances of the states in IGR. Consequently, the states’ workers are left with the fall out as their salaries are in arrears for between two and seven months in 18 states.

With exception of Ekiti which was the best performing in terms of increase in IGR in 2014 at over 58 per cent rise from N2.33 billion in 2013 to N3.46 billion in 2014, and two other states, all the other 15 states had either marginal increases or outright decline in their IGR performance in 2014.

The other two states with significant increases in their IGR according to NBS report are Kogi and Osun states. In 2014 Kogi increased its IGR by over 25 per cent to N6.56 billion from N5.02 billion in 2013 while Osun though has one of the worst cases of salary arrears, increased its IGR to N8.51 billion from N7.28 billion in 2013.

Ten of the salary owing states managed to increase their IGR by a paltry 1.2 to 2.3 per cent against over 30 per cent decline in their statutary allocations.

Some of the states, according to the NBS statistics, include Akwa Ibom, Imo, Oyo and Rivers States. Akwa Ibom and Rivers which are amongst top ten beneficiaries of statutory allocations could only increase IGR by paltry 1.8 and 1.2 per cent respectively while Imo and Oyo managed to do about 7.0 per cent increases.

Some of the states in outright negative performance in their 2014 IGR according to the NBS report includes Bauchi and Benue states.

All the states governed by All Progressive Congress (APC)

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—9

PDP govs condemn relocation of Rivers, Taraba, A-Ibom election tribunals As Mimiko emerges Forum chairman

By Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA — THE Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, PDPGF, an umbrella body of governors elected on the platform of the PDP, has condemned the relocation of election tribunals in Rivers, Taraba and Akwa Ibom states to Abuja, insisting that these tribunals must be moved back to their respective states.

The PDP governors, which made the call at the end of their meeting, Tuesday night in Abuja, also resolved to engage President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress, APC, in a constructive manner Speaking with newsmen at the end of the meeting, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State said: “The PDP Governors’ Forum unanimously elected Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State as chairman of the forum.

According to the governors, “ we congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his election as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. We also commend and salute our former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, for his display of peaceful disposition in the 2015 general elections which has stabilised our political landscape.

“We equally congratulate Senator Bukola Saraki, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Hon. Suleiman on their emergence as the Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. We specially congratulate our own senator, Ike Ekweremadu, on his emergence as Deputy Senate President.

“We condemn in very strong terms the relocation of election tribunals in Rivers State, Taraba State and Akwa Ibom State to Abuja.”

Mimiko emerges forum chair

Meanwhile, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State was elected the chairman of the forum at the meeting.

Immediately after his election, Mimiko vowed to engage President Buhari and the APC in a very constructive manner.

The Ondo State governor replaced former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Speaking with journalists shortly after his emergence, Mimiko said: “We will do everything that we can do to engage the presidency and APC in a very constructive manner.

We have also agreed to create

formal and informal mechanisms of pair review, all for the development of our nation.”

Why we requested relocation of Delta gov tribunal — Emerhor

Meanwhile, Delta State governorship candidate of the APC in the last general election, Mr. Olorogun O’terga Emerhor, yesterday justified the relocation of the

Election Petitions Tribunal in the state to Abuja, saying the lives of his supporters were in danger.

He added that there were fears that justice would not be duly served if the tribunal was left to sit in the state.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja after a meeting with the national chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, Emerhor said his lawyers had already filed the necessary papers for the relocation.

He said: “The governorship election in Delta State was fraudulent as it was in Akwa Ibom State, Cross River State and others. So we went to the tribunal because we believe we have a point.

“We have applied for relocation to Abuja because we believe we need to be in a neutral place. Where the tribunal is sitting is in Delta State and you can imagine the pressure we are facing in filing our case. The transfer issue is being handled by our lawyers appropriately."

VISIT: From left: Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Hon. Justice Marshall Umukoro, Chief Judge of Delta State during a courtesy call by Justice Umukoro to Governor Okowa at Government House, Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Photo Nath Onojake.

NASS crisis: We‘re behind Buhari, Oyegun —APC state chairmen

By Henry Umoru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA — CHAIRMEN of the state chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have thrown their weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari and the national chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun for accepting the outcome of the national assembly leadership election.

Rising from a meeting under the auspices of the Forum of APC States chairmen with Oyegun yesterday in Abuja, the chairmen said despite the “disappointments”, they were happy that the APC’s leaders accepted the outcome of the election that brought Senator Bukola Saraki and Rep. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.

In a communique issued and signed by the chairman of the Kano State APC and Acting Chairman of the Forum, Umar

Mohammed at the end of their meeting which bordered on the review of the 2015 general elections, the chairmen said: “We totally aligned ourselves with the President’s position regarding the leadership of the National Assembly.”

The visiting chairmen also pleaded with the national chairman to release funds for them to effectively run the affairs.

They said: “Chairman, we acknowledge the enormity of the responsibilities placed on the office of the chairman and as such we urge you to brace up and be alive to the challenges so as to move the party forward.

“You should always see us as partners in progress and your foot soldiers as we pray for more success in future."

Meanwhile, Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West Senatorial district has described as totally malicious and false,the report that Senator Bukola Saraki’s emergence as President of the Senate was facilitated by oil barons.

Senator Melaye, who was reacting to an article in a national

newspaper (not Vanguard) where it was alleged that the election of Saraki as the President of the 8th Senate was facilitated

by Nigerians associated with dubious claims in the infamous oil subsidy, stressed that the allegation was akin to calling the dog a bad name so as to hang it and another blatant lies that can not fly.

In a statement entitled: “Lies from pit of hell,” Melaye noted that there was no way Senator Saraki would have emerged Senate President courtesy of oil barons when the he ( Saraki) had on the floor of the Senate led his colleagues to expose the rot.

Melaye said: “We make bold to state that in the 7th Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki was Chairman of the Senate Adhoc Committee which exposed the fraud and mismanagement in the oil sector. Until Saraki’s motion on the floor of the Senate, no one was in the picture of the rot in the sector. Therefore, surely, Senator Saraki will be the last person the oil baron will want to see as Senate President."

Osahon, DPR director tenure ends tomorrow

By Clara Nwachukwu with agency reports

T

HE two year tenure given to Mr. George Osahon as Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, the petroleum industry regulator ends tomorrow.

Osahon was appointed on June 19, 2013 for a two-year renewable tenure, making him the first director in DPR to be appointed on such terms.

However, indications are that the DPR boss may not want his tenure renewed, as according to Africa Oil and Gas, “George Abiodun Osahon has turned in a letter, giving notice of the expiry of his two year tenure as Director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).”

This is probably the first time a government appointee is reminding his employer of his tenure expiration. The move might not be unconnected with the fact that most of his peers under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources were either a promptly retired or fired by their appointer before President Goodluck Jonathan left office.

Besides, Osahon’s appointment was trailed with controversy, especially as he had been in and out of the government system for decades, and had been retired twice while working in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC system.

Furthermore, the department had seen more turn out of directors during the Jonathan’s administration than any other since Nigeria’s independence. There were as many as four different DPR directors in the last administration, which raised a lot of criticisms both locally and internationally, especially as regards policy continuity.

His stay at DPR

Upon his appointment, Osahon, who was not popular with the Nigerian media, operated more from the nation’s capital, Abuja, than in Lagos, the DPR headquarters.

A top management source in DPR, who confirmed the expiration of his tenure, told Vanguard on the telephone: “We had actually expected him to leave on June 12, but when he didn’t, we thought his tenure had been extended.

“But thinking back now, he has been mostly in Abuja for the past three weeks and only came into Lagos last night (Tuesday). So we suspect his coming in was to clear his desk.”

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 11

I will donate my allowance to Osun workers – MURRAY-BRUCE

By Leke Adeseri, South West Regional Editor, Dapo Akinrefon & Abiodun Alade

...You’re playing to the gallery, Osun govt tells Senator

T

HE lawmaker representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, has promised to donate his wardrobe allowance to the unpaid workers in Osun State.

He made this known via his Twitter handle.

For about seven months now, workers in the Osun State civil service are yet to be paid their salaries.

But in a swift reaction, the Osun State government lampooned the lawmaker , saying he was playing to the gallery just as he said he (Murray-Bruce) was trivialising the issue.

The Senator said “I, Ben Murray Bruce, will not sit down idly, while my fellow citizens die because salaries have not been paid.

As a first step, I am immediately donating my wardrobe allowance to unpaid workers in Osun State and widows in my Constituency We are starting in Osun, but we will not end there. I will do as much to help workers who’ve not been paid in other states.”

He, however, called on his friends and followers to make contributions to alleviate the plight of the workers.

He said “I call on all my friends and followers on Twitter and Facebook to donate non perishable food items for these our brothers in need. As soon as my wardrobe allowance is paid, I will divide it into two. Half will be publicly given to the NLC Chairman Osun.”

“The other half will be publicly given to the head of widows association in my community of Aksasa”, he added.

He explained that “we are starting in Osun, but we will not end there. I will do as much to help workers who’ve not been paid in other states. As soon as

ADVAN: From left; Mrs Ediri Ose-Ediale, Executive Secretary, Advertisers' Association of Nigeria, ADVAN; Juliet Ehimuan, Country Manager, Google Nigeria and Kachi Onubogu, Executive Council Member, ADVAN, during ADVAN peer to peer learning platform, with the theme; The Changing Role of Marketing in a Digital Economy, held at Protea Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. my wardrobe allowance is paid, I will divide it into two. Half will be publicly given to the NLC Chairman Osun.

The other half will be publicly given to the head of widows association in my community of Akasa.,” he added while enjoining other Nigerians to donate to the workers in Osun and other states of the country, facing similar crisis.”

Murray-Bruce trivialising the issue — Osun govt In a statement entitled: ‘Why is Senator Murray-Bruce mocking Nigerian workers?’, the Osun State government berated the lawmaker for attempting to trivialise the issue.

Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor Osogbo, Mr Se-

miu Okanlawon lamented that the legislator was joining the fray of politicians trivialising the issue in a “ridiculous manner.”

Okanlawon said “my attention has been drawn to a tweet by a member of the Upper chamber of the National Assembly Senator Ben Murray Bruce of the Peoples Democratic Party from Bayelsa saying he will not reject the alleged hefty pay for members of the National Assembly but collect it and donate to Osun workers.”

“It is saddening and tragic that Mr. Murray Bruce whom many had accorded a lot of respect is too early in the day joining the fray of politicisation and trivialising the salary issue affecting more than half of the states of the federation in this ridiculous manner”, he said.

Describing the Senator’s gesture as saddening, he said “while Ni-

Court orders ‘detention’ of kerosene-laden ship

By Innocent Anaba

L

AGOS—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, ordered the arrest and detention of a vessel laden with 5,000 metric tonnes of kerosene over an alleged breach of contract.

The cargo, covered by an allocation letter by the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited, PPMC, is on board MT Sea Pioneer on Lagos waters.

Trial judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke made the order following an application by a petroleum products dealer, Stallionaire

Nigeria Limited, who sued Acorn Petroleum Plc, Pipeline Product Marketing Company, PPMC and others.

The claimant had argued that it made full payment to Acorn for the product, but rather than it being delivered to it, Acorn allegedly resold the product to a third party.

“Acorn has now completed plans to accord loading rights to the said third party over the 5,000MT cargo of DPK (Dual Purpose Kerosene) over which the plaintiff has and retains legal title as per parties’ agreement and full consideration paid,” Stallionaire said.

The plaintiff said Acorn has applied to PPMC for loading rights over the cargo which Stallionaire is entitled to.

Justice Aneke ruled that the vessel should be detained pending Acorn’s provision of a bank guarantee in the sum of N488 million and N132,287,960 from a reputable commercial bank to secure the plaintiff’s claims.

Acorn has prayed the court to discharge the arrest order, or to release the vessel, but the plaintiff prayed the court to refuse the application.

It accused the first defendant of conducting the sale of kerosene allocation “in a similar manner as resulted in this dispute.''

gerians are in hot debate over the alleged jumbo pay and the mood of the country Murray Bruce seems to have turned the plight of Nigerian workers to a thing of entertainment.”

While he noted that the legislator was playing to the gallery, he said Murray-Bruce should not be a self serving philanthropist in the direction of Osun workers He said: “Of all the states in the federation who are battling to pay salaries as a result of the precarious economic situation his party the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, threw Nigeria into why is it that it is Osun he wants to take his pay to? This is certainly playing to the gallery and nothing but a mockery in the faces of Nigerian workers and not only of Osun extraction.

Omisore lacks capacity for truth — Osun APC

Meantime, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state of Osun has described the allegations made by Senator Iyiola Omisore against the governor, Rauf Aregbesola, published in some national newspapers yesterday, as “worthless vituperation.”

According to the party, “the only path of honour left for the failed PDP governorship candidate in the last August 2014 election is to produce proof to authenticate his allegations, otherwise there will be credible reason to doubt Omisore.”

Responding to the allegations widely reported in otherwise reputable news outlets yesterday, the APC argued that “being a serial liar, Omisore is consistently demonstrating incapacity for speaking the truth.”

Fayose’s govt owing only May salary – EKITI GOVT

T

HE Ekiti State gov ernment yesterday said only May 2015 salary was being owed by the Governor Ayodele Fayose-led government.

Reacting to reports that workers in Ekiti State were being owed three months salary, Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said; “As at today, the only salary yet to be paid by the Fayose-led government is that of May 2015.”

He noted that the immediate past All Progressives Congress (APC) government of Dr Kayode Fayemi refused to pay August and September, 2014 salary despite receiving federal allocation for the months of August and September that ought to have been used to pay August and September salary.

He however added that; “The Fayose-led government has already cleared the August 2014 salary left unpaid by the APC government, leaving that of September that will be paid as soon as there is improvement in the state's finances.”

On the May salary being owed, the governor’s aide said; “Allocation of May that was received was not enough to pay salary, leaving the government with the option of waiting for June allocation that is expected to be released next week and the moment that is done, workers will get May salary.”

Staff schools: Protest rocks FUNAAB

By Daud Olatunji

A

B E O K U TA – SCORES of members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta over alleged plan to retrench over 2,000 workers in Universities’ Staff Schools .

The SSANU during the peaceful protest alleged that the government has directed all vicechancellors to stop paying workers of Staff Schools of universities which the union said could result to loss of jobs by over two thousands members working in staff schools in the country.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Dearth of funds: Delta LGs begin staff audit

By Emma Amaize

A

SABA—CHAIRMEN of some of the 21 local government councils in Delta State unable to pay workers for more than six months due to dearth of funds, have embarked on staff verification to authenticate bonafide workers.

Council workers in the state, under the aegis of National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, embarked on strike, May 11, over unpaid salaries.

It was gathered in some of the councils that there are rackets in the payment of primary school teachers and council workers involving some cashiers, heads of departments and officials of the State Universal Primary Education Board, SUPEB. In a particular council, a cashier was said to be paying members of her family, including her siblings, who are not staff of the council, salaries for almost two years, and the scam was not discovered until the chairman ordered an audit.

Chairman of ALGON, Delta State, Sir Itiako Ikpokpo, confirmed to Vanguard that the verification exercise was necessary because the monthly wage bills for workers, particularly primary school

teachers, were disproportionate.

He said: “The purpose of electing us into office is not just to pay salaries to workers, it is to provide basic amenities and good governance to our people at the grassroots level. A situation where the councils use their entire allocations and sometimes borrow to pay workers is not good for our development. We have also

found out that some people are either overpaid or paid for doing nothing, which is why we are carrying out a verification.”

It was gathered that the state government, also fiscally under the weather, had made it clear to the chairmen that it was not in a position to bailout the councils, which are insisting that it was not their lawful responsibility to pay primary

school teachers in the first instance.

Meanwhile, the state executive of NULGE, led by Mr. Ofoeyeno, will meet today in Ughelli to decide whether to call off the 37-day-old strike, following the appeal by the state government to suspend the industrial action, as there was no assurance of payment by either the state or local governments.

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT: From left: Registrar, Elizade University, Prof. Omololu Adegbenro; Vice-Chancellor, EU, Prof. Valentine Aletor; Managing Director, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Mrs. Funke Osibodu and Executive Director, BEDC, Abu Ejoor, during the signing of Memorandum of Agreement between Vigeo Power Academy and Elizade University, in Benin.

Binis, N-Delta group resist bids to oust Oyegun as APC Chair

By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—A socio-cultural body of the Benin people, Benin Unity League, BUL, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to rise up to the challenge by ensuring that the National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was not removed from office or sacrificed to the whims and caprices of a mafia in the party.

Similarly, Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Movement, NDENYLM, urged the President to urgently stop what it described as unholy gang-up and alleged plot to remove Chief Odigie-Oyegun, warning that the people of the Niger Delta will resist such moves.

NDENYLM alleged that the alleged gang-up against Chief Oyegun was being perpetrated by a cabal in the party, which “is after the head of the party’s chairman due to his stand that the decision of the party be respected in the election of principal officers in the National Assembly, which include the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President C M Y K

of the Senate.

In a statement by the National Secretary of the group, Abamojie Ajudua, it reminded President Buhari of the support he enjoyed in the Niger Delta region despite the fact that the immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was from

the zone and warned against actions capable of tarnishing his image both in the country and abroad.

BUL, in a statement in Benin, yesterday by Ogiogwa Okposika, Secretary Board of Trustees of the group, wants the President to ensure that the

APC Deputy Publicity Secretary, who moved the motion in ‘marketplace’ of public opinion, is sanctioned and those who engineered him must be disciplined to safeguard the sanctity of change which the APC represents.

Delta HOS tasks civil servants on service delivery

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—DELTA State Head of Service, Mr Patrick Origho, has called on civil servants in the state to put their brains to task and work together for the State Civil Service to truly attain its vision and values.

Origho, while declaring open a three-day workshop on Repositioning the State Civil Service for Excellence Through Shared Vision and Values, organised by Hagen Creative Technologies Limited for Permanent Secretaries and Directors, said the workshop was designed to elicit energy, creativity, innovation, wisdom, insights, expertise and imaginations from the workers for the better functioning of the civil service.

He said that the workshop was designed to prepare the state civil

servants to be able to key into the S.M.A.R.T agenda of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa administration.

Origho said: “I have no doubt that by the end of this three days workshop, new paradigms would have been revealed and this will ultimately lead to groundbreaking declarations, plans, strategies, actions, partnerships and alliances that will result in phenomenal effectiveness and sustained efforts to transform the civil service into a legendary and world-class institution.”

The chief consultant, Mr Esanye George, who spoke on behalf of Hagen Creative Technologies Limited, said that the workshop was aimed at repositioning the state civil service for excellence and greater service.

George said they believed in creating quality people that would create quality services, adding that

the civil service requires change in the way civil servants think.

A-Ibom leaders fault transfer of state election tribunal to Abuja

By Gbenga Oke & Tom Moses

C

ONCERNED Akwa Ibom State leaders have accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of connivance and conspiracy in its bid to force key Niger Delta states under the control of the party through the election petition tribunal.

The leaders also said the conspiracy against the Niger Delta states, especially Akwa Ibom, will fail.

The leaders who include Senator Effiong Bob, Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, Senator Anietie- Okon, Engr.

Larry Esin and Nduese Essien, said the movement of the election petition tribunal from Akwa Ibom State to Abuja was uncalled for as the state was relatively peaceful.

They said: “We woke up to the shocking news of the clearly contrived relocation of the Akwa Ibom Elections Petitions Tribunal which was hitherto sitting in Uyo, to Abuja, without any convincing, honest and tenable reason to warrant such movement.

“We are concerned that those behind this development have alleged threats and security concerns in a bid to justify their intentions. Let it be stated that Akwa Ibom State has remained a haven of peace and a good example of a secure state as compared to other states in the federation, before, during and after the general elections."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—13

Wike dissolves board of Rivers State Civil Service Commission

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dissolved the board of Rivers State Civil Service Commission.

The development followed a motion by the state House of Assembly on Tuesday, empowering him to dissolve the board over allegation of abuse of office.

This brings to three, the boards of commissions that have been dissolved by the governor in the past two weeks.

The others are Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC and Rivers State Judicial Service Commission.

They were all dissolved over allegations of abuse of office.

The governor has also

AKHA receives commissioners nominee list

and the Greater Port Harcourt Development Authority.

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—DELTA State Council of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, has raised alarm over alleged plot by some government officials to retrieve buses belonging to its members which were branded with the name of the state transport service.

Calling on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to urgently intervene to avert crisis over the alleged

move to retrieve the vehicles, Chairman of NURTW in the state, Chief Ifeanyi Obi, who briefed newsmen, yesterday, alleged that the move was in bad faith.

Obi said: “We want to inform governor Okowa that people are out to retrieve buses given to our union members. This action is retrogressive and we are pleading for his intervention.

“We are aware that the issue

of buses had not been discussed anywhere. The buses do not belong to government but to our members and the manner in which they are going about collecting our buses is capable of causing crisis in the state."

My mandate remains intact —Wike

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

By Perez Brisibe

U

Crisis looms in Delta over govt's move to retrieve NURTW buses

U

C M Y K

has made appointments into the boards of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency

VISIT: Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State acknowledging cheers during his unscheduled visit to Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokuta, in Obio / Akpor Local Government Area, yestersday.

By Tom Moses & Chioma Onuegbu YO—GOVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has sent to the state House of Assembly, a list of 20 names for confirmation of appointment as commissioners and special advisers.

The 20 nominees comprises 18 commissioners and two special advisers.

Almost all the immediate past members of the state executive and two members of the 5th Assembly, Aniekan Akpan and Ekong Sampson of Ukanafun and Mkpat Lenin state constituencies made the list.

Immediate past cabinet members on the list include Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Aniekan Umanah, Enobong Uwah, former Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Dr Glory Edet, past Commissioner, Women Affairs and Social Welfare; Uwemedimo Nwoko past Attorney General and Akan Okon, former Commissioner for Finance.

dissolved the boards of all parastatals.

Meantime, Governor Wike

Urhobo youths task Buhari on NDelta devt

ORT HARC O U R T — GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dismissed speculations by the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state that the election petition tribunal will throw him out as governor.

The governor stated this yesterday, when he hosted members of Delta State House of Assembly in Government House, Port Harcourt, said that no amount of intimidation will upturn the mandate the people gave him on April 11 this year.

He recalled that while he was busy campaigning for votes all over the state, the APC members were engaging in propaganda because they had what he tagged excess money for the elections.

He assured that his government will respect the rule of law and the principles of separation of powers.

He said: “While the APC was busy embarking on negative propaganda because they had excess money, we were with the people at the grassroots, selling our programmes to them.

That was why they voted for us massively.

“We are not worried by

their claims at the tribunal. All we know is that Rivers State will always remain a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, state. The people are with us. You don’t need to pocket the legislature before you think you are safe in government.

What is needed is cooperation with the state assembly in the interest of good governance.”

Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Monday Igbuya, who led the lawmakers on the visit, said they were in the state for a retreat.

He lauded Governor Wike, describing him as a leading light in the country.

G H E L L I — URHOBO youths, under the aegis of Urhobo National Youth Council, UNYC, have charged President Muhammadu Buhari to pay special attention to the Urhobo ethnic nationality in his quest to develop the Niger Delta region.

Rising from a meeting held, yesterday, at Ughelli, Delta State, the youths in their hundreds, described the Urhobos as the most underprivileged people in the Niger Delta during the President Goodluck Jonathan dispensation.

UNYC national president, Monday Oyeghe, said: “Owing to our peaceful approach to issues, we have been sidelined in getting the needed attention from the Federal Government in terms of appointments and infrastructural development.

“As a peace loving people, we have nothing to show as law abiding citizens of Nigeria. It is on this premise that we are appealing to President Buhari to do what is right by reciprocating the support he got from the Urhobo nation during the 2015 presidential election."

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Abia lawmaker to train 50 students on oversea scholarship

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

MEMBER of the House of Representatives, Ossy Prestige, has promised to sponsor 50 students of his constituency to any country of their choice on scholarship, irrespective of their local government of origin.

Prestige, who represents Aba North/South federal constituency, made the pledge during a ‘thank you reception’ organized by him for people for his constituency.

The lawmaker added that the scholarship would assist students who had the desire to study abroad, but lacked the financial capacity to actualize their academic dreams.

Prestige said he would assist qualified youths and graduates to secure employment in the Federal Civil Service and other establishments through his contacts as a federal lawmaker and a businessman.

He vowed to attract quality representation to his constituency, adding that none of his electioneering promises would be left unfulfilled at the end of his tenure.

C M Y K

BOKO HARAM: Military Command and Control Centre in Maiduguri/Yola operational in 21 days

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—THE Army High Command said, yesterday, that the Military Command and Control Centre, MCCC, being established in Maiduguri and Yola for the effective coordination of the onslaught

against Boko Haram terrorists, will be completed in the next 21 days and the MCCC would be fully operational.

A statement by the Acting Director, Army Public relations, Colonel Sani Usman noted that “the installations of hi-tech equipment, infrastructure development of the Centre and posting of

additional operations staff have commenced.

“With the establishment of the Centre, all strategic and operational decisions on the fight against terrorism and insurgency would emanate from the MCCC. “This will ensure faster response time, improve situational awareness and

CELEBRATION: From left, Dr. Oludare Yetunde, Dr. Chukwuemeka Concepta, Miss Julia Sule, Customer Service Manager, Tyonex Nig. Ltd., Dr. Tope Ojo, Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, NMA; Dr. Owa Dumebi of the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Dr. Okon Ime, and Pharm Julius Nwauku, Head of Business Unit, Tropical Medicine, Tyonex Nig. Ltd, during the celebration of the World Blood Donor Day, 2015, at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja, Lagos.

better coordination of all stakeholders.”

Col. Usman recalled that a reconnaissance and an advance team for the establishment of MCCC were in Maiduguri and Yola, last week.

“Similarly, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General KTJ Minimah, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, were at the MCCC to commence operations, Tuesday, Jun 15,” he added.

Usman noted that “the Centre will also give the needed impetus that would ensure prosecution and successful conclusion of the war against terrorism.”

“It will also provide the required interface between the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Multi-National Joint Task Force to be deployed at the Lake Chad Basin area at the end of the month of July 2015.”

It will be recalled that in his inaugural speech, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Command and Control Centre of the militry to relocate to Maiduguri from Abuja for effective co-ordination of the fight against the terrorists in the North-East.

Outsourcing is panacea for economic growth —AOPN Expo ...calls for enabling environment

By Princewill Ekwujuru

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PEAKERS AT the 2015 Outsourcing Expo organized by Association of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria, AOPN, have described outsourcing as the panacea for Nigeria’s economic growth, while calling on government to provide enabling environment for the trade to thrive.

Mr. Lere Baale, Managing Director/CEO, Business School Netherlands, key note speaker at the Expo with theme, ‘’The Value of Outsourcing,” in Lagos , said government needs to provide an enabling environment for outsourcing business to thrive.

“We need to strengthen our local capacity. We need to find away to make people in government put things right, infrastructures should be in good place.

Let government focus on policy making because it is important for us to create an enabling environment to help the economy grow.

Enabling environment is the panacea for the outsourcing business to

grow as this will resonate on the economy of the country, he said.

Mr. Peter Jack, Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, represented by Dr. Sunday Afolayan, a member of NITDA Board described outsourcing as still very much a mystery in most public and private quarters of the Nigerian economy. “There is an obvious dearth of knowledge about outsourcing in Nigeria and this has given room for so much misrepresentation.”

He noted therefore that the expo represents a critical knowledge intervention to ultimately help bridge the gap between Nigeria and other developing nations that have taken full advantage of the values that outsourcing affords.

“While we as a nation still grapple with efforts aimed at getting our economy working right the global business space is marching on, and breaking new grounds, Nigeria still lags behind,” he stated.

Continuing, he said:

“The Euro zone is reviving, despite its many challenges; the US’s economy is stronger now than it ever was, in about a decade; China is getting stronger despite slowing growth rates and many emerging markets are finding ways of advancing their economies.”

He went on that there are many factors currently driving economic developments across the globe. Some of these drivers are government stimulus interventions, fluctuating oil prices, economic reforms and new technology, and trade restrictions. While pointing out that the economy of India is built on outsourcing and its value to the country is evident.

On why the theme of the expo, Dr. Austin Nweze, President of AOPN said: “our job is advocacy, to sell the importance of outsourcing so that people will know and do more outsourcing, that is why this year we chose a theme the ‘Value’ so that if something is not valuable to you there is no way you can value it. For the government not to be able

to accord outsourcing its place in the development and creation of jobs they have not realized the value of outsourcing.

Outsourcing can solve their problem in job creation.”

He stated.

Nweze also said that Nigerian companies have not be able to embrace outsourcing because they don’t know the value. “ If they know the value of the thing you want you have to invest and protect that thing. So we are saying that outsourcing is the key to economic growth, it is the key to job creation. It is the key to creating wealth, for individuals and for the nation.”

“And that is why we are saying if you understand the value of outsourcing, then you will invest in it.

So we chose that theme ‘Value.’ We want to realize the value. Every country in the world is either in the demand side of outsourcing or in the supply. So in both ways we are creating opportunities.

The demand side is benefiting from the supply side.”

See pix on page 16

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 —15

Anambra APC urges Buhari to sanction security agents involved in election fraud

By Enyim Enyim

O

NITSHA—ALL Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to institute a disciplinary procedure against identified election riggers and their collaborators in the rank and file of the respective security agencies.

This was contained in a resolution issued after a meeting of the national executive from the state, state executive members, members of the state caucus and stakeholders.

The resolution noted that with such disciplinary procedure in place and decisive action taken against the culprits, it would serve as a deterrence to others in future elections in the country.

“To express and hereby express profound confidence in the ability of the APC-controlled federal government under PMB to sanitise both the polity and the Nigerian nationhood and pledge its rounded support to his government and to the leadership of the APC,” the party stated.

The party, while commending members for being steadfast during and after the general elections, also praised Senator

Chris Ngige for his able leadership of the party in the state.

Besides, the party resolved to be more committed to its affairs by

ensuring that members did not drift to other parties.

The party vowed not to plunge itself into political crisis.

A

WKA—TENSION is mounting in the sleepy community of Nanka in Orumba North local government area of Anambra State, following consistent protest by youths over the alleged killing of a middle

CONFERENCE: Mr. Tony Ojobo, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; Engr. Shola Taylor, in-coming Secretary General Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, CTO; Hon. James Rege, member of Kenya National Assembly, and Amb. Tom Amolo, High Commissioner of Kenya, at the CTO conference, in Abuja, yesterday.

aged man and arrest of another by policemen from Zone 9, Umuahia, Abia State Since Sunday when the incident took place, motorists driving through the busy Ekwuluobia- Agulu road have been having a raw deal as the protesters have been blocking the road on daily basis, with the attendant traffic gridlock.

The protesters insisted

yesterday that they would continue to block the major link road between Anambra and Imo states until the person allegedly arrested by the police and taken to Zone 9 in Umuahia was released.

It was alleged that some police officers from zone 9 had stormed the community to arrest those allegedly involved in illegal dredging,

Enugu deputy gov tasks nurses on clinical excellence of concern to any government welfare of humanity, urging

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—DEPUTY Governor of Enugu State, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, has charged nurses to show excellent commitment to their duties and uphold their ethical principles of practice for the sustenance of a sound and healthy society.

She spoke yesterday in Enugu during the opening ceremony of the 15th annual general meeting for body of heads of nursing schools in federal health institutions at Dannic Hotels, Enugu.

Ezeilo, who was also the special guest of honour on the occasion, noted that nursing was a major player in health care delivery, adding that nurses constituted the largest segment of health care providers.

Mrs. Ezeilo stated that the health sector was a major issue C M Y K

By Henry Umoru, Joseph Erunke & Abiodun Alade

A

Protest in Anambra community following alleged Police killing, arrest

By Vincent Ujumadu

Senator's wardrobe allowance, N2.3m, says RMAFC

and that Enugu State government would not relent in giving unalloyed support to the sector.

She praised the body of heads of nursing services departments and principals of nursing schools for their response to issues affecting the

them to work to achieve more effectiveness in their clinical services.

She enjoined the participants to take the conference seriously, adding that it was a good ground for fruitful deliberation on clinical excellence.

which was one of the major causes of gully erosion in the area.

In fact, Nanka is one of the erosion-prone communities in Anambra State and although the state government had banned sand excavation and dredging in the area, the illegal business had continued to thrive.

Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma, said yesterday that there was no cause for alarm, adding that the state police command was on top of the situation.

Karma said he had already deployed security operatives to the community to maintain law and order, even as he added that the matter had been reported to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, in charge of the zone, Mr. Usman Gwary.

Christian NGOs caution NASS not to obstruct Buhari’s govt for change

A

COALITION of Christian NGOs, in collaboration with Christian Welfare Initiative, CWI, has cautioned the newly constituted National Assembly against serving as stumbling block to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

The group, which gave the warning in Lagos last weekend, also advised the APC to keep its house in order as it would be held accountable for any lapses in the

governance of the country.

Addressing newsmen on the state of the nation, group’s spokesman, Professor Magnus Adeyemi Atilade, said Nigerians unanimously gave the APC the mandate at the last general elections to tackle the problems of insecurity, corruption, power, unemployment, people’s welfare, health, education and many others, militating against the nation.

He said anything short of these would not be acceptable to

Nigerians, warning that any other arm of government that obstructed the new government’s capacity to perform and deliver its electioneering promises would be courting the wrath of the people.

Atilade pointed out that what happened in the National Assembly during the election of its new principal officers was a show of shame in the eye of the world and a replica of what happened in the old Western regional crisis that was still hunting Nigeria.

BUJA—THE R e v e n u e Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, disclosed yesterday that each of the 109 senators in the National Assembly will get a total of N2,026,400.00 as wardrobe allowance in four years.

Chairman of the agency, Mr. Elias Mbam, who spoke when he led top management staff of the organization on a courtesy call to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said each senator was entitled to the sum of N506,600 as wardrobe allowance per year just as he disclosed that the amount was 25 percent of the basic salaries of the senators.

He could not however, state the amount the members of the House of Representatives were entitled to as wardrobe allowance.

Mbam, who said his agency was working towards reviewing the remunerations of legislators in line with current economic realities, explained the wardrobe allowances were meant to assist the legislators to dress properly.

He said the allowances were generally for public office holders and not just for the legislators.

“We will do a downward review of the allowances of law-makers due to parameters like the state of the economy, the inflation, the capacity to pay, the reality of the day.

"So we will use all these to determine what is fair within the context of the present situation. The parameters will form the new remuneration Act,” he added.

He told the Senate President that: “The constitutional responsibility of the commission is to monitor accruance to and disbursement of revenue from the federation account, to review from time to time the revenue allocation formula to reflect changing realities and to determine remuneration appropriate for political and public office holders and also to advise the Federal and State governments on fiscal efficiencies and ways of increasing their revenue generation.”

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

AOPN organizes 2015 Outsourcing Expo

From left, Mrs. Jacqueline Odiadi, MD, Samuel J. O. Associates; Mr. Lere Baale, Director, Business Netherland and Guest Speaker of ceremony; Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, GM/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard; Dr. Austin Nweze, President of AOPN, and Mr. Chris Uwaje, Immediate Past President of ISPON, during the 2015 Outsourcing Expo organized by Association of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria, AOPN, in partnership with Vanguard Media Ltd, in Lagos Photo: Diran Oshe

Mr Fred Udueme,Vanguard AGM, Brands, (right), and Mr. Emeka Nkwocha, From left, Mr. Clem Baiye, CEO, Verity Associates Ltd; Mr. Ade Awonaike, Chief Operating Officer, RIL; Mr, Advert Manager, both of Vanguard Oluwole Adeyemi, Broad line Services Ltd, and Mr. Seyi Olutayo, Mainstreet Bank.

Nigerian Governors' Forum meets in Abuja

C M Y K

From left, Imo State governor, Mr. Rochas Okorocha; Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Chairman, Nigerian Governors' Forum/ Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdul-aziz Yari, and Katsina State governor, Alhaji Aminu Matsari, during the meeting of Nigerian Governors' Forum, at Transcorp Hilton Hotels, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

From left, Kwara State governor, Alhaiji Abdulfatah Ahmed; Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, and Nassarawa State governor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

From left, Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani; Adamawa State governor, Senator Jibrilla Bindo, and Sokoto State governor, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

From left, Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Badaru Abubaker; Borno State deputy governor, Alhaji Zannah Umar, and Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 17

I

T was Lanre Idowu that first called me last week about Uncle Sam Amuka’s 80th birthday, which took place over this weekend. Lanre wanted me to contribute a piece to a book of tributes to commemorate Uncle Sam’s 80th birthday (I hope I have not let a cat out of the bag Lanre and if I did please forgive me!). He pointed out two things. One was that Uncle Sam was one person that was not given to celebrating his personal landmarks and secondly, he was sure that the old man (C’mon did I just call him that?!), was going to be out of the country on the anniversary anyway! I have not even spoken with him to congratulate him. I tried his number I think on Sunday night, and the phone rang from abroad; must be China I guessed because it seemed the language I heard was Mandarin! So for my column today, I had thought for so long about what I could write about the man that is everyone’s favourite uncle in the real and most personal sense of that word and all the feelings that it can convey!

What can I possibly write about Uncle Sam Amuka, that more talented people haven’t written about him?

There is a lot rolled up into the complex social and professional personality that we all admiringly call Uncle Sam: the engaging media professional who made a remarkable contribution to the evolution of journalism in our country as one of its iconic columnists. He was SAD SAM, who described Nigeria and presented a clear mirror for society to look at itself in the face, at a critical juncture in our histor y.

Uncle Sam’s generation was equally angry at the way our society was evolving, but given the depth and dimension of crises phenomenal today, they arguably lived in the best years of our country ’s evolution! Yet, what would be the lasting part of his legacy for me, is a deep-seated nobility of spirit, which was always the hallmark of great individuals. And that is the ability to recognize in others

In Uncle Sam Amuka, Nigeria can always be proud of a remarkable professional who has made a genuine mark on our national life and a very decent man, who we all genuinely see as a favourite uncle!

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80 garlands for Uncle Sam Amuka a unique talent and the next is the selflessness to assist in the flowering of that talent. In that respect, I think Uncle Sam has already secured his own legacy as one of the greatest media professionals that our country has ever produced, because all we have to do is look around us, in every corner of Nigeria and around the world, to see the various individuals that the genius and self effacing Uncle Sam Amuka modesty of Uncle Sam have helped to find their métier in journalism. The genuinely loved and highly outpouring of tributes to respected! commemorate his 80th In November 2013, I birthday, last weekend from attended Uncle Sam’s son’s all over Nigeria, just marriage ceremony in Lagos, underlined his place in the and I had written a tribute to hearts of people in our Uncle Sam in my column of country, but more so, in our November 14, 2013. The profession. Uncle Sam is Piece was titled: “UNCLE

SAM AMUKA AND THE LAGOS SOCIAL SCENE: A RESPECTFUL TRIBUTE”. Please permit me to quote from that piece. “Uncle Sam is one of the most decent human beings I have ever met and everybody else that I have spoken with about this unusually humane gentleman has confirmed my feeling. I do not want to over-eulogize the man, but you cannot come away from the man, not feeling delighted about his personality; his incredible modesty and his ability to appreciate the good in other people. He just has that charm and magnetism that inspire. My becoming a columnist for VANGUARD newspapers from May 2011 was largely as a result of his ability to draw people from all kinds of backgrounds to

Tolu Fatoyinbo and Jimmy Atte: Icons from an era of excellence

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T was on Monday this week that I read of the passing of Jimmy Atte, the former Executive Director Programmes at NTA, who was also one of the pioneers of NTA in Ilorin. Just before I commenced writing my column this week, I called Femi Ibrahim of NTA News in Abuja, to confirm the news of Oga Jimmy Atte’s death. He affirmed that it was true. I had earlier decided to write a tribute this week to ToluFatoyinbo, the ace sports commentator, who was recently buried and to whom Kayode Soyinka and Fabio Olanipekun had written very sympathetic tributes, in the wake of his death. In 1985, the National Sports Festival held in Ilorin. Tagged “KWARA 85”, Radio Kwara was the fulcrum of the live broadcast of the games. And as we were preparing for the live broadcast of the opening ceremony, there entered ToluFatoyinbo! He was fresh from providing live commentaries for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets, who had taken the world by storm at the Under-17 World Championship, I think in China. He was the ultimate showman and while we had a rough introduction at the beginning, we would later work together as commentators, newsreaders and reporters during the festival, with ToluFatoyinboand the late Sebastian Ofurum, being the senior partners in our broadcasts. We retained a friendship and an affectionate respect into the future.

ToluFatoyinbo belonged to a distinguished cast of sports commentators that were trained in the rigorously professional traditions of Radio Nigeria, in those good old days. He was as brilliant as he was meticulous in the preparations that went into his work as a commentator and it was a hallmark of the work of the masters: from Ishola Folorunsho through to Earnest Okonkwo and Sebastian Offurum, Kevin Ejiofor to ToluFatoyinbo, that they brought the events they covered into the homes of millions of Nigerians as they used words to paint pictures vividly for their listeners. For a long time, even when television began to provide live telecasts of football games, Nigerians would watch the events on their television sets but listen to the radio commentaries as accompaniment. With ToluFatoyinbo’s death, we lost one of the last great names and voices from a distinguished cast that made our lives so much better because of the way they touched our lives.

Similarly, with Jimmy Atte’s death, we also lost one of the greatest practitioners of television programming that Nigeria ever produced. I think one of Atte’s greatest abilities was to see and nurture other people’s talents. I became a very famous Deejay on radio in Ilorin by the 1980s.

After my shows, Jimmy Atte was one of those who would regularly call me to express appreciation of my ability. I knew he worked at NTA Ilorin, but we had never met, until one fine morning when he called as was his wont, but that day, he invited me to meet him at his office. When I got there, he informed me that he had been thinking over a couple of months on how he could create a television programme around my ability as a radio deejay. He had finally worked out the idea and had invited me to work with him. I was pleasantly surprised and over the next couple of weeks, I went back and forth as we gave life to an outline of an idea that became a programme that I presented and was centred around music and musicians on NTA Ilorin. That was the quintessential Jimmy Atte, whom I still think was the best DG NTA NEVER had and it was a great pity that the politics of television broadcasting did not allow him to reach the peak, that he so eminently deserved. But that did not dim his esteem as one of the greatest heroes of Nigerian television broadcasting! With Jimmy Atte’s death this week, we have certainly lost a genuine Nigerian patriot who loved his job passionately as an expression of the love he has for his country. May God give the families and colleagues of ToluFatoyinbo and Jimmy Atte, the fortitude to bear their passing!

work with him in his newspapers. He is the quintessential Nigerian patriot at a time when many intelligent people have withdrawn into ethno religious laagers, preaching all kinds of divisiveness and hatred…”

“By the 1940s, Lagos had become the pre-eminent urban setting that drew everybody into a colonial and later, a post-colonial economic and social existence. It was instructive that leading newspapermen have always helped to define and enrich the Lagos social scene, and the roots of that must be located in the work of the cosmopolitan Jackson family of journalists, with the LAGOS WEEKLY RECORD, in Nineteenth Century Lagos. But from the 1940s, journalists became central in the nationalist movement: the Great Zik, Ernest Ikoli, Obafemi Awolowo, Ladoke Akintola and even Anthony Enahoro, were not only journalists but trend setters in a most socially significant manner. People like Uncle Sam Amuka, who as SAD SAM,was one of the most engaging columnists of all time, with his arched bowler hat, drank in the same fount and also burnt his own unique imprimatur on that remarkably vibrant Lagos social scene”.

Uncle Sam Amuka has been given the gift of a long life and it is a life that he has continued to live actively, retaining tremendous goodwill from people all over Nigeria. And because he has remained an outstanding professional he can tap into a wealth of experience to assist the continued evolution of our profession as well as impact in his subtle and self effacing manner, on the political development of Nigeria, as we saw in the processes that helped to diffuse tension in the lead to and the aftermath, of the 2015 General Elections. I find it equally remarkable, that Uncle Sam has a stubborn determination to keep pace with the technological and technical advances that affect the profession as well as our social lives. He carries the most recent gadgets that help him keep track of music, which I noticed is one of his passions. And there is also that sarcastic laughter and ability to look at issues with a forensic mind. But what no one can miss is the genuine respect and affection that he has for people with talent! In that sense, it is indicative not only of his large heart but the near absence of insecurity about the talents that other people possess (The worst thing that can happen to a talented person is to work with an insecure boss!). In Uncle Sam Amuka, Nigeria can always be proud of a remarkable professional who has made a genuine mark on our national life and a very decent man, who we all genuinely see as a favourite uncle! Uncle Sam Amuka, on the occasion of your 80th birthday, thank you ver y much, for enriching our lives!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 MUCH has been made of the invitation G7 extended to President Muhammadu Buhari.

There are high expectations of new waves of relationships from the meeting.

Nigeria appears to be the West’s poster boy for democracy after the peaceful transition from a party in power to the opposition. It was an uncommon feat in Africa as the defeated president congratulated the winner, before announcement of the official result.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his successor, President Buhari, have subsequently enjoyed applause of world leaders, who have flung their doors open to Nigeria for business.

Buhari’s attendance of the G7 summit (USA, UK, Germany, France, Japan, France and Canada) in Germany on 7 and 8 June is an obvious side of the gesture. British Prime Minister, David Cameron, had told Buhari to come with his “shopping list”, a sign that G7 was prepared to engage Nigeria in a broad spectrum of areas. The President had a fruitful outing on the sidelines of the summit, where he met representatives of countries eager to partner with Nigeria in

Awaiting G7 Benefits tackling our more pressing challenges.

As we wait dividends of Buhari’s G7 outing, our immediate needs are in tackling security challenges, especially Boko Haram and myriads of communal attacks that have left tears, sorrows and blood around the Middle Belt and linked to alleged Fulani herdsmen. We urgently require equipment and technical advice to improve our intelligence gathering and evolve pre-emptive measures to keep our people safer.

After the near-collapse of global oil prices, Nigeria should make more decisive moves to exit from the trap of a mono-economy that depends on oil. We require expertise and technical partnership of G7 and other

developed countries to broaden the base of our economy, drawing from our boundless potentials. Agriculture and solid mineral mining are of paramount importance because of their capacities to create multiple opportunities.

Government can leverage recent progress in these areas. The follow up areas include intensification of the fight against corruption and improvement of our business legal framework.

As we open our doors to foreign partners, we must remain determined to reject some of the objectionable conditions the West often throws in, including pressure on us to abrogate our anti-gay practice law and adopt their “human rights” prescriptions that create confusion among our people.

We also urge the Buhari administration to encourage domestic entrepreneurs through provision of infrastructure, particularly electricity. There are more Nigerians with resources to invest in our economy who are overlooked as we search for investments from abroad. Whatever assistance comes from G7, and in whatever area, cannot succeed without local buy-in.

OPINION Agro-processing to drive Nigeria’s new economy Continued from yesterday

By Roberts Orya

T

HE business savvy that is required to attract funding interests from commercial banks into agriculture can best be initially provided in the post-harvest production segment.

Food processors, agro-traders and packaging businesses can then, either through backward integration or by providing more liquidity to farmers, bring financial buoyancy into farming.

Ahead of the provision of the needed elaborate infrastructure by the government, food manufacturers can bring technology and improved haulage hardware that will ameliorate post-harvest losses. Similar solution has propelled Nigeria to being one of the world’s top cement producing countries.

Policy considerations Much of what is in the solutions suite for continued turnaround for the agric sector is not new. For instance, food processing industries have been dominant in Africa’s manufacturing for a few decades. Depending on the individual country, the share of food and beverage ranges from 15-40% of total manufacturing capacity in Africa. Local and multinational conglomerates in food and beverage are some of the most valued stocks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. With the stimuli of positive demand projection for food locally, combined with opportunities to tap food export markets, the economy can get a strong nudge with increased support for food processing.

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On the back of strong support for domestic food production and processing, Nigeria can launch an era of food diplomacy with her trading partners. In a number of situations, lack of access to export markets by existing Nigerian agro-manufacturers are down to competition from other exporting countries. Although Nigerian exports of food and semi-processed produce are often denied access in some foreign markets based on issues of standards and safety concerns, without diplomatic efforts it is unlikely that the putative technical requirements can be met. As such, and without seeking to circumvent the technical standards, the country can start to look at using bilateral agreements as a trade tool for providing Nigerian food products access to foreign markets.

In addition to financing solutions, broad fiscal tools are required to raise the scale of production and processing of agricultural commodities in Nigeria. As a matter of principle, fiscal tools including tax breaks and waivers on tariffs should be directed at production. They should be completely biased against importation of consumer food products. Not least because such

Broad fiscal tools are required to raise the scale of production and processing of agricultural commodities in Nigeria

incentives, like subsidy on imported petroleum products, are subject to abuses by clever private sector operators who can therefore thwart the good intentions of the government.

The food security objective of the government cannot be altogether served by foreign multinational companies. As such, it is important that foreign capital is not allowed to crowd out indigenous agric-food companies.

Again, this suggests stronger financing role for government; although not altogether through direct public funding. Existing PPP frameworks to bring financing to agriculture should be strengthened. Public institutions involved must be subjected to stern performance metrics.

Special consideration With the weakening of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East by the Nigerian military, a grand programme to close the productivity gap in Northern agriculture is an imperative. Over the last few months, food prices had inched up marginally on the Consumer Price Index of the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, of which agricultural produce are a significant component. Under the scenario of the displacement of the local population, including agric communities in the North East, it is beyond question that supply growth would have become much weaker, whereas demand projections have remained very positive in the country.

Determined efforts should therefore be made to close the existing productivity gap by expanding capacity through strong intervention in the North generally, since the region occupies a vital position in the nation’s food production.

New economic structure Following the GDP rebasing in 2014, a new (but changing) structure of the economy

emerged. We saw the decline of oil as a percentage of the GDP and the rise of services as the largest sector of the Nigerian economy. In 2013, agriculture constituted 26% of the GDP – a percentage only exceeded by Ghana’s 29%, amongst Africa’s main frontier markets. Over the coming decades, the transition in the Nigerian economy will gain more traction. But transitions within industries should also be under watch. Agro-processing will define the changes in the agriculture sector, even as it will drive wider industrialisation and therefore catalyse further adjustment in the structure of the Nigerian economy.

For Nigeria, the size advantage is a huge one.

Egypt’s $284.9 GDP of 2014, of which agriculture constituted 14.6%, grew her food exports revenue by $1.9 billion in just one year (2013). From our current low base of agricultural exports, with vast arable land and favourable climate, we are more than able to drive more momentous change through valueadded agriculture, considering Nigeria’s $594.3 billion GDP. The most important recommendation for promoting Nigeria’s agro-industrial sector is the potential for job creation across the agric value chain. The value chain of the agric sector is well capable of generating additional ten million jobs over the next decade, and it can serve as one of the centrepieces of capital formation in Nigeria’s new economy. Indeed, agro-processing promises exciting prospects for inclusive growth and social stability.

Concluded •Mr. Orya is MD/CEO, Nigerian ExportImport Bank

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18 18,, 2015— 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

APC as a ruling coalition HE All Progressives Congress, APC, is the new T ruling party in Nigeria, right?

Yes and no. Yes, because it is the party that defeated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the 2015 general elections, winning the Presidency and installing governors in 22 of the 36 states of the federation. It is the party with majority of members in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

It will consummate the mandate of the electorate and call the shots for the next four years.

Again, yes, because it is a duly registered political party. But in truth, the APC is still a coalition or a gang-up which hurriedly came together to get the former ruling PDP, which had become internally decadent, out of power. But this coalition, after coming together to slay the elephant, could not install its carefully handpicked candidates to head the Senate and House of Representatives.

Its national leadership was irreverently defied by forces within the party. The leadership threatened fire and brimstone, but at the end of it all, found itself impotent to reverse what

happened. It eventually ate the humble pie and accepted defeat.

What manner of political party is that which has no control over its members? The answer is quite simple. The APC is not yet a political party. It is still only the coalition that pushed out the former behemoth, the PDP. A political party’s primary attribute is that it is a congregation of like-minds. There must be over-riding common interests for which its members come together to contest for power. Take these samplers. The defunct National Council of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, was formed primarily as a nationalist and Pan-Africanist vanguard to drive away the colonialists and build a nation in which tribe, religion and region would not be a hindrance to the aspiration of any Nigerian. It was supposed to bring the re-enactment of the American dream here in Nigeria and Africa.

The Action Group, AG, was meant to give the Yorubas a strong place in an independent true Nigerian federation, where each federating unit would be free to aspire to its dreams at its

own pace, unhindered by how others chose to proceed. The Northern People’s Congress, NPC, was formed to unite the North under the sophisticated Muslim empire, the Sokoto Caliphate founded by Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, to ensure that the North capitalised on its geopolitical advantages to dominate an independent Nigeria. The Northern Elements Progressives Union, NEPU, was formed to cater for the interests of the lower classes and the downtrodden, especially in the North.

The PDP and APC, being political parties that took their roots after a hurried military transition to civil rule in 1999, have no such vision and mission.

The PDP’s take-off as a political party was truncated by the imposition of General Olusegun Obasanjo, who converted it into a mere election-winning machine without a purpose in government and power.

Tinubu must rebrand himself and let people who depict him as a selfcentred, acquisitive and power-hungry leader know they are mistaken

On neutrality and “Tambuwalisation” of the legislature

I

N every election year, the National Assembly has become the epicentre of political intrigues, particularly in filling the principal offices of both chambers. It is commonly asserted that the Constitution reserves no role for the political parties in the composition of these offices.

This is good theory but in actual practice, the invisible hands of the political parties can be felt all through the exercise. Indeed, only an irresponsible party leadership will remain neutral when its house is burning. We wonder how many parents will stay aloof when some of their children are fighting. For all we know, a mother is only as happy as her saddest child.

Quite often, though, there are cases where legislators up-turn the arrangements handed down to them by their party leadership. They do this in the name of asserting the independence of the legislature.

The current trend – the use of legislators-elect of one political party to destabilise the arrangements of an opposing party – which gained prominence in 2011, when the defunct ACN used Aminu Tambuwal (then PDP/ Sokoto) to scuttle the arrangement of the PDP for the Speakership of the House of Representatives, is what we call Tambuwalisation . Throughout the Seventh National Assembly, Tambuwal had what could pass for a split personality – he was PDP in name and in body; but for all intents and purposes, he was more ACN/APC than the National Chairman of the party.

Essentially, Tambuwalisation could be a younger cousin of the Open Primary, which until recently, was prevalent in the US for nominating candidates for C M Y K

elective positions. Parties that adopted the open primaries had an open mind that since the office being sought was one in which the occupant would serve all members of the community, it made sense for all the registered voters in that community to participate in nominating the candidate.

With time, the open primaries became injurious to the parties that adopted them. Members of an opposing political party used the avenue to nominate weak candidates that could be easily defeated at the main election – call it dumping or what you will. The open primaries have since given way to Closed Primaries.

For more than two months after the 2015 polls, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso (APC/Sokoto) was shouting to the high heavens that the National Assembly would be “Tambuwalised”. Who cared about the premonition of an impending danger? Alas, it has happened!

What we now have is a systems failure on the part of the APC and that’s putting

While APC was under the spell of neutrality, it should have realised what transpired on the PDP side – how the PDP legislators-elect were being carefully guided by the political strategists and tacticians of their party

Whoever failed to win PDP’s ticket ran away to look for one in another party, and whether they won or lost, they returned to the PDP, at least to ensure their future prospects of remaining in power.

The APC is still at its rawest form. Beyond the fact that it was able to mob the PDP out of power, there is very little in it to call it a “party”. What the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, glibly kept referring to as “the party” was nothing but merely a section of the APC which is in control of its national secretariat. That section is controlled by men implanted by the National Leader of the APC, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the tacit approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The reason why Tinubu’s section of the party failed to install Ahmed Lawan as the President of the Senate and Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker, House of Representatives, was because he failed to accommodate the interests of the “new” PDP (nPDP) faction of the APC, and the latter pulled its strings. The lesson that “the party” (Tinubu and his men in the national executive of the APC) must learn from now henceforth, is to carry all the factions of APC along in all their power-sharing activities. After all, it was because of this power that they all came together to shove aside PDP. Tinubu must remain acutely aware that in the APC, there are the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP; the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC; the nPDP and

it mildly.

B e s i d e s ensuring that the preferred candidates of the APC did not emerge, the PDP has successfully installed Senator Ike Ekweremadu (PDP/Enugu) as the Deputy Senate President in an APC-dominated Senate!

For the first time in the history of Nigeria, a member of a minority party, Senator David Mark, is the Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate!

Under the guise of non-interference, President Muhammadu Buhari has maintained absolute neutrality in a most partisan world! Whoever emerges is his own. Fine! APC legislators-elect were left rudderless – sheep without shepherds.

In truth, there is no neutrality in politics. If there was, it would have started from the beginning – you didn’t have to traverse the entire country, asking for the people’s votes as whoever voted would have been your own.

While APC was under the spell of neutrality, it should have realised what transpired on the PDP side – how the PDP legislators-elect were being carefully guided by the political strategists and tacticians of their party. We leave the neutralists to wonder how hitherto sworn-enemies like David Mark and Bukola Saraki became the best of pals overnight. The neutralists should also wait till they hear of the budgetary outlay that went into the venture on the PDP side. Neutrality, my foot!

In all this, where were the APC governors? For once you went to war without the Governors who have in their arsenal, all it takes to fight a war – superior planning and execution, strong hold on their legislators, power of the purse – and you bungled everything!

What a bitter lesson in party supremacy, so called!

other fringe elements belonging to Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and former governors Chris Ngige of Anambra State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.

Tinubu must now consult and negotiate with these groups and ensure they are given a sense of belonging or they will gang-up against him. Tinubu will increasingly become the butt of envious conspiracies, and the impulse to “cut him to size” will become increasingly irresistible, especially seeing how easily he was beaten in the sharing of the Senate and House positions. Tinubu must rebrand himself and let people who depict him as a self-centred, acquisitive and power-hungry leader know they are mistaken.

APC can still become a true political party beyond being a mere election-winning platform. As time goes on, the party is likely to split. Atiku Abubakar’s unbridled ambition could lead him to take a large section of the nPDP with him back to PDP sometime around 2017 in readiness to challenge Buhari in 2019. The rest of the party will cluster around President Buhari, the “man with the yam and knife”. When that happens, most of the Northern politicians now hiding in the shadows would come into the limelight to paddle the canoe of the Buhari APC. When that time comes, even some of today’s “Tinubu boys” who rose to be governors and occupied various high positions in government on his ticket will be in the Buhari APC boat paddled

by Northerners.

Don’t say I did not tell you.

What type of power are we talking about? Even as a party supposedly in power, the Presidency could not send an effective message across to the National Assembly that as a result of a meeting between the President and his party men, the inauguration should hold on for a few hours? Was this neutrality? Could it also be weakness or kindness? We have advised elsewhere that people should try pocketing a small snake out of kindness and they will soon realise that there are limits to kindness.

Evidently, the PDP over-rated the APC. If they knew that the APC leadership was as clueless as it has proved to be, nothing would have prevented them from collecting all the principal offices. Would it not have been a question of simply hanging on to their 49 consolidated votes for a single candidate in each position while leaving the multiple APC candidates to scramble over their 59 scattered votes?

Once in a while a political party should wear its cult-like garb. Did the APC leadership have to take that mock primary to the market place? Certain decisions are better taken after midnight when cameramen are already asleep. But the APC leadership, instead of keeping its plans in its chest pocket, preferred to address a world press conference, to expose its plans. The Financial Times of London did an editorial on this.

In all this, not much is lost. The PDP must resist the urge to keep basking in the euphoria of this Pyrrhic victory because within the strength of the deal, reside bundles of weaknesses.

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Dearth of basic infrastructure: Another Lagos community cries out

By Esther Onyegbula

I

FESOWAPO Arojokun is one of several communities in Lagos State where residents are presentlycryingoutforgovernment’s intervention in addressing their lack ofbasicinfrastructures.Indeed,lifeis said to have become unbearable for residents of the community located withinthevicinityofCheckpointBusstop, Araromi Ale, along the Lagos/ Badagry Expressway on account of theproblem.

The community which has over a thousand houses, a population of about 12,000 and a vast land still awaitingdevelopmentcannot boast ofapublicschool,primaryhealthcare facility, model market, police station, pipe-borne water and motor-able roads.

Theonlyredeemingfeaturebyway of infrastructure was the recently commissioned electrificationproject executedthrough communalefforts by residents under the auspices of the Community Development Association,CDA. When Vanguard Metro, VM, visitedthecommunityrecently,itwas discoveredthatmostoftheroadsthere were in deplorable condition and thereforeinaccessibledueto several potholes. Among the most affected were Bakare Adala Street, Raaki Sadudeen Street and Adebola Adegbehin Street.

Those who spoke with VM lamentedbitterlyofthecommunity’s neglect by successive governments over the years citing lack of basic facilities, including government primary and secondary schools, hospital, model market and police station, as evidence of this.

AccordingtotheBaaleofArojokun community,ChiefMatthewSaturday Adegbega, whorecentlycelebrated hisoneyearcoronationanniversary: “The community has not benefited frompastadministrations asthetrain carryingthedividendsofdemocracy has refused to get to Ifesowapo Arojokun after many years.

“Thesufferingandpainhasbecome unbearable as our roads are bad, we don’t have any government school orhospitalinthiscommunity.Onour own we have done a lot to address theproblemofbadroad.Forinstance, we spent so much to sand-fill the community every year. This is why we are appealling to government to cometoouraid.Asthetraditionalruler ofthecommunity, Ipracticallybleed in the heart seeing my subjects go throughsomuchdiscomfortbecause of these challenges.

“So, I am using the occasion(coronation anniversay)to call on thegovernmentofLagosState to come to our community’s rescue.

Nowthatwehaveanewgovernment weareappeallingtothegovernment C M Y K

andtheamiablegovernor,Akinwumi Ambode. These projects, when done, willbringdevelopmenttothe community as well as create employmentopportunities.Andour children won’t have to trek long distances to Oko-Ofo or Ibiye to attend school, which is several kilometresfromhere.Imagineyoung childrentrekkingsuchadistanceto schooldaily”.

Thechairman,IfesowapoArojokun community CDA, who gave his name as Elder Joseph Sunday Adeoye, said the bad road has created severe challenges for residents as the cost of transportation is currently on the highside.“Initially, fromCheckpoint Bus-stoptoBaaleStreet,forinstance, used to be N50; now it is between N150andN200.Manyofthetricycle riders or Keke Marwa operators whousuallyplythecommunityroute have moved to other communities because of the bad roads,” he said.

A non-native, Mr Chukwu Sunday said: “Ifesowapo Arojokun is a very peaceful community but what is missing is government’s presence by way of providing basic infrastructure. As you can see the roads are in bad shape; we can’t drive our vehicles in and out of the communitywithoutgettingstuckin potholes or ditches. The main challenge facing the community is that of roads; it is affecting the developmentofthecommunity,itis affectingbusinessoperators;school children have to wear rain boats because of the bad roads. School busesdon’tcomeintothecommunity topickchildrenbecauseoftheroads.

So many people have abandoned the construction of their buildings because of the road”.

Communal effort to the rescue Recounting the efforts the communityhasmadetoalleviatethe situation, Prince Adegbehin AdetaramitoldVMthus:“Whatever projectordevelopmentyouseehere was made possible by communal effort. There is nothing the

The suffering has become unbearable; I bleed seeing my subjects go through so much discomfort because of these challenges;we are appealling to government to come to our aid

*Cars stuck in a flooded and muddy road in the community. INSET: Chief Matthew Adegbena, Baale of Ifesowapo Arojokun government has done to assist in the development of the community. For instance, the electrification of the community was done by residents.

“We spent so much to bring the light; we spent millions of naira on the electrification project, especially in buying electric poles, transformers and cables. Ironically, barely a month after we succeeded in bringing electricity to the community, officials of the Eko Electricity Company came to disconnect defaulters even when power supply has been epileptic.

“The only accessible bridge was also constructed by residents in the community. We spent more than a million to construct the bridge. To

sand-fill the community road, we spent over N600, 000. Early last month we brought about 15 tipperload of sand to sand fill the bad portions of the road to ensure that people can easily go about their daily businesses. Unfortunately the rainy season is here and the rains began that same month and undid most of what we have done.”

Community’s demand In calling on the Lagos State government to come to their aid, Elder Joseph said: “We all voted for the new administration, we are pleading with the government to rescue the community. We don’t have public schools, hospital,

market or police post; we want government to please help us. We want the government to assist the community by providing social infrastructures, especially good roads to enable free movement of persons and goods. We need a primary healthcare facility for the women and children.”

He furthered revealed that the community was willing to partner with the government in the execution of essential projects, adding: “We will provide the land for any of these project as well as moral support. We are law-abiding Nigerians and we pay our taxes.

So, government should come to our rescue.”

Teary moment as fire fighters bury colleague

By Bose Adelaja

H

E was on a mission to rescue a fire victim at Babalegba Bus-stop, Ijegun in Igando\Ikotun Local Council Development Area of Lagos.

That was not the first time he would be responding to a distress call and taking this kind of sacrificial risk which he considered to come with the job. But on that fateful Saturday May 9, 2015, it turned out to be one risk too many for this brave fire fighter.

Olumide Olugbenga Ogunnubi, 34 years old, sustained serious injuries while trying to save the life of someone in distress. He was

rushed to the Alimosho General Hospital Igando where he was later referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. Unfortunately, he eventually gave up the ghost three days later.

This native of Ogun State who joined the State Fire Services in 2008 was given a befitting burial in Kajola, Ifo, Ogun State on Tuesday June 9, 2015 where friends and colleagues paid their last respects.

A funeral service also held at Ikeja fire station same day, where the State Fire Service’s flag was presented to his

widow.

In a statement, the Director, Lagos State Fire Services, Razak Fadipe, lamented the death of some of his men in active service. He assured that the state government would act fast to make life bearable for members of the deceased’s family.

Fadipe said a similar incident occurred a couple of years back when one of his men died in an inferno which occurred in Tejuoso Market.

But the fire boss said the development will not deter his men from saving lives and property in the state.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

— 21

Budget 2015, hope rising as crude prices hit $63

C

From right: Chief Executive Officer, Sabaoth Technologies, Dr Dania Simpa, Market Development Manager Intel, Simbo Olatoregun; Chief Medical Director First Consultants Medical Center, Dr Benjamin Ohiaeri; Chief Executive Officer, Lionstone Health Partners, Mrs. Njide Ndile; Chief Corporate Services Officer, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, Mr Tobe Okigbo at the donation of Smile Router Wifi by Smile Communications Nigeria Limited to First Consultants Medical Center, Obalende in Lagos.

Geometric Power, GE to build 1,080MW power plant

By Michael Eboh & Grace Udofia with Agency Report

EOMETRIC Power has entered into partnership with General Electric to invest $800 million, about N160 billion in the construction of a 1,080 megawatts power plant in

G

$129.85

2. 05

$3,244.00

37. 00

$11.41

-0.05

$63.76

-0.19

59.74

0.22

CURRENCY BUYING DOLLAR 195.9 POUNDS 303.4099 EURO 219.4668 FRANC 209.743 YEN 1.5844 CFA 0.3143 WAUA 272.955 RENMINBI 31.5618 RIYAL 52.2372 KRONA 29.406 SDR 274.8281

CENTRAL 196.4 304.1843 220.0269 210.2784 1.5885 0.3243 273.6516 31.6428 52.3705 29.4811 275.5296

196.9 304.9587 220.5871 210.8137 1.5925 0.3343 274.3483 31.7238 52.5039 29.5561 276.231

CBN Exchange Rate as at 17/ 06 /15

C M Y K

Nigeria.

Managing Director of the company, Mr. Barth Nnaji, who stated this in a power conference in Lagos, disclosed that the first phase of the project which is aimed at generating 500 megawatts of electricity is expected to be completed by 2019.

To this end, Nnaji noted that Geometric Power had appointed Standard Chartered Bank as financial advisers for the first phase of the plant.

Nnaji stated that the power plant will be located in Abia State, while construction works on the plant would commence early next year.

He added that the company was already in discussions with some Chinese, European and United States’ investors and was expecting financial closure by year-end.

Nnaji said, “We have a 1,080 megawatt project in partnership with General Electric.

The power goes to the national grid. What we

are doing is to build up power projects in this way.”

Meanwhile, Group Managing Director, Aiteo Power and Gas, Mr. Ransome Owan, stated that Nigeria’s power sector is going through teething problems, due mainly to the change of ownership in the sector.

Speaking at the same conference in Lagos, Owan,

Privatisation of the country’s 10 Independent Power Plants (IPP) is currently being delayed due to lack of gas supply

however, expressed optimism that the situation in the power sector would stabilise with time.

Owan also disclosed that the privatisation of the country’s 10 Independent Power Plants (IPP) is currently being delayed due to lack of gas supply.

He said, “ Lack of gas is stalling the deals,” Ransome Owan told a power conference in Lagos late on Tuesday. In 2012, while serving as Minister of Power, Nnaji had signed a $10 billion agreement with General Electric (GE) to build 10,000 megawatts power plants in the country.

Though, nothing has been heard of the agreement over the past years.

Nnaji, who signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GE in London, said it provided for the construction of a series of power plants in the country, adding that under the MoU, GE would now be an equity participant. He said, “In the past, GE only supply the equipment but now, they will be investing 10 to 15 per cent in equity for every single project, the government will match them in such investment while the private sector will bring the balance.”

rude oil prices yesterday maintained a $63 per barrel giving hope for the actualisation of 2015 budget. If the rebound remained stable it will also help to increase federal allocation to states and help distressed states tide over their financial difficulties.

Crude has rebounded at the London ICE Futures Europe Exchange from a six-year low as falling U.S. stockpiles and a slowdown in drilling counter data showing that producers elsewhere are pumping more.

West Texas Intermediate for July delivery fell 75 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $59.22 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Prices earlier climbed as much as 2.4 percent. Brent for August settlement decreased 68 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $63.02 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

The European benchmark crude traded at a $3.35 premium to WTI for the same month.

U.S. output will peak at a 43-year high this year before trailing off in the second half, the EIA said last week. OPEC decided to maintain its output target at a June 5 meeting in Vienna.

“The market’s retreating because of the refinery and gasoline numbers,” Bob Yawger, director of the futures division at Mizuho Securities USA Inc. in New York, said. “We rallied on expectations that refineries’ utilisation rates would rise, boosting crude demand. If refineries continue to operate at these levels we will be seeing much smaller drops in crude.”

Nationwide crude inventories slid 2.68 million barrels to 467.9 million barrels in the week ended June 12, EIA data show. A 1.8 million-barrel supply decline was projected by analysts in a Bloomberg survey.

Stockpiles remain near the highest level since 1930 and 113 million barrels above the five-year average for this time of year.

“We still have ample supplies of crude,” Chip Hodge, who oversees a $9 billion natural-resource bond portfolio as senior managing director at John Hancock in Boston, said by phone.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Libraries are the storehouse of information which may be useful in operating a small business

,

,

Sources of information for entrepreneurial development

L

ibrary is a primary resource for information. Government agencies have a variety of publications which may be useful. Some colleges and universities have reference libraries which may have a circulation section available to the public. Also research institutes and some large corporations have libraries with sections on specific topics. Libraries are the storehouse of information which may be useful in operating a small business.

Books, periodicals, reports and newspapers may contain

Customers can supply very special information about the products and services they buy

information which can be of help in solving some of the problems in operating a business.

Internet can be used to carry out research and to find useful information and data.

Examples of these search engines are Google, Bing, Ask etc Also E-mail can be used to communicate with providers of information who have websites on the internet.

Trade papers and magazines: Desirable entrepreneurs should have time to read articles especially in understanding new trends and developments relating to business. It is advisable to keep a file of pertinent articles for future reference.

Industrial data is helpful in comparing a business to other similar businesses. The data is available from trade associations or government agencies and includes ratios such as; stock turnover, cash discounts percentage markup etc.

Membership-based organisations can provide services such as conducting

research, organizing education and training programmes, implementing new technology, responding to members’ questions and concerns and disseminating information through newsletters, magazines and special reports. Example of such membership-based organization is MAN (Manufacturers Association of Nigeria) Training programmes can help entrepreneurs to develop formal plans for improving their managerial skills and ability. Training courses and adult education programmes are designed by many institutions, agencies and associations.

Entrepreneurs should be aware of these personal development possibilities and take full advantage of them. One of such institution is (CMD) Centre for Management Development at Magodo area in Lagos (Nigeria).

Employees: The people who work for a business can provide answers to specific problems in a business. For example, entrepreneurs might ask employees for their advice and assistance about stock display or customer attitudes.

Employees are in a good position to give valuable advice providing they know that their opinions and suggestions are valued.

Also customers can supply very special information about the products and services they buy.

Customers should be asked about their opinions because they are an excellent source of information about the relative strength and weaknesses of a business operation.

Other business owners: Most businesses have common problems and owners are generally willing to discuss their problems with one another.

Occasionally, the competitive nature of business may discourage this frank exchange, but if business are unrelated and do not compete for the same customers, entrepreneurs may be willing to share ideas concerning solutions to a common problem. In this way, all business owners can benefit from this interaction and improve their business operations.

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (17/06/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

195.90

196.40

196.90

308.1507 220.7009 211.0537 1.581 0.3158 274.8923 31.5419 52.2233 29.5921 275.9056

308.9372 221.2642 211.5923 1.585 0.3258 275.5939 31.6229 52.3566 29.6677 276.6098

309.7237 221.8275 212.131 1.5891 0.3358 276.2955 31.7039 52.4899 29.7432 277.314

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

African Guarantee Fund:

Bridging Africa's funding gap

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

A

ll over the world, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are widely recognized as big drivers of economic growth, innovation, regional development and job creation. A strong and vibrant SME sector provides a strong foundation to improve standards of living and reduce poverty.

Despite the internationally recognized importance of SMEs, African small businesses often have difficulties accessing financing for growth and innovation from the formal financial sector. SME financing is often considered by many financial sector players in Africa to be a risky activity as promoters quite more often than not, fail to come up with the collateral levels required to secure bank facilities.

Various studies by the World Bank and other organizations have revealed very low levels of bank financing for SMEs in Africa compared to other developing countries. In, fact, it is estimated that the SME funding gap in Nigeria and other African countries is more than $140 billion, according to Mr. Ifie Sekibo, Managing Director/CEO of Heritage Bank Limited.

Sekibo said this at a US-Africa Trade and Investment Forum held in New York, USA, last year, adding that more than 70 per cent of SMEs in the continent lack access to medium-longer-term finance.

According to him, in Africa, SMEs are more creditconstrained which typically affects growth possibilities as significantly low number of start-ups, who apply for financing actually succeed.

“Using Nigeria as a case study, between 2003 and 2009, SME loans as a percentage of total credit, decreased from 7.45 percent to 0.18 percent. Yet by

SME 2012, Nigeria had about 17.6 million MSMEs employing about 32.4 million people,” he stated.

AGF It is in response to these challenges facing SME funding in Africa that the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) was created.

According to Felix Bikpo, AGF’s CEO, the Fund is “the missing link that will enable partner financial institutions execute their SME financing strategies effectively, while bringing their businesses to the required scale and thus enabling SMEs to play their expected role in fostering African economic development.”

Through its guarantee facility, AGF assists financial institutions to partially cover the risks associated with SME financing and thus enable them increase their portfolio in that asset class. Through its capacity development facility, the Fund assists financial institutions enhance

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 23

,

& YOU

dity de

Gas

COMMODITIES (17/06/15) Last 58.95

Change ($) -1.02

% Change -1.70

2.88

-0.02

-0.66

11.37

+0.06

+0.53

127.35

-2.00

-1.55

3,229.00

-5.00

-0.15

their SME financing capabilities and thus be able to execute their growth strategies in that sector with ease. A combination of AGF’s guarantee and capacity development facilities, thus enable partner financial institutions bring their SME financing business to the required scale that would not only enable them bring down transaction costs significantly, but also increase returns on investment.

Mandate AGF’s key mandate is to assist financial institutions increase their financing to African Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) through the provision of partial financial guarantees and capacity development assistance.

Products AGF’s products and services provide financial institutions with the means with which they can leverage in bringing their African SME financing interventions to the required scale.

AGF currently offers two product lines: Financial guarantees in support of: Loans made by Partner Lending Institutions (PLIs) to SMEs through a hybrid approach (on portfolio and individual loan basis); Equity Capital financing for SMEs; and Resource Mobilization (.i.e. issuance of bonds/notes

SME funding gap in Nigeria and other African countries is more than $140 billion

and lines of credit) by PLIs in support of their SME financing activities.

Capacity Development Support to PLIs to enhance their SME financing capabilities as well as Capacity Development support to SME Business Development Support companies and SMEs themselves.

Eligibility The eligible operations for AGF include: start-ups, scale-ups, modernization, productivity improvement, production capacity improvement, transfer of ownership and restructurings.

These operations must however be carried out by SMEs as defined by the financial service industry in a given country, and operating in the following sectors among others: agriculture, agro industry, small and medium scale mining, oil and related services, manufacturing, building and construction, e n e r g y , telecommunications, transport, tourism, and trade.

Transaction procedure The request for a guarantee should be submitted by the financial institution which is providing the financing. The request should provide the following initial information: Type of guarantee requested and amount; Profile of the institution including legal status, key activities, shareholding, directors, management; Three year audited accounts; and Description project/product program requiring guarantee support and type of guarantee sought.

Upon receipt of the application together with the accompanying information, AGF will carry out a quick dip-stick review to be followed by the issuance of an indicative term sheet.

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

,

Role of genuine respect in organisation's team effectiveness

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

S

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

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

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

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

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

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

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

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

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

Nobody has the whole

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

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

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

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

Productivity and profitability are bound to increase.

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

or

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Why Nigeria needs national corporate governance code — Elumelu

By Providence Obuh

C

hairman, Heirs Holdings Limited, Mr. Tony Elumelu, has highlighted the importance of having a uniform code of corporate governance in the country, following the exposure of the draft National Code of Corporate Governance issued by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC).

Elumelu, who was guest speaker at the IoD 4 th Presidential Biennial Lecture, spoke on the topic: “Building A Global Conglomerate on Corporate Governance Values: Challenges And Benefits In A Developing Economy,” describing corporate governance as a system by which companies are directed and controlled.

He pointed out that corporate governance is not limited to businesses and quoted companies but a must adopt for NGOs, saying, “all businesses should develop corporate governance codes and meticulously and religiously practice them. corporate governance practitioners should not leave the business of state to politicians; they should be part of politics.

“FRCN is doing a fantastic job and they have come up with a compendium and new ideas of corporate governance practices in Nigeria and what it should be. They have come up with exposure draft of how government should govern a country and also for NGO’s.

“I will like to urge everyone

T

he Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has warned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posted to Akwa-Ibom State not to take the risk of saving their monies in banks not insured by the corporation.

The Port-Harcourt Zonal Coordinator of the NDIC, Mr. Chibuzor Onwumere who gave the warning at a sensitization workshop organized by the NDIC for the Corps members in their camp at Nsit Atai Local Government Area of the state said the warning became imperative as customers who have deposits in uninsured financial institutions would not be indemnified and reimbursed should financial institutions become insolvent.

Rather, the NDIC stressed the need for the NYSC members to build savings relationships with

Carmudi, Rosabon partner on vehicle financing scheme

By Jonah Nwokpoku

N

AGM: From left: Nike Akande, Director, Union Bank Plc, Somuyiwa Sonubi, Company Secretary, Udoma Udo Udoma, Chairman, Union Bank and Emeka Emuwa, Group Managing Director, Union Bank during the bank’s 46TH Annual General Meeting held in Abuja.

who is interested in sound corporate governance to find time to read this document and do a communiqué on them, so that together we can have a body of documents that we need to have a national governance code. I recommend it to everyone both those in

business and NGO’s, SMEs that are not listed are not exempted from practicing corporate governance.

“The top must practice good corporate governance with the board ensuring a good CEO is appointed. A good CEO must apply corporate governance

codes, practice it and be compliant to bring strong profitability that will create sustainability to shareholders.

On her part, President, IoD, Mrs. Eniola Fadayomi, added that it takes the right leadership to maintain good corporate governance.

FirstBank, Diamond Bank, seven others partner Konga on e-payment solution

By Jonah Nwokpoku

F

irtsBank, Diamond Bank and seven other commercial banks in the country have entered into partnership with Nigeria’s online marketplace,

Konga.com to introduce an electronic payment solution.

The solution known as KongaPay allows users to perform one-click payments on the Konga marketplace.

The other partner banks

NDIC warns against banking with uninsured banks

By Tom Moses

BRIEFS

insured banking institutions to enable them to secure loans and other financial assistance necessary for them to build their future.

“When you keep money in the bank, your money is safe from theft, loss and fire, you can get money quickly and easily and you can use the bank to transfer fund from one location to another

When you keep money in the bank, your money is safe from theft, loss and fire

instead of carrying cash around.

“Using a bank to transact business is cheaper than using other forms of doing same and building a relationship with a bank can help you save money, plan investment for future and may be necessary to access a loan as well as get paid interest on your savings.

“One other important thing to know is that in case of a bank failure, your money is safe since your money is insured by the NDIC. The NDIC guarantees payment of deposits up to a maximum amount if a bank fails”, Onwumere stated.

According to him, the NDIC is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that failing and failed insured institutions are resolved in timely manner through the provision of financial and technical assistance, take-over of control and organization of bridge banks.

include: Access Bank, Ecobank, FCMB, GTBank, Heritage Bank, UBA and Zenith Bank Explaining how the solution works, Koga in a statement explained: “Every time a customer triggers a transaction, the bank sends a secure authorization code to the customer ’s registered mobile number. Anyone with a bank account and a registered mobile phone number can use KongaPay. There is no need to sign up for internet banking.

“With our understanding of the need for simplicity and easy access via mobile, KongaPay has been designed to be very easy to use.

Payment madewithongaPayare held in escrow until the transaction is satisfactorily completed.

KongaPay eliminates the need to enter sensitive personal information such as card details or Internet banking passwords and transactions are fully protected so that our shoppers will be in full control of their money. More so, refunds for cancelled or returned orders can be triggered with just one click and will be immediate.

igeria’s online car m a r k e t p l a c e , Carmudi.com.ng and Rosabon Financial Services have entered into a deal to finance cars purchased on the Carmudi platform at zero collateral.

In a statement, Carmudi said: “The partnership will offer car buyers a swifter, smoother, and easier way to get financial assistance enabling them to purchase any vehicle of their dreams.

By integrating a loan calculator on the Carmudi website and payment quoting technology on each car listing page, customers wishing to buy a car through Carmudi Nigeria will be able to calculate how much down payment and monthly payment is needed without leaving the listing page.”

Speaking on the partnership, Managing Director of Carmudi Nigeria, Christian Keller said: “ Affordable loans are not easily available on the Nigerian market, yet the demand is very high. With Rosabon Financial Services, we have found exactly the right partner to fill that need “This service is available to everyone with a steady income who is looking to purchase a car. With only 30 per cent down payment you could buy your preferred car and spread the remaining payment over a two year

Ghana economy expands 4.1% in first quarter

G

hana’s economy expanded in the first quarter after contracting a year earlier during the same period, according to the statistics office.

Gross domestic product rose 4.1 percent, Philomena Nyarko, an official from the Ghana Statistical Service, told reporters on Wednesday in the capital, Accra. The GDP shrank a revised 3.8 percent in the first three months of 2014, she said. The economy grew 0.9 percent in the first quarter versus the previous three months.

Ghana obtained almost $1 billion in loans from the International Monetary Fund in April as it seeks to narrow the budget deficit and support the cedi, which has dropped 25 percent against the dollar this year.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 25

ExxonMobil boosts geoscience study with N34.62m

PRESENTATION: From left: The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala; General Manager, Government and Public Affairs, ExxonMobil, Mr. Dozie Arinze; GM, Technical Geoscience of ExxonMobil, Mr. Mike Udoh; and Prof.

Tunde Arayela of Federal University of Technology, Akure, during the presentation of some geoscience equipment to six universities as part of the University Partnering Programme of Exxonmobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration in Abuja.

By Amaka Abayomi

I

n the past eight years, ExxonMobil Nigeria has boosted the study of geosciences in Nigerian universities through an initiative, University Partnership Programme (UPP), which is geared towards improving the quality of tertiary education in the country to an internationally competitive level.

Prior to ExxonMobil and its partners' intervention in geosciences education in Nigeria, only three universities in the country were offering the course with outdated thin section-making

Education can liberate a whole community - MTNF Scholar PG. 27

Research should be directed at solving problems - Prof. Frank Ogbo PG. 28

machines.

Launched in 2007, and with six new beneficiaries, the number of benefiting varsities of the UPP are 14. The six beneficiaries are: Akwa Ibom State University, Mkpat-Enin; Anambra State University, Uli; University of Jos; Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State; University of Ilorin, Kwara State; and Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State.

They received analytical equipment consisting of six Logitech thin section-making machines, 300

mosquito nets, 24 digital cameras and a cheque of N5.77 million each to pay for students’ logistics and lecturers’ field allowances.

Disclosing that it has committed over N900 million to the UPP programme to date, ExxonMobil stated that its long-term goal is to ensure that every public varsity in Nigeria offering geosciences benefits from the programme towards improving the quality of their studies.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony at the National Universities Commission, NUC, Abuja, the General Manager, Operations

Technical Geoscience, ExxonMobil Nigeria, Mr. Michael Udoh, said the programme started with six universities, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Delta State University, Abraka; University of Ibadan; University of Benin; University of Calabar; and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, while Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and University of Nigeria, Nsukka, were added in 2011.

He said: “Varsities enrolled under the UPP programme are required to prepare a map of the area in their proximity for review and publication by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) and we are pleased with the progress made by these varsities in this area, as 12 maps have been published by the NGSA, another four are under review, while six others are being drafted as a result of the various fieldwork trainings and analyses by these varsities.

“We also have the University Assistance Programme (UAP), launched in 2006, to build and equip geological laboratories in some Nigerian varsities, as well as provide training for lecturers on some of the latest advances in geosciences.

“Through the UPP and UAP, ExxonMobil Nigeria has invested over N3bn into geosciences education in Nigerian varsities and would continue to invest to ensure that Nigerian geosciences can stand on equal competitive footing with some of the best varsities in the world in terms of the quality of their instruction and knowledge.

Pointing out that the primary purpose of the UPP is to improve the quality of geosciences graduates from Nigerian varsities, the Director- General of NGSA, Mr. Ndubuisi Nwegbu, said it has also created a platform that assists NGSA in fulfilling its mandate of generating, archiving and disseminating geoscience data and information to the public, and the fundamental vehicle through which this is achieved is the geological maps.

Continues on page 26

NUC tasks varsities on quality research

By Dayo Adesulu & Kelechukwu Iruoma

T

he National Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor.

Julius Okojie has tasked universities to embark on quality research that will positively shape and strengthen our educational system so as to compete with other universities globally, adding that research in education is pivotal for national development.

Prof. Okojie who spoke during the 30th convocation ceremony of the University of Port Harcourt, Uniport, revealed that, "the Federal Government is aware of the setbacks as regards

research in our universities due to brain drain, loss of research development assistance and weakening links with overseas development partners in the last three decades. This current administration will strive to do more in the educational sector."

He also stated: "Federal Government had through the Tertiary Education Trustfund, TETfund, Normal and High Impact Intervention and its Assessment Special Intervention funds embarked on the construction of new facilities, rehabilitation and upgrading of existing facilities in Nigeria's public

Continues on page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

NUC tasks varsities on quality research Continues from page 25

HONOURS: Dr. Nnaeto Orazulike, Group Managing Director, Genesis Group, left, receiving his certificate for Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from the Vice-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, for his contribution to the enhancement of the Nigerian economy through entrepreneurship and provision of employment to thousands of Nigerians.

ExxonMobil boosts geoscience study with N34.62m equipment Continues from page 25 Stressing that it is only by understanding the earth that its resources could be meaningfully and sustainably harnessed, Nwegbu said; “investors in the fields of mining, water supply, agriculture, civil engineering, medicine, the environment, among others, require the information these maps provide. It is for this reason that this noble project touches the heart of the NGSA mandate, which is to provide geosciences information for public good.”

The geological maps generated by the project generally shows information relating to the various rock types and units, their structural dispositions, age relationships, as well as distribution of economic mineral occurrences or leads.

In a keynote address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, said the donation gives credence to the fact that sustainable varsity education in the country is a collective responsibility of government and the private sector, and this gesture would not only enhance the teaching and research activities of the benefiting varsities, but also portray the organisation as a responsible firm that fulfills its corporate social responsibilities.

Urging the beneficiaries to make optimum use of the equipment for the benefit of the Nigerian varsity system in the development of the geology programme and ensure proper maintenance culture to enable

the equipment endure, he called on other organisations and well-meaning individuals to emulate the gesture by identifying and contributing to the development of education for sustainable development of host communities and the country at large.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, who argued that Nigerian students are as good as other students from other countries and that Nigerian professors are sought after in other countries, said the equipment would further improve the quality of geosciences education in the

Geological maps generated by the project generally shows information relating to the various rock types and units, their structural dispositions, age relationships, as well as distribution of economic mineral occurrences or leads

country and NUC would monitor the usage to ensure they are properly maintained.

He said: “We are particular about maintenance of equipment and we will continue to monitor them to ensure that we use them effectively. Government will always provide the counterpart funding and we are appealing to varsities to spend the money effectively.

“We are emphasising the use of funds to acquire the necessary equipment and less of structures that are not well funded. What is important is facility sharing; we will continue to ensure that we have modern equipment in our universities.”

Also speaking, the Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Jonathan Okehs, noted that this is the seventh consecutive year that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in conjunction with Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), in production sharing contract has funded the UPP. He said other landmark achievements recorded by the programme are purchase and/ or donation of field and laboratory equipment; book of proceedings of Standardisation Workshop (published in 2009

by Ibadan University Press); mapping parts of the country

Continues on page 29

universities.

"This administration will continue to support the Nigeria Educational System in ensuring that learning, teaching and research facilities are constantly upgraded and up-to-date so as to make our institutions globally competitive.

"The administration will also strengthen regulatory and funding agencies and position them for improvement and efficient quality delivery, in order to impact on society in line with socio-economic and political realities of today.

"Universities must, however, strive to build innivative systems to help government solve its socio-economic and political problems," he said.

The don further stated that the newly revised and upgraded curriculum for full programmes for Nigerian universities are based on the philosophy of training primarily job creators, rather than job seekers. He said: "This will go a long way in adddressing issues of skills acquisition and employability.

The capacity building project for improved teachers quality and number is yielding desired results. Over 20,000 university teachers have benefitted from it."

Prof.

Okojie urged universities to enlist support of corporate organisations, alumni associations, philanthropist and government partners to bridge the gaps in government funding of universities in Nigeria, adding that the government and instututions must continue to ensure that those who desire eduction are able to gain admission into universities and receive

quality education.

Having noted the problems universities are having with their host communities, he strongly encouraged universities administration to find solutions to the problems.

In his words: "Universities are strongly encouraged to continue research activities by finding meaningful and appropriate solutions to the challenges they have with host communities."

In terms of security, he said that security of lives and property must be uppermost in the minds of university administrations, adding that no meaningful teaching, learning or research activity can take place in an atmosphere of insecurity and tension.

He said: "Governement notes the various problems that are rising regarding the issues of student leaving off campus and risks associated with this. Universities are advised to collaborate with their host communuties and security agencies to ensure peace and security on campuses and the host communities."

He added that students are the heart of the university and as such should be well catered for. According to him, "Universities must strive to engage the private sector in adequately regulated built, operated and transfer model of students accommodation to ensure that students are not exploited in any way.

He congratulated the new Chancellor of Uniport, HRH. Alhaji Mohammadu Bashir, the Emir of Gwandu, for his installation, adding that, he (Emir) should create a good governance structure to ensure strict adherence to the rich academic rituals and age-long traditions which Nigerian universities are known.

EDP donates 180 dictionaries, calls for support of education sector

By Tare Youdeowei

W

ITH the aim of helping students become proficient in English Language and improving their overall communication skills, the English Dictionary Project, EDP, has visited schools in Okota, Lagos State recently.

Ansar-ud-deen Comprehensive High School and Ijeshatedo Senior Secondary School got 180 standard dictionaries which according to the initiator and coordinator, Kofoworola Bada, is to help students in public secondary schools have access to their personal dictionaries, “Nigerian students should be encouraged to own and use standard dictionaries. I thank my friends and well wishers who have been supportive of the project so far and encourage individuals to see what steps they can take to help improve the nation’s education sector and not wait for government to do it all.”

The English Dictionary Project team has so far visited Festac Grammar School, Festac Girls’ Senior Secondary School and Festac College Senior Secondary School in Festac Town.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 27

Realistic University Tuition: Matters Arising (1)

LECTURE: Members of the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Mitigation (SETPOM) and attendees after a public lecture themed 'Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet.

Consume with Care' to commemorate the United Nation's Environment Programme's World Environment Day, at the Chevron Hall of University of Lagos.

Education can liberate a whole community — MTNF Scholar

M

ufutau Akuruyejo, a 500 level Computer Engineering student of University of Lagos, Akoka. The second of two children, Mufutau has always wanted to learn everything he could about ICT, which occasioned his studying computer Engineering in the University of Lagos. His brilliance helped him win an MTNF scholarship and has maintained the required minimum CGPA of 3.50 which allows him to continue receiving the scholarship worth N200,000. He spoke to Dayo Adesulu on his journey to clinching the coveted slot to study a nine-week ICT training programme in CERN Openlab, Switzerland. Excerpts.

How did this journey begin?

When I was in my second year in school in 2012, I saw an advert in the MTN Foundation website where they requested for application from interested students for their scholarship scheme. I showed interest, took the exams and passed. Since then, I have maintained the required CGPA and have enjoyed the scholarship worth N200,000.

Early this year, there was another post on the Facebook page of the MTN Foundation announcing an upcoming nineweek advanced IT project and requesting interested applicants to apply. I applied and an acknowledgement mail was sent to me. They later requested for details of different things: project management skills, data base skill, analytic framework and Linux. I made all they requested for available and forwarded to them. I was then requested to visit the website and upload my personal details.

It was a very rigorous exercise and it took me weeks to apply because they requested for a lot of things. Also requested for

Mufutau Akuruyejo was my motivation, reasons for applying, what I have accomplished and so much more. Another requirement was reference letters from my department and my school and a recommendation from one of my professors. It really was a rigorous exercise but I am happy with the results today.

What impact did the scholarship have on your educational pursuit?

A whole lot of impact. The difference between an average student and a very brilliant student is the extra mile walked by the very brilliant student.

Left to me and with my own financial capabilities, I wouldn’t have been able to go that extra mile by getting necessary materials for my

course of study. The scholarship played a very big role in assisting me to buy all the materials I need to excel in my academic works including past question papers, books, etc. They went a long way in adding value and helping my academic work.

You are not just the only Nigerian but the first African to be selected for the ICT programme in Switzerland, thow does this accomplishment make you feel?

Sometimes, I feel like I am still dreaming and someone should wake me up. The first time I received the call, I needed the caller to repeat the words again to confirm that it was really happening. Right now, I am mapping out a strategy of things I hope to achieve while in Switzerland.

This is an opportunity of a life time and I cannot thank MTN and Oracle enough for this opportunity. Aside from Oracle data base that I will be studying there, I hope to go one step further and enquire about a good school where I can begin my Master degree programme immediately I graduate from school, perhaps intern in a research institute if possible because I am a very passionate about technology and skills.

NTI strengthens teaching practice

T

he National Teachers’ Institute has embarked on monitoring and supervision of its students currently on teaching practice nationwide in its bid to strengthen the quality of teacher training in the country.

The management team, directors of the various departments and principal staff of the Institute were dispatched to various States of the federation and Abuja to conduct the exercise.

The exercise is to avail the Institute the opportunity to assess the performances of its students’ teaching capabilities.

Students pursuing Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE) and those of the Pivotal Teacher Training Programme are currently on teaching practice, which is a major component in teachertraining in the pursuance of certificate for education in Nigeria.

radical proposal. For whatever “The argument really is no it is worth, he has my support. longer about whether university Not because I feel sorry for him, tuition and other fees should be but because I strongly believe increased in Nigerian universities. he is absolutely right. Arrayed Rather, the argument is [and against him will be all the should be] about when and how popular collections of to go about it.” conventional “wisdom” plus Professor Niyi Akinnaso, socialist philosophy. He has PUNCH, May 5, 2015, back page. probably been reminded several “The truth shall make you free; times that he was one of the but first, it shall make you beneficiaries of Awolowo’s free miserable.” education at all levels and (VANGUARD BOOK OF having benefited from that QUOTATIONS, p 235). programme and become Professor Niyi Akinnaso successful, wants to close the deserves one of the three prizes door on others less privileged. for courage in the last 10 years He will stand accused of being for being the first practising an economic saboteur and a academic in Nigeria to openly stone-hearted individual who advocate for fees increase in does not give a damn about the Nigerian universities. This is a poor. He might also receive subject which the President, every death threats, if he persists in governor and Council members promoting the highest of Nigerian universities had “sacrilege” anybody can avoided like EBOLA for years. commit in Nigeria.

Niyi might turn out to be a prophet He can expect them to with honour on the university dismiss as “rubbish” the fact campus, but it is doubtful. He will that when Chief most likely Awolowo as the end up as the If we want Premier of the martyr for Western Region, “free what is first introduced clearly an education” we free education, he inevitable must elect ran a geographical decision territory which had governors and nationally. been split into Akinnaso will presidents, like Ogun, Oyo, Osun, be vilified by Awo, people Ondo, Ekiti, Edo the majority. and Delta.

It would not who don’t Second, Awolowo be surprising spend a lot of operated with 17 if he had public funds on cabinet Ministers already and nobody in received the Office of government had critical the First Lady more than one reactions, official car. There for instance threats and were no Special maledictions.

Advisers.

Today, each of the If my experience in November 2011, when I launched the states carved out of the region, campaign for Christian Governor has a Governor, just as many in Lagos State, is any guide, those Commissioners, innumerable he seeks most to help, Special Advisers and the governments and university Governor’s Office is like a authorities, will not even come out luxury car dealer’s lot.

Akinnaso’s critics will openly to offer him support. It is dismiss one of the cardinal the opponents who will come after him immediately and persistently. truths making it inevitable to When my column, LAGOS increase fees because they want STATE GOVERNORSHIP -2015 to cling to the national selfCHRISTIAN AGENDA -1, was deception that we can have published in December 2011, 708 bloated public service sectors text messages came in response, and free education at the same from Christians and Muslims. I time. One of Awolowo’s logged the text messages. Exactly successors once appointed 37 were in support. The rest, 1000 “Special Advisers” and he including those from people who was applauded for that identified themselves as economic lunacy by the same Christians, were against. people who are now on strike Uniformly, they accused me of for unpaid salaries. Is it possible wanting to start a religious war in that a government which fails Lagos. Thirty-seven carried thinly- to pay staff salaries can fund adequately? disguised threats. Today, Ambode, universities a Christian is now Governor. One Pervasive self-delusion has of his toughest decisions will made it impossible for us to involve fees at Lagos State come to terms with the fact that University, as well as other if we want “free education,” we institutions of learning run by the must elect governors and presidents, like Awo, people state.

I brought it up in order to warn who don’t spend a lot of public Prof about the challenges he will funds on the Office of the First face as the arrow-head of this Lady for instance.

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

RESEARCH & DEVT

Research should be directed at solving problems

utilise the nutrients in the soil a lot better than the uninoculated ones because of the activities of the microorganisms.

— Prof. Frank Ogbo

By Ebele Orakpo

P

R O F E S S O R Frank Chukwunwike Ogbo of the Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing is a professor of microbiology and Chairman, University/ Industry Research Committee of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. He spoke to Vanguard Learning in his office on the recently held exhibition of research works, inventions and ideas at the university. He also spoke on one of his research works on more environmentfriendly fertilizer.

The exhibition: The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joseph Ahaneku, set up the committee to provide a platform by which researches done in the university can impact the society, par ticularly communities around us. The university does research and teaching but a lot of the research is lost on book shelves and libraries and society does not benefit from it.

Ahaneku realises that this is a university's major duty to surrounding communities so he set up this committee very early in his administration and the committee is comprised of a chairman, deputy chairman and members from all the 14 faculties of the university.

We f i r s t v i s i t e d a l l t h e faculties of the university to sensitise people and to collect data on research which had been done already and to catalogue and classify them, selecting those that are relevant to society.

After we had done that, we felt that one way to show these researches to the society and to Nigerians was to organise an exhibition which held as part of the VC's one year anniversary celebration.

That was meant to give it a wider audience. We invited investors, members of the university community and also the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Pr o m o t i o n ( N O TA P ) , t o sensitise the university about intellectual p r o p e r t y, patenting etc.

Research should be directed at solving problems, not just for academic purposes or for fun.

Some businessmen, captains of industry and

government officials have expressed interest in some of the products. Some left us with some problems they would want us to research into. We are putting all these things together and we are going to follow up on those that have expressed interest on our products and also the ones that want research, and get appropriate units of the university to look into those problems and help them find solutions to them.

*Professor Frank Ogbo...The little sachet of biofertiliser below can fertilise a plot of farmland while it will need a big bag of chemical fertiliser to achieve same.

Microbial biofertilisers Chemical vs biofertilisers The application of microbiology is mostly in industry. They happen at a scale that is very high.

Microbiologists are involved in industries, they produce enzymes, manage brewing, etc. At a time, I started thinking that we need something that will have a more local application, something that will benefit people in the rural areas. I started a research on microbial biofertilisers which are fertilisers that use microorganisms instead of c h e m i c a l s . N o r m a l l y, a chemical fertiliser will contain minerals like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

When you add that to the soil, the plant takes it up and grows with it. But there are so many problems with chemical fertilisers, the issue of environmental damage, leaching into water bodies and contaminating them.

Some of the chemical fertiliser itself, gets demobilised and form insoluble salts and become unavailable to plants.

Now, chemical fer tilisers a re a l m o s t ex c l u s i v e l y imported into Nigeria. There is a fer tiliser plant in Por t Harcourt but they do blending so it is expensive. On the other hand, a microbial biofertiliser is cheaper, you can make it anywhere, even in your office and people can set up small plants to manufacture it.

How it works: Yo u inoculate some microorganisms into the seeds to be planted. When the seeds germinate, these beneficial microorganisms we

*From left: Maize seeds mixed with biofertiliser and biofertiliser.

I started a research on microbial biofertilisers which are fertilisers that use microorganisms instead of chemicals

are working with, will infect the plant and render at least three services - one, it will fix nitrogen, in other words, it produces one of the major components of chemical fertilisers.

It will solubilise phosphates. ie, make insoluble phosphates in the soil soluble so the plant can now take it up. It also protects against diseases particularly from fungi.

Environment-friendly & cheap: We n o w h a v e b a c t e r i a l biofertiliser which provides a combination of three services within the normal ecosystem and environmental conditions of the soil. So there is no left o v e r, n o c o n t a m i n a t i o n .

Because you can produce them on very cheap waste materials, they are also very cheap.

We have done a few trials.

From the trials, we observed that the plants inoculated with the biofertiliser have much more roots, a lot stronger with improved root length, grew more vigorously, more competitive and able to

Cereals & microbes: There is a particular interest in this. Cereals are the major crops grown in many parts of Nigeria. We also have tubers and legumes. Legumes have this peculiar advantage of having a symbiotic relationship with organisms that fix nitrogen but cereals do not have that advantage.

That is the other aspect of the beauty of this work.

The relationship between these plants and organisms is what is described as an associative symbiosis. It is not deep-seated, the organisms live somewhere on the surface of the root so we are trying to conclude this work.

How to use the biofertiliser: Mix the soil with the microorganisms in water. You then put in your seeds, the seeds pick up some of the biofertiliser/microorganisms.

You plant the seeds. It is quite simple.

Cost: It will be cheaper than the chemical fertiliser because this is just soil and m i c r o o r g a n i s m s .

Microorganisms are cheap and they can be grown very easily and cheaply. There is no bulk. This size of biofertiliser can fertilise a plot of farmland which will need may be one big bag of chemical fertiliser because if you look at the quantity consumed by the seed, it is very small compared to the chemical fertiliser where you have to put in cup full and all that.

LECTURE: From left; Public Affairs Manager, ExxonMobil; Mr. Akin Fatunke; Director, ExxonMobil, Mr. Femi Adegbite; his wife, Guest Speaker, Prof. Esther Adegbite and Permanent Secretary, Youth & Sport, Lagos State, Dr. Segun Oshinyimika after the Professorship Inaugural Lecture Series 2015 by Prof. Adegbite on “Financial Devt and Real Growth: Deciding the Chicken and Determining the Egg” held at the main auditorium, UNILAG Akoka, Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 29

ExxonMobil boosts geoscience study with N34.62m, equipment Continues from page 26

PROJECT: From left: Tara Bond, Ese Oyugbo and Kenechukwu Memeh at their science project presentation.

Lagoon Sc hool nur tures future ffemale emale School nurtures scientists

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By Dayo Adesulu

N line with its objectives to educate the girl-child, Lagoon School – an all-female secondary school – based in Lekki, recently organized a science quiz and project competition for female students across some secondary schools in Lagos State.

Facilitated by Lagoon School Science Department, the event was split into three categories; quiz, project and physical health education. The quiz competition comprised: Chemistry,Physics, Biology and Mathematics; while physical health education category, comprised: swimming and table tennis. The project category witnessed students from participating schools compete in science experiments.

While flagging off the programme, Noemi Garcia,Principal, Lagoon School, underscored the roles science plays in various fields of human endeavour. She also expressed optimism that it could be used to address some societal challenges facing Nigeria. The principal,

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however, cautioned against scientific experiments that violate human rights or seek to redefine nature.

Ngozi Agu, Head, Lagoon School Science Department, gave a similar view; while stressing science would always play a pivotal role in a child’s upbringing.

After a keen contest, the panel of judges,adjudged Lagoon School as winner in the project category. Debirus College and Maryland Comprehensive High School emerged 1st and 2nd runner-up respectively.

In the course of its project presentation, the team from Lagoon School, comprising: Ese Oyugbo, Kenechukwu Memeh and Tara Bond, sought to demonstrate how smoking is injurious to the lungs. They also demonstrated how Red Cabbage could be used as a PH indicator.

Shedding light on how cigarettes are injurious to the lungs, Oyugbo explained: “Cigarettes have a lot of toxic chemicals like nicotine and carbon monoxide. These are harmful to the body –especially the lungs. Smoking destroys the cilia, which are tiny hair like

structures, that clean-up mucus and dirt particles in the lungs.

If this is destroyed it could lead to chronic bronchitis” Memeh underscored the basis for using Red Cabbage as a PH indicator. “We used Red Cabbage as our PH indicator because it contains a substance called flavin which can be used to detect if an object is an alkaline or a base, through characteristic colour changes,”

with oversight by NGSA; adequate training of students in field mapping by experts; geologic field mapping exercises with the production of six unedited draft maps, adding that maps by two universities have been successfully published by NGSA. He said “between 2007 and 2015, NNPC and its partners, EEPNL and SNEPCo, have committed so much towards the UPP programme, but this commitment is insignificant compared to the number of lives that have been transformed with this kind gesture.”

On his part, the General Manager, Public and Government Affairs for ExxonMobil Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arinze, said the donation is one in a series of donations and support to Nigerian varsities that have already covered seven years and almost 20 varsities have benefited.

“This is just one of many and what that tells you is that we are on a journey of partnership with the Nigerian government, our business partners NNPC and other companies that we

work with to help promote, support and develop education in Nigeria.”

Adding that geoscience education is key to any economy, especially the Nigerian economy, for the company involved in exploration, production and development of oil and gas resources, Arinze said “geoscience is key, it is very dear to our hearts, it is the heart of our business so we’ve taken on this challenge of contributing to the quality of manpower that comes out of Nigerian universities in geosciences.”

A geology lecturer at FUTA, Solomon Olabode, said the donation means a lot to the university, adding that the Logitech thin section making machine would enable them generate accurate results and have detailed information about rocks and other minerals.

Before now, he said the thin section was made manually and the process is not as effective as it would be with a machine, adding that the manual method could spoil the thin section and may not produce accurate results.

Nigerian bags Professor of Credit Mgt from int’l university

By Providence Obuh

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HE International University in Panama City, South America, has announced a Nigerian, Registrar/CEO, Institute of Credit Administration, ICA, Prof. Chris Onalo, as Professor of Credit Management.

In a statement, the authority of the university said it is pleased to celebrate Onalo’s unparalled contributions and sustained devotion of his time, energy and resources against all odds.

According to the authority, “As an International University

working with carefully selected credible affiliates around the world, we noted with amazement the superior intellectual endowment and creative capabilities of Nigerians in nearly, if not almost every known field of human endeavor, which also in this case, includes credit management.

“Our assessment of Onalo’s work in the development of credit management curriculum is that, it is adequate, it connects well in the application and processing of credit management in all fields of

business as well as intergovernmental credit creation initiatives for economic development.

“His works which are in the academic warehouse of the London Postgraduate Credit M a n a g e m e n t College(LPCMC) in the United Kingdom formed the basis of collaboration for credit management academics between the International University, Panama and LPCMC,UK, thus bringing internationalization to credit management,” the authority said.

30— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

PROJECT: From Left; HRH Rasak Arokomanohin, Baale of Awodi-Ora Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA Ajegunle; President, Gold Crest Family Centre, Rev Agatha Chukwura and Chief Akanni Akinsanya Baale Onibaba of Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA Ajejunle, during the Children Educational Day Project organized by Gold Crest Family Centre in Lagos.

World Environment Day lectures: UNEP, SETPOM reharsh measures to save Earth

By Tare Youdeowei

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ITH the transition into a new dispensation and the uncertainty about what is to come by way of policies and their implementation, the environment of Nigeria, Earth in the big picture, is also cloaked in ambivalence.

Continuous gas flaring, unrecycled waste, tree felling without replanting and a general abuse of Earth’s resources, are some of the reasons the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Mitigation, SETPOM, was established. In fulfilling their mandate and commemoration with the United Nations Environment Programme World Environment Day, SETPOM has held a public lecture themed Seven Billion Dreams.

One Planet. Consume with Care to send a message to government at all levels, Nigerians and every human being on earth on equitable use of Earth’s gifts.

Kicking off the allocution, President SETPOM, Dr. Funmilayo Doherty said; “The theme for this year ’s celebrations emphasizes the personal responsibility each one of us bears for enabling sustainable economic development, while reducing the rate of resource use. The well-being of humanity and the environment ultimately depends upon the responsible management of the planet’s natural resources, yet, evidence is building that people are consuming far more natural resources than what the planet can sustainably provide. Many of the Earth’s ecosystems are nearing critical tipping points C M Y K

of depletion or irreversible change, pushed by high population growth and economic development.

“By 2050, if current consumption and production patterns remain the same and with a rising population expected to reach 9.6 billion, we will need three planets to sustain our ways of living and consumption.

World Environment Day, WED, is the opportunity for everyone to realize the responsibility to care for the Earth and to become agents of change.

Although individual decisions may seem small in the face of global threats and trends, when 7 billion people join forces in common purpose, we can make a tremendous difference. We can do this by shifting our consumption patterns towards goods that use less energy, water and other resources, and by wasting less food.”

Stating that the theme calls for evolution of consumer habit; shopping, eating and travelling, a guest speaker, Dr Eugene Itua, a policy consultant to Nigeria Governors’ Forum (Environment & Natural Resources) and Chairman, International Institute of Risk & Safety Management said that; “In a context of increasing environmental degradation and climate change, a systemic transformation is needed to move towards resource efficient and sustainable lifestyles which bring better quality of life for all. Though cities occupy just three per cent of the Earth’s land surface, they consume 75 per cent of natural resources, produce 50 per cent of global waste and account for 60-80 per cent of greenhouse gas

emissions. Urbanization is only going to further skew the disproportionate rates of consumption.

As remedy Dr Itua prescribed Sustainable Consumption and Production, SCP, which he described as “the use of services and related products, which respond to basic needs and bring better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as the emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or product so as not to jeopardize the needs of further generations.”

Adding that; “Sustainable lifestyle means rethinking our ways of living, how we buy and how we organise our everyday lives. This is an important

component in the path towards sustainable development. It is also about altering how we socialize, exchange, share, educate and build identities. It means transforming our societies and living in harmony with our natural environment. As citizens, at home and at work, many of our choices – on energy use, transport, food, waste, communication and solidarity – contribute towards building sustainable lifestyles.

“Further, given the appropriate infrastructure, information, economic incentives and internalization of environmental costs, lifestyle changes in favour of sustainable living can become the dominant social trend. It is the role of the media and educators to design easy and engaging narratives and messages that promote a sustainable lifestyle.” Dr Itua, a Fellow of Occupational Safety & Health Association (OSHA) provided.

Suggesting that bio-plants be set up to recycle waste to bio-fuel and generate electricity, second guest speaker, Mrs. Onome Eruayekomeme, Graduate Member, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health advised; “If we all agree that this planet is ours, then we must work together to make it safe for us all and protect it. How do we do this?

We should embark on activities to safeguard the environment such as: Planting of trees; Deployment of technology that is friendly to the environment, for instance, rather than generating electricity with nuclear power and others, solar panels and wind turbines should be deployed as a better

CSR: Airtel donates to Bethesda Home of Blind

By Providence Obuh

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When seven billion people join forces in common purpose, we can make a tremendous difference, we can do this by shifting our consumption patterns towards goods that use less energy, water and other resources

choice; The legislative arm of government of most countries as a matter of importance should attend and participate in seminars that focus on the environment. This is to enable them formulate laws and understand the weight of what it takes to protect the environment.”

Stating that the factors that have contributed to environmental degradation are bush burning, falling of trees, indiscriminate killing of wild animals and other creatures, destruction of marine life, population growth, technology, industrial activities and land reclamation, Eruayekomeme suggested; “Oil and gas companies should be made to stop gas flaring in countries where oil exploration and exploitation is going on.

Stoppage of gas flaring should form an integral part of the MOU between the government and oil and gas companies.

There should be a legal frame work which is enforceable between the government of various countries and owners of industries that is aimed at discouraging the burning of fossil fuel which releases green house gases (CO2, H2S, N2O). Other countries should emulate countries like Canada, Netherland and USA who are already using vehicles that do not use fuel but batteries that are eco friendly.”

Nnadiekwe Paul, an SS2 student of Igbobi College, declared his benefit from the lecture thus; “I have learned that the earth is as important as ourselves so we need to be fair to nature, not to destroy plants and animals and to be economical. Most of all I now know that whatever we do to nature affects us.”

irtel Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to empowering less privileged Nigerians as it donated food stuffs, consumables, among others to support the students, staff and management of Bethesda Home of the Blind.

The company’s team led by its Regional Operations Director for Lagos Region, Mr. Femi Oshinlaja, visited the home penultimate week, in Surulere, Lagos to interact, bond and share inspiring stories with the students and other stakeholders of the home as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Oshinlaja in his comment said that the company is committed to touching the lives of Nigerians and will continually embark on CSR activities that will help transform the communities where it operates in.

“We are happy to share with Bethesda home for the blind, as part of our CSR activity, Airtel

Touching Lives. Every month, employees contribute to support worthy causes, which will help empower Nigerians, especially the less privileged in our society.

We can only but imagine the trials residents of Bethesda home of the blind go through, and so today we are here to offer relief and help ease the pain,” he said.

He noted that telcos will continue to explore ways of enriching the lives of all its stakeholders, saying, “We thank Bethesda home for the blind for allowing us the opportunity to touch their lives in our own way.

We are not stopping here and this is not going to be our last visit, we will continue to offer support to the students in every way we can,” he added.

Also speaking, Founder, Bethesda home for the blind, Mrs Chioma Ohakwe, commended the organisation for its contributions to uplifting the Home and empowering the less privileged. “Our hearts are full of joy for this great thing Airtel Nigeria has done for us."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18 15—31 18,, 20 2015—31

NLC: Time for factions to sheathe swords Stories by Funmi Komolafe

age being done to the image of the congress by their actions.

Also the average worker becomes vulnerable. His union is divided. Who benefits? The employer and government!

With the NLC in factions, a tough time awaits the incoming Labour Minister. He/she cannot intervene because this will conflict with the ILO perception of the independence of trade of unions yet he has to deal with labour which is a key

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s the government of P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari takes shape, signals coming from politicians, to say the least, are disturbing.

A section of the ruling class would appear to have hijacked the peoples' silent revolution for personal gains. The general secretary of the NLC issued a statement commending the 'election' of principal officers of the Senate. One would have expected that an organization in crisis should have been more circumspect in commenting on such a volatile political situation.

The NLC ought to, at least have one of its organs discuss the political trend before issuing a statement.

What happened in the Senate is similar to the source of the crisis that has torn the oncecredible NLC into two factions.

The issues are similar.

Aggrieved unions have alleged that the process leading to the election was unfair. Consequently, the organisation that people have worked hard to build has been split into two.

Though steps are bing taken to resolve the issues, the NLC should be ready to address the challenges of Nigerian workers.

Pending and impending issues With a new government in place at the centre and in some states, there are urgent issues that organized labour would have to respond to .

For instance, organized labour has failed to adequately respond to devaluation of the Naira by the Jonathan administration, especially as it affects the take-home-pay of workers.

Given the widely speculated rot in the nation’s economy, what if the new government asks for a wage freeze? What

Comrade Ayuba Wabba would be the attitude of labour, and which faction will the government be discussing with?

Job creation is another pending issue. One would have expected a proactive labour organization in consultation with affiliate unions to be working on, or have concluded its job creation proposals with suggested ways of monitoring such plans.

Irregular payment of wages is also another . Even in Ekiti where labour leaders are in no way different from politicians, payment of wages remains irregular; yet organized labour has no known plans on how to engage the politicians constructively on this.

Issues such as the deregulation of the down stream sector of the petroleum industry, reactivation of the refineries, casualization, migrant workers , etc abound all over the place, with ordinary Nigerian workers bearing the brunt of these unsavoury practices.

All of these require the attention of a united, cohesive and focused labour movement, not one that is factionalized .

It must be stated however that for the crisis to be fully resolved, there needs to a change in the hierarchy of the secretariat of the NLC. As Comrade Aliyu Dangiwa told Vanguard after the aborted conference in Abuja, there are

Comrade Joe Ajaero people working against labour’s interests in the secretariat. Unless such people are done away with, the crisis may remain unresolved.

An essential unity Both factions of the NLC seem to be underestimating the dam-

What happened in the Senate is similar to the type of crisis that has torn the once credible NLC into two factions.

The issues are similar

partner in Tripartism — Government, Private Employers and Labour. One imagines a situation where both factions are hungry for strikes to prove which is the more relevant of the two.nThis is not new. It happened in 1988 when a group of unions in the “progressive” camp went on strike over issues related to deregulation.

The other side went into discussions with the government.

Within a short time, the government realized it had been discussing with the group that could not call off the strike.

Hence, government had no option but to discuss with the striking groups. We need to avoid a repeat of this as it will do the new government and indeed Nigerian workers no good.

Rather, what is needed at this time is to have an organized labour that genuinely serves the interest of workers and the civil society at large.

Textile union members protesting maltreatment of their members at Nigerian Ropes, Lagos. Leading the protest is the union's General Secretary, Comrade Issa Aremu

Textile Union engages Nigerian Ropes on core issues

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ssues of non-remittance of deductions of tax, pension and cooperative union dues are the core issues in the labour dispute between the management of Nigerian Ropes and the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria.

The union drew public attention to these issues when it staged a protest at the comC M Y K

pany’s premises and the Ministry of Labour & Productivity office in Ikoyi last week.

The union’s general secretary, Comrade Issa Aremu and its president, Olaide Hunsu said in a statement that the union is also concerned about outstanding workers’ gratuity fund totaling about N45 million.

According to the union, it was still discussing these is-

sues with the management of Nigerian Ropes led by Mr. Joao Pereira, when, “to our surprise, on Wednesday 3rd of June 2015, our workers came here to resume work only to see the police sealing off the company on the orders of the Divisional Police Officer, ( DPO) Bode Thomas Police Station.

The union insisted: “This lock-out and sudden closure of

the mill are clear violations of industrial relations norms and procedure. This is why we have organized the picketing and protests. Nigeria's labour laws have provisions for collective bargaining and dialogue for conflict resolution.

The textile union stated “we have already reported noncompliance to Pension Commission ( PENC0M) deductions and non-remittance totaling N45 million, inclusive of

other debts”.

It urged the Police to steer clear of the labour dispute and called for the immediate reopening of Nigerian Ropes and payment of the backlog of debts owed the various agencies and workers totaling N45million.

Efforts to contact the management of the company as at the time of filling this report, were unsuccessful.

32 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

FG should carry stakeholders along on current National Theatre deal - Tomoloju

By Prisca Sam-Duru The huge controversy surrounding the National Theatre; concession or outrightsale,mayhaverestedowing to statements credited to the former Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke and the most recent, coming from the General Manager of National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, Mr Kabir Yusuf.

The duo's statements are with regard to plans to "Completely renovate and restructure the monument and completely transform the massive under developed area of land around the iconic theatre and make it the Nigerian Entertainment City."

MrYusufwhorecentlycorroborated his former boss' assurance that the edifice was not for sale, stressed that “The concession arrangement relates to only the fallow land and not the main edifice nor any of its halls. Adding that the “Concession of the fallow land around the NationalTheatreisfordevelopment of complimentary infrastructural facilities in line with the master plan of the edifice.”

Reacting to the above, culture activist and Playwright, Ben Tomoloju insistedthatstakeholders must be involved in whatever the

government plans to do to the National theatre . “Concerning the National Theatre, I have already made it clear that if the stakeholders are not carried along policy-wise, the current deal - sale, concessionorwhatever,isarbitrary, undemocratic and suspect.” He said. Withthewaythingsaredone inthecountry,notmanyNigerians

Next Culture Minister should be a man of ideas passionate about the creative and recreational aspects of life

want to believe that the proposed plans on the National Theatre will be carried out as outlined especially looking back at the fact that Chief

Edem Duke made so much hype on his intentions to turn the national pride around for good and ended up doing less.

Mr Yusuf also told the press that a “Public-Private Partnership model is being deployed to actualise this massive project which will see the current theatre mainbowl fully upgraded, and the adjoining land around it developed into complimentary facilities which will be known as the ‘Nigeria Entertainment City’. “At the

inception, there has been plan to compliment the National Theatre, like other theatres in other parts of the world with infrastructural facilities, such as five star hotel, shopping mall, offices, land and water parks, leisure and entertainment centre, multilevel car park so as to make the edifice economically viable in addition to making it a tourist attraction to boost the nation's economy.” In order to ensure that the national monument experiences a real turn around in

When kids say the darndest things

By Chris Onuoha

‘Kids say the darndest things’, a new educative, fun packed and entertaining talk show that would thrill children and kids alike, debuts for Nigerian viewers.

The television programme, anchored by Tony Okungbowa, the Nigerianrooted London-born actor and former resident DJ of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, sponsored by etisalat is the Nigerian version of the famous CBS family TV show for children that cut across all cultures, where children freely express themselves, say funny things unwittingly.

The talk show which premiered at Silverbird galleria, Lagos, last Sunday featured clips of the season one with the anchor man Tony engaging the selected kids in exhilarating section. The programme will C M Y K

ReaditLoud session at US Consulate, Lagos.

Tony Okungbowa with one of the kids be running on AIT Digital station starting from Sunday June 21 by 7 P.M which coincidentally is a feting gift to celebrate ‘Fathers Day. The programme will afford Nigerian parents an opportunity to take away lessons about their children

because as the society is fast evolving, parents need to keep pace with events around their kids. Participating kids are selected after thorough auditioning and there’s no rehearsal before the talk show as most of the questions are based on presenter’s discretion.

The executive producer ‘Kids say the darndest things Nigeria’ Chichi Nwoko in an interactive session with journalists said that it is the only way of knowing what kids think and say about their parents and the world around them. “ Often times, you never can tell what your kids know about you until you engage them in a candid encounter and you will be amazed to hear what they can say” she said.

According to Modupe Thani, the Head, Sponsorship and Events, Etisalat Nigeria, “It is a programme Etisalat decides to partner with the producers to showcase the funny sides of kids. We know there’s a lot of talent in Nigeria and Etisalat decides to identify with the programme seeing that it is one of the ways to promote and enhance talents in the country.”

this present dispensation, artistes and stakeholders are demanding that the President Buhari administration appoint only a technocrat to head the sector. They maintained that the sector has the capacity to provide an alternate source of revenue for the country stressing that Nigeria must be prepared to tap into this venture.

In line with the views stated above, Tomoloju insisted that “Whoever becomes the next Culture and Tourism Minister , be it male or female, should be a man of ideas passionate about the creative and recreational aspects of life and how these can be exploited to ensure quality and sustainable livelihood for stakeholders in these areas.”“Such a person, male or female, he emphasised, “Should be well disposed using the arts to imbue the nationalistic spirit of Nigerians while boosting the country's image in the global c o m m u n i t y . “ While carrying out plans to refurbish the National theatre, Tomoloju advocates for the revival of stage plays through establishment of cottage theatres in local government areas in all the states. “Reviving stage-plays is very important because it has a great potential for job and wealth creation. My advocacy, in this respect, is the establishment of cottage theatres across the Local GovernmentAreasinstateswhere they can be viable. The incoming minister should take a cue from whatformerGovernorFasholahas done with sports in Lagos by building a mini-stadium in each LGA. The incoming Minister should operate at the level of the relevantnationalcouncilandwork out the modalities with the State Commissionersforacountry-wide spread. But in this and other initiatives, they must carry the stakeholders along.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 33

Cultures on display as Cyndees marks culture/African Child's Day

By Prisca Sam-Duru

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nstead of the usual school uniforms worn during school days, or shirts/blouses and jeans trousers or skirts which are normally worn during parties, the children appeared in very flashy native attires that glamourously assembled every tribe in Nigeria in one arena.

Monday 8th June 2015, will no doubt, remain a memorable day for pupils and students of Cyndees International Schools, Ewu Owa, Gberigbe Ikorodu Lagos, as they celebrated the school's Cultural Day as well as the Day of the African Child, in grand style.

The entire celebration was fun for the children as toddlers who were seen, struggling to walk in traditional wears, made the entire event humourous. The occasion also showcased what Nigerians are beginning to do with bead making, as diverse designs of hand-crafted beads were worn by both the children and their teachers.

Aside exhibiting Nigerian cultures through the different costumes worn, the children were mandated to bring along with them, their traditional meals rather than the usual rice, noddles and eggs etc.

The Cyndees Cultural and Day

The children and one of their teachers, Mrs Stella Alumaka, during the celebration of the African Child celebration would not have been complete without lectures on what the children were celebrating as well as its essence.

After their arrival to school, the children were gathered together and taught why they are known as African Children in addition to the importance of knowing the cultures of the different tribes that make up Nigeria.

They were told that the Day of

the African Child is celebrated every June 16 since 1991 as it was first initiated by the Organisation of African Unity. The Day honours children who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 where about ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of those

students were shot. The celebration also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children.

Speaking on the essence of celebrating in such a flamboyant and glamourous way, the proprietress of the school Mrs Patricia Asikogu stated that “We are trying to promote Nigerian art and culture, we want to inculcate in the children, the need for us to

embrace Nigerian cultures. From the way the children are dressed, you can see cultures of diverse peoples of the country such as Edo, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Effik, just name them. We are really celebrating in a grand style as you can see. Even the different meals of our people will be eaten here today as parents brought their traditional meals to be shared together.”

The essence of the double celebrationaccordingtoMrsAsikogu, was to ensure that right from the foundation, children are taught to recognisetheirrootsandthingswith which they are known adding that “They need to have a sense of belonging in our great country, Nigeria.Wedonotwantthemtogrow up thinking that everything is all about western education or lifestyle but to know what it means to be an African and a Nigerian Child.” “We are trying to showcase the fact that weareNigeriansandthatweshould livetogetherinharmony.Asyoucan see, some children as well as their teacherswereselectedtodressinthe traditional attires of others different from where they hail from. This signifies unity and we will remain unwavering in our efforts towards preaching the need for a united Nigeria so that the country can develop like other developed countries of the world. The school is thebeginningofthelearningprocess and it is our goal to bring them to learntoliveinpeacewitheachother as future leaders.”

Arisekola in our minds: A compedium of tributes

By Abudr Rahaman Aderinoye

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HE book,”Arisekola in Our Minds; A Compendium of Tributes” compiled and edited by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, of University of Ibadan is a collection of documents as well as published articles and tributes on the Subject i.e. Aare Alhaji Abdul Azeez Akanmu Arisekola Alao, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland. Although, it is a publication with articles and tributes on the Subject (Aare), it is however,more of a “Collection” on the personality of the subject which is intended to immortalise as well as celebrate the‘life and times’ of an ‘Internationally Acclaimed Good Man’who departed this world on Wednesday, 18th June, 2014 in London.

The introductory aspect of the book i.e. the “Front Matter” covers 17 pages in roman numerals which includes the foreword by the Aare AlaasaOlubadan of Ibadan, OloyeLekan Alabi, the preface by the Editor and other ancillary contents. The 202 paged book, published in March 2015;barely a year after the demise of Aare, is indeed a beauty to behold which probably gives credence to the fruitful and beautiful life that the Aare lived.

The entire tributary contents which include relevant and appropriate pictures add up to 195 pagesof 11 sections (sectionalised by titles) with articles being editorials and pub-

lications from Newspapers while 14were compiled from the Condolence Register and other sources such as letters sent to the Deceased. The sectionalisation of the Compendium with different titles as well as relevant, rich and exquisite pictorial references added value to the Book and actually, further justifies its being”A Compendium”.

Pages1-75 of the Book,articles from the following individuals, Femi Abbas, Ladi Williams, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, AyinlaMukaila, Imam, Alhaji Abdul RazakAkuru, Dr. TaiyeAyorinde (Baale of Ekotedo), OloyeLekanAlabi,Prof.

D.O.S Noibi, The late Chief Imam of Ibadan,Chief Imam Busairi etc.

Pages 77-84 could best be described as Presidential Tributes of the Compendium as five former Heads of State and one former Vice President described the late Aare as a good man who lived for the benefit of others and would be sorely missed. These include, Presidents Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr Goodluck Johnathan, Gen, Ibrahim Babangida and MuhammaduBuhari as well as Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Pages 85-102 can better be described as the Governors Tributes as it contained tributes from Military to civilian and Deputy Governors published in different news papers. They

include, Governors Geneal Tunji Olurin, Prince Amien Oyakhire, Omololu Olunloyo, Rashidi Ladoja, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alao Akala,Kayode Fayemi, Gbenga Daniel, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu,Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola,Senator Isiaka Adeleke,Muazu Babangida A l i y u , I b i k u n l e Amosun,Olusegun Mimiko, etc, as well as Deputy Governors who include Hazeem Gbolarumi and Chief Moses Adeyemo both of Oyo state. Details of the content of their tributes is better appreciated in reading the book.

The fourth section of the Book which captures tributes from

Royal Fathers and Religious Leaders on pages 103-116 include those of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba (Dr.) Samuel OsundiranOdulanaOdugade I; The Sultan of Sokoto His Eminence Sulatan Abubakar Saadu, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba LamidiAdeyemi III, the Soun of Ogbomosho, Oba OladunniOyewumiAjagungbade III; the Oyo Traditional Council (Oyo Mesi); the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief (Mrs.)Alaba Lawson; traditional rulers from Okeogun and Ibarapa areas of Oyo State; the Prelate emeritus, Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde; the National Missioner of Ansar-uddeen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, the Aare Musulumi of Ibarapaland, AlhajiSanusi Mustapha, Ojolowo; the Chairman Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim w i n g ) , AlhajiTaofeekAkeugbagold; and the leader of Anglican Church of Nigeria, Ekiti Province, Rev. (Dr.) R.A Adetiloye.

Politician were not left out as their tributes spread over Pages 117-132. They include those of Senate President, Senator David Mark, Speaker House of Representatives, Tambuwal, Chief OlajumokeAkinjide, Senator MusiliuObanikoro, Ambassador TaofeekArapaja , Hon. Monsurat Sunmonu, Mr.RemiBabalola, Senators TeslimFolarin, Olufemi Lanlehin, Hosea Agboola, IyiolaOmisore and

RasheedOlasunkanmiAkinlabi.

Others include , Seyi Makinde, Muhammad Dele Belgore (SAN), Alhaji Abdul JeliliAdesiyan, , Hon. Segun Olulade, The various Islamic Organisations Tributes are captured on pages 133-140. while those from Family and Friends are documented on pages 141162. There is also a section of compendium which cointained those who could be described as beneficiaries as they all described him as a father to all whom God has made a pillar of success in their lives, as we can find from pages 163-167.

Pages 169.184 contained Tributary Messages.

These are mainly advertorials in National Dailies which opened with what could be described as a poetic ode with the title “Good Night, Aare” written by Governor Ajimobi of Oyo State and his wife.

Last of the tributary messages/advertorials on page 184 announcing the demise of Aare is a list (36) of Aare’s Children.

Arisekola at 70 a Posthumous birthday write up on Aaare was last part of the Compedium authored by Oloye ‘Lekan Alabi and Ayo Akinyemi published in both the Nation Newspaper (Saturday, 14th February,

C M Y K

34—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Workers’ sweat, entitlement used to fund electioneering campaigns – Aborisade

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

C

omrade Femi o r i s a d e is a lawyer and human/ labour rights activist. He is better known as a consistent and dogged fighter in the defence of the downtrodden in the society. In this interview, Aborisade spoke on NJC ’s summoning of three judges over their lackadaisical attitude to work, passage of 46 bills in 10mins by the 7th Senate and emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President.

Excerpts: A

b

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

What is your reaction to this?

The action of the National Judicial Council (NJC) should be commended. It is in the right direction. It will show all judges that they are being keenly watched. Judges wield enormous powers and constant alertness on the path of the society at large as well as awareness by the judge that he is being watched by a statutory body will serve the cause of speedy dispensation of justice.

Some lawyers have argued that judges should be paid according to the number of cases handled so as to improve service delivery.

What is your position?

Those who advocate that judges should be paid by the number of cases handled or disposed are concerned with dealing with indolent judges who are actually in the minority, as may be found in any other sector of the public service. Majority of the judges are extremely hard-working.

However, caution must be

exercised in dealing with the issue of the few indolent judges. Otherwise, in the bid to earn more, quality hearing will be compromised. Where judges are paid according to the number of cases handled, the principle of fair hearing may be compromised. Cases tend to have their own individual uniqueness.

Though cases may share certain similarity, the complexity of each case tends to differ. What is required is for a system of judges’ performance appraisal to be put in place, which will also award scores for administrative responsibilities, cases struck out, interlocutory rulings given, and so on. But to base remuneration of judges solely on the number of cases or final judgments delivered alone will undermine the quality of proceedings, fair hearing and attainment of justice. What is important is for the performance appraisal system to assess the length of delays in particular cases, the reasons for delays, the defendant’s assertion or nonassertion of his right, prejudice suffered by the defendant as a result of the delay, and so on.

The Supreme Court has held that justice should not be sacrificed on the altar of speed.

Per Ayoola, JSC: “Justice delayed, it is often said, is justice denied, but it is equally true that justice hurried may be justice buried.” (Chairman, NPC v.

Chairman, Ikere L. G. (2001) 13 NWLR (Pt. 31) 540 at 559 paragraph H).

NJC also rejected two candidates whose names were forwarded to it for appointment as high court judges, saying that they were found unsuitable due to their poor knowledge of basic law.

What would you say about this development?

The courage of the NJC in rejecting the candidature of candidates seeking to be

SBL advises Nigeria on foreign investment promotion —Pg 36

*

Aborisade

appointed as judges on the basis of poor knowledge of basic law should be seen as a form of “quality assurance” mechanism, which should enhance the confidence of stakeholders in the Nigerian judicial system.

It should not be automatic that once a candidate succeeds in getting his/her nomination to the NJC, he/she will be appointed. The process of appointing judges should be further developed to ensure that persons appointed as

Justice delayed, it is often said, is justice denied, but it is equally true that justice hurried may be justice buried

judges, not only have a good knowledge of the law but also have demonstrated character, courage and passion to do justice dispassionately, regardless of the economic and political status of the parties involved.

Bearing in mind that the two judges were nominated by their state Judicial Service Commission, does it not make you worry about the quality of some judges in the country?

The fact that the NJC rejected the candidates affected shows the benefit of existence of multiple hurdles which applicant-candidates have to pass through before being appointed.

The critical lesson of the particular experience under reference is that policies ought to be developed such that the process for the appointment of judges is removed from the corrupting and overbearing influence of politicians. The system of determining judges should include, among others, popular election of candidates, after they have been screened based on some objective criteria and after

NBA issues guidelines on Lawyers’ practice licence —Pg 37

members of the public and participants in the judicial system have had an opportunity to publicly raise queries on the candidature of candidates.

Three high court judges and one customary Court of Appeal judge for the states have been recommended and forwarded to their respective State Governors for appointment. In other words, additional judges are being appointed, especially at a time when states are owing workers? What is your perception on this?

There is justification for the appointment of more judges.

Indeed, one of the reasons for the high traffic of unresolved cases is the paucity of the number of judges and/or courts. For example, Hon. Justice Kanyip, PhD has expressed concerns (in his paper on jurisdictional finality of the National Industrial Court (NIC) over lingering delays in the disposal of of cases. He referred to the case of Amadi v. NNPC [2000] 5 WRN 47, which took 13 years (between 1987 and 2000) to resolve the question of jurisdiction before the Supreme Court ordered that the case be remitted to the High Court for retrial all over by another judge. Another case was that of Obiuweubi v.

Continues on page 35

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—35

SBL advises Nigeria on foreign investment promotion

By Dayo Benson

T

he Federal Government has been advised to have a specific foreign investment direction by ensuring that power and other necessary infrastructures are in place to attract foreign investors into the country.

Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Investment Centre Mrs Mawuena Trebarh , gave this advice at the just concluded 9th Annual Nigerian Bar Association NBA Session on Business Law SBL at Eko Hotel, Lagos.

Mrs Trebarh who was one of the panelists at this year ’s SBL with the theme “Regulators as catalysts for Economic Growth”, spoke at a post session media chat which also featured Nigerian Shippers Council Director General, Alhaji Hassan Bello, Corporate Affairs Commission CAC registrar Bello Mahmud and Mfon Usoro, Managing Partner Paul Usoro and Co. According to her, Nigerians should also adopt the ECOWAS pact in attracting foreign investors from the sub-region.

In a keynote address, Ghana’s

L-R: Businessday Law Editor, Theodora Kio-Lawson Funke Adeyeye, Pioneer Chair of the SBL, George Etomi with Etomi his wife and SBL Secretary, Seni Adio.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, maintained that the Economic Transformational Agenda of President Muhammudu Buhari, which is expected to promote an inclusive and sustainable growth that will provide expanded job creation, bring development and improved living standards to the

doorsteps of Nigerians, would not happen by chance.

“It will require Government to work very hard, in close partnership with the private sector, and especially the legal, legislative, regulatory and judicial systems, to create the conducive environment that would improve the ease of doing

business in Nigeria,” Spio-Garbrah said.

Speaking on multiple taxation as one of the hindrances to foreign investment, Nigerian Shippers Council DG (Bello) said regulations on taxation should be streamlined.

Also speaking on the same issue, Usoro said Joint Tax Board “is a platform where multiple taxation issue is handled” adding that “multiple taxation has political dimension which needs political consensus” stating that “ the President and Governors have a role to play in this regard.”

On his part, CAC registrar (Mahmud) who spoke on the commission’s activities said the CAC had improved and that it obtained feedbacks from lawyers regularly by holding quarterly meetings with them.

He however pointed out that despite the fact that CAC operated on-line some lawyers still preferred the old way of doing things. He also disclosed that people now register businesses and companies within 24 hours but blamed lawyers for companies’ failure to file their annual returns. He stated that such companies would be delisted after due notifications.

Workers’ sweat, entitlement used to fund electioneering campaigns – Aborisade Continues from page 34

CBN [2011] 7 NWLR (Pt. 1247) 465 SC, which lasted 23 years. Though these are extreme cases and the frontloading system is meant to address the issue of delayed justice, the heavy workload of judges, particularly at the High Court level has to be addressed by the appointment of more judges, the building of more courts and employment of research aides to judges as well as a computerization of the judicial process.

The current failure, refusal and/or inability of governments to pay workers’ salaries should not simply be attributed to economic crisis. What is happening is that the workers’ sweat and entitlement have been used to fund electioneering campaigns and transfers to personal bank accounts of the rulers. It is corruption that should be tackled rather than freezing employment and rationalizing nonpayment of salaries.

The 7th Senate on its last day of sitting passed 46 bills in 10mins. How would you describe such act?

Shoddy and unconscientious work!

It is condemnable. Indeed, it is the remuneration of legislators that should be indexed to the number of pro-people legislations that they may pass or the stages reached in the process of passing such bills.

The legislative process is designed such that the inputs of members of the public are considered, either through Public Hearings and/or mass protests to put legislators under pressure of the desires of the public. But the passage of 46 bills in 10 minutes shows that the process had been compromised.

That is why, for example, the Sexual Offences Bill, one of the bills passed within 10 minutes, criminalises only sex with infants that are less than 11.

Under this law, sex with children below 18 will be considered permissible.

How would you score the 7th Senate and what is your expectation of the 8th Senate?

The fact that the 7th Senate passed 46 bills in 10mins is an indication of the kind of rating they deserve – an abysmal and woeful failure. It means that they left undone what they ought to have done at the right time – in spite of ranking as the highest or some of the highest earning Senators in the entire world.

The most important legislative work is to ensure that socio-economic rights in Chapter 2 of the Constitution are made justiciable.

This can be constitutionally achieved by deleting section 6 sub section (6) (c). Alternatively, the rights under Chapter 2 may be moved to chapter 4 of the Constitution such that they also become fundamental rights as the civil and political rights. This is the fundamental “change” that can qualitatively transform the lives of

08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

What is your view on the election of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President?

Disgracefully, the controversy surrounding the election of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President shows that an average Nigerian politician is interested in position and power for the sake of primitive accumulation of wealth in order to wield more power and influence rather than being concerned with issues of policies, programmes and perspectives on how to lift ordinary people from the doldrums of poverty.

The differences and disagreements are Continues on page 36

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor)

ordinary people. There is no justification for the demarcation between chapter 2 (socio economic rights, which are not justiciable under section 6 sub section (6)(c) and chapter 4 (Fundamental rights consisting of civil and political rights, which are justiciable).

Continues from page 35

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

NIALS holds roundtable on pension reform

NBA issues guidelines on lawyers’ practice licence

By Dayo Benson & Abdulwahab Abdulah

T

he Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has said the issuance of the practice licences to Nigerian lawyers will now be based on their participation in the Continuing Professional Development Programmes, CPDP. Making the disclosure at the just concluded national executive council (NEC) meeting of the association in Sokoto, NBA President, Mr Augustine Alegeh, SAN, said though, the practising licence will be issued this year on the basis of payment of Bar Practising Fees, he added that future issuance will be different. Alegeh who spoke on several development programmes going on in the Bar, said “Presently, the Practice Licence this year will be issued on the basis of payment of Bar Practising Fees alone. However, its issuance in subsequent years will be based on the participation at Continuing Professional Development Programmes in line with the provisions of the RPC. “We have referred this matter to our General Practice Committee to review and make recommendations on the way forward.” Speaking on the NBA Insurance Policy, the president said the scheme has been unfolded on April, 15, 2015, adding that lawyers who have paid their Bar practising fees and verified are covered under the scheme.

“All Lawyers who have paid their Bar

Practising fees are encouraged to fill and submit their Insurance Forms to their branches as soon as possible to enable them reap the benefits of this scheme.”

He added that said the association has embarked on what he called-NBA VISA Affinity Cards, which he noted will serve as an Identification Card of members as well as a payment card that serves all online payment portals; ATMs and POS terminals.

“The NBA VISA Affinity card will also afford lawyers the opportunity to access the various discounted welfare packages of several Service Providers negotiated on their behalf by the NBA. “Most importantly the NBA VISA Card when used for payment on the NBA online platform for NBA Conferences, programmes and Seminars will attract a certain level of discount,” he added.

Emphasising the importance of pro bono services by lawyers, Alegeh said that plans had been concluded to establish a National Pro Bono Centre, NPBC, to address all issues relating to pro bono work/services rendered by lawyers to the general public.

“We are currently looking for an Office space in Abuja and will soon employ staff to work at the Pro Bono Centre,” he added. He commended the governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal for his support for the programme held in Sokoto and promised to give a purposeful leadership to the Nigerian Bar.

L-R: Prof Lanre Fagbohun, Director of research, NIALS, representing the D.G. and Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, immediate past director of research, NIALS at the event.

L-R: Mr Lanre Osinaike , legal practitioner, Dr. Demola Sogunle, M.D. IBTC Pensions, and Prof. Ayo Olowe, dept of finance, UNILAG.

NBA Ikeja annual bar dinner holds From left Chairman, NBA Ikeja branch, Mr Yinka Farounbi, immediate past Lagos Attorney General and commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye and Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Funmilayo Atilade.

Workers’ sweat, entitlement used to fund electioneering campaigns — Aborisade Continues from page 35

never about policies or ideological perspectives. The power blocs and caucuses around the question of the determination of the leadership of the National Assembly were not informed by ideas of how to move society forward but by considerations of ethnic, religious, geographic and regional balancing, which can assure the stabilization of the ruling party in power at the centre – not about what the individuals, power blocs and/or causes historically and politically stand for. Senator Saraki has the legal right to be elected into any position.

Would you support seeking a judicial review of the process that led to Saraki’s emergence?

It is a good development for politicians to seek to invoke the judicial powers of the court in resolving disputes rather than engaging in political assassination, blood-letting, maiming and other forms of violence. So, that spirit of approaching the court to review the process leading to the emergence of Saraki as President, should be encouraged and commended.

If they can establish with documentary factual evidence that appropriate quorum was not formed before the election was conducted, the court may find in their favour.

As far as the Constitution is

concerned, for an ordinary business, the required quorum for “any decision” is a simple majority. Section 52 (2), CFRN, 1999, as amended, provides that: Except as otherwise provided by this Constitution, the required majority for the purpose of determining any question shall be a simple majority.

Therefore, for those seeking judicial review of the process leading to the emergence of Saraki as Senate President to succeed in overturning the election, they may be required to prove that the appropriate constitutional quorum was not formed by the time of the election. Though each house of the National Assembly is constitutionally empowered to make its procedural rules, it may have to be shown that the election of the leaderships of the Houses of the National Assembly is not an ordinary business over which the constitutional provision of a simple majority already covers the field and which no other procedural rule may supplant.

Whatever decisions the court may take; judicial review is bound to enrich Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence, which should be a welcome development.

However, the fact that some APC Senators-elect were absent at the Senate when the election was conducted is not sufficient to vitiate the election of Senator Saraki as Senate President.

Lagos State director of public prosecution, DPP, Mrs Idowu Alakija and Mrs Toyin Odusanya, director Citizen Mediation Center, CMC.

L - R: Mrs Priscilia Ogwemho (Director), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Mrs. Bisi Akudo and Mr. Babatunde Ogungbamila at the opening of Olisa Agbakoba's Legal , OAL, arbitration and mediation center in Ikoyi, Lagos.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 37

AMAECHI? (Tribute to late Dr. Amaechi Nwaiwu, SAN)

By Awa Kalu

F

OR those who do not

understand the Igbo language, ‘Amaechi’ is a rhetorical question which clearly shows that mankind is neither omnipotent nor omniscient. It is, I believe, the shortened form of the more prominent question, ‘Onyemaechi’, literally translated as ‘ who knows tomorrow’; who can foretell the future? Is anyone clairvoyant and so on.

For those who think that there is nothing in a name, the events of the last few days in the life of the late Dr. Amaechi Nwaiwu, SAN, FCIArb., leaves us with a lot of food for thought. I can personally confirm that Amaechi was at the Abia State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday, June 11, together with Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, Rickey Tarfa Esq., SAN, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, Livy Uzokwu SAN and a host of other illustrious Legal Practitioners who appeared on either side of the divide.

The atmosphere was cordial.

Amaechi arrived in court slightly late when the tribunal was in session and because of the number of senior counsel in the packed tribunal, there was no seat for him. I saw a rickety chair in the dock and I teased Amaechi ‘to enter the dock’.

As usual, he laughed from the depths and a Registrar brought out the chair and he took his seat with characteristic humility. The proceedings continued, in the course of which the equally humorous Tribunal Chairman noted the eminence of the Learned Counsel in attendance and told Amaechi that he was pleased with the appearance of several Doctors. He quipped: “I like it, ‘You learn and I learn.”

After the matter which brought us to the tribunal had been adjourned, all of us, counsel and litigants alike -

would have thought that a thoroughbred gentleman who travelled the length and breadth of Southern Nigeria in so short a time, servicing legal and social responsibilities would be diminished by death even without notice to anyone – family, colleagues, associates and friends? On a lighter note, having been in the company of his very learned colleagues in the last three days of his life, how come a quai timet injunction did not issue to restrain death Late Dr. Amaechi Nwaiwu, SAN from overpowering a trooped outside where we solid and well-read Lawyer exchanged pleasantries. like Amaechi? Onyemaechi?

Nothing unseemly showed on Amaechi’s face. Amaechi? We The man, Amaechi all went our different ways Amaechi was born a few and many travelled to their months before Nigeria gained respective destinations. its Independence in October, 1960. His primary school The demise education was in well On Sunday, June 14, I got a appointed schools in Aba, terse text message from Chief Umuahia and Enugu. In his Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN, at secondary school days, he 16:12pm which said: “Just to attended the very well known whisper to you sad news We Methodist College, Uzuakoli lost Amaechi today.” My reply and the Government was prompt –‘which Amaechi’, Secondary School, Owerri, and the immediate response from which he obtained his was ‘Nwaiwu SAN’. The West African School phone thereafter rang endlessly. The other Amaechi, Okey Amaechi Esq., SAN, At only 54 years called to inquire if anything of age (he would was amiss with his namesake, have clocked 55 Amaechi Nwaiwu.

J.T.U Nnodum Esq., SAN on July 26, confirmed to me that he heard first hand from C. Ekomaru 2015), who SAN that what seemed untrue knows what was indeed true. Professor Amaechi would Ernest Ojukwu, SAN informed me that he travelled in have become had company of Amaechi and death not Ekomaru from Ibadan on Saturday, June 13, where they whisked him attended the wedding of Chief away so Niyi Akintola SAN’s daughter from which Amaechi returned suddenly on that to Owerri - the city in which faithful Sunday? he established his primary domain over the years. Who

Certificate in flying colours in 1978. His pre-university exposure was at the Federal School of Arts and Science, Aba and it was from that institution that he proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He graduated from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos in 1985 but his quest for self development saw him earn an LL.M from the Abia State University, Uturu, in 1999 and then a Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D, from the ‘den of lions’, the University of Nigeria, in 2011. His career trajectory has been nothing but brilliant. His Master of Laws (LL.M) Degree was in Environment and Energy Law while his doctorate endeavor focused on Human Rights and Compensation Law. As a consummate bar man, he sustained his membership in the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association and the Commonwealth Bar Association. He was a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration and established himself not just as a celebrated and dogged litigator but as a lover of alternative dispute resolution opportunities! His love for his profession was evident during his years of service as the Financial Secretary and later, as Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Owerri branch, from 1987 to 2005.

As a man who loved humanity, he was the secretary of the Rotary Club of Aladinma, Owerri branch, from 1990 to 1995. His Curriculum Vitae is littered with information concerning his service to the Methodist Church community (up to Arch- Diocesan level), an avalanche of traditional titles and honours from different segments of society including the order of Knighthood of John Wesley (KJW) conferred on him in 2006 by the Methodist Church, Nigeria.

At only 54 years of age (he would have clocked 55 on July 26, 2015), who knows what Amaechi would have become had death not whisked him away so suddenly on that faithful Sunday? Amaechi?

Certainly, to die on a Sunday and from church, tells the story of a man who loved God and was in turn loved by God.

It can only remind us of the Hymn by Horatius Bonar, of Edinburgh, ‘penned in 1870, set to music in 1891 and sung as a solo in the Tabernacle in London’ by Ira D. Sankey at the funeral of her friend, the great Preacher, C.H Spurgeon. The title of the hymn, ‘Only Remembered’, is instructive to the living and emphasizes that we shall all pass “from the earth and its toiling, only remembered by what we have done”.

Will Dr. Amaechi Nwaiwu, SAN, FCIArb, be remembered by what he had done? That is certain, for, on Tuesday, 16th June, 2015, powerful. delegation of Abuja based Lawyers led by Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN, and accompanied by my humble self, K.T Turaki SAN (Former Minister of Special Duties), Chief Solo Akuma, SAN, Chief Tawo Tawo, SAN, Senator Abubakar Sodangi, the Chairman of NBA, Agada Elachi (Unity Bar), Mrs. Betty Umegbulem ( of the FCDA Legal Department) and several others paid a condolence visit to late Amaechi’s Chambers in Abuja. After prayers were said in the office, silence was maintained at his residence and in absolute solemnity, the lawyers dispersed.

The take-away from the gathering at his office is the acknowledgement that he was friendly and humble, amiable, loyal and self-effacing. He respected himself and extended respect to all those he came in contact with. He was neither noisy nor brash but mixed his cordiality with a hilarious presence. How then can he be forgotten?

Amaechi will best be remembered by his loving wife, Chief (Mrs) Blessing Nkechi Nwaiwu and the children on whom he doted all through his lifetime. He would be remembered because he loved listening to ‘music from Masters’ and vibrant Gospel Music.

Amaechi will be remembered because the name ‘Amaechi’ will not let anyone forget that ‘tomorrow’ is not forgettable.

It can bring with it anything.

Amaechi, friend to many, foe to none, religious, faithful, core professional, and lover of humanity, Adieu!

CJ presents legal works at 60th birthday

L From left: NBA Asst. Social Secretary, Ms. Chinyere Obasi; Law Week Committee Chairman, Mrs. Tolani Edu-Adeola, NBA Lagos Branch Chairman, Mr. Alex Muoka; Ms. Onyinye Ukegbu, Committee Secretary; Mrs. Uche Ikwueme, Branch Treasurer and Mr. Emeka Nwadioke, Director of Publicity, Law Week Committee at a Press Conference at Lagos High Court Foyer, Igbosere to herald theNBA Lagos Branch Law Week

EGAL works comprising se lected rulings, judgements and reviews of the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter N C. Umeadi will be presented at Sir Louis Mbanefo Bar Centre, High Court of Justice Onitsha on July 4 as part of the activities marking the 60th birthday programme of the Anambra State Chief Judge.

Justice Nwali Ngwuta (JSC) will

be the Chairman at the event, while the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano will be the special guest of honour.

HRM Obidiegwu Onyesoh, Eze Nri Enwelana 11, will be the royal father of the day while the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Princess Chinwe Nwaebili will be the guest of honour.

Donations are not accepted and the compilation is not for sale.

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

•Kwankwaso: APC is now divided

NASS ELECTION: Saraki's ambition has resurrected PDP — Sen Kwankwaso SENATOR Rabiu Kwankwaso immediate past governor of Kano State in this interview with newsmen in Abuja gives his views on the crisis arising from the National Assembly leadership contest. Excerpts:

By Kingsley Omonobi YOU were one of the senators at the ICC when the leadership contest started in the National Assembly?

Honestly speaking, it was on the morning of that day that I saw a text message that we should go to the ICC, unfortunately for me I had so many people who came from Kano, so I was trying to receive them when I got a call that members and senators were waiting at the ICC. As I was moving out of Hilton Hotel, somebody called again that they were at the National Assembly and were just about to start election. So I diverted the driver, instead of going to the ICC I thought now that election was taking place, I said instead of going to ICC, it was more important for me to go the National Assembly and in any case I was sure that those who were at the

ICC will not want to stay there when election was taking place. So I drove straight to the National Assembly, moved straight to the chamber. It was when I entered that I saw Bukola being sworn in as Senate President. So I wasn’t at the ICC, I was at the National Assembly but I arrived after the election and I was there calling them to come unfortunately they didn’t come so I had to follow them to ICC and other places. That was what happened that day.

Did the president summon that meeting?

Nobody told me but I saw a text message that we were going to be addressed by the President but the message did not come from the President himself but from the officials of the party.

Did you suspect mischief by

the party leaders?

You see I told you the party missed some vital steps and gave ample opportunity to the Bukola group and they used it effectively using all the advantages that had to do with the mistakes of our leaders.

One, I am aware that the G7 group and their supporters were interested in seeing one of them being relevant, I am aware of that group within the APC. I am also aware that there are some people within the party who also believe that my brother, Senator Bola Tinubu has taken so many things and they thought it was time for them to put a brake so that he does not have to go with that election because they have the perception that Tinubu was supporting another candidate.

There are other groups of senators who believe that Bukola had given them so

many things, they believe he supported them in the party, maybe he had taken advantage of some supporters of the party who channelled a lot of support through him and many senators believe

I’m sure you know that I’m in the group of Ahmad Lawan and Akume, but before then I was one of the supporters of Akume because under normal circumstances he should get the seat, he is the natural owner of the seat for many obvious reasons

they were supported by him and therefore went all out to support him.

I think all these things were not taken into consideration by the party leaders. There were many other senators and members that very much believe that the consultation between them and the party was not good enough, that the party could have done more in terms of the relationship in terms of closeness and even in terms of letting them know precisely the direction of the party. Some of these things are correctable like making consultations with members of the National Assembly etc.

I’m sure you know that I’m in the group of Ahmad Lawan and Akume, but before then I was one of the supporters of Akume because under normal circumstances he should get the seat, he is the natural owner of the seat for many obvious reasons.

One he is probably the most senior among all of them, he was the minority leader and I have not heard anybody pass a vote of no confidence on him and now that the party is the majority party, under normal circumstances he should have been Senate President and his state did very well for the party and all these put together qualify him to be the Senate president.

I supported him from the beginning but when the decision was made by some other people that two of them should come together, in fact he called me 4 a.m. one day, I was in Kano, he said this was what was happening in Abuja; what is my opinion because he doesn’t want to do anything that will go against our collective interest.

It is sad that they didn’t get it because under normal circumstances all members of our party should toe the party line that is how it should. But here we are with the situation where party is on one side and some members of the party are on the other side.

So are you saying the party is divided?

Well I think the party unfortunately is divided but it is not too late to correct many things but the party should take certain steps to ensure such things do not happen again.

I am one of those who advised Bukola that he shouldn’t go too far with that ambition under the circumstances. At his level people should be more careful and cautious in what they do and what they don’t do especially as the situation is even worse than the case of Tambuwal because during the 2011 elections, the Tambuwal

Continues on page 39

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—39

How Enugu welcomed Ekweremadu

By Francis Igata

THE fast one played by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in foisting the party’s choices on the leadership of the National Assembly against the desire of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has pulled the opposition party into reckoning.

T

HE return of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as the Deputy President of the Senate for a third straight term is unprecedented. Not only has he become the first presiding officer in the National Assembly to get three straight terms, he has also become the first presiding officer from a minority party to preside over a chamber dominated by another party.

His election in the leadership contest on June 9 not only stirred emotion among his people in the Enugu West Senatorial District, but across the Coal City State. It was a development that also sent jubilation across the PDP family in the country.

The development was enough to for the people of Enugu to roll out their drums in celebration of their famous son when he returned home last weekend. The people of Aninri and Awgu Local Government Areas of Enugu State, were particularly in the lead as they led the troop of wellwishers to welcome their own at the Akanu-Ibiam International Airport, Enugu that day.

Colourfully dressed in different cultural dance costumes, the

•Deputy President of the Senate, Dr Ike Ekweremadu and wife, Dr Nwanneka Ekweremadu being escorted from the airport people sang and danced joyfully, under the scourging sun as they waited for their illustrious son to touch down that day.

When he finally arrived at about 1.50 pm robed in white native dress with a red traditional cap, Ekweremadu came down the plane with his wife, Nwanneka in tow.

A visibly elated Ekweremadu told journalists the story of his reemergence.

“We have no regrets, Igbos have no regret for the way they voted; if they have the opportunity tomorrow they will do it again.

We are convinced we voted

rightly, and because we believe we are part and parcel of this country, we believe what we got is within our right. So we expect that APC should be able to accommodate the people of South South as they form their government, because don’t forget that Buhari got about 15 million votes, we have more than 150 million Nigerians, so he is not the president of 15 million people, the rest of the people must be accommodated.

“In fact, that was why when we saw that it appeared that South East and South South were being marginalised in the scheme of

NASS ELECTION: Unfortunately APC is divided — Sen Kwankwaso Continued from page 38 case was a case of going out of the zoning but all the positions went to the members of the party but this time because of the ambition of these members of our party, they went and connived with people who are not only opponents nut enemies of the party to fight the party after the people of this country have discarded these people. Now because of ambition, these people were made relevant. I don’t think that is the best way to go.

Members of the party should have limitations, they should know where to start and stop, I think this is going too far romancing members of the PDP, as far as we are concerned PDP was dead, until recently when ambition brought certain people to do what they should not do in a democracy and party politics and now we are about to create another line for them to the extent that some of them are surfacing again and making all sorts of

statements.

Just yesterday I was reading Ekweremadu talking rubbish saying they have reasons to speak again and I think this has to do with the mistake of our own members. I believe at the end of the day the party members must get a way of coming together and behave well. I think that is the only way we can make progress.

Some have justified Ekweremadu’s emergence as compensation for the SouthEast?

There are ways the APC can carry the South-east by way of appointment. I’m sure our party had it in mind to carry the Southeast but not with the position of the Senate president. That position doesn’t belong to the PDP and that is the mistake Ekweremadu is making, he said he was elected deputy senate president yet he reduced himself to a zone and to a tribe which is not good enough.

things, we decided to take a shot so that our people will be part and parcel of government so that every part of Nigeria will have a sense of belonging.

“I’m very delighted to be among my people that have come to receive me after I was honoured by the entire senators of the Federal Republic Nigeria.

I’m honoured by the people of Nigeria and my people the great Igbo people were also honoured by the people of Nigeria, PDP was also honoured by the people of Nigeria.

“So I’m here coming home to my root, and I’m happy that they are here to receive me.

“We have finished with politics, now is time for governance. We should put politics behind and move on. This country is bigger than any political party, so let’s work together as a people to ensure that we deliver dividends of democracy to the people of

We are in good hands with Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President. We are prepared to help the administration of President Buhari to tackle corruption, unemployment, power outage, among others

Nigeria,” he said.

Continuing at his residence, Ekweremadu who is also the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament thanked God who made it possible for his re-election adding that he has no apology to anybody over his victory.

He went on: “ we have no apology to anybody because we had to do something to keep our party afloat after the loss we suffered at the just concluded general election.

“History beckoned on us to ensure the inclusiveness of the Igbo man in the ship of state. We reached out to our brothers from other parts of the country and negotiated wisely which brought PDP back as principal officers of National Assembly.

“The re-election has given the Igbo man a sense of belonging.

All the PDP governors, National Working Committee, NWC, members of our party stood behind us to forge a common front.

“Former President Goodluck Jonathan called from Los Angeles, United State of America, USA, to lend his support. We will remain focused and I assure the people of the constituency that all ongoing projects we initiated will be completed.

“Also, the road projects in Southeast will be completed. We are in good hands with Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President. We are prepared to help the administration of President Buhari to tackle corruption, unemployment, power outage, among others.

“The battle for 2019 has started because we have re-enacted ourselves and we are involved,” Ekweremadu said.

40—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

BAYELSA 2016: Ikisikpo's appeal

By Afoke Okporua

I

N 1966 late Prof. Chinua Achebe wrote his third novel, a political satire. It was a literary piece that extensively and exhaustively chronicled/pictured postcolonial Nigeria in all her rot, rust and ruins.

In that treatise, the semiimmortal Prof was prophetic, he predicted that a coup would occur if those saddled with the responsibility of piloting the affairs of Nigeria do not perform a surgical operation in their political heart and it came to friction.

As a worthy Ambassador of his people, Sen. Ikisikpo constantly and continually promote/uphold their welfare with robust dexterity and unwavering sagacity. Unlike Nanga, Sen. Ikisikpo has had a superlative outing as a lawmaker.

From his embryonic days as a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly representing Ogbia constituency 3, Sen. Ikisikpo demonstrated that service to humanity is the best work of life. Before proceeding to the Senate to represent Bayelsa East, Sen. Ikisikpo’s two term stinct as a member of the

Federal House of Representative was awesome.

Sen. Clever Marcus Ikisikop’s role in human capital development is unparalleled in the history of Bayelsa politics. Ikis loves to empower the mind of men so they can be independent and self-reliant, an astute talent hunter and developer. A renowned goal getter and

•Sen Clever

Electing Sen. Clever Marcus Ikisikpo as Governor of Bayelsa State in 2016 will set the State in the mood of Lagos and Bayelsa States simultaneously

21st Century Symbol of Hope and Inspiration for youths of Niger-Delta extraction. It is on record that as the Senate Committee chairman on Special Duties, Sen. Clever cleverly coordinated NEMA to respond to the flood crisis that ravaged Nigeria and cater for the internally displaced persons Boko Haram insurgency caused.

The former class room teacher turned politician is

widely acclaimed for his assistance to students and student bodies, his love for youths and their talent development, his clamour for a pollution free Niger-Delta, Infrastructural development of Nigeria as well as his firm believe in the rule of law and the fundamental tenets of democracy.

The state is in dire need of a political afficionado to rescue her from administrative quagmire,

political turbulence and socio-economic uncertainty.

The present level of insecurity in Bayelsa State is unprecedented in the SouthSouth geo-political zone, infrastructures are crying for greater attention, road networks are dilapidated, Bayelsans are living in chronic poverty and abject penury because of the Zimbabwean nature of the State’s economy.

The health care system in the State is on her knees, rural life that use to be one of the thriving hallmark of the State has gone into extinction, political tension in the State is alarming. To railroad Bayelsa back on track, there is need for Peace and Security, Infrastructural development and human capacity building.

To achieve the aforementioned tripod analytical blue-print towards rejuvenating the Mangrove territory of the Niger-Delta, Bayelsans need Sen. Clever Marcus Ikisikpo.

Electing Sen. Clever Marcus Ikisikpo as Governor of Bayelsa State in 2016 will set the State in the mood of Lagos and Bayelsa States simultaneously. With Senator clever Marcus Ikisikpo in the driver’s seat of Bayelsa State as Governor the people can all scream Uhuru. *Comr. Prince Afoke Okporua writes from Warri, Delta State.

PDP members defecting are men of little faith — OGUMA

By Festus Ahon

OLOROGUN John Oguma, JP, is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State. He has been in very active politics in the mid 70s and played a major role in the election of Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN as President of the country in 1979. He is a founding member of the PDP and has played a leading role in the electoral victory of the party in the State, particularly in Ughelli South, his home Local Government Area. He is a very successful politician and businessman.

In this interview with select journalists, he spoke on the 2015 elections and other issues of national interests.Excerpts: The 2015 general election has been concluded. What is your assessment of the electoral process, especially now that the incumbent president has been defeated by the opposition?

My assessment of the process is that the PDP, the ruling party didn’t quite follow the process

years back because we were busy fighting ourselves; this governor is not good, that governor is bad; so it is a bitter lesson to our leaders.

Secondly, far as I am concerned, the card reader was a bigger issue than the voting point. As somebody who can read between the lines I lost confidence in Jega during the election because he is a Fulani man and he played Fulani politics.

In the electoral act,

•Oguma because of infighting which has caused the party a misfortune in the sense that in politics we are supposed to discuss ‘we’ not ‘I’.

We abandoned ‘we’ and we were discussing ‘I’ and that is what has brought us now to this level. It is a bitter lesson that we must have to learn from and we are going to start again from the scratch.

Because we were busy fighting ourselves, APC was busy rigging the election two years back. This election was actually rigged two

the card reader was not there, but he forced Nigerians to accept it because he knew what he has planned with his brother. People said they went for a meeting in Dubai; he denied it, but the whole thing has played out now that he was busy planning how to install his Fulani brother in the presidency. Not only in presidency, he wants APC to take over the entire structure in Nigeria.

You said APC actually

concluded this election about two years ago. Can you substantiate this?

The taste of the pudding is in its eating. You cannot tell me that if this arrangement was not in place about two years back, Jega cannot come up to say he wants to use card reader when he refused to use it for one state. If it is not a script he followed; he should have tested the card reader in the Ekiti or Osun governorship elections before going out to use it in 36 states and the FCT. Do you see the APC really effecting the change they have been proposing, given the fact that most of their members joined from PDP apart from Buhari, Tinibu, Oshiomole, Fashola, Osinbanjo and a few others?

Like I keep telling people, change is not a manifesto. APC has no manifesto; they only just wiped up sentiments, because PDP has been in government for 16 years and then we played into their hands. You know the rich man has more enemies in society than the poor man; that is why they succeeded in weeping up sentiments. They don’t have a

manifesto; they only just said they want change.

Nigeria as a country only has one major source of income which is oil. Today, the Americans are fighting on how the oil price can come down. It is affecting all the oil exporting countries but APC is saying it was because Jonathan did not govern well that the oil price came down and you know that 80% Nigerians are unlettered; even those of them who claim to be graduates don’t read newspapers.

With so many members of the PDP now defecting to APC, do you see PDP becoming a strong opposition to APC? As far as I am concerned, those who are defecting are men of little faith. For sixteen years, the South-West has been in opposition apart from the last tenure of Obasanjo that PDP was able to win Osun, Oyo and Ogun, Apart from that four years, the remaining twelve years they have been in opposition, so it embarrasses me when I see some PDP members, some of them who have been governors under the party decamping to APC just because APC won election yesterday.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—41

Rotary grants $19m for polio eradication in Nigeria, others

By Sola Ogundipe

R

OTARY has announced $19 million in funds for polio eradication in eight African countries, including $9.9 million for Nigeria. These grants came as part of $40.3 million in funds announced by Rotary this week.

It is part of the continued fight to stamp out polio even as an additional $40.3 million boost from Rotary is to support immunisation activities and research carried out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Rotary ’s funds will support immunisation efforts in the countries as follows: $9.9 million in Nigeria; $12.2 million in Pakistan and $2.3 million in Afghanistan.

Additional funds will support efforts to keep other at-risk countries polio-free. The grants include $1 million, Cameroon: $900,000, Chad; $2 million, Democratic Republic of Congo; $1.1 million, Ethiopia; $1 million, Niger; $1.5 million, Somalia; and $1.5, South Sudan.

In addition, grants totalling $5.8 million will provide surveillance in African and

AWARENESS• Nigeria is next in line for eradication of

polio after India. No case of the wild polio virus has been detected since August 2014 in Nigeria.

Eastern Mediterranean regions. Grants to Africa alone total $19 million.

In total, Rotary has donated $688.5 million to support polio eradication efforts in Africa over the past 30 years.

Rotary grants these funds to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF for polio immunisation, surveillance and research activities in 10 countries.

This year, 24 July will mark one year since Nigeria’s last case of polio, and the entire continent of Africa has not seen a case since August 2014.

In total, Rotary has donated US$688.5 million to support polio eradication efforts in Africa over the past 30 years.

While this is noteworthy progress, experts have cautioned that it is too soon to celebrate.

Funding and support for highquality immunisation campaigns and surveillance activities will be key to sustaining current gains.

Rotary’s newest round of grants to Nigeria will be used by Rotary ’s Global Polio Eradication (GPEI) partners the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to maintain the current progress against polio in Nigeria.

The funding commitment comes at a critical time as Nigeria – the last polio-endemic country in Africa – approaches one-year since its last case of polio, which occurred in Kano State on 24 July, 2014.

If the current progress continues, WHO may remove Nigeria from the list of polioendemic countries as early as September.

In addition to the notable progress in Nigeria, no new cases of polio have been reported anywhere in Africa since August 2014.

Experts do, however, strongly caution that it is too soon to fully celebrate. Nigeria needs to go

an additional two years without polio to be certified polio-free.

Funding and support for highquality immunisation campaigns and surveillance activities will be key to sustaining current gains. ” We are closer than we’ve ever been to wiping out polio,” said Mike McGovern, chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee. “Although there has been noteworthy progress made against the disease, children remain at risk. Rotary – along with our partners – must continue to stay the course and remain steadfast in our plight to eradicate polio. These funds will help boost our efforts to combat polio worldwide.”

The only two other polioendemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, continue to experience hurdles in polio eradication campaigns including inaccessibility to children and security. Last year, Pakistan saw an outbreak which resulted in more than 300 cases, the highest number in the country in more than a decade.

As a result, Pakistan accounted for almost 90% of the world’s cases. However, there has been improvement in 2015.

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42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

No security challenge in Rivers —Wike

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dismissed claims in some quarters that the state was facing security challenges.

The governor, at a state banquet, Tuesday night, at Government House, Port Harcourt, for vice chancellors of universities in Nigeria, said the choice of the state as venue for the vice chancellors' conference was because the state was peaceful.

He said: “We have committed ourselves to hosting many national meetings and conferences since we took over the reins of governance. This we have done to prove that we have restored peace and stability to the state with businesses going on without hindrance.

“If you (the vice chancellors) had not come here for your 30th annual conference, you might have been tempted to

A-Ibom people decry attacks on SSG

By Hugo Odiogor

I

NDIGENES of Akwa Ibom State, under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Redemption Initiatives, AKRI, have condemned the spate of attacks directed at the person and office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Sir Etekamba Umoren, by faceless groups in the state, which they claim were bent on creating disaffection in the new administration in the state.

In a statement in Uyo, yesterday, IKRI’s head of publicity, Mr. Simeon Akpan, said: “One of the methods these elements are employing is to sponsor negative stories in social, local and national media, attacking key officials of the new administration.”

Akpan said those circulating information that Umoren was positioning himself to contest the 2023 governorship election were mischievous and wicked because such tactics is meant to create disaffection between the SSG and his boss.

According to him, “Ordinarily, we would have ignored these stories, but for the fact that, the unsuspecting members of the public may believe it as the truth. If one may ask, is 2023 not eight years away?"

believe that Port Harcourt was an unsafe place. They created the impression that as you move around Port Harcourt, you see corpses of people who have been killed in violent clashes. The days you spent in Port Harcourt, you noticed

that it is a peaceful community with a rich night life.”

The governor, who said some persons were busy painting false pictures of the state after the elections, assured that he would continue to deliver dividends of democracy to the

people of the state.

He said his administration had revived the judiciary and the Assembly that were in comatose, adding that Nigerians should ignore those spreading false stories about insecurity about the state.

WORKSHOP: From left, Sir Patrick Origho, Head of Service, Delta State; Mr. Esauye George, Chief Consultant, Hageus Creative Technologies and Mr. Eric Osharode, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, at a workshop for Permanent Secretaries and Directors in Delta State. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Edo ALGON to Orbih: Apologise to Oshiomhole or resign as PDP Chairman

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—LEGAL adviser to the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Edo State chapter and Chairman of Ovia NorthEast Local Government Area, Mrs. Lucy Omagbon, yesterday issued seven days ultimatum to the state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, to tender an apology over what she described as his libellous and misleading allegation against the state governor, Mr. Adams

Oshiomhole, over alleged collection of money meant for the councils, or resign his position as chairman of the opposition party.

She said that if he fails to do so, the association will head to court and compel him to bring the evidence of deductions from the councils against the governor.

Orbih had alleged that the governor deducted N200 billion from allocations accrued to the 18 local government areas of the state since he assumed office in 2008, attributing the inability of the councils to pay salaries

to their workers to the alleged deductions.

Mrs Omagbon said: “Orbih’s cry is that of a drowning man, seeking to pull others down with him. To start with, allocation to chairmen of councils is a public document, it comes in dollars. If you go to Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, the figures are there for everybody to see. The problem is that we get half of what we used to get ab initio, starting from October 2014, the allocations have been dwindling.”

Protesting workers blame colleagues' death on delayed salaries

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—AGGRIEVED contractors and workers at the Sedco Road Yard of Bredero Pipelines, an oil servicing firm, in Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, have blamed the death of two colleagues on hardship caused by prolonged withholding of their salaries and entitlements by the company.

The contractors and workers who began an indefinite protest at the company's premisis, yesterday, alleged “undue

harassment and intimidation” of the contractors and workers by men of the Nigeria Police at the instance of the company ’s Managing Director, Shamin Khaan.

The MD, in his reaction, denied the workers' claims, alleging instead that “some 20 out of about 120 staff of the company are being paid to destroy the company.”

Boniface Imodje, Chairman, Bredero Contractors Forum, told Vanguard during yesterday’s protest that, “The company has not paid

contractors for jobs done in the past three years and workers have not received pay in the last nine months.”

Also, Hosanna Adjija who spoke for the workers, said: “The situation has become unbearable and we can't understand the hanging on to the salaries of the worker when the company has several contracts it is handling. Now most of us have been served eviction notices where we live.

“Our children are hungry and are being turned back from their schools."

DITG faults media reports on Warri PPMC

D

ELTA Intelligent and Tr a n s p a r e n c y Group, DITG, has condemned reports in the social media allegedly blackmailing the Petroleum Pipelines and Marketing Company, PPMC, and its Warri depot manager, Engr.

Aliyu Maikano, over alleged sharp practices on daily allocation and distribution of petroleum products.

President of DITG, Mr. Ejomafuwve Kingsley, who spoke yesterday, at Asaba, said that the report was a complete falsehood carefully plotted to blackmail PPMC and tarnish the reputation of Engr. Maikano, who has been managing the depot effectively and diligently.

He said: “It is regrettable to see people cook up allegations and use the social media to publish same to mislead the public, especially allegations without facts, evidence and which cannot be substantiated by the accuser.

“The unfortunate report purporting that a Delta based newspaper house, had dragged the PPMC and Engr Maikano to court over alleged sharp practices should be disregarded.”

He noted that even the Freedom of Information, FoI, Act relied upon by the media house, requesting PPMC and Maikano to make public details of daily allocation and distribution of products was abused by the accuser, who is not a member of IPMAN, Warri unit.

Azike passes on

M

R. Kennis Azike of Illah, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, is dead, aged 61.

A statement by the burial committee chairman, Mr. Awele Van-Nwoko, said there will be social wake keep on June 26, at the Azike family compound Illah, followed next day by interment and other burial rites at the same venue.

Late Mr. Kennis Azike

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015— 43

Police smash notorious armed robbery, kidnap gang in Enugu ...nab suspected car snatchers in Aba

By Francis Igata & Ugochukwu Alaribe

E

NUGU—RESIDENTS of Igboeze-North Local Government Area of Enugu State have heaved a sigh of relief, following the dismantling of a two-man armed robbery and kidnap gang by Igboeze-South Division of Enugu police command.

This came on a day the police in Aba, Abia State, arrested two suspected car snatchers who had been terrorizing motorists between Aba and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The suspects, Sheeshor Nyoroku and Terser Nyor, both from Gboko, Benue State, fell to the superior fire-power of the police during a foiled operation on June 11.

According to Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, the duo had been a thorn in the flesh of residents.

He said: “The hoodlums had allegedly stormed Amube village in Enugu-Ezike with their arms in an attempt to kidnap an Enugu-born and Malaysia-based businessman who was developing his property.

“Having failed to get their target, the miscreants snatched a Toyota Camry with registration No LSD 895 DL belonging to his friend.

“Our operative got a distress call and laid ambush on Iheaka community road. In the ensuing gun-fire, one of them died instantly, while the other ran into the bush with gun-shot wounds.

“The vigilante group in the area quickly assisted us in combing the bush where we later arrested the fleeing suspect. We recovered a Barreta pistol with five rounds of live ammunition from the suspect.”

Meanwhile, the police in Aba, Abia State, have arrested two suspected car snatchers who have

been terrorizing motorists between Aba and Port Harcourt, in Rivers State.

The suspects, ThankGod Onyebuchi and Egwim Onyekachi, were arrested at a popular fastfood joint, near Tonimas junction on the Aba-Port Harcourt expressway.

Items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Camry allegedly snatched from the owner in Port Harcourt, an identity card belonging to the Nigerian Navy as well as a military camouflage.

Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Onyeke

Man, 30, charged for stealing tricycle

Ezekiel, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, could not be reached on his mobile phone at the time of filing this report, but a senior police officer in Aba, who confirmed the arrest, told Vanguard that investigations on the case had commenced.

By Opeyemi Lepe and Precious Akubueze

L

AGOS—A 30-yearold Jamiu Akintunde with no fixed address was yester- day arraigned before the Magistrate Court at Boundary, Ajegunle, Lagos, over alleged theft of a Bajaj tricycle, marked Lagos, AGL 687 QC, valued N450,000, property of one Akeem Olabisi.

The defendant is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The prosecutor, Supol Olu Ojaokomo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on June 1, 2015, at Pako Bus stop, Amukoko, Lagos.

According to the prosecutor, the offences are punishable under sections 409 and 285 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty, and was bailed in the sum of N30,000 with two responsible sureties by the Magistrate, Mr. P.A Adekomaya.

The matter was adjourned till July 15, 2015.

SALARY ARREARS: NLC, Abia accountant-

general bicker

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State council of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Accountant-General of the state, Mr. Gabriel Onyendilefu, are at logger-heads over the salary arrears being owed workers.

While the Accountant-General maintained that the government did not owe workers salary arrears, Labour insisted that some workers, especially those in parastatals, pensioners, teachers and council staff, were being owed salary arrears of between three and six months.

Onyendilefu was quoted in a national daily (not Vanguard) last week, as saying that government was owing the affected staff subvention, not salary.

But rising from its State Administrative Council, SAC, meeting, yesterday, Abia NLC faulted the position of the Accountant-General, accusing him of “deliberately feeding the public with wrong information.”

Briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting, state chairman of NLC, Uchenna Obigwe, said that the Accountant-General was deceiving the new governor and the general public on the true position of the salary dispute between the workers and government.

To this end, Obigwe said that Labour had decided to write Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on the matter to put the records straight.

According to him, what the government agreed with parastatals, such as Abia State

University Teaching Hospital, ABSUTH, Aba, was that of its N170 million wage bill, it will provide N150 million, while the management will make up for the balance.

For the Hospital Management Board, Obigwe said the government also promised to be providing some amount monthly for them.

He said that since the parastatals were not given takeoff grant, government should not expect them to fend for themselves.

Obigwe asked the AccountantGeneral to explain what happened to the state’s allocation for the month of May, since core civil servants, including teachers, ASUBEB and council workers, had not yet received their May salary.

Otti laments campaigns against his origin

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA— T H E governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the last elections in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has decried the campaign of calumny against him over his Aro descent, describing it as primordial and laughable.

Otti said the campaign being run against him by his political opponents was lame and would only be acceptable to the gullible.

According to him, Ngwa ethnic nationality in Abia is a conglomeration of migrants, essentially from Aro, Akwa Ibom and Mbaise in Imo State.

Otti spoke while receiving scores of lawyers of Ngwa origin who paid him a solidarity visit in his Umuru-Nvosi country home in Isialangwa South Local Government Area of the state.

Otti, in a statement by his campaign organisation, insisted that he was a full blooded Ngwa man and wondered why people left issues of how to develop Abia

to focus on primordial issues.

He said his great-grand father originally settled at Umuru-Nvosi, having migrated from Aro, adding that his grand-father and immediate father were born, bred, lived, died and buried in Ngwaland according to their wills.

He, therefore, wondered what qualified a person to be a native of a particular community and categorically dispelled rumours that he exhumed and reburied his father in Arochukwu. ‘’Why should I exhume and

take his remains to Aro whereas it was his will before he died that he should be buried at UmuruNvosi?’’ Otti queried.

He noted that Abia State had suffered a lot of rot and underdevelopment in the past 16 years and needed to be taken to a greater height.

“The rots in Abia should be corrected and the state be transformed and brought at par with other states in the federation first before we can begin to talk about zoning,’’ Otti said.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On state govts' inability to pay workers’ salaries

I

am calling on voters in all states owed salaries to exercise their basic constitutional rights by demanding the immediate resignation of their state governors. Change must be seen to be effective. No excuse owing workers salaries. -Miss Sophia Osuji, NYSC member

W

e should not wait for them to start blaming Buhari, the same way they were blaming Jonathan, despite the Federal Government making sure state allocations get to them as at when due. It is sheer wickedness and abuse of public office trust. -Mr. Okie Darlington, Graduate

E

very state in Nigeria is viable, it depends on what you make out of it. I have said it before and I am saying it again, most of the state governors in Nigeria are devoid of ideas on how to manage things to make their government business profitable. -Mr. Chinedu Chinweoda, Student

P

ast administration owed no state what was due it in terms of allocations and other benefits. The governors were just extravagant with states' funds. In fact, they should tell their people what happened to their monthly allocation. -Mrs. Ifeoma Anyambuba, Trader

I

n normal circumstances, if an organisation is not performing well, it is the CEO and Directors that lose or delay their fat bonuses, not staff being unpaid. Seriously, all these people are just heartless and wicked. -Mr. Uche Innocent, Student

T

he only reason I will agree for the workers to be owed, is for the state governors too not to be receiving their salaries. I see it as mere wickedness.

How do you expect these workers not to cut corners , with their salaries owed for 11 months? -Miss Nenye Chinenye, Worker

44 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Female robber bags six-month jail term in Bauchi

By Suzan Edeh

B

AUCHI—A Bauchi Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday sentenced a female robber, Maryam Musa, to a six-month imprisonment after she pleaded guilty as charged by the police.

The 27-year-old mother of two was a member of a motorcycle snatching syndicate smashed by the state police command last week.

She paraded by the police on Monday at the state police command headquarters in Bauchi State before before being charged to court.

Musa told journalists while being paraded that she was a widow and innocent of the crime was dragged to the Chief Magistrate’s Court VI in Bauchi alongside other members of the syndicate on charges, ranging from criminal conspiracy and theft of five motorcycles and receiving stolen property to being in possession stolen property.

Emir of Anka receives certificate of appointment as FUPRE Chancellor

G

USAU—THE Emir of Anka in Zamfara, Attahiru Ahmad, on Tuesday received his certificate of appointment as the Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Effrun in Warri, Delta State.

The Emir received the certificate at his palace in Anka from the ViceChancellor of the university, Prof. Akaehomen Akii Ibhadode.

Speaking on the occasion, Ibhadode said: ‘’We are here in Anka to present the certificate of appointment as chancellor of our great university following your appointment by the Federal Government few months ago. ‘’We are happy to have you as chancellor considering your position as emir of one of the historic and respected emirate in the country.

Give us the promised change, ACF tells Buhari, northern govs

By Agaju Madugba

K

ADUNA—THE Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has asked the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to redeem its promise of “change.”

Reviewing aspects of the security situation in parts of the north, the ACF regretted in a statement in Kaduna yesterday that the persistent bloody clashes between the Fulani and some communities in the area has

made a caricature of the “change the people voted for during the 2015 general elections.”

According to the statement signed by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, “the change Nigerians voted for in the 2015 general elections is not only change in government but also change in the way and manner the elected leaders provide adequate security and welfare for the people.

“ACF therefore calls upon the security agencies to be vigilant and

proactive in arresting such ugly incident that destroy harmonious relationship among communities who have co-existed in peace for years.

“The traditional leaders in the areas must also play their fatherly role of mediation for peaceful coexistence and tolerance among various communities in order to put an end to the unwarranted violence.

“The northern region has in the last six years had its fair share of insecurity problems such as Boko

Haram insurgency, communal clashes, cattle rustling etc which have affected its socio-economic development “The initiative tagged, peace building and community consultation on security, by the Plateau state governor, Mr. Simon Lalong, aimed at finding a lasting solution to the incessant hostilities between herdsmen and Berom communities in Riyom, Jos South and Barkin Ladi local government areas is a welcome development.

“The recent renewed clashes among the various communities that have lived together peacefully over the years in Plateau State and other states in the north is not only of serious concern to Arewa Consultative Forum but disturbing, considering the huge destruction of lives and property. ”This has seriously affected the harmonious relationship among the communities and the general development of the areas.''

Imufu community protests alleged hijack of Town Union leadership DONATION: Members of staff of CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Company Limited; Onyekachi Nwoga (left) Abiola Sunmola, Bolaji Akanji, Victor Martyns, Idowu Akintade, Abiola Ogunrinde, and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Little Saints Orphanage, Maryann Ekanem (4th left) during CMB’s donation of gift items to the Orphanage at Ibadan, Oyo State…recently.

Fulfil your election promises, Yari told

By Salisu Maradun

G

USAU—GOVERNOR Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, has been asked to re-double his efforts towards uplifting the state by fulfilling his election promises to the people.

These include the provision of water and roads construction among others.

The former Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP , in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Nabature Nahuce.

Nahuce spoke in an interview

El-Rufa’i accuses Yero of squandering N10bn on Govt House complex

By Agaju Madugba

K

ADUNA—KADUNA State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, has accused his predecessor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, of squandering N10 billion on the Kaduna new Government House complex.

Speaking yesterday at the opening of the Kaduna State Healthcare Summit, El-Rufa’i said that the money should have been channelled towards the development of the health sector and what he described as other critical areas.

Lamenting that the state has the second highest HIV prevalence in Nigeria, ElRufa’i noted further that only

36 per cent of mothers have the benefit of receiving adequate healthcare.

He described the development as unacceptable, the governor pledged that his administration would seek vast improvement in healthcare outcomes for the people.

According to the governor, “Our goal is to deliver for Kaduna State citizens better health and longer life expectancy, and in this quest we seek results that will place our state in the top tier for healthcare delivery.

“We seek this vast improvement in healthcare outcomes for our people because the present situation is unacceptable.

“Current coverage of measles vaccine is 56%, reflecting a dismal immunisation coverage for 12-23 month-olds of only 35 per cent.

with Vanguard in Gusau, the state capital, explaining that the Yari, having started well from 2011 when he took over the mantle of the leadership of the state, should not give room to destroyers whose mission was to enrich themselves with the public funds at the expense of the common people.

According to him, Yari should not listen to the antics of those he described as few individuals in the state, who were bent on feathering their own nests but work for the people who elected him into office. ‘’Before Yari came in as the governor of the state, everybody knew that so many things were lacking, particularly roads and other social infrastructure. ‘’Despite all odds, he (Yari) closed his eyes to do what he was supposed to do as a leader, as a result of which he has today become the best governor in not only, the northern part of the country, but the whole federation.

He should keep on working for the people,” Nahuce added.

He also advised Yari to discharge his civic responsibility responsibly by carrying everybody along, irrespective of their political or religious inclinations so that together they would move the state forward.

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—SCORES of youths and elders from Imufu Community in EnuguEzike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, yesterday, thronged the office of the Permanent Secretary, Rural Development in the state, protesting alleged plan to hijack the leadership of its Town Union.

The elderly men, who wore long faces regretted that one Augustine Eze (Movement) and another non-indigene residing in the community had allegedly been been parading themselves as the President General and Vice President General of the town union, adding that the only recognised town president was Chief Edwin Ossai and other members of his executive.

Speaking in an emotionladen voice, the Patron of Imufu Community Town Union, Mr. Christopher Eze lamented that one Leonard Eze from the neighbouring Olido was claiming to be a leader of the community when he was not.

He said; ”Imufu Town Union was inaugurated in 1978 with Mr. Alfred Ukweze as pioneer president. We are duly registered in the local government and with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.''

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—45

MTN E-LEARNING: From left— Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, Corporate Services Executive, MTN; Mr. Lanre Kuforiji, 21 Days of Y’ello Care Project Co-ordinator; Mrs Ebunoluwa Oluwasoji, Director, Human Resources and Administration, Education District IV, Lagos State Ministry of Education; Mr. Michael Ikpoki, CEO, MTN Nigeria, and Mr. Abayomi Abolaji, Deputy Director, Special Duties, Education District IV, Lagos State Ministry of Education, during the presentation of e-learning facility by MTN to Onike Girls Junior High School, Yaba, Lagos.

Communication, Region Africa; Chioma Iwuchukwu-Nweke, GM, Personal Health, Philips West Africa; Felix Darko, GM, Lighting, Philips West Africa, and John Westermayer, Head of Marketing, Lighting Philips Africa, during the firm's Buy Original media roundtable in Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

CEREMONY: From left— Mr. Tim Akano, Managing Director, New Horizons Solutions Limited; Professor Kayode Makinde, Vice Chancellor, Babcock University, Illishan, Ogun State; Mr. Dotun Suleiman, Chairman, New Horizons Management Board (right), and others, during the foundation laying ceremony of the 2nd New Horizons facilitated ultra-modern international IT and e-business skills certification building at the institution.

AWARD: From left— Mr. Imokha Ayebae, Corporate Finance Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc; Mr. John Ruggles, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Frost & Sullivan; Mr. Abiola Adebayo, Operations Director, and Mr. Abayomi Alli-Balogun, General Manager, Sales, both of Fidson, during the Frost & Sullivan 2014 Growth Leadership and Excellence award presentation in London, United Kingdom.

COMMONWEALTH BROADBAND: From left— Brahima Sanou, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau at International Telecommunications Union, ITU; Professor Tim Unwin, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, CTO; Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology, and Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Broadband forum in Abuja, yesterday.

ROUNDTABLE: From left— Radhika Choksey, Head, Philips Group

CHRISTIAN NGOs: From left— Deacon Moses Kalu; Professor

Magnus Atilade, National President, Christian Welfare Initiative, CWI, and South-West Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; and Mrs Theresa Maku, at a briefing on the state of the nation by the Coalition of Christian NGOs and CWI in Lagos.

C M Y K

MEETING: From left— Mrs. Onari Duke, former Cross River State First Lady and Country Director, Empretec Nigeria; Mrs Yewande Sadiku, MD/CEO Stanbic IBTC Capital; Pastor Ituah Ighodalo; Mrs Oluwatoyin Sanni, MD/CEO United Capital Plc, and Major General Reuben Nkado (retd), all members of the Governing Board of the Christopher Kolade Professorial Chair in Corporate Governance, at a recent meeting of the board in Lagos.

MATHEMATICS'S SIMPLE: From left— Miss Ogbu Deborah, Scholars Universal Secondary School, Ota, who took 3rd position; Master Olatunde Semilore, Ambassadors College, Ota, 1st, and Master Anyaegbunam Obinna, Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State, 3rd position, in the justconcluded 4th edition of Mathematics is Simple competition at Yewa Egbado College, Ilaro, Ogun State. PHOTO: Simon Adewale.

46 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—47

C M Y K

48 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 VIRGO; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; Unless you are more careful matters-of-the-heart may cause avoidable trouble the way your career/business can suffer temporarily.

LIBRA; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; It is important you don’t exhibit aggression unnecessarily.

Here is a day when secret love is capable of bringing serious pressure. Try to be very diplomatic.

SCORPIO; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; Your concentration level is not perfect and if you take bad advice from friends you would be misled. The more practical you are the better for you.

SAGITTARIUS; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; Unnecessary aggressive approach on your part along your career/business lines will back-fire more than you imagine. Graceful expression is what you will need.

CAPRICORN; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; Happenings within your working arena can bring minor provocation but it is just a passing trend. Travelling for love will bring more challenges than expected.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Limiting Your Expectation — 1

R

ECENTLY, a journalist accosted me and wanted to know from me what my expectation is concerning the new government. My answer simply is: I

expect nothing special. Before you crucify me, let me ask you. Haven’t we been having new governments in

TERROR MUDA

N i g e r i a ?

Government come and go but our problems don’t just remain, they get bigger and bigger.

in “Never say goodbye”

Over the years, I have learned not to expect much from government as well as individuals. My policy is: blessed is he that expects nothing for he shall not be disappointed.

By Lanre Kehinde

AQUARIUS; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; Male members of this Star sign will need to watch their libido while female must not ignore their sex-life. Beware of joint ventures with those you don’t know.

PISCES; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; It is not compulsory you take to aggressive re-action to those within your base of operation who are not as perfect as you. Protect your spouse.

ARIES; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; Watch what you eat and drink today. This is the wrong time to engage in unnecessary heated argument.. Romance at work may bring disappointment.

TAURUS; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; Trying to influence matters-of-the-heart with money will not give you the desired result. Any way it is a day you will need to be more careful with money.

GEMINI; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; It is important you are more careful while trying to pass judgement on people within your base of operation because you too may be wrong.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

CANCER; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; Taking a pleasure drive or movement may bring more than anticipated responsibility. Keep away from whatever can not be placed above board today.

LEO; Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo today ; If you allow friends to force their ideas on you financially or on matters-of-the-heart, you would be the loser. Express yourself gracefully.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat tr ological datee and place of bir th ttoo the As Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What should I know?

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Joshua, Kindly tell me where the Moon was placed when I was born and other things I should know about my star.

Aliyu, Kano.

Dear Aliyu, What space can take will be given here-under. Your natal Moon was in Aries.

ANALYSIS OF YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Preponderance of cardinal quality in your chart is an indication of GREAT LEADERSHIP QUALITY together with innate ability to attain prominence on one hand, on the other hand, exaltation of intellectual related Mercury in Aquarius at positive angle to both lucky Jupiter and Uranus (the planet of genius) in Libra pointed to a person with higher pitch of intelligence.

Action loving Mars as the final dispositor of your horoscope ( that’s most influential planet at home when you were born) will most times induce you to strongly desire importance with likeness for quick results; actually long promise without concrete action will bore you easily. Equally 60 percentage of pushfull influence in your chart means that the best for you is to go after your needs and wants.

Combination of all the placement and aspects formed within the planets when you were born are pointers to you as a person with balanced personality with little bias for good spiritual life. And you believe in disciplinarian life style.

Placement of your natal Sun and Moon in compassionate Pisces and self conscious Aries respectively are indications of your being mainly a Piscean and partly an Arian, however as Aries is also your Stellium sign, both basic characteristics of Pisces and Aries are highly pronounced in your inner-self.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18 15—49 18,, 20 2015—49

C M Y K

50—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

By Michael Eboh

A

BUJA—NIGERIA Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, has reiterated its resolve to recover all outstanding amounts owed the country by oil, gas and mining companies.

NEITI also stated that from August this year, its audit processes will be automated to ensure for speedy collection of data to enable it produce timely reports.

Speaking during the visit of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, EITI, Implementation Committee, led by its Chairman, Ms Clare Short, in Abuja, Chairman of NEITI, Mr. Ledum Mitee promised to partner with the President Muhammadu Buhari's administration to reform the country’s oil and gas sector and also tackle the issue of corruption in the extractive industry.

NEITI had in one of its report, indicted oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria, including Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, of defrauding the country to the tune of $19.1 billion (about N3.82 trillion) and called on President Buhari to ensure the recovery of the money from the companies.

According to Mitee, NEITI is working closely with all the relevant government agencies to ensure that all outstanding revenues reported as underpayment and underassessment are recovered into the federation account.

‘We're committed’

He further noted the country was committed to continuously improve on its modest achievements and also strive to fully embrace the new EITI standards.

He said: “To this extent, NEITI

AGM: From right— Chairman, Dr. Nura Imam; Company Secretary, Mrs Cecillia Ekanem; Managing Director, Engr.

Detlev Lubsch, and Engr Jafaru Damulak, all of Julius Berger Plc, at the company's 45th annual general meeting, AGM, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

NEITI vows to recover unremitted revenue from oil companies has commenced implementation of the comprehensive framework on remediation and enforcement developed by the current board through the machinery of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team, IMTT. “Under this arrangement, NEITI is expanding its frontier of inter-agencies collaboration and broadening the scope of engagements with the government, companies, media and civil society as well as strengthening its internal

capacity.”

Meeting EITI standards

Mitee further stated that NEITI had started addressing the identified gaps in its operations ahead of the EITI validation of Nigeria, which falls due in January 2016.

According to him, NEITI is fully aware of the importance of this exercise and is making necessary preparations to ensure that Nigeria meets the validation requirements.

He said: “The process of

implementing the new EITI requirements with respect to the issues of beneficial ownership and contracts disclosure in this part of the world may require careful strategy to ensure stakeholders’ buy in.”

Also speaking, Clare Short, International Chair, EITI, commended NEITI for its activities in Nigeria so far, expressing concern, however, on the nonimplementation of the reports by the past administrations.

2019: NASS leadership crisis won’t affect APC, says Dogara

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA— SPEAKER of House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, has said those predicting that the crisis witnessed in the election of the presiding officers of the National Assembly would affect the chances of All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2019 elections will be disappointed.

His comment came on the heels of the alleged report credited to the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, that his emergence “was a sign of PDP reclaiming what was taken from it by APC in 2019.”

Speaking while receiving a delegation of the defunct 2014 Presidential Primaries Committee of APC, which paid him a courtesy call in his office, Abuja, yesterday, Dogara said that APC had come to provide C M Y K

the required positive change in the country.

He said the disagreement among party members in the election of the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as the Deputy Speaker was not enough to distabilise APC. He also said what was witnessed was merely a conflict of ideas by various interests involved in the process of selecting presiding officers for the legislature.

According to him, “we are here to work and we do not have any reason to fail. We cannot fail. That is why I picked holes in the ambition of those who have their eyes fixed on 2019.

“We did not get here because of 2019. If we do the right things and the people see

results, 2019 will take care of itself. We cannot fail because we are here to bring change.”

Appeals to APC members

While appealing to members of APC not to see what transpired during the elections as crisis that would tear the party apart as a result of the interests expressed by members, he said the party had the capacity to manage every member and their interests.

He said: “People talk about crisis in the party. I do not see any crisis. Even if there is, the party has the capacity to deal with whatever issue pertaining to its members and their interests.

“The crisis being perceived by a section of people in APC is not a crisis, but simply a conflict of ideas because we are not perfect. We are all products

of imperfection.

“We thank God that we maintain a comfortable majority and we intend to take advantage of it.

“We will work with the executive in delivering change to our people without actually compromising the independence of our institution.”

Speaking earlier, Secretary of the committee, Dr. Alex Ideye, said the delegation came to congratulate him on his emergence as Speaker of the House.

Ideye urged the Speaker to reciprocate the good gesture of his opponent, Femi Gbajabiamila, by carrying everybody along in his leadership of the House with a view to building consensus and achieve legislative harmony.

She said: “Recommendations for reforms have not been carried through in the past. The new government wants to reform the sector.

“NEITI has done the analysis; it is a real opportunity to pick up the recommendations and drive it all forward. It is not like a new government, wanting to reform, to start examining where the problem is. That part of the job has been done. The government should then drive through the reforms.

“It is a better opportunity for government and the citizens to ensure that companies pay what is due them and that the funds are properly managed for the betterment of the society.”

Short further stated that NEITI’s recommendations present a golden opportunity for the new administration to carry on the proposed reforms of the sector and stop bad practices that was prevalent in the industry in the past.

On NEITI reports

Speaking in the same vein, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Executive Secretary, NEITI, lamented the delay in churning out its reports, noting, however, that special provision has been made to ensure that it fast-tracks the audit process.

She said: “As we speak, there is a project that is ongoing for the automation of the data collection process for the audit.

“It would be commissioned by August and this will enable us to produce more timely reports which the government and citizens would find more useful.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 51

GRAFT PROBE: Elechi spends 8 hours

with EFCC ….Ohakim summoned for alleged money laundering

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

F

ORMER EBONYI State governor, Chief Martins Elechi, yesterday on the second day of his questioning in Abuja, faced more than eight hours of rigorous grilling in the hands of operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged laundering of state funds.

The former governor arrived the EFCC headquarters at 10am and faced his interrogators until 4pm when he was asked to go and return on a date next week.

A source at the commission confirmed to Vanguard that the politician might be charged to court based on the evidence adduced by his interrogators and those earlier gathered from some top officials who served under his government.

The questioning of the governor had to do with a number of deals said to have been carried out during his tenure for which concerned natives of the state petitioned the anti-graft agency and demanded for probe.

Among the issues for which he was summoned were the alleged theft of millions of Naira in the asphalt plant contract for the 13 local government areas of the state, the award of several

contracts to his son, Nnanna Elechi, compulsory deduction from Stabilisation Account to fund Labour Party and the misuse of funds earmarked for the Centenary celebration, among others.

Meanwhile, the EFCC was expecting to receive and question former Imo State

governor, Ikedi Ohakim, before the close of work yesterday.

Ohakim is being asked by the agency to explain his role in the misuse of state funds when he was governor of the state and how he ended up buying several property in some parts of the country thereafter.

A source in the commission said

the agency was very close to charging Ohakim to court, having made progress in its investigation over the years.

It could not be established at press time if the former governor eventually showed up or sent some explanations to the commission.

PROTEST: Bredero Pipeline contractors and workers flying various placards, yesterday, in protest at the company's yard in Effurun, Delta State over alleged delayed salaries and police intimidation by management.

Tension as Anambra govt wades into Nkpor town union squabble

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA—AS tension mounts at Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State over the delay in conduct of an election into the leadership of Nkpor Development Union, NDU, the state government may have waded into the misunderstanding between some agitating stakeholders in the community and members of Interim Management Committee, IMC, of NDU. Those in opposition are insisting that an election must be conducted with immediate effect to usher in a democratically elected executive of NDU. They said they were tired of having an IMC at the helm of affairs for more than seven years.

To buttress their point, the opposition sent out circulars to the traditional ruler of Nkpor, Igwe Christopher Ibegbunam II; village chairmen, branch chairmen and chairmen of agegrades informing them that election of NDU was around the corner.

C M Y K

But the Special Adviser to Governor Willie Obiano on Town Union and Chieftaincy Matters, Barrister Ikechukwu Onyeabor, confirmed to newsmen that government was aware of the lingering leadership crisis in the area and had waded in to restore lasting peace and tranquility in the area.

Onyeabor noted that for now,

government was not contemplating an election of NDU executive, until the crises were resolved amicably, adding that government still recognized and would continue to work with the IMC. However, palpable fear has continued to grip both the residents and indigenes of the community over the vow by the

opposition party to conduct the election in July and for declaring the IMC which was appointed by the state government in 2008 defunct .

The residents are apparently afraid because if violence was allowed to erupt once more, the crisis which had claimed many lives and properties in the past, would claim many more lives.

Sachet water hawkers protest price hike in Aba

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—HAWKERS of sachet water, popularly known as pure water, in Aba, Abia State, have protested a hike in price of the product by the manufacturers.

The hawkers, who marched along major roads of the city, told Vanguard that a bag of sachet water, which initially sold for N100, now sold for between N140 and N150.

Vanguard reports that sachet water producers in Aba at the weekend embarked on strike, citing rise in cost of production

of the product.

One of the protesters who distribute a popular brand of sachet water in the city, Mrs. Obioma Christian, lamented that sachet water hawkers were being made to pay a toll of N50 in every motor park before being allowed to sell their products.

She added that her hawkers had been severally harassed and their wares seized at motor parks when park operators insisted that they must pay the toll.

Speaking on the situation, Mrs. Amaka Akpaka said the problem started when sachet

water producers in the city embarked on strike, claiming they no longer made profit due to an alleged rise in price of the water proof used in packaging the product.

Mrs. Akpaka said the situation was seriously telling on them and their families as customers were unwilling to buy a sachet of water for N15.

The protesting hawkers appealed for the intervention of the state government to force down the price of the product and abolish tolls at motor parks to enable them remain in business and feed their dependants.

Rights activist prevents youth's violence over colleague's death

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HUMAN rights activist, Mr. Charles Odogwu, has enjoined the youths of Ibusa in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State not to take laws into their hands or engage in reprisal over the gruesome murder of one of their colleagues, Mr. Emeka Onianwa during the last House of Assembly election.

Odogwu gave the advice when the youths met with him to protest over undue delay by law enforcement agents in apprehending all those fingered in the said crime.

The human right activist commended the youths for their patience and the manner they conducted themselves since the ugly incident, assuring that he and his team had set in motion avenues to reach out to the appropriate authorities to unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder of the youth.

‘Give maximum support to new Speaker, Hon Edoror’ I D E O N G OBHAKHAN, who contested the last

election to the House of Representatives for Esan West/Esan Central/ Igueben Federal constituency on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, has appealed to members of the Edo State House of Assembly to give maximum support to the elected Speaker of the state Assembly, Hon. Victor Edoror for him to succeed and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

In a press conference in Benin, Obhakhan said: “Edoror is well qualified for the job. He is very intelligent for the position.

“The overwhelming support he got during the election tells you he is loved by the people. He will be able to deliver on his assigned duties.”

Obhakhan said he decided not to go court to challenge the result of the last election despite the irregularities observed during voting “because there are other areas I believe I can add value to humanity for now rather than through elective position.

“Certainly, in 2019, I will contest for the same position.”

52—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Falana, Boyo, Ubani warn against fuel subsidy removal, IMF loan L

By Dapo Akinrefon

AGOS—LAGOS lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, a former president of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja Branch, Mr. Monday Ubani and renowned economist, Mr. Henry Boyo yesterday advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to remove the fuel subsidy scheme, saying such move could lead to

not only an increase in prizes of petroleum products but a hike in goods and commodities.

They said this at a roundtable to examine the state of the nation, organised by the Nigeria United for Democracy, NUD, in Lagos.

Falana, who called on President Buhari to resist

taking any loan from the International Monetary Fund, IMF, to revamp the nation’s ailing economy said such step could plunge the nation into financial chaos.

While he said the country will not need any financial assistance from foreign bodies, he noted that what was required of the President, was to block

“loopholes through which some people had continued to rip the country of hard earned revenues, which statutorily should be paid into the federation account, but instead diverted into private pockets.”

He, however, stated that addressing the nation’s exchange rate, remains a panacea to Nigeria’s ailing economy.

Falana, who recalled that the G7 countries had asked President Buhari to submit the Nigeria’s Wish List, with former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair calling on the President to remove fuel subsidy, said following such step was going to compound Nigeria’s economic woes.

His words: “Our president went to the G7 and we are happy. And he went there with a bowl, ‘please do this for us, do this for us,’ we must interrogate that, has our situation become so bad that we have to ask for external support? When we have not mobilized the energy, the potentials of our people to turn this country around.”

Dangote lifts Nepal earthquakes victims with $1m

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ANNIVERSARY: From left, Mrs. Moronke Adelegan, Principal, Junior Secondary School, Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director, Technical Programmes, Nigeria Conservation Foundation, NCF, Mr. Ismail Omamegbe, Head, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, First Bank, and Mr. Ajose Adekunle, Principal, Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, during the tree planting campaign to mark 120 years of First Bank, at Model College, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

AGOS—ALARMED at the dimension wreaked by earthquakes in the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, the Dangote Foundation has provided succour for the victims of the disaster by donating one million dollars to the government and people of the country.

Two major devastating earthquakes, with a moment magnitude of 7.3 and 7.8 respectively had occurred in Nepal on May 12, killing more than 8,800 people and injuring mover 23,000. The earthquake was reported to have shifted the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest by 3cm South-West.

Dangote Foundation donated the amount, in line with its mandate to provide relief in times of disaster, with a message that the chairman of the Foundation, Aliko Dangote and people

of Nigeria shared in their moment of grief.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou said on behalf of Dangote, during the cheque presentation to the Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Sushil Koilara at Kathmandu, the country’s capital that the gesture was to support the government’s emergency efforts in providing relief to the victims of the earthquake disasters.

These tragic events were recorded as the worst quakes to hit the Himalayan nation in nearly a century causing a high number of deaths, injuries and an avalanche on Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain. Over 600,000 homes were reported to have been destroyed in the catastrophe.

In his message to the

Prime Minister, Chairman of Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote conveyed his sympathy to the government and people of Nepal, assuring them of the Foundation’s support in rehabilitating the victims of the unprecedented tragedy.

Dangote said: “We join the rest of the world to express our sympathies over this unfortunate incident. We hope this donation will help alleviate the suffering of the Nepalese people who have been devastated by the earthquakes.”

Responding to the gesture, the Prime Minister expressed the gratitude of the people and Government of Nepal to Aliko Dangote and the Foundation, for their humanitarian support at this difficult moment in his country’s history.

MTN donates digital libraries to schools

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BUJA—NIGERIAN leading telecom service provider, MTN Nigeria has made a donation of two digital libraries and other items to two schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The two schools are Kutunku Junior Secondary School, Gwagwalada and another

school in Buwari Area Council to mark it’s annual Yellow Care activities.

Making the presentation, General Manager, Regional Operations of the company, Adekunle Adebiyi, said the donation was in line with MTN’s corporate social responsibility aimed at giving back to its host

communities.

According to him, the company had invested over N11 billion in the last ten years in the areas of education, health, empowerment and capacity building.

He said the fund was drawn from the one per cent of the company’s interest every year and is invested into education, among others.

Peter Mission's lifeline for widows

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GHELLI—THE Peter Mission for the Less Privileged has again taken its charitable programme to Iwhremaragha village in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The benevolence of the NGO brought joy to several widows, orphans and less privileged people in the village.

The beneficiaries of the

C M Y K

goodwill of the NGO received food items and cash gifts, to cushion the effects of the harsh economic conditions faced by many people in the village.

The people expressed their gratitude to the mission for remembering them in their time of needs.

They implored the mission to continue with its service to humanity.

In his response, Mr. Peter Onoriobe, the chairman of the NGO, told the people that the mission will continue to do all within its power to reach out to the needy in the society. He said he will maintain the legacies of his late father, Justice W.A.O. Onoriobe, who was known for his humanitarian deeds during his life time.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 53

RAMADAN: Ambode, Obasa advise Nigerians

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—AS Nigeri ans join the rest of Muslims across the world to commence the 30-day fasting in the month of Ramadan, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, have stressed the need for strict adherence to the dictates of Islam throughout the period.

They also urged Muslim faithful in particular and Nigerians in general to use the fasting period to pray for peace and unity to reign in Nigeria.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Habib Aruna, Ambode said Ramadan signifies a month of piety and total abstinence from food and all vices for all believers.

He urged all Muslims to ensure that the abstinence from all vices which is embraced during the period should become an everyday affair because in doing so each person would be at peace with him or herself.

The governor, who also used the occasion to preach peaceful coexistence among all residents of the state, added that it is only in a peaceful atmosphere that all plans and programmes of the present government can be actualized.

Also, the Speaker, in his Ramadan message through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Musbau Rasak, described the fasting period as a period of sober reflection which gives Muslims opportunity to move closer to Almighty Allah and seek His face in supplication and prayers.

Impersonators approach Kashamu with plan to poison Obasanjo

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—TWO persons posing as daughter of former President, Chief Olusegun Obsanjo and an intelligence officer respectively, were alleged to have approached Senator Buruji Kashamu, to assist him poison the former president over their face-off.

The accused persons - Peter Uwakala and Victoria Alaegbu, were said to have met with the senator at a hotel in Victoria Island, last month, assuring him that they would also help resolve the political rift between the duo.

However, after the conversation,

Kashamu reportedly lodged a verbal complaint to policemen at the Zone 2 Command, Onikan, prompting the Police to swing into action leading to the arrests.

However, during preliminary investigation, sources said the two were impersonators. The woman said to have introduced herself to the Senator as Yetunde Obasanjo earlier, was discovered to have no link with the ex-president.

The suspects, it was gathered, during their meeting with Kashamu allegedly called the former president unprintable names and threatened to poison him.

According to a Police report, the fact of the case was that the complainant alleged in his verbal com-

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AGOS—THE National Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Lagos has fixed June 22, 2015 for continuation with the hearing of the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Lagos West Senatorial District, Segun Adewale , challenging the dec-

Alaegbu actually committed the offences alleged by the complainant and have been charged accordingly in line with the prescription of the law.

The suspects were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo at the Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on 5th June 2015 and were remanded at Kirikiri Prisons. The matter was adjourned to 31st July 2015.

There are indication that Kashamu’s reaction to the impostors was towards settling the face-off between him and Obansnajo , following report by those close to the duo that the former claimed to have forgiven the latter.

The fence mending effort may have led to Kashamu withdrawing the N20billion libel suit against Obasanjo.

When contacted, Kashamu’s media aide, Mr Austin Oniyokor said that that the matter was in court. He however, pointed out that his boss’s conduct “goes a long way to show that despite his political differences on principles with Obasanjo, he (Kashamu ) does not wish him (Obasanjo) ill because he respects the sanctity of human life and also fears God.”

21 Kirikiri inmates regain freedom VISIT: From left, Member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Segun Olulade; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Lagos State, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede during Agbede's visit to the Speaker in his office yesterday.

Mushin residents lament incessant killings by hoodlums

By Ebun Sessou

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AGOS—TENS of resi dents of some parts of Mushin area in Lagos have cried out over incessant killings in the area by suspected hoodlums.

Speaking during a protest to the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Abiodun Leshi, who led the residents, revealed how suspect-

ed hoodlums severed the head of a resident of the area and used it to play football on the streets.

He stated that the menace is being experienced in areas such as Taniolodo, Lawani, Ojelawe and among others, adding that the people of the areas have been having sleepless nights over the issue.

“We have been facing incessant killings of our people. One Tunde

LAGOS WEST POLL: Tribunal shifts hearing to June 22

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Bartholomew Madukwe

plaint that the duo of Peter Uwakala and Victoria Alaegbu falsely represented themselves as an intelligence officer and daughter to the former President Obasanjo respectively to him under the pretence that they were going to resolve the political rift between him and Obasanjo.

He stressed that the duo met with him at a hotel, where the latter who had collected N500,000 from his younger brother, made some uncomplimentary and derogatory remarks about the former president, while the former introduced herself as Yetunde Obasanjo to him.

However the police was able to establish that both Uwakala and

laration of Olamilekan Adeola of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as winner.

Other respondents in the petition are his party, APC and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The tribunal, led by Justice Sylvanus Oriji, had on June 15, 2015 adjourned till yesterday for the report of pre hearing.

During yesterday’s proceed-

ing, the Tribunal adjourned further hearing following the submission of petitioner counsel, Dr Yemi Oke, that the respondents are yet to file their reply on point of law.

The petitioner (Adewale) had alleged irregularities in the conduct of the election adding that the results submitted by wards did not correspond with the card readers.

was beheaded and they used his head to play football. Another resident, Sodiq was killed last Friday after Jumat service.

“One Adeolu was also killed recently, we have always been living in fear in the area and we cannot sleep with our two eyes closed, but we felt we should see you to seek a permanent solution to the problem,” he said.

Leshi further explained that some of the residents of the area have relocated to Ikorodu out of fear, while some have developed hypertension and some have died in the process, and called for the support of the lawmakers over the issue.

Responding, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun, who led the lawmakers to address the protesters, said that the House shared the concern of the people and expressed happiness that they passed their complaints to the appropriate quarters.

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AGOS—21 awaiting trial inmates at the Kirikiri Medium Prisons in Lagos State, regained their freedom yesterday, following a visit by the state Chief Judge, Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade.

Before the release of the 21 inmates, the Kirikiri Medium Prisons, with a holding capacity of 1,700 prisoners, housed a total of 2,452 inmates.

Out of these 2,452, the number of inmates who were in custody awaiting trial was 2,349, representing about 96 per cent; while only 92 inmates had been convicted.

The bulk of those freed were in the category of inmates who had stayed in the prison longer than the prison term prescribed in law for their various offences.

The Lagos CJ, who freed the 21 inmates pursuant to Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007, charged them to “go and sin no more”.

“Those of you released should henceforth be of good behaviour. The state government is committed to a crime-free Lagos and anyone found committing crime will be adequately arrested and prosecuted,” the CJ said.

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

PIB passage, our priority—SARAKI

By Joseph Erunke

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B U JA —S E N AT E President, Bukola Saraki, has reiterated the commitment of Senate towards conclusive passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. He said the present Senate will rather engage in what he called “intensive dialogue” that will address the bottlenecks which made the

bill recalcitrant.

Speaking yesterday, when he played host to a team of top management staff of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, led by the Managing Director, Osagie Okunbor, Saraki said the Senate will engage relevant stakeholders in the oil and gas sector in the country, on the need to embrace dialogue so as to fast-track easy

passage of the bill.

He stressed that PIB remained a priority in the eighth Senate, adding “ we have to engage in discussion and dialogue.

“We can break the jinx which can only be achieved devoid of politics. PIB is a priority in this Senate.”

Senator Saraki noted that politics and other controversial issues

NAB CONFAB: From left— Charles Ajuya (SAN), Mrs. Mfon Usoro, Nella Rabana (SAN) and her husband, Lawal Rabana (SAN), at the just-concluded section on business law of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, 9th annual law conference in Lagos.

surrounding the bill were important, but advised that they should be left out of the process for now.

“We will break down the bulkiness of the bill and tackle all the grey areas,“ he assured.

Taking cognizance of the environmental hazard, gas flaring and remuneration to host communities, he said the Senate will collaborate with oil companies and other stakeholders in finding lasting solution to all aggrieved parties.

“We will continue to come up with legislation that will make our country an investment destination and provide conducive environment for such investment to thrive, “he added.

Reacting, Okunbor congratulated the Senate President for his successful election, while pledging for unflinching support and cooperation from the Senate.

He opined that the survival of the petroleum industry depends greatly on the passage of PIB.

Warri South PDP members seek fairness in appointments

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EOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, chieftains in Agbarha, Warri League, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to ensure that political appointments are equitably distributed between constituencies 1 and 2 in Warri South Local Government Area.

In a petition addressed to the governor by Jackson Egbedi, Mark Ogode, Ms Ejabofun Edema, Raphael Ologide, Chief Kingsley Bazunu and Stephen Izobo, the PDP chieftains said a lopsided allotment would not foster peace.

They appealed to Governor Okowa to resolve the imbroglio hovering over the sharing of the slots in the interest of the party.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 55

D E S O PA D E C :

81 killed, others injured as abandoned bombs explode in Borno M

By Ndahi Marama

AIDUGURI—AT least 81 people including members of youth vigilante were feared dead with scores injured when a bag filled with Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, discovered by operatives of the youth vigilante, Civilian JTF, at a deserted camp of Boko Haram near Monguno village in Borno State suddenly exploded, witnesses and security sources said.

The source said, initially, 50 people were killed on the spot while 18 out of several injured ones died before reaching Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, for medical attention.

Monguno is in the north and about 155 kilometres from Maiduguri. The town was temporarily under the control of the Boko Haram insurgents before it was liberated by troops early this year.

Already, Governor Kashim Shettima has visited the state Specialist Hospital to sympathize with the victims.

The Chief Medical Director of Borno State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Salisu Kwayabura who briefed Shettima said, the hospital received the sad news at about 3am yesterday,

adding that 13 out of the 55 injured ones died while being conveyed to Maiduguri, noting that, 13 people were treated and discharged while 28 were still on admission recuperating.

The explosion, which occurred at about 5pm Tuesday was coming barely 48 hours after an explosion suspected to have

come from be land mines planted by insurgents along Maiduguri - Damboa road last Monday, killing two soldiers and a policeman.

The Maiduguri - Damboa road explosion occurred when a convoy of one of the security patrol vehicles ran over the land mines as the convoy headed

HOSTCOM tasks Okowa on bill to recognise Ika nation

towards a village near Bulabulin Ngarwa with some staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to repair a broken down/vandalized transmission lines which supplied power to some parts of Borno and neighbouring states of Niger Republic.

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BRIEFING: From left, Mr Claus Becker, MD, Sub-Sahara Africa, Lufthansa (German Airlines) and Swiss International Air Lines, Mr Tamur Goudarzi Pour, Lufthansa Vice President, Sales and Services, Africa, Southeast Europe and Middle East, and Mr Hakeem Jimo, Lufthansa Public Relations Manager, Sub-Sahara Africa, during the announcement of Lagos as headquarters of Lufthansa sales, stations operations and administration for Sub-Sahara Africa in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Senate crisis, bad omen —AREWA YOUTHS

By Soni Daniel, Regional

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BUJA—NORTHERN youths under the aegis of Arewa Youths Forum have deplored the high level of betrayal in the Senate which brought the Peoples Democratic Party into the scheme of things through the backdoor, describing it as a bad omen for the Nigerian polity.

To reverse the provocative political trend, the AYF has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to rise to the occasion and take charge of the party and deliver the change which he promised Nigerians or be ready to face the consequences of delay tactics.

The President of the Arewa Youths Forum, Alhaji Gambo Gujungu, made the observation in a statement made available to Vanguard in Abuja on Wednesday, saying it was sad that Buhari and the APC allowed the PDP to creep back into governance after Nigerians had openly rejected the party because of the disappointment it caused the Nigerian people for the years it was in power.

The youths said it would be very disappointing if the APC and the president should stand aloof and allow the PDP to infiltrate the National Assembly and hold back the hands of government especially in the area of fighting corruption and bringing the much needed development to Nigerians because of the ongoing connivance between some APC

members and PDP in the legislature.

The AYF said: “As it stands today, we call on President Mohammadu Buhari to note that he cannot afford to stand aloof in

what is happening in the National Assembly and believe that it will fizzle out on its own without taking the necessary steps to checkmate the fire that is burning gradually threatening

By Lucky Oji

ARRI—THE national organising secretary of Host Communities of Nigeria producing oil and gas, HOSTCOM, Mr. Ajobo Uni Edward, has appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to send a bill to the state House of Assembly to officially recognize Ika nation as oil producer in Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC. Ajobo who made the appeal in Warri, said the bill has become neccessary to enable the people of Ika nation benefit from DESOPADEC. He noted that such bill if passed by the State House of Assembly, will create more employment for youths across the state which is in line with state government's message of prosperity for all Deltans.

He further charged the Governor to consider HOSTCOM in making of appointments, adding that only competent and hardworking persons who are conversant with the challenges of oil communities should be appointed into the new board of DESOPADEC.

to consume all that he laboured for over the years.

“It is time for the president to take control of the party and make sure that things are done the right way."

POWER PROJECT: Niger communities protest

non-payment of compensation

By Wole Mosadomi

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INNA—RESIDENTS of the 90 communities affected by the on going construction of the multi- million Naira Zungeru Hydroelectricity Dam in Niger State have protested alleged non- payment of compensation for their acquired farmland three years after the take off of the project.

They have also, threatened to stop work on the project until they were compensated.

Spokesman of the affected communities, Zubairu Umar from Jiko community told newsmen that the Federal Government had taken them for a ride by not compensating the farmland owners over the past three years.

According to him, “what we were told by government representatives was that the construction work would not begin until all compensations were paid but to our dismay, three years after the take off of the project, we are yet to be compensated.’’

He said besides non payment

of compensation, members of the communities had been further displaced from their new settlement by being forced far into the bush because of the frequent blasting of rocks by contractors in the area thereby making life much more unbearable for them.

Umar said rather than compensate them or give them

useful informations that could lead to their being paid, officials of Federal Ministry of Power had always played tricks on the people by directing them to the Community Relations Committee set up by the government.

“We will go to any length to ensure that our compensation

is paid even if it means to force the contractors to stop work on the project. The Federal Ministry of Power has been deceiving us each time we demanded for our right by telling us that all has been given to the community relations committee and we should look for our compensation from them,” he further explained.

Smile boosts first telemedicine with SmiFi

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By Emeka Aginam

AGOS—COMMITTED to its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, promise, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited has provided First Consultants Medical Centre, FCMC, Obalende, Lagos, with SMiFi routers.

This development demonstrates Smile is regarded as a boost to the hospital’s drive towards telemedicine practice.

The first Ebola Virus Disease patient and Liberian-American ECOWAS envoy Patrick Sawyer was admitted at the FCMC

where after he fell sick upon his arrival in the country from Liberia.

With this development, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited has joined forces with the Nigerian Telemedicine Network, NTN, and other donours to equip FCMC with an All-Purpose Medical Solution System, APMS, as the hospital ventured into telemedicine services.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Corporate Services Officer for Smile

Communications, Tobe Okigbo,assured that the company would provide the hospital with connectivity capacity of 6mbytes per second, adding that Smile appreciated the hospital’s effort in saving Nigeria from what could have been a major health catastrophe.

“Smile identifies with you on the incidents that happened, at the same time appreciating your efforts in rescuing the situation.

Now you are going into telemedicine, Smile’s SmiFi is the network enabler to reckon with,” he said.

56— VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18 , 2015

Putin rules out arms race with US

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NATO shows military might in Baltic region

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HOUSANDS of NATO troops are on the move this month in Poland and the Baltic states, practicing sea landings, air lifts and assaults. The massive maneuvers on NATO’s eastern flank that began in early June include the firstever training by the new, rapid reaction “spearhead” force, and are NATO’s biggest defense boost since the Cold War. Polish and Baltic state leaders have made it clear that they want to host large numbers of U.S. and NATO forces as a deterrent in the face of a resurgent Russia, and are welcoming the thousands of allied troops to their land and sea test ranges. Polish and Romanian leaders are even seeking more of a permanent allied military presence ahead of next year’s NATO summit in Warsaw.

“We must know how to defend ourselves. It is our goal to assure a stable order,” Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna said.

“In the face of new, real threats, the biggest enhancement since the

NATO military tanks in Poland Cold War of the alliance’s collective defense is taking place,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the Polish PAP news agency.

He added that the spearhead exercise means to show that NATO is “readyandcapableoffacing every challenge and every threat.”

East European countries that took pains to shed

Moscow’s dominance almost three decades ago have been jittery ever since Russia annexed the Crimea Peninsula last year and began backing separatists in the deadly conflict in eastern Ukraine. They have urged NATO to show force as a deterrent.

In response, all kinds of NATO troops are testing their readiness this month to react and cooperate in

the face of a potential crisis in the Allied Shield exercise in Poland, the Baltic states and in Romania. Those nations had significantly downscaled their armies and defense spending since the Cold War, but now they want to be sure that NATO will defend them in time of need — especially Poland, with its memories of failed defense alliances at the start of World War II.

Nuke talks: Iran, six nations disagree on key elements

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RAN and six powers are still apart on all main elements of a nuclear deal with less than two weeks to go to their June 30 target date and will likely have to extend their negotiations, two diplomats tell The Associated Press.

Their comments enforce concerns that obstacles to a pact remain beyond the public debate on how far Iran must open its nuclear program to outside purview under any deal.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,

has for weeks rebuffed U.S. demands that U.N. nuclear monitors have access to military sites and nuclear scientists as they monitor Tehran’s commitments under a deal and probe allegations of past work on atomic arms.

Negotiators are concerned about a lack of headway on all issues.

Russian chief delegate Sergey Ryabkov said Friday the “the rate of progress ... is progressively slowing down.”

Negotiators have been meeting five days a week in Vienna over the past few weeks. The two diplomats are familiar with the progress of the talks and spoke shortly before a planned five-day round reconvened Wednesday.

They demanded anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the confidential negotiations.

Ways of implementing specific parts of the deal are supposed to be contained in four or five annexes to the main text of an agreement.

Delegates to the nuclear talks sit around a table prior to a bilateral meeting as part of the closed-door nuclear talks with Iran at a hotel in Vienna, Austria.

The diplomats described the draft of a main document as a patchwork of text and dozens of blank spaces because of stubborn disagreement on up to 10 elements crucial to any deal.

Those details are to be included in four or five annexes, which remain incomplete.

USSIA does not want to enter a costly new arms race with the United States, a top Kremlin aide said Wednesday, after President Vladimir Putin said it was boosting its nuclear arsenal.

“Russia is trying to react to possible threats with some sort of means but that’s it,” Yury Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy aide, told a briefing.

“We are against any arms race because it naturally weakens our economic capabilities,” Ushakov said.

“In principle we are against it.”

He declined to comment when asked about the possibility of a direct military conflict between Russia and the West.

Putin on Tuesday rattled the West by saying that Russia would add more than 40 new intercontinental ballistic

•Putin missiles to its nuclear arsenal this year.

“If someone puts some of our territories under threat, that means we will have to direct our armed forces and modern strike power at those territories, from where the threat emanates,” Putin said. US Secretary of State John Kerry blasted the announcement and said nobody wanteRussia’s Yars RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missiles on display during the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, 2015d to return to a “Cold War status”.

Russia, Germany trade Cold War accusations

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USSIA accused NATO yesterday of reviving the ghost of the Cold War by encroaching close to its borders and seeking to change the strategic balance of power, as Germany denounced Moscow ’s nuclear weapons buildup as a Soviet-style reflex.

Ties between Russia and the West have hit new lows over Ukraine and the latest accusations come after Moscow said it would enhance its nuclear arsenal in response to Washington’s plans to station heavy military equipment in eastern Europe.

“It’s not Russia that’s approaching someone’s borders. It’s NATO’s military infrastructure that is approaching the borders of Russia,”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“All this ... forces Russia to take measures to safeguard its own interests, its own security.”

Peskov said the West had increasingly resorted to “unconstructive and confrontational” Cold War-style rhetoric.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg accused President Vladimir Putin of “saber rattling” on Tuesday after the Russian leader said Moscow would add more than 40 intercontinental ballistic missiles to its nuclear arsenal this year.

On Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier accused Putin of acting on Cold War reflexes.

Palestinian unity government resigns

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HE Palestinian unity government formed only a year ago has resigned after President Mahmoud Abbas said it was unable to operate in the Gaza Strip.

The resignation came after it emerged that the Gaza Strip’s rulers Hamas held separate indirect talks with Israel.

An official said that Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah had handed his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday afternoon, and Abbas had ordered him to form a new government.

Various Palestinian factions, including Hamas,

are to be consulted before a new government is formed.

Abbas earlier on Wednesday announced that the government would resign within 24 hours, as Hamas sources said the group was holding separate, indirect talks with Israel on ways to firm up an informal ceasefire agreement that took hold last August, ending a 50day war in Gaza.

Some have argued that news of the secret talks prompted Abbas to move to dissolve the unity government.

A Palestine Liberation Organisation official said the new government was

likely to be one of politicians rather than technocrats.

Al Jazeera’s Nisreen El Shamayleh, reporting from Ramallah on Wednesday, said she had spoken to a Hamas spokesperson who had said Hamas would reject any unilateral dissolution of the Palestinian consensus government without holding discussions with all parties.

Hamas officials confirmed the exchange of indirect verbal messages between Hamas and Israel through European Union, Turkish, and Qatari mediators.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 18 , 2015 — 57

Kenya vows to keep troops in Somalia

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Pope seeks God’s forgiveness for anti migrant nations P

OPE Francis yester day said that those who “close the door” to refugees seeking a safe haven in Europe should ask God’s forgiveness, as tensions rose in the EU over the migrant crisis.

A day after European interior ministers failed to agree on how to stem the flow of boat migrants across the Mediterranean or house the thousands of new arrivals, Francis demanded greater respect for “our brothers and sisters who seek refuge far from their own lands”.

“I encourage those who bring them aid and hope that the international community will act in a united and efficient fashion to prevent the causes of forced migration,” he said.

“And I invite everyone to ask God’s pardon for those people and institutions who close the door

More than 100,000 migrants have arrived in Europe this year, with many rescued as they try to sail across the Mediterranean Sea to those who are seeking a family, who are seeking to be protected,” he said.

Italy has threatened a backlash if other EU states refuse to share the burden of asylum seekers, but even so ministers took no decision to carry out proposals by the Europe-

an Commission for quotas to redistribute 40,000 refugees.

European leaders swore action after an estimated 800 migrants died in a shipwreck in April, the worst disaster yet in the Mediterranean in a year in which a total of 1,800

people have died trying to cross from Africa and the Middle East on flimsy boats.

In one of the largest pledges of assistance so far, France said Wednesday it would create an additional 10,500 housing places for migrants.

DR Congo tops graft list in sub-Saharan Africa

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ALF of the 10 most corrupt countries in the world are in subSaharan Africa, a region that is attracting increasing investor interest due to its natural resources and rapid population growth, according to a global graft index released yesterday.

Democratic Republic of Congo topped the 2015 Corruption Risk Index by risk advisory firm Verisk Maplecroft, followed by Somalia, Central African Republic, Sudan and Equatorial Guinea.

The report blamed

factors including high levels of poverty and lack of institutions to combat bribery for subSaharan Africa being the region most affected by corruption.

“Factors such as weak rule of law and a lack of institutional capacity ... undermine efforts to combat entrenched systems of patronage, while exposure to corrupt public officials and a reliance on third party agents is also higher,” Trevor Slack, Verisk Maplecroft analyst, said in a statement.

A key reason why politicians fail to fight bribery is that senior officials responsible for addressing the issue profit from it most, the report said.

Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq or Syria continued to dominate the list of countries where graft remained a major blow to the business environment due to conflict and almost nonexistent rule of law.

The study named some of the world’s top energy producers as having

Fleeing militants have abandoned ammunition and weapons

extreme corruption risk, among them Iraq, Russia, Venezuela, Nigeria and Kazakhstan.

The annual index ranks 198 countries on the prevalence of bribery and g o v e r n m e n t effectiveness in fighting it.

ENYA’s president vowed yesterday to keep troops in Somalia to fight Islamist Shebab rebels, apparently dismissing suggestions the country may be drawing up an exit strategy in order to focus on attacks on its own soil.

Kenyan troops crossed into Somalia in 2011 to fight the AlQaeda-affiliated insurgents, and later joined the African Union force, AMISOM, which is supporting Somalia’s internationally-backed government.

The Shebab have since stepped up their operations in Kenya, dealing a blow to plans for the troops to serve as a buffer and protect the long, porous border.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who met with other leaders contributing troops to AMISOM — including Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Uganda — at an

AU summit in South Africa last week, said Kenya’s role was clear.

He insisted Kenya “ will continue with the mission to support the stabilization of the Horn of Africa country,” a statement from the presidency said.

“We are a nation that appreciates and recognises the rights of every individual and their freedom of worship. We will not allow any person to force on us a way of life that is not ours,” he was quoted as saying during a visit to soldiers wounded in a recent attack.

The chairman of the Kenyan Senate’s National Security and Fo r e i g n Re l a t i o n s Committee, Yu s u f Hajji, signalled earlier this month that an exit strategy was no longer taboo and that Kenya wanted to create “a strategy on how to fight insecurity in Kenya”.

Chad bans face veils after suicide bombings

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HAD has banned people from wearing the full-face veil, following two suicide bomb attacks on Monday.

Chad’s government accused Nigerian militant Islamist group Boko Haram of the bombings which killed more than 20 people.

The prime minister said the veil was used as a “camouflage” by militants and said the security forces will burn all full-face veils sold in markets.

Chad is to host a new regional force set up to tackle Boko Haram.

The militant group has not commented on the attack but has previously threatened to attack Chad, after its forces started to help Nigeria.

At a meeting with religious leaders, Prime Minister Kalzeube Pahimi Deubet said the ban applied everywhere, not only public places.

He added that any clothing that covers everything but the eyes was a camouflage.

UNHCR, ECOWAS sign MOU on refugees protection protection of refugees,

By Victoria Ojeme

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BUJA — The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (CCJ) to protect the right of the Refugees in the country.

Through the P a r t n e r s h i p Agreement, UNHCR and ECCJ will establish a framework for cooperation in order to better protect the rights

of refugees, asylumseekers, returnees, IDPs, stateless persons and those at risk of statelessness in West Africa.

This agreement was signed yesterday in Abuja to strengthen human right issues in the SubRegion.

UNHCR Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Angele Dikongue – Atangana, said that through the MoU, the UNHCR and the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has formalize their collaboration into a framework which will provide for the enhanced

asylum-seekers, returnees, IDPs, stateless persons and those at risk of statelessness in West Africa.

She said, “The partnership will allow UNHCR and the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice to work together in ensuring the proper interpretation and application of relevant international, regional and national legal and policy instruments.

“The main areas of cooperation through this partnership will be training and capacity building; UNHCR’s input to specific cases or issues of mutual concern; and information sharing.

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015—59

FG urged to implement resolution on amnesty programme

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THE Federal Government has been urged to implement critical components of the resolution on the Presidential Amnesty Programme to ensure a viable, peaceful and sustainable Niger Delta region.

The Niger Delta ExAgitators Solidarity Front, through its leader, Ramsey Mukoro, yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said that the call become imperative due to the achievements of the amnesty programme so far.

He wondered why beneficiaries of the programme would threaten the prevailing peace in the region at a time stakeholders were urging the Federal Government to consolidate on the gains of the programme.

“If truly they are beneficiaries of the Federal Government Amnesty, they should

have known better than to parade themselves as generals and threaten the peace of the region, in negation of the Federal Government Amnesty,” he said.

Mukoro described as alien, those threatening to plunge the region into crisis if the former leaders of the amnesty programme were allowed to continue in office by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He pointed out that

rather than insist on merit for the continued success of the programme, the group was appealing for “provincialism with regards to states of origin of past administrators” of the programme.

According to him, it was the same crop of leaders at the amnesty office that successfully managed the programme in the past four years and recorded great achievements.

Rivers govt sacks 344 lecturers of Rivers Poly

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— NO fewer than 344 lecturers of Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, have been relieved of their appointments.

Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic, Mr Innocent Ogbonna, confirmed the development, saying that the state Ministry of Education directed the affected lecturers to hand

over official property in their custodies to their heads of departments.

The 344 lecturers were employed by former Governor Rotimi Amaechi in September last year.

The ministry also directed a Director in the Polytechnic, Mr Obiankor Elechi, to proceed on compulsory leave.

The sack has sent fears round the civil service as staff recently recruited by the previous government were already panicking.

Rivers to reintroduce boarding schools R

IVERS State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, has assured the people of the state that he will reintroduce boarding schools with up to date facilities to improve the standard of education in the state.

The governor, at Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokuta, in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area of the state, yesterday, when he paid an unscheduled visit to the school, regretted the dilapidated state of facilities in most schools in the state, noting that his administration will select pilot schools across the state for upgrade as model schools.

Governor Wike particularly decried the condition of the Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokuta where all the laboratories and other facilities were allowed to rot away by the immediate past administration.

He directed the immediate construction of a perimeter fence around the school and the demolition of illegal structures within the property of the school.

The governor also directed the construction of internal roads in the school, saying that the

school will serve as a pilot institution in the new boarding school policy.

He said: “We are going to start the development of model boarding schools across the state. Our intention is to develop a standard system that will enhance learning for our children.”

Muslims commence Ramadan fast today

By Ishola Balogun & Bashir Adefaka

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USLIMS in Nigeria today joined their counterparts around the world to commence this year ’s Ramadan fast, following the declaration of moonsighting by the President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday.

It is a month of dawnto-dusk fasting, intense prayer and nightly feasts

otherwise known as iftar.

Addressing newsmen in his palace yesterday, the Sultan stated that Thursday June18 marks the beginning of Ramadan 1436 A.H, urging Muslims to use the 29 or 30-day period to offer prayer for peace and development of the country.

“I have the greatest pleasure to announce to you that today June 17, marked the end of Shaaban and, therefore, Thursday June 18 marks the beginning of Ramadan 1436," he said.

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Falcons edged out of Women’s World Cup T

WO -TIME wine r s United States are into the Women’s World Cup last 16, but looked short of their best in a laboured 1-0 win over Nigeria’s Super Falcons.

The defeat also meant the end of the road for the African champions who raised many hopes of doing well after holding Sweden to a 33 draw in their first match. They succumbed to less fancied Australia 2-0 in their second match they were tipped as favorites.

Abby Wambach’s volley just before the break proved enough for the US, but they could not add to their lead despite Nigeria losing defender Sarah Nnodim to a second yellow card.

They will play one of four third-placed teams to progress from the pool stages.

Australia secured Group D’s second spot with a 11 draw against Sweden.

The Matildas will play Brazil in the next round in Moncton.

Nigerian coach Edwin Okon was left aggrieved by the referee’s decision to issue Nnodim with a second yellow for a challenge on Sydney Leroux that left his side down to 10 players for the final 20 minutes. n

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CELEBRATION -- American ladies celebrate after sending the Super Falcons out of the World Cup. USA won 1-0.

Mali determined to claim bronze at U-20 put his side to be the most important happen for our team and World Cup Zivkovic ahead with a left-footed moment of the game for our people.

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ALI coach Fanyeri Diarra vowed to seal a third place finish at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, following their 1-2 defeat to Serbia in the tournament’s semifinals in Auckland on Wednesday. One goal down four minutes into the game after Andrija

Brazil

Continues from BP and threading a lovely pass into the path of Marcos Guilherme. The Atletico Paranaense forward then obliged with an equally impressive finish, firing clinically into the net from just inside the box.

Brazil might have looked to protect their lead at this stage, but relying on defence doesn’t appear to be in the mindset of a team reviving the great traditions of adventurous, attack-minded Seleção sides. By the 19th minute, and after Gabriel Jesus had struck the post with another fine effort, their lead had been stretched yet further.

Real Madrid’s Jean Carlos showed fine skill on the left and delivered an inviting low cross that keeper Ibrahima Sy could reach, but not quite hold.

When the ball ran loose, Boschilia took full advantage, swooping in decisively to slot home

FIBA 3X3 basketball championships holds in Lagos

from close range.

Senegal did have moments of their own, and only a brilliant reflex save from Jean was enough to divert Sidy Sarr’s ferociously struck volley on to the crossbar soon after. But Brazil retired to the dressing rooms at half-time assured of their place in the final, having made it 4-0 with eight minutes of the opening 45 remaining.

It was a terrific goal and, again, a full-back was at the heart of the attacking action. Jorge took centre stage on this occasion, drifting away from a couple of Senegalese challenges before slotting home a composed finish to put his team out of sight.

Already with an impossibly high mountain to climb, the Africans’ task became tougher still in the closing stages of the half when they were reduced to ten men.

effort, the young Eagles managed to level matters before the break thanks to Youssouf Koné’s powerful 39th minute strike.

The match went into extra time as the second half remained goalless, with Ivan Saponjic ultimately sending Serbia to the final and leaving Mali to battle fellow West Africans Senegal in the thirdplace playoff in Auckland on Saturday.

“We didn’t start well but when we equalised I thought that was going

us,” Fanyeri Diarra told the media at the postmatch press conference.

“We definitely played well after scoring. Right until the end, we believed in our own strengths and felt we could win the game. But my players are inexperienced and, in the end, that was the main reason for our defeat.

“They were really brave all match long though and now I really want third-place for them. We will do everything to make that

Cameroon Continues from BP the FIFA Women’s World Cup knockout stage.

Cameroon are now just the second African team after Nigeria in 1999 to progress beyond the group stage, and their win over Switzerland is only the second by an African nation over a European opponent at the tournament.

Cameroon’s nine goals at Canada 2015 is comfortably the highest tally by a representative of the Mother Continent.

Few backed Cameroon to succeed at Canada 2015 on their debut but the Indomitable Lionesses played with all the swagger and confidence of Roger Milla and Co during that memorable Italian summer to advance. Cameroon came within inches of taking

a point from world champions Japan in their last outing, and the result meant Switzerland only needed a draw on Tuesday in Edmonton. A goal down at half-time Cameroon played with rare verve to dominate the second half against the first European team to qualify for Canada 2015.

Gabrielle Onguene drew the teams level and when substitute Madeleine Ngono Mani then powered in a bullet header from closerange to finish a thrilling move there was only going to be one winner. Ngono Mani - who has served the national team with distinction for well over a decade – was in many ways the perfect candidate to be front and centre for the Indomitable Lionesses special moment.

“Everyone back home has been really happy with our success during this tournament, mainly because it has been quite an unexpected story.”

OT less than 36 teams from eight countries will feature in the maiden Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) Africa Zone 3, competition tagged ‘3X3 Basketball Tournament’ to be hosted by Nigeria in Lagos.

The competition is scheduled to hold at the National Stadium, Lagos from June 18 to June 21.

Addressing a news conference in Lagos Sam Ahmedu, President, FIBA Zone 3 said the event was being organised to develop basketball in the zone.

He said that N2 million (10,000 dollars) would be expended in running the competition. It would also cover the prizemoney for the top three winners in the competition.

According to him, the zone comprises hosts, Nigeria, Cote d’ Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Benin Republic and Liberia.

“Besides other FIBAorganised qualifying tournaments in the zone, this is the first of its kind, organised by the zone three, executive board after our inauguration in Ouagadougou, in October 2014.

•Diarra

Serbia Continues from BP Serbia were returning to the scene of their quarterfinal win over USA and, having ended that game on a high, they begun this one the same way. It took just four minutes, in fact, for them to take a deserved early lead, with Andrija Zivkovic the scorer. The lively No11 was allowed time and space to run through on goal and pick his spot with a low leftfooted shot into the corner after Souleymane Coulibaly had failed in his attempts to cut out Nemanja Maksimovic’s threaded through pass.

Ahead and on top, Serbia looked to reinforce their advantage and should have gone two in front nine

minutes later. But having been caught out for the goal, Coulibaly was able to come to Mali’s rescue, clearing off the line with his keeper stranded after Stanisa Mandic had cut the ball back for Sergei Milinkovic to strike at goal.

The Africans were living dangerously at this stage and on 21 minutes had another near escape.

Serbia again cut through their ranks easily, with Andrija Zivkovic and Malin Gajic combining well on the right to set up Stanisa Mandic. But while latter’s low cross found Serbia’s No9 just five yards out, his touch was too faint and the ball flicked off his right boot and wide of the far post.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 61

CHILE 2015 COPA AMERICA Fabinho wanted…

Man United ready to make £10.2m Copa America star move

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ANCHESTER United are plotting a £10.2m move for Monaco right-back Fabinho, according to reports from L’Equipe.

The Brazilian – who is currently away representing the Selecao at the Copa America in Chile – has emerged as one of the stars of Ligue 1 since his 2013 Stade Louis II debut.

Fabinho has been a key member of Monaco’s side through their return to the top tier of French football, and also played a part in their Champi-

Vidal loses license after drunk driving accident

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ons League adventure last term – in which they knocked out Arsenal at the last 16 stage.

His performances appear to have alerted Louis van Gaal, who is ready to pay up to £10.2m for the full-back, as he plots to bolster his options on the right side of his backline.

Fabinho – who has two Brazil caps and stands at 6ft. 2" – would be an upgrade on Antonio Valencia, who spent much of last season in the position despite being a wide attacker.

Tevez ‘agrees terms with Boca Juniors’ Carlos Tevez has agreed terms with the president of Boca Juniors to return to his former Argentine club, according to sources at Argentina’s Copa America base.

Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta has reportedly met with the agent of the 31-year-old ‘Apache’.

Tevez, who has one year of a three-year contract with the Italian champs left, has long made it clear he wants to end his career with the

club where he debuted in 2001.

The forward began his career with Boca before going on to play in the Premier League with West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City.

He was recently linked with a move back to England, to Liverpool.

Tevez has starred in the last two Juve campaigns, where they extended their scudettowinning stretch to four straight triumphs.

CONTROL... Monaco right-back Fabinho controls the ball

Aguero’s diving header downs Uruguay It was a tough game

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RGENTINA record ed a shaky 1-0 win against current Copa America winners, Uruguay in group B encounter in La Serena thanks to a Sergio Aguero header.

EPL Trophy School Tour berths in Lagos

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HE prestigious Barclays English Premier League Trophy makes a return to Nigeria on Friday June 19, 2015. It will be an opportunity for some lucky fans of the English Premier League to catch a glimpse of the trophy won by Chelsea Football Club in May. With the tour, the fans will get up close and personal with the Premier League as the Schools Tour opens its doors in Lagos.

The free family-friendly interactive experience is

in Lagos for the second time in four years after its maiden visit in 2011.

The Trophy will be in Lagos for only two days before continuing on a busy schedule.

The Tour gives supporters the chance to learn about the trophy and it stands at three foot five inches tall and twenty four inches wide.

The total weight of the trophy is four stone. The base of the trophy accounts for two and a half stone alone.

The trophy was cast by Asprey and Garrard, the

Crown Jewellers, the main body of the trophy is made from solid sterling silver. The crown is cast from 24 carat silver gilt, to a depth of half a millimetre.

The base of the trophy is made from Malacite, a semi-previous stone found in Africa. The green colour of the opaque stone represents the field of play.

The design of the trophy is based on the theme of ‘The Three Lions of English Football’.

for Argentina’s coach, Martino, as he was sent off by the referee in the 33rd minute arguing that a yellow card on Uruguay’s Nicolas Lodeiro was too lenient.

So, the 52 year old had to watch his team scrape a win from the stands.

Although Argentina produced more chances, Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez would have been happy with the fact that his team had a handful of genuine scoring opportunities against a stubborn Argentinean defense.

Bordeaux striker, Diego Rolan was the most impressive and active of the Uruguayans, missing three top chances including blazing one just over the bar from inside the box with just 15 minutes remaining in the match.

The first half saw a tight and even encounter between the two well-balanced teams.

HILEAN football star Arturo Vidal was stripped of his driver ’s license yesterday after being arrested for crashing his Ferrari while driving drunk, but the national team decided not to suspend him from the Copa America.

After spending the night in jail, the Juventus midfielder appeared in court in Santiago, where the judge freed him from custody but suspended his license and ordered him to report to the Chilean consulate in Milan every month under the terms of his release.

Vidal, who is home playing with Chile’s national team in the South American championships, where he is currently the leading scorer, collided with another car late Tuesday as he and his wife, Maria Teresa Matus, drove home from a casino following a day off from training.

. . . apologises for drink-driving

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HILE midfielder Arturo Vidal has issued a tearful apology after being charged for drink-driving.

The Juventus man crashed his Ferrari while driving under the influence of alcohol when he was on his way back to the Chile camp after a visit to the casino on Tuesday and was consequently detained by local police.

•Aguero

Remorseful ... Vidal apologiese

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

AFCON 2017: Expect more new faces in my team — Keshi S

UPER Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has stated that he will continue to experiment with the national team as the Eagles chase qualification for the 2017 African Cup of Nations.

Nigerian fans watched as the Super Eagles laboured to a 2-0 win over Chad last Saturday. Four new faces were introduced to the team by coach Keshi. He argued that this process will continue as he seeks to achieve a balance in his squad.

“Even if you’ve had a team for five or six years, you will still have one or

two additions or subtractions to make in your team because we’re always looking for that balance,” he said.

“Against Chad I had several new faces and they are players I have been studying for some time. I know their quality and if we had time, long enough to work together it would have been different from what we saw against Chad.

“We have to do what we have to do to find a very solid team and I have confidence in this group of players because there is a lot of potential

and we have to keep giving them more opportunities,” Keshi said.

However, football administrator, Ahmed Garra Gombe has stated that Keshi was heading for another failure, if he continued with what Gombe termed as his uncoordinated approach to the Eagles job.

“With the way Keshi is going, I am afraid we are headed for another failure.

“Look at the last match that was played. What was the pattern? Did it look like a team that has a mission?”

Onazi to miss two matches

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•Onazi

UPER Eagles mid fielder, Ogenyi Onazi has been suspended for two games by the Confederation of African Football following the straight red card he earned in the Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Chad in Kaduna.

The Lazio of Italy player attacked a Chadian defender in an off the ball incident. He had since apologized for his action.

A circular sent to the Nigeria Football Federation from the CAF Secretariat stated that for the “violent conduct, player No.17 Eddy Ogenyi Onazi was expelled and

he is automatically suspended for the next 2 official matches: 39 – Tanzania Vs Nigeria and 66: Nigeria Vs Egypt.”

Nigeria play Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on September 5 on Matchday 2 of the qualifiers, and will then host Egypt on March 25, 2016.

A silver medal winner when Nigeria hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2009, Onazi won gold medal with the Super Eagles at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa and was also in the Nigeria squad that reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil last year.

Keshi... Stirring up controversy with his choice of players for the national team.

Akinwunmi: Process of correcting technical deficiencies ongoing

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HE 1st Vice President of Nigeria Football Federation, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi on Wednesday while apologising to Nigerians for the recent unfulfilled dreams of our U-20 National Team and the Super Falcons disclosed that the Federation is making moves to correct technical deficiencies in all the National Teams including those noticed in the teams that were recently engaged in the two major international championships.

Akinwunmi spoke against the background of the inability of the U-20 National Team, Flying Eagles, and the Senior Women Team, Super Falcons, to meet the expectations of

KONAMII 2015: Organisers target N3.5m for charity

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LL is now set for the KONAMII 2015 football tournament billed for July 25 at the Campos Square mini stadium, Lagos.

The KONAMII football tournament is organised

by Change Africa Project

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to carter for some selected orphanage homes in Lagos.In a pre-event press briefing in Lagos yesterday, founder and President of Change Africa Project, Olamide Olabisi said, “KONAMII is an inter-orphanage

homes football competition which debuted in 2013. It is meant to raise funds to support the orphanage homes and complement the efforts of public-spirited individuals and groups who support these homes.”

He said the event this year will, apart from football, feature dancing competition, Tug of War and other cultural events.

More importantly, the organisers are targeting to raise a whopping N3.5million from activities lined up for the day as celebrities have also been called to grace the event.

“Last year, we raised N1.08m and gave out 50 per cent to the orphanage homes,” Olabisi said, adding, “this year, we hope to give out as much as 50% of whatever we realise from the event.”

The four orphanage homes to take part in the events include Lekki Orphanage Home, Heritage Orphanage, Love Home in Magodo and Sought After Orphanage Home Ajah.

Nigerians at their respective FIFA World Cup competitions.

He said: “We have from the outset noticed deficiencies in various aspects relating to the technical aspects of our national teams and moved swiftly to address the situation, hence one of our first initiatives was to organise training courses for match readers and to also buy into the Prozone Match Reading Software in order to build local competencies and match reading expertise to help our teams. Unfortunately these tournaments have come too early for us to reap the full benefits of this initiative which will take a little while to come to fruition.

He continued: “In the Super Falcons, we saw so much potential, youthfulness and ability, but it is clear that while we have conquered Africa there is still a lot of work to be done in the area of technical support before we can take on the world of Women’s football.”

The 1st Vice President noted that although the U20 boys promised so much before the competition in New Zealand and even though Nigeria had probably one of the least experienced squads, when you consider that Germany had 8 (eight) of its players plying their trade in the Bundesliga, their performance at the tournament vindicated the view of the NFF that there is still a lot of work to be done in the area of youth football development in Nigeria. He said that the Amaju Pinnick led NFF board is however proud of the U-20 coaches who have imbibed the current NFF culture of using age grade competitions to expose the young players who will represent Nigeria at the FIFA World Cup in the future instead of adopting a win-at-all-cost mentality at these youth tournaments. He praised them for building a core of footballers from the U-17 level to the U-20 who are capable of doing Nigeria proud for years to come.

Wasted Opportunity... Super Falcons’ Asisat Oshoala fails to convert a chance during the Nigeria v USA group D match at the FIFA Women World Cup. The USA women sent Nigeria packing with a 10 win.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 — 63

Full Premier League fixtures 2015 —2016 380 matches for the 2015/16 T Barclays Premier League season have been released HE

West Ham United v Southampton.

Chelsea will begin their Premier League title defence with a home game against Swansea on the weekend of 8-9 August, while Manchester City, who finished eight points adrift of the Blues, travel to West Brom as Manchester United face Tottenham at Old Trafford.

2 January 2016 Arsenal v Newcastle United, Crystal Palace v Chelsea Everton v Tottenham Hots Leicester City v Bournemouth Manchester Utd v Swansea City Norwich City v Southampton Sunderland v Aston Villa Watford v Manchester City, W/Bromwich Albion v Stoke City West Ham United v Liverpool.

Below is the complete fixtures for the season.

8 August 2015: Arsenal v West Ham United Bournemouth v Aston Villa, Chelsea v Swansea City Everton v Watford Leicester City v Sunderland Manchester Utd v Tottenham Hotspur Newcastle Utd v Southampton Norwich City v Crystal Palace Stoke City v Liverpool W/Bromwich Albion v Manchester City.

Chelsea’s former striker Didier Drogba takes a selfie as his side celebrated winning the 2014-15 title.

15 August 2015: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace v Liverpool v Manchester City v Southampton v Sunderland v Swansea City v Tottenham Hots. v Watford v West Ham United v

3 October 2015: Arsenal v Aston Villa v Bournemouth v Chelsea v Crystal Palace v Everton v Manchester City v Norwich City v Sunderland v Swansea City v

Manchester United Arsenal AFC Bournemouth Chelsea Everton Norwich City Newcastle United Stoke City W/Bromwich Albion Leicester City.

Manchester United Stoke City Watford Southampton W/Bromwich Albion Liverpool Newcastle United Leicester City West Ham United Tottenham Hotspur.

22 August 2015: Arsenal v Liverpool Crystal Palace v Aston Villa Everton v Manchester City Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur Manchester Utd v Newcastle United Norwich City v Stoke City Sunderland v Swansea City Watford v Southampton W/Bromwich Albion v Chelsea West Ham United v Bournemouth.

17 October 2015: Chelsea v Aston Villa Crystal Palace v West Ham United Everton v Manchester United Manchester City v Bournemouth Newcastle United v Norwich City v Leicester City Southampton Swansea City v Stoke City Tottenham Hots. v Liverpool Watford v Arsenal W/Bromwich Albion v Sunderland.

29 August 2015: Aston Villa v Sunderland Bournemouth v Leicester City Chelsea v Crystal Palace Liverpool v West Ham United Manchester City v Watford Newcastle United v Arsenal Southampton v Norwich City Stoke City v W/Bromwich Albion Swansea City v Manchester United Tottenham Hotspur v Everton.

24 October 2015: Arsenal v Everton Aston Villa v Swansea City Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur Leicester City v Crystal Palace Liverpool v Southampton Manchester Utd v Manchester City Norwich City v W/Bromwich Albion Stoke City v Watford Sunderland v Newcastle United West Ham United v Chelsea

12 September 2015: Arsenal v Stoke City Cry stal Palace v Manchester City Everton v Chelsea Leicester City v Aston Villa Manchester Utd v Liverpool Norwich City v Bournemouth Sunderland v To t t e n h a m Hotspur Watford v Swansea City W/Bromwich Albion v Southampton West Ham United v Newcastle Utd. 19 September 2015: Aston Villa v W/Bromwich Albion Bournemouth v Sunderland Chelsea v Arsenal Liverpool v Norwich City Manchester City v West Ham United Newcastle Utd v Watford Southampton v Manchester United Stoke City v Leicester City Swansea City v Everton Tottenham Hots. v Crystal Palace.

26 September 2015: Leicester City v Arsenal Liverpool v Aston Villa Manchester Utd v Sunderland Newcastle United v Chelsea Southampton v Swansea City Stoke City v Bournemouth Tottenham Hots. v Manchester City Watford v Crystal Palace W/Bromwich Albion v Everton West Ham United v Norwich City.

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12 January 2016 (7.45pm unless stated): Aston Villa v Crystal Palace Bournemouth v West Ham United (8pm), Liverpool v Arsenal Swansea City v Sunderland.

31 October 2015: Chelsea v Liverpool Crystal Palace v Manchester United Everton v Sunderland, Manchester City v Norwich City, Newcastle United v Stoke City Southampton v Bournemouth Swansea City v Arsenal Tottenham Hots. v Aston Villa Watford v West Ham United W/Bromwich Albion v Leicester City.

7 November 2015: Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur Aston Villa v Manchester City Bournemouth v Newcastle United Leicester City v Watford Liverpool v Crystal Palace Manchester United v W/Bromwich Albion, Norwich City v Swansea City Stoke City v Chelsea Sunderland v Southampton West Ham United v Everton.

21 November 2015: Chelsea v Norwich City Crystal Palace v Sunderland Everton v Aston Villa, Manchester City v Liverpool Newcastle United v Leicester City Southampton v Stoke City Swansea City v Bournemouth Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United Watford v Manchester United W/Bromwich Albion v Arsenal.

28 November 2015: Aston Villa v Watford Bournemouth v Everton

Crystal Palace v Newcastle United Leicester City v Manchester United, Liverpool v Swansea City Manchester City v Southampton, Norwich City v Arsenal Sunderland v Stoke City Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea West Ham United v W/Bromwich Albion.

5 December 2015: Arsenal v Sunderland Chelsea v Bournemouth, Everton v Crystal Palace Manchester United v West Ham United Newcastle United v Liverpool Southampton v Aston Villa Stoke City v Manchester City Swansea City v Leicester City Watford v Norwich City W/Bromwich Albion v Tottenham Hotspur.

13 January 2016 (7.45pm unless stated): Chelsea v W/Bromwich Albion Manchester City v Everton Newcastle United v Manchester Utd Southampton v Watford Stoke City v Norwich City Tottenham Hots. v Leicester City (8pm).

16 January 2016: Aston Villa v Leicester City, Bournemouth v Norwich City Chelsea v Everton Liverpool v Manchester Utd Manchester City v Crystal Palace Newcastle United v West Ham United Southampton v W/Bromwich Albion Stoke City v Arsenal Swansea City v Watford Tottenham Hots. v Sunderland.

23 January 2016: Arsenal v Chelsea, Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hots.

Everton v Swansea City Leicester City v Stoke City Manchester Utd v Southampton Norwich City v Liverpool Sunderland v Bournemouth Watford v Newcastle United W/Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa West Ham United v Manchester City.

12 December 2015: Aston Villa v Arsenal, Bournemouth v Manchester Utd Crystal Palace v Southampton Leicester City v Chelsea Liverpool v W/Bromwich Albion Manchester City v Swansea City, Norwich City v Everton Sunderland v Watford, Tottenham Hots. v Newcastle United, West Ham United v Stoke City.

2 February 2016 (7.45pm unless stated): Arsenal v Southampton Crystal Palace v Bournemouth (8pm) Leicester City v Liverpool Manchester Utd v Stoke City (8pm) Norwich City v Tottenham Hots Sunderland v Manchester City Watford v Chelsea W/Bromwich Albion v Swansea City (8pm West Ham United v Aston Villa.

19 December 2015: Arsenal v Manchester City Chelsea v Sunderland Everton v Leicester City Manchester Utd v Norwich City, Newcastle United v Aston Villa Southampton v Tottenham Hots.

Stoke City v Crystal Palace, Swansea City v W/Ham United, Watford v Liverpool, W/Bromwich Albion v Bournemouth.

3 February 2016: Everton v Newcastle United (7.45pm).

26 December 2015 v Crystal Palace Bournemouth Aston Villa v West Ham United Chelsea v Watford Liverpool v Leicester City Manchester City v Sunderland Newcastle Utd v Everton Southampton v Arsenal Stoke City v Manchester Utd Swansea City v W/Bromwich Albion Tottenham Hots. v Norwich City.

28 December 2015 Arsenal v Bournemouth Crystal Palace v Swansea City Everton v Stoke City Leicester City v Manchester City Manchester Utd v Chelsea Norwich City v Aston Villa Sunderland v Liverpool Watford v Tottenham Hots.

W/Bromwich Albion v Newcastle Utd,

6 February 2016: Aston Villa v Norwich City Bournemouth v Arsenal Chelsea v Manchester United Liverpool v Sunderland Manchester City v Leicester City Newcastle Utd v W/Bromwich Albion Southampton v West Ham United Stoke City v Everton Swansea City v Crystal Palace Tottenham Hots. v Watford.

13 February 2016: Arsenal v Leicester City Aston Villa v Liverpool v Stoke City, Bournemouth Chelsea v Newcastle United Crystal Palace v Watford Everton v W/Bromwich Albion Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Norwich City v West Ham United Sunderland v Manchester United Swansea City v Southampton.

27 February 2016: Leicester City v Norwich City Liverpool v Everton Manchester Utd v Arsenal Newcastle United v Manchester City Southampton v Chelsea

To be continued

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015

Brazil wallop Senegal 5-0 B

RAZIL have booked their place in the FIFA U-20 World Cup final with a hugely impressive 5-0 victory over Senegal in Christchurch.

The

It's finished!

Falcons edged out of Women’s World Cup Page 60

lopsided scoreline provided an accurate reflection of a match in which the South Americans were at their scintillating best, and their African opponents powerless to resist.

This last-four encounter was all but over inside seven minutes, in fact, with Senegal floored by two crushing early blows.

The first was selfinflicted, with the

luckless Andelinou Correa turning the ball into his own net in an attempt to cut out rightback Joao Pedro’s low cross from the byline.

And worse was to follow for Joseph Koto’s side just a couple of minutes later. This time, there was no element of luck involved, with classy No10 Gabriel Jesus bursting from midfield

Continues on Page 60

Full Premier League fixtures on page 63

Serbia beat Mali 2 -1

I

VAN Saponjic scored a dramatic extratime winner as Serbia beat Mali 2-1 at Auckland’s North Harbour Stadium to set up a FIFA U-20 World Cup final with Brazil.

Not for the first time at New Zealand 2015, the

substitute was the Europeans’ hero, with his goal settling an enthralling and evenly contested match that had earlier been punctuated by strikes from Andrija Zivkovic and Youssouf Kone.

Continues on Page 60

Cameroon revive Italy 1990 spirit to create history

END OF THE ROAD — Josephine Chukwunonye of Falcons is distraught at the end of the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 Group D match between Nigeria and USA. USA 1 Nigeria 0

C

AMEROON has long been renowned for the achievements at the FIFA World Cup, most famously their iconic win over Argentina at Italy 1990. But now the

Indomitable Lionesses have created similar breakthrough success with a dynamic 2-1 win over Switzerland catapulting them into historic qualification for Continues on Page 60

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Formula (6) 5 Strengthened (6) 9 Fish (5) 10 Allow (6) 11 Interior (6) 12 Inclined (5) 14 Pace (4) 17 Colour (3) 18 Lake (4) 20 Consumer (5) 22 Drilled (5) 23 With claws (7) 24 Started (5) 26 Principle (5) 29 Hero (4) 30 Crowd (3) 32 Entice (4) 33 Aviator (5) 35 Lecture (6) 36 Aeroplane (6) 37 Memorise (5) 38 Knocked (6) 39 Costlier (6)

DOWN 1 Rest (6) 2 Floor-covering (6) 3 Bucket (4) 4 Go in (5) 5 Unseeing (5) 6 Tear (4) 7 Stove (6) 8 Dashed (6) 13 Air-spray (7) 15 Domesticated (5) 16 Leaf (5) 18 Pattern (5) 19 Allude (5) 21 Managed (3) 22 Wager (3) 24 Lodgings (6) 25 Tattle (6) 27 Figure (6) 28 Tormentor (6) 30 Booby-trapped (5) 31 Plank (5) 33 Staff (4) 34 Prong (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 4, Fling 7, Callow 9, Too 10, Rat 12, Owner 13, Chef 15, Irate 17, Guitar 19, Role 20, Agent 22, Dip 24, Derided 27, Met 28, Roost 31, Fear 33, Siting 35, Actor 37, Erse 38, Cavil 39, Nag 41, Saw 42, Pursue 43, Hewed.

DOWN: 1. Acacia 2, Allege 3, For 4, Foot 5, Lower 6, Needless 8, Wait 11, Tradition 14, Fund 16, Arid 18, Item 21, Generate 23, Peri 25, Rest 26, Done 29, Ogress 30, Teemed 32, Raise 34, Trap 36, Clad 40, Gun.

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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