How Ebola patients survived — Experts

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62211

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Nasarawa Assembly in fresh plot to impeach >>14 Al-Makura, swear in deputy

DOCTORS' SACK:

FG defends >>7 action

How Ebola patients survived — Experts

By Sola Ogundipe, Victor Ahiuma-Young, Chioma Obinna, Henry Umoru, Olasunkani Akoni & Gabriel Olawale

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•More to be discharged this week; 61 certified negative •Health workers resume duty in Control Centre •Global death toll hits 1,145; infections 2,127

•Cameroon closes borders with Nigeria

AGOS—FOLLOW ING the recovery and discharge of the first Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) patient from the isolation centre at the Mainland Hospital in Lagos, facts have emerged as to how the patients are recovering.

Meanwhile, more patients undergoing medical treatment at the Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS:

The realistic path to economic prosperity P.40

NEF'S Chibok girls ultimatum •P.48

Mr & Mrs

EBOLA SCARE—

Catholic faithful at St. Anne's Catholic Church, Odokekere in Ikorodu, Lagos present their palms to receive Holy Communion from Rev. Fr. Peter Azagba, following a directive by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria to curtail further spread and transmission of the Ebola Virus, yesterday. NAN

2015: Be patient, I won't let you down, Jonathan tells campaign groups C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

go into shock and wherever it is necessary to provide antibiotics for patients; and their body can fight the virus which in the event last no longer than 21 days.”

More to be discharged this week — Fashola

EBOLA ISOLATION WARD— Proposed isolation ward for the

treatment of Ebola patients at the Kuje General Hospital, Abuja. Photo: NAN.

How Ebola patients survived — Experts Continues from page 1 centre may be discharged this week, investigations revealed.

Experts, who commented on the development, said although 6090 per cent of people infected with the Ebola virus die, some people do recover from infection.

“Doctors don’t know for certain who will survive Ebola, and there is no specific treatment or cure for the disease. But studies suggest there are some biological markers linked with a higher chance of surviving Ebola,” the experts say.

In the view of Derek Gatherer, a Bioinformatics researcher at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, who studies viral genetics and evolution, “when a person

becomes infected with Ebola, the virus depletes the body’s immune cells, which defend against infection.

“In particular, the Ebola virus depletes immune cells called CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes, which are crucial to the function of the immune system", Gatherer noted, arguing that “if a person’s immune system can stand up to this initial attack — meaning their immune cells are not as depleted in the first stages of infection — then they are more likely to survive the disease.

“The patients that survive it best are the ones who don’t get such a bad immune deficiency. But if the body is not able to fend off this attack, then the immune system becomes less able to regu-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Do something well. Whatever you do consistently perfectly for long enough you will know how to do it and do it excellently well, it will prosper you and consistently perfect your life.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities!

Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy — Norman Vincent Peale

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RUST that your path is always perfect. This may seem like a simple statement but as we know, simple is not the same as easy. Learning to let go and trusting life’s process can be tough, but you must trust that your path is always perfect. It’s the timing we wrestle with, and this much I know about life, everything happens for us and not against us.

There is always a silver lining in the clouds, never give up, however bleak a situation may appear, keep a positive spirit and trust that your path is perfect.

Perhaps, the biggest challenge of living “trust that your path is always perfect” is believing it is possible. Trust requires that we listen to our inner wisdom; trust takes faith in the life process; and trusting means we commit to living fully in the present.

late itself", Gatherer said.

Markers Another marker linked with people’s ability to survive Ebola is a gene called human leukocyte antigen-B, which makes a protein that is important in the immune system. A 2007 study found that people with certain versions of this gene, called B*07 and B*14, were more likely to survive Ebola, while people with other versions, called B*67 and B*15, were more likely to die.

Some people may be resistant to Ebola infection entirely, if they have a mutation in a gene called NPC1.

Studies show that, when researchers take cells from people with the NPC1 mutation and try to infect them with Ebola in a laboratory dish, these cells are resistant to the virus.

Gatherer said in European populations, about 1 in 300 to 1 in 400 people has this mutation.

“But in some populations, this mutation is more common: in Nova Scotia, between 10 and 26 per cent of people have this mutation.

But the frequency of this mutation in African populations is not known,” he said.

Also giving an insight, Lagos state Governor Babatunde Fashola remarked: “This is a virus that will run a maximum of 21 days. What we must do is people who show some signs of illness should come in very early so that we can continue to hydrate them, give electrolyte balance so that their nervous system do not

Fashola, who spoke at a media briefing where he indicated that more patients were likely to be discharged this week, noted: “There is silver lining in all of this, as report reaching me shows that many of the critical patients are responding positively to treatment and are likely to be discharged next week, (this week).

“At the moment, 61 people have been certified negative and they have been freed.

“Aside the treatment for those who have full grown cases, the more important work is tracking all those who have had contact with them in order to know how far the virus has spread. It is when we have finally reach everyone that we can say that we have control over the virus.

From that place we can go back to sleep.”

Nasidi speaks Also speaking at a different forum, Director, Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, NCDC, Prof. Abdulsalim Nasidi said the likelihood of more patients being discharged arose from medical reports indicating that they are showing signs of full recovery from the disease.

Nasidi, who spoke on the probability of more patients being discharged, had earlier affirmed that there were chances of surviving the deadly disease if treated early.

“Yes, we have some of the patients who have fully recovered from the disease after intensive medical treatment and they are likely to go home and reunite with their family members soon,” he affirmed.

On the downing of tools by the health workers attending to quarantined patients at the Control Centre in Lagos, last Friday, he said the workers had resumed work after appeals and meeting held with some of the ag-

grieved workers.

Their decision to stop work followed allegations of negligence by family members of one of the patients' nurses that died of EVD last week.

It was also gathered that more essential medical kits have been made available for distribution to hospitals in anticipation of more health workers and volunteers that will be joining the joint medical team already on ground.

Death toll rises to 1,145 globally — WHO Meanwhile, death toll from the worst ever outbreak of Ebola has risen to 1,145, the World Health Organisation, WHO, has said, even as 76 new deaths were reported in two in the four West African nations affected by the epidemic.

The WHO said that a total of 152 confirmed, probable and suspected new cases of the deadly hemorrhagic fever were reported in the two day period in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, bringing the total for the outbreak to 2,127.

Chukwu addresses concerns of Ebola relatives

Minister for Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu who met with the concerned friends and families of the Ebola afflicted victims following their complaints about the welfare of their wards said: “As you know, we have a serious situation and anyone that has a relative is bound to be anxious, and when relatives complain, we must listen.”

Chukwu admitted that all the complaints were being investigated, adding that he had been briefed on the development and recommendations were being put in place.

“I’m a doctor myself and I’m behaving now more as a doctor than as a Minister. Normally, when relatives of patients complain, I want to see them, working together, sometimes they do not have the full information, and who knows, sometimes they themselves can add valued to what we are doing."

Cameroon closes borders, suspends flights from Nigeria Following the fears of spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) through international air and seaports, including border land outposts of Nigerian Immigration Serives (NIS) in the Northeast sub-region of country, Cameroon has closed its borders with Nigeria and suspended all flights to and from Nigeria.

Cameroon, according to the NIS, has a border boundary of over 2, 000 kilometres in Borno, Adamawa, Taraba and Cross Rivers states in the South-South sub-region of Nigeria.

Speaking yesterday on a special programme of the Hausa Service of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) monitored in Maiduguri, the spokesman of Cameroon Foreign Affairs, Chiroumma Boukkari said the decision to close the borders with Nigeria has become inevitable, because of the fears of the ebola that spreads like wild fire in the West African sub-region.

“This decision on border closure and suspension of all flights to and from Nigeria was to protect the lives of Cameroonian citizens living within and outside from contracting ebola, as Nigeria, our main trading partner in Africa had been facing since July 20, 2014 when Patrick Sawyer sneaked into the country aboard a flight with the deadly virus.”

See more on Page 42

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Deductions from Police salaries not mismanaged — IGP

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BUJA — THE Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, said, weekend, that deductions from personnel of the force’s salaries into the Police Mortgage Bank Plc were not being mismanaged.

Abba offered the explanation shortly after presenting the bank’s “Share Certificates” to some personnel of the force in Abuja.

He said: “Nobody is tampering with the deductions; some say it was fraudulent, so many, many things. I urge every personnel to exhibit the spirit of discipline and loyalty to the force. It (mortgage bank) is a worthwhile venture.

“I urge everyone to put the insinuation behind us, that culture of drawing the force backward, the blame game, gossips and causing unnecessary division.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the bank’s Board of Directors, Mr Usman Isa, a Commissioner of Police, said as at date, the bank had an authorised capital of N5.5 billion of which N3.95 billion had been fully subscribed.

Isa said the bank, having satisfied requirements of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, was granted licence to operate as a state primary mortgage institution on Feb. 14.

It would be recalled that the police Fokas Saving Loans Ltd. (mortgage bankers), transmuted to the Nigeria Police Mortgage Bank Plc on Jan. 28.

Police rescue kidnapped mother, baby in Asaba

BY Emma Amaize

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SABA — SUSPECTED kidnappers, yesterday, abducted a mother, Mrs. Adeyemi and her baby at Asaba, but the police put up a brave performance by rescuing the victims.

The woman was driving in a Kia Sorento Sports Utility Van, SUV, along Standard Life Bible Church Road, off Direct Labour Agency, DLA Road, Asaba, when she was ambushed.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the kidnap and rescue of the victims, said the police quickly mobilised and found the baby and vehicle where they were abandoned.

She said the police, acting on a tip-off, stormed the hideout of the kidnappers in Issele-Uku and on sighting the police, the abductors took to their heels, while Mrs. Adeyemi was rescued unhurt.

DSP Kalu said detectives were on a manhunt for the fleeing suspects.

Meantime, Policemen from the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad, SAKS, Obiaruku in Delta State, have arrested a suspected 35-year-old kidnapper after a gun battle on Obiaruku-Utagba-Uno Road in the state.

Vanguard was informed that the kidnap gang broke into the residence of a lecturer at the Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, Mr. Emmanuel Okolie, at Ebayadata quarters, Obiaruku and took away his wife, Roseline, aged 52 years, to unknown destination.

They also robbed him of his

laptop valued at N140,000, Samsung X5 Galaxy phone, valued at N90,000 and N260,000 cash.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, said: “Sequel

NDLEA nabs two for drug trafficking

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By Esther Onyegbula

AGOS — OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday, arrested members of a notorious transborder drug trafficking syndicate that specialises in hiding drugs inside engine compartments of cars at the Seme border, Lagos.

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BEOKUTA — THE Ogun State Police Command said yesterday that it arrested three students of ICT Polytechnic, Igbesa in Ado-Odo-Ota Local Government Area of the state for allegedly threatening their colleague who refused to join their cult group.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi who stated this explained that, Adigun David,18, Okwuma Obiora,17 and Kenneth Mokwunye, 24, were members of a cult group identified as Vikings

The suspects identified as Chukwura Ekene and Sulaiman Akinola were intercepted at Gbaji checking point along Lagos-Seme expressway during routine check on vehicles.

According to Mr. Nicholas Ajaduronye, NDLEA, Seme Commander, “ we have apprehended two members of

Man who loses money in gambling, attempts suicide

By Ifeanyi Okolie

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AGOS — THERE was commotion on Saturday at the ever-busy Lagos-Badagry expressway, when a middle-aged man attempted to kill himself.

Vanguard gathered that the man, whose identity is yet unkown, ran in between moving

Confraternity.

According to Adejobi, the suspects have been threatening to kill their colleague for refusing to join their cult group. Based on this threat, the student eventually raised the alarm for his safety.”

Adejobi said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye commended the victim for exposing the threats of the suspected cultists.

“He lauded his courage and advised other students who experience such to reveal their ordeals in the hands of these devilish cultists to security operatives in order to save their lives and those of others,”the

in a gun battle. Consequently, one of the suspects identified as Collins was arrested, while the remaining two escaped with bullet wounds and the victim was rescued unhurt."

Traffic on Murtala Muhammed International Airport road caused by bad portions of the road.

Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

vehicles at Barracks bus stop, before laying on the ground, anticipating moving vehicles to crush him.

Eyewitness told Vanguard that several motorists were forced to a quick stop as they sighted the man on the expressway.

An eyewitness identified simply as Olushola, said it took

3 students arrested for threatening colleague

By Daud Olatunji

to report, operatives quickly mobilised and went after the hoodlums along Obiaruku/ Utagba-Uno road.

“The kidnappers, on sighting the operatives, engaged them

PPRO said.

Adejobi further disclosed that police detectives attached to Ota and Ogijo Divisions of the command have arrested some suspected armed robbers with arms at different locations in the state.

He said the detectives, who were on a routine night patrol along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway accosted some young men who they suspected at a petrol filling station.

Adejobi said when interrogated, the young men opened fire on the police vehicle and fled.

the intervention of policemen from Onireke police station, led by the Divisional Police Officer, SP, Abubakar Umoru, and some passers-by to rescue the man.

Meanwhile, when Vanguard contacted the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer at the State Command Headquarters, Lelma Kolle, he said the man had been released to his brother.

According to Kolle, “the first man entered Onireke Police Station drunk and he went straight to the counter and told the policemen he met that he wanted to be killed. The police asked what was wrong with him and he said, he has lost a huge sum of money in gambling and he is fed up with life.

“They told him to be calm that they don’t kill people in police station, that they only help people. Before they could say another word, he sprang out of the station and ran straight to the expressway and laid on the ground and the policemen ran after him and rescued him. At the moment, he has been released to one of his brothers.”

a drug cartel that smuggle drugs into the country from Ghana. One of the suspects, Chukwura Ekene, 40, hid 18.3kg of compressed cannabis inside the air condition compartment of his Mercedes-Benz car while Sulaiman Akinola, 35, concealed 9.750kg of ephedrine and 1.3kg of heroin inside the head lamp of his Toyota Camry car.”

Speaking on the arrest, the commander, Seme Area Command of the NDLEA, said between January and June 2014 the agency seized a total of 102.405kg of narcotic drugs and arrested 20 suspected drug traffickers, 18 males and two females. Of the cases charged to court within the period, four had been convicted while other cases are ongoing.

Those arrested include a 24year-old student, Babatunde Gafar, found with 15.5kg of cannabis disguised as cassava flour and a 40-year-old trader, Obiasulu Chukwujekwu, found with 2kg of cocaine in a false bottom of his bag. Babatunde Gafar and Obiasulu Chukwujekwu were arrested on their way from Benin Republic.

NDLEA spokesman, Mitchelle Ofoyeju, said preliminary investigation revealed that Chukwura Ekene and Sulaiman Akinola are notorious drug smugglers that hide drugs in their vehicle engine components from Ghana to Nigeria. They operate under the cover of commercial transportation.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 —7

DOCTORS’ SACK: FG defends action

By Sola Ogundipe & Victor Ahiuma-Young & Chioma Obinna & Gabriel Olawale

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HE FEDERAL Government, weekend, defended its decision to sack 16,000 resident doctors across the country, saying the move was to allow the government appraise the training programme, even as the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State Branch, dismissed the action describing it as ‘ a huge joke.’

Meanwhile, the Chairman House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said the sack of the resident doctors by the Federal Government was ‘highly questionable’ on several fronts.

Reacting to the sack at a press conference in Lagos, the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu said there had been problems with the training which also informed the ongoing doctors’ strike. ‘’The suspension affects all Federal Government hospitals, State Teaching Hospitals are not affected. ‘’The government suspended the training to allow for critical investigation and come up with better ways to improve the training, ‘’he said.

He alleged that the doctors have not been participating in the management of Ebola and that they would not be missed.

“We just feel that we needed the space, to take a look and make it better so that we can get the best from the programme. It is not a permanent thing; it is just to allow us to make appraisal. But of

course if you close a programme in a university, you cannot keep the students idle. They either go for another course meanwhile or they wait indefinitely. After that, we will restart the programme.

“We keep forgetting that no

doctor has been stopped from working. Some of them may want to volunteer for this Ebola response. If any of them volunteers I would recommend them to the President. That is my

job as the Minister of Health. In a university when you temporarily suspend a programme, why must you keep the students?” he explained.

The Secretary, Lagos NMA, Dr.

Babajide Saheed, warned that the sacking of resident doctors would increase mortality and morbidity rates and worsen health indices in the country.

RALLY: From left, Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker House of Reps, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the federation and Abia State governor, Theodore Orji in chat during the zonal rally of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, Anambra State.

....Lagos NMA dismisses govt action I N A separate press conference weekend, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State Branch, weekend dismissed Federal Government sack of 16,000 resident doctors across the nation describing it as ‘huge joke’.

Speaking, the Chairman, Dr Tope Ojo vowed that the doctors

will not resume talks with the government until sack is unconditionally reversed. “It is with deep sense of sympathy for our dear country that we received the tyrannic news that the federal government of President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked 16,000 resident doctors

nationwide with effect from 14th August, 2014. In as much as this appears to be huge joke, it will be necessary to reflect on the synopsis of this failing system.”

Ojo said: “This sack action must have proven the unrepentant hatred of Mr. President and the federal

government for doctors, considering that since this current regime, several unions generally have embarked on industrial actions for even longer periods, that witnessed several failed negotiations too, before eventual resolution and same punitive actions were never applied.

....Sack of 16,000 doctors highly questionable — Abike Dabiri-Erewa

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N A press statement issued yesterday, in Lagos, Chairman House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike DabiriErewa described the sack of over 16,000 Nigerian resident doctors by the Federal Government as ‘highly questionable’ on several fronts, adding that “chief amongst which is the present emergency

medical situation currently plaguing our nation.”

Dabiri-Erewa noted that it is understandable that the Federal Government may have disagreements with the striking doctors, but opting to sack all resident doctors given the present predicament is unjustifiable, insensitive and inconsiderate.

She further said that the indefinite suspension of the residency programme also poses a threat to the development of the already ailing healthcare sector in Nigeria.

“Resident doctors form a great part of the foundation upon which the medical practice in Nigeria is built,” she stated.

A new Nigeria is possible — Anya

By Princewill Ekwujuru

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LDER STATESMAN and delegate to the just concluded National Conference, Professor Anya O. Anya has urged Nigerians to believe in themselves and in their nation in order to evolve a new Nigeria.

Professor Anya made the call, weekend, in Lagos at the public presentation of 'The Niche,' a Sunday newspaper published by Acclaim Communications Limited.

Delivering a paper entitled: ‘The challenge of believing,’ Professor Anya, who was the chairman of the launch, said that “if the truth be told, there is no other nation today whose citizens deride her

and speak ever so often in such negative terms as Nigerians do to Nigeria."

According to him: "Nigerians are always competing even within the leadership of the nation, in our telling of the most derogatory and unwholesome tales of our nation, and we have all contributed to a new definition of the meaning of patriotism through our negativity. We encourage others to deride our nation.

"Over the last 15 years Nigeria’s economy has been growing far above the global average higher than at any other period since the 1960's.

"The re-basing of Nigeria’s economic fundamentals has now revealed that the Nigerian

economy is now by far the largest economy in Africa.

“Indeed, it is easy for us to forget that Aliko Dangote, operating in this inclement Nigerian environment in less than 15 years became wealthy and earned the accolade of Africa’s richest man.

"I saw it happening from 1997 to 2012. It only dramatised that which we have always intuitively known but ignored, the potentiality of this nation is way beyond the normal, not only in the economy, but also in education, in health, in infrastructure and in the 'can do spirit' that the world sees when Nigeria competes with others outside Nigeria.”

“They are the younger generation of doctors who are constantly understudying their superiors with a hope to replacing some of our renowned consultants in later years. The message being sent by the Federal Government to our youthful doctors is clear and simple: 'we do not care about you or your profession. To us you are worthless.'"

"This same message delivered in several other ways has caused tonnes of our doctors to continue to relocate to western countries.

"Their numbers have become so significant they have even formed associations in the United Kingdom and United States of America. For the sake our nation’s medical sector, this perception needs to be addressed promptly.

Dabiri-Erewa maintained that the action smirks of high handedness and gross irresponsibility both to the sacked doctors and to the nation’s citizenry who are the ultimate victims.

....TUC urges FG to reverse decision

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RADE UNION Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has implored the Federal Government to reverse its decision to sack the striking doctors, warning that the nation could not afford any calamity such sack might cause.

TUC in a statement by its President and SecretaryGeneral, Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal, respectively, said “ while we understand the plight of the government in having to simultaneously contain both the threat of Boko

Haram to national security and the challenge of the Ebola disease, we consider it very precarious for it to insist on sacking the doctors at this time.

“On the other hand, we charge all the doctors to listen to the voice of reason and the cries of Nigerians and end (or at least suspend) the strike and return to work, if only to resolve the Ebola mystery on our hands.

Even enemies strike a truce and unite when faced by a more dangerous mutual adversary.”

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Etisalat targets 5,000 cell sites before year end ...Invests $300m on network in 2013

By Prince Osuagwu

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TISALAT NIGERIA, weekend, announced that it plans to increase its cell sites to 5,000 before the end of the year to complement its 7,000 Base Transmission Stations.

This is even as the company said it had invested over $300 million between 2013 and 2013 alone to achieve the rich network and ubiquitous data experience it claimed to be known for at the moment.

Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Matthew Wilsher, was to ensure that quality of service from its network remained stable.

The company said that currently its current capacity is 7,000 base stations and about 4,000 sites.

Base station refers to the equipment that facilitates wireless communication between user equipment and the network, while cell sites are elevated structures that typically support the antennae and sets of transmitter/receivers transceivers, digital signal processors, control electronics, GPS receivers.

Cell sites are primarily to backup electrical power sources and sheltering.

2015: Be patient, I won’t let you down, Jonathan tells campaign groups .Former deputy govs, women group urge President to run

By Henry Umoru, Dapo Akinrefon and Caleb Ayansina

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BUJA — AHEAD his formal declaration for his re-election bid come 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan has pleaded with Nigerians, especially his pro-campaign groups to be patient with him as

a decision which would be favourable to them, will be taken soon, just as he declared that he will not let Nigerians down.

President Jonathan at a rally in Abuja tagged, 'Return Jonathan 2015 Rally,' organised by House to House Campaign Organisation for Democracy, urged Nigerians to unite against

FOUNDATION: Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR), laying the foundation block of Squash Court of Gbenga Power Foundation, while the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (right), Gbenga Olusegun-Power, his wife, Lyfia (middle), and others watch, in Ilorin, weekend.

RENEWED PLAN TO IMPEACH AL MAKURA: Culture of

impunity under Jonathan —APC

By Dapo Akinrefon

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HE All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the renewed plan by the Nasarawa House of Assembly to impeach Governor Tanko Al Makura, alleging that the state lawmakers are bent on thumbing their nose at the constitution in their desperation to remove the governor, who had been cleared of the charges against him by a duly constituted impeachment panel.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party argued that the move by the House of Assembly to remove the governor through the back door, would amount to an "illegality for the lawmakers to draft a pliant Vacation Judge, as it has been reported, to set up another panel

to probe the same 16 allegations over which the governor has been absolved of any wrongdoing."

The party, however, pointed out that only the Chief Judge of the state can set up such a panel, upon receiving a request from the Speaker of the House of Assembly, "hence any attempt to draft a Vacation Judge to set up another panel will mean working against the spirit and letter of the same constitution that gave the legislature the impeachment power in the first instance."

In addition, the APC explained that Gov. Al Makura cannot be impeached on the basis of the same allegations, noting that if indeed the lawmakers want to follow the constitution, they will have to find a new set of alleged impeachable offences against the governor, notify him appropriately and then forward

their request to the Chief Judge, not to a Vacation Judge."

The party expressed worry that the latest move by the legislators, "who are now marooned in Abuja instead of their base in Lafia, is being instigated by the PDP is not in doubt, irrespective of the unconvincing and tepid denial from the party.

"That this illegality is being contemplated under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan is clear for all to see. In fact, it is in line with the culture of lawlessness and impunity for which the Jonathan administration has now become infamous."

Continuing, it said: "This is the only reason the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, from Nasarawa State could be goading the state legislature to disregard the constitution."

evil activities of the insurgents threatening the corporate existence of the country.

Represented at the rally by his Senior Special Assistant on Youths and Students’ Matters, Mr. Jude Imagwe, the President stressed that if unity existed, the country would witness massive growth and general development as that would make it maintain its leadership position in the African continent.

He appealed to all and sundry for little time when he would speak on his position regarding the 2015 presidential election. He said: “Nigerians should be patient with me, I will not let the nation down.”

He assured that the Federal Government under his administration would provide a level playing field for all political parties to operate ahead of the 2015 general elections as obtained in the previous elections held in Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states with the principle of “one man, one vote, one woman one vote and one youth one vote” being at the centre stage.

On the missing Chibok girls and the call by a section of the Northern elders that there would be no general elections without rescuing them, the President who warned against politicising the all important national concern and giving it an ethnic colouration, stressed that all hands were already on deck to ensure that the girls were rescued and brought home alive to their families.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of House to House Campaign Organisation, Ogidi Ben Bara, who publicly declared President Jonathan wanted for the race in accordance with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians, disclosed that the women wing of the campaign organisation had already raised N19.5m for his nomination form.

According to him, the amount would be deposited at the Wadata Plaza National Secretariat of the PDP to purchase the nomination form for President Jonathan, adding that he was even at liberty to declare his intention at the comfort zone of his bedroom without coming to the Eagle Square or organising any rally for that.

He said that it had become imperative for the President to declare his intention now because Nigerians had waited for too long and would no longer tolerate any further delay.

Also speaking, the National Woman Leader of the group, Chief Funmi Nnaji, who urged members to return to their states and place their people on red alert for the declaration of President Jonathan for the race, said, “Once

"he declares, be ready to move from one house to another house, from friends to our opposition, from the husband to the wife until every individual joins the moving train to the Eagle Square for the formal inauguration on May 29, 2015.”

It will be recalled that the Political Adviser to the President, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali had last week declared that he inherited 3,000 of such campaign organisations demanding that President Jonathan declare his ambition for the 2015 presidential race.

Meanwhile, about 3,000 supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan, weekend, stormed the streets of Abuja for a rally and asked the president to declare his intention to seek another tenure in office.

The rally, which was organised by former deputy governors of Nigeria, under the auspices of Mass Movement for Goodluck 2015, MMG, followed the inauguration of the group and investiture of its Board of Trustees (BoT) members.

Similarly, female members of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, have handed an ultimatum to President Jonathan to contest the 2015 presidential election.

Speaking on behalf of MMG, National Coordinator of the movement, Kenneth Kalu said President Jonathan had performed well and deserved to be re-elected in 2015.

....TAN’s ultimatum

F

ORMER MINISTER of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih and a member of TAN, announced the ultimatum at the weekend in Awka during the group’s rally in the Southeast zone.

She said the women would not want the PDP to play with Jonathan's right to an automatic ticket as a sitting president, as is done in every civilised democratic nation in the world, insisting that the party must give him the ticket to run.

Anenih, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said: "This is not a PDP rally and I am not here because of PDP. "In fact, if this was a PDP rally, I probably would not have come because the party has let me down too many times. So you might ask why I am here.

"I am here on this platform as a Nigerian woman leader. I am here to tell you that President Goodluck Jonathan has kept faith with Nigerian women by empowering them in a way that no other president had ever done."

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 —9

One dies in Lagos boat explosion

By Evelyn Usman, Bose Adelaja & Monsuru Olowoopejo

L

AGOS—ONE person was yesterday confirmed dead, and unspecified number injured, as another passenger boat exploded in Lagos weekend.

Aside the deceased who was identified as Emmanuel Onu, Vanguard gathered that another passenger of the illfated boat was still in coma two

...Another still in coma days after the explosion.

It was gathered that the passengers were coming from Lekki axis of the state before the boat engine exploded at Capital Oil Jetty at Victoria Island.

Sources said aside Onu who died in the explosion, other passengers who sustained varying degrees of injury were immediately rescued and taken to

different hospitals in Lagos island.

A relative to the decease, Mr. Sunday Ezugha, who spoke to Vanguard, explained that the decease left home at the early hours on Friday to work. But two days after, his whereabouts was yet to be known.

Ezugha, tearfully said; “We have been fasting and praying

Labour Party moves to end crisis in Ogun

By Daud Olatunji

A

B E O K U TA — T H E Labour Party in Ogun State has begun moves to harmonise the state executive of the party as part of efforts to ensure lasting peace in the party, even as it plans to discontinue the suit before a Federal High Court in Lagos, challenging the authority of former governor, Gbenga Daniel in the party.

The party had been enmeshed in leadership crisis between former governor Daniel and Olabode Simeon-led executive,

polarising the party into two factions.

According to a statement jointly signed by the state Secretary, Sunday Ogini and state financial Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, the national leadership of the party had commenced the move to harmonise the two factional executives.

The statement read in part: “The harmonisation of the state executive would be done at the coming state congresses through affirmation. In a bid to end the crisis, Ondo State governor, our leader, Dr, Olusegun Mimiko, the

national Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu among other members of the national executive have ordered the suit filed against ex-governor Daniel should be withdrawn.

“The party has officially written the lawyer, Oluyede Delano to hand off from the case and we have notified the Federal High Court in Lagos through an affidavit of our desire to discontinue from the suit. Our leaders have also directed that both factions to harmonise their executive to make the party in the state more formidable.''

since Friday night when we called his phone and he did not pick. Also, when we called those we knew could be aware of his whereabouts and their answers were negative.”

Confirming the incident, the information officer of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, South-West, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye said the body of the deceased was recovered at about 10:00 am yesterday.

Explaining the accident, the information officer said “The boat which was said to belong to Aquitien Oil and Gas, took off from V-Craft Jetty, Lekki Phase One, and while trying to refill gasoline at Capital Oil Jetty at Victoria Island, the engine exploded.

“A relative, Sunday Ezugha, of one of the missing passengers, Emmanuel Onu called and narrated that the owner of the boat Aquitien Oil and Gas could not be reached since the incident occurred.”

Farinloye lamented that the information of the disaster came too late, saying; “If the emergency team were alerted earlier, the number of passengers affected would have been minimal.”

Ajimobi promises to assist Ibadan market fire victims

By Ola Ajayi

I

BADAN—GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has promised to within one week, assist victims of Friday inferno that gutted popular Aleshinloye Market, where over 500 shops were destroyed.

Ajimobi said this after visiting the place twice under 24 hours.

While inspecting the level of damage, the governor who first visited the burnt market at 2 am on Saturday and later in the afternoon, described the incident as very unfortunate.

He stressed that necessary machinery would be set in motion to provide succour for the victims to cushion the effect of the inferno.

Ajimobi recalled his experience when his Lagos private residence was gutted by fire in 1993, praying that God, who assisted him to overcome the incidence, would also compensate the traders.

Police to enforce law against smoking in public places

By Esther Onyegbula

L

AGOS—AS the ban on public smoking yesterday became effective, Lagos State Police Command weekend said it had put everything in place to enforce ban on public smoking in the state.

To ensure effective enforcement, the command in collaboration with British America Tobacco, BAT, organised a one-day sensitisation programme for senior police officers across the state, aimed at helping officers to understand how to enforce the new law.

Delivering a paper on Understanding the Lagos State Regulation of Smoking Law, at the event held at the Police Officers’ Wives Association, POWA, Ikeja, a legal practitioner, Mr. Obafemi Agaba, emphasised the key provisions of the law and penalties for offenders.

Labour tasks FG on Oshodi/ Apapa road, others

By VictorAhiuma-Young

O

RGANISED Labour in the nation’s Chemical and Non-metallic products sector of the economy weekend in Akure, Ondo State, called on the Federal Government to expedite action on collapsed federal roads across the country especially the Apapa/ Oshodi Expressway and Umuahia-Ikot-Ekpene Road and Aba-Uyo Road.

Under the umbrella of the National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Leather, Rubber and Nonmetallic Products E m p l o y e e s , NUCFLRANMPE, the union lamented that while the failed portions of the A p a p a / O s h o d i Expressway had continued to cause gridlock and nightmare for road users and business operators, the Akwa-Ibom-Cross River axis of the southern Nigeria had been cut off from the other parts of the country because of the poor state of Umuahia-Ikot-Ekpene Road and Aba-Uyo Road.

President of the union, Mr. Boniface Isok, said “the collapse of road infrastructure in the past years is witnessing improvement now but more are still expected in this regard. We want Federal Government to place emphasis on the repairs of Mile 2-Wharf road in Lagos being the only road that links Apapa seaport to the hinterland. ''The experience on this road is terrible such that two of out three loaded containers fall off the truck carrier almost on daily basis causing loss of lives and traffic logjam.

“In the same vein, the Akwa-Ibom-Cross River axis of the southern Nigeria is cut off from the other parts of the country because of the poor state of Umuahia-Ikot-Ekpene Road and Aba-Uyo Road.

These two roads have become impassable for vehicles thereby causing people to spend almost five days for a journey of less than one hour. ''We implore the Federal Government, the state Governments, the Senators and Representatives of the concerned constituencies to be responsive to the plights of the masses and build the roads.”

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Dangote laments effect of poor power on industry

By Daud Olatunji

A

B E O K U TA — PRESIDENT of Dangote Industries, Aliko Dangote, has said industrial sector in Nigeria is collapsing due to poor power supply, noting that he has spent N45 billion in the last six months to power Ibese cement plant.

Dangote spoke while conducting cement distributors round the soon-to-be-commissioned cement production lines at Dangote Cement Plant at Ibese, Ogun State weekend.

According to him, “Industries are dying in Nigeria as result of inadequate power production from the national grids or nonavailability of gas to power companies’ independent power projects. In the last six months, we have had challenges of gas supply which made us to fall back on diesel and did not allow us to produce at maximum capacity to meet the demand.

I want government to help industries to grow in making sure that there is enough gas because the only thing that we are getting from them is gas so that we can continue to generate our own power.''

EKITI: Military didn't rig for us — PDP

By Gbenga Ariyibi

A

DO EKITI—EKITI State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dismissed allegation by All Progressives Congress, APC, that the Federal Government deployed the military to the state during the June 21 governorship election to assist it in rigging the election in favour of its candidate, Mr. Ayo Fayose.

The party equally decried a statement credited to the state chairman of APC, Chief Jide Awe

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—OVER 6000 persons from communities in Ondo South and North Senatorial districts in Ondo state weekend benefited from the free medical programme of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The free medical programme, put in place in conjunction with ProHealth, was executed in Igbobini, Ese-Odo local government, Odun Igo in Ilaje local government area and Ajowa-Akoko, Akoko North-West councils.

According to PDP, “This is what we are saying. In Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, their man, lauded the presence of security agents during his election. He even went to thank President Goodluck Jonathan after he won saying the presence of military men dissuaded people from fomenting trouble. Let them come out to prove how security men helped the PDP in either Ekiti or Osun State. In Ekiti State, there was no reported case of

INAUGURATION From left; Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; The Primate of the African Church, Nigeria and Overseas, The Most Rev, Emmanuel Udofia; General Secretary of the African Church, Arch. Adesegun Enigbokan and Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, at the inauguration of Ondo Central Missionary Diocese of the African Church Church, at Ebenezer African Church, Akure, weekend.

violence on Election Day because security agents were around. We have it on good authority that APC leaders were saying that they could have disrupted the collation of results when they were getting feelers that they were losing in almost all polling units in Ekiti.”

On the 2015 general elections, Oluwawole said “Governor Fashola of Lagos had to take a policy somersault on fees in state institutions because they know that they are becoming unpopular on a daily basis. By now, we are sure that Nigerians, and even outsiders familiar with political developments in the country and who are not bought over by the propaganda machinery of the APC, would have seen the double speak and the double standards in the party.

“APC is only interested in destroying whatever does not favour it. How were they used as guinea pig in Ekiti? Let them explain to the whole world. The Ekiti June 21 election was adjudged credible, free and fair by local and international observers. It is only the eyes of APC leaders that could not see the election the way others saw it. Also, their minds could not comprehend because they are heading for destruction. They should be told to keep their ‘gun powder’ to prove how they were cheated in the election for their wilderness journey at the tribunal. We know that they are only going to self-destruction.”

Politicians fault distribution of permanent voter’s card in Oyo

By Ola Ajayi

I

6,000 benefit from free medical programme in Ondo

that APC was used as a guinea pig by the PDP-led Federal Government to ensure victory for Fayose in the election.

Awe was quoted by a national newspaper (not Vanguard) as saying Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State won his re-election because the PDP was unable to manipulate the poll like it did in Ekiti.

PDP in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, yesterday in AdoEkiti, described the statement as misleading and myopic.

BADAN—POLITICIANS in Oyo State weekend faulted the just-concluded distribution of permanent voter’s card, PVC in the state, claiming the exercise was fraught with crass irregularities.

Leaders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of colluding with All Progressives Congress, APC to deny members of their PVC. In a swift reaction, APC State Chairman, Chief Akin Oke dismissed the allegation that APC colluded with INEC to perpetrate what the opposition party, PDP called ‘structural rigging', saying “it is a blatant lie. Do INEC officials know whether you are from the APC or PDP? It is unfair for them to say that when we ourselves had avalanche of criticisms against the exercise. ''In all the 33 local governments in the state, we werev already compiling our reports and possibly meet the INEC on Monday. In fact, some of our members were saying the exercise was to rig the election for the PDP to which I said no.” He complained bitterly that the exercise was a flop at Afijio, Ibadan South

West and other councils where the party has large followers.

He called on INEC to consider extension of the exercise so as not to shut out anybody during the election.

However, a chieftain of PDP Senator Lekan Balogun, who spoke when some eligible voters from Lagelu Local Government

protested at his Alarere residence in Ibadan, alleged that the exercise had been compromised.

He said, “there was so much fundamental and structural rigging going on. The exercise has flopped.'' The exercise was worse in Afijio, Akinyele and ibadan North East. Cards were

primarily kept for the exclusive use of INEC friends in All Progressives Congress. This exercise has to be cancelled or extended so that we start afresh. We observed that it was only opposition party members that were struggling to get their cards while APC members felt relaxed.

Theses shoddy deals would not help democracy.”

Ebola: NBA urged to cancel annual conference

By Innocent Anaba

T

HE Chairman of Governing Council of National Human Rights Commission, HNRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, to cancel its annual conference slated for Owerri, Imo State over the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD outbreak in the country.

Odinkalu in a statement, yesterday, said “As its contribution to the current measures to control and manage the public health emergency caused by the presence of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria, the NBA has a responsibility to defer its annual conference scheduled to take place

in Owerri, from 24 until 29 August 2014. It will be ill-judged to continue with the conference in the circumstances of the present public health emergency prevailing in the country.

“On August 8, the World Health Organisation, WHO, declared the current outbreak of the EVD in West Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC. On the same day, Nigeria’s Federal Government proclaimed a nation-wide public health emergency for the same reasons. Among other control and prevention measures, both the WHO and the Federal Government discourage large

gatherings during this emergency.

“In Nigeria, government at federal and state levels have agreed to extend the current school holidays while measures are taken to assess the Ebola threat and bring it under control.

Section 45(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution gives government a responsibility to take reasonable measures to manage rights in the interest of public health. These measures have been taken under this power. They are both lawful and sensible.

“The NBA conference is usually a very large gathering. Its venues usually attract well in excess of 20,000 participants, traders and visitors. It’s an excellent place for a virus in search of vectors.''

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 —11

ALLEGED N7.5BN MISAPPROPRIATION:

AMNESTY PROGRAMME:

Ignore Wike, Amaechi’s aide tells Rivers indigenes •I didn't pocket N2bn —Wike

Ex-militant leaders laud Kuku

P

By Jimitota Onoyume

ORT HARCOURT— Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mr Tony Okocha, has called on Rivers people to ignore allegations by the Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike, that Governor Rotimi Amaechi misappropriated N7.5

billion meant for construction of the 1000-bed space Adolphus Karibi White Hospital.

Okocha said in Port Harcourt, yesterday, that the hospital project was ongoing, adding that Wike had developed a penchant for maligning the governor with unsubstantiated claims.

He said if the minister was in

2015: North more developed under Jonathan —Kuku

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN CITY — SPECIAL Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Committee, Mr Kingsley Kuku, weekend, said President Goodluck Jonathan had developed the North more than former Presidents of Northern extraction, adding that whether the North wants it or not, President Jonathan will run for a second term.

Dismissing the recent position of some leaders of the North that President Jonathan should find the Chibok girls abducted by the Boko Haram sect or forget 2015, Kuku said it would be in the best interest of the North to back President Jonathan in 2015, insisting that the President needs a second term to be able to develop the Niger Delta, where he comes from else he may not be allowed home by his people.

He spoke while delivering a lecture at the 10th convocation ceremony of the Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Edo State.

Noting that there was still poverty in the Niger Delta more than the North contrary to the claim of the North, Kuku said: “The North East has leaders, elders, it has former Generals, current Generals, it has governors. People of the NorthEast have ruled this country more than the Niger Delta. This is the first time we are ruling this country. They ruled this country for 39 years plus, they talk about under development, come and see poverty in the Niger Delta, you will be embarrassed.

“A man who is on water but cannot get water to drink, a man who will excrete in that water and drink from where he excretes, then you are talking about poverty to that man. Then this same man is the one who contributes 90 per cent to the economy of the country, then you undermine that man. You will say he is the one under developing your place

how?

“In fact, the Niger Delta people are telling President Jonathan that except in his second term he faces the Niger Delta, he should not come back home. He brought railways back.

Railways for 30 years never worked in this country, Jonathan brought it back and you say that President is not good? For the first time, from Lagos to Kano by rail is working. Look at the road from Benin to Ore, the road is so beautiful.”

doubt over any state government project, he should feel free to consult the line ministries handling them.

He said: “My answer is simple.

Wike is well aware of how projects of this nature are handled. The company proposing to handle the job comes before cabinet where members are at liberty to ask questions. The governor aggregates the views. Once approval is made, the line ministry follows up the process until the point of release of funds.

"If Wike is at a loss, he should refer the matter to the Commissioner, Ministry of Health. He is speaking out of ignorance. The job is ongoing.

He just wants to malign the governor otherwise he knows the process. As we speak, that project is ongoing. It was not designed for completion in a one month or a year.”

I didn't pocket N2bn —Wike

Meantime, Wike has said he

Sapele power firm dialogues with protesting workers

By Emma Amaize

S

APELE—EURAFIC Power Limited, the new management of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, Ogorode, Sapele, Delta State, has commenced dialogue with ex-workers, whose protest over unpaid salary, last week, paralysed the company’s operations.

Public Relations Officer of the company, Mr. Ernest Atsenuwa, who confirmed the negotiation, however, said the management had already paid April salary and also agreed to pay the controversial March salary to the ex-workers.

The disengaged workers claimed they were being owed salaries for February, March and April and other entitlements, including productivity bonus.

Atsenuwa said: "On the issue of salaries, there was no generation in March 2014 up to the middle of April 2014 and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said that there will be no payment of capacity charge for the period.”

He said the productivity bonus being agitated for should have been paid to the exworkers as at December 2013 and that Eurafic Power Limited took over Sapele Power Plc in late February 2014.

According to him, some of the workers were laid off by government before Eurafic took over, and the company unconditionally offered six months contract from November 2013 to terminate in April 2014 after which the workers could be laid off with either one month notice or one month salary in lieu.

did not pocket N2 billion allegedly released for construction of 14 model primary schools in Obio Akpor Local Government Area while he was Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt in the first term of Amaechi.

Wike, who spoke in Port Harcourt, weekend, when people of Evo Kingdom in his Obio Akpor council visited him at his Port Harcourt residence, said it was not true that he was given such money to construct schools.

He said if it was true that he pocketed such money, the governor would have ordered his arrest. He wondered why the governor would still have nominated him for ministerial appointment if he was certain he was a dubious character.

Governor Amaechi had during a recent visit to Rumuomasi charged the people to ask Wike to explain why 14 model primary schools valued at N2 billion meant for Obio Akpor council were not constructed.

BENIN— EX-militants leaders, under the Phase 3 amnesty programme in Edo State, have commended the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Committee, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, for what they described as his sincere efforts in running the programme.

The leaders, in a statement

by Mr Godstime Ogidigba, Peter Edah and Edwin Ojujoh, condemned comments in some quarters that politicians had hijacked the programme.

They said: “Our boys are now learning different trades abroad and in Nigeria. It is unfortunate that some fake people, who were never involved in the Niger Delta struggle now describe themselves as ‘Generals’ with a view to rubbishing the amnesty programme of the Federal Government.

“We will not allow that to happen because the amnesty programme has ended militancy in the region and our oil production has increased."

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Stop exposing your child to prostitution, Akpabio's wife warns women

By Chioma Onuegbu

U

YO—Wife of Akwa Ibom State governor, Unoma Akpabio, has warned women to stop exposing their children to prostitution and child labour in exchange for promise of money and other material gains.

She also warned them to stop abusing their children or use them for ritual purposes.

Mrs Akpabio, who spoke, yesterday, at The Lutheran Church of Nigeria, Nung Udoe in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of the state, during her campaign to sensitise churches on the need to fight against child abduction, and stealing, identified greed for money and carelessness among most women as responsible for most of the problems in the society today.

She said: “Most mothers are careless by allowing their children to go to school and church alone. Most of the times, when these children do that they don’t come back home because they had been kidnapped or abducted on their way.

“We should be careful about the things we do and we should not look for things we cannot have. Don’t think that you are too poor to educate your child and send your child out because of greed. If you are poor, take advantage of the free and compulsory education put in place by the state government and make sure you train your child."

Nigeria 'll overcome current security challenges — Oshiomhole, Minimah

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN CITY— GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Kenneth Minimah, have expressed confidence in the ability of the Nigerian Armed Forces to defeat the terrorists troubling parts of the country.

Speaking weekend at Nigerian Army Corps and School of Supply and Transport, Benin City, Edo State during the commissioning of its remodelled Officers Mess, facilitated by the state government, Governor Oshiomhole said terrorism and other violent crimes were alien to the nation and would be stamped out in no distant future.

He said: “We in Edo State appreciate the sacrifices the men and officers are making at this critical time of our history in dealing with new forms of crime that one never thought was possible in this country a couple of years back.

“We appreciate the will, the determination to confront the risk and to defeat them. I believe the Commander-in-Chief and our President, Goodluck Jonathan, is providing the leadership and the Nigerian Army is doing an excellent job in making a bold statement that these terrorists will be defeated.

By the grace of God Nigeria will be secured for generations yet unborn.

“I want to thank Mr

Tension in Bayelsa community over shooting of ex-militant’s brother

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—TENSION is brewing in the riverside town of Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over the alleged shooting of 26-year-old Kingsley Otokolo, younger brother to an ex-militant leader, by armed personnel of the council task force against illegal bunkering and oil theft.

The incident, which occurred last Thursday night on the Peremabiri waterway, led to a war of words between the council Chairman, Remember Ogbe and the exmilitant leader, Mr Eris Paul.

The ex-militant leader, Paul accused the vice chairman of the council and the Chairman of the Council’s Task Force, Progress Neverdie of allegedly ordering the shooting of his brother over alleged fictitious claim of involvement in

illegal bunkering.

But the Council Chairman, Ogbe, in a statement in Yenagoa, claimed that Kingsley was among 13 suspected oil thieves shot by the security personnel attached to the Southern Ijaw Oil and Gas Task force.

Paul, in a statement confirming the shooting of his brother, said “the Southern Ijaw Council Vice Chairman and the leader of the civilian task force, ordered the arrest of my cousin over possession of three 25 litres of empty plastic of fuel.

“But the Navy stationed at the entrance of Peremabiri community decided to set him free after searching his boat and nothing incriminating was found. There after, same Neverdie, later called on his men and ordered them to shoot at him."

President, who graciously approved the Army to support and compliment the efforts of the Nigeria Police. For us in Edo, the Nigerian Army is part and parcel of the community. Edo people are proud of the Nigerian Army and are proud of the contributions you are making to make Edo State safe.”

In his remarks, the Chief of

Army Staff, Lt-General Minimah, assured Nigerians that the Nigerian Army will overcome the current security challenges facing the country.

He said: “Let me reassure Nigerians that the current security challenges and other security challenges bedevilling the country are surmountable and will soon become a thing

of the past. The Nigerian Army will not relent until all forms of terrorism and criminal activities are driven out of our shores. We cannot and will not fail the nation.

“I want to thank the governor and people of Edo State, not only for this project but for other interventions in the Nigerian Army barracks in Edo State.”

GEL WINS AUW AWARD: Sir Rick St. John (right) hands over AUW Award to the

Group Marketing and Communications Director of Genesis Electricity Limited, GEL, Desiree Mc Nabb during the Africa Utility of the year award 2013/2014, in Cape Town, South Africa.

VOTERS' CARD COLLECTION: Oru, Ochei laud INEC for peaceful exercise

By Emma Amaize & Festus Ahon

U

GHELLI — MINISTRY of Niger Delta Affairs minister, Dr. Steve Oru, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the peaceful conduct of the just concluded collection of Permanent Voters' Card, PVC, exercise across the country.

Meanwhile, the Delta State Police Command has counselled registered voters in the state, who were unable to collect their permanent voters card INEC, not

to panic.

In Warri, Asaba and other parts of the state, yesterday, most registered voters skipped church service for their registration centres to pick up their cards, which were unavailable in most cases.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, in a statement, said though the collection of the cards expired yesterday, “INEC has made arrangement to leave all uncollected PVCs with the Local Government Area Electoral Officers in the state.”

....Mutu commends electorate

B

OMADI —HOUSE of Representatives member, Mr Nicholas Mutu has commended Bomadi/Patani federal constituents, Delta State for coming out en-masse to collect their voters' car during the just concluded exercise.

Speaking shortly after he was presented with his permanent voter ’s cards at Akugbene town, Ward 7, he informed the electorate that the voter’s card was their power, noting: “The card is your right to vote for a

candidate of your choice. To show your support for an aspirant is to cast your vote for him. If you do not have your voter’s card, you cannot vote to show that you are in support of him.”

Accompanied by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, flagbearer for Bomadi Local Government Area, Chief Karetimi Felix Oluwole and other party chieftains, Mutu lauded INEC for the smooth conduct of the exercise in Akugbene.

Oru, who spoke shortly after collecting his PVC at this polling unit at Otovwodo Primary School, Ughelli North Local Government Area, described the exercise as very peaceful and orderly.

He said: “So far, the exercise is peaceful and people are orderly and not unruly. It is a good process being managed by INEC. I wish to congratulate them for having a peaceful exercise which is for the promotion of democracy."

Also, former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Victor Ochei, has applauded INEC on the just concluded Permanent Voters’ Card, PVC, issuance exercise in the state.

Speaking while monitoring the exercise at the collection and revalidation centres within his Aniocha North constituency, he noted that the exercise had portrayed the election regulatory body as being proactive in the drive to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2015.

He said: “The exercise is commendable as it will not only reduce to barest minimum, cases of electoral fraud but also provide ample opportunity to those who hitherto had not been registered by the electoral body to do so."

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 —13

Obi encouraged APGA defectors — Umeh

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA — MORE facts emerged, yesterday, on the recent defection of four members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with the national chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh accusing the immediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, of instigating the action.

Addressing reporters at Aguleri, the home-town of Governor Willie Obiano, Umeh said the former governor was the architect of the defection.

“The plot of the defection was hatched by Obi and his associates,” he stated, adding that “part of the group’s gameplan was to go to the Presidency to say that APGA was not supporting Jonathan, which is not true,” he said.

He described those who decamped from APGA as election ticket hunters, noting that whenever they did not get what they wanted from a party, they began to curse that party, and urged them to leave APGA alone.

According to him, "APGA is supporting Jonathan 100 per cent and has even set up a NonGovernmental Organisation,

NGO, called ‘Join Jonathan Journey, JJJ, which will be launched in Awka next Wednesday."

He also said the reason given

by Obi for resigning as the chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of APGA was due to the new appointment he got from Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah as the South East coordinator of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN. According to the APGA chairman, APGA had wanted to inaugurate Obi as a BoT chairman before leaving office as governor and that the party asked him to provide a budget for the special convention to that effect.

Umeh regretted that the former governor dilly-dallied, apparently because he had made up his mind not to accept the role.

Umeh said: “With all our hearts, we wanted to make him the APGA BoT chairman and leader of our party, but the issue was that because of the leadership crisis

experienced in the party then, he thought that my leadership had come to an end and there was therefore no need to deal with us."

Reacting to Chief Vioctor Umeh, Obi's media aide, Mr. Valentine Obienyem said that "even till today, Mr. Peter Obi remained the face of APGA and a consistent APGA member."

According to him: "If Obi had not stayed in court to regain his mandate, to fight his impeachment, to seek tenure interpretation, there would have been no APGA today. If he had not supported the present governor under APGA, the party would have ceased to exist.

"He saw the party to its second tenure in Anambra and in the end handed over to an APGA-elected governor."

He added that "during electioneering, Anambra people, including Umeh said APGA won because of Obi's work in the state.

Even when he was asked to leave the party, he refused, while he lost the opportunity of being appointed a minister because he refused to join another party.

"Just in December, Sir Victor Umeh presented the most Consistent and Trustworthy Party Man's Award to Obi. It is, therefore, unfortunate for anybody in Nigeria of today to call Mr. Peter Obi an ingrate, not to talk of APGA members.

"Obi fulfilled his promises to everybody, including Chief Victor Umeh, who is far far better than he used to be before he met Obi. Those who are ingrates are those who said he would become the Leader and Chairman of the party's Board of Trustees, which could have been ratified the next day, but failed to do so for their selfish reasons.

"Obi remains an APGA member and has only resigned from being the Leader and BOT designate."

We're not opposed to Jonathan running in 2015, says S-East APC

By Tony Edike

E

NUGU — THE South East zone of All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, reiterated it was not opposed to

President Goodluck Jonathan running for the Presidency in 2015, saying he had the constitutional right to seek reelection.

The party was reacting to the

endorsement of President Jonathan as Igbo candidate by some South East political leaders in Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, under the canopy of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, rally in Awka, Anambra State, last Saturday.

Notable among the PDP Igbo political leaders at the rally who joined in asking the President to contest include Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Josephine Anenih, who represented Nigerian women in the zone.

Others are: billionaire businessman, Arthur Eze; former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, who spoke on behalf of the South-East caucus in the National Assembly.

But reacting to the rally in a statement, yesterday, by its spokesman, Osita Okechukwu, South East APC said was, however, opposed to the scant strategy adopted by NdigboChop-Sand-Band of politicians, who crave to put all their eggs in one basket.

2015: Abia guber aspirant disowns posters

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA — A governorship aspirant under the ruling PDP in Abia State, Dr. Uche Ogah, has disowned his posters pasted in different parts of the state, saying he did not authorise any person or group to do so.

Ogah said he suspected that his political enemies were behind the posters and urged his supporters and well-wishers to wait for INEC’s go-ahead before posting his campaign posters.

Ogah said as a law abiding citizen of the country, he would wait for INEC to officially give the go-ahead for campaigns for 2105 elections before beginning moves for the election.

Vet docs want better labs for diagnosing animal diseases

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI — THE Veterinary Council of Nigeria, VCN, has called for the reinforcement of laboratories to assist in proper diagnosis of animal diseases in the country.

President of the Council, Professor Garbura Sharubutu, made the passionate appeal during the continuing education seminar organised for veterinary doctors in Owerri.

The VCN boss explained that the continuing education programme was a deliberate effort of the Veterinary Council to acquaint members of modern techniques in the profession.

The issues bordering on the welfare of animals and ways of preventing them from transmitting diseases to human beings were extensively discussed at the seminar.

Sharubutu expressed concern over the continuous abuse of animal rights in the country, as well as regretted that sick animals were even given medications without proper diagnosis, leading to a situation that ultimately endangers the lives of the animals and human beings.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

NYSC denies suspension of orientation course in crisis-prone states

By Caleb Ayansina

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B U J A — N AT I O N A L Youth Service Corps, NYSC, weekend, debunked a media report that the orientation course for prospective corps members deployed to crisis-prone states has been suspended due to the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD. The scheme urged prospective corps members to ignore the report, saying orientation course for corps members deployed to Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno states was still on course.

A statement by the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relation, Mrs Olubunmi Aderibigbe, described the report as misleading, asking corps members to report to their various camps for proper documentation.

The statement read: “The attention of the NYSC Management has been drawn to a news report aired on AIT to the effect that the orientation course for prospective corps members deployed to Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno states has been suspended due to the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease.

Nasarawa lawmakers consider fresh impeachment against Al-Makura today

By Soni Daniel

A

LL is still not well between Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State and majority of the members of the state House of Assembly, despite escaping the first round of impeachment two weeks ago.

The aggrieved lawmakers, who are unhappy that the governor was cleared of all the allegations they levelled against him, hatched a fresh plot at the weekend at a secret location in Lafia, the state capital to push out the governor within a week.

Under the plot, which has now received the blessing of the PDP top hierarchy in the country, Al-Makura is to be probed by another panel to be hurriedly raised by a vacation judge in the state and made up mostly elements to be selected by the lawmakers.

To pave the way for the raising of another panel to tackle the governor, the lawmakers are planning an emergency session on Monday during which they would pass a vote of no confidence on the State Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko and suspend him from office.

While on suspension, the lawmakers would empower the vacation judge in the state to constitute a ‘friendly’ panel to take a fresh look at the allegations of gross misconduct and indict the

governor within the first day of sitting.

Based on the report, the legislators are to remove the governor the following day and swear in his deputy, Dameshi Barau Luka.

A top source close to the lawmakers told Vanguard last night that they were set to reconvene early this week and pass a resolution directing the Vacation Judge in the state, Justice Rose Soji, to raise a fresh panel to probe allegations of gross misconduct against Al-Makura.

The source explained that the legislators were determined to

take any step possible to ensure that the governor was removed within a week from the date of the setting up of the new panel.

The official explained that the lawmakers opted to take fresh steps to sack the governor since the Chief Judge had violated the law by putting pro-Al-Makura members in the panel that eventually cleared the governor.

The source said: “What the lawmakers are going to do this time around is to ensure that the governor is removed within days by the anti-Al-Makura panel they plan to raise on Monday or Tuesday this week before the CJ,

Justice Suleiman Dikko, who they don’t trust returns from vacation next month.

A top government official privy to the plot said that the lawmakers are angry with the governor for various reasons chief among them being that he refused to dump the APC for PDP after being assisted to win the election petition case in 2012.

The governor is also said to be in the lawmakers’ bad books for reporting them to the EFCC that they pocketed billions of state funds under the guise of executing non-existing constituency projects.

CJN sued over alleged fraud in appointment of FCT judges Hilary Udebuani, specifically sitting at the FCT high court,

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—ABUJA Division of the Federal High Court has been asked to stop any move by either President Goodluck Jonathan or the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, to appoint five new judges for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. The court was asked to invoke its powers and stop the planned elevation of the new judges, following alleged fraud in the appointment process which was allegedly skewed to favour specific states.

The suit, which was filed by an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mrs. Chidinma

fingered the Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Ibrahim Bukar, in the alleged appointment fraud.

He was said to have abused the law by deliberately listing only people from certain parts of the country to head courts in the FCT, an action said to be in gross violation of the federal character principle.

The lawyer argued that the law that established the FCT Judiciary, provided that it should have a composition of 37 judges excluding the Chief Judge, with the result that there shall be a judge from each state of the Federation and the FCT. The plaintiff told the court that whereas some states like Katsina have about four judges currently

some states have none.

According to the plaintiff, “the Chief Judge of the FCT has been in breach of the said legislation, which was meant to run with the spirit of the Federal character as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The breach manifests itself in the discriminatory method of appointment in the FCT High court, particularly of the High Court judges.

“That a state like Kastina has always had four Judges until recently when one of them was elevated to the Court of Appeal, still leaving three judges to the credit of Kastina, while other states have no representation.''

2015: Atiku begins peace tour

By Okey Ndiribe

A

S part of his preparations for the 2015 presidential race, former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, is about to begin a national peace tour that will take him to major decision-makers, opinion moulders and groups across the country.

Vanguard learnt that the tour, tagged “Atiku Peace Tour” will take the former vice president to key places and people nationwide.

According to an authoritative source within the Atiku Campaign team, the tour is designed to “give hope to the hopeless masses, rekindle their patriotic zeal, duty to country and responsibility to society.”

The source told reporters over the weekend that Atiku, who is known to be eyeing the presidential ticket of All Progressives Congress, APC, had begun extensive consultations with stakeholders in Nigeria and abroad.

It was also learnt that Atiku’s bridge-building effort is designed to tackle most of the core challenges facing the nation. It was gathered that the former vice president, and his new team, will be meeting diverse religious and professional bodies nationally and internationally.

The source said: “ His mission is to gauge the pulse of the people on the country's many challenges and proferring lasting solutions to them.”

Atiku, who is believed to be a strong advocate of interfaith dialogue as a way of lessening tension in the land, may actually begin his campaign by taking messages of peaceful co-existence, true nationalism and an end to religious fanaticism and extremism that breed rebellion and anarchy.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 15

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 THE dastardly “importation” of the dreaded Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) into Nigeria by the late Patrick Sawyer almost a month ago, has brought out the best in the government and people of Nigeria, surprisingly. As soon as Sawyer was identified as a possible carrier of the plague, the authorities took proactive steps to establish quarantine facilities. They ensured that all those who had made primary and secondary contact with the Liberian were identified and handled professionally.

It has helped to limit the scope of the infection within the populace, though latest reports have it that the number of people infected has skyrocketed to 198 as at press time. However, the fact that 177 of these cases were found in Lagos and 21 in Enugu, with all known cases within government quarantine facilities or under strict watch means the situation is still under control. This has got Nigeria commended by the World Health Organisation, WHO. It is heartwarming that Nigerians met this health emergency eschewing politics, ethnicity and religion, the usual factors that

All-out war on Ebola disease are exploited to cause disharmony among us. Nobody has brought in the issue of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) or All People’s Congress (APC) into the matter.

The Lagos State Government has worked harmoniously with the federal. It also took the foresighted step of visiting Prophet TB Joshua of the Synagogue of All Nations Church and successfully reached an accord that nobody carrying the disease should be brought there, either from Nigeria or any part of the world.

The media has played its professional role, devoting a large part of its activities to enlighten the people about the plague and how to take measures to avoid it becoming a pandemic. The federal govern-

ment has also done exceptionally well with President Goodluck Jonathan taking the lead in ensuring that the disease is controlled.

However, the situation has not escaped the attention of mischief makers, who have exploited the open social media forums to spread dangerous and false claims, causing widespread panic, particularly in portraying the bathing and topical intake of salt water as a “cure” for Ebola. This has also led to a number of fatalities by those who allowed themselves to be hoodwinked.

While we commend all Nigerians for standing up together to ward off the Ebola threat, we urge everyone to fully cooperate with the authorities and voluntarily submit themselves and loved ones for medical attention whenever Ebola infection is suspected. The law enforcement agents should also trace and set examples with the mischief makers.

If we tackle our national problems with the same unity of purpose we have applied to the Ebola scourge, our nation will be the better for it.

OPINION

By Femi Ayelabowo

A

FTER all the noise and the heightening of the blood pressure of Nigerians by the irascible All Progressives Congress, APC, it was a delightful surprise that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Foces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, was magnanimous enough to let the noisy and lying party to win.

Why would Jonathan flock Osun with security forces when he did not plan to give victory to his ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP? Either the President is a waster of precious national resources on a group that has continued to denigrate him and almost set the country on needless fire, or the zoologist is simply naive.

Or, as many of his praise singers have been inundating the media space, he is the one this nation has waited for since 1960 to become the beacon of hope in a political system that has been at the root of all our malaise.

And while the self-confessed street boy, Aregbesola, was talking like the street kid that he still remains, the Presidency had this to say of the election that consolidated Aregbesola’s term for another four years: "President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan congratulates Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State on his victory in Saturday's governorship election in the state."

According to Reuben Abati, Jonathan's spokesman, the President commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and national security agencies for ensuring that the election was free, fair, credible and peaceful in keeping with the avowed commitment of his administration. He also wished Governor Aregbesola continued good health and a

C M Y K

So Jonathan allowed Aregbesola to win… successful second term in office.

The comment of the street kid was way different from the general opinion of those who monitored the elections and applauded Jonathan's management of the Ekiti and Osun elections.

Read Aregbesola: "Ordinarily, this should be a moment of joy and celebration consequent upon the hard earned triumph of the people’s will. However, this election shows that democracy is still gravely endangered in Nigeria. We witnessed gross abuse of power and, of due process before, during and even after the actual voting process. It is so sad and unfortunate that what should be a normal, routine process was maliciously allowed to snowball into a needless virtual war by the Federal Government and the PDP. "Osun State was unduly militarised in an unprecedented manner through criminal intimidation and psychological assault on our people. This election witnessed an abuse of our security agencies and amounted to a corruption of their professional ethics and integrity.

"The security agencies were unprofessionally utilised in Osun State to harass, intimidate and oppress the people whose taxes are used to pay their salaries and provide their arms. Hundreds of leaders, supporters, sympathisers and agents of our party were arrested and detained. Also, hundreds of other innocent citizens, including women and the aged, were harassed, brutalized and traumatised. In spite of this condemnable repression and abuse of human rights, the unflagging spirit of our people

triumphed.”

But President Jonathan’s measured reaction actually diminished the APC and its re-elected gubernatorial candidate in Osun. He said: "The outcome of the election has also given the lie to the false, unfair and uncharitable allegations that measures put in place by the Federal Government for the Ekiti and Osun states elections were partisan and designed to achieve a favourable outcome for his party."

The President gave a thumb up to Osun people for coming out in large numbers on Saturday in all the local government areas of the state to peacefully and freely exercise their democratic right, trusting in his assurance that all necessary measures would be taken to ensure their safety and the sanctity of their votes.

While the President was being a statesman and should be commended by the benefiting Governor, he rather chose to behave less than a man, declaring that a strong signal had been sent to all that no might is powerful enough to thwart the will of the people, forgetting that the same might saved him from the political hawks in the PDP. Aregbesola said: "This should always strengthen our resolve to ensure that as from now on, every vote must not only be counted but must count in this country. Nobody or party must ever exercise power unreasonably at any level except in accordance with the will of the people to whom sovereignty belongs."

As the President reiterated his belief that the free, fair and peaceful conduct of the elections had fully reaffirmed his

administration's determination to positively reform Nigeria's electoral processes, the beneficiary was busy fouling up the air with base comments.

However, Jonathan said he looked forward to continuing to work with Aregbesola and other state governors to further improve the living conditions of Nigerians in Osun and other states of the country.

With the ingratitude that Aregbesola has displayed, there is no doubt that his opponents should set up a robust system to monitor his every step, or like the APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, suggested, set up a parallel government to keep him on his toes. Since they thought up this, it will be necessary to use Osun as a test case.

Addressing a huge crowd of supporters at the party’s mega rally for the re-election of Aregbesola at the Osogbo Township Stadium in Osogbo, the APC National Chairman, Odigie-Oyegun, said the battle line was drawn.

As he put it: “The battle line is already drawn.

“The APC is prepared for free and fair election. If anyone steals our mandate on February 20, 2015, we will resist it and set up a people’s government. Let them be warned, there would be dire consequences for this.”

Now that Jonathan has spared APC the honour of setting up a parallel government in Osun, nothing stops Iyiola Omisore from doing so with a “shadow cabinet” of his own. *Mr. Ayelabowo, a political analyst, wrote from Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State.

CORPORATE FINANCE

NSE: Stocks

price erosion imminent over /P26 weak earnings P. 26

AUGUST 18, 2014

AGIP, GE frustrating local content, gas supply T

BY OMOH GABRIEL

HERE are indications that many international oil companies operating in Nigeria are frustrating government efforts at achieving local content in the oil and gas industry. Manipulations and flagrant disregard of laid-down rules have become the hallmark of their operations across the country.

Agip Oil Company and General Electric have been particularly fingered for their attempts to disregard directives from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in the award of contracts for the maintenance of OBOB/Kwale/ Ebocha gas plants.

Going by various correspondence between Agip, GE, NAPIMS and Arco, the Board of NNPC awarded a five-year contract (2006 -2011) to Nuovo Pignone (now GE) together with Arco Petrochemical Engineering Company Plc, a wholly-owned Nigerian company as the local Technical Partner, for the maintenance of the OBOB/Kwale/Ebocha gas plants. The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) allegedly changed the contract terms and awarded the same contract to GE. Arco which was used as a local technical partner was reduced from being a partner to a subcontractor. This, it was gathered, was the beginning of a long chain of improprieties by GE and NAOC against local firms in a bid to frustrate the local content law.

According to documents sighted by Financial Vanguard, within one year of the commencement of the contract, the Niger-Delta crisis erupted and GE expatriate staff had to be evacuated from OBOB/ Kwale/Ebocha. Arco’s engineers and technicians

zIOCs run riot, disregard rules zAn oil & gas installation

took up the challenge and successfully maintained the plants for six months before the crises abated and GE staff eventually returned to site.

In gratitude to Arco for managing the plants in its absence, GE poached 19 of Arco’s engineers and technicians, reduced the scope of Arco’s jobs and introduced third-party firms to undertake part of Arco’s scope of work in the contract with the sole

aim of making it difficult for Nigeria to realise its local content dream as far as Agip and GE are concerned.

But GE in response to Vanguard’s inquiry through a third party TPT said: “What do you mean by Arco staff? We are not poaching anybody. We believe that there are qualified and experienced Nigerians from Continues on page 18

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18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Cover Story

Vocation and technical education — a key to improving Nigeria’s development (part 3)

A

COMMISSIONING: - Nigerian Consul-General in Jeddah, Ambassador Ahmed Umar (left) with MD/CEO, Medview Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole cutting the tape during the commissioning of Jeddah Regional office of Medview Airline ahead of Direct Scheduled flights to Saudi Arabia.

AGIP Oil, GE frustrating local content, gas supply all disciplines that can join the GE family. That is why we believe in training, technology and skills transfer. It helps the local economy and it is the right thing to do. “ But when asked why recruiting Nigerians to fill expatriate quota and yet pay them low wages? It said; “See answer to question one”.

On whether it is true that there is a global agreement between GE and Agip Oil? The response was: “I will have to confirm. If you have been following the company ’s recruitment process over time, you will realise every candidate is given equal opportunity.

Each opening is usually placed on the firm’s website.”

The various measures taken

by Agip and GE, it was gathered, created industrial crisis in Arco. Furthermore, GE, in concert with NAOC, even wrote to NAPIMS/NNPC to drop Arco from the contract.

These unilateral improprieties

by GE and NAOC were rebuffed and largely resolved by officials of NAPIMS/NNPC. According to Financial Vanguard investigations, after expiration of the 2006/2011 contract, another long-term contract was expected to be awarded after necessary tender. Pending conclusion of the tender process, an interim or stop-gap maintenance contract is expected to be awarded to the contractor on site, i.e. Arco/GE or Arco as the local company. The objective of this is to keep the gas plants under proper maintenance while a new five-year contract is being processed. After inconclusive rounds of discussions on prices for the stop-gap contract by GE and Arco with the JV Partners (NAPIMS/NAOC), NAPIMS asked GE and Arco to individually submit quotes.

NAPIMS, it was gathered, found Arco’s quote lower than GE's. Because of Arco’s proven ability to carry out the job alone, a feat it achieved in 2007 when C M Y K

GE withdrew its expatriate staff from the gas plants for a period of six months at the peak of the Niger-Delta crisis, NAPIMS directed the handing over of the plants to Arco for maintenance for six months at a rate of $37million per annum.

The job is currently being executed at a cost of $87million per annum by GE with Arco as a sub-contractor.

NAOC, it was gathered, has continued to resist this directive. The resistance as investigation has revealed, is to enable NAOC hand over the maintenance jobs to a Nigeriabased Italian-managed company called Plantgeria Co. Ltd.

The question industry players worried about the development are asking is: If $10million can realistically carry out the maintenance contract, what has been happening to the difference between GE’s $87million annual cost and proposed Plantgeria’s $10million annual price quote? The whopping difference of the sum of $77 million per annum translates to an excess charge of $154million since January 2012. Or, is this new quote a strategy to bring Plantgeria into the contract and NAOC will later change the terms to the status quo? All these are the

,

Continues from page 17

The question industry players worried about the development are asking is; if $10 million can realistically carry out the maintenance contract, what has been happening to the difference between GE’s $87 million annual cost and proposed Plantgeria’s $10 million annual price quote?

,

According to NAOC’s logic, Plantgeria can do the job at a cost of $10million per annum.

But investigation has shown that Plantgeria has never carried out any rotating equipment maintenance before and is therefore incapable of appreciating the enormity of the job. This, it was learnt, is being contrived by GE to enable it continue to maintain its positions of expatriate personnel in the plants based on the offshore treaty between GE and ENI/NAOC. The plan, it was gathered, is for GE to invoice directly to NAOC for these services. As a result, the effective cost of the stop-gap contract will be much higher than Arco’s quote of $37million. Some of these facts are said to be hidden from NAPIMS.

fears of NNPC/NAPIMS officials who have continuously insisted on fair play to the greatest resistance of NAOC. NAPIMS had on June 13, 2014 in a letter signed by Jonathan Okehs, Group Managing Director NAPIMS, written to NAOC stating: “We hereby reaffirm the position of NAPIMS management as follows: that NAOC proposal to execute an interim award contract with Plantgeria for a replacement tender of which award recommendation has not been presented for NNPC Board consideration and approval is declined and not approved; NAPIMS will not support any cost expended on NAOC Continues on page 19

n entrepreneur is a person who makes plans for a business or a piece of work and gets it going. Anyanwuocha (2001) observes that the entrepreneur is the chief coordinator, controller and organiser of the production process. The entrepreneur combines other factors of production (land, capital and others) in such a way as to obtain maximum production of goods and services at minimum costs.

In order to effectively enhance occupational skills in the present day, entrepreneurs need also to acquire information and communication technology knowledge and skills. Mkpozi (1996) observed that a country that is developing and manufacturing its own goods either from Hi-Tech or small/ medium scale industries using indigenous skills and exports some of those goods to other countries is usually economically stable. This could be better achieved through the acquisition of entrepreneurial and occupational skills in technology and vocational education. Individuals with technical and vocational skills and good knowledge of ICT are characterized by self-reliance, self-employment and fit properly into today ’s technical, entrepreneurial and business world.

The entrepreneur should therefore possess technical skills, ideas and management skills which are necessary for the success of the venture. One of such skills is information and communication technology which is characterized by employee empowerment and involves the making of unskilled and semiskilled workers to be skilful and functional in today’s world of work. It also involves the development of taskoriented team of workers who no longer depend on individual managers for all their decisions to achieve targets. Technical process re-engineering are also required to redesign technical work processes, jobs, organisational structure, management system, and also in process designs in manufacturing industries.

These components of ICT have great implications for the enhancement of entrepreneurship education in technology and vocational education field of work.

According to Azuka, Nwosu,

Kanu and Agomuo (2006), classroom behaviour must align with ICT-driven environment which is constantly shaping and reshaping the work place and consequently, what is learnt and how learning takes place.

There are various numbers of opportunities for technology and vocational education graduates with entrepreneurship skills in ICT-driven technical and vocational education environment.

These opportunities exist in various forms for enhancing entrepreneurship skills.

Nwabuona (2004) views entrepreneurship education as the identification of the general characteristics of entrepreneurs and how potential entrepreneurs can be trained in management techniques needed for effective performance of persons for long time survival of an organisation after the acquisition of occupational skills. Therefore, the roles of technology and vocational education in enhancement of entrepreneurship skills is to identify and equip graduates with critical wealth of skills, technical knowledge, and a good measure of selfconfidence using information and communication technology competence.

The entrepreneur should therefore possess entrepreneurial and management skills which are necessary for the success of the venture. Ogalanya in Nwabuona (2004) identified entrepreneurial skills to include managerial or administrative skills, job/ technical skills, human relations skills, innovative/ enterprising skills, competitive skills, communication skills, conceptual/planning skills, supervisory/guidance skills, according skills, investigation/problem solving skills. Ohakwe (2003) observed entrepreneurial skills as banking transactions, internet concepts and skills, internet websites knowledge and skills. An adequate knowledge of these concepts, skills and internet competences certainly is an asset to technology and vocational education graduates in today ’s ICT driven world.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 19

T

HE disclosure on Thursday last week that Nigeria is now importing Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) is, to say the least, alarming. The way the country is going, very soon Nigeria will be importing water that is abundantly available in the country. Nigeria in the recent past used to export LPFO to generate foreign exchange. But today, many industries in the country are said to be importing LPFO. LPFO is mainly used in industries as fuel for generation of power or for firing their heaters.

Allocation of the product was made to industries through marketers when the refineries were fully operational. LPFO at the time was mainly exported but now, the country has to helping the power sector offset resolve the outstanding issue.

The question is: Where are import the product. In a country the N25 billion inherited by the the results of similar power firms from the PHCN where power supply is erratic and insufficient, industries legacy firms that has become a interventions in the past? resort to use of gas and LPFO challenge to increasing gas There was intervention in textile, aviation and SMEs? supply for power generation. to generate power.

The Committee said: “Today, What is the state of these Unfortunately, a country that is blessed by God with there are enough incentives for sectors as of today?

Most industries in Nigeria abundant crude oil and gas the gas companies to produce cannot find its feet to produce gas and that is necessary rely on gas supply and LPFO enough gas and LPFO to power because when you look at the 26 to power their plants as public industries. Yet, Nigeria is generating stations in Nigeria, power supply has become a aspiring to become a leading they are all gas-dependent. So standby thing, are now economy among the comity of we feel that is one major suffering as a result of nations. Dangote Cement PLC incentive that would help the inadequate gas and LPFO which raised the alarm over gas companies to begin to supply causing them to continued short supply of gas produce locally. Another and LPFO in the country said incentive has to do with the very clearly that the situation legacy debt. The legacy PHCN has gone from bad to worse in had accumulated about N25 the last six months. Lamenting billion and the gas companies the shortage of gas and LPFO have always been agitating that supply in the country, Mr the debt be paid otherwise they Devakumar V G Edwin, would not produce so as not to Managing Director, Dangote begin to accumulate new debts.

Cement said that if the situation The Bankers’ Committee is produce far below their is allowed to continue much willing to support an initiative installed capacity. If firms in longer, it will have adverse where a special purpose vehicle the real sector are not effect on industries and the (SPV) would be set up that producing enough to meet recently privatised power sector. would provide loans to clear local needs, Nigerians will But Nigerian officials who play that debt and over time, the continue to depend on import to the gallery would always loans would be recovered from for a long time to come. From want Nigerians to believe that the multi-year tariff order what is happening in the everything is working and that (MYTO) and direct deductions." country now, the most there is hope that things will This is a trap that would enslave unfortunate of it all is the fact electricity consumers by the that LPFO which was supplied soon improve.

While Dangote Cement banks in an effort to recover to industries from Kaduna and officials raised alarm over the their loans. Nigerian banks do Warri refineries is now being non-availability of gas, the not have long-term capital to imported by companies. Why Bankers' Committee through invest in long-term projects. is Nigeria going round in Jubril Aku wants Nigeria to Setting up a special purpose circles? Why can’t Nigeria get believe that the banks will vehicle by the banks will be a just one good head as a leader come to the nation’s rescue by short-term measure that will not to break this jinx? Importation

When will Nigeria gain economic freedom? of fuel and other things that can be produced locally is appalling and disheartening.

Where is this government's gas master plan? When are Nigerians going to begin to see results? Motions without movement of various administrations in this country is sickening.

Nigeria recently privatized the power sector. The generating companies made huge investment in the various power plants but unknown to many, gas supply will become

,

Let Nigeria refineries begin to work; the National Assembly should open up the oil sector to private investment by passing the PIB bill

,

a hindrance to moving forward. Today, many are struggling to pay through their noses. The privatization raised the hopes of Nigerians on regular power supply, but that is now far-fetched as hope for gas supply looks very dim.

Many of the powergenerating companies (GENCOs), are already facing difficult times as a good number which borrowed money from banks are finding it difficult to meet their obligations to the banks because they cannot generate enough power due to lack of

gas. Some of the loans taken by these power operators may go bad and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) may be called upon to buy off these nonperforming loans in banks. But AMCON has already foreclosed further purchase of nonperforming loans in Nigerian banks.

Failure of these loans to perform portend great danger to the banking industry and the economy as a whole. If the situation is not nipped in the bud, another round of banking crisis may rear its ugly head with its attendant consequences. Every Nigerian should be concerned at this development as it will hinder the prospects of job creation and further compound the unemployment situation in the country. The unemployment situation in the country is already bad but this situation may cause companies to begin to retrench workers and push more Nigerians into the labour market. So the nation must be prepared for more robberies and militancy by youths from across the country.

Let Nigeria's refineries begin to work. The National Assembly should open up the oil sector to private investment by passing the PIB bill, and then Nigeria will be free from the shackles of the greed that has held the nation to ransom.

Cover Story Continues from page 18 maintenance service contract for gas turbines and related equipment for OB/OB, Ebocha and Kwale gas plants arising from NAOC execution of such services with Plantgeria; and that NAOC should immediately commence negotiations with Arco Petrochemical with a view to awarding a six-month stopgap contract using the manpower loading that was approved for 2013 stop-gap contract, etc.

Although Agip was unwilling to speak on the issue in a letter to GED, NNPC dated 23rd April and signed by Massimo Insulla, Vice-Chairman/ Managing Director, NAOC, it said: “We refer to the letter NAP/ GD/GM/84 dated 14th April 2014 (attachment 1), through which NAPIMS has maintained its earlier position of awarding a six-month interim contract for the subject service to Arco Petrochemical

AGIP Oil, GE frustrating local content, gas supply Engineering Company Limited (“Arco”) as against NAOC’s recommendation, communicated via letters CAB/SPR/ABJ/ L004921/14 dated 18th March 2014 (attachment 2) and CAB/ SPR/ABJ/L004804/14 dated 14th February 2014 (attachment 3) respectively to NAPlMS to utilise the result of the concluded tender for a replacement contract.

This is following exchange of several letters between NAPIMS and NAOC on this matter.

NAOC is therefore left with no other option than to seek the intervention of your esteemed office in the matter based on the reasons enunciated hereunder.

The JV Partners awarded the contract for the global maintenance of the rotating machines in OB/OB and Kwale Gas Plants to GE International Operations Nigeria Limited (GEION), with Arco being a

technical partner to GEION in June 2006 after a tender exercise. The contract had a mobilisation period of two months and duration of four years plus one year optional extension. The overall duration expired in October 2011. On expiration, the JV Partners awarded a one year stop-gap maintenance contract to GEION, based on the then existing framework agreement between GEION and Arco, till December 2012 and consequently agreed to commence a tender for a replacement contract in early 2012. Due to the prolonged tender timeline caused by the complexity of the service and the need to fully comply with NCDMB and JV requirements, GEION, with Arco being a technical partner, was further engaged under a renewed stop-gap contract till

the end of 2013. During the said 2013 stop-gap contract, the JV Partners made concerted efforts to bring down the maintenance cost by impressing on GEION to increase Arco’s work allocation in the framework agreement between them and reduce the applicable prices.

The various negotiation meetings held between the JV Partners and GEION/Arco in Lagos and Abuja in respect of said JV Partners’ target could only achieve a new GEION/ Arco framework agreement wherein Arco had a better share, but with not much impact on the maintenance cost.

Consequently, it was jointly decided by the JV Partners to channel more energy to the conclusion of the tender for the replacement contract that was already at a technical evaluation stage then.

“We wish to point out that the

JV Partners (NAOC/NAPIMS/ POCNL) have already jointly concluded the tender process for the award of the said replacement contract to the bid winner, Plantgeria Nigeria Limited.. As required under the JOA, NAOC (as operator) has by its letter dated 24lh January, 2014 requested NAPIMS and POC (N)L approvals to award the contract to the bid winner.

A copy of the said letter is enclosed herewith for ease of reference, While NNPC Board’s approval to award of the contract to the bid winner is being awaited, NAOC as operator has recommended that a stop- -gap contract for the required services be awarded to the bid winner, Plantgeria Nigeria Limited.

However, NAP1MS has insisted that NAOC should

Continues on page 20 C M Y K

20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Business & Economy

BoI assures funding machinery from FIIRO Olam subsidiaries support society for the blind

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HE subsidiaries of Olam International in Nigeria’s Food and Beverages sector, weekend, supported the “fitness for the Blind walk”, a yearly event organised by Nigeria Society for the Blind.

Some of the subsidiaries of Olam in the packaged food business environment in Nigeria that featured during the walk include, Olam Sanyo Foods, Ranona Limited and OK Foods.

In a statement, the company said, “We will not relent in our efforts in making our contributions to the society.

This year ’s event has been well supported by various subsidiaries of Olam International.” The company also reaffirmed its commitment to customer satisfaction adding that, it would not relent in its effort of providing quality products to meet the everchanging needs of consumers.

Chairman, Nigerian Society for the Blind, Mrs. Biola Agbaje, said, “We have had incredible support from some corporate organisation who have come out to support us, as we are a totally voluntary organisation so the more help we can get the better.

Consumer Brands Award holds next month

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he organisers of Consumer Brand Awards, weekend, said they will host this year’s edition on October 18th at the Sheraton Hotels in Abuja.

The award is being organized by Consumer Campaign Foundation in collaboration with ConsumerGuide Nigeria to showcase consumer-friendly brands for the year.

In a press statement, Mr. Musa Polycarp , Chairman of the Committee, said “the awards are coming at a time when most manufacturers or service providers have cultivated the habit of short changing the average consumer, by way of marketing or selling sub-standard products and services”.

On the credibility of the award, Musa said “those to be awarded are the high flyers, who have stuck to the provision of high quality products using high standards at achieving the end product churned to the consumer”.

C M Y K

By FRANKLIN ALLI

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HE Bank of Industry (BoI) has assured industrialists in the country of funding support if they purchase equipment fabricated by the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO).

Rasheed Olaoluwa , Managing Director/Chief Executive of BoI, gave the assurance when he visited the management of FIIRO in Lagos. “Rather than appeal to industrialists to utilise FIIRO’s inventions, we will support those who come to take up equipment from FIIRO,” he said.

He disclosed that the bank was in the process of procuring the services of professional Business Support Service Providers (BSSP) and urged FIIRO to key into the initiative in order to help prospective loan seekers acquire information and develop bankable applications.

“One of our key strategic development initiatives is to pursue linkages between industrialists and centres of innovative development solutions that can produce indigenous and low cost

technology that would help accelerate growth industrially,” he said.

He pointed out that in every state of the country, Nigeria has at least one agricultural product that can be focused on for commercial and industrial development and that industrialisation based on agriculture will make a lot of

impact on the population.

He said that the bank and FIIRO were in alignment in helping to create jobs and assured the researchers of BoI’s support in terms of collaboration; informing and sensitising Nigerians; the promotion of developed technology through exhibition and other avenues

to ensure their visibility and availability.

“It is essential to build capacity for accredited equipment fabricators to improve our local technology by making it more effective, attractive and low cost in order to also encourage the youths to participate in Nigeria’s industrial revolution in this digital age,” he said.

AGM: From left: MD/CEO, UBA Asset Management Limited, Mrs Modupe Mujota; Head, Legal/ Trust Services, Union Trustees Limited, Mr. Ekom Umossoh; Group Counsel, UBA Capital Group, Mr. Leo Okafor , at the 7th Annual General Meeting of UBA Mutual Funds, managed by UBA Asset Management Limited, held in Lagos.

COVER STORY

AGIP Oil, GE frustrating local content, gas supply Continues from page 19 negotiate with Arco with a view to awarding the stop-gap contract to Arco, and not the bid winner. As we have clarified to NAPIMS, it would be improper to implement NAPIMS’ present request for the following reasons that it would be against procurement due process to negotiate with, or award a stop- -gap contract to Arco, since Arco participated in the tender process and did net win.

Awarding the contract to Arco, for whatever duration, will call to question the integrity of the tender process, and it cannot be justified internally to JV Partners’ respective stakeholders and externally to the oversight authorities who may subject this matter to scrutiny.

Such award to Arco may also expose the JV to needless legal claims from other companies that participated in the tender process, with the attendant costs/adverse reputational implications for the JV Partners and possible stoppage or stalling of the maintenances services which are critical for the JV operations.

Awarding the stop-gap contract to Arco, which is a sub-contractor to GEION that is the original contract owner, may result in litigation between GEION and Arco in which JV Partners could be joined as parties, with potential

consequences similar to those highlighted in point two above.

In addition, acceding to NAPIMS’ request will make the JV Partners to incur higher cost, which is against the JV’ Partners’ objective of cost saving. The cost of the bid winner is approximately US$10,000.000 per annum as against Arco’s estimated cost of between US$35,000,000 and US$40,000,000 per annum as derived from the final quotations submitted last year. It is, therefore, more beneficial to the JV Partners to award the interim contract to the bid winner, Plantgeria Nigeria Limited, and not Arco.

However, the minutes of a meeting of the JVC and the contractors March 8, 2013 had stated that the JV Partners reiterated that they want the negotiation between GEION and Arco to be concluded as soon as possible so that the stop-gap contract can be closed out. In response, GEION made a presentation to the meeting which highlighted its proposal for the intended structure for the stop-gap contract as well as the number of units that it will cede to Arco. However, some issues came up from the presentations, which are: The total number of eight (8) units proposed by GEION to cede; to Arco was considered by the JV partners to be inadequate

to bring the price of the contract down to comfortable level; GEION’s modality for ceding the units to Arco/ is two (2) machines per quarter, if GEION is “satisfied” with Arco’s performance.

This was unacceptable to both the JV Partners and Arco; Arco expressed its preference for the whole nine units (9) located at Kwale instead of the 8 units on scattered locations.

The reasons adduced for this are efficient and effective coordination of operations; better interface management; accountability of KPI; and reduced interference. The JV Partners requested again that GEION and Arco should further engage themselves in negotiations and report back to the JV Partners by Friday, March ’15, 2013. While positions were being canvassed on the best way to move forward, the Leader of GEION’s Team got up and said emphatically that none of the units in the gas plants would be ceded to Arco for sole maintenance. In his own words, “GE will never; I say “never!” cede any of the plants to Arco.”

Another representative of GEION informed the meeting that “ENI and GE have a global agreement already in place that will make it impossible for GE to give Arco any of the plants to maintain.”

At this point, the representative of Agip immediately chided

GE’s representative for revealing the existence of the global agreement between their two companies that would prevent Arco from taking over the maintenance of any of the units of the gas plants. In anger, he told the GE representatives: “Shame on you!” As it were, Agip and GE now have to settle their own score on the matter.

Industry players are of the view that “the global agreement between Agip and GE is the root cause of the project management issues between GE and Arco on the one hand and Agip and Arco on the other. It shows clearly that there is no responsibility in the global arrangement to grow the local company by GE or Agip. Cost reduction expected by the JV for the stop-gap contract would be a challenge to meet if GE in their global arrangement with Agip, is designated the sole source for all spares, even for non-GE equipment. Any such global arrangement is suspect in price gouging and wringing.

There is no reason for this sole source since OEM parts of all equipment are available at competitive prices and delivery schedule from licensed agents around the globe.

By extension, the global understanding between GE and Agip would appear to undermine the credibility of the NIPEX Tender process which is being used in procuring the next GMS contractor. We do not think bidders for the on-going GMS

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 21

Business & Economy

CBN gives banks Dec 31 deadline on funds transfer status

BY PETER EGWUATU

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has given banks operating in the country up to December 31, 2014 to achieve “Highly Secured Online Funds Transfer” status.

The CBN, in a circular signed

by Director, Banking & Payments System Department, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, released yesterday, titled “ The Review of Operations of the NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) system and other electronic payments options with similar features” stated that the decision was taken to further strengthen the risk aversion measures put in place for the operators of the Nigeria Interbank Banks Settlement System, NIBSS Instant Payment System, and other electronic payments options with similar features.”

Under the Highly Secured Online Fund Transfer, the apex bank stated that Daily Limit for instant Value for Individual is N1 million, while Corporate is N10 million; The Daily Limit for Next Working Day Value for Individual: N10 million and Corporate: N100 million.

According to Fatokun “ Limit of N1 million (Instant value) and N10 million (Next day value) shall be applied for NIP and NIBSS Electronic Fund Transfer, NEFT respectively, and other electronic payments

options with similar features, initiated by individuals, with effect from September 1, 2014.

There shall be no limit on the amount that can be received into a customer’s bank account from the platform. For same day value (NIP), the maximum amount that can be transferred by an individual (cumulative) is N5 million.”

The guidelines further stated that a customer shall issue a written indemnity to the bank,

where they chooses to initiate transactions above the limit specified in the Highly Secured Online Fund Transfer, subject to maximum of N5 million and N100 million for Individual and Corporate customers respectively.

Other conditions in the guidelines is that “ Banks are to establish internal procedures /policies for variants of the N5 million limits; Transactions above the N1

million limit could be delayed by the receiving bank for not more than one hour (as opposed to the current two minutes), before applying credit.”

According to the guidelines “ Transfers above N100 million shall be effected through the Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS). Banks are expected to return unapplied funds within 10 minutes, where their fraud/risk management system flag such as suspicious or fraudulent and Banks are also expected to communicate the aforementioned policies clearly to their customers and give adequate notice before implementation.”

MEETING - From left: Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, Director, Banking Supervision Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Jibril Aku, MD/ CEO, Ecobank Plc; Mr. Herbert Wigwe, GMD/CEO, Access Bank Plc; at a meeting of the Bankers’ Committee held in Lagos.

New BDC requirement : CBN’s silence stirs apprehension in forex market

By BABJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HERE is widespread apprehension in the foreign exchange market following the continued silence of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the number of Bureaux de Change (BDCs) that have met the new requirements announced on June 23rd.

Vanguard investigations however reveal that about 2,385 existing BDCs have so far met the new requirements.

Investigation revealed that most banks are not selling foreign exchange to BDCs due to uncertainty about their compliance with the new requirements. BDC sources who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity confirmed that the banks said they would not sell dollars to BDCs until the CBN announces the list of BDCs that have met the requirement.

This has however aggravated

* 2,385 BDCs meet new requirements

the scarcity of dollars in the market, leading to further depreciation of the naira in the parallel market last week. The parallel market exchange rate on the average rose further to N173.5 per dollar. This implies that the naira has depreciated

by N8.5 or 5.1 percent since new requirement was announced on June 23rd.

The new requirements for BDC operations include 250 percent increase in minimum capital base to N35 million, and an increase in the mandatory caution deposit from $10,000 to N35 million.

While announcing the new requirement in a press release on June 23rd, The CBN said that the new requirements were to correct observed deficiencies in the operation of Bureaux de Change (BDCs) in Nigeria which have led to gross inefficiencies and sharp practices in the foreign exchange market, has taken

steps to check the growing incidence of rent-seeking, depletion of external reserves, financing of unauthorized transactions and dollarization, among others.

“The CBN’s expectation is to have BDCs that are properly structured, effectively regulated, and well-capitalised to meet the objectives for which operators are licensed. In particular, the CBN envisages the following: The emergence of well-capitalised and structured entities that can effectively perform the roles of Bureau De Change in the economy; Partnership between BDCs and renowned companies engaged in inward and outward money transfers in Nigeria. It is in expectation of this collaboration that the CBN as at 18 June 2014 approved the “Guidelines for International Money Transfer Services in Nigeria”. Under the Guidelines, Western Union,

Moneygram and RIA Financial Services have been authorised to carry out inward and outward money transfer services in Nigeria; Creation of robust and sustainable business franchises that are not dependent on rentseeking activities but are properly situated to compete in the foreign exchange market, and deliver superior values and returns.

“In view of the background and vision provided above, and in order to ensure that only genuine companies operate as BDCs in Nigeria, the CBN makes the following modifications to the “Bureaux De Change Guidelines”: “The minimum capital requirement for the operation of BDCs in Nigeria is reviewed to N35 million; The mandatory cautionary deposit is reviewed to N35 million and shall be deposited in a non-interest yielding account in the CBN upon the grant of Approval-in- Principle.

Ebola threatens West Africa GDP as companies slow production

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HE world’s worst-ever outbreak of Ebola will inflict economic damage on the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone as companies from Sime Darby Bhd to ArcelorMittal scale back operations.

Commercial and transport disruptions that will probably last for at least the next month, along with increased health expenditure, may put pressure on budgets, jeopardising the nations’ economic growth, Matt Robinson, a senior credit officer at Moody’s Investors Service, said in a report.

Sime Darby, the world’s largest listed palm oil producer, said it is slowing output in Liberia. ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer, said the spread of the virus has delayed expansion plans at its Liberia plant. Sifca Group, the Ivory Coast-based agribusiness, said it halted rubber exports from Liberia.

MTN Group Ltd., the largest wireless carrier in sub-Saharan Africa, said five expatriate workers left Liberia as a precautionary measure.

Dangote Cement plans expansion to Middle East, Latin America

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angote Cement Plc is warming up to expand its cement production plants beyond the continent of Africa to the Middle East and Latin American countries.

The company is optimistic that the planned investment will propel it to be ranked among the top ten global cement manufacturers.

“We are currently operating in fourteen African countries and we shall soon move across the continent to other continents.

By the time we have consolidated our hold in Africa markets, we shall go beyond the borders. Specifically, we are targeting the Middle East and Latin market. The idea is to be a world leader in cement production,” said Sunday Adondua, Deputy General Manager, Production, Ibese Plant.

He further disclosed that in addition to their cement plants in South Africa, Cameroun, Zambia, Kenya; Senegal, Tanzania and Ethiopia, “ We are also planning to start a plant in Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, and we are also planning projects in Gabon.”

C M Y K

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Tax Matters

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axation, worldwide, constitutes a major source of revenue to governments for funding their capital and recurrent expenditures. In recent times, there has been the urge for tax authorities in Nigeria to carry out spontaneous and sporadic tax audits and investigations on taxpayers, especially corporate bodies, suspected of tax evasion or tax delinquency.

In doing so, the tax authorities, in discharge of their duties as contained in the enabling tax laws, adopt various methods in tackling taxpayers. The taxpayers, on the other hand, are quick to resist any additional tax burden that might drain their pockets.

While tax authorities do have statutory powers to conduct tax audits and investigations on taxpayers to ensure that the revenues due to government are not lost by way of false returns, these powers are, however, not without legal limits.

Tax audits and investigations are very complex and tasking processes and as such, tax managers and their consultants must understand the ‘rules of the game’. On the other hand, according to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), minimum tax is justifiable on the premise that every asset generates income.

The minimum tax regulations are therefore anti-tax avoidance measures whether or not the affected company declares a profit, or the company was dormant during the relevant year of tax assessment.

Where a company is dormant, minimum tax is usually charged on the company’s net assets or on its share capital, whichever is the higher of the two.

Meaning of Audit An audit is an examination usually by an independent person, on a set of the accounting books, records, documents, etc, from which a financial statement has been prepared and/or an examination and verification of a company’s financial and accounting records and supporting documents by an independent party after which an opinion is given on the state of affairs of such books and records.

Objectives of Statutory Audit The primary objective of audit is to express an opinion on the financial statements of an enterprise as to whether: Proper books have been kept, The financial statements are in agreement with the books, The requirements of the applicable legislations, for example, the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990 (as amended) have been complied with, Applicable accounting standards (both local and international) have been

Tax audit and minimum tax computation complied with, The financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the financial affairs of the enterprise as at its balance sheet date, The financial statements give a true and fair view of the result of the operations of the enterprise for the period under consideration.

Tax Audit This is an additional audit to the statutory audit and is carried out by tax officials from relevant authority. The approach and scope of work would be slightly different from that to be carried out for an audit under CAMA, 1990.

Objectives of Tax Audit The objectives of tax audit are to enable the tax auditors determine whether or not: Adequate accounting books and records exist for the purpose of determining the taxable profits or loss of the taxpayer and consequently the tax payable, The tax computations submitted to the authority by the taxpayer agree with the underlying records, All applicable tax legislation have been complied with, Provision of an avenue to educate taxpayers on various provisions of the tax laws, Discourage tax evasion, Detect and correct accounting and/or arithmetic errors in tax returns; provide feedback to the

,

By GIDEON BITRUS

matter relating to entries in any books, documents, accounts or returns as the Service may from time to time specify in any guideline.” An integral part of the self-assessment scheme is the need to periodically verify the tax returns filed by taxpayers through tax audit procedures. The tax audit exercise essentially is meant to enable the revenue authority to further satisfy itself that audited financial statements and the related tax computations submitted by the taxpayer agree with the underlying records.

Types of Tax Audit The scope and type of audit steps to be executed would depend on the type of audit to be performed, the underlying trigger and the objectives to be achieved. At present, FIRS is

Tax audits and investigations are very complex and tasking processes and as such, tax managers and their consultants must understand the ‘rules of the game’

management on various provisions of the law and recommend possible changes, identify cases involving tax fraud and recommend them for investigation, Forestall a taxable person’s failure to render tax returns, Forestall a taxable person rendering incomplete or inaccurate returns in support of the selfassessment scheme.

Powers of FIRS to Audit Prior to the introduction of the self-assessment scheme, there was no specific provision in Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) for tax audit. Subsection 4 of Section 43 was introduced to empower FIRS to carry out tax audit. The sub-section states: “Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this Section or in any other provisions of the Act shall be construed as precluding the Revenue Service from verifying by tax audit any

,

involved in the following types of audit: Registration Audit – The purpose of this audit is to bring all relevant companies and individuals into the tax net. The audit involves obtaining information on businesses from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Nigeria Customs Service, other third parties and routine visits to premises of suspected nonregistered taxpayers in order to ensure that all companies and individuals who fall under FIRS’ tax jurisdiction are properly registered. In some cases, information in this regard can be obtained from other FIRS departments who may alert the Tax Audit Processes and Policies Department on the need to carry out registration checks regarding certain companies and individuals who are outside the FIRS tax net. At the

end of each registration audit, companies and individuals found to be outside tax net are usually registered and given Taxpayer ’s Identification Number, and a Permanent Note Jacket file is opened Advisory Audits - A visit to newly established businesses advising them of their obligations in terms of tax types, filing of declarations and payment of amounts due, records to be maintained and likelihood of audit if it is considered to be a risk and the sanctions that might apply for non-compliance. Obtaining information on newly registered companies from CAC and visiting their offices to advise them of their obligations under the law.

Record Keeping Audits - A check on enterprises that may have a reputation of not keeping adequate records. The visit would point out the obligations of the taxpayer as provided for in the CITA Section 63 regarding the keeping of records. Penalties are to be computed in line with CITA Section 92.

Desk Audits - Audits will generally require field visits.

However, it may be possible to undertake some basic checks from the tax office. These can be conducted with regards to specific issues of a small enterprise when the auditor is confident that all necessary information can be ascertained by conducting the examination in the office. They can also be used as a preliminary examination of declarations/ returns, analyzing ratios and cross-checking information to determine if an audit is warranted.

Single Issue Audits – These are quick response audits with a narrow focus. Their limited objectives focus on a single tax type or a single period concerning an individual taxpayer as opposed to the comprehensive audit. For instance, FIRS may only be examining whether the taxpayer has met their obligations in respect of employment – Pay-As-YouEarn, Withholding Tax (WHT),

and Value Added Tax (VAT) or Company Income Tax (CIT).

Refund Audits – Verifying the taxpayer’s right to a refund prior to processing the refund in accordance with the provisions of Section 23 of the FIRS Establishment Act. Therefore, audits are usually undertaken for the first refund claim as well as where the refund claims varies significantly from established patterns and trends.

Audit Projects - Audit can be organized as a separate project for specific groups of taxpayers or tax types (e.g. VAT, WHT) on a regional or national scale.

These projects may cover an industry (e.g. construction) or a line of business (e.g. retail) and/or certain items from the declaration or profit and loss account (e.g. capital allowance). They will consist of specific checks and are used to address a particular risk or to establish the degree of noncompliance in a particular sector.

Comprehensive (or full) Audits – All tax obligations over one or more tax periods are typically referred for extensive examination when discrepancies are uncovered during more routine single issue audits. As they are usually time consuming, comprehensive audits should only be applied to taxpayers when there is evidence of underreporting that will have an impact across taxes.

Mergers and Acquisition Audits – As part of mergers and acquisition strategies, it is usual for companies involved in the process to investigate their potential partners. Such investigations are undertaken by independent professional accountants and lawyers on behalf of the parties involved.

A tax audit shortly after a merger or an acquisition has enormous potential for audit yields as the new entity ’s financial statements would often materially differ from its previous components.

Public Offers Audit – Securities and Exchange Commission rules require companies involved in a public offer to disclose their financial history covering a period of at least five years to the investing public. Again, professional accountants, lawyers and other professionals usually carry out a number of investigations in order to provide for public disclosure the information required to be disclosed by the regulatory authorities. A tax audit shortly after a company has made a public offer has enormous potential for audit yields.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 23

Banking & Finance

By PETER EGWUATU

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he newly elected President of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Mr. Albert Okumagba is a proven technocrat, an astute financial services professional and a strong advocate of good governance. HE is the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of BGL Plc. He is also the Chairman of BGL Securities Limited, BGL Asset Management Limited, BGL Private Equity Limited, I-skill Limited, and Immersion Marketing Strategies (IMS) Limited, as well as a member of the board of directors of NASD Plc. Prior to joining BGL ,he was Manager and Head of Mergers and Acquisitions at Centre-Point Bank Plc (now Unity Bank Plc). In this interview with newsmen, he spoke on a lot of issues affecting the financial markets and how his administration intends to reposition the institute.

As the new President of CIS, are there things that you want to address immediately in order to reposition the institute?

I would like to improve national savings mobilization for critical investment growth and to expand the participation rate of Nigerians in the capital market. Our goal is to expand the access to our certifications by varied but related professionals. We would therefore immediately embark on the expansion of the certification programmes as well as the frequency of the examinations. We would also align the programme to America FINRA and UK CISI curriculums in the light of the unfolding sophistication of our markets. We intend to transform the examinations from paper based to electronic format to expand access at minimal costs to both the institute and members at all levels. The status of CIS as the foremost capital market professional body needs to be enhanced. This requires a combination of brand restructuring and improved access and engagements with stakeholders. In this regards, we will ensure that in the next 18 months CIS moves to a befitting structure that would house our secretariat. This suitability of the institute’s structure would go a long way in having impact on the institute as a brand. We would also embark on brand projects that would situate the institute in the rightful place in the financial market and the Nigerian economy and make it a strong brand across Africa and globally. An important component of this is to work with the National Assembly on the speedy passage of the CISI Bill.

How would you improve the financial strength of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers?

The existing sources of revenue to the institute are registration fees, exam fees, sale of study packs and other materials and subscription. We however intend to add to these register of students and existing streams of income and also restructure the fees members.

One, the curriculum and the variety of charged by the body across its various operation stages in certification that the Institute offers are being reviewed with order to make them competitive.

The recent inclusion of diploma a view to making them more attractive and giving potential certifications offer opportunities to enhance members many options.

Secondly, the introduction of financial strength of the institute while expanding the the monthly diploma certification exams for postscope of the institute. We would further expand the diploma secondary school candidates posits significant potential for programme as a tool for revenue expansion. membership expansion. We Furthermore, since there is a are currently reviewing the direct relationship between requirements for registration membership figure and for the Diploma certification revenue, the current effort to further broaden its scope to aimed taking student accommodate other population to 150,000 or more professionals with interest in is another step in ensuring that the CIS programme. This the financial strength of the monthly conduct of Institute is improved. We will examination is to run from sustain this process with September 2014 to August 2015 significant emphasis on the with the requirement being Diploma programme without Secondary School Certificate compromising the integrity of across West Africa. We are also the Institute. expanding the CIS programme You have been talking about beyond the shores of the growing the membership of Country to the West African the Institute, what is your Sub region and beyond in the strategy? long run. In this regard, all the exams will become bilingual A lot has gone into expanding the membership (English & French) with exam centres computerized. It goes base of the institute in the last few months. I will like to list to say that the institute’s certificate becomes easily some of the strategies being implemented to increase the accessible by both Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are names on the institute’s

•Mr. Albert Okumagba, President of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS.

We'll enhance national savings, participation in capital market — Okumagba beyond the borders of the nation. Furthermore, a new curriculum scheme patterned after FINRA of America and CISI of the UK is to be launched.

W

hat is the attitude of foreign Investors to investment through the Nigerian Stock Exchange in the wake of on-going insecurity situation in the country?

The attractive valuation of the most of the stocks on the Nigerian bourse as well as the

in some parts of the country pose to foreign investment. We are however of the opinion that the earlier we are able to nip this challenge in the bud the better for the Nigerian capital market in the medium to long run. All stakeholders in the market, the SEC, NSE, Trade Groups and of course CIS are also keenly interfacing with foreign investors to allay or clarify risk perceptions.

Under the new regime of Information Technology whereby many dealing member

,

The recent inclusion of diploma certifications offer opportunities to enhance financial strength of the institute while expanding the scope of the institute.

very competitive real return of the economy make it difficult for foreign investors to take their attention away from our market. The return potentials as a major frontier market, more than compensate for the risks that the incidence of insurgencies

,

firms trade from their offices, is it not possible for a non-stockbroker to trade from an office?

It is not impossible that some dealing members allow noncertified brokers to trade through the remote platform from their offices, it is however

a major infraction of market rules and also exposes such dealing members to risks that are of high magnitude due to high probability of errors. The incentive for an average dealing house to take such risk is very low. The X-GEN, which is the new trading platform used by the NSE, supports seamless remote trading and offers benefits such as direct market access and automated trading by investors through their dealing houses’ online platforms. The X-GEN is highly scalable and therefore able to cater for wider participation by retail participants via various devices like smart phones which are easily accessible. In other words, without compromising the importance of certified brokers, the market has now been further decentralized to investors at different levels.

This democratization of trading is also underpinned by the current tech-savvy and keeneyed SEC which ensures that risk is still properly managed.

What can be done to attract more investors into the Nigerian Stock Exchange?

It is important to note that a lot has been done by the new management of the NSE in recent time that has expanded interest in the Nigerian stock market and would continue to support increased attraction of the market to the rest of investors at home and abroad.

Improved trading platform, market transparency, corporate governance drive and market information are areas the management of the Stock Exchange deserves commendation among others.

Additional incentives in the areas of competitive transaction costs, stricter enforcement of listing and trading rules and regulations, as well as expansion of market depth are other areas that could attract investors to our market.

Do you subscribe to the plan by the National assembly to compel companies to list on a stock market?

Getting companies to list on the exchange is a laudable idea and a good step in the right direction. It is however arguable that forcing companies to list on the Exchange might send a wrong signal on the attractiveness of the Nigerian Stock Market on its own as a beneficial platform for corporates’ capital management. While I recognize that there are sizeable entities outside the market across the oil and gas, telecommunication, fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) and conglomerates that would deepen the Nigerian capital market by listing their shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). I am of the opinion that the stock market should woo them with incentives that create significant attraction to list their shares without compromising the corporate governance and C M Y K

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E-Business Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

Alibaba film unit halts share sales over accounting irregularities

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media firm Alibaba Group Holding Ltd recently bought said on Friday a review of its finances revealed possible accounting irregularities, casting doubts on the Chinese e-commerce giant’s due diligence as it prepares for a U.S. initial public offering.

The announcement by Alibaba Pictures Group Ltd comes less than two months after Alibaba Group completed its $804 million purchase of a 60 percent stake in the film and TV production company once known as ChinaVision Media Group Ltd. The deal was among the $10 billion or so Alibaba Group and its affiliates have spent since the beginning of last year on acquisitions which ventured beyond its traditional ecommerce roots to fend off competition from rivals like Tencent Holdings Ltd, Baidu Inc and JD.com.

But the speed at which the group has conducted some of its purchases has raised investor concerns. In June, Alibaba bought China’s most successful football club, the Guangzhou Evergrande, for $192 million in a deal which was hatched over a few drinks.

Facebook to track users across devices to study shopping habits

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acebook Inc will let advertisers know where a promotion was first viewed and when it led to a purchase by tracking users between their electronic devices, a tool that may reignite privacy concerns.

Marketers will be able to see the number of users that clicked on an ad, whether they used a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, and which device was used to buy a product, Menlo Park, California-based Facebook said in a blog post last week.

Facebook has been bulking up advertising services as the social network’s mobile ads propel revenue and profit.

While users and privacy watchdogs around the world criticise Facebook’s use of personal data, the company is under pressure from advertisers to prove that their mobile promotions are effective.

As Facebook finds new ways to analyze the behaviour of its more than 1 billion users, controversy has emerged regarding its methods.

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IGERIA’s tech entrepreneur, Femi Taiwo has said that his new start-up firm, Washist.com has invested $50, 000, about N8 million to provide laundry services through the internet.

He also disclosed that Nigeria’s singer and entertainer, Lanre Dabiri, LD contributed part of the seed investment for the start-up.

Launched in Lagos last week, Taiwo, a tech entrepreneur who cofounded one of Nigeria’s most successful online real estate businesses, Privateproperty.com.ng, sold

Washist.com takes dry-cleaning online with N8m investment to a South African online real estate firm recently, said Wahist.com was inspired by the need to help professionals who are constrained by their job to attend to their sartorial needs. Speaking to Vanguard, Taiwo said with N10, 000, customers within Lagos Mainland and Island could have as many of their dirty clothes attended to and returned in three days and for three times within one month.

According to him, the business model involves a N10, 000 flat monthly subscriptions.

The customer registers online and supplies his/her details so that Washist agents could come and pick up the clothing and deliver it back in three days.

“WASHIST.COM is simple to use. You just fill in your details which will include name, address, phone number and email, and a Washist will contact you to schedule a pickup of your laundry. Also, you’ll receive email and SMS notifications from Washist on the status of your clothes from pickup to final delivery,” he

AWARDS: - From left: Mrs Adekemi Edema, Head of Legal; Mr Lere Fashola, Publisher/CEO and Mr Oluwafemi Adeboye, Head of Administration, all of Legal Blitz Esq during a press briefing to announce the 2014 ESQ Legal Awards in Lagos.

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ollywood mobile streaming service, Aflix which launched in Nigeria and two other African countries last week, has said that it foresees video-ondemand filling the need for faster and reliable internetservice and driving the Internet market to support industries such as Aflix which is specialised in streaming Hollywood content via Smartphones.

In a chat with Vanguard, Aflix’s Director of Business Development, Nyasha Mutsekwa said Aflix believes that its services will make significant impact on the cinema industry, “since we are offering the latest movies which will be available for viewing right in people’s living rooms.”

He noted that the Internet TV industry is a billion dollar industry that Aflix is looking to revolutionize how content is viewed in Africa.

Contrary to insinuations that the firm’s launch in Nigeria is in response to iRoko TV’s launch of similar service in Africa recently, Mutsekwa said, “We have been working on a solution for Nigeria for over two years now and we are more in

said.

He also noted that, “A laundry bag is provided on your first pick-up. There is no extra charge for pick-up and delivery of your items,” adding that, “the “major challenge faced by most busy professionals is the quality of service offered by their regular laundry service providers. The team has therefore put up its own style with own washing instructions and its trained personnel to ensure clothes are long lasting, looking crisp and smelling fresh.”

Speaking further Taiwo said it is innovation like washist that would continue to drive ecommerce in Nigeria even as the sector has continued to attract foreign direct investment valued at about $50 billion within the past two years.

According to him, convenience coupled with entrepreneurs’ drive to expand market share, reduce cost and increase revenue will continue to play prominent role in the growth of e-commerce in the country. He however decried that poor level of awareness on the benefits of turning to online businesses to meet basic needs and lack of trust inspired by increasing wave of fraudulent activities online has continued to impede the growth of the sector.

Video-on-demand to fill need for faster, reliable internet — AFLIX direct competition with Multichoice’s DSTV since we are focusing on the latest TV shows and movies. iRoko is rather responding to our plan to launch in the market. Our objective is to bridge the Hollywood and African continent market.”

Speaking further on the service, Mutsekwa said, “We are bringing the luxury of theatre going into African homes, at a price point that is affordable. Aflix customers will be able to watch Hollywood

titles, from the classic favourites, to current new releases and Blockbuster hits,” adding that, “With the use of smartphones on the rise in Africa and the reality that movie going is growing, this is the perfect time to launch our product and change the way Africans watch and enjoy their favourite content.”

According to him, when new users sign up for the service, they will be given a fourteen day free trial with no strings attached and after the period,

choose to subscribe for just $9.99, about N1,600.00 a month or opt out totally. Users also get access to pay-per-view content with premium movie rentals starting as low as $2.99, about N480.00. Users can opt to only use the pay-per-view option, simply just renting the titles they want to watch at that

moment. Aflix aims to develop set-top boxes to give users the ‘living room experience.’ By simply plugging in the device into their TV sets, Aflix users can enjoy Hollywood entertainment on their ‘big screens.’

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BAY Inc’s PayPal is in talks with Coinbase Inc and other Bitcoin transaction providers to integrate the virtual currency within its Braintree payments system, The Wall Street Journal reported last week.

Executives at PayPal, which owns the service that handles payments for startups from room-bookings network AirBnB to caron-demand service Uber, have not struck any agreements, the Journal cited people familiar

with the matter as saying. A deal would be an endorsement for a crypto currency, which is gaining acceptance with a slowly growing number of businesses, including online retailer Overstock.com. But some industry executives have warned about the risks of an unregulated currency.

Ebay bought Braintree for $800 million in 2013 to boost PayPal’s mobile presence. “We do believe that Bitcoin will play an important role in payments in the future, but we have nothing to announce,” eBay spokeswoman Jennifer Hakes said.

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Corporate Finance

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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hare prices of companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, will be significantly eroded in the remaining part of the year following the release of weak quarter two earnings.

This, according to a research report by Financial Derivatives Company, FDC, will lead to correction in the share price of firms already overpriced.

Speaking at the company’s monthly economic news and views at Lagos Business School Executive Breakfast Meeting, the Managing Director/CEO, FDC, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, said that the poor corporate earnings have started affecting investors sentiment, adding that market sentiment will remain negative in the second half of the year.

He stated that while market sentiment has been favourable to companies with positive half year result, the shares of companies with negative H1 financials are already being punished.

For instance, FBN Holdings Plc, which grew turnover by two percent in the half year ended June 30, 2014, and posted 12 percent decline in profit before tax has suffered 11 percent share price decline and seven percent decrease on return-oninvestment in the month of July alone.

In the same vein, Cadbury Nig. Plc, which turnover and

Global stocks up on Putin comments, bond yields fall

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CLOSING CEREMONY: - From left: Mr. Travih Nunayon, Sports Development Officer, Lagos State Government; Mrs. Adenike Ibirogba, Board member; Mr. Gbolade Osibodu; Chairman of Board, both of Special Olympics Nigeria; Mr. Clem Ugorji, Director, Public Affairs and Communication, Coca Cola Nigeria ltd and Mrs. Funmito Agusto at the closing ceremony of the just concluded 2014 Special Olympics Nigeria National Games in Lagos.

NSE: Stocks price erosion looms over weak earnings … FBN Holdings, Cadbury post negative RoI PBT nose-dived by 12 percent and 50 percent respectively, has witnessed a seven percent RoI decline, while the share price has surprisingly grown by 26 percent. Also, Total Nig. Plc that recorded mere two percent turnover growth in the same period and 12 percent decrease in PBT has

suffered four percent decline in its returns for the month of July and one percent growth in share price movement in the six month period.

On the positive side, Stanbic Holdings Plc, which recorded 13 percent growth in its half year turnover and 50 percent growth in profit

‘Efficient market making structure critical for successful ETF’

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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n efficient market making structure is needed for successful operation of an Exchange Traded Fund, ETF, on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, said Mr. Michael Mgwaba, an Exchange Traded Fund expert at ABSA Capital, South Africa.

He made the remark while making a presentation at a one-day investment management seminar tagged “Portfolio Construction – Beta Strategies” for stockbrokers, portfolio managers, insurance companies, pension funds administrators, institutional investors and some selected staff of the Exchange, organised by the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, as part of its mandate to broaden and deepen the knowledge of market participants.

He called for cooperation among all the ETF providers, C M Y K

including Vetiva Fund Managers Limited, Lotus Capital Limited and ABSA Capital, the NSE and other regulatory bodies in the capital market in addressing perceived challenges that could mar the successful listing of ETFs. Specifically, he stated that issues around the status of market makers, collective investment schemes, as well as listing requirements for ETFs must be addressed.

He stressed that retail and institutional investors need to be educated more, while active marketing strategy is needed to drive the programme.

Empahsising the usefulness of ETF as a tool for asset allocation, he said that it provides immediate liquidity to the market and helps satisfy the need of investors for liquid securities. Mgwaba said ETFs would in principle provide retail and institutional investors with an

easy, convenient and cost effective access to various assets, diversified portfolios of assets and whole markets.

According to him, it would help strengthen the regulatory control and operational framework by implementing the proven international regulatory standards. “It would provide investors with an access to previously unavailable asset classes, thus improving diversification opportunities and reducing investment risk,” he stated, adding “Once these products are well established and the investors become better educated about and more comfortable with investing in general and the investing in passive investment products such as ETFs in particular, then it becomes feasible to expand the product offering by creating ETFs tracking more liquid national / regional / international equity, fixed income, indices and offering those to the investors.”

before tax, PBT, has achieved huge 46 percent share price growth year-to-date and 20 percent return-on-investment in the month of July alone.

Also, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp Plc), which posted 177 percent and 122 percent surge in half year turnover and PBT respectively, has achieved year-to-date share price growth of 26 percent and nine percent returns in July; Lafarge WAPCO, on its own part, has achieved yearto-date share price growth of four percent and RoI improvement of eight percent over 12 percent and 29 percent increase in half year turnover and PBT respectively.

Nigerian Breweries Plc, which turnover and PBT grew by six percent and 14 percent respectively, has seen a seven percent share price growth and five percent returns in July.

Speaking further, he said that shares of downstream petroleum sector have soared, while those of listed upstream sector are also surging, noting that the surge was more of speculation than dependence on fundamentals.

Rewane further explained that corporate results in the H1 showed increasing decline in finance costs, indicating a shift in bargaining power in favour of corporates relative to the banks.

lobal equity markets edged higher on Thursday after President Vladimir Putin of Russia sounded a conciliatory note over the crisis in Ukraine, while bond yields in Europe fell to record lows as the euro zone’s recovery stalled in the second quarter.

Putin told Russian ministers and members of parliament in Crimea that Russia would stand up for itself but not at the cost of confrontation with the outside world, easing off months of tough rhetoric over Ukraine.

Stocks on Wall Street rose, following gains in Europe, where equity markets have tumbled in past weeks on fears of an escalation of tensions between the West and Moscow over Ukraine.

“The situation in Ukraine will only become a problem if it gets much worse, and right now it doesn’t seem like that’s going to be the case, which is helping the market hang in there,” said Brian Battle, director of trading at Performance Trust Capital Partners in Chicago.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.28 percent to close at 1,329.14, and MSCI’s allcountry world index rose 0.3 percent.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 55.26 points, or 0.33 percent, at 16,707.06. The Standard & Poor ’s 500 Index was up 7.98 points, or 0.41 percent, at 1,954.70.

Europe stocks climb as GDP data fuel stimulus speculation

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uropean stocks advanced, reversing earlier losses, as data showing the euro area’s recovery stalled in the second quarter fueled speculation of more central bank stimulus.

ThyssenKrupp AG climbed after posting quarterly earnings that beat projections.

Royal Boskalis Westminster NV surged 8.2 percent after saying it will start a share buyback programme. RWE AG declined 2.1 percent after saying first-half profit fell 62 percent. Novozymes A/S slid 6.5 percent after the supplier of enzymes reported secondquarter net income that trailed analyst estimates.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.3 percent to 331.04 at the close of trading, after earlier dropping as much as 0.4 percent. The benchmark gauge has fallen 1.5 percent this month amid crises in Ukraine, Iraq and the Gaza Strip.

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an you remember when the idea of privatizing NEPA, NITEL, NNPC, NPA was first eagerly promoted? Well, don’t worry. People like me are here to remind you. It was in the 1980s when the Technical Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, TCPC, headed by late Dr Zyyadd was established. For four years, after the proclamation, nothing happened to our biggest public enterprises – despite all the valid reasons advanced for getting governments to relinquish their strangleholds on businesses which are best left to the private sector.

Then in 1992, when Chief Ernest Shonekan was lured ro resign his appointment as the Chairman/Managing Director of the UAC of Nigeria, Plc, to assume the position of civilian Head of Government under military President Babangida, he quickly orgainsed the first National Economic Summit, NES, whose main recommendation was the need to urgently privatize the nation’s largest parastatals.

That meant that four years, after the initial enthusiasm for privatization, the enterprises were still in public hands.

Today, 2014, twenty six years after the idea of privatizing our giant parastatals, only NEPA had been successfully privatized. NITEL and NNPC had remained drain pipes for corrupt public

officials. With NITEL we missed a golden chance when the GSM arrived in Nigeria.

Typical Nigerian Factor ensured that NITEL was not sold when it could have made good money for Nigeria.

Now, most of the infrastructure has become obsolete and can only be regarded as scrap for which we must pay to get removed.

And few people even remember they own a land line anymore. That leaves us with both NITEL and NNPC – which also might be going the way of NITEL. An enterprise which could have been turned over to the private sector, years ago, and, at a good price, might have to be given away very soon – lock, stock and barrel.

The imminent failure of NNPC is inextricably intertwined with the failure to get an agreed PIB signed since the first one was presented in 2010 to the National Assembly. PIB 2, which is about to suffer the same fate as PIB 1, will probably be the last attempt aimed at privatizing NNPC and getting value for money.

Events rapidly shaping the future of oil, globally, point increasingly to a world which is becoming less dependent on Nigerian crude oil. With declining crude oil exports, Nigeria’s ability to pay for refined petroleum products will also be reduced and the value of our ageing refineries will head to the basement.

PIB and declining oil revenue Most knowledgeable people in government, and the National Assembly, as well as the government of oil producing states are aware of this. But, the enthusiasm to do the hard work required to get PIB passed had waned considerably.

Instead,

will be followed by selfinterest issues regarding official and unofficial remuneration for the new holders of legislative power.

Jonathan will also be concerned about leaving a legacy starting with the selection of a cabinet which

,

“Every great enterprise starts off with enthusiasm for an exalted aim and ends up bugged down in petty politics.”

Charles Peguy, 1873-1914.

(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 49).

The imminent failure of NNPC is inextricably intertwined with the failure to get an agreed PIB signed since the first one was presented in 2010 to the National Assembly

politicians, especially those seeking elective office, next year, have collectively directed their attention towards the 2015 elections.

PIB 2 is effectively dead and it will become history on May 29, 2015. The question is: will it be followed by PIB 3? The answer is: May be.

Even if Jonathan secures a second term, he will have to present another or the same bill to a different National Assembly. It will be back to step one once again.

Furthermore, the most urgent matter on the NASS agenda will not be consideration of a very complex bill. Sorting out the leadership structure of the NASS and establishing power positions will come first. This

,

will make it possible for him to achieve whatever he assigns to himself as his main objective. And there is no guarantee that the next NASS will be populated by people ready to support the President.

There will certainly be no PIB 3 if a Northerner succeeds Jonathan next year. That possibility constitutes the heart of the tragedy which will befall the oil producing states, which stand to benefit most if PIB 2 is miraculously passed this year. With each passing day, the window of opportunity closes more than before.

Already, the signs of trouble are evident in the creeks and in the deep water

blocs. Several oil rigs have shut down production on account of theft, piracy and kidnapping of indispensable foreign technical workers. As other countries, all over the world, open their oil blocs for production, or expand the areas of operations, experienced rig operators are picking up stake in search of safer work places. Most will not return, once they leave, and replacements might be difficult to recruit – as long as there is work elsewhere.

The relentless crude oil export decline, which has already savaged the budgets of Federal, States and Local Governments in 2014, will increase the economic hardship being experienced now and might reduce GDP growth next year. Even at the projected 5.8% for 2014, few new jobs have been generated relative to the volume of job seekers turned out by our schools annually. Slower growth will certainly exacerbate the intractable situation with respect to mass unemployment – particularly among the youths.

The most astonishing thing about PIB 2 is the total lack of interest in it by the oil producing states and their governments. If PIB 2 fails this year, the people of the Niger Delta will have the present Governors, Ministers, legislators at both the Federal and State levels to blame for the tragedy that will befall Nigeria in general and the oil producing states in particular.

Visit: www.delesobowale.com or Visit: www.facebook.com/ biolasobowale

Aviation

Chidoka displeased with state of MMIA underground tunnel

BY LAWANI MIKAIRU

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he Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka has expressed displeasure over the dilapidated state and environmental threat posed by the abandoned underground facilities at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

Speaking during the tour of the Lagos Airport facilities, the minister said the abandonment of the underground facilities, which formerly housed the disused Control Center of the Close Circuit Television(CCTV) that monitored movements around all sensitive and sterile areas of the airport complex, Nigeria Immigration Service C M Y K

(NIS), the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and car park for airport users was a disgrace to the nation.

This is the first time a Minister of Aviation will be inspecting the underground tunnel in the past 14 years.

He was shocked at the unkempt nature of the underground facilities and ordered the airport’s management to give the underground facilities a facelift.

The minister also insisted on inspecting the car park, which is also underground at the terminal, suspecting that it would be flooded, and the Acting Airport Manager, South-West, Engr. Noah Sanya told the minister it was flooded.

The minister said: “This

thing I am seeing is not good for the image of the country.

Look at the facility here, it is flooded. I believe we were not supposed to see this, but we have seen it.”

Chidoka also queried why the arriving passengers at the airport were denied the usage of the arrival drop zone, stressing that the action of the Authority further inconveniences passengers at the airport.

He noted that if departing passengers could be allowed unrestrained access to the terminal’s drop off zone with their vehicles, he wondered why the same gesture could not be extended to the arriving passengers.

The minister said, “You go and put some old buses at the parking area and tell people to board them to the airside. I want to say it here now that

you should remove the barrier here, which disallowed arriving passengers from being picked up by their relatives and allow

passengers to have access to this place. You can put speed bumps here, which will reduce high speed.”

Air France plane suffers faulty tyre pressure indicator

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

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ir France plane on a flight from Paris to Lagos international Airport last week suffered a faulty tyre pressure indicator and the pilot was forced to call emergency. The plane with 178 passengers and crew members aboard was able to land successfully after the tyre pressure was later discovered to be in good

condition by the pilot.

A statement by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority , NCAA, General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr Fan Ndubuoke, said “ Air France with registration no F-GZCC Paris - Lagos declared emergency with 168 Passengers and 10 Crew total, 178 Pa s s e n g e r s .

Faulty Nose wheels, estimating Lagos 5pm, we have requested Passengers manifest from Air France.”

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Homes & Housing Finance Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE

UK homeowners warned of mortgage rise

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he number of UK homes repossessed during the Spring fell, but households have been warned by lenders to prepare for rate rises.

A total of 5,400 properties were repossessed in the second quarter of the year, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said. This was down 1,000 on the previous three months, and down by 2,200 on the same period a year ago.

CML said that it would welcome Bank rate rises only in ‘baby steps’.

“Rates will rise at some stage, of course, and borrowers should be planning for that now. We welcome the message from the Bank of England that, when it raises rates, it plans to do so in a series of ‘baby steps’, matched to a careful assessment of the ability of households to deal with higher borrowing costs.

Any borrower anticipating payment problems should talk to their lender as soon as possible,” said Paul Smee, director general of the CML.

US mortgage rate declines

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verage long-term U.S. mortgage rates declined this week, approaching their lows for the year.

Mortgage firm, Freddie Mac, said the nationwide average for a 30-year loan slipped to 4.12 percent from 4.14 percent last week. The average for a 15-year mortgage fell to 3.24 percent from 3.27 percent last week.

Mortgage rates are below the levels of a year ago. They have fallen in recent weeks after climbing last summer when the Federal Reserve began talking about reducing the monthly bond purchases it was making to keep long-term borrowing rates low.

Mortgage rates often follow the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. The 10-year note traded at 2.42 percent Wednesday, brushing its low for the year of 2.41 percent and down from 2.47 percent a week earlier. It fell to 2.38 percent in trading Thursday morning.

At 4.12 percent, the rate on a 30-year mortgage is down from 4.53 percent at the start of the year. Rates have fallen even though the Fed has been trimming its monthly bond purchases, which are intended to keep long-term borrowing rates low. The purchases are set to end in October.

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with agency report

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agos State government has initiated moves to regulate estate agency fees in the state which it claims ranks highest when compared with other countries.

To this end, a stakeholders’ meeting was recently convened at the instance of the Lagos State Real Estate Transaction D e p a r t m e n t (LASRETRAD) to deliberate on “Real Estate Agency Fees in Lagos”. In attendance were various associations of estate agents, legal practitioners and developers, among others, operating in the state.

Issues discussed at the meeting included acceptable rates to be collected as agency commissions, the models to be adopted, based on best practices obtainable in other countries.

The State’s AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaiye, in a paper titled: ‘Agency Fees and its Related Issues’, noted that agency fee is a contractual agreement which is subject to negotiation. Ipaiye who was represented by the Senior Special Adviser to the governor on Justice, Mr. Olanrewaju Akinsola, drew a comparison between Nigeria and other countries, noted that agency fees in Nigeria are the highest.

According to him, agency fee in Ghana is five percent; in Kenya it is 1.25 percent and in South Africa, it ranges from four to eight percent.

Housing estate made affordable through mortgage

Lagos moves to regulate estate agency charges He further noted that agency fees in these countries are either paid by property owners or shared by owners and buyers/tenants whereas in Nigeria, estate agency fees range from 10 percent to as high as 75 percent.

Also speaking at the event, Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mr. Jimoh Ajao, said the state government is worried on the number of negative complaints received from the public on the activities of estate agents in the state.

“Government has realised that estate agents are charging varying percentages as agency fees, some as ridiculous as 75 percent of rent for low-end properties,” he noted.

According to him, the appropriate fees to be paid must be known; the true condition of the property

must be disclosed, according to article 3 (1-5) and 5 (i-3) of the primary duty to clients in the Code of Conduct of an estate agent.

Ajao said LASRETRAD was established for five basic objectives: maintaining real estate market confidence; ensuring the protection and enhancement of the stability of Lagos State real estate market; securing certain level of protection for property seekers; making property transaction process extremely transparent; and total eradication of quackery in real estate industry in Lagos State. “As we roll out the approved bill board advertisement for properties in the state, we hope to create a uniform advertisement platform with the aim of identifying quack agents for necessary prosecution,” he added.

In his remark, Chief Operating Officer, Property Communications, Boye Ajayi, said the regulation of the sector is necessary to stop the chaotic situation where estate agents charge indiscriminately.

“For someone to rent a room apartment, such a person must be economically handicapped. Why would an estate agent charge such a person huge amount as agency fee?

It is unimaginable for an agent to charge agency fees of same amount as the rent. The government is only trying to sanitise the industry. By doing this, these nefarious activities will come to an end.

There must be a regulated fee so that somebody who wants to buy or rent a house will know what he has to pay,” he stated.

Common mistakes in online property marketing T

he online property market is growing very rapidly. With millions of new property listings appearing online every day, it is an increasing struggle to make any particular property stand out amongst the crowd. By identifying common advertising mistakes and recognising what makes a strong, quick-to-sell listing, agents can ensure that their properties grab the attention of potential buyers and renters. Real estate portal, Lamudi has identified the following as the five most common mistakes made by real

estate agents in order to help improve listings and sell property faster.

No or only a few photographs : Marketing property online means that the listing has to be visually appealing. Many real estate agents do not include photographs of the property in the listing. Make sure to make at least five highresolution pictures in different rooms of the house or apartment. Dimly lit rooms will not grab the attention of home buyers, neither will the one and only picture of the house.

Bad language: Grammar plays an important role in

selling real estate, so make sure to double check spelling and sentence structure before listing the property. Property descriptions with no grammatical errors in the title statistically get more views.

Descriptions including persuasive language such as: “In a Hurry to Sell” or “Motivated to Sell” deter potential buyers, as this leads the buyer to question why the agent wants to sell so fast.

Vague neighbourhood descriptions : Listing all the high quality amenities that are nearby is important, however many real estate agents limit the description

of the surrounding area. A home buyer wants to know as many details as possible about future neighbourhood, such as if it welcomes pets or is cyclist-friendly.

By including these details, listings are likely to get more attention from house-hunters. The same applies to neighbourhoods that have a low crime rate or those that foster a sense of community and are vibrant and diverse. Make sure to include all of a neighbourhood’s assets in the description of a property.

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People in Business

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r. Onyeani Uka Nwosu is the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Abia State-based Green Town Farms, a farming business based on professional research. In this chat with Financial Vanguard, Nwosu says farmers can only break even when they mechanise the processes. He urges government at all levels to do more for the sector, noting that if only a small percentage of money spent on the oil and gas sector is spent in agriculture, Nigerian economy will burst. Excerpts: Background : After his first degree in Accounting and a Master’s in Business Administration in Banking and Finance, Mr. Onyeani Nwosu who is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (FCIB) worked in the banking sector for 30 years first in Union Bank, through Union Homes and then Intercontinental Bank Group and Intercontinental Homes where he rose to the position of Group Head, Banking and Mortgages. He took charge of the overall business development of the bank as a second in command, next to the managing director. He retired in February 2012.

— ONYEANI NWOSU

BY EBELE ORAKPO

overtime. When these farms are doing well, they will pay corporate tax to government.

Government should do something to ensure that investors in agribusiness get their money back and by so doing, they will be encouraging others to join.

*Part of Green Town Farm. Inset is Mr. Onyeani Nwosu This will tell you what the average Nigerian will do if given the required support and that is why we are calling on the Federal Government to do more.”

Government should do more: “In one of our farms, we called for quotes and we were given a bill of N15 million just to survey about 200 hectares of farmland. There

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Going into agriculture : “Prior to leaving the bank, I considered areas that I would want to spend the rest of my time and agriculture was one of them. It used to be the number one until oil came and stole the show and it dropped to number nothing. Gradually, it has started coming up, kudos to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan with his agricultural transformation programmes being anchored by the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Millennium Development Goals and the support of the Federal Ministry of Finance through the Bank of the North. So the sector has received a little boost but a lot still needs to be done to enable us tap the enormous resources in the sector.

“Agriculture means different things to different people. To the lay man, it is a means of livelihood; to the corporate farmer, it is a business.

Agribusiness means a lot of things because the agricultural value chain is very long and can employ over 60 per cent of the Nigerian population if we really want to do justice to agriculture. People can key into crop production, animal husbandry; crop or animal processing. This will further enlarge the capacity in terms of employment and empowerment for the masses. For instance, if just a little percentage of funding given to oil and gas is given to agriculture, the economy will burst.

"Exploration, well development, etc., cost billions of dollars, so if only a small percentage of the money is spent in agriculture, you can imagine what the turn out will be. For instance, cassava can be used for biofuel, food and other industrial uses like starch required in the pharmaceutical, textile, bakery and paint industries.

Agric value chain is long, can employ over 60% of Nigerians

important as far as farm inputs are concerned, so we need a more proactive and more practical support from government at all levels.

“If we borrow from the banks to buy tractors, bulldozers and all that, then we will continue to pay debt until the next generation and it is not good enough so government should show interest in acquiring heavy duty equipment and all other

Our objective is to establish an integrated farming system where waste in one section of the farm would become raw material in another section

are so many ways government can come in here: One, bring the cost for stamping and registration of agric land down to zero if possible; zero or basic cost for perfection of farming properties. They should have a pool of heavy duty machines for on-leasing to farmers at a subsidised rate to encourage mechanisation which will in turn force down the price of basic food items.

It is evident that you cannot make it as a farmer if you don’t mass-produce, volume is it! And the only way to mass-produce is to mechanise your processes.

Government should stop making mockery of farmers.

They will go on air and advertise that 100 metric tons of fertiliser have been made available to farmers. By the time you cascade it to the locals, you see a farmer getting two bags of fertiliser even though it is subsidized.

How many plots of land will that cover? They should make this product available and affordable. Availability and affordability are very

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farm implements and attachments. On our own, however, we have started buying tractors and soon, they will arrive. If we don’t mechanise, we won’t be able to break even.

“We have more than 15 culverts and bridges in our farm area to construct; assuming we spend N3 million on each of these, it will automatically affect the sums of money meant for the real thing which is farming.

This is where government has to come in.”

Single digit interest rate : “I am yet to see the singledigit credit facilities. In fact, not just single digit but lower single digit between 0 and 5 per cent. A lot of cheap funds are available in Nigeria. Take for instance the Pension Fund, whereas we are clamouring that part of it should go into mortgage development, some of it should go to agriculture. Put the money in infrastructure development and then recoup some of the money

Recruiting young farmers: “We also realised that recruiting young people to work in farms located in rural

areas is a problem and that is why we have started putting up farm houses for young graduates who may want to work and live in the farm.

These are some of the strategies we have adopted to make sure that our farm comes to be what we want it to be, an integrated farming system where waste in one section of the farm would become raw material in another section.”

Investors should invest in farm devt: “A lot of investors in oil and gas, manufacturing etc., can key into the agriculture value chain. I will not advise anyone to start rolling out agric-based factories now because the inputs are not available, so first and foremost, they should invest in farm development, then when the produce is enough to provide a certain level of capacity in terms of availability of farm inputs, then they can set up agro processing units. People should learn to embark on long-term development instead of wait and take. Most Nigerians are looking for what they can do to get their money fast. Agriculture is not such a place except if you go into annuals like vegetables but you can imagine how many acres of land you need to cultivate to produce truckload of pepper even though they are fast.”

Visit to Israel, Songhai: “I went with a team of my staff for training in Songhai Farms and Israel. They are now practising what they learnt.

We have invested so much in capacity-building. I slept in the farm for two weeks in Israel to understudy the Kibbutz farming system and I told myself that someday, people will come to my own

farm and sleep. We were comfortable and we had fun.

They were small houses but the facilities were of world class, what you see in threestar hotels.”

Corporate social responsibility (CSR): “If we don’t make the locals living around the farms comfortable to an extent, they will turn to become a very big risk factor and that is why we are doing a lot on CSR in localities where our farms are. We gave them boreholes, talk them into going to school and promised them employment.

They provide labour for us because we are still doing manual but by the time we mechanize, they will be trained to align with the process. If you do not engage them, they will become restive, so agriculture is another way of curtailing youth restiveness and militancy.

Why Green Town?

“When we wanted to start farm business, we were looking at two things – nature and community. Green is synonymous with nature, it depicts power and life so we were looking at natural habitat for our kind of business. We considered all these and decided to call it Green Town in the sense that we have a community life in mind. We want to focus not just on our pocket but on the community. We are also looking at doing something that is integrative in nature, it is not all about plantain, or palm or cassava, we want to look at animal husbandry, processing etc. So we are looking at community life whereby man and nature will be in harmony.”

*Mr. Nwosu... We are looking at community life where man and nature will be in harmony.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 39

Advertising, Media & Marketing Stories by PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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uite recently, during the House Committee on Health hearing on Tobacco Bill, the Chairman of the committee, Senator Ndudi Elumelu, said their intention was not to ban production of legitimate tobacco locally. Of course, one can safely assume that halting the production of tobacco locally is not the intended outcome of the Tobacco Bill, but slamming unbalanced regulations on the industry will ultimately lead to outcome similar to prohibition.

Regulations are important for most consumables because of the inherent risks in over consumption, tobacco products are no exception. The need for regulation does not imply that the supposed risk associated with tobacco product should be combated with skewed regulation. At the core of the regulation is government, consumer, general public and the industry. Regulations that do not take cognisance of these competing stakeholders would not stand the test of time.

In many developing countries, particularly in most African countries, a small fraction of their population smoke. The overall smoking rates among men and women in Africa are low compared to other developed nations.

According to 2009 country by country smoking data by Tobacco Atlas, smoking among males in Australia is 22.3 per cent , Denmark 30 per cent, Greece 63 per cent, US 32 per cent Canada 23.8 per cent while it is 10.6 per cent in Ghana, 15.2 in Benin, 8.9 percent in Niger, 15.6 in Senegal. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey, GATS 2013, conducted by National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, estimated that 5.6 per cent of Nigerians consume tobacco products.

What can blur any regulation is for it to be modeled along certain framework developed by bureaucrats in Geneva not minding contextual differences in each country. Unfortunately, the current tobacco bill at the National Assembly is modeled to World Health Organisation, WHO projection and its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, FCTC, a treaty designed in 2003. The key driver of anti-tobacco advocacy and the current bill is largely driven by the WHO’s projection that 70 per cent of estimated 8.4 million tobacco death will occur in developing countries by 2020. This in turn had resulted into hordes of legislative interventions.

According to Mr. Thompson Ayodele, who is with the Initiative for Public Policy Analysis, an independent think-tank based in Lagos had said at a public lecture that: “since WHO’s inception,

Lagos NIPR AGM focuses on Nigeria’s political leadership

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*AGM-From Left: Mr. Charles Chijide, President of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, OAAN, Mr. Theo Ekechi, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Imo State, and Mr. Emmanuel Ajufo, Secretary-General, OAAN during opening ceremony of the 29th Annual General Meeting of OAAN in Owerri, the Imo State capital recently.

Tobacco bill war: Unending facts and realities guidelines, projections and targets are not in short supply.

WHO has been in the vanguard of formulating health guidelines and designing treaties, apparently to shore up healthcare of earth’s inhabitants.

However, it is on record that WHO projections are mostly inaccurate and its targets are largely unmet. A perfect example is WHO’s ambitious goal in 2001 to treat 3 million HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries in 2005.

Unfortunately, less than half of that target were met. What is inherently wrong with these projections and targets are their one-cap-fits all approach without regard to local

peculiarities in each of the countries. Policymakers should not be tempted, because it comes from WHO and other agencies, to domesticate hook, line and sinker, treaties and policy guidelines from world bodies whose officials are far removed from realities in each of the countries.”

Mr Ayodele further stated that the key consideration for the National Assembly is whether banning of tobacco products in Nigeria will not have serious backlash given our porous border. The blowback is better imagined than felt. The central questions for stakeholders are (a) would stoppage of production of tobacco product locally make

smokers quit? (b) Who would fill in the vacuum created by the stoppage of legitimate local producers given our porous borders? (c) Would those who might fill in the vacuum be in the national and public interest?

The public discussion about the effect of tobacco in Nigeria in recent time tends to suggest that the best way to end health risk associated with tobacco product is when the industry stops production. What should be realized is if the regulatory environment force local firms to stop production, smokers will still get the products through a variety of sources.

This will come at a higher cost, such as loss of revenue to the government and other higher societal costs.

IDL invests over N200m to grow economy I

NTERCONTINENTAL Distilleries Limited, IDL, said the over N200 million and three jeeps given to its trade partners is the company’s way of contributing to economic growth.

The company said the amount given as reward to the distributors in the 2013/14 trade partners award ceremony is the only way to help expand the distributors businesses, and eventually help employ more hands, thus reducing unemployment in the process.

Giving the breakdown of the reward, the Managing Director of IDL, Engr. Patrick Anegbe, said that the company spent N72.2 million on cash prizes, N36 million for gift items and the three Sports Utility Vehicles, SUV jeeps to top distributors, bringing the total amount spent to over N200 million.

On the SUV’s the managing Director said: “these are part of the gift items, some of the distributors have done exceptionally well, so very well that we need to encourage them, In fact, we cannot encourage them enough. We believe whatever we are doing to encourage them is a good investment and will give come in terms of turnover.

On setting target for the distributors, Anegbe said that at the beginning of every year the company set target at various levels of the distributors, you are made to know what to win at the end of the year. “This pushes the distributors to want to do more at the end of the year. It is an incentive scheme that enables one to want to do more,” he explained.

Speaking on the changing of some of its bottlesChelsea, Veleta and Squandron, the Managing Director, said the company is known for creativity and innovation, “and this is our strength. From time to time we have to do that, and apart from doing that to make our product look more premium and more appealing on the shelf, it is also a way of checkmating adulteration. if we don’t do that, before you know it, they are almost swallowing you up (Adulterators). We make sure from time to time we are always a step ahead with what adulterators can do.” Anegbe who declined to reveal the amount spent in changing the bottles of three brands agreed that it is expensive changing the bottles, “but I don’t think it is very important now telling you exactly the cost of doing that.” while saying that the drinks are available in all our depots for onward distribution, he noted.

he Lagos State branch of the Nigeria Institute, said its 2014 Annual General Meeting will be anchored on Nigeria’s preparation for the 2015 general elections.

The AGM which starts with inter religious prayer for the country and the institute will be kicked off with a novelty match on August 30 and September 4, 2014 for the AGM proper with a public lecture that will x-ray how professional public relations strategies and methodology can be deployed to enhance participation and cooperation for effective management for political leadership Nigerians yearn for.

Chivita repositions

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hiLimited,manufacturers of Chivita premium has repositioned the fruit juice, renaming it Chivita 100%, while exposing other messages on the pack.

The company said the repackaging reflects the visual architecture of the brand, and that it has also boldly written along the length of the pack ‘100% Fruit Juice’ while ‘No Added Sugar’ is placed at the heart of the design and written in clear language to give the information greater prominence than before.

The company says the change is to communicate a clear and effective brand message that will instantly resonate with consumers.

Chi Limited went further to say that the rechristening and repackaging depicts a clear brand message of capturing the right language that embodies a brand so that it distinguishes itself from others.

For effectiveness, the company noted that for a name to resonate with consumers it must be simple, short and above all memorable, and must also parade instantly attractive packaging.

Speaking, Managing Director of Ozo and sons investments, Ejoor Ediri, said brands change their names for challenges of communicating a clear and effective brand message that will instantly resonate with consumers. “This is because very few brands are able to effectively match the message with each and every component of their brand or product,” said Ediri.

40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.com Blog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2 Website: www.lesleba.com Tel:0805 220 1997

ur parlous economic state has been attributed by some observers to our heavy dependence on increasing oil revenue and our inability to stimulate the performance of our industrial and agricultural subsectors, particularly the small and medium enterprises and thereby, also diversify the productive sectors of our economy.

This column has however consistently explained that the unyielding presence of surplus Naira deliberately instigated by our Central Bank is, ironically, actually the major obstacle to inclusive economic growth and diversification. In other words, economic Eldorado will eternally remain a mirage, unless we can successfully combat the decades old burden of a systemic Naira flood and buoyant dollar reserves inspite of widespread poverty nationwide.

Nonetheless, CBN’s unilateral substitution of Naira allocations for dollar derived revenue has been clearly identified in this column as the real cause of the disenabling excess liquidity; regrettably, however, the oligarchs who derive immense wealth from government’s impulsive borrowings of trillions of Naira with Treasury bills, fuel subsidy payments of over $12bn annually, and the ready access to humongous slush funds which facilitate corruption, understandably, do not want CBN to stop inducing the unyielding socially oppressive spectre of excess liquidity.

However, some readers of this column wonder how distributable dollar denominated revenue can be infused into the system without inducing the destabilising poison of excess Naira in the economy. Hereafter, the following explanation will juxtapose the related consequences of CBN’s substitution of Naira allocations for dollar revenue under the Current Payments Model

The realistic path to economic prosperity (CPM) against the Advocated Payments Model (APM) of adopting dollar certificates for the distribution, for example, of $1bn export revenue, to the three tiers of government in eight sequential scenes!

Thus, Scene-1, CPM: CBN unilaterally determines naira exchange rate and unconstitutionally captures the distributable $1bn revenue and prints/creates ( read as monetizes) N160bn as statutory allocations, which are domiciled in commercial bank accounts of beneficiaries!

Scene-1, APM: The $1bn is not substituted with N160bn; instead, beneficiaries receive dollar certificates for their respective portions of allocation, while the $1bn remains domiciled with the CBN, while naira exchange rate is ultimately determined by open market demand and supply.

Scene-2, CPM: The banks enjoy almost ten-fold leverage on the fresh naira inflow, with an enhanced credit capacity, which suffocates the money market with excess spending power , and fuels inflation!

Scene-2, APM: With strictly dollar allocations, no fresh Naira is created; the naira supply in the system remains unchanged, and cannot therefore instigate the usual disenabling systemic spectre of surplus naira.

Scene-3, CPM: In response to the threat of rising inflation, the CBN ‘altruistically’ steps in with treasury bills to borrow money it does not need at over 10 percent from the banks, so as to reduce money supply and curb inflation. Despite the oppressive cost, the borrowed funds are simply kept idle!

Scene-3, APM: In the absence of the usual naira surplus, CBN does not have to borrow money it does not need at over 10%; consequently, our increasingly oppressive debt

burden would cease! Banks would have no choice but to chase the real sector for business!

Scene-4, CPM: In order to further prevent liberal access to cheap excess funds in the market, CBN raises its Monetary Policy Control Rate (MPR) and this propels banks to increase their own lending rates; the resulting crushing cost of funds would therefore restrain customers’ motivation to borrow; interest rates, may rise above 20 percent, and

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The absence of systemic excess naira will promote single digit and lower inflation rates with positive knockon impact for increasing consumer demand, industrial consolidation, increasing job opportunities and economic diversification.

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reduce the prospects of industrial growth and the creation of increasing job opportunities with irrepressible inflation and contracting consumer demand prevailing nationwide.

Scene-4, APM: In the absence of the usual excess naira supply, the threat of inflation and government’s costly impulsive borrowing with Treasury bills will be minimised; CBN would therefore readily reduce its Monetary Policy (control) Rate (MPR) drastically; commercial banks will similarly drop their

interest rates across the board to single digit, so that businesses can access cheaper funds to finance new businesses as well as grow existing industries with increasing employment opportunities.

Scene-5, CPM: Ministries and State Governments, who require imports, are constrained to buy back dollars from banks who have become the prime beneficiaries of CBN dollar auctions. Ultimately, naira exchange rate comes under pressure as increasingly surplus naira in the market chase the rationed dollars auctioned weekly by CBN! The market dynamics of demand and supply consequently become unfavourably skewed against the naira, particularly more so, whenever CBN’s total monthly forex auction falls below the $1bn earlier unconstitutionally captured in Scene-1 above!

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cene-5, APM: The three tiers of government remain the owners of dollar values domiciled with CBN; however, these government agencies can exchange for naira, all or portions of their dollar certificates from time to time, directly through commercial banks. Thus, the usual naira surge when CBN prints/creates fresh naira balances for allocations of dollar revenue will cease; inevitably, the naira will become stronger against the dollar in the forex market!

Scene-6, CPM: The less dollars sold by CBN, the larger are CBN’s reserves, but the weaker also will be the naira, as less dollars will invariably become pitched against excess naira supply in the market.

The gap between official and black market naira rates consequently widens.

Scene-6, APM: The usual CBN bi-weekly dollar auctions

will also cease as constitutional beneficiaries directly trade their dollar certificates for existing naira balances with banks; (since dollar certificates are not legal tender in Nigeria). The dollar values will, however, remain domiciled with the CBN, irrespective of ultimate buyer!

Scene-7, CPM: In order to reduce the gap between the black market and the official rates of exchange, CBN commits the unforced error of freely allocating dollars to Bureau de Change, who in turn fund the requirements of treasury looters and smugglers of contrabands, not minding the adverse impacts of such misguided dollar supply on the economy. Indeed, such monetary policy management must be far from international best practice!

Scene-7, APM: In the absence of the usual liberal spectre of surplus naira, banks become wary of over committing their naira balances to just foreign exchange purchases. The black market for the dollar will rapidly contract, while the motivation for smuggling and money laundering will similarly be curtailed.

Scene-8, CPM: Despite a gasping manufacturing sector and deepening poverty nationwide, the banks and other speculative foreign investors celebrate another bumper year!!

Scene-8, APM: The absence of systemic excess naira will promote single digit and lower inflation rates with positive knock-on impact for increasing consumer demand, industrial consolidation, increasing job opportunities and economic diversification. A stronger naira will drive down fuel prices and ultimately eliminate subsidies!

SAVE THE NAIRA, SAVE NIGERIANS!!

Business & Economy Nigerian products: NBCC worries over unexplored UK market

BY NAOMI UZOR

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HE Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce, NBCC, has lamented over the huge demand for Nigerian products in the United Kingdom which should be earning Nigeria a tidy amount of foreign exchange annually but has remained largely unexploited.

Speaking at the business meeting tagged” A New Dawn For Nigerian Export” organized by NBCC, the President of NBCC, Prince Yemi Adefulu, said, Britain houses nearly 3 million Nigerians which makes it a

Nigerian nation outside of Nigeria, adding that, the Nigerian Population dwelling therein, is bigger than a population of over a dozen African countries.

“That population alone, with its huge buying power and access, is a huge national resource with which, regrettably, we have done very little. When this is combined with the large African diaspora in the UK, it should be a huge export market for Nigeria which should be providing jobs on our farms and factories daily. It is a strong evidence of a poor national strategy and planning that after well over 100 years of association with

the Uk at all levels, our pineapples, pawpaw, yams, bananas, plantains are hardly found in the UK’s departmental stores and corner shops thereby depriving ourselves of huge earnings and job opportunities” he stated.

According to him, his study has shown that there are several reasons responsible for the huge failure to tap into this huge opportunity, which is the get rich quick mentality which the oil boom syndrome has bestowed on Nigerians as nobody wants to work hard anymore or look long term, noting that, relationships in international trade takes time, consistent application and

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

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

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

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

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 41

42—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

How Ebola patients survive Continues from page 5

Alimosho General Hospital, Igando

Meantime, there was a mild drama at the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, last week when news filtered in that an Ebola patient who came from Pastor T. B Joshua's Synagogue had died.

As soon as the information made the rounds nurses, and even patients in the wards were said to have hurried out in panic to avoid contracting the virus.

However, it took the efforts of the Chief Medical Director and other doctors to convince the people that there was no such case at the hospital.

Responding to the incident, Lagos State Government said there was no reported case of the death of any person infected with ebola at the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando or any of the other government hospitals in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, in a statement said government dispelled the rumour making the round that an Ebola infected person had died at the government owned hospital in Alimosho.

He said the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris had addressed the issue during the last Ebola Virus Disease update press briefing, where he assured residents of the state that the hospital was safe and medically sound for them to patronize. Ibirogba cautioned the residents against sending unsubstantiated messages through the social media network, adding that the EVD was being properly man-

aged by the state government in collaboration with the Federal Government and other international partners.

“The state has opened an Isolation Ward for the treatment of EVD infected persons where they would be adequately managed by experts in line with the World Health Organisation Standards,” he stated.

Mass enlightenment begins in Lagos In a related development, the Lagos State Government has warned against environmental pollution such as defecating and urinating in the public, and urged people to embrace proper environmental hygiene standards as a way of curbing the spread of EVD. Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello made the call at a “One-day Train the Trainers Programme” organised by the Ministry for Environment Health Officers”, popularly called WoleWole in all the 57 Local Government/LCDAs and Scientific Officers in the State Civil Service, with the theme: Creating an Army of Advocacy to curb Ebola Virus through Effective Enlightenment at the Grassroots.

Bello explained that the State Government has embarked on series of actions to control the spread since the outbreak in Lagos State. To complement other efforts of government, he said the ministry has commenced educative programmes for residents starting with the “Train the Trainer” after which an army of these trained officials will embark on mass public enlightenment campaigns to markets, motor parks,

LCCI president cautions Nigerians

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By Naomi Uzor

HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, yesterday, urged that care should be taken not to escalate the Ebola crisis beyond the reality of its occurrence.

President of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello,said in a statement that there should be some measure of proportionality in media reports both locally and internationally as the Ebola hype has created a disproportionate panic, anxiety and scare, projecting the country as endemic Ebola zone.

While stressing that Nigerians should not escalate the crisis beyond the reality of its occurrence, he urged the business community and the entire citizenry to support the current efforts at containment of the disease.

The statement said, “LCCI regrets the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, incident in Nigeria. The incident was ordinarily avoidable but for the failure of our system which could not stop the Li-

berian-American, Patrick Sawyer - carrier of EVD from gaining entry into our country. Nevertheless, we note with satisfaction the measures taken so far by the federal and state governments to contain the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in the country.

Official report put Ebola case at 11 with four deaths to-date. Ebola is alien to our environment and, therefore, a momentary phenomenon.

There is currently the risk of international isolation, stigmatization and unwarranted discriminatory practices against the citizens traveling outside our shores. This has grave consequences for the economy and the citizens.”

Bello said that the chamber lauded the progress made so far in the containment strategies and was pleased to note the discharge of one of the victims from the hospital, adding that, it was optimistic that the disease will be fully controlled sooner than later.

The late American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer and her sister Miss Princess Christina Nyennetue and schools in all the 57 Local Government Council Development Areas to create awareness on how to prevent the spread of the dreaded disease.

Enugu is Ebola free

Also, following the growing anxiety over possible spread of the EVD in Enugu State, the state government has declared the state free from ebola, just as it explained that at the moment, all those who were suspected to have contact with the nurse who left Lagos for Enugu have been investigated and there was no case of EVD detected.

Precautionary measures A statement by the Special Assistant to Governor Sullivan Chime on Health Matters, Mr. Johnny Ezievuo, said even with that assurance, nothing was being taken for granted. “We are taking all precautionary measures to ensure that nothing is left to chance. Interestingly health care delivery is one of the cardinal programmes of Governor Chime’s administration."

Ezievuo who stressed the need for people to uphold the practice of good hygiene in their homes, offices or shops as panacea to any disease, however, maintained that all the programmes of the state government were tailored towards the need of the people, saying that citizens have a sense of belonging because it is participatory.

Delta monarch bans burial ceremonies

In furtherance to the measures being taken against ebola threat, the Ovie of Agbon Kingdom, Ogurimerime Ukori the 1st, has directed that no funeral ceremony be held in the kingdom for now. A statement by the Secretary of Agbon Traditional Council, Chief Emma Avworo, quoted the Agbon Monarch as also banning religious crusades or night vigils in the kingdom.

The statement directed that no corpse should be brought into Agbon Clan and warned every-

one in the area to stop the consumption of all forms of bush meat especially bats till further notice.

TUC tasks Lagos on ebola

Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, weekend urged the Lagos State Government to do more to curtail the spread of the deadly ebola disease, especially through massive enlightenment campaigns before it spreads to other parts of the country. TUC in a statement by its President and Secretary General, Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal, respectively insisted that Lagos State had the wherewithal in terms of human and material resources to contain the spread.

According to the statement, Lagos, being the most populated state and the economic hub of the country, the flurry of activities brings the people in regular contact with one another, thus accentuating the need for intensification of the fight against Ebola.

“To this end, we anticipate that the anti-ebola public awareness campaign should be stepped up, and well-equipped quarantine/ treatment centres should be set up at strategic locations within

the state. We also counsel the Lagos State Government to engage more professionals, make all necessary consultations with stakeholders both within and outside the country and provide adequate protective measures for medical personnel and other care-givers attending to Ebolainfected persons. The government should also take out life insurance policies in favour of such workers. Indeed no measure that would encourage them in the fight against the ebola menace would be out of place.

“The Congress specially commends the concerted efforts of Nigerians so far, especially the Federal Government, who have demonstrated clear sense of responsibility and focused responsiveness to the ebola challenge. Nevertheless, we urge Nigerians to remain alert and dutifully observe all healthy practices as are needful to stamp out ebola, including keeping their environments clean, cooking their foods well, regularly washing hands with soap, etc. as health professionals have advised. Surely ebola has not come to stay, but we would do well to speed up its departure.”

Liberia gives experimental Ebola drug to three African doctors

H

EALTH care workers in Liberia have administered three doses of the rare, experimental drug ZMapp to three doctors suffering from Ebola, two medical workers in Monrovia told Reuters. Liberia, the West African country with the highest death toll from the tropical virus at 413, received three doses of the rare serum in a special consignment last week.

Doctors Zukunis Ireland and Abraham Borbor from Liberia and Dr. Aroh Cosmos Izchukwu from Nigeria are the first Africans to receive the treatment. The drug has already been administered to two American healthcare workers and a Spanish priest, all previously working in Liberian

hospitals.

The U.S. healthcare workers’ health has since improved but the Spanish priest died. “Three doctors are currently being administered treatment with the experimental Ebola drug ZMapp.

Treatment began on Thursday evening,” said Dr. Billy Johnson, chief medical officer of John F. Kennedy Medical Centre in Monrovia where two of the doctors served before contracting the deadly virus.

A second healthcare worker at the Elwa centre which is housing the sick doctors confirmed that they were on their third day of a six-day ZMapp treatment.

Details of their condition are not known.

V anguard anguard,, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014—43

Mark, Oru, Ibori, Utuama, Aguariavwodo, Omo-Agege, Onuesoke, others mourn Aziza

By Festus Ahon, Charles Kumolu, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Akpokona Omafuaire & Brisibe Perez

S

ENATE President, Senator David Mark; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Steve Oru; former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, deputy governor of the state, Prof Amos Utuama, SAN, and other notable Deltans, yesterday, mourned the late President General of Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU, General Patrick Aziza (rtd), who died on Saturday in Abuja from cancer. He was aged 67.

Senator Mark in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh in Abuja, lamented the death of Gen. Azizi, whom he also described as a fine military officer, a gentleman and one of the best and fertile minds the Nigeria military had ever produced.

Mark noted the positive contributions of the late army general to the development of the country, pointing out that he unarguably excelled in all assignments he handled.

On his part, Dr Oru said; “We got the news of his death with great shock. Since he emerged President General of UPU, he steered the ship of the state of the Urhobo nation quite creditably. He succeeded in promoting peace and unity amongst the Urhobo people. He promoted the

•Late Gen. Patrick Aziza mise of Aziza, describing it as another loss to Nigeria, Delta State and the Urhobo nation in particular. Utuama in a statement said the late Gen Aziza was a courageous and patriotic son of whom the Urhobo are proud., noting,“The Urhobo nation has lost a courageous and illustrious leader that we are proud of. He was fully committed to the cause and progress of the Urhobo nation. He served his country meritoriously as a patriotic and gallant military officer. He worked very hard towards the completion of the Urhobo Cultural Centre, UCC at Uvwiamuge and he was committed to completing it".

Senator representing Delta Central at the National Assembly, Senator Emmanuel Aguari-

,

On retiring from the military, Aziza continued to be a mentor to those coming behind him, and also devoted a lot of energy into the betterment of the Urhobo nation and his beloved country

appointment of an Urhobo minister as I can remember, during his first tenure he led a delegation to President Goodluck Jonathan to advocate the appointment of an Urhobo son and today I am one of those that benefitted at the national level, so my missing him is even more.”

Chief Ibori, described General Aziza as a thorough professional, a passionate statesman and uncommon rallying point. In a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, he said that the late Gen Aziza served his country most creditably in the Nigerian Army, where he was a stablising factor and a role model in what it takes to be a soldier, a gentleman and statesman. Ibori said that on retiring from the military, Aziza continued to be a mentor to those coming behind him, and also devoted a lot of energy into the betterment of the Urhobo nation and his beloved country, Nigeria.

Prof Utuama, SAN, expressed shock and deep pain at the de-

,

avwodo, said: “It is sad that we don’t even know what to think.

We have talked to some of our leaders and everybody is still in shock. We are sad, we mourn his passage and we pray that for the repose of his soul that God should accept his soul. We await what the family will say and what UPU will say so that we can all have a meeting on what to do next. He stood strongly for the unity of the Urhobo nation and he was a fine soldier, he served Nigeria very well.”

A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship aspirant, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege, said; “the news of the death of Aziza came to us with shock. It was difficult to believe that the foremost Urhobo leader has breathed his last after many years of meritorious service to Nigeria and the Urhobo nation. A great iroko has fallen! His death has robbed the Urhobo nation of his legendary tact in holding the torchlight of progress for our people. It is difficult to now speak of him in past tense. In him was a man who

stood taller than many of his peers in character, honesty, integrity, achievement and personal example as a leader and as an unassuming team player in the quest for nation building.”

Olorogun Ebenezer Okorodudu said; “it is painful that he has to leave us at this critical time; we will remember him for being a man that stood for the Urhobo course and most especially for his astute management of the UPU.” Mr Henry Baro, PDP chairmanship candidate in Uvwie Local Government Area, said; “Our hero has fallen. What a great loss to us the Urhobos? Aziza brought so much charisma to the Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU. We pray God to grant him eternal rest.”

Olorogun Jaro Egbo, said; “it is very sad that he has to die at the time he was striving to unite the Urhobo nation and build bridges of unity amongst us and our neighbours.”

A former governorship aspirant, Mr Sunny Onuesoke, said, “Aziza is a symbol of Urhobo unity, the man worked so hard as UPU President General to unite the Urhobos. His death is a colossal loss to us the Urhobos. He has served the Urhobo nation well hence he was given a second term in office.”

The traditional ruler of Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area, Delta State, HRM Noble Eshemitan, described the death of Aziza as devastating saying, “He was a fine professional military man who rendered meritorious service to this country. A renowned former minister of Commerce and Industry and a respected military judge, who championed the course of Urhobo people head long and hence was reelected the PresidentGeneral of UPU, the position he held until his death.”

A former Delta Central senatorial candidate, Chief Ede Dafinone, said “General Aziza

was an officer and a gentleman, a natural leader with a deep sense of responsibility to his people together with a humility that endeared him to so many.

He was a detribalised Nigerian who served Nigeria in so many capacities.”

Special Adviser to the Delta State Government and National President of Urhobo Political Forum, UPF, Chief Ighoyota Amori, said “His death is most unfortunate and is a great loose to the Urhobo people. We pray God to grant his soul a perfect peace.”

Former House of Representatives member, Mr Solomon Edoja, said “Aziza served Urhobo with every energy and resource at his disposal. His death is a painful loose but God knows why He decided to do it at this time. As we mourn him, we should remember the principles that he stood for.”

A former Sapele Local Local Government Area Chairman, Mr. Godwin Atose, said “He was a man who gave his life to the service of the Nigeria nation and the Urhobo people.”

Chief Frank Kokori, said “I am shocked with the news of his death. He was a very humble and fine gentleman. During the military era, he was the first Military General sent to mediate between myself and Late General

Sani Abacha. Even though I was older than him ,being the UPU President General, he regarded me with a lot of respect. I thank God for his life and may his soul rest in peace.”

Prof Sam Oyovbaire, said “Aziza was a high worthy, dedicated and most patriotic military professional. He served the nation with credit and merit. He brought these values and principles to bear in his service to the Urhobo nation.”

The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, World-wide in a condolence letter by Mr Eric Omare, said “Aziza was a stabilising factor in the Niger-Delta. It will be recalled that when there was so much protest from some sons and daughters of the Urhobo nation over perceived marginalisation against the Goodluck Jonathan administration, General Aziza as the leader of the Urhobo people unlike some other leaders did not join the fray in openly protesting, but instead he quietly led the Urhobo nation to constructively engage President Jonathan.”

The Urhobo People Forum, UPF, in a statement by Mr. Nathaniel Dortie, its National Coordinator, said “The death of Aziza came as a rude shock. I met him some days ago, so I am at a loss. It is a great void that will be difficult to feel.”

44 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

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A Ukrainian serviceman guards a checkpoint outside Donetsk, August 15, 2014. The European Union said on Friday it would consider any unilateral military actions by Russia in Ukraine as ‘a blatant violation of international law’

Ukraine troops break through rebel stronghold

U

KRAINIAN forces have raised their national flag over a police station in the city of Luhansk, which was for months under rebel control, Kiev said yesterday, in what could be a breakthrough in Ukraine’s efforts to crush pro-Moscow separatists.

Ukrainian officials said, however, the rebels were fighting a desperate rearguard action to hold on to Luhansk - which is their supply route into neighbouring Russia - and that the flow of weapons and fighters from Russia had accelerated.

The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany were meeting in Berlin and German Foreign Minister FrankWalter Steinmeier said

talks would focus on how to achieve a ceasefire and prevent weapons and fighters crossing into eastern Ukraine.

“The news from today shows that we are far from an end to the conflict. People are still dying. We have no ceasefire. We are far away from a political solution,” Steinmeier said before the meeting.

Russia denies helping the rebels and accuses Kiev, backed by the West, of triggering a humanitarian crisis through indiscriminate use of force against Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine who reject the Ukrainian government’s rule.

Andriy Lysenko, a Ukrainian military spokes-

man, said government forces fought separatists in Luhansk on Saturday and took control of the Zhovtneviy neighbourhood police station.

“They raised the state flag over it,” Lysenko said.

Separatist officials in Luhansk could not be reached by telephone, and a separatist spokeswoman in Donetsk, the other rebel strong-hold, said she had no information about Luhansk.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced another military success, saying his forces had recaptured a railway junction at Yasynuvata, north of Donetsk, which he said had “strategic significance”.

No response to calls for ceasefire in Libyan capital

L

IBYAN factions traded gunfire and shells in various parts of Tripoli yesterday, ignoring international appeals for a

ceasefire to end more than a month of fighting.

The struggle in the capital is part of worsening chaos in the North African

Palestinians remain divided with Israel in Gaza talks

P

ALESTINIAN factions appeared divided today as the clock was winding down on the latest Gaza ceasefire.

Officials said that Hamas is still opposed to a compromise that would ease the closure of the territory.

Hamas officials said they were holding out in the hope of getting more

concessions in the Egyptian-mediated talks. With a temporary truce set to expire on Monday at midnight local time, a range of outcomes remain possible, including a return to fighting, an unofficial understanding that falls short of a formal negotiated deal or yet another extension in negotiations.

country where rebels who helped to topple Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 now vie for power and a share of Libya’s oil wealth.

Militias from the city of Misrata and fighters allied to the western town of Zintan have wrestled for control of the capital in the worst clashes since the NATO-backed uprising.

Through the day gunfire and shelling could be heard near the airport and other parts of Tripoli, but the fighting was less fierce than on Saturday when much of the city was a battlefield.

The battles have forced the United Nations and Western governments to evacuate their diplomats, fearing Libya is sliding into civil war.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 45

46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CANCER: Whatever anybody says or does, you will have both your say and way. Venus and Jupiter may tempt some of you to embrace illicit (or secret) romance within your base of operation.

LEO: Venus and Jupiter at positive angles may tempt you to join some of your friends who are already onboard of merry making train. Watch your health.

VIRGO: Good luck will smile at many and induce love of luxury merry making and romantic association.

Genuine lovers will need to be on guard against deceit from new admirers.

LIBRA: Both financial success and emotional satisfaction are closed to you than before. Those of you travelling because of maters-of-the-heart are in for an exciting romantic day Those ambitious career-wise will succeed after few struggles.

SCORPIO: Many members of your opposite sex will go out of their ways to attract your romantic interest. This is the wrong time to engage on unnecessary argument.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

A

deadline is the time within which we must do something. It is the time we have to do what we have chosen to do or what we are expected to do or compelled to do.

Unfortunately, most people associate

Giving Yourself A Deadline deadline with journalism.

This should not be.

Everyone that aspires to be somebody in life must imbibe the practice of deadline. The major difference between a mere wish and a goal

TERROR MUDA

is that a wish is an open cheque that has no definite time for it be cashed whereas a goal has time frame for its execution. But for fear of failing, most people will gladly set deadline for attaining their goals. Be a

in “Never say goodbye”

sportsman. Be sincere to yourself. If you have given everything and you still couldn’t meet up with your deadline, adjust it forward.

In everything, set a deadline for yourself.

Just be sincere.

Nobody will kill you for not meeting up with your deadline.

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS: If you priority is love, much of it would come your way as desired. But here is a better day for more ambitious in the business world. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you over money.

CAPRICORN: Those of you with secret admirers within your working area will have the needed opportunities to make the needed moves. Resist the temptation to deceive others.

AQUARIUS: Although matters-of-the-heart may give you cause to smile broadly, if care is not taken, you would cause friction that can’t help you r case at work. This is the wrong time for unnecessary scheming within your working arena.

PISCES: Those of your who are red-blooded for romance may have an exciting and satisfying day. Happenings within your social circles must be taken more seriously.

ARIES: Confrontation may come your way in the circle but the heavens are working favourably for you. Some doses of romance is not too much for you on a day like this.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS: Provided you don’t allow your innate ability to be as diplomatic as necessary desert you, things work favourably for you to the betterment of your finances.

GEMINI: Many of you will be in sentimental mood and exhibit strong romantic desire openly. But then, if care is not taken, you may be carried away to the detriment of your finances. Serious minded lovers are in for happy day.

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’s my Horoscope ?

Dear Joshua, I was born on September 13, 1962. I want you to give me my comprehensive horoscope, especially what my special gift is.

Which day of the week was I born? Where were my natal planets and their meanings? Who am I? Bimbo, Mushin.

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Bimbo, There is no space for comprehensive horoscope but what you’ll have here -under is answer to your questions/ You were born on a Thursday and your special gift is LEADERSHIP quality.

YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Date of Birth: Thursday, September 13, 1962 Sun Sign: Virgo: Sun in 20th Degree of Virgo Moon Sign: PISCES: Moon on 10th Degree of Pisces Mercury in 16th Degree of Libra Venues in 5th Degree of Scorpio Mars in 13th Degree of Cancer Jupiter in 6th Degree of Pisces Saturn in 5th Degree of Aquarius Uranus in 2nd Degree of Virgo Neptune in 11th Degree of Scorpio Pluto in 10th Degree of Virgo North Node in 6th Degree of Leo South Node in 6th Degree of Aquarius Quality and Element Cardinal and air star signs hosted two planets each fixed and earth three each, no planet in fire while mutable and water star signs hosted five planets each.

Push-full influence = 20% Non- push-full element = 80% Final dispositor = Lucky Jupiter General Analysis Just 20 per cent of push-full influence in your chart can deceptively present you to others as a soft (or even timid) person but practical Virgo that hosted nothing less than three heavenly bodies when you were born and Astrological aspects between Mercury (mental focus) and aggressive Mars in you r chart are pointers to the contrary.

Yes! You are highly intelligent and your mind works the same way detective’s minds do. It is true, there are little contradictions between your inner self and your emotional being as indicated quality, water element and Virgo characteristics.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 47

48—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

THE Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has spoken – again. The NEF has become the most garrulous elders forum in the country. In a statement issued on its behalf by Barrister Solomon Dalung and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, but which had the overtones of the usual venom of Prof.

Ango Abdullahi and Alhaji Lawal Kaita (Alhaji Atiku Abubakar ’s political loudmouths) the NEF told President Goodluck Jonathan that if by the end of October 2014 the Chibok college girls abducted by Boko Haram had not been rescued he should forget the 2015 presidential race.

NEF, more or less, rehashed the poisonous letter that impeached former governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Murtala Nyako, wrote to Northern Governors in April accusing Jonathan of perpetrating genocide in the North through the war on terror. They continued to cast doubt over the insurgency in the North. Hear them: “the reality is that the threats posed by what appears to be an insurgency that has many manifestations and defies a clear and

NEF’s Chibok girls ultimatum to weaken the North in order for him to exploit it and win the 2015 elections. It is based on this self-deceitful postulation that it is giving the President up to October end to stop the “atrocities” and release the Chibok girls or the North will not vote for him. Talk of playing the ostrich, these crafty elders have perfected the act, but no one is fooled. Nigerians are far smarter than that.

,

The result of the 2011 election corroborates what Ambassador Yusuf said about the Northern electorate. They are not as clannish as the NEF would want us to believe

,

consistent identity is growing due to the absence of a clear national consensus over its nature and its solutions…

“We also reject the notion that multiple internal security challenges such as attacks on villages, ethno-religious conflicts and banditry springing up by the day in all parts of the North are all a coincidence.

Indeed, we are convinced that most of these conflicts are being engineered to weaken the North politically and economically by interests which intend to exploit such weaknesses for electoral benefits”.

There is a clear national consensus that the Boko Haram Islamist insurgents and “Fulani herdsmen” are the people destroying the North, but I was unable to spot where NEF mentioned Boko Haram by name. In fact, NEF, just like Nyako, denies there is a Northern homegrown Boko Haram involved in the economic, social and political emasculation of the North, including the abduction of the Chibok girls they are shedding crocodile tears over.

The NEF wants to hoodwink those who care to listen to it that the insurgency is being “engineered” by President Jonathan

From the same North have come several rebuttals. Alhaji Gidado Ibrahim, Chairman of the Northern Alternative Group (NAG) lampooned the selfappointed elders, saying that North will not vote based on sentiment but the performance of the Jonathan administration. The Northern Elders Council (NEC) with Ambassador Yusuf Mamman as its spokesman, condemned NEF’s unpatriotic attempt to politicise the insurgency, adding that every Nigerian patriot ought to cooperate with the Federal Government and appreciate the gallant sacrifices of our troops and security agencies.

Most poignantly, a prominent member of the NEF, retired Lt General Jerry Useni, debunked the notion that North is against Jonathan’s legitimate second term ambition, adding that it was not true that Jonathan convened the National Conference to further a non-existent third term ambition.

For your reminder, NEF calls Jonathan’s second term bid “third term” because they regard his completion of the late President Yar’ Adua’s term as his first term. Can you be more mischievous than that! The truth

is that the NEF is not only a rabble rouser as the Presidency had called it. They are what the French call agents provocateurs.

They are sworn political enemies of President Jonathan. They never wanted him, as a southerner, to be sworn-in to replace Yar’ Adua when the president died. Left to them, the constitution should have been sidestepped, and another northerner (perhaps, Turai?) should have replaced Yar ’ Adua with Jonathan maintaining his position of Vice President.

After all, the principle of zoning in the PDP said it was the North’s turn.

They fought him to the bitter end in 2010/ 2011 by ganging up under the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) which brought out Atiku to stand for the North against Jonathan. The gamble failed. They used every trick in the book to ensure the North did not vote for Jonathan. The president still ended up winning in seven states and the FCT (Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa and Benue) while scoring 25% in eleven states (Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Sokoto, Niger, Zamfara, Yobe and Gombe). It was only in Borno that he narrowly missed the 25% mark in the entire federation.

The result of the 2011 election corroborates what Ambassador Yusuf said about the Northern electorate. They are not as clannish as the NEF would want us to believe. They have a voting behaviour similar to those of other Nigerian groups and they vote partly out of sentiment (he is our son/daughter) and partly due to performance. There is no evidence that they take their electoral marching orders from the NEF or any other self-appointed and self-motivated agitator. They listen to their political leaders, such as Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Sule Lamido in the PDP, based on proven track records of performance and leadership.

Most of the names populating the NEF are former public officers who only made good for themselves, their families and friends when they were in office. They forgot the masses, the people who actually vote. They impoverished and rendered them destitute, even with the enormous powers of state and our oil money at their disposal for nearly forty years of exclusive northern dominance. Now they are out of power, they want it back tonight, or else…

The people of the North, being Nigerians, will not listen to the NEF’s blackmail ultimatums when choosing their president in 2015. They will judge President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan or Governor Sule Lamido based on their characters and performance in office and national electability. They will also judge General Buhari, Atiku and possibly Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on their characters, performance and national appeal, whoever among them emerges from the APC. The NEF will, as usual, stand by idly and helplessly as Nigerians choose their president next year.

They can only sound off like empty barrels. It is their democratic right.

Immortalising our Ebola martyrs

I

T will be a good idea if we immortalise the late medical personnel who attended to the dead Liberian villain, Patrick Sawyer, when he wickedly brought the Ebola plague to Nigeria. They paid the supreme price trying to save a man whose last act did not deserve such sacrifice. The President should either present them with posthumous national service awards or name prominent national health facilities after them. Their families should also be adequately compensated financially, at least to cushion the effect of losing these great Nigerians in their line of duty to save a wretched life.

I so move. Those in support say: AYE? Against say: NAYE? GBAM, the ayes have it!

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OPINION Raising terror victims with funds

By Moshood Isah

N

IGERIA'S political terrain is so polarised that no opinion is justified as honest. On the one hand,if you praise the government, you are likely to be accused of receiving inducement. On the other, if you criticise government, you will be tagged an opponent. But whether we like it or not, there are still people who are only concerned about what is right. This said, government should be commended on the recent fundraising initiative

by President Goodluck Jonathan for victims of terror attacks.

The quest to raise funds to fight the rising spate of terrorism in the country kicked off on a bright note. It is also great to know that the initiative was supported from all quarters not withstanding political affiliation. A tip of this was when Owelle Rochas Okorocha came out and said 'On behalf of the masses of this country, I donate the sum of N10m'. A bemused President Jonathan said 'do you mean $10m'? The ever benevolent Governor gave a rather funny response of ' Sir, if you say dollars so be it...’

This is simply a tip to the wonderful mood that pervaded the fundraising dinner for the victims of terror attacks in the country. To say it was a good initiative is simply an understatement. To say the least, that was the best initiative I have seen for a while now. It brings joy to my heart to

seeing both government and non-government parastatals come out to selflessly donate large sums of money to support the victims of terror. The initiative is not only timely but very encouraging to see that the entire nation is empathetic to the plight of compatriots affected by the current insurgency bedeviling the nation.

President Jonathan donated N10 billion ($62 million) on behalf of the federal government, while other donations came in from oil companies, leading bankers, industrial groups and foreign donor agencies. The president had reportedly planned to raise $500m for the fund over a 12month period, but at the end of the dinner on Thursday, he had raised $490 million. Captains of industry in the banking, telecommunications, oil and gas sectors as well as individuals contributed passionately to the fund.

It is also pertinent to say that the fundraising responsibility was not left in the hands of just large companies alone. Private individuals also came out to show their solidarity by donating as much as they could afford just to see that they paid their dues to the nation.

One can imagine the smile on the faces of those seemingly hopeless, homeless, hapless and hungry displaced persons in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and other states affected by terrorism. I also expect that those Internally Displace Persons plagued by cholera and other deadly diseases will now find solace via intervention from the funds. I

also believe that helpless hospitalised victims needing one form of medical intervention or the other will now find succour from the selfless pool of resources.

The selfless gesture and show of patriotism I saw on TV few days ago was not just a sign but an assertion that the people are ready to support government to ensure that the nation returns to its peaceful milieu. As a matter of fact, I am tempted to say there is no more need to seek offshore loans to combat terrorism. There is no doubt the nation is endowed with affluence both material and human. Government needs more of this kind of initiative as the open arms of its citizens are always ready to embrace them.

There is no gain saying the fact that since the citizens are always ready to render support, government on its own part needs to step up effort to protect its citizens.

The Nigerian government in concomitant with its security chiefs needs to devise better ways of curbing the activities of these insurgents whom obviously don't mean well for the nation. There is need for government to reciprocate those wonderful heartwarming gestures I saw on screen few days ago. More so, there is need to build on the confidence the people have shown to the government by paying back through improved security to the people. *Mr. Isah, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

—49 Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014—

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HE Niger Delta is home to many JTF formations created to guarantee the security of life and property. Many JTF commanders have come and gone in the appointive engagement of the task of extirpation of any act of criminality in the Niger Delta.

For former JTF commanders like Major-General Charles Omoregie, Major-General Ochoga and Major-General Debiro, they left glorious records behind in the performance of their military task in the Niger Delta.

The professionalism and proactive strategies in the containment of imminent criminality and visible criminality displayed by these past JTF commanders in their days still stand unrivalled.

Specifically, Major-General Omoregie demonstrated unprecedented professionalism in intelligence-gathering and military engagement during the troubling days of the late John Togo, the ex-militant, in 2010 in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State who took up arms against the Federal Government of Nigeria in dramatisation of his so-called disenchantment with the execution of the postamnesty programme. He was always professionally prompt in investigative intelligence-

gathering and utilization of the intelligence gathered in confronting militants criminally engaged in unjust war for selfish purposes. When it was investigatively gathered that John Togo had relocated with his boys to neighbouring communities like Akparemogbene, Oyangbene, Gogigbene, Ogbobabougbene and others in a militarily targeted strategic move to outwit the JTF, Major-General Omoregie quickly deployed a detachment of soldiers to Akparemogbene and Oyangbene communities to militarily frustrate the late John Togo. These prompt foundational proactive military strategies of General Omoregie eventually led to the hunting down of the late John Togo in open gun-to-gun confrontation in 2011. It is strategies like these that always make the JTF win the war against criminality in the Niger Delta as the various JTF formations professionally stuck to their responsibilities.

It saddens that some JTF formations in the Niger Delta have lost this characteristic professionalism left by Omoregie, Ochoga and Debiro to proactively fight criminality in the Niger Delta.

Around these JTF formations poor defenceless civilians could be invaded and kidnapped away with the likelihood of the JTF soldiers looking the other way and lazily rationalising that it was outside

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their constitutional province to intervene and stop it forthwith. The present JTF commander, MajorGeneral Etewe Emmanuel, rumoured to have the professionalism that characterized the JTF days of Omoregie, Ochoga and Debiro, should wake up to his responsibilities. The JTF in the Niger Delta should be the type that demonstrates capability to forestall acts of criminality, not one that waits languidly on the waterfront until a harm is done and then seen responding with rocket launchers and other sophisticated weapons against invaders. That would be an analogue strategy rather than a digital approach in this age of increasing security challenges.

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egrettably, the archaic analogue approach is fast becoming the military strategies of Ayakoromo and Okwagbe JTF formations in the containment of any acts of criminality or

Houses they built

By Eric Teniola

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R. Michael Iheonukara Okpara (1920-1984) took over as Premier of Eastern Nigeria in January 1960 from Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe (1904-1996). The old Eastern Nigeria now consists of nine states, namely Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra states. For six years he was head of government of Eastern Nigeria.

Dr. Okpara was the son of a labourer but rose to become a medical doctor of distinction. He practised what is termed “Pragmatic Socialism” and his hobby was building infrastructure in Eastern Nigeria as well as encouraging agriculture. After the unfortunate civil war, he went on exile in Ireland where he practised medicine. Before his return from exile in 1979, his close associates took up a collection to build him a house in his village at Umuegwu in Umuahia, Abia State and that was the only house and property he ever had. He died on December 17, 1984 and today a University of Agriculture is named after him in Umudike and likewise a street is named after him in Abuja. It was in the house built by his friends that he was buried in 1985.

Apart from Dr. Olusegun Kokumo Agagu (1948-2013), no other elected leader is better appreciated and admired in Ikale land particularly in Osoro Kingdom, in Ondo State, than Chief Christopher Oluwafunmi Akinfosile (1920-1996), the Minister of Communications in the First Republic. He was an encyclopaedia of ideas. His hobby was in giving scholarship to students, building schools, roads, post offices and agricultural settlements in Ikale land. I was, in a way, his chauffeur, assistant and friend between 1977 and 1984 when he was the National Chairman of the NPP. On October 18, 1979 through the NPN/ NPP accord, he made some notable NPP members, including Paul Iyorpuu Unongo (77), Mrs. Janet Adefenwa Akinrinade, Mr. Geofrey Ademola Thomas(1925-2013) and others, Ministers under President Shehu Shagari.

My cousin, Mr. Opeyemi Oyedele alias John Bull and I persuaded him to make himself a Minister or someone from Ondo State. He rejected our plea, insisting it will be the greatest height of nepotism to do so.

Yet in terms of physical cash he had none.

Chief Akinfosile was a very forthright individual, highly principled and too much in love with his people. With my cousin, Chief Babu Akinbobola, I attended his funeral service held at St. John’s Anglican Church, Igbotako on Saturday November 2, 1996. It was a befitting burial organised by his children, relations and friends, including Egbon George Akinfosile, Femi Omoniyi, John Bull Oyedele and his brother Ife Oyedele, a public relations guru. The house that he built in Igbotako is in the hearts of the people of Ikale land and they expressed their gratitude, some with tears in their eyes, on the day he was buried. And they still remember him till today.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1906-1987), a man with a commanding presence and magic touch, was Premier of Western Nigeria between October 1, 1954 and December 15, 1959 – about five years before he made the mistake of crossing to the centre. Imagine the lasting achievements he made in that region within such a short period.

One of the most romantic figures in Ibadan politics was Alhaji Adegoke Oduola Akande Adelabu (1915-1958) alias Penkelemesi. My friend Akogun Lekan Alabi has written so much about him. Yet, when he died in a car accident on March 23, 1958, Alhaji Adelabu, “The Lion of the West”, had no house. Today in Ibadan the house he built is still in the hearts of the people, that is 56 years after his death.

Since the people’s lawyer, the late Kanmi Ishola-Osobu, himself an advocate of the oppressed, introduced me to the late Mallam Muhammed Aminu Kano (1920-1983) in 1975, I could count on how many clothes the late Mallam wore throughout my coverage of him till he died on April 17, 1983. People hardly noticed because he wore only white with his customary red cap- now the trademark of Rabiu Musa

breakdown of law and order in the Niger Delta. Maybe the overall officer in charge of the Ayakoramo and Okwagbe JTF formations feels a great repulsion against the use of digital approach in security matters. This should be an open invitation to the JTF commander to visit these two JTF formations to energise and sensitise them to be promptly proactive in intelligence-gathering and response to verifiable distress calls in their areas of operation.

The JTF formations in Ayakoromo and Okwagbe, probably in questionable obeisance to orders from their overall boss in Utu-Jeremi, have forgotten their responsibility to ensure the security of life and property in the surrounding communities. Just as illegal blunkerers are promptly arrested

by JTF soldiers in routine patrol and brought to book, any acts of invasion and criminality in the surrounding communities should be promptly arrested. However, anytime reports of criminal acts in the surrounding communities are brought to these formations, they are treated with levity by merely promptly calling their boss in Utu-Jeremi and responding shortly that it is not their responsibility to stop acts of invasion and criminality. To them such reports should be forwarded to the police. Common sense demands immediate stoppage of such acts of criminality and leaving the niceties of prosecution to the police. To stop or to end any acts of invasion and criminality in the surrounding communities is the

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By Ekanpou Enewaridideke

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JTF's fumbling formations

If JTF formations cannot take preemptive action against impending acts of criminality in their areas of operation, the purpose of their deployment to the area is defeated

Great leaders are better remembered for services provided, the goodwill they cultivated, the amenities they were able to provide, than the billions of dollars and naira they looted while in power

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Kwankaso, Minister of Defence in 2005 and now second term Governor of Kano State.

In terms of money, he had none even though he was born into wealth like Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman (1945-2005), a defender of the destitute and the needy. He chose to be poor to fight for the talakawas like Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi (1869-1948) of India.

He once said that: “All parties are but the expression of class interests, and as the interest of the talakawas (commoners) is diametrically opposed to the interest of all sections of the master class, a party seeking the emancipation of the talakawas must naturally be hostile to the party of the oppressors”.

P

eople often forget that Mallam Aminu Kano was once the Minister of Communication (1967-1969), Minister of Health (1971-1975), leader of Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), 19501966 and leader of Peoples Redemption Party until his death. He is best remembered as the leader of the poor people. After his death the only house he had was in Kano which was converted to the Centre for Democratic Research under the Bayero University in Kano.

Nigeria’s first and only Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (19121966) who was from Jere ethnic group (a branch of the Hausa), had neither fortune nor palaces when the military killed him on January 15, 1966.

He left behind19 children, an ailing

hallmark of proactive strategy hitherto typical of the JTF formation in the recent past, particularly the formations in Okwagbe and Ayakoromo in the days of major-general Omoregie.

On July 30, 2014, a report of one Mr. Ghana from Akparemogbene community in Burntu Local Government whose home was invaded by some persons from a neighboring community and his motor-saw forcefully taken away, was brought to the JTF formation in Ayakoromo and Okwagbe for prompt rescue action. But the soldiers termed it a responsibility for the police because no death had occurred. A counter-action from the invaded community could lead to total breakdown of law and order. If JTF formations cannot take pre-emptive action against impending acts of criminality in their areas of operation, the purpose of their deployment to the area is defeated. The JTF formations are supposed to be the police in their area of operation and so must not abdicate their responsibilities.

With the analogue brand of professionalism demonstrated by Ayakoromo and Okwagbe JTF formations, communal acts of criminality and invasion bound to snowball into total communal war would soon become a legitimate occurrence in the surrounding communities because unstoppable acts of invasion could breed counterinvasion. *Mr. Enewaridideke, a political analyst, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

mother Hajia Inna, a posthumous daughter, Zainab, a home in Tafawa Balewa in the present day Bauchi State, a farm, a small bungalow in Kaduna which was later donated to Jamatu Nasri Islam, a wrist watch, a worldwide short radio, a ceremonial scimitar given to him by Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello and three wives, including Laraba and Jummai.

His own fate was far better than that of the late leader of government business of Northern Nigeria between 1951-1954 and Premier of Northern between 1954-1966 and also leader of the ruling Northern Peoples Congress, NPC. Sir Ahmadu Bello (1909- 1966) had no house in Kaduna yet he was the most powerful politician during his era. The two houses he had were in Sokoto and his village at Rabbah. He was the grandson of Usman Dan Fodio who founded the Sokoto Empire. After he too was killed on January 15, 1966 with his most senior wife, Hajia Yangu Wan, all his belongings at the Premier’s lounge were looted. His head of the domestic staff at that time Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki (90) was in Mecca and his most senior permanent secretary, Alhaji Ali Akilu was hidden by the then Commissioner of Police for Northern Nigeria, Mr. M.D. Yusuf from being killed by the military. Only a few of his aides, including the Minister of Land and Survey and a wealthy Kano business man, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gashash, his Chief Private Secretary, Alhaji Gidado Idris (79) and Turaki Zazzau Alhaji Aliyu, were brave enough to organise his burial at Sultan of Sokoto’s residence in Kaduna. He had no bank account.

The life style of these men, is in sharp contrast to the conduct and personal fortunes of the present day generation of political class who have made the looting of the treasury their desperate hobby and passion. I believe great leaders are better remembered and admired after their demise, more for services provided, the goodwill they cultivated, the structures they were able to build while in power, the amenities they were able to provide, more than the billions of dollars and naira they looted while in power.

Mr.Teniola, a former Director at the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

Insurgency: Only APC members are criticising Jonathan — Mbadinuju •Why I asked God to fight for me against Obasanjo LAWYER, journalist, and former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju was one of two governors elected in 1999, who failed to win a second term. In this interview, he traces the conspiracies he claims aborted his second term dreams, and for that reason, strongly rejects what he claims are similar conspiracies against President Goodluck Jonathan. He also reviews the proceedings and conclusions of the recent National Conference and dismisses the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, as a pack of troublemakers for the polity. Excerpts:

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O you see the state of insecurity as a reflection of a weak presidency?

I don’t see Jonathan as a weak president. Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, does not see him as a weak president. Majority of Nigerians do not see him as weak. Even many opposition parties and members do not see the president as weak. What we should remember is that there is a clear difference between a civilian president and military president. A military president rules by decree and it does not matter to him whose ox is gored.

In the case of president Jonathan his clarion call is adherence to Nigeria’s constitution, rule of law, equity and fairness. This form of rulership is very often seen as weakness on the part of the president whom many people expect to perform in a military fashion.

Military fashion President Jonathan’s mantra of one-man, one-vote single him out as a real democrat, and he did not allow wuru-wuru as part of elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra and Ekiti.

He still maintained his stand on Osun election. So one can safely conclude that rather than being weak, President Jonathan will be remembered as the best active and action-packed President Nigeria has had.

What is your stance on the recent spate of impeachment of governors in the country?

Impeachment is not new to politics. It is a process of accusing a public or government official of misconduct while in office. In short, it is a legal process of removing an undesirable person from office.

It is a hard and difficult road to tread upon. Those who passed through it whether good or bad would not want to go through it again.

The PDP was not going round

•Mbadinuju: The president remains the country’s leader, not minding the opposition looking for whom to impeach, except when the occasion warranted it. The occasion came when seven governors of the party (PDP) decided to defect to APC, though two of those seven withdrew leaving five of them now in APC. If they had defected and kept quiet and not rubbed it in, it could have been condoned.

But one of the five committed further offence by charging the nation’s president with crime against humanity. Even if Mr. President were just a citizen, was the defecting governor entitled to abuse anybody anyhow?

So the State House of Assembly, following the procedure, impeached the governor and removed him from office. The remaining defectors are still spitting fire and brimstone against PDP and its leadership including Mr. President. So we can see that it was not the PDP that provoked matters that led to the impeachment. Those defected governors benefited enormously from the party.

They were given ticket to vie against other parties and the said governors won on the platform of PDP with active support of Mr. President.

Or should the party just sit there

and watch their members polluted with the rabid and unspeakable venom the opponents pour on PDP and its members? Any neutral umpire will definitely give a good verdict in favour of PDP and very bad mark for opposition which kept provoking the major party that could easily swallow the rest of the opposing parties.

Many Nigerians have expressed fears that the final report of the National Conference may not be implemented as a result of pressure from some sections of the country?

My view is that very capable men and women who have distinguished themselves in various walks of life were carefully chosen and appointed members of the National Conference. Some people, mainly the opposition from APC, believe that if the conference failed, then the President has failed too. But this is not true.

And before the President accepted to convene the conference he was not that keen but was persuaded to do it in the interest of Nigerians.

There is no doubt that the opposition APC has worked assiduously to ensure that the conference failed. What they gained from that stance nobody knows. This is not the way opposition works in civilized countries of Europe and America. Nigeria cannot grow given the attitude of APC opponents.

So this would not be the end of the National Conference. As I have always said “the bones shall rise again”. The president remains the country’s leader and not minding the opposition.

On additional state for the South-East Actually, this issue of Igbo marginalization appears to be overflogged. But it is because no one is listening to the hue and cry of the people of the South-East zone since the civil war till today. No respite has come the way of the Igbo.

On the issue of creation of more states for equity to reign, we already have six zones in the country. Either we add one state to South east to make six like others, or we add one more State to each of the four States for them to have seven states each.

Because “equity is equality” the present 5 States of the South East Zone will move up to 7 in line with the other Zones of the Federation for the purpose of equality of zones and balance of the Federal Structure, this is the only solution everyone should support.

Many people from the South-East are of the opinion that President

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By Charles Kumolu

South-South and South-East were together in Eastern Region of Nigeria until the civil war disorganized the people of that region.

Many South-South people still answer Igbo names and President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan is one of the many examples. But the major issue is that of bread and butter. Indeed President Jonathan more than any other President or Head of State has done more for the South-East, the home of Igbo.

His being with Ndigbo at the funeral of their hero, General Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, as well as being at the funeral of the world acclaimed writer, Prof Chinua Achebe shows a great rapport with Igbo people.

Great rapport Some of the roads in the SouthEast zone were death traps till recently when Jonathan’s men began serious work on the roads, on erosion, on the Niger Bridge connecting South-East and SouthSouth and other parts of the country.

It also comes to mind that it was President Jonathan that opened up the exploration of oil in the zone, his predecessor Obasanjo insisted that the oil was for strategic reserve, despite all the pressure I pounced on him, he didn’t bulge until Jonathan came with the goodwill of former Governor Peter Obi. Even on appointments, the SouthEast have their own fair share of personnel and persons who have been a source of pride in their execution and delivering of whatever assignments given to them at that national level.

Although we thank God and our president for the much we have received, but compared with the bounty that goes to other parts of the country particularly the North, the difference is clear. I don’t want to go into details but the Igbo will continue to ask.

Still on the war against terrorism, how do you think the war can be strengthened?

The first time Nigerians woke up

President Jonathan’s mantra of one-man, one-vote single him out as a real democrat, and he did not allow wuru-wuru as part of elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra and Ekiti

Jonathan has done more for the South-East than any other president in the country, hence the endorsement of his second term ambition?

I agree with the question that South-East Igbo have received from President Jonathan much more assistance than any former president has done. This may be because

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and heard of insurgency was during the presidential election of 2011 when Nigerians heard what they never believed, that if President Jonathan won the election that the country would be ungovernable.

Since 2011 till today Nigerians have not been able to trace the person or the voice which everybody heard.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 51

Pardew sees positives in Newcastle’s loss Sturridge Suarez exit to City D N

EWCASTLE United boss Alan Pardew admitted that a 2-0 defeat was tough to take after an encouraging performance against Manchester City.

Goals from David Silva and Sergio Aguero secured victory for the Premier League champions at St James’ Park, but it was an evenly contested encounter.

While Newcastle did not carve out many good chances, they put City under pressure at times and there were good displays from summer signings Daryl Janmaat, Jack Colback, Remy Cabella and Emmanuel

Riviere.

Rolando Aarons and Ayoze Perez also impressed as substitutes and Pardew was disappointed not to take anything from the match, but had plenty of reasons to be positive.

He told Sky Sports: “It was frustrating for us because in the second half we really pushed on up and put some younger players on, who were a bit naive at times but who threatened with their pace.

We just couldn’t get that equaliser.

“I feel that if we could have got that then we could have gone on to win it because we looked like we had more legs in the team.

OFF THE HOOK . . . Liverpool’s midfielder Raheem Sterling (L) escapes Southampton’s defender Nathaniel Clyne tackle during their Premier League match at Anfield stadium in Liverpool. Photo: AFP.

City open defence with a win R

EIGNING cham pions Manchester City began their latest title defence with a 2-0 victory at St James’ Park but Gael Clichy admitted Newcastle were unlucky not to run them closer Goals in either half from David Silva and substitute Sergio Aguero ensured City left Ty-

neside with all three points.

Aguero’s strike came when the Magpies looked likely to force an equaliser through skilful new signings Emmanuel Riviere, Remy Cabella and Ayoze Perez, and full-back Clichy cut a relieved figure following the full-time whistle.

Maigari Continues from BP gathered in Abuja that apart from being upset by the Minister ’s snub when he took the decision to reinstate Maigari, the Mike Umeh group is doubting the authenticity of the purported letter from FIFA which directed that the Executive Committee of the NFF be returned to the pre-2014 World Cup status.

The Chief Mike Umehled executive committee of the NFF, have insisted that their former president should not be allowed to return to office under any guise hence their resolution to continue to resist him because FIFA should not dictate to Nigeria how to run her football.

A member of the Umeh group told Sports Vanguard in Abuja

yesterday that they have c o n c l u d e d arrangements to hold a meeting today at the NFF secretariat to further plan on how to refocus Nigerian football even as he advised Alhaji Maigari to forget about returning to office today.

On the directive by the NSC boss, Danagogo that Maigari should return to office today, the angry board members said it was unfortunate that the minister decided to tell Maigari to take over the NFF without involving them.

Meanwhile, the reinstated president has assured all Nigerians that he will return to office today and also ready to work with all the board members in the interest of the country’s football.

He told Sky Sports 1: “I think we scored at the right moments, five minutes from the end of the first half, and then Sergio scored the second one when Newcastle were pushing a bit.

“I think we deserved the win but with more luck the game would have been different. We came here to get the three points and we deserved to.”

City boss Manuel Pellegrini praised his players for maintaining their concentration levels as their legs began to tire.

The English champions failed to keep a clean sheet during their preseason friendly cam-

paign and succumbed 30 to Arsenal in the Community Shield, so Pellegrini was particularly impressed to see such resolution at the back.

“I think the players were both hungry and humble,” he said. “We need both those things if we are going to continue winning titles and if we want to improve on what we did last year.

“It was so important to me that the players had that attitude from the beginning to the end of the game.

“We were very solid at the back and Joe Hart didn’t have any problems and in the second half it was normal that we were starting to get tired.

F/Eagles

Continues from BP after the Southern African country failed to show up for the final AYC qualifier first leg.

Lesotho had expressed concerns over the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria.

The team will no longer break their training camp in Abuja until a final notice is received from CAF, according to team secretary Aliyu Auwal Ibrahim.

The team have

therefore returned to Abuja from Kaduna, where Saturday’s match was to have been played.

CAF are expected to take a final decision on this match based on the reports of the match commissioner from Benin Republic and referees from Senegal, who were all in Kaduna.

The 2015 AYC will be staged by Senegal from March 8 with the top four teams winning berths to the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

ANIEL Sturridge e n s u r e d Liverpool began the post-Luis Suarez era in victorious fashion, scoring a late goal to seal a 2-1 win over Southampton in their first match of the Premier League season on Sunday. Much will be expected of Sturridge this season after the summer departure of his strike partner and the England international showed his poacher ’s instinct with a closerange finish in the 79th minute at Anfield.

That salvaged three points from an unconvincing start to the new campaign for last season’s runner-up, which took the lead through Raheem Sterling in the 23rd but lacked urgency for much of the game without the effervescent Suarez.

“No disrespect to Luis, he’s a great player and will be missed but we move on,” said Sturridge, who was the second-highest scorer in the Premier League last season — behind Suarez — with 21 goals. “We have proved we can win

unfazed by games and score goals.”

A new-look Southampton, which lost a slew of its best players this summer, equalized in the 56th when Nathaniel Clyne slammed a fierce shot into the top corner and had chances to go ahead before Sturridge came to Liverpool’s rescue.

Even then, the victory was only just preserved as Morgan Schneiderlin struck the bar for Southampton in the 88th minute and substitute Shane Long headed the rebound just wide.

•Suarez

CAF Continues from BP ter initial opponents Rwanda were disqualified from the qualifying series.

Congo’ protests against Rwanda using an ineligible player has yielded fruits as Caf has thrown the Amavubi out of the series.

Rwanda were disqualified from the Afcon 2015 qualifiers for fielding Dady Birori in the playoffs. The player was found to have been playing in the DRC under another name- Agiti Etekiama with a Congolese passport The decision by CAF is followed a protest made by the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT), which alleged the player suited up for their first leg match of the second round of qualifying played against Rwanda on 20 July 2014 in Pointe-Noire.

Caf has also suspended the player from playing for both club and country till further notice despite claims by Rwanda that they were unaware he had another identity.

Consequently, the African football ruling body said “ Consign Congo to the group phase of the qualifiers of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations Morocco in 2015 in Group A, as replacement for Rwanda.”

Nigeria were due to face Rwanda at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar on September 6 in the first of her Group A matches towards qualifying for the Orange Afcon 2015 to be hosted by Morocco.

Defending champions Nigeria are in same group alongside Sudan, South Africa and with this resolution, Congo.

52 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

I

“…Let us develop our football”

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have been away from the maddening crowd. De spite constant up to date briefings from my friends back home, I will today run away from writing what I consider “unique madness of the game” in Nigeria, until I take time to study the situation better.

Last Wednesday, I was in Lusaka, Zambia when Supersports gratefully aired live, the Glo premier league match between Dolphins and Crown.

“What is the problem with Nigeria’s football? “My guest threw the bombshell. It came from the blues and caught me off guard. I tried to answer… “ it has to do with the undefined role of government and the shrouded interest of individuals……”

He cut me short. “…..I am not talking about NFF. Just look at this match we are watching, I have not seen even one spectator. Not one” I jumped in. “ Nigerians don’t like watching matches from the popular stands. I bet you, when the cameras pan to the covered terraces and VIP box you will see them in their hundreds” the laughter that followed my answer was humiliating, to say the least.

The issue under review was not just last Wednesday’s occurrence. Because our league is beamed live by Supersports it is closely followed and watched in the African continent and the observation by Chabala was traditional.

He went on. “….. With successes at continental and global level, there is the tendency to want to travel to Nigeria to study the secret, but what we have discovered is that your country only comes alive when the National team is on display” Is Zambia different?

President of the Football Association of Zambia,( FAZ) the legendary Kalusha Bwalya says “ yes”, emphatically. Before he answered, I had bored him with the damaging role of the European league, the absence of professionalism in the running of the clubs and the dearth of stars in the domestic league.

Kalusha laughed, especially when I mentioned the lack of stars. “…..When we were in South Africa, some of your journalist told me that the CHAN Eagles were not the best in the country, yet they did so well. No, I know there are lots of good players in Nigeria. All you need to do is to work on your league. “ Okay, let us look at the South African League.

Where are the stars? Yet, when some traditional teams like Kaiser Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, Ajax and Sundowns play, you can expect a sell out. Pirates and Chiefs even dare the FNB Stadium and fill it in some confrontations. Are you saying they do not watch the Premiership in South Africa?”

No, I know there are lots of good players in Nigeria. All you need to do is to work on your league.

,

Four years ago, Kalusha was invited to a public function by league and FA sponsor MTN. “ When I got there I saw all manners of jerseys won by Zambian youths. It was either Arsenal or Man U, or Liverpool or Chelsea. There and then I made up my mind that we have to “ support our football…. “ …… your people should come to us for tutorials” he joked.

In Zambia I was opportuned to watch league matches involving the top league clubs and the spectatorship made the sponsor proud. Last Saturday, Zanaco hosted league leaders and CAF Champions League campaigners Nkana Football club to a league match in Lusaka and over 18,000 spectators turned up to watch what turned out to be a classic.

Let me digress a bit and tell you about Nkana.

Formerly Nkana Red Devils, when Zambia was declared a christian country twelve years ago, the President of the country among other things said the country’s premier club will henceforth drop the “Red Devils “ appellation.

If you go to the Nkana Stadium in Chingola you will find on their notice board “ …..We are no more devils….we are Angels highly favoured by God. Support us.”

Kalusha says first of all we must revive the senti-

Democracy indoor game moves nationwide

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N Indoor Game aimed at entrenching democraic values in Nigeria is to be promoted through visits to elder statesmen, eminent citizens and media houses across the country.

The nationwide advocacy visits are prelude to the formal public presentation of the game tagged “Democracy Indoor Game” later this year.

The brains behind the project, Professor Biodun Akinpelu of Lagos State University (LASU), Dr.Abodunrin

Kofoworola of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Abuja and Pastor Ellion Tanze disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

The statement explains that Democracy Indoor Game was designed by a games enthusiast and simulated thoroughly by games experts from various universities in Nigeria. It is being produced as an entertaining, educative and informative master piece and as a tool to help in unifying the

various ethnic nationalities.

It incorporates the three arms and tiers of government and teaches how to become a nationally acceptable political leader, showcases the functions of an effective electoral agency, the court of law and the indispensable role of an enlightened electorate.

Another indoor games developed by the Nigerian Games Experts tagged “Football on Board” presents the total football experience from club registration,

playing teams to practical football play on the field including the rules: yellow cards, red cards, corner and penalty kicks, etc.

One of the teams that worked on the simulation of the games was led by Professor Adekunle Akinyemi of COPPIN State University, Maryland, USA – who had for many years been the Secretary (Africa Region), International Simulation and Games Association with world headquarters in Copenhagen.

ments of traditional clubs and he knows that in Nigeria we still have clubs like”….. Mighty Jets, Rangers , Stationery Stores, Shooting Stars, Enyimba, Bendel Insurance and so on… “…We had to sit with them, hold stakeholders meetings with the press, the supporters clubs, the various sponsors of the teams and especially the media. Today we are happy with the followership of the league in Zambia.

Mention a club in Zambia and you will hear shouts of support. Zesco United, Zanaco, Red Arrows, Kitwe United, Mufilira Wanderers, Nchanga Warriors, Power Dynamoes ( who in 1991 beat BCC Lions to the CAF Cup in 1991) Apart from periodic meetings with FAZ to review the league, MTN helps to activate with several spectator friendly packages aimed at filling the stands.

The winner of the League takes home an equivalent of 7 million naira and the runner up 3 million naira.

Kalusha says the money is not good enough and is working at upping it. ( I did not tell him that I do not know what our league champions take home, apart from the lure of picking up a continental slot ) This brings me to a particular sentence in one of the numerous letters by FIFA, the one that says “ ….The focus will now be on the programs of the candidates and the development of Nigerian football” I say AMEN. ADIEU GEORGE. This week end, I will be forced to perform the unenviable task of laying my junior brother to rest.

When I saw George in the mortuary three weeks ago, I told him how unfair he was to me. I said he should have been the one to stand by my graveside and not the other way round. I don’t think he heard me. If he did he would have stood up. Yet, there he lay, not a care in the world, at peace, leaving us to the harsh realities of a wicked world, no scars, no pain.

It is Ira Sankey who in 1981, set to music the words of Dr Horatius Bonar, that: “ Fading away like the stars of the morning, losing their light in the glorious sun, this world we pass from the earth and its toiling, only remembered by what we have done” Dear brother, you have left us hanging, clutching to memories deep and dear. Adieu Georgie, the quiet and reserved one, Mummy’s favourite. Adieu till we meet to part no more.

See you next week.

Abia reaf firms suppor t for De Commander's unifying wrestling championship

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BIA State Governor, Dr. Theodore Orji, has pledged his government’s support for the forthcoming Commonwealth/Americas Unifying Wrestling Championship billed for Aba on August 31.

The championship, which will feature wrestlers from the Commonwealth nations and the Americas, also involves some of Nigeria’s best musicians, who are expected to entertain the fans at intervals during the event scheduled for Luxury City Hotel, Umungasi, Aba.

•Osita Ofor Speaking in his office when the UPWF World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, Osita Offor, also known as De Ultimate Commander, paid him a courtesy call.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 — 53

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54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014

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•2015 African U-20 qualifier

EPL Fixture

F/Eagles await CAF verdict

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HE Flying Eagles will wait on a final verdict from CAF to know if they have qualified for the 2015 African Youth Championship in Senegal.

The Flying Eagles walked over Lesotho in Kaduna on Saturday Continues on Page 51

CRUNCHING: Brook lands a big right-hander on Porter as his superior punching saw him awarded the victory

Burnley FC

vs

Chelsea 8:00 p.m.

EPL Results Liverpool Newcastle

2 0

Southampton Man City

1 2

NPFL Results FC Taraba BayelsaUtd Crown FC Sunshine Stars Rangers Lobi Stars Akwa United Abia Warriors Warri Wolves Heartland

1 3 2 0 1 1 1 3 2 2

Nembe City Kaduna Utd Sharks Dolphins Giwa FC Nasarawa Utd El-Kanemi Enyimba Kano Pillars Gombe United

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0

CAF sacks Rwanda from Africa Cup of Nations •Eagles now to battle Congo

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HE Super Eagles will now host Congo in Calabar in the 2015 Afcon qualifiers af Continues on Page 51

Tension as Maigari resumes today

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

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ALPABLE tension has enveloped

the Glass House, Abuja, the seat of football administration in the country as the reinstated President of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu

Maigari prepares to resume today.

Maigari is expected to meet stiff resistance from the Chief Mike Umehled Executive Committee

members who are insisting that Maigari remains impeached.

Sports Vanguard

Continues on Page 51

Super Eagles at 2013 Afcon

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Abdicate (6) 5 Repose (4) 8 Pointed (5) 9 Ocean (3) 10 Deficit (4) 11 Fever (4) 12 Musty (5) 13 Hung (6) 16 Gull (4) 18 Pace (4) 20 Through (3) 22 Cushion (3) 23 Consume (3) 24 Centre (4) 25 Frank (4) 28 Erase (6) 30 Send (5) 32 Noisy (4) 33 Informed (4) 34 Gratuity (3) 35 Postpone (5) 36 Act (4) 37 Offer (6)

DOWN 1 Live (6) 2 Sailor (8) 3 Throat (6) 4 Swelled (9) 5 Understand (7) 6 Border (4) 7 Pour (4) 8 Donkey (3) 14 Lodged (9) 15 Wager (3) 17 Knock (3) 19 Clever (8) 20 Seed-case (3) 21 Ebbed (7) 26 Irritate (6) 27 Custodian (6) 29 Clothed (4) 30 Discourteous (4) 31 Hill (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Arena 9, Haggle 10, Estate 11, Epoch 12, Rail 15, Vice 17, Minimal 20, Tot 21, Tower 23, Meet 25, Pier 26, River 28, Ant 30, Defence 33, Item 35, Rate 36, Habit 38, Entail 39, Salami 40, Token.

DOWN: 1, Charm 2, Again 3, Ale 4, Repeat 5, Neck 6, Ash 7, Tacit 8, Beret 13, Ailment 14, Liner 16, Correct 18, Loved 19, Pep 22, Rider 24, Tin 27, Revise 28, Aired 29, Teeth 31, Naval 32, Eerie 34, Halo 36, Hit 37, Tan.

How to Play Sudoku

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lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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