Buhari probes sale of NITEL, MTEL

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62474

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Buhari probes sale of NITEL, MTEL

By Prince Osuagwu & Levinus Nwabughiogu

A •Directs Communications Ministry to query transaction process •Expresses concern over poor service of telecom operators •Dissolves AMCON management 8 •Probes how wanted terrorist got Nigerian visa 9

•APC leaders shun Fashola's book launch

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, ordered an inquest into processes leading to the sale of moribund national carrier, Nigerian Telecommunications, NITEL, and its mobile arm, Mobile Telecommunications, MTEL by the government of his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after briefing President Buhari on the activities of the sector, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication & Continues on Page 5

Petty trader's wife gives birth to quadruplets in Onitsha See Inside

Mr & Mrs BOOK PRESENTATION—From left: Olori Titilola Akiolu, Mr. Dapo Adeniyi, Co-Author, Mr. Hakeem Bello, author of the book; former Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Guest of Honour; Justice Funmilayo Atilade, Alhaja Lateefah Okunnu, Gbenga Makanjuola, Chief of Staff to Senate president, representing the Senate President and Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, representing Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, during the presentation of three books, in honour of Fashola, at Mosun Centre, Lagos Island, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

COLUMNISTS: A culture of making do: The Did my saints amongst husband the sinners •P.17 infect me? •P.31 C M Y K

Power supply: What's Buhari doing that Jonathan didn't •P.19 do?

Sagay's call to confession of the sinfully corrupt •P.19

Saraki, Modibbo and I, by Sulyman Buhari •P.39

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

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4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

BRIEFING—President Muhammadu Buhari (R) receiving samples of arts and crafts from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi during the Presidential briefing by the ministry at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Buhari probes sale of NITEL, MTEL Continues from Page 1 Technology, Dr. Tunji Olaopa said that the President has directed him to raise a memo on the whole transaction to ascertain if there were any underhand dealings.

He also stated that the President was equally concerned about the quality of services rendered by the telecom operators in Nigeria.

“The President was concerned about the liquidation of NITEL. He is not opposed to its privatization but he wants to know and he wants us to bring a memo on how the whole transaction was undertaken so that he would know whether Nigeria was shortchanged.

“The President was concerned by the quality of service of telecom operators. The President is very concerned about the whole issue of privatization that is hindering investments in ICT infrastructure and that he will personally champion this. The President talked about the potentials of the ICT sector in generating employment,” Olaopa said.

Buhari, however, said the probe was not an indication he was opposed to the sale of the national carrier but to ensure there were no underhand practices in the process of the deal.

Failed sell-off bids

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

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EOPLE don’t remember you as a person, the only remember the contributions you make. If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a month, get married. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help others(Chinese proverb). It’s up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you —Lao Tzu

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NE of the most common and destructive daily habits is to constantly compare your life and yourself to other people and their lives. And at the end of the day you pummel your self-esteem to the ground and you create a lot of negative feelings within. Try to realize that you can’t win if you compare yourself to others.

In December 2014, the Bureau of Public Enterprises, PBE, after several failed attempts, announced fresh acquisition of the national carrier by a consortium of investors known as NATCOM. Director-General of PBE, Benjamin Dikki, explained that NATCOM was a consortium of seven Nigerian companies, which emerged new owners of NITEL and MTEL by offering to pay the sum of $252 million, an amount said to have met the BPE’s bid price .

Dikki explained that the privatization process was a guided liquidation that would help bring back the two entities which had lain prostrate for more than two decades.

According to him, NATCOM emerged the successful bidder in both technical and financial commitment from the array of up to 17 firms that keenly contested for the two companies.

Dikki said: “It is our fervent hope and desire this time around we have succeeded in procuring a technically and financially qualified bidder that will not only meet the deadline for payment of the purchase consideration but more importantly deploy the required resources to rehabilitate and grow these companies to play

a significant role in the Nigerian telecoms sector ”.

Former Minister of Communications Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson had to confess that: “We faced numerous challenges in packaging this transaction, including outstanding unpaid terminal benefits of exstaff of NITEL and MTEL; arrears of salaries of the retained staff and outsourced security and huge accumulated unpaid licence and other dues to NCC.” Corroborating the BPE boss, Johnson said that the consortium beat 14 other bidders at the primary stage and one other bidder at the secondary stage to emerge winner of the bidding process.

She described the privatisation as the last segment in a wellthought out reform of the N i g e r i a n telecommunications sector, which commenced since 2000.

Develop revenue generation potential Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered reliably that the President also charged the ministry to work harder to fully develop the revenuegeneration potential of Nigeria’s information technology sector.

According to the Senior Special Adviser, SSA, Media, to the President, Garba Shehu, after receiving a briefing from Dr. Olaopa, President Buhari also directed the Ministry to bring forward for his consideration and approval, all pending proposals for the development of the country ’s ICT sector which require the approval of the Federal Executive Council.

Shehu said that Buhari told the ministry: “Where you don’t need exco approval and you are not in breach of the law and will not lose money, you can go ahead. Now that oil costs less and we are contending with its theft, we have to move to areas where we can realize revenue quickly.”.

President Buhari welcomed the plan by the ministry to use postoffices across the country for IT and financial transactions especially in the rural communities, saying that he was happy to hear that the post

offices are being recovered from rats and rodents.

“The Ministry ’s presentation to the President dwelled heavily on the potential of the IT sector which, Dr. Olaopa said, contributes 10 per cent to the country ’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, but could grow to 20 per cent if some proposals by the ministry are approved and implemented.”

NITEL: From Pentascope to NATCOM Meanwhile, the privatisation history of NITEL did not begin with the sale in 2014. It actually began in 2001 when the government through the Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, initiated a process once considered as having the powers to transform Nitel to a modern organization, expose its workers to standard global practices and arm them with new and c o m p e t i t i v e technologies. After a heavily criticised bid process, Pentascope which was partly funded by a consortium of Nigerian banks, acquired 51 percentage of equity in Nitel.

It managed to raise the estimated meager 400 lines which Nitel had before privatisation, to about 440,000 and took the mobile arm of the company, Mtel which also competed and won GSM license same year, to a little over a million connected lines.

Barely three years after, the deal snapped.

Government felt Pentascope was too slow for its liking and may have exhausted all its magic, since it was only struggling with just a million mobile lines at a time when other telecom companies like MTN and Zain (then Econet

wireless and later Vmobile) which took off same time with Pentascope Nitel and Mtel, were crossing the 5 million mark .

However, Pentascope also blamed the government for being too interested in the running of Nitel, saying that its contributions rather impaired every good moves it (Pentascope) made as a core investor, to reviving Nitel.

Nevertheless, the government was determined to sell NITEL, again. This time, according to it, to a more serious investor. So, in 2006 Transnational Corporation, Transcorp, acquired 51 per cent of Nitel for $500m. But since November 14 of that year when it officially became the core investor in Nitel, Transcorp seemed to be struggling to keep a standing position. It allegedly reduced the workforce by 70%, disengaging about 7,000 staff out of the 11,000 left

by Pentascope. The fortunes of the company, further deepened as the 440,000 Nitel lines and above 1 million Mtel lines left by Pentascope, nosedived to miserable 40,000 and 200,000 lines respectively under Transcorp.

While the government through the Ministry of Information and Communications was to quickly point out again that Transcorp has failed, Transcorp says government was responsible for its fate in the whole affair. Such is the blames and counter blames that have kept the true position of things away from Nigerians and left Nitel, Mtel at a grind. But a r g u m e n t s notwithstanding, the Federal government in July voided the sale of Nitel to Transcorp and appointed a technical board to manage the carrier.

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Police impound 11 goats in Delta

By Emma Amaize

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ARRI—A highway police patrol team in Delta State has impounded 11 goats allegedly stolen by hoodlums.

A Toyota Camry salon car, with number plates Edo 782 AP, which had three occupants, refused to stop for police officers on a stopand-search duty along the Sapele-Benin Expressway.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, said the patrol team gave the hoodlums a chase and they abandoned the car.

He said: “The vehicle was searched, 10 live goats and one dead goat, suspected to have been stolen, were recovered. “ M e a n w h i l e , investigation and efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects are on.”

He added that on Monday policemen from Ugborikoko Division clashed with three hoodlums, at NNPC Housing Complex Road, Warri, in a red Vento salon car, with number plates Delta EFR 11 DE, and recovered the vehicle, one AK-49 rifle No.1969, 805536 with five rounds of live ammunition, and a pair of plate numbers.

Edo elder raises alarm after reading own obituary posters

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—A 65-year-old community leader from Okhunmwun in Ovia NorthEast Local Government Area of Edo State, Chief Clifford Osawaru, has raised alarm over threats to his life after youths from the community printed his obituary poster.

Chief Osawaru, who stormed the secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Benin, said he decided to cry out when fear gripped him after seeing posters announcing his demise, in which the perpetrators used the name of his eldest daughter as signatory.

Osawaru lamented that he was being persecuted by some youths of the community who were involved in illegal sales of land, after he got a restraining order from court.

He disclosed that leaders of the community, led by the Odionwere, Chief Igbinoghodua Odigie, had obtained a perpetual injunction which restrained the youths from their illegal activities and the attempt by another elder, backed by the youths, to install himself as the new Odionwere of the area.

He said this was contrary to the position of the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba NedO Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, who declared that the palace had no business wading into a matter before the police and the court.

Burial arrangement

He said: “Those after my life printed the posters, saying my body would leave the Central Hospital, Benin, on August 14 to my village for funeral rites,

internment and social dance.

“I was born and brought up at Okhunmwun village in Ovia North-East, Benin. I am a director of a hotel. I have been running my hotel for about 34 years now. I was surprised when I woke up last week and saw these posters pasted all over my village, stating that I was dead.

“The poster said my body will be leaving Central Hospital to my village. The surprising thing is that they said I have two wives. Even my daughter signed the burial poster.

“She left the country immediately she finished at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, about 12 years ago and I only saw this girl about five years ago.

“Last year, the Oba of Benin sent a message to us that he wanted to see our Odionwere.

3 security men charged with N5m jewellery theft

By Onozure Dania

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... as kerosene explosion lands 8 in hospital

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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ARRI—EIGHT persons have been hospitalised for severe burns in Warri, Delta State, following resurgence of kerosene explosions in the city and environs.

Among the victims seen receiving medical attention at Warri Central Hospital were two children of Mr. Johnson Obethe and 10year-old Elozino Akwirorogbe, who was burnt all over.

All three victims reside at Merogun Layout, Warri.

Obethe, who said the incident occurred at about 10p.m. on Sunday, said one of the children was filling a lantern with kerosene, suspected to have been adulterated, when the explosion occurred.

When we got to the palace, the issue was not resolved but we were asked to come back the next day.

“Our lawyer, Mr. Obaze, now wrote the palace that the matter was already in court and not only in court but that there was a judgment against the second-in-command in our community.

“The court gave a perpetual injunction restraining from parading himself as the Odionwere. A photocopy of that judgment was taken to the palace for them to know that this case had been judged in the court and our lawyer prepared forms 48 and 49 against the man who wants to be the Odionwere of our village.”

He was told that the palace does not intervene in any case that is in court or police station.

Children 'harvesting' sand from a river at Makoko Adekunle, Yaba, Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

3 policemen docked for manslaughter in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—THREE dismissed policemen were, yesterday, docked before an Akure Chief Magistrate's Court over alleged murder of a 20-year-old secondary school leaver, Oluwatobi Badmus.

The accused persons include Awodeyi Adesola,30; Adedeji Adekunle,32, and Adepetu Olamilekan, 27.

According to the police prosecuting witness, Dele Ogunyemi, the accused persons unlawfully killed Badmus.

The prosecutor added that the death occurred shortly after the deceased left police detention.

Ogunyemi said the accused

persons committed the offence on July 21, 2014, at ‘B’ Division Police Station in Akure, Ondo State.

He noted that the accused committed the offence while they were still in the service of Nigeria Police Force.

According to the prosecutor, the deceased was arrested for allegedly stealing a BlackBerry mobile phone belonging to one Prophet Bisi Adejugbagbe and was tortured to death by the accused persons.

Ogunyemi alleged that the offence was contrary to Section 317 and punishable under Section 325 of the Criminal Code cap 37 vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The three accused persons pleaded not guilty to the onecount charge of manslaughter.

However, counsel to the accused persons, Steve Adebowale, prayed the court to grant his clients bail in liberal terms.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, thereafter, granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

Chief Magistrate Adeyanju added that the sureties must submit a three-year tax clearance obtained from the state internal revenue service, adding that one of the sureties must be a Grade 10 civil servant.

AGOS—THREE security men, who allegedly burgled a house and stole jewellery worth N5 million were yesterday docked before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, in Lagos.

The defendants, Musa Alli, 52; Mohammed Musa, 44; and Mohammed Mena, 69, who all reside at Norman Williams Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, are standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, burglary and stealing, preferred against them by the police.

The prosecutor, Inspector Igonbo Emby, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences on August 9, at 2:30a.m., in their residence.

He said the defendants allegedly broke into the house owned by one Ojuolape Adebayo and stole jewellery worth N5 million.

Magistrate P. A. Adekomaya admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N300,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties must be gainfully employed and be working with Lagos State civil service.

He adjourned the case to September 3 for mention.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—7

Kwara Poly denies cult war, students’ death As police arrest 12 more suspects

By Demola Akinyemi

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LORIN—Authorities of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, yesterday denied death of any student and clash of cult groups on campus.

This came as Kwara State Police Command said it had arrested additional 12 persons in connection with the cult clash.

It will be recalled that Aye and Eiye confraternities reportedly clashed last week in Ilorin metropolis, leading to the death

of 16 cult members.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the Deputy Rector, Administration, Engineer Ahmed Aminu, who spoke on behalf of the rector of the institution, said there was no cult clash on the campus.

He said the polytechnic finished its examinations for 2014/2015 academic session on August 8 without hitches, adding that circulars were issued about the conclusion of the session and that students

should vacate the campus.

He said the students vacated campus accordingly.

Aminu, who said that lecturers of the school were currently busy with conference marking exercise, which he said the institution adopted to mark students’ examination papers, explained that since the exercise was a sensitive one, no student was allowed to stay.

He also denied that the clash on the campus happened during screening of candidates for the election of the school’s Students Union Government, adding the exercise was

witnessed by security operatives, including the Police, Civil Defence and DSS and that it was peaceful.

“We wish to tell the public and media that it is not true that there was a cult clash on our campus,” he said.

Aminu, also claimed that if there was any clash as claimed in the reports, it had no link with any student of the polytechnic.

Meanwhile, the police command in the state said yesterday that 12 more suspects had been arrested in connection with the cult clashes.

This is in addition to the 30 arrested on Monday in the aftermath of the clashes.

Hawkers doing business in a traffic jam at Mile 12, Ikorodu Road, Lagos, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Sex workers on rampage in Anambra over demolition of brothels

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—NO fewer than 200 commercial sex workers residing near the cattle market at the border community of Amansea in Anambra State, have gone on rampage, destroying shanties in their vicinity, after officials of Anambra State Urban Development Board, ASUDEB, demolished their residences.

It was gathered that ASUDEB officials swooped on them at about 3p.m. with armed security operatives on the premise that the brothels were being used by suspected kidnappers and other hoodlums.

Most of the prostitutes have already relocated to the nearby Ugwuoba in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

An eyewitness said after the demolition, the prostitutes mobilised and set the remaining untouched structures in the Cattle Market ablaze, accusing ASUDEP officials of bias.

They were said to have accused the agency of bias as it destroyed only their homes

Destroy buildings; accuse devt board of bias without touching some huts, kiosks and canteens belonging to cattle traders. They also said government officials did not give them any notice.

ASUDEB responds

However, General Manager of ASUDEB, Mr. Nathan Enemuo, who led the operation, said the exercise was part of Governor Willie Obiano’s resolve to rid the state of all kinds of crime and criminal activities, adding that the structures demolished were illegal buildings in Amansea Garki, Awka North Local Government Area, where prostitutes, kidnappers and armed robbers have allegedly made a safe home.

He said that such demolition would be extended to other urban towns of Nnewi, Onitsha and other cities where sex workers operate in illegal structures.

He also debunked claims by the sex workers that government did not give them

prior notice, saying the board gave them three weeks’ notice to vacate the area, but they failed to do so.

He said: “A lot of prostitutes live around Amansea cattle market, corrupting our children and constituting nuisance in the area and you know that anywhere there is a brothel, criminals and kidnappers hover.

“In my capacity as the ASUDEB General Manager, I will ensure that this does not exist anymore in the state and our activities are in line with our amiable governor’s policy on zero tolerance for crime.”

Cattle traders back ASUDEB

Secretary of the cattle market, Alhaji Bello Maigari, said all illegal structures in the market were earmarked for demolition

by ASUDEB 21 days ago.

He said: “Ashawo is not part of our business here. Our main business is selling and buying of cows only and the idea of the demolition is to remove all

illegal structures used for prostitution.

“The ones they did not demolish are the places where our cattle dealers that come from the North stay and canteens where our wives cook for our customers.”

I'll never help robbery victims again —DRIVER

By Evelyn Usman

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driver with Chisco Transport, who was arrested by personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, yesterday, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway during its special patrol operation, has vowed never to assist victims attacked by robbers again.

The driver, ThankGod Opetu, who left Abuja for Lagos, on a night journey, claimed he picked 12 passengers whose vehicles were attacked by robbers at Okene, Kogi State.

Trouble, however, started after he was accosted by personnel of FRSC, who were on a special patrol operation code named Operation Scorpion, along Lagos-Ibandan Expressway.

The personnel discovered that the number of passengers in the bus was more than those on the manifest.

The driver's explanation that some of the passengers were those assisted at the robbery scene fell on deaf ears as the personnel insisted that the vehicle be impounded and the driver prosecuted.

A vexed Opetu said: “Is it a crime to assist fellow Nigerians at a robbery scene? I have been driving for 31 years and have embarked on several night journeys without experiencing this kind of thing.

“I will never help any stranded victim again.

Robbers attacked one of our buses at Okene. I helped the stranded passengers only to be arrested for performing my civic responsibility to fellow Nigerians.”

10 injured, 3 missing as land grabbers invade Ogun community

By Bose Adelaja

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O fewer than 10 persons were injured yesterday, while three others have been declared missing, at Ipetoro/Lowa in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, following invasion of the community by suspected land grabbers, popularly called Ájagungbale.

The development, it was gathered, has given rise to protests by elderly women in the community, who reportedly stripped themselves naked in

the presence of the suspected land grabbers.

They were said to have immediately suspended action on noticing the naked women.

Those injured include one Muri Ajaka, women and children who ran into the suspected land grabbers, while scampering for safety. They have reportedly been taken to hospitals in the area.

Residents claimed that they had combed everywhere in search of the missing residents and had reported the attack at Ogijo Police Division.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

FRSC prosecutes 813 truck drivers in one month

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS — THE Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, yesterday, said that it had arrested and prosecuted 813 truck drivers in Lagos State over traffic offences.The offences include reckless driving and unsecured containers.

The arrest, according to the Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone RS2, Assistant Corps Marshal Nseobong Akpabio, was made between July and yesterday.

Briefing journalists during the special patrol operation, code-named during its special patrol operation code named Operation Scorpion along Lagos /Ibadan expressway, yesterday, Akpabio said the operation was targeted mainly at truck and trailer drivers, some of who have sent innocent motorists to early grave.

The first phase of the operation, he said, started between July 27 and 31, 2015, during which a total of 537 trucks and trailer drivers were arrested and prosecuted.

He said: “The UN projected that between year 2011 and 2020 if nothing is seriously done in all countries of the world, about five million lives will be lost.

So, on daily basis we are doing enforcement and awareness campaigns.

"The essence of this operation is to checkmate excesses of truck drivers on the Nigerian roads. Some of the menace include carrying unsecured containers which usually fall and kill people.

"We entered into discussions with the associations since April 2015 to enlighten them on what to do and they pleaded for a time frame for them to put their house in order which we granted them.

"So, by July we commenced enforcement to ensure that they must not drive drunk and that they must drive with good tyres and within the mandated speed limit.

“Truck drivers must not carry containers that are not secured. This is centred towards the protection of life because no amount of insurance will be enough to pay for any life lost."

“Some of them drive without drivers licence while others drive with expired and fake driver licence. "

Chibok girls: BBOG to commemorate 500 days of abduction

By Laide AkinboadeOriere

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B U J A — #BringBackOurGirls, BBOG, campaign group is set to commemorate the 500 days of the abduction of the 276 schoolgirls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by terrorists, in April 2014 to remind the world that the girls are still in captivity The group has, therefore, scheduled a programme of activities tagged: Global Week of Action #GWA, themed, “500 Days On, Chibok Girls — Crying To Be Rescued, Never To Be Forgotten.”

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, on the programme of events which is expected to start on Thursday, August 27, 2015, spokeswoman of the group, Mrs Hadiza Bala Usman, said: “Today is 491 days since 276 innocent schoolgirls of Government Secondary School, Chibok were abducted in their school by terrorists.

"On that night of Monday, April 14, 2014, and a few days after, 57 of them managed to escape on their own but 219 are still with their abductors. It is also 476 days of daily advocacy to ensure their rescue and safe return.

“Next Thursday, 27 August 2015, that is nine days from today, it will be exactly 500 days of their abduction.

“Although we have had diverse high-level advocacy activities to mark specific milestone dates since their abduction, we had never envisaged that our girls would still not be rescued nearly 500 days after their abduction. We are extremely saddened as the 500-day mark approaches.”

The group reiterated their hope on the rescue of the remaining 219 girls with Boko Haram, saying: “However, in the last few weeks, we have had cause for a rekindled hope, our confidence boosted, and are more assured that sooner that later our girls shall return.

"This is as a result of some pragmatic steps our government has been taking recently: Our new President’s December 2015 deadline to have the terrorists decimated, what we see as the compliance by our military of the presidential order to annihilate the terrorists by November, and so on.

“Even though ever hopeful and expectant of their rescue even before Day 500 on August 27, 2015, we have organized a Global Week of Action to commemorate the tragedy of their abduction.

“On social media, the Global Week of Action, we are enjoined to use the hashtags #GWA #500DaysOn #ChibokGirls

# C r y i n g To B e R e s c u e d # N e v e r To B e Fo r g o t t e n #BringBackOurGirls.

“This week of events is to remind the world that our 219 #ChibokGirls are still in captivity and not yet back 500 days on, and for everyone to call on their governments to do something to help bring them back.

"Not only governments, everyone can do something, however little, to keep their tragedy of their abduction alive

and to keep the hope that we can have them back.”

The group said during the special Global Week of Action, in Abuja there would be a diversity of activities and events like, prayers this Friday at the Unity Fountain, our usual meeting venue, as well as a special prayer service at the same venue on Sunday.

Tree planting, an engagement with the UN Secretary General at the Unity Fountain, march by #ChibokGirls Ambassadors

and so forth.

“We call on all to hold special prayers at their various places of worship this weekend. We encourage many more who are empathetic to the cause of our #ChibokGirls in Nigeria and around the world to join in this Global Week of Action.

They also urged people all over the world next Thursday to wear red or at least a touch of red in the memory and honour of the #ChibokGirls.

BREAKFAST SESSION: From left, Kevin Ibedu, Deputy Director, Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN; Uwadiae Oduware, Partner, Accounting and Business Process Solutions, Deloitte West Africa; Augustine Nkwume, Partner Audit Leader Deloitte Nigeria; Jim Obaze, Chairman Financial Reporting Council and Femi Abegunde, Partner Leader Energy and Resources, Deloitte Nigeria at the breakfast session on transition to IFRS 9 Financial Institutions Readiness organised by Deloitte for stakeholders, in Lagos

Pre-registered SIM cards: NCC blocks 10.7m lines

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By Emeka Aginam

AGOS — FOLLOWING the ongoing de-activation of pre-registered Subscribers Identification Modules (SIM) cards of mobile network operators in Nigeria, the telecommunications regulatory authority, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, yesterday, in Lagos disclosed that it has blocked about 10.7 million lines in the last two weeks.

From the about 38.78 million SIM cards found to be defective regarding improper registration details including poor finger prints, absence of facial information and other biometric issues, according to NCC, the operators, after strict monitoring by the commission, have barred about 10.7 million SIMs. Head of the Compliance and Monitoring Unit of the commission, Efosa Idehen, who spoke to technology journalists, yesterday, in Lagos said the commission has since the expiration of the ultimatum given to operators on August 11 this year visited the operators to ensure compliance.

He said the directive to the

operators was that they should bar any line found to have incomplete registration and later urged the affected subscribers to come and complete their registration.

He told technology

journalists that the commission, after due consultation with the Nation Security Adviser (NSA) and other stakeholders in the industry, agreed that pre-registered SIMs and others found to be defective should be deactivated.

Buhari dissolves AMCON mgt team, okays new one

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By Levinus Nwabughiogu

BUJA — President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, dissolved the Executive Management Team of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). The president swiftly gave approval for the reconstitution of the management team of the corporation.

In the new team, Mr. Ahmed Lawan Kuru was named the Managing Director.

Other names assigned various portfolios in the corporation included, Mr. Kola Ayeye, Executive

Director; Mr. Eberechukwu Uneze, Executive Director and Mr. Aminu Ismail also an Executive Director.

Until his appointment, yesterday, as the new Managing Director of AMCON, Mr. Kuru was the Group Managing Director of Enterprise Bank Limited.

He started his banking career with the old Habib Bank in 1985 and rose through the ranks to become an Executive Director of Bank PHB which was renamed Keystone Bank in 2005.

The appointment of Mr. Kuru and the three new AMCON Executive Directors became effective from the day of appointment.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—9

Buhari orders probe into how wanted Lebanese terrorist got Nigerian visa

By Ben Agande

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BUJA — THE Federal Government has ordered a full investigation into how a wanted terrorist was granted Nigerian visa in Lebanon to visit the country.

An official of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Vanguard in Abuja, yesterday, that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate the circumstances surrounding the issuance of Nigerian visa to the wanted terrorist who has been on the wanted list of several governments.

It will be recalled that a radical Muslim cleric, Ahmad al-Assir, was arrested by Lebanese authorities as he attempted to leave Lebanon for Nigeria via Cairo.

He was said to have been arrested while attempting to travel with a fake Palestinian passport with a valid Nigerian visa at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport on Saturday, August 15, 2015 in Lebanon.

According to the official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke with Vanguard on condition of anonymity, the ministry has been directed to explain how the wanted terrorist was able to get Nigerian visa.

“The reported arrest of the wanted terrorist is a huge embarrassment to Nigeria and the president has directed that the matter should be investigated. The embassy in Lebanon has been directed to furnish the ministry with details of how the man got the visa.

The National Intelligence Agency Officer has been directed to provide details of what happened,” the official said.

The official added that Nigerian embassies around the world keep a tab on wanted persons in their countries of accreditation and “ we are amazed that such a high profile terrorist would evade our radar. This is a major breach that cannot be allowed to go without investigation.

“This is more so that the Boko Haram sect has pledged allegiance to Islamic State terrorists. There is no way our embassy officials will allow such laxity in their areas of operation. The president is justifiably furious about it,” the source added.

It will be recalled that Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that Assir, who was travelling with

another man, was holding a fake passport in the name of Rami Abdul Rahman Taleb, while his companion was holding a passport in the name of Khaled Sidani.

He was reported to have shaved off his iconic beard and under gone facial surgery to conceal his identity but was identified by eagle eyed Lebanese security operatives.

Sheikh Assir has been on the run for two years, having been declared wanted in Lebanon in 2013 when his followers clashed with the Lebanese army, killing at least 18 soldiers.

CBN bars foreign firms from printing cheques for Nigerian banks

By Jonah Nwokpoku

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AGOS — THE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has denied accreditation to foreign printers who hitherto printed cheque books for some Nigerian banks.

In a circular released, yesterday, entitled: "Circular to deposit money banks, cheque printers and other stakeholders on the accreditation of cheque printers for 2015/2016" and signed by Director, Banking and Payment Systems Department, Dipo Fatokun, the apex bank said it has duly notified all accredited printers

and issued certificates to them.

It listed all the accredited cheque printers to include Superflux International Ltd, Tripple Gee and Company Plc, Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Plc, Euphoria Group and Popi Printing Company Ltd. The apex bank said it undertook the exercise to ensure an efficient payment and settlement system.

The circular read: “In furtherance of its mandate to ensure efficient payment and settlement system, the Central Bank of Nigeria, in collaboration with the MICR

technical implementation committee, conducted the accreditation and reaccreditation exercise, in line with the NICPAS qualification criteria and found the (accredited) cheque printers as qualified to print cheques for the Nigerian market.

“All the accredited printers had been duly notified and certificates issued.Please note that foreign based printers were neither accredited nor re-accredited, in line with the bank’s policy on the domestication of cheque printing in Nigeria.”

MEETING: From left, Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase; Executive Director, Abuja and East, UBA Plc, Dan Okeke; and Relationship Director, Public Sector Group, UBA Plc, Sani Usman at Police/The Sun National Security meeting, co-sponsored by UBA Plc in Abuja, Monday.

Oshiomhole, other ex-NLC leaders meet factions over crisis

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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AGOS — EFFORTS at resolving the protracted crisis in the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, will continue today in Abuja as Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and other ex-labour leaders led by pioneer President of the congress, Alhaji Hassan Sumonu, meet with factional leaders of NLC. The meeting, Vanguard gathered, was earlier slated for Benin City, Edo State on Monday, but was later shifted to Abuja today.

While Mr. Ayuba Wabba leads one faction, Mr. Joe Ajaero leads the other.

Since the factionalisation of NLC following the disputed outcome of its National Conference on March 12, 2015, and following the election of factional executives by the aggrieved affiliates on March 20, 2015, there have been two failed attempts to reconcile the warring groups.

The National Industrial Court, NIC, has equally in a ruling on June 24 urged the factions to reconcile before next October adjourned date.

Some of the factional leaders have blamed perceived insincerity on the part of organisers of the reconciliation process and other factions as the major reason for the failure of the earlier meetings.

At press time, efforts were still being made to convince one of the factional leaders to attend the meeting as he had earlier vowed not to attend any further reconciliation meeting where participants would not be “sincere to state the facts as they are.”

Oil spill: Total shuts production from Obagi field

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AGOS — ANOTHER oil spill has occurred in oil rich Niger Delta, as Total E&P Nigeria Ltd, TEPNG, said it has stopped expedition of crude on its Obagi-Rumuekpe 12 Oil Export Pipeline in Rivers State.

The company suspects the spill was caused by pipeline sabotage, thereby resulting into an undisclosed amount of oil spill.

This will be the second time in a matter of months that the pipeline will be attacked, the first being in May this year.

The Obagi field produces

about 35,000 barrels of oil equivalent and 6 million cubic metres (212 million cubic feet) of natural gas per day.

However, it is uncertain how much production has been shut in from the field due to the line break, as the company is yet to gain access into the area reputed for its high security volatility.

A statement from Total, yesterday, read in part: “The volume of oil spilled and area of impact have not been estimated in view of the highly volatile nature of the area and the security concerns,” adding that the relevant authorities

have been informed.

Total also said in the statement that the spill was discovered “during crude oil expedition operation on August 16, 2015, an abnormal situation was observed as the oil expedited from Obagi was not received at Rumuekpe metering station. Expedition was immediately stopped and a helicopter over-flight was carried out, which revealed oil spill and fresh excavations on the pipeline Right Of Way.” Oil spill is a recurring incidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas operations, which

operators insist are often caused by sabotage, even as environment activists claim they result mostly from poor pipelines integrity due to old age.

But whether by weak lines or sabotage, oil spills are described as the most difficult environmental disaster to remediate. This is in addition to the loss of livelihood of the locals, who are mostly farmers and attendant health hazards, a development that calls for increased monitoring of the pipelines to ensure their safety.

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

SEC petitions NJC in N11bn case

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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HE Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, has petitioned the National Judicial Council, NJC, over alleged misconduct of a Federal High Court judge, Justice Saliu Saidu.

According to the petition, SEC alleged that the court, presided over by Justice Saidu granted an ex-parte order preventing SEC from carrying out its statutory oversight functions against BGL Group in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, contrary to extant provisions of the law.

Pointing out that the BGL vs SEC episode is being monitored by domestic and foreign investors, SEC in the petition queried why the judge would grant an ex parte motion filed by BGL restraining SEC from suspending BGL or investigating its activities.

It said Justice Saidu had granted an ex parte motion filed

by BGL restraining SEC from suspending BGL or investigating its activities.

Urging the NJC to investigate the conduct of Justice Saidu, it said the decision of the SEC to petition the NJC was borne out of deep concern that judges were being used to undermine its clear regulatory authority as outlined in the Investments and Securities Act of 2007.

Madam Ojo for burial

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ADAM Elizabeth Olabimpe Ojo, who died on June 9, 2015, will be buried on Friday August 21, 2015 in her home town Ibokun after a funeral service at the St Peter’s Anglican Church, OkeOye, Ibokun, Osun State by 11am.

Interment at the church cemetery will be followed by entertainment of guests at the St Peter’s Primary School’s Compound. The ceremony will be preceded by a service of songs at Temidire Quarters, Ibokun.

She was survived by children and grand children.

Late Madam Olabimpe Ojo

NCAA begins audit of airlines

By Lawani Mikairu & Daniel Eteghe

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AGOS—THE Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Muhtar Usman, yesterday, ordered immediate comprehensive audit of all the airlines operating in the country.

Usman, who gave the directive in a statement issued in Lagos by NCAA’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Fan Ndubuoke, said the directive was in line with the authority’s regulatory and oversight responsibilities.

He said that the pockets of incidents that had occurred recently were being viewed seriously by the authority and the wholesale audit was one of the measures taken to forestall further incidents.

According to him, the audit is to ensure the sustenance of the confidence of air travellers in the industry.

Usman said the directive would forestall complacency among airline operators and ensure that they demonstrate absolute compliance to NCAA’s regulations.

VISIT: From left; Programme Manager, Department for International Development (DFID) in Nigeria, Mr Peters Ugwuoke; Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State; Head of DFID office in Nigeria, Mr Ben Mellor and the South-West Regional Coordinator, DFID, Mr Sina Fagbenro-Byron, during Mellor's visit to Ambode in Lagos, yesterday.

The director general said the authority’s Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASIs) would continue to intensify routine ramp inspections.

Usman further said that it had sent out a stern warning to all pilots to take precautionary measures during adverse weather conditions.

“There should be strict adherence

to states’ weather minima and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP),” he said.

Usman assured Nigerians that the NCAA would continue to ensure that its regulations were strictly complied with.

“Airline operations in Nigeria will continue to be done according to the Standards and

Recommended Practices (SARPs) thereby ensuring safe and secure operations,” he said.

The Bristow helicopter that plunged into the Lagos lagoon last Wednesday might have prompted the NCAA to order the audit exercise.

The air mishap claimed six lives out of the 12 on board.

Motorists urge LASG to rid state of gridlock robbery

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AGOS—MOTORISTS in Lagos have called on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to urgently address traffic gridlock robberies in the metropolis which, they said, had become their nightmare.

They also urged the governor to ensure that bad portions of the roads which often create the gridlocks were repaired.

Those who spoke said they had lost their valuables and were at times maimed by the hoodlums.

The hoodlums often take advantage of slow moving traffic to rob people.

The robbers employed various modes for their operations, including using motorcycles.

At times, one of them would pretend to be crossing the road only to get the driver to stop and as soon he does, the others swoop on the vehicle to rob the occupants.

Also, they tell the driver that his tyre had gone down or that his fuel tank was leaking just to get him to stop.

Narrating their experiences, victims said they were helpless as there were no security agents to save them.

They also spoke of the need for the government to fix the bad portions of the roads.

A lady, who pleaded anonymity said that three

hoodlums tried to rob her around 8 p.m. in a slow moving traffic at Odo Iya Alaro, Maryland.

“The hoodlums after tapping at my door glass followed my car as I had to change lane twice before the road later became free and I zoomed off,” she said.

According to her, she was helpless and started to press the car horn continuously to at least call for help before she was finally able to zoom off.

One Mr Tony as he preferred to be called, who was not that lucky said he was robbed at Fadeyi area of Ikorodu Road.

“There was nowhere for me to move to when about two of the hoodlums started hitting my door at Fadeyi along Ikorodu Road at about 8.30 p.m.

“I was able to hide my phone but my laptop bag on the seat and my wristwatch

were forcefully taken away from me,” Tony said.

He, however, advised that motorists to be security conscious whenever they were driving at night as no one could predict where the daredevil hoodlums would be operating.

Another victim, one Mr Deji, a banker, said he and his colleagues were attacked while approaching Apongbon, CMS around 6 a.m. on their way to work.

Lagos devt plan on course, says Ambode

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State yesterday, restated his administration’s commitment to implementing the Lagos Development Plan, saying his administration has fashioned out a framework to commence the implementation.

The governor, who spoke when a delegation of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) led by the Country Representative, Mr. Ben Mellor, paid a courtesy visit to him in his office, said his administration is setting up a framework which the permanent secretaries are already working on.

“We should be able to put together issues that are germane to our people and the bottom line has always been that we should do things and carry out programmes

that would be of tremendous benefit to the people of Lagos state and that’s what DFID also stands for. We would like you to also know that whatever it is that we are doing, will open up areas that we believe will be of benefit to Nigerians in general”, he said.

He said the Development Plan is geared towards achieving the vision of the government in all sectors on the long-term.

The governor said he remains a firm believer in the basic principles of good governance, which according to him, thrives on accountability and all inclusive governance, just as he restated his commitment to run a transparent and all inclusive government that would be accountable and people-driven.

Governor Ambode said he has

concluded plans to embark on a tour of the 57 local governments in the state, saying it would afford him the opportunity to listen to the challenges of the people first hand and address them accordingly.

“We believe strongly that we should scale up community governance in this state. It is more about communities, its more about our people and what they want”.

He commended the partnership of the state government and the DFID over the years, saying it has not only been a success, but has impacted on the people in no small way.

Earlier, Mellor in his remarks commended Ambode for his strides since he assumed office, just as he noted that his decision to run an all inclusive government was one that conforms to the ideology of the DFID.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 — 11

APC leaders shun Fashola’s book launch

By Gbenga Oke & Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—THE chilled political relationship between two former governors of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Mr. Babatunde Fashola came to the fore yesterday, when the mainstream of the state’s political class abstained from the launch of three books on Fashola’s stewardship of the state.

However, a testimony of Fashola’s credentials among technocrats was evident as the occasion had a surplus of professionals from various sectors of the society, who thronged the event for the launch.

The anxiety that preceded yesterday’s book launch was aptly echoed by erstwhile chairman of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr. Fola Adeola, chairman of the occasion, who described those who came for the launch as brave.

The notable political players from the state present were immediate political associates of the former governor, former governorship aspirant, Mr. Supo Sashore, former deputy Governor, Alhaja Lateefat Okunnu, former commissioner for finance in Lagos State, Mr. Wale Edun, Senator Munirudeen Muse, Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Funmilayo Atilade and Mr. Joe Igbokwe, the spokesman of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Also present were the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Mr Gbenga Makanjuola, who represented Senate President Bukola Saraki, Mr Lanre Babalola, Jide Sanwoolu, Rotimi Oyeko, among others.

Tinubu was represented by Prof. Tunde Samuel, a former commissioner in the state.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun was represented by Otunba Bimbo Ashiru.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Adeola said he considered those who attended as those who have the interest of the former governor of Lagos at heart.

Adeola hails attendees for bravery

According to him, “I believe everybody that came here today considers Fashola as a friend, brother, cousin, so I greet everyone and welcome them. I will also say some people are here just because they are brave and not afraid. The people who are here today are simply telling him that no matter what, they still remain his friend”.

He went further, “I can tell you that with some faces I have seen here, I think I am fine. At least I can see Palace representatives and majority of our old friends, so for me, it will be a day to remember. I am so happy to be alive in my time that Governor Fashola happened and my prayer is that we will not wait for too long for another Fashola to happen”.

“I was in Benin and somebody was talking about Lagos State and Fashola, I was surprised and wondered where they knew him from. Also, in Kano State during Governor Kwankwanso's tenure, a young man was saying his governor is trying to replicate what Fashola is doing in Lagos in the state. So in my dictionary, Fashola represents every good thing,” he stated.

My accomplishments not complete without people — Fashola

In his remarks, Fashola said the success of his tenure was made possible because of the people who worked with him while in office.

He also said the book launch was all about Mr Hakeem Bello who painstakingly documented the three books being launched.

He said: “I think it will be wrong for anyone to believe today belongs to me but it is not. It belongs to Hakeem Bello, who painstakingly documented these three books. It

also belongs to Dapo Adeniyi, who worked with him. And to all those who joined us in this event, what you have done is to join us in celebrating Hakeem Bello, a gentleman, family man whose passion for his work epitomises his fidelity in what he believes in.

“We need to know that there are people who started this journey before me especially my predecessor in office, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There are also men and women who served with me while I was n office for eight years. So, those achievements would not have been possible without these people who served with me who also include judges in this state.''

The sky is your limit — Tinubu

Tinubu, who was represented

by Prof. Samuel in his message said Fashola’s rugged intellect to public service differentiated him from his

peers while he was in office.

“Fashola acquired a lot of apprenticeship in a wired political engineering and this further helped his actions while in office. I am happy that your ruggedness in office has shown Lagosians and Nigerians that Asiwaju took a very good decision when he made you his Chief of Staff and later two time Governor of Lagos state” he added.

He however concluded, “We are happy about your success in office and we believe the sky is your limit”.

Amosun, represented by Otunba Ashiru compared the challenges encountered by Fashola in his effort to improve infrastructure in Lagos to what late Chief Obafemi Awolowo faced when he was the Premier of the Western Region.

The three books launched yesterday were The Great Leap; In Bold Print and The Lagos Blow Down.

CORONATION: From left; HRM, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu town; Olori Kudirat Shotobi and Alhaja Mutiatu Alake Ogbara, Yeye Oba of Ikorodu during the coronation of the Ayangburen at his palace. Photo by Shola Oyelese.

OONI: Olumobi family warns against distortions

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—AS aspirants jostle to occupy the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife, following the demise of Oba Okunade Sijuwade, members of Olumobi Family of Lafigido Ruling House of Ile-Ife, have warned against distortion of facts about the history, custom and tradition of the ancient town.

They warned that not material wealth or political influence by aspirants to the throne should be placed above the traditional rights of those described as the true princes of Ile-Ife royal dynasties.

They added that the values of integrity, rich cultural knowledge and strong relationship and affinity with the people of the town and the Yoruba race in general should be accorded priority.

According to a statement credited to a member of the family, Prince Adedimeji Dauda Adefioye, the family deserves the right to present the new Ooni of Ife more than two centuries after the last ruler from the lineage had reigned.

He said the late Olumobi, who is the progenitor of the Olumobi Compound of Lafigido Ruling House had reigned as the 22nd Ooni of Ife, just after the reign of Luwoo, regarded as the only female Ooni and the town’s 21st monarch.

ILLEGAL ARREST, DETENTION: Court awards N12m cost against EFCC

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday, awarded N12 million against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the illegal arrest and detention of the Administrative Manager of a firm, Rana Prestige Nigeria Industries Limited, Mr Adewale Adeniyi.

Adeniyi had sued EFCC, claiming N30 million as general,

exemplary and aggravated damages for the violation of his rights, as well as N10 million as cost of the suit.

He had argued in the suit that he was arrested without a warrant, which makes it illegal.

He was arrested by the EFCC, following a petition by Mrs Rachadatou Abdou, who co-owns the company.

Justice Mohammed Idris in his ruling on his fundamental rights enforcement application, held that

OFFENSIVE EXAM: Ogun faults SERAP’s petition to UN

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HE Government of Ogun State has taken a swipe at the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) over its petition to the UN Rapporteurs on sacked education officials of the state.

In a statement by the Secretary to the State Gover nment, Taiwo Adeoluwa, the government accused SERAP of jumping the gun and crying more than the bereaved.

the commission violated the applicant’s rights.

“There is no evidence that there was a preliminary investigation into allegations against him before the arrest.

“No order of court authorising the arrested was exhibited before the court. The respondents acted irrationally without following due process,” the judge held.

Justice Yusuna said before anyone is validly arrested and detained, there must be preliminary in vestigation into

the allegations against them.

The court held that the applicant was not charged to court prior to his detention. Justice Yunusa said security agencies must exercise restraint at all times and must not be “intoxicated” by the enormous powers they possess.

He held that damages are due the applicant for the trauma he was subjected to while in detention.

The judge awarded N10 million against EFCC, which must also pay N2 million cost and N5 million against Mrs Abdou.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

HOSTCOM shuts down NPDC Gas plant over alleged breach of agreement U

By Perez Brisibe

GHELLI—LEADERS of Host Communities, HOSTCOM in Oil Mining Lease, OML, 30, 34 and 65, yesterday, made good their threat, as they shut down exploration activities at the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, gas plant in Otorogun, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State.

The group on August 7,gave the company a seven day ultimatum to implement an agreement reached between them and the company on June 30, 2015 or face a total shutdown of its facilities in the area.

Leading hundreds of protesters to the facility, chairman of Urhobo HOSTCOM, Efe Okowvurie, explained that following the expiration of the seven day ultimatum given to NPDC to implement the agreement and resolution earlier reached with HOSTCOM, the host communities decided to shutdown the facility.

Okowvurie noted that NPDC and HOSTCOM had an agreement on June 30, 2015, in which NPDC agreed to pay all

the outstanding salaries of community workers in OMLs 30, 34 and 65 which are in arrears of between six to nine months, stressing that till date, the company had refused to pay the workers and the contractor what

is due to them.

He said the Federal Government should compel NPDC to fully implement the resolution, adding that the host communities were not ready to reopen the shutdown facility until NPDC wakes up to its

responsibilities.

At press time, attempts to reach the NPDC’s External Relations Manager, Mr. Ugo Atugboko was fruitless as he simply replied an SMS sent to him saying, “I am in a meeting.”

ENFORCEMENT: From left: Deputy Corps Marshal, Adei Abu, Corps Commander, Andrew Kumapayi, Rivers State Sector Command, Federal Road Safety Corps, and Corps Commander, Bizi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy, FRSC, during the Corps mobile court enforcement on articulated vehicles in Port Harcourt. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

PDP's opposition to Edo World Bank loan laughable —OSHIOMHOLE

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By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN CITY—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has described as laughable reasons adduced by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for opposing the N14.7 billion World Bank loan recently approved for the state by the National Assembly.

He said: “I am laughing because the PDP chairman in Edo State, Dan Orbih and his cohorts, if the PDP didn’t steal and bleed the treasury dry, our legitimate revenue stolen by the party and their cohorts is much more than that loan. My hope is that they would be brought to justice. I think he doesn’t quite understand that people know him more than he thought but I don’t want to be distracted by nonentities.”

Oshiomhole was reacting to the recent approval of the World Bank loan to Edo State despite the opposition from the two PDP Senators in the state, Matthew Urhoghide and Clifford Ordia.

According to him, “PDP is a nuisance in this case. First is that if they didn’t steal the money, we would not have needed to borrow.

What we lost from the NLNG alone under the PDP Federal Government is about $11.6 billion, Edo State share of that is more than N30 billion if you realise that from every one $1 billion we get more than N2.7 billion was missing. So, for 11.6 billion

multiply that by N2.7bn, you will see that we have made over N35 billion.

“The truth is we thank God that God has sent President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the

liquidation of the country and he is set to rebuild this country. So, my first remark to PDP is that they are still not in a position to blame the victim of their own looting which is unprecedented in the

history of this country. As you can sees you heard President Buhari say last week that after they finished looting Nigeria’s revenue, they even borrowed to loot.”

Group petitions Gov Emmanuel over land compensation representatives claimed they

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By Chioma Onuegbu

YO—A human rights group, Community Policing Partners for Justice, Security and Democratic Reforms, COMPPART, has petitioned Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State over alleged non payment of compensation for land belonging to Ekim Itam, Ikot Ukap and Obong Itam communities in Itu Local Government Area acquired by the

state government for the construction of armoured car Personnel Carrier plant.

COMPPART in a petition by its Executive Director, Mr. Saviour Akpan, urged Governor Emmanuel to set up a committee independent of ministries of Lands and Finance to look into the matter without delay.

It also urged the governor to verify and publish the names of the land owners the state government

have paid compensation to in respect of the 20 hectares of land.

The petition reads in part: “It is on record and in the public domain that on July 13, 2015, you have already carried out a ground breaking ceremony in respect to this very project which is going to be managed by an Israeli company, Mimshac Merkavin transportation technologies."

Wike promises to complete useful projects Anglican Province of the Niger started by past govts Delta, Archbishop Ignatius, said

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By Jimitota Onoyume

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has promised to complete projects of importance to the people that were started by previous administrations, including that of former Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

Wike gave the assurance in Port Harcourt, yesterday, when the Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province, Anglican communion, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey, paid

him a courtesy visit in Government House, Port Harcourt.

He said that his administration will take the state to a greater height, adding that he will fulfil his campaign promises to the people.

He said: “Our administration shall never lose focus. We have made promises and we shall keep to the promises. Any project that will impact positively on the lives of the people of the state will be completed by this administration.”

Earlier, the Archbishop of

that Rivers State will witness massive development under the leadership of Governor Wike.

He described Wike as a man who keep promises, noting that the development projects of the administration should be commended.

Advising politicians not to overheat the polity, Archbishop Kattey urged the governor not to be distracted by unwarranted attacks on his person by political opponents.

NSE worries over prevalence of quacks

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—NIGERIAN Society of Engineers, NSE, yesterday, lamented the menace of quackery in engineering profession in the country, saying it has reached an alarming proportion.

Chairman of the Akure branch of the NSE, Engr.

Jide Atandeyi, at this year’s Engineering Week in Akure, called on the government to ensure that all pending cases of quackery in the profession brought to its notice were addressed to a logical conclusion to serve as deterrent to others.

Atandeyi contended that all the laws to prosecute the quacks are in place but, the political will to enforce them was lacking and called on government to empower the Engineering Monitoring Committee to efficiently fight the menace.

This year’s theme of the Engineering week is “Materials handling in the building construction industry” Speaking on the theme, Atandeyi said it was carefully selected to further draw the attention of all stakeholders in the nation’s economy to the urgent need to address the ugly trend of building collapses in the country.

Lady Lucy Gibah for burial

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ADY Lucy Gibah, of Ivhioromia quarters, Fugar, in Etsako Central Local Government Area, of Edo State is dead, aged 82 years.

Christian Wake-keep holds on August 21 at Sir A.P Gibah’s compound on Mike Akhigbe Way, GR A, Fugar from 4pm to 6pm, while the funeral service holds the next day, at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Fugar. Internment follows immediately at her residence.

Late Lucy Gibah

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—13

DPR shuts 27 filling stations in Rivers Reads riot act to oil marketers in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha & Davies Iheamnachor

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ORT HARCOURT— FOLLOWING the Federal Government’s effort to contain corruption in the oil sector, the Department of Petroleum Resource, DPR, has sealed off 27 filling stations in Rivers State for failing to sell at the government approved pump price of N87 per litre.

Meanwhile, in Bayelsa State, DPR warned petroleum marketers in the state selling above the Federal Government approved pump price of N87 per litre to desist forthwith and revert to the normal price regime.

DPR’s Operations Controller in Bayelsa State, Bassey Nkanga, who gave the order during a meeting between the agency and the petroleum marketers in Yenagoa, urged the marketers to ensure full compliance without delay.

Aside the NNPC Mega Station which sells at N87 per litre, other filling stations have been dispensing petrol at N110 per litre since the last crisis in May between the Federal Government and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, over unpaid bills.

Bayelsa, it was learned requires a minimum of 30 trucks of fuel

per day but supply to the state had varied between five and nine trucks.

Meanwhile in Rivers State, the agency said most fuel stations in the state have been working on the Federal Government directive that placed the pump price for a litre of PMS at N87.

In their surveillance on Monday the agency sealed off six stations,

but yesterday, the agency shut 18 more stations bringing the total number of filling stations sealed to 27.

Yemsonat Ventures Nig LTD, Demore Investment Nig., Harrison, Sobaz, Mikab, Romigbo Donapet, De Bens, Tombug, Vic Vintax International Company, Rahaminiyya Oil, GVCGolden Services LTD, were among the

stations sealed by DPR. The Zonal Controller of DPR in Rivers State, Mrs. Onyebuchi Sibeudu said the reason for the action was to make the marketers comply with government approved pump price of 87, per litre. She also said that the agency would carry the same war to the depot owners.

UNSCHEDULED VISIT: Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade (right), Acting Head of Service, Mr. Ekpenyong Henshaw (left), and others, during an unscheduled visit by the governor to selected ministries in the state in Calabar, yesterday.

Scores injured over chairmanship election in Delta community

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By Emma Amaize

GBENU—SCORES of youths have been reportedly hospitalized and others injured in a fracas in Ugbenu town, Ethiope West Local Government Area, Delta State, over election of community chairman.

One of the chairmanship aspirants, Mr. Godfrey Okuma and a member of his team, Goddey Abinoko, who escaped death by whiskers, said thugs working for some persons attacked them.

He said four contestants had gathered at the village square for the election, but one Favour came from Oghareki and

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singlehandedly purported to have sworn-in Austin as chair at the home of one of the chiefs, while other aspirants were at the said square waiting for the

conduct of the election.

Okuma said that the imposition generated furore and when he and other aspirants challenged the said Favour, his boys swooped on them, beating and wounding

many in the process.

One of the injured youths, Eseoghene Eghwareme, said his offence was that he challenged the action of Favour and his group.

TEPNG stops oil expedition at ObagiRumuekpe in Rivers

By Jimoh Babatunde

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ORT HARCOURT— DUE to an abnormal situation observed during crude oil expedition operation at its Obagi – Rumuekpe 12 Oil Export Pipeline in Rivers State, Total E&P Nigeria Ltd, TEPNG, has stopped further expedition in the area.

In a statement, yesterday, the Deputy General Manager, Media and Public Affairs, Charles Ogan, said: “During crude oil expedition operation on August 16, 2015 an abnormal situation was observed as the oil expedited from Obagi was not received at Rumuekpe metering station.

“Expedition was immediately stopped and a helicopter over-flight was carried out, which revealed oil spill and fresh excavations on the pipeline Right Of Way.” Noting that relevant authoritieshadbeeninformed,he said they took the decision because of the highly volatile nature of the area and the security concerns.

“We are working with the Nigerian security agencies to secure the location and provide safeaccessforinterventionteams.

Thevolumeofoilspilledandarea of impact have not been estimated.”

PDP defectors looking for political appointment —DICKSON

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By Emmanuel Aziken

ENAGOA—GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, yesterday, dismissed the gale of defections from his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, describing the defectors as mostly men and women in search of federal appointment.

Noting that the defectors were the same category of

people who also opposed his emergence in 2012, the governor listed former President Goodluck Jonathan as one who remains supportive of his second bid.

Saying that the crisis provoked by the defections paled to the pressures he had faced from other quarters, Dickson nevertheless

expressed pain that virtually all the defectors were people that had been patronised by his government through contracts and consultations.

The governor, who spoke to newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, cited the case of Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who represented the Bayelsa West senatorial district between 2007 and 2015 and Dr. Stella Dorgu as examples of those he said were bent on sustaining themselves in

office irrespective of the zoning permutations or the considerations of their people.

The governor spoke against the background of the defection of leading members of the PDP in Bayelsa State to the APC last weekend. Among the defectors were the immediate past state chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd), former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe, Senator Lokpobiri among several others.

14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

PRESENTATION OF BOOKS IN HONOUR OF EX-GOV FASHOLA BY HAKEEM BELLO, AT MUSON CENTRE, LAGOS ISLAND, YESTERDAY. Photos by Bunmi Azeez.

TOP: Cross section of White Cap chiefs representing Oba of Lagos.

From left; Prince Rotimi Oyekan, former Lagos State Commissioner of Finance; Hon. BELOW: From left: Alhaja Lateefah Okunnu, former deputy Gbenga Makanjuola, Chief of staff to Senate president and representing the senate president; governor of Lagos State; Olori Titilola Akiolu; Olori Olanike Akiolu Mr. Fola Adeola, Chairman, Board of Directors, CardinalStone and former Lagos State and Justice Funmilayo Atilade, Chief Judge of Lagos State. governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, during the presentation of three new books, The Great Leap, In Bold Print and The Lagos Blow Down.

From left: Mr. Kola Awodeyi, Mr. Wale Edun and Mr. Wale Odunlami

OBSEQUIES FOR RACHAEL ADUKE ODUKOMAIYA AT YABA BAPTIST CHURCH, LAGOS. Photos by Diran Oshe.

From right; Mrs Yetunde Odukomaiya; Mr Tayo Odukomaiya, Dr Abiodun Odukomaiya and Prince Henry Odukomaiya.

Cross section of the officiating ministers.

Mrs Lydia Odukomaiya (left) and Mrs Yetunde Aderinto.

Friends of Late Aduke Odukomaiya at the funeral service.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 — 15

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16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Robbers break ATM in EBSU, cart away ....Exact figure not yet known —Police millions

By Peter Okutu

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B A K A L I K I — HOODLUMS were, yesterday, reported to have invaded an Automated Teller Machine, ATM, belonging to an old generation bank in the College of Agricultural Science, CAS, of the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.

Sources said the hoodlums evaded all the security check points within the school and proceeded to the ATM where they carted away money, allegedly amounting to about N12 million, which was earlier loaded into the machine by the bank officials.

“The robbers came into the campus in the night and went straight to the bank. They later carted away millions of Naira, which was loaded in the day time by bank officials.

“We learnt that up to N12 million was stolen during the incident. I can’t tell the actual amount, but all I know is that there was robbery in this bank,” a witness said.

Another source claimed that the hoodlums first sacked the security officials at the entrance gate before entering the bank.

Contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,

DSP Chris Anyanwu, who confirmed the robbery incident revealed that the actual amount stolen by the robbers was yet to be ascertained.

“Yes, there was robbery incident in one of the old generation banks

located in CAS campus of Ebonyi State University.

“The robbers broke the ATM of the bank and carted away all the money inside it. We are hearing different figures stolen and the bank officials have not given us

the figure of the amount carted away by the robbers.

“Investigation has already commenced. After the investigation, we will be able to tell you a particular amount stolen.”

PROGRAMME: From left, Mr. Taofeek Ajisebutu, Regional Sales Manager, Lagos; Mr. Friday Enaholo, Marketing Manager, both of Fidson Healthcare Plc; Mrs. Joy Ibezim, Managing Director, Zest Pharmacy Limited; Mr. Abayomi Alli-Balogun, General Manager, Sales, Fidson Healthcare Plc, and Mr. Oladimeji Oduyebo, Corporate Services Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc, during Fidson Healthcare Plc Retail Reward Programme, in Lagos.

•I'm not ready to join issues with Ojougboh —Anyim

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BUJA—IMMEDIATE past Secretary to the Federal Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim has been dragged before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the multi-billion dollar Centenary City project.

In a petition dated July 21, 2015 and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, National Vice Chairman South-South of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh called on President Buhari to as a matter of urgency, probe Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who, he said, handled the Centenary City project, adding that former President Goodluck Jonathan was not properly briefed about the project before he appended his signature on the Centenary City document.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, he said: “The former President thought that the Centenary City project was for the good of all Nigerians because of the centenary spirit. But unknown to him, it was the private project of the former SGF and his cohorts.

Yes, the former President signed the papers as presented to him by the former SGF. "He was not properly briefed

because of vested interests. I can defend him, he was not part of the fraud. If Jonathan had been properly briefed, he would not have approved the project, let alone talk of going to perform the ground breaking of the project.

“I am calling on President Buhari now to revisit the centenary project and he will be shocked at the findings that the project was owned by private individuals but procured with government funds.”

He alleged that the former Senate President was involved in fraudulent acquisitions perpetrated by the sponsors of the project covering over 1,500 hectares of land in the Federal Capital City, Abuja, adding that the size of the land was equal to Maitama, Asokoro and Guzape districts put together.

But in a swift reaction, former SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim, who noted that he was already in court, said he was not ready to join

N

NEWI—NIGERIAN Red Cross Society, NRCS, Anambra State Branch, has flagged off the distribution of cholera prevention and intervention materials in three communities of Anambra West Local Government Area, as part of the ongoing anti-cholera intervention programme.

This follows the out-break of the disease in March this year in the three communities where the NRCS in the state intervened and conducted assessment of the communities and decided to provide cholera prevention and intervention materials.

The state chairman of NRCS and former Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Paul Obidigwe and Vice Chairman of NRCS in the state Prof. Peter Emeka Katchy led a team of select journalists to Inoma, Owelle and Ukwala all riverine areas for the distribution of the materials as well as educating them on good personal hygienic practices.

Following the difficult terrain of the area, the team went to Illah in Delta State, and hired three speed boats and travelled from there in spite of the difficult terrain of the area through the water, in order to give the people of the area hope as well as sense of belonging in the state.

They, on arrival, paid a courtesy

WKA—A youth leader in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State, Obi Ochije has called on the founding fathers and stakeholders of the party to intervene immediately to save PDP from dying in the state.

Speaking in an interview in Awka, Ochije, who aspired to the state House of Assembly during the last general elections, described as worrisome, a situation whereby those expected to unite the party, were the ones fighting one another over matters that could easily be resolved.

He urged the national publicity secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh to realize that a good politician is one who carries his people along, adding that the best way he could be appreciated in the state is by reconciling all the aggrieved members of the party.

Madam Ezeaku passes on

issues with Cairo Ojuogboh, adding, “the issue is already in court.”

Speaking to journalists on the development, Senator Anyim’s media aide, Sam Nwaboisi said, “Senator Anyim has gone to court to sue him for defamation of character on the previous press conference and interviews that he has granted in which he has accused him of almost all these things he is saying now."

Late Madam Ezeaku

CHOLERA OUTBREAK: Anambra Red Cross distributes prevention, intervention items

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

Ojougboh drags Anyim to EFCC over Centenary City project

By Henry Umoru

Stakeholders must come together to save Anambra PDP —Ochije

call on the traditional ruler of Inoma, Igwe Emmanuel Olottah, who expressed optimism that their visit will be a blessing to the communities and the local government area in general.

Some of the items donated to the communities include sanitation and intervention materials such as wheel barrows, shovels, face masks, gloves, rakes, soap and water guard, among others.

In his address, Justice Obidigwe noted the efforts of the NRCS in attracting International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society to assist in eradicating cholera in the three communities and others in the state.

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WOMAN leader in Amufi-Achara, Ohodo in Igbo-Etiti LGA of Enugu State, Mrs. Monica Ezeaku, has passed on, aged 82.

Burial ceremony will commence with a wakekeep at her residence in Amufi-Achara, Ohodo, on August 21, 2015.

Funeral service will later take place the next day at St. Michael Catholic Church, Ohodo followed by interment at the family compound.

She was survived by husband, children, grand children, brothers, sisters, in-laws and relations, among whom, is Engr.

Ezeaku Frederick ,MD of Systems Electrical ,Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 — 17

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LOT has been said about petitions by civil society groups asking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate alleged “questionable expenditures” by the former governor of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola, including a much commented upon N78 million website upgrade which the firm contracted to do the job subsequently denied receiving such an amount for.

Even among our best, claims of corruption remain an issue and there are two categories of reactions to such affairs, where Nigerians are concerned: some offer blind and unwavering support to their “heroes”, particularly those whose mien promised a strong, honest, people-oriented character, while others are quick to judge and condemn, based on political calculations, while often refusing to see the log in their own eye. It is difficult in Nigeria, to find men and women one can admire without having to defend them at one point or another against accusations of graft or impropriety of some kind.

Everyone has a past in Nigeria, all that differs seems to be the extent of the wrongs they are accused of; or in other words, how dark precisely, their past is and how comfortable the rest of us are with the murky waters one must tread to keep up with their colourful lives.

One is reminded of a quote by Oscar Wilde: “Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future”. It is in fact, the story of the Nigerian political system and could serve as an anthem to characterise our political dealings.

Political dealings Indeed, with General Babangida claiming in interviews to mark his 74th birthday, to miss his old “friend”, M.K.O Abiola, one really sees that there is a time for self-avowed redemption for everyone.

A time where re-invention of one’s story seems to be the only possible course. Nigeria has been a victim of this. Every sinner wishes to become a saint which is why former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who some might say “gave” former President Goodluck Jonathan to Nigerians, became one of his most prominent critics once he saw the tide turning.

In political history all over the world, you find characters who survive all revolutions, who are present despite every great change. In France, the name “Talleyrand” is synonymous with political cynicism and survival, maintained prominence through all regimes despite who is in power.

Talleyrand was a French politician whose career spanned monarchies and democracies in 19th century France. So Nigerians didn’t invent the “Any- GovernmentIn-Power ” mantra but we

or accusations of corruption: the fight is too important, the need to kill corruption before it kills Nigerians is too severe to taint with petty ego and power driven squabbles which have no meaningful impact on Nigerians, besides drawing attention from the real enemy, the mindless stealing which has become part of our political culture. The APC estimates N13.972 trillion was allegedly tprincewill@yahoo.co.uk squandered by the Jonathan administration in the oil sector alone. However, if we were to look at other industries and also compute indebtedness in states such as Lagos, Osun, Rivers and Kano, which incidentally are APC-led states, the figure would be much higher. The problem with corruption in Nigeria isn’t an APC or a PDP problem: it is one of mediocrity.

Nigerians have accepted that everyone is dirty and therefore don’t ask for much in terms of leadership or governance. We are content with white elephant projects with no real effect on our day to day lives. Now, we have a leader who is searching for ministers whom he believes will be competent and corruption free. Many have mocked him saying that is impossible. It is an insult to Babatunde Fashola decent, well-breed Nigerians.

No one is too big to fall in Not everyone is a thief, even if this administration, as the facing the law. Jealousy and the system does encourage and Presidency has assured rifts between godfathers and allow it.

Nigerians it will not protect godsons cannot be the any guilty individuals from motivation behind allegations

A culture of making do: The saints amongst the sinners

Gen. Ibrahim Babangida definitely perfected it. Our leaders are masters of reinvention but for the first time in our political history, we are about to see real change: it will be difficult for our elite to tell fanciful stories about themselves or how they made their money, to hide their colourful past and present dealings behind brash, untenable statements (although Governor Ayo Fayose might disagree with this assessment).

Things are about to get serious again in Nigeria. As citizens, we are fed up of being misled by leaders who have no regard for our sensibilities as humans beings or for our yearnings for truth and justice. Nigerians will no longer accept the excuse given by politicians who claim allegations of corruption are simply political attacks.

Abdulsalami Abubakar and the Peace Committee

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AM always surprised and disappointed when those who should not only know better, but should be the first to defend the rights of the poor and downtrodden, are the first to either indulge in, justify or excuse graft. I was indeed surprised that members of the National Peace Committee seemed to intercede on former President Jonathan’s behalf.

Although that allegation has been denied, that is what it looked like to Nigerians. We are all only human I suppose: sinners who fall short of sainthood because of our closeness to certain people or often times, our involvement in certain affairs.

Forgiveness of sins

The problem with corruption in Nigeria isn’t an APC or a PDP problem: it is one of mediocrity; Nigerians have accepted that everyone is dirty and therefore don’t ask for much in terms of leadership or governance

This is probably why members of the Peace Committee refuse to call a spade a spade. I was particularly surprised by reports quoting Bishop Matthew Kukah as asking President Buhari not to focus on probing the Jonathan administration.

This idea of a “witch-hunt” is truly getting old. Perhaps Christian doctrine does call for the forgiveness of sins, but nowhere in any major religion does it say that wrong-doing is acceptable, particularly when it harms defenseless people, like corruption does.

Where does change begin if

Abdulsalami Abubakar

one is to turn a blind eye to those breaking the law, especially if there is proof both in and outside the country? Moreover, what is to discourage other public officials from taking what is not theirs, from deciding they are more worthy of prosperity than the average Nigerian?

Treasury Single Account

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F there was ever any doubt that “change” for the President isn’t just a slogan, even if it might be for some of those around him, his decision to make all ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, pay all government revenue into a single account is groundbreaking.

Themurkyaccountingsystemour governmentusuallyoperates,makes it possible for directors, permanent secretaries, ministers and just about anyone, to withdraw funds from various accounts, in a strange process which facilitated corruption.

The same people who don’t want aprobeofthepastadministrationwill find all sorts of interesting reasons why a measure which will bring sanity and transparency back into government finances is a bad thing.

WiththeTSA,everyonecanknow government’sincomeanditbecomes simple to track and monitor its operations, as well as enable optimal disbursement and utilization of funds. Who would want that despite the Nigerian people?

As for the banks complaining government is shutting its accounts with them and limiting liquidity, I hope this will be a lesson for all: we

have reveled in mediocrity because it benefitted us in Nigeria, but now the party is over. Government is the private sector’s number one client: this isn’t normal.

The banking industry never pushed for a system where it could enableordinaryNigerianstooperate and open accounts doing legitimate business with banks, based on accessible loans and realistic interest rates.

It preferred to house ill acquired government money and now that money is no longer available. As Dorothy said in the cult classic “The Wizard of Oz”, “we’re not in Kansas anymore”. I hope everyone in Nigeria can adapt to the nononsense style of the Buhari era after years of permissiveness.

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC ’s) threat to revoke the licences of some power generation companies otherwise known as gencos is hardly surprising.

Although there has been noticeable improvement in electricity supply in the country in recent time, this however, cannot obscure the fact that the power generation and supply targets envisaged under the privatisation arrangement has not been met, four years after its introduction.

When the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan succeeded in privatising the power sector with the purpose of significantly upping power generation by 2014 and beyond, it was received with cautious optimism in view of the successes of the privatised telecom sector.

However, the privatisation process was to take off in the form of the unbundling of the poorly performing PHCN from which some electricity distribution companies (discos) had

Bayelsa:Heart

of

By Francis Agbo “There is enough in the world for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed.”— Mohandas Gandhi OVERNOR Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State is a leader who defies the familiar categorisations and typologies of Nigerian public service. Since his swearing in on February 14, 2012, he has always been at home with the values and sensibilities of the creeks and Bayelsa’s rural communities.

But he is also comfortable in the world of wonky policymaking and urbane governance. The governor is thus as close as it gets to the archetypal 21st century public servant. These attributes, in conjunction with his organic involvement in the Ijaw struggle, have earned him the adulatory name of the Countryman Governor.

It is precisely this facility with the lexicons of both the haves and the have-nots, this intimate familiarity with the problems and anxieties of the diverse demographics of his state that has paradoxically become a minor political irritant for the governor; for the exhibition of such an elevated governing temperament in a political milieu of crass opportunism and party-hopping is bound to be misunderstood by those beholden to old templates of political mobilisation and governance. It is in the tradition of governance in Bayelsa State and in Nigeria as a whole for political elites to stake their claims on the incumbent leader and proceed to take ownership over him and his agenda,

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Revisiting power sector privatisation emerged. A key component of the unbundling exercise was the issuance of licenses to gencos that met the stipulated criteria. Under the arrangement supervised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) the gencos were supposed to generate the power to be transmitted to the end users by the discos.

According to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Roadmap on Power, the initial generation target was 5,000MW, which was expected to rise to 14,300MW by December

2013. It was also believed that when these companies came fully on stream, the country stood a chance of generating 10,000MW— 20,000MW between 2013 and 2015.

But four years after, the country is still labouring to meet the initial 5000MW target. This tells an obvious story: most of the gencos have not met our expectations.

While the revocation of license may be an inevitable option to bring sanity to the privatisation process, NERC, as the regulator in tandem with the federal government, should

OPINION Dickson's politics to the exclusion of the already excluded and disenfranchised, and to the detriment of the common good. Governor Dickson’s refusal to conform to this tradition of politics and governance has endeared him to the regular citizens of Bayelsa and incurred for him the seething frustration of those who had sought and failed to own him. This divergence of political temperament and commitment explains why some politicians in Dickson’s party, the PDP, would shamelessly dump the party that gave them relevance and visibility for the APC, which wrested power from their hero and benefactor, former President Goodluck Jonathan. In this political climate of conflicting priorities, it is understandable that the governor has become a magnet for both mass adulation and the isolated animus of a few selfinterested politicians.

This has been the supreme paradox at the heart of the Dickson factor in Bayelsa, the glory of all lands. His insistence on a different kind of politics has produced a new paradigm of governance. His desire to chart a new trajectory of probity and accountability in the governance of the state, take Bayelsa to the world and the world to Bayelsa through tourism and good governance, fortify the Ijaw nation, particularly Bayelsans, through

The Countryman Governor reasoned beyond the box and sacrificed his security vote and allowances to pay salaries

free and compulsory education, deliver concrete developmental goods to his people through critical infrastructure, map a postoil future for the oil-rich state through strategic investment in agriculture, wrest control from those who had stagnated the state and plunged it into insecurity for over four years, as well as his zero tolerance for corruption, crime and criminality have been the defining characters of the Dickson administration. It is in the manner of revolutions and iconoclastic movements to generate reaction and contrapuntal narratives. Governor Dickson has faced his fair share of reactionary outbursts. It comes with the territory of insurgent and populist approaches to exercising power, a political tendency that the governor personifies.

Simply put, Dickson’s insistence on a radical, tenacious developmental strategy has pitted him against a small, convulsive political old guard, who desire a less altruistic, more elitist governing apparatus that is focused on propitiating their whims. Faced with elite reaction on the one hand and enthusiastic reception from the masses on the other, the dilemma of offending a selfabsorbed and privileged few while empowering the less privileged masses quickly dissolved. It was an easy choice for Dickson to make.

This, in a nutshell, is the story of how Governor Dickson came to simultaneously embody the developmental aspirations of the people of Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation and the reactionary impulses that such

address the problems militating against the attainment of the objectives of privatising the power sector and, if the need be, chart a new direction altogether for the power sector.

We hope the new President Muhammadu Buhari regime will bring fresh perspectives and impetus to ensure the rapid expansion of the power sector, as no meaningful progress can be made in its effort to diversify the economy unless new grounds are broken in the power sector.

We believe that a new regime under a brand new ruling political party should be able to make a big difference from the previous administration which after 16 years of multibillion dollar experiments could not produce much result.

We are convinced that once we get it right, the world will rush to partner with us in developing our power sector because of the enormous market with its vast potentials for returns on investment.

aspirations tend to elicit from people accustomed to deploying power for narrow personal and group interests. If the governor has risked the discontent of a small section of the state’s political elite to pitch his political tent with those in acute need of opportunity, access, and social infrastructure, it is because of the push and pull of his own biography.

This biographical impulse pivots on one word: compassion. It was against this background of compassionate governance that at a time when neighbouring oilproducing states with high revenue receivables and lower wage bills could not pay salaries, the Countryman Governor reasoned beyond the box and sacrificed his security vote and allowances to pay salaries and pensions of workers at every month’s end without taking a loan for salary payment! Bayelsa being a civil service state for now, the governor reckoned that the economy would collapse if workers do not get their salaries and entitlements on time.

Dickson’s touching story of not having money to pay school fees, his chilling storyline of not sighting a vehicle until he was 18, his familiar story of joining the Nigerian police as a constable after his secondary education and his subsequent educational pursuits in the force, which propelled him to successful careers as a lawyer, activist, political mobiliser, and twotime member of the House of Representatives have fired his impatient determination to avail the youths of Bayelsa the opportunities and privileges he never had so that they would fulfill their full potential. *Mr. Agbo, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Yenogoa, Bayelsa State.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—19 —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Power supply: What’s Buhari doing that Jonathan didn't do?

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T was too obvious to be overlooked, but I first noticed the relative improvement in power supply right from the weekend Muhammadu Buhari assumed office as president. I made alternative power supply plans to watch the live streaming of the president’s inauguration even though I ended up seeing just the tail end of it. But that was because I was busy at some work. Otherwise, there was constant and steady supply of power all through the transmission of the inauguration ceremonies and thereafter. I thought like others around me that ‘NEPA’ (would Nigerians ever accept that NEPA has since been dead?) was in a celebratory mood and would soon live off the euphoria of welcoming a new government into office.

We expected things to change and ‘ NEPA’ to go back to its old ways in a matter of days. But rather than the situation changing from bad to worse, it has since remained the same more or less. Of course, there have been power cuts. But not in the manner we had come to know

it. Nigerians may not know for how long this honeymoon-like experience would last (and they would rather want things to get better going by the general consensus of opinion in the media and among ordinary people), but they are sure of something if not of anything else: they have more access to steady and vastly improved power supply since the end of May 2015 than at any time, perhaps, in the previous six years of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The imported technocrats who all but destroyed our economy in the name of serving Jonathan were experts at bombarding us with statistics that meant nothing other than their takes on the versions of ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’ they had cooked up to befuddle everyone but themselves. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was particularly adept at thisreeling out series of statistics of hundreds of thousands of phantom employments and projections for the future that had no bearing of any kind to improvements in the material condition of the lives of Nigerians.

What Nigerians wanted was life in abundance, measured in terms of decent housing, employment, health cover, improved funding of education and food supply etc. But what she gave were statistics that appealed to nobody but her likes in and out of government.

Now, Buhari has not provided statistics. He does not even have ministers (which is not to say that he can do it all alone) to say nothing of parading World Bank certified experts. Yet electricity has been steady relatively.

Apologists of the expired PDP administration have been quick to tell Nigerians that they should be grateful to Jonathan for whatever improvement there is now in power supply. And they might well be right given the huge amount of funds that have been expended on the dark hole that is the power sector under the Jonathan administration, without noticeable improvement in either generation, supply or distribution of power. Which leaves us no option but to ask the obvious question: how come that the one who spent all the money had nothing to show for it but darkness and the other who took the saddle has provided light

The one they know would, in a manner of speaking, take no nonsense

Sagay’s call to confession of the sinfully corrupt “

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NYONE who knows that his hands are dirty,” says Professor Itse Sagay, “should come out and confess. I am sure certain lenient terms can be obtained by him.”Sagay made this "altar ” call as chairman of the recently constituted Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption. A Christian he is, and a gentleman, too, but he does not suffer criminals gladly, certainly not the heartless breed of social vampires that have sucked Nigeria dry to bare bones.

Sagay’s reputation as a peerless legal scholar was long established before he became the founding dean of law at the University of Benin. As my former teacher and a mentor, I can testify that his commitment to progressive change in our astonishingly misgoverned and misshapened country is total. Principle and integrity are his by-words, making him a victim of General Babangida’s vicious war against “radicals and extremists” when he was dismissed from the University of Benin alongside Dr. Festus Iyayi (assassinated 27 years later), Professor Jackson Omene and Dr. Babs Agbonifo. I was, therefore, delighted to learn on the eve of the event that Sagay had been appointed chairman of the anticorruption advisory committee. It was Innocent Chukwuma, my former colleague at the Civil Liberties Organisation and now the Ford Foundation’s representative for West Africa, who informed me of it. The Ford Foundation, together with the Open Society Initiative in West Africa and the MacArthur Foundation, have pooled together a fund to boost Buhari’s anti-

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corruption and criminal justice reform efforts.

That same evening Innocent introduced me to Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, executive secretary of PACAC. The stellar list of members of the committee, who shall work under Vice President Osinbajo, gives firm promise that something credible is about to be done at last to kill the cancer of corruption before it kills Nigeria, as the president so fetchingly puts it. No more fatuous declarations of a war against corruption while doing everything possible to promote it to even dizzier heights. No longer shall we be insulted with lectures distinguishing stealing from corruption.

On the contrary, we are reminded now that stealing, besides being a crime, is also a sin. “Thou shall not steal,” says the eighth commandment. Sagay’s come-toconfession call is a clear echo of Proverbs 28:13: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” The call also echoes the courtroom’s plea in mitigation of sentence whereby the judge takes testimony of the convict’s otherwise good character before pronouncing sentence. But, usually, that comes at the conclusion of trial and after finding the accused “guilty as charged.” Sagay would

I hope that Sagay and his committee shall be including stiffer jail terms

without apparently lifting a finger?

What happened?

The difference is both one of personality and perception.

Nigerians, especially those destroying this country, know Buhari and Jonathan are two different personalities. More importantly, they view these two personalities differently. The one they know would, in a manner of speaking, take no nonsense; the other didn’t mind being trampled on and taken for a ride.

Those, including officials of the power holding company and other players in the power sector, who saw to it that Nigerians lived in perpetual darkness in spite of the tens of billions of dollars expended on providing electricity- those scoundrels who deserve to spend the rest of their miserable lives in jail knew Jonathan would do nothing even if he had all the evidence needed to move against them.

They knew he was too unsure of himself to rein in the excesses of the destroyers by whom he was surrounded. This was practical evidence of what people meant when they spoke of the man’s weakness, his inability to take charge of the presidential stage that was rightfully his but on which his subordinates and other godfathers and ethnic lords had successfully reduced him to a mere stage hand. Jonathan’s inability or failure to act in situations like these provides both practical and palpable measure of his weakness. It is part of this difference in the perception of both Buhari and Jonathan and their likely reaction to cases of corruption and/or economic sabotage that those who actively laboured to destroy the power sector and ensured that Nigerians remained in darkness, during the Jonathan

be more generous and allow those who have stolen us blind a pre-trial confession at the people’s altar. Or else face the full brunt of the law, as t h e overwhelming majority of Nigerians in no mood to be generous to kleptomaniacal treasury looters would prefer.

It is fair, I think,to say that since the 29th of May, there has been a melodious note of anti-corruption music in the air.

Music, I must hasten to add, not composed of the mind-boggling thefts daily coming to light but of President Buhari’s reiteration in every utterance of his ironcast resolve to take the sharp knives out of the hands of the cannibalistic army of the corrupt who have been carving up Nigeria and eating her alive. The maniacal frenzy with which public officials set upon the treasury, turning every ministry, department or agency into a free booty zone to be looted to the ground needs, I have argued several times before now, to be studied as a debilitating disease of the mind—a neurotic or psychological disorder (see “Thinking Through the Corruption Complex with Frantz Fanon,” The Guardian, 30 August 2010; “Decolonising the Mind: On Colonial Trauma and Corruption,” The Guardian, 23 September 2010; “The Federal Republic of No-Man’s Land,” The Guardian, 28 March 2011; “Farouk Lawan or Madness to the Power of 128,” Vanguard, 20 June 2012). I have also argued the need to punish corruption as we do capital offences (“A Case for Punishing Corruption as Armed Robbery,” Vanguard, 6 February 2013;

administration, immediately sat up and retraced their steps once they got wind of the entry of Buhari, a supposedly ‘brain dead’ Babago-slow who Patience Jonathan once said should be ashamed of ‘dragging’ position with a Jonathan that was the same age as his child.

Losers in the unfolding game of improved power supply are by no means limited to those who actively sought to destroy the Nigerian economy. There are ordinary Nigerians, artisans and self employed technicians, who earn their living repairing generators. These are struggling Nigerians who have come to depend on making their own way through finding success in the failure of the power sector.

These Nigerians for no fault of theirs have survived on our collectively failure, providing services that our comatose power sector made inevitable. It won’t be easy but they must now find other means of survival. One such person, a young man just raising a family, called me a couple of weeks ago to lament the sudden change in situation. But what he complained about is what is bringing smiles to the faces of millions of other Nigerians.

The truth is that whatever short term benefits were accruable to relatively small sections of Nigerians from the rot in the power sector are far outweighed by the long term benefits that would in the next few years come to all if power supply continues to improve.

Industries would function optimally and cut down on providing alternative sources of power for their operations. The benefits of this would percolate down the society. More hands would be hired even as prices of goods and services go down.

“Authority Stealing Pass Armed Robbery,” Vanguard, 20 February 2013). It turns out, in fact, that I have written no less than twenty columns on corruption alone in the last five years! And you know why.

Take the figures emerging even before the lid is yet to be fully lifted off the great corruption cauldron of just the past eight year: $2.1 billion missing from the Excess Crude Account; $6 billion allegedly stolen by one minister alone, if Governor Oshiomhole’s disclosure of what the American government revealed during Buhari’s recent visit is true (and to think that I entitled yet another column “Coming Soon: Trillion Naira Thefts” in what I thought then to be more of a rhetorical stance than a prophecy!); N183.7 billion frittered away at the Niger Delta Development Commission; N133 million to be refunded by Mike Okiro, former Inspector-General of Police and chairman of the Police Service Commission; $2.1 million seized from a former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, etc.

But come to confession, all ye who have robbed, raped and rendered Nigeria prostrate, and ye shall find mercy. Come before it is too late! Still, I hope that Sagay and his committee shall be including stiffer jail terms and more prisons in their anti-corruption recommendations to the president.

20—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

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New capital base: Stockbrokers seek another deadline extension S

TOCKBROKERS have begun steps to get another extension of the deadline for firms to increase their capital bases as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The commission had earlier succumbed to pressure from market operators and shifted the deadline to Sept. 30 from Dec. 31, 2014.

Investigations showed that brokers under the aegis of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) are currently discussing with the commission for further extension.

The President of ASHON, Mr Emeka Madubuike, who confirmed the development to NAN in Lagos, said that the implementation of the policy should be extended to 2016.

Madubuike said that the brokers had commenced discussions with

PRESENTATION: From left, Executive Director, GTBank, Wale Oyedeji; ED, Global Infoswift; Afolabi Oke; Director, UK Trade and Investment, British High Commission, Lagos, Chris Maskell; ED, GTBank, Ohis Ohiwerei; ED, GTBank, Demola Odeyemi and Chief Information Security Officer, GTBank, Bharat Soni during the presentation of Four ISO Certifications to GTBank by British Standard Institute, in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

SEC for a review of the Sept. 30 date because of developments in the market and the economy.

“The commission needs to review the deadline, essentially be-

cause the reason for the first extension has not changed,” he said.

According to Madubuike, the current situation is worse, in terms of the economy.

He said that stockbrokers’ assets in equities were depreciating regularly because of recent falls in the market. “We are not against the policy; we are just looking

at the timing and if it will succeed, there should be a second look as far as timing is concerned,” he said.

Madubuike said that the association’s major

Port state control: NIMASA detains 63 vessels

By Godwin Oritse & Adekanbi Adebisi

tional deficiencies in 2014. The agency also inspected a total of 726 HE Nigerian Mari vessels under the Port time Administra- State Control regime tion and Safety Agency, making Nigeria one of NIMASA, detained a to- the enforcers of the contal of 63 substandard vention in Africa.

Disclosing these to vessels on account of structural and opera- Vanguard in Lagos, the General Secretary of the Abuja Memorandum of Un134.85 0.10 derstand$3,080.00 84.00 ing, MoU, Mrs Mfon $10.62 -0.01 E k o n g Usoro said that by this feat, Nige$48.62 -0.12 ria is leading other 42.06 0.19 African countries in CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL the West DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 and Central POUNDS 306.3088 307.0902 307.8716 African reEURO 215.404 215.9535 216.503 gions in the FRANC 200.45 200.9613 201.4727 YEN 1.5738 1.5778 1.5818 enforceCFA 0.3146 0.3246 0.3346 ment of WAUA 275.4151 275.1152 275.8152 Port State RENMINBI 30.6447 30.7233 30.8019 Control.

RIYAL 52.2388 52.3721 52.5053 Usoro said SDR 275.1056 275.8074 276.5092 KRONA 29.1406 29.215 29.2893 Nigeria has more CBN Exchange Rate as at 18/ 08 /15 Port State

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Control enforcement officers than any other country in Africa, adding that the development will not only increase the confidence of the international shipping community, but will also lead to more quality vessels calling at the nation’s ports.

into the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. He said the development will build the confidence of the international shipping community in the Nigerian

maritime administration.

According to figures obtained from NIMASA, a total of 726 Port State Control was carried out in 2014, representing 14.5 per cent port state control compliance.

Last year ’s performance almost met the International Maritime Organization, IMO’s recommended target of 15 per cent in less than 3 years.

The implication is that there will be lower risk of pollution in our waters, and if a substandard vessel is detained, Nigeria will ensure that such vessel is repaired thereby creating more jobs for our dockyards and marine engineers

Foreign ships

Quality vessels “The implication is that there will be lower risk of pollution on our waters, and if a substandard vessel is detained, Nigeria will ensure that such vessel is repaired thereby creating more jobs for our dockyards and marine engineers,” she said.

Speaking on the development, the President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, NAMM, Captain Ade Olopoenia told Vanguard that the achievement could be attributed to the high number of master mariners that were recently recruited

The 2014 Port State Control figure shows a 62 per cent increase from the total number of Port State Control Inspections carried out in 2013.

Port State Control is the inspection of foreign ships in the ports of other countries. It offers officers (inspectors) the opportunity of verifying the competency of the master and officers onboard including the condition of the ship and its equipment comply with the requirements of international conventions.

concern was to ensure that “ whatever policy is implemented will benefit the market and the economy.”

He said that uncertainties in the economy had made it imperative for the commission to suspend the implementation of the policy.

According to him, a lot of factors in the market and economy are beyond the control of market operators. He said that the capital market contributed immensely to the capitalisation of banks and insurance companies which used the market to increase their capital bases. “Capitalisation has happened in other sectors and they used the market to shore up their capital but stockbrokers are handicapped,” Madubuike said.

SEC on December 29, 2014 extended the deadline. Under SEC’s recapitalisation policy, broker/ dealer operational fund was increased by 329 per cent to N300 million from the N70 million.

Minimum capital base A broker, who currently operates on a capital base of N40 million, will now be required to have N200 million, representing an increase of 400 per cent.

Also, the minimum capital base for dealers increased by 233 per cent from N30 million to N100 million.

Similarly, issuing houses, which facilitate new issues in the primary market, will now be required to have minimum capital bases of N200 million instead of N150 million.

Also, dealing members of the exchange are contending with minimum operating standards recently introduced for all the three classes of dealing members, including broker dealers, brokers and dealers. The new standards address the five broad areas of manpower and equipment, organisational structure and governance; effective processes; global competitiveness and technology.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

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If we must win the public apathy to the business of insurance we must desist from unwholesome practices in the discharge of our responsibilities to the insured by playing as true professionals

Capital Express chairman to talk on insurance marketing

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SEASONED insurance expert and the Capital Express Group of Companies’ Chairman, Tony Aletor is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at this year Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) 16th Annual General Meeting and Marketers’ evening in Lagos.

According to the ADVAN’s Executive Secretary, Mrs. Ediri Ose-Ediale, the speaker would be speaking on insurance marketing without any predetermined topic. The 2014 edition was delivered by the Chairman, Silverbird Group and senator of the federal republic of Nigeria, Ben Murray Bruce.

However this year marketing week comes up August 28, 2015.

Why insurance, she said “ADVAN members cut across the different Industries and sub-sectors in the Nigeria economy.

The Insurance sector represents the backbone of Nigeria’s risk management system, ensures financial security, serves as an important component in the financial intermediation chain, and offers a ready source of long term capital for the infrastructure projects. The role of insurance in the growth and development of our economy cannot be overemphasised. It mitigates the impact of risk and positively correlates to growth as entrepreneurs cover their exposures, otherwise risk-taking abilities are hampered. Thus, a strong and competitive insurance industry is a compelling imperative for Nigeria’s economic development and growth.

According to her “A speaker from the insurance sector provides a unique opportunity for attendees to gain insights from the success of one of the respected indigenous insurance companies in Nigeria today, its peculiar and unique marketing strategies that has allowed it to thrive even at the most precarious times in our nation.

SLOT partners IGI on new insurance policy for phones

By Anozie Egole

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LOT Systems Limited, in collaboration with Industrial and General Insurance Plc (IGI), has introduced a new insurance policy which aims at protecting mobile phones against damage to screens.

According to the organisers, the insurance policy is aimed at saving owners the stress associated with the replacement of cracked or shattered screens of mobile phones, A valueadded service and a first class after sales service support offered by SLOT. The cost of replacing any damaged or smashed screen of mobile phones that are insured will be completely taken care of by the insurance company.

Customers are therefore encouraged to take advantage of the insurance policy which provides cover and compensation in the event of any damage to the screen of their precious mobile phones and a cost-effective way to protect valuable phones for a modest premium.

NICON to host brokers this month

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N furtherance of its renewed effort to reposition the company and the need to maintain effective relationship with strategic stakeholders in the industry, NICON Insurance Limited will host the August edition of the members’ evening of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) on August 25th, 2015 in Lagos.

A statement from the Senior Manager (Corporate Affairs), Mr. Ade Adesokan, NICON stated that the event would attract insurance brokers and other stakeholders.

According to him, NICON Insurance offered to host the event in order to leverage on the spread and pivotal positions of insurance brokers to further boost the company’s relationship with its valued clients in the industry.

It added that the NICON team, headed by the Managing Director, Mr. Bayode Samuel, would be received by the President of NCRIB, Mr. Oladapo Shoderu at the event

Send comments & enquiries to insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

INSURAN

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Era of change: Insurance industry'll not be left behind — KARI Stories by Rosemary Onuoha

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EW Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive of the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, Mohammed Kari, has said that the insurance industry is aligning with the change policy of the federal government.

Kari, who stated this in Lagos, said that the move is necessary because insurance sector cannot be left behind in the scheme of things.

Kari said, “As we are aware, this is the era of change. The insurance industry certainly cannot be left behind in the scheme of things. I therefore urge the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, to uphold and encourage its members to adhere strictly to the observance of the industry’s codes of conduct and ethics for a healthy practice of the insurance profession.

“NAICOM as a regulator is committed to high standard of professionalism and ethical behaviour in the insurance

industry so as to regain the confidence of policyholders and increase insurance contribution to the GDP. If we must win the public apathy to the business of insurance we must desist from unwholesome practices in the discharge of our responsibilities to the insured by playing as true professionals,” Kari said.

Collaborative effort According to Kari, current developments in the country obviously call for collaborative effort to reposition the profession and the insurance industry, adding that operators should not be unmindful of the perception of the insurance profession by the public.

“The apathy towards insurance and the way and manner the profession is being addressed need a rethink from all of us. We all know the whys, let us discuss dispassionately and agree the hows of correcting the wrong perceptions,” Kari stated.

Kari said, “There is need for

a reawakening to ensure only trained personnel are allowed to practice. You will agree with me that insurance services are being rendered by persons and bodies without adequate training. We must embrace professionalism as core value in our industry. To achieve that we must train all persons that carry our flags to our consumers.

“As the Professional arm of the industry, indiscipline and unethical practices by your members should be of grave concern to the institute.

Insurance practitioners and professionals should be seen to uphold the tenets of the profession both in their words and actions. It is not enough for the Institute to breed and certify insurance professionals only, but must also

As we are aware, this is the era of change. The insurance industry certainly cannot be left behind in the scheme of things

Risk Control earns ISO certification R

ISK Control Services Nigeria Limited, RCS, a security firms in Nigeria has received the ISO QMS 9001:2008 certification, making it the first in the background checks and anti-counterfeiting sectors of security industry in West Africa.

The accreditation, affirms that specific requirements for a quality management system are present within the organization headquartered in Lagos.

The firm earned the recognition after embarking on a one-year rigorous process of systems enhancements and quality improvements under the supervision of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

Report of SON’s ISO auditor declared that Risk Control Services Nigeria Limited “Conforms with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008 sets of requirements for quality management system planning, implementation and maintenance.” Any service company that attains this distinction showed its ability to consistently provide service(s)

that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

Reacting to the achievement, RCS CEO, Mr Olufemi Ajayi, stated that “We are definitely proud of our achievement and convinced that the affirmation by

ISO that our background checks and anti-counterfeiting services are offered through a quality management system will make our current and potential customers confident about the quality of service that we render” While shedding more light on the

UNVEILING - From Left: Dr. Ifeoma Utomi, member, Centre for Values in Leadership; Mr. Rasheed Adebanjo, Head, CVL; Mr. Wale Onaolap, MD/CEO, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc and Mr. Uchenna Achunile, Chief Operating Officer, CVL at the CVL’s Role Model Forum, August Edition during the unveiling of the RMF Magazine in Lagos

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

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CE & YOU

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NAICOM as a regulator is committed to high standard of professionalism and ethical behaviour in the insurance industry so as to regain the confidence of policyholders and increase insurance contribution to the GDP

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Pension industry is translating CPS into huge success – Ideva

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WORKSHOP: From left, Mr Mithat Kulur, Programme Manager, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO); Mr Reuben Bamidele, UNIDO National Programme Officer and Mr Mark Engelhardt, Senior Consultant Trainer of UNIDO during the opening ceremony of a three-day Workshop on project management and team building towards the implementation of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) in Kaduna. ensure that they are regularly updated through training and retraining to enable them measure up with current global trends.

“If we truly practice as professionals that we say we are, we should be mindful of our actions and how we carry ourselves. We should be seen

reason for embarking on such an undertaking, Ajayi, an SSS-trained security guru, said “In the absence of proper regulation in the private security industry in Nigeria, it became important for us to benchmark our operations against international best practices in order to develop a Nigerian security firm that commands global approval and can stand the test of time.

This process was a way to demonstrate to our clients and prospects our commitment to excellence and willingness to always exceed expectations.”

Out of over 1500 companies providing security services in Nigeria far less than 1% are ISO certified. As a core background checks and security consultancy firm, RCS is the first of its kind in West Africa to receive the ISO certification.

On the way forward, Mr. Ajayi further explained, “The attainment of ISO certification is another step for us on a journey of continual improvement. Our commitment to excellence is why we continually focus on innovation such as our proprietary degree validation database, and we will soon be announcing our new security update and analysis system.

as men and women of proven integrity, we should avoid unethical practices because it will not only send bad signals to the public, it will further erode the little respect left.”

Kari said that the Commission will continue to support the

Institute especially in the areas of new program designs, development of new curriculum for adequate capacity building, and in the training and retraining of insurance practitioners.

Dufil demonstrates commitment to welfare of blind and visually impaired

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UFIL Prima Foods Plc has demonstrated its passion, care and commitment to the welfare of blind and visually impaired persons in the country through its cash donation and products support for the Nigeria Society for the Blind (NSB) White Cane Day. Dufil Prima Foods had supported the White Cane Day 2014 and actively participated in its Charity Walk in addition to other donations made to the institution. The 2015 White Cane Day which took place at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, saw a turnout of members, friends of the Society, and well-wishers as they walked the distance from National Stadium to Costaine and back to the national Stadium.

Making the donation on behalf of the company at the “10th White Cane Day” the Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, said Dufil as a responsible corporate entity has

a history of contributing to the care and development of physically challenged in Nigeria, and thus touching many of their lives as its believe that in every disability, there is ability.

According to him, “Our environment is not favourable for people with sight, not to talk of people living without sight.

REMIUM Pension Limited has stated that the award for Mass Mobilization of Pension Asset conferred on the company recently at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry 2015 Commerce and Industry Awards is an imprimatur of the Chamber on the giant strides made by the entire pension industry in translating the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) into a huge success.

Managing Director of the company, Mr. Wilson Ideva said, “It is the collective effort of the entire industry stakeholders that has resulted in the humongous amassment of pension assets in the country through the new Contributory Pension Scheme” According to Ideva, “The N4.9 trillion secured as pension assets in the new pension scheme represents the tremendous success that is possible when interpretation and translation of government policies is private- sector-driven under strict regulatory guidelines and supervision.

In the same vein, the company’s Executive Director, Operations and Services, Mr. Kayode Akande stated that driving the CPS requires exemplary synergy among operators and cooperation among all stakeholders, especially in the area of generating public awareness on how the scheme runs.

Public awareness “There is practically nothing anybody can do alone in ensuring the success of the CPS” he said. “We all have to work together and we are already doing that.”

Ideva also seized the opportunity to commend the National Pension Commission (PenCom) for their high sense of commitment and professionalism demonstrated from inception in the regulation and supervision of the pension industry.

“By my own estimation, PenCom is the most effective regulatory body on the continent of Africa. The result of their manifest professionalism and high sense of commitment is what we are celebrating today,” Ideva said.

Premium Pension Limited is one of the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) operating the Contributory Pension Scheme and currently manages over 600,000 Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs). Managing pension asset put at over N370 billion, the company has paid out more than N87.3 billion to 33,785 retirees or their Next-of-Kins since 2007. Pension enrollees under the company ’s management are spread over 1000 organisations across the country while the company has consistently posted impressive returns.

GAINERS FOR EQUITIES

LOSERS FOR EQUITIES

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Access Bank records 80% rights issue subscription Stories by Nkiruka Nnorom

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CCESS Bank Plc yesterday said that its Rights Issue of N41.8 billion to its existing shareholders was 80 per cent subscribed.

The share price rose by 1.71 percent to close N4.17 at the close of transactions yesterday.

It will be recalled that the bank earlier in the year obtained the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, to raise N41.8 billion through the offer of 7.63 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N6.90 to its shareholders at the ratio of one new share for every three previously held.The offer opened on January 26, 2015 and closed on March 18, 2015.

The bank had said that it plans to increase lending to the small business sector and

retail segment of Nigeria’s economy from the proceeds of the rights issue.

Funds raised, at the end of the exercise, according to a statement from the bank, accounts for 80 per cent of the total number of new ordinary shares offered to the shareholders.

The capital raise puts investors firmly at the centre of the bank’s strategy, ensuring sustainable dividends through one of the strongest capital buffers as well as providing the means for further investment to exploit target markets, the bank stated.

Commenting, the Group Managing Director, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, said: “We are putting in place the building blocks for our future as we work to becoming one of the top three banks in Nigeria by 2017. The capital raised will allow us to retain our place amongst Nigeria’s best-

capitalised banks and underscores our continued commitment to prudent risk management as we seek growth opportunities both in Nigeria and abroad.

“This additional capital will allow us to invest in our infrastructure and technology, which will make speed, service and security a guarantee for all our customers, as well as providing the firepower to diversify our geographic focus and target Africa’s fastest-growing industrial sectors.”

Meanwhile, shareholders of the bank have commended the performance of the bank and ability of its management to consistently enhance the quality and value of their investments, particularly through some of the strategic initiatives and decisions taken in the last couple of years, which signalled the direction the institution is heading.

A building contractor’s liability and a structural engineer’s liability (2)

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HE previous week, we noted that two persons, the building contractor and a structural engineer associ ated with a building which collapsed at Ikotun, were to be investigated as to their roles in the deaths of persons at the building site.

Our first lesson from the incident is that we must recognize that a building contractor has a duty of care with respect to the persons associated with the works at his/her building site in that these persons must be kept out of harm’s way. A complaint that a building contractor has failed in his/her duty of care could involve the civil wrong done to the persons who died in the building as well as a criminal offence for which the state would prosecute. Parts of the building at Ikotun were in full service for residential purposes and thus there were more persons than would normally be present if the only activities at this building were related to construction. It is of course possible to safely construct parts of a building while other parts of the building are in use.

The Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010 created three bodies, namely, the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, the Lagos State Building Control Agency and the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency.

The Planning Permit Authority has a town planner as its Chief Executive whilst the Chief Executive of the Building Control Agency could be an architect, a civil/structural engineer or a builder. We notice that of all the professions mentioned just above, it is only the civil/structural engineers that have been named for investigation by the Coroner.

Currently, when plans are submitted for the grant of a planning permit, the plans are on approval stamped with a warn-

It is of course possible to safely construct parts of a building while other parts of the building are in use

VISIT: From left, Chief Executive Officer, Diamond Bank Plc, Uzoma Dozie; Deputy Man-

aging Director, Diamond Bank Plc, Caroline Anyanwu; and Festival Secretary/Programme Manager of the Vision of The Child Competition, Folu Daniels flanked by winners of the 2015 edition of the competition when they paid a thank you visit to the bank’s corporate head office, in Lagos

Stanbic IBTC Bank partners PAN on vehicle finance

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N a move expected to re define vehicle financing and acquisition in the country as well as empower Nigerians to own new vehicles, Stanbic IBTC Bank and PAN Nigeria Limited, makers of the Peugeot brand of vehicles, have signed a novel finance lease agreement.

The new scheme, according to Stanbic IBTC Bank, will allow the seamless and convenient acquisition of Peugeot range of products by customers. Under the scheme, applicants are expected to make an equity contribution starting from as low as 10 per cent of the total value of the vehicle to be leased, and payment period can last for as long as 60 months or five years.

Other benefits of the finance C M Y K

lease agreement, according to Stanbic IBTC Bank, include tax reduction, competitive interest rates, comprehensive insurance policy at lower rates, low equity contribution, among others.

Speaking at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing in Lagos, Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC, Mr Obinnia Abajue, said the bank is honoured to partner with an iconic Nigerian brand like Peugeot.

He added that product quality was an important consideration in the bank’s choice of PAN Nigeria Limited and assured that Stanbic IBTC will continue to identify opportunities to provide financial solutions that meet the needs of

customers. He said the Finance Lease Agreement will ensure that customers as well as interested Nigerians have access to vehicles of their choice at a competitive rate and convenient payment terms.

“This agreement underscores our desire to reduce the burden of vehicle acquisition by Nigerians. The fact that Peugeot is Nigerian gives us comfort and Stanbic IBTC identifies with the emotions that the vehicles evoke. The uniqueness of thisr partnership is that rather than fund asset acquisition from capital, the customer can lease the assets while the capital amount is utilised for other investment purposes. As such, applicants have a longer period to pay for the asset without necessarily depleting their capital,” Abajue said.

ing that the approval of the structural details is not a guarantee of the structural stability of the building when built. Our second lesson is that since the engineers involved in the construction of the building have a responsibility for the structural stability of the building, we should go beyond the warning. We should, in addition, state that the building contractor must before the start of construction engage the services of engineers who would confirm the structural stability of the designs to be built. If after this condition is introduced a building contractor is given defective designs and he/she proceeds to build the defective designs, he/she would have himself/herself to blame.

The Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010 makes reference to defective structures and the powers of the Building Control Agency with respect to such structures. However, there are no provisions for the public to bring defective structures to the notice of the Building Control Agency and to obtain a decision from the Building Control Agency on the reported structure. The work of such bodies as the Building Collapse Prevention Guild is for the public good and such bodies could legitimately bring their concerns to government through the two bodies provided in the law, namely, the Physical Planning and Building Control Agency Appeals Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee on Physical Planning and Building Control.

Government is basically reluctant to have anybody outside government review its executive decisions and this may be largely the reason why these two bodies have not been put into operation. As it is, anyone with a complaint has to appeal to the Governor. I am therefore appealing to Governor Ambode to ensure that the Appeals Committee and the Advisory Committee are put in place at the earliest opportunity once a Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development is appointed.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—25

DIARY The Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), A G M/ election Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi Lagos, August 28, 2015

Gartner Symposium/ ITxpo 2015 Cape Town, South Africa November 812, 2015

Preview Pedometer walking stick puts you back to shape

Danbatta talks tough: •My NCC'll be guided by three cardinal principles of universal access •We’ll make QoS compelling attraction for universal service

By Prince Osuagwu

U

NLESS this initial posture is mere icing on the cake, known in the local parlance as initial gra gra, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC’s new Executive Vice Chairman, Prof Umar Danbatta seems unruffled by challenges of the telecom sector.

The man is talking tough already. No wonder, he, first of all, ruffled feathers at the commission before ever sitting down - an apparent signal that he is prepared to attack both the problems of the sector and those who would not quickly fall into the same page of action with him.

At first he did a quick rejig of few offices and their officers, apparently to test the resolve of the people to work.

And now, he has made his agenda clear: the principles of universal service which makes quality of service an acceptable global norm is sacrosanct.

Telecom regulation

F

OR anyone who needs a bit of help getting around and would also like to keep track of how far they have gone, the Pedometer Walking Stick is a very useful tool.

Anyone who is experiencing difficulty walking on their own or has recently injured their leg and would like to track their recovery should use this stick.

It is built from sturdy aluminum and keeps track of how many steps the user has taken based on how many times the rubber base hits the ground.

It also keeps track of distance and time and even has a calorie counter, making it a great tool for staying in shape.

C M Y K

What can generally be understood from the short speech of the new EVC as he assumed office last week is that his NCC would focus on those internationally-acceptable ideals in telecom regulation, enshrined in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) charter, that make quality of service a compelling attraction for the achievement of universal service.

“The concept of universal access is premised on three ‘A’s, as the hallmark of universal access and they include Availability of service, Accessibility of Service, and Affordability of service. Those will dictate at all times what we do, and I am sure those were the dictating parameters for improvement in the networks.

Much as one does not expect telecom operators in Nigeria to read between the lines of this last statement, Danbatta was not also ready to let his statement attract different interpretations. He explained himself in very clear terms: “I want to pledge that I will bring to bear, my wealth of experience in tackling the issue of quality of service in •Danbatta order to meet the expectations of the public that we are servicing,” to over 148 million active Despite the astronomical lines, with 88 million of growth in mobile subscriptions these mobile lines being from a paltry 400,000 in 2001 used to access Internet,, teledensity increasing significantly to over 104 per cent from less than one per cent in the last 13 years of telecoms liberalisation, Quality of telecom services has been a major headache in the sector.

The Key Performance Index, KPI introduced by the administration of the At first he did a outgoing EVC, Dr Eugene Juwah, exposed how quick rejig of few poorly the Nigerian suboffices and their scribers were served by the telecom operators and in officers, many occasions fines were apparently to test imposed on them over these breaches. But, that on the resolve of the its own did not solve the people to work problem. Neither did the

I N S I D E

Seven social media trends that can get you ahead of curve PAGE 26

Mobile Number Portability which was introduced to help subscribers move from one poor network to a better one without losing the original number, because according to the subscribers, the operators and the quality of services they offer were not too different from one another.

Major concerns However, the new NCC boss says there is a way out and according to him, this is through collaborations.

He challenged the staff of the commission for dedication, industry players for co-operation and all stakeholders for full support and swore that if all these are available, no problem of the sector will be insurmountable.

One of his major concerns was

Continues on page 27

Telecom sector drops in GDP contribution for Q1 2015 PAGE 27

26—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Seven social media trends that can get you ahead of curve

By Agbolade Omowole

L

OOKING ahead to the future is not a walk in the park and you can’t feature effectively in a future you don’t picture. The core of this article is to provide you with the top seven social media trends that will get you ahead of the curve.

Why social media? The way to grow your business is exponential not linear. In the linear marketing model, you have to get your messages across to consumers numerically - one by one. If for instance, you send

an email to 100 persons, only the intended recipients will get the message and that’s all.

But that model is slow and unfit for the 21st century entrepreneur.

Social media can help your business marketing campaign get to customers in lesser time and produce more result. That’s an exponential curve. One out of every seven person in the world is on

no longer an option. Every business, no matter how small or big, should have a Facebook business page.

Benefits of social media marketing are: increased exposure, increased traffic, provided marketplace insights, generated leads, developed loyal fans, improved search rankings, increased business partnership, reduced marketing expenses, improved sales. *. Tell Stories: The art of storytelling when implemented across all platforms will engender exponential result and increase return-on-

Facebook and each one of them has at least 150 friends.

This means that your sales pitch, through social media, can get to their intended person, their friends and their friend of friends. The possibilities are just endless. *Investment on social media is a must: For serious entrepreneurs, allocating a reasonable budget for social media marketing is absolutely necessary. It’s

investment. There will be rise in visual story telling by increased use of micro videos and info-graphics. *. Content is King. Content has always being king and it will be fuelled by 3 core pillars creativity, context and care. On social media how you say it is more important than what you say. When building content for social media marketing, target basic passion points: fear, anxiety, love, and fear.

Context is about adapting your content to your audience and ‘care’ refers to showing others how your ‘offerings’ will solve their problems. People are only interested in the solution to their problems, not how beautiful your products/services are. *. With the increase of instant messaging and chat-based social networks WhatsApp, Snapchat, Line and others will be the new competitor of facebook. It is therefore reasonable to include the aforementioned chat-based social networks in your social media campaigns.

5. Content Marketing Mastery: build an effective content marketing strategy by giving valuable information away.

Attract clients by inviting them to your blog, create viral content, and provide value to the client. * Image is everything: creating great information with high quality graphics is a great way to reach your target audience.

Use comics, memes, infographics, photos, videos and visual note-taking.

Harmonization of national biometric database'll reduce corruption —NCS

By Emeka Aginam

T

HE Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has thrown its weight behind the recent directive by President Muhammadu Buhari on Ministry, Department and Agencies, (MDAs) to harmonize the collection and usage of biometric data instead of replicating efforts.

This directive by President Buhari , according to the NCS President, Prof. Sola Aderounmu was very timely considering the huge cost implication biometric exercises have caused taxpayers in the past especially in terms of cost of data acquisition, cost of personnel, cost of storage of acquired data and cost of making such data available.

“This is in addition to the general inconveniences to citizens who repeatedly have to queue long hours for registration.

“Therefore it delights us as a Society that this cooperative model of data acquisition but vested in one agency of government is being embraced. It is a right and fundamental step towards a true egovernment society and will assist in the fight against crimes when agencies drew data from the same database.

“We however wish to emphasize on the need to evolve enabling technology and legal framework for storing, protecting and making available the data acquired and to safeguard the privacy of citizenspersonal identifiable information (PII) such that the data are not in any way use for adversarial purposes.

NCS is ready and willing to render technical assistance

and support in the monitoring of the capability deployment of this enviable project.

It would be recalled that NCS in a communiqué issued after the just concluded 11th International Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Akure, Ondo State said that egovernment if properly deployed will deliver continuous optimization of service delivery to the citizens thereby engendering the attainment of the Vision 20-20:20 of the Federal Government.

CallPhone’s easypaypadi.com:

Now your phone can credit itself

S

By Prince Osuagwu

EE what social media has done? Innovations are rife everywhere and every business that is not online is no business. A few years ago, printing of recharge cards was more or less one of the booming businesses.

But, not anymore! At least, not at the level it used to be, because today, right in your mobile phone, also lies the airtime you need to load and make calls. The only thing is to know how to access it.

For instance, an IT based company that plays in the convenience channel space, CallPhone Ltd recently launched a platform, www.easypaypadi.com meant for subscribers to easily buy their air time The channel offers convenience to the public in buying airtime at any time of the day with any bank debit card.

What this means is that since majority of Nigerians access the internet through their phones, one can also buy the airtime to enable him make calls, from the same phone However, the platform also offers other value-added services including bill payments such as DSTV, Electricity bills among others.

Owners of the website said the process has been simplified for customers where transaction can be completed within one minute.

Executive chairman of the company Mr Ugochukwu Duru said the Company’ website accepts all Nigerian banks issued card, and has been described as most exciting by customers who has used the platform.

He said major Nigerian telecommunication networks including MTN, Globacom, Airtel, Etisalat and Visafone airtimes can be purchased from the channel with ease.

MainOne Data centre gets PCI DSS

M

AIN One’s Tier III Data Center, MDX-I, has become the first Tier III Data Center operator in Nigeria to achieve both Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and ISO 27001:2013 certifications. The certifications ensure the Data Center’s compliance to globally accepted standards on Customer Data Security as well as commitment towards the security and protection of the company’s information assets.

While the PCI DSS accreditation is the most comprehensive, internationally recognized data security standard focused on promoting payment card data security, the ISO 27001 standard is a globally recognized Information Security Management System (ISMS) standard which specifies the requirements fora business to establish, implement, review, monitor, manage and maintain effective information security management systems.

MainOne’s Data Center was certified following a comprehensive ISO27001 audit carried out by British Standard Institution (BSI) group, a business standards company that helps organizations all over the world make excellence a habit. The PCIDSS assessment was conducted by Digital Jewels Limited, a PCIDSS QSA and an Information Value Chain Company which also provided end-to-end support in preparing the Data Centre for certification to both standards.

The audits measured the facilities at the Data Center according to several strict criteria including physical access controls as well as information security policies, procedures and infrastructure.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—27

Danbatta talks tough: Continues from page 25

Telecom sector drops in GDP contribution for Q1 2015

By Emmanuel Elebeke

T

HE contribution of the nation’s telecom sector to the economy took a declining dimension in the first quarter of 2015.

This followed its contribution of N1, 344,485.25 million in the first quarter of 2015, in real terms. This figure represents 8.38 per cent contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Production (GDP) in the period under review.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its latest sectorial reports made available to Vanguard, the figure represents the total economic output of the telecoms sector to the economy for the opening quarter of 2015, a marginal decline from the 2014 average contribution of 8.46 per cent.

The study shows that the opening quarter of 2015 recorded a real growth rate of 5.36 per cent, a rise of 0.61 point points from the 2014 average growth rate, which was 4.75 per cent.

NBS said that the only negative year on year growth rates in the industry were recorded in 2011, with the lowest rate reaching 6.45 per cent in the third quarter, yet the following quarter saw the highest rate recording 8.67 per cent, which has not been matched to date.

However, the share of telecommunications in real GDP was said to have fluctuated between a relatively narrow margin between 2010 and Q1 of 2015, peaking at 9.32 per cent in Q1 of 2010, and reaching a low of 7.68 per cent in Q3 of 2012.

Unexpectedly, the annual averages showed steady marginal declines; from 9.03 per cent of real GDP in 2010, it declined to 8.68 per cent in 2011, with marginal declines of 0.04 per cent points in 2012, 0.07 per cent points in 2013 and 0.11 per cent points in 2014.

Subscribers in April 2015 Mobile subscribers using GSM dominate, with 98.34 per cent of the total, followed by CDMA with 1.54 percent of the total, whist fixed wire and wireless make up 0.09% and 0.04% respectively.

Mobile Subscribers (GSM) A total of 143,057,324 subscribers were registered with GSM technology to the four networks of MTN, Etisalat, Globacom and Airtel as of April 2015. As shown in figure three, MTN dominated the number of subscriptions, with 61,218,803 subscribers (42.84%) of the total. Globacom followed with 21.00 per cent, whilst Airtel was third most dominant at

20.48 per cent and Etisalat was fourth with 15.69 per cent.

Since May of 2014, monthly growth in GSM subscribers has averaged 0.95 per cent, with the greatest increase being recorded in December of 2014 at 1.97 per cent and the lowest in July of the same year at -0.43 per cent.

The growth in subscribers was mainly driven by Globacom, which recorded an

The opening quarter of 2015 recorded a real growth rate of 5.36 per cent, a rise of 0.61 point points from the 2014 average growth rate

Samsung Electronics recently introduced

average rate of 1.45 per cent over the period, followed by Etisalat with 1.37 per cent and Airtel with 1.29 per cent, whilst MTN recorded the lowest average monthly growth in subscribers at 0.44 per cent.

Fixed Wireless Line The fixed wireless line market is also dominated by Visafone, with 55,244 (92.26%) of the 59,881 subscribers using this network as of April of 2015. The remaining 4,637 (7.74%) were held by Multilinks. Growth in the fixed wireless technology subsector was negative over the period.

From the 60,978 subscribers recorded in May of 2014, there was a decline of 1,097 subscribers (1.80%) to the 59,881 subscribers recorded in April of 2015.

that Nigeria needed to sustain its position as one of the fastest-growing telecoms markets in Africa and a prime telecoms regulator in the continent. “We will be able to judiciously use the resources at our disposal to ensure that we maintain this position in a manner that will enhance the image and prestige of the Commission as well as serve as a reminder to government, the important role that this agency can play in improving the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”

According to him, “This we can only do if all of us live up to our responsibilities as ambassadors of the Commission, and in these, I urge everybody’s cooperation to enable us accomplish this very important task for the country.”

Stakeholders’ expectations

Speaking, President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, said, as a familiar stakeholder in telecommunications industry, Danbatta is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear in confronting the challenges of the telecom industry in Nigeria.

Capturing the key challenges which Danbatta needed to focus on, Ajayi said: “Recognising the power of ICT in modern governance and socioeconomic development, we advise the incoming EVC of NCC to ministration to address issue

Our reflect the huge R&D investment we make the latestproducts TV technology, the SUHDTV into the

Nigerian market and at the launch, the company’s Director, Consumer Electronics, West Africa, Mr Sunil Kumar, stoutly claimed that Nigerians’TV viewing experience can never be the same again as his product targets to redefine viewing experience.

So, after the event, Hi-Tech cornered him and sought to know more to that statement, technology, which transforms and expands

By Prince Osuagwu light to reveal more colours and brightness, pictures now come alive better. With 64 OU just launched a new TV model times colour expression, colour has more and claimed it will redefine viewing range, delivering cinema-like experience experience. What sets it apart from other to homes. With the Ultra high definition devices in today’s premium consumer which is four times the resolution of full electronics market?

HD televisions, images have become even For a start Samsung is the Global No.1 more vivid. Some of the differences between brand for 9 consecutive years in Television this technology and others before it are the industry. As a leader on the industry, it is brightness, picture quality and complete imperative that we set and lead the tone immersive experience. of technology in this category. True to our The challenge is always how to tailor promise to Nigerian consumers , we are products to suit every strata of the once again delivering a product that is economy; is there anything in this product cutting edge and best in class. that can give the low income earner hope?

With the SUHD TV, Samsung has We understand the different strata of the completely redefined TV, with an market and accordingly position products unprecedented breakthrough in picture to meet their demands. This product quality and our consumers are billed to addresses the needs of the higher echelons experience more colours than ever before. of society who are always looking for the With the revolutionary nano crystal

Y

– Samsung

latest in technology and design. We believe that the SUHD TV will make a difference to this end of the market. We have been delivering on the best technologies; looking at the trend from smart TVs to curved TVs and now the SUHD TV. There are two new developments you said are helping the Samsung’s smart TV; leveraging the Tizen platform and a newly UHD alliance; Can you shed more light on these?

The Tizen Operating System, which is an open source platform, is faster and easier to use, and has a very user friendly interface. Also, the new Operating System is packed with groundbreaking features, as it is based on the web standards. Being an open source platform, it helps the developer community in local content development. With the UHD alliance, the new SUHD TVs will benefit from premium Ultra High Definition content.

bothering on Right of Ways (RoW), multiple taxations, promotions of Nigerian local content, vandalism of telecoms infrastructures, promotion of e-services as well as acceleration of the implementation of the broadband plan.”

Also, aside challenges around land-mile broadband deployment, a telecoms analyst, Mr. Akin Akinbo, advised the NCC to focus on deepening access to adequate spectrum bands, which he said, was key to ensuring faster broadband penetration, which currently stands at 10 per cent.

“Currently, we are not doing well in the area of broadband as we have done in the voice segment. In the voice segment, we keep meeting and surpassing forecasts.

So, at the rate at which we are growing in the area of broadband growth, something drastic need to be done if we desire to meet the 30 per cent penetration by 2018,” he said.

In line with her National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2013-3018, Nigeria has an auspicious plan to increased broadband penetration from six per cent in 2013 to 30 per cent in the next three an half years.

Consumer as king

Meanwhile, the President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, has said Danbatta,s leadership would do well by putting consumer protection at the earth of telecoms regulations.

According to him, the problem of unsolicited short messaging service (SMS), for instance, is another area that has become ‘uncalled-for and annoying’ which, he said, had not been properly addressed to instill the kind of sanity needed in this regard.

“We believe that there are challenges but we do not believe these identified challenges are insurmountable.

Therefore, Let Danbatta see consumer protection as the core regulatory pivot to bring about more improved services,” he said.

Although, the NCC has, over the years, come up with several measures to address some of the issues, the mobile network challenges continue to bite harder on subscribers across all networks because these measures have not been fully implemented with consequences.

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Eagles will beat Tanzania — Omeruo S

•Omeruo

UPER Eagles defender, Kenneth Omeruo has predicted that Nigeria will triumph over Tanzania in the 2017 AFCON qualifier next month.

Omeruo who’s plying his trade with Kasimpasa FC is among the 18 foreign-based pros announced on Monday by Super Eagles, coach Sunday Oliseh for the September 5 clash in Tanzania.

“I think the coach has chosen a good squad and hopefully we can win our game in Tanzania,” Omeruo said from his base in Turkey.

Omeruo further said he is

delighted to be considered by the new Eagles coach.

“I am very excited to be called upon for the game,” said the Chelsea loanee, who got off to a winning start with his Turkish club at the weekend.

“It’s always a pleasure to come play for the country. I never had any doubts of making the national team.

“All I am focused on now is to help the team as much as I can and also to make sure we qualify for the Nations Cup.”

Eagles delight for Nwankwo O

Adegbite tips Rangers to beat Lobi again R

ANGERS striker Razak Adegbite has said that ‘The Flying Antelopes’ will beat Lobi Stars today in Katsina to qualify for the final of this year’s Federation Cup. Rangers defeated Lobi 3-1 in a week 17 game of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

The former Kahramanmara_por of Turkey striker said they have put behind them the unfortunate 3-2 home loss to Ifeanyi Ubah on Sunday in a Nigeria league game.

“The manner we lost to Ifeanyi Ubah was incredible.

We didn’t deserve to lose the game, but it has happened, that’s in the past now,” said the striker.

“Our attention is now on the Federation Cup semi-final against Lobi Stars. “We are not taking it lightly. We beat them in the league this season and I am sure we will beat them again this time.” The other Federation Cup semi-final will be between Nasarawa and Akwa United in Abeokuta also today.

•Adegbite

We’ll not repeat our Lobi mistake against Bayelsa Utd — Ndubuisi F C Taraba head coach, Nduka Ndubuisi has said his side will not repeat the careless mistake that robbed them of victory at Lobi Stars against Bayelsa United.

The bottom placed side will confront strugglers, the Restoration Boys in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match day 24 clash today at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo.

Ndubuisi said his side’s survival battle will come to nothing should they fail to claim the whole three points at stake in the clash.

“Honestly, this is an encounter we are going to be 100% careful with as Bayelsa United, a struggling side like ours will like to fight hard to pick at least a point but we will not allow them the • Ndubuisi luxury to go h o m e

unscathed.

“Right now I have lectured the players on the need to avoid completely the momentary loss of concentration that robbed us of vital points at Lobi Stars in the clash against Bayelsa United.

“We have prepared adequately to claim the whole three points at stake to move up the ladder a bit.

“It will be outright doom to our campaign to stay afloat if for any reason we fail to amass the three points in the match.

“The players are in high spirit and have vowed to make amend for the painful loss at Lobi Stars by going all out to earn a convincing win against Bayelsa United,” said the former Heartland and Sharks coach.

FC Taraba are at the base of the 20-team top flight on poorly 19 points two points behind opponents, Bayelsa United on 21 points

•Eagles

from possible 69 in the 23week old league.

biora Nwankwo has spoken about his delight after he was called up by Nigeria head coach, Sunday Oliseh, ahead of September ’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game against Tanzania.

The 24-year-old Académica de Coimbra midfielder was called up alongside 17 others on Monday for the clash against the Taifa Stars which comes up on September 4.

Obiora described the call up as “one of the best news I have heard in a long time” and is now looking forward to joining up with his international teammates.

“This is definitely one of the best news I have heard in a long time. I am indeed honoured to have been found worthy to represent my country again,” he said. The former Internazionale man was part of the Nigeria side that stunned many to win the title at the 2013 Afcon in South Africa.

He says working with the new national team trainer is something he is looking forward to.

“Oliseh is one of my heroes. I watched him as a young kid playing for Nigeria and working with him at the national team is something I am really looking forward to.

•Nwankwo

‘Era of poor league results over’

H

eartland captain and right back, Chinedu Efugh has said his side have resolved to avoid defeat in the remaining matches of the ongoing season.

The Naze Millionaires who have managed one point in the last four matches will entertain Kwara United in midweek’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri.

Efugh said the time for his side to return to winning way is clearly the encounter against the llorin outfit.

“Heartland will certainly bounce back to winning way against Kwara United today.

“I think the bad time is completely over for us as we have resolved to reap abundantly in the remaining matches on the season’s calendar.

“Kwara United are meeting us at the wrong time they could not voice revenge of the first

fixture clash defeat right there in llorin. “I strongly believe that the new era is here, the era of winning matches and it will start tomorrow (Wednesday) against Kwara

United. “One point out of possible 12 is a huge dent on our image and aspiration in the ongoing season so it’s three points or nothing against Kwara United,” said the former Enugu Rangers captain.

•L-R: Bet9ja’s brand ambassador, Victor Ikpeba, Chairman, Bet9ja, Kunle Soname, ex-international, Peter Rufai, CEO Bet9ja, Ayo Ojuroye and brand ambassador, Mutiu Adepoju at the Bet9ja fan night out at the SS 7 in Lagos at the weekend.

Youths embrace Naira-bet, How we're changing N-Delta lotto to beat joblessness story— Zigha Ayibakuro, in Rivers Entrepreneur PAGE 5 PAGE 7

VOL. 1: No. 62

TUESD AY, AAUGUS UGUS 15 TUESDA UGUSTT 18, 20 201

WHY NIGERIA’S ENERGY CRISIS PERSISTS:

Pathetic story of Delta-born inventor *FG gave me patent but refused to support me – Orighoye, Inventor/Researcher *Banks, ministries, Delta govt snubbed my requests for loans/financial assistance *I swear, my mechanism, PABOT engine‘ll solve nation's electricity problem name on Google and the irritating answer – “Orighoye Badaetsetunokan did not match any documents.”

By GODWIN OGHRE

S

APELE—FEDERAL Government has allegedly abandoned a Delta State-born inventor and talented energy researcher, from Warri North Local Government Area, Mr. Orighoye Badaetsetunokan, who it gave patent rights, 14 years ago, for a watered-powered electrical energy device, PABOT Engine, manufactured by him.

Badaetsetunokan, a graduate of agricultural engineering from the Obafemi Awololo University, OAU, had developed other devices, including “Palm Juice Extractor” and “Weed Cutting Machine”, for which the federal government also gave him exclusive rights on August 2, 2007, but unlike other countries, where government supports inventors, the Itsekiri indigene is frustrated and remains jobless more than a decade after graduation.

From Obasanjo to Jonathan Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was Nigeria’s President in 2001 when the federal government granted him patent for his PABOT engine, while former President, the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua was in charge in 2007 when government gave him patent for his palm juice extractor and weed- cutting machine.

The immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who governed from May 5, 2010 to May 29, 2015, but his government took no action on the several applications for loans made by Badaetsetunokan.

C M Y K

How PABOT engine works The inventor, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice, said, “My PABOT device is capable of generating 30 KVA to 1MW of electricity energy and can be installed at homes, offices and industrial sites with between N2m to N100m, depending on the capacity required.”

He, however, said, “It is not as if somebody without N2 million cannot use the device. The money will reduce depending on the voltage required. The capacity of the device could be increased to more megawatts (MW) and mounted in strategic positions to generate uninterrupted and affordable electricity power to all Nigerians.”

His words, “The engine which comes in different designs works on specification to drive any •Orighoye and his PABOT engine device.

Presently, the problem of the nation’s power sector lies on the shoulders of the country's new leader, President Muhammadu Buhari. Last week, the Senate constituted a 13-man adhoc Committee, headed by Senator Abubakar Kyari, to carry out a holistic investigation into the management of funds appropriated to the power sector from the Obasanjo civilian

administration.

For an inventor that got patent on three contraptions, it is strange that the federal government and its agencies did basically nothing in the last 10 years to encourage him to develop the devices further for mass production not even a research grant.

Google don’t know Badaetsetunokan Niger Delta Voice searched his

The device is energized with water to provide constant and affordable electricity power in dire need by Nigerians

capacity of an alternator to generate power for any demand.

It is an assembly of wheel and axle on rows and columns on a horizontal structure as a force multiplier with other components without the use of Diesel (LFO), Gas, Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), Gas, Dual Fuel (LFO/Gas) and Bio Fuel.”

“It starts working especially by using the pressure from water, which is converted into force by a Pelton wheel and the force being transferred to the first wheel that is connected to the pelton wheel component.

“The whole continuous process and the subsequent force increase are then taken advantage of to achieve its multi-functional purpose, such as using the engine to drive an alternator with the view to generate power.

“It uses renewable energy and can be installed anywhere, it is cost effective and it offers lasting efficient solution to power problem. As such, it is the best option to generate power when compared to existing ones, which has series of limitations and challenges,” he added.

Expression of anger Badaetsetunokan, however, lamented that government rebuffed his separate applications to the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Power and Steel, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Youth Development and Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF, Abuja, since 2012, for support to enable the production of PABOT engine.

He stated in one of the letters, sighted by Niger Delta Voice, that the device “can generate electricity (power) to meet any demand,” adding, “I look forward to hear from you for this act will solve power problems in Nigeria, thereby boosting the needed socioeconomic development.”

He never heard from the ministries until date. Engineer Badaetsetunokan said the Bank of Industry, BOI and the Bank of Agriculture also bluffed his requests for loans for the mass production of the device.

He disclosed that he applied to the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry, February 1, 2012 for support “to enable me increase and improve the mass production of my invented palm fruit juice extracting machine as kitchen utensils, which had been given patent by the federal government as enclosed in the business plan.”

The letter was received same day by an official of the ministry, Goodluck Sam, but like the other ministries, nothing came out of it.

His February 14, 2012 letter to the Poverty Alleviation agency in Delta state, had reportedly

Continues of Page 7

2 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015

•Gully erosion ravaging Ikpa town

Gully erosion ravaging Ikpa town

EROSION MENACE IN AKWA IBOM COMMUNITY:

Irate youths invade contractor’s home *Over death of 5 villagers *Contractor, others escape death by a whisker, denies collecting mobilization from govt * Begs Gov Emmanuel to review contract; Says ‘I’m indebted to many banks’

AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

BY TOM MOSES

I

KPA- IRATE youths of Adeng, Ikpa community, Esit Eket Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, weekend, attacked the contractor handling a gully erosion project in the town, accusing him of abandoning the project and causing the death of five villagers, who perished in devastating erosion that submerged many homes in the village.

The aggrieved youths, who stormed the residence of the managing director of the contracting firm, Prince O.J Osubob, with machetes and other dangerous weapons, claimed that he deserted the project after the Akwa-Ibom state government mobilized

THE TEAM Emma Amaize, Editor Jimitota Onoyume Samuel Oyadongha Simon Ebegbulem Gabriel Enogholase Festus Ahon Egufe Yafugborhi Emmanuel Una Akpokona Omafuaire Godwin Oghre Tom Moses Chioma Onuegbu Ike Uche Davies Iheamnachor Emem Idio Brisibe Perez Theresa Ugbobu Ochuko Akuopha Barnabas Uzosike Nath Onajoke Chijioke Nwankpa C M Y K

him in 2013 to tackle the gully erosion and provide drainage.

Luckily, Osubob had absconded with other occupants before the enraged youths invaded his residence.

Elders of the community prevented his home from razing his home.

Among the dead were Mr. Etim Jonah, a staff of the Union Technical College, Ikpa, who slipped and submerged in the gully while going to work, Idorenyin Edoho Ntekim, Monday Harry and two minors.

Demand for compensation The youths demanded compensation from Prince Osubob to assuage members of the deceased families, as well as take care of their children and wards, saying that if he had promptly executed the job, the losses would not have occurred.

According to them, “The O.J. Osubob and Company must pay for the loss of those lives and property. The company must compensate the families of the deceased persons so that they can take care of the training of their children and other dependents they have been snatched from and nothing more.”

“This contractor was awarded the contract to tackle the erosion menace in this village since 2013 but he abandoned the job thereby worsening the situation, which of course, has led to the death of five persons who slipped and got submerged in the gully. So, he has to pay for the death of those persons”, one of the angry youths, Okon Bassey Inyang said while speaking with the Niger Delta

Voice (NDV).

Govt didn’t release fund to me - Osubob However, reacting to the allegation and his attack, Prince Osubob told Niger Delta Voice that the state government did not mobilize his company for the contract.

“It is true that the administration of the former governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, had awarded my company, O. J. Osubob and Company Limited the contract on erosion control and road diversion, but the contract was stalled due to non-release of funds by government.

“I had followed all the processes leading to the award of the contract and had even moved my equipment to site but unfortunately, no fund was released by the government for me to execute the job,” he said.

I took bank loan to commence project His words, “Since I had already moved equipment to the site, I went and secured bank facilities and started the job to ameliorate the situation with the hope that government would pay me as agreed.”

“But after exhausting the money I obtained from banks, government still did not release any money to me till date and I could not push the work further. I have incurred many debts because of this contract and the banks that gave the loans to commence the job are now on my neck and now, suspicious angry youths have attacked my house,” he lamented.

He said worse harm could have been done if they met anybody in the house and

appealed Governor Udom Emmanuel” to come to my rescue by re-validating the contract and releasing the required contract sum for the job to be done so that I can redeem my reputation before the people of lkpa village.”

The contractor said he needed the governor ’s intervention to enable him reconcile with the banks that gave him the facilities he used to commence the job.

Relocation Also speaking with the NDV, Ime, one of the siblings of the Late Harry, appealed to the Akwa-Ibom State government to relocate the family from Ikpa village, as their compound was at the verge of being submerged by gully erosion pending when attention would be paid to the problem of his community.

Mobilize contractor, youth

Your Excellency, in the Name of God and humanity, we, with utmost humility, request our listening Governor to kindly visit the scene of the gully erosion at Ikpa Town in the Urban of Esit Eket Local Government to see things by himself

leader tells Emmanuel Similarly, the Youths Leader of Ikpa Village, Mr. Solomon Sunday, implored Governor Emmanuel to come to the aid of the community by releasing funds to the contractor to save the community from being completely devastated by the erosion menace.

He lamented that whenever rain falls in the community, it forces the people to remain in their houses or any other place they may have been in order not to risk sliding into the gully, which was expanding by the day and now waging war against them.

Community cries out The Ikpa Village Council in an open letter to Governor Udom Emmanuel, dated August 10 and signed by its chairman, Elder Etim Eno and general secretary, Amos Enyiekpon, described the gully erosion as a “monster which is about to wash away the whole of Ikpa community”.

“So far, five persons have died in the gully erosion. The gully erosion is located on the road which leads to Ikot Abio Esok, a reservoir of oil field, which Frontier Oil Company Limited is about to cross over to commence work. The gully erosion has washed away many houses and rendered many homeless and destroyed many economic trees.

“Your Excellency, in the Name of God and humanity, we, with utmost humility, request our listening Governor to kindly visit the scene of the gully erosion at Ikpa Town in the Urban of Esit Eket Local Government to see things by himself,” they said.

The community asserted, “Our efforts to curb the gully erosion have been abortive while the monster is seemingly insurmountable with every rainy season. Sir, we assure you of our total support now and in future. We are for you any time and at all times. Attached herewith for your perusal are photocopies of the flood caused by the gully erosion which has rendered many people in the community homeless.”

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015 — 3

•Oil pipeline

•Bombed pipeline

DELTA...

FINGER OF GOD Stories By EGUFE YAFUGBORHI AND PEREZ BRISIBE

U

GHELLI – WHEN some residents of Ughelli in Delta State under the aegis of Natives of Ughelli Kingdom, in a petition to the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, recently, fingered pipeline surveillance contractors of complicity in pipeline vandalism in the area, not a few thought they were carrying their anger of nonpatronage too far.

The group in the petition urged the governor to prevail on the management of the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC and Shoreline Natural Resources Ltd., to revoke all pipeline surveillance contracts awarded to the present contractors.

In the petition signed by the president and secretary, Daniel Awisa and Felix Olokpa respectively, the group attributed pipeline vandalism in the area to a cold war between one of the contractors and the community.

They said the failure of contractors to include the locals in their operation as well as their failure to pay staff is the invisible hand behind the pipeline vandalism in the area.

On the other hand, exmilitants, who undertook the bombings claimed that they exploded the crude oil pipelines to press home their demand for inclusion in the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, and lately, because of the delay in the payment of their stipends, which the new leadership under Boroh is addressing.

However, contrary to the claim of the ex-militants, and spot on to the declaration of the Ughelli indigenes, findings by Niger Delta Voice indicate that the latest upsurge in pipeline explosions, especially since March 2015 in the area was because of the scramble for pipeline surveillance and intelligence contracts by exagitators and their collaborators.

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Ex-militants blow-up pipelines in Delta to get surveillance contracts We gathered that ex-militants calculatedly carry out some bombings to counter the operations of uncooperative contractors and arm-twist government and oil firms to consider a different outworker for the shadowing job. At stake are the millions of naira paid by government for pipeline security. They desperately want a piece of the cake.

Security agents have not been able to contain the rampaging ex-militants whose recurrent explosions and attendant oil spills have affected negatively and caused environmental degradation at over 200 communities that play host to Oil Mining Lease, OML 26, 30 and 34 in Delta Central Senatorial district.

An Urhobo militant group, Urhobo Gbagbako had claimed responsibility for the series of explosions in the senatorial district. Security agencies in the region are investigating the new trend.

Parading some suspects arrested over the July 23 pipeline explosion that rocked Ighwrenene community in Ughelli North local government area, spokesperson of the Joint Task Force, JTF, 222 Battalion headquarters in Ughelli, Lt. Col. Isa Ado, declared one Morris Idiovwa, Evans Akpokona and others wanted in connection with their alleged roles in the series of pipeline explosions in the area.

Idiovwa accuses NPDC, contractor of conspiracy However, denying his involvement in the explosion, Morris who described himself as a mediator between the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, host communities and ex-agitators, accused NPDC and Zino Onaemo of Tezino Nig. Limited of conspiracy against the host communities in a bid to continually hold on the contract. Tezino is the contractor in charge of the

pipeline surveillance project for OML26 and OML30.

Idiovwa in a phone chat with Niger Delta Voice, debunked reports that he is interested in taking over the pipeline surveillance contract from the current contractor, stressing that he became a storm in the teacup when he moved against NPDC and Zino Onaemo on the need for the host communities to be in charge of the pipeline surveillance contract.

He posited that, having successfully shut down the Kokori/Orogun oil field for 14 days in August 2014, owing to grievances between the host communities and NPDC using peaceful means, there was no way he would use unlawful means such as pipeline explosions to settle his grievances with the company. …why they indicted me Idiovwa, who debunked his involvement in the Ighwrenene blast, said, “Apparently, due to rumoured reports that I am after

•Ex-militants surveillance contracts, which is totally false, those already engaged for the same contract saw me and others as threats to their jobs. They compelled their boys arrested by one of the factions to make confessional statements against me in a bid to maintain their ongoing contract.”

Describing the series of explosions as the fallout of a factional crisis among the various groups, he explained

that the two arrested suspects were mere puppets in the hierarchy of the ex-agitators, adding that it was way beyond what the public know.

Onaemo tackles Idiovwa Puncturing the excuses of Idiovwa, Onaemo fingered him

and others as the brain behind the pipeline explosions in a bid to paint a picture that he was

Continues of Page 6

I didn’t sponsor pipeline vandals — Morrison Idiovwa DELTA...

FINGER OF GOD

U

GHELLI – A youth leader, Morris Idiovwa, declared wanted by the Joint Task Force, JTF, in connection with the series of pipeline explosions in parts of Delta Central senatorial district, Delta State, has denied the allegation.

Spokesperson of the JTF, 222 Battalion headquarters, Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Lt. Col. Isa Ado, had in a press briefing, July 24, declared

Idiovwa wanted after he announced that two suspects arrested in connection with a pipeline explosion the previous day, allegedly confessed him as the person that sent them on the mission.

However, Idiovwa, who spoke on phone to Vanguard, repudiated the claim just as he pointed finger at an oil company and surveillance contractor in the area, adding that they were the brains behind the script played by those, who blew up the pipelines for financial gains.

His words, “Owing to the fear that I am after surveillance contracts, which is totally false,

those already engaged for the same contract saw myself and others as threats to their jobs and compelled the boys who were arrested by one of the factions to make confessional statements against me in a bid to maintain their ongoing contract.”

Describing himself as a mediator between Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, host communities and ex-agitators from the area, he asserted he had never lobbied for pipeline surveillance contract and his position was that NPDC should not patronize the surveillance contractor, who is not from the area to the detriment of the host communities.

4 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015

No lavatory in Rivers school, pupils defecate in the bush *Battle reptiles; 6-block classroom collapses, cripples academic activities *70 pupils, instead of 30 in one classroom; no chairs, tables to write

RIVERS...

THE TREASURE BASE OF THE NA TION NATION

By DAVIE IHEAMNACHOR

I

BAA- THE total collapse of a six- classroom block at State Primary School III in Ibaa community, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, has become a setback to academic activities in the school.

When Niger Delta Voice visited the school, last week, weeds have practically taken over the buckled classroom, while pupils overcrowded the few classrooms in use.

Our investigation also showed that the school has no lavatory, while students battle with snakes and other reptiles, as they go to nearby bushes to pass excreta.

No space for pupils to sit down The head-teacher of the school, Mrs. Rose Woji, said,

“State School III, Ibaa was not privileged to have the modern primary school, which was built by the state government because one was already built for State School I, Ibaa.”

“Our main building has collapsed. That building contains six classes and an office. We are now managing one block, which has only six classrooms.

“The block has only six classrooms while we have nine streams, two different classes

are merged in one class. It is affecting us heavily. A class that is supposed to have 30 children is now containing more than 70 students. There is no space for them, no enough desks and tables and chairs for the teachers,” she bemoaned.

Dearth of teachers According to her, “We are short of teachers in this school.

Two streams are been taught by one teacher instead of two

teachers. We need more teachers to enable teaching and learning. In fact, there is no infrastructure at all in this school. We do not have toilet.

We use the nearby bush and we are exposed to reptiles.”

She added, “The problem now is that nobody cares about the main block that has fallen.

If that block were good, we would not be feeling its impact this way. It is there lying waste.”

No response yet from govt, CDC Woji asserted, “Although, I am new in this office but I know that my predecessor had written severally for government to come to our aid.

However, they have not yet done anything all these while.

We are still calling on the government to come to save the school from this plight.”

“I appeal to all relevant agencies to come and help us to give good and quality education to our wards. We are suffering here. All the pupils

here are suffering. There is no space for agricultural activities. Government should help us so that we feel what other schools are enjoying.

“The Community Development Committee has not also done anything to save the dying situation of this school. Because of the condition of this school, people are taking their children to private schools,” s.

Her words, “This whole thing is affecting the school and students negatively, if you are not sitting well, how can you understand what the teacher is teaching, there is no space for them to sit and write freely.”

“I call on the government to help us and rebuild the already collapsed classroom block as well more desk, table and chairs to the school,”

•Dilapidated State School III, Ibaa and Head-Teacher, Mrs. Rose Woji

EDO IDP CAMP: I didn’t know I was sowing seed for Uhogua’s fame when I gave Pastor Folorusho land — HRM Eresoyen T EDO… HEART BEA BEAT

OF THE NA TION NATION

By SIMON EBEGBULEM

U

HOGUA- THE serene community of Uhogua in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State is about 30 minutes’ drive from Benin City, the state capital.

Quartered in the settlement are Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, from the warring North East region, where Boko Haram insurgents have held sway for many years.

Coordinator of the International Christian Center for Missions, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, arrived the community in 1992 and approached the monarchy for land to enable him build a home for the needy, which the community graciously granted by giving him 30 hectares of land where he built tents to accommodate these children.

Enogie of Uhogua, His Royal Highness (HRH), Ekiroguaghen Eresoyen, said he granted Pastor Folorunsho’s request not knowing he was sowing a seed of greatness to his community.

Today, Uhogua community has become the envy of most communities in the state due to the calibre of people that throng the community because of the presence of the IDPs, mainly

C M Y K

children.

Both foreigners and government officials throng the community on daily basis and that has improved the economy of the community considerably.

It was like a carnival, Tuesday, last week, when Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his wife, llara, visited the camp to identify with with the displaced persons. During that visit, the governor gave the community a message from President Muhammadu Buhari, which drew a thunderous ovation from community leaders and the IDPs. Niger Delta Voice learnt that

there were earlier attempts to persuade the community leaders to sack the IDPs due to the fear that the IDPs might grow up to become dangerous to the community, but the Enogie rebuffed the pressure, insisting that the children are from God and they would provide them shelter.

The Enogie whose optimism propped up after last Tuesday’s message from President Buhari, as read by Governor Oshiomhole, told Niger Delta Voice, “This shows the President is now aware of my community, we are happy and dancing. It means the Federal Government eyes are here now we

•Gov Adams Oshiomhole, wife at Edo IDP camp

have cause to rejoice.”

HRH Eroseyen, who gave the governor a royal gift, asserted, “This day is the day the Lord has made in our lives. I am gladdened that the first lady said she has taken them as her children. The scripture says in the Book of Numbers, God told Moses that he should set aside some cities to be known as cities of refuge, I thank God for counting my community as one of the cities of refuge according to the scripture.”

“Secondly, in the Book of Mark, when the children were coming to receive Jesus Christ and the disciples were trying to chase them

away, my Bible told me that Jesus Christ told them not to disturb the children, allow them to come to me. Whoever receives these children the way they received me, received Him and whoever receives Him receives His father in Heaven. Therefore, I thank God that I happen to be one of those that received Jesus Christ in my community and at the same time, received God in my community. So to God be the glory, I do not have anything to say other than to say, I give God the Glory,” he said.

•HRH Eresoyen

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015 — 5

Cat falls from ceiling, allegedly turns human being in Calabar!

CROSS-RIVER…THE PEOPLE’S PARADISE

By IKECHUKWU UCHE

C

ALABAR- FEW months after shocked residents found inscription on the intestinal wall of a cat slaughtered in Calabar, capital of Cross River State, there was confusion again in the city, as a cat allegedly tumbled from the ceiling of a house and metamorphosed into a human being.

Those who claimed to have witnessed the bizarre incident at No 3 Chalsma lane, Calabar South, said the cat transmuted into a 25-year-old girl.

Residents of the compound said a group of cats had been disturbing their sleep for months, moving about the ceiling and making frightful noises at night until the fateful day when one of the cats fell and transformed a human being in the apartment of Mr. Joseph Asuquo.

It happened live in my room- Asuquo Speaking to Niger Delta Voice, Mr. Asuquo, confirmed that the girl was trapped in his room, saying he was

speechless and lacked words to nieghbours to come and describe what happened in his witness what is happening in room that auspicious day. ceiling of my room,” he His words:” There is a asserted. particular cat that has been Asuquo said, “Immediately, disturbing and making noise in one of my landlord’s son my ceiling for a while now, followed me to my room and sometimes, they are even more pointed a torch light inside the than two and this has been on ceiling and we saw a girl. We a daily basis. Other tenants can also attest to what I am telling you because they too have a feel of my experience.”

“We have all been complaining, but on this fateful night, the cats came as usual and started making noise.

Time was about 4.00 am and they forcefully broke the ceiling, creating a space that allows one to have a view of what was inside.

“I was so frightened with what happened next because I heard songs coming from inside the ceiling, I comported myself and took a closer look and discovered it was actually coming from the ceiling. This prompted me to rush out and call my •The room where the incident landlord and took place

•The accused (names withheld), when Niger Delta Voice visited her home. asked her how she got into the ceiling, she did not answer, but while trying to enter into the interior part of the ceiling, the whole thing(ceiling) caved in and she fell down completely naked.”

According to him, “That was when I raised the alarm, which attracted more people in the neighbourhood, they came in and started beating the girl but I begged them to stop before they kill her in my room, which was when she was taken outside the compound.”

A tenant, who preferred anonymity, said that cats had been disturbing the whole compound until that night when they caught the girl in Asuquo’s room.

Our mission is to kill the landlord, says Cat-girl His words, “When we (the

tenants) inquired from her (the cat- girl) what her mission was, she told us she was sent to kill our landlord,” adding that , “she did not come alone for the mission, but others left her and ran away.”

Niger Delta Voice learned that while the mob was beating her, somebody, who recognized her, rushed and informed her family and the members came and took her home.

When Niger Delta Voice met with the “cat- girl” at a house on Avenue lane, Calabar, she was discovered to nursing an about nine-month-old baby.

Our reporter tried to find out what happened from her she charged furiously, warning, “If you come any closer to me, I will pour this boiling water on you and the police will not do anything to me.”

Youths embrace Naira-bet, lotto to beat joblessness in Rivers RIVERS...

THE TREASURE BASE OF THE NA TION NATION

By DAVIES IHEAMNACHOR

P

ORTHARCOURTLOTTO and Naira- bet games have become means of survival for majority of youths and men, particularly the unemployed in the towns and cities of Rivers State.

Besides becoming an alternative to unemployed

•One of the lotto awardees C M Y K

folks, it also serves as a way of reducing idleness among youths.

In fact, the games of golden chance lotto and Naira- bet have taken over the streets of Port Harcourt, providing the most needed entertainment and business for youths.

Niger Delta Voice was at the streets of Port Harcourt to monitor the impact of lotto and Naira-bet in youth empowerment. We discovered that youths visit the play centres regularly.

Some of the respondents, who spoke to our reporter, said

Golden Chance Lotto gives youths the opportunity of refraining from laziness and idleness.

They said the business has come to eradicate unemployment and idleness among the youths, calling on those, who have nothing doing now to join the bandwagon.

Mr. Wisdom Jack said, “I am happy for Golden Chance lotto, the business has aided me to take care of my family. I call on other youths who do not have job to join because it is an alternative to joblessness and stealing.”

•Another of the winner

Meanwhile, Winners Golden Chance Lotto, last week, rewarded their sub agents in Rivers State, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta State with gift Items in order to boost their moral in the business.

One of the winners, Mr. Stephen Odame, expressed joy for being in the business of playing lotto, adding that it has helped to engage him meaningfully.

The representative of the venture in Rivers State, Mr Ngozi Eleanya, enjoined youths to be engaged in the business, stressing that it was

a better option to idleness.

She encouraged people to play on, saying, “Lotto is genuine and is not 419” One of the directors of Winners Golden Chance Lotto, Mr. Suleiman Olabanji, called on the federal government to reduce its taxation on the business, adding that the organisation was a source of youth empowerment.

Olabanji made this call while presenting a tricycle, popularly called Keke, 42 inches Flat screen television to some of its sub- agents in the zone.

•Winner Golden Chance Lotto centre in Port Harcourt

6 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015

PODIUM…

Mbo communities scream at A’Ibom govt over abandoned bridge, road projects •We didn’t dump projects, we’re waiting for funds- Contractor •Gully erosion cuts off Uda communities from other parts of the state

AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

By CHIOMA ONUEGBU

I

BAKA- RESIDENTS of Ibaka, Enwang, AfiUda, Akprankprang Uda, Unyighe, Etebi, Uda City and Orukom villages in Mbo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, have called on the state government, for the umpteenth time, to complete the abandoned Ukonteghe Bridge and Enwang-Etebi road project.

Niger Delta Voice gathered that the failure of the immediate past administration to complete the bridge project was one of the major things that pitched the people against the former governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio, who they accused of being insensitive to their plight and the entire people of Oro nation.

The Community Liaison Officer, CLO, Mr. Mfon Moses, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice, blamed the delay in the completion of the bridge/road project to mismanagement of

funds, as well as lack of manpower by Sinoeng Company, which the contract was first awarded to.

He stressed, “Our people are not happy because this road has been abandoned. To our greatest surprise, government had commissioned other projects awarded together with our own in other local government areas. We were very happy when the former governor, Godswill Akpabio, awarded the contract to one Sinoeng company in 2007, but the company did not do much due to alleged mismanagement of funds.

“Sinoeng did not also have enough manpower to handle the job. Therefore, another company, Bulletin came but they stayed for only five months and left because of non-release of funds to them. After that, Sinoeng had to sublet the contract to Abla, managing director of AMITECH Construction Company.

However, Abla managed to do a little job on the road and because when the funds were not coming, the company had to stop work and nearly two years now, they have not done anything regarding that project.

•Abandoned Ukonteghe Bridge

Road impassable, children boycott school “Our people are seriously disturbed and exposed to untold suffering because of the state of that uncompleted bridge. About four people had lost their lives in the Ukonteghe River since the construction of that bridge started. The road is impassable and because of that, our children no longer go to school from Ukonteghe to Afi-Uda where the school is located. It is also affecting businesses because it has cut off many connecting villages to the other side,” he said.

Moses asserted, “Our people are very angry because that is the single major project the last administration awarded in the whole of Oro nation and yet it was abandoned. If money was released to Abla, the subcontractor by now, that job would have been completed and it would have opened up this whole area because it links from Ibaka deep seaport to Port Harcourt.”

Contractor goes into hiding “But even Abla has been in hiding because he owes some people, those that supplied him

materials, and all that because the state owes Abla up to N4billion. Therefore, we are still praying and calling on the present governor, Udom Emmanuel, to keep his campaign promise to complete the bridge.

“He came here at the Ukonteghe bridge head to campaign and promised the people that he will complete the bridge if voted into office.

Therefore, we want him to come and re-award the contract. He should come to our rescue.

Vehicles do not pass through that road again, we are worried

We believe that the present government is going to do something about it and if it releases funds today, we will mobilize to site immediately

•The crane lying idle at the project site

over that project,” he said.

Disaster area A youth of Afi-Uda village, who simply identified himself as Effiong, complained that the situation was that the whole area has been declared disaster area because of the gully erosion as a result of the uncompleted bridge and road.

His words, “The feeling of our people is that government has abandoned us. In fact, what baffles most of us is that so much money was budgeted for this project. Initially, it was awarded at the cost of N6.4billion and as at last year, 2014, it was reviewed to N12billion and that is why we are not happy it has been abandoned.”

“The level of suffering the abandoned bridge has subjected our people to, is immeasurable. Even to walk on the road on foot is dangerous.

Gully erosion has cut off the larger Uda communities from the local government headquarters in Enwang. It is so sad.”

Contacted the Administrative Manager of Sinoeng, Mr. Moses Unweh, said the company did not abandon the project, clarifying that it only suspended work due to nonrelease of funds from the state government.

Hear him, “The project was not abandoned. Actually, we have been expecting funds since December 2013, but up until now, there has been no response. We shut down in July 2014 because of funds and not because the project has been abandoned. The project has a road network of 22 kilometres of which 12 kilometres have been completed and 10 kilometres yet undone.”

“For the main bridge of 1kilometre, 150 metres, so far, we have done 68 per cent. We believe that the present government is going to do something about it and if it releases funds today, we will mobilize to site immediately, say around November when the rainy season will be over and before the end of 2016, the project will be completed,” Unweh explained.

Ex-militants blow-up pipelines in Delta to get surveillance contracts Continues from Page 3 incompetent to handle the contract.

He said, “Though Idiovwa has been declared wanted by the authorities, he must be used as a scapegoat to others who are soliciting for pipeline surveillance contract via explosions of pipelines.”

Brain behind Urhobo Gbagbako Confronted on the brain behind the Urhobo militant group, Urhobo Gbagbako, which had claimed responsibilities for series of explosions in the area, both Onaemo and Idiovwa confirmed

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a youth leader (names withheld) to be the kingpin of the group.

They alleged that having masterminded series of blasts in the area and armed with recommendation letters from Urhobo monarchs and president generals of communities spread across communities in OML 24 and 30, the youth leader was awarded a pipeline surveillance contract by a company currently in joint venture partnership with NPDC. The big jostle It is on record that OMLs 24, 30 and 36 cover over 200 Isoko and Urhobo communities with 80 per

cent of these communities being Urhobo. Findings reveal that Urhobo monarchs and president generals of communities, angered by the fact that an Isoko contractor, Onaemo, was in charge of the surveillance contract gave the Gbagbako leader a recommendation letter to enable him secure the contract.

Confirming the move by the monarchs and presidentgenerals, an NPDC source said, “Our Company received a petition from the monarchs, stating that they (Urhobo) have a son who can handle the contract. This is the reason for the award of surveillance contract by

Shoreline, which owns 45 per cent in OML 30, leading to the downing of tools by Gbagbako.”

Meanwhile, efforts to reach Shoreline Natural Resource Ltd to confirm the rationale of its award of contract to someone who has been on the “ wanted” list of security agents in the area was not possible as messages sent to its chairman, Kola Karim, was not replied.

Vandalism as bargaining tool Speaking on the activities of vandals, the source further disclosed that on getting wind of the contract awarded Gbagbako leader, who had perpetrated

series of explosions in the area, different groups in the area, including David’s group and others, embarked on same modus operandi of pipeline explosion with the hope that they too would be appeased with similar contracts.

Pending an amicable resolution between NPDC and the various groups interested in the pipeline surveillance contract, host communities of these oil facilities would continue to suffer the effects of incessant pipeline vandalism in their immediate surroundings.

CELEBRITY

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2015 — 7

How we are changing N-Delta story — Zigha Ayibakuro, Entrepreneur

•Says gun- toting will soon end

IGBOMOTORO- LIKE many other small hinterland communities in the Niger-Delta region, Igbomotoro village, tucked away in the mangrove forest of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, is notorious for youth restiveness and other nefarious activities. Virtually every soldier in the Joint Task Force, JTF, Bayelsa knows the name Igbomotoro and the unsavory reputation of oil thieves in the area. However, a young entrepreneur from Igbomotoro, Zigha Ayibakuro, is set to change the story. The University of Calabar graduate Ayibakuro has carved a niche for himself in the business world, specializing in building capacity for small businesses in the region. He spoke to Niger Delta Voice on his mission. Excerpt.

BAYELSA… GLORY OF ALL LANDS

BY EMEM IDIO

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-Deltans should control their economy.

I am not into entrepreneurship because there is no job, money is not the motivating factor, but it is just a passion. My passion is raising and building a productive people and nation. From Bayelsa, we expect to span all over Africa and the world at large. Coming into this is because there is a gap to fill, there is a huge market demand in terms of building right skills, set life capacity to take advantage of opportunities in the market and we are poised in getting it right.

We are in a society where many persons go to school to find jobs after graduation. They designed the school system to create job seekers and we are in an economy where there are no jobs, entrepreneurs are saddled with job

creation; we see entrepreneurship as an antidote in creating jobs for the teeming young people and beyond creating jobs, creating opportunities and platforms where people can express their gifts to become better persons.

Untapped potentials There is a huge business opportunities in the Niger Delta.

For example, in the poultry sector, only Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, consumes more than N50 billion poultry products annually in the Niger Delta and a large percentage of this is outsource outside the Niger Delta. We haved a business linkage programme in partnership with a Foundation for Partnership with Niger Delta (PIND), a Chevron foundation.

In this business programme, we create linkages between Business Service Provides (BSP) and institutional buyers and large markets. We are strengthening existing poultry farmers to enhance their capacity so that they can meet the corporate

requirement for Chevron and other multinationals and institutions.

Our objective is to impact on the economic base of the Niger Delta region because we believe that the people should control the economy of their region and for this reason, they must be actively involved in the economic life of the region. We galvanize support to create the enabling environment for small businesses to flourish in both the corporate world and open market.

Briefly, we try to make sure that people in the Niger Delta region develop their capacity to take control of their sustainable livelihood for themselves; getting them engaged for productivity, turning the paradigm shifts to become productive.

Misconception about N-Delta youth Yes, there is a misconception of us but we are not militants and cultists, we are not lazy, charlatans and idle as they say, the

•Zigha Ayibakuro, inspecting one of his farms in Yenagoa

Ijaw man is productive and industrious. In the old Rivers state, particularly in the Nembe waterside area, Ijaw people carry out all menial jobs and trading activities, same thing in Lagos. I think that an alien culture was introduced and that gave rise to what many people assumed us to be. That is not who we are.

Gun-toting becoming less attractive We have been trying to do our bit by correcting the impression, not by talking to outsiders to see us differently, but by talking to ourselves and behaving differently, and that is the reason we must get involved in business development, we need to leave the

unnecessary struggle for power and money.

Testimonies from our youths, who went abroad to study show that they are doing exceptionally well in various fields of endeavors, including entrepreneurship.

Therefore, I can say authoritatively that it is only a fraction of us, not even up to one per cent that are engaged in these criminal acts.

I am using this medium to tell the world that Niger Delta is filled with opportunities, we do not carry guns, it is becoming less attractive and we know it will become less attractive till it fades off and the real Niger Delta man will be seen and celebrated all over the world.

Pathetic story of gifted N-Delta inventor engineering drawing of the invention.”

Continues from Page 1 gathered dust in the department.

Exclusive rights since 2001 His words, “The device is energized with water to provide constant and affordable electricity power in dire need by Nigerians and I implore the federal and state governments, as well as private investors to adopt the concept and facilitate its mass production for the immediate benefit of Nigerians.”

He confirmed that the federal government gave him patent right on the electricity apparatus, June 17, 2001, “but neither it nor any of the state governments has utilized the opportunity of the devise to make electricity power supply available for the masses of the country.”

C M Y K

Challenges According to him, “PABOT engine was granted patent right by the federal government after the prototype was subjected to test and Autocad analysis and came out efficient and capable, but it could not be made available to consumers due to the non availability of huge capital for the importation of raw materials for its mass production.”

“Sincerely, to determine the durability and capabilities of a

•In his Development and Research office good working PABOT engine will depend on the superiority of the materials used, as well as a superior fabrication process.

Huge capital is also required to guarantee its effectiveness in all ramifications. Superior materials and superior fabrication process are not readily available here and to source for same either in Germany or in China will surely cost some money,” he said.

On where the device is currently in use in the state or country, he said, “PABOT engine is not in use presently, as it is not readily available to consumers.

The money needed to locally source the materials to fabricate it is huge and as such makes it expensive for consumers.”

“However, if there is available huge capital and superior materials and processes are used

to secure its end products, then it will be affordable and available for consumers,” he added.

How I developed PABOT device?

He reiterated, “In the engineering world, the efficiency or effectiveness of an engine or machine is usually verified through Autocad analysis and PABOT engine has successfully passed through this lithium test and declared effective and capable of performing 100 per cent.

“I have a prototype with which I put the engineering drawing into test and it worked out as expected and produced the anticipated results as analyzed

by Autocad. The idea came through scientific research and intuition. The components were assembled as analyzed in the

Mass production On when the devices would be available for use, he said, “It is simply be•Palm fruit blending device cause it has not been mass produced and made available and affordable for people. As regard the price, it is only after the mass production that one can say the prices. Even the palm fruit juice extracting machine suffers the same fate of lack of mass production; hence it is not readily available for consumers.”

He explained, “The issue of the •Weed- cutting machine mass production of PABOT engine and other machines quantum of money requested for, invented by me boils down to lack it was frustrating because I do not of the availability of huge capital, have collateral of such this has actually hindered the magnitudes.” mass production of the various “Even the government on their items, this is also the reason own contributed to the delay of behind the non availability of the the mass production of these machines for consumers to machines, as my appeals and utilize. “ requests for loans from government agencies have been Banks refuse my requests for efforts in futility. Both the Bank loans of Agriculture and Bank of An apparently troubled Industry, BOI, are two major Badaetsetunokan said, “I have government agencies that have approached almost all the major bluffed my request for loan for banks for loans and the story was the mass production of these one and the same. The demand machines. for collateral amounting to the

8 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST18, 2015

POWER SHUTDOWN:

Businesspersons, inhabitants flee Delta community *There’s nothing we can do until they pay their debt — BEDC *They asked us to pay N33m debt, which we can’t afford —Akporokah, Mosogar Gresident-General

DELTA...

FINGER OF GOD

By GODWIN OGHRE

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OSOGAR- MANY residents, particularly businesspersons, have deserted Mosogar community, Ethiope West Local Government Area, Delta State, for neighboring communities, within and outside the state, following power blackout in the town for about six months now.

Sources at the community confirmed that the new operators of Powers Holding Company Nigeria, PHCN, the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, consciously cut-off electricity supply to the area.

Community leader and septuagenarian, Chief Jimmy Ogberahwe, who is the secretary to the Ovie (King)- in -Council, who spoke on behalf of Mosogar monarch, HRM, Samson Omene, Udurie I, told Niger-Delta Voice, “The trend is worrisome. People’s life are negatively affected in diverse ways to the extent that so many of them are packing out of the community to stay in other neighboring communities where they can find electricity, which they direly need to run their businesses.”

Upsurge in crime “Again, crime is currently in the upsurge. Criminals take advantage of the complete darkness to perpetrate their evil acts almost every night. They rob and maim indiscriminately.

Once it is 7.00 pm, the whole streets will be empty as you cannot find anyone doing legitimate business outside.”

“Even the students are affected. We have the state College of Physical Education here and the students cannot effectively contend with the situation. It is not easy for them to run petrol generators to do their class works, and this happens in all the departments every day. They cannot afford the high cost of photocopying their hand-outs using the few business centers that operate with generators,” he said.

Chief Ogberahwe lamented, “Our domestic electricity gadgets have begun rusting away because there is no electricity to power them. No one can afford the high cost of running generator to power the gadgets on daily basis. Our artisans have all packed up;

most of the business centres have closed up. Nearly all the people that deal in provision, such as foodstuffs, drinks, frozen items, have all packed out. Others who can afford to go to other communities to stay or rent shops have started moving out in their droves. The entire community is being deserted.”

11 KVA transformer packs up Niger Delta investigation showed that the 11KV transformer serving the community had long packed up and abandoned. It is now a shadow of itself in the centre of a thick bush along the Sapele/ Benin dual carriageway. Some of the electric poles across the community have long fallen and their cables left carelessly on the ground with no sign of rehabilitation in sight.

B u s i n e s s manager snubs reporter At the Sapele office of the BEDC, which is serving the area on Thursday, May13, the business manager (BM) was visibly noticed relaxing in his office at 2.00 pm when our reported visited his office, but he declined request to speak with him.

Two months ago when indigenes of Sapele Okpe

•Chief Jimmy Ogberahwe community protested over power failure in their area, he this reporter, “Sapele, Mosogar, Jesse and Oghara communities are jointly owing BEDC over N4 billion, we are urging them to pay up because the huge debt is affecting our operations negatively. We have to maintain our equipment and pay our staff salaries to ensure that we can work efficiently.”

He asserted then, “If they do not pay, how can we run our operations? They must think of how they can be paying on installment, rather than folding their hands and expecting us to keep supplying electricity to them. They may not pay the entire amount at once, but they must begin to be paying gradually just as we will simultaneously keep serving them the much we can do. The situation is also affecting us, who are BEDC staff because we live in these communities, so we are not isolated.”

•Broken down 2.5KV transformer.

Omene blasts Senator Amori, Mosogar president general Reacting to the collapse, president general of Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU, Chief Joe Omene, said, “The challenge is a very severe one.

Crime rate has gone up here as criminals including robbers, vandals, arsonists and kidnappers operate freely under the cover of darkness. It is now a field day for them. What surprises me is that the Otota (traditional prime minister) of the community, Senator Ighoyota Amori lives in Abuja and Benin City, Edo State.”

“The same thing goes for the president general of Mosogar community, Col. Ogheneovo Columbus Akporokah (rtd). He lives in Abuja. They operate from afar. They are not here to work to make sure that the community is in peace and that things are going on well with the people, and the people are suffering from different challenges due to their absence,” he added.

Akporokah fires back at Omene President General of Mosogar community, Col. Akporokah dismissed Omene’s claim that the community was suffering from different challenges due to his absence in the area.

Although Akporokah admitted living in Abuja, he said he was performing his task effectively.

His words, “That I am living in Abuja does not mean that I am not doing my job, I am doing my job perfectly.”

He asserted, “When his problem started, the king set up a team to follow it up. I am the leader of the team, apart from being the president general of the community. So far, we have visited BEDC office in Sapele more than six times, yet the challenge remains, they have not restored light. In some cases, BEDC officials will tell us

Tears of joy as medical team visits swampy Calabar village CROSS-RIVER…THE PEOPLE’S PARADISE

By EMMA UNA

U

MU OROKEXPECTATIONS of getting relief from protracted ailments and outbreak of other diseases infused hope of a better life in hundreds of residents of Umo Orok, a swampy Calabar village in Cross River State, as they thronged the venue of a free medical care by National

Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity), lately.

Located few yards away from the Calabar River, weeds and waterlogged puddles cover most of the houses in the marshy settlement, making the inhabitants prone to a deluge of diseases and infections.

Accessing the village is also a Herculean task as the only road leading to it is through steep inclines and large craters covered in water puddles, navigated on foot or by fourwheel drives, which stuck on mud frequently.

Young and old throng venue Women, men, elderly, youths, children, including pastors and politicians jumped at the opportunity for a free medical care when the Pyrates decided to bring a team of medical doctors, optometrists, nurses and laboratory scientists, to diagnose, administer tests and handout free drugs and eye glasses to those with one ailment or the other.

The only primary school in the village was full with people jostling around in high expectation to receive treatment for ailments that would ordinarily have cost them a fortune to treat in hospitals located in the city, apart from having to pay through their nose to transport to the city.

“I am very happy that these people b r o u g h t

doctors and nurses to treat us free and not just that they also gave us drugs and those who need glasses were given free and am a beneficiary of the glasses along with diabetes drugs,” community leader, Chief Effiong Ekeng said.

Our target is to fill void left by govt - Onochie President of the National Association of Sea Dogs, Ifeanyi Onochie, told the multitude that the intervention of his organization in the village was to help fill the gaps left by government in meeting the health needs of the people.

“We are doing this because we have seen that the government is not able to handle all medical cases affecting the people, particularly those who are not in a position to afford the high charges in hospitals and other medical facilities located in the city that is why everything you get here will come to you free.”

Dr Ofem, the head of the medical mission said the exercise was only for one day, but officials would attend to everyone who turned up.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 — 29

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAY OFF:

Elneny looking to guide Basel in UCL group stage E

gyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny will look to help Swiss side FC Basel qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League when they play host to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the first leg of their playoff tie tonight.

Swiss Super League champions Basel have already overcome Polish side Lech Poznan in an earlier The 23-year-old Elneny appeared in both matches against Poznan and will hope to continue gaining Champions League experience when his side take on the Israeli champions, with the first leg set to kick off at St Jakob Park this evening.

Basel also have Ivorian left-back Adama Traore in their squad, though he made only a brief substitute appearance in the second leg against Poznan and is less likely to feature.

•Elneny

Enrique: Sometimes it’s go od to

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lose

Nadal wants to reignite his season in Cincinnati

Ryan: C/League qualification a must for Valencia

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athew Ryan says owner Peter Lim has set Valencia an ambitious target of winning La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, leaving no room for failure in a play-off against Monaco tonight.

Los Che host the Principality side at Estadio Mestalla this week in the first leg of a crunch clash to determine which club progresses to the lucrative group stage of Europe’s elite club competition.

Australia international goalkeeper Ryan is likely to start between the sticks in the absence of injured Brazilian shot-stopper Diego Alves.

And the 23-year-old will have a big responsibility on his shoulders as coach Nuno Espirito Santo looks to make those optimistic goals a reality.

“The club owners have said their objective was to win La Liga and the Champions League and are always putting in plans to achieve their aim,” Ryan told SBS.

uis Enrique said that a de fea Spanish Super Cup “isn’t t like the one against Athletic Bilbao in the always a bad thing, becau realise just how tough it se to it makes you is to At the post-match press win titles”.

Athletic, who in his opini conference, the Barcelona boss congratulated on first leg at San Mamés. “It “deserved to lift” a title which they won in the ’s just how tough it is to win good to lose every so often, in order to remember . You Despite the defeat, Luis En have to know how to win and lose”. rique sent out an encou Barcelona faithful: “Play ing in both Super Cups wa raging message to the we achieved last season s . Our new league campa reward for everything Sunday. It’s going to be ign gets underway on rea optimistic. We want to kee lly hard to win titles, but we have to remain p challenging and being a global role model”.

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afael Nadal is hoping to improve his up-anddown form this year in the second half of the season.

The 14-time Grand Slam winner struggled to make a significant impact at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon so far in 2015, failing to get past the quarterfinal round at each event.

He aims to get back on track at the Cincinnati Masters, a tournament he won in 2013 to propel him to further glory at Flushing Meadows - and having won the Hamburg Open he hopes it is a positive omen.

Ryan

Valencia drop Otamendi out of Monaco clash V

alencia coach Nuno has dropped Nicolas Otamendi for today’s Champions League play-off first leg against Monaco amid reports the Argentinian defender is on the verge of joining Manchester City.

Spanish sports newspaper Marca claim Valencia and City have reached an agreement for the transfer of Otamendi to the Blues outfit for a reported 45million euros - but the Premier League club are yet to comment The 27-year-old, who is also a reported target of City’s Manchester rivals United, is under contract with the Spanish club until June 2019 but intends to leave Valencia this summer.

Oguche Basketball Camp ends

BY JACOB AJOM

T

HE three-day Samuel

Oguche Bullet energy drink Basketball camp which began at the Nigeria Institute for Sports Gymnasium, National Stadium, Lagos ends today. The camp which is open to boys and girls of between ages 14 and 16 began Monday.

Initiator of the camp, Sam Oguche told Sports Vanguard that over 170 kids were in

attendance and he was encouraged with what he saw.

“The kids have been wonderful and from what the coaches have been able to achieve, we stand to build on that in subsequent editions. With the support of my sponsors, Bullet energy drink, some of the talents discovered here will be awarded scholarships to study and play basketball abroad,” the former Ebun Commets star said.

In his words, “the camp is for

free. It’s absolutely free and it is going to be twice a year. The turn out is good but I believe it is going to be better next time.”

Representative of Sunmark Co. UK, Chukwunonso Okekeojide, said his organisation decided to partner with theOguche Basketball camp because of the numerous opportunities it offers for the kids. “Above all, they take Bullet which gives them the energy to play Basketball,” he said.

Sharapova ‘working through’ leg injury

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•Otamendi

ARS: Lagos dominates S/W finals L

•Nadal

AGOS State male and female teams to this year ’s cleared the stakes in the finals of the South West Zone held at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Lagos. In the finals of the male category, Team Lagos played team Osun in a very captivating encounter which ended 1-1 regulation time. Lagos boys eventually won in the penalties by 5 goals to 3.

The story was different in the finals of the female category. The girls from Lagos State clinched the ticket to the finals after defeating Oyo State by 2 goals to nil. The goals were scored by Angela Mosindi and Innocent Ayomide.

Boys from Oyo State played against their Ekiti counterpart in third place encounter which was action-packed and full of great goals from the boots of Oyo State boys who won by 6 goal to nil.

Four of the goals scored by the fleet-footed striker of the Oyo squad, Oyebode Hassan.

The third place match in the girls category was played on Saturday between Team Ondo and Team Osun. The match had ended 2-2 regulation time. Team Osun won in the penalties by 7 goals to 6.

Ex-Super Eagles International and ARS Technical Adviser, Mutiu Adepoju and top executives from leading telecoms operator, Airtel Nigeria, including the Zonal Business Manager, L-R, Airtel’s Regional Operations Director, Lagos, Oladokun Oye; ex-Super Eagles star Akin Adebisi, Regional Operations Director, Lagos, Oladokun and Airtel Rising Star (ARS) Season 5 Technical Adviser, Mutiu Adepoju with captain of Oye and Regional Human Resources Manager, Lagos, Abimbola the Team Lagos(Male), Sebastian Timothy during the trophy presentation at the end of Shopeju were present at the finals of the Lagos Regional South West Regional finals held at Legacy Pitch, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Championship.

aria Sharapova says she’s still working through a minor leg injury. The second-ranked Sharapova hasn’t played since Wimbledon, where she lost to Serena Williams in the semifinals July 9. She was supposed to return last week in Toronto but withdrew after getting hurt in training.

“I’m feeling better, but I’m still working through it,” she said on Monday.

She plans to come back at the Western & Southern Open outside Cincinnati this week.

“I always enjoy my little break after Wimbledon,” she said. “I love the summer.”

•Sharapova

30—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

We still want to touch more lives, Airtel promises with CSR initiative

Airtel Smart Icons, Patrick Okorie a.k.a ‘Patoranking’ and Tuface Idibia with Airtel Touching Lives Season 1 beneficiary, Mr. Essienkan Ebong and his family, during the launch of Airtel Touching Lives Season 2 in Lagos.

By Prince Osuagwu

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S organisations in Africa are striving to build sound Corporate Social Responsibilities, CSR into their DNAs, One of Nigeria’s major telecommunications outfits, Airtel Nigeria is angling to be the touch bearer to such CSR initiatives that will leave more underprivileged Nigerians better -off than the society ever imagined.

The journey to this desire started with a well thought out human interest project it tagged Airtel Touching lives.

Like the name sounds, the Airtel CSR initiative was

deliberately focused on empowering, uplifting and creating life-changing opportunities for underprivileged individuals, communities and groups in the Nigerian society.

Airtel strategically structured the Touching Lives initiative in a unique fashion that allows Nigerians to nominate disadvantaged persons who are in need of care or special interventions, through entries that can be sent via SMS, phone calls to a short code or via email.

It however provided opportunity for nomination letters, not more than 1000 words, to be submitted at

Airtel Showrooms, shops and dealers’ outlets nationwide.

The Season One of the Airtel Touching Lives which featured a 13 episode programme of 26 emotion-evoking stories on satellite and terrestrial TV stations in Nigeria and across Africa, brought to limelight the commitment and kindheartedness of Airtel in uplifting the conditions of underprivileged people across the Nigerian society.

Now, with the success of the maiden edition, the telecoms operator, has just announced the commencement of the second edition of the initiative.

Making the announcement in Lagos recently, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said the telco is rolling out the second edition of the programme based on the monumental successes recorded with the first edition.

According to him, “Airtel went the length and breadth of the country, last year, scouting for people who needed help and for causes to support. The journey yielded great results as we touched the lives of many Nigerians.

At Airtel, we believe that for us to be a great company we must be a good company and we are very much committed to earning our social license – the love and acceptance of the people we serve, “he said.

NITDA accredits Rlg, BPO academy to promote outsourcing

By Richard Udofia

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ATIONAL Information T e c h n o l o g y Development Agency, NITDA, has given accreditation to two Nigerian organisations as a way of strengthening the use of ICT tools in providing services for Nigerians.

The two organisations, BPO academy and RLG technology companies, are all based in Lagos. While BPO academy is established to promote outsourcing in Nigeria, Rlg is a computer and mobile devices maker.

Director General of the Agency, Mr Peter Jack said that outsourcing in this present IT era, has the capacity of creating millions of jobs in the country, as the newly accredited organisation will empower many indigenous companies in creating jobs for the locals.

In an apparent bid to encourage competition in the industry, Jack compelled IT firms to take a step further in

globalising their brands, instead of just only localising their content, saying this will help in creating greater productivity, and reduction in cost of production.

He noted that, there was no better way to build Nigeria’s BPO capacity than to develop a BPO local talent base with

world class skills.

“Outsourcing covers clouding, infrastructures facilities which are why countries like India, china among others have successfully maximised potentials which abound in the industry, being countries with the highest outsourcing deals,” he added.

Tech meets soccer as StarTimes adds Serie A to Bundesliga exclusive bouquets

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ASKING on the euphoria of its exclusive signing of the Bundesliga soccer matches to its brand, Digital TV operators Star Times has also added Serie A soccer matches to its sports channels.

Star Times says that its users who are football fans of these leagues are already beginning to imagine the excitement of a gorgeous feast, a combination of Bundelsiga and Serie A. According to the company, “with the high-quality digital signal on StarTimes, football fans

are not only given the right to see the fin fur of the leopards like Alexander Meier and Thomas Muller during the Bundelsiga season, but also robust football teams like Juventus and Milan of Serie A, more clearly than ever.

The cooperation between StarTimes and the two brilliant leagues have strategically crucial meanings of breaking the ice in terms of the current sports broadcasting field.

The company added that its Chairman, Mr. Xing Xin Pang being occupied in promoting

VANGU ARD, WEDNESD A Y, AUGUST 19, 2015—31 ANGUARD, WEDNESDA

Could his drinking be the reason I’m not yet pregnant?

Dear Bunmi, Y FIANCE and I have been trying for a baby since the beginning of the year but we are not having any luck. The point is, I have a sneaky feeling the fault might be his as I already had a child from a previous relationship. My man drinks beer three or four times a week - do you think this could be the reason I’ve still not fallen pregnant? I’ll be 30 years old soon.

Janet by e-all.

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Did my husband infect me?

Dear Bunmi, FTER BEING divorced for a while, I met up with an old flame I’d left-10 years ago. We rekindled our relationship and eventually got married. I knew he’d cheated on previous partners, but he always assured me that it was in the past. Then last year, he started coming home

A

late and claimed he was too tired for sex.

Shortly afterwards, I was shocked to discover that I had a sexually transmitted disease - and so had he. I asked him if he was cheating, but he denied it. Then I found a woman’s number on his mobile. He said he had no idea who she was. Although

I think you know in your heart of hearts that your husband is cheating. Even worse, he’s risking your health. It’s widely believed that once a man cheats, he will cheat again.

I can’t tell you what to do now, but rest assured that being on your own isn’t as bad as you might think. Seek counselling if you must. Your peace of mind is more important than a relationship without trust.

I have no concrete proof that he’s cheating, I know in my heart that he is. I just don’t know what to do about it.

Chika, by e-mail.

Dear Chika, I think you know in your heart of hearts that your husband is cheating. Even worse, he’s risking your health.

It’s widely believed that once a man cheats, he will cheat again. I can’t tell you what to do now, but rest assured that being on your own isn’t as bad as you might think. An innocent partner would be outraged if he had an infection he knew nothing of and I’m sure he would have kept quiet of his disease if you hadn’t mentioned it. Seek counselling if you must. Your peace of mind is more important than a relationship without trust.

She’s carrying religion too far!

Dear Bunmi, Y GIRLFRIEND is an official member of a leading Pentecostal church and she takes her religion seriously - so much so that she always recoils at the idea of having sex. She says it’s against the teachings of the Bible. This makes me sad. I am a Christian myself and I go to a reputable orthodox church from time to time. My girlfriend’s attitude is really upsetting me. I know a lot of our religious friends who are happy in fulfilling sexual relationships, why should our situation be different? At times I even wonder if she’s not hiding something more sinister from me. I’ve asked her to reach some sort of compromise by giving me oral sex but she says nothing can be done sexually until we are married. It seems as if she is using her religion as a bait for us to get married. What can I do? If she turns out to be a pig-in-a-poke after we get married, what could I do? Do you think there’s anything I can say to change her views?

I want her so much.

Funsho by e-mail.

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Dear Funsho, As you must have realised by now when people have deep religious beliefs, it is impossible to change their views and unwise and unfair to try. It doesn’t matter that some religious people do have sex before marriage, what matters is that your girlfriend doesn’t believe in it.

C M Y K

You want to know what you can do? Why not marry her if you want her so desperately?

If you really love each other and believe you could have a good life together, marriage should be the next step. That way, you could have all the

sex you want without messing up her life. But, if marriage is not in your agenda, then call the relationship off and move on. That should also free her to find someone who believes what she believes. Then both of you will be happy.

My step-daughter is hostile Dear Bunmi, EW WEEKS ago, I attended my stepdaughter’s wedding with my husband of 20 years. As usual, she did subtle things to let me know I wasn’t welcome. For example, she addressed the invitation to only her father and feigned surprise that I even attended the engagement ceremony. She’s coming for a visit soon to thank her dad for his financial support and my husband said he would like me to be there when I made the excuse I had a prior engagement. I can already imagine how uncomfortable I will feel. If I don’t point out her shortcomings, he pretends not to notice. I’d always hoped his daughter would grow up and we could be friends. But after the wedding I reached my limit.

I’m sorry my husband is caught in the middle, but what am I supposed to do?

Charlotte, by e-mail.

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Dear Charlotte, You call addressing an invitation to only one person in a couple subtle? I wouldn’t call it that at all! I think that’s an

intentionally in-your-face message that says, "1 don’t want you around.” I can understand why you’ve had enough. Your husband ignores his daughter’s insults because he’s afraid to jeopardise his relationship with her. He doesn’t seem to realise he has other options. Like any adult, your step-daughter has a right to pick the people she surrounds herself with. Sure, most of us fantasize about being part of a perfect family, but it is her prerogative not to like you, and her father can’t make her. It’s time to put an end to the pretence. He needs to spell out that anyone who disrespects his wife is disrespecting him. An insult to you by an omission, exclusion, or outright hostility is an insult to him. Ideally, your husband should get on board with you. It’s your call as to whether you see your stepdaughter, so if the prospect makes you uneasy, don’t be around when she comes by.

When you find yourselves in the same place, do the decent thing and be polite. But there’s no need to force the issue.

Dear Janet, You could well be overreacting here! It’s quite normal for a couple not to conceive right away. As much as it is advisable both of you live a healthy life, your man’s

alcohol consumption doesn’t seem to be over the top. In short, you seem to be blaming him for the fact that nothing has happened yet. This is probably because you are scared - either of not getting pregnant or that it might be your fault. Holding your man responsible will just cause needless friction at a time when you should be building your relationship in preparation for the chaUenge of having a baby. Why not relax for a change? Doctors recommend couples should seek professional help after trying for a baby for a year.

Wait till then - if you still haven’t conceived, then go back to your doctor for a check-up.

Holding your man responsible will just cause needless friction at a time when you should be building your relationship in preparation for the challenge of having a baby. Why not relax for a change? Doctors recommend couples should seek professional help after trying for a baby for a year. Wait till then - if you still haven’t conceived, then go back to your doctor for a check-up.

His debts are ruining our marriage

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’M LIVING a nightmare!

My husband of five years is a chronic debtor - it seems as if borrowing money is second nature to him. He’s taken every available loan in his office and has borrowed money off neighbours and friends. No month goes by without irate people he’d borrowed money from coming to the house breathing fire. He’s even gone as low as to borrow from artisans in the neighbourhood! The trouble is, he’s not a generous husband and father to our child and it is virtually impossible to plan for the future with all these debts hanging down his neck. I have threatened to leave, but he is urging me to have more children. How can I stay in this kind of situation?

Chioma, by e-mail Dear Chioma, However, much you love your man, heavy financial problems will strain your relationship.

Money issues are major topic of arguments for couples and you need to sort out your husband’s recklessness before you decide on having more children. By the sound of it, your man is not good with money, but do you know on what he spends all these monies he keeps borrowing?

Does he gamble? Is he on drugs? Does he support a lot of members ofhis extended family?

Your husband needs to change and very quickly too. His habit is one of the most difficult to break - so set your mind on keeping him if you can.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

32—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 dicinal products industry, it will provide competitive advantage to Nigeria towards the attainment of a developed status by the year 2020?

Lets talk about organic products….

I think it is a good thing because people and the world as a whole are now looking into more of the organic and natural products. Like peop l e

We are devoted to making natural and organic products —Babakura

By Vera Anyagafu & Bartholomew Madukwe Babakura is an expert at making natural and organic products that helps to heal damaged skin and hair. As the founder of Mintus Creations Inc., Dr. Amina Babakura is a young Nigerian and an entrepreneur resides in Canada. She is popularly called little doctor by her friends as she is just 23years old. She started her medical studies in Nigeria and moved to Cananda for further study thereby rising to the peak.. Talking with Vanguard Women in Business, she speaks about how to work wonders on the skin by using natural ingredients among other issues. Excerpts:

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ow would you describe the Nigeria environment in regards to natural products?

So far so good I will say it is improving.At this point there are a quite few upcoming young entrepreneurs that I have been following on instagram that are into natural and organic skincare. It is really impressive. Nigeria is full of talented people.

Some entrepreneurs have described doing business in Nigeria as expensive, could that be the reason you decided to have yours in Canada?

Hmmm, starting up a business anywhere I would say is expensive- not just Nigeria. I think it depends on one's target market, cost etc. So far, with the new government,we are hoping for change and also the best. We are looking into opening branches in Nigeria.

Once that is done, production will definitely be in Nigeria. I am a Nigerian and will forever be a Nigerian. Once we open branches, we would employ interested persons both young and adults, and also provide trainings Can you tell us what Mintus Creations is about?

Mintus Creations is devoted to making natural and organic products that helps to heal damaged skin and hair, also protecting it against the effect of day-to-day stresses from our environment. We formulate our products here with two things in mind- Safety and efficacy.

When did you start this natural skin and hair care business, what really inspired you to it?

I had started the business already even before the aesthetics school. What really inspired me? Hmm, lots of things. First, I always grew up to have a combination and acne prone skin which was not a good thing. I had tried so many things at the department Store but nothing seem to work for me and I started loosing hope.

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At some points, I lost confidence in my self and had very low self esteem. One day, I asked myself "well, since most of the things we have naturally are beneficial and full of vitamins and minerals, why can't I use some of them to see if it will work for my skin, since skin absorbs almost everything you put on it?" So good thing I studied medicine so it was not hard researching.

Luckily, I tried out few recipes and guess what, it did work very well! It is just sugar and honey. How could I have ever thought just those two easily accessible ingredients would work wonders on my skin.

Getting results….

I got impressive results, and even became more interested in researching, which I kept doing. I know how it feels and what it is to have low self esteem, zero confidence in one's self as well.

Secondly, the rise in the use of harsh chemicals contained in some of these creams that tend to lighten or clear acne is not worth it, with the toll rise in cancer.

So I decided to also use the medium to get people to realize the benefits of natural products they could use to achieve same result as opposed to those harmful ones out there that one tends to even pay a fortune for. Why pay more to damage your skin?

What are the things you did in Canada before Mintus Creations Inc. was registered?

First, you have to list all the ingredients in the products and they must be identified as natural as well. There is a particular format you have to follow. Writing the scientific name of that ingredient then the English name. Secondly, your working environment has to be inspected to see whether you are producing from home or a factory to ensure safety, making sure the environment is safe and clean.

Some doctors have argued that if the Nigerian Government recognizes the great potential of the herbal /natural me-

en a secondary role after the emergence of molecular biology.

That is why with natural products you do not need much scientific evidence. Although, yes, awareness and campaigns should highly be encouraged among youths and elders. The government should ensure all products termed as natural are well labelled, and manufactured or produced in a safe clean environment.“ How has the Canadian government been helpful to students in the research for skin purpose?

Well, as far as research goes here in Canada the government is very helpful, tries all its possible best to encourage skincare aspects. A survey was carried out by the national institute of Occupational Safety and Health Studies, which they found out that over 884 chemicals used in personal care products and cosmetics as being toxic and estimates that women absorb about two kilograms of chemicals through toiletries and cosmetics every year. Over 799 of them had acute toxic effects and over 300 caused developmental abnormalities, and this is because these chemicals may be absorbed into the body and brain three times faster than

Dr. Babakura from Canada get Shea butter from Africa and other products.

Throughout the existence of man, the usefulness of natural products in medicine, beauty and health has been vast because our earliest ancestors chewed certain herbs to relieve pain, or wrapped leaves around wounds to improve healing. Natural products have often been the sole means to treat diseases, and injuries. In fact, it has only been during the past decades that natural products have tak-

I got impressive results, and even became more interested in researching more, which I kept doing. I know how it feels and what it is to have low self esteem, zero confidence in one's self as well

water.

There are la few people that have realized the benefits of natural or organic products at least compared to before. But I think there has not been enough campaigning done among the people that know the benefits to those that don't. Therefore, I feel more campaign or awareness has to be done since the number is rising and that is what Mintus Creations Inc. is about.

How did you start up your medical career and where did it progress to?

I started medicine in University of Maiduguri in Nigeria,then I moved to Canada where I attended All Saints University School of Medicine. I did not graduate at the University of Maiduguri as I got transferred in 2010.

Currently, I am preparing for my residency exams and doing rotations at hospitals in Canada, in different fields of medicine. I am doing a diploma programme in Medical Aesthetic and Laser Technician in Looks Aesthetic Academy in Canada.With some breaks in between, I did Medical Aesthetics and Laser Technician just to compliment the natural skin and hair Care business I have started.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—33

Dieziani Allison Madueke

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S she ill; isn’t she? The gists on former Petroleum Minister Dieziani Allison Madueke have been on the blogosphere endlessly.

Nigerians had been shocked by previous reports that former Petroleum minister and controversial female politician Diezanni Allison-Madueke had left the shores of the country to attend to breast cancer.

While her online supporters insist she is ill, others are of the view that Diezanni would want to cook up the fake story that she is suffering from breast cancer and travelling abroad for proper medical care.

Hajo Sani

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Dena Hines

LOGOSPHERE has been up in a rage this week as Dr. Hajo Sani has been appointed as the Senior Special Assistant on administration to Aisha Buhari, the wife of Nigeria’s President.

An advertisement in the Daily Trust newspaper has been making the rounds placed by the University of Maiduguri Class of ’78, congratulating Mrs. Sani who was the Coordinator, office of the wife of the President and a minister.

Change! writes a sassy commentator.

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RENDING this week has been Dena Hines, 33 and the step-granddaughter of actor Morgan Freeman who was found lying on the street near her apartment in New York City this weekend with multiple stab wounds in the torso area, according to a police report. Hines was pronounced dead.

An investigation into her death is still underway. On Sunday morning, 30-year-old Lamar Davenport, was taken into custody. He reportedly dated and lived with Hines. On Monday he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, according to police.

The world will never know her artistry and talent, and how much she had to offer, Freeman said of Hines in a statement. Her friends and family were fortunate enough to have known what she meant as a person. Her star will continue to shine bright in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. May she rest in peace.

Funke Kuti

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STRANGED wife of awardwinning international afrobeat act and son of FelaFemi- was everywhere like a brash on the blogosphere this week as pictures have been shared of her attending the wedding of Femi’s niece in London.

Rolari, the first granddaughter of Fela, who is Yeni Kuti’s daughter, got married to her Australian husband, author Benedict Jacka last weekend.The ceremony was the second leg of the nuptials, as the traditional marriage took place in Lagos, in June.

The rumour mills are at work overtime, conjecturing that Femi Kuti and Funke are back together.

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Anita Oyakhilome

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PEAKING of enstranged wives, a website supposedly belonging to Anita, w w w w. p a s t o r a n i t a . o r g contains an inspirational message apparently penned by her, in which she talks about inspiring others through the lessons she learned during a dark period when she tolerated abuse for a long time.

My story is not one of a bed of roses, far from it but I had a choice to either beat myself over the regret of tolerating abuse for so long or put a stop to the abuse and recreate my

life for the best. My journey was not in vain. I can now help others realise that their situation does not define them...

My message to all is simple: you have value therefore discover your potential. Do not allow anybody destroy you or rob you of living a joyful life.

There were reports last year that Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy Church, and his wife, Anita Odegwa Oyakhilome were going through a divorce, with Anita filing

Grace Mugabe

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HE First Lady of Zimbabwe and her posterior have been the hottest trending matter on blogosphere this week.

The Nigerian cyberspace has been awash with pictures of Mrs. Mugabe trying to sit on a chair at an outdoor event, to the advantage of Zimbabwe’s chief of defense forces General Chinwenga who got an eyeful of her shapely derriere.

A few days later, Chinwenga was fired for being to forward.

34—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Okowa signs DESOPADEC amendment bill into law

By Emma Amaize &Festus Ahon

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SABA—GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, yesterday, signed the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC Amendment bill into law, after the cause of disagreement was resolved with oil communities.

Speaking after signing the bill, Governor Okowa, said: “You have just witnessed the signing into law of the DESOPADEC amendment bill, 2015 to the original law of 2006 establishing the DESOPADEC. This amendment bill was forwarded to the House of Assembly in the course of this administration a few weeks ago and we want to thank God that the House has completed the process of passing into law the amendment bill of 2015 to the original DESOPADEC law.”

The Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Monday Igbuya and Deputy Speaker, Mr Friday Osanebi and other principal officers of the House witnessed the signing of the bill.

He said: “There was a lot of interest when this bill was presented to the House of Assembly and as is customary of Deltans, who are very bright and vibrant, a lot of people showed interest and they had the opportunity to contribute their quota towards a robust commission.

“I want to thank God that the Delta State House of Assembly took the bill to public hearing and

Deltans made their contributions to enrich the bill. There were many engagements and misconception that arose from the fact that some people did not even know what was in the original law and in the amendment bill sent to the House. We thank God that at the end, the bill was in the best interest of Delta State and the oil producing communities in particular.

“Through this law, we are now establishing a management team for the DESOPADEC, which will meet the expectations for which the commission was initially established. Membership of the board remains, but now we have

brought in a management structure that can see us through to the future of the commission that we all desire, a commission that will be structured to impact positively on the lives of our people in terms of infrastructural development, social services and economic services.”

Commending members of the state House of Assembly for their proactive approach to law making, he urged them to remain vibrant and continue to collaborate with the executive arm towards impacting more positively on the lives of Deltans.

“There is also another bill in the House, which is the Delta State

Contributory Health Insurance bill and it is our hope that the House will be able to speedily pass that bill into law so that our people will benefit from the intentions of the bill.

“It is our hope that despite the challenges of the moment, we will stay focused in bringing prosperity to our people, not only in ensuring a healthy people but in the economy of the family and the development of different sectors of our state.”

Earlier, Igbuya said: “The bill was properly looked into by members of the House despite the controversy surrounding the presentation of the bill."

VISIT: Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (right), Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo (left), and Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Uche, during the Prelate's visit to Government House, Port Harcourt.

Motorists hail C-River govt over roads rehabilitation

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By Emmanuel Ulayi

ALABAR—THE decision of the Cross River State Government to carry out remedial works on highways in the state has been drawing commendation from motorists, especially those plying the Calabar-Odukpani highway.

Commending the state government for making the road motorable, some of them praised Governor Ben Ayade for the remedial works, but insisted that the Federal Government must be alive to its responsibilities by ensuring that the road was quickly put in order.

One of the motorists, Declan Ibe commended the governor for the initiative, but lamented that the condition of the road was very bad and hoped that something will be done soon by the Federal Government on the road soon.

He expressed happiness at the ongoing efforts by Governor Ayade to temporarily fix the road.

Also speaking, Promise Alozie, a tanker driver, thanked the governor for the ongoing efforts and called on the Federal Government to respond urgently

by rehabilitating the road.

Another motorists, who is a lecturer with the Cross River State University of Technology,

CRUTECH, Dr James Ibe expressed satisfaction with the state’s urgent intervention on the road, noting that it was a very

positive development which shows that the Governor Ayade- led government in the state was alive to its responsibilities.

Police clear varsity teacher of wrongdoing

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By Onozure Dania

ENIN—THE Nigeria Police Force zone ‘5’ headquarters Benin City, Edo State has cleared Dr. Emmanuel Irabor, a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemistry, University of Benin, UNIBEN, of any wrong doing, following a petition written against him by the Chief Security Officer, CSO of the university, Col. Umar Otokiti (rtd).

In a letter addressed by the police to Dr. Irabor obtained, yesterday, titled: “Police investigation report; RE: case of threat to life and forgery,” dated August 14, 2015 with REF NO: AR:5390/ZN:5/ZIB/VOL.1/34 and signed by ASP Patience Omokaro 2i/c zonal Intelligence Bureau for: officer in charge, Zonal Intelligence Bureau, Zone ‘5’ headquarters, Benin City,

acknowledged that through the directive of the Assistant Inspector General of Police zone 5, “That the forensic science laboratory result exonerate Dr Irabor and Dr. Monye-Emina Anthony of forgery.

“There is no sufficient evidence against Dr. Irabor posing a security threat to the university, even though he was dissatisfied

with his suspension.”

The police said “It is the considered opinion of the Bureau that Dr. Irabor and Dr. Anthony be exonerated while concerted efforts are being made to unravel the group of persons that orchestrated the forged letter so as to bring them to justice.”

Mary Ahon's burial for August 22

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HE burial ceremony of late Mrs. Mary Ahon takes place on August 22, 2015 at Odumare quarters, Oria Abraka, Delta State.

A statement by Mr. Moses Ahon, said the body departs Baptist Hospital Mortuary, Eku for lying in state/funeral service at Odumere quarters, OriaAbraka, while entertainment of

guests will follow immediately at Umiaghwa Primary School, Oria Abraka.

The statement said service of songs will hold at EkrerhavweAgbarho on August 21, at 4 p.m., and outing service on August 23, 2015 at St Joseph’s Chosen Church of God Int’l, Jessa Street, after DELSU Campus before GrammarSchool,Abraka.

CORRUPTION:

Itsekiri graduates laud Buhari on Sagay's appointment

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ARRI—THE N a t i o n a l Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, an umbrella body of Itsekiri graduates world wide, has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari on the appointment of Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, as the head of the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption.

NAIG in a statement by its National President, Alero Tenumah said that it was a testimony of President Buhari true commitment to fight corruption as promised Nigerians during the electioneering period.

“Professor Sagay is the best choice as a legal icon of international repute and against the corruption stance of the president, he is a man of character and integrity that will enable him function well in that position," the statement added.

Oyegun gets commendation

By Onoja Innocent

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GHELLI—ALL Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun, has been described as a true nationalist, who over the years exhibited genuine love for Nigeria through his struggles for the enthronement of democracy, good governance and socioeconomic development.

Olorogun Otega Emerhor, Delta State APC governorship candidate in April poll, in a statement by his Chief Publicist, Dr. Fred Oghenesivbe, posited that the APC helmsman despite several direct and indirect invitations refused to join the band wagon of politicians who join the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the mere quest for political power at a time the progressives were still pushing forward to take over national government.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—35

Media report on my arraignment distorted, lawyer clarifies

Enugu Fed Neuropsychiatric Hospital crisis: Unions back CMD

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—AFFILIATE Unions of Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu,yesterday, distanced selves from attacks on its management, led by Chief Medical Director, Dr. Jojo Onwukwe and passed a vote of confidence on the CMD. Members of JOHESU, the Graduate Nurses Association, Association of Psychiatric Nurses of Nigeria, APNON, and General Welfare Association jointly frowned at the activities of some of its members who went about instigating crisis at the hospital.

The three unions in passing a vote of confidence on Dr. Jojo Onwukwe, revealed that the entire members of staff are satisfied with his leadership.

In a joint statement signed by the Graduate Nurses Association Chairman, Mrs. Grace Anoliefo, the Association of Psychiatric Nurses of Nigeria, APNON, Chairman, Chibuzo Maduka, and the General Welfare Chairman, Alphonsus Mba, as well as the immediate past

LAWYER, Mr. Luke Emejulu, has said that the recent media report on his arraignment in court, was a distortion of what transpired in the matter.

Reacting to the said report, Emejulu, said: “At my arraignment on June 1, 2015, my lawyer, Onyenchie Enyi raised a point of observation and preliminary objection to my trial on the ground that the trial arose from a professional legal representation for Bolaji Olukoya, the son of Dr. Mobolaji Olukoya, the complainant.

"The lawyer pointed out that the entire charge was a persecution over nonpayment of my professional fees of N700, 000 and demanded that the charge be struck out.

“This observation clearly annoyed the chief magistrate, who ordered the prosecution to produce the complainant, Dr. Olukoya in court. " A very senior lawyer, Mr. Taiwo Tychus intervened and requested the Chief Magistrate to take a very serious view of my unlawful arrest and detention and requested I be granted bail in selfcognizance and on the most liberal terms pending further hearing.

“All the above were left out and omitted by the said report, thereby infringing the principle of fair, just and balanced reporting which created bias and prejudice to my person and reputation,” he added.

President of JOHESU, Chidiebere Eze, said: ”The management of the hospital ably led by Dr. Jojo Onwukwe has always paid our salaries as at when due. He has paid us all our uniform allowances. He has paid all the union check-off dues.

We make bold to say that any pending arrears are the same in all the hospitals in Nigeria and is in line with the current economic situation of the country.”

The unions noted that they had not mandated any group or

persons to probe into the day to day activities of the hospital other than the welfare of the workers, saying that those workers going about making unsubstantiated allegations have exceeded their mandate and are being manipulated to malign and destroy the good image of the management of the hospital and its Medical Director for their selfish reasons.

“We want to make it unequivocally clear that they do not have the mandate of the

Abia tribunal admits Obingwa Council results in evidence

By Anayo Okoli

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M UA H I A — A B I A Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia, Monday, overruled the objections raised by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, his party PDP and INEC against the admissibility of some unit results of Ugwunagbo Ward 1 in the April general elections in the state.

APGA governorship

candidate in the election, Dr. Alex Otti, was at the tribunal challenging the results of Ugwunagbo, Isiala Ngwa North, Obingwa, Osisioma and Umuahia North local government areas in the election.

Otti’s lawyer, Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN), who tendered the results, said that they were duly certified in full compliance with Section 104 of the Evidence Act and the tribunal’s directive on

Cede NDDC MD to Edo, stateholders tell Buhari

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ENIN CITY— STAKEHOLDERS in Edo State want President Muhammadu Buhari to cede the position of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, or the Executive Director Finance and Administration, EDFA, to Edo State, regretting that the state was marginalized under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDPled Federal Government in terms of appointments into the Board of the NDDC. They described as an

workers; that no congress has ever met in the past five months.

Therefore, it is impossible for them to have the mandate of the workers.

"They only meet with their masters, who want to instal the next medical director, who are the engineers and sponsors of this problem and thus their resolve in sending out inflammatory and defamatory statements about the hospital and its Medical Director with the sole aim of throwing the hospital into confusion,” they said.

aberration the appointment of MD of NDDC and the EDFS only from Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers states, “as if Edo, Imo and Ondo states are not from the Niger Delta,” appealing that the All Progressives Congress, APC, led Federal Government should correct the anomalies for the interest of equity and justice.

This was contained in a communique signed by the Edo Youth Empowerment Forum led

by Mr Iredia Okao and Comrade Godwin Erhahon for the Edo State APC and four

others representing the Labour Party, artisan and market women.

The stakeholders observed that “since the introduction of the NDDC , Edo State had been neglected despite the fact that the state produces the largest quantity of gas in the Niger Delta and the nation as a whole.

"Appointments into the board are always handled by a cabal who felt that only Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa states are the key Niger Delta states."

Friday, August 13, hence ought to be admitted in evidence.

But Governor Ikpeazu’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanikpeku (SAN), PDP lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) and INEC’s lawyer, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), objected to the admissibility of the results on the grounds that the result sheets were not properly and duly certified in compliance to Section 104 of the Evidence Act. However, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Usman Bwala, overruled their objection, pointing out that they were certified in compliance with Section 104 of the Evidence Act and the tribunal’s prescription.

The tribunal, therefore, admitted the document and marked it as Exhibit PB01A-A6.

The respondents also objected to the admissibility of the unit results from Isialangwa North, Umuahia North and remaining units from Ugwunagbo Council area which were also tendered by the petitioners’ lawyers.

They, however, said that their grounds of objection and argument would be incorporated in their final written addresses, in line with the agreement reached with the petitioners’ counsel.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

Should Buhari probe GEJ administration or not?

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very person should be probed, whether in government or private, whether in Jonathan, YarAdua, OBJ, Abdusalami,Abacha, Sonekan. IBB, Buhari-1, Shagari, OBJ, Murtala, Gowon, Ironzi or Balewa.Mr Etebele Julius- Worker

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es; but he must start from 1999, if not; such probe will not only be a witch-hunt but be a sentimentally biased one. Let the looters bring their loot and go free, then a new era of accountability will start. Mr Pius Onyeka Ezugwu- Engineer

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hat I have to say is that they should let the probe begin now without further delay. He should probe all those who have stolen from Nigeria irrespective of period or time. Mr Adekunle Jegede, Teacher

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he sanctimonious pos ture of this administration is getting people pissed off. GEJ administration ought to be probed and judgment served but does PMB has the moral uprightness to tackle this?

Miss Hope MacaluayWorker

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orruption will kill Nige ria if we fail to kill it.

There should come a time when we have to say no to impunity, and now is the time. PMB, go ahead and recover all the loots from all, not some of the looters before we can think of forgiving or jailing anybody. Mr Eze Nwaoha, Barber

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es o! He should be probe ,He ,s a looter let them get all the money they looted back and Nigeria People should continue praying for President Buhari may God help Him ,God bless Nigeria. Mr Samson Akinpelu, Businessman

36 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Echocho joins Kogi gov race

By Kingsley Fanwo

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BUJA—FORMER Afribank chief and winner of January 11, 2011, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Governorship Primary, Alhaji Isah Jibrin Echocho, has formally declared for the 2015 governorship poll in the state on the platform of eoples Democratic Party, PDP, with a promise to fix Kogi State.

Echocho stated this in Abuja while picking his nomination form at the Wadata Plaza. He said the state needs a new direction.

Echocho said he would take steps to improve on the condition of basic infrastructures in the state.

“In the past four years Governor Idris Wada has been governing our state but come November 21st November, 2015 a fresh election for the office of Governor would be conducted as our constitution demands.

“I want to be the recipient of the baton. This is not a decision I take lightly, but one that I arrived at after a careful and persistent consideration as well as the need for a servant leader who places people over politics and service above all else. I took the decision to run for governor of our state in 2015 under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, after a great deal of thought. I consulted widely with my family, friends and close political associates in Kogi state and nationwide.

Plateau Assembly speaker tasks residents on peace

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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OS—THE speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Peter Azi, has appealed to residents of the state to exercise patience with one another, saying the Assembly was working hard in collaboration with the executive arm of government to restore lasting peace in the state.

Azi, who gave the admonition while addressing the Women Peace and Security Network and Civil Society Organizations, who were on a peaceful rally to the Assembly to create awareness on the plights of women in conflict areas and internally displaced persons in the state, disclosed that a committee had been constituted to look ways to restore peace to the state.

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Malnourished children get UNICEF's $24m lifeline in Jigawa

By Aliyu Dangida

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U T S E — T H E United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has procured Ready-to-UseTherapeutic Food RUTF worth

$24m, equivalent to N4.7billion, for the treatment of severely malnourished children in Jigawa State under its nutrition programme.

UNICEF chief field officer in charge of Bauchi zonal office Dr.

Abdullahi Kaikai, who stated this while speaking with newsmen in Dutse, the state capital, said the resources used in the procurement of the products was sourced from the Department of International Development of the UK and the

HANDING-OVER: The new commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology, (AFIT), Air Commodore Musbau Adekunle Soladoye (left) receiving the flag of honour from former Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Toni Adokwu, during the handing-over ceremony in Kaduna, weekend.

Photo by Olu Ajayi.

Taraba LG stakeholders ask Ishaku to extend civil servants screening

By John Mkom

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A L I N G O — STAKEHOLDERS at local government level in Taraba State have urged Governor Darius Ishaku to immediately extend the just concluded screening of the state civil servants at local government councils to reduce unjust payment of salaries.

Speaking with Vanguard in Jalingo, Taraba State, the chairman, Association of Local Government Of Nigeria, ALGON, Taraba State chapter, Mr. Steven Agya, who is also caretaker chairman of Ussa local government council, said the screening would go a long way to solve the unhealthy workforce at the third tier of government in the state.

Agya also confirmed to Vanguard that the local government workforce was highly unhealthy.

“If the governor can deem it fit in his wisdom to extend the screening to the local government level, it will be a welcome development because even at the local government we are experiencing the same ghost workers menace” “For now we the caretaker chairmen of the sixteen local government councils lark the powers to kick start the screening across the local government councils until we are elected as executive chairmen,” he said.

Agya said the just concluded screening of the state civil servants would reduce huge financial burden on the state government.

Some directors at the sixteen local government councils who spoke to Vanguard, also noted that if the screening was extended to local government councils, many ghost workers that would reduce the same financial burden of local government councils would be

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Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain in Delta State, Mr. Odugba Ochuko have commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, for signing into law the DESOPADEC amendment bill, 2015.

The party chieftain in a statement made available to newsmen in Emevor, Isoko North Local Government Area of the

state, described the law as “a timely intervention from both arms of government”. He noted that the amendment of the bill and subsequent signing into law had shown how the concept of constitutional democracy had taken root in the state.

Ochuko said: “I praise members of the state House of Assembly for responding to the yearnings of the people of the oil and gas producing communities.

The zeal in passing the bill,

‘Under-staffing, bane of free education in Nasarawa'

By Abel Daniel

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AFIA—THE All Nigeria Confederation of Principal of Secondary Schools, ANCOPSS, in Nasarawa State has blamed the ineffectiveness of Almakura’s free education programme in the state on the problem of shortage of staff, poor funding and inadequate instructional materials in schools.

The state President of ANCOPSS, Alhaji Umar Ubangari, made the observation in Lafia yesterday when officials of the association appeared before the state House of Assembly Committee on Education, Science and Technology.

Mark closes defence at tribunal

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—THE immediate past Senate President, Senator David Mark, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, closed his defence at Legislative Houses Elections Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State.

Mark’s victory in the Benue South senatorial district, at the last general elections was challenged

Okowa lauded for signing DESOPADEC amendment bill into Law

By Tare Youdeowei

European Commission for Humanitarian ECHO. He added that the CommunityBased Management of Acute Malnutrition, CMAM, was currently being implemented across the 12 LGA’s of the state.

He explained that UNICEF has in the last three years supported the state government in the sector of water, sanitation, and hygiene, saying the project has helped in providing safe drinking water reaching a population of over 300,000 including rural women and school a children with safe drinking water and sanitation and hygiene promotion services.

having gone through all legislative processes, is indicative of the fact that the state legislators are truly independent and are alive to their obligations”.

According to him, with the passage and eventual signing of the bill, Okowa had equally shown to the world that the amendment that was sought was devoid of personal interest, stressing that it was made in the best interest of the oil producing communities, and Delta State as a whole.

at the tribunal by the defeated All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Daniel Onjeh, who is urging the court to nullify the election on the ground that it was marred by malpractices.

At Tuesday’s hearing which was attended by the former Senate President, his counsel, Mr. Ken Ikonne, informed the tribunal of his intention to close his defence, after which he applied for the leave of the tribunal to tender certified copies of extracts from the Sunday Mirror and This Day publications of March 29., 2015, in support of his defence.

He stated that the two documents had already been pleaded in paragraphs five and 116 on pages two and 117 of the first respondents amended reply to the petition.

Ikonne argued further that the documents were brought sequel to the provisions of Paragraph 41(6)(c) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act 2011 as amended, as well as paragraph 20, Rule 2(d) of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure rule of 2009.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—37

WEDDING: From left— Mohammed Abubakar; his wife, Fatimah; Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State; Etsu Tsaragi, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi; Abdulrahman Abdullahi and his wife, Amina, during the wedding ceremony of the couples in Tsragi, Edu Local Government Area.

VISIT: From left— Oladokun Oye, Regional Operations Director, Lagos, Airtel Nigeria; Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, Oba of Ikorodu; Sir Ayodele Elesho, Secretary, Coronation Committee; and Alex Utethe, Zonal Business Manager, Lagos Central, Airtel Nigeria, during Airtel's courtesy visit to the monarch.

DSTV/CUSTOMER: From left— Mr. Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, DStv; Lateef Tijani, Deputy Operations Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria and Caroline Oghuma, Public Relations Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria during the DStv Customer Forum at SWAN Secretariat, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

STAR TREK: From left— Dotun, OAP & Host, Cool FM; Obabiyi Fagade, Brand Manager Star, and Efe Omorogbe, Talent Manager, at the Benin leg of Star Music Trek.

CONFERENCE: From left— Mo Abudu, CEO, EbonyLife TV; David Cowan, Managing Director & Africa Economist, Citi; and Mrs. Sola DavidBorha, CEO, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc and keynote speaker, at the Business in Africa conference organised by the students and alumni of Africa Business Network, University of Cambridge, UK.

PODIATRY WORKSHOP: From left— Dr. David Isiavwe, Chairman; Dr. Afokoghene Isiavwe, Medical Director & Consultant Endocrinologist, both of Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre; Dr. James Kinchsular; Dr. Rahn Ravenell and Dr. William Harris, all trainers, at the 2nd Lagos Podiatry & Diabetes Foot Care Workshop organised by Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre in Lekki, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

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AWARD: Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, guest speaker (left) receiving a merit award from Dr. Rotimi Oladele, President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations at the Auditorium of Obasanjo Library, Abeokuta, where Badejo-Okusanya delivered a paper on An Image Maker’s Perspective of Rethinking Nigeria.

PUMOH.COM: From left— Mr. Godfrey Osakwe, CEO, Frima Ltd.; Miss Chidinma Adingwupu, Executive Director, Pumoh.Com; Mr. Sam Anyamele, Brand Ambassador; Mrs. Ijeoma Sabo, Head Human Resource/Admin, and Mr. Francis Osuagwu, Managing Director, both of Pumoh.Com, at the launch of Pumoh.Com online shopping mall in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

38 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—39

If only it was O’tega in Delta

By Jesutega Onokpasa

Saraki, Modibbo and I I find the reaction of Senate Majority

By Sulyman Buhari Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, who ECENTLY, Mallam Modibbo himself is from Kawu, a columnist with Borno State, to Vanguard Newspapers wrote an article Modibbo’s diatribe Senate president, Bukola Saraki entitled, “Bukola Saraki in Maiduguri: very touching and important as it underscores the essence contribution of Senator Saraki to Tentative first steps for 2019 presidency”.

For those of us who know the writer of the visit. He said, “ let it be made President Buhari’s victory. As usual, I pretty well, that compilation of fictions, clear that we from Borno State feel very dismissed the piece as the writer’s fantasy and alleged hearsays that his sad that while we complain that the issue regular lies. article represents is not unusual. What of Boko Haram and the carnage they As the pioneer State Chairman of is strange is that the desperation of a are inflicting on our people is not getting Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Modibbo to rubbish and pull-down the kind of attention it deserves from in Kwara State and a person who God everything that involves the Senate key individuals and non governmental used to lay the foundation and build the president, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, bodies, somebody still felt we did not structure of CPC in Kwara State, I know deserve the first visit by a delegation of quite well and I am in the position to appears to be limitless.

For Nigerians who have vague the Senate in six years when the Boko know. The same Nurudeen who knowledge of the man, Modibbo Kawu, Haram problem started.

Modibbo claimed was responsible for “The Governor was moved to tears Buhari’s victory worked tirelessly to he is a proud chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) in while addressing our delegation about ensure the emergence of a presidential Kwara State. In the run up to the 2015 how the people feelneglected and how aspirant and former governor of Kano general elections, he did not only write they felt that if the situation is the zone State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso articles to preach for the continuation of now were to occur in another area, the as the presidential flag bearer of APC the era of corruption and cluelessness elite from all over the country woulf have while Senator Saraki mobilised party under the Goodluck Jonathan-led been on pilgrimage there to identify with delegates across the North Central states administration, he also emerged an the victims. The Governor felt the visit to massively vote for President accidental public speaker. Jumping from by the Senators was very inspiring and Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential one youth programme to elders’ meeting comforting. primary election held in Lagos. to deliver lectures on continuity of The same Nurudeen was even transformation agenda, perhaps, after Inspiring and reported to have got juicy contracts from being oiled by his paymasters. He, in comforting the presidential aspirant he supported. collaboration with his allies, did Nurudeen knows the facts and the facts everything within his capacity to arrest That is the same visit this columnist can not be denied. This short reference the change train but Allah was, and still, who chose to settle personal scores is is a peep into the world of a on the side of Nigerians whose resolve trying to rubbish.” Some people believe Modibbo. Modibbo’s recent article for change crushed the shenanigans of Modibbo’s intention is to fuel crises should not have been found on the pages the Modibbo Kawu’s of this world. within the APC family in Nigeria with of a reputable Vanguard Newspaper. It the hope of ultimately gaining from it. I fails all parameters of responsible do not disagree. However, whatever journalism. It is now crystal clear that a Direct might be Modibbo’s intention(s), it is Modibbo hates Senator Saraki as much reaction bound to hit rocks. He understands. as he envies the same Saraki. He has Not too long ago and before the only deployed Vanguard Newspapers It should, therefore, surprise Kwarans and Nigerians that the same Modibbo inauguration of the eighth National as a tool to advance his hatred.

Kawu is now claming to love President Assembly, the same Modibbo wrote a Muhammadu Buhari more than Senator piece headlined, “The Nurudeen factor Trend of Bukola Saraki. Haba! Modibbo’s article in Kwara Politics”. The piece was full of hatred is obviously his direct reaction to the visit half-truths and lies just as his recent of the Senate delegation led by the articles. Modibbo must have been The management of Vanguard terrified by the seeming Newspapers should do a thorough and Senate President himself to clear coast for the professional review of all articles written Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital. emergence of Senator by Mr Modibbo Kawu as related to It is instructive to note that the Bukola Saraki as the Senator Saraki, a trend of hatred and visit was sequel to the resolution Senate President and pattern of sheer jealousy that negate the of the Senate after an elaborate he thought, though concept of public trust will be established. debate during its plenary session. unwisely, that fueling a When a supposed columnist continually The Senate delegation visited the crises between subjects his platform to public ridicule insurgency ravaged zone to get P r e s i d e n t and odium, it calls for serious concern an on-spot assessment of the zone Muhammadu Buhari and he constitutes a threat to such and particularly on conditions of and Senator Saraki platforms. Like Senator Ndume rightly the Internally Displaced Persons would help his noted, newspaper columnists are (IDPs). But the only interpretation agenda.

In the piece, of a Modibbo to such visit is an “trustees for the public by the virtue of he presented Alhaji their access to newspaper pages and that imagined 2019 presidential When a N u r u d e e n they do not abuse the public trust”. ambition. It is yet not Muhammed, an APC understandable how a supposed supposed No matter what a Modibbo writes Chieftain and a former about Senator Bukola Saraki, it little columnist will author an article on columnist Commissioner for matters. He wrote stories against Senator such visit without addressing the Finance, as the single Saraki before he became the governor widely reported Senate resolution continually most important factor in of Kwara State in 2003 and Modibbo, that birthed the visit, or atleast, subjects his Kwara politics and by obviously, has not stopped. A Modibbo mention or acknowledge it. The extension in the has done worse things. article revolves round fictions and platform to overwhelming victory hearsays without any fact public He has not only breached public trust P r e s i d e n t with his fictions and lies, he has also whatsoever. That is bad ridicule and Muhammadu Buhari journalism. Anyway, that is if deployed falsehoods, fictions, fantasy Modibbo thinks what he odium, it calls recorded in Kwara State and distorted accounts to portray Senator during the presidential Saraki as evil. Modibbo deserves no practices is journalism. for serious election. Nurudeen is Vanguard It behoves on a Modibbo to tell Newspapers concern and also a chieftain of the again. Vanguard Newspaper itself must Nigerians if he is now a comedian or marabout as he claimed to he constitutes defunct Congress for take decisive actions if it desires to be Progressive Change taken serious by the people of Kwara know so much about 2019, four (CPC). Modibbo later State and Nigerians. years ahead, so that he can be a threat to embarked on a futile put where he deserves when it such •Buhari is the Publicity Secretary of attempt to water down All Progressives Congress in Kwara comes to debates on and rubbish the State. contemporary issues and events. platforms

RIGHT OF REPLY

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F late, I’ve kept wondering what would be happening in Delta today, if it was Olorogun O’tega Emerhor of the All Progressives Congress, APC, rather than Senator Ifeanyi Okowa of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that was Governor of the state. Perhaps rather than Senator Okowa’s administration, we would have had a people-oriented and focused APC administration determined to prove itself to the electorate as a superior alternative to the PDP. Instead of the business-asusual approach to governance, we would on the contrary be seeing an APC Government with new ideas committed to effecting real change after sixteen years of PDP misrule.

While Okowa, who clearly prefers to remain stuck in the past in which he was a major player, is insisting we must put up with the old and failed ideas of his kleptomanic party, we would have seen an O’tega led government ensuring that public-spirited persons with fresh ideas are given an opportunity to contribute their quota in effecting genuine change in the state.

Rather than our present lot, an O’tega led administration would have impressed us with a paradigm shift in governance powered by his change agenda.

Rather than our present predicament which was kick started with the sacking of more than 3000 Deltans validly recruited into the civil service of the state without the slightest adherence to due process, we would have an APC administration under O’tega which would have refrained from cruelly sending so many innocent citizens of the state into unemployment.

Economic empowerment Instead of tarnishing the reputations of these bona fide Deltans whom he hardly knows and who did absolutely nothing to offend him, by baselessly alleging that they bought their appointments, as Okowa has done, we would have seen an O’tega led administration imaginatively looking for ways of economically empowering even more Deltans rather than sadistically sacking the few who have jobs.

Rather than having to stomach the hypocrisy of pretending he knew nothing about the debt, we would have had an untainted APC administration led by O’tega determined to make a clean break with the past and committed to recovering all stolen funds in the state. Instead of rushing ahead with his whitewash of an Asaba Capital Territory Development Agency, being sold to us as an interventionist agency necessary for rehabilitating the state capital – we would have had an APC government capable of conscientiously developing Asaba, using the numberless and largely comatose agencies already on ground instead of increasing our debt burden by creating additional bureaucracies.

Yet who is to blame for our having to bear the unbearable burden of Okowa rather than enjoying the refreshing change agenda of O’tega? Happily it is not the good people of Delta at all. They had absolutely no hand in it. Deltans never voted for PDP for the electorate was not even allowed to vote in the first place!

•Onokpasa, a lawyer, wrote from Sapele.

40 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—41

IMSG calls on mothers to support exclusive breastfeeding

By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie

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WERRI—IMO State government has appealed to nursing mothers to religiously obey the six months exclusive breastfeeding prescription of the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, in the interest of the nation’s children.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Imo State, Mrs. Lizzy Asuzu, who made the call, yesterday, while flagging off the 2015 World Breastfeeding Week in Owerri, also called on women to fully support the advocacy for exclusive breastfeeding.

Asuzu said: “Breastfeeding is key to tackling the burden of malnutrition and mortality.

Among the child survival strategies, promotion of exclusive breastfeeding ranked first and was estimated to have the potential to prevent 13 per cent of all deaths, improved complimentary feeding six per cent.”

On the objectives for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, she said it would help to galvanize multidimensional support from all sectors to enable women everywhere to work and breastfeed adequately.

‘It's not time to ask for salary increment'

By Peter Okutu

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BAKALIKI— STAKEHOLDERS of Afikpo South (Edda) Local government area of Ebonyi state weekend called on the Organized Labour in the state to show understanding with government in view of the dwindling economy and accept the decision of the committee on labour salary resolution.

This resolution was contained in a communique issued after their general meeting at Amangwu Edda and signed by stakeholders at the gathering.

They commended the commitment shown by the state government by setting up a committee headed by former Governor Sam Egwu to resolve the impasse in the state.

NASS TRIBUNAL: Drama as INEC lawyer

rejects document issued by its Commission

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—A lawyer from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Benson Ibezim,yesterday,

stunned the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu when he rejected a certified true copy of a document issued by the Commission, saying it could not be admitted in evidence for doubtful authenticity and competence of the INEC

Legal Services Department to endorse the said document.

The drama ensued at the continued hearing of the petition of the former governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani of the People for Democratic Change, PDC, challenging the

VISIT: From left, Mr. Mr. Zakaria Hersi, Head of Efritin.com; Mr. Omoh Gabriel , Business Editor, Vanguard; Uche Ajene, Marketing Manager, Efritin. com, and Mr. Eze Anaba, Deputy Editor, Vanguard, during the Efritin. com's visit toVanguard Media Limited, Apapa, Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe

Fire averted at Aba NNPC depot

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BA—TRAGEDY was, Tuesday, averted at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, depot at Osisioma Ngwa, Aba, Abia State when a fire outbreak at the petroleum storage tank of the depot was put off by men of the Fire Service.

The situation caused pandemonium at the depot as workers scampered for safety, afraid that the tank might explode and spread the fire.

An official of the local chapter

of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, who witnessed the incident, told Vanguard that they were washing the petroleum storage tank ahead of the expected supply of products from the Port Harcourt refinery when the generating set used in pumping out waste caught fire.

“You know that the tank was being used to store petroleum products and everybody was afraid; nobody wanted to risk his life as the tank might explode.

“For some time now, we have not had supply of petroleum products in the depot. So, while the tank was being washed, the generator used in pumping out the waste from the tank caught fire and the men of the fire service were alerted and responded on time. The situation had been brought under control."

Vanguard learnt that the generating set which was being used to pump out waste products from the tank was badly damaged.

GHOST WORKERS: Enugu Govt moves to block

leakages

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—WORRIED by the burgeoning number of unproductive staff in its 17 council areas, the Enugu State has reiteratered that the ongoing audit and biometeric exercise, will weed out ghost workers and ensure prudent management of resources.

Commissioner for Local Government Matters, Mr. Chijoke Edoga while in a chat with Vanguard, yesterday, noted that the laudable idea enunciated by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will in no small measure, instil accountability in local government administration.

This is against the backdrop of series of protests and outcries occasioned by non-payment of workers' salaries to the tune of three-five months in council areas in the state.

According to Edoga: ”The trend of ghost workers is worrisome, especially now that allocation

from the Federal Government has dwindled greatly. Any sane government will quickly block leakages in order to utilize the meager resources in its disposal effectively.

“The exercise will authenticate the strength of the workforce and

ensure that a framework for accountability is put in place.

"Most of the council areas as a result of bloated workforce, cannot embark on capital expenditure.

They continually rigmarole on the recurrent expenditure, which is not the essence of government.”

declaration of Senator Gil Nnaji of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by INEC as the winner of the Enugu East senatorial election conducted on March 28, 2015.

The counsel to INEC, third respondent in the petition, who was in the habit of agreeing to every submission by counsels to the first and second respondents, Senator Nnaji and the PDP, respectively, while stressing as usual that he had nothing more to add, apparently did not know where to draw the line when he told the tribunal that he was “in the same boat” with the two respondents in objecting to the admission in evidence of a certified true copy of the card reader polling unit accreditation report, even though it was signed by the Director of Legal Services of the electoral commission, which he was representing.

Counsel to the petitioner, Mr. O. Jolaawo, who had earlier tendered four documents for admission in evidence without objection by the respondents, had further sought to tender in evidence the card reader polling unit accreditation report generated by the Information and Communication Technology, ICT, Department of INEC for the Presidential/National Assembly elections and signed by the Director of Legal Services of INEC. This was, however, met with the stiff objections of the lead counsel to Senator Nnaji, Mr. P.I.N. Ikwueto, SAN, and that of the PDP, Mr. P.M.B. Onyia, saying it did not meet the requirements of the evidence act as the INEC Director of Legal Services, who signed the document was not competent to do so, not being an ICT expert.

Counsel to the petitioner, Ojolaawo, who immediately pointed out the anomaly of the INEC lawyer joining the other respondents in denying and objecting to a document duly signed and issued by the very commission which he represented, urged the tribunal to disregard his objection offhand.

Harmonization of biometric data base'll help fight corruption —NCS

By Emeka Aginam

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HE NIGERIA Computer Society, NCS, has thrown its weight behind the recent directive

by President Muhammadu Buhari on Ministry, Department and Agencies, MDAs, to harmonize the collection and usage of biometric data instead of replicating efforts.

This directive by President Buhari, according to the newly elected NCS President, Prof.

Sola Aderounmu was very timely considering the huge cost implication biometric exercises

have caused taxpayers in the past, especially in terms of cost of data acquisition, cost of personnel, cost of storage of acquired data and cost of making such data available.

“This is in addition to the general inconveniences to citizens, who repeatedly have to queue long hours for registration.

“Therefore, it delights us as a society that this cooperative model of data acquisition vested in one agency of government is being embraced.

"It is a right and fundamental step towards a true e-government society and will assist in the fight

against crime when agencies drew data from the same database.

“We however, wish to emphasize on the need to evolve enabling technology and legal framework for storing, protecting and making available the data acquired and to safeguard the privacy of citizens' personal identifiable information, PII, such that the data are not in any way used for adversarial purposes.

"NCS is ready and willing to render technical assistance and support in the monitoring of the capability deployment of this enviable project," Prof.

Aderounmu said.

42 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 —43

•Former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan handing over reports of the 2014 National Conference to President Muhammadu Buhari

NASS: Renewed controversy over Confab report THE report of the 2014 National Conference was presented by former President Goodluck Jonathan as the most important document among the handing over documents presented to his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari.

By Henry Umoru, Emman Ovuakporie & Joseph Erunke

T

HE report was equally dispatched to the Seventh National Assembly at the last hour for enactment of the recommendations of the confab.

However, more than two months after the advent of the new regime in the executive and legislative branches of government, nothing much has been heard of the documents.

The conference which gulped billions of naira in direct government funding and also valuable man hours for attendees and other stakeholders is now receiving fresh reviews as to its merits and demerits.

Given the constitutional role of the National Assembly in bringing the recommendations of the conference to law, Vanguard sought the opinion of eight members of the National Assembly on their views on the report that is now quickly gathering dust in the legislature.

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The response of the legislators in both chambers of parliament was divided.

We'll look at it in national interest – Akpabio, Bwacha, Aduda Speaking on the issue, Senate Minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio said: “When it (report) comes, we will study it and treat it on merit because I am sure there are a lot of good things inside and we will look at it in national interest.”

National interest Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, also shared similar views, saying “when it comes, we will study it and treat it on merit.”

On his part, Senate Minority Whip, Senator Philip Aduda, said: “We wait until we get the report. The report as submitted to former President Goodluck Jonathan is rich, with good input from Nigerians of high standing.

When it comes, we will study it and treat it on merit.”

Also contributing, Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, said: “There are many good things in that confab report and I believe the Senate will be able to take a good look at it, treat it and make sure that those things that merit being put where they should, will be put in the constitution or the process for which they will be put in the constitution will be put in place.”

There was no confab in 2014 – Marafa However, Senator Kabir Marafa (APC, Zamfara Central), who claimed that there was no conference in 2014 said: “What is confab that you are asking?

There was nothing like confab.

You should stop talking about illegalities, please. What happened that time was not a national conference, it was just a jamboree organised by the former president to achieve a certain purpose he couldn’t achieve. So, as far as I am concerned, it has

gone with the administration of Jonathan. May its soul rest in absolute peace.’’

Report will be discussed if.... – Omoworare For the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Babajide Omoworare (APC, Osun East),

The conference which gulped billions of naira in direct government funding and also valuable man hours for attendees and other stakeholders is now receiving fresh reviews as to its merits and demerits

“The report, if sent by Mr. President will be listed for deliberation and there are 109 senators, I am just one and I just happen to be the schedule officer and we will see what comes of it.

I have my personal views.

Issues of appropriation I was of the view that a bill would have been brought before even the confab was established and taken at all and it should have been as an act of parliament, which will make our work easier.

“Despite that a bill wasn’t brought, which of course may raise issues of appropriation, how they got money to fund it and so on and so forth, what I think is very important is the fact that Nigerians sat down in that conference and they have taken certain resolutions that can become acts of parliament. ‘’They have a communiqué and that communiqué will be brought to us for us to see. So, it is for every individual senator and every individual representative to make up his or her mind on those issues. At the end of the day, it is just like double time has been spent, double energy has been exerted and double money has been spent.”

Abba-Ibrahim, Sani speak Also speaking, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim (APC, Yobe East) said: “It depends on what they bring. We haven’t seen what Continues on page 44

44—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

EDO: No, Ogbemudia can't choose Oshiomhole’s successor — IDUOIRIYEMWEN MR. Matthew Iduoiriyemwen, an aspirant for the 2016 governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was a former leader of the Edo State House of Assembly and lately a representative of the state on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. In this interview he reviews issues ahead of the decisive 2016 polls and national issues. Excerpts:

By Gabriel Enogholase

G

IVEN that your party has zoned the governorship position to Edo South does that give you an edge in the contest for the ticket?

The party hasn’t formally told us of the zoning. There are so many aspirants in the field and as I have always said, it is nice and proper for everybody to aspire. The most important thing is that who is that person that can deliver the election to the party?

Who is that person that can make the election easier for the party to claim back the seat of governance in this state? Who is that person that the electorate will feel more comfortable with electing him to govern the state?

Who is that person that will best represent us against the opposing parties knowing that one of the major parties that we are going to fight against is the incumbent party not just at the state but at the federal level as it is. So, saying whether I think I will be the favourite, I honestly

You know it is impossible to come out and say we want to have a consensus as to who will be a governor in party politics

know that I have all it takes to win the primaries but it is not time yet.

What are those things that you think make a candidate acceptable?

Anybody who is in the party right now is a party man. And once you are a party man, loyalty to the party comes first. I did

•Iduoiriyemwen: I have all it takes to win the primaries primaries in this party before I didn’t win but I have remained in the party till today. And watch the results of the elections in all

the places that I have influence it was clear that I didn’t lose.

When I say somebody is a loyal party man I know you are

NASS: Renewed controversy over Confab report Continues from page 43 they have brought so how would we know what we will say? I haven’t seen the report, I haven’t heard anything about the report, I don’t know anything about the report. How can you pass judgement on something you know nothing about? But obviously if they bring it to the National Assembly, there must be certain aspect of it that is good otherwise they won’t have bothered to bring it here at all in the first place.”

In his contribution, Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central) said: “I am among those who feel the document should be thrown out and it is of no use at all. But going by the fact that a lot of money has been spent and credible Nigerians have been invited to that conference, in order for such a thing not to be a complete waste, I think relevant issues that relate to the socioeconomic and political development of the nation should be taken into consideration.”

Divergent views also reign among Reps Members of the House of Representatives also expressed divergent views on the matter.

It’s dead on arrival –Omidiran C M Y K

Former Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Rep Ayo Omidiran (APC, Osun), described the National Confab report as an issue that is dead on arrival and has no place in the Buhari administration.

“The confab report is gone with the wind, if the body language of President Buhari is taken into consideration,” she said.

We can sponsor private bills based on the report –Reyenieju On his part, Rep Daniel Reyenieju (PDP, Delta) said that if Nigerians took a critical look at the report of the National Conference, they will understand that the confab report is a process being put in place to tackle some fundamental issues

I would have loved to see the report getting the desired attention from the president but I doubt if he will touch it

confronting Nigeria as a nation state. “The issues contained in the confab report are subject to debate and Nigerians should know that these issues cannot be implemented without the National Assembly being involved.

Difficult situation The president cannot implement the report by executive fiat. Some of the issues in the report have to come in the form of an executive bill to the National Assembly or as a member’s private bill as the case may be, especially such issues like the creation of states and amendment of the constitution”, he averred.

It’s a difficult situation – Yusuf Former Deputy Chairman House Committee on ICT, Rep Tajudeen Yusuf (PDP, Kogi) said it would have been a lovely development if the report had been given the appropriate attention it deserved, adding: “It is a difficult situation. I would have loved to see the report getting the desired attention from the president but I doubt if he

will touch it. The government is not interested in doing anything about it because they don’t want to agree that Goodluck Jonathan did anything right. It is unfortunate that such a wellthought out report will be jettisoned for primordial reasons.”

We’ll wait for Buhari’s views – Faleke Former House Committee Chairman on Ethics and AntiCorruption, Rep. Abiodun Faleke (APC, Lagos) said the lawmakers may have to wait until President Buhari presents his views on the way forward.

He said, “we will wait for the views of PMB and if sent to us I’m sure the House will do justice to it in the interest of the country.”

We’ll consider it if it comes – Famurewa To Ajibola Famurewa (APC, Osun), the lawmakers will consider the report, .if sent to them. “I don’t think there is much problem with the report as it has not been forwarded to National Assembly for consideration. The National Assembly is the only arm of government recognized by our constitution to make law since we are representatives of the people.”

interpreting it that somebody decamped and returned to the party.

Those things do not really bother me. If at the end of the day in the opinion of party members they see that any of the people who have shown interest emerges and the process is not transparent, can you stop the people from getting angry? But if the process is free and fair and anybody emerges, then every other person will say ‘no, in the circumstance there is nothing anybody would have done this person would have won.

The normal thing is let us work with the person’. But in a situation where the thing is skewed in favour of someone, maybe right from the choice of delegates, and it is manipulated, off- course, you know it will take you so much effort trying to pacify and calm nerves.

What is your take on the bid by former Governor Samuel Ogbemudia to produce a credible successor to Governor Oshiomhole?

First and foremost, that is is very undemocratic. For instance you are searching for a successor for Oshiomhole, then under what platform, and which of the parties?

He (Ogbemudia) is a leader of the PDP. Is he looking for a successor for Oshiomhole in PDP or APC?

Search for a successor You know it is impossible to come out and say we want to have a consensus as to who will be a governor in party politics.

Assuming somebody is coming out from PDP, will that make the APC not to contest the elections?

He is our father, we have respect for him, well he has his own opinion, I myself, I do go to him when I need some political wisdom, but I don’t understand the basis of which he is looking for a successor.

I don’t know which of the parties has mandated him, except he wants to form a new political party. That is something that is new to me.

What is your view about the plans by the Buhari administration to probe the Jonathan regime?

There is nothing wrong in probe itself, what is wrong is when it becomes witch hunting.

If President Buhari chooses to probe, yes it is a democratic regime but he has to look at the books since 1999. There has been a lot of maladministration; there have been a lot of corruption, a lot of stealing of public funds.

Let him extend it to 1999 and leave out the pre-1999 era, then one will support, but to just say now, because you want to discredit Jonathan administration by probing, of course they are the ones in government, anything they say will come to the people, because right now they are finding it difficult to start.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—45

Why Ndigbo should follow constructive channels to Buhari — Mbadinuju DR. Chinwoke Mbadinuju was the former governorof Anambra State between 1999 and 2003 under the platform of the PDP. He lost his bid for a second term following the intrigues that characterised the primaries of his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Mbadinuju who is now a member of the ruling APC, in this interview with Vanguard spoke on number of issues ranging from his former party, party leadership, President Buhari’s administration, APC, among others.

By Anayo Okoli

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N the relationship between Ndigbo and President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration President Buhari does not by any means hate Ndigbo. As for appointments, yes, some Igbos across the Niger are complaining, but it is still too early.

The President has just made few appointments. We should exercise patience and give him time before attacking him. Even former President Jonathan whom Igbo gave almost all their votes, what did Igbo get from Jonathan? Nothing! Is it 2nd Niger Bridge or Onitsha to Enugu to Abia to PortHarcourt roads, indeed nothing? I am not holding brief for President Buhari but truth is that the President still has a lot of appointments to make running into hundreds if not thousands.

Friendly encounter Rather, Igbo should find a way to reach out to the President and plead, not by force. It should be a friendly encounter. Because Jonathan failed Igbo, we must try and see the best way to reach and relate cordially with President Buhari and work for the success of his administration.

President Shehu Shagari during his time worked very well with Dr. Alex Ekwueme as then Vice President, and through Ekwueme Igbos got more than anticipated. Such can still be repeated.

Again, to get more appointments Ndigbo must vote right and for candidates that can win and be useful in line with the adage that “he whose bread I eat, his song I will sing”. This should mean a lot for Igbo.

During campaigns Buhari visited the South-East several times, up to seven visits still Igbo believed that Jonathan would win. But he lost. Was that because Buhari hated Igbo? Our people should not eat their cake and have it.

On the performance of his former party, PDP in the last elections?

PDP has been the party on the ground for about 16 years but its performance all these years cannot be said to be satisfactory. For me, the issue of performance is not necessarily the number of years each party has been in existence. PDP was a party destined to save Nigeria’s democracy but it failed. PDP became a party of the past not a party of today and tomorrow.

And because nature abhors vacuum, the PDP was no longer able to take care of its members, APC now fills the space.

Over the period, PDP turned to something else, it became a party of “use and dump” according to its former National Chairman, with many victims, including my humble self.

And from this point on, what I did was “to keep moving” from PDP’s injustice to justice; from PDP’s rigging machine to winning election by rule of engagement; from PDP’s godfatherism to cheating and to avarice, greed, corruption, waste, and ostentation, because that was not the PDP I helped to nurture from 1999.

•Mbadinuju Do you believe the APC can wrest power from PDP in the South-East?

It is very easy. I believe there is no question about APC taking over power in the zone.

In the last election there was little or no planning by APC in Anambra State that was why we lost. The leaders were more mindful of money, how much was brought from Lagos and Abuja and how much was shared.

There was no proper engagement and party members were running up and down chasing the money bags to no avail. But this will not happen next time around. By the time of another election, PDP will still be in shambles.

Three factions

I am of the strong opinion that appointments are not yet done and over.

President Buhari will not discriminate against Ndigbo. And Ndigbo should note that it is not by antagonizing the President

Even to elect party officials recently was not possible and there are now three factions. I predicted it and it is happening already. What we expect from now on is a fragmented PDP in Anambra State with at least two factions joining the APC. And we should not waste our ammunition before the game is out. PDP at any level is still the same, they can’t win again.

The problem of PDP in Anambra now is a carry-over from the present PDP at Abuja.

On party leadership In APC both Tinubu and Buhari are leaders in their own rank. Even in the PDP arrangement it is the President that they usually regard as leader of the party. This has

become a convention. In the case of APC, there are four regional parties, namely CPC, ACN, ANPP and APGA that had functioned independently and each of these parties had its party leader and that was how the issue of one party “Leader” came up. It was not wrong for people to refer to Tinubu as leader in a limited party situation.

The over-all party leader of APC today is President Mohammadu Buhari and he is known politically in Nigeria as leader of APC. National President and National Leader are about the same in appellation.

It would be a misdemeanor to address Tinubu as “Leader” on a national level. To avoid unnecessary clashes, we can say that this is a matter which protocol can easily remedy.

Even a Governor of a State can in his party have capacity to be a leader. If the Governor won’t be leader then he won’t bring fund to oil the party apparatus and indeed this also goes up to party level. At national level the President doles out funds being the Leader. These are not laws, they are convention.

What is your assessment of President Buhari’s performance so far?

I don’t really know which visible accomplishments will be authentic more that others. All I know is that political opponents from PDP never gave Buhari any chance or any hope that APC will ever win the last election.

But these elections have come and gone, and whereas Buhari

was to them an “under-dog”, they now have seen after the elections that indeed Buhari remains the man to successfully pilot the ship of State of Nigeria.

President has displayed great zeal and dispassionate love to steer the ship of the nation aright and has put shame on the face of opponents who see nothing good, even his accomplishments everywhere.

His recent appointments have shown what he plans for the nation.

International circle So there is no doubt that he has very clear and progressive vision for Nigeria. It was unfortunate that the BuhariIdiagbon regime was not allowed to complete what they started but they were stopped at mid-way, and today BuhariOsinbajo team will continue the good work started till Nigeria becomes a power in the international circle to be reckoned with.

It is important that Nigerians should give President Buhari all the support he needs to do this job.

The opposition party, should not only be opposing, they must support their government to succeed.

Trying to pull down a government that knows its onions should rather not be encouraged. It is necessary that Nigeria should be allowed to be moving and not be stagnant.

46 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Anglican Church backs Buhari on anti-curruption war

By Caleb Ayansina

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BUJA—THE Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, yesterday, declared that they were in support of present administration to prosecute any body found culpable to have looted the national treasury.

Okoh, who stated this, shortly after declaring the fifth edition of Anglican Conference of Chancellors, Registrars and Legal Officers opened, in Abuja, noted that church had been the vanguard of anticorruption crusade and would not in anyway compromise.

According to him, “Nigeria is a nation where one single person takes what belong to everybody and appropriate it, and others are deprived, that is a bad situation that is what brings about this type of situation.

“We pray it will not be a selective or witch-hunting

one and I think President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of that sentiment that such a thing could happen; he said that is why he is taken his time to ensure it is not interpreted like that.

“Recently, We had the privilege to see Mr. President and he told us the anti-corruption fight is on course, and what is happening at the moment is that he is gathering facts and statistics, and as soon as that is completed they will start prosecution.

“As a member of the Peace Committee and after the election, we thank God that the crisis, we so much feared did not happen but along the line something came up coupled with some of the things that happened in National Assembly started to raise tension in the country, and that is why the Chairman summoned us again to see how we can go round and ensure that, that peace that

we had at the beginning will continue in the country.

“All we need now as a nation is to pray for this administration to be painstaking enough, as well follow the due process so that everything will be done decently and in order.”

He added that, “Church has always been the vanguard of anti-corruption crusade, preaching and teaching that people should live right, when we live right there is no need for anybody to set up the panel against anybody, if you take what belong to you and I take what belong to me, then, there is no cheating.

On the insecurity in the North East, Okoh said: “The issue of Boko Haram in the country has affected our economy, it has affected our friendship, it has affected our movement, so, whatever that will help us put insecurity behind us, Nigeria will appreciate it."

DG worries over ageing workforce is changing they are Hydrogen in NiMET meteorology very fast. So, in order to be Observers and forecasters.

By Ikenna Asomba

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AGOS—THE DirectorGeneral and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMET, Dr. Anthony Anuforom, has lamented that the agency was faced with an ageing workforce.

Anuforom who made this known at the NiMET Refreshers Course for Medium Level Technicians/Observers, held at its Training Centre in Oshodi, Lagos, said since he came on board as DG, the agency has been paying enough focus on training and retraining of its younger workforce to confront the challenge.

Decrying the agency’s ageing work-force, the DG, said: “Many of our workforce in NiMET are unavoidably retiring because of age and the compulsory 35 years length of service. That is why we are training the young ones. This year alone, we are losing about 72 staff and majority of them are the meteorological technologists who will retire between now and December. So, our strategy is to fastrack the process of preparing you for the sensitive tasks ahead.

“We are also giving emphasis on training and retraining because the coding system in

abreast of the current realities, we have to embark on this retraining system which I introduced four years ago, when I came on board.

“So far, about 207 Observers have benefited from this retraining and

Also, in this Batch today, we have selected 33 of you drawn from different locations in the country, and by the time we finish this Refreshers Course, we would have trained about 240 observers."

Urhobo group tasks Buhari on N-Delta loyalists

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GHELLI—THE Urhobo Unemployed Youths Movement, UUYM, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remember his true supporters in the Niger Delta by rewarding the loyalty they displayed to him before he won the last Presidential elections.

While addressing newsmen, yesterday, in Effurun, Delta State, the group, through its President, Comrade Francis Onokpasa and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rume Okomitie, urged the President not to forget the “onerous sacrifices made by the President, National Coalition of Niger Deltan ex-Agitators, ‘Gen’ Israel Akpodoro who against all odds, boldly stood up to be counted on the side of Mr. President when other exmilitants and many other Niger Deltan stakeholders were still singing the praises of former President

Goodluck Jonathan.”

According to the group: “Akpodoro suffered great oppression, attacks and threat to his life as the only ex-militant who pitched his tent with Mr. President before the election. Indeed, it is on record that Akpodoro, alongside the likes of UPU President General, Chief Tuesday Onoge and APC chieftain, Mr. Jesutega Onokpasa, was one of those who boldly keyed into the pro-Buhari stance championed by our leader and APC governorship candidate for Delta, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor.”

Asserting that Akpodoro had “displayed uncommon courage and principle by siding with President Buhari against a fellow Niger Deltan for the overall good of the country,” the group urged the President to “carry reliable men like Akpodoro along in his government to give those who had identified with him at great risk to their lives a true sense ofbelonging.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—47

Buhari, Okowa tasked on youth devt

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R H O B O Progressive Youth Association has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to give attention to youth empowerment.

President of the association, Mr. Marcus Ekure, a youth development consultant, made the call at a one-day lecture organised by Global Youth Empowerment Network, GLOYEN, an NGO, to mark the international youth day in Ughelli.

Marcus attributed the high rate of unemployment, youth restiveness and criminality to shortsightedness, negligence and insensitivity of governments.

He said these created a paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty, especially for the people of Niger Delta region.

Kachikwu orders forensic audit of NNPC finances

By Michael Eboh

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HE Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, yesterday, announced plans to engage forensic auditors to establish the current financial position of the corporation and also promised that henceforth, NNPC's finances will be open for public scrutiny.

In a statement issued after a maiden town hall meeting with the staff of NNPC in Abuja, Kachikwu also stated that beginning from September, he intends publishing all the revenues and finances of NNPC and plans sending to the Presidency weekly reports of its operations and finances, beginning from next week.

He further promised to revisit old processes in NNPC that used to make for efficient operations.

He said: “I want transparency. Beginning from next month, I want to be able to publish what the company makes. I have told the President that as from next week I will be sending him

weekly reports.

“The culture of transparency should begin with establishing the current financial status of the corporation and we will sign

on auditors to do a proper forensic audit to tell us where we are.”

Kachikwu further stated that the change in NNPC would be anchored on three key

issues of people, processes, and profit, adding that the people element was key to the success of the other two elements, which was the reason personnel motivation was dear to his heart.

150 die in Yobe Boko Haram ambush O

VER 150 people drowned in a river or were shot dead fleeing Boko Haram gunmen, who raided a remote village in Yobe State, villagers of Kukuwa-Gawi said yesterday.

Dozens of militants arrived on motorcycles and a car last Thursday and opened fire on residents of Kukuwa-Gari.

Mr. Modu Balumi, a resident of the village, said: “They shot a number of people.

Unfortunately, many residents who tried to flee plunged into the river. Many drowned.

“By our latest toll, we have 150 people either shot dead or drowned. The gunmen deliberately killed a fisherman who tried to save drowning residents of the village.”

Balumi said the bodies of many of the drowned were picked up several kilometres

away.

News of the attack was slow to emerge because the militants had destroyed

telecom masts around the village, 50 kilometers from Damaturu, Yobe State capital, since the insurgency began in 2009.

PDP leaders endorse Wada

By Fanwo Kingsley

I

N a bid to ensure the victory of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State, leaders of the party in the state, yesterday in Lokoja, endorsed the second term ambition of Governor Idris Wada.

They said the governor had set the state on the path of progress through “strategic development.”

Leaders at the endorsement ceremony include a former Deputy

Governor of Old Benue State, Alhaji Sule Yaji; former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Chief Patrick Adaba; former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Prince Olusola Akanmode, and Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Momoh Lawal.

Others are Chief Robert Audu, a former Federal Permanent Secretary and former PDP Chairman in Kogi State, Hassan Salau and all PDP House of Assembly members.

It was chaired by Chairman, PDP Elders Council and former governor, Ibrahim Idris.

48—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Rousseff supporters warn against ICC decides on Kenya’s case impeaching Brazil’s president today

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RAZILIANS clamoring for President Dilma Rousseff ’s overthrow should think twice, analysts say, warning that the trauma of impeachment could undermine 20 years of building democracy in the Latin American giant.

The depth of anger against Rousseff was undeniable Sunday when almost a million people poured into the streets across Brazil chanting “Dilma out!”

There are many reasons why Rousseff, 67, became so unpopular less than a year into her second term.

The economy is expected to remain in its 2015 recession through 2016, inflation is close to 10 percent, and the real has lost a quarter of its value against the dollar.

In response, Rousseff has enacted austerity measures, but that has left her leftist political base feeling betrayed.

At the same time, the sprawling graft scandal

A

Brazilian protesting against President Rousseff centered on state oil company Petrobras has dragged down the Workers’ Party ’s reputation while fueling a general sense of decay at the heart of politics.

But is impeaching Rousseff or forcing new elections the answer? Analysts urge caution.

“It’s very good that people go out and protest and even call for the president’s exit, but who would come in her place?” asked Andre

Perfeito, chief economist at Gradual Investimentos.

Perfeito pointed out that the man who has the power to trigger impeachment, House Speaker Eduardo Cunha, is under investigation for allegedly demanding a $5 million bribe, while the legal justification for forcing Rousseff from office is far from clear.

She’s unpopular, with her ratings at just eight percent, but what has she done that is illegal?

U.S. intelligence agencies swoop on 305 Clinton emails

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FFICIALS from U.S. intelligence agencies have so far identified 305 emails from Hillary Clinton’s private server used while she was secretary of state to be reviewed for potentially classified information, the State Department said in a court filing on Monday.

The department said the emails referred for review came from a sample of about 20 percent of the Clinton emails screened to determine if they can be released publicly. Last December, Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic Party nomination in the 2016 presidential election, handed over about 30,000 emails she sent and received while America’s top diplomat.

Clinton’s use of her pri-

Hillary Clinton vate email while secretary of state from 2009 to 2013 came to light in March and drew fire from political opponents who accused her of side-

Trump still tops Republican race

B

OMBASTIC real-es tate mogul Donald Trump has extended his lead in the 2016 Republican nomination race, beating establishment candidates and antiWashington renegades

Germany may receive up to 750,000 asylum seekers this year

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ERMANY expects up to 750,000 people to seek asylum this year, a business daily cited government sources as saying, up from a previous estimate of 450,000, as some cities say they already cannot cope and hostility towards migrants surges in some areas.

The influx has driven the issue of asylum seekers high up Germany’s political agenda. Chan-

stepping transparency and record-keeping laws.

Meanwhile, after interrupting a Bernie Sanders campaign event in Seattle, Black Lives Matter activists met privately with Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, confronting the Democratic frontrunner about her response to the movement and mass incarceration legislation passed during her husband’s administration.

cellor Angela Merkel has tried to address fears among some voters that migrants will eat up taxpayers’ money and take their jobs. The number of attacks on refugee shelters has soared this year.

The interior ministry declined to comment on the figures reported in the Handelsblatt but is set to issue its latest predictions this week.

PPEALS judges at the International Criminal Court are set to decide on Wednesday whether Kenya cooperated in the court’s collapsed case against President Uhuru Kenyatta, or failed to provide key evidence to prosecutors.

Prosecutors dropped charges of crimes against humanity against Kenyatta in December.

They have maintained that they were unable to build their case because of obstruction by Kenyan authorities.

Judges in The Hague will rule on a prosecution request to declare that

U

GANDA told South Sudan’s warring factions yesterday to put their egos aside and make peace, a day after President Salva Kiir refused to sign a deal to end a 20-month-old conflict.

The blunt words from a regional power underlined growing exasperation among African and global leaders over a string of broken ceasefires and accords in the world’s newest nation.

Washington has threatened sanctions if no deal is reached.

Kiir asked for another 15 days of discussions,

Salva Kiir shrugging off pressure from regional mediators to meet a Monday deadline for an agreement. His spokesman told journalists in Juba on Tuesday the deal on the table had been a “sell-out”, without going into details.

A line-up of African leaders flew in to join the negotiations in Addis Ababa and press for an agreement, including Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni who at one stage stormed out of the venue.

China laments deteriorating ties with other and unfortunately Nigeria This is also related to the since late last year and

G

alike as he topped a new poll released yesterday.

He leads with 24 percent support, well ahead of second-place Jeb Bush with 13 percent, according to a new national CNN/ORC poll. Despite a broad field of 17 Republican candidates, Trump’s backing is five points higher than in the same poll three weeks ago, prior to the party’s muchwatched first major debate earlier this month.

Kenya failed to comply with an April 2012 attempt to obtain Kenyatta’s personal banking records.

They have asked that the matter be referred to the Assembly of States Parties, the 123-member executive body that oversees the court, or the United Nations, to consider “appropriate measures.”

The collapse of

Peace deal: Uganda tells S Sudan leaders to shun ego

By Victoria Ojeme

Donald Trump

Uhuru Kenyatta,

Kenyatta’s case before trial dealt another setback to the court’s prosecutors, who have struggled to get suspects in the dock and have won just two cases since the ICC’s establishment in July 2002.

Prosecutors have said Kenyatta, the first sitting president to attend a court session, abused his powers to obstruct the investigation, especially after becoming head of state last year. Kenyatta’s lawyers denied this.

Prosecutors accused Kenyatta of orchestrating a wave of violence that swept Kenya after a contested presidential election in December 2007 and killed 1,200 people. He denied the charges.

OVERNMENT of China, on Tuesday, expressed displeasure over the deteriorating bilateral ties between it and the Nigerian government.

The Ambassador of China to Nigeria, Mr Gu Xiaojie, spoke during a press briefing in Abuja.

He said it was unfortunate that the population of Chinese citizens in the country has started reducing due to the cancellation of some Chinese projects by the Nigerian government.

“The population of China in Nigeria depends on how well we are co-operating with each

early this year, the number of Chinese people here is decreasing because of the stoppage of some projects.

slowing down and stoppage of projects for various reasons and because of these, they had to stop,” he said.

Desmond Tutu back in hospital in South Africa

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ETIRED Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been admitted to a South African hospital, for the third time in recent months.

Tutu was hospitalized Monday evening, his daughter Mpho Tutu said in a press briefing in Cape Town on yesterday.

He is being treated for “a slight inflammation,” she said, adding that it is not the same infection that Tutu had been treated for earlier.

Mpho Tutu added that doctors anticipate that her father will be home from hospital within a few days.

“He is in good spirits.

It’s the right place for him to be right now,” said Mpho Tutu. “As you know, and as my father is finding out, he is 83, not 38, so bouncing back from an illness is not qite as easy as it once was ... this is caution, not crisis ... we are concerned but not panicked.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015—49

Iran is not financing Boko Haram— Envoy THE recent nuclear deal between Iran and the six powers namely Britain, France, China, Germany, Russia and the US on Tehran's ambition to acquire nuclear technology for its national development has continued to generate debate in Israel, Iran and US as mistrust remains the crucial issue. In this interview with Vanguard, Iran’s Deputy Ambassador to Nigeria, Saaid Mortazavi explains the knotty areas of the deal and the allegations that Boko Haram feeds from the ideas of Shiites in Iran.

Iran nuclear deal is successful

By Hugo Odiogor & and it is considered as a Victoria Ojeme successful story, an agreement AN Iran be trusted to by the whole world. Lots of abstain from developing congratulatory messages are coming to us as Iranians but what atomic bomb?

You know Iran has pursued to you are saying is that in the establish its rights to enrichment United States congress there are and even five plus one where some group who are criticizing not talking of any atomic bomb Obama mainly republicans and or thing of that sort and today also in Iran there are some the United Nation Security groups that are criticizing such Council has explicitly a deal. Basically they don’t have acknowledged our country’s or they don’t like to see the enrichment rights so the main relationship of Iran and subject was the enrichment right international community to be of Iranian. P5 the p stands for mended but in other power five power countries plus interpretation that I have seen one which is Germany include the republican didn’t like such the United States, Britain, China, an agreement happen during Russia and Germany admitted democratic administration.

What will the lifting of that the anti Iran sanction has been ineffective therefore sanctions do to the people and unanimously endorsed a draft economy of Iran?

In answering that question we resolution then on Monday 14th of July Iran and Five plus need to know the essence of the One succeed in finalise the text sanction against the country. of joint comprehensive plan of action after more than two weeks Banking of negotiations. relations Sir, can give us the key elements of this deal. For I am just giving you an instance it is suppose to curb example living under a sanction Iran’s nuclear production from situation is bad, if you want to 5 -10 years so what are the other make a trade for example in content?

Nigeria, if the business people You know Iran is an NPT want to work together between member Non Proliferation Treaty Nigeria and Iran I am afraid to member and Iran like any other say there is no custom and member has got the right to banking relations between the enrich Uranium for either two business men, so what a medical usage or for providing sanction does is that when a fuel.

Nigerian comes to an Iranian business man they must have a Medical firm work or platform of doing business so considering that one usage side is living under sanction So the UN on Monday meaning that you can’t have a unanimously endorsed a draft deal within the ordinary and resolution turning the joint normal frameworks like banking comprehensive plan of action into to banking relations.

So the trade on its own will an international law. This is the main essence of these become very time taking and agreement and I have read very costly and sometime the somewhere that this is for the business people turn their faces first time in history that a country from doing business in such who was supposed to be banned situations. Just imagine for of enrichment is being endorsed example, an Iranian wants to buy and explicitly have the passenger planes which is a permission to do so that means commodity that any company that Iran has never pursued can place order from a very making any atomic bomb famous company to acquire that because developing weapon of but being under sanction doesn’t mass destruction and things as give credibility and entitle a such is against Islamic ethics and country to do that. We believe that has been explicitly for several that sanctions are very inhumane times stated by our spiritual actions towards a nation.

You said Iranians are happy leader.

There seems to be discordant about the deal but it seems this tunes in Tehran and Washington does not apply to the supreme over this deal. What is exactly leader because he said despite the agreement, that the policy happening here?

C

Saaid Mortazavi, Iran's deputy ambassador to Nigeria

towards US will not change That is another thing, you are right. During the prayers of Eld Fitri the last days of Ramadan month our leader made a very significant speech so in the same speech if you go through that the leader is congratulating on this new achievement so this is an international achievement and has nothing to do with the mutual relations between US and Iran. But some group of Iranians believe that although initially signing such an agreement can lead to a better relation with the United States but at this stage it doesn’t mean that Iran and United States has resolved their own mutual differences within this framework.

With what you are saying is that the agreement just a smock screen?

The agreement is an international agreement. It is like Five plus One and Iran and this agreement and the whole negotiation has nothing to do with Iran and United States differences.

Maybe according to some political interest Iran and United States have had some direct negotiations before and maybe from now onwards they come to a position to open up

Take it or leave it Iran is becoming a great power in Middle East and Iran has got its own standard and political way of dealing with revolutionary movements

negotiations on mutual grounds but this particular agreement has nothing to do with the Iran/US mutual relation.

Your Excellency, Not only the Congress in US is against this agreement but Israel has come up to say Iran deal is a threat to Israel and global security. Do you support that statement?

We are very happy that Israel likes this agreement because we believe that Israel will be happy of that I think that something was wrong with the agreement so definitely Israel occupying the territory of the Palestine must be happy about the deal and so they have got their own ideas and I am afraid to say that they have got their own lobby with the United States, they have got their own lobby in the congress amongst the republicans even amongst the democrats.

Scientific achievements But we as Iranians believe that this negotiation was on for 12 years and they have tarnished the world’s mind towards Iranians taking a logical and scientific achievements and the world now knows that Iran has never pursued making atomic weapons. The nuclear energy and nuclear activities of Iran has always been peaceful but lots of opposition groups, countries even intellectual didn’t like the reality of that truth to be believed by the international communities and they did their utmost effort to make the world believe that Iran is pursuing a wrong objective so they must be definitely be unhappy after 12 years of costs and expenses that they have made for the world to accept such a wrong belief haven’t been successful and they have all the right to be unhappy.

Let me take you back to the deal. With this deal in progress, is Iran likely going to be more transparent, I mean allowing

the international atomic agency investigators to constantly visit the site?

Did you know that all those sites that we have got in Iran are being monitored at the same time with different CCTVs in IAEA from the beginning; we have never been in transparent in that. You know most Nigerians and many other nationals may think that we are doing something hidden but that’s not true. You know more than 70,000 hours of our activities has been screened through CCTVs and people are watching them.

I know this area has been an issue because Iran has never allowed the investigators to come inNo it is not like that. You know the investigators come on regular basis to Iran and go. You are taking me back to the era when things weren’t as good as now during the former government I don’t deny that we weren’t very easy going with IAEA but that government is gone and the new government has got new approaches which is the bases of the negotiation and it is that we want to be with international community while the former government approach was not based on that.

Good intentions So, I think you must remove whatever you have learnt during the 8 years of the former president but that era is over and now we are living under a new government which has all good intentions to make the international community believe that the Iranian nuclear and scientific activities has nothing to do defence or military line.

How do you feel as the world regard Iran as the godfather of radical Jihadist group, recently, the supreme leader said that Iran will continue to back militant groups across the world?

You know international community make us believe that some of the revolutionist people are Jihadist or terrorist. I remember when Islamic revolution was on against the Shah regime, the international community was losing such a war against us as well. Take it or leave it Iran is becoming a great power in Middle East and Iran has got its own standard and political way of dealing with revolutionary movements. We have got very close relations with Iraq but we are helping Iraq government to fight against ISIS so that doesn’t mean that Iran is helping ISIS. Just imagine Boko Haram activities in Nigeria, Iran has constantly condemned in the strongest terms their activities and we believe these are not based on Islamic teachings whatever they are accomplishing in Nigeria. They are neither revolutionist nor Jihadist they are terrorists and please give me a sentence that Iran has said in favour of their activities?

50 — WEDNESDAY

Vanguard, AUGUST 19, 2015

Nsukka trader strangles banker wife to death

BY CHINEMYEH OZOR, Nsukka

T

he University town of Nsukka, Enugu state, was recently, thrown into confusion over the alleged murder of a female banker by her husband, after a row over refusal to make her husband the next-of-kin.

Crime Alert gathered that the female banker identified as Mrs Faith Uchenna Okonkwo (30), was a staff of Access Bank Plc, University of Nigeria, Nsukka branch, and got married to Mr. Obinna Okonkwo (45), a businessman at Nsukka main market, barely six months ago. The husband allegedly strangled her to death on a fateful Sunday after she returned from service.

•The suspect – Obinna Okonkwo disappear from the scene, he dressed up quickly, locked up the house and left, announcing while moving that he was going to Sunday service with a Bible in his right hand. His aim was to hang out of the compound till people returned before he finds himself back.

Agitation over next-of-kin documentation

Investigations revealed that the husband who hails from Uzo-Uwani area of Nsukka, has been agitating that his wife should change her next-of-kin to his name, a request his wife never turned down but only appealed to him to exercise patience because of the processes involved in the bank in effecting such a change, coupled with the fact that they just got married. However, Mr Okonkwo could not abide his late wife’s submissions, believing that she did not want to carry out his directive.

How she was strangled to death

On the penultimate day, the unsuspecting female banker went for early morning service at the Anglican Church along Enugu road, Nsukka. Soon after the service, she made straight to the market to buy foodstuffs for the Sunday meal, only to return home to the waiting hands of her beloved husband. The large compound of a three- storey building was almost deserted as majority of the occupants had gone to Sunday service with only her husband, Obinna, sitting tightly in his living room waiting for the wife to return to perfect his evil act. She got home at about 9.45am,

Back to base

•The slain bankerUchenna Okonkwo

greeted her husband who was alone in the flat as her niece staying with her had also gone to Sunday service.

She went straight to change and enter the kitchen to prepare lunch for her husband. In the course of changing her dresses, her husband entered the room and hit her at the back of her head with a heavy flower vase. She fell down unconscious and speechless, unable to shout while her husband allegedly rushed and grabbed her neck and strangled her to death without a word from her.

Suicide angle

After making sure that the banker was dead, her husband hurriedly went to another room in their flat, brought a rope with which to tie her to a ceiling fan for people to believe that she hanged herself. After that, he knotted the rope around her neck, improvised a wooden ladder, took the other side of the rope to the ceiling fan and began to pull her but, the weight of the lifeless Uchenna was too

much for him to handle.

When it dawned on him that he could not hang her, he made her lie on her knees with the rope tight round her neck.

In his desperation to

Immediately his father in- law was contacted and informed that his daughter had committed suicide in her bedroom and about to be taken to the mortuary, he instructed them to leave the lifeless body as it was till he arrives

After few hours outside, he felt that both his wife's niece who lived with them and other people living in the compound must have returned and discovered her dead body.

He quickly returned to the house, exchanged peasantries with other neighbours around at their balconies, went into his apartment and started shouting on top of his voice, calling people to come and see what he saw. When people gathered and saw the dead body of the banker, the assailant was busy telling the bewildered crowd that her body should be taken to the mortuary without delay.

Father-in-law's reaction

Reports said immediately his father in- law was contacted and informed that his daughter had committed suicide in her bedroom and about to be taken to the mortuary, he instructed them to leave the lifeless body as it was till he arrives. He immediately contacted the family doctor to go and find out what exactly happened to his daughter after expressing doubts over the suicide story.

He insisted that whatever happened to his daughter must be unveiled before anything could be done.

Doctor's findings Crime Alert learnt that after examination of the body, the doctor ( name withheld) noticed that the female banker had some bruises on her face, from which she bled.

Furthermore, he reportedly observed that the banker was at different positions when the injury was inflicted on her, which showed that she was gagged because, rather than blood flowing down her face, it flowed backwards to her hair. Equally, the doctor stated that in a case of actual suicide, the victim ought to be dangling on the rope and must have excreted with the thong pulled out to confirm suicide.

Police intervention and arrest of suspect

It was gathered that the doctor ’s observations raised suspicions over the circumstances that surrounded the death of the female banker, prompting members of her family to quickly contact the police who swung into action.

Subsequently, they arrested her husband as the first suspect. Crime Alert learnt that on interrogation by the police at Nsukka urban division, the husband admitted that he strangled his wife because she refused to change her next of kin to his name. He has since been transferred to Police headquarters in Enugu where he is helping police in their investigations. Meanwhile, the female banker has since been buried.

WEDNESDAY

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO, ONITSHA

T

he circumstances that surrounded the mysterious death of a housewife, Mrs. Celia Okoye, in Nkpor, Idemili LGA, Anambra State during a police raid in their vicinity is raising dust. In fact, while members of the family of the victim are pointing accusing fingers at the police team from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, who carried out the operation in a criminal hide-out around the area of complicity over the death, Police authorities are saying that a member of the family pushed the woman down during the pandemonium that ensued and she died, penultimate Sunday.

However, as at the time of filing this report, it was not yet clear whether it was the SARS operatives that pushed the woman down as they were chasing the criminals or whether it was the fleeing suspects that pushed her down which led to her instant death.

Vanguard, AUGUST 19, 2015 — 51

Controversy over death of housewife during police raid in Anambra Accusations galore

committed the act. The other side of the report had it that the woman who was hypertensive had, on hearing the sound of gun and the rush into her compound by the police, ran into the advancing policemen who in the process, pushed her down.

She slumped and died instantly.

Sources told Crime Alert that while the SARS operatives were accusing the fleeing suspects or even the woman’s children of pushing

The other side of the report had it that the woman who was hypertensive had, on hearing the sound of gun and the rush into her compound by the police, ran into the advancing policemen who in the process, pushed her down. She slumped and died instantly

How she died

Solomon Arase InspectorGeneral of Police her down as they were trying to escape police arrest, relations to the woman said it was the police men that

Trouble was said to have started for the deceased when she returned from church service, last Sunday to rest but unknown to her, death was knocking on her door. The source stated that as she was resting, pandemonium erupted as people started running helter- skelter because of the sudden chase of suspected criminals in the

neighbourhood by the SARS operatives.

Eyewitnesses said as people were running to different directions to avoid being arrested by the operatives, the woman was pushed in the process and she slumped and died instantly.

Police reacts

It was not ascertained whether some suspects were later arrested by the SARS operatives or not but the Ogidi Divisional Police Officer, Mr..

Hassan Musa, said: “The son of the woman had just made a statement that her mother was pushed down by one of her own children as they were running away. Whoever said she was pushed by the SARS operatives is not saying the truth because the police did not even enter the compound let alone pushing the woman.”

A source from the bereaved family confirmed as at the time of filing this report that the corpse of the woman had been deposited at the Immaculate Heart Hospital Morgue in Nkpor.

Govt should look into retirement benefits of Police officers — EX- DIG OMOJOLA

BY EMMA NNADOZIE, Crime Editor

D

eputy InspectorGeneral of Police, DIG, David Olufemi Omojola, in-charge of the Force Information and Communication Technology (ICT), has finally retired honorably at the mandatory age of 60 after a meritorious service to his fatherland with very high sense of dedication, integrity and commitment.

After participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme at Wukari in the then Gongola state (now Taraba State) between 1980 and 1981, he was enlisted into the Force as a Cadet ASP and had his Cadet training at the Police Staff College, Jos between December 1981 and November 1982 as a member of Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Course 10, before he was commissioned as an ASP II .

The DIG who has held several command and staff appointments has maintained an untainted record. He has very high record of integrity, which he successfully C M Y K

inculcated in the officers and men under him. This explains his successful carrier and he told our Crime Editor, Emma Nnadozie, in an interview after his official pull-out parade at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, recently, that he has no regrets leaving the Force.

Omojola also added that his dream to the Nigeria Police Force is the one without stain where people should have confidence in our police as its being done in other parts of the world.

Excerpts.

The Nigeria Police Force you are leaving behind, is there any difference?

Yes, there is a lot of difference.

By the time I joined the Police, the strength was about 50,000, but as at date, we are nearly 400,000 and a lot of things have changed, which ranges from difficult challenges, problem of crime and all what not. It is a different ball game.

After putting in 35 years and you are retiring now, what are those things you are looking forward to and what is your advice to those you are leaving behind?

If you look at what the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase is doing, he is providing for serving officers and even making retiring officers to benefit from the programme, which includes the welfare scheme he is putting in place. As we said in our valedictory speech, we are feeling that the retirement benefit of police officers should be looked into. I think this one calls for national attention. But

DIG Olufemi Omojola, rtd

I am looking at a situation where people will respect and have confidence on the Police. I know Police can only do this by answering distress calls of members of the public

we believe that the IGP will be able to do that.

Do you have any regrets?

I want to say that I have no regrets, because, for me to join the Nigeria Police Force, some of us have sacrificed a lot.

Some were not able to meet the grade, and to the glory of God, we were able to attain to this level and the IGP deemed it fit to give us this honour. I think the only thing that we can do is to say thank you to God Almighty, Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase and his management team.

What is your dream for the Force?

My dream for the future of the Force is one that is without stain, where a Police man can work freely and have the confidence of the people.I have been to other parts of the world where Police is well respected, even more than other security agencies. I am looking at a situation where people will respect and have confidence on the Police. I know Police can only do this by answering distress calls of members of the public. Once we (police) do this, to me that is the particular thing that we have to do, and I am sure the IGP is on track. I am pretty sure we (Police) are going to reach to that stage.

52 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY 5 WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 19, 201 2015

*Combat ready police patrol team take position to prevent angry traders from burning down Ariaria Police Station

ARIARIA MARKET KILLINGS:

Traders still on warpath •Want NDLEA operatives prosecuted •Reps member vows to bring perpetrators to justice

By Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba

I

T was a Friday like any other business day for traders at the Bakassi Line which houses shoe makers and dealers in allied products at the Ariaria International Market, Aba, Abia State. As usual, the shoemakers came to the market with high expectations. But they had barely settled for the day’s business when the market erupted in confusion as gunshots rent the air. The day has since come to be known as black Friday in Ariaria following the death of three traders and 10 others who sustained injuries.

It all began when nine gunwielding operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, allegedly sneaked into the Ariaria International Market around

9am on the trail of a suspected drug baron who had escaped previous arrests. Vanguard Features, VF, gathered that on entering the crowded market, the well-armed NDLEA operatives went into combat mode and started shooting in all directions.

Having seemingly accomplished their mission, the NDLEA operatives dashed into their vehicle and zoomed off, leaving behind wailing and

Shooting in all directions At the end of the shooting spree said to be directed at fleeing drug dealers from a nearby hideout, three traders had died; one whose name was given as John Chukwudi aka John 3:16, died instantly while two others later gave up the ghost. Over 20 traders who sustained varying degrees of injury were admitted at Horstman Orthopedic and Holy Wound Christian Hospitals in the area.

We do not know who killed the man whose body was reportedly taken to the police station.

That is why the investigation is ongoing

gnashing of teeth. Pandemonium reigned supreme in all the sections and lines of the market as commercial activities came to a halt. A trader told VF that two of his colleagues were hit in their shops by stray bullets.

Traders protest:Irked that the NDLEA operatives fled the market without arresting the suspected drug baron, the traders, accompanied by a crowd numbering over 2,000, took the corpse of one of their dead colleagues to the Ariaria Police Station near the market.

The police moved to stop the surging crowd from entering its premises, but to no avail.

However, eyewitnesses told VF that efforts by the traders to gain entry into the police station were eventually foiled when a combined team of soldiers and policemen from neighbouring Divisions were drafted to secure

the station from being burnt down.

The situation worsened when another group of traders brought the lifeless body of one of those hit by bullets and dropped it in front of the police station in the area. Commercial banks and shop owners along the adjoining Faulks Road, A Line, Power Line gates I and 2, Samek, and Bakassi Lines amongst others, were forced to close for business as the situation went out of control.

Security personnel As at about 6.00pm, staff and customers of various commercial banks within the vicinity were still trapped in banks premises even as soldiers and other security personnel restricted movement within the area.

Lawmaker wades in: Reacting to the development, the member representing Aba North and Aba South in the House of Representatives, Ossy Prestige, stormed the Ariaria market the following day, Saturday, August 1, to get first hand information on the incident. He equally visited the injured at the two

Continues on page 53

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY 5 — 53 WEDNESDAY,, AUGUST 19, 201 2015

Ariaria market killings: Traders still on warpath Continues from page 52 hospitals where they were receiving medical attention.

Addressing the traders, the legislator vowed to ensure that the NDLEA operatives involved in the killings are found and made to face the law. He said he was at a loss on how armed officials of NDLEA could raid the market and without any threat to their lives, open fire on defenceless traders who were going about their legitimate businesses.

“This is very sad. I cancelled the official function I was billed to attend in Kano and came down to Aba this morning (Saturday) to get a first hand information and what I have seen is, to say the least, horrible.

We are not in a war situation; why will law enforcement agencies come into the market with guns and start shooting indiscriminately at defenceless civilians? I am taking this matter up and all those involved in this dastardly act will not go unpunished,” he vowed.

Doctors give update on victims: Consoling the injured

traders at the hospitals where they are receiving treatment, Prestige promised to offset their medical bills. At the Holy Wounds Christian Hospital where four of the injured identified as Omeje Odinaka, Maduabuchi Iwuala, Anthony Chinedu and Emeka Obasi were receiving treatment, the medical director, Dr. Anyawu Uchenna, told the lawmaker that six injured traders were brought to his hospital. According to him, the case of one of them was so bad that he had to give a referral letter to transfer him to another hospital.

Of the four persons admitted in the hospital, Dr. Uchenna said one had one of his legs amputated because it was shattered by bullets beyond what was medically possible to handle.

He confirmed that three traders died in the ugly incident and many more could still die because hospitals in the city were rejecting the injured due to a police order which forbids hospitals from treating patients with bullet wounds without clearance from them (police).

*Ossy Prestige listening to one of those injured narrate his ordeal At Horstman Orthopaedic Hospital on Okigwe Road, the doctor, Dr. Emelife Emmanuel gave a brief of what happened to the lawmaker. “One person was brought yesterday (Friday), he was shot on the leg and bled a lot and we had to contend with the blood before we commenced actual treatment.

Actual treatment Because he lost a lot of blood, he had to be transfused and if need be, the affected leg could b e amputated.

Another man was brought this morning (Saturday), he was shot on the hand and he is responding to treatment.”

Victim recounts ordeal One of the wounded traders, Maduabuchi Friday whose wife put to bed the previous day through Caesarean Operation, said he was working in front of his shop that fateful Friday when he heard gun shots and the next thing was that he found himself in the hospital.

T h e legislator thanked the doctors for their efforts in saving the lives of the wounded traders and promised to offset their medical bills

and that of two other patients who had remained in hospital for over six months because nobody could settle their medical bills.

He assured that the matter will not be swept under the carpet until the nine NDLEA operatives involved in the shooting at the market were brought to justice and the Agency made to compensate the families of the dead traders and the injured ones.

Police exonerates its personnel Reacting to the incident, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Abia State Command, DSP Ezekiel Udeviotu Onyeke, who represented the State Commissioner of Police, Habila Joshak, dismissed reports that the police shot and killed the traders. He told newsmen that it was “one of our sister agencies who had gone to the area to carry out their official duty.”

Onyeke who hinted that the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase had ordered full

We are not in a war situation; why will law enforcement agencies come into the market with guns and start shooting indiscriminately at defenceless civilians?

investigation into the incident, added that it took police reenforcement from other divisions from Aba and Umuahia and the assistance of the Army to bring the situation under control.

The police spokesman disclosed that the Divisional Crime Officer, D.C.O in charge of Ariaria Police Division, sustained injuries while trying to stop the surging crowd from gaining access to the station.

The DCO was alleged to have also lost his AK47 rifle to the crowd. VF learnt that the rifle has however been recovered by the police.

Conflicting reports VF recalls that there have been conflicting reports about what had become of the NDLEA operatives involved in the shooting. While one report had it that they have been handed over to the police for investigation and possible prosecution, another said that NDLEA authorities claimed they were still searching for their trigger- happy officials.

We’re still investigating incident--NDLEA Abia State Commandant of NDLEA, Dele Akingbade, told journalists that that the command was investigating its men to know who killed the shoemakers.

Akimgbade said his men, who took part in the operation, had gone to the police to record their statements, adding that the command was willing to find out what happened in order to stop future occurrences.

“We do not know who killed the man whose body was reportedly taken to the police station. That is why the investigation is ongoing. We are collaborating with the police and the officers that went for the operation so that we can find out when exactly the person was shot and with what type of gun and which type of bullet.”

However, a cross section of traders at the market told VF that the security agencies should fish out the killers of the innocent traders and prosecute them to serve as a deterrent to others.

54—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Oliseh: Why I snubbed Ighalo

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

S

UPER Eagles Coach Sunday Oliseh yesterday explained why he snubbed the in-form Watford of England forward, Odion Ighalo from his list of invitees for the September 6 Nations Cup qualifier against Tanzania, insisting that the player will have no role to play in the away game.

Briefing the media after training Tuesday evening, Oliseh said the crew issued invitation to two players for each position, adding that for him, Anthony Ujah and Emmanuel Emenike have better potentials to deliver for the national team. He however assured that the powerplaying striker is still in

•Ighalo

•••Decries clubs' reluctance to back their players how do release players they expect the players to

S

UPER Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has expressed satisfaction with the output of some of the home based invitees, but regretted that most clubs held back their players because of midweek fixtures.

According to him, with just 14 players in camp, the crew has been forced to alter its programme, which he said is not good for the

target set for the team.

“Those who are commenting that emphasis is placed on invited professional players should ask themselves questions, because we are now back in our country to train but nobody to train with. The clubs are holding their players back. What we have to do from the beginning is to change our programme, if they hold

Chukwu Continues from BP from the Stephen Keshi era.

“I sincerely believe that Oliseh might have studied Tanzania’s video clips which informed the list of players he sent to the Nigeria Football Federation’s Technical Department before it was finally made public.

Let’s see what he makes out of the players he invited,” Chukwu said.

As regards the absence of some star players, the former Eagles handler said that there is no way a coach can satisfy all fans and that the most important thing is victory on the road.

“Let me tell you, there is no list any coach can

release that people won’t complain. Any coach that releases a team list, in as much as it’s for the Super Eagles, people will certainly complain.

“But the most important thing is for Oliseh to go ahead with the players he has invited and go to Tanzania and beat them on their soil in Dar es Salam.

“He has just come out with the list so let’s give him a chance and see what stuff he is made of technically.

“Maybe these players he invited will be more committed to the work at hand. So let’s see what he does with them first,” Chukwu said.

catch up with what we are doing” Oliseh asked?

his plans.

“Odion Ighalo is in my plan; but for this first match against Tanzania we are inviting two players in each position, trying to bring competition into position.

It is useless inviting three players for one position, pay their flights and everything only to use one or two of them”.

The former international further added that the new thinking is also geared to ensure that players get the respect due them arguing that there is no need to bring a professional player only to consign him to the bench.

Speaking further, Oliseh said the invitation of Ujah and Emenike was also not out of place because they have what it takes to deliver on a good day.

“But there’s also some big weight in Emenike and Ujah; Emenike, nations cup winner and Ujah who has scored ten goals in the German Bundesliga; we are talking about league of the world champions here”

UK Mission pledges support for Nigerian football T HE High Commission of the United Kingdom in Nigeria has pledged to support the Nigeria Football Federation in its drive to build capacity of critical workers in Nigeria football, towards taking the Nigeria game to heights never previously imagined.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday when a delegation of the NFF, led by its President, Amaju Pinnick, paid him a courtesy visit, the Acting High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to

•Pinnick

Nigeria, Mr. Simon Shercliff expressed delight at the youthfulness of the new NFF leadership and their huge passion to improve the stock of the Nigeria game globally.

“Let me pledge that the UK High Commission will be positively disposed to giving support wherever and whenever necessary, once it is something we can do.”

Earlier, NFF President Amaju Pinnick had delved into the history of the union between United Kingdom and Nigeria, concluding that Nigeria will not able to write its history without a good mention of the United Kingdom.

“Our countries have a history of collaboration.

Our Executive Committee has so much passion to do things in a much different way to how things were being done in the past, because we are committed to achieving results.''

Izunna eyes win against Tanzania A

MKAR Perm midfielder Izunna Uzochukwu was pleased to receive his first - ever Nigeria call up ahead of the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in 18 days time.

The former FC Midtjylland star, his good pal Sylvester Igboun and Wolves netminder Carl Ikeme were the three new faces introduced to the squad when the roster was announced on Monday evening.

“Firstly, I am happy to be invited at last because I have waited for the invitation for a very long time but thank God it happened at last, “ Uzochukwu said.

“My mum was the first

person I called and the invitation will be celebrated with a victory against Tanzania. A big brother of mine told me that my name was among the players that were invited.

“I think the game against Tanzania is winnable but it is not going to be an easy one, but with teamwork, hard work and full commitment we can overcome them and get the three points by God’s grace.”

If Izunna and Sly are fielded against Tanzania, they will follow in the footsteps of Femi Ajilore, who was the first ex FC Ebedei player to wear the jersey of the national team.

Moses Continues from BP very soon! “ Despite traveling to London to run the rule over the winger earlier this month, Super

Eagles manager Sunday Oliseh excluded him from an 18 - player squad announced on Monday.

•Izunna

Home based Continues from BP Tuesday under the supervision of the new coach.

The former Eagles captain also expressed satisfaction with the fitness level of the home boys, stressing that he expects them to improve as the camp progresses.

“I am impressed with their fitness level. It’s our session and what we are doing is to introduce to them how we want to

play.

“The training was not bad but we have a lot of work to do. All we need is for the players to remember what we are working on and we will be fine.

“I am optimistic, but we have to get everybody on ground to know how optimistic we should be. But we also need to be realistic because we know we have to get the train on ground also.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 — 55

City in formal Pedro bid M

ANCHESTER City reportedly make a formal •32m offer to Barcelona for winger Pedro Rodriguez, who has told Manchester United to hurry up.

Catalan publication Sport says City have confirmed their interest in the United target after failing to sign first choice Kevin De Bruyne from Wolfsburg.

Pedro is City’s Plan B and, having lodged their approach with La Blaugrana, will now start speaking with the player about a move to the Etihad Stadium.

Stone

Chelsea line up £35m Stones bid J

OSE Mourinho is planning to start John Terry against West Brom on Sunday as Chelsea prepare to increase their offer for John Stones to a record £35million.

Stones has been lined up as Terry’s long-term replacement at Stamford Bridge and a third bid of £30m has been rejected

by Everton.

Terry ’s future at the club has come under scrutiny after he was surprisingly substituted at half-time during the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City.

It was the first time in 177 appearances he had been taken off by

Mourinho.

Significantly, Terry has spoken this summer of his admiration for Stones, who is believed to be keen on a move to west London.

Everton have claimed he is not for sale since Chelsea started the bidding at £20m a month ago, but that has not put the Blues off as they have come back with £26m and now £30m.

Chelsea’s desperation to get the deal done before the window closes on September 1 has increased following their poor start to the season and they are now willing to pay a British record fee for a defender of £35m.

It’s thought City’s offer will force United’s hand and draw a bid from Old Trafford, the club having had representatives in Barcelona this week to talk about Pedro.

United allegedly told Barca they would this week make a final offer for the Spain international, who would prefer a move to United.

Barca have however stressed that Pedro will only leave if an offer triggering his escape clause is made and by going beyond the •30m stipulated fee, City have indicated their desire to get Pedro to their half of Manchester.

Liverpool battle Roma for Ceballos Kovacic

L

IVERPOOL and Roma are ready to pounce for 19-year-old Dani Ceballos, whose Real Betis contract is running down.

The midfielder is already a Spain Under-21 international with two caps to his name, despite turning 19 last week.According to Diario de Sevilla, his contract expires in June 2016 and there are no signs of an extension.

Liverpool lead the race, already presenting a deal worth •1.5m per season, but Roma are also keeping a close eye

Ceballos

Ubah takes Nationwide League to London

A

S part of the numer ous steps aimed at developing grassroots football in Nigeria, the President of FC Ifeanyi Ubah and Patron of Nationwide League One, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah led the management of Nationwide League One (NLO) and FC Ifeanyi Ubah (FCIU) to the UK for exploratory discussions with West Ham United Football Club.

The meeting which held at Hilton Parklane, London has come as a boost and welcome development to the Nationwide League One as they seek opportunities to promote and boost Nigeria’s grassroots football through international partnerships which has been duly provided by the recently nominated Patron of the Nationwide League One. The mem-

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bers of the delegation included Chukwuma Ubah (Chairman of FC Ifeanyi Ubah), Ahmad Muhammad Mu’azu (Chairman of Nationwide League One), Austin Jay Jay Okocha (Ambassador for grassroots

•Pedro

football and NLO) amongst others.

Exploratory discussions started on Friday and massive strides were made as meetings continued on Saturday with a delegation of West Ham United FC led

Ifeanyi Ubah (r) makes a point to West Ham’s Cochairman, David Gold while others watch with keen interest.

by the Chairman and Managing Director of the Club, Angus Kinnear including Peter Stephensson (OBE), Peter Jules amongst other officials of the club.

NLO Chairman, Ahmed Kawu said that

Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, Patron of the nationwide League One was doing everything to see that the NLO matches its contemporaries all over the globe in all aspects of its operations which also includes financial autonomy.

joins Real Madrid

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EAL Madrid have confirmed the signing of Croatia international Mateo Kovacic from Inter on a six-year contract.

The club’s official website doesn’t announce a fee but earlier reports put the cost of the signing at •30m, with Kovacic receiving •3m-a-year.

Kovacic began his career with Dinamo Zagreb, moving to San Siro in 2013. He played 97 times for Inter, scoring eight goals, before making the switch to Madrid.

Madrid also confirmed Kovacic will be presented at Santiago Bernabeu today following his medical.

Kovacic

Ifeanyi Ubah and his Nigerian team, comprising Austin Okocha and Kawu in a group discussion with management of West Ham in London

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015

Respect Oliseh’s choice of players – Chukwu F

ORMER Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu has charged all football loving Nigerians to respect Sunday Oliseh’s choice of invitees for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Tanzania in Dar es Salam.

The new Eagles gaffer left Watford FC, forward, Odion Ighalo, and the duo of Mikel Obi and Victor Moses amongst others in the list of foreign pros he released on Monday.

Top on Oliseh’s list are Haruna

•Chukwu Lukman, Joel Obi and Emmanuel Emenike as well as other regulars Continues on Page 54

5 home-based for Tanzania S Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Carl Ikeme one of the invited Super Eagles players for the Afcon 2017 qualifier against Tanzania

I’ve a small injury – Moses V

ICTOR Moses was a shock exclusion from Chelsea’s 18 - man squad for their big clash against Manchester City last weekend.

The Nigeria international has revealed that he failed to make Jose Mourinho’s match day squad

because he is nursing an injury that should not keep him on the sidelines for too long.

“Thanks for all of your support and concern, “ Victor Moses posted on Twitter.

“I’m having treatment on a small injury but hopefully will be back Continues on Page 54

UPER Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has revealed he will pick five players from the domestic league to join the 18 foreign pros for the September 5 AFCON qualifier against Tanzania.

Twenty three players from the domestic league began training in Abuja on Continues on Page 54

Today’s Fixtures Enyimba Heartland Wikki Dolphins Taraba El Kanemi

v v v v v v

Pillars Kwara Utd Abia Warriors Sunshine Bayelsa Warri Wolves

4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm 4pm

Ubah takes Nationwide League to London — Pg.55

•Moses

•Oliseh

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Impel (4) 4 Intelligence (3) 6 Tight (4) 8 Coming (6) 9 No-one (6) 10 Owned (3) 12 Fashion (5) 14 Memorise (5) 15 Attempted (5) 18 Beg (6) 20 Harmony (6) 24 Loaded (5) 26 Enlist (5) 28 Broader (5) 30 Layer (3) 32 Larger (6) 33 Beast (6) 34 Intend (4) 36 Dregs (4) 35 Noise (3)

DOWN 2 Wireless (5) 3 Perform (7) 4 Having (4) 5 Nurse (4) 6 List (5) 7 Experience (7) 11 Expert (3) 13 Epoch (3) 16 Sick (3) 17 Defective (3) 19 Thoughtful (7) 21 Novel (3) 22 First (7) 23 And not (3) 25 Tool (3) 27 Harmonium (5) 29 Escape (5) 30 Poke (4) 31 Story (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Tease 7, Devil 8, Melon 10, Magic 12, Fat 13, Remit 15, Logical 17, Eroded 19, Won 20, Deleted 23, Died 25, Down 26, Devoted 30, Pad 31, Denote 34, Shelter 37, Moral 38, Awe 39, Debit 40, Piety 41, Sewed 42, Speed.

DOWN: 1, Defer 2, Timid 3, Elated 4, Soil 5, Refined 6, Total 9, Lac 11, Covered 13, Ready 14, Moved 16, Got 18, Decoded 21, Donor 22, Angel 24, Deplete 27, Vat 28, Demise 29, Chair 32, Noted 33, Tamed 35, Ewe 36, Reap.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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