55 Nigerians stole N1.34trn in 8 years—FG

...towards a better life for the people

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

**

VOL. 25: NO. 62673

N150

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

2016 budget revised, allocation to Presidency reduced

9

Buhari's budget failed integrity check — Senate 12

BIAFRA: 8 killed, as IPOB members, 15 Police clash in Aba Protests hold in Delta, Abia, Enugu

55 Nigerians stole N1.34trn in 8 years—FG "One-third of the stolen funds could have provided 635.18 kilometres of roads; 36 ultra-modern hospitals per state; 183 schools; educated 3,974 children from primary to tertiary level at 25.24 million per child and built 20,062 units of 2-bedroom houses."

WHAT 55 PEOPLE STOLE (2006 -2013) 15 ex-govs

4 ex-ministers 12 ex-public servants

8 other 8 businessNigerians in men banking sector

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor & Emmanuel Elebeke

A

BUJA —THE F e d e r a l Government said, yesterday, that 55 wellplaced Nigerians stole a whopping N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013, an amount that would have been enough to provide significant

Continues on Page 5

N146.84bn

N7bn

Over N14bn

N524 bn

Pipeline bombings: Militants flee as JTF intensifies hunt

N653 bn

Press Council Law: NPAN, NUJ, NGE to appeal court judgment

12

Mr & Mrs

11

The agonies of Ikot Akpan Udo villagers See Inside

C M Y K

MEETING—Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari (8thL); wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo (6thR); wife of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Gimbiya Dogara (7thL); with wives of state governors after their meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. See story on Page 11.

CLO supports CBN ban on forex to BDCs

14

...towards a better life for the people

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

**

VOL. 25: NO. 62673

N150

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

2016 budget revised, allocation to Presidency reduced

9

Buhari's budget failed integrity check — Senate 12

BIAFRA: 8 killed, as IPOB members, 15 Police clash in Aba Protests hold in Delta, Abia, Enugu

55 Nigerians stole N1.34trn in 8 years—FG "One-third of the stolen funds could have provided 635.18 kilometres of roads; 36 ultra-modern hospitals per state; 183 schools; educated 3,974 children from primary to tertiary level at 25.24 million per child and built 20,062 units of 2-bedroom houses."

WHAT 55 PEOPLE STOLE (2006 -2013) 15 ex-govs

4 ex-ministers 12 ex-public servants

8 other 11 businessNigerians in men banking sector

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor & Emmanuel Elebeke

A

BUJA —THE F e d e r a l Government said, yesterday, that 55 wellplaced Nigerians stole a whopping N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013, an amount that would have been enough to provide significant

Continues on Page 5

N146.84bn

N7bn

Over N14bn

N524 bn

Pipeline bombings: Militants flee as JTF intensifies hunt

N653 bn

Press Council Law: NPAN, NUJ, NGE to appeal court judgment

12

Mr & Mrs

11

The agonies of Ikot Akpan Udo villagers See Inside

C M Y K

MEETING—Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari (8thL); wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo (6thR); wife of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Gimbiya Dogara (7thL); with wives of state governors after their meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. See story on Page 11.

CLO supports CBN ban on forex to BDCs

14

2—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—3

C M Y K

4—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Militants list conditions to stop bombings in N/Delta Insist on meeting with Petroleum Minister

By Soni Daniel

A

BUJA — TOP militant leaders, who have been causing havoc in the Niger Delta and major oil depots in the South-West, have laid out conditions under which they would stop the renewed bombing of oil installations and embrace peace.

The militants told one of our correspondents in Abuja that they would only drop their arms when the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, meets and negotiates with them.

The militants issued the position after a secret meeting

involving their leaders from the Niger Delta and their counterparts in Arepo, Agric, Epe, Ikorodu, Itoikin and Igbokoda areas of Lagos.

One of the top leaders, who gave his name as General Levi, told Vanguard that they would not want to back down until the Petroleum Minister meets them and secures amnesty for their members to avoid being persecuted by security agencies.

The militant leaders also said after meeting with the minister, they would thereafter take over the responsibility of tracking and exposing those bent on

causing further destruction to all facilities and meting our appropriate punishment to them.

They said they had been pleading for amnesty since the days of the President Jonathan’s administration but nobody took them into consideration and were ready to work with the new administration to bring about an end to oil bunkering and pipeline vandalisation in the Niger Delta region and the South-West.

Levi said: “We are ready to drop our arms and denounce hostility with the government on the condition that the Minister of Petroleum will

meet with us and hear our own side of the story. We are not against the government but we have genuine issues yet to be addressed by successive administrations in this country.

“We are ready to commence discussion and denounce association with this present situation. From now henceforth, we are ready to block any channel for anyone not to go through to bomb oil pipelines.”

The bombing of oil installations in the Niger Delta commenced last week as militants blew up major oil and gas pipelines in the area.

Iran: South Africa to stop crude oil imports from Nigeria

By Michael Eboh, with agency report

A

BUJA— NIGERIA’S woes in the area of dwindling revenue from crude oil sales is expected to heighten in the next couple of days, as the South African Petroleum Industry Association, SAPIA, yesterday, stated that South Africa would likely stop importing crude oil from Nigeria following the lifting of sanctions on Iran.

Executive Director of SAPIA, Avhapfani Tshifularo, told journalists that the potential return of Iranian oil exports to South Africa threaten to displace barrels from Saudi Arabia and Nigeria that plugged the supply gap when sanctions were imposed on Iran, which is OPEC’s fifth biggest producer.

He said: “The re-emergence of Iranian crude oil provides options for those willing to buy from Iran. Iranian imports are likely to displace the Nigerian and Saudi Arabian crudes, since they seem to have filled the gap since South Africa stopped importing Iranian crude oil.”

Furthermore, data compiled

by SAPIA from refiners showed that South Africa stopped importing crude oil from Iran in 2013, following which its oil imports from Nigeria rose significantly, with Saudi Arabia emerging the highest exporter of crude to the country.

Recent data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, had showed that a sharp decline was recorded in revenue accruable to the Federal Government from the petroleum sector, as the

LISTING: From left, Omoniyi Fagbemi, Benjamin Dikki, Non-Executive Directors of Transcorp Hotels Plc; Oscar Onyema, CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange; Valentine Ozigbo, MD/CEO and Emmanuel Nnorom, Non–Executive Director, also of Transcorp Hotels Plc during the listing of of the company’s N10 billion Series 1 bond at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, yesterday. country ’s earnings from crude oil export dropped to N5.271 trillion for the nine month period, January to September 2015.

The NBS, in its Foreign Trade Statistics for the Third Quarter of 2015, had noted that the value of Nigeria’s crude oil export for the nine month period 2015, represented a decline of 45.39 per cent or N4.381 trillion when compared to crude oil export of N9.652 trillion recorded in the same period in 2014.

It also represented a decline of 55.67 per cent or N6.62 trillion when

compared to total crude oil earnings of N11.891 trillion recorded in 2014.

Giving a breakdown of Nigeria’s crude oil earnings in nine-month 2015, the NBS data revealed that the country earned N1.675 trillion from crude oil export in the first quarter of 2015, N1.984 trillion and N1.611 trillion in the second and third quarters respectively.

This was in contrast to crude oil export earnings of N3.234 trillion, N3.269 trillion and N3.149 trillion for the first, second and third quarters respectively, while in the fourth quarter of 2014, the

country earned N2.239 trillion from the export of the commodity in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Further breakdown of the 2015 figures showed that the country earned N505.898 billion, N591.964 billion, N577.361 billion, N698.387 billion and N668.526 billion in January, Februar y, March, April and May respectively.

In the months of June, July, August and September, Nigeria’s crude oil export stood at N617.364 billion, N572.813 billion, N512.823 billion and N525.857 billion respectively.

We've driven Boko Haram to ‘fall back’ position —Buhari

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

B U J A — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari said, yesterday, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, UAE, that Nigeria with the assistance of Multinational Joint Task Force has driven Boko Haram insurgents to “fall-back” position.

The president, who spoke during a meeting with the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit in UAE said Nigeria was at the verge of completely decimating the insurgents.

He boasted that no part of Nigerian territory was under the control of terrorists anymore, noting: “They are currently not holding any territory today as we speak.“ President Buhari also told the United Nations Secretary-General that Nigeria would persistently pursue global action to reverse the drying up of Lake Chad and save the lives of those who depend on it for survival.

“With all due respect to our neighbours, Nigeria has been worst hit by the drying up of the Lake Chad and we are hoping that the global community will support the process of halting the drying up of the lake,“ President Buhari said.

Responding, Moon commended the President for his courage in fighting terrorism and corruption.

He remarked that Nigeria had made tremendous progress against terrorism since President Buhari assumed office, noting that the war against corruption has boosted global confidence in the Nigerian economy.

He urged President Buhari to integrate the United Nations S u s t a i n a b l e Development Goals into Nigeria’s economic and environmental vision.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON

OKAH IN COURT—Alleged mastermind of the 2010 Abuja bombing, Charles Okah (2nd left) and Obi Nwabueze (2nd right) at an Abuja Federal High Court, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

55 Nigerians stole N1.34trn in 8 years—FG Continues from Page 1

developmental projects across the country.

Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the figure while addressing a world press conference in Abuja to mark the beginning of the war against corruption in Nigeria.

Out of the stolen funds, the minister said 15 former governors stole N146.84 billion; four former ministers took N7 billion; 12 former public servants both at federal and state levels stole over N14 billion; eight other Nigerians in the banking sector made away with N524 billion , while 11 businessmen cornered N653 billion.

The minister said that

using World Bank rates and costs, one-third of the stolen funds could have provided 635.18 kilometres of roads; 36 ultra-modern hospitals per state; 183 schools; educated 3,974 children from primary to tertiary level at 25.24 million per child and built 20,062 units of 2-bedroom houses.

Mohammed said: “This is the money that a few people, just 55 in number, allegedly stole within a period of just eight years. And instead of a national outrage, all we hear are these nonsensical statements that the government is fighting only the opposition, or that the government is engaging in vendetta.”

While maintaining that

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO ON’T just tell people how successful you are, help them discover their own, that in itself makes you a legend.

D

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain— Joseph Campbell It’s a new day, and every day is a new beginning, why not resolve to find more joy in your everyday life? Joy is what makes life beautiful. It’s what gets us through challenges and allows light in to illuminate the shadows. Joy heals our wounds, inspires us to greatness, and fills our souls with goodness. If you’re not happy with your life, now is a great time to look at the reasons why “ you can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.” Now is the time to figure out what’s really bothering you.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE A hunter does not tell all he sees in the bush.

the Buhari administration would never be biased in the fight against corruption, the minister, however, warned that no person found to have stolen public funds would go unpunished irrespective of their political, religious or tribal leanings.

The minister dismissed the accusation that the federal government's anti-corruption crusade was lopsided, describing the allegation as nauseating and borne either out of deliberate mischief or sheer ignorance.

He said: “There is the erroneous impression out there that the war against corruption is a vendetta against the opposition, and that indeed it is onesided. This is not true and indeed very nauseating. We need the media to lead the campaign against corruption.

“All we have heard from them are ludicrous reasons why they partook in sharing of the money. One said he collected N4.5 billion for spiritual purposes, another said he received N2.1 billion for publicity, while yet another said he got N13 billion to pay someone else for the Maritime University land.

“Based on these revelations, should we now fold our hands and allow these people to go away with public funds?

Is anyone thinking about the innocent soldiers who lost their lives just because they did not get the necessary weapons to fight the terrorists?

“What about the families left behind by these soldiers who were sent to their early graves because of the misappropriation of these funds? What about those who lost their means of livelihood after the terrorists overran their towns and villages?

What of the millions of Nigerians, especially women and children, who are now living in IDP camps?

“Is it not clear that the cruel fate that has befallen these unfortunate people is a direct result of the misuse of the funds meant to fight the terrorists? Are these not the true costs of corruption? he asked.

The minister pleaded with all Nigerians to join hands with the government to tackle corruption so as to plug the loopholes of financial leakages for national development.

“As President Muhammadu Buhari likes to say, if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. There is no better way to say it,” the minister said.

Missing Budget

On the missing 2016 budget, the Minister blamed the development on what he called ‘communication gaps” between the two arms of government, saying that the same government that campaigned on the change mantra and transparency could not have produced a shady budget. He assured that the matter would soon be resolved.

Disobedience to rule of law

The minister said that the President had the highest respect for the rule of law and would never do anything to deviate from it. He, however, said that those yet to be admitted after courts had granted them bail were being held for new offences under investigation.

According to Mohammed, “this government has highest respects for rule of law", insisting that the action of the EFCC to re-arrest some accused persons granted bail by the court were based on fresh charges.

Congratulating Dickson

On why President Buhari has not yet congratulated Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who was recently re-elected for a second term as was being done by his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Mohammed said that the President has no

business congratulating the governor since the loser still had opportunity to upturn the victory at the court.

“I think, this President is not in the business of interfering on election matters. When APC’s Yahaya Bello won in Kogi, he never sent any congratulatory message.

The President has no business congratulating Dickson; after all he didn’t congratulate the Kogi governor-elect. If he congratulates him, what if they go to court and the court upturns the victory? he asked.

Plan to invite Jonathan on arms scam

The Minister said it was not the responsibility of the President to invite former President Jonathan to clarify the alleged arms deal but the EFCC, which has the statutory mandate to do so. He said Buhari would not dictate or micromanage the anticorruption agencies in the discharge of their duties.

$2.1bn Arms probe: Crisis looms in PDP, as chieftains ask Haliru, Metuh to resign

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—A MAJOR crisis enveloped the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, after deputies to members of the National Working Committee, NWC, demanded the immediate resignation of the Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, Dr. Bello Mohammed.

Rising from a meeting in Abuja, yesterday, the deputy officers said that the resignation has become imperative because of the alleged

involvement of two of the three officers, Metuh and Mohammed in the alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for arms in the office of the National Security Adviser.

The deputies in their resolution asked the Acting National Chairman, Secondus to revert to his position as deputy National Chairman because of the recent court ruling on his position.

But in a swift reaction, Secondus, who dismissed the body as non-existent, said they were being used by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to destabilize the PDP, saying that the party

will not be distracted by their actions.

Secondus, who noted that the deputies were ignorant of the party’s constitution as he was only acting said: “They took us to court and we have appealed. They are ignorant of the law. The Constitution is clear that in the absence of chairman, the deputy assumes position.

"They are doing it out of malice and ignorance.

They are being used by the other party to destabilise us, but we aren’t going to be distracted, we are strong.

“I haven’t assumed the office of chairman I am still the deputy chairman."

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

6 Fulani herdsmen docked for kidnapping, robbery

By Ifeanyi Okolie

S

IX Fulani herdsmen arrested by the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, for allegedly kidnapping and terrorizing businessmen, including residents of Okeho, a border town in Oyo State, have been charged to court.

The suspects, identified as Abdullahi Mohammed, 35; Abubakar Abubakar, 28; Damanya Gambo, 30; Usman Saidu, 30; Usman Idris, 35; and Hassan Maikudi,30, were yesterday arraigned before an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, on a four-count charge bordering on armed robbery, kidnapping and illegal possession of charms.

Vanguard had reported last November how the suspects, who were alleged to have kidnapped prominent residents, were rounded up at Okeho, a town bordering Benin Republic in Oyo State.

It was gathered that the Inspector General, Solomon Arase, after receiving several complaints of the gang’s activities, had deployed the IRT operatives, led by CSP Abba Kyari, to the area and they apprehended the suspects from their various hideouts.

One of the suspects, Maikudi, was said to have led the kidnappers to abduct his father and a ransom of N1.5 million was paid.

Justice M. L. Abimbola, who presided over the matter, ordered the suspects remanded in prison custody after taking their not guilty plea, and adjourned to February 2 for hearing.

DOCKED: The Fulani herdsmen arraigned over kidnapping, robbery.

Residents smoke out Lagos burglar

By Prisca Sam-Duru

R

ESIDENTS smoked out a young man whose gang had for long terrorised Jabe, a community at Gberigbe, Ikorodu, Lagos, especially on Sundays.

Determined to catch the thieves, who ran into the bush after stealing cell phones and other valuables yesterday, the

community members set the bush on fire and smoked out one of them. The others escaped.

According to an eyewitness, the man and his gang were said to have jumped the fence, destroyed the burglary proof in one of the windows through which they entered the house.

Luck ran out on them when woman in the house, on

4 suspected kidnappers arrested in Delta, victim rescued

By Perez Brisibe

U

GHELLI—SECURITY operatives, including men of Ughelli ‘A’ Division Police Station and members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, have arrested four suspected

kidnappers and rescued a kidnap victim at Ughevuwughe in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Giving details of the incident yesterday, a member of the vigilante group who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that

6-yr marriage dissolved over ‘uncomfortable company’

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—EBONYI State High Court sitting in Abakaliki has dissolved a sixyear-old marriage between Professor Charles Ifeanyi Umeh, Chemical Engineer and lecturer at Atlantic University, Georgia USA, and his wife, Chinelo, a banker.

Umeh accused Chinelo of keeping the company of some persons that made him uncomfortable, which he said led to his mental and health breakdown and had been having constant quarrels with the woman over the matter.

He said: “I married my wife

sighting the intruders, sent a message to her neighbour, who in turn alerted other members of the community.

Noticing that they were surrounded, the thieves jumped out through the fence and ran into a nearby bush.

He was nearly lynched but for the response of a team of policemen from Ijede Division, who took him away.

in 2009 in Nigeria. I promised to be visiting home regularly since I stay abroad. Each time I came home, I will see her with people I do not expect in my matrimonial home.”

Parents and relatives had tried to resolve the matter to no avail as Umeh kept complaining that Chinelo refused to stop associating with the persons.

It led him to file a petition seeking dissolution.

The court, presided over by the state Chief Judge, Justice Alloy Nwankwo, while delivering judgement on the matter, said the marriage had broken down irretrievably and accordingly dissolved it.

Justice Nwankwo ruled that Professor Umeh should pay his ex-wife N300,000 annually as house rent for Jerome Umeh, the only child produced by the dissolved marriage.

He also ordered Umeh to pay N50,000 to his former wife monthly for upkeep of Jerome, their son, adding that the amount excludes the school fees he should also pay for his son.

The judge further ruled that the petitioner should be responsible for the medical bill of Jerome any time he was with the father in USA, but noted that if he was with the mother, she should take care of such bill.

the hoodlums had kidnapped one Mr. Matthew Agatefe, at Agbarho, Ughelli, and kept him captive in their hideout in the community.

According to the source, a joint patrol team of both the police and the vigilante stormed Ughevuwughe and arrested one of the suspects, identified as Johnson Emubor.

The source further disclosed that the arrest of the suspect, who was said to be guarding the victim, led to the arrest of three others at Ughelli.

They include Amos Achi, 23; Friday Simon, 21; and Frank Onorikpe, 19, at different locations in Ughelli.

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, has confirmed the rescue of a former secretary of Isoko South local government council, Elijah Akpogbero.

Kalu in a statement yesterday, stated that the victim was dropped off along Otorwhe Road by his abductors while they were being pursued by a patrol team.

Pastor remanded in prison over N100m land case

By Bartholomew Madukwe

A

N Igbosere Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, yesterday, remanded in Ikoyi prison a cleric, Pastor Olu Fadare, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions, following his alleged involvement in a N100 million land fraud at EtiOsa Local Government Area.

Magistrate Awogboro admitted Fadare to N5 million bail with two sureties in like sum and ordered that the sureties must provide evidence of tax payments for three years.

It was gathered that the defendant was arrested and charged with fraud under the Criminal Code by the Special Fraud Unit, SFU. Fadare was accused of conspiring with one Adeola Ajidahun to defraud Kehinde Ola to the tune of N30 million under the false pretence of selling some plots of land in Lagos.

Ajidahun allegedly showed fake documents to convince Ola and later took him to the area in Lekki and showed him the parcels of land.

The duo were said to have defrauded one Tony Ezeoke over the land, while Ezeoke was sold a parcel of the land marked by the state government as road leading to the area.

The matter was adjourned till February 3.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—7

TOP:

A section of the erosion-ravaged Ibolo Community Road, yesterday. LEFT: Kuje Area Council Secretariat Road, Abuja, yesterday.

NAN PHOTOS.

Driver, 58, defiles 11-year-old girl in toilet

By Jane Echewodo

A

58-year- old driver, Emmanuel Egejuru, was yesterday arraigned before a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly defiling an 11-year-old girl.

The defendant allegedly committed the offence on February 22, 2012.

Egejuru is answering to a count charge of rape before Justice S.S. Ogunsanya.

In his statement in the court, Egejuru confessed to have

committed the offence.

He said: “On February 22, 2012, I did not go to work. I met her (the victim) in the toilet when I wanted to use the toilet.

“I held her by the waist and embraced her.”

The prosecutor, Inspector

Jane Okogbo, said the offence was contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

However, lawyer to the defendant, Bonnyface, applied for bail on a liberal term, a development which

Notorious political thug, Bayo Ajia, assassinated in Ilorin

By Demola Akinyemi

I

LORIN—PANDEMONIUM broke out, yesterday, afternoon at Taiwo, the commercial nerve centre of Ilorin, Kwara State capital, as a notorious political thug, Alhaji Bayo Ajia, was shot dead and cut several times with machetes by four men.

Vanguard gathered that the assailants were said to have arrived the deceased workshop in a taxi cab around 4:15p.m. and met Ajia alone in his shop.

They then proceeded to under the bridge, close to the State Stadium complex, where the deceased operated a car wash, shot him several times on his forehead and dealt several machete cuts on his lifeless body to ensure that he was dead.

Vanguard further gathered that before passers-by could discern what happened, the assailants had jumped into their car and sped off.

The deceased, who is survived by four wives and many children, was buried shortly after at the Muslim cemetery at Irewolede in Ilorin metropolis by his friends and associates amid wailing.

State’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ajayi Okansanmi, who confirmed the incident, however, said he had not received full details of the circumstance that led to the

incident.

It would be recalled that late Ajia was sentenced to death by an Ilorin High Court in 2004

over a murder case.

He went to the Court of Appeal, but his sentence was subsequently affirmed by the

Supreme Court.

He was, however, granted state pardon by the immediate past administration in the state.

Missing 9-yr-old girl found dead

By Davies Iheamnachor

P

ORT HARCOURT— ELELE Town in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State was unsettled, yesterday, following the recovery of the corpse of a nine-year-old girl, Miss Miracle, who was reported missing.

The remains of Miracle were found around her family house Sunday morning, with blood spewing out of her nose, mouth and private part.

It was gathered that the little girl was abducted Saturday by some boys around Elele Town roundabout while on an errand for her mother and taken to an unknown destination at gunpoint.

A source closed to the family told Vanguard that after the family waited till 12p.m. on Saturday for her to return, the victim’s mother raised alarm and the entire family members went in search for her.

There are insinuations that Miracle may have been hacked and raped to death by

her abductors.

Meanwhile, she has been buried, Sunday, amid tears by relatives, parents and school mates.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity,

disclosed that there were some hoodlums that had been operating and raping girls in the area.

At press time, Rivers State Police Command is yet to comment on the incident.

12 passengers missing as pirates seize boat in Bayelsa creek

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—A passenger boat conveying 12 persons, including one Pastor Lawrence Ehimare of Christ Embassy Church, Twon Brass, on the Atlantic fringe of Brass in Bayelsa East senatorial district, was yesterday hijacked by suspected pirates.

The ill-fated speedboat was said to have left Brass for Yenagoa at 7a.m., en route Nembe when it came under pirates’ attack, close to Obama rice farm area on the waterways.

Witnesses told Vanguard that the Obama rice farm axis of the

waterways was notorious for pirates’ attacks.

The state chapter Maritime Workers Union was forced to embark on indefinite strike last year to draw government’s attention to their plight.

The victims, it was gathered, were blindfolded by their abductors who diverted the boat to Okoroma creek in the vast mangrove.

A member of the church, Pastor Tuweni, told Vanguard that they had made frantic efforts to established contact with their pastor to no avail.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident.

was not objected to by the prosecution lawyer, Mrs M. M. Balogun, on the grounds that it was a bailable offence.

The judge admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N1 million, and adjourned the case to March 23.

Man, 27, charged for robbing petrol attendant

By Bartholomew Madukwe

A

27-year-old man, Kazeem Giwa, was yesterday brought before an Ikeja High Court for allegedly robbing a fuel attendant at Ascon Petrol Station, Felix Adebayo, of the day’s sales while armed with a gun, at Ajao Estate, Lagos.

Giwa, who is facing a two-count charge bordering on armed robbery brought against him by Lagos State, said he was tortured, and did not write the statement tendered in court as Exhibit P2.

According to the charge, Giwa and one other at large on July 19, 2011, about 7:10p.m., at Ascon Petrol Station, conspired to commit felony to wit armed robbery.

It read: “Kazeem Giwa (m) and one other now at large on July 19, 2011 about 7:10p.m. at Ascon Petrol Station, Osolo Way, Ajao Estate, Lagos, in the Ikeja Judicial Division whilst armed with a gun and dangerous weapons did rob one Felix Adedayo of his sales money.”

Trial judge, Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya, adjourned the case to March 24.

8 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 , 2016

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—9

NAIRA WATCH

Naira appreciates to N296/$

By Babajide Komolafe

L

CONFERENCE: From left, Acting Nigeria High Commission to Malaysia, Mrs Janet Odeka; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, and Deputy Chairman of Rjya Sabha, Prof Burian, during the just conculded 43rd Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth Parliaments, in Malaysia.

Presidency revises 2016 budget Reduces allocation for exotic cars by N17bn Makes provision for Niger bridge

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

L

AGOS — There are indications that the 2016 budget was actually withdrawn for a major amendment as two different versions of the budget are showing different figures and adjustments in expenditure heads.

A version indicating to be an amendment shows a major cut of about N8.8 billion in the Presidency’s original figure with purchase of vehicles receiving the deepest cuts.

Also the new version has provision of N17 billion for capital expenditure allocated to Niger Bridge at Asaba-Onitsha, Delta and Anambra states, though there was no such provision in the first version submitted to the National Assembly.

The expense heads that received big cuts include Fixed Asset Purchase reduced by N3.374 billion to N1.196 billion from N4.57 billion while purchase of motor vehicles was reduced by N3.29 billion to N599 million from N3.889 billion.

Others include State House headquarters, recurrent costs, overhead, miscellaneous, honorarium/sitting allowance each of which were reduced by N100 million.

Expenditures for construction and provision of general fixed asset, which appeared to have had double entry at N764.67 million each, were scrapped in the second budget.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, had last Thursday accused the Presidency of substituting the original copy of the budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly on December 22, 2015 with a new version.

Saraki’s claim was the climax of days of suspense following claims

and counter-claims that the document was missing.

Reduces allocation for exotic cars by N17bn

A review of the fresh copy of the budget uploaded to the website of the Budget Office of the Federation on Friday showed a massive cut by about 83.5 per cent in the total allocation for the vehicles.

A total of N7.52 billion was provided previously for the purchase of various exotic vehicles, including BMW saloon cars, in addition to another N566 million for the procurement of vehicles, including 16-seater Toyota Hiace coaster buses for the State House.

Despite the adjustments to the allocations to the various departments and units, the total appropriation of N39.13 billion for the Presidency remained unchanged in both the previous and current budget versions.

Details of the different adjustments showed that State House headquarters, which got total allocation of N11.91 billion in the original budget has now been cut by N100 million, same as allocations for its recurrent costs, overheads, honorarium & sitting allowance as well as miscellaneous expenses.

Equally, the purchase of fixed assets, which received N4.57 billion previously, has drastically been reduced to about N1.2 billion, while preservation of the environment and wild life conservation, which got a total of N978.3 million, has now been reduced to N347.4 million.

The Office of the Chief of Staff to the President had its initial allocation of N2.3 million raised to N22.3 million, while allocation to the office of the Chief Security Adviser to the

President has also been raised from N3.18 million to N28.18 million.

Details of the provision for the two offices include allocation of N25 million each for overhead costs, recurrent and miscellaneous expenditures.

Another N25 million has been budgeted for honorarium and sitting allowance for the office of the Chief of Staff.

The State House Medical Centre has been allocated N100 million for total overheads and recurrent costs.

The State House, Lagos Liaison Office, which had its allocation increased from N126.7 million to N151.7 million, would get in addition N25 million each for recurrent, overhead and miscellaneous costs.

About N2.3 billion provided earlier for the construction and general provision of fixed assets as well as recreational facilities for the State House has now been removed, while rehabilitation and repairs of fixed assets previously allocated N4.48 billion was increased to N13.2 billion.

Rehabilitation/repairs of residential buildings and electricity facilities previously allocated N388 million and N1.7 billion respectively have now been raised to N642.6 million and N1.8 billion respectively.

Another provision of N3.9 billion has been made for the rehabilitation of office building, while renovation of eight blocks of 16 two-bedroom flats at State House Security quarter, Asokoro, would take about N254.6 million.

About N3.9 billion has been set aside for the annual routine maintenance of Villa facilities by Julius Berger, in addition to N764.7million provided for the construction/provision of recreational facilities.

AGOS — THE Naira, yesterday, appreciated to N296 per dollar in the parallel market due to expectation that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will sell autonomous dollar to bureaux de change this week.

Vanguard's survey of major cities reveals that in Lagos the Naira appreciated

by N4 as the parallel market exchange rate dropped from N300 per dollar on Friday to N296 at the close of business yesterday.

In Abuja, the Naira appreciated by N5 as the parallel market rate fell to N295 from N300, while in Kano, the Naira gained N2 as the parallel market exchange rate dropped to N298 from N300.

Bureaux de c h a n g e sources, who confirmed t h i s development to Vanguard, explained that the appreciation was driven by expectation of inflow from the CBN. President, Association of Bureaux de

to address the sharp and stead depreciation of the Naira in the parallel market.

This was an outcome of a meeting held, yesterday, between the management of the CBN led by the Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and the Executive Council of Association of Bureaux de Change Operators of Nigeria.

On Monday, the CBN stopped the direct sale of dollars to BDCs, a situation which triggered N35 depreciation of the Naira in the parallel market as the exchange rate in the market moved from N280 per dollar on Monday to N305 on Wednesday.

Miffed by this situation, the CBN Governor invited ABCON Executive Council to a meeting in Lagos to discuss ways to arrest the Naira depreciation in the market.

There was rumour that the CBN will start selling to us, so nobody was willing to buy dollars, and this forced the rate to crash

Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, confirmed to Vanguard that while the expectation that CBN will start selling autonomous dollars to BDCs made the parallel market rate to fall to as low as N285 per dollar in the afternoon, the rate, however, rose to N295 towards the end of the day when expectation did not materialise.

Chief Executive Officer, H. J. Trust BDC also confirmed this development, saying: “There was rumour that the CBN will start selling to us, so nobody was willing to buy dollars, and this forced the rate to crash. But the rate went up again towards the end of the day."

Last Friday, the CBN had pledged to explore the option of selling autonomous dollars sourced from oil firms to BDCs so as

Confirming t h i s development to Va n g u a r d , A B C O N President, Gwadabe, said the association made it clear to the CBN that the N a i r a depreciation was due to scarcity of dollars, which was aggravated by the decision to stop selling dollars to BDCs. Said he: “We

made it clear that the situation will persist except there is some form of intervention in the market.

We also discussed how BDCs could source dollars from autonomous sources.

"In the end, the CBN Governor said that while the apex bank cannot resume sale of dollars from the nation’s external reserve to BDCs, it will consider selling dollars sourced from autonomous sources to them.

“The governor said the apex bank would source autonomous dollars from oil firms for direct sale to BDCs so as to ease the demand pressure in the parallel market.

"The modalities, however, will be worked out and announced next week. We hope that this would help to calm the market and stabilise the exchange rate of the Naira in the parallel market.”

10 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 , 2016

Ex-NIMASA boss appears in court over N2.6bn fraud

INDICTMENT: TB Joshua drags Lagos govt, Coroner to court

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

By Innocent Anaba

L

AGOS—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, was, yesterday, told how former Managing Director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, allegedly disbursed the N2.6 billion stolen by him.

Akpobolokemi, who was accused of defrauding the Federal Government to the tune of N795.2 million, was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba alongside three others, Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Juan and three companies, namely Blockz and Stonz Limited, Kenzo Logistics Limited and Al-Kenzo Logistic Limited.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the charge had claimed that the accused persons converted a total of N2,658,957,666 between December 23, 2013 and May 28 this year to their personal use. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

EFCC, which opened trial yesterday, called its first witness, Teslim Ajuwon, who is the Compliance Officer at Zenith Bank and responsible for enquiries from regulatory agencies such as the EFCC, Police, NDLEA, among others.

CYNTHIA OSOKOGU:

Court fixes April 11 for filling of written addresses

By Onozure Dania

L

AGOS—THE defence in the ongoing murder trial of Cynthia Osokogu, yesterday, closed their case before a Lagos State High Court sitting at Igbosere, while the trial judge, Justice Olabisi Akinlade fixed April 11, for mention for filling of their written addresses.

The late Osokogu, a postgraduate student of Nasarawa State University, was murdered at Cosmilla Hotel, Festac Town, Lagos, on July 22, 2012 by her Facebook friends, Okwumo Nwabufo, Olisaeloka Ezike, Orji Osita and Ezike Nonso.

L

AGOS—THE Synagogue Church of All Nations, led

by Prophet Temitope Joshua has dragged the Lagos State Government to court over the criminal indictment of the church by the Coroner court in relation to the collapsed building that killed about 116 persons on September 12, 2014.

Joined as defendants in the suit

are the Coroner, Magistrate Komolafe Oyetade and the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

The coroner court had found the church and two engineers who constructed the collapsed building liable, recommending them for criminal trial.

In a motion filed before Justice Kazeem Alogba, TB Joshua and his church is seeking an order of certiorari quashing the verdict of the coroners’ court presided over

by Magistrate Oyetade on the grounds that the court exceeded its statutory jurisdiction.

The coroner court had particularly ordered that the Synagogue Church be investigated and prosecuted by the relevant authorities for not possessing the necessary building permit while the two engineers, should be tried for criminal negligence.

The suit is praying the High Court to quash the verdict of the

VISIT: Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko (left) presenting a gift to Mnister of Niger Delta Affairs, Poebor Usani Uguru, while the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Prof Claudius Daramola, watch during a visit by the duo to the Governor's office, in Akure, yesterday.

coroner’s court on the grounds that the inquest exceede its jurisdiction by concluding that structural failure due to the combination of design and detailing errors caused the collapse of the six-storied Synagogue building.

TB Joshua and the two embattled engineers subsequently filed a Fundamental Human Rights Enforcement suit before a Federal High Court, Lagos against the Coroners Court, Lagos State Government, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN. The suit, which was meant to stop the arrest and prosecution of the church and the engineers, was however dismissed by a Federal Court.

Following the Federal High Court judgement, the Lagos State Government late last year instituted a 111-count criminal charge against the Trustees of the church and the two engineers. The matter is slated for hearing today before Justice Lateef LawalAkapo.

In the new suit seeking to quash the coroners’ verdict, Synagogue church contended that the “Coroner’s Court of Lagos State, Alimosho District,” which presided over and delivered the verdict is unknown to the Coroner’s Court of Lagos State.

ASSAULT ON JOURNALIST: Lagos NUJ files N500m lawsuit against Customs

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Olasunkanmi Akoni

T

HE Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has filed a N500 million criminal suit against the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, over the brutal assault on one Yomi Olomofe, a journalist at Seme border post of the NCS last year.

It will be recalled that the Badagry based journalist was severely beaten on June 22, 2015 by hoodlums believed to be working for the NCS at Seme border and left him in a pool of blood at a refuse dump.

In a fundamental rights suit filed

by Mr. Jiti Ogunye on behalf of the NUJ and the brutalised journalist, the applicant is asking for N500 million as special and exemplary

damages for the violation of the applicant’s rights.

Joined as Respondents in the suit are the Comptroller of Customs, Mohammed Ndalati; Deputy Comptroller, Emmanuel Nkemdirim; Assistant Comptroller, Ibrahim Turaki and the Comptroller General, Ahmed Ali. Others are the Nigerian Customs Service, Chief Sam of Ibiye, Alhaji Momoh (aka Basket), Mr. Shehu and Mr. Elijah.

In the suit, the applicant asked the Court for a declaration that the beating meted out to him by the Respondents, which inflicted bodily and internal injuries on him on June 25, 2015 in the premises of the NCS, Seme, was “capable of infringing on his right to life as guaranteed by Section 33 (1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal

Fire guts Coscharis Lagos office

By Theodore Opara

L

AGOS—THE Mazamaza Lagos office of Coscharis Group of Companies was at the weekend, gutted by fire destroying several vehicles and car care products worth over N100 million.

The fire, which started at about 8 am was put out around 10.30 am by sympathisers who assisted the company’s security men in

battling the inferno.

Although, fire fighters from Ojo, Lagos arrived the Coscharis office at about 10:15 am, when the fire was already contained, they assisted in putting out the fire completely.

Over 15 vehicles including trucks, Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), sedans and pick ups as well as forklifts, were completely burnt by the fire.

Republic of Nigeria and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.”

Beside, he prayed the court to declare that the beating on the said date in the course of discharging his professional duties and obligations constituted an infringements on

his rights to freedom of expression and the press as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.

Speaking, the National President of NUJ, Waheed Odusile vowed that the union will not allow the matter to be swept under the carpet, saying they will see it to its logical conclusion.

Lawmaker decries insecurity in Badagry communities, maiming and killing

By Dave Oso

B

A D A G R Y — FOLLOWING rising cases of robberies and other sundry crimes in his constituency, the lawmaker representing Badagry II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, David Setonji has called on security agencies in the state to check the ugly trend.

Setonji, who spoke to journalists on the issue said, he was worried that armed gangs have found the Badagry zone a safe haven to carry out their devilish acts with little resistance.

He recalled that on January 5, 6, 7, 2016, between 12-1:00am, a gang of armed robbers called One million Boys, numbering about 50 invaded Aradagun, Ilunla, Ibereko Ajara, Plane field, Checking Point, MTN

innocent residents of the area unhindered, for hours.

The lawmaker said some victims had their fingers chopped off while about three others died from gunshot wounds.

Setonji said that he had already petitioned Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and other relevant security agencies in the state about the growing insecurity in the area.

He, however, urged that a security network be beefed up in and around Badagry, while roadblocks should be mounted between the State High School, Ibereko on the Old Lagos Road, to Ajara Grammar School to Ajara Agelasho Road.

The lawmaker, while calling on the security agencies to brace up to their responsibilities of protecting lives and property, urged residents of the area to be security-conscious and report any suspicious movement to the police.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 — 11

Lassa Fever hits Ekiti, one index case recorded

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

A

DO EKITI—THERE was anxiety in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday, as a patient on admission at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti was tested positive to Lassa fever.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Olurotimi Ojo, who made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti, at an awareness forum on Lassa fever, said the patient is currently being isolated at the hospital, while efforts are being made by experts to ensure the patient survives.

Dr Ojo explained that he got the report from the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Lawrence Ayodele, who confirmed that the patient was a student of the School of Nursing, a training arm of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti.

The commissioner said the patient was first treated for malaria and typhoid fever with high profile antibiotics, without responding to treatment .

He added that the situation had given room to suspicion and further diagnostic steps, where the patient was said to have been tested positive to the virus.

He said: “Over the weekend, the state had confirmed a case of Lassa fever that is being managed at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido

Ekiti. The patient is stable and had commenced treatment.

Immediately the patient was diagnosed and confirmed, the management began the process of contact tracing. Once you have an index case, there is tendency of having a primary case and possible spread and this could be dangerous. Though, the doctors are handling the situation and monitoring the situation very closely . So, nobody has been quarantined after the contact tracing”.

Ojo added that the State

government had already prepared an isolated ward within the premises of Oba Adejugbe General Hospital, Ado Ekiti, even before the outbreak of the disease in the state.

According to him, “The situation is being curtailed by the State government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation, through the office of the National Centre for Disease Control. The

governor is also embarking on public and town-to-town sensitization about Lassa fever through the airing of jingles on the state broadcasting corporation and distribution of IEC materials to the people”.

Meantime, the President of Nigerian Medical Association Dr. Kayode Obembe, has counselled the Federal Government on the need to make health insurance scheme compulsory for every Nigerian.

SIGNING: From left, Mr. John Kamara, Director, Global Gaming Company Ltd, Mr Yahaya Maikori, Company's Chairman and the chairman, Osun State Board of Internal Revenue, Chief Dayo Oyebanji, at the signing of a memorandum of understanding to transform lottery business in the state, yesterday.

PRESS COUNCIL LAW: NPAN, NUJ, NGE to appeal court judgment

L

AGOS—THE Nigerian Press Organization (NPO), comprising the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), has resolved to appeal

the December 4, 2015 decision of the Court of Appeal which upturned a Federal High Court Lagos judgment that declared the Press Council Law as unconstitutional, null and void.

At its expanded stakeholders meeting yesterday in Lagos, the

Ondo govt urges FG to provide Lassa fever testing kits to states

By Femi Ajasa

A

S Nigeria battles with the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak, the Federal Government has been advised to provide Lassa rapid test kits to detect the disease on the spot.

The Ondo State Health Commissioner, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, who gave the advice during an interactive session with the public on Twitter tagged; #Ondolassaupdates, highlighted efforts by the state at curtailing the deadly disease, saying the test kits would help reduce the waiting time and manpower always spent at Iruwa specialist hospital.

Adeyanju emphasised the need for the Federal Government to

extend support to all states not yet affected by the disease.

“The Federal Government should support all states of the federation and provide rapid diagnostic test kits for screening while support must be extended to all states, and not just the 10 states including Ondo presently affected by the disease.''

He noted that Ondo State has activated its surveillance, outbreak control mechanism at the grassroots in addition to a sensitisation campaign across the 18 council areas.

The health commissioner, said Ondo, having successfully curtailed Lassa in the state to the 2 recorded cases, is not taking any chances that might lead to any incursion of the disease.

NPO after exhaustive deliberations also decided to work with the National Assembly to get a suitable selfregulatory Press Council law for professionals in Nigeria.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting jointly signed by NPO president, Nduka Obaigbena; General Secretary, NPAN, Comfort Obi; General Secretary, NGE, Victoria Ibanga and NUJ president, Waheed Odusile, also stated: That members of the NPO shall not nominate members into the Board of the Press Council until the final determination of the case at the Supreme Court of Nigeria  NPO encourages the present administration to come on board with the NPO to get an acceptable selfregulatory Nigeria Press Council law at the National Assembly. That the Executive in the spirit of democracy should reject the NPC decree as it was a product of the military regime and not in tandem with democratic norms and recent technological developments.

According to the communique, “the NPO had been in court since 1999, to challenge the constitutionality of the military-created Press

Council Decree which, to give it a garb of general acceptance, was transmuted as an Act of the National Assembly with the advent of democracy in 1999.

“In heading to court, the NPO, propelled by the fact that the press having been recognised as a pillar of democracy and thus given a definite role in the Constitution to hold the government accountable to the people, in order to enhance public good, it will be counter productive for the same press to be regulated by those it is to hold accountable. As it is with other professions like Law, Accountancy, and Medicine, the best form of regulation is SELF REGULATION by the professionals concerned.

Justice L. Liman of the Federal High Court, Lagos, affirmed this view in his judgment delivered on the case on February 25, 2010 where he held that the Press Council Law was” unconstitutional, null and void” However, that judgment was upturned at the Court of Appeal via a lead judgment delivered on December 4/ 2015, by Justice Chinwe Eugenia lvizoba who held that the Act 11 is a necessary and justifiable law in a democratic government”.

Aisha Buhari restructures Governors Wives' Forum

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA — WIFE of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday divided the Governors’ Wives’ Forum (GWF) into two along north and south regional lines.

While the northern forum was called the Northern Governors Wives Forum (NGWF) and chaired by Zamfara State governor’s wife, Asma’u Abdul’aziz Yari, its southern counterPart was also christened Southern Governors’ Wives Forum and also chaired by Imo State governor’s wife, Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha.

Mrs Buhari, who called the development a restructuring during a meeting with the wives of the 36 state governors at State House in Abuja yesterday, stated that it was done to give recognition to the peculiarities of the two zones.

She added that the need for restructuring GWF into the two regional zones would encourage networking, cooperation and constructive partnership.

She said: “As you are all aware, the main objective of this meeting is to discuss how to redefine and restructure the Governors Wives’ Forum (GFW) which serves as a platform for supporting our husbands as they struggle to bring about the muchneeded change in our society. As wives of political office holders, we must continue to do our best in contributing to the success.

“I believe in our little ways, we can assist them to bring succour to the populace, especially those in need such as victims of insurgency in the northeast and other forms of violence, physically challenged and other vulnerable groups. It is on this note I felt it is important for us to come together to strengthen our unity and extend our solidarity to each other under a common platform.

“Therefore, we need to develop strong leadership structures in the two regions.

The need for this restructuring into the two regional fora will encourage networking, cooperation and constructive partnership”.

The wife of the president also urged the women to support their husbands in their efforts to better the lots of the citizenry notwithstanding that they did not have any clear cut roles in the constitution.

“We all know that as wives and mothers, our primary role is supportive. In this regard, our private efforts must be geared towards those programmes and projects that would impact positively on the lives of the citizens particularly the less privileged members of our society.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Pipelines bombing: Militants flee as JTF intensifies hunt

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, S-South; Festus Ahon, Egufe Yafugborhi, Akpokona Omafuaire & Brisibe Perez

Delta State bleeding again, Okowa laments

W

ARRI—MILITANTS who blew up crude oil and gas pipelines in Delta State for three days last week, have beat a retreat following an intensive manhunt for them by operatives of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta and appeals by traditional rulers and concerned leaders of Ijaw ethnic nationality.

Riverine dwellers in affected communities in Warri SouthWest Local Government Area, who spoke to Vanguard on phone, said that there was relative calm, yesterday, following the overpowering presence of soldiers who invaded some communities and suspected hideouts of the militants.

One of them, John Preye, said: “The restriction on movements has been relaxed, people can now go about without the kind of search soldiers subjected us to on Saturday and Sunday.”

Vanguard gathered that many Ijaw traditional rulers contacted known leaders of militant groups in their areas and threatened to hold them responsible if soldiers bombarded their communities because of their activities.

The Commander of JTF, Major-Genera Alani Okunola, boasted on Sunday during inspection of bombed gas pipelines at Egwa II, that the task force was closing in on the militants and would fish them out.

A close aide to one of the militant leaders confided in Vanguard: “Many traditional rulers actually called to appeal that we should simmer down because soldiers will seize the opportunity to bombard our communities and kill innocent persons.”

Meanwhile, the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who condemned the mindless destruction, yesterday, lamented that the state was “bleeding again” because of the attacks.

We’re at the receiving end —Ijaw communities RETREAT: From left, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme, Chairman, Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, and Mr. David Edevbie, Commissioner for Finance, during the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue stakeholders retreat on internally generated revenue at Songhai Delta, Amukpe, Sapele, yesterday. Photo: Nath Onojake.

However, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Warri South-West Local Government Area reacted to the insinuation by ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, that they were responsible for the bombing, saying that Tompolo should stop the distraction and face the consequences of his action. One of the leaders, Chief Ayiri Emami, who decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to APC before the last presidential election said, “They should not run away from what they have done and accuse APC. They should mention the person in APC and let security agents investigate that person.”

Despite the relative calm, soldiers continued their reconnaissance operation in the creek yesterday, as several Ijaw groups condemned the

invasion of communities by the task force and suggested a political solution to the impasse between Tompolo and the Federal Government.

Delta is bleeding again —Okowa

Okowa, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, said that the bombing was an attack on the soul of the state and urged Deltans to assist security agencies with relevant information to unmask the criminals behind the pipelines bombing.

He noted that the mindless devastation was purely a criminal act and no leader or politician should incite one ethnic nationality against another because of the incidents.

His words: “These attacks should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians, par-

ticularly compatriots in the Niger Delta. This is an attack on our soul. The state is bleeding again and its implication for the economy and image of Delta state is grave.

“Do not be part of this crime and refuse to listen to any leader or politician who would want to pitch one ethnic nationality against another as a result of these incidents. The destruction of oil facilities is purely criminal and we reject attempts to label it otherwise.”

We know the bombers —Emami

“We all know those carrying out the bombing. They should stop telling lies and own up to what they have done. Some of us have volunteered to help the security agencies with information on who is carrying out the attacks. Everybody, in-

Buhari’s budget failed integrity check —Senate

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—THE Senate said yesterday that the Appropriation Bill as presented to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari failed integrity check.

Addressing Journalists yesterday in Abuja, Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume who disclosed that lawmakers had planned to pass the budget on record time, however blamed the delay on recent misgivings about the alleged missing budget. He said that the Senate would work on the 2016 budget and pass it before the end of February.

According to him, “the Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges and

cluding Tompolo, should also give information.

“We know those carrying out the bombings. Tompolo and I, with our positions, cannot say that we do not know those responsible for the bombings. If he says he is not the one, he should give security agents information on who is doing it,” Emami said.

He added: “If we do not do the right thing now, the hoodlums carrying out the attacks will continue and from there, they will veer into sea piracy and thereafter, crisis will start.

That was how the Warri crisis started. Nobody is wishing for another Ijaw and Itsekiri war, but I am talking from experience of what happened in the past.”

Public Petitions was mandated to carry out an integrity test on the two copies of the budget before the Red Chamber.

We told the Committee to find out what happened and they discovered that there were two versions.

However, what the president submitted as a bill is still there, nothing has changed.

“The committee did integrity check on the budget that was submitted originally and discovered that an amount allocated to do two things can actually be used to do four things and that changes were made in the quantity, but not in the total sum.

“Along the way, there are two documents and they are before the Senate. For some reasons

best known to us, we agreed to leave one of the documents and take the other one. We decided to reject one because we think it is not good for Nigeria.”

Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki had last week alleged that the hard copy of the 2016 budget presented to the National Assembly, by the Presidency was fake.

Saraki who specifically said that the hard copy of the budget presented to the Senate was different from the one laid before the two chambers of the National Assembly

by President Muhammadu Buhari, shortly before both chambers embarked on the break, last December, stressed that the report of the committee fingered the Se-

nior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, for the act.

Saraki had said that Senate suspended its initial plan to begin consideration of the 2016 appropriation bill until the Presidency submitted the soft copy of the original budget that was laid before the two chambers of the legislature.

He said, “we have discovered that what Enang brought is different from the version presented by Mr President.

We have resolved to consider only the version presented by Mr President as soon as we receive soft copy of the original document from the executive.

A coalition of Ijaw communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom has urged the conflicting parties in the kingdom to refrain from resuming armed confrontation and the destruction of oil and gas pipelines in the area.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, the chairman, Enekorogha community in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Mr. Chris Ejoh, urged perpetrators of the dastardly act to refrain from subjecting Gbaramatu to another round of crisis since the communities would be the ones to suffer the brunt of their actions.

Expressing anxiety over the aftermath of the crisis, Ejoh said that since the attacks, the companies have suspended work on several ongoing pipeline repair projects in Enekorogha and other Ijaw communities, including the EscravosWarri oil/gas pipeline, and workers evacuated, while militants bombed others near[ng completion.

He lamented that the unfortunate incident has led to the sabotage of Abiteye Flow Station belonging to Chevron and other pipelines from Opuekeba to Dibi and Olero in Warri North Local Government Area of the state.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—13

Power outage: A-Ibom youths shut down gas firm U

By Tom Moses

YO—CRISIS was, yesterday, averted at the head office of Seven Energy, a gas firm in Ikot-Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State following the intervention of the Nigeria Police, NNS Jubilee and other security agencies who were on ground to maintain peace and order as hundreds of aggrieved youths embarked on protests against perceived deplorable services of the company to the people.

Also present was the Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Youth Matters, Aniefiok Iwaudofia, who pleaded with the aggrieved youths to remain calm and not take the law into their hands.

The protest, which started at 4a.m. and lasted till 3p.m, led to the blockade of all entrances to the company's premisis by the youths, as they prevented the staff from going inside.

One of the protesters, Ifiok Isaiah and a member of the Ikot Abasi chapter of National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, accused Accugas, a subsidiary of Seven Energy, of being insensitive to the plight of the people of the state.

Another youth leader, simply identified as Edwin, lamented that the power outage, due to nonsupply of gas to Ibom Power Company by Accugas, had affected many businesses, adding that it was unlawful for Accugas/ Seven Energy to be collecting money for services not rendered.

He alleged that Accugas/Seven

Energy signed a contract in 2009 with the state government when the price of gas was $0.40 but now stands at $3.30 to $7. He said the state government, in its magnanimity, subsidized the price of gas at that time with $1.60 for 10 years at 43MBTU a day for a total of $2.0 a unit of gas quantity, noting that now that gas is valued at $3.30 to $7.0 a unit, it was unfair for Accugas/ Seven Energy to terminate such

a contract or walk away after using the infrastructure of Akwa Ibom State to sell its gas to customers in other states.

According to the youths, the action of Accugas/Seven Energy was contrary to the recent understanding reached at a meeting with the state government and the frantic efforts of the management of Ibom Power to ensure a sustainable solution to the

development.

It was gathered that Accugas/ Seven Energy, since 2009, had received over $61 million from the state government and in return, gave only about $40 million worth of gas since January 2014 which implies that the government and its people have not benefitted optimally from the contract signed with Accugas/Seven Energy.

GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR: From left: Mr Fred Odueme, AGM, Brands, Va n g u a r d Newspapers; Governor A d a m s Oshiomole of Edo State and Mr Eze Anaba, Deputy Editor, Va n g u a r d Newspapers, during the handing over of Vanguard's Governor of the Year letter to Governor Oshiomhole, at Government House, Benin City, Edo State.

Edo PDP gov aspirants agree to support winner of primaries

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—AHEAD of the July 2016 governorship election in Edo State, three of the five governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have pledged to support who ever among them wins the party’s governorship primaries to ensure that the party takes over the reins of government in the state.

The aspirants, Chief Solomon Edebiri, Matthew Iduoriykemwen and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, spoke in Benin, during an interactive session at a dinner organized by an Edo PDP social media group known as Unity League.

They pledged to ensure that the interest of the party superseded their individual interests even as they described the performance of the incumbent, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, as poor, insisting that a lot needed to be done to reposition the state economically, socially and politically.

The aspirants, who spoke on their visions, missions and plans for Edo State, if elected governor, noted that there was the need for all of them to work together in their collective bid to salvage Edo State C M Y K

from its present parlous state.

First to speak was Chief Edebiri who noted that all the industries such as Bendel Insurance, Edo Line, Bendel Brewery and Agbede Farm among others, established by previous administrations were all gone, promising that his government would tap into the state’s human and capital resources to turn things around.

“Today, those things are no

more. Many people have lost their jobs and Edo State is no longer an industrial state. We have become beggars and nothing has changed. To bring those things back and develop the state, we will create a one local government, one crop policy.”

On his part, Mr. Iduoriyikemwen said, “I have touched the lives of people around me. I have created opportunities for them and I will do the same for Edo State. We

must count Edo State first. I believe in this state and I have the capacity to rule.”

In his remark, Pastor IzeIyamu, who is a former Secretary to Edo State Government and former South-South Vice Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, noted that he towered above other aspirants because of his experience in government and the “network to reach beyond our party to the other parties to ensure that we win this election.”

Ijaws want Okotie-Eboh immortalised

I

JAW Monitoring Group, IMG, has said that the non– inclusion of the first Minister of Finance and founder of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Limited, late Chief Samuel Okotie–Eboh, in the currency notes of Nigeria was a crime against the people of Niger Delta.

Speaking at the launch of a book in honour of late Chief Okotie-Eboh to mark the 50th anniversary of his death in Lagos, the Coordinator of IMG, Comrade Joseph Evah, said successive governments after the coup that took the life of Chief

Okotie–Eboh were insensitive to the achievements of the late flamboyant politician.

“It is a shame that Nigeria failed to recognize the achievements of this icon of Niger Delta before this 50 years anniversary.

“Nobody can write the complete history of Nigeria without mentioning the Central Bank, Customs, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company initiated by OkotieEboh. Yet our hero and ambassador of Niger Delta culture in the global stage in post–independence era is

missing in our currency notes.

It is an unpardonable offence against our people,” Evah said.

He added: “There is no evil done against any group of people that cannot be reversed.

We want the Buhari government to reverse this injustice against our hero who was one of the early industrialists to establish business empires in West Africa.

Today, the people of Niger Delta are demanding that the headquarters of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting, or the Central Bank of Nigeria should be named after our hero."

A-Court strikes out appeal by sacked Rivers LG bosses

By Davies Iheamnachor

P

ORT HARCOURT— AN Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, struck out the appeal by the sacked 22 local government chairmen elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State.

The 22 chairmen who were elected during the last administration in the state had challenged their sack by the incumbent governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, before a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harourt, Rivers State but lost in the case.

Based on the ruling of Justice Akambi Lambo of the Federal High Court, the 22 applicants headed to the appellate court, but their appeal suffered a setback, yesterday, as the Appeal Court observed an administrative error in the suit number.

The court noted that the first motion the appellants ought to move was to seek an Appeal Court number, which would show full recognition of the case by the court before hearing commences.

In a short ruling, Justice Theresa Abosua struck out the appeal on the ground of administrative error with the suit number.

Amegor’s men pass no confidence vote on Edo Attorney General

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—BARELY two weeks after the leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo South senatorial district, Mr Gentleman Amegor, was allegedly suspended by leaders of the party in the area, APC members in Egor Local Government Area of the state, yesterday, passed a vote of no confidence on the leader of the party in the area and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr Henry Idahagbon.

But Idahagbon described the vote of no confidence as masterminded by some persons “inside the kitchen of Amegor and not the people of Egor, so it is laughable and should be dismissed.”

Idahagbon is one of the leaders in Edo South that suspended Amegor from the party. The duo are from Egor.

The leadership crisis rocking the party is said to be connected with the 2016 governorship ticket of the APC.

14—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 , 2016

SIR STEVE OMOJAFOR'S 70TH BIRTHDAY AND 40TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS IN LAGOS

DOUBLE CELEBRATION: Sir Steve Bamidele Omojafor, Group Chairman, STB-McCann West Africa, and his wife, Lady Doris Mojisola together with family, friends and well-wishers recently celebrated Omojafor’s 70th birthday and their 40th wedding anniversaries.

While a musical concert was held in their honour on January 5, at St. Gregory’s College Hall, a thanksgiving Church service followed on January 6, at St. Gregory’s College Chapel and a reception at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Sir and Lady Steve Omojafor dancing at the event.

CLO backs CBN's ban on forex to BDCs L

AGOS—CIVIL Liberties Organization, CLO, yesterday supported the decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to stop the sale of foreign exchange, forex, to Bureaux de Change, BDCs, as part of measures to reduce the pressure on the nation’s foreign reserves.

President of the CLO, Comrade Igho Akeregha, who addressed a press briefing explained that the BDCs were being used to facilitate and ease corruption in Nigeria, especially as a potential vehicle for laundering the proceeds of corrupt funds into foreign currencies.

He argued that, “an economy that encourages a BDC operator to obtain publicly earned funds at N190/US$ and then turns around to sell it at N270/U$ is an economy that is determined to remain backward. This huge window creates a huge disincentive to seek other avenues for sourcing forex by the operators and allows them to make humongous profits at the expense of Nigeria and Nigerians” Noting that the country has suffered adversely as a result of the unholy operations of the BDCs, Akeregha therefore demanded that the BDCs must be restructured and brought in line to International best practices.

He insisted that BDCs are not funded directly by the Government in other countries, but source their funds from autonomous

C M Y K

sources and this encouraged innovation, creativity and discipline within their operations.

According to him, “the President must stand with the people on this. This new CBN policy on forex, we believe is well-thought out and focused on extricating the nation from the stranglehold of a cabal that are bent on keeping the nation marooned in the cesspit of underdevelopment impervious to the sensitivities of the nation and the suffering which their profiteering is capable of unleashing on the masses.

With dwindling foreign

exchange revenue accruing to the nation, it will be foolhardy to continue with a system that is clearly profligate and counter-productive” The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, while announcing the suspension recently said that despite the fact that Nigeria was the only country in the world where a Central Bank sells dollars directly to BDCs, operators have not reciprocated that gesture to help maintain stability in the market.

The Governor lamented that rather than help to achieve the laudable objectives for which they were licensed, the BDCs have recorded

unintended outcomes with interest only in widening margins and profits from the foreign exchange market regardless of prevailing official and interbank rates.

Emefiele said that BDCs had abandoned the original objective of their establishment, which was to serve retail end users who need US$5,000 or less becoming, instead, wholesale dealers in foreign exchange to the tune of millions of dollars per transaction.

He also accused them of using fake documentations like passport numbers, BVNs, boarding passes, and flight tickets to render weekly returns to the CBN.

BOKO HARAM: Army concludes plan to rebuild parts of North East

L

By Evelyn Usman

AGOS—THE Nigerian Army yesterday informed that plans had been concluded to rebuild parts of the North East that were destroyed during the fight to outwit insurgents from the war torn region, as part of the next phase of its counter-insurgency operation.

To this end, it has charged returnee soldiers on peace keeping mission in Darfur ,Sudan to be prepared for operations in the area with a view to defeating insurgents in details.

The General Officer Commanding ,GOC 81 Division, Major General

Henry Edet, stated this while addressing the 796 returning peacekeepers from Darfur Sudan, at the 65 Battalion parade ground in Lagos.

Reiterating that the insurgents had been degraded to the extent that they could no longer attack troops locations as well as villages and towns in the North East, he pointed out that it was a clear indication that the Military had transcended from the clear and hold phases of the counter-terrorism campaign.

He listed the three stages of counter insurgency operations,as the stages of rooting out the insurgents, holding the ground and

rebuilding the area, saying “we are gradually transitioning from the clear and hold phases to the build phase where the Federal Government, non and international governmental organisation will be engaged in rebuilding and reconstruction efforts in the north east of Nigeria”.

Commending the 796 officers and soldiers over what he described as their credible and gallant performance while in Dafur, during which five attackers were killed with their weapons seized, the GOC was however quick to remind them that it was not yet uhuru, as some of them would be deplored to the North east to sustain the tempo.

FG appoints Muhammad Abdallah as new NDLEA chairman

A

By Omeiza Ajayi

BUJA—PR E S I D E N T Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah as the new Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. This was contained in a statement issued Monday in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal.

Signed by his Director of Press, Bolaji Adebiyi, the statement added that the appointment took effect from January 11, 2016, and is for a first tenure of five years.

Mr. Abdallah, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Nigeria Army, has a Certificate of Education from Nigeria Defence Academy in 1977, a Bachelor’s Degree in American Politics and Government from Sam Houston State University, Huntville, Texas, USA in 1989, an M. A. Public Administration, LLB and LLM Degrees from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 2005 and 2011 respectively and Bachelor of Law from the Nigeria Law School in 2006.

“Mr. Abdallah is a Professional Security Officer whose public service career spanned over 30 years during which he served in various capacities and strategic positions in the military. Born on November 13, 1954, Mr Abdallah is from Hong, Adamawa State,” the statement added.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—15

Biafra: 8 IPOB members killed, 30 wounded, 26 arrested ...as group defies police order to protest in Delta, Abia, Enugu states •Judge fails to show up in court over Nnamdi Kanu’s case •Cleric denies appointment as Biafra INEC commissioner

By Vincent Ujumadu, Festus Ahon, Nwabueze Okonkwo, Ugochukwu Alaribe & Chimaobi Nwaiwu

I

T WAS a theatre of c o n f u s i o n , yesterday in Aba as eight members of the the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were allegedly shot dead by the military during their peaceful protest over the continued detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, according to the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful .

The Director of Radio Biafra, Mr Kanu was supposed to appear at the Federal High Court Abuja, yesterday, but the much awaited case was adjourned due to the absence of the judge.

The adjournment came as a shock to IPOB members, who gathered at the court premises and its environs early yesterday morning waiting to see their leader, but were sadly shocked when it was announced that the case had been postponed indefinitely.

No formal communication was made to the lawyers of the detained Biafran activist and no reason was given as to why the judge was absent from the court.

It would be recalled that the case was assigned to a new judge, Hon. Justice John Tsoho, after many weeks of searching for a judge. It is also not yet clear whether Justice John Tsoho abandoned this case as his colleague, Justice A. Mohammed did sometime in the past.

The case has been adjourned to January 21, amidst speculation that another judge might be appointed for the controversial trial.

The members and sympathizers of the leader of IPOB were gathered eagerly waiting to get a glance of the leader, but were shocked when it was announced that the court date had been adjourned.

The action of the judge appeared to confirm the speculation that no judge would want to get involved in this case as their judgment may not be respected by the Department of State Services,DSS, and the Federal Government.

Protests in Delta, Enugu, Abia Irked by the development, the IPOB, yesterday, defied directive of the Police on the ban of public protest/procession and staged a peaceful protest in

Asaba, the State capital, Enugu and Abia over the continued detention of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu by operatives of the DSS. The protesters in Delta, who marched from Abraka Motor Park through Nnebisi Road to Okpanam Road from about 12 noon to 3:30p.m., caused serious traffic grid along Nnebisi Road as commuters, who were taking their wards from school and other road users were stranded for several hours.

Speaking to Vanguard, the Delta State Coordinator of IPOB, Jonah Chukwuma, called on the Federal Government to immediately release Kanu and grant freedom to the Biafra people.

His words: “We are protesting for the release of our director, our leader, Nnamdi Kanu, that the ‘zoo’ people are still holding. Let them release him now . Secondly, let them grant us our freedom because we cannot be slaves forever.

“We are tired of staying in this country called Nigeria; we want our own country, which is Biafra, that is what we are agitating for.

We are peaceful people, we are non-violent. As you can see, our rally is a peaceful one. We are protesting so that the whole world will hear our voice."

On why they were protesting in Asaba, Chukwuma said: “We are protesting in Asaba because Asaba is part of the Biafra land.

We have about 25 states that make up Biafra and as I speak to you now, the protest is going on in these states, including Abuja.”

The group also, yesterday, lashed out on the Abia State Governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and his Rivers State counterpart, Chief Nyesom Wike for their alleged directive to the security agencies in the two states not to allow them carry out their protest.

Abia, Rivers govs are impositions Addressing newsmen in Nnewi, IPOB Media and Publicity Officer, Mr. Emma Powerful said the two state governors are simply seeking for the political relevance they cannot get from the All Progressives Congress, APC, led government of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that in spite of the police threats and some governors' directive to prevent them from holding their protests, they held combined protests in Abia, Delta and Enugu states.

He said he is not surprised about the comments of the two governors because they belong to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and are not popular candidates

BRIEFING: From left, Mr. Chijioke Odom,Head, Campaign & Strategy; Mr. Igho Akeregba,President, and Hajia Halima Ibrahim,National Treasurer, all of Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, at the CLO press briefing on 'Nigeria's Foreign Exhange Cabals' and the 'Raging Controversy Between Bureau De Change Operators and CBN,' in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau in their states.

"They were imposed on their states and may be planning to defect to APC by making comments that will make them look sympathetic to the APC government so as to retain the seats they are on the verge of losing.

Aba boils over killings The Aba killings, according to our correspondents, were triggered off when the Uchenna Madu faction of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, clashed with a combined team of soldiers and policemen.

The pro-Biafra groups, who had ordered markets, banks, schools and other business centres to close shop in solidarity with their protest, converged at the National High School, on Port Harcourt Road, Aba, from where they attempted to march and enforce the order, but were quickly dispersed by soldiers and policemen.

The protesters later converged at the Asa Road and the Main Park area where they made bonfires and road blocks on Asa and St. Michael’s roads by Mosque and York streets, which obstructed traffic, leading to another confrontation with the security agents.

Shops including banks which had opened for business hurriedly closed their shops while the roads were deserted.

It was also observed that security was beefed up at the Ariaria Police Division to ensure that the pro-Biafra protesters did not burn the station, while soldiers were stationed at Milverton, Azikiwe/Asa and Port Harcourt by Ngwa Road junctions where they ordered passers-by to raise their hands.

Vanguard gathered that the

protesters earlier confronted the soldiers at Port Harcourt Road which led to the death of one of their members. In a similar clash around the St. Michael's Road area, a bystander, Chidozie Okafor, was also hit by a stray bullet and he died before he could receive medical attention.

Speaking on the situation, MASSOB National Welfare Officer, Jude Chukwu, said the protest was peaceful until soldiers and policemen came and started shooting and using tear gas. He added that over 30 members of pro-Biafra protesters sustained bullet wounds and are being treated in various hospitals.

According to him: “The protest was peaceful until soldiers and policemen started shooting. As I’m talking to you, eight of our members have been shot dead.

They should stop killing our members.. We are only protesting for the release of our detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.”

When contacted, Abia State Police spokesman, DSP Ezekiel Onyeke, who disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Habila Joshak, had been in Aba monitoring the situation, told Vanguard that 23 men and three women were arrested during the protest and urged parents to warn their children against criminal activities.

Onyeke, however, said he was not aware that anybody was shot dead during the protest, adding that security agents even heard gunshots from the protesters.

Delay tactics , a ploy to kill Kanu —Group However, a human rights group, Campaign for Democracy, CD, South East Zone had again called on the Federal Government to release the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu from detention, based on the four orders of both

the Wuse Zone 2 Magistrate court and the Federal High Court 6, Abuja Division.

Chairman of CD in the zone, Uzor Uzor, who spoke to newsmen on phone, yesterday, in reaction to the allegation that court did not sit to deliberate on DSS’ fresh treason charge against Kanu, said the executive arm of the government should not disobey either the legislative or judicial arms of government.

Uzor said it was very dangerous for the executive to disobey the judicial arm by refusing to release Kanu as ordered by the courts, adding that the implication was that the executive is now showing executive lawlessness, which is counter-productive to democracy and the rule of law.

He accused the Federal Government of applying delay tactics in handling Kanu’s matter, probably as a systematic approach towards killing him in detention.

He said that they would not be scared of killings or arrests until Kanu is released and Biafra is restored.

Cleric disowns Uwazurike’s appointment In a new development, a Catholic priest, Reverend Father Samuel Aniebonam, who was last week, named as the chairman of Biafra Independent Electoral Commission, B-INEC, to conduct and supervise the internal election for offices in his newly -formed Biafra Independent Movement, BIM, had dissociated himself from the appointment, describing it as a spurious publication linking him with the Biafra struggle.

In a statement made available to Vanguard in Awka, Aniebonam said he was surprised that Uwazurike could make such appointment without seeking his approval and urged the general public to disregard it.

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Angry reactions as Okorocha sacks 3,000 workers

By Chdi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—ANGRY reactions have started trailing the sacking of over 3,000 workers in the 19 Imo State government parastatals, agencies and departments.

Some of the establishments visited by Vanguard, yesterday, looked like a grave-yard as some of the workers affected by the sack order were seen in groups, bemoaning their predicament.

Meanwhile, the organized labour in Imo State, had directed Imo workers in the 19 parastatals, agencies and departments, affected by the recent sack order by the state government, to “report to their places of work and

close at the approved time.”

The directive, which was signed by all the labour leaders in the state, including the state Chairman and Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Austin Chilakpu and Kenneth Onwuemeodo respectively, followed a government order sacking over 3,000 workers on its payroll.

“The workers are directed to, in line with the rules governing attendance to work, report to their various places of work and close at the approved time,” the labour leaders directed.

The aggrieved unionists equally insisted that “workers cannot be sacked or suspended or given any form of punishment through radio announcement, a complete

disregard to due process.

“It is also necessary to further point out that workers, who have worked up to the 15th of the month, cannot be suspended and backdated to January 4, 2016,” the

unionists fumed.

Labour recalled that when the factional National President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, visited Governor Rochas Okorocha in Government House, Owerri, last

Wednesday, he not only promised that no worker in the state would be sacked or suspended, but also denied that salaries of Imo workers had been slashed.

Anambra Central: APC blasts Umeh over sole candidature bid

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—THE South-East leadership caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, lashed out on Chief Victor Umeh, Anambra Central senatorial district candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, describing his

sole candidature bid for the seat as an effort in futility.

The ruling party at the centre regretted that Umeh, instead of embarking on campaigns to woo the electorate, has resorted to legal gymnastics to arm-tw ist the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, on the dangers of allowing APC and

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to conduct fresh primaries or field new candidates for the fresh election.

In a statement by the APC South-East leadership caucus spokesperson, Mr. Osita Okechkwu, the party frowned at ”Umeh’s craving to be anointed as sole candidate to the Senate, though there is no provision for anointment or sole candidature to the Senate when APC is on the prowl.

“Umeh is suffering from the culture of hang-over emanating from series of anointments he inherited from APGA. For the records, he relies on his usual legal gymnastics in court. APGA indeed never adhered to the doctrine of internal democracy.

“Umeh was anointed the National Treasurer of APGA from where he became the National Chairman. This is his idea of democracy and the history of his meteoric rise. That’s why he is so scared stiff to contest election, as he was floored woefully in the last election by a woman in the only election he ever contested.

....We want free, fair polls —PDP

A

WKA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Anambra State has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure free and fair elections during the planned re-run polls for Anambra Central senatorial zone.

Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, who was elected senator on the platform of the party to represent the zone, was removed by the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu, which also ordered for a rerun following a petition by the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh.

Addressing PDP supporters in Awka, the state chairman of the party, Prince Kenneth Emeakayi warned against using security operatives to intimidate voters as any attempt to do so would be an invitation to anarchy.

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 — 17

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 FAILURE of the Federal Government and Nigeria Ports Authority to dredge the Calabar port channel is adversely affecting economic activities the port was meant to sustain. Previous efforts to dredge the port ended without improvements in the capacity of the port to take bigger vessels.

More than 30 years ago, the Calabar Port was envisaged to serve the South East, parts of central Nigeria and the North East, for which a train service was planned. Also, vital projects by the Cross River State Government designed to create wealth and jobs (such as Tinapa, and the Export Processing Zone, a federal project) are among the projects that the poor depth of the port has affected.

The Calabar port in its current poor state cannot attract investments. Businesses, like cocoa and palm produce exports that boomed through it have ground to a halt.

The higher costs of importing through Lagos alone, and the congestions that imports meant for other parts of Nigeria that are forced

Imperatives Of Dredging Calabar P or Por ortt to pass through Lagos have created, are among reasons why the port in Calabar needs immediate attention.

By extension, the congestions in Lagos ports mostly accounts for the devastations that the ApapaOshodi Expressway faces. It is therefore disturbing that the federal authorities have continued to undermine the strategic importance of the port, which is closer to the big commercial centres and cities in the eastern flank of Nigeria.

Shippers finally abandoned the

Calabar Ports after considering the extra costs of using smaller vessels to trans-load cargo to the port. A dredged Calabar port would admit bigger vessels, which would make shipping to the destination cheaper. It could, with its proximity to Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe, compete as a hub in the Central African oil and gas industry.

The on-going construction of the two-lane bridge over the Cross River at the Cameroun – Nigeria border (Ekok/Mfun) coupled with the Bamenda-Mamfe-Ekok-Abakaliki-

Enugu Road would create more users for the Calabar Port and spur the establishment of ancillary developments in those areas. A working Calabar Port would serve as a trans-shipment hub for Nigeria’s landlocked neighbours of Chad and Niger. Even the planned re-construction of the North East would benefit from a functional Calabar port.

Calabar ’s challenges centre on absence of a channel management policy unlike ports in Lagos, Onne, and Port Harcourt, with channel management policy that ensured their dredging and maintenance even after concessioning of the port terminals.

We call on the Federal Government to dredge the Calabar Port and unlock the economic potentials of the agricultural, commercial and tourism businesses that thrive in that flank of Nigeria. Further delays in dredging the port would result in continued waste of government and private investments in those zones.

OPINION Chibok parents and a minister's conduct

By David Ameh

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HE visit of the parents of the abducted Chibok secondary school girls to the Presidential Villa on Thursday to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari may have come and gone, but the issues arising from it yet remain. And one of the issues which, for me, must not be swept under the carpet, is the conduct of the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Alhassan, while receiving the highly-traumatised parents.

The Chibok parents, 136 of them, with members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) Movement led by former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwezili, according to media reports, had converged on the banquet hall of the Presidential villa, seeking answers to the whereabouts of the 219 missing schoolgirls kidnapped by members of the Boko Haram sect from Government Secondary School, Borno State, in April 2014.

On arrival at the conference hall of the State House, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, had informed the parents that the President was at a meeting and would not be able to meet them. President Buhari, at the time, was meeting with the visiting President of the Republic of Benin, Mr. Boni Yayi.

However, the group insisted on seeing the President, who had earlier promised them, back on July 8, during his first meeting with the parents, to rescue their abducted children.

As the parents sat, patiently waiting for Buhari, a delegation of government officials comprising Alhassan; the Minister of Defence, Brig. General Munsur Dan Ali (rtd); C M Y K

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin; and National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Mungono (rtd), among others, came to meet them.

The male officials in the delegation tried their best to brief the parents about government's efforts in rescuing the girls while also trying to console them since they are also fathers and can imagine the pains involved in losing precious children.

However, when Alhassan took the microphone to speak, what shocking words did she spew out? Rather than offer words of comfort and succour to the saddened and clearly dejected parents, she chided them and members of the BBOG movement for not giving the government prior notice of their coming. As if this was not bad enough, she also failed to empathise with the parents in any serious way despite the pains they were going through almost two years after their daughters got missing!

Were it not for the no-nonsense Madam Ezekwezili who replied on behalf of the group that the minister had clearly not been fair to the parents since the visit was triggered by the words of the President who promised to rescue their daughters, Alhassan might have spoken more harsh words.

The least she can do is tender an unreserved apology to the traumatised Chibok parents

Looking at the incident critically, I believe what the parents simply wanted from the encounter was a sincere update of the progress being made by the government to rescue their girls, and perhaps some more words of succour directly from the President, the father of the nation. I'm sure they did not expected they would be chided, ridiculed or further traumatised like Alhassan did to them.

As a mother herself, everyone in the hall would have reasonably expected the Women Affairs minister, who is even a grandmother, to offer the parents soothing words of comfort and encouragement. Alas, this was not to be.

The fact that the Chibok parents and other community members had even funded their own trip from Borno state, or were experiencing trauma, obviously meant nothing to our Madam minister. She failed the parents of the kidnapped Chibok girls.

She failed Nigerian mothers, and indeed mothers everywhere. She also failed Tarabans. I'm sure even her own die-hard fans and well-wishers are embarrassed by her obviously disappointing words.

Although her supporters fondly call her "Mama Taraba", but Alhassan's conduct at the Presidential villa on Thursday completely negates what that name stands for. Tarabans are caring, accommodating, empathetic and are always their brothers' and sisters' keepers. Unfortunately, Alhassan exhibited none of these while receiving the Chibok parents.

For me, Alhassan's inappropriate words and unbecoming conduct raise fundamental questions not just about her credentials and suitability but also her competence as a minister of the Federal Republic. That she would even contemplate going to the Supreme Court despite the recent ruling of

the Appeal Court in Abuja on the Taraba state governorship elections that it is the governor, Architect Darius Ishaku, who won the April 2015 elections in the state and no one else, only further illustrates her poor sense of judgement. She's obviously taking her ambition and luck too far, but then, it's her right and she's got the money to pay the lawyers!

While President Buhari later explained to the parents in unequivocal terms that he did not have any information on the whereabouts of the missing girls but added that he remained fully committed to his pledge to do all within his powers to rescue the girls, there is no doubt that the Minister of Women Affairs needs to undergo urgent tutorials on people relations and public affairs management if she won't further embarrass herself and the Buhari administration.

Overall, I think officials like Alhassan need to be reminded, in case they have forgotten, that they are public servants who are paid by taxpayers money and are servants of the people, not their masters. Her conduct was clearly uncalled for. The least she can do is tender an unreserved apology to the traumatised Chibok parents as they wait on the APC government to rescue their daughters. Afterall, it was one of the promises the Party made to the electorate during the last election.

*Mr. Ameh, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—19

The alternative party option

By Sunny Ikhioya

O

UR leaders have failed us. t is clear that our politics is that of bread and butter politics, that is politics of the stomach. No one is left out; the one that is good is tainted by very bad ones.

When you have one good apple mixed with nine bad apples, the result is ten rotten apples. The revelations from the Dasuki investigations are galling and nauseating. It is a surprise that the country is still standing despite the activities of carpetbaggers we have as leaders and politicians. And, to think that the revelations so far concerns only a small part of the whole. By the time this investigation is extended to the different state governors and political parties, there will be an implosion in the land. Has anyone wondered how the different state governors spend their security votes despite their inability to pay workers' salaries? Has any wondered the cost of keeping our various Houses of Assembly quiet, while the governors have a field day with the till? The Dasukigate revelations are really mind boggling, one only hopes that President Muhammadu Buhari will stick tenaciously to his I

decision to bring culprits to book, but, it must be done within the the confines of the rule of law and justice. When there is proof of evidence, there is no need for any hubris display; justice will naturally follow its course. It does not matter the contributions anyone has made towards bringing Buhari to power, the most important thing here is the survival of the nation. That is why the news of the arrest of an APC big wig is good news.

President Barak Obama of the US ran his campaign with contributions from people that cut across diverse classes; the poor, rich and the not so rich, and no one is blackmailing him for their contributions to his victory.

Buhari by his action has demonstrated his will to see the corruption fight to fruition but we all know that it is not an easy task in a country like Nigeria.

That is why Professor Wole Soyinka has warned that corruption will fight back, that is why the President should begin weeding out the bad eggs from inside his party, the APC and the remnants in government. You can never convince the people that you are sincere in your corruption fight when those around you are also tainted. It is the attempt to evade justice

therefore that is causing the massive rush to join the APC party.

Mrs Ekwunife who was PDP senator last month has just declared for the APC, same with Jim Nwobodo and many others.

Why can’t people remain in their party and build from scratch? And, why must the APC accept all comers if they want to exist as a clean party? We should all be wary at this attempt to turn our politics into a one party state, the more reason we are shouting from the roof top that, the corruption fight must not be limited to the opposition, in fact, it must begin from within, for as we speak corruption still strives in various sectors of government. Has the exact value of crude oil produced daily in this country been determined?

Since the APC and PDP are the same obverse side of a coin, time

In Nigerian politics, it is very difficult to separate the good from the bad guys that is why the need for an alternative is very crucial at this period of our history

is now ripe for the people to take their common destiny in their own hands in the form of an alternative party, free from expired and corrupt politicians. A party that will be ready to ride the change with modern technology and social media in place, of selfless and committed individuals, ready to stake their time and resources to revamp this nation. An alternative that will raise a platform, that will not entertain sentiments of ethnicity and religion, that will be able to bring the problems of our teeming youths to the forefront, that will work at eliminating all forms of insurgency and restiveness. It will be a party that has not been tainted by the rot of the older generation that will actively involve our youths; such is the party I am referring to here.

It is already happening in America, where all known and conventional norms are being broken. It is done through what Time magazine, issue of January, 2016 refers to as “Disintermediation”. With disintermediation, influences of religion and ethnicity will be driven to the background, while people of like minds and ideology forge common links to tackle the problems of the country.

According to the magazine, disintermediation means ‘dumping the middleman’.

When “properly tended , the social network of skilled ‘disintermediators’ can grow to encompass tens of millions of people, all sharing a common joke or commiserating over a disappointment or comparing

Edo guber: Oshiomhole and his preference

By Nasamu Jacobson

B

EFORE Thursday, January 14, 2016, it was nothing but rumour that Governor Adams Oshiomhole had either endorsed or annointed an aspirant as the All Peoples Congress, (APC), candidate in the 2016 governorship election in the state.

Both the conventional and social media have been awash with the speculation or rumour that the Comrade Governor was backing one of the numerous aspirants to take over from him on November 12, 2016.

But on Thursday, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole confirmed the rumour and made it succinctly clear that he has a right to prefer one aspirant over another in the coming election. Addressing party leaders from across the eighteen local government areas of the state at a meeting in Benin City, Oshiomhole said he would not be neutral in the choice of who succeeds him in office. He, however, assured that a level playing field would be provided for all aspirants to contest at a free and fair primaries for party members to decide who succeeds him.

In what is akin to setting bail conditions, the governor had listed two qualities an APC gubernatorial aspirant must have to qualify to be the next governor of Edo State. According to him, the preferred aspirant must be someone who believes in the state as well as have the capacity to manage it. Oshiomhole says "from my inner insight of what this job entails, I belive we should look for people who believe in the state and have the capacity to run it". He added that the state needed a governor "who has the capacity to see beyond going to Abuja for allocation because there is not much available in Abuja now". Continuing, he said: "Should I as a governor have no such right to have a choice and a say on the choice of my successor? I cannot be neutral in matters affecting my environment."

This is coming from someone who should know what governance of development entails. Having served the state for almost eight years now, the Comrade Governor knows the state and

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its people so well as to seek to bequeath to them a government that can reasonably be expected to sustain the tempo of development in the state. There is no doubt that Edo State has, under him, witnessed a high tempo of infrastructural and human capital development thereby setting a standard which must not only be maintained but be improved upon by the succeeding administration.

It is common knowledge that every governor, being leader of his party in his state, has a high interest in who succeeds him in office. This interest is not just for the reason of self preservation but for the preservation and sustainability of his legacies. Oshiomhole told his party members that the APC was witnessing a significant number of aspirants because of the "strenght of the performance of the government that I am privileged to lead".

Oshiomhole has legacies which must be protected, sustained and imbibed by all for the peace and development of Edo State. For example, he has always been very passionate about transparency and accountability in governance, insisting that state funds belong to the people and must, therefore, be used to provide for their good. His commendable and exemplary application of state resources

Edo people must look beyond those who have remained on the political dance stage for some time without visible contribution to our march to progress and development

in the prompt payment of workers monthly salaries, including state pension obligations; the massive infrastructural development in education, health, road, water, urban renewal and beautification, electricity as well as the ingenious tax administration and collection regime require sustainability.

The vision which has driven and propelled the Oshiomhole administration to this laudable achievement may be that of the Comrade Governor himself but working with a team of knowledgeable aides who not only share in the vision but have the capacity to translate and implement programmes and policies envisioned. The success achieved by this administration should, therefore, be rightly attributed to the visionary prowess, managerial wizardry and selfless disposition of the Comrade Governor as well as the commitment, dogged and energetic implementation of policies and programmes to meet set goals.

It may not be public knowledge but much of this shared accolade should go to the State Economic Team put together by the Comrade Governor at the start of his administration to act as think tank to formulate, articulate and implement (where appropriate) people oriented programmes which would impact positively on Edo people. This team, headed by the charismatic catalyst and progressive technocrat called Godwin Obaseki, has in the last seven years, worked tirelessly behind the scene for the rapid infrastructural resurgence in the state. In the face of dwindling oil revenues, Godwin Obaseki and his team have had a herculean task in assisting the Comrade Governor focus emphasis on alternative sources of revenue which has in no small way stabilised the state economy.

It may not be enough for Edo people to pray, as Comrade Oshiomhole admonished recently, "for God to give us a governor that will put Edo people first, respect the traditional institution and that will work for the unity of our people across the 192 wards". Edo people must look at the contenders, sift the serious from the pretenders, shun sentimental and

breakfast with a friend”.

Still quoting Time , “Technology now give the power of direct relationships to everyone”.

Donald Trump has used it so successfully in the present Republican Party presidential campaign race that he is far ahead his nearest rival by over a hundred percent.

That is the alternative party that I propose, so that the likes of Nuhu Ribadu – good man – need not go cross carpeting to another party. With it, the needless carpet crossing of hungry and fugitive politicians will be brought under control. The things that have worked in the past aren’t working anymore, we must continue to strive at getting new alternatives to our stagnant politics, and we must find new ways to drive our campaigns. None of our politicians can use their own money to campaigns, no matter how they pretend to the contrary, all funds are stolen from government coffers. Can our politicians operate independently without dipping their hands into government coffers? That is the poser for us as a nation. We are witnessing a replay of what happened in the past in the present dispensation.

In Nigerian politics, it is very difficult to separate the good from the bad guys that is why the need for an alternative is very crucial at this period of our history. *Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

primodal interests and focus on the serious issues of passion for development of our state and the ability and capacity to harness and utilise most creatively the resources available to the state. This is where Godwin Obaseki who has shared in the Comrade Governor's vision and mission these past years stands the best chance in keeping hope alive that the legacies of the Oshiomhole administration of which he has been a significant part will be sustained.

Hindsight informs us that the most development in our state has been achieved when it was administered by technocrats with little or no discernible political background. Brigadier-General Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia (rtd) was a military officer when he ruled Midwest Region (now Edo and Delta States) and wrought so much infrastructural and industrial development on the region. He was not a politician. Late Prof. Ambrose Folorunsho Alli was holding a professorial chair in morbid anatomy at the University of Benin when he became governor of Bendel State in 1979. He was not a politician. His administration recorded monumental achievement in both infrastructure and human capital development. Till date, Edo and Delta people cannot forget him and the administration he headed. Comrade Oshiomhole was not an active politician when he became governor in 2008. In fact, he may still not be rightly described as one in the strict sense of it. He joins the league of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and Prof.

Ambrose Alli as those whose administrations have done the greatest good to the greatest number of Edo people.

Others who can be labelled hardcore politicians failed to deliver appreciable dividends to the people.

In our search, therefore, Edo people must look beyond those who have remained on the political dance stage for some time without visible contribution to our march to progress and development. We must search out the new breed leaders in the mould of Comrade Governor who have the qualities enunciated by him. *Mr. Jacobson, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Nigeria should devolve or dissolve

W

ERE it not that I have given up on Nigeria as it is, I would have made a demand on the Minister of Power, Housing and Works (I hope that is the order), Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to throw into the dustbin most of the agenda he has been sharing. I particularly would have called on the minister to shove all he has put down on Works until he has undertaken the onerous assignment .

It is a very simple one but somewhat difficult for Nigerian officials whose job description is about every other thing else but serving the people. They prefer to live large and big at the expense of the people without caring a hoot about deliveries to the very essence of their being in office.

It was out of consternation for the large life our officials live that this writer warned at the 2014 National Conference that if the price of oil should crash our jet-flying governors would look for Okada to ride.

Though I don't like quoting myself often but I need to pull this again: "If price of oil crashes today, govs flying jets will look for okada to ride – Delegate" "A delegate representing the South West geo- political zone of the country, Yinka Odumakin told other delegates yesterday that if the price of oil crashes today, governors who he alleged to be going round the world with private jets, will look for motorcycles, known as Okada to ride.

Contributing to the debate on report of the devolution of power Committee yesterday, Odumakin also said that if no oil, only Lagos state out of the 36 states of the country would be able to use its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR to pay workers’ salaries.

He said, “The recommendations of the Devolution Committee to use 4.5 % of our annual budget to develop other mineral resources outside oil is the most apt thing to do now to get out of the sharing culture that is holding Nigeria down.We are engaged in one of Ghandi’s identified 7 Social

Deadly Sins-Wealth Without Work.If oil prices should crash today,all our states would collapse and the governors flying jets all over the place will look for okada to ride.

“The grim reality below shows that we must embrace wealth flowing from work by going under the soil in our various states to diversify the economy.”

On IGR and States’ wages, the delegate said, “Only one of the 36 states can afford to pay workers’ salaries with internally generated revenues.

The remaining 35 states generate only a fraction of funds they require to settle their wage bills annually. This means that without federal funds, these states cannot even afford payment of salaries , not to talk of executing any projects.

“The result of information on states’ wage bills comparisons with data on their internally generated revenues (IGR), published by the National Bureau of Statistics, showed that only Lagos State can pay salaries of its workers by solely relying on revenues generated internally.

“None of the 19 Northern states has this much financial muscle. They all depend on federally-allocated subventions, mainly made up of funds generated from sales of crude oil that is extracted down south.

There is therefore no reason for Nigeria as it is.It is not useful to anybody except those who want to loot.

We must therefore devolve immediately

“Other components of the federal allocation, shared between the three tiers of government on monthly basis, include taxes collected by the Nigerian Customs Service and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.

“The data published by the statistics bureau showed that in 2010 and 2011, only seven states had IGR in two-digit billions. Lagos is the only one with a three-digit figure, while the remaining states had single digits.

Low IGR, high wage bill In 2012, the situation improved slightly with 12 states recording double-digit figures in billions while Lagos remained the only with threedigit figures.

“The implication of the low revenue generation by the states is that most of them can barely sustain themselves without recourse to monthly federal subventions.

Most states have had to take short-term bank loans to settle wages whenever there were delays in the monthly disbursements by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).

“Lagos generated N219 billion in 2012, three times its annual wage bill of N76.5 billion. States that generated more than N10 billion in 2012 are Kano, Kaduna, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom.

Among states with fairly strong revenue bases are Rivers, which generates the second highest IGR of N66.2 billion in 2012, but has an annual wages bill of N96 billion.

“Edo made N18.9 billion revenue but is weighed down by a salary bill of N28 billion yearly, while Cross River generated N12.7 billion though it pays N22 billion wages annually.

Even though Kano has the highest IGR in the North, the N24 billion it generated in 2012 is not enough to pay salaries of its workers, which is N36 billion yearly. Kaduna, the second internal revenue earner in the North, garnered N11.5 billion but which is less than half its N27.4 billion annual wage bill.

“The situation with the remaining states is worse, as their annual wage bills are several times larger than their internally generated revenues.

For instance, Zamfara’s internally generated revenue is N2.5 billion in 2012, while its annual wage bill is N13.2 billion; Yobe generated N1.7 billion, and has a yearly salaries bill of N18 billion; while Adamawa’s N23 billion wage bill is five times higher than its IGR of N4.6 billion.

Even oil-rich Bayelsa State generated only N3 billion in 2011, but pays N48 billion in salaries yearly.

“Nasarawa made N4.1 billion in 2012 but spends N24 billion yearly in salaries; Sokoto generated N3.8 billion in 2010 and spends N16.8 billion on annual wages; and Kogi got N3.1 billion in 2012 but it is workforce soaks up N44 billion yearly.

“Kwara (salaries, N11 billion; revenue, N7.2 billion), Benue (revenue, N8.4 billion; salaries, N34.8 billion), Katsina (salaries, N14.4 billion; revenue, N5 billion), Bauchi (salaries, 26 billion; revenue, N4.1 billion), Ondo (revenue, N10.1 billion; salaries, N48 billion), Plateau (revenue, N7 billion; salaries, N20.7 billion), Kebbi (revenue, N5.4 billion; salaries N12 billion), Niger (revenue, N3.7 billion; salaries N31.2 billion), and Gombe (salaries, N14.4; revenue, N3.7 billion).

“Others are Abia (salaries, N30 billion; revenue, N3 billion), Akwa Ibom (salaries, N33.2 billion; revenue, N13.5 billion), Anambra (revenue, N6.1 billion; salaries, N16.3 billion), Borno (salaries, N20.7 billion; revenue, N2.4 billion), Delta (revenue, N45.5 billion; salaries, N85.2 billion) and Ebonyi (salaries, N16.8 billion; revenue, N14 billion).

“There are also Ekiti (salaries N24 billion, revenue N3.8 billion), Imo (revenue N6.8 billion, salaries N22.8 billion), Jigawa (salaries N33.5 billion, revenues N1.4 billion), Osun (salaries N22.8 billion, revenue N5 billion), Oyo (salaries N49 billion, revenue N14 billion), Taraba (revenue N3.4 billion, salaries N21.6 billion).”

(Henry Umoru, Vanguard July 9,2014)."

We thank God Almighty that in less than two years these words have come to pass before our very eyes and our officials would gradually be coming down to our level as oil now sells below $30. Let's pray it crashes to less than $10 before the end of this year so we can all know it is time to quit our indolence and work"

Message to Fashola What would I have asked Fashola to do? To undertake a trip to Accra from Lagos by road the way I did recently.

From Mile 2 to Seme border

I fought with my driver all the way as we went in and out of one pothole (or crater)after It was like a journey through a war-torn country. It is unimaginable that this was a drive through an international route in a richly endowed country.

It was a different ball game when we crossed to Benin.

Immediately we stepped out of Nigeria,we did not enter one pothole till we arrived Accra.

My worry this time around was speed as I reminded my driver over and again to get the speed within reasonable limit particularly when I woke up from my slumber to see he was going 150km/hour.

It was shameful going through roads in Benin,Togo and Ghana without seeing a pothole on the road.These are small countries that do not have the human and material resources of Nigeria but are fixing their problems.Most of the roads are not dual carriage but they are smooth and you drive with ease.

My experience immediately told me that Nigeria has no chance of making it except it devolves power and resources to its federating units. If all the roads called "Federal Roads" in Nigeria are transferred to regional administrations with authority to use their resources under their soil, there is no way some regions would not do better than the Federal Government is doing at the moment. If Togo could build motorable roads why would the South East not do same? If Benin Republic could fix its roads why would the North Central not be able to do so? Why would the SouthSouth fail to achieve that which Ghana has perfected?

Awolowo already took the South-West beyond this rudimentary before Nigeria became a drag on Yorubalnd!

There is therefore no reason for Nigeria as it is.It is not useful to anybody except those who want to loot. We must therefore devolve immediately as the ONLY alternative is to dissolve.

When Rehoboam the son if Solomon became King in Israel, the people came to him and asked him to lighten their burden from what it was in the days of his father. The king asked them to come in three days so he could consult his cabinet. Unfortunately, they gave him a wrong advice .

When the people returned, the King told them that whereas his father chastised them with whips, he was going to use scorpion.This infuriated the people who moved from asking for restructuring to demand independence and said to him: Get lost, David!

We’ve had it with you, son of Jesse!

Let’s get out of here, Israel, and fast!

From now David, mind your own business (Message Translation)

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

— 21

Transcorp lists N10bn bonds on NSE, FMDQ  As stock market drops by N331bn

By PETER EGWUATU & NKIRUKA NNOROM

Director/Chief Executive Officer, Transcorp Plc, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, explained that the fund raised would enables the company to enhance its financial flexibility by diversifying its sources of funding while significantly extending the maturity of the Group’s funding and ensuring optimal capital mix. “We are delighted by the investor reception for Transcorp Hotels in the bond market as it was oversubscribed by 30 per cent,” Ozigbo said.

According to him “ This transaction represents part of our financing of the upgrade of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja and the development of a 5,000-seater multipurpose Banquet centre.

The availability of funds enables us to enhance our financial flexibility by diversifying our sources of funding while significantly extending the maturity of the Group’s funding and ensuring optimal capital mix. We are delighted by the investor reception for Transcorp Hotels in the bond markets.

Ozigbo explained that the transaction was a 7-year fixed-rate bond due in 2022 under a N30 billion mediumterm programme. “The subscription of the bond consisted of 7-year 16 per cent fixed rate (unsecured) bonds due in 2022. The 7-year bonds were fully underwritten

by FSDH Merchant Bank Limited and United Capital Plc” he added.

Speaking, the Chief Execu-

T

RANSCORP Hotels Plc, yesterday, listed N10billion corporate bond simultaneously on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange Plc to become the first entity to be listed on both exchanges this year, despite persistent decline in the stock market.

Meanwhile, stock market continued to nosedive as investors lostN331 billion in market capitalisation to close at N7.7 trillion. The All Share Index (ASI) fell 4.1 per centto settle at 22,550.83 points from 23,514.04 points it opened the market on Monday.

Performance across sectors was bearish as all sector indices closed in the red. Lafarge Africa dropped by 9.7 per cent followed by Dangote Cement which nosedived by -7.1 per cent, the most capitalised stocks in the sector pulled the Industrial Goods Index southwards (-7.7 per cent). Similarly, the Consumer Goods and Banking sector Indices fell 3.8 per cent and 1.6 per cent due to losses sustained in NESTLE (-5.0 per cent) and Zenith (-4.7 per cent). The Insurance and Oil & Gas Indices closed out the poor performance losing 1.2 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively.

Meanwhile, while answering questions from newsmen after the listing, Managing

$115.00

From Left: Deputy Governor, Ekiti State, Dr. Kolapo Olusola; Corporate Social Value Manager, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mrs. Abosede George-Ogan and Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Jide Egunjobi at the launch of Samsung’s second Engineering Academy in Nigeria, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

This transaction represents part of our financing of the upgrade of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja and the development of a 5,000-seater multipurpose Banquet centre

$14.87

-0.01

Oil crash: Nigeria, others to witness $380bn projects delays

By Ediri Ejoh, with agency report

US DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

$28.57

-0.37

$28.99

-0.01

196 281.2992 213.8164 194. 9861 1.6699 0.3063 270.7573 29.7615 52. 2597 28.6428 271. 166

SELLING 196.5 282. 0618 214.3619 195. 4835 1.6742 0.3163 271.448 29. 8378 52.393 28.7159 271.8578

197 282. 7344 214.9073 195. 9809 1.6785 0.3263 272. 1387 29.9142 52.5263 28.789 272.5495

CBN Exchange rate as at 18/01/2016

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bond on FMDQ platform, Ms. Tumi Sekoni, Head, Marketing & Business Development Division,FMDQ, highlighted that the listing would contribute, in no small measure, to the growth of the Nigerian corporate bond market; with the planned initiatives of the Exchange to promote secondary market liquidity in the nonsovereign bond market in Nigeria serving to further enhance that growth.

Also, the Doyen of the stock market, Mr. Sam Nda commended the management and Board of Transcorp for raising fund from the market and listing the bond for investors to partake.

-0.90

$2,906.00 49.00

CURRENCY BUYING

tive Officer, NSE , Mr. Oscar Onyema said the listing is the first this year and would spur activities at the exchange, revealing that the N10 billion was the first tranche of N30 billion bond approved by the stock exchange.

Onyema said the bond was one of the efforts by the company to finance long-term projects, adding that the NSE was delighted with the listing.

He urged more corporate companies to float corporate bonds this year with the current economic challenges to finance long-term projects.

Delivering the welcome address at the listing of the

O

IL’S slump to 13-year lows has led to serious cutbacks in investments by energy companies, as 68 large upstream oil and gas projects worth $380 billion have already been put on hold.

A report from an industry consultancy firm, Wood Mackenzie, stated that, “68 large upstream oil and gas projects worth $380 billion have already been put on hold.”

Although the report did not specify where these projects are located, but the cost of big projects has not fallen enough to justify massive upfront investment.

“The impact of lower oil prices on

company plans has been brutal,” said Angus Rodger, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie.

Oil has plunged by about 70 percent (around $30 per barrel) from the June 2014 peak of almost $108.

Instead of concentrating on finding new sources of oil and gas, big companies are now focusing on how to “free up the capital just to survive at low prices,” Wood Mackenzie said.

It added that it’s not just the low price, but the prospect that oil won’t rebound for a long time that is killing projects, particularly costly deepwater investments.

Many of the 68 projects would have taken years to come on stream.

Delaying them will deprive markets of 1.5 million barrels of oil per day by 2021, and nearly 3 million barrels by 2025, the report concludes.

Most of the delayed oil projects are in Canada, Angola, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Norway and the United States, and even more projects could be delayed if prices don’t recover soon.

Wood Mackenzie believes oil would have to climb back above $60 a barrel before companies start dusting off their plans again.

BP announced this week it was cutting 4,000 jobs, including 600 from its deepwater North Sea operations in Aberdeen, Scotland.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Transcorp had assured its stakeholders of improved financial performance in 2015 given the results achieved by the company in the 2014 financial year.

INVESTOR'S ,

,

Transcorp Plc: Investors’ anxiety rises as performance expectations dip

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

A

MIDST massive and unprecedented losses in the stock market investors are already too touchy and weary of bad news. But it may not be over yet until the evil wind that brought the wave of calamities blows away.

As investors’ gaze turn to full year results of key company’s in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp) appears to be one of the few on top of the radar. The company’s full year financials is in the works and would likely be announced by end of this quarter.

Transcorp is one of the leading indigenous conglomerates and about the most diversified. A bit of positive expectations may have been stimulated by a few positive developments in the company last year.

Transcorp had assured its stakeholders of improved financial performance in 2015 given the results achieved by the company in the 2014 financial year.

The company had recorded N41.3 billion revenue in its audited full year financial results for period ended December 31, 2014, representing 120 percent growth over N18.8 billion posted in the corresponding period in 2013. Gross profit increased by 92 percent to N27.6 billion as against N14.4 billion recorded in 2013.

Also, the group operating profit rose to N13.6 billion, an increase of 33 percent over the figure posted in 2013, while the total assets for the group grew by 14 percent from N149.6 billion in 2013 to N170.8 billion during the period.

On the heels of this impressive results Emmanuel Nnorom, the group president/ CEO had told shareholders to expect even better performance across all the business areas, based on ‘’the anticipated implementation of Transitional Electricity Market ,TEM, and an increasing stability in the economy and tourist environment”.

Commenting on the results, the CEO said, “We are delighted to record an impressive performance, despite the challenges we experienced within our operating environment. We achieved significant growth in our top line and maintained our margins within acceptable C M Y K

limits despite the delayed implementation of the Transitional Electricity Market (TEM), exchange rate movement and reduced occupancy arriving from security challenges and the viral epidemic in West Africa”, apparently referring to Ebola health crises that adversely affected tourism and hospitality industry.

But some realities on grounds point to frenzied hopes, that the promised better results may not materialise. Like almost all businesses in Nigeria, 2015 was quite difficult, testing the resilience of corporate entities through a year of economic down-turn and generally harsh operating environment.

The first quarter results were not impressive and second quarter was even more worrisome. These could easily be attributed to the election tension but many observers believed that occupancy rate in its hotel business ought to have been positively benefited from the political campaigns and electioneering spending.

Interim results of the company last year already gave cause for concern and apprehensive wait for the full year audited result.

The nine months result indicated reversal of fortunes as revenue dropped by 3.11 per cent to N30.4 billion from N31.4 billion in the corresponding period of 2014 while gross profit declined significantly by 13.9 per cent to N18.2 billion from N21.1 billion. Then a massive 25.9 per

cent tumble in profit before tax at N7.2 billion from N9.7 billion.

The other concern was a growing cost of doing business amidst declining revenue. In the nine months of 2015 cost of sales was up almost 20 per cent to N12.25 billion from N10.29 billion.

The previous interim result for first half of the year had shown a similar adverse trend.

Revenue was down 4.0 per cent, cost of sales growing by 29 per cent and net profit falling by 38 per cent.

I

n the half year finances the company ’s finance income and finance cost increased to N587.93 million and N3.02 billion respectively leading to a net finance cost of N2.43 billion, a 39.67 per cent increase from N1.74 billion in 2014.

The drop in the profitability is a reflection of the slowdown in business activities witnessed earlier in the year and the increased finance costs during the

The merger was designed to harmonize the management and operations of Transcorp’s power business for greater efficiency

period. The fear is that these adverse conditions are still much in place and probably worsened.

The company’s profit margins decreased in the first half 2015 compared with 2014 and this could be attributed to higher operating and finance costs.

Profit BeforeTax (PBT) Margin in the first half 2015 decreased against what was recorded in the same period in 2014 but is higher than the full year ended December 2014. The PBT margin decreased to 25.49 per cent in half year 2015 from 37.79 per cent in same period 2014 and 18.70 per cent in full year 2014. These underscore a weakening financing dynamics.

Giving an over-view of what has happened and what to expect in the full year 2015 results due to be announced soon the company’s management stated that “revenue declined for the hotel business as average daily rate grew to offset the impact of declining occupancy rates caused by lower visitors’ traffic in Abuja.

We’re expecting a stronger finish in Q4 2015 due to a number of announced events and expected uptick in government activity.

“What’s more, the agribusiness contribution to the Group has increased by 1220.5%, with revenue growth of 1179% driven by orders received for sale of orange juice concentrate”.

Commenting on the result, Nnorom, said “Our performance over the past nine months reflects the stability that has been injected into the Group’s corporate strategy since 2011, particularly in light of the challenging business environment. Power remains a key part of our business

contributing 65% of revenue. The diversification of our business lines provided stability and reflects the payoff of our investments in world-class human capital.

We expect significant improvement in the power sector in the coming weeks, as this accounts for a significant part of our turnover.”

Also speaking on Transcorp’s financial performance and position, the Group Chief Financial Officer, Ibikunle Oriola said “We have maintained steady top line numbers in our power and hospitality business, as our Agribusiness continues on a strong growth trajectory.

With the power sector of its business playing a lead role in the group performance, the company on Novemeber 30 announced the successful merger of its two power subsidiaries Transcorp Ughelli Power Ltd and Ughelli Power Plc. The merged companies are now a single entity called Transcorp Power Limited.

The merger was designed to harmonize the management and operations of Transcorp’s power business for greater efficiency.

Greater operational efficiency is expected to lead to higher output in terms of power generation and increased shareholder value.

Ughelli Power Plant, the company’s power generating asset, is the nation’s largest fossilfuel generating plant.

Tony Elumelu, Chairman of the Transcorp Power board said “while our structure has changed, our objectives have not. As one of the leading power generating companies in Nigeria, our focus remains on aggressively increasing our output and expanding our capacity to generate at least 25% of Nigeria’s power.

Drivers of Performance:

Positive Factors: •Increased capacity and energy sales from the Ughelli Power plant.

•Backward integration strategy in the Agribusiness.

•Improved margins in the Agribusiness due to cost saving initiatives.

•Reforms in the power sector which has led to the payment of some of the debts owed to the power generating companies.

Negative Factors:

•The delay in the take-off of the Transitional Electricity Market (TEM) and Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO).

•Reduced occupancy in the hotel business due to economic down-turn.

•Inadequate gas supply in Q1 2015 due to pipeline vandalism.

•The weak purchasing power in the country.

•The exchange rate devaluation which increased the cost of funds for the foreign loans.

Residents knock govt over mounting filth in Asaba

PAGE 2

C-River town where inhabitants forbid casket business

VOL. 1: No. 79

PAGE 3

TUESD AY, JANU ARY 119, 9, 20 16 TUESDA JANUARY 201

•Mrs Obot Titus.

•Vandalized home at Ikot Akpan Udo.

The agonies of Ikot Akpan Udo villagers •Over 14 killed, 100 injured, 520 houses razed in eight years •Govt sets up Judicial Commission of Inquiry, no white paper until date •Why we attack them—Amazaba community

I

By Tom Moses

KOT AKPAN UDO—WHY is the Akwa Ibom State Government observably indifferent in bringing to book the armed Andoni youths, who in August 2008, invaded the peaceful Ikot-Akpan Udo community, Ukpum Ete clan, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of the state, killing 13 persons and razing more than 500 houses despite the cries of the people for justice in the last eight years?

The lethargy of the state government, which in November 2008, set up a Commission of Inquiry that did not submit its Report on the incident until 2014 because of sharp disagreement among the members, also emboldened the attackers, July

AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE 12, 2015, to storm the village again, abduct and murder 32year-old Joel Sunday.

Only last Tuesday, more than a year after the submission of the Magistrate Ime Ekam ledCommission of Inquiry report without a white paper from government, gunmen and mercenaries hired by Amazaba community in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of the state struck yet again, razing 20 houses and injuring hundreds of persons.

As at yesterday, the village head, Ete-Idung Oscar Abel was still missing seven days after the

attack. The invaders burnt about 15 motorcycles and a Jetta Saloon car during the surprise attack at about 2.00 am

A mobile police team was deployed in Ikot Akpan Udo in August 2008 and withdrawn last October from the village. Nobody has been told who ordered the withdrawal of the policemen and why

The Peace/ Reconciliation and Boundary Delineation Committees, headed by Chief Effiong Eneyo and Surveyor Okokon Essien respectively, set up by the state government did not make any headway.

On its part, a mobile police team was deployed in Ikot Akpan Udo in August 2008 and withdrawn last October from the village.

Nobody has been told who ordered the withdrawal of the policemen and why.

Investigation by Niger Delta Voice showed that the dispute between the two communities is essentially over land ownership.

The boundary demarcation committee raised by the state government apparently found it difficult to work because of the

claims and counter-claims by both sides, and leaving the matter unresolved for several years has worsened the crisis.

Our ordeal —Akpan Udo youth leader Youth leader of Ikot Akpan Udo, Mr. Abasi-Okon Etukudoh, who spoke on behalf of the community, said with tears that the invasion of his community by the Amazaba people was becoming a recurrent thing without counter attack by his people.

He said,”One of the first houses attacked and burnt is that of the village head, Ete-Idung Oscar Abel. They burnt all his property, clothes, certificates and other

Continues on page 26

24 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Asaba has no master plan 24 yrs after state creation — Chief Clement Ofuani, DG, Delta Capital Territory Development Agency

•What we’re doing to redress appalling situation •DCTDA not Delta North DESOPAEC

DELTA… FINGER OF GOD

By EMMA AMAIZE

A

SABA—DIRECTORGENERAL of the Delta Capital Territory Development Agency, DCTDA, Asaba, Delta State, Chief Clement Ofuani, has revealed that the Asaba, capital of the oil-rich state, has no development master plan 24 years after creation of the state in 1991.

Ofuani, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice in his office at Asaba, asserted that what had happened over the years was a hit and miss expansion, which his agency was determined to bring to a halt.

Excerpts.

How are you going about the

business of developing Asaba, particularly when some parts of the state think that it has gotten its fair share as capital of Delta?

I think the decision to create the Delta Capital Territory Development Agency, DCTDA, at this point in the history of the state, 24 years after its creation, is an indication that it has not attained the status it ought to have in terms of infrastructure and living conditions of the citizens in the capital city. That is why government created the agency to give it that bite and focus.

The first thing of course is to ensure that there is a discernible master plan that drives development and what has happened over the years is that several master plans were commissioned but never completed and , therefore, they did not become instruments to drive the development of the capital territory. You see a lot of

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 Nath Onajoke Chijioke Nwankpa C M Y K

spontaneous development, people come to us today and say they want to collaborate with you to build this and that for people. We would love to work in partnership with them to build houses but without a master plan, I will be doing exactly what they did before, just point at one vacant land and say go and build there.

That is not right, we need to master plan the capital territory, decide that this zone is high density, this zone is low density, this zone should have four-storey buildings, 12 –storey buildings, these are the kinds of infrastructure that one must provide before you can even construct a house, etc. It is when you have such master plan that you will start to talk about development. That is how they do it in any other city; you also include master plans for drainage, sewerage and sewage treatment, supply of water, mass transit system, etc. They will all be integrated and then, we start addressing them one by one.

Is this master plan ready now?

No, we are just about to initiate it, we inherited some level work but then, it has to be reviewed, a whole number of social-economic factors used in that plan have been overtaken by events. Therefore, you now need to revisit those socio-economic factors and replan in accordance to what you will find in the field. We also have to do the survey, nowadays because of the advancement in technology; you can do satellite mapping, aerial survey and ground control

to validate what your photography is giving you. These will help us in doing detailed planning for the capital territory.

Can the people have a peep of what the new Asaba will look like even though the master plan is not yet ready?

While we are still working on the general master plan, we also know that aside from the global master plan that gives you what will be in what sector, there will also be detailed plans for various districts.

Now, we are picking some districts of high interest to drive development in the near term.

I can easily talk about three now.

One is the Delta Commercial City, it is a 350-hectare parcel of land along the Asaba-Benin highway, just by the River Niger and we want to develop it as a master plan community with all the facilities you expect in a district of such nature. I am talking about leisure, residential and industrial areas, commercial and retail sections plus luxury facilities. That is just one.

The other one is the Asaba River Waterfront, which again is something that many people have spoken about because every city in the world that has this kind of river geography builds with that river as a major asset. and living at the water front commands premium but here, we are running away from the waterfront because we have not been able to control flooding, create the appropriate levy and so on, which makes the land almost like a waste land.

raining season is the issue of flooding. We have taken a great look at the problem, which is one of the things that our consultant has worked on extensively. I insisted that I went to see a holistic engineering solution to the flooding in Asaba, not a situation where you do drainage for this road and it leads to nowhere.

I want a situation where run-off water coming from anywhere in the capital territory find their way to a central sewer and exit to our natural drain, which is the River Niger. That has been concluded and estimated, we are faced with the challenge of money to do it and it is one of the areas that we brainstorming with the administration to find a way of dealing with it.

The governor is Chief Clement Ofuani, DirectorGeneral of the Delta Capital Territory committed to it, but there is this issue of the general Development Agency. environment, there is so However, we intend to attract the much dirtiness, people are just not required level of private sector happy. We are, however, taking the investment in order to maximize view that environmental the use of that land and create sanitation poses a lot of luxury real estate around there. It responsibility on everybody in the is an area of more than 2,000 territory, it is not just about hectares stretching from the Niger government appropriation, it is Bridge along the entire coastline about everybody performing their of Asaba to Anwai, Ugbolu section, assigned roles and together ,we which is one. Then, what we call will give a face-lift to the territory.

We are proposing appropriate our commercial business district, which is Ogbegonogo corridor, is legislations for the management also been redesigned in terms of of waste, etc. We expect that if the its architecture and functionality. legislation is in place and we are By the time we finish that, we are actually implementing, there will going to begin the development; it be a general rise in the level of is a prime land for real estate cleanliness of the entire capital development. Where you should territory because we are going to have had 500 shops, we roughly people play their part. As I drive, I have 100-200 because of improper see outside people’s homes a lot of planning. We intend to do all of dirt and I wonder how they live that planning and increase the use there, so it does not occur to them of the place, but at the same time, that they should clean the place. we want to ensure the green area What is the deal between your and the ease of flow of traffic and circulation within the market. All agency and Fight Against Desert of these are the parameters we are Encroachment, FADE, founded by using in the redesigning of the foremost environmentalist, Chief Newton Jibunoh? districts.

When you travel to major cities The designs are almost ready, so we hope to begin actual all over the world and look implementation this year. The around, you find that the houses other one that touches everybody Continues on Page who comes to Asaba during the

Residents knock govt over mounting filth in Asaba *They should congratulate, not attack us — Nani, Commissioner for Environment *We’re inhibited by budgetary provision — Ofuani, DG, DCTDA state Ministry of Environment, the

By FESTUS AHON

A

SABA—DIRT is slowly seizing Asaba, the capital of Delta State and the residents are apprehensive of the repercussion to their health.

Residents, who spoke to the

NDV, among them, Mr Emeka Chukwunonso, Chidima Okafor, Mr John Ogheneovo, Mr Felix Ovuezi, Elizabeth Okorenmenta and Mr Uche Amede, blamed the situation on the attitude of the Ministry of Environment, the Waste Management Board and the State Capital Territory Development Agency toward the cleanliness of the state.

They lamented that nobody was enforcing the monthly environmental sanitation exercise anymore while those sweeping the streets on daily basis seemed to have gone with the wind.

While noting that under the immediate past administration

the Asaba city and other major towns in the state looked clean, Chukwunonso wondered what has led to the present filthy situation in the state.

Threat to Okowa’s prosperity agenda

Okafor decried the situation and

said it posed a serious threat to the health of Deltans. Her words: “The prosperity agenda of the Dr Ifeanyi Okowa amounts to nothing when the health condition of the people is being threatened by the indiscriminate dumping of refuse.”

On his part, Ogheneovo said the

State Waste Management Board and the Asaba Capital City Development Agency were nonchalant to the sanitary condition of the state, urging them to wake you from slumber.

“You can imagine a situation where people now dump refuse on road sides, pavements and roundabouts thereby defacing Asaba with dirt,” Ovuezi lamented.

Speaking in the same vein, Okorenmenta and Amede called on the state government to make certain the cleanliness of the state by ensuring strict compliance with the state’s monthly environmental exercise.

Waiting for Nani

Contacted on the development, Commissioner for Environment, Mr John Nani, said the ministry was doing its best and wondered why residents should not commend them for their efforts.

When told to take a drive round

•Traffic Junction, Dennis Osadebey Way, Asaba

Continues on page 25

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 — 25

CROSS-RIVER… THE PEOPLE’S PARADISE

By EMMANUEL UNA GOJA—DEATH is an inevitable journey that every man on the planet earth will undertake and prepare for at any time, but the people of Ogoja, headquarters of Ogoja Local Government Area, located some 320 kilometers in the northern part of Cross River State, are not in a hurry to prepare for the voyage.

Natives of the community, legendary for its landmass luxuriant for the production of agricultural products like yam, rice, cassava and maize, among others detest the sight of coffins, a funerary box used for keeping a corpse, and interring the dead. They would rather prefer to continue to eat and replenish the earth.

Investigation by Niger Delta Voice showed that because of the villagers’ abhorrence for death, the people have prohibited the sale of coffins in tribes and villages in Ogoja, including Ishibori, Igoli, Ogboja and Abakpa.

It is not, however, that Ogoja people do not die or require burial in coffins, they actually do like other people, but according to the elders of the area, the sale of coffins increases the rate of death.

Therefore, to stem death rate, the people decreed a restriction on the sale of coffins.

O

Difficulties in procuring coffins

Astonishingly, the existence of two major hospitals in the area, General Hospital, Ogoja and Monaya Hospital attracts

•Ogoja in Northern Cross River

C-River town where inhabitants forbid casket business •Why should a normal person sell coffin — David Ishor, community leader a string of sick people into the city to seek medical aid.

Patients from Boki, Yala, Ukele, Bekwara and Obudu and other places troop to the city to seek medical care in these famous hospitals.

Because death has no calendar, many patients pay the inevitable debt at any time, but with the ban on the sale of coffins, members of the bereaved families travel to Ikom, 217 kilometers from Calabar, the state capital, Vandeikya in Benue State, Abakaliki, Ebonyi state and

other distant places to buy coffins. The distant trip in search of coffins adds to the cost of the burial for the loved ones.

Get your coffin elsewhere

A community leader in Ishibori, David Ishor, told Niger Delta Voice that coffins were not conventional articles of trade, so no coffin shops are allowed to operate in any Ogoja town or village and nobody can change that or force the people to have a

change of mind.

“Why should a normal person want to trade on a thing like that because every morning the prayer of a businessman or trader is for people to patronize him, so then a man who sells coffins will be praying for people to die so that his business could prosper, is that a good thing,” he rhetorically asked.

Chief Ishor said right from time people bury their dead with mats and not coffins and wondered what the craze about burying people in coffins

nowadays is about. He, however, said that insisting on burying his person with a coffin could get it from anywhere, but not Ogoja.

According to him, if the sale of coffins is good business, the person who plans to stock such items should store them in his living room to appreciate the “goodness” of his wares.

“Look, there is something spiritual about death and there are things you do, you encourage it to strike people and we do not want that in Ogoja, so no sale of coffins here,” he stressed.

Asaba has no master plan 24 yrs after state creation Continues from page 24 are not seemingly beautiful than those in our own capital city. They have fine buildings, we have finer buildings, they have this, we have that, but somehow, I find out that there is total lack of harmony in our case because of the fact there was no master plan for our buildings.

And secondly, the level of greening of the city actually makes it a more livable environment and we realize that we spend all our times cutting our trees, cutting everything away and think that it is bring light and

development. However, in actuality, that is turning development upside down. We have to learn to live with the environment; first, it helps us to reduce the emissions and beautify the city. Having understood all of these, we went into agreement with FADE, a United Nations environmental protection agency and internationally recognized NGO that advocates for green environment and all of that and has capacity in assisting us.

One is to develop green corridors within the capital territory and develop programmes to ensure we plant

trees in the green corridors. They will also bring their expertise to help us as we develop the master plan to identify areas where we have to develop green parks. The green parks are necessary for recreation and other things; the organization will develop and manage them.

First is that it is irony that this is coming that this is coming at a time of huge fiscal constraints to the government, both at state and federal levels. The issue is not about pumping money into Asaba, where is coming from, our understanding of our mandate here is for us to think out of the

box, a whole lot of the initiatives I have enumerated are not going to be funded from the appropriation.

There are business initiatives that we are going to sell to smart investors and show them what they stand to benefit.

It is going to be mostly private sector funding, which is actually the plank of our being here. So those who think that Asaba Capital Territory Development Agency is Delta North DESOPADEC are totally mistaken because we have no such provision in the law, there is nowhere that kind of funding is going to come from. We are to find

ways of bringing development and getting people to take up the development challenges.

Recently I visited a potential investor, who is developing a 501hectare estate in Abuja and my rough estimate of total investment in that piece of land is nothing less than N300 billion, which is more than the budget of the state.

The investors are interested in coming to collaborate with us in developing our Delta Commercial City, which is just a fraction of what we are doing.

So, if we are able to assemble that kind of private-sector investment and develop 350 hectares and are able to attract N200 billion of investment into it, it is more than the entire capital budget of the state. You see, this can be raised by the private sector with no exposure to us, it will be done because they are convinced that this is good for them in terms of their business.

Residents knock govt over mounting filth in fundamental to keep the city clean but there Asaba were budgetary constraints.

Continues from page 2

the streets of Asaba to know whether the people should praise the ministry or otherwise, Nani said: “Okay, I will drive round and get back to you.”

As at the time of filing this report, the commissioner, who spoke to the NDV last Wednesday was yet to get back to say otherwise.

Our dilemma — Ofuani

Director-General of the Delta Capital Territory Development Agency, Chief Clement Ofuani, said the agency was doing something

C M Y K

Ofuani said before now, SEEFOR, engaged the people sweeping the streets on daily basis and carried out refuse disposal, but the contract between the state government and the World Bank under the scheme ended October last year, and since then, there have been challenges with the cleanliness of the city.

Noting that this was a transition period, he said the agency was working with local governments in the capital city to fashion a way out of the present sanitary condition of the state.

Another refuse dump on Nnebisi Road, Asaba.

26 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Continues from page 23 valuable documents of the community and domestic animals as you can see. “Although he escaped with only the loin cloth he went to bed with, his whereabouts is still unknown till this moment.” He lamented that the latest attack came after they managed to erect new structures to shelter their families in place of the houses razed in previous incidents by Amazaba mercenaries.

Blames govt The youth leader blamed the Akwa Ibom state government for the various attacks and the refugee situation they have been subjected to, saying government has not done anything tangible to bring their assailants to book or to ameliorate their plight.

He said,”The refusal by the government to act swiftly and to bring perpetrators of these attacks to book is what has given them the impetus to continue to attack our people. If the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Akwa Ibom State government in 2008 had done a thorough job, the culprits arrested and made to face the law, the people would not have continued to take the laws into their hands.

“Apart from the Commission of Inquiry, government had in 2012, set up a Peace and Reconciliation Committee to reconcile the two disparate communities only for the committee to compromise its assignment and government was also afraid to query those members.

This is an Ibibio territory and even the West African Court of Appeal, WACA, that decided on the ownership of this land in 1928 and 1954 had held that the Amazaba and all Andonis in Ikot Akpan Udo conurbation in Ukpum Ete Clan, Ikot Abasi LGA, were tenants of the Ibibios. The Andonis are indeed settlers on the Ikot Akpan Udo land and cannot reinvent the wheel. They should return to Andoni land in Rivers State to claim ownership of territory, and not in Ikot Akpan Udo or Ikot Abasi LGA. Even if they destroy homes in Ikot Akpan Udo one million times, they can never live on Ikot Akpan Udo mainland any longer.”

Also speaking, a widow, Obot Titus, whose house was torched by the Andoni mercenaries, lamented that since her husband’s demise several years ago, she has had to shoulder the responsibility of the family alone, including erecting the burnt structure. She wondered where she would raise funds again to provide shelter for her children, especially as they burnt her motor cycle which used to provide income for the family.

Our case, by Amazaba elder A leader of Amazaba community, who gave his name simply as Elder Francis, also blamed the Akwa-Ibom State government for the crisis, adding that if government had demarcated the boundary between Amazaba and Ikot

•Burnt apartment.

•Mr Etukudoh.

The agonies of Ikot Akpan Udo villagers Akpan Udo, the problem would not have escalated. He also accused government of failing to check the claim of Ikot Akpan Udo of being the owners of the land occupied by the Amazaba people.

“What government needs to do is to demarcate the boundary between us so that Ikot Akpan Udo will not continue to claim that they own everywhere.

“We are the owners of the land having migrated from Andoni to occupy where we are now up to Ukpum Ete, but because we are mostly fishermen, we do not care much about land, they kept trespassing into our land and making claims of them.”

Way out: Elder Francis said: “That is why we are revolting and

The refusal by the government to act swiftly and bring perpetrators of these attacks to book is what has given the Andonis the impetus to continue to attack us

we will continue to do it until government takes appropriate action, not by using military force but by demarcating our boundaries.

“Once that is done, there will be peace, but if government makes any mistake of bringing soldiers to come and confront us, government would be wasting its time and resources because our people will capture the soldiers and make mincemeat of them.”

Ikot Akpan Udo community, which maintained its ownership of the land, however, said some officials of the state government were forcing it to accept a politically induced peace.

The community said it would not accept a contrived deal for Amazaba Andonis who slaughtered more than 14 of her

citizens and burnt their homestead to live on Ikot Akpan Udo land. The people demanded that government should relocate Amazaba Andonis from Ikot Akpan Udo conurbation to Otunene and Ememen, which lie opposite their kith and kin at Emereoke islands.

The community said that any boundary delineation between Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo local government areas not based on the Akpan Udo River, which rises at Ikot Ekpang in Mkpat Enin local government area of the state and empties into the Atlantic Ocean would never be acceptable to the people.

Govt meets community leaders on Monday Efforts by Niger Delta Voice to get the state government to react to the allegation of nonchalance against it by both communities were not successful, but it proposed a meeting with the elders and chieftains of the two towns, last Friday, January 15, which was later shifted to Monday, January 18.

•Razed resident of Ikot Akpan Udo village head

•Burnt building.

At the weekend when our reporter visited Ikot Akpan Udo, there was heavy security presence at all the police divisions from Ikot-Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Eket, Esit Eket, Onna and Ibeno areas.

We’ve taken charge — Police The squad leader from the Ikot Abasi Police Division, ASP Omini Mathias, who spoke to NDV, said the Ikot Akpan Udo community alerted the police at about 2.00 am, last Tuesday, and they responded, but before they could get to the community, the mercenaries had completed their heinous acts and disappeared.

He said the police and other security outfits were currently on top of the matter to bring the perpetrators to book and possibly end the age-long skirmish.

Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Delia

Nwawe, corroborated ASP Mathias, saying, “the Nigeria Police is for safety of lives and property of citizens. We give priority to these obligations, which is why the Nigeria Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, under CP Murtala Mani, has deployed SARS, Anti-Robbery Squad and as a matter of fact Police Mobile Force, PMF, to that community.”

Her words: “If you go back to Ikot Akpan Udo now, you will see that normalcy has returned there; people are going about their lawful and legitimate businesses.”

According to the PPRO, the command has reached out to the Akwa Ibom State government on the need for the two warring communities to dialogue to have peace.

“Peace is of utmost importance for us if we must make reasonable

progress. Interestingly, nobody has been reported killed in the latest crisis, which is why it is possible for us to tell the people to sheath the sword, have dialogue and live together. We are going to have a meeting with the two warring communities for possible dialogue between them.”

On the arrests so far made by the police in connection with the latest invasion, she said: “For now, I will not be able to tell you the number of arrests that have been made, but all I can say is that we have taken charge. We want these two warring communities to go back and live as a family because they have actually been living as a family.

Right now, we have taken charge of that particular environment and I like to state clearly that people must learn to live together.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 — 27

,

S FORUM

Reviewing activities in the stock market in the previous year, they said that decline in investment is reflection of political realities in the country.

Increasing cost to affect companies’ earnings in 2016 — Analysts

By Nkiruka Nnorom

A

nalysts at Cowry Asset Management have predicted a bleak outlook for public companies in 2016 owing to increasing operational cost on the back of higher import costs.

They also predicted a fall in the level of foreign portfolio investment inflow into the equities market following the weak companies’ fundamentals as well as dwindling external reserve.

According to the Research firm in its 2015 Review & Outlook for 2016, “Companies’ fundamentals are expected to weaken particularly on increased operational cost

coming from higher import costs for manufacturers, lower earnings potentials for the banking and oil sectors, and deteriorating banking assets.”

This, in addition to the increased risk profile in terms of dollar liquidity amid dwindling external reserves, will remain major disincentive to foreign portfolio capital inflow, they added.

They, however, opined that the bond market would remain a veritable investment alternative to fund managers, while projecting an overall bearish market outlook.

On the fixed income space, they said that investment outlet is expected to improve in 2016

as the federal government has indicated interest to borrow from both local and international market to fund the 2016 budget deficit.

“Consequently, increased public sector borrowing may lead to crowding out of the private sector given the expanded size of planned government’s expenditure in 2016. However, the bearish outlook on short-term oil prices has remained a risk factor that may force the federal government to compensate investors with higher marginal rates.

“Hence, bond yields are expected to remain in the double digit region despite contracted money market rates. This again might create a rent seeking opportunity for the deposit money banks. State government bonds are likely to shrink in size as they battle recurrent expenditure due to high wage bill.

Reviewing activities in the stock market in the previous year, they said that decline in investment is reflection of political realities in the country.

VISIT: From left, Managing Director, SKG Pharma Ltd and Chairman PMG-MAN, Mr. Okey Akpa and President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Mr. Ahmed Yakasai during a courtesy visit to Mr. Akpa in his office, in Ikeja, Lagos.

TBCG: How Dangote share buyback will benefit investors

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takeholders in the nation’s capital market have stated that the share back by Dangote Group in Tiger Branded Consumer Goods, TBCG Plc will boost investors’ return on investment and save employees jobs in the company Reacting on the share buyback

by Dangote Goup, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu said “An investment by Dangote Industries in Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc will avail the company not only access to the huge financial resources of Mr. Aliko Dangote but his network of contacts, business offices and deep knowledge of the consumer market in Africa.”

Continuing, he said “ Dangote apart from being the richest African is also about the most widely invested in Africa C M Y K

with business operation in virtually all the regions of the continent.

This has availed him access to key decision makers in several countries in Africa as well as knowledge of the different markets within the continent. This knowledge I believe will be available to the Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc if Mr. Dangote becomes a major equity investor in the company. This will be addition to the opportunity to access funding for expansion either directly from Aliko through rights offer or from his network of lenders who would rely on the strength of his balance sheet to lend to Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc. ‘’With improved access to funding as well as access to growth markets in Africa as a result of its association with the Dangote Group, Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc, would be able to grow its market size and profitability and

hence improve its returns to equity stake holders in the medium term. The announcement effect of the investment could even trigger a market rally for the company’s shares as investors struggle to take position and reap the benefits of the union between Dangote and Tiger Branded Consumer Goods Plc.” In his own reaction, Mr. Oderinde Taiwo, an investor said “ The share bur back is a welcome development. Without Dangote injecting money, it might be the end of the line for TBCG. For Tiger Brands, the move to cut financing would free up cash and enhance earnings in the short term.

But it could also set it back in building a business in Africa’s most populous country and biggest economy. ‘’Going by every indication, the future of the company was very doubtful and that was risky for the employees which are over 3,000 Nigerians apart from others who benefit from the company’s services through other ancillary services. The return of Dangote is therefore a big relief and good decision to save the jobs of the staff of TBCG.”

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CIS, UK Institute sign membership MOU

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HE Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has made history with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with its counterpart in the United Kingdom, the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI).

The MOU , Vanguard gathered is a strategic move to forge a strong relationship between the two leading institutions that train global finance and investment professionals is expected to become operational any moment from now.

Besides, plan is underway to hold a strategic forum where the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of stockbroking companies in Nigeria and members of CISI in London and Nigeria would interact for mutual benefits.

By the MOU, the CIS shall mobilize its members under special arrangement to become CISI members with attendant benefits and vice versa, the Institute shall collaborate with CISI to organize and execute on-line continuing development programme (CPD) for its members in Nigeria and both parties shall develop specialized professional training for their members.

Also, CIS shall collaborate with its U.K. counterpart to develop specialized professional training for its members and students resident in Nigeria through development of courses and programmes in Securities and Investment and other related subjects .

The MOU provides for collaboration of both Institutes to develop a course on Integrity, Ethics and Professionalism as part of ongoing requirements for the membership of CIS among others.

Commenting on the MOU, the Acting President, CIS, Mr Oluwaseyi Abe described it as a welcome development capable of of moving the Institute to a greater height. Abe expressed optimism that the MOU would be mutually beneficial to both Institutes.

Abe delivered the goodwill message of the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Oscar Onyema who had earlier stated the Exchange’s full support for the MOU as a potent method to create symbiotic relationship between CIS and CISI in order to develop the much needed global manpower for the Nigeria capital market.

Director, Global Business Development , CISI, Mr Kevin Moore expressed optimism that the MOU would strengthen relationship between CISI and CIS in all the components of professional and business activities in the short, medium and long time.

COMPLAINTS & INVESTIGATIONS

Send complaints or enquiries about issues, products and services of any capital market operator or agency t o vanguardinvestorsforum@gmail.com.

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Azura-Edo power gets World Bank support

By Chris Ochayi

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ENERGY CONFERENCE: From left: Executive Chairman, Oando Plc, Mr. Adewale Tinubu; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; and Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa, after the 2016 edition of the Gulf Intelligence UAE Energy Forum.

Nigeria earns N3.27trn from oil in 10 months N

By Michael Eboh

IGERIA earned N3.27 trillion from the oil and gas sector in 10 months, between January and October 2015, data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has revealed.

The CBN, in its Economic Report for October 2015, disclosed that oil and gas revenue in the 10-month period accounted for 55.93 per cent of the N5.847 trillion total federally collected revenue in the period under review.

In addition to revenue from oil and gas, the country also recorded non-oil revenue of N2.577 trillion, representing 44.1 per cent of federallycollected revenue from January to October 2015.

Giving a breakdown of components of the country’s oil revenue, the report stated that Nigeria earned N737.5 billion from crude oil and gas sales; N1.289 trillion from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT)/Royalties; N1.159 trillion from domestic crude oil/gas sales and N85 billion from other unlisted sources.

On a month-by-month basis, the report revealed Nigerian earned as follows: January - N486.4 billion; February - N359.7 billion; March - N364.6 billion; April N286.2 billion; May - N267.2 billion and June - N285.6 C M Y K

billion respectively. Others are July - N369.4 billion, August N314.9 billion, September N265.2 billion and October N271.1 billion respectively.

In terms of federally-collected revenue on a month-by-month basis, the CBN report showed the country collected for January, February, March, April and May, the sum of N692.1 billion, N554.8 billion,

N808.7 billion, N472.2 billion and N462.5 billion respectively.

While N462.6 billion, N679.3 billion, 682.6 billion, N533.1 billion and N499.4 billon were collected in the months of June, July, August, September and October 2015 respectively.

In its analysis of the financials, CBN said the N499.37 billion collected in October was lower than both

the monthly budget estimate and the receipt in September by 38.7 per cent and 6.3 per cent, respectively, which it attributed to the shortfall in receipts from oil and non-oil revenue, during the month of October.

In addition, the CBN stated that Nigeria’s crude oil production, including condensates and natural gas liquids, stood at an average of 2.02 million barrels per day (mbd) or 62.62 million barrels (mb) in October. It added that this represented an increase of 0.04 mbd or 2.0 per cent above the average of 1.98 mbd or 59.40 mb, recorded in the preceding month.

Gas flaring: Oil firms pay N1.8bn fines

By Michael Eboh

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il and gas companies operating in Nigeria were fined N1.81 billion in nine months, between January and September 2015, for flouting Federal Government’s directives on gas flaring, a data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN said.

This is a pointer to the fact that despite several warnings and deadlines by the Federal Government to oil companies to stop gas flaring, the practice still continues. The international community had also joined in calls for the stoppage of gas flaring due to its negative impact to the environment.

The CBN in its Third Quarter Statistical Bulletin revealed that in the first quarter of 2015, oil firms paid N670 million as penalties for gas flaring, while N790 million and N350 million were paid as penalty in the second and third quarters respectively.

In addition to the penalties for gas flaring, the Federal Government also earned N424.27 billion and N310 million as royalties and rent respectively, from the oil companies in the

nine-month period.

Also, the country earned N1.532 trillion from the sale of crude oil and N258.62 billion from the sale of gas.

Further breakdown showed earned the following: •Crude oil sales - N645.79 billion in Q1, N459.89 billion in Q2, and N426.15 billion in Q3, •Gas sales - N153.03 billion, N23.68 billion and 81.92 billion in Q1, Q2 & Q3 respectively.

•Pipeline fees and other miscellaneous items - N18.9 billion or N4.57 billion in Q1, N10.1 billion in Q2 & N4.23 billion in Q3.

Furthermore, total federally-collected revenue stood at ¦ 1.752 trillion in Q1 compared to ¦ 1.303 trillion in Q2 and ¦ 2.481 trillion in Q3 2014.

This, according to the report, represented an increase of ¦ 449.06 billion or 34.45 percent, but a decrease of ¦ 728.18 billion or 29.35 per cent, when compared with the levels of the preceding quarter and the corresponding quarter of 2014, respectively.

HE Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, MIGA, the political risk insurance and credit enhancement arm of the World Bank Group, has pledged its support for the Azura-Edo Independent Power Producer, IPP. The power project which requires about US$900 million has reached financial close is expected to bring reliable and affordable energy to the nation’s grid, aimed at serving nearly 12 million residential consumers.

The MIGA support according to a statement weekend, is part of a larger programme being implemented by the World Bank Group to mobilise nearly US$1.7 billion of private-sector financing to support Nigeria’s energy reform programme in general.

“In particular, the World Bank, the International Finance Cooperation (IFC), and MIGA have worked jointly to finance Azura-Edo with a package of guarantees, loans, and political risk insurance,” the statement said.

MIGA’s guarantees for the project total $492 million. They cover equity investments by Amaya Capital Ltd., American Capital Energy and Infrastructure, Aldwych Azura Limited, the African Infrastructure Investment Fund 2 Power Holding, and Asset and Resource Management Ltd. MIGA is also covering commercial lending by Siemens Bank, KfW IPEX, Rand Merchant Bank, and Standard Bank—with Standard Chartered Bank acting as agent on behalf of the lenders.

Hedging instruments by Standard Chartered and RMB are also covered by MIGA’s guarantees.

Azura-Edo is the first wholly project-financed IPP in Nigeria, and “consists of the construction, operation, and maintenance of a 459-megawatt, gas-fired, opencycle power plant in the vicinity of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

“It also includes the construction of a short 330-kV transmission line connecting the power plant to the Benin North substation and a short underground gas pipeline spur connecting the power plant to the country’s main gas trunk line. The project will deliver power not only to Nigeria, but also the broader West African Power Pool.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—29

‘Nigeria should embrace clean energy revolution’ Mr. Nico Tyabji, is the Climatescope Africa Coordinator, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, BNEF. Before joining BNEF in 2011, he led research on mitigation strategies at the Global Network for Climate Solutions based at Columbia’s Earth Institute, and has previously worked for the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development in Geneva. In this online interview with Clara Nwachukwu, he insists there is now a big opportunity for Nigeria to embrace the clean energy revolution, while stressing the need for more investments in infrastructure to fast track socio-economic development in Nigeria. Excerpts:

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EVELOPING countries like Nigeria are slow to appreciate that infrastructure is critical to socio-economic development. Why do you think this is so?

The importance of energy for development is increasingly well appreciated now, but it’s certainly true that most African countries have been slow to expand their power systems. One reason is the upfront cost of building new power plants and electricity grids.

Many governments have also been slow to pass and most importantly, implement policies to attract investment. The good news is that generating electricity from renewables like solar and wind is now as cheap as using fossil fuels in many places so there’s a great opportunity for Nigeria to embrace the clean energy revolution!

Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy yet we don’t match such growth with infrastructure development. What can government do to attract more

private sector involvement into the sector?

Three words: feed-in tariff. This guarantees that the price solar, wind and other projects will be paid for the power they produce.

Nigeria has had one for a little while, but there’s been no activity because it was seen as too risky.

The regulator last November, approved new regulations, and if they get it right there will be a lot of interest from the private sector. There are already a lot of interested project developers trying to keep track of what’s happening here, and things could move quickly with the right policy.

But project announcements won’t go anywhere without the feed-in tariff or some other form of policy that the private sector can trust.

In the area of renewable energy, Nigeria has enormous potential resources but government and the private sector are not taking advantage of these. What do you think can be done to address the situation given our poor power supply

Mr. Nico Tyabji, CAC, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, BNEF. situation?

Nigeria has had very little investment in clean energy so far, but finished 4th for Africa on Climatescope because it actually has some good conditions in place to attract investment into

Many governments have also been slow to pass and most importantly, implement policies to attract investment

Indorama plans thousands of jobs from S1.4bn plant

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By Prince Okafor

O reduce the rate of unemployment in Nigeria, Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited, IEFCL, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is set to employ thousands in the first quarter of 2016.

This is sequel to IEFCL’s completion of a brand new fertilizer plant, which is a world class facility. Currently, several critical sections of the plant are going through various stages of pre-commissioning and test-run. Spokesman for Indorama, Dr. Jossy Nkwocha said: “The 1.4 million metric tonnes capacity per annum fertilizer plant and port terminal will have a huge positive impact on employment in Nigeria.

“Both projects would create thousands of both direct and indirect jobs when commissioned in the first quarter of this year 2016. Currently about 4,000 workers are engaged in the construction phase of the projects.”

He however urged both the Federal and Rivers State governments to assist in creating enabling environment to op-

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erate the new fertilizer plant optimally so that it would yield maximum impact on the nation’s economy.

Also commenting, Indorama’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Manish Mundra, said the project will boost the nation’s agricultural sector; provide needed fertilizers for farmers across the country; improve crop yield; fight hunger and poverty; and create numerous employment opportunities.

“Indorama fertilizer will greatly enhance Nigeria’s brand reputation as it puts the nation on the global fertilizer map as a producer and exporter of fertilizers,” he said. Mundra further said the fertilizer project is a US$1.4 billion Foreign Direct Investment, FDI, from Indorama Corporation, funded majorly

by International Finance Corporation, IFC, an arm of the World Bank, and some Nigerian banks.

Furthermore, the project is reputed as one of Nigeria’s biggest FDIs in the downstream sector of the nation’s economy, thus making the Indorama Fertilizer the world’s largest gas-based single stream Urea Plant.

clean energy. Apart from the feedin tariff, there is high demand for power obviously, as nearly everyone reading must experience the difficulties with the grid, or perhaps the lack of grid. Also, over the last few years, Nigeria has introduced reforms in the power sector that could open it up to new investment.

Another area that has big potential is off-grid solar and battery storage for people that don’t have grid power.

There are over 100 companies worldwide selling these commercially, and people without much money can buy solar home systems pay-as-yougo, often using their phones to make payments that are less than what they’d otherwise pay for kerosene, throwaway batteries, phone charging and the like.

Ultimately, the economics of clean energy will mean there’s good business to be had, and this won’t have to rely on big power grids.

Is Bommberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) doing anything to encourage private investment in renewables outside of the fund, in terms of awareness programme on the potential of the sector? Also, can the private sector assess the fund?

BNEF provides expertise rather than financing, and Climatescope is a tool for investors, rather than a fund. The aim is to provide a lot of information to investors, businesses, government and other officials, as well as the general public - like your readers on what’s happening in clean energy in Nigeria. It scores the country ’s investment attractiveness for clean energy and compares it to other countries in Africa and around the world.

Check it out at www.globalclimatescope.org Based on BNEF intervention, it appears to be a one-size fits all. Is there a country specific programme for Nigeria for instance, given its socio political peculiarities?

We make a lot of information publicly available through Climatescope so people can understand the current situation and compare it to other countries.

But you’re right that every country has its own characteristics: Nigeria is at a very interesting stage, after the reforms to its power sector, with its economic strength but vulnerability to oil price movements, and its substantial renewables resources.

Businesses and investors will study the details of the feed-in tariffs very carefully before moving forward, so the peculiarities are all important.

US pledges support for minerals geosciences data

By Gabriel Ewepu HE United States of America, USA, has pledged support for the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, to generate concrete and reliable, quality and quantity geosciences data of solid mineral deposits across the country.

The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, disclosed this during his visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and his associate, Hon Abubakar Bwari, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. Entwistle also disclosed that the US Geological Survey would set the process in motion with the NGSA from next week beginning with strategic engagements aimed at working out suitable technical partnership.

The US envoy said it was imperative for both countries’ geological survey agencies to collaborate in a way of fasttracking the development and harnessing the sector’s potential and to actualise the dream of diversification and huge revenue generation.

He said: “The US geological Survey next week will partner with the Nige-

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rian Geological Survey Agency to begin to see what kind of technical cooperation that might be possible, particularly in the areas of figuring out exactly what Nigeria has on ground, what quality and we want to see what is possible in that regard.”

In his remarks, Dr. Fayemi described the US Government’s readiness to partner with Nigeria as a welcomed development and a good omen for the sector and economy.

He told the US envoy that similar partnerships by Nigeria with institutions like the World Bank and other governments with vast experience in mining will help achieve President Muhammadu Buhari’s aspiration to diversify the economy through the Solid Minerals sector.

The minister further expressed optimism and maintained that the planned technical cooperation in geological data generation will add value to the sector, as some of the issues confronting it like the quality of data available to determine the size of what Nigeria has, and how to use bankable data by potential investors.

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Italy expresses interest in Nigeria’s minerals

By Gabriel Ewepu

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HE Italian government has indicated interest in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector following the huge prospects shown to investors.

The interest in the nation’s solid minerals sector was made known during a courtesy visit by the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Fulvio Rustico, to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to his office in Abuja.

Rustico said the solid minerals sector is one priority area that his country has interest in and that the listing of the sector by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as a major sector to diversify the economy makes it more attractive.

He added that Italy looked forward to have closer bilateral relations with Nigeria in this regard, and acknowledged Nigeria as a rich country with huge possibilities and that this “talking together” will open new horizon for both countries.

Meanwhile, the Minister disclosed that the Nigerian government and its Italian counterpart have commenced discussions regarding areas of

cooperation in solid minerals development for mutual benefits.

He said government has been making efforts to woo more local and foreign investors to invest in

Nigeria’s solid minerals based on government’s diversification drive and commitment to job creation in the sector.

However, the minister

maintained that the ministry would not compromise standard and strict adherence to laid down rules, as far as the Nigerian Mining and Minerals Act 2007, is concerned.

By Prince Okafor

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NNPC RETAIL: Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State (right), welcoming the Group Executive Director, Commercial & Investments, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Babatunde Victor Adeniran, during a visit to consult with the state government on the NNPC retail outlets expansion project.

Stakeholders optimistic about better policy in 2016

By Ediri Ejoh

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Mojec tasks consumers on prompt bills settlement

ESPITE numerous challenges witnessed in the petroleum industry in 2015, stakeholders are optimistic over a positive outlook in the current financial year.

According to the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, there is a need to diversify the economy away from oil, and to offset the negative impact of the slump in crude oil prices now a little above $30 per barrel.

The Director General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, told Vanguard that with oil price at all-time lows, the imperative of economic diversification cannot be overstressed.

His words: “Oil and gas investments are no longer as profitable as it used to be especially in the light of the high production cost in Nigeria. Many oil service companies are experiencing a slump in business as new investment in the upstream has slowed considerably, as there are also policy issues slowing down investments.”

He further hinted that “there will be better policy clarity for investors to take decisions in 2016 as already indicated in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and the Fiscal Strategy Paper, FSP, for 2016-2018.

“However, there will be serious fiscal challenges as oil price remains very low, and the capacity of government to meet its financial

obligations will be greatly constrained because of the severe revenue constraints.

Others according to him include: “The purchasing power will remain low as employers struggle to meet obligations to workers.

• The pressure to diversify the economy will be more intense.

• The government will have to initiate policies to accelerate private sector involvement in its programmes through public private partnership, PPP. • The debt profile of government is likely to further increase.

• Ongoing projects may be affected adversely by revenue challenges.

• Taxation drive will intensify.

• Investors with high forex exposure will face difficult times.

The petroleum industry in 2015, was faced a number of challenges including the general elections, vandalism, scarcity of foreign exchange and

We can use stranded gas more by encouraging appropriate pricing of gas and providing key enablers to gather, process and wheel it

continued fall global oil price, which stalled development in the upstream oil and gas business.

As a result of these challenges, there were sharp drop in government revenue, and cash flow crunch in the economy leaving many state governments and MDAs unable to meet their financial obligations to workers and contractors.

Power supply On his part, the Chairman of Egbin Power Plc, Mr. Kola Adesina, recalled that 2015 was very challenging for the sector.

He however urged the Federal Government to “make rules that would shore up confidence and liquefy the sector in 2016. Policies and decisions must seek to satisfy relevant stakeholders by the removal of obstacles to progress and investment.”

He hinted that gas supply for power had improved and should be sustained, adding that pipeline maintenance and security must improve to engender availability.

According to him, “We can use stranded gas more by encouraging appropriate pricing of gas and providing key enablers to gather, process and wheel it. The critical parameters for costing and pricing electricity are largely universal, mixed with local influences like interest, inflation and exchange rates.

“Once all these factors are put together we develop a price template. Electricity is largely an economic product laced with socio-political undertone. It is when the latter is more pronounced that you find distortions masking reality.”

He however argued that, “ we must incrementally strip electricity pricing of emotion in order to stimulate availability, industrialization and job creation to eradicate poverty and misery.”

HE Managing Director, Mojec International Limited, an indigenous metering company, Ms. Chantelle Abdul, has urged Nigerians to constantly pay their electricity bills to ensure power stability in the country.

Abdul told Vanguard that the failure of customers to pay their outstanding bills, contribute to the inability of the distribution companies to supply constant power.

According to her, “If you don’t pay your bill, it will affect the Discos from supplying power in the country and this will result in shortage of power supply.”

She added that “Until Nigerians start understanding they should pay their bills, when you pay to the DISCOs they will have enough money to be able to buy meters. But when some persons in a particular area decide to be giving Mr. X, Y and Z bribe, the DISCO which is supposed to collect maybe N10, 000,000 from one area, only collects N1, 000,000. Where is he going to get the money to pay me to produce the meter that he needs to give you? That’s the situation we are in the country. They are not collecting sufficient revenue to be able to pay for what we know as the operational cost, what they need to pay for meter, transformers or what they need to rebuild substations.”

As regards patronage from the industry, she argued that “This structure put in place by NERC has to be changed to such that, if you want our product, you can come directly to us.”

With regard to her company ’s operations, Abdul explained that presently Mojec has an installed capacity of over 500,000 meters, with plans to expand to about 1,000,000 meters annually.

“Our operational capacity is 20 percent of that, meaning that I can only produce orders that exist. It will cost a lot of money to produce. Without an existing order I cannot just produce, so that is why we must generate the orders for us to produce.

“We are currently working on expansion to about 2,000,000. The demand in the market is in tens of millions of meters.

Commenting on the issue of access to dollar, she said that this is seriously affecting meter manufacturers. “It is affecting us and it also affecting our customers for sure, in the sense that we need dollars today, to produce the meters, because our components come from abroad. They are not locally sourced.

“We would like to see improved government policy in terms of dollar supply particularly, because for us not to find dollar is to hinder the Nigerian power sector. As long as I don’t have dollar it will affect the market very significantly,” she added.

With regard to sourcing for components locally, she said: “We are working on it; it is possible, but it’s just going to take some time to archive it.

“There are about 50 components that go into the meters, like the LCD, PCB, Mother board (the intelligential of the meter), casing, circuit breaker and the other rest, and we don’t have any factory that produces these components in the country.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 — 31

Developer predicts boom for real estate sector in 2016

By Kingsley Adegboye

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ESPITE the harsh economic climate sweeping across the nation due to the fall in oil prices, devaluation of the naira, capital flight, inconsistency in government policies and unemployment, the Managing Director of Propertygate Development & Investment Plc, Mr. Adetokunbo Ajayi has predicted that 2016 will be a prosperous year for the real estate sub-sector of the economy.

Ajayi who made the prediction at an interactive session with newsmen, premised his optimism on the federal government’s plans to expend huge sum of money on infrastructure which is expected to lead to aggressive intervention in housing supply and the creation of enabling policies to stimulate and deepen private sector participation in housing delivery.

“We also hope to see more activities from the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Corporation, NMRC in the year, which will help provide liquidity to the mortgage market. While the details of government plans are being expected, we hope the government’s zeal for housing will not push it into the private domain of running enterprise, which it is not well equipped for,” he said.

Continuing, the Propertygate boss said : “While we are not unmindful that the nation ended 2015 on a negative economic note just as events in the few days of 2016 are already suggesting there are tougher battles to fight, we believe opportunities for success in 2016 in our sub sector still exist. At Propertygate, we recognise that the need for real estate products and services across board remain significant. We are however careful not to confuse need with demand. This is obviously not the time of harvest without work. We are leveraging on our deep knowledge, expertise and experience to navigate the times we are in. We are giving utmost attention and regards to the dynamics and fluidity of the macro-economic environment and our real estate markets.

Smart real estate ideas; innovation in designs, local content for production, and construction approach; creative funding; and disciplined focus are part of our intended plans for success in 2016. We think the capacity to recognise opportunities in the various

markets in our sub-sector and ability to carefully marshal the needed investment to optimise them will be critical to success stories in the year. These we intend to do; thus delivering market inspired products to our target market".

The Propertygate boss said the firm "strongly believes in effective and efficient use of resources and thinks the need for prudent investment cannot be greater than at this trying

time". "We will therefore be making our real estate advisory services available to more customers to enable them optimize their investment. In effect, we are saying that development idea needs to be properly analysed before you ever put down your money, whether as an investor, financier, user or operator,” he said. According to him, doing this will not only produce optimal return to investors, but

in addition, improve the general economic well being of the immediate environment and the nation ultimately. He added that beyond the advisory services, “We can provide the necessary partnership under a joint venture arrangement to deliver even greater value. “We forecast the year will witness expansion in our advisory service areas of development conception, design and build, development appraisal,

property rehabilitation and development monitoring among others”, Ajayi noted.

Propertygate boss also noted that the recent action and plans of Lagos state government in the area of construction of inner roads across the state, securing $200million World Bank loan for infrastructure, and efforts at enforcement of environmental laws and regulations are positive steps for the real estate sub-sector.

“In our view, one of the major steps the state is urgently expected to take to boost the sub-sector is ensuring maximum enforcement of built and environmental regulations.

UN-Habitat launches international urban design competition for students

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INTERACTION: From left, Head, Finace, Propertygate Development and Investment

Plc, Mr. Vitalis Anieze; Managing Director, Mr. Adetokunbo Ajayi; and Chief Executive Officer, Sofunix Investment and Communications Limited, Mr. Sola Oni, during a media interactive session on Propertygate Real Estate Advisory Services, in Lagos.

PMIs resort to mergers and acquisitions to meet CBN capital requirements

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n a bid mortgage banking operators to meet the new capital requirement, there has been an increasing trend of mergers and acquisitions in the mortgage banking industry. This was contained in the 72-page 2015 Mortgage Banking Industry Report published by Augusto & Co, a the foremost Pan African Credit Rating Agency and a leading provider of industry research.

The report noted that following approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Aso Savings & Loans Plc has acquired Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc. The banks have executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), share purchase agreement (“SPA”) and are in the process of integrating their operations.

The Report which is sold for $1,800, stated that some illiquid mortgage banks might be forced to downsize their operations to become microfinance banks following their failure to attain the CBN’s recapitalisation mandate.

The report provides deep knowledge on the mortgage banking sector and the

background on the various regulations on the Industry as well as the impact on the industry operators.

Our Mortgage Banking Report also reviews the competitive environment within which mortgage banks operate and the impact of competition on market share. It examines the financial condition of 10 Primary Mortgage Institutions, PMIs, five of which are listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Our analysis focuses on asset quality, capital adequacy, earnings, funding and liquidity,” the firm said.

According to the report, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN, in the course of disbursing NHF funds to real estate companies and mortgage banks, had been inundated with a high level of non-performing loans.

“In 2010, FMBN aggressively commenced the recovery of non-performing loans that had been disbursed under the Real Estate Development Loan and the National Housing Fund Schemes. As a result, the bank succeeded in recovering N1.2 billion non-performing loans owed as at August 2014,” the report said.

N-Habitat is launching a competition to promote collaboration between Kenya’s students and their peers elsewhere and to promote the importance of urban design.

The competition is being organized in collaboration with Kenya’s Urban Development Department (UDD) and the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development. It is part of UN-Habitat’s support to the Kenya Municipal Program under the broad framework of ‘Support to a Sustainable Urban Development Sector in Kenya’, which is funded by SIDA. Given that the majority of Kenya’s urban centres have inadequate urban planning, compounded by informal developments and inadequate infrastructures, design will contribute significantly towards the overall transformation of these areas and to unlocking the towns’ full potential. Through this competition, UN-Habitat and UDD seek to create momentum for greater urban design application by demonstrating its value to sustainable development.

Students enrolled in a certified programme during the 2015/2016 academic year at Bachelors, Masters or Ph.D. levels from around the world are invited to participate. The competition is designed to involve international teams that will be formed by linking students from universities in Kenya with those from universities outside the country.

It is envisaged that the teams will be inter-disciplinary with Urban Planners, Urban Designers, Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Economists, Sociologists, Environmentalists and other relevant sectors.

32 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

BATN office complex: A confluence of splendour, allure and luxury

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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he new British American Tobacco Nigeria, BATN office complex located at No 2, Olumegbon Street, off Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos meets all the basic considerations in a checklist for a modern-day office space. The building boasts of first-class technology that guarantees optimum conduciveness for staff and other occupants.

The office complex which took about three years from planning to its completion, serves the West Africa region of the multinational. The 11storey edifice occupies an area of about 6,000 square metres with an imposing height and presence in an elegant office environment that equally boasts of numerous high rise buildings.

The building primarily accommodates staff offices, conference rooms and meeting rooms, while a section of it serves as residential apartments accessible from a different entry point. The apartments include threebedroom apartments and fourbedroom penthouse that are tastefully finished.

The property has a management system equipped with software that enables the regulation of temperature in the building, thereby adding great comfort and luxury to it. Other state-of-the-art facilities in the office complex include a lightsensored solar system which allows sunlight to penetrate only unoccupied areas of the office.

The building is also equipped with a centralised system that delivers chilled water to each floor and regulates room temperature. There is also a sewage treatment system; sewage from the building is channeled to a plant and is treated before being discharged in line with the Lagos State waste management regulations.

Facilities that point to the fact that BATN is not taking anything for granted in ensuring that the staff and other users of the building are safe and secure are also provided.

Close circuit cameras are strategically mounted at every nook and cranny of the building complex. Similarly, every entrance has a swipe card door control system. After a thorough clearance at the gate, permission for access into practically every space in the building is required of visitors who have to swipe their visitor’s card on the swipe card reader on doors. However, visitors would need the assistance of staff or security personnel in order to gain access to restricted

areas in some cases. Card access is also required for the use of the lifts.

Also, the office complex is equipped with fire-fighting equipment: a big fire sprinkler tank, water reservoir and fire hydrant system that can feed fire service with water in the event of a fire outbreak. Others are rest rooms (on every floor), which is accessible to the physically- challenged, and an uninterrupted power supply system. The office complex also boasts of three giant industrial generators with synchronizing panels, a water processing unit, conference rooms and meeting rooms.

A striking feature about the building is its architectural design and the offices within.

The building has glass curtain walls, which allow some illumination and acoustic comfort within as well as provide a delightful aerial view that extends beyond its

immediate Ikoyi surroundings.

Remarkably, an open office design concept is employed in the interior design, which makes for the visibility of every member of staff and activity taking place on an office floor as a result of the absence of wall barriers. Interestingly, it speaks to an open office culture that is fast-becoming popular in most modern-day workplaces.

What is more, there are also recreational facilities, which include a gym and a magnificent swimming pool that is suspended on the fifth floor of the building. This, no doubt, is expected to cement the link between physical exercise and mental equilibrium, which is critical to high performance.

A general note about the office complex is the fact that in spite of the luxury and splendour it radiates, there are quite a lot of cost-saving measures that are in place.

During the facility tour

The edifice

The BATN office complex is a strong indication of its faith in the Nigerian economy even at a time when several multinationals are either shutting down their Nigerian office or simply downgrading their operations in Nigeria to a trading outpost

conducted by the Facility Manager, Mr. Graham Barr; the Project Manager, Mr. Andrew Davies; and Area Head, Corporate Affairs, West Africa region, BATN, Mrs. Seyi Ashade, Barr explained that the building and its surrounding facilities have a system that helps reduce energy cost.

For instance, the residential rooms are equipped with sensors that immediately detect human presence and can automatically switch the lights on or off when someone comes in or goes out of the room. Barr explained that it is cost-effective to have devices that save cost on energy instead of installing an alternative power source.

In his comment, the project manager, Davies, also noted that all the equipment used for the building and the fittings are of premium quality and some of them were supplied locally.

The BATN office complex is a strong indication of its faith in the Nigerian economy even at a time when several multinationals are either shutting down their Nigerian office or simply downgrading their operations in Nigeria to a trading outpost. “This is the West Africa office and Nigeria was selected because of the partnership we have enjoyed in this country over the years.

A lot of attention was paid to constructing this building. It is a commitment from BATN that we are here to stay,” Ashade said.

Ashade also remarked that management got staff to buy into the new office complex by seeking their opinions and inputs into the design of the building. This she noted facilitated a smooth transition from their old office to a new one which BATN staff is “proud and excited about.”

Worthy of note is the great care taken in delivering a structure that does not make life unbearable for anyone who will need to access a structure of this nature and in ensuring that its presence does not obstruct traffic in its surroundings, which is the lot of many office buildings in the metropolis.

UPDC flags off construction of Kaduna mall

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ESSRS UACN Development and Property Company, UPDC Plc has flagged off the construction of Galaxy Mall, a partnership project with the Kaduna State government. The mall which has a gross lettable space of 10,000m2, when completed, will accommodate main anchor tenant, a sub anchor tenant, food courts and 37 line shops as well as an amusement arena.

Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai said

the people of Kaduna were delighted with the arrangement between the government and the private sector in developing the mall in the state. He lauded the company for identifying with the developmental strides of his administration.

The Managing Director, UPDC, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran used the occasion to call on the government to review some of its policies as they relate to the retail value chain in Nigeria.

•GROUND BREAKING...Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (middle) flagging off the construction of Galaxy Mall. With him are Governor Nasir’el-Rufai (right) and the Managing Director of UPDC, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran (left).

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—33

Militarisation of Gbaramatu: Ijaw youths raise alarm over repeat of 2009 massacre T

HE Ijaw Youth Assembly, DIYA, has raised concern over the militarisation of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State in the wake of the court order by a Federal High Court, Lagos, against former militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, coupled with the attack on oil installations by some aggrieved youths.

The group warned that if the current occupation by the military was not stopped, fleeing residents of the area would face serious humanitarian crisis and pose a problem to the state and the nation at large.

DIYA, in a statement in Warri, Delta State, by its President Ebimobowei Oguma, said that tension has heightened in all the communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom over fears of a repeat of what happened in 2009 when entire communities in the kingdom were bombed by the military as they searched for militants.

According to DIYA, hoodlums have taken advantage of the situation by breaking into the homes of residents and business premises of persons who had fled the town thereby causing untold hardship to the people.

It said: “Most of the residents who have fled their homes are

already homeless, and we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the military to order to avoid an impending disaster and oppression of the peace loving people of Gbaramatu."

The group said that all the communities in Gbaramatu are already ghost towns because of the heavy presence of the military personnel who were

already acting in commando style, stressing that the rights and privileges of the people must be respected as anything that will bring a repeat of the events of 2009 when the military invaded Gbaramatu will not augur well for the state and the country.

It will be recalled that in 2013 a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, presided over by Justice

Buba declared the bombardment of Gbaramatu Kingdom in 2009 by the Joint Task Force as unconstitutional and awarded N100 billion against the Federal Government for the destruction of over 53 communities in the kingdom. The said sum has not been paid even as the military is poised to carry out further attacks against the people.

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By Festus Ahon

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EADER of Isoko Youths Renaissance Front, Austin Esajabor, has appealed to youths in Isoko, Delta State, to support and key into Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's administration to make Delta State a better place.

Esajabar, who briefed newsmen in Otor-Owhe, Delta State, said Okowa meant well for the people of the state.

He hailed the governor for appointing Dr Nelson Ejakpovi as Chairman, Governing Board, Delta State School of Health Technology, Ofuoma, saying that the appointment was in the right direction as it would add value to the development of the health institution.

He also thanked Okowa for appointing Karo Ilolo as the Commissioner for Urban Renewal.

NUC limits students' admissions to DELSU, says VC

By Akpokona Omafuaire

PAYMENT: Governor Adams Oshiomhole (left) presents a cheque to Mrs Lily OdionUgbesia, during the payment of gratuties to 2010/ 2011 pensioners in Edo State, yesterday.

Lassa fever claims life of 65yr-old woman in Delta SABA—THE outbreak of Lassa fever which has been ravaging some parts of the country, has claimed the life of a 65-year-old woman who was diagnosed with the illness in Delta State.

The victim, who was first admitted at St Joseph Hospital, Asaba and later referred to the Federal Medical Centre, in the city, gave up the ghost after doctors battled in vain to save her.

The woman whose identity was unknown at press time, reportedly hailed from Ifiogwari village, Ayamelunu, in Anambra State.

Saying that the case was confirmed at the Virology Laboratory of the Specialist Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, a source who pleaded anonymity, said two other samples sent to the same laboratory tested negative.

Meanwhile, the Delta State Rapid Response Team said it had placed 22 persons who had contact with the victim on surveillance with five samples sent for laboratory investigation.

Disclosing that the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja had

Isoko youths told to key into Okowa’s administration

been notified, the source said that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa

has provided the necessary logistics to enhance contact

tracing and other control measures.

TUC flays alleged poor attitude of FG, Rivers to Lassa fever

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— TRADE Union Congress, TUC, in Rivers State, has decried the seeming poor response of the Federal and Rivers State governments to contain the spread of Lassa fever that has killed a medical doctor and two others in the state within one month.

Chairman of the body in the state, Mr Chuka Onuegbu in a statement, yesterday, described Lassa fever as even more deadly than the dreaded Ebola that was effectively contained in the country.

He enjoined the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to tackle the menace, stressing that adequate sensitization of residents on the dreaded disease should be done.

“The TUC, Rivers State appeals to the Rivers State

and Federal Governments to expedite action in containing the spread of Lassa fever across the state and Nigeria.

“Lassa fever is a very fatal viral haemorrhagic fever which we understand kills

faster than Ebola. Already several deaths have been reported while many more especially in the rural areas go unnoticed because of the low level of sensitization of the public on Lassa fever."

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BRAKA—THE Vice Chancellor of Delta State University, DELSU, Prof.

Victor Peretomode, has said, but for the National University Commission’s, NUC, admission regulation, the University has the capacity to admit more students with its current facilities.

The VC, during the 24th matriculation ceremony of the institution explained that NUC, through its control on students intake into universities, deprives many others from gaining admission.

He pointed out that having achieved 95 percent accreditation status for all its undergraduate programmes, NUC has increased the citadel’s student’s carrying capacity to 5,352, against the former 4,852 admission quota.

Olu of Warri commended over riot act to for Itsekiri nation with a view community heads, others to checking the excesses of

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ARRI—NATIONAL Public Relations Officer of oil-rich Deghele community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Johnbull Edema, has applauded the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli I, over his recent policy statement restricting the headship, OlaraAja, of every Itsekiri community to only the most elderly man residing in the community.

Edema also commended the royal father for warning that no community youth leader should ever again aspire to run for a second term in office at the expiration of his first tenure and

appealed to the community heads in Diaspora to relocate to their various communities to discharge their functions effectively.

While saying that the royal father’s stance that anyone above 40 years was no longer a youth was germane, Edema advised communities with a second tenure provision in their constitution to amend same in line with the Olu’s warning to check power tussle.

The Warri monarch, it will be recalled, had on Thursday last week at his palace in Warri, Delta State, disclosed plans to set up a constitution drafting committee

some of his subjects while addressing a gathering of Warri chiefs as well as Itsekiri sons and daughters from different communities that make up Warri Kingdom.

Noting that Itsekiri interest in institutions such as DESOPADEC, NDDC and Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC, should be able to fund the Itsekiri Trust Fund to enable it serve its desired purpose, the Olu said he did not “know of any faction in Itsekiriland,” apparently referring to the factionalisation in Itsekiri groups such as Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, and National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Anambra CP orders release of 8 suspected arsonists

Buhari, Osinbajo, Saraki, others for Ngige’s father’s burial

By Vincent Ujumadu

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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WKA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, his vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Senate president, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu

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NEWI—THE Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Police Command, Mr. Hosea Karma has ordered the immediate release of eight suspected persons arrested in connection with the razing of a house at Mgbachu village Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area on new year's day this year.

Vanguard gathered that Karma's order came after hearing from both the owner of the house that was set ablaze, Hon. Innocent Ilechukwu and the suspects.

The state Commissioner of Police was said to have sent a team of police investigators to the scene of the incident and after a thorough investigation, he reportedly ordered for the release of the suspects based on the report of the investigators.

Hon Ilechukwu had accused a former law maker in the National Assembly, Hon. Christian Okeke, his younger brother, Chibuzor and one Anikpe of razing his house and called for their arrest and prosecution.

However, Hon. Okeke in reaction accused Hon. Ilechukwu of deliberately setting his own house ablaze to divert attention and turn around to accuse them because they are principal witnesses against him in a case of murder allegedly involving him and others.

Ilechukwu, however, denied burning his house.

Dogara, will be among very important personalities to grace the burial of the late Pa Pius Ngige, father of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on Friday and Saturday this week.

Others expected at the ceremony include the five state

Economy: Buhari not prepared to serve Nigerians, says PDP chieftain

By Peter Okutu

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BAKALIKI—A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain in Ebonyi State, Mr. Abia Onyike, yesterday, stressed that the constant blame being heaped on former President Goodluck Jonathan over the state of economy by the Federal Government was a reflection of its unpreparedness to provide quality services to Nigerians.

Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki on the state of nation, Onyike stated that the Buhari-led administration was yet to make any new or original impact on the economy of the nation, apart from buck-passing and uncoordinated anti-corruption crusade.

According to him, the Federal Government has compounded its credibility problem by disobeying court orders, which equally portrayed it as "anarchic and syndicalist."

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately set up a nonpartisan economic recovery team made up of astute economic and financial wizards with the mandate to rescue the country from imminent economic retrogression.

“All hands must be on deck.

The APC government should start providing qualitative governance and take steps to reduce political tension. The uncoordinated anti-corruption crusade is becoming controversial and Nigerians are

getting fed up with the politics of buck-passing.

“The energy and time wasted in blaming past administrations and witch-hunting political opponents would have been used to focus on governance.

This government does not appear prepared to provide indepth services to the people.

“The exchange rate of the naira is now N305 to one dollar. This is the worst ever in Nigerian history.

Mass poverty is enveloping the nation. Something has to be done to checkmate the rapid economic depression.

“President Buhari can set up a bi-partisan economic recovery team made up of astute economic and financial wizards to rescue Nigeria from economic retrogression.”

Ugwuanyi orders road contractors to speed up work

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has warned contractors handling various road projects in the state to re-double efforts to ensure they deliver quality jobs within the stipulated contract period as his administration is in a hurry to complete all ongoing projects for the overall benefit of the people.

Ugwuanyi, who spoke through the Chairman of the newly constituted Enugu State Urban

Renewal Committee, Mr. Chris Offor, during the committee’s site inspection visits to Enugu East, Udi, Nsukka, and Udenu local government areas, weekend, frowned at the low pace of work in some of the sites after they have been fully mobilized.

He told the contractors that the state government will not tolerate any form of laxity that could undermine its estimated time lag for the completion of the projects.

Mr. Offor assured the construction companies of government’s determination to

succeed, adding that in spite of the economic challenges and the huge debt the present administration inherited, which had drastically affected the revenue of the state, "Governor Ugwuanyi is determined and committed to his administration’s development agenda aimed at alleviating the suffering of the people."

While commending the governor for his untiring efforts to ensure that development reached all the nooks and crannies of the state, the chairman

On fight against corruption

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resident Buhari should remember the pensioners, especially those who have not been paid their gratuities for the past three years, and let his axe fall on pension-related fraudsters, because many retirees are dying. -Mrs. Tina Uyovbukerhi, Businesswoman

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t is good that this government is ready to step on toes, but whose toes would they step on before, if not the people they know and eat together with, who else?

Will his fight against corruption affect me, who cannot eat three square meals a day? Mr. Eriduluh Joseph, Self Employed

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he way this government always uses corruption matters to fool Nigerians is a game they have played well. The greatest corruption is that they told me it will be one dollar to one naria, one meal for each student every day. Change! -Mr Newton Egharevba, Worker

of the committee told the contractors that their visit was necessitated by the desire of the government to ascertain their constraints and ensure that quality jobs were executed within the time frame agreed upon.

Responding on behalf of other construction companies, the project manager of FEROTEX construction company, Engr.

John Nkwueke promised to speed up work to ensure that they meet up with estimated deadline for the completion of the projects.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

he instrument that holds Nigeria together is a fraud that cannot be sustained and we cannot operate outside the dictates of United Nations.

For me, this is just how I feel about this fight against corruption in Nigeria. -Mr. Chinekwu Naboth, Worker

first visit to Anambra State since winning the election.

Senator Ngige told reporters at his Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area that the Federal Government delegation to the ceremony would be led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir David Lawal, while governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano would be the chief host.

Various committees for the burial have started turning in their reports, while work on car parks in Alor were being rounded off, weekend.

Speaking about his father, Senator Ngige said though he was not a politician, he supported good governance and would do everything possible to encourage those who serve the society well.

He said: “My father admired the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo because of his free education policy. When I was governor, he supported all my political battles because of his belief that a coward dies before his death. He was my friend because we did things together and though he was not highly educated, he ensured that all his children acquired Western education.

governors in the South East zone and some of their colleagues from other parts of the country, as well as ministers and members of the national and state assemblies.

Pa Ngige passed on last month at the age of 105 years.

It will be President Buhari’s

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resident Buhari’s fight against corruption is good for the country, but he should make sure no corruption takes place in his government because after his exit from office, the probe that will come up will be suicidal. -Mr. Ajibola Olajana-Davis, Self-Employed

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f President Buhari likes let him step on heads to carry out his one point agenda of anti-corruption.

But let it cut across PDP to APC, to even those who say they have retired from politics and those who have not been in politics too. Mr Ojie David, Architecture

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 , 2016—35

NYSC denies diverting N23.5m donated to injured ex-corps members •Says only Akpabio fulfilled his promise

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By Caleb Ayansina

BUJA—THE National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has vehemently denied the allegation that its leadership expropriated the N23.5 million donated to critically injured excorps members, describing the report as mischievous.

The money was donated to the youths under the NYSC Hope Alive initiative, a public/private sector partnership, PPP, aimed at bringing succour to corps members who suffered permanent disabilities during service.

At the 2014 NYSC President’s Honour Award, the Ibeto Group and the then Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State promised N5 million each, while Heritage Bank pledged N1.5 million to each of the beneficiaries, bringing all the donations to N23.5 million.

The scheme explained that of the three organizations that promised to give them monetary donations, only the former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio, fulfilled his promise of N5m to the nine injured corps members.

NYSC maintained that the money had been shared among the nine ex-corps members, adding that Nigerians could confirm from other groups who were yet to fulfil their promises.

A statement by the NYSC Director of Press and Public Relation, Mrs Abosede

Aderibigbe, in Abuja, said the source of the report was questionable as the allegation was deliberately aimed at tarnishing the image of the NYSC. She further said that the writer of the report failed to cross check information and seek NYSC’s side of the story to ensure a balance report.

Aderibigbe recalled that the federal government had fulfilled the promise of providing automatic employment to the nine excorps members.

“The whole issues regarding

the Hope Alive Programme of the NYSC and the nine critically injured ex-corps members were public matters. Therefore, there is no way somebody or NYSC will sit on their money,” she said.

Director-General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Johnson Bamidele Olawunmi, explained that in the past, youth corps members, who sustained injuries leading to permanent disabilities during their service, were subjected to post-service emotional and psychological trauma as they were neglected by the same society they were mobilised to serve.

He said: “The cash awards by the private sector partners and the offer of employment by the federal government would, indeed, bring succour not only to the now physically-challenged ex-corps members but also to their families who placed their hopes on them for support after their service year.

“Disabling injuries can have a lot of effect on the ambition of those who are unfortunate to suffer them but the society must have enough humanitarian and humane spirit to ameliorate those effects by seeing that special provision is made for the purpose of empowering such people to still pursue their dreams and achieve their goals in life.”

DRAW: From left: MI, Brand Advocate, Martell Cognac, Mr Nggada Joshua, Head, Consumer Protection Council, Lagos, Mr Olivier Fages, MD, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, Mr Sola Oke, Marketing Director, Pernod Ricard Nigeria and Mr Fidelis Ajibogun, Zonal Coordinator, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Lagos, at the final draw of Martell 300 promo in Lagos. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu.

Almajiris're like loosed animals without owners —Gov Al-Makura

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By Abel Daniel

A S A R AWA — GOVERNOR Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has described as pathetic Almajiris (street beggars) in the state who roam the streets begging for daily meals, in spite of government’s efforts.

“My administration is very much interested in the education of the youths. We don’t want a situation where children will be roaming about aimlessly like the Almajiris who are like loosed animals without control,” the governor said.

He lamented that the Almajiris were being denied right to education and made to wander about like sheep with no shepherd.

Al-Makura, who spoke at the official commissioning of Model Girls Secondary School, Kwandere, in Lafia local government, urged

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parents to send their wards to school and not engage them in any practice that would keep them away from school.

He stated further that

education remained his priority since it was the bedrock of any developed society.

The governor urged parents

in the host communities to take advantage of the establishment and proximity of the model school to give their children sound education.

House c'ttee probes alleged sex for relief materials at IDPs' camps

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By Aliyu Dangida

UTSE—CHAIRMAN, House of Representatives Committee on Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, Alhaji Sani Zoro, has said investigation had commenced into the sex for relief materials scandals that rocked some Internally Displaced Persons’camp in the country.

He also disclosed that Nigeria had the largest number of IDPs, currently estimated at five million, scattered across 21 camps in the country.

Zoro, who represents Maigatari/Gumel/Gagarawa

federal constituency in Jigawa State on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, made this known while answering questions from newsmen in Dutse, He said it was alleged that officials at the camps gave food to young girls and women in exchange for sex.

Zoro, who was former president of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, explained that though no particular organization was fingered in the crime, the committee would not rest on its oars until the culprits were brought to book.

He said: “There are allegations

which we are trying to prove, there are officials in the camp that take advantage of some young girls and women in order to give them preferential treatment when food and water are supplied.

“I am not trying to make any particular reference to any organization. But this is highly irresponsible and unacceptable to us.”

Zoro noted that the North East alone as at last December, had 2.3 million IDPs, while another 2.1 million were displaced by 2012 flood.

He said this figure was exclusive of IDPs from Bakassi and other neighbouring countries.

Shettima inaugurates biometric panel to audit Borno workforce

By Ndahi Marawa

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AIDUGURI— GOVERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday inaugurated a highpowered panel to audit the state workforce as civil service had not been audited in the last two decades.

This was contained in a press statement issued by Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa, in Maiduguri yesterday.

Shuwa said the 12member panel was aimed at removing any loopholes or infractions that might impede the implementation of government policies and programmes with direct impact on people’s living conditions in the state.

“The biometric of the state’s workforce will also ensure effective and qualitative workforce and also create employment opportunities for our teeming unemployed youths in Borno state,” Shuwa said.

....As Kano govt donates N10m to Fed varsity Dutse

By Aliyu Dangida

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UTSE—KANO State government has donated N10 million to the Federal University, Dutse, for the execution of infrastructure projects.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Jibrilla Dahiru Amin, who disclosed this in a speech at the maiden convocation and installation of chancellor of the university weekend, said the donation offered by the government had immensely assisted in solving some of the immediate challenges faced by the institution.

Prof. Amin explained that of the 200 students admitted in 2011, 71 had completed their studies perfectly, with five of them graduating with first class degrees in different disciplines.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015—37

Why I'm leading Buahri’s anti-graft war — KASHAMU st Senatorial shamu, PDP, Ogun Ea SENATOR Buruji Ka ittee on State mm an, Senate Co irm ha -C ce Vi the is , District interactive Administration, at an er of nt me rn ve Go l ca Lo d an mb rnalists spoke on a nu ns must session with some jou ria ge Ni y wh ing lud s inc d why rule burning national issue s anti-graft crusade an ri’ ha Bu nt ide es Pr t suppor the war. of law must prevail in

By Clifford Ndujihe

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HAT is your take on the state of affairs in the country?

A new government has just come on board and it is barely eight months old. So, it might be too early to rightly assess it.

However, given that it is generally said that the morning makes the day, the concern and disapproval that are being expressed over some activities of the current government are understandable. But, we also do know that history is replete with those who had a wobbly start and ended well, and vice versa.

For instance, we had the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) and Otunba Gbenga Daniel (OGD) who were elected governors of Lagos and Ogun states respectively. Despite the challenges they had at the beginning of their administrations, they did so well in their first tenure so much that the masses began to call for their re-election which they got.

Although I am a leader in my own right, I am also a man under authority. So, this time I am speaking to the masses as a leader who shares their feelings and yearnings. I was not born with a silver spoon. I know what it means to be hungry. I have experienced lack of the basic necessities of life. I have felt the pangs of denial, subjugation and oppression. I know from experience and interactions with the masses what they feel. That is why I consider myself as one of those who can talk to them in the language they will understand, and see reason with me.

I want to reiterate the need for well-meaning Nigerians to offer ideas that will enhance the efforts of the government at making life better for the generality of the people.

Criticisms without progressive ideas lend credence to what a US politician, James Clarke, said about politicians when he said, “A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman (thinks) of the next generation”. Once a politician is elected, he is no longer the leader of his political party. He becomes the leader of the people within and outside his

C M Y K

party. He becomes the leader of those in the ruling party, those in the opposition and nonpoliticians alike. The elections and campaigns are over. Now, we must creatively solve today’s problems in a manner that creates a sustainable future for our children.

For the past 16 years, our political space has been dominated by office holders who literally emasculated the party once elected. They equated themselves with the party and literally became the party such that the platform was subjected to their whims and caprices.

Therefore, the party could not be held responsible for whatever the person did or did not do.

Truth is, we are at a crossroads

My support for the ongoing anticorruption campaign is neither meant to rubbish anyone, curry favour from any quarters nor join the ruling party

•Kashamu: I endorse the ongoing anti-corruption campaign and we must decisively choose the path that encourages inclusiveness in governance because that is the only way to effectively fast-track the much needed development. The people must participate and ultimately own the process that will lead to national recovery and growth. Rather than rue over our situation, we all must light our candles and illuminate our various corners for the progress and success of our dear country.

His take on President Muhammadu Buhari’s anticorruption campaign We should be patient with the government and perform our civic responsibilities as patriotic citizens. For instance, I endorse the ongoing anti-corruption campaign. It is one effort that

must be supported by all and sundry irrespective of ethnic, religious or political affiliations.

My support for the ongoing anticorruption campaign is neither meant to rubbish anyone, curry favour from any quarters nor join the ruling party. My support for the anti-graft campaign is borne out of my genuine desire to stand up for what is right, just and equitable in order for the masses to weigh whatever I say and be able to take informed decisions rather than being brainwashed.

For, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Naturally, the current anticorruption campaign would

affect a lot of those who played active roles in the immediate past administration, especially at the federal level. Therefore, it is only normal for the government of the day to first clear the Augean stable before settling down for the onerous task of governance. In the course of doing that, if anybody’s name is found in the books, the anti-graft agencies have a duty to do their job.

But, such a job must be done, according to the Rule of Law. It is only the court that can say whether someone is guilty or not.

Indeed, it is an aberration for a creation of the law to violate the law.

Yet, if the truth must be told, within the short time that this anti-corruption campaign began, there are positive results to show that the government is on track.

The President rode to office on account of his integrity and goodwill. No matter what anybody says his integrity is intact. He is a focused President whose body language is making treasury looters shiver and return their loot to the government’s coffers. Put simply, his anticorruption record is infallible. In view of the dwindling oil revenue, we need all the money we can get to fix our infrastructure and develop our economy.

On the war against Boko Haram insurgency and failure of the new government to rescue the Chibok girls eight months after Under the immediate past administration, I had consistently argued that the issue of Boko Haram should not be used to judge the performance of the government. I still maintain that view under this government.

Terrorism is a global phenomenon. It requires the concerted efforts of all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria. Let us not localise or politicise it. Perhaps, we should be reminded that we now have the cooperation and support of our neighbouring countries.

Until 2015, we didn’t know Faleke in Kogi — ATTE DR Oluwayomi David Atte was at one time Commissioner for Education and also Sole Administrator of the State Water Corporation in the old Kwara State. The former lecturer and Takete Ide, Kogi State born community development expert in this interview speaks on the ongoing transition process in the state.Excerpts:

By Kingsley Fanwo

C

ONSIDERING the impasse over the last governorship election, why did you accept to serve in the transition committee?

A Transition Committee has the serious objective of preparing the ground for a smooth take off of a new administration. We have a State which has been so mismanaged by previous administrations that one can describe Kogi as a “failed State”.

Any new and serious minded administration needs to do a fundamental appraisal of where we are and introduce radical and fundamental policy, administrative and developmental programmes to get the State going on a fresh course. Remember, you cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result. With the foregoing, it will be irresponsible of me to refuse to contribute my considerable experience and competences to that process

irrespective of political considerations. It is the right and noble thing to do.

The same government that couldn’t pay wages to their workers is reported to have spent about two billion naira (N2b) in the last elections to try and get re-elected. People who understand that God will hold them accountable for their actions cannot do that. Whatever the Governor – Elect plans to do to ease the pains of the people and advance their wellbeing has my full support. This the second reason for accepting to serve in the Transition Committee.

As an Okun man, why are you taking this position when your kinsman, Hon. James Faleke is struggling to claim his mandate

at the Election Tribunal?

Hon. James Falake. The Honourable Member of the House of Representatives, representing a constituency in Lagos State came into the consciousness of Kogi people when Prince Abubakar Audu selected him as his running mate for the last gubernatorial elections. Until then, he was practically unknown in Kogi State.

I can also testify that he was completely unknown in all the struggles for a better Okun in the last 30 years. He creditably contributed his God – given talents to developing Lagos State and I believe Lagos State owes him a debt of gratitude for this.

Continues on page 38

38—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

For the governor to say that Chief Igbinedion enriched himself in the Lucky government is wrong Governor on the day of the anniversary when he used over an hour to lambast the Igbinedions both the father and the son was not a welcome development to me. If I were to be with the Comrade Governor, I would have voiced this to him that that was not the way a governor should behave.

Things you discuss in a closed meeting are personal, you don’t want the public to be aware of it but for him to come out openly and start to insult someone like Esama as far as I am concerned that action was politically incorrect and is morally wrong.

•Enoma

Nothing wrong for Oshiomhole to apologise to the Igbinedions — ENOMA VICTOR ENOMA has served in all three governors of Edo State in the Fourth Republic including the incumbent. In this interview he reviews the recent face off between Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the Igbinedion family.

Excerpts:

By Gabriel Enogholase

G

IVEN your close ties to the Igbinedion family and having served in the Adams Oshiomhole cabinet how would you react to the faceoff between the family and the governor?

I am actually an in-law to the former governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion. Let me say a night before this anniversary when the Comrade Governor insulted the Esama of Benin Kingdom and also insulted the former governor

of Edo State was not pleasant to me because I felt disturbed and coming out from a governor that I have also worked for four years.

If there are political issues, that have to be discussed; there are ways you discuss it and after all, the people we borrowed this democracy from the Americans, the Greek, the French etc do have some kind of political disagreement but they don’t result to a personal attack. From what I saw from the Comrade

So, do you expect him to apologise to the family?

From what happened days before the anniversary, I was shocked when the former Commissioner for Information and Orientation Louis Odion and Abdul Oroh who were my colleagues in the State Executive said that they want to investigate not the immediate past governor but Lucky Igbinedion because there was a governor after Lucky Igbinedion. Lucky Igbinedion did not hand over to Oshiomhole but to Prof. Oseriemhen Osunbor who was a governor for 18 months in the state. He didn’t come to say he wants to investigate Lucky Igbinedion’s but wants to investigate him after 7 years; you will know that there is something fishy and all these things were in his 7 years

Until 2015, we didn’t know Faleke in Kogi — ATTE Continues from page 37 So at the time he was selected by Prince Abubakar as running mate in Kogi State, he was a registered voter in Lagos State and was legally and validly representing a Lagos State constituency in the House of Representatives. At the very time of his selection as running mate in Kogi State, was he actually eligible to be so selected? That is for the law to decide but for me the fact that he was Okun born is not enough to assure me to put the future of the people in his hands.

I do not mean he cannot represent Okun. What I am saying is that having not been involved, knowing little of the situation in Kogi State over the last 25 years and having been C M Y K

selected by late Prince Abubakar without any consultation with Okun, he did not represent the soul of Okun struggle and aspirations since state creation.

On a final note, what is your message to the people of Kogi State?

Power belongs to God. Prince Abubakar, by the work he had done, should, by human standards and permutations be Governor – Elect today. Death prevented it. Alh. Yahaya Bello, who thought he had lost the position he worked for had it delivered to him. It reminds me of the second part of Daniel 4: 32 which says: “..the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and give power to whom He wills” .

•Atte The second example is from one Adonijah who did everything to become King of Israel but

Solomon, his younger brother got the seat instead. That man Adonijah said in 1 Kings 2:15: “The kingdom was mine, and all Israel set their minds on me to rule, but the kingdom changed and became my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord”. I cannot argue with this and I urge Hon. Faleke to pause, think and pray.

What belongs to him will not elude him but what God has not given him will not be His, whatever the struggle.

For me, while I concede the right to Hon. James Faleke to pursue “his case”, which is NOT “our case”, support for Adoza Yahaya Bello, based on the foregoing submissions, is in keeping with my God given character.

anniversary because it was a build up.

For me as a politician and as someone who has worked in public office, I will say the governor has erred in this regard.

If I were to be in the administration, I will tell him just this way he erred when he told that widow woman “go and die”.

This is the same way in telling the Igbinedion that he wants to probe them that they have stolen money from this state government which is unfounded.

If you have erred and you want peace in the state and as a governor, your primary purpose is the welfare of the citizens; peace is more paramount in all of it. For me, you can retrace your steps back and there is nothing wrong when you as a governor come out and say I apologize for my action in regards to my activities after all, President Obama and Clinton have apologized to the African Americans for what they have done to them.

One of the issues, the governor raised was that Chief Igbinedion enriched himself during the administration of his son. You were a former caretaker committee Chairman.

What would you say to that?

For the governor to say that Chief Igbinedion enriched himself in the Lucky government is wrong. First and foremost, Chief Igbinedion even before I was born, I grew up as a small boy in Oreghene when I was hearing of the man Exemption.

Is it true that Chief Igbinedion was solely collecting the monthly revenue of N280m monthly under Lucky Igbinedion?

That is not correct, who formed the Board of Internal Revenue?

It was Lucky Igbinedion that formed it. We still have the people who were head of the board who are still alive today. The former head of the board who is now a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment is still alive.

It is not true and the internally generated revenue was about N20 million when Lucky came on board. He was the one that increased the revenue to N280N300m monthly; if the monthly IGR is between N280- N300m, his father will be taking N200m, does that mathematics work?

Even as we speak today, Edo State government is also paying consultancy money for revenue collection.

To me, they are all political gimmicks for someone to say that out of N280 that the state government was collecting and that Chief Igbinedion was being paid N200m. Why is it not on government record that the father was collecting N200m?

The former Commissioner for Information, Charles Idahosa once said that Lucky had the plan to perform but was brought down by the father and Chief Tony Anenih

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—39

Why I invented D-Box, world’s 1st portable ventilator — Dr. Dayo Olakulehin

By Sola Ogundipe

I

N 2012, as a young medical doctor, Dr. Dayo Olakulehin had a brainwave. His moment of ingenuity came during his housemanship while he was on duty one night at the Olikoye Ransome Kuti Children emergency ward, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba, Lagos.

Olakulehin’s idea was to design and build a portable, battery-powered ventilator specifically to assist unconscious patients breathe.

His belief that such a medical device that could potentially save millions of lives of patients worldwide was based on the personal experience he had.

As a medic, he noticed that many patients in respiratory failure requiring ventilator support are unable to access it for reasons of cost and availability.

The current alternative is for health workers to indefinitely ventilate these patients using a CPR bag and there are instances in which patients are ventilated for days, with health workers taking turns to keep those patients alive by manually compressing the CPR bag.

Personal experience

Olakulehin, who told Good Health Weekly, that he had conviction that a portable, battery operated device that automates the process of providing ventilator support for respiratory failure patients anywhere and not just in the Intensive Care Unit, ICU would be a life saver.

“I had manually ventilated a 5-year-old boy for four hours and at about 2am, I fell asleep, only to be awakened by the boy’s father.

“If the child had continued without ventilation for longer than four minutes, it could have resulted in irreversible brain damage.

“This experience was common among hospital staff at LUTH and other medical facilities. It was after one of such incidents the idea for an alternative ventilation method came to my mind. And the D-Box was born.”

But at that point, Olakulehin, who obtained his medical degree from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, was handicapped.

Although he had come up with such marvellous idea, being a general practice physician, he had no training in biomedical engineering and needed to raise funds to execute the capital intensive venture.

While conventional ventilators averagely cost $30,000 and lowcost alternatives are to be sold for $3,000, the D-Box comes at an introductory price of $300 Introducing the D-Box, Olakulehin described it as an innovative affordable battery operated ventilator designed to automate CPR bags and deliver controlled breaths to patients with respiratory problems.

While conventional ventilators averagely cost $30,000 and low-cost alternatives (still in development) are to be sold for $3,000, the D-Box comes at an introductory price of $300.

Requires no expertise

PRESENTATION- Dr. Dayo Olakulehin demonstrating his innovative invention, the D-Box , a portable battery operated ventilator, during a public presentation in Lagos last week.

“I knew having the idea was not sufficient, I needed to find a way to make it a reality. I knew nothing about business, patenting or developing innovations.

“I went online looking for help, and I found a course on Healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship. This course taught me how to develop a patent. I approached a number of medical device companies and found out it was a lot easier to sell a product than to sell an

idea.

Nevertheless, the young doctor knew did not relent.

Speaking in Lagos last week during the public presentation of the prototype of the D-Box, he said: “I literally sat on the idea for three years trying to take the next vital step until I met Mr. Kunle Soriyan and Thelma Ekiyor of Afrigrants.

“This led to the founding of LigandCorp and shifted my paradigm from focusing on one

product to creating a company that drives medical innovation, particularly among young Nigerians.

As the CEO of LigandCorp, the search for a prototype developer began and while in Canada, a collaboration was formed with Inertia, an engineering and design company. that committed to partnering with LigandCorp and worked hard to get the prototype ready.“

“It requires little or no expertise to use and is powered by a rechargeable battery that facilitates usage in remote rural communities and urban centers with limited facilities.

“When you encounter an unconscious patient, this happens to be the common pathway for many illnesses. Irrespective of what has caused the patient’s illness, the major common pathway is cardiac arrest. We also have common trauma cases in and out of the emergency room where people are unconscious and need to be resuscitated.

“Circulation and ventilation are keys to life, and that is what we are addressing with the D-

Continues on Page 40

Experts call for more political will towards healthcare financing

By Chioma Obinna

I

NADEQUATE political com mitment has been identified as a major barrier to the attainment of adequate financing of healthcare that has led to poor funding of health in general, and primary healthcare in particular.

Making the assertion in Lagos, experts from the health and banking sectors, called for adequate funding of the nation's health sector for efficient healthcare delivery.

In lectures to mark the 70th Anniversary of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, IgbobiLagos, they stressed the need for an equitable healthcare financing in the country.

In his lecture entitled: “Finance

Option for Efficient Healthcare Delivery in the 21st Century”, former Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Akin Osibogun, said a country’s finances of its healthcare system is a key determinant of the health of its citizenry which can be a major determinant of improved health outcomes for all citizens, especially the poorest.

Represented by Dr. Tochi Okwor, Osibogun further said “Equitable healthcare financing is an important part of an overall strategy to achieve Universal Health Coverage UHC. “Hospitals need to balance their charges against utilisation levels, and also hospitals need to urgently consider decentralisation strategies that

will allow viable units to generate income. They should retain a worked-out percentage to guarantee continuous provision of quality services. `This is a key to future success of large hospitals, particularly teaching hospitals.

The Consultant Public Health/ Epidemiologist decried out of pocket payment of healthcare in Nigeria saying that “Paying out of pockets will lead to poor health seeking behaviours and inequity.” “ It should be the concern of governments to ensure a high level of efficiency and accountability in the system by developing a fair and sustainable financing system.

Government should promote equity and access to quality and affordable healthcare, and the over-

all goal is to ensure that adequate and sustainable funds are available for healthcare delivery.’’

Earlier, in a lecture titled: Comprehensive Funding for Efficient Healthcare Delivery”, CEO, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Yinka Sanni, identified several factors militating against quality healthcare in the country.

Represented by the Country Head, Human Capital, Olufunke Amonbi, Sanni called for private partnership, PPP, health insurance, among others as panacea to the poor health system of the country.

On his part, Medical Director, NOHIL, Dr. Olurotimi Odunubi, said while the budget is going down,e the cost of running was going up and patients demanding more advanced care.

40—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Sex selection not the essence of Assisted Reproductive Technology — OREBANJO

By Sola Ogundipe

S

HOULD couples be allowed to choose the sex of their children? This is a poser quite a number of intending parents are often confronted with when undergoing Assisted Reproduction Techniques, ART. Experts say couples have a 50/50 chance of conceiving a boy or a girl, however, there are some people who might want to stack the odds in their favour, either for cultural reasons, for dreams of raising a son or a daughter, or to balance out their families. Others do it to prevent their offspring from inheriting sex-linked genetic diseases.

But while there are a number of hitech options avilable for choosing the sex of a baby, a fertility treatment specialist, Dr. Taiwo Olufemi Orebanjo, says such practice should not be encouraged.

Orebanjo, who is Medical Director Lifeshore Fertility Clinic, a subsidiary of Parkland Specialist Hospital, Lagos, said allowing couples to choose the sex of their babies before birth could be counter productive.

“Although there is no fertility treatment centre offering ART that is doing that at the moment, personally, I do not think sex selection is something that should be actively done in this environment (Nigeria),” he told Good Health Weekly in an interview.

In his argument, the Obsterician/ Gynaecologist said what is usually done by people that desire such services is to have their samples sent abroad for the actual selection process.

“In the developed countries that have regulation, such as the UK, you would

Doctor invents the D-Box

Continues from page 39 box. It is the ubiquitous device. We are raising the standard. What we used to have is that a doctor manually compressed the CPR bag. What we have done is to move that job to the D-box. It will allow our trained doctors to pay attention to other critical needs of the patients.

Stating that the device has been patented, he said a patent was obtained at inception.

“When I did the product development, I got another patent. When we made the prototype, we aso had to file another patent. We have the best of intellectual property lawyers and we realise that intellectual property theft is a major issue, especially for a product that has tendency to go global. We are taking the product proactively and taking it into the global market.

The D-Box

Dr. Taiwo Orebanjo. find that the Human Fertility Embryology Association, HFEA, does not encourage that that kind of thing because the primary aim of assisted conception is to help couples achieve pregnancy. which is a primary and fundamental human requirement.

“It is not about trying to find one particular type of sex because if you start doing that, you are going to be upsetting the balance of the sexes. However, this is entirely my opinion.

Noting that it is becoming increasigly difficult for couples to achieve pregnancy, Orebanjo said patients need to be referred for assisted conception such as IVF and ICSI, and that is why Lifeshore has started to assist Nigerians having this challenge.

“We all know that infertility is on the

increase and contrary to the belief that infertility is a female thing, we are finding out that it is a male and female thing and actually, male factor infertility is on the increase in the world as a whole and there is no particular explanation.

“One of the common factors that contribute to female infertility in this environment is blockage of the fallopian tubes in women. “We have found that this incident is a bit higher than normal and that is because if infection which can come in the form of a sexually transmitted disease or termination of pregnancies carried out in the past that became infected.

He noted that carrying out ART was not upsetting nature because the primary purpose of every living organism is to reproduce itself.

Essentially, the D-Box is different because it is less sophisticated and less complex than existing ventilators.

Olakunlehin said it is portable, cheaper and easier to handle.

“While the big teaching hospitals have 5-6 units of ventilators that are electricity dependent and sensitive, the D-box can work on battery power for 8-12 hours. It’s an amazing breakthrough.

“However it does not replace existing ventilators which exist for critical intensive care, it is being introduced to improve the quality of care that is available for the patient.

“It is limited currently because it cannot be used for a child, unlike existing ventilators that have different modes, this is only Intermitent Positive Pressure Ventilation, IPPV, but we hope to improve it in the future.”

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I

CAME home from work early last week and found my husband dressed in women’s clothes with make up on. I was speechless and all I have done is cry since that day. My husband hasn’t said anything.

I had no idea he was gay – Juliana Sorry about that. Your husband is what you call a cross dresser. He is not gay. Cross dressers normally identify with the opposite gender on the inside which is why they are also branded transgendered people. Some of them go as far as doing a sex change operation so that they can become the opposite sex. An example of this is Caitlyn Jenner, the famous father of Kim Kardashian who was formerly known as Bruce Jenner but is now living as a woman.

Anyway, you should sit down with your husband to discuss your future because the writing is already on the wall. What you had with him is over. Your lives will never be the same again.

He is what he is and will not change. As for you, I believe you deserve better. When you went to the alter to get married, you went there to marry a man, not a woman. You don’t have to manage this situation. It is not fair to you or your kids.

I don’t think your husband is happy with the life he has now either. He must be dying to just come out as a woman. So be strong and do what needs to be done.

You will have to go your separate ways. This can’t be the best that life has to offer you or him – Uche My fiancée never has an orgasm through penetration. She only comes when I play with her clitoris for a long time. Should I be worried? Zeb Dear Zeb, clitoral stimulation is more pleasurable for women because the clitoris is that part of the female genitalia with the highest concentration of nerve endings.

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same time. That way, you can both enjoy intercourse.

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Does it give erections too? Chidi Enlargement creams in general tend to improve the quality of a man’s erection but in a different way. What I mean by this is that if you are using an enlargement cream, you will notice after a while that your erection has become stronger and often remains strong even after ejaculation.

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The name is Rhino or something like that – Benson The Rhino brand consists of a wide range of super supplements. At the moment we have Rhino 7, Boss Rhino Gold and Rhino 5. They are all very good so you can take any of them – Uche I cannot last long in bed and my wife complains that sex is painful – Segun She needs a lubricant. Vaginal dryness is quite common. Get her the Mood Water Based Lubricant.

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VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 — 41

Ford Mustang, my team's best job — Piaskowski M

R. Joel Piaskowski, head of the team that redesigned the all-new Ford Mustang, has described the iconic sports car as the best job by his team so far, having worked in leading automobile companies across continents.

The Mustang, which took the motoring world by storm when it was introduced into the market 50 years ago, has metamorphosed into one of the most powerful sport cars in the market at the moment with the creativity of Piaskowski and his team.

In Cape Town, South Africa, late last year, Vanguard Motoring had a chat with Piaskowski at a dinner in The Bay Hotel in Camp Bay, and his excitement knew no bounds as he explained how they created what people now describe as a perfect sports car.

Piaskowski brought his wealth of experience in automobile designing from across three continents to bear in redesigning the new Mustang.

Having worked in General Motors, Hyundai Motors and MercedesBenz, Piaskowski noted that redesigning the Mustang was challenging and yet very exciting with the backing of his team, who set out to surpass the expectations of Mustang lovers the world over.

He said he had done several designs in the past in leading auto companies, but that the Mustang was quite outstanding in every sense.

“One of the best jobs I did with a dedicated team is the Mustang,” he said, taking time to explain the creativity and technology that gave life to the new Ford Mustang.

Its qualities, values

The new Ford Mustang, he explained is very fast and fun to drive no matter the engine you settle for: whether 2.3 litre Ecoboost or 5.0 litre V8 engine.

Even with 50 years between the first edition and the current model, Piaskowski said you could always notice the connection between the old C M Y K

and latest Mustang.

According to him, “the first challenge was how can we create this car and bring in more customers? We agreed it must be a special car, having realised that there is raw passion for what Mustang meant to its customers, hence we came up with a Mustang with amazing value— great performance, styling, modern technology and yet competitively priced.

“We targeted Mustang customers whose passion for Mustang has no comparison, and the result is the new Mustang that meets expectations of our customers.”

Design

Piaskowski has this to say about the design of the new Mustang: “The clean-sheet design of the Ford Mustang Fastback and Convertible evokes the essential character of the vehicle, retaining key design elements of the classic Mustangs rec-

ognisable to car fans across the world, including the long-sculpted hood and short rear deck, with a contemporary execution.

Features

“Several key design features define the new Ford Mustang, including its low roof height and wide stance, the sleek profile enabled by the steeply sloped windshield and rear glass; the contemporary execution of the iconic car’s signature trapezoidal grille and shark-bite front fascia, plus the famous threedimensional tri-bar tail lamps.

"Ford Mustang Convertible drivers will appreciate the standard multilayer insulated cloth top that gives the car an upscale appearance and a quiet cabin. The top has a sleek profile when folded for sunsoaked openair motoring.

“Large, clear instrumentation puts vehicle information right in front of the

•Joel Piaskowski, redesigned the new Ford Mustang driver in the roomy cabin with an aviation-inspired cockpit, while ergonomic and tactile switches and knobs provide intuitive control.

“The vehicle’s width and sophisticated rear suspension contribute to impressive shoulder and hip room for passengers and a usefully shaped boot space that can accommodate two golf bags.

"The way Ford Mustang

looks, drives and sound is key to the visceral experience. The Mustang offers outstanding power options and an advanced chassis designed to meet the expectations of the most demanding drivers.

The engine

"Ford’s acclaimed 5.0 litre V8 engine employs sequential multiport electronic fuel injection and variable camshaft timing to pro-

duce a hefty 435HP along with a thunderous 400ib-ft of torque.

“This enables the Mustang 5.0 V8 GT Fastback Manual to sprint from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.8seconds."

The design chief further noted that the line-up includes the all new 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine that brings state-of-the-art technology to Mustang, delivering turbocharged performance with outstanding fuel efficiency.

This ground-breaking engine uses direct injection, variable cam timing and turbocharging to deliver impressive all-round performance with 310HP and 320 lb-ft of torque— sufficient to achieve a remarkable 0-100km/h time of 5.8 sec for the 2.3EcoBoost Fastback Manual.

He added: “All three engines can be specified with a slick-shifting sixspeed manual transmission in Fastback guise, or the option of the six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission (Fastback and Convertible).

“Combined with race carinspired paddle-shifters on the steering wheel, the automatic gearbox delivers superb convenience and ultimate control.''

The all-new Ford Mustang

FG, World Bank behind accident reduction in 2015 — FRSC

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HE Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, has attributed the reduction of Road Traffic Crashes, RTC, in 2015 by 12.99 percent to Federal Government's and the World Bank’s robust support to the commission.

Oyeyemi, in a statement issued by the FRSC Head of Media Relations and Strategy, Mr. Bisi Kazeem,said: “Because of increased support in 2015, total fatalities reduced to 5,044 from 5,991 in 2014, while total RTC reduced to 9,031 compared to 10,380

in 2014, which amounts to 12.99 percent RTC reduction.“ He disclosed that 5,044 lives were lost to road crashes in 2015, which was 15.88 percent reduction on the 5,996 lives lost in 2014.

The statement said hu-

man injuries as a result of road crashes reduced from 32,063 in 2014 to 27,782 in 2015, which amounts to 13.35 percent reduction.

The statement noted that Federal Government’s firm support towards the realisation of the commis-

sion’s mandate went a long way in ensuring the success recorded in 2015.

It said that the timely intervention of the World Bank, especially at six critical corridors in the country, since 2013, had been of immense help to the commission.

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2015

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

H

ARD-TIMES await commercial banks, companies, traders and motorist plying the Lagos Central Business Districts, CBD, following a resolve by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwan Akiolu to collaborate with the State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, in restoring the uniqueness of the district.

The Lagos CBD is the focal point for commercial activities in the former capital of Nigeria. But the uniqueness that once greeted the CBD, 24 years ago when Lagos was the country’s capital has since been threatened by activities of its present occupants.

The activities of its present occupants-motorist, companies, traders and banks- who occupy the multi-storey corporate buildings in the districts often deface the CBD, leading to gridlock within the districts.

According to the state government, “the Lagos CBD extends from the foot of Carter bridge, westwards, through Adeniji Adele Road to Marina (inner and outer) up to Tafawa Balewa Square. It continues to Broad Street, Odunlami Street, Tinubu Square, Nnamdi Azikiwe Street, Idumagbo Avenue, Ereko Street, Martins Street, Balogun Street back to Idumota and to Carter Bridge.”

RESTORING CBDs’ LOST GLORY

Lagos govt, Akiolu battle banks, traders

Merchants and consumers Some of these locations in Lagos CBD was a market square in ancient ‘Eko’ as the place was often called. On market days, which are often weekly; farmers, merchants and consumers gather at strategic locations to buy and sell goods.

These locations are closer to major transportation route, providing the site for the city’s location, such as sea and highway. As development continued, these markets became fixed locations where retail and commerce took place and they formed what is today the CBD in Lagos.

Over time, the CBD developed into a centre of finance and control as well as office space.

The need to accommodate everyone brought the introduction of high-rise buildings in Lagos CBD, making them more and more dense.

As the population increased, the Lagos CBD became a city centre within the state, where development is compact. The cost of land in Lagos CBD is considered fairly high compared to other parts of the state like Ojo, Badagry, Ifako-Ijaiye and other suburban areas.

But the exorbitant cost of land in this district is justified with the structures that dotted it. A visit to the Lagos CBD indicates a well planned axis, dotted with C M Y K

•A Central Business District in Lagos State historical and multi-storey building to entice visitors to the state. Some of the structures in the Lagos CBD are: the Federal Government Press, Federal Dental Clinic, Lagos General Hospital; Odan, Federal Inland Revenue Service and Freedom Park.

Others are: Armed Forces Remembrance Arcade, the defunct Nigerian telecommunication, NITEL building, Tafawa Balewa Square; Central Bank of Nigeria; CBN building, General Post Office, Nigerian Port Authority and others.

While the Lagos CBD is home to the largest retail outlets, offices and cultural centre of the city it is a focal point for transportation in the state.

As a pilot project for other four proposed CBDs- Alimosho, Ikeja

and Surulere- Lagos Island CBD remains deep in the history of the state, the fastest growing megacity in Africa.

Ever present challenges But with the daily influx of aspiring entrepreneurs, indiscriminate parking within the CBD specifically on the walkways and roads increased.

This resulted into traffic congestion, offering traffic robbers the opportunity to embark on their illicit act.

Worried by this, the former governor, Mr Raji Fashola in 2013 barred 911 commercial buses popularly called “Molue” from plying the Lagos CBD. This move was aimed at ensuring adequate monitoring of commercial vehicles operations and compliance with traffic rules and regulations. But the move has not achieved the utmost

result of reducing gridlock in the CBD. Within the districts, the occupants off-load heavy duty vehicles laden with various items which range from cloths, food

While the Lagos CBD is home to the largest retail outlets, offices and cultural centre of the city it is a focal point for transportation in the state

items and drinks on the roads during peak traffic periods.

Also, concentrated physical development without conformity to approvals, orders or land use plans approved by the State Government.

Also, within the CBD there is the indiscriminate waste disposal, which often result in waste accumulation and disposal challenges. Due to unavailability of space, contractors stack their construction materials on the roads within CBD. Erection of shanties and extension of illegal stalls often attached to fences on the walkway and setbacks within the CBD. Also, under the bridges were converted to marketing venue; which some blamed on the frequent change in government in the country and the relocation of the capital to Abuja.

To be concluded

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 — 43

Senegal’s President seeks shorter terms ‘Birther' Trump bites Cruz

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EARLY four years ago when Donald Trump led a bitter “birther” campaign against Barack Obama who was then running for a second term of office, Republicans were his willing cheerleaders. Then, Trump tried to use the issue to launch his presidential campaign. The loquacious billionaire was all over the place, questioning Obama’s real place of birth, and coming up with bizarre theories about the president being of Kenyan origin. Trump even went as far as claiming that the birth certificate Obama put out online was fake. He promised Americans that he had set up a sort of hit-squad to produce Obama’s real birth certificate that will show that he was born in Kenya, a factor that will disqualify him from running for office.

Most of America outside the Republican Party saw Trump’s “birther” movement as most frivolous and unnecessary side-show to the real issues that confronted their country. But the Republican hierarchy let that political wound fester and even gave it their tacit support. Anything that might derail Obama’s campaign for reelection was most welcome by the GOP leaders. So, they allowed Trump to wallow in that movement of self-delusion.

Unfortunately for them, Trump’s “birther” appeal fizzled out, and he quietly bowed out of the political stage.

Last month, Trump re-launched his “birther” campaign with a re-focused target, Ted Cruz, his rival to win the Republican Party ticket for the race to win the US presidency. Since then, he has not relented on his crusade. Trump believes the fact that Cruz was born in Canada, although of a United States mother, disqualifies him from running for the highest office in the land. His contention is that Cruz is not a naturalborn American as stipulated in the rules about who can run for the US presidency.

Trump stumps around telling his various audiences that should Cruz win the Republican Party ticket, he will most likely be taken to court by the Democrats over his citizenship status and that legal process might cost the Republicans a fair shot at the presidency.

Cruz, who had all along avoided taking on Trump in his campaign, last week opened up a volley of attacks at Trump during their Winning latest political debate. At issue was the party’s the “birther ” primary question and other jabs at Trump for election is having “New York not the values,” a euphemism for same as liberal attitude winning the toward a number of core moral issues presidency C M Y K

Republicans value, from same-sex marriage to abortion.

Last Sunday, Trump took things a notch higher by firing more cruise missiles at Cruz. He said this about Cruz in an ABC interview: “Look, the truth is, he’s a nasty guy. Nobody likes him. Nobody in Congress likes him. Nobody likes him anywhere once they get to know him.

He’s a very –- he’s got an edge that’s not good. You can’t make deals with people like that and it’s not a good thing.

It’s not a good thing for the country. Very nasty guy.”

Trump’s “birther” campaign against Cruz appears to be gaining some traction. Last week, a Reuter’s poll showed that about 25 percent of Republican voters think that Cruz’s birthplace is enough to disqualify him from running for the US presidency. In the same week also, Newton B. Schwartz, a Houston, Texas-based attorney, who says he is not a Trump supporter, went to court asking it to make a declaration about Cruz’s “natural-born” status.

There is little doubt that Cruz’s recent gains in the polls precipitated this recent onslaught from Trump. The billionaire admitted as much in their debate last week when he acknowledged that he wants Cruz’s birth status clarified by the court “because now he’s doing a little bit better” in the polls as the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary are now a matter of weeks.

Nothing to this birther issue During the same debate, Cruz fired back, noting that Trump had dismissed the “birther” issue last September. Cruz said “There’s nothing to this birther issue. Since September, the Constitution hasn’t changed. But the poll numbers have. I recognize that Donald is dismayed that his poll numbers are falling in Iowa. But the facts and the law are really clear. Under longstanding U.S. law, the child of a U.S. citizen abroad is a natural born citizen.”

The point is that the “birther” issue which Republicans used against Obama is now like a pointed dagger pointing at Cruz’s heart. However, the Republican Party hierarchy is obviously enjoying the altercation between two of their top candidates, much as they enjoyed the “birther” issue when Obama was the object of attack.

It is not lost on anyone why the Party’s administration appears reluctant to intervene in the fray between Cruz and Trump. If there was a way the Party’s chieftains can wish away both candidates, it would do so. It is not a hidden truth that Trump and Cruz are not favoured by the Party’s top guns.

Unfortunately, the so-called “establishment” candidates, primarily Jeb Bush, are not doing well at the polls.

Initially, the Trump lead at the polls was seen as hurricane that would blow away.

But, he has persisted at the top. And that is worrisome to the party highest echelon.

Winning the party’s primary election is not the same as winning the presidency.

S

ENEGAL’S President Macky Sall has proposed to cut his own term in office by two years.

Changing the president’s mandate from seven to five years is part of several proposals for constitutional reforms which are to be put to a referendum.

The president’s office say they are aiming to strengthen democracy.

Several African presidents have recently done the opposite changing constitutions to extend their time in power.

The new constitution would not allow a president to run for more than two consecutive terms in office.

After reducing his term in office, Mr Sall is then expected to put himself forward for re-election in 2017 instead of 2019.

Other suggested amendments to the constitution include an

•Macky upper age limit of 75 years.

The date of the referendum is yet to be announced. Mr Sall, 54, was elected in

‘Ban’ll make Trump a martyr’

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ANNING Donald Trump from the UK risks turning him into a martyr, a Labour MP has claimed as the House of Commons debates the issue. Paul Flynn said Mr Trump’s call to ban

62 people own half of the world’s wealth

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HE world’s richest 62 people now own as much wealth as half of the world’s population, according to a report by the charity Oxfam.

Super-rich individuals saw an increase of 44 percent since 2010, taking their cumulative wealth to $1.76 trillion - equivalent to the total owned by 3.5 billion of the world’s poorest people.

The UK-based charity on Monday also said tax havens were helping corporations and individuals to stash away about $7.6 trillion, depriving governments of $190bn in tax revenue every year.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Helen Szoke, Oxfam Australia’s chief executive, said that there were no appropriate mechanisms to

2012, defeating the incumbent Abdoulaye Wade, who had controversially sought a third term in office.

check if wealth was being shared appropriately.

“We believe there is a need for commitments from global business leaders and political leaders for major tax reform to get rid of the tax havens,” Szoke said.

“There’s too much leakage of what should be paid in taxation exacerbating this gap [between rich and poor].”

Referring to economic growth in Western countries, such as her native Australia, Szoke said little wealth was reaching the impoverished.

“The startling figure in our domestic context in Australia is that where there has been wealth generation in the past decade, none of that has actually trickled down to some of the Australians who are poor.”

Muslims from the US were “extremely dangerous”, branding the tycoon “impulsive and not wellinformed”.

But he said barring him from the UK risked being seen as anti-American.

MPs are debating a petition, which has attracted 574,000 signatures, urging a ban in a crowded Commons event.

The tycoon, who is leading several opinion polls in the race to be the Republican candidate for President, called for a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the US in response to the shooting of 14 people in San Bernardino, California in December.

Mr Trump’s comments were criticised across the political spectrum in the US and Europe. He caused further anger by claiming that areas of London and other parts of the UK have become so radicalised that they have become no-go areas for the police.

All public petitions which attract more than 100,000 signatures are considered for debate by the House of Commons petitions committee.

George Washington slave book pulled after criticism

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CHILDREN’S picture book about George Washington and his slaves has been pulled by publishers Scholastic.

A Birthday Cake for George Washington tells the story of Washington’s slave Hercules, a cook, and his daughter.

It had been criticised for its images of smiling slaves, and described as being “highly problematic”.

Scholastic said in a statement that without more historical context, the book “may give a false impression of the reality of the lives of slaves”.

The book, telling the story of Hercules and Delia making a cake together, had been released on 5 January.

It was met with a barrage of one-star reviews on Amazon, with readers describing it as “disgustingly inaccurate”,

and one writing: “I can’t believe people are celebrating a children’s story that depicts happy, joyful slaves.”

Scholastic’s description of the story had read: “Everyone is buzzing about the president’s birthday!

Especially George Washington’s servants, who scurry around the kitchen preparing to make this the best celebration ever.

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Robbers attack Enyimba S

EVEN-TIME Nigerian champions Enyimba were at the mercy of armed robbers on Monday afternoon as they travelled to Kaduna for the 2016 NPFL Super Four.

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club disclosed that the robbery happened in Okene, Kogi State, in the central part of Nigeria.

Players and officials of the People’s Elephant were also robbed of their valuables while “there were no injuries during this unfortunate incident”.

“We can confirm that our team’s bus was attacked by armed robbers this afternoon in Okene, Kogi State on our way to Kaduna for the SuperFour.

“Thankfully, there were no injuries during this unfortunate incident. Players and officials were however stripped of all valuables,” Enyimba stated Monday.

Kogi State was the same area where former Nigerian champions Kano Pillars were robbed in March last year while they were travelling to Owerri for their opening league game of last season.

That incident left no fewer than five Kano Pillars injured.

Eagles

Continues from B/P game but his low shot was gathered by Alzouma Inoussa in goal for Niger.

In the seventh minute Idrissa Garba tried to lob the ball over Ikechukwu Ezenwa but his effort was stopped. The Eagles went close again after a nice build-up, but Okoro shot wide from the edge of the 18-yard box. Okoro eventually opened the scoring inside 30 seconds of the restart off an assist from Tunde Adeniji.

The Eagles made their second change following the introduction of Chisom Chikatara for Adeniji on 58 minutes.

In the 69th minute, the Eagles had a break away, but Aggreh’s poor cross was cleared away.

Usman Mohammed was introduced for Ibenegbu for the Eagles final change.

Chikatara doubled the Eagles lead on 74 minutes after taking the ball on his chest before unleashing a right-foot shot which flew pass Niger keeper.

Adebayor halved the deficit on 80 minutes af-

Lagos Marathon: Nigerian doctors in USA sign up

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IGERIAN doctors practising in the USA have signed up to help with any emergency and also offer health tips at the Access Bank/ Lagos City Marathon billed for February 6, 2016.

Dr. Blessing Fadaka and Dr. Nurudeen Lawal indicated their interest to be among the volunteers that will keep the Lagos City Marathon going. Fadaka and Lawal believe that volunteering during the marathon is just one way of giving back to Nigeria, a country that gave them so much. Said Lawal, “I’m a trained Nigerian physician in internal medicine and cardiology who happens to be working in the USA, “My medical training

*NOT A LAUGHING MATTER: Enyimba players

in Nigeria was mostly tuition free and my goal in life is to take any opportunity to contribute to the development of Nigeria hence I offer my services where needed”.

Lawal who learnt about the marathon from Fadaka decided to volunteer because as a firm believer in physical fitness, he believes that contributing in any way to encourage the culture of running or fitness is good. “A large program like this will attract people with varying degree of fitness. I hope to offer assistance in emergency health services especially as an advanced trainer and practitioner in cardio pulmonary resuscitation in an unlikely instance of such a need arising.

NFF focused despite challenges – Sanusi N FF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi said on Monday that the Federation remains focused and determined to take Nigeria football to new heights despite a number of challenges, mostly financial.

The seasoned administrator celebrated 10 months in office as NFF General Secretary on Monday, and said, “though the road has been a little rough, our utmost determination and commitment to foisting a new, brilliant dawn on Nigeria football remains unshaken.”

In his 10 months in office, Sanusi has gladly received three major trophies, namely the African Youth Championship, FIFA U-17 World Cup and Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, as well as celebrated the U-23 team’s qualification for the Olympics and bronze medal at the AllAfrica Games, the Super Eagles B’s qualification

ter he let fly a left-foot strike. But Chikatara restored the Eagles twogoal lead in the 82nd minute.

Chikatara had three good chances to have extended the Eagles lead but squandered them all.

He later made up for his misses by slotting home the fourth goal in the 93rd minute.

The Eagles will take on Tunisia on Friday.

*Deji Tinubu: Chairman of Lagos City Marathon

NOGIG 2016: NNPC, Chevron start well D EFENDING champions, NNPC sent a warning signal to group rivals of their resolve to hold onto the coveted trophy in the football event of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Games after they defeated Team PTI 2-0 in the opening match of

Ighalo

*Sanusi

for the African Nations Championship, the U-20 girls’ qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and the Super Eagles progress in the 2018 FIFA World Cup race.

“We have had so much to celebrate, thanks be to God Almighty. But we have also had a lot of challenges along the way."

Continues from B/P The reports revealed that Nwankwo Kanu was the last Nigerian to win the honours, but several players have come close including John Obi Mikel who finished as runner up to Ivory Coast’s Yaya Toure.

Despite winning the award for the past three years, Yaya, was beaten by the Gabonese skipper with the Elephants saying it was unfair for him to lose the award. He also lashed out at CAF as well as questioning the award criteria after the ceremony.

The Watford FC goal poacher was voted the EPL’s Player of the Month for December

this year ’s edition.

The match which was played at the Legacy Pitch, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos yesterday saw the oil giants score in each half of the thrilling encounter, watched by a handful of supporters of both teams.

In the second match of

and says hard work and teamwork were the key to his brilliant form.

“I must thank my teammates for their contribution to every goal I scored. I owe them a lot for the award,” said Ighalo.

“Most people do not see the hard work I put into my game, the feel I just show up and score goals.

“Aubameyang (PierreEmerick) showed up and won the award (APoTY) and I think I can do the same. It will require a lot of hard work but it is surely achievable.”

The next CAF Award for the African Player of the Year is set to be announced after the 2017 CAF African Cup of Nations in Gabon next year.

the day, Chevron spanked ten-man, but hard fighting ExxonMobil team by a lone goal.

The goal scored by Uche in the 65th minute separated the two teams.

The encounter which was evenly matched from start, saw Chevron’s number 16, Sunday Akpan receive marching orders from the centre referee after a second booking in the 30th minute. Total overwhelmed Shell 3-2 in

the last match of the day.

Today ’ fixtures, PTI will attempt to redeem their chances in the tournament as they take on NCDMB in the first match of the day. The match kicks off 8.30 am at the Legacy Pitch.

ExxonMobil will try to relaunch their strong bid for the title as they face NLNG in the second match of the day, while Shell and Agip will confront each other in a battle for the leadership of Group C.

Chukwu

Guinea will certainly be tougher than Niger Republic given the hard fought 2-2 draw in their own clash.

“Three points is quite good for the Eagles going forward in the championship in Kigali, Rwanda,” said the former Nigerian strongman to supersport.com.

Eagles will engage the North African giants, Tunisia on Friday at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo in Kigali while the last group match will be against West African foes, Guinea on Tuesday, January 26.

Continues from B/P convincing victory will further boost the players’ confidence ahead of their encounters against the other group opponents, Tunisia and Guinea.

“It’s a good result and the right way to start their title campaign at the African Nations Championship in Rwanda. The massive win will certainly motivate the team to go further in the biennial football championship.

“Of course, Tunisia and

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 — 45

Australian Open...Australian Open

I was once asked to fix a match — Djokovic

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OVAK Djokovic, the defending Australian Open champion, has revealed he was once offered money in return for fixing a tennis match.

The Serb, who has won ten Grand Slams, was responding to allegations of amatch-fixing scandal in professional tennis.

A BuzzFeed and BBC Sport investigation claims that 16 players ranked in the world’s top 50 have been reported to the Tennis Integrity Unit, the sport’s anticorruption body, but have been allowed to carry on with their careers. The BBC report names “Grand Slam winners” among those under suspicion.

Djokovic revealed that early in his career, in 2007, he was the subject of an indirect approach at the St Petersburg Open in Russia, a tournament he did not end up playing in.

“I was not approached directly. I was approached through people that were working with me at that time, that were with my team,”

•Djokovic Djokovic said from Melbourne, where he is playing in the Australian Open.

“Of course, we threw it away right away. It didn’t even get to me, the guy that was trying to talk to me, he didn’t even get to me directly. There was

nothing out of it.

“Unfortunately, there were some, in those times, those days, rumours, some talk, some people were going around. They were dealt with. In the last six, seven years, I haven’t heard anything similar.

Serena cruises into second round

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•Serena

Wozniacki crashes out

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ERENA Williams and Caroline Wozniacki might be the best of friends but the pair could scarcely have had more different experiences on the Australian Open’s first day.

On a day when matchfixing allegations involving tennis in general was the main topic of discussion in Melbourne, defending champion Williams eased to a straight sets victory over Camila Giorgi while former world No.1 Wozniacki crashed out in embarrassing fashion against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.

Now 18th in the world,

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Wozniacki was beaten 16 7-6 6-4 by a player 58 places below her in the rankings.

“I would say it’s a pretty s***** start to the season,” the Dane told reporters. “It wasn’t a pretty first set but I got it done and really should have closed it off in two.

EFENDING women’s champion Serena Williams reached the second round of the Australian Open with a tense 6-4 7-5 win over Italian Camila Giorgi in her first tour match in four months.

The American, 34, had been struggling with a left knee injury in the build-up, but came through unscathed.

Men’s champion Novak Djokovic went through in straight sets, beating South Korea’s Hyeon Chung 6-3 6-2 64. Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova also won easily in Melbourne on Monday.

Third seed Federer beat Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-2 6-1 6-2 in 72 minutes while fifth seed Sharapova needed just one minute longer to see off Nao Hibino of

Cramp puts paid to Edmund

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YLE Edmund suffered more problems with cramp as he crashed out in the opening round of the Australian Open in five sets. The British No 3 suffered a similar issue in the Davis Cup final against David Goffin, when he led

the Belgian by two sets before crumbling in the heat and humidity.

Edmund was supreme in the opening set but Dzumhur rallied in the second to level, and the Briton first called for treatment when 4-3 up in the third.

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016—47

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016

Ighalo targets Aubameyang’s crown S UPER Eagles and Watford striker Odion Ighalo has

CHAN: Eagles maul Niger

•Ighalo

Chukwu hails Eagles

F

ORMER Super Eagles manager, Christian Chukwu has described as a good start, the team’s 4-1 defeat of the Mena of Niger at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Kigali, Rwanda.

Eagles outclassed neighbours, Niger 4-1 in yesterday’s Group C second match at the 22,000 capacity Stade Regional

•Top Group C

T

HE Super Eagles y e s t e r d a y annihilated the Mena of Niger 4-1 in a blistering second half display that saw Abia Warriors striker, Chisom Chikatara bag a hat-trick. By this victory, the Sunday Oliseh tutored team went top of Group C after the opening game between tournament favourites, Tunisia and Guinea ended 2-2.

Goals from Osas Okoro opened scoring in the th 46 minute before a Chisom Chikatara hattrick sealed the win for the Eagles.

Prince Aggre had the Eagles first chance less than one minute into the Continues on Page 44

revealed that he’s aiming to topple the Gabon and Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as CAF African Footballer of the Year.

The Super Eagle was speaking to a Nigerian football website, Football Live.ng saying he’d like to break the 19-year absence of Nigerians in the running for the African award.

Continues on Page 44

Nyamirambo, Kigali.

Chukwu said the Continues on Page 44

•Chukwu

Robbers attack Enyimba — Page 44 RESULTS CHAN: Tunisia Nigeria

2 4

Guinea Niger

2 1

Today’s Matches HAT-TRICK-STAR: Chisom Chikatara (l) beats a Nigerien defender to score his first goal. Nigeria won 4-1.

Zimbabwe Mali

v v

Zambia Uganda

2 pm 5 pm

QUICK CR OSS WORD CROSS OSSWORD

TODAY'S PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS; 3 Hatred (5) 9 Pair (6) 10 Undergo (6) 11 Parched (5) 12 Cupid (4) 15 Food-list (4) 17 Earn (7) 20 Wand (3) 21 Finished (5) 23 Detail (4) 25 Cab (4) 26 Renovate (5) 28 Beaker (3) 30 Ebbed (7) 33 Genuine (4) 35 Dandy (4) 36 Brittle (5) 38 Gang (6) 39 Evoke (6) 40 Agree (6)

DOWN 1 Performed (5) 2 Glory (5) 3 Elderly (3) 4 Obtain (6) 5 Employed (4) 6 Mire (3) 7 Bid (5) 8 Haughty (5) 13 Train (7) 14 Drain (5) 16 Spotted (7) 18 Go in (5) 19 Encountered (3) 22 Old-fashioned (5) 24 Males (3) 27 Mammal (6) 28 Split (5) 29 Confusion (5) 31 Dullard (5) 32 Demise (5) 34 Region (4) 36 Sever (3) 37 Layer (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Polish 5, Ripped 9, Tamed 10, Earned 11, Louder 12, Medal 14, Char 17, Sex 18, Else 20, Eaten 22, Blend 23, Severed 24, Remit 26, Tenor 29, Eden 30, Hem 32, Ripe 33, Wider 35, Endear 36, Limpet 37, Depot 38, Lodged 39, Needed.

DOWN: 1, Pierce 2, Lariat 3, Stem 4, Hades 5, Relax 6, Idol 7, Puddle 8, Darted 13, Deleted 15, Hated 16, Resin 18, Elder 19, Snoop 21, Net 22, Bet 24, Reveal 25, Mended 27, Nipped 28, Rested 30, Hired 31, Melon 33, Wade 34, Rite.

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.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Ag.Editor: EZE ANABA. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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