Govs reunite to fight Okonjo-Iweala

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62408

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

MAY 29: FG orders Bayelsa CJ to swear in Wike as Rivers Gov

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Govs reunite to fight Okonjo-Iweala

By Emma Ujah & Henry Umoru

A

•Demand account of $20bn Excess Crude Account funds •Elect Zamfara Governor, Yari as NGF Chairman •Govs should ask their commissioners about the money – Okonjo-Iweala

BUJA—THE n a t i o n ’ s governors, yesterday, put aside the two-year feud that factionalised the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, and demanded an account of the estimated $20 billion they claimed accrued to the Excess Crude Account, ECA, while the NGF crisis lasted.

The demand which was directed at the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was Continues on Page 5

Chibok girls living in bunkers — Shettima 14 Nigeria's Orya heads global network of EXIM banks

4 Mr & Mrs

PACKING OUT —Aides of the out-going lawmakers packing out their luggage from the National Assembly complex in Abuja, yesterday. Photos: Gbemiga Olamikan.

COLUMNISTS: Completion of Second Niger Bridge’ll alleviate travellers’ sufferings de i —Drivers Ins e Se

C M Y K

The progress agenda: Citizenship and combating inequality •P.17

Lagos goes Pro Unitate to elect •P.19 Ambode governor

CBN harmonises public, private CRR at 31%•P.8

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 3

C M Y K

4—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

APOLOGY

Mr. Rubens V. Amaral Jr., outgoing President of Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions, GNEXID, and CEO, Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. (left) and Mr. Roberts Orya, MD/ CEO, Nigerian ExportImport Bank, NEXIM, and the new Honorary President of G-NEXID, at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.

I

N Vanguard N e w s p a p e r publication of Friday May 15, 2015, we published a news story captioned “Controversy trails Aregbesola’s son’s alleged arrest,” where we reported, among other things, that a source insisted that the Governor’s son, Kabiru, was actually arrested.

We have since found out that the source was not accurate and that the Governor ’s son was not and never arrested.

We, therefore, retract the story and apologise to Kabiru Aregbesola, the government of State of Osun and the Governor for the embarrassment the report may have occasioned them.

Once again, accept our apology.

—Editor

Lagos lawyer threatens Buhari with suit over change of title

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

A

Lagos-based lawyer and rights activist, Mr. Ebun Adegboruwa, has faulted the decision of the Presidentelect, General Muhammadu

Nigeria's Orya heads global network of EXIM banks

By Franklin Alli

T

HE Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions, G-NEXID, yesterday, elected Mr. Roberts Orya, MD/CEO of Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM, as its new Honorary President.

Mr. Orya is the 4th Honorary President of the G-NEXID after Mr. Rubens V. Amaral Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Bladex, (2013- 2015); Mr. Jean-Louis Ekra, Chairman and President of the African Export-Import Bank (2009-2013); and Mr. T. C. Venkat Subramanian, Chairman and Managing Director of the Export-Import Bank of India (2006-2009).

In his acceptance remarks, Mr. Orya thanked members for his election, saying “I see my election as a privilege to serve and continue in the giant strides already made by my predecessors towards forging and fostering a strategically vibrant and mutually beneficial South-South trade relationship.

“It is also an honour to my country, Nigeria, which is the largest economy in Africa, especially as we have just concluded a very peaceful presidential election.”

Set goals

Mr. Orya stated that his tenure would be devoted towards boosting bilateral and multilateral agreements of all kinds between member exportimport, EXIM, banks and development-finance

institutions, DFIs, as well as the development of appropriate collaborative framework and strategic partnerships with organisations such as Berne Union, Association of African Development Finance Institutions, AADFI, and other such regional economic initiatives to be evidenced by tangible transactional relationships.

According to him, the expected benefits of such cooperation and partnerships would help improve trade and investment within the member countries; improve information sharing/capacity building and exchange programmes among member institutions, while enabling regional integration and the growth of niche markets.

Mr. Rubens Amaral Jr., congratulated Orya on his new role for G-NEXID, and reiterated the strategic importance of trade as a driver for sustainable development, and job and wealth creation.

He also reminded members that the South-South cooperation remains a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South for their national well-being, collective selfreliance and the attainment of internationally-agreed development goals.

He urged the network membership to avail Orya with even greater level of support than was given to him in the past two years.

Buhari free to change name—Ex-NBA boss, Falana Buhari (retd) to drop his military title of Major General after May 29 swearing in date, arguing that it is illegal and immoral. He, therefore, threatened to drag Buhari to court.

In a statement in Lagos, Adegboruwa contended that it will be unlawful for him to take such decision now, having enjoyed all benefits attached to that title as a former military officer and head of state.

According to him, “by virtue of Paragraph 1(1) of the 1st Schedule of the Armed Forces Pensions Act, MajorGeneral Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) is entitled to, and has indeed been receiving and benefiting from pension, as an officer who held a regular commission, before his retirement.

“Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) is the official and legal status, title, designation and appellation of our Presidentelect. He has no choice in the matter, but to continue to carry this cross for life.

“The military world over is a dignified institution, built on discipline, selflessness, courage, dignity, loyalty and patriotism.

“It is an institution that everyone should be proud of, except those of them who were trained and equipped

by this noble institution, but chose to capture civilian power, through coup d’etat.

“Buhari attends the Council of State meetings as former Head of State, which office he held in his capacity as a Major-General, which officially qualifies him to earn some benefits, have security aides, salaries, emoluments, diplomatic passports as well as free medical treatment, home and abroad.

“From all the foregoing, I therefore humbly appeal to the President-elect to continue to bear his official name and status, by which he once climbed to power. I do sincerely sympathise with him on the very sad and distasteful memories that this title attracts to him. But it is his cross to carry.

“Nigerians voted for him in spite of his past and that should be enough encouragement for him to strive to erase any negative impression that it may have occasioned.”

Buhari is in order—Falana

Another Lagos lawyer and activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), disagreed with Mr. Adegboruwa, saying “Buhari’s decision is normal.

General Obasanjo did the same thing. He was referred

to as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

“There is nothing wrong in that. In the real sense of it, he remains a General. However, when you become an elected President, you cannot continue to be addressed as a General in a democracy. We cannot have a General in a democracy.

“Even his (Buhari) ADC, under the constitution, shall be a police officer not below the rank of an Assistant Superintendent of Police. Section 419 of the Police Act states this.

“The parade of the military as ADC by Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan is not part of our constitution.”

His wishes must be respected —Ubani, ex-NBA boss

Also arguing in support of Mr. Falana, former Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch, Mr. Monday Ubani said: “What Buhari did is right.

“If you are filling a form and you are requested to put your name as you want to be addressed, you may decide not to answer Barrister Ubani, but just Ubani or M. O. Ubani.

“What the President-elect wants is uniformity in addressing him as President Muhammadu Buhari, not Alhaji, or General. So, as somebody who wants to operate under a democratic dispensation, he decided to put aside all the military toga.

FG frustrates passage of petroleum bill

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA—THE Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, which is pending in the National Assembly will die a natural death at the expiration of the 7th National Assembly, as sectional politics and lack of interest from the executive has frustrated efforts for its

passage.

The Senate had, on more than three occasions, listed the PIB on the Order Paper for presentation, but was stepped down for another legislative day, each time.

Senator Smart Adeyemi had in a recent interview explained that because there was no provision for oil exploration in the North, it

would be impossible for the people from the zone to lend their support to it.

Investigation revealed that the executive had appropriated N520 million for logistics for the PIB, which was approved by the National Assembly, but the money was not released to lawmakers, instead it was allegedly used to erect billboards and procurement of fliers.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

INAUGURATION—From left: Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto; former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, at the inauguration of the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp built by Sokoto State Government, in Sokoto, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Govs reunite to fight Okonjo-Iweala Continues from Page 1 immediately rebuffed by the minister, who asked the governors to seek clarification from their finance commissioners.

Reflective of their new unity, the governors by consensus, adopted Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State as the new chairman of the NGF to take over from Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who presided at the session. Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, who had claimed chairman of the other faction of the NGF, was absent at the meeting that was, however, attended by several members of his faction.

Rising from the meeting which commenced late on Monday and ended in

the wee hours of yesterday, the governors urged the minister to explain the circumstances sorrounding the money that accrued to the ECA between June 2013 and April 2015.

Reading a communiqué at the end of the meeting which started 9 pm and ended 1am, the outgoing chairman, Governor Amaechi announced that Governor Yari was adopted as chairman of the body to serve for one year from May 2015 to May 2016.

The meeting which took place at the Lagos/ Osun Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, also approved the establishment of a Governors’ Forum Academy to be tagged

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

If you have nothing nice to say about a person, then do not say a thing— Bambi

W

E show love by demonstrating our actions to others, and one way to do this, is to show appreciation. Always help others to build their dream castles. These are aspirations and goals that we all pursue. Help another understand their divinity through your uplifting actions but remember there is a thin line that separates you too, for freedom to be, it comes with responsibility. Be nice and people will be nice, be friendly and people will be friendly.

Look at the fine qualities in your fellow man... and you too will radiate those virtues. Do not try to influence others deliberately or through subtle means to dislike or hate another.

Build solid foundation through your actions and imbibe attributes that will uplift you. Love comes only to those who give love. And even if you know all these already, just practice it more. Life is a Journey. We get the best ride through our most uplifting actions.

the NGF Leadership Academy that would be responsible for capacity building of governors and other officials holding public office and to be overseen by the secretariat of NGF. According to the governors, there would be an induction course for new and returning governors in June, 2015 aimed at equipping them with knowledge of global best practices in the running of their offices.

The governors, who congratulated the President-Elect, Muhammadu Buhari on his election also hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship in accepting the outcome of the elections.

The communiqué read thus: “We are hereby reconciled and reunited as a single umbrella association of the 36 state governors of Nigeria regardless of party or region.

“Forum congratulates the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in the recent presidential election which held on March 28, 2015 and President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship in accepting the outcome of the elections.

“In light of the fact that funds in the Excess Crude were disbursed in May 2013, there is need for the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to provide explanation for accruals

to this account from June 2013 to April 2015 which is estimated at over$20 billion.”

R e s p o n d i n g , yesterday, through her special adviser Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, the minister said that issues about the ECA was discussed at the monthly meetings of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, attended by state commissioners of

finance.

She said: “It has come to our attention that governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum have requested that the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance should account for an estimated $20 billion oil revenue from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) from June 2013 to April 2015. There is no basis for the demand and the stated amount.

“The statement by the governors is totally strange because FAAC meets every month, and the ECA is discussed at every session with all the state commissioners of finance present. Nothing is hidden. At these meetings, the Honourable Minister of

State, who is the Chairman of FAAC, announces the balance in the ECA, which is then discussed. So, governors who want any information about the ECA, should ask for details from their commissioners who should have the records of what was discussed and agreed upon. Details of the ECA are also published every month along with the allocations to the three tiers of government.

“The reference to June 2013 in the statement is probably because the National Economic Council last met in May 2013. But this is immaterial because the FAAC meetings during which the ECA and similar issues are discussed have generally held regularly every month.

DPR reduces licensing fee for modular refinery to $.5m •Lists conditions for participation •As investors list conditions for participation

By Ediri Ejoh

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A G O S— T O encourage and fast-track the establishment of modular refineries in the country, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, has slashed by 50 per cent the licensing fee. Participants are to pay half a million dollars as against the initial $1 million.

The measure was unveiled, yesterday, at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on the Guidelines for Establishing Modular Refineries in Nigeria.

“DPR has reduced the licensing fee from $1 million to $500,000 for establishment of the modular refineries in the country. We do not think that the amount is too much for any serious investor. Setting up a refinery is a capital intensive project, which

demands that all financial related issues are settled before application could be made,” it said.

The move is meant to solve the problems associated with shortages of refined petroleum products in the country. This came as the DPR lists conditions for participation under the new guidelines.

The conditions

Besides the formal application, investors must also conduct detailed feasibility studies; identification of technology application; source of funding; application and licensing.

Others include: *capacity range of a module of between 1,800 and 30,000 *installation must be typically skid mounted for easy mobility from

one location to the other, *plant location must be at the discretion of investors *feedstock choice must be typical Niger Delta light sweet crude oil with good sulphur content of 0.2.

The event which played host to all the major players in the upstream sector including some Marginal Oil Field operators, presented opportunities for DPR to engage investors on how to tackle some of the issues and challenges hindering the setting up of refineries.

The Director, DPR, Mr. George Osahon, who spelt out the guidelines, said the regulator's role will be limited to the entire process, especially in the management of the initiative as well as the issuance of licenses and approvals to operators.

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Okadamen protest police, agbero extortions in Lagos  NURTW collects N900; police, N200

14 JSS students arrested for cultism in Edo

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN— NO fewer than 14 Junior Secondary School, JSS, students have been arrested by the Police in Edo State over alleged involvement in cult-related activities in Benin.

Vanguard gathered that the students, whose ages ranged from 12 to 15 years, were said to have been picked by

policemen at Oguola Secondary School, along St. Saviour Road in the state capital and were being screened at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Police headquarters, Benin.

Principal of the school, Mr. Ehanire Reuben, said eight of the students were allegedly arrested in the school compound, adding that their

arrest prompted the police to conduct a search on some students in the classrooms.

He, however, said prior to the arrest, he learned that a student teacher in the school was attacked and his phone and wallets taken from him by some students, who also attacked residents in the area.

He pleaded with police to release those found to be innocent.

Edo State Police Command spokesman, Mr. Innocent Onwochie, in his reaction to the development, said the arrest was made following a tip-off, adding that those arrested were under-aged.

He said investigations on the issue had been stepped up, promising that the police would leave no stone unturned in its war against cultism and other criminal activities in the state.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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A G O S — COMMERCIAL motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada riders, at Sanya, Surulere area of Lagos State, yesterday protested levies extorted from them by policemen and motor park touts, otherwise known as Agbero.

One Uche Mabia described the levies as intolerable because at every stop, they pay N200 each to policemen.

Vanguard gathered that every morning, commercial motorcyclists plying Sanya, Oladimeji, Adetola, Aguda areas of Surulere pay N450 levy to National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW; another N450 as road charge to the same union and N200 to policemen.

Speaking on the development, one of the commercial motorcyclists said their profits end up in the hands of policemen and motor park touts.

According to the motorcyclists, there is no need doing the Okada business, with this level of extortion.

He said: “We buy fuel from black markets as filling stations are not selling.

Some of us buy at N200 per litre.

“We will pay motor park touts N900: that is N450 for national, another N450 for road, before getting to the passenger’s destination.

“We will also give N200 to policemen stationed at the front of Sanya Police Station.

“If we refuse, they seize our motorcycles.

Sometimes, policemen come from Sholoki. They do it in turns to avoid a clash.”

It will be recalled that Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State had signed the Lagos Traffic bill, banning commercial motorcyclists from plying major trunks, such as Ikorodu Road, Funsho Williams Avenue, ApapaOshodi Express, LagosBadagry and Lekki-Epe expressways.

SCARCITY: At a well as water scarcity hits Bauchi State due to Nigeria Labour Congress strike, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Residents flee Gusau, as water scarcity hits Zamfara

By Salisu Maradun

G

USAU—RESIDENTS of Gusau, Zamfara State capital, have begun fleeing the city, following acute water scarcity, settling wherever the resource was available.

An investigation conducted

by Vanguard revealed that many people, including women and children, trek very long distances from around 3a.m., daily in search of water as many cannot afford to buy from water vendors.

As a result, many students and pupils hardly go to school as they spend most of their productive hours searching for ponds and wells where they could fetch water. Civil servants have also been affected by the problem; they now stay away from work in search of water.

Mallam Musa Lawali, a vulcanizer, said: “My job requires use of water, but I cannot even get for my consumption and this is making me contemplate relocation, as some of my colleagues in the self-employed businesses did, to where government provides water.”

Vendors 're king

Meanwhile, water vendors are now making brisk business from the hardship faced by the people as a 25-litre jerry can of water, which used to cost

Civil servants, students hard-hit; artisans relocate Environmentalist raises alarm over looming epidemic Sand’s taken over dam —COMMISSIONER between N10 and N15, now sells for between N80 and N100, depending on the distance between where the vendor sourced the commodity and the point of sale.

This has also forced people to fetch water from several unsafe alternative sources, such as ponds.

Speaking on the situation, an environmentalist, Mallam Muhammad Murtala,

cautioned people to avoid using contaminated water since it contained many deadly diseases, which could cause cholera and lead to death as was the case last year.

He said the use of the contaminated water was a threat to the lives of the people, especially pregnant women and children and advised that they boil such water very well before consumption.

Speaking on the matter, the state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji, said the problem was caused by sand, which had taken over the dam, the major source of water in the city.

He, however, said the state government had awarded contract to a reputable company to de-silt the dam to make it deeper and more efficient.

Benue police arrest suspected killers of ASP

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI—BENUE State Police Command has arrested Terrungwa Gbermke, alias Vision 2020, the suspected killer of Assistant Superintendent of Police, Baba Ibrahim, member of the Task Force on Cattle Rustling and Kidnapping.

Gbermke and his gang were among the 32 suspects paraded, yesterday, by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hyacinth Dagala, at the command headquarters in

Makurdi.

Recovered from the gang were a red Toyota Carina, used in the operation, and over 20 assorted arms and ammunition.

According to Dagala, “amidst the grief of the killing of ASP Baba Ibrahim, crack detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Makurdi, swung into action, traced the hoodlum to their hideout along Abaji-Amafu Road in Katsina-Ala and arrested four of the suspects.

“They include Terungwa Gbermke, alias Vision 2020,

Sarwuam Kyuun, Aondover Laav, and James Akuleagwu.

“Items recovered from them include one G3 rifle, with four rounds of live ammunition, one red Toyota Carina 11 vehicle, with number plate XD 811 Makurdi, one unregistered Honda C50 motorcycle, one power saw machine, black face cap and charms.’’

The commissioner said the suspects would soon be charged to court after the police had completed investigations into the crime.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—7

Air Force begins investigation into battering of FAAN staff

By Evelyn Usman

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HAULAGE: Moving jerry cans of palm oil on Asaba-Benin Expressway, yesterday. PHOTO: Akpokona Omafuaire.

By Hugo Odiogor

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ELTA State Police Command has arrested no fewer than 15 suspected cultists terrorising Ogwashi Uku and its environs in Aniocha South Local Government Area.

This came even as a wave of crackdown on cultists and criminal gangs in Delta North and other parts of the state has heightened.

Among those arrested were alleged masterminds (names withheld) of activities of the gang operating in the Ogwashi Uku and Issele Azagba axis.

They are alleged to be involved in acts of kidnapping, murder and maiming of villagers who resisted their acts of intimidation.

Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Alkali Usman, confirmed their arrest to Vanguard in a telephone interview.

He said similar arrests had been made at Aladja and Uwvie as part of the renewed efforts by police to curtail the activities of cultists in the state.

He said: “We have made a lot of arrest and we are still going ahead with the clampdown on the fleeing cultists in all parts of the state.”

Vanguard learned that the arrest of the masterminds was effected by a special squad from Force Headquarters, Abuja, where they were taken for questioning, while the arrest of 15 members of the gang was carried out by a combined team of military and police.

Vanguard checks at Ogwashi Uku confirmed that the 15 members and some of their victims had also been transferred to Abuja for interrogation.

Members still threatening residents

Mr. Vitalis Ibe, the Deputy Commissioner of Police who

Police arrest cult kingpins, members in Delta Suspects, victims taken to Abuja

Mr. Pius Ikem had his arm chopped off by cultists. led the operation, said indigenes of the town were full of apprehensions about the activities of the gang that had threatened to continue with or without their

leaders.

Some of those interviewed declined to be quoted for fear of their own safety.

The indigenes of both

communities also alleged that one of the arrested masterminds had been behind series of land disputes, which had escalated in the past two years, leading to deaths and injuries to innocent persons.

Vanguard’s investigation prompted the police to take up the case of one Mr. Pius Ikem, whose right hand was chopped off in the farm last year by a cult group and was rescued by sympathisers.

The Obi of Isele Azagba, HRM Francis Jideuwa Ijeh II, whose kingdom had been ravaged by the activities of the cultists, said Ikem’s case was one of many that had been recorded in the past two years.

He said the cult group had been responsible for criminal acts, ranging from amputation of arms and killings to plucking of eyes.

Mr. Charles Ogbolie, who is handling the human rights’ violations of the victims, gave Vanguard a copy of the petition he had written to the Inspector General of Police.

HND holder allegedly forges Okonjo-Iweala's letter to get TETFUND job

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, arraigned one Obiejogo Raymond Azuka before Justice Muawiyah Baba Idris of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on a sixcount charge bordering on forgery.

Obiejigo, a Higher National Diploma, HND, holder from Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, allegedly forged a reference letter purportedly from

the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, alongside his curriculum vitae requesting for employment in EFCC, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, and Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC. His scam was, however, exposed by the anti-corruption agency, which promptly charged him to court to answer for his crime.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

In view of his plea, counsel to EFCC, Halidu Mohammed,

urged the court to fix a date to commence trial and also to remand the accused in prison custody.

The defence counsel, J. E. Chukwuemeka, through a formal application, asked the court to admit the accused to bail.

His application was opposed

by Mohammed, who asked the court for time to respond.

Justice Idris adjourned the case to June 2 for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial and ordered the accused to be remanded in Kuje Prison custody.

IGERIAN Air Force, yesterday, said it had begun investigation into the alleged battering of Mohammed Shuaibu, an official of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, by two of its personnel in charge of traffic control at the departure section of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, international terminal wing, Monday.

A spokesperson for the Logistic Command of the Nigerian Air Force, Squadron Leader Joel Abioye, said: “The alleged battering is being investigated and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken on any defaulter. For now, we are still investigating.”

Meanwhile, report had it that Shuaibu, who was rushed to the airport hospital, where doctors battled to resuscitate him, was out of coma at 6.35p.m., yesterday.

Anambra police commended on arrest of suspected crime kingpin

By Esther Onyegbula

A

non-governmental organisation, Centre for Advancement of Democracy, Social Justice, Conflict Resolution and Human Welfare, has commended the Police in Anambra State over the recent arrest of a suspected notorious criminal in the state.

The centre said in a statement by Chief Imoh Ethelbert: “Anambra State Police Command deserves commendation for their vigilance, dedication to duty and superlative performance in the arrest of the suspect, who hails from Nkwele-Awkuzu.

“The suspect is a notorious bandit, who was implicated in the celebrated case of Awkuzu massacre where over 75 persons were killed in the most heinous macabre death in modern Nigeria history.”

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

CBN harmonises public, private CRR at 31% As foreign exchange reserve stands at $30.05bn

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

A

BUJA — THE Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, yesterday harmonised the Cash Reserve Requirement, CRR, of both public and private sectors to 31 per cent to improve monetary policy in the country.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, announced this while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the committee’s meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

He said: “Nine members voted to harmonise the public and private sector’s CRR at 31 per cent. Two members voted to remunerate the portion of the CRR. All members voted to retain all other decisions taken at the last meeting of the monetary policy committee while improving the implementation of the CRR regime."

According to him, the committee voted to retain the MPR at 13 per cent, with a corridor of plus or minus 200 basis point around the midpoint, adding that the liquidity ratio was also retained at 20 per cent.

The governor said harmonisation of the CRR was imperative to curb abuses and improve the efficacy of the monetary policy.

Cash Reserve Requirement, CRR, indicates the percentage of deposit money banks’ cash that they must keep with the CBN as a means of controlling the amount of money with the banks. The action is to limit the ability of banks to create money.

With the harmonisation, the banks will now have more funds at their disposal to lend. Increased lending to the private sector will boost production and expand the economic base.

He explained that before the harmonisation, what was obtainable was CRR, based on private sector at 20 per cent and on public sector, 75 per cent.

He said: “What we have done is to have a composite rate. There is no need for us to have CRR segregated for the private sector and the public sector deposit. The 31 per cent is just a composite rate which just brings it together and there is no need for anybody to continue to wonder whether we are taking CRR based on public sector or on private sector.

"It is basically for us to achieve the efficacy of the CRR regime of the monetary policy.”

He said that the committee was optimistic that slow pace of economic activity would

Nigerians not enjoying benefits of fuel subsidy — Poll

By Michael Eboh

A

BOOK LAUNCH: From left: Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Presiding Overseer, The Trinity House Church; Ms Aisha Falode, mother of the author; Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Women Arise & Campaign for Democracy and Ms. Tolu Falode, author the book, Gift of Grace, during the book launch to mark 21st birthday of Toba Falode, in Lagos, yesterday. improve with the positive outlook of the general elections and progress made in fight against insurgency.

Based on estimates, using the CBN’s February 2015 data, the implied CRR for public and private sector deposits stood at 35.0%. As at February, public and private sector deposits settled at N3.6trillion (27.3%) and N9.6 trillion (72.7%) respectively.

By implication, the CBN unleashed the strings on deposits in the banking system, hence, increasing available deposits by approximately N528 billion.

The expectation that the new CRR may lead to increased real sector lending may not actually be the case in the interim, given the evident risks that pervade the space.

Based on management guidance, banks are not willing to increase lending expressively until the new administration settles and policy direction is ascertained.

On the other hand, the additional liquidity into the system may be channelled to the fixed income market given the current attractive yields. This in turn may help push down yields within the short term. The full implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) may also reduce the quantum of public sector deposits in the banking system.

Interest rate'll remain high

The President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, had said, after the last MPC meeting, that the implication of the MPC decision to sustain a regime of tight monetary

policy regime was that interest rate would continue to remain high and put pressure on operating costs in the economy.

At a parley with pressmen in Lagos, President of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello, said MPC at the end of its last meeting, decided to sustain the tight monetary policy regime and retained Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 13 per cent; CRR on Private Sector deposits at 20 per cent; CRR on Public Sector deposits at 75 per cent; and liquidity ratio at 30 per cent.

He said: "The implication is that interest rate would continue to remain high and continues to put pressure on operating costs in the economy. For now, lending rate of commercial banks, including fees and charges, range between 22 and 34 per cent depending on the customer profile, tenor and collateral quality. High interest rate is a concern we have expressed at every turn in our advocacy activities engagements.”

The harmonization may just be the beginning of CBN to relax the tight monetary policy it had pursued in the last seven years.

Until, the harmonization, the Public Sector CRR was 75 per cent, while private sector deposit CRR was 20 per cent.

Why harmonisation

Emefiele explained that the decision to harmonise the two reserve requirements was to achieve greater efficiency in the push towards a more stable money market in the country.

According to Emefiele, “the current discriminatory CRR on public and private sector deposits has not only constrained the policy space but could inspire moral

hazard by private market participant. Consequently, it was recognised that while additional re-tightening measures may not be appropriate for now to avoid over-heating the economy, the harmonization of the CRR was imperative to curb abuses and improve the efficacy of monetary policy.

“In view of this development, the committee decided by a unanimous vote to retain the current stance of tight monetary policy.

Whether private or public sector, it important to achieve efficacy of the CRR regime on monetary policy.”

"The MPC voted to retain the MPR at 13 per cent, with a corridor of + /-200 basis points around the mid-point; liquidity ratio retained at 30 per cent and harmonise the public and private sector deposits CRR at 31 per cent.

“Monetary policy is gradually approaching the limits of tightening and would, therefore, require complementary fiscal and structural policies.”

Concern

Emefiele said his team was deeply concerned over the lackluster performance of the external sector arising from a number of significant global shocks.

His words: “The decline in trade balance, which commenced in the second half of 2014, could persist over a much longer period with further implications for public revenues and external reserves.

“In the light of these developments, therefore, the committee stressed the need for proactive measures to protect the reserve buffer to safeguard the value of the domestic currency and engender overall stability of the banking system.”

BUJA — NIGERIANS have blamed corruption and mismanagement of petroleum subsidy funds as the major factors hindering citizens from enjoying the full benefits of subsidy.

NOI Polls, in its weekly poll result released yesterday, stated that about 52 per cent of Nigerians who purchase Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, are of the view that Nigerians have not enjoyed the full benefits of petroleum subsidy.

Giving a breakdown by geopolitical zones, 72 per cent of North-east respondents claimed Nigerians have enjoyed the full benefits of the petroleum subsidy, compared to 37 per cent of respondents in the South-South who shared similar view and 40 per cent in the South-West.

In the North-Central, 42 per cent of respondents believed that Nigerians have enjoyed the benefits of petrol subsidy; 49 per cent and 50 per cent of south east and north-west respondents respectively, share similar view.

This perception, according to the polling agency, may be guided by the fact that a larger proportion of Nigerians purchase petrol at a price above the subsidized rate ofN87.

The poll further revealed that majority of its respondents blame corruption as the key factor hindering Nigerians from enjoying the full benefits of petrol subsidy.

Specifically, 66 per cent of the respondents identified corruption as the factor that has hinder Nigerians from enjoying the full benefits of petroleum subsidy; 39 per cent blamed it on poor management of petrol subsidy, while 18 per cent blamed it on efficient regulatory authorities.

Furthermore, 12 per cent of the respondents blamed their inability to enjoy the full benefits of subsidy on difference in the cost of fuel importation; 12 per cent chose inefficiencies of petrol price control mechanisms, while four per cent blame it on bad government/leadership.

Given this set back, the poll pointed out that a significant proportion of Nigerians, about 42 per cent, especially from the South-East zone, would support the full removal of fuel subsidy to a great extent, while about 44 per cent of Nigerians, mainly from the North-East and North-West regions would not support the full removal of petrol subsidy by the government.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—9

Nigeria loses N1.3bn daily over oil workers’ strike

By Michael Eboh

A

BUJA — NIGERIA is currently losing a minimum of $6.676 million, an equivalent of N1.335 billion daily as a result of the strike action embarked upon by workers of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, over the transfer of operatorship of Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 40, 42 and 30.

Sources in the NPDC told Platts, yesterday, that as a result of the strike, about 100,000 barrels of the company’s daily crude oil production is deferred.

Specifically, using the Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN, estimate of $66.76 per barrel crude oil price, a shut-in of 100,000 barrel per day amounts to a loss in revenue of N$6.676 million, about N1.335 billion to the country. The amount lost in terms of revenue to the country does not include revenue due from gas from the oil fields.

The sources also told Platts that the protesting workers had pulled out of oil fields operated

by NPDC except OML 38 due to its strategic importance to the country.

“We did not want to shut down OML 38 because of the huge gas supply from the fields in the block to the national power grid,” a union official told Platts.

The sources further confirmed the presence of heavily armed military operative around some of the oil wells, stating specifically that the Federal Government had drafted troops to OML 42, which currently produces around 31,000 barrel per day of crude oil.

NPDC, the upstream arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, currently produces around 150,000 barrels per day of crude oil and 700 million cubic feet per day of gas.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, branch of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Corporation, NPDC, had on Monday shut down exploration activities in the country over the failure of the Federal Government to reverse the transfer of the operatorship of Oil Mining Lease, OML, 42.

A statement from the JV partners said the shut-in had affected all NPDC operated assets in joint venture with indigenous companies that had applied for operatorship, except Neconde, who, prior to the crisis, had been awarded

the operatorship of OML 42, and immediately got the JTF to secure the assets.

Elcrest (OML 40) which is next in line to be awarded operatorship, Shoreline OML 30 and FHN/Afren (OML 26) have now been shut as oil evacuation is hampered from OML 34 which relies on the OML 30

pumping station.

The unions had accused the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, of stripping the two oil blocks from NPDC, a subsidiary of NNPC. The unions are upset that the sale of the assets did not follow due process and would

affect the fortunes of the NPDC and its workers.

The Federal Government had transferred its average 55 per cent equities in all the eight oil blocks sold by Shell, Total and Eni between 2010 and 2014, to NPDC. The government also appointed NPDC to take over operatorship of the block from Shell.

BRIEFING: From left: Governor Abdul-Azeez Yari of Zamfara State, new chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF; Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State during a press conference by NGF, in Abuja.

PRESIDENTIAL POLL: ECOWAS leaders hail Jonathan Say he occupies special place in region's history

By Ben Agande

A

BUJA — LEADERS of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, yesterday showered praises on President Goodluck Jonathan, saying he would occupy a special place in the history of the sub-region for his statesmanly behaviour by conceding defeat at the recently concluded presidential election in Nigeria.

Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and President of Ghana, John Mahama, who led other leaders to praise President Jonathan during his opening address at the 47th Ordinary Session of the Authority, yesterday in Accra, Ghana noted that the success of the Nigerian election as well as that of Togo had sent a strong message to the world that the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance was working.

He also congratulated the in coming President, Muhammadu Buhari, for his tenacity which led to his recent victory after three previous failed attempts.

He said: “We are extremely

proud of the elections held so far in two of our member states. I salute the people of Nigeria and Togo for the peaceful elections held in those countries. This sends a strong message to the world that our protocol on democracy and good governance is effective and has strengthened the rule of law in our sub-region.

“Let me on your behalf take this opportunity to highly commend our brother, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his personal show of mature statesmanship in the event that followed the presidential election held in Nigeria.

“I believe his name will be recorded in a special place when the history of Nigeria’s democracy comes to be written. Let me also on this occasion salute Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for his victory in the presidential election.”

On Boko Haram

Speaking on the scourge of Boko Haram in Nigeria and other African Nations, the Ghanaian President said the attrocities committed by the sect was “unsurpassed” anywhere in the world.

He noted that though progress had been recorded in the fight against Boko

Haram, the non-rescue of the Chibok girls despite rescuing more than one thousand abducted women and children has left a sour taste in the mouth.

According to him, “last year, Nigeria and Cameroon were caught in the spate of terrible attacks and atrocities by the terrorist group, Boko Haram. They freely attacked with impunity and abducted hundreds of women and children.

“The atrocities of this group have remained unsurpassed by any terrorist group anywhere in the world.

Slaughters, beheading, rape, torture, abductions, bombings, looting and destruction of property have been the hallmark of this terrorist group.

“People, especially of north east Nigeria, have been subjected to a reign of terror.

“Today, thanks to the African Union and the multinational Joint Task Force formed by the Lake Chad Basin countries, a lot of progress has been made in the fight against Boko Haram.

“We are pleased to note the success in liberating the territories that Boko Haram dominated and the release of over 1000 people mostly women and children."

Oil firms to lose licenses as FG plans separate leases

By Michael Eboh

A

BUJA — Oil companies in Nigeria are to undergo a new licensing round, as the Federal Government, yesterday, stated that it plans to separate gas leases from oil leases.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg in Abuja, Mr. David Ige, Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, disclosed that the move was aimed at attracting investors and international gas firms such as OAO Gazprom and Centrica to the Nigerian gas sector.

According to Ige, the separation of gas from oil leases will also help increase Nigeria’s gas output and contribute to the country ’s plan for gas utilization and commercialization.

He stated that almost all of the country ’s gas reserves of 184 trillion cubic feet of gas were found in the course of searching for crude, adding that the new plan will provide opportunities for companies specifically interested in exploring for gas.

He said: “Gas, over the last few years, has become a very prominent commodity on its own, which requires a life of its own. Nigeria needs companies such as Russian exporter OAO Gazprom and Centrica Plc, the United Kingdom’s biggest energy supplier, to enter the market to drive our gas agenda aggressively.”

Ige further disclosed that NiGaz Energy Company, a joint venture created in 2009 between the NNPC and Gazprom could not get a foothold because all the acreages with significant reserves are held by other companies including Shell, Chevron and Exxon Mobil.

According to him, more than 80 percent of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves are in leases held by Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Chevron Corporation, Exxon Mobil Total SA and Eni SpA, whose priority continues to be oil.

He noted that when current industry reforms are completed and a new industry law is passed, companies that are not oil players can have access to gas.

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Ikorodu residents laud police on crime reduction

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AGOS–SOME residents of Ikorodu yesterday applauded the efforts of the Lagos State Police Command in reducing crime in the area.

The residents had said they were usually robbed in daylight, particularly at the roundabout and at Benson Bus stop in Ikorodu during traffic jams.

Some of the residents applauded the decline in the crime rate and confessed that they had been able to sleep in their homes at night without fear of robbery attacks.

However, some said that armed robbery attacks were still going on in their neighbourhoods.

Mr Babatunde Oyesola, a business man, said that the presence of policemen in the area helped to scare hoodlums in the area.

“The crime rate in Ikorodu has reduced, especially with the presence of policemen everywhere.

“Robbers have stopped attacking residential houses or shops at nights. I believe it is because of the active police presence everywhere,” he said.

Lagos holds Research and Devt grant exhibition

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS State Government has organised the first exhibition of the State Research and Development Grant (LRDG) project on which a total sum of N142.3 million had already been disbursed by the council 31 projects from various fields of human endeavour aimed at promoting infrastructural development and economic growth in the country were on display at the event.

The benefiting universities are Lagos State University, LASU; University of Lagos, UNILAG; Pan African University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State; Caleb University; Yaba College of Technology and African Languages Technology Initiatives.

EFCC VS NNAMANI: 4 firms docked over N5bn money laundering

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, re-arraigned four companies, involved in the alleged N5 billion money laundry offences against former Enugu State governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani., The companies are Rainbownet Nigeria Limited, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited, and Renaissance University Teaching Hospital.

The re-arraignment of the companies followed an application by EFCC, seeking a separate trial of the former governor and the four companies that were his coaccused in the alleged money laundry offences, due to Nnamani’s frequent overseas medical treatment, which had dragged their arraignment for over seven years., At the last hearing of the matter, the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusa, had granted the anti-graft agency’s application., At the re-arraignment, the companies were alleged to have between February and March 2007, failed to comply with the lawful inquiry of Mr.

LECTURE: From left; Chairman of the occasion, represented by The Executive Director, Leventis Foundation Nigeria, Hope Usieta; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife Osun state, Prof. Omolayo Ajayi; Celebrant, Dr. John Odeyemi; and Guest lecturer, Professor Toyin Falola at the 2nd annual Dr John Odeyemi lecture at OAU. Ibrahim Lamorde, who was then EFCC’s Director of Operations, to investigate the alleged offences by not releasing their cash book, fixed assets, various vouchers and cheques and failure to give break down, of their trade creditors and showing their names and amounts from 2002 till 2006., * The offences according to the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Kelvin

Uzozie are punishable under section 38(2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004., The four companies, though not represented by anybody, but their lawyer, Mr. Ricky Tarfa, SAN, pleaded guilty to the nine count charges on their behalf., Following the guilty plea, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Uzozie,

urged the court to adjourn the matter for review of facts of the offences., The companies’ lawyer, Mr. Ricky Tarfa, informed the court that he will inform the accused companies’ secretary to write a letter of undertaken to the alleged crimes and their plea., Consequently, he adjourned the matter till May 27, for review of the facts of the matter.

N13.5M FRAUD: Court remands medical doctor

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS—JUSTICE Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Ikeja High Court yesterday ordered that a 62-year-old medical doctor, Obinna Monagor, be remanded in prison over alleged fraudulent conversion of N13.5 million in a property deal.

The remand order from the court was sequel to the inability of the accused to perfect his bail after he was arraigned by the EFCC on a one-count charge of stealing by fraudulent conversion.

Monagor, who lives at D1, Alhaji Masha Road, Surulere, Lagos, was ordered to remain in prison pending the perfection of the N5 million bail condition granted him by the court.

According to the EFCC counsel, Mr Ademola Omeiza, said Monagor had sometimes in 2010 approached the complainant, Mr Godwin Achi, that he had a three-storey edifice located at No.7, Tade Aromolate Close, Surulere, Lagos for sale at the sum of N150m.

He said that the complainant paid a first instalment, but could not pay the balance following the

inability to obtain a credit facility from his bank.

It was said that Achi finally got the loan in 2012, but discovered that the said property had been sold to another party, Edscob Suites, a situation that made him demanded the refund of his initial deposit from Monagor.

EFCC counsel said the refusal of the defendant to pay back the

money after one year of selling the property prompted Achi to petition the EFCC. He noted that investigation into the matter by the commission consequently led to Monagor’s arrest and his subsequent arraignment in court.

According to him, the defendant’s action contravenes Sections 390 (8) (b) and (9) of the

Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003, the offence which attracts a maximum of three years imprisonment if a defendant is convicted. Monagor, had since pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Ruling on the bail application filed by his counsel, Dr Muiz Banire, the judge granted the defendant bail of N5m with two sureties in like sum.

Man, 26, in court for alleged murder of unidentified person

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AGOS—AN Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday ordered that one Rotimi Abolarin,26, charged with the murder of a yet-to-be identified person, be remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons.

Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun Abolarinwa gave the order adding that: “The advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) need to be sought on this matter.

“I, therefore, order that Abolarin should be kept at the Ikoyi Prisons for the next 30 days pending the DPPs’ advice.”

The court declined to take the plea of the accused because his alleged offences raised questions

about the jurisdiction of the court to adjudicate on the case.

Abolarinwa, however, adjourned the case to June 18 for mention.

The Prosecutor, DSP Etim Nkankuk, had then told the court that Abolarin committed the offences with others still at large.

He said that the accused committed the offences on Jan. 23 at 11.30 a.m., at the Nigeria Railway Corporation Line, opposite Mainland Hotel, Oyingbo in Ebute Meta, Lagos State.

The prosecutor said the death of the yet-to-be-identified deceased was caused by blows to a delicate part of his body by the

accused and his conspirators who were still at large.

He told the court that as at the time of the arraignment of the accused, the deceased’s identity was yet to be ascertained.

“The murder-suspect had allegedly killed another person by beating him to death,” he said.

Nkankuk said that Abolarin’s offences contravened Sections 221 and 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 221 prescribes death sentence for any offender, while Section231 says the offender is liable to 14 years’ imprisonment.

The accused, of no fixed address, is being tried on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 11

New Ekiti CP resumes, warns criminals ...As Bamidele returns to APC

FORGERY: Two Lagos APC chieftains in legal tussle

By Gbenga Ariyibi

A

DO EKITI—THE new Police Commissioner for the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr. Etop James, who resumed yesterday has vowed to rid the state of criminal elements.

This is as the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Budget and Research and the governorship candidate under the Labour Party, LP, in the June 21,2014 governorship election in the state, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele has returned to the All Progressives Congress, APC, with his party supporters.

The CP’s resumption came just as medical personnel in public hospitals suspended emergency services in protest of the kidnapping of their members James was received by men and officers of the command joined by representatives of the state government led by Chief of Staff to the governor, Chief Dipo Anisulowo.

The police boss said he was given a mandate of policing the state and restoring peace by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase.

The police boss is expected to head the special squad deployed in the state by the IGP yesterday following the Save-Our-Soul call

by Governor Ayo Fayose.

The CP said he would listen to all legitimate groups in the state towards addressing the security challenges confronting the state.

He said; “Any group that is legitimate is free to talk to me. I will use all information I have now and I will listen to others. ‘’I am here to ensure peace. I was given only one mandate to go and do police job. My duty is to restore peace. Let everybody go about their lawful businesses.’’

Addressing the CP on behalf of the lawmakers-elect, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, pleaded with him to ensure peace at all cost.

He said; “I want to plead with you that we want peace urgently in Ekiti. We want the peace we were enjoying to continue, all sorts of provocation, harsh press statements should stop, enough of kidnapping, armed robbery. ‘’We want the estranged lawmakers to come back home and join hands to move the state forward.”

Other speakers who also spoke in the same vein include a representative of traders, Princess Adefunke Aladegboun, Rev Samuel agbede (RTEAN), among others.

Meantime, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Ekiti State branch, has suspended emergency services across hospitals in the state.

The NMA said the move was to protest the kidnap of its members and continued receipt of threat letters by members of the

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

L

AGM: From left; Mr Cees't Hart, outgoing CEO, Royal Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria plc; Mr Jacob Moyo Ajekigbe, Chairman,Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria and Mr Rahul Colaco, Managing Director, Friesland Campina at the 42nd Annual General Meeting of the company at the MUSON centre, Onikan, Lagos, yesterday. Photo by Akeem Salau. association from suspected kidnappers who had abducted no fewer than nine members in the last three weeks.

Those abducted are medical doctors, academics and a nurse and their families are yet to make contacts with their captors.

APC saying he and his supporters took the decision to save the APC from an imminent death after its defeat during the governorship poll.

He commended the national leaders of the party, Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Bamidele returns to APC National Chairman,Chief Bisi Meantime, Bamidele at his Akande and his successor, Chief Iyin Ekiti residence yesterday, John Odigie-Oyegun, for their announced his final return to understanding and belief in him

despite his defection to LP. Bamidele, whose political platform; Ekiti Bibire Coalition had defected from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to LP following irreconcilable differences with ex-Governor Fayemi in 2013 , stated that he would have returned to APC before the March28 poll , but for the fact that the party had fielded candidates for various elections.

Why I'm fighting the elite — BEN BRUCE

By Abiodun Alade

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EDIA mogul and senator-elect, Ben Murray Bruce has stated that he is fighting the elite because they consume the resources of the country at the expense of the poor.

Bruce, who is known to champion the cause of the masses, noted that it is absurd that a few elected officers monopolise the resources of the country, living a champagne life while majority of Nigerians live below a dollar a day.

“I am fighting against the elite.

Definitely, I am fighting them.

When they drink that champagne that can educate a child, they should know that I am fighting them. You don’t fly a first class in government while in your private life, you fly economy. I am totally against their lifestyles,” he said in an interview with Vanguard.

The chairman of Silverbird Group added that the level of poverty and unemployment in the country is devastating and more worrisome is the wide gap

between the rich and the poor.

“We need to enact laws that favour the masses. The biggest problem in Nigeria today is that our consumption is on the high while production is low. Our leaders in APC, PDP, Labour, APGA and others are all guilty of one thing, which is consuming the resources of the majority of Nigerians.

''Imagine a situation where governors fly private jets, commissioners drive a twenty million naira car. Commissioners flying first class, living like kings while the state cannot pay salary of its workers. If a commissioner can have three or four policemen around him, who is policing the poor where they are being raped, maimed, robbed and killed?

UCH medical professionals begin indefinite strike

By Ola Ajayi & Fisayo Ogunwale

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BADAN—AFTER the expiration of the 7-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government by members of Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals in teaching hospitals to implement the 2009 agreement, the hospital workers yesterday made good their threat as they began an indefinite strike.

The health professionals had, last week, given the ultimatum after several attempts to get the

attention of the government failed.

When Vanguard visited the University College Hospital, Ibadan yesterday, many families of patients were seen making frantic efforts to transfer their indisposed relatives to private hospitals in the city.

Despite getting the information that the workers had begun strike, some patients still waited outside hoping that the doctors would attend to them. Though, some doctors were attending to patients, it was clear that the strike had totally collapsed the health services in the hospital.

A G O S — A contestant, in the April 1, 2015 House of Assembly election into the Lagos Island Constituency 1, under the All Progressives Congress, APC, Wasiu Eshinlokun has accused the incumbent member representing the constituency, Mr. Hakeem Masha of forgery.

The case was reported at the Lagos State Police Criminal Investigation Department, Panti-Yaba.

In an invitation letter sent to Masha by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Criminal Investigation, the legislator is to appear over a petition bordering on forgery reported by Eshinlokun.

In the invitation letter received by Masha and signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, Omolara Oloruntola, the lawmaker is expected to report today, f o r interrogation at the Panti-Yaba office of the security agency.

The two APC members have been seeking the interpretation of the Court on who was the legal candidate in the election with a pending appeal filed by Masha at the Court of Appeal, Lagos after a Federal High Court ruling gave the nod to Wasiu Sanni as the APC Flag bearer.

In the notice and grounds of appeal filed

by Masha’s lawyers, Bonojo Badejo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria stated that the learned trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba erred by declaring Wasiu Sanni as the lawful candidate as he ignored fundamental issues raised by Hakeem Masha while adjudicating on the matter.

One of the grounds of appeal noted that the trial judge erred in law when he assumed jurisdiction to hear originating summons when the first respondent failed to explore or exhaust the internal dispute remedy enshrined in the APC constitution before proceeding to Court.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Court restrains Jonathan from assenting to Oil and Gas Export Free Zone bill

By Innocent Anaba

A

FEDERAL High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, restrained President Goodluck Jonathan from assenting to the bill for an Act to amend the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Act. Trial judge, Justice Saliu Saidu, also restrained the National Assembly and the Clerk of the National Assembly from forwarding the bill for an Act to Amend the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Authority Act. Cap. 05 to President Jonathan for assent.

The orders were sequel to an ex-parte application by Nigerdock Nigeria Limited, Simco Free Zone Company and Nigerdock Nigeria Plc-FZE, who are plaintiffs in the suit.

The court also restrained the defendants from prohibiting the usage of the plaintiffs’ facilities at Snake Island Integrated Free Zone for Oil and Gas cargoes destined for use in the free zone.

Yusufu Abdullahi, a director of Simco Free Zone Company, had averred in an affidavit in support of the suit, that Nigerdock Nigeria Limited is a promoter of Snake Island Integrated Free Zone, SIIFZ, and that Simco is a company saddled with the responsibility to develop, market, manage, operate, and administer the SIIFZ. He averred that SIIFZ was approved as a privately owned and managed free zone by a presidential declaration in January 2005, and was duly

licensed by the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA, in April 2005, while SIIFZ is operated by Simco Free Zone Company, under the direct supervision and monitoring of NEPZA. He added that other regulatory agencies such as Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, and Department of State Services, DSS, are present within SIIFZ to ensure due compliance with all laws and that appropriate security is maintained.

He averred that in November 2014, the plaintiffs became aware that a bill for an Act to Amend the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Authority Act, Cap. 05, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, had been presented to the Senate and that the plaintiffs were not invited to the public hearing that the Senate had in respect of the bill.

He said that notwithstanding, the plaintiffs submitted a petition to the Senate when they became aware that a public hearing had been conducted, adding that the petition was aimed at sensitising the Senate on how the

amendment will negatively undermine the plaintiffs and violate their constitutional rights.

The deponent averred that Section 5(3) of the Bill seeks to expand the powers of OGFZA such that it can without further assurance take over and perform the functions hitherto performed

by NEPZA, while Section 10 of the Bill further seeks to confer the rights to handle oil and gas cargoes only at approved oil and gas concessioned ports, with freedom to investors to choose ports of discharge of their cargoes within designated terminals at Onne, Warri and Calabar ports.

PROTEST: Members of Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum protesting through the streets of Asaba to Delta State House of Assembly, against alleged financial impropriety by Delta State government officials in Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Nath Onojake

Ex-Army Provost Marshal faults recent appointments, sacks by Jonathan

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—FORMER Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Idada Ikponmwen, yesterday, faulted the recent appointments and sacks by President Goodluck Jonathan, describing same as immoral and an attempt to make the work of the in-coming president, Muhammadu Buhari, difficult.

Idada argued that the action of the outgoing president was out of tune with the letters and spirit of the country ’s constitution, noting that the Nigerian presidential system is not like the British Westminster parliamentary system which “operates collective responsibility. By that we mean that in the British system, before you become a minister, you must first be an elected member of the parliament, because the parliament and executive work together.

“In our system of government, it is the C M Y K

supremacy of the constitution whereas in the parliamentary system, it is sovereignty of parliament. The crucial point here is that the president at the centre and the governors at the states are the ones charged with executive responsibility. In other words, the president is accountable

not only for his actions but also for the actions of his ministers.

“Against this background, it therefore, becomes not only immoral but against the spirit of our constitution for an outgoing president to appoint people when he is leaving office. The full implication is that at the end, you have a

president who may be saddled with appointees who are not of his own philosophy or that of his party. They will not be his party men, they may not share his philosophy or beliefs, therefore, such appointees will be at odds with his philosophy and campaign manifesto and it is dangerous.”

Asaba indegenes protest over land acquired by 26 vol. II, 1974.

Delta govt “Obodo-Igbo land off return of their land since it was not

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—INDIGENES of Asaba, Delta State capital, numbering over 2,000 yesterday, protested on the streets of the capital city, demanding the return of 2,078.5 acres of land acquired by the Delta State Government in 1974 and1991.

The placard carrying protesters moved from Umuezei quarters through Nnebisi Road to the state House of Assembly complex, chanting songs, demanding the return of their land.

The protesters, who were received by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Peter Onwusanya, said they had written several letters to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan asking for the

being used for the purpose for which they were acquired, to no avail.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr Raph Juwah, said they were "Demanding the return of all the parcel of land at AsabaOnitsha Bridge approach within Asaba, covering an area approximately 1,101 acres as specifically described in MidWestern State of Nigeria Gazette No. 26 vol. II, 1974.

“All the parcel of land at AsabaOnitsha Bridge approach within Asaba, covering an area approximately 905.5 acres as specifically described in MidWestern State of Nigeria Gazette no.

Okpanam Road, within Asaba covered by an area approximately 72 acres which was acquired in 1991."

Oromoni emerges Pere-elect of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—THE leadership tussle over the vacant stool of the Pere (King) of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, was resolved, yesterday, as the kingmakers chose Couple Oromoni as Pere-elect.

In the selection process presided over by Regent of the kingdom, Chief Samson Mamamu, at the Community Townhall, Oromoni, who will be crowned Moben III in due course, polled eight of 12 votes cast by the selection/ succession committee.

The Pere-elect defeated two other contenders, Johnny Aribougha and David Pere, who scored two votes apiece. All three contenders are from the Perebiri Ruling House, whose turn it is to ascend the throne.

The development ended months of conflict in the Ijaw community after one of the parties proclaimed himself the new Pere following the death of HRM, Pere Israel Gbenebode, Oduwor III, who passed on last year.

In the selection report, Chairman of the 12-man committee, Elder Anthony Jolomi, said: “All three contenders and the king making committee swore on oath to accept the results and never to publish any comment challenging or discrediting the outcome of the process.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—13

Polls: PDP's poor outing blamed on in-fighting, wrong choice of candidates

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE Disciplinary Committee set up by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State to probe allegations of anti-party activities against some political appointees and elected officers in the state, was, yesterday, told that the poor outing of the party during the 2015 polls in some parts of the state was due to in-fighting, mistrust and wrong choice of candidates presented by the party for the elections.

The summoned party members including aides to Governor Seriake Dickson, at the committee sitting in Yenagoa, said the poor performance of the party in Brass, Kolokuma/Opokuma was due to unsettled crisis among members of the party before, during and after the polls.

The committee is probing, among others alleged cases of anti-party activities, sponsorship of opposition candidates against PDP candidates and refusal to work for the party during the last elections.

Out of the seven persons summoned by the committee to appear before it over alleged anti-party activities, six appeared, with Mr. Seibarugu, the former state deputy

governor during the Governor Timipre Sylva administration shunning the invitation of the committee.

Among those who appeared before the committee include a commissioner in the state House of Assembly Commission, Ikoko Mark, the Special Adviser to the Bayelsa

Governor on Local Government Matters, Robinson Etolor, Chairman of PDP in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state, Beinor Feibar and the Senior Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on Transport Matters and Logistics, Engr.

Efeibor Ikemoye.

Etolor told the disciplinary committee that the decision to invite him before the committee based on alleged anti-party activity was frivolous and embarrassing.

He explained that instead of being accused, he should be commended for working for the party and securing victory for the party in his area.

NYSC SEMINAR: Cross section of National Youth Service Corps members during a sensitisation seminar by the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Nonwa, TAI Local Government Area of Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Bayelsa PDP summons ex-senator, others over alleged anti-party activities

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE Disciplinary Committee set up by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State, yesterday, invited the former senator representing Bayelsa East senatorial district and the Chairman, Governing Council of Petroleum University, Warri, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange and nine others to appear before it over alleged petition bordering on anti-party activities in the state.

Also invited by the committee were the former Speaker of the state House of Assembly and former acting Governor, Nestor Binabo, former Special Adviser on Political Affairs during Governor Diepreye A l a m i e y e s e i g h a administration, Dimaro Deinyebofa, Joyce Fuoyowei, ex-officio member of the state PDP, Alagoa Dudafa Diepreye, Inaton Okolo, Benjamin Jonathan, Apostle Otufu , Cyril Suodomowei, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Non-Indigene

Matters, Chinedu Mba and Hanson Alabo.

The committee in a statement by its Chairman, Cleopas Moses, said that the summoned party leaders are expected to appear at the state secretariat to answer to cases of alleged anti-party activities.

Moses said the committee received hundreds of petitions and complaints on the performance of those summoned during the last Presidential, National and state Assemblies elections.

He said, “The committee was not set up to witch hunt anyone

but to instil discipline and ensure decorum, especially against those party members under elective and appointed positions, facilitated under auspices of the party, who nevertheless, chose to sabotage the party and it’s sponsored candidates in the past National and state Assemblies elections.

I’m still in PDP, says Orubebe

By Chris Ochayi

A

BUJA—FORMER Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, yesterday, ascribed media reports that he was leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the handiwork of mischief makers.

Orubebe was alleged to have posted on his Tweeter handle @EderGOrubebe, “I have concluded plans to join my folks in the APC to champion and sustain the movement for a better Niger Delta in the new

administration.”

Orubebe, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Ekenwan Akwagbe, in Abuja, described the reports as false and malicious propaganda aimed at tarnishing his image.

He said: “News making the rounds and going virile in the internet and published in the media that Elder Orubebe, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has defected to the APC is not only mischievous but malicious and intended to tarnish the good image of Orubebe.

“Elder Orubebe remains a staunch believer in the cause of the PDP, and in the

administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“It is the desire of Elder Orubebe to steadfastly remain in the party that gave him the opportunity to serve at the highest level of governance in Nigeria in order to join hands with President Jonathan and all well meaning PDP leaders to rebuild and reposition the party to retake power in 2015.

“He remains faithful to the PDP and will continue to remain there to form a strong opposition party to check every step taken by the incoming APC administration."

Create peaceful environment for investors, Okowa urges to Deltans

By Festus Ahon

A

S A B A — D E LT A State governorelect, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday, appealed to the people of the state to continue to create a peaceful environment for investors in the state with a view to addressing the problem of unemployment.

Okowa, when he received a delegation of the Izu Anioma, led by its former PresidentGeneral, Chief Nduka Okwechime, at his Asaba residence, who were there to rejoice with him on his victory at the poll, insisted that government alone cannot carry the burden of unemployment.

He enjoined the people of Anioma ethnic nationality to support his incoming administration in the state in a manner that would be fair for all Deltans.

UNIBEN VC urged to reconcile with interest groups

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—THE Benin Liberties Forum has called on the ViceChancellor of the University of Benin, Prof.

Faraday Orumwense, to reconcile with some senior members of the academia in the institution who may have contested the position with him in order to move the University forward.

The group, in a statement in Benin, yesterday, by Prince Gregory Igbineweka, advised the ViceChancellor to ensure that he reconciled with former Vice-Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Andrew Onokerhoraye, Prof. A. O. Orhue, Prof. Vincent Iyawe, Prof. Friday Okonofua and others who for one reason or another fell out with the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin.

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Purdue University honours Adesina

By Soni Daniel

A

BUJA—BARELY eight days to the African Development Bank election, one of the contestants and Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesinia, has been honoured by his Alma Mater, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, in the United States, with an honorary Doctor of Agriculture Degree.

The Minister was honoured along with another alumnus, William “Bill” Dudley Jr., president and CEO of the Bechtel Group, who got Doctor of Engineering degree.

Both Adesina and Dudley are Purdue alumni.

While conferring the award on Adesina, the President of Purdue University, Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. paid glowing tributes to Adesina for his exemplary performance as a minister, which earned him recognition as one of the honourees.

Dr. Adesina, who was honoured in the College of Agriculture of the prestigious institution, gave a lecture on lessons to be learnt from the Nigerian agricultural transformation.

The Dean of the college, Dr. Jay T. Akridge, commended the Minister for deploying his intellect into transforming agriculture under his watch as a minister. He said the college was proud that one of its alumni had lived up to its expectations.

In his presentation, Dr. Adesina underscored the importance of inclusive growth in agriculture, which has taken a turn for the better under his watch as a minister.

Chibok girls living in bunkers —Gov Shettima ...asks military to search beyond surface earth The governor, who was represented at the occasion by the Secretary, Borno Elders Forum, Dr Bulama Mala Gubio, said the sect, having operated in the large expanse of the forest for so many years unchallenged, were able to build a bunker, large enough to accommodate many people in the area.

He said, “We are suspecting that Chibok girls are living with the insurgents in bunkers, I think the military must carry out their operations beyond the surface earth. They (Boko Haram) were also known to have dug tunnels to enable them move from house to house. So, having been left unchallenged for such a long time, such possibility cannot be ruled out which poses serious obstacles within the forest, “the governor added.

Speaking further, Shettima said: “The insurgents used their bases in the Sambisa Forest to launch deadly attacks and make

homes, markets and so on, only for the insurgents to attack and destroy them again, “he noted.

BUJA—BORNO State The governor also disclosed that governor, Kassim Shettima, Boko Haram killed over 300,000 said yesterday that there was persons in the region, contrary to every tendency that the female the 13,000 dead figure he said, students of Government Girls was being bandied by the Secondary School, Chibok, media.He disclosed that Borno abducted by members of the Boko State alone, has so far lost over Haram sect, in April 2014, were 70,000 people in the six-year old being held in bunkers, inside insurgency.

Sambisa Forest.

He attributed the success of the To this end, he has asked the Boko Haram activities in the North military, which is currently East to what he called “the combing the forest not only to fish underfunding of the military”. out members of the sect but to also Governor Shettima accused liberate the over 200 girls.

President Goodluck of abandoning Shettima, spoke in Abuja, while the region to its fate, and instead, presenting a paper at a two-day preferred to spend the money he post election conference on would have spent on the security and governance, maintenance of security in the area organized by the Savanna to frivolities, especially the Centre, a Non Governmental entertainment industry.

Organisation, NGO, established Governor Shettima specifically by former Permanent said in spite of the insurgency that Representative to the United ravaged the North East for six Nations, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari. years, all the president could do was to send a meager N200 million to Borno State for security, disclosing that the state government, on its own, spent N600 million out of its lean resources and allocations to maintain the same security.

“As a government, we have spent over N600 million but all we have received from the Federal Government is N200 million. The same Federal Government has spent over N2 billion as loan to dancers (entertainers)”, he said Shettima added that contrary to the claims of the military of successfully liberating the major parts of the North East, a large portion of the area was still PROTEST: From left, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Plateau State chapter, Mr. Jubril being controlled by the Bancir (right), addressing aggrieved workers, during their protest, at Plateau House of Assembly, insurgents. over non-payment of salaries, in Jos, yesterday. Photo: NAN

By Joseph Erunke

A

quick retreat to their base which enabled them capture and take over control of all the local government areas bordering Nigeria with Cameroon, Chad and Niger, thus effectively cutting off the three neighbouring countries thereby declaring what they assumed was their independent territory (caliphate).”

The governor also said unless Sambisa Forest was completely and effectively rid of the terrorists by the military, any reconstruction and rehabilitation carried out in the North East region would turn out to be an exercise in futility.

“Unless and only if the Sambisa Forest is effectively recovered from the terrorists shall we think of defeating the Boko Haram and begin to embark on a holistic approach for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the North East. In fact, at several stages the Borno State Government had intervened to reconstruct destroyed schools, health centres,

NYANYA BOMBING: How Ogwuche, 5 other suspects were arrested

—Witness

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—FULL-BLOWN trial of the alleged mastermind of the April 14, 2014, bomb blast that killed over 75 persons and wounded 100 others at a crowded motor park in Nyanya, Abuja, Aminu Ogwuche, commenced before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday.

In a bid to prove its allegation that it was indeed Ogwuche and five other alleged members of the Boko Haram terrorist sect that perfected the terrorist act, the government, yesterday, brought its star witness to C M Y K

testify before the trial court.

The witness, who was simply identified as the ‘PW-1’, took his time and narrated how undercover operatives of the Department for State Service, DSS, apprehended each of

the six accused persons.

He told the court that aside the first accused person, Ogwuche, who, he said, was arrested in Sudan and extradited to Nigeria to face trial, the five other accused

persons scattered themselves to different states in the Northern part of the country.

The other accused persons on trial alongside Ogwuche are Ahmad Rufai Abubakar (a.k.a Abu Ibrahim/Maiturare),

Mohammed Sani Ishaq, Ya’u Saidu (a.k.a Kofar Rama), Anas Isah, Adamu Yusuf and Nasiru Abubakar.

They are answering to an 8count terrorism charge that was preferred against them.

ELECTION PETITION: PDP chieftain flays APC, accuses Emerhor, Onokpasa

of trying to upturn voters' will

A

PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain in Delta State, Mr. Mejiri Ogbe, has condemned the All Progressives Congress, APC, for insisting on invalidating the recently held governorship and other elections in the state.

In a chat with newsmen, yesterday, in Warri, Mejiri

Ogbe, accused APC of failing to reciprocate what it described as President Goodluck Jonathan’s magnanimity in conceding defeat to the party’s presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.

Alleging that Delta APC governorship candidate, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, was

seeking the invalidation of what it described as a free and fair election, the group accused Jesutega Onokpasa, an APC chieftain in the state, of “vowing never to recognize governorelect, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as his governor, and waging relentless war of attrition against PDP with a kind of fanatical

determination just to humiliate our great party, and deny our able candidates their deserved victories.

“It is condemnable for Onokpasa to abandon his noble profession and trying to upturn the will of Delta electorate, who massively voted for PDP,” he said.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 15

C M Y K

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

MEETING: Chief Executive Officer of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Dr. Reid Whitlock, (middle), flanked by representatives from the World Wide Web Foundation, United Nations, African Union Commission, and the Africa Development Bank, during the data revolution meeting, at Heirs Place, Ikoyi, Lagos.

I'll be on duty on the streets —Ikpeazu

By Felix Ogbonna

A

BIA STATE governorelect, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has said he would hit the ground running, supervising projects on the streets from June 1 after his swearing-in on May 29.

Ikpeazu, who disclosed this while responding to questions during an evening of interaction with Aba residents, organized by Kezie Abia Group, added that having seen the enormity of the challenges facing the state, he could not afford to disappoint the people.

He urged residents of the state to brace up for change,

Charles Chima for burial

lamenting that some of them were not ready to make the needed sacrifice for change.

“I have seen the enormity of the challenges facing the state.

From June 1, I will be on the streets to supervise projects. I will be on duty on the streets.

‘’Some people want a change but their store is on the drainage. To them, they want to make omellete, but don’t want to break eggs. ‘’I will declare a state of emergency on waste management in Aba. If we can

go to people’s houses with a compactor to collect refuse, all the buckets located along the road will disappear. There will be no more refuse on the roads."

The governor-elect assured that within six months of his inauguration, there would be no

Mu‘azu, NWC sabotaged Jonathan, says FaniKayode

By Henry Umoru

P

RESIDENt Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign spokesman, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode yesterday called for the sack of the National Working Committee of the People Democratic Party, PDP saying the party leadership sabotaged the president out of greed and envy.

Fani-Kayode who spoke to journalists in Abuja yesterday also called on the outgoing president , aides and fellow party members were bound to be persecuted by a vindictive All Progressives Congress, APC once it comes to power after May 29.

Fani- Kayode who was responding to allegations by the NWC that the Presidential Campaign Organisation was responsible for the poor performance of the president, countered alleging that the NWC as presently constituted lacked the moral basis to continue to lead the party.

Fani-Kayode who noted that the Campaign Organisation earlier refused to respond to the allegations raised by the NWC out of respect for the president, said: “That does not however mean that we are fools or that we will allow ourselves to be turned into sitting ducks or someone’s punching bag. That does not mean that we will allow them to treat us as soft targets or that we

are incapable of hitting back.

“The lies, falsehood, innuendos and terrible stories that they are bandying around about us are just despicable and if they do not stop, they will divide the party and utterly destroy it. That is the sad and bitter truth. In playing this game blame and pointing fingers at others, they are biting off far more than they can chew.

“The fact is that the Presidential Campaign Organisation not only did an excellent job but we also fought a damn good fight. We fought a better fight than any other organ of the party had fought over the last two or three years against a relentless, well-funded, wellmotivated and well organised opposition.”

Fani-Kayode said, “They are

Pro-democracy activist, Emma Ezeazu, is dead

A

M

R. CHARLES Obiajulu Chima, Assistant Commissioner of Service of Songs holds tomorrow, at his residence, No. 1 Barr. Charles Chima Street, by Old Speaker ’s Quarters, Off DLA Road, Asaba, Delta State.

A wake-keep holds on Friday, May 22, at Umuwari Quarters, Ajaji , Illah, Delta State.

Funeral service will hold on Saturday, May 23 at his residence, Obiajulu Villa, New Area, Ajaji , Illah.

potholes in the city as the roads would be re-built.

Earlier, the Leader of Kezie Abia Group, Dannie Ubani, said the programme was aimed at giving the governor-elect the opportunity to communicate his policy thrust to the residents as well as enable him feel the purse of the people.

FORMER General Secretary of prodemocracy group, Alliance for Credible Elections, Emma Ezeazu, is dead. Ezeazu’s friend and associate, Innocent Chukwuma, who confirmed his death Monday evening on his Facebook page said late Ezeazu who was in his late fifties had been ill for sometime.

“Emma Ezeazu is dead!

What a loss!” Mr. Chukwuma, the Ford Foundation Representative for West Africa, wrote on his Facebook page.

Before trying his luck in politics, Mr. Ezeazu was, between 2007 and mid 2014, the General Secretary of the Alliance for Credible

Elections, a coalition of massbased organizations and secretariat of the Civil Society Coordinating Committee (CSCC) on Electoral Reform.

Mr. Ezeazu was at various

•Ezeazu times executive director of Centre for the Development of Civil Society, Community

Action for Popular Participation and Civil Liberties Organisation.

He was also member, National Executive Committee of the Transition Monitoring Group [TMG]; President, Democratic Alternative; Member, National Executive Committee of the United Action for Democracy and member, National Coordinating Committee of the Campaign for Democracy.

Mr. Ezeazu, who had bachelor and masters degrees in History from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) between 1986 and 1988.

simply incapable of defending the President and his legacies after he has left office and neither are the majority of them even ready to do so. Instead of focusing on their numerous inadequacies and trying to fix them these very same people are hurling bricks at others.

“Instead of preparing to defend the party faithful and enhance the fortunes of the party members over the next four years they are making childish and nonsensical allegations and alienating and upsetting many party leaders.

“They are indeed the enemy within. The truth is that their allegation is not only baseless but it is also unadulterated rubbish and those who made them are nothing but ingrates, cowards and traitors who know nothing about politics, political campaigns, intellectual discourse or political engagement.

“They are simply trying to revise and re-write history in order to cover up their treachery, weaknesses and inadequacies.

They are fueled by hate and envy and worse of all, right from the start, they had no interest in fighting for our leader and presidential candidate President Goodluck Jonathan or in ensuring that he won the election.

“From day one all they did was sulk about the fact that a Presidential Campaign Organisation had been set up and that they would not be able to have control of the campaign themselves or have access to the resources that we were given. At every point they tried to undermine our efforts and sabotage us, but we ignored them and remained focused on doing our job despite their provocations."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 17

T

HE Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, recently unveiled a policy document: “the progressive agenda to combat income inequality”, a sort of road map to “make sure the voice of every American is heard--—not just those at the very top” and to “uplift working people and help working parents, and champion a tax system that rewards work instead of just wealth”. The agenda includes proposals such as reforming the National Labour Relations Act to enhance worker’s rights to organise and rebuild the middle class, protect low-wage workers against exploitation, raise the minimum wage and making school programmes that benefit low income earners universal. These are concrete ideas that will have an obvious impact on the lives of ordinary people, unlike many electioneering proposals in Nigeria, which are vague in substance and pander to “feel good sentiments” rather than making real, workable propositions. I am very excited by prospective change; I have made no secret of this. However, like many Nigerians, I worry about the content of said change. Are we looking at lasting structural reforms or the window-dressing the PDP led Federal Government has called policy for the past 16 years? Will we call on our brightest and our best to lead ministries, parastatals etc. or will it forever be about quotas and ethnicity?

These questions are permanently on my mind as we draw closer to the handover date. In developed nations across the globe, government is constantly reinventing its contract with citizens, moving with the times in order to not just win elections, but to offer the best in terms of jobs, opportunities and a better quality of life

tprincewill@yahoo.co.uk

The Progressive agenda: Citizenship and combatting inequality (which is how one wins elections anyway, through a sterling performance and quantifiable gains for the electorate that reach beyond the immediate, i.e. “stomach infrastructure”). But in a country like Nigeria, very few speak for the common man and his right to a decent life where one is not limited by birth, gender or ethnicity, where talent is rewarded rather than thwarted. If social progress for all, not just the well-connected were the order of the day, if indeed activists, thought leaders and artists invested in fighting inequality for reasons beyond their own personal glory, e.g. opportunities to meet governors and first ladies who are perpetually

C M Y K

principle that it exists to save the lives of the most vulnerable in our society, without which there can be no lasting peace or cohesion.

How do we stop inter-ethnic killings, the bane of our middle-belt communities? I believe it all starts with out of school children, those failing or leaving school due to a lack of funds, the pervasive lack of jobs and opportunity and the poverty trap many of our corrupt governors have enshrined by starving local governments of funds.

We must strengthen communities, especially the poor and the middle-class, so that no young person feels the need to join a gang or a cult, or kidnap for a living, so that bribery is not the only way

President Jonathan begs Nigerians for forgiveness

A

LL is forgiven. Nigerians are good people, we hold no grudges. However, if there is evidence of corruption or wrong-doing, then

forgiveness cannot extend to wiping the slate clean. Why? Because behind every misappropriated naira (although now we speak in

Ben Murray-Bruce and the ‘hottest place in hell’

T

I personally believe in Buhari’s commitment to bettering the lives of all Nigerians, not the North or the South, not any particular region because it contributed the most votes, but because all Nigerians deserve a better life

buying cars, homes and what have you as a “reward” for anyone in the public eye— which mind you is not only unethical, after all, this is all bought with publics funds, but also in poor taste.

Indeed, what idea is being sold to society? That in Nigeria, one cannot survive without knowing someone in power, one cannot live without having their blessing or guidance. Our society is built on extremely unhealthy social norms and in order to combat many of the ills affecting Nigeria today, we will need to rebuild the pillars upon which combatting inequality, as an overarching philosophy, must rest. Every government agency, every state should have as a guiding

HERE seems to come a time of redemption for every Nigerian public official where criticising the very system one has benefited from becomes the thing to do.

Amongst social critics in Nigeria there are several camps: those who benefit from the system and do not publicly recognise the wastefulness and sycophancy that has made them superstars, those who criticise the system while secretly hoping to join the ranks of those who benefit from it and those who have benefited enough and can now afford to have a social conscience.

All three categories lack sincerity.

Senator-elect Ben MurrayBruce has taken to Twitter recently to denounce the sorry state of affairs whereby government officials live extravagant lifestyles

sponsored by the state whilst workers salaries go unpaid.

“The hottest place in hell” should be reserved for such people his Twitter page read.

There is perhaps a “hotter place in hell” for turncoats and those hoping to rebrand their image by either hopping unto the change train now that it is successful or using the suffering of others as a marketing gimmick. Or perhaps it’s the thought that counts?

Senator-elect Ben MurrayBruce.

dollars) there is a woman who died in childbirth due to poor or even inexistent public healthcare, there are people in Nigeria today who cannot feed themselves or their children yet the state pays militants exorbitant amounts to stop them from vandalising the very pipelines that feed them.

If those billions were spent reviving our infrastructure, our educational system or finally enabling a real national healthcare scheme, Jonathan would not have lost this election. So, in principle, all may be forgiven but the damage remains.

President Goodluck Jonathan

one can benefit from public services, so that women are not victims of constant sexual harassment as a tradeoff for getting ahead, so that pensions are not unabashedly stolen, leaving civil servants bereft. This would benefit the whole of society.

The problems and solutions to Nigeria’s predicament are not unknown or impossible to achieve: I personally believe in Buhari’s commitment to bettering the lives of all Nigerians, not the North or the South, not any particular region because it contributed the most votes, but because all Nigerians deserve a better life. We need to reinvent and redefine what it means to be a Nigerian citizen, the things we are owed and the things we owe each other: luxuries, private jet ownership, homes in incredibly expensive locations (which do not even justify their cost given the squalor of our general environment) have become the de facto citizenship which is not only ridiculous but points to the ill-healthof our social norms. How can wealth, or material possessions, no matter how one obtains them, illegally or not, be the sole factor that determines not only social outcomes but what gives one the right to speak or even exist in society? The essence of human existence which philosophers have struggled to qualify for thousands of years has been reduced, in barely 50 odd years of dissipated, misused independence, culminating in the misapplied Jonathan years, not to proclaiming “I think therefore I am” but to saying “I am rich—I can spend—therefore I am”. If we wish to survive another century as a unified country this must end now. Beyond allocating the spoils of war, government must be preoccupied with the wellbeing of the wider society. We are all Nigerians, irrespective of our age, gender or income and as such we are all deserving of good schools, proper healthcare etc. We look to our president-elect to free us from the predators who have lived for so long as murderous parasites, feeding off of our collective misery and poverty. That alone will guaranty his place in history.

That alone will leave room for the real players, those who want to assist him in developing this country and take it to new heights, room to maneuver. Sai Baba, Nigerians are ready for change: the countdown begins.

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

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 IF you do not remember Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan, we would not hold it against you.

As introductions go, he is the Minister of Police Affairs. His most remarkable action in office could be a promise he made to Nigerians in April 2014. It had nothing to do with improving the police.

Adesiyan complained about the burden of the office of a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Barely weeks in office, he regretted that his ministerial position stood between him and something that would have delighted him: a public brawl. Adesiyan, then one of the President’s newest Ministers promised the first civilian Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, a fight once he leaves office.

Like all serving Ministers, Adesiyan would leave office by 28 May, so the brawl could be any date from then.

If like us, you thought it was scandalous for a Minister to rely on physical combat to settle disputes, actually an intra-party dispute, Adesiyan was vehement in his disposition.

Will Adesiyan Keep His Promise?

We do not want to speculate about how the Minister uses the police, if he was ready for physical combat. Adesiyan and Senator Adeleke disagreed during a stakeholders meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osogbo. The meeting was part of the PDP state primaries for the Osun governorship election.

The Minister told the media that Adeleke and his supporters frustrated him at the event.

“If I had not been a Minister I would have beaten Adeleke to pulp on that day,” Adesiyan stated. The main cause of their

disputation was control of PDP in Osun State.

Adeleke’s departure to the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Adesiyan’s ministerial toga only postponed the duel.

“I will one day leave office as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and any time I leave office, I will fight Adeleke,” Adesiyan said, in a statement his media aide issued.

Those who expected him to deny it are still waiting, more than a year after.

Nobody should threaten another, definitely a public office holder is not supposed to threaten another person. Threat, on its own, is a criminal offence.

When he finally discards the burden of his ministerial position, we are waiting for the next move from Adesiyan. Will he seek out Adeleke for the promised fight? Would sobriety intervene? What would the Minister do?

In the likely event that he does not keep his promise to “fight Adeleke”, he owes the public an apology for public nuisance.

OPINION Open letter to all Igbo elected politicial leaders

By Cyril Ezeani

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OUR Excellences, Kindly permit me to use this medium to congratulate all of you on your most deserving but hard earned victory at the polls. I thank God for finding you worthy to occupy this position of responsibility and pray for wisdom and good health to enable you succeed in this national assignment. It is very obvious that by this victory, you have been elevated to a position of honour and political leadership of both the Igbo nation and Nigeria as a whole. It is by this recognition that I wish to draw your kind attention to some critical issues which I consider pertinent to the political and economic development of Nd’Igbo in this new dispensation.

I believe that the political environment in Nigeria today has not only placed Nd’Igbo at a cross-road but at the same time at a political strategic advantage depending on how we play our card.

There is no doubt that today the Igbo nation has become a powerful bloc that can influence, if well managed, the direction of political and economic activities in Nigeria to the advantage of

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our people in particular and Nigeria in general. You therefore need to be very creative in thinking and exhibit a high sense of political sagacity in order to discover the best route and a new role that will re-launch us into political reckoning in this new dispensation. I believe that the first test of this new political alignment shall be consummated with your role in the upcoming election of the Leadership of the 8th National Assembly.

Your Excellences, I wish to refresh your memories with the following facts and set an agenda which to my mind represents the wishes and aspiration of the Igbo people. This will engender your

Nd’Igbo has indeed paid their dues and sincerely deserves the support of other zones to actualise the Igbo presidency

success as well as enable you remain focused and committed to the high expectations of our people.

1.Unity of Purpose At the beginning of the 4th Republic in 1999, the position of the Senate President was zoned to the Southeast by the PDP government. Either by fate or design, Nd’Igbo produced five senate presidents within the eight years of the Obasanjo presidency. This was largely seen as lack of coordination and political immaturity on the part of the Igbo leaders. Today’s circumstance presents a unique opportunity for us to re-write our own history and correct the negative impression about the lack of unity of purpose by the Igbo. By bringing yourselves together to present a bloc vote at all times, you will greatly increase your value and earn deep respect from your colleagues. This is the best way to go in order to achieve more for our people.

2.Igbo Presidency The Southeast remains the most marginalised in terms of power sharing in our country today. We are the only zone that is yet to produce the president of Nigeria, yet, we have demonstrated our belief and commitment to Nigeria through our sojourn and investments in other parts of the country more than any other zone.Nd’Igbo has indeed paid their dues and sincerely deserves the support of other zones to actualise the Igbo presidency. The way and manner you as the Igbo political leaders of today

repackage the Igbo nation politically will go a long way to keep the project alive and achievable within the shortest time possible.

3.‘Ethnophobia’ Nd’Igbo has made enormous economic investment in Nigeria majority of which are located outside the Igbo land. As a result, we have the utmost reason to work for the sustenance of peace and unity of Nigeria. It is often said that you put your heart where your money is.

Most people have condemned the recent xenophobia attack in South Africa but within our country lies a similar hatred and systemic repressive agenda against a particular ethnic group, what I call ‘ethnophobia’ – the hate and attack on an ethnic group in her own country.

That the Igbo are target of ethnophobia is not debatable considering the number of death and looting of Igbo property and investment recorded in different parts of Nigeria at every imaginable opportunity for violence. Also, a new dimension of hate speeches against the Igbo by prominent citizens from other parts of the countryis being introduced into this deliberate extermination campaign. You have a duty to fight for the protection of the life, investment and property of Nd’Igbo wherever they live in Nigeria.

Continues tomorrow on pg 18 *Mr. Ezeani, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Abuja

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—19 —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Fuel crisis and the unending blame game

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ETROLEUM now seems more available in more parts of the country after four weeks of contrived scarcity. During these four weeks, Nigerians have almost literally been through hell and back. In the first two weeks of the scarcity, when things looked very dire, resourceful Nigerians still managed to be on the road. They bent over backwards to ensure that they got fuel to power their vehicles. The number of vehicles on the road did not appear to have gone down considerably from what we were used to. This created the illusion that things were getting better, thus helping the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the conniving marketers of petroleum products to sustain the lie that fuel was getting to more states across the country after the Nigerian government agreed to some of the latter’s demands. But this claim would be exposed for the cheap lie that it was within days. Thus, even now, four weeks after long queues of vehicles started emerging at fuel stations, the

hostage situation in which the fuel scarcity has consigned Nigerians still remains.

Nigerians now know when and where to purchase fuel products in their different localities. They, however, pay considerably higher rates per litre of fuel.

Getting Nigerians to pay more is no doubt the direction we were headed all the while. This has been the long time plan of fuel marketers and owners of fuel stations who never waste time to shut their gates and hoard available stock at the mere hint of possible increase in fuel prices.

Now Nigerians are paying between N130 and N170 per litre of fuel, the product appears to be more available. This is against the backdrop of the fact that the official rate per litre of petroleum still remains N87! At a time when the price of petrol has fallen well below the expectation of the most starryeyed sellers around the world, the so-called subsidised product is experiencing a spike in price in a country that is one of the world’s major producers of it. This is the

kind cruel and laughable irony we should not be reporting about our country.

But the government in office sits back and looks on in bemused silence.

When shortly before the March 28 election, the government took the political decision to cut down the price of petrol per litre to its old price of N87, the fuel stations had to be threatened before they would comply with the ‘new’ price regime. But there was hardly a hint of scarcity of fuel before these same fuel stations started shutting their gates four weeks ago, in anticipation of another increase in price. This started off the contrived scarcity that has remained with us for four straight weeks without the government of the day being able to arrest the drift into anarchy.

This is a case of hostage taking, an attempt at holding Nigerians to ransom and arm-twisting them to pay far more for a product that we are continually told is subsidised. And when Nigerians ask what the matter is about, they are helplessly told by the government to hold marketers of petrol responsible.

If the marketers are prepared to make Nigerians suffer for their individual and corporate greed, Buhari should be prepared to ensure that every kobo paid them was earned

Lagos goes Pro Unitate to elect Ambode governor of Nigeria

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F COURSE, we have no such office as Governor of Nigeria, the closest to that being in the anachronism of Governor-General of the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria during the benighted days of British colonialism, a post first occupied by His Imperial Political Alchemist, Lord Frederick Lugard. But on 14 January, 86 clear days before the governorship elections, I referred to Akinwunmi Ambode as the next Governor of Nigeria. It was during the campaign event “An Evening with Ambode,” organised by old students of his alma mater, Federal Government College, Warri, at the Civic Centre in Lagos, the Lagoon breeze that evening blowing benevolently on the candidate, his schoolmates and friends. Following the delectable Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, famed for revolutionising the Federal Inland Revenue Service,who read Ambode’s citation, and the erudite Fidelis Odita, a Cambridge University law don who regaled all with reminiscences of his Warri days escapades together with his tight pal, I had said in my brief remarks that the Governor of Lagos was, really, the Governor of Nigeria.

Lagos, needless to say, is the only truly cosmopolitan space in Nigeria where the words of the old anthem, “Though tribes and tongues may differ / In brotherhood we stand”come closest to a meaning.

After all, where else in the “mere geographical expression” called Nigeria can non-indigenes declare their host community a “no man’s land” as a way of claiming equalautochthonous rights with the sons (and daughters) of the soil?

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Oh, how I dream of that day when after two years of residency (and local tax payment), I or any other citizen could claim equal rights and privileges in any patch of the Nigerian real estate—from Warri to Wukari, Enugu to Zungeru, Kano toCalabar, Gwoza to Abuja, wherever.

My conceit that evening was partly informed bythe view expressed by a famous cultural theorist and philosopher to the effect that the United States having proclaimed itself the policeman of the world and made the entire globe its sphere of influence,citizens of all countries ought to be able to vote for the American president. I was also reminded of the transformation of the abrasive and insufferable Rudy Giuliani into the Mayor of America in the wake of the September 2011 tragedy. As comforter-

Yet, by electing Ambode nonetheless, the people of Lagos affirmed the allimportant status of their city as the one ecumenical space where every Nigerian feels at home

The marketers who are often surrogates, friends and relations of government officials, also retort that the government should be blamed for the pain Nigerians are going through for its failure to honour agreements reached with them.

Both the marketers and the people in government operate like a mafia group or cultists out to protect one another’s interests.

Otherwise, some people should be answering now for what has been happening in the last several weeks. But nobody has been held to account. What we see is a game of buck passing between the government and the marketers.

It is a clear case of failure occasioned by poor or zero governance. Now the marketers are claiming they are being owed hundreds of billions of naira which are credit facilities extended to them by lending institutions- they claim they are being owed these huge amounts by the government for supplying petrol. The government disputes but does not appear able to convincingly deny these figures.

Rather than providing a figure of its own that is credible and verifiable, either side to the dispute has been talking as if there were no guidelines to operations in the oil sector.

But indeed that is what it all seems like now: that there were no guidelines or commonly accepted regulations guiding the operations between the NNPC, its subsidiaries and the oil marketers. It has been a clear case of ‘anything goes’, in which everyone has been making their kill at the greater expense of the majority of Nigerians. The scramble to get what anyone can

in-chief of the stricken city, Giuliani had emerged out of the rubble of the twin towers as a symbol of the imperilled idea ofuniversal “brotherhood,” of our insuperable links to one another, best exemplified by the world’s arguably most cosmopolitan city, New York.

But I also had a more personal reason for my claim. Ambode preceded me to FGC, Warri, by four years and when he was in Upper Sixth I was in Form III. As one of the “cool” senior boys, fond of wearing his collar upturned, and a fine cricketer, Ambode stood out. At least, in the eyes of a bony little boy who had taken the initiation oath “to be seen and not to be heard” until he had “discard[ed” his “sheepish and uncultured behaviour” and “become a true Fegocolian.” Because our two hostels, National House (his) and Independence House (mine) were separated only by a lawn, I tended to see him a lot on the way to and from the dining hall, class or the two other hostels, Unity House and School House.

And always he seemedto me the picture of a strong yet charismatic fellow. I guess it helped that though a school prefect, I never got in trouble with him, that he never picked on me for an inconvenient errand or punishment for some real or imagined infraction.

It was at FGC, Warri, that I awakened to the sheer cultural diversity of our country. The Federal government colleges were the product of the nationalist fervour that sought to make one nation out of the hundreds of nations that peopled the young country conjured out of thin air by colonial whim, hence the other name by which they are

before a new government gets into office on 29th May has been identified as a major reason for this artificial scarcity. Oil marketers and government officials in the NNPC, related ministries and agencies, are all scrambling to grab the most they can before a Muhammadu Buhari that might not honour any dirty deals gets into office.

This is the main reason for the induced scarcity- to force the hands of a corrupt, weak and departing administration to make concessions or honour shady deals that a new administration might not accept.

Muhammadu Buhari has already indicated interest in looking into some of the activities of the NNPC and, perhaps, questions raised about their operations by the Pricewaterhouse Coopers Report.

It should not matter how and when some of these agreements being hurriedly perfected now between the NNPC and oil marketers were reached, the Buhari administration should take a second, third and fourth look at them. They should be discarded where there are convincing proofs that they would not bear scrutiny. If the marketers are prepared to make Nigerians suffer for their individual and corporate greed, Buhari should be prepared to ensure that every kobo paid them was earned. In the same manner should the new administration investigate other government agencies and ministries such as those of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Nigerian Customs and Excise and the Ministry of Finance among others.

known: unity schools. And so it was that in the heart of the Niger Delta, I learned and played with boys and girls from every part of the country. My “E” arm of the Class of 83 alone had Isoko (me), Urhobo, Itshekiri,Bini,Igbo,Yoruba, Hausa, Ibibio/Efik, Gwari. I would learn 31 years later that my classmate and good friend, Peter Iliya, and his older brother Dauda, from Mubi in the old Gongola State,were actually from Chibok, thus giving me more reason to be inconsolable over the Chibok girls calamity.

Sadly, the unity I took for granted in school remains tenuous, even illusory, in today’s Nigeria. The Oba of Lagos, allegedly angered that the Igbos had voted massively for the PDP, threatened them with death by drowning in the lagoon if they did not vote for Ambode.

Dr. Pat Utomi testified that the Oba, his friend, had spoken in jest, but the ensuing verbal ethnic warfare was predictable.Yet, by electing Ambode nonetheless, the people of Lagos affirmed the all-important status of their city as the one ecumenical space where every Nigerian feels at home. The motto of Ambode’s alma mater is pro unitate: for unity. It is only fitting that in the year when “change” proved the most effective election slogan since independence the next governor of Lagos—sorry, of Nigeria—should be an accomplished alumnus of a school dedicated to our founding founders’ dream of “unity in diversity.”

20—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Double wahala for dead body

By Ebele Orakpo

Environmental degradation: How sand excavators expose Imo communities to danger

By Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri

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AND excavation has become a huge economic enterprise in parts of Imo State. People who engage in it smile to their respective banks on a daily basis, while lovers of clean and habitable environment grieve on account of the environmental degradation caused by the excavators.

Sand excavators in Owerri started their illegal and harmful operation in Otamiri and Nworie, the two rivers that run through Owerri municipality. This was decades ago! Their target at the time was the white sand in the rivers which is in high demand by builders.

With time, sand excavators started attacking the banks of the rivers as they sourced for laterite. Contracting firms, especially those building new or rehabilitating old roads, became the major customers of these destroyers of Imo environment. Today, the activities of these individuals have not only extensively damaged the banks of the two rivers, but have also extended the environmental degradation to a stretch of over four kilometres.

The natural green verge along the two rivers have been completely destroyed. The natural habitats of fishes have also been adversely affected and fishermen are now counting their losses. Most of them have been forced to try their hands in other economic activities. This is akin to learning to use the left hand in one’s old age.

Similarly, the forests have disappeared. So also are the animals and professional hunters are already forced out of business.

Apart from the foregoing, the high tension electricity transmission lines that run across this devastated land are currently threatened. They may collapse any day unless serious attention is given to the threat. Officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria have made several trips to the area and even appealed to the Nekede community royal father, government and the sand miners to save the facility from imminent collapse. Nothing has so far changed for the better.

Speaking to Vanguard Metro, VM, the traditional ruler of Nekede autonomous C M Y K

*A heavily eroded area created by sand excavators in Nekede community, Eze Stephen Agumanu, said that sand mining has caused extensive damage to the ecosystem of the area.

“Sand excavation is not a welcome development. It is creating a lot of erosion problem. From the Number One Bus Stop, you can see that the sordid acts of these excavators are almost threatening the road leading from Owerri to Nekede very seriously”, the royal father said.

While saying that the excavators dig underneath the earth’s surface, the royal father added that with time, the top layers collapse, leaving a yawning gap in the area.

“Most of the arable farmland of Nekede people and the nursery palm department of Imo State

Most of the arable farmland of Nekede people and the nursery palm department of Imo State Agricultural Development Programme, ADP, have collapsed into the yawning gully

Agricultural Development Programme, ADP, have collapsed into the yawning gully,” the traditional ruler grieved.

He recalled that the electricity high tension lines that run across the devastated area, had at various times collapsed, with the attendant economic loss to the citizenry.

On what the community had done to stem the ugly development, the royal father said they tried to stop the people from continuing with the environmental degradation.

“We went to the extent of reporting them to the state government. Government called for a meeting between these sand excavators and the villagers.

Government had severally given instructions that the excavation be stopped but it has remained largely ignored,” the royal father said.

On their part, the sand excavators do not see themselves as agents of environmental degradation, but people carrying out a legitimate business. This they justified by claiming that they obtained their operating licence from the Federal Ministry of Mines, stressing that since they have the licence to do what they are doing from the appropriate government quarters, nobody has the right to stop them.

“Na waoh. Only in Nigeria will one see such a thing! This is very embarrassing now! Haba!” exclaimed Nina, a commuter in the Apapa/Wharfbound commuter vehicle as a van apparently conveying prisoners to court, was being pushed by some Prison officials with two of them wielding guns.

“This is ridiculous. Is it that they have no money to maintain their vehicles? What if these prisoners decide to escape, what can one prison warder with a gun do to all these prisoners?” asked Ken. “Ah, they dare not! You think these officials are joking? They will kill any of them who tries to escape.

There are two of them with guns, one in front of the vehicle and the other at the back, so the prisoners will have to behave themselves,” said Ojo. “Forget all that long grammar. They can afford to do this in this axis. If they try it in a place like Mushin or Oshodi, I assure you, O.Y.O (on your own) will be their name. All these prisoners will be let loose,” stated Nina.

Narrated Tim: “I have witnessed such scenario two or three times on this same route...”

“Broken down prison vehicles being pushed to court with prisoners?” asked Ken. “Not exactly! But they were caught in traffic, the almighty Apapa-Oshodi Expressway traffic, around the Mile-Two end.”

“Thank God for the 48-hour ultimatum given to the tanker drivers by the Lagos State Government and like magic, they all disappeared from the road even before the 48 hours elapsed,” said Nina.

“Bros, it was the miracle of the century! I couldn’t believe what I saw,” said Ojo. “Well, it’s not yet uhuru oo. After all, this is not the first time such ultimatum would be handed down to the tanker drivers. Let’s watch and see. If after three weeks they don’t return, then we can roll out the drums in celebration. But for now, let’s keep our fingers crossed,” cautioned Ken. “So the government knew what to do all along but left us to suffer for so long in the hands of these road terrorists? So sad!” commented Tim, to which Ojo replied thus: “It is better late than never. Abeg when these politicians perform, let us give them credit instead of this constant bashing. The fact is that the tankers are out of the way and we can use the road like normal human beings. At some point, everything about that road was upside down and inside out. It was total chaos. There were no laws guiding anyone there. It was like a jungle.”

Continued Tim: “As I was saying, on this particular day, the danfo drivers were on full display of their usual madness. Although they were going against traffic, instead of being orderly, they took up three lanes, leaving only one lane for those who have the right of way. This danfo driver left the third lane, entered the fourth lane and effectively blocking oncoming vehicles. Unfortunately for him, he came face-to-face with a prison vehicle conveying prisoners to court. His bus chose that particular time to park up. Trust Nigerian security agents; within seconds, all the prison officials jumped down from the vehicle and descended on the driver, beating him black and blue. His windscreens were destroyed and then he was bundled into the bus while a prison official drove the bus to God knows where. Of course the passengers disembarked as soon as the incident happened and blamed the driver for impatience.”

“That was very dangerous because in that confusion, the prisoners could have all escaped. In fact, the danfo driver’s action could be viewed as sabotage, to help the prisoners escape.”

“He’ll be lucky if he gets out alive. Sometimes that is the kind of treatment they need to keep them in line,” said Ken. “No, that was extreme! They could have just arrested him without beating him and destroying his bus,” said Tim. “I think he got his just dessert. Next time, he won’t pull such stunt,” insisted Ken. “This is a case of Double wahala for dead body, according to Fela,” said Nina.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

BoI recovers N2. 9bn from debtor customers in 2014

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‘African countries can’t trade effectively without harmonised standard’

By Jimoh Babatunde & Naomi Uzor

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MEDIA LAUNCH: From left: Mr Chris Iwenofu, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, Zone A Ikeja; Eng Osawe

Peter, Corps Commandant, Corps Safety/Engineering Office, FRSC; Dr Joseph Odumodu, DG, Standard Organisation of Nigeria; Mr Osemwegie Osaro, Asst Commandant General, Zone A, Lagos, NSCDC and Mr George Okere, Director, Special Duties, Standard Organsiation of Nigeria during the Africa Rises for Standards (ARSO) during stakeholders/ media launch, in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

By Franklin Alli

bank's Managing Director, stated this during the bank's HE Bank of Industry, BoI, media parley with Business recovered a total of N2.9 Journalists in Lagos.

According to him, the N2.9 billion bad debts from its customers in the SMEs and billion was recovered from the large enterprises sector of the debtor customers through the efforts of the bank's loan economy in 2014.

The bank also blacklisted 22 recovery team, the Economic Financial Crimes other customers of the bank for and Commission, EFCC and the loan defaults. courts.

Rasheed Olaoluwa, the "It is the duty of the bank to lend money to companies in the large and small business sectors and to get the -1.35 $141.80 money back with single interest digit , but if the $3,1440 4.00 borrowed funds are not paid back it will $12.83 0.05 definitely affects our ability to loan others.

"Development Finance loans are not $65.21 -1.06 national cake. We expect customers to 58.40 -1.03 pay back," he said.

He urged existing CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL and prospective DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 customers of the bank POUNDS 307.132 307.9155 308.699 to emulate the ilks of EURO 223. 3812 223.9511 224.5209 Innoson Vehicles FRANC 212.9509 213.4941 214.0374 Manufacturing YEN 1.6374 1.6416 1.6458 Company Limited, CFA 0.3193 0.3293 0.3393 Amasco International; WAUA 276. 8277 277.5339 278.2401 Happiness Foam, RENMINBI 31.5896 31.6706 31.7517 Nigerian Foundries RIYAL 52.2639 52.3972 52.5305 and six other KRONA 29.9246 30.0009 30.0773 SDR 277.9476 278.6567 279.3657 companies who borrowed money from CBN Exchange Rate as at 19/ 05 /15 the bank twice and have

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fully repaid them and have been inducted into BoI Hall of Fame.

He further stated that the need to get more funding for the bank’s operation had made the management embark on aggressive recovery of its nonperforming loans.

He said that unlike in the past when the volume of nonperforming loans was relatively high, the bank had reduced it to below five per cent within a short period.

He said that the volume of the bank’s non-performing loans (NPL) was relatively high in the

This is not the category of people we have blacklisted. The people we are talking about are people who have deliberately defaulted

past, but the bank had embarked on initiatives to manage it downward, including loan recovery.

“The development bank in Brazil, their NPL is 2.6 per cent; the development bank in South Africa is 16.2 per cent. In Nigeria, among the commercial banks, the average in the industry is about six to seven per cent,” he said.

On the 22 blacklisted firms, he explained “We didn’t blacklist these companies just because they were unable to pay, no. We all understand that sometimes, you can have difficulties and you may make genuine efforts to pay but unable to pay. This is not the category of people we have blacklisted. The people we are talking about are people who have deliberately defaulted.

They are customers of shady character and questionable integrity.

Customers who diverted loans meant for the acquisition of plant and machinery to ventures outside the agreement signed with the Bank.

Some of these customers provided cloned title documents, thus committing outright frauds.”

he President of the African Organisation for Standardization (ARSO), Dr. Joseph I. Odumodu, has disclosed that the current global activities in trade indicate that no country or continent can advance industrially, economically and socially, without the culture of quality and standards.

Speaking at the lunch of the convention logo for the forth coming ARSO President’s Forum to be held in Abuja, Odumodu said that ARSO is seeking to integrate the whole of Africa through Standardisation in order to empower the continent to look within its self for sustenance.

While noting that trading together by African countries will make it easy to fight those who make the continent a dumping ground for sub-standard goods, Odumodu said Africa can not trade among one another without harmonised standard.

“Standardisation is capable of breaking borders and barriers inhibiting trade and development. The Giant strides being recorded by some countries, and Regional Economic Blocks in exports to other continents are noted and laudable but could be better without the current intra-continental barriers which have continued to remain stumbling blocks even with neighbours.”

He added “ the current global activities in trade indicate that no country or continent can advance industrially, economically and socially, without the culture of quality and standards.”

Dr. Odumodu , who is the Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria(SON), said the forthcoming forum is to show the world the readiness of African standardisers to strengthen the continental integration by breaking inhibiting economic barriers through standardisation to enhance Industrial and economic empowerment.

“Hosting the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of National Standards Bodies (NSBs) in Africa, through the ARSO President’s Forum calls for celebration, as a milestone in the history of ARSO in particular and Africa in general, as its outcome will fulfill the dreams of the founding fathers.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Year 2014 marked 10 years of the introduction of the CPS in the country and it was a general consensus that the industry has recorded tremendous successes

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Mutual Benefits pays death benefit to family of deceased journalist

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UTUAL Benefits Assurance plc recently presented a cheque of N1.2 million to the family of a deceased journalist who was a member of Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) Mr. Nat Amogu.

Amogu was a staff of Nigerian Pilot Newspapers and died after a brief illness.

The cheque which was received on behalf of the deceased family by the Chairman of FICAN Mr. Babajide Komolafe with other executive members of the association was a fulfillment of a recent life insurance contract between Mutual Benefits Assurance and FICAN members.

Presenting the cheque to the association, Group Managing Director of Mutual Benefits, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi urged Nigerians to see insurance as a necessity describing insurance as the best form of planning against financial crisis.

He said insurance is the only scheme that could better one’s life when the unexpected happens adding that insurance works and has come of age in Nigeria.

He said it is a sign of moral irresponsibility for anyone not to provide insurance cover for his family adding that even the Bible recommends for such provision.

He said the N1.2 million cheque covers both medical expenses and death claims for the deceased.

Also speaking, Managing Director of Mutual Benefits Life Assurance, Mr. Femi Asenuga said the hallmark of a good underwriting firm is in the speed of settlement of obligations.

AACN showcases Nigeria abroad

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he Association of Assets Custodians of Nigeria (AACN) has successfully concluded its fourth annual investor conference held on the 7th of May, 2015, in London, with the theme – Nigeria: Navigating changes, Extracting opportunities. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, represented by the Director of Reserve Management, Mr. Lamido Yuguda, opened the event with the keynote address.

Participants at the 2015 investor conference came from various sectors, such as financial institutions, investment services, financial services and advisory, consulting, asset management, legal services and stock exchange.

The conference provided in-depth informative and exploratory sessions, aligned to the theme of the event, through presentations from the ED, Market Operations and Technology, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Adeolu Bajomo, the MD/CEO of the Central Securities Clearing Systems Plc (CSCS), Mr. Kyari Abba Bukar, FMDQ Head of Business Development, Ms. Tumi Sekoni, and Mr. Samir Gadio. Joining these were panelists Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, DG, Debt Management Office (DMO), Mr. Bolaji Balogun, MD/CEO Chapel Hill Denham, Mrs. Kemi Adewole, Head Securities Services, Citibank, Mr. Bola Onadele. Koko, MD/CEO FMDQ OTC PLC, Mr. Bola Ajomale MD/CEO NASD Plc, Mr. Bayo Olugbemi, President of the Institute of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR), and some major foreign portfolio investors and global custodians.

Founded in 2009, the members of the association are Citibank Nigeria Limited, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, First City Monument Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Limited, Standard Chartered Bank Limited, and United Bank for Africa Plc. The association is dedicated to the development of the Nigerian Capital market as well as establishing best global practice standards in all aspects of the Nigerian securities market. AACN promotes custody business in Nigeria by seeking ways to make the Nigerian securities market more attractive for investors.

Send comments & enquiries to insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

C M Y K

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INSURAN CPS: Most successful govt initiative —Dikko

By Rosemary Onuoha

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he Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, is arguably the most successful government initiative in

recent times and a clear testimony to the effectiveness of private-sector-driven rendition of service in critical sectors.

Chairman of Premium

Pension Limited, Mr. Aliyu Dikko, who made this assertion, noted that year 2014 marked 10 years of the introduction of the CPS in the country and it was a general

GUINEA INSURANCE WINS CSR COMPANY OF THE YEAR AWARD: From left: Mr Polycarp Didam, Managing Director/CEO Guinea Insurance Plc, receiving CSR Company of the Year Award on behalf of his company at the Businesstoday Online Insurance and Pension Industry Award 2014 from Director-General, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Mr. Sunday Thomas, in Lagos.

Leadway Assurance launches funeral cover plan L

EADWAY Assurance Company Limited has launched a new life product named the Leadway Family Benefit Plan Plus (LFBPP).

The product is a multi-life policy designed to cover funeral expenses for the assured lives (spouse, parents and/or parents-in-law that are named in the policy) and the policy holder (person who purchased the policy). The policy helps to alleviate and bury the worries associated with the funerals for elderly loved ones.

Speaking at the product launch held at the corporate office of Leadway Assurance in Lagos, Head, Life Retail, Mr. Femi Adebayo, explained that the policy provided funeral benefits in respect of all the assured lives as long as their death preceded that of the policyholder. The policy also provided other benefits including offering additional monthly payments to the beneficiaries of the policyholder in the event of his demise.

According to him, the Family Benefit Plan Plus was one of the ways in which Leadway Assurance was making life

beautiful for its customers.

Also speaking at the launch, General Manager, Life Division, Mr. Shadrack Sivhugwana said he expected that the demand for funeral insurance will be the main driver of insurance growth in Africa in the next couple years, charging the public to take advantage of the new product and be prepared when the inevitable happens.

Established over 45 years ago, Leadway is a composite

insurance company underwriting both life and general insurance business with 23 branches spread across Nigeria.

Leadway’s reputation has been attained by the continuing pursuit of improvements to maintain its competitive advantage within a very soft market environment. The company also offers subsidiary financial services like bonds, secured credit, miscellaneous financial losses and fund/portfolio management.

PRODUCT LAUNCH: Managing Director, Mr. Oye Hassan Odukale; Mr. Shadrack Sivhugwana, Head Life Actuary; and two member of staff all of Leadway Assurance Company Limited at the launch of Leadway Family Benefit Plan Plus (LFBPP) at the corporate head office in Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

consensus that the industry has recorded tremendous successes.

Dikko said, “The cumulative funds under management stands at N4.7 trillion as against the N4.1 trillion reported in 2013. Membership enrolment stands at 6.5 million workers as against 6.1 million in 2013. These figures are mainly indicative of the fact that, the teething challenges of the industry have been surmounted and the initial skepticism has drastically reduced.”

According to Dikko, the promulgation of the Pension Reform Act 2014 which repealed the Pension Reform Act, 2004 has among other provisions graciously increased the total minimum contributions from 15% to 18% of the employee’s emolument, provide basis for extending the scheme to organisations having as less as 3 employees, allow RSA holders to utilize part of their balance as equity contributions for mortgage facilities and expanded the investment space by providing legal framework for investment abroad.

He however said that more work still has to be done in the

C

ustodian and Allied Plc has announced payment of 18 kobo dividend per share to shareholders of the company for the 2014 financial year.

Chairman of the Company, Mr. Ade Ojo who made the announcement at the company’s 20th annual general meeting in Lagos said that in spite of the tough national economy, regulatory headwinds and myriad of challenges of 2014, the company did not only survive but progressed on all fronts during the year.

Ojo said that gross revenue for the 2014 financial year crossed N25 billion even as its profit before tax rose by 18.73 to N5.1 billion while earnings per share rose by 11 to 70 kobo.

Accordingly, the shareholders commended the board and management of the company for consistently paying dividend since its listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange 20 years ago.

National President, Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Shehu Ibrahim said shareholders are excited that the company has recorded impressive results over the years and has achieved same during the operating year 2014.

He stated that the strict regulation adopted by the National Insurance Commission also assisted in sanitizing and ensuring steady growth in the insurance industry.

Another shareholder, Sunday Anono said he is happy that the board and management declared

area of public enlightenment on the workings of the industry and the immense advantages accruable from enrolling in the scheme.

Meanwhile Dikko revealed that despite the declining employment opportunities that had negatively impacted on business generation drives, the company has expanded its horizon in terms of funds under management and number of Retirement Savings Accounts.

He said, “As at December, 2014 the company has several

The teething challenges of the industry have been surmounted and the initial skepticism has drastically reduced

,

CE & YOU

Funds Under Management (FUM), namely; Active RSA fund, Retiree RSA fund, CBN active and CBN Retiree fund, NNPC 1 & 2 fund UBN fund, SEC fund and FBN fund.

Other funds under our company ’s management include Jigawa State fund, NDIC fund, Intercontinental fund, Lagos Chanel Mgt fund, Rivers State fund and Niger state Legacy fund. The company has maintained robust relationship with existing institutional clients and is tirelessly working towards establishing new relationships.”

The Chairman stated that as part of the company’s effort to be the leading PFA in the pension industry in Nigeria, they engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to facilitate the development of a 5-year strategy plan (2014 – 2018) to supplant the strategy implemented between 2009 to 2013. “For the effective implementation of this plan, a corporate strategy department with a functional research and development unit was created to drive the execution of the initiatives embedded in the document.

Custodian & Allied pays 18 kobo dividend dividend in its 20 years of existence.

He said most competitors in the industry have not been able to achieve this feat and urge the board and management to improve on what they delivered in the 2014 operating year.

Shareholder Akinsanya Sunday on his part, task the board and management to declare bonus next year as the last time it did was 10 years ago.

Kabiru Sarunmi noted that operating expenses reduced from 17.1 billion in 2013 financial year to 16.5 billion in 2014 financial year.

He urged the board and management to work at reducing management expenses which increased from N3.5 billion to N4.1 billion in the year under review.

Meanwhile the Chairman said that it is very gratifying to note that all of the subsidiaries were profitable during the year, stating, “We are happy with our management for an impressive result despite the difficult terrain in which it operated in 2014.

“In furtherance of our commitment to regular dividend payment to our shareholders, an interim dividend of 6 kobo per share was paid in September, 2014 and your

Board of Directors, subject to your approval, have proposed the payment of an additional 12 kobo per share as final dividend thus making a total dividend of 18 kobo per share in respect of the results of the 2014 financial year.”

Speaking on the company’s future outlook, the Chairman said, the national economy outlook for 2015 is challenging with significant headwinds from political and national security issues; inflation, foreign exchange, stock market and external reserve concerns.

He however said that he is absolutely confident in the management’s ability to survive and thrive in the difficult terrain.

— 23

More work still has to be done in the area of public enlightenment on the workings of the industry and the immense advantages accruable from enrolling in the scheme

,

Goldlink Insurance partners G31000 for first training in Nigeria

G

OLDLINK Insurance Plc has sponsored the Certification Training and Examination in ISO 31000 Risk Management by the Global Institute of Risk Management Standard (G31000).

President of Global Institute of Risk Management Standard headquartered in France, which is the global platform for ISO 31000, Alex Dali, was at the event to oversee the 3-day master class that had participants from Goldlink Insurance, Leadway Assurance, Renaissance Capital, First Bank of Nigeria, Sovereign Trust Insurance, International Energy Insurance and Calabar Microfinance Bank Limited in attendance.

According to Mr. Olawale Awosina of Goldlink, the Chief Risk Officer of Goldlink Insurance, a certified ISO 31000 Risk Management professional and lead trainer initiated the move of the training programme to Nigeria. It was disclosed that the ISO 31000 training has been conducted in over 21 countries in the world since its inception; and this is the first time it would be conducted in the whole of Sub-Sahara Africa (South Africa excluded).

The training programme was facilitated by Alex Dali, the President of G31000, Joseph Iyofor, a Lead Risk Consultant at Greenland Specialist Consulting Services and Olawale Awosina, Chief Risk Officer of Goldlink Insurance Plc. Mr. Gbolahan Olutayo, Chief Executive Officer of Goldlink, stated that the company put its weight behind the Risk Management Standard training because of its understanding of the need for proper risk assessment and management in its daily operational activities as a risk-taker and its relevance in every facet of business world.

IEI gets new board following dissolution by NAICOM

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HE National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has dissolved the board of International Energy Insurance Plc. In its place, a three-member interim board has been appointed to oversee the affairs of the company while necessary investigation is being conducted.

As part of this intervention, the Chief Executive Officer and some key officers will proceed on leave to pave way for a thorough investigation of the affairs of the company.

The action is pursuant to the powers conferred on NAICOM by enabling laws to intervene in the affairs of the company as a result of financial reporting failures, allegations made against some of the directors, and board squabbles necessitating regulatory action in the interest of policyholders and other stakeholders of the company.

Members of the Interim Board include the former DirectorGeneral of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Mal. Muhammad Kabir Ahmad who will serve as its Chairman, a former Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Daisy Ekineh and a onetime acting Managing Director of Societe Bancaire Nigeria Ltd (now Unity Bank Plc in Consolidation), Mrs. Bridget Ibiyemi Adeyinka.

GAINERS FOR EQUITIES

LOSERS FOR EQUITIES

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Skye Bank grosses N6bn in first quarter S

KYE Bank Plc has announced a profit before tax of N6.2 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2015, representing an increase of 82 per cent over the N3.4 billion recorded during the same period in 2013.

Similarly, the bank’s profit after tax grew to N5 billion during the review period compared to N2.7 billion achieved during the corresponding period in 2013, showing a rise of 85 per cent.

According to the unaudited result submitted on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange yesterday, the bank also recorded strong growth in all the performance indicators.

Reflecting the bank’s

inclination towards fee based transactions, its fee and commission income which was N6.2 billion in 2013, increased to N10.2 billion in the first quarter of 2014, representing a growth of 64.5 per cent.

The expanded business activities of the bank also manifested in a big rise in its gross earnings which rose to N42.3 billion from N34.3 billion in 2013, appreciating by 23 per cent. The shareholders’ fund also rose to N137.3 billion from N132 billion.

The IFRS compliant result also shows the bank’s total assets hitting N1.43 billion as against N1.42 billion during the same period in 2013. Similarly, its total liabilities, including total

deposits, stood at N1.3 trillion as against N1.2 trillion in the preceding year.

Commenting on the first quarter result, Skye Bank’s Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo, said the bank was set to deliver superior value and returns to the shareholders as the bank enters its new strategic growth phase.

Oguntayo said the bank would leverage on the acquisition of Mainstreet Bank to take its services closer to its customers – current and prospects - and expand its bouquet of value adding offerings to meet the diverse needs of its stakeholders.

AGM: From left: Director, Champion Breweries Plc, Mr. Thompson Owoka; Managing Director, Mr. Sharm Kulkarni; and Chairman, Chief Senas Ukpanah, during the company’s 39th Annual General Meeting, in Lagos.

Dangote Cement reaps dividend of continental expansion, posts N74.7bn profit

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ANGOTE Cement Plc has started realing the benefit of its expansion across Africa, declaring a gross profit of N74.7 billion for the first three months ended 31st March 2015. This indicates an increase of 10.5 percent over N67.63 billion recorded in the same period in 2014.

According to the cement giant’s unaudited results for first quarter of 2015, revenues rose by 10.8 to ¦ 114.7billion compared to N103.57 billion in the corresponding in 2014. The improvement in the first results was buoyed by with maiden contributions from non-Nigerian factories. Net profit was up 44.1 percent to ¦ 68.6 billion in contrast to N47.62 billion in 2014 while earnings per share grew by 45.7 percent to ¦ 4.09.

Group cement sales volumes was up by 3.4 percent to 3.8 million tonnes driven by contributions from South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon and new lines in Nigeria. The margins from Nigeria increased by new pricing, improved gas supply and more use of coal.

Dangote Cement Plants are now operational in Zambia and Ethiopia. The new plants are expected to impact positively on the financials of the cement giants.

Speaking on the first quarter results, Chief Executive officer, Dangote Cement, Mr. Onne van der Weijde, said: “Our African projects are now beginning to deliver revenue growth for the Group and even at this early stage we are seeing good potential in all the countries into C M Y K

which we are expanding. Senegal has made an excellent start, Cameroon is poised for a strong entry into an exciting growth market and Sephaku Cement is clearly shaking up the South African market as the first new entrant in many years. Although sales fell in Nigeria, we improved both revenues and margins thanks to pricing actions in December following the collapse of the oil price and currency devaluation. We are making a significant investment to improve our logistical capabilities and I am pleased to report a much more favorable fuel supply in the first quarter of 2015. We have invested for growth in Africa and each new factory that opens will generate good returns for shareholders as we deliver on our promise to become Africa’s leading cement company.”

Dangote Cement is Africa’s leading cement producer with three plants in Nigeria and recently opened factories in South Africa, Senegal and Cameroon. It is a fully integrated quarry-to-customer producer with production capacity of 29 million tonnes in Nigeria at the end of 2014.

The Cement Obajana plant in Kogi state, Nigeria, is the largest in Africa with 13.25 million tonnes capacity across four lines. The Ibese plant in Ogun State has four cement lines with a combined installed capacity of 12 million tonnes. The Gboko plant in Benue state has 4 million tonnes capacity.

The power sector and the incoming Buhari administration (3)

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HE Federal Government, electricity distribution FGN, transferred the companies, the commitments management of the electricity made by the bidders with distribution companies and respect to the reduction of losses power generating companies were the primary determinants to the core investors during for choosing the successful core November 2013. These investors. companies have carried out The FGN remains a their operations under new shareholder in the electricity managements for more than distribution companies and the one year. The Nigerian FGN should ask these Electricity Regulatory companies to raise funds Commission, NERC, should through the sales of shares. The obtain from these companies share sale would raise funds for their audited balance sheets improvements to the distribution and profit and loss accounts for networks and would allow the the year 2014 and the distribution companies to companies should publish participate in small power plant these financial statements in at projects operating within the least two national newspapers. areas covered by the companies.

The Multi-Year Tariff Order, The share sale could be by MYTO, published by NERC private placement of shares or has tariff orders by a rights issue. for generation, Either way, a new transmission and significant distribution of investor could be electricity. These introduced into It is not good tariffs have as of the public policy to each important electricity components the distribution have a cost of the capital companies. This situation in utilised as well as would require operating costs. negotiations as to which The provision of the new consumers pay what f i n a n c i a l funds would be information on used for as well as increasing the power sector the roles of any charges whilst to companies has new significant taken on added investors in the the quantities significance management of of power given the loans the electricity totaling about delivered to the d i s t r i b u t i o n N214billion consumers are companies. granted by the There are Central Bank of reports that two of diminishing Nigeria to the the electricity electricity distribution distribution companies and companies. These loans plus one of the power generating interest are to be repaid companies have made between 2016 and 2024 at arrangements for their shares to approximately N35billion per be sold through the over-theannum. As a result, the MYTO counter platform of the National 2 for the period 1 June 2012 to Association of Securities 31 May 2017 has been Dealers, NASD Plc. The core replaced by MYTO 2.1 for the investors may have placed some period 1 April 2015 to of their shares for sale so as to December 2018 with raise funds for repayment of the substantially increased tariffs. loans taken for the purchase of The electricity distribution these shares. What is important companies encounter losses is that the audited accounts of which must be eliminated or the electricity distribution and reduced. There are losses in the power generating companies transportation of electricity and the trading of their shares from the generating companies would allow us to place a value to the distribution companies, on these companies. We would losses within the distribution therefore readily come up with networks in getting power to the level of investment that consumers, losses from should be made in these unmetered withdrawals from companies if we are to improve the distribution networks and the performance of the losses from consumers who do companies. It is not good public not pay their bills. The last policy to have a situation in three of the listed losses are the which consumers pay increasing responsibility of the electricity charges whilst the quantities of distribution companies. When power delivered to the investors were asked to bid for consumers are diminishing. the controlling stake in the

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 —25

DIARY ICT Africa Cape Town, South Africa July 15-16, 2015  eLearning Africa 2015 Lagos, May 20-22, 2015

Preview HumanCharger Fights Jet Lag

ECHOES OF BOICT AWARD:

How rural service provision makes NCC Africa’s best regulator

By Prince Osuagwu

he HumanCharger from Valkee helps to eliminate jet lag by sending light therapy directly into the brain.

The HumanCharger, which looks like a set of standard earbuds, uses transcranial bright light (TBL) treatment to help the user more quickly overcome the fatigue and slight confusion brought on by traveling through several time zones. Rather than relying on ocular exposure, the device emits UV-free, blueenriched white light directly into the ears and thereby into the cranium, resulting in a significant reduction of overall jet lag symptoms.

According to the company, the HumanCharger should be used intermittently for a few days in advance of the trip and few days during.

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C M Y K

F

IGURATIVELY, the whole of Africa stood still penultimate week, when the organizers of the Beacon of ICT, BoICT awards, announced that the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC was again, voted the Government Agency of the year, in the 2015 edition of the award ceremony.

The award was keenly contested

by African agencies both within and outside Nigeria, giving distinctive class and prestige to the winner.

However, it wasn’t the award

I N S I D E

NCC has touched lives by creating programmes that would have direct impact on unserved and or under-served rural dwellers

NBC’s bombshell!

‘We can’t meet digital switch over PAGE 26 deadline’

itself that got the mammoth crowd of participants at the Eko Hotels venue of the award ceremony standing for hours, in applause of NCC as the citation was read, but the many rural developments the commission was credited to have achieved through human-interest policies and regulation.

Editor in Chief of Nigeria Communications Week magazine, organizers of the award, Mr Ken Nwogbo, described the commission as “an agency which has over the years earned a reputation as foremost telecom regulatory agency in

CBN, NIBSS lead banks to 2015 card expo in Lagos PAGE 28

Africa due to its foresight in catalyzing the use of ICTs for different aspects of national development “The commission has initiated several programmes such as the state accelerated Broadband Initiative, SABI and the Wire Nigeria, WIN projects which help stimulate demand and accelerate the uptake of ICT tools and services necessary for the enthronement of a knowledge society” However, if there are areas the commission has touched lives, it could well be in the areas of creating programmes that would have direct impact on unserved and or underserved rural dwellers.

Serving the under-served through USPF For instance, the commission, apparently conscious of the reality that many licensed operators are reluctant to take services to areas considered not Continues on page 28

26 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Ukodie marks 30 years of ICT journalism with three books

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ne of the pioneers of Information and Communications Technology, ICT journalism in Nigeria, Mr Aaron Ukodie, will in July mark thirty years of Information and Communication Technology, ICT reporting. However, Ukodie has decided to tell the story of his sojourn in three books which he said would be launched that day.

The books are “The Privatisation of NITEL: An Archetypal Government Agency”, “Nigeria’s Path to ICT Development” and “The Lead Story”.

Ukodie started journalism as Communications reporter in the Guardian in July of 1985 and since then has put all his years of journalism in the sector, making modest contributions to one of the most vibrant sectors of the economy.

According to him The Privatisation of NITEL records the many failed efforts and intrigues to make the company play leading roles in the ICT sector and the almost 15 years bid by BPE to privatise it, which has culminated in its successful sale to NACOM in 2014. The book also shows how publicly run companies in Nigeria are managed, and canvassed the case for government to play less role in business.

Path to ICT Development traces the story of Nigeria’s ICT development from 1960 to 1992, when the NCC was created, and in 2001 when NITDA and

the IT Policy were established with their attendant milestone impacts. It records the evolution from the digital mobile license to the watershed marks in mobile phone deployment and data uptake to the current efforts in broadband development.

The book highlights how MTN, Airtel (then Econet), and Globacom, (then Communication Investment Limited, CIL) and later Etisalat braved the seemingly challenging Nigerian business environment to enter the market, a move that has impacted positively on the Nigerian economy. These companies have become the face of the much coveted Nigerian entrepreneurial spirit and competition.

The Lead Story captures the development of the ICT media in Nigeria, from a pioneer’s perspective, tracing also the evolution of the journalism profession, describing in vivid terms the reporters motivation and passion of the times.

By Emmanuel Elebeke

E

XACTLY as many industry practitioners have predicted, Nigeria will not join the rest of the world to migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting platform

by June 17 this year.

At least, the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC has said so. The Commission through its Director General, Mr Emeka Mba has confirmed that Nigeria cannot meet the deadline as earlier planned.

Mba, at a media briefing, in Abuja, to intimate the public on the situation, however, blamed the inability of federal government to grant the commission’s request of N60 billion needed to fund the project, saying it was the major reason for.

“We cannot achieve the Digital Switch Over by June 17 this year. We have done a lot to meet the deadline but failed to achieve our target due to the funding challenge. Given the funding challenge, the Commission will not recommend hard switch off by the set date.

“In about 18 months’ time, we believe by encouraging local manufacturing of Set-Up-Boxes and creating jobs and making TV viewers use the boxes and people submitting proposal to create digital channels, we will make it. But it will require a pragmatic and political will by the incoming administration.

However, it will certainly not cost us more than we budgeted.

•Aaron Ukodie

SOCIETY & SOCIAL MEDIA

By Agbolade Omowole @iamagbolade

7 ways to connect, engage and remain relevant on social media

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ELEVANCE is the key word in surviving in the technology industry and social media. The competition is fierce and your target audience is bombarded with several status updates and tweets every other minute. If you wish to get the attention of your fans and sustain it, here are 5 simple things to do.

1. Innovate or be stagnated: Innovation on Facebook refers to looking at a famous story from a different angle. Fans are tired of seeing the same old storyline, plot, picture and pattern. They yearn for novelty, for something new, for something outside the box. If you can provide this, you will hold them in stitches.

If you are breaking news for instance, chances are, your fans have heard about that same story on blogs, news websites and social media. Facebook authorities have learnt to judiciously twist stories making them more memorable and engaging.

2. Be Consistent: Many people have the starting power, but few have the staying power. The number of hours you spend on social media engaging with your fans will affect the activities on your page.

Consistency here means you have to always be on your toes. Always write new posts that solve people’s problem.

3. Get trained: We can never rule out the place of informal education. It is good to attend social media oriented events and trainings like the social media week.

You can take that to the next level by getting a mentor. A mentor in this context should be a renowned social media expert with proofs and results who will guide you all the way.

4. Read books: Experts have said that a week’s worth of the New York Times contains more information than a person is likely to come across in a life time in the 18th century.

Authorities on social media including artiste are seen as thought leaders. You must be a step ahead of your fans in terms of learning if you want to share highly informative content with them. Read quality books, newspapers, magazines and blogs for new content.

5. Embrace constant improvement: becoming relevant can be achieved by a stroke of luck. Staying relevant is a different ball game. It is a conscious effort. It is a journey, not a destination.

Understand that we are living in exponential times. Professional competence now doubles every two years. For a student starting a four year university degree, half of what they learn in their first year of study will be out-dated by their third year. You must strive to post fresh contents. If you don’t, your fans and friends will look for someone who can.

6. Manage your time: If you always have a busy schedule, carve out few minutes for social media daily and be consistent about it. Fans use pattern recognition to determine when they will likely see a new status update from you.

7. Ask meaningful questions: Lately I am beginning to believe that some questions are more powerful than their answers. When you ask intelligent questions you will get intelligent answers thereby increasing engagement on social media.

The world is always moving. You can choose to either move or risk being left behind.

•Broadcast transmitter

NBC’s bombshell!

‘We can’t meet digital switch over deadline’ “I THINK we became the step child during the dwindling moment of national resources and the Federal Government preferred to attend to INEC’s request after we all submitted our proposals in 2012. As an alternative way out, we are at the verge of requesting Federal Government to permit us auction available spectrums to raise the needed fund since we are still in charge of them.

“Our Commission is willing to explore all the available options to achieve our target.

We have put up a proposal and now waiting for a response. We expect the new government will see it as a national emergency and priority that will bring substantial value to the economy. This requires highest political commitment,” he said.

Recall that the International Telecommunications Union, ITU had fixed June 17, 2015 as dateline for all broadcasting television and radio stations in the world to migrate from analogue to digital platform or face the consequences and following this directive, the NBC submitted a proposal of N60 billion funding to federal government to enable it pursue the digital switch over plan, so

as to beat the ITU June dateline but the request is yet to be granted by Federal Government.

Mba also disclosed that about 11 local companies have so far been granted operational licenses by the Commission to commence fabrication, assembling and manufacturing of Set-Up-Boxes as part of the digitization plan.

The 11 companies have a target of supplying about 30 mission Set-Up-Boxes to estimated 30 million Nigerian TV home viewers in Nigeria in the buildup for the switch over date.

This according to the DG, was in line with federal government’s directives that all Set-Up-Boxes be manufactured in Nigeria to create job opportunity for Nigerian youths and empower the local operators.

In the meantime, the NBC boss said Commission had concluded plans to hold a relaunch of the switch over in Jos, Plateau State sometime in July.

As part of the arrangement, he explained that about 1 million Set-Up-Boxes would be imported by NBC to cover Jos and its environs as the take off point.

e SLOT launches trade in programm ’s leading phone retailer has LOT Systems Limited, Nigeria m to enable customers tradelaunched a “trade-in” progra Lagos, new ones. Confirming this in in their old phones for brand the said o, igb T, Mr. Nnamdi Eze the Managing Director of SLO ned -Ow Pre d tifie Cer with Matrix program is in collaboration also e in pre-owned devices. He nam ing lead a , ited Lim Nigeria T SLO any into k program, just wal k noted that “to be part of this wal and nce ere diff e pric pay the , store, hand in your old phone, erry ckb Bla your choice ranging from out with a brand new phone of iphone, Samsung and Nokia”. es , is available in 50 Slot stor The service, according to him fe-o stat own ill customers desire to nationwide, and seeks to fulf prices. the-art phones at affordable tor naging Director of Matrix, Pas Ma the , this ting ora Corrob a of e valu the t with the service, Dimeji Matesun, observed tha ing giv y reb the r, the ano ge for phone can be used in exchan ney. mo ir the for e valu l rea ers custom principle and philosophy of ing erly und the t Ezeigbo stated tha ortant s ’s live by making the all-imp SLOT is to add value to people rable experience. use of mobile phones a pleasu

S

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 27

Omatek preaches energy saving to Public offices, schools

I

How IBM new capabilities shape customer analytics market

By Emeka Aginam (who was in San Diego, USA)

A

LTHOUGH there were many innovative solutions showcased at different keynote sessions at the just concluded 2015 IBM Amplify conference held in San Diego, California, United States of America, one major creative solution that caught the attention of majority of delegates was the IBM customer analytics solution with new capabilities to provide clients with deep insight into their customer’s experiences.

The four key issues discussed at the forum included eCommerce, customer analytics marketing and merchandising.

Customer analytics At the customer analytics session, IBM explained how the solution could help brands acquire the right customers, optimize the customer experience, understand the customer journey, provide delightful service, and minimize fraud.

The session among other things guided marketers , commerce and service teams on best practices and strategies for applying digital analytics, customer experience analytics, predictive analytics and social analytics to better understand customers, accelerate profitability and improve business outcomes.

The forum which attracted no fewer than 3,000 registered attendees including partners, customers, media, analysts, influencers, also afforded industry leaders in the marketing, merchandising, commerce and customer analytics space the opportunity to discuss how businesses can deliver the kind of engagement customers expected from brands.

Meanwhile, leading brands

like Face book, Marks and Spencer, Hanes, Citi Consumer Banking, Humana, Homebase, among others shared their experiences on how IBM solutions have helped their businesses.

How analytics is turning eCommerce into a science was the focus of this session. Participants during this session were able to understand new trends in eCommerce that could help boost sales, understand how Changing merchandising game: This session among other things showed how IBM Commerce capabilities are addressing the evolving needs and opportunities for retailers, while also integrating

The future is mobile. This is the time for organizations to embrace it for digital marketing

existing solutions across what were previously functional silos.

IBM merchandising executives also discussed what retail leaders were doing to gain valuable insight into customer behavior and break down technological and organizational silos by leveraging new capabilities such as fulfilment optimization for markdown minimization and shared shopper insights for retailers and their vendor partners.

But after attending many sessions and showcase, by the time the event with the ‘’The Future of Customer Engagement Now’’ was drawing to

a close last week Wednesday at the San Diego Convention Centre, there were convincing signals that IBM analytic solutions if deployed by organizations would be a game changer in engaging customers in the digital marketing ecosystem.

One thing was clear. The power to make lasting customer connections is possible with with IBM Commerce.

Speaking at the opening general session, Deepak Advani, General Manager, IBM Commerce told the gathering that IBM has invested about $24 billion (about N4.8 trillion) in analytic technologies over the past five years.

According to him, organizations that adopt a full range of analytic capabilities would discover what was happening, determine why it was happening, predict what was likely to happen and prescribe the best action to take, assuring that IBM was focused on cliet success with an open ecosystem Future is mobile Also speaking during one on one interview on mobile engagement, Joshua Rochlin, Mobile Engagement Business Leader of IBM said that with IBM mobile solutions, brands can locate where their customers are.

With many companies using IBM mobile solutions, he said that the app can help brands speak to their customers.

“The app gives customer best experience. A lot of things will get unlocked with IBM location based app. The future is mobile. This is time for organizations to embrace it for digital marketing” he said.

Client’s success stories Telling their success stories with IBM solutions, the Vice President, Global Partnership, Facebook, Blake Chandlee, while speaking on recent Facebook collaboration with IBM said that the deal will also help top brands achieve personalization at scale by using IBM’s marketing cloud to find and engage their target audiences on Facebook.

ndigenous computer manufacturer and provider of solar power solutions in Nigeria,Omatek Ventures Plc has said it is ready to offer solar power solutions to schools, small businesses and big organizations in the country, in a cost effective rate to ensure that the country’s quest for energy saving is realized.

The company said that use of its solar/LED solution can result in provision of power and in significant operational and maintenance cost savings for factories, schools, public offices, hospitals, hotels and SMEs in the country.

Already, the company has commissioned its 50KVA 3-phase off-grid solar solution factory that will represent the solar solution for factories, banks, telecommunications firms, government and other organisations that require big power installations.

Group managing director of the company, Mrs Florence Seriki, said her product creates a lot business edge for users because of their noise free, zero heat emission, brighter lighting, zero contribution to global warming and Eco-Friendly features.

Other qualities of her products, included no maintenance costs, local content and cost saving potentials among others.

According to Seriki , “We have installed these solutions in schools, homes, offices and factories and we are proud that the education sector welcomed the initiative since it supports the provision of power and green energy, that powers school hostels and all reading areas with 24 hours lighting. This initiative, according to the education sector, bridges the digital gap in our school system, as students have stopped reading in darkness.”

The benefits of commercial-scale solar energy extend far beyond the revenue you’ll generate each month. Solar benefits the world economically, environmentally and socially.

Coscharis Technologies wins APC awards again

By Maxmilian Anosike

C

oscharis Technologies recently received an award for its outstanding performance in West Africa from APC technologies at the APC’s Middle East and Africa, MEA conference which held in Budapest, Hugary.

The award, according to APC, is in recognition of Coscharis Technologies for the innovation brought into the business of distribution, outstanding sales record and maintenance of the global standard of handling the APC brand in the Nigerian market.

Commenting on the award, the excited Managing Director of Coscharis Technologies, Mr. Sunday Emomine dedicated the award to the company’s ever loyal customers for their patronage and acceptance of the brand with a promise to continually create more value in the Information Technology industry in Nigeria.

He said that ‘’ this award is dedicated to Almighty God and our numerous customers who believe in our relationship with them and supported us to actualize our vision of creating value that is timeless. This award will definitely gear us up as a team to further delight our esteemed customers and the new prospects to equally come and share in the experience of value creation at all times’’.

Coscharis Technology is a subsidiary of Coscharis Group, a wholly owned Nigerian Conglomerate that has reputation for representing various iconic brands that cuts across various business sectors which impacts positively in the economy of the nation.

28—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

political zones. The outcome of the project is the widespread availability of broadband internet services such as internet browsing, email, VoIP and Electronic Testing Services.

CBN, NIBSS lead banks to 2015 card expo in Lagos

By Laju Iren

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN and financial institution partner, the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, NIBSS, would lead array of banks who have indicated interest to this year’s d CardExpo in Lagos.

Organisers of the annual CBN CardExpo Africa, Intermarc Consulting Limited said the 15th edition of the card conference and exhibition, has special focus on Card, Mobile, Identification and payment.

The event which is slated for 23rd to 25th of June,is with the theme: ‘Innovation: The Future of ePayment.

Meanwhile, Diamond Bank has been announced as the event’s Platinum sponsor, while Heritage Bank is Gold sponsor. CBN and NIBSS are partners.

Announcing the conference, General Manager, Intermarc Consulting, Lilian Ekwedike, said the conference aims to promote and deepen the adoption and usage of electronic payment in Africa. she said “the focus of the event for this year, would be on how new and innovative technologies can meet the payment transaction needs of new markets and the unbanked. The conference and exhibition will also focus on new users as well as the service delivery strategy that will deliver the future of e-payment,” .

Explaining the introduction of innovations for the 2015 CardExpo,

Ekwedike said Intermarc had introduced the CBN Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme (EPIS) awards, where bank customers that frequently use their cards on Point of Sales (PoS) machines from merchants and sales person, will be rewarded.

She said other sectors of the industry that promote and encourage the use of card on PoS, will also be rewarded.

“We have also put together demo sessions for pitches by young developers who will have the opportunity to present their brilliant payment technologies and innovation solutions, where the best four solution will win a price of N250, 000, which is being sponsored by Diamond Bank and MasterCard,” Ekwedike said.

She said there would be specific forum for all exhibitors and sponsors to introduce and showcase the

products and services to the general public, and that speakers would be drawn from the financial sector and other key industry sectors, to discuss the future and benefit of e-payment in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Head, Cards, Diamond Bank, Mr. Joachin Iloemezue, explained that banks are associated with the annual card conference and exhibition, because of their roles in driving the cashless initiative of the CBN. Head, Corporate Communications at NIBSS, Lilian Phido, said NIBSS would continue to support the process of cashless economy and ensure that cashless transactions remain safe and secured.

How rural service provision makes NCC Africa’s best regulator Continues from page 25 commercially viable, has through the Universal Service Provision Fund, USPF, taken services to unserved and underserved areas of Nigeria.

USPF is an arm of the commission established by the Federal Government in 2006 to bridge the digital divide.

Its primary objective is to achieve the national policy for the provision of universal access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) goals. USPF rides on the crest of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) of 2003.

The USPF board supervises and provides broad policy directions for the fund management with a vision provide equitable ICT access for all.

Explaining some of the functions of the Fund, its Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Maikano told Hi-Tech that USPF has two programmes, connectivity and access programmes, through which it drives development.

Both programmes, according to him, are complementary in nature and are calculated to facilitate universal access.

Further findings, shows that the USPF in discharging its mandate, released a cluster map of ICT deficiency areas in the country which guides it in providing universal access.

Connecting the unconnected Network (BTRAIN) Project According to Maikano, the The BTRAIN Project was conceived by the connectivity programme is Fund to facilitate the connection of rural and meant to facilitate rapid semi urban areas to the national transmission development of ICT backbone infrastructure. The project is to infrastructure in areas where address the dearth and inadequacies of fibre services are deemed not optic backbone networks and transmission commercially viable. “Through links in rural Nigeria, which adversely affects subsidies, USPF collaborates with network performance, quality of service, service providers to take services expansion of ICT access and service delivery. to these areas” he added.

The project will help connect the surrounding Some of the Connectivity communities and areas which have been programmed include Base classified and adjudged to be economically Transceiver Stations (BTS) to unviable with the aid of smart subsidies given facilitate wireless network to industry operators. About 3500km of Optic coverage expansion to Fibre Cable (OFC) is the rural, unserved currently being deployed and underserved across the country. The areas and Another of the expected outcome is to communities across provide a platform for USPF the country. increased access to Maikano explained broadband and other ICT programme that “Under this related services. which NCC project, the USPF provides incentives Rural Broadband uses to deepen through subsidies to Infrastructure (RuBI) Project acceleration industry operators to Another programme of the deploy the BTS USPF which NCC uses to includes the Infrastructure and deepen acceleration includes Rural associated equipment the Rural Broadband Initiative that will provide (RuBI) project. It is designed Broadband access to voice to facilitate wireless telephony and data Initiative broadband network rollout in services. This is semi urban areas and (RuBI) project rural, important, since most towns by extending broadband of the time, internet access that will enable deployment of end users have access to the telephone and other ICT services internet at broadband speed. The project will by operators are often also provide an efficient bandwidth distribution concentrated in the urban areas network that will serve as a platform for for economic reasons” extension and distribution of broadband He claimed that So far, 250 BTS internet access in the rural areas at both have been deployed across wholesale and retail and at the same time serve different communities which as a catalyst for the uptake of other technologies provides access to about 10 centred around the internet e.g. e-library, emillion people. health, e-government etc.

The commission said it has so far completed Backbone Transmission eleven pilot RuBI sites across the six geo-

Clusters of ICT/Telephony Gaps in Nigeria Project In 2013, the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) initiated a project to establish telephony and transport network gaps in Nigeria. The objective of the project is to identify and establish clusters of voice telephony and transport network gaps in the country. The result of the project would assist the USPF in designing projects and strategies to help cover the gaps in order to ensure that nobody remain unconnected in the 21st century Nigeria.

In all a total of 207 clusters were established.

Each cluster has been defined and its basic characteristics such as major towns, occupation, institutions, vegetation type among others, were identified. The estimated population of people living in these clusters is about 36.8 million.

Access Programme This programme comprises grants-based projects that are implemented through the provision of direct access to ICT services by end users. This is where e-library and school knowledge centre projects are grouped.

E-Library Project The E-Library project is a platform for online portal that facilitates access to library materials on wide range of subjects and provides access to educational database among public libraries in Nigeria. The project will stimulate local capacity development in the ICT industry by encouraging innovation amongst users to develop Nigerian version of the various educational platforms in future and also add value to the use of ICT. Users will have unlimited access to wealth of knowledge, educational materials and developmental issues on a wide range of subjects globally.

Each beneficiary of the e-library received 50 desktop computers, 2 server systems with 10KVA UPS, 2 printers, computer desks and chairs, 2 air conditioners, library software, 2 scanners, a 60 KVA generator and, VSAT equipment with one year bandwidth subscription.

NCC also said that at present, it has about 74 libraries which approximates 2 digital libraries in each of the 36 states and FCT. Meanwhile it also provided a data centre to integrate all the access point and host a central database for all e-contents like books, journals, vocational materials and magazines from all the benefitting e-libraries.

Schools Knowledge Centers (SKC) Project The SKC formerly known as the School Access Project (SAP) is an e-learning initiative of the USPF targeted at Junior and Senior Public Secondary Schools in Nigeria. This is one of the flagship of USPF projects. In the past, the project was designed as a one size fit all; that is all beneficiaries irrespective of location or needs are provided with 100 Class Mate PCs, 2 laptops for teachers and Solar Power System to power the facilities and Internet connectivity to facilitate e-learning in schools.

A total of 1,334 schools are said to have benefited from the project making NCC to pride itself as the only agency with the largest number of ICT project interventions in Nigerian public secondary schools Sustainability challenge Despite the development potentials of these projects, industry practitioners are afraid that the challenge the commission would have is that of sustainability. Telecom engineer and public analyst, Engr Paul Mordi, said that “the usual problem developing countries have with technology development is that of sustenance.

“Nigeria has been lucky that the administrations of both Obasanjo and that of Goodluck Jonathan had given the NCC tremendous support and freedom to engineer technology development. If that culture of continuity is maintained, the country has high rate of growth potentials. Nothing kills the ICT industry faster, anywhere in the world, than allowing politics, pecuniary interests and ethnic considerations to form bedrock of decisions and policies of technology growth”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—29 —29

30—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

On the falsification of Nigerian history: A response to Prof Kayode Oyediran and Adetowo Aderemi

By Obi Nwakanma

M

Y attention was drawn just recently to a response to aspects of my Orbit column published in Sunday Vanguard. The said response was co-authored by Professor Kayode Oyediran, Political scientist and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, and Mr. Adetowo Aderemi, publisher of Nigeria: A complete fact finder in which they counselled against the falsification of Nigeria’s history, and offered a thoughtful, even if quite subjective and literalist reading of this history.

Two things seem very central to their umbrage: the necessity, as they insist, first, on giving the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan “his due,” given the historical significance of his concession to power and second, the attempt to place in some context political developments in which Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the leader of Nigeria’s anticolonial nationalist movement, played.

In their rather surprising conclusion, the two authors of this reaction wrote: “Dr. Azikiwe never conceded electoral victory to anyone at any time. On the contrary, despite incontrovertible documentary evidence, persistent lies have continued to be peddled about the 1951 elections in Western Nigeria which the NCNC lost to the AG.” First, I salute both gentlemen for their insistence on the sanctity on Nigerian history, and secondly, for keeping the debate alive in this disappearing field of discourse. I should also reassure them that I have no intention of falsifying Nigeria’s political history, and I had tried my best in the essay to which they responded, to give Dr. Jonathan his due. I did not, and I still do not, underestimate the significance of his gesture of concession.

Indeed, in my essay I conceded to the urgency of Jonathan’s political act very pointedly. Professor Oyediran and Adetowo Aderemi surprisingly, however, omitted, and it would seem to me quite deliberately, the thrust of my statement.

What I wrote This is exactly what I wrote: “President Jonathan’s concession of power, and his invitation of his opponent to power redeems him totally.

There are those who suggest C M Y K

Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. that Jonathan was a colourless president; but that single act gives him timeless colour, because it adds a new dimension to the evolution of public governance and the democratic tradition in Nigeria.

"But the greatest of the implication of the presidential election in Nigeria is that once again, this country confounds Naijaskeptics, who had built and harped on all kinds of apocalyptic, end of history scenarios for Nigeria with this election. But apparently, Nigeria is not disintegrating just yet, and is not bathing itself in blood from this election.” Again, let me emphasize my signature behind this foregoing sentiment.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Participants and witnesses on the floor of the House in 1951 were always unambiguous about the events of that day. Nonetheless, the fact of Nigerian history is that allied with their pro-British interests and mentors in 1951, the AG forced the Nationalist party into opposition in the Western House, and in doing that changed the course of Nigeria’s national history and the trajectory of the anticolonial nationalist movement.

The Action Group, steeped in its reactionary and revanchist politics, did achieve its goal most certainly of regionalizing power, and creating political silos, which finally subdued the momentum of the nationalist

project, weakened the nationalist party, and helped the British colonial powers to manipulate and contain the progressive forces and political development in Nigeria.

Backing dissident NCNC members, the AG also prevented Azikiwe from being nominated from the Western House to the centre, where the nationalists had planned a show-down on the Macpherson constitution.

Nevertheless, Dr. Azikiwe remained in the West as leader of opposition, until the NCNC crisis, which forced the party, in the light of the defiance of Eyo Ita, Eni Njoku, Alfred C. Nwapa, and Okoi Arikpo, to resign from the central legislature against party directives, to draft Azikiwe from his western base eastwards to lead the party in 1953.

At every phase of that anticolonial struggle, the nationalist party’s objective, led

by Dr. Azikiwe, was always to preserve the nation towards political independence, and to resolve these questions in the full course of nationbuilding

Ploy to isolate and confine nationalist party

1951 ‘carpet crossing’ But let me also quickly address the other issue that these gentlemen raised in their conclusion: first, the 1951 “carpet crossing” incident in the Western House is a fairly settled truth of Nigerian history. Too many authorities and witnesses of Nigeria’s evolving political history have rendered that account and situated the moves inside the Western House in 1951 orchestrated by Chief Awolowo and the Action Group to “steal” the leadership of the West from Dr. Azikiwe and his party, the NCNC. The “Dawodian” version of that event circulated after the facts in the 1990s by a former AG junior party apparatchik, Ganiyu Dawodu, on which later day revisionist historians continue to model and synthesize their narrative has also been frequently contradicted, most of all by its inner illogic.

At this time, the Action Group was still in alliance with the NPC. The details of the AG/NPC pact later published

by Awolowo sometime between March and April 1953, detailed a ploy to subvert the nationalist party, work with the Northern regional party to control the central government and determine the course of Nigeria’s future. This ploy to strategically isolate and confine the nationalist party was at the core of the political programme of the colonial powers working through the Action Group in the South.

This ploy was indeed rightly considered a threat to the formation of a coherent postcolonial state by the NCNC as a party and Dr.

Azikiwe as its leader.

However, by 1953, following political pressure exerted on the government of the Action Group by the NCNC opposition in the West, the AG began to moderate and revise some of its pro-British policies in favour of more visibly nationalist action in consonance with the nationalist agitation.

The most critical of these revisions, the result of NCNC’s persistent opposition was the programme of Nigerianizing the services, which led to the emerging break between the AG and the British interests, leading to the first AG defiance against Sir Macpherson (see the AG policy of “non-fraternization with Sir John Macpherson” in the period). The context of this was apparently a populist measure to forestall increasing public support for the NCNC in the West, the culmination of which led to its resounding victory over the Action Group in the 1954/55 Federal elections in the West. I will return to this shortly. But in the main, by 1953 the AG had joined the NCNC, and following a motion raised by Anthony Enahoro, had demanded for independence by 1956 to the chagrin of their Northern partners, the NPC. Let me note here that at every phase of that anticolonial struggle, the nationalist party’s objective, led by Dr. Azikiwe, was always to preserve the nation towards political independence, and to resolve these questions in the full course of nation-building.

That is the fact of Nigerian history. At various moments in that period, however, both the Action Group and the Northern Peoples Congress, none of which was frankly fully invested in the sanctity of a pan-Nigerian nationalist project, threatened secession from the union. It always took Azikiwe and the nationalist party to force concessions that preserved the nation.

NPC threatened to secede from Nigeria For example in 1953, the NPC threatened to secede from Nigeria following disagreements with the Southern parties over the timeline for independence.

The fallout of the disagreement was the Kano riots of 1953, which the British authorities tried to paint as arising from irreconcilable ethnic tensions and difference. That event led Dr. Azikiwe to declare, at a meeting of the NCNC in Yaba on May 12, 1953: “I am obliged to issue a solemn warning to those who are goading the North towards

To be continued

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—31 —31

32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Rangers’

NPFL goes on break again

form drives fans away – Gk Daniel

T

he Glo Premier League will proceed on a break after the conclusion of match day 10 matches today.

This is the second time the league will go on a break after the first break was observed due to the general elections.

As a result, all Week 11 matches earlier slated for Sunday, May 24 will be rescheduled.

“Teams will proceed on break due to the inauguration of the new government in the country and it will afford the League Management Company a chance to enforce minimum requirements for registration,” said a source close to the LMC. The LMC will formally inform clubs about the new development today and announce a date for the resumption of action.

Sunshine Stars lead the 20-team log as teams prepare for Wednesday’s match day 10 matches.

The newly promoted duo of Gabros International and Wikki Tourists are also on 17 points but Sunshine lead with superior goals aggregate of plus six.

BY SOLOMON NWOKE

E

mmanuel Daniel Rangers International of Enugu and Dream Team V1 Goalkeeper spoke with Sports Vanguard on his expectations in the All Africa Games slated for September 4 - 19, 2015 and the Olympic team, boasting that the Dream Team VI would come from Congo Brazzaville victorious. Daniel passed a vote of confidence on both his club coach, Kelechi Emetole and Dream Team coach, Samson Siasia.

Excerpts: As the number one goalkeeper of Rangers, can you assess the performance of the club since the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)?

We thank God for today that we got a win over our arch rivals, Heartland FC of Owerri. Rangers have been struggling to find their feet since the league started.

Again, thank God for today’s victory, it’s going to spur us to forge ahead and get back to our winning ways.

What will you say is the cause of the team’s poor run since the league started?

Sometimes it’s like that, especially at the beginning of a league season in which case some players leave while others join the team. For instance in our attacking line of last season, we lost many of our players to other clubs, so blending with their replacements was not automatic for us to start performing very well. But I know that with time everything with be alright with us.

One goal against Heartland after eight weeks the league started, what does it mean to you?

It means a lot for us, though, the lone goal does not matter much to us, but the three points. The three points that we got today will not only be a moral booster for us, but will help to push us up on the league log.

Beating Heartland was a big thing for

us because if we had lost the match it would have dampened our morale, but with the victory we can forge ahead and look forward to the next match. The important thing is that we got a win.

•Daniel

How would you describe Heartland’s performance in that game?

I am in my third season with Rangers and normally whenever we play against Heartland it’s always tough.

Last two seasons we beat them 3-1, but then, it has always been very tough games. They came with all their strength to beat us at home. We beat them again and I thank God for that.

What encouragement is the team getting from management?

For me, they are trying their best. Most times, it’s the problem of finance and you know that the elections just went by, so it was not that easy getting funds as all attention was on the election and it’s the same with every other club in the local league. Above all, they’re doing their best.

I observed during your match against Heartland that the terraces at the stadium were virtually empty what do you think is responsible for all that?

Usually, when the home team is not doing well in the league, the spectators turn their back to the stadium nursing the feelings that it will be a waste of time and money going to the stadium to watch a football match since

•Howard

3SC fans call for Howard’s sack

T

their team will disappoint them by not playing well and winning matches. For instance, here, Rangers have been having bad runs since the league started, but I tell you check out in the next home match, the fans will start returning to the stadium since we have started winning again by beating Heartland.

And if Rangers go outside and do well that again will attract more fans to the stadium because they will be expecting more. But I think it’s because of our poor run, yet they tried today because they even came out to cheer their home team.

What is your assessment of

your coach, Kelechi Emetole?

He is a great coach, even though this is my first time working with him, he has a lot to offer. Notwithstanding that I have not been stable with the team due to national assignments with the National U- 23 team, he’s a good coach. It is not up to three weeks that I came back from the national team to join my club. I have played under many coaches and each one has his modus operandi, but in the case of Coach Emetole, he is so passionate with his job and wants us the players to know why he wants us to do something in a particular way and doing it well too.

he teeming fans of 3SC vented their anger on the chief coach of the club, Franklin Howard following the team’s home draw to their arch-rival, Rangers International FC in a Nigeria Premier Football League match played on Sunday at Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Ibadan.

The Oluyole Warriors only managed to secure a 1-1 draw through a penalty at the 44th minute by Tope Orelope to level a goal scored in the 30th minute by the Flying Antelopes in a match watched by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) boss, Amaju Pinnick.

The irate fans who believes that Coach Franklin Howard does not possess the wherewithal to succeed as the technical head of a traditional club-side like Shooting Stars descended on the coach after the game, but was lucky to be rescued by the security operatives.

Howard while speaking with newsmen immediately after the game pleaded with the teeming supporters of the team to give the team a little time to solidify, attributing the home draw to an ‘off-day’ his top striker, Ajayi Junior had on the day.

VOL. 1 NO 33

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

•Architectural design of Second Niger Bridge

Completion of Second Niger Bridge’ll alleviate travellers’ sufferings —Drivers

BY CHIMAOBI NWAIWU

N

NEWI-The South East and South-South Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria, has asked the Federal Government to ensure the completion of the Second Niger Bridge to alleviate the sufferings of travellers who spend long hours trying to cross the old bridge to other parts of the country.

President of the association, Chief Nnamdi Okafor who made the call in an interview with South East Voice said, “the congestion on the old bridge on daily basis is frustrating. We really need another Niger Bridge. You can see that the old one is becoming weak with time and there had not been constant repairs or reinforcement. But having a Second Niger Bridge does not mean we will abandon the old one. ‘’We still need the old one to prolong the life of the new one that is ongoing. We thank C M Y K

President Jonathan for the bold steps he took by starting that project that successive governments were afraid to start.“

Insurance cover for drivers

On the programmes of his association, however, Okafor said that his administration was working to change the wrong perception of drivers by some people as a bunch of never-dowells or school drop-outs in the

We thank President Jonathan for the bold steps he took by starting that project that successive governments were afraid to start

society.

Speaking with South East Voice, Okafor said that he had already started discussions with insurance companies to enable drivers take up insurance policies.

“My administration is touched by the plight of some drivers who have nothing to fall back on when they are involved in one misfortune or the other or as a result of old age when they can no longer take care of their families due to lack of planning from the beginning.

Chief Okafor, who is also the Chairman of Anambra State branch of Drivers Welfare Association, said, “by the time we conclude with the insurance companies, we will have the drivers engaged in welfare policies that will ensure they save money that will not cut into their daily expenses, for their future use and welfare of their families.”

He regretted that Nigerian government has no driver’s welfare scheme, like what

obtains in other countries, adding that the insurance welfare scheme would guarantee good life for them after retirement, or as a result of ill-health or old age.

“We are discussing with some insurance companies on the best scheme that will be affordable by our drivers, which will equally ensure quality living for us and our families.

You can see that all the professional associations in the world take care of their members.

“From Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ; to Nigerian Medical Association, NMA; Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN; Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, among others; they all care for their members.

“The drivers will not be different. Days are gone when people see driving as a business for loafers. We must change that perception. We are responsible people and we are showing it in all we do in and outside the state,” he said.

ALSO IN THIS EDITION

Chukwuma Azikiwe’s death puts pressure on FG to complete Zik’s PAGE 3 mausoleum

Youths protest over mysterious deaths in PAGE 5 Imo

Mineral resource tears Abia community apart PAGE 7

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Chukwuma Azikiwe’s death puts pressure on FG to complete Zik’s mausoleum

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

T

HE death of Chief Chukwuma Bamidele Azikiwe, the first son of the first president of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, is likely to put pressure on the Federal Government to complete the abandoned Zik’s mausoleum at the late Owelle’s Inosi Onira residence in Onitsha.

The mausoleum project was started by the Federal Government over 20 years ago and it is still below 60 per cent completion.

Over time, the mausoleum, which has been experiencing several hiccups since the contract was first awarded, is yet to be roofed.

The contract was first awarded to Messrs Lemmy Akakem in 1998 at a cost of N350 million, but was later abandoned due to lack of funds.

It was later reviewed upwards to N1.49 billion and awarded to Bouygues Construction Nigeria Limited in 2003 by the late General Sani Abacha administration. The present

By FRANCIS IGATA

E

NUGU—The Enugu Diocese of the Methodist Church Nigeria, has appealed to the state government to hand over the running of all missionary schools to their owners in a bid to ensure the schools were run in line with the set objectives.

The Archbishop of the diocese Rev. Christopher Nweke Ede made the appeal at the Wesley Cathedral of the church during the flag-off of events marking its 40th anniversary. The theme of the anniversary is, 'This Jericho wall must fall down."

contract sum could not be ascertained.

Though work progressed for some months after it was awarded to Bouygues, it was again abandoned following non-payment of work done by the contractors.

The contract award to Bouygues was the fourth time the Federal Government awarded it and it was thought the project would be completed without further hitch.

Even the late Chukwuma

A visit to the Inosi Onira showed that few workers of the construction company were just idling away due to nonpayment for certificate already generated, which is about N250 million.

•Chukwuma Azikiwe’s residence Azikiwe, at the time Bouygues signed the contract with government, expressed worry over what he described as the politicization of his late father’s mausoleum and pleaded with

government not to delay it any further.

However, that was not to be as the project was again abandoned, indicating that Chukwuma Azikiwe’s plea was

Methodist Church appeals for complete hools hand-o hand-ovver of missionar missionaryy sc schools *As church marks 40th anniversary Appeal

Nweke Ede told South East Voice that although the government had handed over the schools to their owners, it had not completely divested itself from their management as government was still responsible for staffing, payment of salaries, among others.

Rev. Christopher Nweke Ede (middle), addressing newsmen C M Y K

•Collapsing mansion of late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe

He said: ”We are appealing to the Enugu State government to gazette the Methodist Church owned-schools’ handover as was done in the case of the Catholic Church before Governor Sullivan Chime’s

Although the government had handed over the schools to their owners, it had not completely divested itself from their management as government was still responsible for staffing, payment of salaries, among others.

administration expires.

“We intermittently embark on the rehabilitation of the school structures, move to instil overall discipline in the pupils. Our efforts have also been geared towards reducing unemployment among our youths in the church.

“This, we have tackled through generation of a data bank of the unemployed. We source for jobs for them through our contacts and create small loans and grants to enable them start off Small Medium Enterprises, SMEs.”

40th anniversary

The cleric revealed that the church would embark on a 40day of prayer and fasting even as he added that free medical out-reach and crusade would feature as some of the anniversary activities.

in vain. With his death, he would no longer see a completed Zik’s mausoleum.

A visit to the Inosi Onira showed that few workers of the construction company were just idling away due to nonpayment for certificate already generated, which is about N250 million.

According to a member of staff of the construction company, work stopped since April, 2014, at a time material had been assembled for the roofing of the mausoleum and the conference centre situated beside it.

He said that officials of the Federal Ministry of Housing visit the compound occasionally, adding that the hopes of the workers were usually raised during such visits, but regretted that nothing positive had come out of the visits.

The entire Inosi Onira compound facing the famous Borommew Round-about is looking unkempt, with almost all the buildings dilapidating and the compound littered with construction materials.

A member of the Azikiwe family told South East Voice that it would be a shameful thing for the late Chukwuma Azikiwe’s burial ceremony to take place in such a dishonourable environment, pleading with the Federal Government to complete the project before the burial ceremony.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 3

Land appreciation turning Anambra communities into battle zones

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

W KA — M A N Y neighbouring communities in Anambra State have been turned into battle zones as a result of fast appreciation of land in most parts of the state. The problem became more pronounced since most communities in the state were blessed with good motorable roads, a development that is gradually turning the state into a one compact urban area.

For instance, many communities whose lands were hitherto used for farming activities have suddenly realized that such lands could become money spinners if plotted and sold out to property developers.

Some communities where boundary with neighbours had become an issue include Onitsha-Nkwelle Ezunaka, Nkpor-Nkwelle Ezunaka, Awka-Utoko, Onitsha –Obosi, Nteje-Umunya/Nkwelle, among others.

The battle over land sometime leads to loss of lives, yet the people have continued to fight for it. Many courts in the state are also awash with land matters, some of which had lasted for decades.

Mr. S.O.Chukwukelu, a lawyer who is handling the land case for Akuzor village, Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area against Oze in Oyi Local Government Area blamed the increasing land cases to land speculators, who entice border communities with irresistible amount of money, thereby making them to start claiming land that did not belong to them.

In the case of Nkpor – Oze land dispute, Chukwukelu fingered an Onitsha –based transporter who went into Nkpor land by pretending that he was going to build an industry, only to be selling the same land to private developers after plotting them.

Narrating his experience at Nkpor, the legal practitioner said: “Akuzor is a village in Nkpor town within Idemili North Local Government Area whose boundary from the north extends across Nkisi River to its border with Oze village in Nkwelle Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area. The boundary between Akuzor and Oze has never been in dispute from time immemorial until the recent past when land grabbers and speculators from Oze came into the scene and started distorting the ancient and long maintained boundary between the two communities as evidenced in the Idemili Local Government map of December, 1976.

“The handiwork of these land speculators clearly manifested C M Y K

when the people of Akuzor tried to survey, partition and share their vast area of land across Nkisi River. They discovered to their amazement that land speculators had sponsored armed thugs who attacked the people of Akuzor and also claimed to be the owners of the land.

“These speculators started claiming that the boundary between Akuzor and Oze was the Nkisi River which is not true. Since then, there been claims and counter claims which made the state commissioner of police to invite the two communities to a meeting in January 2014.”

South East Voice recalls that at that meeting, the CP ordered the people of Akuzor to withdraw from further plotting and partitioning of their land until they brought any written document from the state government countering the claim of Oze people, which they did.

Similarly, land dispute has been a frequent occurrence in Awka, Anambra State.

Severally, youths of the community and some community leaders had accused some of their elders of conniving with government officials to sell the lands to private developers after claiming that government had acquired such lands from the owners.

Despite several court judgments on the matter, the issue is still lingering.

The latest of such allegation was that the state Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Lawrence Chinwuba had allegedly sold over 70 hectares of their land and was developing them as a private property.

Chairman of the 20 villages that make up Ezinano Awka, Obi Ochije, protested the development and moved round the streets in Awka to drive home their point. According to him, the commissioner had the penchant for causing confusion in the town, using government apparatus as a ploy to deny the people their inherited land.

The youths chanted war songs and displayed placards, which read, “ Chinwuba leave Awka land alone,” “Chinwuba is a cancer in Obiano’s administration,” among others.

According to the community’s allegation, the commissioner had confiscated about 70 plots of Awka land and had developed about 15 of them and refused to pay compensation to

the rightful owners.

They recalled their several petitions on the issue, saying that though they were aware that government owned every land, the alleged forceful acquisition of land by individuals, especially government officials, had negated the understanding they had with government at the creation of new Anambra State in 1991.

Their spokesman, Ochije, also warned a private developer, Rockland Investment Company not to step into any land in Awka any longer, otherwise it should be prepared to face the full power of the people.

Elsewhere, the people of Utoko are up in arms with a businessman and politician in Awka, who they claimed had confiscated their land and turned them into commercial farm without paying the necessary compensation.

Despite several court judgments on the matter, the issue is still lingering.

•The protesters at the secretariat in Awka

When nature’s fury visited Owerri

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—Property worth millions of Naira have been destroyed by rainstorm which ravaged Uzii Layout Primary School and Dan Anyiam Stadium and as well as the Grasshoppers International Handball Complex, Owerri, the Imo State capital.

The rainstorm also blew off several roof tops of houses of private individuals as well as varying sizes of billboards and cash crops.

South East Voice investigation revealed that apart from the students of Rochas Foundation College, Owerri, who were representing the state in the Nestlé/Milo Secondary School Basketball Championships, there were other people training at the time the violent rainstorm began

Rainstorm ravaged Uzii Layout Primary School and Dan Anyiam Stadium and as well as the Grasshoppers International Handball Complex, Owerri. It also blew off several roof tops of houses of private individuals.

•Gov Rochas Okorocha

at the Grasshoppers International Handball Complex, but scampered into nearby shelters.

A concerned female member of staff of Imo State Sports Council, who spoke on condition of anonymity, recalled with that the stadium complex had been in bad shape in the past four years.

“I am not surprised that the violent storm wreaked havoc in the stadium. The complex had been in very bad shape in the past three or four years and government never thought it wise to effect repairs on the dilapidated structures. I thank God that no life was lost,” the lady said.

In the case of Uzii Layout Primary School, the pre-fabricated building erected by the Rochas Okorocha administration suffered extensive damage, but no casualty was recorded there as the teachers and pupils had closed for the day before the rain started.

State governor, Rochas Okorocha had once said that the pre-cast structures would last for 100 years before any form of rehabilitation would be effected.

4—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Nigerian politicians don’t value education – Prof Nwafor

•Calls for setting up of Education Bank

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA- A LECTURER at University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Professor Oby Nwafor is not happy with Nigerian politicians, whom, she accused of not understanding the value of education, going by their policies in the sector.

Nwafor, who is the consultant to ONIT Institute of Technology and ONIT College of Education, both in Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, at the 5th joint matriculation ceremony of the institutions, wondered why the Nigerian leaders have not thought it wise to establish Education Bank, specifically for adequate funding of education in the country.

ONIT is a private institution which has been approved by professional bodies to offer courses leading to the Nigeria

Certificate of Education, NCE, as well as National Diploma, ND, and Higher National Diploma, HND. Delivering a keynote address at the ceremony in which 165 students took their matriculation oath, the university don observed that what gives people power is the knowledge they acquire and not the party slogans, which the politicians appear to be giving the centre stage.

She said: “What gives one power is knowledge and the only key to knowledge is

What gives one power is knowledge and the only key to knowledge is education. With education, the sky is everybody’s limit

•Students of ONIT Colleges of Technology and Education, during their matriculation education. With education, the sky is everybody’s limit, but unfortunately, our policy makers do not understand the importance of education.

“Today, Nigerians travel to India for medical treatment, we do not have adequate power supply because we cannot generate electricity, education standard is suspect because the teachers are not properly trained and so, cannot impart the right knowledge.

“However, those of us who understand the importance of

Nnewi Catholic Diocese agog as Bishop Okeke honours 28 papal knights, medalists

education will continue to do our best. That is why I decided not to end my career at Nsukka, but to help educate more people in this part of the country.

“I plead with our politicians to help us in the education sector and assist us in changing the minds of some people who believe that they would have become educated if they are able to purchase certificates.

“Adequate funding is what can enhance quality of education and if we can have Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry, Mortgage Bank, I do not see the reason we cannot have Education Bank.”

According to Nwafor, ONIT was established to promote the development of human resources, promote relevant research and activities focused on application of knowledge for the benefit of man.

Its mission includes training students in technical, vocational and professional courses in such a way that the trainees will be able to relate to problems in the Nigerian environment and apply their acquired knowledge in relevant areas of life.

Its other mission is to inculcate in the students the habit of rendering selfless services to others and for the common good of the society.

Govt begins upgrading of dilapidated Enugwu-Ukwu General Hospital to Specialist standard … Anambra community stands still for Deputy Gov

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

O

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

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NITSHA - No fewer that 28 Catholic faithful, were honoured with various medals by Pope Francis for their commitment to church activities.

Those honoured with medals for Chaplains of His Holiness, Knights of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, Knights of the Order of St. Sylvester, as well as the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice and Benemerenti medals.

Four of the recipients were Monsignors Michael Onyekachukwu, Christopher Ejizu, Pius Ilechukwu and Patrick Ezeobata, who were honoured with Chaplains of His Holiness medals, while five others, including Dr. Obinna Uzoh, one-time governorship C M Y K

aspirant in Anambra State; Mr. Nicholas Okonkwo, Gilbert Ajulu Uzodike and his wife, Angelina, received Knights of the Order of St Gregory the Great medals. Prof. Amobi Ilika, former Commissioner for Health in Anambra State, also received Knights of the Order of St. Gregory the Great medal.

Furthermore, four other persons who were honoured as Knights of the Order of St. Sylvester were Mr. Betrand Ezeani, Mrs. Margaret Ezeani, Mr. Cajetan Onyilimba and Mr. Innocent Anaedo, while Rev. Mother Amaka Osegbo MSDM, Rev. Sister Mary Mozie IHM, and Rev. Sister Loretto Okoli DDL, were honoured with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medals.

Twelve persons, including Mrs. Veronica Ilika, Mary Chinwe Nnbauife and Patricia Atueyi were honoured with the

Benemerenti medals.

Investing the recipients with their various awards, the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Hilary Odili Okeke urged them to remain an ambassador of peace, now that the Catholic Pontiff has graciously conferred them with the Papal honours.

Okeke then asked each of them to write an acknowledgement letter to the Pope for recognising them, adding that the letter should be given to him for onward transmission to the Pope through the Papal Nuncio in Nigeria (Pope’s representative), Archbishop Augustine Kasujja.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Ilika said that the honour would spur him to do more charity work while seeking the kingdom of God.

NITSHA – There was a tumultuous jubilation at the newly completed multi-million Naira Obu Umunri Amphitheater in EnugwuUkwu, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, during a reception organised for the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem okeke.

The civic reception was organized by the Enugwu•Dr. Nkem Okeke Ukwu Community Development Union, ECDU The jubilation sarted as Governor Willie Obiano announced the state government’s readiness to commence the upgrading of the dilapidated Enugwu-Ukwu General Hospital to a specialist hospital.

The jubilation continued as Obiano equally revealed his administration’s determination to award a contract for the construction of a road linking Nkwo Market, Enugwu-Ukwu and Awka/Onitsha end of Enugu/Onitsha expressway, as well as asphalting of the Obu Umunri premises.

Obiano, who spoke while commissioning the Obu Umunri, later said Enugwu-Ukwu and Onitsha general hospitals were among the three hospitals in the state selected by his administration for upgrading to specialist hospitals.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 5

Youths protest over mysterious deaths in Imo

By CHINONSO ALOZIE

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WERRI——Youths from Umuezeala Ije, Ochii Ogwa Community, Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State have protested against a dead woman who they alleged was responsible for the untimely death of youngsters in the area.

The youths said that the ghost of late Mrs. Latricha Mbataku Ononuju whose body had been at a hospital mortuary in Owerri, the state capital for over 10 years was responsible for the untimely death of some of them in the area.

The youths spoke in an interview with South East Voice while protesting at the Imo State police headquarters, Owerri.

The leader of the youths, Ernest Nnanna said that they were at the police headquarters to demand for the release of some of them who were detained in connection with the

issue as well as to urge the police to assist them hasten the funeral/burial ceremonies of late Madam Ononuju to save more people from perishing in their village.

Some of the placards carried by the youths read: “Police we need your intervention; "26 lives lost because of witchcraft operation," "Ononuju must be buried to stop ritual killings," "Stop the witchcraft," "Stop ritual deaths now," "Bury this woman for families to have peace and progress.”

Nnanna alleged that some relations of late Ononuju, had always treated the matter with levity whenever it was to be discussed in the community, adding that no fewer than 26 of them (youths) had died as a result of the spiritual attacks by the deceased, whose ghost had been hovering around.

The youths further told South East Voice that the late woman had severally appeared in their dreams to issue warnings to the villagers that she (Latricha)

wanted her remains to be buried in order to have rest, adding that failure to do so would lead to more ugly things happening in the village.

He also mentioned some

The late woman had severally appeared in their dreams to issue warnings to the villagers that she (Latricha) wanted her remains to be buried, adding that failure to do so would lead to more ugly things happening in the village.

names of some people who allegedly died as a result of the unfortunate development as Mrs. Maria Nnanna, Mrs. Cetrin Ononuju, Mr. Lurcy Ononuju, Miss Adaze Nnanna, Mr. Emeka Ononuju,Mr. Chinaedu Ononuju, Mr. Okechukwu Ononuju, among others.

Responding to the youths, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Andrew Enwerem, said that the issue was purely a traditional matter, adding however, the state Commissioner of Police, Austin Evbakhavbokun, who was unhappy over the sad development, had directed the elders of the affected village to commence the processes for the burial ceremony to ensure peace in the area.

•Protesting youths over mysterious deaths of young people in their village, allegedly owing to delay in the burial of a woman, who died over 10 years ago.

NIMC offices now in Enugu 17LGAs for easy issuance of national ID cards E

NUGU—The National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, in Enugu State is to establish enrolment centres in all the 17 local government areas of the state in a bid to ensure that residents take advantage of the exercise and obtain their national identity cards in the state.

The NIMC Coordinator in the state, Mr. Favour Odetah, who spoke on the issue said that only 72,000 had so far been registered since the exercise began several years ago as the residents were not coming forward to be registered.

Already, such enrolment centres have been established at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUTH, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, to encourage more people to enrol.

Odetah said that the poor compliance of the residents towards the national identity card registration exercise was worrisome.

According to him, of the 72,000 already registered, only about 1,000 of their identity cards had been produced just as only 300 of them had actually been collected by their C M Y K

•Jonathan launching the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC owners.

“The cards are lying in our office in Enugu and people have refused to come and collect them. We have been employing different methods to create awareness.

“We are using groups, opinion leaders, traditional rulers for the awareness creation.

“As at now, we have centres in Nsukka, Enugu North,

We will also reach out to those who might not be able to come to the centers like the military, security agencies, physically challenged and students

Enugu South, Aninri, Udi local government areas as well as our head office in Emene, Enugu State.

“We will also reach out to those who might not be able to come to the centers like the military, security agencies, physically challenged and students,” he said.

Odetah also said the commission had embarked on massive awareness campaign

in the local government areas of the state to sensitise people on the benefits of the exercise, pointing out that the old national identity cards would be phased out by September 1, even as such cards would no longer be used as a means of identification after its expiration.

“As from September 1, 2015, if you do not have your new National Identity Card, you will not be able to do any business in Nigeria.

“In Nigeria, people do not value what is free. People are not taking the enrolment serious, they think it is a child’s play,” he added.

He said the commission in the state was faced with challenges of inadequate infrastructure, electricity and laxity on the part of citizens.

Odeta listed the requirements for the enrolment to include either voter cards, utility bill, government issued card, international passport, driver ’s licence, local government identification card, or student’s identity card.

He appealed to the state government to make the registration mandatory for all workers in order to encourage people to register.

6 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Car thieves on the prowl in Imo T

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

HESE are not the best of times for car owners in Owerri, the Imo State capital as vehicle owners have in the past few weeks, been experiencing increasing cases of car theft.

The rampaging thieves carefully remove motor batteries, if they could not successfully steal the affected vehicles.

In one of the incidents near Holy Trinity Catholic Church, World Bank Housing Estate, a young boy was shot at close range, when the rampaging hoodlums could not succeed in snatching his mother’s vehicle.

However, although the boy survived the attack, the hoodlums struck again, this time, kidnapping his mother, who they later dumped in a thick forest and made away with her Toyota Highlander

•IGP Arase vehicle.

In another development, a pentecostal pastor, who lives a few houses away from the home of the woman victim had his and his neighbour's vehicles vandalized at various times when the hoodlums were unable to steal them but made away with their motor batteries.

On Wednesday, May 6, 2015, a customer of one of the new generation banks located on Ikenegbu Layout had his car door key destroyed by thieves who could not steal the vehicle.

The bank customer had carefully parked and secured his car in the designated parking lot in the premises before entering the banking

On noticing that his car had been tampered with, the man alerted the security personnel posted to the bank, who equally visited the scene and eventually discovered the damage

hall to transact his business.

On noticing that his car had been tampered with, the man alerted the security personnel posted to the bank, who equally visited the scene and eventually discovered the damage Just last week, another car owner, whose identity could not be properly ascertained at press time, lost his vehicle, a Toyota Camry at the ever busy Relief Market, Owerri, where he had gone to make some purchases.

South East Voice gathered that the man barely spent about 15 minutes in the market before he returned to where he earlier parked his car and noticed that it had disappeared into the thin

air.

However, it must be said that it has not been a tale of successes for the car thieves in Owerri. There was this lone car thief that was nabbed while trying to steal a Honda SUV parked near an old generation bank on Mbari Street in the state capital.

Some residents, who suspected that the middle aged man was not the actual owner of the vehicle he was trying to open, confronted him. When the thief knew that the game was over, he made an Olympic style dash into the nearby street but the people gave him a hot chase and apprehended him.

It was gathered that the suspected thief was later handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, admitted that some cases of car theft had been reported to some police divisions in the state, stressing that the police command was painstakingly tackling the issue.

Enwerem, however, advised car owners to also take precautionary measures to avoid falling victims of thieves, adding that the use of car tracking technology and other available devices would help in safeguarding people’s vehicles.

He appealed to victims to continue monitoring police publications, pointing out that “the police recover stolen vehicles regularly across the country and in each case, such recovered vehicles were returned to their rightful owners after verifications.”

Spinal cord injury victim needs N3m for medical attention

BY FRANCIS IGATA

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NUGU—A spinal cord injury victim, Onyebuchi Onah, 35, has appealed to philanthropic Nigerians and governments at all levels to help raise N3 million to enable him get medical treatment abroad.

Onyebuchi, who hails from Okpaligbo, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, fell while cutting some palm fruits in 1999 and had since been bed-ridden.

He said he climbed the palm tree for a fee as to raise money he needed for his school fees then.

•Onyebuchi Onah C M Y K

HOW IT HAPPENED Speaking to South-East Voice, the frail Onyebuchi said, ”I was in SS1 when it happened. My parents had no money to send me to school. So, I devised a means of raising money to train myself by cutting palm fruits for our neighbours for a fee.

On that ill-fated occasion, I fell from the palm tree which was about 75 ft high and was immediately rushed to University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu. It was at the hospital that the doctors after diagnosis,

revealed that my spinal cord had broken as a result of the accident.

“I was admitted and at a point, the doctors referred me for a CT scan. The money required for the scan was huge. We were unable to pay the cost. The doctors had to discharge me following my inability to pay for the CT scan.

“We decided to go to the traditional orthopaedic doctors in my community where the cases became complicated. The complication is so bad that I have been confined to a wheel chair since the incident in 1999.

APPEAL FOR HELP “I am appealing to philanthropic Nigerians and government at all levels to help me with about N3 million to enable me get medical attention abroad. I wanted to go to school and that was why I was determined to earn money through cutting of palm fruits to pay my school fees.

Since the incident, my mother, Josephine Onah, 85, has been crying on daily basis till date.

AGED MOTHER REMAINS A SHADOW “Since the incident, my mother, Josephine Onah, 85, has been crying on daily basis till date. My friends and relations have deserted me. But I am convinced that God will never desert me,” he added.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 —7

Mineral resource tears Abia community apart ...Bloodbath looms large over struggle to mine resource

BY ANAYO OKOLI & NWABUEZE OKONKWO

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M U A H I A — BLOODBATH is looming in Amaubiri, a rusty, rocky, rural community in Lokpaukwu Umuchieze in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State over disagreement among the land-owners over a company request to excavate stones and chippings from the community.

The quarrel among the landowners is over which of the two quarrying companies already established in the area would be given the mandate to occupy their Agu-Okeakpu land for mining and quarrying activities on a lease agreement.

The two companies at the centre of contention are a Lebanese company, Asphalt Unity Construction Company Limited and Pioneer Sinochino Investment Ventures Ltd, a Chinese company. Both firms already have existing quarrying sites in nearby communities in the area.

South East Voice gathered that before now, a firm, Allied Bond Nigeria Ltd, had in March served out their five years lease agreement entered into with the community even as the residents of the area wanted to engage a new firm in their area, hence the declaration of interest by the Lebanese and Chinese companies.

They alleged that the former firm was indebted to the community in accumulated annual royalty and other entitlements contained in the expired lease agreement.

Stones and chippings available in the Amaubiri community are said to be of very high quality and good for construction companies engaged in roads, bridges and buildings constructions.

The land owners acknowledged receipt of applications from the two interested firms and also gave each of them consent letters to go into the land in question and conduct their surveys with the aim of selecting one of them later.

However, along the line, the land owners split into two factions with each faction supporting one of the firms. It was said that of the 35 representatives of the landowners, 27 were in support of the Lebanese company while eight supported the Chinese firm.

C M Y K

The two firms were also said to have engaged in fierce campaign and lobbying, spending millions of Naira to solicit support from the landowners. However, to avoid crisis due to tension generated by the matter, the land owners decided to vote in a bid to decide the firm that would operate on their land.

The voting took place last week at the palace of the traditional ruler of Lopkaukwu Umuchieze, Eze Magnus Nwafor (Chieze II of Lokpaukwu) and was moderated by a lawyer, Mr. Livinus Onwumere.

Shortly before the exercise commenced, the eight landowners who had sympathy for Pioneer Sinochino Investment Ventures Limited raised objection to the effect that there was no need for the election, since according to them, the consent letter already signed for the Chinese company, by Eze Magnus Nwafor and two others, who were among the land owners, was enough evidence to prove that the entire land owners had agreed to hand over the land to the Chinese firm.

But their objection was rejected by the 27 others who insisted that the election must hold, arguing that the said letter signed by Eze Nwafor was a mere consent letter authorizing the Chinese company to carry out a geological survey, environmental impact assessment and topography of

•Eze Magnus Nwafor signing a resolution letter while Eze Oliver Okoli (left) and Barr. Onwumere (right) watch on the land.

They also argued that a similar consent letter was equally issued to Asphalt Unity, authorizing it to move into the land and carry out their own survey, pointing out none of them should claim the ownership of the land based on the letter of consent.

The heated argument degenerated, prompting the eight signatories and their supporters to walk out of the meeting, thereby boycotting the election, while the other 27 signatories and their own

Eight of the land owners who boycotted the exercise, rejected the outcome, saying that there was never a time they agreed to conduct an election for the two companies

supporters were accredited and they all voted in favour of the Lebanese, after which the electoral officer, Onwumere, declared Asphalt Unity the winner of the tenancy lease of the land.

Two traditional rulers, Eze Magnus Nwafor and his Umutu counterpart, Eze Oliver Okoli (Mkpam II), witnessed the process and supported the outcome.

The chairman of land owners, Mr. Isaac Nwankwo explained that the Option A4 pattern adopted for the election was the only method left for them to choose one of the companies without acrimony, adding that the aim was to ensure peace and stability in the area.

However, eight of the land owners who boycotted the exercise, rejected the outcome, saying that there was never a time they agreed to conduct an election for the two companies because Eze Nwafor, Isaac Okpara Nwankwo, chairman of the land owners and Stephen Obite, President-General of Amaubiri community had on January 31, 2015, signed a consent grant to the Chinese company to conduct quarrying

activities in the land.

Brandishing the consent letter, which they said was issued to Sinochino, the eight land owners, who spoke through the President-General of the community, Stephen Obite and two other elders, Chiefs Kenneth Okoye and Angelo Emeh, said they were surprised that Eze Nwafor would make a U-turn and begin to support Asphalt Unity, after signing the consent letter to Sinochino, which was presented to the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals that enabled it to get an approval to carry out quarrying activities on the land.

They also brandished another approval letter issued to Sinochino by the Mining Cadastre Office of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals, dated April 21, 2015 and signed by one Engr. O. S. Nkon for the director-general of the Mining Cadastre Office, which stated that licences/ leases will be issued to the company subject to full payment of the annual fee of N60, 000.

Multiple taxation, unfriendly business climate detrimental to employment drive — Nneji

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI -The Federal and state governments have been reminded that attempt to reduce unemployment may remain a mirage if the prevailing multiple taxation and unfriendly business climate persist in the country.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rapido Foods Limited, Mr. Frank Nneji, who spoke, during the company’s third customers’ forum in Owerri, however, restated the company ’s commitment towards reducing unemployment through job

creation in the country.

“It is sad to note that a number of industrial concerns across the country have been forced to close shop as a result of unfriendly operational climate,” Nneji said.

While lamenting that “there are as many taxes and levies facing industrialists as there are states and local government areas in the country.

He stressed that “except these issues are properly streamlined, the level of unemployment and its associated problems, including crimes, may remain with us for a long while.”

Continuing, Nneji said that Rapido Foods was poised to lay

•Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rapido Foods Limited, Mr. Frank Nneji.

a solid foundation for fresh science related graduates, to be economically self-reliant in addition to supporting entrepreneurs in job creation.

“The purpose of establishing Rapido Foods is for job creation and enterprise and we set it up to give job experience to youths, especially for those with science backgrounds,” he added.

Earlier, the company ’s Managing Director, Mrs. Ngozi Nneji, represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Isijola Ignatius, had said that the forum was not only “an avenue for stock-taking of all the activities of the past year,” but also a veritable opportunity to brainstorm, so as to enhance the business in the years ahead.

8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

The world of abandoned leprosy patients in Anambra colony

BY OBIALUNAMMA NWADIOGBU

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KWULOBIA— Leprosy, which is a chronic infection caused by the bacteria known as mycobacterium leprae and mycobacterium lepromatosis is one of the strange illnesses of the world.

It is often associated with dirty environment. Leprosy has been around since ancient days. The disease causes severe, disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage in the arms and legs.

South East Voice gathered that 109 cases of leprosy, also known as Hansen’s Disease, HD, were discovered in Anambra State, between last year and this year. Altogether, 14 fresh cases of the disease which was thought to have been wiped out were discovered last month, while 95 were discovered in 2014, bringing the total of cases to 109.

The difference is that today, the diagnosis and treatment of leprosy are easy and most endemic countries are striving to fully integrate leprosy services into existing general health care delivery system.

The theme of this year ’s world leprosy day is, ‘Leprosy Elimination: the Challenge Beyond MDT’ and the Anambra State Commissioner

for Health, Dr. Joe Akabuike mobilized for a prevention campaign to forestal further spread in the two leprosy rehabilitation centres- The Father Damian’s Memorial Leprosy and TB Centre, Nnewi in Nnewi North local government and the Okija Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre, owned by the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi Okija in Ihiala Local Government.

But the other 19 local government areas in the state were not left out since the drugs are free.

Speaking on the occasion, Akabuike said: “We shall visit the two centres to dine, wine and dance with them as Gov. Willie Obiano has approved some funds to procure bags of rice, yam, beans, vegetable oil, toiletries, mattresses, water, disinfectants and to replenish the state clinics with MDT drugs for the patients.”

He identified signs and symptoms of leprosy as light patches on the skin, loss of feeling in the skin patch, numbness, painful or tender nerves swelling on the lumps or earlobe, among others, even as he noted that impairment and disabilities from leprosy could be prevented by early detection and effective treatment with Multi Drug Therapy, MDT, preservation of nerve function and vision.

The state TB, Leprosy and

•Residential home of the leprosy patients at Nnewi

•The Sign post leading to leprosy centre in Nnewi

We really need government support and help for our parents to survive so that we can rest and feel free to interact with people without this stigmatization

Bluriel Officer, Dr. Israel Enemuo said that the ministry was committed to creating awareness and sensitization of the entire populace on the prevention and control of leprosy.

Enemuo said: “Campaigns about leprosy in high risk areas are crucial so that patients and their families, who were historically ostracised from their communities, are encouraged to come forward and receive treatment.

The most effective way of preventing disabilities in leprosy, as well as preventing further transmission of the disease, lies in early diagnosis and treatment with MDT.” But a visit to the leprosy centres left much to be desired.

The centres were not only neglected, but abandoned apparently due to government bureaucracy. Nobody cared if the multi drug therapy, meant for the treatment of the ailment in the past five years. Their colony was the worst in terms of neglect.

The two leprosy centres

Obinugwu leaders advise Okorocha on peace

to Ilomuanya, who they described as their traditional ruler and warned detractors to refrain from fuelling the crisis in Obinugwu Community.

Also, speaking, the National leader of Save Imo Coalition, Chukwuma Nwachukwu told South East Voice that any move against the appointment of Ilomuanya would be regarded as anti-Igbo as the people of the South East ought to be excited over the recognition of Ilomuanya.

BY CHINONSO ALOZIE

O

WERRI—Leaders of Obinugwu Autonomous Community, Orlu Zone, in Imo State, have appealed to the governor-elect, Chief Rochas Okorocha, to accept the appointment of Eze Cletus Ilomuanya as the new chancellor of Federal University of Birnin Kebbi by the Federal Government.

They said that Okorocha was like a father to the people of the state who must find a space in his heart to love all his children and lead them towards the path of peace.

They spoke while reacting to Okorocha’s rejection of the appointment of Ilomuanya.

The community leaders led by the Town Union President Mr. Fred Okeke, Chief Innocent Awuzie (secretary), Mrs. Helen Chigborogu (woman Leader) and Mr. Uchenna Ohaonu (Youth Leader) told the South East Voice that they expected the C M Y K

Eze Cletus Ilomuanya governor-elect to govern the state without discrimination.

They also said that the statement credited to Okorocha by his Senior Special Advise on Media, Sam Onwuemeodor that Ilomuanya was not a traditional ruler in the state and should not have been recognized as such in terms of appointment by the Federal Government would only promote disunity instead of peace pointing out that Okorocha ought to be

Okorocha magnanimous in victory.

They said, “Obinugwu Community implores His Excellency, Rochas Okorocha, to be magnanimously in victory.

We do not wish to believe that his re-election will usher in turbulent period as some people have insinuated. We hope he proves his critics wrong.”

They further told South East Voice that they would continue to give their support and loyalty

They spoke while reacting to Okorocha’s rejection of the appointment of Ilomuanya as the new chancellor of Federal University of Birnin Kebbi

although managed by the Catholic Church were under the control and management of the German Leprosy and TB Relief Association, GLRA, before the Nigerian government asked them to hands them off. Also, due to poor management of the centre by both the church and state government, the services collapsed.

And the worst hit were the inmates of Fr. Damian Rehabilitation Centre, Nnewi, where the patients look ruffled and haggard as a result of poor quality healthcare services and care. The compound had been overtaken by weeds, bushes and reptiles without any hope of attention in near future.

The neglect was that much that health care officials posted there had all fled as the place had become inhabitable for animals, not to talk of trained nurses and health workers.

There was no light or functional borehole as the patients’ source their drinking water from a well just as there were electric poles which do not supply energy, even as the inmates said they had not seen light in the past seven years.

It was the same scenario in Okija centre as inmates lamented the attitude of government and stakeholders over the welfare of patients.

A humanitarian, Chinelo Nwabuonu from Ezinifite, who takes care of her leprous parents told South East Voice that her parents had suffered stigmatization and neglect for over 28 years.

She informed that since they relocated to the centre from Oji River Leprosy Centre in Enugu State in 2011, no single drug had been administered on her parents, who, she said, were dying gradually in agony.

“We have been in our village, Ezinifite since we came back from Oji River Leprosy Centre in 2011, but we suffer great stigmatization there as nobody visits us for fear of contracting the disease. My brother, who is a commercial cyclist and I have just been managing to feed our parents but the worst part of it is that we can’t even afford to purchase the MDT drug which I heard is free but nobody has given us any.

“We really need government support and help for our parents to survive so that we can rest and feel free to interact with people without this

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 33

Glo-Premier Lea

gue as at 17/05/ 15

Teams P GD PTS Sunshine Stars 9 6 Gabros 17 9 6 Wikki Tourists 17 9 4 Giwa FC 17 9 5 El Kanemi 16 8 3 Heartland FC 16 9 2 Abia Warriors 15 9 0 Enyimba 14 9 0 Nasarawa United 13 9 -3 Kwara United 11 8 -3 Warri Wolves 11 6 5 Kano Pillars 10 8 1 FC Taraba 10 8 0 Dolphin FC 10 9 -1 Enugu Rangers 10 9 -2 Shooting Stars 10 8 -3 8 Akwa Utd 9 -6 8 Sharks 9 -4 7 Bayelsa United 9 -5 7 Lobi Stars 9 -5 6 Today's Matches Giwa FC Dolphins El-Kanemi Wikki Heartland Shooting Stars Nasarawa United Kwara United Abia Warriors Gabros United

Xavi’s legacy is beyond words – Iniesta

A

ndres Iniesta says there are no words to describe the legacy of Barcelona team-mate Xavi.

The 35-year-old has won eight Liga titles, three Champions Leagues, two European Championships and the World Cup in a startling career for Barca and Spain.

Xavi is set to announce on Thursday that he will leave Camp Nou for Qatar at the end of the season, after Barca’s Copa del Rey and Champions League final duties.

And Iniesta, who has enjoyed remarkable success for club and country alongside Xavi, says he has been privileged to play in the same midfield.

“There’s no one who represents what he does as a person and a player. The stats, the years, the feelings, his way of doing this are beyond words,” Iniesta said at a fan Q&A event.

•Barca

Barca won’t have it easy – Lippi ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Sharks FC v Taraba FC v Enyimba v Bayelsa v Lobi v Akwa Utd v Rangers v Sunshine Stars v Warri Wolves v Kano Pillars v

F

ormer Juventus boss Marcello Lippi believes the Italians will be no pushovers when they take on Barcelona in the Champions League final.

Lippi, who led the Serie A giants to the title in 1996, accepts the Catalans will be favourites to lift the trophy in Berlin’s Olympiastadion on June 6 but insists Juve will not make it easy.

“Barcelona are favourites but it won’t be a stroll in the park,” the 67-year-old told ‘La Politica nel Pallone’, as reported by Europa Press.

“When a team reaches this stage, the final, they won’t change their style. In my opinion Barcelona have never faced a team as compact and capable of defending like Juventus, who also have the ability to attack when they win the ball

back.

“I don’t think Barca will find things as comfortable as they have done up until now. The extraterrestrial players they have in

•Cech

attack are amazingly good, but they won’t find it easy against the Juve defence or one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Gianluigi Buffon.”

Wenger still pushing ffor or second

A

rsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants his side to keep fighting for second place as Sunderland arrive at the Emirates Stadium for each team’s penultimate game of the Barclays Premier League campaign.

Wenger’s men responded from last week’s disappointing home defeat to Swansea to earn a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday, keeping them two points ahead

Cech ready for Chelsea e xit

P

•Lippi

etr Cech is ready to en d his 11-year association with Chelsea , his agent has said.

Cech spent ten years as Chelsea’s number one goalkeeper but he was demoted to second choice following Thibaut Courtois’ ret ur n fro m a thr ee -ye ar loa n sp ell at Atletico Madrid.

Despite being linked wi th a move away from Stamford Bridge du ring the January transfer window, Cech op ted to see out the season with the Blues but he recently hinted at a summer exit.

Ar se na l, Liv erp oo l an d M an ch es ter United have all been me ntioned as possible destinations for the Cz ech international and his agent Viktor Kolar admits he would be interested in joining one a big club.

of Manchester United, and they can secure third place by beating Sunderland.

But, with Manchester City five points ahead and facing a tough game with Southampton on the final day, Wenger will not take things easy before the FA Cup final and wants his team to keep the pressure on as they look to achieve a first toptwo finish since 2005.

“We would like to finish first, but that is mathematically impossible so we need to finish as well as we can,” said Wenger, who will check on the fitness of Laurent Koscielny following the defender’s bout of flu.

•Wenger

34—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Onyeka Onwenu

O

nyeka Onwenu, has refuted speculations that she has been on a warpath with Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwor.

The Elegant Stallion, who is the Director General of the National Centre for Women Development, in a statement issued Monday afternoon, described the report as a lie from the pit of

hell.

In the statement shared widely in the Nigerian cyberspace and signed by her Special Assistant, Lami Makoji-Ojo, Onyeka said she was shocked and disappointed by the false report, ostensibly planted to damage her hardearned reputation.

Let it be placed on record that the said story is false in its

entirety. It is obviously a figment of the sponsor’s depraved imagination.

In a separate statement, Ozokwor said there was no truth in the said report which said she was involved in a fight with Onwenu.

Ms. Onyeka Onwenu and I do not have any issues. I have never been to her office before and she has never been to mine.

Faith Edwards

P

ictures have appeared on blogodphere of President Jonathan’s daughter, Faith and her husband, Godswill Osim Edwards still in honeymoon phase.

The couple who got married in April 2014 and their baby bump were pictured at the presidential Thanksgiving and Farewell service which held at Aso Vila Chapel last Sunday.

Would have been nice to have a First Baby-ish.

Iara Oshiomhole

T

he trendiest woman on the Nigerian blogosphere in the last week by far is the latest First Lady in Nigeria and newly wedded wife of Edo State governor comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Iara Fortes, a Cape Verdan beauty exchanged vows with the Labour boss turned governor and but for a few naysayers, the union has been embraced to deafening applause by observers. One commentator writes: "She is a very simple woman.

Perhaps that is why he married her. She obviously did her own makeup, wore flats, and no weave to her Thankgsgiving service. Had it been someone else, they would have had 6 packs of weave on their head, 6inch Louboutins on their feet, and all the world’s makeup on their face. Sometimes simplicity is what some men find very attractive."

Aluta continua...

Saratu Umar

T

he frantic spate of hiring and firing that President Jonathan appears to have embarked upon in the last days of his administration never fails to attract attention in blogosphere, and one of the latest is the sack of the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, Saratu Umar .

Her sack comes months after aggrieved staff of the NIPS apparently called on President Jonathan to remove her from office over allegations of highhandedness, staff intimidation and gross incompetence.

President Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mrs. Uju Aisha Hassan-Baba, as the new Executive Secretary/Chief Executive of the body with immediate effect.

Marilyn Ogar

O

n the other hand, the very stylish spokesperson of the Department of State Security (DSS), Marilyn Ogar, has been promoted to the position of a Director of the service.

Insiders say the alumnus of Stanford University Executive Education and member of African Public Relations Association has brought glamour, friendliness, integrity and understanding between the DSS and its publics in spite of the harsh and unsafe environment under which members of the DSS work.

She once had a N50million bounty placed on her by Boko Haram, for any member who kills Marilyn Ogar, for consistently daring and exposing the Boko Haram group. Despite the bounty on her, Ogar waivered not in carrying out her duty.

C M Y K

Winnie Oshiomhole

M

eanwhile, also trending is a statement credited to Dr. Winifred Isimakhome Oshiomhole, daughter of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole replying those attacking her father for marrying a new bride and why she was absent from the wedding.

She says: "I think my father has finally gotten the heart to move on and Nigerians should learn to respect his decision. I saw so many bad comments and my question is, these people don’t even know half of the story and they just go about writing ignorantly.

The information for the day was not properly

circulated, I was busy taking care of my life, work and my family and I must have missed out on the plan, I cannot say for my sisters but I am

sure we were not properly informed. I wish the couple a great married life and I am sure she will make my father happy.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—35

Demand for bleaching creams in Nigeria still high — Dr May Ikeora

A

devout advocate of natural skin care, Dr May Nkiru Ikeora is CEO, L’Avyanna Skin Natural, makers of natural and organic skin care products.

Produced in the UK where she has lived and work as an international development expert and human rights consultant for almost a decade, L’Avyanne, though new, is rapidly gaining its way into the international market — and into Nigeria too.

Armed with a PhD in Law, the ex-beauty queen who presently works as a Senior Researcher with some consulting firms in the UK alongside running her business, was in Nigeria recently and she had an encounter with Vanguard

By Josephine Agbonkhese

Y

OU’VE pitched your t e n t in international development and human rights consultancy for almost a decade, why the sudden interest in business?

I have always had an eye for business ever since I was a little girl. I remember making cards and selling them as far back as age 11. My dad, who was a banker at the time, opened my first bank account with the sales made from the card. I am an entrepreneur today because it truly empowers me as a woman not just at this present time but also for my future.

I got into the cosmetology business after many years of searching for a healthy skin care product that would satisfy my beauty needs without damaging my skin. I even took professional courses on cosmetology to educate myself and now, I decided to share my discovering through my product line.

Challenges abound in every business; what exactly have been yours, especially as an ex-beauty queen?

I face the usual challenges a lot of women face in building a new business in Nigeria. I don’t necessarily think my challenge has got anything to do with being a beauty queen. I think one of my main challenge lies in the fact that my career path is so different from my business.

With a PhD in Law, people expect that I should aim to be a professor someday, which is not far from my aspirations. Hence, I endeavour to merge both my academic career with my business.

On the other hand, some people expect that being an exC M Y K

beauty queen should make the marketing of my products easy.

I agree a little but not for the sort of business model that I utilise. I want my product to speak for itself. I use it, it works for me and my customers also give positive feedback; which is pertinent.

What’s the acceptance of your products like in the UK where they’re produced?

Though new in the market, L’Avyanne is well received abroad as most people, in England especially, are all about skin health, naturals and organics. I hardly need to explain my business to them, they just get it! However, with the immense knowledge of skin health in England, there is obviously more competition. I actually focus more on situating the business in Nigeria.

Why Nigeria? Do you envisage similar or better acceptance here?

Natural skin care in Nigeria is yet to gain real attraction, as there is still high demand for bleaching creams. I believe skin bleaching will phase away pretty soon as people are becoming more informed.

I can only say that my skin care line in Nigeria is growing.

After all, Nigeria is my target market and I look forward to the exciting new products that we would be adding to the line.

Nigeria is a viable trading place but with some unnecessary challenges. I really hope that this new government will create an enabling environment for entrepreneurs like us to thrive.

Right now, I’m working to situate my business, L’Avyanna, in Nigeria. I have worked in a lot of African countries and Europe, but I have not worked in Nigeria as I would like to work. Luckily for me, I’m getting

•May Nkiru Ikeora

a UK Department for International Development (DFID) job in Nigeria as a consultant.

Prior to L’Avyanna, have you done business in Nigeria before?

Yes, but as an artist. During my first degree in the university in Nigeria, I made pencil portraits, oil on canvass and other types of paintings for sale or as demanded by clients. I made commissioned works for banks, other private sector companies and individuals. I had several exhibitions in

Natural skin care in Nigeria is yet to gain real attraction, as there is still high demand for bleaching creams.

I believe skin bleaching will phase away pretty soon as people are becoming more informed.

several venues including the National Museum and TerraKulture where I had my first solo exhibition. Painting was good business for me but it was a self-taught talent which conflicted with my actual career path at the time. I still paint for leisure.

I have manufacturers that make these products. I underwent training on cosmetology to really understand the ingredients. I can make the products myself but I need them in large quantity and I don’t have the equipment to achieve that.

What areas of skin care is L’Avyanna focused on?

Tell us more about yourself and your days as a beauty queen?

At the moment, we are dealing with face related products. For me, I believe the health of your face is more important than whatever cream or make-up you use. I believe your face is a canvass and it needs to be taken care of before anything.

I have been in this for quite a while and people tell me that I look younger than I did when I first started. I believe my skin routine is very important.

A lot of us take things for granted here in Nigeria. Some people are more likely to buy cream and feel that cleansers are not important. Actually, God has blessed us so much that your skin has the intelligence to repair itself but it cannot clean dirt.

The air in Nigeria is not so fresh. We attract toxins and if you add a cream on top of toxins and you are not taking anything out, you complain about pimples. You say the cream causes pimples but it’s the attitude to your face that is causing the pimples.

Do you produce them yourself?

Like you already know, I’m a Lawyer. I’m affiliated with international organizations like the Kofi Anan International Peace Keeping Institute at the UN, ECOWAS and the AU; these are people I work with.

I was the first runner-up of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant in 2003 and was Miss ECOWAS 2004 hosted by Cape Verde. I was the first Nigerian to win Miss ECOWAS. Beauty Pageants were just stepping stones for me. I contested beauty pageants because I needed money to complete my education.

It got to the point that I think God wanted me to as I got the money and went back to school.

By the time I became Miss ECOWAS, I was rounding up my degree programme and I thought my career was more important to me than the usual glamour of becoming an actress or model. For a long time, I was doing pencil portraits and my first account was opened with the proceeds. I did a bit of modelling but I’m known for pencil portraits in the university.

36—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

NGF: Money reunites our govs again T

he country’s governors who had for the past two years been divided over their political allegiances, reunited last Monday. Just as before their quarrel, they have picked up a common cause in their agitation for more money from the common pool.

I

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

T was just few days to the date two years ago when Nigerian governors in collaboration with outside stakeholders brought democracy to a shame with their inconclusive election of a new chairman.

As they gathered for their first unified meeting in two years last Monday, the ambience of power which flows with governors was all pervading. One South-South governor who had championed the division of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF and had not sat face to face with the NGF chairman, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi asked to be seated next to Mr.

Amaechi. It was one of many surprises that culminated in the wholesome reconciliation of the governors who had for 24 months walked at cross purposes.

It was on May 13, 2013, at the expiration of the term of Mr. Amaehci as chairman of the NGF that a last minute challenge to his second term bid came from Mr. Jonah Jang, the governor of Plateau State.

The challenge as almost everyone knew, however, was inspired by Amaechi’s political traducers from outside the forum. For one reason or the other, Mr. Amaechi had fallen on the wrong side of the First Family in Aso Rock and the word was that he must not be allowed a

•Jonathan: Did the NGF crisis contribute to his election defeat?

•Rotimi: Claimed victory with 19 votes second term to pollute the other governors who were key to President Goodluck Jonathan’s own aspiration for a second term that was due in two years time.

The message was subtly and overtly passed on to Amaechi, but the Rivers State governor refused to heed.

Mutual associates between the president and the governor sought a neutral ground one of which was to allow Amaechi run for re-election following which he would resign after one year. A number of other options were reportedly proffered and the president was said to be inclining himself towards a truce when one influential South-South governor affirmed that the C M Y K

•Jang: Absent at the reconciliation meeting

president’s supporters had the capacity to outvote Amaechi in any election.

For one reason or the other, Mr. Amaechi had fallen on the wrong side of the First Family in Aso Rock and the word was that he must not be allowed a second term to pollute the other governors

It was perhaps based on that promise that the presidency dragged in Governor Jang who reportedly had not been keen on challenging Amaechi. Jang of course had his reasons to be distrustful of many of his fellow governors.

It was easy for the governor to recall that he had since 2009 been due to take up the chairmanship of the Northern States Governors Forum, NGSF, which was his state’s due after the two year stint of Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State.

The rotation of the chairmanship of the forum which flows in alphabetical order was, however, derailed

Continues on page 50

VANGUARD, WEDENESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—37

Continues from page 36 at the turn of Plateau supposedly on account of the multifaceted crisis in the state. A number of the Northern governors, mostly the Hausa-Fulani and Muslim governors, were said to have picked offence at what they felt was Jang’s pro-Christian bias against Muslims in the state.

It was largely on that account that Governor Jang was denied the chairmanship of the NSGF, a development that forced him to begin a boycott of meetings of the northern governors.

Before Jang, Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State had allegedly been one of those penned down for the onslaught against Amaechi but for some reasons, he was factored out.

One reason some gave was that a Christian from the north be picked for the challenge against Amaechi in order not to give suggestions that Jonathan, a Christian was marshalling a war against a fellow Christian.

Ahead of the decisive election for the next chairman on May 24, 2013 pressures were brought from within and without the forum on the governors to kowtow to the plans against Amaechi. Presidency minders were known to have called a number of governors seeking their cooperation.

Just before that decisive date, there were allegations that a very top Nigerian in the presidency had repeatedly been coercing governors to sign a document pledging support for Governor Jang’s emergence as the next chairman of the body.

Governors were summoned to the villa and given the document to sign the document which read thus: We the undersigned governors of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, having taken congisance of the state of the nation and the perception of the Nigerian people, do hereby resolve as follows: •That we thank the out-going chairman, His Excellency Chief Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers State for his leadership and achievements.

•That we strongly agree for a change of leadership of the Forum from April 2013 to April •We hereby, therefore elect His Excellency,Jonah Jang as the new chairman of the Forum.

It eventually emerged that a number of the governors stubbornly refused to sign the endorsement paper. One of those who allegedly refused to sign was the governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kassim Shetimma.

Those in the know say that his insistence on trudging along with Amaechi was perhaps one of the reasons he became a pariah in the presidential villa, a development that probably fuelled the presidency’s late re-

•Akpabio: Led the fight for Jang

•Shema: Was once considered to battle Amaechi

NGF: Money reunites our govs again sponse to the kidnap of the Chibok girls.

While the presidency henchmen led by Governor Akpabio prepared for the election acting in the confidence that the 19 signatures they had collected would see them through, the proAmaechi camp was itself not sleeping.

One decisive step taken by the pro-Amaechi camp according to some sources was to insist that the election be conducted as with the normal meetings of the forum in the Abuja official residence of Governor Amaechi.

The propresidency group had kicked against it, but in the end, they could not prevail.

Holding the election in Amaechi’s territory reportedly put the Rivers State governor at an advantage. Even more, there were reports that

Those in the know say that his insistence on trudging along with Amaechi was perhaps one of the reasons he became a pariah in the presidential villa

mobile phones at the venue were blocked, a development that cut communication between the Jonathan governors and their foot soldiers in the

Rivers State lodge.

At the end of the election where the NGF’s directorgeneral, Dr. Asishana Okaru acted as polling officer, Amae-

chi was returned with 19 votes while Jang obtained 16 votes.

The pro-presidency governors

Continued from page 38

NGF CRISIS: Timeline of theatrics

By Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu & Gbenga Oke

F

EBRUARY 2013: Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, forms its Governors Forum with the sole aim of whittling down the influence of Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF with Governor Godswill Akpabio emerging as chairman.

May 24, 2013: Governor Amaechi polls 19 votes to the 16 votes polled by his rival, Governor Jang at the election conducted at the Rivers State Lodge, Abuja.

May 24, 2014: Hours after the election Jang backed by Akpabio claims victory in the NGF election.

May 26, 2013: Jang says God helped him defeat Amaechi. He described his purported victory as the will of God. May 2013: Jang’s group visits Vice President Namadi Sambo, PDP national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Chairman and Chief Anthony Anenih.

June 26, 2013: Amaechi shifts NGF meeting for a dinner planned by President Jonathan.

July 2013: Governors of the then yetto-be registered All Progressives Congress, APC, form a forum, named Progressive Governors Forum ,PGF. August 10, 2013: Jang and Amaechi reignited the NGF crisis after the former scheduled a meeting of governors in Abuja. The Rivers governor kicked against the meetings, describing his Plateau colleague as an impostor, desperately trying to portray himself as the leader of the NGF. August 2013: Jang called the meeting of the his faction of NGF of which he extended invitation to all the 36 states governors in Abuja. The meeting had only

five governors in attendance.

Aug 13, 2013: President Olusegun Obasanjo met with the governors in Abuja to intervene in the crisis rocking the forum.

September 2013: Amaechi invites Jang for a meeting scheduled to discuss crucial matters affecting the NGF and the country.

September 2013: In a bid to resolve the crisis , Obasanjo and former military President Ibrahim Babangida met with leaders of the two factions of the NGF, in Abuja October 2013: President Goodluck Jonathan and the aggrieved governors met to take steps towards implementing the resolutions reached at previous meetings.

November 4, 2013: Aggrieved PDP governors belonging to the Amaechi faction visit Obasanjo in Otta to find solution to the NGF crisis.

November 4, 2015: After meeting with Obasanjo, the governors also made a stopover in Lagos and met with former Head of the Interim National Government Chief Ernest Shonekan and former defence minister TY Danjuma. There were no details from the two meetings.

November 26, 2014: Five out of the seven aggrieved PDP governors defect to the APC. The PDP governors that defected to the APC are; Amaechi (Rivers), Alhaji Ahmed Abdulfatah (Kwara), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), and Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto).

Two other governors, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Alhaji Sule Lamido (Jigawa) — declined to move with their colleagues to the opposition party as they reaffirmed their loyalty and membership of the PDP. -May 18, 2015- The governors reconcile drawing a curtain to the crisis

38—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Buhari has no excuse not to perform —Salami, LP chairman •Why Buhari shouldn't go for foreign medical check

S

EVERAL years after the Labour Party was formed by Nigerian trade unions through their apex body, the Nigerian Labour Congress, to be a viable platform for political contest and good governance in the country, the party has not really made any appreciable impact on the polity. Indeed, the defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, the only state governor from its fold, the party’s fortunes appear to have worsened.

In this interview, the Labour Party Chairman, Alhaji Abdulkadir Salami, speaks on the party’s problems and other matters in the polity. Excerpts: •Salami: We wont align with parties again

By JOSEPH ERUNKE

W

OULD you say the Nigerian workers have fared well under democratic rule?

No, the Nigerian workers have not fared well under democratic rule because we have the problem of leadership. Those in the leadership of the NLC are now trade union traders. Go to the NLC, from the general secretary to all those workers particularly; it is now that with Waba’s emergence as NLC president that he would put his patriotism to workers’ benefit. But all along, his predecessor never cared for workers and that is why he was never celebrated and will never be celebrated. The workers will regain their lost glory and vibrancy with the coming of Comrade Ayuba Waba.

What is responsible for the lethargy of the Labour Party?

Well, we have never as a party, contested for presidency of this country since our formation.

What about contest for state governorship?

On the issue of corruption, Buhari has no excuse not to fight corruption headlong. He must first fight this corruption from those who surround him

The situation with us in the Labour Party is that we are a bit unfortunate.

Our governorship candidates came from areas where rigging is part of the lives, system and arrangement of the people of the areas. That is why right from time, we believe that the National Assembly elections, Governorship and House of Assembly Elections were never credible and that is why we are at the tribunals now.

I didn’t hear you complain about the presidential election, does that mean that the presidential election was credible?

We did not contest for presidential election. The man who wears his shoe knows where it pinches and he has told us that it is not pinching him. So, I won’t be holier than the pope.

Did the defection of Governor Mimiko affect you in Labour Party?

If Mimiko had remained and spent the money we are sure that he spent on PDP on even three candidates of the Labour Party, we would have at least have three additional candidates by today. But he believed so much, his soul, his mind and life were in the PDP and he left the Labour Party.

But I will boldly say here that his leaving the Labour Party never affected us in any way.

What are your expectations from the incoming Buhari administration?

What I will say here is that the APC people who clamoured for change, who told Nigerians they wanted change and campaigned on the platform and basis of change, Nigerians have given them the authority and the mandate to come out with the changes. Let nobody now begin to tell us that he cannot perform miracle, because they

told Nigerians that when they come, they would perform miracle. We will not expect Buhari to go abroad for any medical treatment. Our health system must be properly put in place, he must focus attention on it. Let them not tell us that they cannot provide jobs for our teeming youths, let them not tell us that the security lapses will continue in any manner, since they told us that they would perform miracle.

Talking about health now, do you think the incoming administration of Buhari will

be able to fix the health sector to the extent that public office holders, using himself as example, will not go abroad for medical treatment?

There are certain things that we expect from Buhari to do urgently. Health is one, so that our people will not go abroad for treatment again. He can do it, he told us he can do it. We have the resources to do it. We have the material and human resources to do it. So, we believe he can do it if he wants to do it. Secondly, on the issue of corruption, Buhari has no

excuse not to fight corruption headlong. He must first fight this corruption from those who surround him.

The Labour Party, since its formation, has not really fielded any presidential candidate for elections in the past, would you still follow this path in the 2019 presidential election?

No, we won’t go into alliance with anybody any longer. The National Executive Committee of our party has already taken that decision that we are not going into alliance with any political party in future.

NGF: Money reunites our govs again Continues on page 37 were stunned and virtually hurried out of the Rivers Lodge to a separate meeting. After recovering themselves, the G16 governors declared Jang as winner. Their evidence was the list of endorsements that Jang had reportedly received ahead of the election.

The governors had since that walkout, trudged separate paths with the Jang faction forming its own secretariat.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was quick in its response to the issue, as the party few days after the humiliation of the presidency suspended Amaechi from the PDP. A week later, Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State was also suspended from the party purportedly for not picking the phone call of the national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

On August 31, on the 15th anniversary of the PDP, the cleavage was firmed when five governors in the party walked out of the special national convention to form the New PDP, nPDP which later merged with the All Progressives Congress, APC to deal the deadly blow that wrought

the first presidential election defeat on the PDP. The reconciliation effected on Monday night inevitably brought the governors again to their joint interest in projecting the finances of their states.

At the end of that evening the governors put aside their differences, and as before, took on a common enemy, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who they charged to now declare the estimated $20 billion they claimed would have accrued to the Excess Crude Account during their quarrel.

In their resolution, they said: “We are hereby reconciled and reunited as a single umbrella association of the 36 State Governors of Nigeria regardless of party or region.

“Forum Congratulates the Presidentelect, Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in the recent presidential election which held on March 28, 2015 and President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship in accepting the outcome of the elections.

“In light of the fact that Funds in the Excess Crude were disbursed in May 2013, there is need for the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi- Iweala to provide explanation fir accruals to this account from June 2013 to April 2015 which is estimated at over$ 20 billion.”

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 39

She wants to combine both our family names

Sleeping with a virgin doesn’t appeal to me!

Dear Bunmi, I’ve been seeing a guy for the last few months and though he seemed interested in the relationship, he didn’t make a move on me sexually.

I’ve tried everything—kissing him deeply, snuggling up to him whenever I could and generally letting him know I was ready for sex, but he just didn’t respond.

I thought he was just shy or may be a bit inexperienced, so I took matters into my own hands and unzipped his trousers, intending to give him enough stimulation to make him want sex. I couldn’t believe it when he jumped up in horror, made a silly excuse and left.

You can imagine how upset I was. But he called the next day and said he wanted to talk, and then told me he’d never had sex in his life. At 28?

I asked him why and he said it just turned out that way. I asked for details but he wasn’t prepared to tell me more, saying he was too embarrassed about it. He, however, expressed the wish to have sex with me but I’m really freaked out by the idea.

He’s a nice looking chap and I find it really odd that for a man living and working in Lagos, sex hasn’t featured in his life.

Sleeping with a virgin doesn’t appeal to me and I don’t know how to handle this.

Khafilat, by e-mail.

Dear Khafilat, It might be unusual for a man not to have had sex by that age, but it’s not as uncommon as you think. In most cases, it is not deliberate

and he just misses the opportunity when everyone else around was experimenting.

It could be his early girlfriends were less keen on having sex and maybe he wasn’t sure what to do, so didn’t even try. He could also be shy or he didn’t find it easy to get a girlfriend until now.

It is common for men like him to avoid making any sexual advances for fear of embarrassing themselves.

And with his mates bragging all the time about their ‘conquest’ he might not want to confide in his friends.

Being a 28-year-old virgin could be really embarrassing and it was brave of him to tell you his secret as he clearly

trusts you and likes you a lot to do so. It is alright to feel a little freaked out, but you need to show a little sensibility here.

Even if you don’t feel like ‘deflowering’ him, at least do him the favour of dealing with this diplomatically as he’s likely to be very sensitive to any negative reaction.

But do you want a relationship with him? If you don’t, you need to exit tactfully and kindly so he’s not left feeling like a freak.

If you like him and his lack of experience is the only thing putting you off, then you need to turn your thinking around and be the first to introduce your man to pleasures. He’s bound to cherish the experience for the rest of his life!

You don’t say how severe the effect of the stroke is. But if he can’t really have sex or sexually simulate you in any way, you alone can make this decision.

If and when you decide to stray, your husband must never know

My sick husband wants me to be unfaithful Dear Bunmi, My husband had a stroke a very long time ago and we have not had sex for nine years. We’re both in our early 50s and he doesn’t think I should settle for a sexless life.

We don’t want to split because we still love each other and our children are doing well. So my husband has suggested I need a sexual companion. He said I should just find sex where and when I could; only I should be discrete about it.

I wasn’t really keen at first, but the more we talked through the emotional

complications of my not being sexually fulfilled, the more the idea appealed to me. I just don’t want to hurt his feelings.

Florence, by e-mail.

Dear Florence, You need to know that what sounds good in theory often doesn’t work in practice.

You’ve both made this decision in a very logical fashion, but your husband may still feel hurt, jealous and insecure if you follow things through.

You may also feel you’ve betrayed him, even with his permission.

You don’t say how severe the effect of the stroke is. But if he can’t really have sex or sexually simulate you in any way, you alone can make this decision. If and when you decide to stray, your husband must never know.

Sex is a lot of things but the lack of it could destroy what seems a lovely albeit challenging relationship.

If you eventually meet a prospective partner, make your position clear that you are married and are only looking for sexual satisfaction rather than a way out of your marriage.

Dear Bunmi, My fiancée and I are set to get married in the New Year.

She has told me she sees no reason why she should take my surname. I believe she should be proud to, but she says she doesn’t see any reason why she has to give up her “individuality.”

She has offered to hyphenate our surnames, but I mink that’s just ridiculous. I am a traditional man and I find her attitude irritating. If she’s not going to be proud to take my name, I’m not sure I want to go through with the wedding.

Muazu, by e-mail.

Dear Muazu, Is there more to this relationship than a name change? You need to really sit with your fiancée and have a heart-to-heart about your expectations of marriage and of each other, before setting

a wedding date.

It looks as if there might be a major mismatch here that could cause problems in future.

You described yourself as traditional (and I’m guessing also quite conservative), which usually means you have set ideas on how a wife should behave.

Your fiancée wants to maintain her independence and may see marriage as more of an equal partnership than the conventional manis-boss model.

This is not a good sign for future happiness, when you’re not prepared to compromise by hyphenating your surnames. It is, after all, a meeting-in-the middle solution. You’ve got a lifetime of decisions to make together, which are far more important.

All should be made as joint decisions with each of you prepared to meet in the middle.

If you like him and his lack of experience is the only thing putting you off, then you need to turn your thinking around and be the first to introduce your man to pleasures. He’s bound to cherish the experien-ce for the rest of his life!

Like father like son?

Dear Bunmi, My dad cheated on my mother when we were young and went on to have a love child, something I hated him for as we were a close knit family. I’m now in my late 20s and I’m worried it could be the case of like-father-like-son for me.

I’ve cheated on quite a few girlfriends, whenever I’m bored with them and currently have a son. The girl’s parents refused she should have anything to do with me.

They believe I am a golddigger, though this is out of the question.

I’m ashamed of my behaviour and will really like to be a responsible husband and father one day soon. Yet I have this fear that, like my father, I might end up always being unfaithful.

Tony, by e-mail.

Dear Tony,

Being unfaithful is not something you inherit, or are born with. It’s true that some people with unfaithful parents cheat, but this is only because they don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.

You obviously believe it’s wrong, so there is no reason why you should carry on like your dad.

Next time you’re tempted, remind yourself that you can choose how to behave— no one is forcing your eyes to rove. Then think about what other options you have.

If a relationship bores you, then move on rather than cheat.

Search yourself to find out why you keep getting stuck in relationships that bore you and, if possible, wait for that one person that would make a difference.

Once you meet the right partner, your love life becomes an exciting prospect!

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

40 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Prologue

I

T was meant to be a joke, so Mr Dan Amor naturally expected his friend to have a good laugh on receiving the message he sent across. The message read: “Next time your woman complains you’ve not taken her to somewhere expensive lately, please take her to the nearest filling station!”

Well, as expected, Mr Amor’s friend, Patrick, had his laugh on reading the message and didn’t think much about it. But he had no reason to smile or laugh when next day he stopped over at a filling station to buy petrol for his car.

What he saw defied any rational description. His first shock was being confronted by the traffic chaos caused by several vehicles queuing in a disorderly manner from different directions to the filling station. Next was that after managing to squeeze his car into one of the queues and spending over 30 minutes on one spot, he discovered to his chagrin that the filling station attendants had for some inexplicable reasons stopped selling fuel to motor vehicles in preference to those buying in gallons or jerry cans.

This information was conveyed to him by a fellow motorist who walked up to him and said: “Oga, you better go and look for jerry can to buy fuel. These people have stopped selling to vehicles O!” And true enough, when Patrick entered the filling station, he saw the attendants busy selling to several people queuing with sundry sizes and shapes of plastic cans.

On inquiry, he was told that it had become the practice in most filling stations since scarcity of petroleum products, especially Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, aka petrol, hit town. While most filling stations have run out of stock of petrol or pretend not to have the product, those willing to sell dictate a stiff condition for doing so, including deciding whether to sell directly to motorists or those buying with gallons.

The preference for selling to those who come with gallons is said to be anchored on profit motive. For instance, when Mr Patrick eventually secured a gallon and bought N2000 worth of fuel, he was compelled to part with N500 extra which could pass as service charge or whatever.

And considering the difficulty in getting fuel to buy, most of those who could find a filling station selling fuel at all, were only too glad to pay the exorbitant amount dictated by the exigency of scarcity.

Indeed, Vanguard Features, VF, investigations revealed

*Chaos...Motorists struggling to buy fuel

FUEL SCARCITY:

When antics, tricks of oil marketers make consumers cry

By Mike Ebonugwo, Jude Njoku, Charles Kumolu, Bose Adelaja & Olasukonmi Akoni that the situation was one which oil marketers exploited to the full to rip off consumers.

Apart from the preference in ignoring motorists and selling to buyers with jerry cans, they readily created avenues to promote black market sale of the product through direct and indirect diversion. For instance, during a recent visit to a filling station located along the Idimu-Ikotun road, Lagos, VF was confronted by a most unusual, indeed confounding, scenario. While the gate of the filling station was locked to several queuing vehicles along the road and the attendants had stopped dispensing petrol to those inside the station with gallons based on claims that the product had finished, most people could not comprehend it when the same attendants started filling several jerry cans loaded on the back of a

pick up van with petrol.

When challenged over this, the manager of the station was quoted as saying that the car and jerry cans belonged “to a special somebody”. But most of those present were not impressed with his explanation. Indeed, one Mr Alhassan was quick to quip

I don’t know the kind of game they are playing; they’re just taking advantage of the scarcity they have created to milk us dry and make a lot of money for themselves

thus: “Don’t mind him! The gallons belong to their black market customers. That’s what they usually do. If you come here at night you will see their boys hawking the fuel in gallons and jerry cans.

And because of the scarcity, these black marketers usually make motorists to pay through their noses for a small quantity of fuel”.

Another jerry can-carrying customer also chipped in: “They told us fuel has finished, but come back in one or two hours time you will see them selling again. I don’t know the kind of game they are playing.” In response to this, another customer said: “The game is obvious: They ’re just taking advantage of the scarcity they have created to milk us dry and make a lot of money for themselves”.

Oil marketers fleece Nigerians

But for the crisis that followed the purported removal of fuel subsidies by

the Federal Government in 2012, most Nigerians would have remained in the dark about how the activities of oil marketers in the downstream sector of the oil sector contribute to the nation’s economic woes.

It was an incident that afforded an already impoverished populace the opportunity of knowing how these importers of petroleum products defraud the country through bogus importation claims.

Till date, the memories of revelations which showed that some marketers defrauded the country to the tune of N232 billion in fuel subsidy claims, are still fresh.

The Aigboje AigImoukhuede probe panel had revealed that an estimated N1trillion was illegally paid for dubious petroleum products importation between 2009 and 2012.

Though the government had taken some of the identified suspects to court through the

Continues on page 41

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 —41

When antics, tricks of oil marketers make consumers cry Continues from page 40 Economic and Financial Crime Commission,EFCC, none has been successfully prosecuted till date.

While anger over the inability to bring some of them who fed fat on the commonwealth of over 180 million Nigerians is still boiling, the same set of people have continued to fleece the Nigerian government and its citizens.

Sharp practices

Investigations by VF show that the lingering fuel scarcity which is believed to have been created by the oil dealers, is currently being used to exploit Nigerians through various antics.

For example, in Lagos and other parts of the country, these oil marketers engage in all types of sharp practices including hoarding, hike in pump price, underdispensing of products, preference for black marketers and collection of extra charges by fuel attendants, to mention but a few.

While the official pump price remains N87, there is hardly any fuel station that sells at that rate. Some of them sell the product between N130 and N200 to hapless buyers.

More worrisome is the allegation that virtually all dealers had their pump prices adjusted to almost half a litre for a normal quantity.

It is in that state that the product is sold at exorbitant prices with the prime objective of making huge profits.

Another surprising aspect is the preference given to black marketers by these dubious oil marketers. They deliberately refuse to sell to motorists but would rather sell to black marketers who use gallons to buy the product in commercial quantity.

Further findings in Lagos showed that while some petrol dispensing stations employ the same exploitative antics, a few others differed in their mode of operation.

Fuel stations in Festac, Ojo, Agboju, Ajegunle, Kirikiri and Iyanoba are notoriously known for under-dispensing of the product, resulting from the adjustment of their metres.

Street urchins on prowl

In Somolu and Surulere, street urchins collect varying sums of money at the entrance of gas stations, while attendants collect at the points of dispensing the product.

In most places within the city, a particular pump is

*Rescued women and children

*Long queue of plastic cans at an NNPC Mega station. INSET: A man filling his car with fuel bought from a market dealer dedicated to dispense fuel According to him, about 71 in their boots, especially com- very careful with the way we only to people with jerry- emergency calls were mercial vehicles,” he added. intend to handle its cans. VF learnt that pumps responded to in the first 14 movement. But the good dispensing fuel into jerry days of the fuel scarcity. thing is that there are discusDifferences resolved The situation he said, has cans, are usually not Although the Minister of sions going on already to tampered with. This is with a led to mass destruction of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo- make this possible within the view to deceiving officials of property and threat to lives.

Iweala and the Executive shortest time possible.

Fadipe who regarded the Secretary, the Department of Petroleum “We have scheduled a Major Oil Resources, DPR, when they number as outrageous, Marketers Association of meeting between the explained that a total number Nigeria, MOMAN, Mr. management of MOMAN and visit for monitoring.

Some marketers even resort of 756 emergency calls were Obafemi Olawore, have said the NRC to finalise all the to nocturnal operations, effectively attended to that their differences over the issues that need to be selling only at night to black between January to April subsidy issue had been resolved. If all goes as marketers. Policemen who 2015. settled and marketers planned, in the near future, “It is to be noted that fuel agreed to resume the supply we could begin to lift. The key jump fuel queues are also part of the problem. They often scarcity is not a yardstick to of fuel across the country, VF challenge for us is that it is buy the product in large illegitimate and inappropriate checks showed that the difficult moving petroleum quantities. While these sharp storage of fuel to the situation has continued to defy products. The fact that the practices are going on detriment of our lives and solutions. Indeed, the scarcity railway is functional doesn’t unchecked, the DPR and properties; hence, the public has continued unabated, mean that every product could Petroleum Products Pricing is warned to avoid using jerry thereby worsening the be moved with ease. There are Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, cans that have been used for sufferings of motorists and the different types of products which are agencies saddled petrol to store kerosene and general public. which could be moved which with the responsibility of any other flammable items, “ Olawore explained that as are not as volatile as regulating the downstream Fadipe said. He warned part of efforts to ensure petroleum products. petroleum sector, seem to motorists to avoid storing of petroleum “Now if we rush into products have gone to bed. VF findings PMS in their boots. “Motorists sufficiency and distribution, hauling petroleum products in this regard, show that the are advised not to store petrol the NNPC embarked on and there is a major incident agencies have failed to take aggressive rehabilitation of relating to safety, you can significant steps towards reception depots. “As at today, imagine what the cost addressing the crisis.

18 depots out of the 23 depots implication will be. We also have been fully recovered consider the fact that we are with the exception of entering a market which has Fire outbreaks escalate Makurdi, Yola, and been cornered by different The scarcity of fuel has Maiduguri due to the people. So there is bound to increased pipeline vandalism activities of pipeline vandals,” be challenges. The only way as some daring Nigerians go is through negotiations which he said as far as the high seas in a we have started now. But He noted that carrying PMS More worrisome bid to to source for the is not easy. There are safety moving PMS is our highest product. is the allegation implications. Also, NRC priority now and that is why The Director, Lagos State cannot just load PMS from a we are trying to clear all Fire Service, Razak Fadipe, that virtually all tanker; you have to have bottlenecks in order to make expressed regret that the fuel dealers had their sidings to the tank farms. And headway. scarcity has led to some “What all these imply is that the offloading sidings have to members of the public storing pump prices the Corporation, despite its have sidings too.

There are fuel in their homes. This adjusted to almost also the issues of the PEF. capacity to lift, still has to trend, he said, has led to a These are not the things you contend with the issues of spradic increase in the half a litre for a hurry over because of the safety while trying to manage number of fire outbreaks in normal quantity safety risks involved. PMS is and balance the interest of the different parts of the state. highly inflammable, so we are oil marketers as well.”

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Delta APC appeals judgment on congress T

HE All Progressives Congress, APC, Delta State and the state executive committee, led by Prophet Jones Erue, have appealed the judgment of the Delta State High Court which ordered the conduct of a fresh congress to elect new officers for the state APC executive.

Counsel to APC, Mr A. Mukoro, in the appeal, is asking the Appeal Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, to set aside the said judgment of the state High Court, Asaba, as delivered by Justice Nduka Obi, on the ground that the decision occasioned a miscarriage of justice.

According to Mukoro, the

Delta community's oldest man accused of raising false alarm

By Godwin Oghre

S

APELE—A middle aged man, Chavwuko Gbemre, of Iwhrekan community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, has petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Alkali Baba Usman, to disregard media reports that he (Chavwuko Gbemre) was threatening the life of the oldest man in his community, Chief Johnson Gbemre and his son Mr. Vincent Gbemre.

In the petition to the Police on his behalf by Chief Albert Akpomuje, SAN, Chavwuko said that an earlier ceremony where he was to be presented to the community was disrupted “When Chief Johnson Gbemre walked in escorted by 15 policemen from Jeddo to scuttle the ceremony.”

The petition stated that the community had adopted Chavwuko Gbemre as the next community chairman following the expiration of the tenure of the current executive committee, adding that the said Vincent Gbemre never took part in the screening which was headed by the community’s second oldest man, Pa Navwoga Disi, who also presented him (Chavwuko Gbemre) to the entire community.

parties also filed a motion for stay of execution of the judgment.

Meanwhile, Delta State APC chairman, Prophet Erue, has commended Nigerians for

supporting the APC and voting massively for P r e s i d e n t - e l e c t , Muhammadu Buhari at the poll.

He also extended a hand of reconciliation to all aggrieved

members of the party and appreciated the people of Delta State for supporting the party ’s governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and reposing confidence in the APC.

VISIT: From left: Minister of Information, Sen. Patricia Akwashiki; Registrar, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, Alhaji Bello Kankarofi and Head of Finance and Human Resources, APCON, Mrs Abimbola Ipaye, during the minister's visit to APCON Head Office, in Lagos, yesterday.

S-South group urges Buhari to sign new agreement with oil firms

By Emma Amaize

W

ARRI—THE South South Liberation Movement, SSLM, has called on the incoming government of Genaral Muhammadu Buhari, to enter into fresh agreement with oil companies operating in the Niger Delta on how to develop the region.

The group, in a statement by its national coordinator, Mr John Adie, said that under the outgoing government of President Goodluck Jonathan, oil companies are lords paying to government what they wanted.

He said: “For instance, the

Federal Government takes whatever amount is given to it by the oil companies without ascertaining the correct revenue that is supposed to accrue from the companies.

The under reporting of oil production by oil companies is suffocating the nation’s economy. Buhari's government

Delta poly student arrested for illegal possession of firearm

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

LEH—SECURITY operatives have apprehended a first year National Diploma student of Delta State

Council HPMs, Treasurers commend Delta NLC over Ofoeyeno’s election

A

SSOCIATION of Heads of Personnel Management and Treasurers to Local Governments has commended the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Delta State, over David Ofoeyeno’s election as Chairman, NLC in the state.

The association also called on members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees in the 21 local government areas in the state who are presently on industrial

should quickly correct the anomaly for the economy to grow.”

SSLM maintained that the new government might not be able to make much progress unless it identified the cabal, both within and outside the oil industry that is milking the country dry.

strike to suspend the action, since the government was ready for a constructive dialogue to find a lasting solution to the problem, adding that the problem was not peculiar to Delta State.

In a statement by Monday Agbeyi, its Chairman, the association said that the election of Ofoeyeno as Chairman of the state NLC, was not a surprise to them because he is a man of the people at the moment.

Polytechnic, Ozoro, Delta State, for allegedly being in possession of a locally made pistol.

It was gathered that the suspect, a member of a gang of armed bandits that has been terrorizing the polytechnic, was arrested by the security team attached to the institution while trying to escape with others now at large.

Sources said the security team which acted on a tip off, rounded up the hoodlums in their hideout where the suspect, who is a student in the Department of Business Administration, was found to be in position of the pistol and was later handed over to the police.

It was learnt that the suspect had made a confessional statement which has been handed over to State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, for further investigation.

N-Delta APC women laud ex-militant on peace initiative

S

APELE—A group of Niger Delta women, under the aegis of All Progressives Congress Women, APCW, has commended an ex-militant in the region, Mr Bini Oduku, on his peace and security initiatives in the South-South region.

The Ondo State woman coordinator, Malumi Temiyemi, Delta State woman coordinator, Ufuoma Okpurue, Balyesa State woman coordinator, Ebiere Krodokumo, Victoria Bemigo, Oke Joseph and others who made the commendation, also described Oduku as a true leader in the region.

The APC women , who passed a confidence vote in Oduku in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, said that Oduku’s security network and performance in the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections was laudable and worthy of emulation by the people of the region.

Cleric denies report on robbery attack

By Perez Brisibe

U

G H E L L I — APOSTLE Steve Akpokomuaye of Dominion Prayer Ministries, Ughelli, Delta State, has denied media report that he was recently shot on the leg by armed robbers who tried to steal his SUV on the Oviri-Ogor Road on his way from church.

Apostle Akpokomuaye, who spoke to Vanguard in his office, said he was shocked by the report following series of calls he received from friends and family members.

He said: “I pity the sponsor of such report.

You can see me for yourself, I am hale and hearty. I was never shot at anytime and my car is still with me.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 43

Ashafa mourns Sen Zanna, describes death rude shock

Police arrest 8 suspected cultists in Enugu .Vigilante nabbed for selling arms, ammunition

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—NO fewer than eight suspected members of the Vikings Confraternity have been arrested by the operatives of Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Enugu Police command on May 17, after a raid at their hideout over cult related killings and other heinous crimes.

The suspects, who gave their names as Ifeanyi Emeka, Chinonso Ugwu, aka Labista; Darlington Chukwuebuka, Nnaji Kelechi, Ebuka Nnaji, aka Shawolin, were arrested at an uncompleted building at IbagwaNike, Enugu-East Local Government Area in the middle of an operation, following a tipoff.

Among the suspects were two females, identified as Maryanne Arum and Uzor MaryJane, who served as the gangs’ cooks and baited victims to hide-outs for execution.

According to police spokesperson, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, DSP, the gang had terrorised residents of AbakpaNike, leaving in their wake trails of tears and anguish.

“We have received reports of their activities within the area.

Our operatives have been on surveillance. Their surveillance efforts paid off when they raided

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

S

E N A T O R GBENGA Ashafa, who represents Lagos East senatorial district, has described the death of Senator Ahmed Zanna as a rude shock.

Ashafa, in a condolence message, said he received the news of the sudden demise of Zanna with a heavy heart, adding that he still could not believe that the cold hands of death had snatched away a patriotic citizen so soon.

He said: “It will be difficult to forget Senator Zanna because of his important role and influence in the National Assembly. ‘’He was a good friend with whom I embarked on series of oversight functions as a member of Gas Committee of the 7th National Assembly.

“No doubt, he would be missed greatly by the 7th National Assembly, I wish his family strength and comfort from Almighty Allah to bear the irreparable loss.’’

their hide-out at Ibagwa-Nike and arrested the suspects.

“The girls have made useful statements, confessing their relationship with the gang while pleading for forgiveness,’’ the spokesperson said.

Similarly, one Chukwu Emmanuel, who claimed to be a member of Enugu Neighbourhood Watch Group

attached to Nkwubor, Emene,in Enugu-East Local Government Area, has been nabbed by SARS operatives for allegedly selling arms and ammunition to hoodlums.

The suspect was apprehended on May 17, at Nkwubor, Emene in company of his accomplices, who gave their names as Chukwu Chidiebere and Chidiebere Odo. It was gathered that the

Police, family tango over death of son

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—PALPABLE tension has gripped the people of Okwu, Emekuku, in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, following the alleged death of their son, Omeni Ajaero, in police custody.

Some concerned natives of the community, who spoke to Vanguard on strict grounds of anonymity, traced the sad incident to internal family squabble arising from a bitter tussle over family property.

“Late J. N. Ajaero married three wives and since he died, the family has never known peace because of the scramble for the property left behind by their father. ‘’The bad blood created by this scramble was very deep and has degenerated to what has just

happened,” a villager claimed.

Giving a graphic account of how Omeni Ajaero died, his younger brother, Uwaoma Ajaero, recalled how his elder brother and himself willingly reported themselves to the State Police Headquarters, Owerri, in full compliance with a police invitation.

He said: “On arrival at the State Police Headquarters, Owerri, we were told that Thaddeus Ajaero and Edwin Ajaero, the sons of my late father ’s first wife had proceeded to Zone 9 Headquarters, Umuahia. ‘’We were also informed that police officers from Zone 9 were already waiting to take us to Umuahia.

“We were arrested, handcuffed, and whisked away to Zone 9, Umuahia, where the two of us made statements and were detained.”

Monarch cautions Abia gov-elect over sycophants, as Soludo commends vision

By Anayo Okoli

Abia State and help make Igbo land great again.

King Agwu also charged Ikpeazu to mete out stiff punishment to any contractor who failed to adhere to the stipulation of the contract, noting that contractors were part of those who created problems for governors.

Agwu, who spoke at his Eze Onyeoruru Palace, in Ajatanigu autonomous community, Oboro in Ikwuano council of the state, lamented cases of substandard jobs

U

MUAHIA—A prominent traditional ruler in Abia State, King Larry Ogbonnaya Agwu, has cautioned the governor-elect, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to beware of sycophants, if he must succeed.

This came as former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, described the governor-elect, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, as somebody with the capacity to reposition

suspects had been on the wanted list of the operatives over sale of arms and ammunition to hoodlums who had been arrested by the police but mentioned their names during investigations.

Recovered from the hoodlums are bullet proof vests, an automatic pump action gun, 13 rounds of live cartridges and two wraps of weed suspected to be Indian hemp.

Agwu said the activities of people he described as fake or half-baked contractors nearly messed up the good intention of the outgoing Governor Theodore Orji.

He said: “That Governor Orji is not a good administrator as alleged by some Aba people, was caused by the activities of bad contractors. ‘’The sycophants that were close to him, those people he believes, those people he trusted, put him in this mess."

Meanwhile, former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has described Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as somebody with the capacity to reposition Abia State and help to make Igbo land great again.

Prof. Soludo, who spoke Monday in his Enugu residence when Ikpeazu visited him, described Ikpeazu as a man with clarity of vision, particularly his plans to turn around Aba, the commercial capital of the state.

He also recalled that on May 5, 2015, the investigative police officer, IPO, and one of his colleagues came to the cell where they were detained, called out his brother and took him away.

“About two hours later, the IPO and his colleague called me out of the cell and ordered me to fill the bail bonds for myself and my yet-to-be-seen brother. Upon inquiry about the whereabouts of my brother, the IPO said that he was outside,” Uwaoma said.

He also recalled that after completing the formalities for the bail bond, the IPO took him to where his vehicle was parked and he saw his brother in the vehicle, foaming from his mouth and groaning, as he could no longer talk.

Uwaoma said that not being quite sure of what he was seeing, he sought to know what went wrong, adding that the IPO replied that midway into the interrogation, Omeni started behaving in a manner he could not understand. ’The opinion of the IPO was that Omeni may be reacting to the injection administered on him,” Uwaoma recalled with grief.

“The IPO said he took him to the nearby police hospital, where he was given an injection and later referred to Emekuku mission hospital. ‘’He was also referred to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he died May 7, 2015, when all efforts to revive him failed,” Uwaoma said.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On free flow of traffic returning to Oshodi-Apapa Expressway

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t is quite unfortunate that Lagos traffic controllers left this to linger, but I am glad they have taken up the responsibility to tackle it. At least, now the tanker drivers have vacated OshodiApapa Expressway. That is a success for Governor Fashola. -Mr. Uche Innocent, Student

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agos wants everything; now they have everything. Why complain?

What about all the other seaports in other parts of this country? Lagos State government should start taxing the lawless drivers at least N200,000 per day.

-Miss Obruche Eweta, Commenter

I

f I blocked the road with my car, somebody will carry my car and charge me to court. The law must be obeyed. Let them go to Mosimi Depot to get the fuel. Second, all tankers should park at nearest petrol station. -Mr. Francis Onilogboa, Businessman

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hat relocation is long over-due. They should relocate to Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri. The current magic will not last for long. But what were the hordes of Lagos State employed uniformed men doing before now? -Miss Blessing Ukoma, Broadcaster

E

ven if the tankers must be there, they should be made to form only one or two lines along the road and military men should be stationed there on permanent basis to make sure no one flouts the order. That is how it ought to be. -Mrs. Loveth Chekwube, Worker

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hy queue for something not available? The ticketing method should have been applied long ago. Let the authorities implement online ticket request and collection for all petrol stations to lift petroleum products from the depot. -Miss Ukogu Chinasa, Vocalist

44 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

BOKO HARAM: Borno needs over $20m to settle IDPS

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI— BORNO State government has said that over $20 million was needed to re-build about 22 local government areas destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in the last one year.

Governor Kashim Shettima made this known yesterday at the Government House in Maiduguri when members of Red Cross Society led by its President, Mr. Peter Maurer paid him a courtesy call.

An assessment teamled by the Director, Search and Rescue of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Air Commodore Charles Otegbade, sent by the Federal Government to the state on Monday was still assessing the level of destruction by the insurgents as at the time of this report.

However, Shettima who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha, said that since the displacement of many communities by the insurgents, the state government had been shouldering the responsibility of feeding the IDPs through the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, even as he commended the effort of the Red Cross for its humanitarian assistance to the victims of the insurgency.

Kaduna APC petitions EFCC over Yero's alleged plan to ‘misapropriate' N2.7bn T

HE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kaduna State has petitioned the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged attempt by the out-going government of Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, to ‘’’misappropriate about N2.744 billion Local Government Sure- P fund.’’

The petition entitled, ‘’The attempt to misappropriate SureP Funds in Kaduna State’’ and dated May 15, 2015, was signed by the Chairman, Transition Committee, Balarabe Abbas Lawal.

The petition read, ‘’I write to bring to your attention, the elaborate steps being taken by the outgoing Kaduna State government to legitimise the misappropriation of N2.744 billion Local Government SureP funds, and to request that you exercise your responsibility of deterring crime by preventing this last-minute looting of public assets. ‘’The Kaduna State House of Assembly declined to appropriate the Sure-P funds in the 2015 budget, and promptly removed them from the budgets submitted by the 23 local government councils. The state legislators further resolved that

J

OS—THE Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Ohi Alegbe has urged public and private schools in the country to take science education serious by improving on its studies to meet the technological needs of the country.

Alegbe said that education was the foundation on which nations were built hence the need for stakeholders in the sector to give it the needed support to ensure quality development that could put Nigeria among technological advanced nations of the world.

the fate of the funds be left to the incoming administration. ‘’The outgoing governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, however has been putting the legislature under tremendous pressure to approve his utilisation of 50 percent of the Sure-P funds for a road project, while the 23 local

government councils would share the balance. Coming from a government whose tenure expires in less than two weeks, the intensity of the lobby for the money indicates a certain desperation that is clearly not in the public interest. ‘’I wish to therefore request

that you urgently investigate whether the Sure-P funds are still intact, or if they have been spent without appropriation thus necessitating a belated approval from the House of Assembly to provide a ‘legal’ means of retiring the funds. If, as it is widely believed in the state.''

Shelve your strike, Bauchi gov-elect begs civil servants

By Suzan Edeh

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A U C H I — B AU C H I State Governor-elect, Mohammed Abubakar has appealed to civil servants in the state to call of their strike which had paralysed economic and government activities, lamenting that it had also negatively impacted on the work of the transition committee.

This was contained in a

NNPC chief tasks public, private schoolson science education

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

SYMPOSIUM: From left; Yeo Ziobeieton, Regional Marketing Director, Foods, Africa, Unilever; Margaret Van Toorenburg, representing Director, Savoury, Africa; Nnenna Osi Anugwa, Category Manager, Savoury and Nsima Ogedi Alakwe, Brand Building Director, during the Unilever Knorr Social Mission Symposium held in Lagos.

He spoke in Jos, Plateau State, during the North Central Zone final of the “NNPC Annual National Quiz Competition” for secondary school students from Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue, Kwara, and Niger States as well as the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Alegbe who was represented on the occasion by the NNPC Media Relations Officer, Aliyu Ababakar, said, “education is the foundation on which nations are built, that is why education is an important fulcrum upon which an appreciable percentage of our community relations initiatives are anchored.

statement signed by the state Deputy Governor-elect, Nuhu Gidado in Bauchi, the state capital yesterday.

The state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, had embarked on an indefinite strike on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 due to the inability of the government to pay March and April salaries.

However, the statement read, “We wish to call on the NLC, TUC and JAC to note that the ongoing trike action resulting from the non-payment of salaries of workers has become injurious to the transition process. It is important that the service personnel are available to drive a seamless transition process.

“The incoming administration is appealing to the striking workers to shelve the strike action with a view to achieving a successful transition.”

Abubakar, however, asked the state government to hasten the payment of all outstanding salaries to the workers saying, “it is our understanding and belief that settlement of the entitlements of civil servants is essential for any government that is purposeful in its efforts to attain meaningful development.”

Meanwhile, Abubakar has explained that the Bauchi rebranding project inauguration

was personally sponsored by himself while the project team worked on developing the strategic focus for the state free of charge.

He said “The incoming administration wishes to clarify the status of Bauchi Rebranding Project with regards to its source of funding.

Group tackles Uduaghan on equity in APC Nigerians along and give every-

D

ELTANS United for Progressive Change, a political pressure group in Delta State, has described comments recently attributed to Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, as “unsolicited and unnecessary advice.”

In a chat with newsmen yesterday in Effurun, the group through its President, Comrade Elijah Idimi, claimed that a People’s Democratic Party, “PDP Governor is not in a position to offer unsolicited advice to the incoming administration of president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, on equitable distribution of top positions in the country, more so when he is not a member of the All Progressives Congress.”.

Accusing Governor Uduaghan of raising what it described as “false alarm just to create bad blood against the APC administration,” the group asserted that the APC is determined “to carry all

one a sense of belonging in governance.” Rejecting the Governor’s advice as unnecessary, the group advised him to reserve his advice to his own party, the PDP, which it claimed “is on its way to political Siberia.”

According to the group, “We advice our amiable Governor to concentrate his last minute effort not on offering unrequested advice to a party that is not interested in being lectured by members of a failed party like the PDP but instead to reserve his energy to render account of his stewardship to Deltans when the day of reckoning for the PDP arrives after May 29.”

Warning the people to be suspicious of “clandestine attempts

by PDP members to infiltrate the APC through the backdoor,” the group urged “the Deltans not to lose hope but to pray for their final liberation from sixteen years of PDP maladministration,” claiming that the Olorogun O’tega Emerhor led Delta APC was committed to bringing change to the state.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—45

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THANKSGIVING : From left— Mrs Ibidun Ighodalo; Dame Abimbola Fashola, First Lady of Lagos State; Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, Commissioner for Industry, Ogun State, and Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House, at the special thanksgiving service in honour of Governor Babatunde Fashola and his wife, Abimbola, at the Trinity House, Zion Centre, Lagos.

PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

GLO/NYSC: From left— Bez, music star and Glo Ambassador; Brenda Ebhodaghe, 25-year-old Mass Communication graduate of University of Lagos, UNILAG, winner, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Miss Bold & Beautiful, sponsored by Globacom, and Mr. Kunle Akanmu, Globacom Business Director, during the contest at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Lagos.

SYNOD THANKSGIVING: From left (front row)—Rt. Rev. Manasseh Okere, Bishop of Isuikwuato Umenneochi Diocese, Abia State; Justice Babasola Ogunade (rtd), Chancellor, Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral; Bishop Olusola Odedeji, Bishop of Lagos West Anglican Communion; his wife, Lydia; Rt. Rev. Oluranti Odunbogun, Bishop of Ife Dioceses; Rt. Rev. Ayo Awosoge, Bishop of Ijebu Dioceses, and others during the thanksgiving service of the 1st Session of the 6th Synod of Dioceses of Lagos West, Anglican Communion, at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Lagos.

FCMB: From left— Mr. Paul Uduk, MD/CEO, Vision and Talent Ltd; Dimeji Adeyanju, Manager, Salaried Segment; Olukunbi Lawoyin, Product Manager and Benjamin Onuchukwu, Manager, Trade Products, all of First City Monument Bank, FCMB, during the Six Sigma training programme organised by Vision and Talents in Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

HONOURED: From left—Rhema Akabuogu, National Retail Artiste, House of Tara; Kelechi Amadi Obi, ace photographer and L'Original judge; Kunbi Oyelese, designer of April by Kunbi, and L'Original judge; Nnenna Ifebigh-Hemeson, Senior Brand Manager, Fayrouz, and Mai Atafo, designer, Mai Atafo Inspired, at the Fayrouz L'Original 2 auditions in Ibadan.

AWARD: Dr. Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, (left) and Mr. Oluwatosin Jasper, Vice President, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, during the presentation of National Outstanding Leadership award to Dr. Juwah.

MEETING: From left— Mr. Tajudeen Obasa, House of Representatives member-elect for Ojo Federal Constituency; Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, and Mr. Obasa's wife, Aishat, at a stakeholders' meeting in Lagos.

CELEBRATION : Mrs Pupolola Atoyebi, Proprietress, At-Bet International School, Amuwo Odofin (middle); her husband, Remi Atoyebi (3rd left) and their children at Mrs Atoyebi’s 60th birthday celebration in Lagos.

46 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—47 —47

48 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015—49

May 29: FG orders Bayelsa CJ to swear in Wike as As lawyers react Rivers gov

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—FOLLOWING the impasse that has left Rivers State without a substantive Chief Judge for long, the Federal Government, yesterday, directed the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State to swear in the governor-elect of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, on May 29.

Meanwhile, lawyers have reacted, expressing divergent views on the development.

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The directive for the Bayelsa CJ to administer the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office on Wike was contained in a statement by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, SAN. According to the AGF, the order was necessitated by the fact that Rivers State neither has a substantive CJ nor a President of the Customary Court of Appeal.

Adoke said it was regrettable that the existing vacuum in the higher rung of the River State judiciary has made strict

compliance with requirements of Section 185(1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, under which Wike should have ordinarily been sworn in, virtually impossible.

Adoke said it was owing to the prevailing situation that the FG decided to invoke the provision of section185 (2) of the Constitution, so as to empower the Bayelsa CJ to conduct the governorship swearing-in ceremony in River State on May 29.

The AGF noted that section 185(2) of the constitution provides

that, “The Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office shall be administered by the Chief Judge of the state or Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the state, if any, or President of the Customary Court of Appeal of the state, if any, or the person for the time being respectively appointed to exercise the functions of any of those offices in any state.

“The general public, particularly the government and people of Rivers State, are hereby invited to take note of this development and appreciate the fact that the invitation extended to the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State to administer the Oath of

Allegiance and Oath of Office on the governor-elect of Rivers State on May 29, 2015, is in accordance with the constitution and should therefore, be respected by all and sundry.”

Reactions Reacting, Chief Robert Clarke, SAN, said: “What is important is not the person that administers the oath of office but whether such person has the capacity to do so.

Knowing the present situation in Rivers State, government must go on. So, whoever administers the oath of office is immaterial, so far as the person has the capacity to do that.

“The oath can even be administered by a commissioner for oath. On the argument that such directive should have come from the Chief Justice of Nigeria, well, you are right.

There is a difference between the executive and the judiciary arms of government. Such directive should not have come from the AGF. He could have allowed the CJN to give such directive. Therefore, the AGF has no power under the law to so direct.

My opinion, however, remains that whoever must administer the oath of office must have the capacity under the law.”

On his part, Deacon Dele Adesina, SAN, said: “If the offices of the state Chief Judge, the acting CJ, or the President of the Customary Court of Appeal are vacant, we have to recognise that there is no vacuum in nature. My opinion is based on three points. As at today, there is no Chief Judge, neither is there an acting CJ nor the President of the Customary Court of Appeal or acting President of the Customary Court of Appeal in Rivers State.

Secondly, the tenure of the incumbent governor expires on the midnight of May 28. Third, it must never happen that the state exist without a leader exercising executive authority of that state.

Unless you get the parameters I have laid down, you may not appreciate my legal conclusion. Based on these parameters, there is necessity to swear in the governor, and I believe that a Chief Judge of another state can do that. This is because, the intention of the drafters of the Constitution is that in assuming the office of the executive of the state, the person must duly take the oath of allegiance and oath of office."

50 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

We've no link with NPA directive — INTELS

By Ifeyinwa Obi

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NTELS Logistics Limited, an oil and gas logistics provider, have said they do not have any link with the directive from the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) asking competitors to discharge or handle all their oil and gas cargoes at Intels’ facilities at Onne, Warri and Calabar ports.

The company also said they have nothing to do with the recent directive to LADOL Limited to relocate its Egina FPSO fabrication and Integrations project from Lagos, to Bayelsa State.

General Manager of the company, Mr Mike Epelle, said that the allegation that the organization was responsible for the government decisions was not true.

Epelle also denied allegations that Intels was doing everything to stifle competition or achieve monopoly in the oil and gas industry in Rivers and other states.

Besides, he argued that Intels was not the only company that was involved in oil and gas logistics business in Onne Port, explaining that there were other operators, including 190 companies doing different businesses in the area.

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Noting that it pioneered oil and gas services at a time when no company was ready to invest in the empty spaces and waters in Onne, Epelle said that all the same the company has never stopped any company from doing business in the area.

According to him, various business approaches adopted by Intels in the past 30 years were what led to the development of the area.

On the legal tussle in respect of operations in the oil and gas zone, Epelle said that the court is being deceived on the matter.

He disclosed that Intels enjoys exclusive right to operate oil and gas in Onne Port.

He also said that a Federal High court had given judgement on the matter, adding that so far two court orders have been issued by different court on the issue.

He lamented that such discrepancy lead to chaos in a business environment.

“The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in July, 2014 passed a judgement the both the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) have powers to designate port into several categories.

“A Federal High Court, Port Harcourt had earlier given a judgment in 2014 asking all oil and gas cargoes be handled in designated terminals.”

“Since when the judgements were given, nobody appealed against it and I wonder another court giving that FHC has only one jurisdiction.”

He however queried why the reports were carried saying any terminal operators who wished to carry out oil and gas activities should come to the oil and gas designated terminals.

“Less than forty percent of the Onne free trade zone (OFTZ) was been utilized, there are still a lot of areas to be accessed, so they

can come there through NPA and start investing like we have done.”

Eppele also said oil and gas terminals pay higher tariff to the federal government than terminals that deal in conventional cargoes.

“We pay more than other terminal operators that handle conventional cargoes so how would you pay for lesser tariff for dealing in conventional cargoes and do jobs for Oil and gas terminals,” he asked.

Akpabio's wife lauded over care for the under-privileged

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AGOS—WIFE of Akwa Ibom State governor, Mrs. Unoma Ekaette Akpabio, has been lauded for her philanthropic gestures to the less privileged.

Akwa Ibom Dignity and Integrity Defenders Foundation, stated this in a communiqué jointly signed by the National President, Moses Udo-Udo Umoren and Director of Media, Kufre Innocent Umoefon at the celebration of Emmanuel Udom’s victory in Lagos.

According to Umoren: “The highly commendable supportive role of her Excellency, Chief Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio in the

uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom state is a true testimony to this. She’s indubitably, the “watermark” reason God’s will is done by Godswill Akpabio in the state that was once vilified and denigrated.

“She is an uncommon woman, especially for the less privileged. In rendering these selfless services to these society-neglected but Unomaembracing ones in the society, she feels fulfilled as could be seen on her ever-smiling face.

“Through her pet project: Life Enhancement Initiative.

With her touch of generosity, many widows have been made to forget the

excruciating agony attached to widowhood as she usually meet them at their points of needs ranging from clothing, financial assistance, shelter, etc. all these wrapped in uncommon humility shielded in the fear of God. “Her strength of mobilization which earned her the title Campaigner-in-chief is drawn from the lives her golden hands of generosity have touched. She remains a blessing to Akwa Ibom state that is why we have written a book to her credit because she came into the life of Godswill, he became governor and brought light into the then dark tunnel of Akwa Ibom, and now, a Senator”.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 51

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52—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Robust blood bank system’ll reduce maternal mortality

By Chioma Obinna

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T is indisputable that Nigerian women are dying before, during and after childbirth. The lamentation of unnecessary loss of lives has been on for decades now, almost soundinglike a broken record.

Everyday, several Nigerian women go into the battle of giving birth to children and not many come out to tell the happy story.

In fact, statistics from relevant sources have it that maternal mortality in Nigeria is not only alarmingly high but one of the highest in the world. Every 10 minutes, a Nigerian woman dies as a result of complications of pregnancy or childbirth and hundreds of thousands more are disabled in birth related accidents every year.

Unfortunately, one of the major identified causes of maternal death in the country today, haemorrhage, popularly known as bleeding is yet to be addressed holistically. Many women who suffer haemorrhage in pregnancy related conditions die within 24 to 48 hours of child delivery.

Annually, 585,000 women die of pregnancy related complications and 99 percent of these deaths due to haemorrhage occur in developing countries like Nigeria. Statistics available also showed that Nigeria accounts for a disproportionate 10 percent of global maternal deaths and has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the developing world - accounting for the second

• Nigeria needs about 1.4 million units of blood, unfortunately, only 54,392,000 are generated from its 17 fully operational centres across the six geo-political zones of the country. highest global burden of maternal deaths in the world next to India.

With the alarming deaths as a result of haemorrhage, medical experts are saying that that a robust blood bank system will drastically reduce the 23 percent of maternal deaths cause by haemorrhage in the country.

In the views of a professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr. Oluwarotimi Ireti Akinola tackling the challenge due to bleeding in maternal health has been hampered due to non availability of functional blood banking system in the country.

If facilities and blood products are more available, medical professionals will try everything to reduce blood loss in women, take measures to prevent bleeding

Establishing a blood banking system is key to reducing maternal deaths caused by haemorrhage.

WHO has maintained that providing safe and adequate supplies of blood and blood products should be an integral part of every country’s efforts to improve maternal health. Studies have shown that safe blood transfusion is one of the key life-saving interventions that should be available in all facilities that provide emergency obstetric care. Unfortunately, equitable access to safe blood for obstetric care still remains a major

Kizito Hospital diagnoses 8,000 TB cases in 10 yrs

By Gabriel Olawale

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O fewer than 8.000 Tuberculosis patients have obtained care and treatment support at the TB/DOTS Centre of St. Kizito Clinic, Lagos, over the last 10 years. Disclosing this recently, management of the hospital said of this number over 1,200 patients were treated successfully since the Centre was established in 2005.

The effort was recognised by the Lagos state Ministry of health, which formally designated the Clinic as a TB/DOTS site operating under FMOH/ NTBLCP guidelines of Nigeria.

Nigeria is among countries with a high burden of Tuberculosis.

Over 10 percent of the national TB burden is reported by Lagos State which has the highest burden of TB in Nigeria.

Speaking on the feat, General Manager Loving Gaze, Barbara Pepoli, said through St Kizito Clinics in Jakande, Lekki; IdiAraba, Mushin and Oreta with support from Chevron Nigeria Limited, the hospital has

remained the only comprehensive TB/DOTS unit with experienced and trained health personnel and laboratory facilities.

Pepoli said with Chevron support, the hospital has acquired the Blood Chemistry auto analyzer - a critical improvement to services rendered to St Kizito Clinic TB patients because it allows complete screening of data sets of blood cells, both qualitative and quantitative.

“Prevalence of other illnesses that sustain TB is a public health emergency. Tuberculosis thrives in immune compromised patients such as those with diabetes and other chronic illnesses like HIV as well as malnutrition and in old age. Diagnosis and subsequent treatment of such illnesses is vital in TB patient care. “We are grateful to Chevron because this equipment will strengthen diagnosis, treatment and follow up of patients with complications from TB and or TB associated diseases.

On his part, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, CNL, Deji Haastrup,

• Master Barry Joel Adefusika, winner of the baby picture competition on Facebook, organised by Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, to mark its 12th anniversary. Poses with Clinic Manager, Nordica Lagos, Mrs Tola Ajayi (carrying the winner) and his mother Yetunde, (left). Barry and his family won an all-expenses-paid trip to Ghana on the 29th of May - 1st of June, 2015.To emerge winner out of 133 contestants, Barry garnered a total of 2753 likes.

Responsibility explained the donation is in line Corporate obligations.

The company views with the NNPC/Chevron Joint healthcare as a crucial social Ventures Tradition of Care, which includes a robust health service that is at the core of its programme as part of its success as business, he added.

challenge, contributing to high maternal mortality in the country.

According to the Zonal Coordinator, North Central, National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), Jos, Plateau State, Dr. Ayodele Bolorunduro, rtd, Nigeria will require approximately 1.4 million units of blood annually. Unfortunately, the total number generated today is unknown due to the plurality of sources and poor retirement of returns to the National Blood Service.

The figures that can be correctly captured are the unit processed by the National Blood Service, which is 54,392,000 from its 17 fully operational stand-alone blood centres spread across the six geo-political zones of the country. Akinola who is also the 1st Vice President of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, SOGON, also lamented the unacceptable high maternal mortality rate in the country.

According to him, the national maternal mortality rate by the National Demographic, NDHS, in 2013 which showed 576 per 100,000 live births is unacceptably high when compared to350/100,000 and 400/100,000 in Ghana and Benin Republic respectively over the same period of time.

Describing maternal mortality as a global tragedy during a Civil Society Media Forum on Maternal Health Accountability under the NOTAGAIN Campaign Project Supported by the MacArthur Foundation in Lagos recently, he stressed that provision of adequate blood facilities as well as increasing number of blood donors in the country would reduce the number of women dying during child births.

He urged Nigerians to adopt the culture of voluntary blood donation as a measure of ensuring blood availability for patients in pregnancy related conditions.

Akinola reasoned that haemorrhage has been killing women not because pregnant women in Nigeria are more prone to bleeding but the deaths are as a result of lack of appropriate facilities to address haemorrhage.

“Only a few health facilities in the country have equipment that can produce blood parts. Some women in pregnancy related condition bleed to the extent that their blood will stop clothing.

What is required at that stage is parts of blood, not blood itself, but how many health centres can provide blood components in this country?

“If facilities and blood products are more available, medical professionals will try everything to reduce blood loss in women, take measures to prevent bleeding and when bleeding happens, they must be skilful enough to know what to do to stop it.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 53

C M Y K

54—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

FUTA's VC tasks students' union leaders on service

‘Arase's appointment perfect'

M

T

HE newlyinaugurated leaders of Students Union Executive of Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA, have been advised to be servantleaders in their comportment and service delivery.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola and Dean, Students’ Affairs, Dr. Kayode Alese, gave the counsel at the swearing in ceremony recently held for the new leaders.

In his address, Professor Daramola, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development, Professor Tolulope Akinbogun, admonished them to see leadership as a process by which a person influences others to accomplish set objectives and direct an organization in a way that makes it cohesive and coherent.

Professor Daramola promised that the students’ leaders will benefit from local and international trainings in tandem with the extant culture of the university.

He said: “We have consistently been sponsoring student leaders to attend leadership training programmes within and outside Nigeria for the past six years. I believe your administration will not be an exception.

“This is part of our resolve to take FUTA and its products to a higher level of internationalization in scholarship and excellence.”

President of the students union, Fowobaje Oluwaseun, said he and his colleagues will ensure that they take students unionism to a positive level.

SEMINAR: From left— Ramon Casadesus-Manasell, Harvard Professor of Business Administration; Supo Fawole, Country Head, Regenesys Business School, Nigeria, and Dr. Marko Saravanja, Founder/Chairman, Regenesys Business School, at a seminar organised

by Regenesys in Lagos.

Jonathan calls for AU action on African migrants’ deaths

By Ben Agande

A

BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, called on ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to take measures to stem migration of youths in the sub-region through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, which has led to thousands of deaths of subSaharan Africans.

In his valedictory speech at the 47th ordinary session of ECOWAS in Accra, Ghana, P r e s i d e n t Jonathan urged African leaders to discuss the matter at the June AU summit.

President Jonathan’s call is coming on the heels of a decision taken by the European Union, EU, to deploy a Naval task force to check the activities of human traffickers in the

Reps-elect describes defection as commercial politics

T

HE House of Representatives member-elect for Ojo Federal Constituency, Mr. Tajudeen Obasa, has described politicians defecting from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as commercial politicians.

Mr. Obasa, who won the election on the platform of PDP, said the party would adopt new strategy to reinvent itself.

He said: “Defecting from PDP because All Progressives Congress, APC, won at the centre is not healthy for our democracy. Those doing that are commercial politicians.”

He assured his supporters and critics that “fulfilling my campaign promises will be priority.”

Mediterranean.

President Jonathan, in his speech that was punctuated by standing ovation from the sub-regional leaders, noted that though Africa had attained some modest achievements in recent time, the issue of traffickers which had led to the death of many innocent persons represent a dent on the continent.

He said: “While we are making real progress in many core areas, there are issues that require our attention.

“In the past few years, we have witnessed a growing wave of young men and women from our sub-region undertaking very perilous journeys across the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.”

R. Israel Akpodoro has described the appointment and subsequent confirmation of Mr. Solomon Arase as substantive Inspector General of Police as the best appointment by the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Akpodoro stated this in Abuja during a wellattended meeting of exmilitant leaders, who are members of the National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDE-A. He noted that the appointment of the IG was placing a square peg in a square hole, stressing that the new post was deserving of a “complete gentleman” who has the zest to pursue his chosen career with the desired acumen.

The Urhobo-born All Progressives Congress, APC, member called on the incoming administration to consider tapping from the wealth of experience of the IG in “this new era of change.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 55

Suicide bomber kills 9, wounds others in Adamawa market

By Umar Yusuf

Y

OLA—A suspected male suicide bomber yesterday afternoon attacked the Garkida Cattle Market in Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State, killing no fewer than nine persons and wounding several others.

Reports from the area indicated that the incident occurred in the afternoon when the suspect who

posed as a cattle dealer detonated the explosives on entry into the market.

Another version of the story however, had it that the bomb had earlier been planted within the area of vegetable sellers in the market from where the explosive went off.

Garkida town shares borders with Borno State and the Sambisa forest, the dreaded base of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The member

representing Gombi constituency in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Jerry Kumdisi confirmed the incident even as the police authorities could not confirm or deny the attack, saying that the incident fell within the purview of the military.

Garkida, where the early missionaries settled in Adamawa State and had witnessed series of Boko Haram attacks in the past.

Niger lawmakers, exco feud ends ...As Assemblymen get N17m entitlements

By Wole Mosadomi

M

INNA—THE lingering dispute between the Executive and members of the Niger State House of Assembly may have been settled as each of the legislator was alleged to have been paid his outstanding entitlements of about N17 million.

Apart from two members, who were said to be on suspension, every other member of the 25-member Assembly received the money.

The money is said to be part of their allowances which had been pending

since February this year.

With the latest development, sanity has finally returned to the House even as policemen drafted to the Assembly premises to prevent the legislators from performing duties have been withdrawn as sitting commenced in earnest under the control of the newly elected Speaker Alhaji Isah Kawu.

The threat by members to impeach the state Governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu has also been dropped, just as the government also reportedly promised to meet their other remaining demands.

With this development,

Two weeks ago, the lawmakers sacked the leadership of the house and elected new officers over series of allegations ranging from nonimplementation of House resolutions, staff and members welfare matters as well as non-release of the statutory allocations to the House for some months then.

Following the desperation of the legislators to impeach Governor Aliyu, the governor had approached the court which gave an injunction restraining the members from taking any action aimed at impeaching him.

Why AGF is persecuting me — OMATSEYE

By Godfrey Bivwere

M

R Raymond Omatseye, a former Director-General, DG, of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, charged with N1.5billion contract scam, has alleged that he was being “persecuted.”

The accused, who had been suspended as the DG of the agency since December 2010, is being prosecuted before a Federal High Court in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Omatseye, who opened his defence, yesterday, told the court that he believed the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Mr Mohammed Adoke, SAN, was persecuting him.

Trial judge in the matter is Justice Rita OfiliAjumogobia.

Omatseye, led in evidence by his counsel, Mr E. Onyeke, alleged that his trial came shortly after he declined a request by Adoke to discontinue a case that NIMASA filed against the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG. Omatseye in his testimony by first craved the indulgence of the judge to allow him to go into the background of his claim which would aid the court to appreciate his evidence.

He is facing an amended 27-count charge

of contract splitting and bid rigging to the tune of N1.5billion.

He was granted leave by the court to background his allegation.

Omatseye said “In December of 2010, I was approached by a gentleman, who at that time was the Executive Director of the Cabotage Service of NIMASA, in the name of Mr Ibrahim Zailani. Zailani told me that he had been in a meeting with the AGF and that the AGF had directed him to tell me to withdraw a case between NIMASA and NLNG. “I told him I could not do so because that was the decision of the board. Exactly on November 14, 2010, between noon and 1p.m., in my office, I received a call from a gentleman called Tunde Ayeni. He said hello, hold on for your caller and then handed the phone over to a man who said he was Adoke.

“The man said, ''I sent Zailani to you to withdraw the NLNG case and you have refused.'' sHe said ‘Mr President has called me twice on this matter to instruct you to withdraw this case. I responded to him, My AGF sir, either you please send me a memo to that effect or please send a message through my minister to direct me accordingly. I am not in a position to unilaterally withdraw the case.''

56 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 , 2015

Prince Charles meets Sinn Féin leader

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Yemeni war claims 1,850, displaces over 500,000 people - UN T

HE United Nations said yesterday that some 1,850 people had been killed and more than 500,000 displaced as a result of the conflict raging in Yemen since late March.

As of May 15, 1,849 people had been killed and 7,394 had been injured, the UN humanitarian agency said citing numbers from Yemen health facilities.

The UN has repeatedly stressed that many of those injured and killed do not pass through health facilities, meaning the actual toll could be higher.

The announcement came as witnesses reported that Saudi-led warplanes hit Yemeni rebels and their allies in Sanaa, in the first strikes on the rebel-held capital since the end of a five-day humanitarian truce on Sunday.

The Saudi-led coalition has waged an air war on the rebels since late March in an effort to restore the authority of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who is now based in Riyadh.

“The humanitarian pause in Yemen was not long enough to reach all those in need of food,” Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the UN World Food Programme, told reporters.

She said WFP had managed to deliver food to only 400,000 people during the pause, just over half of

RINCE Charles has met Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams at the start of his four-day visit to Ireland.

Mr Adams was among a number of politicians to greet the prince at a reception at National University of Ireland Galway.

It was the first meeting in the Republic of Ireland between Sinn Féin’s leadership and a Royal Family member.

Mr Adams and his colleague Martin McGuinness also had a private meeting with

US squanders public funds on Benghazi probe

A

•Displaced children of the Yemeni war the 738,000 it had aimed to help.

“WFP is appealing for a series of predictable breaks in the conflict to deliver desperately needed aid,” she said.

UN refugee agency

spokesman Adrian Edwards meanwhile said the humanitarian pause had allowed all six of the planned UNHCR aidloaded flights to land safely in Sanaa.

The pause, he told

reporters had also allowed the agency to carry out around 40 assessments on the ground across Yemen, which had “exposed enormous difficulties for thousands of civilians displaced by conflict.”

FTER spending nearly three years and countless millions of taxpayer dollars, the federal investigations into the September 2012 attacks on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, which killed an American ambassador and three other U.S. citizens, have thus far yielded no proof that the Obama administration orchestrated a cover-up to conceal either a failure to prevent the attacks, or a bungled response in the aftermath.

The House Select Committee on Benghazi was supposed to change that. Created to deliver the final word on the longrunning saga, the

Chechen girl 17, weds a married man 30 years older 17-year-old girl millennium.”

A was forced to marry The incident has raised a man who was already legal and ethical issues married and at least 30 in Russia and its years older than her in republic Chechnya.Luiza “the wedding of the Goilabiyeva, called Kheda, 17, was married to Chechen police officer Nazhud Guchigov, who was originally reported to be 57 (though he says he is 46), is already married, and has children who are older than his new bride.

The Russian investigative paper Novaya Gazeta reported that Goilabiyeva was being forced to marry a local official.

He reportedly threatened her parents, demanding

N

•Hillary Clinton that the surge of millennials (about 78 million) tends to vote Democratic. They’re young, energetic, tilt left on social issues like gay marriage and believe women are underrepresented in the boardroom as well as the White House.

Republicans could still connect with millennial votersoneconomicissues,but on the whole, the demographic trends will only make it harder for the GOP’s eventual nominee.

•Couple of the millennium wedding: Kheda, 17, married to Chechen police officer, Nazhud Guchigov that he marry her on the day of her 17th birthday, May 1, and even warned that he would kidnap Goilabiyeva.

“He is married and has

All victims of Germanwings crash identified

A

LL the human remains found at the scene of the Germanwings air crash have been identified and will be returned to their families, a French prosecutor says.

The plane crashed in the French Alps on March 24 with 150 people on board.

Investigators say co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed the plane after locking the pilot out of the cockpit. Experts

committee headed by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), a former prosecutor, has the funding, the jurisdiction and the subpoena power that lawmakers said would be necessary to bring an end to the debate over what happened in Libya in 2012.

However, in an interview with his hometown Greenville News, Gowdy over the weekend set out to lower expectations. Turns out that millions of dollars and thousands of personhours of work don’t necessarily buy you a whole lot of certainty.

“If you do a good enough job laying out the facts, the conclusions will either speak for themselves or you’ll have competing factual narratives and you can draw your own conclusions,” Gowdy told the paper.

“It’s not my job to tell people what to conclude,” he said. “If you have two witnesses, [and] one says the light was red and one green, I don’t view myself as being the arbiter of who is more credible.”

Cameron confident of EU vote

Presidency: Hillary Clinton enjoys demographic edge O matter how many GOP candidates enter the 2016 presidential sweepstakes, it will be an uphill climb for any Republican to secure the White House. That’s not simply because Democratic voters outpace Republicans by a four-point edge, according to Gallup. It’s because the GOP is dying — literally —according to an analysis published Sunday in Politico.

Seems 2.75 million Republican voters will be dead by the time the 2016 election rolls around, Daniel J. McGraw claims in what he calls his “backof-the-napkin” math. By comparison, roughly 2.3 million Obama supporters will have died by the time the 2016 election rolls around.

McGraw is right, of course, that Republicans tend to be older than Democrats, and

Prince Charles.

That meeting took place after the handshake and was in a private room. It lasted between 15 and 20 minutes.

Afterwards, Mr Adams said: “We did discuss the need for the entire process to move forward, particularly in regard to those who have suffered, those who have been bereaved.”

He added: “Both he and we expressed our regret for what happened from 1968 onwards.

have spent six weeks conduc-ting DNA tests on the remains.

“The 150 death certificates can now be signed, as well as the 150 burial permits,” said Brice Robin, Marseille’s city prosecutor.

Mr Robin had previously said it was Mr Lubitz’s “intention to destroy [the] plane”, which was flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf.

children. She’s younger than his children. The Chechen woman is powerless; she can expect help from nowhere,” one of Goilabiyeva’s girlfriends posted, according to The Daily Beast. “Kheda told him that she has a boyfriend, but it was disregarded. They say that her boyfriend was beaten half to death.”

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who attended the wedding ceremony, accused the media of “inaccurately depicting the situation and meddling in the couple’s private lives,” according to The Moscow Times.

P

RIME Minister David Cameron is confident his plan to hold a European Union membership referendum will ultimately give firms more certainty, his spokesman said, after Deutsche Bank disclosed it was making contingency plans for a British EU exit.

Cameron’s spokesman was asked about Deutsche’s decision yesteray after a lobby group said a number of banks have put off possible investments in Britain until after the planned EU vote.

“The prime minister is the person who is providing certainty, he is the one who has the very clear plan to go and renegotiate our relationship with the European union and then put that to the British people,” Cameron’s spokesman told reporters when asked to comment on Deutsche’s plans.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 , 2015 — 57

Kerry leads U.S. delegation to Buhari's swearing-in S

ECRETARY of State John Kerry will lead the US delegation to the inauguration of Nigerian president-elect Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja next week, the White House said yesterday.

Buhari will be sworn in on May 29 after defeating outgoing president Goodluck Jonathan in the first Nigerian election that saw the opposition candidate defeat an incumbent.

The White House said the other members of the US delegation would be announced in the coming days.

A large number of African and Western leaders are expected to attend the ceremony.

Kerry visited Nigeria in January in the run-up to the vote and issued a clear warning that the strength of future US cooperation would be tied to the success of the polls.

The historic election was widely praised by

domestic and foreign observers, with analysts saying it had solidified democracy in Africa’s most populous country, top economy and leading oil producer.

Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party had controlled the federal government since the end of military rule in 1999.

Apart from taking charge of the presidency, Buhari’s All Progressives Congress also won majorities in both the Senate and lower house of parliament.

T

•U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry and Nigeria's president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari

Burundi’s leader rules out revenge against coup plotters

B

U R U N D I ’ S government will not take revenge against those involved in last week’s failed coup, President Pierre Nkurunziza’s office has said.

Those implicated would be brought to justice in accordance with the rule of

S/Africa opposition leader accuses Zuma of dictatorship

P

RESIDENT Jacob Zuma has become “dangerous to South Africa”, which is at risk of slipping into a dictatorship, according to the main opposition party’s newly elected leader, who says Zuma must be held to account by the South African parliament.

Speaking to Newsweek, Mmusi Maimane, who became the traditionally white Democratic Alliance’s (DA) first black leader last week, says the South African president has behaved improperly in responding to allegations that he used 246 million rand (€19m) of public funds to extend his private residence.

Last year, Zuma faced calls for his resignation after public prosecutor Thuli Mandonsela called for him to repay public funds used to extend his residence in Nkandla, which lies in one of the poorest provinces in South Africa, KwaZulu Natal.

The prosecutor found that money diverted from innercity regeneration projects to fund the extensions and the building of a swimming pool was justified as a firefighting security measure.

Members of the radical left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters party

were ejected from parliament in February in chaotic circumstances after asking Zuma when he intended to repay the funds, to which Zuma failed to respond. The president has been accused of avoiding parliament after appearing only once in 2014 following his reelection last May.

•Nkurunziza law, it added in a statement.

Protests are continuing in the capital, Bujumbura, against Mr Nkurunziza’s third-term bid.

The European Union (EU) said shots were fired at the offices of its

Bujumbura representative, Patrick Spirlet.

It is unclear who was behind the shooting.

The EU and African Union have called for a postponement of presidential elections due

on 26 June.

Mr Nkurunziza has so far rejected their demand, saying the election will go ahead. Mr Nkurunziza’s office said the government did “not have and will never have a plan for revenge that we are reading and hearing about in various places”.

“The people involved in the shameful attempt to overthrow legitimate institutions will be arrested and prosecuted by the law and only by the law. And it will be up to the courts to determine their punishment as prescribed by the law,” it added.

Several alleged leaders of the coup attempt have been arrested but Gen Godefroid Niyombare, who announced it in a radio broadcast last Wednesday, remains on the run.

Experts criticise EU plan on migration E XPERTS say the European Union’s plan to disrupt the business of human traffickers and destroy their boats in the Mediterranean is a shortterm deterrent that is likely to be dangerous, costly and tough to implement.

Faced with a rising death toll of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean to get into Europe, the EU wants to launch a military operation next month to “destroy the business model” of the smugglers to coincide with the migrant high season. The operation will progressively include surveying smuggling routes, searching and boarding possible smuggling boats and eventually, possibly destroying those boats.

However, experts voiced concern Tuesday about the

Sahara desert gun battle yields drugs haul, says France

plan’s real impact on smugglers — saying it could be just a media show to demonstrate EU determination to stop these perilous sea voyages.

The operation is still in the planning stage and requires a U.N. Security Council resolution and some consent from Libya, the major departure site for smugglers, for its full implementation to be legally sound. It will involve European navy ships, drones and satellite imagery.

“Having this aggressive military action is really sound and fury,” said Tuesday Reitano from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. “It’s going to cost a lot, it’s going to look very impressive, with naval boats patrolling up and

HE French army says it has seized 1.5 tonnes of drugs and a cache of weapons after stopping a convoy of militants in the desert in north-eastern Niger.

Militants in two pickup trucks opened fire on French and Nigerien forces after refusing to stop at a checkpoint on 14 May, the French military said.

Soldiers discovered the illegal cargo after a firefight in which three militants were killed, it added.

France has 3,000 troops in the Sahel region to combat militant Islamists.

Three other militants were also captured and handed over to Nigerian forces, the French army said in its statement.

Widespread trafficking in the Sahel region is a major source of funding for militant Islamist groups across the continent, analysts say.

Operation Barkhane, which comprises French forces as well as troops from Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad, was established in August 2014 to stop the emergence of jihadist groups.

The checkpoint where the incident took place is located in the Sahara desert in an area the French army describes as “an important transit zone between Libya and the northern Sahel”.

The Sahel includes some of the world’s poorest countries but has rich natural resources in the form of minerals and gas.

S/ Africa seeks indefinite shift of Burundi poll

A

•Boat carrying arrested migrants in Italy. down, but it’s certainly not going to have a long-term impact.”

According to a planning document, the aim is “to disrupt the business model of the smugglers” by systematically destroying their main assets — boats.

Some of the simple boats though, many of them

inflatable, might be easily replaced. Others have been designed to be abandoned, like the cargo ship programed to ram into Italy’s shore.

But some may be tougher to replace, raising costs and convincing fishermen to no longer make their vessels available to smugglers.

PRESIDENTIAL election due in Burundi next month should be postponed indefinitely until political stability returns, South African President Jacob Zuma said yesterday, summarizing the outcome of a regional summit in Angola.

The special meeting was convened after a failed coup in Burundi against President Pierre Nkurunziza, whose decision to seek a third term of office has triggered weeks of street protests.

58 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 59 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 PISCES: Success is boldly printed on your cards today.

Think of both immediate and far future while you are savouring goodies offered you by mother nature.

ARIES: You should not have it tough while trying to win the needed supports of others. Take good advice from some of your friends who are creatively gifted.

TAURUS: Your creativity quotient is enhanced today and if you demonstrate this within your working arena, you’ll earn success and consolidate on your recent progress.

GEMINI: As mercury goes on backward motion today, it is important you don’t take things for granted. Watch carefully what you agree to do. But this is a good day for lovers.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

A

RE you idle? Why are you idle?

Idleness does not just mean doing nothing at all, it also includes doing very little to uplift your status and that of others. For example, if you have

Are you idle? the capacity to be an engineer but you end up being a mechanic you could be said to be an idle person. The underlying factor in idleness is under

TERROR MUDA

achievement.

The idea that there is no work is not correct.

The truth is that we all want a job. And not many want to work.

For everyone that

in “Never say goodbye”

wants to work, there is something in us that we could turn to finished goods. Is it a passion? Is it a hobby, name it, there is something in us. The challenge before us is to turn the lemon in us into lemonade. No one deserves to be idle.

By Lanre Kehinde

CANCER: Better than yesterday. Others will be willing to give you the needed co-operation both at home and within your working arena. This is a good day for lovers.

LEO: Those of you who are more enterprising will have much to show for your efforts. The more co-operative you are, the better for you. Don’t neglect love.

VIRGO: Mercury starts going on backward motion today; therefore, you will need to re-examine both your personal ideas and advice given to you by other people.

Be family minded.

LIBRA: Provided you don’t allow others to mislead you, things will not go wrong. The more willing you are to take the initiative, the better for you. Take your love life more seriously.

SCORPIO: This is your day. Although you will need to be as secretive as you can, your success will attract others’ attention to you to the betterment of your cause. Be ambitious.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

SAGITTARIUS: People who more influential than you will be willing to support your cause but you will need to make the necessary move. The more self assertive you are, the better.

CAPRICORN: Challenges of yesterday will, today, bring you good opportunities along your career/business lines to the betterment of your finances. Seek supports of powerful ones.

AQUARIUS: Think of the best way to improve on your working pattern in order to enhance your career prospects. If you listeen to your creative self, things’ll work out fine for you. Be more loving.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

What June has for me?

Dear Joshua, I have an important transaction to be carried out come June 2015. Kindly look into my horoscope and tell me what to expect in June.

Babatope, Maiduguri.

Dear Babatope, You have three important periods ahead of you between now and August 2015. Thus you are advised to study them and make good plans accordingly.

This is a positive period for you. Your luck will shine.

Major or good progress will be made, especially through MONEY The major challenge here is some people may be willing to move you out of where you are now to plant their stooge on one hand, on the other hand you may be forced or voluntarily embark on short distance journey capable to bring you disappointment. The last two weeks will bring more challenges at the same time they will make you VICTORIOUS in many ways.

This is a period that will prove both lucky and peaceful.

Genuine LOVE, satisfaction over youngster and real good luck will be yours. Here is a period one can win something like love or LOTTERY . Major warning here is you must learn to put some money away for raining days coming in your immediate future Yes the raining days are here. HEALTH and LAW related challenges indicated . Family issues are making you uncomfortable. Practical approach to health, your being SPIRITUAL and willingness to play ball with those who want high bribery games are important here or else they will want to place higher degree of restrictions on you, financially especially. Yes you have to be more hard working and exhibit maturity. After all your efforts if they prove difficult, then you have to leave them to their conscience; as they will eventually fail, but you must show maturity first.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

60—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Police bar Speaker from Enugu Assembly complex

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—EMBATTLED speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Eugene Odo, was, yesterday, barred from entering the Assembly complex by the police.

This is even as the Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, yesterday, adjourned to May 26 on the suit which ordered the Nigerian Police to vacate the House of Assembly complex.

Odo told Vanguard that he was prevented entry into the legislative building at about 10.23 a.m. in the company of other members of the House.

He said: “I was at the entrance gate in the morning with a few of my colleagues. The police prevented us from entry.

Although they were polite, we left the place in order to avoid confrontation.”

The order subsists, pending the determination of a suit brought by Odo on behalf of 15 members of the House, who issued an impeachment notice against Governor Sullivan Chime on May 4.

The court, presided over by Justice D.V. Agishi, also restrained the police from curtailing the personal liberty of the speaker.

It ordered that policemen should not be seen around the House of Assembly complex

except at points determined by the speaker.

It further ordered that the speaker and other 15 members of the House should be allowed to have access to the legislative complex, particularly the chambers.

The orders were made in an

interim injunction granted in favour of the speaker who filed a suit before the court on behalf of 15 members of the House.

The respondents in the suit are the eight members of the House loyal to Governor Chime and the Nigerian Police.

But the Police Public Relations

Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, DSP, said: “We are not aware of any injunction. ‘’The issue is that police are there to prevent break-down of law and order. We’re not part of the legislature, neither are we the executive. Our business is to maintain law and order.”

INSPECTION: Kwara State governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (right), inspecting part of Owode Market, Offa Local Government of the state, gutted by fire, while the President of Offa Descendant Union, ODU, Alhaji Najeem Yasin (2nd right), and others accompany them.

Resident doctors at FMC, Owerri, join strike

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—THE indefinite industrial action called by three major unions in the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, FMC, which entered the ninth day today, took a dramatic twist, yesterday, as members of Association of Resident Doctors, ARD,

commenced seven days warning strike.

Confirming the situation in an exclusive interview with Vanguard in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Conference Room of the FMC, the association’s chairman, Dr. Duke Onyeabo, said they had a number of nagging labour issues with the hospital management.

“Yes, it is true that resident doctors in FMC have commenced

seven days warning strike with effect from today (yesterday) ‘’There are a number of labour issues management must clear within this period, if it likes,” Dr. Onyeabo said.

On what would happen if the hospital management failed to treat the issues before the expiration of the seven days, Onyeabo said: “You can see that we are meeting now. A definite position would be taken at this

meeting and it would be communicated to you (Vanguard) by tomorrow (today)” Meanwhile, members of National Union of Allied Health Practitioners, NUAHP, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwifes, NANNM, and Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, yesterday, staged another peaceful protest in Owerri.

PPA senatorial candidate defects to APC in Abia

By Felix Ogbonna

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ROGRESSIVE PEOPLES Alliance, PPA, senatorial candidate for Abia South zone in the just concluded National Assembly election, Dr. Chukwuemeka Okwuonu, has defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Making his declaration for the APC at the residence of the party chairman in Obingwa Local Government Area, Okwuonu said he was joining the party because of its strong tendency to fight corruption.

He promised to mobilize his teeming supporters to ensure that the party grew in the state, saying, “I will mobilize my teeming supporters to the party to make sure that APC provides an alternative in 2019 by wresting power from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,” he said.

Receiving the former PPA senatorial candidate into the party, chairman of the APC in the state, Chief Donatus Nwankpa, who was represented by the party’s State Welfare Officer, Chief Emeka Onugha, boasted that the APC had caught a ‘big fish’ with the declaration of Okwuonu for the party.

Deaconess Ajakaye is dead

Reps speakership, not exclusive to ranking lawmakers — Onyeweife

By Enyim Enyim

O

NITSHA—House of Representatives member-elect representing Ayamelum/Oyi federal Constituency in Anambra State, Mr. Gabriel Onyeweife, yesterday, declared that both old and new members had the legal right to contest for the post of speaker of the lower chamber.

Onyeweife, who recently attended the induction course organized for National Assembly members-elect in Abuja, said there was no known law that stipulated that only old members of the House of Representatives were eligible to contest for the plum

position.

“Once the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, proclaims the inauguration of the House of Representatives,

the clerk conducts the election of the speaker as the presiding officer, in line with order 2, Rule 4.

“Order 2, Rule 4 states that

no issue of privilege or right should be accorded any member until after the election.”

Covenant University graduate wins NYSC beauty pageant as Glo thrills Corps members

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WENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD MISS Brenda Evbodaghe, a graduate of the Covenant University has emerged the Queen of the Lagos NYSC Miss Bold and Beautiful pageant sponsored by the Globacom.

Evbodaghe, an indigene of Edo State beat other beautiful ladies who competed for the crown at an impressive ceremony which was attended by many NYSC

members and officials and was anchored by top-rated humour merchant, Gbenga Adeyinka The pageant was a major highlight of the activities lined up for the night of fun and entertainment organised by Globacom to welcome the 2015 “Batch A” corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.

Brenda won an iPhone 6 with

4.5 Gb data and 5,000 worth of Glo Airtime while Iwuese Oluchi Precious, a Business Administration graduate from Babcock University, who was first runner-up, won a Samsung Duos with 4.5 Gb data and 5,000 airtime as Judith Nze, a Biomedical Science graduate from the University of Wolverhampton, England came third, winning a Samsung Duos.

Late Deaconess Ajakaye

D

EACONESS MARY Ajakaye is dead, aged 55. She died on May 5, 2015.

Until her death, she was the Director, Education Quality Assurance, Ikotun Zonal Office, Lagos State.

She will be laid to rest at Covenant Cementary, Cananland, Ota, Ogun State, on June 19, 2015.

She is survived by her widower, Pastor Joseph Ajakaye, and children.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 61

Glo Premier League: Top spot up for grabs, as tricky games await top-three The midweek contests are back on the plate once more, and this time there will be tantalising matchups in the Glo Premier League Match Day 10 that will signal a three-weeks recess . The top-three teams, Sunshine Stars, Gabros FC and Wikki Tourists, are all tied on 17 points and they are up for some fesity games that could see them either win or drop points and potentially change the complexion at the top of the ranking.

The Big Two, Enyimba and champions Kano Pillars, have thrown themselves back in the ring with victories on the road at the weekend and will aim to continue their push on the pacesetters in the top division.

S

UNSHINE Stars vs Kwara United

League leaders Sunshine Stars return home after snatching a draw at Nasarawa United at the weekend from the jaws of defeat.

But they have no fewer than seven teams on their tails and any slip up will see them drop off from the top of the table.

Kwara United had the chance to rest at the weekend as Warri Wolves were on the continent in the CAF Confederation Cup. The Harmony Boys start the match day in 10th place.

But they have not beaten Sunshine Stars since 2012 and will aim to halt that run of poor results against their rivals.

Kano Pillars vs Gabros FC

With the number of away wins growing by every match day, many pundits now feel that Kano Pillars’ invincibility at home spanning over 11 years looks under threat. But the champions have recovered from their recent poor run on the road to claim 1-0 win at Abia Warriors on Sunday, and are now poised for their 194th unbeaten run home.

Gabros now stand between Pillars and the number 194. The Nnewi-based club have done so well since returning to the top flight after 10 years in the lower division.

Gabros sit pretty in second place and will look to dare where most Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs have stuttered though they have never won in Kano against Pillars in the premier league era.

Bayelsa United vs Wikki Tourists

Bayelsa United were

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just 15 minutes away from securing a draw at El-Kanemi and that stretched their run without a win to five. It will be one month, one day since Bayelsa United last won a game in the league and will be all out to claim the full points under coaches George Ederekumoh and Samke Nyanabofa.

Wikki have continued to grind out results since their return to the NPFL and quietly too. Their coach, Abdu Maikaba appears to be working magic with the Bauchi club who are in third place, but they will come up against a Bayelsa United side condemned to win their first league match in a month.

Sharks vs Giwa FC

It is three games without a win in all competitions for Giwa FC, and they are yet to score in two league games in the scoreless draw against FC Taraba at home and at Enyimba. But the Elephants of Jos are always capable of surprises like they have

•Tope Orelope of 3SC and Odah Onoriode of Rangers (white) in a mid-field tussle during their GloPremier League match last Sunday, which ended 1-1. shown at Rangers, Lobi Stars and even at Enyimba.

The Blue Angels were able to claim four points off Giwa FC last season and won this same fixture 2-1 but the Port Harcourt club are in dire need of a win after seven matches without one.

FC Taraba vs Dolphins

Last season, FC Taraba dispatched Dolphins 2-0 in this same fixture with

a goal in each half from Usman Mohammed and Aminu Abubakar. After their early good spell this season the powers of the Jalingo-based club have waned though the 0-0 draw in Jos against Giwa FC will lighten up things amidst a sevengame run without a win.

Dolphins at the weekend just could not end their poor form against Enyimba and suffered a 2-1 loss at home. Now they take

that disappointing result to Taraba with the hope of rebounding to winning ways. But can they stop FC Taraba from claiming their first league win in two months and five days?

Enyimba vs ElKanemi Warriors

El-Kanemi are one of the teams quietly grinding out results match day after match day especially when they play at home. But they

travel to Aba to face Enyimba where they have failed to score in their last five trips there since September 2004.

The Peoples’ Elephant have come off a very good result at Dolphins where they won 2-1 but their coach Kadiri Ikhana is not carried away. He told npfl.ng: “We must stay on top of our game and avoid dropping points at home again.” Enyimba are favourites going into this game but El-Kanemi have the factor to turn things on its head based on their form in their last three matches.

Lobi Stars vs Heartland

•NFF President Amaju Pinnick (1st right) was also in Ibadan to watch 3SC against Rangers.

Lobi are in bottom place and are the only team still without a win after nine rounds of matches in the Glo Premier League. The Makurdi-based club were close to getting a seventh draw of the season in Bauchi against Wikki before Uche Martins scored from the spot on the 76th minute.

Heartland have huffed and puffed so far and that has earned their coach Erasmus Onuh an ultimatum from the club which is still under review.

But they steadied themselves to down Akwa United 2-0 in Owerri at the weekend and will now hope to string up a good run of results.

62— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Mourinho: Madrid, Barcelona ‘ll struggle in Premier League •It’s not as easy as La Liga S

PANISH football did not satisfy the Chelsea manager, despite winning La Liga in Madrid with a record-breaking 100 points and 121 goals in 2012, because it lacks England’s competitive edge.

Chelsea were crowned champions with three games to spare but Mourinho feels the club did it the hard way as the Premier League provides no sure-things like La Liga.

‘I was in Spain, but I didn’t enjoy,’ Mourinho told talkSPORT. ‘I didn’t enjoy it because I won a title with a record in Spain with 100 points and 121 goals, but we played only three or four matches all season.

I lost a title with 92 points, but again we played only four or five matches in the season.

‘You feel the pressure that you have to win every match because if you don’t you are not champions. You have to win and win and win. But it is a big, big gap between the giants and the others.

‘I think the difference between the two leagues [Premier League and La Liga] is huge. Would they [Barcelona or Real Madrid] win the Premier League?

Maybe yes. Maybe not.’

Despite no English clubs reaching the final eight of this season’s Champions League tournament, Mourinho is adamant the Premier League remains the most demanding competition in Europe.

The 52-year-old used Chelsea’s 4-2 defeat by League One club Bradford City in the FA Cup in January as a prime example of how there is always the possibility of an upset in the English game.

‘In matches in other countries you can win matches when you are resting,’ Mourinho continued. ‘In Spain and in Italy, I won lots of matches resting. Where you can think, “ what next?”. Where you can think which European game is coming, where you can rest players.

‘This season I rested a few players against C M Y K

Modise retires from all football

Jose Mourinho insists Barcelona and Real Madrid would struggle to win the Barclays Premier League.

•Modise

S

(Left to right) Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez celebrate after Barcelona were crowned champions

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo was part of the team that broke La Liga records under Mourinho in 2012 Bradford and I lost against Bradford. And that is English football. You are winning 2-0 and if you concede a goal you know you are going to have hellforthelastfewminutesand you might draw 2-2 and lose two points.

‘This is the reality of the

Premier League. You have no time. It’s not just about the number of matches, it’s the intensity. And it’s not just physical intensity, you feel the intensitymentally.’

Mourinho felt the power of the underdog on Monday night, too, when West

BromwichAlbionbeathisteam 3-0 at The Hawthorns after Cesc Fabregas was sent off.

It did little to dampen the Portuguesemanager’smood, however,asheapproachedthe travelling supporters at fulltime and showed his appreciation.

OUTH Africa’s most capped female player Portia Modise has retired from all football with immediate effect in order to pursue a coaching career.

The 31-year-old scored her 100th international goal in a 5-1 win over Algeria at last year ’s African Women’s Championship (AWC) in Namibia.

She also won her 117th and final cap at the tournament as Banyana Banyana missed out on World Cup qualification when they lost to Ivory Coast in the third place play-off.

The South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan announced that “her new role will be to guide other players.”

Modise herself was looking forward to her new challenge.

“I want to thank the media for giving greater exposure to women’s football. I’m not lost to South African football,” she said as she made her retirement public.

“My wish among other things is to create ten more Portia Modise’s within our national

teams.”

The Soweto-born player made her senior international debut as a 16-year-old in 2000 and went on to make a record number of appearances for Banyana Banyana.

Along the way the feisty striker has collected a number of awards which have embellished a stellar career.

In 2005 she was one of two African players to be nominated for the Fifa Player of the Year award alongside Nigeria’s Perpetua Nkwocha, and she claimed the Player of the Tournament award at the 2006 AWC. A few months later Modise was also voted in the top three for the 2006 Confederation of African Football Women’s Footballer of the Year award.

Modise may well have scored a lot more goals and won many more caps had she not quit international football in 2008 after falling out with coach Augustine Makalakalane.

She returned to the national team in 2010 after being recalled by Joseph Mkhonza.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 — 63

Keshi wants total concentration from homebased Eagles S

UPER Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has called for total focus from the homebased Super Eagles he has invited for the African Nations Cup qualifiers as the camp opened on Tuesday with 26 players.

Keshi, to this end has given the players a free way to play for their respective clubs in the midweek games of the Nigeria premier league.

“We want to allow the players to feature for their clubs in the midweek games, so that they will know that once they report to camp, they will not be going anywhere again,” Keshi was quoted by the NFF website.

“It is important that

they come to camp and concentrate. We don’t want distractions, especially with the team scheduled to play a number of friendly matches in the weeks to come before the qualifier against Chad.”

The 53-year-old former defender has invited three goalkeepers, nine defenders, six midfielders and eight strikers from the domestic league for the match, with the list of overseas-based professionals due to be released this weekend.

Nigeria have been drawn in an Afcon qualifying group that includes Egypt, Chad and Tanzania and will play their first game against Chad in Kaduna on June 13.

NSC redeems AFN travel expenses

BY BEN EFE

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ATIONAL Sports Commission director-general, Alhasan Yakmut is aiming to stop the lack of funds drama often faced by sporting federations in their efforts to participate in international sports meet.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria was recently in the firing line, when they presented athletes at the

•Ogba

African junior championships and African youth championships in Ethiopia and Mauritius respectively. It was gathered that Yakmut has reimbursed the AFN all the expenses with a promise to end what he described as an ‘embarrassment’ to the nation.

“The NSC has reimbursed our expenses. Yakmut had to pull all the strings to get the funds out.

“He is not happy that the sporting federations are made to beg and borrow before they could travel. He is hoping to end the trend,”said a member of the AFN. The youth athletes were almost missing the meet in Mauritius, but for the last minute intervention of the AFN president, Solomon Ogba who used his contacts in Kenya to get tickets for the team.

Kanu Continues from BP know he’s good, he’s good,” Kanu said.

“Look at Wayne Rooney for example, at what age did he start playing for Manchester United? When I joined the National Team I was also very young, so age doesn’t matter, but what the person can do,” he noted.

The former African player of the year goes on to counsel Stephen Keshi to give the players the needed exposure in the Super Eagles.

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“The coach should use this opportunity to expose these young lads because the more they play with the experienced players, the faster they grow and improve.

“We don’t have to wait until they are 30 or 25 before they’re called to the Super Eagles because if they’re good, they’re good. You have to try them and if they are not good at least you’ve given them the opportunity,” he concludes.

NIS matriculates 111 students

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KICKING... Football action between Nigeria and South Africa.

Pinnick seeks understanding, constructive criticisms

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FF President Amaju Pinnick has, for the umpteenth time, appealed to the sporting media in the country to criticize his administration constructively and with the objective of contributing to the development of Nigeria football.

Speaking during a parley with members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, FCT chapter on Tuesday, the NFF supremo made a passionate appeal to the media to always have it in mind that the country is bigger than every individual, and

that the interest of the country must override every sentiment or personal ambition. “I am here simply to make a passionate appeal to you all, to always seek to know, to ask, and to understand before going to press. We have seen a couple of articles in the media in recent weeks that showed clearly, a lack of understanding of the workings of the Federation.

“I am not saying that the media should not criticize the NFF; that is not possible. Criticisms make us stronger, make us better and make us wiser. But destructive

Ghana Continues from BP each Ghana’s squad also includes six players who played at the 2014 African Nations Championship The home-based national team have been invited as a guest nation to the tournament meant for Southern African

Nations.

Ghana will face the winner from Group Bwhich contains Lesotho, Madagascar, Swaziland and Tanzania- at the quarter-final stage on 24 May. The team have been in camp in Accra since Monday and expected to leave Accra on Thursday.

Wolves Continues from BP “We must to prepare for the return match. We have two matches to play. One has been made today; it is left with the second leg.

The qualification is not yet acquired. We must work to deliver a quality service in the return leg,” said Ndiaye Warri Wolves can get inspiration from the heroic exploits of Sunshine Stars of Akure in the 2012 CAF Champions League

when they lost 4-1 to RC Libolo of Angola in the first leg but came back home to score three goals that gave them the ticket to feature in the group stage.

AC Leopards, who knocked Enyimba out of the competition, have successfully shown Nigerian clubs the exit door in club continental competitions before now.

Heartland and Kano Pillars can also attest to what the Les Fauves de Niari (the Beasts from Niari) are capable of.

criticisms are not in the best interest of anyone or the country, because whatever you people write goes round the world and is taken serious by people in diverse places.”

Pinnick shed more light on the recent kit sponsorship agreement the NFF signed with American company NIKE, insisting that global best practice was observd every inch of the way and that negotiating from a weak position, and having been rejected by several other brands, did not make things easy for the Federation.

He reiterated that he is not supposed to resume at the NFF Secretariat on daily basis, as day-to-day administration is left in the hands of the General Secretary, who is the Chief Operating Officer.

HE National Institute for Sports, Lagos yesterday held its 2015 matriculation ceremony in which One hundred and eleven students took part in. The brief but impressive ceremony which was presided over by the Acting Director of the Institute, Dr (Mrs Gloria Obajimi was witnessed by heads of departments, students, relatives and members of the press.

The highlight of the event was the oath-taking exercise by the students representative, Abrakasa Sampson who, on behalf of the students promised to behave according to the rules and regulations of the school.

Sampson, however, urged the school to look into electricity, water and the school’s lift which will ease the movement of physically handicapped students and enhance their learning.

Responding, Obajimi assured, “we will do our best to put things right in order to ensure you come out in flying coulours.

“In this environment, you will have enormous opportunities to deepen your education in the area of sports, expand your understanding of the sports world and the society at large.”

•Dr Gloria Obajimi

NWFL Continues from BP the squad, Delta Queens have two, while Oshogbo and Ibom queens have one respectively.

In a release in Abuja, the Secretary of the League Board Isaac Ajisafe said: “In consideration of Nigeria’s participation in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada, we wish to inform all Women League clubs that the NWFL after due consultations has decided to stop the Women League temporarily with effect from May 20, 2015and throughout the period of the Women’s World Cup. The League will resume after the Super Falcons

return to Nigeria.”

Continuing, the scribe stated: “Please be informed that the decision is imperative so as to allow clubs, players and officials and all football -loving Nigerians to actively support the Super Falcons of Nigeria in the team’s quest to win the 2015 FIFA World Cup, and moreso, that most of the players playing in the League will definitely feature for Nigeria in the World Cup.” Meanwhile, Falcons captain Evelyn Nwabuoko and Francisca Ordega are expected to join the team in Canada, after their teams refused them permission to join the Falcons in Abuja.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015

Today’s matches Sharks FC Taraba FC Enyimba Bayelsa Lobi Akwa Utd Rangers Sunshine

v v v v v v v v

FIFA WWC: NWFL shuts down women league

Ghana name 20-man squad for COSAFA Cup

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IGERIA Women Football League board has pulled the plug on the matches of the women league, until the Super Falcons return to Nigeria from the 2015 Women World Cup in Canada.

The Falcons flew out yesterday to kick start their preparations for the WWC with 14 local players making up the list of 21. Rivers Angels have 10 of the players in Continues on Page 60

Giwa FC Dolphins El-Kanemi Wikki Heartland Shooting Stars Nasarawa United Kwara United

Cesc Fabregas sent off for booting ball at Chris Brunt in bizarre red card Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas is shown a red card by referee Mike Jones

OCAL Black Stars coach Maxwell Konadu has named a strong 20-man squad for the 2015 COSAFA Cup, Africanfootball.com can confirm.

The list includes Nathaniel Asamaoh, who managed to score 12 goals in 13 matches in the Ghana top-flight.

League leaders AshantiGold and Asante Kotoko dominate the squad with four players

Continues on Page 60

Leopards target a double over Wolves

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T seems as though it’s the end of the road CAF Confederation Cup campaigners, Warri Wolves, as they lost by 3-0 away to AC Leopards of DR Congo in the first leg of the competition’s playoff on Sunday.

The Seasiders have never played in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage and a three goal deficit means it will be a tough task for Wolves in the second leg at the Warri Township Stadium.

AC Leopards coach, Lamine Ndiaye, admitted in a post-match chat that the job is almost done but insisted that qualification is yet to be secured.

Continues on Page 60

Kanu counsels Keshi on how to succeed F

•Keshi

ORMER Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu has called for the immediate integration of members

of the current Flying Eagles team to the Super Eagles.

‘Papilo’, as he’s fondly called, argued against

the notion that the players are still too young to play for the Super Eagles, and says the players are good

enough irrespective of their ages.

“If you see a player who is 16 years and you Continues on Page 60

•Kanu

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Observe (5) 7 Occupier (6) 9 Taxi (3) 10 Defective (3) 12 Brief (5) 13 Tuber (4) 15 Time (5) 17 Refer (6) 19 Part (4) 20 Furnish (5) 22 Sick (3) 24 Atomic Pile (7) 27 Spring (5) 28 Stop (3) 31 Region (4) 33 Engraved (6) 35 Pugilist (5) 37 Mislaid (4) 38 Undress (5) 39 Barrier (3) 41 Lair (3) 42 Pester (6) 43 Verdant (5)

DOWN 1 Firm (6) 2 Naked (6) 3 Finish (3) 4 Insect (4) 5 Detest (5) 6 Remiss (8) 8 Ballet-skirt (4) 11 Devoted (9) 14 Dim (4) 16 Thaw (4) 18 Dregs (4) 21 Story-teller (8) 23 Lake (4) 25 Top (4) 26 Stagger (4) 29 Worshipped (6) 30 Property (6) 32 Stand (5) 34 Stuff (4) 36 Frank (4) 40 Crowd (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1, Prow 4, Dig 6, Stem 9, Wan 10, Collapse 11, Erne 14, Ace 16, Attic 19, Assisted 21, Peril 23, Diligent 24, Medal 27, Eat 31, Part 33, Province 34, Sue 35, Beer 36, Ray 37, Eddy.

DOWN 2, Room 3, Wilt 4, Depicted 5, Grew 6, Sweet 7, Tar 8, Ennui 12, Harem 13, Asked 14, Asp 15, Eerie 17, Tired 18, Crate 20, Dilatory 22, Lit 25, Erase 26, Aster 28, Spur 29, Mine 30, Acid 32, Rue.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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