No facts from Jonathan on fuel crisis—BUHARI

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62410

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

We need drastic reforms, civil 42 killed in Benue, service reduction if Buhari Plateau attacks must succeed— El-Rufai 8 •Pgs 52 & 53

MAY 29 HANDOVER:

No facts from Jonathan on fuel crisis—BUHARI •Says govt has not provided information on current issues •Lauds Joda committee, seeks broader final report •Commends Jonathan again for conceding defeat •Senate directs committees to investigate fuel crisis

By Levinus Nwabughiogu, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—THE president-elect, General Mohammadu Buhari, yesterday, lamented that the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has failed to Continues on Page 5

Village Headmaster, Femi Robinson dies at 75 •He tried to change entertainment industry— son 14

Mr & Mrs

APC TRANSITION COMMITTEE—President-elect,Muhammadu Buhari (7th left) and members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Transition Committee,during the presentation of Interim Report of the committee at the Defence House, Abuja, Yesterday.

COLUMNISTS: RELOCATION OF TANKERS:

C M Y K

N120m monthly Wounded lion economic boom to Pull-out inside on the rampage •P.19 Ogun

Change for political unity and economic devt •P.29

Open letter to General Muhammadu •P.17 Buhari

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—3

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 —5

POCKET CARTOON

VISIT—President Goodluck Jonathan receiving President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Issoufou during a visit to the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

No facts from Jonathan on fuel crisis—BUHARI Continues from Page 1

provide the in-coming government with all the necessary information needed for a smooth takeoff next week, particularly on how to tackle the current fuel scarcity in the country.

The President-elect spoke on a day the Senate directed its committees on Petroleum Resources ( Upstream and Downstream ) to immediately commence investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the fuel crisis in the country.

The Senate directive was sequel to the motion by the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, who had called on the lawmakers to pay serious attention to the fuel crisis that had created great hardship for Nigerians at the moment.

Senator Ningi wondered why a country that has abundant oil resources should face the kind of biting scarcity that had increased the suffering of Nigerians.

But the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, noted that since the Deputy Senate Leader raised the motion under personal explanation, the senate would not debate it but would rather approve his prayers.

Senator Ekweremadu said: “Ningi’s prayers are simple and straightforward. He is asking us, as representatives of the people, to direct our committees on upstream and downstream, to find out what is currently going on in the oil sector and possibly find a way of addressing it.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE When you want to attract something into your life...think about what you have asked for and make sure that your actions are mirroring what you expect to receive— B Byrne

T

O become who you want to be in life then act upon the inner picture, as if everyone you meet is part of your intention to attract ideal people into your life. Share with others your needs and desires.

Talk to experts who might be of assistance, and state your desires. They’ll want to help you. Don’t expect anyone else to do the work of attracting the right people for whatever you seek, be it a job, admission to college, a financial boost.

Be proactive and stay alert for a sign of synchronicity, that is when an experience occurs one time too many drawing your attention to something that is important for you to do in the moment. And by all means, do avoid resistance thoughts; such negativity only affirms what you do not need in your life. Remember, if you focus attention on other people’s lives, you tend to attract those things you do not want to yourself.

“In that regard, we now ask our committees on Petroleum Resources ( Upstream and Downstream), to find out what is going on and what the government is doing about it and report back on Tuesday next week.

That is our wish” Meanwhile, General Buhari, who spoke when the APC Transition Committee headed by Ambassador Ahmed Joda submitted an interim report of the committee to him, also said the outgoing government misunderstood the terms of reference of the committee, thinking he was already running a parallel government.

Ahmed Joda had earlier told General Buhari that the government committee headed by Vice-President Namadi Sambo refused to provide his committee with necessary information to make better decisions.

According to Joda, the committee had to rely on its initiative and assistance from the organized private sector, the Lagos Business School, international development partners and members of the public to draw up a plan.

The committee's mission

In his response, Buhari stated that the aim of the committee was not to indict anyone, but to make adequate preparations for the task ahead.

He said: “The in-coming government was misunderstood. It is not that we are preparing for

indictment. What we are trying to get is a starting point, where exactly we are going to start from.

“We have seen the debt profile now and the performance of the economy. The question is, what can we do about it especially the urgent ones like social security, lack of fuel in the country and fraud? The list is endless.

I thank you for what you have done and I hope that the subsequent submission by the government will make your job easier and more efficient and tell us where to begin from.

“What we expected was for the out-going government to make a presentation to this committee and for this committee to study the document and make submission to the incoming government.

“For your simple mindedness, you went to work. But unfortunately, this committee was accused of running a parallel government.

From then on, this committee was constrained to take this initiative and break into various sub-committees and assigned various tasks to study the most important issues nationwide and see what they can put on record.

Commendation for Joda committee “I thank you very much for this effort which you have made and I want to assure you that we will find time to read your initial report and when the government decides to finally present to you their own records, you will study them and merge with the report of the various committees and present to the in-coming government.

“My expectation was that each ministry will make its own presentations.

The politicians know that they are going, while the bureaucrats who do the jobs know they are staying.

“They are the ones who are going to do the job and they are going to be available to help crosscheck the information. I think that this research you have made will help the incoming government to cross-check the information on paper given by the outgoing government”.

While making the presentation earlier, Joda said that though the Federal Government did

not make any input in the interim report, the committee was expecting government report today, stressing that availability of useful tips from the government would tremendously help in the final report of the committee.

Buhari thanks Jonathan again

Meanwhile, General Buhari has again commended President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat at the March 28 polls and averting crisis in the country.

Buhari, who gave the commendation in Abuja, yesterday, when he received Nigerien President Issoufou Mahamadou, said Presient Jonathan’s action turned around Nigeria’s nervous political process.

He said: “The Nigerien president purposely came to congratulate me on my victory and President Jonathan for the maturity and statesmanship that he exhibited by accepting that he had lost the election.

“His action actually doused tensions and averted crisis in Nigeria.

“Not only Africa but the world has commended the President for that because if he had disputed the elections, there would have been crisis in the country.

“That is what people don’t want, not only Nigerians but other countries. So, he came to commend President Jonathan for his courage and statesmanship.”

Buhari added that the Nigerien president had also come to show solidarity and acknowledge Nigeria’s importance on the continent.

He said that but for colonialism, Niger and Nigeria and all countries living along the border were one as they shared similar cultures, religions

and mannerisms.

Nigeria's importance in Africa

“As he rightly puts it, if Nigeria sneezes, the rest of Africa catches cold because of its importance, population and resources.

“So, Nigeria and Niger Republic are one entity as one singer from Niger puts it in his lyrics. We share a 1,500 kilometrelong border with Niger which stretches from Chad to Sokoto, and all the people living along the borders on either sides are same people.

“The colonialists separated these people when they partitioned Africa at the Berlin conference in 1885. They separated the Fulanis, Kanuris and the Hausas from their brothers who are presently in Niger.

“They separated the Yorubas of Nigeria and the ones in Benin Republic. They also separated the Fulanis and other tribes who were living together as one along the Cameroon border.

“So, all these countries around us were a single entity with people of similar culture and religion before they became separated but time has changed and we thank him for reminding us of our history of brotherhood.”

Why I visited Nigeria —Mahammadou

Earlier, Mahammadou said he was in Nigeria to convey the gratitude and salutation of Niger Republic for the peaceful conduct of the elections held in spite of challenges.

“President Jonathan conceded defeat and this act will have a lasting impact and influence on politics in Africa, West Africa and Africa at large."

6—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Edwin Clark loses grandson

Teenagers arrested for kidnapping nine-month-old baby

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—OBARO Okorodudu, grandson of former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, is dead, aged 27.

Chief Clark, who announced this in a statement yesterday, said Obaro was a final year medical student in the United States of America.

According to the statement, Obaro is the son of Dr. Godwin Okorodudu and Mrs Rebecca Okorodudu, the eldest daughter of Chief Edwin Clark.

His remains arrived Nigeria yesterday for burial at Ovu, his father’s home town, in Delta State.

By Daud Olatunji

A

BEOKUTA—A teenager, Rachael John, 19, and a nine-year-old girl (names withheld) have been arrested by men of Ogun State Police Command for allegedly kidnapping a nine-month-old baby.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, said the

suspects were neighbours of the baby’s mother at Egbe Street, Ijebu-Ode. Adejobi said police detectives attached to Ilese Division, Ijebu-Ode, made the arrest at old toll gate, Ijebu-Ode, on Wednesday.

He said the suspects allegedly demanded for N2 million for the baby to be released.

Adejobi said the mother of the baby reported to police,

zDemanded N2m ransom when she noticed that the suspects had taken away the baby.

He said police detectives immediately swung into action, and traced the suspects to Ogbere, Ijebu-Ode, where they were arrested.

The PPRO said one of the suspects had, through a letter, threatened to deal with the

House of Reps member-elect's mother kidnapped in Benue Vanguard learned from a reliable source that the

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI—THE seventy-two years old mother of Mr. Orker Jev,

House of Representatives member-elect for Buruku Federal constituency, Mama Mwuese Jev, has been kidnapped.

septuagenarian was taken away on Wednesday night from her home at Tombo Mbala in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State by

TOUTS vs OKADAMEN: Reprisal attacks loom in Badagry, as community initiates Oro

By Esther Onyegbula

A

GGRIEVED commercial motorcyclists at Era area of Badagry, Lagos, have threatened to avenge the killing of their colleagues by motor park touts, otherwise known as agbero, during a fight over collection of levy on Tuesday.

A visit to the community yesterday revealed that one of the deceased commercial motorcyclists, simply identified as Lawal, was allegedly hit with a charm.

Two others, said to have suffered same fate, had reportedly been discharged from the hospital and taken to an undisclosed herbal home for further treatment.

Residents had fled the area.

Those that returned and others that stayed back remained indoors, with their children withdrawn from school. Shops and business centres were still under lock and key.

‘Lawal wasn’t working’

One of the motorcyclists, who gave his name as Benjamin, said 35-year-old Lawal was killed at Adele Bus Stop.

He said: “Lawal was not even working on that day (Tuesday).

When he was accosted by the abgeros, he told them he was not working and hence would not pay the N50 levy.

“They insisted he must pay, which led to a heated argument, during which he was attacked with local charms. ‘’He spun several times before falling down dead. Two other persons, who came to know

what the problem was, were hit with the charm. But they did not die, as they were rushed to a nearby hospital, from where they were transferred to a traditional home.”

A member of Landlord/ Resident Association in the community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard that almost all commercial motorcyclists in the community were from Kogi State.

‘The touts were boasting’

He said: “When the crisis occurred, the touts claimed nobody could do anything to them because they were omo onile (indegenes), while the motorcyclists are strangers.

“Even when the aggrieved motorcyclists went to the residence of the mother of the touts that hit Lawal with charms, she boasted that they could not do anything, calling them bastards.

“That was what made them (motorcyclists) set the house ablaze. They proceeded to another building owned by another tout and also set it ablaze.”

Vanguard gathered that family members of the motor park touts had abandoned their homes.

Consequently, the community had to initiate Oro (a night masquerade) to restore peace as there were reports of plans of reprisal attacks by both parties at midnight.

Vanguard gathered that some women caught in the crisis were injured, stripped naked and shops looted.

Houses set ablaze by okadamen. PHOTO: Esther Onyegbula.

baby’s mother, adding that it was neighbours who saw the baby being taken away that alerted the mother.

He said: “The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Val Ntomchukwu, has directed that the matter be thoroughly investigated without delay, and necessary action taken for justice to prevail in the case.”

unknown armed men.

The source said: “The armed men stormed the woman’s house in a car at night fall and started shooting, scaring everybody away from her Tombo Mbala residence.

“Some men walked straight to her house, while another waited in the vehicle; they took her and drove away, heading towards GbokoMakurdi Road.”

When contacted on phone, son of the victim and two-term member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Jev, who confirmed the development, said the armed men kidnapped his mother from her Tombo residence at about 8pm.

He said he could not tell the destination the abductors took the aged woman, lamenting further that the gang was yet to open up any channel of communication with her children and other family members.

He said: “We do not know where they took Mama. They have not spoken to any member of the family and our major concern at the moment is her health condition.”

Contacted, Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Austin Ezeani, who confirmed the incident, said the kidnappers took the septuagenarian in a red Toyota Camry car.

Ezeani, who stated that the command had commenced investigations into the matter, said the whereabouts of the abductors was still unknown.

Gunmen miss man, abduct wife

By Felix Ogbonna

U

NKNOWN gunmen have kidnapped a woman on her way to drop off her children at school in Aba, Abia State.

The victim, whose name could not be ascertained at the time of the incident, resides at Umuobe, Ovom 1, along Opobo Road area of Aba.

Eyewitness accounts said the kidnappers used their vehicle to block the woman as she approached Road 8 Junction, Federal Housing Estate, Ogbor Hill, and ordered her kids out of the car.

A resident of the area, who declined to have his name in print, said the gunmen attempted to kidnap the

woman’s husband two weeks earlier, but missed their target.

At press time, it was not clear if the kidnappers had contacted the victim’s family for ransom.

Spokesman of Abia State Police Command, Ezekiel Onyeke, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, could not be reached for comments.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—7

Final year student on excursion slumps, dies

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—THE academic environment of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo town, Ondo State, has again been thrown into mourning as a final year student of the college, Timilehin Akinsiku, slumped and died while on excursion to a tourist centre in

Osun State.

Three workers of the institution, including a couple, Pastor Folorunso Akinseye, Mrs Beatrice Akinseye and another Pastor Festus Akinsoyinu Fadakinte and seven others had died in an auto crash at Kajola village, near Ore, two weeks ago.

The final year student was

said to have died while on excursion to Erin-Ijesa waterfall in Osun State with other students and executive members of the Student Union Government, SUG, of the institution.

Vanguard learned that the excursion to the tourist centre was the climax of the annual students' union week in the

institution.

Late Timilehin was in the English Language Department in the college.

Tired at excursion

All the students that reportedly embarked on the excursion were hale and hearty and in joyful mood as they climbed the hill.

Four escape death in bus fire

By Bose Adelaja

L

AGOS—FOUR persons escaped death by the whiskers yesterday, as a private Volkswagen bus with number plates, LSB 28 CP, suddenly went up in flames on Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

Although the vehicle was totally burnt, the quick intervention of law enforcement agents and fire fighters saved occupants of the vehicle from being roasted.

The incident caused panic among road users, many of who scampered for safety.

Eyewitnesses said the incident, which occurred around 2.37p.m., was a result of electrical sparks as the vehicle moved towards Anthony area.

The eyewitness said the incident caused traffic gridlock, which in turn caused commuters to be stranded.

Director, Lagos State Fire Services, Razak Fadipe, urged motorists to ensure their vehicles were in good condition before embarking on a journey.

SUG dispels rumour

The bus in which the four were travelling. PHOTO: Bose Adelaja.

Tiv youths accuse DPO of fuelling Takum crisis

By John Mkom

J

ALINGO—A group, Concerned Taraba Tiv Youth Frontier, CCTYF, has accused the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State of fuelling the recent crisis that killed 25 persons in the area.

Chairman of the group, Mr. Goodman Dan-Adahida, who made the allegation at a media briefing in Jalingo yesterday, also said his group had uncovered plans for further killing in the area.

He said the declaration of the DSP Akpovwovwo J. A., that the killing of five Kuteps youths was carried out by Tiv people was responsible for the reprisal killings by angry youths of Kuteps.

Killings

The reprisal attack led to the killing of over 80 persons and destruction of property in Takum.

Vanguard gathered that those who were tired while ascending the hill, waited to refresh by taking water and snacks they brought along for the excursion.

However, the unexpected reportedly happened while the students were descending the hill as the deceased reportedly kept complaining of tiredness to his colleagues.

Some of them helped him by holding his hands and fanning him. He was said to have finally slumped and other student rallied round him to apply first aid treatment but could not revive him.

He was reportedly carried down from the hill and rushed to a hospital in Ilesha from the tourist centre, where further efforts to revive him proved abortive.

Timilehin was later confirmed dead by the medical personnel, who attended to him in the hospital he was rushed to by his colleagues and workers at the tourist centre.

Dan-Adahida said: “The Tiv people of Taraba State were not at war with their Kuteps brothers until when DPO of Takum, Akpovwovwo J. A., brought in five corpses of Kuteps and sarcastically remarked without any evidence that Tiv were behind the killings of the Kuteps persons.

“Our investigation revealed that the problem in Takum is far from over as we have uncovered fresh plot by the Fulani herdsmen, who have been clashing with Tiv for long, to woo some Kuteps natives into an alliance to cause a catastrophic mayhem on Tiv people in the area.

“We condemn in strong terms the killings of innocent people in Takum and call on the security agencies to fish out those behind the killings.

“We call on Taraba State Commissioner of Police to immediately removed the DPO of Takum, who has compromised the security in the area, and send in more security

zNot possible—POLICE men to complement the efforts of the force on ground to put off the constant killings of people and destruction of property within the area.”

we are not aware of such development.”

2 docked for robbery

By Jane Echewodo

Police react

Reacting to the allegation, Taraba State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Joseph Kwaji, said the command did not receive any report of such accusations on the DPO. Kwaji said the accusation by the group lacked substance, stating further that the DPO did not belong to any of the tribes and could not, therefore, be accused without evidence.

He said: “We posted the DPO to Takum to maintain law and order. He was in Takum to protect lives and property and he has been reporting to the command constantly.

“It would be a shock to hear someone accusing the DPO of such, but to be sincere with you,

Meanwhile, the SUG President, Isiaka Kamorudeen, has dispelled rumours that the late Timilehin was murdered during the excursion.

His denial was to put to rest insinuations in the college that the late final year student was murdered. Kamorudeen, who described the sudden death of Timilehin as unfortunate, said he slumped.

The President added that all those that took part in the excursion showed no sign of sickness, but added that they were in joyful mood all through the visit until the unfortunate incident occurred.

The state Police Command said the authorities of the institution were yet to report the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in Ondo town.

L

AGOS—TWO men, Ismaila Oladosun, 28, and Monday Paul, 35, have been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court over allegations of robbery and firearms.

This came on a day another man, Odutoye Adekunle, 27, was charged before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, over alleged stealing.

Oladosun and Paul were said to have committed the offence on September 6, 2014, at the Federal Highway Patrol Barracks, Ikeja, Lagos State.

They were arraigned on a three-count charge of robbery and firearms before Chief Magistrate A. O. Akinde.

When the matter was read to the suspects, they pleaded not guilty. The plea was, however, not granted by the magistrate, who adjourned the matter till July 14 for mention.

Meanwhile, Adekunle, who was before Chief Magistrate Y. O. Aye Afunwa, was further alleged to have fraudulently converted to his personal use, one 40-foot container, valued at N4,000,000, property of one Chimezie Innocent Obias.

However, when the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Afunwa granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties that had verifiable addresses and adjourned till July 1.

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

PHCN's severance payments gulp N389.58bn —FG

A

BUJA — SEVERANCE payments to workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, have so far gulped more than N389.58 billion from the national treasury.

The exercise involved payments to no fewer than 46,744 or 98 per cent out of the 47,913 bonafide staff, who received over N373.17billion as their final entitlements as well as some 2,791 retirees, who got more than N16.

41billion.

Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, revealed this yesterday to members of the National Union of Electricity Employees of Nigeria, NUEE, who came to protest in his office in Abuja.

Dikki was quoted as telling the union in a statement made available to Vanguard, that only 1,169 of the 47,913 workers of the defunct PHCN and about 1,516 retirees have not yet to be paid.

The disclosure was said to have followed a protest by NUEE, led by its National President, Comrade Mansur Musa, who went to the bureau’s office in Abuja to protest the non-payment of severance benefits to some of their members.

For the workers, he explained that the outstanding number included those that had exited PHCN before the severance payment commenced; those being processed for validation; and those yet to be identified by PHCN as bona fide workers.

While the outstanding retirees are made up of those who have so far failed to turn up for verification or were still undergoing further verification, and the next of kin of the deceased staff that could not produce the letters of administration.

Dikki also said for the active staff, the number of beneficiaries was processed in 30 batches and the retirees in 11 batches.

Mu’azu, Anenih were not forced out —Secondus zSays NWC members won't resign

By Ben Agande

A

BUJA—ACTING Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has dismissed reports that the erstwhile chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu‘azu and former chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih were forced to resign their positions on Wednesday.

Speaking with State House correspondents yesterday, Secondus also affirmed that the remaining 11 members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party will not resign but rather dedicate themselves to rebuilding of the party.

According to him, it was simply coincidental that the two men resigned their positions on the same day.

Secondus who succeeded Mu‘azu on Wednesday spoke after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking against the background of calls by some other stakeholders including Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and presidential campaign spokesman, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, that the remaining members of the

NWC should follow Mu‘azu out, Secondus said there was no basis for that given that the NWC officers’ stay in office was tenured.

Debunking insinuations that Mu‘azu was forced out as chairman of the party, he said: “You know that is not right, it is unconstitutional, because the chairman did that voluntarily, and the BoT Chairman also did that voluntarily. Some of the

others have tenures, at the end of our tenure if we are re-elected, fine, if not that is the right thing to do. There is no reason for us to resign because we have worked hard."

On the coincidence of the resignation of both the former national chairman and the former BoT Chairman, he said: “Sometimes it happens that way. Nobody forced them to go.”

Explaining the purpose of his visit to the villa, he said: “I just came here to interact with our leader, Mr. President.”

Asked on expectations from the party, he said: “Sitting back to reorganize and then re-invent our party, and to assure our teeming supporters and members that the party is intact without any problem.”

MEETING: Chairman, National Council on Privatization, Vice President Namadi Sambo (right) receiving a souvenir from the Director General, Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki during the valedictory board meeting of the BPE at the State House, Abuja, yestersday. Phot: Abayomi Adeshida.

42 killed in Benue, Plateau attacks

By Peter Duru & Marie-Therese Nanlong

J

OS — ABOUT 42 people were, yesterday, reportedly killed in Benue and Plateau States during separate attacks by unknown gunmen.

Twenty seven persons were said to have been killed in some communities in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State while 15 others were killed at the popular Kyado Market in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, bringing the total number of those killed in the two neighbouring states to 42.

The victims in Plateau State were killed during a night attack despite the curfew imposed on the area.

In Benue, the victims were killed Wednesday afternoon when unknown

armed men opened fire on traders at the market even as many, including children, also sustained varying degrees of injuries at the marker popularly known for its booming yam trade.

However, Barkin Ladi in Plateau was one of the seven local governments where curfew was imposed but night attacks had been going on daily for about three weeks now with many people mostly women and children being killed.

Chairman of the council, Emmanuel Loman, who confirmed the attack, yesterday, blamed the incident on some Fulani herdsmen who he said attacked both Ninji and Popp villages without provocation, killing 20 persons.

He said: “As I talk to you, I am at the mass burial of 27 people killed by the Fulani and their mercenaries. The act is being perpetrated by the Fulani who live in the

communities and aided by their mercenaries. The attackers want to make Barkin Ladi another Sambisa forest at all cost.”

He, therefore, called on security operatives to be proactive as the situation was getting out of hand.

On Riyom attack Residents of the area and neighbouring Riyom Local Government Area had been also under severe attack in the last three days with many residents relocating to other areas for fear of being killed.

Also, in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, an eye witness told Vanguard that the gunmen, who were about six in number, stormed the ever busy market located close to Wukari, along the BenueTaraba State border, at about 12:30pm at the peak of trading activities

“They stormed the market in a commando manner, when business activities were at peak at about 12:30pm, and suddenly opened fire on the traders and their customers, most of whom were trading in tubers of yam.

“There was pandemonium everywhere, people, including children, started scampering in different directions but unfortunately, about 13 persons were killed by the gunmen, while many also sustained injuries.

“After the sporadic shooting which lasted about 10 minutes, the gunmen retreated to the car they came in and drove off."

Contacted, Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Austin Ezeani, confirmed the killings, saying the police recorded the death of three persons and five cases of injuries in the incident.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—9

Success of 2015 polls proved doomsday prophets wrong — Jega zCalls for electoral offences commission zWhy we had pockets of violence, intimidation

By Joseph Erunke & Caleb Ayansina

A

BUJA — CHAIRMAN of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday, said the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections proved doomsday predictions wrong.

He also attributed much of the problems faced by the commission during the elections to attitude of the political class, unsettled legal framework and apathy among the electorate.

Jega, who made the comment when he received a delegation led by Mexican Ambassador to Nigeria, Marco Antonio Garcia Blanco, in his office in Abuja, insisted that some predictions, especially in some western media, suggesting that the outcome of the elections might lead to the end of the country had proven to be false due to the generally free, fair, credible and peaceful conduct of the elections.

He said: “We are, indeed, very happy that our elections turned out to be well and to have been recognized both nationally and internationally as free, fair, credible and also peaceful.

"Leading to the election, some impressions had been created, particularly in the international media as if this may be the end of our country. Thank God it was doomsday prediction which turned out to be false.”

Better than 2011 elections

Jega, who was delighted by the offer to share experiences with other countries, explained that though the 2015 elections were not perfect, they were much better than 2011 and admitted that there was room for improvement.

The INEC chairman said: “We know that the election has not been perfect; we know that it was better than 2011, but there is also a lot of scope for improvement and that is why we welcome every opportunity to visit other countries and to see how they do their own elections and to be able to exchange ideas and to also learn good practices which we can continue to adapt to our own circumstances for continuous improvement of our own electoral process.”

MoU

He appreciated the efforts of the Mexican Embassy in the signing of a Memorandum of

not be overlooked.

He said: “In spite of the concern of some citizens about the smart card reader, its yielded remarkable result though not without some initial hitches as is common with new technologies.

“Also, some of the vendors from whom electoral materials were purchased did not live up to their contractual obligations and could not cope with the commission’s tight deadlines.

“Diverse languages barriers, culture and tradition also posed major challenges to the delivery of voter education/ enlightenment.

“The difficult economic situation (poverty) in our society was manipulated by politicians to easily mobilize some youth for reckless political foot soldering.”

How to address the challenges

People queuing for feul at a filling station due to scarcity of the product, yesterday.

Understanding between both countries in sharing electoral experiences and urged that such bilateral relationship be extended to other sectors.

“You facilitated the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding which has been very useful, many of our staff have benefited by participation in some conferences. All these experiences have been useful and beneficial and we cherish the opportunity,” he said.

Earlier in his remark, Ambassador Marco Antonio Garcia Blanco had said his mission to the commission was to transmit congratulatory message for a great job the commission did in the last electoral process.

He said everybody recognized the key role played by the commission in the successes achieved in the electoral process.

He called on the leadership of INEC to share experience with his country which, according to him, is very important in improving the electoral process in Mexico.

“Your expertise, knowledge and wisdom will be a great asset to our electoral body.

With experience sharing, Mexico will benefit a lot,” he said.

Blanco advocated continuous strengthening of existing bilateral relationship between both countries Meanwhile, Jega attributed much of the challenges the commission faced during the last

elections to attitude of political class, unsettled legal framework, apathy among electorate.

Other factors highlighted by the INEC chairman include insecurity, technological challenges with the card reader, vendor issues, inadequate voter education as well as poverty.

Electoral Offences Commission

Jega, who confidently said the institutions of democracy were gradually gaining ground in Nigeria, called for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission, as part of efforts to step-up performance in the future.

He spoke at the 8th national development summit of traditional rulers with the theme, ‘Consolidating Nigeria’s Peace and Unity in Democratic Advancement,’ in Abuja.

Represented by one of his commissioners, Dr Israel Igbani, Jega noted that the commission concentrated on three focal points, namely structure, policy and plans, to ensure a successful conduct of the elections.

“Guided by the lessons learnt from 2011, in our preparation for the 2015 elections, INEC concentrated on three focal points, namely: Structure, Policy and Plans,” he said.

C hallenges

He further explained that the commission in carrying out

its responsibility, was confronted with numerous challenges such as insecurity which necessitated the shift in the dates of the elections from February 14 to March 28 and April 11 for the Presidential and National Assembly and Governorship and State Assembly respectively.

According to him, the extension allowed security forces to regain some areas lost to terrorists.

“As a result, the elections were held under relatively peaceful conditions, notwithstanding scattered pockets of violence and intimidation in a few areas,” he said.

He noted that the attitude of the political class in Nigeria had always presented a great challenge to every electoral management body in the country, saying with the winner takes all syndrome came a high level of desperation to capture power by all means necessary.

Hate speeches and campaigns

He also noted that hate speeches and campaigns were rampant during the electioneering period.

Jega further noted that it was so unfortunate that the commission pursuit electoral reform, but lamented that “this could not be accomplished before the elections.”

He added that apathy among the electorate, particularly concerning the collection of the Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVCs, could

To address these challenges, INEC boss said political parties must imbibe the principle of internal democracy to complement efforts of the commission, while calling for the creation of Electoral Offences Commission to apprehend, investigate and prosecute offenders.

He said: “The commission is moving into the next phase of careful, strategic planning and preparation for future elections. To improve our electoral process, INEC and stakeholders will have to ensure the followings; Continuous voters’ registration procedures must be put in place and sustained.

“Distribution of PVCs should be carried out more regularly, efficiently and effectively. The process and timing of recruitment and training of ad-hoc staff must be reviewed.

“Voter education and enlightenment must be stepped up to further reduce to its barest minimum the issues of voter apathy, violence and electoral offences.”

Chairman of the Summit Governing Council, the Abe 1, Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso, called on the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure the constitutional empowerment of traditional rulers.

He said: “It is our hope that soon after your assumption of office, constitutional empowerment of traditional rulers shall be achieved, against many years of feet dragging on the matter. ‘’We also want to re-echo the call for the appointment of a Special Adviser to the President on chieftaincy affairs, to enhance grassroots governance.”

10—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Traders paralyse activities at Fashola’s office

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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AGOS—ACTIVITIES at the office of the Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, were yesterday, halted for several minutes by hundreds of traders of Alade Market, Ikeja, protesting the planned demolition of the market by Ikeja Local Government.

The protesters, who stormed the office of the governor at about 11:00 a.m, lamented that the planned demolition of the over 30-year-old market would displace 1,000 traders who depend on it for their livelihood.

The protesters who defied the scorching sun besieged the governor’s office, armed with placards with different inscriptions, some of which read: 'No to demolition of Alade market,' ‘ we are the original owners of the shops,’ ‘Fashola please save us from demolition of Alade Market;’ ‘Don’t displace us and ‘Enough of demolition of markets in Lagos.’

Vanguard gathered that the local council had concluded plans to relocate the traders to a site close to the Allen Avenue canal where 120 shops (a figure that represents 10 percent of the traders) was constructed for them.

The protesters accused the Iyaloja of the market, Mrs. Elizabeth Adenuga, of conniving with officials of the

council led by Mr. Wole Ogunlolu, The Executive Secretary over the planned demolition without carrying them along, saying: “We got wind of the planned demolition on May 18, through a letter from the council demanding N150, 000 from each trader as relocation fee.”

President of the Concerned Traders, Mrs Sulola OdunsiDania, said the council initially made the move to demolish the market in 2003 but the state government denied any knowledge of the planned demolition.

Her words: “We told them that they can’t dislodge the 1,000 traders. There are about 120 shops at the new place they want to move us to. How do we share 120 shops among 1,000 traders? What will be the fate of others? The place is not even environmentally friendly. It is right inside the canal."

Another trader, Mrs. Olukeku Kupoluyi, lamented: “It is not habitable, it is a slum. The shops there are not even up to 1,000.

There are just 400, and there are no access roads. It is not going to be okay for all of us.

It is not manageable, it will not go round, there is no provision for security and it is even flooded.”

Meanwhile, all efforts to reach the Executive Secretary of the council, proved abortive, but in a notice titled: “Final Notice of Relocation and Payment of N150,000 Relocation fee” with reference No. IKJ.GEN. 1213. Vol. 12/ 129, signed by the Executive Secretary of Ikeja Local Government and sent to the shop owners, the council urged the traders to pay the money between May 19 and June 1, 2015.

CIPM INDUCTION: From left: Mr Sunday Adeyemi, Registrar/CEO, CIPM; Mrs Ifeoma Adeniyi, National Treasurer, CIPM; Mr Anthony Arabome; President/Chairman of Council, CIPM; Mr Victor Eburajolo, CIPM Patron and Past President and Guest Speaker, Mr Wale Adediran, HR Director, Flour Mills of Nigeria, during the 19th Induction Ceremony of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM, at Civic Centre, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Ejigbo market torture victim demands justice zAs DPP begins trial of perpetrators

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Bartholomew Madukwe

I

KEJA—MRS. Ajoke Agomo, who was tortured alongside two of her wards for allegedly stealing pepper, yesterday, appealed to an Ikeja High Court to do justice to their case.

Agomo made the plea while testifying at the trial of 10 persons accused of committing the crime at the Oba Morufu International Market in Ejigbo, in Lagos, on Feb. 11, 2013.

The defendants are being prosecuted before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Those standing trial are the market leader, Isiaka Waidi (61), Buhari Yusuf (22), Abdullahi Haruna (20) and Saheed Adisa (29).

Others are Lateef Tijani (37), Ahmed Adisa (65),Azeez Akinosun (36), Jimoh Busari (50), Adekunle Adenuga (38) and Oloruntoyin Dauda (46), the

woman leader of the market.

The defendants are facing a 19count charge bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder, sexual assault, maliciously administering poison, obtaining money by false pretences and deprivation of liberty.

The Directorate of Public Prosecutions, led by Mrs Idowu Alakija, alleged that the defendants, who are members of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, had tortured Agomo, her daughter, Nike Salami and her step daughter, Juliana Agomo.

Earlier during yesterday’s proceedings, the court granted a N250,000 bail to each of the defendants with two sureties in like sum.

The prosecution, thereafter, proceeded to call its first witness, Agomo, who narrated their ordeal in an emotion laden voice which was translated into English and Hausa.

Agomo told the court how the first defendant (Waidi) came to her house on the day of the incident looking for her daughter, Nike,

and forcefully taking her to the market over allegations of theft.

The witness said she ran out to look for her husband and both of them proceeded to the market to meet Juliana and Nike naked and being tortured.

“The first defendant now pulled me over, stripped me naked and rubbed pepper mixed with gin on my face and private part.

“They beat me with canes saying that I am the mother of thieves,” Agomo said.

She said her children were subjected to the same treatment despite her appeals to the woman leader of the market.

According to her, the defendants later demanded N250,000 from her husband for their release but he only managed to raise N20,000.

The witness said: ”After so much pleading, they finally accepted the money and allowed us to go.

“The first defendant later came to our house and told the owner to eject us, which he did out of fear.

“We started sleeping at a mechanic workshop and the little baby I was taking care of died during the process.

“I am not saying that anybody caused it but it was because we were sleeping on the street.”

She said, following the development, her husband raised some money and she relocated to her home town where she was told to forget her traumatic experience.

Agomo said it was in December 2013 that a human rights activist, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, traced her to the place after watching a video of the incident.

According to her, the police later came and took her to the State Anti-Robbery Squad office in Lagos and took her statement for further investigations.

“I was later told that they have arrested the people who did it.

“I want the court to do justice,” she said.

The matter was adjourned till July 14, 15 and 16 for crossexamination of the witness.

Customs intercepts N122.5m smuggled goods in Lagos

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AGOS—THE F e d e r a l Operations Unit, FOU, Zone 'A' of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, says it has intercepted 205 seizures of smuggled goods with a Duty Paid Value, DPV, of N122.5 million.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Uche Ejesieme, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on in Lagos, yesterday.

He said: “The unit was able to effect 205 different seizures of assorted, offending and prohibited items with a Duty Paid Value of N122, 521,030.

“Some of the seized items include foreign parboiled rice, 53 different seizures in different locations and those different seizures translated into 3,003 bags of 50kg parboiled rice, with a Duty Paid Value of N19, 501,306.

“For smuggled frozen poultry products, we had 45 different seizures from different locations translating into 6,713 cartons of the product with a Duty Paid Value of N36, 250,000.20.

“We also had seizures of vehicles coming from unapproved routes and some of them trying to invade payment of appropriate taxes and levies and in that regard we intercepted 46 of such vehicles.

“Thirty-three of them were used vehicles and 65 of them were scraps and the DPV was N36, 220,500.”

Ejesieme said that the command also made 61 seizures of general merchandise such as, new and used textile materials,foot wears, vegetable oil, mosquito insecticides, spaghettis, soaps, wine and used tyres.

According to him, the DPV of the general merchandise seizure is valued at over N30.5 million.

He stated that the controller in charge of the command, Mr. Turaki Adamu, had assured that the unit would not relent in its efforts to rid the area of smugglers.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 11

Violent clash: Fayose imposes dusk-to-dawn curfew on Ado-Ekiti

By Gbenga Ariyibi

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D O - E K I T I — GOVERNOR Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Ado-Ekiti metropolis Fayose, who arrived the state late Wednesday evening from Abuja, gave the order while addressing Hausa community at Atikankan area of Ado Ekiti, said the curfew began yesterday evening between 6pm and will last till 6am today.

Fayose equally ordered the security agencies to arrest whoever flouted the order.

He urged the Hausa community to see the whole issue as one of those things, promising that justice will be done in the case.

He said: “You said you love me, this is the time you have to show this love. I want to plead with you to submit whatever lethal weapons you have in your possession to the police. And if you refuse to do this, whether you are Yoruba or Hausa, the police will arrest you.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us and for the sake of our country, I plead with you to allow peace to reign."

The governor boasted that the matter will be thoroughly investigated and those found to be connected with the wanton destruction would be made to face the full weight of the law.

Responding, Chairman of Hausa community in Ekiti State, Alhaji Adamu Imam, appealed to the government for monetary assistance to those whose property were damaged during the crisis.

Imam said the names of the perpetrators of the violent attack had been compiled and will be made available to the governor and security

agencies for necessary actions.

Residents of Ado Ekiti were yesterday seen going about their businesses unmolested, while banks, business centres and shops which had closed for business were opened to customers.

However, some shops around the Oja-Oba/ old garage area where most of the damage and looting took place on the day of the mayhem still remained under

I

BADAN — RETIREES of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, yesterday, protested to the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku to register their displeasure with the Federal Government over alleged injustice by the leadership of the agency.

The pioneer ex-staff of NSCDC, who sent a Save-Our-Soul to the Federal Government claimed that over 20 of their colleagues had died as a result of unpaid entitlements.

Led by Mr. Lateef Yussuf, the retirees described as painful the way they were neglected despite

Police deny casualty figure

Meanwhile, the state Police Command has denied the casualty figure quoted in respect of the violence by some publications.

According to the Police image maker in the state, DSP Alberto Adeyemi, in a statement, "No one died as a result of the violence as of today (yesterday)

contrary to reports, only two persons sustained pellet wounds while 22 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

“All the injured were taken to Police clinic in Ado-Ekiti where they are being treated and are responding to treatment.”

Adeyemi urged residents to go about their lawful businesses as enough security arrangement had been made to forestall a recurrence.

Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Governor of Ogun State (left) and Chief Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, one of his counsel going through Ogun State regional plan documents inside courtroom during the resumption of alleged corruption case against him at High Court 3, Isabo, Abeokuta, yesterday. Photo: Wunmi Akinola

Ondo police parade 30 suspects

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—THIRTY suspected criminals, including two inmates that escaped during Ekiti jailbreak last year, were yesterday paraded by the Ondo State Police Command.

Addressing newsmen in Akure, Commissioner of

NSCDC ex-officials protest delayed entitlements

By Ola Ajayi

lock and key at press time.

joining the scheme at tender ages and spending all their productive years in service.

He said: “If the authorities concerned could immediately come to their aid by paying them their backlog arrears of benefits alongside other entitlements, while their service lasted, they might have not died.

“Despite all our efforts during elections and monthly environmental sanitation for years, the Federal Government neglected us. We want government to employ some of us who are still strong enough to work while some of us that are ageing should be paid off.”

Police, Isaac Eke, said: “Twelve of the suspects paraded were armed robbers, five suspected cultists and motorcycle snatchers among others.”

Eke said one of the suspected armed robbers, Femi Olowoporoku 38, who robbed five banks in Owo, killed and stole the telephone of one of the policemen in 'A' Division, Sgt Olayemi Yinka, had been arrested.

According to him, the two inmates that escaped during Ekiti jailbreak, Tope Daramola and Banji Adedayo, have equally confessed to committing other robbery cases including Ekiti bank robbery.

According to him, the two suspects escaped from Ado prison last November 30.

The police chief added that one other suspect, Segun Akinseye, and two other now at large robbed one Komolafe Remidayo of his vehicle, a Toyota Sienna bus with number plate KJA 790 CH. Other items carted away by the five-man robbery gang included N1.6 million cash, five assorted mobile phones valued at N200,000 and other

valuables.

The commissioner said on receipt of the complaint, detectives attached to Special Anti-Robbry Squad, SARS, in Akure swung into action and through forensic analysis carried out on one of the phones, the three suspects were apprehended.

He said: “On inter ro gation, they confessed to committing the crime and other robbery cases, including Ekiti bank robbery and that both were inmates that escaped during the Ekiti jailbreak.

Eke added that the suspects mentioned the names of other members of the gang and also confessed to be among the robbery gang that robbed a handset dealer in Igbara-Oke. According to him, one of the suspects, Banji, was taken to Iro Street for investigation by detectives in a bid to arrest other fleeing gang members.

Also paraded were three suspects arrested for allegedly kidnapping former Odua Peoples Congress, OPC, leader, Tayo Alao.

Soyinka advocates establishment of road safety clubs in schools

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA — NOBEL laureate and the first chairman, Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Professor Wole Soyinka, has urged the management of FRSC to form road safety clubs in secondary schools across the country.

Soyinka said the call was to reach out to students in secondary schools to imbibe road safety culture.

He said this yesterday at Asero motor park, Abeokuta, during the road safety advocacy mega rally with the theme: ‘Towards an enduring safe road culture in Nigeria.’

He said: “I must commend the corps for their commitment to duty.

It must be stressed that they had repositioned the agency for better performance.

“I want to recommend that the FRSC should ensure Road Safety Clubs are formed in secondary schools, just as there are Press Clubs.

“The FRSC is the preventive medicine against accident on our roads.”

The Corps Marshall, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, said the Abeokuta programme was part of the agency ’s threepronged strategy of advocacy, education and enlightenment, in reducing accidents on the roads.

He said the agency would continue to engage the drivers and other stakeholders in other parts of the state, such as Ijebu Ode, Sagamu, and Ilaro among others.

He said, “We believe in advocacy, education and enlightenment. This means we will constantly engage the drivers, and other stakeholders in this kind of programme.

“This is what we will be doing regularly. But we want them commercial bus drivers to support us.”

Oyeyemi also warned drivers against overloading, using telephone while driving, drinking.

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Delta Assembly recommends revocation of land allocated to faceless persons zFormer minister to lose land

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—THE five-man ad hoc committee set up

by Delta State House of Assembly to investigate land allocations in the state in the last four years, has recommended the revocation of some plots of land allegedly allocated to faceless individuals.

Some of the plots in question, according to the chairman of the committee, Mr Sam Obi, were allegedly allocated to a former minister (name withheld) and two new generation churches at different locations, in the state capital, Asaba.

Obi said the committee at its sittings invited the present and immediate past commissioners of Lands, Survey and Urban Development as well as key officials of the ministry who made oral presentations and documentary evidence before the committee.

He said: “The committee has carefully and exhaustively examined the issues surrounding the allocation of lands made by the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban

Development in the past four years and came out with far reaching recommendations for the approval of this House.”

Majority Leader of the House, Mr Monday Igbuya, in a motion seconded by the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Johnson Erijo, moved for the receipt of the ad hoc

committee report for further consideration.

The Speaker, Mr Peter Onwusanya, however, ruled that the debate on the report be deferred to the next sitting of the House to enable members peruse the report for quality debate and contributions.

Meanwhile, the House, at its plenary, screened and confirmed the appointment of nominees for secretaries to Udu and Aniocha North Local Government Areas. Those screened were, Dr Edward Ogheneovo, Udu and Mr Patrick Onochie, Aniocha North.

AWARD: Mr. Akpoyoma Ogbe, Chairman, Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (left) and Mr. Samuel Menshia, Speaker, West Africa Students Union Parliament, during the presentation of an award to Ogbe in Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Nath Onojake.

IYC tackles unemployment in N-Delta ...sets up c'ttee to engage companies

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—IJAW youths, under the aegis of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide, met in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, to x-ray the condition of Ijaw and Niger Delta youths, especially beneficiaries of the amnesty programme with a view to getting them employed.

The IYC noted with concern that the companies operating in Ijawland and the Niger Delta region were still maintaining the practice of recruiting their personnel from Lagos and other parts of Nigeria where they have their head offices to the detriment of Ijaw and Niger Delta youths who are unemployed.

Spokesman of IYC, Mr. Eric Omare, in a statement, said that under the Presidential Amnesty programme, oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region whose oil production and revenue have increased as a result of the peace ushered in by the programme ought to engage the amnesty programme beneficiaries who have been trained.

He said though thousands of Niger Delta youths who are beneficiaries of the amnesty programme, through states and federal government interventions and personal efforts have C M Y K

acquired skills in different fields, especially in the oil and gas industry in some of the best schools and training centres all over the world, they remained unemployed.

He added that in the past, the excuse the companies operating in the Niger Delta gave was that the youths were unemployable in

the sense that they did not have the requisite training.

“This is no longer tenable as many Niger Delta youths are now well trained and even came tops in their classes in their trainings abroad. Accordingly, the youths who met under the auspices of the Ijaw Youths Council with other Niger Delta

ethnic nationalities youth organisations in solidarity attendance resolved as follows: “That henceforth, no company would operate in Ijaw land and the Niger Delta region without employing Ijaw and Niger Delta youths, who are eminently qualified to work in such establishments in all categories of their workforce."

Oshiomhole begs Edo workers to shelve planned strike

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—FOLLOWING the planned three-day warning strike by workers in the Edo State Civil Service over alleged deduction of eight percent from their May 2015 salaries as pension contributions with effect from Monday next week, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has appealed to them to stay action on the proposed strike.

He also promised to meet with them in the shortest possible time.

Oshiomhole, in a letter through the Commissioner for Establishment and Special Duties, Didi Adodo, to the Chairman, State Public Service Negotiating Council, said his inaction on the

union’s letter was as a result of his busy schedule.

It will be recalled that the Edo State Government, through the Head of Service, Mr. Jerr y Obazele, had denied the claim by the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, that it had appointed Pension Funds Administrators, explaining that it was yet to appoint PFAs for the s t a t e workforce.

It also maintained that the law setting up the Pension Contributory

Scheme allows the individual worker the right to choose his or her Pension Fund Administrator.

Ibusa youths petition IG over colleague's alleged murder

By Tommy Anaduaka

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OUTHS from the 10 quarters of Ibusa, in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IG, Mr. Solomon Arase, urging him to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those found culpable in the murder of a youth in the area, Mr. Emeka Onianwa.

In a petition by the youth leader of the community, they expressed dismay over the manner the police in Delta State was handling the matter, especially with no arrest made since the incident, as well as allowing all those fingered in the incident to go about freely and boasting that nobody can do anything to them.

Appealing to the IG to use his good office to bring the culprits to book, they noted that the youths of the area, out of the respect they have for the rule of law, had decided not to cause any trouble in the area over the killing but urged him to act on their behalf.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—13

We've empowered 30,000 agitators from the creeks —Kuku

By Emmanuel Elebeke

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HE Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, has said that he was not afraid of probe by the incoming administration, adding that it will take an angel for his successor to attain the feat he recorded in the last four years of his leadership of the Amnesty office.

Speaking, yesterday, at a thank you visit and his investiture as Patron of Yoruba Youths, in his office in Abuja, Kuku boasted about his achievements, pointing out that he has raised the bar for his successor to build upon having empowered about 30,000 youths through the special training scheme of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the last five years.

He said, though the number might seem insignificant when compared with the population of the country, the programme has, however, succeeded in reducing youth restiveness and unemployment in the country, particularly in the oil rich Niger Delta region.

He added that with the successful implementation of the amnesty programme in the last five years, he said, the

nation’s crude oil production now stands at between 2.2 million barrels and 2.4 million barrels per day.

“So far, no fewer than 2,000 of the ex-militants have completed their Bachelors and Masters degrees in various fields while others are still

schooling in the best private universities in the country and abroad.

“I am happy that I have raised the bar, the stakes are high for whoever is succeeding me. I pray for the success of that person because the success of my successor is

going to be the conclusion of this programme, the way it was planned and I will really want the beneficiaries to finish their various study programmes. I do believe that this is not for the students alone but for the country as a whole,” he added

COMMISSIONING: From right: Mrs. Mary Badeh, President of Defence and Police Officers Wives Association, DEPOWA, and wife of the Chief of Defence Staff; First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; Mrs. Helen Mark, wife of the Senate President and the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief Air Mashal Badeh, during the commissioning of DEPOWA's Skill Acquisition Centre, by the First Lady, in Abuja, yesterday.

RSIEC planning to use APC membership register for LG polls, Rivers PDP alleges

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HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, has accused the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, of concluding plans to use the membership register of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the conduct of the local government polls in the state slated for May 23.

Berating the RSIEC for compromising its responsibility and promoting illegality in the state, Rivers PDP Chairman, Mr Felix Obuah, in a statement by his media aide, described the alleged RSIEC’s collaboration as regrettable.

Obuah said that the action of the state electoral body amounts to wishing to right an illegality with criminality simply to justify the huge sum of money paid to them by the outgoing Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Dismissing the plot as an effort in futility, Obuah lauded the courage of the other 13 political parties in the state for shunning Amaechi’s inducements and withdrawing from the purported council elections.

He reassured the affected parties of the supremacy of the rule of law which must be vigorously pursued by the PDP-

C M Y K

led government to ensure that every political party was given equal opportunity and fairness to

participate in any political contest.

Obuah noted that it would be anti-democratic to foist illegally

constituted councils on the state and same must be resisted at any cost.

Rep, 40 others for PDP Disciplinary C'ttee in Delta LG Chairman, Sam

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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ARRI—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, is to investigate Austin Ogbaburhon, member, representing Ughelli/Udu federal constituency in the House of Representatives and 40 other members for allegedly working against the party’s interest in the last general elections.

Those to face a seven-man disciplinary committee inaugurated on May 15, after a meeting of the Udu PDP at its secretariat, are drawn from a list sent by the Delta State PDP leadership to that effect.

The committee chaired by Chief Samuel Brigue, is expected to invite the suspended members for investigation into the

allegations levelled against them and recommend appropriate sanctions where necessary.

Inaugurating the committee at its meeting, Udu PDD

Uwhujowhovwo urged the members to discharge their duties with every sense of responsibility so as to strengthen the party for future challenges.

Delta Central commended for supporting Amori

By Fredrick Okopie

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HE President of Mosogar Elite Forum, Mr. Monday Odaka, has commended the people of Delta Central senatorial district for their overwhelming support for Chief Ighoyota Amori at the last re-run election.

Speaking at a ceremony after the senator–elect, Chief Amori, was presented with his certificate of return in Asaba,

Odaka said that the trust the people have for Chief Amori led to his victory at the poll.

He described Amori's victory as remarkable, as it came at a time when the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was facing a tough opposition in the district.

According to him, the group will not relent in supporting Chief Amori because he has been at the fore front of promoting the cause of the people and the Urhobo nation.

Oshiomhole moves to boost IGR, sets up board

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has taken a practical step to boost the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state with the inauguration of the Edo State Internal Revenue Service Board.

Speaking at the inauguration of the board in his office, the governor said there was the need to build strong institutions rather than strong individuals if the country was to make progress.

He said: “We have since established the Edo State Board of Internal Revenue and the idea is to create an institution that is not going to be bogged down by the usual civil service bureaucracy. We do need to be able to collect taxes and do so efficiently and to ensure that taxes collected are reflected in the accounts of government.

“The taxes we collect, little as they are, have even reduced and yet government is still working on projects in various areas. The Federal Government, immediately after the elections, abandoned its projects. We will not deceive our people on the eve of elections. For us, service is the reason why we are in government and we must sustain it.”

Alpha-May Club marks 30th anniversary tomorrow

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LPHA-MAY Club, the Itsekiri professional / elite men’s club of Lagos, will mark its 30th anniversary tomorrow with a lecture titled The Itsekiri Nation, May 29, 2015 and Beyond, at the Oakwood Park Hotels (formerly Protea Hotel), by Chevron Roundabout, Lekki, Lagos, at 11:00 am. The guest speaker is Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, the Igba of Warri Kingdom, while the Chairman is Barr.

Godfrey Etikerentse.

Guests will be entertained after the lecture.

14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Ogwuama Autonomous Community links Okorocha's re-election to projects executed

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HE PEOPLE of O g w u a m a Autonomous Community in Ahiazu Mbaise of Imo State have attributed the reelection of the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to the various developmental projects his administration embarked upon in the last four years.

A statement by the Ogwuama leaders of thought, Mr Oguwike Nwachuku, Chief Timothy Paul Okorocha and Chief Thomas Ohaeri singled out the people –oriented policies of the Okorocha government to include the free education programme, the infrastructural developments in the areas of roads, Health and the Innovation in the fourth tier of government which has brought government closer to the people.

The leaders of thought then advised the Governor to draw closer to the people of Mbaise as electioneering is now over to build a State that will be the envy of Nigerians.

While soliciting for more government presence in Mbaise, they noted that, though federal legislators elected from the State are mainly from the opposition party, the governor must try to work with them to attract the desired developments ‘as a tree cannot make a forest.'

Week-long presidential inauguration begins today in Abuja

By Charles Kumolu

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HE PRESIDENTIAL Inauguration Planning Committee, PIPC, would commence today with Jumat prayers at the National Mosque in Abuja.

A statement by the office of

the Secretary to the Federal Government of the Federation, SGF, said the processes leading to the transfer of power, would end with an inauguration gala night on May 29, 2015.

There would also be a church service and thanksgiving at

the National Ecumenical Centre on May 24, while inauguration dinner would be held at the State House Conference Hall in Abuja on May 28, 2015.

The high point of the week long programme is the swearing in ceremony, which

PRESENTATION: From left, Professor Lawrence Ezemonye, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration; Professor Faraday Orumnwense, Vice Chancellor, University of Benin; Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shakarau, and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, during presentation of letter as Chancellor of UNIBEN to the Emir of Kano, at his palace.

FG licenses Edwin Clark University, another

By Laide Akinboade Oriere ABUJA—THE Federal Government, yesterday, said Nigeria was still in dire need of more universities to accommodate the teeming youths seeking admissions into

tertiary institutions in the country.

Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, stated this in Abuja, while presenting provisional licences to two private universities- the Edwin Clark University Kiagbodo, ECUK, Delta State and

Hezekiah University, Imo State.

Shekarau said it was imperative for the nation to establish more universities to accommodate most Nigerian students as only 40 percent of those seeking admissions were enrolled in schools.

Presenting the licences to the

Femi Robinson of Village Headmaster fame dies at 75

By Benjamin Njoku & Anozie Egole

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LDEST SON of veteran actor Femi Robinson who passed on, Wednesday, at the age of 75, Wole Robinson has described his late father as “a great man” who tried as much as possible to change his environment, while he lived.

The legendary actor died, on Wednesday, at Ayodele Hospital, Fagba, in Ifako Ijaiye area of Lagos.

In a career that spanned decades, late Femi Robinson shot to lime light with his most popular role as second ‘Headmaster ’ in the nationwide series ‘Village Headmaster ’ which aired on the Nigerian Television Authority,NTA in the 70s.

Confirming his father ’s demise , Wole said the deceased tried as much as he could to change the world C M Y K

comes up on May, 29, 2015 at the Eagle Square in Abuja, while inauguration luncheon would follow on same date at the State House Banquet Hall.

The statement further said the car parks to be used by guests for the inauguration dinner are the Supreme Court Car Park and Federal Ministry of Justice Car Park.

In addition, it said that those who will attend the swearing in ceremony are expected to use the following car parks; Old Parade Ground Car park, Federal Ministry of Works Car Park, Federal Ministry of Lands Car Park and Abuja Geographic Information System Car Park.

Continuing, the statement advised those coming for the inauguration dinner to use the Supreme Court Car Park and Eagle Square Car Park, adding that dignitaries coming for the Presidential Luncheon would be conveyed directly from the swearing in venue to the State House.

Apart from the Jumat prayers and Church service, other activities are strictly by invitation.

Late Femi Robinson around him. “ He tried as much as he could to change the world. He had his personal views about life. He was committed to truth and he put his mind and character to pursue his vision and passion. He tried as much as possible to change his environment, the entertainment industry, aviation industry, and arts and culture industry. But as God would have it, his death was

not good enough.

He has been credited with several deeds in broadcasting, arts and aviation. He was an embodiment of ideas. He was a man that never gave up, but he could not beat this one,” the son said in a statement.

Femi’s demise came few weeks after the entertainment industry also lost another veteran actor, Peter Bruno Meanwhile, paying tribute to the deceased, President of the Association of Movie Producers, Mr. Zik Zulu Okafor, said Femi Robinson was part of the generation that brought TV series to the limelight in Nigeria. “Femi was one of the veteran actors that inspired what we have today.

Those were part of the generation that brought TV series to the limelight. I think, he will be greatly missed. He was a great actor.”

In his own tribute, veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, said: "Femi Robinson was a true professional. “ He has

contributed immensely to the growth of the entertainment industry in Nigeria. I pray for his soul to rest in peace,” he said.

Describing the deceased as “an icon”, actress Benita Nzeribe said, "Femi Robinson was one of the people who started acting ever before the birth of what we now know today as Nollywood."

A graduate of University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Femi Robinson first feature in a production after playing the role of Odewale in Ola Rotimi’s ‘The Gods are not to Blame.’

He trained as a Public Relations expert, Business and Theatre Administrator, and was the pioneer Director of Programs of the Ogun State Television (OGTV).

Other cast and crew of the Village Headmaster who have died include Justus Esiri, Oba Funsho Adeolu, Chief Segun Olusola, among others.

owners of the proposed universities, Shekarau, stressed the need for their sustenance even as he warned that ‘’quality should not be compromised...’’

His words: “Nigeria is still in dire need of more universities and the system is not able to address up to 40 percent of its enrolment.

“As the number of universities increases, quality of services in our universities must be improved upon.”

He, however, said that the licences can only be issued to well-managed institutions after three years of probation.”

Speaking in an interview with newsmen sahortly after the ceremony, the Chairman of Chief Edwin Clark Foundation, Ambassador Akporode Clark said the university would provide leadership and ensure good standards.

“In our area which is neglected (Ijaw) there is no private university. We believe the birth of this university, will have a multiplier effect on our society.

“We are determined to sustain this university. We are determined to make the university a success because we see it as a major contribution and we are quite confident in sustaining our efforts,” he said.

The university has also proposed an initial enrolment of 500 students in the take-off faculties and a total students’ enrolment of 6,360 at the 10th year anniversary.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—15

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16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Okorocha retains free education, as Imo plans probe of IMSU strike

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—IMO State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has reassured the people that the free education policy of his administration would be vigorously pursued in his second term in office.

He also promised that all necessary sacrifices would be undertaken to ensure that the free education programme remained the major thrust of his administration.

The governor, who arrived the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, yesterday, evening, was received on arrival by close aides and associates.

He took exception to the industrial action embarked upon by lecturers at Imo State University, pointing out that the action of the lecturers was uncalled for.

“It was unthinkable that the university teachers could embark on industrial action over one and a half months salaries, when some states in the country have not been able to pay their workers for more than ten months,” Okorocha said.

The governor hinted that the action of the lecturers would be critically looked into to see whether it was done in good faith or an act of sabotage or blackmail, since the state government had been living up to its responsibilities to the university since it came on board in 2011.

He said: “The economy of the country is in a very precarious condition.

Since the country ’s independence, the economy has not been as bad as it is at the moment. ‘’The incoming President, General Muhammadu Buhari, needs the fervent prayers and support of Nigerians to turn things around for better.”

The governor noted that the condition called for a period of absolute sacrifice by cutting down the cost of governance, at least by 60 per cent, for the government to be able to cope.

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INAUGURATION: Governor Martin Elechi (2nd left), inaugurating the ultra-modern Ebonyi pipe factory at Ezzamgbo, yesterday. With him are other dignitaries. Photo: NAN

Eulogies pour in as burial rites for Chukwumerije begin

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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Late Uche Chukwumerije

SUOCHI—THE body of late Senator Uche Chukwumerije was, yesterday, laid in state at Unity Square, Nkwoagu, Isuochi, in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, his home town, amidst eulogies.

The body, which arrived the square at about 3p.m., from Enugu, was accompanied by his children, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Chief Ben Ndi Obi, chairman of the national burial committee; Prof. Alphonsus Nwosu, among others.

First to eulogize him was Senator Ben Obi, who described him as a man of many parts whose legacies were indelible, while

HANDOVER: Gov Chime in desperate bid to

instal principal officers of Enugu Assembly ...To sign PFA bill into law today

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—WITH barely six days to the end of his administration, Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State may have perfected plans to foist his preferred candidates as principal officers of Enugu State House of Assembly for the incoming administration of the governor-elect, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

A dependable source, who confided in Vanguard, said the plans were hatched at a meeting presided over by Governor Chime at Government House, Enugu, last night, with 16 re-elected candidates of the 24-member House.

But Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, in a swift reaction, said he was not aware of any meeting between the governor and the House memberselect.

However, sources said the governor pencilled down Edward Ubosi, representing Enugu-East Constituency as speaker; Donatus

Uzogbodo, Oji-River constituency, deputy speaker and Chinedu Nwamba, Nsukka constituency and also the factional speaker as would-be Leader of the House.

The House split into two factions, following the impeachment notice which the speaker, Eugene Odo, and 14 others ordered the clerk to serve on Chime over alleged financial misconduct.

Eight members of the House had disagreed with Odo’s faction, prompting a purported suspension of Odo and the election of Chinedu Nwamba as new speaker.

However, it was said that the desperation to foist principal officers on the incoming administration may have infuriated the governor-elect,Ugwuanyi, who had lost sleep over the stand-off between Chime and the House.

Peace pact The governor-elect had convened a meeting of the 24-member House in his residence where it was agreed that both camps should maintain the statusquo for two weeks to enable him proffer a

lasting solution to the crisis.

But the pact did not last up to 24 hours as the chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Ikeje Asogwa, hurriedly organised a meeting where he presented Nwamba as new speaker, a move that angered speaker Odo’s faction.

The source further disclosed that Chime’s bid to instal principal officers of the House infuriated Ugwuanyi, who was said to have wondered why an out-going governor would be interested in who led the House when he was out of office.

Indications also emerged that Chime may sign the the Contributory Pensions Scheme, CPS, Bill into law today.

Enugu State has not been part of the CPS in the past eight years of administration of Chime, just as the state refused to implement the N18,000 new minimum wage salary scale for workers.

This has made it impossible for Pension Funds Administrators, PFAs, to manage issues relating to workers’ pensions in the state.

the President-General of Isuochi Development Union, George Mgborukwe, said the late senator made many contributions to his kinsmen in particular, Abia State and Nigeria in general.

Others, who eulogized the deceased were Ogbonna Azubuike, his Special Adviser, who noted that his death was the demise of an enigma.

He added that Chukwumerije was known for his honesty, discipline and dedicated to service, while the traditional ruler of Isuochi, Eze G. I. Ezekwesiri, and a member of national burial committee, Dr. Ejike Orji, said he led a battle against third term and fought for the oppressed and voiceless.

His children, including Chika Chukwumerije, said they could not believe that their father was dead now, adding, however, that the way he stamped his feet when it came to matters of national interest was the way he would knock at the gate of heaven and the door would be opened unto him.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 —17

Unoma Giese, a friend who likes to be known as “Numero Unoma”, recently sent me a good article she’d written and I’d like to share some excerpts with you.

The article is styled as an open letter to President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, and it echoes a lot of my own views about oil industry and Niger Delta issues, in which I have a special interest because I come from an oil-producing area and was a founding member of the Presidential Oil/Gas Sector Refor m Committee that drafted the original version of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

Dear General Buhari,

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IR, as a democrat and a patriot, I place my faith and trust in you; the notion of change sustains me, and I have to say, fuels me with the hope that I had completely lost some six months ago.

I am a Delta woman with children, hoping in a few years for grandchildren. Last week while driving through my state on my way back home to Abuja, I was dismayed to see the same gas flares still burning that have burned since I was a child. The flares are a constant reminder to us.

I know that the change you have promised us will include a fundamental overhaul of the petroleum sector, from the Minister, through to policy, to the way we see ourselves as an oil producer, and ultimately to how we best monetise this commodity. I was once a commodities and futures trader myself when I lived abroad and worked in wealth management for Merrill Lynch; so, my opinion is not completely uninformed.

We must recognise the era C M Y K

we are in. The exigencies of the petroleum sector in the 21st Century are not what they were in the ’70s, ’80s or ’90s.

In 2015, it is more than likely that having had some 10 years of steady price rises, we will now be contending with oil prices oscillating between the low $30 per barrel and with a bit of luck, in two to three years rising to a steady $80 , give or take.

Given this scenario Sir, questions need to be asked: · How do we reposition our petroleum industry, not just in terms of name–plate stature as being a faithful and compliant OPEC member, but how do we use that tool to better the lives of Nigerians? · How do we sustain or gain market share for our light crude or our LNG, given that today the US is energy selfsufficient, and in East Africa you have the burgeoning gas producers who from a cost and FDI (foreign direct investment) perspective are competitive, and may well be favoured for investment over the next 10 to 15 years? · How do we manage our reduced oil revenue whilst at the same time trying to diversify Nigeria’s economy? · How do we credibly deal with the issue of rehabilitating and /or privatising refineries in a world where refining doesn’t always pay, and it may prove cheaper, albeit counterintuitive on face value, to import refined products than to refine them locally? We need our refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri working at optimum capacity both for our national security, but also as being symbols that Nigeria is not a basket-case of kleptomania. Twelve months should be sufficient to get

I know that the change you have promised us will include a fundamental overhaul of the petroleum sector, from the Minister, through to policy, to the way we see ourselves as an oil producer

•General Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect

Open letter to General Muhammadu Buhari them up–and–running. · How do we deal with the matter of deregulation, to ensure that pumps all over the country all have PMS and DPK, as well as Lagos and Abuja? We are 36 states of the Federation and we demand to have product at uniform national price. We look for a deregulation that benefits the suffering masses and not just the business tycoons. It is painful to hear a Petroleum Minister tell us that her only achievement (supplying PMS) is giving us something that Nigerians as the fifth largest OPEC producer should regard as a right. · How do we deal with NNPC so that their fine career personnel are energised and given the confidence within the corporation to do their jobs properly and demonstrate their ability? We as a nation have invested billions in the staff of NNPC. They are professionals who, given the right leadership, can make Nigeria proud. They need to commercialise their corporation; I am certain they are aware of that. Give them the right leadership, Sir. · How do we turn our upstream sector into one in which we can focus on increasing our oil reserves, as well as focussing on increasing well-head production to 4mm barrels per

day? This will help secure the future of our children and allow for the diversification of Nigeria’s economy.

In answer to these questions, there are even more questions: Firstly, what do we (not want but) NEED in a Petroleum Minister?

Come May 29th, Nigeria needs to hit the ground running. The best hands and minds must be brought to the table to perform the great escape and re-direct Nigeria out of the mess we are in. For what it is worth, I would like to see an oil minister who: Is not known for extravagance (sorry, this would not normally be a prerequisite, but given our most recent history, it has necessarily become one.)

Knows her/his brief – not just academically, but actually… . practically… demonstratively.

Has an antecedent reputation to uphold…because there is hardly a more effective accountability check than that.

Has the wherewithal to comport her/himself internationally, and give the impression to the world that Nigeria has indeed changed and is open for business, particularly in those sectors that require our counterparts to take us seriously. Ministers are the barometer for how the world sees us; they are the most important ambassadors we have.

Is driven by the principle that she/he does not want to fail, is guided by sound intuition, is steered by handson experience and is constrained by reserve.

Appreciates the enormity of the task ahead and appreciates just how important it is for Nigeria that things are done right in the petroleum sector…and can distinguish between right and wrong.

Seasoned professionals like Prof. Tam David-West, Odein Ajumogobia, Omamofe Boyo and Michael Prest - who have relevant experience and integrity spring to mind as suitable possibilities...

Yours truly, Unoma Giese

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 OR 0811 675 9752 (texts only).

PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED, WITH YOUR NAMES AND CONTACT DETAILS ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 FRESH from a plethora of victories of Nigerians at the recent general elections in Britain comes another cheery news that US-based technology giant, Apple, bought Hopstop.com, owned by Nigeria’s Chinedu Echeruo, for US$1 billion or more than N200 billion.

The business, which Echeruo established in 2005, developed mobile applications that enable iOS and Android systems users to, among other things, monitor traffic and find their ways to nearby bus stops and subways, thus enriching the quality of mobility in more than 300 cities.

Described as a “serial entrepreneur ”, Harvard and Syracuse-trained Echeruo, in 2010, sold another of his companies, Tripology.com to American travel and navigation company, Rand McNally, leveraging his experience as a former staff of JP Morgan Chase and AM Investment Partners.

Echeruo, Nigeria’s ICT Billionaire By this feat, Echeruo weighs in as the first Nigerian to emerge as a Dollar billionaire through knowledge and innovation in the information technology world. He joins other famous people of other descents who are flying flags of Nigeria, and Africa in charting the frontiers of knowledge and shaping the world’s future.

Nigerians like Echeruo are, indeed, shoring up the image and prestige of the Black man by creating much sought after value and proving that knowledge is not about race or colour. It is important his inventions extend to solutions to some of the numerous challenges that blight our country, and

continent.

Echeruo is a product of Kings College, Lagos, which bears a testimony to the quality of education that flourished on our shores. This should prompt our leaders to redouble their efforts at revitalising our educational system to enable our teeming youth to make more meaningful contributions to the development of the country and humanity.

His achievements should inspire more of our young people to explore their talents in the positive use of information and computer technology, which has continued to prove that innovation can catapult

OPINION results because, in his Much ado about the Delta guber results Assembly estimation, they are not credible. In

By Jackson Ekwugum

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HAVE watched with utter dismay O’tega Emerhor’s attempt to discredit the results of the governorship and House of Assembly election in Delta State. Not a few in Delta are amused and puzzled by his antics given the obvious facts on the ground that APC and Emerhor did not stand a chance of winning the governorship election in the State.

According to the results published by INEC, APC scored a paltry 67, 825 and failed to win in any of the local governments including Ughelli North where Emerhor hails from. The question to ask Emerhor is: Was he also rigged out in his local government that was won by the Labour Party? If indeed that is the case, does that not prove that he is a political light weight even in his own local government?

Instead of conceding victory and concentrate on rebuilding and uniting his party, which currently has three factions, Emerhor has chosen to engage in shameless propaganda. I have heard people say that all his bluster is for political relevance; a cleverly designed scheme to gain the attention of the APC national hierarchy for a possible ministerial

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slot. If that is the case, I would have thought a better way to go about that is to seriously begin the hard work of repositioning the APC in Delta and transform it into a formidable opposition to the ruling PDP. At the moment, it has to be said that the only viable opposition to the PDP in Delta is in the person of Chief Great Ogboru who, rather dubiously, keeps moving to a different political party at every election.

During his congratulatory visit to the President-Elect, Emerhor canvassed for General Muhammadu Buhari’s support for the cancellation of the Delta Governorship and House of

Emerhor was so preoccupied with being recognised as the legitimate Urhobo candidate that he did not articulate a programme for Deltans that is specific, credible, and measurable

particular, Emerhor alleged that there is a discrepancy between the number of accredited voters as captured by the electronic card reader and the results declared by INEC. Those who have followed this story will recall that even before the results were announced, Emerhor was already calling for the cancellation of the results because, according to him, card readers were not used during the election. It is ironic that the same person is now claiming that the card readers captured over 700,000 votes according to his figure. The question is: when did Emerhor realise that card readers were used during the election? Now that he has admitted that card readers were used, what are we to make of his initial pronouncements that card readers were not used? And did the card readers show that he scored more than the 67,825 declared by INEC? Deltans will like to know.

According to media reports, the banker-turned politician told Buhari that Deltans were poised to vote for change like all other parts of the country but for the alleged violence and intimidation of APC supporters.

This is nothing but crass opportunism.

While there were constant media reports about political violence and killings in some states, it was so in

anyone from obscurity to instant worldwide fame – and stupendous material wealth. This should prompt many of our youth who are wasting their talents by deploying them to crimes, ruining other people and booking for themselves a date with the long arms of the law, to redirect their talent.

Echeruo comes from a line of illustrious intellectuals.

His grandfather, a University of London English graduate, taught at Stella Maris College, Port Harcourt. His father Professor Michael Joseph Chukwudalu Echeruo one of Africa’s leading literary icons, was Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, and a Professor of Modern Letters at the University of Syracuse in New York since 1990. Late Senator Emeka Echeruo, his uncle, taught Agricultural Engineering at the University of Nigeria Nsukka.

We congratulate Echeruo and hope our youth find inspiration in his achievements.

Delta. I was in Delta during the general elections and most people there will testify that the elections generally were conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. And they are at a loss as to how Emerhor can make such a wild allegation that has no bearing with the reality on the ground.

It was evident from his remarks to Buhari that Emerhor expected Deltans to vote for APC just because “Delta cannot afford to be in opposition.”

That is the type of hollow campaign that Emerhor ran in Delta; a campaign that was based on sentiments, not facts, hype without substance, and exclusionism at the expense of inclusivity. Before Buhari’s victory, Emerhor was so preoccupied with being recognised as the legitimate Urhobo candidate that he did not articulate a programme for Deltans that is specific, credible, and measurable. He frequently talked about ending “16 years of PDP misrule” but we were not told how. Yet he thought Deltans, as informed as they are, would vote for him just because APC is at the centre. Deltans know better than that. They know that being in “opposition” is not a death sentence; that, in fact, it can be a blessing in disguise as we have seen in such states as Lagos and Anambra.

* Mr Ekwugum, a journalist, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015— —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Wounded Lion on the rampage

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HERE is a wounded lion on the rampage in Africa. Before the attack on him, President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi and his pride had killed at least fourteen people, injured over two hundred and sent tens of thousands scampering into exile especially on the shores of Lake Tangayika and into Rwanda.

I was in neigbouring Rwanda, and there was a lot of concern about the situation in Burundi and the influx of refugees. But on Wednesday May 13, 2015, the news of a coup to topple Nkurunziza spread. I was worried that it was the Army, because, in African history, the Army, which is generally neo-colonial, complicates matters. More so in Burundi where it had been split a decade earlier.

The coup attempt, led by General Godefroid Niyombare, failed and a triumphant Nkurunziza rode into Bujumbura, seeking and exerting his pound of flesh. Even unarmed protesters were treated as armed rebels.

Any country I visit, I have a habit of talking with various strands of society. When I was in

Bujumbura in January 2014, I tried to probe into the political under current, and discovered that political tension was not far from the surface. Yes, there were attempts at reconciliation and national rebirth, but it was a far from settled polity. That was why I thought that the President’s divisive decision to run for another five-year term which resulted in mass protests from April 26, was ill advised.

As we say, in this part of Africa, it is clear that Nkurunziza has ‘no home training’ or ‘was not properly brought up’. Indeed, the models of leadership in the Africa of the late 1960s to the early 1990s were mainly cranky soldiers who after seizing radio stations, shot their way into the presidential palaces.

But why do so many African leaders cling to power even if it is detrimental to the interests of their countries? Some have argued that the post-independence model of Western democracy we adopted, is alien to African culture. That Africa tends to be monarchical.

Indeed there are many African leaders with the mindset of ancient monarchs; people who want to rule to eternity and then get power

passed to their sons. These are the cases of Gnassingbe Eyadema in Togo who ruled for thirty eight years, with his son, Faure taking over; and Omar Bongo who ran Gabon for forty one years before his son Ali, took over.

There was of course the farcical drama played out in the Central African Republic where on December 14, 1977 at the Bangui Stadium, President Jean-Bedel Bokassa changed the country into an ‘Empire’ and crowned himself the Emperor. He sat on a golden throne shaped like an eagle with wings outstretched, wearing a crown with a 138-carat diamond worth $2 million, and apparels costing $5 million. The entire ceremony set the impoverished country back by some $20 million. Three years later, the clearly demented man was overthrown.

One reason why leaders like Nkurunziza fester on the African continent, is the lack of Social Movements comprising workers, students, the informal sector, conscientious intellectuals and other progressive forces who can bring pressure to bear on the AU or any African leader

His Excellency, may soon be on the run

By Clement Udegbe

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HE Nigeria Labour Congress ,NLC, the Apex labour organisation for all workers, announced five months ago, that 11 state governments had not paid December salaries to their workers.

The President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, who made the comment in an ‘End of Year Message’ stated that three of the states, Benue, Plateau and Osun, were also owing between three to eight months workers’ salary arrears. In fact, most states owed workers salaries. Citizens carried the yoke of debts, which have not translated to any improvements in their lives. They thus, live continuously in hard times.

The Debt Management Office, DMO’s external debt figures, without adding domestic debts, show Lagos as Nigeria’s most indebted state with $1.17 billion debt, followed by Kaduna with $234 million debt, Cross River ,$142 million, Edo $123 million, Ogun $109 million, Bauchi $88 million, Katsina $79 milllion, Osun $74 million, Oyo $72 million, and Enugu $69 million. The states that are least indebted are: Taraba N4.56 bn, Borno N4.61 bn, Delta N4.85 bn, Plateau N6.19 bn, Yobe N6.25 bn, Benue N6.62 bn, Abia N6.76 bn, Zamfara N7.11 bn and Kogi N7.16 bn.

Osun State is one of Nigeria’s poorest states, but it ranked 9th in the list of the most indebted states in the country. One of its debt-accumulating activities was the N11.4 billion sukuk, which made headlines in 2013,but left the state with several projects abandoned and workers’ salaries left unpaid for months. In spite of

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this, the Osun State Governor managed to retain his seat in 2014, elections, exposing the weakness of Labour, in that state. Our politicians have deliberately whittled down the power of Nigerian Labour, by compromising them one way or the other, in order to continuously deceive the people.

These Governors who owe workers salaries, rushed into Bonds and debts, and by so doing pledged the future of their states, as they would repay these debts over long time. They recently visited the President Elect, asking for money to pay salaries, but knowing that hard times awaits him too, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari GMB, was not enthusiastic with their requests. Some of them will have realised that hard times have come, but almost all of them, including those who could not pay salaries will try to carry on with expensive and wasteful lifestyles, hopping around in chartered flights, with endless convoys on the roads, and long list of irrelevant aides, while passing the burden to the citizens.

A Governor that refused to pay the salaries of workers in his state had no justification whatsoever to receive his

These Governors who owe workers salaries, rushed into Bonds and debts, and by so doing pledged the future of their states

Despite these, it is untrue that Africans are wedded to monarchism because we are not more monarchical than the Europeans.

On the other hand, Nkurunziza may be suffering from messianic hallucinations; that is, leaders who believe that without them, their countries cannot survive. This may be why we have dinosaurs as leaders in many countries.

Leaders like Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, Angolan, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, Paul Biya of Cameroun and Uganda’s Yowerei Museveni who have ran their countries, an average of 33 years apiece, abound. But the example of Nelson Mandela who despite his cult-like followership spent only one term in office, smashes the myth of messiahs.

The Third Term Disease which President Olusegun Obasanjo tried to infect Nigerians with, is actually an Ebola-like infection.

This is why African leaders who were quick to condemn the coup attempt, also have the duty to call Nkurunziza to order. Why would a leader endanger the good health and well being of his country by clinging to power? But I am not confident that they or the African Union (AU) would be willing or courageous enough to tell him the truth.

Although the AU has removed the clause of ‘Non- interference’ in the internal affairs of member countries, but the mindset has not changed. In practice, the military intervention of Tanzania under Mwalimu Julius Nyerere in Uganda in April, 1979 which sent clownish Field Marshall Idi Amin into the dustbin of history had destroyed that provision in the OAU/AU Charter.

So why don’t African leaders tell themselves the truth? Jeramogi

salaries, hence Benue and Plateau workers succeeded to push their Governors out, while the rest managed to stay put.

Life should be made very uncomfortable, for any Governor, who dares to owe workers a dime, in any month. He should be rejected by workers from that same month. All his deceitful events should be shunned by workers, and information about his financial dealings and life style should be exposed to Lawyers who will drag him or his acolytes for investigations.

Since these governors are likely not to cut their costs, they will pass the weight and burden to citizens through all sorts levies, and licenses in the name of Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. They will unleash suffering through things like Cow, Sheep, goat, food, water borehole, Vehicle Driving and Training, TV, Radio, Motorcycle, bicycle, parking, gutter cleaning, and house repainting, and Peper-soup joint fees and licenses, to generate revenue. Now that they have won elections, these Governors will reintroduce all those things and enforcements, on roads and streets that infuriated citizens, which they kept at bay during campaigns.

It is feared that austerity measures may be unleashed on the citizenry which could further aggravate the suffering of the ordinary worker. The incoming government does not seem to offer any encouragement to us, with their daily complaints of empty treasury, and huge debts they will inherit, etc, leaving some to wonder if they do not realise that Nigeria expects them to come and effect change.

Governors will slap themselves on the wrist with reductions in one or two freebies, and call it ‘sacrifice’ and then slam full sufferings on the people. GMB may therefore have to look inwards and cut some costs such as the Presidential Fleet, the cost of running the State House, reduction in the number of aides who add no value to governance, taxing the rich, etc. The Excellences, should agree on a

Oginga Odinga, one of Africa’s outstanding post independence leaders told me in an interview I had with him in Zanzibar twenty two years ago, that the OAU is actually a trade union (club) of African leaders where they protect themselves from the African people.

Burundi which became independent on July 1, 1962 has been quite unfortunate. Its political volcano erupted in September 1972 during which between 200,000 and 300,000 Hutus were killed and another 300,000 fled into exile. Sixteen years later, some 150,000 Hutus were massacred in clashes with the army. The 1993 assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye, led to a decade civil war which the February 28, 2005 Constitution tried to resolve. It was under that constitution that the then Good Governance Minister, Pierre Nkurunziza became president for a five-year tenure. He was reelected five years later for a final second term, now he insists on a Third Term. His reason is that it was the Parliament, not the general electorate that elected him president for his first term.

Nkurunziza may be technically right or wrong in his argument for a Third Term, but is it worth so much bloodshed and instability for his country? Is his ambition worth the blood of Burundians? An Idi Amin might have insisted in running, no matter the costs, but definitely, not a Nelson Mandela.

One reason why leaders like Nkurunziza fester on the African continent, is the lack of Social Movements comprising workers, students, the informal sector, conscientious intellectuals and other progressive forces who can bring pressure to bear on the AU or any African leader.

template of Aides, staff and convoys, across the nation, to cut wastefulness in governance.

Already, workers continue to bear the brunt of the devaluation of the Naira. Yet, we provide our own water, electricity, houses, with no good roads,no good transport system, no good health care delivery, security leaves a lot more to be desired, we spend hours in traffic snarls, now, with no petrol to run our cars etc.

The weight of additional austerity measures with its attendant retrenchments will be too heavy for Nigerian workers, and many of them will just die under the pressure!

Austerity will fuel corruption as people will try to survive, and it will lead to an increase in crime rate.

Instead, moneys should be recovered from Governors, Senators, and Political appointees, who have enriched themselves, through bargains. The public should be involved through a reward system, to expose crimes and stealing by former and incumbent leaders.

From News paper reports, over 12 exgovernors who won senate seats in the March 28 election, and 3 incumbent governors have cases of corruption ranging from misappropriation of public funds to money laundering hanging over their necks. We don’t need to look too far, as corrupt persons can be identified by their lifestyles before and after holding an office in government.

The EFCC, ICPC,and Police,should be funded, and encouraged to achieve recovery of 90 percent of stolen monies from leaders, than jail terms, through reward system for target recoveries.

If the change Nigeria have voted for will include proper fight against corruption, then some of these Excellences should be considering alternatives which may include to abscond ! Let’s watch them.

•Mr. Udegbe, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos.

20—Vanguard, FRIDAY 5 FRIDAY,, MAY 22, 201 2015

Planned demolition of structures: PCRC officials sue for restraint, appeal to Fashola

By Evelyn Usman

A

REA ‘’M’ Police Area Command located in Idimu, a Lagos suburb, is presently wearing a new and indeed befitting look, thanks to the magnificent building erected by the state government as part of its effort to support the Police. Before now, a nim tree, otherwise known as dongoyaro, served as a makeshift office for policemen at the Area Command. Consequently, policemen and officers were left with no option than to arrange their tables and chairs under the tree which served as shade, come rain or sun shine , from where suspects were prosecuted. Suspects were reportedly detained at the Idimu Police division cells from where they were charged to court. This went on until 2012 when construction of a gigantic two- storey building began.

But when Vanguard Metro, VM, visited the Area Command recently, it was observed that though the two-storey building had been completed, it was yet to be occupied by policemen.

It was also discovered that the Area Commander occupied an office not befitting a senior Police officer.

On further investigation, it was gathered that the policemen were eagerly awaiting the commissioning of the building before they would move in. The delay in commissioning the building was attributed to issues surrounding the planned demolition of the existing Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, structures in the Area Command.

While the contractor reportedly insisted that the structuresPCRC’s administrative office, its multi-purpose hall, a fourbedroom bungalow built for the Divisional Police Officer, a church and mosque-should be demolished to allow for additional construction of structures, the PCRC is of the view that its structures also served a vital purpose to the benefit of the Area Command.

Worried by the planned demolition of its structures, members of the PCRC recently held a meeting where they appealed to Governor Babatunde Fashola to either give the existing structures a befitting face-lift or allocate an alternative structure to them.

Addressing journalists, chair-

man, PCRC , Area ‘M’ Idimu, Prince Michael Oyeniyi, clarified that the committee had no intention to stand in the way of the state government or fight with it. He also refuted a report that the committee was demanding for monetary compensation over the planned demolition by government.

He said: “We have not demanded money from the state government, and nobody is fighting with the government; we are also not against the development activities of the Area Command. What we are interested in is that it’s either they(government) give our existing structure a facelift, restructure and give it back to us in order to preserve our legacy or another structure is provided for us rather than demolishing it. This land was allocated to us by the Nigeria Police and we have spent a lot to bring it to where it is today.

The sweat of PCRC members must not be in vain, as we have assisted the Nigeria Police. The PCRC play a complementary role to the Nigeria Police. It was established by a former Inspector General of Police, Etim Inyang. If this demolition takes place, it is likely for it to go round other PCRCs nationwide, and this will discourage us from what we have been doing”.

He noted that the committee had written several letters to Governor Fashola on the planned demolition but expressed doubt if he received them. One of the letters dated February 12, 2015 and signed by the committee’s lawyer,Ola Sobowale,and addressed to Gov Fashola, the Inspector-

If this demolition takes place, it is likely for it to go round other PCRCs nationwide, and this will discourage us from what we have been doing

•The Mosque inside Area M Police Command, Idimu

•Prince Michael Oyeniyi

•The Church also located there General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner Police, read in part: “The structures to be affected by the ...planned demolition to wit: existing administrative office of the Area Commander, existing PCRC multi-purpose hall, existing DPO residence(four-bedroom apartment) for the DPO Idimu Divisional Police station), existing church and mosque at Area ‘M’ Command, Idimu.

“The existing Area Commander’s administrative office is the ...engine room from where the entire operations and logistics sustaining and ensuring the smooth running of Area’M’ Police Command are being coordinated. The aforementioned structure being the nerve centre of the Area Command, if demolished without a functional substitute to same being put in place for a seamless change over, will paralyse the operations of the Area Command.

“Having the DPO ‘s residence within the premises of the Area M Police Command where the

Idimu divisional police is situated, gives any DPO serving at Idimu the advantage of a 24hour daily presence at work.

The aforesaid planned demolition of the said DPO’s residence without an immediate replacement will cancel out the aforementioned advantage.

“The present church and mosque within the Area ‘M’ Police Command also afford men and officers of the Area Command the opportunity to practise their respective faiths without the said practice involving loss of man hours associated with having to go far away from their duty posts in the bid to fulfill the obligations of their faiths.

“The present multi-purpose hall serves as the corporate office of the PCRC from where activities of PCRC in all police stations under the Area M Police command Idimu, Lagos State are coordinated. The multi-purpose hall also serves as as transit camps /hostel for Mobile police officers who are on special assignments within

the precinct of the Area M command , Idimu.

“Much as our client appreciates that the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Lagos State meant well in the aforesaid planned demolition, we plead most humbly that your excellency should intervene in the matter with a view to having a more workable and environmental friendly concept and design for Area M Police Command, phase 11”.

However, in response to one of the letters, the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, claimed it was unaware of any plan to demolish the PCRC’s structures, describing it as rumour. The response which was conveyed in a letter dated March 2014 and signed

by T.A. Araego on behalf of the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, read: “You may recall that the meeting that was held with the representatives of your committee led by Dr. F.O. Oladun and by the project team of this Ministry led by Olaogun K.A., the position of the government was...that no decision has been taken whether to demolish the existing structures or not and that the closeness of the setting out of the administrative block being complained of was done as it was approved by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

“In the light of the above, I am directed to inform you that your correspondence should be channelled to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development if there are fears concerning your structures as government does not know anything about the rumour.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

MSMEs employ 60m Nigerians, accounts for 48% of GDP —AGANGA

— 21

NECAN accuses DISCOs of extortion

By Favour Nnabugwu

By Ediri Ejoh & Mildred Ibrahim

M

icro, Small and M e d i u m Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country have employed 60 million people from a total number of 37 million MSMEs according to the Minister of Trade, Industry and Trade, Dr Olusegun Aganga.

He said the MSMEs currently accounts for 48 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP), Aganga, who unveiled the public presentation of the new National Policy on MSMEs and the results of the 2013 National MSMEs Survey in Abuja said the policy is aimed at improving the ability of Nigeria’s MSMEs to compete effectively in local, regional and global markets.

“The reversed national policy served as another direct intervention of this administration to cultivate micro, small and medium enterprises, thereby increasing their contribution to GDP growth which is roughly about 48 percent today”.

“The National MSME Policy envisions an MSME sub-sector that can deliver maximum benefits of employment generation, wealth creation, poverty reduction and growth to the Nigerian economy. This is because everywhere in the world, MSMEs are the biggest employers of labour.” he said.

The new MSMEs policy and the 2013 National MSMEs survey conducted by the Small and Medium Enterprises

$132.70 $3,176.00

$12.50

BRIEFING: From left: Mr. M. S Omidi, Cultural Attache, Iran Embassy; His Excellency Saheed Koozechi, Ambassador of Iran to Nigeria; Mr Mohammed Kanny, Director, Pars Rastak Co. and Mrs Janet Omisore, Deputy DG, National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, at a press conference on the forthcoming first Iran solo exhibition in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in collaboration with National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) also outlined the general parameters, benchmarks and directions within which MSMEs’ programmes, interventions and initiatives will be designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated.

The Minister said the federal government is surprised to find that a substantial number of all the businesses operating in the country under the SMEs umbrella are in fact, micro

-3.30

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60.30

1.37

1.32

CENTRAL

DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 POUNDS 303.4076 305.1842 305.9607 EURO 219.9128 218.6487 219.0246 FRANC 208.7105 209.2429 209.7753 YEN 1.621 1.6252 1.6293 CFA 0.3149 0.3249 0.3349 WAUA 275.16 275.862 276.5639 RENMINBI 31.5926 31.5737 31.7547 RIYAL 52.2625 52.3958 52.5291 KRONA 29.2036 29.2781 29.3526 SDR 274.694 275.3948 276.0955

CBN Exchange Rate as at 21/ 05 /15

C M Y K

enterprises, stressing that the findings should influence the way policies driving the sector are

The Policy is aimed at improving the ability of Nigeria’s MSMEs to compete effectively in local, regional and global markets

being crafted and implemented.

“MSMEs are globally regarded as the backbone of any economy. MSMEs contribute to improved living standards. They bring about substantial local capital formation and help in achieving high level of productivity and capability.”

He continued, “They have also been identified as a vehicle for employment generation and providing opportunities for entrepreneurial sourcing, training, development and empowerment.”

Nigeria’s ‘Lost Year’ deterring investors— RenCap

51.00

$66.40

CURRENCY BUYING

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N

igerian consumer stocks are struggling through a “lost year” as a slump in oil prices buffets the nation’s economy, according to Renaissance Capital Ltd. Fuel shortages are making it harder to distribute goods as companies including Guinness Nigeria Plc, Nestle Nigeria Plc, and Unilever Nigeria Plc grapple with a slowing economy and weaker local currency, said Benjamin Samuels, head of equities at the

Moscow-based investment bank that focuses on emerging markets.

Investors will also shun the country’s banks until there’s more clarity on how they’re responding to the risk of higher defaults because of lower crude prices, he said.

“Some see 2015 as a lost year for growth and margins” in consumer stocks, he said in an interview in Lagos. “The cost of imports has gone through the roof with the decline of the naira,” Samuels said.

Companies are facing “challenges around distribution and weaker sales,” he said.

Growth slowed to 4 per cent in the first quarter from 5.9

per cent in the last three months of 2014. Nigeria which derives 90 per cent of export earnings from oil, has been hit by the Brent variety’s 40 per cent drop since June.

The naira has depreciated 19 per cent against the dollar over the past 12 months.

Nigerians have faced long queues for fuel in recent weeks in a country that relies on imports to meet more than 70 percent of domestic needs.

While the government guarantees cheaper fuel by subsidy it’s struggling to pay marketers the difference between the landing price of refined oil and the fixed domestic rate as low crude prices deplete revenue.

he Nigerian Electricity Con sumers Advocacy Network, NECAN, has accused the Distribution companies of extorting customers by billing them for unsupplied power.

This is even as customers in Isashi areas in Lagos state has warned DISCOs marketing officers in the area not to venture entering the areas with the notion to disconnect resident until there is improvement in the power supply deliver to the community.“In a chat with Vanguard, the Interim President of NECAN, Mr. Tomi Akingbogun, said “There is a big challenge in the billing system of the DISCOs to customers because tariff is so high with the bills pegged at a constant and increasing rate despite the drop in power supply to make up for such demands from the public.”

According to him, the power sector is faced with total collapse. “The actions of the DISCOs and GENCOs are not yielding positive results, as they seem to show more interest in generating money without maximum satisfaction to Nigerians.

He added that the SMEs and other businesses are suffering due to their inability to meet up demands as they spend over 20 percent of their income on fuelling generating sets. “Due to this lingering issues associated in the industry, I can say something is deeply wrong with both the GENCOs and the Distribution companies because the customers on their part are ready to pay high as long as they see the dividend of what they are paying for," he said.

The NECAN boss however charged the incoming administration to investigate, probe culprits associated with all forms of irregularities in the power sector, as well as put in place measures that would help rid the system of extortion customers presently experience.

In the same vein, a residence of the affected community, Kenneth Ikechukwu, observed that power supply to community is not encouraging yet they are being giving exorbitant charges at the end of the month as bills.

“How can one be paying for what he did not buy? It is very unfortunate that these companies owing the defunct PHCN assets are not bothered with the plight of customers, but instead they are always consistent in collecting money month end.

22—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Unity Bank rebounds to profitability … As liquidity position stabilises

By Peter Egwuatu

S

U

nity Bank Plc has stated that its renewed strategy following completion of its consolidation has started bearing fruits as it recorded a growth from a loss position of N33.64 billion in 2013 to a profit position of N13.6 billion in 2014, just as the Net Interest Margin, NIM improved over the last three years.

The Managing Director/ CEO, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Henry James Semenitari, who disclosed this at the bank’s presentation of its Fact Behind its financials for the year 2014 at the Lagos floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE said “Our renewed and growth strategies are strictly that of operational efficiency derived from our business model and strategic intent.

The result has led to improvement in all key indices as already shown in our 2014 result.”

He stated that the growth is expected to continue in the bY foreseeable future, stressing that the bank has focused on emerging middle market businesses and entrepreneurs, in line with its vision of retail bank of choice.

Speaking to the capital market community, Semenitari said “Our focus on the rural economy is premised on its strategic importance to first level agriculture, entrepreneurship and attainment of financial inclusion strategy of reaching out to the unbanked populace.”

According to him “We successfully completed our

AGAINST CANCER :From left ,Head, Legal and Regulation Division, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Ms Tinuade Awe; Group Managing Director/CEO, Diamond Bank Plc, Mr. Uzoma Dozie; winner, 2015 NSE Corporate Challenge, Esther Obiekwe of Diamond Bank Plc; Head, Corporate Services Division, NSE, Mr. Bola Adeeko; Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, NSE, Mr. Ade Bajomo and Executive Director, Business Development, NSE, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri at the 2015 NSE Corporate Challenge in a 5-kilometre walk, run or jog through the busy business district of Lagos in the fight against cancer. rights issue and special placement of about N40 billion.

The offer was oversubscribed.”

While commenting on the bank’s financial performance, he said “The bank has recorded improvement of 219 per cent in operational efficiency with a cost to income ratio reduction from 284 per cent as at December 2013 to 69 per cent as at 31st December 2014. Our weighted average cost of funds improved to 5.4 per cent in 2014, from 8 per cent in 2013, on account of the growth in low cost deposits.”

Other performance indicators according to him include the Net

We successfully completed our rights issue and special placement of about N40 billion

Interest Income, NIM which has grown steadily over the last three years, just as the liquidity position being stabilizing. “ We have recorded significant drop in costs, illustrating efficiency gains” he added.

On the outlook for the bank, Semenitari said “Our projections for 2015 include : NIM 70 per cent; Return on Equity 23 per cent; Return on Assets 4 per cent; Capital Adequacy 10 per cent; Liquidity Ratio 40 per cent and cost of funds 5 per cent. The future is bright as agriculture remains a major strategic focus of the bank based on its historic strength.”

Friesland Campina WAMCO records N126.4bn turnover … To hold 60th anniversary, Saturday

By Peter Egwuatu

F

...

riesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria Plc has recorded a turnover of N126 billion turnover for the financial year 2014, representing an increase of 5.14 per cent from the 2013 financial year.

The Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mr. Rahul Colaco, who disclosed this to newsmen during a media chat said “ WAMCO will be celebrating its 60th anniversary on Saturday in Lagos. The company's commercial and financial performance remained satisfactory in spite of the harsh business environment. Turnover increased by 5.14 per cent from N120.26 billion in 2013 to N126.44 billion in 2014.

Profit Before Tax (PBT) however decreased by 14.55 per cent from N19.31 billion to N16.50 billion as a result of significant increase in the cost of dairy raw materials, which was not fully passed C M Y K

Stanbic IBTC partners IE Business School on loan finance deal

on to consumers; increased operating expenses; and the write-off of Export Expansion Grant already taken into profit in the previous year.”

He further disclosed that the Board of Directors recommended a final dividend of N4.33 per ordinary share of N0.50 each to the Shareholders having paid an interim dividend of N3.91 per N0.50 in November 2014. The Shareholders approved the final dividend during the Annual General Meeting, AGM held recently bringing the total dividend paid out to N8.24 per N0.50 share in the year under review.

On the outlook for the company, Colaco said “ Considering the economic activities already playing out this year 2015, headwinds are expected from falling oil prices with its impact on Government earnings and consumer spending, tighter monetary and fiscal policies

which aim to boost revenue through higher receipts from income tax and a stronger performance from the private sector, devaluation of the Naira and rising inflation rate. It is therefore expected that the Nigerian business environment in 2015 will be challenging. The Company will however continue to invest in its brands, capabilities and people to ensure that it maintains its leadership position in the market.”

According to him "Over the last 60 years, Peak has continued to be strong throughout the several changes in the market," said Rahul Colaco, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO. "We attribute our success to two things. First, our focus is to consistently nourish Nigerians with quality dairy nutrition in order to reach their Peak. Second, we continually explore ways of standing out of the crowded shelf and touching every part of the consumers’ lives."

tanbic IBTC Bank Plc has signed a direct financing agreement with IE Business School, a leading business school in Spain, to help people acquire the relevant skills in entrepreneurship and business.

The partnership will see Stanbic IBTC provide loan facilities for students enrolled in IE’s top ranked MBA programmes.

The collaboration will be operative for an initial period of one year starting from May 2015, and will be renewable for another year. Under the scheme, participants who have been admitted by IE for its Masters programmes, would qualify for financing from Stanbic IBTC Bank under its Unsecured Personal Loan scheme. Beneficiaries who are not existing customers of Stanbic IBTC Bank will be required to open an account with the bank. The bank would bear up to 100 percent of the value of the programme based on prevailing interest rate.

Speaking at the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signing ceremony in Lagos, Obinnia Abajue, Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, said the partnership fits into the institution’s goal of fostering economic empowerment through strategic interventions that enable individuals and businesses realize their aspirations.

He noted that it was the pursuit of this objective that informed the creation of the Stanbic IBTC Business Leadership Series, which made its debut last year, to build a new cadre of leaders among people and businesses in Nigeria. Similar capacity-building initiatives spanning various sectors of the economy, including MSME, transport and logistics, trade and finance have also been organized by the Stanbic IBTC Group on an ongoing basis to support individuals and businesses, Obinnia stated.

“The partnership with IE opens another window of opportunity to empower people for selfdevelopment and actualization. It is in sync with our operating mantra, which is moving forward.

“At Stanbic IBTC Bank, we are mindful of the fact that socioeconomic growth and development are anchored on sound education and robust infrastructural base. This conviction underscores our strategic interventions in critical sectors of the economy, including education,” he said.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 23

Nigeria loses $2.8bn to smuggled poultry products —PAN

By Gabriel Olawale

M

EMBERS of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN, has called on the Federal government to stem the tide of smuggled poultry products into the country as over 1.2 million metric tons of poultry product estimated at about 2.75 billion dollars get into the country illegally annually.

Speaking at the 3rd edition of the Nigeria Poultry Summit, President of the association, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan disclosed that the continued smuggling of poultry products is depriving the country foreign exchange and job opportunities for Nigerians.

“The biggest part of poultry industry is broiler businesses and in this country we produce about 300,000 metric tons of chicken annually in which we are consuming about 2 million tons of maize. This aspect alone has enabled us to engage over 500,000 maize farmers without putting into consideration other people that will be taken part before it reaches the end user.

“Let’s now imagine the number of jobs that would have been created in poultry industry alone if we can put a stop to about 1.2 million metric tons of chicken smuggled into the country on yearly basis. We estimated about 2.75 billion dollar that is living this country so that this smuggle chicken can come in.”

“Nigerians need to realise that this smuggled chicken is responsible for several health issues we are having in this country, due to the presence of high level of bacteria in the chicken coupled with high toxic chemical that are used to

By Gabriel Ewepu

A

BUJA-THE governe n t Poland has concluded plans to partner with Nigeria in fish production in order to achieve self sufficiency in producing the commodity.

This was disclosed by the Deputy Minister of Economy of Poland, Andrzej Dycha, during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in Abuja.

Dycha said his country was attracted by the enormous fish production potential in Nigeria and seeks to establish a bilateral relationship where Poland will provide modern fish processing facilities for the production of fish in Nigeria.

He said the visit was to explore areas of interest in the agricultural sector and also to strengthen the existing relationship between the two countries.

He was accompanied by the Polish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Niesio Cowsles, added that both countries can also partner in the area of agricultural production and storage that will benefit them.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary Architect.

Sonny Echono, who represented the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said Nigeria was willing to widen the existing relationship with Poland in the agricultural sector in the areas of increasing crop yields, expansion of processing facilities, packaging, reduction in post harvest losses and sustainable land utilisation.

Echono further stated that there was need for both countries to also mentioned expand production and processing of animal products as well as establishment of working relationship between their agricultural research institutions .

It will be recalled that the Nigerian Research/Fishing Vessel MV Bayagbona which was commissioned in 2014 by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan was built in Poland. m

SUMMIT: (L-R) Representative of Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller Binga Panunga; Treasurer, Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN Imo State branch, Mrs Ijeoma Nwachuckwu; Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Muhammad Adam and President of PAN, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan at the 2015 PAN National Summit, in Lagos.

Nigerians need to realise that this smuggled chickens are responsible for several health issues we are having in this country due to the presence of high level of bacteria in the chicken

preserve it just to ensure it gets to our market at cheaper rate.”

Commending the efforts of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, FMARD and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC and other stakeholders for their supports in restructuring the agriculture sector in the country, Oduntan noted that the challenge experience this year by the industry is severe.

“2014 and 1st quarter of 2015 was very tough for poultry industry in Nigeria, we are attacked by various challenges ranging from Avian Influenza, the outbreak of Avian Influenza in the poultry sub sector in

January this year is more endemic than the 2006/2009 outbreak, when we had a total of 25 states affected with population of about 1.2 million birds, but in 2015, it affected 18 states with over 1.4 million birds just in five months.”

Oduntan explained that through the constructive engagement of the government by the association, all hands were on deck to ensure the disease never spread beyond 18 states out of 36 states of the federation. “The association, in collaboration with departments of veterinary, animal production and husbandry and health services have been able to build the farmers capacity through various forms of training at all levels.”

Ogun, BATN train women farmers in Ogun

By Daud Olatunji

T

Poland to partner Nigeria on fish production

HE Ogun state government has entered into partnership with the British-American Tobacco Nigerian Foundation (BATNF) on human capacity development and materials empowerment of women poultry farmers in the three senatorial districts.

Speaking at the certificates presentation for the first set of women farmers who were trained on poultry value chain in Abeokuta, general manager, British-American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) ,Abimbola Okoya, declared that the foundation was established with the vision to reduce poverty in Nigeria Communities, targeting all divisions within the state.

Okoya said the training was first in the empowerment process designed to build capacity of women small holder farmers and equip them the needed materials, adding that “with the training received by beneficiaries, we believe they would put

into practice, all they had learnt to properly manage their farms and market their farm produce to increase their productivity, income and make life more meaningful.”

Also, Ogun state commissioner for agriculture Ronke Sokefun, disclosed that government would roll out incentives to encourage massive investment in various sectors of agriculture, especially poultry and animal production, explaining that partnership with Btitish-American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation was part of the State public private partnership arrangement.

Sokefun said one of the focuses of the State government was to empower rural dwellers by engaging and enriching them through Public Private Partnership (PPP), adding: “We always encourage and facilitate Public Private Partnership for the benefit of our farmers. We want them to improve

their livelihood and also be employers of labour even through farming.”

She however, revealed that the women poultry farmers in Ogun state would be allocated with free agricultural produce marketing outlets at the recently commissioned, State-owned Farmers Mart, Asero in Abeokuta south local government area in order to further empower women farmers in the state, noting that the farmers’ mart is a right avenue to market their produce.

Responding on behalf of other beneficiaries, Elizabeth Oyenumade commended the Ministry of Agriculture’s partnership with the British-American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF), but appealed to the partners to fast-track the empowerment process with needed materials and tools in addition to human capacity development orgainsed for women farmers.

24 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

New vehicle import policy underway ...as stakeholders review NAC policy, demand sustainability

By Godfrey Bivbere, Godwin Oritse & Chizoba Nwazu

T

HE Federal Government is to introduce a new vehicle import policy that will force importers to include the Chassis number, engine number and Vehicle Identification number in their import documents to enable government track the history of every vehicle shipped into the country.

Even as stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime industry reviewed the National Automotive policy on vehicles and called for a clear cut breakdown of the policy to make it workable.

Disclosing the position of government in Lagos at a town hall meeting put together by the National Automutive Council, NAC and Ship and Ports Communication, Assistant Comptroller General, ACG, of Customs, Banke Adeyemi, said that the new policy will commence next month.

According to the Customs boss, “On our ITC platform, we held a meeting with all shipping companies operating in Nigeria and that vessels coming into Nigeria laden with cars henceforth from June 1, most carry the chassis number, engine number and Vehicle Identification number.

“If a vessel is carrying a vehicle, the manifest should not call it vehicle or automobile, the real name that the vehicle should be mentioned and when you give the chassis number, engine number and Vehicle Identification number, we are able to trace the age of the car which will enable us ascertain the proper duty that is to be paid on it.

“As time goes on, we are going past the era of interface between stakeholders at the port because by the time we build in your bill of laden containing the above into the system, we will be able to determine the kind of cars and the duty that they are supposed to attract.

“And in our data base, there are so many tools that are there, we have classification tool, valuation tools, the system will automatically give the value after processing the chassis number, engine number and Vehicle Identification number, getting the appropriate age, whether it is a prohibited import or an import that should pay the 35 percent levy because the 35 percent levy is another policy introduced by government to help the automobile industry.”

C M Y K

Conflicting court judgements not good for judiciary — Intels

By Godfrey Bivbere

I

From left: Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC; Chief Chris Orode, Maritime Consultant and Prince Olayiwola Shittu, National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA at a function in Lagos. of the automotive industry.

While commending the man- private sector operators who He opined that the issue of agement of NAC for its efforts require it can go to. She also quality must be taken called for a data base of so far in developing the autoseriously in the course of mobile industry but the boss available scrap metal in the implementing the policy. however stressed that there country to be created the NAC “We must get the policy right are a few gaps that needed to management, as well as the this time around, the middle number of private sector be filled by the Council. and low level classes of She explained that as a result operators in the industry for Nigerians are worst hit by the of the absolute prohibition of easy planning, she concluded. failed automotive policy.” he Meanwhile, Chairman of exportation of scrap metal, it added is imperative for NAC to take the Port Consultative Council, Speaking in similar vein, the advantage of the policy by (PCC), Otunba Kunle Folarin Nataional Publicity Secretary involving the private sector in said that if the policy is not of the Association of the the exploitation of that sector well articulated, it could end Nigerian Licensed Customs up as another white elephant of the automobile industry.

Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Kayode She suggested that the NAC project.

Folarin also said that the Farinto noted that the new management should provide a auto policy had failed even depot where scrap metal can key to the success of the policy before it was brought before is competitiveness which will be collected and from where eventually lead to the growth stakeholders.

LADOL begins local fabrication, integration for Egina project

By Godwin Oritse

T

HE Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) base has commenced the fabrication and integration for the $15billion Egina project being executed by Total Upstream Nigeria in partnership with CNOOC Sapetro and Petrobras .

Disclosing to newsmen in Lagos, Managing Director of LADOL, Dr. Amy Jadesinmi said that the workshop, painting and assembly are ready just as fabrication will commence in another two weeks.

Jadesinmi also said that the involvement of LADOL in the fabrication and integration for the Egina project is not just for the development of the priject, but for the life time of the project.

She explained that facilities like LADOL across the country need to be expanded so as to meet the demand of the oil and gas and maritimer sectors.

“Facilities like LADOL currently in Nigeria are not enough and the few one we have need to be expanded”she said Dr Jadesinmi further explained that facilities like LADOL reduces the cost of the entire Egina project adding that it was cheaper to the fabrication and integration in Nigeria than outside the country.

“We are sub-contractor to Samsung Heavy industries, we are their local partners and

Facilities like LADOL across the country need to be expanded so as to meet the demand of the oil and gas and maritimer sectors

Samsung has the technical expertise to run the project and the fabrication and integration part of the Egina project is worth $300million.” she added The Total-operated Egina has become the first FPSO with integration onshore, in compliance with the 2010 Nigerian Content Act. Contrary to the projected 10,000 tons of fabrication and construction, Jadesinmi disclosed that about 12,000 tons of fabricated metals are expected to be churned out annually at the LADOL base for the Egina project.

On the move by the Federal Government to create a monopoly at Intel terminals, Jadesinmi advised that whatever partnership the government want enter with Intels, let it be as transparent as possible.

She noted that the more servicing firms like LADOL are involved in oil and gas projects in Nigeria, the cheaper these projects become.

NTELS Nigeria Limited has said that the conflicting ruling by the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt and Lagos is not a good testimony for the nation’s judiciary.

General Manager of Intels, Mike N. Epelle, who disclosed this in Onne, said the Lagos ruling by the same court without recourse to the one earlier made on the same matter in July last year in Port Harcourt, can create confusion as to which of the rulings is to be obeyed.

Epelle noted that the Federal High court in Port Harcourt last year gave a judgement in favour of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE when the matter was taken to court by one other terminal operator challenging the limitation of handling of oil and gas cargoes to specialised terminals dedicated for that purpose alone.

The Intels boss said that the Port Harcourt judgment was not challenged till date but wondered why the same court should have conflicting ruling on the same matter.

According to him, “it is quite unfortunate that a federal high court sits in Port Harcourt and gives a judgement; a federal high court in Lagos issues an order contrary to the judgement of the federal high court, the same federal high court and in the same country, there is only one federal high court.

“Maybe we need to look at our judicial system. The court cannot pass a judgement; the same court in another division is making another order contrary to subsisting judgement of the same court, it can lead to chaos, it can even lead to a situation where the citizens do not know which one to obey or which one to follow.

“Steps are being taken to put these things right and in their proper perspectives,” he noted.

On the directive by the NPA, Epelle said “it is even coming rather too late. There has been a judgement by the Federal High court; maybe this is an opportunity to share that information with all of you.

There is a judgement by the Federal High court Port Harcourt some time July, 2014, in which the federal high court pronounced on the letters which were written by Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, at the time of the concessioning exercise.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 25

By Jimoh Babatunde

W

HEN the call came from TopCom if I will be willing to join them for this year’s Indaba Travel exhibition in South Africa, I asked to be given time to discus with my editor. Though , I was at home when the call came through, I told my wife that I might be travelling to Durban, South Africa.

Before she uttered any word, my daughter who was sitting close by said ‘’Daddy, don’t you know what is happening there?’” . I asked what? Pretending not to know where she was heading for. She answered “ Xenophobia.”

I laughed and my wife just added, be careful. That was the same advice given by my Deputy Editor, Eze Anaba, “be careful.”

So, I set out on the appointed date with other selected travel trade stakeholders for the trip to Durban , the city which evokes different images to different people.

After making the journey from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos to Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, aboard South African Airways for almost six hours, I could not wait to fly to Durban to have a deserving rest . And that was what I had checking into the Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani Hotel, Durban.

Situated on the spectacular Durban beach front, Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani is undoubtedly the brightest star on the Golden Mile.

From my room on the 29th floor of the hotel, I woke up the following morning to see the beautiful sun splashed on the city’s finest beach front of gorgeous stretches of golden sands, separated by artificial piers. Tourists and locals jogging while some were surfing.

I didn’t know I was going to get immerse in the beauty of the beach, until later in the day when the South Africa Tourism took the over 150 hosted journalists from around the world that converged in the city of Durban for the Indaba on a tour.

We were split into a group of four in order to experience the beauty of the city of Durban in a truly South Africa way. Each of the group experience a different face of the city and its surroundings with activities ranging from Shark cage, diving to a luxury yacht cruise, a cultural and heritage immersion as well as rickshaw ride on the foremost beach front.

As my group of adventurers set out from the International Convention Centre (ICC), we had the fortune of having the CEO, South African Tourism, Thulani Nzima and Hollywood actor, Hakeem Kae-Kazim.

Dolphin show at the uShaka Marine World. Pix by Jimoh Babatunde .

DURBAN : Beyond xenophobia, a city of delights With Kazeem posing some riddles, one of the answers to the riddles showed that our first point of call will be the famous Moses Mabhida Stadium that hosted some of the matches of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Moses Mabhida Stadium tour

A mere 500 steps separate one from the city’s most spectacular view from the top of the stadium that dominates the skyline with its gorgeous arch and curves. There are two ways to get to the top of the 106m high arch. There’s the SkyCar ride for those who can’t wait to reach the top, and then there is the Adventure Walk for those who are up for a bit of a workout.

As we set out for the tour of the stadium, some chose the adventure of going up the famed stadium arch. As the leader of the group, Jessica, a journalist from Australia; Nontsikelelo, a South African

based journalist and I decided to join the South African Tourism team led by Nzima on the leisurely 20-minute walk to the top.

As others were being strapped for the adventure, I had a change of mind, but that did not stop others as they set for the big swing platform

The park is tastefully themed with a focus on family entertainment in terms of fun, excitement, friendliness, imagery, activities, education and unique experiences, grouped into five distinct areas

where they took the brave leap into the stadium bowl.

I didn’t have the guts, so also was Nontsikelelo, who decided to return after climbing the 500 steps to get to the top.

Under the watchful eye of qualified instructors, Nzima took the first jump into the blue sky of Durban that sunny afternoon, followed by Kazeem and then Jessica. As they jumped off , they made terrifying sounds.

Ushaka Marine World The team moved to uShaka Marine along the beach front. uShaka Marine World in Durban developed out of a vision to create a world-class entertainment . uShaka Marine World Incorporates fresh and sea water, natural materials, the re-creation of a wreck of a 1940’s cargo ship, with the 5th largest aquarium in the world by volume of water, coupled with indigenous African imagery,

lush vegetation and maritime images of the Port of Durban, plus a water slides amusement park, uShaka is a complete ‘Marine World’.

The park is tastefully themed with a focus on family entertainment in terms of fun, excitement, friendliness, imagery, activities, education and unique experiences, grouped into five distinct areas.

Since I failed to summon enough courage to take a jump at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, I took the challenge to go shark hunting at the uShaka marine world.

The Shark cage experience presented a greater challenge as one immersed himself into a world of living sharks. It was difficult breathing under the water,but was encouraged by Indeewari, a fellow journalist from Sri Lanka, to go under water. Some sharks circle the cage whilst others glide slowly past. The Shark Dive is the easiest way to get close to these magnificent creatures.

Dolphin World

The beloved dolphins, including the world-famous Gambit, enthralled us with their grace and strength in their new and enormous 1200seater stadium.

We sat in the specially designed viewing windows that enabled tourists to see the animals both above and below the water.

After exploring the beauty of the marine world, the team joined the other journalists at the KwaMuhle Museum where everybody was treated to entertainment of traditional songs and dances.

On approaching KwaMuhle Museum one is immediately struck by the elegance of the arch lined veranda and large sturdy copper covered entrance doors As I returned to my hotel room, I was thinking of the best way to capture my experience back home that Durban is indeed not about xenophobia. but a delight-some destination.

Hilt on Ho es yyoung oung Nigerians on career in hospitality Hilton Hottel tak takes

Y

OUNG Nigerians are benefiting from Hilton Hotel worldwide largest global career event showcasing the many opportunities available in the hospitality industry.

Throughout the month of May, Hilton Worldwide hotels and corporate offices around the globe are hosting hundreds of events to inform those looking for employment, including young people, about the vast array of exciting opportunities available to all in the hospitality industry.

Transcorp Hilton Abuja has keyed into the event, which

is part of Bright Blue Futures, a global program that encourages Team Members to donate their time and expertise to help young people achieve stability and bring hope to their communities, preparing them for a brighter future.

Participants have been joining Hilton Worldwide Team Members for events ranging from résumé clinics, to career speed-networking, as well as presentations from Team Members on their career paths.

Since last week, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, in conjunction with an NGO, ACE Africa

Charity, has been hosting series of career events that saw students of Government Secondary School Durumi, Pupils of Durumi Primary School and selected youths from the communities learning about careers in the hospitality industry from the Team Members of the hotel.

The events included CV writing workshops, career show, job shadowing and a 10-day job internship program for 20 selected youths.

Etienne Gailliez, General Managersaid, “Young people continue to face challenging employment

prospects, so it is more important than ever to make sure they receive information and advice about the options available and the skills and attributes they will need once they embark on their chosen careers.”

“We are passionate about raising awareness of the opportunities the hospitality industry offers and we are delighted to be doing this through one of our biggest ever careers events across the globe.” The hotel management rewarded the most outstanding youth with employment at the end of the 10-day internship programme.

26—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

•Mu'azu: Forced out

•Jonathan: Will he take up Anenih's offer?

•Anenih: Resigned

PDP: Unending intrigues AFTER weeks of intrigues, the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Ahmed Mu'azu on Wednesday finally bowed to pressure and resigned his position as chairman of the party.

BY HENRY UMORU

M

U'AZU'S resignation was almost followed immediately by that of Chief Tony Anenih from his office as chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT. For Anenih, it was the second time he would be stepping down from the same office as chairman of BoT, having been first forced out in 2007.

This time around, Anenih in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan made public on Wednesday night said he stepped down to enable the president take up the position as he claimed to have verbally communicated to the president earlier.

The developments in the PDP flowed from the party’s poor performance in the recent general elections.

The governors, led by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and outgoing governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio; Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, President Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign Spokesman, Chief Femi FaniKayode, had been pushing for the sack of the Muazu led National Working Committee, NWC, voicing their lack of confidence in him and blaming Muazu and the NWC for leading the party to what they described as the worst electoral performance in Nigeria’s recent presidential, governorship and legislative elections.

Indeed, barely twelve hours to the resignation of Mu‘azu, Chief Fani-Kayode had on Tuesday demanded the sack of majority of the members of the NWC, alleging that they betrayed the President.

With the pressures unrelenting, Mu‘azu’s support within the NWC was also ebbing and it was not a shock that on Tuesday night it was resolved that he should hand in his resignation. What

Prior to his resignation, there were shuttles between Anenih’s Asokoro residence and the Presidential Villa on the need for him to resign to allow for injection of fresh blood into the party

threat or form of coercion that was used on him remains a matter of conjecture but allusions were being made to issues that flowed from the conduct of the primaries among others as acts of intimidation exerted on him.

However, in going, his colleagues in the NWC decided that Anenih, who they perceived as a threat to them should also go.

Few hours after Muazu resigned, Anenih’s own letter of resignation addressed to the President was also received by the PDP NWC staving off earlier threats issued by the NWC of dire consequences on Thursday.

Prior to his resignation, there were shuttles between Anenih’s Asokoro residence and the Presidential Villa on the need for him to resign to allow for injection of fresh blood into the party.

When Mu' azu submitted his letter, pressure was said to have been mounted on the BoT Chairman, with some members of the NWC said to have been sent to his house to get the letter he wrote to the president.

In line with Article 32(2(c) of the Constitution of the party which stipulates that the Chairman and Secretary of the BoT shall serve a term of five years and no more, Chief Anenih would have been left with another two years to hold on to the position because he was elected in 2013.

Anenih's

letter Anenih in the letter dated May 20, 2015 and titled: “Notice of my decision to step down as Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party”, said that his decision would enable President Jonathan to assume effectively the chairmanship of the BoT. The letter reads: “Your Excellency will recall that in a conversation I had with you a few weeks ago, I had offered to step down from the office of the Chairman of our party’s Board of Trustees and proposed to hand over to you as its new Chairman in a ceremony that would have taken place on the 23rd of May, 2015. I had also repeated this position in our subsequent meetings.

“As a follow up to the above proposal and in view of the current state of affairs in our party, I have decided to formally put my offer in writing to enable you effectively assume the Chairmanship of Board of Trustees or approve a process that will enable any other member of the BoT who is considered competent, to assume the position.

“Kindly accept, therefore, this letter as notice of my decision to step down from the position of Chairman of the BoT of our party with effect from today, the 20th of May, 2015.

“I am happy to inform you that, I remain a loyal foundation member of our great party and

will continue to pray for the prosperity of Nigeria, our party, and for you and your family.

“Your Excellency, kindly accept the expression of my highest regards.”

Accepting his letter of resignation, PDP National Secretary, Professor Adewale Oladipo who said the party received the letter and was wishing him well in his future endeavour, however, questioned Anenih’s stance that he was resigning to allow Dr. Jonathan who would leave office next Friday to take over the office.

“Consequent upon the resignation, the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin holds forth pending the election of a new BoT Chairman,” the national secretary said in an unhidden disavowal.

Wednesday was the second time that Anenih would vacate the office albeit under conditions not exactly dictated by him.

Almost eight years ago he was edged out from the office by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Anenih became the PDP BoT chairman as he was seen as the most experienced of them all and he came at a time the party was faced with major challenges, mostly from within. When he came, his leadership contended with the seeming feud between the presidency and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF. He also came at a time some loyalists of Obasanjo like Chief Bode Mustapha, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola were sacked from the NWC of the party, even as the South-West congresses believed to be in favour of the Obasanjo’s camp were also cancelled.

Anenih’s stewardship of the BoT came when the party experienced its most critical challenges including the

Continues on page 28

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—27

With Buhari it'll be business unusual — SOLEYE, EX FINANCE MINISTER DR. Onaolapo Soleye, served for twenty months as minister of finance in the federal cabinet constituted by Maj-General Muhammadu Buhari in his stint as military head of state between January 1984 and August 1985. A former lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Soleye, 82, in this interview gives a personal experience of his working relationship with Gen. Buhari affirming that change indeed is coming Nigeria’s way from next Friday. Excerpts:

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor CAN you assess the just concluded general elections in the country?

It was a successful election during which Nigerians spoke with their votes and chose their leaders into various elective offices including the office of the president.

The elections also laid to rest the much talked about disintegration of Nigeria as a country. We thank God for making it possible amid fears and apprehension. Nigerians must also appreciate the personal contribution of the out-going President, Goodluck Jonathan who conceded defeat even before it was concluded.

This to an extent, doused tension across the country.

What lesson has the outcome of the elections taught Nigerians?

I don’t know what lessons the elections had taught Nigerians, but personally speaking, it has shown that there is a limit to which we can rely on the media, including the so called social media. The media hype on the elections was so high that you will think Nigeria was going to collapse.

To God be the glory, the elections have proven pessimists wrong that the media could speculate, create tension, but Nigerians would make up their mind on how to move the country forward.

It is also a great lesson that, in spite of what people say or write, God has destined what would happen and what would be. If not that, Buhari would not have emerged the president, if all the negative things said about him were anything to go by. The lesson that I also learnt is that the Nigerian electorate is now more enlightened than before and can differentiate between what they want and what they don’t want.

As one who served under Buhari what do you think Nigerians should expect from

him?

I expect discipline and austerity which will later in the years lead to buoyancy of our economy. I expect him to turn around the fortune of Nigeria for better, turning her economic woes to economic gains for the country and Nigerians. I expect him not to compromise his frankness, straightforwardness and thoroughness in the name of anything. In anything he will do as the president, I want him to always place the interest of Nigerians and not his party, the APC at heart.

No doubt, because he is now a politician, his party would have some elements of influence on him but he should always remember Nigerians that voted him into power. He must not compromise critical values he believed in like his anti corruption stand. Under no circumstance must he concede to people who in their lives, they have known nothing except corruption. He must by his actions and utterances let them know that the situation has changed.

You served as a minister of finance, under him and with the economic situation in the country today, what should be the thrust of financial policies you would like Buhari to adopt?

It is not only his financial policies that are necessary, he must also maintain national stability. There are other many areas in our national life which he must address. If he wants to succeed in office, I suggest that he starts by addressing the inability of many state governments to pay workers salaries. Ordinarily, one may want to say that it is not the Federal Government that is owing them, but he should not forget that he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It is shameful and a national disgrace as well as unethical and great disservice for governments not to pay workers that they are using to execute their programmes. I urge Buhari to address the issue as soon as he assumes office.

The President-elect also needs to get the cooperation of the trade unions in the country.

As much as workers welfare should not be jettisoned by him.

I want to canvass that there should not be wage increase for the first two years of his administration.

Since the first two years should be sacrifice, I also, want to canvass reduction in the cost of running government by at, least 50 per cent. I am of the opinion that we are, wasting money in running government.

I find it scandalous that our senate president earns more than the US president. That is spendthrift which must be addressed. Although my suggestion may meet with stiff opposition from members of our National Assembly, I think, this is the best for Nigeria at this critical moment of her economic life.

How do you want Buhari to handle the series of new appointments by Jonathan few weeks to his exit from office?

My reaction is that he is still the president and can still make or mar irrespective of what anybody or group says. All these things some people are saying about the appointments Jonathan is making in the twilight of his administration are

I will answer this question by appealing to Nigerians to support Buhari’s administration and see whether he has or lacks the vigour to run the country

•Soleye: Buhari needs national stability to work nothing but pettiness. The task before Buhari’s administration is enormous than appointments, this I want Nigerians to note. He can’t succeed without national stability and discipline which we lead to eradication or reduction of corruption in the country.

Do you think Buhari of today can still have vigour to effect the desire change in Nigeria?

I will answer this question by appealing to Nigerians to support Buhari’s administration and see whether he has or lacks the vigour to run the country. As someone who had the chance of working with him, I know he will run this country well.

He is a man who is highly religious, fears God and has absolute confidence in those working with him. Even as a military head of state, he was not as dictatorial as many of his adversaries want Nigerians to believe.

I remember very well that there was a situation when he crossed the name of somebody from a list of contract brought to him for approval not by me though, but I went to him to know the rationale and he explained that he did not want to be blackmailed. He is such a person who carries along his subordinates in the scheme of things.

There was also an incident when the Chief of Air Staff took a proposal to him to purchase alpha jets or do something.

What the Chief of Staff was

expecting was that Buhari in his capacity as the commander-inchief would just say ‘minister, go ahead’.

But the service chief got the shock of his life when Buhari asked him to get in touch with the finance minister. In a military regime, that was strange because the Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Defence Staff, and other security chiefs were expecting the Head of State to call the minister and say ‘Minister, call your perm sec, and see what you can do’, but instead, Buhari would say go and convince the minister of finance.

That is Buhari’s personality for you and I don’t think he has changed. So, I expect those who will work with him to bear this in mind. As much as he will have confidence in them, they must know, that, they will be under careful monitoring and make sure that they don’t betray the confidence he will repose in them.

Should Buhari probe the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan?

To me, probe is diversionary and when you talk about it, you continually look back, when actually you are supposed to be moving ahead. Probe wastes a lot of time and I want to advise that Buhari should look elsewhere. But If in the course of running the country, he crushes people along his way, I am sure he will have the

Continues on page 28

28—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

With Buhari, God has visited Nigeria — Okafor, Rep-elect

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

MR. Chike Okafor, a former Commissioner for Finance in Imo State says that people of questionable pedigree may not make Gen Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet list. He also spoke on other issues. Excerpts:

D

O you think that democratic institutions have the capacity to tackle corruption given their activities in the last 16 years?

No institution was designed to encourage corruption but what we have had over the years is absence of quality leadership. In recent times, conscious efforts have not been made to fight corruption. That is regrettable.

The question is, do we have the right people heading the institutions?

We need a President, who is ready to fight corruption. Working with the right people in the legislature is also important. We need to have a President, who will work with the legislature and judiciary to fight corruption.

Apart from that, we need to have the right leadership in the states and local governments who must also be on the same page with the right leadership at the federal level. God has visited Nigeria through the election of Buhari, we know his antecedents and have no doubt about his capacity.

Going by the combined efforts of different politicians who ensured his victory, do you think Buhari would be fearless in the fight against graft?

If he has a minister who is found guilty of corruption, he is expected to fire the minister.

Every institution that is corrupt will be sanitized.

His War Against Indiscipline succeeded then even without democratic institutions. Now there are institutions like the National Assembly and judiciary

Okafor: Nigerians are tired of corruption that will provide checks and balances.

Nigerians are tired of corruption and impunity and they have elected a leader who is also prepared to work for them.

They know him to be incorruptible. The man who is going to emerge as Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and other principal officers of the two chambers already know what to expect from Buhari and the expectation of the average Nigerian.

They know that the right thing to do is to complement the efforts of the President.

On possible impeachment should Buhari become authoritarian No one can use the legislature to checkmate a man who is on the right track. Nigerians are no longer naive. We are no longer stupid. For instance if the president says he will not disobey traffic rules, will the National Assembly say no that?

This is a man, who will on assumption of office, dissolve all institutions and appoint

Nigerians with integrity to head them. It is not for you to use your powers as a legislator to fight the policies and visions of government that appears to be on the right path.

Do you think the anti corruption agencies as presently constituted are strong enough to fight corruption?

We are going to follow the constitution and there is no where in that corruption is legalised. If he needs a new legislation, he can send a bill to the National Assembly. But looking at our existing anti corruption laws, there are sections that are draconian.

Those sections can be looked into.

The laws are there and what we need to do is to apply them.

We have the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigerian Police and other agencies saddled with the responsibility of tackling corruption.

With Buhari it'll be business unusual — SOLEYE, EX FINANCE MINISTER Continues from page 27 cooperation of Nigerians instead of probe.

How do you want him to handle the problematic oil subsidy and power sector?

As a former minister in charge of ministry of petroleum, he will know how to handle the issue.

But I want to appeal to him to handle the issue with national interest.

Do you think Buhari has the

skill to fight politicians who made him president?

There is a limit to decadence that Buhari will tolerate, whether anybody or group financed his election or not.

Having worked with him, I know he is a very disciplined and courageous man.

Let us wait and see whether he could do that or not, but if it is the same Buhari that I worked with as finance minister,

politicians should not expect business as usual.

I am sure he will not fight them, but he will let them see reasons why certain things cannot be going on. So, Nigerians should brace up for austere period if they want Nigeria to be a better country.

They must be ready to cooperate with him as well as ready to make unconditional sacrifice.

PDP: Unending intrigues Continued from page 26 defection of five governors elected on the platform of the party.

He was the National Campaign Adviser of the PDP for the 2015 Presidential election and played stabilising and interventionist roles during the campaigns especially when things were not going well, he was said to have intervened severally, but unfortunately, the PDP lost the election.

Undoubtedly, Anenih has left office with one major wish yet unrealised. That is his failure to realign his native Edo State to the PDP. It was expected that he would use his influence as BoT chairman to influence the political developments leading to the 2016 governorship election. Not a few in the camp of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Edo State would rejoice and gloat over the development.

Muazu came on board in January 2014 to replace Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who himself, came on board March 24, 2012.

Mu'azu came on a rescue mission at a point the party was severely bleeding on account of the problems that arose during Tukur’s leadership of the party.

The problems were climaxed during the August 31st Special Convention organised to right the wrongs that were made during the March 2012 National Convention when the party split into two parallel NWC, when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and five northern governors staged a walk out. They later addressed a press conference to announce the formation of what they tagged new PDP. The former Acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje named himself the National Chairman with Sam Jaja becoming Deputy National Chairman and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola the National Secretary.

The governors who stormed out of the Convention venue were Sule Lamido of Jigawa; Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara; Aliyu Babangida of Niger; Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto state; Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano; and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa.Following the irreconcilable nature of these problems, governors Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara; Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto state; Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano; Murtala Nyako of Adamawa and Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers dumped the party for the opposition, All Progressive Congress, APC, leaving Sule Lamido of Jigawa and Aliyu Babangida of Niger behind.

Unfortunately, Muazu who came to help put the party right and was called a game changer, could not change things as he could not bring back the governors who left the party. There were also subtle signs of discord within the NWC as he was accused by some of the national officers of running a running a one man show.

Lack of internal democracy and indiscipline continued during Mu‘azu’s stewardship and was climaxed by the adoption of the right of first refusal in which the party made a mockery of internal democracy by adopting Dr. Jonathan as a consensus presidential candidate.

Even though almost everyone openly supported the right of first refusal, within,it never really went down well with most people especially from the north and this became a scar in the party that never healed. Some of the governors also had their way in foisting unpopular candidates on the party and this led to the dumping of the party for the APC . The PDP lost in such states •Fayose: Welcomed where candidates were exit supposedly imposed on the people before the very eyes of Muazu as in Adamawa, Niger, Katsina, Jigawa, among others.

There were allegations that Muazu betrayed the PDP and worked against Jonathan, just as there were issues raised relating to misappropriation of funds before the very eyes of Muazu. Before his very eyes, PDP lost woefully in his home state, Bauchi State where he served as governor for eight years, a state where the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed and Governor Isa Yuguda were said to be on ground.

Muazu’s resignation on Wednesday as chairman of PDP was a replay of the past tortuous history of the PDP. Since the party came to power, only two chairmen, Barnabas Gemade, who was refused a second term and Ahmadu Ali, served out the stipulated term in office without a forced removal.

Many others were humbled out of power through intimidation and blackmail. One weapon of intimidation used in coercing a number of Continues on page 29

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—29

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T is just another week to the change-over to a new administration following the unexpected defeat of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The victorious party, All Progressives Congress (APC), under the leadership of a former army general and dictator, Muhammadu Buhari, who appeared to have become a born again into a world of enviable and delightful democracy, looks fully ready.

The assumption is that Buhari could turn out to be a genuine democrat.

It should be a moment of happiness for those who have clamoured for a ‘change‘ (which has happened) to express themselves in a fruitful reexamination of past political and economic policies which seemed to have hampered national unity and rapid economic development. In that context, re-appraisal should not be interpreted to mean a wholesale condemnation of previous accomplishments of the previous governments.

Of recent, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, has been busy defending the record of Jonathan government in building a virile economy and leaving a sound legacy behind.

There is no doubt that the present administration has tried its possible best, and that the Finance Minister has been outstanding in managing a very difficult but stubborn economy.

If positive economic results are paltry, the fault may necessarily be somewhere else. The idea of a change, it is generally

Change for political unity and economic devt assumed, may be a way to find the missing link between abundant mineral and human resources and prosperity.

Some observers point out always that there should be no direct link between Nigeria and poverty since the country is blessed with all factors that make for economic development.

Since 1960, various governments (military and civilian) have

There is no doubt that Nigeria today, is that of extreme wealth and abject poverty – where lush green and lovely estates lie side by side with slums and shanties

Orji is leaving behind happier people in Abia — Ntoh Abia Finance Commissioner ABIA State Commissioner for Finance, Dr Phillip Ntoh, in this interview, talks about what the outgoing government of Theodore Orji left behind for his successor and how the incoming Federal Government should treat Ndigbo.

Excerpts: Aside the happiness and

By Dapo Akinrefon peace fully established, the legacy projects of this HAT are some of the government, doted round the things Governor entire state, speak volumes.

Theodore Orji is leaving behind The government is also as he winds up his leaving behind financial administration? stability. Abia today is a state So far so good, it will be a joyful that is financially stable. exit because the Ochendo Some other states went to the government has fulfilled bond market, but Abia never promises made. This is a went to any money market to government that is leaving borrow money or to sell bond. behind peace, justice, equity All that we did was to service and fair play. loans which we inherited from You can see that before, the past administrations. So we are Ukwa Ngwa bloc was leaving behind a stable complaining of marginalisation, government, a state without and this government said no, godfatherism. If you know Orji, that they are part of the state; you will know that immediately that they cannot be strangers in he hands over, it’s over for him, their own land. Abia North and unless you invite him for any Central have taken their share, advice. Of course he will be fully and it is now the turn of the Abia engaged in Abuja as a senator, South zone to take their own unlike some godfathers with shot. You can see how some nothing to do unless with state enemies of progress were treasury. kicking, but today the people in When Governor Orji came on the state are happy that justice board, he inherited so much has prevailed. that in the first one month, you

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promised a glorious era of political and economic stability, but that goal is elusive and fastly receding. There is that necessity as an under-developed (developing) nation to escape from the old vicious circle of low level of income, low level of saving, low level of investment, low level of output and low level of income. It therefore, would require a combination of prudent fiscal and commonsense monetary measures to move away from poverty into an amazing prosperity.

An observable mistake of the outgoing government is its pathetic failure to integrate the monetary and fiscal policies to pave the smooth way towards economic development and prosperity. However, it is often claimed by the supporters of the present government that the goal of macro-economic stability has been achieved with price and foreign exchange stability recorded.

In fairness to them, Dr. OkonjoIweala has piloted the state of the economy towards a level of

stability with a tolerable growth rate of about 4 per cent, inflation rate of less than 10 per cent and stable exchange rate of N165/$ in 2014.

However, in 2015 the year of the elections, exchange rate worsened to about N200/$ in the black market (official rate is N197), inflation rate rose to 8.7 per cent (from 8 per cent in 2014), and unemployment figure was configured at about 29 per cent (worst among youths). It could be said that yes, there was a period when macro-economic stability was achieved in 2014, but at a huge cost of high unemployment, electric epilepsy, closure of manufacturing plants and general insecurity. In the pursuit of price stability, the monetary policy of the government has created great distortion in the economy and affected steady growth. It is necessary to allow prices to rise in order to allow for economic growth – a tolerable price rise would be necessary in some cases.

A more glaring fault of the economic policy of the present government has been its failure

saw a situation that the banks were coming for renegotiation of loans. The in-coming governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, will not face such mess, as he is starting from a very sound footing.

What he only needs to do is to hit the ground running because he is inheriting a very stable state, one that is financially stable. We are leaving behind people that are happy. It is the reason you see everybody celebrating him.

Do you think the in-coming governor has what it takes to sustain Orji’s legacy projects?

Yes, Ikpeazu can sustain the legacy of the Ochendo administration. I don’t have any doubt in my mind that he will do well. Government like you know is a continuum.

His government will not be like the one Orji inherited where the transition was not smooth. But

•Ntoh: Ikpeazu is starting from a sound footing what we will have now is a very smooth transition, it’s just for him to continue to concretise on what is on the ground. Abians made the right choice by voting for him.

to adhere to one of Dr. Heller‘s fundamental principles of economic development – to reduce, where they exist, the extreme inequalities in wealth, income and consumption standard which undermine productive efficiency, offend justice and indirect political stability. There is no doubt that Nigeria today, is that of extreme wealth and abject poverty – where lush green and lovely estates lie side by side with slums and shanties (abode of many Nigerians). That description does not fit in nicely with the dreams of many citizens as at Independence in 1960.

The dismal picture painted above is to show vividly that beyond the glamorous chant of “change” (which has now happened), there is responsibility of action, to be followed later by accountability.

The searching light has been luminously beamed on the social and economic misfortunes of the outgoing administration, which means that the next administration will not be clueless.

In an era of dwindling oil revenue to the federal government, the new administration will face the risk of reducing expenditure in the face of ceaseless demands (as promised during election campaigns). The false policy will be that of reducing capital expenditure, thereby, deepening recession and increasing unemployment and poverty.

The right policy is that which tailors expenditure to income by reducing wasteful spending on governance.

The major opposition in the state, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said it will challenge the result of the governorship election at the tribunal. Do you have any problem with that?

I think it is one of the attributes of politics in underdeveloped countries. The only person that did something that is western is President Goodluck Jonathan that congratulated his opponent (Buhari) even before the election result was finally declared. So I will call on other Nigerian politicians to emulate him. What he did shows statesmanship, it shows the love he has for his country.

I am not surprised, but one is confident that the tribunal will do its work. There is no doubt that Ikpeazu will win anytime, anywhere. He is equally loved by the people.

PDP: Unending intrigues Continues from page 28 them out of office was the charge of corruption given that about half of those who occupied the office had charges of corruption hanging over them before entering the office.

After the resignation of Muazu, Fani- Kayode who noted that he has been vindicated, however, insisted on a total overhaul of the party with the resignation of other members of the NWC for

the party to return to its former glory.

“I am glad that about seven hours after I said somebody should resign, somebody listened and stepped down. Every single one of them should go.”

With the position of Fani- Kayode and others that most members of the NWC must go and with the festival of resignation in the PDP, the question is who is next on the board to step aside, resign or be sacked.

30—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

AFTERMA TH OF MY KIDNEY TRANSPLANT AFTERMATH TRANSPLANT::

I spend almost $1000 monthly to stay alive —OJB Jezreel Talented singer and producer, Babatunde Okungbowa a.k.a OJB Jezreel who underwent a kidney transplant in India, two years ago, was recently hit with a negative story that he’s suffering from another kidney failure.

In this inter view with WG, OJB explains the circumstances that gave rise to the rumour, and what life has been after the transplant.

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By Ebun Sessou

an you refresh your memory on what your world was like before and after the kidney transplant?

Before the kidney transplant, I tried to handle the problem privately. At first, I spent over N5 million to manage it. Some people also assisted me, especially Lagos State government which gave me the sum of N16 million for the transplant. But the real battle started after the transplant. The impression we usally have, is that once the transplant is carried out, the trouble is over. It is a different experience here because once the transplant is done, you would discover that you have to maintain that kidney every month with almost a thousand dollars. For some people, the drugs don’t help much because it is a lifetime thing. And it depends on how financially stable you are to maintain the kidney. Some can maintain it for as long as 15 to 20 years, while many others don’t survive beyond two to three years. It depends on your maintenance culture.

For you, what is the challenge?

It is the challenge that comes with everybody that has a transplant which is maintenance. The drugs and your hygiene level has to be extremely high because your immune system is down by the reason of the drugs you are taking and the challenge comes with different things. For instance, someone like me who is not diabetic, by the reason of the drugs I am taking, my glucose level has started rising.

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And by the reason of those drugs, I have to be using insulin. So, it comes with its own side effects and different packages. Although everybody has different experience, it is impossible to live without one or two challenges.

To maintain that balance is not easy.

How many months were you down with kidney failure?

Before the transplant, it was over three years. I was maintaining it on my own for three years. It was not at the stage where I needed the transplant. Mine was borne out of the result of blood pressure caused by my bad sleeping patterns. Whether you like it or not, the body needs some rest and if you deprive it of rest, you will definitely develop High Blood Pressure. That was what caused my problem. Some people develop heart and kidney problem at the same time which is more complicated . But I was not in that category. I started suffering from kidney failure about five years ago.

You said your problem emanated from the fact that you were not having a enough rest. What could have been

Wizkid, Yemi Alade battle with Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj at 2015 BET awards

Whether you like it or not, the body needs some rest and if you deprive it of rest, you will definitely develop High Blood Pressure.

That was what caused my problem responsible for that, considering the living condition in this country?

Research indicated that one out of seven people is predispose to renal failure. And the number is increasing per day. Some are even at the stage where it could be curbed, but they wouldn’t know because of our attitude to health.

Our lifestyle pattern is built with

stress and if we don’t have an effective support system to curb the stress, then, we are in serious trouble. So, it is something I believe that as a people, we have to adjust our stress pattern. For instance, before my kidney collapsed, I used to sleep between 3.30 a.m and 7 a. m because I believe in hard-work. Everything, I have achieved in life is through hardwork. No god-father or connection of all sort. All I have is my name which I worked for it. I was over working the body without undergoing medical examinations.

It is a common knowledge that artistes indulge in excessive drinking and smoking which predispose them to series of health problems?

I won’t totally agree, although it is part of it. At the same time, I won’t advise people to indulge in reckless drinking because there are other organs that can be damaged including the liver. People should learn to do things in moderation including the food we eat. For instance, I stopped drinking seven years ago and when

Continues on page 31

Is it back to the basics with Blackberry Classic?

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—31

Synopsis Oops! Noah Is Gone

I spend almost $1000 monthly to stay alive Continues from page 30 they checked on me, there was nothing wrong with my liver.

Recently, news went viral online that you were down with kidney related disease again. How did you receive the news?

Initially, when I heard about it, I laughed over it because I just returned from India. I run a foundation where we invite experts from India to run free screening on people so as to know their renal status. After my trip from India, I went to Calabar for one or two meetings and on my way back, I heard that I was on the hospital bed. I had to be checking myself to be sure that, I was not dreaming. So, I laughed at the whole thing initially. But, when the news persisted, then I felt there was need to respond so that my fans know that I am fine. I think, the problem emanated from the fact that people don’t know that, once you undergo a kidney transplant, you must be going for regular check-ups, having at the back of your mind that your immune system is very low. So, anything can happen. Sometimes, you are advised to stay in the hospital for two days so as to take your anti-biotic to clear your body. You don’t use the regular anti-biotic and it is a normal thing to do. That was why I was so disappointed that people did not check their facts before publishing the story online. Any kidney transplant patient is expected to be in the hospital every month, while for some, it is every week depending on the severity of your case. The last time I went for check-up was a month ago. I spent two days in the hospital because of infection. We were warned on how we shake hands with people at social gatherings and as a celebrity, I cannot refrain myself from hand-shakes. The writers went ahead to say that, they spoke to some doctors who confirmed that I was down with kidney failure again. It’s a libelous statement. I was surprised how the whole story came about and I feel that people should check their facts before publishing their stories.

How would you describe your state of health?

I am far better than the way I was before the transplant. Although it is impossible to say, you are completely fine. I am hopeful. Kidney transplant is not the end of it. And I am looking forward to next year when I will be celebrating my golden jubilee. And I believe nothing will stop it.

What’s your daily routine like after the transplant?

I walk around the compound one hour everyday. I do a lots of vegetables. The first meal I have every morning is cucumber or garden eggs.

TOP MOVIES OF THE WEEK • PITCH PERFECT 2 • LAST KNIGHT • FAST & FURIOUS 7 Schedule commencing from Friday 22nd – 28th May , 2015.

I eat in moderation. My water content is 70 percent which is more than every other thing.

I don’t take alcohol. I rest more now even if I am not feeling sleepy. So, everything has changed about me. I choose what I do now unlike in the past when I engage in all sorts of jobs. Apart from my health challenge, I am not getting younger anymore. I will be 50 years next on July 4. So, I don’t see myself competing with the young ones on stage.

Are you insinuating that, your condition has affected your career?

Not at all. The point I’m making is that I am a father and I am happy to see my children growing in the industry.

I devote most of my time now to take care of my health and also, to evolve from being an artiste to producer and executive director. Now, I think more of owing the stage; to be at the background and that’s what is happening. It is no longer business as usual. It’s more of project now. ...And your other plans?

I run a foundation called OJB Foundation. It is borne out of my experience as a kidney transplant patient. Now, we run a free screening on people to know their status. We also sponsor dialysis for patients. We are trying to use the opportunity to push a pressure group to government. Kidney transplant is very expensive and the maintenance is a lifetime thing. We have written a proposal to the federal government but we are yet to get a response. We are hoping that the incoming government would listen to us. At least, the dialysis should be fully sponsored by the federal government.

It is a big project for individual to embark upon.

So, what lesson did you learn from your experience?

I learn to take life more seriously.

When I was a little younger, I can’t imagine dying. I don’t think, it was possible to die but with this experience, I realized that you can just die like that.

We were fifteen that went through the transplant but we were not more than eight patients that survived the ordeal. . Now, I value each day as it passes and appreciate God for His mercies.

STOP PIRACY NOW! STOP BUYING PIRATED MOVIE AND MUSIC CDs, DVDs. IT IS KILLING THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. C M Y K

Ooops! Noah is Gone is an end-ofthe-world children’s comedy that tells the “untold story of the animals that didn’t get on the ark” through the eyes of land-based Nestrian Dave and his son Finny.

Directed by Toby Genkel and Sean McCormack at Ulysses Filmproduktion in Hamburg, Germany, the film is a European co-production that also involves Moetion Films (Ireland), Fabriqued’Images (Luxembourg), and Grid Animation (Belgium).

SILVERBIRDCINEMAS, VICTORIA ISLAND Oops Noah is Gone : 11:05am,12:45pm,3:00pm Last Knight : 2:10pm,6:30pm,8:45pm Pitch Perfect : 12:00pm,4:40pm,6:35pm Iyore : 11:50pm Fast & Furious 7 : 4:10pm,9:15pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, IKEJA Oops Noah is Gone : 10:35am,1:00pm,4:10pm Last Night : 10:50am,7:00pm,9:15pm Pitch Perfect : 10:50am6:00pm Iyore : 4:50pm The Boy Next Door : 11:10am,2:40pm Fast & furious 7:4:25pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, SEC Oops Noah is Gone : 12:00pm,1:40pm,5:30pm Last Knight : 3:20pm,7:10pm,9:20pm Pitch Perfect : 12:00pm,2:10pm,4:20pm,6:30pm,8:40pm Iyore : 12:40pm,2:40pm,7:10pm The Boy Next Door : 12:10pm,1:20pm,4:50pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS CEDDI PLAZA , ABUJA Oops Noah is Gone : 11:00am,12:40pm Last Knight : 1:50pm,6:30pm,8:40pm Pitch Perfect : 2:20pm,6:30pm Fast & Furious 7 : 11:15am,4:00pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT Oops Noah is Gone : 11:05am,12:45pm,2:25pm Last Knight : 2:40pm,7:00pm,9:05pm Pitch Perfect : 11:00am,3:00pm,7:00pm Iyore : 12:45pm The Boy Next Door : 2:05pm,6:45pm Fast & Furious 7 : 4:00pm,9:00pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, WARRI Oops Noah is Gone : 12:45pm,4:15pm, Iyore : 12:45pm,4:50pm OZONE CINEMAS SABO YABA Oops Noah is Gone : 10:00am,11:40am,2:05pm Last Knight : 4:55pm Pitch Perfect 2 : 2:45pm, The Boy Next Door : 2:00pm Fast & Furious 7 : 12:15pm GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS LAGOS Oops Noah is Gone : 10:40am,12:40pm,2:40pm,4:40pm Last Knight : 5:25pm,7:50pm,9:30pm,10:15pm GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT Oops Noah is Gone : 12:10pm,2:00pm,4:00pm,5:55pm Last Knight : 3:45pm,10:15pm GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, CITY MALL LAGOS Oops Noah is Gone : 11:00am,12:45pm,2:15pm Last Knight : 4:50pm,7:15pm GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, ENUGU Oops Noah is Gone : 10:20am,2:40pm4:45pm Last Knight : 12:20pm,4:30pm Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 11:15am,5:20pm,9:00pm Love or Something like That : 1:10 FILM HOUSE CINEMAS SAMONDA Oops Noah Gone 10:00am,11:40am,2:55pm Last Knight : 15pm,8:45pm

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Wizkid, Yemi Alade battle with Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj at 2015 BET awards E

IGHT contemporary African artistes including Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Sarkodie from Ghana, and Aka from South Africa have been nominated for Best International Act from Africa at this year’s edition of the prestigious BET awards.

The organizers of the award announced the nominees during the week. Other nominees are The Soil(South Africa), Stonebwoy (Ghana), Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Sauti Sol (Kenya). In addition, Tanzanian supermodel Millen Magese (Tanzania) has been awarded the inaugural ‘Global Good Award’ in recognition of her philanthropic efforts in Africa.

The BET Awards 2015 premieres simultaneously on BET(DStv channel 129)and BET2 (DStv channel 135 and GOtv channel 23) on Tuesday 30 June.

However, Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj lead the BET Awards with an impressive six nominations. Chris Brown is nominated for ‘Best Male R&B/ Pop Artist,’ two separate nods in the ‘Best Collaboration’ category, two nominations in the ‘Video of the Year ’ category and the ‘Viewers’ Choice Award.’ Nicki Minajis nominated ‘Best Collaboration’, ‘Best Female Hip Hop Artist’, ‘Video of the Year ’,two nominations for ‘Viewers’ Choice Award’ and ‘Best Group’ as a member of Young Money.Beyoncéand Lil Wayneround it out with four nominations each. Beyoncé is nominated for ‘Best Female R&B / Pop Artist’, ‘Video of the Year’, ‘Video Director of the Year’, and the coveted ‘Viewers’ Choice Award’.Lil Wayne is nominated

•Wizkid

for ‘Best Collaboration’,‘Video of the Year ’,‘Viewers’ Choice Award’, and ‘Best Group’ as a member of Young Money.

This year also marks a special milestone for the BET Awards as th it celebrates its 15

anniversary at the Nokia Theatre on Sunday 28 June.

The networks •Chris Brown recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 20 categories with theBET Awards 2015nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of fans and entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and the creative arts.

“This year ’s nominees showcase a diverse group of talent that includes longstanding entertainers, breakout •Yemi Alade performers, and outstanding athletes,” said Stephen Hill, BET’s President of Programming.

“We congratulate all of the talent on their remarkable contributions to the world of entertainment and look forward to them joining us in celebrating 15 years of the BET Awards.”

Added Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, VIMN Africa, “We are thrilled that African artists and achievers are once again given this global platform to celebrate their contribution to African and African-American culture through

By Iyabo Aina our BET Awards franchise.”

LAGOS INT’L JAZZ FESTIVAL:

How Jimi Solanke, Femi Leye, others rocked the stage T

Dare to Praise draws stars to UNILAG T

O usher in the Pentecost on May 24, the Felicia Michael SoS Foundation, House of Ogugua Michael Egbumokei and Yellow Craig holds the season 2 of Catholic Praise Concert,CPC, tomorrow’s evening at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Main Auditorium.

Themed ‘Dare to Praise’, the concert will kick off with the Holy Mass.

Nigeria’s leading and brightest prospects for Gospel musician, Kenny K’Ore, Prisca D Nightingale, FLO Rocka, De Supreme Gospel According to Dance (DESUGAD), Goody Bama Orchestra, Peace Makers, The Resurrection Choir, Axios Choir, St. Cecilia Choir Unilag, Kellar Thrillz-Fix Crew, among others will perform at the event.

The concert is part of the organizers’ own way of ushering in the Pentecost which come up on May 24.

More interesting for the concert is the involvement of two twins, Kenny and Prisca. Both are ‘latter ’ twins (second in their respective sets).

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•Nicki Minaj

HE Lagos International Jazz Festival may have come and gone, but memories of the three days event, which ran from April 30 through May 2, will linger in the minds of those who were part of the historic festival.

Held at the Freedom Park, Onikan, Lagos, the show boasted of four stages where over a 100 artistes took turns to performed their hit songs.With the likes Femi Leye, Jimi Sholanke, Fabian mounting the stage to thrill jazz music lovers, the show proved to be an experience of a life time. Unlike the previous editions, this year ’s was symbolic in many ways as Rashid Lombard, the founder of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, was on hand to spice up the show, ensuring that the megacity of Lagos was integrated into the global jazz tourism circuit.

Leading the pack of jazz musicians at the show was a Nigeria-International master percussionist and two-time Grammy winner, Lekan Babalola who alongside Herbert Kunle Ajayi, Daniel Isele, Biodun Batik, Prince Eji Oyewole, Jimi Solanke among other celebrated

musicians caused jazz fever on the audience with their old tunes.

The show was kicked off with a screening of film facilitated by the American Embassy entitled, ‘Legends Of Jazz. Therafter there was a lecture series delivered by Rashid Lombard titled ‘Jazz festivals as a driver for tourism and economic growth’ and veteran broadcaster and Jazz critic Benson Idonije also gave a paper titled ‘The power and essence of Jazz – Fela as casestudy’.

Ayoola Sadare shared his journey into the world of Jazz from 2005 till date. Later in the day a cocktail was held in honour of the Jazz impresario and special guest of honour that had music lovers and others dignitaries, friends and well wishers in attendance.

•Jimi solanke on stage

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—33

# Trending

Thumbs up for D’banj !

Uche Ogbodo on her birthday

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’banj’s profile is steadily on the rise at the international scene.President of World Bank, Mr Jim Kim earlier in the week commended the music star for dedicating his latest song, “Extraordinary” to Women empowerment and raising awareness about poverty and other related issues. The song was dropped a week ago.

Jim Kim wrote about D’banj on his Linkedin page: ‘I recently met one of Nigeria’s most dynamic performers, the singer-songwriter, D’Banj. Last year, D’Banj spearheaded a campaign urging African governments to increase their investments in agriculture. This year, he devoting his attention to the African Union’s Year of Women Empowerment. I am honoured, D’banj is the first artiste to participate in our new series, “Music4Dev”, encouraging global artistes to raise awareness about poverty and related issues.”

It would be recalled that D’banj was one of the world stars who performed at the World Bank’s Earth Day event in Washington a few weeks back.

He premiered the new song shortly after the event as the first artist to participate in the World Bank’s new series, ‘#Music4Dev.’

‘I have no regrets’

N

ollywood actress, Uche Ogbodo was a year older last weekend. And to celebrate her birthday, the controversial actress took to her facebook page to share her joy with fans.

Recounting her story, she wrote, “The year 2015 has brought me hope and lots of happiness. For the lessons I learnt along the way, I have no regrets. Rather, I have learnt to stand taller no matter what may come to me.

It’s a new year for me. A new hope, a new opportunity to soar. I am thankful to God for the gift of life, my precious daughter, my supportive family,my very wonderful friends and ever supportive fans. This day is so special to me and I shall live to remember all the love I got in one day. Chai! { dancing Shoki} ????.”

Though, Uche has moved on, her fans are still wondering loudly whether she will ever reconcile with her ex-hubby, Ato Ubby. Sorry! The actress once vowed never to have anything to do with her past.

•Uche

Tiwa Savage’s scam alert

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arely five months after Tiwa Savage’s impostor reportedly duped a politician and Managing Director of a Lagos-based travel agency, the sum of N500,000, to perform at his political declaration party, the heavily pregnant songstress has raised alarm following another fake Twitter account.

Her verified account on Twitter being @TiwaSavage, the Mavin records first lady during the week warned her fans to beware of a fake account with the handle: @Tiwa_Savage1. “Guys, this is a fake handle: @Tiwa_Savage1.”Highlife singer Flavour and Reekado Banks have initially issued scam alerts on accounts impersonating them on social media,”, she tweeted.

•Tiwa Savage

L’Espace closes shop, relocates

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Osuofia steps out with daughters!

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omic-actor, Nkem Owoh popularly known as Osuofia was all smiles during the week when he stormed Upfront Bookings Agency in Lagos, accompanied with his beautiful daughters to renew his endorsement deal with the telecommunications giant, MTN. This is the first time, the actor will step out with daughters. In a photo uploaded online, Osuofia posed with his daughters, indicating that he’s really enjoying fatherhood. Last week, the likes of Tiwa Savage, Don jazzy, Iyanya, Banky W, Harrysong among others renewed their deals with MTN.

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fter three years of ground breaking success at its flagship location along Olosa Street, Victoria Island, the concept store L’Espace will be moving to a new location within Victoria Island and will now be run solely by co -founder, Isoken Ogiemwonyi.

The first multi-brand concept store which launched in 2011, was co-founded by Wonuola Okoye and Isoken Ogiemwonyi and is purely dedicated to Nigerian fashion design, beauty and lifestyle, creating a solid platform for both emerging and established brands. It was created after a successful three years of Le Petit Marche the foremost Nigerian designers market in 2009 driving discovery and bridging the fashion retail distribution gap in Nigeria.

“It’s been an incredible six year journey in deepening our visions to impact the Nigerian Fashion Industry,” the co-founders said in a statement. “We look forward to the advancement of the Nigerian Fashion industry which we are both passionate about.”

The current flagship store L’Espace will be closed for business in preparation for the new chapter which kicks off in July.

•D’ Banj

Wonuola Okoye

34 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Maternal health is priority in Lagos State - Funmi Tejuosho The risk of maternal mortality in Nigeria has, to a very large extent, made a lot of people sit up, take notice and look out for women who are expectant mothers. This has enabled the public health sector through the aid of the Lagos State Government do everything within its power to reduce the mortality rate of mothers and also that of infants. Hon. Olufunmi Tejuosho, (Lagos State House of Assembly) airs her views with Lipstick on an issue that weighs heavily in the minds of others.

By ANINO AGANBI

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HAT is Lagos state doing to reduce maternal mortality?

I am an ambassador of maternal and child mortality reduction in Lagos state. We have to thank the government that has put a lot of things in place. There are health centers all over the local government and LCDAs. Basically the health centers must know their limitations so that where there are complications, they can be taken to the general hospitals instead of everybody rushing down to the general hospitals resulting in long waits. We continue to educate and enlighten our people. The government has put a lot of things in place like jingles and other stuffs on TV to tell people what the government is doing.

People find it easier to visit the traditional care giver, what can be done to aid them in reducing maternal mortality?

There has also been a committee put in place that works with the traditional birth givers especially for those who do not want to give birth in hospitals or those that believe in the traditional way of delivery.

We also educate those traditional care givers so they can also know their limitations and not wait until it becomes a sorry state. We tell them what things to look out for so they know they cannot handle that thing anymore and then they can

A lot of women do not die after child birth. For some, once they get through the process they are home free. These are simple things we need to know.

Those that die are those that go to quack doctors. We advise that it is not every tiny little mushroom place you run to

now refer that patient or mother to the hospital.

These things have helped in reducing those casualties that we have been having.

The care givers have to be registered so you just don’t go to any care giver that is not registered. You have to do ante natal and all other things to get yourself prepared for child birth.

Are there things put in place to prepare women for safe delivery?

There is also a kit given to expectant mothers so they can have what is needed for the day of delivery. All those things are sterilized and put in packages so that when they are needed they can be opened and put to use. They also put us as ambassadors to monitor these things and to see how things are going in your local government and other local governments that are near you because the nearer the better and easier. We need to know where the boundaries are to be able to understand those we can easily reach. We are also supposed to let them know the importance of going to the hospital and checking their blood pressure and knowing the signs of swollen ankles among others. It also helps them understand that breastfeed-

ing also helps in putting immunity into the child.

Those are the kind of things we continuously tell the mothers in our constituency. The state government also has town hall meetings throughout the year to make sure they understand what the mortality issue is.

Are there laws in place and what are the challenges ensuring these laws are effective?

Yes, we have the laws on health and they are very clear. We have to understand that when you go to the clinic and you have to go to the General Hospital, they will refer you to the General Hospital and you also do not need to pay. It’s easier to go through the proper process. The people in those clinics are trained to attend to the mother and child. Where they can’t handle it, it is not because of inexperience but because of facilities. You call them in advance that you are coming so that mother and child are okay. There are also registered blood banks put in place in case of emergencies for the mother and the child.

All these things are already in place due to the fact that the Lagos state government is forward looking and it has been working very well.

The Lagos state government has also put in place the laws for health insurance thereby enabling people get treatment by paying stipends monthly.

With the law on mother and child, there are no challenges at the present time. The only thing we advise is for the people to understand where to go.

A lot of people blame health workers for maternal mortality, what is your opinion on that?

A lot of women do not die after child birth. For some, once they get through the process they are home free.

The medical team makes sure that the placenta has to come out after the baby and that it is not cut anywhere to avoid internal bleeding.

These are simple things we need to know. Those that die are those that go to quack doctors. We advise that it is not every tiny little mushroom place you run to. With the Lagos State Government, we are able to save a lot of women at the present time by putting everything in place. The Lagos state Governor has made it a priority that apart from the doctors doing their work, we can follow them up to ensure things are going well.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 35

CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGE: Developing strategies to combat maternal mortality in Nigeria

By Esther Onyegbula

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N a bid to strategize and find lasting solutions to combat maternal, newborn and child mortality in Nigeria, Champions for Change held a workshop for stakeholders and advocates of improved healthcare for women and children in Nigeria. The workshop which is the second in its series is centered on developing strategies to combat maternal, newborn and child mortality in Nigeria.

According to organizers, the six-day event held in Lagos is intended to strengthen the advocacy capacity of Nigerian civil society individuals and organizations in their efforts to reduce the country ’s devastating rates of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH).

Theresa Kaka Effa (Country Representative Champions for Change) stated that “This edition is focused on advocacy planning and budgetary

•Mother and child advocacy. Budgetary advocacy is critical to the implementation of the National Health Act to ensure access to sustainable and high quality maternal, newborn and child health care

services”.

She lamented that in Nigeria, one in thirteen women die in pregnancy or childbirth, and 12% of children die before reaching the age of five. To

address these devastating challenges, C4C is investing in Nigerian advocates who are leading the fight for healthy mothers, children, and families.

C4C provides Nigerian leaders

Experts advocate financial independence, fitness for women

By Prisca Sam-Duru

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WING to how startling the statistics on women and money have become, experts are advising that women become proficient investors. This is coming on the heels of discovery that more and more women especially as they become older, are not educated or prepared to take care of themselves financially.

Women are known to spend their entire lives, taking care of their families but lack the ability to care for themselves especially, financially, rather they depend on husband or partner, a boss, family member or government.

It was on this premise that the Public Affairs Section of the United States Consulate, Lagos, organized a Financial Independence & Capacity Building Program for Women themed, “Take Charge of Your Financial Future” The event featured three speakers. And before they took over the podium, there was a documentary on women in the likes of Chief Executive Officer and founder, Ruff n Tumble, Mrs Adenike Ogunlesi. She shared

how she began, her success story which included how Ruff ‘n’ Tumble has stood the test of time in addition to her becoming an employer of labour. Ogunlesi however enumerated challenges her business is facing which included lack of electricity which

The Public Diplomacy Officer, Rhonda Watson who threw open discussions on the theme of the programme, stated that US is always having programmes aimed at women empowerment

•Cross section of participants remains a major problem, ban of importation of fabrics and corruption.

She narrated an ugly experience she had in Zurich where she was disrespected when authorities saw her Nigerian Passport. At this point she became emotional. They told her that there’s nothing good in Nigeria but she took time to explain that Nigerians are good people with so much goodness.

The Public Diplomacy Officer, Rhonda Watson who threw open discussions on the theme of the programme, stated that US is always having programmes aimed at women empowerment because when women are empowered, the family and society are empowered adding that if women are at the forefront, there’s always peace.

Women empowerment she

said, is critical for the advancement of society stressing that, the more educated women are, the more likely family size reduces and this leads to reduction in the level of poverty.

Mrs. Watson informed the guests that the Consulate focused on financial fitness of women in order to sensitize them on the need to always have vision of what they are aiming for as well as plans for retirement. To have financial independence, Watson stated that it is important that every woman “Remove self limiting beliefs, work on herself, remove every negative belief system that limits her, take concrete action to realize her dream. You cannot be financially fit when in debt. So, focus on what you really need, get training to help you achieve your goal. Read more so as to gather information on the area you want to venture into and also, choose

with intensive leadership development and executive coaching, strengthens partner organizations through advocacy funding and technical assistance, and supports Nigerian networks to collaboratively advance the RMNCH agenda. Recognizing that pregnancy and child birth related complication is the leading cause of death for adolescent girls globally, C4C also supports innovative strategies for engaging young women in RMNCH advocacy.

This engagement will include a national convening of RMNCH leaders at a Summit in 2016. The workshop was facilitated by Grace Kaimila Kanjo with assistance from Rufaro Kangai and Theresa Kaka Effa. The facilitation team also had Aminu Magashi and Esther Agbon, both from Evidence for Action. It would be recalled that the first workshop held last year focused on advocacy strategy development, approaches to engage traditional and religious leaders in RMNCH advocacy.

role models that help you build on your dreams.”

In her presentation, Nimi Akinkugbe, C.E.O., Bestman Games Ltd, advised women not to procrastinate. Women she said, “Live longer than men so we must save for the future.” Owing to the dwindling foreign reserve, decline in global oil prices, devaluation of naira, increased taxes and high interest rates, Nimi who gave out free copies of her book titled, A-Z of Personal Finance to all the participants, emphasized that every woman needs both a short and medium term goal. “Track your expenses, have a budget, shop with a list of necessary items and live below your means.”

She advised that women “Avoid shopping with friends who are richer, Invest in yourself, identify your talent, nurture it and improve on yourself.”

The CEO of Assist-2Sell Properties Limited, Chukwunonso Ume-Ezeoke on her part, stated that only wise women invest heavily and wisely.

She advised that women should begin early to save for the future insisting that every woman must own a piece of property if not more.

Chukwunonso gave security, heritage, hedge against inflation, stability and retirement, etc, as reasons women must own a piece of property. She further advised single ladies to choose husbands that will support their dreams rather than those that will force them to end their careers.

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22 2015

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—37

With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com 08050498513

Is it back to the basics with Blackberry Classic?

By Prince Osuagwu

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id Blackberry go prodigal? Did it miss its way, hiding its traditional rich enterprise features and outlook in a new look Blackberry 10 series?

Was Blackberry’s CEO, John Chen right, early 2014 when he noted that the way to track back to the successes that made the smartphone the toast of every business man in the days of yore, was to go back to the basics? The answer to these questions may actually be in the affirmitive looking at the latest offering, the Blackberry Classic.

In a new management, new goals and policy direction, while assuming office as the Blackberry CEO, Chen had promised that BlackBerry’s short flirtation with touchscreen-only phones will be taking a step back. Part of his policy direction was that the company’s new phones will

“predominantly” have physical keyboards.

It was a policy of returning to the corporate and government employees, who need and prefer a quality physical keyboard. This was the core audience it was famous for. In any case, BlackBerry’s touch-only phones didn’t do so hot but rather, at a time, brought a huge loss of up to $1 billion.

Although the back to basics mission may have started with BBQ10 and more recently the Blackberry passport, it is however in the Classic that one sees the blackberry of old in representation.

The Classic may share same hardware with Q10 but it’s in terms of quality of material, finishing touches, attention to details, it’s clearly a more premium, executive device.

Besides, the Classic offers 60 percent more screen space, 50 percent longer battery life and a

browser that is three times faster.

The device also features the BlackBerry 10.3.1 operating system, a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB of device storage.

This is also expandable by up to 128GB via uSD, The device also dorns a 2MP front- and 8MP rear-facing camera with enhanced optics and upgraded imaging sensors.

There is also a BlackBerry Blend feature, a nifty feature that links messaging and content across all of a user ’s devices while BlackBerry Hub enables the user to manage all e-mail, texts, BBMs, phone calls and social media in one place.

The device also features the BlackBerry Assistant, the company’s first digital assistant that can be used with voice and text commands.

The feature intelligently determines how to respond to you based on how you interact

•Blackberry classic

with it – if you type, it responds silently, if you speak, it speaks back and if you activate over Bluetooth, it speaks back with additional context because it assumes you might not have access to the screen.

No wonder, at launch, Chen said: “We listened closely to our

How Twin w a reduces lau sh n dry hassles

•LG Twin wash

BY LAJU IREN

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magine that after being out of power for a long time, power suddenly comes on. ‘Up NEPA’ you shout, and rush to do your laundry before the supply is cut.

As you sort through you laundry, you realize that your clothes are too many for the drum of your machine. You decide to divide them into batches, hoping to wash them one after the other.

However, just when you are almost done with the first batch, power goes out, leaving your laundry half done.

It can be pretty frustrating.

That’s why LG electronics’ new

front-load washing machine with TWIN Wash will sound like good news to you. This revolutionary design enables two separate loads to be washed simultaneously. With a space-efficient “mini washer” in the pedestal, overall cycle times are reduced with fewer loads required.

In a related development, LG accounted for 12.4 percent of all washing machines sold in 2014, making it the number one washing machine brand worldwide for the seventh time in a row. In frontload washing machines, LG was again the top brand globally in 2014 for the sixth consecutive year with 14.7 percent market share and number one in the highly competitive U.S. market for the eighth straight year.

“LG has been able to dominate the global market through constant development of innovative washing machine technology and design, especially our 6 Motion Direct

Drive motor and TurboWash™ technologies,” said Hyunwoo Jung, General Manager, Home Appliances division, LG Electronics West Africa operations, LG Electronics West Africa operations. “Innovative features, reliable performance and outstanding design continue to be key selling points for LG premium appliances, and customers seem to agree.”

The company says that the success LG washers can be attributed to a number of innovative advances in washer technology. For example, the Direct Drive motor, attached directly to the washer’s drum, which increases performance and durability.

LG’s 6 Motion technology has a touch as delicate as hand washing, helping to reduce wrinkles and damage to clothes.

Another important innovation has been the TurboWash technology, which uses high pressure water particles that dramatically reduce washing time.

•Samsung DVMs

Air Conditioners, technology Nigerians can be thankful for

By Maximilian Anosike

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he name, Willis Carrier, might not strike a chord amongst even technology enthusiasts. But for every blast from an air conditioner that cools you from the scorching heat, you have him to be thankful to.

Carrier invented the first modern electrical air conditioning unit in 1902. Since then, individuals and corporations have built on his brain child to make the world a ‘cooler place’-literally. It was no wonder therefore, that when Samsung Electronics recently organised an Air Conditioner forum in Lagos, about 180 people were in attendance.

The forum also doubled as avenue to launch the World’s largest capacity Digital Variable

customers’ feedback to ensure we are delivering the technologies to power them through their day and that feedback led directly to the development of BlackBerry Classic,”

Multi- Super system AC which the company says has the world’s first and largest single capacity outdoor of 26 Horse Power. It is credited as the next-generation modular system in the world of high-efficiency air conditioning.

These air conditioners come equipped with R410A gas, which is, eco-friendly and Smart Inverter compressors capable of reducing energy consumption up to 40% in line with global standards. The air conditioners can handle up to 50 metres in piping length as against the conventional 10 meters.

Speaking at the forum, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim said: “We want to keep our stakeholders abreast of the level of market research that goes into designing and producing Samsung air conditioners and cooling solutions, which are especially suitable for Africa and the Nigerian climate.”

Also speaking at the forum, Director, Consumer Electronics, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Sunil Kumar, said that Nigerians are astute customers who are always on the lookout for the best.” dual digital inverter system and a smart management system,” Kumar stated. Samsung also launched air conditioners with a 5 year warranty on compressors, keeping in mind the energy conservation and eco friendly standards being set in the air conditioning environment.

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Abuja housing challenge and Winning Clause Estate example

By Law Mefor

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NLY very few cities in the world can match the cost of living in Abuja, the Federal Capital City of Nigeria. Of all Abuja’s mounting needs, as in all new cities, housing remains the most acute. It is so bad that one-room self-contained goes for up to half a million Naira in the city centre, and only slightly less in the adjourning districts.

For strategic reason, addressing the housing need in Abuja has always been necessarily in the front burner of most FCT administrations. While many FCT ministers attempted to build houses, Mallam Nasiru El Rufai, when he was the minister of the FCT, took a different approach by introducing an urban mass housing scheme, using public private partnership, PPP, model.

What El Rufai did was to provide swathes of land for estate mass building which led to the phenomenal springing up of many estates mainly in the Lokogoma and Guzape Districts where dozens of estates are being developed and housing thousands in the last decade.

Winning Clause Estate is one of these new estates. What stands Winning Clause Estate developers out, however, is the firm’s peculiar triumphs which are enduring and offer a shining example to others who may wish to venture into estate development, especially in the FCT. To place the triumphs and travails of the Winning Clause in perspective, it is important to note that the rush for Abuja land is more like gold rush of the yore.

This has led to land business becoming the most lucrative and create the euphoria that Abuja is a sort of Eldorado. And like in all moving businesses, scammers have since crammed the Abuja land business and have made it very difficult to know which land in the market is truly genuine, as the title deeds may be sold and resold to different people, who are often left to sort out themselves.

The experience of Winning Clause has nothing to do with purchasing a title deed.

Theirs was a direct allocation from the Federal Capital Administration. But on mobilising to site, they discovered that a certain Saraha Ltd was on ground and laying claim to the same land. What was more, Saraha had allocated the plots to interested buyers to build and work had commenced and reached various stages.

As Winning Clause was sure it had right standing with the allocation, the firm ran a check on the papers relied upon by Saraha, only to discover that the papers, to say the least,were irregular.

From the Winning Clause tangle with Saraha, the collusion of some fraudulent staffers of FCTA land administration is so obvious. What is not clear is what the government is doing to root out such officials and their outside collaborators, which has made land acquisition even for mass housing development so foggy.

When initially the efforts of Winning Clause to resolve the matter with Saraha failed, they headed to court and won, and

If government grants waivers to certain important sectors and tax holidays to foreign investors, estate land allocation, especially in the FCT, ought to receive similar governmental concessions

have since taken over. Those who were deceived into buying plots in the land and building would have been in a fix were it not for the kindheartedness of the proprietor, who graciously inherited such liabilities, while developing the estate as a model in the Federal Capita Territory.

While the Winning Clause and Saraha twist lasted, the former came under quite some public odium and made to look like the aggressor. Even Development Control of the FCTA, came under opprobrium as well, as they too were accused of taking sides. But the court processes proved beyond all doubts that both Winning Clause and Development Control of the FCTA were victims of land scam and propaganda, respectively.

From the travails of Winning Clause, which is similar to what many other estate developers are going through in the FCT, it has become so obvious that the entire land for estate development will have to be reviewed to weed out land scammers and lighten the burden imposed by the cumbersome process on developers who, in actual fact, are only helping government to deliver on one of the cardinal responsibilities of government, which is housing for citizens. Granted that estate development is a business venture alright, but its intrinsic value to government responsibility is so fundamental that those who are involved in it need special attention and protection, in the manner government grants waivers in certain interest areas.

Indeed, if government grants waivers to certain important sectors and tax holidays to foreign investors, estate land allocation, especially in the FCT, ought to receive similar governmental concessions: even if the lands are not made available gratis, it ought to be seriously subsidised, so that the developers can concentrate on the provision of infrastructure within the estates and erecting of structures.

What obtains at the moment leaves so much to be desired and were it not for the resilience of developers like Winning Clause, mass estate development initiative in the FCT would have run into major crisis or worse still, remain in doldrums like the licenses granted to private refineries in Nigeria for over a decade without any springing up.

The dozens of estates developed through the said initiative in the last one decade in the FCT have no doubt, ameliorated the housing crisis in the FCT, but a lot more needs to be done. The incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari has to pay special attention to housing and help developers to help the government in dealing with the mounting housing challenges.

The three essential areas where government can help are liberalising access to land for estate development, plugging the loopholes being exploited by land scammers which include seeing that the collaborators both within and outside government pay for their crimes (even dismissing such people from service is not enough; criminal issues such as land scam can only be properly resolved through jail terms) and making considerable concessions to enable developers have enough reliefs to do more.

The big idea for these robust recommendations is to develop a fullbodied housing sub-sector which will attract only those genuinely interested in the sector for its intrinsic values, not just the pecuniary gains in the immediate present. Housing requires long term investments, which only the government can inspire and guarantee, so that many more quality mass housing developers can be attracted and serious ones already in it can stay happily.

•Mr Mefor, a Forensic Psychologist and Journalist, wrote from Abuja.

By Becky Chukwuanukwu

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lot of fake products abound in the Nigerian markets. Fake cosmetics, fake electrical appliances, fake canned food, fake spare parts, fake drugs, fake designer shoes and clothing- the list is literally endless. It is just about a fake of everything you can think of. However, with fake drugs, the effect can be so far-reaching because it is a matter of life and death.

The simplest scenario depicting this was a sad event which occurred in 1995. An asthmatic purchased a fake inhaler and when she had an attack, she simply reached for the inhaler she carried everywhere with her. It was no use. She boarded a bike to the nearest hospital for medical assistance. She passed out on the steps of the hospital and never regained consciousness. A fake drug and not the asthma was her Waterloo. Like her, many have died from the scourge of fake drugs in this country.

Enter Dora Akunyili who is best remembered for her work in the National Agency For Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC. The agency came into the consciousness of Nigerians when she took over the helm of affairs. With some cooperation, the quantity of fake drugs in the Nigerian market was reduced drastically. Her efforts led to increased public awareness about counterfeit drugs and tougher surveillance by the Nigerian Customs. At the height of her battle, fake drugs worth about N2 billion (US $ 16 million) were voluntarily handed over by counterfeiters or seized after tip-offs from the public.

What is happening now? The truth is that there is a resurgence of fake drugs.

Why? Is it that the importers and manufacturers of counterfeit drugs have found new ways of beating the mechanisms put in place to crack down on the illegal trade? Or has the corruption, which Akunyili said had been the bane of NAFDAC, returned?

Has the surveillance at the sea and airports been relaxed? Do the inspections which led to surrender of fake drugs, arrest of counterfeiters and shopkeepers still take place? What about the legislation that should support efforts which are already in place? Or is it a combination of all these factors? Nothing can be quite as disheartening to agents as risking their lives to gather information, arresting culprits and in no distant time, see them walk free and in some cases, have enough information to threaten their lives. No worse morale killer. The penalty for fake drug producer or importer ranges from paltry fines to between three months to five years imprisonment. That is preposterous for the billions they make, the hardships suffered and the lives lost. It was good news to read in the papers recently that an importer of fake drugs was apprehended. A big fish going by the worth of seized goods worth about a billion naira or more. However, how will the story end? What of his collaborators within and outside the country? The fake drug business is worth billions of US dollars and is a powerful international cartel. Unfortunately, Nigeria - in fact

It is clear that counterfeit drugs are more of our problem than it can ever be for any Western nation; this is a battle we must fight ourselves

The return of fake drugs

many African countries - are where they are able to do their dirty business (in collusion with people of that country) and get away with it. It is clear that counterfeit drugs are more of our problem than it can ever be for any Western nation. This is a battle we must fight ourselves.

Appropriate legislation should be put in place. Our lives are at stake. No one is immune.

NAFDAC and other agencies cannot do it alone without the necessary backing and political will. Enabling environment and active wooing of multi-national drug companies to encourage them to establish their factories within the shores of our country should be made a priority. The sheer volume of drugs we import from them is the bait. These companies establishing in Nigeria will serve more than one purpose: the monitoring agencies will be able to monitor their production processes and ensure that adequate standards are maintained. This is currently an uphill task where what is produced in far-away Asian countries can hardly be monitored by our regulatory agencies. In addition, badly needed jobs for our teeming unemployed youths will be provided. Also, they will bring in their resources to fight counterfeiting of their products so they can make profit. Our local manufacturers should be greatly encouraged. More quality drugs can be produced by them with government support. Even when we eventually succeed in getting these foreign pharmaceutical giants to come to establish, protecting their interests jealously is very important.

Funding research in the use of our rich diverse local flora as raw materials to make our own drugs ought to be highly encouraged and promoted. This is a goldmine yet to be tapped. We should begin to look inwards so that over time, the tide will change in our favour.

In addition to these relatively long term plans, it is critical that something should be done now. Relatively mild ailments are no longer easy to treat. The experiences of physicians around me tell a whole lot. My experiences and those of friends where relatively mild ailments need trial of drugs from different drug outlets before one gets ‘lucky’ and gets an original product is disheartening. In the past few months, for a relatively healthy individual, I have had quite a few experiences with counterfeit drugs that I am left pondering: If I have had as much exposure, how about those who are sick and literally depend on drugs to survive? Antibiotics don’t work; a cocktail of antibiotics is used to treat patients thereby encouraging antibiotic resistance; wounds and ulcers remain unhealed, compounding the misery of sick, suffering Nigerians while draining their pockets of scarce resources. Efforts of health care providers are frustrated, making a mockery of diagnostic efforts.

How and when will this end? Who will deliver us?

•Dr. Chukwuanukwu is a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 —39

Sanusi’s misreading of forensic report T

By Adams Cooke

HE article by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and the new Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, published last week in the Financial Times, made fascinating reading not least because of his amazing ability to reach conclusions totally at variance with those reached by the writers of the forensic report themselves, Pricewaterhouse Coopers. This is a trait that has sadly followed the former Governor of the CBN. During the time of the whistleblowing, public opinion was summarised on a television breakfast programme in February 2014, by two leading Nigerian lawyers.

Liborous Oshomah was of the opinion that the government fell out of favour with Sanusi because the suspended governor’s tenure was characterised by crisis and inconsistencies.

Oshomah stressed that many of the decisions taken by Sanusi, while in office, were controversial. He mentioned the issue of the banking crisis which resulted in several banks folding up and thousands of workers being laid off, stressing that banks are still unable to recover from it. While commenting on the controversies exposed by Sanusi, Oshomah said the suspended governor waited until the near end of his tenure to hit the government he was a part and parcel of.

On his part, Kenneth Odidika described Sanusi as a “very brilliant man who seemed not to appreciate the enormity of the responsibilities of the office he occupied.” Odidika went ahead to label the suspended governor a ‘talkative’ whose good diction and spoken English and “musical voice” is mere theatrics from Hollywood. He said: For a Central Bank governor to be in every forum, talking both about the economy and all things that are not related to the economy, was unbecoming of a Central Bank Governor.”

He added: “It is rare to see a Central Bank governor, anywhere in the world, speak as inconsistently as Mr. Sanusi.”

Entitled, "Questions on Nigeria’s stolen billions," Sanusi was his usual pompous, prescriptive self: praising his personal efforts at blowing the whistle on the alleged $20 billion scam at the NNPC, rewriting history and acting as prosecutor, judge and jury.

"Nigerians did not vote for an amnesty for anyone. The lines of investigation suggested by this audit need to be pursued.

Any officials found responsible for involvement in this apparent breach of trust must be charged," he said.

He was wrong

One hopes that his royal highness is also ready to face the truth, as he also cannot hide

Some challenging accounting

Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, ex-CBN gov. under amnesty. The truth is that he was wrong when he first wrote his letter to the Presidency insisting that $49 billion was missing. He was wrong when he reversed the figure to $12 billion and he was certainly wrong with his insistence that $20 billion was not remitted to the Federation Account.

Every panel that has investigated this matter had reached a different conclusion than that reached by Mr. Sanusi, yet he clings to his rather unsupported allegations.

The inter-ministerial committee that first tried to unravel the mystery noted a few discrepancies but said no fraud was involved. The Senate committee chaired by Senator Ahmed Makarfi discovered no wrong doings and concluded after exhaustive sessions that money was not stolen. Needless to say, that report was wholly adopted by the upper legislative chamber.

However, when Mr. Sanusi and other conspiracy theorists wouldn’t let the matter lie, one of the leading auditors in the world, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, were contracted to investigate.

Federation Account in accordance with the law which set it up. PwC found that the expenses NNPC actually ran were more than it had deducted from crude oil receipts. So on that ground, it was the FGN that owed NNPC money and not vice versa.

The PwC audit report, however, finds that there is some money that the NNPC has not duly paid to the Federation Account. This is not from the crude oil lifting that sparked the CBN governor’s missive. Rather, it is from two quite unrelated heads, namely $1.75 billion as signature bonus for divested assets and $0.47 billion for unpaid self-assessed taxes and royalties of NPDC (a wholly-owned NNPC subsidiary).

After offsetting the $0.74 billion that NNPC had overpaid on crude oil lifting into the Federation Account, the net balance owed by NNPC to the Federation Account was $1.48 billion.

What the report says

So what did the report say?

In an analysis by Edward Owono on May 11, 2015 in the Tribune, PwC found that there was indeed a shortfall between the amount ($69.34billion) the NNPC received from crude oil lifting and total cash ($50.81 billion) that the NNPC remitted to the Federation Account for the period January 2012 to July 2013. However, the report then goes on to state clearly that the “NNPC has provided information on the difference leading to potential excess remittance of $0.74billion”. In other words, NNPC actually paid more, NOT LESS, than what was due from it into the Federation Account!

The report showed that NNPC ran its expenses from the money it received from crude oil and remitted the balance to the

Every panel that has investigated this matter had reached a different conclusion than that reached by Mr. Sanusi yet he clings to his allegations

So did the report say that any money had been misappropriated or anyone corrupt? No. It attested to some challenging accounting but did not highlight any fraud or monies that could not be accounted for.

Even where the report said NNPC was challenged to explain NNPC’s selling of DPK to bulk DPK marketers at N40.90 rather than the regulated ex-depot price of N34.51, it immediately provided the explanation of the miscellaneous charges (including bridging, transport and administration) that accounted for the difference.

The report also said that given the amount deducted from crude oil lifting to defray NNPC expenses in the audited period and the fall of crude oil prices by over 60 per cent since June 2014, NNPC’s ability to fund its operations was in peril since NNPC had no independent sources of revenue, other than from crude oil lifting receipts, meet expenses.

The report recommended that the "NNPC model of operation must be urgently reviewed and restructured, as the current model which had been in existence since the creation of the Corporation cannot be sustained".

This is a point that was made clear by the minister in the first few months of her appointment sparking the review of the Petroleum Industry Bill that had been sitting in abeyance for 12 years before her appointment.

The PIB is still sitting in the “House” awaiting passage into law.

Unrealistic weight of subsidy payments

The minister also mooted the unrealistic weight of the subsidy payments from the federation accounts, all in a bid to stem corruption inherent within the system, introduce accountability and transparency; but she was met by a strong opposition and protest as she touched on a “sore point”. Many appear to have a short memory about these valiant attempts by the minister to bring sense into a flawed system. Yet she seems to be the one many point fingers to when a perceived loophole is identified.

So to summarise, the report actually highlighted that the NNPC seemed to operate within its constitutive law by deducting money from crude oil lifting to defray its expenses.

The report confirmed that the expenses so deducted accounted for the difference between the amounts that NNPC received and the amounts that NNPC paid to the Federation Account. The report did say that the law should be changed so that NNPC pays all the money it receives to the Federation Account (without deductions) and looks for other (com-

mercial) ways to meet its expenses. But the report clearly acknowledged that the current model had been in existence since the NNPC was created.

The report did not say that any law had been broken. The report definitely did not allege corruption on the part of any party, person or body.

It did not mention the minister in any unfavorable light or even insinuate any wrongdoing on her part or departure from the legal and legitimate norm. The shortfall in remittance that the report found was a mere accounting event. The money is not missing and the minster had since instructed the NNPC to make the necessary remittance.

So, why is there still such sectional aggression to prove that somehow the PwC report indicts the minister in some way?

Questions about entire subsidy regime

There is no doubt that there are questions about the entire subsidy regime. Many would in fact agree that the unremitted funds could have been put to better use. But as the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe, said recently, neither the minister nor the NNPC could be blamed for not following a law that was never gazzetted.

"The process of implementing the Presidential directive was not followed through by the Minister of Petroleum Resources at that time as required by law, which technically meant that kerosene subsidy was not removed.

“Why the royal father appears hell-bent on hanging a tag of corruption on the Corporation even when all the inquiries into his allegation of unremitted funds have proved otherwise remains a mystery to us,” Mr. Alegbe added.

There is a point at which Mr Sanusi ought to have let this matter lie. He crossed that point long ago and he seems determined to keep going until his viewpoint is vindicated. It is his prerogative to use his time as he pleases - though one had thought that as the emir of one of Nigeria’s largest city, he would have little time for waging his vendetta against a woman minister.

He has, however, succeeded in taking charge of the narrative of his suspension from the CBN which, according to the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, was due to the following: ‘’The persistent refusal and negligence to comply with public procurement act in the procurement practices of the CBN; unlawful expenditure by the CBN on intervention projects across the country, deploying huge sums of money as the CBN did under the watch of Mallam Sanusi without appropriation and outside the CBN’s statutory mandate.”

Readers will do well to remember the real reason behind the royal father’s exit.

40 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Sha'baan 2, 1436 A.H.

Save your life with Lai llah illallah T

he belief in the words of “Lá iláha illallah” is one of the basis for being a Muslim, to refute all deities and accept Allah as the only God and Lord of the Universe. No one can be a Muslim without believing and adhering to the tenets of of Lá iláha illallah.

Lá iláha illallah is the belief in the divine lordship of Allah (referred to as “rububiyyah”), meaning believing that Allah is the only one power who creates, gives life and death, and maintains the affairs of all that’s in this universe.

Lá iláha illallah is the belief in the divine nature (referred to as “uluhiyyah”), meaning believing that Allah is the only one to whom people should devote their words and actions of worship. None therefore should be worshipped but Him. Lá iláha illallah is the belief in the names and attributes of Allah (referred to as “al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat”), which means affirming what Allah has affirmed for Himself of names and attributes, and denying any attributes that Allah has said are not His, without denying any of His attributes or likening any of His attributes to the attributes of any of His creation.

Lá iláha illalláh is the pillar of the religion and the Thick Rope of Alláh; those who adhere to Lá iláha illalláh will never fail in this life and the hereafter.

Verily, the minds of the ignorant ones were led astray and the hearts of the stubborn infidels have earned misguidance on account of their taking two gods, even after the full moon of Lá iláha illallah has risen.

“So know (O Muhammad SAW) that La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women.” Quran (47:19) Muhammad (peace be upon him) embraced this word and declared it. So! Fear Alláh the Exalted and renew your faith by night and by day by contemplating the meaning of Lá iláha illalláh.

O you who have wisdom!

Seek your means of (eternal) success granted only to the people of Lá iláha illalláh.

Surely, Lá iláha illalláh is the Word of Islam and the key to the Dwelling of Peace (Paradise).

Verily, the heavens and earth would never have remained, nor would anyone acquire safety on the Day of Gathering except by Lá iláha illalláh.

The humankind was divided into two parts and went two separate ways: a group of them adhered to Lá iláha illalláh and the other group strayed away from it.

They refused it because they knew that the religion of their ancestors would be annulled if they embraced Lá iláha illalláh. All praise is due to He Who made His slaves different from each other with His Wisdom and Will. Indeed, this is one of the proofs to Lá iláha illalláh.

Tuba (a tree in Paradise) is for those who know the meaning of this testimonial, agree with it and practice its implication inwardly and outwardly. By doing so, they would be realizing and tasting the true essence of Lá iláha illalláh. Verily, woe to those who were driven by the devil to fall into polytheism! They became filled to the top with associating others with Alláh in worship and consequently refused with arrogance to

submit to Lá iláha illalláh.

Have you not heard Alláh’s Statement:

“And those whom they invoke instead of Him have no power of intercession; except those who bear witness to the truth (i.e. believed in the Oneness of Allah, and obeyed His Orders), and they know (the facts about the Oneness of Allah).” Quran

Verily, woe to those who were driven by the devil to fall into polytheism!

They became filled to the top with associating others with Alláh in worship and consequently refused with arrogance to submit to Lá iláha illalláh

(43:86) The true essence of Lá iláha illalláh entails directing all acts of worship, intentions and thoughts to Alláh Alone rather than any other object.

All other objects of worship are annulled and refuted by Lá iláha illalláh. This is what is meant by disbelieving in Taghut and believing in Alláh Alone, and this is how the heart is purified of anything that is not for Alláh Alone, and cleansed from the intention to commit whatever Alláh has prohibited or disliked for whatever He has commanded.

This is the true essence of Lá iláha illalláh, contrary to the practice of those who utter this testimonial with their words, but contradict it with their actions. These people, do not benefit from saying La iláha illal/ah.

Directing any act of worship to other than Alláh and associating any among the creation with Him in worship are acts of disbelief, even if one pronounced La iláha illalláh a thousand times with his tongue. It was once said to Al Hasan Al-Basri: “Some people say that those who proclaim La iláha illalláh shall enter Paradise.” He said, “Yes. For those who proclaim this word and fulfill its implications and requirements, then saying La iláha illalláh shall enter into Paradise.” In addition, Wahb bin Munbih asked: “Is La iláha illalláh not the key to Paradise?” He said, “Yes. However, every key has teeth; if you use a key that has teeth it will open for you, otherwise it will not open.”

Therefore, these kind of people will not benefit from proclaiming La iláha illalláh because they do not say it from their hearts.

Where are those who associate none with Alláh in regards to their love, fear, hope and worship? Where are those who direct their humbleness, submissiveness, reverence, intention and

•Walimotul qur'an ceremony of Nurul Yekeen, held in Lagos recently.

reliance to Alláh Alone, all the while trusting in Him for each and every thing? All these qualities are parts of the meaning of La iláha illalláh.

O slaves of Alláh, rush to the forgiveness of your Lord and a paradise as wide as the heavens and earth prepared for the Muttaqin (the pious).

They are those who fulfill the duties and responsibilities of La iláha illalláh. They are those, who have not placed any other iláh (god) along with Alláh.

Verily, I am a plain warner to you from Him. Hold on to the pillars of La iláha illalláh.

Surely, those who reject what La iláha illalláh rejects, assert what it asserts…, then this word will elevate them to the highest grades, the grades of La iláha illalláh.

Consider this hadith on the value that Allah the Exalted placed on La iláha illalláh Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri said, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) “Moses (a.s) said: O Lord!

Teach me something that I can remember You with and I can supplicate You with. Allah said: “Say ‘La ilaha ill Allah’, O Musa.” He (Musa) said: All of your servants say this. He (Allah) said: “If the seven Heavens and those who dwell in them other than Me and the seven Earths are put into one pan (of the scale) and ‘La ilaha ill Allah’ is put into the other; ‘La ilaha ill Allah’ would be heavier.” [Ibn Hibbaan and Haakim] The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said (narrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah): “The best Dhikr (remembering Allah) is La ilaha illallah and the best supplication is Al-Hamdu Lillah.” [At-Tirmidhi, AnNasa’i and Ibn Majah] Dear brethren ensure that you never forget to make these words La ilaha illallah a constant part of your living moments and to live by what those words stand for.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 41

Ahmadiyya Ahmadiyya youths 'walk for Prophet (s.a.w) Sha'baan 2, 1436 A.H.

Sha'ban, the best month for sunnah fast

By Haruna Razaq

I

N line with the practice of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), a Muslim is highly expected to fast in most days of the month of Sha‘baan.

Although, fasting in this month is not obligatory, but meritorious to the extent that the Prophet (SAW) did not like to miss it. In fact, it is reported in a hadith that the Prophet (SAW), used to fast so much in the month of Sha‘baan that he was asked: “Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Sha‘baan so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month”. He, (SAW), replied: “That (Sha‘baan) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by many people. And it is a month in which an account of the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe, so, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting”.

Therefore, as mentioned earlier, a Muslims are expected to fast in the month of Sha‘baan but it should be noted that, this fasting must be in line with it etiquette which include, among others: (1) to commence the fast from the beginning of Sha‘baan to the middle of the month, and use the other part of the month to rest before Ramadan, this is in line with Hadith that says: that the Prophet (SAW) said: “When Sha’baan is halfway through, do not fast.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (3237); Ibn Hibaan (1651); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh alTirmidhi. However, there are

some exceptions from this prohibition, as follows: (i) one who has a habit of fasting, such as a man who habitually fasts on Mondays and Thursdays, which he may do even after halfway through Sha’baan. This is based on Hadith that says: “Do not anticipate Ramadaan by fasting one or two days before it, except a man who fasts regularly, who should observe his usual fast.” Narrated by alBukhaari, 1914; Muslim, 1082. (ii) Person who started fasting before halfway through Sha’baan, and connects what comes after the halfway point to what came before, (but should leaves some days before Ramadaan). This is not included in the prohibition either. The evidence for that is the Hadith of ‘A’ishah (RA)

“Do not anticipate Ramadaan by fasting one or two days before it, except a man who fasts regularly, who should observe his usual fast.”

who said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to fast all of Sha’baan and fast all of Sha’baan except a little.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1970; Muslim, 1165. This version narrated by Muslim. (iii) One who is making up missed Ramadaan fasts. According to An-Nawawi (RA) said in alMajmoo’ (6/399): Our companions said: it is not correct to fast on the “day of doubt” just before Ramadaan, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on this point …

But if a person fasts it to make up a missed day or to fulfil a vow, or as an expiation, that is acceptable, because if it is permissible to observe a voluntary fast on that day, it is more likely to be permissible to observe an obligatory fast… and if a person has to make up a day from Ramadaan, then he has to fast it, because the time left for him to make it up has become very short. But singling out 15th of Shaban for act of worship such as fast, tahjud, sadaqah etc. with the believe that it has special reward or that on this night the fate or destiny of people is decided etc. are subjected to criticism

by Hadith Scholars. E.g.

Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq in Fiqhu Sunnah p.127 said: “it lacks authentic proof.” Also Sheikh Munajih said: “the 15th of Sha’baan is like any other night, and there is no sound report from the Prophet (SAW) to indicate that on this night, the fate or destiny of people is decided”. We ask Allah to make us of those who adhere totally to the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) inwardly and outwardly.

Youth members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria under the aegis of Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Nigeria have stood up to defend the personality of Prophet Muhammad (saw) in a rare procession in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State South-West Nigeria. The Walkfor-Muhammad procession was part of the group’s 43rd Annual National Convention, held between April 30 and May 3, 2015.

In a statement signed by the National President of the group, Bro Abdul-Qadir Abdul-Rafi, the group condemned the recent defamatory cartoons and insults being hurled at the personality of the Holy Prophet of Islam (saw) in the name of Free Speech, especially in the West. According to him, Muslims “cannot pretend not to have been affected by such”. He noted that it was the duty of Muslim groups like the Majlis Khuddam to protect the honour of the Prophet against both internal and external onslaughts.

The procession, which was led by the Amir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria group, Alhaji Dr. Mash-hud Adenrele Fashola, saw over 2,000 youths in customized shirts with inscriptions such as “Muhammad: Messenger of Peace” walked in a single file over a distance of about five kilometres in Ijebu-Ode. Abdul-Rafi noted that this singular act of love towards the Holy Prophet was meant to raise awareness about the peaceful message of Islam and His Prophet. Adorned with different banners bearing messages proclaiming Islamic teachings, the procession ended at the De-Prime Hall, Molipa Ijebu-Ode where a symposium on the theme: “The Role of Nigerian Youths in Peace Building, Reconciliation and National Development”, delivered by Dr. Abdul-Lateef Owoade, a lecturer at the University of Ilorin.

Speaking at the Symposium, Dr. Owoade expressed the need for Nigerian youths to be regarded as an important stakeholders in the quest to develop Nigeria and to be actively involved in such endeavour. The 43rd Annual National Convention (Ijtema) of the Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya Nigeria also witnessed other community services, which included the provision of free healthcare to residents of Ijebu-Ode; exhibition of the history of Majlis Khuddam in Nigeria as well as a public environmental service provided by members.

Dr. Mashood Adenrele Fashola, Amir Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria (left) and Alhaji Daud Abiola Raji, former General Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria at the 63rd Majlish Shoora 2015 held at national headquarters of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria.

Participants at the event.

Cross section of participants and dignitaries at a seminar organised by the Security Committee of NASFAT held recently.

Naib Amir South West, Dr. Abdul Yaqeen Habeeb; Naib Amir North; Dr. Abdul Ghaniyy Enahoro; NAib Amir East and Maulvi Abdul Khaliq Nayyar; Missionary in-charge Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria at the event.

42—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Jonathan’s men, others shun PDP disciplinary committee sitting in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE former senator representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, has shunned the sitting of the disciplinary committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, investigating alleged cases of anti-party activities in the last general elections in the state against some of the party members.

Others who shunned the invitation of the committee include the state's former Deputy Governor, Werinipre Seibarugu, former Speaker and acting governor of the state, Nestor Binabo; former Special Adviser to the Bayelsa Government on Political Matters, Dimaro Deinyebofa and the ex-Officio member of the PDP, Joyce Fuoyowei.

Seibarugu said he will not be able to honour the invitation.

In a telephone interview, he told Vanguard that they were expecting the leadership of the PDP in the state and Governor Seriake Dickson to unite the party rather than embark on witchhunting.

Seibarugu said he will consult with his followers and supporters to decide on the next line of action.

Chairman of the PDP Disciplinary Committee, Cleaopas Moses, said the committee will not be deterred by the non-appearance of some persons before it.

He added that the disciplinary

committee will extend to them the opportunity to send in responses to allegations of anti-party posture in writing or through lawyers.

At the hearing of the PDP Disciplinary Committee, yesterday, the summoned party leaders and aides to Governor Dickson denied charges of alleged diversion of campaign funds, campaigns for opposition candidates and other anti-party activities.

A prominent PDP chieftain from Brass Local Government Area of the state, Hanson Alabo, stunned the committee members with detailed account of how the division within the PDP and the

lack of funding by the party led to the loss of the state Assembly seat of constituency 1 to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC. According to him, the division and lack of trust among party leaders in Brass constituency 1 led to the defeat of the party.

“We had many political appointees in Brass council including the acting chairman of the party but the leaders of the party kept aside party comradeship and jumped into community politics.

“The PDP leaders went into hiding due to intimidation and harassment by thugs and security agents hired allegedly by the APC,” he claimed.

Fuel crisis: Compel oil firms to establish refineries, Okpe Union tells FG

By Etop Ekanem

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HE people of Okpe Kingdom, under the aegis of Okpe Union, have called on the Federal Government to compel all oil prospecting multinationals in the country to establish their refineries, so that the issues of fuel importation and subsidy will be finally laid to rest.

President General of the group, Mr Patrick Akpotor, during the union’s 85th anniversary celebration in Lagos, said: "Oil prospecting firms operating in Okpeland should be made to employ our youths and such clause should be embedded in the memorandum of understanding which should also form part of their social responsibility to the kingdom.”

The highlight of the event included the presentation of two papers, Okpe Union, yesterday, today and the future outlook, by Mr Esivwenughwu Joseph and Emancipation of Okpe Union, by Mr Moses Akpobasah.

Akpotor urged businessmen of Okpe extraction to establish branches of their businesses in Okpeland to create employment for the youths.

STAKEHOLDERS FORUM: Anioma APC leaders after a political stakeholders forum held in Onicha Olona, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.

Committee assures on Wike's inauguration May 29

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State people have been told to ignore rumours in some quarters that the governor-elect, Mr Nyesom Wike, would not be sworn in on May 29.

Chairman of Wike’s inauguration committee, Chief Austin Opara, who spoke in Port Harcourt, said the party had lined up a long list of programme for the swearing-in exercise, adding that it would be preceded by a church service in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

Opara, who is a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, added that the swearing-in ceremony will hold at the Liberation Stadium on May 29 after which Wike will proceed to Government House, Port Harcourt, to inspect a guard of honour to be mounted by security operatives.

He added that there will be proclamation of the 8th House of Assembly on June 1 by Wike,

assuring that the exercise will take place in the Chambers of the state House of Assembly complex on Moscow Road.

Opara recalled attempts by political opponents of the governor-elect to abort the swearing-in exercise, stressing

that their effort had failed.

According to him they made attempt to secure an injunction at a Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, to stop the inauguration but their application was thrown out by the judge.

Egbema youths urge DTHA to pass DESOPADEC bill before May 29

By Egufe Yafugborhi

I

JAW youths, under the aegis of Egbema Radical Group, in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, have urged the Delta State House of Assembly to quickly pass the bill on restructuring of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, before May 29, 2015.

The youths, in a statement by their spokesman, Ami Dada, said: “Restructuring the interventionist agency is a

welcomed development as it will enhance more jobs and improve the living standard of the people better than the present structure.”

The group explained that decentralization of the DESOPADEC board would also bring about accountability, accessibility and transparency, adding that the restructuring will bring the board closer to the grassroots, who suffers the day to day activities of oil and gas exploration and exploitation multinationals.

Ex-NDDC commissioner lauds IG on war against cultism in Edo

B

By Gabriel Enogholase

ENIN—FORMER Edo State Commissioner on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, has commended the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, for his relentless war against cult related violence in Edo State.

It will be recalled that over 25 people have been killed in Benin City in the last two weeks as a result of cult related clashes and following the development, the IG sent a special team from Abuja to track down those involved and since their arrival, over 100 people have been arrested, including policemen, government officials and students.

Iduoriyekemwen, who was also the Majority Leader in the Edo State House of Assembly told Vanguard in an interview yesterday in Benin, that the killings have become an embarrassment to people who now felt that nothing good could come out of Benin, while investors may have also felt that the state was not safe for investment.

Emerhor condoles with Okobia's family

By Onoja Innocent

F

OLLOWING the death of a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Chief Napoleon Okobia, who died after a brief illness, the party's governorship candidatein the 2015 elections in the state, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has led a delegation of party chieftains to pay condolence visit to the family of the late leader.

He prayed God to grant the Okobia family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss and urged the children to sustain the good name their father left behind.

He said: "Delta APC will surely miss the wealth of experience and the lofty political ideas of late Chief Okobia.”

43—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

PARTY CONGRESS: Obiano's interest jolts contestants

Nwoko faults Supreme Court on constitutional amendment

By Enyim Enyim

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NITSHA—ALLEGED sponsorship of a chairmanship aspirant, Chief Norbert Obi by Governor Willie

By Hugo Odiogor

A

FORMER member of the House of Representatives, Prince Ned Munir Nwoko, has criticised the National Assembly for suspending further action on the constitutional amendment process in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court.

Hon. Nwoko argued that in every part of the world, ‘’the judicial arm of government does not interfere with the process of making of the law, rather the constitutional duties of the judiciary is to interprete the law or the Act of parliament when it has been made.’’

According to him, the Supreme Court over reached itself when it entertained the exparte motion brought before it by the executive arm, seeking to stop the legislature from proceeding with the amendment of the constitution as a result of the president’s objections to some sections of the Bill.

Nwoko, who represented Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency, said the right and proper thing for the Presidency and the judiciary to do ‘’is to allow the National Assembly to conclude its job, before embarking on judicial process of correcting any section of the Act. He said: ‘’There is no Act before the Supreme Court since the National Assembly has not gone the full circle of doing its work."

Obiano for tomorrow’s state congress of All Progressives Grand Alliance has jolted other aspirants in the race who felt the governor should have taken a neutral position.

Some of the aspirants, who

spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, said they were amazed that the governor had interest in a particular aspirant for the party’s chairmanship position, instead of allowing a level playing ground, in line with party’s stance on

APGA, Labour Party to collapse into APC in Ebonyi

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—THERE are strong indications that executives and members of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and Labour Party have concluded arrangement to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ebonyi State.

Series of meetings and negotiations concerning the move had been ongoing in the state since the victory of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the just concluded elections.

Vanguard learned that some outgoing commissioners, Development Centre coordinators and caretaker committee chairmen and stakeholders from the 13 local government areas of the state are part of the individuals making such move.

It was also learned that apart from members of APGA and LP joining the APC, others making such effort to join the party are aggrieved members of the PDP who felt that their interests were not protected during the last election.

With the ongoing alliance of

APGA, LP and APC in the state, many are still sceptical whether the alliance will succeed as the individuals involved share different political ideologies.

Vanguard also learned that the mass movement into the APC was a way for the interested individuals and groups to allegedly seek political protection from the incoming administration which has threatened to probe all development centre coordinators for their alleged involvement in misappropriation of public funds during their tenure.

internal democracy.

The aspirant is a former commissioner for special duties in the state.

Notwithstanding, a former state secretary of the party and former Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Mr. Okoli Akirika, still enjoys an overwhelming support of party members who want him to be the next state chairman.

However, speaking on the matter, Akirika said there were other capacities he could still serve the party other than chairmanship of APGA. “The state chairmanship is not the only available option open to me to continue my service to the party, state and humanity.

“Having served as state secretary of the party, I feel that I have the wherewithal, including mental alertness, competence, youthfulness and team spirit, to serve the party in any capacity from the ward to national level,” he said.

Abia Assembly member–elect wants FG to fix Aba – Ikot Ekpene highway

By Felix Ogbonna

M

EMBER-ELECT FOR Obingwa East state constituency in Abia State House of Assembly, Solomon Akpulonu, has decried the deplorable state of Aba-Ikot Ekpene highway and called on

the federal government to urgently rehabilitate it.

In a chat with Vanguard in Aba, Akpulonu, who is a former member of Abia Assembly, said his people had been made to suffer untold hardship as a result of the bad state of the road.

“The state of the Aba-Ikot

Ekpene road, which is a federal highway, has become a national embarrassment. ‘’This road has been featuring in the national budget since 2009, yet it has not been done. The people of my constituency who are predominantly farmers, have been made to suffer untold hardship because they cannot

Orji tasks new monarchs on peace

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has issued staff of office to 20 new traditional rulers, charging them to maintain peace and security in their communities.

The new traditional rulers who cut across 11 of the state’s 17

local government areas were also charged to rise to their responsibilities of assisting the government in sustaining peace and security in the state.

Handing over the staff of office to the new monarchs at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Umuahia, Governor Orji urged them to see themselves as agents of socio-

economic development.

The governor, who urged the new monarchs to always support the government in power, warned them against creating rancour in their communities.

He assured that the government would do its best to ensure that the traditional rulers were comfortable to befit their status.

evacuate their produce to the city. ‘’From Onicha-Ngwa and Nlagu in Abia which are the border communities with Akwa Ibom, you can only go through bush parts to Aba town because the Ukpakiri to Alaoji area is completely impassable, not even by heavy trucks. The federal government should make haste to fix this road.”

While pledging to sponsor a bill to strengthen Abia State Roads Maintenance Agency, ABROMA, Akpulonu called for a partnership between the state and federal governments to ensure federal roads were maintained all year round.

According to him, “this is the only way our federal roads will attract the due attention they truly deserve.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

What do you expect from Buhari's govt?

I

do not expect a miracle from Buhari in the next 10 years. As far as I am concerned, he can only face the health and petroleun industries. As to other sectors of the economy, I really do not hope to see him do anything. That is my own view of him. -Mr. Vera Cruz, Civil Servant

I

n fact, I believe that Buhari will perform very well. He has performed wonderfully in the past, so I have no doubt that he wil perform this time. This present government has really dissapointed us in all areas and most Nigerians are not happy. -Mr. Abiodun Okuneye, Worker

B

uhari's government is going to perform well. The man has integrity and has actually aspired to lead the nation.

He has a vision and is out to solve the economic problems of the country. So, definitely, he is going to perform. -Mr. Sunny Thomas, Worker

I

expect Buhari's government to perform in the power sector, security and roads. These are the major things killing Nigerians and any government that delivers on them shall always get the support of the people. And I believe that he will perform. -Mr. Ade Adebiraji, Civil Servant

I

wish Buhari would bring changes to the power sector. He should improve the educational sector and provide employments for youths. He should make room for youths in government participation. -Mr. Ayodele Olaleye, Journalist

W

e expect Buhari to make a shift from the soft approach to corruption in the country. He has to be very dispassionate and put a searchlight on those surrounding him. Without him doing that, he may not succeed fighting it from outside. -Mr. Eje-Idagu Ekaji, Lawyer

44—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

NEMA advocates joint coordination

A

BUJA—MR. Muhammad SaniSidi, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, says a joint coordination of humanitarian groups working at all levels will strengthen humanitarian activities in Nigeria.

Sani-Sidi made this known during a NEMA/ United Nations, UN, working group meeting in Abuja.

He spoke ahead of the commencement of a joint humanitarian assessment in the North-East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

In his remarks, Mr. Mohammed Safieldin, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator, United Nations System in Nigeria, commended NEMA’s efforts, the UN and other relevant agencies for their humanitarian assistance so far.

PDP spies in Kogi APC, member alleges

By Boluwaji Obahopo

Nigeria records 12,000 cases of VVF annually z15 cases in Kano weekly

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

K

ANO—THE Project Manager, USAID Fistula Care Plus Project, Dr. Habibu Sadauki, has said over 12,000 cases of Vesico Virginal Fistula, VVF, are recorded annually in Nigeria.

Dr. Sadauki told reporters in Kano that the disorder is more prevalent in the northern part of the country.

Sadauki revealed that over 5,000 cases have been repaired, explaining that the fundamental cause of VVF is

zAs foundation provides surgery for 50 victims in Kaduna culture, poverty and illiteracy among the citizens.

The USAID Project Manager disclosed that in Kano State alone, 10 to 15 new cases are being recorded every week in various hospitals in the state, as he maintained that fistula can be repaired and prevented if parents educate their female child to patronise hospitals for proper delivery, to avoid postnatal danger.

Meanwhile, Director and Chief Executive of African Fistula Foundation, Malam Musa Isa, has called for a law to end stigmatisation against VVF patients in the country.

Isa made the call yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after launching a VVF surgery for 50 women at Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State.

AGM: From left— Mr. Bisi Onasanya, MD/CEO, First Bank Plc; Mr. Bello Maccido, MD/ CEO, FBN Holdings and Dr. Oba Otudeko, Chairman, during the 3rd Annual General Meeting of FBN Holdings in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Give account of stewardship, Dogo challenges PDP's NWC, Mu'azu

L

OKOJA—A group within All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kogi State, Confluence for Change, has called on the President-elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd) and the national leadership of the party not to disband the state executives of the party as proposed by the state APC Elders Forum.

Convener of the group, Ibrahim Isah, who spoke to newsmen in Lokoja yesterday, said those canvassing for the disbandment of executives were PDP agents now masquerading as members of the party with the aim of causing confusion.

He also said: “We wish to call on our party to beware of the antics of these people, who are behaving like greedy tenants wanting to push their landlords away from their houses to gain absolute control.”

zJournalists tasked on awareness campaign

By Suzan Edeh

B

AUCHI—A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bauchi State, Bibi Dogo, has urged the immediate past national Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, to account for his stewardship of the party as one of the ways to deepen the country’s democracy.

Dogo, who described Mu’azu’s resignation as a welcome development, told newsmen in Bauchi, yesterday, that the National Working Committee, NWC, should also account for their actions before and during the elections, especially the N9 billion allegedly realized from the sale of nomination and interest forms.

He said: “Mu’azu should come back and hand over officially, because we learned from the National Publicity Secretary, Oliseh Metuh, that the party realised N9 billion from the sale of forms.

“He should give an account of his actions and the money because it is public fund.”

Dogo said PDP could not have achieved any further successes with Mu’azu at the helm of affairs.

“We welcome his resignation because that is what PDP members had been fighting for before the election.

“Even though the Board of Trustee, BoT, Chairman, Tony Anenih, has resigned too, it is not enough because all the NWC, state, local government and ward executives should also resign to enable us restructure the party and achieve success.

“I can vividly recall that I drew the attention of President Goodluck Jonathan to the fact that Mu’azu was not capable of winning the election for the party and that

his continued stay in office would lead to the party’s defeat, but he neglected my advice and now the truth has finally come out.

“If we work hard, PDP will bounce back in 2019.”

He kicked against imposition of candidates in the party saying that it was a major factor that led to its woeful defeat during the general elections in the country.”

Dogo expressed optimism that most of the governorselect, who were PDP members that left the party for All Progressives Congress, APC, because of imposition of leaders, would definitely come back if the party was restructured.

Isa said the call was necessary in view of the stigma the patients suffered from their husbands, relations and the general public.

Partnership

Sadauki, the USAID Project Manager, said that under the fistula care, the Nigerian programme had worked closely with partners at federal, states and community levels to achieve the remarkable success in fistula service delivery, which includes prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, research and innovation.

Dr. Sadauki also explained that from 2007 to 2014, the Nigerian programme had supported 9,203 fistula repairs at 10 facilities, in partnership with federal and states ministries of health as well as women affairs ministries.

He said other causes of VVF among young girls are early marriage, prolong labour and harmful traditional practices.

Sadauki said consequences of fistula are life-shattering for the women who experience it and it leaves them with chronic incontinence, social isolation ulcer, infections, possible paralysis or death.

He appealed to the media to engage in vigorous enlightenment campaign to the rural communities to sensitise them on inherent dangers associated with VVF.

VVF Foundation

African Fistula Foundation, Malam Isa said: “We are also planning to see how we can encourage legislators to sponsor a bill on stigmatisation against VVF patients, especially by their husbands.

“The essence of the legislation is to deal with husbands, who divorce their wives as a result of the disease, which makes the victims fall into trauma.”

He said the surgical operation in Zaria was part of activities to commemorate the International Fistula Day, which comes up on May 23, every year.

He said the NGO had rendered such humanitarian services for many years in Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, among other states.

Niger election tribunal receives 7 petitions

M

INNA—THE Election Petitions Tribunal in Minna, Niger State, has received seven petitions relating to the March 28 and April 11 elections in the state.

Mr. Oluremi Olagunju,

Secretary to the tribunal, disclosed this in Minna yesterday, saying three of the applications were for the House of Representatives and four for the House of Assembly elections, adding

that one request was also granted for inspection of election materials.

Olagunju assured that the activities of the tribunal would begin in earnest by the first week of June.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—45

REPS PDP CAUCUS: From left— Mr. Leo Ogor, Leader, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, House of Representatives Caucus; Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, Minority Leader and speakership aspirant, and Mr. Tajudeen Yusuf, caucus member, during the aspirant's meeting with the caucus in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Fidson Healthcare Plc; Ms Ebele Oputa, Head of Operations; and Mr. Oluwafeyijimi Omobowale, Accountant, both of Children Developmental Centre, CDC, during the presentation of cheque to CDC as part of Fidson’s corporate social responsibility programme.

PRESENTATION: From left— Dr. Henry Nkemadu, Deputy Director, Policy Competition, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; Dr. Mike Onyia, Commissioner, NCC, and Professor Dominic Okpara, Deputy Vice Chancellor, representing the Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, during the presentation of ICT textbooks to the university.

HONOUR: From left— Revd Record Akeke, Pastor, Foursquare Church, Ado Langbasa Lagos; Dr. Henry Ogunjewo, honoured as Best Lecturer, Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos; his wife, Grace; and Prophet Olatoye Raphael, during the institution's convocation in Lagos.

GRADUATION: From left— Mr. Dimeji Sofowora, Senior Special Assistance to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Protocol; Mrs. 'Shade Ashafa; Mr. Tobi Ashafa, and Senator 'Gbenga Ashafa, during the graduation (Master) ceremony of Tobi Ashafa in National Security and U. S. Foreign Relations Law at the George Washington University, Washington, USA.

VISIT: From left— Mr. James Agada, CTO; Mr. Austin Okere, CEO, both of Computer Warehouse Group Plc; Mr. Valentin Mbozo’o, MD, GIMAC and Mr. Valentine Essimbi Jean Valentin, Head Applications, both of Groupement Interbancaire Monétique de l'Afrique Centrale, GIMAC, during a working visit to CWG in Lagos.

REPORT: From left— Lazarus Agbazo, President, GE Nigeria; Patricia Obozuwa, Communications Director, GE Africa; and Penny Shone, Global Communications Director, GE, at the company's presentation Innovation Barometer report on Nigeria in Lagos.

CSR: From left— Mr. Oladimeji Oduyebo, Corporate Services Manager,

C M Y K

BEST 11: From left— Mr. Obi Ejimofo, MD, Lamudi.Com.ng; Ibilola Akinla, Head of Verification, Alexander Forbes Consulting; Mr. Fidelis Duker, Founder, Abuja Film Festival; Mr. Bayo Adekanbi, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN; Mr. Anunobi Peterson; Mr. Kareem Abioye, both winners of MTN Best 11 promo; Mr. Richard Iweanoge, GM, Consumer Marketing, MTN, and Mr. Jude Ughwujabo, Head, Regulation & Monitoring, Lagos Zonal Office, during Best 11 Presentation Trutalk Plus launch in Lagos. PHOTO: Diran Oshe.

46—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22 2015

‘Elimination of micronutrient deficiency will reduce infant malnutrition’

By Chioma Obinna & Jennifer Aladetan

Q

UITE a number of Nigerian mothers are yet to adopt proper ways to feed their infants. Worried by this development, nutrition experts say malnutrition and under-nutrition may linger in the country except mothers are properly and continuously educated on essential foods for the optimal development of children.

Malnutrition occurs when the body is deprived of vitamins and minerals amongst others. It is estimated that over one million Nigerian children under five die annually from malnutrition and vaccine preventable diseases.

Data from the 2013 National Demographic Survey, NDHS, show that Nigeria has a stunting rate of 37 percent, wasting 18 percent, underweight 29 percent and Exclusive Breastfeeding 17 percent. Although, the data is an improvement from NDHS 2003 and 2008 respectively, but experts say the situation is still life threatening and therefore undermines the development of the growth of children and the country at large.

In a presentation entitled: “Addressing the multiple burden of malnutrition through Micronutrient Fortification”, Head of Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Chris Isokpunwu, said addressing micronutrient deficiencies in children will not only reduce deaths of under-five but would improve their Intelligence Quotients.

Speaking at the Nestle Nutrition Health and Wellness/ CSV Media Workshop in Lagos last week, Isokpunwu stressed the need for mothers to give their young ones fortified food. Food fortification is a deliberate practice of increasing the content of an essential micronutrient, in a food, so as to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health. In an insight on the importance of fortification, he said widely

According to experts insufficiency and imbalance in the intake of nutrients is said to be the leading cause of death among Nigerian children

Addressing only zinc deficiency in children can reduce the incidence of diarrhoea which kills nine million children a year by 27 percent and overall child mortality by 6 percent

distributed and widely consumed foods have the potential to improve the nutritional status of a large proportion of the population, both poor and wealthy.

“Food fortification has the dual advantage of being able to deliver nutrients to large segments of the population without requiring radical changes in food consumption patterns.”

Reeling out the impact of deficiency of micronutrients in children, Isokpunwu explained that micronutrients, are vitamins and minerals most of which are not made in the body, or only in insufficient amounts,

Ogun govt decries spread of malaria OGUN GOVT DECRIES SPREAD OF MALARIA

By Dauda Olatunji

O

GUN state government has cried out over the spread of malaria, even as it enters into partnership with a Spanish company, Inesfly, to further control and eliminate the spread of malaria in the state and Nigeria at large.

The company plans to set up an antivector paint factory in the country. The state Health Commissioner, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, lamented that malaria had become a complicated disease which had proven difficult to end over the years.

Soyinka said that the state government would partner anybody or

What you should know about multiple sclerosis disease

By V. Balaji

M

ULTIPLE sclerosis, MS, is a disease that affects the nervous system. It is believed to be an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. This process destroys myelin — the fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord and the optic nerves as well as the immune elements. The connectivity nerves take their signal from the brain and then to the main body. These nerves are covered by the Myelin Sheaths which is very important for connection signal like electricity. When the body cells kicks against the myelin sheaths, connection is affected. Myelin can be compared to the insulation on electrical wires. When myelin is damaged, the messages that travel along that nerve may be slowed or blocked.

It is not clear why MS develops in some people and not others. However, a combination of factors, ranging from genetics to childhood infections, may play a role. Signs and symptoms of multiple

which are required in small quantities to ensure normal metabolism, growth and physical well being.

Lack of some nutrients of public interest including Vitamin A, Zinc, Iron, Folic Acid, and Iodine may spell doom in the life of a child, he warned.

In Nigeria, about 150,000 babies are born annually with severe birth defects due to maternal foliate deficiency and this is associated with 1 in every 10 adult deaths from heart disease.

Continuing he said addressing only zinc deficiency in children can reduce the incidence of diarrhoea which kills nine million children a year by 27 percent, acute respiratory infection by 15 percent and overall child mortality by 6 percent.

Earlier, Chief Executive, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Chief Dharnesh Gordhon said the workshop was aimed at providing solution to malnutrition and to prevent further spread. “Nestle Nigeria is working hard to fully solve the problem of malnutrition. We also have to look into the scarcity of drinkable, portable water within our different communities. A better society will make a better consumer.” he added.

The Corporate and Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Adenekan said in order to foster healthy diets and lifestyle, Nestle is committed to producing nutritious, affordable foods and vegetables.

“Nestle is also providing nutritional education for children by reaching 76,122 kids through their healthy kids programme,” he added. Adenekan also noted that Nestle was also encouraging working mothers to create time to breastfeed their children even while at work to enable them to feed with pure breast milk for at least six months.

sclerosis vary, depending on the location of affected nerve fibres. Some of the signs and symptoms include; numbness or weakness in one or more limbs that typically occurs on one side of your body at a time, or the legs and trunk, partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain during eye movement, double vision or blurring of vision, tingling or pain in parts of your body, electric-shock sensations that occur with certain neck movements, especially bending the neck forward, tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait, slurred speech, fatigue, dizziness, and problems with bowel and bladder function.

People with multiple sclerosis may develop, muscle stiffness or spasms, paralysis, typically in the legs, problems with bladder, bowel or sexual function, mental changes, such as forgetfulness or mood swings, depression and epilepsy.

Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent multiple sclerosis or its attacks. For people with relapsing-remitting MS and secondary progressive MS, treatment with

medicine may reduce the frequency of relapses and delay disability.

Treatment for the disorder includes chemotherapy. A vastless surgeon from Italy, whom his wife also suffered from multiple sclerosis, had once proposed an ideology focusing on the brain. He thought there is something wrong with the blood circulation coming to the brain, the blood is going down, but if you have any problem with the drainage of blood vessels going up to the brain, it is either there is a reflex going back to the brain and that can affect the function of the brain mainly because a lot of high pigments from the blood can get deposited in the blood vessels and that results to damages on whichever part they occur.

However, problems caused by the disease can be detected by ultrasound and if it is controlled, a milogram can be done.

If it shows any narrowing, it can be blown and the function improves.

Dr. V. Balaji, Senior Consultant Vascular Surgeon writes from Apollo hospital.

group willing to assist in the roll-backmalaria task.

“We are not just going to control malaria, we will definitely eliminate malaria. This is a complicated disease that is giving us difficult time to control let alone eliminate. But we won’t relent,” he said.

Nigerians, through production process at the factory, would garner appropriate capacity to eliminate malaria.

“We have undertaken the process of partnering with the Spanish firm so that they can help train our people and see that they develop our most appropriate capacity in this effort.”

Chairman of the company, Dr. Pillar Mateo, said the technological paint product would eradicate vectors and insect-pests in homes and environment.

She added that the vaccination was done in a bio-rational way by releasing special Juvenile Hormone Analogue (JHA), thereby killing the insects to the larva and all stages of development.

“Inesfly insecticide paint is safe and does not affect human and pest and all the ingredient are encapsulated, “she noted.

Mateo assured that the product had been approved by the World Health Organisation, International Centre for Training and Medical Research in Spain and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.Samples are to be made available to the state government immediately.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015— —47

48 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 PISCES: UNLIKE yesterday when friends were willing to make sacrifices, their mood may be a bit difficult to understand. This is not the right time to take hard decisions about your love life.

ARIES: TODAY’S Moon placement will bring you under the fire of enthusiasm along your business line but you must guard against avoidable mistakes. Try to be more family minded.

TAURUS: WHAT started yesterday may climax today. It is wrong to arrive at a decision in haste today.

Unnecessary argument can’t help.

GEMINI: BOTH astrological aspects and Moon in Cancer are warning you to be very careful with money.

And your new ideas concerning financial issues are not sound enough.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

N

IGHT ordinarily, is supposed to be a period of rest.

However, for those whose duties entail their working at night, we can excuse them.

But the tragedy of these days is that so many of

How was your night us have made it a duty to become watchnight, not sleeping and not working.

My dear, what is your problem? Do you think your problem is the worst?

TERROR MUDA

Do you think those that sleep have no problem? Everyone of us have one problem or the other. What makes the difference is our attitude, some of us wear problems on

in “Never say goodbye”

our faces, some carry problems in their head and some with dignity and promise of God go about, believing it is well with them. How do you carry your problem?

Make your night memorable.

By Lanre Kehinde

CANCER: The Moon in your star sign at hard angle to Mars may give you wrong ideas and induce you to take actions capable of prompting others to resent you.

LEO: Moon’s aspect may today induce others to work against your interest but the whole thing’ll not stand the test of time. Do away with secretive deal at work and take good care of your health.

VIRGO: A particular affair may come to the head now; and you will either enjoy the excitement or over-react and complicate things. Don’t allow friends to control your life. Separate friendship & money LIBRA: Expect challenges both at home and along your business line. Protection of your image should top your priority list today. Be less aggressive.

SCORPION: Moon in Cancer does not favour your being careless with legal-related issues. And if need be, you may tarry a while before putting your hands on agreement papers. Think of the future.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

SAGITTARIUS: Moon in Cancer highlights your finances. Money, movable possessions and other interconnections may bring you under tension temporarily.

Be wise with money.

CAPRICORN: Moon in Cancer star sign will bring you to the limelight and if care is not taken, you would be at the center of controversy. Be less aggressive.

AQUARIUS: WHAT you were able to sweep under the carpet yesterday at work may come up unexpectedly now.

And it’ll take exhibition of maturity on your part to avoid trouble. Don’t allow health-related issues to degenerate.

Think future & legality.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat tr ological datee and place of bir th ttoo the As Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Characteristics of Germini

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

My Dear readers, Gemini’s element is air while it’s quality is mutable, belonging to positive group of the zodiac. It is ruled by Mercury. The air element means you have characteristics of the Zodiac sign known for high quality of intelligence. The air element, also makes you a humorous person who knows how to cool off pressure through ribs cracking jokes, especially when with those you can consider intimate allies.

Mutable connection indicates innate ability to experiment with new and bright ideas that often times lead to change. In fact, Gemini born people strongly believe in the popular saying that “variety (and/or change) is the spice of life.” Mutable is equally related to education, travelling, communication and commercial activities. Thus, you’re a person with many personalities.

And if you are not annoyed, everybody loves your charismatic approach. But once you lose your patience, tongues go wagging unnecessarily and some people would wrongly accuse you of unreliability.

Mutable aspect influences you to have special interest in education and soundness of the mind.

Geminians in general are not as crafty as many think, although you can become an adept at the game of deception.

Literary Gemini gives you ability to write and express yourself whichever way you want. Influence of Gemini makes . Influence of Gemini makes you a person with dual (double) personality. In fact, it is possible for you to exhibit different faces of your inner personalities at different places.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—49

C M Y K

50 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Vanguard CLASSIFIED OLISAKWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amaka Hope Olisakwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amaka Hope Daniel.

All former documents remain valid. American Embassy, Access Bank Plc, Yaba College of Technology, NYSC and general public please take note.

U Z U E G B U CHIMEZIE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzuegbu Chimezie Ezinwanne, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chukwu Ezinwanne Blessing. All former documents remain valid. University of Nigeria, Nursing and Midwifery Council and general public please take note.

GHOMORAI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss G h o m o r a i Oyinkepreye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Preye Tom-Amaegbe.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EZEAGWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Felicitas Chinwe Ezeagwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwauwa Chinwe Felicitas. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IKPONMWOSA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ikponmwosa Abieyuwa Jennifer, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odaro Abieyuwa Jennifer. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ALHASSAN LAMI— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rakiya Lami Alhassan, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rakiya James Aye. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

JENEBU SAMSON ECHO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jenebu Samson Echo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ode Janet Ehi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ACHU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Achu Nneka Angela, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okpako Nneka Angela. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

O G UA R H I R E — I , formerly known and addressed as Mr Oguarhire Iniovosa Ezekiel, now wish to be known and addressed as Chief Azanor Iniovosa Ezekiel. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public please take note.

AGBEGHA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lucy Poweire Agbegha, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lucy Poweire Akadiri.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MOSERI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Moseri Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwadiokwu Ifeanyi Chinyere. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

O H A E R I — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Anita Ugochi Ohaeri, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omeke Anita Ugochi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGBAKWURU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Agbakwuru Esther Elechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esther Michael Izuora. All former documents remain valid. Federal Medical Centre, Asaba and general public please take note.

F R A N C I S — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Francis Faith Nwaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Peter Faith Nwaka. All former documents remain valid. Federal Medical Centre, Asaba and general public please take note.

EDOSOMAH—I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Edosomah Joy Anwuli, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Opoku-Takyi Joy Anwuli. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

DAVID—I, formerly known and addressed as Obongha Linda David, now wish to be known and addressed as Obongha Favour David. All former documents remain valid.

Law enforcement Agencies, Ministry of Education, and general public please take note.

IMORI—I, formerly

public please take note.

The names, Offi Reva Delight and Offi Reva Dee, refer to one and same person. I now wish to be known and addressed as Offi Reva Delight. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OPIA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Joy Ogheneofejiro Opia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Joy Ogheneofejiro Alakpa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGBELIAGHAN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Agbeliaghan Roli, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Agbude Roli. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONOMU— I, formely known and addressed as Miss Josephine Orerhemena Onomu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. J o s e p h i n e Orerheoghene Ukpokoha. All former documents remain valid. Post primary Education board Asaba and.general public please take note.

EMMANUEL—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Habiba Emmanuel, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Habiba Ibrahim. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TIMEYIN—I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Timeyin V a n e s s a Oritsetserundede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Amodu Vanessa Oritsetserundede. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MUEYIWA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mueyiwa Yvonne Scott, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebayo Yvonne Scott. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

GBEGHA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Gbegha Evelyn, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iyakonbogha Evelyn .

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKPEPHIOHWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okpephiohwu Ebamije Louise, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oburoh Ebamije Louise. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHIEMEKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwakaego Priscilia Chiemeke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwaka Priscilia Odije.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IZU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Joy Anwuli Izu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Joy Anwuli Ore. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANYIKWA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chioma Henrietta Anyikwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chioma Henrietta Ezekiel. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

PETERS—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mary Temitope Peters, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mary Temitope Ajibade. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

LUKONG—I, formerly known and addressed as Lukong Pius Beri, now wish to be known and addressed as Ukariwe Pius Ogori.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ALOEFUNA—I, formerly known and addressed as Aloefuna Ifeoma Loritta, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwokolo Ifeoma Loritta. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EZEAKUNNE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ezeakunne Adaobi Chidimma now wish to be known and addressed as Odega Adaobi Chidimma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EJIM— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss EJIM RITA NKIRU now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. IGWE RITA NKIRU. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ECHEREM—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinwendu Monica Echerem, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinwendu Monica Chukwuemeka Eziokwu. All former documents remain valid. First bank Plc and general public please take note.

OKONKWO—I, formerly known and addressed as Chukwuemeka Christian Okonkwo now wish to be known and addressed as Chukwuemeka Christian Eziokwu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Reconciliation of Name

OKOLI—I, formerly known and addressed as Chima Val Okoli, now wish to be known and addressed as Chima Val Chukwunwendu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IGBINOVIA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eghenayarhiore Igbinovia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Deborah Eghosa Ogieva. All former documents remain valid. Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital, Benin City, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Federal Ministry of Health and general public please take note.

HARUNA—I, formerly known and addressed as Haruna Kefas, now wish to be known and addressed as Haruna Cephas. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IGOMU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Agatha Eyanmanu Igomu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Agatha Eyanmanu Agada. All former documents remain valid. State House, Federal Civil Service Commission and general public please take note.

OKPE—I, formerly known and addressed as Michael Clement Okpe, now wish to be known and addressed as Michael Clement Okpe Agada. All former documents remain valid. Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the general public please take note.

This is to certify that the name(s) Korim, Peter Maduabuchukwu Iwu and Korim, Peter Maduagbuchukwu Iwu refer to one and the same person that I now wish to be known and addressed as Korim, Peter Maduabuchukwu Iwu. All former documents remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Registrars to Companies and general public take note.

known and addressed as Mr. Johnbull Imori, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Johnbull Kalikwu. All former

documents

remain valid. General

Confirmation of Name

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 51

Vanguard CLASSIFIED OBASSE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obasse Joy Williams, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Arembang Joy Joseph.

All former documents remain valid. Industrial Arbitration Panel, Abuja and general public please take note.

ICHEJE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Icheje EleOjo Faith, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omachile Ele-Ojo Faith. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OMACHILE—I, formerly known and addressed as Omachile Sunday Imi, now wish to be known and addressed as Omachile Sunday Imi Goodwright.

All former documents remain valid. MINNO Engineering Nig. Limited and General public please take note.

DANIEL—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sarah Ledum Daniel, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sarah Ledum David-Darius.

All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public please take note.

ETIGA—I, formerly known and addressed as Etiga Asebhaziba, now wish to be known and addressed as Aluku Daniel Asebhaziba. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) and General public please take note.

JOEL—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bouyei Joel, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Bouyei Rose Kofi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

N Z E R E M — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Nzerem Happiness Akudo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Asemhomhe Akudo Faith Okhademhetse. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

U DA B O R — I , formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Josephine Efua Udabor, now wish to be addressed as Miss Josephine Efua Iluobe-Alli. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

IWEZE —I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Namita Iweze, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Namita Mazumdar. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OZOFFIAH— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ego May Ozoffiah, Now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ego May Agu. All former document remain valid.

General public please take note.

ODAFE—I, formerly known and addressed as Odafe Uruemu Linda, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uruemu Linda Etim Chris. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name

This is to certify that Aruoture Dick, Aruoture Michael Oshevire Dickson is the same and one person but now wish to be known and addressed as Aruoture Michael Oshevire Dickson. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank and general public please take note.

OKOLIE— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okolie Kate, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Osemeha Kate.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

V I N C E N T — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Amajuoritse Susan Vincent, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amajuoritse Susan Ejuwa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWAEDOZI— I , formerly known and addressed as Ngozi Gloria Imode, now wish to be known and addressed as Gloria Ngozi Nwaedozi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MUNACHISO—I, formerly known and addressed as Munachiso Joy Ugwudi, now wish to be known and addressed as Munachi Joy Ugwudi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NTAGBU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ntagbu Chilee Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amadi Chilee Chinyere. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MAZI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mazi Ugochi Vivian, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Achokwu Ugochi Vivian. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANYA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Pamela Amaka Anya, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Pamela Gold Conleth.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EMAKPOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Emakpor Deborah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Osaghaede Deborah.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OLUGBEMI—I, formerly known and addressed as O l u g b e m i Oluwatomisin Olufunke, now wish to be known and addressed as Olaleye Oluwatomisin Olufunke. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

O G B O D U — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Esther Ogbodu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esther Bemigho Yesi.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ODIETE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mary Odiete, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mary Patrick Akamovba. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to certify that the names Ayodele Edward and Ayodele Edwards refer to one and the same person, that I now wish to be known and addressed as Ayodele Edwards. All former documents remain valid.

G o v e r n m e n t parastatals, private banks, other authorities concerned and general public please take note.

Confirmation of Name

SAM-ODUMO—I, formerly known and addressed as Janet Ebisindor Sam-Odumo, now wish to be known and addressed as Janet Ebisindor Afonne. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AJUONUMA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajuonuma Ruth Ijeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Enyekit Ruth Ijeoma.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGUNLEYE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rebecca Folashade Ogunleye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rebecca Folashade Taiwo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IDEH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ideh E m u a r i e r u o Emmanuella , now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Dase Emuarieruo Emmanuella.

All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic, Oko, NYSC and general public please take note.

EMMANUELS—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss E m m a n u e l l a Genevieve Chioma Emmanuels, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. E m m a n u e l l a Genevieve Williams.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to certify that the names Olley Edwin and Olley Eddy Eyitemi refer to one and the same person. I now wish to be known and addressed as Olley Edwin Eyitemi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKEME—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Susan Dare Okeme, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Susan Dare Okeme-Agbele. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UZOUKWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzoukwu Ugomma Blessing, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ujomu Ugomma Blessing. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AKPORODE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Elohor F. Akporode, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Elohor F. Nwadozie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name

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FG coming with guidelines for modular refineries

By Michael Eboh

A

BUJA—THE Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, is set to release the guidelines for the establishment of modular refineries in the country, stating that it plans to shorten the approval time for licensing of refineries.

Speaking at a sensitisation workshop on the modular refineries initiative, Mr. Alfred Ohiani, Deputy Director, Engineering and Standards, DPR, disclosed that the guidelines will reflect the new processes for the issuance of licences, which will span a period of 12 months.

He further stated that the Federal Government was working towards ensuring that 50 percent of Nigeria’s crude oil output is refined locally.

He expressed optimism that the target of increased refining capacity would be achieved with modular refineries, adding, however, that the licensing fee will remain at $50,000, about N10 million.

Indonesian Bazaar 2015

By VICTOR GOTEVBE

T

HE Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre, ITPC, Lagos will tomorrow host the Indonesian Bazaar at its Embassy on 5 Anifowoshe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The bazaar will be the biggest in three years as 25 booths have been designated for the exhibition of a wide range of Indonesian food, craft and fashion.

The Bazaar is sponsored

by Indonesian companies, namely: Wings Group (So Klin), DUFIL (Indomie) and Kalbe Farma International. The general public is welcome to attend for a token fee.

The Director of Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre, Mr. Nino Wawan Setiawan, said that the bazaar will showcase various Indonesian Batik products and paintings. ‘’You will surely have a taste of Indonesian foods and all guests/ participants will have the opportunity of experiencing our traditional dance, music and songs.

Also children are not left out as there would be kids corner,” he said.

52—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA —KADUNA State governor-elect, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai yesterday advocated structural and systemic reforms of the Nigerian civil service and the adoption of a zero-budget system among others as key issues to be implemented if the incoming administration must succeed.

El-Rufai who spoke on the second day of the policy dialogue organized by the All Progressives Congress, APC called for the abrogation of the permanent secretary cadre in the civil service asserting it to be an aberration in the presidential system operated in Nigeria.

El-Rufai who accused the outgoing administration of maintaining a culture of greed and corruption that turned it into a master in destroying every good legacy it inherited, further affirmed that the administration was handing over the worst human development indices any government would ever pass on to a successor.

El-Rufai spoke on the topic “Governance and Improving Efficiency in Public Service” which was subsequently discussed by former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oransonye, the DirectorGeneral, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dr. Joe Abah and his predecessor in the bureau, Dr. Goke Adegoronye.

The session was moderated by the former Lead, Public Sector Management Specialists at the World Bank, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun.

While urging the incoming administration to streamline the civil service and eliminate the permanent secretary cadre, El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, said in running a zero budgeting system, every ministry and institution of government must justify its expenditure and by that enthroning transparency and accountability in the public service.

“We must operate a zerobased budgeting system. Let us dump the PDP budget of saying every government agency must justify every penny it wants to spend, because what often happens is that every year they take the budget of last year and reduce or increase the number so if we do that as APC we are implementing PDP budget.

“We must draw a line and say no more, let every agency justify every penny from personnel cost, how many people do you have? What are their salaries? Why are you paying them this salary? If it is recorded we would know why you are taking more tea than in any other country in the world?

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graduates of Oxford University, Cambridge, Ahmadu Bello, and Ibadan University used to join the civil service. Not anymore.

“Our public service is too large. We have 1 million federal employees and between two and three million in states and local governments. So the entire public service in Nigeria is three to four million in size.

In 2005, we found that public service was aging. The average age was 43 in a country where 75 percent of the population was below the age of 35.

“The public service was inadequately educated.

Seventy percent of public service workers had secondary school leaving certificate compared to UK, China or the PRESENTATION; From left: All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Chief US. In China, you need to John Odigie Oyegun; President-elect Muhammadu Buhari and Chairman of the Committee, have a Masters Degree to Alhaji Ahmed Joda during the presentation of APC Interim Transition Committee report at even attempt the civil service the Defence House, Abuja, yesterday. exams but here we have 70 percent with secondary school certificate.

“Our public service is also expensive because it consumes 60 percent and 120 percent of federal, state and local government revenue. In some states like Kano, it was observed that the payroll of the public service was 120 percent of the revenue of the state.

Our public service is outdated.

“Less than 5 percent of the •Says permanent secretary cadre should be abrogated public service is computer •Says NNPC is evil, has no right to bankrupt Nigeria literate. The poor pay in the •Calls for documentation of all Nigerians public service is also a problem. The pay hardly covers for transportation which “Why do your vehicles Giving details of the public deterioration actually. People accounts for 80 percent of our consume more petrol than all expenditure by government just got tired of this lack of spending in this country, and the vehicles in Kaduna State? institutions, the governor-elect progress and the tendency to finally, there is a complete We must ask this question and said that unless the incoming go into denials that there were breakdown of human resource start the budgeting cycle now; administration made drastic no problems. management in the public it has to be zero based. In decisions, the road to success “Now our performance as a service and ghost workers Kaduna that is what we are would still be far. government will depend on account for between 15 and 25 doing, I am not going to even “In the 2007 budget, we two things; first our political percent. look at the budget that is there, budgeted 600 billion naira for legitimacy and second, the “Finally because there have we are going to do a budget personnel cost. This is now 1.8 administrative capacity. It is been previous reform efforts from 30 May. trillion which increased three the combination of these two; that have had limited success, “Permanent secretaries in a times. In 2007, the National political legitimacy and there is an inbuilt feeling in presidential system of Assembly budget was N59 second, the administrative the public service when you government are abnormal. billion, today it moved to N150 capacity that will ensure we mention reform or you want to There is nothing like billion by 2010 and this year, I succeed or we fail. check something, they just permanent secretaries. We understand it is about N130 “To improve governance, we wait because they know you learned that nomenclature billion. They are feeling need to develop political will leave in four years. They because we came from colonial ashamed of taking too much. vision, courage, and political are there for 35 years. There tradition and some permanent What about fuel subsidy? In will along with enhancing is a culture of cynicism and secretaries that have refused 2007, we budgeted about N279 administrative capacity. change resistance. So, unless to disappear still exist. If there billion for fuel subsidy. In “It is clear from what I have you are ready to take really is one, show me who is a 2009, it moved to N257billion described that political difficult decisions they will just permanent secretary in the and N2.6 trillion in 2011. In leadership provides the vision delay you and in four years 2014, it was about N1 trillion. and will while the public US. you are gone and another “A permanent secretary is a service contributes government starts from where “Now this is a graphic administrative capacity and it deputy minister. It is a political you left. appointee. He should even be picture of how things have is impossible to succeed “I am putting this in cleared by the Senate. So, let deteriorated in the last five to without the two. perspective because if we are us stop all these things about eight years and I think it is “The effectiveness of public going to have to achieve permanent secretary and so important to put this in service is vital to progress and anything we have to go in with on. The highest level in the perspective because when we must all be interested in it. a knife and take drastic actions civil service in a presidential things go wrong, it is easy to Where is our public service? I in the shortest possible time to system of government is blame those that are there want to give you a quick put things in perspective”, he director. without looking at what legacy summary of what we found in said.

“The moment you move from they are inheriting.

2005. Our public service has He put the blame for the director, the civil service career “What I am trying to say been perceived as bleeding economy squarely on has ended and you enter into here is APC is inheriting dysfunctional, inefficient, the door post of the outgoing the political realm and you will perhaps the worst ever set of corrupt, lacking administrative administration, even as he be treated like a politician. human development indices capacity and incapable of stated that challenges facing They don’t want to hear it. But in Nigeria’s history than any attracting the best and the APC administration were it is the truth and I hope the government has ever had to brightest. Those of us old APC government will face and this change of 2015 enough to remember would streamline it.” arose because of this remember that the best Continues on page 53

El-Rufai advocates drastic reforms and reduction of civil service if Buhari is to succeed

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 53

El-Rufai advocates drastic reforms and reduction in civil service if Buhari is to succeed Continues from page 52 enormous.

“So what are the challenges ahead for us? The challenges for us are only five but they are big issues; first is rising governance cost. Jonathan’s legacy of waste, debt, corruption and institutional destruction. One of the things I think Jonathan deserves a Nobel Prize for is the capacity to take functional institutions and destroy them within the shortest period of time.

“Functioning institutions that we left have been destroyed and I don’t know how; it is magic, Jonathanian magic. The second is manifest injustice. We live in a country where 3-4 million people that work for the public service consume about 90 percent of the revenues of the government.

“That is injustice and we must ask ourselves whether that makes sense. We must ask

ourselves whether we should live in a country with this kind of perverse prioritization.

How can we be spending only 10 percent of the budget on capital expenditure and the entire 10 percent will be borrowed?

“So the entire revenues of the Federal Government are going to be spent on running the Federal Government so that one million people that work for the Federal Government wear nice suits meanwhile we don’t have roads, electricity is not working, no rail system. What kind of people are we?

Proposing solutions to the problems, El-Rufai said:“I have ten points. I am sure they are not exhaustive, but ten is enough. First we need to accelerate implementation of the national ID scheme. Now I am sure you are surprised why I put that as number one but one of the biggest problems we have in this

country is tracing wrong doings and criminals.

“People do things and just disappear. People from neighbouring countries come into Nigeria and just take our passports and do things in our name. The national ID card scheme is the most important infrastructure we need not only to identify who is a Nigerian but to count ourselves and eliminate many areas of wrong doings.

“This project has been ongoing forever. In 2006, I was asked to take it over. We did organize; we did the Nigerian Identity Management Commission but it is still ongoing. We need to finish registering all adult Nigerians within the shortest possible time and give them ID cards so that when they do something they can be traced.

It is a very important human infrastructure.

“Secondly, we need to review our statues on falsification of

records and perjury. Nigeria is the only country where people lie on forms, change their age, do any kind of stuff without any consequence because our statues make it very difficult to convict.

“I don’t think we will make progress because it starts from there. The moment a person feels comfortable about altering records it is even easier to steal and disappear since there is no identification.

For us in the APC government if we want to change government we have to do this”, he said He also called for the overhaul of the NNPC. “I said NNPC is evil, I mean it. Any organization that can singly bankrupt the country is evil,” he said.

Mr. Orosanye, who was a discussant of the topic, suggested that every law offender must be brought to justice.

“Now if you must make

progress you have to identify what the problems are, but if you are in self-denial you can’t make progress. Now talking about promotion; people are put in positions that they can’t not even deliver. There are many abuses in the system one of such is sexual harassment which goes both ways.

“There are people who need to have courage to do the needful and protect when they take the right decision. You will find out that if you do the right thing you may be punished and if you do the wrong thing you have yourself being celebrated.

“I want to suggest that we create a day when we will name and shame people. Let us sanction people, there should be consequences for every action and those in service should also know what obtains outside. We have to know how the market is because we need to build capacity”, he said.

54—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015—55

APA drags Okorocha to tribunal, claims votes cast outnumbered PVCs

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—A new dimension has crept into the current struggle to wrest governorship election victory from Governor Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Imo State.

A petition, EPT/IM/GOV/2/ 2015, filed before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal by the candidate of African People’s Alliance, APA, Mr. Charles Osita Nnadi, claimed, among other allegations, that the total number of votes cast in most polling units in the state outnumbered the total number of registered voters, as well as the total number of eligible voters, who collected their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and the total number of accredited voters.

The petitioners, Mr. Nnadi and his party, APA, claimed, that the total number of votes cast in most polling units, particularly Ideato North, Ideato South, Aboh Mbaise, Oru East, Orsu, Obowo, Mbaitoli, Ikeduru, Okigwe, Nkwerre, Nwangele and Njaba local government areas of Imo State, were greater than the total number of registered voters, who collected their PVCs and the total number of accredited voters in the areas in question.

The petitioners also averred that the election was invalid as a result of corrupt practices and noncompliance with the Electoral Act. According to the petitioners, the governorship election of April 11,

2015, and the supplementary election of April 25, 2015, were marred and vitiated by substantial non-compliance with statutory requirements, irregularities, corrupt practices, fraud, illegal voting and mutilation of election result sheets that substantially affected them.

They said none of the candidates was entitled to be

declared winner of the election, and that the exercise should have been nullified.

The petitioners also claimed that there were cases of ballot box snatching, illegal voting and snatching of election result sheets by thugs/agents of the first and second respondents, Governor Rochas Okorocha and APC, respectively.

The petitioners also accused the

governor and his agents of indulging in illegal buying and selling of PVCs, through which they allegedly induced and procured illegal and unlawful votes across the state, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act. Vanguard recalls that at the last count, no fewer than three cases had been filed in the tribunal, challenging the victory of Okorocha.

MEETING: From left, Minister of State for Education, Professor Viola Onwuliri; His Grace Valerian Obinna, Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Diocese, and Professor Francis Eze, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Federal University of Technology, Owerri, at a town hall meeting on establishment of private tertiary institutions for sustainable national development, in Owerri, yesterday.

No regrets as Ebonyi gov, says Elechi

By Peter Okutu

A

B A K A L I K I — GOVERNOR Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State said yesterday he had no regrets for the decisions he took in the course of his eight years administration in the state.

The governor stated this during

a valedictory press conference to mark activities lined up for the May 29 hand over ceremony in Abakaliki.

“I have no regrets for sure; I gave allowance for divergent views during my tenure. We must differ in our views. The right to differ is a fundamental human right. We have made tremendous

impact.

“My objective is to respect the right of others. We have been criticized and I do not have regrets for anything. My actions were felt differently by different people. There is nothing I did that is a mistake,” the governor said.

On the alleged plot by his administration to scuttle the May

29 hand over ceremony, Governor Elechi described the allegation as embarrassing and baseless.

He said: “There is nothing supporting the fact of the allegation. This is embarrassing.

How can I stop the Chief Judge from swearing-in the governorelect.”

Ohanaeze youths urge Ndigbo to support Buhari’s govt

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—OHANAEZE Youths Council has called on Ndigbo to rally round President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, saying it would be in their best interest to do that, since his success was the success of Nigeria.

The group in a statement in Umuahia by the National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, also called on the incoming President to allay the fears of marginalization of Ndigbo.

It said: “We urge the incoming administration to allay fears of marginalization of Ndigbo by dealing with Ndigbo and other sections of Nigeria with equity

and fairness.

“Having been elected as President of all Nigerians, it is wise for him to disappoint party die-hards and ethnic irredentists, who may want him to do otherwise,” Ohanaeze Youth

Council said.

Isiguzoro also urged the President-elect not to abandon his promise of fighting corruption, saying Nigerians voted for him based largely on that promise.

“Buhari was voted largely

based on his anti-corruption credentials. Any government that fights corruption is a friend of Ndigbo, since a Nigeria driven by merit and competence rather than corruption and tribalism, will favour Ndigbo."

NTA Aba mourns ex-staff

By Felix Ogbonna

S

TAFF AND management of Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Channel 6 Aba, Abia State, have expressed shock over the death of their former colleague, Late Mrs. Ruth Njoku.

Mrs. Njoku, who passed away at the age of 56 after a brief illness, became a household name within the former Eastern region after making her debut as the first female Igbo newscaster at NTA at the age of 18 and retired in 2013.

In a chat with Vanguard, some staff of NTA Aba, including station’s Public Relations Officer, PRO, Mrs. Linda Osuala said NTA Aba, received the news of Njoku’s death with shock, describing it as a personal loss.

Osuala disclosed that she owed her growth on the job to the late ace broadcaster who nurtured many newscasters during her time at NTA. “Ruth Njoku’s death is a personal loss to me and many others she groomed at NTA. She was a great broadcaster; this is why we describe her as the NTA Aba Golden Voice.

“She was a mother. She was a role model. She actually trained most of us.

I am one of Ruth’s products.

From the day I entered here (NTA), after listening to my voice she said I was going to join them in news casting. She actually brought up so many people in the broadcast industry.”

Osuala urged NTA staff, friends and the bereaved family to be consoled that their departed colleague and relative lived a life worthy of emulation.

According to the burial arrangements by the family, the body of the late ace broadcaster would be laid to rest on Saturday, May 23 at UmunnekwuAgbor in Isuikwuato Local council of Abia State after a funeral service at Umunnekwu Community Primary School.

PDP's scorecard in Delta doesn't deserve encomiums —APC chieftain

By Victor Otigbu

O

GBUESHI SAM Abumujor, an APC chieftain, has condemned Anioma Congress, an umbrella organization for political and socio-economic development of Anioma, for pouring encomiums on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan's administration.

Chatting with newsmen,

Tuesday, in Asaba, Abumujor wondered what the outgoing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had achieved in the last 16 years in the state to warrant encomiums being poured on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan's administration by the Congress.

Describing the development as perplexing, Abumujor said: “The scorecard of PDP is so laughable and abysmally low that such

encomiums amount to condoning mediocrity, bad governance and massive under-development in the state.

“It is quite strange that a government Deltans cannot wait to quit the stage is being praised by some of our highly esteemed and illustrious elders.

"Are they not also living here in Asaba where the entire town becomes an oceanic swimming

pool whenever it rains, despite the countless billions government claims it spent on drainage?”

Warning Deltans to expect more under-development and harrowing days ahead when Senator Okowa, another PDP man comes to power, Abumujor asserted that “only the APC can bring genuine change to Delta and rescue the people from PDP misrule.”

56 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 22 , 2015

IS in control of Syria’s Palmyra after westward advance I

SLAMIC State fighters tightened their grip on the historic city of Palmyra in Syria, days after capturing a provincial capital in neighboring Iraq, suggesting the growing momentum of the group which a monitor says now holds half of Syrian territory.

The twin successes pile pressure not just on Damascus and Baghdad, but also throw doubt on U.S. strategy to rely almost exclusively on air strikes to defeat Islamic State.

Extending its reach in the region, fighters loyal to the Sunni Muslim group have also consolidated their grip on the Libyan city of Sirte, hometown of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Islamic State said in a statement posted by followers on Twitter on Thursday it was in full charge of Palmyra, including its military bases, marking the first time it had taken a city directly from the Syrian military and allied forces.

Around a third of the 200,000 people living in Palmyra may have fled in the past few days during fighting between government forces and Islamic State militants, the U.N. human rights office said yesterday.

Citing what she said were credible sources, U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani in Geneva also said there were reports of government forces preventing civilians leaving until they themselves fled and Islamic

•Free Syrian Army fighters gather on Nahlaya Front in Idlib, in preparation for an operation to take over Ariha city recently State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, took control of the city.

“ISIL has reportedly been carrying out door-todoor searches in the city, looking for people affiliated with the government. At

least 14 civilians are reported to have been executed by ISIL in Palmyra this week,” Shamdasani said in emailed comments.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human

Rights said the al Qaeda offshoot now controls more than half of Syrian territory following more than four years of conflict which grew out of an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Iran aid ship reaches Djibouti waters showdown between the vessel and Saudi-led forces enforcing inspections on vessels entering Yemeni ports to prevent arms supplies from reaching the Iran-allied Houthi rebels they have been fighting.

Horstel said once the vessel received permission, a ship pilot would need to guide it into the port from the anchorage, which is within Djibouti’s territorial waters.

“I spoke to the coordinator of the ship and he said it is sure we will dock in the port,” he said.

Wary EU hosts hopeful ex-Soviets, under Russian glare

E

UROPEAN Union leaders began a tense summit in Latvia yesterday with ex-Soviet neighbours that was overshadowed by the continuing confrontation with Russia triggered by the last such event 18 months ago.

Disagreement over the conflict in Ukraine, and over the EU’s reluctance to hold out membership prospects to the six states in its “Eastern Partnership”, has marked the preparations.

But as he arrived for the opening dinner in Riga, summit chairman Donald Tusk insisted the bloc was still determined to support its poorer neighbors in the face of Russian anger: “The European Union stays the course despite the intimidation, the aggression, even the war, of the last year,” he said.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko insisted he was “not disappointed” with a draft joint statement that will reaffirm on Friday only Kiev and others’ “European aspirations”. But he stressed that a “perspective” of EU accession remained a goal.

Though they insist their eastern policy is not directed against Russia, big EU powers are wary of provoking President Vladimir Putin by making big gestures toward Moscow’s former vassals — a hesitation that frustrates some newer EU members.

Regretting the caution being shown toward Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas said: “We have to show a very clear perspective of membership already.”

China restates right to secure disputed South China Sea

C

HINA said yesterday it is entitled to keep watch over airspace and seas surrounding artificial islands it created in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, following a reported exchange in which its navy warned off a U.S. surveillance plane.

The comments came as the Chinese air force announced its latest offshore training exercises in the western Pacific as part of efforts to boost its combat preparedness. An air force spokesman said that followed an initial offshore drill held last month and future such exercises would likely be planned.

Speaking at a regular daily briefing, Foreign

Ministry spokesman Hong Lei reiterated Beijing’s insistence on its indisputable sovereignty over the islands it has created by piling sand on top of atolls and reefs.

While saying he had no information about the reported exchange, Hong said China was “entitled to the surveillance over related airspace and sea areas so as to maintain national security and avoid any maritime accidents.

“We hope relevant countries respect China’s sovereignty over the South China Sea, abandon actions that may intensify controversies and play a constructive role for regional peace and stability,” Hong told reporters at a daily news briefing.

Russia ready to help Iraq defeat Islamic State —Lavrov

The Iran Shahed vessel, carrying 2,500 tonnes of food and medical supplies, was previously bound for the Yemeni port of Hodaida before Iran agreed on Wednesday to allow the international inspection.

“We have arrived outside the port of Djibouti and are waiting for permission to enter,” the activist, Christoph Horstel, told Reuters. “We are being told right now the permit will take three to four hours to get.” The move reduces the risk of a potential

USSIA is ready to supply weapons to Iraq, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday, as the country struggles to halt advances

Netanyahu renews support for two-state solution with Palestinians

R

•The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov

A

N Iranian aid ship has reached the outskirts of Djibouti’s port and is waiting for a permit to enter after Tehran agreed to an international inspection of the vessel with goods for Yemen, an activist on board said yesterday.

by Islamic State militants.

Speaking ahead of talks in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar alAbadi, Lavrov told reporters Moscow would make every effort to help the Baghdad government push back the militants.

Islamic State insurgents overran the Iraqi city of Ramadi last weekend in the most significant setback for the Baghdad government in a year, exposing the weakness of Iraq’s army and the limitations of U.S. air strikes. The group seized full control of Palmyra in neighboring Syria yesterday.

I

SRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his commitment on Wednesday to a twostate solution of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, after backtracking on that pledge during a heated campaign for a March election.

Speaking as he met with European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on her first visit to the region, and a week after his new government took office, Netanyahu said:

“We want a peace that would end the conflict once and for all ... I don’t support a one-state solution, I don’t believe that’s a solution at all, I support the vision of two states for two peoples.”

He reiterated Israel’s longstanding demand that any Palestinian state established in land Israel captured in a 1967 war should be demilitarized, and said he hoped to discuss with Mogherini “how we can advance that vision forward”.

One the eve of the March 17 election, with

•Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu polls putting him behind centre-left rivals, Netanyahu went back on a 2009 pledge to back a Western goal of achieving a two-state

solution with the Palestinians, saying he would not permit a Palestinian state to be established under his watch.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 22 , 2015 — 57

Europe migrant terror threat overblown,say experts

S

T

HE arrest in Italy of a terror suspect posing as a boat migrant has fuelled nightmare scenarios of jihadist infiltration of Europe, but experts say the threat is overblown and attacks by homegrown extremists are more likely.

Right-wing parties have seized on the incident as proof that groups like Islamic State (IS) are taking advantage of Europe’s migration crisis, in which thousands of refugees are making the risky Mediterranean crossing to flee war and poverty.

NATO’s chief Jens Stoltenberg also warned this week that battlehardened “foreign fighters” who have joined jihadist outfits in Iraq and Syria could smuggle themselves into Europe by hiding on asylum-seeker vessels.

But analysts say extremist groups are more interested in holding territory in the Middle East than risking their men in flimsy dinghies, especially when they can rely on radicalised Europeans to do the work for them in their own countries, they say.

“To send their fighters in migrant boats that are just going to sink is not very smart,” Christian Nellemann, of the Norwegian Centre for Global Analysis told AFP. “Putting high value fighters on a migrant boat that’s likely going to sink, so they might die, or being picked up by a naval vessel where they would get interrogated, is not a very effective way of sending fighters to Europe.”

Italy on Wednesday seized a Moroccan man suspected of involvement in a deadly attack in March on a Tunis museum in

•Migrants wait to disembark from the military ship “Bettica” following a rescue operation at sea on May 5, 2015 in the port of Salerno, southern Italy which 21 foreign tourists were killed, three months after he arrived on a boat full of refugees.

Marc Pierini, a researcher at the Carnegie Europe institute and former EU ambassador to Turkey and Libya said that “the threat exists, there has at least been a threat of this kind by Islamic State, and there is the recent arrest in

TANDING guard at his frontline post, Libyan soldier Mohammed Abu Shager can see where Islamic State militants are holed up with their heavy weaponry less than a kilometer away.

The militants have effectively taken over former dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s home city of Sirte as they exploit a civil war between two rival governments to expand in North Africa.

“Every night they open fire on us,” said Abu Shebar, who with comrades on Sirte’s western outskirts holds the last position of troops belonging to one of the two warring Libyan governments, the General

Italy.” “But still this is not the biggest terrorist threat, as the terrorist attacks in 2014 and 2015 in Europe were carried out by European citizens. It is this method that is the real game-changer,” he added.

Recent attacks like the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris in January and the attack on a Jewish synagogue in Copenhagen

the following month were all carried out by Europeans on home turf, added Charlie Winter, a researcher at the Londonbased think-tank Quilliam.

“In terms of the whole desire of Islamic State to carry out terrorist operations abroad, it’s proven it doesn’t need to send people abroad,” he told AFP.

IERRA Leone on Wednesday berated the “selfish and shameful” behaviour of people risking a resurgence of the Ebola virus by flouting quarantine restrictions, as authorities announced a spike in cases.

The country’s National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) spoke out as the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed the west African nation and its neighbour Guinea had seen cases quadruple in a week.

Palo Conteh, head of the government-run NERC, told reporters in the capital Freetown a man who went on the run despite being under quarantine was responsible for the enforced isolation of 52 people.

“Some of the 52 may be infected because of a selfish and shameful act of a small number of people,” he said.

notorious for gang violence.

It was one of several nationwide raids, in response to last month’s attacks on foreigners in the country, officials said in a statement. Accompanied by the military, police stalked between apartment buildings, arresting 39 people for crimes ranging from robbery to drug

National Congress, which controls the capital Tripoli and most of the west of the country. “They are only active at night,” he said, pointing to the militants’ position in a house just down the road blocked by sandbags. He sleeps in a shed next to his firing positions where used tank shells litter the ground.

Libya, which has descended into near anarchy since NATO warplanes helped rebels overthrow Gaddafi in a 2011 civil war, is now the third big stronghold for the Sunni Islamist group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, which declared a Caliphate to rule over all Muslims from territory it holds in Syria and Iraq.

4,000 people were arrested as part of the sweep, including 1,650 foreigners living in the country illegally.

Authorities also deported undocumented immigrants arrested during the raids.

The sweeping raids began at the end of April in response to the violence targeting foreign migrants, in which seven people were killed. South African officials condemned the violence.

The government is trying to address issues at the root of tension between immigrants and locals, according to a government statement.

Tackling crime has become one of the most visible responses, with police around the country reporting arrests as part of

C

ONGO’S government has a 32 percent stake while China has 68 percent in the mining project called Sicomines. It

•A South African police officer, right, points at a woman as he and his fellow officers search for drugs in Manenberg, South Africa yesterday. nationwide raids, known as Operation Fiela — meaning to sweep clean in the local Sotho language.

Despite criticism from rights groups, police have hailed the raids as a success.

South Africa’s image has been tarnished by the

Saidu Conteh escaped a sealed-off section of Freetown’s denselypopulated Moa Wharf slum after his girlfriend died of Ebola, said the NERC chief, who is no relation.

He evaded capture for a week but died in a treatment unit on Sunday, two days after being tracked down at another residence in Freetown by expert Ebola contact tracers.

Palo Conteh said health officials had removed 52 people from their building and were monitoring them at an isolation unit on the outskirts of the capital.

The group includes the escapee’s mother and a nurse who was said to have been massaging him and washing his clothes, despite repeated government warnings that Ebola spreads through physical contact.

Congo assesses $6.7 billion contracts with Chinese

S/African police arrest thousands in raids OUTH African police possession, according to a S yesterday entered a police statement. National Cape Town neighborhood police authorities said about

ISIS captures Gaddafi’s town

S

Ebola: S/Leone berates quarantine escapees as cases surge

attacks, especially among its African neighbors.

On a two-day state visit to the Mozambique, South African President Jacob Zuma apologized to the Mozambican people because a Mozambican national was killed in the attacks.

was created in 2008 but construction did not officially start until three years later, said Jean Nzenga Kongolo, deputy general manager of Sicomines. It now employs about 3,000 people, of whom 70 percent are Congolese, said Kongolo. To assess the project’s impact, officials from the World Bank and the United Nations visited the mines this week.

The project “is truly in the right lines and objectives of the World Bank which is to fight against poverty,” said World Bank representative Ahmadou Moustapha Ndiaye. The U.N. official also praised the project.

However, critics say a more thorough evaluation of the contract still must be done.

“The Chinese contract was never a win-win ... It was badly negotiated,” said civil society leader Jonas Tshiombela.

As part of the deal, China’s Railway Engineering Corporation and Sinohydro Corp. are constructing about 3,000 kilometers of roads and railways in Congo.

Universities, hospitals and health centers are also being built, according to the agreement.

Aid groups raise fears of escalating violence in S/Sudan

R

APE and killing driven by revenge is spiraling to new highs in South Sudan after 18 months of fighting and the world looks the other way, according to aid groups working in world’s youngest country.

Fighting has forced

thousands to flee their homes in recent days and some 650,000 civilians are without access to aid, according to the United Nations (U.N.) H u m a n i t a r i a n Coordinator for South Sudan.

Children as young as

seven have been raped and whole villages burned to the ground in the latest violence, the U.N.’s children’s fund said. Four civilians were killed when mortar bombs hit a U.N. compound near an oilfield on Tuesday.

But while images of the

conflict in Syria are regularly in the news due to widespread use of social media, aid workers said it was barely possible to get a mobile phone signal in most of South Sudan so the ongoing violence received little attention.

58— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 59

C M Y K

60 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

FIFA Women W/Cup: Bring the trophy home

V

•NFF charges Falcons

T

HE Nigeria F o o t b a l l Federation has charged the Super Falcons to surpass the records of their predecessors in 1999 when they crashed out of the FIFA World Cup in the quarter finals.

The women’s senior national team arrived Canada yesterday for the final phase of their preparations for the 2015 FIFA World Cup. The Edwin Okon side are grouped alongside USA, Sweden and Australia - the group many believe to be the tightest in the tournament.

In a farewell speech delivered on his behalf

by Chairman of the Nigeria Women Football League and Chairman of the NFF Women’s Football Committee, Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma, Pinnick said the present Super Falcons have the ability and capacity to go all the way.

“I know you girls are rearing to go, having conquered Mali in a big way in your last competitive match. You have always done the nation proud and I see you doing even better in Canada.

“As African champions, I want you to go to the World Cup this time with a clear determination to do better than any of your predecessors have ever done. Our record in the World Cup is quarter -final berth, set by the Class of 1999. The NFF wants you to do much

better in Canada, and we believe you can.”

Nigeria will play their first group game against Sweden on June 8- a rematch of their 1-1 draw they played in 2007 edition in China.

The Edwin Okon side, who are the African champions performed well at the last Women’s World Cup in Germany, losing by the odd goal to the host nation and France, and beating Canada by the odd goal.

Four years earlier, the Falcons drew 1-1 with Sweden and lost 0-2 and 0-1 to North Korea and USA respectively, no doubt distracted by illadvised agitation for increment in match bonus before the final group game against the Americans in Shanghai.

In truth, results from the last two final tournaments were an improvement on three straight losses in 1991 and 2003, and buoy the spirit of the Nigerian girls as they head to Canada.

Stand –in captain Osinachi Ohale said: “We respect the teams in our group, but we do not fear any team. As African champions, we go in there with a lot of confidence. Last year, our U-20 team did very well at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, reaching the final. We are motivated by that, as well as all the efforts of the NFF on the team and the incentives by the NFF President.”

Super Falcons on arrival at Toronto airport

•As Falcons arrive Toronto S

UPER Falcons have landed in Toronto, venue of their training tour with high hopes ahead of the World Cup kicking off in June .

The team left Abuja on wednesday night aboard an Air France airline and landed in Paris around 5:45am local time after a five and half hour trip. The team transited at the Charles De Gaulle airport for 5 hours before connecting their flight to Toronto.

On arrival at the Toronto Pearson International airport, Falcons were welcomed

by Nigeria Deputy High Commissioner, Charles N. Onianwa who charged the girls to make Nigeria proud. “ I must first and foremost welcome you to Canada because the tournament we are all

FIFA Continues from BP participating teams.

Meanwhile, the countries with the oldest players are provided by the European duo of Germany and Ukraine.

Also, Nigeria’s Taiwo Awoniyi, who is one of the members of the Golden Eaglets that won the FIFA U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2013, has been rated one of the youngest players to watch out for in the competition.

A total of 504 players have been selected by the 24 teams to follow in the footsteps of Maradona, Messi and countless other global stars who have showcased their potentials at this tournament.

All eyes will now turn to New Zealand to discover which of the class of 2015 can step into these legendary shoes, and there are undoubtedly plenty of players well capable of dazzling.

Ikhana slams LMC over league suspension

Continues from BP

looking forward to is a very important one. Last year, the Falconets did us proud here and now we have the Super Falcons, so expectations are high and we have no doubt that you are going to clinch the cup” said Onianwa.

In his

response, Coach Edwin Okon said that Super Falcons’ arrival heralds the coming of the champions.

“Our arrival is that of champions. We are ready and I look forward to the finals and getting the cup here in Canada” Okon enthused.

F/Eagles set for 25-hour flight to flights is 18 hours and 35 New Zealand minutes.

F

LYING Eagles will be set for a most demanding 25-hour flight across three continents when they depart Germany on Sunday night for the FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand.

The African champions are booked on Emirates flight, which will depart Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday night and arrive Dubai early morning the

following day.

They will then depart Dubai later Monday morning for Melbourne, Australia, before they head out again to Auckland, New Zealand, to arrive there Tuesday afternoon.

The total duration of these

Figo

electoral act.’

The Portugal great and former FIFA world player of the year says in a statement sent to The Associated Press that he refuses to go along with an election process that is designed ‘for the delivery of absolute power to one man’ - indicating Sepp Blatter.

Figo’s announcement came hours after another candidate, Dutch soccer federation president

ETERAN coach Kadiri Ikhana has taken a swipe at the League Management Company for suspending the Nigeria Professional League for three weeks.

A statement signed by the LMC chairman, Shehu Dikko said: “You may wish to recall that we started the league with blanket provisional waiver to the clubs to allow them comply with all registration requirements before Match Day 9 when a review will be conducted by the LMC. The break period is a time to revisit club stadium facilities to remedy observed defects as the clubs have so far operated with provisional certificates. the LMC chairman said.

But Ikhana, whose Enyimba is clawing its way back to form said the break in competition was uncalled for and it will take the steam out of the teams.

“Its very bad for the League, very bad for the teams and its likely to give us a big set back.''

Michael van Praag, also withdrew.

Figo said during campaigning he encountered hypocrisy among federation presidents around the world, and that people who wanted to speak out had been silenced. He gave no names.

He said FIFA was ‘living under a dictatorship’ with Blatter, whose reelection is widely expected.

•Awoniyi

And from Auckland, they will fly out on a local flight to New Plymouth, where they will play all their first round matches against Brazil, North Korea and Hungary.

The duration of that local flight is half an hour.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 61

Okpekpe winners to join national team T

HE top 11 Nigerian athletes at the just concluded 10 kilometre Okpekpe Road Race have been called up to the national camp ahead of the All Africa Games and Olympics Games.

According to former international and a member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Yusuf Alli, the athletes that performed well at Okpekpe tournament would be considered to be part of the national camp of major tournaments.

Alli said their performances qualified them to make the national camp.

At Okpekpe, Plateau’s Emmanuel Gyang thran 32.31 and finished 17 to lead Nigeria’s male athletes at the tournament.

Others are Plateau’s duo of Gideon Goyet, William Kefas, while Edo’s Osheku Lawrence, who ran 34.46secs finished in the th 4 position.

Other national athletes that made the cut for the top 11 are Plateau’s Joshua Hassan and Dapreng Luka as well as Abia’s U g o c h u k w u Chukwumadu and Robert Okam.

In the women’s event, includes Deborah Pam of Plateau, who ran 38.41secs. Others in top 10 are Lagos’ Ogunkoya Muibat, Edo’s Asedo Queensly, Lagos’ Ann Seriki, Niger ’s Mary Raphael, Edo’s trio of Amalawa Emmanuel, Lawani Ruby and Peace Ikerebe.

N

•Athletes at the Okpepe Road race

Scrabble players celebrate Gov Akpabio T

HE outgoing Chief Executive of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency Governor Godswill Akpabio (CON) will tomorrow be treated to a “thank You Championship”

•Akpabio

by Nigerian Scrabble players.

The event, billed for the Government House Banquet Hall Uyo is also expected to have in attendance, the Akwa Ibom State Governor Elect Deacon Udom Emmanuel who is slated as the Guest of Honour.

To be hosted by the Akwa Ibom State Scrabble Association in conjunction with the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, the organizers said in Uyo yesterday that “……this Championship has been put together to celebrate and to honour the Pillar of Scrabble in Africa and the Grand Patron of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation ( NSF)

“ It is a special thank you event for all His Excellency has done towards the growth of scrabble not only in Nigeria, but in Africa.

Thanks to him, Scrabble today occupies a pride of place in the circle of sports in Nigeria. Before the advent of the Godswill Akpabio International Classics, the sport was in the doldrums, but today it

ranks as one of the most performing and well organized sport in the country with constant events and programmes all year round.”

All Board members of the Scrabble Federation of Nigeria, all past winners of the Godswill Akpabio International Classics and Veterans have been invited to the grand event.

S

EASON 7 of the annual National Channels Kids Cup begins today in Lagos with 16 teams from fifteen states competing for honours at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

According to the technical director of the competition, Alhaji Tade Azeez said the teams have been put in four groups. Group A is made up of 123 Primary School, Niger State, Winners Primary School, Ondo, Research Model Primary School, Kaduna and a representative from Kano State.

Group B has School Road Primary School Abia, Muslim Community Primary School, Osun; Ansar Ud-Deen Primary School, Kogi and Nana Primary School, Delta.

In Group C, Focal Point Primary School, Kwara, Christ the King Primary School, Akwa Ibom, Royal C M Y K

InternationalPrimarySchool Ogun and Daemm Private School, Lagos.

Group D is made up of Emmanuel Primary School, Ekiti, Eyeanugie Primary School, Edo, Rochas Foundation School, Imo and Uncle Bayus Primary School, Lagos.

The competition, Azeez said will be played in a league format with the first and second placed teams in each group qualifying for the quarter finals.

This will be on knockout basis with the winners automatically qualifying for the semi finals.

There will be a classification match to determine the third placed team. The grand finale comes up on May 27 to coincide with children’s day celebration.

Chairman of the organising committee, Steve Judo praised the participating schools and assured them of a fun-filled time during the competition.

T

HE Feyenoord technical team currently in Nigeria to train players and coaches participating in the 2015 Shell Cup football competition have

showered praises on the talents produced by the sponsors.

Gido Vida, one of the Feyenoord Rotterdam officials, commended NNPC /Shell for investing

L-R: International Relations Manager, Feyenoord Academy, Netherlands, Mr. Gido Vader; Head Coach, Feyenoord Soccer Schools and Ex-Super Eagle Striker, Mr. Mike Obiku and Social Investment Manager, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mrs. Abayomi Adeleye, at the Media chat on the 2015 NNPC-Shell Cup, in Lagos, yesterday.

Brazil confirm Man U star for F/Eagles

F

LYING Eagles major group opponents at the New Zealand 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Brazil, have named a very strong squad for the competition.

FIFA yesterday, released the confirmed squads for all

EW Tennis sensation, Melissa Ifidzhen yesterday, cruised into the semi-finals of the 37th Central Bank of Nigeria Men and Woman Senior TennisOpen, when she defeated Patience Onebamho 6-0, 6-0 in one of the quarter-final matches played yesterday.

The Russian-born Nigerian who is debuting in the championship will today face Beauty Mcleod in one of the semi-final games while Aanu Aiyegbusi who defeated Blessing Samule 6-3, 6-1 will battle with the defending champion and women top seed, Christy Agugbom.

In the men’s singles, the defending champion and nd tournament 2 seed, Abdulmumuni Babalola defeated Nonse Madueke 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the men and women wheelchair singles event entered semi-finals today with the mens defending champion, Alex Adewale and Jude Uwazie already through to the semi-finals.

Feyenoord officials laud Shell Cup players

Channels National Kids' Cup kicks off in Lagos

By Jacob Ajom

CBN Tennis Open: Babalola, Melissa cruise on

24 participating teams for the tournament holding from 30 May to 20 June.

The big names in the Brazil squad include Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira and Kenedy, the Fluminese forward who

has been strongly linked with English Premier League champions Chelsea.Pereira was on Tuesday named United’s Young Player of the Year after playing a key role in their U-21s winning the U21 Premier League title.

in the youths consistently for 17 years.

He noted that the young lads taking part in the competition showed so much commitment and natural talents.

“We have our own ways of impacting knowledge into the youths. It has been a great experience for us and I have to salute Shell for helping in the development of talents,” he said.

Nigeria’s former international, Mike Obiku, noted that the difference between the talents in Nigeria and those in Holland was the facilities enjoyed by the youths in the Netherlands.

“I am happy to be part of this programme since I also started my career here. It is important that we were able to engage some of the coaches and we expect them to impact better knowledge of the games to kids across the country. The Shell Cup is a great competition because the focus is on developments of the participarts,” Obiku noted.

SPDC’s Sustainable Development and Community Relations Manager, Mr. Igo Weli, said the target of the sponsors was happy with the progress of the competition so far.

62 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 — 63

Ibe commits long-term future to Liverpool

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IVERPOOL winger Jordon Ibe and defender Jon Flanagan have both signed contract extensions with the club.

Ibe, who broke into the first team after a successful loan spell at Derby earlier this season, has committed to a new five-year deal which substantially improves the terms he was on from his time with the academy. Liverpool announced the deal as a ‘long-term’ arrangement.

Flanagan, who was out of contract this summer and is currently recovering from a second knee operation, has extended his stay by a further 12 months.

‘Liverpool are a great club and I like the philosophy here,’ Ibe told liverpoolfc.com ‘I’ve just been brought into the first team and I’ve enjoyed the games I’ve played in. Hopefully I can just keep doing well

EMBATTLED — Emmanuel Adebayor

Tottenham give Adebayor compassionate leave E

MMANUEL Adebayor will not be available for Tottenham’s final game against Everton on Sunday or the club’s post-season tour of Malaysia and Australia after being granted compassionate leave.

The striker, who has only featured three times in the Premier League for Spurs since November, will return to his home country of Togo in an attempt to sort out the family problems which have plagued his season.

Adebayor took to Facebook on Wednesday to claim that his brothers, Kola and Peter, once held a knife to his throat in order to extort money from him during his time at Monaco.

He also revealed that

he has contemplated committing suicide ‘many times’ and that his sister Iyabo would often have to convince him not to kill himself.

ANCHESTER United are exploring the possibility of a summer move for German legend Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Sportsmail can reveal that United manager Louis van Gaal believes the Bayern Munich midfielder would bring experience and European know-how to the centre of his team’s midfield.

It is understood that talks have already taken place last month

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look to offload him during the summer transfer window.

The former Arsenal and Manchester City forward, who has just

over a year left on his contract, is being considered by Aston Villa as Tim Sherwood plans for the departure of Christian Benteke.

Man Utd set to swoop on Schweinsteiger M

Shevchenko: Bale needs to focus N D R I Y Shevchenko says Gareth Bale needs to get on with his football if he is serious about staying at Real Madrid.

The Welshman has had a tempestuous season at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he has borne the brunt of fans’ criticism more than one once, but former Chelsea man Shevchenko told BBC Sport that Bale must start proving his doubters wrong.

“I think he’s just got to keep quiet and try to find his best form,” said the

Adebayor has been excused from training this week and may well have played his last game for Mauricio Pochettino as Tottenham

•Bale Ukrainian, who retired from football in 2012 having won a string of honours during an illustrious career, including the Champions League and Ballon d’Or.

between United and gobetweens and that the Germany international would be open to a move.

United have been asked about their interest in Schweinsteiger three times in recent weeks but have refused to comment.

However, MailOnline Sport can reveal that United’s interest is 100 per cent real.

Schweinsteiger and Van Gaal worked together at Munich when the Dutch coach was in charge of the Bundesliga club and developed a close relationship.

The current United manager knows that the player is the wrong side of the club’s targeted age range for new players but has spoken to chief executive Ed Woodward and both agree that Schweinsteiger is good enough to make an exception.

With a year left on his current deal at Bayern, Schweinsteiger could be available for less than £10million.

He would demand high wages and there would be little sell-on value.

•Schweinsteiger

•Ibe poses with a Liverpool shirt shortly after committing his future to the red half of Merseyside

at the club.

‘I just want to take that into pre-season and then next season, continuing with how it’s been since I’ve been back here.’

Ghana name Under-20 World Cup squad

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HANA coach Sellas Tetteh has released a list of 21 players to form his squad for the upcoming U-20 World Cup tournament in New Zealand.

Joseph Owusu Bempah, who led the team at the 2015 African Youth Championship (AFC) in Senegal earlier this year, has been included as captain.

Also in is Manchester City’s Yaw Yeboah, voted the AFC’s best player.

Ghana are in Group B of the 30 May to 20 June tournament, alongside Argentina, Austria and Panama.

The Black Satellites are the only African nations to have lifted the trophy.

Some of those selected include: Kwame Baah (Heart of Lions), Siedu Muntawakilu (Hearts of Oak), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (Red Bull Salzburg) Defenders: Kingsley Fobi (Right to Dream), Owusu Bempah (Hearts of Oak), Joseph Aidoo (Inter Allies), Joseph Adjei (Wa All Stars), Emmanuel Ntim (Valenciennes), Patrick Asmah (BA United), Patrick Kpozo (Inter Allies) Midfielders: Asiedu Attobrah (New Edubiase), Godfred Donsah (Calgliari), Kofi Yeboah (Wa All Stars), Prosper Kasim (Inter Allies), David Atanga (Red Bull Salzburg), Yaw Yeboah (Man City), Clifford Aboagye (Granada), Osei Barnes (Paios Ferriera) Strikers: Benjamin Tetteh (Tudu Mighty Jets), Emmanuel Boateng (Rio Ave), Samuel Tetteh (WAFA)

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015

Tottenham give Adebayor compassionate leave — Pg.63

•Adebayor

YOUNGEST TEAM — Flying Eagles

U20 W/Cup: FIFA names F/Eagles youngest team T

READY TO ROAR — Super Falcons

HE Flying Eagles have been rated the youngest team heading to the FIFA U20

2015 FIFA World Cup: 'Bring the trophy home' •••As Falcons arrive Toronto Pg.60

World Cup in New Zealand.

The competition will hold from May 30 to June 20, with 24 teams taking part.

According to FIFA, Nigeria produced an average age of 18 years and nine months, the youngest among the

Continues on Page 60

Figo pulls out of FIFA presidential race

L

UIS Figo is dropping out of the election for president of FIFA, saying the May 29 ballot is ‘not a normal Continues on Page 60

F/Eagles set for 25-hour flight to New Zealand — Page 60

•Figo

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Enquired (5) 9 Scanty (6) 10 Straight (6) 11 Beg (5) 12 Thought (4) 15 Additional (4) 17 Reverence (7) 20 Married (3) 21 Subject (5) 23 Denomination (4) 25 Adhesive (4) 26 Relaxed (5) 28 Skill (3) 30 Rehearsed (7) 33 Detail (4) 35 Manufactured (4) 36 Decoration (5) 38 Linger (6) 39 Reel (6) 40 Principle (5)

DOWN 1 Moving (5) 2 Hell (5) 3 Serpent (3) 4 Choose (6) 5 Cheese (4) 6 Performed (3) 7 Underneath (5) 8 War-horse (5) 13 Sweet (7) 14 Quickly (5) 16 Ebbed (7) 18 Soar (5) 19 Large (3) 22 Demand (5) 24 Faucet (3) 27 Discussion (6) 28 Passage (5) 29 Lukewarm (5) 31 Flavour (5) 32 Disparage (5) 34 Present (4) 36 Encountered (3) 37 Fate (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1, Repeat 5, Meadow 9, piled 10, Judder 11, Ritual 12, Debit 14, Club 17, Dot 18, Mere 20, Tamed 22, Waded 23, Gateman 24, Repay 26, Dived 29, Eden 30, Bog 32, Care 33, Comet 35, Option 36, Notice 37, Recur 38, Parted 39, Seeded.

DOWN 1, Reject 2, Podium 3, Aped 4, Tired 5, Merit 6, Edit 7, Daubed 8, Welded 13, Boredom 15, Lazed 16, Began 18, Manic 19, Refer 21, Day 22, Wad 24, Recoup 25, Pester 27, Varied 28, Defend 30, Boned 31, Genus 33, Core 34, Tore.

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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