Presidency, APC bicker over N21bn

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62303

**

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, DECEMBER 22 , 2014

2015 ELECTIONS: 80 Boko Haram Danger looms — AKINYEMI members, 2 soldiers •Writes Jonathan, Buhari; tasks killed in Borno >9 Sultan, Ooni, Adeboye, Anyaoku >8 PDP PRESIDENTIAL FUND-RAISING:

Presidency, APC bicker over N21bn •The money should be used to save power sector — APC •APC not focused, says Presidency as Ikokwu, Sagay, Tsav, react

By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru, Dapo Akinrefon & Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—THE Presidency and groups backing the presidential aspiration of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) were at each other’s throats, yesterday, over the sum of N21.27bn raised at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign fund-raising dinner.

The Buhari Support Organizations, BSO, the umbrella body of all support groups for the Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC in 2015 election, said that the

Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS:

Is deindustrialisation imminent? •P.44

Those hawks circling Buhari

•P.20

Mr & Mrs

CHRISTMAS TRAVELLERS—Christmas travellers waiting to board vehicles at Wazobia Park in Gwagwalada, Abuja,

yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Bulet Construction >15 CBN introduces additional measure to curb slams N100bn libel >27 suit against Unity Bank forex speculation C M Y K

2 —Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 3

C M Y K

4 —Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014—5

POCKET CARTOON

CHRISTMAS CONCERT—Members of the Choir and Orchestra of the Apostolic Faith Church performing during the 2014 Christmas concert in Lagos, yesterday.

Presidency, APC bicker over N21bn Continues from Page 1 power sector in Nigeria has turned worse under President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that PDP fund-raising gathering should have devoted itself to finding a solution to the problem.

Countering, the Presidency said the suggestion that the money raised at the PDP fund-raising dinner be used to fund national power projects portrays the APC party as an unserious, unfocused and defective organisation with no reasonable alternative solutions to the nation’s problems.

The exchanges came as some eminent Nigerians flayed the fund-raising, saying that it was insensitive, given the prevailing austerity in the country.

PDP has failed Nigerians—APC

Commenting on the fund raising, the Lagos State chapter of the All

Progressives Congress (APC), said the PDP has failed Nigerians.

Its Publicity Secretary, Mr Joe Igbokwe said: “How much did they raise to fight Boko Haram? How much money did they raise to fight unemployment?

How much money did those people raise to build security architecture in Nigeria?

How much money did they raise to build our schools and hospitals?

How much money did they raise to build our roads? I can ask you 20 questions about this money; they are just bringing out the missing $20 billion about which the Emir of Kano complained as former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. Where will someone get N5 billion from? If you give Nigerians all the money in the world, we will not get to the moon because it takes expertise. In the same vein, give PDP all the money in the world, it cannot win the 2015 general elections.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

When you say yes to life, you attract divine guidance. When you’re inspired, you’re collaborating with fate. Everything starts working for you —Wayne Dyer

E

GO is the part of us that believes: I am what I have, I am what I do. I am what others think of me. All this is just an illusion. The problem? If you are what you do, then who are you when you don’t do it any longer? If you are what you have— then when you no longer have it, you no longer have any value!

The truth is that we are all spiritual beings. And when you see yourself as a piece of God, then you see yourself as connected to everything and everyone. Will is not the same as intent, which is inspirational. Will is the work of the ego—believing that we are controlling everything, rather than surrendering to the source of energy that is greater than any of us.

APC, Buhari’s comments, display of ignorance – Presidency

However, the Presidency described the comment as a display of ignorance. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in a statement yesterday, said: “Even though we have always known them to be a party with no clear direction, we never thought they could descend so low in exhibiting clear mischief and folly on a critical national issue.

“We wish to reiterate that this government and the PDP will not engage in a dubious practice of collecting money from private individuals and corporate organisations for a purpose only to divert such money to other purposes.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the power reform programme initiated by President Jonathan is not run on a knee-jerk finance arrangement. It is a properly envisioned road map which is being diligently executed in line with best global practices. The power reform programme is being funded through our national budgets and foreign direct

investments running into several billions of dollars.

“Reputable global players such as the General Electric is investing over a billion dollars into the generation component of the sector. Nigeria is not a beggar nation and it will not be one under the Jonathan presidency.

“The suggestion that the N21 billion (105 million dollars) raised at the party fund raising dinner be used for the power project underscores the perplexing ignorance of General Muhammadu Buhari and his team of party voyagers who have shown that they have absolutely no clue about what it requires to implement a modern revolutionary programme in a capital intensive sector such as power.

“Finally,the accusation that the PDP governors who donated money at the event have not paid civil servants salaries in their states is largely untrue and mischievous.

“We want to believe that the APC probably has one of its governors in mind when it made this accusation because it is on record that despite being the major financier of the Buhari campaign, this is the governor who has not paid 13,000 teachers their salaries in the last eight months!”

Nigerian power worse off under Jonathan –Buhari

The BSO in a statement by its Head, Media and Publicity Unit, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe said: “The power sector featured proudly two days ago in contributing towards President Goodluck Jonathan's re-election campaign fund raising. I would have thought such funds should have been better deployed in giving Nigerians better light supply this Christmas season.

“The ordinary Nigerian on the street knows that he or she is not better off today with stable electricity as against four years ago when Jonathan mounted the saddle.

“Most people will admit that they had better stable supply of electricity four years ago.

The Jonathan administration had projected that 10,000MW should be generated before now.

“General Muhammadu Buhari and indeed the Nigeria public is right to question why we are still in this epileptic mess of electricity supply after sinking well over $20 billion into the power sector over the period in question. The corruption -infested administration of Jonathan makes right thinking Nigerians to bury their heads in shame when compared to South Africa of just 50 million people and has an estimated supply of over 50,000 MW.”

It’s more of camouflage —Sagay

Constitutional lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) described the fund raising campaign as more of a camouflage. Sagay, who lamented the development said it is a set back for the country.

His words: “You know members of the PDP have all our resources under their control, they can go for any fund raising. But for me, it is all more of a camouflage because they already have the state money at their disposal.

We have a very serious problem in this country where the government in power tries to plough into the state’s resources for party campaigns. Legally there is a law but it is neither observed nor enforced; these are reforms that affect conduct and culture which will have to be enforced in future if we have to develop. For me, the N21 billion is not actually what they are going to spend. I see it as a public show, that is not the real thing.”

PDP is desperate about winning —Tsav

Also speaking, a former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said: ‘’There are so many states that have not paid salaries to their workers, yet these governors are

donating money to Jonathan’s re-election campaign. It is a very sad development and it shows the desperation of the PDP towards wining the presidential elections.

That is the mentality of those who want to win at all costs.”

The former Police boss lamented that “our people are suffering, the healthcare system across the states is not in a good state, people don’t have money to pay medical bills, yet the governors are wasting money. For the businessmen who donated to that cause, the fear of Buhari might have informed their decision because with Buhari as President, it would not be business as usual.

Jonathan has completely failed and people are shamelessly encouraging him to continue in 2015.

If he is eventually reelected, he will do the worse."

Our elections ‘re becoming too expensive –Ikokwu

Reacting to the issue, Second Republic Politician and a chieftain of the defunct National Democratic Coalition, Chief Guy Ikokwu, who said that the amount raised was huge, lamented that elections were becoming increasingly expensive in the country.

His words: "It is very clear today that elections in Nigeria are becoming more expensive. The PDP and APC are already raising billions of naira for the election at a time the economy is struggling and facing diminishing returns because of the petroleum price crisis.

"Now, the parties, politicians and candidates should base their campaigns for the 2015 elections on issues instead of personalities.

Systemic failure is the problem of the country.

The presidential system is based on autocracy. Most of our governors are autocratic. The present presidential system will not take Nigeria far."

6 —Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014—7

Hoodlums attack church service, flog Pastor, members

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE — HOODLUMS, weekend, invaded a church in Akure, Ondo State, during service and reportedly flogged the presiding Pastor and members of the church.

Meanwhile, the police in the state have arrested some of the hoodlums but they were later rescued by a mob, during which a policeman was stabbed with broken bottle on the neck.

Also, property of the church were destroyed by the hoodlums, who arrived the church in a motorcycle.

Property said to have been destroyed include plastic chairs, wall clock, window glasses and electrical appliances.

They reportedly inflicted injuries on the Pastor and members who were at the service.

Vanguard gathered that the hoodlums arrived the CAC, Pillar of Fire located around LA Primary School, Akure and dealt with the Pastor known as Pastor Arije.

Police sources said they were still investigating the incident, but Vanguard learned that a rival Pastor of one of the churches within the area might have sponsored the attack.

The hoodlums reportedly carted away the offerings for the day.

It was gathered that by the time the Policemen arrived the scene, the hoodlums had wreaked havoc on the church, but were chased to Odopetu in Oke Aro, where some of them were

apprehended.

However, the hoodlums reportedly regrouped and rescued their colleague from the

custody of the police. It was during their rescue mission that a policeman was reportedly stabbed by the hoodlums.

Contacted, the police

spokesperson, Mr Wole Ogodo confirmed the incident, saying the Pastor reported the incident at the Divisional Police Station, Akure.

A cross section of Oron indigenes in Lagos during a protest at the Akwa Ibom State Liaison Office, Lagos, calling on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, national leadership to cancel Akwa Ibom State PDP governorship primaries held recently.

Pastor on the run over death of two brothers during spiritual bath

L

By Evelyn Usman

AGOS — The Police in Lagos have arrested a member of New Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Ajah area of the state over the alleged death of two men during a spiritual bath, weekend.

The deceased identified as Abiodun and Ayinde Oniru, of same parents and one of their step-brothers were alleged to have been taken to the church by their father and step-mother last Thursday for spiritual cleansing.

However, after three days, it

was reportedly suggested that they should complete the cleansing with a spiritual bath. But their step-brother reportedly refused and left the stream located in Ogombo area of Ajah, leaving Abiodun and Ayinde of ages 23 and 20 respectively behind with their step-mother and Pastor of the church identified as Pastor Samuel Olusoji.

Things reportedly took a tragic dimension, following report that Abiodun and Ayinde drowned during the spiritual bath. The case was said to have been reported at Ogombo police

division, consequent upon which a team of policemen stormed the church.

Police sources said on sighting the policemen, Saturday, some members of the church located on 739, Ori-Oke Ibulun Ilasan Street, Jakande Ajah, including the Pastor, took to their heels.

Unfortunately for the church’s secretary, he was arrested and whisked into the police waiting van.

Police sources hinted that the corpses had been deposited at Mainland Hospital mortuary, Yaba, where autopsy would be done.

A police source said: “We are still on the trail of the senior Pastor of the church. He is currently on the run. He has questions to answer.

"Meanwhile, the autopsy report will form basis for our investigation. It is only then that we can be able to establish the cause of their death.”

Car snatcher arrested in Benin

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU — A 27-yearold graduate of Agric-Economics from the Abia State University, Uturu, who hails from Obollo in Isiala, Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, has been arrested by operatives of the anti-kidnap unit of Enugu Police command for allegedly snatching a Toyota Camry car at gun point.

The suspect had allegedly snatched the car on Pioneer Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, at the gate of the owner ’s house as he made his way into the compound on November 29.

The Command's Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying: “The suspect snatched the car as the owner made his way into his compound. The owner parked the car before the gate, came down to open the gate to enable him drive in.

“The suspect had laid ambush waiting for him.

The key was left in the ignition while the owner was opening the gate.

The suspect sprang up and drove off with the vehicle at gun point.

“He drove the car to Owerri, Imo State and parked it in a car stand where he sold it for N700,000. Having sold the car, he moved to Benin, Edo State to enjoy his loot. It was in Benin that the operatives tracked him down in a restaurant.

“He has, however, confessed to the crime calling on youths to stay away from crime and criminality.”

Crowd queues behind crashed truck, beg for dead birds

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

Remnants of a barge seized for involvement in oil theft set ablaze by the Task Force in Okirika waterways in Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: NAN

ENIN—IT was bizarre and unbelieving as people queued behind a truck that crashed, weekend, in Benin, Edo State with over 1200 poultry birds, begging for dead birds to be given to them.

The driver of the vehicle who was said to have sustained injuries, was taken

to an unknown hospital when newsmen visited the scene at Adolor Juncture in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.

The truck driver, who was said to have driven throughout the night on Benin-Ore-Lagos Expressway, it was suggested, may have dozed off and lost control of the truck, said Ms. Amenze, a trader.

“I pity the driver, so many birds died,” she said.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Buhari’s choice fuels anti-Jonathan sentiments in North zPresident’s billboards missing in radical areas

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

A

BUJA — WITH less than two months to the general election, the campaign posters of President Goodluck Jonathan are yet to be mounted in many northern states considered crucial for his re-election victory, concerned loyalists of the president have revealed to Vanguard.

The situation is in contrast to the pre-2011 season where the promotional materials for Jonathan had sprung up in virtually all the northern states many months to the presidential race.

Unlike the situation which presided the last presidential poll, many states appear cautious in openly canvassing support for Jonathan given the preponderance of most of their leaders to throw their weight behind Buhari.

The fear in openly identifying with Jonathan, according to competent sources, stems from the fact that some radical elements, who feel disappointed by the present administration’s handling of security challenges in the North-East are on the prowl waiting to unleash violence on suspected backers of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. It was learnt that the hoisting of PDP and Jonathan’s posters was being taken with caution in some of the PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC, states in the north because of those radical elements opposed to Jonathan’s return in 2015.

A top PDP source explained to our correspondent that it was difficult to see many posters of the President even in states controlled by PDP. A Northern governor confirmed to Vanguard, yesterday, that most of the people were not keen on reelecting Jonathan and had since switched on their support to Buhari, whom they see as their only hope of returning to the Presidency after many years of remaining at the political periphery.

2015: Danger looms, warns Bolaji Akinyemi zWrites Jonathan, Buhari zCalls on Sultan, Ooni, Adeboye, Anyaoku to intervene zSays some politicians don’t care if Nigeria collapses

L

By Jide Ajani

AGOS — FORMER Foreign Minister and Deputy Chairman, 2014 National Conference, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, has alerted Nigerians to grave dangers ahead of the February 2015 general elections, insisting that some Nigerians are bent on dragging the country down the path of disintegration.

Indeed, Akinyemi, who sent a letter dated December 16, 2014, to the two presidential candidates for next year ’s election (President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; and General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) of the All Progressives Congress, APC), went down memory lane, pointing out that the conditions precedent before the post election violence of 2011 appear to be child’s play when compared with the already over-charged political atmosphere of the present times.

Whereas Akinyemi suggested a way out of the looming doom, the erudite professor was quick to note that he had observed something similar just before the 2011 election and the violence to follow, but also lamented that his noble intervention was totally ignored, many Nigerians were to be killed in the violence that followed the presidential election.

Akinyemi’s letter reads: “YourExcellencies, “Shortly after his appointment as National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi, at his own request, met with me in my office in Lagos to discuss the state of the nation. It was on the eve of the 2011 elections.

I told the General that I was not worried about the conduct of the elections or about the outcome which I expected President Jonathan to win.

"What really worried me, I told the General, was the management of the violence that would ensue after the elections. I was sure that there would be violence on a massive scale and I made some suggestions to him about how I thought the violence could be contained.

"My suggestions were not acted upon. The elections occurred, President Jonathan won and all hell broke loose.

Missing were the conflictcontrolled measures which I

AWARD: From left, Chairman, House of Representatives on Education Hon Aminu Suleiman; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Macjohn Nwabiola; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, Dr. Musa Babayo and his Executive Secretary, Professor Suleiman Bogoro during TETFUND long service award and end of the year dinner in Abuja, weekend. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan had discussed with General Azazi.

“Now we are back at the same crossroads again, except this time is more precarious and dangerous than the last time.

"Firstly, we have this very notorious prediction from United States semi-official sources that the world is expecting a cataclysmic meltdown of the Nigerian nation come 2015. Of course, most Nigerians have taken umbrage at this prediction for their country. But there are Nigerians who are indifferent to the outcome of this prediction.

"One of my low moments during the just concluded 2014 National Conference was when in an attempt to break an impasse, I painted a grim picture of devastation which would follow a breakdown of the Nigerian state, to which a delegate between 45 and 55 years old replied: 'So what?'

"I thought to myself, here is a man who would probably run away to a neighbouring country at the boom of the first gun but was callously indifferent to the fate of the youths, women and children who would be caught in the middle.

“Secondly, the certainty of violence after the 2015 elections is higher than it was in 2011. If President Jonathan wins, the North would erupt into violence as it did in 2011. If General Buhari wins, the Niger Delta will erupt into violence. I don’t believe that we need rocket science to make this prediction.

“The violence of 2015 is going to be horrendous and worse than the one of 2011 for the simple reason that the illegal, massive importation of weapons into the country has reached such alarming proportions that I really wonder which is better armed, the militias on one hand or the official armed forces on the other hand.

"For the avoidance of doubt, I am not imputing the illegal importation of arms to any particular zone. Some years ago, some Iranians were arrested for bringing in a shipload of weapons into Lagos harbour. They were tried and jailed and then smuggled out of the country.

"Some months ago, sophisticated weapons were discovered buried in the basement of a Kano house. All these have now fallen below the radar. These are the ones we know about. How many do we not know about?

“There are states and movements out there, African and non-African, which do not mean well for the Nigerian state, which wish Nigeria to dissolve into a theatre of bloodshed, gore and instability.

"They will succeed if we continue the politics of making enemies of ourselves and friends of our enemies.

Way forward

z A civil and peaceful campaign, devoid of threats. zA commitment to preach peaceful elections to their supporters. zA commitment to control their supporters after the elections. Supporters of whoever loses should be entitled to peaceful protests but not to violent protests.

“I also appeal to the following: z The Sultan, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III z The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II zThe Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha z The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade z The Oba of Benin, OmoN’oba Erediauwa zChief Emeka Anyaoku zPastor Ayo Oritsejafor zPastor Enoch Adeboye z His Excellency, General Yakubu Gowon z His Excellency General Abubakar Abdulsalami to facilitate the pre-election meeting between the candidates, the preparation of the Memorandum of Undertaking and as a Council of Wisemen to assist in managing the post-election conflicts.

“Yours sincerely.

“The first step forward is for Former Nigerian Foreign the two Presidential Minister and Deputy candidates to meet and sign a Chairman, 2014 National Memorandum of Undertaking Conference.” that will commit both to:

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014—9

80 insurgents, 2 soldiers killed in Borno gun Boko Haram's new video shows terrorists killing captives battle zzAs Killings, bombings, destructions now our religious duty —Sect leader

By Kingsley Omonobi & Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI — NO fewer than 80 Boko Haram insurgents and two soldiers lost their lives when suspected members of dreaded Boko Haram sect laid ambush along the troubled MaiduguriDamboa road which was closed down for motorists since July this year.

The clash, according to reliable sources, occurred weekend when some military personnel attached to 7 Division, Nigerian Army were on their way to Damboa, the headquarters of Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.

This came barely 48 hours after the troops succeeded in killing 75 insurgents in a failed attempt to attack engineers and electricians who were repairing transmission lines vandalised by terrorists, in the remote village of Komala along the 185 kilometre MaiduguriDamboa-Biu road since July this year and the latest killing of over 110 terrorists who attacked Damboa at the weekend.

The whole of Maiduguri and its environs had remained in total blackout following the vandalised power lines and this was the third attempt by security forces and the staff of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to restore power to the city of Maiduguri, to no avail.

The source said: “Military personnel were on their way to Damboa to give security cover to the staff of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) who were in Damboa to repair some destroyed electric cables along Maiduguri-Damboa road but they were ambushed by insurgents, leaving two soldiers and over 80 terrorists dead over the weekend.

A security source who does not want his name in print told our correspondent that “as the troops were moving towards Damboa, one Boko Haram terrorist suddenly appeared from the bush with a female by his side both armed with A47 rifles and confronted the troops who immediately killed both of them. But unknown to the troops, many of the terrorists were hiding by the road side.

According to the source, “as the troops approached, the insurgents fired a Rocket Propelled Grenade, RPG, at one of the troops’ vehicles killing two soldiers.

“The troops immediately responded and engaged the terrorists in a gun battle, and

No right thinking Nigerian'll vote Jonathan back to power —Buhari

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

L

CAROL NIGHT: From left: Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Asim Martins and Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State at the 2014 Akwa Ibom State Christmas Carol Night, Saturday. when they realised that they were overwhelmed by the troops, the terrorists started running into the bush before they were pursued by the troops who killed almost all of them.”

The source further said that he personally counted 80 corpses of the insurgents, adding that the troops also destroyed three Hilux vehicles mounted with anti aircraft gun and another one belonging to Yobe State government believed to have been snatched in a recent attack on Damaturu loaded with Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, as well as many motorcycles.

Video shows Boko Haram killing captives

Meanwhile, a new video from Boko Haram extremists showed gunmen killing civilians lying face down in a school dormitory, and a leader saying they were being killed because they were “infidels” or nonbelievers.

In the video released to journalists late Saturday and sighted by Associated Press, AP, the group leader said in a message: “We have made sure the floor of this hall is turned red with blood, and this is how it is going to be in all future attacks and arrests of infidels.

"From now, killing, slaughtering, destructions and bombing will be our religious duty anywhere we invade.”

The video is coming two days after fleeing villagers reported that the extremists

are rounding up elderly people and killing them in two schools in Gwoza, Borno State The setting of the latest video appears to be a school, a long dormitory furnished with bunk beds which the leader says is in Bama, a town 60 kilometres north of Gwoza In the video, the leader noted that the prophet Mohammed advised prisoners should be held, not killed, but said “ we felt this is not the right time for us to keep prisoners; that is why we will continue to see that the grounds are crimsoned with the flowing blood of prisoners.”

He said some of those killed may call themselves Muslims, but are considered infidels by Boko Haram.

Amosu laments loss of colleagues

Meantime, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, has said that the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, had lost some of its brave officers and men in the fight against insurgency.

Speaking at the NAF’s end of year party and awards in Abuja, Amosu also disclosed that Air Force fighter aircraft had carried out about 6,000 sorties, the highest in its history as it seeks to eliminate the murderous activities of Boko Haram since 2009.

He said officers and airmen of the force working in conjunction with sister security services will not rest on their oars until the terrorists, are flushed out and peace and security returns to our nation.

According to him, “in

fighting for the nation, the Air Force stands out and we intend to continue. Our heroes had demonstrated courage and commitment to the nation, they deserve to be recognised."

He told the officers that whatever effort the Air Force was currently putting in place to end insurgency will be doubled in 2015.

He said even after the fight is ended, the Air Force personnel were expected to remain in the North-East to mop up.

In is address, Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau called on the Nigerian Air Force to domicile their technology for effective performance.

Gusau, represented by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Ismaila Aliyu said: “Concerning our quest to enhance operational capability in the 21st century, no military can afford to stand by and depend on borrowed technology because every time, a new platform was acquired, it also means a detection of borrowed and sometimes circumvent technology.

“Therefore, you must thrive to domicile your technological effort and equipment maintenance in pursuit of self reliance.

"Current events had brought to the fore, the lack of cooperation exhibited by some of our international partners in our efforts to ascertain the needs of our security and defence; hence we are complied to look inwards."

AGOS — ALL Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) has said that no right thinking Nigerian would vote President Goodluck Jonathan again to power, affirming it would mean a sustenance of all that is presently wrong with the country.

The APC presidential candidate in a statement posted on his facebook page last night flayed supporters of the present administration of spreading a message of fear which he said was only because of their support of the very things that degrade the country.

The assertion came as the Buhari Campaign Organisation, BCO, yesterday pledged to present strong arguments why Buhari should become the country’s next president.

A statement by the newly appointed Director of Media, Dele Alake, said the combination of Buhari’s sterling military career and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s legal expertise would serve as an antidote to the insecurity and disorder now confronting the polity.

Gen. Buhari in his comment on facebook said: “Those who are afraid of the change we seek are the people destroying our country and stunting its progress. They are the same people who spent four years in power without improving our electricity by a single megawatt, the same people who spent four years downgrading high-level corruption to common stealing, the same people who spent four years watching over terrorists desecrating our territorial sovereignty, the same people who spent four years without laying the critical infrastructure for sustainable growth and job creation; those same people are now asking you for four more years.”

“No right thinking Nigerian would wish that our next four years look like the last four.

Change has to come, and it begins with you getting registered and spreading our message of change and hope, from sibling to sibling, family to family, neighbourhood to neighbourhood; in our schools, in our market places, in every community, and in every gathering.”

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

NAFDAC lab gets intl accreditation

LUTH denies responsibility for patient Oduyoye’s death

By Chioma Obinna

T

HE Regional Drug Laboratory of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, in Lagos yesterday recorded a major feat with its international accreditation by the National Board of American Society for Quality.

The drug laboratory was accredited after a thorough audit and assessment of the quality Management System, QMS, of the entire Laboratory by officials of the American Society for Quality technically known as ASQANSI. Announcing this while addressing Regulatory Officers of the agency at the Annual Budget Retreat in Lagos, Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii said the Yaba Laboratory has now joined four other NAFDAC laboratories that have been internationally accredited since last year.

Eko Disco procures N200m transformers

T

HE Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), says it has acquired 40 new distribution transformers as part of efforts to boost the company ’s operations during the yuletide.

Mr Ademola Adegoke, Principal Manager, Public Affairs Division of the EKEDC made the announcement in statement in Lagos on Saturday.

The statement also quotes the EKEDC Managing Director, Mr Oladele Amoda, as pegging the cost of acquisition and installation of the transformers at N200 million.

It said the motive behind the acquisition of new transformers was to ensure that customers did not experience prolonged outages as a result of faulty equipment, especially as the Christmas and New Year celebrations approach.

It attributed the move to the company’s policy of the continuously investing in the upgrade and reinforcement of its network to meet customers’ demands at all times.

L

A G O S — T H E management of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, has described as unfounded, the accusation that one of its patients, Mrs Folake Oduyoye died because of the hospital’s negligence.

The Acting Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Chris Bode, made the assertion weekend in Lagos .

The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) had on Friday, petitioned the management of LUTH over the death of Oduyoye.

The deceased's husband, Mr Adeyemi Oduyoye, had in the petition, claimed that the hospital detained and abandoned his wife without adequate medical care because of his indebtedness to the hospital.

Bode said the woman was admitted unconscious on Sept. 17 as an emergency case, following complications from a caesarian operation earlier performed in a private hospital.

He said examinations showed that the patient was in shock with possibility of intra-abdominal collection confirmed to be abscess. ‘’This lady came into LUTH in critical condition, unconscious and infected from caesarian operation performed in another hospital.

“She underwent a major operation at which plenty of pus was evacuated from her abdomen. ‘’She underwent a tracheotomy, creating a hole on her neck to

PDP RALLY: From left: Archbishop Samson Mustapha Benjamin; Mr Jimi Agbaje, Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate; Capt. Tunji Shelle (retd) Chairman, PDP Lagos state and Oghene Egoh, Federal House of Representative candidate, Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, during the Lagos State PDP rally and stakeholders’ forum, at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Lagos - Badagry Expressway, Lagos, on Saturday. Photo by Kehinde Gbadamosi. enable her breath and stay alive. ‘’She was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit, with multiple organ failure, for one month she was on ventilator, a machine which was breathing for her. ‘’She also developed two episodes of cardiac arrest from which she was rescued.

“She also developed renal failure for which she underwent four sessions of haemodialysis, ” Bode stated.

The acting medical director said that contrary to other opinions, the healthcare team efforts kept the

woman alive, in spite of the strike embarked on by health workers.

He said that numerous surgeries, specialised tests, interventions, dialysis, drugs and other consumables committed in treating the deceased amounted to N1.5 million.

According to him, the family only paid N300,000 and requested for a waiver of N1.2 million. ‘’She was discharged on Nov. 9 when she was deemed fit to go while the husband was sourcing for money to defray the bill.

‘’Her relations, who wanted the hospital to let them walk away without paying for the services she received, abandoned her. ‘’The husband requested to pay in installments of N15, 000 per month and this was accepted, but he could not bring anyone to stand as guarantor. ‘’However, the condition of Oduyoye became suddenly poor and she died of pulmonic complications on December 13.

A post-mortem examination is to be performed to ascertain cause of death,” he said.

NSCDC to secure Lagos during festive period

L

AGOS—THE Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), said yesterday, that it is to deploy 2, 000 officers to curtail insecurity during the yuletide.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the corps in Lagos, Mr Chibuzo Mefor, said in an interview that measures had been put in place to map out the black spots, where miscreants usually used as hideouts.

Mefor said that the command would organise seminars and workshops for the neighbourhood watch and the vigilance groups across the state, on how to gather information on the activities of criminals and general intelligence gathering.

“The black spots are dangerous spots where miscreants use as hideout to perpetrate their evil acts and are able to escape easily because they are familiar with the neighbourhood.

“Two thousand officers of the agency are on ground and most

of them will not be in uniform, so that they can not be easily identified.

“With collaboration from all security agencies and support

from the public, arm robbery, pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the country will soon be a thing of the past,” Mefor said.

Mefor, however, said that the

country had lost billions of revenue resulting to billions of dollars due to the activities of the criminals through oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

Lagos offers free ride on BRT, BFS buses

T

HE Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has disclosed that Lagos would offer free ride on BRT, BFS buses during the holidays. According to him, this enable Lagosians move around

the city unhindered.

Mobereola explained: “The free bus service which began in 2008 had assisted in reducing congestion and accident on the roads during festive periods.

The free bus services to be provided by the First BRT

Police warn owners of abandoned vehicles

By Ifeanyi Okolie

L

AGOS State Police Command, has warned owners of vehicles abandoned within various police stations across the state to remove or forfeit them.

Vanguard gathered that some of the vehicles, Toyota Corolla, with Reg number AU876AGL, Passat Wagon, Reg, CX341SMK, Mazda

Salon car Reg EPE382AV, Honda Civic Salon car Reg, BC952JJN and a Nissan Wagon, Reg,CG789GGE, are currently being parked at Oko Oba Police Station.

Police sources disclosed that the vehicles, which were recovered from armed robbers or those involved in accidents, could be auctioned if their owners do not come for them within two weeks.

Cooperative on the Mile 12 to CMS Bus Rapid Transit system corridor and the Ikotun-IgandoIyana-Ipaja-Maryland Bus Franchise Scheme corridor would run between 7.00am and 10.00pm.

“The First BRT Cooperative, operator of the BRT will offer free services on Mile 12 – CMS, Mile 12 – Obalende, Ajah to National Stadium, Ajah – Obalende, Mile 12 – National Stadium, Mile 2 – National Stadium, Oshodi – Obalende and Oshodi – National Stadium routes.

“On the Bus Franchise Scheme (BFS) corridor, free services will be offered on the Ikotun – Ikeja – Maryland, Iyana Ipaja – Maryland, Ikotun – Iyana Ipaja, Igando – Iyana Ipaja, Igando – Ikeja, and Igando –Maryland routes.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 11

Seme Customs reads riot act to smugglers

By Godwin Oritse

T

HE newly rede ployed Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Seme Area Command, Comptroller Ndalati Mohammed has promised to leave no stone unturned in the drive to collect all revenue due to the government while working to surmount the challenges of manning a border area.

Ndalati who also reiterated the service zero tolerance policy for smuggling, said he will harness all available human and materials resources for customs operations while bracing up to the realities of the peculiar nature of Seme Command.

Yuletide: South-West highways motorable, safe —Director

T

HE Director, Feder al Highways, South West Zone, Mr John Ibe, yesterday said adequate measures had been put in place to ensure roads were smooth and safe during the Yuletide.

Ibe said that bad roads were being rehabilitated and that security had been beefed up in the South West.

He explained that the Federal Roads Committee on Surveillance and Action against Road Abuse (FERCSARA) had been briefed to ensure the safety of road users.

Ibe added that they had already swung into action.

He said that the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), as well as the Police, who are members of the FERCSARA team, had been deployed to work 24 hours on the major highways.

Ekiti PDP raps APC legislators, says they’re deceiving the people

By Gbenga Ariyibi

A

DO-EKITI – The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State has condemned the 19 All Progressive Congress, APC, lawmakers in the state House of Assembly for claiming they held a legislative session in an undisclosed location in the state last week. The party challenged them to explain the purpose of the money they confessed to have collected from governor Ayo Fayose and justify the rationale and motive behind collecting such huge amount of money in this period when the finances of the state is in coma In a statement issued by the PDP and signed by the party’s chairman, Chief Idowu Faleye in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the party noted that the ‘former speaker’, Hon Adewale Omirin and his colleagues are only dishing out lies and falsehood to the people of the state. The PDP chairman said investigation conducted by him has proved that nowhere in the state did such a legislative meeting take place He equally lambasted Omirin for owing up that the only financial transaction between the lawmakers and Fayose was meant for the fuelling of their vehicles Faleye described the action of the speaker as corruption and indecency, saying that any reasonable person would know that only people of shady deals will be collecting such money from the governor each time they paid him a visit. The PDP boss condemned the decision by Dr Omirin and his APC colleagues for running from pillar to post from Lagos to Oshogbo without coming to Ekiti State House of Assembly to perform the functions they were elected for.

Faleye noted that; ‘’The former speaker and his co-travellers should bury their heads in shame for denying their state good and robust legislation rather turn themselves into opposition of Ekiti renascence.’’

He equally frowned at the statement credited to Omirin that he and his colleagues sat and carried out some legislative duties when in actual fact there was nothing of such. Faleye urged Omirin to displayed some level of maturity by naming the exact location and time of the sitting either within Ekiti or outside the state.

CONVOCATION: From right; Dr Modupe Ajayi, Registrar, Federal University of Technology Akure; HRM (Dr.) Isa Mustapha, Chancellor; Alhaji Bashari Aminu; Aare Afe Babalola; Governor Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State; Dr Mohammed Shata, Chancellor and Professor Adebiyi Daramola, Vice Chancellor, shortly after the conferment of Honorary Doctorate Degrees on Babalola and Alhaji Bashari at the 25th and 26th Convocation Ceremonies of the school on Saturday.

You can’t arrest us, Omirin tells Fayose

T

HE Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, has reacted to the directive by Governor Ayodele Fayose urging the Ministry of Justice to write a memo authorising the Commissioner of Police to arrest the 19 APC lawmakers that sat in a plenary last Thursday in the state capital.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media to the Speaker, Wole Olujobi, Omirin said APC lawmakers acted within the law to conduct its sitting in a public building in the state capital.

“The governor or the police cannot arrest us for performing our constitutional duty. Section 101 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes it explicit that the House can

regulate its activities, including conducting its sittings in public buildings in the state capital. The Supreme Court had also ruled that the House can conduct its sittings in public places in the state capital if conditions exist that endanger members in the conduct of their sittings.

“Governor Fayose has kept armed thugs permanently in the House of Assembly to attack us.

We can’t put ourselves in harm’s way, yet we have a responsibility to our constituents to make laws for good governance. The is why we followed the law to sit to consider issues on the ongoing constitutional amendment, “ Omirin explained, stressing that the House had a responsibility to respond to the National Assembly

Ogun assures workers on payment of delayed salary

A

BEOKUTA—THE Ogun State government has expressed its empathy, sympathy and understanding with the entire workforce and labour leaders in the state, who have been agitated by the delayed payment of November salary to some of the workers,, particularly those in the very senior category.

The government reminded the workers that despite the dwindling revenue allocation from the Federal Government,

which has adversely affected all the states in the federation, Ogun State has kept faith with workers through prompt and regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities.

“We are proud to say that since the last 42 months that this administration has been in office, we have not defaulted on the payment of workers salaries. The delay in the payment of November 2014 salaries to certain categories of workers is definitely unusual and will soon be sorted out. We hereby assure all the workers and their unions that efforts are being made to ensure that they all have a good Christmas and New Year celebration”, the government stated.

demand to send Ekiti State contributions to the constitutional amendment process.

He added: “Ekiti State has just one House of Assembly. That is why the National Assembly acknowledged the receipt of our resolutions on the constitutional amendment. If they are sure of their status, let them approach the National Assembly or the Judiciary for recognition.”

The speaker said it is regrettable that the governor has not learnt a lesson from his past experience when he instigated a constitutional crisis that led to the declaration of state of emergency that culminated in the dismissal of his government in 2006.

COAS’ wife calls for prayer against Boko Haram

A

BEOKUTA—WIFE of the Chief of Army Staff, Mrs. Felly Minimah has urged wives of men and officers of the Nigerian Army to pray fervently against the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

Minimah, who is the President of Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association stated this weekend, at 32 brigade, Alamala Baracks in Abeokuta during the commissioning of an acquisition centre and donation of relief materials to the wives of officers who lost their lives in active service According to her, the objective of the prayer is to seek a divine intervention to end the insurgency in the north-Eastern part of the country and elsewhere.

“We should all pray for our husbands everyday so that these problems of Boko Haram will end.''

All these problems should stop so that we don’t lose our husbands.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

2015: Only a God-fearing man can tackle poverty in Rivers —AMAECHI

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has called on Rivers people to vote Mr. Dakuku Peterside, the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the state, describing him as a God-fearing man.

Amaechi, who spoke weekend, in Port Harcourt, at the close of his annual Carniriv programme, said that the people should not vote an emperor, adding that only a God-fearing man can tackle the challenges of poverty in the state.

“It is only a leader who understands what the problems of the people are and has taken time to think and explore ways to find solution to their problems that can govern them well. I believe that the APC will win the governorship election and the APC governor that will emerge from the election will not allow what happened to the previous Carniriv to happen. I believe that he will sustain Carniriv. And the

governor that will take over from my successor will also be APC. So, our yearly Christmas carnival parade will be sustained.

“I am very confident that incoming APC governors will

sustain Carniriv because I do not see APC producing emperors as governors. Listen, APC must field statesmen, people who know and appreciate the pain of poverty; those who understand that

CAROL NIGHT: From left: Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Rev. Jesse Jackson and Mrs Ekaete Unoma Akpabio, during the 9,999-man Annual Christmas carol, organized by the Akwa Ibom State Government at the main bowl of the Ibom International Stadium, Uyo, weekend.

Delta 2015: Isoko leaders insist on deputy gov

By Emman Ovuakporie

A

BUJA—LEADERS and stakeholders of Isokoland in Delta South senatorial district, Delta State, have decried what they claimed, weekend, was an attempt to deny the area the office of deputy governor of the state in 2015.

Deputy President of Isoko Development Union, IDU, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu, led other stakeholders, including politicians, in pushing the case of the area.

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, from Delta North, is said to be in dilemma between choosing a running mate from Ijaw or Isoko speaking area of Delta South senatorial district.

A quiet understanding for him to pick his running mate from Isokoland is said to be threatened by the very active support he received from Ijaw politicians during the governorship primaries.

Ogbaudu, in a chat with Vanguard, described the political permutation in the state as that which has perpetually made Isoko people fourth class

citizens since the state was created.

Saying that the people were determined to take the bull by the horn by insisting on producing the deputy governor, he noted: “As regards the

governorship issue, I was privy to the IDU statement and that’s my position.

Isoko marginalisation in Delta politics must stop. What comes round must go round.”

....As Ijaw leaders back Timinimi as Okowa’s running mate

T

poverty has filled everywhere.

“My honest advice to the people of Rivers State is to vote for a God-fearing man and not an emperor. It is my conviction that only a God-fearing man can wipe out poverty from the state."

HE Ijaw Transparency and Development Group, ITDG, has suggested the presentation of Mr George Timinimi as the running mate to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Delta State for the 2015 general elections.

In a statement yesterday, ITDG said Timinimi remains the most qualified and trustworthy Ijaw son to be the running mate to Okowa, considering his political experience and contributions to the development of Ijaw nation.

“Timinimi was former Vice Chairman of Warri South West Local Government Area, Special Assistant on Community Matters to

Chief James Ibori, former governor of Delta State, Chairman, G b a r a m a t u D e v e l o p m e n t Committee GDC, member of Delta State Transition Committee in 2007, Chairman of Delta Waterways Security Committee, and Commissioner for Water Resources and Development.

“Timinimi was appointed Chairman and member of the Presidential Committee on Peace and Conflict Resolution in Niger Delta by President Goodluck Jonathan when he was Vice President. Timinimi is a leader to several organisations including Gbaramatu-EgbemaOgulagha Coastal Communities Front," the group said.

Edo North senatorial candidate unveils agenda

T

HE All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial candidate for Edo North, Mr. Francis Alimikhena, has assured the people of the area of quality representation with a promise to bargain for benefits for his senatorial zone if voted for.

The APC senatorial candidate who spoke at his Agenebode country home in Etsako East Local Government Area, said: "I will pursue the interests of the people. I will participate effectively in law-making. I will help Edo North youths to acquire life skills, address ecological problems and ensure federal presence in Edo North.”

He thanked the leadership of APC in Edo State and party delegates, saying: “I consider your trust in me as sacred and I will justify your faith. "

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014—13

Amaechi, Wike playing out Ikwerre agenda, Princewill alleges

By Henry Umoru

A

B U J A — T H E governorship candidate of Labour Party, LP, for the 2015 general elections in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill, said yesterday, that there was no rift between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Nyesom Wike, noting that both of them were playing out an Ikwere agenda.

Princewill alleged that their soured relationship was fake and aimed at advancing a serious case for Ikwere people to enable them win next year’s election.

Prince Princewill said that even though he would not want to say all that he knew about the political quagmire between the governor and his erstwhile Chief of Staff, he questioned Amaechi’s quarrel with President Goodluck Jonathan, which he observed was misplaced.

Speaking with journalists, weekend, in Abuja, Princewill, who was one of the PDP governorship aspirants, stressed that Nigerians must

Tinubu commissions 60-bed hospital in Edo

not be deceived into believing that Wike was fighting with his former boss, but pursuing same objective for their people.

The LP governorship candidate who said that the people of the state will vote for President Jonathan next February, noted that the PDP will lose the state because of

its candidate and what he described as the disorganised state of the party, considering the way the primary election which produced Wike was conducted without other aspirants.

He said: “On the ground, Jonathan will win in Rivers State but with what has happened, PDP will lose some

votes and he will find that many people in Rivers State will blame him for it.”

According to him, his choice of Labour Party affords him the opportunity to express support for President Jonathan, noting that his new platform will help to stem the haemorraging from PDP to All Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers State.

COMMISSIONING: From left: Mr. Osarodion Ogie, Commissioner for Works, Edo State; Governor Adams Oshiomhole; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Mr. Wale Edun, former Commissioner for Finance, Lagos State, at the commissioning of the 6-lane New Lagos Road with walkways and street lights, in Benin City.

DELTA DEPUTY GOV: Be civil in your agitation, Macaulay urges Isoko

By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—ASIWAJU Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, has commissioned a new 60-bed Specialist Hospital, built by the Governor Adams Oshiomhole government, in Ewohinmi, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State, complete with state-of-theart equipment, threebedroom doctors’ quarters and two-bedroom nurses’ quarters.

Speaking at the commissioning of the hospital project which was first conceptualized but abandoned over 25 years ago, Tinubu, who is also a national leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, said that with the commissioning of the hospital and other projects in the state, Governor Oshiomhole has introduced infrastructural development revolution to Edo State.

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—AS the jostling for the Delta State deputy governorship position gathers momentum, Secretary to the State Government, Mr Ovuozorie Macaulay, yesterday, appealed to the Isoko ethnic nationality to adopt civilised method in their agitation for the position.

Addressing Isoko people who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in his Owhelogbo country home, Macaulay said that the Isokos with over 250,000 votes could not be toyed with.

Insisting that with the Ijaws having the senatorial position and the Itsekiris holding the governorship now, it was logical for the Isokos to be given the deputy governorship position in 2015.

He said that it was not enough to spill blood or to embark on public protest, adding that necessary machinery had been put in place to address the issue.

Noting that the agitation for

the Isokos to produce the deputy governor was not personal but a collective interest of the Isoko people, Macaulay commended Isoko delegates to the PDP governorship primary election

for their peaceful conduct.

Noting that primary election was not a “winner takes it all,” he stressed the need for the people to be united to be able to deliver the PDP governorship candidate.

Make choice of Okowa’s running mate collective responsibility —SMOOTH

T

HE Bolou-Owei of Niger Delta, Chief Tunde Smooth, has said that since the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deputy governorship slot had been ceded to the Ijaws, the choice of who becomes the running mate to Senator Infeanyi Okowa should be a collective responsibility and not that of a few persons.

He thanked the state governor, Dr. Emmanual Uduaghan, for the peaceful primaries that were conducted in the state, saying that the governor ’s commitment to peaceful co-existence was once again demonstrated during the various primaries.

Smooth, who addressed newsmen, said that Deltans should encourage the governor in ensuring that peace and love continue to reign in every part of the state.

He also congratulated Okowa on his emergence as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.

Chief Smooth appealed to the Ijaws that the choice of who to become the running mate to Okowa should be a collective responsibility, noting that there should be a meeting of all leaders and elders of Ijaw to decide who among their sons and daughters should be given the position.

PDP urged to cancel governorship primaries in A-Ibom

By Etop Ekanem

T

HE people of Oron in Akwa Ibom State have called on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, national leadership to cancel the party’s recent governorship primaries in the state and reconstitute a new panel to repeat the exercise with all aspirants given a level playing field.

The Oron ethnic nationality made the call in Lagos, weekend, during a peaceful protest to the Akwa Ibom State Liaison Office in Lagos following the outcome of the party primaries to submit a protest letter to be transmitted to Governor Godswill Akpabio of the state.

The protesters, who marched through some streets in Victoria Island, Lagos, carried placards with inscriptions such as: “Akpabio remember Oro nation gave you 100 % support,” “Oro Nation has suffered undue oppression,” Oro Nation wants 2015 governorship,” “Akpobio please stop the ethnic crisis in Akwa Ibom State,” “ We say no to imposition,” among others.

In the protest letter by the President, Oron Union, Lagos Branch, Mrs Felicia Essang-Oludare, the people of Oron, said: “There are verifiable reasons to state that the Oro people have endured extreme marginalisation on the basis of their ethnicity and have suffered extensive deprivation under the present Akwa Ibom State Government as constituted.”

They called on the “national leadership to cancel the recently flawed PDP governorship primaries in the state and reconstitute a new panel made up of men and women of integrity who can be trusted to act according to the law to repeat the exercise with all aspirants given a level playing field.

“In the alternative and considering the limitation in time imposed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, election timetable, a consensus candidate should be sourced from the list of Akwa Ibom State aspirants, with special attention to aspirants of Oro extraction.”

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Anglican bishop decries neglect of Okigwe

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI — THE Anglican Bishop of Okigwe Diocese, Rt. Rev. Edward Osuegbu, has cried out over what he called “the neglect of Okigwe town by successive administrations in Imo State.”

Bishop Osuegbu, in a chat with Vanguard, lamented that heaps of uncleared refuse had taken over the town.

“Okigwe has been, if you like, an abandoned area, administratively. It is unfortunate. The music, which we heard when we were very young was that all towns have developed except Okigwe and Orlu but today, Orlu has overtaken Okigwe. It is only Okigwe remaining.

"As you look round, you will see things for yourself that Okigwe does not get the attention it deserves and ought to get.”

Enugu-PH mass transit train services for launch tomorrow

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, will launch the passenger inter-city mass transit train services from Enugu-Port Harcourt tomorrow at the railway station, PortHarcourt, Rivers State.

The passenger train will shuttle between Enugu and Port Harcourt thrice weekly.

The launch is to be performed by the Vice President, Arc. Namadi Sambo, assisted by the NRC Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the Managing Director, Adeseyi Sijuade.

Rehabilitation contract for the South East- SouthSouth rail lines was awarded to ESER West Africa in 2010 with a completion time of 10 months.

Although the contractor had alleged delay in release of funds and vandalism as reasons for the delay in completion of the project, a cross section of NRC staff and Enugu residents are excited at the launch.

2015: Elechi's sabotaging PDP by supporting Labour Party — PDP candidates

By Peter Okutu

elections, weekend, alleged that Governor Martin Elechi’s support for the decampment of PDP faithful to Labour Party was an attempt to reverse the gains of the PDP in the state since 1999.

The group described the

governor’s decision and present political status as an act of sabotage and unbridled ingratitude, having BAKALIKI — THE served two terms as governor on the Coalition of Ebonyi State platform of PDP. Peoples Democratic Party, PDP But reacting, Chief Press Secretary candidates for the 2015 general to the Governor, Dr. Onyekachi Eni denied the claim that the governor was sabotaging the PDP, noting that Governor Elechi had ensured that Ebonyi remained a PDP state as the party had stabilised in the state.

Meanwhile, according to them, Governor Elechi’s support for his in-law, Chief Edward Nkwegu from Ebonyi North senatorial district to run as the LP gubernatorial candidate was a reflection of his insincerity to zone the governorship position to the South where Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu hailed from.

In a statement by 33 candidates of the PDP, including former governor Sam Egwu, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji, the Speaker of the INAUGURATION: Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, in a handshake state House of Assembly, with Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, former National Chairman, Peoples Chukwuma Nwazunku, Democratic Party, PDP, after the inauguration of Abia State PDP Sylvester Ogbaga, among Reconciliation committee, in Umahia. others, the candidates

A

recalled that under Governor Elechi’s watch many PDP faithful had left the party to join the opposition because of his self-imposing leadership style.

“Although, it smacks of unbridled ingratitude for a two term governor who came into office on the platform of PDP to turn round to sabotage that very platform, the truth of the matter is that since Governor Elechi was drafted into the PDP from ANPP in 2007 to contest the governorship election, the party has not known peace, and its fortunes have continued to dwindle."

“However, the out-going governor has chosen to be on the wrong side of history.

“What is most surprising is that the same Governor Elechi, who a few weeks ago was singing to the whole world that the governorship position should be zoned to the South, has suddenly eaten his own words.

2015, year of God’s visitation — Kumuyi T

HE GENERAL Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Folorunsho Kumuyi has declared that 2015 is the year of God’s visitation. He said God will give His people a cause to celebrate in the New Year.

Pastor Kumuyi, who made the declaration during the church’s 2014 National December retreat at the Deeper Life Conference Centre, DLCC, Km 42 Lagos/ Ibadan Expressway, weekend, said: “Things will turn around in your life. It is not what you saw yesterday, it is not what you see today, a brighter day is coming; the coming days for you will be better than the good old days. The things of the past may be wonderful, the things of today day will more wonderful.”

He urged all not to be like the complaining, critical and

murmuring Israelites in the Bible.

Instead, they must know “something better is awaiting them in the present day. Things are going to be better at this time,” he said, quoting copiously from the scriptures.

He further urged all not to meditate on the past, but “look forward for a new day, with new promises from the Lord.”

The pastor also urged Nigerians not to magnify present and past

crises, but rather magnify the promises and plan of God. “For you to know that God has come to visit His people… nothing will stop your onward journey,” he said.

“God has not written you off.

God has not forgotten you. There is a glorious day awaiting you; things will turn around… the bright future is starting today.”

Kumuyi also strongly admonished his teeming

2015: APC candidate raises alarm over plan to substitute him

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI — THE winner of the last House of Assembly primary election for Ezza North West state

constituency conducted by the All Progressives Congress, APC in the state,Unigwe Arinze, weekend, raised alarm over plot by some executive of the party to substitute his name with that of

Gov Orji canvasses votes for Ikpeazu, says he'll shun money-bags

By Anayo OkolI

U

MUAHIA — Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, has called on Abia people work for the success of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2015 general electios by voting into office as his successor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, with an assurance that he will not disappoint them.

According to the governor, Ikpeazu will shun money bags

adherents and other sincere seekers across the world to take insightful look into their lives and prepare for life beyond now; according to him, the return of the Lord is imminent.

He advised Nigerians not to seek powers outside the confines of the word of God, saying that "we do not need to kill ourselves to have worldly and ephemeral powers.The word of God should moderate our conducts on earth."

and listen to what the people want him to do to better their lots.

Orji who spoke, weekend, in Umuahia, when he met with Umuahia South stakeholders, who paid him a solidarity visit, urged the people to elect a good man who will have listening ears and shun money-bags According to Governor Orji, money-bag politicians would not have respect for Abians but would rather strive to recoup the money they spent on elections

if elected as was the case in the past.

He said that Ikpeazu, who is not so affluent but comfortable will not forget the people who helped him emerge as governor.

Orji who said that he had brought unity to the state, commended Abians for ensuring free and fair primaries and advised losers and winners to see themselves as brothers and put behind them the results of the polls.

a serving House of Assembly.

In a petition to the Chairman, APC Primaries Appeal Committee, Arinze accused the Minority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Enyi C. Enyi of plotting with the national secretariat of the party to replace his name (Arinze) with his own.

Enyi, who is the incumbent House member representing Ezza North West state constituency, failed to emerge the House of Representatives candidate of the party for Ezza North/Ishielu federal constituency of the state during the last primary election conducted by the party.

But reacting to the allegation, Enyi, who denied the allegation, said he was standing on the decision of the party that all APC legislators be returned to contest the 2015 general elections.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014—15

Bulet Construction slams N100bn libel suit against Unity Bank A

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

BUJA — AN internationally acclaimed building and civil engineering construction company, Bulet International (Nig) Ltd and its Chief Executive, Alhaji Ismaila Isa, have instituted a N100 billion libel suit against Unity Bank Plc. In the suit which was entered before a high court of the Federal Capital Territory, Unity Bank was said to have tarnished the public image of both the company and its Chief Executive by falsely claiming that the construction company was indebted to it to the tune of N6.856 billion.

Whereas the company sued as the 1st plaintiff, Alhaji Isa who was a former Minister of Water Resources and erstwhile President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, is the 2nd plaintiff in the matter.

In a 17-paragraph statement of claims entered before the court, the plaintiffs maintained that the bank, through its “defamatory and malicious publication," portrayed the construction firm as a rogue company and a failed enterprise.

The plaintiffs told the court that Unity Bank never granted them any N6.8 billion credit facility as it claimed.

It averred that trouble started when in 2013 Unity Bank commenced debt recovery actions against Bulet at the FCT High Court and the case was dismissed on

February 24, 2014 for lack of reasonable cause of action.

While the said suit was pending, Unity Bank through its Lawyer I. H. Yamah wrote false and malicious letters to Bulets' tenants and clients, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, CBN, Australian and American Embassies as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conveying an auction sale notice (threatening to sell the property

tenants, warning them not to have any commitments to their landlord.

The bank, this year, also instituted another suit which is still pending in court and is being challenged by Bulet for nondisclosure of reasonable cause of action, in which ruling has been fixed for February 2015.

The plaintiffs said that while awaiting the ruling, the bank went ahead again to publish public notices and articles in numerous newspapers as well as on its internet outlets, specifically addressed to the CBN, containing list of alleged debtors of which plaintiff’s names were falsely and maliciously added. According to the plaintiffs, the letters, newspaper reports and public notices by the bank meant that the plaintiffs are bankrupt and irresponsible and took bank credit with intent to defraud the bank.

The plaintiffs said that the letters and public notices were understood by the public that Unity Bank gave N6.8 billion credit facilities and was in custody perfected mortgage GRADUATION: From left, Director General, Department of State Service, Mr. of Ekpenyong Ita, chatting with former Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Saad instruments which exposed the Ibrahim, and Representative of Ooni of Ife, Oba Kole Ojutalayo, during graduation plaintiffs’s tenants to auction sale ceremony of the Executive Intelligence Management Course, in Abuja, weekend. of their home and offices.

Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

Hon flays secret trial, conviction of soldiers

ALLEGED MUTINY:

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA — A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and constitutional lawyer, Mr. Sebastian Hon, SAN, has described the recent secret trial and eventual death sentence that was passed on 54 soldiers by the military tribunal as unconstitutional, null and void.

He maintained that the trial and conviction should be assumed not to have taken place.

Hon, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, argued that "section 36(3) of the 1999 Constitution mandatorily requires all criminal trials to be conducted in public and not in secret."

According to him: “The secret trial of these suspects, therefore, amounts to a gross violation of this mandatory constitutional provision.

“Let it be sounded out in crystal clear terms that section 36(3) of the Constitution falls under Chapter IV of the said Constitution, which in turn has guaranteed certain inalienable rights termed fundamental rights.

“Superior courts of record in Nigeria, including the Supreme Court, have held that these rights are above the ordinary laws of the land, in this case, including military laws and rules. See Randome-Kuti vs. Attorney-General of the Federation (1985) 2 NWLR (Pt. 6) 211 SC; WAEC vs.

Adeyanju (2008) 9 NWLR (Pt. 1092) 270 at 304 SC and Essien vs. Inyang (2012) All FWLR (Pt. 628) 951 at 967 CA, etc.

“More important, the Supreme Court in the fairly recent case of Nigerian Army vs.

Aminun-Kano (2010) All FWLR (Pt. 528) 1805 at 1832 SC held in emphatic terms that the fundamental rights provisions of the Constitution apply to all Nigerians, including members of the armed forces, who are also entitled to the protection of the guaranteed rights!

“It is in the light of the above that I submit on most firm grounds that the secret trial and conviction of 54 soldiers by a military tribunal is null and void on the ground that it infringes on section 36(3) of the Constitution. Be it noted that this subsection has specifically outlawed secret criminal trials by a “court or tribunal.

“A military tribunal, without any iota of doubt, is covered by these provisions.

“Finally, it will be idle to argue that failure by defence counsel to raise timely objection against the said trial will rob him of the opportunity to do so on appeal. In the first place, the right guaranteed under section 36(3) being fundamental, cannot be waived.

“Secondly, superior appellate courts of record in Nigeria have been consistent in annuling trials which offend the subsection, objection or no objection. See lavishly on this: Edibo vs. State (2007) All FWLR (Pt. 384) 192 SC, Onwubuya vs.

Statw (2014) All FWLR (Pt. 742) 1700 CA and Okoro vs. State (2012) 1 SC (Pt. 1) 1 at 50.

“Head or tail, therefore, the trial, conviction and sentence to death of 54 soldiers by a military tribunal, in so far as it was done in secret, remains unconstitutional, null and void. I strongly believe the Court of Appeal will void the convictions.”

being occupied by the tenants).

The plaintiffs said that the defamatory publications were false, malicious and baseless and calculated to mislead the public.

In the said offensive letters, Unity Bank alleged that it loaned the plaintiff N6.856 billion, adding that the bank was in possession of perfected legal mortgage over the landed property occupied by the

16—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Adeboye off-sets medical bill of injured prisoner ....pledges intervention on behalf of another Kabiru in his welcome address, Pastor Adeboye said: “I have glanced through your requests, by the grace ENERAL OVERSEER of The of Jesus they are all granted,” he said, Redeemed Christian Church of God, pledging also to involve the church’s RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, legal department to study the case of yesterday, pledged to off-set the medical an inmate who was convicted three bill of an inmate of Maximum Security years a few days ago, after four years Prisons, Kirikiri, Lagos, Ighalo Joel who of awaiting trial. fractured his leg while playing football “I thought that after four years of in the prison field. awaiting trial for an offence that Adeboye, on a scheduled bi-annual attracts three years sentence, they will visit/end-of-the-year-service to the just say, 'go.' Our legal department Maximum Security Prison, also acceded will look into this. If there is anything to the request to renovate and equip the at all that can be done, we will do it,” tailoring, shoe making and carpentry Adeboye said, explaining that there workshops in the prison just as he was a similar case that he had to commissioned 40 solar street lights for involve himself in during President the use of prison community.

Obasanjo’s regime.

Responding to a table of requests “I remember I met a man here who presented by the chaplain of Liberty had been on death role for 27 years.

Chapel in the prisons, Pastor Tunwashe What he told me then tore my heart into two; he said execution is done very early in the morning, he waited to 4.00 a.m. before he could sleep; that if he didn’t hear any footsteps before 4.00 a.m., he knows he was not dying “the that day. For 27 years RANSFORMATION statement, AMBASSADORS of commencement of this years he had suffered Nigeria, TAN, has national peace and unity that,” he said.

Continuing, Pastor declared that the sustained programme will also achievements of President present TAN with a Adeboye said when he Goodluck Jonathan and humanitarian opportunity left the prison that day, he the continuity of his to reach out to military contacted the then administration will hospitals to boost the President Olusegun guarantee peace, unity morale of the security Obasanjo, and “I told him and progressive agencies as well as no matter what this man orphanages, widows, did suffering for 27 years development of Nigeria.

TAN in a statement, youth groups, women is enough punishment community and he directed me to the yesterday, signed by its groups, Director of Media and leaders, religious leaders then governor of Lagos Publicity, Christian and other organised State, Asiwaju Bola Udechukwu, said it will Jonathan support groups Tinubu. I talked to Tinubu and Tinubu said I soon commence a nationally.

“TAN, in addition, will should talk to the chief nationwide peace, unity and humanitarian open opportunities for judge and I thank God outreach to ease the Nigerians to sign up and something was done.”

According to Pastor suffering of internally recruit Peace and Unity displaced persons, victims Volunteers in support of Kabiru, the inmate that got of communal strife, Goodluck Jonathan and his leg fractured in the sectarian and political Namadi Sambo for their course of exercising when violence, terrorism and outstanding leadership in playing football on the insurgency in its efforts to piloting the affairs of our field, now requires a support President nation as Africa’s number surgical operation that will cost N300,000. one economy.

Jonathan.

According to the

By Sam Eyoboka

G

TAN launches unity, humanitarian outreach nationwide

T

Nsukka people in UK commend Chime over choice of senatorial candidate

E

OPLE FROM Nsukka geopolitical zone living in the United Kingdom, have applauded Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State over what they called, ‘his consistency in delivering gains of democracy” Speaking under the aegis of Nsukka Welfare Association UK, President of the group, David Anie Okoro stated that the governor has assuaged the wishes of his people by his choice of people that will handle the mantle of leadership in the state after his tenure.

Specifically, the group commended the backing he gave the newly elected senatorial candidate for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu North senatorial zone, Hon.

Chukwuka Utazi whom they described as “a great and humble leader.”

According to Okoro: “Hon. Utazi is a great and humble leader that would be used by God to lead our senatorial area into greater developments in all areas and we wish him God’s grace and protection as he builds an Enugu North that will serve and last.

“Hon. Chukwuka Utazi has achieved greatness. He did not stumble into greatness and the reason he has the mandate of the PDP for Enugu North senatorial zone is because the party under the leadership of Barrister Sullivan Chime in Enugu State has seen in Hon. Utazi, a leader that loves his people and would do all that is required to ensure that Nsukka senatorial zone maximises its potential.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 17

C M Y K

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 FOCUS has been on the terrorists that have been attacking the North East, but a new set of terrorists have emerged, though ignored, they are cutting off whatever ameliorations are planned for victims of terror. The new terrorists disrupt aids meant for victims of terror. They are not new to their game, they only change garbs.

When the President launched the Terror Victims’ Fund, last August, perennial presidential friends and newer arrivals shelled out over N58 billion in one night for the fund. The performance exceeded the President’s expectations by N8 billion.

How has the money been used? How many redeemed their pledges? How can so-called philanthropists be benefitting from the plights of victims of terror through unearned publicity?

On 8 November 2012, a similar gathering raised N11.35 billion for victims of Nigeria’s worst flooding in 50 years. More than two years after, most donors have not paid. Last year, the Presidential Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee threatened to name them after a June 30 deadline. The committee asked them to “ respect themselves and maintain their

Terroris ts In Ne w errorists New Garbs honour and integrity ”, by redeeming their pledges. The committee failed to name them, covering their crime.

Some of the fraudsters, who masqueraded as philanthropists at the November 2012 fund raising, tur ned up at the August dinner and promised money they have no plans to pay. President Goodluck Jonathan effusively praised the latest “philanthropists”. It was a replay of his ebullience at the 2012 event. He made no mention of the botched relief fund for flood victims, though those who should account for its failure were present.

What did the President promise the August diners? He promised tax incentives to the

November 2012 “philanthropists”. The flood fund committee made a public complaint that without contributing their pledges, some of the pretenders cashed the presidential incentives, a criminal offence that should have been punished under appropriate laws. They were not punished.

Unfortunately, the matter appears rested.

Already there are complaints that relief materials meant for victims of terror attacks were being diverted, meaning that in addition to unredeemed pledges, relief materials may not get to victims, as was the case during the 2012 flooding.

It is time we started treating criminals, whether in low or high places, with the ignominy they deserve. It would not be adequate to receive their pledges whenever they pay. Why the silence over the fraud?

Is the President unaware of the crime?

Without fraudsters in 2012 being punished, it is not surprising pledges for the Ter ror Victims’ Fund in suffering the same fate, in addition to relief materials being diverted. Stringent measures, including sanctions, are necessary to deter shameless fraudsters wherever they are found.

OPINION

By Bobson Gbinije “Man supposes that he directs his life and governs his actions, when his existence is irretrievably under the control of destiny.”

-Goethe (1749-1832) HE ruthless apotheosization of money, wealth, success, fame, greatness and power etc has stimulated the passion for multidimensional strategies for achieving them. The deification of money and power has ascended the dangerous crescendo where human spare parts, diabolical rivalry, spiritual poisoning, family feud, voodooistic proclivities and cultic magic have become the major ritualistic paraphernalia and in their wake leaving many people mad, dead, poor, deformed and some as mobile corpses.

The voodooistic ritualist and ritualism have continued to maintain a banal presence in the Nigerian society. Within the context of usage, a ritualist is anybody who performs the rites, mystery, ceremony and liturgy of life, using demonic mediums like sexual defilement of women lunatics, child virgins, human spare parts, incestuous orgies and adulterous escapades.

But the concern of this writer in this submission is the rampageous prevalence of sexual assault on women lunatics in Nigeria. The ritualists say making love with or having carnal knowledge of women lunatics remains the most potent antidote to most problems. What a shame! We know why most ritualists and their patronizers are never tried in Nigeria. It is because they are the partners in crime with those at the helm of affairs, politicians and the rich.

T

Politicians, voodoo and power th On the 5 November 2014, this writer was driving from Warri Club at about 10:15pm when four men alighted from a Prado Jeep and a Mercedes Benz 230 V-Boot. They pounced on a popular woman lunatic who loiters around Enerhen junction and took her into Igbudu Primary School and sexually abused her. I slowed down to observe part of this show of shame. th On the 19 of February 2014 this writer was also driving into Warri from Sapele at about 10:30pm when three men accosted a woman lunatic at the Effurun/Warri Roundabout and took her into the Naval open field and made love to her in turns. I drove to Ekpan junction and told the police what was going on, they simply laughed and said, “Mind your business”. I have seen this same scenario being played out in Port Harcourt, Lagos, Jos, Abuja and Benin City.

What a shame!

Some of our societal and traditional values are so disparagingly skewed against our women that when things happen to them they are sheepishly waved away. Why will a socalled normal human descend to the desperately depredatory level of making love to a woman lunatic? It is also an unquestionable truism that beliefs, practices and customs in Nigeria are fundamentally redolent in religious archetypal and paradigms. The prevalence of gender prejudices allows for female genital mutilations (FGM), sexual harassments, rape, inheritance taboos and widow torture against our women.

The woman is seen as an infrading and bovine dunderheaded noodle notwithstanding her education and status in society. Hence ritualists have also come to see the woman as the most active ingredient in their pot-pourri of demonic concoction. It is also a basic fact that some women are part of this luciferous syndicate that are out to completely and eternally debase womanhood by their shameless involvement in women, child and girls trafficking and human rituals. If green leaves should burn, what will dry leaves do?

We call on the National Assembly to enact a law that will checkmate the impurity of ritualists in our society. We call on state Commissioners of Women Affairs to immediately fine-tune logistics and orchestrate actions that will forestall the loitering of women lunatics on our streets, because it exposes them to ritualists and sexual harassments. We call on the families of women lunatics to show some remorse by attending to their own by taking them to Lunatic Psychiatric Centres or Mental Homes and we beseech all Nigerians,that we all belong to a common humanity and hence must learn to be our brother’s keepers.

When one lunatic patient is maltreated, it is our responsibility to rise to salvage him or her.

We sometimes come across pregnant lunatics undergoing the trauma of childbirth and members of the society walk past and go about their business without any qualms of conscience. Sometimes, we also see mad

women carrying their own babies on the streets. This, no doubt, exposes the baby and the mother to ritualists and other miscreants. We call on the local Government Authorities, State Governments, NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs) and other statutory bodies to please rise to save our women lunatics and their children.

As the 2015 elections approaches, politicians and their ilk are preparing to acquire power by all means. They are much more prone to getting to their hierarchical echelon by voodooistic acrobatics and diabolical manipulations. Politicians are adviced in their own political and spiritual interest to steer clear of human and blood shedding. The essayist John Webster (15801625) said in his book ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ that “Heaven-gates are not so highly arch’d as princes palaces,. They that enter there must go upon their knees”.

Finally, our world is drifting towards the taratoid epicenter of horrific promiscuity and awesome materialism, where money, fame and power have become our God. We now pharisaically and hypocritically call the name of the true “GOD ALMIGHTY” in deceit. Hence, William Somerville said “Let all the learned say what they can, it is ready money that makes the man”. But money and power are transient. Let us seek integrity, instead of voodooistic ascension to power, wealth and fame. Politicians must fear God, before, during and after the 2015 elections for Nigeria to move forward.

*Mr. Gbinije, a social critic,wrote from

Warri, Delta State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014— —19

NASS crisis: In defence of IGP Abba

By Ikenna Anyanwu

I

N the course of Suleiman Abba's three decades of service to the nation and the Police Force, he has criss-crossed the entire landscape of Nigeria. Following his appointment as the 17th Indigenous Inspector-General of Police by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Police IG wasn't in doubt about the immensity of the task ahead of him.

So far, IGP Abba has kept his word as the Nigeria Police Force under his watch has experienced a new lease of life. Officers are undergoing more professional training and retraining, both within and outside Nigeria.

Since he assumed office, cases of accidental discharge have become a thing of the past.

He effectively supervised the conduct of Ekiti and Osun elections security-wise, a feat that was preceded by a nationally televised interface with all the stakeholders to drum the need for a hitch free election. This has been commended even internationally.

He demonstrated readiness for the 2015 general election with the sterling performance of the Force in the Ekiti and Osun elections.

The inhuman and ugly baby factory business in the country has been routed following a directive by the IGP. Cattle rustlers are on the run as the IGP has declared total war on them and other antisocial elements.

In the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency, IGP Abba has not been found wanting.

Be that as it may, IGP Abba has been confronted with some challenges which he has been dealing with in a most professional manner.

The one in the front burner is the raging controversy over the incident of Thursday, November 20, 2014, when the Police, acting on intelligence report that the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and APC supporters were going to attack the legislature and other public offices , moved in to forestal any ugly development that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

The procedure was orderly until the arrival of the embattled Speaker, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal,his men and other handlers on suspected to be thugs to disrupt security and peace with the legislative environment.

They broke the security cordon and forcefully entered the National Assembly Complex; while some honourable members, scaled the fence to gain access to the Assembly Complex.

Interestingly, the Police in keeping with the policy of the IG which discourages excesses were restrained in the face of the brazen provocations, including physical assault.

No legislator was arrested; no legislator was prevented from entering the National Assembly as the police only prevented thugs from entering the National Assembly on that fateful day.

Not surprising though, much have been written and said about the incident. Equally, the Police Inspector-General has appeared before a House Committee to explain why the Police had to shut the gates of the National Assembly where he was said to have refused to recognize Honourable Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker of the House of Representatives. That is

not the true story. I watched the IG say that since the issue is in court, he would not comment on it – because it is subjudice, what is wrong with that? Is it safe for a citizen to comment on an issue before a court;would it not amount to contempt? And IG Abba is a seasoned lawyer.

It will be recalled that on Thursday, October 30, IGP Abba ordered the redeployment of all the security aides attached to the former Speaker. The directive was hinged on Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that, “a member of the Senate or House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected.”

Reactions of the APC is infantile and untenable.

APC stalwarts most often than not are unable to view issues dispassionately

In view of the recent defection by Right Hon. Tambuwal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the People’s Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress and having regard to the clear provision of section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Nigeria Police Force redeployed its personnel attached to his office. The Police is demanded by law to enforce that law. The Police should not fold its arms and watch illegality.

Tambuwal, in response to this move, filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, urging the court to reinstate his security detail on the basis that the IGP had no right to withdraw them without the order of a competent court.

The suit was struck out on November 17, after the lawyer who filed it on behalf of Tambuwal, Tunji Abayomi, applied to withdraw it. Did the IGP err on the side of caution?

For those suggesting that the IG should wait for the courts to interpret a section of the constitution that is quite glaring are obviously out of touch with reality.

In the first place, Alhaji Tambuwal did not wait for the court before his hasty defection. If he is not a man who wants to eat his cake and still have it, he would have known the consequences of his action and done the honourable thing which is to resign his position as Speaker. But that was not the case as he was torn between joining the presidential race and gubernatorial race of Sokoto State while still basking as the Speaker having discarded the

Transf orming the inf ormal sect or: The Lagos e ransforming informal sector: exxample

By Tayo Ogunbiyi

T

HE Informal sector is an economic activity that is neither taxed nor monitored by a government; and is not included in that government's Gross National Product (GNP); as opposed to a formal economy. It refers to very small-scale units producing and distributing goods and services, and consisting largely independent, self employed producers in urban areas of developing countries. Opinion vary widely on what should be the appropriate attitude towards the informal sector. While some tend to see it in terms of popular development, a vital source of employment and income for the poor, the seedbed of local entrepreneurship and a potent instrument in the campaign to tackle poverty; others simply dismiss it as an anomaly, a source of disorder, and an obstacle to the development of a modern economy.

Whatever the standpoint, there is no doubt that the informal sector, particularly in developing economies, remains a sold bedrock for economic emancipation of the downtrodden. In Nigeria, the Lagos example amply reinforces the fact that, if properly regulated and harnessed, the informal sector possesses enormous wealth creation potential. Subsequently, in today’s Lagos, it is difficult to ignore the sector as it has become a veritable source of prosperity and employment for many. The transporters, vulcanisers, mechanics, battery chargers, fashion designers, hair dressers, barbers, traders, painters, welders, carpenters, bricklayers, farmers, etc have so much become an integral part of our daily life that the formal sector cannot do without them.

Hence, any government that refuses to recognise the potentials of the sector as a catalyst for growth does so at its own peril.

Consequently, the administration of Mr.

Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), in Lagos, (LASDRI) on 13th May, 2009. Also, evolved several policies and programmes members of the Lagos State Cab Drivers that have accommodated and integrated the Association were assisted to secure loans to sector into the development process in the purchase brand new Nissan cars to enhance State. Some of the policies have helped to the quality and scope of their operation in regulate the activities of the sector thereby the state. It should equally be stressed that ensuring orderliness and enhanced all the buses being used in the BRT operation productivity. are strictly owned by informal sector In order to monitor and standardise the operators who only enjoy the conducive activities of the Tradesmen and Artisans, the operational environ provided by the State State Government through the Government through road Enterprise identification Law segregation and upgrading of other road infrastructure. The engaged in the identification and registration of various Nigeria Union of Road Trade Associations in order to Transport Workers (NURTW), have a comprehensive data for instance, owns some of the bank of the practitioners for buses with funds secured from planning purposes and to Ecobank Nigeria Ltd while another batch of the buses is enable the Government determine the infrastructural owned by LAGBUS Assets needs of this sub-sector so as Management Nigeria Limited. to reduce the cost of doing Buoyed by the widespread business. The long term plan acceptance of the BRT scheme, of government in respect of the the State Government has expanded the scope of its project, which was launched on Friday 24th August, 2007, is to operation to other routes such add value to information as Yaba-Oyingbo , Ipajacollected and collated by using Egbeda-Igando, Oshodi-Sango Any it to produce a comprehensive Otta, Ojodu-Berger/Ikeja business directory to be called among others. government Another core area of the ‘Lagos Pages’ to expose all the legitimate businesses in the that refuses informal sector in which the state to the international Fashola Administration has investors. With the Law to recognise achieved remarkable success is promulgated in 1989 as an food security. In terms of meat the Edict and reviewed in 2003 as production and distribution, the Eko Meat Vans were an Act, the State Government potentials of has identified and registered introduced into the state’s meat various Trade and Artisan the sector as circulation process to put an Associations. end to the health hazard a catalyst for In order to improve the associated with the crude style driving skills of commercial growth does of distributing meat in the past as well as ensuring food security drivers in the state, government established the so at its own through modern and hygienic Lagos State Drivers’ Institute peril mode of meat transportation.

party that put him in the limelight.

Talk of vaulting ambition! It is only in Nigeria that this kind of shameful (macabre) dance can take place.

Perhaps, President Jonathan is partly to blame for not spotting rebellious'' Tambuwal on time which should have necessitated impeachment moves against him.

This would have effectively put Tambuwal in his place and saved the nation all the embarrassment.

Some have called for the resignation of the IGP, while Alhaji Atiku Abubakar went ahead to accuse him of endangering democracy by enforcing a Constitutional provision.

The pertinent question however is who amongst the lot has endangered democracy? Alhaji Tambuwal and his cohorts in the APC who are hell-bent on overheating the polity and subverting the Constitution to suit their selfish ambitions or the Police IG who followed the relevant provisions of the Constitution thereby ensuring that there is no breakdown of law and order?

The Police in the present imbroglio have been circumspect, fair and just.

That is why the reactions of the APC is infantile and untenable.

APC stalwarts most often than not are unable to view issues dispassionately.

It does not matter whether the IGP was appointed or not, (after all, at some point we are all appointed), what matters is whether he is competent on the job and this he has proven beyond reasonable doubts. Certainly, the APC will not achieve much by being so peevish and unnecessarily combative.

•Mr. Anyanwu, a security expert,, wrote from Lagos.

To ensure the active involvement of butchers in the project, government introduced the Butchers Association to some commercial banks for the purpose of securing loans for the procurement of over 50 meat vans. In same vein, modern equipments have been installed into some of the state’s abattoirs to ensure that they strictly comply with global best practice.

Similarly, in order to boost food production in the state, government conceived the rice for job scheme which is meant to assist local rice farmers to access fund and embrace modern technology which will enable them produce on a large scale. Also, government has put in place an agrinet project for farmers in the state to fast-track the dissemination of agricultural and natural resources information and technologies to farmers, upland dwellers, and rural entrepreneurs. Through this, government now makes information on all agro products in the state available electronically to provide strategic information for farmers, government authorities, and other stakeholders at state and local government levels. Government is also developing and promoting ICT skills among agricultural extension workers and farmers.

In the area of empowerment, through its many skill acquisition and vocational training centres, government has trained over 100,000 people across the state while many of the centres were recently upgraded into core entrepreneurship hubs. Similarly, over 24,000 entrepreneurs have been empowered with micro-credit facilities secured from the state’s EKO MicroFinance schemes. Periodically, government doles out equipment such as pepper grinding machines, sewing machines, cameras, deep freezers, power generating sets among others to beneficiaries as a way of enhancing their socio-economic status.

•Mr. Ogunbiyi is a staff of the Features Unit of the Ministry of Information Startegy, Alausa, Lagos.

C M Y K

20—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

W

E are still discussing matters arising from the emergence of the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as we get set for the frenzy of presidential campaigns. The searchlight is more on the APC because it is the new kid on the block. The party is beset with a number of post-natal problems.

Some of its leading lights have almost made a vocation of failing in their bids to take over power from the ruling PDP. Quite apart from the much touted incumbency factors which naturally play in the PDP’s favour, a close examination of why presidential also-rans, such as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Major General Muhammadu Buhari failed in the past will reveal fatal flaws which, if not quickly fixed on this new platform, will still become the major reasons they may fail, yet again. Unfortunately for the party, these are mentality problems which relate to the twin demons of religion and regionalism; problems that their opponent, PDP does not have; has never had.

The major leg of the religious factor assailing the APC is linked to the original calculations behind the mergers that became the APC. It was reasoned that if the North West, with its real or bogus population and number of registered voters combines with the large population and voters of the South West, they can produce a president of Nigeria.

Let us put it in figures for greater clarity. In 2011, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the following figures as the final number of voters by geopolitical zones: South-West: 14,269,163 voters out of official (2006) population of 27,722,432; South East: 7,577,212 out of 16,395,555; South-South: 9,474,427 out of 21,044,081; North West: 19,803,689 out of 35,915,467; North East: 10,949,689 out of 18,984,299 and

Those hawks circling Buhari North Central: 10,684,017 out of 18,968,717.

It is a historical fact that the APC was originally formed by mergers of regional parties of Arewa North and South West, such as the All Nigerian Political Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for Arewa North and the Action Congress of Nigeria for South West. The main motivating reason for the birth of APC was to remove power from President Jonathan and give it to back to Arewa. The calculation and permutation was that if Arewa Muslim North-based parties (where the reactionary elements have been clamouring for the North to snatch back political power, which they regard as their

The problem with Nigerian politicians is that they carry these heavy loads into political contests and when they lose, they say they have been rigged out

birthright) combine their perceived voting strength with that of the South West, they will win the presidency with or without the support of the rest three zones.

This is because their numbers, based on the 2011 INEC figures, will come to a voting strength of 44,848,911 compared to the share of other three regions (SE, SS and NC: 27,735,656) where the PDP (and by extension President Goodluck Jonathan) seems to derive virtually unwavering support.

This calculation failed woefully in 2011 because the eventual number of voters came to just about 37 million votes, and the voting pattern did not follow this prediction. Besides, it is not easy to use religion and region as baits to persuade political leaders from Arewa who are big stakeholders in the PDP federal government to transfer their loyalty from their ruling party to a new one that is merely aspiring to take over.

This pattern of merger created a big problem for the APC. Because the North East and North West are Muslimdominated and the South West is not only made up of about fifty per cent Muslims but also has a leadership that are mostly Muslims, it became difficult to balance the leadership of the party with Christian elements.

This gave PDP supporters room to slam unsavoury tags on the party, such as “Janjaweed”, “Muslim Brotherhood” and what have you. However, the APC

received major lifelines with the continued presence of Senator Chris Ngige and Governor Rochas Okorocha from the South East and Edo State’s Governor Adams Oshiomhole. This was buoyed by Rivers State’s Rotimi Amaechi, who decamped from PDP. It was a lifeline, but it has not cured the fundamental problem.

The difficulty that APC’s presidential candidate had in picking his running mate owed to the faulty foundation of the party. Only Muslims have clout among the South West leaders of the party. There is no visible electoral asset from the South West who is a Christian in the APC leadership. Therefore, only a Muslim/Muslim ticket would be strong, but not strong enough to win a presidential election.

Southern partner The Christians will feel left out, and obviously, the bid is bound to fail – again. But if they gave the VP to Yoruba Christian who cannot get votes it will become Buhari/Pastor Tunde Bakare all over again. And if they take it to the South-South, which has been a major financier through Amaechi, the main southern partner of Arewa in this merger – The South West – will have nothing to show for their sacrifices. It is really a bone in APC’s throat!

Another, more insidious problem the APC presidential candidate is already facing is what I call the circling of hawks. Northern regional hawks, who tried to snatch power from President Jonathan inside the PDP but repeatedly failed, have now moved over to the APC. These include Professor Ango Abdullahi, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Alhaji Ibrahim Coommassie and Dr. Junaidu Mohammed, among the rest. They have already formed a cabal around Buhari.

These are the unabashed “born-

to-rule” elements who believe that Nigeria is a colony of Arewa, and it is anathema to them that anyone who is not a privileged, anointed Hausa-Fulani Muslim should lead them. These are the people who have made it clear that the war on the Boko Haram insurgency is a “war against the North”. Coomassie and Abdullahi have already announced that Buhari is a “candidate of the North”.

What will happen if Buhari wins the 2015 election? It is obvious these hawks will move in and resume their old Arewa agenda that caters for the privileged aristocrats while impoverishing the masses. These were the people who pioneered the seizure of mission schools to truncate the educational advantage of the South and Christians, who promote the quota system, convert the federal ministries, parastatals and agencies to honeypots for their kinsmen and women; people who regard the oil wells of the Niger Delta as their booty. These people are actually de-marketing the Buhari candidacy further. But the funny thing is that these hawks are mere opportunists. They have no electoral value for Buhari and the APC, but they are waiting and hoping for the buffet to be ready.

Then, they will crowd out the non-Arewa merger partners.

After all, they have their power back.

The APC must reform these foundational negatives and balance the leadership and structure of their party if they hope to last the distance in this race. They must tone down sectionalism and tell the hawks to take the back seat or actually jump off the bus. These are issues that can turn voters against even candidates that are otherwise highly rated. The problem with Nigerian politicians is that they carry these heavy loads into political contests and when they lose, they say they have been rigged out.

OPINION OBJ: The man, the Book and the law

I

By Alex Akpodiete

N the Nigerian political landscape, there is an individual that some believe to be larger than life.

Whether he is a septuagenarian or octogenarian, is a subject for debate amongst many people. Nonetheless, he still maintains the record of being the only person to have been both a military Head of State and a democratic President. The jury is still out as to whether or not he should be considered a statesman. This may be because of his penchant for making statements when a true statesman may have chosen to remain silent or restricted his statement to a closed-door meeting.

I am of course referring to Chief Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd.), the one-time Board of Trustee member of the Peoples Democratic Party. Some of his antics have made some pundits to wonder if he was a closet opposition party member.

Don’t forget that OBJ had stated that he was staying away from active politics but also recently met with members of the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC). The delegation included recently defected Speaker of the House of representatives and APC Sokoto State Governorship candidate, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. Tambuwal is the one who joined Obasanjo in 2013 to throw two salvos on the President one concerning the executive shielding of oil thieves and a second about the State of corruption in the country.

C M Y K

Please see my article titled Obasanjo & Tambuwal's salvos on Jonathan. In that article, I commented on OBJ’s politically motivated wherein he warned the President to act “before it is too late.” Obasanjo in that 18-page letter stated that “Allegation of keeping over 1000 people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha and training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and the people of Nigeria.”

Pursuant to The Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, Part 1, Subsection B (5), OBJ is a member of The Council of State which comprises: “(a) the President, who shall be the Chairman; (b) the Vice-President, who shall be the Deputy Chairman; (c) all former Presidents of the Federation and all former Heads of the Government of the Federation; (d) all former Chief Justices of Nigeria; (e) the President of the Senate; (f) the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (g) all the Governors of the states of the Federation; and (h) the Attorney-General of the Federation”. They are supposed to be patriotic and advise the president privately, instead of issuing inflammatory and self-serving statements.

We have always wondered whether OBJ is working against the president. In a piece titled Obasanjo vs Jonathan, I raised this issue and wondered if GEJ and

OBJ were on a collision course. It should be recalled that GEJ provoked OBJ by stating at a press briefing on Sunday, November 25, 2012 that the method employed

by OBJ in handling the infamous 1999 Odi problem was not effective.

OBJ who is famous for laughing, especially at his former VP, Atiku Abubakar, chose to ignore a court order and publish his book called “My Watch.” As expected, the book made scatting allegations against President Goodluck Jonathan and the members of National Assembly. The aim in this analysis is not to comment on the veracity of the contents of the book, but to ask why the book was released in contravention of a subsisting court order and why the book had to be launched at this heightened political period. Was it a marketing strategy or a move meant to aid the opposition?

The contents of the book are not that different from OBJ’s statements almost in 2012 that “today rogues and armed robbers are in the States Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly.” Additionally, he quipped added that the judiciary was overwrought with corruption. I guess he should know because some of these people were put in their positions during his “watch.”

Now that a Court has issued an interlocutory contempt order that OBJ must answer within 21 days, I wonder if Baba is still laughing. *Rev. Akpodiete, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

DECEMBER 22, 2014

F

reight forwarders and terminal operators are set for another showdown over disagreement on terminal charges.

This follows the failure of the management of APM Terminal to honour the agreement reached with the agents to end the strike action which grounded port operations at APM terminal few weeks ago, as well as the judgment of the High Court on Wednesday, which directed terminal operators to comply with the directive of the Nigeria Shippers Council to reduce terminal charges.

Last month, freight forwarding groups went on strike for ten days to protest high and unapproved charges imposed by AP Terminal. The freight forwarding groups include the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF and National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLC. The groups demanded among other things that, “Booking for container examination/scanning to start at 8am and to end at 2pm. All containers booked must be dropped/scanned at once. Examination should start at 9am and continue till 6pm.

“After the entrance of a truck into the main gate of the port with “Terminal Delivery Order, TDO”, failure by APM Terminal to load, the TDO will remain valid without further rating or payment till whenever the container will be loaded.

“APM Terminal and shipping companies have turned our trucks and roads to the empty container bay, exposing our drivers and motorists who must be on their trucks for 24 hours basis to untold hardship and security risks, while agents continue to lose their shipping companies as long as the containers are on the truck. We call for an urgent agreement on how to drop empty containers at a holding bay outside the terminal.

“Free period before storage charges to be extended to 10 days from the day of discharge of containers from the ship.

“Terminal storage and shipping company demurrage charges must be waived throughout the period of this service withdrawal. Public holidays not to be charged and TDO should be written on Saturdays and Sundays.”

FORUM - From left:, Mr. Radwan Akar, Chairman, Provita Vitaforce Foods, Amb. Moses Essien, Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Government Research Leadership Technology, and Mr. Kassem Tay,the Company Marketing Manager, during the African product forum held in Abuja.

Terminal charges: Agents, terminal operators set for another showdown

By GODFREY BIVBERE & ANGES OBIABO The strike action was however suspended following agreement between the agents and the management of APM Terminal.

Vanguard however gathered that the company has reneged on three of the agreements and the agents are threatening to resume the strike

action.

Vanguard gathered that several meetings have been held over the impending strike between the management of APM Terminal and representatives of some of the freight forwarding group but no agreement has so far been reached.

Confirming this development to Vanguard, Chairman of Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA,

Olumide Fakanlu, said that a representative of APM Terminal signed the agreement promising to abide and comply with the above but stressed that they have reneged on all but one.

According to him, “They are not abiding with point one to three of the agreement, the level of discussion is Continues on page 22 C M Y K

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Cover Story

Vocation and technical education – a key to improving Nigeria’s development. Part 2

A

CONFERENCE - from left Managing Director/CEO Rodot Nigeria Limited, Remi Adeseun presenting Life-Time achievement award to Managing Director/CEO Merit Healthcare Limited, Dr Lolu Ojo which he received on behalf of Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi; and Founder/CEO Healthplus, Bukkie George at the 7th HealthPlus annual conference, Thanksgiving dinner and award HELD in Lagos.

Terminal char ges: AAgents, gents, terminal charges: oper at or or another showdown operat ator orss set ffor Continues from page 21 that we want to assist them to abide because it looks like it is a very difficult task for them. We gave them seven days but they came to appeal.

We held a meeting where we said ok, if you think it is difficult for you to do your work, then for the interest of Nigeria as a whole we will assist you.

“If one company can be given 50 percent of the whole import and export traffic in and out of Nigeria, you can then understand what is happening now. AP Molar has been given 47 percent of all the import into Nigeria, so we just have to consider that.

It is a matter of moving from government monopoly to private monopoly, the portion they took is too much for them. We realized that, that is why we said that we will collaborate with them to make them comply but it won’t be by force but they are drafting our operatives to work with them.

“That is what they have been saying for the past six years, no capacity (no space). That they cannot handle more than 200 containers per day and that would not be enough for Nigerians. There are a lot of space at the terminal that they are wasting, so it is just a matter of interest probably, may be they have a hidden agenda, that is as per revenue (What they want to get from the present situation).

C M Y K

Vanguard also gathered that the decision to resume the strike action may have suffered a setback, as one of the groups, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, have decided not to participate in the strike.

Commenting on this, the ANLCA Apapa boss said, “If they pull out we won’t blame them because we are not unaware that some operators in the industry may have compromised their stand and it is not our business anyway.

Whatever compromise that they may have put themselves into is their cross but as for ANLCA, we do have a standard and ANLCA is known is an international organization with high moral standard."

On his part, Mr. Boniface Aniebonam, Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), said that his association decided to pull out of the ongoing industrial action in order to save the Nigerian economy from further hardship.

“The economy is losing at least N5 billion daily. Customs is losing N1.4 billion daily.

Government’s external reserve is dropping daily, yet government needs money to fight insurgency,” the NAGAFF Founder stated.

He said NAGAFF pulling out of the strike is without prejudice to ongoing

negotiations by all parties in the matter.

When contacted, Media Consultant of APM Terminal, Bolaji Akinola, who is also Media Consultant of STOAN, said that all the issues have been settled as at Thursday, th December 18 after a meeting with the freight forwarders.

According to him, “The matter has been resolved.

Why are you trying to whip it up? Is it only APMT that operates in this industry? We have a cordial relationship, we had a meeting after the initial problem and we agreed amongst ourselves (both APNT and the agents), we have agreed amicably on the issues and we have moved past that stage.”

Meanwhile, attempt by the terminal operators to resist the efforts of the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) to reduce terminal charges including the controversial storage charge, have suffered a legal setback.

The Council had directed shipping companies to reduce their shipping line agency charges from N26, 500 to N23, 850 per TEU and from N48, 000 to N40, and 000 per FEU and directed shipping agencies to refund container deposits to importers and agents within 10 working days after the return of the empty containers.

But not satisfied with the directive of the NSC, terminal Continues on page 23

s the Roman Historian, Plutarch (AD 46-120?) had noted “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” Given their corrupt and greedy lifestyles Nigeria’s leaders do not seem to care about integrity or moral values.

They are good at predicting the future without creating it. As Peter Drucker has observed “If you want to predict the future, create it.”

In Nigeria, the growing problem of unemployment in the country has contributed largely to the worsening problem of poverty among the populace. Unemployment according to Olaitan (1996) leads to frustration and disillusionment which may result in crime or drug abuse in a futile attempt to escape from and forget the pains and humiliation of poverty and lack. The problem of unemployment, he further stated, has worsened as millions of school leavers and graduates of tertiary institutions have not secured gainful employment over the years.

Unemployment has posed a serious problem not only to the welfare of individuals but also to that of their families. Many able bodied and highly qualified persons who could not secure gainful employment have remained economically dependent on their parents. This is because they lack the necessary occupational skills to be self employed and to effectively function in today ’s world of work.

These occupational skills can be provided by technical and vocational education.

According to Abdulahi (1994) technical education is that aspect of education that involves the acquisition of techniques and application of the knowledge of the science for the improvement of man’s surrounding.

Technical and vocational education prepares one for the world of work with which the individual

become reliant and can make contributions to the development of the society.

As employers look for new talents every year from new graduates, it is important to not only have a solid education but graduates that have features that stand out from the rest of the graduating students. With the economy being more globalized than ever, it is important to have a background and a skill set that allows graduates to become immersed in the global economy right from graduation (Cote, 2007). It is important for these students or graduates to have skills in innovation in technology education and entrepreneurship to be ready to fit into the global market place on which today’s economy depends on. Entrepreneurial Skills Needed by Technical and Vocational Education.

Leadership is not a major cause of Nigeria’s underdeveloped status. Nigeria can become an economic power-house (and realize its visions) only if proper attention is given to education and technological development and promotes and rewards creativity, and channel its material and human resources to productive use. The leaders must recognize the relevance of technical and vocational education in national development and adopt and adapt what works in developed nations. The resources being wasted in the on-going false rebranding campaign should have been used to re-brand the nation’s education sector. No amount of rhetoric (or fanciful slogan) would solve Nigeria’s sociopolitical and economic problems. The leaders could salvage Nigeria’s image by re-branding their mentality and doing the right thing: tackle corruption, reform the electoral system and fix the dilapidated institutions.

Thus, without a fundamental shift in values, beliefs and thinking, and without technological capability, Nigeria will continue to dream of becoming a ‘Great Nation’.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 23

T

he Consumer Protection agency is now embroiled in a controversy that is leading no where. It has drawn the Council and Coca Cola into a legal battle. The issue in the matter leaves a very sour taste in the mouth. The Director-General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs Dupe Atoki has told Nigerians that in the exercise of the mandate of the Council, following complaints of defective products of Coca Cola bottled by the Nigeria Bottling Company, the CPC investigated one of such complaints in respect of two half-filled cans of sprite and substantiated the allegation of product defect and violation of CPC Act, based on which several recommendations were made “and orders thereto issued to Coca Cola.”

The orders are that: the two companies subject their manufacturing process to the Council over a period of 12 months, formulate a shelf life policy to facilitate removal of their expired products from the market, review their traceability policy to make it easier for the companies to track their products and payment of cost of investigation and compensation to the aggrieved party.

No individual or corporate can fault the right of the CPC to carry out such inspection.

It would be wrong by all standard for anyone to attempt to make a defense for Coca-Cola and NBC because there can be no justification for defective products. But, it is equally wrong to deny that manufacturing error is a fact of life in every industry and every country, including the most technologically advanced ones. What is important in such situation is to ensure that such industry is not deliberately endangering consumers and society by condoning frequency of such errors.

What is curious in the CPC vs Coca-Cola and NBC case is the whopping fine of N100million for an offence that was described as ‘two half-filled cans of Sprite’ and also the regulator’s apparent

Of CPC, Coca Cola and the invincible hand of presidency preference to fight the court case in the media.

Perhaps CPC has set a new record on orchestrating legal battles in the media. It is hard to recall a court case so orchestrated by an interested party in Nigeria’s media space. Probably this is CPC’s demonstration of faith in the court of public opinion rather than the conventional courts as the case sounds rather curious and judiciary watchers expect the court to throw it out as the companies in question had filed, and the law allows for a judicial review of the decisions of the CPC on the consumer complaints in question.

As of today, CPC has not released the two cans to the company to cross check if the product was actually adulterated or just half filled.

CPC is claiming a huge N60 million cost of investigation.

It has not explained to Nigerians where the investigation took place. It has not also

explained the experts that conducted an investigation that would cost N60 million on two half filled cans. Was the investigation internal, which agency in or out of Nigeria conducted the investigation? There seems to be no record of the involvement of its sister agency NAFDAC that has laboratory to test products. Is CPC a revenue generating agency of government that would pass its surplus to the federation account? If not, why is it asking the two companies to pay N40 million to its coffer?

The real substance of this case is “two shortfilled cans of Sprite”, i.e. two cans that were not filled to the normal capacity which is an extremely rare but not impossible occurrence in the manufacturing process. Is it the half filled can that constituted health hazard to the consumer?

Certainly this case is not about product quality or safety as there was no contamination or foreign matter in the said two cans of Sprite. It is about

It would be wrong by all standard for anyone to attempt to make a defense for Coca-Cola and NBC because there can be no justification for defective products

the cans not being full to capacity; it is a very rare occurrence and therefore cannot be a deliberate attempt by two companies to shortchange or exploit the consumer. From available record the CPC has not claimed or show any evidence that it conducted a laboratory test or to prove that the content of those two short-filled cans presented any form of health risk to a consumer.

From previous experience, the expectation is that as a matter of due diligence, CPC would have sought to collaborate with sister agencies that are fully equipped to deal with issues of product quality and safety such as NAFDAC and SON in carrying out the said investigation, especially as it relates to the level of risk that the two cans pose to a consumer. But there was no such collaboration.

Due to CPC’s refusal to release the two short-filled cans, the companies seem not to be be able to carry out a laboratory test to determine the exact cause of the short-fill. On a general note, short-filling in beverage cans may result from a number of factors including manufacturing error or unidentified leakage due to inappropriate storage or handling in trade.

The question many

Nigerians are asking is, is it true that the original complainant (consumer) in the case of the two short-filled cans of Sprite is the immediate past Chief of Staff to the President? Is it also true that the incident took place in August 2013 while he was still in office? Is it also true that he forwarded the cans to the Honourable Minister of Industries, Trade & Investments who, in turn, forwarded them to the CPC with a directive to investigate the matter? Is it because of the personality involved that the CPC is doing what it is doing?

As it stands, Nigerians are feeling that there seems to be a correlation between the profile of this complainant and the “passion” with which CPC is handling the matter amounting to the usual abuse of power and position in Nigeria. From the look of things, this matter had dragged to an irreversible point at the time the complainant left office in February 2014.

CPC’s apparent focus on the two short-filled cans of Sprite is not a new norm but an isolated case obviously influenced by the profile of the complainant. The council has neither found nor taken up any other consumer case with equal passion since August 2013 when the case begun, despite the plethora of consumer complaints it receives involving other companies and products across sectors. What is happening CPC? It is a good thing that the matter has gone to court, let the court make its pronouncement on it.

Business & Economy Terminal char ges: AAgents, gents, terminal charges: operators set for another showdown

Continues from page 22 operators under the aegis of Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, STOAN and Association of Shipping Lines Agency (ALSA) dragged the Council before the Federal High Court, challenging its powers to reduce their charges.

But the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos Wednesday, 17th of December, 2014 ruled that the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, STOAN, and Association of Shipping Lines Agency (ALSA) should return to status quo over shipping and terminal storage charges.

The trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, upheld the appointment of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) as port economic regulator and therefore dismissed a case filed by members of the ALSA against the NSC over a directive to the agencies to reduce their shipping line agency charges (SLAC) and refund container deposits within 10 days.

It also ruled that STAON should revert to what they were charging before the increase in 2009.

AWARD - from left; Prince Gbolahan Lawal, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives; Mr Adelaja Adeleye, President Ultimate Circle of Nigeria and Mr Niyi Oyeyipo, member ultimate circle at the ultimate night held at Eagle Club on Saturday during which Mr Oyeyipo received the club's Landmark Achievement Award.

24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Business & Economy

Wavecrest College, IHG sign MoU on training

By CHRIS ONUOHA

I

n a bid to enhance and provide technical competence and skilled personnel that will meet the demands of the hospitality industry, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Intercontinental Hotels Group, (IHG) owners of Intercontinental Hotel and Wavecrest College of Hospitality was signed last Tuesday at the Hotel’s Milano Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos to actualize this education and skill acquisition partnership initiative.

Rosana Forsuelo, The provost of WestCrest College, who was very glad on the outcome of the ceremony said, “On behalf of the Women’s Board Educational Society, the Management Team, the Staff, students and alumni of the College, I would like to thank the Intercontinental Lagos, for initiating with us the MOU on Education and Industry partnership.

Speaking further, she noted that, “This Collaboration is in line with what the college stands for which entails training women to be competent professionals.

CSI receives business plan competition award

N

igeria’s fast growing In Store advertising solutions provider Consumer Scores International Limited has received the Top Ten business plan competition award for sub Saharan African entrepreneurs. The award was given by the Islamic Development Bank Group following a rigorous selection and mentoring process involving over six hundred applications received from 22 countries in sub Saharan Africa.

The business plan competition was instituted by the Islamic Development Bank Group, Saudi Arabia for sub Saharan African entrepreneurs at the idea and growing business stages. The objective of the competition was to identify high growth entrepreneurs in sub Saharan Africa so as to provide the support and enablers for sustained growth and development.

C M Y K

PROMO - From left: Brand Manager, StarTimes, Somoye Tunde; Deputy Director, Regulatory and Monitoring, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Baba Adamu and Public Relation Manager, StarTimes, Israel Bolaji during the StarTimes Season's Jolly Promo draw in Abuja.

AFC raises $300m for trade facilitation

A

frica Finance Corporation has announced the close of a $300 million dual tranche, two-year and three-year club facility.

The facility, according to a statement by the AFC, was arranged by six initial mandated lead arrangers (IMLA) and Bookrunners: Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Limited; Citibank N.A; Deutsche Bank AG; FirstRand Bank Limited; Standard Bank of South Africa Limited; Standard Chartered Bank.

The AFC disclosed that each of the IMLAs and Bookrunners committed funding of US$50 million to the facility, adding that it intends to utilise proceeds of the facility for general corporate purposes including the facilitation of trade.

Subsequent to the initial funding, the AFC stated that the secondary market syndication of the facility was arranged.

“The secondary market syndication witnessed a strong demand for the credit, with new commitments of US$336.5 million obtained from 16 lenders across various geographies such as Asia, Europe and the Middle East, including:Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, Commercial Bank of Kuwait K.P.S.C. “Others are: the Korea

Development Bank, KDB Bank Europe Limited, Burgan Bank S.A.K, Tunis International Bank, First Gulf Bank PJSC, Bank of China Limited, State Bank Of India, Banque des Mascareignes Ltée, Commercial Bank of Qatar Q.S.C, The ExportImport Bank of the Republic of China, Korea Exchange Bank, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait K.S.C.P, First Commercial Bank Limited, Mega International Commercial Bank Co, United

Taiwan Bank S.A,” the AFC noted.

The AFC further explained that the facility was more than two times over-subscribed during the primary and secondary market process, with AFC receiving total commitment of US$636.5 million from a total of 22 lenders.

Banji Fehintola, Senior Vice President & Treasurer, Africa Finance Corporation commented, “AFC’s long term vision is to help address

Africa’s infrastructure deficit and ensure sustainable economic growth for the continent.

We are encouraged by the confidence that our lenders have placed in us.

“We believe that the well documented need for bridging the infrastructure investment divide across Africa will provide the opportunity to apply AFCs differentiated model of providing long-term infrastructure financing and value added infrastructure asset project development expertise, to generate real value for our investors and stakeholders”.

AFC, a multilateral finance institution, was established in 2007 with a capital base of US$1 billion, to be the catalyst for private sector infrastructure investment across Africa.

AFC’s investment approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.

AFC invests in high quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has become the benchmark institution for private sector investment in Africa.

Zero duty on palm oil products threatens local industry —NACCIMA

By FRANKLIN ALLI

T

he Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and A g r i c u l t u r e (NACCIMA), weekend, called on the Federal Government to reconsider the ECOWAS CET document and revise the tariff on other palm oil products in line with others whose tariff are clearly stated.

NACCIMA made the call during the presentation of its communiqué on ‘Agricultural Value Chain’ to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural D e v e l o p m e n t , Akinwunmi Adesina, for his consideration and

implementation.

The delegation was received by the Minister of State, Hajia Asabe Ahmed and Director Agro Processing and Marketing Department, Engr.

O.B. Jatto.

Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, National President of NACCIMA, who led the delegation, said: “Honourable Minister it is pertinent to draw your attention to the urgent need for this is essential in other not to jeopardize the Transformation agenda of the Federal Government on the Palm revitalization in the Agricultural sector.

“The implication of not indicating the duty payable for this product implies zero duty, consequently if this omission is allowed to stand, it would lead to flooding of the market with these

products through our neighboring countries of Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kotonou and Togo where we are all aware they are mostly dumped, thereby killing the market for locally produced palm oil products.”

“Finally, We wish to reemphasised our Association’s readiness to continue to partner with the Federal Government towards the revitalisation/rejuvenation of our Agricultural Sector, with all of us working as partners in progress, we will be able to achieve food sufficiency for consumption, raw materials for industrial growth and boost our exports potentials in a manner that will make the country achieve the target of being among the first 20 agriculturally developed nations by the year 2020.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 25

Business & Economy

‘Over $100 million flow into China from Nigerians’

Cherie noodles reward winners in promo By PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

I

CEREMONY - Mr Muda Yusuf, Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry LCCI, (4th left) with graduands of LCCI Business Education Services and Training Programme Scheme 2 during the graduation ceremony held at LCCI building Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

By VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

N

igerian businessmen in China have expressed the need to have both visiting and resident Nigerians in China process travelling documents to China without much hassles, stressing that Nigerian businessmen alone, flow about $100 million into the city of Guangzhou, China, on a daily basis.

Also concerned about the new development, Nigerian China-based Shanghai Engineering Construction Company (SECC) boss, Mr. Fetus Mbisiogu, told Vanguard that Nigerian businessmen contribute enormously to the development of both China and Nigeria economies, saying that, Nigerians have added value to Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) operations in every facet of China and have created employment even for the locals.

He said that Nigerians maintain the most active and industrious African community in Guangzhou, adding that, while Nigerian businessmen in China own legitimate and reputable companies in China, many Chinese nationals are still registering businesses in Nigeria.

“As a matter of integrity, the Federal government of Nigeria should consider a closer look at the situation and ensure that the new visa application rule by the

Chinese mission in Nigeria is made simpler. The new visa application order by the Guangdong Province (Guangzhou) requiring that Nigeria passport holders, should not be given resident visa, irrespective of their business inclination does not represent the campaigned ongoing healthy bi-trade relationship.

In my observation, this not a balanced diplomacy and does not portray a win-win cooperation envisaged by both parties, “Therefore, on behalf of all Nigerian businessmen who

own legitimate businesses that are bringing development to China and Nigeria, we want this imbalanced situation addressed with utmost concern to the plight of many Nigerians”, Mbisiogu added.

He further stated that diplomacy is a give and take affair, adding that “Nigerians constitute the bulk of AfricaChina business transactions and statistics show that out of 70 per cent of business conducted in Guangzhou, China, 50 per cent are undertaken by Nigerian visiting businessmen, “Nigerians add value to

the SME operations in every facet of the city and have created employment even for the locals. On a daily basis, about $100 Million flow into China from Nigerian businessmen.

And despite the immense contribution Nigerians made to the business development of SinoNigeria Cooperation in the province of Guangdong, one wonders why prospective Nigerian visa applicants to China would not be allowed to have resident visa.

UPS overcomes challenges, rewards customers

By CHIOMA OBINNA

I

n line with its annual commitment to customers, United Parcel Service Lagos, one of the global leading courier and logistics firm has overcome some of the challenges facing the industry, just as it thrilled its outstanding customers with different categories of awards and gift items all over the country, where they are present.

The event which witnessed a free raffle draw also rewarded customers with top quality phones, wall clocks, movie tickets at Silverbird Cinema for husband and wife, buffet

ticket to Sheraton hotels for husband and wife, golden pens, flash drives and umbrellas among others.

However, the highpoint of the event were recognition awards of varying degree to UPS esteemed customers.

Some of the wards are Silver Award to Alcatel and Airtel Spares in recognition of their compliance with and utilisation of UPS’sWorldShip, a time-saving IT platform that uploads customers’ information, provides shipping alert, tracking and exporting of shipment data, error free.

This was followed by the gold level category awards to First Bank Nigeria, Diamond bank, Unilever, World-Wide Commercial Ventures (WWCV) and Union Bank with almost 100 percent

Worldship technology compliance.

Speaking at the 2014 customers’ appreciation and award giving day, the Business Development Manager for UPS Nigeria, Emeka Nwangwu who applauded the commitment of the recipient companies for their tech savvy, said the occasion not only provides an avenue for the company to interface with her customers in a non-business and relaxed environment but also to intimate them with newer services, new technologies innovations and their benefits to the customers, especially the UPS WorldShip support.

n keeping with its promise of rewarding and empowering its consumers this season, one of the leading noodles brands in Nigeria, Cherie Noodles on Friday December 12 rewarded several new lucky winners of its recently launched consumer promotion tagged ‘Naira Hunt-Free Money‘ Promo.

The prize presentation which took place at the popular Ikotun market, saw numerous Cherie noodle consumers go home with various cash prizes ranging from N5,000 to N50,000. So far, over 50,000 winners have emerged across the Country since the commencement of the promo in November, with their winnings ranging from N50 to N50,000 being presented to them at various Cherie Noodle retail outlets around the country. The Lagos event was overseen by the Consumer Protection Council, represented by the Head, Lagos Office, Mr. Tam Tamunokonbia.

Speaking at the event, Marketing Manager, Olam Sanyo Foods Limited, makers of the Cherie brand of noodles, Mrs. Bola Adeniji said that the promo was just one of the ways the company is saying ‘thank you’ to its consumers during this Yuletide, and restated the brand’s commitment to continue to delight and enrich the lives of its consumers.

“We have carefully timed the Naira Hunt Promo to coincide with the Yuletide period when people need money to spend on gifts for their families and loved ones, and since the promo was launched, winners have continued to emerge daily across the country and have been redeeming their cash prizes of N50, N100, N500, N1,000, N2,000, N5,000, N10,000 and N50,000,” she said.

Explaining the mechanics of the promo, Adeniji said that what a consumer needs to do is to buy a pack or carton of Cherie Noodles, look inside for the seasoning sachet with the winning amount written on it, and what you see, is what you get! “With the seasoning sachet, the consumer should go to their nearest Cherie retailer and collect their cash instantly. It is that easy and simple!” she further explained.

26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Banking & Finance

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

Centenar 00 Centenaryy N 1100 note goes into circulation

C

entral Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commenced circulation of the commemorative centenary N100 notes.

In a statement issued last week, the CBN said, “The commemorative N100 banknote unveiled recently by the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, goes into circulation on Friday, December 19, 2014.

Accordingly, all branches of the Bank have been directed to commence issuance of the currency in their respective locations.

The commemorative note will circulate alongside the existing N 100 note.

The note, which is embedded with features to assist the visually impaired recognize genuine notes, also has other security features easily identifiable through look, feel and tilt of the currency note.

It will be recalled that the CBN Governor, at the unveiling of the new banknote, explained that the new note was designed with enhanced security to offer robust resistance against counterfeiting.

IMF aine fail ttoo IMF,, Ukr Ukraine agree on next bail out

T

he International Monetary Fund said Friday it had productive discussions with officials in Ukraine this week, but failed to reach an agreement that would pave the way for Kiev to receive its next bailout tranche next month.

“We found that the Ukrainian authorities are preparing to move decisively on a broad and comprehensive agenda to stabilize and reform the economy, while coping with the difficult challenges that emerged in the last year,” IMF mission chief Nikolay Gueorguiev said in a statement.

“In this context, we advanced substantially our mutual understandings of policy priorities going forward,” he said, adding the IMF mission would return to Kiev in January for further talks.

Ukraine so far has received two tranches under the IMF program, worth a total of $4.6 billion, under a bailout program agreed in April to shore up the country’s foreign currency reserves and support its economy.

E

lectronic payment experts have identified smart regulation and increased innovation as critical factors to achieving the objectives of the nation’s Payment System Vision 2020 Speaking at the 2014 annual retreat of the Committee of eBanking Industry Heads (CeBIH), held in Abuja, epayment experts including officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) emphasised the need for review of the policy regulatory environment of the country’s payment system, so as to improve on the progress recorded in the adoption of electronic payment in the country.

Making a case for smart regulation of the payment system in Nigeria, John Chaplin, a global retail payment expert, noted that though banks desire less regulation, regulation is critical to sustainable competition which is necessary for the growth of the payment industry. He said banks however have a right to better and smarter regulation.

“Frequent rule changes are a sign of bad regulation and deter investment, industry must actively work with regulators to achieve a good outcome. Clear, consistent, even handed and risk-based regulation is the goal”, he said.

Speaking further, he said that, “Leaving the market to market forces will lead to higher cost, which would drive out everybody. Hence the aim of regulation should be to drive down cost”.

In a presentation titled, “Towards smart payments regulation: Global best practice in balancing growth, profit, innovation and fairness in retail payments”, Chaplin called the attention of participants at the retreat to the outcome of a 2012/13 project which reviewed the role of domestic approaches to card payments in global world: Input from 17 schemes. He said among other things, the study reveals a consensus among epayment operators on the need for regulation that encourages level playing field and promote sustainable competition.

On his part, Akeem Lawal, Divisional Chief Executive, Interswich, called for a review of some aspects of regulation of epayment in Nigeria. He said for example, the regulation of pricing is not encouraging to investment, adding, the CBN should allow flexibility in pricing of services in the industry. He said that though the CBN can regulate interchange, it should allow banks to determine incentives offered the objectives of the Payment to merchants and customers.

Vision 2020, and hence called In his opening remarks, on participants at the retreat CeBIH Chairman, Mr. Tunde for ideas that can further Kuponiyi, called for strengthen the nation’s regulation that would payment system. enhance prosperity and Represented by Mr. Dipo innovation in the industry. He Fatokun, Director, Banking said, “It is worthy to note that and Payment System for the industry to prosper Department, CBN, Barau and for innovation to thrive, disclosed that in line with a sound complementary global best practices, the regulatory framework is very CBN has decided to adopt a much required. Such a more collaborative approach framework should provide a to its regulation of the level playing field for all payment system in the players to enable the country as well as promote customer to exercise his self regulation among choices as regards choosing epayment schemes. a particular service provider.

He said, “ Our clear Other important components objective is “to facilitate for such a regulatory economic activities by framework would also providing safe and efficient encompass customer mechanisms for making and protection issues, fraud receiving payments with prevention issues, security minimum risks to the central related issues and fair bank, payments service pricing.” providers and end users, In his keynote address, extending the availability and Deputy Governor, Operations usage to all sectors and Directorate, CBN, Alhaji geographies, banked and Suleiman Barau said the apex unbanked, and conforming to bank is ready to adopt internationally accepted regulation that would regulatory, technical and facilitate the achievement of operational standards.

•Barau

•Kuponiyi

•Chaplin

•Fekry

PSV 2020: Epayment Experts push for smart regulation and innovation “We are not oblivious of international best practices and global standards and we strive continuously to ensure that the Nigerian payments system is at the forefront of payments system development.

Having benchmarked against the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructure issued by the Committee on Payment and Settlement System (CPSS) of the Bank for International Settlement, we seek to bridge observable gaps through specific recommendations.

“Let me also highlight that the Central Bank of Nigeria has indicated a shift in its

Leaving the market to market forces will lead to higher cost, which would drive out everybody.

payments system regulatory stance. The Bank through the Payments System Vision 2020 signified a more collaborative approach to overseeing the national payments system through the following recommendation within the strategy: The strengthening of scheme governance structure to reflect the significantly greater responsibility of scheme management, covering all aspects of risk, business management and operational resilience; The setting up of Scheme Management Board which has the responsibility to complete an annual selfassessment against the CPSS/ IOSCO PFMI. “The significance of this is that self-regulatory principle is being embraced by the Central Bank of Nigeria. This is intended to foster discipline among participants and enhance compliance level to regulations.

It is however, in no way an abdication of the overseer role of the Central Bank of Nigeria for the national payments system.”

Continues on page 38

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 27

Banking & Finance

CBN introduces additional measure to curb forex speculation *Limits utilisation of interbank dollars to 48hrs *Warns banks against shutting interbank market

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday moved to further curb speculative activities in the foreign exchange market as it introduced a 48 hours limit on utilisation of dollars purchased at the interbank market.

Meanwhile the nation’s external reserve continued its downward trend last week, as it fell to $35.27 billion, implying $1.53 billion decline since the beginning of this month.

The limit was announced by Mr. Olakanmi Gbadamosi, Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN via a circular titled, “Utilization of funds purchased from the autonomous/interbank foreign exchange market by authorized dealers”. He said, “Further to our circular ref Ref:TED/FEM/FPC/GEN/01/ 026 of 17th December 2014, which requires banks to maintain zero percent of their shareholders funds as foreign exchange trading position as at the close of each business day, we write to inform all authorized dealers and the general public that with effect from the date of this circular, funds purchased from banks by their respected customers at the autonomous/interbank foreign exchange market must be utilized within 48 hours from the date of purchase, failing which such funds must be returned to the CBN for repurchase at the bank’s buying rate.

For the avoidance of doubt, all authorized dealers are to note that the requirement to maintain zero percent of bank’s shareholders funds as foreign exchange trading position as at close of each business day remains in force.

Any observed case of infraction of this circular, in any way whatsoever, will attract appropriate sanctions both to the bank and the customers, which may include suspension from the foreign exchange market. This circular supersedes our earlier with ref: TED/FEM/FPC/ GEN/01/028 of 18th December 2014. Please ensure strict compliance.”

On Thursday, the CBN had reduced banks’ dollar holdings or Net Open Position from one percent to zero percent of shareholders funds

umpired by losses.

Titled, “Foreign Exchange Trading Position of Banks at the closure of each business day”, the circular was signed

by Mr. Mr. Olakanmi I. Gbadamosi, Director, Trade and Exchange Department.

The circular stated, “The Central Bank of Nigeria has observed the recent development in the foreign exchange market and its consequences on the stability of the exchange rates. In order to preserve the stability of the market, the foreign exchange position of individual authorised dealer, which currently stands at one percent of its shareholders funds (SHF) unimpaired by losses, has been temporarily reviewed downward to zero percent with immediate effect.

“Consequently, Authorised Dealers are therefore required to maintain zero percent of their shareholders fund as foreign exchange trading position at the close of each business day. Any infraction of the requirement of this circular, in any way whatsoever, will attract appropriate sanction, which may include suspension from the foreign exchange market.”

A retired top official of CBN who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said the implication of the circular is that banks cannot hold dollar asset or create dollar liability, except for dollars in the domiciliary accounts of their customers.

A market analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the CBN introduced the restriction because it believes the banks are using their net open position dollars to speculate in the foreign

exchange market. He said this means that banks cannot purchase dollars in the interbank market for trading the following day. They must ensure that any dollar they buy is sold at the end of the day. He said the implication is that for any bank to purchase dollars at the interbank, it must ensure there is a demand from customers for that dollar, adding this has effectively shut down the interbank foreign exchange market.

Measures can trigger further naira depreciation

I

n Middle Africa Briefing Note titled, “Nigeria: Will Tighter FX Market Regulations Work?”, analysts at Ecobank Nigeria said that the new restriction will increase volatility of the exchange rate and lead to further depreciation of the naira to N195 per dollar at the end of the year.

They stated, “By this regulation, the CBN aims to remove the banks’ ability to hold FX position, and subsequently limiting their speculative motive. The revised regulation also tighten how dollars can be used, as well as restrict access to foreign exchange to only legitimate and official document-backed FX transactions, thereby clamping down on FX flows.

“Tightening the conditions that allow access to dollars while making no changes to how foreign exchange is supplied will further heighten naira volatility, with further depreciation most likely; as such we expected naira to trade between N190 and

N195 per dollar month-end December 2014.”

In the immediate, the OTC FX market liquidity is eroded, thereby creating a non-competitive market devoid of price transparency and discovery.

Tightening the conditions that allow access to USD while making no changes to how FX is supplied will further heighten NGN volatility, with further depreciation most likely; as such we expected NGN to trade between USD1: NGN190-195 month-end December 2014. ? By this regulation, the oil company bids will be on effective demand basis, as the banks are not allowed to keep position.

The likely implication of this is that most of the oil companies will explore the option of selling directly to CBN. While the CBN’s reason for the circular is to maintain the stability of the NGN, it is not clear how the CBN intends to achieve this objective, given following recent, sharp fall in Brent oil prices, and uncertainty over the normalization of US monetary policy following the end of QE III in October.

Meanwhile, over regulation of the FX market, which is underpinned by a free-float exchange rate policy, could be counterproductive by deterring portfolio inflows seeking to buy high yielding government securities.

Overall, the circular will create more volatility that will require another set of CBN’s circulars to address USD supply and demand bottlenecks.

As such, the CBN might need to continue to intervene in the interbank FX market.

Don’t close interbank, CBN warns banks

M

eanwhile, the CBN has warned banks against shutting down the interbank market. Vanguard investigation revealed that following the reduction in banks NOP to zere percent on Thursday, banks’ foreign exchange dealers held a meeting to brainstorm the impact of the reduction on the foreign exchange market. It was gathered that, when the apex bank got wind of the meeting and the possibility of the meeting ending with a resolution to suspend interbank market trading, a top official of the CBN called some of the banks and threatened to withdraw the foreign exchange dealership if they make such decision.

World Bank: Six countries lost $35bn due to Syrian war and ISIS

A

World Bank study has revealed that six countries sustained economic losses amounting to $35 billion due to the Syrian war and the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS).

The countries include Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. In a study by the World Bank, a copy of which was obtained by the Anadolu Agency, the Bank reported that the overall economic size of these countries could have grown by $35 billion if the war had not erupted. The report also explained that the total cost of the war is equivalent to Syria’s GDP in 2007.

The World Bank said the losses were not evenly distributed as some countries were affected more by the wars than the others as they felt the brunt of the direct economic costs. Syria and Iraq’s per capita losses amounted to 23 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.

The embargo on trade with Syria is a major factor behind the direct costs, and this was followed by a decline in the labour force, particularly in skilled labour, due to casualties, refugees leaving the country, destruction of infrastructure, and a spike in the cost of trade activity in conflict areas.

Yen weakens on BOJ Stimulus as Ruble advances

T

he yen fell to a oneweek low against the dollar after the Bank of Japan maintained unprecedented monetary stimulus as the U.S. Federal Reserve moved toward raising borrowing costs for the first time since 2006.

Japan’s currency slid versus all of its 16 major peers as a rally in Asian stocks sapped demand for safety. A gauge of the dollar headed for a weekly gain on the outlook for higher U.S. interest rates.

Russia’s ruble rose as a shortterm cash crunch spurred demand. Norway ’s krone gained for a fourth day against its Swedish counterpart as Brent crude rose. A measure of foreignexchange volatility pared a fourth week of gains.

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Corporate Finance

NBCC commends Dangote on Forbes African Person Award

By NAOMI UZOR

T

he Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, NBCC, has commended the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on his award as the Forbes Africa Person of the Year 2014 by Forbes Magazine.

In a statement by the President of NBCC, Prince Adeyemi Adefulu, he said, the Chamber agrees with the encomiums showered on Alhaji Dangote at the Forbes Award ceremony, as he is the Lion of Africa in terms of business investment.

“By the Award, Forbes was only affirming what the NBCC already knew about Alhaji Dangote. In selecting Alhaji Dangote as a Patron of the NBCC in 2013, the Chamber had closely monitored with satisfaction, his steady meteoric rise in business and social service leadership by prodigious hard work, strategic business planning and focused entrepreneurial ingenuity” he stated.

Transcorp Hilton Abuja entices customers with promo

T

ranscorp Hilton Abuja has announced a promotion for the Christmas and New Year holidays tagged ‘Festive Cheer Hilton Style’.

The promotion offers Guests a chance to enjoy the festive season at Transcorp Hilton Abuja at specially discounted rates on room per night including buffet breakfast and taxes.

The promotional rates according to the hotel’s General Manager ,Etienne Gailliez, are for 2 adults and 2 children sharing a room and are valid from this weekend till first week of next year.

‘This festive season offers us a unique opportunity to delight our Guests with special rates, leisure and culinary offerings.

Banks' collaboration on mobile money critical to financial inclusion

By PETER EGWUATU

O

perators in both c a p i t a l market and money market segment of the financial sector have emphasized that mobile banking services and collaboration among the telecommunication operators will help achieve the financial inclusion objective of the Federal Government and thus help in improving the overall growth of the economy.

Latest figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria show that more than 68 million adult Nigerians, mostly in the rural areas and the informal sector, are unbanked.

Operators in the financial market believe that this is expected to reduce by 20 per cent in the next five years following the introduction of the cashless policy by the apex bank. A key thinking behind the policy is that the difficultto-reach locations in the country will be better served by mobile banking services. For this to work, collaborations with mobile telecommunications providers become essential because they have the infrastructure and the extensive network to reach every part of the country; MTN, for instance, has a presence in more than 10,000 communities in Nigeria. Its fibre optic transmission backbone spans in excess of 10,000 km. Its partnership on the Diamond Y’ello Account ensures the GSM provider’s over 58 million subscribers can automatically sign on for the Diamond Y’ello Account. Other mobile financial services partnerships include UBA and Airtel on the one hand, and Globacom and Stanbic IBTC, Ecobank, Zenith, and First Bank on the other.

These collaborations make sense if the magical 20 per cent reduction in the unbanked population must be achieved; for many, the only link they would have with a bank in the foreseeable future is through the mobile money account. Unlike in some other parts of the world mobile telephony is widespread in Africa and a significant number of the continent’s population rely on mobile telephony for

CONVENTION - From left: Mr. Shi Weiliang, Vice President Huawei West Africa, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power and his entourage at the 11th Annual West African Power Industry Convetion in Lagos recently. their communications needs. It is this phenomenon that the banking industry hopes to leverage on to take banking to the unbanked.

“The Nigerian banking industry is over a hundred years old, but can boast of only about 40 million bank accounts. In the 14 years of mobile telephony in Nigeria, the telcos have grown a robust subscriber base of 120 million customers and still counting,” said erstwhile CEO of

Diamond Bank, Alex Otti, while giving the rationale for partnering MTN for the Diamond Y’ello Account.

Meanwhile, there is no better endorsement of the mobile banking services drive in Nigeria than the recent acquisition of a $147 million (about N27 billion) minority stake in Diamond Bank by Carlyle Group. Carlyle is a US-based global alternative asset manager with $203 billion of assets under management across 129 funds and 141 fund of funds vehicles. The acquisition is said to be based on the projection that Diamond

Bank’s new mobile banking service “ will help rapidly boost the lender’s customers and profits.”

The Group’s projection is not without basis though.

Since the introduction four months ago of Diamond Y’ello Account, a mobile money product Diamond Bank launched in partnership with mobile telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, the bank has grown its mobile banking customer base by more than 600,000. The bank projects that it would have five million mobile banking customers, many times the current size, a year from now.

BoI facility boosts Swipha, May & Baker operations products around the Millennium

S

By FRANKLIN ALLI

wiss Pharma Nigeria Ltd and May and Baker Nigeria Plc say the credit facilities they secured from the Bank of Industry (BoI) have boosted their operational performances in terms of expansion of their production facilities and upgrading of quality control systems to the international standards.

The two drug firms recently obtained the current Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance certification from the World Health Organisation, WHO, to produce and export their products to other countries.

Colin Cummings , the chairman/chief executive of Swipha, noted that as a result of the bank’s intervention fund , the company has been developing new

Development Goals 4, 5 and 6 of the government to combat malaria, maternal health challenges, diarrhea and bacterial infections.

“Bank of Industry has been crucial to us moving ahead and without their support we wouldn’t have managed to get to where we are so quickly and also we need their assistance in getting to the next stage which is the pre-qualification of specific products,” he said.

Similarly, Nnamdi Okafor, the managing director/chief executive of May and Baker disclosed that by June 2015 the company would have had its Anti-retroviral drug certified, having upgraded their facility to WHO standards with an expanded capacity, that has enabled the creation of additional 500 jobs and about 1000 indirect jobs with BoI’s support.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 29

C M Y K

30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

E- Commerce

Huawei lists challenges facing enterprise IT infrastructure

By PETER EGWUATU

H

uawei has stated that the requirements from new-generation customers present the enterprise business with transformation challenges and drive reforms in enterprise Information Technology, IT infrastructures in order to meet the requisites of the big data era.

Speaking at the Huawei Western Europe Communication Information Officers , CIO Forum which brought together over 300 customers, partners and industry professionals from across Western Europe to share experiences and engage in discussion about the changing nature of IT and how to make a better connected, technologicallyenabled future a reality, Kevin Tao, President, Huawei Western Europe said: Customer needs are the lifeline of any enterprises.

Customers now require much more than traditional PCs in achieving mobility and convenience. This tech-savvy generation follows micro blogs, maintains interpersonal relationships on social networking websites, favors online shopping, and wants to enjoy a free, entertaining, sharable, and ultimate IT-enabled lifestyle.”

He stated that Big data is derived from a variety of sources, including: Increasingly complex enterprise customer information data, classification data, and online trading records.

According to him “Data and logs generated by complex terminal devices such as postPC devices, video surveillance terminals, and Internet of Things (IOT) sensors. Various types of social data arising from blogs, microblogs, photos, videos, and customer feedback information; Traditional IT servers, tapes, and scale-up devices cannot implement management and analysis of ZB-level data.2. The global economic situation is growing tight. So, how do enterprises make most use of their IT budgets? “ In his words “According to a survey, enterprises spend 73 per cent of their budgets on basic services, leaving a mere 27 per cent to support business operations.

CONFERENCE - From left: Managing Consultant, VSL Consulting Ltd, Mr Ubandigbo Okonkwo; Executive Director, Small and Medium Enterprises,Bank of Industry, Mr Waheed Olagunju; Assistant Director/Head, Development Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Adebisi A Adedeji and Deputy President, NASME, (SOUTH) Prince Orimadegun at the 15th MSME International Confrence and Exhibition in Lagos on Wednesday

MoboFree to leverage ad solution for 2015 elections Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

M

oboFree.com, a social marketplace has introduced advertising solutions for the upcoming 2015 general elections.

Speaking on the unveiling of the ad platform, MoboFree’s

Co-Founder, Mr. Cristobal Alonso, said, “Internal survey run on MoboFree last month disclosed that 92 percent of survey participants are going to vote in upcoming 2015 election. Such survey results and the fact that the MoboFree platform has up to 60 million page impressions and 8 million private messages monthly,

confirms that MoboFree is a significant channel for reaching potential voters.”

“In Nigeria, we have over 2 million registered users.

But in contrast to other digital channels with high volume of traffic, we can also ensure effectiveness of advertising by very sharp targeting and extremely engaging unique advertising solutions,” he added.

He said that at Mobofree.com, advertisers can target campaigns by Age, Gender, Marital status, Location, Operating system and several other criteria.

This, he noted, provides unlimited opportunities for candidates in the upcoming election.

“Want to reach 30-35 year old male entrepreneurs living in Abuja? With MoboFree it can be done with ease and on comparatively low budgets, as there is no need to allocate funds for reaching citizens who are not potential voters,” he said.

Explaining further, he said that, “While traditional banners and text ads can be used on the MoboFree platform for any election related campaign, many more original and much more engaging options exist with integrated “call for action” features – like polling, private messages or even internal games when users are activated to express their opinion, make suggestions for candidates and share ideas on varied socially important topics like health, security and education.”

He added that such tools as polling systems that are integrated into the MoboFree platform can be used by politicians and political observers as means of monitoring the political landscape and activities in Nigeria.

Lamudi improves website interface to simplify house-hunting

O

nline property marketplace, Lamudi.com has relaunched with a complete revamp of its website to offer a more intuitive design that streamlines the online house-hunting process for users globally.

The new website introduces a responsive design, with the site adapting to match the user’s particular device and screen size.

The platform’s appearance has been improved to display properties for sale and rent in an easier-to-read format with larger photos.

Dedicated sections for real estate agencies and new space for advertisements have also been introduced.

Lamudi is a global real estate portal focusing exclusively on the emerging markets. The website is currently available in 28

countries in these regions.

The new design has been rolled out for all countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, with Latin America to be re-launched in early 2015.

To ensure the website remains highly relevant for each of its local markets, Lamudi has introduced different variations of the website, including a customised search field for each country.

Speaking on the new website, Lamudi’s Global CoFounder, Kian Moini, said: “This redesign puts the user

at the center of our product.

The responsive design is very important because we know an increasing number of our users access Lamudi on a mobile device in addition to a desktop Personal Computer. The new design is tailored to our customers’ needs, making it easier than ever before to find the perfect property online and to contact real estate agents via phone, SMS or email.

At the same time, we will be introducing a variety of new features to cater for

our partners, particularly agents and brokers. This is why we have introduced dedicated sections to showcase real estate agencies and created more space for listings, photos and advertisements.”

Also speaking, Managing Director Lamudi Nigeria, Obi Ejimofo, said: “My favourite feature is the new home page design, it is simpler with a much more intuitive search paradigm all designed to increase the ease with which users can find a new home."

Sceneflix launches cinema app on Android, iOS

A

frica’s premier cinema app, SceneFlix has launched on the Android and iOS Platforms.

Sceneflix, in a bid to bring the cinema closer to movie lovers, through their mobile phones, has introduced a mobile application, which will enable its users gain access to cinema

locations, latest blockbuster, premier and short movies; by simply downloading the free application on Google Play and iOS App Store.

Co-Founder and Creative director of Sceneflix, Adenola Olateru-Olagbegi, said: “The idea is borne out of the desire to deliver topof-the-range entertainment to movie lovers at

exceptional and unrivalled speed.”

According to him, “the Sceneflix App is free and user friendly showcasing landmarked cinemas and movie theaters based on updated listings on the go.

The app enables its users to utilize their power of choice with movie-theater locations and real-time up to date movie show times within the geographic region.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 31

Homes & Housing Finance

T

he Federal Government has launched about 10,000 units of various types of houses under the Nationwide Workers’ Housing Scheme in Apo Tapyi District, Abuja.

President Goodluck Jonathan said at occasion that the target of his administration is to deliver about 100,000 housing units under the Nationwide Workers’ Housing Scheme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the 36 states of the federation.

The development which is in continuation efforts to reduce the housing deficit in the country, will bring a big relief to federal government workers across the country.

FG inaugurates nationwide workers’ housing scheme

By YINKA KOLAWOLE Jonathan noted that the initiative is part of the transformation agenda of his administration to provide adequate and affordable houses to Nigerians particularly, the workers.

“The federal government will continue to partner with the private developers to provide affordable houses to bring down the cost houses in the

country”, he said.

The president commended the efforts and seriousness to the scheme by the developer, Good Homes Development Company Limited.

He also commended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) for partnering the federal government in the quest to

provide shelter for workers, and urged all Nigerian workers to key into the scheme to enable the government make this houses available at the scheduled time.

Earlier, FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed remarked that the right to shelter is an economic, social and cultural right.

Firm set to deliver solar-powered model homes

By EBERE ORAKPO

P

SC Solar UK Ltd., a solar panel/inverter manufacturing company, is set to deliverr 10,000 units of model solarpowered 1 & 2- bedroom affordable houses spread over several states and regions in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Niger, Togo and Chad.

Managing Director/CEO of the company, Dr. Patrick Owelle, disclosed this at the official power-up ceremony held at the model site at Warewa, Ogun State.

“We want to provide decent and affordable housing such that even a security guard earning N100,000 a year can own a house just like in the US. So if they can pay as little as N100,000 deposit, they will have title document to the house.

“The most important thing for me is that this is a cross section of people that have been forgotten in this country and I think we are empowering them. We are developing estates where people can own instead of rent houses so I think all in all, that is the way forward.

Another important aspect is that we guarantee electricity there 24 hours a day and seven days a week. That is something we cannot boast of anywhere else and they do not have to pay for the electricity, it is part of the package,” he said.

Owelle further stated that “the double whammy” of inadequate electricity supply and affordable housing precipitated the need for the initiative. “They will live in a two-bedroom home, howbeit a small home but it is their home for the

•Solar-powered model house

entirety of their life. As their finances get better, they can then upgrade to a bigger house and sell or rent out the smaller one.”

He said the typical housing project will be located within 15 – 45 meters drive of major cities, noting that they are in discussions with several state and federal government in Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Benin and Chad to build affordable single family housing units powered exclusively by solar power located in the suburbs of major cities in all

the six countries.

He said each unit will be built on a plot of 300sqm and 750 units are planned for the estate with three open parks and green space. “The first of the estates is scheduled to be constructed on the 100acre/600plot PSC Solar UK Ltd Gardens Estate at Warewa, along Lagos/ Ibadan Expressway less than 10 minutes drive to Alausa, Ikeja Lagos or 25 minutes drive to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

This will be the first housing

estate in Nigeria where diesel or petrol generator with their attendant fumes and noise pollution are banned. Each home will sell for between N2 million and N4.5 million depending on space and options.

Prospective owners only require 10 per cent down payment and can pay on monthly basis over a period five, 10 or 15years at single digit interest rate making home ownership cheaper than rest in the big cities,” he stated.

Mutual Benefits commissions housing estate

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

P

oised to reduce the housing needs of Nigerians and to provide affordable homes to all Nigerians, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc has commissioned and handed keys to owners of its housing estate in Iponri, Lagos.

The estate known as Mutual Alpha Court is made up of four bedroom apartments on two floors with an additional two bedroom apartment on the ground floor as service quarter or income generator if leased to a tenant.

Overall the estate has 18 blocks of 54 units and two blocks of two units and is accessible to main arterial axis roads to the Island and the state capital.

Speaking at the c o m m i s s i o n i n g , Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel, applauded the effort of the company in not only taking insurance to the grass root but also making affordable housing possible in Nigeria.

Represented by Deputy Director, Mr. Faruna Monday Adaji, Daniel said insurance companies have a big role to play in making sure that insurance play an enduring role in the lives of customers.

Group Managing Director, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi, said that a flexible payment plan has been put in place by the company with a mortgage firm on 60 percent of sales prices.

He added that the company is poised to use insurance to bring enduring value to the relationship with its customers, adding that the company’s needs based selling model makes it compelling for the company to provide beneficially unique risk management solution.

According to him the risk company’s involvement into housing development was to compliment governments’ initiatives at providing affordable homes to fellow Nigerians.

Also speaking, Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mr. Micheal Akindele, representing the Commissioner of Housing, commended Mutual Benefits Assurance for the giant strides.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 33

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 33

34 —Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Why Coca Cola must be held to account (1)

W

hat is good for General Motors, is good for America.

That was a cardinal principle of American life at a time when General Motors, GM, was not only the largest corporation in the United States, but the world as well.

Governments literally prostrated before GM which was also the largest employer of labor for several years. No President of the United States dared to openly attack GM and any presidential aspirant who made even the mildest negative remark about GM was certain to lose. GM was Americas second god. The company could do no wrong.

Or so it seemed.

The challenge and humbling of GM came from a source totally unexpected.

As a wise one had said, when fortune plots the downfall of any entity person, government or company it chooses a method and an instrument totally unexpected. That was what happened to giant GM when a man called Ralph Nader, wrote a book titled UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED. Until the book was launched, GM had always prided itself on producing the best cars

possible in America and, perhaps, the world as well.

Naders book took aim at the core of GMs pride by claiming that GMs cars were anything but safe. This was economic sacrilege of the highest order and GM was

At the moment, Coca Cola, in Nigeria, is locked in combat with consumers claiming they were sold defective Coca Cola brands and who approached the C.P.C with evidence to support their claims. not going to take this insult lying low. They went after the author. History would record that in what was another

instance of David versus Goliath, David beat Goliath to a pulp. GM was forced to reappraise its production methods and to improve the safety of its cars after humbly admitting that Nader was right after all. But, it required the patriotism and good sense of fellow Americans to save Nader from the almighty GM. What has that got to do with Nigeria and Coca Cola, one of the worlds greatest brands?

The worlds largest selling soft drink brand also enjoys global support and clout based on its presumed quality attributes.

It is quite possible that the company had, inadvertently, allowed complacency to creep into its operations; just like that which jolted GM in the 1970s.

Coca Cola has fallen foul of the Nigerian Consumer Protection Council C.P.C. Anybody who thinks that this is just a domestic dispute is ignorant of the impact of globalization of brands and competition. Coca Cola cannot risk its reputation for quality in any market, anywhere in the world especially the largest in Africa.

Global sector leaders, like Coca Cola faced with intense competition from Pepsi Cola, among others, cannot afford to lose in a challenge to their quality and safety image.

Stone-walling is their first line of defense. That means they deny every allegation irrespective of its validity.

Facts are released to point to the rigorous process and quality control policy designed to ensure perfect quality. The problem with that approach is that it deliberately ignores the fact that no system designed by man can be errorfree.

When that fails, they go after the complainant and/or the regulatory agency which has the temerity to question a global giant. When that occurs, they will stop at nothing to intimidate all those who challenge the company and its brand. That is understandable because trillions of naira are at stake worldwide and one successful claim against the brand could have serious consequences.

At the moment, Coca Cola, in Nigeria, is locked in combat with consumers claiming they were sold defective Coca Cola brands and who approached the C.P.C with evidence to support their claims. The C.P.C must have considered the facts sufficiently credible to warrant an investigation; as a result of which it ruled that Coca Cola had a case to

answer. Predictably, Coca Cola had reacted in the classic manner it rejects all the evidence. That is the mildest of the reactions. Apparently, having failed to stop the claimants and C.P.C, the company is now adopting Plan B intimidation. That is precisely where Nigerians, as a whole, must insist that the entire truth should be revealed. Two important reasons argue for civil society to get involved in this controversy.

First, Coca Cola young people constitute the consumers of soft drinks. It is bad enough that, despite all the evidence arguing for lower consumption, kids continue to drink rivers of Coke. Second, parents and adults, who will suffer collateral damage, if anything happens to the kids, have an interest in what the kids ingest. Businesses have a legitimate right to promote their brands; but, the marketing must be done with strict compliance with the law and the safety of consumers in mind at all times.

Adults have enough problems coping with the over-consumption of sugary carbonated soft drinks; they should not have to worry about anything else.

NEXT WEEK. The facts of the story.

Economy

Nigeria’s growth to slow to 5% in 2015

By JONAH NWOKPOKU

N

igeria's growth rate will slow to about 5 percent next year as a drop in oil’s price and a depreciating currency put pressure on the economy according to the International Monetary Fund IMF said the drop in crude prices will exert pressure on Nigeria’s fiscal revenue and spending, with a depreciation of the local currency expected to boost inflation, adding that the economy will expand 6.9 percent this year.

Recall that in response to the declining oil prices and its impact on the nation’s currency and external reserves, the Central Bank of Nigeria, devalued the naira last month even as the Federal Government proposed spending cuts for next year.

The IMF said that Nigeria’s fiscal and external “buffers” C M Y K

are low and need to be rebuilt, since the oil savings, the Excess Crude Account, has depleted to $3 billion from $21 billion in 2008.

According to IMF’s Nigeria representative, Gene Leon,”Nigeria remains vulnerable to oil price volatility and global financial developments.” He added that, “There are domestic risks including uncertainty ahead of February elections and security.”

He further noted that, “Capital outflows have continued and, with lower oil receipts, have led to sustained pressure on the naira. Despite the outlook, Nigeria could surmount its challenges, especially if a national spirit of burden sharing and rebuilding together is actively embraced.”

Recall also that last month, the Coordinating Minister of the

Economy and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala also warned that Nigerians should brace up for the impact of the declining price of crude oil in the global market.

Speaking at the Institute for International Finance’s 2014 Africa Financial Summit in Lagos, hosted by Access Bank Plc, Okonjo-Iweala, disclosed that event unfolding over the last couple of weeks have cast a shadow over the global economy, especially Nigeria and other African countries.

She reiterated the fact that commodity prices are declining globally in the last couple of days, with the Bonny Light, Nigeria’s reference crude, trading at about $83 per barrel.

The price has nosedived further to about $59 per barrel as at yesterday.

This, she said, is assuming a

disturbing dimension, especially as crude oil export accounts for about 83 per cent of Nigeria’s total export, as well as the fact that the country has to grapple with falling quantity.

She said, “Without a doubt, this slowdown in global economic activity, coupled with the end in the quantitative easing in the United States of America, will affect sub-Saharan Africa’s economy, in addition to other regions specific challenges we face at the moment.

“As we all know, many countries on the continent depend on commodity exports as the main source of revenue.

“Nigeria and other countries in the African continent must step back and learn the lessons of the ongoing economic transformation in the country. The Federal Government has put in place

strong stabilization policy, but the most important thing is that we must be able to sustain it.”

She stated that Nigeria, as well as other countries must be prepared to adjust and manage the economic headwinds looming in the horizon.

To adjust, according to her, Nigeria must adopt belttightening measures, plug leakages, focus on increasing revenue generation, identify and support sectors that have the potential to create jobs.

Continuing, she ruled out plans to borrow funds, saying that Nigeria cannot afford to go a borrowing to plug its deficit, but will, instead, adopt belt-tightening measures.

She said, “As external pressures mount in the face of falling commodity prices, the pressure to ‘go aborrowing’ to maintain fiscal expansion will also increase.

But we cannot afford to do this.

We need to make necessary adjustments with tighter fiscal and monetary policy.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 35

Micro-Finance

Commodity Index Dec. 05 - Dec. 11, 2014

AWARD - MD/CEO Accion Microfinance Bank, Ms. Bunmi Lawson (2nd right), flanked by staff displaying award as the financial service provider that has deepened financial inclusion for the year.

Lafarge commits 15bn to train young builders Stories by PROVIDENCE OBUH

L

afarge WAPCO cement has committed N15 billion so as to train youths in the building sector of Nigeria, just as it introduced Artisan C a p a b i l i t y Enhancements Programme (ACE).

In a statement made available to FV, the

Cement Technology Institute of Nigeria, CTIN, comprising of Lafarge WAPCO, Dangote Cement and other cement stakeholders, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ITF on the training of artisans and craftsmen in the construction industry, where CTIN and ITF entered into an

ITF, SMEDAN, others train 37,000 youths in 2yrs The Industrial Training Fund, (ITF) in collaboration with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and Bank of Industry (BoI) have trained about 37,000 youths in two years.

The training was carried out under the National Industrial Skills Development Programme, (NISDP) introduced by the Federal Government in 2012.

Director General, ITF, Dr. Juliet ChukkasOnaeko, disclosed this at an interactive forum with the theme: ‘Moving forward and succeeding together’ in Lagos.

“No nation develops by merely exporting raw materials without having a booming industrial sector,” she said.

Onaeko reiterated its four point agenda: to escalate the number of Nigerians trained to two million annually; fully automate ITF business processes; ensuring 100 per cent each of collection of training contributions and implementation of Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

She pointed out that the four point agenda is intended to ensure effective service delivery that will add value to the bottom line of esteemed clients’ operations and guarantee full actualization of its mandate.

“As part of our commitment to building the capacity of middle level manpower in Nigeria, the ITF in conjunction with Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has set up a Technical Skills Development Project (TSDP),” she said.

agreement to jointly see to the training of more than 70 million Nigerians along building construction business value chain.

Managing Director, WAPCO Operations, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, said that Lafarge Africa embarked on vocational training on block making for the youths to enhance the capacity of professionals and artisan groups with a view to improving construction practice in Nigeria.

“Block making as a vocation in Nigeria is largely unregulated, existing standards are largely unenforced and the entry barrier into the trade is almost non existence and this places block makers at liberty to produce blocks in line with experience, which sometimes is at variance with standards,” Adebajo said.

DG, ITF, Dr. Juliet Chukkas Onaeko, said that the collaboration between CTIN and ITF on such training was a signal of something great and revolutionary geared towards r e d u c i n g unemployment in the country.

She disclosed that the maiden edition of the programme would start in nine states within the country with about 3,000 trainees.

To this end, she appealed to all state governments to key into the programme by making their citizens participate in the training.

36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Tax Matters

S

tandard Integrated Government Tax Administration System (SIGTAS) which was created in Created in Canada

by CRC Sogema is in place in over 20 countries around the world with implementation currently underway in several other countries. It was ccustomized to reflect Nigeria tax legislation and it replaces the current Web portal system used for all taxpayers and all tax types in Nigeria.

All taxpayers will be registered in SIGTAS. In SIGTAS, a taxpayer can be an individual, a small business, or a legal entity, such as a partnership or a large incorporated company. Also, small businesses (unincorporated) are registered under their owners. These businesses are called “Individual Enterprises.”

For incorporated businesses, details of directors/partners are recorded. These are recognized in SIGTAS as “Non-Individual Enterprises”.

Transfer of Taxpayers to SIGTAS With the launching of SIGTAS, data from Web portal will be converted into SIGTAS, and a new Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) will be automatically assigned to each taxpayer .Tax balances will also be transferred into SIGTAS. And a single and unique TIN will be issued to cover all taxpayer’s affairs.

Registration and account setup for New Taxpayers on SIGTAS •The taxpayer submits a completed registration form to JTB/FIRS. •The form is verified and its data captured into SIGTAS •The TIN request process ensures that conditions are met for the issuance of the new TIN. •A single and unique TIN is issued to cover all taxpayer’s affairs.

•All required tax accounts are connected to a taxpayer’s single and unique TIN. Tax accounts include: Value added Tax (VAT), Company Income Tax (CIT), Withholding Tax (WHT), Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) etc.

In SIGTAS, all the different tax types are configured with the appropriate rules which apply to them, such as schedule, tax period, formulae for assessment calculations, penalties, etc.

Tax Return Submission •Taxpayer submits tax return according to schedule for particular tax type.

•Tax return is registered into SIGTAS with unique document number.

Taxpayers Registration, Assessment and Collection with Standard Integrated Government Tax Administration System (SIGTAS)

CSR - Left: Ikhine Sunday Paul, Assistant Headmaster. Bonny Camp Nursery and Primary School, Victoria Island, receiving sets of computer and drum sets from Tony Opanachi, Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, donated by Ecobank as part of its CSR support to the school in Lagos.

•For certain tax types, supporting documents such as Financial Statements can also be registered on the taxpayer’s file.

Tax Return Data Captured •If the tax return form (remittance) has been fully filled out, data from each line is captured into SIGTAS. •As data is captured, SIGTAS displays the correct values for calculated fields, in addition to whatever the taxpayer has submitted (using two columns).

Line 3: 2,000 2,000 LINE 4:

500

1,000

For example, Line 3 is a declared value and Line 4 is a calculated value (50% of Line 3). Although the taxpayer has recorded this on his return as N500, SIGTAS applies the configured formula for the assessment calculation for this tax type, and corrects the figure to N1000 for the purpose of the assessment.

Assessment Issued •After verification of the data capture, the assessment is calculated and printed.

•Assessments are then sent to taxpayers •If there is any discrepancy, assessments are based on

SIGTAS’ calculations, not the taxpayer ’s.

•The assessment shows the taxpayer ’s name, TIN, tax type, tax period, summary information from the lines of the remittance, the amount of tax payable and the due date.

It also bears a unique document number.

Payment •The taxpayer presents the assessment document to the Bank cashier, along with a cheque or cash payment.

•The unique document number identifies the taxpayer, tax type, tax period,

amount due and due date when it is captured into SIGTAS. Overdue Payments •If the payment is not received by the due date, the account is included in a report for collection action, and a reminder notice is generated automatically and sent to the taxpayer.

•Again, the reminder bears a unique document number, so that it too can be used for payment purposes.

•After double-checking to ensure this information matches what is on the document, the cashier accepts the payment and posts it to the account, issuing the taxpayer with a receipt generated from SIGTAS. Payments can only be made when associated with a SIGTAS-generated document – if the assessment notice itself is not available, another payment document can be printed from SIGTAS for this purpose.

Audit •The progress and result of an audit are recorded in SIGTAS.

For certain tax types, supporting documents such as Financial Statements can also be registered on the taxpayer’s file

If a discrepancy is identified, a reassessment can be generated from SIGTAS based on the new figures.

•The reassessment notice bears a unique document number, so that it can be used as a payment document by taxpayers.

Collection •Tax debts remaining unpaid after a final notice has been issued can be handled by SIGTAS, through which cases are managed and tracked For cases eventually referred to Tax Investigation, the SIGTAS Tax Account and the Collection history can together contribute to the background material required for litigation.

Objection •A taxpayer who disagrees with an assessment (either the original assessment, or a reassessment generated as the result of an audit), may lodge an objection.

•The objection is registered and then processed in SIGTAS.

All requests and infor mation about ITAS implementation should be forwarded to : Itas.changemanagement@firs.gov.ng

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 37

Insurance

C

hairman of Standard A l l i a n c e Insurance Plc, Mr. Aliyu Yahaya Sa’ad has said that the company continued to make operating profit from its core business; as such they are determined to turn the cycle and return the company to profitability in 2014 and beyond.

Sa’ad who stated this at the company ’s annual general meeting in Lagos said that the company shall continually and strategically build on its reputation as a one-stop general insurance service provider to take advantage of the windows of opportunities to remain competitive and generate a profitable after tax position going forward.

He said that in the light of the very challenging environment of 2013, the company recorded a gross premium of N3.7 billion in comparison to N5.38 billion in 2012, a drop of 30%.

“Much of this drop related to the expected impact of the ‘No premium, no cover’ policy as well as the slow growth of the economy.

The underwriting profit was N3.3 billion as against N4.99 billion in 2012, a decrease of 37%.

The company recorded a loss of N240 million as against N1.05 billion in 2012. The improvement in performance in comparison to the loss made in 2012 was a result of cost optimisation and prudent management of ‘No premium, no cover policy in the year under review,” he said.

Sa’ad said, “Year 2013 marked a major shift in the history of Nigerian insurance industry with the full implementation and enforcement of ‘No premium, no cover ’ rule as provided for in the insurance Act, 2003.

This was initially intended to take effect in October 2012 but was later shifted to January 1, 2013. This means that only cash production was recorded in the books of the company, thereby reducing the burden of receivables faced by many insurance companies. Also, 2013 saw the full implementation and adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by the insurance and other major players in the financial sector of the economy, though not without the expected teething problems as envisaged.

NAICOM organised and also facilitated various workshops to aid in ensuring smooth transition.

“Available investment opportunities for insurance industry operators include the local content initiative of the federal government in oil and gas sector, investment in physical infrastructure and the convergence of the pension

FG reappoints Onekhena deputy commissioner P From Left: Miss Insurance 2013/2014, Miss Funmilola Ogunshola and her mother Mrs. Ogunshola at miss insurance pet project for secondary school students in Lagos

SA core business continues to yield profit —Sa’ad industry and the health management organisations (HMO). Government’s target of 70% local content provides significant opportunities for insurance companies whose capacity had hitherto been a hindrance to meeting earlier targets.

The obvious infrastructure need of the country also provides insurance companies with alternative investment avenue and business opportunities.

On future outlook, Sa’ad said that the outlook for the financial sector in 2014 is much brighter. “With the commitment of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to micro-insurance and insurance industry stability Nigeria is likely to evolve as a preferred destination of choice for investment in the insurance sub-sector in 2014. In addition, NAICOM’s commitment to

pursuit of financial inclusion vis-à-vis ‘No premium, no cover’ is expected to broaden and boost the revenue base of the sub-sector. The positive ratings of Nigerian insurers by international rating agencies are evidence of their soundness and will continue to enhance the inflow of capital into the sector,” he stated.

Capital Express assures shareholders of improved performance

B

oard and Management of Capital Express Assurance Limited has assured shareholders that they will position the company to take advantage of any business opportunity available in the economy to ensure an improved performance in the years ahead.

Chairman of the company, Mr. Babatunde Adenuga stated this at the company’s annual general meeting in Lagos last week.

Adenuga said that the company achieved a gross written premium of N3.42 billion for the year ended 31 st December 2013 against N2.8 billion recorded in 2012, to represent a growth of 22 per cent in generated

premium.

He said that net premium income on the other hand, dipped y 11 per cent from N2.79 billion in 2012 to N2.49 billion in 2013.

According to him, underwriting profit recorded a 114 per cent growth from N344 million in 2012 to N735 million in 2013. “Despite the harsh operating space, loss for the year was significantly brought down from N517 million in 2012 to N109 million in 2013.

Speaking on the insurance industry, Adenuga said that it ha been characterized by certain weaknesses over the years which when addressed will position the sector to realise most of its potentials as well as attract sufficient businesses both locally and internationally.

“The industry has begun to

witness a lot of emerging opportunities on the back of current government legislation which has supported the prospects of growth in the industry. This legislation has triggered strategic mergers and acquisitions, interests from foreign investors as well as increases in competition and standard amongst players in the industry.

“On the face of it, the high level of competition in the insurance industry in Nigeria is expected to improve the low patronage of insurance products, improve the level of knowledge of the public in insurance as well as improve the level of confidence and poor perception of the public of insurance among others.

resident Goodluck Jonathan has approved the reappointment of Mr. George Onekhena as Deputy Commissioner for Insurance (Finance and Administration) of the National Insurance C o m m i s s i o n (NAICOM) for a second and final term of five (5) years.

O n e k h e n a ’ s reappointment was conveyed in a letter referenced SGF. 47/S.9/ 11/636 dated December 11, 2014 and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim.

The SGF stated that the President’s action is “In line with the provision of Section 11(5) of the National Insurance Commission Act 1997” and it is with effect from November 29, 2014.

Onekhena was first appointed Deputy Commissioner for Insurance in November 2009 by the President for a five year term. He successfully completed his first five year term in November, 2014.

During the period, Onekhena displayed good knowledge of the insurance industry leading to the immense transformation being witnessed in the industry at the moment.

He was the head of a team that successfully supervised the transition to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by insurers in 2012. The team is currently moderating the seamless transition by insurance brokers to IFRS. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Onekhena’s contributions to the Commission and industry are invaluable.

C M Y K

38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Aviation

Rockefeller Foundation, IFC launches facility to fund infrastructure

T

he Rockefeller Foundation and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, are launching a project development facility aimed at unlocking private sector investment for infrastructure that helps build resilience across emerging markets.

Global institutional investors are keen to invest in infrastructure, but there aren’t enough well-structured projects. The major challenge lies in the early stages of project development. Often, governments lack the capacity to structure, negotiate, and manage complex infrastructure transactions.

This is a critical bottleneck that delays and often stalls the development of projects. As a result, not enough projects are coming to market.

AfDB approves $22 million loan to develop Lake Tanganyika

B

oard of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group approved a S$22.49-million loan to Zambia for the development of Lake Tanganyika.

This project has been formulated as part of the longterm vision for Zambia (“Vision 2030”) by which it intends to become “a prosperous middle-income country by 2030”. Its aim, thus, is help implement the amended Sixth National Development Plan, which covers 2013-2016 and aims to facilitate and accelerate “economic growth and development in the service of the people”. Accordingly, it aims to stimulate job creation and rural development, in this way boosting inclusive growth.

The project will be implemented over a five-year period in two districts, Mpulungu and Nsama, which surround the drainage basin of the lake and which have 157,830 inhabitants. The incidence of poverty is much higher in these districts than in other districts of Zambia.

More specifically, the project will promote sustainable and equitable management and use of the lake’s natural resources, and it will help improve the livelihoods of local communities (in the drainage basin of the lake).

C M Y K

PSV 2020: Epayment Experts push for smart regulation and innovation Continued from page 26 On the need for innovation, Hany Fekry, Chief Commercial Officer of Emerging Markets Payments, and Omar El Moatez, Senior Strategic Accounts Director, African Regional Financial Solutions Division, NCR, noted that banks and epayment providers in Nigeria are pursuing the same set of customers, and there is need for innovation to offer their services to more people especially the millions of unbanked Nigerians.

In a presentation titled, “How Technology is transforming customer experience”, Fekry noted that credit card and mobile payment is very low in Nigeria. He also noted that despite the fact that Nigeria is one of the highest internet penetrations in the world; the level of e-commerce is very low. He called on the e-payment industry, to find a way to use the high internet penetration in the country to drive ecommerce. Drawing the attention of the gathering to the growing prominence of mobile e-commerce, Fekry, said that to overcome the challenges of mobile payment in Nigeria, banks could form a consortium that would establish a common mobile payment platform that each bank could access and use to offer and drive mobile payment in the country. He noted that this strategy would enhance extension of mobile payment to the millions of unbanked people in the country.

Also speaking on the need for efforts to extend epayment to the unbanked in the country, Kuponiyi said, “The benefit of modern payment system is yet to fully percolate to all segments of the society. As a result, a substantial portion of the population is still outside the realm of the formal and modern payment system.

Thus the stage is set for all of us especially the banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria along with other stakeholders in the industry to collaborate with each other in a co-operative effort to expand the reach of banking sector and modern payment systems by making all efforts towards the realisation of the PSV 2020 20. In this endeavour,

RETREAT - From left- Dipo Fatokun, Director, Banking and Payments Dept, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Tunde Kuponiyi, Chairman, Committee of e-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH); John Chaplin, Global Retail Payment expert; Dele Adeyinka, Vice Chairman, CeBIH at the 2014 annual CeBIH retreat held in Abuja educating customers on the security comfort afforded by the payment products and the measures required to be taken by the customers for minimising fraud and misuse should also be an integral part.”

Speaking on the need for innovation, Barau said that one of the aims of the Payment System Vision 2020 is to encourage innovation guided by the outlined strategy. “Innovators in the payments system are our partners in progress and we are committed to promoting creativity and dynamism in the national payments system.” he said.

John Chaplin however noted that global experience show that innovation usually comes from new entrants and not established operators.

He said that is why the regulatory framework must be designed to encourage

There is an urgent need to review the current model for POS terminal deployment as the structure is not sustainable

new entrants into the epayment industry, adding, this is the only way to guarantee constant introduction of innovative products and services, and growth of the epayment industry.

The recommendations and views expressed during the retreat was summarised in a communiqué issued by the Committee.

The communiqué stated, “The committee appreciates the Central Bank of Nigeria for driving the cash-less policy and active engagement of industry players in the payments industry.

However, in order to improve on the current gains brought about by the policy, the committee recommends as follows: Introduction of tax incentives for merchants who adopt electronic channels, benchmarking the South Korean model which recorded a huge success upon the implementation of such a scheme; “Payment of subsidies, grants and any social security benefits (e.g. aids to victims of violence, natural disasters, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), etc. through electronic channels; “Allowing the market to determine the price of electronic payments to engender innovation and healthy competition which eventually benefits the final consumer and indeed the market. We believe that this resonates with the CBN objectives.

“There is a strong need to reevaluate the concept of shared services to promote “choice of service providers” and encourage competition.

Switches and service providers should be allowed to compete while services that could be shared such as Settlement and Clearing services are handled by NIBSS “There is an urgent need to review the current model for POS terminal deployment as the structure is not sustainable. The committee is worried by the issue of interoperability, nonuniformity of standards, number of parties in ecosystem with huge impact on the cost of operations and profitability, proliferation of terminals at merchant locations, weak operational framework, imperfect pricing and revenue sharing formula, amongst other factors including infrastructural challenges, which have led to high rate of inactive POS terminals in the market.

“Given the myriad of challenges that have bedevilled the POS operation, as highlighted above, the committee hereby commits to setting up a subcommittee comprising major stakeholders in the payment system. The main objective is to analyse and review the failure points of POS transactions over a period and present to a larger committee, including CBN with a view to fixing all the issues as applicable.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 39

Business & Economy

We need to transform Nigeria’s troubled Cocoa sector — US govt

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

C

iting the insatiable worldwide appetite for chocolate, the US Consul General Jeffery Hawkins has urged the Nigerian government to position itself and take advantage of the opportunity that represents the increased efforts on mechanizing growing of cocoa in the country.

Hawkins said that he was struck by the fact that cocoa is still raised by hand, and not machine in Nigeria, for fact that it remains a very labor-intensive commodity to produce, stressing that despite the physical labor involved, farmers are realizing very limited incomes from their efforts.

According to the US CG, “The US government has been working very closely with the Nigerian government, as well as with the country’s private sector, to advance Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Bringing transformation to this country’s troubled cocoa sector is quite imperative.

Hawkins pointed out that the demand for cocoa is rising faster than cocoa production, and emerging economies such as China and India have developed a taste for chocolate, and many consumers can now afford the luxury.

He said that Cocoa consumption in developed economies is also up, with more and more consumers now demanding darker chocolate with upwards of 70 percent cocoa content recent press reports disclosed that doctors are finding there are even health benefits from eating dark chocolate. “ With this rise in demand, international buyers are predicting a potential cocoa shortage by 2020. This has already contributed to cocoa prices rising 25 percent in the past year.

But sadly, cocoa production here in Nigeria is diminishing.

Cocoa farmers and their trees are aging, and farmers are getting some of the lowest yields on the continent.

Farmers are tending small plots of land, often less than two hectares and are not making the investments needed to maintain quality or productivity.

With high interest rates, and the cost of inputs exceeding farmers’ ability to pay, the sector is not seen as a viable way to make a living. Sons and daughters of cocoa farmers are heading to the cities for other opportunities”, Hawkins added.

A close up view of the new

development in respect of quality cocoa productivity in Nigeria was clearly indicated at the cocoa summit, which provided an excellent opportunity to begin a discussion on how to again make cocoa a significant contributor to Nigeria’s economic development.

Making cocoa a viable prospect for youth employment is a real possibility and in the context of Nigeria, an absolute

need. The challenge is to come to agreement among all the actors government and private to put these pieces together in a way that enables Nigerian agribusinesses to thrive over the long term.

“This is precisely the reason that the U.S. Government is supporting this summit and encouraging the coordinated development of the Nigerian cocoa industry. I wish you the best of luck today in holding

fruitful discussions, and developing a coherent plan to usher in a new era in Nigeria’s cocoa sector”, Hawkins submitted. Present also at the summit were leader of the Cocoa Value Chain Program and Representative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Peter Aikpokpodion, former Secretary to the government of Nigeria, Chief Olu Falae and other top responsible authorities.

JCI elects Raji as 2015 President

J

CI Oluyole has elected Sakirat Olaitan Raji as 2015 Local organisation President.

She takes over from Sayo Ojo who served as President JCI Oluyole for this year 2014. Raji, was presented to all members, Past presidents, corporate partners and general public as 2015 Local organisation president at the convention and investiture programme of the JCI Oluwole held at the at Banquet Hall Jogor centre, Ibadan, Oyo state.

Speaking at the occasion, Raji promised to sustain the values of JCI and deepen its commitment to serving humanity. “The theme of the Local Organisation in the year 2015 is Goal Achievable, Mission Attainable. I cannot do it alone, but I believe our collective efforts will definitely help us build a better chapter and society. I promise to work with all members and serve with enthusiasm and collective responsibility against all odds in order to achieve a successful year”, she said.

Chairman of the occasion, JCI Senator Babajide OlatundeAgbeja while speaking, advised members to develop integrity above all as integrity is the basis PRESENTATION - From right, Chief Marketing Officer, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, for any form of leadership.

(Smile)Mrs. Alero Ladipo, Managing Director, Smile, Mr. Michiel Buitelaar in handshake with the best Smile Communication Indirect Channel Partner for the year 2014, Managing Director, Yfree Solution, Mr. Victor Inyang while General Manager, Sales and Distribution, Smile, Mr. Ken Esenwah watch during the presentation of prizes to reward the best 2014 Smile Indirect Channel Partners held in Lagos.

Dollar rises as Yellen signals interest-rate rise

NBC’s technical training centre graduates 19 engineers

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

N

igerian Bottling Company’s, NBC’ s Technical Training Center, TTC, which serves as a resource centre for developing competent technical personnel in the Nigerian beverage bottling industry recently graduated 19 Engineers after successfully completing a 15 month Graduate Engineer Training programme.

The Company’s Technical Training Center was established in 1996 to consistently provide a pool of resourceful and competent engineers and technicians who are in tune with the highly demanding technology and operating environment in the beverage industry.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Managing Director of Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd, Mr. Ben Langat said the centre is part of NBC’s commitment to stimulate human performance, improve

productivity and induce valuedadded production capacity that stimulates economic growth.

Mr Langat charged the graduands to demonstrate high technical and leadership competencies. “My underlying message to our new engineers is that only those who are able to consistently respond to tough times excel. Your role as Engineers is very crucial in preserving our quality heritage and ensuring that our manufacturing processes conform to world-class standards in the most efficient manner, which includes: identifying process improvement opportunities, recognizing production cost drivers and mitigating their impact on our operations”.

In his remarks, Pastor Tope Dada, Head, Technical Training, NBC, lauded the graduands for their commitment to the training programme and their demonstration of a high sense

of purpose throughout the duration of the programme.

According to him, NBC is proud of the new graduates and the company is confident they will go forth and excel in their various posts. He enjoined young Nigerians who aspire to build a career in the beverage bottling industry to take advantage of the NBC’s Technical Training Centre. He said over 4,500 participants have completed various technical programmes at the centre since inception and many of the products of the Centre have gone ahead to assume higher responsibilities in the organisation.

Mr Laolu Oguntuyi, Director, Technical and Vocational Services, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), in his goodwill message, commended NBC for the initiative, which has been sustained for 18 years.

A

gauge of the dollar rose for the eighth time in nine weeks after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen signaled that the central bank is poised to increase interest rates next year starting as early as April.

The greenback headed for gains this year against all except one of its 31 major peers, a feat it hasn’t accomplished since 1997, as Yellen said the impact of Russian turmoil on the U.S. economy is small. Hungary’s forint and the Polish zloty sank on concern the economic crisis that has driven the ruble down 44 percent this year will spread. The Swiss franc weakened the most in two months versus the euro after the central bank introduced negative interest rates.

Yellen is “really trying to say there’s a lot of volatility out there, but it’s not having a dramatic impact on the outlook of U.S.,” Kevin Hebner, a foreign-exchange strategist at JPMorgan Chase & Co., said by phone yesterday in New York. The process of the market adjusting to the Fed’s rate-rise projections “is going to get the dollar appreciating, C M Y K

40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Business & Economy Small firms can go global through franchise – CEO Anabel Group

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

A

NABEL Group says Franchise business model can propel Nigerian small businesses to become global conglomerates the like of Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald and Pizza Hut worth trillions of dollar in assets and turnovers.

Franchise is the practice of licensing for a prescribed period of time or the right to use a company ’s business name for a fixed period of time.

Mr. Nicholas Okoye, CEO Anabel Group/ Founder Empower Nigeria, stated this during the Island Tea Party for Women Entrepreneurs, organised by the company in Lagos.

In his presentation, ‘Nigeria: Entrepreneurial Nation’, Okoye related how KFC, Pizza Hut, among others started as a small business and become global

C M Y K

companies through Franchise.

“We need to turn your small business into a mega business using the franchise strategy.

Every business that has a product or service a formula of engaging and keeping customers can be a franchise.

We need to develop your business into franchises so we can build national and international corporations,” he told the women entrepreneurs.

According to him, Pizza Hut was started by two brothers, Dan and Fran Carney in the 50s as a small business; they borrowed $500 from their mother and by 1968, the group had grown to 310 restaurants including restaurants in Canada; by 1969 the brothers set up the international franchise holders association to acquire 40 percent of the companies franchise which they added to the original 6 already owned by the company. Before the end of 1960, they prepared the

FORUM - From left: Amb. Moses Essien; Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Government Research Leadership Technology, Amb. Angela Colley, Immediate Past Gambia Envoy to Nigeria, and Prof. John Akanya, Deputy Chairman of the Institute, During the African product forum held in Abuja .

company for public listing to raise even more money for expansion.

Aggressive marketing and innovative advertisements were key to their rapid expansion. The advertising not only built a strong brand for Pizza Hut and its promoters but it also attracted the attention of global conglomerate PepsiCo. PepsiCo acquired Pizza Hut from the brothers in 1977 in a

deal that paid $320 million in stock.

Okoye also urged the local entrepreneurs to learn from Kentucky Fried Chicken, KFC, which was started

by Colonel Sanders .

“He began by selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky and grew to 140 restaurants. At the age of 65 he set up the Kentucky fried

chicken corporation and sold franchise to entrepreneurs.

By 1980, there were an estimated 6,000 KFC outlets in 48 different countries, with $2 billion of sales annually.

“Are you in business, do you have a business that will qualify to be a franchise; do you want to expand internationally- Africa and beyond?

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 41

C M Y K

C M Y K

42 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Advertising

Unilag undergraduate wins Onga campus cooking contest

A

22-year old law student of University of Lagos, Miss Temitope Oyedija; has emerged the overall winner in this year ’s Onga National Campus Cooking Competition thereby winning the star prize of 2014 KIA Rio full option.

With the Okro Soup and Garri she prepared at the Grand Finale of the competition held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the university, Oyedija dazzled other regional winners who represented 13 other universities in the country.

Kachi Onubogu, Executive Director, Commercial, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, sponsors of the competition; who made the announcement said cooking is a universal art done in every part of the world. Based on this, he said Promasidor ’s target is to make the competition premium amongst the youth in Nigeria.

Zowasel.com debuts, gives consumers price option

S

treet Toolz, an edge digital marketing agency, based in Lagos, has launched a price comparison site - www.zowasel.com in Nigeria to ensure consumers get best prices possible without surfing the net endlessly.

Zowasel.com has been developed as a hub where everything – products, goods and services can be compared in terms of pricing. It is an intuitive aggregate comparison engine designed to help shoppers compare best prices across shopping, hotels, flights and school fees and rentage.

The Chief Marketing Officer of Street Toolz, Jerry Oche while explaining the reason why the aggregate comparison search engine was introduced, said the portal was designed with the ‘stressed Nigerian’ in mind.

“Our vision is to make comparison accessible and available to everyone in realtime via web, mobile and POS across developing economies.”

DINNER - From Right: Chairman Governing Board of Small and Medium Enter prises development Association of Nigeria, SMEDAN, Col Shehu Ibrahim, rtd, President, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Dr. Rotimi Oladele, and major Adebayo Shitta, rtd, Fellow of NIPR at the presidential dinner and award night in Lagos recently.

Bitters: Spirited history of a drink attacked by adulteration

A

herbal based drink, is not just any ordinary alcoholic drink. Bitters are made from carefully selected tropical plant extracts which forms part of a secret recipe, and it is popular for its aphrodisiac qualities.

One of the important things to understand about bitters manufacturers is that they are extremely protective about their recipe.

All the mystery and protectiveness over bitters comes from a long history of trying to fend off competitors, imitators, and counterfeiters in the bitters space.

According to history, bitters got its start in 1824 when a German, Dr. Johann Siegert, who lived in Venezuela, developed a medicinal remedy for stomach ailments within Simon Bolivar’s troops at the military hospital where he was the Surgeon-General.

He named these bitters simply “Aromatic Bitters” and administered them as medicine. These bitters remained a well-regarded tonic with the troops and among family and friends. It wasn’t until 1853 when Dr. Siegert’s son, Carlos C. Siegert, returned from his education in Europe and devoted himself to the bitters business that things really took off.

But the case of Ghana’a

STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU Alomo bitters from the Kasapreko company , managed by Kwabena Adjei, the founder of Kasapreko, was a different one, it owns its history from the fact that Africans were drinking herbs locally mixed with alcohol.

But his vision was to use scientific method to produce the product with clinical authentication.

Adjei introduced Alomo 10 years after the company was established as he was producing Kasapregin. But the breakthrough came when he introduced Alomo bitter which became a blazer in the bitters market.

Some people started smuggling Alomo Bitters into the Nigerian market before the product got the National Agency for Food Drugs and Control, NAFDAC registration. The product received immediate consumer acceptance as the consumers needed something different from lager beer. When the product officially entered Nigeria, distributors jumped on it and this created the visibility and the product boomed, again on the back of affordability.

Predictably, between 2011 and 2012, the product market share hovered around 80

percent of the bitters market.

But this share was soon weakened as adulteration of the product and genuine competition entered to tap into what experts described as N32.2 billion annual bitters market.

In a while, both registered and unregistered bitter products which faked Alomo traced it way to the market unfettered.

He was able to find a scientific way of infusing alcohol in the the herbs that formed the bitters. So he was able to partner with Scientific Plant Medicine in Mapong, which is World Health Organisation affiliate that did the extraction of the herbs.

That helped him to make sure that the herbs and the amount of herbs and the proportion of the herbs are according to what is good for human consumption.

The company had previously promised to start production of Alomo Bitters and other of its products in Nigeria as a result of its huge market which is its biggest export but said it is being frustrated by the faking of the brand which has reduced the brand equity of Alomo Bitters.

“We wanted to make a strong foot print in Nigeria and we have not canceled the ambition but once we are able to get rid of those destroying the market and harming the

lives of the people through faking of our product then we can decide to put the factory in place”, Kwabena Adjei, the company’s founder and CEO told Vanguard in Accra, Ghana recently.

Adjei however regretted that the faking of the product has affected the equity of the brand. “Thus if we don’t fight the fake, we are hurting the government because fakers don’t pay tax. We are harming the consumers because fakers don’t use good product. Some of these fake products have been tested in our laboratory and I tell you that the result is shocking and unhealthy to consumers”, he said.

Adjei who recognized Nigeria as a big market in Africa said the brand’s dominance of the market has been greatly touched not by genuine competition but by fake market. He however said that the company which is now exporting to European and Western countries and other African countries is presently collaborating with Nigeria’s regulatory agencies and distributors to tackle the fake market syndrome.

In order to still offer quality products to Nigerians who have accepted the product and checkmate faking which is affecting the brand , with potential of causing health consequence on consumers, Adjei and his team are introducing security seal on the Alomo brand.

In his response to adulteration, he stated: “two years ago we embarked on a journey to protect our brand and consumers. That journey took us to Germany where we partnered with a hologram company”. According to him, the security will involve four levels all in an attempt to ensure that the consumer gets the right quality product. “We know that fakers will try to confuse the consumers with fake holographic seal but ours is so sophisticated and consumers will be able to identify the original from the fake” he said.

In order to also reach the growing international market, Kasapreko has commissioned two production lines - the pet bottle production that rolls out 40,000 containers per hour and the glass bottle line that produces 30,000 bottles per hour.

Today, Kasapreko continues to receive enquiries from various countries such as Australia, US, UK for the supply of Alomo and other brands within its portfolio. In all it has 15 variants in Gin, whiskey, wine categories.

Adjei which have won several awards since 1999 to date.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 43

Advertising

My agenda for marketing Profession in Nigeria —NIMN Boss Mr. Ganiyu Koledoye, was recently elected president of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, NIMN. In this interview with Princewill Ekwujuru, he spoke about agenda for the profession and the future dircetion of the industry . Excerpts.

N

Re-election and agenda art of the agenda is the institute’s elections. What we’ve done with the last election is to change the process of choosing leaders. We have made it more transparent, it is one of the greatest achievements of the institute. Now we ensure that those who are voting are properly accredited. And no longer would the institute be using staff as instruments for election process manipulations.

Let me tell you this, I’m only going to stay for one tenure, and will not secure a second term. The reason is that I believe I’ve contributed my own quota and others should come and continue. But the general opinion of my colleagues was that I had to see through some of these things. We had just brought two bodies together, and the people are just about getting used to one another. We don’t want to start experiencing what we

P

had in 2009 and 2010, when no sooner people started, that the institute broke up again.

People felt I should stay to be able to complete the reconciliation process. What you have seen as reconciliation is just one part of the story.

The academia are still outside the fray, and we intend to bring them in. The institute is supposed to be a bird with two wings. For several years, one wing of the institute had been so battered. That one we have managed to fix now. The other wing, for the past 10 to 11 years, has been excluded totally from the activities of the marketing institute, and that is the academia. And no professional institute can survive if we don’t have the faculty of people who are teaching, who are going to design the curriculum, who are going to be part of the factory for turning out student.

If the cohesion and interplay between the two arms does not exist, then you can’t have an institute. The practitioners may have their own experience, but they are not academically-inclined, because they are practitioners.

The people in the academia don’t have the practical day to day knowledge but they have the skill of understanding what is going on and translate it to teaching manuals and teaching process. And if this interplay exists, the quality of our membership would be enhanced. So one of the things I intend to do is to make sure that I bring the academia on board.

Our long term aim is that whatever area of specialisation students are moving towards in social sciences, they should also develop marketing skills and, therefore, we are now

expecting a lot of people in school of management to read professional marketing, and to do that you have to bring the academia on board. Both of us, the academia and the people in the industry, would decide the fate of this institute in terms of quality of education which we provide for our people and how we release people into the industry. The second one is making the institute relevant in terms of national discourse.

We should have an input.

The truth about a society like ours is that it is being run on purely economic model.

People talk about GDP, inflation and all that, but marketing model is different from all of that. It looks at the quality of life of the citizenry, sometimes you call them consumers or customers.

Therefore, we affect every life.

I think Nigeria has, for

If you look at a lot of people who are players in the marketing offices now, they are not necessarily members of our institute, and even those who are members don’t come for our programmes?

NB unveils largest bottle tree

whatever reason, missed the input of marketing. I will not blame the government for that. It is because essentially we have not put our house in order. Now that we believe we’ve done this, we have to be involved in advocacy.

Another area which I want to be relevant is in the industry itself. If you look at a lot of people who are players in the marketing offices now, they are not necessarily members of our institute, and even those who are members don’t come for our programmes? We are not that relevant in people’s careers.

We have to really put a check on that. People accuse the institute of not reaching out to its members, but my own experience, as someone who graduated as professional marketer before going for my academic qualification, is that members also have responsibility on how they project their institute.

We shall encourage people to be familiar with the NIMN Act. We will not encourage people to be practicing marketing if they are not members of the institute, members mean active player.

We have started the process of codification. We are going to engage extensively in the process of making sure that delinquent membership are not encouraged in the institute. We will start from January to advise people to regularise. After six months, we will take appropriate action to list those who are our members to inform organisations, while nonmembers should not be occupy seats meant for practitioners.

What does it take for an individual to be a chartered marketer?

There are phases, either you have professional qualification, or you work in the industry where you are assigned marketing duties.

Marketing is a complex profession, any competent and literate person can do marketing. We create values but people who create our ideas into values are usually those of other professions such as engineers, pharmacists, chemists, psychologists, sociologists. In fact, most of marketing activities is sociology, which is people. So people must understand how broad the base is. But to be a member of our institute, you have to confirm your status with the institute. We are not saying that people should not come from other profession to practice marketing.

Marketing needs everybody.

But now that you are there, you should regularise your status with the institute.

Capacity to enforce We are going to use moral suasions. I’m sure you’ve come across what is called name and shame. When I put out the list of those who are my members, if your name is not there, that means you are not a practicing marketer. I’m not going to put out your name as practicing marketing, when you have not regularised. That is the first strategy, because we have a law which says that only those who are recognised by the institute can practice the profession.

If it is not understood by everybody, it is our

igerian Breweries has unveiled the world’s largest “Star Bottle Tree”.The Star Bottle Tree, situated at Star Beer Village, Bar Beach Stretch Victoria Island Lagos, is made with 8,000 bottles and is the largest bottle tree in the world. Attention grabbing and stunningly made, it is a first of its kind in the country, symbolizing greatness and the enterprising Nigerian spirit personified by Star Lager, the country ’s leading beer brand.

Lagosians took part in the record-breaking feat by submitting empty Star bottles, which were put together to build the tree.

The Star Bottle Tree aims to break the current World Record of 1,000 beer bottles being held by the Chinese city of Shanghai.

“This is another achievement by Nigerian Breweries Plc, which has become a forerunner in creativity and innovation over the years. Star Lager is an exciting brand, which strives to reach its consumers on enthusing platforms such as the Star Beer Village and also with the Star Bottle Tree.

Etisalat CEO reiterates importance of education

T

he Chief Executive Officer,CEO of Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Mathew Willsher has reiterated the importance of education and innovation to human development and improvement of the quality of human lives. He made the call during the third edition of the Etisalat Merit Awards which held in Lagos on Wednesday.

In his opening remarks, Willsher stressed the importance of education and innovation and lamented the global illiteracy rate which currently stands at one billion.

He also congratulated all the 70 participants drawn from seven Nigerian universities and described them as the future of the country, adding that the country’s greatness in the area of innovation and scientific discoveries lay on their shoulders.

Speaking further, he canvassed private sector partnership for funding education in the country and argued that education is critical to development and should not be left exclusively to government to fund.

C M Y K

44— Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.com Blog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2 Website: www.lesleba.com Tel:0805 220 1997

Is de -industrialisation imminent?

T

he above title may seem out of place in the wake of the launch of “Nigeria’s Industrial Revolution Plan” (NIRP) by the Jonathan administration in February this year. The NIRP is clearly a recognition of the embarrassingly modest contribution of manufacturing (less than 7%) to our Gross Domestic Product; conversely, the contribution, for example, of the services subsector has grown from about 23% in 2011 to a robust 52% by 2013 without any significant job creation component!

According to President Jonathan “the NIRP and its sister project, the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) will address the constraints that have consistently inhibited the growth of manufacturing by building industrial infrastructures, prioritising power for industrial use, reducing borrowing cost and mobilising funds for the real sector to produce and reduce the drain on our reserves...”

Subsequently, at the inauguration of the Presidential Advisory Committee on NIRP in May 2014, Mr. President tasked “the manufacturing sector to work harder to add value to Nigeria’s produce rather than just exporting raw materials”, as “no country has ever become prosperous, only by extracting and exporting its raw materials.”

However, the question is whether Mr. President’s noble vision is supported by the actual reality on ground, or could this also be another ‘feel good’ propaganda in the manner of earlier failed projects, such as Operation

Feed the Nation, NEEDS, SEEDS, and visions 2010 and 2020 programmes respectively?

It may be too early to make a call on the possible success or failure of NIRP and NEDEP, but some observers may insist “that the morning shows the day”; consequently, such critics may refer to recent developments that could conscribe the NIRP and NEDEP programmes to the dust bin.

Early in December 2014, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, unexpectedly reneged on his earlier assurances to maintain Naira exchange rate at the 5 year rate of about N155=$1, consequently, the Naira now trades at between N165N173/$1 at the official retail Dutch Auction window with CBN; however, these ‘premium’ rates seem only applicable for government transactions; thus for example, the CBN would substitute a minimum of N165 for every $1 of distributable dollar denominated revenue, before sharing to the three tiers of government, a process that, incidentally, instigates the poisonous economic burden of excess liquidity!

There are already allegations by manufacturers that their forex bid for importation of raw materials/inputs were directed to the interbank window, where the dollar currently exchanges for close to N190/$1, i.e. about 30% more than what manufacturers paid for their dollar requirements barely a month ago!

Regrettably, the current demand pressure may likely push the interbank Naira

exchange rate above N200=$1, with disastrous consequences for the funds requirement of the real sector.

Thus, a manufacturer who usually required N100m for imported raw materials/ inputs, will now require upto N130m to buy the same inputs if the Naira exchange rate approaches N200=$1. Worse still, the same manufacturer who barely survived the burden of borrowing N100m with 20% interest rate, may unfortunately, now need to borrow N130m, with possibly higher cost of funds to remain on the same spot.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian manufacturer still carries the burden of providing his own power as well as provision of access roads, security and other extraneous expenditures to stay in business. It is a no-brainer that, ultimately, Made-inNigerian products will certainly be more expensive, than the imported, finished or intermediate equivalent.

Furthermore, the inflation ravaged income of Nigerians may not be enough to persuade a patriot to buy Made-in-Nigeria goods because of the relatively higher price. Instructively, all income earners including the N18,000 minimum wage earner lose 40% of the purchasing power of their incomes every 5 years at the current annual average inflation rate of 8%!

Some Nigerian may recall that several event centres, churches and mosques that dot our landscape were once vibrant factories whose ‘lives’ were truncated by the series of Naira devaluations under SAP; indeed the proliferation

of more carcasses of such factories is a clear indication that the Nigerian industrial landscape is probably still a long way from where it used to be between 1983-93. The SAP devaluations not only decimated our industrial base, but also led to a disruptive and retrogressive brain drain as Nigerian professionals exited our shores in droves in order to protect their lifestyle and dignity.

Consequently, the latest round of devaluations may be seen as an unwelcome de ja vu as it portends another cycle of social oppression and industrial embattlement which certainly run counter to President Jonathan’s vision of transforming Nigeria’s manufacturing sector with NIRP and NEDEP. In a related development, ECOWAS member states ratified a Common External Tariff (CET) Protocol in Abuja on the 15 th of December 2014. The CET was curiously, sponsored by the European Union under the umbrella of an ‘Economic Partnership Agreement’ (EPA). Clearly, under the provisions of CET, European and other import sources of both raw materials and finished consumer goods will have unhindered access to ECOWAS markets, with Nigeria (with close to 200m population and relatively superior consumer demand) as the prime destination!

Under the CET, ECOWAS countries can no longer seriously protect local industries, and indeed the highest tariff category of 35% is for a limited range of goods for which ECOWAS countries have proven capacity to produce. This rather lopsided

‘partnership’ has been described as an Enslavement Partnership Agreement by some observers, because, Made-in-Nigeria products will obviously have no chance against more competitive imports from those countries with the established requisite infrastructure, such as adequate and competitively priced power, very low cost of funds (between 3-7%) as against 20-25% rate of interest to Nigeria’s real sector.

In the light of the preceding, President Jonathan’s is clearly misguided in his expectation that with NIRP and NEDEP, Nigeria will replicate China’s industrial revolution and become a credible world class economy. Instructively, China did not carelessly throw open its borders for a pot of pottage of EU 6.5bn which was promised 15 ECOWAS member states by the European Union over the next five years. Indeed, China’s industrial incubation lasted for over 20 years, during which time they quietly developed their local industries and only systematically opened up its market as Chinese industry developed sufficient skill and muscle to compete with imports from anywhere.

As it is, with the ratification of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff and the economic destabilisation related to the present Naira devaluation, we may just have sold the future of Nigeria’s manufacturing sector to our economic oppressors, and we may ultimately just remain a country with a bourgeoning services subsector with minimal jobs opportunities and deepening poverty.

Save the Nigerians!

Naira,

Save

Business & Economy

Nigerian-German Business Association delegation to visit Germany next year

A

delegation of small and medium-sized business concerns comprising members of the Nigerian-German Business Association (NGBA) will visit Germany in February next year to explore opportunities for partnerships with German businesses.

Mr. André Rönne, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NGBA and Delegate, German Delegation of Industry and Commerce (AHK), who disclosed this while delivering his report to the 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of C M Y K

the association in Lagos at the weekend said the planned visit is a response to the fiveday visit of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) to Nigeria in June.

VDMA represents all manufacturers of machinery, equipment and plant in Germany and has approximately 3,100 membercompanies. During the visit, the VDMA delegation organized a symposium on German Technology – Tailor Made for Foodstuff Processing and Packaging and

participated in a workshop on Doing Business in Nigeria.

Rönne said NGBA and AHK also organized a cultural trade show dedicated to the cultural variety of Nigeria in collaboration with the German Goethe Institute and Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in October to highlight positive aspects of Nigeria. He announced that the second edition of the cultural show is already being planned and is expected to attract a bigger audience.

Omoh Gabriel Babajide Komolafe Clara Nwachukwu Peter Egwuatu Yinka Kolawole Favour Nnabugwu Godwin Oritse Godfrey Bivbere Michael Eboh Franklin Alli Ebele Orakpo Ifeyinwa Obi Rosemary Onuoha

-

Group Business Editor Deputy Business Editor Energy Editor Asst. Business Editor Snr Bus. Correspondent Insurance Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Energy Reporter Industry/Agric. Reporter Energy Reporter Maritime Reporter Insurance Reporter

CONTRIBUTORS Princewill Ekwujuru Nkiruka Nnorom Jonah Nwokpoku Naomi Uzor Providence Obuh LAYOUT

-

Media/Marketing Capital Market E-Commerce Industry Micro Finance Graphics Department

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 45

C M Y K

46 —Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 47

C M Y K

48—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 49

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2014

Udom still in troubled waters as A-Ibom seeks fresh PDP candidate

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—DESPITE the vacation of the court injunction barring the submission of Emmanuel Udom’s name as authentic governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Akwa Ibom last Friday, trouble is still far from over for him and his political godfather, Governor Godswill Akpabio.

Like before, the latest move to replace him as the governorship candidate of the state has been sealed by the aggrieved 22 aspirants in the state, who felt totally “schemed out” in the December 8, 2014 PDP primaries in the state.

The aspirants have vowed to appeal the vacation of the injunction today in court.

The decision of the aspirants stemmed from a meeting that was called at the instance of Governor Akpabio in Abuja, which later ended in fiasco in the early hours of Saturday.

The meeting, Vanguard gathered, was held to appease the aggrieved aspirants and seek their support and acceptance of Udom but the meeting became a shouting bout between Akpabio and a former Attorney-General of the state, Chief Asam Asam, SAN, who was also an aspirant.

It was also gathered that the meeting would have held at the Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro or a designated hotel being the

venue Akpabio had chosen but the aspirants turned down the choice and opted for their secretariat on Ontario Street in Maitama.

It was gathered that shortly after they started the meeting, a shouting match ensued between Akpabio and Asam.

A source, who attended the meeting and craved anonymity told Vanguard that it took the intervention of the other aspirants present to calm frayed nerves.

At that juncture, the source added, the group resorted to singing Christian songs followed by prayers to further restore peace amongst them.

Afterwards, the governor pleaded with them to accept Emmanuel Udom as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state but his position was rejected by the group.

Seeing that the people were poised for a showdown, Akpabio called on Udom, who was also

present, to plead with them.

It was learned that he likened his case to that of Jesus Christ, who was initially rejected by his people but later turned out to become the saviour.

But unfortunately, the allusion to Jesus, reportedly infuriated the house which roundly castigated Udom for his lack of humility.

They, however, promised to work for the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan, but vowed to do everything within their power to stop Udom.

THANKSGIVING: From left: Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State; Rivers State Deputy Governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru and Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Mr. Dakuku Peterside, during a thanksgiving/dedication of mandate service at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Jonathan'll win Rivers by wide margin —WIKE the people have for

R

IVERS State Peo ples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said that President Goodluck Jonathan will win Rivers State by an overwhelming margin on his way to get a second term in 2015.

Wike, who spoke at

Apara Kingdom in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area on Sunday as part of his thank you tour to the area, said that no amount of state resources expended by the outgoing governor, who serves as the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Manager, would change the love

9,999 carol night: Rededicate yourselves to God —Akpabio

N

IGERIANS of dif ferent religious backgrounds have been asked to recommit and rededicate themselves to God by imbibing the spirit of love and peace because God is love.

Governor Godswill Akpabio, who made the remark during this year’s Akwa Ibom State Government Christmas Carol night, which fea-

tured 9,999 choristers, the biggest in the world at the state International Stadium, Uyo also known as ‘The Nest of Champions’, said “Let each succeeding generation of Akwa Ibom people use this to recommit and rededicate themselves to God. Let the praise from this event bring everyone to God’s banqueting hall, where love is served and righteousness reigns.”

Jonathan.

He said: “President Jonathan will win Rivers State on February 14, 2015 by a landslide. The PDP candidates for the National Assembly elections will also win in their respective constituencies, setting the stage for our first celebration on February 14.

“All Rivers people should come forward on that day to vote Jonathan and all PDP candidates. After the voting, they will proceed to the Special Valentine centres that we will set up with their loved ones to celebrate a president who loves them and has ensured that they benefit from good governance.

On February 28, 2015, the second stage of our celebrations will be held across Rivers State after we would we have defeated the APC and the outgoing governor.”

My Papal knighthood exceptional —Obi

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—FORMER governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday, described his investiture as a Papal Knight of St. Sylvester, KSS, by the Catholic Church as something exceptional because such an honour by the Pope was usually bestowed on people above 55 years.

Obi, 53, was made KSS

by Pope Francis in July this year, following recommendation by the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, for his excellent performance as governor of the state.

At a well attended investiture at the magnificent St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Awka, during which President Goodluck Jonathan was represented by his Special Adviser on Inter Party Affairs, Senator Ndii Obi, Mr Obi said that the decision by the Pope to make him a Papal Knight came to him as a surprise.

Delta PDP gov primaries: Ibori never directed me on who to vote for —Amori

By Festus Ahon

A

S A B A — D E LT A Central senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State, Chief Ighoyota Amori, yesterday, swore that former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, never directed him or anybody known to him, on who to vote for before or during the state governorship primary election.

Amori, in an open letter to the Urhobo nation, noted that Chief Ibori made Chief David Edevbie what he was, from the state to the federal level, where he (Edevbie) became “The Principal Secretary to the late President Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua.”

He insisted that he did not betray Urhobo and will never do so.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 51

52 —Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014—53

Anti-diabetic drug springs new hope for tuberculosis patients A

more effective treatment for tuberculosis (TB) could soon be available as scientists have discovered that Metformin (MET), a drug for treating diabetes, can also be used to boost the efficacy of TB medication without inducing drug resistance.

The discovery was made by a team of international scientists led by the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), a research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.

TB is an air-borne infectious disease caused by a bacterium

called Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (Mtb), which often infects the lungs. Even though drugs are available to treat the disease, TB continues to be a major threat to public health, killing close to 1.5 million people every year.

Conventional drugs used to treat TB usually adopt a pathogen-targeted strategy which attacks and kills bacteria directly. This approach has caused Mtb strains to acquire drug resistance, making existing treatments become increasingly ineffective and resulting in a

pressing need to design new therapeutic strategies for the disease.

The team of scientists led by SIgN began searching for drugs that could control Mtb replication indirectly. They screened FDAapproved drugs and identified MET, an old anti-diabetic drug that could defend Mtb invasion without targeting the bacteria directly. Instead, MET targets the host cells to trigger the production of a chemical which then damages Mtb and stops its replication. Such indirect, hosttargeted approach is less likely

to engender drug resistance. The team also discovered that MET improves the efficacy of conventional anti-TB drugs when used in combination with them.

The scientists then validated the findings with patient data provided by the Tuberculosis Clinical Unit at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and consequently verified that the use of MET is indeed associated with improved TB control and decreased disease severity.

This anti-diabetic drug is therefore a promising adjunctive therapy that could enhance the

effectiveness of existing TB treatments.

The lead scientist, Dr Amit Singhal, Project Leader and Prof Gennaro De Libero, Principal Investigator at SIgN said: “Using MET as an adjunct treatment for TB is very promising since this drug interferes with the biochemical pathway essential for the bacteria’s survival and does not promote the development of drug resistance. This would likely shorten clinical trials and we are confident that a better and affordable TB treatment will be made available soon.”

HIV: Women lawyers embark on community sensitisation campaign

By Gabriel Olawale

I

• TB drugs

Seplat brings smiles to host communities

O

By Simon Adewale

N this year ’s “World Pneumonia Day,” Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, an indigenous oil and gas exploration company in Sapele, Delta state, has flagged off its 2014 edition of “Safe Motherhood,” at the Sapele Central Hospital.

A health- based corporate social Investment Programme, launched in 2011, it is aimed at running and affecting the lives of the company’s contiguous host and impact communities inEdo and Delta o states, where women

receive prenatal care, Ebola prevention techniques and medical counselling. Over 3,500 pregnancy kit bags and insecticides treatment nets were issued. Children under five years of age were de-wormed and treated against pneumonia.

The company’s Base Manager, Dr Chukumah Igelenyah, said the engagement is in 11 centers inthe two states to eradicate worm infestation in children of the area, and provide enabling condition for safe delivery among pregnant women, as well as to reduce infant and maternal mortality.

N its effort to strengthen access to justice for women and children living with HIV/AIDS, International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Lagos Branch with support from the United Nations Women has embarked on community sensitisation Campaign on the of women to speak out against any form of discrimination, stigmatisation, and unfair treatment due to their HIV status.

Speaking during a community outreach in Ikorodu area of Lagos state recently, the Chairperson, FIDA Lagos, Mrs. Eliana Martins said that it is saddening to note that people living with or affected

by HIV cannot live their lives in the society due to stigmatisation and other grave injustices as a result of their HIV status.

Martins noted that the Nigeria constitution do not in any way discriminate against women living with HIV, stressing the need for Nigerians to stop all forms of discrimination against them.

“Women living with HIV have equal rights like every other citizen and on no account must this right be compromised. They have right to enjoy their lives, their status does not in any way reduce their dignity, it is their right to move around freely, right to fair hearing, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association with others as well as freedom of movement.”

Martins further urged Nigerians to respect the rights of people living with such conditions as well as the provisions of the nation’s constitution.

“HIV/AIDS is neither an offence nor a sin; it is a disease just like any other disease conditions. It is not the fault of the carrier. Any of us could be victim. So let’s join hands together to fight the virus not our sisters, wives, husbands, mothers and friends.”

“Let’s all ensure that they are not denied their properties and other inheritances. Live with them, HIV/AIDS is contracted through blood/fluid transfer and not by mere physical contact like handshakes, etc.

She advised the women to speak out when they are victimised as a result of their status.

She pledged their organisation’s support in protecting the right of vulnerable women free of charge.

Emeribe re-appointed MLSCN boss

T

HE Governing Board of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, MLSCN, has re-appointed Prof. Anthony Emeribe as Registrar/CEO for a second term of four years.

In a statement in Abuja, the board said its decision was predicated on the laudable contributions of the Registrar towards transforming a n d repositioning the agency during his first term and also in line with the provisions of Cap M25, LFN 2004.

F r o m relative o b s c u r i t y, M L S C N under the

• Prof. Anthony Emeribe Emeribe’s leadership has not only articulated and pursued a far-reaching vision, but has grown into a major regulatory body with various international collaborations.

Some of its strategic partners include Centres for Disease Control (CDC), African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) and so on.

Only recently, International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) admitted

the agency into its membership.

Reacting to the news of his re-appointment, Emeribe thanked the board for the confidence reposed in him, promising to redouble efforts towards the successful realization of the Council’s mandate. He said whatever the MLSCN achieved during his first term was as a result of teamwork.

He, therefore, paid tribute to the Management and staff of the agency without whose support and sacrifice, he noted, not much could have been accomplished.

Also acknowledging the positive impact of the board as well as Mr President’s Transformation Agenda in the health sector on the activities of the agency, he reiterated that the reward for hard work is more work.

“Obviously, we are gratified by the development and applaud the board’s decision.

54—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

•Folarin: No one left the PDP with Akala

OYO: Why our people are angry with Gov Ajimobi — Teslim Folarin •The only good thing Ajimobi did IMMEDIATE past Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin was a two time senator who rose to become the Senate Leader between 2007 and 2011 during which time he was the highest elected office holder from the Southwest. Senator Folarin’s drive for public office, according to him, was stimulated by the relative efficiency of service delivery he saw during his fourteen year stint in the British public service.

In that direction, he was recently adopted as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the forthcoming governorship election in his native Oyo State. In a session with newsmen in Ibadan at the weekend, Senator Folarin gave an insight into his policy, plans and the political permutations that put him in good position to win the forthcoming election. Excerpts:

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

I

T is perceived that your party in Oyo State is enmeshed in crisis and that would be a disadvantage to you in the election.

I totally disagree. Can you tell me which party in this state that is not in crisis? The APC which is the ruling party has lost all its C M Y K

senators, literally lost most of the House of Representatives members and everyone is leaving the party but no one is talking about that.

Politics is a game of interests and that is why the battle for the control of the soul of the party has been very fierce.

Yes, some people have left, but some people have also come into

the party. This season is like the transfer window among football clubs, there is a merry go round, people are going out, people are coming in.

We are very sad to see people go, but they exercised their fundamental human rights which we respect. Yes, we are also making moves towards reconciliation and I can tell you that it is going very, very well. We

plan to call a stakeholders’ meeting next week, to carry people along, to let them know that it is a project for everyone and that it is not a Folarin thing, but a PDP thing.

There is a perception that with the crisis that you now have to compete with Rasheed Ladoja, Seyi Makinde and the governor for Ibadan votes while AlaoAkala would be left to harvest the Ogbomoso votes. Are you worried?

Your assumption is wrong.

Sometimes in politics, two plus two doesn’t give you four.

Sometimes it gives you ten, sometimes it gives you zero. With all due respect, in Ogbomoso zone who left with Governor Akala? It is not just about names, you must have followers.

There are two members of the House of Representatives in Ogbomoso Zone, the House leader and Odebunmi, they didn’t go with him. The House of Assembly members didn’t go with him. The structure of the party did not go with him.

I was with the leader of the party in Ogbomoso, Dr. Saka Balogun, he didn’t go with him.

I don’t want to talk about his move, but I think it is a miscalculation and I really do.

But you will be shocked with what happens in Ogbomoso. Let me also note that my deputy is from Ogbomoso, a two time local government chairman and a very popular man. No one really went with him (AlaoAkala).

Why do you want to be governor of Oyo State?

It is something I have always wanted to do to change things. I lived in England for fourteen years and there you see how

The APC which is the ruling party has lost all its senators, literally lost most of the House of Representatives members and everyone is leaving the party but no one is talking about that

orderly things are done and you begin to wonder why are things not like this in my country and that was what drove me.

I was doing well in England and I have seen successive governments in Oyo State and for me, they have done nothing, because they didn’t come with plans, they don’t put people in the heart of their policies.

We have the recipe for change.

As senator I could only attract projects to my constituency, I didn’t have a red pen, but as governor you could make things happen and make a difference.

One of the things I feel strongly about is education because if you fail there, you miss the boat completely. The other day somebody invited me to a party in a high school and you would think you were in a piggery. I couldn’t believe I was in a school.

We feel very strongly also on the issue of youth unemployment because that was one theme that resonated very strongly during my travels across the state. We have been thinking what would we do?

We wont waste our time travelling the whole world looking for investors like previous governments have done.

Enabling environment We would create the enabling environment, we would create a small and medium enterprises unit in one of our ministries that would focus on how to help small businesses, help the youths. We would also generate a lot of jobs in the agricultural sector.

In Oyo State today, infant mortality rate is one of the highest in the country and it is quite unacceptable. For a population of seven million we have about 135 doctors. So, I think if you ask me, it is down to the government.

Though you were discharged and not found guilty in the killing of Eleweomo, but don’t you think the issue could hurt your aspiration?

The issue of Eleweomo was something that used to make me very angry before, but not anymore. I just feel disappointed that we would stoop to this level where we would play politics like this.

The former governor (Akala) wasn’t inclusive, he excluded me and good people like Senator Balogun, Chief Adejo, Senator Ladoja and he drove Ladoja out of the party.

And because of my position as the arrowhead of the opposition to him....and we were not asking too much from him, just include us and they came up with this

Continues on page 55

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 55

Akala miscalulated by going to LP— Folarin OYO:

Continues from page 54 plan to frame me. I thought it was very, very unfortunate because I was nowhere near the scene of the incident and I ask, as Senate Leader what was my business with NURTW thug? It just didn’t make sense, if you want to frame somebody do it in a more tidy way. In these days of telephone camera, not a single person has any evidence to say that I did it.

Secondly, they rushed to the press and said that I shot the guy and immediately the autopsy report came, they said he was stabbed. Do policemen stab people?

This government, you have to give it to them, when Ajimobi came to power, he called the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) and asked for the file and he, the DPP said Akala asked them to frame me up and he asked him to go and write the correct report and after he wrote the report, he (Ajimobi) sacked him and told him we don’t want to play this kind of politics in this state again.

Government without plan I am not a violent person and even for my orderlies I don’t tolerate it when they harass motorists and they know it. I have never killed a chicken in my life.

It was all a set up and they locked me up in Agodi Prisons all because they wanted to do their primaries.

Now you have cited the good side of Governor Ajimobi could you please tell us some of his other good achievements and then point out his failures?

I just said what he did about that unfortunate case, but I think that since then he has since completely missed the boat.

If you ask me, I will score him 1½ out of 10 because he came into government without any plan, without any clue of what he wants to do and you can see that all he does is travel to Lagos and when he comes back, he will now say Fashola has built one bridge, let me go and build one too. He goes to Lagos again and comes back and says, they are planting some flowers there, let us plant followers.

That is all he does. Look at

critical areas of people’s lives, he hasn’t done anything. Go to our hospitals, they are not fenced, our schools are not fenced. Oyo State, the pacesetter state came 23rd in WAEC! Even this infrastructure they are talking about, they got it wrong.

I was the first person to raise the alarm and when I did it, it was with all sense of responsibility thinking that they will change and this government is so insensitive, lacks human face and basically they are clueless.

Poultry without chicken I said it is basically like having a poultry that stinks and you say you want to get somebody to help you clean it up and somebody now applies, Ajimobi to be specific, and we say we will give you four years to do it and after two years, his supporters say if you go to the poultry you wont believe how clean it is and we ask what is the magic and we check, the poultry is clean but the chicken are not there!

The chemicals he used have killed all the chicken! But you cant have a poultry without chicken. He hasn’t paid compensation, he hasn’t provided alternatives and that is the truth of the matter.

What we are saying is that they

•Folarin: Incumbency in Oyo State has always been a minus got their balance wrong. He forgets all the time that being in government is about serving the people.

If you are going to plant flowers, yes, it makes everywhere look nice, but if it means that it is going to make some people unemployed, then don’t plant the flower.

Once you dislodge them, not only do you cause economic dislocation, you also cause social dislocation and that is the story right across the state and that is why everybody want him out.

I am not a violent person and even for my orderlies I don’t tolerate it when they harass motorists and they know it. I have never killed a chicken in my life

Transport management Even the bridge they built at Mokola, you get the impression that they only built the bridge so that they can say that Ajimobi built this bridge, but it has caused more misery to people living in that area when simple transport management would solve the

problem. You are expanding all the roads, but go to England, they have narrow roads, they have traffic lights.

The point I am making is that you can do the right thing the wrong way. I have given you the analogy of the poultry.

You don’t have to use very strong chemicals to kill the chicken. There is nothing wrong with urban regeneration, in fact, it is something we will continue, but we will do it with a human face.

Do you see the incumbency factor as a challenge to your aspiration?

Incumbency in Oyo State has always been a minus! It means nothing in our state if you look at our history. In other states it is a big factor but in our state if you say you are the incumbent it makes it much easier.

Are you worried that Ajimobi could get on the coattails of Gen. Buhari to

get to a second term?

What is our business with Gen. Buhari in the Southwest? All we care about is Ajimobi who has demolished our livelihoods.

People are angry that Ajimobi has deprived them of their livelihoods, deprived them of their homes. Look, they have built bridges and all that but why haven’t they conducted local government elections? It is because they know that they will lose.

Are you worried that you would be confronting two former governors and an incumbent governor?

Let me tell you that PDP has the strongest platform whether we are in government or not. This thing you mentioned about the former governors, that is the advantage for me. I am going to tell the people that these people have done it before and they failed you, give me a chance.

C M Y K

56 —Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 57

C M Y K

58 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22 , 2014

Tunisians elect president in run-off elections

Kenya tells US to back off over ‘terror’ law A

senior Kenyan official at the State House has criticised the United States for raising concerns about a new Kenyan law aimed at fighting “terrorism”.

Munyori Buku said in a statement on the presidential website that Kenya’s new law had checks and balances, unlike US security laws that have created the Guantanamo Bay detention centre and given the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and intelligence officers “a carte blanche in the fight against terrorism and biological warfare”.

On Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta had signed the law his government says will help fight terorism. The president said the law will protect the lives of all citizens. But critics in Kenya have said it will be

used to crush dissent by curbing civil liberties.

US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Friday said the US was concerned about the move.

“We’re concerned about provisions that appear to limit freedom of assembly and media, and access to asylum for refugees.’’, Psaki said.

Kenya’s main opposition group, the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy. said the real target of the new law was not terrorism but to reintroduce the police state and political hegemony, and would hand the president sweeping autocratic powers.

The controversial measures extend the time police can hold “terror suspects” from the current 90 days to nearly a year,

increase sentences and give more powers to tap phones.

Journalists could face up to three years behind bars if their reports “undermine

investigations or security operations relating to terrorism,” or if they publish images of “terror victims” without permission from the police.

V

OTERS in Tunisia have been choosing their first freely elected president in a run-off election seen as a landmark in the country ’s move to democracy.

Beji Caid Essebsi, who won the first round with 39% of the vote, is challenging interim leader Moncef Marzouki.

Mr Essebsi represents

The controversial measures extend the time police can hold “terror suspects” from 90 days to nearly a year

the secular-leaning Nidaa Tounes party.

Tunisia was the first country to depose its leader in the Arab Spring and inspired other uprisings in the region.

Polls closed at 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT).

Voter turnout had reached 36.8% after four and a half hours of voting, Tunisia’s election authority said.

Shortly after polls closed, Mr Essebsi’s office said that there were “indications” that he had won.

However, a spokesman for Mr Marzouki said the claims were “ without foundation”.

‘Peaceful’ transition Mr Essebsi, who turned 88 this week, held office under both deposed President Zine el-Abedine Ben Ali and Tunisia’s first postindependence leader, Habib Bourguiba.

He is popular in the wealthy, coastal regions, and based his appeal to voters on stability and experience.

Pakistan arrests Taliban involved in school carnage

P

A K I S TA N authorities have made several arrests in the case of the Taliban school attack that killed 148 in the northwestern city of Peshawar, on Sunday, officials said.

“Quite a few suspects who were facilitators in one way or the other have been taken into custody,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said, adding that the interrogations were “moving ahead in a

positive manner.” He did not disclose their identities or say how many they were.

Seven Taliban gunmen wearing explosives belts stunned the world on Tuesday by storming into the military run school and slaughtering 148 people, including 132 students. Another nearly 121 students were wounded in the ensuing eight-hour siege of the school, located in an area where many military families live.

The group claims it fights to establish a ruling system based on its own harsh brand of Islam. It has killed thousands over nearly a decade.

The Taliban say they attacked the school in revenge for an army operation against them in North Waziristan, launched in mid-June.

The army says it has so far killed over 1,200 militants in the operation.

Pakistani Christians pray for the victims of the Peshawar school massacre at St. John’s Cathedral in Peshawar yesterday.

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 59

C M Y K

60 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Vanguard CLASSIFIED JOSEPH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Joseph Kim Nkiruka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obimka Kim Nkiruka.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SUBAIR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Folashade Subair, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Folashade Mopelola Bashirat Olaogun. All former documents remain valid. All Institutions, Banks and Agencies and general public please take note.

AJOHWOFIA—We, the principal members of AJOHWOFIA FAMILY after due consultation with relevant stakeholders at OFONI have agreed to change our family name to OFONIFORO. All relevant correspondences bearing AJOHWOFIA remains valid. Henceforth our new family name is OFONIROFO family.

SPDC, First Bank Plc and general public please take note.

LADIPO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Motunrayo Olamide Ladipo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Motunrayo Olamide Medeyinlo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

DAVID—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Inatimi Esau David and Inatimi David, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Inatimi Alfred Opukumo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SHEDRACH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kathryn Ifeyinwa Shedrach, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edhekegba Kathryn Ifeyinwa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SAMUEL—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mummy Usen Samuel, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mummy Deborah Lucky Udo. All former documents remain valid. FMES and general public please take note.

SALIFU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Salifu Ojoru, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mary Ojoru Sani. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

A K U N N E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Akunne Chioma .E., now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ekwuonu Chioma .E. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

UMUKORO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oghenetega Umukoro, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oghenetega Ichekor.

All former documents remain valid. College of Education Warri, Delta State University Abraka and general public please take note.

AKPOJOTOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eseoghene Joy Akpojotor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eseoghene Joy Ikperha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANIKWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Patricia Ugonna Anikwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Bar. Mrs. Patricia Ugonna Charles Obineli. All former documents remain valid. Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and general public please take note.

OSAGUI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Osagui Gina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Imarhia Gina.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EGWUKA—I, formerly

public please take note.

KO L AW O L E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Loveth Bukola Kolawole, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifeoluwa Bukola Kolawole-Ehondor.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UDENSI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Udensi Nwanneka Cherish, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Madufor Nwanneka Cherish. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONWUFUJU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onwufuju Dorothy Nonyelim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Dorothy Nonyelim Onwufuju-Ugiagbe.

All former documents remain valid. Central Bank of Nigeria and general public please take note.

EMUOWHOMUERHE— I, formerly known and addressed as Emuowhomuerhe Endurance, now wish to be known and addressed as Emuowhomuerhe Evidence. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NJOKU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Njoku Grace Amara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwakonobi Grace Teddy. All former documents remain valid.

EBSU Abakaliki, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, F.M.C. Asaba and general public please take note.

NWAJEI —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwajei Grace Nkemamuna, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Grace Nkemamuna Inegbenoise. All former documents remains valid, the general public please take note.

TAPERE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatoyin Adenike Tapere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwatoyin Adenike Sabeet. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

FOR ENQUIRIES, CALL ADVERT HOTLINE: 01-8737025, OR 08025781478, 08035449960

known and addressed as Egwuka Uche Pearl, now wish to be known and addressed as Okechi Uche Pearl. All former documents remain valid. General

VANGUARD'S LAGOS OFFICE YOU CAN B O O K Y O U R A D V E R T S AT OU R L A G O S I S L A N D O F FI C E : VA N G U A R D M E D I A L I M I T E D (LAGOS OFFICE) K I O S K 4 8 , E A S T PAV I L I O N TAFAWA B ALEWA S QUARE, L A G O S .

Ike Uche thrilled to end 2014 on a high

N

IGERIA interna tional Ikechukwu Uche has expressed happiness after his team ended the year with a resounding victory over Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.

The Nigeria international was on for 46 minutes before he was replaced by Giovani Dos Santos in Villarreal’s 3-0 thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna.

Villarreal are now fifth on the league table with 30 points from 16 games.

“This is the best way to finish 2014! Thank you teammates, staff and fans!...,” Ike Uche tweeted.

•Uche The 30-year-old Nigeria striker, who has scored four goals in 14 games this season, only recently extended his contract at Villarreal till 2017.

The Spanish La Liga will resume on January 3, when Villarreal will play away at Elche.

Wenger makes January pledge

A

RSENAL manager Arsene Wenger insists he will only spend money in January on the right player.

The Frenchman has often been criticised for a reluctance to part with big transfer fees, compromising the quality of players they have brought in in recent

•Wenger

years.

But Wenger, whose side face Liverpool on Sky Sports 1HD on Sunday afternoon, says past reluctance to spend is based on the club’s finances and not a personal choice.

“I’ve said that many times, without any doubt, if we find the right player we will do a deal,” he said.

“There’s a huge difference between the perceptions that people have of me: I’m not scared to spend money.

“Those periods we did not spend we did not have the money. What I don’t like is to spend money we haven’t got.

Klopp: I won’t quit Dortmund

J

URGEN Klopp in sists he will not quit as manager of Borussia Dortmund after a 2-1 defeat to Werder Bremen left his side second-bottom of the Bundesliga.

Bremen were bottom of the division prior the game at Weserstadion but moved above their opponents after racing into a two-goal lead through teenage striker Davie Selke and midfielder Fins Bartel.

Germany defender Mats Hummels gave Dortmund hope with a diving header but they could yet finish the year bottom of the league.

Klopp told German TV: “I am totally responsible and I am not just going

•Klopp to throw in the towel and follow everything from a distance.

“I can promise that we’re going to put right what we’ve done wrong and we’re going to be angry hunters.

“It’s going to be far harder to beat us in the second half of the season.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 61

Sport moments of 2014 WHAT a year! he outgoing year was one in which our nation was subjected to all manners of battering and uppercuts, a laughing stock of the world, attracting all types of negatives headlines in the global arena. Every time I get a mail from CAF on preparations for the Nations Cup, I get this gut feeling, one of regret and sorrow, one that leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

It is a feeling that sees me cursing 2014.

The year for me, was one in which perhaps the only good thing to happen to sports was the Commissioning of the state of the art Akwa Ibom International Stadium. It is a year in which I forget that I was in Namibia to see the Falcons lift the African crown after escaping FIFA sanctions by the skin of the teeth.

I woke up Friday morning to the decision that my desperation to see 2014 disappear needed a therapy of sorts. I needed to see whether I was the only one who felt this way about 2014 or whether there were some positives about this outgoing year that I was either oblivious of, or my mind was trying to shut out.

I picked up my phone and sent out a text message to some selected colleagues.

I told them “ ……On Monday I want to write on my Sports moments 2014. Share my column. Briefly text me your moment and why….. In a jiffy I got a reply from Aisha Falode. “ Watching Blessing Okagbare at the starting blocks of the 100 metres final at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. She was ready for the gold. She looked her best. She had her hair coloured in gold. Her make up was sun kissed gold.

She looked very beautiful in green white green. Her start was perfect, her pace measured with a consistent rhythm that could have been perfected with the moment in mind. And when she cut through the pack like a natural gazelle, we knew Blessing had struck gold. That, was a sporting memory to cherish…….”

Wow, poetry in motion. Well scripted.

This was concurred by Toyin Ibitoye when he replied “ Oga Paulo, my sport moment of 2014 was Blessing Okagbare’s double victory in 100 and 200 metres at the Commonwealth Games.”

The reply of Linus Mba was very interesting. “ At the time that some Nigerians were busy toying with our football and describing FIFA ban as a farce, my sports moment in 2014 was when CAF withdrew my match appointment as match commissioner for the nations cup qualifier between Sierra Leone and Seychelles in anticipation of the FIFA ban on Nigeria. The wide publicity given to the withdrawal was like a wake up call to everyone on the reality of the ban and this galvanized the football family and government to sit up and work towards averting the ban…….”

For Duro Ikhazuagbe of This Day, “……My 2014 sport moment was standing inside the main bowl of the new Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo and having the same feelings I had covering the 2010 World Cup at the Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, South Africa. I never imagined any state capable of reinventing that facility in Nigeria. NEVER” Ade Ojeikere of the Nation Newspapers differed. “ My Sport moment was the day Nigeria crashed out of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. It served as the wake up call for change in the way that the Super Eagles was been run by an all knowing coach. Nigeria’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations was God’s uncanny way of humbling Eagle’s players and coaches. It also served as a rude awakening to the can-do-no-wrong coach that the feat in 2013 in South Africa wasn’t entirely from his technical savvy. Our feat in South Africa was God’s way of rewarding Nigerians who prayed fervently for the

T

achievement after 19 years .otherwise my sport moment for 2014 ought to be Blessing Okagbare’s feats at the Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

Lekan Olaseinde of in Abuja had some regrets.”…..Sir it is very difficult and herculean task to pin point any particular moment as my 2014 sport moment, but one that will remain indelible in my memory was the sudden demise of Ramson Ugele, a colleague and a close friend who was committed to mother earth on December 13. His fatherly advice, constructive critiscm and rib cracking jokes endeared him to me. I was at his sick bedside and knew that it will take only the grace of God for him to survive but he lost the battle to renal failure…….Of course missing out of AFCON 2015 remains my biggest disappointment for the outgoing year” Mitchel Obi, the AIPS Africa President referred me to an article he wrote entitled “Nigeria’s Blessing of Change” he wrote.

“No doubt the Blessing Okagbare who picked the gold Monday night to emerge the new sprint queen of the Commonwealth had a refreshing confidence that mocked the quality of our preparations for this 20th edition of the games which Interestingly Nigeria would have hosted to mark her centenary were it not for the successful Glasgow bid in Colombo, Sri lanka seven years ago.

From her pink spikes, her adorable blonde hair and the majestic take-off from the blocks-a distant departure from her almost customary lukewarm start’ , it was apparent this Blessing had a novel anointing and nobody not even the dreaded Veronica Campbell will deny her this rare moment of glory and history.

With a new games record and a flamboyant finish Blessing finally found joy in another British city and she takes pride in her feat within the Nigeria track chronicle of shaping the tone of tomorrow. When did we last make our mark in Commonwealth sprinting? And that’s why for me it is remarkable that the generation that opened the glorious door to global acclaim in track and field is indeed the spearhead of this resurgence or is it rebirth. From Mary Onyali to Blessing Okagbare we may not have a distinct shift but there is a transition and that is where we have to focus on as we begin the journey to reignite the fading glow of our once distinguished and celebrated sprints dominance. That, was my sporting moment of the year.” I rest my case.

NFF and clubs in Africa THE decision by the Nigeria Football Federation to help our clubs who will be donning Continental togas in next year’s Africa club cups is a welcome development. For some time now, our epileptic league has not allowed for proper planning. No sooner will the league start than our clubs will be thrown into Africa battle leaving them with no pre season time to either recruit or be in shape for the continental fiesta…… You can imagine the fact that most leagues in Africa are now in their tenth week, while we are in holidays…..the result has always been early exists that does not do justice to the quality of the domestic league here.

I therefore welcome and commend the NFF for planning to put together a mini tournament between the clubs and some National teams that will help to toughen up the clubs and prepare them for Africa next year. See you next week.

62 — Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

•Continues from BP 2015 FIFA World Cup in Chile.

“I think it is a fair grouping not minding the fact that we are going to face the host country, Niger,” Amuneke stated.

“We are not going to underrate any of the teams and as I said before the draw, our sole objective in Niger is to qualify for the World Cup and after that, we can begin to talk about other things.”

Indeed, Golden Eaglets have their work cut out since they are going to battle against the host whom their

illustrious predecessors, white-washed 10-1 on aggregate in the qualifiers for Morocco 2013 where they finished second and secured a ticket to the FIFA World Cup in the UAE - and eventually earned Nigeria a record fourth title.

“We are aware of the task ahead of us and what happened between the Golden Eaglets and Niger the last time is immaterial now,” noted Amuneke. “Our boys have to go out there and show that this set of Golden

Liverpool •Continues from BP into first-half stoppage time.

Mathieu Flamini was lucky to escape a red card in the first half after Michael Oliver deemed his flailing arm on Adam Lallana was not worthy of a second booking.

And Arsenal took the lead on 64 minutes, Gir-

•Continues from BP

Amuneke

oud picking up the ball after a one-two with Santi Cazorla to sweep home from six yards.

Liverpool substitute Fabio Borini was sent off late on for picking up two bookings in the space of four minutes, before the 10 men earned a point with Skrtel’s late bullet header from a corner.

Eaglets is good in their own right and we must first secure a ticket to the World Cup.” Though Zambia and Guinea are making a return to the competition after a break since they failed to qualify the last time in Morocco, Amuneke said they won’t be treated with kid’s gloves:”Both Zambia and Guinea showed they are a strong side during the qualifiers; so we are going to take all our matches seriously.”

Ali •Continues from BP tails and asked that the privacy of Ali’s family be respected.

Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1984, three years after his retirement from boxing.

He appeared in public at a ceremony in September in his hometown of Louisville for the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards.

coach was recalled by the Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Tammy Danagogo to oversee the first phase of Nigeria’s 2015 Afcon qualifiers against Congo, Sudan and South Africa.

Keshi recorded a home loss against Congo, an away draw against South Africa and a loss to Sudan. It was Sudan’s first victory over Nigeria in over three decades.

Although he won the return fixture 3-1 in Abuja, the newly constituted NFF board fired him, hours after that match in Abuja.

But the Presidency intervened and Keshi was taken back as Eagles coach. His attempt to qualify Nigeria for the 2015 Afcon, where the Eagles would have defended the title they won in 2013 ended in a disaster as they failed to beat South Africa in Uyo. This has sparked off calls for Keshi’s sack.

The technical director of the NFF, Amodu Shaibu,

Onigbinde once Keshi’s boss has voiced his disapproval of Keshi’s continuous stay, branding him, “a failure.”

On Onigbinde’s part, Onigbinde said, “on the very day the Presidency asked him to return to his job I personally sent him a text message to politely thank Mr President for the offer and bow out honourably and quietly, too.

“Keshi respectfully replied the text message thanking me and that was it as he went ahead with the two remaining 2015 AFCON qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa, I’m sure the rest is history.”

Chief Onigbinde said further, “I volunteered the advice to Keshi because I understand that he won’t work with the Presidency but a different set of people as well as an entirely different environment.

“Now that others have picked up the calls I have the privilege to have said over two months ago I won’t like to engage in an exercise that will appear repetitious so that I won’t

be accused of having interest in the whole matter.

“I’m not used to pressurising people to act in certain way, I’ve passed my view directly to him, I don’t need to pressurise him further on same thing.”

Another prominent Nigerian coach, Kashimawo Laloko has also expressed surprise at Keshi’s reluctance to leave the national team. Said he, “Keshi has shown he doesn’t have the tactical ability to lead the Super Eagles to success in the future. The manner in which he failed with the team is woeful; he should go.”

Continuing, Laloko said, “This should not be seen as a witch-hunt.

Every coach that has failed with any team has always been asked to leave. Why should Keshi’s case be different? We need to have another coach so the team can move on. Amodu has said it well, so has Chukwu.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 — 63

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014

Muhammad Ali in hospital with pneumonia

F

ORMER threetime heavyweight champion boxer Muhammad Ali has been taken to hospital with a mild case of pneumonia, his spokesman says.

Ali, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, is

•Ali

in a stable condition, Bob Gunnell told media.

“The prognosis is good,” Mr Gunnell added, saying the 72-yearold’s stay in hospital was likely to be brief.

He gave no other de •Continues on page 62

I warned Keshi on President’s request — Onigbinde M

ORE prominent Nigerian coaches are beginning to voice out their frustrations over the sit-tight attitude being employed by the out-of-contract Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi who is bent on continuing as coach of the national team.

A former coach of the national team, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, highly respected for his candid opinion on football matters, has revealed how he advised Keshi against assenting to President Jonathan’s request to come back and manage the Super Eagles.

Keshi’s contract with the Nigeria Football Federation elapsed after the 2014 World Cup. The

•Continues on page 62

TODAY'S

Skrtel earns Liverpool draw

A

•Onigbinde

•Keshi

Amuneke: Eaglets get fair draw E

MMANUEL A m u n e k e , Golden Eaglets’ Head coach, has described Sunday ’s draw of the 11th African U-17 Championship-Niger 2015- that pitched

PUZZLE

Nigeria against Niger, Guinea and Zambia in Group A as a fair deal, adding that his wards would be focussed at securing a ticket to the

•Continues on page 62

•Amuneke

97th-minute bul let header from defender Martin Skrtel earned Liverpool a 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield.

Philippe Coutinho gave Liverpool the lead after a quiet opening, driving in low into the corner from 20 yards, before Debuchy ’s farpost header gave Arsenal an unlikely leveller just a minute later deep •Continues on page 62

EPL Results Newcastle Sunderland Liverpool Arsenal

0 1 2 2

Top stories inside

•Ike Uche thrilled to end 2014 on a high •Diving debate annoys Mourinho •Paul Bassey writes on Sport moments of 2014

QUICK CROSSWORD

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS: 2 Centre (5) 7 Renown (4) 8 Fester (6) 9 Blithe (5) 11 Seed-case (3) 13 Knock (3) 15 Chamber (4) 16 Wicked (3) 18 Idol (4) 19 Erased (7) 20 Team (4) 22 Corrosion (4) 23 Exhilaration (7) 25 Usual (4) 27 Heated (3) 28 Nothing (4) 30 Plaything (3) 31 Noise (3) 33 Celebration (5) 36 Decline (6) 37 Way out (4) 38 Fold (5)

DOWN: 1 Forbidden (5) 2 Border (3) 3 Tune (3) 4 Attempt (3) 5 Individual (3) 6 Transparent (5) 10 Genuine (4) 11 Gift (7) 12 Tottery (7) 13 Diminished (7) 14 Section (7) 16 Cabin (5) 17 Storehouse (5) 18 Girl’s (3) 21 Tree (3) 24 Jot (4) 26 Seeped (5) 29 Inflexible (5) 32 Insect (3) 33 Vitality (3) 34 Regret (3) 35 Still (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Steal 5, Sector 8, Beret 10, Voyage 11, Alas 14, Ration 15, Refused 18, Pet 19, Rep 21, Read 23, Rebel 24, Seam 27, Dim 29, Cad 31, Tarnish 32, Foiled 34, Dine 35, Twinge 38, Layer 39, Reveal 40, Testy.

DOWN: 2, Too 3, Abacus 4, Leg 5, Star 6, Crater 7, Ruined 9, Revered 12, Lap 13, Site 16, Ease 17, Debit 20, Penalty 22, Axis 24, Suffer 25, Acid 26, Malice 28, Entire 30, Den 33, Dell 36, Wet 37, Got.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K