Nigeria's treasury empty-BUHARI

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62433

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

NACCIMA, LCCI, others back subsidy removal

8&9

Don't stampede Buhari to form govt— Bakare 53

Nigeria's treasury empty—BUHARI

zAssumes office with Osinbajo first time in Aso Rock zSays it's a disgrace nation can't pay its workers zOrders withdrawal of military to the barracks

By Ben Agande

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BUJA—ON his first day at the Aso Rock Villa since his inauguration on May 29, President Muhammadu Buhari said, yesterday, that he inherited a "virtually empty treasury", from his predecessor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan with debts running into hundreds of millions of dollars. The President disclosed this on a day he ordered the Continues on Page 5

Twin blasts kill 35 in Maiduguri market 54

Ogbemudia, Igbinedion battle for Edo's next gov 13&42

Mr & Mrs BUHARI IN ASO ROCK—President Muhammadu Buhari in his Aso Villa office, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

COLUMNIST:

Rivers community, oil ide firm at war over s n eI Se youth’s death C M Y K

US church massacre: The Apartheid connection •P.35

IGR, GDP ratio: FG considers bail-out for 14 states

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POCKET CARTOON

AT WORK—Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his office at the Presidential Villa, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Nigeria's treasury empty —BUHARI Continues from page 1 withdrawal of the military from internal security operations as part of a comprehensive review of national security operations.

The President who spoke while meeting with members of the State House Press Corps said it was a disgrace that Nigeria is unable to pay workers salaries, adding that this was as a result of bad management.

According to him, there was already a lot of pressure on his government due to the huge expectations of Nigerians on what they desire from the administration.

While calling on the media to cooperate with his administration,

President Buhari said he chose Femi Adesina as his Adviser because he is 'one of the best'.

His words: "It is not by accident that I got the best of you to be the special adviser, one of the 15 aides I had to get clearance from the Senate. He is one of the best Presidents of the Guild of Editors that I can have as special adviser.

I brought one of the best of you so that he can consistently defend me against you.

"Whether my job is a difficult one or easy is up to him, but I'm here to thank you in advance for what good and ill you are going to do to me. I have to quickly come and see you and welcome you to this place. I hope what happened of recent between the former

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself— Shaw

I

F we’re stalling, we won’t grow. But if we’re consciously active, we will. And you decide how you want to grow and to take responsibility for shaping your life. Because, if you don’t make a decision about how you’re going to grow, life will make it for you. If you’re not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are in the process of becoming someone you had no intention of being.

What if you lost your job or suffered a serious financial setback? You might want to just give up.

You may even be scared. But if the person you want to become is an optimistic and courageous person, you might decide not to react in fear. Instead, you might act as if you had no fear of failure and courageously put yourself out there for new employment opportunities. Or you may look at your job loss as a chance to go back to school instead of wasting time on regrets, depression or fearful inaction?” Change the way you act and even change the way you think. An important gift you give yourself, is the gift of creating the person you want to be.

President and one of you (the withdrawal of the accreditation of the Radio Germany reporter) will not happen between me and you.

"I hope we are starting and this culture of 100 days is bringing so much pressure with treasury virtually empty, with debts in millions of dollars, with state workers and even federal workers not paid their salaries. It is such a disgrace for Nigeria. I think Nigeria should be in a position to even pay its workers. This bad management that we find ourselves in, we really need your help to protect us from people before they march on us", he said.

For members of the State House Press Corps, it is the first time that they would be meeting a sitting president, starting from President Obasanjo up to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Chairman of the State House Press Corps, Kehinde Amodu, who spoke on behalf of members of the corps, pledged to work with the government in the interest of Nigeria.

Buhari orders withdrawal of military to the barracks Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, ordered withdrawal of the military from internal security operations as part of a comprehensive

review of national security operations. The President’s order came as it emerged that Nigeria and four other countries in the Lake Chad sub-region had for the first time evolved a united military strategy against the regional menace, Boko Haram.

In ordering the withdrawal of military checkpoints, the President ordered that the police should take firm control of internal security henceforth.

Addressing State House correspondents after a meeting between the President and service chiefs, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Ismail Aliyu said the President directed the security chiefs to liaise with the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force to finalise arrangements for Police to effectively take over internal security.

The three service chiefs were led to the meeting with the President by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.

According to the permanent secretary, the meeting with the security chiefs was to give them the opportunity to brief the President on the implementations of recent decisions reached on the fight against insurgency.

He also said that the military high command briefed the President on the relocation of the command centre to Maiduguri as directed on the day of his inauguration.

According to the permanent secretary, the Armed Forces is ready to perform its responsibilities of ensuring that the insurgency in the NorthEast is brought to an end.

On the removal of military roadblocks, the permanent secretary said the President has directed that the military and the Police liaise for the Police to take full control of internal security.

"The President has instructed the Chief of Defence Staff to get the Chief of Army Staff and Inspector-General of Police to remove all military men along the road across the country," he said.

"The Nigerian Armed Forces are very ready, we have briefed him (President). One most interesting thing about it is that we are going out much happier because he has shown to us that he is still a soldier, he has updated and enriched our strategic plans.

Movement of Military Command Centre to Maiduguri "The second item that was discussed is the movement of the command centre to the North-East. We have briefed him on how far we have reached on that and he has given us some additional assignment, but very soon the centre will be on.

"I also want to assure Nigerians that with what we have come out with from this meeting we are very enthusiastic that the issue of Boko Haram will soon be over. He has given us hope that we will see peace and security in the very near future", the permanent secretary said.

Asked what will be done differently from what is being done, Alhaji Ismail said with greater cooperation from Nigeria's neighbours, Boko Haram would have no hiding place.

"Now we have come as a united front; we have Chad, Cameroon, Benin and Niger. We have all strategised and we are coming out with one type of strategy that we are going to address the Boko Haram with unlike before", he said.

He explained that the absence of Inspector General of Police, the Directors-General of the DSS and NIA from the meeting was because "this is not a national security meeting, this is a briefing meeting by the Ministry of Defence on the operationalization of the Multi-National Joint Task Force and the relocation of the command control centre to the North East, so it is something restricted to the Ministry of Defence" he said.

Osinbajo lays out FG's anti-graft plan before private sector Thursday

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BUJA—THE key thrust and content of the anti-corruption agenda of the new government of All Progressive Congress, APC, would be tabled before the private sector business executives in Lagos this Thursday, June 25, 2015, by the Vice President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo.

The platform set up for this presentation and discussion is the third

annual Christopher Kolade Lecture on Business Integrity, organised by The Convention on Business Integrity.

In a statement earlier, the organisers said it was providing ''a platform for the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to lay out its plans for strengthening business integrity specifically and fight against corruption generally. It would also

give participants the chance to obtain feedback on the new administration's policies/ drive with regards to business integrity''. The Vice President will give the keynote address.

The lecture will also give the government an opportunity to get a feedback from business owners in a panel discussion session with business executives and foreign business interests.

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

How gospel artist, 2 others murdered Customs officer's son L

By Esther Onyegbula

AGOS—OPERATIVES of the Homicide sections of Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, FCIID, Alagbon, Lagos, is currently investigating the alleged kidnap and murder of the son of a Customs officer.

The victim, identified as Enere Ukonga, was reportedly kidnapped in his residence at No, 10, Ajanaku Street, off Salvation Road, Opebi, Ikeja by a gospel artist and two others.

The suspects, who were identified as Elijah John, Ibrahim Maina and Okafor Jude, purportedly kidnapped the victim from his home, killed and buried him.

Vanguard learned that trouble started after the father of the deceased, Mr. Ajayi Ukonga was contracted by one Osarentin Enabulele to clear his goods at the port.

Enabulele allegedly gave the deceased's father about N1 million for clearing of the goods from the port.

It was gathered that immediately the father of the deceased collected the money, he started the processing of clearing goods, while he waited for Enabulele to come with the Bill of Lading of the goods to finally

clear the goods. After waiting for some time, it was discovered that Enabulele had no bill of lading of the goods.

He said: “I was surprised that one day he came to demand for his N1 million, that I should not continue with the clearing.

I told him that I have already

used it for his job. To my surprise, Enabulele and four others came and kidnapped my son, killed him and buried his body at Abesan Estate, Ipaja, where we later exhumed his body for reburial.

“We are carrying out DNA test on his body with a view to

ascertaining he is the person in question. While the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the DNA result is out."

The, FCIID, Public Relations Officer, Mr. Friday Achibong, who confirm ed the incident, said the suspects had been declared wanted.

SUSPECTS: From left, Tunde Seun, Turheeb Kolawole and Abayomi Segun, all suspected members of the robbery gang terrorizing Ajegunle and its environs in Lagos.

Govt agents, others beat up truck drivers over BOT charges in Ogun zVictims lose eyes, ears A

By Daud Olatunji

B E O K U T A — PA N D E M O N I U M broke out yesterday in three local government areas of Ogun State as hoodlums suspected to be agents of the Ogun State government unleashed terror on some truck drivers while attempting to enforce the collection of “BOT charges” in the affected areas.

The incident which led to loss of eyes and ears by the drivers, occurred at Rounder in Abeokuta North, Orile-Ilugun in Odeda Local Government and Ajebo Road, Abeokuta South Local Government areas of the state.

The thugs were allegedly assisted by mobile policemen who claimed to have been deployed by the Commissioner of Police, Valentine Ntomchukwu.

However, efforts by Vanguard to get the reaction of the state government proved abortive as officials of the concerned ministries and agencies declined comment.

How trouble started

Vanguard gathered that trouble started following an attempt by a consultant (names withheld) to enforce the collection of the N500

Bureau of Transportation Haulage Levy from each truck driver daily.

This resulted in the disagreement which culminated in the violence.

Addressing newsmen over the attack, the Truck Owners Association of Nigeria, TOAN, First Nigeria Tipper and Lorry Drivers Association and the Association of Granite Suppliers and Haulers, ASSOGRASH, at a joint press conference in Abeokuta, accused the consultants of using the police and suspected thugs to collect an illegal levy.

TOAN chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Ajetunmobi, alleged that the consultant aided by about three mobile policemen and suspected thugs, armed with machetes, cudgels and other dangerous weapons, allegedly attacked the truck drivers along Ajebo Road for refusing to pay what he described as “illegal BOT levy.”

Policemen and collection of levies

The TOAN chairman wondered why Ogun State government would continue to enforce the demands for such levies using policemen when

the Inspector General of Police had outlawed the erection of any form of roadblocks on federal roads across the country.

“They told us that we are to pay N500 BOT fee each daily.

Whereas they did not tell us before. We saw the consultants, three mobile policemen. ‘’They brought thugs who brandished cutlasses and other dangerous weapons. They insisted that they would collect the money. Two of our members lost their eyes and one’s ear was

cut off,” Ajetunmobi said.

While corroborating the TOAN chairman, ASSOGRASH General Secretary, Tunde Abiola, said although the Ogun State Government needed various means of revenue generation, the truck drivers would not condone any form of double taxation which the BOT levy represented.

Abiola condemned the use of policemen and suspected thugs to enforce the collection of the BOT levy by the consultants.

Confusion in Ogun as passenger dies inside taxi

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — CONFUSION yesterday enveloped residents and traders at Kemta - Idi Aba area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, as a passenger reportedly jerked suddenly and died inside a taxi on his way to buy herbal medicine.

The passenger, identified as Michael Hogan, had boarded the taxi and was going to Abeokuta from Odeda in Odeda Local Government area of the state but died on the way inside the taxi.

It was gathered that the driver of the taxi got to know of the strange death of his passenger when he could not alight from the car on getting to Iyana mortuary junction, Idi-Aba, and raised an alarm that attracted fellowdriversandpassersbytothe incident.

It was learned that Hogan was hurrying to the home of a vendor of herbal remedies in Abeokuta but fear-stricken members of the public fled as the driver momentarily abandoned his taxi and took to his heel.

Buthewasencouragedtocarry the remains of the passenger to the nearest Police Station, Kemta-Idi Aba Divisional Police Headquarters, Kemta.

At the police station, another roundofconfusionensuedasthe policedidnotonlyarrestthedriver but also laboured hard to contain curious crowd that besieged the station.

The Police Public Relations Officer,OlumuyiwaAdejobi,who confirmedthedevelopment,said the driver discovered around 7:45am that his passenger, now identifiedasMichaelHogan,had died in his car at Iyana Mortuary area and went to the Police station to report it.

I'm our gang's armourer —ROBBERY SUSPECT

By Esther Onyegbula & Ediri Michael

L

AGOS—THREE suspected members of a notorious robbery gang terrorising residents of densely populated Ajegunle area and its environs in Lagos State are currently cooling their heels at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, following their arrest last weekend.

The suspects, identified as Tunde Seun, 20; Abayomi Segun, 28, and Turheeb Kolawole, 19, met their waterloo after a member of the gang, Tunde Seun, was apprehended by a mob during

an aborted operation on Ligali Street.

The suspects were said to have stormed a building on number 42 and dispossessed one of their victims of N150, 000 and two power generating sets.

Vanguard gathered that while the operation was on, members of a vigilante group in the area swooped on them.

Others reportedly managed to escape, leaving Seun at the mercy of the mob that was on the verge of setting him ablaze but for the timely intervention of policemen from Layeni.

The policemen were said to have recovered a cut- to -size

locally made gun, a dagger, live cartridges and charms belonging to the gang from the scene of the mob attack.

One of the suspects, Abayomi Segun, disclosed that he was the armourer of the gang.

He said: “I am in charge of keeping the gang’s weapons, after each robbery operation. We don’t kill people; we only use the gun to scare victims during operations.

“We are responsible for several robbery attacks in the area. And we operate within Ajegunle axis, Charles Avenue, Alaba, Ojo road."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—7

ARRESTED: Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Adekunle Ajisebutu (left) parading suspects (sitting from left) Azeez Omotosho, 25; Fatai Ademola, 27; and Jimoh Quadri, 25, all from Osun State, who allegedly snatched a Toyota Highlander SUV at Shagamu and were arrested at Mokola, Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: Dare Fasube.

N250,000 THEFT:

Soldier blames devil, wife's hospital bill

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—THE soldier attached to the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Abia State, Lance Corporal Itugbu Augustine Omorodion, who was arrested last Friday for robbing 21-year-old Ebuka of N250,000 in Aba, has blamed the devil and lack of money for his action.

Omorodion was said to have been given permission by the army authorities at Ohafia when he claimed he needed to go out of the barracks to source for money to pay the hospital bill of his sick wife.

The soldier, who hails from Edo State, was said to have gone to Aba last Friday, armed with a dagger, and robbed Ebuka of his master ’s N250,000 he was taking to the bank along Faulks Road.

Following alarm raised by the boy, some residents of the area apprehended the fleeing soldier, beat him to pulp and tied his hands and legs before he was rescued by mobile policemen on patrol.

The soldier, who was injured by the mob, was taken to hospital by the police before his colleagues came to pick him from the Police Area command in Aba. Military sources said Omorodion’s job may be on the line as he may face prosecution for his action, which was described as a disgrace to the Army.

RECOVERED: Stolen cars, rifles and ammunition recovered from bandits on display at Kogi Police Headquarters, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Mob sets 2 robbers ablaze in Anambra

By Ifeanyi Okolie

zGood riddance—POLICE

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA—BARELY two weeks after a mob set ablaze two armed robbers at New Tyres Market, Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, for snatching huge sums of money from a trader, two other armed robbers were, yesterday, burnt to ashes along Limca Road in the same area.

The two robbers, armed with pistols, according to eyewitnesses, had blocked a lady, who boarded a commercial motorcycle with a Ghana-must-go bag filled with money and heading towards a bank, and allegedly snatched the bag from her.

According to the source, as the lady, believed to be a cashier in one of the petrol stations along the road, was being taken to the bank by the commercial motorcyclist, the armed robbers, riding their own motorcycle, closed in on them and ordered her to surrender the bag of money at gunpoint.

The source said she surrendered the bag to them, but as the thieves made to zoom off, their motorcycle somersaulted.

Mob action

It was gathered that some passers-by alerted policemen and went after them. Bullets reportedly did not penetrate their bodies. They were, however, over-powered by the mob and set ablaze.

It was learned that one of the robbers removed the burning

tyre from his neck and fled with his body on fire.

He was, however, caught again by the mob, who tied his hands and legs, pushed him into a drainage with his accomplice and set them ablaze a second time.

Vehicular movements were disrupted along the road for many hours, even as some members of Anambra Traffic Management Agency, ATMA, were busy trying to control the traffic.

The Divisional Police Officer at Ogidi, Mr. Hassan Musa,

told newsmen on phone that although he heard about the incident, the scene was under the jurisdiction of Awada Police Division.

He, however, described their death as two less the number of criminals operating in the state.

“If the public could always rise like this to defend themselves from the menace of the robbers, Anambra would then become a crime-free state, as desired by the state government and law-abiding citizens,” he said.

LAND-GRABBING: 3 in intensive care

as thugs batter residents in Lagos zPolice supervised attack—RESIDENTS

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—DOCTORS at a private hospital in Ajah area of Lagos State are battling to save the lives of three residents of Alabeko Estate, who were attacked, weekend, by thugs.

The thugs were alleged to have been hired by a land speculator in an attempt to forcefully claim some portions of land, some of which already had structures on them.

The thugs, as gathered, stormed the estate at about 12.30p.m., when the landlords were having a meeting with landowners, otherwise known as omo-onile, whom they claimed sold the portions of land to them.

Some residents, who are making moves to flee the area

Tricyclist jailed 3 years over N27m scam

over threat to their lives, alleged that the attack was supervised by a team of Mobile Policemen from MOPOL 23, Obalende, adding that they (policemen) allegedly fired canisters of tear-gas at them and also beat them with horse whip.

However, in a sharp reaction, police sources described the claim as false, hinting that Police had to use tear gas to disperse the rampaging thugs.

When contacted, spokesman for Lagos State Police Command, Kenneth Nwosu said: “Investigations are ongoing to unravel what transpired.

“The command is poised to ensure that residents of Alabeko and its environs enjoy police protection like other residents in Lagos State.”

A

commercial tricycle operator, Emmanuel Osita, was, yesterday, sentenced to three years imprisonment without an option of fine by a Lagos high court for defrauding an 81-year-old woman, Veronica Okonkwo, of N27 million.

The convict, who was arrested by operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in 2014, after the victim wrote a petition to EFCC, stating that the convict conspired with some others still at large to convince her that they had the capacity to produce local and foreign currencies from pieces of papers by dipping them into mercury.

Osita and his accomplices hoodwinked the octogenarian to part with N120,000 as registration fee with a mercury company prior to the procurement of the chemical.

The woman was also induced to sell her property in Festac Town, Lagos, for N27 million and the proceeds appropriated by the convict and his cotravellers.

The convict was arraigned on July 1, 2014, but pleaded guilty after making restitution to the victim, including the property valued at N27 million, as the alleged buyer forfeited same to the victim.

Based on his plea and restitution, Justice Lawal Akapo convicted and sentenced the accused to three years imprisonment without any option of fine.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Why subsidy should be removed — NACCIMA, LCCI, others

NLC, TUC vow to resist subsidy removal

As NLC, TUC vow to resist removal

By Omoh Gabriel, Michael Eboh, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Grace Udofia

L

AGOS — THE organised private sector has thrown its weight behind the call on the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy.

National Vice President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, Mr. Billy Harry, yesterday, supported the scrapping of subsidy on petroleum products, saying subsidy has failed to benefit ordinary Nigerians over the years.

Also, the Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf in a statement said: “The biggest hole in the finances of government in the country today is related to subsidy payments. There are two components of this. The first is the actual subsidy, which is the differential between the pump price and the landing and other costs of fuel. The second (and more disturbing component) is the corruption inherent in the fuel subsidy regime.

“For several years, the economy suffered severe bleeding from this phenomenon. Although it is not clear whether there has been any policy pronouncement on whether or not to retain the subsidy regime, the truth is that it is not sustainable. It is in the overall interest of the economy and citizens for it to be discontinued.”

Speaking in the same vein, Dr Godwin Ichimi, a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, disclosed that fuel subsidy is not economically sustainable, especially with the activities of a “callous cartel.”

According to him, in the analysis of fuel subsidy removal, the question that should be asked is: how will the removal impact the average Nigerian and what will be the benefit to Nigerians?

But the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, however, warned President Muhammadu Buhari that their members will resist any attempt to remove fuel subsidy.

The leaderships of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, told Vanguard, yesterday, that any attempt by the President Buhari-led government to remove subsidy will lead to a serious unrest in

INTERACTIVE SESSION: President Muhammadu Buhari (2nd right); Special Adviser on Media to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina (2nd left); Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu (right) and the Chairman, State House Press Corps, Mr. Kehinde Amodu (left) during the interactive session between the President and Correspondents covering the Presidency at the State House Media Centre, Aso Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. the country.

Complete deregulation of oil and gas sector Stating the position of the private sector, Mudal said: “The budget provision for PMS subsidy in 2014 was N971.14 billion while the figure for kerosene subsidy was not disclosed. In the 2015 draft budget from the executive, the provision for PMS subsidy was N200 billion while that of kerosene was N91.03 billion. Evidently, the numbers would be much more than this even before the first half of the year.

“One of the critical elements of the oil and gas sector reform, particularly the downstream sector,” according to Mudal, “is the complete deregulation of the sector. This will create a number of advantages for the economy.

"It will free resources for investment in critical infrastructures such as power, roads, the rail systems, health sector, education sector etc. The deficiency in all of these infrastructure areas are phenomenal.

Fixing infrastructure will greatly improve productivity and efficiency in the economy and impact positively on the welfare of the people.

"It will boost private investment in the downstream oil sector especially in petroleum product refining. This will ultimately reduce

importation of petroleum products and ease the pressure on the foreign exchange market as well as foreign reserves.

"It will eliminate the rampant patronage, rent seeking activities and corruption that currently characterise the downstream oil sector. It will create more jobs for the teeming youths of the country in the downstream oil sector as investment in the sector improves.

"Having said that, it is desirable for a clear policy pronouncement to be made in order to give a clear direction to investors. There is still so much policy uncertainty with regard to the downstream oil sector and this is creating lots of problems for investors."

Hidden agenda According to Harry, who is also the Chairman, National Oil and Gas Trade Group, the subsidy regime had served as a hidden agenda by some unscrupulous individuals to further enrich themselves.

He said: “Let us clearly define what the petroleum product in Nigeria should be, how much it should be sold, refined and how much it should be sold to the ordinary Nigerians on the streets.

Now this clearly will define where we are.

“If you look at the last few years, we have bought petrol for as high as N250 per litre, and you wonder, who are the people causing this? The President and his team in the Presidential Villa have a Total filling station that is packed with petrol for them at no

which crude oil is exported or sold or refined or product imported should be put on a very clear platter of transparency.”

price. There is just no benefit for the ordinary Nigerian.

“In the period of scarcity, it is the ordinary Nigerian that suffers and this is, therefore, draining scarce resources that ordinarily should be put into growing the economy in the small and micro businesses.

“Think about it, if you needed 1,000 litres to run your light in say for one month and you have already bought fuel for say N250 per litre, that means you have spent N250,000 which could have already bought some little machines, make a bakery or do something that could make an impact in the economy by feeding Nigerians and also creating wealth and employment.”

Transparency in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector He further called for transparency in the Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, stating that the country should consider extending the subsidy programme in the agriculture sector to the oil and gas sector and other sectors of the economy.

He said: “There is no need for subsidy to stay; it should be removed. Let petroleum marketers import products genuinely or go into refining agreement with the Federal Government with clearly defined transparent cost of crude oil sold, transportation and logistics for refining and actual landing price that will be affordable by Nigerians.

“I am not saying that they should regulate the price but I am saying that the process by

Meanwhile, the organised labour has told President Buhari not to accept the recommendation of the Transition Committee that advised him to remove subsidy from the petroleum products and promised to resist any such policy from the government.

The leaderships of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday, told Vanguard that any attempt by the President Buhari-led government to remove subsidy will lead to a serious unrest in the country.

The National President of TUC, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, in a telephone interview with Vanguard in Abuja said the recommendation was not going to work out and that any abrupt policy will lead to a serious unrest.

He said: "It is not going to be tenable with the labour and Nigerian masses. If they want to remove subsidy abruptly, there will be serious unrest."

He said what the government should do is to set up a panel for forensic audit of the oil subsidy, and not to allow what he described as 'few criminals" to hold the country to ransom.

He said removing subsidy would amount to punishing Nigerians because of the activities of few cabals within the oil and gas sector, adding that even if the government finally decided to withdraw the subsidy, there must be an agreement and the palliative put in place to cushion the effects on the workers in the sector.

"Any attempt to withdraw subsidy, Nigeria workers will come out," Kaigama stated.

Also commenting, the factional National President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said it will be an ill advice to the president to remove subsidy.

Wabba said: "I also hope that it is not these same cabals that have held all of us to ransom that are bringing these recommendations, because those cabals have also been responsible for sponsoring people to elective positions.

"These are facts we are aware of. In fact, they are the major donors to campaign purse. I hope it is not this same cabals that are also canvassing at this point in time.

"Whatever you do to increase the price, it will be at a cost to ordinary Nigerians. Many Nigerians today cannot have three square meals at their table, it will be additional hardship on them if the essence of removing subsidy is to increase the price.

"But if on the contrary removing subsidy will not increase the price, I think we will be in for it. But the major point is Continues on page 9

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—9

Why subsidy should be removed — NACCIMA, LCCI, others Continues from page 8 that we will not support any policy that will further make Nigerians suffer for it."

On if the government decides to go ahead to implement the recommendation, Wabba said: "Certainly, we will engage the process because removing it without taking into cognisance those issues we have raised, those concerns we have raised, where Nigerians will then suffer more and pay more, certainly people will react and certainly labour will go with the majority of the masses in reacting to this."

Issue of subsidy has implications He explained that the issue of fuel subsidy has a lot of implications especially economic implication as all businesses being small enterprises were being driven by individuals through their own personal efforts because the national grid was not functioning effectively.

He said: "Therefore, once you increase the price of petroleum product through a process of deregulation, you are allowing marketers to determine prices at their whims and caprices.

"This has happened almost two weeks ago where they decided on their own, to hold all of us to ransom and we have seen the consequences on the economy of our country even on our national security.

Because the national security of the country at that point was also threatened.

"I will remember as an organised labour, we made our positions very clear, that first, let us address the inherent corruption in the system. You must do the first thing first, we are not saying you cannot look at the issue of deregulation, but first, let us look at the issue of inherent corruption which has been established.

"It is obvious that the issue of corruption in the oil and gas sector has been established from the last episode of 2012 where the government unilaterally tried to withdraw the subside or what they termed as partial withdrawal of subsidy which is also a flute.

"With the recent happenings of the last one month, you should also know that it is not a one jacket approach issue.

Diesel has been fully deregulated, but in the last one month when marketers ganged up and came up with the issue of wanting to be paid subsidy, the issue of diesel was also affected.

"In fact, diesel price skyrocketed from about N146 per litter to over N200. Diesel has been fully deregulated and therefore it is a clear example

MEETING: From left: Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Barde; Permamnent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr. Haruna Sanusi and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during the National Defence Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. that we cannot at this point in time, contemplate removing subsidy hook, line and sinker without looking at the implications.

"So, as an organised labour, certainly, we are not going to succumb to those polices that will have serious implication on our economy as a country. In fact, the implication will better be imagined if those issues come to play and they have come to play just in a month back.

"It is equally an eye opening to us, recently IPMAN addressed a press conference to say that the entire process of the subsidy issue is a fraud and therefore they also gave options.

"If insiders who are also part of this racketeering who have also benefited at this point in time will come and give us this credible information, I think that is what government needs to look into.

"Our first option is let us clean up the system and also show that people are going to refund money because it is very clear from the episode of 2012 that a lot of people have been paid money they have not worked for.

"People just helped themselves and they got money that they have not worked for. So, the first thing is let us draw a line and clean up the system and even understand the economics of importation of the product.

"How much does it cost to import refined product that is even in the interim

because as a long term measure, NLC has canvassed over years that successive government must be able to have the capacity to develop and build our refineries so that we can be able to refine our products for our domestic use.

"Is it not an irony that over 30 decades when these very important commodity and resources have been discovered that we have not made any efforts to try to have capacity internally for domestic use."

Removal'll reduce borrowing — Adonri Speaking in the same vein, Mr. David Adonri, Chief Executive Officer, Highcap Securities Limited, said: “The amount of money used by the Federal Government for fuel subsidy every year is almost equal to amount borrowed.

“Removal of the subsidy will materially reduce borrowing and could lead to fiscal consolidation. As a result, interest rate will decline, leading to boom in the productive economy. Any consumption subsidy at this stage of development is bad economic policy.”

Put palliatives in place before removal — Akpan Also, Professor Oto-Abasi Akpan, Head of Department, History and International Relations, Akwa Ibom State University, in a text message to Vanguard, said: “The removal of subsidy is more than apt; I had advocated that since 2011.

“But before the removal,

there has to be in place cushioning mechanisms, otherwise it would be disastrous. Long term effects would be low prices of fuel as a result of competition and high productivity.”

Subsidy no longer economically sustainable — Ichimi On his part, Dr Godwin Ichimi, a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, said fuel subsidy is not economically sustainable, especially with the activities of a “callous cartel.”

According to him, in the analysis of fuel subsidy removal, the question that should be asked is: how will the removal impact the average Nigerian and what will be the benefit to Nigerians?

He said: “What are the social safety nets that would be put in place to cushion the attendant hike in the standard of living of Nigeria?

To me, if the government remove subsidy and tinker with some of the country’s macro-economic indices, this will ensure a win-win for everyone.

“However, with President Buhari’s credentials, I am hopeful that in removing the subsidy, he will ensure that the revenues saved are ploughed back into growing the economy and ensuring that citizens benefits.

“It is also hoped that the Buhari administration will block all the leakages while a myriad of safety nets should be put in place to cushion the effect of the increase in petroleum products prices

and other commodities on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.”

Enugu residents call for overhaul of refineries A cross section of Enugu residents on their part called for proper overhaul of the refineries before the proposed removal of oil subsidy. Some of the residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu, yesterday, decried the current state of refineries in the country. A civil servant, Mr Emeka Nebo, advised the government to ensure that the refineries were functional before the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.

“If at all the government is insisting on removing oil subsidy, all our refineries must be put in good shape so as to serve the people effectively. I strongly believe that if the Warri, PortHarcourt, and Kaduna refineries are working as they ought to, we will not be complaining about fuel scarcity,” he said.

Another civil servant, Mr Donald Odenigbo, urged the government to be ready to increase workers' salaries as soon as it removed the subsidy. “You cannot remove oil subsidy without increasing salaries of workers to cushion the negative effect.

“There is no palliative measure than that, because prices of everything in this country will definitely increase,” he said.

Mrs Phina Nwosu, a lawyer, said that the government should not discuss anything on subsidy removal because it would pose a serious threat to the people.

“Government should not discuss removal of oil subsidy now because it will increase the suffering of the people.

The past administration wanted to do that but it received knocks from labour and the opposition. Why now?” she queried.

Nwosu joined the call on the Federal Government to urgently put the refineries in order for sustainability. A petroleum dealer, Mr Solomon Amalu, said that he believed that the removal of oil subsidy would make fuel available in every filling station.

Uju Okoye, a student complained that removal of oil subsidy would amount to increase in prices of goods and services. According to her, if it is done, school fees, prices of books, transportation, food and everything will increase astronomically and people will suffer.

“I am calling on all Nigerians to get ready for hard times,” she said.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Court refuses NDLEA's plea to stay Kashamu’s suit By innocent Anaba

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AGOS—JUSTICE Ibra him Buba of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, refused an application for stay of proceedings in the committal application by the Senator representing Ogun East, Ogun State in the Senate, Prince Buruji Kashamu, against the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and the Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade.

Meanwhile, the court, adjourned till today, to rule on whether to commit the AGF and Ahmadu Giade to prison, after hearing arguments on the contempt application.

The AGF, represented by Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, had urged the judge to stay further proceedings in the matter pending an appeal lodged at the Court of Appeal, challenging an order of the court made on June 8.

It will be recalled that on June 8, Justice Buba had restrained the respondents from embarking or taking any step (s) to extradite Kashamu to the United States of America for trial in connection with an alleged drug crime.

Ngige had urged the court to stay proceedings as a mark of respect for the superior court, and not to bring about a situation of conflicting decision of Federal High Court and Appeal Court.

But Justice Buba, in a short rul-

ing, said he would not be bamboozled with an application at the Court of Appeal, which was yet to be entered.

The court also rejected another application by the NDLEA, asking for the vacation of an ex-parte order made by the court on May 25.

NDLEA’s Director of Prosecution, Mr James Sunday, had while arguing the application, contended that the court was misled by Kashamu’s lawyers in granting the ex-parte order.

According to him, the judgment of Justice Okon Abang (another judge of the Federal High Court) upon which the committal application was predicated was read in isolation of the damaging aspect.

He said in the judgment, Justice Abang made it clear that the restraining order was only in respect of a petition written against Kashamu by a group known as the Concerned Citizens of Ogun State.

He said the issues in the judgment had nothing to do with an extradition request made to Niger-

ia by the United States in 2015.

In his reply, Kashamu’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede faulted NDLEA argument, insisting that there was no concealment of any material facts.

In another short ruling, Justice Buba upheld Oluyede’s submission, and rejected the application to set aside the ex-parte order.

Justice Buba, afterwards, entertained arguments in respect of the committal application and reserved judgment to today.

MEETING: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State (2nd right) exchanging pleasantries with the state Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade (2nd left) while the Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule (left) and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Pedro Lawal, SAN watch during the governor’s meeting with the Chief Judge at the Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday.

N25.7BN FRAUD: Charge against Atuche, others dismissed

By Wahab Abdulah, Bartholomew Madukwe & Jane Echewodo

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AGOS—A Lagos High Court in Ikeja yesterday, dismissed the N25.7 billion criminal charge preferred against the former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Mr. Francis Atuche, and others.

Atuche was set free alongside

his wife, Elizabeth and a former Chief Financial Officer of Bank PHB, Mr. Ugo Anyanwu.

The three persons were prosecuted by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing N25.7 billion from the bank.

In a ruling delivered by the presiding judge, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, the court held that it is duty bound to comply with

the decisions of Court of Appeal in the appeal of Okey Nwosu and Erastus Akingbola.

The judge noted that though the prosecution, in its submission, was right to say that count one to ten of the charge was anchored on stealing which falls within the purview of State High Court.

However, the judge maintained that the prosecution did not make any submission to as whether

Gunmen abduct FUTA’s septuagenarian ex-VC

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—FORMER Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure FUTA, Prof Albert Ilemobade was yesterday abducted by gunmen.

Ilemobade was the vice chancellor between 1987 to 1995.

He was said to have been abducted alongside with his gateman at his Ijapo residence, in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

Ilemobade, a septuagenarian was said to have been abducted by gunmen at his residence.

The house maid reportedly saw

the gunmen when they took the former don away.

The gunmen on their arrival at the residence of the former Vice Chancellor approached the gateman, but before he knew what was happening a gun was reportedly pointed at him and he was asked to lead them to the living room where the former Vice Chancellor was accosted and asked to follow them to their vehicle.

Vanguard gathered that the gate man was bundled into the vehicle when he attempted to raise an alarm.

They reportedly whisked them

away to an unknown destination.

His car was later abandoned by his kidnappers along Ijare road .

Family members of the abducted former Vice Chancellor have besieged his residence.

The Police Image Maker Wole Ogodo said investigation into the matter is in progress.

It will be recalled that the Executive secretary of Cocoa Association of Nigeria CAN Mr Michael Adewunmi who was kidnapped last week has been released after the family paid an undisclosed amount as ransom.

Adewunmi was abducted on his way to his office in Akure.

count 11 to 27 have any nexus with shares and stocks.

“The case on all, falls with Okey Nwosu’s case. Count one to ten is within the armbit of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State because it deals with stealing.

Counsel to the Commission did not make any submission to as whether count 11 to 27 have any nexus with shares and stocks.

The criminal charge is hereby struck out and the accused persons are hereby discharges. “ the judge ruled.

EFCC had asked the court to adjourn its ruling on an application filed by Atuche, seeking to quash the theft charges preferred against him indefinitely.

In the application dated April 2 filed by its counsel, Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN), the commission urged the court to adjourn the ruling, pending the outcome of its appeal against the Court of Appeal judgment of November 21, 2013 at the Supreme Court.

The appellate court had in the judgment struck out the theft charges preferred against a former Managing Director of Finbank Plc, Mr. Okey Nwosu and others for lack of jurisdiction.

Security expert wants counter-terrorism unit formed

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—THE President of the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria, AISSON, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, yesterday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a counter-terrorism unit, CTU within the Presidency to tackle terrorism, with a view to bringing terrorists attacks in the North East to an end.

This is just as he has described the relationship among security agencies as competitive, attributing the hitch in attaining a relief in the fight against terrorists, to the battle of supremacy among the agencies.

Reacting to the twin suicide bombings that claimed eleven lives at a vigilante office and drinking pub in Potiskum, Yobe State, last week, Ekhomu explained that the purpose of the unit was to utilize advanced technology tools to predict Boko Haram attacks, create the necessary focus and synergy required for the war on terror, as well as preventing the attacks from occurring.

Barber, 26, docked for alleged theft of travelling bag

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A DA G RY — T H E police yesterday arraigned a 26-year-old barber, Nwazuosa Elite, in a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State for stealing a travelling bag.

The accused, who resides at No. 3, Ajara Dokoh Street, Badagry, Lagos State, is charged with theft.

The prosecutor, Insp. Innocent Uko, told the court that the accused committed the offence on June 13 at about 2.30 p.m. at No.105, Amosu Igboro Street, Alasia-Ijanikin, Badagry.

Uko said that the accused stole the bag containing N10,000 cash, a Nokia cell phone valued at N15,000 and a wristwatch, valued at N2,000 from the complainant, Mr Olayinka Olagbay.

He added that “the complainant was walking to a bus stop in order to board a bus when the accused came from behind and snatched the bag from him.''

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 — 11

I regret inability to pay salaries — AREGBESOLA

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has expressed regret over his inability to pay salaries for months now.

He however added that contrary to reports, he was not helpless about the unpaid salaries of civil servants in his state because he has Allah.

Delivering a Ramadan Lecture at the Women Development Centre, Abuja, the governor used the occasion to debunk reports that he ever said he was ‘helpless’.

He delivered a lecture titled : “Ramadan, Living in The Season of Positive Change”at the event organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society.

Aregbesola said, “It is extremely painful that I cannot pay salary.

It is painful that I have to be in this condition.

“I am not helpless because I have Allah and the people with me. And whoever has Allah and the people has everything,” he said, assuring that he was making efforts to pay the outstanding salaries of the civil servants soon.

He noted that the state borrowed up to N25 billion from banks to support the allocation from the federation account to pay workers salaries but the banks have refused to continue lending him money.

He explained that the state’s wage bill was N3.5 billion monthly and his administration has found it difficult to pay in the face

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CONFERENCE: From left; Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nassarawa State; Ani Charles Bassey-Eyo, Chairman, LOC, International Conference on Disabilities, Lagos; Nonny Ugboma, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Former Governor, Ekiti State and Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Snr. Pastor, Trinity House, at the opening of a three-day International Conference on Disabilities, co-sponsored by MTN Foundation, in Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday. of dwindling allocation in spite of increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N900 million to N8 billion annually.

“I didn’t envisage that 400,000 barrels of crude oil would be stolen daily. But the whipping boys must be the governors and I am the ‘Chief’ of the whipping boys,” Aregbesola said.

He expressed delight with the re-emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s leader. Also, the governor hailed the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society which organized the event.

Aregbesola said “terrorism is a challenge to Islam and it is the

Muslims who will solve it”.

He maintained that Islam does not support killing without judicial ruling.

Some of the dignitaries at the lecture included Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, wife of Nasarawa state governor, Mrs Mairo Al-makura, Senators Abubakar Sodangi and Khairat Gwadwabe as well as a former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Suleiman and many more.

Meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, in Osun State has described as insensitive and callous the statement credited to the

ruling All Progressives Congress APC that workers in Osun state constitute less than one percent of the population.

Speaking on behalf of the party Prince Diran Odeyemi, the Director, Media and Strategy said the APC has publicly shown to the world that it has lost focus and not responsive to the plight of Osun citizens.

According to the party, “The APC arithmetic of 1% civil servant is a formular coined for them after the election forgetting that these hard working servants are financiers of over 90% of the populace in the state.

FG hands over 920 orphans, others to Ogun govt

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—THE Federal government has handed over no fewer than 920 orphans and vulnerable children that it was taking care of under the Orphans and Vulnerable Children, OVC, Global Fund Project to the state government.

Those children were drawn from four local government areas of Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Ijebu East and Ijebu North.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Ezekiel Onyemomi said this yesterday at the formal hand-over ceremony at the state Women Development Centre in Abeokuta.

She said those orphans and vulnerable children in the state were being given comprehensive health, education, nutritional and Psycho-social support services with a view to giving them a new lease of life.

According to her, the project had been on since 2007 with a

Ekiti SEMA embarks on sensitisation to avert disaster

gap-filling mechanism aimed at empowering orphans and vulnerable children in some parts of the state.

“The gesture is part of concerted efforts to improve the lives of the less privileged and the vulnerable groups in Ogun State.

“We enjoined stakeholders working on OVC matters in the state not to allow the project to go into extinction, but, ensur-

ing that it continued to strive in order to manage, monitor and cater for the OVC until they attain the age of 18”, she said.

The President and Chief Executive Officer, Association For Reproductive And Family Health, Professor Olaide Oladipupo in her remarks disclosed that Ogun State was the only Southwest State that benefited from the final imple-

mentation of the Global Fund Phase 2 Round 9 project.

Earlier, Director, Women Empowerment Services, Mrs. Soladayo Babalola said that different research evidence had shown that vulnerable children in the society live in deplorable health conditions and are adversely exposed to abuse ,neglect, exploitation as well as deprivation from basic human rights and needs.

Ondo parents save N113m from govt’s shuttle buses– MIMIKO

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE – THE Ondo State government said yesterday that its Free School Shuttle initiative saves parents N113m monthly.

Also the number of buses in the scheme’s fleet has risen to 90 from the initial 39.

Speaking with newsmen in Akure, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade said the school shuttle bus scheme in the state has

been transporting no fewer than 53,000 uniform pupils and students across the state to and from their homes on a monthly basis.

Akinmade added that it has been saving an estimated sum of N113million that parents and guardians would have spent on transportation of their wards.

Giving the breakdown, Akinmade explained that the Mimiko-led administration is currently assisting parents with the sum

of N5.3million on a daily basis for the conveyance of 53,000 pupils and students of primary and secondary schools in the state.

Findings, he said, showed that before the scheme was introduced three years ago, most of the beneficiaries were spending an average of N100 as transport fare to and from their schools.

The commissioner added that if 53,000 pupils and students now benefit from the gesture, it means that government is helping the parents with N5.3 milliion daily.

DO-EKITI—EKITI State Emergency Management Agency, ESEMA yesterday said the agency has embarked on sensitisation to avert disasters in the state.

General Manager of the Agency, Mr Femi Osasona, disclosed this in Ado-Ekiti.

He said that the agency had lived up to its responsibilities in saving the lives and properties of the residents.

“We have ensured that disasters, such as flood, fire outbreak and others did not affect the resident in their various environments.

“The agency had organised workshops, seminars and carried out house-tohouse campaign with the assistance of major stakeholders to educate the people on disaster management.

“The role of the agency majorly was to educate and give advice to residents on the usage of standard products for construction and other amenities,” he said.

Osasona said that the agency has agents in each of the 16 Local Government Areas of the state that give weekly report on the environmental conditions in their areas.

NBA wants Ekiti Assembly to intervene in JUSUN strike

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HE Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Ado chapter has appealed to the Ekiti State House of Assembly to intervene in the ongoing strike of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN. The Chairman of the chapter, Dr Foluke Dada, made the appeal when she led other executives of the association on a courtesy visit to the house in AdoEkiti yesterday.

Dada decried the hardship the seven month-old strike had on the economy of the state, saying that, something urgent must be done to end the strike.

She said that the JUSUN strike might increase the level of poverty and crime rate in the state if urgent actions were not taken by stakeholders.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Edo 2016: SDP opts for alliance with other parties —Momoh

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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WIKE MEETS CIVIL SERVANTS: Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers addressing civil servants in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Unpaid salaries: Igbini faults govs' demand for bailout

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—DELTA State Chairman of Peoples Redemption Party, PDP, Mr Emmanuel Igbini, yesterday, said that the demand by state governors on President Muhammadu Buhari for financial bailout to enable them pay outstanding workers' salaries was condemnable.

Igbini, in a statement by his secretary, Mr Joseph Erhuvie, said: “Such demand amounts to deliberate attempt at defrauding the people of Nigeria and also in gross violation of provisions of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended.

“We hasten to remind Nigerians that the recruitment of workers by state governments and payment of salaries and allowances, are strictly the responsibility and within the preserve of each state government.

“This demand, if granted, will encourage further fiscal rascality and looting of public funds by some state governors.

“We, therefore, call on President Buhari to reject this demand by the governors.

Granting such bailout will

negate his determination to restore fiscal discipline and accountability in the management of the common wealth of our nation for our people.

“Any state governor seeking financial assistance from the Federal Government should apply individually for loans

only to be guaranteed by the Federal Government and deducted at source from monthly revenue allocations.

There should also be a limit to the amount to be granted to any state government and same must be based on the revenue accruing to such state and with the approval of

the House of Assembly of such states.

“We wish to remind President Buhari of the provision of Section 82 of the Constitution which requires the approval of the National Assembly for any money to be withdrawn from the consolidated revenue funds of the federation.”

Rights group warns against nuclear project in A-Ibom, Kogi

By Chioma Onuegbu

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YO—AN Uyo-based non-governmental organisation, Policy Alert, has called on the Federal Government to drop its plans to establish nuclear power plants in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and Geregu in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The group, in a statement by its Executive Director, Mr Tijah Bolton Akpan, yesterday, in Uyo, described the proposal as cost ineffective, ill-conceived, environmentally unfriendly, and a disaster-in-waiting.

According to Akpan, the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission, NAEC, recently announced that it had entered into an agreement with Rosatom of Russia to cooperate on the design, construction, operation and decommissioning of its first nuclear facility in 2025 to produce 1,200mw of electricity with plan to increase installed capacity to four nuclear plants producing a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts by 2035.

He said: “The Federal Government’s plans do not conform with international standards guiding the setting up of civil nuclear

programmes across the globe which imposes collective safeguards. It also serves as a check on the quality, health and environmental safety of the proposed projects.

“We are concerned that such projects will put several communities and the lives of millions of people at risk. The government is also not clear on its plans to address civil liability issues in line with the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage.

“In a country like Nigeria with a poor track record in the management of power infrastructure across the country, we have every reason to be disturbed.”

Rivers govt pledges to pay salary arrears

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State Government has assured civil servants in the state that arrears owed them by the previous government would be paid.

Governor Nyesom Wike who made the pledge, yesterday, in Port Harcourt at his maiden meeting with civil servants in the state, directed the C M Y K

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports to clear the eight months arrears owed footballers in Sharks, Dolphins and Rivers Angels football clubs.

He charged the civil servants to shun politics, adding that none of them would be sanctioned for any political role played in the last elections.

He said: “I want to assure you that we will pay you your salaries. We cannot

embark on project execution without first paying your salaries. The immediate past administration owed salaries because of misplaced priorities.

For this administration, staff welfare will be given priority.”

He regretted that the civil servants and their unions kept quiet while the former administration relegated staff welfare to the background.

On the poor condition of the state secretariat, Governor Wike assured the workers that his administration will improve facilities at the state secretariat for greater productivity of the workers.

The governor, however, charged the state Head of Service, Mr Samuel LongJohn, to take remedial measures to improve the state secretariat pending full scale rehabilitation.

former member representing Etsako federal constituency of Edo State at the National Assembly, Mr Abubakar Momoh, has said that Edo State Chapter of Social Democratic Party, SDP, may opt for alliance with any of the major political parties for the 2016 Edo State governorship election, if the party is unable to get a credible governorship candidate from Edo South senatorial district.

Momoh, who was the SDP senatorial candidate in the just concluded National Assembly elections, spoke in Auchi at a reception held in his honour to welcome him home after his tenure as a member, House of Representatives.

The reception which was the first of such for any former parliamentarian in Edo North was attended by politicians across party divides and was chaired by Alhaji Usman Shagadi.

Ndokwa East LG Chair congratulates 6th DTHA

By Tommy Anaduaka

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HE 6th Delta State House of Assembly has been commended for the successful election of the principal officers of the House.

Chairman of Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Dr. Nkechi Chukwurah, made the commendation in a congratulatory message to members of the Assembly on the successful proclamation of the House

by Govenor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Chukwurah described the emergence of Mr Monday Igbuya and Mr Friday Ossai Osanebi as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, as an attestation of their leadership qualities to pilot the affairs of the Assembly, adding that they are square pegs in square holes.

She particularly congratulated Osanebi for being a good ambassador of Ndokwa East constituency as exemplified by his purposeful impact on the lives of the people of the area.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—13

Ogbemudia begins search for Oshiomhole’s successor July 4

By Simon Ebegbulem

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his New Lagos Road residence in company of his wife, Lara, where they held a closed door meeting for about 30 minutes.

A statement by EMM said that the launch of the Movement entails the mobilisation of people across the three senatorial districts of the state

to sensitise them on the need to collaborate in the search for a credible candidate that believes in good governance so as not to destroy the progress made so far by the Oshiomhole administration.

Meantime, the leadership of the Social Democratic Party, SDP,

in the state, led by Alhaji Usman Shagadi, has expressed its desire to cooperate with Dr Ogbemudia in the search for Oshiomhole’s successor, saying that Dr Ogbemudia’s move will be beneficial to the people of the state in the near future.

ENIN—FORMER governor of old Bendel State, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, will on July 4, commence the search for a successor to Edo State governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, with the launch of Edo Mass Movement.

Meanwhile, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, former governor of the state, has said that the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state will present a candidate that will enjoy the acceptability of the generality of the people of the state and capable of retreiving power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Ogbemudia, in an interview, had told Vanguard that Oshiomhole has made tremendous strides in the development of infrastructures in the state, adding that Edo people, therefore, need a successor that will not destroy the achievements made by Oshiomhole.

He said: “We in Edo State, want to ensure that the state is developed and because of that I am going to proclaim Edo Mass Movement, irrespective of party affiliations, and we will support any political party that BRIEFING: Assistant State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, gives us indication that it wants Bayelsa State Command, Mr Segun Adeyeye (left) and state Commander, Josephine Obi, at Edo State to succeed.”

NDLEA news conference in Yenagoa, yesterday.

Oshiomhole had last Friday, visited the elder statesman at

Amaechi's probe not witch hunt —Commissioner

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State Government has accused former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of being mischievous with his claim that the probe of his administration by Governor Nyesom Wike was a witchhunt.

The state Commissioner for Housing, Mr Emma Okah, in a statement, yesterday, said that Amaechi should be bold enough to explain to Rivers people how the money his administration received was expended.

Reacting, however, former Commissioner for Information in the state, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, said she would not respond to comments, but issues.

Okah said: “There is nothing wrong or immoral for an administration that received and managed on behalf of the people of Rivers State to explain some of its actions suspected to be fraudulent. The people have the right to know.

“The Wike administration is merely protecting the people’s interest by inquiring into how

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public resources were wasted or misappropriated by the past administration and every lover of democracy and rule of law should not complain, blackmail the state government or divert attention from that.

“The simple thing Amaechi needs to do, if invited by any commission of enquiry, is to

state his side of the story and tender documents to buttress his case. There is nothing to fear if his hands are clean.

“Is it proper for Amaechi to sell off 70 percent of Rivers State Government interests in the state’s four power stations (Eleme, Omoku, Afam and Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt) at

the cost of $302.400 milliion and the entire money was withdrawn between December 2014 and April 2015 without any document of transaction or payment into any government account. Who owns the Bureau de Change company that received the money and who authorised the receipt and where is the money?”

Amnesty Training: Students protest non-payment of scholarships

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—STUDENTS of Niger Delta origin under the Amnesty Training and Scholarship Scheme in foreign universities and other institutions of higher learning have notified the Nigerian High Commission and embassies in the United Kingdom, United States, South Africa and Russia of their plan to stage protests against the Federal Government over its refusal to pay their school fees and accommodation allowances.

The aggrieved students said the Federal Government's

refusal to fulfil its side of the amnesty bargain and pay up their accommodation and school fees had caused them untold hardship in the foreign lands.

One of the affected students, who spoke on condition of anonymity from his UK base, said that the decision to stage a mass protest at Nigerian High Commission and embassies was due to the hardship faced by students sent by the Federal Government to universities and other institutions in Europe, America and South Africa to study.

“Despite all pleas with the Federal Government to resolve

the issues of unpaid school fees and accommodation money, the students have been thrown out of their schools in South Africa, Russia and the United Kingdom. Most of us now roam the streets.”

Meanwhile, it was learned that former Niger Delta militant leaders are set to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari over contentious issues affecting the Niger Delta region, including the appointment of a substantive Special Adviser and Chairman for the Presidential Amnesty Implementation Committee.

Gbaramatu indigenes laud FG over Maritime Varsity

By Onozure Dania

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EADERS of O k e r e n k o k o federated community have said that the people of the kingdom would ever be grateful to the Federal Government for establishing the Nigeria Maritime University at Okerenkoko, in Warri South West Local Government Area Delta State.

They assured that they will not disappoint the government in providing the enabling environment for the students and management of the institution to succeed.

Chief James Tangbowei and Mr Monday Mieyefa of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chairman and Vice Chairman of Okerenkoko federated community, who spoke to newsmen after their meeting in Warri, said they will ensure that the Maritime University actualises the purpose for which it was estalished.

They said that the institution will not only open up the long neglected kingdom, but will also give the people a sense of belonging and the opportunity to explore other areas to lift the living standard of their people.

According to them, quality education determines how far a people and a country can realise its greatness, hence it was imperative that the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom, who are the first beneficiaries of the institution should contribute immensely to its growth.

They noted that development at the riverine communities by all tiers of government will boost the economy of the nation which, according to them, is endowed with natural resources.

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

RENOVATION: Construction workers returning their scaffolding pipes, yesterday, to their headquarters following the completion of three weeks of renovation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

IGR, GDP RATIO: Presidency considers bail-out for states

Guide your Sahur, don’t overeat

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HE PROPHET (s.a.w) was reported by Anas to have said: “eat something for sahur even if it is a date.

For there is in it barakah.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Isn’t it great that Allah is rewarding us for eating?

The kindness of Allah cannot be overemphasised when one ponders on the blessings in the act of eating sahur during Ramadan. For Almighty Allah (SWT), it is not enough blessings that HE provides us with food on our table, but HE further blesses anyone who wakes up in the first rays of dawn to eat the same food to commence fasting. This meal is given a distinctive name- sahur, which is derived from the word sahar that denotes the part of night before dawn.

The prophet taught his companions and by extension, every Muslims that they should begin their fasting by taking something. It does not necessarily have to be heavy meal, in fact, overeating negates the spirit of fasting. It is advised to wake in the pre-dawn period to appropriately kick-start fasting by eating sahur among other things. Eat moderately even as you remember those who could not afford a meal for that purpose. If you have more than what you eat moderately, give another who is seeking for anything for sahur. You can go the extra mile by asking the closest Muslim around you.

Some people have asked whether there is need to wake up for sahur if one has nothing to eat. What is however appropriate is to wake up, carry out other activities of the Ramadan night and when it is time for sahur, get some water to drink. In it, there is barakah.

It should be noted that there is no sin in not waking up for sahur if it was done inadvertently. Again, the inability to take sahur does not vitiate fast.

Another common argument now is the appropriate time for sahur. Dear brothers and sisters, sahur is not breakfast and should not be treated in like manners. While breakfast is the dawn meal, sahur is pre-dawn meal.

Much as we know that the night is free for eating and drinking, Allah has described the time for the end of sahur as indicated in Quran 2 vs. 187 “...eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread.” The prophet also said; “Eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktum makes his call to prayer. He does not make it until the break of dawn.” (Al-Bukhari) Ibn Umm Maktum was famous with the last call to prayer before Subhi. We could discern from the above injunctions that in this part of the world, the break of dawn starts some minutes past five. Be that as it may, ulamas have advised that sahur should be taken in this part of the globe between 4:45 and 5:05am. Next time you are eating sahur, be rightly guided.

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By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

F

E D E R A L PGOVERNMENT may have come under pressure to assist the states in coming out of their recurrent expenditure crises following a presentation to the Presidency on the impact of states' debts and salary overhang on Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and the domestic economy.

P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to meet with the governors of the 36 states of the federation today on this problem.

A finance ministry source told Vanguard that governors of All Progressives Congress, APC, had sent a presentation to President Buhari through one of its economic policy confidants indicating the precarious nature of the twin financial problems of the states which are bad debt and salary backlogs.

Specifically, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, and Debt Management Office, DMO, recent reports on the domestic and external debts of the states as well as their internally generated revenue, IGR, profile were presented to the

President as official indication of technical insolvency in states, a development which may have prompted the meeting today.

An analysis by the economic research team of Afrinvest, a Lagosbased investment banking outfit, shows that apart from impaired federal allocation, 14 out of the 23 states whose IGR was published by NBS already have average external debts to IGR ratio of 213 per cent even without including the stock of domestic debt, meaning that it will take revenue inflow of 213 times in excess of their total IGR of N586 billion to cover their negative cash-flow positions.

According to analysts, the implication to the national economy is that the GDP of the 12 states owing salaries accounts for 33.9 per cent of the Nigeria's GDP. This implies reduced purchasing power across the economy which in turn will drag household c o n s u m p t i o n expenditure and invariably weaken overall GDP for 2015, the first year of the new administration.

The meeting between President Buhari and the governors is expected to focus on the modality of sourcing funds to enable them defray the debts owed their workers.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 —15

ONITSHA HOMOSEXUAL CASE: Magistrate

remands suspects

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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N E W I — T W O homosexual suspects were yesterday remanded in Onitsha prison custo a Chief Magistrate Court in Onitsha, presided over by Nkemdilim Ike, in order to consider applications by the parties to the case.

It would be recalled that the accused, Ebuka Anyasi, 23, and Michael Ikegbunam, 19, were detained in Onitsha Prisons custody by the court on June 15 for allegedly committing felony by

having carnal knowledge of two minors, Ifechukwu Okafor, 14, and Tagbo Chukwuma.

The unnatural act lasted for seven days, while both victims were locked in conferment in Okoloji Street, Odoakpu in Onitsha, Anambra State.

The two accused pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge against them, but the Prosecutor, Clem Nwancho, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, opposed their bail and submitted a three-page motion application as well as an affidavit opposing

the plea for bail for the two accused.

Mr Godwin Madubuko also opposed their plea for bail on the ground that they would jump bail, and insisted that they should be remanded in prison custody to serve as a deterrence to others, pending the determination of the case.

John Chukwuma, the lead defence counsel, yesterday submitted a nine-paragraph motion and an affidavit praying the court to grant the two accused bail since the offence was

bailable.

In her ruling,the Magistrate, adjourned the matter to July 1 to enable her study the various written applications of the parties in the matter and decide whether to grant the two accused bail or not. Meanwhile, some lawyers in Onitsha have expressed fears over a grand plan to suppress the matter by some unknown big wigs in the state who were working round the clock to ensure the case was frustrated because of their involvement in the act.

Stop painting us black, we didn't dump 50 corpses at UNTH, says PPRO … tasks hospital authorities to do proper investigation

By Austin Ogwuda

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NUGU—ENUGU State o l i c e command’s spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, yesterday, dismissed insinuations that the command was involved in alleged extrajudicial killing and dumping of 50 corpses at the University Teaching Hospital, UNTH. The denial came on the heels of the accusation levelled against the command by the National Human Right Commission, NHRC, which alleged the dumping of 50 corpses at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, by the police.

The commission had, last week, in Abuja, also called for a coroner’s inquest into the cause of death of one Chukuma Ihezie who was allegedly extrajudicially killed by personnel of the Special Anti-robbery Squad, Enugu.

“In the exercise of its statutory mandate, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, has requested for the coroner ’s inquest into the alleged killings p

to enable the commission determine whether or not a systemic case of extra-judicial execution has occurred in the circumstance,’’ the commission had stated in a statement issued by its Chief Press Secretary, Mrs. Fatima Agwai.

But reacting to the allegation , Amaraizu said: “That accusation is absolutely a fallacy. Are we (police) morticians? For God’s sake let them (hospital) check their records properly. Can corpses fly into the mortuary. ‘’They have records of how

corpses are brought in and by which individual, or agency of government. We have no hands in that accusation.

“I say again we are not morticians, enough of this black mail and they should stop painting the police black.”

O

NITSHA—THE Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has adjourned further hearing till September 28, 2015, in a certificate forgery and financial recklessness charge preferred against former Bursar of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, NOCEN, Mr. Michael Emeka Ekwunife, C M Y K

By Anayo Okoli

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M UA H I A — I N response to the continued collection of illegal revenues in the state, Abia State government has set up a security task force to arrest and prosecute those involved in the illegal act.

This came on a day the governor declared it had only verified, authorized and mandated two agencies to go ahead with their collection of levies and dues.

The two agencies, according to the government, are Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme, ASPIMSS, and the Physical Planning Industrial Development Fund, PPIDF. The state government warned any other person or group parading as it revenue agents to desist from such act.

NAC, Bosch partner to develop local skills in automotive sector

R

SWEARING-IN: Governor,Okezie Ikpeazu (left), congratulating Mr. Vivian Umah after being sworn-in as the new Abia State Head of Service, in Umuahia

Court adjourns ex-bursar’s certificate forgery case to Sept 28

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

Abia govt sets up task force on illegal revenue collection

by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The adjournment followed exchange of legal fireworks between Ekwunife’s defence counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), and prosecution counsel, Mr. Michael Omukoro-Onome, over the admissibility or otherwise as an evidence in the court, a copy of purported West African Examination Council, WAEC certificate being bandied by Ekwunife which was searched out of his file

with the college and forwarded by an EFCC official to WAEC for authentication.

Adjourning the case, the presiding judge, Justice M.L. Abubakar, said he would rule on whether the WAEC document would be admitted or not on that date, after which the EFCC official and other prosecution witnesses would continue with their evidence.

The ex-Bursar is standing trial in the court over allegations of misappropriation of salaries

and allowances of retired staff of the college, falsification of his WAEC School Certificate, University of London certificate, age, as well as reckless expenditure of funds of the institution.

Both the WAEC Zonal Director in charge of Enugu Zone, Mr. Chigozie Ogbonna, and an EFCC official who introduced himself as Mr.Kieriama Maurice, testified against Ekwunife as prosecution witnesses before the new date was taken.

OBERT BOSCH Nigeria limited (GmbH), is partnering with the Nigeria Automotive Council, NAC, to develop technical skills in the automotive sector.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos to unveil its new sales, marketing and service outlet, a member of the management board, Uwe Raschke, said the alliance was being forged with the long-term objective of improving the quality of life of Nigerians.

Raschke said the company would work closely with local partners to ensure the best possible benefit to Nigerian economy.

He said: “Under technical skills, having set up an alliance with the Nigerian government organization, NAC, in automotive aftermarket sector, the two partners plan to offer technical training as well as innovative solutions in the area of workshop and test equipment to the operators of automotive workshops throughout the country.

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Abia govt begins desilting of drainage channels in Aba

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—IN a bid to check flooding in Aba, Abia State government has begun the clearing of drainage channels in the city.

Our correspondent who went round major roads in the city, such as St. Michaels, Park, Umule, Ukaegbu, Umuojima, among others, saw heaps of debris littering the areas.

Vanguard observed that the debris scooped from the gutters are blocking two sides of these roads leading to heavy traffic jams in the city.

Enthusiastic residents who commended GovernorOkezie Ikpeazu for the ongoing rehabilitation of roads and cleaning of gutters, appealed to him to ensure that the debris were evacuated to stop them from flooding back to the drainage channels whenever it rained.

Anambra judiciary distributes 22 cars to new magistrates, DCR

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—TWENTY newly appointed Magistrates in Anambra State were yesterday provided brand new Ford Focus cars by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Peter Umeadi.

The newly appointed deputy chief registrar and a retired director in the state judiciary also benefitted from the largesse.

Umeadi said the cars would enable the magistrates discharge their duties effectively. The magistrates have already been posted to the magistrate courts in the 21 local government areas of the state.

The purchase of the cars was in line with the judicial autonomy which the Anambra State judiciary has started enjoying.

Chief Registrar of the State High Court, Mrs. Doris Ezeani described the occasion as a milestone in the history of the judiciary in Anambra State, adding that it was the first time the judiciary was taking absolute charge of its own affairs following the financial autonomy recently granted to it by Governor Willie Obiano.

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RAMPANT ACCIDENTS: FRSC plans

stakeholders' meeting with tanker drivers

By Austin Ogwuda

E

NUGU—CORPS Marshal and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi, has assured

Nigerians that the commission would soon convene a meeting of all critical stakeholders with the tanker drivers in the country.

This, according to him, is with a view to finding a lasting solution to frequent road accidents, especially among the

tankers.

Oyeyemi, who stated this yesterday when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at Government House, Enugu, disclosed that the meeting was aimed at achieving what he described as a free accident

DRAW: Regional Director, South-East/South-south of First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Mr. Okey Ezeala (right); From left, Branch Manager, Awka 2 of the Bank, Mr. Bede Alugbue, South-East/South-South Zonal Co-ordinator of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr. Michael Eke, Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Obinna Nnoli, and one of the FCMB Millionaire Promo winners, Mrs. Nkiru Orji, during the regional draw, June 17, 2015, at Onitsha, Anambra State.

nation.

He requested for more partnership with the state government for increased capacity building and work stations in the state in order to boost the internally generated revenue of the state.

He described Enugu as one of the key states that had cooperated well and contributed their quota towards the progress of the commission and sought for continued collaboration.

The FRSC boss also told the governor that the commission had designed a short term measure that would avert the problems being encountered at the 9th mile corner, especially during the festive seasons.

Responding, Governor Ugwuanyi assured the commission of the readiness of his administration to partner with it to boost the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state.

He noted that the commission’s request for the state government to provide more work stations for its official engagements was a welcome development that would increase the revenue generation of the state.

The governor also applauded the commission for its proposal to decongest the popular 9th mile corner, Enugu, before the festive season, noting that “a committee is already working to adjust the state budget to accommodate the area for immediate action.”

Imo lawmakers turn revenue collectors

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—MEMBERS of Imo State House of Assembly may have temporarily put on hold their constitutional business of law making and brazenly transformed themselves into revenue collectors.

The lawmakers, who took the stand during their plenary, explained that the idea of their transformation was to help beef up the state’s internally generated revenue.

The speaker, Mr. Acho Ihim, thereafter set up a seven-man committee, headed by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Ugonna Ozuruigbo, to ensure the realization of improved internally generated revenue for the state.

Other members include Ikechukwu Amuka, Kennedy Ibe, Chukwuemeka Lloyd, Arthur Egwim, Chief Mike Iheanetu and Lawman Duruji.

The House also read the riot act to oil companies operating in the state to immediately pay the sum of N40 billion

allegedly owed the state government over the past years.

The motion to this effect was moved by the member representing Oguta state constituency, Mr. Henry Ezediaro, and seconded by the member for Ngor Okpala constituency, Mr. Obinna Egu. The Speaker charged the

committee members to look inwards and design ways of internally grabbing more revenue for the state.

Meanwhile, some concerned citizens, who spoke to Vanguard after the plenary session, accused the lawmakers of starting their lawmaking process on a wrong note.

“When has it become the business of lawmakers to run after debtors, instead of making laws and allowing the executive arm to implement such laws? I am only hoping that the present House will not surreptitiously play into the hands of Governor Rochas Okorocha”, an aggrieved civil servant fumed.

Gov Ikpeazu cuts his salary, allowance by 50%

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has in line with dwindling economic reality in the country, cut his month salary and travelling allowance by fifty percent.

The governor,who spoke while swearing-in the new Head of Service, Dr. Vivian Uma, in Umuahia yesterday, noted there was dire need to cut down on the high cost of governance, adding the cut in his earning would be

sustained until the salaries and allowances owed workers in the state were cleared.

Governor Ikpeazu noted that he was pained by his administration’s inability to pay salaries of workers as and when due, pointing out that he would not be comfortable to receive his salary when workers of the state were owed arrears of salary.

Ikpeazu, who called on all government appointees to follow his example, said the plight of workers in the state was of serious concern to his administration.

He said the appointment of

a new HOS which he described as a milestone, was borne out of his government’s desire to reinvigorate the civil service, saying he expected Abia State civil service to be more proactive for the challenges ahead.

Governor Ikpeazu urged the new Head of Service to ensure that the welfare of workers was paramount during his regime.

He charged him to look for innovative ways of doing things, especially in terms of shoring up the internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

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— 17

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 IT is easy to misunderstand any position on Nigerians who are literally toying with their lives – and dying in the process. Some are trafficking drugs; if they are caught in some Asian countries they have procured death for themselves. Others make the long, dangerous and torturous journey to Europe through illegal routes in the Sahara Desert. If they survive, they could still perish at sea, crossing into Europe in overloaded boats that hardly withstand the turbulent waters of the Mediterranean.

Desperation could be at the root of these fatal decisions. Ignorance plays a part too. Most of those who make the Sahara journey have no clue about the dangers entailed.

The organisers are in no danger since our laws appear indifferent to the activities of these fraudsters, who daily entice our people with promises of better opportunities

Desperation drives death abroad. Their prospects are blinded to the dangers, often including death, after rosy stories of the “easy life” that awaits them abroad.

News of the death by firing squad for four Nigerians sentenced for drug offences in Indonesia, and the news that the same fate awaits another eight, should be enough to deter more Nigerians from involvement in crimes. Would it?

Are some Nigerians not boarding the next flight to their death, aware that they are dealing in illicit drugs and in countries where the penalty, on conviction, is the death

sentence?

What could the Nigerian government have done after Indonesia insisted that it had to carry out the sentences? Its argument was that illicit drugs were ruining Indonesians. It fears that a milder sentence, or the reprieve that governments seek for their citizens, could embolden more traffickers. Appeals from Australia, Brazil, and France were similarly ignored. What should the Nigerian government have done?

Our missions are notorious for the quality of consular services they provide for Nigerians. These are

matters our diplomats defend by pointing at the low (and in some instances outright denial of) funding of our missions. In the Indonesian case, the best funded missions in the world, with the best consular services, with stronger trade and cultural ties with Indonesia, could not pull their citizens out of the jaws of death.

The lesson appears to be that our governments have to increase awareness about dangers of drug trafficking and punish drug trafficking in Nigeria more stiffly. The affluent lifestyles of traffickers, who after mild sentences enjoy proceeds of their crime, entice others.

Pictures of the rickety craft that borne Nigerians to death in the Mediterranean, and recounts of journeys that brought them to death, are graphic illustrations of extents some go. Could Nigeria be so bad that some Nigerians prefer death to it?

OPINION Much ado about Okowa's critics

By Prince Abugo

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ACISM is a heinous crime tolerated among Africans who are themselves victims. Its demonic venom is entrenched in our socio-political life, to achieve narrow ambitions through tribal periscope.

Despite the pretence, we don’t access people who offer themselves for leadership on competence but on tribal or selfish considerations and no matter who is there, as long as he is not from our ethnic or political divide, we must pull him down.

This is the “kabu-kabu” politics bedeviling our development. Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa who inherited a financially poor state is already a victim. The man was given the hoe and cutlass at inauguration but cannot use them to farm because famine had consumed the soil and made crops and grass lifeless, the rain to bring life and enhance fertility of soil is lacking. That is why Okowa is treading carefully to raise a discipline team to revive a dying patient.

The dissolution of boards though necessary is examining a patient to find a cure, because some of these boards were corrosive avenues for all shades of persons who could not add value to the state. They encouraged nepotism, financial recklessness by churning figures which don’t tally with the reality on ground.

The joy is Okowa came through a free and fair PDP primaries devoid of political C M Y K

godfathers, he came through the people in general elections who elected him, that’s why cleansing the Augean stable rather than probe that waste time and resources is necessary. The criticism about dissolution of some boards and the Asaba capital development bill are ill timed, laced with primordial sentiments. It is a normal decimal for members of same gang, to engage in negative campaigns. How do they expect a governor that is a product of the people’s electoral power to condone incompetence? How can a governor accept a civil service commission that gave jobs not based on merit? How can Okowa who wants to perform rely on failed structures and liquidating corrosive platforms if he wants to fulfill his electoral promises? How can he abandon Asaba and Warri, the political capital and economic capital of the state without law as a guiding path?

How do they think a governor that was a victim of manipulative injustice tolerate

His body language shows redemption, service and what we can give to our State rather than what we can get

clowns, political sycophants?

The state has moved from these impediments that becloud our development, cleansing the rot to place food on our table, give us means of livelihood, security, peace and prosperity.

Development is not about newspaper, radio or television propaganda but perception and appreciation of physical accomplished projects by the people. We are lucky to have people’s leadership that abhors praise singers as sycophantic political tools, that’s why Okowa admonished Deltans “Don’t kneel down to greet me or genuflect, as I am human like you, give adoration to God who made heaven and earth”. We are driven by competence, commitment and compassion to engineer growth and development under him. Okowa needs our prayers and understanding than the congratulatory messages we put on newspapers, to clean the dirty waste of humus that dot our political, social and economic life.

Our greed is so visible, some firms that share boundary with federal roads in the state have annexed parts into parking plots without any response from those concerned. Our environment is daily polluted, flood is encouraged by blocked drainage system that lead to nowhere, even with rivers and streams that surround our cities, the drainages are filled with wastes. Streets are turned into parking spaces or local authorities rent them to willing “owambe” party fun makers, negating public interest. We cannot continue like this.

Okowa's predecessor gave many airconditioned buses and cars to transporters across the state but some politicians hijacked them for personal use. It is a financial burden if these beneficiaries are not paying back as stipulated in their agreement. If they fail to pay, it is a disaster because you cannot run government on charity. There are many ailing state industries that are comatose in place of elephantic projects that have no economic relevance. There are many projects undone in place of few showcased ones, hence Okowa must be supported in his determination to restore our values.

When Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri of Great Nigerian People’s Party (GNPP) in the second republic preached the gospel of “politics without bitterness” he did not know he had Okowa’s Delta in mind.s We must move from this impotent barrenness to fertile concept where our diversity becomes our strength. Many strive on treachery and blackmail, Okowa cannot please these robotic goons at the expense of the people. We cannot live under ethnic clowns and sycophancy that Okowa’s critics employ. Okowa inherited many problems and as a woman hides her grey hair under artificial weaves, Okowa’s critics want him to continue in this deception that leads nowhere and blame him later for incompetence. His body language shows redemption, service and what we can give to our State rather than what we can get.

*Mr. Abugo, a oublic affairs analyst, wrote from Uzere, Delta State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015— —19

Bracing up for tariff increase

By Sunny Ikhioya

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T has been a pleasant week of nonstop electricity supply. I cannot remember when I last enjoyed uninterrupted power supply for two straight days.

Suddenly, the supply has kept coming for one straight week and it has not stopped. I remember the days I use to go to bed with a book in my hands and wake up to find the book on my chest, with the lights still on. How I crave for those good old days.

The steady power supply of the past week got me thinking again; so we can actually enjoy uninterrupted power if we set out to do so, the sufferings of the past years were as a result of the consequences of man’s actions and inactions. Was there sabotage? That one is another topic for debate but let us just be happy that the days of steady power supply are gradually coming back and we look forward to it with hope.

It did not take one week for our euphoria to be punctuated, it came in the form of a news item credited to Premium Times but posted on the allafrica.com th website of 13 June 2015; “The Eko Distribution Company on Saturday urged electricity

consumers to brace up for upward adjustment in tariffs to partly meet the reality of the prevailing economic situation.

Oladele Amoda, EKEDC Chief executive officer, made the plea in Lagos at a stakeholder’s consultative forum with the customers on the need to adjust electricity tariffs”. So that is why the power has been relatively steady. In the past, electricity supply is distributed a day before the bills are to be distributed and turned off a day after; you have to wait for another month to have electricity power again.

Because the increase will affect everyone and with the expected reactions from angry consumers, they have decided on a pacifist approach, hence our experience of the past week.

If the action is the beginning of the much anticipated change, it is welcomed and we expect it to continue because success is not a one off thing. As we celebrate the DISCOS performance – yes, it is worthy of celebration, regular supply of power for one week, not in Ikoyi, Lekki or Victoria Lsland but also, in the outskirts border towns of Lagos – we advise that they slow down on the increase tariffs bit. In the finance world,

there is what is called moratorium, this means enjoying a service or facility for a period of time without additional charges, taxes, duties or penalty imposed. The people deserve a moratorium; they have suffered for too long.

The impact of power on the nation and its citizens cannot be over emphasised , businesses are grounded leading to unemployment, which leads to crime and hooliganism amongst our youths and climaxing in a failed state situation as it happened in the states of Borno and others in north eastern Nigeria. Even husbands and wives are getting separated because of the inability to generate light to consummate relationships.

The proposed tariff increase should wait till the end of the year to allow people get adjusted to regular power supply

The change must start now

By Edetaen Ojo

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AYS have turned into weeks since May 29, 2015, when Muhammadu Buhari assumed office as President of Nigeria. But the much promised change is nowhere in sight and seems to have died with the election campaigns. The President’s most ardent supporters and loyalists are already running out of excuses for the apparent inaction that has characterised his government, unless you count foreign trips, which are becoming the hallmark of his presidency.

To be clear, no one expected a transformation of the country in a few weeks after years of rot. But no one can see the baby steps that would indicate that change is in the offing. We are seeing the same unprincipled horse-trading in the sharing of political offices, with scant regard for competence and track record. Even the promised public declaration of assets, which was supposed to signal a new style of leadership, has not happened. What is supposed to be a simple proactive release to the public of the assets declaration form submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau has become a complicated, long-winded explanation clouded in sophistry.

We are now being told that the declaration of assets made by the President and the Vice President and submitted to the Bureau will be and can only be disclosed to the public after the Bureau has verified them. A critical question here is: Why? There appears to be logical answer to this question.

What Candidate Buhari promised to disclose to Nigerians was not assets verified by the Bureau. What he is supposed to disclose to Nigerians is what he has declared to the Bureau. A major reason why a public declaration of assets is critically important is so that citizens can be part of the verification process. If a public officer has assets that he or she has not declared, there is no way the Bureau can know this on its own, unless citizens are aware of what the public officer has declared and can come forward with information on assets that have not been declared or any aspect of the declaration that is false, inaccurate or incomplete.

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At this time, there is no legal or constitutional impediment preventing the President from making public the Declaration of Assets he has submitted to the Bureau. The only impediment right now appears to be the fact that the President has developed cold feet. Unless, of course, he never meant to disclose his assets publicly, to begin with.

The failure of President Buhari to immediately fulfill his promise, voluntarily made in order to win the trust and confidence of Nigerians, and therefore secure their votes, will have grave implications for his credibility and consequently, the credibility of his government. For his own sake and for the sake of Nigeria, we have to urge him to make good on this promise.

Since the President also promised to encourage all his appointees to declare their assets publicly as part of his pledge to run a clean government, it is obvious that if he has not made a public declaration of his own assets, he would have no moral authority to encourage anyone else to do so. He would also be sending a wrong signal to his appointees that he does not always mean what he says publicly. This would be disastrous for governance.

Such a situation would also be sad for another reason; namely the knowledge that they would be required to declare their assets publicly is one thing that could perhaps have discouraged some political jobbers intent only on lining their pockets from taking up political offices.

Another issue which has implications for governance is the mode of appointment of government officials, particularly ministers. Already, the signs

President Buhari must appreciate that he has raised the hopes of Nigerians and that he stands on the cusp of a new era

Power is invaluable. I took the painful decision two weeks ago to lock up a production outfit that I have ran for fifteen years because of the inability to manage the power situation, cost of running the generator has gone far higher than staff salaries and raw materials combined. Who would have factored this situation in a feasibility report. It is clearer to me now why companies like Michelin, Dunlop shut down their factories and why our textile factories are in comatose and the likes of Cadbury and Unilever are struggling. It is a very serious matter.

Without regular power, no country can develop in all ramifications because it is power that drives technology – without power you cannot carry out research, you cannot produce and transportation is near impossible. Since the early eighties, we experienced the shutdown of the Peugeot and Volkswagon assembly plants, power has been in limbo in this country. You can understand now, why this past week experience has been exhilarating but like I mentioned earlier, we must be gradual in the approach to the tariff increase because the people have been battered for so long and are barely surviving instead of living. We need power to put majority of the people back to work and when they are effectively back to productive activities, they will be better

are that the sharing of political offices remains that same nasty and messy business of “survival of the fittest” that it has always been in Nigeria. There is no debate about who is best qualified to run what. The considerations appear to remain who comes from where and who is loyal to whom. That is not change.

For a while, the impression was promoted that the President could not constitute his team because the National Assembly had not been inaugurated and, as such, the Senate to confirm his ministerial nominees was inchoate. The National Assembly has now been inaugurated with the Senate and its leadership in place, but there remains no progress on this front.

In any event, when the President finally gets round to appointing his ministers, how he manages the process would be another indication of whether we are in for more of the same or whether change is truly coming to Nigeria.

The established practice is that the President sends a list of ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation with no indication as to the portfolios that they will occupy. In the screening process, therefore, the Senate really has no way of assessing their competence or qualifications for the positions that they will ultimately occupy, having no information whatsoever in this regard.

Although this practice does not violate the requirement of the Constitution, it has encouraged the use of such political appointments for mere political patronage which does not serve the best interest of the country. We have frequently seen the most incompetent of persons appointed to sensitive ministries, including Defence, with no consideration given to their qualifications, experience, competence or track record. Besides, such officials take office with no clue as to what is required of them. Citizens also do not know what is required of the appointees and are therefore unable to effectively assess their performance.

President Buhari needs to address this problem within the framework of his reform agenda. Two options are open to him in this regard and he can apply either or both options.

The first option is for President to send this list of ministers to the Senate for

placed to cope with the increased tariff regime.

There are companies who have not been able to pay staff salaries in the past five months, even governments are finding it difficult to cope like the state of Osun. If the people have not received their salaries for as long as five months, where will they get money to pay for electricity?

The government had been magnanimous to these electricity companies in the past through various waivers and grants under previous administrations; it is now time for them to reciprocate same gesture.

I am not saying that tariffs shouldn’t be increased – at least they have to buy equipments and pay workers salaries – but they should give reasonable time for people to get adjusted to it.

History has shown that the people are willing to manage and bear inconveniences when the activities of the government are sincere, like it happened with taxes in Lagos and the setback structures that were destroyed for road development purposes across the city of Lagos.

The proposed tariff increase should wait till the end of the year to allow people get adjusted to regular power supply, please. *Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

confirmation with their prospective portfolios indicated. That way, a meaningful screening process can take place, with public engagement, where the qualifications, experience and track records of the prospective ministers for their positions are assessed and they are required to outline their plans and priorities before they are confirmed. Their performance can subsequently be assessed by both the President and the public against their stated plans and priorities or the deliverables they promised.

Although the Constitution does not require this, it does not preclude it either and a President who is serious about bringing about fundamental changes in governance can implement this reform and establish it as standard practice for future Presidents.

The second option is for the President to issue every political appointee, including his ministers, with “Terms of Reference” and very concrete deliverables that are disclosed to the public. These terms of reference and deliverables will be based on the clear priorities in the different sectors, even if there is no public input and they are based solely on what the President and his inner caucus consider to be the priorities. In this way, the President, his officials and the public all have a common understanding of what is expected of the appointees and can assess their performance. The current practice where people are appointed to offices and they simply dither in office for the duration of their appointments has contributed significantly to the mess that the country finds itself.

President Buhari must appreciate that he has raised the hopes of Nigerians and that he stands on the cusp of a new era.

Never before have so many Nigerians been so invested in a government and so hopeful of positive change. Given the clear tasks before him and the goodwill he currently enjoys, if he disappoints Nigerians, he would have done more damage to the country than all the leaders before him put together and history will judge him harshly for it.

So the change must start now!

•Mr. Edetaen, Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda, wrote from Lagos.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

IDPs: Pains of 1.3 million Nigerians displaced by insurgency A

By Victoria Ojeme, Abuja

LTHOUGH the Nigerian military has in recent time been having the upper hand in its armed face-off with the dreaded terrorist group, the Boko Haram, this is not without some grave costs to the country. Apart from those who have died, either as soldiers in combat or villagers killed by the murderous Boko Haram sect, another worrisome development is the increasing number of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the country which has been increasing each passing day since the beginning of the insurgency in the North East part of Nigeria.

These victims of violence and natural disasters have been subjected to harrowing and traumatic experiences. Some of them who escaped death by whiskers have been nursing their wounds and injuries as a result of gunshots and other lifethreatening situations they found themselves, with little or no medical attention.

According to the International Organisation of Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix report in April, there are 1.3 million IDPs in the three North East states, indicating almost 300,000 newly displaced people since February.

Spontaneous returns have been registered, especially in Adamawa State and the United Nations, UN, in collaboration with the government of Nigeria is planning a joint needs assessment of the areas of return later this month, focusing on both humanitarian and livelihood/ early recovery needs of the IDPs. A multi-sectoral team from UNICEF Abuja took a field support mission to the field in Borno to assess the situation in Dalori camp and to a plan to address the issue of high mortality in the camp. There is a lower Crude Mortality Rate of 0.84/10,000/per day which was 0.92/10,000/per day reported two weeks ago.

It is said 35,455 children have been reached with psycho-social support services in 141 communities and 21 IDP camps in the three North East states affected by the crisis, through a

There are 1.3 million IDPs in the three North East states, indicating almost 300,000 newly displaced people since February

*An official of NEMA addressing some IDPs at their camp network of 474 trained community volunteers. This includes 50 newly trained community volunteers in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.

Between January and April 2015, 14,153 children under five were admitted into therapeutic feeding programmes in the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. A total of 9,595 (77.7%) children were recovered and discharged from therapeutic care.

According to a UNICEF support, three new outreach clinics are operational in Dalori camp in Maiduguri (including a maternity ward) and two clinics in Yobe in the last three weeks in response to the needs of those rescued from Sambisa Forest and returnees from the Republic of Niger. Outreach clinics in IDP camps in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, providing integrated health services have benefited 122,209 people; and 14,800 long lasting mosquito nets have been distributed to men, women and children in IDP camps in Yobe and Borno.

As of May 31, UNICEF is said to have received $7.76 million against $26.5 million of the HAC requirements.

According to IOM DTM report in April 2015, there are 1.3 million IDPs in the three North East states, indicating almost 300,000 newly displaced people since February. Of the estimated 1,307,763 IDPs in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states, 89.9 percent live with host communities, while only four or 10.1 percent live in camps.

The number of government recognised camps in Adamawa has decreased from six to five, with Kwanawaya camp officially closed on May 8, 2015. All the 96 people in this camp returned to their home LGA of Michika, coordinated by Nigeria Emergency Management Agency and at the request of the IDPs. The school-aged IDP children living in camps in the three states have been targeted for enrolmenteither to nearby local public schools or within the campsthrough the Safe School Initiative.

Affected population in the North East Nigeria (IOM, April 2015) To t a l Male Total Affected Population 1,302,763 624,846 Children Affected (under 18) 743,176 356,162, Children 1 to 5 (Approx) 262, 956 126,141 Children 1 111,171 52,201 Children 5 SAM caseload (est) 75, 859 38,688

Female 676,917 387,014 136,815 59,970 37,171

•From January to April 2015, 14,153 children under five were admitted in the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe and provided with treatment. A total of 9,595 (77.7%) children were recovered and discharged cured.

NSCDC sets up unit to handle biological, nuclear disasters

I

T certainly was not for real, but that did not stop the select personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, from getting a thrill and feeling of the real thing from participating in the exercise. As members of the Chemical, Biological Radiological and Nuclear Unit established by the Commandant General, Dr. Ade Abolurin, they had after a week of training taken part in a simulation exercise intended to prepare them for tackling emergency situations related to Chemical Poisoning, Radiological Element, Biological and Nuclear explosions.

The exercise was planned and carried out in conjunction with the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA and Nigeria Nuclear and Regulatory Agency, NNRA, in preparation towards

countering nuclear disaster in line with the international best practice.

According to the Commandant of the unit, Mr. Fleix Oke, the simulation exercise is anchored on “Transportation Accident involving a Radio Active Source”, thereby preparing personnel ahead of their responsibilities as the country gears towards establishment of nuclear energy.

Expressing appreciation to the unit for its conduct during the exercise, Dr Abolurin also said that earlier before now, people were not conscious of the implication of the destructive tendencies of the weapon of mass destruction capable of creating more damage, bringing calamity and untold hardship to the nations.

He further stressed that the

essence of establishing the CBRN unit is to raise the consciousness of the people by sensitizing them towards the different dimension of crime which hitherto, the use of gun and other conventional weapons have change to the use of chemical, bombs and other dangerous substances.

Therefore there is need to train personnel sufficiently to face the challenges ahead.

Similarly, the leader of the delegation Mr. Pablo Jerez of the IAEA expressed great satisfaction with the Corps CBRN Unit and said both IAEA and NNRA will keep partnering and supporting the unit with all necessary tools and equipment needed to carry out the assignment.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

— 21

Shippers Council moves to audit terminal operators

By Godwin Oritse

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Seminar: From left , Chief Judge of the FCT, Hon. Justice Isheik Bello, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Auta and MD/CE, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alh. Umaru Ibrahim at a one-day Sensitization Seminar on Deposit Insurance System in Nigeria organised by NDIC for Federal and State High Court Judges in Abuja.

World Bank Group: Project critics threatened, harassed, jailed- HRW

By Omoh Gabriel

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HE World Bank Group has done little to prevent or dissuade governments from intimidating critics of the projects it funds, or monitor for reprisals, Human Rights Watch(HRW) said in a report released yesterday.

The 144-page report, titled “At Your Own Risk: Reprisals

$128.10

0.95

$3,256.00

-14. 00

$11.38

against Critics of World Bank Group Projects,” details how governments and powerful companies have threatened, intimidated, and misused criminal laws against outspoken community members who stand to be displaced or otherwise allegedly harmed by projects financed by the World Bank and its private sector lending arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

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$62.66 -0.36

59.22 CURRENCY BUYING

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CENTRAL

DOLLAR 195.9 196.4 POUNDS 310. 4036 311.1958 EURO 221.4454 222.0106 FRANC 211.6694 212.2096 YEN 1.5904 1.5944 CFA 0.3177 0.3277 WAUA 275. 203 275.9054 RENMINBI 31.5425 31.6234 RIYAL 52.2372 52.3705 KRONA 29.6733 29.749

196.9 311.9881 222.5758 212.7499 1.5985 0.3377 276.6078 31.7044 52.5039 29.8247

CBN Exchange Rate as at 22/ 06 /15

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Human Rights Watch said it found out that the World Bank and IFC have failed to take adequate steps to help create a safe environment in which people can express concern or criticism about projects funded by the Bank Group without risk of reprisal,.

“The World Bank has long said that public participation and accountability are key to the success of the development efforts it funds,” said Jessica Evans, senior international financial institutions advocate at Human Rights Watch.

It said “But the World Bank’s repeated failure

to confront intimidation or harassment of people who criticize its projects risks making a mockery out of these principles.”

Human Rights Watch found that people who have publicly criticized projects financed by the World Bank and IFC have faced threats, harassment, and trumped-up criminal charges in Cambodia, India, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and elsewhere.

When reprisals have occurred the Bank Group has largely left victims to their fate, preferring silence or

“But the World Bank’s repeated failure to confront intimidation or harassment of people who criticize its projects risks making a mockery out of these principles.”

“quiet diplomacy” over the kind of prompt, public, and vigorous responses that could make a real difference.

In spite of what are often grave risks, affected community members in numerous countries have spoken out about the problems that they see with Bank-supported projects.

In northern India, 30-yearold Sita, not her real name, described how employees of the company in charge of constructing a hydropower dam publicly ridiculed community members who were protesting the project as “prostitutes,” viciously insulted them referencing their caste, and warned them of “severe” consequences if they continued their protest. In Uganda, staff at Uganda Land Alliance and a journalist who worked to document and stop forced evictions linked to an IFC project described threats, including death threats. The government also demanded a public apology to the president and threatened to deregister Uganda Land Alliance unless they withdrew their report documenting the evictions.

HE Nigerian Shippers’ Council, (NSC), has commenced moves to carry out an audit exercise on terminal operators with a view to finding which aspect of the cargo value chain is responsible for the delay in cargo clearance process.

Disclosing this during a visit to the A. P. Moller terminal in Apapa, Lagos, and Executive Secretary of the Council Mr. Hassan Bello said that the Council will work closely with other stakeholders so as to ascertain where the delay is experienced in the course of cargo delivery.

Bello said that the Council will like to witness the operations of some of these terminals so as to have a firsthand experience of the operations of these terminals.

The Council boss explained that besides witnessing the operations of some of these terminals, the Council will also ascertain the quality of their equipment and how often they are put into use.

He further disclosed that the Council has also concluded plans to establish a Port Community System where issues affecting the port industry will be resolved by all stakeholders.

He commended the management of the terminal for having faith in the Nigerian economy and investing so much and creating jobs for Nigerians.

Bello assured the terminal operators that the council would advise the government to create a conducive atmosphere by being consistent in its policies as the policies will help investors plan better.

He said “This is routine consultation that we do with operators. Operators are critical partners, the faith they have in the Nigerian economy cannot be overemphasized.

“We are appreciative of the continued investment, we have also criticised the government with regards to some of its policies because investors need to have faith in the policies so they can make long term plans.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Going to court might worsen the plight of the depositors of Savannah Bank. But that is supposed to be the last option after dialogue or engagement with the CBN and management of Savannah Bank has failed

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TOP 10 PERFORMING STOCKS

BY PETER EGWUATU

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EMENT Company of Northern Nigeria, CCNN Plc top the most 10 equities and the array of gainers on the Nigerian Stock Exchange last week, as it gained 10.71 per cent or N1.13 per share to close at N11.68 per share from N10.55 per share penultimate week.

About twenty eight equities appreciated in price during the week under review, higher than twenty four equities of the penultimate week.

The financial position of CCNN for the year ended March 31, 2015 shows that revenue dropped by 5.29 per cent to N4.625 billion from N4.883 billion in the corresponding period of 2013 ; Cost of sales dropped by 8.24 per cent to N2.904 billion from N3.165 billion; Profit \Loss Before Tax increased by 9.58 per cent to N929.5 million from a loss of N1.027 billion, while Profit after tax went up by 9.58 per cent to N699 million from 632,046 million in 2013.

Trailing behind CCNN on the gainers’ chart was R.T Briscoe Nigeria Plc which rose by 10.53 per cent or N0.08 to close last week at N0.84 from N0.76 penultimate week. R. T Briscoe recent nine months for the year ended September 30, 2014 shows that revenue declined to N14.861 billion from N15.752 billion in the corresponding period of 2013. The company cost of sales dropped to N12.381 billion from N13.304 billion in the corresponding period of 2013; Operating Profit declined to N937.818 million from N1.106 billion, while loss before tax increased to N264.292 million from N39.791 million in 2013.

Champion Breweries Plc occupied the third position on the gainers’ chart rising by 9.03 per cent or N0.58 to close at N7.00 per share. Champion Breweries Plc grew revenues from N2.2billion in 2013 to N3.

3 billion, representing a growth of 50 per cent.

Most impressively, the company has been able to reduce the percentage of sales devoted to cost of goods sold from 98.84 per cent to 80.62 per cent. This was a driver that led to an improvement in the bottom line from a loss of N1.2 billion in 2013 to a smaller loss of N754.5 million. The company recorded loss per share of 24 kobo as against 131 kobo in 2013. No retained earnings was recorded in 2014 as against a negative of N9.683 million in 2013.

Occupying the fourth position on the gainers ‘chart was Neimeth Plc which appreciated by 7.56 per cent or N0.09 per share to close at N1.28 per share from N1.19 per share recorded

penultimate week. The difficult economic challenges bedevilling Africa largest economy Nigeria has stunted the growth of Neimeth.

Analysis of the financial statement shows for the period ended December 2014, the company’s net income dipped by 190 percent to N68.09 million from N75.76 million the same period of the corresponding year (Q1) December 2013, while sales fell by 43 percent to N269.26 million. Gross profits margin reduced to 38.74 percent compared with 54.95 percent the last year, while gross profit fell by 59.48 percent to N104.31 million. The falling gross profits mean Neimeth is not able to produce at relatively lower costs.

Operating expenses margin increased to 53.53 percent in 2014 as against 34.50 percent in the preceding year, while operating expenses fell by 12 percent to N144.14 million. Net margin, a measure of profitability and efficiency, increased to 25.28 percent from 16.17 percent the preceding year.

Neimeth’s total assets rose slightly by 1.43 percent to N2.82 billion compared with N2.78 billion the preceding year. The company’s share price closed at N0.74 on the floor of the exchange while market capitalisation was N1.16 billion.

Trailing Neimeth on the gainers chart was National Salt Company of Nigeria, NASCON which went up by 6.38 per cent or N0.51 to close at N8.50 per share from N7.99 per share.

The company’s pre-tax profit for the period ended December 31, 2014 declined 29.3 percent to N2.85 billion from N4.04 billion recorded a year earlier.

Similarly, Profit After tax (PAT) dipped 30.8 percent to N1.86 billion from N2.69 billion in the same period of 2013. However, revenue climbed up from N8.19 billion in 2013 end to N11.25 billion in the review period of 2014, showing an increase of 37.3 percent.

Other top five gainers in the top ten equities include: Mansard Insurance Plc, which went up by 5.65 per cent to close at Nn2.99 per share from N2.83 per share, followed by Learn Africa Plc which moved up by 5.22 per cent to close at N1.21 from N1.15.

Others are Conoil Plc which rose by 5.0 per cent to close at N42.00 per share from N40.00 per share, followed by UACN Property Development Company Plc which rose by 5 per cent to close at N10.50 per share from N10.00 per share, while MCN ICHOLS Plc went up by 4.90 per cent to close at N1.50 per share from N1.43 per share.

INVESTOR' ,

Who will represent depositors of Savannah Bank?

By Babajide Komolafe

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NQUIRIES from official and unofficial quarters on the way forward on the plight of the depositors of Savannah Bank revealed two things.

The first is that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is for now not willing to take on the owners of Savannah Bank in terms of setting or insisting on a deadline for reopening of

the bank. According to a top official of the apex bank who spoke on condition of anonymity, the CBN does not want to do anything that would be interpreted as contempt of the court order that restored the license of Savannah Bank. The official said that the CBN and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) had put in place arrangement to pay depositors of the bank but the

court order nullified the arrangement. He said the CBN is aware of the plight of the depositors of the bank but cannot take any action for now to ameliorate their suffering.

The second revelation which is also a fall out from the above is that, the depositors of Savannah Bank can prompt a change in the situation by taking action. For example, the depositors can approach the Bank Customer

SENSITISATION: From left , Lt. Col. EK Jonah HOD Accounting Nigerian Army School of Finance, Apapa Lagos, Col. Adio A. Adekoya, Deputy Commandant Nigerian Army School of Finance, Apapa Lagos and Mr. Arinze Nwobu, Head Research & Technical Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers and Lt. Col. II Adamu, Registrar Nigerian Army School of Finance, Apapa Lagos.

MARKET NEWS

CIS sensitises Armed Forces on capital market activities By

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Peter Egwuatu

HE Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS has taken its sensitisation programme to members of the Nigerian Armed Forces on Nigerian capital market activities.

The team was led by the Head, Research & Technical Mr. Arinze Nwobu. In his statement, HRT mentioned that CIS is the only professional body responsible for training and regulating practice and conduct of stockbroking in Nigeria. He explained that the institute also conduct examination for prospective professional students who are interested in practising in the securities and investment industry.

According to him, the capital market is a segment of the financial system which deals with medium to long

term funds. The funds are channelled from the surplus end to deficit end for productive purpose, project

The team was led by the Head, Research & Technical Mr. Arinze Nwobu.

In his statement, HRT mentioned that CIS is the only professional body responsible for training and regulating practice and conduct of stockbroking in Nigeria

expansion and development.

He stated further that the capital market is very critical to the development of the nation and that research has shown that any country or nation which does not maximize the instrumentality of the capital market will not develop optimally. Most developed nations as use the mechanism of the capital market especially on bond market.

Nwobu acknowledged that the Nigerian capital market has come a long way even though it is still emerging, but very optimistic as all stakeholders are working hard to see that we really emerge so that the capital market will be contributing more meaningfully to the development of the economy.

He informed the audience that Securities and Investment profession is an

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 — 23

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'S FORUM Association of Nigeria (BCAN) for advice and assistance to engage with the CBN and owners of the Savannah Bank. According to President of the Association, Dr. Uju Ogubunka, BCAN is ready to provide assistance to depositors of Savannah Bank but there must be a formal approach from them. This means that the depositors of the bank must have somebody or people to represent them and make a formal request to BCAN. While not pre-empting the kind of assistance that BCAN can provide to depositors of the bank, it is becoming clear that a legal action instituted by depositors of bank is

“What one lawyer needs to do is to file class action suit on behalf of the aggrieved (depositors) irrespective of where they are.

He or she needs to publish it in the newspaper, broadcast in radio and TV

esoteric and prestigious profession with sophisticated underlying concept and principles that sometimes can be difficult but not meant to terrify anybody.

He said that operating in the capital market is lucrative because opportunities are increasing daily especially with globalization which has eliminated the geographical barriers with a growing equity culture.

He further stated that there are two categories of professional examination in which one can explore the securities and investment industry namely CIS professional examination and the CIS professional diploma in Securities and Investment.

The CIS professional diploma in securities and investment gives the pedestal to move to the main professional examination.

CIS and other stakeholders have been trying to propagate the ideals of capital market and impress it on the

inevitable. This inevitability is highlighted by an online reader, Milo Savage, in his response to second part of the article titled, “What should depositors of Savannah Bank do?

He said, “What one lawyer needs to do is to file class action suit on behalf of the aggrieved (depositors) irrespective of where they are.

He or she needs to publish it in the newspaper, broadcast in radio and TV. The case is already half cooked because the court have ruled that CBN is guilty. The class action lawyer will ask for punitive damages in trillions naira for all parties but he has to break the case up in two orders, owners and depositors. He must also lunch public campaign on why it is very important for the court to act so as to set the right business environment for Nigeria”.

Definitely there should be lawyers among the millions of the depositors of Savannah Bank who should be willing to take up the campaign on behalf of the other depositors.

Even in the absence of such lawyer, there should be depositors who should be willing to mobilise or represent other depositors either to approach BCAN or engage a lawyer that would institute the necessary legal action. Such depositors can contact Vanguard Investors Forum via vanguardinvestorsforum@gmail.com for partnership to engage BCAN or for publicity to mobilise other depositors.

government to begin to maximally explore the instrumentality of the capital market so that Nigeria will attain great economic heights and inclusive growth.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commandant Col, Adio A. Adekoya Nigeria Army School of Finance, Arankan Barracks Apapa Lagos advised the accounting students to broaden their knowledge more on securities and investment to get the fundamentals and principles of any business valuation.

He appreciated the CIS for finding the school worthy of collaboration and hoped that it collaboration will give more opportunities to both current and graduated students to broaden their knowledge as well .The Deputy Commandant was accompanied by LT. Col. II Adamu, Registrar and Lt. Col. EK Jona, HOD Accounting Nigeria Army School of Finance, Arankan Barracks Apapa Lagos.

I want our regulators to introduce the China ideology in the area of financial crime, into all sectors of our economy especially in the banking sector. I want quick action against bank debtors

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INVESTORS SPEAK

•Lawrence

•Owolabi

Shareholders charge banks to take debt defaulters to court

By Providence Obuh

Worried about the rising concerns of debt in the banking sector, shareholders go tough stating that necessary actions should be taken and if debtors fail to comply, they should be taken to court for hearing

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not about telling us stories. At AGM, they always tell us that we have a huge Non Performing Loan (NPL), no subscriber to the shares of any company would want to hear stories like that, what are the management there for and what is the essence of paying them. We don’t want to hear stories of their NPL, we want stories of performance. Where we have huge NPL, it does not add any value to us. What we are expecting management at the board is to bring NPL to a manageable level, that is what an average shareholder is interested in not stories and that is why they must go for debt recovery consultant to recover those loans.

r. Segun Owolabi, Western ICON Shareholders Association of Nigeria: On the issue of debts owed to bank, I think banks should tell us the debt profile of the debtors; which sectors are the banks exposed to, I Oguntoye C omrade mean those sectors that Lawrence, Distinct accessed the loan, for Shareholders Association: If publishing example, if it is the oil and Nigeria banks loan is on the names will gas sector, it is going to high side, the defaulters are prove a little bit difficult, skeptical, they are men of timber bring result, unless government is going and caliber, who set out to fine, but we to pay the subsidy claims. I defraud bank directly or wouldn’t know if the banks indirectly, if caution is not taken, should also made adequate provisions in the future of our banks would be look at other case of losses, according to jeopardized, from our potential guidelines of the investigation, most of the debtors areas that CBN. Another thing is are found among the board and would help us whether the loans are management of our banks, some properly secured with borrow huge amount of money recover the instruments like properties without returning, while others money which is and other assets, if they are decided not to return theirs, due very important properly secured, then we to their influence on the bank. don’t have cause to fret, they These irrational acts can lead can go for the properties. banks to underdevelopment. I Finally, the banks should be able to employ think the regulators should collaborate aggressive debt recovery consultant, (debt so as to fish out the bank debtors and recovery mechanism) things like these are easily bring them to book for people to know. recovered by debt recovery consultant. It Is not If they fail to comply, they should be about publishing names that matters, some of charged to court. Sometime ago, I was them are very recalcitrant, they may not respond watching CNN, and I realise that China by paying, some have even absconded by leaving don’t accommodate these kind of habit the country. If publishing names will bring result, practised in our country. I want our fine, but we should also look at other areas that regulators to introduce the China would help us recover the money which is very ideology in the area of financial crime, important. If we can follow these steps that I into all sectors of our economy especially in the banking sector. I want quick action have highlighted, we will recover the money. against bank debtors.

We are bordered about the bottom line when we go for Annual General Meeting, AGM and

24 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Non-oil re xceeds earnings from crude in April revvenue e ex …Nets over 61% of total earnings

By Michael Eboh

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IGERIA’S earnings from the non-oil sector, for the first time in a long while, exceeded its oil revenue, accounting for 61.1 per cent of total federally-collected revenue in April 2015 with N448.83 billion.

The country’s earning from the petroleum sector dropped to N286.24 billion, indicating that the low price of crude oil in the international market has continued to take its toll on the nation’s economy.

Data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN Economic Report for April 2015, showed that earnings from the petroleum sector dipped by N78.4 billion from N364.6 billion recorded in March, representing 38.9 per cent of the total revenue.

The CBN attributed the improvement recorded in nonoil revenue to increased receipts from Value Added Tax, VAT, Customs & Excise Duties and other unlisted sources.

It said: “At N448.83 billion or 61.1 per cent of the total revenue, gross non-oil receipts was above the monthly budget estimate and the level in the preceding month by 23.9 and 154.1 per cent, respectively. The increase in non-oil revenue relative to the monthly budget estimate reflected largely, the increased receipts from the FGN Independent Revenue.

“At N735.07 billion, estimated federally-collected revenue in April 2015, was lower than the monthly budget estimate by 9.8 per cent. It was, however, higher than the receipt in the preceding month by 35.8 per cent. The decline in estimated federally-collected revenue (gross) relative to the monthly budget estimate was attributable, largely, to the shortfall in receipts from oil revenue during the review month.”

To this end, the CBN estimated federally-collected revenue at N735.07 billion, appreciating by 35.8 per cent from the N541.2 billion recorded in March. Given the significant decline in oil receipts, non-oil receipts appreciated by 154.4 per cent.

The CBN attributed the fall in oil receipts compared to the preceding month’s level to the decline in revenue from crude oil and gas exports,

occasioned by the drop in the prices of crude oil in the international market.

Specifically, the CBN noted that crude oil production, including condensates and natural gas liquids in April was estimated at 1.91 million barrels per day, mbd or 57.30 million barrels for the month, while crude oil export was estimated at 1.46 mbd or 43.80 million barrels during the month.

“The average price of Nigeria’s reference crude, the Bonny Light (370 API), was estimated at $59.55 per barrel, indicating an increase of 3.7 per cent above the level in the preceding month,” the CBN said.

Breaking the gross oil revenue further, the CBN said Nigeria earned N80.9 billion from crude oil and gas sales in April, compared to N106.7 billion recorded in March, and realised N87.7 billion from domestic crude oil/gas sales, compared to N77.2 billion a month earlier.

VISIT: From right, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Dr. Joseph T. Dawha and Board Chairman, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Mr. Ledum Mitee during a recent visit to the NNPC Towers Abuja by a delegation of NEITI and parent Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, EITI. other unlisted oil sources rose Also, Petroleum Profit Tax, per cent to N104.4 billion from to N13.2 billion from N9.3 PPT/Royalties dipped by 39.1 N171.4 billion recorded in billion in the same period.

March, while earnings from

Bringing the refineries back to life

By Sebastine Obasi The news that Nigeria’s four refineries will resume production in July, no doubt has elicited excitement and hope among Nigerians. The enthusiasm of seeing the refineries back to production may not have come at a better time, given the harrowing experiences Nigerians have been faced with in the last four months due to fuel scarcity.

According to the Group General Manager, Public Affairs of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, the ongoing phased maintenance of the refineries is nearing completion and the facilities would soon commence production.

“I think by July, the four refineries should begin to work,” he said, adding that the two refineries in Port Harcourt are scheduled to begin to receive crude next week while those in Warri and Port Harcourt would follow shortly after.

He also said the turnaround maintenance, TAM of the refineries, which he said began in November 2014, was being undertaken by NNPC’s in-house engineers. “We had

to resort to in-house engineers after the original builders of the refineries, who were called in to do the job, kept coming up with outrageous bills,” he said.

Power challenges The NNPC spokesperson also said that part of the problems with the Port Harcourt refineries had to do with lack of electricity to power the facility.

Alegbe said: “We have now installed a mini power plant to solve that problem,” said.

The return of the refineries will however not put an end to fuel

The ongoing phased maintenance of the refineries is nearing completion and the facilities would soon commence production

importation in the country.

Even when the four refineries operate at full capacity, they would only be able to cumulatively refine 19 million litres of petrol per day.

Nigeria, consumes 40 million litres of petrol per day.

“As you can see, that leaves us with a balance of 21 million litres per day, and we will still have to rely on importation to make up for that deficit.”

Refineries downturn Nigeria has for years depend on importation for its entire energy needs. But it must be pointed out that the comatose state of the refineries precedes the government of the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan.

Right from the administration of late General Sani Abacha, no meaningful turn around maintenance had been carried out in any of the refineries.

Also, the Nigerians had been abandoned to the whims and caprices of marketers, most of whom have been cronies and friends of government officials.

According to the World Oil and Gas Review 2014, despite its status as Africa’s top crude oil producer and exporter, Nigeria continues to trail other African countries such as

NEWS ANALYSIS

Algeria, Egypt, Libya and South Africa in terms of refining capacity. In the survey, which covered refining output for last year, Egypt has the highest primary refining capacity in 2013 among the five countries, followed by Algeria and South Africa.

Primary capacity in Egypt was put at 840,000 barrels per day, in Algeria, 607,000 bpd, South Africa, 520,000 bpd, while Libya was at 380,000 bpd.

In Nigeria, primary capacity was said to be 342,000 bpd last year, as against 345,000 in 2005, the report said.

“We need a paradigm shift in the oil and gas industry. As United States stops buying our crude oil and set to become an exporter of crude oil, I think it is a call to action. We need to start to look at value addition in terms of refining, petrochemicals and others,” said Dr. Imo Itsueli, Chief Executive Officer of Dubril Oil. According to him, “Singapore has no crude oil, but they have refineries. Why can’t we be a refining hub for the rest of Africa? Why can’t we export petroleum products to Europe instead of crude oil? We are talking about crude oil, not value addition out of crude oil.

That is our challenge.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 — 25

Subsidy payments can fund new refineries — NEITI Stories by Michael Eboh

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IGERIAN Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI, has said that the amount paid as subsidy for petroleum products in Nigeria since 2006 is enough to fix all the country’s refineries or build new ones.

This is even as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, expressed its readiness to partner with NEITI to address the negative public perception of the oil and gas industry.

Speaking in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, reiterated NEITI’s position that time has come for the Federal Government to remove oil subsidy, adding that from the last NEITI Audit Report of 2012, a total of N1.355 trillion was processed for payment as subsidy.

“Out of this amount N690 billion was actually paid putting a debt burden of N665 billion on the Federal Government,” she noted.

Ahmed explained that NEITI’s position remains that the amount of funds so far expended on subsidy is more than enough to repair the refineries or even build new ones.

She said: “From our reports, the amount of money that Nigeria has paid so far on subsidy in the last seven years stand at N4.5 trillion.

The breakdown shows that N816.554 billion was paid between 2006 to 2008, N3 trillion between 2009 and 2011, and N690 billion in 2012.

“We in NEITI believe that this amount is more than

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.Oil refinery enough to repair our refineries or build new ones.

NEITI therefore stands firmly with Nigerians who share the fair position that the oil subsidy should be removed.”

Also speaking, the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, said the Corporation will collaborate more with NEITI, to consolidate on the gains of the transparency initiatives recorded so far in the nation’s oil and gas industry.

He said this during a courtesy visit to the NNPC in Abuja by a delegation of the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, EITI. He said, “As for us in NNPC, we have enjoyed an unprecedented cooperation and collaboration with NEITI in their transparency drive in the oil and gas industry.”

He expressed optimism that the recent peaceful political

transition in the country will bring a fresh vista of hope of a new era for the Nigerian economy.

Also speaking, the EITI International Chair Ms. Clare Short, welcomed with optimism the unfolding positive enabling environment for reforms in the petroleum and mining industries under the new government in Nigeria.

According to Short, the time for Nigeria to deepen the process of implementation of NEITI Reports as basis for the proposed reforms in the industry appears to have finally come.

She said, “EITI has faith in the new administration in Nigeria. We are ready to work with the new government to reform the oil sector and NEITI independent reports in the sector will help to lead the

way. I am in Nigeria to convey our support to President Buhari.”

She commended NEITI for its courage to put in the public domain reliable information and data on the process and financial lapses that needed to be addressed if Nigerians were to benefit from the abundant resources in the country.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the NEITI Board, Mr. Ledum Mitee, expressed gratitude to the NNPC management for its cooperation over the years, adding that the expected passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, will herald a new chapter in the nation’s oil and gas industry.

World oil demand increases after price slump— Report …As OPEC stays upbeat on oil demand

By Sebastine Obasi

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IGERIA and other oil producing nations are expected to bounce back to an increase in oil prices, if the latest report of the International Energy Agency, IEA, is anything to go by.

World oil demand will rise much more than expected this year, the IEA said in its release, in the latest sign that the collapse in oil prices is helping to boost fuel use.

IEA’s report came at a time the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, stuck to its forecast that oil demand will pick up this year. But it warned that over-supply may still keep a “ceiling” on oil prices, even as it kept on increasing its own output to a two-year high.

CCNN to invest N120bn in 4MW power

The IEA, in a monthly report, raised its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2015 by 280,000 barrels per day, bpd, to 1.40 million bpd, bringing demand this year to almost 94 million bpd.

“Recent oil market strength of course partly stems from unexpectedly strong global oil demand growth,” said the Paris-based IEA, which advises industrialised nations on energy policy.

Oil prices have recovered this year after hitting a near six-year low close to $45 a barrel in January. Prices collapsed from $115 in June 2014, in a decline that deepened after OPEC refused to prop them up and chose instead to defend market share.

The IEA’s upward revision makes it the most bullish on

demand growth of the three government forecasters closely watched by the oil market. The two others - OPEC and the U.S. government’s Energy Information Administration issued reports earlier last week.

From our reports, the amount of money that Nigeria has paid so far on subsidy in the last seven years stands at N4.5 trillion

Crude prices initially rose after the release of the IEA report. By last weekend, benchmark Brent crude was trading at $65.83 a barrel, up 13 cents.

As well as lower prices, economic recovery and a relatively cold winter helped lift demand in the first half of the year, the IEA said. The supportive impact of these factors could wane in the rest of 2015.

“Recent months have seen a steady acceleration in global oil demand growth, but due to the temporary nature of many of the factors that contributed to the upside, annual growth may subside in the second half of 2015.”

ement Company of Northern Nigeria, CCNN, has said it plans to invest about $600 million or N120 billion, to build an additional four megawatts, MW, plant, thus increasing its power generating capacity to 16 MW. According to a statement by the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, the additional power plant, which will be built in conjunction with a Chinese company, CBMI, will help ensure its self-sufficiency in power supply to enhance its production capacity.

Principal Manager (Corporate Affairs), CCNN, Mr. Sada Suleiman, disclosed this when the post privatisation monitoring team of the BPE, led by Mr. Ibrahim Babagana visited the plant recently.

According to Suleiman, hitherto, CCNN’s plant does not generate sufficient power to take the full load when running the plant on full capacity.

He said that CBMI China is building a new production line with a capacity of one million tonnes of clinker per year, which will be commissioned by the end of 2016 to increase the company’s capacity by about 200 per cent.

He further said that the company is being operated by the core investor with total staff strength of about 383 of which only two are expatriates.

Continuing, he explained that the company was incorporated in 1962, and was partially privatised in 1992, and fully privatised in 2000, with Heidelberg Cement as the core investor.

He however added that through merger and acquisition, CCNN shares were sold to Damnaz Cement Company Limited in 2008, and Damnaz assumed full responsibility as core investor with its technical/ administrative experts.

In January 2010, Damnaz was acquired by Messrs Bua International Limited. The current ownership structure has the core investors owning 50.7 per cent of the company; the state governments over the years reduced their shareholding from 36.8 per cent to 7.6 per cent; while other private shareholders retain 41.7 per cent.

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

JUNE 23, 2015

Don’t control TCN, Nnaji warns FG

By Sebastine Obasi

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HE Federal Government has been warned not to take over the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, as the management contract with Manitoba Hydro International expires next month.

A former Minister of Power, and Chief Executive Officer, Geometric Power Limited, Prof. Bart Nnaji, Nnaji, gave the warning on the sidelines of the West Africa Power 2015 Summit organised by Flintxposures Nigeria Limited and International Research Networks, IRN. He said that interferences from government affected the work of the Manitoba personnel. “The TCN should never go back to government management. Government ownership, yes, but not government control. It is not a good idea. Private sector proper management? Maybe, but concessioning of segments of TCN, yes; that’s better.

“I believe that the private sector management was never allowed to work. That’s part of the problem. The people who were brought to manage had to endure interferences from the government appointed officials. So that is an issue.”

The Federal Government had in 2012 signed a three-year contract for the management of the TCN with the Canadian firm, Manitoba, after it

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Transmission station

emerged the sole bidder. The contract has an option of a two-year extension.

The TCN is in charge of the transmission network, a critical link in the electricity value chain, but remains a weak link with a current wheeling capacity of about 4,800 megawatts, according to industry experts.

The company was left out of the process that saw the successor generation and distribution companies unbundled from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, which was handed over to private investors in 2013.

According to Nnaji, “What should happen is that perhaps a short-term extension can be allowed or a concession, but not to go back to government management.”

He stressed the need for the new government to have an effective way of ensuring that the country does not go back and forth in terms of power supply.

“That the power that we have now can be sustainable and that we continue to grow it, which means that key issues of generation must be assured; that evacuation of the power must be there. And

it requires that the government will put people who are absolutely thinking about the nation, not just in the Ministry of Power, but also in the other ministries.

People who will work together to deliver,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of regular gas supply, he said gas wells and gas infrastructure need to be developed.

“In the next many years, 80 per cent of power will come from natural gas. So we must continue to grow natural gas.

I am not sure that whatever is released now is even going to be enough to go as far as we would want in the interim.

Transmission: French agency donates 170m Euros for Abuja, others

As Lagos gets $200m

By Chris Ochayi

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BUJA: The Federal Government, disclosed weekend, that it received a grant of €170 million from the Agence Francaise Development, AFD, to build power transmission network in the Federal Capital territory, FCT, and its neighbouring Nasarawa State.

The French agency also made a donation to the tune of $200million towards the expansion of electricity transmission grid in Lagos State.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, disclosed this in Abuja, during the inauguration of the Steering Committee on feasibility study on enhancing vocational training delivery for the power sector in Nigeria.

The Steering Committee is comprised of officials from Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission,

Shell postgraduate scholars return with laurels, big dreams

NERC; Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE; Ministry of Finance; National Planning Commission; NAPTIN; as well as the generation and distribution companies.

Igali, who also doubles as the Chairman, said the Steering Committee aims to develop a new strategy plan for National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, NAPTIN. The plan is also being sponsored by AFD in collaboration with CPCS of Canada, with the purpose of increasing private sector collaboration and sustainability, focusing on four pillars for development.

The four pillars for development include organisational and corporate governance, customer focus (marketing orientation), skill and capacity building, and physical infrastructure.

The first phase of the training programme, which is designed to cover a period of

four years, according to Celine Gratadour, the Project Manager, will gulp a total of €260,000.

Gratador said further that the committee’s strategy will help increase NAPTIN sustainable programmes, adding that the new partnership between the French and Nigerian agencies,

The French agency also made a donation to the tune of $200million towards the expansion of electricity transmission grid in Lagos State

both public and private, is to launch NAPTIN training capabilities to higher levels.

Igali, who presided over the event, expressed government’s gratitude for the French initiative, as this will assist NAPTIN to build on the new thinking matrix of sourcing fund for its programmes outside conventional government allocation.

The Permanent Secretary said that with this initiative, NAPTIN will deliver on its mandate in critical areas of capacity building for the sector.

According to him, “As a knowledge driven institution, NAPTIN will make the sector’s workforce to be more industry compliant, as the diagnostic audit proposed by the Steering Committee will entail a detailed feasibility study and risk management strategy.”

N additional 10 beneficiaries of the postgraduate scholarship scheme of The Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC operated Joint Venture, have returned to Nigeria on completion of their one-year Master’s programmes in three top British universities.

The beneficiaries from Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states have completed courses in engineering and geosciences at Imperial College, London; University of Leeds; and University College, London.

Many of the graduates passed out with distinctions and are looking forward to deploying the newly acquired knowledge for the development of their country.

“We’re proud to be part of the journey of empowering young, talented Nigerians like yourselves,” remarked SPDC Managing Director/Country Chair Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr.Osagie Okunbor, at a reception for the scholars in Port Harcourt. “The SPDC Joint Venture introduced the scholarship scheme as part of its contributions to the development of people in its host communities, and I believe we are achieving the objective as I hear the excellent performances in the competitive environment you studied.”

Delta State indigene, Stephanie Ogbe, who bagged a Master’s degree in Chemical Process Engineering from University College, London, with Distinction said: “The most exciting aspect of the programme was my research project “Dislocation of Hydrocarbons using Carbon Dioxide.” Our research team was able to proffer solution to the increasing concerns about global warming as a result of carbon dioxide. Our work led to a brilliant discovery that has been submitted for publication.”

Another beneficiary, Tamunomiete Oruambo from Rivers State said: “The knowledge from the Exploration Geophysics programme has equipped me with a well-rounded training which will help me contribute to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. I believe this scholarship has been a gift to me and my fellow scholars.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 — 27

Samsung, NLNG train 60 Nigerians in ship building

By Ediri Ejoh

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O foster local content development in the oil and gas sector, Samsung Heavy Industries, SHI Nigeria, in partnership with the Nigeria NNG Limited, Friday sent over 60 Nigerian youths for training at the SHI shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.

This is coming barely a month when the partners had trained about 57 Nigerians who were certified in ship building and other aspects of ship development.

Speaking to newsmen at the departure point, the General Manager, SHI, Mr. Frank Ejizu, said Samsung is determined to drive local content initiative through empowering Nigerians on training programmes to bridge the gap in engineering proficiency in the country.

According to him, “The initiative is actually human capacity development. We have a project with NLNG which calls for training Nigerians in Korea for manning the NLNG vessels.

So that is why we had shortlisted these youths to go for Korea for training.

“The enlisted youths would be trained in different aspects of ship building, fabrication, painting, scaffolding, welding, naval architecture, ship design, fittings, mechanical and maintenance

and other related ship building development.

He added that the trainees upon graduation would be engaged. “Definitely we are going to engage them after they have met the basic criteria from the programme in Korea. It would make no sense to empower people in various skills in a given area and then dumped them like trash. That I think is not a wise venture that any business should risk. They are been given a broad base training and when they are

through and are back, we would definitely absorb them when eventually the vessels come in and are ready.

He argued that over time, the trainees so far engaged by the company have positively encouraged the company to do more.

“Going down memory lane, the process has been very fruitful, because the ones we have sent out so far have conducted themselves well.

And that alone is an encouragement to us to

further seek out more opportunities to engage in capacity building scheme for Nigerians that would benefit the country’s economy when such skills are put to work.

“They have composed themselves in an enviable manner and did the best by learning the trade. We hope that the trend of such hallmark would continue and we relent not in capacity development.

“However, we are open in the selection because it is

Trainees:

Some officials of Samsung and the trainees at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport..

Seven Energy to host gas forum for SMEs in Calabar

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EVEN Energy International Limited, a Nigerian integrated gas company, will host an interactive forum on June 24, 2015, for small and medium enterprises, SMEs, in Calabar, Cross River State. The theme of the forum is, “Gas to Power Your Business’’.

Speaking ahead of the event, the Managing Director, Accugas, Mr. Steve Tierney, said in a statement: “This forum is intended to develop and drive our support for SME businesses and to help this important part of the Nigerian economy. Understanding how switching to Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, is a real alternative which will have a substantial impact on their competitiveness.

“Seven Energy, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Accugas, has built up infrastructure and a reputation for the reliable supply of high quality gas to sustain business operations for many large industrial customers. We want to bring this value and reliability to the bedrock of the Nigerian economy, SMEs.” It is expected that the event will attract many SMEs across Cross River State and its environs. Attendees will learn about the significant competitive advantage natural gas has over diesel including environmental benefits and lower energy cost per unit.

Total commits to Nigeria’s educational development

By Sebastine Obasi

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OTAL Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (Deepwater District), said it is committed to building enduring capacity in Nigeria’s educational sector as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR. The Deputy General Manager, CSR/Public Affairs of the company, Dr. (Mrs.) Nkoyo Attah, said this at the company ’s Book Reading Initiative organised for secondary schools in Lagos.

Attah said that the company had continued to carry out various assessments to ascertain the needs in the various geo-political zones of the country, as well as implementing different projects across the country based on the recommendations of the needs assessment.

According to her, “The footprint of Total is all over. As long as Total continues to operate within Nigeria, we will continue to give back.

“For this Book Reading Initiative, we emphasise more on public schools. Our intention is to touch more of the less-privileged schools. We go more to those that are disadvantaged. We get licences and goodwill from the society, so there is the need to impact positively on it.

“The best legacy you can leave is the goodwill of the people around you. We are able to do all these because we have the support of our stakeholders.”

Explaining Total’s contribution to educational development in Nigeria, Attah said that the company currently runs community and national merit scholarships involving over 10,000 scholars yearly.

She also said that Total will not be discouraged by the

Lagos District, Mr. Charles Ngoka, said the company remained committed to driving young people into reading their way to success.

“It is very critical we catch them young because the advantages of a good reading culture cannot be overemphasised,” he added.

Petroleum Downstream group holds business clinic

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We have a project with NLNG which calls for training Nigerians in Korea for manning the NLNG vessels

falling prices of oil.

The company described the entire geo-political zones as its host communities, saying it remained committed to implementing its CSR programmes across boards.

Earlier, the company ’s Deputy Managing Director,

O address issues in the oil and gas industry ranging from its product pricing and realities in the country ’s economy, the Petroleum Downstream Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry, holds its 2014 Business Clinic The forum which would slated for Friday, 26th June, would have discussant speaking on the theme: “PETROLEUM PRODUCTS PRICING: ECONOMIC

REALITIES & THE FUTURE OF THE PETROLEUM DOWNSTREAM SECTOR” .

Conveying at the Boardroom of Commerce House, Victoria Island, Laagos, oleum Downstrem Group, Engr. Emma Osagie, stated that its mandate are focused on addressing critical issues affecting investment and investors in the oil industry.

According to him “The Petroleum Downstream Group is one of the active

groups in the Lagos Chamber whose activities are focused on addressing critical issues affecting investment and investors in the Oil industry, which would require the informed intervention of the Chamber from time to time.

“The membership of the Group cuts across the major and independent marketers as well as servicing companies in the downstream sector with over 70 companies as members.

28— VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Reconstruction of Lagos – Ibadan expressway … N90bn debt stalling its completion?

N90bn debt threatens execution of projects by Julius Berger

By Favour Nnabugwu

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onstruction giant, Messrs Julius Berger, JB Plc, weekend claimed that the Federal Government and private institutions are owing it a whopping N90 billion for projects either on-going or already completed.

The company's Financial Director, Mr Wolfgang Kollermann who disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists at the company's

45th Annual General Meeting, AGM in Abuja said the Federal Government alone is owing the company N67.5bn representing about three quarters of the debts owed the company. The remaining one quarter (N22.5bn), he said, is being owed by private companies.

The debt, the company said, is having serious implications on the timely delivery of its projects scattered across various parts of the country.

The debt may not be unconnected with the slow

The debt, the company said, is having serious implications on the timely delivery of its projects scattered across various parts of the country

pace of work on the LagosIbadan expressway which the company is handling.

The Chairman of Julius Berger, AVM Mohammed Imam who addressed shareholders on the 2014 performance and key accomplishments of the group, also shed light on the challenges the company is grappling with as a result of the economic situation of the country. The company, according to Imam, completed

nine projects in 2014, while 12 others are on-going. Similarly, six new projects were flagged off last year.

“Julius Berger achieved a number of milestones in the reporting year, on site in Lagos State, the company commissioned the Rose of Sharon Building and ApapaOshodi Expressway, Section 2, Phase 11. In Abuja, the company effectively transferred the Petroleum Technology Development Fund Head Office, an outstanding turnkey building project. Rehabilitation works were completed at the Warri Port, Terminal C as well as pioneering works at Ogidigben Gas City on Escravos in Delta State. In Akwa Ibom State, the Abak River Bridge and the Akwa Ibom Stadium Complex were handed over,” he said.

Also speaking at the AGM, JB's Managing Director, Detlev Lubasch, an engineer, presented a general review of Julius Berger's operations over the past financial year. He also gave a summary of the current business environment and implications for the company.

Lubasch said Julius Berger would continue to respond positively to the opportunities and challenges of its operating environment. “The Company in 2014 focused on further diversification of its client portfolio, as a means to mitigate cluster risk and better serve all sectors of the economy.

Business development efforts were enhanced; due diligence were carried out in key areas of opportunity, especially in regards to alternative financing models such as Public Private Partnership, PPP and Build-OperateTransfer BOT,” he said.

Dry construction system will reduce housing deficit — Experts

By Kingsley Adegboye

N

igeria’s quest to reduce its huge housing deficit estimated at about 17 million units, received a boost last week, when a Lagos-based building solutions provider, Messrs Nigerite Limited introduced the Kalsi dry construction system into the country. ] The system which is said to be cost effective, is believed to be one of the fastest methods of housing production.

Welcoming the stakeholders to the formal launch of the product, the Managing Director of Nigerite Limited, Mr. Frank Le Bris who titled his speech ‘Tomorrow is right here today’, described the new

building system as a major technological accomplishment for Nigeria “because, it simply puts Nigeria in a comfortable position as a reckoning force in the committee of developed and developing countries in the world by promoting a product that is at the peak of innovative building trend in America, Europe and some parts of Asia”.

Le Bris said the company wants “to be the number one innovative, customer-driven and socially responsible onestop building component solution provider in the nation’s housing industry”. To this end, he said, Nigerite has pioneered solutions (products and services) that were and are

still unequalled in the building industry.

Explaining why his company invested in Kalsi dry construction system, the Nigerite boss said: “As a prominent and active player in the built industry over the past five decades and having been and still remaining a responsible corporate citizen of Nigeria, we as a company owe it a duty to the industry and the country to champion economic and technological innovations that we have experienced in the developed world through the network of the parent company –Etex.

Advantages of new

technology

“We have carefully observed our environment and come to the conclusion that we do not have to wait for tomorrow to bring this avant garde technology to Nigeria. Even though the introduction of this technology has caused us a lot of money in terms of investment in new factory lines and equipment as well as additional personnel, we believe that this is just one of the few things we can do to contribute to the economic and technological upgrade of Nigeria”.

He described Kalsi dry construction system as the future of building technology.

According to him, dry construction will augment the efforts to cover up the housing deficit in Nigeria. Noting that the housing deficit in Nigeria today is close to 20 million, the Nigerite boss the dry construction method would be required to close the gap. “This solution is being introduced as one of the fasted means of bridging this gap since it takes pretty few number of days to construct from start to finish.

Furthermore, it ensures cleaner environment at construction sites and thus points to our avowed commitment to environment friendliness. It costs less in the final analysis.

It helps to beautify the

Continues on page 30

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 —29

FMBN out with measures to encourage home ownership

By Charles Kumolu

I

n a bid to encourage increased access to the National Housing Fund, NHF, the Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria FMBN, Alhaji G i m b a Ya ’ u Ku m o h a s unveiled an initiative to better lots of existing and prospective house owners.

The initiative christened FMBN Home Renovation Loan, FHRL is part of deliberate measures put together by the bank not only to increase the housing stock, but also to assist individuals who need funds to renovate their homes.

The service is expected to afford Nigerians an opportunity to access housing mortgages solely for the renovation or improvement of their existing houses or familyowned properties.

It is specifically is designed for people who are contributors to the NHF. Under the new initiative, NHF contributors can be granted renovation loans not exceeding one million Naira.

Kumo who spoke through the bank’s Head Corporate Affairs department, Mr. Lawal Isa explained that “an applicant must be a contributor to the NHF while the maximum loan amount shall be N1 million subject to the income limit of the beneficiary as well as the ultimate cost of renovation.

It’s accessible to every individual whether civil servants at the Federal, State as well as workers in the private sectors”.

The loan is expected to be repaid within a maximum term of four years or an employee’s remaining years

of service, whichever is less.

The repayment of the loan which enjoys eight percent interest rate, will be through monthly deductions within the maximum stipulated period by the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board ,FGSHLB and the respective Heads of Service or account office of the states.

Under the loans guidelines

, if a beneficiary is unable to repay either through death

Also applications are to be submitted with certified Bill of Quantities indicating the amount required for the renovation

A housing estate

incapacitation and loss of job,” the bank said.

Private sector employees would require a “letter of undertaking from the chief executive of the employing organisation to deduct monthly repayment of the loan from the employee’s monthly salary and remit directly to FMBN. “In the event of resignation, death or disengagement from service, the organisation shall be responsible for repayment of outstanding loan balance through the beneficiary terminal benefits,” he noted.

“The facility shall not be available to any contributor who has enjoyed NHF loan to buy or build a house. It could be taken jointly by a couple, subject to the income assessment of both parties while the loan can only be taken once in five years.

Beneficiaries may however, be eligible to apply for NHF loans for home purchase after fully liquidating a home renovation loan earlier taken.

Also applications are to be submitted with certified Bill of Quantities indicating the amount required for the renovation,”the bank further explained.

NITP president calls for enforcement of EIA Act

By Jude Njoku

T

he President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, Dr Femi Olomola has called for the enforcement of the EIA legislation to stem the myriad of environmental problems facing Nigeria’s urban areas.

Olomola who reacted to the recent move by the Federal government to validate the

reviewed EIA Act 86 of 1992, insisted that lack of its enforcement by the government and its agencies, is the major reason for the plethora of environmental problems facing Lagos and other cities in the country. He cited the Oshodi-Apapa axis where two of the nation’s busiest seaports and numerous tank farms are sited as an example of non-

Housing: Developer seeks govt, private sector partnership

By Kingsley Adegboye

T

or disengagement from service, the FGSHLB would be responsible for liquidation of the outstanding loan balance through the beneficiary ’s terminal benefits.

“Applicants will take out a Re d u c i n g Te r m Assurance policy which guarantees the outstanding loan and covers death,

he Managing Director of Lashone Links Property Limited, Mr. Lanre Shonekan has called on stakeholders in the sector to collaborate in order to reduce the huge housing gap in the country. He made the call at the 5th Annual General Meeting, AGM of the company in Lagos.

Shonekan said the government alone cannot address the alarming housing deficit put at over 17 million units. He posited that if the country’s housing challenges would be holistically resolved, the government must be ready to partner private real estate developers.

Lashone Links Property Ltd has in the last four years, developed nine estates across Nigeria and Ghana. The company is also developing an estate in South Africa.

“The government alone cannot address the housing deficit . This is why it has become imperative for it (government) to partner

private estate developers to solve the nagging problem of housing in Nigeria. If government is ready to partner private developers, we can leverage on some of the platforms the government has already created for a smooth partnership.

“For private developers to thrive, the government must create the enabling environment which includes the provision of land with titles.

If the government creates this enabling environment, developers will be able to deliver their projects on time and this will facilitate the resolution of housing needs of the country.

“There are vast portions of empty land everywhere in the country. If the government can allocate parcels of the land with titles to private developers, it will enable developers to deliver their projects in good time.

Provision of land with titles will hasten the take- off of housing projects as well as their delivery”, Shonekan said.

compliance with the 29-year old legislation.

Olomola who noted that the EIA would normally recommend mitigation measures, lamented that these measures are hardly put into place. The settlement expert frowned at the siting of tanks farms and gas plants in residential neigbourhoods. “Ideally, such facilities shouldn’t be located in residential areas, where people live. They should rather be sited at the River bank and in lowdensity zones. But the approval authorities don’t enforce this,” the NITP boss said.

Continuing, the NITP president said, “ It would be interesting to ask NISEREA to tell us any particular case study where EIA recommendations were followed. EIA is done as a mere academic exercise and when people get the approvals, they just dump it (EIA report) somewhere. Go and find out anywhere that problem arises, you will find out that the EIA addressed such problems but it was not implemented”.

Citing the multi-billion dollar Eko Atlantic City project in Victoria Island, Olomola asked what has been done with the EIA

done by the developers.

Vanguard Homes & Property recalls that the Federal Government in 2014, set up a Ministerial Committee to review the EIA Act. The Committee which has concluded its assignment, expunged, added and reframed some sections of the existing law in line with current practices and practical realities.

A stakeholders conference was therefore convened penultimate week to validate the reviewed Act. Speaking a the two-day forum tagged National Stakeholders workshop on the validation of the draft revised Environmental Impact Assessment Act No 86 of 1992 in Abuja, the Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Nana Fatima Mede explained that the reviewed EIA would address population and development, climate change and gender issues in Nigeria.

Considering that the EIA Act has been in active enforcement for well over two decades now, the time is apt for its review, especially now that global environmental issues are undergoing paradigm shifts in several cross sectoral areas like population and development, climate change and gender issues,” the Per manent Secretary said.

30 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Tree planting: vehicle to drive environmental protection — Stakeholders

By Bose Adelaja

D

ETERMINED to promoting environmental sustainability, FirstBank is collaborating with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, NCF to create awareness of the need to preserve wild life and biodiversity among school children in Nigeria.

The bank’s conservation initiative was flagged off last week with the planting of 120 trees at the Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu. The bank also formally set up a conservation club in the school. The conservation initiative lays emphasis on tree planting and students’ conservation clubs which will serve as vehicles to drive environmental protection and conservation.

The Head, Corporate

Responsibility and Sustainability in FirsBank, Mr. Ismail Omamegbe said it was part of the bank’s longterm approach to sustainability and minimising direct and indirect impacts on the environment. “This has made us focus on three priority areas which are; minimise carbon footprint, carbon offsetting, conservation and preservation of wildlife and biodiversity,” he said.

He explained that FirsBank’s partnership with the NCF is strategic because NCF’s leadership role in p r o m o t i n g environmental conservation and sustainable development in Nigeria which ties in with the bank’s desire to see the environment sustained because it is a socially responsible entity.

FirstBank, he said is supporting conservation clubs in schools because they will become agents of promoting environmental education in schools and their communities. “We clearly know in terms of record that Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu is a fantastic school through what they have done in terms of conservation.

We clearly know in terms of record that Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu is a fantastic school through what they have done in terms of conservation

And so through this partnership we can begin to address the issue of climate change . “As students of this school, the primary objective of the conservation club will be to enlighten and educate your class mates on the challenges of climate change.” He explained that climate change was having serous impact on the environment which can

be seen in flooding, agriculture, health and others which have seriously affected the environment.” He said. NCF’s Director, Technical Programmes, Dr. Joseph Onoja, said NCF is pleased that Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu will be the pace setter for the conservation clubs .

“Today we are going to plant 120 trees in

commemoration of FirstBank’s 120 years in existence. We are very proud to be associated with them in this achievement and that is why we partnering with them as a socially responsible entity to be able to care for the environment. In line with that, we are setting up the conservation clubs in this school so that these trees are catered for,” he said

Dry construction to reduce housing deficit — Experts Continues from page 28 environment. Whilst it is not a replacement for the wet construction system, it is simply an alternative to it and also provides quicker, effective and cheaper means of renovation.

“It is all encompassing as it offers products cutting across all parts of a building except the roofing. It is easy to move and construct. As part of our commitment to finding more convenient ways to building processes, we believe it will guarantee a much more convenient method of renovation and construction. It is absolutely safe in its applications and use”, Le Bris boasted.

Stakeholder laud Nigerite

Built environment stakeholders who attended the product launch have lauded the company introducing the new technology. The Managing Director, UACN Property Development Company, UPDC PLC, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran,lauded the initiative which he said will go a long way to bring the desired turn around in the housing industry. Ogundiran who noted that the industry is beset by challenges such as land titling and dearth of funds, pointed out that relying on the traditional method of construction will not help in bridging the housing gap in the country.

“Therefore, we encourage any building method that can address housing needs of Nigerians such as dry

construction system”.

The President, Africa Union of Architects, AUA, Arc Tokunbo Omisore commended the company for its supportive role in the provision of affordable housing to Nigerians through its innovative products.

Corroborating Ogunniran and Omisore’s views, the Managing Director, Gran Imperio Group, Mr. Adeyeye Ogunwusi said the dry construction

system is faster than the wet construction or the traditional construction method. It is also cost effective.

Ogunwusi who disclosed that he completed a bungalow building in Lekki using the dry construction system by Nigerite from the beginning to the end, said he did not need to do raft foundation for the building because the system took care of the raft foundation.

N9.2bn cook stoves project pitches Environment Ministry against contractor

By Funmi Olasupo

T

HE festering controversy trailing N9.2 billion cook stoves programme has taken a twist as the contractor, Messrs Integral Renewable Energy Service Limited, has dragged the Federal Ministry of Environment to court. Vanguard Homes & Property learnt that the contractor has already secured an exparte injunction to stop the revocation of the contract.

A reliable source in the ministry informed Vanguard Homes & Property the ministry has been served the court processes. According to the source, the motion for interlocutory injunction had been fixed for hearing on June 26, 2015, at FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

The contractor ’s recourse to court was influenced by the threat made by the Ministry to

revoke the N9.2 billion contract awarded to it under the National Clean Cook Stoves Scheme by immediate past government.

The amount was approved in 2014 for the procurement of 750,000 units of clean cookstoves and 18,000 wonder bags which the Environment Ministry said would reduce the number of death and illnesses associated with cooking with firewood.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Fatima Mede recently alleged that the contractor failed to stay true to the project delivery deadline. She further claimed that there was nothing on ground to show that the contractor had supplied to the tune of 15 per cent payment made to it.

According to her, the ministry has paid N1.3 billion, being 15 per cent of the contract sum to Integral Renewable Energy Service Limited.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—31

All-new S-Class Coupe: Beyond expectations W

HEN MercedesBenz unveiled the concept S-Class Coupe at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, it was the cynosure of all eyes at the fair.

Journalists, visitors and even Mercedes-Benz competitors trooped into the Mercedes-Benz hall to catch a glimpse of this car which became talk of the fair.

Cameras clicked almost non-stop as visitors tried to capture the different sides of the S-Class Coupe. The S-Class Coupe concept and other Mercedes-Benz siblings became instant topic of discussion among many who were amazed at the number of new products Mercedes-Benz unveiled at the show. Yours sincerely was among the journalists who viewed the first design of the S-Class Coupe before it became a reality.

And only last year, the new S-Class Coupe became a reality. Not much was changed from the concept. One can only describe it as an expectation set and surpassed by the German luxury market, as the new S-Class coupe is no doubt one of the most beautiful cars ever built. It is an expectation set and surpassed in terms of comfort, safety, design, driveability and technological advancement in the automobile world.

According to a Weststar Nigeria Source, authorised distributors of MercedesBenz in Nigeria, the new S-Class Coupe will be arriving the country any moment from now and will no doubt change the way coupes are perceived in the country.

Creating the new S-class coupe according to Mercedes-Benz was a mission that must be

This is the new SClass Coupe, a machine with topflight credentials.

Under the bonnet of the new S-class Coupe is a powerful 430KW V8 engine, delivering 585 horse power and 900 Nm of torque C M Y K

•S-Class Coupe

•S-Class Coupe interior achieved with a difference.

“It all begins with a design idiom that leaves one speechless. We are enthralled by the typical proportion of a sporty large coupe, the long bonnet with powerdrome, the elegant roof line and the frameless side windows.

But we wanted more. A technology flagship, a new

symbol of modern luxury.”

This is the new S-class Coupe, a machine with top-flight credentials.

Under the bonnet of the new S-class Coupe is a powerful 430KW V8 engine, delivering 585 horse power and 900 Nm of torque. If this power is not enough, I wonder what any sport car enthusiast

would be looking for.

Mercedes-Benz says this figure alone are music to the ears of genuine car enthusiasts but an even better sound is in store when you step gently on the accelerator pedal: a full and powerful sound scenario provides an emotional kick that will have you hooked from the word go.

Meanwhile, during normal driving, the engine sound remains pleasantly obstructive.

Anditis similarly in soothing to know that the performanceoriented AMG 4matic allwheel drive which additionally features particularly sporty tuning on the S-63 AMG Coupe, the coupe hugs the road

with an astonishing firmness of intent.

Inside the S-Class Coupe, Mercedes-Benz takes luxury to the next level. A choice of three leather interiors in combination with a host of trim features in handcraft quality make the touch and feel inside a journey of discovery in its own right. The gently sweeping dashboard appears to hover in space and conjures up an seven exclusive modern lounge character. Seven different light moods served to complement this interior feel. The S-Class Coupe boasts array of unique features in the automobile industry.

Genuine Swarovski crystals can optionally be incorporated into the headlamps of the LED Intelligent Light System to create a new and unusual day and night design.

The new coupe is a proactive operator, detecting danger in a flash, effortlessly compensating centrifugal forces and discreetly smoothing uneven roads.

Sensors and cameras oversees every second of your journey, ensuring nothing mars your enjoyment and making your trips memorable.

Night view Assist plus and Driving Assistance packaging plus, leather upholstery and stylish contrasting top stitching with brown burr trim are some of the features of the S-Class Coupe.

The infotainment features of the S-Class Coupe is very rich. In the new S-class coupe, you will behold two 31.2 cm displays with a brilliant resolution of 1140 x 540 pixels.

Tambuwal charges FRSC on overloading Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has charged the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, to initiate strict measures that could address the menace of overloading in the state, pledging the support of the state government in achieving the goal.

Tambuwal gave the charge while receiving the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi and members of his entourage at the

Government House Sokoto, recently.

According to the governor, the activities of commercial vehicle transporters who overload their vehicles with goods and passengers to make quick gains are not only exploitative, but dangerous to safety of lives of the innocent passengers they carry.

He therefore warned perpetrators of the act to desist, stressing that the state government will

collaborate with the FRSC to embark on aggressive public enlightenment programmes and strict enforcement of the relevant laws.

He stated that overloading has become a source of concern to the government and people of the state, noting that FRSC as the agency responsible for handling such traffic matter must do all it could to stop it. “Overloading not only exploits the poor passengers, but

undermines their safety.

We would work with you to eradicate the practice from the state,” he stated.

As a demonstration of the state government’s concern, the Governor stated that he was directing the state media organs to liaise with the FRSC command in the state to come up with appropriate public enlightenment programmes that could educate members of the public on the dangers of overloading.

He also called on the Headmasters and Principals of Primary and Secondary Schools in the state to encourage the setting up of Road Safety Clubs in their schools, for children to imbibe the culture of road safety from their childhood.

“I assure you that Sokoto state government will continue to support the FRSC in its campaigns to create safer road environment in the country,” he added.

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

By Theodore Opara

Luxury Toyota Hiace version storms market T

OYOTA Nigeria Ltd, TNL, has added the luxury version of the Toyota Hiace bus to its line up in Nigeria.

The new Hiace luxury bus which joined the Toyota family in Nigeria recently is a ten seater vehicle and is available in high roof grand cabin, with full option.

According to a Toyota Nigeria source, the new luxury Hiace version was launched to offer customers a wider option of choice to meet their demands.

Government agencies, companies, transporters and families would find the luxury version of the Hiace handy in carrying passengers in utmost comfort and safety.

Boasting better legroom, shoulder room and comfort amenities, comparable to aircraft cabin, Hiace luxury version is more luxurious than the normal versions.

Powered by 2700cc petrol engine, (DOHC 4 cylinder 16 valve engine type, the Hiace luxury version is available in two wheel drive and four wheel drive versions as well as manual and automatic transmissions.

Toyota has carved a niche for itself across the world in the transportation of passengers and goods. In Nigeria too, the Hiace has maintained the number one position in its segment despite tough competition from the Chinese and other auto makers.

Toyota Hiace bus is very popular for its smooth run, durability, less maintenance cost charges and long running performance.

Long life and toughness are key reason for Hiace increasing sales across the world, especially in Nigeria.

•Inside the Luxury Toyota Hiace

Kia boss tasks FG on auto industry development I

N view of the r o w i n g concern by stakeholder on the sustainability and possible review of the auto policy, the Chief Executive Officer of Kia Motors Nigeria, Mr. Jacky Hathiramani has called on the Federal Government to address the key issues and lingering challenges militating against the development of Nigerian automobile industry.

According to him, one of the major challenges bedeviling the development of automobile industry in Nigeria is the staggering amount and alarming rate of used vehicles importations.

He noted that for the industry to grow, the importation of used vehicles needed to be addressed. Despite the business challenges, it pose to the local manufacturers, the level of the economic menace it constitutes cannot be overemphasized.

The government he said needed to be steadfast in its pursuit g

of economy growth by tackling importation of used vehicles and also strengthen the border to drastically reduce the spate of smuggling into the country.

When the administration addresses the influx of used vehicles, there will be a corresponding demand for the new locally-made cars, which will create a mass production and in turn drastically reduce the prices owing to a resultant effect on the cost of production."

He opined that, the thrust of the Nigeria auto policy needs to be restructured to further create an enabling environment for the local assembling companies.

He said: "Taking a cue from developed countries where local manufacturers are given government aids and tax exemptions for Semi Knocked Down, SKD, parts and components from import tariffs, the current administration can further reduce or exempt local companies

•Jacky Hathiramani, CEO, Kia Motors Nigeria

from import tariff, which will go a long way in reducing the cost of producing the vehicles thereby reducing the prices and giving them a competitive edge."

While lamenting the current state of the nation’s power supply, he enjoined the government to revamp the power sector for adequate provision of energy to support local plants.

The operational cost of an assembly plant in Nigeria today is high based on the epileptic power supply and the high cost of running

power generators has continued to have effect

The thrust of the Nigeria auto policy needs to be restructured to further create an enabling environment for the local assembling companies

on the pricing of Nigerian made vehicles," he said.

Jacky further stated that adequate power supply was the fulcrum for sustainable economic growth. Saying to make the locally assembled vehicles compete favourably and produce affordable vehicles to the teeming public, the business environment needs to be conducive.

The key initiative of government should be centred on reducing the cost of doing business in the country.

He stressed that the current administration needed to focus on pragmatic automobile policies – to drive growth and economic diversification.

Jacky advised that foreign automakers who are not partnering with local companies to establish assembly plant should be barred from operating in the country to help strengthen the local assembling plants.

Most importantly, the government needs to encourage the local assembly plant owners by enlisting them in its

fleet requirements and solely use vehicles that are assembled in Nigeria.

Jacky stressed that the new political dispensation which rides on the goodwill of President Buhari offers a great opportunity to bring about the desired change in the economy and it’s important to immediately formulate investment friendly policies and embark on a trajectory growth of the economy through structural development of the automobile industry. There is the need therefore for the administration to establish a constructive and transparent policy to promote the development of local businesses. If the policies are well implemented, Nigeria will in no time supply the made-in-Nigeria vehicles to neighbouring countries and the country can move from consuming economy to a producing nation thereby ushering in trade surplus in the country ’s balance of trade.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—33

By Theodore Opara

Ford 1.0-Litre EcoBoost wins 8th Engine ‘Oscar’ in 4 Years A

tiny petrol engine, which drivers across Europe have taken to their hearts for its excellent fuel efficiency and impressive performance, has received an eighth award in four years at the 2015 International Engine of the Year Awards.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost was named “Best Engine Under 1.0-litre.”

It was judged the class winner - based on drivability, performance, economy, refinement and technology - by a panel of 87 automotive journalists, from 35 countries. Last year, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost became the first engine to be named overall International Engine of the Year three times in a row, and was in 2012 named “Best New Engine.”

Ten models in Europe can be equipped with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. One in five allnew Ford vehicles sold in Europe in 2014 were equipped with the 1.0litre unit, including almost two in five for Fiesta. Ford also is exploring an innovative new approach to cylinder deactivation that could help deliver further enhancements.

“The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine changed the game for small petrol engines and we’re proud it remains best in class despite a growing number of competitors,” said Joe Bakaj, Vice President, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “The spirit of innovation that helped us create this engine is alive and well and we continue to develop new engines.”

C M Y K

Ford is working with engineering partners at the Schaeffler Group to test a new dual mass flywheel that enables cylinder deactivation to take place at a wider range of engine loads and speeds, and help minimise noise, vibration and harshness levels. On-road tests using a working prototype at the European Research and Innovation Centre in Aachen, Germany, showed further fuel

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine changed the game for small petrol engines and we’re proud it remains best in class despite a growing number of competitors efficiency improvements of up to 6 per cent.

“Even for an aggressively downsized engine such as the 1.0litre EcoBoost, a significant improvement in vehicle fuel economy could be found by exploiting cylinder deactivation,” said

•Ford EcoSports benefitted from the EcoBoost engine.

Carsten Weber, advanced powertrain manager, Ford of Europe.

“The highest priority in the development of new combustion engines for automotive applications is the ongoing reduction of fuel consumption,” he said.

Available with 100 PS, 125 PS and 140 PS, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost is produced, at Ford’s European facilities in Cologne, Germany, and in Craiova, Romania,

and is now available in 72 countries worldwide.

Previously, the engine also had been awarded the International Paul Pietsch Award 2013 for technological innovation in Germany; the Royal Academy of Engineering Colin Campbell Mitchell Award; the Dewar Trophy from the Royal Automobile Club in Great Britain; and in the U.S., the Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics magazine.

Ford is the first

automaker to win a Ward’s 10 Best Engines trophy for a threecylinder engine.

Globally, Ford’s range of powerful yet fuelefficient EcoBoost engines includes 1.5litre, 1.6-litre, 2.0-litre and 2.3-litre fourcylinder engines, and 2.7-litre and 3.5-litre V6 engines. The latter is being developed to power the all-new Ford GT supercar that will see the company return to racing in Le Mans in

2016.

“Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost remains one of the finest examples of engine downsizing,” said Dean Slavnich, CoChairman of the 17th International Engine of the Year awards held in Stuttgart, Germany, and editor of Engine T e c h n o l o g y International magazine.

“This fantastic threecylinder shows there is still a way to go for the internal combustion engine,” he ruled.

Audi surpasses BMW, Mercedes in two consecutive months

A

UDI has consecutively sustained the lead in luxury car sales, edging out BMW AG’s namesake brand and fast growing Mercedes Benz in April and May , respectively, the German car maker affirmed.

But this is not the situation in Nigeria where Audi is trailing behind Mercedes Benz and BMW. Audi reported that the first five months of 2015 increasedly 11.7% from last year to 73,353 vehicles while in May

2015 sales rose 11.0% to 18,428 vehicles, total that stands as the second-best month since the brand was launched in the United States market 45 years ago.

The brand has similarly achieved significant sales growth in Nigeria

with more than 400 units sold since the beginning of the year, Anurag Shah, Audi Centre Head of Sales and Marketing said.

Shah attributed the growing popularity of the brand to ingenuity and some intriguing Audi models that were recently launched.

Meanwhile, the best Audi sale ever in the U.S. market was in December 2014 with 19,238 cars and SUVs. One of the key drivers of Audi sales gains in the US was the significant increase in demand for the A3 and S3 models that form the base of the Audi product lineup.

Audi said May 2015 was best month on record for the A3 and S3 sedan models with 3,035 cars

sold, as well as for the A3 Cabriolet with 458 cars sold. Combined, the 3,493 A3 and S3 sales trailed only the 4,280 sales of the popular Audi Q5 and SQ5 crossovers in the Audi results.

“A year after launching the new A3 models, we are seeing payoff from our bold decision to reimagine a key component of the Audi lineup and take advantage of a luxury car segment poised to take off,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America.

He said: “The record sales for the A3 and S3 sedans, along with the A3 Cabriolet, show this was a risk well worth taken.

And we aren’t done yet with the all-new A3 Sportback e-tron coming this fall as the fisrt plugin Audi."

34—

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—35

US Church massacre: The Apartheid connection O one could have imagined that the N ghost of “apartheid” would

resurrect and become a factor in discussions about Dylann Roof, the young man who last week picked up his gun and, driven by bone-deep hatred for black people, murdered nine of them in the house of God in Charleston, South Carolina.

For people who might have forgotten about the inhuman apartheid doctrine or were too young to really know what it meant, it is important to revisit that philosophy. In 1948, the white minority Afrikaans government in South Africa officially introduced the apartheid system of rule. It meant dividing the country and ruling it along racial lines. In those days, South Africans were classified as white, coloured or black. Black people were treated as the wretched of the earth; as non-persons virtually without rights and worse than slaves.

By the late 1980s South Africa’s President Frederick de Klerk came to the realization that such barbaric and brutal form of governance was no longer sustainable and began the systematic process of dismantling apartheid. The African National Congress (ANC) was un-banned. Nelson Mandela was freed in 1991. A new constitution for South Africa was drawn up and ratified. And by on April 27, 1994 apartheid was officially dead as black South Africans voted for the first time and Mandela became the first black president of the rainbow nation.

As South Africa wallowed in apartheid, Ian Smith’s minority white government was implementing the same race-based system of government in what was called Northern Rhodesia.

However, Zimbabwe was born in 1980, Comrade Robert Mugabe became prime minister, and the ghost of apartheid was exorcised from the country.

Back to the church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina. Shooter, Dylann Roof had not been born when Ian Smith’s government that was the result of his Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) for Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, metamorphosed into modern Zimbabwe in 1980. Shooter, Roof, was born in 1994, the same year that apartheid officially ended in South Africa. So, how come Roof adorned himself with the official emblems of apartheid South Africa and Northern Rhodesia in some of the photographs that

have emerged from his Facebook site?

There is hardly any plausible explanation of Roof’s love for the obnoxious apartheid system than the fact that he must have been indoctrinated into that racist philosophy that considered black people as subhuman beings. The question, is who initiated him into that cult of racial hatred for black people? His parents? His peer group?

The “southern” environment in which he grew up?

No one can tell for sure.

What is not in doubt is that sometime, somehow, he got indoctrinated in believing that black people had no right whatsoever to share this planet with him and people of his ilk. Hear what he allegedly told one of his victims during his massacre of the innocents inside a Church: “I have to do it (kill you)... You rape our women and you’re taking over our country, and you have to go.”

This is vintage apartheid talk, simple. Roof did not have to proffer any evidence in support of his claims. He was intuitively sure about his “facts” and convinced about the righteousness of his mission to eliminate those who raped his white “women” and appropriated his “country”.

Is it any surprise that in many of Roof ’s photographs that have been so far circulated, he is seen posing with the southern Confederate flag which symbolizes white supremacy and the southern states opposition to the abolition of slavery?

This brings me to the now over-used attribution of “mental problems” to people like Roof. Each time someone goes berserk and commits heinous offenses, the so-called experts are always quick to embrace the reductionist analysis that “mental problem” is the motivator of the mayhem.

While we cannot reasonably dismiss this “mental prob-

An insight into Armageddon is when guns find their way into the hands of racial bigots like Roof

lem” prognosis being at the bedrock of such criminal and mindless activities, it would simply be naïve to use it as the omnibus answer to all incidents where people pick up their guns and go on a killing spree.

Roof ’s case appears to challenge this “mental problem” excuse. According to emerging official reports, Roof himself acknowledged that he preplanned the attack, chose his venue because of its historic significance, noted when the people held their prayer-meeting, drove several miles to the venue and stayed with his would-be victims for one hour apparently studying and discussing the bible before he embarked on his mission of savagery. In that period, he might have been doing a mental analysis of his victims to see the person who would be the first to be executed. Such cold-blooded communion with people who were about to die in his hands does not seem to be what a mentally deranged individual is capable of pulling off. People who have labeled him a homegrown terrorist do not appear to be off the mark. His, is an inflammable mixture of racial bigotry and terrorism. As a commentator on a US television pointed out, let us not lose sight of the fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the young man who has been sentenced to death in the 2013 Boston Marathon deadly terrorist attack with his brother, killed three people; Roof has killed nine, and could have killed more if more people had been present at the prayer-meeting.

In addition to killing his victims, and the cool and calculated manner in which he planned and executed his mission, Roof is reported to have spared a victim so that she could tell the world what had taken place because he had also planned to take his own life.

But, he didn’t. He calmly drove away and politely surrendered to the police when they accosted him, even though he had a gun and could have opened fired at the law enforcement agents in the spirit of truly having “mental problems”.

President Obama’s initial response to the Charleston murder once again points in the direction of the menace of uncontrolled gun ownership in the US. In his speech, the president said this: “Hate has once again been let loose in an American community. And the senseless actions of a coward have once again cut short so many lives with so much promise….We have no doubt the coward who committed this heinous act will be brought to justice.

But as a nation we must confront the ravages of gun violence and the stain of hatred that continues to be visited on our streets, in our schools, in our houses of worship, and in our communities.”

An insight into Armageddon is when guns find their way into the hands of racial bigots like Roof.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

THIS WEEK June 23, 2015 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

International Widow’s Day

June 24-30, 2015

Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week: to enable each person who is deafblind to live, work, and thrive in their community.

June 25, 2015

Media Concern Initiative holds media roundtable/ forum with theme “Discourse on New Sexual Offence Bill & NAPTIP ACT 2015: Clearing the controversies”.

Venue: Sexual Violence Resource Centre,15A Bolodeoku Crescent, Dideolu Estate, Ogba, Lagos.

June 27, 2015 National Senior Health & Fitness Day. To help keep the elderly healthy and fit. Also National HIV Testing Day.

Science World

• A medical team in the theatre during the operation

Managed healthcare:

More Nigerians place hope in HMOs

By Sola Ogundipe New sleep genes found F

A

PROTEIN called Taranis could hold the key to a good night's sleep, researchers have found. The researchers examined thousands of mutant fly lines and found a mutant, called taranis, that slept a lot less than normal flies.

Using a series of genetic and biochemical experiments, the researchers tracked how Taranis interacted with other proteins and saw that Taranis bound to a known sleep regulator protein called Cyclin A. In research published in Current Biology, researchers at the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, report that the two genes, originally known for their regulation of cell division, are required for normal slumber in fly models of sleep: taranis and Cyclindependent kinase 1 (Cdk1).

The research elucidates a new molecular pathway and a novel brain area that play a role in controlling how long we sleep.

Using a series of genetic and biochemical experiments, the researchers saw that Taranis bound to a known sleep regulator protein called Cyclin A. Their data suggest that Taranis and Cyclin A create a molecular machine that inactivates Cdk1, whose normal function is to suppress sleep and promote wakefulness.

C M Y K

OLLOWING the 2014 reac creditation of Health Maintenance, HMOs, operating in Nigeria, by the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, more Nigerians have expressed greater confidence in the overall potential benefits of signing up for a health insurance plan in the country.

Currently, HMOs run Managed Health Care Plans designed to offer cost-effective medical care for health-seeking individuals that are under contract with a network of providers (physicians and hospitals) either to deliver or to arrange for the delivery of covered services.

Enrolees (HMO members) receiving care under a managed health care plan, are encouraged to engage in preventive health and seek early treatment when they become ill.

Managed care is offering reliable access through health insurance because the plan does not require claim forms to see a doctor or during hospital stays. The HMO member only has to present a card that states proof of insurance or registration, at the doctor's office or hospital. The HMO charges a fixed monthly fee so its members can receive health care.

With this HMO, fees can be forecasted unlike a fee-for-service insurance plan. Although freedom of choice is given up, outof-pocket expenses are very low.

Quite a significant number of Nigerians are now enjoying ac-

cess to comprehensive healthcare services, courtesy of the managed health care process through registration with an HMO. The whole idea has always been to ensure HMOs direct healthcare providers to re-position their services to become patient-oriented, so that enrolees can obtain the care that they desire whether they are seeking treatment through a third party arrangement, or paying at the point of service.

Goal of Managed healthcare The goal is to ensure that through managed healthcare, patients are positioned for maximum attention and are not shortchanged or receive preferential attention based on their access platform.

For practical purposes, according to the Encyclopaedia of Public Health, managed care is the enrolment of patients into a plan that makes capitated payments to health care providers on behalf of its members, thus shifting the financial risk for health care from patients and payers to pro-

viders.

The intent of this shift is to provide incentives to health care professionals to reduce their utilisation of resources, ideally through measures such as health promotion and disease prevention among the group's members.

The whole idea has always been to ensure HMOs direct healthcare providers to reposition their services to become patient-oriented, so that enrolees can obtain the care that they desire whether they are seeking treatment through a third party arrangement, or paying at the point of service

Persons living with disabilities task FG on legislation

Ordinarily, HMOs do not require enrolees to pay at point of service, although there may be a co-payment each time services are rendered.

In an HMO the premium that is paid is just enough to cover the costs. The members are "stuck" to a primary care physician and if managed care plans change, then the enrolee may need to upgrade.

Surveys carried out by Good Health Weekly among enrolees, show a strong support for the arrangement and reflect a general provider commitment towards providing high quality care to patients.

A few enrolees expressed overall confidence in the ability of the hospitals where they seek healthcare, to deliver on the key aspects of care that matter most to them.

For instance, Esther Adebayo, registered with Avon HMO Nigeria, noted that she and her family were always treated in this way just like any other.

Another of the respondents expressed confidence and trust in her doctor - and equally so in the nurses. Patients' also scored their Continue on Page 37

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—37

More Nigerians place hope in HMOs Continues from Page 36 care favourably in regard to being treated with dignity and respect. agreed that Challenges: One challenge often mentioned generally is that it is difficult to get any specialised care because the members must get a referral first. Any kind of care that is sought that is not a referral or an emergency is not covered. The HMO plan is one of the fastest growing types of managed care in terms of expenses, even though the enrolee is restricted to the provisions of chosen health care plan.

As a welcome development, significant number of patients are reporting positive experiences, especially in the areas of trust and confidence in the staff , it is however not an excuse to become complacent. There are still quite a few persons who are not receiving the care that they need and indeed deserve. Areas such as involvement, communication and co-ordination all have significant room for improvement.

But some patients actually noted that they did not feel that they were involved in decisions about their care and treatment.

The general complaint is that doctors "always" answer questions in a way they could not understand.

The results combined underline the need for continued effort and support to both understand the potential impact of improving care quality and deliver on the critical aspects of person centred care.

Being involved in decisions about your care, understanding your medication and its side effects and having a care plan that fully takes into account your personal circumstance are vital aspects of quality care. Furthermore these areas have strong links to subsequent lifestyle choices, concordance with treatment, as well as avoidable readmissions in-

• Mrs Adesimbo Ukiri.

cluding all areas where positive change will support the realisation of a sustainable health insurance.

In the views of Medical Director, Avon Healthcare, Mrs Adesimbo Ukiri, Avon Healthcare runs a patient-driven system.

"It is a journey, but we are on the right track. So we are offering health plans for individuals and families.

“Prior to this, such services could only be accessed by being part of a company or part of a group or association, but we felt the need to shift focus from client satisfaction to real enrolee satisfaction at the individual level,” she noted.

Further, she stated: “We have since expanded our customer service function department, em-

ployed and trained more people, and the way our call centre functions has also changed. We now keep statistics they pick about

Perhaps the enrolee has been dissatisfied with certain services or care provided and in order to resolve the issues amicably, you have to go there and hear their own side. This may take up to two or three days

customer enquries and customer complaints are these data are much more detailed.

Close Out: “We are not just engaging with the HR manager of a company, but engaging with people one-on one and attending to their needs. So for every complaint, we have a way of monitoring. One, what is the turn around time for resolving the issue, and two, close out. For every complaint, all our staff know how to obtain a confirmation from that person that the complaint is resolved. That is what we call close out. If you do not have the confirmation, and you log it, it is still open.”

She siad for most complaints, the turn around time is under f ive minutes, because most of the complaints have to do with things like, O, I’m in the hospital, they say my name is not on the register and the like. Common complaints like these are easy to deal with.

For other enrolees, complaints have to do with the services that are covered or not covered on their plan.

“That is also an easy one because it is five minutes. Just talk to the hospital there and then. The ones that take up to 24 hours or more to resolve often occur when there is a dispute between the hospital and the enrolee.

“Perhaps the enrolee has been dissatisfied with certain services or care provided and in order to resolve the issues amicably, you have to go there and hear their own side. This may take up to two or three days “We often get complaints from patients who allege being charged for services not rendered.

We step in. If an enrolee has been asked to pay for a service for which he is covered, what we do, in such cases, is to refund the enrolee first, and then collect the money back from the hospital.”

Optimal Healthcare introduces N200 insurance scheme in Lagos

By Gabriel Olawale

I

N its bid to provide affordable and sustainable healthcare service delivery to the people of Alagbado area of Lagos State and its environs, Optimal Healthcare Limited recently introduced a N200 monthly Community Health Insurance Scheme, CHIS. The initiative is designed to promote access to decent and qualitative preventive, emergency and curative health care services.

Announcing the initiative put together in collaboration with FBN Micro Finance Bank, the MD/CEO, Optimal Healthcare Limited, Dr. Femi Olaleye, said that improvement in productivity and life-span can only be realised

when people have access to basic healthcare needs at the right time without necessarily needing to pay directly from their pocket.

"Our mandate is very simple.

To provide general out-patient services, child welfare services, health education classes, dietnutrition demonstration classes, weight loss/ monitoring classes, preventive health/breast cancer screening and family health services which include pregnancy issues.

Olaleye said with the payment of a monthly capitation of N200 , a person could have access to treatment covering a range of common primary healthcare conditions and preventive care.

"Normally, the payment of the National Health Insurance

Scheme-approve capitation of N750 per enrollee per month maybe too high for the typical family of father, mother and four children, under the age of 16 years, and that's why there is low uptake so far.

“To help individuals and families cross the hurdle of payment this N750 fee, we are introducing a subsidy of N550 per head per month.

“The subsidy shall be provided by a combination of donors and sponsors brought together by a common need and desire for them to fulfill their corporate social responsibility to the community,” Olaleye noted, even as he acknowledged FBN Micro Finance Bank as a major provider of the subsidy for the scheme.

"To benefit from this subsidy, a principal beneficiary is expected to open an account with FBN Micro Finance Bank from which a monthly deduction of 200 per head per month is effected and enrollees shall enjoy a wide range of primary healthcare services at the Optimal Medical Centre, located within the Alagbado community for the next 12 months."

Expressing appreciation, the Baale of Oke-Abiye Alagbado, Lagos State, High Chief Najeem Ajolojoota and High Chief Taofeek Subair, the Baale of Subero of Alagbado spromised to maximise the opportunity and ensure the message gets to all the people in their communities and environs.

Smartphones can interfere with implanted cardiac devices A NEW study recommends that people with cardiac devices such as pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators should be wary of smartphones, stating that close proximity to the phones can potentially disrupt functioning or cause painful shocks.

Man in pain using a smartphone.

Electromagnetic interference from smartphones can cause implantable cardioverter defibrillators to deliver a painful shock to the user, according to researchers.

The research is being presented at the joint meeting of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and Cardiostim, taking place in Milan, Italy.

"Pacemakers can mistakenly detect electromagnetic interference (EMI) from smartphones as a cardiac signal, causing them to briefly stop working," reports study author Dr. Carsten Lennerz, of the German Heart Center in Munich, Germany.

Clinical Risk & Governance Summit holds in Lagos

T

HE UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, NICE, St. Thomas University (USA), Health Care MBA School will next month hold a one day Clinical Risk & Governance Summit aimed at fostering an environment in which patient safety is the norm as well as encourage proactive accountability for the provision of healthcare in Nigeria.

The Summit billed to hold July 23rd 2015, will address the issues and challenges affecting healthcare services in Nigeria. It will also advice and explore practical ways of dealing with these issues, and initiate open discussions on the government and regulation in healthcare quality and safety.

Practical quality and safety tools and techniques in healthcare and how to set up an effective clinical risk function will be discussed.

Keynote speakers at the conference include, among others, Academic Director Health Care MBA University of St. Thomas USA, Dr. Jack Militello; Medical Director, Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, Dr Femi Olaleye; and Professor of Medicine, LUTH, Prof. Mustafa Danesi.

38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Persons living with disabilities task FG on legislation

By Chioma Obinna

P

ERSONS living with disabilities have called on the Federal Government on the provision of national disability legislation that would guarantee the rights of the estimated 22 million Nigerians with various disabilities.

They argued that with a population that is above several African countries, it is incomprehensible to thinks that there is no legal or policy framework to mainstream such persons into the policy.

Speaking at a media training workshop on for the international Conference on Disabilities with the theme: “Improving Access and Building Capacity ” which began yesterday in Lagos, Director, Anglo –Nigeria Association for the Blind, ANWARD, Danlami Basharu noted that despite Nigeria’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons, UNCRPD, with Disabilities, it is yet to have in place such local legislation.

Basharu posited that despite erstwhile President, Goodluck Jonathan statement at the 66th session of the UN General Assembly in New York that the country would continue to accord the highest priority to human rights issues, the

dignity and inalienable rights of persons with disabilities are being violated on a daily basis in Nigeria.

According to him, “It is only clear national Legislation on the rights of people with disabilities that will correct this malaise.”

Continuing, Basharu who was the former President, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, JONAPWD, noted that lesser African countries like Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya than Nigeria already have their own national disability legislations.

“These countries have realised that bringing persons with disabilities into the mainstream of society will greatly eradicate poverty among the poorest of the poor.

“National legislation on disability will eliminate discrimination, which is not

•Cross section of Persons with disabilities at the Lady Atinuke Oyindamola Memorial Home, Araromi, Badagry, Lagos State.

provided for in the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. Persons with disabilities need to be protected against discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, education, shelter and social welfare.”

He argued that the successful achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and Vision 202020 will only be realised with the inclusion of persons with disabilities in economic, political and social development of the nation through legislation and policy.

Basharu also stated that the charity model of dealing with disability issues is no longer tenable, adding that, having policies that would ensure that disability issues become binding legal obligations on government and society such as creating an accessible environment for persons with disabilities to operate and advancing policies that would create equal opportunities as well as enhanced the quality of life of the most impoverished people in society.

“It is important for all marginalised sectors of the society to seek for special provisions that would guarantee their rights such as women, children and persons with disabilities but also to the generality of Nigerians, especially the elderly, vulnerable and pregnant women,” he added.

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VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—39

•Wike: Promised Amaechi hell after Jonathan's re-election

•Amaechi: Wike has turned into a Nollywood actor

Brickbats in Rivers FORMER Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State wouldn’t have expected to live in peace with his former aide turned foe as his successor. But whether he expected what he calls the Nollywood drama he says is going on in the state is another thing.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

1

3 MONTHS before the last presidential election, the former supervising minister of education, Chief Nyesom Wike had warned that President Goodluck Jonathan would arrest Governor Rotimi Amaechi after the president would have won reelection in 2015, since Amaechi would have then lost his immunity.

“Once the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announces the victory of President Jonathan, we will immediately shut down the Port Harcourt International Airport and all land and sea borders in Rivers State to prevent Governor Amaechi from escaping,” Wike was quoted as saying during a ceremony when he presented buses to all 23 local government area chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in PortHarcourt, Rivers State.

With a tone of finality on the imminent incarceration of Amaechi, Wike who at one time was Chief of Staff in Amaechi’s government, said “Does he think we don’t know that he is planning to run away? But he and his cohorts will not succeed.”

He spoke with anger at the defection of Amaechi from the PDP to then emerged All Progressives Congress, APC. Whether it was that threat or whatever, Amaechi was to lead the national fight that eventually halted the return of Jonathan for a second term.

Nevertheless, Chief Wike’s predictions may have partially come true. After his emergence

as new governor of Rivers State, Wike has wasted little time in pounding and discrediting what had until now been praised as the veritable legacies of the Amaechi administration.

However, his threats of locking Amaechi up which very few would have doubted had Mrs. Patience Jonathan returned to Aso Rock has, however, eviscerated.

After his controversial victory over Amaechi’s preferred APC candidate, Dakuku Peterside, Wike has now launched a blistering attack on the Amaechi legacy.

Stories that once emanated from Rivers of state of the art primary schools, model secondary schools that looked like universities and world class hospitals, have now been replaced with allegations of corruption the Wike administration is alleging against the former regime.

Wike has been aided to some extent in his offensive by the immediate past deputy governor of the state, Engr. Tele Ikuru, who served as deputy to Amaechi’s predecessor, Celestine Omehia, served in the same position in the Amaechi administration and subsequently served as the chairman of Wike’s Transition Committee.

Indeed, not long after he took over the affairs of the government, Wike announced that officials of the Amaechi administration had looted Government House noting that they stripped even the Government House of beddings.

Last Thursday officials of the

state administration went to the Port Harcourt residence of the former commissioner of information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari where they forcefully took away a Lexus SUV officials claimed was government property.

“In furtherance of efforts by the Rivers State Government to recover government property from officials of the immediate past administration in the state, security agents and Government House officials, yesterday, took possession of government vehicles from the home of the

After his controversial victory over Amaechi’s preferred APC candidate, Dakuku Peterside, Wike has now launched a blistering attack on the Amaechi legacy

former spokesperson for the Amaechi administration, Semenitari.

“The security operatives carried out the operation at the home of Mrs. Semenitari located on Ernest Ikoli Street, Old GRA, Port Harcourt.

“The operatives recovered a Lexus Armoured Vehicle from the residence and a Range Rover vehicle is said to have been in the possession of the former Information Commissioner.

The accusations were immediately dismissed by Semenitari who claimed that the Range Rover belonged to her husband who bought it before her appointment as a commissioner while she claimed that the Lexus was officially purchased by her as part of the monetisation policy of the government.

“The monetization policy of the government allows public officers to leave government with their official vehicles as this is in lieu of vehicle allowance, transport and other allowances, which they cannot draw because of the monetization policy of 2002. Mr. Nyesom Wike served as Chief of Staff, and upon departure left with all the vehicles he used as Chief of Staff. This has been the practice since this democratic dispensation.

“Having served as Commissioner for two tenures, I am entitled to my status cars and have proof of allocation. While I understand that Mr. Wike feels a dire need to destroy the reputation of Governor Rotimi Amaechi and all those who worked with him, it is unacceptable that he will engage in brigandage, thuggery and underhand tactics to do so. A simple letter from any government official requesting me to make a submission or

tender documentation would have been the appropriate way to go and I would have willingly tendered all the relevant documents to them.

“Breaking into my home, invading my privacy, damaging my property and removing property from my premises is inappropriate and illegal.

The following day, Friday, Governor Wike officially launched the expected probe of the Amaechi administration with the inauguration of a judicial commission of inquiry.

The panel headed by Justice George Omereji is mandated to investigate alleged sale of some state assets and to investigate projects for which funds were released but not utilised.

Other members of the Commission of Inquiry include Dr. Edith Chukwu, Chief Monday Ekekenta, Rev. Canon Alex Usifo and Elder Ignatius Piegbara. Mrs. Florence Fiberesima is to serve as the secretary while Dr. Zacheaus Adango would serve as the counsel to the Commission.

Inaugurating the probe, Wike said he expected to receive the cooperation of President Muhammadu Buhari in his alleged war against corruption in his state.

It was a remark that was picked up by the APC in narrowing the actions of the new Rivers governor as an attempt to deny Amaechi a role in the new Buhari administration.

“One thing Chief Wike and his collaborators fail to understand is that President Buhari knows the politics of Rivers State as he knows his fingers. President Buhari is fully aware that Amaechi and his associates are being viciously persecuted by Wike because he engineered the ouster of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the President of Nigeria and the election of President Buhari.

“Apart from the above, Chief Wike is embarking upon this worthless vindictive venture knowing very well that he will soon be ignominiously sacked by the Election Petition Tribunal since he never won election but was imposed by Rivers INEC in collaboration with the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party,” the party said in a statement issued last weekend.

Amaechi, himself has responded saying through his media aide: “This so called Wike’s probe of Amaechi is dead on arrival. All the noise Wike is making is to grab media headlines with his lies of monumental corruption against Amaechi. It is all drama made for the media. What is playing out is a script written and directed

by Wike,” the statement said.

“While it is no longer in doubt what would be the report of Wike’s sham probe commission, what may shock Nigerians is the extent Wike has gone and is ready to go to manufacture stories of corrupt practices and the kind of bogus tales of corruption against Amaechi that he will soon be feeding the nation,” the statement added.

40—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

L

By Tom Moses

AST week, Tuesday June 16Friday June 19, 2015, the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in the 36 states of the federation including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), converged at the Le Meridien Hotel, Uyo, AkwaIbom State for a retreat to enable them to reflect on the March 28 Presidential/National Assembly Elections as well as the April 11, 2015 Governorship/House of Assembly Elections with a view to identifying areas of conflict and to ventilate on how to improve on those vexed areas in subsequent elections.

The retreat which had the theme: ‘2015 General Elections: Lessons and the Way forward’ which was presided over by the outgoing Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, also had other senior staff of the commission in attendance to assess each other.

By the assertion of the INEC boss, the RECs determination and commitment to the commission’s resolve to conduct the most credible, free and fair elections in the history of Nigeria had preponderance over the isolated criticisms and failures recorded in some places and so, they deserved commendations.

But pathetic was Prof. Jega’s observation and consequent condemnation of pervasive and fragrant rebuff of the commission’s directive concerning the use of Card Reader Machines for the governorship and the House of Assembly elections by electoral officers in some states.

The chief electoral umpire could therefore not manage his feelings or gloss over the fact that there would be sanctions against the states and places where the directive to use Card Readers were flouted.

Prof. Jega explained that prior to the state elections sufficient warnings were issued to the effect that where Card Readers were found to be dysfunctional, elections in such poling units should be deferred to the next day and on no account should the electoral officers resort to manual accreditation of voters.

He thus expressed disappointment that this directive was adamantly rebuffed in preference for manual accreditation which was tolerable only in the Presidential elections.

However, sounding taciturn on the sanctions that would be meted out to the states and places where the directive on the use of Card Readers were disregarded, the INEC boss said the Elections Petitions Tribunals have been instructed on what to do.

“The states that suspended the use of Card Readers for manual accreditation for governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, breached INEC directives that on no account should manual accreditation be

•Jega: States that dumped card readers for guber polls erred

CARD READER:

Jega’s last card administered on both elections.

“The tribunal would look into the areas where card readers were put aside for manual accreditation because there is a difference between using Card Readers and using incident forms.

“If a person used card readers and his fingerprints were not read; once his details had been verified, he or she would be accredited to vote upon completion of an incident form.

“What we meant by saying that Card Readers must be used is that we did not expect in any polling unit, any person to say that the Card Readers were not functioning and as a result, opted for manual accreditation, no!

Card Readers failure

“We asked those who had experienced Card Readers failure to come back the following day, assuring them that we would replace the card readers for the election to take place and as far as I know, virtually in all the places, where the Card Readers actually failed, we came back the following day and conducted the elections. So, if there is evidence of any place where they just put aside the card readers and used manual accreditation, that election can be examined; I am sure the tribunal will look at the evidence clearly as to what

happened”, Jega explained.

The implication of Prof. Jega’s position, it was gathered, could spell doom for states that massively deployed manual accreditation in the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections. Thus, it may be dangerous for states and political parties that are already singing melodies of claimed tsunamic victory over their rivals.

But a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholder in Akwa-Ibom State, Mr. Iberedem Ekong is confident that his state would not be engulfed in the speculated annulment of the governorship elections on account of disregard for the Card Readers by electoral officers.

According to Ekong, the issues of setting aside and non-use of Card Readers were isolated and not massive to warrant outright annulment of the elections in the state.

Conversely, Mr. Anietie Solomon, one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who functioned as returning officer for the party in the said elections said the developments in Akwa-Ibom State concerning the 2015 general elections were deleterious as it went beyond the issue of setting aside the Card Readers to massive high-jacking of election materials where a few individuals were paid to thumpprint over 1,000 ballot papers.

Equally, the Accord Party (AP) governorship candidate, Bishop Sam Akpan alleged bestial attacks, brutality, terrorizing, maiming and killing of opposition parties supporters

The states that suspended the use of Card Readers for manual accreditation for governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, breached INEC directives

where they found those parties’ strongholds to be impregnable.

Senator Helen Esuene of the Labour Party is also disposed to the agitation for the cancellation of the April 11 Governorship and House of Assembly polls in the state because of gross irregularities and criminal disregard for human lives and existence.

Aside from the issue of Card Readers, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has expressed contentment with the over-all outcome of the 2015 general elections attributing the success of the exercise to the selfless sacrifice, hard work and tireless efforts by the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

One of such sacrifices by the commissioners Jega noted was the untimely death of the Kano State REC, Alhaji Munkaila Abdullahi.

He noted that the retreat offered them the opportunity to review what they had done from 2011 to 2015 and to focus attention on areas in which the commission needed to improve upon.

He said further that the retreat was an important vehicle for feedback which they needed to give to the next commission and to those who would remain in INEC with a view to contributing to refurbish electoral processes and deepening Nigeria’s democracy.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—41

BUHARI: Adjusting to reality will take Ndigbo some time — UKO EVANGELIST Elliot Uko is the founder of Igbo Youth Movement and leader South-East Democratic Coalition. In this interview, he speaks on the Buhari Presidency and other national issues. Excerpts:

By Tony Nwanko

H

OW is the South-East welcoming the new government?

We, in the South-East, voted massively for President Jonathan, and our candidate didn’t win. So, normally, adjusting to the reality will take some time. Some clever people will like to exploit the situation to drive their own personal agenda, and cloak it as if it is the South-East agenda, and these are to be expected.

T

HE youth wing of Ohanaeze is allegedly giving President Buhari, a list of people to appoint as ministers. Is this a South-East agenda?

I am embarrassed by that. The same Ohanaeze youths went to Otuoke to welcome Jonathan the day he returned there. The following week, they issued a statement calling on the Buhari regime to come and collect a list of the PDP South-Easterners who just finished working with Jonathan, who they want him to prosecute.

The same Ohanaeze youths called for Uwazurike’s arrest.

When I phoned Uwazurike, he said he believed it was the elders that wanted to sacrifice him, and use his blood to endear themselves to Buhari.

The same Ohanaeze Youths said that they are now another Ojukwu, to fight Buhari. The same Ohaneze Youths are now giving Buhari, a list of people to employ. It’s obvious they can’t do all these without their elders prodding them, but the desperation to endear themselves to Buhari is embarrassing the entire Igbo nation.

Not even Arewa, not the Afenifere, has drawn a list for Buhari. People are wondering why Ohanaeze Youths should be drawing a list of ministers for Buhari. I don’t speak for Ohanaeze. I don’t even know the one which is the right Ohanaeze. There is so much confusion. I’ve stayed away from them for a long time. I’ve not spoken to any of their leaders for more than two years.

Do you have faith in President Buhari to rebuild Nigeria?

President Buhari has said he is ready to rebuild Nigeria. It is wrong to doubt him. The proper thing to do is to believe him, support him, and pray for him.

If he fails, it will not be because we failed to support him.

If he treats Ndigbo well, do you think they will swing with the APC?

Some people are working hard so that President Buhari will not appoint an Igbo man as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. That is the degree of the hatred towards the Igbo man

I don’t care about APGA, APC, Labour Party, PDP, whatever, I don’t belong to any one. But I do not think that it’s fair for anybody to expect Ndigbo to now suddenly become the undertakers of the PDP. Some years ago, I was in the sitting-room of Dim Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu, and he asked a top PDP man in the room, ‘Is it true that in the hall where Obasanjo announced that he had chosen Yar’Adua to run for President, that there was no Igbo man there?’ The PDP man said yes, and Ojukwu wept.

Ojukwu wept because at that time, the Secretary of PDP was an Igbo man, Ojo Maduekwe.

But in the hall where Obasanjo invited other people and announced that he had decided

•Uko: Buhari should give Ndigbo a sense of belonging

to nominate Umaru Yar’Adua as the President, there was no Igbo man there.

It was Ahmadu Ali that picked up the phone and called Ojo Maduekwe to inform him. So the PDP has always excluded Ndigbo, in their arrogance. So, if Ndigbo decide to be undertakers of PDP, so help them God. The political dynamics of Nigeria has never involved Ndigbo, because

Ndigbo are upright, sincere, and fair-minded. What Ndigbo want from Nigeria is a just, equitable country that is fair to all. Other people want a Nigeria where they will control and intimidate others. Others want a Nigeria where one of their own will be Head of State. Other people want a Nigeria where Ndigbo will be oppressed and sidelined, so that they will feel that they

are the ones in charge, but Ndigbo don’t dream of afflicting anybody.

If President Buhari gives Ndigbo a true sense of belonging, do you think Ndigbo will embrace APC? The answer is neither here nor there. What I want President Buhari to know is that if he doesn’t give Ndigbo a sense of belonging, then those elders who told us that he is an Igbo-hater will be correct, will be proven right. If he gives Ndigbo a sense of belonging, by listening to our cry to restructure this country, Ndigbo will finally come to see that he is not the evil as we have been told, and Ndigbo will begin to appreciate him, to work with him, maybe even embrace him.

The choice is entirely his. We are a people oppressed and marginalized. We came into Nigeria with all our heart, but some other people convinced themselves that they had to blackmail Ndigbo in order for them to remain relevant.

When the FCT was constituted and built, go and check the records, the people that allocated the lands at the FCT made sure that Igbo people got less than 5 per cent of all the allocations. 20 years on, Ndigbo own almost half of Abuja. How? Because they bought from those who got the allocations. Those who got the allocations finally sold their allocations to the Igbo.

The degree of envy towards the Igbo man is so frightening. Just look at this. Some people are working hard so that President Buhari will not appoint an Igbo man as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

That is the degree of the hatred towards the Igbo man.

NASS POLLS: ‘The era of godfatherism is over' Mr. Oladele Bankole Balogun contested the House of Representatives election for Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but lost to incumbent member, Mr. Peter Akpatason. In this interview, he spoke on the election and other burning national issues. Excerpts:

By Gabriel Enogholase

W

HAT is your expectation from the tribunal in your case against the declaration of Peter Akpatason of the APC as the member representing Akoko-Edo Federal constituency?

Because the matter is in tribunal, I really cannot go into the details of the matter but all I can say is that the Electoral Act allows for a number of grounds for you to be elected and one of those grounds is that you must have a majority of valid votes count; that is our case, the majority of valid votes count in Akoko-Edo was for Oladele Bankole-Balogun.

What is your opinion on the recent happenings in the National Assembly over election of Principal Officers?

The time is going to come in

this country when politics will truly be for the people by the people and of the people. What has happened in the National Assembly is fantastic for Nigeria; it is a fantastic blow to godfatherism and in quote this business of one or two people being supreme as a party in the name of party supremacy. The National Assembly of which by the grace of God I am a member in waiting has its own rules about electing its principal officers, the rules are very clear, it is for the house to decide and not for any party. The PDP tried sometime ago and it backfired and one would have thought that a so called progressive party would have learnt from the PDP, but they failed to realise that Nigeria is moving so it is good for our democracy that the rule and the law must be allowed to run its course so I am very happy that Senator

Bukola Saraki has emerged as the President of the Senate, I am also happy that Yakubu Dogara has emerged as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, it is good for our politics and I think this is the beginning of sizzling changes that we are going to see in Nigerian politics. It is also for those who think that this might even portend an inclination as to the shaky foundation of strange bedfellows.

What is your position on the call by Nigerians that the country’s electoral system needs more reforms?

I agree with you that our electoral system needs continuous reformation until we get to that stage where the will of the people will truly be represented in governance.

We know that the Electoral Act we are using now is an amended Act, I foresee further amendments to enhance that provision but I will suggest that I will like to

see a provision where our politics is now focused centrally on ideological basis for the benefit and interest of our people.

•Bankole

42—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Delta poll: Okowa extends olive branch to Ogboru, Emerhor

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has called on those that contested the governorship election with him in the state not to despair but to join hands with him in moving the state forward.

Olorogun O’teger Emerhor contested the election under All Progressives Congress, APC, while Chief Great Ogboru flew the Labour Party, LP, flag.

Governor Okowa enjoined his opponents to set aside their differences and collaborate with his administration to bring about more development to the state.

He also called on all political leaders to provide selfless service and ensure that they deliver democratic dividends to their people.

Okowa also disclosed that his administration will be an allinclusive one as no Deltan would be left behind.

Okowa, at Otu-Jeremi, during a thanksgiving service and

Bayelsa APC factions trade words over alleged expulsion

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State, yesterday, took a new twist as two factions of the party traded words over alleged suspension, expulsion and counter suspension and expulsion of its key members.

A faction of the party, under the aegis of Integrity Group, claimed that the state party Chairman, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe and his Deputy, Eddy Julius, were suspended alongside the state Secretary, Daniel Marlin and a member of the Board of Trustee, Peres Peretu, over alleged antiparty activities.

The chairman of the party, Chief Orunimighe, however, said that the group known as Integrity Group was not recognised by the party as the purported expulsion of the party official was a joke and an unconstitutional act.

He said: “The signatories to the purported expulsion are non-existent. The only body that has the right to suspend members of the State Working Committee of the party is the National Working Committee."

reception to celebrate the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta Central senatorial district's victory at the polls, explained that as leaders elected into positions by the people, they have a responsibility to deliver on the promises they made.

“The real thanksgiving is by developing a stronger relationship with the people and selfless service. My administration will continue to

make efforts to ensure that dividends of democracy come to Deltans,” he said.

He assured that his administration will redeem its promise of prosperity for all Deltans.

He expressed gratitude to the people of Delta Central for the role they played in delivering PDP candidates during the elections, saying: “In Delta Central it gladdened my heart

that PDP got the majority votes during the elections thereby delivering our candidates into the various positions vied for.”

The governor called on leaders and public office holders to stay committed in their service to God and humanity, adding that “It is by His grace we are where we are today and it is only when He builds our foundation that we can stand firm.”

BIRTHDAY: From left: Senator Mathew Urhoghide and his wife with the celebrator, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, former Secretary to Edo State Government and his wife Idia, during a thanks giving service to mark Ize-Iyamu's 53rd birthday, at Redeemed Christian Church of God, Benin City.

Edo 2016: PDP'll present gov candidate to dethrone APC —Igbinedion

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—AHEAD of the 2016 governorship election in Edo State, former governor of the state, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, has said that the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state will present a candidate that will enjoy the acceptability of the generality of the people of the state and capable of retreiving power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. He hinted that the candidate must be from the PDP “family,” giving a boost to the governorship ambition of his close friend and former Secretary to the State Government during his administration, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Igbinedion broke his silence on the politics of the state at the 53rd birthday celebration of Pastor IzeIyamu at his residence in Benin City.

He said that he intends to play a major role in the emergence of the PDP governorship candidate, noting that the party will select a credible candidate who will enjoy the support of both the leaders and the people of the state.

He said: “No matter what

anybody might say, I remain a strong member of PDP and one of the founding members. I also remain the only former governor whose election victory was never contested in any court of law.

There is no doubt that I am loved by my people. It may be too early to comment on the 2016 governorship election in Edo State but I want to make one or

two comments.

“Whoever is going to be the candidate of our party must be one of the founding members of the PDP in the state. He must also be a member of the ‘family,’ (PDP).

The people of our state will be happy when the choice of the party’s flag bearer is made and there will be celebration across the state,” he added.

2015 polls: INEC abandoned its responsibility to candidates —Emerhor

By Perez Brisibe

U

GHELLI—DELTA State All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of abandoning its responsibilities to candidates who were cheated at the polls and by passing the burden to the candidates to prove their case at the tribunals.

Meanwhile, counsel to the APC in the case brought against the party and others before a Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba, has described the ruling as democracy in action.

Valentine Onojeghuo, while reacting to the ruling by Justice C. Olatoregun-Isola, said: “The judgment has put paid to the scheming by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and established the fact that we conducted our primaries in line with the provision of the Electoral Act and our candidates were validly nominated as candidates of the party during the primaries.”

Speaking to Vanguard yesterday, Emerhor, said: “INEC ought not to have declared results that did not emanate from the card readers."

MEND threatens renewed hostilities over jumbo pay for lawmakers

By Emma Amaize

W

ARRI—MOVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, has warned that it could resume hostilities should the 8th National Assembly fail to check the ridiculous salaries and allowances of lawmakers at the detriment of other Nigerians.

Spokesperson of the group, Jomo Gbomo, in a statement, said: “We have observed with disgust, the brazen disregard for the feelings of the changeseeking masses by very selfish

members of the eighth National Assembly.

“If the lawmakers refuse to make the necessary adjustments needed to accommodate the needs of the masses and the Niger Delta region, it may lead to the resumption of hostilities and Nigerians should hold the eighth National Assembly responsible should that happen.

Enough is enough.

“These wicked individuals appropriate to themselves huge and absurd salaries and allowances at the expense of the millions of hapless Nigerians

who have not been paid for months their salaries, pensions and other due benefits they deserve.

“The Niger Delta region where the bulk of revenue that sustains the nation comes from, continues to suffer neglect, environmental degradation and lack, made worse by the very corrupt and visionless past government and its cronies, some of who still shamelessly parade themselves on national television and other media platforms as Niger Delta activists."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015— 43

Civil Defence Corps official arrested over pistol ownership

By Austin Ogwuda

E

NUGU—AN operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC has been arrested in Enugu for allegedly being in possession of a revolver which he claimed was purchased illegally from the driver of his Commandant at the cost of N8,600.

Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement said the officer was arrested on Sunday by operatives of No 3 Police Mobile Force Enugu State command on stop and search around Amodu Awkunanaw.

He said: “The suspect (names withheld) of Achara Amodu, Awkunanaw, in Enugu State, was arrested for allegedly being in possession of a locally made chief revolver pistol which was concealed in his track suit shirt.

“It was gathered that suspect who was being conveyed with a motorcycle bike along the said road on seeing the stop and search operatives turned his bike and dropped suspect who boldly tried to walk pass the point with a faze cap with an emblem and inscription suspected to be that of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

“Upon interrogation for further

proof of his identity as he was not in full regalia and considering how the motorbike dropped him and turned back as it gave room for suspicion, he was searched and a locally made chief revolver pistol was found on him.

“Suspect, on his own part, has maintained that he is a member

of Civil Defence Corps serving in Calabar command and that he bought the locally made pistol from his commandant’s driver at the sum of N8,600 and that he uses the gun for his own private security guard.

“He, however, ended by pleading for forgiveness as he

maintained that he was not permitted to be in possession of the gun since it was not officially issued to him,” the PPRO said.

He also said six suspected cultists were arrested recently at different parts of the state and were already being interrogated.

Anambra govt to chase away non-indegene Okada riders from state —Ejikeme

By Enyim Enyim

O

NITSHA—ANAMBRA State government may have concluded plans to chase out of the state non- indigenes operating commercial motorcycles over alleged activities capable of causing a break down of law and order.

Commissioner for Transport, Dr Ifeanyichukwu Ejikeme, gave the indication while addressing newsmen in his office on the activities of the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency under his ministry.

He said those already blacklisted were Okada riders from Abakaliki, Nsukka, Calabar and Kogi.

According to him, Okada riders

from these states are responsible for incessant violent crisis in the state. “ I tell you that the crisis you see in the state emanating from the Okada riders are from non indigenes especially those Kogi who have been engaging us in communal war, destroying our properties and killing our people over the orient petroleum sited at Anambra east local government area of the state. “ There should be decorum amongst the Okada men and it is unfortunate that those who graduated from Okada to Keke (tricycle) are the same people and have the same methodology of operation,” he said.

He said government of Dr Willie Obiano had good package for them but failed to appreciate it.

He said they rather chose to be reckless in their operations which had led to the death and maiming of passengers and passersby.

He said because government could no longer fold its arms and watch the activities of the Okada riders, a policy that banned them from major roads and expressways was enunciated. “ We are trying to protect them but they do not know. There are many deaths in the state as a result of their recklessness. The same policy obtains in other states and Anambra can not be an exception,” he said.

Ejikeme said government had already purchased saloon cars that would be given out to commercial motorcycle operators and Keke riders on hire purchase to cushion the effect of the ban.

ECCIMA tasks Enugu govt on harmonized tax system business operators in Enugu of a possible increase in taxes and levies payable to government agencies, following government’s efforts to shore up Internally Generated Revenue,IGR, against the backdrop of a fall in revenue allocation from the Federal Government.

Visibly shaken Secretary of ECCIMA, Mr.Emeka Okereke, said: “We are afraid that there maybe increase in taxes and

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—ENUGU State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ECCIMA, has expressed displeasure over the crippling effect of multiple taxation shoved down the throat of business operators in the state.

This is even as palpable trepidation is rife among

levies payable to government agencies because government will fall back on businesses in the state to generate revenue especially now that allocation has hit the rocks.

“We have advocated a regular consultative meeting between the private sector and the government where we can form an Inter-Ministerial Committee to evaluate and monitor government policies for businesses in the state.

“The committee will serve as a feedback mechanism to government and address most of the challenges businesses face in the state which will above all, boost economic activities.”

Continuing, the ECCIMA scribe regretted that they had canvassed for a one-stop-shop tax scheme which will harmonise the taxes and levies in order to weed out issues of multiple taxation and man hours expended in a bid to pay taxes.

Security expert wants counterterrorism unit established

By Evelyn Usman

T

HE PRESIDENT of the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria, AISSON, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, yesterday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a counterterrorism unit, CTU, within the Presidency to tackle terrorism, and bring terrorists attacks in the North East to an end.

He described the relationship among security agencies as competitive, attributing the hitch in attaining a relief in the fight against terrorists, to the battle of supremacy among the agencies.

Reacting to the twin suicide bombings that claimed 11 lives at a vigilante office and drinking pub, last weekend, in Potiskum, Yobe State, Ekhomu explained that the purpose of this unit was to utilize advanced technology tools to predict Boko Haram attacks, create the necessary focus and synergy required for the war on terror, as well as prevent terror attacks from occurring.

He advocated immediate establishment of a brand new CTU that will overcome the intelligence stove-piping hampering the Nigerian government’s counter-terrorism efforts.

“Intelligence stovepiping is a situation where various security and intelligence agencies develop intelligence on strategic and tactical threats but do not share the intelligence with relevant agencies for necessary counter- terriorism action," he said.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

Should petroleum products subsidy stay or be removed?

W

e do need the subsidy. Since we do not have working refinery in the country, government has no choice than to help the masses. If the subsidy is removed, that means the market is opened to oil marketers to determine their prices. -Mr. Nwodi Daniel, Advocate

F

uel subsidy should remain because Nigeria has no working refinery, and Nigerians won't be able to buy fuel at an exorbitant rate, like we are experiencing now. That is just my view about it. -Miss Oluwakemi Afolabi, CustomerCare

T

he APC government will have a difficult time removing it now, with such an ethnically and politically divided Nigerian public, because of the role the APC leaders played in 2012 when the previous administration tried to remove it. -Mr. Emmanuel Ohai, Activist

F

uel subsidy should be removed. However, government should work on the three refineries we have in the country to be in full capacity. Nigerians should get used to its removal and know that fuel distribution and price would soon be stable. Prince Bolaji, Civil Servant

I

f the government wants to remove the subsidy, then there must be alternative means to help the masses, if not it will be difficult for many people to buy petroleum products because oil marketers are after their profit. -Comrade Barry Nwaihim, Events Manager

F

uel subsidy should be removed, but proper and adequate planning should be made for the products to be available, and competitively affordable.

Attempted fuel subsidy removal by the GEJ administration sparked up a protest by the masses. -Mr. Emmanuel Oweazim Jnr., Politician

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Dodara urges prayers for leaders zSays it's commandment from God

By Suzan Edeh

B

AUCHI—SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara has asked Nigerians to pray for those in position of leadership, saying it was a commandment from God. Dogara, who spoke in Bauchi Sunday, during a Thanksgiving service held in his honour at the COCIN Christian Centre at the Tafawa Balewa Local Government of the state said when prayers are offered for those in leadership position, the quality of leadership will improve in the country.

He said: “ the Holy Bible admonishes us to pray for those in leadership and that is a responsibility we have as Nigerians.

“One of the major challenges of this nation is credible leadership because when there is no good leadership, everything around us will decay, but with continuous prayers, we believe that the leadership of the country will improve.

When there is good leadership, the quality of our lives will improve” The Speaker said that the leadership needed conventional wisdom to succeed, adding that “divine wisdom means instant solution to problems whether they are new or not.”

He said that his emergence as speaker was sign of the unity in the North East and the nation at large adding that the north committed their resources to ensure that a Christian minority emerged as the number four citizen of the country.

“We owe it a duty that we unite in this part of the country and Nigeria. There was a time the north looked to other zones for leadership because we were divided.

I want to believe that my emergence as speaker was as a result of the support I got from other tribes in Nigeria, irrespective of religious affiliations .

This is an indication that we are now united and the country will be better”

DINNER: From left; Mrs Vivian Shofowora; Mrs Olajumoke Bakare, Managing Partner, First Almond Attorneys; Mr Debo Adesanya, Chairman, Vielfach Projects Ltd; Peter Obaseki, MD, First City Monument Bank Group Plc; Mrs Oluyemisi Edun, Chief Financial Officer/Executive Director, First City Monument Bank; Arc Ayo Edun and Mr Tunde Shofowora, CEO, Red Ribbon Ltd during the cocktail dinner in honour of Mrs Yemisi Edun on her new appointment to the Board of FCMB Ltd as Executive Director at Jade Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo by Akeem Salau.

Senator La’ah blasts FG, Kaduna govt over Southern Kaduna killings

By Luka Binniyat

K

AFANCHAN—SENATOR Danjuma La’ah, representing Southern Kaduna Senatorial Zone, yesterday decried what he described as lack of action by the federal and Kaduna State governments over the murder of 13 natives of the area by gunmen in three villages earlier this month.

Addressing newsmen in Kafanchan yesterday, La’ah said he wanted the security challenges facing the people of Southern Kaduna to be be given equal attention as that of North East region of the country.

“The manner in which our people are being killed with impunity still resembles the same fashion of mindless murder of our people under the former government. This is giving me much concern and I want to call the attention of the world to this wickedness that has always been going on

without any seeming solution.

“Last Tuesday, June 16, 2015, around 8pm, the peaceful and lawabiding village of Kastak, in Takad Chiefdom, Jema’a Local Government Area, LGA of Kaduna was invaded by well armed men. According to distress calls I received and the reports of my aides shortly after the invasion, nine people were killed, and 13 others critically injured.

“On June 5, 2015, Ayagan village in Bajju Chiefdom in Zangon

Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was invaded by armed men. Four people were killed and several others injured when the invaders fired into a crowd of mourners, unprovoked.

I have gone there and personally verified this killings.

“On June 11, 2015, one Tanko Nyam,45, from Kyari Daddu village in Jaba, LGA was ambushed by yet another set of gunmen and killed, leaving behind his wife and five kids.

‘Politicians must subject themselves to party discipline'

By Starrys Obazei

T

HREE human rights activ ists have condemned development in the National Assembly, NASS, where ‘independent’ candidates beat party nominees in the leadership elections for Senate president and Speaker, House of Reps.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the activists –Declan Ihekhaire, Mohammed Abubakar and Vince Bakare of Civil Society Coalition for Good Governance, CSCGG, – said: “As long as Nigeria has not approved independent candidacy, elected politicians must toe party lines in their pursuits as elected officers

Shettima swears in SSG, CoS, Special Advisers

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI—GOV ERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday swore in the newlyappointed Secretary to the State Government, SSG, along with the Chief of Staff, COS, and two Special Advisers, asking them to discharge their responsibilities of moving the state forward, despite the security challenges in the

“As a responsible Senator, I cannot sit and claim that it will soon be well when no authority has shown any interest in the insecurity that has bedevilled our people since 2011.

“In the light of the above, I am asking for the following: That the Federal Government should make Southern Kaduna one of the areas needing urgent and immediate security response just like it is doing in parts of North East zone,'' the senator said.

North East region.

Those sworn-in included Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa, Alhaji Modu Alhaji Musa, Isa Umar Gusau and Mr Hassan Musa Dlakwarespectively.

Shettima said, “Your appointments and subsequent swearing in was based on your integrity, transparency and wealth of experiences in governance and public service.

“The office of the SSG is the clearing house for all govern-

ment transactions, before they are implemented for the betterment of our people affected by insurgency. ''All of you here today for this swearing in ceremony; should as a matter of policy and urgency cultivate a comprehensive understating on how we could collectively rebuild and rehabilitate all the Boko Haram destroyed towns and villages in 22 council areas of Borno State.''

of National and state assemblies.

“Though seeking independent ambition is constitutionally right, it is morally wrong, since there is no independent candidacy in Nigeria.”

They expressed support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s insistence on adherence to party position in the election of the officers of NASS, as advancing both party and national interests in smooth implementation of the desired change clamoured by All Progressives Congress, APC. They regretted that the “crisis generated by the controversial election of Saraki and Dogara is partly responsible for the slow pace of affairs in the newly elected national government led by President Muhammed Buhari.”

Advising on the matter, the activists said: “Henceforth, APC must insist on subjection to party discipline on every national issue, and deviants should be adequately disciplined.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—45

VISIT: From left— Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, Managing Director\CEO, Bank of Industry, BoI; Muhammadu Sanusi II, Emir of Kano; Mr. Waheed Olagunju, Executive Director, SME, and other management team of BoI, during their courtesy call on the Emir in his palace, Kano.

at MUSON Centre, Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

VISIT: The Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Stanley Ogoigbe (left), presenting a souvenir to the Navy Secretary, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai, during the latter's visit in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

WEDDING: From left— Mr. & Mrs Uwagboe; the newly-wed couple, Joshua and Mercy; Dr. & Mrs. Nat Bunuju, Vanguard Regional Advert Manager, South-South, and Kunle Ogundeko, during the wedding between Joshua Noghayin Uwagboe and Miss Mercy Akomeh Ojuruwa, at St. Joseph Chosen Church of God, Benin.

AGM: From left— Mrs Rose Hamis, Company Secretary; Mr. Larry Etta, Chairman; and Mrs Omolara Elemide, MD, all of CAP Plc, at the firm's 50th Annual General Meeting in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

BIRTHDAY: His Grace Prophet (Dr) Emmanuel Babalola, Elder Primate/ Spiritual Head, C&S Church of Christ, The Worshippers (2nd right), and members of the Council of Elders, during his 80th birthday celebration in Lagos.

PLANT-A-TREE: From left— Mr. Ohiagbara James, Vice Chairman, Association of Environmental and Health Science, Africa, National Open University, Lagos; Chief Oshobhaseva Iyasele, Chairman, and Mr. Yusuff Mojirade, a member of the association, planting trees during a beautification exercise at 24 Road, K Close, Festac Town, Lagos.

CHILDVILLE: Students of Childville Schools, presenting Agho Obaseki

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BROADBAND: From left—Engr Shola Taylor, incoming SecretaryGeneral, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, CTO; Ms Josephine Amuwa, Director Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; Mr. Brahima Sanou, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, International Telecommunications Union, ITU; Professor Tim Unwin, Secretary-General, CTO; Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology; and Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, during the opening ceremony of the commonwealth broadband forum in Abuja.

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

By Ikenna Asomba

A

S the rains are here again, residents of Ajegunle, a popular suburb of Lagos in the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area, are presently groaning under apparent neglect by successive administrations to fix the numerous deplorable roads in their community.

Vanguard authoritatively gathered that within the eight years stewardship of the last administration of the state, just two road projects were sited in Ajegunle by the administration. They are the 0.265km dualization of the Alaba/Cemetary Road awarded to Banci Nigeria Limited and the construction of 1.210km Rotimi-OkulajaKoripamo-Sholade-Salimonu Bakare Streets, awarded to Lopek Engineering & Construction Limited.

The other two projects which were ongoing but had been stalled owing to inadequate funds are the construction of 1.1km Ojoku-Ohuntan Streets awarded to Rojo Engineering & Construction Limited, as well as the Grading and Surface Dressing of 0.8km Onishapa-Akogun Streets awarded to Wallways Tech Limited. The ‘ windowdressing’ carried out on Akogun Street has been washed away by flood, as the street has remained impassable for pedestrians, when Vanguard visited last Monday.

Ajegunle community has over 400 streets that may not have been tarred since the existence of the community.

These streets and roads also lack proper drainage channels, medians, walkways and street lights, unlike their counterparts in communities such as Surulere, Lagos Mainland, Apapa and Lagos which had the highest number of completed road projects under the last administration.

However, according to statistics from the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, the last administration in eight years, completed 229 new roads amounting to 118.159km, as well as did Grading and Surface Dressing on 80 roads amounting to 46.191km.

Ongoing road projects are 201 amounting to 237.771km, while there is Grading and Surface Dressing ongoing on 71 roads amounting to 76.740km.

Top beneficiaries Unlike Ajegunle, top beneficiaries of these completed and ongoing road projects according to a summary by the works ministry are: Alimoshocompleted (31) ongoing (16); C M Y K

Help! Flood is sacking us from our homes — Ajegunle residents Lagos Mainland- completed (29) ongoing (3); Surulerecompleted (26) ongoing (37); Kosofe- completed (25) ongoing (29); Ifako Ijaiyecompleted (22) ongoing (13); Mushin- completed (20) ongoing (3); Ikoroducompleted (17) ongoing (8).

5, 000 roads in 4 years Against this backdrop of inequality in the siting of road projects, Ajegunle residents have cried out to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to urgently declare a state of emergency on roads in their community. They made this call in view of Ambode’s campaign promise, at a Town Hall meeting at Eagle Club, Surulere, to build 5,000 roads in four years, if elected.

Ambode had said that his government will complement efforts of the local governments by ensuring that a minimum of 20 roads with street lights are built by each local government every year.

The impassable roads When Vanguard visited the community last Monday, the four major roads in the community were riddled with pot-holes, shallow drainage channels, lack of median, walk-ways and street-lights.

This forced motorists, motorcyclists and tricyclists meandering through the

potholes riddledroads.

The four major roads are: Boundary-Aiyetoro-Ojo Road-Alaba Suru; BoundaryBaale-Mba-Cardoso-Otto Woff; Boundary-Tolu-KirikiriBerger Suya and OjokuIdewu-Industrial Avenue.

Numerous others However, numerous other streets in deplorable state include: Ekundayo, Molade, Osho Drive, Kekere Ogun, Okito, Uzor, Akerele, Omowunmi, Chidi, Dada Onijama, Odudu, James Igbe,

It’s pathetic that every rainy season, we are sacked by flood water, emerging from the filled canals and drains in this neighbourhood.

This calls for a state of emergency from the Lagos State Government

Ashafa, Oluwa, Mensah, Baba Sule, Akimbo, Taiwo, Wowo, Temidire, Adeolu, Apena, Apikirin, Isikalu, Silver, Ugbewankwo, Okorogbo, Akatapko, Abukuru, Babani, Goriola, Rashidi, Ladipo, Otuniyo, Ezeagu, Adekeye, Ligali, Aiyenero, Mosalashi, Olowosu, Ladega, Akogun, Ibafon, Emodi, Fasasi, Kudaisi, Alhaji Adebola, Bolaji Oloro, Jones Waribi and Jejeliaye Other abandoned streets are Togunde Igbaja, Sadiku, Trinity Close, Dele Bakare, Abiola Oluwa, Alhaji Kareem Akande, Kola Akin-Tepede Close, Cemetery Road, Palace Road, George, New Creature Avenue, Arowo Iyabuno, Iyakudima Lane, Chuka Ben Avenue, Adetola Lane, Chief Titus Ufondu, Ben Onyeka, Ola Badmus, Deliverance, Barr. Ahmed Musa, Odofin Akinsanya, Raufu Olaiya, Abiodun, Queen, Otakoya, Olowa, Emmanuel Avenue, John Okorie, Ishaga among others.

Residents react However, reacting, Ms. Tare Ebitebe, who was lamenting the state of Akogun Street, said to have been resurfaced by the state government said: “The Akogun Street in Olodi, Ajegunle has remained deplorable over the last 25

years. It is absurd and regrettable that a street where I reside, which is currently impassable for residents to move in and out, is what the state government is saying it has fixed. Since 1999, residents have filed series of complaints to the local government authorities, but all have fallen on deaf ears.”

Another resident, Mr. Kolawole Taiwo, who spoke on the deplorable state of his street, Ishaga Street, said: “My brother, I was born 30 years ago in this community.

Since I was born, there has never been any time the government has remembered us on this street. Our street is not tarred, it lacks proper drainage channel and streetlights. It’s pathetic that every rainy season, we are sacked by flood water, emerging from the filled canals and drains in this neighbourhood. This calls for a state of emergency from the Lagos State Government.”

On her part, Alhaja Aminat Kayode, a trader at Boundary Market, said “The horrible state of the link road into our market gives us much worry, because it has since been scaring our customers from patronising us. Why would government be collecting huge levies from us daily, yet we have no road into our market. It is insensitivity on the part of government.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 — 47

Lagos, Police tackle insecurity, step up Okada ban enforcement

By Olasukanmi Akoni & Monsuru Olowoopejo

I

N recent times, there has been a rising wave of crime rates, especially in Lagos, which has continued to put residents and visitors to the megacity in palpable fear of being victims of attacks from hoodlums and armed bandits.

Burdened with the enormous challenge of curtailing the rising crime rate in the state, the state Police Command, has advised Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to provide combat-ready helicopters for its men and officers to mount surveillance across the state.

The rising crime rate in the state, hit the head, last Friday, following the murder of one Sodiq in the Mushin area of the state. Sodiq, it was said, was murdered in cold blood by unknown gunmen, around 2pm, shortly after Jumaat service.

The killings in the area which was becoming a recurring decimal irked residents, who protested at the Lagos State House of Assembly, to register their displeasure.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved residents, Mr. Abiodun Leshi, explained that the affected streets that have lost sleep in recent times were Taniolodo, Lawani and Ojelawe.

In a related development, there is a fresh battle by Lagos State Government to tackle the resurgence of motorcycle operators popularly called Okada riders in all the 475 restricted roads including bridges and highways in the state. Recall that the last administration of Babatunde Fashola, in 2012, signed the Lagos Road Traffic Bill into law, restricting operations of okada riders from specific roads in the state.

At onset, there was high compliance by the riders, but towards the 2015 general elections, there was an explosion in the resurgence of riders across the state, even on restricted routes. Angered that the riders apparently took advantage of election period to flout the law, the state government last weekend, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the recalcitrant okada riders, not to ply the 475 restricted roads, including bridges and highways. It C M Y K

•Okada riders driving against traffic in Lagos

warned that failure to adhere to the law, both the rider and the passengers, will be prosecuted by a Special Taskforce it has setup.

Meanwhile, on the increasing crime rate in the state, police officers, particularly Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders, who spoke during an interactive session with Ambode, last week, at the Oduduwa Police Command in Ikeja, lamented that the perennial traffic gridlocks in the metropolis was affecting prompt arrival of the Police at crime scenes, adding that the situation calls for the need of aerial patrol across the state to stem the tide.

Other complaints tabled before the governor was that the helicopters procured by the last administration were not fully equipped to combat-ready standard, that the daily increase in the state population required the police to adopt more surveillance strategies, that the number of patrol vehicles were not enough to enforce the 2012 road traffic law.

Responding, Ambode said

“When we had our security council meeting, this was one of the issues raised at the meeting. We know that the helicopters we have at the moment are not combat

The present administration of Ambode would not fold its arms and allow lawlessness, indiscipline, flagrant disobedience to law and order, loss of lives and property of innocent citizens of the state to continue unabated.

ready. So we are looking for helicopters that can perform multi-task that is an helicopter that can patrol the state during the day and at night.

“We want to make sure that we keep the state safe always. Whatever strategy it would require for us to have a safe society, this administration will do it to ensure that lives and property are well protected.

The final solution is that we must have an integrated security plan in the state that would ensure that we are safe in the air, on land and water. All these will be integrated together using the Nigerian Police.”

The governor noted that vehicles would be provided to patrol the state and adequate fuel would be supplied to ensure movement of the vehicles, adding that his administration would reactivate the fuel collection point and ensure that adequate fuel is provided weekly.

However, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Oluseyi Coker, who stressed that the Traffic Law (Schedule 11) which restricts the

operations of motorcycle as well as Regulation 16 Sub– sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Law are sacrosanct said: “Section 3 Sub-section 1 of the Law stipulates that “No person shall ride, drive or propel a cart, wheel barrow, motorcycle or tricycle on any of the routes specified in Schedule 11 to this Law. “However, it is disheartening to see that motorcycle operators have resurfaced on our restricted roads especially in areas such as Ikeja, Isolo, Apapa, Agege, Epe, Ijede, Shomolu/ Bariga, Ifako Ijaiye/ Ojokoro, Ikorodu, Mushin, Ketu, Ojota, Lagos Island, Ojodu and Badagry, in spite of the various efforts of the past administrations in the State to ensure that the menace of motorcycle operators is curbed and the rate of accident, injuries and death is reduced drastically in the state.”

“The present administration of Ambode would not fold its arms and allow lawlessness, indiscipline, flagrant disobedience to law and order, loss of lives and property of innocent citizens of the state to continue unabated,” he said.

48 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 VIRGO; As Saturn enters your Star Sign today it is important you are more practical and seek all important supports of the influential people around you. Be more loving.

LIBRA; The more ambitious you are today the better for your cause. And here is a good day to plan for the future but you must do away with whatever can not be placed above board. Yong-at-heart among you may be in for a romantic day.

SCORPIO; Even if you are tempted to gamble by whoever and/or whatsoever reason you must resist it or else you would be the loser. Being aggressive may help SAGITTARIUS; Provided you are willing to co-operate with other poople things will not go out of hands but exhibition of inordinate ambition can earn you avoidable trouble.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

NE of the greatest O fallacies mankind is saddled with is the belief that the rich don’t cry. But my questions are:

So, The Rich Also Cry? 1 why should the rich cry? Is the rich not a human being? Has he no feelings? Does he not eat? Does he got not go to the

TERROR MUDA

toilet? has he no blood running in his vein? Does he have more than one head?

I pity the rich man. He wants

in “Never say goodbye”

companionship, yet, no one is ready to offer him any, because, everybody sees him as selfsufficient in everything.

By Lanre Kehinde

CAPRICORN; Element of luck will assist you. Those of you who are more hard working will have more positive things to show for your efforts. Take care of your health.

AQUARIUS; Many natives of this Zodiac sign will be excited either because of romantic interest within your working arena or practical advancement at work.

PISCES; Reason with those you can take as veterans within your base of operation because if you want to force your way without carrying necessary and more experienced people along it would back-fire now or soonest ARIES; The more creative you are the better for your cause. However is typical day when too much expectation can bring disappointment. Be more family minded.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS; If your priority is financial success you may not be disappointed provided you prepare for a few challenges. For now both your mental energy and physical attributes are enough to win you love not MONEY. Be more receptive.

GEMINI; This is your day when both good luck and your personal efforts will bring you success. Try to be as caring as possible to those within your base.

CANCER; Although there will be challenges at the end of it all you will have genuine cause to smile. The more secretive you are the better for your cause. This is not the right time to ignore your sex life. Do away with unnecessary argument.

LEO; This is not the right time for you to either gamble with money or take friends for granted. Secret lovers may be in for an exciting day.

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat tr ological datee and place of bir th ttoo the As Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Should I remain hopeful?

Dear Joshua I want your in-depth analysis and tell me about my social life, and the time I am likely to have my much desired break-through in life. I am hopeful though Anonymous, Nigeria.

Dear Anonymous, Yes be very hopeful. And what you will find here-under will answer your questions.

YOUR SOCIAL LIFE Social life will always bring you attention good luck envy opposition and possibly fame. The best way for you not to be constant loser in the social world is to always study situation practically and know that your finance will not suffer (if it can not be beneficiary) from the setting before taking responsibility.

As for influential friends you will have them but never always take them for granted.

Sudden SUCCESS will come your way during your 46th year on earth and will serve as a break-through year you can build great foundation of endless success on. But the same 46th year will bring love related challenges you must manage with all maturity or else it will linger till after your 48th year on earth.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—49

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50—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—51

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52—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

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VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—53

•Bakare: Buhari is not anybody’s man, he’s for everybody

BAKARE EXPLODES: Don’t stampede Buhari to form govt

By Sam Eyoboka VICE Presidential candidate to President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 presidential election, Pastor Tunde Bakare Sunday night cautioned anxious Nigerians against stampeding the retired military officer turned democrat into announcing a cabinet in a hurry, arguing that forming a government was an executive prerogative.

Breaking a self-imposed 100 days break from media chat, Pastor Bakare also confirmed reports that he slumped at a public lecture in Lagos, saying “it’s true I slumped and within three minutes, I was taken into my car, I walked into my car.

And they carried out all examination both here in Nigeria and England and they found nothing other than dehydration that produces exhaustion. And now I am on two liters of water and adequate rest.”

Speaking at the opening session of a three day special revival service at the Glory Christian Ministries on ApapaOshodi Expressway, Lagos on

Sunday night, Pastor Bakare who is rumored to be have been tipped for a ministerial appointment in the Buhari cabinet, tactfully evaded the question.

According to Bakare, guest speaker at the spiritual fiesta titled; ‘Pursue, Overtake and Recover All’, “when we get to that bridge, we will cross it. I don’t read speculations; I don’t read online things to start with.

I can’t be appointed online. It’s not possible. I’m so busy, my hands are full. I’m not sure you have seen my application anywhere.”

Asked reasons why he had remained silent for sometime now, the controversial pastor said he had been speaking, stating “if you have watched Moment of Truth this evening (Sunday), you would have seen that I was speaking about the nation: “Choices, chances and consequences.”

Continuing, Pastor Bakare said: “So it’s not just being silent for silence sake, but I think we must give the present government time to settle down and time to assess what they have inherited as it were from

the past administration, from Jonathan’s government, so that they can sit down and begin to put the Nigerian house in order. It’s good to give them time.”

Reminded that Nigerians are agitated that three weeks after inauguration nothing seems to have changed as the new APC government promised, the cleric appealed for restraint on the part of Nigerians, arguing “things that have gone wrong for several years, almost 16 years, cannot change in three weeks.

“But what do they mean by things have not changed? You have a transition that was so smooth by the grace of God, from one government to the other. You have a proper inauguration. The president was sworn-in in an atmosphere of peace and we do not have violence in our hands. That’s good enough to start with.

“As for the appointment of ministers or chief of staff or service chiefs, that will take its time. Remember, the president spoke to the nation that he did not get a handover note until 28th of May, so the transition

committee on his side did not have anything to work with until after that transition. And after a period of about two and half weeks, they handed over their report of over 8,000 pages that was reduced to about 800 pages or so for him and others to look into it to give it executive summary.

“It’s when you know the state of the nation as per what was handed over to him that you begin to think of who can I put here to help me. And I can assure you, behind the scene, a lot is going on in the engine room. Let’s give them time.

“It won’t be more than end of June before what you call the different phases of the government will manifest as per the ministries. You have heard that they are collapsing many ministries to avoid having an over bloated government. All these things will take time. Nothing good begins in a hurry. The Bible says he that believes shall not make haste, and we say it in English: Slow and steady wins the race”, he explained.

Bakare urged Nigerians to ignore the apostles of quick fix method, arguing that by now there must be a hoard of desperate Nigerians in the Presidency angling for relevance, propounding all kinds of theories on how to turn around the prostrate economy in seven days.

Agenda for Buhari

Asked to set an agenda for the new administration at the centre, he shot back: “Why would I set an agenda for a man who has won an election?

If he had been running for the same office three times before he won the fourth time, he must have an agenda. It’s not my place to set agenda for him. I’m not the vice president or the president. It’s the president that makes the call and says this is my vision so that will be presumptuous of me to do. It’s not proper.

But now he will know his limitations, he will also know his strength and I’m sure President Buhari will starve his weaknesses and maintain his area of strength.

By so doing, collective effort will turn our nation around

Give him time

“Let us give him time. He has said he will fight corruption, he’s not anybody’s man and he’s for everybody, so it simply means he has some things.

When he opens his agenda, it will be clear to all. He has mentioned some of them in his inauguration speech, give him time,” he further appealed.

Reminded that President Buhari had actually acknowledged that age was no longer on his side, Bakare who said he’s in constant touch with the new president, believed that the statement was misconstrued.

According to him, there were people much older than Buhari’s current age, noting “Chief Obafemi Awolowo was already in his 70s when he contested elections in 1983.

Ronald Reagan was in his 70s when he contested election.

The prime minster of Israel, Gulda Meir was much older.

Age and grace should not be confused. When you have grace to do something, God’s grace will be there.

“Caleb at the age of 85 said give me this mountain. Age is a thing of the mind when you have a lot to do. He simply expressed himself that I wish it was the age I was governor that I am president, but that is not so. But now he will know his limitations, he will also know his strength and I’m sure President Buhari will starve his weaknesses and maintain his area of strength. By so doing, collective effort will turn our nation around,” he stated.

Reacting to the uproar generated in the 8th National Assembly over wardrobe allowance announced for members, Pastor Bakare said: “It’s already in the news and people are blasting them. Let’s hope they will not go the same way that the others have gone because at least they were wearing clothes before they came in, but naturally because of the number of times they sit and that, all those things have been put in the past.

“Were they naked before they came there? Didn’t they have clothes in their wardrobes?

Where are the likes of Papa Adekunle Ajasin, the former governor of Ondo State, while declaring his assets, said the number of clothes he took to the government house were the same number of clothes he took back.

“Are they on a fashion parade or a serious legislative assignment? All those things should be cut off. We need a lean and mean government.

There are some states that cannot pay salaries and they want to live fat at the expense of who? Ignore those things because time will sort so many things out. I trust that the present administration will be true to the change campaign that they carried out across the nation,” he maintained.

54—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Harvard honours Kuku

Twin explosions kill 35 in Maiduguri market

F

AIDUGURI— TWO female suicide bombers, suspected to be members of Boko Haram Islamist sect, yesterday, sneaked into Baga Fish Market in Maiduguri, Borno State, and detonated their Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, leaving 35 persons dead and several others injured.

However, Police Commissioner, Mr. Aderemi Opadokun, insisted that only 12 people were killed in the explosions.

ORMER Special Adviser on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, is to be inducted as a member of Harvard University ’s distinguished International Economic Alliance, IEA. IEA is a non-partisan, independent non-profit organisation dedicated to furthering global trade, development, investment and advancing business relations among nations.

The organisation was conceived at Harvard University in 2004 and serves as an important source of knowledge, facilitator of relationships, and catalyst for new business opportunities around the world.

The induction ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 24 at the university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.

Kuku is expected to make a presentation to cover the topic Global Peace Initiatives before IEA members, university faculty members, private sector leaders and civil society groups.

A letter by the former United States Ambassador to seven countries and Under-Secretary of State, Thomas R. Pickering, and the IEA Founding Director, Van McCormick, stated: “The format for the formal address will be a presentation on global peace initiatives and your experience working as a senior presidential advisor and as the former head of Nigeria’s amnesty program.”

By Ndahi Marama

M

zOnly 12 dead—POLICE According to a sources, “at about 3:40p.m. yesterday, as Muslim faithful in the market were observing their Ishai prayers, the first explosion went off at the centre of the market, killing 35 people with over 50 seriously injured.”

Another source revealed that “immediately after the first blast, another female suicide bomber died when the bomb she was bearing accidentally went off before she got to the crowded

mosque close to the market, which was her target.

Baga Market is a stone throw from 7 Division, Nigerian Army and now the Military Command and Control Centre.

The market, which initially was an international fish market, had witnessed series of bombings and killings in recent past.

Customers, however, still patronise the market for smoked bush meat and fish from Lake Chad Basin.

PROTEST: A coalition of civil society groups protest Amnesty International's report on Nigerian military's fight against Boko Haram, at the United Nations building in Abuja, yesterday.

Eyewitnesses' account

An eyewitness, Mallam Abubakar Ali, said the explosion left dozens of people including some Muslims, who were performing their 3:30p.m. prayers dead, with others seriously injured.

Another resident from neighbouring Federal Low Cost Estate, who did not want his name mentioned, said “immediately after the blast, I saw two trucks filled with corpses coming out from the Baga main gate.”

Confirming the incident, Police Commissioner, Mr. Opadokun, in a text message, said: “At about 3p.m. today (yesterday), there was a twin IED explosion in Maiduguri.

“One was at the centre of Baga Road fish market, while the other was at BIYOK, still along Baga Road, about one kilometre to the affected market. The IEDs were conveyed by two female suicide bombers.

“12 people died, including the bombers, and many were seriously injured. The scene has been visited and victims conveyed to the hospital.

Investigation is in progress.”

Senate, House elect principal officers today

By Henry Umoru, Joseph Erunke, Johnbosco Agbarakwu & Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—THE Senate and House of Representatives will today elect principal officers, as leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, worry over the willingness of their legislators to adhere to peace proposals.

Despite reconciliatory

meetings between APC leadership and the new leadership of the National Assembly, assurances of a seamless election were still in doubt in the House of Representatives as informed sources claimed last night that the presentation of the four principal officers of APC in the House could be deferred.

The APC troubleshooting effort involved meeting between the party, led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker, Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives in the Asokoro, Abuja, residence of the National Chairman.

Though the meeting was not open to journalists, a source present at the meeting which had in attendance all APC senators, said a truce was brokered as all outstanding disputes relating to the principal positions at the National Assembly were settled.

The source said: “They were able to settle all the outstanding disputes relating to the sharing of principal positions at the national assembly.

“It now appears that APC senators and the House of Representatives members will go to tomorrow’s (today) plenary sessions united.”

However, a source close to Odigie-Oyegun hinted that there was no finality in the peace talk, stressing that talks were still ongoing.

According to him, journalists would be informed when there is headway.

A source close to the Senate President said that the matter had been laid to rest.

The source said: “I am not privy to the details of the meeting, but the Senate President has resolved his

differences with the party.”

Candidates

With the development, Senators Ahmad Lawan, APC Yobe North and George Akume, APC Benue North-West, emerge as strong contenders for the position of Senate Leader and Deputy Senate Leader, respectively.

Former Zamfara State governor and Senator representing Zamfara West, Sani Yerima, according to a source, is to be handed Chief Whip with Senator Olusola Adeyeye, APC, Osun Central, as his deputy.

The PDP caucus, as gathered, would push forward Senators James Manager, PDP, Delta South; Phillip Aduda, FCT; Joshua Dariye, Plateau Central and Joshua Lidani, Gombe South, to lead the opposition.

Vanguard gathered further that the refusal of former Senate President, David Mark, to automatically become the Minority Leader, being the most ranking senator, made the pendulum to swing to Manager, who is the highest ranking Senator from the South-South.

Senators loyal to Lawan, under the aegis of Senate Unity Forum, had insisted that the party leaders present the four principal officers, but loyalists of Saraki, on the platform of Like Minds Senators, maintained that the zonal caucuses would decide their leaders.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 — 55

VISIT: From left, Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, and Bishop of Sokoto Diocese of the Catholic Church, Bishop Matthew Kukah, during a visit to the governor in Sokoto, yesterday.

VISIT: From left, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, MD\CEO, Bank of Industry BoI, Alhaji Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi, Emir of Kano, Mr Waheed Olagunju, Executive Director, SME, and other management team of BoI, during the team's courtesy call on the emir in Kano.

NLC slams NASS over 2015 budget ...says budget illegal, unconstitutional

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By Agaju Madugba

ADUNA—THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has described the N120 billion 2015 budget for salaries of legislators in the National Assembly as illegal, unconstitutional and capable of provoking national revolt.

Although the National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Bukola Saraki reportedly reduced the budget from the initial N150 billion, the NLC at a press conference in Kaduna yesterday urged the Legislature to reverse the amount to the 2003 budget of N50 billion.

According to the NLC deputy president, Issa Aremu, the 8th National Assembly, comprising of about 469 members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, must compliment President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to cut cost of governance fuelled by corruption, “the worse form of which is outrageous pay for public office holders.”

According to Aremu, “the critical questions are; should 469 legislators gulp as much as N120 billion in a year which is twice the 2015 budget of Ekiti State of N80.774 billion, a state with the population of 2,384,212 people?

“How equitable is it for less than 500 national legislators to gulp N120 billion annually when Osun State with population of 3,423,535 people and unfunded 2015 appropriation bill of N201 billion is yet to pay salaries for seven months?

“Benue State has as many as 4,219,244 people, it budgeted N98.54 billion; Zamfara has 3,259,846 citizens and budgeted N92.80 billion; and Ebonyi, budgeted N80.02 billion for 2,173,501 people.

“The respective budgets of these three states is half of the

budget of the National Assembly.

How equitable is that?”

Quoting Section 13 of the 1999 Constitution, Aremu noted that the nation’s economic system should not be operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.

Aremu said: “There has been illegal and unconstitutional concentration of scarce national resources in the hands of our legislators and executive office holders alike that must be

reversed now.

“For instance, Kano State budgeted N210 billion in 2015 and it has a population of about 9,383,682 people.

“The budget per capital of Kano, estimated at N22,379 is miserable compared to budget per capital of the National Assembly at N293,398,533.

“No country can prosper with this wide and widening gap in resource allocation between the governed and some elected government officials.

“In April 2009, the late President Umaru Yar ’Adua

commendably and without pressures whatsoever voluntarily cut the salaries and allowances of political public holders by 20 per cent, to reflect the then global financial crisis.

“Late Yar’Adua did not wait for Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC. “As much as N2.5 billion per annum was saved from the deductions which was in turn pooled into a fund used to improve on additional transportation for public sector workers in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT."

Gowon, Ekwueme, Danjuma, others form burial c'ttee for late Asika's wife

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AGOS—PROMINENT Nigerians from all corners of the Federation have come together to form the Burial Committee for late Mrs. Chinyere Asika, OFR. The burial committee, led by General Yakubu Gowon is charged with ensuring a befitting send-off for the late public servant, community leader, icon and matriarch of the Asika family, who passed away on May 3, 2015, aged 75.

The burial committee is made up of close personal friends and family of Mrs. Chinyere Asika and her late husband, Dr. Ukpabi Asika, CFR, former Administrator of East Central State.

Burial Committee members include General T.Y. Danjuma, rtd, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanywanwu, Senator Andy Uba, Chief Chukwueme Ezeife, women empowerment leaders, Otunba Basirat Nahibi and Dr Esther Mangzha and two of Mrs. Asika’s sisters, former

Minister and PDP Women’s Leader, Ambassador Kema Chikwe and Reverend Obii PaxHarry. The secretary of the committee is Enukora Joe Okoli, former Chairman of NSITF and a close confidant of the family.

Chinyere Asika first came to

the public eye as the wife of late Dr Ukpabi Asika, Administrator of former East Central State (now the five SouthEastern states). She worked alongsideherhusbandtorebuildand rehabilitate the war-ravaged region and its citizens.

Afakirya ex-Kogi military administrator is dead

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA—THE former Military Administrator of Kogi State, Col. Bzigu Lassa Afakirya, rtd, is dead.

Afakirya was said to have passed on in Abuja yesterday following an undisclosed illness.

The state governor, Capt. Idris Wada while commiserating with the immediate family of the former administrator, described his death as a loss to the entire country.

Wada in his condolence message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr Jacob Edi, extolled Afakirya thus, “His services in the state left indelible legacies, including two housing estates and water schemes that are still in use in the Confluence State."

Don't retain those who served in Chime's govt, Nsukka people tell Ugwuanyi

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NUGU—NSUKKA people in Enugu State have cautioned the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, against retaining those who served under the immediate-past governor, Sullivan Chime in his administration.

In a statement by the people under the umbrella of Nsukka Patriotic Movement, NPM, they stated that since May 29, 2015, when Ugwwuanyi assumed office, the people had been looking forward to a people-oriented governance, away from what

held sway in the last 16 years.

Those who signed the statement included the NPM National Chairman, Ibuchukwu Ezike; Secretary General, Casmir Agbo and Director of Publicity, Amaechi Ugwele.

They said: ‘’We want to caution Governor Ugwuanyi, and urge him not to allow some powerful elements in the state to stop him from taking the right decisions that will free the state from the apron-strings of forces of darkness.

Rather, he should devise the positive way forward for better deals that will improve the quality of lives of our people. ‘’Let the era of theft of government funds, collapse of public utilities and facilities, illegal allocation of public lands and property to selves and associates, collapse of education to deprive poor families who cannot afford private schools the right to quality education; and conversion of public facilities like the legendary Old Park and Polo field to business uses die with the Chime government."

56— VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23 , 2015

U.S. ‘Not Cured’ of Racism—Obama

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White supremacist leader funds GOP candidates T

HE leader of a white supremacist group cited by Charleston church murder suspect Dylann Roof made $65,000 in donations to Republicans, including several to Republican presidential candidates, The Guardian newspaper reported on Sunday.

The paper reported that one of the candidates, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, will return the $8,500 he received from Earl Holt, leader of the Council of Conservative Citizens. An online manifesto purportedly written by Roof, the suspect in last week’s murder of nine blacks at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, said he learned about “brutal black on white murders” from the Council of Conservative Citizens website.

The Guardian also reported that Holt donated to presidential candidates Rand Paul and Rick Santorum. A spokesman for Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, told the paper that Santorum doesn’t condone racist or hateful comments; Paul’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment from the newspaper.

In a statement posted online Sunday, Holt said that it “was not surprising” that Roof credited his group with his knowledge of black-on-white crime. But he added that the Council of Conservative Citizens is “hardly responsible for the actions of this deranged individual merely because he gleaned accurate information from our

•Dylann Roof

•Rick

HE European Union launched a naval operation yesterday to stop human-traffickers from bringing migrants across the Mediterranean to Europe in unseaworthy boats, a lucrative and at times deadly practice. More than 100,000 migrants have entered Europe so far this year, with some 2,000 dead or missing during the perilous quest to reach the continent. Dozens of boats set off from lawless Libya each week, with Italy and Greece bearing the brunt of the surge.

The naval operation, which was officially launched by EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg, will operate in international waters and airspace until the EU can secure a U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing its effort and permission from Libyan officials to enter their territory.

website,” and said that the group doesn’t condone illegal activities.

Holt also donated to Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, and to several current and former GOP members of Congress, including Iowa Rep. Steve King, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake and former

•Rand Paul Minnesota Rep. and presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, according to the Guardian.

In a statement Monday, Cotton said he had taken the initial steps to refund Holt’s contribution.

“I do not agree with his hateful beliefs and language and believe they are hurtful to our country,” Cotton said.

Pope decries big ‘Powers’ holocaust P

OPE Francis has denounced what he calls the “great powers” of the world for failing to act when there was intelligence indicating Jews, Christians, homosexuals and others were being transported to death camps in Europe during World War II. He also decried the deaths of Christians in concentration camps in Russia under the Stalin dictatorship, which followed the war.

The pope’s harsh assessments came in impromptu remarks during his visit to Turin, northern Italy, when he told young people he understands how

EU launches navy offensive migrant-traffickers

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•Romney

UST days after nine black parishioners were killed in a South Carolina church, President Obama said the legacy of slavery still “casts a long shadow” on American life, and he said that choosing not to say the word “nigger” in public does not eliminate racism from society.

In a wide-ranging conversation about race, including his own upbringing as a man born to a black father and a white woman, Mr. Obama insisted that there was no question that race relations have improved in his lifetime. But he also said that racism was still deeply embedded in the United States.

“The legacy of slavery, Jim Crow, discrimination in almost every institution of our lives, you know, that casts a long shadow, and that’s still part of our DNA that’s passed on,” the president said during an interview for Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast that was released on Monday.

“We’re not cured of it. And it’s not just a matter of it not being polite to say nigger

“We will start implementing the first phase of the operation in the coming days.

This covers information-gathering and patrolling on the high seas to support the detection and monitoring of smuggling networks,” said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

they find it hard to trust the world.

“The great powers had photographs of the railway routes that the trains took to the concentration camps, like Auschwitz, to kill the Jews, and also the Christians, and also the Roma, also the homosexuals,” Francis said, citing the death camp in Poland. “Tell me, why didn’t they bomb” those railroad

routes? Referring to concentration camps that came “a little later ” in Russia, Francis wondered aloud: “How many Christians suffered, were killed” there?

Lamenting the cynicism of world players in the 1930s and 1940s, Francis said: “the great powers divided up Europe like a cake.”

•Obama in public. That’s not the measure of whether racism still exists or not.”

He added, “Societies don’t overnight completely erase everything that happened two to 300 years prior.”

Mr. Obama has been more open about the issue of race during his second term, in part because of racially charged episodes in the last several years. The killing of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager in Florida, and the protests that followed several police shootings have prompted the president to be more reflective about his own racial identity and the nation’s.

In the hourlong interview, Mr. Obama talked about being a rebel during his youth and “trying on” different kinds of personas as he struggled to understand what kind of African-American man he wanted to be.

“I’m trying on a whole bunch of outfits,” Mr. Obama said. “Here’s how I should act. “Here’s what it means to be cool. Here’s what it means to be a man.”

Iran, EU hold nuclear talks as June 30 deadline approach I RAN’S foreign minister and European Union counterparts are holding talks in an effort to reach a deal over Tehran’s nuclear program before a June 30 deadline.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif is holding private talks with counterparts from Germany and France, before meeting with a group of EU leaders on the sidelines of a meeting on Monday of top EU diplomats in Luxembourg.

Speaking to Iranian state TV, Zarif said all sides in the

•Migrants observing Ramadan prayers

nuclear talks should avoid “excessive” demands. He noted differences on both technical and political issues.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius of France, which has been one of the most cautious countries about a possible deal, said his country wanted a “robust” agreement with Iran.

“What does that mean?

That means an extensive regime of verification, including if necessary, military sites and it means

that it is necessary to foresee an automatic return to sanctions in case Iran violates its commitments,” Fabius said in a brief statement after his hourlong meeting with Zarif.

Iran and six nations — the U.S., Russia, China and EU members Britain, France and Germany — are facing the self-imposed deadline in talks aimed to place curbs on Iran’s nuclear program in return for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Moscow ‘powerless to stop’ Russians from fighting in Ukraine The secretary of Russia’s security council said Monday it is impossible to stop Russians from going to fight in Ukraine because they are guided by “emotions.”

Nikolai Patrushev, the hawkish former chief of the federal security service (FSB) who currently sits at the helm of President Vladimir Putin’s group of security advisors, said the conflict is fuelled by US attempts to wipe out

Russia. “We don’t call on people to go and we don’t reward them. But really, it is impossible to prevent it,” he said, once people hear about the “atrocities” happening across the border.

“Emotions go into play, people head over there and fight,” Patrushev said in a wide-ranging interview to Kommersant newspaper published Monday.

The 15-month-long conflict in Ukraine has claimed the lives of nearly 6,500 people and driven more than a million from their homes.

Ukraine and the West say Russia sends regular troops into eastern Ukraine to boost separatist forces in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, but Moscow flatly denies such accusations.

On Monday the European Union formally agreed to prolong damaging economic sanctions against Moscow over its support for the rebels until January 2016.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23 , 2015 — 57

Eritrea defends conscription as thousands flee

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S.Africa denies hatching safe exit for Al Bashir S

OUTH Africa’s government yesterday denied secretly plotting a safe exit from the country for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, despite an international arrest warrant on war crimes charges.

Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity over the conflict in Darfur, flew out of Pretoria last Monday despite a court order that barred his departure.

South Africa’s Sunday Times reported a secret meeting of top ministers that mapped a deal to protect Bashir. It alleged that Bashir was escorted from Johannesburg, where he attended an African Union summit, to his plane in Pretoria by President Jacob Zuma’s personal security detail.

But the authorities said no such meeting took place.

“G o v e r n m e n t categorically denies that there was a secret meeting held by the security cluster ministers,” government spokeswoman Phumla Williams said in a statement.

The government has come under fire from the ICC, rights groups, several other governments and by the opposition at home, over its failure to detain Bashir.

The High Court in Pretoria ordered the government to explain this week why it defied the order that barred Bashir from leaving.

Williams said the government is “expected to

•President Omar al-Bashir provide the court with a report that explains how President al-Bashir left the country”. Meanwhile,

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THIOPIA’S ruling party and its allies celebrated a clean sweep victory in parliament Monday with the announcement of last month’s election results.

The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn secured all 546 parliamentary seats, including the sole seat held by an opposition MP in the previous chamber, said

IBYA’S self-declared government in control of the capital Tripoli has launched air strikes on Islamic State fighters in the city of Sirte, officials and witnesses said on Monday.

Officials said the late Sundaynightattackswereon a building where fighters had gathered, but gave no details of casualties. Witnesses reported they were accurate and said wounded militants had been taken to hospital.

Fighters allied to Islamic State commanders in Iraq and Syria have been gaining ground in Libya, where two rival governments are battling for control and militants have taken advantage of the security vacuum. Islamist State has gained ground in cities like Sirte and Derna to the east, challenging local armed groups and government

forces alike.

“Warplanes of the air force of the National Salvation government conducted air strikes last night on an internal security building in Sirte,” ministry of defense spokesman Mohamed Abdulkafi said by phone, referring to the Tripoli government.

“The strikes targeted a gathering of militants of Islamic State. No figures of casualties from the strikes have been reported so far,” he said. An eyewitness said the bombs hit a former headquarters of former ruler Muammar Gaddafi’s security forces in Sirte.

“Many wounded Islamic State militants were taken to thelocalhospital,”thewitness said, asking not to be identified to protect their security. Black smoke rose over the city.

Merga Bekana, chairman of the electoral board.

Preliminary results for the last outstanding constituency, the southwestern Bonga district where elections were delayed, showed the EPRDF also winning that seat.

“The performance of the ruling party is good but the competition was strong,” Merga told reporters at the release of final results.

“The general elections were characterized by high voter turnout and orderly conduct of the elections proceedings.

The elections were culminated in a free, fair, peaceful, credible and democratic manner.”

EPRDF, in power in Africa’s second-most populous nation for over two decades, along with its allies also won a near clean sweep in regional state councils, winning all but 21 of the 1,987 seats.

African Union observers

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HEN Kenyan police arrested six men in the vast Dadaab refugee camp near the Somali border last April, their ultimate aim was to dismantle a decades-old sugar smuggling trade that

•Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said the May 24 polls passed off without incident, but the opposition alleged the government had used authoritarian tactics to guarantee victory.

Ethiopia, whose 1984 famine triggered a major

service — which begins for children in their last year of high school — “is effectively denying the Eritrean people the right to defend themselves in an existential crisis against a foe 15 to 20 times their total population size,” said a foreign ministry statement posted at the weekend. The UN report described horrific torture, including electric shock, near drowning and sexual abuse. Its nearly 500-page report released in early June details how the country, under Isaias Afwerki’s ironfisted regime for the past 22 years, has created a repressive system in which people are routinely arrested at whim, detained, tortured, killed or go missing.

Asmara said the report was filled with “bias, errors, unsubstantiated and illogical claims, misrepresentations and evidentiary weaknesses that are used to reach final and extraordinary conclusions.”

Kenya wages war on smugglers who fund Somali militants

Ethiopia’s ruling party clears parliamentary seats

Libyan forces strike Islamic State in Tripoli

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parliament will on Tuesday debate the issues surrounding Bashir ’s departure, the main

opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party said Monday.

The DA will also ask South Africa’s ombudsman to investigate whether any public officials abused their powers to facilitate Bashir’s departure from the country.

“It’s clear that a number of individuals including the president, ministers ... have abused their powers, firstly by ignoring the court order and secondly by ignoring the constitutional obligation to detain him,” DA spokesman Marius Redelinghuys told AFP. Bashir has evaded justice since his indictment in 2009 for alleged serious abuses in the western Sudanese region of Darfur. The conflict began in 2003 when black insurgents rose up against his Arabdominated government, protesting they were marginalised.

RITREA has defended its controversial policy of decades-long national service from which some 5,000 people flee each month, saying it has “no other choice” due to threats from long-standing enemy Ethiopia.

Dismissing a United Nations commission of inquiry on the human rights situation in Eritrea — which said the government is responsible for systematic and widespread human rights abuses on an almost unprecedented scale — Asmara justified the mass, open-ended conscription of its people.

Eritreans make up the second-largest number of people risking the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea, after Syrians, running the gauntlet of ruthless people smugglers and dangerous waters in the hope of reaching the European Union. But Asmara said UN criticism of the national

global fundraising effort, has experienced neardouble-digit economic growth and huge infrastructure investment — making the country one of Africa’s top-performing economies and a magnet for foreign investment.

is funding Somali militants waging war on Kenya.

The arrests, coming weeks after four al Shabaab gunmen massacred 148 people at nearby Garissa university, were part of Nairobi’s new strategy to choke off the flow of money to Islamists whose cross-border raids have hammered Kenya and its tourism industry.

While cash from sugar smuggling may amount to only a few million dollars, experts say such sums are enough for attacks that need just a few assault rifles, transport and loyalists ready to die - such as the Garissa raid or the 2013 assault on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall that killed 67 people.

“It’s like the government is awakening,” said a senior Kenyan security source from Garissa region, adding the authorities had previously often “turned a blind eye to all these things because a lot of people were benefiting but at a cost of security.”

However if a lasting impact is to be secured more must be done, say security and diplomatic sources. That includes rooting out corruption in the police force and going after smuggling cartel bosses as well as the middle men detained so far.

Egypt receives navy vessels from U.S.

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HE United States has delivered two navy vessels to Egypt, doubling Cairo’s total fleet of Fast Missile Craft to four, the U.S. embassy in Cairo said on Monday.

The statement said the vessels had arrived in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria on June 17 aboard a U.S. transport ship.

“The Fast Missile Craft directly supports maritime and regional security, which includes protecting vital waterways such as the Suez Canal and the Red Sea,” said U.S. Embassy Senior Defense Official in Cairo Major General Charles Hooper.

Despite U.S. lawmakers’ concerns that

Egypt is lagging on democratic reforms, Egypt remains one of Washington’s closest security allies in the region.

Relations had cooled after former President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood was overthrown by the military in 2013 after mass protests against his rule, but ties with Abdel Fattah al-Sisi,

his successor, have steadily improved.

In late March, U.S. President Barack Obama lifted a hold on a supply of arms to Cairo, authorizing deliveries of U.S. weapons valued at over $1.3 billion.

Egypt’s new $8 billion Suez Canal, that will flank the existing 145-year old waterway, will open on August 6.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—58

From left: Dr. Sola Afolabi, Team Leader, Accelerated Trade in West Africa; Dr. Peter Jack, Director, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDAl; Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Chairman of African ICT Alliance, and Waudo Signanga, Chairman, Kenyan Computer Society, at the just concluded African ICT Alliance Chief Executive Officers Round Table in partnership with Internet Corporation Assigned Names and Numbers, ICANN in Abuja. Photo: Emeka Aginam.

Al-makura, Ambode make case for people with disabilities

By Funmi Ajumobi & Amaka Abayomi

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OVERNOR Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has called on members of the National Assembly to speedily work to pass the disability bill into law as well as work on domesticating the United Nations’Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, PWD, which Nigeria ratified in September 2010.

This came as Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State has said the state pioneered the enactment of the Special Peoples Law of 2011.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day international conference on disabilities, entitled "Creating an inclusive society for all," Almakura, who is hearing impaired, said the ratification enabled a Nigerian to be a member of the UN 18 Member Committee of Experts and that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed and willing to better the plight of PWD. He said: “The theme is not only apt but relevant and timely as Nigeria is

now making the national effort to exemplify the political slogan of Change.

We need to change to a more responsive and compassionate form of leadership where everyone’s voice can be heard and count, including those of PWD. “Our focus is to see how societes can improve access to health, education and social welfare for PWD and also build their capacity and provide them with employment. We should understand that inclusivd growth is a concept that advances equitable opportunities for economic advancement by every section of the society.

“Today, disability is an important isssue of concern which seems to have taken its rightful place in the Nigerian society. But despite the efforts of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, which I am an avid member, disability continue to be at the receiving end as the disability bill is yet to be signed into law, PWD still remain marginlised and discriminated against, and we are yet to create the fully inclusive society that we all

wish to enjoy.”

On his part, the Lagos State Governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, said issues concerning PWD have, over the years, continued to receive public attention especially with respect to giving due recognition to their rights, stopping discrimination generally promoting the principles of social inclusion.

He said: “Part of the implementation is the registration of PWD and issuance of certificate/blue badges otherwise known as disabled parking permit, reservation of one out of 20 parking spaces for PWD as being implemented within the Lagos State Government Secretariat, and the construction of ramps and handrails for easy access to public buildings, among others.”

Ambode pointed out that one of the challenge PWD face and which shall be given due attention is lack of facilities in the public transport system and promised that disability friendly buses will soon be on Lagos roads.

Ha-Shem Network emerges 2015 Nigerian Microsoft partner

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BUJA—HA-SHEM Network Services Limited has emerged the 2015 Microsoft Country Partner of the Year Award for Nigeria.

The company was honored among a global field of top Microsoft partners for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology.

Speaking on the award, the Corporate vice president, Worldwide Partner Group, Microsoft

Corp, said Phil Sorgen said: “We are honored to recognize Ha-Shem Network services limited of Nigeria as a Microsoft Country Partner of the Year.

“Ha-Shem Network services limited’s dedication to providing outstanding value for our mutual customers is a prime example of the excellence we see in our talented community of Microsoft partners.”

According to him, the award recognized HaShem Network Services

Ltd. as succeeding in effective engagement with its local Microsoft office, while showcasing innovation and business impact, driving customer satisfaction, and winning new customers.

Responding, the Managing Director, HaShem Network Services Ltd, Mojisola Sodunke, said the emergence of Hashem in the contest was an affirmation of hrd work and commitment demonstrated by the company with the year.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 — 59

Eaglets know World Cup opponents August 6 W

ORLD football – governing body, FIFA, will hold the Draw Ceremony for this year ’s FIFA U-17 World Cup finals at the Art Centre 660 in Santiago de Chile on Thursday, August 6, 2015.

According to the programme of the event, which will formally bring the world’s attention to the competition that holds in eight Chilean cities from 17 October – 8 November, the Draw Ceremony will be followed by the Official Draw Banquet, at the Grand Hyatt Santiago, the same day.

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets have the opportunity to defend the crown they won with so much applause in United Arab Emirates in 2013, after qualifying for this year ’s finals. A fourth –place finish at the African U17 Championship in Niger Republic in February sent the Eaglets to Chile.

Africa will be represented by Nigeria, Mali, Guinea and South America, while Ru s s i a , G e r m a n y, France, Belgium, England and Croatia will fly Europe’s flag. New Zealand will represent Oceania; USA, Mexico, Honduras and Costa Rica will fly the flag of North and Central America, and South America sends Ecuador, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, alongside hosts Chile.

North Korea, Australia, Syria and Korea Republic will fly Asia’s flag.

The tournament’s 52 matches will be played across Santiago de Chile, Puerto Montt, Chillan, Concepcion, Ta l c a , L a S e r e n a , Coquimbo and Vina del Mar. Nigeria has triumphed at the cadet World Cup on four occasions, in 1985, 1993, 2007 and 2013.

Chile, currently hosting the Copa America finals, hosted the FIFA World Cup in 1962, and has also hosted the FIFA U-20 World Cup (1987) and the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (2008)

MADOU Gallo Fall, the Executive Director, National Basketball Association — NBA-Africa — said he took to basketball by accident but wishes to prepare African potential players for the sport.

“I wish to reverse the story for the upcoming African potential players interested in the sport,” Fall told a news conference in Lagos on Monday.

According to him, since knowing that there are many benefits from the sport, he is now determined to change the story for many of the African youths, who can profit like him from the sport.

“I and many of my

Pinnick

Continues from BP

He also spoke on the latest cases of indiscipline involving skipper Vincent Enyeama and Ogenyi Onazi, insisting nobody is bigger than Nigeria.

Onazi was fined $5,000 for his sending off against Chad in an AFCON qualifier and Enyeama will on today face the NFF disciplinary committee after his statement questioning the safety of Kaduna for the match.

“Will you do that at your club?” he asked about the needless red card Onazi bagged.

“Enyeama made careless and provocative statements

F

Mfon Udoka - Former Captain of D'Tigers, Col. Sam Ahmedu- President FIBA Africa Zone 3, Ahmadou Gallo-Fall- VP NBA Africa Dan NgeremPresident Dan Ngerem Foundation & Chairman Dodan Warriors Management Board, Julius Nwosu – Former D’Tigers Captain, Matabene Amachree – Former D’Tigers Star and WNBA Player

Amadou fall of NBA-Africa says commitment is for the NBA in the U.S. to raise grassroots potential “Since the platform also

A

about Kaduna and we felt very bad about it. It cost us as it heightened the security situation in Kaduna.”

He said the executive committee will soon take a decision on the Flying Eagles and the Super Falcons after they both crashed out of their various World Cups this month.

Pinnick further disclosed that the NFF are probing the reported application of Stephen Keshi to coach Cote d’Ivoire.

“We will look into it. Let’s wait and see,” he said.

“But it will be suicidal to say he wants to seek employment somewhere else when we are not owing him.”

2016 Olympics qualifier: FIFA names officials for Falcons, E. Guinea

colleagues from different parts of Africa do not want the story to continue that way.

“We want many of the youth, particularly those of 7 feet and above, to be better prepared for the sport,” said Fall, who is managing the NBA office in Johannesburg.

“Our findings from playing in the NBA and college basketball in the U.S. have shown that the sport can unlock many opportunities for even those who could wish to take other calling in life”.

He explained that they set up the Johannesburg office in collaboration with the NBA to create platforms for the spread of the message of basketball in the continent.

“We are committed to creating opportunities for the development of the game at the grassroots, then eventually spread our dragnets for the development of talents

Rivers athletes hail Wike A THLETES in the employment of Rivers state government have hailed governor Nyesom Wike for promising to pay them their allowances and salaries dating back to the middle of 2014.

Governor Wike had last week promised to pay all outsatnding salaries owed both the state-owned football clubs (Dolphins,Sharks and Rivers Angel) and the athletes who brought unprecedented glory and

Iheanacho Continues from BP that just returned from the FIFA U-20 World Cup, including Manchester City starlet, Kelechi Iheanacho for the impending Africa U-23 Championship qualifier against Congo next month.

Sports Vanguard has gathered that Iheanacho’s invitation has been given a cold reception by his club, Manchester City owing to the treatment the player received from coach Manu Garba during the team’s campaign in the FIFA U20 World Cup.

seeks to encourage the combining of sports and education, it then means that those unable to make the NBA could divert their talents to other areas of human endeavours.''

IFA has appointed match officials for the Super Falcons 2016 Olympics qualifying fixture against Equatorial Guinea next month.

For the first leg taking place at the National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, July 18, Malian Kankou Coulibaly will be the Referee. Fellow Malians Djeneba Dembele, Mariam Coulibaly and Fatou Sacko will be Assistant Referee 1, Assistant Referee 2 and Fourth Official respectively.

Halimatou Hamidou from Niger Republic will be the Referee Assessor while Arret Nje Jah from The Gambia will be the Match Commissioner.

For the return leg slated forBataonAugust2,Angolan Marximina Luzia Bernardo will be the Referee. Fellow Angolans Luisa Massanga Luhaco, Andalia Bimbi Francisco Jeremias and Tania Marisa Duarte will be Assistant Referee 1, Assistant Referee 2 and Fourth Official respectively.

Iheanacho saw only 83 minutes of action, in a tournament the team played four matches. This infuriated the former English Premier League champions.

The club’s scouting and recruitment operations manager Fergal Harkin demanded a technical report from the NFF. City were also aghast that another youth star, Chidebere Nwakali who was also at the tournament in New Zealand, even got a worse treatment as he was made to warm the bench

honour to Rivers state especially at the National Sports Festival.

‘We are really delighted that we have a new governor that loves sports and has agreed to pay us our outstanding allowances and salaries,’wrote the athletes in a press release sent to our correspondent.

‘We are not only happy he (Wike) has promised to pay us the backlog of salaries and allowances,we are specially delighted that the governor has shown himself as one who will love sports all through the tournament until the last ten minutes of the second round match against Germany in which the Eagles lost 1- 0.

We gathered that City, who are yet to receive any response from the Nigeria Football Federation on the treatment of Iheanacho and Nwakali are not enthusiastic over the latest invitation of Iheanacho for the Africa U-23 qualifier next month, which is likely to clash with the club’s preseason tour of Australia for which Iheanacho has been penned down.

•Gov. Wike and this has given us the extra motivation to continue to put in our best for our dear state,’further read the statement jointly signed by Abayomi Bamgbopa and Taiwo Suleiman.

Maradona Continues from BP president of FIFA and authorised me to inform,” Morales posted in Spanish on his twitter feed. “’I am a candidate’ were the two words Diego Maradona used to answer me when I consulted him about the nomination for the presidency of FIFA,” he added in another tweet.

Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro, earlier this month suggested that Maradona should become the next FIFA president.

60 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

Rangers TRANSFER to sue GHALCA over unpaid $30,000 TALKS...TRANSFER TALKS...

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HE saga of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) and Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers over unpaid monies is far from over as the Nigerian Premier League club have threatened to place a court injunction on any President’s Cup tournament organised by GHALCA until the $30,000 owed them for featuring in the tournament two years ago, is settled.

According to Rangers, after their efforts to get the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to resolve the issue after petitioning them, they have been left with no option than seek legal redress.

A source close to the club told the Graphic Sports in a telephone interview that legal action was the only way they could get GHALCA?to pay the money, as the impression had been created that some monies had been advanced to them.

“Since the story broke about three months ago that GHALCA?had made part payment to us, some of our fans have been looking at us with suspicious eyes. We tried

to get the GFA to intervene, but till date, nothing has been done to resolve the issue. The only thing was a reassurance that the money will be paid, Unfortunately, it’s taken too long to get this sorted out,” the source told the Graphic Sports.

Asked what they would want from the court, the source said: First to place an injunction on GHALCA organising any new President’s Cup until the money owed us is paid.

We have had to go to court because the GFA who we expected to resolve the issue has not been able to.”

Basketball: Federation’s president commends Nigeria’s victory at championship

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R E S I D E N T, Federation International Basketball Association (FIBA), Africa Zone 3, Sam Ahmedu, has said that he was delighted at the nation’s victory at the just concluded 3 by 3 Basketball Championships held in Lagos.

The nation won the overall medal at the maiden edition of the championship on Sunday that involved teams from .Ngeria , the host; Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Liberia and the republic of Benin.

Also no less than 40 games were played on each day of the tournament which began on June 18 with a workshop for team officials and referees The nation clinched the gold medal in the Senior

Men category by defeating Cote d’ Ivoire, 17-13, while the Senior Women team edged out Togo, 21-9, to claim the available gold medal and trophy.

For their efforts, the senior men won medals, the championship trophy and 2,000 dollars or N400,000, while the senior women won medals, the trophy, and 1,000 dollars or N200,000.

Ahmedu said, “‘I am happy with the performances of the teams that participated in the competition, it was a wellcontested tournament and all the participants were worthy ambassadors of the 3 by 3 basketball game.

•FREE KICK ... Rangers International of Enugu ready for a freekick during one of their league matches.

AAG: Nigeria Wrestling Federation proposes national trials in July

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RESIDENT of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel Igali, has said the Federation was proposing a national trials for next month.

Igali said in Lagos that the trials would assist in the selection of athletes for the forthcoming All-Africa Games in (AAG) Congo Brazzaville.

He said the trials would hold on a date to be

decided later.

“We are having national trials next month, but the date is yet to be decided. It is a step that we need to take to narrow down the numbers of wrestlers we have.

“The national trials are open to everyone without restrictions. We are encouraging as many wrestlers as possible to participate.

“It is open to both male

Olawale confident of revival

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•Olawale

OLPHINS attacking midfielder Isiaka Olawale is positive his side will get back to winning ways as they look to revive their ailing season.

After their draw against Giwa FC n the Nigeria Premier League last weekend, Dolphins find themselves 17th on the table with just 12 points, two ahead of rockbottom Sharks and facing a relegation scrap in the second half of the campaign.

Olawale, though, is confident Dolphins would turn the corner, saying: “I think hard luck is our bane and challenge both on the home and away fronts which has seen us go home with unconvincing results.

•NECK BEAKER . . . Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria tries to beak the neck of Australian Louise Randle in the women’s freestyle wrestling in the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Kaita backs Ifeanyi Ubah FC to win league

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FEANYI Ubah FC midfielder Sani Kaita has said that his

•Kaita

club are on course to win the Nigeria league this season.

The former Kuban Krasnodar of Russia midfielder said the team have the class to be champions in their first season back in the top flight.

“We have a fantastic team here who are capable of winning the league,” Kaita said.

“It was a fantastic game against El

Kanemi, all the players worked very hard in the game and we must be proud of ourselves for the emphatic away victory.

“I have not seen such result before in Nigeria league.

“I believe we are on the right track to win the league, I believe we will keep up, that’s what we are working for, we’ll take it game by game.”

and female wrestlers,” Igali said.

The NWF president said two of the country’s U.S.based male wrestlers have already indicated their interest in participating in the trials.

The former wrestler said he was happy to see the young ones waking up to their responsibilities and ready to fly the nation’s flag.

“This is a good development and I hope we will get to see more of this. Our young ones need to be more committed and focused.

“There is no automatic slot into the national team, and they all have to fight for space,” he said.

Igali said the top three in all 24 categories of wrestling in the country would have the opportunity to be in the trials, for the final selection to the Games.“All the best wrestlers will be called to camp for the final trials to select the eventual representatives at the Games,” he said.

The NWF president said that the Federation was doing its best to ensure wrestling maintained its status of a Grade A sport.

•Hon. Igali

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015—61

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62 —

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

TRANSFER TALKS...TRANSFER TALKS...

Chelsea slam £17.5m price tag on Salah

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•Cech has completed his move from Chelsea to Arsenal ahead of the next Premier League season.

HELSEA will be ready to sell Mohamed Salah for a reported £17.5 million.

According to the Standard, the English Premier League champions would be open to letting the Egyptian winger leave the club permanently, if the right offer is made.

Fiorentina have expressed their desire to keep hold of the 23year-old for another season, but Salah has yet to decide whether he will return to the Italian outfit.

The former Basel wideman spent the secondhalf of the 2014/2015 season on-loan at the Serie A side, scoring eight goals in 18 league and Italian cup appearances for Viola.

If Salah decides against returning to

Cech completes £11m switch to Stamford Bridge Arsenal •Leaves •play against Blues on August 2 in Community Shield A

RSENAL have completed the signing of Chelsea’s Petr Cech, and the goalkeeper could face his former club as soon as August 2 in the Community Shield at Wembley.

Talks over an £11million deal have been ongoing since the season ended and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has finally made the 33year-old his first signing of the summer.

Jose Mourinho was reluctant to sell Cech to a direct Barclays Premier League rival but, although there has been no official confirmation, Sportsmail can reveal the transfer has gone through.

Paris Saint-Germain formally approached Chelsea about the veteran, but the Czech Republic international preferred to stay in London where his family are based.

Cech wanted to leave Chelsea after playing second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois during their title-winning season, and owner Roman Abramovich has granted him his wish.

Cech’s arrival means either Wojciech Szczesny or David Ospina, who is wanted

by Fenerbahce, is likely C M Y K

to leave Arsenal this summer. It also means Chelsea goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon could follow Cech to Arsenal.

M o u r i n h o , meanwhile, is set to search for Cech’s replacement with Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir

Begovic understood to be their prime target.

Chelsea captain John Terry gave Arsenal supporters an idea of what to expect from Cech on Monday by claiming he will save them ’12 to 15 points a season’.

Cech spent 11 years at

Stamford Bridge and Terry told talkSPORT the goalkeeper can be the difference between a title and second place.

‘If they (Arsenal) do get Pete he’s going to strengthen them, for sure, and save them 12, 15 points a season,’ the 34-year-old said.

•Sterling

Florence, Chelsea would be eager to sell the attacker - as reported by www.standard.co.uk Several clubs, including Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Roma have been tipped as possible suitors for the Pharaohs magician

•Kane

Sterling, Kane are worth £100m — Terry

OHN Terry has £34m Martinez wants Arsenal move ofJunder-fire leapt to the defence Liverpool ACKSON Martinez winger Raheem Sterling.

The England Jhas hinted that he is holding out for a move international has come to Arsenal, despite AC Milan having agreed a fee for the Colombian striker. Currently at the Copa America, Martinez is believed to want Champions League football next season, something Milan can’t but Arsenal can offer him.

The 28 year old has scored a sensational 92 goals in three seasons in Portugal, and is now ready to further his career elsewhere. With a £24million release clubs that several clubs are willing to meet, Arsenal know what it will take to sign Martinez – but does Arsene Wenger want to spend over £20million on a player who turns 29 this year? I don’t think he would mind, if he is the difference between winning and losing the

•Salah

in for heavy criticism as he looks to secure a move away from Liverpool.

Manchester City have already had two bids turned down but are expected to succeed with an offer of £50m Terry doesn’t blame Sterling for his actions and told TalkSPORT: “I know Raheem has been

taking a bit of stick recently, but I was extremely impressed by him and how good he was “I didn’t realise until I got to play three or four times against him how he is an exceptional player.

“At times he has been unfairly done by. He is a young player that wants to play at the very top and for the very best.

He has ambitions to play in the Champions League and continue playing for his country.”

Juventus sign Mandzukic

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•Martinez Premier League title – which it could be – then he would be worth it.

Martinez told reporters at the weekend: “[Arsenal]’s a big club in one of the best leagues in the world. We have to

see if an offer will become a reality or not,” “The day we’ll know where my future goes is near. I still haven’t decided, as I’m focused on the Copa America right now.”

UVENTUS have officially confirmed the signing of Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic for €19m plus bonuses. It emerged last week that the Bianconeri had agreed a deal for the Croatian international, who underwent a medical in Turin this morning, and the club has now

officially announced the deal is done.

“Juventus Football Club can announce that an agreement has been reached with Atletico Madrid for the services of Mario Mandzukic, who has signed a four-year contract,” a statement on the Old Lady’s official website read.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015 — 63

CHILE 2015 COPA AMERICA

Brazil can win the Copa America without Neymar — Robinho R

OBINHO predicts that Brazil can still progress to greater things at the Copa America despite the exclusion of Neymar.

Brazil’s captain is suspended for the tournament following a red card against Colombia but the Seleção still comfortably beat Venezuela in his absence.

Robinho assisted the first goal in their 2-1 win and thinks the team showed enough quality to take confidence into the next round.

“Neymar is a player who makes the difference, but the team that wants to be champion can not depend on just one player. We have players who can do the job. We will do everything to improve.”

Brazil next face Paraguay in the quarter finals on Saturday.

TV presenter uses breasts to predict games

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HE Copa America has given the chance for televisions hosts from the South American country to get their kit off.

First where was the presenter who kept her promise to take her clothes off if Venezuela won a game (which they did against Colombia in their opening match.

Now another host has used parts of her anatomy to try and predict group games in the Copa America and you know what...she gets most of them right!

Placing flags of the corresponding countries and then wiggling her boobs until one falls off is the process she’s gone for; the first flag to fall off being the losing team.

Paul the Octopus it certainly isn’t!

Here are the games she predicted and the results: Chile vs Ecuador.

Prediction: Chile win CORRECT Mexico vs Boliva.

Prediction: draw CORRECT Uruguay vs Jamaica.

Prediction: Uruguay win - CORRECT. C M Y K

WE CAN MAKE IT.... Brazil star, Robinho in handshake with his coach, Dunga assuring him of Copa America trophy.

Neymar: Why I left the Brazil squad N EYMAR has explained why he decided to leave the Brazil camp after the decision was made not to appeal his four-match Copa America ban.

The 23-year-old was red carded after the full-time whistle in Brazil’s second group game against Colombia – which they lost 1-0 – for attempting to headbutt an opposition player.

Neymar subsequently made the situation worse for himself by launching a barrage of abuse at referee Enrique Osses, including an accusation that the official was “trying to become famous at my expense, son of a b****”.

The Barcelona star now says that it would “kill me inside” to stay with the squad just to train.

“I waited with great faith and hope that there would be a possibility of me playing for Brazil again in this Copa America but, unfortunately, it will not be possible,” Neymar wrote on his official Instagram account.

“I know my presence in the group is important but other players now more than ever have to be focused on the upcoming games.

“I will be cheering for the team’s success but to stay in training would kill me inside. It would be joyless."

Argentines leave fingerprints on Copa T’S too early to say I if 11 Argentines will lift the Copa America after the final in Chile on July 4 but the chances are that at least one Argentine will.

Six of the 12 coaches who started the competition are Argentine and five of those who progressed to the last eight are, an unusually high percentage and one that highlights the prestige Argentine managers have around the region.

“There are six Argentine coaches and that means that at international level, coaches, just like players, have shown they can do well in these kind of tournaments,” Ramon Diaz, the Argentine coach of Paraguay said.

In addition to Diaz, Jorge Sampaoli is boss of hosts Chile and Jorge Pekerman leads Colombia.

Ricardo Gareca is in

•Martino charge of Peru at his first i n t e r n a t i o n a l tournament, Gustavo Quinteros was in the dugout for Ecuador, and former Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino leads his own nation and tournament favourites Argentina.

Of the five who have gone abroad all bar Diaz have long-standing ties to their adopted nation.

Most of them also have a successful track record at club level in their second home.

Peru, Colombia in last-eight

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ERU and Colombia claimed their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa America after they drew 0-0 in their final group match on Sunday.

With all of the Group C teams having claimed a win and a loss, the four were deadlocked on three points with a goal difference of zero heading into the deciding round.

However, with their superior number of goals scored, a draw was enough for both teams to go through.

Colombia asserted themselves early but Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made an important save in the fourth minute when he tipped Radamel Falcao’s effort from a free-kick

•Neymar

•Falcao around the post.

Colombia left back Pablo Armero then went close with a fierce shot from the edge of the box but could only find the side netting before Juan Cuadrado lashed a 25yard effort wide.

Colombia’s Valencia out for six months

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OLOMBIA midfielder Edwin Valencia will be out of action for between five and six months after tearing a cruciate ligament in his right knee at the Copa America, the team said yesterday.

Valencia was carried off on a stretcher after 20

minutes of Colombia’s goalless draw with Peru on Sunday.

He is likely to miss part of the Brazilian season with his club side Santos.

Colombia face Argentina on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Copa.

DOWN AND OUT.... Colombia's midfielder Edwin Valencia injured.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

FIFA presidency: Maradona declares interest A

RGENTINE soccer legend Diego Maradona, has

Indiscipline bane of Eagles – Pinnick •Dismisses Keshi’s purported interest in vory Coast job

GUILTY: Super Eagles players with coach Keshi, NFF boss says indiscipline is affecting their output.

City to stop Iheanacho from U-23 duties

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HE national U-23 coach, Samson

Siasia early this week, invited some members of

the Flying Eagles squad Continues on Page 59

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RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has revealed that there are cliques in the Super Eagles, adding that the players were not friends and they lacked discipline.

Pinnick who was speaking on a television programme Monday morning touched on a wide-range of issues affecting the national team.

“I noticed that the players are not friends, there are various cliques and all of these stuff,” revealed Pinnick, adding, “they should love themselves.

“There is a level of indiscipline and this impacts negatively on the performance of the team.”

Continues on Page 59

decided to contest for the FIFA presidency after Sepp Blatter steps down later this year.

Uruguayan journalist and author, Victor Hugo Morales, has claimed that Maradona had told him of his intention when he called him to check on the condition of his sick father on Sunday June 21, 2015.

“He told me he was going to run for Continues on Page 59

•Maradona

•Ccech

Cech completes £11million switch to Arsenal — Page 61 QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S ANSWERS YESTERDAY'S

ACROSS: 1 Range (5) 5 Disperse (6) 8 Command (5) 10 Ascertain (6) 11 Egg-shaped (4) 14 Liking (6) 15 Hide (7) 18 Entrap (3) 19 Faucet (3) 21 Adroit (4) 23 Kingly (5) 24 Present (4) 27 Lair (3) 29 Lout (3) 31 Fundamental (7) 32 Rubber (6) 34 Travel (4) 35 Dragged (6) 38 Vigilant (5) 39 Dirk (6) 40 Blithe (5)

DOWN: 2 Tin (3) 3 Swoop (6) 4 Stray (3) 5 Fall (4) 6 Climbed (6) 7 Hidden (6) 9 Discussed (7) 12 Vehicle (3) 13 Tardy (4) 16 Formerly (4) 17 Beer (5) 20 Style (7) 22 Insect (4) 24 Respected (6) 25 Bellow (4) 26 Relaxing (6) 28 Tiny (6) 30 Nourished (3) 33 Breed (4) 36 Limb (3) 37 Spike (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Normal 5, Spar 8, Aorta 9, Gas 10, Town 11, Risk 12, Ether 13, Lurked 16, Mean 18, Crib 20, His 22, Sit 23, Had 24, Menu 25, Plea 28, Draped 30, Sport 32, Trio 33, Aide34, Gag 35, Trite 36, Meet 37, Studio.

DOWN: 1, Nigle 2, Restrain 3, Anthem 4, Contented 5, Stretch 6, Pair 7, Rake 8, Awe 14, Desperate 15 Bid 17, Ail 19, Rampaged 20, Hem 21, Support 26, Ardent 27, Adagio 29, Stem 30, Site 31, Tie.

How to Play Sudoku

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lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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