NNPC, oil firms fleeced Nigeria of $4.4bn - NEITI

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 63034

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TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

HERDSMEN'S ATTACKS:

Court remands Fayose bans Fani-Kayode in EFCC open grazing in custody for 21 days

Ekiti

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NNPC, oil firms fleeced Nigeria of $4.4bn— NEITI •Shell, Total, Mobil fingered in under-payments •Nigeria earned $58bn from oil, gas in 2013 •Under-payments not true —NNPC/NAPIMS •Un-reconciled figures narrowed to less than 1%

By Clara Nwachukwu & Michael Eboh

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BUJA— THE Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), yesterday, accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and other oil and gas companies of shortchanging the country and failing to remit $4.4 billion and N358.3 billion to the Federation Account in 2013.

This comes as Lagosbased indigenous chartered accounting firm, SIAO Partners, had been Continues on Page 5

Okonjo-Iweala to appeal judgement on alleged N30trn missing money •P.9 COMMISSIONING: From left, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State during the commissioning of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) rescue equipment, at Oshodi, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez. STORY ON PAGE 6.

Why govs are still opposed to TSA — OKOWA •P.12 COLUMNIST : We’ll resist oil exploration in Ogoni after clean-up Buhari's presidency: —Rivers monarch, Vibrant support and activist agonising regret•P.17 See Inside C M Y K

ALLEGED N3.9BN FRAUD:

How Badeh bought Fayose's land for •P.44 N650m

Mr & Mrs

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POCKET CARTOON 2013, but not remitted to the Federal Government or the Federation Account, now stood at $12.9 billion.

The report also stated that the NNPC only remitted $100 million in 2014, of a total $1.8 billion expected from the divestment of its 55 per cent equity stakes in eight oil assets from the Shell JV to its subsidiary, the NPDC, adding that the NNPC failed to pay for crude oil lifted from these oil assets on behalf of the NPDC.

TOUR: From left, Member, House Committee on Industries, Mr Emmanuel Akpan; Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Moriki; Managing Director, Hortigraph Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Murtala Abubakar and Acting Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Paul Angga, during an inspection tour of National Meteorology Institute in Enugu, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

NNPC, oil firms defrauded Nigeria of $4.4bn — NEITI Continues from Page 1 contracted by NEITI to carry out the 2014 audit, even as it is in the process of procuring auditors for its 2015 audit.

Minister of Solid Minerals and Chairman of NEITI Board, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who disclosed this in Abuja, during the release of the 2013 Oil & Gas and Solid Minerals’ Audit Reports, also revealed that Nigeria lost $5.966 billion and N20.4 billion in 2013 to crude oil theft, Offshore Processing Agreement, OPA, and Crude Oil for Product Swap Arrangement.

Oil, gas earnings

The NEITI report further stated that the country earned $58.07 billion from oil and gas sector, dropping eight per cent from $62.9 billion realised in 2012, adding that the sum was earned from crude oil sales, taxes, royalties and other incomes.

Explaining the decline in oil and gas earnings in the year under review, NEITI attributed this to a drop in oil and gas sales, following divestment of federation equity in some oil assets and crude oil losses.

In addition, the report noted that N33.86 billion accrued to the federation from the solid minerals sector in 2013.

Broken down further, cement manufacturing companies accounted for N30.47 billion or 89.98 per cent of the total; construction companies, N1.98 billion or 5.83 per cent and; mining & quarrying companies, N1.42 billion or 4.19 per cent respectively.

Giving a breakdown of the figures in the oil and gas report, Fayemi said NNPC and its sub-units failed to remit $3.8 billion and N358.3 billion in 2013, while $599.98 million was under-assessments/ underpayments of petroleum profit taxes and royalties by oil and gas companies.

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192 OUR feelings are always subject to your will.

It doesn’t matter how you feel at the moment, if the will and determination is there, you will achieve your goals. It's up to you.

Y

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482

There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self— Henri Frederic Amiel

E

VERYTHING that has living cells communicates, but humans with our selective indifference discriminate unfairly how we choose to engage with others. Some people tend to engage only with those who meet their prerequisites of worthiness.

But an awakened person engages in right discrimination and is aware and considerate how they treat others irrespective of social status.

Compassion allows one a connectedness with all of life to become a more loving breathing, continuum of a loving heart.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE It is not hunger that makes a cat to be smaller than a tiger, it is its nature.

In the case of the NNPC and its sub-units, the report stated that outstanding payments were due from unpaid considerations from divested Oil Mining Leases, OMLs, cash call refunds from the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS; and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, liftings from Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, Joint Venture, JV, among others.

Under-payments not true —NNPC/NAPIMS

But in a quick response, NAPIMS, the investment arm of the NNPC, in charge of vetting and approving oil and gas ventures and expenditure in Nigeria, insisted that it was not true.

NNPC’s spokesman, Mr. Mohammed Garbadeen, refused to pick his calls. But his NAPIMS counterpart, Mr. Laminu Ahmed, in a telephone response said: “I also read it (report), but it is not true. Let them crosscheck the records because that amount is too high.

Nobody can do such a thing and other organisations did not know until now.”

Ahmed argued that since NAPIMS approved all of the Joint Ventures, JVs and Production Sharing Contracts, PSCs, and other oil and gas industry investments in Nigeria, such underpayments “are simply not possible.”

NLNG dividends

Specifically, the report accused the NNPC of failing to remit $1.289 billion Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, dividends, interest and loan repayment for the year under review, despite acknowledging receipt of the said amount from the NLNG. To this end, the report stated that with the 2013 figure, the total NLNG payments received by the NNPC between 2005 and

Shell, Total, Mobil fingered in under-payments

In the area of oil and gas companies shortchanging the country to the tune of $599.98 million, the report identified Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, TEPNG; Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, MPNU, as the worst offenders in the area of under-assessment/ under-payments in the Petroleum Profit Tax, PPT, validation, while SPDC, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) and Pan Ocean were worst offenders in terms of royalty validation.

Specifically, Total, SPDC and Mobil were fingered in under-assessments/underpayments of $294.87 million, $53.9 million and $49.207 million respectively in Petroleum Profit Tax; while SPDC, SNEPCO and Pan-Ocean were fingered in $73.16 million, $50.946 million and $28.006 million royalty under-assessments/ under-payment in the period under review.

However, none of the IOCs mentioned responded to Vanguard enquiries by calls, texts or electronic messages. While Total promised to provide its response tomorrow (today), Mobil urged that it be “allowed a reasonable response time, given the timing of your inquiry.”

Shell simply did not offer a response of any kind.’’

JV/PSC valuations

With regard to JV and PSCs valuations, the NEITI report further said: “The value of under-assessment on the fiscal valuation of chargeable oil was over $431.5 million.

"The JV companies had the highest underassessment of over $410.9 million followed by the PSCs with over $15.8 million and Marginal Fields/Sole Risks with $6.7 million.

“The under/over assessments were computed based on the advised pricing methodology by NNPCCOMD as against pricing methodologies used by the companies.

"For instance, SPDC applied a different pricing methodology against the prices advised by NNPCCOMD, resulting in revenue loss of over $6.2

billion in the last eight years.”

On royalty

In the area of royalty, the NEITI report stated that the lingering pricing dispute between International Oil Companies, IOCs, and the Nigerian government had resulted in revenue loss of over $4.2 billion in the last eight years.

The report added that “the royalty payable on crude oil by companies is a function of the value of the crude oil, which in turn is determined by the price. There have always been issues over the pricing mechanism to be adopted in the computation of royalty, that is, whether Official Selling Price, OSP, as determined by NNPC, or Realisable Price (RP), as determined by companies, should be used.

“Royalty under assessments decreased from $465 million, comprising 30 entities, in 2012 to $166.54 million, comprising 17 entities, in 2013, representing a decrease of 64 per cent. The under assessment recorded was mainly as a result of price differentials between the official government position and that of the oil companies.

“The Production Sharing Companies, PSCs, entities had the proportion of 34 per cent under-assessment, while the JV entities had 65 per cent. Total under assessment from marginal fields amounted to $443.182 million, representing one per cent. This was due to the fact that reconciliation meetings were held regularly with these indigenous companies and the Official Selling Price (OSP) was applied on their production.

“The prices applied by SPDC on its royalty computation continued to differ from the advised prices of NNPC-COMD. This difference resulted in an underpayment of $73.161 million for 2013.”

Fayemi, however, noted that despite the gap of three years, most of the issues raised in the two audit reports were still relevant today and should spur the public into asking further questions.

He said: “Now that these reports are out, I will like to call on the legislature to take

keen interest in the audit findings in designing legislation for the extractive sector and in carrying out oversight functions.

“Apart from making our reports more timely, more responsive and more relevant, we intend to broaden our stakeholders’ engagement, widen our dissemination platforms, make our organization more fit-for-purpose, and create more avenues for directly impacting policy change.”

Gains of NEITI audits

In defence of the gains of its series of audits and implementation of recommendations, as well as closing the gaps in unreconciled figures, NEITI told Vanguard on phone that it had recorded significant strides.

NEITI Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, said: “Most of our recommendations have been implemented or are being implemented.”

He listed the success areas to include the unbundling and restructuring of NNPC, which is ongoing; remittance of NLNG dividends into the Federation Account; implementation of the Single Treasury Account; cancellation of Offshore Processing Account; and removal of fuel subsidy which has been changed to price modulation

Un-reconciled figures

With regard to unreconciled figures arising from what companies claimed they paid and what government agencies received, Orji said: “In this report, the un-reconciled figures are very marginal, less than one percent. This is because the companies and government agencies are now becoming more responsive on EITI issues.

"Some of those wide differences between what was paid and what was received in the past were because of attitude to the audit because nobody took note that anybody was coming to check. But now, the companies and the government agencies are more responsive in keeping accurate records. So the gaps are closing up."

6 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24 , 2016

PDP suffering from past mistakes – OKUPE

By Gbenga Oke

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ORMER Special Adviser to exPresident Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has stated that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is going through crisis because the party failed to prepare for life after power.

He also said the PDP is suffering from mistakes of the past.

Okupe who was a guest on Channels Television breakfast programme yesterday said failure on the part of the leaders of the PDP has further deepened the crisis rocking the party.

He said, “The crisis you are seeing today came into play because there was lack of cohesiveness on the part of the leadership and followership and that is why the centre cannot hold and the party is paying seriously for that”.

“What you are seeing now are flurry signs and symptoms of failure of leadership. Before we left government or shortly after we left government, people ought to have come together knowing that we were likely going to suffer what is called electoral defeat syndrome, which has become exaggerated in our present circumstances is responsible for this” he stated.

He went further, “We love our party and we do not want PDP to scatter, even though we lost an election to All Progressives Congress, APC, it was evident that APC will not get its act together and if they do not get their acts together, a third force will emerge and that is the dream of many Nigerians.”

According to him, APC remains a party of strange bed fellows with various interests and cannot be compared to the PDP with a solid background.

“The APC, is not an association as such, it’s a conglomeration of various interests. They still do not have a party. They are not strong on ground, there are many places where they do not exist. PDP is the only party in Nigeria that has a culture, a strong background and a record of performance, yes we have some issues.

There are evidence against our people involved in embarrassing forms of corruption, but that’s what happens in any human organisation” he maintained.

Pomp, as Osinbajo stands in for Buhari on working visit

By Leke Adeseri, South West Regional Editor & Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS residents yesterday rolled out the drums to meet one of their own, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was a last minute replacement for his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, on a working visit to the centre of excellence.

Although the Presidency attributed the President’s inability to come to ‘scheduling difficulties’ usually reliable sources said his security details who were in Lagos days before the date of his visit may have advised that he stayed away. ‘’Security reports did not favour the President’s coming to Lagos in person at this time, as many may boycott his events at the least, while some may have planned to do more terrible things,’’ the source said.

Yesterday ’s reception for Osinbajo was however carnivallike lasting about an hour.

Lagosians defied the early morning downpour to converge on the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, venue of the project commissioning, to receive the dignitary.

Clad in different colours of attires the residents filled the TBS almost to capacity, singing and dancing.

Osinbajo, upon arrival from Abuja, amidst tight security and after being received by dignitaries, immediately proceeded to Cappa-Oshodi where he commissioned the new Lagos State Emergency

Management Agency (LASEMA) Rescue Unit and later led members of the presidential working visit team to perform the official commissioning of the Ago Palace Way in Okota.

While commissioning the projects, Osinbajo assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari has put the country on the path of recovery, in spite of the

economic situation particularly, the recent hike in fuel price, even as he asked for the support and understanding of citizens.

According to him, there were plans to create 500,000 employment opportunities for graduates with another 370,000 for non-graduates.

He added that besides there would be provision of micro loan facilities for market women, using associations.

On the physical absence of the President, Osinbajo assured

that Buhari would personally visit Lagos immediately after the Ramadan, “The President holds Lagosians in high esteem,” he said.

Prof. Osinbajo at the well attended and colourful event, was received by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, along with the Minister for Power, Works, and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, members of the state executive council.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose (left) visited of one the people injured by the Fulani herdsmen at Living Well Hospital, Ikole Ekiti on Monday while the state Police Commissioner ( 2nd left), Mr John James watches.

SYNAGOGUE TRIAL: Court disallows prosecution witness

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Jane Echewedo

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AGOS—EFFORTS by the Lagos State Government to formally begin the trial of the Trustees of the Synagogue Church of all Nations, SCOAN and the two engineers involved in the construction of the collapsed six-storey Church guest house yesterday failed as a prosecution witness listed to testify in the matter was disallowed by the trial court.

This was sequel to objections raised by the defence lawyers, who argued that the state counsel failed to adhere to the rules which required that the prosecution needs to front load (file) the witness’s statement before he was brought to the witness box.

The collapsed building at the Synagogue Church last year had left over 116 dead, majority of whom were South African citizens.

The SCOAN Trustees, the two engineers, Messrs Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun and their companies, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and

Jandy Trust Limited were last month arraigned on 111-count charge for their involvement in the September 12, 2014 collapse of the guest house.

The 111 count charges preferred against the defendants by the Lagos State Government borders on criminal negligence, manslaughter and failure to obtain building permit.

At the scheduled commencement of trial

yesterday, Mrs. Idowu Alakija, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) informed the court that one of the 8 prosecution witnesses, Adebayo Musiliu Olayinka was in court and was ready to testify.

However, the lead defence counsel, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) objected to the witness giving evidence, stating that his witness statement was not forwarded to the defence team

as stipulated by law.

Fagbemi argued that in criminal proceeding, the proper practice is for the prosecuting team to serve the defence with list of witnesses and and their statements.

He stated that among the 8 witnesses listed by the state prosecuting counsel, only two of them had their statement front loaded and served on the defence team.

Tech distribution firm appoints Avaya African marketer

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NTERDIST, a leading technology distribution company owned by Computer Information Systems (CIS) has signed an agreement with Avaya, a global leader in business communications, software, systems and services, to market Avaya solutions across Africa.

The two companies will focus on driving adoption of Avaya’s innovative technology in 27 countries across the continent.

Interdist together with Avaya will offer the best-in-class Unified Communications and Networking solutions covering Messaging,

Platform, Infrastructure, Video Conferencing, Software defined Networking, Ethernet Switches, Access Control, Wireless Networks and Network Management. Interdist main priority is to focus on the solutions build to enable medium-sized businesses to digitally transform, while improving productivity and efficiency. Interdist holds strong positions in the majority of its markets and is penetrating strongly with Avaya in the African market in many countries such as Ghana, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Nigeria, Morocco,

Kenya, Tunisia amongst others.

CIS Group is a leading ICT systems supplier in Europe, Africa and the Near East. The company is an expert in the distribution and integration of solutions, products, and services, and supports over 1,000 corporate customers and 5,000 resellers.

Interdistis the distribution channel arm of the group and was established in 1994. Interdist has expanded significantly, increasing its geographic reach with two central entities, four regional logistic centres, and 27 local companies.

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HERDSMEN’S ATTACK: Fayose bans open grazing in Ekiti

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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DO-EKITI-EKITI State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has declared total war on killer herdsmen, warning that government will henceforth confiscate any cattle seen anywhere in the state apart from the ranch created for them by their owners.

Fayose, who banned open grazing and rearing of cattle in the State, said those interested in cattle farming should get their own private cattle ranch and that a bill to make movement of cattle from one location to another criminal in the State will soon be sent to the State House of Assembly.

Governor Fayose said this yesterday, when he visited OkeAko in Ikole local government area of the State that was invaded last Friday by Fulani herdsmen that killed two residents of the town and injured others.

He also donated a sum of N2.5 million to the families of the deceased as well as gave N2.5 million and a pick-up with all the security gadgets to the local hunters so they could protect their people.

Heavy presence of security agents, made up of detachments of soldiers, mobile police, operatives of Department of State Security and Civil Defence was noticed in the community.

A group of local hunters armed with dane guns told the governor that if given adequate support and funding, they could successfully tackle the killer herdsmen.

The governor immediately announced N5m donation to them as well as a brand new bus to enable them complement efforts of security agents already deployed in the town.

He described the Fulani herdsmen that attacked OkeAko and other communities in the country as “agents of the devil that must be fished out

Obasanjo condemns female genital mutilation

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By Ola Ajayi

BADAN—AS female genital mutilation continues unabated in South West, South-South and South East, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised all members of Circumcision Descendants Association of Nigeria who are responsible for the act to have a rethink.

Chief Obasanjo said this yesterday in Ibadan at a one-day international summit on female genital mutilation which held at the ancient Mapo Hall.

The ex-president who was represented by Dr. Femi Majekodunmi said the

We removed Ali Modu Sheriff to save PDP – FAYOSE

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KITI State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has said the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWAC) of the party was dissolved and caretaker committee appointed at the last Saturday National Convention held in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State to save the party.

The governor said though he was one of those who supported the former chairman, he had no option than to support his removal so as to forestall disintegration of the party, adding that; “We cannot sacrifice the party for

system where the leadership of the country looks the other way while our people are being killed, we will have no option than to defend ourselves by whatever means.”

He said; “I have come here to commiserate with the people of Oke-Ako over the murder of two of our people by these evil Fulani herdsmen.

“I assure that this will be the last time your community will be invaded by Fulani herdsmen under whatever guise.

“I have directed that cattle rearing and grazing should stop

destroy our farmlands and cut us down, we must rise and defend ourselves.”

“It is our duty to protect our people and we are going to do that without fear or favour.

The governor reiterated that activities of the Fulani Herdsmen was inimical to the revival of agriculture in the country saying; “one wonders how Nigerians can go back to farming when those already in the farms are losing billions of naira worth of crops to destruction of their farmlands by the Fulani Herdsmen and the Federal Government is not doing anything about it.”

any individual.”

Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, in a release issued in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, urged Sheriff to accept his removal in good faith and join others to build the party.

The governor said; “I supported Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in good conscience.

But when it became obvious that his continuous stay in office as the National Chairman will jeopardise the collective interest of the party, I had no option than to support his removal.

consequences of female genital mutilation far outweighed the cultural value attached to it.

According to Obasanjo, female genital mutilation has been declared as a violation of human rights by World Health Organisation, but the deep rooted practice is still prevalent in Africa, middle east and Asia where over 200 million girls and women alive today have been affected.

The summit also attracted the attention of first ladies of Oyo,

Osun, Ogun and Ondo States .

Also invited to the event were traditional rulers like the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi and others.

While speaking at the event, the Grand Patron/ Chairman, Board of Trustees of the association, High Chief Abiola Ogundokun said while his members would stop the practice.’’

POOR ECONOMY: Govs should think out of the box — AMOSUN

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—GOVERNOR Ibikunke Amosun of Ogun State has advised his colleagues and indeed, the Nigerian government to be more creative, saying it was the only way out the current economic and financial challenges be-devilling the country.

Offering a leeway, the governor said that the states must diversify their economies.

Amosun, who spoke to State House correspondents after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja yesterday said that it was in a bid to diversify Ogun State economy that his government organized the recent investors’ forum which he said was the fourth in the series.

According to him, the state’s revenue had now risen to 97.8% as a result of drastic economic measures.

Afenifere backs gov’s action Reacting to the development, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere threw its weight behind the, saying it was a timely move.

Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin, in a statement said “our attention has been drawn to the courageous move by the Ekiti state Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose the action of the governor is a timely move to strengthen the civilization that places higher premium on human lives than cows.

Mukhtar, Jakande, Gambari others win Hallmarks Awards

By Aderonke Adeyeri & Tofarati Ige

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ORMER Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar was among six prominent Nigerians and an institution honoured on Sunday by the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation on its 20th Anniversary and Role Model Award in Lagos.

Justice Mukhtar was presented with the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation (HLF) LifeTime Achievement Award in the Advancement of Our Legal System.

Other awardees included Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Nigeria’s former P e r m a n e n t Representative to the United Nations, Emeka Anyaoku Alhaji Lateef Jakande, former Governor of Lagos State, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Chief (Mrs.) Olutoyin Olakunrin (OFR, FCA), Prof. Njidda Gadzama (FAS, OFR), and Lumen Christi International School, Uromi, Edo State, for being the BestPerforming School in WASSCE 2014.

The award ceremony was graced by prominent Nigerians among whom were Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chairman of the Occasion; Prof. Umaru Shehu, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Chairman Board of Trustees; Patricia Arawore, Executive Secretary; and Mr Sam Amuka, Publisher Vanguard Newspaper, Bimbola Fashola, former First Lady of Lagos.

8 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

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Alleged N30trn missing money: Okonjo-Iweala to appeal court judgment against her F

ORMER MINISTER of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that she will ask a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, to set aside its judgment, ordering her to “provide information on the spending of the alleged missing N30 trillion which represents some accruable income to the Federal Government during the last four years of the administration of Jonathan.”

Media Adviser to Dr OkonjoIweala, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu in a statement, yesterday, said “It is curious that the first time Dr Okonjo-Iweala is being made aware of a matter against her in court is in news reports reporting the delivery of judgment. She has instructed her lawyers to take steps to set aside the judgment as it affects her.”

According to him, “Our attention has been drawn to media reports regarding a court judgment alleged to have been entered against the Federal Government of Nigeria and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in respect of an action by the Socio-Economic

Rights Agenda, SERAP, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. “The High Court, according to the media reports, ordered the Federal government and Dr. Okonjo Iweala to provide information relating to N30 trillion allegedly unaccounted for.

“Please note the following: Dr Okonjo-Iweala hastens to

state that she was never served with any court processes in relation to the said matter. She has not read the judgment and would therefore, defer any comments on the matter.

“However, from the media reports, the case was instituted in February 2015 but was not served until July 2015 after Dr Okonjo-Iweala

had already ceased to be the Minister of Finance.

“By the date the said papers were purportedly served, Dr Okonjo-Iweala was no longer a public officer and could therefore not be the subject of a request for production of any documents or information under the Freedom of Information Act.

INAUGURATION: From left, Commander, 2 brigade, Port Harcourt, Brig.-Gen. Stevenson Olabanji; Commander, Operation Pulo Shield, Maj.-Gen. Alani Okunlola; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at the inauguration of 12 refurbished gun-boats, and 40- bed space accommodation for personnel in Okirika, Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: NAN

Court remands Fani Kayode for 21 days in EFCC custody This is gross abuse of court processes, denial of his fundamental human

rights —Aide

By Henry Umoru, Abdulwahab Abdulah & Jane Echewodo

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ORMER MINISTER of Aviation, Femi FaniKayode, was yesterday, ordered to be remanded in the custody of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for 21 days by a Lagos State Magistrate's Court sitting in Ikeja.

The EFCC had brought an application before the court seeking to remand Fani-Kayode in custody to enable it conduct further investigation into the alleged N1.5bn fraud levelled against him, pending when he would be brought before a regular court.

But the ex-Minister’s Special Assistant, Media, Jude Ndukwe, described the development as an abuse of court processes and a denial of his fundamental human rights by the anti-graft agency.

However, after hearing the arguments canvassed by the lawyers representing the antigraft agency, Mr. A. N. Anana and Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Wale Balogun, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Bola Osunsanmi, granted the remand

application.

The court subsequently granted the request and ordered that he be kept for 21 days.

The EFCC had argued that the remand application, brought pursuant to section 261 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2011, of Lagos State, was to remand the former spokesman of Goodluck

Jonathan Campaign Organisation in the 2015 general election, pending when he would be properly arraigned at the appropriate court.

Fani Kayode’s lawyer, Balogun while opposing the EFCC’s remand application, argued that the anti-graft agency ’s application was brought in breach of his constitutional

rights, adding that the defendant had been granted an administrative bail by the EFCC which refused to allow him perfect the bail.

He argued that the anti-graft agency had secured the same order of remand before an Abuja Chief Magistrate court, claiming the application was an abuse of court process.

Nigeria needs $166bn in 5yrs to right energy, transport needs —Amaechi

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—THE F e d e r a l Government would require nothing less than $166 billion over the next five years to meet the country ’s energy and transport infrastructure needs.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who disclosed this at the public hearing on Nigerian Railway Authority bill and National Transport Commission bill in Abuja yesterday, revealed that the Federal Government and General Electric had concluded arrangement to commercialise Lagos-Kano railway project.

“Besides privatisation, government also realised a monumental infrastructure deficit which, as at 2015, stood at over $3.05 trillion in 30 years or $166 billion in five years, with energy and transport infrastructure taking more than 50% of that need.

“Transport infrastructure alone needs a whopping $50.9 billion in five years to cover the current gap in the sector, an average of $10.2 billion per year. ‘’Currently, the ratio of funding in the sector between the public and private is 9:1. This constituted a major disincentive to private sector participation in the industry.

PDP groups unite against Modu Sherriff

By Kingsley Omonobi, Ben Agande & Innocent Anaba

A

BUJA—THE Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker Committee and the Ibrahim Mantu-led faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are to meet, tomorrow, to present a common front against Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

A member of the Senator Mantu group who spoke with Vanguard, yesterday evening, said the meeting was at the instance of the Senator Mantu group.

The member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said “Sheriff is the problem of the party and if we are agreed on this, then we have to coalesce

to present a common formidable ground. We have to rescue the party from these hawks, who don’t mean well for our party.

With this alliance, my problem in the party will soon be over.”

He added that the meeting would have been held, yesterday, but had to be shelved till tomorrow because Senator Makarfi had to travel to Zaria to commiserate with Senator Shehu Sani, who lost his mother.

Meanwhile, the police siege at the national secretariat of of the party, entered its second day, yesterday, as a detachment of the police force deployed there kept the place under lock.

This came on a day the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, warned factions

in the party not to threaten the peace and stability of the nation as a result of their internal crisis, threatening to deal firmly with any such group of persons.

Though some of the police vehicles at the party secretariat had been moved away, the two trucks used to block either side of Dalaba Street remained in place.

Contrary to the assertion of the caretaker committee set up at the convention of the party in Port Harcourt that it would take over reins of the party yesterday, neither Markarfi nor Sheriff made any appearance at the party secretariat.

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party were,

yesterday, locked in series of meetings to resolve the impasse created in the party as a result of factions that emerged, following the botched conventions of the party in Abuja and Port Harcourt.

The Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee, the Board of Trustees as well as the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee were all locked up in meetings at different venues to work out a compromise that would take the party out of its present impasse.

A member of the Makarfi-led caretaker told Vanguard that the committee was meeting to find a way of reaching a compromise that would bring back all the disparate factions in the party together.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

82-yr-old man commits suicide in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—AN 82 year old great grand– father, Adegoke Oriola, has reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself in Ondo City, Ondo State.

An unconfirmed report said the octogenarian may have taken the action due to alleged frustration.

His dangling body tied to a ceiling fan inside his bedroom was reportedly discovered by one of his daughters, in a house located at 45 Ayeyemi street in the city.

The deceased\s daughter, Taye Adegoke, who was said to have woken up to see the lifeless body of her father dangling in his bedroom, reportedly suspected something was wrong as she did not hear any sound from her father’s room all through the night.

Police arrest 5 pregnant women with plans to sell babies on delivery

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— FIVE pregnant young women, allegedly arrested by the Rivers State Police command at a baby factory in Umuikpe community , Isiala Ngwa South, Abia State, were paraded, yesterday, for planning to sell their babies to the owner of the place after delivery.

The pregnant woman, ages 22 -25, reportedly had an arrangement with the owner of the baby factory to take care of them till delivery after which the babies will be sold to her for prices ranging between N400, 000 and N500, 000.

One of the women in her early months of pregnancies, Nkechi Oguama , 24 years, disclosed she was into prostitution before she fell in love with an Ikwerre man in Ogbogologo, in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, adding that whenever she slept with her boyfriend she did so without protection, but made sure she had protective sex with her

22 die in Umuahia, Bauchi auto crashes … Several injured

By Anayo Okoli & Suzan Edeh

A

T LEAST 22 persons were confirmed to have died on Sunday in separate auto

crashes in Umuahia, the Abia State capital and Bauchi state.

15 lives were reportedly lost in the accident that occurred at Nkpa Junction, Ofeme in Umuahia North Council Area on

Protesting bus drivers, yesterday.

the Enugu-Port Harcourt Express road, while the accident that occurred at Umugbalu in Ikwuano Council Area of Abia State claimed three lives.

An FRSC official, who was part of the rescue team at the scene, said on the condition of anonymity, that the incident happened between 11a.m. and noon at the Ofeme Junction on the expressway.

He said that the accident involved a MAN-Diesel Truck, with number plates Plateau JJN 782 XB, and an 18-seater Hiace passenger bus, with number plates Abakiliki AKL 895 YA. He said that 13 passengers in the bus died on the spot, while two others sustained serious injuries.

The deceased included nine men, three women and a little girl.

He said that the truck lost control before crashing into the oncoming bus on the same lane of the dual carriageway.

He said that the bus was travelling from Aba to Enugu, when the accident happened.

The Abia Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mrs Stella Uchegbu, disclosed yesterday that the driver of the truck absconded after the accident.

Similarly, the Bauchi State Police Command also disclosed yesterday that four persons died in an auto crash on the Jos Bauchi Road on Sunday.

Haruna Mohammed, the command’s Public Relations Officer, in a statement in Bauchi, said that the accident followed a head on collision between a commercial vehicle and Opel Vectra car.

Mohammed gave the particulars of the vehicles as Opel Vectra, number plates TRR 744 BAU and a Volkswagen Sharon with number plates ALK 238 XA. He explained that the accident occurred at Tashan Durumi on the Bauchi - Jos highway.

Bus drivers barricade road over alleged killing by policewoman Deceased

epileptic —Police

By Evelyn Usman & Esther Onyegbula

L

AGOS—COMMERCIAL bus drivers, yesterday, barricaded the Isheri/Liasu Road in Lagos, protesting the alleged killing of one of their own, weekend, by a police woman attached to the Igando division.

The deceased identified as Muyiwa Ijaduola, was said to be a member of staff of Joseph Ayo Babalola University. An identification card found on him showed that he was employed in 2007 and was attached to the Works Department of the university.

Late Ijaduola, who hailed from Osun State, reportedly picked passengers from IyanaIba, to Isheri. On reaching Igando bus-stop, two policewomen accosted him and allegedly demanded for N2,000.

Vanguard was informed that the amount was an accumulation of money policemen allegedly extort from commercial bus drivers daily.

But the 46-year-old driver was said to have offered the police

women N300, which they refused.

While begging them to allow him return from that trip, eye witnesses said one of the policewomen, a corporal with an undisclosed identity, dragged the bus driver down and allegedly hit him with her baton.

Thereafter, he was allegedly pushed inside a ditch, where he remained for about 15 minutes before he was brought out.

Unfortunately, he was discovered to be dead with the N300, which he intended to give the police women, still in his palm.

Realising the magnitude of the incident, the policewomen fled the scene, abandoning the driver.

Report had it that the corpse remained at the spot for close to seven hours before it was removed.

But in a swift reaction, the Lagos State Police Command exonerated its men from being the cause of the commercial bus driver’s death.

Rather, it stated that the driver had an epileptic attack.

The command’s Deputy spokes person, Mr. Ozoani Chukwuma,

a Deputy Superintendent of Police described the incident as a case of sudden and unnatural death.

He said: “What happened at Igando was a case of sudden and unnatural death of a commercial bus driver suspected to have had epileptic attack at Oye Bus-stop, Igando, while calling passengers into his bus. He consequently fell into the gutter. Two policewomen on traffic duty at the bus stop quickly called on sympathisers to help him out.

“He was unconscious when brought out, and he was rushed to the General hospital, where he was confirmed dead.”

Protest A mild protest by some commercial bus drivers started about two hours later same day but was contained by the Police.

When Vanguard visited the scene yesterday, the 14-seater commercial bus with number plates EKY 382 KK driven by the deceased was still in front of the fuel station where the incident occurred.

Police hiding the corpse -Family Immediate elder sister to the

deceased, Mrs. Lola Oluranti, who was at the scene, told Vanguard that since the incident occurred, the Police had deprived them of seeing the corpse.

“The Police told us that the corpse was taken to the mortuary.

First, they said it was at the Isolo Mortuary, again they told us it was at Yaba, now we heard that it is at Ikorodu mortuary. What should we now believe?"she said.

A woman, who claimed to have witnessed the incident, explained that she made frantic efforts to alert friends and relatives of the driver from his phone.

According to the trader at Igando market, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “The body was abandoned there for over two hours after the incident occurred. I found a NOKIA phone in the deceased pocket and an identification card. I had to remove the sim card from his phone which was soaked and inserted it into another person’s phone, from where I called over 20 of his contacts to alert them of the incident."

Police discover corpses of 2 missing students at riverside in Ebonyi

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—THE dead bodies of two students of the Federal Government College, Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area, Ebonyi State declared missing about ten days ago have been discovered

by the Police along a riverside in the area.

The Ebonyi State Police’s command spokesman, ASP George Okafor , said the corpses of the two students declared missing on May 14, 2016 were discovered at a Bamboo Groove at Ata River, Okposi in Ohaozara

LGA about half a kilometre from the college premises.

According to him, the discovery was sequel to information received while interacting with the community leaders, youths and other stakeholders in the area.

He added that in response to the information, the Command

combined teams discovered the decomposing corpses of the two missing students, whose parents were on hand to identify them.

However, the bodies of the two students were evacuated and deposited in the morgue for autopsy.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016—11

How Abacha blocked NNPC privatization— Shamsuddeen Usman

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

F

ORMER Minister of Finance, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, has said the current challenges plaguing the nation’s petroleum sector would have been a thing of the past had late Gen. Sani Abacha not halted the privatization of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, after taking over power in 1993.

Shamsudeen who spoke in Abuja, yesterday, at the inauguration of a study group on giving voice and voting

power to retail shareholders in the country, said, "The biggest problem of this country is lack of continuity.

What happened was that Abacha came and put a cutlass and just cut it off. The reforms of NEPA, the reforms of NNPC all these NITEL, Nigeria Airways, SwissAir had actually paid for it. By today, we would have had a national carrier. All these reforms that you are seeing would have been concluded long ago.

“For NNPC, if you see the fight that we fought even with

the Minister of Petroleum who was one of the most powerful ministers that were closest to Babangida. We insisted that the Minister of Petroleum should not be the chairman of NNPC and that was approved by the National Executive Council. So we removed him as the chairman of the NNPC because NNPC was to be restructured as a full commercial entity. But I was surprised that when I came back to government, the Minister of Petroleum had gone back to become the chairman of NNPC.”

Dr. Usman said the study on how to give retail shareholders voice and voting power became important because it has been discovered that leaders of the various zonal associations were using the association in their personal interests, and not serving the interests of the small investors in stocks.

He lamented that some of the leaders of the associations had remained in office for 18 years and had abandoned the code of conduct as designed at

inception which provided that one could hold office for only two terms of two years.

His words: “Following the privatization of some of the public companies, we went to a number of AGMs and saw how they were being conducted and we told ourselves that we had to do something to protect the small shareholders from the sharks - because there was one key group of shareholders at a time. It was hotly debated at the meeting of the TCPC. “Consequently, we went to the zones across the country for awareness creation. We even facilitated the establishment of the Zonal Shareholders Associations across the country.

Shareholders associations That was how s h a r e h o l d e r s associations were established in PortHarcourt, Lagos, Ibadan, Kano Onitsha, Kaduna and Jos. It was actually the TCPC that funded the establishment of these associations because we thought we were trying to establish democratic capitalism. So the retail shareholders should have voice and votes and their votes should count in the corporate democratic process. That was the idea.

“We had code of conduct which we expected all the leaders to be subject. The question is, are the representatives of the s h a r e h o l d e r s associations observing that code of conducts?

Yes, the retail shareholders have a voice but the voice is not being used for the purpose for which we designed it. One of the key provisions of the code of conducts was for democratic elections into the executive positions.

I was amazed to come back after about 18 years, to find that some of those people that we had when we established the Zonal Associations are still the leaders of the same associations. So clearly, there was no democracy at all.

“There is supposed to be elections every two years and you can serve only two terms of two years. Yet when I look at the leaders of the associations, they are still the same people up till

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Edo 2016: Odubu cautions guber aspirants against violence

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN CITYDEPUTY Governor of Edo State and governorship aspirant of All Progressives Congress, APC, has called other aspirants in the forthcoming governorship election, to ensure a violent free campaign.

This came as political leaders from Owan West Local Government Area of the state, expressed their support for Mr Godwin Obaseki, another APC governorship aspirant.

The leaders who described as unfortunate, the recent shooting at Sobe, where the aspirant went to meet with APC delegates, said they had made adequate arrangement to ensure peaceful campaigns in their domain and apologized over the ugly incident.

Odubu who addressed members of the Condemn Political Killings and Violence, led by Eseosa Ewere, said he was happy with the on-going sensitization embarked upon by the group, adding that he has always believed that no blood of any one was worth the ambition of any politician.

“So I urge my brothers in this game to shun violence because when you kill, who will you now lead? I want us to take this message to all parts of our state and tell our youths not to allow any individual deceive them into being involve in any violent act this period,” he stated.

Oshiomhole drops Abdul Oroh as Commissioner

T

HE Governor of Edo State, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has relieved Mr Abdul Oroh of his appointment as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in the state, in the public interest.

His removal is with immediate effect.

Also, the governor has approved the appointment of Mr. Kerry Emokpare as Commissioner-designate in the state.

The governor thanked Abdul Oroh for his invaluable services and wishes him well in his future endeavours.

Why govs still oppose TSA – Gov Okowa

By Emma Amaize, Festus Ahon, Akpokona Omafuaire & Ochuko Akuopha

A

SABA - GOVERNOR of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has shed light on why he and other Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors declined to implement the Treasury Single Account, TSA, in their states, despite the clear stand of the Federal Government on it.

The governor, who delivered his first year performance report in Asaba, cleared the air on the increase in his expenditure approval limit to N250 million against the N50 million provision in the previous regimes of ex- governors James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduanghan.

Okowa washed his hands off any underhand dealings in the state-government-owned Independent Power Project, IPP,

project, Oghara, which government had expended over N19 billion with the project still uncompleted. Confessing that he has had sleepless nights governing the state because of the challenges, he said he was happy that despite the economic recession, government has provided over 17,000 jobs for the unemployed, built at least 54 roads and distributed N564 million to over 3,000 person as loans to the underprivileged.

He threw a jab at his Edo State counterpart, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, who recently boasted that he would defeat him (Okowa) in an electoral contest in Delta State, saying that his (Oshiomhole) comment was pointless. “In the first instance, there are so many states of the All Progressives Congress, APC that have not embraced TSA. This is something that we have been studying, it is not just enough, we have to study it so

that we do not make any mistakes, we are aware that there are many gains in the TSA, we are also aware that we need to also apply it wisely.

“We need to understudy it and the Commissioner of Finance is still understudying it. By the grace of God, a very good aspect of it, we will adopt, so we may likely be going into a modified TSA that will not impact negatively on our commercial banks,” he said.

On the IPP, the governor stated,

“Yes, I was SSG when the project was awarded, but I was not directly involved in the award of the project. I was neither Commissioner for Energy nor was I directly involved in anything that concerns the project. I can pride myself that I did not receive one kobo for the project and that is why I can speak authoritatively and with a very clear conscience concerning the IPP project.”

Benin traditional council announces burial rites of Omo n’ Oba Erediauwa

By Simon Ebegbulem, Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENINBENIN Traditional Council, BTC, has released the burial rites of the late Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba Erediauwa, who joined his ancestors on April 29, 2016. A statement, yesterday, by the Secretary to the Benin Traditional Council, Mr. Frank Erhabor, said the Royal Funeral Rites (Emwinekhua) will commence on Wednesday, May 25 and end on June 8, 2016.

The statement said, “All burial ceremonies are prohibited. We advised everyone to go about his/her normal business and to stay away from places where traditional rites that are not open to the public are performed during the Emwinekhua. Nonindigenes who live among us should show respect and cooperation with our age-long

tradition. We assure everyone that we shall work closely with the security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property during this period of the ceremonies.

“As Edo people, we cherish the common history and heritage we share. Therefore, it is our expectation that we should come together in a common understanding of the things we must do during this period of mourning, and throughout this period.” The Benin Traditional Council warned all trouble makers and their ilk, who may see the period as an opportunity to foment trouble and cause disorder as it would not tolerate such behaviours. It added that unfamiliar sounds intended to warn people especially market women to keep away may be heard at such places but should not cause any anxiety among them.

EFCC opens case against Tompolo

By Innocent Anaba

E

CONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, opened its case in the ongoing trial of the former Niger Delta militant, Government Ekemupolo (Tompolo) and others over alleged fraud of N47,683,464,822.

Tompolo and others were recently docked in absentia before the Federal High Court in Lagos on a 22-count charge bordering on fraud, conversation of money and forgery.

Also arraigned in absentia were siblings of the immediate past Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration Safety Agency,

NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Akpolobokemi, who was arraigned before the court.

The Akpolobokemi’s siblings were: Igo Akpolobokemi, Julius, Stephen, Victor, Norbert, Emmanuel Ebizimo, and Clement.

Also arraigned alongside the former NIMASA directorgeneral were Kime Engozu, Josephine Otuaga, Rita Uruakpa and seven limited liability companies which include Mieka Dive Training Institute LTD/GTE, Oyeinteke Global Network Limited, Wabod Global Resources Limited, Boloboere Properties Estate Limited, Gokaid Marine and Oil and Gas Limited, Muhaabix Global Service Limited and Watershed Associated Resources.

Mr. Tony Ojobo, Director Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, (left) receiving the Africa Telecom Regulator of the Year Award on behalf of the NCC from Mr. William Tevie, Director General, National Communications Authority at the West African Telecom Summit 2016 which held in Accra, Ghana

N23bn poll fund: PDP top shots open up, refund N17m to EFCC

By Soni Daniel, Abuja

T

HREE key Peoples Democratic Party officials in the North East have refunded N17 million to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a bid to secure their release from the anti-graft agency. The trio were arrested and detained for allegedly benefitting from the N23 billion slush fund made available by former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, with a view to compromising the poll in favour of a candidate.

A top source in EFCC told Vanguard last night that the former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija, ex-chairman of the People’s Democratic Party in Gombe State, Nuhu Poloma, and the Zonal Coordinator of the PDP in the North Eastern States of Gombe, Taraba and Adamawa, Bunu Mulima, returned the N17 million in exchange for their freedom.

The former SSG refunded N10 million; the Gombe PDP Chairman returned N2 million while the NE Zonal coordinator refunded N5 million. An informed source said

that the suspects deposited the money through bank drafts made out in the name of the Commission for the aforementioned sums yesterday.

Dandija paid the said sum through a bank draft of FCMB; Poloma bank draft came from Zenith while Mulima issued a Union Bank draft. Dandija admitted in a written statement that N20 million passed through his hands to some other beneficiaries but accepted liability for the refund of the whole sum. He reportedly promised to bring another bank draft for the balance of N10million today.

However, Poloma admitted that N450 million passed through him for disbursement. He admitted that only N2 million was his personal benefit from the fund. While Mulima, according to him, reaped N30 million from the campaign fund. They have pledged to refund the balance.

The Commission has been pursuing beneficiaries of the campaign fund made available by the former minister of petroleum resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 — 13

Panel on oil spill, pollution begins sitting in Uyo

By Tom Moses

U

YO—THE Special Investigation Panel on Oil Spill and Pollution in Nigeria has commenced sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to examine petitions and complaints from communities and organisations on oil spills and environmental

degradation.

Chairperson of the panel, Mrs. Oti Ovrawah, said that of the 45 cases before the commission, 18 had been listed for hearing.

Ovrawah, in her welcome address during a public hearing at the Federal High Court Complex, Uyo,

yesterday, said the panel, set up by the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, was a fact-finding one to address complaints and petitions from communities and organisations in the region.

According to her, the panel was constituted to enable NHRC collate information and

facts on allegations and complaints, noting that the panel was not a judicial body and would, therefore, not engage in judicial inquiries.

Ovrawah explained that the modalities to be applied by the panel would be devoid of judicial underpinnings and technicalities.

DONATION: From left— Superintendent Samuel Nko; Assistant General Manager, SIFAX Haulage and Logistics Limited, Mr. Olusola Ajayi; Superintendent Asuquo Okpo; General Manager, SIFAX, Mr. Saheed Lasisi, and District Police Officer, Ijora-Badia Police Station, Mr. Ayeni Samuel, during the presentation of a Toyota Hilux patrol van to the police station by the company.

Security men launch manhunt for Bayelsa pipeline vandals

By Emma Amaize, Soni Daniel, Samuel Oyadongha, Perez Brisibe & Emem Idio

B

AYELSA State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has launched a manhunt for the alleged masterminds of Sunday bombing of a pipeline belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, at Ikienghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The command in a statement, yesterday, said its operatives were particularly mandated to find a suspected leader of the gang identified as Suoyou.

The statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Dauzuo Izonfate, admitted that a suspect was in their custody and would soon be arraigned in court and “diligently prosecuted.”

He said: “We want to state that the suspect we arrested in connection with the attack on Agip pipeline at Ikienghenbiri in Southern Ijaw is in our custody.”

No medals for criminality —Presidential aide

This came as Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd), warned those who are attacking oil pipelines that the Federal Government will not reward criminals with medals under the guise of seeking peace.

Boroh cautioned those involved in the renewed acts of economic sabotage against Nigeria, to retrace their steps or face the consequences of such criminality, which has no basis whatsoever in the status of the region.

Meanwhile, Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Vandalism of Oil Installations,

headed by Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, discussed separately with top officials of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, ex-militants at Forcados Oil Terminal and Odimodi community in the creeks yesterday, on how to forestall further bombings.

The committee deployed in the creeks last Monday by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to stop further vandalisation of oil pipelines by Niger Delta Avengers, will provisionally pull out from the riverine communities, tomorrow to brief the governor on its findings.

Otuaro speaks from the creeks

Governor Okowa confirmed the development in an interview with reporters in Asaba even as the Deputy Governor told Vanguard on phone, yesterday, from the creeks: “We have just finished meeting with SPDC. We had a very fruitful discussion on their operations and they took us to

... as Wike condemns insurgency in Niger Delta

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, spoke against hostilities in the Niger Delta region, assuring that governors of the region will support the military to achieve peace in the area.

Wike, who spoke in Port

Harcourt when he played host to service chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, said governors of the region will meet with Vice President Yemi Osibanjo on June 7 to discuss security issues in the region.

Others in the entourage were Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai; Chief

of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olonisakin, said they were in the state to meet with the leadership of Operation Pulo Shield Joint Task Force, JTF, on security challenges in the region.

their facility that was breached by militants.

“We saw the repair works.

Later, we went into a closeddoor meeting to share intelligence, which is not meant for the media. You said my boss (Governor Okowa) told you that we are retreating to brief him; that is true.

“We will brief him on Wednesday (tomorrow) after our engagement with the Nigeria Gas Company, NGC, and other stakeholders on Tuesday (today).”

Boroh

Similarly, Boroh, while addressing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, said it was wrong for criminals to embark on destruction of revenue-producing facilities after the Federal Government had already given general amnesty to militants and was actively training those who signed up for the programme.

Boroh drew the attention of those pressing for a new amnesty for the militants to the fact that Federal Government had kept faith with the implementation of the amnesty it declared on June 25, 2009 and was drawing to an end with an exit strategy in place.

He said: “There is no plan to go back on the Amnesty Programme and all men of goodwill in the Niger Delta should support President Muhammadu Buhari’s development effort in the region.”

Oshiomhole makes case for women in politics

By Simom Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has stressed the need for men to support women in their quest to participate in active politics and occupy leadership positions.

Speaking while playing host to the spouses of members of Edo State House of Assembly, who paid him a courtesy visit yesterday, Governor Oshiomhole said: “Part of the problem of women in our country is that many men, based on wrong assumptions, do not encourage their wives to be active in politics.

“Yet women account for at least a simple or slight majority of our population, and there is no field in which a man can excel that a woman cannot excel, even better.”

Paying glowing tributes to members of the state House of Assembly, he said: “Let me, through you, convey my appreciation to members of the House of Assembly for their support and unqualified loyalty to the people of Edo State.”

PDP forum preaches unity

By Oboh Agbonkhese

P

EOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, Founders’ Forum, in Delta State, has appealed to PDP lawmakers at the National Assembly not to leave the party, but to join forces with the Senator Ibrahim Mantu-led steering committee to entrench the principles on which the party was founded.

A statement by Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini, the Forum’s National Chairman, said PDP was founded on justice, unity and progress and was determined to “unite everyone and rekindle the spirit of brotherhood.”

It urged party faithful to disregard the outcome of the Port Harcourt, Rivers State, convention, which it described as a factional rally, saying “it is a mobilisation of market woman and party members, far different from a convention where its business should be that of delegates.”

14—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI IN LAGOS

From left— Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, representing President Muhammadu Buhari; Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka, Osolo of Isolo; Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson; Senator Gbenga Ashafa and Senator Solomon Adeola, during the commissioning and handover of the Ago Palace Way in Isolo, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: Bunmi Azeez.

From left— Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa; Vice President Osinbajo; Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase; Governor Ambode, his wife and Senator Solomon Adeola at the commissioning of security vehicles, power bikes and other equipment at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island, yesterday.

Cross section of royal fathers.

From left—Chief Rasaq Okoya, Mrs. Modupe Oguntade and Justice George Oguntade (rtd).

From left—Princess Adebisi Sosan, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State; Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

Some of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, newlycommissioned equipment (above) and security vehicles (left).

HALLMARKS' ROLE MODEL AWARDS

From left—Professor Joe Irukwu; Executive Secretary, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, Chief Marties Allan; Chief Olutoyin Olakunri; former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Chukwuemeka Anyaoku; former Chief Judge of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, an awardee of Exemplary Leadership in the Advancement of Nigerian Judiciary; first female permanent secretary, Mrs. Francesca Emannuel, and Executive Secretary, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, Mrs. Patricia Otuedon-Arawore, during the foundation's 20th anniversary and 2016 Role Model Awards in Lagos. PHOTOS: Akinwunmi Ibrahim.

Prof. Grace Alele-Williams (left) and Chief Anyaoku.

From left— Alhaja Sikirat Jakande; Professor Emeritus, Umaru Shehu, Chairman Board of Trustees, Hallmarks of Labour; Alhaji Lateef Jakande, former Governor of Lagos State, and recipient of Award for Excellence in Leadership and Good Governance; and some members of his family.

From left—Mrs. Bose Clarke, Mrs. OtuedonArawore, and Chief Marties Allan.

From left— Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori-Ogbebor, Igba of Warri; Chief Brown Mene, Ogwa, Olusan of Warri; Professor Itse Sagay, recipient of Award for Exemplary/Courageous Service to the Advancement of the Nigerian Legal System; Chief Tesigiweno Pessu, Ojomo of Warri, and Chief Felix Esisi, Olaraja, Okere of Warri.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 —15

C M Y K

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Ohanaeze Ndigbo assesses S-East govs, political office holders

By Anayo Okoli & Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—THE youth wing of the pan-Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said it has assessed the performance of governors and other political office holders of South-East extraction and would declare the result of the exercise on May 29.

Addressing journalists in Aba, National President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths Council Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, who said the assessment covered performance in health, education, youth empowerment, rural development, education and infrastructural development, said the move had become necessary to encourage South-East political

office holders to put more effort in developing the zone.

According to him, “we have concluded the assessment of governors and other political office holders from the SouthEast zone. We secretly embarked on the assignment to see how far these political office holders have improved the lives of the people.

“We are not doing it to witchhunt anybody, but to help bring attention to some critical problems affecting the SouthEast. It is just to commend those who have been doing well and encourage others to put in more effort.

“The result of the assessment will be released on May 29. I assure you that the exercise was carried out in the best interest of the South-East

zone.”

Isiguzoro added that the exercise was carried out by an independent panel of judges, who secretly went around the five states and insisted that there was no need for any political leader of the zone to be afraid.

… cautions Niger Delta Avengers

Similarly, the council has called on the Niger Delta Avengers to end the present hostilities and bombing of oil facilities in Niger Delta, saying their action was inflicting more hardship on Nigerians.

According to Ohanaeze Youth Council, the attack on oil facilities was affecting the nation’s economy and by extension that of the Niger Delta people too.

The council urged the Avengers to halt their attacks

so as not to affect the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC; Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the amnesty programme, among others set up to ameliorate the suffering of Niger Delta people.

A statement by Alex Okemiri, chairman of the Governor ’s Performance Screening Committee, urged the Federal Government to put in place measures to ameliorate the hardship Nigerians are going through on account of the increase in petrol price.

It said: “Nigerians are passing through a very difficult period. This is not the time for more hardship, while the looters of our commonwealth are enjoying it with reckless abandon.”

LAUNCH: From left— Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Seye Oladejo; author, Mr. Oluwatobi Oduyale; Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation & Empowerment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti; Perm Sec, Lagos State, Office of Civil Engagement, Dr. Olukayode Oguntimileyin, and Chief Launcher, Mr. Kayode Akinbola, during the public presentation and launch of a book, A Legacy of Service to Community and God, organised by Oluwatobi Nathaniel Oduyale Foundation, in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

7 trapped as 3-storey building collapses near Oko Poly

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—TRAGEDY struck yesterday at Oko in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State when a three-storey building, under construction close to the permanent site of the Federal Polytechnic, collapsed, trapping seven workers in the rubble.

The building, which belonged to a private developer at Nwagu village near the permanent site of the polytechnic, collapsed during a down pour.

An eyewitness said that nobody died, though efforts were still being made to rescue the trapped workers.

Two nearby buildings were affected by the impact of the collapsed and the residents have been evacuated by authorities of the polytechnic.

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, who visited the scene of the collapsed building,

said the contractor and owner of the building will be prosecuted if found to have cut corners.

He said that a panel of inquiry would be set up to determine the remote and immediate cause of the building collapse.

He sympathised with the students whose hostels have been shut because of the

incident, but assured them that their safety was very important to the state government.

The Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic, Mr. Obini Onuchukwu, while reacting to speculations that the building belonged to the Federal Polytechnic, explained that the building was owned by a private estate

developer and not the institution.

Onuchukwu said: “Our Rector, Professor Godwin Onu, visited the scene of the incident and immediately gave directives for the evacuation of all students residing within the axis of the collapsed building for fear of the unknown.”

Anambra revenue agents, market women clash over tax

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

N I T S H A — DETERMINED to enforce the payment of an annual N30,800 per market woman at Nkpor Main Market in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, the state government revenue agents have allegedly locked up over 80 shops belonging to members of Nkpor Women Petty Traders Association and forcefully kicked them out of the market.

The locking up of the shops, according to eyewitnesses, started at the weekend when a combined team of policemen and members of task force from Anambra Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, AMATAS, stormed the market with machetes and sticks and started shoving women out of their shops and locking up the shops.

The task force men were still stationed inside the market, yesterday, to ensure that none of the women opened their shops for business until they paid the N30,800.

One of the women leaders, Mrs. Ngozi Okoye, appealed to the state government to come to their aid as, according to them, women do not pay tax anywhere in Nigeria.

However, Chief Asha Nnabuife, who identified himself as a consultant to the state government on Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, told newsmen at Nkpor that the N30,800 being demanded from the women was an accumulated arrears of N12,200 per annum, which was introduced in 2012.

Okorocha threatens to privatise IMSU over striking workers

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—IMO State Government has warned that it would be forced to recruit new set of academic and non-academic staff for Imo State University, IMSU, as well as concession the institution if the workers fail to call off their strike.

Governor Rochas Okorocha, who read the riot act in Owerri,

was also of the opinion that the emoluments of IMSU staff was higher than what obtains in other state universities in the South-East geo-political zone.

He said: “A comparative analysis has been made with other state universities in the South-East zone and it was discovered that Imo pays far more than other states. IMSU workers only argued that the institution offers qualitative

studies than the other stateowned universities in the South-East.”

While admitting that he made an earlier promise of N800 million to the school, the Governor, however, warned that the nonredemption of the promise is not enough reason to shut down the university.

He said: “Honestly, if the workers fail to call off the

strike, I will hire new teachers and concession the university to any willing investor, in the interest of our children.

“I have discovered that most IMSU lecturers are not happy with the free education programme of my administration. They want it to fail. Perhaps, they want the students to pay school fees and this is not what I am prepared to accommodate.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016—17

Buhari's presidency: Vibrant support and agonising regret

A

BOUT five years ago, my decision to endorse retired General Muhammadu Buhari given the constraints at the time, was based on the promise that he would make a great civilian President of Nigeria. I scripted a widely circulated glowing affirmation of his candidacy. Based on my estimations, there were appropriate inadequacies associated with the other candidates that made them unfit for the job.

Nuhu Ribadu, Goodluck Jonathan and to some extent my friend Dele Momodu were all contenders. In all of the criteria that I applied to evaluate the candidates, the one that made President Buhari stand out was my conclusion that he would still be interested if the job had no pay and without the shine of the office.

President Buhari, after serving in several "juicy" positions in Nigeria was not publicly known to be a billionaire. The assumptions that led to the conjecture are still very logical in spite of his lopsided preference for appointing mostly northerners in his kitchen cabinet. Despite Buhari's calm but implicit support for the out- of -control Fulani herdsman, I still rate his intention to preside over the world's most populous black nation as an honourable one.

However, from where things are today, one year later, it does not appear that honourable intentions alone will be enough.

Ribadu's unpreparedness Jonathan and Ribadu were not nearly ready both in experience and individual capacity to preside over the delicate and complicated affairs of Nigerians. Dele Momodu reportedly made an unstudied decision to join the presidential race in acknowledgment of Babangida's conclusion that Nigerian youths were useless.

I did not pay any attention to both Babangida's contrived conclusions and Momodu's sanguine response.

As President, Jonathan accomplished practically nothing. He successfully engraved his name in the elite club of those who served a few and failed Nigerians. As far as Nuhu Ribadu was concerned, it will always be safe to remain apprehensive of any product of C M Y K

President Muhammadu Buhari the Nigerian Police. Ribadu's EFCC was an effective tool that nearly succeeded in substantiating Obasanjo's inordinate and destructive third term ambition. Almost all of Ribadu’s success stories as the executive chairman of the EFCC

Those who preach that this or any other President must be given time to deliver the dividends of democracy are simply delusional.

We do not require any time to plan and begin the process of national restructuring

have question marks.

Unlike the United States or other western countries, Nigeria's maturity has not got to the point where any Rick (Ribadu), John (Jonathan) and Dave (Dele) could roll over their beds and aspire to become the President of Nigeria. We do not have self -sustaining and functioning institutions that can mitigate the impact of ineptitude.

Organising elections and offering the elected and their acquaintances endless prospects to do as they wish is not one of the main steering doctrines of democracy.

Today, with the luxury of time, I should have vigorously

endorsed NOBODY for President. The theory of half loaf being better than none is no longer acceptable. Nigerians do not need a President to officiate the status quo. What we need is a reformer who will work diligently to construct a political and social landscape with flourishing ideas and enhanced rules of engagement.

If we have any odds of surviving, we must make sacrifices to forge a union where there are no ethnic or tribal interests at the federal level but only a Nigerian interest.

My endorsement based on his frugal lifestyle in comparison to others may have been valid from a simplistic viewpoint but the passage of time has rendered it grossly inadequate.

I take full responsibilities for my colossal blunder to provide a comprehensive analysis of Buhari's experiences, antecedents, qualities and capabilities in direct comparison to Nigeria's intractable problems.

After one year in office, I have not seen any evidence and I do not think that Buhari has demonstrated what it takes to be a successful President . He has shown no desire or ability to challenge the needs of today and by extension is deplorably failing to persuade our hopes and aspirations for a brighter future as a people.

We may no longer be experiencing brazen stealing directly or indirectly sanctioned by the presidency but there are fears that financial improprieties and manipulations continue at all levels of this government.

Where the legislative oversight is broken down or nonexistent, it is the responsibility of the

presidency and the National Assembly to repair or initiate one. The idea of a Finance Minister authorising the National Security Adviser through a letter to disburse funds not appropriated by the National Assembly based on the verbal order of the President should never be repeated.

No one is suggesting that the current National Security Adviser is freely disbursing funds but the probability of another “Dasukigate” repeating itself in the future is still a possibility. It is one thing to apprehend a thief but it is more important in any establishment to shut down the loophole that facilitated the undesired situation in the first place.

Nigerians have not been provided any evidence that this government has made any stride in tightening the internal controls within and outside all government agencies.

The Minister of Information would have burnt his fingers when he turned to the National Broadcasting Commission to secure a loan. The checks and balances along with the controls have to function to serve the people with or without any President paying attention.

President Buhari and the APC have to come out publicly to tell Nigerians how much was spent on the last presidential election in addition to the sources of those funds. It will be reckless to buy into the current anti corruption hogwash campaign.

My biggest fluster with President Buhari is his disimpassioned attitude towards the daily killings and maiming of Nigerians. It was not enough to issue belated statements three days after the massacre in Enugu through a proxy.

Also, the convenience and safe passage of the Army Chief of Staff should not be a justification for the massacre in Zaria.Our fellow citizens were slaughtered and the presidency remained silent. The other day a terrorist bomb went off in Brussels airport killing about 30 people and the whole world literally came to a standstill.

Human life in general and Nigerian lives in particular should be inviolate. The right to life is the uniquely fundamental right on which all other rights are based.

Regretful acknowledgment Following this regretful acknowledgment, other Nigerians who also packaged and sold Buhari to our fellow citizens should please stand up to be counted. This apology will not be complete if I failed to recognize one Nigerian who consistently predicted where we are today. His name is Remi Oyeyemi.

Remi was right and I was wrong. To the ten or so Nigerians who relied on my endorsement to support and vote for Buhari, I say I am deeply sorry. I did not set out

to mislead anyone America was founded as a nation under God but it appears Nigeria is a nation under gun.

Our commitment to Nigeria as a nation is at best suspect.

Nigeria is more divided today than it has ever been in my lifetime. On a daily basis, President Buhari has consistently shown lack of vision to initiate and implement a strategic plan to unify the country.

Honest restructuring of Nigeria A lasting unification and national renaissance will emerge from an honest restructuring of Nigeria.

Economic prosperity will undoubtedly be an organic byproduct.

Those who defend Buhari's frequent foreign trips are the ludicrous who represent the unpropitious in our nucleus. An Army General with a strategic vision, retired or serving, should secure their territory before embarking on any offensive. Buhari should have embarked on a listening and working tour of several states in Nigeria without any fanfare.

The industrious men and women in Aba deserve a little encouragement. The kids growing up in Maiduguri need positive encouragement and assurances that there is more to life and all that it offers. A united and vibrant Nigeria does not need any selling overseas.

The world will notice and there will be long lines of potential genuine investors.

The other day, President Buhari signed the 2016 budget and declared that better days awaited Nigerians. It was packaged and sold as a budget of hope and change. A few days later,Nigerians are moaning under the choke of higher petrol price.

I have no doubt that Buhari is passionate about making Nigeria a better place. My assessment cannot be wrong and I do not believe that he was shedding crocodile tears the last time he cried after losing the election. I am not convinced that both the body and spoken languages of President Buhari will bring any lasting solution to any of our numerous problems. This president and future presidents will almost certainly deliver similar results that we are all too familiar with.

The political and social architecture in addition to the rules of engagements need to be revisited and redefined immediately.

Those who preach that this or any other President must be given time to deliver the dividends of democracy are simply delusional. We do not require any time to plan and begin the process of national restructuring. We do not need time to begin to ask ourselves the very tough questions that needed answered. *Hillary Okonkwo contributed this piece from Michigan, USA.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 A recent study had it that 90 per cent of commercial drivers in Lagos were hypertensive. There is no doubt that this trend cannot be the lot of drivers in the Lagos area alone. It is likely to be a national trend if the survey is extended to cover the whole country.

Most commercial drivers belong to small-holder private transporters who stumbled into the transportation business as a means of livelihood. Few of them have the time to go and check their health status, let alone ensuring that they keep to the rules of staying healthy.

Commercial drivers are among the occupational groups that expose themselves to grievous selfabuse. They wake up early in the morning, and to overcome the problems of incomplete sleep, some of them “firm up” themselves with hot alcoholic drinks or drugs before they take to the steering. Most of them work

Healthcare for commercial drivers almost round the clock and those who travel long distances do not know the importance of frequently stopping along the way to rest, stretch and refresh their bodies before continuing. Emphasis is on meeting the daily financial targets to stay profitable.

Apart from hypertension, many commercial drivers are diabetic without knowing it. Many involuntarily fall asleep while in driving. Another survey of Lagos commercial drivers recently confirmed that a “significant’” number of commercial drivers in Lagos suffer from Excessive Day-

time Sleepiness (EDS).

The dangers of commercial drivers living dangerously and in poor health are obvious. They are not only threats to themselves; they are also a source of great danger to their commuters and other innocent bystanders when accidents occur.

Given the important role that commercial drivers play in moving our economy forward and facilitating national integration, there is a need for this section of the citizenry to be brought closer to the mainstream of our healthcare system.

Though they are known to be stubborn and very suspicious of attempts to bring them under government regulation (as evident in their stiff resistance to the demands of the Lagos Traffic Law of 2012) the authorities must make more efforts to roll them into regular health checks. This will be easier to do through working in close liaison with their various unions and cooperatives.

A closer regulation of the activities of the commercial drivers in our country is not only for their benefit, it is also for the greater good of the travelling public.

Drivers must be regularly assessed to ascertain their continued suitability to drive safely.

Those who fail the test should be withdrawn from the profession and assisted to go into other lines of occupation that their current health status accommodate to enable them continue to contribute their quota to the economic wellbeing of our country.

OPINION Buy Nigeria and the Innoson brand By

D

Chukwudi Enekwechi

EVELOPED countries of the world such as Germany, Sweden, USA, UK and many others have been known with and are synonymous with the brand of vehicles they manufacture. This method of branding is perhaps the oldest, unacknowledged and unadvertised means of branding, yet it remains the most portent means of showcasing a country and its products.

We can easily remember Germany as the source of Mercedes, Ford and Chevrolet are made in the USA, UK manufactures Rolls Royce, Sweden is known for Volvo, Japan is synonymous with Toyota and today we can be proud to say that Nigeria is known with INNOSON. As the first indigenous automobile manufacturer, it is remarkable that INNOSON delved into an area that if well tapped can indeed be Nigeria’s brand across the globe. It is possible and realisable when we take pride in our own products.

It is indeed comforting that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has made the promotion of made in Nigeria products as one of its cardinal objectives.

This policy can be put into practical action by patronising the company’s vehicles, especially now that the budget has been signed into law.

There should be a deliberate effort to encourage the ministries, departments and agencies to procure only made in Nigeria vehicles, particularly from this Nigeria’s first automobile manufacturer. This

patronage will have multiplier effects, as jobs will be created for Nigerian youths, while the elusive technology transfer will be brought to our doorstep.

It is pertinent at this juncture to dismiss spurious claims or allegations by some vested interests against INNOSON, as they tend to set the hand of the clock backwards. As a people, we must abandon petty issues, and join hands with patriotic corporate organisations like INNOSON to move the country forward.

Additionally, we owe it as a duty to fully support President Buhari in his administration’s policy of diversification.

All efforts should be geared towards ensuring that the dream is kept alive for the benefit of all Nigerians With the nation’s dwindling oil fortunes, it will be foolhardy to put our eggs in one basket, hence the need to support such companies in providing alternative avenues for revenue generation, foreign exchange earnings and job creation.

Before they ventured into the sector, we were totally dependent on the importation of foreign vehicles as a nation. Today, the vision has crystallised into the manufacturing of Nigeria’s first indigenous vehicles ranging from buses, trucks, cars, sports utility vehicles and refuse trucks.

Needless to say that our over dependence on imported vehicles has led to capital flight, loss of jobs for our teeming youths and backwardness in skills acquisition.

As a patriotic Nigerian company, it has assisted the federal government in the area of skills acquisition for Nigerian youths. This approach has widened the scope of technological know-how in our youths, especially those from the Niger Delta region.It is therefore desirable that all hands should be on deck to support such industrial efforts at repositioning Nigeria’s automobile sector.

It is pertinent to note that on account of the company’s innovative ideas, other auto manufacturers who hitherto saw Nigeria as an export destination have started setting up assembly plants in Nigeria. This move has the potentials to create additional jobs for our numerous unemployed youths, and will facilitate the much-awaited technological transfer.

So far, both the local, state and federal governments have lent their appreciable support to Innoson through patronage of their products, but we need to go a step further by ensuring that some disgruntled elements don’t kill the lofty dream of Nigeria to become an automobile manufacturing country. It seems that some vested interests want to return the country back to the era when we totally depended on imported vehicles.

As a company that has made Nigeria proud by venturing into an area previously reserved for Europeans and Asians, the company ought to be given necessary incentives to grow and expand as a conglomerate. Such expansion will enable

them provide more jobs for Nigerians, ease the transportation problems in the country, and provide an enabling environment for the nation’s technological and economic growth.

It is the view of most Nigerians that this patriotic company should not be maligned on trumped up charges by any group or individuals bent on executing any hideous or premeditated agenda.

Rather than maligning or impugning the integrity of the company and its chief executive, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, all efforts should be geared towards ensuring that the dream is kept alive for the benefit of all Nigerians.

The company has demonstrated through all intents and purposes that it has the capacity to uplift Nigeria to a technologically advanced country and what is needed is the support of all local, states and federal governments, including corporate bodies.

Therefore, Nigerians need to see through the deliberate plot to smear the image of the company and its chief executive, Chief Innocent Chukwuma in the form of trumped up charges.

It therefore behooves all discerning minds to discountenance any deliberate effort aimed at disparaging this Nigeria’s first indigenous automobile manufacturer .

The company remains Nigeria’s hope to rise to the global arena as an automobile manufacturing company, and we can only realise that aspiration by supporting the company with the vision and passion to chart the way forward. *Mr. Enekwechi , a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016—19

Buhari’s first road?

By C. Don Adinuba ET us start with a confession: I frankly do not know the first road contract which the Muhammadu Buhari administration, now about to mark its first anniversary, awarded. But it would not be surprising if it turns out to be the rehabilitation of the terribly failed Ihiala section of the federal road which connects Anambra, Imo and Rivers states and passes through the towns of Okija, Ihiala and Uli in Anambra State; Egbuoma and Oguta in Imo State; and Omoku in Rivers State. Contract for the road construction was awarded in 1982 by the Federal Government following a Federal executive Council (FEC) which Vice President Alex Ekwueme chaired because President Shehu Shagari was out of the country.

Two ministers in the Shagari administration hailed from the towns where the road starts and where it ends. Victor Masi, the Minister of Works, was from Omoku while Paulinus Amadike, Minister of Youth, Sports and Social Development, was an indigene of Okija. It is reasonable to speculate that both men played a critical role in the construction of the road, with Ekwueme facilitating it.

However, like many Nigerian projects, the history of the development of this road has been

L

anything but wonderful. The road has yet to be completed a whole 34 years after work commenced on it, despite the fact that it leads to the country’s biggest oil and gas belt. In fact, the Ihiala section has over the years given the impression that this critical road is easily the worst road in the whole country.

The good news is that work has started in earnest in the reconstruction of the failed section. The reconstruction of any part of this road is not included in this year’s budget, but the Buhari administration somewhat found money to fix it because it considers it an emergency. It is probably the first road contract it has awarded.

The awful condition of this road was brought to the attention of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, last December 29 when I returned his call the previous night after he sought to know my experience of travelling from Lagos to my hometown in Anambra State by road, with a viewing to knowing where and how the government could intervene in road development. Typical of him, he did not promise to fix the road immediately. In an article I wrote subsequently, I noted that Fashola not only likes to surprise his friends, but also loves to under promise but over-delivers in all

assignments, recalling my encounters with him over certain development projects in Lagos State when he was the governor from 2007 to 2011. On no occasion did he state categorically that he was going to implement any of them. In all the instances, one woke up to see that work had begun.

This is the case with the reconstruction of the Ihiala

Another key takeaway from the Ihiala road reconstruction is that leaders must display personal enthusiasm for their responsibilities section of the Okija-Ihiala-UliEgbuoma-Oguta-Omoku Road.

The minister must have sent in the last three months over five teams of surveyors and engineers from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing as well as the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to this road. He is determined to break the jinx which has prevented this relatively short road by including its completion and reconstruction in next year’s budget. But for the time being he

Ikpeazu: A workman and his tools

By Godwin Adindu

H

OW time flies! One year is gone, just like yesterday! It is a time of stock-taking and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State is stepping out to the village square, his score card in his hands, to show himself approved a workman that needs not be ashamed.

He has, with every zeal and energy, taken the tide at the flood and it is today clear where the Abia journey is headed.

If you take the tide at the flood, as Shakespeare reasoned over 500 years ago, the journey “leads to fortune”. But, omitted, “all the voyage is bound in shallows and in miseries”.

Indeed, Ikpeazu has taken the tide at the flood! In just one year, he has laid solid foundations for a new political culture in Abia State. He has given political power a new meaning as a call to service. This new value re-orientation is permeating every facet of public service in Abia State today.

The personality of the leader in power is robbing off on the way and manner government business is conducted and the result is that, in just one year, Governor Ikpeazu is brandishing a scorecard of excellent performance. He is flaunting sixty-five road construction works, out of which twenty-seven have been dully commissioned. This is in addition to having executed a massive desilting of drainages, gutters and storm water ways in Aba. He raised the bar in quality and innovation in road construction by introducing rigid pavement technology also known as cement technology into the lexicon of road construction in Abia.

Though the cost of this technology is C M Y K

higher than the conventional construction methods, the Governor decided to experiment on it as a measure to strengthen the load bearing capacity of some roads in Abia and boost the strength and quality of the finished work. This is because roads constructed with this technology has a sustainability guarantee of ten to twenty years.

The city of Aba has also been a major focus of the Ikpeazu administration in the last one year. This has involved a total

Ikpeazu has contained the excesses of men of the underworld in every category such that Abia has become too hot for the deviant society repositioning that encompassed both infrastructural renewal, trade and investment, rebranding and capacity building. To achieve this, he created the Aba Urban Renewal Authority and the body has been the anchor unit for the drive towards the infrastructural renewal of the city. The body has worked to restore order and sanity in building of shops, kiosk, office and residential buildings. The body also drove the new programme towards the park reform and general rehabilitation work of Aba. This broad approach in dealing with the issues of Aba has given birth to many

knows that the failed section which cut off the Ihiala people from the rest of the country needs urgent rehabilitation. He consequently has directed FERMA to complete the failed portion before the rains set in this year. And the agency has been working frenetically so as not to disappoint the minister.

The minister has also directed FERMA to use stone as the base of the road, instead of laterite which was used in the construction in 1982. This is to make the road more durable. A major reason for the failure of the Ihiala section of the road which connects key petroleum producing communities is that a large number of heavy duty lorries ply it every minute of the day because most of the sand used in building and construction in towns in both Imo and Anambra states is dredged from the area.

Therefore, the ministerial order to use stone as the road platform is perfectly in order. The same thing can be said about the minister’s directive that asphalt be used on the road, rather than macadamizing it, as was the case during the initial construction 34 years ago.

However, Fashola does not appear to be aware that the road has never had drainage facilities.

The absence of drains contributed significantly to the collapse. In other words, it is important that FERMA be directed to provide for drainage facilities immediately, otherwise the road will fail no

tactical actions directed towards developing the latent ingenuity and creativity for which Aba is celebrated. It has led to a renewed attention to the artisans of Aba and a review of the future of the fabled Aba In Made Goods. It has led to a general sanitation of the city including the open markets, leading to war against street trading and illegal structures.

The Ikpeazu administration has also paid attention to the agriculture sector. Early in the administration, the government entered into partnership with the Songhai Farms in Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin, for the training of 40 youths annually on a train-the-trainer initiative in the entire agricultural value-chain. The state later launched The Return to Farming and Women in Fish Farming Initiative, which is aimed at empowering the youths and women by setting up farming cooperatives which will help drive key government policy as regards agriculture. The government through the initiative would make land, finance and training accessible for farmers. The government followed this up by sourcing N1 billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) loan for agricultural revolution. The entire vision is to explore the agric-economy as a support base for the state economy.

There has been a concerted effort towards revitalisation of moribund industries. This effort has taken the centre stage in the activities of the governor. He started by embarking on an inspection tour of Golden Guinnea Breweries Industry in Umuahia to extract a commitment and an assurance from the investor that the company will come upstream this month of May. Government and the investors are collaborating to achieve this time goal.

The governor later repeated the same performance at the International Glass

sooner than it is reconstructed.

Knowing that responsive leadership is second nature to the minister, there is no doubt that Fashola will soon direct that drainage facilities be part of the ongoing reconstruction of the Ihiala portion of the federal road.

Perhaps, the most important takeaway from Fashola’s well known responsive leadership style is the validation of the theoretical framework that leadership, whether in the private or public sector, must be seen as caring in order to inspire the confidence of the followers. By going out of his way to look for funds for the reconstruction of a road which is not provided for in the current budget and which is not from his catchment area in a country notorious for Prebendal politics , the hundreds of thousands of people who use this road need not be told that Fashola is a caring minister. He has inspired their confidence in the Buhari administration.

Another key takeaway from the Ihiala road reconstruction is that leaders must display personal enthusiasm for their responsibilities. Leadership and management theorists postulate it is difficult for organisations or countries to compete effectively in today’s world if their leaders do not show passion for work. With the likes of Fashola in leadership, there is still hope in the Nigerian possibility. *Mr. Adinuba is Head , Discovering Public Affairs Consulting.

Industries, Aba when he visited the site for on the spot assessment of the progress of work by the new managers who are working to revamp the moribund industry.

Today, the Aba industry has about 400 staff in their employ and has commenced partial manufacturing of bottles for pharmaceutical companies.

In the last one year, the government has also paid attention to rural infrastructural development. One of the strategies adopted in this regard is the establishment of the Abia State Rural Infrastructure Development Initiative (ASTRIDE). This initiative is aimed at providing at least one project in each of the 184 INEC Wards in the 17 local councils and the idea is close the gap of infrastructural development in the rural areas. Many rural roads are being opened up for easy access to the city. The Governor has initiated efforts to link Aba to the sea through the development of the Obuaku City Port. This will give a great boost to Aba as the commercial hub of the South East.

With the establishment of the Abia State Markets Development Committee, the Governor has conducted a successful review of the status of the markets. Through the Integrated Payroll Verification System (IPVS), he conducted several staff auditing exercise to ascertain the actual strength of the workforce. The state has also recorded huge success in the area of government public finance restructuring.

Through this effort, it has harmonised taxes and levies, waged war against double taxation, eradicated touts and illegal agents in the revenue drive and blocked all leakages and drain pipes through which government finances were being siphoned. *Mr. Adindu, is CPS to the Abia State governor.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Furore in Anambra community over animals, charms buried at Igwe’s Palace •Igwe has questions to answer—Palace occupants •It’s handiwork of my enemies —Monarch

By Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha CONFUSION still trails the discovery of a shallow grave containing sacrificial items at a gate leading into the Palace of the traditional ruler of Amichi community in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Alphonsus Oforbike Ezeoke. Indeed the entire occupants of the Palace were jolted as decomposing sheep, fowl and an object tied with raffia and other leaves were exhumed from the ground.

Convinced that the buried fetish objects might have evil effect on members of the royal family, the Palace occupants, according to a source, had hired some native experts to exhume them.

Igwe Ezeoke who is based in the United States of America, USA, was not even in town when the discovery was made, but some of his kinsmen alleged that he must have known everything about the buried animals and the object. Members of the royal family were said to be particularly disturbed by the incident because, according to them, they had in 1999 done family cleansing whereby every household in the large Ezeoke royal family made some contributions, did fasting and prayed for seven days. It was also learnt that there was current plan to repeat the cleansing exercise.

Royal family Speaking on the shocking discovery a member of the royal family, Prince Ugochukwu William Ezeoke, disclosed that they did the exhumation against the instruction of the monarch who, he said, remonstrated with them for doing so without his consent.

Prince Ezeoke informed that two weeks before the discovery, a house boy in the palace was sent to cut grasses at the front of the palace, and that after working for some time, the boy got tired and decided to take his rest inside the palace before going back to work.

He quoted the boy as saying that some people who visited the palace when Igwe Ezeoke was still around had approached him where he was resting and asked C M Y K

him to leave the place but he refused and when the order was repeated in a harsh voice, he complied and left as ordered.

Prince Ezeoke further narrated that when the boy went inside his own apartment, he peeped through the window and saw when the men dug a hole at the front of the main gate, brought out a blindfolded sheep, a fowl and an object he said the boy could not describe. The men then dropped the objects inside the hole along with the tied object after muttering some incantations.

According to the Prince: “I was in Lagos, my base, when all these things were happening. It was when my younger brother, Rev. Fr. Ezeoke visited the palace and heard what happened and saw where those things were buried that he alerted me on phone.

“My younger brother went to the parish priest who followed him to the palace to see for himself where the hole was dug.

The parish priest gave my brother the Igwe’s GSM number.

He told me that when he called Igwe on telephone to tell him about the discovery, the Igwe replied that he was still in Abuja and at the same time warned that

Our worry is based on the fact that the sacrificial things were buried right at the first entrance gate to the palace which every resident in the palace must cross nobody should do anything in the palace without his consent, adding that we should not tamper with those things buried in the palace”.

Describing the palace as belonging to Ume Ohimiri family, Prince Ezeoke further declared: “Before the Igwe was contacted, the chairman of Umu Ume Ohimiri, Obi Geofrey Ezeoke had been contacted. The

*Digging of the grave in progress. INSET: Sacrificial items exhumed from the grave Igwe did not take kindly to this and made an issue out of it with brother. Later we the members of the royal family held a meeting and resolved that the buried objects must be exhumed.

We had to hire people who know about exhuming charms outside this community”.

He added thus: “We had to do this because our worry is based on the fact that the sacrificial things were buried right at the first entrance gate to the palace which every resident in the palace must cross”.

He explained that the Igwe did not carry other members of the royal family along before doing that.

“Apart from that, we are at the age when everybody is looking on to Jesus for salvation. We don’t see it as something right for one to start going back to the dark ages,” Prince Ezeoke contended.

Another prominent member of the family, Prince Afam Ezeoke, on his part, said the family thanked God that the things buried in the palace were exposed, adding: “This royal family had been experiencing such shocking discoveries and we don’t like it”.

However, in a reaction from the USA where he resides, Igwe Ezeoke denied the allegation that he buried animals and charms in his own palace, attributing it as the handiwork of his enemies.

He said: “I am the Igwe of Amichi. I am the custodian of culture and tradition in Amichi.

I am the Igwe of everyone, not only Christians. I am an officer of the court in the United States of America, and understand the importance of religious freedom.

“Why would any sensible educated humanbeing enter someone else’s place of abode, in that person’s absence, and exhume something that does not concern that person? This is a violation of the palace. The act is a trespass. To claim that Igwe

•Prince Ugochukwu Ezeoke performed the alleged ritual without evidence amounts to flagrant defamation of character.

This is not the first time that Okeke ignited such charade. He claimed that I attempted to assassinate him last year and called a press conference to make the pronouncement.

“Okeke organised the locking of my palace gate with my cousins during the 2016 Ofala festival. He is no longer the chairman of Amichi Vigilante Group, but uses that office to commit atrocities in the town. He is the one who exhumed whatever from the palace. From the information I have gathered so far, he buried the sheep with the intention to implicate me.

“What was exhumed from the palace was buried without my permission and exhumed without my permission. I left the palace on the 14th of April 2016.

The incident occurred on April 23, 2016. From what I heard, Okeke and some of my cousins orchestrated the whole charade.

The presence of a sheep denotes innocence and peace. The first mention of sheep occurs in (Genesis 4:2). Sheep were used in the sacrificial offering, as, both the adult animal, (Exodus 20:24)

•Prince Afam Ezeoke and the lamb. See (Exodus 29:28; Leviticus 9:3; 12:6). Had it been that a charm or some voodoo was exhumed from the palace, I would have been alarmed.

“In 1999 Reverend Father David performed all kinds of rituals in the palace as a way of appeasing the family’s ancestors who were not properly funeraled.

We saw that as God’s work.

When a non-Catholic performs an act, it is a ‘ritual’. Webster defined a ritual as ‘a formal ceremony or series of acts that is always performed in the same way’. Based on the definition, we are all ritualists.

“If a person chooses to practise paganism, he is protected under the Constitution. Is it then worth cheering when a person’s freedom of religion is violated? I did not participate in the alleged ritual, but the Catholic Church celebrates Mass every Thursday in the Palace. I don’t participate, but the Church has the right and freedom to celebrate mass in the palace. As long as whatever ritual you wish to perform is in conformity with peace and progress, you are free to do so. I will never encroach on anyone’s religious practices.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

REWARD: From left, Emmanuel Okiedesan; Hauwa Bello; Group Managing Director, Diamond Bank Plc, Uzoma Dozie; Ayodeji Agboola; Uchechi Arinze and Folawiyo Abiodun at a ceremony where Diamond Bank rewarded winners of its Building Entrepreneurs Today, BET 5 with N3 million each.

Stock market shrinks ahead of MPC outcome today

By Babajide Komolafe & Peter Egwuatu

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RADING at the Nigerian Stock Market yesterday ended on a negative note as the NSE All Shares Index, ASI, and market value of listed stocks fell by 0.37 per cent, ahead of the outcome of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting ending today.

“The market performance today was broadly driven by

profit-taking by investors and this trend is expected to persist as investors await outcomes from deliberations at the ongoing MPC meeting,” said analysts at Afrinvest Plc. Specifically, the All Share Index yesterday fell to 27,015.97 points from 27,116.45 points on Friday, while market capitalisation closed at N9.279 trillion from N9.313 trillion. Volume traded declined by 43.35 per cent from

559.080 million to 316.735 million, while the total value of stocks traded declined by 46.84 per cent from N3.592 billion to N1.910 billion in 3,924 deals.

The financial services sector led the activity chart with 255.389 million shares exchanged for N1.568 billion.

Conglomerates came next with 37.751 million shares traded for N0.051 billion, Consumer Goods, Oil And Gas,

Agriculture sectors followed in that order on the activity chart.

UBA, Transcorp, Zenith Bank, FCMB and FBNH were the most active stocks by volume. Stanbic, DnMeyer, Fidson, Continental Insurance and Dangote Sugar emerged the highest price gainers on the chart, while PZ, Union Dicon, Zenith Bank, Portland Paints and Ikeja Hotels topped the losers chart.

Meanwhile, Barclays Plc, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Renaissance Capital Ltd. are among banks predicting that the CBN will carry out a de facto devaluation of the Naira, or even a gradual removal of capital controls that have starved the economy of dollars needed to pay for imports from fuel to milk.

“Nobody really expected a contraction,” Tajudeen Ibrahim, head of equity research at Chapel Hill, said by phone from Lagos to Bloomberg. Continuing, he said: “It came as a shock and the market’s responding to that on Monday.” Adding: “Beforehand, local investors were responding positively to news of the budget and in anticipation that there would be a move on the currency.”

Foreign reserves have plummeted to their lowest in more than 10 years and the black market exchange rate has sunk to around N345, while Naira forward contracts are pricing in a devaluation of about 24 percent to N247.50 in three months.

MTN shares down at JSE as Nigeria suspends $3.9bn fine talks

M

suspended talks about a $3.9 billion fine on the South African mobile phone company. This comes as the House of Representatives completes an investigation into the nature of the penalty.

Shares of MTN declined as much as 2.9 percent, the $ 122.70 -2.00 most since May 12, and traded 1.5 percent lower at $2,950.00 38.00 126.50 rand as of 10:23 a.m. in Johannesburg, valuing the company at 233 billion rand ($15 billion). The shares have $47.96 -0.76 plunged almost 35 percent since the fine, originally set at $5.2 billion which CURRENCY BUYING SELLING was levied in October.

“Any delays in finding US 196 196.5 197 a resolution for the 286.3952 287.1258 287.8564 DOLLAR MTN fine will play into 219.8328 219.9425 220.5021 POUNDS 197.7401 198.2446 198.749 EURO trading and keep 1.7808 1.7854 1.7899 FRANC MTN’s share price 0.3179 0.3279 0.3379 YEN suppressed. The big 275.2988 276.0011 276.7034 CFA event to watch this week 29.9182 29.995 30.0717 WAUA 52.2263 52.3595 52.4927 RENMINBI will be MTN’s annual 29.4972 29.5724 29.6477 RIYAL general meeting, where the market might also CBN Exchange rate as at 23/05/2016 get additional clarity,”

TN yesterday recorded a sharp decline in its share price in Johannesburg trading after Nigeria

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Peter Takaendesa, an analyst at Mergence Investment Managers, said.

Nigeria’s decision to put talks on hold will frustrate Johannesburg-based MTN as it seeks to resolve a fine that was levied for missing a deadline to disconnect customers deemed unregistered in the country.

The company’s stock decline has cost MTN the title of Africa’s biggest wireless

Investors will be informed of any update to the fine negotiations via the stock exchange news service

company by market capitalisation, losing it to its rival Vodacom Group Ltd. “MTN cautions shareholders not to make any decisions based on media reports,” spokesman Chris Maroleng, said in emailed comments. He said investors will be informed of any update to the fine negotiations via the stock exchange news service.

Lawmakers in the Nigerian lower chamber have set up a committee to investigate the MTN fine, following the failure of Ferdinand Moolman, MTN CEO, to appear before the house, stalling the resolution of the fine.

Victor Oluwadamilare, Special Adviser to the Minister of Communications, said “until they are through with it (investigations), nothing can be done. The federal government, the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Ministry of Communications can do nothing about the MTN case until the committee concludes its thorough investigation.”

— 21

GTBank redeems $500,000,000 Eurobond

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UARANTY Trust Bank, GTBANK Plc has redeemed its outstanding portion of the $500,000,000.00 Eurobond Notes due May 19, 2016.

It will be recalled that in February 2016, the bank successfully issued a Cash Tender Offer (the “Tender Offer” or “Offer”) to repurchase any and all the outstanding US$500m 7.5 per cent Eurobond Notes due May 2016 as part of its effective liability management strategy. The tender was the first of its kind involving a Nigerian corporate in any capacity in the international capital markets and was well received by analysts and investors. The Securities were issued by GTB Finance B.V. (“ GTB Finance”) - a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank – GTB Finance B.V. (the “Offeror”) – on the back of an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee of the Bank.

A statement from the bank stated: “At the expiration of the Tender Offer, an aggregate principal amount of US$ 126,586,000 of the Securities was successfully and validly tendered. Upon final maturity of the Eurobond in May 2016, the outstanding principal portion of $373,414,000 as well as the coupon value of US$14,003,025 was redeemed using the bank’s available cash reserves.”

Launched in May 2011, the US$500 million Eurobond represented the first Sub-Saharan Africa financial sector benchmark Eurobond without a sovereign guarantee or credit enhancement from any international financial institution.

According to the Bank’s MD/ CEO; Segun Agbaje, “Despite a difficult operating environment that characterized most of the year - especially when viewed against the backdrop of short dollar supply- the Bank continued the implementation of its effective liability management strategy with the successful completion of its any and all cash tender offer in February 2016 and subsequently, the redemption of the outstanding portion of the $500,000,000.00 Eurobond Notes due May 19, 2016.

“GTBank has continued to report the best financial ratios in the industry with a Return on Equity (ROE) of 25.5 per cent and a cost to income ratio of 44.4 per cent evidencing the efficient management of the banks’ assets. Presently, the bank has one Eurobond issue currently outstanding: a $400 million 6 per cent bond placed in November 2013 with maturity in November 2018. Overall, the Bank has maintained its position as a clear leader in the industry. In recognition of the bank’s bias for world class corporate governance standards and excellent service delivery, GTBank was recognized as the 2015 Best Bank in Nigeria

by Euro money, 2015 Bank of the Year by African Investor and 2015 Best Banking Group Nigeria by World Finance.”

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 Mansard’s reinsurance rate increased to 41.4 per cent in 2015 from 39.6 per cent 2014 reflecting the heightened risk in Nigeria’s macro-economic environment during the period

,

INVESTOR' INVESTOR'S

,

AXA Mansard Plc: Warding off adversity of macro-economic headwinds …2016 investment outlook still hazy

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

A

XA Mansard Plc is one of the leading institutions operating in Nigeria’s insurance sector. The company had earlier in the year published its full year 2015 results which indicated resilience in the face of macroeconomic headwinds but with some significant downsides.

A few investors and analysts had hoped things would improve in the new financial year, but the first quarter result is still showing the weak lines.

The full year result had shown a mixed directional movement in the key performance indicators, gross premium written, GPW, and the gross premium earned, GPE. The company had recorded a decline in GPW, though the GPE, and Profit After Tax, PAT, were positive.

The 2015 results showed that Mansard’s GPW declined 4.7 per cent year-on-year, y-o-y, to N16.26 billion from N17.4 billion in 2014. The result also showed GPE up by 12.7 per cent y-o-y to N16.9 billion. Consequently, the company’s net premium income, NPI, increased 9.4 per cent y-oy to N9.9 billion.

per cent from 64.4 per cent in 2014.

There were indications that the drivers of the hike in claims ratio was traceable to a significant surge in claims paid on group life which surged significantly by 46 per cent and HMO with a massive leap of 464.7 per cent.

Both accounted for 33.1 per cent of total claims incurred.

In the circumstance above, underwriting profit margin in 2015 contracted to 17.7 per cent from 22.6 per cent recorded in 2014, while net margin moderated to 9.8 per cent from 10.8 per cent.

Mansard’s reinsurance rate increased to 41.4 per cent in 2015 from 39.6 per cent 2014 reflecting the heightened risk in Nigeria’s macro-economic environment during the period.

Further review of the company’s statement of financial position indicated that total assets expanded 14.1 per cent y-o-y to N51.2 billion in 2015 from N44.9 billion in 2014. This increase was on account of a 31.6 per cent yo-y surge in investment security to N24 billion from N18.2 billion recorded in 2014.

Also, driven by 14.4 per cent y-

Quarter-on-quarter, q-o-q, total assets have galloped by 8.4 per cent to N55.5 billion as virtually all assets headings increased significantly.

GPW increased q-o-q by 25.8 per cent to N8.83 billion from N7.02 billion while GPE also increased by 20.5 per cent to N4.88 billion from N4.05 billion.

Net premium income at N2.76 billion, was up by 15.5 per cent from N2.39 billion as net underwriting income increased by 13.5 per cent to N3.02 billion from N2.66 billion, q-o-q. Also total investment income rose 47.8 per cent to N1.41 billion from N954.1 million.

AXA Mansard Insurance is a member of the AXA Group, the worldwide leader in insurance and asset management with 157,000 employees serving 103 million clients in 59 countries

AXA Mansard Plc Q1:2016 Financial Highlights

Reinsurance expenses With a significant spike in reinsurance expenses, up by 17.7 per cent y-o-y to N7.0 billion, the company’s Profit Before Tax, PBT, recorded just a marginal improvement of 0.4 per cent y-o-y to N2.0 billion.

Besides the spike in reinsurance expenses other cost pressures came on the topline performance such as net claims incurred, NCI, which rose 31.8 per cent y-o-y to N5.1 billion, underwriting expenses which rose 7.4 per cent y-o-y to N1.8 billion) and management expenses which rose13.3 per cent y-o-y to N5.1 billion.

Nevertheless the bottomline withstood resiliently with Profit After Tax, PAT, ticking up by 8.1 per cent y-o-y to N1.6 billion.

Against the backdrop of higher NCI, Mansard’s claims ratio rose to N54.7 per cent y-o-y in 2015 from 45.4 per cent in 2014.

But the expense ratio eased 0.3 per cent to 18.6 per cent from 19.0 per cent in 2014 signifying marginal improvement in cost of obtaining policies from insurance carriers.

Consequently, the company’s combined ratio expanded to 73.4

Profile AXA Mansard Insurance is a member of the AXA Group, the worldwide leader in insurance and asset management with 157,000 employees serving 103 million clients in 59 countries.

The group is a conglomerate of independently run businesses, operated according to the laws and regulations of many different countries.

AXA Mansard Insurance was incorporated in 1989 as a private limited liability company and is registered as a composite company with the National Insurance Commission of Nigeria (NAICOM).

The Company offers life and non-life insurance products and services to individuals and institutions across Nigeria whilst also offering asset/investment management services, medical insurance solutions and pension fund administration through its three subsidiaries AXA Mansard Health Limited, AXA Mansard Investments Limited and AXA Mansard Pensions Limited.

The company was listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange in November 2009, and is one of the most capitalized stocks in the Insurance sub-sector of the exchange.

AXA is present in geographically diverse markets, with operations concentrated in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. AXA’s is also present in Central and South America, Middle East and in Africa via operations in Cameroon, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal and Algeria.

Rise in total expenses Consequently, PBT and PAT rose 46.7 per cent and 44 per cent to N751 million and N700.1 million from N512.1 million and N486 million respectively.

However, shareholders funds have gone down by 1.7 per cent to N17.1 billion from N17.4 billion just as total equity is now 1.02 per cent lower at N19.4 billion down from N19.6 billion.

But of more concern is the continuous rise in total expenses which rose q-o-q by 8.7 per cent to N1.25 billion from N1.15 billion.

Also the reinsurance expenses grew by 27.7 per cent to N2.12 billion from N1.66 billion with claims expenses rising massively by 39.3 per cent to N2.55 billion from N1.83 billion.

Consequently, total underwriting profit went down by 15.8 per cent to N685.5 million from N814 million.

Insurance industry analysts expect Mansard to leverage an AXA’s membership going forward following AXA’s recent acquisition of Assur Africa Holdings.

However, the challenges within Nigeria’s macro-economic environment which has worsened in 2016, may continue to pressure both topline and margins further in the current financial year.

Fully aware of this Mansard, just like most businesses in Nigeria today, are expected to be reviewing its costs and risk exposures.

Consequently, analysts at Afrinvest West Africa, a Lagos based financial institution, said they anticipate further moderation in expense ratio although higher claims incurred will depress underwriting profit.

They are inclined to maintain a modest outlook on PAT growth in 2016.

o-y increase in insurance contract liability to N12.2 billion in 2015, Mansard’s total liability rose 10.6 per cent y-o-y to N31.6 billion.

2016 Outlook The Q1, 2016 report is still pointing divergent directions.

While volume appeared to have increased, it came with increased costs. But the bottom-line is still good-looking.

Source : Company Report

CLEAN-UP: How FG can avert fresh crisis in Ogoni —Dr Parker

Life returns to Oron as A’Ibom gov constructs 10 roads

PAGE 26

PAGE 25

VOL. 1: No. 92

TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

We’ll resist oil exploration in Ogoni after clean-up —Rivers monarch, activist

By DAVIES IHEAMNACHOR KINAABEN—A royal father in Rivers State, His Highness, Chief Vincent Shango-Lolo, has said that Ogoni people would not consent to oil companies carrying on further oil exploration and exploitation on their land after the planned cleanup by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government because the people have gained nothing from oil.

Chief Shango-Lolo, who is the paramount ruler of Kinaaben, an adversely despoiled riverside community at B-Dere River bank, Gokana local government area, lamented that the oil firms have shattered the source of revenue of the people, polluted their environment with no more aquatic life in the communities.

A human and environmental rights activist, Comr. Celestine AkpoBari, also reiterated the position of the monarch that Ogoni people would not agree to any oil exploration activity in the area after government might have concluded the cleanup, saying the people would do anything to stop further despoliation of their homeland.

When Niger Delta Voice visited the community, we observed that thick sludge allegedly stemming from an oil spill that occurred many years ago, still covered the river where the people carry out their fishing activities.

The embittered monarch said: “We have not benefitted anything from oil business. We do not have good drinking water. Even common monopump is not in our community, C M Y K

One of the polluted rivers in Ogoni Ogoni residents during the campaign against oil exploration in the area

Pollution site in Ogoni

Chief Vincent Shango-Lolo

yet, we are an oil producing area and we will prefer to use our land for farming.”

He expatiated: “This is an extract of the water (showed NDV water in a bowl) that people living around here drink. At a time when this thing came up, people left this place because of the health challenges that accompanied it. The whole place was burnt up and was not inhibited by any person again.

“After that time, for about 23 years now, we do not have anything here, no fish again because of the pollution, the HYPREP sign post will tell better. We are just living by the mercy of God.We have made several calls to the Federal Government about our living condition here. Recently we saw FG representatives coming to

see things for themselves. For now, we have not seen anything to remedy our condition.

Expressing the community's wish not to have their community despoiled further exploration the movement said: “There is still nothing like aquatic life in this place. The cleanup is so important to us because we want to have life again. I am a party to the call that after the Ogoni cleanup, we will not accept any other form of oil exploration in our place.”

“Because the activities of the oil explorers are criminally motivated so we do not want them again.

Residents of the area, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice lamented that life has been agonizing for them because of oil

When Niger Delta Voice visited the community, we observed that thick sludge allegedly stemming from an oil spill that occurred many years ago, still covered the river where the people carry out their fishing activities

exploration activities by oil companies. They said their health conditions had deteriorated and everything they have has been contaminated.

Our grouse- AkpoBari Similarly, a human and environmental rights activist in Ogoni, Comrade AkpoBari, called on youths of the area to avoid any act that would scare away the Shell Petroleum Development Company and the Federal Government from conducting cleanup in Ogoni.

AkpoBari, who is also the National Coordinator of Ogoni Solidarity Forum, OSF, said: “Do not do anything stupid that will make them to run away.

The project will re-position our lands forgotten for long. Our people will get jobs and there will be change in Ogoniland.

Just wait and support the system that will change the economy of the Ogoni people.

“Let us support the campaign of leaving the oil in the soil.

After the clean up, we will not allow any further oil exploration in Ogoni because it has not benefited us in anyway,” he added.

See more story on page 25

24—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 —25

RIVERS… TREASURE BASE OF THE NATION FORMER Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, Dr. Tamunoiyoriari Parker, who was instrumental to the control of Ebola virus in the state, has advocated a practical, constant and sustainable collaboration among all stakeholders to the cleanup exercise in Ogoni land, Rivers State, rather than the present knee-jerk sporadic involvement to ward off and tone down potential crises.

Parker, in an interview with Niger Delta Voice, said:”While this clean-up exercise is a vital requirement, we must be able to push the envelope from a reactive occasional intervention, as we are currently having to make it a proactive, continuous sustainable partnership between all stakeholders, both from the public, private and community leadership.

“Before we go to the need to establish a whole-of-society partnership, we must remember that as a country, apart from the need to protect every inch of our environment for the benefit of our people and future generations, we also have international obligations which compel us to act to see that efforts such as the Ogoni clean-up succeed.

Why clean-up is vital “The Ogoni clean-up exercise is important in many respects. A healthy environment is one of the key requirements for the health of a people, because the level and distribution of health of a population is intrinsically linked to the environment on a

CLEAN-UP: How FG can avert fresh crisis in Ogoni —Dr Parker continuous basis, in terms of the interactions with the biological and physical factors in the environment,” he said.

Parker asserted that apart from the numerous environmental conventions, which Nigeria as part of the international community should uphold, there were also important considerations linking Ogoni land, and other such places in Rivers State with the global marine environment, adding: "So if we degrade these areas we are also indirectly creating negative externalities for other parts of the world.

“Because of the concern for our immediate environment and the larger global environment, we need to take the following conventions and protocols seriously. The Stockholm Declaration on Human Environment, Convention on Wetlands, the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone layer, The Basel Convention on the Control of Trans boundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal, the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World, the Hyogo Framework of Action 2005-2015 and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 20152030.

International approach “These international efforts

the environment and other productive activities within these areas, such as ecotourism and new avant-garde green industries in the maritime and associated sectors.

Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike

Given that the natural resources in the environment must be exploited, he said industries and agents of government whose task it is to prevent and mitigate a repeat of the kind of disaster that occurred in Ogoni, should step up efforts to add value to the lives of Ogoni people...

indicate that the Ogoni clean-up is not only local but actually a global issue, which we must take very seriously to avoid or mitigate future disasters that can affect Ogoni and Rivers state and spread its impact to the entire world.

Given that the natural resources in the environment must be exploited, he said industries and agents of government whose task it is to prevent and mitigate a repeat of the kind of disaster that occurred in Ogoni, should step up efforts to add value to the lives of Ogoni people, Rivers and other parts of the country.

“In ensuring this daily prevention and mitigation efforts, we can also create associated industries and sectoral efforts that create sustainable opportunities for our people in conservation of

‘Irreversible disaster’ “In this new global approach, we must have a continuous model that takes a proactive review of our entire environment, mapping the risks and vulnerabilities of all our people through local government and state collaborations with the private sector and affected communities. In doing so, we must then put in place prevention and mitigating processes, including early warning, community empowerments and vulnerability reduction mechanisms,” he said.

The ex-commissioner added: “As we say in healthcare, prevention is better than cure, but in sustainable environmental disaster management, it is by far better and cheaper.”

He further observed: “This clean-up is not for a political party but to ensure that our people in Ogoni and similarly affected areas do not see industrial development as an irreversible disaster to their health and livelihood irrespective of our political persuasion. This must be a value that we all share collectively, in that respect, I am certain we all share an equal commitment, it must be so.”

Eta excites Oyede with educational projects

O

YEDE—THE people of Oyede community in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta grinned, last week, as the group managing director of Skyward Resources Limited, Hon Enahoro Eta, handed various educational projects he and his wife undertook to the community.

The donated items include: a block of three classrooms and

THE TEAM Emma Amaize, Editor Jimitota Onoyume Samuel Oyadongha Simon Ebegbulem Gabriel Enogholase Festus Ahon Egufe Yafugborhi Emmanuel Una Akpokona Omafuaire Godwin Oghre Tom Moses Chioma Onuegbu Ike Uche Davies Iheamnachor Emem Idio Brisibe Perez Theresa Ugbobu Ochuko Akuopha Barnabas Uzosike Nath Onajoke Chijioke Nwankpa

teachers’ office for Oyede Primary School, Oyede. He also donated a computer laboratory with a power generating set and a block of toilet facilities to Oyede Comprehensive High School and Egbeniame Primary School, both in Oyede.

Inaugurating the projects, the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chinedu Ebie, represented by his Special Assistant, Dr. Godwin Edozie, commended Eta for the donation and called on wellmeaning Deltans and corporate organizations to emulate the gesture aimed at advancing education in the state.

He disclosed that the ministry was presently carrying out “a documentation of donors and

A computer laboratory

persons that have intervened in the various schools at the different levels for presentation to the Delta State Executive Council.”

According to him: “The ministry has concluded plans to initiate a ‘Support Our Schools Programme’ to stimulate individuals, corporate organizations, international development partners to pick up issues and challenges in schools and find solutions to them in partnership with the government. If they want to do it wholly, let government know about it, so we can appreciate them. If they want us to partner, we are available.”

Earlier in his remarks, Mr.

A block of three classrooms Enahoro Eta noted that there had been noticeable deterioration in facilities in the community’s schools, saying, “we have focused on schools because of the indisputable fact that the best legacy that you can leave for your

A classroom

community and posterity is education.”

According to him, “reducing the level of ignorance in our community through creating an enabling environment to enhance the education of the sons and daughters Oyode is, to our mind, our best investment so far.”

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

PANORAMA

AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

Life returns to Oron as A’Ibom gov constructs 10 roads

Part of the 19.5 km Eket -Iben Road project

3.5-km Ikot Udom Road

I-km Awa/Imam Ikot Nkang Road

Mr. Ephraim Inyang, Commissioner for Works (middle) inspecting the projects ahead Awa/Iman -Ikot Nkang Round About water fountain of the formal commissioning by Gov Udom Emmanuel, as part of his one year in office anniversary

UUTH land acquisition: Uyo clan heads grumble over compensation

By CHIOMA ONUEGBU

U

YO—CLAN HEADS of Uyo Local Government Area hosting the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, Uyo, have complained about the nonpayment of compensation by the state government more than two decades after it acquired the land from the owners.

Niger Delta Voice learned that the Akwa Ibom state government obtained the land to establish a specialist hospital in 1995, which later became the Federal Medical Centre FMC in 2003 and was eventually upgraded to University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in 2008.

The royal fathers, last Friday, appealed to the Minister for Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, who came on a facility tour to the teaching hospital and the state government to resolve the lingering matter without further delay, as payment of compensation to the communities was overdue.

Clan head of Oku community, Dr Enefiok Okpong, who spoke on behalf of others, said, “Our fathers gave the land to the state government but I want to tell you that our children that were born in 1995 when the land was acquired have all grown up. But up till now, compensation for the acquired land has not been paid to the communities.

“I wish to appeal to the Minister for Health, who is here today to dialogue with the state government to make sure that the compensation they have neglected for long is paid to the land owners. In addition, I want to remind government that the N100 of 1995 is valued at N10 million today. So when government wants to pay that compensation, it should be according to the present value.

Dr. Okong, however, assured that they would continue to promote cordial relationship between the people and the hospital community , while commending the current management for the effort recorded in re-establishing the

long lost host-community and hospital relationship.

Similarly the Chief Medical Director of University of Uyo Teaching Hospital Prof. Etete Peters, who acknowledged that compensation for the acquisition of the hospital was yet to be settled, also appealed to the Health Minister for quick intervention on the issue.

Clan heads of Uyo lga at UUTH

He said, “the hospital has written to the state government for the prompt settlement of the outstanding benefits to the community. It is our hope that the Honourable Minister shall express the concern to the state government in order for the hospital to occupy and utilize all the acquired land without possible encroachment by the host commu-

nities.

“The hospital has cordial relationship with the host communities. There has not been any case of community youth restiveness which could impede the delivery of services to the public. This feat is achieved due to the enviable advice by the Hospital Community Relations Committee which meets regularly to address the needs of the host communities.

In their separate responses at the occasion, Minister for Health Prof Isaac Adewole and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, assured that they would meet with the state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, over the matter.

Adewole , who harped on peaceful coexistence in his address, said, “I must thank the royal fathers and the entire host communities for the peace that has been built. I am quite excited.

We can only develop in an atmosphere of peace and no one can make progress if there is no peace.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

,

S FORUM

Equity analysts said in the next one week, performance is expected to be broadly driven by the outcome of the deliberations of the MPC which will be announced today

Analysts recommend BUY for UBA shares, forecast N5.31 target price

By Peter Egwuatu

higher impairments from oil & gas exposures, and increasing regulatory capital requirements.

“The Nigerian bourse All Share Index has lost over 12 per cent Year to Date, YTD; just the banking sector index has declined 7.7 per cent YTD. “Various banks issued profit

A

NALYSTS at Financial De rivatives Company, FDC have recommended a ‘BUY’ decision for the shares of United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc , even as they forecast a target price of N5.31 per share for 2016 year end.

The FDC analysts, in their report last week had noted that “with oil prices still low despite slight recoveries in recent weeks, Nigeria’s economy continues to go through turbulent times as creeping inflation, forex uncertainty, rising unemployment and bleak economic prospects persist.”

According to the analysts, “Given UBA’s revenue potential, recent performance, extensive network and branch system, large customer base, robust risk management framework and exceptional management, it is a company with an immense upside. Accordingly, we place a BUY rating on the stock.”

Current share price On its valuation of the bank’s shares, FDC analysts said “We derived our valuation for United Bank for Africa Plc using the dividend discount model (DDM) method. Our fair value estimate for UBA Plc is N5.31, which is a 56.2 per cent upside on its current share price of N3.40 as at 09 May, 2016.

The discount rate used in the DDM is the cost of equity (20.7 per cent ), which is computed

Tony Elumelu via the capital asset pricing model (CAPM). The terminal P/ BV, which is factored into calculating for exit multiple, was derived using the formula (Return on Equity (ROE) – Net Income Growth)/ (Cost of Equity – Net Income Growth). The intuition behind using this formula is considering how much of UBA’s ROE is being allocated to grow dividends and how much does it cost.

Based on this intrinsic valuation, UBA is an undervalued stock with a potential for significant appreciation.

In forecasting UBA’s assets and earnings, we took into account the low oil price environment, possible devaluation and the overall macroeconomic condition. These issues, alongside Nigeria’s monetary policy uncertainty, are major investor

concerns.”

The report stated “The banking industry is one sector that has fallen victim to the persistent macroeconomic headwinds that have weakened consumer purchasing powers and eroded earnings of companies including banks. Nigerian banks are grappling with reduced credit growth due to lower loan demand,

— 27

We derived our valuation for United Bank for Africa Plc using the dividend discount model (DDM) method warnings prior to the release of their FY 2015 results. In spite of all these adverse conditions, UBA has shown

,

its resilience as reflected in ability to maintain profitability and ensure a high asset quality.

“Its Profit After Tax, PAT increased by 24.5 per cent in Full year, FY 2015 and remained flat in first quarter, Q1’ 2016.

“The bank also maintained its Non-Performing Loan ratio (NPL) at 1.7 per cent , an industry benchmark.”

The analysts said “ UBA's superior risk management framework helped ensure subdued impairment effects from oil & gas exposures. Its share price has declined by about 20 per cent due to investor concern and pervading economic uncertainty Following its merger with Standard Trust Bank in 2005, UBA has pursued a pan-African expansion mission, which has seen it have branches in 19 African countries including Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania.

“During that period, total assets and shareholders (attributable to owners) have grown by a CAGR of 9.4 per cent and 21.9 per cent , respectively. Net interest income has also grown by a CAGR of 19.3 per cent while net income grew by a CAGR of 5 per cent between 2012 and 2015, after recording a loss in 2011.”

UNION BANK PLC Q1:2016 - Financial Highlights (NGN Billion)

Stock Market Outlook (May 24 – 31) C

ontrary to some speculations the labour skirmishes last week was largely rebuffed by the equities market which further strengthened last week.

Stoked by the likely outcome of this week’s Monetary Policy Meeting, MPC, outcome on the backdrop of the recent development in the Oil & Gas sector, the All Share Index appreciated for the 4th consecutive week, up 2.6% week- on-week while trimming year-to-date losses to 5.3%.

Consequently, Afrinvest

sentiment for the week settled at 2.8x from 4.7x in the previous week.

Equity analysts said the in the next one week, performance is expected to be broadly driven by the outcome of the deliberations of the MPC which will be announced today.

Analysts at Afrinvest advise investors to exercise caution as Profit taking is likely to dominate activities pre-MPC outcome while performance for the rest of the week will trend in tandem with the MPC’s pronouncement.

Source : Company Report / Afrinvest

28 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Okwuosa seeks multi-dimensional approach to curb pipeline vandalism

By Clara Nwachukwu

G

IVEN the complexity of attacks, an industry expert, Mr. Emeka Okwuosa has called for the adoption of a multi-dimensional approach to effectively curb the resurgence of pipeline vandalism.

Recent attacks on oil and gas pipelines have cost Nigeria almost half of its daily crude oil production, in addition to denying power generating plants the needed gas supply, thereby depressing the nation’s electricity output to a new low of about 600 megaawatts in the past week.

Speaking on how to tackle the hydra-headed issue, Okwuosa, who is the Executive President, Oilserv Group, identified a number of ways including: technological deployment, policing the pipelines and community engagement.

Okwuosa said these during an interactive session with journalists at the justconcluded, Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston Texas.

C M Y K

Unfunded JVs: Nigeria faces loss of 750,000 bpd

By Sebastine Obasi

N

IGERIA may lose up to 750,000 barrels of oil daily over the next nine years due to inadequate funding of joint venture, JV operations and the federal government’s policy, industry expert said.

Speaking to journalists on the production outlook for the oil industry in Nigeria, an executive of one of the international oil companies, IOCs , who preferred anonymity, painted a bleak future for the nation’s oil and gas sector.

He said: “JV production for now is just one million barrels per day. If government pays its JV cash calls at the current budget level, the country will experience 200,000 barrels decline.

“In 2020, production would have dropped by 400,000 barrels per day, bpd. Ultimately, between 2016 and 2025, if the funding level does not improve, Nigeria will experience a decline of 750,000bpd.”

According to him, JV production declined by 50 percent, from 2 million barrels

to the current 1 million bpd, adding that Nigeria’s production would have reached about 5 million barrels by now, but for government’s annual budget hiccups.

Consequently, he said, no IOC has a straight forward budget resulting in a yearly funding gap of $7 billion, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s unpaid cash calls to the IOCs and indigenous producers, as at January 2016, stood at $5.5 billion and $1.1 billion respectively.

According to the source, “in

the global comprehensive view of countries’ risk, Nigeria is the highest, followed by Venezuela and as regards investor returns, Nigeria is least, followed also by Venezuela. So Nigeria is high risk, low return on investment.

“If the petroleum industry bill, PIB, is passed today, the situation will be worse, as investor returns will be lower. Nigeria is competing for funds with other oil producing countries. There are also 20 different forms of taxes and levies. No investor will go to a country with high risks and low returns. No investor will

PRESENTATION: From left: Secretary, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, PETAN, Mr. Lawal Gbolahan; Vice Chairman, Mr. Geoff Onuoha; General Manager, Projects, Nigerian Content Development Management Board, NCDMB, Mr. Tunde Odelana; Chairman, PETAN, Mr. Bank-Anthony Okoroafor; Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration & Production Company, SNEPCo, Mr. Bayo Ojulari; Group Executive Director, Power & Gas, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Saidu Mohammed; Managing Director, Seplat Petroleum Development Company, Mr. Austin Avuru; Managing Director, First E & P, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero; and, Deputy Managing Director, Total E & P, Mr. Musa Ahmadu Kida, during a PETAN session at OTC 2016.

Engagement of stakeholders

PETAN harps on contract sanctity

According to him, “There are many ways to secure a pipeline but the most important way is by engagement of stakeholders, particularly government and various entities including communities and all manner of people that are impacted or have direct impact on it.

“There are also various forms of technology, like the fibreoptic protection system, which is being installed on the pipelines we are building, even though it was not part of the original scope.”

Okwuosa, whose company is constructing the Ob-Ob two billion standard cubic feet gas pipeline, argued that pipeline vandals should be treated as economic saboteurs. “The clear thing is that tampering with the gas pipeline is a clear case of sabotage because you do not tamper with gas pipeline to steal the gas like you do oil.

“The incidence of gas pipeline vandalism is not normal, and whenever it happens it means that whoever has gone all the way to do that is committing purely an act of sabotage. Do not look at it as something that is spurred by economic gain.”

•Insists on cost effective measures

By Clara Nwachukwu IVEN the volatility of the oil market amid global energy depression, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, PETAN, has identified contract sanctity and cost effectiveness as part of the measures to cope with current realities occasioned by low oil prices.

PETAN in a communiqué issued after the just-concluded annual Offshore Technology Conference, OTC 2016, held in Houston, Texas, USA, made available to Vanguard at the weekend, also said the move will enhance Nigeria’s image as being good for business.

The 16-point communiqué signed by PETAN Chairman, Mr. Bank-Anthony Okoroafor, also stressed the need to institute transparency and good corporate governance to boost the operating environment.

Critical issues: Critical issues raised in the communiqué include: •The need to create a good image for the country and demonstrate that Nigeria is good for business through institutional transparency, well-articulated

G

policy consistency, building of enabling infrastructure and improvement of operating environment security, in order to attract more foreign investors to take advantage of opportunities abounding in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry. ·To restructure the Oil and Gas industry operations by simplifying access to assets, maintaining sanctity of contracts, instilling corporate governance in all our dealings and reducing overall project costs for cost effectiveness.

•To encourage creativity and opportunity for partnership among Nigerian companies in order to scale up to big projects in the face of current complex industry challenges.

•Government must reduce Contracting Cycle from 3-5 years to 6 months.

•Industry to partner with Government to sort out the above ground risks in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry. Investment friendly and competitive operating model is needed as a matter of urgency now.

•PETAN would partner with NNPC to grant seal of competence and quality to oil industry service companies – to certify service

companies and create Service Champions in each service category. This will help to grow capacities in country that can be used in any part of the world.

•NCDMB should take steps to help Nigerian companies survive the current industry downturn and oil price collapse so that they will be around when the industry cycle turns around.

Enabling environment ·Cabotage Law should support Nigerian Content more. It should provide the enabling environment for growth in Nigerian participation in maritime and ownership of vessels. A special goal is to have Nigerian owned vessels transport Nigerian crude, which is not happening presently. ·Government, regulators and stakeholders must remain focused on the goals of the Nigerian Content Law. Progress has been achieved, but more work needs to be done. Leveraging Nigerian Content in Oil and Gas has to go beyond oil. ·To build strong and experienced Nigerian companies to help drive down the cost of service deliveries.

Nigerian companies should be supported so they can scale up to big projects. Scale up economics on big projects through local content collaborationandconsortia(Korean model) ·Collaboration between government/policy makers and private sectors will further entrench the gains of the Act. ·Funding is a major impediment to the growth of Nigerian Content.

The NCD Fund must be applied as intended to support Nigerian service providers and to help them scale up to bigger projects. Policy makersshouldremovetheblockage that prevents access to the funds

by PETAN companies and others.

Finance long term capacity with the NCF (Banks are not funding the industry) ·Operate a new PETAN partnership service model (Contractor financing) ·NNPC/IOC/NOC’s to Partner with PETAN to create a system of managing talents for the future.

Experience alone will not only lead us to 2020, rather a blend of experience plus new talents. ·Toaggressivelygrowourreserves with a smart funding model for exploration and development activities. Nothing has been added to our reserves in the last 10 years. ·Adopt the NLNG and Seplat model in security of assets.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 — 29

Local content: Indigenous, foreign companies battle over implementation

By Sebastine Obasi

A

WHOLLY indigenous oil services company, Ofserv Nigeria Limited, said that the non-implementation of the local content law could deprive indigenous companies the benefits for which the law was passed.

Ofserv made the observation following what it called the non-compliance with memoranda of understanding, MOUs, by some foreign companies operating in Nigeria.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Ofserv, Mr. Dimeji Bassir, some foreign companies, in connivance with some Nigerians, subvert the local content initiative of the Federal Government, thereby denying contracts and jobs for the citizenry.

Offering an insight into the manipulations of the local content, Bassir alleged that between December 2014 and June 2015, Weatherford International Plc and Weatherford Nigeria Limited persuaded Ofserv into believing that they were engaged in a partnership to jointly exploit Nigeria’s drilling services market.

appreciate the effort you made to reach me on this matter.

Ofserv has actually instituted a case in court against Weatherford. We are a multinational company. We have been in Nigeria for a long time.

There is a kind of illusion on the part of Ofserv as to how the job should be done. We need to allow the court to do its job.

It is really left for the court to decide.”

Reps worry on policy circumvention

The Ofserv debacle with Weatherford on local content is coming few weeks after the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Local Content, Mr. Emmanuel Ekon, said the policy is being threatened by the activities of some Nigerians in connivance with their foreign counterparts.

Speaking at the just concluded Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston, Texas, Ekon, who represents Abak Federal Constituency,

accused some Nigerian professionals of aligning with some foreign clients to circumvent the local content policy.

He said: “Nigerians are impeding the implementation of the local content law. A situation where Nigerian employees of the international oil companies, IOCs would tell the House Committee all sorts of lies is worrisome.

“A situation where lawyers who are supposed to defend the integrity of their country, Nigeria, but instead, take sides with the IOCs and work against Nigeria is a very serious issue that should be looked into.”

Proprietary market Based on that partnership, Ofserv was said to have expended significant resources and shared valuable proprietary market information, resulting in damages to Ofserv’s competitive position in the Nigerian drilling services market, loss of goodwill and market share, as well as significant monetary damages in the form of loss of profits.

Bassir further said that Weatherford knew and actively encouraged Ofserv to rely on their supposed partnership to exploit them as a means to cheaply effect Weatherford’s entry into the Nigerian drilling services market.

According to Bassir, Weatherford’s misrepresentations were intended to evade and violate the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, NOGICD, which formed the basis of the parties’ relationship from the beginning.

Consequently, Ofserv has approached the Federal High Court, Lagos for equitable and statutory relief from Weatherford’s actions including awarding compensations and damages for lost work and profits to the tune of $32.1 million.

When contacted, Country Manager of Weatherford Nigeria Limited, Mr Femi Akarakiri stated thus: “I

COMMISSIONING: From left: Mr. Fujii Hisashi, Deputy Managing Director in charge of marketing at CFAO Yamaha Motor, Nigeria (with microphone); Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Special Guest of Honour; Mr Gbenga Oyebode, Chairman, CFAO/Yamaha Motor Nigeria Limited; and Mr Taiye Williams, MD, Lubcon Limited presenting a 4-litre can of Yamalube oil to guests during the official opening ceremony of the CFAO Yamaha plant and showroom at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

Nigerian develops model to boost fuel supply

By Michael Eboh

A

NIGERIAN Petroleum Engineer, Mr. Chinedu Onyeizu, has developed a three node policy and a technology-based model aimed at addressing the challenges of fuel supply in Nigeria, by empowering Nigerians and the authorities with the capacity to track supply across all the downstream petroleum sector value chain.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Onyeizu, a graduate student of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, said the model will help address Nigeria’s fuel challenges in one year.

He also said the model will empower the authorities to allocate and monitor fuel supply across all the supply chain in real-time, using sophisticated computer packages as well as enabling Nigerians to track fuel supply from depots, through transport facilities to petrol stations. He said the three-node model focuses on leveraging the existing Joint Venture, JV, and independent partnership agreements to make refined products abundant and affordable to Nigerian consumers.

He said the strategy will require unbundling the downstream sector into three strategic nodes, namely: Downstream-Upstream node, Downstream-Midstream node and DownstreamDownstream node.

He said: “The Three-node model is policy based and its critical enablers include: locating new refineries at operational bases of producing companies; collaborating with International oil

companies and indigenous producers to operate the refineries while NNPC positions itself as a nonoperating partner with oversight functions.

“NNPC will provide 100 per cent funding for the construction of these refineries; align with the producers to allocate a reasonable quota of crude as constant feed to the refineries; leverage existing ship berthing facilities in operational bases of producers to load refined products. It will also work closely with the association of petroleum products marketers to distribute efficiently; leverage existing tank farms and fuel stations across the country to ensure products reach consumers.”

Real-time monitoring He added that the model has a technology application component, ‘Petrol-Solve 1.3’ that would help in capturing and transforming in-context data into actionable insights.

He explained that the use of the technology will introduce real-time monitoring of fuel volumes and for product distribution network management from point of vessel loading to end-point filling stations.

He added: “We are also introducing a functionality that will enable real-time prediction and management of related events by exception.”

Onyeizu further argued that the three-node model approach to solving the fuel crisis situation in Nigeria will leverage system and predictive analytics to improve management of fuel product refining and distribution across the country.

TCN, NDPHC to partner on 265MW spinning reserves

By Sebastine Obasi

T

RANSMISSION Company of Nigeria, TCN, and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, are working on an agreement by which the National Integrated Power Plants, NIPPs would provide about 265 megawatts, MW, spinning reserves to cushion the effects of incessant attacks on gas pipelines.

The agreement is aimed at facilitating grid responsiveness during swings and disturbances on the transmission network, the General Manager, Communication and Public Relations, NDPHC, Mr. Yakubu Lawal said.

He explained that the provision of spinning reserve and other ancillary services are being practiced all over the world and Nigeria now largely relies on the NIPPs to provide the service.

According to Lawal, the NDPHC has over 2,000MW of generation capacity readily available for deployment as soon as vandalised gas processing projects are completed by the associated nominated gas suppliers thus presenting the best opportunity for rapid improvement of power supply.

Associated gas transmission “In the area of power generation, eight of the 10 power plants in the NIPP portfolio, along with associated gas transmission metering/ receiving infrastructure projects to support commercial operation have been commissioned and connected to the national grid contributing over 2000MW of energy daily.

“While it is a fact that power generation is often disrupted by acts of vandalism on gas pipelines and transmission lines, the NDPHC does not offer such incidences as excuses.

“The NDPHC has continued to operate these power plants in the interest of the Nigerian economy, despite undesirable security challenges and an accumulated debt of over N94billion owed it by the electricity market, that’s definitely more than a tangible contribution to the nation’s supply of electricity,” he said.

He also said that many of the NIPP power plants on the national grid also provide ancillary services in support of system operations, a contribution critical for stabilising the national grid.

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Nigeria’s marketing industry: First quarter performances in slow gaits

T

HERE are three major factors responsible for the downward trend of marketing activities in Nigeria in the last two quarters of 2015. The cautious take- off of the current Nigerian government, the free fall in crude oil prices leading to the drastic fall in the value of the naira and the absence of a clear policy direction that could have helped business owners take daring business decisions. Major brand owners had no options than to slice down their advertising and marketing budget significantly.

Even though globally, experts had predicted a tough marketing year in 2016, many brand owners in Nigeria, especially the FMCGs, were still expected to aggressively launch out their marketing activities to reduce huge consignments stacked in their warehouses caused by the current low purchasing power of consumers.

At the beginning of the first quarter of this year, despite its brouhaha with Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications over an unpaid fine of over a trillion naira, MTN kicked off with the finalization of its acquisition of Visafone, the largest CDMA operator in Nigeria. This deal is expected to increase MTN’s edge over other mobile operators.

Good faith deposit Also in the last quarter, the regulatory impasse between the country’s telecommunication regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission, and MTN remained at the front burner with the announcement of a payment of N50 billion “good faith deposit” by MTN. After the payment, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Ferdi Moolman, announced the company ’s decision to withdraw MTN’s law suit against the Nigerian government as they explore other options to settle with the Nigerian government. MTN’s galaxy of challenges has emboldened competitors like Airtel to go after the huge customer base of this market leader.

This was the clear target of Airtel’s bold TV commercial released last quarter. Etisalat on her part has promised diverse court actions that would make the remaining quarters of 2016 very interesting. Still in the last quarter, the world’s largest beverage company, Cocacola formally announced that it has acquired 40 percent shareholding in Chi Limited, one of Nigeria’s largest juice and dairy company.

Although the financial terms of the Coca-Cola and Chi Limited deal is yet to be disclosed, it is estimated to be about $400m. This investment in Nigeria is Coke’s biggest overseas acquisition since 2012. Of course, reasons for

Does the National Assembly have power to alter budgetary estimates prepared by the Executive?

By Femi Aborisade Continues from Vanguard of Friday HE critical importance of section 3 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act is that where the President presents a budget in contravention of section 16 of the Constitution, the National Assembly may be brought under public pressure (through Public Hearing opportunities) to include estimates which would make the budget comply with the provisions of section 16.

Section 11 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act provides that the Federal Government, after consultation with the States, shall place before the National Assembly, a Medium Term Expenditure Framework covering a period of three (3) years, to serve as a macroeconomic framework. By section 18 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the annual budget for each of the three years covered by the Medium Term Expenditure Framework is to be derived from the same Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

T

making acquisitions vary from one company to another. Speed of access to new product or market areas, increase in market share, reducing the strength of competition and acquisition of intangible assets are some of the major motives many firms seek such deal.

The coca-cola deal, according to analyst marks the first stage of the company’s plan for near total dominance of the African market by 2020 and redoubles its effort to expand beyond soft drink and soda segments From the world of advertising, an earth rumbling announcement that will change the face of advertising in West Africa permanently was made in the last quarter. Publicis Groupe, a global leader in marketing and communication with presence in 108 countries is now in an equity partnership with Troyka Group founded by advertising czar, Biodun Shobanjo.

The new move will see Troyka companies aligning with Publicis Groupe specialist agencies in the areas of media, public relations, advertising and digital media.

Insight Communications will now trade as the representative

We as off-takers will produce and process to meet our local demands and export to earn foreign exchange, provided government continues to support us of Publicis Worldwide in Nigeria; The Thiinkshop will function as Leo Burnett and Saatchi & Saatchi in Nigeria. Leo Burnett will also operate as a stand-alone entity representing the worldwide network in Nigeria. All Seasons Media, Nigeria’s pioneer independent media agency is now aligned with Zenith Optimedia. Media Perspectives another media specialist shop in the group will operate the Starcom Mediavest Group brand name. Also in the group are The Quadrant Company and HotSauce, these PR and new media agencies respectively will trade as representatives of corresponding brands in the Publicis Groupe – MSLGROUP (PR) and Nurun (New media/

Digital Marketing).

Speaking on the depth of the 25% equity stake acquired by Publicis, Mr. Shobanjo explained that, “any brand that Publicis has in any part of the world, we have absolute right to trade with those names in Nigeria. We have only started out with just six brands; as we go along and identify other brands and services that will serve the needs of our clients, we will not hesitate to set up shops to offer those services as this relationship is just evolving”.

The FMCG segment also witnessed a monumental leap in the first quarter of 2016 when a Tomato Paste Factory that can produce 450,000 tonnes of tomato paste was commissioned by the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari in Lagos. The factory, which will produce Erisco brand of tomato paste is Africa’s largest and fourth largest tomato paste plant in the world, according to its owners. Eric Umeofia, CEO of Erisco Foods puts it succinctly :” this revolution in tomato paste production will stop the annual wastage of over 75 per cent of fresh tomatoes across Nigeria. We as off-takers will produce and process to meet our local demands and export to earn foreign exchange, provided government continues to support us”.

Although most brand owners have come out with tight marketing budgets, observers still expect an exciting marketing turf this 2016. Brands and marketers that want to thrive, grow, and prosper in the remaining three quarters of 2016 must utilize “value-added” techniques to take the edge above competition.

For marketing communications players the wisest response to these postulations is delivering quality, impactful ideas on a lean budget, as lients would be on the lookout for solution providers and game changers, not just service providers. The digital transformation was not revolutionary in 2015. Many analysts expect the digital platform to take the centre stage in 2016 as more brands would seek to utilize this cost effective platform to differentiate themselves and their brands from competition Franklin Ozekhome, marketing strategist and founder of TINK Africa shares his feeling on this trend.

Courtesy: The Advertiser, a marketing information publication of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN).

Aggregate expenditure Section 12 of the Act provides that aggregate expenditure shall not be more than the estimated aggregate revenue plus a deficit not exceeding three (3) per cent of the estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Again, where the proposed budget prepared by the Executive arm of government is at variance with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework previously passed by the National Assembly, the National Assembly would have an opportunity to check the Executive.

From the foregoing, the idea that the legislature has no discretion but to either pass or reject the money bill (including the Annual Budget) does not have any support in the legal framework governing the budgetary process. Such an idea is a pro-executive arm politics, not law.

An overview of international experiences: The point must be made authoritatively that, from an overview of international experiences, the argument that the legislature cannot alter budgetary estimates is only half truth; it represents the practice in some countries where their legal framework so provides.

From the analysis of Nigeria’s legal framework examined above, the Nigerian legislature has the power to alter the budgetary estimates submitted by the President. This has been acknowledged in studies undertaken internationally. I provide three sources of such studies below from the works of Anwar Shah (ed.) (2007) and published by the World Bank, entitled “BUDGETING AND B U D G E T A R Y INSTITUTIONS”. World Bank

(accessed online on 7/5/16 at http://www.unicef.org/ socialpolicy/files/ Budgeting_and_Budgetary_Institutions_Shah07.pdf); Richard Hemming, Barry Potter & Richard Allen [(2013) “The International Handbook of Public Financial Management. Palgrave, Macmillan] and lastly, Alta Folscher (2011) Status Report: Good Financial Governance in Africa”, March, CABRI Secretariat, Pretoria].

In a study by some experts edited by Anwar Shah (2007), it was established on page 273 of the book that:“Legal powers of the legislature to amend the budget vary from one country to another. Three situations are possible: 1. Unrestricted power gives the legislature power to change both expenditure and revenue up or down, without the consent of the executive.

Some presidential systems (for example, in the United States and the Philippines) fit this model—although the “power of the purse” granted to the legislature is counterbalanced by a presidential veto. This situation implies substantial and direct legislative influence on the first two

Restricted power is the power to amend the budget but within set limits objectives of public expenditure management (fiscal discipline and expenditure allocation) as well as some indirect influence on the third (operational management).

2. Restricted power is the power to amend the budget but within set limits, often relating to a maximum increase in expenditures or decrease in revenues. The extent of these restricted powers varies from country to country. In France, the United Kingdom, and the British Commonwealth countries, parliaments are not allowed to propose amendments that increase expenditure and have very restricted powers to propose any other amendment. By contrast, Germany allows such amendments, but only with the consent of the executive. This situation implies very limited legislative influence on resource allocation and (indirectly) on operational management.

To be concluded

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 —31

Land titles: Lagos begins land administration, automation system land title guarantee.

“This would also open up a secondary mortgage market in Nigeria. There would also be a rebirth of land title insurance where insurance firms would be able to insure land title issued by the government, thus giving the buyer peace of mind”, the P.S. stated.

Agoro who said the process will further result in improved service delivery by providing policy and decision makers, business owners and private citizens more timely access to information thereby enhancing transparency while at the same time, increasing public confidence, pointed out that this intervention is designed to manage information and automate business activities related to property rights registration, transacting and contracting real property and digital preservation of of land-related documents.

Stories By Kingsley Adegboye

A

GAINST the backdrop of Nigeria’s low ranking on the World Bank’s business index which is attributable to service delivery issues and bureaucratic bottlenecks, there is a need to put in place systems and policies that will create a one-stop shop to facilitate unhindered and secured access to all factors of production particularly land.

Subsequently, Lagos state, the commercial hub of the nation, has commenced the automation of its entire land administration process to create a system whereby land titles will be guaranteed.

Account of stewardship Disclosing this last week at a ministerial briefing to render the account of stewardship of the state Lands Bureau as part of activities marking the first anniversary of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode administration in the state, the Permanent Secretary of Lands Bureau, Mr. Bode Agoro, said Ambode had approved the deployment of the integrated land administration and automation system in the state.

According to Agoro, the system provides for a fully integrated end to end land administration platform for a sustainable and automated land administration environment, which will effectively reduce silos of information that exist across the state’s Departments and Agencies, adding that it will eliminate problems associated with redundant data, increase accuracy by reducing manual entry errors, thereby

Automation system

•Model of World Trade Centre Abuja

streamlining the entire work flow process.

The process will reduce the time frame for obtaining a certificate of occupancy C of O from initiation to completion to a maximum of 14 days

Enumerating the benefits of the innovation, he noted that it will reduce the time frame for obtaining a certificate of occupancy C of O from initiation to completion to a maximum of 14 days, it will optimise revenue collected from land transactions, it will multiply land transactions and revenues by five or six times of the current level, it will reduce the cost of land transaction and increase incentives for private sector investment and it will enhance the credibility of the state’s land titles leading to

“The integrated land administration and automation system is a suite of technology modules that can conduct rapid inventory of land rights, automate and manage land records, create and maintain integrated geographic data accurately and fairly value any property.

“Some of the key considerations of these interventions are work flow and transaction centric which allows for complete modernization and automation of land administration. Applicants will be able to submit and track their applications online. They will also be able to conduct searches and obtain certified true copies of titles online.

NIOB emphasises training, retraining of artisans R

ISING to the challenge of paucity of competent artisans in the Nigerian construction industry, the Nigerian Institute of Building NIOB, last week organized a workshop for builders across the nation. The workshop, titled “Agenda for Skills Development in the Nigerian Building Industry” was aimed at upgrading the skills of builders towards theoretical and practical training of building artisans.

Speaking at the two-day workshop held in four centres, Abuja, Lagos, Enugu and Kano, the president of NIOB, Tijjani Shuaib, emphasized on the need for training and re-training of artisans and craftsmen in the construction industry as a response to the Federal Government desire for job creation and youth empowerment.

Shuaib explained that the workshop would advance the

drive for the assessment and certification of artisans and craftsmen by the institute as a certificate awarding body, encourage members to open up training centres, and ultimately ensure that Nigerian youths are gainfully engaged and that the best workmen are used for construction works for quality outputs to curb building collapse.

The workshop would also ensure that foreigners do not take up jobs Nigerians should do.

Building professionals During the technical session, seasoned building professionals were on ground to do justice to the various topics ranging from Scope of Building and Construction Skills, Skills Acquisition Infrastructure in Nigeria, Construction Practices

and Skills Gap in the Construction Industry, National Vocational Qualification Framework, National Occupational Standards for Construction Trades in Nigeria, Setting up and running of Training Centres and Emerging trends in the use of Solignum as wood preservatives in construction process in Nigeria.

As a solution to problems of skill shortage the participants were encouraged to embrace the attitude of “Do it yourself” and acquire necessary level of skills through attendance at continuous professional training.

“The training and re-training of skilled and competent workforce in the construction industry in Nigeria need to be revisited to ensure the availability of competent workforce in masonry, carpentry, cabinet making, furniture and wood work, spray painting, welding, arch welding, iron bending, fabrication and

felting. The National Vocational Qualification Framework is skill and competency based. It comprises six levels from entry level to senior management level”, NIOB boss noted.

Members were informed that NIOB has endorsed Solignum for use as the preferred wood preservative for the built environment for two years running, after carrying out research on the product that lasted over nine months and thus encouraged participants to embrace the product that has been in existence for over 50 years in Nigeria.

The highlight of the session was the break out session into various groups which produced great output that would help channel and guide properly future thoughts on the training and certification of artisans and craftsmen in the Nigerian building industry.

WTC Abuja promoters woo investors with flexible acquisition plan

A

MIDST the current prevailing economic climate of the country, Churchgate group, developer and promoter of the audacious World Trade Centre, WTC Abuja, has introduced a flexible acquisition plan to enable prospective investors into the sprawling project avoid the burden associated with payment.

The flexible plan is equally expected to afford more individuals and business owners the opportunity of owning a property within the Centre According to the company, interested buyers can now own a property within the WTC Abuja with as little as 10 percent deposit of a particular unit of any of the housing types, while the balance is spread over a period of time as agreed by both parties.

Commenting on the new development, the Marketing Manager of the Centre, Mr. Samrat Banerjee, said that the decision had to be made considering the pressure faced by individuals and businesses due to the current economic situation in the country.

Tremendous pressure Banerjee added that the decline in crude oil revenue has taken its toll on all business segments including the real estate sector, particularly the devaluation of Naira and the restrictions around foreign currency exchange in Nigeria, thereby supporting a high level of inflation and putting businesses under tremendous pressure.

“We are sensitive to the plight of our clients, that is why we have introduced a flexible lease and acquisition payment plan to enable as many individuals and businesses that are interested in having investments in the World Trade Centre network to partake in the offer”, Benerjee said.

Also speaking on the development, Assistant General Manager, Corporate Communications, Churchgate group, Mr. Femi Awopetu, noted that the flexible acquisition plan was devised with the interest of the clients in mind. “We want more individuals and businesses to enjoy the benefits of becoming a member of the World Trade Centre Association club.

“Occupants within the WTC Abuja can connect with members of other World Trade Centres around the globe and enjoy their facilities and services at concessionary rates”, Awopetu added.

32 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

GEMINI; If you like to cut-corners you’ll need to prepare for unpleasant surprise as those you least expect’ll disappoint you. Prepare to protect your image.

CANCER; Relying on the element of luck today may fail to give you the desired results. Then it’ll be wrong of you to disrespect the law and/or it’s enforcement agents.

LEO; It’s important to differentiate between enterprise, gambling and adventure, because you may not go free by unnecessary mistake. Take love very seriously.

VIRGO; Many people are not in the mood to take thing lightly probably because of tension generated by the Moon and Saturn. Thus you’ll need to be prepared to take responsibility of whatever you do and/or say.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

R

IGHT from ages man has continued to look for ways of clothing his nakedness. Nakedness does not just mean not wearing clothes alone. It includes covering our evil deeds,

God is watching wicked acts, ways and sins etc.

As it was the days of the biblical Adam and Eve, so it is today.

When we commit heinous crime, we run for cover under the stone,

TERROR MUDA

under the water and under the dark, hoping and praying that we will not be caught.

We live a lie. We forget that air bear witness to our cruel act; the sun by our shadow

in “Never say goodbye”

takes our photograph, and our conscience convicts us daily.

Beware, God is watching. Your sins will find you out.

Think about it!

By Kola Fayemi

LIBRA; Unnecessary argument can not help your cause today, no matter how logical you think you are. Take domestic issues more seriously than before.

SCORPIO; Good results, your mood looks less buoyant. Whatever this is the wrong time to gamble with matters of the heart.

SAGITTARIUS; Since you cant run away from your shadow it is better you face challenges coming your way both at home and in the office. Eventual success’ll be yours very soon.

CAPRICORN; Although, partnership related issues are becoming seriously, today you will need to rely on your creative mind to get the desired results.

AQUARIUS; Similar to yesterday as money continues to dominate issues. This is the wrong time to rely too heavily on friends either for assistance or advice. Yet you’ll succeed.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

PISCES; You’ll continue to be relevant in the scheme of things, although you’ll be made to operate under pressure through career/business related affairs but great success indicated for you today. Be stable.

ARIES; It’s your day when good luck’ll crown your efforts. The more secretive you are the better for your cause. Avoid unnecessary argument.

TAURUS; Reliable associates of yours may unconsciously disappoint you .Nursing false hope may force emotion to run very high. Be patient please.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Who am I? Dear Joshua, Kindly analyse my star and tell me the type of person I am. Because not only other people do misunderstand me I do not sometimes know myself. Please tell me the truth.

Olawale, Oyo. Dear Olawale, As you were born when both career-oriented-Saturn and loving Venus were prominent in the heaven, you are giving to both ambition and love related issues. And with Venus having more powers than Saturn, PEACE, LOVE and harmony will always have final influence whenever you are to take important final decision.

As loving, gentle, caring and good hearted as you are, with your final-dispositor (Venus) at 90th degree apart to rebellious Uranus in Kingly Leo, FREEDOM and JUSTICE must come to play before the said love and peace will get your final approval.

Naturally Cancer makes it’s natives to appear timid and cool headed but another vigorous aspect in your chart is conjunction formed by aggressive Mars and manipulative Pluto when you were born; thus your will-power is very strong, making it difficult for people to manipulate you at will.

To crown it all the Moon (an indicator of sub-conscious-self ) was placed in genius related Aquarius.

Therefore will power strengthened by educated mind will always want to have FREEDOM. With your natal Sun (basic selfhood) and Moon placed in Cancer and Aquarius respectively, you are mainly a Cancer born person and partly Aquarian; meaning that basic characteristics of the two said Star sings (Cancer and Aquarius) are highly pronounced in your inner-self.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016—33

Osinbajo, Saraki, Oshiomhole shun Osadebey memorial lecture

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, have shunned the memorial lecture in honour of the first and only Premier of the defunct Mid-West region, Dennis Osadebey.

The lecture with the theme, Strong Institutions as a Panacea to Good Governance in Nigeria, in Asaba, was organised by ASDEV ’81 Club, a socio-cultural organisation.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State was represented by his Special Adviser on Labour Relations, Mr. Mike Okeme, while his Anambra State counterpart, Willie Obiano, who was the cospecial guest of honour, was represented by his Commissioner for Information.

The present Delta and Edo States were in the defunct Mid-West region. The late Dennis Osadebey served as Premier of the defunct MidWest region from 1964 to 1966.

The late Osadebey, who contributed immensely to the growth of the region then, has only the road leading to the Government House in Benin, Edo State, named after him as a way of immortalizing him.

Chairman of the occasion, Chief Phillip Asiodu, a former Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the keynote Speaker, Prof.

Pat Utomi, who were present at the event extolled the good qualities of the late Osadebe.

Asiodu in his address attributed the economic challenges facing the country now to lack of articulated and clear long-term vision on the part of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Describing Buhari as a man with impeccable personal credentials for probity, who was elected on the promise of change particularly the end to corruption and re-introduction of good governance that will pursue public interests, Asiodu said: “However, he (Buhari) leads a party which, like the other political parties, has not articulated a clear long-term vision for Nigeria, nor a manifesto with clear programmers and projects for the transformation of Nigeria into a first world state.”

Buhari can’t stop valid N-Delta struggle — IPDI N/Delta groups urge Avengers, others to embrace dialogue with FG

By Emma Amaize, Sam Eyoboka, Godwin Oghre & Caleb Ayansina

W

ARRI — IJAW People Development Initiative, IPDI, has said President Muhammadu Buhari could not truncate genuine non-violent agitation in Niger Delta region unless his administration stopped the aged-long marginalization of the people.

NationalL President of IPDI, Mr. Austin Ozobo, stated this in reaction to the President’s fresh warning to militants and aggrieved persons in the communities to drop their confrontational stance and work with those charged with implementing the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, for a review.

“People outside the region have shared oil blocs, top employment in multinational companies, and managerial appointments of NNPC are held mostly by people from non-oil producing communities, there is

no rapid development in the region and the president thinks people would be contented?” he queried.

Also, chairman of Niger Delta Bishops Forum, Archbishop God-Dowell Avwomakpa, has urged the military to review its operational onslaught on young adults who have taken to militancy, arguing that their current operation won’t end militancy.

Avwomakpa, who fought the Nigerian civil war as a young soldier before he got called to the vineyard, noted that negotiation, engagement of respected community/religious leaders, diplomacy and strategic planning were key in any warfare beyond that as a nation, Nigeria has obligations to the citizens.

Some of the obligations, he said, included protection of lives and the territories of the nation in addition to the provision of social amenities as well as other forms of welfarism that can make life meaningful and better for the

citizens.

Meanwhile, groups in the Niger Delta have called on the Niger Delta Avengers, Ogbesu Red Ties and other agitators in the region to embrace dialogue with the Federal Government to resolve problems in the region.

Akwacross Freedom Movement, AFM and Bakassi Strike Force, BSF, of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states respectively, while dissociating themselves from attack on oil facilities, noted that they were not in support of destruction of facilities in the region.

The groups, in a statement by their leaders, Master Simply and Ibok Eyo of BSF and AFM urged the Federal Government to do all within its power to stop such ‘stupid agitations.’

They noted that the agitations of Niger Delta Avengers and Ogbesu Red Ties were alien to the interest of the people of Niger Delta region.

Ozobo added, “Amnesty programme is not the problem

PDP congress: Forum chides Edewor for flouting Okowa’s directive

By Onozure Dania

M

EMBERS of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, under the auspices of Agbon PDP Stakeholders Forum, yesterday, chided former Ethiope East Local Government party chairman, Chief Bernard Edewor, for flouting Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s directive to zone the local government party chairman to Agbon clan of Ethiope East.

The forum, which petitioned Governor Okowa and others, said the directive of the governor to bring the local government party chairman to Agbon clan and the state Organising Secretary of the party to Abraka clan was well accepted by the forum.

The forum in a statement by its leaders, Dr. Lucky Otegheri, Sunny Emeyese, Arthur Akpowowo, Tony Oboroh, Chief Patrick Idama and Chief Michael Adiotomre expressed dismay and shock, that Edewor who briefed them of the governor’s directive on zoning of the party chairman to Agbon clan, turned around to disagree with the governor.

Power firm restores electricity to Sapele community

By Godwin Oghre

S THANKSGIVING: From left, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum; Pastor Charles Osazuwa, Senior Pastor, Rock of Ages Christian Assembly International (RACAi), Benin City, his wife Deborah and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State at a special thanksgiving to conclude a seven-day programme of the church, in Benin City, Sunday.

Soldiers, policemen lay siege to Bayelsa secretariat complex As workers' strike enters day three

Y

By Emem Idio

ENAGOA — A detachment of soldiers and mobile policemen, yesterday, took over Bayelsa State secretariat complex as the industrial action embarked upon by organised labour in the state over nonpayment of salaries entered day three.

At 8 a.m, yesterday, a team of men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, “Operation Pulo Shield” and mobile policemen was sighted at the gates of the state secretariat and its annexes located few metres from the Creek Haven, the state Government House, even as the workers failed to turn up for work, despite a directive by

Governor Seriake Dickson, who threatened to invoke the “No work no pay rule” on the striking civil servants.

However, few civil servants, who reported for work, yesterday, for fear of being sanctioned, were barred from entering their offices by officials of labour while it was gathered that the state government officials were taking down the names of civil servants who turned up for work.

It was not clear why a large number of security men was mounted at the secretariat complex, but it was gathered that the action was to prevent a possible break down of law and order.

However, officials of the Nigeria

Labour Congress, NLC, in the state, yesterday, confirmed their return to the negotiation table with the state government on a way out of the industrial action.

NLC state chairman, Mr John Ndiomu, in a chat with Vanguard in Yenagoa said: “Series of meetings are going on with the government and we shall also be meeting again, but I am still urging our members to remain at home.

“The strike is now in its third day, and we are still on it, it is true that the state government has started the payment for January alone but we will continue to stay at home until the union reaches a favourable agreement with government.”

APELE — THE people of Sapele and environs, in Delta State, yesterday, were jubilant over the restoration of public power supply to the community, five years after, following the coming of a new private power company, FSG Integrated Power Ltd, to Ogboromo community, Sapele.

Managing Director of the company, Charlse Abeghe, said: “The project is in four phases. The first which will gulp $172 million will start in the last quarter of 2017 to the first quarter of 2018, and it is scheduled to generate 100 MW. We shall hit 500MW in the last phase, when the project is expected to have cost four times what was expended on the first phase.”

On how the company hopes to address the unending disruption and vandalization of oil installations in the Niger Delta region, Abeghe said, “We are not relying entirely on gas as most of our energy source, we will also be deriving energy from waste energy."

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Biafra can be realised through civil disobedience —IPOB

Herdsmen attacks: Police to hold Town Hall meetings in Enugu

By Emeka Mamah & Nwabueze Okonkwo

E

NUGU—THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said that Biafra can be realised through civil disobedience or direct action contrary to the belief in some parts of Igboland that it cannot be achieved through demonstrations alone.

This was contained in a statement issued by IPOB and made available to Vanguard in Enugu yesterday.

The statement by Emma Powerful, entitled, 'Biafra can be achieved with civil disobedience and direct action,' read in part, “IPOB can categorically and experientially conclude that Biafra can be achieved by civil disobedience and direct action contrary to statements made by some saboteurs and Hausa-Fulani slaves from Igbo-speaking area.

“That Barack Obama is the

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—POLICE Authorities in Enugu State have concluded plans to hold Town Hall meetings with traditional rulers,herdsmen,religious leaders,youth bodies and local vigilante groups aimed at adopting potent security measures that will ward-off the invasion of communities in the state by criminal elements.

The meeting,it was gathered,is a strategic initiative of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, to hold in Enugu-West,Enugu-North and Enugu-East senatorial districts to conscientiously establish the attitude of community policing in all stakeholders.

president of the USA today is directly attributable to the civil disobedience of the days of Malcom-X and Martin Luther King Jr. For 27 years, the blacks in South Africa never stopped carrying out civil disobedience until Nelson Mandela was released from prison.

“The Arab Spring started with civil disobedience and the outcome is there for all to see. It is therefore preposterous and smacks of political illiteracy for some compromised people to make mockery of the wellorganized and peaceful civil disobedience by IPOB that has the twin objectives of pressurizing government to release their illegally detained leader and for the restoration of the nation of Biafra. One of these saboteurs and political neophytes cum HausaFulani slaves is a man called...

"Who has now distinguished himself as the latest and greatest

saboteur of the restoration of the nation of Biafra.

“This fellow is from AlayiBende in Abia State. His father was a fine gentleman but unfortunately, gave birth to one of the greatest saboteurs of our time. Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari wanted to have a negotiation meeting with the objective of finding a way out of the impasse occasioned by widespread demonstrations by the IPOB. "The IPOB leader nominated this man to go and meet with Buhari on the assumption that he is a man of integrity and a Biafran to the core. He met with Buhari twice but never came back to Nnamdi Kanu to debrief him. Instead, he used the opportunity of meeting Buhari to cut personal deals for himself.

He should return all the money he collected from Buhari.

“To cover up his track, he

NGO berates govt on plight of the elderly ...seeks policies to protect their rights

By Starrys Obazei

A statement made available to newsmen by the Police Public R e l a t i o n s Officer,PPRO,Ebere A m a r a i z u , D S P, revealed that the town hall meetings will address cases of internal security threats in the communities.

A

NONG O V E R N M E N TA L organisation, 'The Senior Citizens Care Foundation,' has berated the three tiers of government over their insensitive attitude towards the plight of the elderly in the society.

A press statement made available to journalists in Lagos by the foundation’s national coordinator, Mr. Jide Taiwo and a member of the management executive and the corporate communications adviser, Princelyn Oduenyi, lamented the ill-treatment the society has continually meted out to the senior citizens, who due to age, are now very fragile and vulnerable to such inhuman treatments of constant abuses, exploitations and in some cases

“It will address issues of grassroot security, reduce misinformation and rumour mongering,anxiety as well as animosity, given the current security challenges associated with local communities and herdsmen. It is reassurance policing, geared towards peaceful co-existence and sensitivity of each community’s values,space and interest .

outright killings by those expected to protect them.

Oduenyi and Taiwo admonished the three tiers of government to always see it as a point of duty to ensure that retirees, who have dutifully and sincerely committed a greater part of their youth in serving their fatherland are not abandoned in their old age or at their point of need.

Both men insisted that senior citizens should be taken care of and their emoluments must be paid promptly to enable them meet up their various responsibilities as parents and grandparents while also enabling them continue to take care of their old age, and not in penury as is always the case in Nigeria.

The acceptable standard as enshrined in the charter of the World Assembly on Ageing over three decades ago, they said, must

also be the standard here.

The foundation, they said, had asked her legal team to formally write the Edo State government, the Inspector General of Police and the Edo State Commissioner of Police to know the extent government had gone on recent unfortunate incidents in the state where for example, a young tenant snuffed the life out of his 83-year-old landlord simply because the old man wanted to know why this young man had decided not to pay his rent since 2014, despite the fact that he was still holding in his possession the said apartment.

And the most recent involved the gruesome murder of a 65year-old grandmother, Mrs. Clara Uwaifo, a retired headmistress, perpetrated by whom police described as a teenage cultist and serial killer.

granted interview to a national newspaper reporter, where he displayed his crass ignorance of Nigerian politics as well as mocked the victims of Buhari’s genocidal killings in Biafraland.

"From his conducts and recent utterances, and just like his fellow sexually confused Igbo politicians who are prostitutes to HausaFulani men in return for political favours, it is clear he is the present danger to the Biafra restoration process.

“He has now joined the hall of infamy of Biafran saboteurs ."

May 30, Biafra’s Armed Forces remembrance day Meantime, members of the group has restated their determination to carry out the Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony scheduled for May 30, this year, in Biafran land, in memory of over 2.5 million Biafrans killed during the 1967 civil war and over 1,000 Biafran agitators killed by security forces between August 30, 2015 and now.

IPOB said there is no going back on the ceremony as scheduled, in spite of the fact that the Federal Government has concluded plans to shoot indiscriminately at their members during their proposed May 30, 2016 remembrance day peaceful assembly.

In a press statement,

yesterday, IPOB said even though a discovery made by their intelligence outfit showed that the government has directed the Defence Headquarters DHQ to open fire and kill Biafrans on the D-day should they venture to embark on the assembly, whether peaceful or not, the spirits of the fallen Biafran heroes and those alive are greater than the rampaging Nigerian Armed forces put together.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On NL C nation wide strik eo tr ol price NLC nationwide strike ovver increase in pe petr trol

N

LC destroyed themselves the day they have two factions, allowed government determine who becomes their leaders and put their personal interest above that of the workers they claim to represent.

Miss Okonta Rose, Student

F

ederal Government should not open any discussion with Wabba’s faction rather they should discuss with the other faction. Wabba have shown himself a man that does not have respect for the laws of the land. Mr Okechukwu Nene, Banker

A

nyone that joined the strike should be sacked as enemy of progress. How can the government be spending trillions of naira yearly on subsidy, while budget for power, education and roads is about 100 billion yearly. -Miss Ogechukwu Lynda, Student

T

he strike died on arriv al. We are glad we are getting fuel easily now at N145 which is far better than when we were buying from black market at above N200. This strike is senseless and that is why it is not supported by the generality of the people. Mr Igwe Ndubuisi, Engineer

W

hy is NLC pleading that people should join them in the strike? People join reasonable ones in the past without NLC pleading with them. This government is the government of the people and so we understand and support them. Mrs Morayo Simeon, Worker

I

am happy that our democracy is maturing, and commonsense is taking the upper hand against brigandage. NLC has lost credibility and followership. Nigerians can't be deceived. Miss Constance Nduba, Model

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 — 35

Bello, Mark, Ogbeha mourn Obaro of Kabba

By Henry Umoru & Boluwaji Obahopo

L

OKOJA—GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, former Senate President, Senator David Mark and Senator Tunde Ogbeha, have commiserated with Okun people over the demise on Saturday, of the Obaro of Kabba, Oba Michael Olobayo, In separate messages, the trio described the passage of the Obaro, who until his death was the Chairman of the Okun Traditional Council, as a great loss to the Okun nation as well as Nigeria as a country.

Governor Bello, who expressed shock over the demise of the first class traditional ruler, described his death as an irreparable loss to the people of Kogi State and the nation at large.

The Governor who also described the departed royal father as an invaluable light of the government, said the shoes left behind by the late Oba Olobayo would be too large for anyone to wear.

According to him: “I hail the sterling contributions of the departed hero to the socioeconomic development of the state and especially, his reign of peace and pragmatic leadership which endeared him to the people.”

He called on the people of the state to remain calm and ensure that the peace the departed monarch died for was not breached, pledging the support of the state government to the

people at this critical stage of their cultural history.

“The present generation of Kogi people must learn from the leadership qualities of the late Oba as a selfless, patriotic, detribalized and industrious royal father who will be remembered for uniting his people during critical periods”, he added.

Similarly, Senator David Mark and Senator Ogbeha described the late Obaro as a quintessential royal father who lived his life for the growth of his community as well as the Okun Nation.

In condolence messages to the Obaro Family, the Kabba

Community and Kogi State government, both Senators Mark and Ogbeha, said the royal father was a detribalized Nigerian who cultivated friendship beyond the frontiers of Okun land.

Specifically, Senator Mark said, “Kabiyesi in humility built friendship far beyond the shores of Okun. He was a brother, friend and committed patriot who sought the best for his people.He was an embodiment of peace and preached this to everyone who came his way during his lifetime.

We shall miss him. He will be remembered for the development which

characterized his 30 year reign as Obaro of Kabba.”

In a statement by his Media Assistant, Paul Mumeh, Senator Mark urged the people of Kabba and Okun Nation in general to uphold the legacies of peace, unity and unwavering commitment to development which the late royal father stood for .

Senator Ogbeha who represented Kogi West Senatorial District in the Senate from 1999 - 2003 and 2003 - 2007 noted that the late Obaro Olobayo was a pillar of support during his electioneering days.

FORUM: From left; ACG Alu S.R., (T&T) Customs HQ; ACG Abueh M.N., (Excise); Mr Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, NB Plc; DCG Adeyemo G.O., (Excise, FTZ & Industrial Incentives); Chief Kola Jamodu, Chairman, NB Plc; Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), CG of Customs; Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde; MD/CEO, NB Plc; ACG Sanusi A., (Customs HQ); Mr. Mark Rutten, Finance Director, NB Plc and ACG Dangaladima A.A. (Zonal Coordinator, Zone B), at a forum in Kaduna.

Idoma sends SOS to FG over herdsmen attack

By Caleb Ayansina

A

BUJA—CITIZENS of Idoma Land in Benue State, yesterday, decried the state of insecurity in the area, saying in spite of promise by the Federal Government to address wanton destruction of lives and properties by herdsmen, they were still

occupying about four villages in Agatu land.

The citizens operating on the aegis of One Idoma Initiative, warned that if nothing was done by the federal government to address the situation, the people might be forced to defend themselves.

The Leader of the group, Paul

NSITF rebrands, to serve Nigerians better

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA—THE Act establishing the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, is being amended for better service to Nigerians especially to cater for elderly, the sick, unemployment benefit among others.

Acting Managing Director of NSITF, Ismail Agaka, who spoke in Abuja, at the training of staff ahead of the expected challenges of expansion of its mandate, explained that the ongoing amendment, when completed, would enable NSITF execute other aspects of social protection programmes.

According to him, NSITF was presently implementing only compensation for workplace injury out of the nine branches of

social security as spelt out by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, Convention 102 of minimum standard of social security.

He said, “The amended law will enable NSITF do more than the employees’ compensation scheme it is currently running.

The other areas of social protection include: old age pension, survivor, family benefit, unemployment benefit, and invalidity benefit.”

Other benefits of the NSITF Act if amended included, “Medical benefit, sick benefit and workplace injury benefit that we are implementing,” adding, “For us to execute other aspects the law establishing the scheme has to do be amended and that is ongoing at the National Assembly.

Edeh, who stated this at the Agatu Peace Concert organised in Abuja, to preach peace and raise funds towards the rebuilding of Agatu Land said: “The reason for the concert is to bring to the fore as we have done in the past few months since the Agatu massacre to keep it on the burner so that what is required by government and individuals are done . I can confirm to you that Fulani herdsmen are still occupying some villages that were originally for the Agatu people, particularly on the Nassarawa State axis.”

Also speaking, another leader of the group, Mr. Moses Paul said it was unfortunate that it took the state governor almost seven weeks after the carnage to visit Agatu.

According to him: “The killings have not even abated yet, they have curtailed it. But there are villages in Agatu, about four villages that have been taken over completely by Fulani herdsmen. Until the people can go back and farm, until restoration is done, government has not done anything.

“In less than 24 hours when the Enugu carnage happened, which was less than 10 percent of what happened in Agatu, the Governor of the state was there

and even the Inspector General of Polce, IGP, that is what I called pro-activeness.”

Paul said Abuja was chosen as the venue of the concert because the people that would make a difference in Agatu would not go to Agatu, stressing; “even the IGP has never been to Agatu, he only stopped in Makurdi. So, we are doing it in Abuja because the President lives in Abuja, the IGP lives in Abuja, all the people that can do what they need to do, live in Abuja. This is where we can

Troops kill Boko Haram bomb maker in fresh raid on Sambisa forest

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—THE Nigerian Army yesterday said an unidentified bomb maker for the Boko Haram sect had been killed as he attempted to escape from the military’s air and land assault on the sect's remaining camps inside Sambisa Forest.

Also, another Improvised Explosive Device, IED, specialist in the camp of the terrorists’ who was manufacturing an explosive device that would have been used in a suicide bombing attack, was blinded when the bomb inexplicably went off.

A statement by Col Sani Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Army headquarters, while confirming the development, said, “In what will be described as a major breakthrough in the clearance and rescue operation by the Nigerian military and to also confirm that all is not well within the Boko Haram terrorists camp, their chief bomb maker and a high ranking terrorist, was shot dead today (yesterday).

“The chief bomb maker, apart from his high status in the command structure of the sect, was one of their capable hands involved in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). His death is coming after their Chief Scientist, called Abu RPG (was killed long ago) in a military assault. ''He was killed by one of the bodyguards of the sect's leader, Abubakar Shekau, as he was about to run away just like several others are doing because of the intensity of ‘Operation Crackdown”

IPAC tasks Bello on Kogi Assembly crisis

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA—THE Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, in Kogi State, has called on Governor Yahaya Bello to do everything possible to resolve the crisis rocking the state house of assembly and ensures unity among members.

The council also charged the governor to mend fences with the political class in the state, particularly among his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, so that the state would be properly positioned for the change mantra as advocated by the APC.

State chairman of IPAC, Ibrahim Itodo, who stated this in Lokoja, said the judgment of the Federal High Court that nullified the impeachment of the speaker, MomohJimoh Lawal, had given room for the governor to bring the two factions together.

While joining the judiciary to condemn to purported impeachment by about five law makers, he said it was obvious that five law makers could not be more than 15, insisting that the judgment had rendered the decisions so far taken by the five lawmakers in the house null and void.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

HEALTH BAZAAR: From left— Managing Director, Mobil Oil Nigeria, Mr. Tunji Oyebanji; a pharmacist and Assistant General Manager, Nigeria Ports Authority, Mrs. Ngozi Obikili, and Chief Executive Officer, JayKay Pharmacy, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, at the 2016 Global Health Bazaar organised by LiveWell Initiative, LWI, in Lagos.

BOOK LAUCNCH: From left— Book reviewer, Mr. Doyin Owolabi; Publisher, Mr. Bayo Adenubi; MD, Eterna Plc, Mr. Mahmud Tukur; Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment, representing Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; Chairman of the occassion, Dr. Michael Omolayole; Mrs Christianah Deru; President, Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria, ICAN, Otunba Olufemi Deru, and 2nd Deputy Vice President, ICAN, Alhaji Rasak Jaiyeola, during the presentation of the book, Femi Deru, The Quintessential Professional, in Victoria Island, Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

FOR HE BLIND: From left— Media consultant, Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind, FNSB, Fabunmi Akinola; Nollywood veteran actress, Sola Sobowale; Chairman, Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind, Asiwaju Fola Osibo; Vice Chairman, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, both of Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind, and Adeola Obagun, Project Coordinator for the society's May Ball event, at a briefing on the event at the Centre for the Blind, Oshodi, Lagos.

CIPM INDUCTION: From left— President/Chairman of Council, Mr. Anthony Arabome; Registrar/ CEO, Mr. Sunday Adeyemi; National Treasurer, Mrs Ifeoma Adeniyi, and immediate past President, Mr. Victor Famuyibo, all of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM, at the 22nd induction ceremony of new members in Lagos. PHOTO: Diran Oshe.

LENOVO: From left— CEO, W-Holistic Business Solutions, Olarenwaju Oniyitan; CEO, The Michael Wande Company, Olawale Olawande; Group Head, Strategy, Amo Byng Nigeria Ltd., Francis Toromade; CEO, MizarEridanus Group Ltd., Benjamin Ekwebelam; and Marketing Manager, Smartphones, Lenovo, Bolade Oyekanmi, at the launch of Questions & Answers Summit at the University of Lagos.

ANNIVERSARY: From left— Director, Dr. Ayo Olatunde; Founder/ Chairman, Dr. Bola Olaosebikan, and UK Marketer, Mr. Henry Okunbolade, all of Healthcare Group, at a briefing on the 30th anniversary of Healthcare Group in Lagos.

GOD'S CHILDREN: From left— God’s Children Great Talent, GCGT, Season 5 winner and brand ambassador, Miss Praise Olorunsuyi; a judge on the show, Mr. Wole Oni; Mrs Regina Jemide of GCGT Trust; Brand Manager, Cocoa Beverages Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Mr. Uche Nwalie; Executive Secretary, GCGT, Mrs Bimbo Nwozuru, at a briefing on the grand finale of the show in Lagos.

CONFAB: From left— Channel Manager, IT Business, English West Africa, Oluwaseun Oloyede; Field Marketing Manager, Middle East, Sakina Tazun, both of APC Schneider; Managing Director, Coscharis Technologies, Sunday Mukoro; and Vice President, English West Africa, APC Schneider, Ayo Adegboye, at the presentation of APC Best Distributor Award (West Africa) to Coscharis Technologies at the just-concluded MEA Distributors Conference 2016 organised by APC Schneider in Geneva, Switzerland.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 — 37

By Theodore Opara

Understanding turbo engines with Peugeot 508 I

T is probably one of the most powerful cars in its category, yet the engine capacity is 1.6 litres. The Peugeot 508 is Peugeot’s flagship sedan which replaced the legendary Peugeot 608. It is fitted with a 1.6 litre turbo engine that delivers more power than most 3.0 litre engines.

The turbo engine in the 508 means that it delivers twice the power of a 1.6, making it more powerful than most cars in its segment. The 1.6 turbo horsepower Peugeot 508 churns out amazing 156 brake-horsepower with a very high torque of 240 Nm@1400rpm even at slow speed.

This engine is both dynamic and smooth, boasting very high fuel efficiency. The beauty of it all is that the Peugeot 508 delivers the fuel efficiency of a 1.6 litre car but the power of a 3.0 litre V6 engine.

Peugeot also marched this engine with a six-speed automatic gearbox which strikes a perfect balance between driveabilty and fuel efficiency. The double wishbone front suspension with drop link, gives superior level of driving precision making for an enjoyable ride in the 508.

From outside to inside, the 508 is an epitome of beauty. The style of the 508 suggests a vehicle sculpted from a solid mass, reflecting attributes of elegance, robustness and prime design quality.

Finely-worked headlights At the front, the 508 illustrates Peugeot’s evolving aesthetic code with a unique grill rendered in a fluid style, and finely-worked headlights with their feline look, combining chrome and satin surfaces. LED driving lights also add to the beauty of the 508.

The rear is simple but seductive. Three prominent red claws mask three rows of LED lights.

The sides of the car are purposefully streamlined, enhanced by the contours of the satin chromeedged windows.

Inside the 508 is the height of luxury because the 508 is the flagship of the Peugeot family. Leather seats, quad-zone air conditioning, seats with memory settings, streamlined style of the dashboard with quality material, all add to the top-of-the-range feel of the passenger compartment.

When it comes to technology, the 508 has more than enough to offer the most demanding occupants. Intelligent, innovative and

intuitive, 508 benefits from next generation technologies.

They inform you, help you and facilitate your driving with minimum effort. Keyless entry, head-up display ensures you access driving information without taking your eyes off the road by displaying essential driving information, while the parking space measurement system guides you to park.

The 508 offers the latest technology you can imagine in today’s cars. The audio and navigation systems are ahead of their time. The 508 is equipped with WIP audio system or WIP NAV+ navigation system. The radio CD MP3 WIP is connected to six or eight speakers. It is fitted as standard with a Jack socket/USB port and a Bluetooth hands-free kit.

The 508 comes with Arkamys system and the JBL Hifi Kit with 10 speakers combined with a 500 amplifier. When it comes to safety, the 508 is in a class of its own and abundantly blessed too with modern safety features.

It boasts top-notch roadholding and a high level of active safety, thanks to the ESP traction control system. It groups the Antilock Braking System ABS, AntiSkid Regulation, ASR, Electronic Brake-Force Variation, EBV and CBC, Emergency Brake Assistance EBA, Motor Stall Regulation MSR and Intelligent Traction Control that optimise the 508’s progress when road grip is precarious.

Airbags, headrest with integrated adjustment, electric parking brake, main beam headlamp assistance, cruise control/speed limiter, etc adds to the 508 safety package.

FG launches 283 operation vehicle for FRSC •All vehicles supplied by local auto assemblers

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has commended the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC for the commitment it has shown to road safety campaigns, saying his administration will remain committed to supporting it to achieve optimal performance. The President stated this on Monday while commissioning the 283 operational vehicles procured for FRSC by the Federal Government to boost its operational activities. The vehicles comprised Peugeot, Nissan, and Innoson brands,all supplied by motor companies that have assembly plants in the country.

The President, who was represented at the occasion by the Minister of Interior, Lt General Abdulrahman Dambazzau (rtd), stated that the establishment of the FRSC 28 years ago was a demonstration of government’s concerns for the safety and security of road users. He noted that in sustaining government’s goodwill for the success of road safety campaigns in the country, the administration has remained unrelenting in its commitment to provision of road infrastructure and development of capacity of staff of the FRSC including provision of facilities that could enhance effective management of traffic on the nation’s highways.

According to him, the vehicles would boost the operational capability of FRSC and enhance the capacity of the personnel to face the challenges of enforc-

ing traffic rules and regulations on the highway. “This administration is committed to the ideals of road safety and will continue to demonstrate its support for the FRSC in its commitment to ensuring safety of lives on the nation’s roads,” he stated.

He noted that government was aware of the various policies and programmes being put in place by the FRSC to manage the nation’s highways, giving examples of such policies as Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme, RTSSS; reforms in the licensing system of the country and other operational mechanisms being put in place to address the menace of road traffic crashes in the country.

Road traffic crashes According to him, in line with government’s commitment to the success of the United Nations Decade of Action For Road Safety: 2011-2020, Nigeria in 2010, became a signatory to the Vienna and Geneva Conventions on Road Markings and Signage, after over 40 and 60 years without the nation’s endorsement.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Officer of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, described the launch as a milestone in the history of the organisation.

“For the first time ever, the Federal Government has injected 283 vehicles into the fleet of the Federal Road Safety Corps for use in its operations,” he stated. Oyeyemi said it was another milestone in the annals of the FRSC that symbolised “the sustained intent of the Federal Government to raise the bar on road safety management and collective dedication to the task of exploring innovative and resourceful ways of funding the road safety intervention in the road sector.”

The commissioning of 283 operational vehicles, he said, should remind everyone of the capital intensive nature of road safety business. “It is a thing of great joy that FRSC has, by the injection of this state of the art operational vehicles, been retooled for improved performance. It is on record that road safety has been at the heart of this administration. This passion was visibly exhibited when Mr. President, upon assumption of office as President and Commander - in - Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, approved the introduction of the use of speed limiting devices in the country," he said.

Mr. President, while giving the approval, considering stakeholder’s interest, had in his magnanimity extended the period for the commencement of enforcement of motorist’s compliance from the initial date proposed by the FRSC and the Transport Unions.”

38 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

C M Y K

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 — 39

S/Africa’s Standard Bank loses $19 million in card scam to the bank is estimated at 300

S

OUTH Africa’s Standard Bank said on Monday it had lost 300 million rand ($19 million) in a card fraud incident in Japan, after the perpetrators used counterfeit cards to withdrawcashfromautomatic teller machines.

The bank said its South African operations suffered the losses, not its customers, and that the authorities had been alerted, the bank said in a statement without elaborating.

“Standard Bank has taken swift action to contain the matter and the gross loss

million rand. This is prior to any potential recoveries that may serve to reduce the loss,” the bank said.

It was not clear when the fraud took place.

Officials at the bank were not available to comment. ($1 = 15.5825 rand).

•••Prosecutor to appeal against Zuma's corruption ruling

S

Obama with the Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Haiti, Nguye Thi Kim Nbam strolling the Presidential Palace Compound during Obama’s visit to Venuzuela.

OUTH Africa’s prosecution says it will appeal against a court ruling that it should reconsider corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma.

Originally,the783charges

were dropped weeks before the 2009 election which led to him becoming president.

But last month, a high court judge described that decision as “irrational”.

Mr Zuma has always

EgyptAir plane did not swerve before crash—Officials

Obama lifts arms embargo on *As French ship arrives for search Vietnam T P RESIDENT Barack Obamahasannounced the US is fully lifting its embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam, its onetimeenemy.

Speaking during a visit to communistVietnamandtalks with its leaders, Mr Obama

said the move removed a “lingering vestige of the Cold War”.

TheUSistryingtobolsterits relationship with its Pacific allies, as China asserts territorialclaims.

But Mr Obama said the embargo decision was not related to US policy on China.

Pope in historic talks with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar

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OPE Francis has met the grand imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque at the Vatican in a historic encounter that was sealed with a hugely symbolic hug and exchange of kisses.

The first Vatican meeting on Monday between the leader of the world’s Catholics and the highest authority in Sunni Islam marks the culmination of a significant improvement in relations between the two faiths since Francis took office in 2013.

“Our meeting is the message,” Francis said in a brief comment at the start of his meeting with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Vatican officials told a small pool of reporters covering the event.

In a statement on the trip, Al-Azhar, an institution that also comprises a prestigious seat of learning, said Tayeb had accepted Francis’ invitation in order to “explore efforts to spread peace and co-existence”.

The “very cordial” meeting lasted around 30 minutes, the Vatican said in a statement after the talks. In all, the imam spent just over an hour at St Peter’s.

Conciliatory gestures Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement that the pope and the imam had “mainly addressed the common challenges faced by the authorities and faithful of the major religions of the world”.

“It’s based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalisation with Vietnam,” he said in Hanoi.

Vietnam is one of several countriesintheregioninvolved in maritime disputes with China. The US insists on the right to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. In2014,arowoveraChinese oil rig near the Paracel islands ledtoclashesbetweenChinese and Vietnamese vessels and anti-ChinariotsinVietnam.

White House officials had indicatedthearmsban,inforce since1984,wouldbeliftedonly if human rights in Vietnam improved.

“Sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those related to human rights, butthischangewillensurethat Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself,”MrObamasaidaftertalks withPresidentTranDaiQuang.

Vietnam had been arguing for an end to the embargo, which was partially lifted in 2014.

Mr. Obama’s visit comes 41 years after the end of the Vietnam War in which the US soughttopreventacommunist takeoverofSouthVietnam.

HE head of Egypt’s state-run provider of air navigation services says that EgyptAir flight 804 did not swerve or lose altitude before it disappeared off radar, challenging an earlier account by Greece’s defence minister.

Ehab Azmy, head of the National Air Navigation Services Company, told The Associated Press news agency on Monday that in the minutes before the plane disappeared it was flying at its normal altitude of 37,000 feet, according to the radar reading.

He said: “That fact degrades what the Greeks are saying about aircraft suddenly losing altitude before it vanished from radar.”

According to Greece’s defence minister Panos Kammenos, the plane

swerved and dropped to 10,000 feet before it fell off radar.

denied the allegations which are linked to a 1999 arms deal worth billions of dollars.

And in April, a judge-led commission of inquiry found no evidence of corruption or fraud by any government officials at the time the deal was made.

After a case brought by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), Judge Aubrey Ledwaba said last month that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) should consider re-opening the case.

Two die as Kenyans clash with police over election panel

A

T least two persons have died during opposition protests in Kenya’s western city of Kisumu.

The police have denied earlier reports that one was shot, saying that he may have died having “fallen down”.

A doctor at the hospital has told Reuters news agency that the victim did not have any gunshot wounds.

Last week, there were complaints of police brutality as officers were pictured assaulting demonstrators in the capital, Nairobi.

This is the fourth week of protests over the electoral commission.

The opposition Cord alliance wants the current members of the electoral commission to resign ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Several other places have been caught up in the demonstrations including the coastal city of Mombasa, where police fired tear gas to prevent protesters from gathering.

In Nairobi, there was a heavy police presence to stop people joining the

Zika fuelled by mosquito control failure, says Margaret Chan. insects.

WHO boss Speaking at the agency’s Morethan60countriesand

T

HE spread of Zika is the price being paid for a massive policy failure on mosquito control, says World Health Organization leader

annual World Health Assembly, Dr Chan said experts had “dropped the ball” in the 1970s with regards to getting a handle on disease-carrying

territories now have continuing Zika transmission.

Most recently, the infection, spread by mosquito bites, reached Africa.

Leaders gather for controversial World Humanitarian Summit

H

Humanitarian Summit, The objective of the summit organised by the United is to improve the global Nations. humanitarian system.

But it has been criticised by some aid groups as little more Independent candidate wins Austrian than show. Global medical presidential polls charity Medecins Sans N D E P E N D E N T day’s knife-edge election, Frontieres (MSF) has refused candidate Alexander compared to 49.7 percent for to attend.

The UN estimates that 130 van der Bellen has won Aus- Hofer, presented as the million - more than ever friendly and moderate face tria’s presidential election after far-right leader Norbert of the anti-immigration, before - are in need of populist Freedom Party humanitarian aid around the Hofer conceded defeat. world.

The interior minister said (FPOe).

Andsome60millionpeople “Of course I am sad,” on Monday that Alexander Van der Bellen won 50.3 Hofer said on Facebook as per year are being displaced by conflict, it says. percent of the vote in Sun- he conceded defeat.

UNDREDS of world leaders have gathered in Istanbul for the opening of the first World

I

•Members of the Kenyan Cord Alliance who want the current members of the country's electoral commission to resign ahead of next year’s presidential election, reacting to the efffect of tear-gas used to disperse them during yesterday's protest in Kisumu.

Deputy Chief of Sao Tome’s ruling party to run for president

T

HE vice president of Sao Tome’s parliamentary ruling ADI party, Evaristo Carvalho, will run for president in elections scheduled for July 17, his spokesman Domingo Boa Morte said on Monday.

The 74-year-old former parliament speaker will make a formal

announcement on Tuesday, Boa Morte said.

It will be his second attempt at the presidency after narrowly losing out to president Manuel Pinto da Costa in a run-off in the last elections in 2011.

Evaristo joins former prime minister Maria da Neves, who announced her candidacy last week.

Neves also ran in 2011 but came fifth with 14 percent of a first round vote.

It is so far unclear if President Pinto da Costa will run for a second term. Pinto da Costa, a 74-year-old economist by training, also ruled the former Portuguese islandcolonyasasingle-party state from independence in 1975 until 1991.

40—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

in Port-Harcourt. To be fair to them, they were phoning us, through the chairman of the Governors Forum. We were in consultation.

The only area of worry was that when they finally put the caretaker committee in shape, we believe that some of the people who are very, very keen on this change should have been included.

Has Makarfi consulted you or do you have plans of meeting with him anytime soon?

We shall work together. It is too early. As I said we started together, he is one of us and I am sure he will do that.

PDP CRISIS:

We've achieved our aims — JERRY GANA SENATOR Jerry Gana, who served in the Second Republic Senate, was a professor of Geography, several times minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; a former presidential candidate, a part time preacher, was the founding secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He was one of the arrowheads who mobilised founding fathers of the PDP to stop the party from electing Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as substantive chairman of the country’s leading opposition party.

Following the success of his group of stakeholders in getting the younger elements who gathered in Port Harcourt to stop their pro-Sheriff plans, he spoke in a telephone interview on the way forward for the party. Excerpts:

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

A

RE you comfortable with the outcome of the Port Harcourt convention of the party?

Definitely we want to appreciate the efforts on all sides, both those who gathered with us in Abuja and those who went to Port Harcourt. The key objectives have been achieved because we wanted a leadership that is credible, a

Open and transparent way

•Gana: The key objectives have been achieved

leadership that will emerge through a constitutional process.

They realised that some of the congresses were not done properly, they also realised that the processes of zoning were not acceptable and that the process of putting the former chairman was not acceptable and so, a lot of very important decisions have been taken which are in the overall interest of the progress of both our party and believe me, even of the

nation.

One, we want democracy to be genuine and real, we want it to be people-driven, not just a few people imposing who they want with impunity, we don’t want imposition, we just want genuine democracy. So, we see that the opportunity of reconciliation is just there.

The convention has been postponed, there will be a proper convention and in the interim we have both the Board of Trustees and the National

Caretaker Committee and I believe that they will work together and we will also cooperate with them to redirect the party, sanitise the party and ensure that we have a strong united and vibrant party. That is what we want.

You mean you will cooperate with the Makarfi led Committee?

Makarfi was part of us. Where we were (at Abuja Convention ground), we were being consulted on a regular basis by some of the leaders who were

APC should bring human face to governance — Salvador, Lagos PDP Chairman

Before they (APC) got to power, they MR Moshood Salvador, a former member of were shouting the House of Representatives between 1999 and a b o u t 2003, recently emerged as chairman of the renovating our Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State. refineries and Shortly after being sworn-in, Salvador had a that it will take brief interaction with newsmen, where he them one or two shared his mission and vision for Lagos PDP. months. I was in Excerpts: the House of Representatives

By Dapo Akinrefon do you intend to for four years work around and I was in the AVING been elected as that? petroleum chairman of the PDP in When we talk of committee. I Lagos State, what is your plan crisis, it is have visited all for the party? everywhere, but refineries and My main objective is the the issue is this, I oil depots and mobilisation of members and have to advise •Salvador: There is no time that is easy for any hard we have the strengthening of the party. It members not to working person solution to the requires strong discipline of have crisis with persistent fuel members and leaders of the their party. It is only when the this country. Take a look at their crisis, why can’t they take the party. party is successful, that is when forex policy, it has made life same step we took when we had How do you intend to achieve you have progress especially in difficult for Nigerians. fuel crisis in 2000? that given the fact that people government but if you do not They have taken lies as their What is your position on the are used to a particular way of have it, the country is doomed. policy. The APC does not care issue of zoning of the doing things?

What is your take on the about the feelings of Nigerians arrangement put in place by the Change is something that is deregulation of the downstream and that is the problem we are national leadership of your always very difficult especially sector? facing. We are totally against the party? positive change and if you are Since the inception of the All increase in the pump price of fuel.

Let me tell you something about not prepared for it, do not talk Progressives Congress, APC, Do you have a better the hullabaloo you have been about it. I am good in change they have never given us any suggestion as to how to solve hearing about; when we do making. policy that has a human face in this problem? things, it does not belong to an Your party is facing crisis, how

H

But we want the BoT to be very central because it is a constitutional body which should be doing this, so the BoT should help the National Caretaker Committee for them to do their work well and in that setting, we are party people, we want the party to be strong again, so we want the process to be fair, to be just, to be people oriented, to do things in a very open and transparent way so that people feel empowered, people feel happy, the processes are clean and clear, no imposition, no impunity, no cheating, no wuruwuru.

So we will cooperate with them and I am sure they will reach out to us and we shall talk.

individual and everybody will love to have that good thing. It is a family and it will be resolved sooner than expected.

I do not lose sleep on issues like that because I know it is a political party. This is not the first time such is happening.

You are taking over the party leadership at a very difficult time, how do you intend to succeed?

No time is easy, so, do not say this is a difficult time, there is no time that is easy for any hard working person.

Before now, the Lagos PDP has been enmeshed in crisis, how were you able to rally members and leaders to conduct a rancour-free state congress?

First and foremost, I will be happy to tell you that those who were aggrieved cannot complain about my emergence because they know that I am for everybody and I am for nobody.

So, they know I do not discriminate against anyone, I take care of everyone. I want to appeal to everyone in Lagos PDP that is aggrieved, to join hands with me to build the party. It is when we get it right that we will be able to defeat our opponent, the APC.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016—41

This Senate is not protecting Saraki — SENATOR ANYANWU SENATOR Samuel Anyanwu represents Imo East Senatorial District in the Senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Anyanwu is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.

In this interview, Senator Anyanwu, who is a loyalist of Senate President Bukola Saraki speaks on the intrigues in the Senate, Saraki’s trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, his Committee among other issues. Excerpts:

By Henry Umoru

I

T appears that all is not well with the 8th Senate, what are the issues?

All is well with the 8th Senate. The 8th Senate like you have always known is a coat of many colours, people from different backgrounds, d i f f e r e n t experiences, coming •Anyanwu: All is well with the 8th Senate together, so it is very Another serious case that your difficult to examine each other at this first committee would have handled alongside instance, so I am sure as we progress, we will begin to find a common ground and Senate committee on judiciary and come together as a Senate and remove human rights is that of the amendment that which will divide us and embrace that of CCT act. But the Senate made a uturn and decided to forget it. What really which will unite us.

How realistic is the resolution by the happened?

No, they didn’t say they have decided Senate that all those with court cases to forget it; that is not correct. I think that's should withdraw them?

Unfortunately I wasn’t in that closed because we are a very responsible Senate. door meeting, but having been briefed, I There has been this call that because the want to give everybody the benefit of Senate President is standing trial that it doubt that there is sincerity of purpose in will look as if we are trying to prevent what we are doing, but personally I have justice by amending the CCT act, but that my own opinion because I believe that isn’t correct. from one of the issues canvassed in terms of restructuring the committees will now Responsible be an excuse or reason for the Senate to Senate arrive at this. In the eyes of the public, the Senate has been ridiculed especially when The point is when this 8th Senate was we are exposed by social media in inaugurated, we came up with an agenda bringing out our (phone) numbers. which was adopted by that Senate and I am saying it is wrong in bringing out part of that agenda is that most of the acts our numbers; of course, our that have gone obsolete will be re enacted; representatives have the responsibility to you make a law, you review a law, or you know who will keep a law. It doesn’t matter the represent them. circumstances, but because Nigerians I stand at the point If Saraki have a man, and he has been involved in of truth at all times, a kind of ambush that is being made for but it is not good to has done the Senate. ridicule an any wrong As a responsible Senate, we said let’s institution like the wait a while, let this water go so at the Senate because, thing let end of the day when the matter of the th after this 8 Senate, him face it, Senate President is concluded, the there would be other committee will start our job because the but Senates and nobody law is meant for men. knows who will otherwise if But why did it take the Senate so long occupy this position. because this issue came up December last Saraki That is why year that it would have gone through the sensitivity of the weren’t the first reading, second reading before the Senate must be President of trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki? protected. Having You know it has been around since last said that, I also the Senate, year. We have so many bills and what the believe that all we these laws Senate said was that most of the bills that see today are all part came before this time needed to be taken of the game in the would be care of, so they must pass through the parliament.

It amended executive before it comes back to the happens all over the Senate. It is not because of this issue that world, so I don’t see the matter came up this time. I want to anything serious, no appease the mind of Nigerians, the minds hard feelings as far of those who feel that it was because as I am concerned.

Saraki is standing trial. If Saraki has done For the position I any wrong thing let him face it, but occupy as Chairman of Ethics, Privileges, otherwise if Saraki weren’t the President and Public Petitions, I have been berated of the Senate, these laws would be well from unknown forces who are trying amended as well because we are making to say one thing or the other, but I have laws that would be very friendly with always maintained my support for the Nigerians.

President of the Senate.

42—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

To prevent Sickle Cell Disease, know your genotype before marriage — Professor Michael Kehinde

By Gabriel Olawale

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HO has Sickle Cell Disease, SCD, and why are some people born with this disease? In the view of Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, CMUL, Professor Michael Kehinde, not less than 300,000 children are born with one form of SCD every year mostly, in sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria is common. Kehinde, a Specialist Physician and Clinical Haematologist who for more than two decades, headed the Clinical Haematology Unit at the Lagos University teaching Hospital, LUTH, says parents who fail to verify their genotype before they get married, are to be blamed when they produce children with SCD. A child should know his or her genotype right from primary school.

The genotype is the set of genes in the cells of every living organism which is responsible for a particular trait or characteristics.

Last week, while presenting his •Professor Michael Kehinde Inaugural Lecture entitled: “Human Unique Blood Cells and Consequences”, at the Main Bowl of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Kehinde observed that, HAT causes sickle cell trait and Sickle Cell Disease?

Nigeria being the most populous black nation in People who inherit one sickle cell gene and one the world, unfortunately, has the highest normal gene have the sickle cell trait. The sickle cell gene incidence of affects the haemoglobin. A child inherits haemoglobin genes SCD in the from both parents. One sickle cell gene gives the sickle cell world. trait; two sickle cell genes give Sickle Cell Disease.

“It is Sickle cell inheritance: SCD is a genetic condition that estimated that appears only in individuals who have received two copies of around 2 the sickle cell gene which is percent of an autosomal gene (i.e., one new borns in copy from each parent). This Nigeria are means that: if both parents affected by have sickle cell trait, their sickle cell children have: a 1 in 2 chance anaemia of having sickle cell trait, a 1 giving a total in 4 chance of having SCD, of at least and a 1 in 4 chance of having 150,000 no sickle genes (as shown in affected the diagram). If one parent children born has SCD and the other has every year in sickle cell trait, their children Nigeria have: a 1 in 2 chance of having sickle cell trait, and a 1 in 2 alone. chance of having SCD. If one parent has sickle cell trait and “Sickle Cell the other has no sickle genes, their children have: a 1 in 2 Disease causes approximately 8 percent of all chance of having sickle cell trait, and a 1 in 2 chance of infant deaths per year. The carrier of haemoglobin having normal haemoglobin genes. The result of these S frequency is between 10 to 40 percent with an genes alters the haemoglobin. This affects the red blood average of 25 percent in Nigeria. That means the cells and makes them change into a sickle shape. sickle cell trait carrier population is over 50 Why you should do genotype test before starting a family million. Thus, one person out of every four Couples may want to be tested for sickle cell trait before persons has HbS.” starting a family, especially if their family origins make Overlooked epidemic: Further, Kehinde said if sickle cell trait more likely. Health professionals often an inherited disorder can be described as an encourage awareness of sickle cell trait and early testing for epidemic, then sickle cell anaemia in Nigerian intending couples. You can ask for a sickle cell test at any would eminently qualify for that description. good hospital or go to the sickle Cell Foundation in Lagos “So it is an epidemic that has been over looked.

The advantage of having tests before you become pregnant People should know their genotype long before is that you will know whether or not there is a possibility they get married and not just before or after that your baby could inherit SCD. This may be helpful when marriage, because once they are about to settle making decisions about pregnancy. down, there is little that they can be told again to Diagnosis: Diagnosis is often made from a blood test. The change their perception. They will run away from blood sample is analysed to see what type of haemoglobin is you and settle down somewhere else. present. This is done using tests such as electrophoresis or Explaining that SCD is inherited and not other methods. This can diagnose most cases of sickle cell acquired, the physician noted: “When AA marries trait and SCD. Sometimes extra tests such as DNA (genetic) AA, all their children will be AA. If AA marries tests are needed.

FACTBOX: Sickle Cell Disease

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AS, “When AA marries AA, all their children will be AA. If AA marries AS, there is 50 percent chance that a child will be AA and 50 percent chance that a child will be AS. When AS marries AS, there is 50 percent chance the child will be AS, 25 percent chance the child will be AA and 25 percent chance the child will be SS.” “If a couple with AA and SS genotypes marry, all of their children will be AS. When AS marries SS, it is 50 percent chance their child will be AS and 50 percent chance the child will be SS. When SS marries SS, all their children will be SS.” SCD body functioning The life journey of a person with SCD can be troublesome at times with occurrence of bone pains due to sickling and haemolysis so that the red cell lives only for about 30 days or less rather than for about 120 days (which is normal) as a result of prevailing unfavourable environment such as dehydration, infection, emotional stress, strenuous physical exercise, very cold weather, etc.

The red blood cells are more fragile and more readily scavenged from the circulation, contributing to the chronic anaemia.

Sometimes sickle cell crises occur spontaneously due to no identifiable risk factor. They have acute vasoocclusion events, chronic haemolytic anaemia and organ dysfunction due to repeated sickling episodes.

Reduced flow and oxygen supply cause pain and lead to rapid destruction of blood cells.

Wrong management: Sickle cell pain crisis is a medical emergency in Nigeria and when we assessed the management of SCD pain crises in adults by medical practitioners in Nigeria, in a cross sectional survey of 174 medical practitioners, we found that 70 to 80 percent of these doctors were giving appropriate strength of analgesics for appropriate severity in pain.

Continues on Page 43

Health Advisory:

Why you need a Yellow Card Page 37

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016—43

Health Advisory:

Why you need a Yellow Card

By Sola Ogundipe

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ELLOW fever is a serious disease caused by the yellow fever virus. It is spread through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito and cannot be spread directly from person to person. It is found in certain parts of Africa and South America.

Currently there is a Yellow Fever outbreak in Angola, it is spreading and has so far infected well more than 2,000 people, including imported cases to other countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo Kenya and China.

The good news is that there is a vaccine for yellow fever. If you are traveling to areas at risk for the disease you need to be vaccinated and carry a certified Yellow fever certificate (Yellow Card).

The Yellow fever vaccine is a live-virus vaccine that has been used for several decades. A single dose provides lifelong protection for most people.

Yellow fever vaccine is recommended for people aged 9 months and above who are traveling to or living in areas at

risk for yellow fever virus transmission Where to get the Yellow Card You should only get the Yellow Card after you have undergone a yellow fever vaccination. In Nigeria,

the geniune vaccination can be obtained from General Hospitals, certified health centres, accredited hospitals and clinics. The Yellow Card is ontainable from the Port Health Services at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.

It is important to obtain the vaccine from a centre that is verified by the WHO. After the vaccine is given, the certificate will be filled out with your full name and as it is written on your International Passport.

The physician’s name, date shot was given, hospital, stamp and signature must be clearly marked out because they may require verification.

You need a Yellow Card if you are visiting a country that is endemic to yellow fever and you should get vaccinated at least 10 days before your trip so that your card remains valid.

Some countries, such as South Africa have eliminated yellow fever but still have the mosquitoes which can aid in the transmission of the disease. It is necessary to be vaccinated before visiting such countries.

If you have been vaccinated, but will be visiting or will be living within a yellow fever endemic zone, it may be necessary to get booster shots every 10 years. A new Yellow Card would be issued.

You should keep your Yellow Card with you at all times.

Ideally, it is advisable to keep it in your International passport.

Visit a government hospital in your region today and get a Yellow Fever vaccination. Yellow fever vaccination requirements and recommendations for specific countries are available on the CDC Travelers' Health page.

Sickle Cell Disease Continued from Page 42 “Thirty two of 163 would however not prescribe narcotic analgesics even in severe pain rises, for various reasons.

However, 38 of 174 would give inadequate quantity of fluid and 18 of 124 will not give antibiotic even in the presence of markedly elevated white blood cell count. 45 of 90 will give antimalaria drugs routinely.

Others will give antimalaria drugs only if there is fever.

“None of the doctors will insist on a laboratory menstruation of malaria parasitaemia before giving anti-malaria drugs.

Although, 70 to 80 percent of doctors manage pain crises appropriately, it would be desired that all doctors manage sickle cell pain crises appropriately.

Management protocol To achieve this, a pain management protocol may be introduced in order to ensure that every sickle cell pain is properly and constantly managed.

Survival: When we looked at our outpatient record in 1984, there were no patients older than 30 years of age. 31 years later, in 2015, 30 percent of patients with sickle cell disease were over 30 years. The oldest patient was over 60 years. This is as a result o the increased medical care and

support instituted in our haematology unit.

The main cause of poor survival of children with sickle disorder is lack of consistent coordinated care and follows up.

On his part, the Chairman, Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria, Professor Olu Akinyanju, said with more funding for research, life can be more interesting for people living with SCD. He said as far back as 1972, American Congress passed the Sickle Cell Anaemia Act into law and put $250 million down to research on it.

Every year they are putting almost about that same amount into it which has been helping in making life easier for sickle cell patients.

But here in Nigeria what we allocated to the whole health budget is not even up to that amount. The level of awareness is still low. It is something that should be taught in schools.

“We have a 65-year old in our Centre who donated a generator to the Centre recently. Our hope is to get more people to reach that age of 65, whether you are diabetic, hypertension, you should be able to have normal life expectancy. That is why we need research, regrettably, in Nigeria, research is not our culture, the reason is that Nigeria believes in immediate result, but research takes a long process.”

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44—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Jonathan denies self exile bid to Cote d'Ívoire

By Emmanuel Aziken, Ben Agande, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu and Gbenga Oke

F

ORMER President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan insisted, yesterday, that he is not on self-exile in Côte d’Ivoire as alleged, even as friends and family asserted that he had no cause to permanently relocate from the country.

A close political associate, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, who spoke to Vanguard after speaking with Dr. Jonathan quoted the former president thus: “I am not in exile; it is quite unfortunate that anybody is insinuating that I am in exile. I am now a private citizen.

Since I left office, this is my second visit to Côte d’Ivoire; I have gone to so many countries in recent times as part of my efforts to promote peace. What I am doing is a global tour since leaving office, and this is my second visit to Côte d’Ivoire. It is unfortunate that anybody should insinuate that I am in exile. I am not in exile.

When I finish what I am doing here, I will continue my visit all over the world.”

Engr Mike Ogiasa, a relative of the former president, also reacting to the report said: “it is not true that the former President is on the run. We, his kinsmen trust him.

When it is appropriate for him to speak he will speak. Jonathan has not gone into exile. Everybody knows a man of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s calibre will not do that."

Political hue It also emerged that Dr. Jonathan’s long absence from the country also had a political hue as close associates opined, yesterday, that his absence from the country in the period leading to the recent congresses and convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was deliberate to remove him from the crisis.

Several political associates of President Jonathan, who weighed in on the report by a national daily (not Vanguard), informed that they had been in communication with him, with all of them asserting that he did not give any indication of relocating away from the country.

Vanguard learnt that Jonathan is visiting Cote d’Ivoire, from where he would go to another African country, promoting his soon-to-be-launched foundation.

He is expected to go to the United States before going to London deliver a lecture at the London School of Economics on June 3.

Engr Mike Ogiasa, added: “It is reasonable for anybody to realize that the former president will take some time out to write about Nigeria in a book form. If he is not seen for sometime, it

means he wants a quiet life. I should expect the former president to take some time out in a very quiet environment without any distraction to put his experience about Nigeria into writing in a book form.”

No Iota of truth in it — Opara In his reaction, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Opara, said: “I wonder where some sections of the media are getting such rumours from. I can tell you confidently that our people in the South-South are solidly behind him. Why should he go into exile when his people are not against him. I can also say confidently that he was in contact with his political associates ahead of the last weekend’s convention in PortHarcourt. So there is no iota of truth in the news making rounds that he has gone into exile.”

He has no reason to do that— Babatope A former Minister of Transport and member of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Ebenezer Babatope said: “We are hearing that as a rumour but it is not confirmed. Former President Jonathan has no reason to go into exile. I want to assure you that if Jonathan goes on exile, then Buhari is in trouble."

Similarly, a source who is close to the ex-President and also of the same Ijaw ethnic group with the former leader told Vanguard that the former President has not gone to exile but only stayed away from the PDP convention for obvious reasons.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, another close associate, Senator Nimi BarighaAmange said: “I spoke with the former President on Friday. He told me that he was going to London to spend some times with his children. He did not indicate that he was under any stress and did not tell me that he was going on exile.

"What he said was that he would have loved to be at the Peoples Democratic Party convention in Port Harcourt, but he couldn’t make it because he needed to be with his children.

He told me that he was in touch with the leaders of the party across board and assured me that the crisis in the party would be resolved. It is not true that he is in exile” he said.

Senator Amange said the former President had no reason to go on exile because he served his country creditably and should be commended and not condemned.

“The president has no reason to go into exile. He has not committed any offense. Please ignore the report about his exile.

He will certainly come back to the country when he is through with spending time with his children” he said.

From Left: Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, (NEITI), Mr Waziri Adio; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi; members, National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) on NEITI, Alhaji Lawan Hantewa and Mr Gbenga Onayiga, at the public presentation of 2013 Oil and Gas Industry Audit Reports in Abuja

Alleged N3.9bn fraud: How Badeh bought Fayose’s land from third party at N650m—Witness

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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B U J A — A CONTRACTOR, Mr. Mustapha Yerima, yesterday, narrated before the Federal High Court in Abuja, how the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, paid his firm, Rytebuilders Technologies Limited, N1.2billion to construct a multipurpose shopping mall for him in Abuja.

Badeh is facing trial over allegation that he diverted more than N3.9bn from accounts of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, within 2013.

He is answering to a 10-count criminal charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. At the resumed hearing, yesterday, Yerima, who testified as the fourth prosecution witness, PW-4, told the court that Badeh paid N650million to acquire the land where the mall was constructed.

He said that the land situate at plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone, A07, close to Aminu Kano Crescent in Wuse II, Abuja, was originally registered in the name of one Ayodele Fayose. Though Yarima, who is the Managing Director of Rytebuilders Technologies Limited, did not clarify if the Fayose he made reference to is the current governor of Ekiti State, he, however, told the court that at the point negotiation was to commence on the land, it was discovered that the ownership had been transferred to one Mr. Tony who he said was the owner of Hytechs Furniture.

The witness told the court that it was a former Director of Finance and Account at the

NAF, Air Commodore Abdullahi Yushau, retd, who had earlier testified as the PW1 in the matter, that helped Badeh to facilitate the purchase of the land.

Narrating how the land was eventually bought, the witness said upon realizing that Fayose had transferred ownership to ‘Mr. Tony’ whose surname he could not remember, he said they immediately sought for his contact. He said they eventually got Mr. Tony, who also revealed that the land had been sold to a third party, one Casagro Investment Limited.

“We got back to Yushua to inform him. Because there

were other agents involved, we got to find out where Casagro Investment is based. Yushua then directed us to go and negotiate with Casagro Investment Ltd. When we got to the firm, it named the price as N650m. After then we got back to Yushua and told him the price and he said he would get back to us. He later called us and gave us N650m in dollar equivalent because Casagro insisted on cash payment.

“We took the money to his office; he confirmed and gave us all the original documents of the land.

Again we called Yushau and asked him on whose name should the documents be registered, namely the Deed of Assignment and the Power of Attorney."

AAAN advocates professional communication framework

By Princewill Ekwujuru

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HE Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN, has said that there was an urgent need for government to institute a professional framework to manage its communications.

Group Managing Director of SO&U, Mr. Udeme Ufot, who rd disclosed this at 43 AAAN’s AGM in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said it had become imperative for the federal government to create a communications framework to communicate its policies effectively.

“Government policies, initiatives and programmes are products. They must be thoughtfully packaged and strategically sold to the people for their acceptance, support

and participation. In the real business world, products are sold, not bought. Government business cannot be different,” he said.

Ufot noted that people were one of the common denominators in nation building and development and should be carried along in the process. He added: “The human factor is the first and most important element in national development.

The future shape of any development process, its pace, sustainability and ultimate direction will be determined by people - the level of their awareness, participation and skills.

Until the citizens are mobilized and converted to become the driving force of their own development, no amount of investment in infrastructure or provision of technology will bring about any lasting improvement in their living standards.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 — 45

Champions League final:

Zidane: it’s 50-50 against Atletico

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inedine Zidane has revealed that “the group” is Real Madrid’s “biggest strength” as opposed to the attacking firepower of ‘BBC’.

Only four days remain until Madrid face Atleti in an all-Spanish Champions League final for the second time in three seasons, and Zidane made it clear that a team effort – not reliance on Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo – was needed in Milan.

“We all know that it will be a tough match, but we’re in good physical and mental shape,” he told UEFA.com. “The end of the League season was extraordinary, but we know it’ll be difficult against Atletico. It’s 5050 and it will be from the first minute to the last.

“The best thing that happened to me was to play for Real Madrid.

I dreamed of playing for this club and always wanted to wear the famous white shirt, and it became a reality thanks to the President, who signed me as a player, and now I’m lucky enough to coach the best club in the world, so I’m a happy man.

“It’ll be a very difficult match. They’ll defend very well, as they always do, but you can’t say that Atletico are a team who only defend.

“They also play good football and make life

difficult for their rivals.

We’re aware of this, so we’re preparing [to combat their attacking play] and we’ll try to play our game so we don’t any regrets at the end [of the game].”

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tletico Madrid Coach Diego Simeone describes San Siro as “pure football” ahead of the Champions League final.

Simeone’s side will take on their city rivals Real Madrid on Saturday, and having played for Inter, the Argentinian knows what to expect.

“I’m happy to be

Simeone: San Siro is pure football playing a final at San Siro, because it’s pure football,” Simeone said in an interview with Premium Sport.

“It’s a wonderful stadium, and the players don’t even know the

Juve stop Dybala from Olympics Paulo Dybala reveals he’d have been in the Argentina squad for the Olympic Games, but “Juventus said no”. The forward has not been included in the Albiceleste squad for the

Copa America this summer, but could have played at the Olympics in Rio. However, with the Games starting in August, the Bianconeri were unwilling to release

one of their star men.

“I’ve never had an opportunity to play in a tournament for La Seleccion, and it would have been nice to do it with my teammates,” Dybala told reporters as

Morata nears Madrid return

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he agent of Alvaro Morata reportedly spent Monday afternoon at the Santiago Bernabeu to negotiate the Juventus striker’s return to Real Madrid.

According to Cadena SER, Juanma Lopez

atmosphere that awaits them. I played there, so I know how it feels.

“I expect that the guys who we’ll be taking there will create a positive energy for Atletico.”

travelled to Madrid to discover what Los Blancos’ intentions were with respect to Morata.

It is believed that Madrid are ready to repurchase the Spain international for €30m, as per the value of their

buyback clause.

However, the radio stations adds the 23-yearold and his camp are set on a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal reportedly “crazy” to land the player.

An Instagram post on

Sunday by Trattoria Bravo, a restaurant regularly visited by Juve players, saw a photo of Morata platformed by the words, ‘Adios Amigo 9’, in reference to the forward’s squad number and him possibly leaving the club.

he arrived in Argentina after the Coppa Italia final on Saturday.

“Unfortunately it’s not down to me. I knew I’d have been in the squad for the Olympics, I’d spoken to Tata Martino, but Juve said no.

“My idea was to be part of the squad for the Copa America or the Olympics, but unfortunately it’s not to be. My club are betting on me and want me to be in top condition for next season. Juve weren’t in a position to let me go, and when I talked to them I understood their decision.”

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016 — 47

Hiddink to recall Drogba, Cech O

UTGOING Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink wants to bring back Cote d’Ivoire legendary striker Didier Drogba, and goalkeeper Petr Cech to the London club.

The Dutch-born mentor has also confirmed that he’s staying with the Blues after leading the English Premier League giants to a 10th place finish.

Hiddink will stay put at Stamford Bridge as an adviser where he will focus his energy on promoting youngsters to the senior team.

The former PSV Eindhoven and Netherlands tactician was roped in by the Blues for a second stint following the departure of Jose Mourinho, during the worst title defence in Premier League history.

The 69-year-old revealed all, adding that he has talked to both Drogba and Cech.

“I have spoken with Didier Drogba. I spoke with Peter Cech. These are legends,” said Hiddink. “They have had much impact here. Once they are really finished their playing career, they can be of great value to the club, such as assistant or scout.”

send the KC boys home.

The first half of the exciting contest ended 3-1 in favour of the victors.

The Ajah-based school added two goals in the second half one from the Kings College boys settled the match at 5-2.

Greensprings thus qualified to clash with St Gre-

Louis van Gaal

Munich boss.

He has had the final year of his contract with the club paid up, worth around £5million, and will now head to retirement after a glittering career in management.

Former Chelsea manager Mourinho is the man who United will appoint now as they desperately try to restablish themselves as the best in the Premier League.

Despite spending almost £250million on players, the club is as far away from challenging for the title as they were under David Moyes and they risked being left behind further if they didn’t act.

In his two years, Van Gaal led United to fourth and then fifth place finishes in the Premier League. He failed to get out of an easy Champions League group and was then knocked out of the Europa League by Liverpool

Continues from BP on Monday morning, together with Paul Gilroy the QC who works on behalf of the League Manager’s Association.

It was there that he delivered the news he would be sacked along with his backroom staff as United clear the decks for Mourinho and his team of coaches.

United are expected to release a statement shortly to confirm the announcement less than 48 hours after the team won the FA Cup, which will also confirm the departure of assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg and goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek Even beating Crystal Palace in Saturday’s final was not enough to save Van Gaal from the axe, as United finally lost patience with the former Barcelona and Bayern

at the Onikan Stadium.

Earlier, Federal Science and Technology College battled to a goaless draw with Methodist Girls High School, Yaba in regulation time, but were able to edge past their opponents 43 after a breath-taking penalty shootout.

The girls final which will precede the boys’ will feature Queens College who defeated Ansar Ud Deen Girls High School, Itire 2-0 in the first semi final played midweek.

Continues from BP Trafford boss this morning, despite the club’s FA Cup win on Saturday, following an underwhelming season.

Mourinho looks set to replace the Dutchman and his representatives are set to meet the Red Devils hierarchy to thrash out terms.

The former Chelsea boss’ deal at United is likely to be around £60million over three years, which would eclipse even Pep Guardiola’s contract at Manchester City.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss was announced as Manuel Pellegrini’s suc-

Rio Olympics: 450,000 condoms to be given away London Games four years ago, according to the International Olympic Committee.

About 175,000 packets of lubricant are also being supplied.

The IOC insists the condoms would encourage 10,500 athletes and

staff to practice safe sex.

The condoms will be distributed free from a clinic in the Athletes’ Village, or from vending machines in the area.

The village opens on July 24 with the Olympics opening on August 5.

Transfer window: FC Ifeanyi Ubah get have to go for the best N100m legs money can buy.”

T

GTBank Masters Cup: Greensprings gory’s College in the fioutclass Kings College nal, billed for June 17 REENSPRINGS Schools male football team Friday produced a master class in their semi final match of the 2016 GTBank Masters Cup against Kings College at the Onikan stadium, Lagos.

Greensprings sprang a surprise 5-2 result to

BOUT 450,000 con doms will be distributed during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The number is higher than previous Olympic Games in part because 100,000 female condoms will be available for the first time, along with 350,000 condoms for men. The amount is three times more than what was available at the

By Jacob Ajom

UP BENDEL — Bendel Insurance captain, Akpos receiving the South South Champions trophy from sponsor, Frank Momoh (L) and NFF President, Amaju Pinnick in Benin at the weekend.

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A

HE Nigeria Professional League midterm window opened Sunday after the conclusion of the first stanza of the season and clubs are not taking chances in their bid to win the league diadem, Las Sunday, proprietor of FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah presented a N100 million cheque to club management to secure the best players that can win the league.

The oil mogul chose to present the cheque during the interval of the

Continues from BP Trafford legend a coaching role when he is appointed Louis Van Gaal’s successor this week.

United are keen to keep Giggs and Mourinho agreed there would be a place for the club’s most decorated player on his staff.

But it will be left to No 2 Giggs to decide — and Mourinho believes he will probably reject the offer to become a manager in his own right.

Giggs, 42, was assistant to David Moyes and had four games as care-

Mourinho cessor at the Etihad, and will earn around £15ma –year.

Mourinho was one of the favourites to replace Sir Alex Ferguson as United manager back in 2013, when he left Real Madrid.

However, David Moyes was appointed as Old Trafford boss and the former Inter and Real Madrid manager returned to Chelsea.

Despite winning a third Premier League title at Stamford Bridge, a horror defence in 201516, which saw eight league defeats in 16 games, meant he was sacked.

NPFL match between the club and Niger Tornadoes of Minna at the Ifeanyi Ubah sports stadium.

The club owner who doubles as Chairman of Anambra State Football Association said the money would provide management enough arsenal to enter the market and secure players of their choice.

“This is my own way of supporting the efforts of management as they prepare for the second half of the season. The target is the league title. If they fail, Anambra people will ask them why. They

As he said this the crowd roared in approval. The team also reacted by beating the visitors 2-0 in a pulsating encounter.

Meanwhile, the club proprietor also made a donation of N150m to the Anambra State FA toward the development of football in the state.

The donation which was done in the name of the Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation was to assist the FA in its One Family One Footballer initiative.

“The money should be spread among all the local government areas,” he said.

Giggs

looked Giggs in favour of the tried and tested Mourinho, who they are now banking on to take the club back to the top.

It means Mourinho, who faces a battle to win over Manchester United’s players after they urged Ed Woodward NOT to appoint him, is now looking at alternatives to Giggs.

taker boss at the end of that season after Moyes was sacked.

He worked with LVG for two years and had hoped to succeed the Dutchman when his three-year deal ended next summer.

But LVG is on his way and the club have over-

Plateau Utd’s player dies in auto crash Continues from BP er of Niger Tornadoes and Gombe United, moved to the Tin City side at the beginning of last season and was an integral member of the team that gained promotion back to the premier league at the start of the current season.

The club’s media officer, Albert Dakup said that Shehu was excused from Sunday ’s game against Kano Pillars to go and prepare for his now aborted wedding ceremony and decided to leave for Kaduna on Sunday morning to meet with his parents over preparation for his day of joy, only to be informed that he was involved in a ghastly car

accident where he died instantly.

Pius Hemwan, the club’s acting general manager, told Goal: “I got the sad news of Shehu’s death with shock and disbelief. He was such a nice, very hard working and dedicated player who contributed immensely to the team’s promotion to the premier league last season.

He would be missed by Plateau United players and officials and we pray that Allah grant him eternal rest.”

Henwan while commiserating with the family of the deceased urged them to take his death as an act of God and assured that the club would participate fully in his burial rites.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Mourinho’s wish list:

*Matic

*Griazmann

Mourinho holds talk with Man Utd today J

*Higuain

*Stones

OSE MOURINHO is set to hold talks with Manchester United on today, according to reports.

Louis van Gaal was relieved of his duties as Old Continues on Page 47

...Giggs ready to leave Man U

R

YAN GIGGS is ready to say goodbye to Manchester United after 29 years at the club.

Incoming boss Jose Mourinho will offer the Old Continues on Page 47

Hiddink to recall Cech, Drogba — P.47

*Mourinho

*Mario

*Zlatan

*Varane

*Morata

Louis van Gaal sacked!

Paid £5.4m •Mourinho waits L

47 -P.

Rio Olympics: 450,000 condoms to be given away

OUIS VAN GAAL has been sacked as manager of Manchester United.

Van Gaal has paid the price for failing to secure Champions League qualification next season with Jose Mourinho set to replace him in charge at Old Trafford.

The 64-year-old Dutchman was given the news at a meeting at United’s Carrington training ground yesterday — and is said to be furious at the decision.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward swung the axe after two years of Van Gaal control, in which time United have struggled to compete for the title.

Woodward met with Van Gaal at Carrington

*Louis van Gaal

Continues on Page 47

Plateau Utd’s player dies in auto crash •6 days to his wedding

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LATEAU United have announced the passing away of one

of their influential players, Sabole Shehu who died in a car crash on

Sunday on his way to Kaduna, barely six days to his wedding.

Shehu, a former play Continues on Page 47

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRIDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Counting frame (6) 5 Improve (6) 9 Located (5) 10 Yellow (6) 11 Bet (6) 12 Material (5) 14 Always (4) 17 Pale (3) 18 Present (4) 20 Repulse (5) 22 Subsequently (5) 23 Ripened (5) 24 Denude (5) 26 Object (5) 29 Tight (4) 30 Male (3) 32 Tender (4) 33 Fruit (5) 35 Canned (6) 36 Burrow (6) 37 Assessed (5) 38 Club (6) 39 Fatal (6)

DOWN 1 Fisherman (5) 2 Slumbering (6) 3 Employed (4) 4 Tendon (5) 5 Start (5) 6 Cheese (4) 7 Pill (6) 8 Jacket (6) 13 Unaffected (7) 15 Match (5) 16 Send (5) 18 Hell (5) 19 Happen again (5) 21 Circuit (3) 22 Guided (3) 24 Stationary (6) 25 Destroyed (6) 27 Lamented (6) 28 Indeed (6) 30 Decoration (5) 31 Famous (5) 33 Lake (4) 34 Naked (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Candy 7, Knead 8, Title 10, Motor 12, Bee 13, Offer 15, Release 17, Teller 19, Per 20, Deplete 23, Eros 25, Yank 26, Debated 30, Rut 31, Defeat 34, Decided 37, Farce 38, Woo 39, Debar 40, Debut 41, Merit 41, Greed.

DOWN: 1, Knife 2, Camel 3, Adored 4, Door 5, Liberty 6, Bless 9, Ten 11, Replied 13, Other 14, Flood 16, Lee 18, Related 21, Eager 22, Skate 24, Serious 27, Bud 28, Defame 29, Sewer 32, Fare 33, Acrid 35, Cob 36, Dear.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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