APC, PDP fight over Buhari's policies

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62457

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MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

How Tinubu lured five ALLEGED FORGERY OF SENATE RULES: Controversy as Police govs out of PDP 48&49 — Tony Momoh seek political solution

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APC, PDP fight over Buhari's policies

By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru & Simon Ebegbulem

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•Buhari running discriminatory, vindictive govt –PDP •Says humiliation of Patience Jonathan unacceptable •Asks what $2.1bn World Bank loan is for •PDP can’t provide virile opposition – APC

BUJA—THE opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, criticized most of the policies of President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing him of running a discriminatory, vindictive and divisive government.

It also alleged that a new form of corruption is thriving under the President Buhari administration in spite of his anti-corruption crusade. The party specifically asked the president to tell Nigerians what he plans to do with the $2.1billion Continues on Page 5

15 killed, 47 injured in fresh Damaturu market blast 47 Mr & Mrs BOKO HARAM—A soldier inspecting seized weapons from the Islamist Boko Haram fighters killed following clashes to take control of the town of Dikwa, Borno State, yesterday. Right: A seized explosive of the Boko Haram fighters. Inset: A vehicle of Boko Haram fighters destroyed by soldiers in Dikwa town. Pictures released to AFP by the Nigerian Army.

COLUMNISTS:

After US trip, Buhari’s futile back to pressing visit to matters •P.41 Obama •P.42

Double whammy of fuel import subsidies •P.40

Greece & Nigeria: A tale of two bailouts,

by Magnus Onyibe 45

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 3

C M Y K

4—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

ALLEGED FORGERY OF SENATE RULES:

Controversy as Police seek political solution

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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AGOS — CONTROVERSY has swallowed the report of the Police investigations into the alleged forgery of the 2015 Standing Rules of the Senate following its recommendation of a political solution on the issue.

The 13-page report of the Police investigations obtained by Vanguard which details submissions from seven senators belonging to the National Unity Forum led by Senator Ahmad Lawan affirmed that the amendment of the rules was not according to the laid down rules of the Senate.

The Police report termed the development as not only “criminal, but portends danger for our growing democracy.”

However, the report, which did not indict any person, drew back from recommending prosecution.

The report authored by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Dan‘Azumi Doma, concluded by suggesting that the casefile be forwarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation for his assessment as to whether a crime had been committed or whether the action laid within the internal affairs of the Senate.

The police conclusion is in the wake of mutterings by elements supportive of the Senator Bukola Saraki-led leadership of dire consequences on senators who petitioned the police for dragging the internal affairs of the Senate to the Police. The development promises a showdown between the two camps as the Senate resumes tomorrow.

Further controversies stoked the development, yesterday, following the submission by a senior staff of the National Assembly that the amendment was at the behest of the leadership of the former Senate.

Despite that submission, it emerged, yesterday, that no member of the David Mark leadership was questioned by the Senate. Senator Mark was not available for comment on the development, yesterday, as a senior aide said he was not available.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy President of the Senate; Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, the leader of the 7th Senate both denied being questioned by the police in separate interfaces yesterday.

Ekweremadu, who has been in media spotlight over the issue was not once mentioned in the report by the police.

Meanwhile, the report has drawn controversy upon claims that the Police received submissions from only senators belonging to the Senate Unity Forum, in the All Progressives Congress. Peoples Democratic C M Y K

PEACE MEETING: From left, members, House of Representatives — Mohammed Mongunu, Pally Iriase, Abdulmumuni Jibril and Alhassan Doguwa — during a peace meeting on the crisis rocking the House, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Party, PDP, senators and senators aligned to the Senator Bukola Saraki inclined Like Mind Group were yesterday muttering that their side to the issue was not taken.

Those questioned

The seven senators, who were questioned by the DIG Domaled team, were Senators Suleiman Hunkuyi, Secretary of the Senate Unity Forum who wrote the petition to the police, Ahmad Lawan, Abdullahi Gumel, Kabiru Marafa, Gbenga Ashafa, Robert Boroffice and Abu Ibrahim.

Also questioned were former Senator Ita Enang, who served as chairman of the Business and Rules Committee in the 7th Senate; Senator Babafemi Ojudu and Solomon Ewuga, all of whom are members of the APC. Also questioned were the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa; the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Ben Efeturi; Secretary, Directorate of Legal Services in the National Assembly, Mr. Daniel Adem and Secretary of the Senate Committee on Business and Rules, Dr. Ogozy Nma. All of those questioned with the notable exception of Mr. Efeturi, who also doubles as the Clerk of the Senate, denied knowledge of the amendment.

The Clerk of the National Assembly, Maikasuwa, who presided over the election, is quoted in the report as saying: “that he did not refer to any Senate Standing Order/Rules but used the normal procedures for the opening of a new parliament.”

The report also quoted him as denying knowledge of the

existence of the production of the Senate Standing Rules 2015 as amended.

Efeturi, on the other hand, however, affirmed that the production of the 2015 Standing Rules was in line with convention as he said that the same procedure was used in the production of the standing rules in 2003, 2007 and 2011.

Efeturi, who is about the longest serving legislative bureaucrat in the National Assembly with experience running from the Second Republic, according to the police report is quoted as saying that “the Senate Standing Orders 2003, 2007 and 2011 followed the same procedure as that of the 2015.

"He emphasised that in the parliament, amendment of Standing Orders is by practice and not necessarily by procedure. He further stated that the ruling of the Senate President on the June 24, 2015 that the Senate Standing Orders of the Senate 2015 is authentic is final, relevant and cannot be challenged. He attached a copy of the debates of the Senate on Wednesday, June 24 24 where the Senate President ruled that the Senate Standing Order 2015 was the authentic Standing Orders of the 8th Senate.”

The police in its findings nevertheless dismissed Efeturi’s contention, saying that so long as it was not done in the lifetime of the Mark Senate that it was irregular.

But despite the dismissal of that submission, the police drew back from making an indictment.

Rather, the police sought counsel from the Attorney General on whether the issue was a crime or leave it as an internal affair of the Senate.

Findings

(a) That on the 9th of June, 2015, a document entitled “the Senate Standing Order 2015 as amended” was distributed to senators of the 8th Senate for their inauguration as members. (b) That the contents of the Senate Standing Order 2015 as amended are substantially different from the Senate Standing Order 2011 as amended. Sections 2(iv), 3(3)E, I,ii,iii, G and H, 5 and 7 of the Rules are different in the two Orders. (c) That the Senate Standing Order 2015 as amended was used by the clerks of the National Assembly and the Senate as the Senate Standing Orders to inaugurate and conduct elections into the offices of the presiding officials of the Senate viz the Senate President, the Deputy Senate President etc. (d) That the testimonies of some members of the 7th Senate including that of the chairman of the Business and Rules Committee and Senators of the 7th Senate indicate that the Senate Standing Order 2011 was not amended during the tenure of the 7th Senate which ended on the 8th of June, 2015. (e) That the procedure for the amendment of the Senate Standing Order as contained in Section 110 of the Senate Standing Order 2011 as amended stipulates that any amendment to the Senate Standing Orders should be in line with the following procedures: i. Any senator desiring to amend any part of the Rules or adding any new clause

shall give notice of such amendments in writing to the President of the Senate giving details of proposed amendment. ii. The President shall within seven working days cause the amendment to be printed and circulated to members. Thereafter it shall be printed in the Order Paper. iii. The movers of the amendment shall be allowed to explain in details the proposed amendments, thereafter the Senate shall decide by simple majority votes whether the amendment should be considered. iv. If the decision is to consider the amendments, then another date shall be set aside by the Rules and Business Committee, whereby opportunity would be given to Senators to further propose amendments but must strictly be confined to the original amendments. v. Two third majorities shall decide the amendments and such amendments shall form part of the Rules of the Senate. (f) That the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Benedict Efeturi, who doubles as the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly confirmed in his statement that the Senate Standing Order 2015 as amended was produced on the orders of the Senate leadership without following the amendment procedures as contained in the Senate Standing Orders 2011 as amended. (g) That the allusion by the clerk of the Senate to procedure of amending the Standing Orders of Parliament through “practise and not necessarily by procedure” is a misplaced analogy and undemocratic because the Nigerian Senate has clearly laiddown without a provisio, the procedure to be adopted in amending its standing orders as contained in section 110 of 2011 Senate Standing Orders.

Recommendations

5. From the findings, especially from the statement of the Clerk of the Senate who doubles as the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate Standing Orders 2015 which was used to inaugurate the 8th Senate on the 9th of June 2015 was ordered by the leadership of the 7th Senate without following Section 110 of the Senate Standing Rules 2011 as amended which requires that any amendment to the Senate Standing Rules must be debated and approved by the senators on the floor of the Senate.

5.1. This practice where some group of senators amend the Rules of the Senate without following legal procedures is not only criminal but portends danger for our growing democracy and should be discouraged. However, it is recommended that the file be sent to the Attorney General of the Federation for vetting to determine if this conduct constitutes crime or should be treated as an internal affair of the Senate.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 —5

POCKET CARTOON

MEETING—From left: AFRIMA 2014 Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa, Ahmed Soultan; Minister de la Culture, Royaume du Maroc, Mohammed Amine SBIHI; President/Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mike Dada and Head of Culture Division Department of Social Affairs, AUC, Angela Martins at a strategic meeting between AFRIMA and the Ministry of Culture, held in the ministry in Rabat, Morocco.

APC, PDP fight over Buhari's policies Continues from Page 1 World Bank loan and urged him to clear the air on the disbursement of the recent bailout fund especially as the governors claim they have not received any bailout from the Federal Government.

This came as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) described the PDP statements as hollow, adding that the PDP is incapable of providing virile opposition to the ruling party.

Indeed, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State said, yesterday, that contrary to insinuations in many quarters, no state has got a kobo from the Federal Government as bailout fund.

He spoke at a reception for the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, in Sabongida Ora, Owan West Local Government Area of the state.

Buhari running discriminatory, vindictive govt –PDP

The national leadership of the PDP criticized President Buhari over statements attributed to him that Nigerians who gave him 97 per cent of their votes will be better treated than those who gave him five per cent.

President Buhari reportedly made the comment in a session with foreign journalists in Washington DC during his visit to the United States of America.

The PDP said the

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Happiness is the belief that we don’t need to change; it’s the realization that we can — Shawn Achor

O

UR most commonly held formula for success is broken. Conventional wisdom holds that if we work hard we will be more successful, and if we are more successful, then we’ll be happy. If we can just find that great job, win that next promotion, lose those five pounds, happiness will follow. But recent discoveries in the field of positive psychology have shown that this formula is actually backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around.

When we are positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive at work.

In The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor, who spent over a decade researching, and lecturing at Harvard University, draws on his own research, using stories and case studies from his work with thousands of Fortune 500 executives in 42 countries, Achor explains how we can reprogramme our brains to become more positive in order to gain a competitive edge at work. The happiness advantage is a new paradigm on how to reap the benefits of a happier and more positive mind-set to achieve the extraordinary in our work and in our lives.

statement was not only vindictive and divisive, but also an attempt by the president to govern the country in a discriminatory manner.

Addressing Journalists, yesterday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said the statement was biased and partisan, adding that it has become imperative for the president to explain if this would form the basis of government appointments and jettisoning of merit and the principle of federal character as enshrined in the constitution.

Metu, who described the recent visit of the President to the United States as embarrassing, stressed that the absence of an economic team for healthy and informed discussion at the meeting with officials of the US government was a serious blunder.

The PDP also lampooned the government over comments by the Director of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hussein, warning former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan that if he sees her again at the Protocol Lounge of the Port Harcourt Airport, she would be dealt with.

Urging the presidency to call the officer to order, the party said: “The recent organised public humiliation of the immediate past First lady and wife of the former President, Dame Patience Jonathan at the Port Harcourt Airport where she was refused access to the protocol lounge based on ‘order from Abuja’ is a particular case in point.

“We stress this case because when the immediate past President was in power, all former

presidents and their spouses had unhindered access to the protocol lounge. While we note that this development has been widely condemned

by Nigerians, we ask if the former President erred in conceding defeat. Is the Federal Government by any means encouraging a sit-tight attitude by government officials?"

Metuh, who urged President Buhari to explain to Nigerians what his planned World Bank Loan of $2.1 billion would be used for, if the government was actually transparent, however asked the President to account to Nigerians the cost of governance since May 29 against the backdrop that he has taken some very serious decisions without recourse to relevant statutory arms and organs of government.

The PDP spokesperson who stressed that the All Progressives Congress, APC government so far has no direction, said: “President Buhari told a stunned audience in the US that “constituencies that gave me 97 per cent cannot in all honesty be treated, on some issues, with constituencies that gave me five per cent”, signifying that his government will be discriminatory.

“Never in the history of our nation has a president made such a divisive and vindictive declaration.

Never in the history of Nigeria has a President made such tendentious, biased and partisan statement, a blade on the chord of unity of his own country and people...

“We demand that the President come clear on this matter. Would this form the basis of g o v e r n m e n t appointments rather than adherence to merit and the principle of federal character as enshrined in the constitution? Would this be a basis for termination of appointments, promotions and key policies in the service circle?

“Would it form the basis for distribution of infrastructural development projects and other essential interventions rather than the principle of equity and equality of federating units as stipulated by the constitution? Is this a deliberate policy by the APC or his personal stance? Are we expecting the same discriminatory policy from APC state governors?"

PDP cannot provide virile opposition with convoluted, hollow statements — APC

Countering, the APC said the PDP as a party

cannot provide any worthwhile opposition to the APC-led Federal Government if its spokesman continues to issue convoluted and faustian statements just so that he can be in the news. ‘’Today’s statement is the most tortuous yet by the PDP and, honestly, sounds more like a compendium of beer parlour gossips and side talks than a serious criticism of a sitting government,’’ the APC said in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. ‘’To be in opposition does not mean you have to constitute yourself to a nuisance by rushing to the press with all sorts of hot air statements. It is the quality, rather than the frequency, of your interventions that makes you relevant as an opposition in a democracy," the party said It added that in the light of the above, the APC will not dignify the latest in a series of confused statements by the PDP with any response. ‘’We can only say that we have been justified, and indeed prescient, in our earlier offer to organize a crash course for Olisa Metuh so that he can more effectively perform his role as the spokesman of the main opposition party. ‘’Those who thought we were joking with that offer can now see that indeed, Mr. Metuh is seriously in need of some form of coaching on his new role,’’ APC said.

The party said for the record, no government in Nigeria’s recent history has been as focused and systematic as the one headed by President Muhammadu Buhari in restoring good governance, especially coming after the worst stretch of governance, lasting all of 16 years, by the immoral and reckless PDP.

US trip

On the president’s US trip, the PDP said: “Similarly, the business

community in Nigeria and indeed across the world noted with utter dismay the disgraceful treatment meted out on some Nigerian bankers and captains of industries

by President Buhari during his US visit.

“Whereas the President has the right to decide who makes his entourage on such an important official visit, which visibly excluded National Assembly leaders, economic experts and had no woman, the manner with which he shamed and walked out Nigerian businessmen sends very wrong signal to international investors and poses great threats to inflow of direct foreign investment into our country.

“Furthermore, since the President has insisted on running his government as a sole administrator, making important decisions on national affairs without recourse to relevant statutory arms and organs of government, we are compelled to demand that this administration comes out clear on its expenses since assumption of office in May in keeping with its much harped stance on transparency.

“We make this demand because since the APC took office, the nation’s financial system in the absence of statutory functionaries has been enmeshed in confusion, controversy and fertile atmosphere for financial sleazes.

“Last Thursday, our dear President, President Muhammadu Buhari returned from his muchpublicised visit to the United States of America.

A visit which has proven to be anything but successful, yet another miscarried cosmetic intervention to hide government’s inefficiency and inability to face the real business of governance.

“We urge the APC-led administration to settle down, put its acts together and get determined, without further excuse, to face the fight against insurgency with every sense of seriousness."

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Passenger arrested over $1,400 theft at Lagos airport

z... another for smoking on-board

By Lawani Mikairu & Daniel Eteghe

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HE police at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, yesterday, arrested a man for stealing $1,400 from a female passenger on an Air France flight.

The airport command also arrested a passenger, Mr. Lawal Oluwabusola, for smoking on board an Arik Air flight from London to Lagos.

Disclosing these developments to newsmen, Police Public Relations Officer, Airport Command, ASP Livinus Chukwuma, said that the passenger, who was arrested for stealing the $1,400, stole the money from a female passenger at the Lagos airport.

He pointed out that the female passengers was taking some rest on a couch in Gabfol lounge at MMIA, while waiting to board the flight and forgot her purse containing the money.

Commenting on the passenger that was apprehended for smoking, ASP Chukwuma said the passenger ’s action triggered emergency alarm system in the aircraft.

He further explained that the suspect was “smoking cigarette in the lavatory, which triggered off emergency alarm system in the aircraft causing confusion among passengers.”

According to him, the passenger was arrested on arrival at the international wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

He said the suspect’s action was not in consonance within-flight safety procedures.

The police scribe said the suspect had been arraigned in court on a two-count charge in accordance with section 2(1) of the FAAN by-law 2005 and section 166(1) (d) of the criminal law of Lagos State.”

2-yr-old burnt to death as fire razes Yenagoa slum zResidents begged firemen to help

By Emem Idio

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ENAGOA—A two-year-old girl was, last Saturday night, burnt beyond recognition in Yenagoa as fire broke out at a slum located opposite the Law Faculty of Niger Delta University, NDU, Ovom, a suburb of the city.

The fire, which started about 8p.m. and lasted for three hours, also destroyed household property and rendered over 20 families homeless.

Eyewitnesses linked the

cause of the fire to a burning candle, said to have been lit in one of the rooms as there was power outage.

A neighbour confirmed that he attempted to rescue the child, but could not because the fire was too much as the houses were constructed with woods.

The unlucky child, who was sleeping in one of the rooms at the time the fire broke out, was also said to have been locked inside the room by the mother, who had gone to attend to her petty trading business around the area.

It was learned that the state Fire Service located close to the scene of the incident responded only after so much damaged had been done.

A staff of Bayelsa State Fire Service, Mr. Prince Ogu, said: “We came with three trucks but unfortunately, the fire had already done much damage before we came.”

A victim, Mr. Godwin Arum, an indigene of Abia State who lost everything to the fire, said: “I came back from my shop around 8p.m., dropped my bag and went out to buy

something.

“I was there when I heard people shouting 'fire!' I ran home only to see my house on fire.

“I struggled to bring out some of my property, but unfortunately, hoodlums stole them since the place was rowdy.

“At first, we tried using water to put it out, but the fire was too much so we ran to the office of the Fire Service, which is nearby for help.

“We had to beg them and by the time they came, everything was gone.”

Scenes of the Ovom fire incident.

Flood wreaks havoc in Awka; expert blames illegal structures

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—MANY residents in Awka, Anambra State capital, have been counting their losses, following the destruction of their property by flood during a down pour that lasted several hours.

Some streets, especially at Ifite area and parts of Government Reserved Area, GRA, of the city, were heavily flooded, such that residents in those areas, who were out of their houses before the rain began, were unable to walk or drive to their houses.

Youths, who could brave it, ferried women on their backs across for a fee, while those who were afraid to enter the flood slept in the houses of their friends in the safer areas of their streets.

A primary school on Muodozie Street, which was recently constructed close to flood channel, was pulled down by the heavy flood and its roof and concrete walls scattered on the streets in the vicinity.

Some cars that got stuck in

the flood were abandoned till morning, when towing vans were used to remove them.

A civil engineer, Mr. Nwabufor Onyeakalusi, attributed the flooding to the building of houses close to flood channels, thereby blocking the free flow of water.

According to him, many of the houses that caused the flood were initially marked ‘stop work’ by officials of Anambra State Urban Development Board, ASUDB, only for construction to continue after money exchanged hands.

He said: “Some people in this area, whose lands are

close to the flood channel, decided to narrow the channels to gain more land and this habit created problem in the area.

“The only solution to the problem is for the authorities to pull down all the buildings built close to the flood channels, otherwise the problem will worsen.”

Baale, son, 9 others arrested over Lagos hotelier's death

By Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—THE Baale of Temidire Alagbado, Chief Nojeem Abioye, his son, and nine others have been arrested in connection with the murder of Alhaji Olatunji Rasaq, alias Alaso, who was killed penultimate Monday in Alagbado area of Lagos.

As at Friday, 11 suspects, including the Baale, Chief Abioye, and his son, who were detained over the weekend, were still being interrogated at the State Department of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence, SDCII, Yaba.

Vanguard learned that Alhaji Olatunji was murdered

during a protest by landlords and residents in the community, led by Abioye, over allegations of land grabbing.

It was gathered that the protest was peaceful until Tunji arrived the venue and began to record events on video.

The protesters, it was learned, rushed towards him and he ordered his driver to speed off, hitting one Mr. Raheem, alias Denge.

In his defence Chief Abioye told Vanguard: “The community organised the protest because of the activities of Tunji Alaso.

“The purpose of the

conference was to create awareness in the area and to tell the world that Tunji has been threatening the peace of the community with his thugs as he was selling off people’s land which were vacant and even those that are under construction.

“It was a peaceful protest until Tunji came and distrupted the protest with his thugs.”

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, told Vanguard that 10 suspects, including Chief Abioye, were in Police custody at SDCII, Yaba, adding that investigations were on.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—7

S u s p e c t e d container thieves paraded by police in Lagos. PHOTO: Ifeanyi Okolie.

Five suspected pirates nabbed in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

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Plateau Water Board Explosion: 112 still in hospitals

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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OS—THE National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has confirmed that 112 injured persons were still on admission in four hospitals, following last Saturday ’s explosion of Chlorine cylinder used for water treatment at Lamingo plant of Plateau State Water Board.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.

Commiserating with the families of the victims, the government and people of the state, President Buhari said an investigation into the incident was necessary to avoid a recurrence.

He said: “The investigation should unravel the facts as to whether this was just an accident. Whatever the case, we need to get to the bottom of this incident.”

NEMA North-Central Coordinator, Alhaji Abdulsalami Mohammed, said three more persons had died, in addition to the initial five killed by the incident that also razed down many houses around the area.

He named the four hospitals to include Jos University Teaching Hospital, Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Plateau Specialist and OLA Hospitals, all in Jos. Mohammed said: “The situation has normalised, but the area has been cordoned off to ward off further danger.”

He described the incident as “very unfortunate,” and said the community around the water treatment plant would be relocated.

He said: “The community around the plant will be

z... it must be investigated—BUHARI relocated. In fact, we have just been told that the community was initially relocated and compensated, but started coming back gradually.

“This time, once they are relocated, we shall make sure that no one is allowed to

return.”

Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has expressed shock at the incident and sympathised with families of the eight persons killed after they inhaled excess chlorine.

Lalong said the situation had been contained and safety precautions taken.

“We have taken adequate steps to cleanse the main water pipes and ensure water supplied through them is safe for consumption,” he said.

Navy apprehends 3 suspected oil thieves

By Tom Moses

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KOT-ABASI—Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, weekend, apprehended and handed over three suspected oil thieves to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC. The suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing 8,420 litres of products suspected to be Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, two generators, one pumping machine and one 40 horsepower out-board engine.

Briefing journalists while handing over the items, the

Commander of the base, Commodore David Adeniran, said the officers intercepted one Volkswagen Vento car bearing two different number plates (DUK 144 XA and XW 717 ABC), which was coincidentally used in conveying the products.

He said: “The NNS Jubilee, Ikot Abasi has intercepted one Volkswagen Vento car carrying illegal PMS products.

“What we are doing is to hand over to culprits, who were caught with this products and vehicle, to NSCDC.” Adeniran, who was represented by the executive

officer of the Base, Captain Emmanuel Nmoyen, explained that some of the suspects involved in the oil theft escaped to the creeks.

While receiving the suspects, the State Commandant of NSCDC, Emmanuel Ojeniyi, commended the Navy for its firm commitment to protecting and defending the maritime environment in the country.

Ojeniyi, who was represented by the Head of Public Relations and Protocol of the command, Mr. Ime White, said the corps would conduct thorough investigation and prosecute any of the suspects found culpable.

Police arrest container thieves, recover $200,000 goods

By Ifeanyi Okolie

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PERATIVES of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, at the Zone 2 headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, have busted a syndicate, which specialises in stealing containers loaded with goods from Wharf and Tin-Island ports, arresting three suspects and recovering 500 cartons of drugs.

Vanguard gathered that the suspects, identified as Emmanuel Onyike, 51; Alabi Daudu, 68, and Paul Aina, 58, were apprehended after they

stole a 40-foot container loaded with pharmaceutical products valued at $200,000, belonging to United State Agency for International Development, USAID. Sources disclosed that a petition by a representative of the agency, Bankole Michael, was sent to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, in Charge of Zone 2, Joseph Mbu, alleging that he contracted a transport and logistics firm to deliver the drugs at the warehouse of Society for Family Health, SFH, Sango Otta, but that the drugs

were diverted.

The AIG was said to have directed the officer in charge of SARS, Peter Gana, to investigate the matter.

A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said a member of the syndicate was trailed through phone tracking to Ikorodu area of the state, where he was arrested.

He was said to have confessed to the crime and led SARS operatives to arrest Paul and Alabi in their hideout, and alos mentioned one Babawale, Ikechukwu, Shola and Alhaji as members of the gang.

E N A G O A — OPERATIVES of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, code named Operation Pulo Shield, have arrested five suspected pirates in Bayelsa State.

The suspects, according to the JTF spokesman, Lt. Col Isa Ado, were arrested at the riverine Logosgbene in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, after a search and cordon operation in the community.

Items recovered from them include one AK-47 rifle, a pump action gun, three magazines with 72 rounds of 7.62mm special, a pair of military camouflage, Samsung smart phone, 115 horse power outboard engine speedboat, among others.

2 suspected cultists in court for attempted murder

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—TWO suspected cultists, Alamu Olaigbe, 29, and Sheriff Oshilaja, 27, have been remanded in prison custody by Magistrate Philip A. Ojo of a Yaba Magistrate’s Court over alleged attempted murder.

They are facing a threecount charge bordering on conspiracy, grievous harm and attempted murder.

The prosecutor Assistant Superintendent of Police, Anyanwu Godwin, said the defendants committed the offences on July 17, during Sallah celebration He said they led other members of their gang to a street at Bariga, where some merry makers were celebrating with a friend that had secured an apartment, attacking them with dangerous weapons such as broken bottles, cutlasses and guns.

Magistrate Ojo admitted the defendants to N500,000 bail with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the matter till August 2.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

From right: Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Senate President, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu and his wife; and former Senate President, Sen. Ken Nnamani at the church thanksgiving service in honour of Sen. Gilbert Nnaji at the Holy Cross parish Enugu, yesterday

NASS crisis: Buhari meets with APC lawmakers as Gbajabiamila group remains adamant

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—AHEAD of tomorrow’s resumption of the House of Representatives, President Muhammadu Buhari has scheduled a meeting with members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the House to stem the crisis in the caucus.

It would be the first time that the president would meet with both camps of the House since the June 9 election that Speaker Yakubu Dogara beat party favourite, Femi Gbajabiamila, in the leadership contest. Confirming the meeting, the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the meeting will hold at the New Banquet Hall of the presidential villa at 5:00 pm.

Meanwhile, members of the Gbajabiamila-led Loyalist Group in the House, yesterday, vowed to press on with their demand for enthronement in the four principal officers’ positions.

At a press conference in Abuja, the group dismissed as inconsequential defections from the group to the Speaker Yakubu Dogara group vowing that they remained unflinching in their demands.

The unity of the Gbajabiamila group was, however, questioned following the absence of some of the arrowheads of the camp including Gbajabiamila, Mohammed Monguno, Pally Iriase and Ado Doguwa among others. Doguwa’s fidelity to the group became an issue following claims last night that majority of the APC members have resolved to project him for the position of House Leader against the aspiration of Gbajabiamila for the position.

Accusing the speaker of a policy of divide and rule, members of the Gbajabiamila faction at a press conference expressed regrets that the speaker was not prepared for peace despite his claims.

A statement read by Nasiru Daura representing Zango/Baure Federal Constituency of Katsina State on the platform of the APC said: “We had hoped that with a difference of just eight votes between Dogara and Femi, Speaker Dogara would have realised the need to cultivate a united House of Representatives."

Noting what it claimed as efforts to reduce their strength through juicy offers to their members, he said: “We are, however, aware of the trojan offers of Party Principal Officers positions being made to individuals in our

group in their individual capacities in order to lure them from our group. We hereby restate for the avoidance of any doubt that this struggle is not about Femi Gbajabiamila, Yakubu Dogara, Alhasan Ado Doguwa, MT Monguno or Pally Iriase, this is about being loyal and committed to party’s manifesto which amongst others includes the Fight against corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“This is all about preventing the PDP from hijacking the National Assembly from our party and imposing its corrupted will on President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda for change. We hereby assure all those that voted for the APC, that we will never betray the trust you reposed in us as your elected Representatives in the House, due to our selfish interest. We wish to inform you that when you fight corruption, corruption fights back and this is part of the debilitating measures already at work.

Debilitating measures “To the Speaker Dogara Group and their PDP allies we are aware of your attempt to deny entry into the House of Representative Chambers to members of the Loyalist Group especially the likes Hon. Aliyu Madaki, Hon. Rufai Chanchangi, Hon. Philip Shaibu, Hon. Mohamed Soba, Hon. Isa Aliyu Zuru, Hon. Ahmed Babba Kaita, Hon. Ismaila Sulaiman, Hon. James Faleke, Hon. Yusuf Ikara, Hon. Abdullahi Salame and Hon. Abubakar Chika.

“We strongly warn Speaker Dogara that we will not take any breach of our members’ privileges lightly and we will hold you, Speaker Dogara personally responsible. Honour is earned through honourable actions. A word is enough for the wise! However, we also hereby sincerely accept the apology made by Hon. MT Monguno for being misled into attending press conference organized by Speaker Dogara’s group yesterday.

“We have therefore, resolved that enough is enough of the shenanigans of the PDP and Speaker Dogara group. We hereby remind Speaker Dogara group and his PDP allies in the House that we have fought the PDP and already chased them out of government because we were willing to pay the price to ensure that Nigerians are not short-changed. And we are ready to do it again now so that the Change Agenda prevails in the House of Representatives.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—9

Ahmed Joda c'ttee report: Buhari may restructure Presidency

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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BUJA — POSSIBLE reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari has not yet named his cabinet emerged last night with confirmation that he had been studying the report of the Transition Committee he empanelled to draw up a blueprint for his administration.

A top source, who was part of the Transition Committee, told Vanguard in confidence that Buhari had been studying the crucial report critically with a view to taking a final decision on the structure of his administration so as to deliver the promised change to Nigerians.

The report was submitted to the President in the first week of June 2015.

In the report, the committee has recommended that community and state police should be used in Nigeria to check rising crime rate in the country.

It also recommended the establishment of crime forensic laboratories across the country while all policemen attached to private individuals should be withdrawn forthwith to enable the officers and men to tackle rising crime wave in the land.

It noted that in a bid to check the incessant removal of the Inspector General of Police, the suspension or removal of the IGP should be done with the approval of two thirds majority of the members of the National Assembly.

Joda c'ttee recommendations

On how to ensure the success of the electoral system in Nigeria, the Joda Committee recommended the protection of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by ensuring that he could only be removed or suspended from office by a two-third majority of the National Assembly.

Similarly, the committee said that the Electoral Act should be amended to strengthen the hands of the commission in managing security during elections.

It recommended that all those who were involved in electoral offences in the last election should be adequately punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

“Henceforth voter registration should be carried out electronically and all other electoral statues should accommodate electronic voting,” the report said.

zTo work with 19 ministers, 17 ministers of state zState, community police on the card zElectronic voting recommended

BOOK PRESENTATION: From left: Mr. Ifeoha Azikiwe, author; Chief Fidelis Telije, representative of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; Prof. Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba; his wife, Agu Nwanyi Modupe Edozien; Emeritus Professor Oladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe, guest lecturer and Prof. Shehu Abdul Rahman, Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State during the prentation of book on Prof. Edozien, Asagba of Asaba, in Asaba. Photo: Nath Onojake.

If Buhari accepts the report as submitted to him, he would work with 19 full-fledged ministers and 17 ministers of state, bringing the total to 36, unlike the previous 42.

The new structure would effectively seal the fate of zonal representatives as ministers which was applicable till the last administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

A breakdown of the new ministries shows that the former Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is to be merged with that of Special Duties to form Special National Consideration to take care of Niger Delta and North-East, and will be manned by a minister and two ministers of state. Ministry of Women Affairs, which now takes on the new nomenclature of Gender, Family Affairs, Youths and Sports is to be manned by one minister while Ministries of Mines and Steel Development and that of Petroleum Resources are likely be merged and renamed Energy, Mines and Power to be headed by a minister and two ministers of state.

Similarly, the ministries of Police Affairs and Interior have been merged and renamed Interior but will accommodate the Police, Immigrations, Prisons and Civil Defence. Industry, Trade and Investment Ministry has been renamed Investment, Trade and Industry while the Health Ministry will take on the new nomenclature of

Health and Human Services and be manned by one minister only.

On the other hand, Agriculture which now takes on Water Resources will be managed by one minister.

Aviation and Transport, which now becomes one ministry will be called Ministry of Transport, and will be headed

by one minister and two ministers of state.

Works, Housing and Environment will now replace the former three ministries and will be manned by a minister and two ministers of state.

Ministries of Justice, Education, Tourism, FCT,

Defence, Finance and Foreign Affairs which used to enjoy at least a minister and ministers of state will now be managed by a minister.

Presidency may be restructured

The Transition Committee noted with concern the high number of what it described as "top-heavy" political appointments in the Presidency resulting in an inefficient structure and overlapping responsibilities in the nation’s seat of power.

To remove the overlapping functions, the committee has proposed the merger of the office of the Principal Secretary to the President with that of Permanent Secretary, State House and to be headed by a Permanent Secretary. It strongly recommended that the appointment of the official to that post should be based strictly on merit and not political considerations.

Highlights of the Joda report also show that the Federal Government may adopt the use state and community police, if the Buhari administration adopts the recommendation of the committee.

President Buhari has said in Washington, last week, that he would only appoint ministers and other members of his administration after finetuning the structures of governance for efficiency.

Buhari said it would be wrong to allow his administration to run on the existing platform which had been seriously tainted by corruption, thereby drawing back the system.

WHO calls for compulsory vaccination against hepatitis infection zSeeks to save 1.4m persons yearly from liver cancer

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By Sola Ogundipe

AGOS— IN commemoration of this year’s World Hepatitis Day tomorrow, the World Health Organisation, WHO, has called for urgent and compulsory vaccination of all vulnerable groups, especially children, against viral hepatitis infection that causes liver cancer.

In a statement, weekend, WHO highlighted the existence of a safe and effective vaccine that can protect from hepatitis B infection for life, and warns that as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours, every child should be vaccinated against the hepatitis B infection, noting that the birth dose should be followed by two or three doses to complete the vaccine series.

“This year, the focus is to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment for persons already infected with hepatitis B and C, which together cause approximately 80 percent of all liver cancer deaths and kill close to 1.4 million people every

year, while approximately 780,000 people die of hepatitis B infection each year, “Persons at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis B infection, including adults who frequently require blood or blood products, health-care workers, injection drug users, household and sexual contacts of people with chronic hepatitis B, and people with multiple sexual partners, should seek prompt treatment.”

Alerting on the risks of contracting hepatitis from unsafe blood, unsafe injections, and sharing drug-injection equipment, WHO emphasized the need for all health services to reduce risks by using only sterile equipment for injections and other medical procedures, to test all donated blood and blood components for hepatitis B and C (as well as HIV and syphilis) and urged safer sex practices, including minimising the number of partners and using barrier protective

measures (condoms) to protect against transmission.

Earlier this year, WHO issued new guidelines for treatment of hepatitis including use of simple non-invasive tests to assess the stage of liver disease to help identify who needs treatment.

Calling for prioritised treatment for those with cirrhosis—the most advanced stage of liver disease and for the use of two safe and highly effective medicines, tenofovir or entecavir, the organisation said medicines are now available that can cure most people with hepatitis C and control hepatitis B infection.

“People who receive these medicines are much less likely to die from liver cancer and cirrhosis and much less likely to transmit the virus to others. People who think they might have been exposed to hepatitis are to get tested so they can find out whether they need treatment to improve their own health and reduce the risk of transmission.”

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

First winner of Airtel's Recharge & Hit a million promo emerges

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A G O S — FOREMOST telecommunications provider, Airtel Nigeria, has proved the authenticity of its Recharge & Hit a million promo, as it presented N1 million to its first millionaire winner.

The winner, Ambrose Ogidi, who is a lift operator at The Etiebet House, expressed his joy over the prize, saying “I was aware of the promo and participated in it, but I never thought I will win 1 million Naira from Airtel Nigeria.”

The presentation ceremony came as an utter shock to Mr. Ogidi, who was busy performing his official duties when he was greeted

by TuFace Idibia, one of Airtel Nigeria’s Smart Icons.

He had barely finished dealing with the shock of meeting and speaking with TuFace Idibia, when he was told he had emerged a millionaire from the Recharge & Hit A Million promo.

Speaking on the promo, Maurice Newa, Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, explained that the promo symbolizes Airtel’s brand promise of enriching Nigerians to realize their potentials.

He said: “Everyone is a winner in the Recharge & Hit A Million promo, which is our own way of saying thank you to our customers and rewarding them for being on our network.

Airtel Recharge & Hit A Million promo, which was launched June 18, 2015 will produce 60 millionaires over the next 60 days.

Over five lucky winners have also been rewarded with N100,000.00 each since the commencement of the promo and more prizes are yet to be won.

NUJ ELECTION: Buhari, Amosun, Ambode, others congratulate Odusile

By Our Correspondents

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, his Lagos state counterpart, Akinwunmi Ambode and speaker of Lagos House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa congratulated the newly-elected President of the Nigerian Union of a Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Abdulwaheed Odusile and other elected executive members on their victory.

In a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, President Buhari urged the officers and members of the Fourth estate of the realm to work with him to further develop the country.

He reaffirmed the commitment of his government to ensure freedom of the press in Nigeria, believing that the newly-elected NUJ officials had the necessary prerequisites to take the union to greater heights.

The statement, which read in parts said; “President Buhari believes that with his worthy credentials and antecedents as a highly-respected and reputable professional, Mr. Odusile can be expected to discharge his new responsibility of leading the NUJ to greater heights of accomplishment with distinction.''

Similarly, former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku in a statement released by his Media Office in Abuja yesterday, said;

AGOS—THE Lagos State Police Command, at the weekend, said it was on the trail of suspected criminals using handkerchief containing some substances to hypnotise people before robbing them of their valuables.

The command’s spokesman, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, made the disclosure while reacting to the command’s efforts to curb the criminal activity.

“The time of the emergence of Odusile to lead the NUJ is significant and momentous in view of the mandate by Nigerians to President Muhammadu Buhari to enthrone change in the way they are being governed.”

He also urged him to endeavour to key into the desire of Nigerians for change and good governance and lead the body of journalists to support the anti- corruption campaign of the Buhari administration.

In his own message, Governor Amosun congratulated Odusile, on his election as NUJ's National President.

Amosun, according to a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, noted that “The election of Odusile would open up new vistas for the practice of journalism in Nigeria.”

Also, Governor Ambode yesterday congratulated Odusile on his election at the weekend.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the governor commended the peaceful and democratic process that preceded his victory.

He urged Odusile to ensure that professionalism and high ethical standards are entrenched in the practice of

journalism in the country.

The governor, who said Odusile’s victory was a validation of vision, consistency and hard work, expressed confidence in his ability as the new NUJ president to take the practice of journalism to the next level in the country.

Also, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has sent a message of congratulation to Odusile, on his success at the polls.

Obasa, while reacting to the NUJ National Delegates election result in a statement in Lagos, also greeted Nigerian journalists on the peaceful and successful conduct of the election.

LCCI condemns CBN’s foreign exchange model

By Naomi Uzor

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AGOS—THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, yesterday, said the decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to retain the current demand management model in the foreign exchange market has profound collateral consequences for the economy.

Commenting on the current decision of the Monetary Policy

‘Police on trail of robbers who hypnotize victims'

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V I S I T : Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State exchanging pleasantries with the Acting United States Consular General in Nigeria, Ms. D e h a b Ghebreab during the e n v o y ' s courtesy visit to the governor at the Lagos House, Ikeja.

“The Lagos police are on the same page with the state government in fighting crime and criminality. We have devised strategies to check the suspected criminals.

“We want people in Lagos to be security conscious and be at alert, particularly in commercial vehicles. They should report suspected persons to the police.

“Transporters are advised to check this trend among their members and routes of operations,” Nwosu advised.

Committee (MPC) of the CBN, the President of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello, said the chamber submits that the opaqueness of the foreign exchange management, vulnerability to corrupt practices and distortions in the economy.

According to him, submission by stakeholders in the economy to the CBN to review its list of items not valid for foreign exchange were completely ignored by the MPC. “The matter was not even mentioned in the communique.

The LCCI is gravely disturbed by this disposition.

Stakeholders had raised issues of classification of items for proper identification of the products and to make implementation less disruptive of the economy. ''There are many items on the list which are critical inputs of many production firms.

Sustainability of many manufacturing activities is currently at risk, especially with the apparent unwillingness of the CBN to shift ground” he stated.

Meanwhile, he said, in the

spirit of transparency and in line with the values of the present administration, the chamber call for the publication of the list of beneficiaries of the foreign

exchange allocations in the past one month.

“This will allow for a more robust discussion and engagement on the way forward,'' he said.

LG ADMIN: Committee wants corrupt officials punished

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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AGOS—COMMITTEE on Reformation of Local Government Administration in Lagos State, weekend submitted its report, asking the state government to institute stiffer measures to detect and penalise any officials involve in fraudulent act.

The submission came one month after the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode set up the 19-man committee led by Otunba Nurudeen Ojora-Adejiyan to proffer solutions on how to reposition local government administration in order to boost the socio-economic development and submit its recommendation in two weeks.

Ojora-Adejiyan while reading the committee’s recommendation at a short ceremony held in Ikeja, said that for the local government to function effectively, the state must institute “strict measures to sanctions any officials and local government personnel found culpable of any corruptible act.”

He added that “functional template to assess the performance of local governments based on available resources and context of operations should be evolved for local government system.”

He lamented that findings by the committee revealed that local government system has become a shadow of itself, grappling with structural, funding and administrative problems.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 11

AREGBESOLA: Judge to appear before Osun Assembly tomorrow

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—THE panel set up by the Osun state House of Assembly investigating the petition against Osun state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has summoned Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede to defend issues raised in her petition.

Justice Oloyede had petitioned the parliament accusing Governor Aregbesola and her deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori of financial impropriety.

Justice Oloyede, according to a statement obtained in Osogbo yesterday, will appear before the panel tomorrow at the House of Assembly complex.

The statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr. Goke Butika, said the panel in a letter signed by its chairman, who doubles as the Deputy Speaker Akintunde Adegboye, asked Justice Oloyede to appear before the panel with proofs to substantiate the allegations raised in her petitions Butika quoted the panel in a letter sent to Oloyede as saying “You are to appear before the panel constituted by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam saddled with the responsibility to investigate the allegations raised your petition, and you are enjoined to appear with your evidences to substantiate the allegations.”

The statement also stated that “No form of fanfare, pro or anti protesters would be tolerated

within the premises of state parliament”, stressing that “No trouble makers would be allowed to disrupt the peace of the state.”

The truth about Osun finances — Ex-HOS

Meantime, the immediate past Head of Service HOS in Osun state, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi has revealed that the state finances was not as bad as being

painted by Governor Aregbesola.

Akinwusi who retired as HOS in 2012 after serving in Aregbesola’s government for almost two years in a statement released in Osogbo weekend and titled, “Many lies of a dishonest government” made available details of funds allocation from the federation account to the state between November 2010 and December 2014.

The former HOS's disclosure

was coming at a time when the state government was battling over payment of workers' salaries and pension of the retirees.

Akinwusi explained that the figures released by Aregbesola to members of the state House of Assembly on the position of the economy of our state were not only bogus “but they were criminally deceitful.’’

PRAISE NIGHT: From left; Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Permanent Secretary Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Rev. Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade and Commissioner for Natural Resources, Tunde Atere, at the 77th Divine Agenda Praise Night, at Adegbemile Cultural Centre, Akure, at the weekend.

ASUU asks FG to probe JAMB’s expected N1bn scratch card income

By Ola Ajayi

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B A D A N — ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan Chapter has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe alleged over N1billion that will be generated from sale of scratch cards to candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions across the country.

While condemning the new policy imposed on candidates by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, the academic union claimed the scratch card is now being sold for N1,500 to each candidate seeking admission.

To the academic union which spoke through its Chairman, Professor Olusegun Ajiboye, the policy would be counterproductive, noting that it has made admission process chaotic and exposed candidates to fraudsters.

It insisted that JAMB should respect candidates’ preferences and choices for

tertiary institutions and consider security of lives of candidates, cost, proximity, quality, and rights of the Nigerian child in arriving at any policy.

ASUU further described the policy as exploitative which allegedly amounted to abuse of the rights of the candidates.

It alleged that Professor Dibu Ojerinde, who oversees the affairs of the board was insensitive to the plights of the Nigerian masses with parents not paid for months by some governors but are now being forced to pay N1, 000

to know where their wards are reassigned against their choices.

Reacting to the allegations, the board through its Head of Media, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, denied sale of scratch cards saying the internet access is free to all candidates.

The Board explained “that the National cut-off marks of 180 for universities and 150 for Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Innovative Enterprise institutions in the 2015 UTME was a benchmark to set the tone for 2015 admission exercise.”

Ogun Assembly screens LG transition committee members today

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—THE clerk of the Ogun state House of Assembly, Muyiwa Adenopo, has said that the screening of prospective members for the transition committees for the 20 local governments will hold today, in line with Section 40 (1) Vol. III of the Ogun State Local Government Law Adenopo disclosed that Governor Ibikunle Amosun has sent the request for the approval of the nominees to constitute the Transition Committees.

He said Amosun’s request was sequel to the expiration of the tenure of the elected Chairmen of the 20 Local Government Councils in the state.

All the nominees for committee chairmen and members are to come along with 30 copies each of their curriculum vitae, e d u c a t i o n a l qualifications and other necessary documents.

The venue of the event, according to the statement, is the Conference Room 215 of the State House of Assembly Complex, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta at 10.00am prompt.

Meanwhile, the member representing Odeda State Constituency, Mrs. Yetunde Adekanbi Sogbein, says her priority as a member of the eighth Assembly is to collaborate with the executive to ensure improved social infrastructure, especially good road networks and portable water for her constituents.

Oyo workers to be paid this week – NLC

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—AF TER months of agony due to unpaid salaries, thousands of workers in Oyo State, will heave a sigh of relief this week, as the state government has agreed with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress to settle them.

This was disclosed by the

State Chairman of NLC, Mr. Waheed Olojede in Ibadan, yesterday.

Some workers in the state are yet to be paid their March salary, while others are being owed salaries of May and June.

The state NLC boss added that payment would exclude the Local Government staff who had already collected their March and April salaries.

Olojede said, “With the sustained consultation of labour union with the Oyo State Government over the weekend, it is now clear that payment of the balance of March salary to workers in the mainstream of public service on grade level 13 and above, pensions and subventions to the judiciary and state higher institutions will commence with immediate effect.''

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

No room for incompetent contractors —OKOWA A

...calls for wealth distribution

By Festus Ahon

SABA—DELTA State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said only contractors with proven track records of quality delivery on their jobs would be patronised by his administration.

The governor dropped the hint during an unscheduled inspection visit of the old Lagos/Asaba road, Agbor, weekend.

“When we see that your service is good with or without supervision and your project is going on according to specification, we will patronise you, the most important thing to us in Delta State is good and quality job,” he said.

The governor, who expressed satisfaction with the quality of job being done on the project, observed that the road construction had been on since 2009 and expressed hope that it would be completed before December 2016.

“I commend the contracting firm handling the job for a job well done. The quality of the job is obviously very good, the area they have constructed has no potholes, we want all our contractors to do good jobs,” Okowa said.

He frowned at the dumping of refuse at Orogodo River, stating that while silting was allowed as

it goes with water through the drains, illegal dumping of refuse would not be tolerated in the state.

Meanwhile, the governor has called for wealth redistribution in Nigeria as a result of the dwindling revenue from oil resources.

Okowa, who spoke at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Boji

Boji Owa, during the 40th ordination anniversary of Rt. Revd. Peter Onekpe as Bishop, weekend, said his administration would place emphasis on pensioners getting their emoluments and catering for the poor in the society.

He stated that it was important for the rich in the society to be their brother’s keepers.

He said: “As we thank God today in the midst of the poverty challenges of the time, at the time when oil prices are down and governments are finding it difficult to pay salaries, it is a time for sober reflection. ‘’It is time to think about what next to do. How can I impact on the life of that person who is not able to eat when I have excess on my table?"

INSPECTION: Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike (right) and Mr. Hassan Hassan of LCC, durning an inspection of Igwuruta-Eneka road construction, in Rivers State.

Teacher under probe for allegedly engaging ‘auxiliary teacher' in Delta

By Festus Ahon & Ochuko Akuopha

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SABA—A classroom teacher, Mrs U.P. Igheneno, of Erhuwho Primary School, Ivwriyen in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, is being investigated by the state government for allegedly engaging a middle-aged man for a fee of N500 daily to handle her classes why she stayed away from school for personal business.

Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Comrade Elijah Ologe, who paid a surprise visit to the school, has directed the Director of Personnel Management, DPM, of SUBEB to issue Mrs. Igheneno a query to explain her culpability.

Ologe, who was visibly shocked over the development, also directed the DPM to query the Local Education Authority Secretary for the Local Government Area, Comrade Efetobore Okeh, and the Head Teacher of the school for abetting the alleged criminal act of Mrs Igheneno.

He stated that while Mrs Igheneno needed to explain why she chose to engage another person to teach the pupils for her and at the end of the month collect salaries from the state government and pay the young man peanut, the Okpe Local Education

Secretary and the head teacher were asked to also explain why they allowed such criminal act to happen in the school.

The SUBEB chairman stated that the response to the query

might lead to further actions on the matter, noting that due process must be followed in addressing the issue in line with civil service rules.

Ologe decried the extent some

people could go to perpetrate crime, noting that Delta State primary school system would be uncomfortable with those who were out to defraud government by all means.

NLC urges reforms in oil, gas sector

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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ORT HARCOURT— THE NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, called on President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to commence the reform of the oil and gas sector with the immediate passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. At its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, the Joe Ajaero’s faction of the union

insisted that PIB was expected to bring into the sector the much anticipated reforms that would make the oil industry more accountable, transparent and yield the maximum returns to the country and generate further investments in the oil and gas sector.

A communique released at the end of the meeting read: “NEC in session observed that the intractable problem of petroleum supply and pricing cannot be simplistically solved by ‘removal’ of Petroleum Subsidy on supply

APC CHIEFTAIN TO NIGER DELTANS:

Be patient with

Buhari

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By Emem Idio

E N A G O A — A CHIEFTAIN of All Progressive Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State and a former second republic state legislator in the old Rivers State, Chief Austine Asamaowei, has urged the people of Niger Delta to be

that is largely dependent on importation of refined petroleum products that are subjected to fluctuating international pricing and benchmarked on DollarNaira exchange rate. ‘’The problem is much deeper and interconnected but it is important, that we address the benefit of local production and refining of crude oil to meet local consumption needs in the short term and position for export of refined petroleum products in the long term."

patient and allow President Muhammadu Buhari to settle down for governance.

According to him, the President needs the support of all Nigerians to move the country forward.

Asamaowei, who made the call in Yenagoa during a chat with

newsmen, said it would take time to turn things round, lamented that the President came in when governance was at its lowest ebb.

“The man has been there for just sixty days, we are always in a hurry to get everything done without looking at where we are coming from," he said.

POLLS: APC

okays probe of Rivers REC

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed support for the probe of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Cecilia Khan.

According to the party, her probe will reveal alleged shady deals she was involved in with the rival Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during the last election.

Chairman of the party, Mr. Davies Ikanya, also lashed out at the PDP for allegedly condemning the probe.

The party said: “By petitioning the DSS over the probe of Mrs. Khan, the PDP Reps have publicly exposed the unholy alliance between their party and Khan, of which we have been crying even before the March 28 and April 11 elections, in which she brazenly took sides with PDP and worked overzealously to return the party’s candidates for all positions."

EDO 2016: Group wants PDP to nominate Edebiri as gov candidate

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ENIN—A sociocultural group, Afenesan Coalition, has called on Edo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to nominate Chief Solomon Edebiri for 2016 governorship election in the state.

According to the group, the call became necessary because when compared to other aspirants from the PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Chief Edebiri stands out above others.

In a communique signed by its Chairman, Yinka Ademokhia, and Secretary, Dr. Aidenomoh Ehiaga respectively after a meeting, weekend, the group, said: “Having been monitoring the political situation in the state against the background of the fact that Governor Adams Oshiomhole is on his way out, it is only Chief Edebiri that has credibility, integrity and acceptability to lead Edo people in the post-Oshiomhole era.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—13

No bailout for states yet —OSHIOMHOLE B

By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN CITY—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said that contrary to insinuations in many quarters, no state has got a kobo from the Federal Government as bailout fund.

He spoke at a reception for the

Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, in Sabongida Ora, Owan West Local Government Area of the state, weekend.

According to the governor, the cheering news, however, is that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to seeing an end to

the situation where up to fifteen states owe workers’ salaries.

He said: “There is some conversation going on between the Federal Government and the governors and the President has been extremely positive in recognizing that he does not want to preside over a country

FLAG OFF: Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State (middle), presenting insecticide treated nets to nursing mothers, during the flag off of 2015 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week in Uyo.

whose workers are not paid.

“At the end of the day, it is not acceptable where fourteen to fifteen states cannot pay salaries. The good news is that the President is standing by us and there is always a time lag between when you conceptualize and when you implement. For now, no government has got one naira under the bailout arrangement.”

On the Inspector-General of Police who was holding a thanksgiving service on his elevation, the governor said: “The celebrator is not just a man of history, there are many people who could become the IG by political connection, but I think he has a very unique ability.

“I also believe that your present elevation is a demonstration of the way you have sought to manage your office, deal with the challenges of the police force without being partisan. ‘’This is a difficult position to maintain. As an Edo man, you represent the finest tradition with courage, determination and intellect to your job, no matter whose ox is gored."

RIVERS POLL: APC asks

tribunal to disqualify self over allegation of bias

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, has asked the Justice I.W. Jaro-led tribunal currently hearing all the petitions lodged by its candidates in the March 28, 2015, National Assembly elections in Rivers State, to disqualify itself.

APC, through its team of lawyers led by Chief B.E. Nwofor, SAN, said it no longer has confidence in the ability of members of the tribunal to objectively determine petitions of its National Assembly candidates filed against the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidates in Rivers State.

It specifically accused the Justice Jaro-led panel of deliberately assisting the PDP and the Independent

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National Electoral Commission, INEC, to stall proceedings at the tribunal by granting frivolous applications.

Besides, it alleged that in the petition that was filed by its candidate for Rivers East Senatorial District, Chief Andrew Igbonule Uchendu against Senator George Thompson Sekibo of the PDP, marked EPT/ RV/NASS/14/15, the tribunal, granted an application before it was moved.

According to the APC, the tribunal sidelined its own motion that sought to expedite hearing on all the petitions before it.

It alleged that instead of commencing hearing on the substantive suits, the tribunal rather chose to firstly hear and determine over 16 pending preliminary objections that were raised by the PDP and other respondents in the matter.

Community threatens legal action over land dispute

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

M

EMBERS OF Imiefo kindred of Kalaba of AfokpellaOkpella, Edo State, have threatened legal action against Obu Cement Company Limited, OCCL, a subsidiary of BUA Group of C o m p a n i e s , for operating on their land without consent.

In a statement by their lawyer, Professor Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, the community challenged the purported owner ’s consent allegedly issued by the traditional ruler of Okpella Clan, the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, Alhaji A.Y.F. Dirisu, to the company to operate on their land without approval.

They said: “The entire stretch of land, known as Ogbagu (a land rich in Limestone, Felspar, and other minerals), located at Okpella, Etsako East Local Government, Edo State, has been held for years under their native law and custom."

Olusoji tasks Nigerians on love, peace

A

SABA—The National President, National Youth Coalition for Good Governance in Nigeria and the Coordinator, National Youth Coalition for Okowa/ Otuaro in the 2015 gubernatorial election in Delta State, Prince Olatunji Olusoji, has called on Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to extend the spiritual benefits of Ramadan, including love, peace and sacrifice, for the development of the nation.

Speaking while hosting a group of Delta Muslim youths and members of his coalition to a dinner in Asaba, Olusoji urged the youths to continue to support the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in its determination and sustained efforts towards building a peaceful, united state to realise his vision of prosperity for all Deltans.

14 —Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

PRESENTATION: From left; Mr Richard Iweanoge, GM, Consumer Marketing, MTN; Mrs Bolatito Adekoya, winner; Prince E. Jeminiwa, Director, Regulation Montoring, National Lottery Commision, Abuja; Mr. Christian Okoroafor, winner and Mr. Olola Seun, winner, during the prize presentation of MTN Best 11 win a home promo in Lagos. Photo by Diran Oshe.

Nigerian economy needs thriving retail businesses — AMUKA, WIGWE

By Prince Osuagwu

L

A G O S — PUBLISHER of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr Sam Amuka and Group Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank Plc., Herbert Wigwe, yesterday, commended the growing retail business in Nigeria, saying every thriving economy must have functional Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs. The duo were special guests at the opening of the offline division of a composite mobile retail chain, Yudala Group, in Ikeja and Lekki respectively.

While Mr Amuka cut the tape of the Ikeja outlet to usher in the guests and enthusiastic visitors, Wigwe unveiled the Experience centre of the business in the Palms shop, Lekki.

In a short speech, Amuka said, “I must commend the ingenious inspiration behind the Yudala dream.

Nigeria is ripe for the revolution in retail business which Yudala offers.

Indeed, this is an idea whose time has come. The combination of an online

shopping platform with retail stores in various locations in the country is a game-changer and will definitely open up previously unexplored possibilities and convenience for many Nigerians. We must also not forget the potential effect on the Nigerian economy through the numerous employment opportunities this business model will create. Yudala is a business with an eye on the future and I dare say, we must all embrace it.”

At the unveiling of the Lekki outlet, Wigwe described Yudala as truly a retail revolution worth partnering with.

He said: “I am delighted to be here today to witness the launch of Yudala. The ambience is world-class, which gives a lot of hope that young Nigerian entrepreneurs are redefining standards. There is a lot to be excited about especially when you consider the huge impact Yudala will have on small businesses and households in the informal sector. Every economy that thrives must have SMEs at the centre of

it. At Access Bank, we are empowering and expanding the capacity of SMEs and the emergence of Yudala certainly provides many areas of partnership which will undoubtedly rub off positively on this crucial sector,” According to the Management of the composite retail platform, Yudala Online is billed to go live in August, promising even bigger deals and unprecedented discounts at launch.

Vice President, Yudala Retail Stores, Mr. Stanley Uzoechina, stated that Yudala is the answer to the demands of the 21st century, especially on skill and style.

In his view, Yudala is a huge platform which redefines the concept of offline retail.

“First, we are bringing trust into the business space. When you buy from Yudala, you are buying peace of mind as all our products are genuine and come directly from the Original Equipment Manufacturers. There is also the additional incentive of All Risks Cover, except for theft, from Sovereign Trust Insurance when you buy from Yudala. We are the first business in which Management takes responsibility for every product bought from or delivered by us. This is Revolution.

“Also, we have a roadmap to reach the millions of unreached Nigerians in the hinterlands and rural areas. Management and Board have approved the launch of 10 additional stores nationwide before the end of August 2015 and by June 2017, 151 Yudala Stores will go live.''

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—15

Police not investigating me —Ekweremadu •As Nwaoboshi slams Marafa over impeachment threat

By Austin Ogwuda

E

NUGU—EMBATTLED Senate Deputy President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, broke silence, weekend, in Enugu over the rumpus being generated over the alleged ‘doctored’ Senate Rule, saying that he was not under any police investigation.

He also declared that allegations against him in the Senate are about non-existent issues that have nothing to do with his position as the Deputy Senate President and progress of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the struggle for political supremacy in the country. Also, one of the PDP Senators, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi slammed Senator Kabiru Marafa over his impeachment threat against him (Ekweremadu), saying that “we are ready to sort it out on the floor of the Senate with APC this very week”.

Ekweremadu spoke at the weekend in Enugu during a fund raising dinner for the Enugu State PDP secretariat in which more than N160 million was realized.

Said he: “I am sure you are seeing and hearing what they say in the media, most of those things are certainly not true. No police is investigating me because there

is nothing to investigate. It is only APC and their media that are investigating. What is happening in the Senate is purely Senate affairs and will remain as that”, he maintained.

Senator Nwaoboshi, a former PDP Chairman in Delta State told our reporter on phone, yesterday, that “those of us in the PDP have been watching them, watching the

All Progressives Congress, APC, and all they have been doing, insulting themselves.

"It does not bother us (PDP) because they did not understand that they were not ready to govern.

Even the President has shown that he was not ready. He never knew he was going to win.

“So if Marafa decides to insult the leadership of the Senate of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria, we will not tolerate it from him.

"He can continue with that in APC and those his sponsors. It is not a Senate of APC. It is a Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should be accorded all the respects it deserves."

AGM: From left, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, Chief of Staff to Osun State governor; Mr. Kelechi Nwosu, President, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN, and Mr. Udeme Ufot, APCON Chairman, at AAAN's 42nd AGM in Osun State. Photo: Akeem Salau

UNPAID SALARIES: Imo workers begin indefinite strike today

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

W E R R I — GOVERNMENT activities in Imo State will, with effect from today, remain grounded, following the indefinite industrial action called by labour leaders in the state.

This development has eventually vindicated Vanguard that had exclusively been reporting the growing discontent among workers, over the state government’s alleged plan to slash staff salaries in the state.

According to a public announcement broadcast in Radio Nigeria, Heartland FM

and Hot FM, signed by all the labour leaders, in lauding the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Austen Chilakpu, all workers were ordered to remain in their respective homes until otherwise directed by the union leaders.

The aggrieved labour leaders hinged their current action on the

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: Abia govt attacks Otti ...says it's hoax

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—DR. Alex Otti, the Abia State governorship candidate on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the April governorship election, said yesterday, that there was an assassination attempt on his life.

Otti, who spoke to journalists at his Campaign Office in Umuahia, disclosed that the incident occurred in early hours of Friday in a private guest house in Maitama area of Abuja, the nation’s capital.

But in a reaction, Abia State government dismissed Otti’s claim as a hoax, saying there was no attempt on his life in his private guest house in Abuja.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Abia governor, Mr. Godwin Adindu, said in a statement that Otti "is merely trying to whip up sentiments to attract the

sympathy of the security agencies and the electoral tribunal to his disastrous petition," saying his lamentation was the cry of a drowning man.

According to Otti, the unknown gunmen, he said, killed one of the policemen on duty in the premises of the guest house. The incident, he said happened at 2a.m.

According to him, he left the guest house on Thursday before unknown gunmen struck.

His words: “In the early hours of this morning (last Thursday) I got information that yet-toidentified people invaded my guest house in Abuja through the back fence, cut the wire mesh and scaled through the fence and made through to where I stayed."

unwillingness of the state government to fulfil its own part of the recent agreement it freely entered with labour, over the backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances owed workers.

A civil servant that spoke on strict grounds of anonymity, fumed that “Governor Rochas Okorocha chose to travel to the United States of America, when he should have stayed at home to resolve the brewing labour crisis that has now hit the state.”

Continuing, the worker, who accused the Governor of double standard, wondered why he should send his son overseas to study, when his administration not only prides itself with running free education at all levels, but had also been claiming that Imo State University, compete with other universities across the world.

Emeakayi emerges Anambra PDP chairman week, still cast their votes as •Polls 958 votes required by the party’s guidelines.

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—THE Anambra State congress of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was held weekend in Awka, with Prince Kenneth Emeakayi emerging the state chairman.

Results of other officials that emerged during the congress

were yet to be declared by the five –man congress committee led by Mr. Ike Abonyi from Enugu State.

Though Emeakayi, the former state chairman of the party, was the only aspirant for the position, the delegates from all the 326 wards who were elected during the ward and local government congresses conducted earlier last

At the end of the exercise, Emeakayi polled 958 votes, while nine votes were voided.

The congress, which was held under very tight security provided by the police and the Department of State Service, DSS, was monitored by the administrative secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

JAMB urges candidates to check website for redistribution

By Dayo Adesulu

J

OINT ADMISSION and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has urged the 2015 UTME candidates to check its website on Monday, August 3, for the list of universities they have been redistributed to.

Speaking with Vanguard yesterday, the Head of JAMB, Lagos, Dr. Beatrice Okorie said: “The 2015 UTME candidates are to check JAMB’s website on Monday, August 3, for the list and the universities they have been redistributed to.”

Okorie, who lamented the controversy that greeted the new admission policy explained that the efforts were only geared towards helping candidates of oversubscribed institutions gain admission to other federal or state universities rather than wasting their scores.

“If we have not done that, many of these candidates would have fallen prey of the universities’ moneymaking machine, that is, the post-UTME without securing admission even with their high scores,” she added.

Using the University of Lagos as an example, she noted that its carrying capacities cannot accommodate more than 5,000 students, and yet has about 32,000 candidates struggling for the slots.

She said: “What we have done is to look at those who have not met with the cutoff points of UNILAG based on merit, catchment areas and the educationally less disadvantaged areas, but who have chances of securing admission in other federal and state universities and push them there to write post-UTME tests.”

Okorie, who slammed universities that are using the post UTME to make money, reiterated JAMB’s commitment to helping candidates secure admission without stress.

According to her, what is the essence of postUTME being conducted on English, Mathematics and general papers? They are fraudulent and that is what the stakeholders have stepped in to address.”

On UNILAG, she queried the rationale behind its decision to conduct test on Mathematics for students seeking admission in subjects not related to Mathematics such as Religious Studies, History, Dramatic Arts, among others.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has hinted that his government may not remove the petroleum subsidy, saying that the reasons so far canvassed for its removal did not sound plausible. He added that it will have adverse effect on the poor and jobless Nigerians. Speaking after receiving a briefing from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other agencies in the oil sector, President Buhari said he would review all the submissions he had received before making a final decision.

While the President needs to carry every segment of the society along, he must reflect deeply on the cost and benefit of retaining subsidy. It is a known fact that petrol price increase has far-reaching effects on food items, transport fares and other areas that affect the ordinary Nigerian.

In the last few years, the administration of fuel subsidy has not impacted positively on the economy and the masses it was meant to help.

Subsidy removal has cost the nation hugely both in material and human resources. Many have died in subsidy removal protests and several

Time TTo o R ethink Subsidy Re man hours lost in strikes. Every government, civilian or military, has made attempt at removing subsidy but dropped the idea due to social backlash.

In the twilight of the last administration, several billions of dollars were uncovered as subsidy fraud. In fact, a $6.8 billion fuel subsidy fraud scandal heaped pressure on former President Goodluck Jonathan to prosecute those involved. A string of investigations, audit panels and committees were set-up to investigate the issues.

The subsidy regime between 2009 and 2014 was fraught with endemic corruption and entrenched inefficiency.

We share in the President’s concern for the citizenry but subsidy can no longer be sustained. The oil prices

are down; government ability to generate revenue through taxation is limited. We believe that subsidy can better be administered through the production process.

The government should consider attracting investors to set up refineries in the country by granting them subsidy to produce and sell to the consumers at reasonable prices.

Instead of entering into swap agreement with oil traders, government could offer crude at lower than international market price for refining here in Nigeria. This will ensure enhanced local refining capacity, regular fuel supply and creation of employment for Nigerians. It will equally encourage other ancillary firms that make use of crude oil byproducts to come on stream. This certainly will grow the economy.

The time has come for us to take the bull by the proverbial horn and permanently resolve the contradiction of being the sixth largest export of oil in the world and yet unable to refine and manage local production for the benefit of our people.

OPINION Understanding the rumpus in the National Assembly

By Charles Onunaiju

I

T all looks as the clash of desperate and vaunting ambitions. It is, and a lot more. Mr. Bukola Saraki, who emerged senate president from the pit of political debauchery and vicious backstabbing of his political party, evidently believed that Nigeria is a sort of unfinished family business. Son of the former senate majority leader in the second republic, the late Senator Olusola Abubakar Saraki, an acclaimed strong man of Kwara politics, who made several attempts at Nigeria presidency, Mr. Bukola Saraki is seizing every opportunity to position himself for the top job that would promote his family to the equivalent of the Bush family in the United States of America. But to be fair to him, it is not only Mr. Saraki’s ambition that is at the root of the rumpus in the federal parliament. The old political establishment who did not intend to organise any election in the first place, let alone, the one it would loose is actively regrouping and reinventing itself, taking advantage of the institutions, it has previously corrupted and perverted to undermine the change Nigerians voted for. To ambush the change Nigerians voted for, the old establishment would need the oversight and legislative powers of the federal parliament and use it for meddlesome and obstructionist purpose.

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With the obvious rebellion of the parliamentary caucus of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, in which the party’s directive was spurned and mocked, the party would have to reflect on whether it is a party in the first place and whether it actually wants to be a party.

However, before the reflections on APC and its challenge to be a party, a reconstruction of the rumpus in the National Assembly and its underlining currents might be appropriate. The inauguration of the Senate and the quick makeup of its leadership have every trappings of nollywood razzmatazz. A section of the ruling party senators, hefty number of fifty one of them have gathered at the national conference centre, less than 10 kilometers away from the National Assembly complex, venue of the senate inauguration ostensibly for a meeting convened by the leader of the party and president of the country. At exactly 10.00am Mr. Maikasuwa, clerk of the National Assembly, walked into the Senate

Having won power at the strategic centre, the APC would have to consider the task of party building, different from an effective electoral and propaganda machinery it was

chamber, called for nominations of the senate leadership. In a jiffy, Mr. Saraki was nominated unopposed and was sworn in. Mr Maikasuwa should tell Nigerians when else he attended issues in the National Assembly with such surgical precision, that 51 senators could not have been waited for, even if they were stuck in a traffic hold-up not to talk of answering a call of their party leadership. Mr. Maikasuwa may claim to have followed the rules, but it will be interesting to open the book of the National Assembly bureaucracy to see how much of its rules, he has complied with, in a precise manner.

With a clear intent to hand his colleagues a fait accompli, Mr.Saraki assumed the Senate leadership with questionable legitimacy even with a legal binding procedure. Having tricked his way to the senate presidency, Mr.Saraki would need more explosive political gymnastics to remain in office and the drama is only beginning to unfold.

Snubbing his party leadership on the question of other principal officers of the senate is a concomitant follow-up to his desperate act of grabbing the senate presidency by the jugular. As if humiliating his party by attaining the senate leadership through the backdoor is not enough, he showed an unbridled contempt by riding on the back of the parliamentary rump of the defeated Peoples Democratic party, who gladly extorted a concession of pairing Mr. Saraki, with Mr. Ekweremadu as the deputy senate president, a position the man has held for eight years while his party was in

the majority in the Senate. However, it is not so much a rebellion of a parliamentary faction of the ruling party that is at play in the National Assembly and especially in the Senate but a spirited effort of the old political establishment to re-establish itself in a strategic key national institution aimed ominously to obstruct, undermine and even compromise the president Buhari agenda of securing and effectively managing Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerians, a creed of political philosophy that is totally alien to the just deposed parasitic and predatory political establishment and the socially-alienating order, they established and presided over, for nearly two decades of Nigerian recent history. A patent challenge for President Muhammadu Buhari is how to neutralise the reincarnation of the old political order either through confrontation or cooperation with yours sincerely preferring the later. The physical combat in the House of Representatives chamber over the same issue of principal officers, bear the same trajectory in intention and purpose as the Senate brouhaha. However in all those jigsaws, the ruling APC has enormous lessons to learn and President Buhari has critical options to consider.

However, having won power at the strategic centre, the APC would have to consider the task of party building, different from an effective electoral and propaganda machinery, it was.

* Mr. Onunaiju, a journalist, wrote from Abuja.

JULY 27, 2015

Controversy trails N1.3bn BVN fee for BDC transactions

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

C

ONTROVERSY is trailing the imposition of N1.3 billion annual Biometric Verification Number (BVN) search fee on Bureaux De Change (BDC) transactions.

Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) two weeks ago, directed that all transactions consummated by BDCs with effect from August 1, 2015, must have the BVN of the customers. The apex bank also stated that each BDC would pay a token transaction fee of N100 for each access on the BVN portal of the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) for the confirmation/ validation of the BVN number of the BDC's customers.

At an estimate of 100 transactions per week per BDC, the N100 BVN search fee per transaction would amount to about N10,000 per week for each BDC. This implies N40,000 per month, and N480,000 per year for each BDC. This multiplied by the 2,715 BDCs on the register of CBN amounts to N1.3 billion per year.

The CBN, however, did not specify who should bear the cost of the BVN search fee, whether it is the BDCs or their customers.

The uncertainty surrounding the BVN search fee was compounded last week when top officials of the CBN failed to clarify who should pay the fee.

Vanguard investigation revealed that the meeting between the CBN and BDC

was attended by officials of Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), and three CBN departmental directors namely: the Director of Financial Policy & Regulation Department, Director of Other Financial Institutions Department and Director of Trade and Exchange Department.

ABCON sources at the meeting confirmed to Vanguard that when asked to justify the rationale for imposing the BVN search fee and whether it should be borne by BDCs or customers, the CBN officials were silent and said that all the points raised against the introduction of the BVN requirement would be addressed by the management of the apex bank next week (this week).

At the meeting, the ABCON team

CONFERENCE - From left, Executive Vice Chairman,Techno Oil,Mrs Nkechi Obi, Immediate Past President, Nigerian Institute of Management(Chartered), Dr.Michael Olawale-Cole, President/Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Management(Chartered), Dr.Nelson Uwaga and Executive Director, Uniport Foundation, Dr.Ngozi Odu during the Women in Management and Leadership Conference held in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan C M Y K

highlighted the challenges and implications of the introduction of BVN as a requirement for BDC transactions, which include further depreciation of the naira in the parallel market.

According to the CBN, the BVN requirement for BDC transactions is effective August 1st, 2015. In a circular signed by the Director, Financial Policy & Regulation Department, Mr. Kevin Amugo, the CBN stated: “This is to inform all licensed BDCs operating in Nigeria that, with effect from 1st August 2015, all transactions consummated by a BDC must have the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of the customers. This information must be included in the Returns to the CBN. In the case of corporate customers, the BVN of a Director or an Authorised signatory of the entity must be provided.

To ensure a hitch-free implementation of this directive, the list of all licensed BDCs would be provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria, to the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBBS), to enable the company provide necessary hardware token that would be used by the BDC in accessing the NIBBS website. NIBBS has been directed to make a portal available on its website to facilitate access for the confirmation/ validation of the BVN number of the BDCs’ customers. This is to ensure that the correct BVN is recorded by the BDC and included in the returns to the CBN. A token transaction fee of N100 would be paid for each access on the portal.

NIBBS will also provide the necessary training manual for an easy to use “operation of the system."

ABCON, however, called for the indefinite suspension of the implementation of the BVN requirement pending the outcome of the October 31st 2015 deadline given by the CBN on the BVN project and until the highlighted challenges and consequences have been resolved.

Continues on Page 18

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Cover

Vocation and technical education — A key to improving Nigeria’s development (2)

A

LECTURE - From left: Chief Executive Officer, The Daisy Management Centre, Ibiai Ani; Chief Executive Officer, Bestman Games, Nimi Akinkugbe and Head, Corporate Affairs, Heritage Bank, Fela Ibidapo, during the Financial Literacy Lecture and Monopoly Tournament, sponsored by the bank at the University of Lagos, Lagos.

Controversy trails N1.3bn BVN fee for BDC transactions Continued from Page 17 In a letter to the CBN Governor, presented at the meeting, the Association called for the cancellation of the N100 BVN search fee, describing it as prohibitive with the potential to further deplete the earnings of BDCs. According to the Association, “The four-week deadline to start usage and training of BDCs is too short and patently unachievable.”

“As a stand-alone organisation and because many of our clients are walkin customers, we envisage difficulties in convincing our customers to divulge their personal Bank Verification Numbers without an extensive public awareness campaign.

The recent uproar created by Nigerians in Diaspora on London streets regarding BVN registration is a clear example.

“We sincerely feel that the exercise, if not properly handled, is capable of pushing our customers into the warm embrace of black market operators for their currency demands.

“The policy requires a dedicated network to be provided by each BDC operator to enable us access the NIBSS portal for verification and confirmation of individual BVNs - a process that would be rigorous and cumbersome; given the epileptic nature of network performance.

“We predict that if the C M Y K

directive is not reversed immediately, the value of Naira against other currencies will continue to depreciate to a band of N350 to N400 per dollar, no matter the liquidity in the market as most of the liquidity will find its way into the black market.

“The directive may lead hackers to invade the BDCs’ website with a view to securing their financial information including their BVN for their financial crimes. This is evident as most banks in the country warned their clients not to release their BVN to anybody. It is also a fact that these hackers are in the habit of sending fake credit alerts to the unsuspecting public since the advent of the cash-less policy. Please see attached Diamond Bank warning letter

As a stand-alone organisation and because many of our clients are walk-in customers, we envisage difficulties in convincing our customers to divulge their personal Bank Verification Numbers

to the public and other banks advertorials in the national dailies.

“It is our belief that the directive will make the public to view with suspicion the BDCs’ request of their BVN as BDCs becoming a mini security operative organisation which is outside the purview of their scope of operation, but solely the statutory job of security agents. Even in America, people do not disclose their social security numbers.

“We are worried that if not properly handled, the directive might lead to some people going to the streets as most of their rights would have been disenfranchised.

The recent uproar of Nigerians in London over their BVN registration is a good example.

“The CBN should, as a matter of urgency, organise a comprehensive training package for the entire 2,715 Central Bank Licensed Bureaux de-Change operators in the country as well as other stakeholders. “It is incumbent on the CBN management to engage in a wider public sensitisation and awareness campaign for acceptability and compliance before full implementation. We advise the management of the CBN to increase our allocation and widen the scope of our operations i.e. making us Western Union and Money Gram Agents as was earlier promised. The CBN, in conjunction with the NISS, should ensure hitch-free, efficient and vibrant networking platforms and portals for ease of transactions.”

Continues on Page 19

s the Roman historian, Plutarch (AD 46-120?) had noted “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” Given their corrupt and greedy lifestyles, Nigeria’s leaders do not seem to care about integrity or moral values. They are good at predicting the future without creating it. As Peter Drucker has observed, “If you want to predict the future, create it.”

In Nigeria, the growing problem of unemployment has contributed largely to the worsening problem of poverty among the populace. Unemployment according to Olaitan (1996) leads to frustration and disillusionment which may result in crime or drug abuse in a futile attempt to escape from and forget the pains and humiliation of poverty and lack. The problem of unemployment, he said, has worsened as millions of school leavers and graduates have not secured gainful employment over the years. Unemployment has posed a serious problem not only to the welfare of individuals but also to that of their families. Many able-bodied and highly qualified persons who could not secure gainful employment have remained economically dependent on their parents. This is because they lack the necessary occupational skills to be self-employed and to effectively function in today ’s world of work. These occupational skills can be provided by technical and vocational education. According to Abdulahi (1994), technical education is that aspect of education that involves the acquisition of techniques and application of knowledge of the science for the improvement of man’s surrounding.

Technical and vocational education prepares one for the world of work with which the individual becomes reliant and can make contributions to society. As employers look for new talents from new graduates, it is important to not only have a solid education but graduates that have features that stand out from the rest of the graduating students. With the economy being more globalized than ever, it is important to have a background and a skill set that allows graduates to become immersed in the global economy right from graduation (Cote, 2007). It is important for these students or graduates to have skills in innovation in technology education and entrepreneurship to be ready to fit into the global market place on which today ’s economy depends on.

Entrepreneurial skills needed

by Technical and Vocational Education: Leadership is not a major cause of Nigeria’s under-development.

Nigeria can become an economic power-house (and realise its visions) only if proper attention is given to education and technological development, promotes and rewards creativity, and channels its material and human resources to productive use. The leaders must recognise the relevance of technical and vocational education in national development and adopt and adapt what works in developed nations. The resources being wasted in the on-going false re-branding campaign should have been used to re-brand the nation’s education sector. No amount of rhetoric (or fanciful slogan) would solve Nigeria’s socio-political and economic problems. The leaders could salvage Nigeria’s image by re-branding their mentality and doing the right thing: tackle corruption, reform the electoral system and fix the dilapidated institutions. Thus, without a fundamental shift in values, beliefs and thinking, and without technological capability, Nigeria will continue to dream of becoming a ‘Great Nation’.

Technical education is the engine for economic growth. No nation can fight a war without an army. In the same token, Nigeria cannot develop without well-equipped technical and vocational institutions. In fact, it is the missing link in Nigeria’s development policies. Because of poor training and ineffective institutions, Nigeria suffers from low productivity. But the progress of any society lies in the productivity of its citizens.

Unemployment has posed a serious problem not only to the welfare of individuals but also to that of their families

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 19

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IGERIA has several development research documents that speak of ways to better manage the economy. But the problem has always been that leaders are often misadvised to adopt policies that favour the upper class. In most countries today, the economics of the middle class has taken the center stage. This is because if the middle class is doing well, the purchasing power in the hand of this class will make the economy to grow.

When in 1986, General Babangida introduced the famous Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), it was with good intention. But half way down the line of implementation, the programme was derailed

by Nigerians who kept crying of the hardship the during a period of economic programme was putting the turmoil and distress.

Buhari should realise that nation through. SAP failed because the visionary of the when Obama was elected in programme could not stick 2008, the US economy was in dire straits and reminiscent of to his conviction.

Nigerian The lesson for President contemporary With Buhari is that it is better for a economy. unemployment rate hovering leader to stick with his or her convictions than let opinion around 10 per cent, the U.S. was losing polls or emotional economy sentiments drive his or her 800,000 jobs monthly. economic policies. Budget deficits were skyFortunately, President rocketing, pushing America’s Buhari has the opportunity to debt profile to unsustainable meet with President Barack levels. Just as Buhari has Obama whose time and claimed, Obama not only met economic circumstance of an empty treasury, he was coming to power seem very also saddled with a whopping similar to that of President debt burden of several trillion dollars. Buhari like Obama, Buhari.

In 2007/2008, the global has inherited expensive and financial melt down almost drawn-out insurgency in the crippled the American North-East which he has economy. Obama entered pledged to end. Like Buhari, the wars in the American political space ending with the same change Afghanistan and Iraq was a mantra. He won. He major mantra in Obama’s introduced the famous election campaigns in 2008.

Stimulus Package to bailout Buhari also campaigned on ailing companies. Many the promise to end the Americans did not believe it scourge of Boko Haram.

Just as Nigerians clamoured will move the economy out of the woods. Some pundits for change during the last Americans were dismissive and derisive elections, of Obama’s stimulus strategy desperately wanted change in when it was launched. But 2008. It is a known fact that today, the American when nations clamour for economy is out of the woods. change, they are taking a risk.

The first lesson Buhari Nigerians took a risk in should learn from his trip to Buhari.

Given the striking social America is to be his own man and understand that just like economic similarities in both and Buhari's Obama, he was elected Obama emergence as presidents, Buhari from meeting with

How far can Buhari go, managing a tough economy?

Obama would do well to borrow Obama’s economic “magic wand” which both may have discussed in their official engagement. If Buhari does, he will learn that Obama turned the U.S. economy around not through austerity measures, but by spending more. Obama introduced economic stimulus program by referring to the severity of the economic challenges he inherited.

Despite the challenges he faced from Republicans in Congress, he managed to implement a stimulus program.

Fortunately for Buhari, his APC-led government has majority in the National Assembly.

Buhari's stimulus strategy like that of Obama, could focus on cherry-picking projects

Unemployment, economic disempowerment and youth restiveness are bigger threats to stability than inflation in the short to medium term

that can create jobs almost instantaneously, as well as on programs that can deliver immediate returns to Nigerians. The projects and programs the Buhari administration could get into include infrastructure, education, health, and energy, unemployment benefits as he promised during his campaign to pay N5, 000 unemployment benefits to Nigerians and other social welfare provisions.

In the President’s economic blueprint to be unveiled, he should resist the temptation of embarking on belt-tightening as an end in itself. In the process of cutting costs, those packaging the President's Economic blueprint must not jettison investments and projects needed to enhance the country’s productive capacity. Buhari's economic managers should consider increasing spending in sectors, projects and programs that boost the economy; generate employment and promote inclusive growth. These sectors include infrastructure, mining, laborintensive manufacturing, agro-processing, health and education.

Arguably, Nigeria is a country where a massive economic stimulus programme is urgently needed. It has a large stock of human and natural resources that are grossly underutilised. The informal

sector in Nigeria is very vibrant, with millions of underemployed youths. Most of Nigeria’s graduates are unemployed or engaged in menial jobs.

It is worthy of note that President Buhari has the pedigree to shepherd a massive stimulus program.

His handling of the Petroleum Trust Fund attests to this. He is known to abhor profligacy, which means that stimulus money will be spent prudently.

He detests graft and corruption, which implies that stimulus funds won’t disappear. However, this depends on whether Buhari will be able to prevent those around him from corruptly enriching themselves. The President could fund the economic stimulus package through domestic borrowing and the funds to be recovered from those who corruptly enriched themselves while in government. Borrowing money domestically in one’s own currency is not as problematic as external borrowing.

The increase in aggregate demand generated by stimulus spending would subsequently crowd-in investment in the production of goods and services. This ultimately will generate employment opportunities.

One of the usual concerns about stimulus spending is the risk of inflation. But unemployment, economic disempowerment and youth restiveness are bigger threats to stability than inflation in the short to medium term. In any case, the Central Bank of Nigeria has the necessary monetary instruments for reigning in inflation should it become a challenge.

Cover Controversy trails N1.3bn BVN fee for BDC transactions Continued from Page 18

NIBBS defends BVN search fee The Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NBSS) however defended the N100 BVN search fee saying it is necessary to defray part of the cost of maintaining the information technology infrastructure for the BVN project.

Speaking exclusively to Vanguard on the issue, Managing Director/Chief Executive, NIBSS, Mr. Ade

Shonubi said that in addition to the N8 billion invested to set up the I.T infrastructure for the BVN project, the banking industry will be spending between N800 million and N1 billion annually to maintain the

system. He said this huge maintenance cost cannot be borne by NIBSS alone but shared with other organisations that use the system hence the BVN search fee for BDC transactions.

He however faulted the N1.3

billion estimated to be what the BDCs would be paying per annum. He said it is expected that the BVN search would be done for each customer once, and not per transaction. “Once the BVN search of a customer has been verified once, they don’t need to do it again whenever the customer comes

to make transactions. So over time, the number of search by each BDC will reduce to the barest minimum and would only be for new customers. So what the industry will be paying as BVN search annually will reduce overtime”, he said.

11 piracy attacks reported in Nigeria in six months – IMB

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HE International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported that so far this year, 250 crew members have been taken hostage, 14 assaulted, 10 kidnapped, nine injured and one killed in incidents of

piracy and armed robbery against ships across the globe.

IMB said its Piracy Reporting Centre recorded a total of 134 incidents of piracy and armed robbery, an increase on the 116 reports in the first half of 2014.

Pirates boarded 106 vessels, carrying out 13 hijackings and 15 attempted attacks.

Of this number, three events were reported in the second quarter of the year with a total of 11 piracy incidents

accounting for 10 crew kidnappings recorded in Nigeria in the first half of 2015.

The IMB, in its half-year report released yesterday, stated that elsewhere in West Africa, 45 seafarers were taken C M Y K

20— Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Business & Economy

33 ships expected at Lagos ports

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hirty-three ships are scheduled to arrive at the Lagos ports with various goods, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said in Lagos.

The NPA announcement is contained in its daily publication, the ‘Shipping Position,’ which was made available to newsmen.

According to the NPA, the ships are expected to arrive at the ports between July 23 and Aug. 9, 2015. Twelve of the expected ships will sail into the ports with containers, while another 12 will bring in food products, the NPA said.

It said that the food products included bulk malt, bulk sugar, buckwheat and frozen fish.

General cargo will arrive in five of the expected ships, while the remaining four ships will bring in petroleum products. The petroleum products include petrol, diesel, bulk gas and base oil.

Meanwhile, six ships carrying petrol and diesel, have arrived at the ports.

The NPA said the ships arrived at the New Oil Jetty and the Single Bouy Mooring.

National Identity Management System is now functional — D-G

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irector-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Mr Chris Onyemenam has said that the National Identity Management System (NIMS) “is now functional”. Onyemenam, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that the task of verifying and authenticating identity cards had become more effective.

“After decades of trying the system, it is finally a reality for NIMS to ensure safety of Nigerian identities.

Commission is also working tirelessly to ensure that proliferation of data, fraudulent activities and cases of insecurity among others are addressed within the shortest possible time,” he said. Onyemenam said that the commission was working toward the harmonisation and integration of data in partnership with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). He stated that NIMC would go into partnership with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by August.

C M Y K

Real estate, ICT, fastest growing sectors in Nigeria — UN R

EAL Estate, as well as Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have been identified by the UN as some of the fastest growing sectors in the Nigerian economy.

Mr Patrick Osakwe, Head, Poverty and Trade Department, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), made this known in an interview in Lagos.

Osakwe said that real estate, as well as information and communications technology, in conjunction with the financial services sector have the capacity to drive economic growth, if well harnessed. He spoke against the backdrop of the recent Annual Report on African Development by UNCTAD, which has been presented to the public in 15 African countries.

“In Nigeria, the fastest growing sectors would be real estate, as well as Information and Communications technology. That is peculiar to Nigeria, among others, and these sectors are suffering from a level of deficit that needs to be addressed, to maximize their potential. According to the UNCTAD development report, Africa’s fastest growing services sub-sectors are transport,

From left: Representative of Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Mr. Damilola Eniayeju, Director, Planning and Policy Coordination, FMARD, Mrs. Rabi Idi Adamu and Head of Publicity and Advocacy, AGRA, Mr. Blackie Keizire at FMARD.

storage and communications, which grew at 5.8 per cent, while others like hotel, retail and wholesale trade grew at 5.0 per cent.

“The services sector accounted for 50 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of most African countries.

“The report actually focused on the services sector as an untapped sector, which has contributed immensely to the GDP of most African countries in the last five years,” he said.

Part of the report stated that access to reliable sources of energy is low in Africa, with about 74 per cent of the population without access to electricity. The report also said that the cost of closing the energy gap would cost up to $93 billion (N18.32 trillion) annually by 2030, which has caused a setback in the growing sectors like real estate and ICT. Real estate experts asserted that the population of people living in the suburbs of major cities like Lagos and Abuja would increase by 50 per cent by 2025.

According to them, the reasons for the population increase was huge rural-urban migration and the poor living conditions like lack of portable water and huge rent expenses.

NPA spends over N32b on Calabar port channel; draught remains same

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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ESPITE spending over N32.08 billion and awarding the contract for the capital dredging of Calabar port channel three times by various management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, the channel has still not gone beyond the 6.4-meter draught

it was over a decade ago.

The first contract for the dredging of the channel was awarded by the administration of General Sani Abacha, in 1996 at the cost of N3 billion before it was again awarded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo regime in 2006.

There is, however, the observation by operators that the Federal Government did not make provisions for the

maintenance and continued dredging and the high rate of siltation (the return of sand to the channel after dredging) of the area, has made nonsense of the previous efforts.

Shippers in Calabar last year cried out to government to come to their aid as the low draught of the channel was affecting port operations and hindering their businesses.

According to the Chairman

LCCI set for annual chamber, industry awards

BY NAOMI UZOR

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he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has said that all is set to hold its second annual chamber and industry awards in August.

The chamber disclosed that the annual award prides itself as the most credible, competitive and inclusive award in the Nigerian private sector and it is held to award the most impactful companies from various industries.

“With over 350 entries from prestigious corporations in different sectors, LCCI will be handing out a total of 20 awards to deserving companies/organizations in a groundbreaking event

holding on Saturday 8th August 2015 at Shell Hall, Museum Centre, Lagos Island by 4.00 p.m. The objective of the Annual Commerce and Industry Award is to recognize, promote and celebrate private and public institutions operating in Nigeria for best business practices, growth through innovations, business sustainability and positive impact on the people/Society” stated the chamber.

The chamber said the awards will be hosted

by Beat 99.9 FM on-air personality, Olisa Adibua and Rhythm 93.7 FM on-air personality & celebrity blogger, Toke Makinwa. Performances for the event will be by Project Fame winner, Geoffrey Oji, Atunga Entertainment cultural dance troupe and girl group, R-Cube.

of Shippers Association of Cross River State, Michael Ogodo, following the cry to the state government about the effect of the channel on their businesses, the former governor, Liyel Imoke, met with the Federal Government to make a case for the dredging.

Ogodo however expressed surprise that when the contract was finally awarded, they were not aware. He said they woke up one morning in November last year to find out that there was a lock down of the state capital because the then VicePresident, Namadi Sambo, was coming to flag off the dredging project.

He said the shipping community was happy when in December there was movement of equipment to the site for the commencement of the dredging but that their joy was cut short when they discovered that the contractors were nowhere to be found a month after.

He said they have to cry out month after when it was clear that the contractors have abandoned the project.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 21

Business & Economy

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OME finance experts have commended the Federal Government for securing $2.1 billion (N393.9 billion) pledge from the World Bank toward the rehabilitation of areas ravaged by insurgence.

They said, in Lagos that the credit pledge was a clear indication of government’s commitment to restoring the socio-economic potential of the area. Dr Osi Itsede said the federal government’s effort was not only commendable but a proactive step toward the rebuilding of North-East from the degradation by insurgents.

Itsede, former DirectorGeneral of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), said the ability of government to get such credit pledge was an economic and a political booster for the nation.

He also said the pledge was only a statement of intent by World Bank. “It would only be given to Nigeria after government submits a development and sustainable programme for the rebuilding of the affected areas.”

He said the bank would also oversee some of the specific programmes to be designed by the country. Itsede added that government also needed to gather some experts in development planning to come up with well-designed and articulated programmes.

He said this would also help the nation to leverage on the World Bank pledge for more assistance from other international donors.

Former Director in CBN, Mr Titus Okurounmu, said government could invest the funds to generate additional

Finance experts laud FG over World Bank’s $2.1bn pledge income if it was received before end of insurgency.

Okurounmu said the credit was a financial assistance needed for development programmes that would also attract further interest of the international development organisations. He urged the federal government to effectively utilise the funds, stressing the World Bank credit

attracts interest.

The former director also said the nation could not have rejected the loan because the world bank unveiled plans to spend 2.1 billion dollars in rebuilding the infrastructure in Nigeria’s northeastern region at a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on July 21in Washington, USA. The funds will be spent through the

world bank’s International Development Agency in the form of low-interest loans, which will be interest-free for the first ten years and then accrue at a below market rate thereafter. Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), present at the meeting said that their organization would also spend $300 million on malaria immunization in Nigeria.

PRESENTATION - Airtel Smart Icon and Nigerian musician, Tuface Idibia presenting a N1 million cheque to Mr. Ambrose Ogidi, a lift operator and star winner in the ongoing Airtel Recharge and Hit A Million promo. On the left is Head of Commercial, Lagos Region, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Charles Bassey.

FG urged to grant 10-yr tax holiday to start-up companies

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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HE Federal Government has been called upon to grant 10 years tax holiday to all new ventures with less than N120 million annual turnover.

The Chairman of Havilah Open Doors Limited, Dr. Osaren Emokpae, made this call in Lagos at the 15th anniversary of the company in a paper titled: “Entrepreneurship and National Development,” where he stated that this is necessary to enable the companies build organisational resilience capabilities within the period and be in a position to cope with extreme events and survive into the future.

Emokpae who also urged government to create a conducive environment for Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs to prosper including guaranteeing bank lending, was of the view that government should minimise

the collateral trap that undermines entrepreneurship development.

He said that there is need to whittle down the structural rigidities and improve contract enforcement legal frameworks.

He went on to say that SMEs as catalyst for economic development has the potential to grow developing economies,

of which he observed that SMEs remain the backbone of economies of the world, contributing an average of 97 percent of the total businesses in the country as well as 76 percent of total employment , and 27 percent of total exports.

He further stated that the relative importance of SMEs in advanced and developing

countries like Nigeria will lead to a consideration of the importance and survival of SMEs in the economies of nations.

The Havilah boss also noted that the SME sector is a major driving force behind job creation, poverty reduction, wealth creation , and income distribution.

Govt lauds OPS agriculture inputs

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE

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he Federal Government has expressed satisfaction with the boost that agriculture is getting from the organised private sector in the country. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) ,Arc. Sonny Echono, disclosed that Nigeria’s agriculture has been receiving major boost since the private sector took the centre stage of activities in the sector.

Speaking at the launch of

Micro reforms for African Agribusiness in Nigeria in Abuja during the week, the Permanent Secretary explained that the goal of government is to attract private sector agribusinesses through investment facilitation from early stage through the investment lifecycle.

He said this will be done using reforms, regulations, laws and administrative practices adding that, “The private sector has become the engine of Nigeria’s economic growth”.

The Permanent Secretary,

represented by the Director, Agribusiness and Marketing, FMARD, Engr. Ohiare Jatto commended the efforts of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group for joining hands with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in accelerating investments in the agricultural sector through advocacy for options in policies and incentives.

He however identified inconsistency in policies and regulations as one of the major constraints facing private sector agribusiness investors in Nigeria.

Businessman in court for alleged issuance of over N20m dud cheques

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37-year-old businessman, Oladebo Olarenwaju, was re-arraigned before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrate’s Court, Ibadan on a charge of issuance of dud cheques to the tune of over N20 million.

Olarenwaju, whose address was not provided, was rearraigned by the police on an amended six-count charge before Magistrate A. A. Adebisi.

He was previously arraigned on June 25 before the same court and had pleaded not guilty to the five-count charge of issuance of dud cheques preferred against him.

He was granted bail in the sum of five million naira with two sureties in like sum.

At the resumption of proceeding, the prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Fatola, said that the re-arraignment was necessitated due to some errors in the former charge.

Fatola said that the substituted charge would help in proper prosecution of the accused.

The prosecutor said that the accused had on Aug. 25, 2014, issued a Diamond Bank cheque for the payment of N18.1 million to the complainant, Idowu Oyedapo, the Managing Director, JC Richards Interbiz Services. He said the cheque was dishonoured when it was presented at the bank, due to insufficient funds in the account.

Indonesia imposes 150% import tax on alcoholic drinks

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ndonesia imposed import duties on alcoholic drinks at 150 per cent of their market price, local media said.

The report indicated that the duties were applicable to brandy, whisky, gin, rum and vodka or other beverages with less than 80 per cent alcohol content.

The Finance Ministry regulation also listed lower import duties for other beverages with lower alcohol content.

“Sparkling wine, cider or sake pays 90 per cent,” it said.

Report says non-alcoholic beverages such as tea and coffee carry a 20 per cent import tax.

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Banking & Finance

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AfDB lauds creation of the Asian Infrastructure

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resident of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Donald Kaberuka, has welcomed the creation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), noting that it would be an important partner in closing infrastructure gaps in Asia and Africa.

Speaking during a farewell visit in Beijing, Kaberuka said the new instrument is a welcome complement to the work of other multilateral development finance institutions. “Once the new bank has put in place its new business plans, we will be in a better position to determine specific areas of cooperation, he said.”

Kaberuka met with Mr. Jin Liqun, head of the AIIB, as well as the newly elected president of the New Development Bank of BRICS countries, Kundapur Vaman Kamath. President Kaberuka also met Chinese authorities, as well as heads of Central Bank, Silk Road fund, Exim Bank, China Development Bank, China Investment Corporation, among others.

Russian central bank withdraws licence from top bank

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ussia’s central bank on Friday withdrew the licence of Rossiysky Kredit Bank, one of the top 50 banks, saying it had broken federal laws and central bank regulations, presented inaccurate financial reports and engaged in high-risk activity.

Rossiysky Kredit Bank was the 45th largest Russian bank by assets as of July 1, according to its financial reporting.

The central bank said in a statement that Rossiysky Kredit Bank had hidden grounds for bankruptcy proceedings by providing inaccurate information about the state of its finances.

The central bank also withdrew the licences of two other banks, M Bank and AMB Bank, on Friday and appointed a temporary administration at Tulaprombank.

Central bank head Elvira Nabiullina launched a cleanup of the banking sector when she took on the role in the summer of 2013.

Since then, the bank has removed the licences of over 100 banks involved in suspect activity or high-risk lending, but Russia still has around 750 active banks.

C M Y K

aving successfully set up Heritage Bank from the ashes of the defunct Societe Generale Bank, and the acquisition of Enterprise Bank, Ifie Sekibo has carved a niche for himself as a “turn-around maestro”. In this interview, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of Heritage Bank, whose professional career started in the River State Audit Department and worked in KPMG, Elf Nigeria, Investment Banking and Trust Co. and Rim Merchant Bank, speaks on entrepreneurship, leadership, factors for organisational success, the future direction of Heritage Bank and its response to competition. Excerpts

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE You successfully steered an indigenous oil company, MoniPulo Ltd to profitability – paying off all debt and even going as far as buying out its foreign technical partners in just six months and took on Global Assurance and transformed it into International Energy Insurance. What plan do you have to take Heritage Bank to such an enviable state?

The plans for Heritage Bank are unfolding. It is a gradual process. With the acquisition of Enterprise Bank Limited, Heritage Bank is now a bigger and better bank. One of our major strategies is to work with our partners to grow their business and take them to the stock market.

To achieve this as a service organization in the business of banking, we must be in the stock market ourselves. That is our direction.

Considering your track records, your drive to transform organisations positively and uncommon achievements in the past, what tools have you used to achieve these successes?

My tools for success are People and good processes but most importantly people because people drive the processes. I believe that Success is largely hinged on “People” who have been able to key into my vision making it a common goal; People who have invested their time, efforts, ideas and energy- armed with good system processes and with lasting support from partnerships built over time.

As an accomplished entrepreneur, what is the role of leadership in entrepreneurship?

As a leader who has met and worked with people with different values, opinions, attitudes, beliefs, cultural values, work habits, goals, ambitions and dreams. Because of this incredible diversity of human resources, it is very necessary though sometimes difficult for a diplomatic leader like me to form these people into high-performing teams.

Nobody wins by being Autocratic, hence Diplomacy is key. That way you are set to tackle

issues that arise from being an entrepreneur.

How is your bank helping in lifting its clients’ vision to the highest goal?

Heritage Banks philosophy is to Create, Preserve and Transfer wealth across generations. We are in the business to provide service

Ifie Sekibo

Heritage Bank is positioned to outperform competition — Sekibo Nobody wins by being autocratic, hence diplomacy is key. That way you are set to tackle issues that arise from being an entrepreneur per excellence and to grow with our customers. We are here to help our customer’s create wealth for themselves, assist our partners preserve their wealth and guide them in transferring it to the next generation. We achieve this with tailor made affordable products which offer Zero COT charges and high interest yields, amongst others for our partners.

With the keen competition in the banking sector in Nigeria, what are the measures in place to make Heritage Bank to continue to stand out and what makes you different from other banks?

Innovative service! To us, innovation isn’t only about creating something new, it is also about taking something that exists and transforming it into something bigger and better. As a new entrant to the banking sector, our advantage is that we are starting from where our competition has stopped while being able to avoid all the mistakes they made along the way. Having imbibed a culture of continuous innovation, I’m confident of Heritage Bank’s ability to adapt to envisaged customer and sector changes.

In our nation today, there is a need for a system that can allow the evolution of new breed of leaders, what deliberate action can you proffer for actualizing this?

The nature of every ecosystem is change.

Everything that works within an ecosystem must evolve and this include rules, best practices, business models, mind-sets and the leaders themselves who drive the ecosystem. The rapid-fire changing world of the twentyfirst century presents new challenges and new opportunities for leadership.

The ideas, concepts, and attitudes that once drove the nation to success need to be updated. To be an authentic, inspiring leader, the young people of today must dramatically increase their chances of success as they meet head-on modern society’s issues by cultivating new insights and perspectives.

Bearing the economic situation of the country, what encouragement would you give someone who is about to give up?

History has shown that formal education, specifically, isn’t a harbinger of success or prosperity. However, a

prepared mind merits success, but again time & opportunity happens to us all. We should note that Success is for mere humans who were courageous enough not to give up regardless of the failures and/or obstacles which may have come their way. Like my favourite saying goes; “Opportunities dances with those already on the dance floor ”. Never stop dancing!

What is your philosophy as an entrepreneur?

As a business man I believe in people. People are the success of any business. In getting to where I am today, I didn’t do it alone, I worked with different tenacious teams to achieve goals and while I am not certain on what you mean by helper of destiny, I believe in rewarding excellence. I understand success is not me alone doing well, it is also measured by how well the people surrounding you are doing, it is measured by how the people you work with are doing, and it is measured on how well the people you work for are doing. My success is my people’s success and my people’s success is my success that’s my ideology.

Foreign central banks shed most U.S. bonds since Jan

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verseas central banks’ holdings of U.S. bonds at the Federal Reserve posted their biggest weekly drop in nearly six months to their lowest level since May, Fed data released late Thursday showed.

The drop of $27.06 billion in the week ended July 22 lowered the Fed’s custody of U.S. Treasuries and other debt

securities for foreign official institutions to $3.326 trillion.

This was the biggest weekly drop in overseas debt holdings with the U.S. central bank since a $27.42 billion fall in the week ended Jan. 28.

The three-week decline in the Fed’s custody holdings has totalled $51.24 billion.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 23

Banking & Finance

Why Diaspora customers have to pay for BVN enrolment — NIBSS Stories By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

zSays 18 million bank customers enrolled so far

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igeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) has explained why bank customers in Diaspora have to pay to enrol for the Biometric Verification Number (BVN).

Meanwhile the company said that over 18 million bank customers have registered for the Biometric Verification Number (BVN).

Managing Director/Chief Executive, NIBSS, Mr. Ade Shonubi disclosed this at a press briefing on the BVN enrolment exercise for Nigerian bank customers in Diaspora.

Addressing the uproar that greeted the use of an external consultant for BVN enrolment of Diaspora bank customers, Shonubi said that NIBSS decided to engage Online Integration Services (OIS) as external consultants due to limitation of data privacy laws, time and resources.

“In many countries, the law does not permit data of their citizens from being captured and store outside the country.

So the first thing we considered was what can be done legally and by whom.

And we did some research on who supports Nigerian embassies in gathering data for visa application, for passport renewal application because by law they are covered and allowed to gather that data, and under that premise can we also get them to help us with the BVN and that was how Online Integration Services (OIS) came into being. The company has been in existence for long, they are in many countries, and they have been doing this in association with the Nigerian government.

“The next thing is the cost.

The reality is that we have limited options. Option number one is, we get up here we go there, even if we are allowed, we have to send people there, rent space, put network infrastructure in place that is securely connected to NIBSS and then put devices in place.

“So they have committed their own resources. And the conversation we had with them started with, this is however much we charge, the services we are providing is very similar to the Nigerian government when people want to renew their Nigerian passport, or when they want to get visa, we charge them £50, and this is verifiable. And

Group laments non-accessibility of CBN’s N220bn fund

BY MICHAEL EBOH

N

BRIEFING: From left: Project Manager, Bank Verification Number (BVN), Seyi Adenmosun; Executive Director, Technology and Operations, Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), Niyi Ajao,;Managing Director/CEO, Adebisi Shonubi, during a briefing on BVN for Nigerians in Diaspora in Lagos onFriday. we told them, you can’t charge £50 for BVN enrolment, and somehow we arrived at £30. This is because a lot of the things they are using are not the same. They don’t use the same application they have been using for

capturing your visa application request. They have to set up a separate secure one for us. They are the ones incurring this cost and they are not paying us one kobo. There is nothing that comes to us in any shade,

form, or manner. We just told them, recover your cost. And they have agreed to go to countries that don’t have Nigerian banks. They are going to China, India, and we have two or three locations in U.S

MPC decision aggravates policy uncertainty - Khan T

he decision of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to maintain the status quo has aggravated uncertainty about policy direction in Nigeria.

Managing Director, Chief Economist, Africa, Razia Khan stated this in response to the decision of the MPC to retain the benchmark interest rate, Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 13 percent.

She said, “The overall sense one got from the MPC is that policy might still change in the near future, but it is difficult to predict how – the FX market may or may not be liberalised, banks may or may not be compensated for some of the CRR sterilisation, policy rates may or may not be cut” In addition to retaining the MPR at 13 percent, the MPC at the end of its meeting on Friday also retained the 31 percent Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) for banks. “In consideration of the underlying fundamentals of

the economy, the evolving international economic environment, developments in oil prices as well as the need to allow for the unveiling of the economic agenda of the Federal Government, the Committee decided by a vote of 8 to 4 to retain the Monetary Policy Rate at its current level of 13 per cent, by a unanimous vote to retain the CRR at 31 per cent while 4 members voted to remunerate the CRR”, said the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

Razia Khan however noted that, “Clearly Nigeria is in a difficult position. Growth is slowing, but with inflation set to rise, it is not obvious that policy can be loosened very substantially.

“The CBN – rather hopefully in our view – expressed optimism that many of the factors driving up prices were likely to be transient and that with the onset of the harvest season, food prices would decline. Similarly, w i t h

improvements in Nigeria’s refining, fuel shortages might ease in the near future.

“We take a somewhat different view. Despite the recent slowdown in money supply growth, shortages of key items should keep price pressures sustained, in our view.

Given fiscal and external pressures, expectations of a future adjustment in the FX rate will keep inflationary expectations elevated.

Achieving a turnaround in inflation may not be easy.

“In our view, the need for Nigeria to retain its GBI-EM index inclusion still argues for foreign exchange liberalisation at some point.

Until this happens, there will be limited scope for any monetary easing to boost the economy (although the immediate inflationary consequences of foreign exchange liberalisation might also see any meaningful easing deferred).

ational Cooperative Financing Agency of Nigeria, CFAN, has lamented the inability of cooperative societies in Nigeria to access the Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN, N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF), blaming the development on lack of awareness and stringent conditions for accessing the facility.

Addressing newsmen on its forthcoming summit and congress scheduled to hold in Asaba Delta State, between August 11 and 13, 2015, President and Chairman, Board of Directors, CFAN, Mr. Adebola Orolugbagbe, CFAN, stated that out of the total funds set aside, only three cooperative societies have been able to access N22.5 million.

This, according to him, was in comparison to total disbursements by the CBN of N48.86 billion to other sectors of the economy.

He blamed the inability of cooperative societies to access the funds on the increasing lack of awareness among the cooperative societies and the not-too-friendly conditions as it affects the societies.

According to him, most cooperative societies are not aware of the availability of the various intervention funds set aside by the CBN, a development he said has worsened their access to finance.

He stated that the conditions for accessing the loans are the same for cooperative societies, microfinance banks, deposit money banks, MSMEs and other financial institutions, stating that the peculiar structures of cooperative societies were not taken into consideration when the modalities were drawn up.

He further disclosed cooperative societies in Nigeria, today, have a combined financial strength of N1 trillion, expressing concern, however, that despite the availability of the funds, the issue of access to finance is still a major challenge to the societies due to the absence of a Unified Integrated Platform (UIP).

Commenting on the conference, which would be held in collaboration with the Delta State Cooperative Financing Agency (DAFA), Orolugbagbe said the conference would be opened to all co-operators, government and development partners.

24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Corporate Finance

By PETER EGWUATU

FBN Holdings records 7.9 % rise in half-year profit

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irst Bank of Nigeria, FBN Holdings Plc has recorded an increase in its Profits Before Tax, PBT for the first half of 2015 to N52 billion.

Specifically, FBN Holdings posted a 7.9 per cent rise in pretax profit to N52.09billion from N48.25 billion in the same period last year. Its gross earnings stood at N271.3 billion, up by 28 per cent year-on-year from N212billin in the first half of 2014, while net interest income was up by 15.2 per cent to N132.7billion , compared to N115.2billion last year,.

T

HE move for capital market cross border investments in West Africa has reached an advanced stage as its implementation is expected to take off on or before the end of December 2015.

The Managing Director of Capital Bancorp Plc, disclosed this to Vanguard after the company’s maiden investor forum held in Lagos at the weekend.

He said: “We are jumpstarting the cross border investment process in the capital market. All registered securities in the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC in West Africa could be traded in any member-country

Cross border investments in W-Africa to commence before end of 2015 exchanges. We believe that might happen on or before the end of the year.”

The move for cross border investment in West Africa are also part of efforts towards integration of West Africa capital market.

It will be recalled that the aspiration for an integrated West African economy received a massive boost recently when Chief Executive Officers of the three Capital Market Regulatory Institutions in the Region agreed to establish an association. The Capital Market Regulators in the

Region are Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ghana’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Conseil Régional de L’Epargne Publique et des Marchés Financiers (CREPMF) which is the main Regulator of the Eight (8) Francophone Countries of the West African Monetary Union (WAMU) called , West African Securities Regulators Association (WASRA). The Association is supposed to lead efforts to integrate Capital Markets across the Region.

Commenting on the

According to a filing to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, the Group’s total assets rose to N4.42 trillion in the period under review from N4.34trillion last year, while its liabilities stood at N3.86 trillion, compared to N3.82trillion in the same period of 2014. Customer loans and advances edged lower by 4.3 per cent from N2.09trillion to N2.18trillion as of June 30, 2015.

Other performance indicators show that customer deposits were up by 2.47 per cent from N3.05trillion to N3.13trillion; borrowings stood at N154.907 billion in 2015 as against N132.6 billion in 2014; Total liabilities stood at N3.856 trillion as against N3.819 trillion in the comparable period of 2014

South Africa lifts repo rate to 6% to curb inflation risks

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outh Africa’s Reserve Bank lifted interest rates by 25 basis points to 6.00 per cent, a decision viewed as a borderline call, with the bank saying it remained in a hiking cycle while upside risks to inflation remained in place.

The bank last raised benchmark lending rates in July 2014, but since then Africa’s most advanced economy has been constrained by chronic power shortages along with other structural obstacles. “The committee is concerned that failure to act against these heightened pressures and risks will cause inflation expectations to become entrenched at higher levels.”

FORUM - From left, Chief Risk Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr.Tunji Kazeem; Executive Director, UBS Nigeria, Mr. Henry Erimodafe; Chairman, Capital Bancorp Plc, Mr. Olutola Mobolurin; Chief Executive Officer, RTC Advisory Services Limited, Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje; and Chief Executive Officer, Kayode Fahun Production Limited, Mr. Kayode Fahun,during Capital Bancorp's investors' forum in Lagos.

integration of West African economy, the Director-General of SEC Nigeria, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, expressed delight at what he described as a “historic day” for the capital markets of West Africa.

Integration is certainly not a new thing in West Africa, since the formation of the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS), there have been various initiatives to integrate different aspects of the region’s economy. In the capital market, the West African Capital Market Integration Council (WACMIC) was inaugurated

by ECOWAS to actualise the dream of an integrated capital market, although limited success has been achieved due to certain regulatory obstacles.

According to Mr. Gwarzo “For quite a while we have been discussing how the Regulators can come together to form an association in order to support the commendable integration efforts of WACMIC. Today we have achieved that milestone”.

Integration is a very topical issue across the World.

Mr. Gwarzo, who heads the Africa Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), stated that the WASRA initiative was influenced by successes recorded in similar integration initiatives by Regulators in East Africa as well as the Arab and Middle Eastern markets.

NPF Microfinance Bank to raise N3b capital via hybrid offerings

By PETER EGWUATU

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HE NPF Microfinance Bank Plc, a quoted company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE has concluded plans to raise additional N3 billion capital by way of hybrid offerings.

The hybrid offerings are Rights issue and Initial Public Offering (IPO). The offering is expected to open before the end of the fourth quarter of 2015, according to the Chairman of the bank, Usman Isa Baba.

He said: “The proceed would be deployed to shore up the capital base and ensure that the bank remains highly capitalised. Part of the fund would also be used to expand

its branch network to major commercial cities in the country.

Addressing shareholders during the 21st yearly general meeting of the bank, held in Lagos Baba said “As part of our measures at ensuring that your highly esteemed bank remains adequately capitalised, we have proposed that more shares be issued for subscription to the public before the end of the fourth quarter of 2015. It is our sincere hope that both the existing and prospective shareholders will grab this opportunity. “ We shall improve on existing technology and payment system as well as provide more excellent customer service. Our strategic plan is on course and our resolve to deliver long term

value to our shareholders remains unshaken.”

Meanwhile, the bank’s shareholders approved a dividend of 15 kobo per 50 kobo ordinary share, translating to N342.9 million due to every investor of the bank for the 2014 financial year.

This amount paid, represent 50 per cent rise, when compared to the amount paid in the previous year.

The financial result of the bank shows that total asset rose to N10 billion, an increase of 20 per cent when compared to N8.7 billion achieved in 2013.

The bank gross earnings increased from N1.9billion in 2013 to N2.1 billion during the year under review while profit after tax also rose to N477.8 million from N391 million

posted in 2013. The percentage increase in gross earnings is 10.37 percent while profit grew by 22.10 per cent.

The Managing Director of the bank, Akinwumi Lawal explained that the bank during the year integrated its customers to the national Financial network by deploying assets that would link the bank to the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS).

This achievement, according to him, would enable its customers to receive and transfer money directly into and out of their accounts.

He added that the bank also introduced ATM credit card to enable its customers to access overdraft facility seamlessly through the ATM at any given time.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 25

Economy

By ETOP EKANEM

S

ir you just came into the country few days ago.

Can you let us into what brought you this time?

We are to deliver a multipurpose dredge from DSC LLC to Japaul Maritime, Oil & Gas Plc, the only Maritime company in the Nigerian stock exchange. We have been supporting the company since 2004 by facilitating low cost single digit loan interest rate for the company from US for it to buy equipment in order to be able to compete with multinationals in Oil & Gas industry using EXIM Bank program.

So we have at the moment given Japaul multimilliondollar equipment, which they are clearing and amongst which is the one of the best dredges in Nigeria, if not in West Africa as a whole. This equipment could be used for multipurpose needs in oil & gas, environment, mining, etc.

The dredges are equipped with staff quarters that can take ten engineers with offices, kitchen and other essential compartments. They are stateof-the-art equipment and we are here to deliver, assemble and commission with our engineers from DSC Dredge in USA. DSC LLC is the undisputable leader of cutter suction dredge in North America and not just in the United State. So Kofa has partnered with them for the development of dredging industry of Nigeria.

Can you put a value to the equipment you just brought in for Japaul?

We would not want to do that but these are equipment that are worth millions of dollars.

That is one of the prides of Kofa. We want to develop many Nigerian companies to be like Coscharis group or Japaul group in the sense that we just don’t sell but help companies to grow and be credit worthy so that they can have access to low cost finance from USA, to level the playing field for everybody so that a Nigerian company can compete with UAC, Chevron and any foreign or multinational company from anywhere in the world, by borrowing at the same rate and buying equipment at the same price to help them at International biddings for projects. So we are proud with our relationship with Japaul.

The company managed itself professionally to qualify for EXIM Bank program and we have been supporting it since 2004 and it has been growing very rapidly.

Do you support other companies apart from Japaul?

Yes. We had worked with many companies in Nigeria in different industries like Wattcon in manufacturing in Kaduna, ABG in Telecom in

Why Nigeria’s economy is in the hands of foreigners — Dada, US-based entrepreneur

ialist and national Trade Spec ter In an n, ica er Am tional, Chicago, A Nigerian Officer, Kofa Interna ive ut o ec Ex ief Ch t/ Ademola Dada, wh Presiden n firm, Mr. Ganiyu e ria th ge in Ni d ra se po ba as A Di a US Nigerians in of an rm ai Ch rs, be er tal Africa Cham is also the form President of Continen r Americas and former Nigerian economy should be far bette e t th no at e th or s ef ve er lie th He is USA be en for a while now. a be to s ha lop it ve de at rs wh ne than ess ow to ensure that busin with Multinationals. resting on his oars ely tiv ec eff te pe n com rian’s economy stage where they ca lks about why Nige ta he w, vie ter in In this mpany is poised to r years, how his co rian private and fo g in dl in dw en be has r Nige interest finances fo as facilitate low cost onomy of Nigeria ec e th lop ve de to r e de bl or via in r en es attain public secto Nigerian compani at to th re do su ld en ou to sh rnment well as market, what gove e heights in the world pled private sector in Nigeria and mor m cru t os rescue the alm

Abuja, Ibile Holdings Ltd wholly owned by Lagos State in Lagos and many other companies in dredging industry like Azikel Group in Bayelsa and Land Dredging Ltd in Lagos to grow too. All these companies are using DSC Dredges too. And because they are using DSC technology for dredging, they are growing too. The 24- 24-23 meter digging depth dredges that we have supplied to Japaul will be the largest in the country with every facility to work for any oil & gas, any construction company or any environmental or Port dredging services and so on. And it can do more about two thousand cubic meters per hour if it is pumping sand alone.

How do you help Small Scale businesses with such finance?

We are not only for big companies. Japaul was not big when we started with it. But we are proud to be part of its success because it is into many things. But critically, we are trying to help small, medium, and large companies to be credit worthy so that those credit worthy companies will be the ones that are considered first before any other for low cost finance and through them direct foreign investment will enter the country. Every day, money is looking for where to go in the United States and the Western world as a whole but these monies can only go to

those that are credit worthy and those who have been doing things in the way of the Western world and direct foreign investment {DFI} will come through them into the country and continent. Today, we have 60,000 US companies operating in China; we don’t have many with the exception with the few US oil and gas companies in Nigeria. You cannot count a thousand US companies in Nigeria. That is why our economy is not growing because everything we do is cash-based whereas the rest of the world is doing business on credit. And our interest rate here is above 25%.

For the last 15 years of Kofa using Exim Bank in Nigeria, we have never done anything more than single digit interest rate and it has longer tenure

We have bridge loans for traders and manufacturers for importing raw materials, traders for importing finished products for all kinds of different industries

in the sense that has 5-15 years tenure to pay back and that is what real business needs to grow and not the trading aspect that the Nigerian banks are doing whereby they give you two years to pay and charge you 25%-30%interest rate. So we have program for both small and large businesses from US ECAs. We have credit insurance for small companies.

We have Bridge loans for traders and manufacturers for importing raw materials, traders for importing finished products for all kinds of different industries. As it relates to loan tenure, companies may borrow from two years to as long as 18 years for repayment. For example, if you are in water treatment, you may have up to 18 years to pay back; if you are in medical you may have up to seven years to pay back, if you are in renewable energy, you may have up to 15 years to pay back and if you are buying equipment for construction, you have about five years to pay back and if it is mortgage, you have up to 20 years to pay back and that is the kind of things we need to follow if we want to develop in this country. So what Kofa is doing is taking one company at a time and using EXIM Bank program and other ECA programs to develop credit worthy Nigerian companies.

How does the EXIM Bank program works?

EXIM is the Export/Import Bank of United States and Kofa provides Ancillary Services to the Bank’s Programs by

working collaboratively with US Consulates and Embassies in every African country and here in Nigeria too to help facilitate loans that are guaranteed by EXIM Bank to qualified Nigerian government agencies and private companies like Japaul, Coscharis and all other companies we have helped in Nigeria. That is to show that we can do for government and we can do for private companies but we mostly focus more on private sector.

What is the main objective of Kofa International?

The main mission of Kofa is to develop African economy, Nigeria inclusive with US funds and technology so that our economy can grow like that of the USA.USA has been creating about 225,000 monthly in the last six years and Nigeria can adopt and customise these programmes to create at least 250,000 to 300,000 jobs monthly. In last six years it w has generated over 12 million quality jobs and for that to happen in Nigeria, there must be single digit interest rate capital for Nigerians. This capital is the blood of business without which, whatever people are talking about remain only as ideas when there is no capital to do it. But the right capital with low interest loan with long tenure is what the economy needs and what Kofa is doing all over Africa but more importantly in Nigeria, is to create as many credit worthy Nigerian companies that can have capacity to leverage and borrow more money from abroad.

C M Y K

26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Homes & Housing

Firms hosts property expo

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nline real estate marketplace Lamudi Nigeria recently hosted its inaugural Property Developer Exhibition.

The event, which took place in Lagos, witnessed a display of the best in new homes and property investments in Nigeria, Ghana and Dubai.

There was a diverse mix of visitors to the exhibition, all taking advantage of the opportunity to meet with property developers in the market, and to become familiar with a wide assortment of property speculation and financing choices from the exhibitors present.

Obi Ejimofo, Managing Director of Lamudi Nigeria, said: “Our inaugural exhibition was a significant success for us judging by the quality of our exhibitors and guests. Lamudi received a lot of positive and constructive feedback from all participants and we intend to build on this milestone to create an even better event in the very near future, bringing more people in touch with the very best in new homes and property investments both within Nigeria and beyond.”

Some of Nigerian property developers that participated in the event showcased new projects in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, as well as investment opportunities from Ghana and Dubai.

Police plans housing scheme for retiring officers

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nspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, said a scheme is being worked out that will enable every Police officer in the country to own a two-bedroom house on retirement.

Arase disclosed this while briefing officers and men of the Bauchi State Command in Bauchi recently. He said the police is working out a plan with mortgage banks to ensure that retiring police officers owned houses in places they want to spend their retirement.

The IGP also said he was working out welfare packages for officers from the rank of inspector down the ladder to give them a sense of belonging. According to him, because of the nature of the job of policemen which exposes them to danger, there is need to put welfare packages in place for them.

C M Y K

NMRC: How mortgage refinancing works Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE

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he Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) was established to bridge the funding cost of residential mortgages and promote the availability as well as the affordability of good housing to Nigerians. It will achieve this by providing increased liquidity in the mortgage market through mortgage and commercial banks.

The company is driven by substantial private sector participation consisting of

commercial banks, primary mortgage banks, insurance companies, private equity investors and international financial institutions through the Ministry of Finance. This is with the public purpose of developing primary and secondary mortgage markets, raising long-term funds from both domestic capital market and foreign markets to provide accessible and affordable housing to Nigerians.

NMRC recently announced the refinancing of 577 mortgages with the sale of N10 billion bonds. Managing Director/CEO, NMRC, Prof.

Charles Inyangete, said the

15-year bonds will be used to refinance existing mortgages that meet specified underwriting requirements

NMRC acts as a simple intermediary between mortgage lenders and the capital market

Typical mass housing development

‘Lafarge, Holcim merger’ll boost housing delivery in Nigeria’

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he newly merged Lafarge Group of France and Swiss company Holcim will help boost affordable housing delivery in Nigeria through its operations in the country. The merger of the two companies was completed on July 15, 2015 to formal a new global Group known as LafargeHolcim.

Following the successful completion of the merger, the company said the new Group will now work towards creating the highest performing company in the building materials industry, adding that it would have a positive impact on Nigeria’s economy, especiaaly the building and construction sector.

Outgoing Country CEO of Lafarge Africa Plc in Nigeria,

Mr. Guillaume Roux, speaking on the merger in Lagos, noted: “The merger will have a positive impact on the on-going consolidation of the Nigeria operations under Lafarge Africa Plc as United Cement Company of Nigeria (UniCem) a JV between Lafarge and Holcim in Cross Rivers would now join the other operations – AshakaCem in Gombe, Atlas terminal in Rivers, WAPCO Operations in Ogun , as well as its aggregates and readymix sites across the country as a member of LafargeHolcim in Nigeria”.

Also speaking, Peter Hoddinott, Area Manager, Nigeria & West Africa who takes over leadership of Lafarge Africa Plc stated that the union marks a milestone in the company’s commitment

to providing the best cement, concrete and aggregates products to Nigerians. He affirmed that the company which would still be known in Nigeria as Lafarge Africa Plc. He added that the Nigerian company will leverage on LafargeHolcim Group’s combined technical expertise and years of operation for the continuous production of building solutions that are best in quality, innovative, available and affordable. “We will create a stronger company that is able to make more solid investment in Nigeria and be better able to assist in delivering more affordable housing as well as support for socio-economic progress through CSR activities,” he said.

and will be listed on the Financial Market Dealers Association trading platform.

He added that the mortgages being refinanced were originated by nine banks which met the NMRC requirements for uniform underwriting standards. But how exactly does the refinancing cycle work?

Refinancing cycle NMRC serves as a financial intermediary between the capital market and financial institutions that provide mortgage loans to average working Nigerians. It will access the capital market by issuing long-term bonds, and utilise the proceeds of the bonds issued to provide liquidity to mortgage lending institutions by providing refinancing facilities secured by the mortgage pool created according to an agreed underwriting standard.

Initial step is for a borrower to take out a mortgage loan from a participating mortgage lender based on the uniform underwriting criteria set by NMRC. In return the borrower will provide regular repayments of the loan principal plus interest. The borrower will also provide collateral in the form of a mortgage over the property to be purchased.

Second step is for the participating mortgage lenders to refinance the loans with NMRC. The participating mortgage lender in turn, provides security over its mortgage portfolio in favour of NMRC. It acts as a simple intermediary between mortgage lenders and the capital markets. By using its size and credit worthiness, NMRC is able to raise funds at a cheaper rate.

The third step is for NMRC to raise its own funding by accessing the capital markets and issuing bonds. NMRC refinances the mortgage loans of banks with recourse to the financial institutions. It will issue corporate bonds which do not involve any pass through of the credit risk attached to the mortgages.

NMRC acts as a simple intermediary between mortgage lenders and the capital markets. By using its size and credit worthiness, NMRC is be able to raise funds at a cheaper rate. This is attributable to the strong shareholders, strong capital base, excellent quality of assets in its books and the fact that NMRC is regulated by CBN and SEC.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 27

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32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Interview

BY EBELE ORAKPO

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igeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) data was rebased in April 2014 and the country became Africa’s biggest economy as a result.

This meant nothing to the common man as his life did not improve in any way by the new status. It is not enough to wear fancy tags; they want to see it translated in improved livelihoods. The truth is that wearing the tag of the biggest economy in Africa without the technological power to back it up, is akin to a dog with bark and no bite.

Stakeholders are of the opinion that the biggest economy tag will not be sustainable unless Nigeria becomes an export-driven nation which will only happen if its industries are operational and that will come with constant electricity supply.

The issue of epileptic power supply has been a recurring decimal in Nigeria and successive governments have been unable to solve the problem.

With the new administration, there is hope of resuscitating identified power projects. In this interview with Financial Vanguard, an ex-staff of the Nigeria Electric Power Authority, NEPA (1977 1995) and a lecturer in University of West London’s Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Dr. Victor Onosaghogho Oke, takes a look at Nigeria’s power sector since inception and proffers solutions to the lingering power instability; he makes a case for hydro power.

Excerpts: What do you think of the Nigerian Power sector 20 years after you left?

I left Nigeria in 1995 to lecture in universities in the UK. Today, on visiting Nigeria, I noticed the power situation has worsened in the last two decades. Many problems are responsible for this worsening situation vis-a-vis Nigeria’s power grid. In the 1960, Nigeria became independent and the colonial masters envisaged that power would be required considering the large population of the country so studies were done for the Kainji dam through the Niger Dams Authority (NDA). At the time, we had the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) which ran series of thermal stations in various cities across the country. With the construction of the Kainji dam, completed in December 1968, it was thought that the whole country could be interconnected with this huge supply from Kainji into a national grid.

This was successfully done and the power situation improved.

Genesis of the power problem: In 1972, ECN and NDA were merged to become NEPA by a decree. At this time, the country was very wealthy and some people began to say that the country was too rich. The then government had to share part of this wealth by giving the Udoji Award. This afforded many families across the C M Y K

Resuscitate identified hydropower projects —Dr. Oke country the opportunity to acquire electrical gadgets like television sets, washing machines, fans etc., which they never had before. That suddenly raised the national load and from 1975, with increased load, the country began to suffer power problems.

So what solutions were proffered at that point because I believe if they had done something at that early stage, Nigeria would not have been in this situation now NEPA started commissioning more studies on hydro power stations since Kainji was successful. So Jebba and Shiroro and a few other sites were identified through some consultants such as Surmont of Canada. When they studied these sites, they came out with very prospective hydropower potentials like Jebba (540mw) and Shiroro (600mw). They studied up to 15 sites across Nigeria including Lokoja, Makurdi, Onitsha, Yola, Gembu (Mambila Plateau), Katsina-Ala, the ZCN scheme and others. All these sites if developed, will provide over 20,000mw of electricity. However, due to financial constraints and lack of foresight at the time, these were not developed. The country decided to look towards gas projects implementation which was to provide what they call hydro-thermal mix (thermal - gas and hydro - water) so if we have a balanced hydro-thermal mix, there will be system stability. But because of the high cost of dam projects, the thermal aspect was more favoured. One of the main thermal projects is the Egbin Power station and those in Sapele, Ughelli and so on. So hydro was kind of left in the back burner but the three that were developed - Jebba (1970s), Shiroro (1980s) and Kainji, have been the backbone of Nigeria's power system.

The thermal stations were built but they had maintenance problems after the first six months to one year and running costs are high.

As an expert, what should government do now?

The country decided to go for more thermal

*Dr. Victor Oke....Nigeria needs at least 40,000 megawatts; 10 times what we are producing now and probably, within 50 years, we will need 200,000 mw

stations, probably because they are easier and faster to build but faced with a lot of problems like insecurity of gas pipelines and inadequacies linked to thermal power schemes across the country. The nation needs to urgently resuscitate these hydro power projects, especially the ones named already, from Lokoja, to Taraba. They have great potential and they will stabilise the country for the next 50 years. A fast hydro project can take between five and six years but the potential is huge, it can last up to 50 years, so the country should think about that as a matter of urgency.

These sites make up about 20,000 megawatts or more of electricity; however, due to financial constraints and lack of foresight, these were not developed

Are you saying that hydro power generation is the way to go?

Yes. The proposed KastinaAla-Makurdi hydro power system is prominent and outstanding and can be optimised to generate as much as 4,000 mw with minimised environmental consequences emanating from a combination of optimised reservoirs sizing and a high head from a lowered tail race elevation near the Niger/Benue confluence. This scheme will also act to neutralise the devastating effects of the possible collapse of Lake Nyos in Cameroon with dire e n v i r o n m e n t a l consequences. This should be constructed as soon as possible.

The focus on hydro must come into play immediately

if Nigeria is to survive as a leading nation in Africa. Being the largest economy now; we need to also be the largest industrial nation in Africa. So certain recommendations are required.

What are the recommendations? *We must consider the Public-Private Partnership of Build-Operate-Own and BuildOperate-Transfer models. The companies can build, own and then sell or transfer to government. *The Electric Power Sector Reform (ESPR) Act and Water Use License regulations must be incorporated and the challenges addressed accordingly. *The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has some guidelines for the Power Sector. They should be brought in and some of their guidelines incorporated and the prospects involved should be considered. *The Power Sector Act came into being a couple of years ago and we should follow that Act. *Also there are discussions on hydropower issues in the epilogue of a recent book, The Development of The Nigerian Electric Power System 1973-1990, by former Operations Manager, NDA, Engr. Lawrence Amu, and former president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr. Foluseke Somolu. *The book, 1990 to 2015 Power Development Overviews by Engr. Jerome Umolu, another ex-NEPA staff, should be looked at. *I think a national media outfit like Vanguard Newspapers, in collaboration with others, can play a major role by hosting some kind of talk shop where relevant stakeholders/experts, will be invited.

The talk shop is very important because we had one in 1994 on the Impact of Climate Change on Energy Development. It was well attended by people across the world.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 33

Interview What is the cost of a hydropower station?

I studied the economic cost of hydro power stations. At that time in the late 80s and 90s, it cost between $400 and $600 million but it’s like $1 million per mw. The benefit is that you can get a lot out of it over an extended period of time. It can pay its way within 10 to 20 years.

So it is worth investing in hydro power. Initial costs are high but running costs are very low unlike thermal plants where initial costs are moderate but running costs are very high.

But many people think solar is the best option Solar is good but the scale of solar power these days is at a low level and the initial cost is high though it is coming down. It will involve installing it in all the houses or estates across the country. There are experimental solar places across Nigeria, but again, it will not solve the overall national problem in the short to medium term. That is like many years from now so we should look more at base low environment-friendly hydropower.

Nigeria has not been able to get the power sector right and as a result, many of the industries have either packed up or moved to neighbouring countries, what should be done in the short term?

There is something we call mini hydropower projects. We identified 32 sites where people can get very quick short-term generation.

Some sites can give one, five or 10mw. We have some examples in Jos run by NESCO. They have been running them for about 100 years so if we can build mini hydropower sites in the 32 identified areas across the country; they can come on line within three to six months and a good mini hydropower site can serve a small town like Sapele or Surulere in Lagos. So if we can find a way of quickly incorporating them into the grid, we can build up to 12 or more within the next two to three years.

From the thermal side, thermal turbines can be installed here and there, but again, they are costly and difficult to run. For mini hydropower stations, you can get one for £50,000 to £ 100,000. I will recommend these for the short-term while we build bigger ones.

There were protests in Akwa Ibom State recently over alleged plan by the FG to site a nuclear power station there.

Is that feasible in Nigeria?

It is feasible because it is the in thing globally. The problem is nuclear safety and nuclear waste. What they could do is if they can find a safe ground, far from population centres, where they could install the power

plant, like the one we have at Three Mile Island in the US, an isolated place.

I hear there are some islands off Badagry; we can then put local security to protect the plant. But nuclear accidents are very rare, the last one was in Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine in 1986. Generally, the accidents happen in submarines and not in power stations so I will recommend it but it should be moved away from population centres. Like hydropower stations, they have very high initial cost but very high generation.

Apart from the annual flooding experienced in Lagos, Nigeria experienced a very serious flooding in 2012 that affected almost every part of the country. What should be done to stem the tide?

On the Nigerian side?

Flood hydrology is my Yes. It is very near the specialty and flood studies Cameroonian border so This focus on have been done and what happens warnings are given to downstream does not hydro must government. Government concern them. If that come into play embankment breaks should set up experts to actually look into these naturally, then we immediately if down studies and link to are in trouble. But if we this country is build a reservoir like the planners to know what parts should be developed I to survive as a Makurdi-Katsina-Ala and what parts should be talked about on the upper leading nation Benue to block the flood, evacuated. It is very important. Again, there can absorb such a flood in Africa; being itand are some projects we can save the rest of the the largest install to reduce the country. Lake Nyos dam impact of floods. This is break is likely to occur economy in where the dams come in, very soon because it has like the mini hydropower Africa now, we a 30-year cycle and we stations I talked about. We need to also be are in the 30th year. can set up run-off river plants so we can control So what is the ZCN the largest the flow of water. When the scheme all about? industrial water is much, we can hold ZCN stands for Zaire, it and release it gradually nation in Africa Chad and Niger Basin so that the flood will be inter-basin water transfer. less.

The Zaire river is in The 2012 flood was as a result of water Congo and we want to link it to Lake released from the Lagdo Dam in Chad, which is about 10 per cent of its Cameroun which found its way into original volume now. We then link them Nigeria, flooding and submerging through some kind of river diversion. several settlements. Because of over- From Chad, we link the rivers flowing flooding upstream, water was released into the Niger Basin to reinforce our from the dam so we need to build dams on the Niger Basin. This system reservoirs to hold the water when such will have a lot of power output if we things happen. It hardly happens on the decide to tap the power in the system, Niger side because there are many but more importantly, it is good for reservoirs. We don’t have any reservoirs irrigation, water supply and will solve on this side to hold the water. Kainji dam the drought problem. This Boko Haram is protecting Jebba, and other reservoirs insurgency is partly due to economic upstream Niger. problems in that zone. If we build the ZCN, there will be a lot of water and Lake Nyos: Another explosive people will be busy with agriculture and environmental powder keg is Lake Nyos a lot of other things and will not have time for terrorism. That is why the ZCN thing is so important. It was started by the Canadians but it is just at the feasibility level. My boss at NEPA, Engr.

Jerome Umolu has already done a deeper study and wrote a joint paper with me which was published in many local and international journals.

Talks are going on among the Lake Chad countries about this project, trying to bring in water to revamp that zone.

That place is like a desert now and it is no wonder it is the source of Boko Haram. If we have a way of moving water into that area to boost agricultural production and related agro-allied industries, people there will be so rich they will not even think of fighting or killing anybody. It is a very powerful project and it will double the country’s hydropower supply.

*A Nigerian community submerged by flood due to water released from Lagdo dam. This could have been avoided if the Makurdi-Katsina-Ala reservoir had been built.

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also in Cameroun. The Lake Nyos problem involves carbon dioxide emissions from under the water, and this affects the profile and cause overtopping. The lake is being created by some natural land mass/ embankment which is likely to collapse and cause a dam break. The water runs down the valleys and actually wash off communities with terrible consequences.

Carbon dioxide itself kills because when it is released, it removes all the oxygen in the air and everything around dies.

It happened almost 30 years ago, I was still at NEPA then and a study was commissioned and it was suggested that a dam be built to hold it but again, I don’t think anybody has done anything about it, what I call lack of foresight.

Apart from generation, there are also issues with distribution The purpose of transmission lines is to move the power from generation

source to the point where it is needed.

In transmission, we normally step up the power from power stations from say a few hundred or a few tens of megawatts to 330,000 kilo volts so from a few kilo volts at the power station level to 330,000 kilo volts.

We make the voltage very high so that the current can be low. Power = current x voltage so when you make the voltage high, the current will be low and when the current is low, it is easier to transmit because the losses will be minimised. Power loss is given by P = I2R ie square of the current times the resistance along the line. So if the current is low, the I2 value will become lower so the loss is minimised. But unfortunately, we are using very old equipment and the minimisation situation is greatly hampered, therefore, we have a lot of losses in our transmission lines. They need to be revamped, improved upon and extended. It is a very sad situation to have so much power generated and you cannot transmit and if you transmit, you lose over half of it. Under normal circumstances, we should not lose more than five or 10 per cent. So transmission is a big problem.

The sub-stations are very important too because you need a substation to step up the power to a very high voltage, so if the substation is good, the losses will be minimal but along the line itself, there may be losses when you are stepping down.

Nigeria should invest in mini hydropower for the short-term as this will help stabilise the power system.

The hydro-thermal mix should be skewed towards hydro. With the insecurity linked to thermal vandalisation of gas pipelines and gas flaring are still on, coupled with the high maintenance cost makes the whole thermal system unfavourable compared to hydro. Hydro should be the main thing, then renewables.

Government should improve the hydro system, expand it, build all the identified sites in stages for the medium to long-term, and then for the shortterm, the mini hydro sites can be constructed and get the country going again.

How many megawatts would be enough for Nigeria with its population?

At least 40,000 megawatts; 10 times what we are producing now and probably, within 50 years, we will need 200,000 megawatts.

Shiroro cost about $600 million, Jebba cost about $500 million at the time and Nigeria had the money and should have built more dams back then and we would have had no problems now.

In the short-term, each of the 36 states could quickly build mini hydropower plants.

But with the electricity law in Nigeria, states cannot just start generating power without permission Yes, but with mini hydropower plant, they don’t need permission from the FG, they can use the independent power project scheme.

Some states are doing it already. That is a short-term solution because it is very cheap and fast to install. With mini hydropower stations, we can solve little, little problems and then relieve the national grid of a lot of energy and power.

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

E- Commmerce STORIES BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

Slot boosts epayment with new Slot App

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n an effort to redefine online shopping and encourage consumers in the country to embrace online transaction, Slot Systems has introduced Slot.ng and Slot App. This according to the company will make online shopping experience easier and more convenient for customers.

Speaking on the new initiative, the Slot’s Managing Director, Nnamdi Ezeigbo, said: “As we are all aware, we now live in an era where business transactions are carried out electronically. In essence, you don’t need to be physically present before you can engage in the business of buying and selling. As a company we are fully aware of this new reality, hence the creation of Slot.ng and the Slot App”.

“With Slot.ng, you can buy all your quality phones and accessories online using the Slot App; it’s like having the 50 Slot shops nationwide at your fingertips. With this new service from Slot, we want to ensure that our valued customers get a whole new shopping experience and also get value for money,” Ezeigbo stated.

The Managing Director said that to get started all one needs is to download the Slot App free Google store, click and it takes you to the online store where one can buy his or her phones, accessories, Laptops and i-pads, from the comfort of their home or office and have it delivered to them within 24hrs of Payment. “It’s stress free and it’s convenient,” added Ezeigbo.

As an indigenous company, Slot doesn’t sell phones, the company also provide standard after sales support that meets global standard in any Western African sub region. The company has consistently been in the front row to announce new phones, functions, features, and upgrades.

Recently, Slot launched a service tagged ‘Slot Trade-In’ in partnership with Matrix Certified Pre-Owned Nigeria Limited, a leading name in pre-owned devices. The essence of this service is to enable customers’ trade-in their old phones for brand new ones. With the ‘Slot Trade-In’ the value of a phone can be used in exchange for another, thereby making the value of customers money work more for them.

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igeria's mobile money operator and electronic payment processor, eTranzact International Plc has posted a Profit After Tax, PAT of N407 million in its 2014 financial year.

This was contained in its 2014 annual report and financial statement made available to its shareholders at its 11th Annual General Meeting , AGM held in Lagos.

At the AGM, the Board of Directors of eTranzact, led by the chairman, Mr. Felix Ohiwerei, also approved the payment of 5 kobo per share to its shareholders for year 2014.

The financial statement showed that eTranzact generated record revenues, operating profits and cash flows which transformed the company’s accumulated deficit to a retained surplus.

The report showed that gross revenue for the year 2014 was N7.1 billion which represents a 51 per cent growth compared to 2013. Operating profit on the other hand grew from N188.7 million in 2013 to N388 million in 2014, representing a 101 per cent annual growth.

Meanwhile, profit before tax grew by 145 per cent from 2013 performance while profit after tax grew by 112 per cent compared to 2013. eTranzact said the growth were inspired by some key

AGM - From left: Mr Wole Abegunde, Board member, eTranzact International PLC, Company Secretary, Omowunmi Adedurotimi, Mr Felix Ohiwerei, Chairman, eTranzact International PLC and Mr Valentine Obi, MD/CEO, eTranzact International PLC at the 11th Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos.

eTranzact records N407m PAT, pledges sustained profitability growth drivers including: “Strengthened collaboration with partner banks in driving mobile banking business, strategic alliances with International money transfer operators which is driving growth of remittance business, alliances with government agencies, parastatals and educational institutions which is driving bulk payments, central collection and

transaction switching and processing business.”

It added that it has taken steps to consolidate on profitability with new relationships, enhancing and deepening existing ones and exploring new partnerships locally and internationally.

Speaking on the growth, the Chairman of the Board, Mr Felix Ohiwerei, who appreciated the management for its innovation, drive and

Online store for household essentials launches in Lagos A n online store, www.householdmax.com targeting homemakers and specialising in household essentials, has officially launched in Lagos.

The online store offers a variety of household items including: Food and drinks, storage solutions, toiletries, kitchen essentials and appliances, bathroom and bedroom essentials.

Other inventories include: General home appliances, laundry machines and equipment, baby products, healthcare products, children’s healthcare, medical devices and equipment, beauty and fragrance, men’s essentials, women’s essentials, wristwatches, fresh flowers, cards, gifts and gift wrapping essentials etc.

Addressing the media at the launch in Lagos, Executive Director, Householdmax.com, Mrs. Aisha Tinubu said the online store was inspired by the need to explore the

benefits of ecommerce while supporting women and other homemakers to better manage their home and meet the demands of their daily household tasks.

She said: “Most people today are leading increasingly busier lives with so much to do always, many tasks to juggle, and all in 24hours that never seem to be enough. Our lifestyle and shopping patterns in Nigeria are changing rapidly, shaped by concerns about traffic, security issues, time constrains and product availability in offline stores. Brick and mortar stores which require buyers to be physically present to determine product availability are gradually being overtaken by online stores. Shopping or even just window shopping from the comfort of your home, office, mobile device or while abroad, is without doubt, set to dominate buyer patterns in Nigeria in the very near future. This evolution and change has occurred globally

in many countries and is happening and expanding very quickly in Nigeria today.

“This is (why) Householdmax (came in). As Nigeria’s largest family and household online megastore, we focus on aiding professionals, families and households in ensuring that their needs and aspirations are met and their lifestyles supported. We are not only about online trade. We are more focused on consistently creating those value adding services that our customers find invaluable, and we know how to support them in the realisation of their plans.”

Commenting on e-commerce in Nigeria, she said: “For those who still don’t consider e-commerce an option in their everyday purchases, it is no longer a question of (whether) they will be converted to online trade; it is a matter of when. This is because ecommerce has come to stay in Nigeria and to transform and expand the economy and support lifestyles.”

resources, said that eTranzact will continue to strive to grow “to become regional and global leader in the electronic and mobile payments industry, and with our performance in the period under review and indicators from the current period, we believe that the period ahead will be even more glorious.”

He added: “We are happy with the results that we saw today. We see it as the beginning of new level of growth for eTranzact. The potential out there is great. For some time now, we have been preparing to take advantage of full opportunities out there and the strategies we have in place are beginning to pay off. We are optimistic that in the years ahead, things will get much better.”

Also speaking, the MD/CEO, eTranzact International Plc, Mr. Valentine Obi said: “We have been encouraged by our performance in the period under review. We have experienced consistent growth in revenue and profitability over the past ten years with transaction activity value, volumes and partnerships also experiencing significant growth in the last three years.

Key to our growth has been setting key performance indexes around user experience, platform stability and technology development, and we plan to continue to do this. “It is a new level for us indeed and this shows that the strategies we have in place are working and it will continue to work.

Going forward, Nigerians will be seeing new products that eTranzact will be introducing to help the industry grow and increase our profitability as well as for the benefit of our shareholders."

and other partners.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 35

Warning to FG, states on Iran’s nuclear deal (1) “Iran signs nuclear deal with West”, PUNCH, July 15, 2015, p 56.

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ack in December 2013, based on independent research into the future of crude oil in Nigeria, I wrote on these pages that the price of crude would drop from 2014, through 2015, on account of various global developments and Governors will find it difficult to pay salaries, in WHY GOVS CANNOT PAY. Later in 2014, even when Jonathan and his former Finance Minister were assuring Nigerians that we would not be adversely affected by the falling price of crude oil the point was made in an article titled THE AGE OF OIL IS OVER FOR NIGERIA. Consequently, I declared that by 2015 the Federal Government and States would not only be experiencing difficulties paying salaries, as well as other entitlements, as and when due, Federal and State budgets will be reduced for years to come from what they were in 2013. First, let us read what President Jonathan said, based on advice from Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Yet by January 2015, even the Federal Government was borrowing money to pay salaries and was indented to pensioners and creditors to

the tune of trillions of naira.

By contrast read what I wrote in that article, based on the allocations to the Federal Government and the States for October 2014. Today, even a fool knows who was right about forecasting the future direction of crude oil prices.

In fact, at an Editorial Meeting which I attended with VANGUARD Editors in November/December 2014, I was asked to provide a forecast of what crude prices will be by 2015. I told them it will swing between $55 and $70; but generally it will settle around $65.

Furthermore, I suggested that the Federal Government and the states should get ready to benchmark the budgets for 2015 t0 2016 on $65 crude. The implications for our economy, which Jonathan was led to believe would be stable are grave and

the remedies must be applied immediately before more damage is done to the Nigerian economy.

But, even the forecasts which had proved very accurate did not yet take into account Iran’s full re-entry into the global crude supply system.

With the nuclear deal signed the country is back and its returned has merely escalated our economic problems in the short and medium term from serious to highly critical. Just as the world crude demand and supply variables were getting settled to some tentative equilibrium, stabilizing the price in the $65 range, Iran is getting set to topple the balance and create a glut.

That is the reason for this warning.

The former governments, Federal and States, ignored similar

Just as the world crude demand and supply variables were getting settled to some tentative equilibrium, stabilizing the price in the $65 range, Iran is getting set to topple the balance and create a glut

warnings when they were made since 2013. It will amount to treasonable negligence if the present crop of leaders does the same. Let me state categorically that Nigeria will be worse than Greece if nothing is done urgently. Let us now return to the story and why it represents a dagger thrust at the heart of the Nigerian economy.

The story, attributed to Sky News, went on to state that “Six major powers have reached a “historic” agreement with Iran on the country’s nuclear programme after years of negotiations.”

Only two countries, Israel and Saudi Arabia, voiced concerns about the deal which they feared could result in Iran still going ahead with its quest for the acquisition of nuclear weapons – after having sanctions on its export of crude oil lifted. Nigeria cannot really object because our policy on the Middle East is fuzzy; nobody really understands it. But, Nigeria now stands to become one of the economic victims of that agreement because, more than any other oil producer, we depend more on a high and stable price of crude oil, as well as robust worldwide demand than any other producer. Demand is flat and tending down, and now Iran is set to create a glut. The collateral damage to our economy resulting from this agreement cannot be ignored and must be factored into our budgets and revenue allocation (RMAFC please note) nationwide.

To be sure, there have been

the usual strident calls for diversification of the economy. Thie call had been made since the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, was introduced by Babangida in the 1980s. It generally coincides with the period the price of crude oil has tumbled. Invariably, the noise abates when the price of crude jumps up again and everybody resumes cake sharing and stops baking. At any rate, diversification, even if vigorously pursued will only help in the long term.

Unfortunately, most people don’t live in the long term.

They must eat and live now.

So, it will be foolish for the “technocrats” to ask Nigerians to wait until diversification has taken place.

WAY FORWARD: NON VIOLENT INCOME REDISTRIBUTION. We need some remedies now which aim at non-violent income re-distribution. The top one per cent of the Nigerian population is sitting on close to seventy per cent of the wealth. Most of them can live for five thousand years on current wealth even if they don’t earn a kobo from today. They are the ones who should wait for the long run.

The poor, the destitute, old pensioners and unpaid workers in the public and private sectors cannot wait until the long run. They must eat NOW. And governments can only add to their suffering by asking them to wait until the economy is diversified on account of the threat from Iran…

The question is: How?

Micro-Finance Stories by PROVIDENCE OBUH

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here is no age limit for accessing loans from Micro-finance Banks (MfBs) as is perceived by entrepreneurs who intend getting one for their micro, small or medium enterprises.

Vanguard findings have shown that as long as you are economically active, you can access loan from any MfB of your choice, as is reposed upon them to serve those at the bottom of the pyramid.

“As long as you are economically active, we are there to support, that is the drive of MfBs, no age policy limit implemented by banks but you are assessed by your ability to engage in economic activity," said Chairman, Accion MfB, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan.

Meanwhile, there are three categories of people in the banking analogy: the banked, under-banked and the unbanked.

Describing the analogy, Akinwunmi said, “In each of our major cities, you have C M Y K

No age limit for accessing micro finance loans three categories: the banked, under-banked and unbanked, the under-banked is such a large population, they have a bank account but they don’t have access to financial services.

He went further to say that there are lots of differences between the two.

For example, he said, “If you earn less than N100,000 per anum and you walk into a traditional bank and say I need support for X or Y, they will tell you stories, but if you come to Accion MfB, we have the ability first, to understand that, the fact that you earn less than N100,000 per anum does not mean you do not have the capacity to engage in financial activities and improve your life your self and from that background we are ready to support you. that is why the average loan in our company is just about N100, 000 and if you look at most

other big financial institutions, average loans are close to a million or two but here we are talking of micro loan.

“So even in bigger cities where we are operating, we are meeting the needs of the under-banked and the unbanked, we are really opening the doors for access to financial services to people who are low income earners

but very active in building a future for themselves and that is what we are here to do,” he said.

Speaking on the N50 million Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) intervention fund received by the bank, he noted that the fund has been fully disbursed, saying, “We have fully disbursed the

entire N50 million and we disbursed it to the education sector to support micro entrepreneurs in the sector and we will be approaching the Central Bank of Nigeria for the next tranch and so we will continue to add value.

The education sector is absolutely critical just as the agric sector and other sector that we play actively in,” he said.

Implementation of ethics and policies key to organisation —Rossouw should be implemented as

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he Chief Executive Officer, Ethics Institute of South Africa, Professor Deon Rossouw, has said that implementation of ethics and policies is key to organisations.

Adding that monitoring and evaluation of compliance with ethical principles and standards on a regular basis would further help organisations achieve a set

goal or target.

He said this in a paper presentation at the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria, Quarterly Business Forum with the theme: “Governing the Ethics Performance of Organisations.”

Rossouw who doubles as Professor in Philosophy at the University of Stellenbosh, added that companies should have a code of ethics which

part of the corporate governance practices of the company.

He pointed out that organisational values should be based on strategic, work and ethical values, adding that ethics is about everything done, especially its impact on the organisation, stakeholders, staff and the people.

36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Corporate Report Entrepreneurs to lead Africa's growth — Obama

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resident Barack Obama called on African leaders to embrace women and youth entrepreneurs as well as anti-corruption initiatives, and asked U.S. investors to reward those efforts, as he announced more than $1 billion in new private and U.S. government commitments for startups.

“Entrepreneurship means ownership and self determination as opposed to being simply dependent on somebody else,” the U.S. president said Saturday in an address to the sixth Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

“I wanted to be here because Africa is on the move,” Obama said. “This continent needs to be a future hub of global growth not just African growth.” He praised Kenya as the largest economy in East Africa and a technology hub. e urged African governments to crack down on graft and foster transparency and rule of law, which would help create “a platform for people to succeed.”

GE bags $2.5bn orders from Africa

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eneral Electric Co. booked $2.5 billion of orders from sub-Saharan Africa in the past 11 months, including oil and gas equipment for Eni SpA in Ghana and locomotives for Angola.

That figure is $500 million more than the company targeted by 2018 during a U.S.-African leader summit last August, Jay Ireland, chief executive officer for GE Africa, said Friday in an interview in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. They will be delivered “over the next two years,” he said.

Orders from the 25 African nations where GE operates range from items for transportation to oil and gas, power generation, health care and aviation, according to Ireland. GE expects to seek financing for projects worth at least $1.5 billion in Africa each year as it expands its footprint in a region increasing investment in infrastructure development, and exploitation of its natural resources, he said.

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Courteville nets N250.6m half-year pre-tax profit

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ourteville Business Solutions Plc, the ebusiness solutions and business process outsourcing company, sustained its momentum in the first six months of the year despite a dip in the macroeconomic situation.

The company posted revenues of N822.2 million for the half year ended June 30, showing an increase of 1.9 percent over last year.

Impressively, the company’s cost of sales also fell to N308.2 million, a drop of 21 percent from the same period in 2014. This, however, was muted by rising operating costs, which climbed 25 percent to N248 million.

The company declared pre-tax profit of N250.6 million against N256.8 million in the first six months of last year. Profit after tax stood at N210.5 million in comparison with N215.7 million reported in the second quarter of 2014.

Earnings per share came in at 5.94 kobo, off 2.3 percent from last year.

Speaking on the results, the company’s Group Managing Director, Mr. Adebola Akindele, said the results were ‘proof that Courteville’s demand environment is resilient through the business cycle.’

‘Courteville Business Solutions delivered consistent financial performance in our business process outsourcing platforms such as AutoReg, which handles registration for eight out of every tenvehicles on Nigerian roads. We also recorded over 30 percent growth on Egole, our ecommerce portal. The results were achieved in a difficult and volatile economic environment driven by the drop in oil prices, a depreciating naira, and uncertainty in the run-up to the general elections. In consequence, consumer spending dampened, and business confidence declined, while government budgets underwent deep cuts.’

Courteville recently announced that in line with its 5-year strategy (2013-18) centred on diversification, and international expansion, it had acquired Priority Loss Adjusters Limited (PLA), a market leader in motor vehicle administration and testing in Jamaica. The

company will also begin operations next month in Zimbabwe, where it introduce its Insurance Policies’ Database solution in partnership with the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe. This solution is

already in use in Nigeria by the Nigerian Insurance Association.

Describing the company’s winning formula, he said clients recognize Courteville’s ability to ‘help them simplify, optimize and automate their

Adebola Akindele, CEO, Courteville Business Solutions half-year results company. Excerpts

In the last few years, about a million new cars are added to the AutoReg database every year operations. This empowers them to ‘bring digital solutions faster to the market, so that they can maximize their opportunities. He gave assurances that the company would stay focused on further d i f f e r e n t i a t i n g its‘proprietary capabilities, capturing new growth opportunities, and delivering sustainable value to our clients and our shareholders.

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kindele gave further insight into the 2015

of

the

What’s the context to the company’s performance over the last 6 months?

The bottom-line is that since the beginning of the year the economic environment has been very challenging in Nigeria, and indeed around the world. In Nigeria, companies faced peculiar difficulties emanating from tensions and uncertainty in the pre-election period, as well as the sharp drop in oil prices, Nigeria’s main foreign exchange earner.

These drained business confidence and shrunk consumer spending.

With the inauguration of the new administration at the end of May, an uptick has been observed but its impact has not moved the needle yet.

Cash flow around the economy remains very tight.

As the APC-led Federal Government settles down, I expect that budgets will be freer and the trickle-down effects felt across board.

Notwithstanding the turbulent conditions, the company delivered results commensurate with its performance for the same period last year. A majority of

the quoted companies are reporting a decline in earnings. Courteville’s superior execution, and disciplined resource management helped us weather the storm. My expectation for the second half of the year is for improved performance and expanded market opportunities.

With the plans of Honda and other car makers to start manufacturing cars in Nigeria, do you think they can meet demand from Nigeria’s rising middle class?

When speaking of local automobile manufacture, there are two sides to the demand equation. A lot of the debate has focused on how quickly car manufacturers establishing in Nigeria can ramp up production. What has not received adequate attention is the price appeal of brand new locally manufactured vehicles versus fairly-used imported ones.

Through the AutoReg platform, which manages motor vehicle administration in 22 of the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory, I have the most accurate and comprehensive database on car registrations in Nigeria.

In the last few years, about a million new cars are added to the AutoReg database every year. I am not referring to renewals, but vehicles being captured for the first time. If one puts Honda’s planned production of 1,000 per annum beside that figure it is a drop in the ocean. Honda’s entry is a good start and a vote of confidence in the sustainable buying power of Nigerians but it will not make a dent any time soon. For the near future, the needs of the majority of car buyers in Nigeria can only be met by imports because these manufacturers’ efforts are mere drops in the ocean.

Beyond the issue of plant capacity, another issue that must be considered is how these car makers price their output to reflect the purchasing power of the Nigerian car buyers. Their prices must match or, in fact, be lower than what it costs to bring in a fairly used vehicle into the country. The last thing the buyers want is monopolistic pricing due to any tariff disadvantages that imported cars may come against.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 37

People in Business

Researcher makes wealth from African palm weevil, earthworm, snail

BY EBELE ORAKPO

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S the world population grows, the need for increased food production arises, especially protein.

Unfortunately, the process of increasing animal protein leads to increase in methane production, a greenhouse gas involved in global warming so the Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, in seeking for alternative, noted that insect protein has the potential to curb malnutrition problems. To this end, the Sub-dean, Post-graduate School and a lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr. Cordelia Ebenebe, came up with an alternative protein source. She speaks to Vanguard Learning on her research works on the snail and earthworm as well.

Excerpts: Cerovil infant formula: “The invention is what I call Cerovil. It is an infant formula for newly weaned babies. The FAO requested that insect protein be investigated as an alternative given the increase in human population and the fact that increasing protein supply from ruminant animals will mean increase in methane

•African Palm Weevil

production as supply of protein from animals, especially ruminant animals, result in the emission of methane into the atmosphere. Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas involved in global warming and its attendant negative effects.

Insect protein has been found to be one of the best animal proteins that could be used today.

“The research was born out of another research finding on the methods of mass-producing the protein-rich whitish grub called African palm weevil (Rhyncophorus phoenicis, Akpa ngwo in Igbo and Itun in Yoruba) as an alternative protein source so instead of the normal protein in milk for infants and toddlers, we are now incorporating the African palm weevil. This nutrient-rich infant formula will counteract mortality in under-five children which is still a problem in Nigeria.

The product will undergo further analyses at NAFDAC. So far, we have been able to test for chemical and sensory qualities.

“Before we made the product, we removed about 80 per cent of the oil from the palm weevil because of the endusers - toddlers and babies as we are not too sure of the digestibility. The oil is good

chickens are tasteless because of the lack of animal protein in their feed.

What they use mainly now is soybeans and soybeans does not contain as much lysine and tryptophan, the major amino acids in animal protein source and because earthworm is rich in these amino acids, we have seen that it is a good alternative in the production of feed.

But the issue now is to be able to produce earthworm in large quantities. We have reared them to a large extent but we want to be able to produce in commercial quantity needed in the industry for both fish and livestock feeds.

A farmer has promised that if we are able to produce a ton of earthworms, he will buy all of them. The problem now is how to produce in that large quantity but we believe that the same technology used in producing small quantities can be used in producing large quantities, the only thing we need is finance to expand the facility.”

Dr. Cordelia Ebenebe...Chickens are tasteless these days because of the lack of animal protein in the feed

because it contains only unsaturated/essential fatty acids that the body needs.

Those are the things we are testing before we come out with the final product.

“We incorporate the palm

It has been discovered that the slime in snails, especially the African Giant snail, has a lot of anti-aging, antiwrinkling substances

•African giant snail

weevil into cereals and you make it into a pap using hot water.”

Feed production: “The same African Palm weevil because of the fat content, can also be used in the production of fish feed. Unlike the conventional fish feeds produced here which easily sink and pollute the water, this fish feed does not sink.”

Earthworm: “Another area of my research is in the use of earthworm in livestock feed production because presently, the cost of fishmeal which is the major animal protein source in livestock feed is very high and so many people in the feed industry no longer produce feed with animal protein and that is a problem. You will discover that these days,

Anti-aging agent from snail: “It has been discovered that the slime in snails, especially the African Giant snail, has a lot of anti-aging substances.

Overseas, they do facial treatment using snails. The ladies lie down and the snails crawl over their faces, leaving the slime which contains antiaging, anti-wrinkling substances.”

Not many people will want snails crawling all over their faces hence the need to extract the active substances. Ebenebe said although they have the technology but thery need funds to get the relevant machines.

“We have not been able to extract these substances because we do not have the machines. We are looking for funds to get the machine. We have the technology, we only need the machine now.

We are collaborating with the National Biotechnology Development Agency, NABDA in this aspect,” she said.

•Earthworm C M Y K

38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Tax Matters

Requirements and Steps for Electronic-Filing of Tax Returns

Taxes that can be filed using e-filing Platform for now Petroleum Profit Tax, Education Tax, Companies Income Tax, Value Added Tax, National Information Technology Levy, Capital Gains Tax Documentations required when making e-filing Beside system requirements earlier mentioned, the following documents are required when conducting efiling: Relevant Tax Returns, Relevant Excel Schedules saved in appropriate CSV file

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he Taxpayer must have registered and obtained TIN before accessing the e- filing platform. A duly completed access form obtainable from the FIRS site or the Tax Office where the taxpayer affairs are handled must be completed and submitted.

The access creation takes cognisance of the type of access rights given to User by the Chief Executive Officer [CEO] or Managing Director [MD] or Principal Officer of the Company. The User’s credentials/profile in this case would have been spelt out on the access form that was completed by the CEO/MD or Principal Officer of the Company. The User may include an employee and or a Tax Consultant.

The access right delegated to the User may be withdrawn through notification to the Tax Office by the CEO/MD or Principal Officer of the Company.

Upon submission of the access form, the assigned officer of the Taxpayer Service Unit in the Tax Office creates the User using the User’s profile stated on the access form. The details on the access form is used to generate User ID[i.e.

Username and Password] It is required that the Password is instantly changed upon first log in.

The information given in the access form will determine which of the access rights the user is entitled to. These include View only, Declare (i.e file returns), TIN Validation Submission and upload of supporting documents (tax and non-tax related) TCC Validation; It requires access to internet gateways such as; internet explorer not below 10, google chrome or any fire fox etc.

Steps to filing tax returns *.Download the e-filing access application form from http://www.firs.gov.ng/TaxManagement/Pages/ITAS-eFiling-Platform.aspx * Complete the form and indicate your desired access right. *Return completed form to the FIRS office where your tax matters are treated. * Obtain your username and password from the tax office having used the information on your form to

further clarification or gather additional information. In either case, the e-filer can relog-in and continue from where he/she stopped by clicking on “in progress” and complete the declaration.

generate it. * log on to e-filing platform either from the FIRS site stated above or through the address https:// efiling.firs.gov.ng. * Change your password upon initial log in. * Upon successful log in, you are positioned on the efiling page to file any declarations/returns which need to be filed. * To start your declaration, click on the “View all declarations to be filed” hyperlink or on the “Taxpayer Service” tab to select the tax types you want to file and double click on the plus (+) sign. * Click on the “File now” hyperlink. * On the tax return form displayed, identify relevant line details to complete or schedule to upload. * Enter the amounts for the required form lines in the filing currency previously authorized for the tax account for which you are filing or you can upload csv file for both the formlines and/or schedule. The upload from csv file is explained in note 1 after step *below. * Click on the “Submit declaration” button. * Verify and ensure that the amounts entered are correct, if not click “back” to go back and make corrections. *Click on “Yes” for the returns to be submitted. *Click on “End Declaration Process” hyperlink. * View Filed declaration page which gives you a

summary of your declaration; the document number is displayed at the top right hand corner. * Copy the document number which is required at the bank to settle the tax liability or you print the submitted declaration by clicking the print button for you to see the filed declaration with document number on it. *Contact itas.change@firs.gov.ng; itasproject@firs.gov.ng; 08115900301; 08115900021 for further enquiries.

Note: A. CSV configuration for shedule upload in SIGTAS and E-filing The schedule prepared in

The access creation takes cognisance of the type of access rights given to User by the Chief Executive Officer or Managing Director or Principal Officer of the company.

excel file must be saved in CSV file The CSV - Comma Separated Value is used to import information or data in excel to the system. Before saving any excel file for CSV upload, the computer system must be in decimal separator configuration. To configure a system to decimal separator, you click file at the menu bar, click on options and select advance on the second screen. Check the decimal separator box and enter a comma ( , ). The system is now on decimal sepeaator.

This is done only once for a system There and then you save the excel with csv dos[disc operating system], comma delimited and others excluding Macintosh. This is the only csv version that does not work with SIGTAS. The CSV can work with or without labels. If it is with labels, it means information to be uploaded must have headings at first column and first row, but where labels are not checked in, it will exclude the first row and first column that carry the headings.

System requirements for efiling Internet Explorer not below 10, Google Chrome and Any Fire Fox Truncated declaration process This may be caused either by network/power failure, session time out or the e-filer who may discontinue the declaration process to seek

Benefits of e-filing E-filing platform provides the following benefits: Self-service Platform using a personal computer, laptop, tablet or any device with a connection to the internet, from the comfort of your home, work or any place that is convenient to you. It saves your time and money as the returns are filed online. You do not need to produce hardcopy returns and transport yourself to tax office to submit tax returns.

Promotes voluntary compliance due to its convenience.

Keep your information secure and confidential. The e-filing environment is secured and safe with your User ID and password, ITAS/ SIGTAS platform will ensure that your tax information will be safe and confidential. The system takes all submissions by taxpayers as self assessment. The system does the calculation at back-end for you. The Declaration [Tax Return] Forms are system driven, that is the formlines are linked to back-end computation and helps taxpayers to avoid common errors like using wrong rates and committing arithmetical mistakes. Promotes transparency and boost taxpayer confidence and trust in the system, Saves taxpayer the rigours of going to tax office to confirm TIN and apply for TCC, Taxpayer can update her profiles without going to tax office to do so Taxpayer can use message centre to make enquiries and receive instant reply for tax office, Tax account balance can easily be queried from the e-filing environment before taxpayer applies for Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC)

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 39

Advertising & Promotions

Posterscope set to redefine future of OOH media STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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OSTERSCOPE, one of the world’s out-of-home, OOH communication agency says its set to redefine the future of OOH media, as it unveiled six of its service pillars in Nigeria.

To mark its entry into the market, Posterscope hosted advertising industry stakeholders to a full day thought leadership conference in Lagos where Posterscope experts from around the world shared knowledge and discussed how convergence and connection are defining the future of OOH media.

Speaking, David Gordon, Posterscope WorldWide Global Insight Director, said Nigeria is a significant market for Posterscope and its multinational clients, but added that the OOH space has never been so important for communicating to the alwayson connected consumers who are empowered to comment, search and buy, throughout their OOH journey.”

His words, “the increasing availability of location data from mobile operators is leading to greater efficiency of OOH panel selection both static and digital, as we understand where and when consumers are searching for specific product categories”.

Dan Oshodin, Managing Director of Posterscope Nigeria said “Posterscope’s focus on putting the consumer at the heart of OOH planning will cause a significant shift in the way advertisers consider the medium, the catalyst for this is our imminent launch of OCS, Out-of-Home Consumer Survey, our consumer insight research that enables us to look

at the OOH landscape through the lens of the consumer” Continuing, Oshodin added that “OCS will help us create optimal plans and enable us determine the most efficient format/environment mix to engage consumers at the right time, in the right place and in the right mind set”.

Other speakers at the conference included Charles

Chijide, president of OAAN; Bruce Burgess, Development Director, Posterscope SubSaharan Africa; Vikrant Tandle, Chief Operating Officer, Isobar; and Uzoma Okoye, Managing Creative Director of Etu-Odi. Nigeria is the 32nd market globally that Posterscope is venturing into and the third in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and Kenya.

AGM - Former Nigeria President, Olusegun Obasanjo (second right), EXMAN’s immediate past president, Kayode Olagesin (extreme right), EXMAN’s newly elected president, Rotimi Olaniyan (second left) and General Secretariat, Kehinde Salami (extreme left) at the 2nd annual general meeting/congress of Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Experiential marketers decry dwindling revenue, plans 25% growth E

xperiential Marketers Association of Nigeria, EXMAN, has decried the dwindling fortune of its members, says its targeting 25 percent growth rate, and plots strategy.

The newly elected EXMAN led by Dr. Rotimi Olaniyan said it’s going to tackle the challenges head-onto increase its members revenue downturn, reduced margin and slow growth of the industry at large.

He made this declaration at the 2nd annual general meeting in Abeokuta where the Kayode Olagesin’s led exco was replaced by Olaniyan’s.

Others in the new exco are Vice President-Wole Olagundoye, General Secretary- Kehinde Salami, Financial SecretaryKayode Idowu and Publicity Secretary- Abiodun Oshinibosi.

The newly elected president stated that the agenda of the new exco would work towards a straightforward strategy that will help grow profitability and market size of the industry.

He however believed that a 25 per cent growth rate is realizable given the six critical goal areas set up to drive the process.

An optimistic Olaniyan said this would be achieved in the next one year and to achieve these, he said the body would only worry itself about six critical goal areas. “First is revering the industry and basically protecting the industry from nonprofessionals, and secondly, is about thought leadership. This is putting in place initiatives that would ensure that we

maintain cutting edge as a practice and professional service industry.”

Other areas, Olaniyan believed could spur the intended growth rate include improving the internal training capacity and focus on client engagement.. “We will focus on client engagement as a critical issue. It is time for to set up a proper forum to be able to engage with clients and

bring them up to speed with the challenges that we all faced.”

According to him, “Everybody in the experiential marketing industry is complaining, we have reduced margin, we have payment compensation terms that we don’t feel is adequate to cover our operational cost not to talk about the little profit at the end of the day, which we can use to reinvest, so there is a need for us to do some work in that area,” he said.

Ovaltine, DHL partner to help IDPs

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WININGS Ovaltine Nigeria Limited, makers of Ovaltine beverages and DHL Express, a logistics company, has forged a strategic joint partnership to donate and transport Ovaltine food drink worth millions of Naira to the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs at the Yola camp, Adamawa State.

General Manager, Twinings Ovaltine, Mr. Enrico Liggeri said the two organizations are leveraging the partnership to amplify their Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR commitment in Nigeria.

Speaking at a joint media briefing in Lagos, Liggeri said as responsible corporate citizens, both companies recognized that this is the right time to respond to the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons because they require our collective support and empathy at

this critical moment of their life.

He said Twinings Ovaltine was touched in particular by the displaced persons’ need for highly nutritious food most especially children, nursing mothers and aged people in order to keep them strong and healthy as government at all levels continue efforts for their permanent resettlement.

He added that the current condition of the IDPs,should be of concern to everyone, both at individual and corporate level as Twinings Ovaltine and DHL Express Nigeria have demonstrated.

“This gesture by Ovaltine and DHL Express is all about responding to the humanitarian need of the displaced persons at this critical moment of their life. We feel their pain and the need to be provided with nutritious food so they can remain healthy and be able to live active an life in spite of their current predicament”, he said.

NBC wins at NSITF–NECA awards

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ue to its consistent compliance with occupational health and safety standards, Nigerian Bottling Company,NBC Limited, was recently recognized by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund – Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NSITF-NECA) Safe Workplace Intervention Project during the 58th Annual General Meeting and Award Ceremony of NECA which took place in Lagos.

Uzo Odenigbo, Head of Public Affairs and Communications said that NBC is committed to sustaining high quality standards in the area of quality and safety as part of the company’s annual plan.

He said, “At NBC, we give utmost priority to quality and safety as both form an integral part of our annual business plan. At the core of our business is our objective to produce and deliver world class quality products with zero tolerance to workplace accidents wherever we operate.

To achieve this, all employees, contractors on site and visitors are constantly re-oriented to adhere to stringent safety principles and practices.”

Sona Agro unveils Thins crackers biscuits

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ona Agro Allied Foods Limited, owners of Sona biscuits has introduced its newest product, Thin Crackers into the Nigerian market. The product which is available in pack of four biscuits.

Managing Director of Sona Biscuits, Mr. Subramaniyan Murugesan said, “Thins Crackers represents another positive step towards ensuring we fulfil our mission of making quality products, equivalent to American and European products standard, available to Nigerian consumers. We constantly seek to evolve with customers to ensure that we meet the expectations in terms of variety and quality” “We have recently expanded our production capacity to ensure that we produce more of the various biscuits in our product range. Our more than a decade experience in baking and confectioneries along with the state-of –the-art technology and a high level of hygiene, guarantees that we produce world class products.” He added. Murugesan disclosed that his company has lined up a number of marketing activities to create awareness for Thins crackers biscuits.

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40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.com Blog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2 Website: www.lesleba.com Tel:0805 220 1997

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t is ironical that despite the raging public debate on whether or not to sustain the regime of fuel price subsidy, our government may have, regrettably, once more, inadvertently doubled the existing N50/litre subsidy.

The Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency’s template indicates that as at June/July 2015, the “subsidy free” price of petrol hovered around N140/litre; thus, the regulated pump price of N87/ litre, implies that motorists currently pay over N50/litre less than the actual recovery price. This shortfall adds up to almost N2bn every day, from the estimated 40 million litres petrol consumption.

Consequently, subsidy may exceed N700bn annually and account for over 15% of the austere N4.5Tn 2015 budget.

This bloated expenditure on fuel subsidy alone is certainly worrisome, particularly when the consolidated revenue allocations to key sectors such as education, health and transport fall below N800bn.

The advocates for subsidy removal, therefore argue that its abolition would additionally provide almost N1tn for the execution of more socially productive programmes; furthermore, in addition to the expected savings from its abolition, fuel supply will also become more stable and the social agony from endless searches and extended queues at petrol stations will be eliminated. Subsidy critics also express confidence that deregulation would engender keen competition amongst marketers, and produce lower pump prices, even though, this expectation is yet to become manifest in the already open market for diesel.

Conversely, pro-subsidy advocates argue that abolition would invariably trigger a significant rise in transport cost which will in turn propel prices of virtually all goods and services;

Double whammy of fuel import subsidies ultimately, annual inflation rate would exceed 10%, such that every 5years, all incomes would lose over 50% of purchasing power and jeopardize the value of static incomes and expectations of pensioners; furthermore, inflation would reduce consumer demand and adversely affect industrial capacity utilization and investment decisions and further worsen the already high rate of unemployment.

Additionally, pro-subsidy advocates allege that the Naira exchange rate would further depreciate and inadvertently spur the cost of fuel well above the erstwhile deregulated price of N140/ litre, if the spiral of inflation triggered by subsidy abolition remains unchecked. Thus, if the Naira exchange rate, for example, suffers a 10% depreciation, the strong inverse relationship between Naira exchange rate and fuel prices, would invariably drive fuel price above N150/litre without subsidy.

Consequently, if, official dollar exchange rate rises by, say, 25% from the current N200 to above N250, an unending cycle of inflation and depreciating Naira will

Continuous Naira depreciation is evidently the result of the same unyielding surplus Naira which is constantly pitched against rations of dollar auctions in the forex market

again catapult fuel price from the erstwhile subsidy-free price of N140 to about N170/ litre. Unfortunately, N170/litre petrol price would in turn engender another spiral on transportation cost with the inevitable adverse collateral impact on the general price level so that the resultant weaker Naira exchange rate, would once more spur a fresh hike that may ultimately shoot petrol price closer to N200/ litre. Clearly, if this obnoxious cycle remains unbroken, the unsubsidized price of petrol will steadily approach N500/ litre as correctly recognized by President Muhammadu Buhari in the course of an interview on his recent trip to the United States.

This poisonous cycle of weaker Naira rates and higher fuel prices will sadly be consistently repeated, so long as the excess Naira which primarily remains in the custody of commercial banks continues to drive inflation. Regrettably, the monetary authorities, have so far, appeared helpless in checking this phenomenon of Naira liquidity for over two decades.

Instructively, however, continuous Naira depreciation is evidently the result of the same unyielding surplus Naira which is constantly pitched against rations of dollar auctions in the forex market. This paradigm is clearly a self destructive process which ironically, richly supplements CBN’s ‘ reserves’ while, it regrettably, simultaneously suffocates the money market with unbridled credit surplus, despite the attendant anti people consequences of such Naira liquidity on inflation, consumer demand and cost of funds to the real sector.

of the current open market price of N245/$ for their orders.

Thus, in an odd twist of strategy, if fuel price remains subsidized at N87/litre, the additional provision of cheaper official forex supply to petrol importers, will, surely, further deplete government revenue by almost N100/litre and consolidate revenue leakage of about N2Trillion annually i.e. over 40% of the 2015 federal budget from fuel subsidy.

Conversely, if fuel imports were settled with the open market price of N250/$, indeed, rather than suffer reduction, government revenue would obviously increase by almost N1Trillion or $5bn annually, if fuel price remained unchanged at N87/ litre while crude oil remains stable around $60/barrel.

Clearly, these huge subsidy payments would be rightly decried as a profligate fiscal strategy, when millions of Nigerians live below the poverty threshold of $2/day.

Nevertheless, although the above narrative clearly advises that outright abolition of subsidy would infact be counterproductive if surplus Naira liquidity persists, however, a stronger Naira exchange rate will certainly eliminate subsidy without tears. Instructively, Naira exchange rate will never appreciate with the constant presence of excess Naira liquidity in the commercial banks; however, the allocation of the federation’s dollar derived revenue with dollar certificates will gradually, painlessly and benignly remove subsidy without the usual poisonous distortions to the critical monetary indices that challenge inclusive economic growth and constrain the creation of increasing job opportunities.

Nonetheless, advocates of subsidy removal would clearly be incensed if subsidy payments beyond current budget estimates further increased for whatever reason.

However, the rapidly widening gap of almost N50 between the officially sourced and open market dollar exchange rates may have ‘quietly unnoticed’ doubled the actual subsidy of N50 to almost N100/litre on the existing N87/litre fuel price.

In other words, subsidy payments from the federation account may have risen beyond N4bn from the erstwhile value of N2bn daily.

Consequently, presently, consolidated subsidy estimates (including kerosene) may clearly approach N2Trillion annually.

In a related development, the CBN recently banned access to cheaper official forex to importers of 41 different materials and components.

The objective of the ban was supposedly to protect CBN’s rapidly depleting reserves.

Nevertheless, the choice of items banned from official forex access has aroused sharp controversy; indeed critics contend that since fuel imports account for almost 50% of all forex usage, it is clearly inappropriate that fuel importers were not excluded from sourcing cheaper forex supply from CBN, especially when one of the primary objectives for exclusion was to encourage local production. It is also inexplicable that, while importers of the 41 items on the list are required to source their forex from the open market, other imports, including petrol, would continue to enjoy a cheaper, call it subsidized, Naira exchange rate of N200 instead

SAVE THE NAIRA, SAVE NIGERIANS

Business & Economy Ports Consultative Council calls for repositioning of port industry

By GODWIN ORITSE

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HE Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (PCC) has called for repositioning of the maritime industry, asserting: “Government ought to reengineer the entire sector with a view to making it competitive, productive and provide strategic alliance with other sectors of the economy.”

Disclosing this at a Round table on the maritime sector and the port industry, Chairman of the Council, Otunba Kunle Folarin, stated

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that the challenges that faced the maritime sector in the last two decades have brought about a decline in both operational modes and infrastructures. Folarin also said that the resolutions from the gathering will be presented as a blueprint to President Muhammed Buhari with a view to rescuing and refocusing the sector to a future that will truly transform the nation and fully maximize its economic potential.

He said “In the last ten twenty years, we have seen a gradual deterioration and almost decay.

“What we want to achieve is

to refocus and reposition the industry within the region, Nigeria is the largest country within the West and Central African region.

“We have the largest coast land, the largest economic but we have not been able to achieve the kind of economic growth we so desire”.

On why there was no government presence at the meeting, Otunba Folarin stated the non-involvement of government was deliberate adding that the industry does not want any prejudice in the discussions as the maritime industry knows what it wants.

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—41 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

After US trip, back to pressing matters

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AM interested in President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to the United States last week not because of the over N2 billion allegedly spent or the long retinue of aides that tagged along with the official delegates. I am not interested in whatever controversy arose from the trip or the brick bats in the social media.

If anything, I think he made some points about the war against corruption in which he said even his party chieftains would not be spared. I cannot fault his recap of his manifesto that he would create jobs and check theft. His stand on homosexuality reflects national consensus and our collective culture and sense of morality. He also has a pass mark in the CNN interview with Christiane Amanpour. My question is, was the trip worth it, and at this time?

If I put myself in the shoes of the Americans; how would I assess a visiting President who has no basic government structure in place? A President coming for serious talks who has no Secretary of Government or Ministers who can coordinate the implementation of agreements reached? International politics

follow a lot of protocols and reciprocity; the American Attorney General sits, and she has no counterpart on the visitors side; how can we be taken serious?

Propagandists are running us deaf that the President is quite capable of running Government without Ministers and that he is so strong that he gets briefs from five to six Permanent Secretaries daily. How impressive! If Permanent Secretaries can run ministries, rather than Ministers, who says that the Head of Service will not do, running the country rather than an expensive Presidency?

The Ministers to be appointed will not come from the moon; you can never put together a perfect team. The challenge is to screen nominees, but more importantly, to move decisively against any non-performing Minister or Government official whose conduct is questionable.

I believe that the time spent planning and travelling for the four-day trip, would have been better utilised putting in place an Executive Council. When the President goes abroad to tell Nigerians that they will not have Ministers until September; that is six months after winning

undisputed elections, and four months after being sworn into office, serious concerns of governance arise.

Appointing Ministers is not discretional. The Constitution directs that there shall be Ministers who can be assigned to run any department or business of Government and are charged with “advising the President generally in the discharge of his executive functions.”

Sections 147 to 149 make it illegal for a sole administrator to run the country; rather it directs that there must be, a collective body composed of the President, Vice President and at least thirty six Ministers including the Attorney General of the Federation whose

A man with burning coals on his palm does not tarry for discussions; a time when large parts of the country are being overrun by vicious insurgents who are maiming, killing, kidnapping and laying waste villages and towns including that of the new Army Chief, is not one for the President and Commander-InChief of the Armed Forces to travel

Sylva and Bayelsa politics

By Francis Sagbama

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N sane climes, Chief Timipre Sylva, self- acclaimed opposition leader in Bayelsa State would bury his head in shame for putting Bayelsa, the glory of all lands in reverse gear for about five years. As governor of the littoral state between 2007 and 2012, a period characterised with oil boom, the Sylva administration impoverished the people, underdeveloped the state by plundering its resources and stifled dissent in a manner reminiscent of the Thomas Hobs’ State of Nature. It was against this background that Bayelsans stopped Sylva’s re-election bid in 2012.

But Nigeria is a contradiction where anything goes. Sylva who has been standing trial for multiple corruption charges and who indeed should have long been in jail is now strutting the political landscape with exaggerated swagger, posturing sanctimoniously as a governorship candidate under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). What a country!

I can beat my chest that if Sylva throws his hat into the governorship ring, he will kiss the ground the way he did on March 31 when Ben Bruce trounced him in the Bayelsa East senatorial contest. Already, the mainstream women and youth groups in the state, the clergy and Ijaw elders in Bayelsa have condemned the ambition of Sylva and the gale of defection of some Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) members to APC, many of whom were aides, appointees and associates of Sylva. The groups have consequently led the charge in the re-election of Governor Henry

C M Y K

Dickson. Tagged Operation Retain Dickson in Creek Haven campaign, the groups particularly the elders, clergy, women and youth organisations said they must return Dickson to Government house to prove that there is reward for hard work and selfless service to fatherland.

At separate events, these groups endorsed the re-election of the Countryman Governor. Rising from an emergency meeting in Yenagoa last week, the elders led by the financial expert and political heavy weight, Chief Francis Duokpola cursed the APC and the PDP politicians defecting to the APC, describing them as vultures and a shame to the Ijaw nation. They wondered why a party that controversially wrested power from Dr. Jonathan, an Ijaw icon would be embraced by desperate politicians whom they describe as vultures and self-seeking.

They vowed to stop APC from gaining root in Bayelsa State even as they declared; ‘‘The APC has declared war on the Ijaw nation. Right from the days of our forefathers, the Ijaws have never been conquered and our generation cannot be conquered by APC!’’ Bayelsans are not in a hurry to forget how commissions of enquiries were capriciously set up by Sylva with the sole mandate of indicting his perceived

W are not in a hurry to leave the Promise land and return to Egypt

appointments must be spread across the thirty six states to reflect federal character, promote national unity and command national unity. This body is charged with running the country.

Ministers, although appointed by the President, are actually constitutional watch dogs; the eyes of the citizenry who in interacting with the President, Vice President, and observing them, can declare either of them incapable of discharging the functions of their office. We run the same Presidential system as the Americans, so they know how to assess their visitor beyond diplomatic niceties.

Apart from this, we have the self- afflicted wounds in the National Assembly which is festering, and if not quickly and well handled, can become gangrening requiring amputation. Of course, there are the campaign promises that need to be implemented to ease life for a long suffering populace.

The main reason for the trip I have read about, is the Presidency’s allusion that it was a follow up to the G7 meeting where we were promised support in the fight against Boko Haram.

If there was the need to present America with such a shopping list, does the President need to go on an official trip uprooting so many people including otherwise busy governors and their aides?

Should we not ask ourselves why the same US not only refuses to sell us weapons to fight Boko Haram, but also blocks our efforts to procure them from other countries and sources? It would be quite naïve to think that it was a matter of American hatred for former President Goodluck Jonathan, and that the US would change its mind now that its beloved son in whom it is well pleased is now in power.

opponents on phantom charges with a view to making them unfit for public office. The incumbent governor who was Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General of Bayelsa State under then governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was principal victims of Sylva’s despotism.

In 2008, precisely, less than 10 months after Sylva was elected as governor, he amongst other things, accused his predecessor, Jonathan of approving and releasing the sum of N150million for a Library project to the Ministry of Justice under the watch of Dickson as Commissioner. Sylva claimed that the money was diverted. The truth of the matter however, was that the contract was actually awarded but the money was not released before Jonathan’s government wound up. The certified true copy of the handover note to Sylva which was made public contained this hard fact yet Sylva went ahead to waste public funds on a witchunting mission in the name of a commission of enquiries. As usual, we, Bayelsans knew the facts. We stood behind Jonathan and Dickson. And they triumphed over their adversary while the commission fizzled out even before the Sylva days came to an ignominious end!

Curiously, it was a fact that under Sylva’s watch, corruption walked with two legs untamed. Public funds were frittered and the state was turned into a private estate of a cabal led by Sylva such that only a microscopic few feasted on the collective wealth of Bayelsans. Many of the members of the Sylva-led cabal organised parties to celebrate their leap-frogging to the elite club of billionaires while the people on whose thighs, sovereignty lies, wallowed in abject poverty. In spite of the huge revenues accruing to the state, Bayelsa stagnated for almost five years under Sylva - no serious development in terms of

As for the request for American troops to train the Nigerian military in counter insurgency, have we found out why the Jonathan administration kicked them out in the first place?

There is the issue of the World Bank $2.1 Billion loan to rebuild parts of the country devastated

by Boko Haram. The President and Governors traveling to US is not a prerequisite for negotiating or procuring World Bank loans. Also, I am not sure I understand the hype about this loan which we must pay back with interest even if the terms appear liberal. So, is it really necessary to add to our loan weight and heap the burden of repayment on the future generation? Is it not possible through the proclaimed prudent management of our resources by the change administration to raise the funds necessary for the reconstruction? Are we learning from the pillorying of Greece by its European relatives over loan repayment?

Before President Buhari’s trip, the Boko Haram which had been driven out of virtually all the towns, and pinned down by the Jonathan administration, had once again festered, taking new territories, attacking not just Bornu, but Yobe, Gombe, Plateau and Kaduna States. A man with burning coals on his palm does not tarry for discussions; a time when large parts of the country are being overrun by vicious insurgents who are maiming, killing, kidnapping and laying waste villages and towns including that of the new Army Chief, is not one for the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces to travel. He needed, and needs to be at home to lead the counter attack.

Welcome back, Mr. President, now to pressing matters.

infrastructure and human capital development took place. Yet Sylva took multiple loans which has ploughed the state into indebtedness of about N500billions. Indeed, under Sylva’s stewardship his home, Nembe was inaccessible to motorists until recently when the restoration Governor, Dickson who is from Sagbama came to his rescue.

Today, the same Sylva who is hoping to be governor on the crest of change can now travel by road to Nembe. Before now, he could only access Nembe the water ways. What a shame!

Ongoing projects initiated by the DSP Alamiesiegha and Jonathan administrations were abandoned by Sylva. While public institutions were dilapidated and begging for attention, the Sylva administration used over N10billion monthly to run government house, Yenagoa. No wonder Mr. Mike Igini, former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Cross Rivers State described Bayelsa under Sylva as a failed state.

In the Dickson’s new Bayelsa, transparency and accountability are the bedrock of the restoration government.

Month after month, the governor organises a highly interactive town hall meeting where all the accruals and expenditures of government are laid bare for public scrutiny. People ask the governor questions and he supplies answers. This experiment is the first of its kind in Nigeria and for the first time, the people are very proud to be called Bayelsans. So what has Sylva forgotten in government house? We are not in a hurry to leave the Promise land and return to Egypt, Sylva be warned!

•Mr.Sagbama, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Yenogoa, Bayelsa State.

42—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

A

MERICA has long been regarded as Nigeria’s strategic ally. In fact, Nigeria has essentially been modelled after the USA. When oil boom derailed our economy in the 1970s and 1980s, we set out to transfer the economy to the private sector. We removed government from the business of doing business. Before then in 1979, we had adopted the American presidential system of government. Our pretentions to being a non-aligned nation was effectively jettisoned even before the Soviet Union collapsed and conferred upon the USA, the status of the sole superpower and policeman of the world.

Our attachment to America became much stronger. In addition to being the biggest buyer of our mono-economic product – oil – Nigeria (especially its presidents) wanted to conform to what I describe as the Obasanjo doctrine.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo once said: “It pays to be in the good books of the big man in your neighbourhood.

He can only help you”. Every Nigerian president from 1979 has tended to run to America to see its president and secure “support and assistance”. Since 1999, every president that has led Nigeria made a trip to the US. In fact, Obasanjo visited and received two US presidents – Bill Clinton and George W Bush.

Buhari’s recent visit to the US was in line with this tradition. The trip was even more relevant in view of the perceived roles the US and its Western allies played in the downfall of former President Goodluck Jonathan, which made it possible for Buhari to emerge as the first opposition leader to beat a reelection-seeking incumbent in Africa.

Jonathan’s regime was branded as “corrupt, incompetent” and lacking the capacity to defeat the Boko Haram jihadist terrorists decimating the North East. The regime of Barack Obama had, after pledging to support our effort to eradicate Boko Haram suddenly reneged, accusing our military of nebulous and unsubstantiated “human rights abuses”. They refused to sell us crucial military hardware. At a point, a frustrated President Jonathan disbanded the half-hearted military training programme the US had with us and looked to Russia and the open market for arms to fight Boko Haram.

We made a six-week surge and recaptured 95 per cent of territories under the insurgents’ control just before GEJ had to go.

Buhari’s trip was highly romanticised by officials of both countries, with our president given symbolic high grade reception. His shopping list was simple and directly linked to his cardinal

Buhari’s futile visit to Obama programmes: he wanted Obama to sell to him the military materiel he had denied Jonathan in order to make a short walk of beating Boko Haram. He also went to Obama to break the earthshaking news that over $150 billion was stolen by “high officials” of the Jonathan government, mainly through oil thievery, asking to be assisted in an effort he would soon launch to recover the loot. He also wanted to market our economy to American business to help him create prosperity and jobs.

Obama eagerly pledged to help in recovering the alleged stolen money. He also put Buhari in touch with American business leaders. But to Buhari’s shock, he met a stone wall when it came to the crucial issue of procuring military equipment. Amnesty International (AI) a Western imperialist snooping agent crawling all over the Third world had accused our troops, without valid proof or evidence, of engaging in “human

Obama denied us the military equipment because of our antigay rights law, of which Buhari has reaffirmed to uphold.

That was the only item of demand the US tabled. If Buhari had offered to abrogate the law, the Leahy Amendment would suddenly have dissolved into a very compliant statute

rights violations” in the course of their operations. Obama and his men told Buhari that the Leahy Amendment forbids America selling arms to the military of foreign countries which violate the human rights of its people.

The Northern gang-up It is instructive to note that we, Nigerians, especially Northern leaders and media warriors, might have wittingly or unwittingly played into Obama’s hands to prevent the sale of arms for us to fight Boko Haram. When Jonathan was in power, it was the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Borno Elders Forum, Northern politicians such as former Governor of Adamawa State, retired Admiral Murtala Nyako and Arewa media operatives that drummed up the propaganda of “genocide” against Northerners by the military. They even threatened to drag a former Chief Army Staff, Lt General Azubuike Ihejirika, to the International Criminal Court.

Boko Haram, as if complementing their efforts, also frequently wore fake Nigerian Army uniforms when it captured, slaughtered and dumped their hapless victims in mass graves.

They carefully videoed these atrocities and attributed them to Nigerian troops.

It was these things that Al simply documented and pronounced Nigeria guilty of human rights violations, thus playing into the hands of evil people among us who want Boko Haram to overwhelm Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the same AI bluntly ignored the atrocities being daily perpetrated by Boko Haram, who abduct and rape innocent women and children, rig them up to carry out suicide bombings, attack churches and mosques and kill innocent worshippers, massacre people in their villages, slaughter people like chicken and seize

OPINION That Go ean yi Ok owa ma Govv. If Ifean eanyi Oko mayy succeed

By Prince A. Abugo

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RAYERS for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa are necessary because from experience factors that hinder political leaders are usually around them. Sycophants and political bed bugs equate leaders to immortal gods. This is where decay starts and a people’s leader becomes a prisoner of characters around him. This is what destroys leadership and pollutes societal values. If ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s team were committed, the agony of defeat suffered by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would have been averted. Gratitude is necessary but praise couched in deceit like a Trojan horse, leads to defeat. A leader’s vision is enriched when he is surrounded by the right team.

Every leader needs a good team if he must heal societal ills. Okowa’s aura, vision and commitment must reflect his team because power is attractive.

The recent case of a school certificate holder who stole a medical certificate to get employed in the Federal Ministry of Health undetected for nine years reveals decay. There are many like him in every stratum of our national life.

Many competent hands, with ideas to fertilise growth and development, are roaming the streets while crooks control our destiny.

Many questionable holders of degree certificates can’t read and write yet occupy positions that define our destiny.

Schools are citadel of prostitution and cultism, presided by amoral teachers who extort boys and sleep with young girls; C M Y K

selling of handouts that don’t contribute to knowledge is a rule; the stench is our collective shame. Okowa must step on toes in cleansing the state, for our enemies may not be those who oppose our ways or criticize us but may be those who eat and drink with us daily either as friends or relatives.

The ideas in “s.m.a.r.t” can revamp the state into industrial stable economy: •On strategic wealth creation: This must be driven by commitment because you cannot entrust wealth to a lunatic and expect dividends. Structures to harness the human and material resources are necessary in increasing revenue and depending less on federal allocation. The board of internal revenue must be free from politicisation and greed in order to rake in financial figures that are credible and verifiable.

A career civil servant or person with pedigree can drive this sector; a public servant will not throw away years of toil for uncertainty, unlike a politician whose clandestine interests may negate growth.

Other areas of revenue drive should be consolidated into the revenue board. The present board suffers from flight and revenue leakages, profligacy and lack of dedication.

The commitment is what “we can get rather than what we can give the state”. Revenue is lost as a result of inefficiency while revenue leakages are as a result of indiscipline and non-motivation of staff. Every commercial keke or tricycle operator pays N250 daily while the Okada or motorcyclist pays N100, but these funds end up in mystery hands. Imagine the financial benefits if these collections were consolidated

Nigerian territories to proclaim as part of their chimera of an “Islamic Caliphate”. In fact, Boko Haram was graded as the “most murderous” terror outfit in the world in 2014, and they are likely to retain that ghoulish title in 2015.

Obama is so insensitive to the sufferings of Nigerians. Rather, he has chosen to care for the “human rights” of Boko Haram fighters and their acolytes, hiding under the so-called Leahy Amendment. Already Boko Haram has resumed gaining new territories in Yobe State. That is the power of its resurgence after Jonathan.

As Buhari rightly noted, Obama and his cohorts are applying the Leahy law “unwittingly”. I agree that this was not the way it was intended to be applied. A close examination of the countries where it has been applied: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan, shows they were used to prevent governments from violating the human rights of hapless people under the territories of drug lords, rebels and anarchists. The Leahy law is ultimately meant to help achieve America’s foreign policy objectives, one of which is winning the global war on terror.

It is flexible enough to provide assistance to Nigeria if the Obama regime is actually willing. Obama is an unwilling seller, full stop. Otherwise, he would consider the suffering of innocent citizens and sell the weapons pending the outcome of the investigation that Buhari promised to do. America could even offer to partner with us in that effort.

Obama denied us the military equipment because of our anti-gay rights law, of which Buhari has reaffirmed to uphold. That was the only item of demand the US tabled. If Buhari had offered to abrogate the law, the Leahy Amendment would suddenly have dissolved into a very compliant statute.

America has become like the salt that lots its taste. When salt loses its taste it becomes worthless. America no longer buys our oil. It won’t sell us Panadol for our headache. Buhari must look elsewhere as Jonathan did: go to Russia, China, Israel and other willing, genuine allies.

Most importantly, we must look inwards. Buhari must stop moving in the direction of nepotism and party-ism and bring all Nigerians on board. Unite us; bring out the best in us. Let Northern Muslims do away with their secret support for Boko Haram and the nonsense will become history. Unless this happens, even if America gives us their sophisticated weapons they will end up in Boko Haram hands, and that will be nunc dimitis for Nigeria.

under the internal revenue board. The state government can rely on property tax, especially buildings used for commercial purposes in our urban cities. * For political and social harmony, each community would take part in decision making, implementation and conclusion of projects. This creates a sense of belonging and seeing the projects as theirs in order to protect them.

Community development can be achieved through conflict management, especially with constant engagements of change agents. This is necessary in oil producing communities to sustain growth and development. *On Agricultural reforms, commitment is needed because it is better to have committed uneducated persons who are dedicated than having a professor with all technical knowledge yet corrupt and uncommitted. Okowa should resuscitate the old Isoko and Warri farms establish others. * On health and education: these sectors are in shambles.

The rich who seek medical treatment abroad and send their children abroad to study may not understand the predicament of the masses. The rot is grave that teachers have turned schools into markets and brothels where they sell and exploit girls. Health institutions are clone mortuaries, avoided for traditional healers. These sectors must be resuscitated. * On environment through Urban renewal: the state government should carry the local governments on same page, on holistic ideas not cosmetic; our cities must be rid of filth and cleanliness made part of our life.

•Prince Abugo writes from Uzere, Delta State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—43

Scientists fault WHO case definition on Ebola — Say it cannot differentiate EVD from malaria or typhoid

By Sola Ogundipe

B

RITISH and Sierra Leonean researchers have called to question the norms set down by the World Health Organisation,WHO, on Ebola case definition after they established that it has a specificity of 31.5 percent, and that at least 9 percent of people that develop the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, could be false negatives because they neither exhibited fever symptoms nor report any Ebola risk exposure.

In a large study published last week in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, the researchers analysed data on 850 suspected and 724 lab-confirmed Ebola patients who presented to the holding unit of Connaught Hospital in Freetown from May 29 to Dec 8, 2014.

From their findings, they established that 83 percent of the patients reported fever or history of fever, 68 percent reported intense fatigue or weakness, 50 percent reported vomiting or nausea and 41 percent reported diarrhoea as the most common presenting symptoms in suspected cases.

False negatives Based on data from these patients, the investigators found the sensitivity of the WHO case definition to be 79.7 percent, which means about 20 percent of true Ebola cases would be missed (false-negatives).

They found the specificity of the case definition to be 31.5 percent,, which means 68.5 percent, of patients who would be selected for admission would not actually have EVD (false-positives).

In a subgroup analysis, 15 (9 percent,) of 161 lab-confirmed Ebola patients reported neither a history of fever nor a risk factor for Ebola exposure.

The team also found that including these conditions increased the accuracy of the case definition: intense fatigue, confusion, con-

The existing WHO case definition has insufficient sensitivity to identify all cases of EVD

Scientists heal broken bones with cannabis

I

• SCREENING FOR EBOLA: Scientists say the current WHO case definition is not specific enough. junctivitis, hiccups, diarrhoea, or vomiting. A combination of three or more of any these symptoms tripled the odds of a confirmed Ebola diagnosis by yielding a sensitivity of 58 percent, and specificity of 71 percent,.

In a commentary, the researchers said: “The finding that 9 per-

cent, of EVD cases had no fever or history of fever and no risk factor for exposure to the virus shows that existing case definitions that typically include criteria, such as the existing WHO case definition, have insufficient sensitivity to identify all cases of EVD." Further, the researchers say ex-

isting clinical criteria cannot discriminate Ebola from diseases like malaria and typhoid fever.

"A highly specific Ebola Virus Disease screening algorithm could reduce the risk of patientto-patient transmission within holding units, which is a major clinical concern."

SRAELI researchers from the Tel Aviv University say a curative component in cannabis, called cannabidiol can enhance the healing process of fractured bones according to a publication in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

They found that cannabidiol, a non-psychotropic but psychoactive component of cannabis, was sufficiently effective in enhancing fracture healing. It sped up healing processes in broken leg bones of trial rats with mid-femoral fractures.

Although they say a lot of work remains to be done to develop appropriate human therapies, the scientists are optimistic of a clinical therapy objective from the psychoactivity of cannabis.

Medical cannabis provides bone tissue with mineralisation, that hardens the bone and makes it harder to break in the future.

Cannabis, also called marijuana. has been linked to effective treatment of epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson ‘s diseases. It is also used to soften the negative effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients, treat chronic pain, and help people struggling with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Pharmacists’ Council, GSK confront counterfeiting

By Chioma Obinna & Jennifer Aladetan

I

N the bid to tackle the menace of counterfeit and poor-quality medicines in the country, GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc in collaboration with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN, have taken the campaign against counterfeit drugs to the Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association of Nigeria, LSMDA in Lagos.

The campaign, organised under GSK’s Project Plus is aimed at fighting product counterfeiting and also to ensure that Nigerians at the grassroots have access to original drug products.

Speaking at the annual training programme for Patent Medicine Dealers and Patent Medicine Sellers in Nigeria, the Managing Director, GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Dayanand Thandalam Sriram, said the engagement became necessary out of the need to constantly obtain feedback.

“All GSK products are backed by research and science hence the more they understand this science the better they can attend to consumer needs adequately.

“If Nigerians can tackle prod-

uct counterfeiting, it will reduce the high death rate associated with administration of fake medications,” he stated.

Speaking, President, LSMDA, Kewiwson Emeka Opara, lamented the extent at which Nigerians abuse pain – killers and other over –the- counter drugs.

He said many people venture into medicine vending just for the profit with no consideration for people’s health.

The Marketing Manager, Wellness, GSK, Mr. Ogbemi Kesiena said the tripartite partnership was designed to add value to the practice of the Patent

Medicine Sellers and Vendors nationwide. “As responsible partners, we need to ensure the right things are done in terms of laws and regulations that govern the use of these drugs in Nigeria, hence the need for a programme like this to enable us educate and enlighten them,” he added.

• CAMPAIGN: From left-Chief Pharmacist, Inspection and Monitoring, PCN, Dr. Taiwo Filusi; MD, GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Dayanand Thandalam Sriram; President, LSMDA, Chief Kewiwson Emeka Opara; Director, Lagos Zonal Office, PCN, Pharm.

Augustine Ezeugwu, Marketing Manager Wellness, Mr. Ogbemi Kesiena and Engagement and Communications Manager, Bolaji Sanyaolu both of GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, at the GSK Consumer Healthcare Nigeria partnership with the PCN in Lagos recently.

44 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CANCER; Here is a day when things are meant to go according to your plans and record success. Yong-atheart may be in for a romantic day. You just have to take the initiative.

LEO; This is your day; although there will be some challenges within your base of operation, eventual success will be yours. Be more family minded.

VIRGO; Even if friends have failed to live up to expectation in the recent days you will need to leave the past behind you and forge ahead. Lovers are fairly favoured.

LIBRA; Recent challenges notwithstanding pleasant surprises are possible. The more financially ambitious you are today the better for your cause.

SCORPIO; Better opportunities indicated for those of you willing to be as self assertive as possible, and it could turn out to be a happy day to be remembered by real lovers.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Need a friend?

E RY O N E E Vneeds a

friend. However, not everyone wants to do what could bring about the much desired friendship.

Friendship is a

deliberate and curteous act aimed at making the other man or woman to like yoiu. Do you want a friend?

TERROR MUDA

Then, be friendly disposed to other people. Today, one of my my closest friends is someone I met at the bible college. I

in “Never say goodbye”

was sitting in one corner of the room when he accosted me, asking: Can I shine youir shoe?

And I quickly answered: Yes, you can. Tell me, who wouldn’t reciprocate such a friendly gesture?

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS; Although you will need to keep your secrets for the next few days that is not to say you should not pursue your financial interest. Take care of your health.

CAPRICORN; Don’t wait till tomorrow before you make an important move because good luck and success are closer to you today than you image. Be hopeful.

AQUARIUS; Tomorrow will prove more rewarding financially but you will have good opportunity to do things rightly within your working arena. Be loving.

PISCES; Some of you who are travelling purposely for love are in for rewarding day. All of you will need to take your social life more seriously.

ARIES; Professional advice may be needed over your finances but if you are sure of what you are doing you can go ahead. Be more family minded;

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS; Unusual co-operation may come your way today but if you are carried away by this the whole thing may change tomorrow. Respect your spouse.

GEMINI; Better than yesterday. Happenings within your working arena will not give you cause to worry but situation may change tomorrow. Your finance are favoured.

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,

What’s my birthday ruler?

According to the date I was born I should be a Libran by my star but most of the time when I read horoscopes written by both yourself and foreign Astrologers Scorpio always applicable to me, why?

Kindly tell me how the planets lined up when I was born and the day of the week I was born but don’t publish my date of birth.

Segun, Otta.

Dear Segun.

You were born on a Sunday meaning that mighty Sun rules your birthday. You were wrong to have taken Libra as your Sun sign because the Sun was placed in early degree of Scorpio together with many other heavenly bodies. Then with the Moon in Libra when you were born will equally be influential in your characteristics build up but, you are mainly a Scorpio born person.

You are both an intelligent and emotional person.

And as there was no planet at home when you were born, too many ideas will always struggle for prominent place in your mind, thus decision making is difficult but most times, your intelligence comes to the rescue.

Certainly, you appear to other as a gentle person who can be mistaken for soft fellow but your innerself is the personality with a steel like will power.

You are the consistent type who may find it difficult to change once you have made up your mind as indicated by distribution of the planets as written out in paragraph two of this exercise.

One major challenge you have been battling for a very long time is constant worries, some times, necessarily and the other time, uncalled for, as indicated by conjunction Mercury and Saturn formed when you were born.

Placement of your natal Sun (basic self head) and Moon (your sub-conscious self) in Scorpio and Libra respectively are indications of your being mainly Scorpio born person and partly in Libran. And that is to say basic characteristics of both Scorpio and Libra are highly pronounced in you.

Then, you are spiritually gifted; if you don’t develop it is another thing.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—45

Greece & Nigeria: A tale of two bailouts

By Magnus Onyibe

A

S it so often happens, the best hope for answers to thorny issues is by relying on history. To that effect, I would like to turn to the Greece financial quagmire, her negotiation for a bailout by the eurozone authorities which has been very intense, if not controversial,and incidentally has a parallel to the recent situation where some financially insolvent states in Nigeria have requested for and received approval by president Buhari for a similar financial bailout.

The Greece experience, to some extent differs from the situation in Nigeria because, while it’s the states that are requesting for bailout from the the Federal Government from the financial mess in which they are embroiled and reflected in their inability to pay workers salaries, (up to 16 months backlog in some states) it is unlike the Greeks that are seeking bailout to avoid being declared bankrupt by the World Bank and Eurozone authority which is a regional supra government of sorts.

Technically, both debt situations are similar because they are cases

MAGNUS ONYIBE of insolvency to be resolved through fresh injection of cash into the economy. Greece banks have now been shut down with only a window of equivalent of maximum $60 per day allowable for withdrawal via ATM just as approximately 26 Nigerian states which have been unable to meet salary obligations to civil and public servants require fresh funds. For Greece to remain part of the 19 nations Eurozone, there are basic economic standards that it must exhibit and conform with.

One of the requirements entails yielding of sovereignty over how she manages her financial affairs to the zone’s authorities comprising European Commission Bank, ECB and European Comission Group, etc.

Greece, which is the cradle of democracy, if you recall the historical antecedents of Athens, the capital of Greece in the evolution of democracy and centre of civilization,has twice sought for bailouts in the past C M Y K

hence it’s having a tough time convincing the major creditors led by Germany and France for a third bailout.

With a whooping debt profile of some $96 billion dollars, Greece needs to first of all, cough out Greece between $7 to $10 billion to the ECB to get her economy cranking again. To qualify for the loan, Eurozone leaders are demanding that Greece meets up with some severe conditions which include far reaching reforms in the economy such as privatization of public assets, Value Added Tax, VAT and Pension tax amongst others to be enacted into law by Greece parliament before drawing down on the funds to be escrowed and co-managed by the ECB.

Austerity measures Compliance with the reforms recommended by Eurozone authorities entails application of austerity measures which most Greeks loathe and which government has been flouting hence the economy has further sunk into deeper financial debt burden after two previous bailouts in the past five years. If the parties had not got to a yes agreement, the alternative would have been to get Greece forced out of eurozone for possible reentry only after the next five years when that country might have got her financial act together. Perhaps the tough stance by the ECB and the European Commission is derived from having been disappointed by two previous failures by Greece to turn her economy around after bailouts but it is a lesson that Nigerian authorities must learn with respect to the huge sum ($2.1b from NLNG and Shell plus N250300bn from CBN) that President Muhamadu Buhari has recently approved for disbursement to the debt laden states without the necessary tough conditionality similar to the type imposed on Greece by the Eurozone authorities.

Of course I’m not by any means suggesting that the Federal Government bailout should be a poisoned chalice or that state governors should be put in a financial strait jacket but I’m of the view that the benefiting state govts should be put under watch by professional fund managers as guaranty for accountability and recoupment of the facility.

Although the 26 or more Nigerian

Nigeria states may not be third time bailout seekers like Greece, but must we wait for them to default three times like Greece before strict conditions are applied to ensure that they don’t fall back into similar debt trap that Greece is President Muhammadu Buhari entangled with after they receive the first DMO already mandated to bailout? While not assailing the renegotiate the estimated N660 decision to bailout the states as billion naira states debt to Deposit the initiative is bound to reflate Money Banks, DMBs and CBN the already sluggish economy, directed to raise another N250especially at the micro level, some 300 billon soft loans to the states of us are of the view that could have been joined by any of President Buhari might have the reputable international extended the hand of support to financial consulting firms like the ailing states without the Pricewaterhouse Coopers, required strict repayment plans Ernst&Young,KPMG and other (especially with respect to the local Nigerian financial outfits to N250-300 CBN loan) tough hammer out a sustainable debt enough to discourage the repayment framework that would governor ’s,like the mythical help the states pay backlog of Oliver Twist, from coming back for salaries and at the same more. time,restart growth.

Ideally, in the absence of a cabinet or an economic council ,a Repayment simple approach would have been for mr president to invite framework banks to negotiate the bailout with Amongst other benefits, in the the states on terms similar to what course of negotiating the the International Monetary Fund, bailout,the areas of profligacy by IMF or ECB would demand. the bankrupt states would have After coming to an agreement to grant the soft loan the federal been identified with a view to govt could have provided the plugging the suspected guaranty to the banks by gapping holes through which depositing the $2.1 billion NLNG finances have been leaking.

As it now stands,that and Shell tax revenue plus CBN opportunity might have slipped #250-300b with the banks as as Nigerians and policy makers guaranty. may not have the opportunity of The Debt Management Office, highlighting and proffering solutions to the apparent squandering of public funds by some of those entrusted with its It is the husbandry, if the fraud allegations corruption in being leveled against some ex governors currently being subsidy arraigned by anti graft agencyapplication that EFCC is anything to go by.

Understandably, most has exerted the governors are not trained most economists or accountants so the tendency to be indisciplined or excruciating and imprudent in funds management painful drain on is high and it is not helped by the public funds pressure to implement the lofty programs and policies promised

during electioneering campaigns. On a brighter note, it is however encouraging and commendable that in some instances,what has led to the debt trap in some states is cost over run spurred by the desire to roll out more infrastructure by some governors .The foregoing assertion is derived to the fact that to a large extent ,it is aggressive and frantic efforts by governors to implement visible projects that would benefit the populace in order to generate votes in order to guaranty their reelection to office (as opposed to the previous penchant for frittering away the state resources with the plan to bribe electoral bodies and tribunals for re-election) that is now the prime motivator for the massive deployment of financial resources that has put some states in financial dire straits.

Financial dire straits This is in light of the belief that it has become impracticable to rig elections, (with the current improvements in voters awareness and voting methods) and, therefore, much easier to provide the so called dividends of democracy and get legitimately rewarded by the electorate with their votes.

As a testimony, in some states, modern school buildings, laboratories ,hospitals,dual carriage roads and sometimes over head bridges as well as futuristic stadiums are springing up and standing as visible evidence of the collective Standing Payment Orders, SPOs with the banks, totaling about (#660b) that they have more or less tied their monthly federal allocations used aa collateral for the borrowed funds.

By doling out bailout money in excess of four hundred (N400b) billion naira so fast and without being subjected to stringent financial scrutiny, the federal government might have also lost the opportunity of using the debt owed by states to civil and public servants as bargaining chips in negotiating with Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in the event that it chooses to end the fuel subsidy and possibly sale of public refineries.

Undeniably, it is the corruption in subsidy application that has exerted the most excruciating and painful drain on public funds that some analyst estimates to be in excess of $3 billion annually, however NLC would typically resist any attempt to remove fuel subsidy or sell off the refineries as they did in 2010 when late president Umaru Yar’adua first removed subsidy and was forced to increase minimum wage which ballooned national wage bills.

•Onyibe, a former commissioner in Delta State, development strategist, futurologist and alumnus of Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy wrote from Abuja.

46—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Vanguard CLASSIFIED

FORUM: From left, CEO, Channels Oil & Petroleum, Ebi Timitimi; Bayelsa Commissioner for Trade, lndustry & lnvestment, Kemela Okara; President, South-East/South-South Professionals of Nigeria, Emeka UgwuOju, and CEO, Eresoft Ltd, Ebikekeme Ere, at the Bayelsa State 2nd lnvestment & Economic Forum, in Lagos.

N3M ROBBERY: Police vow

to track down suspects

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—ENUGU State Police Command has vowed to unmask suspects, behind the robbery of N3 million on July 24, allegedly meant for the payment of Oji-River Local Government Area staff salaries and allowances.

One Chukwuani Valentine, who claimed to be a member of staff of the council area had gone to a new generation bank located at Rangers Avenue, withdrew the money and was allegedly attacked by four armed men on Lagos Street axis, dispossessing him of the money.

According to police source at Ogui Road Division handling the investigation, the suspect was yet to convince the police that salaries and allowances of council staff were paid by cash instead of an online transaction.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident in a statement to newsmen, wondered why such a huge sum of money will be left in the hands of an individual, adding that the police had written a letter to the bank, requesting for CCTV footage to analyze circumstances surrounding the alleged robbery.

The statement read: "The suspect claimed he split the money into two and placed them differently inside his personal car and drove off after the withdrawal.

He alleged that it was at Lagos Street within Ogui axis,that a Toyota car, green in colour, blocked him and four armed men sprang with guns, ordering him to give them the money.

“According to him, he released the first bag to them and they insisted that one other bag was left and threatened to shoot him before it was finally

given to them and they disappeared.

“Chukwuani is yet to give a convincing reason on why he went alone to withdraw such a huge sum and why the option of paying salaries and allowances by hand is still applicable, contrary to their system of paying through the bank,” Amaraizu said.

Union urges Obiano to settle N2.7bn workers' pay

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

W K A — PARASTATAL workers in Anambra State under the aegis of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Technical and Recreational Services, AUPCTRE, has given Governor Willie Obiano 14 days ultimatum to start the payment of their emoluments amounting to N2.75 billion and recall their sacked members, or be prepared for a showdown.

According to the union, the state government was owing staff of Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency, ANSEPA, N300 million, staff of Water Corporation N2.3 billion and workers of the Marketing Board, N150 million, all of which accumulated between 2002 and July 2015.

In a communiqué issued after a meeting in Awka, the workers specifically urged the governor to recall

sacked staff of ANSIPA, whose appointments were terminated by the state government with unpaid salary arrears from January, 2012 to July, 2015.

The communiqué, which was signed by Mr. Sure Okafor, state chairman of AUPCTRE and Mr. Emma Anyadufu, state secretary, among others, further demanded the absorption of workers of Volunteer Service Agency, VSA, into the core ministries and the promotion/advancement of the workers, which had not been implemented in the past 20 years.

It recalled all the efforts made to see the governor with a view to resolving the issues without success, warning that they would no longer continue to die in silence.

The union urged the state government to respond positively within 14 days; otherwise it would be compelled to liaise with the national leadership of AUPCTRE to explore the legitimate means to help the workers get justice.

OBOZUWA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obozuwa Omosi Victoria, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Victoria Omosi Amuka Pemu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

FAGBAMIYE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Fagbamiye Adeola Favour, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwachukwu Adeola Favour. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

A G B E B O AY E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Agbeboaye Angela Ehinomen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Abumere Angela Ehinomen. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANYIKAMBA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anyikamba Theresa Tina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ndubuisi Theresa Tina. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EDI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Tina Alero Edi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Tina Alero Odey. All for mer documents remain valid. General public please take note.

DAMIJO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Loveth Damijo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Imaghodor Loveth. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ARU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aru Akpos Akpoyinrinma-Ere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akpos Ebiarede. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OJOBOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojobor Rita Oghogho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunobi Rita . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

DAKAR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Dakar SeleEgberi Bridget, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Tennade Sele-Egberi Bridget . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EZE—I, formerly known and addressed as Eze Elias Ozoemena, now wish to be known and addressed as Ezebube Elias Ozoemena. All former documents remain valid. General please take note.

OLOJOBA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olojoba Jennifer, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jennifer Brown Sunday. All former documents remain valid. UNIPORT, NYSC and general public please take note.

AKUJOBI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss C h i e n y e n w a Ahuruoleju Akujobi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. C h i e n y e n w a Idongesit Udofia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EFU—I, formerly known and addressed as Dennis Orjime Efu, now wish to be known and addressed as Opulani Peter Efu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AKINLABI—I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Ogechukwu Vivian Akinlabi, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Ogechukwu Vivian Okonkwo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGBEREAJEGHRE—I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Ogbereajeghre Odiri Patience, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Onokoko Odiri Patience. All former documents remain valid.

Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun and general public please take note.

IDEMILI—We, formerly known and addressed as the family of Sir Kenneth Ikechukwu Idemili, now wish to change our surname from Idemili to Ikechukwu. I Ikechukwu Hope Ozioma and my children; Ikechukwu Obiora Ikechukwu, Ikechukwu Ozioma Ebere, Ikechukwu Chukwubuikem Ugochukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Ikechukwu as surname.

All former documents and certificates bearing Idemili as surname remain valid. General public please take note.

MBA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mary Samuel Mba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mary Kingsley Ekezie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGWOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Agwor Dennis Azubuike, now wish to be known and addressed as Lawrence Dennis Azubuike. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

FOR ENQUIRIES CALL ADVERT HOTLINE:

N WA N KW O — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Amaka Nwankwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edith Madu. All former documents remain valid. Institute of Management and Technology [IMT], NYSC and general public please take note.

01- 4544821

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—47

‘Pneumonia kills 195,000 Nigerian children annually’

By Agaju Madugba

K AWANKERE FESTIVAL: From left— Chief E. F. Esisi, Ogieboro of Okere; Chief Ayirimi Emami; Chief P. E. B. Uku; Chief V. T. Uku, Head of MTN delegation; Mr. Joseph Owoeye and others, during the grand finale of the 518th Awankere festival in Warri, Delta State.

We’ve no evil plan against Lalong — Council chairs

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

J

OS—DESPITE their “illegal” dissolution, embattled local government councils’ chairmen in Plateau State have said they had no evil intentions against the state governor, Simon Lalong.

The council bosses said they would rather pray for the governor to succeed in administering the state.

Caleb Mutfwang, Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area and State Secretary of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, who spoke for his colleagues, stated that the success of the governor in governance would guarantee a better life for the people of the state.

Mutfwang, who spoke during a thanksgiving service organised in his honour at COCIN LCC, Ampang West, Mangu Local Government Area of the state, said the word of God had instructed Christians to pray for leaders in authority, adding that they would, as council chairmen, continue pray for the governor to succeed for the betterment of the state.

He said: “The word of God has instructed us in his Holy Book to pray for those in authority and we will continue to pray for Governor Lalong to succeed as the leader of the state.”

15 killed, 47 injured in fresh Damaturu market blast

By Bala Ajiya & Ndahi Marama

D

AMATURU—NO fewer than 15 persons were killed yesterday morning in Yobe State as a female suicide bomber detonated an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, at Damaturu market, while 47 others were severely injured.

The incident took place at about 9:30a.m., just before business peak period.

Reports indicated that the explosion was caused by a suspected female suicide bomber, who was about 20 years old.

Sources said the death toll may rise, following the severe injuries inflicted on the people at the scene of the incident.

An eyewitness, who did not want his name mentioned for security reasons, said he counted 15 dead bodies at the scene, while unspecified number of persons were wounded before they were conveyed to hospital for treatment.

Reports said the female suicide bomber detonated the bomb at the entrance of the Sunday market, near sugar cane sellers in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

“A girl of around 20 blew herself up at the entrance of Sunday Market in Damaturu, near sugar cane and chicken sellers,” said Mallam Samaila Audu, who witnessed the blast.

Spotted, shot

A trader, Bukar Saliu, said another intending female suicide bomber, who managed to make her way into the market before she was spotted by local vigilante, had to be shot

z2 suicide bombers disarmed z... as Gaidam condemns attack before she confessed that there were three of them on a mission to cause multiple blasts.

Saliu said: “The woman, who was injured by the gunshot, later confessed to the security operatives that they were three sent by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

“The woman confessed that their third colleague was asked to take her explosives to the hospital with the intention of detonating them when people gather to see the expected casualties from the market bombings.

“When the security people rushed to the hospital, they were able to identify the woman and disarm her.”

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the North East of the country had been repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram extremists.

The atrocity came a week after some suicide bombers, including a woman, attacked a police checkpoint near the city, living three policemen and the suicide bombers dead.

Police report

A police officer at the scene of the blast, said he counted 12 bodies shortly after the attack, but that the toll later rose to 15.

The Police Public Relations Officer of Yobe State command, ASP Toyin Gbadegesin, who confirmed the incident, said a female suicide bomber of about 10 years old detonated an

Improvised Explosive Devices, IED, at the main entrance of the market.

Gbadegesin, who confirmed that the incident occurred Sunday around 9:30 in the morning, said at the moment 15 people were killed, while 47 others were receiving treatment at the Sani Abacha Specialists Hospital, Damaturu.

Recovered

He said five units of undetonated IED were recovered from the scene of the blast and cautioned people to be careful with people carrying bags.

According to him, the militants have resorted to using bags in conveying their explosive devices.

At the scene of the blast, Vanguard learned that there was high security presence, while a combined rescue team of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Red Cross, among other volunteers, were on ground to evacuate the dead and take the injured to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State has condemned the blast, describing it as callous, barbaric and unjustifiable.

He, therefore, called on security agencies in the state to step up surveillance and urged the people to remain very vigilant about happenings in their areas and report any suspicious persons or movements to the nearest security point.

ADUNA—THE Director of Projects, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria-Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health, PSNPACFaH, Remi Adeseun, has said pneumonia claims the lives of about 195,000 children annually, while about 124,000 others die of diarrhoea.

Speaking, yesterday, at a dialogue and media roundtable with key stakeholders in Kaduna, Adeseun described pneumonia and diarrhoea as silent child killer diseases that had yet to received the necessary attention.

Quoting a recent World Health Organisation, WHO, statement, Adeseun said pneumonia alone was the biggest killer of under-five children worldwide, noting that various intervention initiatives had been able to reduce pneumonia mortality from four million in 1981 to just over one million in 2014.

“The disease still accounts for nearly one fifth of childhood deaths worldwide,” Adeseun said.

He explained that the roundtable was designed to sensitise pharmacists and media practitioners on the overview of WHO’s new treatment guideline for children under five years suffering from pneumonia and diarrhoea.

He said: “The most suitable formulation for children is dispensable Isamoxicillin and the dosage is based on the child’s weight and because of the risk associated with under or over dosing, it is crucial that paediatrics formulation have flexibility dose for adjustment and that is the reason for the dialogue.

“Nurses, doctors and pharmacists from across Kaduna State have come together to deliberate on how we can improve the health status, especially that of Kaduna’s children.”

48—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

How Tinubu lured five govs out of PDP — TONY MOMOH •How I stopped Buhari from quitting politics •APC was lucky David Mark didn’t emerge as Senate President FORMER Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh in this interview speaks among others on the import of President Mohammadu Buhari’s visit to the United States of America and the deals high-wire politicking that landed the All Progressives Congress at the presidency.

By Bashir Adefaka

W

HAT do you think Nigeria stands to gain from President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the United States of America?

Nigeria is looking up to the world in securing and stabilising the country through development. That is one of the things President Buhari’s visit will achieve for Nigeria.

Being in the US with President Barack Obama, Nigerians have been able to discover that Buhari is not stubborn and rigid but simply a man with disciplined mind and a high sense of putting things in proper shape.

With that visit, America will assist Nigeria. Americans knew about the thefts that we are talking about. They knew about them before now but they were unwilling to relate to Nigeria because, apparently they knew more than us. They knew about the indiscipline and corruption in the land but, Buhari is ready to fight corruption because he never indulged in corrupt practices.

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Jonathan’s people are seeing it as witch-hunting.

What about that?

Are you saying that what these people are alleged to have done that they did not do them? If the rules are there and then Buhari says, 'follow the rules,' is that witch-hunting?

Many have been complaining that the Buhari administration is slow. When you hear complaints like that, how do you feel?

People cannot say that the government is slow or not working because, even without the ministers, the permanent secretaries have shown that the civil servants are the major officers concerned with the business of government. They have really been performing since Buhari became President.

President Buhari is a man that I have been with since 2003. I was the head of his campaign organisation in 2003,

Corrupt practices So, the visit to the US has provided diverse opportunities for Nigeria to achieve stability and development.

Are you in support of plans to probe ex-ministers over alleged oil theft?

President Buhari is not going to investigate and is not going to set up any commission of enquiry. He will allow the security agencies to do their work and they are already doing that. Is it not because the security agencies are doing their work that these revelations about oil theft and missing funds are becoming known? The security agencies should be allowed to do their work. Nigerians should be ready for the cleansing job that is going to take place.

But in doing what you regard as cleansing, the

C M Y K

•Momoh: I have confidence in Buhari

I have confidence in Buhari and I believe strongly that he has all it takes to achieve all those things that you have listed. He is the only elected President of Nigeria that started by wanting to become President

2007 and chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) where he contested again for presidency in 2011. I know him so well that he is never a push over.

He does his own things at his own pace. So, he doesn’t bother about detractors.

Smooth performance Don’t forget that Nigerians will not ask those detractors who are complaining about not appointing ministers. Buhari needs to carefully prepare the ground for smooth

performance. Nigerians should be patient. They will be proud that Buhari is their President.

He came in 1984 and this is 2015. He needs to understudy things properly. He is trying to secure the ground and then fight the enemy of good governance which is corruption. It is only then that he can appoint ministers.

How confident are you that Buhari will fight corruption, insecurity and still have his feet on the ground to handle other functions of government?

I have confidence in Buhari and I believe strongly that he

has all it takes to achieve all those things that you have listed. He is the only elected President of Nigeria that started by wanting to become President.

In 1960, Sir Tafawa Balewa was made Prime Minister. His ambition was to become a broadcaster. In 1979, Alhaji Shehu Shagari became President. He had wanted to be a senator.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was made President in 1999.

He was in prison and his thought was to be free and not

Continues on page 49

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015—49

their favour. There is no problem with what happened in the Senate and House of Representatives because we cannot say because Saraki emerged as Senate President that he is PDP or that because Dogara emerged as Speaker of the House he is a PDP person.

On Ekweremadu The House voted in Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President. We thank God that David Mark did not emerge the Senate President because they would have said that it is constitutional.

We should give kudos to Tinubu because of his role in the influence that brought the PDP governors into APC. He wooed Saraki and Atiku and he knew how he went into the PDP and played all those games. I would tell you that two politicians that should be respected most in Nigeria today are Tinubu and Bisi Akande.

But I will also blame Tinubu for the crisis because having brought Saraki, Atiku and the five governors, you should know that it is not proper to think that Saraki, Dogara, Atiku, Kwankwaso will ever still be thinking of being PDP in APC. No. None of them is PDP any longer and they will ever remain APC. So, they should be so treated. What we owe Nigerians is delivery on our change mandate.

Change mandate •Momoh

APC was lucky David Mark didn’t emerge as Senate President — MOMOH Continues from page 48 to die in prison.

In 2007, Yar’ Adua was made President by those who chose him. He had wanted to finish his eight-year term as governor of Katsina State and thereafter return peacefully to his job as lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was very comfortable with his job as governor of Bayelsa State.

But he was brought to Abuja first as Vice President and later as President. None of them ever thought of being President.

But when you talk of somebody who started out by really wanting to be President, it is President Buhari. Some people had put a book together and the book was titled, “Project Nigeria.” In the book, they had spelt out how they C M Y K

wanted to rebuild and develop Nigeria. They gave it to Buhari to look at and when he looked at it, he made some jottings out of the book and then made up his mind about it. It was put together by a group of Northerners, who are very intelligent.

Meanwhile, President Buhari had always said that he was feeling sad seeing little children selling pure water and running around in the streets at a time they should be in school.

Interest in politics All these put together motivated him into developing interest in politics. He had the vision to change the existing lifestyle of Nigerians particularly the little children.

And because he is the only one

who is in politics to become President, he contested 2003, he didn’t make it.

He contested 2007 and in 2011 when he couldn’t make it, he said, “ Nigerians have opportunity for their lives to be made better but they lost it.”

And he was about quitting but I said to him, “don’t stop. You will wait for your time and the time will come.”

On Tinubu That is why we can never underrate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the success that we achieved in the 2015 election that produced this government. Tinubu is an excellent crowd mobilizer, very highly proactive and exceptionally digital politician.

He was the one who knew how he wooed the five governors of the New PDP and brought them into the APC. You cannot underrate Tinubu’s contribution to the success of

the emergence of this government.

I only pity the PDP who are thinking that the so called crisis in the National Assembly is to

The House voted in a Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President. We thank God that David Mark did not emerge the Senate President because they would have said that it is constitutional

APC was just lucky to be the vehicle used to drive the change because, even without the APC, the Nigerian people would still have overrun the system and achieve the change by themselves. I congratulate the APC for being lucky to be the vehicle for driving the change. It is sad that the debt Jonathan plunged us into as a nation will take a long period to repay.

On planned probe of Jonathan’s government If anybody had done anything bad in the past, it is the business of the security agencies to investigate.

President Buhari won’t be the one to do that. He believes that the security agencies should know what to do to anybody, who has committed a crime, be it financial or whatever.

So, the security agencies should not wait until the President tells them to go after such a person because Buhari will not ask any security agent to do so. He believes that the constitution has stated clearly the roles of security agencies.

If they now see an offender, who committed a crime and fail to handle such a person according to the law, then the law enforcement agents should be blamed.

50 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Greek PM under pressure over plans to hack Central Bank

S

Obama renews effort to close GITMO Bay P

RESIDENT Obama’s top counterterrorism advisor said today the White House is about to launch a new effort to shut down the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, citing escalating costs that is forcing the U.S. government to spend $3 million a year to house and care each of the 116 remaining detainees.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Conference, deputy national security advisor Lisa Monaco said the White House is drafting a plan to close the prison that it will present shortly to Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Among its details: stepping up transfers of 52 detainees who have been deemed eligible for release to other countries, while moving the rest to Supermax prisons in the United States or to military

prisons where they will be tried before military commissions.

“That doesn’t mean just unlocking the door and have somebody go willynilly to another country,”

Monaco said about the planned transfer of detainees to overseas countries. “It means a painstaking establishment of security protocols that would govern the transfer

of that individual.

“Let’s look at this,” Monaco added. “Why hand over this albatross to the president’s successor?”

Brazil’s economy plunges B

AD news piled up for Brazil’s economy, with the real plunging to its lowest level against the dollar in 12 years and analysts warning the home of samba will need years to recover its economic rhythm.

For President Dilma Rousseff, weakened by government approval ratings of just 7.7 percent, things appear to be falling apart.

Friday’s tumble of the national currency to 3.34 to the dollar followed Thursday ’s news of unemployment rising in June for a sixth month, while annual inflation has

•President Dilma Rousseff

risen to almost nine percent.

Analysts say Brazil’s once booming economy suffers deep underlying illnesses, notably the massive corruption scandal unfolding at

national oil company Petrobras and rippling across other top companies and into political circles.

Prosecutors at weekend announced formal Petrobras-related charges against Marcelo Odebrecht, chairman of Brazil’s biggest construction firm, Odebrecht. The once powerful executive is in detention.

The latest sign of macroeconomic problems appeared on Wednesday when the government announced a radical cut to its fiscal savings goal and said it would increase austerity measures.

Trump leads Republican presidential aspirants

D

ONALD Trump’s wild ride to the front of the Republican presidential field showed no signs of abating Sunday, with a new poll showing him with a big lead in a key early primary state.

The NBC/Marist poll had the trash-talking billionaire with a seven point lead in New Hampshire and just two points behind the leader in Iowa, another closely watched early primary state.

•Donald Trump A CNN/ORC poll, meanwhile, found that “I’m not that surprised, most Republicans voters because I see the kind of want to see him stay in the a crowd we’re getting,” race and 22 percent Trump said in a telephone thought he would be their party ’s eventual nominee, ahead of every other candidate except Jeb Bush, the former RITISH Prime Florida governor whose Minister David brother and father were Cameron intends to hold presidents.

The CNN poll put a referendum on the Trump at the front of 16- country’s membership of candidate Republican the European Union pack with 18 percent, and around June of 2016, the Bush in second with 15 Independent on Sunday reported. percent.

interview with CNN’s State of Union. “We’re getting the biggest crowds and we’re getting by far the biggest ovations.”

It was the first poll conducted entirely after Trump drew the wrath of other Republican candidates for belittling the Vietnam record of former prisoner of war John McCain, who headed the Republican presidential ticket in 2008 against President Barack Obama.

The controversy surrounding Trump’s “not a war hero” remarks about McCain and earlier inflammatory comments branding Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists appear to have helped the real estate tycoon among the Republican base.

UK may vote for EU membership in 2016

B

•Cameron

“The Independent on Sunday has learned that Mr Cameron has decided to pencil in June of next year,” the newspaper reported, citing an anonymous source.

A spokeswoman for Cameron’s Downing Street office declined to comment on the report, which said the prime minister would announce the timing of the referendum during the annual conference of his Conservative party in October.

A comment from the Conservative party was not immediately available.

Cameron has promised to re-negotiate the terms of Britain’s membership of the 28-member block before holding a referendum by the end of 2017.

The report comes just days after US President Barack Obama urged Britain to stay in the European Union, cautioning during a BBC interview that remaining in the bloc was necessary to help preserve the nation’s global influence.

It also came as Finance Minister George Osborne began a trip to Paris to seek support for reforms to the European Union.

The Conservative government has said it will campaign in favour of remaining in the EU, but is pushing for changes on the ability of EU citizens to claim welfare in Britain, increased powers for London and the ability to opt out of closer political integration.

OME members of Greece’s leftist government wanted to raid central bank reserves and hack taxpayer accounts to prepare a return to the drachma, according to reports yesterday that highlighted the chaos in the ruling Syriza party.

It is not clear how seriously the plans, attributed to former Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis and former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, were considered by the government and both ministers were sacked earlier this month. However the reports have been seized on by opposition parties

•Alexis Tsipras

who have demanded an explanation.

The reports came at the end of a week of fevered speculation over what Syriza hardliners had in mind as an alternative to the tough bailout terms that Tsipras reluctantly accepted to keep Greece in the euro.

Pope signs up for World Youth Day

P

OPE Francis opened the registration period for next year ’s World Youth Day in Poland, using a tablet computer to sign himself up from a window overlooking St. Peter ’s Square during the traditional Sunday blessing.

The pontiff was joined by two young people as he extended an invitation to the world’s Roman Catholic youth to join him in Krakow from July 2531, 2016.

In Krakow, an electronic clock was installed on the Renaissance Holy Mary Basilica to count the days remaining until the event, initiated by Polish-born St. John Paul II. The late pontiff ’s secretary, Card.

Stanislaw Dziwisz, celebrated a Mass to draw attention to the youth festival, while Krakow residents danced a traditional Polonaise dance in the vast Market Square in a gesture of invitation.

New Scottish independence vote ‘inevitable’ says ex-leader

F

ORMER Scottish nationalist leader Alex Salmond said yesterday that another referendum on independence from the United Kingdom was “inevitable” because of policies pursued by Prime Minister David Cameron’s government in London.

“I think a second independence referendum is inevitable,” Salmond told the BBC, although he would not say when.

Salmond resigned as leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and first minister of the devolved government in Edinburgh after Scots voted “no” to independence by 55 to 45 percent

•Alex Salmond in September.

But nationalist feeling has soared in Scotland since then, and in May’s general election the SNP won 56 out of 59 Scottish seats in the House of Commons, making them the third largest party after the main opposition Labour party.

Clashes rock Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque

I

SRAELI police yesterday entered Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites, as they clashed with Palestinians angered by Jews’ access to the compound on an annual day of Jewish mourning.

Palestinians threw stones and fireworks while police fired stun grenades after security forces entered the Al-Aqsa compound, which is also revered by Jews, before briefly going inside the mosque itself.

Police said they went a few metres (yards) into the mosque to shut the doors

in a bid to restore calm and lock in rioters who were inside.

About 300 security personnel had entered the compound when the clashes began with about 200 Palestinians, an AFP photographer reported.

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned Israeli authorities for allowing what they described as “provocative” visits by hardline Jews.

It was the first time Israeli security forces had entered the mosque since November, when clashes with worshippers also erupted.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 51

Obama begins Ethiopia, African Union visit U

S President Barack Obama yesterday left Kenya and headed to Ethiopia , the first American president to visit Africa’s second most populous nation and a key but much maligned ally in the fight against terrorism.

Obama, who arrived in neighbouring Kenya on Friday, left for Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa late Sunday for a two-day visit, where he will also be the first US leader to address the African Union, the 54member continental bloc.

“This is the first time a sitting (US) president is visiting Ethiopia,” Ethiopian foreign ministry spokesman Tewolde Mulugeta said.

“This will bring the relationshipbetweenourtwo countries to a new hight.”

Through the tinted windows of his bomb-proof presidential limousine,

nicknamed “The Beast”, Obama will be able to see Addis Ababa’s construction boom of tower blocks, as well as sub-Saharan Africa’s first modern tramway.

Ethiopia has come far from the global headlines during

the 1984 famine, experiencing near-doubledigit economic growth and huge infrastructure investment — making the country one of Africa’s topperforming economies and a magnet for foreign

•••AU hails Obama’s visit

A

U Commission chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma hailed what she said will be an “historic visit” and a “concrete step to broaden and deepen the relationship between the AU and the US.” While Kenya launched one of the biggest security operations ever seen in the capital Nairobi to host Obama, the habitual

reach of Ethiopia’s powerful security forces meant there was little obvious extra fanfare ahead of his arrival.

Ethiopia, like Kenya, has been on the frontline of the fight against the Somali-led, Al-Qaeda affiliated Shebab. Both nations have troops in Somalia as part of an AU and US-backed force, and are key security partners

Kenyans tell Obama to keep Gay rights to himself

P

EOPLE in Nairobi yesterday gave a muted and measured response to US President Barack Obama’s firm support for gay rights during his visit to Kenya.

In fact they told the American president to keep his support for Gay roght to himself.

Standing alongside President Uhuru Kenyatta outside State House on Saturday, Obama answered a journalist’s

investment.

The Horn of Africa nation also remains a favourite of international donors — despite concerns over human rights — as a bastion of stability in an otherwise troubled region.

question on gay rights by drawing equivalence between homophobia and racism.

“As an African-American in the United States I am painfully aware of what happens when people are treated differently under the law,” Obama said.

The comparison is particularly stinging in Kenya, which, like other African countries, has a proud history of resisting

and overcoming colonial rule by white foreigners.

“When you start treating people differently –because they’re different –- that’s the path whereby freedoms begin to erode, and bad things happen,” said Obama, adding that treating people differently “because of who they love is wrong, full stop.”

“I’ve been consistent all across Africa on this,” said Obama, who previously spoke in support of gay rights during a visit to Senegal in 2013.

Then, President Macky Sall replied that his country was “not ready” to decriminalise homosexuality, which is illegal in 35 African countries and carries the death penalty in four, according to campaign group Amnesty International.

to Washington.

But the visit also comes two months after elections that saw the prime minister’s ruling coalition take every one of the 546 seats in parliament.

The opposition, which lost its only seat, alleged the government had used authoritarian tactics to guarantee victory.

The US State Department notes Ethiopia’s “restrictions on freedom of expression,” as well as “politically motivated trials” and the “harassment and intimidation of opposition members and journalists.”

•President Barack Obama

Gambia frees over 200 prisoners

G

AMBIA released more than 200 prisoners at the weekend including 31 jailed for treason during multiple plots to overthrow long-ruling President Yahya Jammeh, prison officials said.

Hundreds of cheering and weeping friends and relatives gathered outside the Mile 2 prison in the tiny West African country’scapitaltogreetthem.

Those linked to a failed attempt to oust Jammeh in Decemberremainimprisoned although their family members, including the

elderly mother of the alleged ringleader,werefreed,officials said.

Former inmates, some of whomwerejailedfor15years, tookturnstoexpressgratitude for their release, announced

by Jammeh in a speech on Wednesday to celebrate 21 years since his accession by military coup.

Three Dutch citizens, a German and an Australian who had been jailed on drug charges were among 49 foreigners released, the officials added. There were 182 Gambians pardoned.

52 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Swaziland eager to upset Nigeria I

T is true that Swaziland is ranked 134 in the World and that since the rankings were introduced

by Fifa its average position has hovered around 143 or so. But that does not mean they don’t have a good team. Their last three games alone will show that Sihlangu Semnikati or the Kings Shield, have been playing much better than the monthly Fifa rankings have shown.

First was the 2-1 upset of Guinea in Casablanca on the 12 of June when the Southern Africans displayed a suffocating defence and a tight compact

•Ujah

Ujah hits goal 8th for Bremen S

UPER Eagles star, Anthony Ujah has continued his impressive run with German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen with his eighth goal of the pre-season in a 3-1 win over Spanish La Liga side Sevilla.

Ujah, who played the first 45 minutes of the game, scored Bremen’s second goal in the 32nd minute.

He joined Werder Bremen from FC Cologne this summer.

In England, compatriot Victor Anichebe was among the goals scorers as West Brom thrashed Swindon Town 4-1 in a pre-season game also on Saturday, netting his first goal as the team build-up for the new EPL season.

Anichebe scored in the 23rd minute to give ‘The

Keshi continued frm B/P reported that Keshi had dragged the NFF to court for “ wrongful dismissal and defamation”.

A top source told said “Keshi’s lawyers have demanded for a billion Naira from the NFF as compensation for defaming their client.”

The letter from the Kaduna-based law firm was received by the NFF

on Friday.

Keshi was sacked by the NFF on July 5 after the NFF disciplinary committee investigated various allegations against him.

This was four months after the 53-year-old coach signed a new twoyear contract after his initial three-year deal with the NFF ran out at last year’s World Cup in Brazil.

Baggies’ a 2-0 lead. He scored three goals last season in 21 games for the Midlands club.

Fellow Nigerian Brown Ideye was close

to goal twice, first in the 77th minute, when he failed to beat Swindon goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux in a one-onone situation.

midfield that gave the normally speedy Guineans major fits all game long.

They successfully voided the West African’s response to the long ball and in turn delivered quite a surprising and potent counter.

Then came the double header of friendlies against Angola which produced a 2-2 draw at home in Lobamba on the fourth of July and a 2-0 loss in Luanda two weeks later with a watered down squad.

This means their rise is the rankings is only destined to continue and people are now openly talking about exceeding their best performance in an international tourna-ment under Coach Harris Bulunga , which so far has been a semi-final finish in the COSAFA Cup as well as a Ranking of 90 in the World in October1993.

Some are even daring to

Ibrahimovic: Di Maria will take PSG to another level

Z

LATAN Ibrahimovic has given a strong hint that Angel di Maria is destined for Paris Saint-Germain.

Argentina midfielder Di Maria has long been linked with a move to the French capital after a disappointing first season with Manchester United.

Speculation over the former Real Madrid man’s future heightened when he failed to take a flight he was scheduled to board to join up with his club on their preseason tour of the United States on Saturday.

Ibrahimovic may be

able to shed some light after his response to a question over Di Maria’s potential arrival at PSG. He is quoted as saying

by Le Parisien: “Welcome to him [Di Maria], he will bring his qualities, is a good player. With him the team will be better.”

envision, and as absurd as it sounds, Russia in 2018.

Standing in their way will be Djibouti first, and then Nigeria second. While much can’t be said about Djibouti which at 207 is ranked dead last in Africa, the team out of Nigeria as we know is totally different and has been a competitor in a slew of World Cups.

So even with the new transition in Abuja and the Super Eagles being rebuilt, many Aficionados are already looking forward to a Nigeria Swazi encounter.

The same Aficionados will most likely also point out that when the King’s Shield beat the Guineans in Morocco, the West Africans were ranked 58th in the world which is just one below Nigeria at 57.

Nigerians should also be reminded that on 8 June 2008 the Swazis achieved their first win in a World Cup qualifier in a long time by beating 2006 finalists and an Adebayor led Togo 2–1 on home soil. So they are quite capable of doing the impossible again and new Coach Oliseh should be wary.

After all this is Africa and as we know the term minnows is now extinct and anything is possible.

W/Cup without Eagles continued frm B/P for the tournament was conducted in Russia on Saturday.

A win for Nigeria in the second round will see the Super Eagles progress to the third round which will consist of five groups of four teams each.

The five group winners automatically qualify for the 2018 World Cup and the NFF insists the three-time African champions will be

among Africa’s five flag bearers in Russia.

“A World Cup without Nigeria is not complete and as a federation, we will do everything it takes to see that the Super Eagles qualify for the tournament,” NFF executive committee member, Barrister Chris Green said shortly after the draw.

He added that new coach, Sunday Oliseh will be given the “necessary support” to guide the Eagles to a

place at the finals.

“We will continue to give the necessary support to (Sunday) Oliseh to enable him succeed.

“The Super Eagles owe Nigerians the obligation of playing well, winning matches and getting to play at every edition of the world cup.

“We want to ensure that Nigeria becomes a great force in international football again,” he said.

•Di Maria...PSG bound?

Moses continued frm B/P coming season.

Moses got the equaliser for ‘The Blues’ in the 65th minute to end the game 1-1 in regulation time, cancelling Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 25th minute goal.

Chelsea then won 6-5 on penalties.

The former Wigan Athletic player pounced on Cesc Fabregas pass to jab in the goal.

He was the best Chelsea player on the pitch, he was dangerous on the attack and supported the defence.

In the 10th minute, he dribbled past three PSG players before he found Ivanovic, who failed to score from six yards.

He lasted 70th minutes before he was replaced by Loic Remy.

Compatriot Mikel Obi played the first 45 minutes for Chelsea.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 53

T

HE NFF calls it the Federation Cup, yet I have come across thousands who prefer to remember it as the Challenge Cup, that competition that ignited football in this country and brought out the best in our clubs thanks to its knock out, no second chance format.

Memorable finals of this exciting competition are still subjects of animated conversation in football circles and those in their sixties and seventies are still pleading for the “….return of the glory days of the Challenge Cup” Depending on your support base, pray take a pick of the memorable encounters of the past. Will it be 1984, when Leventis United a Division 3 outfit shocked Abiola Babes in the final?

Perhaps you want to recount the epic match of 1971 when WNDC beat Rangers 2-1?

There are those that will prefer the 1978 humiliation of Rangers, 3-0 by Bendel Insurance.

This is a scoreline that none could forecast except die hard Insurance fans who had no respect for statistics and current form...

Then the cup took a plunge. Even the change of name and perceived re-branding to FA Cup and lately Federation Cup has not helped to match feats and excitement of the past. How can such an illustrious competition stay for so long without sponsors and partners?

The last edition was particularly pathetic as less than five thousand spectators turned up to watch Enyimba and Dolphins, despite the muscular attempts of the Lagos State Government to revive the competition.

This year, something new and exciting is happening. Some prefer to call it the BJ Eartquake.

Incidentally despite all efforts to track and place this team that has been the scourge of the finest in the land, I do not seem to get a favourable headway.

That BJ Foundation is a club named after Benson Johnson( Late) who spent his life in Benin providing a life for youths who could not make it into big time clubs. No definite structure, supported by Ex Internationals who benefited one way or the other from the club.......

That the club has been around for some time, engaging mainly in youth tournaments until this year when they contested and lost the Edo State Federation Cup final to Kukuruku Dragons, enough to give them a ticket to the National play offs.

(Before I forget, let it be on record that it is

The challenge of BJ Foundation Kukuruku that ousted the mighty Giwa FC from the competition ) Back to BJ and their first match, a 3-1 victory over Kurmi Market, a clash of unknowns. Next was Spotlight of Katsina, a club that held Keshi’s Eagles to a stalemate. BJ came out tops 3-1 and started

The story of the Federation Cup this year is one that should attract attention, one that makes me believe that we have an exciting tournament in our hands attracting some media attention and mention.

It was when BJ was drawn against Heartland of Owerri that the forecast came out, that of the luck of the draw for Heartland in a culture where the Premier league clubs will always pray to avoid their counterparts. When the news filtered out that BJ had hammered Heartland 3-1, Veteran football administrator and LMC Match Commissioner Arthur Kwame took over the story. He watched BJ against Spotlight and liked what he saw. He saw a team of very talented young boys, mobile and happy to play, he saw a team that had about five players naturally at ease with the use of both legs .

I quickly put a call through to Chief Anyansi, Chairman of the NFF Technical Committee on the need to watch BJ’s next match and exploit the

T Rio 2016 qualifiers: Ikpeba backs Siasia to outsmart Le’Roy

By Ben Efe

F

ORMER Super Eagles striker, Victor Ikpeba said Nigeria’s Under-23 squad will overcome their poor display in front of the goalpost and come out tops in the second leg qualifier for the Africa Under-23 tournament against Congo this weekend in Point Noire.

The team wasted numerous scoring chances and in the end managed a 2-1 win over Congo in the first leg encounter decided at the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt. Ikepba, a member of the Nigeria Football Federation study group, stated that the team coached by Samson Siasia was the best ever to be assembled in recent times and they will beat their opponents at home.

“Coach Samson Siasia has done a great job with the team. He will overcome whatever strategy employed by C M Y K

•Ikpeba Claude Le’ Roy in Congo. We have a good team and we should not lose hope.

“In their first game they created about eight chances, but the goals did not come. Congo got one chance and they scored. But the team is stable, those lapses have been worked on,” said Ikpeba.

He added that the team has been training

on a plastic pitch to get used to the conditions expected in the second leg.

“The pitch in Point Noire is rough but the boys have been training on astro turf. The crowd and the setting will be different, However, the good thing is that we have a good team. From what I have seen of them in training, they will not fail in Congo.”

HE best of Nigerian athletes will fight to book a place in the country’s team to the IAAF world championships and the All Africa Games when they collide, at All Nigeria Championships starting in Warri from Wednesday July 29.

And for former world and Olympic champion, Maurice Greene it will be a tough contest, as the top athletes are prepared to display their best performances in a bid to earn a team place.

“I think everybody is getting ready for the National Championships.

Many athletes are coming in with their A performances and some others in advance stages of their trainings will be coming in, so I expect it will be a tough trials,” Greene stated.

Some of the athletes participated at the CAA grandprix and Warri Relays last Friday and they didn’t give any hint about what to expect in the trials.

They put up presentations, which did not even march their season’s best performances.

discovery of left footers who are in very short supply presently in the National teams.

The BJ story is that of Tornadoes Feeders. As the name implies it is the junior side of Niger Tornadoes of Minna (who have since exited the cup) Today the ‘Feeders’ are in the Quarter finals after showing past winners Dolphins the way out. Before Dolphins, Wikki Tourists had fallen to the giant killers from Minna.

The story of the Federation Cup this year is one that should attract attention, one that makes me believe that we have an exciting tournament in our hands going forward. Let us rewind.

Defending champions Enyimba and League defending champions Pillars fell same week end in the round of 32. After drawing byes as the big boys they came in and were sent packing, beaten by Remo Stars and Plateau United respectively.

Before then, Nigeria’s team of the moment Sunshine Stars had kicked the dust in the round of 64, beaten by a certain Julius Atete (?) this is also the round that saw the elimination of Shooting Stars

by Plateau United, Gombe United by Papillo FC and Giwa FC by Kukuruku Dragons.

More shocks were to follow in the next round, when Heartland fell to BJ, and Nasarawa United had the better of Abia Warriors.

This competition is about giant killers, about upsets and shocks. In 1976 a certain Alyufsalam Rocks shocked all in her path to the final where they succumbed to the firepower of Rangers. In 1988, it was the turn of Flash Flamingoes to confront Iwuanyanwu Nationale in the final where they lost 0-3. What about Katsina United who in 1995, 1996 and 1997 proved that their capacity was no fluke, confronting Shooting Stars, Julius Berger and BCC lions in the final?

This is the Challenge Cup for you, this is the FA Cup, this is the Federation Cup. Throw into the mix the continental opportunity of the CAF Confederation Cup and you get a war on your hands.

Now the competition is in the quarter final stage, throwing up very exciting fixtures as BJ is up against Lobi Stars ( Lobi needed penalties to overcome Remo Stars after the match had stalemated at 1-1 at regulation time) Ifeanyi Uba will play Nasarawa, Akwa United against Tornadoes Feeders ( Some fears in Uyo?) while El Kanemi and Rangers complete the fixtures that expectedly holds promises of upsets and tradition moving into the final.

All-Nigeria Championships: Greene expects standard performances

•Gloria

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015 — 55

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015

Swaziland eager to upset Nigeria —P.52

Keshi demands N1b compensation from NFF

Ujah hits 8th goal for Bremen —P.52

•Ujah

S

ACKED Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has demanded a compensation of a billion Naira (more than $400 million) from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for defaming him.

Last week, it was

Continues on page 52

•Keshi

W/Cup without Eagles unthinkable —NFF

T

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will “do everything it takes” to guarantee the qualification of the Super Eagles for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia.

Nigeria will meet the winner of the tie between Djibouti and Swaziland in the second round of qualifying in November after the draw

Continues on page 52

•GOAL...An excellent cross from Cesc Fabregas teed up Moses (r) to equalise from close range.

Chelsea won 6-5 on penalties.

S

•Oliseh

UPER Eagles forward Victor Moses was the best player for Chelsea as the English champions stopped French kings

Moses powers Chelsea to victory PSG in a pre-season friendly on penalties.

It was an individual performance that should

guarantee his future at Stamford Bridge after manager Jose Mourinho hinted he

could be part of the firstteam squad for the

Continues on page 52

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Rescind (6) 5 Fiery (6) 8 Killer (8) 9 Intend (4) 10 Vitality (3) 12 Staid (5) 15 Damp (3) 17 Serpent (3) 18 Consumed (3) 19 Devil (3) 20 Eject (5) 21 Cur (3) 22 Epoch (3) 23 Ovum (3) 24 Spike (3) 26 Stormed (5) 29 Stray (3) 33 Leer (4) 34 Pervade (8) 35 Drive (6) 36 Liniment (6)

DOWN 2 Follow (5) 3 Cheese (4) 4 Lariat (5) 5 Taut (5) 6 Incline (4) 7 Angry (5) 10 Cost (5) 11 Examination (5) 12 Javelin (5) 13 Fetch (5) 14 Assessed (5) 15 Jam (5) 16 Animal (5) 25 Boring-tool (5) 27 Horrify (5) 28 Enlist (5) 30 Proportion (5) 31 Ooze (4) 32 Trial (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Dirndle 5, Source 9, Elder 10, Appeal 11, Walnut 12, Label 14, Fair 17, Car 18, Torn 20, Strap 22, Armed 23, Cottage 24, Dived 26, Enter 29, acid 30, Arc 32, Dare 33, Style 35, Potato 36, Oldest 37, Units 38, Remedy 39, Heated.

DOWN: 1, Dwarfs 2, Repair 3, Deal 4, Lilac 5, Sewer 6, Oral 7, Random 8, Extend 13, Battery 15, Attic 16, Raced 18, Trend 19, Refer 21, Pod 22, Age 24, Dapper 25, Victim 27, Talent 28, Rested 30, Atony 31, Cloth 33, Stud 34, Else.

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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C M Y K